The role and presence of the Bible Society in Tanah Papua cannot be separated from the historical journey of the Papuan people, especially upon the recognition of Papua as part of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Indonesia. A logical consequence of sovereignty recognition was the transfer of the Dutch Bible Society building in Biak to the Bible Society of Indonesia on January 1, 1963. Since then, the role shifted from merely selling Bibles and parts to an organization that also translates, publishes, prints, and distributes Bibles and parts to as many people as possible. This role transition did not happen smoothly, especially given the vast area of 421,981 km² covered by the Biak Representative Office.

To ensure that LAI’s vision and mission reach all of Papua, from the Bird's Head region in the west to the border with Papua New Guinea in the east, and from Cendrawasih Bay in the north to Marauke in the south, it was decided on December 5, 1990, to relocate the Biak Representative Office to Jayapura. The presence of LAI in Papua as a Representative is expected to be significant, especially considering that Jayapura is the capital of Papua Province and the center for church synods and missionary foundations, enabling interdenominational Christian communities from various churches to be served.

In addition to the role of local government, church synods, and missionary foundations as local support for the LAI Jayapura Representative Office, the numerous ethnic groups, numbering in the hundreds, also require serious attention, particularly in efforts to translate the Bible into their languages. Of the 500 local languages in Papua, only the South Yali language has a complete Bible translation, while 54 other languages have only the New Testament or portions of it.

The geographical challenges and transportation issues faced by the LAI Jayapura Representative are indeed formidable, as they serve churches and Christian communities scattered across Papua and West Papua provinces. Nevertheless, the four staff members of the LAI Jayapura Representative must continue to strive to distribute Bibles and parts to reach the most remote areas of Tanah Papua.

Currently, the Indonesian Bible Society Representative Office in Tanah Papua is located at Jl. Frans Kaisiepo, Pacific Permai Complex Block D-1, Jayapura 99112, Tel/Fax: (0967) 535620, email: