DOCSLIB.ORG

Antwerp Bibles in the King James Version: the Test Case of the Book of Proverbs

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Antwerp Bibles in the King James Version: The Test Case of the Book of Proverbs Early Modern Translations of the Book of Proverbs (1533-1611) In an article published in the volume “The King James Bible after Four Hundred Years: Literary, Linguistic and Cultural Influences” edited by Hannibal Hamlin and Norman Jones for Cambridge University Press, 1 I argue that the characteristic language of the King James Version is the result of the balancing of opposing tendencies of its predecessors while incorporating them into the text.2 I also argue that the Antwerp English bible translations have played a decisive role in the naissance of the text of the Authorized Version.3 To put it somewhat bluntly, by modern standards of copyright, the Authorized Version would be considered today as a form of plagiarism. It is common knowledge that the King James Version relies heavily on William Tyndale’s biblical translations: scholars estimate that approximately 76-90% of Tyndale’s translation is incorporated verbatim in the King James Bible.4 It is less known, however, that also other Antwerp biblical translations, namely that of George Joye, Myles Coverdale and John Rogers’ Matthew’s Bible made their ways into the most important English Bible Translation. In this paper I would like to investigate how these early English biblical translations, prepared and printed in Antwerp, were employed in the King James Version. To illustrate these two points I will use here the test case of the Book of Proverbs, and will confine my scope to chapter one of the book. 1 Gergely Juhász, “Antwerp Bible Translations in the King James Bible”, in The King James Bible after Four Hundred Years: Literary, Linguistic and Cultural Influences, ed. Hannibal Hamlin and Norman W. Jones, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, pp. 100-123 2 p. 113. 3 Passim. 4 Based on a study of eighteen sampled passages from those portions of the Bible which were translated by Tyndale, Nielson and Skousen proposed the overall figure of 83 percent for the entire Bible. Their study suggests the figures of 76 percent for the Old Testament and 84 percent for the New Testament (Jon Nielson and Royal Skousen, "How Much of the King James Bible Is William Tyndale’s?," Reformation 3 (1998): 49-74. The study by Nielson and Skousen is uncritically copied by other scholars (e.g. David Daniell, The Bible in English. Its History and Influence, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003), 805, n. 813.) It should be noted however that these numbers are only indicative, as the study by Nielson and Skousen is based on a very limited sampling of the texts, most of the passages chosen for their familiarity. The methodology used by the authors is defendable, but not necessarily the best. Their study also indicates that the King James Version and the Wycliffe Bible, two supposedly independent translations made from different source texts and from different languages, have about seventy percent in common (it is not entirely clear from their study which edition of the Wycliffe Bible they used). It should also be noted that the authors did not take into account Tyndale’s 1535 and 1536 New Testament editions, nor Tyndale’s 1530 edition of Genesis. Furthermore they completely ignored George Joye’s two editions of Tyndale’s New Testament (Antwerp, 1534 and 1535) and other sixteenth-century translations. Westcott suggested the estimates of nine tenth (ninety percent) for 1 John and five sixths (eighty-three percent) for Ephesians (Brooke Foss Westcott and William Aldis Wright, A General View of the History of the English Bible, 3d ed., (London and New York: The Macmillan Company, 1905), 158, n.151.). Donald Coggan accepted the figure of ninety percent: Donald Coggan, The English Bible, (London: Published for the British Council and the National Book League by Longmans Green & Co., 1963), 19. Butterworth’s calculation of eighteen percent is misleading as he based his calculation on matching clauses and phrases only. At the same time, he frequently emphasizes that Tyndale’s wording has made it into the King James Bible essentially without change: Charles C. Butterworth, The Literary Lineage of the King James Bible, 1340-1611, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1941), passim., e.g. 56-64. As is the case for several books of the Old Testament, the first printed English translation of Proverbs, of which we see the title page here, was prepared by the Protestant George Joye in 1533 or 1534. Joye was living at the time in self-exposed exile in Antwerp and worked for various printers in the town. He had the terrible misfortune of dying eventually peacefully in his own bed in his native county. Furthermore he had a falling-out both with William Tyndale, the undisputed authority of English Biblical translation of the era and with the much younger martyrologist John Foxe. Accordingly he was carefully excised from all later editions of