Bible Commentary Reaches Millions
Enduring Word Bible Commentary Reaches Millions Worldwide
Story by Deven Berryhill
Calvary Chapel Pastor David Guzik’s Enduring Word commentary continues to grow in popularity. This Bible study resource has been translated into multiple languages, most recently into German through a “crowd-translating” project.
David Guzik’s popular online Bible commentary, EnduringWord.com, has surpassed 6 million page views per month and is currently in the top 15% of all websites visited this past year, according to Google Analytics.
David Guzik, formerly senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, CA, and founder of the CC Bible College in Siegen, Germany, teaches at a conference in the Middle East. His popular Bible commentary, EnduringWord.com, has surpassed 6 million page views per month and is currently in the top 15% of all websites visited this past year, according to Google Analytics. His commentary is also available on BlueLetterBible.com. Photo courtesy of Enduring Word
Interestingly, David explained, “I never intended to write a Bible commentary. Through an unexpected series of events, I found that my teaching notes were helpful to some other people as Bible commentary.”
He started in ministry as an assistant pastor at Calvary Chapel Oxnard, CA; planted Calvary Chapel Simi Valley and pastored there for 14 years; went on to start the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Siegen, Germany; and later served as the senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, CA. In 1996, David’s teaching notes were added to the newly formed BlueLetterBible.com (BLB) website. According to BLB, David’s Bible commentary is the most-used Bible commentary on the website. In 1998, David launched his own website, EnduringWord.com, where he also hosts his Bible commentary.
One reason for the success of the website may be that the Bible commentary has been translated into multiple languages including Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Italian, French, Tamil, and Farsi. The translated commentary is also available on other international online platforms: ArabicBible.com, the Injeel app, the YouVersion Bible app, E-Sword.com, SAT-7 TV, and the WeDevote app
To date, YouVersion has reported close to 150,000 subscriptions to the Enduring Word Bible reading plans. These plans are made from the commentary and are available in eight different languages. In the fourth quarter of 2021, WeDevote, the largest Bible app in China, reported over 500,000 views of David’s commentary translated into Chinese. The marketing and communications manager at WeDevote in Hong Kong exclaimed, "We thank God for our partnership with Enduring Word! Since they allow us to distribute David Guzik's Bible commentary in Chinese for free, many of the WeDevote Bible app users can read it while reading the Bible. We really appreciate Enduring Word’s generosity and their heart for the Chinese people."
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David’s Bible commentary is available online, completely free. Often, websites offer the opportunity to download the “free”.pdf—after you give them your name and email address. That is not the case here. Users can copy and paste directly from the Enduring Word webpage or app right into their Bible study notes.
According to Enduring Word’s translation coordinator Andrea Koelsch, “[Our] funding, including the translation work, comes mainly through individual donors and ministry partners. A big part of the translation work is done by residents in the individual countries or by natives who live in the U.S. That way we can be sure the translations reflect the cultural nuances of each language.”
Calvary Chapel Pastor Bill Walden shared, “… I’ve been serving in Latin American countries for 20 years, and I’ve seen the shortage of Bible study resources in Spanish. Enduring Word is changing that all over the world, in many languages.”
Dr. Terrance Ascott, president and founder of SAT-7 Arabic Television, pointed out, “… What our ministry found of great value in David’s work is how he focuses on the direct meaning of the text, unpacking its language and structure, but leaving the implications of that explanation to the reader. Thus, it helps Arabic-speaking people understand the Bible and encourages believers from different backgrounds to come together as they learn how to live in the light of Scripture.”
Josh Luecht, associate pastor at Calvary Chapel Palm City, FL, observed, “David Guzik has been such an amazing mentor for my generation of young pastors and leaders in the Calvary Chapel movement! David’s collection of thoughts, quotes, and historical resources is such a treasure trove. Many of my ministry friends inside and outside the Calvary movement consider David’s commentaries a vital part of their sermon preparation.”
David and his wife Inga-Lill attend a celebration at Calvary Chapel Newport News, VA. EnduringWord.com has been translated into Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Italian, French, Tamil, and Farsi. More recently, it’s being translated into German through a “crowd-translating” project. Photo by Tom Price
In a video hosted on his website, David explained, “… [Through the] many years of teaching verse by verse through the books of the Bible, I came to produce my teaching notes in a certain way.” Apparently, that “certain way” has been and continues to be very helpful for many people worldwide.
Check out David Guzik’s Bible commentary online at:
English: EnduringWord.com
Spanish: Es.EnduringWord.com
Arabic: Arabic.EnduringWord.com
Chinese Simplified: Chinese.EnduringWord.com
Italian: It.EnduringWord.com
Portuguese: Pt.EnduringWord.com
Tamil: Tamil.EnduringWord.com
View all language translations at EnduringWord.com [click "Commentary" tab for full list]
Download the Enduring Word app in English/Spanish from the app store
Some translations listed are still in the process of completion
“Crowd-Translating” Enduring Word into German
Many passages in the Bible are not easy to understand, yet they conceal the most fascinating treasures—requiring a good commentary to find and understand them. Enduring Word commentaries help illuminate these verses and explain them in context.
However, there isn’t a single comparable, freely available commentary in German, according to a group of German believers. In response, non-denominational church International Christian Fellowship Munich (ICF Munich) is "crowd-translating" David’s commentary. The initiators of the project, Volker Bergen and Christian Rossmanith, describe the 14,000 + pages of Enduring Word commentary as a “detailed treasure map for your Bible journey of discovery, so you get to know and love God in His Word more deeply.” Their mission is to translate it and make it available, free of charge on many digital platforms, to all German-speaking people.
According to the project’s website, “[Enduring Word is] really written for everyone. You don't have to be a theologian to understand him. It helps me to understand what the biblical texts mean in practical terms for my life. It has just the right brevity with the right spice.”
David said he is excited. “You can imagine how pleased I was when Chris and Volker approached me about this amazing project. … My goal is to explain the eternal truth of God’s Word in clear, simple language and to see that [made] available to my German-speaking brothers, sisters, and seekers.”
David confers with Buddy Osborn, senior pastor of The Rock-Calvary Chapel Kensington, PA, during an urban missions conference. EnduringWord.com, based on his teachings over many years of ministry, is available free to any user. Photo by Tom Price
The New Testament commentary is finished, and the Old Testament is currently being translated. In the meantime, more than 130 Christian volunteers from 70 different German-speaking churches all over the world have already joined the effort—from Manchester, England, to Munich, Germany, to Paraguay. They work together online in smaller teams on one book each and meet every two weeks for Team Nights, to share the highlights and inspirations they discovered when translating David’s commentary. One of the translators reported, "It is mind-blowing to see everyone’s dedication, and how we get to take steps of faith by translating and exploring God's Word and inspiring each other.”
Who can participate? "You don't have to be a professional translator or theologian. If you love the Bible and the fellowship with Christians, and have good linguistic skills in English and German, then we are just waiting for you to join us on this thrilling journey!” exclaimed Volker, the management team coordinator.
For more information about this "crowd-translating" project [PROJEKT: BIBELKOMMENTAR] and to register, visit bibel-kommentar.de
Click to learn more: About Enduring Word
(To learn more about Calvary Chapel University, visit their website or read our past coverage on the school)
All verses above are quoted from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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