On Saturday, 3 June 2023, the Iranian Bible Society in the Diaspora (IBSD) held the launch of the revised Persian Bible translation, known as the New Translation of the Bible in Contemporary Persian (TPVR). The celebration served as an opportunity to dedicate this translation to God and to the congregation for the sake of spreading the Good News amongst Persian-speaking people. 

The launch was attended by over two hundred participants representing various church communities in Iran, Christian organisations and institutions involved in ministry to Persian-speaking Christians both at home and abroad, translators and members of the IBSD Executive Committee, as well as representatives from the United Bible Societies (United Bible Societies – UBS), the American Bible Society and the Turkish Bible Society.

At this event, regarded as a significant milestone in the IBSD’s ministry, Ms Nahid Sepehrifard, Secretary General of the IBSD, who served as the main host of the launch ceremony, said,&“We have taken a step forward with this New Persian Bible Translation, which is more accurate and accessible. May the people welcome this translation, find it easier to understand the contents of the Bible, and may it lead them to Christ.”

“When people understand the Bible better, they become more engaged. As emphasised by one of the testimonies during the launch evening, readers of the Persian Bible had difficulty understanding the old translation, particularly the books of the Old Testament such as Deuteronomy. “But when they read the Persian Bible in the new translation, the meaning of the text becomes clear and they begin to understand it,” he continued.

Representing the IBSD Executive Board, the Chairman of the IBSD, Rev. Feridoon Mokhof, was present at yesterday’s launch. In his address, he expressed his appreciation and gratitude, particularly to the team of translators and revisers who had worked for nearly eight years to update the text of the Persian Bible. Among the translators and revisers were: Dr Kenneth Thomas, Dr Ali Asghar Aghbar, Dr Iraj Hemmati, Dr Herand Zargarian, Brother DJ Bakhshoodeh, Brother Sargiz Ishu Bayati, and Sister Nahid Sepehri. Some of them were among the first to receive the Persian Bible in Contemporary Language. Members of the first edition’s translation team (the Old Translation), such as Dr Kenneth Thomas, have now retired. He has been working on the translation of the Persian Bible since the 1960s. As his age and health prevented him from travelling to Istanbul, he joined the event and spoke via Zoom. Three other members of the original translation team have since passed away, but their names and work will continue to be remembered: Rev Mehdi Abhari, Rev Sadegh Sepehri, and Rev Edwin Jaeger.

In his address prior to the prayer of thanksgiving for the launch of the TPVR, Dr Cristian Romocea, Head of Interchurch Relations at Churches Under Pressure, who represented the UBS at the event, reminded participants that the aim of the UBS and its members, as a global fellowship, is to make the Holy Scriptures available in every language. He then emphasised the privilege UBS, as an organisation, has in celebrating together with the IBSD, the board members and representatives from various institutions and organisations, the completion of this revision of the Persian Bible. “We welcome a Bible translation that is more accurate, more engaging and more applicable to Farsi speakers in Iran and the diaspora, through which people will come to know and be transformed by the Bible’s message.”

5,000 copies of the first print run of the TPVR were distributed to coincide with its launch. IBSD plans to print and distribute a further 71,200 copies of the TPVR Bible. These copies are distributed free of charge in Iran and amongst refugees through the support of UBS’s international partners.

IBSD invites fellow Bible Societies operating in cross-cultural contexts where there are significant Persian diaspora communities, to contact Nahid Sepehrifard, General Secretary of IBSD, to obtain copies of the TPVR so that more of God’s people in Persia may have the opportunity to read, understand the contents of the Holy Scriptures, and be inspired to live a new life in the Lord.