AUGUST 2026 | LISLE, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) is expanding its library of resources based on the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament (FNV) with a new Bible study tentatively titled Creator Sets Free: An FNV Bible Study. IVP recently signed a contract with coauthors Terry M. Wildman and Joshua S. Hopping for this Spring 2028 release.
The FNV is a dynamic equivalence translation of Scripture that captures the simplicity, clarity, and beauty of Native storytellers in English, while remaining faithful to the original language of the Bible. The project was birthed out of a desire to provide an English Bible that connects, in a culturally sensitive way, to the traditional heart languages of the over six million English-speaking First Nations people of North America.
More than 100,000 copies of the FNV New Testament have been sold, and more than eight million people have looked up a New Testament chapter in the FNV translation at Bible.com.
“The FNV truly is a groundbreaking project, both in the scope of the translation work and in its profound ministry impact,” said IVP president and publisher Terumi Echols.
Based on the strong response to the FNV, first published in 2021, IVP has gone on to publish the First Nations Version Psalms and Proverbs: An Indigenous Bible Translation (2025) by Terry Wildman and the IVP Kids title Birth of the Chosen One: A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story (2024) by Wildman and illustrated by Hannah Noel Buchanan and Holly Buchanan. Releasing in Fall 2028, When the Great Spirit Walked Among Us by Wildman will offer a First Nations retelling of the the story of Jesus in the four gospels.
IVP is also planning to introduce the FNV Old Testament over the next ten years. The FNV Old Testament will be released in four phases, with Genesis through Joshua available in 2029, Judges through Esther in 2032, the Major and Minor Prophets in 2034, and the full FNV Bible of both the Old and New Testaments together in 2035.
The newly contracted Bible study will release ahead of the first phase of the FNV Old Testament. It is a ten-session Bible study guide on the life of Jesus through the text of the FNV. “This study approaches the life of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) as a story meant to be entered, not merely explained. It invites readers to slow down, to notice place and movement, to pay attention to who is gathered and who is missing, and to listen for how the Creator’s work unfolds in and through community,” write Wildman and Hopping in the introduction.
Wildman has served as the lead translator, general editor, and project manager for the FNV and serves as the director of spiritual growth and leadership development for Native InterVarsity. Hopping is an Indigenous author, teacher, spiritual leader, and brand protection professional.
Wildman and Hopping note that this study is really for anyone wanting to study the life of Jesus. “This study does not assume that all readers are Indigenous. Some will come from Native communities. Others will come as guests. Wherever you begin, you are invited to listen with humility and care. Some ideas will feel familiar. Others may feel unsettling. That is part of the journey.”
Al Hsu, IVP’s lead editor on the FNV resources, said, “The FNV has helped thousands of readers encounter Scripture in a vivid way. We’re excited that this Bible study guide will be a companion for even more individuals and groups to meet Jesus and to walk the good road with him.”
To learn more about the story behind the FNV, read this interview with Wildman.
Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church, and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.
Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
