View source for Bible translations into Hindi and Urdu

{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 
| image1 = Urdu Bibles.jpg
| caption1 =
| image2 = Copies of the Urdu Bible.jpg
| caption2 =
| footer = Urdu copies of the [[Holy Bible]] in [[Roman Urdu|Roman]], [[Devanagari]], and [[Nastaliq]] scripts (published by the [[Bible Society of India]]).}}
The modern [[Hindi language]] and [[Urdu language]] are mutually intelligible in colloquial form, but use different scripts when written, and have mutually unintelligible literary forms. The history of '''Bible translations into Hindi and Urdu''' is closely linked, with the early translators of "[[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]" simply producing the same version with different scripts: [[Devanagari]] and [[Nastaliq]], as well as [[Romanization|Roman]].

The first translation of part of the Bible in Hindi, Genesis, was made in manuscript by [[Benjamin Schultze]] (1689-1760),<ref>Gerald H. Anderson ''Biographical dictionary of Christian missions''</ref> a German Missionary, who arrived in India to establish an English mission in 1726 and worked on completing [[Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg]]'s [[Bible translations into Tamil]] and then [[Bible translations into Telugu]].<ref>''Herald of library science'' Volume 11 Sarada Ranganathan Endowment for Library Science - 1972 "In 1773, [[John Ferguson (grammarian)|Ferguson]]'s Hindoostani dictionary was published from London. According to Dr L.S. Varshaney, the first translation of the Bible in Hindi appeared in 1725 which was translated by Schultze."</ref> His translation of parts of Genesis was published in [[Halle, Saxony-Anhalt|Halle]] in 1745 along with a grammar of the local Hindi language he had encountered in Madras.

==Hindi==
As with [[Bible translations into Bengali]] (his own work), and into [[Bible translations by language|Oriya]], [[Bible translations by language|Sanskrit]], [[Bible translations by language|Marathi]], and [[Bible translations by language|Assamese]] (with the aid of local scholars) an important early stage of the Hindi Bible rests with the work of [[William Carey (missionary)|William Carey]] in [[Serampore]].<ref>George Kurian The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization, 4 Volume Set - 2011 - Page 378 "With the aid of Indian pandits, Carey translated the entire Bible into six Indian languages – Bengali, Oriya, Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, and Assamese – and parts of it into 29 other languages.</ref> Though this had to be revised by [[John Parsons (missionary)|John Parsons of Monghyr]].<ref>Bihar district gazetteers: Volume 7; Volume 7 1957 "Carey at Serampur had translated the whole of Bible in Hindi by the end of 1819. Carey's translation, however, was rather heavy and had to be re-done which John Parsons was supposed to have done."</ref> Carey attracted also the interest of [[Henry Martyn]], later of Persia, to Hindi.<ref>''Indian church history review'' Volumes 27-32 Church History Association of India - 1993  "... the first of its kind in India, the Corresponding Committee ceased to exist, its responsibilities passing to the Calcutta ... brilliant, frail Cambridge scholar, Henry Martyn fired by the vision of translating the Bible into Hindi, Persian and Urdu crossed his path Carey presented him with a copy of his translation of the New Testament into</ref> Presbyterian [[Samuel H. Kellogg]] who taught at the seminary in [[Allahabad]]<ref>Mal Couch, Russell Penney ''An introduction to classical evangelical hemeneutics'' 2000 Page 118 "Kellogg taught at the seminary in Allahabad and completed a monumental grammar on the Hindi language in 1875"</ref> headed three translators working on translation of the Old Testament into Hindi, including [[William Hooper (missionary)|William Hooper]], of the Church Missionary Society, and [[Joseph Arthur Lambert]].<ref>Mal Couch  ''Dictionary of Premillennial Theology'' 1997 Page 228 "Kellogg's final task in India was to head a triad of translators of the Old Testament into Hindi. "So highly did his colleagues regard his knowledge of the Bible and Indie philology that after his death they asked for no successor, ."</ref> Kellogg's ''Hindi Grammar'' (1876, 1893) is still consulted today.<ref>Jeffrey Cox ''Imperial fault lines: Christianity and colonial power in India'' 2002- Page 57 "Their Presbyterian colleague Samuel Kellogg's Hindi Grammar (1876, 1893) is still consulted today."</ref> However, 18 years after Kellogg's death in 1899, [[Edwin Greaves]] of the [[London Missionary Society]], and author of a ''Grammar of Modern Hindi'' (1896, 1908, 1921), in 1917 signalled his concerns about the adequacy of Hindi Bible translations in his ''Report on Protestant Hindi Christian literature''.<ref>Tej K. Bhatia ''A History of the Hindi Grammatical Tradition'' 1987 Page 163 "48 Two, because of Greaves's serious concerns about the adequacy of existing translations of the Bible into Hindi, utmost attention is paid to the problems of translating English into Hindi. The most important and urgent problem was..</ref>

In collaboration with ''Church centric bible translation'', Free Bibles India has published a [http://freebiblesindia.com/bible/hin Hindi translation online].

