The father of English Bible, A reformer.

3. William Tyndale
1494-1536
Presented by : