Indonesian Bible Society
The Indonesian Bible Society or the Indonesian Bible Society Foundation (, LAI) is an institution that seeks to translate the Bible into Indonesian and regional languages, as well as its distribution. The Indonesian Bible Society is a member of the United Bible Societies, an organisation that houses hundreds of national Bible societies that are active in the translation, production and distribution of the Bible throughout the world. Another institution working on translations into Indonesian languages ​​is the Indonesian Biblical Society, owned by the Roman Catholic Church in Indonesia. Since the 1970s the Indonesian Bible Society and the Indonesian  Biblical Society have worked together to produce a single version of the Indonesian Bible. LAI also continues to update its translations to suit the development of the Indonesian language. From the Old Translation of the Bible (TL), the New Translation of the Bible (TB), the Daily Indonesian Bible (BIS) or what is now called the Modern Indonesian Bible (BIMK), to the last one, the New Translation of the Bible Version 2 (the official New Testament). revised and published in 1997, while the revision of the Old Testament text is still ongoing). History. Before LAI was founded. Long before the establishment  of the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI), on 4 June 1814, a Bible Society was established in Batavia (now Jakarta) under the leadership of Deputy Governor General Thomas Stamford Raffles. This Bible Society is a subsidiary branch of the British Bible Society and is called the Java Auxiliary Bible Society (). When the British occupation was replaced by the Dutch occupation in 1816, the Bible Society was renamed the Netherlands Indies Bible Society () or known as the Batavia Bible Society (, ). But long before that, a VOC merchant, namely Albert Cornelisz Ruyl who at his own expense had translated and published the Bible  (Injil Matthew and Mark) into Malay in 1612. The establishment of LAI. In 1950, along with the acceptance of the Republic of Indonesia as a member of the United Nations, several Christian figures began to initiate the establishment of LAI. In line with the aspirations for the independence of the nation and state, there was a desire to be independent, fully responsible for the procurement and distribution of the Bible. On 9 February 1954 the Indonesian Bible Society was officially established with Notarial Deed number 101. Previously, in 1952, LAI was accepted as an associate member of the United Bible  Societies at its trial in Ootacamund, India. and was accepted as a full member at the trial of the World Fellowship of Bible Societies at Eastbourne, England in April 1954. For the first time LAI was chaired by Dr. Todung Sutan Gunung Mulia, an Indonesian Christian figure whose name is immortalised for the BPK Gunung Mulia. Then, the position of chairman was successively replaced by G.P. Khouw, S.H., Ph. J. Sigar S.H., Pdt. W.J. Rumambi (former member of the Constituent Assembly representing Parkindo), Rev. Chr. A. Kiting and since 1989 held by Drs. Supardan M.A (PDI politician). Bible Translation into  local languages. Indonesia, apart from having one national language, Indonesian, also has more than 700 regional languages. LAI also translates in regional languages. It is also useful for preserving regional languages. Some of the major languages ​​already have a Bible in their language (such as Javanese) which is also published by LAI. Currently, 133 regions have a partial Bible translation. Meanwhile, 17 regions already have a complete translation of the Bible. And the process of translating the Bible into the local language is also a complex one. One organisation that is trying to translate the Bible into Indonesian regional languages  ​​is Wycliffe Bible Translators. According to Daud Soesilo, based on a report on 11 October 1993, LAI had distributed 400 million units of Bibles, Testaments, and parts thereof in Indonesian and regional languages ​​in Indonesia. In other words, every year LAI has distributed an average of 10 million units. Printing LAI is one of the few Bible societies in the world to have its own printery. According to Supardan, at that time Bung Karno banned imported goods. In this way, the Bibles that had been imported from the Netherlands could not enter Indonesia. For political reasons Bung Karno also allowed  LAI to set up its own printing press. So a special printery for the Bible was established in Ciluar, Bogor, West Java. According to data from LAI, from 1967 to 2013 they have published and distributed no less than 465,914,261 copies of the Bible (including the Bible portion). See also. Bible