Posts Tagged Tyndale
The 500th Anniversary of Tyndale’s New Testament
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Bible translation, The Bible, William Tyndale on January 8, 2026
We are in a very unique era in the history of this world since this year marks the 500th Anniversary of the 1526 Tyndale New Testament.
In 2025 we saw the 500th anniversary of the 1525 version, and this year has enormous significance.
For those who may not know, William Tyndale (c 1494-1536) is a pioneer in the formation of the English language and in the translation of the Bible into English. The original 1st century apostles and gospel writers primarily wrote in Greek, with some texts being translated from Hebrew.
In 300 BC scholars from Alexandria translated the entire Old Testament into Greek and in the 4th century AD Jerome translated the New Testament into Latin.
Translation has been part of church history for centuries and is the key method by which we communicate with one another.
Tyndale was a genius and his translation work should be remembered forever. I love the Tyndale New Testament and I hope that heaven will hold them forever. Being able to read ancient English I don’t have any issues with using old English translations including the Wycliffe, Tyndale, Geneva and King James versions.
The Tyndale New Testament has certainly impacted me very deeply, from those early days when I was studying for my degree and I first held an original 1538 print in John Rylands Library, to the days when I held a 1534 edition at Chetham’s Library to the days when I walked in the footsteps of Tyndale while visiting Oxford. These were golden days and my attachment to Tyndale goes beyond sentiment to the depths of the eternal truth he proclaimed, which cost him dearly.
This year yet again I hope to know more of Tyndale and be blessed by the reading of his translation of the word of God. May that be truly said of us, and all of us. In these dreary times of confusion and upheaval, may each one of us find solace and obedience in the personal revelation of Jesus Christ.
William Salesbury’s Book of Common Prayer and Psalms
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Documentaries, The Welsh Bible, Theology on May 6, 2020
On May 6, over 450 years ago, William Salesbury published The Book of Common Prayer and Psalms, newly translated, into Welsh.
This 16th century prayer book had been previously written for use within the Church of England by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. The Book of Common Prayer would become an important spiritual ingredient in the daily diet of Christians throughout England, and beyond, and continues to be used by Anglicans, even to this day.
The Book of Common Prayer and Psalms has been deeply revered within Christianity, and a majority of English Bibles were printed and bound with it from the 16th century up to the 19th century. It was that important.
Early 19th century editions published by the British and Foreign Bible Society are among some of the earliest Bibles to exclude the BCP. But earlier printed Bibles such as the Geneva Bible and King James Bibles, all contained Cranmer’s Prayer book.
In the year 1567, William Salesbury had translated his version into Welsh under the title; Lliver Gweddi Gyffredin. Back in those days Parliament was Biblically minded and Westminster had given Salesbury the deadline of 1 March 1567 (St David’s Day) to publish his translation. Sadly that deadline was missed. The Book of Common Prayer and Psalms into Welsh did not appear until May 6. But it was not without its opponents.
Anger had outburst by opponents of the Welsh tongue, and people had aggressively demanded that the translation be utterly abandoned. But such opposition was unfruitful. Salesbury did not give in.
Lliver Gweddi Gyffredin was published on 6 May 1567. But Salesbury was the translator, not the author.
Cranmer’s original Book of Common Prayer had been a work of absolute genius and Christian devotion. Rather than divide the Church, Cranmer sought to unify her through Scripture and Prayer.
Cranmer’s prayer book is a very special gift and people would always do well to read it. The Book of Common Prayer and Psalms is a monumental work that has echoed on through the centuries and has fed the Church of God with Scripture, through with Prayer.
It is not a book of ‘prayers’, it is a book of prayer. We need more of that today, perhaps more now than ever.
Simon Peter Sutherland
-
Simon Peter Sutherland 