How We
Got the Bible
Lesson #l2--English Translations of the Bible
(Part 3)
With the aid of the printing press,
and with Tyndale's work as a foundation, other English translations quickly followed.
A. Miles Coverdale Bible
(1535-36). While Tyndale was in prison awaiting judgment and death, the Miles Coverdale
Bible was circulated in England without official hindrance. The King of England's attitude
was changing towards English translations. Coverdale was neither a Greek nor Hebrew
scholar, but he was a very capable editor who gathered the very best materials available
at the time. His Old Testament work was based on the Zurich
Bible, Luther's German translation, the Latin
Vulgate, and Tyndale's work on the Pentateuch. His New Testament translation
was founded upon Tyndale's version and Luther's German translation. This was the first
complete printed Bible in the English language, and it was immensely popular.
Isn't it ironic, that less than a year
after Tyndale's martyrdom, the entire Bible was distributed, in the English
language, without royal opposition?
B. John Rogers--Matthews Bible (1537). John Rogers, a graduate of Oxford
in 1525, was a friend of both Tyndale and Coverdale. In fact, Tyndale turned over his
unpublished translation of Joshua to II Chronicles. to
Rogers, who then revised and completed the work. His version, published under the pseudonym Thomas Matthew, was granted permission by the King
to be bought and read in England. Henry VIII, who apparently made no effort to save
Tyndale's life, had now granted royal authorization to two
Bibles,Coverdale's and Roger's, in the English language.
C. The Great Bible
(1539). This was really a revision of Matthew's Bible and the Tyndle New Testament. It was
completed under the direction of Oliver Cromwell. The name "Great Bible" came from its size:
When opened it measured 18" by 14". When
the Great Bible was placed in the churches throughout England, the preachers began to
complain that the people were not listening to them. At the services the people would
crowd around the Bible, read and discuss it, while the preacher was trying to deliver his
sermon!
D. The Geneva Bible (1560).
When Mary Tudor came to the throne of England in 1553, England again fell into the hands and power of Roman Catholicism.
John Rogers and hundreds of others were burned
at the stake. Because of this persecution, many Bible scholars fled to Geneva, which was friendly to their
cause. The Geneva Bible was a very successful revision of the the
Great Bible printed to the size of a hand Bible today. Its compactness and superior
translation made it the most popular Bible among English-speaking Protestants for many
years. It is often called the breeches Bible because
of its wording in Gen. 3:7:"
Adam and Eve "sewed figge tree leeves together, and made themselves breeches."
E. The Bishop's Bible
(1568). The popularity of the Geneva Bible did not please high church officials. So they
authorized this new revision of the Great Bible to compete with it. The Bishop's Bible was
not widely accepted.
F. The Douay Version (1609-10). This Catholic Bible is a translated from the
Latin.
Lesson
1 - Introduction Lesson 2 - How
Ancient Books Made
Lesson 3 - Birth of Bible(Pt. 1) Lesson 4 - Birth of Bible (Pt. 2)
Lesson 5 - Text of Old Testament Lesson 6 - Text of New Testament(Pt. 1)
Lesson 7 - Text of New Testament (Pt. 2) Lesson 8 - Canon of Scriptures(Pt. 1)
Lesson 9 - Canon of Scriptures (Pt. 2)
Lesson 10 - English Translation (Pt.1)
Lesson 11 - English Translation (Pt.2)
Lesson 13 - English Translation (Pt.4)
Lesson 14 - English Translation (Pt.5)
Lesson 15 - English Translation
Pt.6)
Lesson 16 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.1)
Lesson 17 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.2)
Lesson 18 - Which Translation to Use(Pt.3) Lesson 19 - Which Translation to Use(Pt4)
Lesson 20 - Which Translation to Use (Pt. 5)
Lesson 21 - Which Translation to Use (Pt. 6)
Lesson 22 - Concluding Thoughts
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This page last updated: October 14, 2002