Foxe’s Acts and Monuments, commonly known as the Book of Martyrs. These events explain the fact that he is virtually unknown today despite his achievement that besides Proverbs, he also prepared the first printed English translations of Psalms, Isaiah, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, and Lamentations. The second translation of the Book of Proverbs prepared by another Antwerp exile Myles Coverdale, and was published in the 1535 Coverdale Bible, the first complete printed English Bible, which, as Guido Latré’s research has demonstrated, was also published in Antwerp. Coverdale’s translation was then revised by John Rogers, the chaplain of the English House in Antwerp, for his edition of the Bible published in 1537 under the fictitious name of Thomas Matthew. Coverdale also prepared another revision for the Great Bible, which accommodated some readings from the Vulgate to make it more acceptable to a conservative readership and which remained the authoritative text for two decades. None of these editions were translated from the Masoretic text but relied on various other sources. The 1535 Coverdale Bible claimed that it was based on ‘five sundry interpreters’. There is no agreement in the identification of these ‘five sundry interpreters’ in the secondary literature: beside the Vulgate scholars usually enumerate Luther’s Bible, the Zürich Bible, and Sante Pagnini’s Latin version, to which additionally Erasmus’s Latin New Testament, the Zürich Psalter, or the Worms Bible are sometimes named, though no satisfactory identification has been made. But as I have argued in the abovementioned book chapter, the gratuitous claim that by ‘Dutch’ Coverdale actually meant German (or exclusively German) is mistaken, and given its Antwerp origin, it would make a lot more sense to look among the contemporary Dutch Bible translations as possible sources for Coverdale.5 Though still being a revision of earlier translations, the 1560 Geneva Bible contained the first English rendering of the Book of Proverbs which was compared to the Hebrew text, followed by a series of reactionary biblical editions, generally known as the Bishops’ Bible. The first version of the Bishops’ Bible saw the light of day in 1568. By royal junction its 1602 edition formed the basis for the translators of the KJV. About a year before the publication of the King James Bible, in 1609-1610 Gregory Martin’s translation was published in the Catholic Douai Old Testament. It is generally agreed that it was too late to influence the formulation of the Authorized Version. Also some partial biblical translations and commentaries contained at least parts of the Book of Proverbs in English, such as the 1540 compilation of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus,6 the metrical translation of 5 Juhász, “Antwerp Bible Translations in the King James Bible”, p. 104. 6 Here Begynneth the Prouerbs of Solomon. Wherunto is added dyuers other Bookes of the Byble. Uery good and profytable for euery Chrysten man for to know, London: Robert Redman, 1540 [translation from Coverdale Bible]. John Hall published in 1550 (which had been earlier pirated by Thomas Sternhold),7 A godly and learned exposition vppon the proverbs of Solomon printed in London in 1580, being Marceline Outred’s English translation of the Genevan pastor Michael Cope’s French commentary8 or Thomas Wilcox, A Short yet Sound Commentary on the Proverbs of Salomon (London, 1589). These have either contained no new translation or played no significant role in the final formation of the text in the Authorized Version, but some of them will be occasionally mentioned in my paper. Having sketched history of the various editions briefly, let us turn now to the text itself. Verse 1. Salomon kynge of Israel the sonne of Dauid wrote certayn senteces: (Joye) These are the prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid kynge of Israel (Coverdale) The Prouerbes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid king of Israell (Matthew, Great Bible, Bishops, KJV) The Parables of Salomón the sonne of Dauid King of Israél (Geneva, Douai) ִמ ְׁש ֵלי ְׁשֹלמ ֹה ֶב ָן־ּדוִד ֶמ ֶלְך יִ ְׂש ָר ֵאל׃ Parabolae Salamonis, filii David, regis Israel (Vulgate) SOLOMON DAVIDIS filius, rex israelitarum, sententias conscripsit (Melanchthon) The first verse of the book functions as title and summary. The Vulgate renders it with parabola (a legitimate ָמ ָשׁל accordingly, and Jerome opted to translate possibility) that was picked up by the translators of Geneva and embraced by Gregory Martin for the Catholic Old Testament. But in the first printed English translation of the Book of Proverbs, George Joye expanded the verse into a full sentence with an active finite verb of which Solomon is the subject and ‘sentences’ is the direct object. Naturally the question arises whether this is a case where Joye exhibits his alleged custom of “expanding and adding words of his own” as some of the historians of the English Bible say? The answer is clearly no.
Recommended publications
  • The Beginnings of English Protestantism

