Pray with us for worldwide Bible mission

Here in New Zealand as we pray our morning prayers, those in the United Kingdom will be saying their evening prayers. And in the many countries between, individuals and groups will be offering prayer all day long. What a great privilege we have to be part of ‘the voice of prayer that is never silent.’

Join with us in prayer for the worldwide mission of Bible Society to bring God’s Word to all people in a language they understand, in a format that is appropriate, and at a price they can afford.

These monthly prayer points provide a guide to prayer, giving a brief paragraph about the Bible work each national Bible Society would like us to focus on.

Every Bible Society is grateful for your prayers and we ask God that all who pray for the spread of the Gospel may be blessed by it themselves.

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, requests, and thanksgivings be offered to God for all people

- 1 Timothy 2: 1 (GNT)

Global Day of Prayer – May 9

May 9 is the United Bible Societies Day of Prayer.

Please join us on this day in praying for the work of the United Bible Societies fellowship and for each of the 147 Bible Societies operating in 200 territories around the world. Together we're asking all God's people to pray for the spread of God's Word through the world.

Every day of the year, every hour of the day, prayers are being said for Bible work. Bible Society staff regularly pray together, while supporters, too, offer prayers individually and in groups. But every year, May 9 is set aside as a particular day of prayer. The date commemorates the day in 1946 when the idea of forming a global fellowship of Bible Societies was approved by 13 Bible Societies meeting at Elfinsward in Haywards Heath, England.

Please join us this year as we again join in prayer to further God’s work around the world.

The Bible Society fellowship is held together through prayer, countries are opened to the Bible through prayer, funds to translate, print and distribute Scriptures come through prayer and people come to know God and his awesome love through prayer.

The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.

- James 5:16

May 1 - 7

China: Please pray for the publication and distribution of Gospel booklets, that many lives will be touched through them.

Sri Lanka: Please pray for the annual essay competition held in the languages of English, Sinhala and Tamil, that many children will increase their knowledge of the Bible through it.

Vietnam: Please pray that the authorities will grant the necessary permit for the printing of the Hmong Bible, which the Vietnam Partnership applied for six months ago.

Laos: Please pray for the recording of an audio version of the Gospel of Luke in the Hmong language, in the city of Vientiane.

India: Give thanks for Bible versions published this year, including the Zeme Bible and the Urdu Eternal Words of Life (Luke and Acts). Please pray for the printing of the ESV Kannada Bible and the ESV Odiya Diglot Bible, and for Scripture engagement projects for children, youth and adults.

Myanmar: Give thanks for the success of the Biennial General Meeting, held in March. Please pray for the newly elected Board officers and committee members.

May 8 – 14

Pakistan: Please pray for the month-long Bible festival, which is being held this month. Please pray for the printing and arrival of the Urdu Bibles, especially that they will not encounter any obstacles as they pass through Customs.

Malaysia: Give thanks that 200,000 copies of the Bible, Alkitab Berita Baik, have been distributed for free throughout East and West Malaysia. Please pray that churches will encourage people to engage with these Bibles.

New Zealand: Give thanks for the launch of Te Paipera Tapu, the Holy Bible in Maori, a reformatted version of the 1952 Maori Bible. Pray that Te Reo Maori speakers will embrace this new Bible and that it will change lives in Maori communities.

Australia: Please pray for the development of an indigenous Christian art book by Bible Society Australia; that it will raise awareness of Bible mission as well as much-needed funds for indigenous Bible translation projects.

May 15 – 21

South Pacific: Give thanks that Bible translation projects are progressing well, such as the Cook Islands Maori New Testament revision.

Cambodia: Please pray for the development of literacy materials; for field testing and final amendments, and for the production of the full 37 lessons.

Bangladesh: Please pray for Bible translation work, including the Marma Gospel of Luke translation. Please pray for Bangladesh which is going through a time of political unrest, that the country will know peace.

May 22 – 31

Japan: Please pray that the newly-released interactive Bible software Glo, which has 450 virtual tours and 140 maps, will enable many to connect with the world of the Bible.

Central African Republic: Give thanks that Bible Society staff are safe and that the Bible Society office in the capital of Bangui wasn’t ransacked after rebels entered the city on March 24.
Continue to pray for the safety of General Secretary, Sylvain Ndjendole, and his team as the political situation is still very unstable.

Madagascar: On February 22 Cyclone Haruna struck the south west coast of Madagascar killing 23 people and leaving thousands homeless. Please pray that the Malagasy Bible Society will be able to provide Scriptures for Cyclone Haruna’s victims, and for the rehousing of the homeless.

Rwanda: Give thanks for two new projects among refugees in all six of Rwanda’s refugee camps. They are: literacy and trauma healing, and Bible distribution. Please pray that these Bible projects will impact lives positively.

Philippines: Please pray for the completion of the Handwritten Unity Bible project. As of January this year, 15,061 verses had been written. Please pray that more churches, organizations, schools and government offices will open their doors to become writing centres for the project.

Thailand: Please pray for the “Gospel Shoes Festival” where well-known Christian celebrities and movie stars will auction their shoes to raise funds for Bible mission.

Israel: Give thanks for the completion of the Hebrew translation of a new children’s Scripture book, and pray for the development of more Hebrew Scripture resources for children.