18 April 1994
The history of the Bible in English is a long and unusual one. The first versions were meant for the clerics who did not know Latin (Bruce 11). Later English versions were meant for the public though usually they were met with opposition from the Church and the monarch. One of the first men who published an English Bible for the general public was William Tyndale (Paine 11). Henry VIII of England was not pleased and condemned the translation (Daiches 13). Tyndale's last words were a prayer, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes" (Smyth 105). Ironically a little less a century later King James I of England would order a new translation of the Bible to English (Smyth 123).
The story of the English Bible begins in the monasteries of the Dark Ages with a monk named Bede. This monk believed that members of the clergy that did not know Latin should learn the Lord's Prayer and the Apostle's Creed in English so that the common man might benefit by their instruction (Bruce 6). In the tenth century a seventh century Latin manuscript had an English translation added between its lines (Bruce 7). The first translation meant for the general public came out in the 1380's and was compiled by John Wycliffe (Bruce 14-15).
The Wycliffe Version was the first of a long line of translations that would be condemned or banned. Sir Thomas More refers to Wycliffe as the "great arch-heretic Wycliffe" (Bruce 22), when condemning the Tyndale translation.
After being rejected by the clergy for a new translation, Tyndale left England for the Continent. By 1525 Tyndale's work had gone to press in Cologne (MacGregor, History, 112). After only ten pages were printed, Tyndale's work was discovered. Word of what Tyndale was doing had gotten out to his enemies. Tyndale was doing the translation without permission and so they set out to stop the work (MacGregor, History, 113). He was barely able to get out of the city with the ten pages that were already printed and his manuscript. Tyndale fled to the city of Worms (Bruce 31). In the course of the work Tyndale might have met Martin Luther himself. The translation might have even been part of a ploy to convert England to Lutheranism (Kenyon 285). Henry VIII was not pleased with the Tyndale Bible because of its possible connection with Martin Luther (Bruce 37). Henry had not yet broken with the Pope and so he was against things associated with Lutheranism. Having the Bible in English was also a strong characteristic of the Protestant Reformation (MacGregor, History, 112). In 1530 Henry VIII prohibited the translation of the Bible into "vulgar tongues" (Daiches 13). In 1536 the men who wished Tyndale dead caught up with him. Tyndale was executed for heresy. The king that permitted the execution was Charles V of France. Henry had by this time become a friend to the Reformation and Cromwell had actually tried to save Tyndale (Kenyon 289). Though Cromwell tried to get Tyndale released, it was to no avail. Tyndale was executed in October of 1536 after his prayer that the king's eyes be opened (Kenyon 289).
Shortly before Tyndale's execution, the king had permitted the translation to English, but not Tyndale's. The man who was the first to publish with the king's permission was Miles Coverdale (Kenyon 290). This version was a copy of Tyndale's Bible, though no real reference was made to him by name for it was not politic to use it (Bruce 58). A latter version that quickly followed was the Matthew's Bible. This version was a continuation of Tyndale's work because Tyndale had only partially translated the Old Testament. The probable reason it was published under the name Thomas Matthew is because it would have been difficult for Henry to go back on his earlier condemnations of the Tyndale Version (Kenyon 293).
In 1543 Henry and Parliament began to go backwards. The common people were forbidden to have either the Tyndale or the Coverdale Bible. Though Henry had repudiated the Pope's authority in England, he was still wary of the teachings of the Reformation (Kenyon 298). This restriction was lifted when Edward VI came to the throne in 1547. The translations to English received many new printings (Kenyon 298). Under the reign of Mary I the translations weren't so lucky. Many men who had been associated with English translations were either executed or exiled. Many such exiles fled to Geneva (MacGregor, Making, 132).
In Geneva, the exiles worked upon a new translation. When Elizabeth I came to the throne 1558, many exiles returned. They brought with them the Geneva Bible that they presented to Elizabeth I (Smyth 121). For sixty years this version would compete with all other versions (Smyth 122). It also hotly competed with the King James Version which has become the most influential version of the Bible in history (MacGregor, History, 171). The Geneva Bible, as did many previous versions, had marginal notes that did not just elaborate on word meanings they also explained the passages in a political way (Smyth 122). History can thank these marginal notes for the King James Version for James found several notes that seemed to come a little too close to his life (Bruce 97).