    The Beginnings of English Protestantism

    THE BEGINNINGS OF ENGLISH PROTESTANTISM PETER MARSHALL ALEC RYRIE The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge ,UK West th Street, New York, -, USA Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, , Australia Ruiz de Alarc´on , Madrid, Spain Dock House, The Waterfront, Cape Town , South Africa http://www.cambridge.org C Cambridge University Press This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge Typeface Baskerville Monotype /. pt. System LATEX ε [TB] A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library hardback paperback Contents List of illustrations page ix Notes on contributors x List of abbreviations xi Introduction: Protestantisms and their beginnings Peter Marshall and Alec Ryrie Evangelical conversion in the reign of Henry VIII Peter Marshall The friars in the English Reformation Richard Rex Clement Armstrong and the godly commonwealth: radical religion in early Tudor England Ethan H. Shagan Counting sheep, counting shepherds: the problem of allegiance in the English Reformation Alec Ryrie Sanctified by the believing spouse: women, men and the marital yoke in the early Reformation Susan Wabuda Dissenters from a dissenting Church: the challenge of the Freewillers – Thomas Freeman Printing and the Reformation: the English exception Andrew Pettegree vii viii Contents John Day: master printer of the English Reformation John N. King Night schools, conventicles and churches: continuities and discontinuities in early Protestant ecclesiology Patrick Collinson Index Illustrations Coat of arms of Catherine Brandon, duchess of Suffolk.
  • THE KING JAMES VERSION at 400 Biblical Scholarship in North America

    THE KING JAMES VERSION at 400 Biblical Scholarship in North America

    THE KING JAMES VERSION AT 400 Biblical Scholarship in North America Number 26 THE KING JAMES VERSION AT 400 Assessing Its Genius as Bible Translation and Its Literary Influence THE KING JAMES VERSION AT 400 ASSESSING ITS GENIUS AS BIBLE TRANSLATION AND ITS LITERARY INFLUENCE Edited by David G. Burke, John F. Kutsko, and Philip H. Towner Society of Biblical Literature Atlanta THE KING JAMES VERSION AT 400 Assessing Its Genius as Bible Translation and Its Literary Influence Copyright © 2013 by the Society of Biblical Literature All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by means of any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permit- ted by the 1976 Copyright Act or in writing from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to the Rights and Permissions Offi ce, Society of Biblical Literature, 825 Houston Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30329 USA. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence / edited by David G. Burke, John F. Kutsko, and Philip H. Towner. p. cm. — (Society of Biblical Literature Biblical Scholarship in North America ; number 26) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58983-800-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58983-798-0 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58983-799-7 (electronic format) 1. Bible. English. Authorized—History—Congresses. 2. Bible. English. Authorized— Influence—Congresses. 3.
  • THE BIBLE from God to Us

    THE BIBLE from God to Us

    THE BIBLE From God to Us JoLynn Gower Spring 2017 493-6151 [email protected] 1 WORD FOR THE JOURNEY 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Scripture: graphe: writing, especially the Holy Bible text Inspired by God: theopneustos: God-breathed: the concepts and wording came from God, via the Holy Spirit, to men who wrote it down 2 Peter 1:20-21 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God Last week: the structure and translation formats 2 HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO US Autographs: The Bible is inerrant and infallible in the original autographs. An autograph is a manuscript hand written by the original author Manuscripts: handwritten copies of exemplars (now extended to mean unpublished works by an author) Exemplar: a manuscript known to be absolutely correct Scribes were tasked with copying new manuscripts from exemplars; copies were never made from copies Scribes counted each word and pronounced it before they wrote it down Lower textual criticism tries to determine the original text with the highest possible degree of accuracy Higher textual criticism analyzes dates, internal consistency and authors/writing styles 3 IS OUR TRANSLATION ACCURATE? Future classes will consider reliability of various manuscripts coming from the Hebrew and Greek Hebrew scholars considering the OT are recognized by time 1.
  • Tender Mercies in English Scriptural Idiom and in Nephi's Record

