Quarterly Record The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society • Issue Number 634 January–March 2021

T HE WORD OF GOD AMONG ALL NAT IONS Trinitarian Bible Society

Founded in 1831 for the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God Offi cers and Executive Staff of the Society

President: Resources Director: Mr. D. P. Rowland Mr. D. J. Broome, C.P.F.A.

Vice-Presidents: Editorial Director: Mr. G. Bidston Mr. J. D. Arnold, LLB. (Hons.) Mr. G. den Boer Operations Director: Mr. G. R. Burrows The Rev. Dr. T. Gilmer Mr. P. A. Blows, B.A. (Hons.) Pastor M. J. Harley Senior Editorial Consultants: Mr. D. Oldham Mr. L. Brigden, B.Sc.(Hons.), M.Sc., The Rev. M. Stuart B.A.(Hons.) – Linguistics The Rev. M. H. Watts Mr. P. J. D. Hopkins, M.A. Oxf. – Projects Chairman: Editorial Consultants: Mr. G. D. Buss, B.Ed.* Mr. A. Hembd, M.A.C.S. Vice-Chairman: J. Cammenga, B.A., M.A., Ph.D. The Rev. J. P. Thackway* G. Fox, B.A. (Hons.), D.D., Ph.D. The Rev. W. M. Patterson Jnr., B.A., D.D. Treasurer: Mr. A. C. Thomson, M.A. Cantab. Pastor R. A. Clarke, B.Sc., F.C.A.*

Members: * These are the serving members of the General Committee. The Rev. R. G. Ferguson, B.A.* Mr. A. K. Jones, LLB. (Hons.) Solicitor* M. Keogh-Brown, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.* The Rev. E. T. Kirkland, B.A. (Hons.), Dipl.Th.* The Rev. A. J. Lewis, Dipl.Th.* Mr. J. P. Sayers* Mr. M. A. Vogan, B.A. (Hons.), M.A., M.Litt.*

Cover Picture: © Thomas Hagenau / Shutterstock Issue Number: 634 © Trinitarian Bible Society 2021 All rights reserved. The Trinitarian Bible Society permits January to reprinting of articles found in our printed and online Quarterly Record provided that prior permission is March 2021 obtained and proper acknowledgement is made.

AGM advance notice 2

Introduction from the Editorial Director 3

Whatsoever Things 6

The Biblical Warrant for Distributing Bibles in Schools 9

Chichewa 14

Bibles Outside Churches and Homes 16

Editorial Report 19

Richly be Filled: 189th AGM Sermon 23

The Word of God among all Nations 33

Quarterly Record Production Team Editorial Director: Mr J. D. Arnold Senior Editorial Consultant (Projects): Mr P. J. D. Hopkins Senior Editor: Dr. D. E. Anderson Editor: Miss N. Christie Assistant Editor: Miss E. Tichelaar Graphic Designers: Mr P. Hughes, Mr S. Talas Circulation: Mr J. M. Wilson THE 190TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ADVANCE NOTICE GOD WILLING ON Saturday, 18 September 2021 times and location to be confi rmed The Business Meeting will include reports and updates on the Society’s work, including the Amharic translation project.

After the Business Meeting, The Rev. Dafydd Morris Deputation Speaker of the Society is expected to preach. All are invited to attend. Please see our website for the most up-to-date details.

THE WORD OF GOD AMONG ALL NATIONS Introduction from the Editorial Director

s 2021 commences it is our earnest able to operate as a Society and it is a joy to desire and prayer that the Lord will meet with many of you at AGMs and Open Acontinue to uphold and sustain Days; these meetings with our supporters the work of the Society. The previous year and friends were sorely missed last year. has brought various diffi culties for the Society from a practical perspective and Although several of our current staff have in terms of support. Nonetheless the Lord been taken ill with Covid-19, broadly was pleased to enable us once again to speaking through the Lord's mercy we distribute millions of Scriptures, Scripture have been largely preserved from severe portions and Scripture items through illness through this virus, although some grants, sales and licensing, and through the dear former staff members and friends have use of our Scriptures online. For 2021 we passed on to glory. May the Lord be pleased once again look to the Lord, recognising to continue to spare us in the coming days. that ‘except the LORD build the house, Much is still uncertain to us, but all is known they labour in vain that build it: except the by our great God. LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain’ (Psalm 127.1), and knowing Surprisingly, despite there already being that His mercies are new every morning a surfeit of Bible versions in English new (Lamentations 3.22–23). editions continue to be announced yearly, if not monthly. We have for some Thank you for your prayers for the work of time been in an era of Bible translations, the Society and the stand that we seek to especially in English, that are adapted to the make. Our members are core to our being idiosyncrasies of particular Christian groups

3 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record or (most likely) a perceived market. Such an that. There are those (some unwittingly) who approach, which aff ects faithful translation corrupt Scripture3 by promoting Codices or embellishes the truth, is lamentable. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus (among others) as The desire for a popular rather than faithful the most ancient and therefore most reliable edition of the Word of God seems to be manuscripts. Our former president, Terence the zenith of Bible publication for some. Brown, is quoted as saying: The Society is not so arrogant as to say we are above these temptations and we seek These few ancient MSS. hostile to your prayers once again as we strive in each the true text abound in omissions, of our translations to faithfully render the alterations and transpositions of Word of God under formal equivalence words and phrases, and have no principles based on the Hebrew Masoretic valid title to be regarded as the sole and Greek Received Texts (as set out in the trustworthy guides to the text of Society’s Statement of Doctrine of Holy Holy Scripture. Mere antiquity is no Scripture, which can be found online at guarantee of authority. These are old tbsbibles.org/DoctrineofScripture). copies, but they are bad copies and the Greek Church as a whole in the Translations that seek to delete the 4th century rejected their unreliable ‘Jewishness’ of Scripture or to change the testimony and permitted them to patriarchal emphasis to something gender sink into undignifi ed oblivion. They neutral have been available for several have been recently disinterred and years. Recently there were reports of a permitted to foist their ancient errors government that amended, in a textbook, upon undiscerning readers of our the account of the woman caught in own times.4 adultery by indicating that Christ killed the woman caught in adultery.1 This report is It is most regrettable when churches deeply troubling, but such high-handed jettison a historic and faithful edition of treatment of Scripture is by no means the Scriptures. It appears we are reaching restricted to that nation. It has been a sad the stage where the average Christian reality that such ‘errors’ are utilised to bring in many countries is presented with— the Gospel into disrepute. It is somewhat and may be even overwhelmed by—a plethora of Bibles each presenting itself ironic that there has been a broad outcry as the latest edition which promises to regarding the amended account of the supplement a particular interest. But the woman caught in adultery as for years we result of hunting through this confusing have been told by some that this passage overfl ow of voices for valid answers should not even be regarded as Scripture. will be that the once fi rm footing in a In many versions this portion of John 7 and commonly recognised translation is now 8 is relegated to a bracketed section or to a gone. The minister (and to an extent the footnote that questions its authenticity. Of Christian Bible reader) is therefore left to course modern day governments can be attempt to be enough of a Greek expert guilty of mutilating the Word of God but we and gifted textual critic to decide if John 8 must be cognisant of those in history who and the woman caught in adultery is also did it for their own purposes.2 Those really Scripture. The dangers of this are who support the ancient manuscripts used self-evident. ‘For God is not the author of to reject the pericope adulterae (the women confusion, but of peace, as in all churches caught in adultery) are not exempt from of the saints’ (1 Corinthians 14.33).

4 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021

One of these dangers is that what is Rev. Gordon Ferguson at the 189th AGM has presented as the latest edition of God’s been transcribed and lightly edited for your Word has not been well debated, edifi cation. Along with these is an article historically examined and well thought by Craig Dennison, Deputation Speaker, through. Instead, the renderings in the on why we distribute Bibles to schools—in ever-increasing versions are watered down keeping with the numerous admonitions until the doctrine is lukewarm and the truth to Abraham to train his descendants to indistinguishable from error. keep the way of the LORD (Genesis 18.19), providing Scriptures to children has been The concern in our day and age is that an increasing part of the Society’s work, institutions and others are pushing us to in recent years, particularly through our reinterpret the Bible to fi t with the cultural auxiliaries. We have a report on a widely norms of our age. This will only result in implemented form of Bible distribution a dilution of God’s Truth, and where that in recent months: providing a box of free happens it is to the detriment of the church Scriptures outside homes and churches and the individual Christian. For that reason, during the restrictions in 2020. A brief we must continue to stand in 2021 for look at the Chichewa language provides faithful editions of God’s Word that are not information on our translation work in perpetually changing according to the latest Malawi. We end as usual with letters from technique or perspective, and not based recipients of grants that provide joyful on ever-changing Biblical language texts. reports for your encouragement and Instead we must look to translations based prayers. I commend this Quarterly Record to on the inspired and preserved Word: the you and trust it will be for your edifi cation. Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament and the Greek Received Text of the New Endnotes Testament. This alone will lead us to strong 1. Michael Foust, ‘China Changes Bible Story, Says Jesus Killed Woman Caught in Adultery: “I, Too, am and stable translations. In English we have a Sinner”’, Christian Headlines, 24 Sept. 2020, www. had just such a translation for many years; christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/ in many other languages this is needed. china-changes-bible-story-says-jesus-killed-woman- We must pray that we can share this fi rm caught-in-adultery-i-too-am-a-sinner.html, accessed 4 January 2021. foundation, that the Lord may be pleased to 2. Burgon argued that Gaius in around A.D. 175 and 200 use the work of the Society to that end. named four people as heretics who prepared corrupted copies of the Scriptures and had their disciples multiply In this Quarterly Record, we have a copies (D. Burgon, The Revision Revised, second edition devotional article from Michael Harley (Fort Worth, TX, USA: A. G. Hobbs Publications, 1983) p. 323). (a Vice-President of the Society) on 3. Origen (himself of dubious theology) once said Philippians 4.8–9 which looks at ‘Whatsoever ‘Nowadays, as is evident, there is a great diversity things’. There is an Editorial Report giving between the various manuscripts, either through an update on some of our Bible translation negligence of certain copyists, or the perverse audacity and revision projects and reporting on shown by some in correcting the text, or through the fault of those, who playing the part of correctors, the launch and distribution service for the lengthen or shorten it as they please’ (in Matthew. Thadou Bible. The Treasury Article is omitted Tom. XV, 14; P. G. XIII, 1293); E. C. Colwell, ‘The Origins of from this QR due to the Resources Director Text Types of New Testament Manuscripts’, Early Christian Origins, ed. Allen Wikgren (Chicago, IL, USA: Quadrangle suff ering illness (now thankfully recovered) Books, 1961), p. 130. and heavy work pressures at the end of 4. W. MacLean, The Providential Preservation of the Greek 2020; look for this staple in the next QR. A Text of the New Testament, 4th ed. (Gisborne, Australia: most instructive sermon preached by the Westminster Standard, 1983), p. 8.

