The origins of the English Translation of the Bible

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kiama	05 Apr 2002
I didn't know this, so I thught you guys might find it of interest. Its about how the Bible took about 200 years to be translated into English and accepted! I am paraphrasing from the book, 'The Bible, The Lord Jesus, and You.' 1384: John Wycliffe translates the Bible from Latin to English. Printing press is not yet available, so these Bibles are expensive and slow in the making. William Tyndale expresses same concern as Wycliffe, and is reported to have said to his employer: "If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scriptures than thou dost." He began to translate the New Testament from the original Greek. 1525-6: Tyndale's printed New Testament begins to arrive in London's docks. Tyndale is branded a heretic, and forced to flee to the continent to complete his work. A few years later, Tyndale is betrayed. He is arrested and imprioned. After a trial in which the verdict was a forgone conclusion, he is stragled and burnt at the stake. His dying prayer has become famous: "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." 1535: There is now a complete Ensglish Bible, the work of a man named Myles Coverdale. 1537: John Rogers, a friend of Tyndale, produced an English Bible, which is largely the work of Tyndale. 1539: Bible called the Great Bible. It is published and placed in every church. It has to be chained to the lectern, as so many people clamour to read it! When Henry VIII broke with Rome, he sanctioned the Great Bible. Later, he turned tail, and forbade the common people to read the Bible again. He ordered all of Tyndale's works to be destroyed. 1547: Edward VI comes to the throne. He sanctions the Bible, and people save up all their money to buy their own copy. 1553: Queen Mary comes to the throne. Bibles removed from all churches. John Rogers and other are burnt at the stake as heretics. Translators flee to the continent. 1558: Elizabeth I comes to throne. Public reading of the Bible restored. 1560: Those who fled to the continent produce a new work: The Geneva Bible, the first Bible to break things up into chapters and verses, aswell as marginal notes and explanations of the text. 1568: Bishops revise the Geneva Bible, naming it the Bishop's Bibl. Geneva Bible remains the most popular among normal people. 1604: King James gets people working on a revision of the Bible. 1611: This new Bible is published, and authorised by the king. It is now the most loved, and known as the King James version. (Original! ;) ) 1870: Another revision. 1885: This revision published. Then, we have the modern translations. And that's the story! Kiama

Malachite	05 Apr 2002
Wow.. Interestingly enough, the English translation isn't actually that good... In the German one, apparently, when it says that "and god said let there be light", etc...the German word implies a kind of work that takes effort, rather than a simple absolute command...

Musicman	06 Apr 2002
That was veru informative Kiama..Another thing to add is that words have different meanings over the years. For example decades ago the word 'gay' meant 'happy', but nowadays means something totally different. Imagine over the millieniums how words have evolved and people take the bible literally are going to completely off the beaten track. The bible is symbolical. When somethings is taken that way, then it does not matter what the words actaully mean, as its used as a metaphor...

The The origins of the English Translation of the Bible thread was originally posted on 05 Apr 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.