Considerations of Bible Translation

During the Bible Translation conference last month, I sat in on just one talk - I was assigned to do coffee in the building that is right here in the campground and there wasn't any way for me to be there to serve without being in the room of the lecture. He talked about the translation of the Greek word "αιών" (aión) - which can be translated as "age" or "world" (as in Matt 28:20 - " behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. " (ESV) versus " lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. " (Authorized KJV). I didn't totally understand all that he was saying, but... essentially, the language he was looking at (I think from a country in Africa), didn't really have a word to convey the "end of time" aspect. Of course, in everyday English, we don't use phrases like "end of the age" in normal conversation either... 

This was one of the slides that he showed:

 While I didn't understand it, it made me realize the complexities of not only learning a language, but then correctly/appropriately expressing Biblical concepts in a newly-learned language... when it is a difficult concept to deal with even in your first language! I mean, the leap from learning how to say "leaf" or "rock" or "stick" in a new language to concepts such as "the end of the age" seems incomprehensible!