5 WHATSOEVER by Pastor M. Harley THINGS a Vice-President of the Society ‘ …whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report … thinkp on these thingsg … and the God of ppeace shall bebe witwithh yyou’.ou’. PhilippiansPhilippians 4.8–4.8–99

ur thought life is potentially bodily (Colossians 2.9); that in Him all most fertile yet so oft en most fulness dwells (Colossians 1.19); that all barren. Th oughts crowd the the promises of God in Him are yea, and mind lifelong. Our thoughts in Him Amen (2 Corinthians 1.20); that Oneed policing. And the Scriptures show He is made the believers’ wisdom by our us a most attractive way. heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 1.30). Bear in mind all these things and how He Bear in mind that our Saviour, the Lord is portrayed in John 1 and Colossians 1. Jesus Christ, is the head over all things Whatever else may be meditated upon to the church (Ephesians 1.22); that in there is none better equipped than the Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead Saviour personally to guide our thoughts.

6 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021

If we govern our thoughts it minimises So when we come to ‘whatsoever things succumbing to temptation. Th oughts are true’ our thoughts may trace that were with us from the days of the He is ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ ‘old man’ and are therefore deep (John 14.6). He is the way to the Father, rooted. Satan will not easily let go the truth concerning the Father and the but we are not ignorant of his devices very life of the Father. Compared with all (2 Corinthians 2.11). So the attractive besides He is genuine and has a genuine nature of the Scriptural approach helps interest in us and will genuinely—not overcome that reticence we naturally have to governing our thoughts.

We might fi nd it easier to start governing our thoughts with ‘whatsoever things are of good report’ (Philippians 4.8). Select one of the Saviour’s actions which have been reported to us, whether miracles or teachings, and enjoy what it reveals of Him. Certainly, as you would with Scripture reading, ask the Holy Spirit to enhance and guide your misleadingly as a false deceiver—bring us thoughts. But this is about being with the to the Father. ‘Whom have I in heaven but Saviour—our Emmanuel and He with us thee? and there is none upon earth that I by the Spirit (verse 9)—to be tutored. All desire beside thee’ (Psalm 73.25). Why? Old Testament matters point to Him; and For He alone has declared His individual the Gospel records all point back to Him. interest in us, our beings, our souls, by all Th ere is suffi cient here without directing that Calvary entails and which none can our thoughts elsewhere. replicate.

7 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Certainly secular matters must occupy friendship’, or even ‘is intimate towards’. our attention, but it is the ‘inattentive’ Each of us may insert our own ideas of moments of which the Scripture speaks loveliness; but the dealings of the Saviour here. Unreality bedevils our old man and with the woman at the well (John 4) is not easily dislodged aft er conversion. surely come into that category. And so Compare, for example, the things which we may plead with Him to deal with us are spiritual, though unseen, and eternal in our circumstances, or we may recount (2 Corinthians 4.18) with the games in our minds such past dealings and long on screen which are highly visible but prayerfully for similar fellowship again. ephemeral. Our passage in Philippians aff ectionately and attractively points Th ese are the things to think about. Th ey the way out to any believer trapped by are exemplifi ed in Paul. Th e end result this dilemma. Pretending, virtual reality of them is that ‘the God of peace shall and fantasising are not true things, and be with you’ (verse 9). Aff ectionate close therefore are to varying degrees harmful: walking with the Saviour results. and certainly not conducive to the Th ough God is angry with the wicked indwelling of the Saviour. every day (Psalm 7.11), and such were Honesty—‘whatsoever things are some of us before we are washed, honest’—speaks of genuineness but sanctifi ed and justifi ed (1 Corinthians also of justice, fairness and openness. 6.11), He is reconciled to us, His elect, in Justice elaborates on fairness but also Christ and we to Him. He will dwell with takes us into the realm of the Saviour’s us (1 John 4.13). We shall dwell in love atonement in which the Father’s holiness (1 John 4.16). and perfection are justly vindicated. He is made our peace. Peace speaks of the Just dealings with others proceed from relationship which gives us access by faith that and, of course, the aff airs of the last into this grace wherein we stand (Romans judgment. All these are matters worthy 5.1–2). By these means Emmanuel, God of our thoughts under the Saviour’s with us, our Saviour, conveys the blessings direction. always designed for us and which we ‘Whatsoever things are pure’ is of the may increasingly enjoy as the day of our greatest signifi cance when it comes to ddepartureeparture drawsdraws ever nearer. Let us tthinkhink thoughts. It is of the essence of evil spirits cocontinuallyontntiinually uponupon Him.Hiim. to be unclean, and of their master to revel in fi lth having been consigned to eat dust (Genesis 3.14). So oft en we have to say with the psalmist ‘my soul cleaveth unto the dust’ (Psalm 119.25) very largely under Satan’s infl uence. Th e Saviour, that holy Child of Whom we may say that He never sinned and was pure and innocent in all His ways, will quicken us according to His Word. ‘Whatsoever things are lovely’ is a beautiful and fi tting translation of a word whose root means ‘tending towards

8 IssueIssue NuNNumber:mber: 636344 – JaJanuarynuary to MMarcharch 22021021 The Biblical warrant for distributing Bibles in schools by Craig Dennison Deputation Speaker

One aspect of the work of the TBS is the distribution of Bibles many homes children are not taught the Scriptures. to schoolchildren. In this article we are going to be examining The emphasis of the Society’s endeavour is not to exert an infl uence on the education the Biblical warrant for system but rather to introduce children who distributing Bibles in schools. attend schools to the Word of God. With most children in the United Kingdom (and he Scriptures lay the primary duty of elsewhere) attending schools it makes sense teaching the Word of God to children to concentrate eff orts on reaching children Tto their parents. But the church should where they assemble. By distributing quite rightly not exclude children from its Scriptures in schools we can access children eff orts to fulfi l the Great Commission of our who we might not otherwise have the Lord Jesus Christ, especially since sadly in opportunity to reach.

9 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record SCRIPTURAL TRUTHS but that even then he understood the truths revealed in them. Children are sinners who need It is the Holy Spirit who reveals spiritual truth to experience the new birth to sinners (cf.1 Corinthians 2.10). The Holy Spirit is not limited to working in adults or When Paul declares in Romans 3.23 ‘for all those with the gifts and abilities to discern have sinned, and come short of the glory of spiritual things; the Holy Spirit gives these God’, he is not referring exclusively to adults; gifts indiscriminately to sinners of all ages children are included in this statement. and aptitudes. Speaking of the work of This is further emphasised in Romans 5.12: the Holy Spirit our Lord Jesus Christ said in ‘wherefore, as by one man sin entered into John 3.8 ‘the wind bloweth where it listeth, the world, and death by sin; and so death and thou hearest the sound thereof, but passed upon all men, for that all have canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither sinned’. it goeth: so is every one that is born of the David refers to the sin found in children Spirit’. To deny that the Holy Spirit can cause in two of his Psalms. In Psalm 51.5 we children to understand spiritual truth is to learn sin exists from the womb: ‘behold, I restrict the operations of the Holy Spirit in a was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my way Scripture does not. mother conceive me’. In Psalm 58.3 we see how quickly sin manifests itself in the life God can save children of children: ‘the wicked are estranged from As the revelation of spiritual truth is not the womb: they go astray as soon as they be limited to adults, neither is the work of born, speaking lies’. regeneration. God is able to convict children We should never view children as those who of sin, bring them to see their need of do not need the Word of God. Children are repentance, open their eyes to understand sinners by nature and by practice. Therefore the atoning work of Christ, produce faith, they are legitimate candidates to receive and perform the work of conversion in their the Scriptures which can show them their souls. sinfulness and the grace and mercy found in To demonstrate the ability of God to Jesus Christ. regenerate people of any age, we have the example of John the Baptist. It is Children can understand generally understood that John the Baptist Biblical spiritual truths was converted in the womb. In Luke 1.41 Samuel was a child when he was given to we read: ‘and it came to pass, that, when the service of God, living and serving in the Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth temple with Eli. It is evident that even as a was fi lled with the Holy Ghost’. This is not young boy he was able to discern spiritual a coincidental ‘leaping’; divinely inspired truths as they were revealed to him. Paul in Scripture tells us it is directly linked to his epistle to Timothy writes: ‘and that from Elisabeth hearing the salutation of Mary. a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, The commentator John Gill remarks on this which are able to make thee wise unto verse: ‘perhaps it was at this time that John salvation through faith which is in Christ the Baptist was fi lled with the Holy Ghost Jesus’ (2 Timothy 3.15). Paul is not indicating also’.1 that Timothy merely knew about the existence of Scriptures from a young age, Furthermore, to limit God to only converting 10 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021

