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DECEMBER 1, 2020
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

New World Translation Released in Hiri Motu

New World Translation Released in Hiri Motu

Brother Kegawale Biyama, a member of the Papua New Guinea Branch Committee, released the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures in the Hiri Motu language. The program was prerecorded at the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Port Moresby and streamed to viewers on November 28, 2020. More than 7,000 people tied in to the program.

Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the world, home to some 840 spoken languages. Hiri Motu is one of the country’s three official languages. It is spoken by approximately 140,000 people.

Brother Kukuna Jack, a member of the Branch Committee, comments: “Hiri Motu speakers have been waiting for this Bible for a long time. We know they will love the New World Translation because it is simple and easy to understand.”

A team of six translators worked for ten years on the project. One translator states: “Readers will undoubtedly enjoy seeing God’s name in the text of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. We thank Jehovah for this gift!”

As we reflect on all the work behind this new translation, we share the sentiments of the prophet Isaiah when he said: “O Jehovah, you will grant us peace, because everything we have done, you have accomplished for us.”—Isaiah 26:12.