A quiet revolution is occurring in a place where the Bible was first penned and Hebrew reverberates through the streets. It’s about translation, not politics or archaeology. In addition to preparing translators from all over the world to introduce the Old Testament to their respective people groups, a network of committed organizations throughout Israel is striving to make the Gospel understandable to contemporary Israelis. This is the tale of how Israel’s gospel translation services are bridging the gap between old texts and modern hearts.
The Paradox: A Land of Hebrew, Yet a People Who Struggle to Understand
Here’s a surprising reality: while Israel is the only country in the world where Hebrew is the official language and the Bible was written in biblical Hebrew, many Israelis struggle to read the Scriptures in their original form. As Victor Kalisher, head of Israel’s Bible Society, explains, “Even native Hebrew speakers often find the Scriptures inaccessible without years of specialized study” .
Biblical Hebrew is ancient, poetic, and structurally complex. It differs significantly from modern Hebrew, much like Chaucer’s English differs from contemporary speech. The result is a profound paradox: the Jewish people, for whom the Hebrew Bible is their foundational text, often encounter it as a foreign language within their own tongue.
In Israeli schools, Bible education is mandatory, yet Scripture is frequently taught from a secular or literary perspective. Students learn to appreciate the text as literature or history but remain disconnected from its spiritual depth. Many Israelis see the Bible as a historical artifact rather than a living Word that speaks clearly into modern life .
A Historic Breakthrough: The Modern Hebrew Old Testament
For the first time in history, Israel now has a complete modern Hebrew translation of the Old Testament—faithful to the Masoretic Text while written in language contemporary Israelis can truly understand . This translation project was guided by several core commitments:
- Faithfulness to the original Hebrew text
- Collaboration among linguists, scholars, and believers
- Clarity without theological compromise
The impact is already being felt across Israeli society. Children and students are discovering that Scripture is understandable and relevant. Teachers can move beyond surface-level storytelling to meaningful engagement with biblical truth. Parents and children are reading Scripture together without frustration over archaic language. Remarkably, even Israeli soldiers are engaging in conversations about passages like Isaiah 53 within the Israel Defense Forces .
Beyond Israel: Equipping the World to Translate from Hebrew
While making Scripture accessible in modern Hebrew is crucial, another vital work is taking place in Jerusalem—one that impacts the entire world. The Whole Word Institute, located in Jerusalem, addresses a critical gap in global Bible translation.
Consider this staggering fact: of the 7,000+ languages in the world, over 6,000 do not have a full Bible. Of these, over 40% do not have a written form. Of the 400+ sign languages in the world, only one has a full Bible . The Whole Word Institute’s mission is to accelerate access to the whole Bible for people of all languages—whether written, oral, or signed.
Founded in 2015, the Institute arose from a concerning discovery: only one in five Bible translation projects included the Old Testament. Research revealed that one reason was the scarcity of translators and consultants proficient in biblical Hebrew . The solution? Bring translators to Jerusalem, immerse them in the land of the Bible, and equip them to translate directly from the original Hebrew texts.
Dr. David Swarr, President and CEO of Whole Word Institute, has lived in Israel for over 40 years. Under his leadership, the Institute trains translators from around the world in biblical Hebrew so they can translate the Tanakh (Old Testament) directly from the original authoritative language of Scripture into their own languages .
Training Approaches: From Intensive Immersion to Global Extension
The Institute offers several pathways to equip translators :
The Jerusalem Program: An intensive nine-month School of Biblical Hebrew in Jerusalem where students learn Hebrew in Hebrew from day one using Communicative Language Learning. Students can progress from beginner level to translation proficiency in as little as nine months—the fastest track to prepare translators to work from the original texts.
The Hebrew Extension Learning Program (HELP): During COVID, the Institute developed online training for students who could not come to Jerusalem. This proved so successful that it has become a permanent extension program, allowing translators to gain proficiency without relocating.
Consultant Training: The Institute offers an MA in Biblical Hebrew and Translation Consulting that combines biblical language proficiency, consultant skill sets, and a supervised field internship. No other program combines these three essential elements, preparing translation consultants in as little as 15 months with a fully accredited MA degree.
Local Program Establishment: As more church movements become involved in Bible translation, the Institute assists indigenous entities in establishing their own Hebrew training programs, creating sustainable local capacity.
Students have come from over 50 nations and now serve as consultants, checkers, translators, biblical Hebrew instructors, and original language translation advocates in church movements and agencies worldwide. They are working in over 300 translation projects globally .
The Jerusalem Center for Bible Translators: A Home for Scholars
Since 1995, another vital organization—the Jerusalem Center for Bible Translators (formerly the Bible Translation House)—has hosted translators and scholars in Yad HaShmona, a village near Jerusalem. The center has welcomed over 184 Bible translators and scholars from 50 countries, representing 146 languages .