adults is to ignore the testimony of many the door posts of thine house, and upon millions of saints who professed faith in their thy gates’. childhood years.  Ephesians 6.4: ‘and, ye fathers, provoke Scripture stresses the not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition importance of educating of the Lord’. children in spiritual truth While these verses relate to the spiritual Scripture is replete with instructions for education of children in the family home, children to be educated in spiritual truths. they also demonstrate two things. First,  Deuteronomy 4.9: ‘teach them thy sons, children can be taught spiritual truths. Second, there is a responsibility for adults and thy sons’ sons’. to teach Scripture to children. We may not  Deuteronomy 6.6–7: ‘and these words, be able to enter the home and minister which I command thee this day, shall be spiritual truth to the children who live there, in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them but we can provide the home with a copy of diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk the Scriptures and pray the Lord will cause of them when thou sittest in thine house, His Word to be eff ectual in the hands that and when thou walkest by the way, and receive it. when thou liest down, and when thou risest up’. It is important to teach children  Deuteronomy 11.19–20: ‘And ye shall God’s Word early in life teach them your children, speaking of Scripture shows the importance of them when thou sittest in thine house, educating children with Biblical truth from and when thou walkest by the way, a young age. In Proverbs 22.6 we read: when thou liest down, and when thou ‘train up a child in the way he should go: risest up. And thou shalt write them upon and when he is old, he will not depart from 11 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record it’. It is for the betterment of the child that Second, we see the rebuke and warning they know spiritual wisdom from a young given to those who seek to hinder children age. Scripture will teach them how sin is an being brought to Him. Third, we see that off ence to a Holy God, it can convict their children have a part in the ‘kingdom of consciences of their guilt as lawbreakers, heaven’. and it will educate them of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Children were gathered at public assemblies to hear the SCRIPTURAL Word of God EXAMPLES We read in Deuteronomy 31.10–13 how the children of Israel were to gather every seven The Lord Jesus Christ had an years for the feast of tabernacles. The reason interest in the souls of children children were to be assembled as well as the In Matthew 18.2–6 the Lord Jesus Christ is men and women is explained in verse 13: engaged in a discussion with His disciples. ‘and that their children, which have not During His response to their question the known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear Saviour takes a child to Himself and makes the LORD your God’. this child an illustration in His answer. In Nehemiah 8 the people were gathered Notice that children were not discouraged before the Water Gate. In verse 2 we read: from coming to hear Jesus; they were present on many occasions when the Lord spoke publicly. For example, at the miracle of the feeding of the fi ve thousand it was a little boy whom Andrew presented to Christ with the fi ve loaves and two fishes (John 6.8–9). The disciples were explicitly warned not to turn children away In Matthew 19.13–15 we read how children were brought to Christ for Him to bless them ‘and Ezra the priest brought the law before and pray for them. However, the disciples the congregation both of men and women, did not consider this appropriate. Perhaps and all that could hear with understanding’. they thought the Master would not want to This indicates that children were present see the children and would prefer to focus in the public gathering to hear the Word of upon the adults in attendance. Regardless, God being read, and it was intended that it Christ rebuked His disciples with the words would be profi table to them. If the gathering ‘suff er little children, and forbid them not, to of children in public to hear the Word of God come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of was for their ‘understanding’, then children heaven’ (verse 14). reading their own copy of the Holy Bible There are several important lessons from which has been given to them will, under this discourse. First, we see how Christ calls the infl uence of the Holy Spirit, increase their and welcomes children into His presence. understanding in spiritual truths.

12 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 SCRIPTURAL persecution. There is a great need to reach children with the Scriptures. It is only the EXHORTATIONS circulation of Holy Scripture, accompanied Children are to be taught the by the sovereign working of God the Holy Gospel The Great Commission is given by our Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 16.15 and Matthew 28.19–20. ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’; ‘go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you’. This commission does not confi ne the preaching and teaching of the Gospel to adults or those above a certain age. This indicates very clearly the Gospel is for children also. Spirit producing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as revealed in His Word, that can see our nations turn from their backsliding We should have a love for the condition. souls of children Let us fi nish with an encouraging and It is recorded of Christ is Mark 8.2 that He comforting exhortation from Ecclesiastes had ‘compassion on the multitude’ because 11.1: ‘cast thy bread upon the waters: for they physically hungered. If Christ had thou shalt fi nd it after many days’. We pray compassion on the physical condition of that the provision of Bibles being placed the people how much more compassion into the hands of schoolchildren today will does He have for their spiritual condition? see a multitude of precious souls come to Likewise, we would not wish to see a child saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the in our community hunger for food without days to come. seeking to provide for their bodily needs. Distributing Scriptures to schools is one of Should we not have the same or greater the main activities of TBS Auxiliaries. We are compassion for their immortal souls? glad to supply discounted Bibles to all who wish to distribute them in schools. CONCLUSION We should be thankful to God we live in Endnotes a day when we can place in the hands of 1. See John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible on children copies of God’s precious Word. Luke 1.41, see www.biblestudytools.com/ We can print the Holy Bible, and we have commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/ the liberty to distribute it without fear of luke-1-41.html.

13 Chichewa Introduction alawi is a small country situated in central East MAfrica with a population of 17.5 million. It is bordered by Tanzania to the north, Mozambique to the east and south, and Zambia to the west. Malawi has nine offi cial languages of which Chichewa is the most widely spoken. Chichewa, sometimes referred to as Chewa or Chinyanja, is also spoken in parts of Zambia and Mozambique. The missionary and explorer David Livingstone reached Lake Malawi (then Lake Nyasa) in 1859 and identifi ed the Shire Highlands south of the lake as a suitable area for European settlement. For many years afterward it was under British rule, gaining independence from Britain in 1964. It became a Republic in 1966, fi rst as a one- party state but in 1993 moving to a multi- party existence. be Christian. But it appears to be largely Christianity in Malawi a nominal Christianity. The two largest As a result of Livingstone’s visit, several professedly Christian denominations are Anglican and Presbyterian missions the Roman Catholic Church with 19% of were established in the area in the 1860s Malawians in membership, and the Church and 1870s. Malawi now has a Muslim of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) minority of 11.6% while about 87% of with a membership of about 18% of the the population of Malawi professes to population. There are also many other

A typical rural scene in Malawi

1414 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 denominations and small independent (FGEA). Due to the lack of Chichewa churches, as well as sects. spspeakerse who could translate dirdirectlye from Koiné Greek,

HIPANGANO CHATSOPANO ththee translation was carried Chichewa ouout with principal reference CHIPANGANO Scriptures CHATSOPANO to the English Authorised Malawi has various Chichewa ((KingK James) Version and a translations of the Scriptures. In ReReceived Text interlinear. 1893 D. C. Scott translated the ThThe translation work was Gospels, Ephesians, Philippians leled by a native Chichewa and Colossians. Several other sspeaker from Malawi, with translations were made over rreviewers from both Zambia the next twenty years. The fi rst aand Malawi. A Malawian completed New Testamentent minister who studied at a in Chichewa was translatedated ReReformedformed seminarys in the CHIVUMBULUTSO 1, 2 USA provided by W. H. Murray in 1909 witwithh pa chisumbu chotchedwa Patimos, chifukwa cha mawu a Mulungu, ndi cha umboni wa Yesu Khristu. detailed review the entire Chichewa Bibleble Ambuye,ndipo ndidamva kumbuyo kwanga mawu akulu, ngati a lipenga,426 11 Kunena, ine ndine Alefa ndi Omega, 10 Ndinaliwoyamba mu ndi Mzimu wotsiriza: pa tsikundipo, la translated in Zambia byy W. P. Chimene iwe upenya, lemba m’buku, nulitumize comments. By ndi iwiri, imene ili mu Asiya; ku Efeso, ndi ku Smuna, ndi ku Pergamos, ndi

ku Tiyatira, ndi ku Sardis, ndi ku Filadefiya, ndi kuilo Laodikeya. GGod’s grace, Johnson three years later.er. ndidatembenuka kuti ndiwone wonena mawu amene kwa adayankhula mipingo isanu ndi ine. Ndipo nditatembenuka, ndidawona zoyikapo nyali zisanu ndi ziwiri This version, known as zagolidi; ththe translation 13 12 Ndipo wonga MwanaNdipo wamwamuna pakati pa wazoyikapo munthu, nyali wovala zisanu chovala ndi ziwirizo chofikira ku Buku Lopatulika, was fi rst mapazi ake, atamangira lamba lagolidi pachifuwa. wwork proceeded tsitsi lake zidali wina ndipo maso ake zoyera ngati ubweya, kuyera ngati chipale chofewa; adali 14 wewell and the New published in 1922, reviseded wosalala ndi wonyezimira, ngati ngati lawi lakuti moto: zidatenthedwa m’ng’anjo; Mutu ndiwake mawu ndi ake ngati mkokomo wa madzi ambiri. 15 Ndi mapazi ake ngati mkuwa in 1936 and again in 1966.66. adali ndi nyenyezi zisanu ndi ziwiri: ndi mkamwa mwake mudatuluka TTestamentes was lupanga lakuthwa konsekonse: ndipo nkhope 16 Ndipo yake m’dzanja ngati dzuwa lake lamanja liwala mu mphamvu yake. ppublishedu in 2020. pa mapazi ake ngati wakufa.Ndipo17 Ndipo pamene adasanjika ndidamuwona dzanja iye, lake ine lamanja ndidagwa pa In more recent times thee ine, kunena kwa ine, Usawope; ine ndine woyamba ndi wotsiriza: An initial print run ndi amene ali wamoyo; ndipo ndidali wakufa; ndipo, tawona, ine ndiri wamoyo ku nthawi zonse, Amen; ndipo ndiri nawo mafungulo a nyanja most widely accepted ya moto ndi imfa. of 5,0005, copies was 18 Ine zimene ziripo, ndi zinthu 19 Lemba zimene zinthu zidzakhala zimene mtsogolomo;iwe waziwona, ndi zinthu Chichewa Bible version cha nyenyezi zisanu ndi ziwiri zimene iwe udaziwona mu dzanja langa pproducedrod in Malawi lamanja, ndi zoyikapo nyali zisanu ndi ziwiri za golidi. Nyenyezi zisanu is Buku Lopatulika ndi ziwirizo ndiwo angelo a mipingo isanu ndi iwiri: ndipo zoyikapo 20 Chinsinsi nyali aandnd aalmost all of zisanu ndi ziwiri zimene iwe udaziwona ndiyo mipingo isanu ndi iwiri. ndilo Mau a Mulungu, tthesehese have now been Kwa Mngelo wa mpingo wa ku Efeso lemba; Zinthu izi anena iye 2 amene agwira nyenyezi zisanu ndi ziwiri m’dzanja lake lamanja, meaning ‘Holy Book— iye amene ayenda pakati pa zoyikapo nyali zagolidi zisanu ndi ziwiri; ddistributedistrib in country, 2 Ine ndidziwa ntchito zako, ndi ntchito zako zolemetsa, ndi chipiriro it is the Word of God’. chako, ndi momwe mwakuti iwe sukhoza kulola iwo amene ali woyipa: witwithh ssomeo copies ndipo udayesa iwo amene anena ali atumwi, ndipo si ali ayi, ndipo There are several other wawapeza iwo abodza: bbeingeing sent to Zambia. ndipo chifukwa cha dzina 3 langa wagwira ntchito zolemetsa, ndipo translations, including Ndipo iwe walola, ndipo uli nacho chipiriro, one translated by WWhilehile tthe New the Roman Catholic TTestamentestame was being Church which contains ththee ApocrApocryphaypha preparepreparedd for printing and and another used by the Jehovah’s didistribution, t ib t work on Witnesses. Regrettably, all of these are the Old Testament translation was being based on the Critical Text, with a variety carried out in parallel and has progressed of signifi cant textual and translational very well. At the time of writing, Genesis problems. to Ezra together with Psalms and Proverbs have been prepared in fi rst draft form and Genesis to Ruth are at the second draft TBS Chichewa Project stage. We encourage your prayers as this In 2015 a Chichewa New Testament project project continues. was offi cially commenced in partnership with the Free Grace Evangelistic Association

