Bible Fact · Nehemiah 8:8 — 'They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.'
A Brief History of Bible Translation
The Fact
Bible translation has a 2,300-year history. The Septuagint (Greek, ~250 BC) was first. Jerome's Latin Vulgate (~AD 400) became the standard Bible of the Western church for 1,000 years. Wycliffe produced the first English Bible in 1380 — entirely from the Latin. Gutenberg's press (1450s) made printed Bibles available. William Tyndale translated the New Testament from Greek into English in 1526, becoming the first English Bible from the original languages; he was executed for it. His work formed 80-90% of the King James Bible (1611). The KJV became the most influential English literary and spiritual document in history. Modern translations include the RSV (1952), NIV (1978), NASB, ESV, NLT, and hundreds more. Today the complete Bible exists in over 700 languages; the New Testament in over 1,500; some portion in over 3,500 — yet over 1,500 languages still have no Scripture at all. Wycliffe Bible Translators and other organizations continue the work.
Context
Tyndale's dying prayer — 'Lord, open the King of England's eyes' — was answered three years later when Henry VIII authorized an English Bible. Sometimes prayers are answered after the pray-er has gone.
Significance
The history of Bible translation is a history of people willing to die so that others could read Scripture in their own language. The accessible Bible you hold is a gift paid for at great cost.
Reflection
Tyndale died so ordinary people could read the Bible in English. When did you last actually read the Bible he gave his life to give you?