Bible Transcription

Definition and Meaning

Bible transcription (Korean pilsa, 筆寫, literally "copying with a brush") refers to writing out the text of the Bible by hand, letter by letter. Because printed Bibles are now readily available, transcription has become less a means of producing copies than a method of personal devotion. Its commonly cited benefit is that the slow process of reading and writing leads practitioners to examine the text closely and meditate on it. Copying the entire Bible is commonly called wanpil (完筆), "complete transcription."

Biblical and Historical Background

Deuteronomy 17:18 records that the king of Israel was to write a copy of the law in a book, keep it with him, and read it all the days of his life. Advocates of transcription frequently cite this verse in support of the practice. In antiquity, scribes transmitted the Scriptures by copying them by hand, and in the Middle Ages monastic copyists were responsible for producing manuscripts. Until printing spread in the fifteenth century, hand copying was virtually the only means by which the Bible was transmitted.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korea, Bible transcription is one of the principal personal spiritual disciplines, alongside reading through the Bible, quiet time, and Scripture memorization. Christian publishers produce transcription Bibles and notebooks that print a text such as the New Korean Revised Version with space alongside for writing.

Common forms of the practice in Korean churches include the following:

• Churches encourage members to undertake transcription at the start of the year or during Lent, assigning portions by book or section so that the congregation jointly completes a full Bible.
• Completed transcriptions may be dedicated to or displayed in the church, or passed down to children as a legacy of faith.
• Transcription is often recommended to elderly members as a devotional activity they can sustain over time.

Bible transcription is not tied to any particular doctrine. It is therefore an interdenominational practice that shows few notable differences among denominations such as Presbyterian, Methodist, Holiness, Baptist, and Full Gospel churches. It is also reported to be widely practiced in the Catholic Church.

At the same time, some within the church have cautioned that transcription can become a mere formality in which finishing is the goal in itself, or that it may come to be regarded as a meritorious work. For this reason, many churches encourage members to accompany transcription with meditation and prayer.