In 2016, the [[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]] was released by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] as a complete Bible translation in Hindi.<ref>"WatchTower publications", Watchtower publications Index (1986-2016)</ref> This replaced the earlier partial translation comprising only the New Testament.<ref>"WatchTower publications", Watchtower publications Index (1986-2009)</ref> The full Bible was [https://wol.jw.org/hi/wol/binav/r108/lp-hi/nwt/HI/2016 published online] (also offline in [https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222525/https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_bible/13/nwt_HI.pdf PDF format]) with mobile versions released through ''JW Library'' application in App stores.

==Urdu==
The Bible was first published in the [[Urdu]] language in 1843, though the New Testament was published by Benjamin Shultze of the Danish Mission in 1745.<ref>{{cite web|title=Urdu Bible Translation|website=bsind.org|url=http://www.bsind.org/urdu.html|publisher=Bible Society of India|accessdate=5 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210020314/http://www.bsind.org/urdu.html|archive-date=10 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Robert Cotton Mather]] printed new editions at [[Mirzapur]] in 1870.<ref>{{cite book|author=British and Foreign Bible Society|title=Reports of the British and Foreign Bible Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WE0sAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA228|accessdate=7 March 2013|year=1871|publisher=Society|page=228}}</ref>

Revisions were published in 1989, 1998 and 2005.  The Bible is written in [[Nastaʿlīq script]] but was also available in [[Roman Urdu]] script from the Bible Society of India until the 1960s. In 2004 the Bible was made available online, but in PDF or image format only, due to the difficulties of typesetting the Nastaʿlīq script.  In 2009 a [[Unicode]] version was made available beginning with the New Testament.  The complete Bible online in Unicode is also available.<ref>{{cite web|title=Unicode of Urdu Version|url=http://gospelgo.com/a/urdu_bible.htm|accessdate=5 July 2014}}</ref> International Bible Society also published New Urdu Version of Bible, this version is based on New International Version of Bible.

In collaboration with ''Church centric bible translation'', Free Bibles India has published an [http://freebiblesindia.com/bible/urd Urdu translation online].

In 2015, the New Testament of the [[New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]] was released in Urdu (Arabic script) by [[Jehovah's Witnesses]].<ref>"WatchTower publications", Watchtower publications Index (1986-2016)</ref> It was [https://wol.jw.org/ur/wol/binav/r109/lp-ud/bi7/UD/2015 published online] (also in offline [https://web.archive.org/web/20180221222507/https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_bible/4b/bi7_UD.pdf PDF format]) with mobile versions released through ''JW Library'' application in App stores.

