<aside> 💡 This page walks you through drafting the literal text translation resource for 3 John. You could follow the same process for any book of the Bible. Click here for recommendations on the order of books to translate and the reasoning behind them. There will be similar step-by-step examples for 4 other easier books of the Bible and Open Bible Stories.

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General Instructions

Before you start drafting the Literal Text translation resource, you will want to give the team general instructions about the kind of translation resource they are going to make. A full explanation can be found **here in the Gateway Language Manual.** We highly recommend your entire team read the section in the manual on drafting a Literal Text before they begin.

The Literal Text is not a Bible translation. It is not designed to be read in church or used for daily devotions. It is a translation resource that enables other languages to understand the form of the original texts.

The Literal Text is designed to reflect the forms of the source languages (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic), so that the Bible translator can see what they are. By using the Literal Text, the Bible translator can “look through” it to see how the original Bible expressed the biblical ideas.

As you translate the Literal Text you must try to retain the grammatical and syntactic structures of the original as far as the target language (Gateway/Strategic/Bridge language) will allow. If the original structure does not make sense in the target language, then you will need to change it into a structure that does make sense. It is not useful to make a translation that the minority language Bible translator will not be able to understand. But as far as the target language will allow, retain the structures of the original in your translation of the Literal Text. It is possible that the Bible translator can express that meaning in the same way in their language (even if it is not natural to do so in the Gateway language).”

Resources needed:

• Printouts of the Literal Text of 3 John
• Large Sheets of paper & pens, whiteboards & markers, OR chalkboards and chalk
• This website enables you to download (or view on the web) single books or an entire Testament of the literal or simplified translation resources in English. These translation resources are licensed under CC-BY-SA which means you can freely use and translate them as long as you give attribution to unfoldingWord as the original source.

Step 1: Prepare

Print off a copy of the literal text of 3 John for each person who is participating.

Step 2: Everyone Draft

The best way to get experience is to practice. It also helps to be able to compare your work and decide as a team what your standards and practices will be. We recommend each person make their own draft of 3 John 1:1-3 separately. Give a set amount of time to try to finish. You can extend the time if you see it is needed.

Step 3: Partner Check

Break into pairs. Each person should exchange their work with the other. They should look at the Literal text as they read and check their partner’s draft. They should make notes about anything they feel could be improved.

They need to make certain the text is accurate to the form of the original: