What is the Video Bible Dictionary?
The Video Bible Dictionary is a growing collection of short videos that visually explain the objects, places, and everyday realities mentioned in the Bible.
Each video focuses on a real object or location — such as the sea, a chariot, a donkey, a well, or a threshing floor — with clear, simple narration explaining what it is, how it functions, and why it matters in the biblical context.
Rather than relying on written definitions or illustrations, the Video Bible Dictionary allows people to see what the Bible is talking about.
Why is it needed?
Many people who engage with the Bible — particularly in oral learning communities — have never seen the things Scripture describes.
For example:
Someone who has never encountered the sea
A community unfamiliar with animals such as donkeys or sheep
Bible translators working without shared visual reference points
When these concepts are unfamiliar, understanding and translating the Bible becomes significantly more difficult.
In these contexts, written dictionaries are often inaccessible or ineffective, and illustrations can be misleading or culturally unfamiliar. Visual explanation is essential for clear understanding.
Who is it for?
The Video Bible Dictionary is designed to support:
Oral learning communities
Bible translators and translation teams
Churches and discipleship programmes
Anyone encountering the Bible
What difference does it make?
The Video Bible Dictionary helps people to:
Understand Scripture more accurately
Grasp biblical imagery and metaphors
Translate and teach the Bible with greater clarity
Encounter the Bible as something grounded in real life, not abstract ideas
By making the everyday world of the Bible visible, the resource supports faithful understanding and communication of Scripture.
How will it be used?
Videos are designed to be:
Integrated into Bible translation and teaching workflows
Freely accessible to ministries and communities
The resource is intended to be practical, flexible, and easy to use in a wide range of contexts.
Evidence of use
Early videos associated with the project are already being used and shared widely:
116 videos published
2,220 subscribers
Over 128,000 views to date
User feedback includes comments such as:
“This is amazingly helpful.”
“Thank you so much for helping us get a better feel for it back then.”
“Now I understand what Luke 3:17 meant. Thank you!”
This feedback reflects a clear demand for visual tools that support biblical understanding.
How can people support this work?
We are inviting individuals, churches, and organisations to partner with us financially to support the ongoing development of the Video Bible Dictionary.
Support enables the filming, narration, editing, and distribution of videos so that this resource can continue to serve Bible translation, teaching, and discipleship efforts around the world.