The new translation
The New Testament was first translated into Scottish Gaelic by Rev James Stuart, minister of Killin, and published in 1767 – barely 20 years after the battle of Culloden. His son John, minister of Luss, was the main translator of the Old Testament, completed in 1801. In recent years, the future of Gaelic in education and public life has received much attention as the language flourishes. However, the gap between everyday Gaelic in common use and the Gaelic in the most recent Bible edition continues to widen.
The new translation aims to combine faithfulness to the Greek original with vocabulary in normal use, and clarity with dignity. The work comes at a time of opportunity in the development of Gaelic. As the translators worked through the New Testament they were very much aware of the importance that this new translation will have for education and for the churches.
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Stats
Gaelic: There are about 54,000 Gaelic speakers in Scotland, and a further 30,000 have comprehensive skills in Gaelic.
Stats
Growth in Gaelic: the fastest growing group is children learning Gaelic at school, or adults learning in community-organised classes.
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