At 11:45 this morning, in the Consistory Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the members of the Universal Biblical Alliance who were presenting a bible printed in Italian which is known as the Word of the Lord - the Interfaith Bible in modern language.
Dear brothers in Christ,
Thank you for coming here to present me with a new Italian version of the Word of God Bible, an inter-faith translation in modern language, the fruit of a collaboration between the Universal Biblical Alliance - the Bible Society in Italy and the ELLEDICI Publishing House. I want to tell you something that I've learned from my own experience. The translation prepared by evangelicals and Catholics for the Bible in current language in Argentina has already done much good and continues to do well. It's a good idea because simple people can understand it, because it is in real language, and it is close to the people. When we did missionary activity in the parishes in Buenos Aires, we always went to the Bible Society and bought these translations. They used to give me a good discount! We would give copies of the bible to people, and they could understand it. They understood! It was a beautiful activity, and I like the fact that now it is available in Italian, because people will be able to understand the stories and the expressions which, if they are not well translated, will not be understood.
The preparation of an inter-faith version is a particularly significant effort, especially when you consider how much debates about Scripture have influenced divisions, especially in the West. This inter-faith project, which has made it possible for us to embark upon a common journey for the past number of decades, has allowed you to entrust your heart to others who have accompanied you along the road, overcoming suspicions and mistrust, with the confidence that comes from a common love for the Word of God.
Yours is the fruit of patient, attentive, fraternal, competent work, above all, the work of believers. If you didn't believe, you could never accomplish it; if you do not believe it, you will not be firm, says Isaiah (7:9). I hope that this text, which is presented with the approval of the CEI and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy might inspire all Italian-speaking Christians to meditate, live, witness to and celebrate the message of God.
I sincerely hope that all Christians might learn the sublime science of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8) through frequent reading of the Word of God, since the sacred text provides nourishment for the soul and is the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life for us all. We must therefore make every effort to ensure that every person can read the Word of God, because ignorance of the Scriptures, in fact, is ignorance of Christ, as Girolamo says (Comm. in Is., Prol.: PL24,17).
Thank you all very much; what you have achieved together is precious, precisely for the achievement of this goal and I want to encourage you to continue the journey you have begun, in order to always make the living Word of God better known and more profoundly understood.
My blessing will also accompany you; I give it to you willingly and I ask you to ask for it together, as brothers, as we pray together the Lord's Prayer. Our Father ...
Thank you.
Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
to members of the Universal Biblical Alliance
Dear brothers in Christ,
Thank you for coming here to present me with a new Italian version of the Word of God Bible, an inter-faith translation in modern language, the fruit of a collaboration between the Universal Biblical Alliance - the Bible Society in Italy and the ELLEDICI Publishing House. I want to tell you something that I've learned from my own experience. The translation prepared by evangelicals and Catholics for the Bible in current language in Argentina has already done much good and continues to do well. It's a good idea because simple people can understand it, because it is in real language, and it is close to the people. When we did missionary activity in the parishes in Buenos Aires, we always went to the Bible Society and bought these translations. They used to give me a good discount! We would give copies of the bible to people, and they could understand it. They understood! It was a beautiful activity, and I like the fact that now it is available in Italian, because people will be able to understand the stories and the expressions which, if they are not well translated, will not be understood.
The preparation of an inter-faith version is a particularly significant effort, especially when you consider how much debates about Scripture have influenced divisions, especially in the West. This inter-faith project, which has made it possible for us to embark upon a common journey for the past number of decades, has allowed you to entrust your heart to others who have accompanied you along the road, overcoming suspicions and mistrust, with the confidence that comes from a common love for the Word of God.
Yours is the fruit of patient, attentive, fraternal, competent work, above all, the work of believers. If you didn't believe, you could never accomplish it; if you do not believe it, you will not be firm, says Isaiah (7:9). I hope that this text, which is presented with the approval of the CEI and the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy might inspire all Italian-speaking Christians to meditate, live, witness to and celebrate the message of God.
I sincerely hope that all Christians might learn the sublime science of Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8) through frequent reading of the Word of God, since the sacred text provides nourishment for the soul and is the pure and everlasting source of spiritual life for us all. We must therefore make every effort to ensure that every person can read the Word of God, because ignorance of the Scriptures, in fact, is ignorance of Christ, as Girolamo says (Comm. in Is., Prol.: PL24,17).
Thank you all very much; what you have achieved together is precious, precisely for the achievement of this goal and I want to encourage you to continue the journey you have begun, in order to always make the living Word of God better known and more profoundly understood.
My blessing will also accompany you; I give it to you willingly and I ask you to ask for it together, as brothers, as we pray together the Lord's Prayer. Our Father ...
Thank you.
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