The story of the KJV [King James Version] began in 1604 at Hampton Court. There was a conference there to hear what the Puritans thought was wrong with the Church of England (Paine 1). John Rainolds [also spelled Reynolds] proposed that the Bible be newly translated to English (Daiches 64). Bishop Bancroft, Bishop of London was against it and said so. But the man who really mattered had not yet spoken his mind. James' fancy had been caught by the proposal (Smyth 126-127).
James thought that this proposal was a good idea because he had never seen a Bible well translated to English (Paine 1). James stigmatized the Geneva Bible as the worst translation, which was unusual because scholars judged it to be the best yet (Bruce 97). The reason might be found in the Calvinistic marginal notes (Smyth 122). One of the more notable notes clashed with the Stuart idea of divine right (Smyth 128), another sounded vaguely like a reference to James' mother, Mary Queen of Scots (Paine 10).
James was not interested in the Bible just for personal reasons. He considered himself a Bible scholar. James' early interest in literature and theology had been fostered by his childhood tutor, James Buchannan (MacGregor, History, 171). As a young man James had tried his hand at making verses for Psalms and had published a commentary on the book of Revelations (Paine 7). Now he was to take on a new role. He directed the translation and laid down the rules and restrictions for the translators (Paine 70-71).
James had some ideas that were new. He ordered the translators to use marginal notes only for word definitions and not doctrinal explanation (MacGregor, History, 184). Marginal notes had been the undoing of several previous versions, most notably the Geneva Bible. This provision also permitted many varied religious groups to accept the KJV. This version did not have notes that showed a political bias (Smyth 130). James also was the one who appointed the scholars to the translation staff. To keep the Puritans somewhat happy, he appointed four of their party to the committee. One of the Puritans was Dr. Rainolds, the man who suggested that the Bible be translated (Paine 29). Rainolds was one of the most prominent men in Elizabethan and Stuart England (Paine 21). In all James named fifty-four men to the task. Rainolds, the proposer of this great work, was able to begin work but died after only the first year of work (MacGregor, History, 199). Before work began several of the other translators died so only forty-seven took part. There were several replacements made, though only the names of the original forty-seven survive (Paine 21).
When work began it was 1607. The translators had been distributed among the three major learning centers of the day. These were Westminster, Oxford, and Cambrige (Paine 30). They worked for four years to produce the first king endorsed English Bible which was printed in 1611 (MacGregor, History, 205). For a number of years the KJV had to fight for survival against the Geneva Bible which was popular with the Puritans (MacGregor, History, 207). In the seldom printed today "Translators to the Reader", Miles Smith, the editor in chief, gave credit to the versions that had come before (Lewis 28). Tyndale would certainly have been pleased to see that his last request had been fulfilled: a king of England was overseeing the makings of the English Bible (Smyth 128).
James lent his name to the version that was made so early in his reign, "And so although the new king would give his name to the new Bible, its translators were Elizabethans all" (Paine 21). For more than three hundred years the KJV has endured. James wanted a Bible that would raise little objection politically. The translators’ success in this respect can help explain its longevity. Though other versions have come after, the King James Version has become the most popular version of the Bible (MacGregor, History, 171).
Works Cited
Bruce, F.F. History of the Bible in English. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Daiches, David. The King James Version of the English Bible. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1968.
Kenyon, Sir Fredric. Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts. New York: Harper and Row Pub., 1965.
Lewis, Jack P. The English Bible From KJV to NIV. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1982.
MacGregor, Geddes. A Literary History of the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1968.
---------------. The Bible in the Making. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1959.
Paine, Gustavus Swift. The Men Behind The King James Version. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977.
Smyth, J. Paterson. How We Got Our Bible. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1912.
Bibliography
Bruce, F.F. History of the Bible in English. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978.
Daiches, David. The King James Version of the English Bible. Hamden, Conn.: Archon Books, 1968.
Douglas, J.D. "The King Behind the Version." Christianity Today 19 (March 28, 1975): 632-34.
Kenyon, Sir Fredric. Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts. New York: Harper and Row Pub., 1965.
Lewis, Jack P. The English Bible From KJV to NIV. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1982.
MacGregor, Geddes. A Literary History of the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1968.
---------------. The Bible in the Making. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Co., 1959.
Paine, Gustavus Swift. The Men Behind The King James Version. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977.
Smyth, J. Paterson. How We Got Our Bible. New York: Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1912.