Bible Society of Kenya, a leading Bible Translation and Publishing organization in East Africa and a non-denominational organization is set to launch three vernacular language Bibles in 2020.
Planning of the Bible launches has already began following the completion of the translation work for the three language Bibles done in the previous years.
Igikuria Bible is among the Bibles that the society plan to launch in 2020. Translated to Igikuria vernacular language, the Bible will be the 22nd Bible translated by the Bible Society of Kenya since the commencement of Bible Translation work by early Christian missionaries in 1844.
The completion of the Igikuria Bible is a great milestone for the society and it will be an exultation for the members of the Kuria community as they receive their Bible – it has taken the Igikuria translators about 35 years to complete both the New Testament and Old Testament due to different challenges in the earlier years of the translation.
Translated in partnership with the Bible Society of Tanzania, the Bible will serve the Kuria Community who reside in the South Western part of Kenya in Migori County and in Serengeti, Tarime, Musoma, Bunda Districts of Tanzania and recently in the Mara region.
The Bible will be launched in the Kuria region in the South – Western part of Kenya.
Bible Society of Kenya is also preparing a handover event for the revised version of the Ekegusii Bible in the year in Kisii, South -Western region of Kenya where majority of the Ekegusii language speakers live.
The revision of the ‘Ebibilia Enchenu’ was a request by the Kisii Church leaders from different denominations to the Bible Society of Kenya to rework on the original version of the Bible due to language variations as a result of time changes and also for value addition in terms of glossary, references and size of the Bible.The revision work was commenced in 2013.
The revision will be the 3rd Bible revision coming soon after the Revised Maasai Bible which was ceremoniously launched in Narok County in August 2018 and the Revised Kalenjin Bible launched in 2017.
The Iteso New Testament Bible is also part of the Bibles that the Society has lined up for handover and distribution to the local communities in the year. The New testament Bible will serve the Teso community as they await a complete translation with both new and old testaments.
The Teso community live on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, North -western Kenya region near the Kenya – Uganda border.
Bible Society of Kenya is planning several stakeholder forums to engage them on the three Bibles before the actual launches.
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