Follow the links below to find a selection of message illustrations for the first reading and psalm

• Genesis 29:15: Painting by Willy Wiedmann: Jacob marrying Leah and Rachel.
• Genesis 29:16: "Wages" that Laban should have paid Jacob had to be translated as "gift," or "help" in Bari (South Sudan). The word for wages could not be used, as there is no question of hire between relatives."
• Genesis 29:17: The name of Leah is translated with a sign that signifies weak eyes in Spanish Sign Language and "Rachel" with a sign that signifies the eyelashes, referring to “beautiful eyes” as the opposite of Leah. The Hebrew word used to describe Leah's eyes, however, might mean “tender,” “delicate,” or “dainty” in a positive sense. What the narrative appears to be saying is that Leah had lovely eyes, but Rachel was an outstanding beauty. (See Translation commentary on Genesis 29:17.)
• Genesis 29:21: "Go in with her" or "make love" is translated in Mwera (Tanzania) as “talk with,” referring to sleeping with someone.
• Genesis 29:27: Complete verse in Kankanaey (Philippines): “Wait so that this week will pass-by so that what we are butchering for the wedding is finished. Then I will also give Rachel to you so that you will marry her, provided you work seven years again.'”

• Psalm 105:3: The Polish translation of “seek the Lord” (szukaɫ Pana) has become a well-known metaphor for searching out God in the modern world. "Today the problem is not that the faithful pray to other deities instead of the one God. Today the problem is that the people do not see the manifestations of the existence and the activity of God in the world that surrounds them and that they doubt in His existence. Therefore today a translation of the Bible which encourages looking for God in the present-day understanding of this metaphor is indeed of greater utility in terms of pastoral service than a translation which would encourage people to worship God or to pray to him instead of other deities."
• Psalm 105:8 (9, 10): "covenant" is translated in Huastec (Mexico) as “a broken-off word” (based on the concept of ‘breaking off a word’ and leaving it with the person with whom an agreement has been reached), in Nabak (Papua New Guinea) as “tying the knot,” and in Bariai (PNG) as “true talk,” as well as many other translations and their graphical representation. Also an explanation how the Greek word for the Hebrew concept of "covenant" created a bridge between the OT and the NT.
• Psalm 105:10: Graphic by Jewish artist Ismar David of the fight between Jacob and the angel."
• Psalm 105:11: "Inherit the land" cannot be translated directly in Kwere (Tanzania) when it comes from God -- “inheritance,” as in possessions etc. can only be received upon someone’s death.

• Psalm 128:4: "Fear the Lord” is translated by many languages as “to have respect/reverence for” and in Chichewa (Malawi) as “obey.”

Follow the links below to find a selection of message illustrations for the second reading

