B4-KJV

William Tyndale on the Value of Scripture

When William Tyndale translated and printed the Pentateuch (Five Books of Moses) in the year of 1530, he added a “Prologue Showing the Use of Scripture” before the book of Genesis.

Below are a few sentences from this prologue:

“Though a man had a precious jewel and a rich, yet if he wist not the value thereof, nor wherefore it served, he were neither the better nor richer of a straw. Even so, though we read the scripture and babble of it never so much, yet if we know not the use of it, and wherefore it was given, and what is therein to be sought, it profiteth us nothing at all.”

“So now the scripture is a light and sheweth us the true way, both what to do, and what to hope; and a defense from all error, and a comfort in adversity that we despair not.”

“As thou readest, therefore, think that every syllable pertaineth to thine own self, and suck out the pith of the scripture, and arm thyself against all assaults.”-

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We are excited to announce…

We have published a new book about William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah.

The title of the book is: William Tyndale’s JONAH: A modern-spelling edition of the 1531 translation with facsimile of Tyndale’s 16th century original.
The book is available in two formats: 1) Paperback and 2) Audiobook

The paperback is 44 pages. Click this link to learn more.

Tyndale-Jonah-paperbk-book-Nov-4-2020 — Book Cover (William Tyndale’s JONAH: A modern-spelling edition of the 1531 translation with facsimile of Tyndale’s 16th century original)

For a limited time, ten (10) people may get the ENTIRE audiobook for FREE. Click this link to learn more. No credit card is required. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time offer!

Below is fuller description of the paperback edition:

Have you ever wondered about the English Bible translations which came before the King James Bible?

This book gives you three (3) unique views of William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah, which he published in 1531. Surprisingly, his translation predates the 1611 King James Bible by 80 years!

View 1: A modern-spelling edition of Tyndale’s Bible text of Jonah.

View 2: A facsimile of the 16th-century Bible text of Jonah as published by Tyndale in 1531.

View 3: A transcription of the facsimile in modern typeface but with the original 16th-century spelling.

Tyndale’s translation of Jonah (discovered in 1861) was nearly lost to posterity. In 1863, English Bible scholar, Francis Fry published a book containing a facsimile of this rare work from Tyndale. Fry’s 1863 publication is the source for View 2 of Tyndale’s Jonah found in this book.

There is something sobering in seeing this facsimile. One gets to glimpse — via Francis Fry’s lithographs — the very text of Jonah which Tyndale received from his 16th-century print shop. Tyndale was putting his life in danger to bring the Bible in English to his countrymen.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR: William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536) labored over his English Bible translations while in exile from his native country. His courageous efforts helped bring the Bible in English, first of all, to his own countrymen and ultimately, to millions of English speakers worldwide. Authorities opposed Tyndale’s work. He was arrested and charged with heresy. After more than a year of imprisonment, he was executed in 1536.

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Praise for William Tyndale from his contemporaries …

An Anonymous Writer, circa 1563, praises Tyndale with these words:

He “put forth certain books of the Old Testament and the whole New Testament, into the English tongue…whereby since thanks be given to God, the door of light into the Scriptures, hath and daily is more and more opened unto us, the which before was many years closed in darkness.”

John Fox, Acts and Monuments, circa 1570, says this about Tyndale:

“The true servant and Martyr of God…Who for his notable pains and travail may well be called the Apostle of England in this our latter age.”

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We are excited to announce…

We have published a new book about William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah.

For a limited time, ten (10) people may get the ENTIRE audiobook for FREE. Click this link to learn more. No credit card is required. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time offer!

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The Scriptures – Light for those in Darkness

When you read William Tyndale’s 1525 Prologue to the New Testament, you get a glimpse into his character. His concern for his countrymen is moving. He wants them to have the Light of Scripture to drive away their spiritual darkness. Pictured below is Page 1 of this 1525 Prologue. You will find a transcript of page 1 just below the picture.

Below is the transcript of page 1 in modern English spelling:

Prologue

I have here translated (brethren and sisters most dear and tenderly beloved in Christ) the new Testament for your spiritual edifying, consolation and solace: Exhorting instantly and beseeching those that are better seen in the tongues than I, and that have higher gifts of grace to interpret the sense of the Scripture, and meaning of the Spirit, than I, to consider and ponder my labor, and that with the spirit of meekness. And if they perceive in any places that I have not attained the very sense of the tongue, or meaning of the Scripture, or have not given the right English word, that they put to their hands to amend it, remembering that so is their duty to do. For we have not received the gifts of God for ourselves only, or for to hide them; but for to bestow them unto the honoring of God and Christ, and edifying of the congregation, which is the body of Christ.