15 TrinitarianTrinitarian BBibleible Society – QuarterlyQuarterly RecordRecord Bibles outside churches and homes by Philip Blows Operations Director

This is the fi fth article in our occasional series in which ideas for circulating the Holy Scriptures are discussed.1 It is based on contributions from Pastor Oliver Wyncoll, Minister of Providence Baptist Chapel, Bedford, and Mr Graham Chewter, TBS Deputation Speaker, and explains a simple approach to distributing the Scriptures from outside churches and house in a nearby district, and since I had homes. heard of others having encouragement in this work my wife and I decided to try it BIBLES OUTSIDE ourselves. CHURCHES Our approach We live in central Bedford and many people Background pass our house on their way to and from the I recently took up the pastorate at town. We commenced in mid-May placing Providence Baptist Chapel, Bedford, a box of Scriptures on a table outside our England. At the commencement of the home with a small sign inviting passers-by Covid lockdown in March 2020 I was to take a free Bible. Our practice is to put looking for a way that we might still be fi ve or so Bibles out at a time and to take able to reach our community with the them in when it rains. Several others in our Gospel, in addition to our online service congregation followed suit. We also placed broadcasts. Graham Chewter mentioned a box for Scriptures outside the chapel—for that he was off ering free Bibles outside his this we used a more substantial painted

16 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 wooden box which we secured to the wall box we attached a notice which read: by the front gate. The chapel box off ers FREE BIBLES – A message of hope in the literature some protection from the the midst of the present crisis. In each elements. We tried to make it look attractive Bible we inserted a Ten Commandments and inviting and in keeping with the rest of bookmark at John chapter 3 and also a the church exterior. short leafl et. This leafl et, ‘Where to fi nd help in time of need’, is one that I devised Encouragements years ago for use at Bible presentations The location of our house has been ideal in schools—it guides the reader to God’s for this work and we have so far distributed Word for help in various circumstances. around 500 copies of the Scriptures, mostly We also included our contact details in New Testaments and Psalms, plus many each Bible. evangelistic tracts and other items. The majority of the distribution in Bedford has The response we have had been from the boxes outside our homes, but Even though the footfall was lower than with a good number also being taken from in normal times very soon Bibles were outside the chapel. taken, requiring us to purchase more from This work has become a major focus of the Society. Some days just one Bible was prayer in our church prayer meetings. taken, another day perhaps two or more. Through it we have made new contacts and The most taken in one day was ten. Over have raised the profi le of our witness in the the last fourteen weeks a total of 152 local area. We have not had a single negative Bibles have been taken from outside our response to the work. It has also prompted home. In response we have received a us to consider other opportunities for local number of very positive communications Scripture distribution, which we are now by text message and email from people engaging in. who took Bibles. What is involved in BIBLES OUTSIDE arranging it HOMES The practical aspects of arranging this form Why we started of Bible distribution are:  Choosing a suitable location. At the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in March my wife and I heard that a Christian  Finding a suitable box. bookshop in Reigate had decided, due to  Ordering Bibles from the Society (we enforced closure, to leave Bibles in a box used Royal Ruby Text Bibles in black, outside the front of the shop, and that blue and red—each colour seems to be the Bibles had very quickly been taken by taken in equal proportions). passers-by. Quite independently of each  Preparing a suitable sign. other, my wife and I thought we could do  Putting the Bibles out in the morning something similar. and bringing them in at night. How we started  Watching the weather (we have had We cut down a medium-sized cardboard to dash outside many times to save box to about six inches and placed it the Bibles from getting wet). In God’s on the front wall of our property with good providence April had many sunny around eight Bibles on display. On the days and little rain, enabling us to have

17 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

these Bibles available for days on end greatly encouraged as we have prayed with little interruption; plus we had the day by day for God’s gracious blessing advantage of the light evenings. upon His Word and this mission fi eld on our doorstep. Next Steps If you are interested in off ering free Bibles outside your home or your church or assembly, consider working through these steps. Commit the idea to the Lord in prayer. Consider whether this would be a church work or an individual exercise. If a church work, share this article with the leader(s) of your church or assembly. Consider the costs which would be Suggestions and tips for others incurred. considering this approach Establish who would take responsibility for the work. These days presentation is very important. We know of some who have simply Agree which items to off er and presented a pile of Bibles in a box and have purchase them. had few takers. I would suggest standing Commence the work in dependence the Bibles side by side with the spines upon the Lord. facing upwards. Provide regular reports to the church, Another drawback can be providing too if applicable, so that the members can much choice—Bibles, Scripture colouring pray for the work. books, Gospels, New Testaments, etc., as people then seem confused as to what they Endnotes should take. I would suggest having no more than one other option, for example 1. Previous articles in this series on Scripture off ering Bibles and New Testaments or circulation are as follows: Bibles and evangelistic booklets. We also  How to off er free Bibles on your website off ered evangelistic booklets and placed (Quarterly Record 622) them between each Bible. If you have a  How to Off er Free Bibles on Your High Street desire to off er Scripture items specifi cally (Quarterly Record 625) for children, it may be best to have a separate box for this with clear signage.  Free and Subsidised Bible Distribution in Open-Air Markets (Quarterly Record 629) There can be little doubt that the interest shown during this pandemic is far greater  Distributing Bibles in Open-Air Markets: The than it would have been in normal times. Bible Stall (Quarterly Record 631) Thus many of us who are involved in this These Quarterly Records can be found on our form of Scripture distribution have been website at tbsbibles.org/magazine.

18 Editorial Director’s Report by Jonathan D. Arnold

o those that love God, His Word the Scriptures are translated suffi ciently and is precious. God’s testimonies are that our endeavours to translate into yet T wonderful and bring light (cf. Psalm more languages are misguided. For us in 119.129–130). The Psalmist’s love of the the West it is easy: we walk into a bookstore Word in Psalm 119 sets a great example to or go online and order a Bible. But this is us; he rejoices at God’s Word like a person still not the case for many around the world who has found great spoil (Psalm 119.162). today. In fact, in many countries to have a Ultimately the Word points us to Christ and copy of the Bible is rare, frowned upon or the Gospel. even illegal. There is also a danger that the We have in this Scripture an illustration of readily available English versions inoculate believers in the age of Wycliff e or Tyndale us to the immense joy it is to have the Word receiving an English New Testament with of God in our language. joy in their hearts. It is believed Wycliff e Regarding the need for translation the produced most of the fi rst full Bible in Authorised Version’s preface ‘The Translators English (predated by a few earlier English to the Reader’1 states it well. translations of Scripture portions). After that we have the work of Tyndale, then the Translation it is that openeth the Coverdale (or Great) Bible, the Matthew window, to let in the light; that Bible, the Geneva Bible, the Bishop’s Bible breaketh the shell, that we may eat and the Authorised (King James) Version. the kernel; that putteth aside the This last, the Authorised Version, became curtain, that we may look into the the stable and faithful translation for most Holy place; that removeth the centuries to come. cover of the well, that we may come by the water, even as Jacob rolled However, the Word still needs translating away the stone from the mouth of in many languages. This statement is the well, by which means the fl ocks common for the Society to put forward, but of Laban were watered [Gen 29:10]. necessary to emphasise once again. Sadly, the pervading impression of some is that Has familiarity and the easy availability of

19 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record the English Bible (especially with all the should extend that and expect English various new translations) caused contempt speakers to learn Greek and Hebrew. for people of other tongues? Some who are However, those of us who speak English sceptical of ongoing Bible translation work should thank God that we were not all will ask, ‘Why are so many Bible translations asked to learn the Biblical languages in needed? And with English so commonly order to study the Scriptures. A Christian used worldwide, can’t people just use one without a Bible he can read is like a soldier of the multitude of English editions?’ without a sword to use. Tyndale’s burden for the ploughboy should encourage a But new translations in other languages burden in us for people in other parts of the are indeed necessary. Without such world to have sound Scriptures in their own translations many will not be able to read languages. the Bible suffi ciently. Without Scriptures in a person’s native tongue, the language According to Ethnologue, there are more in which they communicate daily and than 7,100 living languages in the world.2 hourly, even using a second language as a However, including all Bible translations countrywide lingua franca will mean that (regardless of principles applied or text the language of Scripture would only be used), there are only around 700 languages partially understood. This lack of native with a complete Bible, an additional 1,500 language Scriptures can be dangerous for languages with a New Testament and a understanding doctrine and for ‘rightly further 1,100 with portions of the Scripture. dividing the word of truth’ (2 Timothy It is estimated that 1.5 billion people 2.15). This writer remembers hearing of speaking 6,656 languages do not have a the confusion of a word that is often used full Bible in their fi rst language.3 There is still in Scripture for ‘alive’: quick. This had been much work to be done! rendered incorrectly in 2 Timothy 4.1 by a As 2021 begins there are a number of non-native English translator, resulting in projects in which by the grace of God the God judging ‘the fast and the dead’—one Society has made tremendous progress can only imagine the confusion this would in recent months. This is illustrated so have caused. wonderfully by the distribution of the But can’t everyone just learn English or Thadou Bible in recent days. The following another language in which there is already report supplies an update on some of a good Bible translation? To that I would ask our key projects: these are a cause for you to go and learn a new language and thanksgiving to the Lord but also for much then base your belief, your Biblical theology prayer. Please also pray for our translators on what you read and see how easy that who have to some extent begun to be is! Add to that, many areas have only poor aff ected in their work by the prevailing access to educational materials, or they pandemic, and some are having other base their education on what they hear on health diffi culties. television or the media. Particularly for older folk who are approaching the last judgment and who have only ever read or spoken French their native tongue there is a great need for n December a historic faithful editions of God’s Word in their own Imoment was reached on language. the French revision project. And with the idea of forcing other language The New Testament in French speakers to learn English, perhaps we was completed by the revision team 20 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021

