Brazilian Sign Language
The First Complete Bible in Brazilian Sign Language is Now Available!
provided by Joshua Caleb Johnson
The translation produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses was the work of volunteers and can be accessed free by all deaf people.
A milestone for the deaf community in Brazil has been reached. Jehovah’s Witnesses announce that the first complete translation of the Bible in
Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) is now available. The translation is also the first in Latin America and the third in the world to be fully completed in a sign language!.
Work began in 2006. As the Bible books were translated from Portuguese into Libras, they were made available to the public on the jw.org website, until the last Bible book was translated this year. In total, more than 200,000 hours of work were spent to record all the videos!
“It was a joy to see the completion of this project. All translation, recording and editing work was carried out by volunteers. The result is an accurate translation that clearly conveys the Bible’s message of comfort and hope,” comments Hamilton Vieira, who for many years oversaw the Translation Department of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brazil.
The special release event took place at the national headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Cesário Lange, State of São Paulo, and was livestreamed to meeting places across the country. A total of 36,000 people attended the event, including deaf people, family members and guests, who were surprised by the announcement.
Paula, a deaf woman from the State of Ceará, commented: “Sometimes I read the Bible in Portuguese and didn’t understand some words. I consulted a dictionary to understand the meaning… With the videos of the Bible in Libras in the JW Library app everything cleared up for me. Now I am satisfied!”
Joana, a deaf woman who lives in Goiânia, State of Goiás, similarly expressed her feelings for having the Bible translated in sign language: “I love watching the Bible in Libras. The information is very clear and valuable. It helps me a lot. I feel closer to God.”
Anyone can view or download the New World Translation of the Bible in Libras at jw.org. Simply choose the language option: Brazilian Sign Language (Língua brasileira de sinais). It is also possible to access it for free through the JW Library Sign Language app, developed by Jehovah’s Witnesses so that the deaf can have autonomy when studying the Bible and other subjects in their language.
In Brazil alone, there are 10 million people with some degree of hearing loss — which represents 5% of the population. Of these, 2.7 million are completely deaf.
Efforts to include the deaf community are evident early in the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Brazil. Since 1982, they have held meetings in Brazilian Sign Language and in 1997 they began to produce videos in this language. They currently have 713 sign language meeting places in all regions of Brazil.
The Bible, the holy book of Christianity, is the most translated publication in the world and is available in whole or in part in more than 3,000 languages. Deaf people in Brazil who enjoy reading the Bible are happy that they now have access to its complete translation. Denize, a deaf woman from Goiânia, explains why: “I really like the Bible in sign language. It touches the hearts of the deaf.”
For many, the complete Bible in Libras is a true gift from God and indicates that he wants to bring his Word to all people, without partiality.
Access the Bible in Libras in the app JW Library Sign Language.
Access the Bible in Libras on the website jw.org/bzs.
QUICK FACTS!
The New World Translation of the Holy Bible in Brazilian Sign Language contains approximately 220 hours of video recordings. By watching 15 minutes a day, you can complete your reading in 2 and a half years or, by watching 30 minutes a day, you can complete your reading in 1 year and 3 months!
Photos by SHVETS production from www.pexels.com
Jehovah’s Witnesses come from hundreds of ethnic and language backgrounds, yet we are united by common goals. Above all, we want to honor Jehovah, the God of the Bible. We do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to be called Christians. Each of us regularly spends time helping people learn about the Bible and God’s Kingdom. Because we witness, or talk, about Jehovah God and his Kingdom, we are known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. To read the Bible online and learn more about us and our beliefs visit jw.org.
Public Information
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