Wycliffe Bible Translators, working in partnership with language communities and local organizations, is involved in active Bible translation programs in more than 1,360 languages, potentially impacting 936 million people. We rejoice in the progress being made, but greater acceleration is needed to provide God's life-changing Word for every language group. They've waited long enough! Vision 2025 is a bold call to action and commitment; a firm "no" to the status quo; it's thinking "outside the box" and a willingness to take risks.

There are several key themes to Vision 2025:

1. Urgency: Our sense of urgency is based on God's deep affection for humanity and His desire that individuals from every tribe, language, people and nation on earth enter into a relationship with Him.
   
   
2. Partnership: We will no longer do things by ourselves that could be done with others.
   
   
3. Capacity Building: The results of capacity building include trained personnel, sufficient funding, and networks of people and institutions that can provide guidance, consultancy and finances.
   
   
4. Creative Strategies: We recognize that we cannot make our full contribution to Vision 2025 by working harder or doing more of the same. Instead, we must work differently, embrace new attitudes and expand our repertoire of strategies so we can significantly increase our effectiveness.
   
   
5. Sustainability: We commit ourselves to see that what has been started will be brought as close to a point of sustainability as possible.

Most Bibleless groups are located in four main geographic zones or clusters, as indicated in the coloured areas on the map below:

A large proportion of the language groups needing Bible translation are located in the spiritually needy countries of the 10/40 Window, where the gospel is often resisted and restricted for political, religious and cultural reasons. This area contains two-thirds of the world's population, most of the least-evangelized nations, the largest concentration of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists, and a majority of the world's poor.

The Job Before Us
Today, about 2,480 languages have some Scripture or the entire Bible. Nearly 2,000 language-based development and translation programs are in progress worldwide. However, people in about 2,250 additional language groups, for whom no translation has even begun, need Scripture that speaks to their hearts.

Check out the current translation statistics

Map: Statistical breakdown of worldwide translation needs (PDF file, 75 KB)

To learn more about Vision 2025, order Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart; a 164-page visual journey through the world and work of Wycliffe Bible Translators.