Exodus translation published for Quebec’s Naskapi First Nation

The Naskapi people of northeastern Quebec have had access to the New Testament in their language since 2007. Since then, one of their long-term Bible translation goals has been to translate and publish the book of Exodus.

“We want to report with gratitude and praise to God that this goal has been reached,” Wycliffe Canada’s Bill Jancewicz reported on Aug. 24. Earlier that month, 300 copies of Exodus, printed by the Canadian Bible Society, were delivered to the Naskapi community about 15 km northeast of Schefferville.

Exodus is the latest Scripture translation for Quebec’s Naskapi people, joining the New Testament, Genesis and Psalms.

Jancewicz and his wife Norma Jean have served the Naskapi in language development and Bible translation since 1988. Since the publication of the Naskapi New Testament, local translators mentored by Jancewicz have also completed work on Genesis and the Psalms. All are available in print and on the YouVersion Bible app.

All Naskapi Scripture publications use BJCree, a typographic font Jancewicz designed to format and print Naskapi syllabic characters using computers.

The Naskapi translation team is currently working to finish translating the book of Judges, while translations of several other Old Testament books are being checked by team members for accuracy, clarity and naturalness.

 

Learn more: Northern Translation Brief (blog by Bill Jancewicz)

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