The Early Days of Bible Translation: A Dangerous Task
The account of William Tyndale’s efforts to produce an English Bible is one of courage, faith, and immense personal sacrifice. In the early 16th century, translating the Bible into a common language was a highly dangerous endeavor. The Roman Catholic Church and secular authorities in Europe, including England, sought to control access to the Scriptures. This was largely done by restricting the Bible to Latin, a language accessible only to the educated elite, particularly clergy. The idea that the common person could have direct access to the Word of God was considered dangerous to the established religious order.
In the Scriptures, the apostle Paul encourages believers: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Tyndale recognized the truth of this passage and believed that the common people of England deserved access to God’s Word in their own language, so they could be guided and corrected by its principles.
Tyndale’s Early Life and Education
William Tyndale was born around 1494 in Gloucestershire, England, though the exact location and date of his birth remain uncertain. He studied at Oxford University, where he earned a Master of Arts degree in 1515. He became proficient in Greek and Latin, which were essential for biblical scholarship during that time. The young Tyndale was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1521, but his growing discontent with the Church’s control over access to the Scriptures soon led him on a different path.
Tyndale’s desire to translate the Bible into English grew during his time in the household of John Walsh in Gloucestershire. His education had given him access to the Latin Vulgate and Greek Scriptures, but he was frustrated that the common people had no such opportunity. In his mind, the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-7 echoed clearly: “These words that I am commanding you today must be on your heart. You must inculcate them in your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” For the people to obey Jehovah’s commandments, they had to understand them in their own language.
The Decision to Translate the Bible into English
In 1523, Tyndale traveled to London to seek permission from Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall to begin translating the Bible into English. At that time, permission was needed from a bishop because of the Constitutions of Oxford (1408), which prohibited unauthorized translations of the Scriptures. This law was an attempt by the Church to maintain control over religious teachings and prevent what they saw as heretical ideas from spreading among the laity. The Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe, had already begun translating portions of the Bible in the 14th century, and many had been executed for their efforts.
Bishop Tunstall refused to see Tyndale, offering no support for his translation efforts. Tyndale realized that translating the Bible into English would be impossible in England due to the strong opposition from both Church and state. His decision to leave England was a pivotal moment in his life and in the history of the English Bible. He knew that the path ahead would be fraught with danger, but he was determined to make the Scriptures accessible to all. As Jesus said, “You will be hated by all people on account of my name.” (Matthew 10:22)
The Move to Europe and Translation Work Begins
Tyndale crossed the English Channel in 1524, determined to carry out his work in a more favorable environment. He settled in Germany, likely Hamburg, and began the monumental task of translating the New Testament from the original Greek into English. His translation was heavily influenced by Erasmus’ Greek New Testament, which had been published in 1516. Tyndale’s use of the Greek text was revolutionary because most earlier translations had been based on Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. By translating directly from the Greek, Tyndale produced a more accurate and readable text for English-speaking believers.
The New Testament is filled with verses encouraging believers to study the Scriptures. Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, wrote: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” (Colossians 3:16) Tyndale’s goal was to fulfill this mandate by giving English-speaking Christians the opportunity to have the Word of God dwell richly within them. He was convinced that every plowboy in England should be able to know more of the Scriptures than the learned clergy of his day.
Printing the New Testament: A Race Against Time
In 1525, Tyndale’s New Testament was being printed in Cologne, Germany, by Peter Quentell. However, opposition quickly arose. John Dobneck, also known as Cochlaeus, discovered the printing operation and alerted the authorities, forcing Tyndale and his assistant William Roye to flee up the Rhine River with as many of their printed pages as they could carry. They eventually reached Worms, where they completed the printing of the first English New Testament.
The difficulties faced by Tyndale highlight the intense opposition to translating the Bible into vernacular languages. The Catholic Church feared that allowing common people access to the Scriptures would undermine its authority. Church leaders had used their control over religious teachings to maintain power, but Tyndale’s translation threatened to loosen that grip. Jesus had told His disciples: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32) Tyndale’s translation was designed to set the people of England free from ignorance of God’s Word.
The Smuggling of Bibles into England
Once printed, Tyndale’s New Testament had to be smuggled into England, as the authorities had banned its importation. Merchants sympathetic to Tyndale’s cause hid the New Testaments in bales of cloth and other goods. Despite the Church’s efforts to confiscate and burn these copies, many made their way into the hands of English readers. The clergy were furious. On February 11, 1526, Cardinal Wolsey and other church officials gathered to publicly burn Tyndale’s New Testaments in London.