==Comparison==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Translation !!  [[Book of John|John]] [[John 3:16|3:16]]
|-
| ''Hindi Bible online'' <ref>[https://www.wordproject.org/bibles/in/43/3.htm Word Project]</ref>|| क्योंकि परमेश्वर ने जगत से ऐसा प्रेम रखा कि उस ने अपना एकलौता पुत्र दे दिया, ताकि जो कोई उस पर विश्वास करे, वह नाश न हो, परन्तु अनन्त जीवन पाए। 
|-
| ''Urdu Bible online'' <ref>[http://gospelgo.com/a/urdu_bible.htm Urdu Bible Online]</ref>
| dir="rtl" | ہاں! خدا نے دنیا سے محبت رکھی ہے اسی لئے اس نے اسکو اپنا بیٹا دیاہے ۔ خدا نے اپنا بیٹا دیا تا کہ ہر آدمی جو اس پر ایمان لا ئے جو کھوتا نہیں مگر ہمیشہ کی زندگی پاتا ہے ۔
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Hindi Versions===
* [http://www.hindibible.org The Hindi Bible, Old Version] : Copyright [[Bible Society of India|The Bible Society of India]]  1983 [http://www.wordproject.org/bibles/in_tr/01/1.htm Transliterated]  [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.book.hindibible Google App] [http://www.audiotreasure.com/mp3/Hindi/ Audio] [http://www.litebible.com Parallel Study] [http://www.equipd.me/bibles/ ePub of Romanized version] 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171016110839/http://www.bsind.org/hindibible.html The Hindi Bible, Hindi OV Re-Edited Version] : Copyright [[Bible Society of India|The Bible Society of India]] 2002
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220316/https://www.wbtcindia.com/bibledownloads/hindi_bible/ Easy to Read Version (ERV)] : Copyright WBTC India 2007 [http://www.bible.is/download/audio Audio (Select Hindi)] [http://www.bible.is/apps Mobile Apps]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180809104434/http://indiabiblepublishers.org/#about Pavitra Bible (a.k.a. Muchalee Bible)] : Copyright India Bible Publishers 1991  [https://www.facebook.com/pavitrabible/ Facebook] 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160830120253/http://store.thecross.in/resources-english-bibles/parallel/sathyam-bilingual-hindi-english-study-bible-9788189771119/ Hindi-English Bilingual Study Bible] : Copyright Sathyam Publications 2011
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180728080052/http://www.urdugeoversion.com/download/hindi/ Hindi Script of Urdu Geo Version] : Copyright Geolink Resource Consultants 2010
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20181216144143/http://dustysandals.ca/resources/?page_id=4&title=study-bibles Hindi Study Bible - New Testament] : Dusty Sandals Society 2014 [https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.dustysandalsandgraceministries.hindi Google App] 
* [http://sowintl.com/bali_ka_vidhan.html Bali ka Vidhan New Testament] : SOW International 2007
* [http://www.originalbibles.com/hindi-bible-1834-old-testament-volume-2-pdf Hindi Bible of 1834 (Vol 2: 1 Chronicles - Malachi)] by William Bowley/Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society: In Public Domain
* [https://archive.org/stream/holybibleinhindi00alla#page/4/mode/2up The Holy Bible in the Hindi Language] North India Bible Society, Allahabad : In Public Domain
* [http://www.originalbibles.com/hindi-bible-1896-pdf/ Hindi Bible of 1896] North India Auxiliary Bible Society : In Public Domain
* [https://archive.org/details/newtestamentinhi00meth Susamachar, the New Testament in Roman Hindi] : Methodist Publishing House (Lucknow, India) 1942
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190518073421/http://biblemitr.com/ Vachan Deep Catholic Hindi Bible] : [https://web.archive.org/web/20140715144340/http://www.bhopaldiocese.net/ Archdiocese of Bhopal] 2010
* [https://www.jw.org/hi/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%A8/%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%87%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%B2/nwt/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82/ New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures पवित्र शास्त्र का नयी दुनिया अनुवाद] Copyright Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania 2016
*[https://www.wordproject.org/bibles/audio/03_hindi/ Hindi Audio Bible]
===Urdu Versions===
* [https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Urdu-Bible-Easy-to-Read-Version-ERV-UR/ Urdu Easy-to-Read Version] : Copyright 2007 WBTC [http://www.bible.is/download/audio Audio (Select Urdu)]
* [http://urdugeoversion.com/ Urdu Geo Version] : Copyright 2010 Geolink Resource Consultants, LLC. Published by Good Word Communication Services Pvt. Ltd., 
**Persian script [https://web.archive.org/web/20180727100207/http://www.urdugeoversion.com/download/urdu/  pdf]  [https://web.archive.org/web/20161228124226/http://mountainpeak.biz/index.php/urdu/the-holy-bible.html print] 
** Devanagari script [https://web.archive.org/web/20180728080052/http://www.urdugeoversion.com/download/hindi/  pdf] 
** [http://alkalaam.net/ alkalaam.net] - Searchable with text display in Persian script (اُردو), Devanagari script (उर्दू), or Roman script (Urdu)
* [https://www.bible.com/bible/189/jhn.1.urd Urdu Revised Urdu Version] : Copyright 2010 Pakistan Bible Society   [http://www.bible.is/download/audio Audio (Select Urdu)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20171210020314/http://www.bsind.org/urdu.html Injil-E.-Muqaddas Urdu (Devanagri)] : Copyright 2010 Bible Society of India
* [http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/bible-versions/new-urdu-bible/ New Urdu Bible Version (NUBV)] : Copyright 2004 Biblica  
*  Kitáb I Muqaddas, Ya'ne. Puráná aur Naya 'Ahd-Náma: Copyright 1804 British and Foreign Bible Society,  [https://archive.org/details/01TheNewTestamentInUrduHindustani1878PakistanCentralAsiaIndia 1], [https://archive.org/details/02TheNewTestamentInUrduHindustani1878HindoustaniPakistanChina 2],[https://archive.org/details/03TheNewTestamentInUrduHindustani1878PakistanCentralAsiaIndia 3],[https://archive.org/details/04TheNewTestamentInUrduHindustani1878PakistanCentralAsiaIndia 4]
* Urdu Bible / Study Edition with commentary / Catholic : Copyright 2007 [https://web.archive.org/web/20140714131229/http://www.archdioceselahore.org/commissions.html Catholic Bible Commission Pakistan]
*[https://www.jw.org/ur/%D9%85%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%A8%D9%84/bi12/%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%A8%DB%8C%DA%BA/ New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures کتابِ‌ مُقدس کا ترجمہ نئی دُنیا ] : Copyright 2015 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
*[https://www.wordproject.org/bibles/audio/21_urdu/ Audio Narration of Urdu Bible]
[[Category:Bible translations by language|Hindi]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Urdu]]