| William Tindale Translation | |
| Pentateuch | NewCovenant |
When William Tyndale could not receive support in Englandto translate the Bible into English, he went to Germany, never to return.Here he dodged Roman Catholic authorities. In 1525, he started printinghis New Testament in Cologne. When he was betrayed, he fled to Worms andcontinued his work. The first completed New Testament in English appearedearly in 1526(?). When copies reached England, any that could be foundby authorities were burned at St. Paul's Cross.
After losing money, copies, and time in a shipwreck, hestarted over again. Having completed the Pentateuch, he began printingit in Antwerp in 1530. In the following year, he translated Jonah and revisedGenesis. In 1534 and 1535, he made revisions to the New Testament.
He was kidnapped by Antwerp authorities and imprisoned.On orders of papal authorities, requests for his release were denied. In1536, he was executed at the stake. He did not complete the translationof the Old Testament.
The Old Testament (Pentateuch only) version being usedwas published by Southern Illinois University Press in 1967. "Beinga verbatim reprint of the edition of M.CCCCC.XXX [1530]. Compared withTyndale's Genesis of 1534, and the Pentateuch in the Vulgate, Luther, andMatthew's Bible, with various collations and prolegomena." [Prolegomena:a treatise serving as a preface or introduction to a book. (The RandomHouse Dictionary of the English Language. Page 1547.)]
The language and spelling of the day have been retained.
Yale University Press (1989)
[University of Texas at ArlingtonLibrary, Arlington, Texas](Pentateuch)
[Dallas Public Library, Dallas, Texas](New Covenant)
In the begynnynge God created heaven and erth. The erthwas voyde and emptie, ad darcknesse was vpon the depe, an the spirite ofgod moved vpon the water ... .
In the beginnynge was the worde, and the worde was withGod: and the worde was God. The same was in the beginnynge with God. Allthinges were made by it, and with out it, was made nothinge, that was made. |