China’s population has drawn foreign companies looking to cash in on retail opportunities. But it’s also drawing ministries seeking to save the lost and equip the saints.
Biblica, a 200-plus Bible translation and publishing ministry, is pushing deeper into communist nation with the Chinese Contemporary Bible (CCB). The new version will be released at the Chinese New Year in February.
The CCB is translated into Standard Mandarin, also known as Putonghua, meaning “common speech.” There are 873 million Mandarin speakers in mainland China. This version reflects changes in Chinese language that aim to reach a younger generation, children and seekers.
This is a potentially important development in the quest to reach the lost in Chinese. The CCB is a revised version of the Chinese Living Bible released in 1975. But much has changed since 1975. Specifically, there has been tremendous growth in the Chinese Church—from 2.7 million in 1975 to over 75 million in 2010, according to Operation World.
Initially, 50,000 copies of the CCB will be printed and will be made available through a ministry approach. In addition to the Chinese Contemporary Bible, Biblica has produced New Testament books Matthew and Acts in DVD format. In the spring of 2011, the CCB Audio New Testament will also be available. The Student Bible is being translated into the CCB text, and the Life Application Bible will be adapted into the contemporary text to equip the Chinese people with a strong foundation in God’s Word.