    Tender Mercies in English Scriptural Idiom and in Nephi's Record

    Tender Mercies in English Scriptural Idiom and in Nephi’s Record Miranda Wilcox Nephi records divine beings inviting humans to participate in the sacred story of salvation and humans petitioning divine beings for aid in their mortal affliction. The first chapter of Nephi’s story introduces linguistic, textual, and narrative questions about how humans should engage with and produce holy books that memorialize these divine- human relations in heaven and on earth. For Nephi, a central element of these relationships is “tender mercies” (1 Nephi 1:20). What are tender mercies? How do the Lord’s tender mercies make the chosen faithful “mighty, even unto the power of deliverance”? Nephi’s striking phrase has become popular in Latter-day Saint discourse since Elder David A. Bednar preached of the “tender mercies of the Lord” at general conference in April 2005. He defined tender mercies as “very personal and individualized blessings, strength, pro- tection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ.”1 I would like to extend this discussion and reconsider this definition with respect to Nephi’s record by explor- ing the biblical sources and the transmission of this beloved phrase through English scriptural idiom. 1. David A. Bednar, “The Tender Mercies of the Lord,”Ensign , May 2005, 99. 75 76 Miranda Wilcox Nephi explains that he has acquired “a great knowledge of the good- ness and the mysteries of God” and that he will share this knowledge in his record (1 Nephi 1:1).
  • The First of the First Authorised English Bibles

    The First of the First Authorised English Bibles

    The First of the First Authorised English Bibles By Ruth Magnusson Davis, B.A., LL.B., Founder of the New Matthew Bible Project Woodcut of the execution of William Tyndale, from John Foxe, Acts & Monuments of the Christian Church n the years 1536-1539, the battle for the Bible was finally won in England. The five soldiers in the front line of this battle were William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale, Bible I translators, their friend John Rogers, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, and, lastly, Lord Thomas Cromwell, who was then chief minister to King Henry VIII. God placed them all strategically in time, place, and office, so together they could work to bring vernacular Scriptures to the country. Between them, and with Henry’s hard won cooperation, these men took the field with three whole English Bibles: Coverdale’s of 1535, the 1537 Matthew Bible, and the 1539 Great Bible. Historians disagree about which of these Reformation Bibles may justly be called the first authorised English Bible. Some assert firmly that it was the Matthew Bible, 1 but others say only the Great Bible was ever truly authorised. 2 So which was it, and why the confusion? The Matthew Bible In 1537, the Matthew Bible arrived in England, probably from Antwerp where it is believed to have been printed. This Bible contained the combined translations of William Tyndale and Myles Coverdale. Tyndale’s translations comprised the New Testament and first half of the Old, being all he was able to complete before he was imprisoned in 1535. Coverdale supplied Scriptures for the balance of the Old Testament and Apocrypha, except three Apocryphal books that Rogers took from other sources.
  • Bible Day Bulletin Insert

    Bible Day Bulletin Insert

    ﹈ ﹈ “It shall greatly help ye to “It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures understand the Scriptures if thou mark not only if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before considering what goeth before and what followeth after.” and what followeth after.” ﹈ ﹈ Myles Coverdale Myles Coverdale - Bible Day - - Bible Day - Those of us who enjoy reading and himself to Antwerp, Belgium, where he Those of us who enjoy reading and himself to Antwerp, Belgium, where he studying our English Bibles owe Myles aided Tyndale in his revisions and partial studying our English Bibles owe Myles aided Tyndale in his revisions and partial Coverdale a debt of gratitude. WhileMyles his Coverdaletranslation of the English Bible. But Coverdale a debt of gratitude. WhileMyles his Coverdaletranslation of the English Bible. But name is not as familiar as that of William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the name is not as familiar as that of William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the Tyndale, his role is key. Coverdale was stake in October 1536, leaving Coverdale Tyndale, his role is key. Coverdale was stake in October 1536, leaving Coverdale a “disciple” of Tyndale during alone to complete the translation of a “disciple” of Tyndale during alone to complete the translation of Tyndale’s last years of life.
  • '[A] Litle Treatyse in Prynte and Euen in the English Tongue': Appeals to The

