Translating God’s Word – Two Early Modern Translations

In the previous post, we looked at four key factors that prepared the way for a rebirth of translating the Bible into local languages beginning in the early 1500’s. These were the Renaissance, the fall of Constantinople, the invention of the printing press, and the Reformation. Today we will look at two early translations from the time of the Reformation.

The first important translation during the time of the Reformation was the German translation done by Martin Luther. While Luther was in hiding in 1521-1522, he translated the New Testament from the original Greek into German. In this labor, he was assisted by Philip Melanchthon (who was one of the greatest scholars of Greek in the world). The Greek text used by Luther was the 2nd Edition of Erasmus’ Greek text, often referred to as the Textus Receptus. Luther then worked with others to translate the Old Testament, which was published in 1534. 

It is virtually impossible to overstate the impact of Luther’s Bible, both on making the Bible available to the German people, in setting the example for translators in other languages, and even in the development of the German language. The opinion of noted Church historian Philip Schaff regarding Luther’s New Testament is true of his entire Bible: “The richest fruit of Luther’s leisure in the Wartburg, and the most important and useful work of his whole life, is the translation of the New Testament, by which he brought the teaching and example of Christ and the Apostles to the mind and heart of the Germans in life-like reproduction. It was a republication of the gospel. He made the Bible the people’s book in church, school, and house.”

Following the example of Luther, William Tyndale, the English Reformer, wanted to translate the Bible into English. However, official sanction was denied, and Tyndale went to Continental Europe and then began translating and smuggling the Bible into England. His New Testament, first published in 1526, was confiscated and burned by Roman Catholic Church officials, and Cardinal Wolsey condemned Tyndale as a heretic. However, Tyndale continued to translate the Scriptures until his betrayal and death in 1536. Tyndale was one of the great scholars of Greek and Hebrew in the world, and it is almost impossible to overstate the debt all later English translations owe to Tyndale’s work. His dying prayer was “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes” – which God did! Soon the Bible was being translated officially into English – and Tyndale’s work was the basis of not only the first few English translations but ultimately all that have ever been done in its wake. 

Much more could be said regarding these and other translations, but space will not permit it. But why not take a moment right now to thank God for the gift of His Word in our language of English? What a priceless gift we have been given!

In Christ,

Bret