and is ready for editorial review and then typesetting. This was a result of many years of toil, tears and sweat for the Society and the revision team. These Scriptures will now be subject to Editorial Department checks to ensure conformity to the Greek Received Text and to the Society’s translation principles. Once approved it will be typeset and after that proofread by the members of the revision team and others, with a view to publication at the beginning of 2022. Meanwhile the team are commencing their work through the Old Testament where Thadou Bibles arrive in Manipur some of the team are already halfway through the Psalms. seed that the Lord may use to the saving of souls. Pokot Those well acquainted with the Society’s work will have read n recent days it has been for many years of the Thadou Ithe privilege of the Society translation work. The Thadou to print 5,000 copies of people are the largest tribe in the PPokot Gospel Manipur, India, according to accordingacco to John. the state census of 2011, and the TheseThes are being Thadou language is spoken in north- LÖKOY CHO KARAMACH KÏLE OTO KIKIR collectedcolle in country east India and adjacent parts of Burma andand distributed; and Bangladesh. This project began in the YOANA youryou prayers are 1970s and came to full fruition last year. In appreciatedapp as November 2020, 11,000 copies of the Bible therethe are some and 20,000 copies of a large print edition restrictionsres of the New Testament arrived in Manipur. thatth may aff ect These were gratefully and joyfully received. distribution.di We We pray that alsoa anticipate a the distributionon JOHAN 2, 3 ageldoh'un, Pathen lekhabua thu le Jesu thu- sei chu atahsantauve. 1192 Keihon kahet kaseijuva, chule kamu'u ka furtherfu printing in 23 Hichun Kalchuh kut laija nehkhom nia would be to thehe hetsah'u ahi, ahivangin kahettohsah'u hi ama Jerusalem'a aum pet chun, athilbol - melchihnaho chu amuvin mi tamtah'in ama nanghon nasangpouve. Pokot John 12 futuref months. minah atahsantauve. Keiman nangho jah'a leiset thu kaseija spiritual benefifi t nanghon natahsan louvule, van thuho sei 24 Ahivangin Jesu'n amaho chu angampipoi; ajeh chu aman mi jouse ahetsoh ahin, leng iti natahsan dinguham? 13 - of many, and 25 Chule mi thudol min ahetsah ding chu Chule koima vana akal khapoi, Vana kona angaipoi: Ijeh inem itile mi lung sunga ipi hung kumlha Mihem Chapa tailou chu. 14 aum aman ahet sohkei ahi. Chule gamthipma Mosi'in gul adop sang bang banga chu: that it might 15 Jesu Toh Nikodim Kihoulim. Koi hile ama tahsan chan chu mangthah louva tonsot hinkemlou anei theina dinga Pharisaiho lah'a mi amin Nikodimas 3 Mihem Chapa hi kidomsang ding ahi. Thadou atiu Judaho vaipo khat aumin: reinforce the 16 2 Ama chu janin Jesu hengah ahungin ajah'a, Ajeh chu Pathen'in hibanga hi vannoi Rabbi, Pathen'a kona hung houhil khat nahi angailutjeh'in, Achapa changkhat chu ape tan ahi; koi hijongle ama tahsan chan chun ti, keihon kaheuve. Ajeh chu Pathen toh ki - joy and hope vop louvan melchihna kidang nabol chengse mangthah louva tonsot hin kemlou anei ahi he arrival and distribution - hi koiman abol theipoi, ati. tai. 17 - 3 Jesu'n adonbutnin ajah'a, Tahbeh beh'a Ijeh inem itile Pathen'in Achapa chu brought forth vannoi themmo chansah dinga hilouvin of vaccines in India is kaseipeh nahi, Mi koi hijongle apenthah T kit louva ahile Pathen lenggam amu theilou amavang vannoi mite ama vanga huhhinga ding ahi, ati. aum theina dinguva vannoija ahinsoljoh in the Word off ahibouve. currently being treated with 4 Nikodimas'in ajah'a, Mi ateh tengle iti pen 18 thah thei dingham? Aniveina'a anu oi sunga Ama tahsana chu themmo chang lou- lutna peng kit theijam? ati. va ahitai. Atahsan lou vang chu themmo changsa um ahitai, aman Pathen Chapa much fanfare with the hope that God. 5 Jesu'n adonbutnin, Tahbeh beh'a kaseipeh nahi, Mi koi hijong le twijale Lhagaova apen changkhat mina atahsan lou jeh chun. 19 loule Pathen lenggam alut theipoi. Chule themmo achannau chu hiche ahi, vannoijah vah ahungin ahivangin achonnau the medications will restore normality 6 Tahsaphea kona penga chu tahsaphe ahin, Page from chule Lhagaova kona penga chu lhagao ahi. phatlou jeh'in mihon vah sangin muthim 7 adeijouvin ahi. Nathahpen kit dingu ahi tia najah'a kasei 20 chu datmo hih'in. Ijeh inem itile achon phalou jousen vah and save lives. For many Indians this the ahoi, achon phatlou chu kisosal khante atin, 8 Hui khu anun nomna lam lamah anung- jin, chule nangman agin najanan ahin hoija vah'a chun hung jong ahungjipoi. 21 represents hope and joy rarely seen. But the Thadou Bible hung kona hoi lama acheji nahepoi: Lhagao- Thutah bola vang chu athilpha bol chu va pengho chengse jong chuti chu ahiuve, Pathen vanga ahi ti phondohnan vah'a ati. ahungjin ahi, ati. Society has the privilege of sowing precious 9 Nikodimas'in adonbutnin ajah'a, Hicheng Jesu Thu Johan Baptist Chun Aseisaobe. chu iti hi thei dingham? ati. 22 10 Jesu'n adonbutnin ajah'a, Nangla Judate Chucheng nung chun Jesu aseijuitetoh houhil nahin, hitiho chu nahet louham? Juda gamah ahungun, chule chukoma chun seed of another sort in this vast country, the amahotoh aumin baptaiz achansahjin ahi. 11 Keiman tahbeh beh'a kaseipeh nahi, 23 Chule Johan'in jong Salim kenga Ainon khoa chun twi atam jeh chun baptaiz achan 21 - Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

On 6 December a releasing and launch was carried out using the medium of the service for the Thadou Bible was held in Authorised (King James) Version, with Motbung, Manipur. Various thanksgiving reference to the underlying Hebrew and services followed in other Thadou churches Greek. and missions as the Bibles were distributed. We are greatly privileged to translate and We thank almighty God that the Scriptures distribute God’s Word across the world could be printed, sent, and safely received and pray that it may be used for God- in India.4 glorifying ends. May we carefully note the warning and exhortation in the concluding Simte paragraph of the ‘Translators to the Reader’. imte is another language It is a fearful thing to fall into the Sof north-east India, spoken hands of the living God; [Heb 10:31] primarily by the Simte people but a blessed thing it is, and will who are concentrated in Manipur bring us to everlasting blessedness and adjacent areas of Mizoram and in the end, when God speaketh unto Assam. The Simte language has partial us, to hearken; when he setteth his mutual intelligibility with some other word before us, to read it; when he Kukish languages of the area, including stretcheth out his hand and calleth, Thadou, Hmar, Vaiphei, Paite, Kom and to answer, Here am I, here we are to Gangte. But as discussed above, these other do thy will, O God. The Lord work a languages are not suffi cient to fully convey care and conscience in us to know the Scriptures to native Simte speakers. him and serve him, that we may We are pleased to announce that we hope be acknowledged of him at the in the coming months to publish a new appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, edition of the Simte Bible. The fi rst edition to whom with the Holy Ghost, be all was published by the Society in 1992. praise and thanksgiving. Amen. This was warmly received, and surviving copies continue to be well used, but Endnotes: improvements were found to be needed. 1. tbsbibles.org/Translators_to_the_Reader Therefore, for the past ten years the Simte Bible Revision Committee have been 2. Ethnologue , ‘Explore the World’s Languages’, revising the 1992 Bible, fi rstly to ensure it www.ethnologue.com, accessed 4 January conforms more closely to the underlying 2021. Hebrew and Greek of the Authorised 3. Wycliff e Global Alliance, ‘2020 Scripture Version, and secondly to update the Simte Access Statistics’, www.wycliff e.net/resources/ language to current literary standards. We statistics, accessed 4 January 2021. are indebted to the Simte Bible Revision Committee, especially to their lead reviser, 4. A full report of the Thadou project was for their persevering diligence to see this given at our 188th Annual General Meeting project through to completion. in September 2019 and can be read online in Quarterly Record no. 630, pages 14–17 We are thankful for the considerable thirst (tbsbibles.org/qr630). among these tribal peoples in north-east India to have a faithful Bible based on the Hebrew Masoretic and Greek Received Texts. In both Thadou and Simte this

22 The sermon preached by the Rev. Gordon Ferguson, member of the General Committee, at the 189th Annual General Meeting, 19 September 2020 RICHLY BE FILLED ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ Colossians 3.16 ‘be fi lled with the Spirit’ Ephesians 5.18 y main text is found in verse … the phrase presupposes that sixteen of Colossians chapter the Word had already entered into three, and particularly one little the Colossians and had a place in M them through the Spirit and power expression out of that verse, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly … ’. of Christ. It also assumes that the Word should have a constant and Our text emphasises the importance of the fi xed place there: not like a stranger Word of God. John Gill in his Exposition or a wayfaring man that tarries of the Bible on this verse says that but for a night, or like a sojourner

2323 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record that continues but for a while. It so much as a letter was omitted or requires not only frequent reading wrongly inserted, or even if one and hearing of the Word of God letter touched another, the whole but meditating upon it, as well as manuscript was condemned. Even continuance in the doctrine of the for minor errors revision of the copy Gospel with a steady faith in the had to take place within thirty days Word of God and a hearty aff ection otherwise it had to be rejected.1 for it. Mr Watts adds, ‘A manuscript surviving Clearly we are dealing here with a very this process could hardly be anything but important subject and a very important amazingly accurate’. book: the most important book man has ever had or handled, or has ever had What a tremendous book we have when translated into his native tongue. we gather together the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament; this is to dwell in us Before we get to the heart of our text we richly; it is to dwell in us abundantly. need to pause and we need to consider the book that is to dwell in our hearts richly For the New Testament we have or, as the word indicates, abundantly. Th e approximately 5,700 Greek manuscripts, Word of God is to dwell in our hearts some containing very small fragments and abundantly; but what is this book that is to a few others all of the New Testament. Th e dwell in us so abundantly? earliest of these manuscripts have been dated at about forty to sixty years aft er the When we think of the thirty-nine books of original writings were made. In addition to the Old Testament we are told in Romans the Greek manuscripts, the New Testament 3.2 that these ‘oracles of God’ were was very early on translated into languages committed to the Jewish people, and they such as Latin, Syriac and Coptic. were most meticulous in the preservation of the Scriptures of the Old Testament. When we put all the manuscripts together In his excellent little booklet Th e Lord we have approximately 25,000 witnesses Gave the Word, the Rev. Malcolm Watts to the text. On top of that there are describes the care that the Masoretes, a multitudes of quotations from the Bible group of Jewish scholars, took in dealing in the writings of the early church fathers with the Old Testament. Th ese Jewish and the lectionaries. scholars are generally credited with giving In the eighteenth century at a dinner party to us the vowel points that facilitate the some gentlemen were discussing whether, study of the Hebrew text. if the Roman emperors had been able to Copyists had to follow the wipe out the New Testament manuscripts, Masoretes’ strict rules as found in the text of the New Testament could be the Talmud. Only the skins of clean reconstructed from the writings of the animals were to be used. Each skin second and third century apologists and must contain the same number of polemicists. Two months later the same columns; there could be no less gentlemen were gathered together and Sir than forty-eight and no more than David Dalrymple set down some books sixty lines. Black ink was to be on a table. He said, ‘From these and other prepared according to a particular writings, I have been able to reconstruct recipe. No word or letter was to the entire New Testament, with the be written from memory, and if exception of eleven verses’.2

