Why We Have Bible Translations
* Original Languages and Accessibility: The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and some Aramaic.To be accessible to people who do not speak these languages, it needs to be translated.
* The Problem of Obsolete Languages: The Latin Vulgate, a 4th-century translation, became the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church for 1,000 years. However, as knowledge of Latin declined, the clergy and laity could no longer read the Bible for themselves, relying instead on commentaries and sermons. This highlights the importance of keeping translations current.
English Bible Transmission History
* Early English Portions (670–1066 A.D.)
* Caedmon (670 A.D.): The first mention of English translation, he put Bible stories into verse for singing and recitation.
* Aldhelm (700 A.D.): Bishop of Sherborn, he translated the Psalms, though no copies survive.
* St. Bede (673–735 A.D.): A Benedictine monk who is said to have translated parts of the Vulgate, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostle's Creed.
* King Alfred (871–901 A.D.): Known as "Alfred the Great," he translated legal sections of the Bible,including the Ten Commandments, as well as Psalms 1–50.
* Lindisfarne Gospels (c. 900 A.D.): A Latin Bible with Old English "glosses," or words, written underneath the Latin text.
* Wessex Gospels (c. 990 A.D.): The oldest surviving non-interlinear English translation of the Gospels.
* Aelfric (955–1025 A.D.): A prolific writer who translated Genesis through Judges.
* Battle of Hastings (1066): The Norman invasion of England led to the dominance of Latin in the church for 300 years, halting English translation efforts and blending Old English with French to create Middle English.
* The First Complete English Bible (14th Century)
* John Wycliffe (c. 1325–1384): A respected scholar and priest who believed Scripture was the supreme authority and should be available to everyone. He is known as "The Morningstar of the Reformation."
* The Wycliffe Bible (1382): The first complete English Bible, it was a translation of the Latin Vulgate. As a handwritten text, it could take up to a year to produce and cost six months of a person's wages. A more readable revision was created in 1392 by his secretary, John Purvey.
* Impact and Persecution: Wycliffe and his followers, the "Lollards," were persecuted for their beliefs. In 1408, reading the English Bible was outlawed. In 1415, the Pope had Wycliffe's bones exhumed and burned.
* The Reformation and Printed Bibles (16th Century)
* William Tyndale (1494–1536): A scholar fluent in six or seven languages, he famously vowed that he would "cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scripture" than a priest.
* Tyndale's New Testament (1525): Fleeing England for Germany, Tyndale produced the first English translation of the New Testament directly from the Greek. He also translated parts of the Old Testament from Hebrew. This was the first printed edition of the New Testament in English.
* Legacy: Tyndale's translation introduced many words and phrases still used today, such as "scapegoat," "atonement," "passover," and "let there be light." His work became the foundation for many subsequent English translations. He was executed in 1536 for heresy.
* Subsequent Translations and Revisions
* Coverdale Bible (1535): Edited by Myles Coverdale, Tyndale's assistant, this was the first complete Bible printed in English. It used Tyndale's Old Testament portions and German and Latin texts.
* Matthew's Bible (1537): Compiled by John Rogers under the pseudonym "Thomas Matthew," this combined Coverdale's Old Testament with Tyndale's New Testament. It included about 2,000 notes and was known as the "Wife-Beater's Bible" because of one specific note.
* Great Bible (1539): Commissioned by King Henry VIII and edited by Coverdale, this was the first officially sanctioned Bible of the Church of England. It was a large volume designed to be placed in every church.
* Geneva Bible (1560): Produced by English Protestant exiles in Geneva, Switzerland, this was a highly scholarly translation based on Greek and Hebrew texts. It was the first English Bible to use chapters and numbered verses and included extensive notes. It became a favorite among Protestants and was brought to America by the Pilgrims.
* Bishop's Bible (1568): A revision of the Great Bible intended to be the official Bible of the Church of England, it failed to gain widespread use outside of Anglican circles.
* The King James Bible (1611)
* Motivation: King James I disliked the Geneva Bible's anti-monarchist notes and approved a new translation to replace it and ease tensions with the Puritans.
* Process: 47 scholars were chosen to create the new translation with specific rules, including using the Bishop's Bible as a base and avoiding marginal notes.
* Reception and Dominance: Initially, the King James Version was not well received, as the Geneva Bible was preferred. King James and his son, Charles I, banned the publication and importation of the Geneva Bible, which eventually led to the KJV's widespread adoption. Its reputation for "beauty" and its influence on the English language were not widely appreciated until about 150 years after its publication.
