Bible translation work is advancing at an unprecedented rate, with millions gaining access to Scripture in the past year, Wycliffe Bible Translators said Monday on International Translation Day.

The organization reported 118 new Bible or New Testament translations in the last 12 months, averaging one every three days. The total includes 23 complete Bibles and 95 New Testaments, the highest annual figure to date.

James Poole, Wycliffe’s executive director, said the expansion marks “remarkable progress” in reaching communities worldwide. “In the past 12 months, millions have gained access to the Bible or New Testament, and countless others are now on the path to having it,” he said. “For the first time in history, over half of the world’s languages have at least some Scripture.”

The number of languages without any Bible translation has fallen sharply, dropping 44 per cent in a year from 985 to 550. In 2021, the figure stood at nearly 1,900.

An estimated 197 million people now have access to the full Bible in their native tongue, while another 54 million have received the New Testament. Translation work began in 461 new languages, and first-time Scripture portions were published in 174.

“For centuries, billions lived without a single verse of the Bible in their language,” Poole said. “But that story is changing.”

Despite the gains, Wycliffe said about 1.5 billion people worldwide — roughly one in five — still lack access to any part of the Bible in their language. The organization has called for continued support to complete the work.