Eliminating the Old Testament Gap

The Jerusalem Declaration
SignatoriesDeclaration

End Bible Poverty in our Generation

We recognize that we do not have the “whole counsel of God” (Act 20:27) without the Original Testament, yet not everyone has access to or makes use of the Original (Old) Testament. Our goal is to see every person in the whole world able to engage with the whole Word of God in his or her own heart language.

Therefore, we commit ourselves to the task of eliminating the Original Testament Gap within this generation.

Australia
Austria
Benin
Brazil
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Canada
Germany
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Israel
Italy
Mali
Mexico
Nigeria
Russia
Rwanda
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Zambia
Lewis MwilaZambia, 09/24
Christov ManuhutuBAHTRAKU, 04/24
Charles FranklinUnited States, 03/24
Jonathan WoodardBibleSeed, 02/24
AnonymousUnited States, 01/24
Tina ChenUnited States, 01/24
Lino TalleyKosrae Bible Translation Group, 12/23
Michael CurrierUnited States, 11/23
Bobbie WarrenUnited States, 11/23
Jessica MossUnited States, 10/23
Alan WebsterSouth Africa, 09/23
Aondongusha Joshua TsarNigeria, 09/23
Martin GonzalezMexico, 08/23
Martín González NegreteDigital Bible Society, 07/23
Martín González NegreteMexico, 07/23
Elizabeth FarahUnited States, 07/23
Cameron HammCanada, 06/23
Jim GardnerUnited States, 06/23
Andy keenerUnited States, 04/23
Kusmantoro TedjaIndonesia, 04/23
Robin Falsettini Di Nardo4.2.20 Foundation, 04/23
Ma'afu PaluAustralia, 04/23
cintia lareuYWAM, 04/23
Katie WillUnited States, 03/23
Jayanthi VuppalaIndia, 01/23
Bio Athanase YANTOYWAM, 01/23
Bio Athanase YANTOYWAM, 01/23
Stephanie ZislerUnited States, 01/23
MIchael MistrettaFIRM: Fellowship of Israel Related Ministries, 12/22
Charles HoWycliffe Singapore, 12/22
Siang Guan ChuaSingapore, 12/22
Rebecca TingTrinity Annual Conference, 12/22
Kian Kwang HanSingapore, 11/22
SG LEESingapore, 11/22
Gerald LimSingapore, 11/22
Eric GohSingapore, 11/22
Jen Huat LimSingapore, 11/22
Alex SeowSingapore, 11/22
Ciang LohSingapore, 11/22
Grace ThamSingapore, 11/22

 

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  • On Pentecost Sunday, 2022, a group of people from around the world gathered at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem as the “first-fruits” of the movement to eliminate the Original Testament Gap. 

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    Why Original Testament?

    In English alone there are over 100 translations of the Bible to choose from. Yet there are over 4,000 languages that have yet to receive the bread of life for the first time. People are hungry and living in a void of truth.

    "A Revolution in Bible Access"

    What if you couldn’t fully understand the foundation of the Gospel because you never heard the whole story? The need to tell the whole story is great and is urgent. Many before us have sacrificed greatly so that we can know the whole story. It is now time for us to complete the task.
    “The Original Testament Gap”

    Having only the New Testament is like having a coat without the shorts. And it’s important to have the coat as well as the shorts for one to be fully dressed.
    Eliyahu, Translation Consultant-in-Training, Kenya

    Can we imagine our Bibles to contain only the New Testament? The reality is, while 717 language communities have access to the whole Bible, there are 1,582 communities that only have the New Testament. The Old Testament has yet to be translated, creating an Old Testament Gap.

    Simon Wan, Asia-Pacific Area Director, Wycliffe Global Alliance

    The Original Testament tells of the origins, legacy, heritage, context, and foundations of the good news, making it essential for accomplishing God’s purposes on earth. The New Testament’s words stand on the foundation of the revelations of earlier Scripture, the stories of Abraham, Moses, David, the Exodus, the law, and the promises of Messiah.

    David Hamilton, VP Strategic Innovation, University of the Nations 

    I now realize that I have not fully understood all that Jesus is—as the son of God, or perhaps the good news of His death, His resurrection and ascension that is in the New Testament—simply because I had missed the backstory found in the entire Hebrew Scriptures…This is a God-sized mission, and I believe the whole church needs to come together to give the whole Word to the whole world.

    Rev Canon Siang Guan Chua, Vicar of St James’ Church, Singapore

    Translating the Old Testament will reveal the understanding of the background of history from Old Testament to New Testament. People will see the thread from OT to NT as a unified whole. It is a complete panorama.
    Ariela, Translation Consultant-in-Training, Indonesia