Xhosa is the home language of some 7 907 153 South Africans. Most of them live in the Eastern Cape.
The earliest Bible translation into Xhosa was mainly the work of missionaries of the Wesleyan Missionary Society (WMS), like William Shaw, William Boyce and others.
Important dates in the history of the Xhosa Bible:
| 1833 | First book of the Bible to be translated – Gospel according to Luke Grahamstown: WMS Translated mainly by William B Boyce, William Shaw and W J Shrewsbury. |
| 1846 | First New Testament Newton Dale: WMS Translated and revised by Henry H Dugmore, William J Davis, John Ayliff, Joseph C Warner of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, James Laing, Bryce Ross of the Glasgow Missionary Society and C W Posselt and Jakob L Döhne of the Berlin Missionary Society. |
| 1859 | First Bible Mount Coke: WMS The Old Testament, mainly translated by John W Appleyard of the Wesleyan Missionary Society and Albert Kropf of the Berlin Missionary Society, was printed in sections on the missionary press at Mount Coke between 1857 and 1859. The complete Xhosa Bible had now been translated into Xhosa. |
| 1864 | First Bible published in one volume London: British and Foreign Bible Society The text for this Bible was revised by John W Appleyard. |
| 1996 | Latest translation of the Bible Cape Town: Bible Society of South Africa Translated by the Rev JC Oosthuysen, project co-ordinator, Rev ZW Nkuhlu and Rev EH Dike. They were assisted by Mr H Nabe, Rev BF Mbenenge and Prof DH Odendaal. |