After the disciples caught a huge amount of fish, John reports in John 21:9, "When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread."

Initially, our draft translation only said "fire" not "fire of burning coals" or "charcoal fire" (Greek anthrakia). Before checking Emil's translation of this chapter, I had never noticed that John specified what kind of fire the resurrected Jesus had prepared for their breakfast. 

The gospels are full of such details that only an eyewitness would know. This sets the gospels apart from ancient writings that were not written by eyewitnesses. Our belief that Jesus rose from the dead is based on eyewitness testimony, so in our translations we need to get the details right. 

After Emil came up with the right word for this kind of fire in Arop, we made a note for him to bring this up for discussion at the next translation workshop so the translators can share ideas about they might translate this into their various languages. For people who cook over fires every day, the right words shouldn't prove elusive in any of their languages, but we are often amazed at how much these discussions help. 

Please pray for us as we continue to refine the Arop translations of John 20-21 and Galatians 1-3. We are very close to having them ready for the next translation workshop, scheduled for June. 

And pray that the workshop happens on the Lord's schedule. Our schedule is uncertain now as Covid restrictions are tightening in PNG. 

If the workshop is postponed and translation work is delayed a bit, I plan to press on with typesetting now that the software is ready. You can praise the Lord with us for that.  

Also please pray for our trip to Wisconsin. Bonnie should complete the drive on her own today. My mom is doing better than she was two months ago, but she isn't up to a 4-day 1,700 mile drive. She and I are flying on Saturday. 

Thank you for partnering with us in providing John's eyewitness testimony about Jesus' resurrection in these languages! 

Serving our King together,

John Nystrom (& for Bonnie)