24 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021

The New Testament has an abundance them in all the scriptures the things of manuscript evidence to support it. concerning himself’. The writings of Compare that with the manuscript Moses are the first five books of the Bible; evidence for the Classics that are studied the prophets include all of the rest of the in Greek and Latin classes. Generally there Old Testament. From the Old Testament are about ten to twelve manuscripts for the Christ expounded to His companions writings of the Classics, and the earliest the things concerning Himself. A similar of these date about a thousand years after exposition was given to the surviving the originals. For example, there are just apostles, as recorded later in the same ten copies of Caesar’s writings, the earliest chapter of Luke. a thousand years after the originals. There The New Testament opens with these are eight copies of Herodotus, the earliest words, ‘The book of the generation of being thirteen hundred years after the originals. When compared with the Word Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of God you can see that the Bible is utterly of Abraham’. Mark’s first verse says, ‘The unique; it is a very special book. When beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we come to the Bible, we are studying the Son of God’. In the first chapter of both a book that is reliable, a book that is Luke’s Gospel and John’s Gospel we are God-given. Indeed we are told it is God- introduced to Christ. In Acts Luke opens breathed, given by inspiration of God. So with these words, ‘The former treatise we must give the utmost attention to Paul’s have I made, O Theophilus, of all that exhortation to let this unique book dwell Jesus began both to do and teach, until the in us richly. day in which he was taken up’. Luke here refers back to what he has written about Christ and then goes on to speak of what The Word of Christ was done through the apostles of Christ as they were filled with the Spirit of God. It is he firstthing that I want us to think all about Christ. about is why the Bible is called in In the remainder of the New Testament Tthis verse the Word of Christ. In the doctrines of the Person and work other places the Bible is called the Holy of the Lord Jesus Christ are set before Scriptures, the Word of God, the holy us. Then we come to the last book and oracles, and so on, but only in this place it there we find our Saviour seated on the is called the Word of Christ. Clearly Paul Great White Throne of Judgment, which is making an important point in stating it is followed by the creation of the New this way. Heavens and the New Earth. If we look at the Old Testament we find So as we look at the Word of God we find that Christ and His work are at the very that it centres on Jesus Christ: His Person, centre of its message. That is why the and His work. Saviour in Luke 24.25–26 said to His companions on the Emmaus Road, ‘O There is another reason why the Old fools, and slow of heart to believe all that Testament is called the Word of Christ: it the prophets have spoken: ought not is the book that Christ Himself preached Christ to have suffered these things, and from. In Matthew 5.18 we hear His words, to enter into his glory?’ and Luke adds ‘For verily I say unto you, Till heaven in verse 27, ‘And beginning at Moses and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall and all the prophets, he expounded unto in no wise pass from the law, till all be

25 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record fulfi lled’. Christ regarded even these tiny was saturated with the Word of God. Th at Hebrew details of the Old Testament as is why he was such a mighty man of God, essential. Additionally He said in John why he was so greatly used by God to the 10.35, ‘the scripture cannot be broken’; He salvation of souls, to the building up of believed in the plenary verbal inspiration God’s people and to the extension of God’s of the Scriptures—in Jesus’s day, the Old kingdom. Testament from which He preached. But in practical terms what does it mean Th us if we take Christ out of the Bible, to have the Word of Christ dwelling in us we have no Bible: no Word, no salvation, richly? no Saviour, no cross, no precious blood Obviously we need to read it every single to cleanse us from our sins. When we day. To help with this, it is good to have a read what Paul has to say, ‘Let the word of reading plan. Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Christ dwell in you richly’, we realise how plan, extended over two years, is probably important Christ, our Saviour, the Son of the best that we have. It is found in TBS’s God is to our souls and how vital He is to ‘Bible Word List and Reading Plan’ the Word of God itself. (available online at tbsbibles.org/bwl2) Th at should cause us to fall down at His and at the back of many of our Bibles. It feet and worship Him. If you are a child enables the reader to read through the of God, you should be saying, ‘Th ank entire Bible over two years, with the New God for the Saviour; thank God for the Testament and the book of Psalms covered book that reveals the Saviour to us’. But twice during that period. if you know not Christ as Saviour, you Of course reading alone is not suffi cient. must realise that without Him there is We need to try to understand what we no hope for your soul. He Himself said, read. Th e words of Philip the evangelist ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no to the Ethiopian eunuch are very relevant man cometh unto the Father, but by me’ here: ‘Understandest thou what thou (John 14.6). readest?’ and the reply of the Ethiopian Th ink about Christ; think about how was ‘How can I, except some man should important He is and then think of this guide me?’ (Acts 8.30–31). It is no good precious book that reveals Him to us and reading vast portions of the Bible if we shows us our need of Him, and how He do not grasp the meaning of what we are is able to satisfy the deepest needs of our reading. Good commentaries may help soul. here, if used with discernment. But something else is fundamental to an understanding of the Scriptures: Filled with the the theology of the Bible. I can think Word of God of no better summary of Christian doctrine than the Shorter Catechism of he second point I want to make is the seventeenth century Westminster this: we must seek to know what Assembly. It was said that, in days gone it is to be fi lled with the Word of by, Scottish children were reared on T porridge and the Shorter Catechism. Th e God. C. H. Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher, said of John Bunyan, ‘Prick him Catechism provides a foundation for the anywhere; his blood is Bibline’.3 What he Spirit of God, Who is like the wind, to was really saying was that John Bunyan blow upon the heart of the person who

26 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 has been taught it; and when that person it will also be of immense benefi t in our is saved they can grasp the theology of the witness for our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Scriptures. It is important to read good theology, to understand the truth that is set out in the Word of God. Filled with the In addition to reading the Scriptures, Spirit: a parallel we should meditate upon them. Th e blessed man of Psalm 1 meditates in with Ephesians 5 the law of God day and night. And we y third point is this: the Word should memorise it. One wonderful will not dwell in us richly if we thing about the Authorised Version is are not fi lled with the Spirit that it’s easiest of all to memorise. If you M of God. Th ere is a notable comparison stick to the Authorised Version just for between our text and the latter part of that reason you will fi nd it will get into Ephesians 5.18, ‘ … be fi lled with the your heart, and into your soul, and into Spirit’. Th e next verse in Ephesians 5 says, your mind. ‘speaking to yourselves in psalms and Th inking of memorising brings Haralan hymns and spiritual songs, singing and Popov to mind. He spent over thirteen making melody in your heart to the Lord’. years in prison in Bulgaria under Th e verses that follow speak of diff erent Communist persecution. aspects of our lives—the While he was there a wife, the husband, the fellow prisoner found e must by all parents, the children, the a copy of the New Wmeans seek to servants. Testament. Before that let the Word of Christ In the verse following was confi scated Popov our text in Colossians 3, had memorised forty- dwell in us richly; where the Bible says, ‘Let seven chapters, including that is what God the word of Christ dwell all of Ephesians and all of in you richly … ’ there 1 Peter. When he did not requires of us. It will are these words, ‘teaching have the physical Word not only please God, and admonishing one in his possession, he had another in psalms and the memorised Word in it will also bring us hymns and spiritual songs, his heart; and as a result great joy. singing with grace in your he was able to help those hearts to the Lord’; then who were believers, he aft er some exhortation was able to instruct those who were not the passage deals with wives, husbands, saved, and he was able to lead many of parents, children, masters, servants. them to faith in Jesus Christ. Comparing the two passages shows that We must by all means seek to let the Word what fl ows from being fi lled with the Holy of Christ dwell in us richly; that is what Spirit is very similar to what fl ows from God requires of us. It will not only please the Word of Christ dwelling in us richly. God, it will also bring us great joy. What From here we can go to 2 Peter 1.21 a blessing to know the Scriptures, to love which tells us that the prophecy—the the Scriptures, to feast our souls on the Word of God itself—‘ … came not in old Scriptures. It will bring us great joy, but time by the will of man: but holy men

