Dutch Protestant missionaries undertook Indonesian Bible translation completed 1870, working with Indonesian scholars using Malay/Indonesian language. Translation created Indonesian Christian biblical vocabulary using standardized orthography. This missionary linguistics occurred during Dutch colonial period in Indonesia. Indonesian Bible became foundation for Indonesian literary development, enabling Indonesian poetry, newspapers, and prose in Christian and secular contexts. The translation contributed to Indonesian language standardization preceding Indonesian nationalist movement.

Indonesian Bible translation established Indonesian Christian literary vocabulary, enabling Indonesian Christian poetry adapting traditional Indonesian poetic forms for Christian themes. The translation influenced modern Indonesian writers including nationalist poets using biblical imagery. Indonesian Bible became foundation for Christian Indonesian literary tradition, with biblical language entering Indonesian newspapers, poetry collections, and prose fiction during Dutch colonial period and Indonesian nationalist movement.