How to translate a sermon live

Updated 18 October 2026

There are four ways to translate a sermon live, from a bilingual pastor to live captions on every phone. This guide explains each, what it needs, and how a Sunday runs with Livefy open on a computer at the sound desk, translating into any of 109 languages.

Four ways to translate a sermon live

1. A bilingual pastor. The pastor preaches each thought in both languages. It needs no equipment, but the sermon takes nearly twice as long, and few pastors can keep it up every week.
2. An interpreter beside the pulpit. The pastor speaks a sentence, and the interpreter repeats it in the other language (consecutive interpretation). Everyone hears both languages. It also nearly doubles the time, and it needs a trained volunteer every Sunday.
3. An interpreter with headsets. The interpreter speaks into a microphone from a back room or booth while the pastor preaches, and listeners hear it on receivers and headsets (simultaneous interpretation). The sermon keeps its pace. It needs a skilled interpreter for each language (professional standards ask for two, taking turns), and a transmitter, receivers and headsets to hand out, charge and clean. The equipment guide sets out what that costs.
4. Live captions and a translated voice. Livefy, open on a computer at the sound desk, takes the sermon's sound and translates it online as it is preached. The words appear as captions on the screens and on guests' own phones, where a translated voice can read them aloud. The sermon keeps its pace, several languages can run at once, and no interpreter is needed. Like any live translation, it makes mistakes, most often with names, uncommon words and unclear sound.

What you need for live captions and voice

• A laptop or desktop computer with a web browser, near the sound desk. Phones and tablets cannot run a service; they read and listen.
• The sermon's sound. A spare output from the mixing board (an aux or matrix send) into a small USB audio interface is best; a board with a USB output can go straight into the computer. The setup guide shows each way.
• A screen. A projector or TV, or a see-through link in ProPresenter, OBS Studio or vMix for the slides and the livestream.
• An internet connection for the computer. Guests' phones use their own.
• A QR code on the screen or on paper, so guests can follow on their phones with no app and no account.

Sunday, step by step

1. Ten minutes before. Open Livefy in the browser and watch the level meter move when the pastor's microphone is on. Set the speaker language to the language of the sermon: the console asks for it before the first service. Choose the languages for the captions, and turn on Voice on phones if guests will listen with headphones.
2. While people arrive. Put the welcome card on the screens: your church's name and logo, a short greeting, the languages you translate into and the QR code.
3. When the service starts. Press Go live. The translation appears almost as soon as the words are spoken, a word at a time, on the screens and on every phone that scanned the code.
4. During the songs. Press Pause, and Resume when the speaking starts again. Pause stops translation. The words of the songs are usually on the slides already.
5. Prayers, readings and announcements are translated live like the sermon.
6. At the end, end the service. If your church has turned on Keep the words of each service in Settings, the transcript waits in History to read or download; otherwise the words are not kept.

Names, places and Bible references

Like any live translation, it makes mistakes, most often with names, uncommon words and unclear sound. Three things help most:

• Clear sound. Sound taken straight from the mixing board is far better than a microphone listening to the room.
• The right speaker language, set before the service as above. If the preacher moves between English and another language, set the speaker language to the one used most; Livefy still hears the other.
• References said plainly. Book names and verse numbers come through best when the pastor says the reference clearly before reading the verse.

The fairest test is a whole service with your own priest or pastor.

Introducing it to the congregation

A short announcement on the first few Sundays is enough. For example:

This morning the sermon is translated live into Spanish. Scan the code on the screen with your phone's camera to read along, or to listen with headphones. There is nothing to install.

Esta mañana la predicación se traduce en vivo al español. Escanee el código de la pantalla con la cámara de su teléfono para leer o para escuchar con audífonos. No hay que instalar nada.

• Print sheet, on the Home page of the console, makes a page for the door with the QR code and a short code people can type.
• Members who do not use a phone read the captions on the screen. If the church already has an interpreting system, the audio feed sends the translated voice into its transmitter.
• For leaders who read Spanish, the page in Spanish explains it.

Questions

Does the pastor need to preach differently?

No. The translation follows the sermon as it is preached, a word at a time, almost instantly. Clear sound from the mixing board matters more than anything the pastor changes.

Can the sermon be translated into several languages at once?

Yes, into any of 109 languages. Each caption language shows on the screens and phones that choose it, and each uses its own translation hours.

What about members who do not use a phone?

The captions on the screen are for everyone. If the church already has an interpreting system, the audio feed sends the translated voice into its transmitter, for the receivers it already has.

How much does it cost to translate a sermon live?

With Livefy, from $45 a month for 10 hours of translation a month, each caption language using its own hours; the first 4 hours are free, with no card. An interpreter with headsets needs equipment, from about $1,240 to buy, and an interpreter every week; the equipment guide sets out both.

First 4 hours free, no credit card. Then from $45 a month.

More guides: Church translation equipment: headsets, receivers or phones · AI translation for church: how to introduce it to your congregation · How to run a bilingual church service · Church interpreter tips: how to interpret a sermon well · Live translation for Zoom, Google Meet and Teams church meetings · How to become a multilingual church · all church translation guides