Gathering People Out of All Languages
1 God’s Word is being fulfilled! People “out of all the languages of the nations” are embracing true worship. (Zech. 8:23) How are Jehovah’s Witnesses helping individuals of all ‘tribes, peoples, and tongues’ to come into a clean standing before Jehovah, with the prospect of surviving “the great tribulation”?—Rev. 7:9, 14.
2 God’s Organization Responds: The Governing Body has arranged for Bible literature to be made available in some 380 languages so that people in all the earth can understand clearly the import of the good news. Preparing and publishing literature in so many languages is a vast undertaking. It involves assembling teams of qualified translators and providing them with the support they need to translate our literature into all these languages, as well as printing and shipping the material. The key role, however, is played by the individual Kingdom publishers, who bring the Bible’s lifesaving message to the people.
3 Accepting the Challenge: Sizable foreign-language populations are now found in many places. To reach these people with the good news, more and more of God’s servants are endeavoring to learn Chinese, Russian, Spanish, or some other language common in their area. Others are learning American Sign Language. In the United States alone, there are some 2,900 congregations and 240 groups preaching in 38 languages other than English. Some who never heard of Jehovah or knew nothing about the Bible are accepting the truth of God’s Word.—Rom. 15:21.
4 Could we exert ourselves more fully in declaring the good news to people in our territory who are from another culture? (Col. 1:25) Many congregations are organizing the preaching work in the local foreign community. Publishers first learn enough of the language to give a simple presentation, such as: “Hello. Here is good news for you. [Then offer a tract or brochure available in that language.] Good-bye.” Jehovah is truly blessing such small beginnings!
5 The Kingdom message appeals to people of all backgrounds and languages. Let us seize the opportunity to share it with them.