27 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to Holy Ghost’. Th ere is thus a harmony them that obey him’. We ask, but we must such as you would expect between the ask in submission, in surrender to the will Word of Christ and the working of the of God. Th ere is no point in asking for the Spirit of God. Spirit of God to fi ll us if we then intend to disobey Him. You cannot ask for His Holy We can have no confi dence in those who claim to be fi lled with the Spirit of God but Spirit to fi ll you unless you are willing to speak contrary to the Word of God. Th e surrender your heart, your life, your all to Holy Spirit is the author of Scripture and Jesus Christ. Th erefore these two things go He never speaks contrary to His Word. So together: the infi lling of the Spirit and the if I am to have the Word of Christ dwelling Word of Christ dwelling in us richly. in me richly, I need to be fi lled with the Where the Word of Christ dwells in Spirit of God. us richly, the infl uence on us will be In order to be fi lled with the Spirit we profound; a tremendous impact will be need to ask God to fi ll us. Christ said in made upon our lives. Luke 11.13, ‘If ye then, being evil, know Concentrating for the moment on how to give good gift s unto your children: Ephesians 5.18 and following, notice that how much more shall your heavenly the fi rst word aft er the word ‘Spirit’ is Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ‘speaking’, ending in the letters ‘ing’. Aft er ask him?’ We need to ask every day to be ‘speaking to yourselves in psalms and fi lled with the Spirit. hymns and spiritual songs’ is another ‘ing’ Th at promise of Christ’s is set in the word: ‘singing’. Th en in verse 20 comes context of daily praying. What we ‘giving’, and verse 21 ‘submitting’. Th ese sometimes call the Lord’s Prayer is what is words are what we call participles and are found at the commencement of Luke 11, linked to a main verb to form a complete and in that prayer Christ taught His sentence. If they stand on their own they disciples what things to pray about on a do not make sense; they do not make a daily basis. In verse 3, He says, ‘Give us complete sentence. Here the ‘ing’ words day by day’—or the margin says ‘for the are linked to ‘Be fi lled’. day’—‘our daily bread’. As we need daily So we need to be fi lled, and that will have food so we also need a daily infi lling a profound eff ect upon our lives, our of the Holy Spirit. Indeed ‘be fi lled’ in attitudes, our behaviour, how we react to Ephesians 5.18 is in the Greek in the our loved ones, how we work in the place present imperative, and is an order to keep of employment; and how we battle against being fi lled. Be fi lled with the Spirit today; the devil and the powers of Hell and be fi lled with the Spirit tomorrow; be darkness. fi lled with the Spirit the next day: we need constantly, continually, to be fi lled with When the Word of Christ dwells in us the Spirit of God. richly and we are fi lled with the Spirit, we will have a positive and cheerful But there is a condition that we should disposition. We will be speaking to not overlook. In Acts 5.32 Peter and John ourselves and one another in psalms and spoke about the witness that they bore to hymns and spiritual songs, singing and the suff erings, and death and resurrection making melody in our hearts to the Lord. of Christ. Th ey said there was another witness; they added: ‘And so is also the Some Christians have a sour disposition. 28 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 But Christians with the Word dwelling in Jeremiah 31.3 says, ‘Yea, I have loved them richly will be like those mentioned thee with an everlasting love’. We should, in Malachi 3, during a time of apostasy, on our knees in the morning, thank God of questioning of God. What we fi nd is for that love. He loved me in eternity that ‘ … they that feared the LORD spake past; He has always loved me; He loves oft en one to another’ (verse 16): they were me now; He will always love me. ‘Yea, I talking about the things of God to one have loved thee with an everlasting love’. another, encouraging one another in the If you are His child, can you not thank things of God, discussing the Word of God for such love? And even if you are God, meditating upon those things that not saved, can you not thank Him for His are most precious and most blessed. And mercy that you are still in the day of grace, the Bible says that the Lord hearkened: that you still have opportunity to call He listened intently and heard. He said, upon His name? Yes, we should be giving ‘ … they shall be mine … in that day thanks: giving thanks unto God and the when I make up my jewels; and I will Father; giving thanks always for all things spare them, as a man spareth his own son in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. that serveth him’ (verse 17). God is well pleased when our hearts Ephesians 5.21 continues the theme with are right and we are ‘submitting yourselves feasting upon the Word f you are His child, one to another’. In this of God, encouraging one there is humility. Th is is another with the Word Ican you not thank another eff ect of the Word of God, and psalms and dwelling in us richly, and God for such love? of being fi lled, day by hymns and spiritual day, with the Holy Spirit. songs. Th e singing of And even if you are Charles Dickens in his psalms and hymns and not saved, can you book spiritual songs indicates David Copperfi eld introduces us to a rather to us a right frame of not thank Him for slimy character called spirit and is glorifying His mercy that you Uriah Heep, a thorough- to God. But in order for going hypocrite who that to take place the are still in the day of feigned humility. He Word of Christ needs grace, that you still would wring his clammy to dwell in us richly; we have opportunity to hands and say, ‘I’m an need constantly, day by ’umble man, Master day, to be fi lled with the call upon His name? Copperfi eld’. But he was Holy Spirit. not humble. True humility Next we see gratitude. is a work of the Spirit of Ephesians 5.20 says, ‘giving thanks God as He reveals to us what we are like always for all things unto God and the through the inspired Word of God. When Father’. Christ remonstrated about the Winston Churchill was told that Clement nine lepers He had cleansed because they Attlee was a modest man, he said, ‘No had not come back to give glory to God; doubt he is, and Mr Attlee has plenty to it grieved His heart. Surely the Lord must be modest about’. Th e same and far more be grieved with us on many occasions; might be said about each one of us; only when we fail to express gratitude for the conviction of the Word and the power all His blessings, for all His kindness. of the Spirit will convince us of that fact.

29 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record In Ezekiel 36.31 we read of a time of the marriage for himself. What a testimony Spirit of God being poured out. One of that was to Jonathan Edwards and to his the eff ects it has is that you ‘shall lothe wife and family. Th is was a home where yourselves’. We are very good at loathing the presence of God was real; the wife was other people. But when the Spirit of walking with God and the husband was God comes down it is not other people walking with God, and the children were we loathe; we loathe ourselves. We see trained up in the nurture and admonition ourselves as we really are: vile and sinful; of the Lord. full of sin and depravity. And only by At the beginning of Ephesians 6 we the grace of God can we be made fi t for are still in the home, continuing with Heaven above. the responsibility of Th e last ‘ing’ word parents and children. As in Ephesians 5.21 is e cannot be fathers are specifi cally ‘submitting’. Interestingly, good fathers mentioned, it is clear that W the primary responsibility the next verse also includes the word ‘submit’, or mothers if we are for the training and displaying the link that not walking with discipline of the children is running through lies with them. these verses. ‘Submitting God. We cannot be Th ere again is the need yourselves one to another’, good parents if we for the Christian to be ‘wives, submit yourselves are not fi lled with the Spirit-fi lled, with the unto your own husbands’. Word of Christ dwelling Th ere is submission; the Spirit of God daily, if in him or her richly. We leadership in the home the Word of Christ cannot be good fathers is given to the husband. or mothers if we are not Th en we fi nd the husband is not saturating our walking with God. We told to love his wife. Th e being. cannot be good parents if wife is to submit to the we are not fi lled with the husband and the husband Spirit of God daily, if the is to love his wife, so it is Word of Christ is not saturating our being. important that husbands and wives who O, that we might be fi lled with the Word are Christians be spiritually-minded. of God! O, that it might dwell in us richly, Th ey need to be fi lled with the Holy Spirit and O, that the Spirit of God might come and with the Word of God. Husbands upon us day by day and fi ll us. need to be spiritual to enable them to be loving leaders in the home, commanding Now notice two things about the children: the respect of their wives and of their I believe these are Christian children that children. It is wrong for husbands to are being addressed here because the expect their wives to do as they require, Epistle to the Ephesians is addressed to while they themselves are not walking the people of God. Th e children are told with God, because that makes a man to obey their parents before anything is something of a tyrant. said about their parents’ responsibilities towards them. Children ought not to When George Whitefi eld saw the rule the roost in Christian homes. Th ere beautiful spiritual atmosphere in the is such a focus on children today, and home of Jonathan Edwards he desired the rights of children and almost the

30 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 power of children. But very little is said earning a hundred or even a thousand about the responsibilities of children. times more, it would make no diff erence. All the privileges are there, but not the If he is walking with God he will do his responsibilities; the two things must go work with all his heart. He will not be a hand-in-hand. Children need the richly man-pleaser; he will do it for the glory of indwelling Word and the mighty infi lling God and as a witness to Jesus Christ his of the Spirit to enable them to serve God Saviour. acceptably and to honour their parents. Th en the master: if he is a child of God, What a beautiful thing, when you see a he needs the power of God to treat his God-fearing family! employees fairly. He is not to be harsh; I have mentioned the home of Jonathan he is not to be severe; he is not to short- Edwards: that should be a model for us. change them of their wages; he is to treat We might think of another family: John them as he would wish to be treated if he the Baptist’s. It is a family of three. We were the employee. He is to remember have the father, Zacharias, fi lled with that the eye of the Lord rests upon him. the Holy Spirit. We have the mother, In order to succeed as employers and Elizabeth, fi lled with the Holy Spirit. And employees we need the Spirit of God; we have the son, John the Baptist; the we need the power of the Word of God mightiest of the Old Testament prophets, working in our lives. fi lled with the Holy Spirit. Would it not be In Ephesians 6.10–17 we are introduced to tremendous if all Christian parents and the great confl ict between the church and their children were day-by-day fi lled with the powers of Hell and darkness. We need the Spirit of God, and the Word of Christ to take on the whole armour of God, but dwelt in them richly! we need especially the Word of God and Th en we have the relationship between the power of the Holy Spirit. employers and employees set before us Th e fi nal section, verses 17–20, deals with in Ephesians 6.5–9. When masters and prayer. From Ephesians 5.19 onwards servants are referred to there is an analogy what is stated hinges on being fi lled with for present day working relationships. the Spirit. Verse 18 of chapter 6 brings We want to add that slavery is totally in another ‘ing’ word: ‘praying always repugnant, and many slaves in days gone with all prayer and supplication’; notice by were treated most disgracefully and particularly the next three words: ‘in the most cruelly by their masters. We salute Spirit’. Th is ‘ing’ word and the Spirit are the memory of those who fought to tied together. Th ere is this golden thread abolish the slave trade. running through the entire passage from Coming back to the employer/employee Ephesians 5.18 right through to Ephesians relationship, we see the need again for the 6.20. Th e whole passage hinges on being indwelling Word and Spirit, so that each fi lled with the Spirit, and the Word of may act in a God-glorifying way to one Christ dwelling in us richly. If we are to another. Th e employee does not think of pray successfully we need the infi lling of God’s Spirit; we need the Word of God to the wages if he is walking with God. He guide us. does not think of whether the employer is watching him, because the eye of Christ In what’s called the Lord’s Prayer in is upon him. He is doing his work for the Luke 11 you have all the diff erent items Lord; he puts everything into it. If he were that we should pray for. We may pray that