    '[A] Litle Treatyse in Prynte and Euen in the English Tongue': Appeals to The

    University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 5-2010 ‘[A] litle treatyse in prynte and euen in the english tongue’: Appeals to the Public during the Early Years of the English Reformation Bradley C. Pardue University of Tennessee - Knoxville, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss Part of the Intellectual History Commons Recommended Citation Pardue, Bradley C., "‘[A] litle treatyse in prynte and euen in the english tongue’: Appeals to the Public during the Early Years of the English Reformation. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2010. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/733 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. To the Graduate Council: I am submitting herewith a dissertation written by Bradley C. Pardue entitled "‘[A] litle treatyse in prynte and euen in the english tongue’: Appeals to the Public during the Early Years of the English Reformation." I have examined the final electronic copy of this dissertation for form and content and recommend that it be accepted in partial fulfillment of the equirr ements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, with a major in History. Robert J Bast, Major Professor We have read this dissertation and recommend its acceptance: Thomas Burman, Palmira Brummett, Heather Hirschfeld Accepted for the Council: Carolyn R.
  • The History of the English Language Bible

    The History of the English Language Bible

    DISCOVER TheThe HistoryHistory ofof thethe EnglishEnglish LanguageLanguage BibleBible Presbyterian Heritage Center John 1:36 Illuminated Page — Call of the Disciples, Donald Jackson, Copyright 2002, Presbyterian Heritage Center PO Box 207 The Saint John’s Bible, Saint John’s University, Collegeville, Presbyterian Heritage Center Minnesota USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Montreat, NC 28757 Booklet copyright, 2016, January. Presbyterian Heritage Center. Learning Initiatives Educational Skills Used In This Booklet Booklets, Presentations, DVDs Analyze Cause and Effect 5, 9, 15 Conceptualize 19 Discussions 5, 9, 12, 15, 18, 19 Learning Initiatives Series Draw Conclusions 12. 19 The Presbyterian Heritage Center (PHC) creates new exhibits each year from its archives and Evaluate 12, 17 artifact collections, as well as from loans of materials from individuals and institutions. Onsite, we Explain 9, 15 utilize many different techniques to educate, including the displays, videos, touch screen kiosks and Make Inferences 5 more. To reach young people, we conduct Confirmation Classes (history), Collegiate Studies & Pose and Answer Questions 5. 18. 19 Visitations, Supplemental Club Programs, Youth Conference Research 5, 9, 12, 15, 18, 19 Related Exhibits, Online & Hands On Activities and Youth Summarize 18 Sunday School Lessons for all Presbyterian denominations. Write 18 Back cover photo shows an illuminated In addition to these limited-time exhibits, the PHC seeks to page from John 1:36 from The Saint provide accompanying educational materials, such as learning John’s Bible. The illumination is entitled booklets, online downloadable materials and DVD resource Call of the Disciples, by Donald Jackson, disks for adults and young people. Copyright 2002, The Saint John’s Bible, The Presbyterian Heritage Center (PHC) believes that Saint John’s University, Collegeville, learning can be exciting, inspiring and transformational.
  • Question 73 - What Are the 16 Major Bible Translations from 280 B.C

    Question 73 - What Are the 16 Major Bible Translations from 280 B.C

    Liberty University Scholars Crossing 101 Most Asked Questions 101 Most Asked Questions About the Bible 1-2019 Question 73 - What are the 16 major Bible translations from 280 B.C. to 1611 A.D.? Harold Willmington Liberty University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/questions_101 Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Willmington, Harold, "Question 73 - What are the 16 major Bible translations from 280 B.C. to 1611 A.D.?" (2019). 101 Most Asked Questions. 98. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/questions_101/98 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the 101 Most Asked Questions About the Bible at Scholars Crossing. It has been accepted for inclusion in 101 Most Asked Questions by an authorized administrator of Scholars Crossing. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 101 MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE 73. What are the 16 major Bible translations from 280 B.C. to 1611 A.D.? A. The Greek Septuagint 1. Date: 280 B.C. 2. Translators: 70 Jewish scholars? 3. Important facts: a. It served as the Bible in Jesus’ day. b. It continued to be used for some six centuries. c. It (probably) was history’s first attempt to translate a book from one language into another. B. The Dead Sea Scrolls 1. Date: 200 B.C. 2. Translators: some Jewish Essenes 3. Important facts: a. These were found in 1947. b. The Scrolls represent the earliest copies of the Old Testament books.
  • The First Psalter Printed in English

