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July 2021
Since the beginning of this millennium, we have dreamed of providing a Study Bible designed exclusively for the Van Dyke (1865) Arabic Bible (AVD), the most widely used Arabic edition of the Bible worldwide.
Late June, the first copies of the Arabic Study Bible (AVDSB) arrived from the printer! This was our longest lasting project which began in 2002.
The AVDSB is intended to be used by readers of the AVD Bible in Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant Churches worldwide. It is not a commentary on the Biblical text, but rather, its purpose is to clarify and explain linguistic, historical, geographical, political, religious and cultural backgrounds to the text which would not be familiar to present day readers.
 The main editor, Youssef Nathan, Biblical Studies and Research department Manager, spent much of the past 20 years leading a team of many contributors, reviewers, and editors. Extensive reviews were made by representatives of all major Churches in Egypt. It was a difficult, and at times, discouraging task. While Youssef did consult hundreds of Biblical resources, the uniqueness of this project is that it is the only Study Bible designed specifically for this 156-year-old AVD Bible text.
Two Weeks ago, we received the 1st edition of this new Study Bible and in less than two weeks about 4000 copies were sold! We are expecting that the remaining quantity will be sold during Cairo International bookfair (June 1-15), which means that we need to order new quantities very soon.
Please pray for the funds necessary to make subsidized copies of the AVDSB accessible to pastors and Church leaders who cannot pay for its cost.
 Having now fully served the VanDyke Bible and ensured its accessibility to all, we can focus on producing an Egyptian Arabic Bible. This ambitious project will help millions of Egyptians in Egypt and elsewhere read the Bible in their mother tongue for the first time! Since Egypt is the “Hollywood” of the Arabic speaking world, many non-Egyptians also understand the Egyptian Dialect and will benefit from this new translation as well.
We are so excited about both these projects and thank you for your long-term partnership with us in this crucial mission.
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