Te Kawenata Hou (The New Testament) is a completely reformatted version of the existing 1952 Maori Bible text.

After considerable discussion and consultation with various groups in the Maori Christian community, Bible Society began work in 1999 to reformat the 1952 text. The aim of this undertaking was to present the text in a more readable format, opening it up to newer generations of Maori speakers who are more likely to encounter the printed Maori word in the context of paragraphs and macrons. Bible Society's mission is to get the Bible into hands and hearts and feels strongly that Te Kawenata Hou will help more Maori people encounter God through the Bible.

The new version includes paragraphs (existing editions have each verse on a new line), speech marks, section headings, book introductions and most importantly, macrons on long vowels. While the 1952 text has not been changed, it is presented in a more familiar and contemporary way making it easier to read.