Why Bible translation is easier, harder and more needed than you think

Posted on October 12, 2026 
Filed under Moore College

This looks to be a fascinating event.

“A Sydney Rare Book Week event

When Tyndale translated the New Testament 500 years ago, English was a minority language in need of a translation. These days, that’s hardly the case: we have a multitude of different English versions, and many other languages in our region use English Bibles in their translation process.

At this event, we’ll look at the shape of the history of English translations and how it has influenced local language versions across Australia and the South Pacific, and consider the places where modern translation is difficult, but where there is also great scope for creativity in faithful communication. We’ll even have a go together at practising translation principles in modern Australian contexts.

Sam Freney is a translation consultant with the Bible Society of Australia. He is involved in the work of translation teams as they work on communicating Scripture in their contexts. He’s also an honorary post-doctoral research associate with Morling College and an ordained deacon in the Anglican diocese of Sydney. His training is in biblical studies and biblical languages, and he helps teams understand what a passage meant in its original language and context, and how that connects to what they’re saying now. Many people justifiably call him a nerd, which he prefers to ‘geek’. He’s interested in many different languages, speaks only some of them, and works across Australia and the South Pacific with about 20 different translation teams.”

Free. 21st October 2026. Moore College Library Amphitheatre.

– Details and registration at this link.