Papua New Guinea Tribe Receives New Testament in Native Language After 30 Years of Translation
- The Onabaslu people of Papua New Guinea received their first-ever New Testament written in their native language after three decades of work
- More than 2,000 people from surrounding regions attended the Bible dedication event, with some walking up to 8 hours and others travelling four days through the jungle
- Translator Stopols said he is praying the Word of God will bear fruit for the next generation of the Onabaslu people
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A remote jungle village in Papua New Guinea became the site of an extraordinary celebration on 19 August 2026, when the Onabaslu people finally received a copy of the New Testament written in their own language, ending a translation journey that had taken 30 years to complete.
Translators emerged from the jungle carrying boxes of freshly printed Onabaslu New Testaments, and the welcome they received was unlike anything ordinary. Hundreds of people lined the edge of the jungle, waving palm branches and singing, dressed in brilliantly coloured traditional attire. Villagers prepared a feast, cooking dozens of pigs in earth ovens layered with hot stones and banana leaves.
The dedication event drew more than 2,000 attendees from surrounding regions. Some walked between six and eight hours to be there. Others made a four-day journey through dense jungle to witness the moment.
30 years in the making
The project began more than three decades ago and required years of painstaking linguistic work to render the New Testament into the language the Onabaslu people speak and think in natively. For the community, receiving the translated scripture was not simply a religious milestone but a deeply personal one.
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Translator Stopols reflected on what the moment meant to him, saying his focus was not on the years of effort behind the project but on what lies ahead.
"I'm praying that this word of God will do its work. The word of God will not come back empty. Now they have the whole book, and it is a beautiful book. And I am praying that it will bear fruit for the next generation," he said.
The footage, shared by The 700 Club, quickly moved people around the world.
The world reacts
Viewers were moved to tears watching the dedication unfold on the page:
Cecilia Raphael said:
"This is what Matthew speaks of when the gospel is preached to the whole world then I will come."
Vinu Varghese wrote:
"30 years translating the Bible into their native language is not a waste. The work is PRICELESS. May God reward them and their generation."
Leng Pao shared:
"I recognise the two guys carrying the meat. I saw a video where they were singing a beautiful tribal song, and it's just wonderful."
Amah Joie noted:
"And this is why we are Christians, we read the word of God in a language we understand, we don't have to learn an Arab man's language."
Andy Grosh wrote:
"It was a great joy to attend this event in person, since I was also in the same village for the start of this project more than 30 years ago."
McHenry Faith Yomi simply said:
"I'm not crying. These tears are just too stubborn. 😭"
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Source: Briefly News
