Venda is a language spoken by some 1 021 757 people in South Africa, mainly living in Limpopo. It is also spoken in Zimbabwe.
The pioneer translator of the Bible into Venda was the missionary and linguist, Dr Paul Erdmann Schwellnuss. Dr Schwellnuss was on the staff of the Berlin Missionary Society.
Important dates in the history of the Venda Bible:
| 1920 | First Scripture in Venda – The four Gospels and Acts London: British and Foreign Bible Society Translated by P E Schwellnuss, assisted by Isaak Mulaudzi and Fineas Mutsila. |
| 1923 | First New Testament London: British and Foreign Bible Society Translated by P E Schwellnuss, assisted by Isaak Mulaudzi and Fineas Mutsila. |
| 1936 | First Bible London: British and Foreign Bible Society Translated by P E Schwellnuss, assisted by Isaak Mulaudzi and Fineas Mutsila. |
| 1998 | Latest translation of the Bible Cape Town: Bible Society of South Africa Translated by Mr FC Raulinga, Mr AR Mbuwe and Prof JA van Rooy, the project co-ordinator. They were assisted by a number of other people as well as by a review committee. |