Bible Fact · 1 Corinthians 3:6 — 'I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.'
The Chinese Bible: A Translation History
The Fact
The first complete Chinese Bible was produced by Robert Morrison (1782–1834), a London Missionary Society missionary who arrived in Guangzhou in 1807 — the first Protestant missionary to China. The East India Company initially refused to give him passage, fearing trade disruption. He lived under constant threat of persecution, learned Chinese in secret, and partnered with William Milne to produce the first complete Chinese Protestant Bible (Shén Tiān Shèng Shū / 神天聖書) by 1823. Morrison spent over 20 years on the project. He also compiled the first Chinese-English dictionary (6 volumes, 4,595 pages). After 27 years in China, Morrison saw only about 10 Chinese converts. Yet his translation became the foundation for subsequent Chinese Bible versions, including the Delegates' Version (1852) and the Union Version (和合本, 1919) — the latter still being one of the most widely used Chinese Bibles. The Union Version was the fruit of decades of collaboration between American and British missionaries across multiple denominations.
Context
When Morrison departed for China in 1807, a friend doubted he could evangelize such a vast empire. Morrison replied: 'No, I cannot, but I believe God can.' In 2024, China has an estimated 80–100 million Christians — the fastest-growing church in the world.
Significance
Morrison's 20-year translation and 10 converts planted a seed that has become the fastest-growing church in the world. What looks like failure to human eyes may be foundation-laying to divine eyes.
Reflection
Morrison served 27 years and saw 10 converts. He never saw the harvest. Most people in the Bible story never saw the harvest of their faithfulness. What are you faithfully planting that you may never personally see flourish?