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Printed
1525 AD.
WILIAM TYNDALE
William Tyndale was an outstanding scholar and talented linguist. He was so deeply touched by Luther's German translation of the Bible that he devoted his life to creation of an English translation from the original languages and texts.
FROM ORIGINAL LANGUAGES
He left London to ask Bishop Tunstall for permission to create an English Bible, translated from Hebrew and Greek. His request was denied. Understanding that his work was impossible in England, he moved to Germany where he became the first to print the New Testament in English. Just as Luther's German translation had improved the German language by uniting German culture and accelerating its development, Tyndale's work influenced the English language and culture. To preserve the accuracy of the translation, Tyndale created many new English words, such as "Passover" and "redemption", instead of substituting existing words with a similar but less accurate meaning. He also changed traditional words, such as "priest", "penance", and "church" to "elder", "repentance", and "congregation", so the meaning of original text would be preserved.
FIRST EDITION
The first copies of a complete English New Testament arrived in England in 1526. Henry VII forbid anyone to use them and Bishop Tunstall ordered the copies to be seized and burned. Despite this discouraging reception of his translation, Tyndale settled in Antwerp, Belgium in 1530 where he continued his work. However, he was soon denounced and imprisoned in the Vilvorde Castle, nearby in Brussels. After 500 days in prison, he was convicted on an unfair trial, with the sentencing decided long before the actual event and received the sentencing to die by suffocation on the 6th of October 1536. After his martyrdom death his body was burned. His last words were, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes.
