Review: First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs

February 11, 2026February 10, 2026 / rtrube54 / Leave a comment

First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs

First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs, Terry M. Wildman, lead translator with First Nations Version Translation Council. InterVarsity Press (ISBN: 9781514007273) 2025.

Summary: A true translation using idioms of the indigenous peoples of North America.

The year 2021 marked the release of a different kind of Bible translation of the New Testament. In English, the translators used the idioms of First Nations Peoples of North America to offer a meaningful translation for these indigenous people. Now, those who translated the First Nations Version of the New Testament, have published a translation of the Psalms and Proverbs. They use many of the conventions introduced in the New Testament translation, including rendering the meaning of biblical names followed by the original name in parentheses. And cultural idioms significant to indigenous peoples of North America, are used in place of more familiar references. This rendering of Psalm 1:1-2 will give you a sense of this as well as introduce the FNV rendering of YHWH, usually translated in English translations as LORD.

Harmony and well-being rest on those who do not walk the path of the bad-hearted, the ones who do notstand with those who stir up disharmony, those who will not sit in a circle where others are spoken of with scorn and disrespect.

Instead, they take joy in Grandfather’s clear instructions. As the sun and the moon circle the sky, they think deeply about his ways.

The translators chose Grandfather to translate YHWH. This is the First Nations term for the Great Spirit used by many tribal nations. In the glossary, they offer an extended explanation of this choice, noting the unsuitability of LORD in the cultural experience of Native Americans for whom no cultural analogue for “Lord” exists. Also, they note the place of honor grandfathers enjoy in indigenous cultures.

Nevertheless, I have to admit I struggled with the term, while realizing that I am a cultural outsider. I do miss the assertion of God’s self-existence in YHWH, that all else derives its existence from YHWH. But I don’t have a better translation suggestion.

That aside, just as I found the New Testament rendering both fresh and accurate, so it was here. And for the Psalms, this is a freshness of reverent worship. I love the substitution of ‘tender sweetgrass” for “green pastures” in Psalm 23.

Then turning to Proverbs, I noted that Lady Wisdom is “Grandmother Wisdom..” She also has a sister, Understanding, and nieces Good Sense and Clear Thinking. This also resonates well with the matriarchal cultures of First Nations peoples.

Proverbs 3:5-6 is perhaps among the most familiar. Here is the FNV rendering:

From the strength of your heart, put all your trust in Grandfather, and do not hold yourself up with weak human thinking. As you walk the road of life, make every step a prayer. Grandfather will then make your eyes straight and your paths safe.

In conclusion, the fresh rendering of individual Proverbs made me linger over them, listening to their wisdom afresh. While Euro-Americans will gain fresh insights into Psalms and Proverbs, the “sacred songs” and “wise sayings” will hopefully deeply nourish the hearts of indigenous people as they seek to walk the harmony way

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: Birth of the Chosen One

May 30, 2025June 1, 2025 / rtrube54 / Leave a comment

Cover image of "Birth of the Chosen One" by terry Wildman, illustrated by Hannah and Holly Buchanan

Birth of the Chosen One, Terry Wildman, illustrated by Hannah and Holly Buchanan. IVP Kids (ISBN: 9781514007020) 2024.

Summary: An account of the birth of Jesus based on the First Nations Version reflecting Native oral storytelling.

Many of us who have read and heard the narratives of the New Testament have appreciated hearing the story afresh through the First Nations Version of the New Testament. This is a true translation by a team of First Nations translators led by Terry Wildman. They sought to translate the New Testament into English in a way that captured the idioms of indigenous storytellers. One distinctive is the translation of names, which carry great meaning among indigenous peoples. Instead of translating the Aramaic pronunciation of the name, they translate its meaning. For example, in this story “:Mary” is translated “Bitter Tears” and “Jesus” is translated “Creator Sets Free.”

The Christmas story is one of those familiar stories. However, this book, using the First Nations Version and illustrations by Native artists reflecting Native settings, dress, and imagery, offers a fresh rendering of the familiar story. For instance, consider these words from the Annunciation that sent chills through me:

“Do not fear! The Great Spirit has chosen to honor you and give you a son. You will name him Creator Sets Free, for he will set people free from their bad hearts and broken ways. He will be chief over all the tribes and his chiefly guidance will never end.”

Bitter Tears asked, “How will this be?”

Creator’s Mighty One answered, “The Holy Spirit will spread his wings over you, and his great power from above will overshadow you. This holy child born to you will be the Son of the One Above Us All.”

Then, on the opposite page from these last words we see Bitter Tears overshadowed by wings and light. This is challenging to render and done beautifully.

