History of the English Bible: question four

That is correct!

In case you missed it, go back to the Harry Ransom Center site to see Gutenberg’s Bible in Latin. Click on “TURN THE PAGES” in the red menu bar to see different pages. You can zoom in for a better look. (You may need to use a browser other than Chome. The viewer appears to require Java.) For more information about the Gutenberg Bible and the printing press, please see the links below.

Short video of a replica Gutenberg press from Passages

Further Reading/References
Gutenberg Bible, The British Library
The Printing Press, History.com (short video about Johannes Gutenberg and his press)
Johann Gutenberg, Lemelson-MIT

TIMELINE
1516 AD: Erasmus Produces a Greek/Latin Parallel New Testament.
1526 AD: William Tyndale’s New Testament; The First New Testament printed in the English Language.
Timeline credit: greatsite.com

Another important development furthered the work of translators. A Dutch scholar and Catholic priest named Erasmus made a Greek/Latin parallel New Testament. Having this Greek New Testament available to work from was a significant gain for Bible translators as they did not have to work solely from the Latin.

Subsequent published editions of Erasmus’ New Testament were used by Bible translators such as the German reformer Martin Luther, a man named William Tyndale, later translators in Geneva, Switzerland, and translators of the King James Bible. This next question involves the Christian translator and martyr William Tyndale.

William Tyndale, an Englishman and scholar who knew several languages, working from one of Erasmus’ revised editions, translated the New Testament from the Greek. In 1525 his work became the first New Testament to be printed in the English language on the printing press.  He worked tirelessly to bring the word of God to the people. Church and State leaders sought to stop him. At that time in England it was illegal to translate the Bible into English without proper approval according to the Constitutions of Oxford that passed in 1408. Tyndale was eventually imprisoned and received a death sentence for his translating work and “heretical” views. He was strangled and burned at the stake.

Right before he died Tyndale prayed, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” This prayer was a result of the opposition his work received from the throne. To what king was he referring?

A. Richard III
B. Henry VII
C. Henry VIII
D. James I

Find Out! (then hit your back button to return)
William Tyndale – Burned for Translating the Bible into English, Awesome Stories