First Nations Version · Rain MinistriesThe First Nations Version Translation Council has completed the work on Psalms and Proverbs! InterVarsity Press received the finished text on June 4th, 2024. We anticipate a publisher's release date in the Summer of 2025. Donations are still appreciated as we continue to work with IV Press on the publication process and look to future books of the Bible to translate.
Miigwech (thank you).
Yes! Rain Ministries, under the leadership of Terry and Darlene Wildman, committed to translating Psalms and Proverbs for the First Nations Version. The FNV New Testament was released by InterVarsity Press on August 31st, 2021. Since that time, many thousands of people, both First Nations and others, have been reading and using this as one of their main translations. Some Native organizations have made it their primary New Testament. Thousands of copies have also been distributed on reservations, sometimes with the help of the tribal councils themselves.
Several times a month, we receive requests for the Hebrew Scriptures, also known as the Old Testament. After much prayer and encouragement, we began work on Psalms and Proverbs. On July 1st, 2022. InterVaristy Press contracted with Rain Ministries as publisher. We anticipated it would take about two years to complete and finished a month early.
Dave Ohlson, with over 50 years of experience with indigenous cultures, again agreed to be our Project Translation Consultant. We also added Professor Amy Nicole Allan (Choctaw, Tuscarora, and Cherokee) PhD Student with NAIITS, an Indigenous Learning Community, and L. Daniel Hawk Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Seminary in Ohio. We also added Julene Pommert Ph.D. (Southern Blackfeet). Together, they served as Hebrew language consultants.
Our Psalms and Proverbs Translation Council and Consultants
A new Translation Council was formed, including members from the first council and some new faces. Our council served as indigenous consultants and reviewers. Our Project Consultant from the FNV/NT continued with us. We have also welcomed 3 Hebrew language consultants.
