What is the history of the Bible in English?

Passing from the age of revelations, we may still trace God's care for His word, in the manner He provided for its dissemination through the medium of translations. As the knowledge of Greek declined, a Latin translation for the Christians in the western part of the Roman empire became a necessity, and, when needed, believers found their want met. For the Churches of North Africa, as early as the second century, a Latin translation had been made from the Greek, called the Vetis Latina. Subsequently some parts of the New Testament, the Gospels at least, were translated in North Italy, and called Versio Itala. Jerome first connected portions of these two, which, in his day, had become blended together, and afterwards translated the Old Testament directly from the Hebrew. As years passed on his version was mixed up with the preceding ones, and hence was formed that Latin version now known as the Vulgate. Containing some gross doctrinal errors, and others not affecting doctrine, it was, nevertheless, for centuries the only translation in which the Scriptures could be read by the greater part of the nations of Western Europe. From it Bede translated. From it Aelfric likewise in the 10th century translated portions of the Old Testament. From it Wicliff learnt God's truth, and then translated the New Testament for the benefit of his countrymen. Thus a Latin translation, first made for the Christians of North Africa, was destined to be the only source for ages from which God's saints would learn that truth which satisfies the soul. With the dawn of the Reformation access to the original sources was reopened; and the invention of printing brought within the reach of many the Scriptures in the original tongues. Then afresh translations were made. German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish versions by degrees appeared, made more or less directly from the Hebrew and Greek. Tyndale was the first who translated the New Testament for English readers. With the Greek before him he nevertheless was influenced by the Vulgate; and thus, even in the present day, the authorised version bears traces of the influence that translation once exercised over the Western Churches. Tyndale's New Testament appeared in 1525 A.D., the Old Testament a little later. After him Coverdale brought out a translation of the Bible in 1535; Matthews in 1537; Taverner in 1539; Cranmer's Bible appeared in that same year. The Genevan version was published in 1557-1560, and the Bishop's in 1568-1572. Some preferring the Genevan, others the Bishop's, at length in 1611 came out the Authorised version, which, after some years, was generally accepted as the English version. Here too we may trace the goodness of God. The value of having one version, not two or more in common use, is great. Before therefore the Colonial empire of Great Britain had attained to its colossal greatness; before the different denominations in England and her colonies had appeared, or been moulded into distinct separate bodies; before the English tongue had spread over so large a portion of the earth's surface, and jealousies between the mother country and her colonies had led the latter to regard with suspicion anything emanating by royal authority from the former, the Authorised version appeared; and, wherever the English language is spoken, or English enterprise has penetrated, thither that version has been carried, and wherever English or American missionaries have gone, and provided the natives with a translation in their own language, the influence of the Authorised version is felt, the value of one commonly accepted translation attested. Are these slight advantages? Was this the result of accident, or of design!

We have had Wycliffe's unprinted Bible, the first ever given to the English people, in 1380; nearly a century and a half afterwards appeared the first printed English New Testament by the godly and learned Tyndale, this was in 1526; shortly before the cruel martyrdom of Tyndale, Coverdale presented to his countrymen the first complete printed English Bible, in 1535; two years afterwards, dear John Rogers gave us his revised edition of Coverdale's Bible, familiarly known as "Matthew's Bible," 1537; another two years or so, and the "Great or Cranmer Bible" was published, which was simply a careful revision of what had gone before, 1540; twenty years of stirring events and Geneva becomes the birth-place of the first complete English Bible translated throughout from the original tongues, 1560; another period of about eight years, and in 1568 appeared what we would term "The Ecclesiastical Bible," known as the "Bishops' Bible," a simple revision of the Cranmer edition; soon after this the Romish Church began to think of England and of the clamant demand of her people for the Word of God in her native tongue, and so gave the New Testament in 1582 — the link between Wycliffe's Bible and King James' translation; then appeared the Douay Bible under high ecclesiastical sanction, possessing certain marked excellencies, but, on the whole, exceedingly faulty, 1609; two years after the complete Roman Catholic Bible was published, the noble and renowned work known as "the Authorised Version" — the result of seven years' diligent labour appeared, and thus crowned the work of Bible translation and printing, 1611.

We have already referred to the two versions of the Scriptures in public use during the prosperous reign of Elizabeth, and at the commencement of King James' — namely, the "Bishops' Bible," used at Court and in the Churches, and the "Geneva Bible," in more common use in the households of the people. Neither gave universal satisfaction, and it was felt by all parties that sooner or later an entirely new version must be prepared. It was brought about in a simple way, as most great undertakings are. There was a conference held at Hampton Court, on January 16, 1604. Certain Church differences and questions were discussed in which the King took great interest. In the course of the proceedings, the Puritan, Dr. Reynold, proposed a new version of the Bible. The King, to please the Puritans, and attach them more firmly to his throne and constitution, and also because of his strongly expressed dislike to the two translations then in use, consented. The King's cordial approval silenced the opposition of the conformist party. The superintending hand of God was apparent even in the preliminary arrangements.

Not content with publicly preaching the Word, he determined to give the people a translation of the Bible in their own language, and this great work he completed about the year 1380. Previous attempts at Bible translation had been made, but with only partial success. King Alfred, with the help of learned men, began a translation, but dying soon after, the work was stopped. Bede, in the eighth century, had translated the Gospel of John, and is said to have expired as he finished the last verse. But these copies, even if any now existed, were only fragmentary and out of reach of the common people.

