A few years ago, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints embarked on a project that journalists dubbed “one of the most significant projects ever undertaken” by the organization: a completely new version of the Spanish Bible.
This project required thousands of attentive hours of translating and revision from literary experts, linguists, and student volunteers with a working knowledge of both the Spanish and English languages. The goal was to enhance the reader’s experience with improved footnotes, better cross-references to other related scriptures, and new commentaries not featured in previous Spanish versions of the Bible.
In 2009, I set devoted four hours early one Saturday morning to proofread the entire book of Daniel. Having used the Reina Valera version extensively throughout my 18-month church assignment in Argentina, I was excited to have some small part in creative an updated version for people to use.
The Daily Universe approached me sometime later with a request to interview me about my experience. I shared my thoughts with them on why I felt this project was a significant piece of LDS Church history, and how glad I was to be a part of it.
Since the Church has a rapidly-growing number of Spanish-speaking members, there has arisen a need to make the sacred text more user-friendly and navigable. Church members frequently refer to passages in the scriptures for personal study, preparing lessons, and helping others in their families and communities. The new version seeks to accommodate these needs more effectively.
In the years since the project was completed, members the world over have enjoyed the new resources this version provides. They can now compare and contrast related verses more quickly, enhancing their religious meetings with fresh new insights that the Reina Valera version didn’t provide them.
Amanda Verzello published The Daily Universe article in 2009, which you can read here.