31 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record prayer through since it is a pattern for us, But of course if you are not saved, if you and we can mould our petitions around have never repented, you are a sinner lost it. One of our ministers many years ago and guilty, on your way to Hell. You need said that when he was having a hard time the Saviour. You need to call upon Him. praying he would take the Lord’s Prayer And if you do call He has promised in and very carefully and thoughtfully Romans 10.13, ‘For whosoever shall call meditate and pray over each section. He upon the name of the Lord shall be saved’. almost invariably found before he had You might say, ‘But what if He would turn fi nished that his heart was melted and he me away? Would I be accepted?’ John 6.37 was in the very presence of God. says, ‘All that the Father giveth me shall You and I can meditate upon the Word of come to me; and him that cometh to me God. We can meditate on what Christ has I will in no wise cast out’. In the Greek ‘in told us to think about: the glory of God, no wise’ contains a double-negative. Th is our daily needs, our need for forgiveness, makes a very strong positive; in English our need for sustenance, our need to the negatives would cancel each other forgive others, our need to be helped in out but in Greek it makes the negation the midst of temptation. We can bring stronger: in no way will Christ refuse the those matters before God, concluding person who comes to Him. It is a cast-iron by acknowledging the prayer as found in guarantee. Seek Him today. Matthew 6, ‘Th ine is the kingdom, and the I conclude by quoting our text, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen’. parallel verse in Ephesians, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ … ‘be fi lled Conclusion with the Spirit’. oes not all that we have seen show our absolute dependence on the Endnotes: Word of God and on the Spirit of D 1. M. Watts, Th e Lord Gave the Word God? Christ said to His disciples in John (London, England: TBS, 1998), p. 10. 15.5, ‘Without me ye can do nothing’. Paul said in Philippians 3.3, ‘ … we are the 2. Th e Eclectic Review MDCCCXLI July circumcision, which worship God in the to December, vol. 10 (London: Jackson & spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have Walford, 1841), p. 337. no confi dence in the fl esh’. No confi dence 3. Spurgeon, Autobiography 4:268, in the fl esh: we need God. If you are a see www.princeofpreachers.org/ child of God you need Him every day, you uploads/4/8/6/5/48652749/chs_ need Him every hour. You and I need the autobiography_vol_4.pdf, p. 292. Lord every day; we need Him every hour. We need His Spirit; we need His Word to fi ll our hearts, to fi ll our lives. Slightly edited for publication.

32 The Word of God Among All Nations Although certain phrases and expressions used in these letters may not be doctrinally accurate or in correct English, we reproduce the letters essentially as received, knowing that the Lord is using His Word to the gloryy of His Name and the furtherance of His Kingdom as the Scriptures are distributed among the nations of the world.

Europe

From England This was taken at Wimbledon Station. Not a great picture but the poster is very well placed to be seen.

William Tyndale House during the Annual General Meeting From Ireland Words cannot tell you how much thanks I owe you for the Russian Bibles you granted me. Last week I gave the Seamen’s Mission Dublin Port thirty-fi ve of your Russian Bibles. They told me that this last month they had seen a real hunger from Russian seamen for your Russian Bibles on Poster at Wimbledon Station Dublin Port. On one ship last week they were asked for three Russian Bibles and on another ship for two Russian Bibles in From TBS headquarters in London the Dublin port. Today I visited two ships In case you are interested, herewith a photo in Dundalk Port early in the morning. I from Saturday 19 September’s Annual was able to give TBS Russian calendars to General Meeting showing what part of a Russian speakers on the two ships with socially distanced AGM looks like! other Gospel booklets.

33 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record Then I went to Greenore Port; a very From Spain big ship was just coming in at about Good evening and happy new year. 9.30 am. When the ship was tied up, a I would like to inform you that we Russian man from St Petersburg, Russia, have distributed to the families of the told me they had no calendars yet. He church the Golden Thoughts calendars that took twenty-one TBS Russian calendars you sent us. Thank you very much for your for all the Russian men on the ship. He donation and the work you do. also took twenty-one copies of Russian Gospel according to John and asked me for two Russian Bibles, one for himself and one for the ship’s library. He wants to thank TBS for the Russian AAfrica Bibles and the Russian calendars. He was very, very thankful to TBS for what he called this great gift. From Kenya On the port at Warrenpoint, Co Down, I humbly submit my letter of the seafarers mission have got a new appreciation referring the grant parcels meeting place for the men from the sent to me. My parcels arrived while I was ships. I was asked again to stock many out at college and only distributed a few TBS Russian Bibles, Gospels and Russian items that time. It is until I completed my TBS calendars on the shelves, along studies last year that I started distributing with all your Dutch calendars. The man and now I have completed. Am happy to in charge of the work is from Holland let you know that the parcels arrived well and gives your Dutch calendars to and were kept for me in a good custody. Dutch crews he knows who come to The books were of great importance during the port. The others are lifted by the my church seminars of youth, women, seamen who come into the meeting and men leaders including pastors. I also place who want to take Bibles or other visited churches and Sunday school classes Gospel literature, e.g. tracts, Gospels or of various churches where the leafl ets your calendars back to the ships. and posters worked well and were of great importance to the churches that I Spanish Golden Thoughts Calendars happened to visit. Indeed you are of great importance to many churches in the entire world. God bless your organization and the entire team. Most churches I visited including mine liked the materials and it is my humble request I be added some more. Your further assistance is most welcomed.

From Kenya Happy new year. I greet you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are humbled for the continued support and assistance you have been giving us. May Almighty God richly bless you. I am grateful to have received your Scriptures; receive my sincere

34 Issue Number: 634 – January to March 2021 thanks. I have already distributed the items. which had been strongly damaged by In particular our brethren are very happy. Hurricane Idai in March 2019. Some Why? Because the items help them read church buildings have been rebuilt and the Bible every day, also helping them to now the believers are just very, very live and do what God teaches them. In this it improves their Christian way of living by becoming better Christians. I will be grateful to hear from you and ask you to remember us for the latest edition of the Golden Thoughts—kindly allow me to have a hundred copies. Thanks in advance. May Almighty God bless you as you enjoy the new decade.

From Zambia A one day conference and Bible/ book distribution was held in Luanshya. Rebuilding after the hurricane in Mozambique This conference was attended mostly by people from the Police service and the glad to have got their fi rst own Bible (for Army. The Lord has been gracious to us some of them), or a new one after having in the year. The Word was preached and lost their old one by the fl oods. The Bibles were distributed to the needy New Testaments are distributed among interested non-believers, mostly animists,

Bibles for distribution in Zambia people in various communities. We give thanks to the Almighty God for all that He has done for us.

From Mozambique We are glad to inform you that the Unloading Bibles for distribution in Mozambique Bibles and New Testaments fi nally arrived well in Beira, Mozambique. Part of them but also Muslims. We pray for all these have already been distributed among peoples and give thanks to TBS to have the believers and the people in this area provided for them this heavenly food. 35 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

whole into the Lord; the Lord has AAsia selected me. Social Media From Asia On Facebook We have a number of testimonies Some years ago I was fi nishing ffrfromomm Bible recipients. a shift as a driver on London  God has changed my life to worship. I buses. I got on a bus to go a amm much happy. home. It was empty downstairs. Approximately ten years back God I placed some gold Grace and Truth booklets changedch me. Now He uses me for His on some of the seats and sat down at the gglory.lo back. Some schoolchildren  I would like to thank God who gives got on and picked upup thisth holy Bible for reading and I give my a booklet to read. lifelife to God throughout. They were mocking I am very thankful to have this Word of what they were Go Godo and also thank the brother who gave reading and it.it. Bless this Word of God and TBS. laughing amongst I preach in church so I am very glad to themselves when re receivec this holy Bible. gradually they I am very glad to receive this holy became silent as BibleBib . I study daily the Word of God and they continued re receivec my blessings from God. reading and their I was out of church. I was in drugs. God facial expressions became serious. They calledca to me. I was Muslim. Now I am left the bus soon after.

Scriptures for Asia

36 Trinitarian Bible Society

International Headquarters International Branches Trinitarian Bible Society William Tyndale House Australian Branch 29 Deer Park Road National Secretary: Mr. A. Brown, B.E. London Trinitarian Bible Society (Australia) SW19 3NN P.O.Box 1381, Grafton NSW 2460, Australia England Tel.: +61 2 6642 8880 Fax: +61 2 6642 8881 email: [email protected] Telephone: (020) 8543 7857 website: www.tbsbibles.org Brazilian Branch email: [email protected] President: The Rev. Dr. T. L. Gilmer Facebook: www.facebook.com/tbsbibles Executive Secretary: Pr. H. R. Gilmer, M.A. Sociedade Bíblica Trinitariana do Brasil Offi ce Hours: Rua Julio de Castilhos, 108/120 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Belenzinho, 03059-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil Registered Charity No.: Tel.: (11) 2693-5663 Fax: (11) 2695-3635 233082 (England) SC038379 (Scotland) email: [email protected] V.A.T. Registration No.: GB 215 9219 67 Canadian Branch Auditors: General Secretary: Mr. A. Stoutjesdyk, B.Ed., M.Ed. Moore Kingston Smith LLP Trinitarian Bible Society (Canada) Devonshire House 9136 Young Road 60 Goswell Road Chilliwack, B.C., V2P 4R4, Canada London EC1M 7AD Tel.: (604) 793-2232 Fax: (604) 793-2262 Solicitors: Toll free: 1-855-793-2232 email: offi [email protected] Bates, Wells & Braithwaite 10 Queen Street Place New Zealand Branch London EC4R 1BE Chairman: Mr. B. de Boer Bankers: Trinitarian Bible Society (New Zealand) Arbuthnot Latham & Co Ltd PO Box 137025 Arbuthnot House Parnell, Auckland 1151, New Zealand 7 Wilson St Tel.: 09 263 5919 London EC2M 2SN email: [email protected]

Account Name: Trinitarian Bible Society USA Branch Sterling Account No.: 71529601 General Secretary: Mr. W. Greendyk, B.A. Sort Code: 30-13-93 Trinitarian Bible Society (USA) Swift ID Code/BIC: ARBUGB2L 927 Alpine Commerce Park, Suite 100, Euro Account No.: 31529601 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49544, USA IBAN for Euro Account: Tel.: (616) 735-3695 Fax: (616) 785-7237 GB35 ARBU 3013 9331 5296 01 email: [email protected] The aims of the Society

To publish and distribute the Holy RoR ad throughh hills, Malalawiw Scriptures throughout the world in many languages.

To promote Bible translations which are accurate and trustworthy, conforming to the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus of the New Testament, upon which texts the English Authorised Version is based.

To be instrumental in bringing light and life, through the Gospel of Christ, to those who are lost in sin and in the darkness of false religion and unbelief.

To uphold the doctrines of reformed Christianity, bearing witness to the equal and eternal deity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, One God in three Persons.

To uphold the Bible as the inspired, inerrant Word of God.

For the Glory of God and the Increase of His Kingdom through the circulation of Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God.

I SSN 0049-4712 Trinitarian Bible Society

William Tyndale House, 29 Deer Park Road London SW19 3NN, England 9 770049 471000 email: [email protected] www.tbsbibles.org

T HE WO RD O F GOD AMO N G ALL NAT I O N S