In his quiet retreat at Lutterworth, after nearly fifteen years' labour, he succeeded in finishing his translation from the Latin Vulgate into the English tongue. There are still several copies of Wycliffe's Bible in the principal libraries, and one in the British Museum is believed to have been written by Wycliffe himself. Here is a specimen of the language in which the Scriptures were read in the fourteenth century; it is a passage from Luke's Gospel in Wycliffe's translation �

§ 1. Wycliffe's.

To speak of English translations based upon the Vulgate, we need but further refer to that by John Wycliffe, first printed in the present reign (1850), the work of one who, in the opinion of a learned Professor of Modern History, has done more than any other Englishman to shape the England of the present day.

(Here is inserted in the book a picture of William Tyndale, born about 1484, probably in Gloucestershire, martyred at Filford, near Antwerp, 6th Oct., 1536. In the year 1526 William Tyndale gave to the English-speaking people the first complete printed New Testament. He who can measure what the New Testament has been to the English-speaking peoples, can measure what they owe to William Tyndale. He may well be called "the Apostle of England." On the reverse are facsimiles of Exodus 3:1-8 from Tyndale's Pentateuch printed in 1530 and a page - 2 Cor. 10:1-11 - from Tyndale's New Testament printed in 1534. More than half of our New Testament, even in its latest form, stands as it came from Tyndale's pen. The style, the simplicity, the character and the spirit of the translation are what he made them in his devotion to his labour, and in his dependence on God. Tyndale's version was made from the original Greek, its predecessors having been made only from the Latin.)

Of English translations by Protestants, to which principally reference is made on the title-page of the common English Bible, it is well to know something of the following: —

§ 2. Tyndale's.

William Tyndale's Translation of the Pentateuch and Book of Jonah (circ. 1530). The influence of this celebrated Protestant martyr has been chiefly felt in the New Testament. But his vocabulary seems also to have largely entered into the texture of Matthew's Bible, the first of the so-called Authorised Versions. Froude says of Tyndale's Bible, 'It is substantially the Bible with which we are all familiar,' which is certainly true of the New Testament. Besides the Pentateuch and the Book of Jonah, which he issued separately, Tyndale translated what were called 'Epistles,' being selections from the Old Testament, which are appended to his translation of the New Testament. He had little to work with besides the Vulgate and Luther's translation of the Pentateuch, the latter of which appeared in 1523. It is generally agreed that he must have translated from the Hebrew Text. Tyndale was burned in 1536. He is said at the stake to have exclaimed, 'The Lord open the king of England's eyes:' his prayer seems to have been answered the next year by Henry's licence being given to the publication of Matthew's Bible.

We have already seen the learned men of England in possession of the New Testament in Greek and Latin; but the common people-unless they had Wycliffe's translation- must receive the knowledge of the truth through preachers -such as Bilney, Latimer, and others. William Tyndale, a man chosen of God, translated the Greek into English at Antwerp, and sent thousands of his New Testaments to England, concealed in vessels coming to our ports. Sometimes they were seized and burned, but many escaped detection, and were widely circulated. The whole Bible in the English of that day, translated by Tyndale, with the assistance of Miles Coverdale, appeared in 1535, dedicated to the king, being the first edition of the scriptures published by royal authority. Probably through the influence of Cranmer, Henry ordered the free sale of the Bible, and a copy in Latin and English to be provided for every parish church in the realm, and chained to a pillar or a desk in the choir, that any man might have access to it, and read it. "I rejoice," wrote Cranmer to Cromwell, "to see this day of Reformation now risen in England, since the light of God's word doth shine over it without a cloud."

England owes a debt of gratitude to William Tyndale. He had been early impressed with the thought that his work was to give to England the Bible in its mother tongue. He had said to his opposers, "I will cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of the scriptures than the pope." With this before him, he set himself to work in earnest. He had to get his translation printed abroad, anywhere he could — sometimes a part in one city and a part in another; concealing it from being seen. While thus engaged he was often in want; yet with the firm conviction that he was doing the work God would have him do, he persevered, and about 1525 his first edition of the New Testament in English was ready. It had to be smuggled into England, but it was gladly received, and eagerly read. This was rapidly followed by other editions which gradually spread all over England, enlightening men's minds as to what was the truth of God, and also as to what was not of God, though it bore the name of religion.

Cranmer loved God and his truth, and he took the first opportunity to advocate that the Bible, translated by learned and competent men, should be allowed free circulation. Hitherto it had only come from abroad by stealth, and was always liable to be seized. The king granted the request on condition that the clergy of England should never call the pope universal bishop or pope; but only bishop of Rome. Those of the clergy who were devoted to Rome had to resort to mental reservation or lose their places. Many chose the former.

This movement was strongly marked by the appearance of translations of the Holy Scriptures into the language of the common people. It was the power of an open Bible that broke, so largely the power of Rome. The invention of printing by type in the 15th century paved the way in the mercy of God for the printing of the Word of God. There were in this country, Tyndale’s New Testament (1525-1530). Coverdale’s Bible (1535). Cranmer’s Great Bible (1539). Archbishop Parker’s Bible (1568). King James’ Bible—our present Authorized Bible (1611), and others. King Henry VIII ordered a copy of Coverdale’s Bible to be placed in every parish Church, “for every man that will to look and read therein.”

In this and the following chapters we must trace the Book for a period of some 1,300 years, or from the time that the New Testament was completed until the time comes that we can look into Wycliffe's study at Lutterworth and see him busily translating his Vulgate copy into the then spoken language of England.