“As someone involved in an international ministry involving interaction in several different languages, I understand the need for careful approaches to understanding communication across language barriers in both oral and printed forms. So I worked through Barrick’s Understanding Bible Translation with great interest. Many such works have come on the scene over the years, but this one will provide the best balance to Bible translation. Barrick, an experienced Bible translator at one time in Bangladesh, avoids the extremes of language translation: hyper-formalism on one side that at times approaches a wooden literalism, and an approach on the other side that takes too much liberty in translation. Barrick correctly opts for the transfer of meaning more than form in the translation process from the original biblical languages. The real strength of the book is the identification of clear translation principles at several points in the process and in the many concrete examples for the purpose of illustrating such principles. An added bonus is a comprehensive analysis of English Bible translations. While the reader may not agree with every point in the book, the value of the book cannot be questioned. Pastors, missionaries, laymen, and Bible translators will benefit greatly from a thorough study of this work.” – Dr. Mike Stallard (Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary), Director of International Ministries, Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry
“Churches need to raise up a new generation of pastor-translators and theologian-translators who will serve at the intersection of church life, theological training programs, and the translation community. We need to send men and women equipped to not only translate but to train indigenous pastors and theologians to use translations in the life of the church. Bill has labored for decades in training translators, theologians, and pastors. Add his work on translation committees and his expertise in the biblical languages and theology, and you get a sure guide to better understand the challenges which translators face. May God use this book to awaken the church to pray and give and send and go, so that God’s Word may ‘run forth and be glorified’ (2 Thess. 3:1).” – Kyle Davis, Founder and Director, Bible Translation Fellowship