    The First Psalter Printed in English

    The First Psalter Printed in English GERVASE E. DuFFIELD ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ IF YOU ASKED a well informed Christian who gave the world the first English printed Bible, he would probably reply Tyndale. He would be right, for Tyndale translated the whole of the New Testa­ ment; he also translated and published the Pentateuch plus a few other oddments likeJonah, and left a substantial part of the rest of the Old Testament in manuscript translation. If you asked that Christian who first translated the rest, he might mention Miles Coverdale: again he would be right. Coverdale worked over Tyndale's Old Testament labours, adding those of his own, and he is best remembered for the majestic cadences of his Psalter which was made famous the world over through the Book of Common Prayer. But very few people would mention either Joye or Bucer in connection with early printed English language Bibles. GeorgeJoye is almost unknown today. His argument with Tyndale about life after death and pirating Bibles is just about known, but his personal contribution figures in few Reformation histories. Bucer is much better known-generally for his eirenical spirit. He is often thought to have occupied himself with continental Reformation problems until near the end of his life when he was invited to England by Cranmer. Though he spoke no English, he advised Cranmer on theology and Prayer Book revision, before dying at Cambridge in 1551. In fact Bucer gave us the first English printed Psalter through the translation of George Joye. In 1529 Martin Bucer, who was then at work consolidating the Reformation in Strasbourg, produced a massive and learned com­ mentary on the Psahns.
  • 1 Is My Bible Reliable? Cornerstone Community Church Winter of 2021

    1 Is My Bible Reliable? Cornerstone Community Church Winter of 2021

    Is My Bible Reliable? Cornerstone Community Church Winter of 2021 Tony Slavin Lesson 6 (Part 2 of Session 5) H. The Printed Greek New Testament 1. Review By way of review, there are well over 5,000 manuscripts that span the time frame of the 2nd century to the 16th. These manuscripts come from all over the Mediterranean World and have been classified by geographical regions (i.e., Alexandrian, Byzantine, and Western). We have learned that no two of these manuscripts are identical. The textual critic’s job is to practice his/her trade on individual variants to determine which is most likely to be the wording of the original author (e.g., Romans 5:1; exōmen or exomen;(“let us have . .” vs “We have . .”). 2. The Manuscript Situation in the Middle Ages As I mentioned in class last week, starting in the 7th century, the Muslim conquest of North Africa and the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean greatly limited the reproduction of manuscripts from that region. The Western Church’s official language was/became Latin, thus the reason we have over 10,000 manuscripts that are translated from Greek to Latin. The Byzantine Church (which became known as Greek Orthodoxy or Eastern Orthodoxy) continued to use Greek as their lingua franca, thus why thousands of the extant Greek manuscripts are from this region. In the late 4th Century, the Greek and Hebrew Scholar Jerome started his magnum opus translation that became known as the Vulgate. This translation became the official translation of the Western church (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church) all the way up the early 1960s when the 2nd Vatican Council allowed translations to be made from the Greek and Hebrew instead of just the Vulgate.
  • Study Guide Template

    Study Guide Template

    ISSUES OF LIFE MINISTRIES Self-Help Study Guide Chronology of Bible Translation March 16, 2019 Chronology of Bible Translation 1500-500? B.C. - The Old Testament is put into writing. 250-100 B.C. – The Septuagint, a translation of the Old Testament into Greek, according to tradition, by 72 Hebrew scholars, is completed in Alexandria, Egypt. This version contains 45 books, the Alexandrian Canon, used by the early Church, and continues to be the Old Testament Canon of the Latin and Greek Church. A.D. 52?-100?- The New Testament is written, coming to us in Koine Greek, the common language of the time, although some portions may have been first set down in Aramaic, the language spoken by Christ. A.D. 100? The Palestinian Canon of Hebrew Bible at Synod of Jamnia was formed. 350-400- The New Testament Canon of 27 books was first stabilized. About 400- Jerome completes his final translation of the Bible, the Latin Vulgate, base on the Septuagint and translated from the Hebrew, and other ancient versions. About 600-900- The Masoretic text in Hebrew is developed by the Masoretes, a school of Jewish textual critics. The Masoretic text, used in the Jewish Bible, has been an important reference in preparing translations into other languages. 1382- John Wycliff completes his translation, the first complete Bible in English. 1456- The Gutenberg Bible, a folio edition of the Latin Vulgate, is the first book printed from movable type, an epochal event that inaugurated the era of printing. 1516- Erasmus completes his translation in Greek. 1522- Martin Luther translates the Bible in German.