Looking back, I can see how legal work and translation work share certain parallels. Both involve deep research and people-focused interaction. As a lawyer, someone brings you a problem, and you have to research and find an answer to help them in everyday life. In Bible translation, you’re also researching—digging into the original meaning—and then working out how to communicate that meaning effectively in another context. In both there is a combination of interacting with people and spending time on meaningful research.

What gets you excited when you work with others in Bible translation? Seeing people hungry for the Word—and being transformed by it. One memory stands out clearly: I’m thinking of a Supyire neighbour in the village where we lived in Mali. She had never been to school, but she loved the Lord. One day I was visiting her compound and saw her pounding corn to prepare for the evening meal, her youngest child strapped to her back. Beside her pounding pot lay open the newly printed Gospel of Mark in the Supyire language, her language. She was using whatever opportunities she had to teach herself to read God’s Word at the same time as preparing dinner.

It reminds me of  a Supyire proverb that says: “If you’re not motivated, you can’t lift a feather; but if you are motivated, you can lift a dead donkey.” That kind of deep motivation—the hunger for God’s Word, that excites me.

What translation resources do you really value? I value commentaries that dig deep into historical and cultural contexts—writers like N.T. Wright and Ben Witherington. I also appreciate scholars like D.A. Carson, whose analysis of the logical connectors helps me see the flow of the argument.

How do you share your translation discoveries with others? I’ve written several articles for the Key Terms in the Old Testament (KTOT), including a series of articles  on the sacrificial terms in Leviticus. Just recently I completed another mini-series on  key verbs in Genesis 1:28 and 2:15—radah, kabash, abad, and shamar. These foundational passages and the translation of these verbs help to shape our understanding of human’s relationship to creation. I’ll also be presenting a paper based on those four verbs at the upcoming BT conference.

Can you share about a time you realized you were wrong—and what you learned from it? While working with the Supyire translation team in Mali, we hit a snag translating the word "sin." The Protestant church used kapi, which also meant murder or violence—it felt too strong. The Catholic church used kakuu, meaning mistake—which felt too weak. We tried a new, fabricated word, katiimbaa, which literally meant something not straight. Technically it worked, but the rest of the team wasn’t at peace with it as it wasn’t a word in common usage. I was convinced enough to push for it anyway.

Eventually, we gathered about a dozen people—different churches, villages, and dialects—to talk through the issues. That meeting revealed that the community didn’t resonate with the fabricated term that I was advocating, and that all were happy with the stronger term kapi. I had to eat humble pie; but I was glad to be proved wrong. It reminded me that Bible translation isn’t just technical work—it's a communal and dynamic process.

What are your top tips for someone starting out in Bible translation? When you hit a translation problem, dig in—ask lots of questions. Learn about the cultural context. Ask others and listen, listen, listen. Share your problem with the BT email list; it’s a treasure trove of insight and experience from translators worldwide. If you’re training to be a consultant, I highly recommend reading "The Aptitudes of a Consultant" by Mildred Larson (NOT 110, Dec. 1985, pp. 7–18).

What have you learned from a mentor—or a mentee? A Cameroonian colleague, a CiT whom I was mentoring, taught me something powerful. After every verse we discussed, he would start with some kind of affirmation—“Great translation!” or “Thanks for your effort!”—even if the verse needed lots of work. That style felt foreign to me —too much beating around the bush. But I came to see how valuable it was in building trust, especially at the beginning of a relationship.

Later I learned that you can negotiate a sort of "cultural island"—to use the term coined by Teryl Gonzalez. It entails discussing, ahead of any working together, the ways each person gives feedback in  their own cultural context and find a way of doing it that is acceptable for all involved. It may not be the natural way for any one of the parties (hence the term “cultural island”) but it is a workable solution for this particular cross-cultural group.  Talking about it ahead of time like that can prevent so many misunderstandings.

What helps you continue to grow as a consultant? Mentoring relationships are key. Working closely with others helps me learn different ways of approaching problems. Sometimes, working in a small group—with two or three Consultants-in-Training—can be incredibly rich.

I’ve also found lasting relationships often develop out of mentoring others or being mentored by others. When I hit a tough issue I know to whom I can reach out to for help. The BT community is a huge part of what keeps me growing.