Though Shakespeare may be the

greatest glory of his age, he was

not its greatest influence. ... The

book of books for English men was

the Bible.... For every Englishman

who had read or seen

Shakespeare acted at the Globe,

there were hundreds who had

read or heard the Bible with close

attention as the word of God.

The Bible in English history may

be regarded as a ‘Renaissance’ of

Hebrew literature far more

widespread and more potent than

even the Classical Renaissance....

GEORGE MACAULAY

TREVELYN

1876-1962

20th century author and

scholar of English history.

–– “A Shortened History of

England”

OLD ENGLISH (ANGLO-SAXON)

• Venerable Bede, translated Gospel of John, finishing it the day he died (May 26, 735)

• Wessex Gospels (990 AD)

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum, si þin nama gehalgod. To becume þin rice, gewurþe ðin willa, on eorðan swa swa on heofonum. Urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg, and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum. And ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us of yfele. Soþlice.

John Wycliffe1330-1384

• Oxford scholar and teacher• Believed common man should be allowed to read the Scriptures in his own vernacular.

“No man was so rude a scholar but that he might learn the words of the Gospel according to his

simplicity.”

• Translated Bible from Latin into English 1382• Constitutions of Oxford (1407/09) forbade creation/ ownership/reading of the English Bible• Bones dug up, scattered across the River Swift 1428• Only English Bible until the 16th centuryInvention of the Printing Press

1455

CONSTITUTIONS OF OXFORD (1409)

• Authored by Archbishop Thomas Arundel

• Imposed limits on religious discussions at universities

• Provided for monthly inquiry into students theological views

• Forbade reading, printing, memorizing of Wycliffe’s Bible

• Forbade reading any text not approved by Archbishop’s 12 hand-picked theologians

• Made it illegal to preach without a license

• Preachers forbidden to discuss sins of clergy

• Preachers forbidden to preach against the sacraments

• Discussions of religion outside universities forbidden

• Forbade translating Bible into English (even one verse!)

VIOLATION

OF THESE

LAWS

CONSIDERE

D TREASON.

PUNISHABL

E BY DEATH.

VIOLATION

OF THESE

LAWS

CONSIDERE

D TREASON.

PUNISHABL

E BY DEATH.

Gutenburg PressGutenburg Press

1455 A.D.

• It took 170 calfskins or 300 sheepskins to make one hand- written copy of the Bible.• Scribes used 80 quills a day• It took 1,000 years for “Rag paper” to make its way from China to Europe.• Cost of “Rag paper” 1/6 that of parchment• By 1482: 50 printing presses in Italy, 30 in Germany, 4 in England• 1480 Uni. of Cambridge stipu- lated only parchment books accepted as security for loans.

EARLIEST SCRIPTURES PRINTEDIN ENGLISH

The Golden Legend1483

• Compiled by Italian archbishop, Jacob de Voragine (1230-1298)

• Printed in English by Caxton; later by Wynken de Worde

• Preceded the translation of Wm Tyndale by 42 years

• Originally a collection of Biblical and mythical stories. Caxton added more Bible stories of heroes of faith.

• Contained many quotations from Scripture

Tyndale New Testament (1525/6)Coverdale Bible (1535)Matthew’s Bible (1537)

The Great Bible (1539-41)Geneva Bible (1560)Bishop’s Bible (1568)

Rhemes-Douay Bible (1582/1609)King James Bible (1611)

William Tyndale BibleWilliam Tyndale Bible

Romans Chapter 1As translated by Tyndale

1525 AD

“Father of the English

Bible”

“If God spare my life, ere

many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the

plow to know more

of the Scripture than thou doest.”

“Lord, open Thou the king of

England’s eyes!”

October 6, 1536

Miles Coverdale BibleMiles Coverdale Bible

• Oct. 4, 1535 AD

• First complete English Bible

• Translated from Luther’s German and Jerome’s Latin

• Replaced offensive notes and introductions of Tyndale

• Translation of “Psalms” used in “Book of Common Prayer” for next 400 years (1549-1960)

• Separated Apocrypha from the text of Scripture

“Thou shalt not need to be afraid of any bugges by night” (Psalm 91:5)

• Made smooth “readability” a primary goal. Relied

on Tyndale’s Bible for accuracy of the text

• Dedicated to Henry VIII , mentioned Anne Boleyn

• When Henry VIII beheaded Anne Boleyn, Coverdale’s Bible did not receive an official

“license”

• In 1537 was the first English Bible be “licensed” by the king.

“In God’s name let it go abroad among our people”

• Printed the “Diglot” (1538) and the “Great Bible” (1539)

Miles Coverdale BibleMiles Coverdale Bible

Matthew’s BibleMatthew’s Bible

1537 AD1537 AD

• Translation by John Rogers Revision of the Tyndale Bible    • “Licensed” by Henry VIII for private reading

• 2nd complete English Bible

• Many died for reading it under Queen Mary (1555)!

• Became “primary version”

“Wife Beaters Bible”John Rogers burned aliveJohn Rogers burned alive

The Great BibleThe Great Bible

• Editor: Coverdale (1539)

• Revision of Matthew’s     Bible

• “Great” because of size (16 ½” x 11”)

• First Bible “authorized” for public reading in the churches.

• Chained to pulpit to prevent theft

Geneva BibleGeneva Bible

• 1560 A.D.

• Revision of the Great Bible

• First English Bible to have verse numbers

• First English Bible to be printed in Roman type

• Words supplied in italics to make it “readable”

• Shakespear’s Bible

• Pilgrim’s Bible

• Many Calvinistic (anti-    Catholic) notes

• Official version of the Church of Scotland

• Most popular version for next 50 years.

“Breeches Bible”

Bishop’s BibleBishop’s Bible

• 1568 A.D.

• “Queen Elizabeth’s Version”

• Revision of the Great Bible

• Published without Notes

• Did not equal the popularity of the Geneva Bible

• Christopher Columbus Bible

Psalm

45:9

Rhemes-Douay BibleRhemes-Douay Bible

• Catholic translation, made (primarily) by Gregory Martin

• New Testament – 1582; Old Testament – 1609/1610

• Based on Latin Vulgate

• Copious notes supporting Catholic doctrine

• Revised in 1738 by Bishop Challoner; in 1811 by Thomas Haydock

“Especially for the discoverie of the

corruptions of divers late translations, and for

cleering the controversies in religion”

King James BibleKing James Bible

• 1611 AD

• Revision of the Bishops Bible, which was a revision of the Great Bible, which     was revision of the     Matthews Bible, which was revision of the Tyndale Bible

• A team of 54 scholars

• ‘Contemporary’ English was not a priority.

• Not “authorized” by King James

 

Became widely read because:

• Better Greek & Hebrew

manuscripts

• Literary style was     unsurpassed

• No marginal notes

• It had no peers for 270 years

INTRODUCED18

CLASSICPHRASES

English is an ever-changing language. Words change their meanings over time; new words are coined. Just as 1st century Christians needed the word of God in their own vernacular, so does every generation.

Reading skills vary; translations need to match reading skills of the readers.

The accuracy of faith and doctrine is tested and clarified by reading a number of English versions

WHY DO WE NEED NEW WHY DO WE NEED NEW TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE?TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE?

COMING NEXT

LIVING & ABIDING WORD OF GOD