The desert journey and search for a place to give birth captures the precarity of this journey and search. We witness the awe and joy of the shepherd, the adoring visit of the Seekers of Wisdom. Meanwhile, the angelic host are rendered as a spirit messenger surrounded by great soaring eagles representing spirit warriors.

The Native artists, twin sisters, sumptuously illustrate the book with a vivid color palette including deep shades of violet skies filled with stars, colorful Native clothing, desert landscapes and a young mother filled with ponderings of what this all means.

While designed for First Nations readers, the translation and renderings helps all of us see and hear an old story with fresh eyes and ears. Pick this up now to have it on hand for your Christmas celebrations later this year.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.

Review: First Nations Version

February 9, 2023August 31, 2025 / rtrube54 / 2 Comments

First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament, Terry M. Wildman, Consulting editor, First Nations Version Translation Council. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2022.

Summary: A dynamic equivalent English translation of the New Testament by and for the First Nations people in North America, using the cultural idioms resonating with First Nations people.

“Creator’s blessing rests on the ones who walk a trail of tears, for he will wipe the tears from their eyes and comfort them.”
Matthew 5:4, First Nations Version

I had just begun reading through the First Nations Version of the New Testament when this translation of Matthew 5:4, amid what we call the Beatitudes, stopped me in my tracks. The Trail of Tears is a reference to one of the most tragic episodes of American history, when the administration of Andrew Jackson forcibly removed the “Five Civilized Tribes,” the peoples of the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, Chickasaw, and Choctaw Nations from the southeastern United States to land west of the Mississippi. Over 60,000 were removed and many never made it, dying from exposure, disease, and starvation. If another nation were doing this, we might call it genocide. I was talking with Richard Foster during a recent interview and he observed that there is not a Native Person in this country who has not walked a trail of tears. The actions of Jackson’s administration epitomized what happened throughout this continent.

What a powerful idiom for a First Nations person! I do not think “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Mathew 5:4, NIV) would speak in the same way. It doesn’t for me. I found myself lamenting our terrible history of displacing people from their ancestral lands across this country, certainly in my own state where the name of every river, and even the name of the state, attest to the people whose ancestral home is where I have lived my whole life.

This one verse illustrates the basic approach of the First Nations Version translators. It is a “thought for thought” or dynamic equivalence approach, seeking to use cultural idioms that speak, in English, to the hearts of First Nations people. Terry M. Wildman, the lead translator of a council of twelve all represented the diverse tribal and denominational heritages of North America. Wycliffe Associates of Orlando provided technical support and funding to gather this council. Between the council and reviewers and cultural consultants, thirty-three tribal heritages were represented. They also enjoyed the collaborative support of Rain Ministries, OneBook of Canada, Wycliffe Associates, Native InterVarsity, and Mending Wings.

I was struck that this translation reflects an oral, story-telling culture. This is reflected in this video in which Terry Wildman renders the translation of the Lord’s prayer and teaching on prayer (Luke 11:1-4; 9-10)

One of the other distinctions of this translation is the translation of the meaning of Greek and Hebrew names and titles. Jesus is “Creator Sets Free.” Abraham is “Father of Many Nations.” Jerusalem is “Village of Peace.” Both Jewish and tribal cultures believe names have meaning, and so they chose to translate the meaning of names. Other concepts are idiomatically translated: rabbis are “wisdomkeepers,” temples are “sacred lodges,” angels are “spirit-messengers.” The Gospel of John is “He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story.” More information about the translation process may be found at the First Nations Version website.

At times, the text includes insertions of explanatory or transitional material, aiding in the understanding of the story. This is set off with a sidebar and italics. I did not find this to be intrusive. I also felt that the dynamic equivalent, idiomatic rendering brought out meaning in the text but seemed less interpretive to me than Eugene Peterson’s The Message, which is more of a paraphrase. I suspect this reflects the careful control of a translation council and Wycliffe Associates technical assistance. The only challenge is that when you have a number of translated names in a passage, the reading aloud of the passage may be cumbersome, as I found in using this version for a reading that included the names of the twelve apostles.

It is subtle, but I also thought this version captured the context of Jews under Roman Rule–the People of Iron. Reading scripture through indigenous eyes seemed to emphasize the realities of being subject tribes, that we may not so readily see in other dominant Western culture translations. The use of Outside Nations rather than “Gentile” gave much more a sense of the “otherness” of these people, and the remarkable thing that happens when the good story goes to those “outside.”

The primary audience for this translation are the over six million First Nations people of North America. But this is also a translation for those who want to read scripture through indigenous eyes. I want to use this side by side with other translations in study. I’m also heartened to hear that work has begun on a translation of Psalms and Proverbs. Under God’s grace and provision, I hope we will see the remainder of the Old Testament translated someday. There is so much of God’s good story yet to be rendered. But this is a good beginning.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher.