Posts Tagged “Geneva Bible”
William Salesbury, Welsh Bible documentary
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Bible translation, Documentaries on August 12, 2015

William Salesbury documentary © 2016 Simon Peter Sutherland
Over the past two – three years, I have been sporadically presenting and producing a documentary on Welsh Bible translator William Salesbury.
Salesbury was born c 1520 in Llansannan, Wales. He was educated at Llanrwst and Oxford and spent time in London where he became involved with the printing press. However, during the reign of Mary Tudor (1553-1558) he returned to Wales and went into hiding. Upon the accession of Elizabeth 1 Salesbury appealed to Parliament to translate and publish the New Testament. He was granted his request and he became the first person to translate the New Testament into the language of Welsh.
Salesbury was a mysterious character, who suffered for the faith and although many aspects of his life remain unknown, it is the legacy of the man which is arguably of the greatest interest. From my perspective, researching ancient Welsh, Latin and English Bibles is always a joy, and travelling hundreds of miles around the beautiful countryside of North Wales, and the great cities of England, in the footsteps of the 16th century Linguistic Reformed Scholar has been an intriguing adventure.
The documentary will be released in the future. Keep posted!
On reading old books and Bibles
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Christianity, The Bible on January 17, 2013
Old bibles truly bless me, they are so full of age and character and records of past lives. Many old Bibles contain much hand written history of times gone by, where people have lived and died, loved and lost and lives have been changed by the scriptures and their brief histories written down within the old pages.
Old books and history can help us reflect upon our own mortality, indeed it helps me and forever reminds me that one day all of us will die. Each of us will lose our earthly lives but for those who belong to Jesus, each of us will win a much better one. This is not morbid in my eyes, but a demonstration of true glory. For the true Christian who departs this life, will be within a life that has no end.
Thomas a Kempis, an early author who wrote one very old book named, ‘The Imitation of Christ’ said, “Very quickly there will be an end of thee here, look what will become of thee in another world. To-day a man is here; to-morrow he hath disappeared” (Book 1. Chapter 23) Such a touching verse, and one worthy of the memory. No one knows the hour when we will depart this life for our venture into the next, be it heaven or hell?
So next time you see an old book, or see a grave, remember that one day, you will be history, you will go the same way. And if you have ever seen a man die, remember that you must pass the same way. Therefore, think upon these things daily and remember yourself, that you may be remembered.