Iran
 A hundred-year leap in biblical interpretation and understanding has been made with the publication of a new Persian translation of the Bible.
Today’s Persian Version” of the Bible was officially dedicated in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2007, enabling Persian-speaking people around the world to have a present-day translation of the Old and New Testaments. The Bible was last translated into Persian in the 1890s.
Persian is the language of more than 100 million people worldwide, most of them living in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. The new translation is particularly important to the PC(USA), which has eight Persian-speaking congregations, fellowships, and ecumenical partners in the United States.
Former executive secretary of the Synod of the Evangelical Church of Iran (SECI) the Rev. Hendrik Shanazari writes about the Rev. Tadeos Mikaelian, a man who proclaimed the message of Micah 6:8 not only in word, but also by his life and death. Many of Rev. Mikaelian’s colleagues in the SECI distanced themselves from him, because of his criticism of authorities and his pursuit of justice and religious freedom. He was forced to resign his position in the church. Though TadeosMikaelian walked humbly with God in sharing the message of love and justice, it did not guarantee his safety. On July 1, 1994, he was shot to death by those opposed to his message.
PC(USA) People in Mission
Rev. Mehdi Abhari, mission volunteer, special liaison for Iran and Iranians, Iranian Church Fellowships Worldwide
Partners/Ministries
The Synod of the Evangelical Church of Iran: Rev. Sargez Benyamin, executive secretary
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Sarah Williams, BOP
Katherine Willis, GAMC
David Wilson, FDN
Lord, thank you for your Word and for the privilege of reading it in our own language.
Give us wisdom to see the injustices in our society. Give us courage to speak out for the elimination of injustices around us, even when many consider speaking out unwise. Amen.
Ps. 50, 147:1–11 Ps. 53, 17
Zech. 3:1–10
Rev. 4:1–8; Matt. 24:45–51
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