• Romans 8:26: “Intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words” is translated as “is the one who asks in our place when we just sigh, we do not find the words to say” in Highland Totonac (Mexico) or as “when we cannot speak, we groan in our hearts, then the Holy Spirit himself pleads to God for us” in Hopi (USA). Also several other languages and their translations.
• Romans 8:26: “Sighs” is translated in Bilua (Solomon Islands) as “turtle breathing.”
• Romans 8:27: “(the Spirit) intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” is translated into Bilua (Solomon Islands) as “(he) prays like God himself” and in a German translation as “intercedes for all Christians before God as their advocate.”
• Romans 8:27: "Saint": Translations include “person of prayer" (Western Kanjobal), “whom God possesses” (Tzeltal), “clean-hearted person” (Yatzachi Zapotec: -- all Mexico), “person consecrated to God” (Garifuna / Honduras and Guatemala). Many other translations as well.
• Romans 8:28: "love (for God)": “The Q’anjob’al Indians of northern Guatemala describe love as ‘my soul dies.’ "Love is such that, without experiencing the joy of union with the object of our love, there is a real sense in which ‘the soul dies.’ A man who loves God according to the Western Kanjobal idiom would say ‘my soul dies for God.’ This not only describes the powerful emotion felt by the one who loves, but it should imply a related truth—namely, that in true love there is no room for self. The man who loves God must die to self. True love is of all emotions the most unselfish, for it does not look out for self but for others. False love seeks to possess; true love seeks to be possessed. False love leads to cancerous jealousy; true love leads to a life-giving ministry.” Many other translations as well, many connected with pain.
• Romans 8:28: English translation of the whole verse by N.T. Wright: “We know, in fact, that God works all things together for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.” (highlight added)
• Romans 8:29: "Foreknow” is translated as “knew from the time that he made the world” in Huehuetla Tepehua (Mexico)
• Romans 8:30: Complete verse in Western Bukidnon Manobo (Philippines): “And then for us all, whom He chose in order to be His children, He caused us to believe also. And that’s not all, for He considered us also to be righteous, just as if we’d never sinned. And He promised also that there would be a time in the future when He would make us immortal.”
• Romans 8:30: "If God is for us" is translated as “if God is united with us” in Yatzachi Zapotec (Mexico), “God himself loves us” in Teutila Cuicatec (Mexico), and “if Above-One is the One who guards us” in Mairasi (Papua New Guinea)
• Romans 8:31: "What then are we to say about these things" is a rhetorical question and therefore hard to translate in many languages. In Kadiwéu (Brazil), it was treated by making explicit what are “these things.” The verse then started with a statement, followed by a question, “We see that God has made us His children, and that He helps us. Who is there that can overcome us?”
• Romans 8:32: Many different translations for "justify," including "he sees him with the goodness of his Son,” “no longer carrying sin in God’s estimation,” or “heart sits next to Jesus."
• Romans 8:38: "Principalities / rulers" is translated in Chicahuaxtla Triqui (Mexico) as “those who are prominent in heaven” and Western Bukidnon Manobo (Philippines) as “those supernatural beings who are in the very deep places.” Also many other translations.
• Romans 8:38: "Powers" is translated as “important people on earth here” in Yatzachi Zapotec (Mexico).

Follow the links below to find a selection of message illustrations for the Gospel

• Matthew 13:31: "Mustard seed” is sometimes translated in cultures that don't have any direct equivalent as a small seed for a very large tree (for example Banyan tree)
• Matthew 13:31: "The Parable of the Mustard Seed" artwork by contemporary Kazakh artist Nelly Bube (born 1949)
• Matthew 13:32: "Greatest of all shrubs" is translated as “larger than all weeds” in Shuar (Ecuador)
• Matthew 13:33: "Leaven” (or “yeast”) is translated in Tzotzil (Mexico) as “the thing that swells the stomach of bread”
• Matthew 13:44: "The Hidden Treasure” -- 1973 painting of a response to New Testament readings from the Lectionary by a Christian community in Cameroon, Africa. Each of the readings was selected and adapted to dramatic interpretation by the community members. Photographs of their interpretations were made, and these were then transcribed to paintings.
• Matthew 13:48: “Threw out the bad” is translated in a German translation as “threw out the spoiled (or: “rotten”).”
• Matthew 13:48: “End of the age” is translated in Amele (Papua New Guinea) as “the end of the world time” and in Luwo (South Sudan) as ”Day of God’s judgement.”
• Matthew 13:48: “Weeping and gnashing of teeth” has become part of every-day use in many languages, sometimes with a slightly different emphasis (in German, for instance, it is often used humorously).
• Matthew 13:52: Complete verse in Tagbanwa (Philippines): “‘Well,’ said Jesus next to them, ‘that explainer of the word of God who has studied these truths about the kingdom of God, he is like the owner of a household who easily-brings-out (implies, knows just where to put his hands on them) his possessions which are new and old from where he stores them. Because he knows how to teach not just those teachings of the past but these new ones too.'”
• Matthew 13:52: "Scribe" has many insightful translations including “teaching-writer” (Navajo/Dinė / USA), “one knowing paper/book” (Ekari / Papua New Guinea), “theologian” and “interpreter of scriptures” (both German) or "Covenant Code scholar" (recent English translation). Many others as well, including a graphical representation)