The causes that moved me to translate, I thought better that others should imagine, than that I should rehearse them. Moreover I supposed it superfluous, for who is so blind to ask why light should be showed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation, other so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing, or so bedlam mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness, and verity reproveth all manner lying.

Please note: Some of my transcription of page 1 of the 1525 Prologue to the New Testament could be incorrect in a few places. I have done my best. Feel free to let me know or comment on this post, if you think something isn’t correct.

The 1525 Prologue to the New Testament referred to in this article is from what is known as the 1525 Cologne Fragment. Details about this are below:

It is thought by scholars that William Tyndale’s first attempt at translating and printing the New Testament is contained in what is known as the Cologne Fragment or the Matthew Fragment. There is only one copy known to exist. It is housed in the Grenville Collection at the British Library. All that has survived is 31 leaves/pages containing Tyndale’s Prologue, a woodcut of St Matthew, and chapters 1-22 of Matthew’s Gospel. It is said to have been printed in Cologne, Germany.

Thanks for reading!

Kind regards to all who stopped by this small corner of the internet! If you wish, leave a comment or question.

We are excited to announce…

We have published a new book about William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah.

For a limited time, ten (10) people may get the ENTIRE audiobook for FREE. Click this link to learn more. No credit card is required. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time offer!

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What thynge (thing) is youre (your) lyfe (life)?

“What thing is your life?” is an important question we all need to consider. The New Testament book of James gives us a sobering answer to this question. The Bible text of James 4:13-17 is pictured below from the 1534 William Tyndale New Testament. I have supplied the caption of this Bible text in both the original 16th-century spelling and in modern-spelling.

James 4:13-17 from 1534 Tyndale New Testament

Caption of pictured text in ORIGINAL 16th-century spelling:
“Go to now ye that saye: to daye and to morow let vs go into soche a citie and continue there a yeare and bye and sell / and wynne:
and yet can not tell what shall happen to morowe. For what thynge is youre lyfe? It is even a vapoure that apereth for a lytell tyme / and then vanyssheth awaye:
For that ye ought to saye: yf the lorde will and yf we live / let vs do this or that.
But nowe ye reioyce in youre bostinges. All soche reioysynge is evyll.
Therfore to him that knoweth how to do good/ and doth it not/ to him it is synne.”

Caption of pictured text in MODERN-spelling:
“Go to now ye that say: today and tomorrow let us go into suche a city and continue there a year and buy and sell, and win:
and yet cannot tell what shall happen tomorrow. For what thing is your life?
It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away:
For that ye ought to say: if the lord will and if we live, let us do this or that.
But now ye rejoice in your boastings. All such rejoicing is evil.
Therefore to him that knoweth how to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin.”

WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE…

We have published a new book about William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah.

For a limited time, fifteen (15) people may get the ENTIRE audiobook for FREE. Click this link to learn more. No credit card is required. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time offer!

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If any lack Wisdom … Ask of God…

Comments: Instead of the King James Bible’s translation of “and upbraideth not,” in James 1:5, Tyndale’s translation reads: “and casteth no man in the teeth.” In my opinion, Tyndale’s translation is more understandable in this instance. It helps me see more clearly that God is eager to give wisdom to those who ask Him in faith.

James 1:1-6

1:1 James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sendeth greeting to the 12 tribes which are scattered here and there. 1:2 My brethren, count it exceeding joy when ye fall into divers temptations, 1:3 forasmuch as ye know how that the trying of your faith bringeth patience: 1:4 and let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and sound lacking nothing. 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God which giveth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth: and it shall be given him. 1:6 But let him ask in faith and waver not. (From the 1534 Tyndale New Testament)
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We are excited to announce…

We have published a new book about William Tyndale’s translation of the Old Testament prophet, Jonah.

For a limited time, twenty five (25) people may get the ENTIRE audiobook for FREE. Click this link to learn more. No credit card is required. We hope you will take advantage of this limited time offer!