These translators study biblical language while experiencing the land’s topography, agriculture, artifacts, and climate—elements that profoundly enhance their ability to contextualize the text. They also absorb the living Hebrew language through exposure to the streets, homes, and culture of modern Israel.
The impact multiplies when these translators return home: they not only translate but also teach biblical Hebrew and the historical geography of the land to their translation teams, spreading the blessing of studying Scripture in its original context .
Messianic Jewish Translation Work
Within Israel, a vibrant Messianic Jewish community—believers in Yeshua (Jesus) who retain their Jewish identity—has its own translation needs. Derek Prince Ministries (DPM) has been actively serving this community for decades. To date, DPM has translated over 25 of Derek Prince’s books into Hebrew, along with hundreds of teaching articles and audio messages available online .
Their work extends to the Arab community as well, providing Arabic-translated resources to pastors and leaders across the land. Since 2022, a formal partnership with Christian Friends of Israel (CFI) has enabled the distribution of thousands of Derek Prince’s materials in multiple languages, including Hebrew, Russian, Arabic, and English. Over 8,000 books have been placed into hands across Israel since 2023, with new Hebrew titles being added regularly .
The “Septuagint Project” works to subtitle 70 of Derek Prince’s most important sermons in Hebrew and share them on YouTube, allowing millions of Hebrew speakers to engage with these teachings .
English Messianic Translations: A Global Impact
Beyond Israel’s borders, Messianic Jewish translation efforts have produced several notable English Bible translations that restore the Jewish context and flavor of Scripture. These include :
The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB): Translated by David H. Stern, this translation uses Hebrew names for people and places (Eliyahu for Elijah, Sha’ul for Saul) and incorporates Hebrew and Yiddish expressions, seeking to restore the Bible to its original Jewish context.
The Tree of Life Version (TLV): Sponsored by the Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society, this translation aims to “speak with a decidedly Jewish-friendly voice,” restoring the Jewish order of the Old Testament books, using the name Yeshua for the Messiah, and reverencing the four-letter unspoken name of God.
The New Jerusalem Version (NJV): This translation preserves the original Hebrew יהוה (the Tetragrammaton) where God’s personal name occurs in the Masoretic Text and transliterates Yeshua for the Messiah’s name.
The Challenge of Translation: Balancing Accuracy and Accessibility
All translation work involves difficult choices. A recent controversy surrounding a Danish Bible translation highlights the sensitivities involved. The Danish Bible Society’s 2020 translation removed many references to “Israel” from the New Testament, replacing them with terms like “the Jews” or simply “home.” While the Society claimed this was to avoid confusion between ancient Israel and the modern state, critics charged that it reflected “replacement theology” and political bias .
This controversy underscores the importance of translation work being done in Israel itself—where translators are immersed in the land, the language, and the living context of Scripture. When translation is done in Jerusalem, with scholars who understand both ancient texts and contemporary Israeli culture, the results are more faithful and nuanced.
The Power of Translating from the Original Languages
What makes these Israel-based translation efforts unique is their commitment to translating from the original biblical languages. As Whole Word Institute states, “Translation from the original biblical language can result in better translations done faster and cheaper” . Equipping mother-tongue translators to work directly from Hebrew into their own languages accelerates the effort while ensuring accuracy.
This approach also empowers indigenous church movements. When local leaders can engage with Scripture in its original languages, they gain capacities for translation, theological development, and self-sustenance that go far beyond any single translation project .
How to Support and Engage
Several organizations welcome partnership in this vital work:
- Whole Word Institute offers training and accepts donations to support their Hebrew education programs. (info@wholewordinstitute.com)
- Derek Prince Ministries partners with Christian Friends of Israel to distribute free teaching resources. Their Israel outreach continues the work Derek Prince began in Jerusalem .
- The Joshua Fund supports modern Hebrew Bible translation through Israel’s Bible Society and other initiatives .
Prayer is also vital—for open doors, for translators and teachers, and for the Word to take root in hearts across Israel and around the world .
Conclusion: Bridging the Gap
The work of gospel translation in Israel operates on multiple levels. At one level, it’s about helping Israelis encounter the Scriptures in language they can truly understand—bridging the gap between ancient Hebrew and modern hearts. At another level, it’s about equipping translators from around the world to work directly from the original Hebrew, ensuring that people in every language can receive the whole Word of God.
Both missions are rooted in the conviction that the Scriptures are not merely historical artifacts but living words—words that speak into contemporary life, words that have the power to transform individuals and communities.
In the land where those words were first written, a quiet revolution of understanding is taking place. And from Jerusalem, the ripple effects are spreading to every corner of the globe.