New Testament for a peace loving people

It seems only natural that the Piaroa people, who live along the banks of the Orinoco River in Venezuela, should have a longing for the Word of God.

Some of the Piaroa people with a few dilapidated copies which are all that remain of the 1970's version of the New Testament.

Their society is an egalitarian and extraordinarily peaceful one where murder is non-existent. As well, they are opposed to the hoarding of resources, which they see as a constraint to freedom.

They have had the New Testament since the 1970s, but over time their language has changed and their few remaining copies are damaged and beyond repair.

They have been working on a new translation since 2008, which will be ready at the end of next year. They also hope to produce it in audio format, which will be a useful tool for their oral culture.

This article is from The Word at Work – Summer 2010.