BSI clarifies stand on Sümi Bible controversy

DIMAPUR, AUG 4 (NPN): The Bible Society of India (BSI) has clarified its position on the controversy surrounding the re-edited 2025 Sümi Bible, stating that it neither translated nor independently coined any terminology used in the publication and that all future publication of the Sümi Bible has been suspended following ongoing litigation.
In a press release, BSI said it was deeply pained by what it described as defamation and reputational damage caused to the organisation, which has served the Church and Christian community for over 215 years since its establishment in 1811.
BSI said it has remained committed to making the Holy Bible available in people’s mother tongue and noted that it has served the Sümi Christian community since publishing the Gospel of Mark in Sümi in 1928, followed by the New Testament in 1944 and the complete Bible in 1972, with subsequent revisions over the years.
The society said the recent litigation concerning the Sümi Bible had compelled it to suspend all future Sümi Bible publications with immediate effect in compliance with the lawsuit. However, it reaffirmed its commitment to serving the Sümi churches and Christian community and expressed hope of resuming its ministry once a mutually acceptable resolution was reached in a spirit of Christian love, unity and forgiveness.
Clarifying its role, BSI said its silence during the dispute should not be construed as an admission of fault. It explained that the re-editing project was undertaken following a formal request from the Sümi Baptist Convention (SBC) in 2013. According to BSI, the project was completed in 2025 after following all established editing and publication procedures, including proofreading, corrections and approval by the editor representing the translators and the SBC before printing.
BSI further stated that the printed Bibles were delivered to and remain under the sole custody and ownership of the SBC. Consequently, it said decisions regarding the use, withdrawal, recall, distribution or non-use of the 2025 edition rest entirely with the churches and their apex bodies and not with the Bible Society of India.
The organisation said it issued the clarification reluctantly in view of litigation initiated by advocate Surjya Das of the Calcutta High Court, reportedly engaged by Kahuto Chishi on behalf of the Society for Sümi Language Preservation.
Expressing hope that the clarification would prevent further misunderstanding and unwarranted litigation, BSI reaffirmed its commitment to its historic mission of serving the Church and making the Holy Scriptures available to all people under its motto, “God’s Word for God’s World.”