It’s taken 35 years, but earlier this year the Krung people of Cambodia celebrated the arrival of the New Testament in their own language.
The feeding of the 1,000 Over 1,000 people attended the launch event in the village of Krala, with around 300 turning up the day before, such was the excitement and anticipation.
The launch day itself was an amazing celebration, including music, prayer, Scripture reading, testimonies, preaching, and speeches. There was also food for 850, which God stretched to become the Krung’s own biblical-style story – the feeding of the 1,000.
The launch event was extraordinary, but what happens afterwards is vital: what will be the impact of the Krung New Testament?
Three Krung people tell us why this was such an important event for them, and why having the Scriptures in their own language makes such a difference.
Pastor Saruen Pastor Saruen, who leads the church in Krala, says:
‘I am so joyful in my heart that I have God’s word in my own language.
‘This New Testament helps me in many ways. First, it helps me in teaching because I am the leader in my church. It is so helpful to me, as I know how to explain the Scriptures.
‘Second, when I read the Krung New Testament it’s easy for the people to understand – because they hear their own language. If I teach and read in the Khmer language [the national language] then I also have to tell the people what it says in Krung because they don’t really understand the Khmer version. It takes much more time and effort.
The procession carrying the Krung New Testament to the launch event ‘We encourage our people to read or listen to the Scriptures in our language – “You will understand much clearer! Now that we have recordings you can even turn on your radio and hear God’s word in Krung, even if you cannot read.”
‘Having the Scriptures in Krung is valuable for us. It shows us how to live on this earth. If we don’t know how to read or listen to the Bible or to God, we won’t know how to live. We won’t know how Jesus will help us.
‘If we learn and listen in our own Krung language then we know that God will truly help us.’
Fellow church leader Pastor Naay says:
Pastor Naay reads his Krung New Testament ‘I know how to speak some Khmer. The Khmer that is spoken outside the Bible I know – when you are just talking about normal everyday things. But the Khmer language that is in the Khmer Bible I don’t know. I know some, but not all of it. This is why I need God’s word in the Krung language – to teach the people. If not, I won’t understand and they won’t understand.
‘When I teach from the Krung New Testament, they understand because when I read it’s all just Krung.
‘It’s beneficial for my wife too. She doesn’t know the Khmer language at all. When people read in Khmer she doesn’t understand anything. But when they read in Krung, she understands.’
For Vuut, seeing the word of God in his language, and hearing fellow Krung people reading from the book, inspired him to learn to read:
Vuut reads his Krung New Testament ‘I didn’t know letters, I didn’t know how to read. I saw people reading, and in my heart I wanted to read too.
‘So I kept asking God, and he answered and enabled me to put the words together. So I saw the power of God helping me to know a little bit at a time.
‘So first I learned how to sing, and then after I knew how to sing I learned how to read God’s word a little bit.’
Vuut summarises the effect it has had on church life: ‘These days, ever since we had the Krung New Testament, we don’t use Khmer at all. We only use Krung.’
As the Krung people are finding out, the power and impact of having the Scriptures in your own language cannot be underestimated!
