Evolution of Biblical Translations Before the King James Version

Before the famous 1611 publication of the King James Version (KJV), there were numerous earlier English translations of the Bible. This article explores the significant translations and revisions that led to the KJV, reflecting the linguistic and religious contexts of the time.

Old and Middle English Translations

The journey of the English Bible began with early translations in Old and Middle English. The Wycliffe Bible was the first complete Bible translation from the original languages into English, completed in 1382 by John Wycliffe and his followers. This translation, while influential, was not the first to be printed in English. The Tyndale Bible of 1525, translated by William Tyndale, marked a significant step in the development of the language, as portions of the Old Testament were also translated by him. Miles Coverdale produced the Coverdale Bible in 1535, which was the first complete English Bible printed in full, heavily relying on Tyndale's work and other sources. In 1537, the Matthews Bible, a compilation by John Rogers under the pseudonym Thomas Matthew, combined Tyndale's and Coverdale's translations.

Late Medieval and Early Modern Translations

The Great Bible of 1539, commissioned by King Henry VIII, was the first authorized English Bible, largely based on Tyndale's translations. It served as a basis for the Geneva Bible of 1560, a significant Protestant translation that included extensive commentary and was the first to use verse numbers. The Bishops' Bible in 1568 was an attempt to create a new authorized version that would be more acceptable to the Church of England than the Geneva Bible. It was followed by the Rheims Bible and the Douay Bible, which were Catholic translations.

The Path to the King James Version

The translation process was continuous and increasingly refined over the centuries leading to the KJV. Other important translations include:

Latin and Illuminated Manuscripts

The earliest forms of the Bible in the British Isles were Latin texts, such as the Book of Armagh. These were followed by illuminated manuscripts like the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Ormulum Gospels and Acts, and the Wycliffe Version. The Gutenberg Bible, printed on the first printing press in 1455, was the first Bible published with movable type. This printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, revolutionized the means of producing and disseminating knowledge.

Transition to English

After the Gutenberg Bible came the Tyndale Bible, followed by the Myles Coverdale Bible, the Cranmer Bible, and the Great Bible. Each of these contributed to the richness of English biblical literature and ultimately paved the way for the Geneva Bible, the Bishops' Bible, and finally the King James Bible.

Contribution of William Tyndale

William Tyndale played a particularly significant role in the English translation of the Bible. His translations of the New Testament, published in 1525, and his later works significantly influenced the language and content of the subsequent versions. Tyndale's translations were widely read and distributed, even leading to his eventual persecution and execution in 1536.

The Development of English

These translations highlighted the ongoing development of the English language. From the early efforts of Wycliffe to the comprehensive translations of the KJV, each version contributed to the cultural, linguistic, and spiritual landscape of England and beyond. The KJV itself, completed in 1611, was a culmination of centuries of work and refinement in biblical translation.

Conclusion

From the Book of Armagh to the King James Version, the history of English biblical translations is a testament to the enduring importance of the Bible in Western culture. Each translation not only reflected the linguistic and religious contexts of its time but also contributed to the evolving language and literature of the English-speaking world.