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Nagaland is one of the three states where the population is mostly Christian. The Bible has played a significant role in the socio-economic transformation of the various Naga communities.

Nagaland has several indigenous Naga groups, and interestingly they speak mutually unintelligible languages. Hence,English is the ‘unifying’ official language of Nagaland. However, Nagamese – a creole – functions as a lingua franca and is nearly spoken by all. 

Nagamese developed out of the need for the hill Naga people to interact with the indigenous Assamese in the plains. It began as a ‘market language’ for the purpose of business communications. Nagamese has gradually become more complex and is written in Roman Script. 

Now, Nagamese is preferred for a wider form of communication and is used in all aspects of everyday life. Besides being spoken in casual settings, it is also used for official communique, religious gatherings and in School classrooms to explain subject matters better. 

The release of the Nagamese New Testament by Dr. Z.K. Rochill, Sr. Auxiliary Secretary, on the 30th October, 2018 was a proud moment for all of us at the Dimapur Auxiliary.

Most Naga groups have a Bible, a New Testament or at least portions of Scripture in their languages. However, the Nagamese Bible presents the different Naga communities the possibility of reading the Bible together and learning the Bible in fellowship together. 

We hope and pray that the Bible in Nagamese would be a great blessing for the different Naga people to engage in Scripture Engagement. 

The Bible Society of India serves all Churches in translating, publishing the Bible in many languages and distributing them among their congregations. The BSI is the handmaiden of the Church even as it is a Servant in God’s Mission. 

The 14th of November was observed as the Church Relations Day to reiterate the ‘Philadelphia Promise’ – “to serve all Christian Churches and remain fully committed to the principle of interconfessionality.” 

The Church Relations Department of the BSI organised a combined Prayer Fellowship at Logos Bhavan to celebrate the unity and “interconfessionality” of different denominational Churches that we serve.  Representatives from various denominations introduced the distinctives of their respective denominations and how each of them express the Christian faith in diverse ways at the fellowship meeting. We are thankful to 

• Rev. Dr. Manohar Chandra Prasad (CSI), 
• Rev. Jayawanth H T (Methodist),
• Rev. Jeremiah Anderson (Lutheran), 
• Rev Nghaklian Mawia (Presbyterian), 
• Rev. Charley Jones (Mar Thoma Syrian Church), 
• Pastor Hemanth Peter (Baptist) 
• Mr. Hector Poppen (Catholic Church) 

and all other pastors who participated in the Prayer Fellowship. Rev. Dr. M. Mani Chacko, the General Secretary of the BSI delivered an inspirational message. The service helped all of us to celebrate the diversity of our confessional expressions, worship patterns and faith traditions. It challenged us to be faithful to Christ’s call for the unity of His Church.

The BSI-Church relations day helped us to strengthen our resolve to be at the serve Churches and work towards strengthening relationships with God’s wider faith community. Continue to pray for the Bible Society of India as we work alongside different Churches for the Bible Cause. 

Thanking God for the Telugu Bible Translation. This is the Bi-centenary year of the first published Telugu New Testament. Thanking God for the tireless effort, grit and determination of Ananda Rayar, an Indian Christian, who completed the Telugu New Testament Translation even after the untimely death of the missionaries.

The BSI Ranchi Auxiliary had the privilege of taking Bibles to Charid Village. The New GEL Church availed this opportunity and got the Pulpit Bible for their congregation. So happy that the Bible will be read in Church and the congregation will listen to God’s Word read in Charid Village.

We pray that the Church would listen to God speak, that God’s Word will be planted deep in their hearts and the Church will experience transformation that the Word brings!

Now, you can hear what you have been reading. The Audio Bible makes God’s Word accessible to many people, particularly the elderly, the sick and also people on the go. Please pray for the distribution of audio Scriptures in many languages. If you are in need of the audio Bible please contact your nearest BSI Auxiliary.

We welcome Rev. John Basy Paul into the BSI family as he joins the BSI Telangana Auxiliary. Rev. John Basy Paul will give leadership to the BSI Telangana work as Auxiliary Secretary.

After the installation service at St. George’s Church Abids, Rev. John Basy Paul was inducted at BSI office, Boiguda by Rev. Dr. Mani Chako, General Secretary of BSI.

Please send your greetings and wishes to bsitel@biblesociety.in

The Media and Special audience department of the BSI makes Audio Bibles available to PVDs ( Persons with visual disability).

Recently, we distributed Odia Audio Bibles to 30 students drawn from various colleges in Cuttack. The distribution was done in partnership with the BSI Odisha Auxiliary.

The BSI is committed to making the Bible accessible in the format that people prefer. We thank the many who bless PVDs with the audio device and help them have an ‘easy’ and ‘ready’ access to God’s Word.