Telugu Translation Project

Location: India | Speakers: 96 million | Project Status: Gospel

Telugu is a Dravidian language primarily spoken in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on the east coast, states where it is also an official language. It is the fourth most widely spoken language in India, with approximately 96 million total speakers, and it is considered one of the country’s ‘classical languages’, with a literary history of over 1,500 years. The majority of Telugus are Hindu, and thus the need for a faithful translation of the Scriptures to show them the way to salvation is great.

Although several modern Telugu Bible translations are available, these are dynamic versions based on the Critical Text. TBS published a Telugu New Testament in 1983, but by the early 1990s we were advised there were significant errors within it, by which time we had stopped publishing it. Revision work began again in the late 1990s, but we were unable to proceed due to issues with these efforts too.

In 2022, we connected with a Telugu speaker to commence a new translation, and, following extensive review and analysis early last year, the text of the Gospel according to John was completed and typesetting commenced in August. We anticipate that the Gospel will be made available for publication by the end of March 2026, if the Lord wills. Our translator has turned his attention to the rest of the New Testament, and we are pleased to report that he has already made significant headway with the remaining Gospels.

It is our hope and prayer that with the publication of this Gospel that Telugu speakers may realise that ‘these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name’ (John 20.31).

Please pray:

• For the translator and community reviewers as they diligently work on the translation.
• For Telugu speakers throughout India and its wider diaspora to receive the Gospel and the translation.
• For the final edits and corrections to the typeset Gospel to proceed smoothly and its publication.