The Bible No One Asked For

João Almeida was an orphan in Portugal in the 1600s. Yet he became the most influential writer in Brazilian history—without ever setting foot in Brazil.

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bible

We enrolled our kids in school a few months ago. After homeschooling them for the past two years, this was the first "back to school" shopping we'd done in a long time. That’s an adventure in America, but doing it Brazilian style was a whole 'nother experience.

While examining the list of items to purchase (provided by the school), I noticed they requested a specific Bible translation: João Almeida Revisada. I got excited because this was the Bible translation I selected when I began reading the Bible in Portuguese.

Then it hit me—this translation was named after someone: João Almeida.

Curiosity began to stir, and so I did a little research on this Bible Translator.

Not much is known about his childhood. He was orphaned at a young age and apparently raised by his uncle. By the time he was 14, he moved to the Dutch East Indies—possibly for economic or colonial reasons, though we don’t know for sure. Ironically, that’s where his spiritual journey really began.

We don’t even let 14-year-olds drive or get a job. But he crossed the ocean. That’s nearly a 14,000-mile journey... by boat.

Did I mention he was only 14?

Soon after arriving in the East Indies, he became a Christian—converting from Catholicism to Protestantism. When he was 16 years old, he embarked upon translating the Bible into Portuguese.

And that’s when the fun started.

Fun Times

After conversion, João was burdened with the unfortunate reality that no one could read the Bible in his native tongue, Portuguese. They either had to learn Spanish, or Hebrew or Greek, or depend on the priest or preacher to read it to them. This was unacceptable. It may have even contributed to why he left Catholicism in the first place, given the fact that they were typically resistant to such translations. It was viewed as a threat against their power and influence. But João, knowing the transformative power of being able to read the Bible for yourself, was not going to stand for this.

He began translating the Bible into his mother tongue. It was a long and difficult task because... he was translating the Bible. Most people have a hard enough time reading it!

On top of it being a monumental task on its own, he faced resistance and persecution for his work. His first manuscripts of the New Testament were lost, stolen, or destroyed. Undeterred, he made them again.

His next job was to convince someone to print it. Unfortunately, the Portuguese-speaking world was not pre-purchasing his translation. No one was interested. So for the next 30 years, his handwritten translations circulated among Portuguese-speaking populations in places like Malacca, Batavia (now Jakarta), and Sri Lanka.

But João did not simply settle for copying his original work. During these 30 years he mastered Greek and Hebrew and improved his translation. Finally, in 1681, his New Testament was printed in Amsterdam by the Dutch East India Company.

However, they considered the edition flawed and ordered its destruction.

Undeterred, he continued refining the translation and working to have it printed. In 1693, (twelve years later and two years after his death), it was approved and printed in Batavia.

Additionally, he began translating the Old Testament at the same time. However, he died before he could complete it. But three years after his death, those who had been working with him completed his Old Testament translation.

What About Brazil?

Protestantism was illegal in Brazil during João's lifetime. It was a developing colony, and Catholicism had a tight grip on it. But as far as we know, he had no direct connection to Brazil.

He simply wanted anyone who spoke Portuguese to be able to hear and read about Jesus in their native language.

Eventually, as the Catholic-freeze thawed, Protestant began to enter Brazil and brought their Bibles with them.

Joao Almeida’s translation has become the most used and influential Bible in Brazil. Because he remained committed and undaunted by the obstacles he encountered, millions of Brazilians have experienced the same salvation he did.

He labored in relative obscurity, with few people recognizing the importance of his efforts. He didn’t even finish!

But history—and heaven—have vindicated him.

What About You?

João’s life is an inspiration. He is a Winning Mind.

No matter how you started, what you’re facing now, or whether you ever “finish”—you can still have an eternal impact. I’m sure João faced criticism and doubt.

“Who’s going to read your translation?”
“You? A Bible translator?”

And I’m sure those voices weren’t always from others. Sometimes the harshest words are our own.

But he kept working at what God had put in his heart. They didn’t hear what God spoke to him to do. He wanted others to understand—and eventually, many did. But ultimately, it was his burden and his vision that kept him moving forward.

He saw limited success, as far as we might measure it. But I believe that every chapter he completed—and every person who read even a part of it—was fuel enough to keep going.

What burden has God put into your heart? Others may see and feel it as well, but many won’t. Don’t let it stop you. Pursue it as if God gave it to you, because He may have done just that.

And who knows who may be impacted one day by your commitment.