This opposition did not deter Tyndale. He continued to revise and improve his translation, producing new editions of the New Testament that were smuggled into England in even greater numbers. In fact, Tyndale and his supporters struck a clever deal with Bishop Tunstall, who agreed to buy up copies of Tyndale’s New Testament in order to burn them. Tyndale used the money from these sales to finance the printing of even more copies, turning the Church’s opposition into an advantage.
Why Was the Church So Opposed to Tyndale?
The Church’s opposition to Tyndale’s translation stemmed from more than just a desire to maintain control over religious teachings. Tyndale’s translation choices challenged some of the Church’s most deeply held doctrines. For example, instead of translating the Greek word ekklesia as “church,” Tyndale translated it as “congregation,” emphasizing the gathering of believers rather than the institution of the Church. He also translated the Greek word presbyteros as “elder” instead of “priest,” undermining the special status of the clergy.
Perhaps most significantly, Tyndale translated the Greek word metanoia as “repent” rather than “do penance.” The Church’s teaching on penance had given the clergy immense power, as they could prescribe penances to be performed by believers as a form of atonement for sins. By translating the word as “repent,” Tyndale emphasized personal repentance and a direct relationship with God, bypassing the need for clerical mediation. Jesus had said: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.” (Matthew 4:17) Tyndale’s translation of this key term returned the focus to personal repentance, as taught by Christ.
Tyndale’s Use of Jehovah’s Name in His Translation
Another noteworthy aspect of Tyndale’s translation work was his use of the name Jehovah. He was the first to use the divine name in an English translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. In several places in the Old Testament, he included Jehovah’s name over 20 times. This use of Jehovah’s name was consistent with the ancient Hebrew manuscripts, which contain the Tetragrammaton (JHVH). For example, in Exodus 6:3, Tyndale rendered the verse: “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah I did not make myself known to them.”
Tyndale’s use of Jehovah’s name further distinguished his translation from the Latin Vulgate, which used “Dominus” (the Lord) in place of the Tetragrammaton. His translation restored the personal name of God to the English-speaking people, emphasizing that God desired a personal relationship with His worshipers. The prophet Joel wrote: “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” (Joel 2:32) By including Jehovah’s name in his translation, Tyndale helped English readers connect with the personal God of the Bible.
Betrayal and Death: Tyndale’s Final Years
Tyndale’s final years were marked by continued persecution and betrayal. In 1535, while living in Antwerp, he was betrayed by Henry Phillips, a man who had gained Tyndale’s trust under false pretenses. Tyndale was arrested and imprisoned in Vilvorde Castle near Brussels, where he was held for 16 months before being tried for heresy. In October 1536, Tyndale was executed by strangulation, and his body was burned.
Tyndale’s last words were reportedly: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” This prayer was answered in part just three years later when King Henry VIII authorized the production of the Great Bible, an English translation based largely on Tyndale’s work. Though Tyndale did not live to see the widespread acceptance of his translation, his work laid the foundation for future English Bibles, including the Geneva Bible and later the King James Version (1611).
The Enduring Legacy of Tyndale’s Work
Though William Tyndale paid the ultimate price for his translation efforts, his work has had an enduring impact on Christianity and the English language. Much of the vocabulary and phrasing used in modern English Bibles can be traced back to Tyndale’s pioneering work. Phrases such as “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) and “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9) originated with Tyndale’s translation and have become ingrained in the English-speaking world.
Tyndale’s commitment to making the Bible accessible to the common people reflects the heart of biblical teaching. Jesus prayed to Jehovah: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) Tyndale’s efforts ensured that this truth would not remain hidden behind the barriers of Latin and ecclesiastical control, but would instead be available to all who sought to know and understand God’s will.
Early Bible Translations: A Foundation for Tyndale
Tyndale’s work was not without precedent. Several Bible translations had already been made in European languages by the time he began his work. For example, printed Bibles existed in German (1466), Italian (1471), French (1474), Czech (1475), Dutch (1477), and Catalan (1478). Martin Luther’s German New Testament, published in 1522, was a significant influence on Tyndale’s work. Luther’s boldness in defying the Church’s restrictions on vernacular translations undoubtedly encouraged Tyndale to pursue his own translation efforts for the English-speaking world.
As Proverbs 4:7 reminds us, “Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom, and with all you acquire, acquire understanding.” Tyndale’s translation brought understanding to the common people of England, enabling them to acquire the wisdom of God’s Word. His work stands as a testament to the power of Scripture and the lengths to which believers have gone to ensure that all people can have access to God’s message.
About the Author
EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).
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