Tyndale’s 1525 – Gospel of Matthew

The oldest known portion of the published Bible translation work of William Tyndale is what is commonly known as the 1525 Matthew Fragment or the 1525 Cologne Fragment (because it was printed in Cologne, Germany).

It contains Tyndale’s brief introduction and the Gospel of Matthew up to chapter 22 verse 12.

Today I am sharing a portion of the Sermon on the Mount from the 1525 Matthew Fragment. It contains Matthew 5:43 through Matthew 6:4.

You can see the original portion of this scripture in the image above. Below is the transcription of the verses in their original spelling. I have added the chapter and verse notations for ease of comparison, but keep in mind that no English Bible had verse notations until the 1557 Geneva New Testament.

ORIGINAL SPELLING

Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48

5:43 Ye have herde howe it is saide: thou shalt love thyne negh-
bour/ and hate thyne enemy. 5:44 But y saye unto you/ love youre
enemies. Blesse them that cursse you. Doo good to them that
hate you/ Praye for them which doo you wronge/ and persecu-
te you/ 5:45 that ye maye be the chyldren of youre hevenly father:
for he maketh his sunne to aryse/ on the evle/ and on the good/
and sendeth his reyne on the iuste and on the oniuste. 5:46 for if ye
shall love them/ which love you: what rewarde shall ye ha-
ve? Doo not the *publicans even so? 5:47 And if ye be frendly to you-
re brethren only: what singuler thynge doo ye? Doo not the pu-
blicans lyke wyse? 5:48 Ye shall therfore be perfecte / even as youre
hevenly father is perfect.

MARGINAL NOTE:
*Publicans gaddred rentes/ toll/ custume/ & tribute for the romans/
& were commenly hethen(?) men ther vn to appointed of the romans.

Gospel of Matthew 6:1-4

The Syxt Chapter

6:1 Take hede to youre almes. th-at ye geve it not in the syght of men/ to the intent that ye wolde be sene of them. Or ellse ye gett no rewarde of youre father in heven. 6:2 Whensoever therfore thou
gevest thyne almes/ thou shalt not make a trompet to be blo-wen before the/ as the ypocryttes do in the synagoges/ and in the stretes/ for to be praysed of men. Veryly I say unto you/ they have there rewarde. 6:3 But when thou doest thyne almes/ lett not thy lyfte hond knowe/ what thy right hond doth/ 6:4 that thyne al-mes maye be secrete/ and thy father which seith in secrete/ shall
rewarde the openly.

Now I will give the MODERN SPELLING of these verses.

MODERN SPELLING

Gospel of Matthew 5:43-48

5:43 Ye have heard how it is said: thou shalt love thine neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 5:44 But I say unto you, love your
enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you. Pray for them which do you wrong, and persecute you, 5:45 that ye may be the children of your heavenly father:
for he maketh his sun to arise, on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the unjust. 5:46 For if ye shall love them, which love you: what reward shall ye have? Do not the *publicans even so? 5:47 And if ye be friendly to your brethren only: what singular thing do ye? Do not the publicans likewise? 5:48 Ye shall therefore be perfect, even as your heavenly father is perfect.

MARGINAL NOTE:
*Publicans gathered rents/ toll/ custom/ & tribute for the Romans/ & were commonly heathen(?) men there unto appointed of the Romans.

Gospel of Matthew 6:1-4

The Sixth Chapter

6:1 Take heed to your alms. that ye give it not in the sight of men, to the intent
that ye would be seen of them. Or else ye get no
reward of your father in heaven. 6:2 Whensoever therefore thou givest thine alms, thou shalt not make a trumpet to be blown before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagoges, and in
the streets, for to be praised of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. 6:3 But when thou doest thine alms, let not
thy left hand know, what thy right hand doeth, 6:4 that thine alms may be secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, shall
reward the openly.

Published on Monday, September 3, 2018

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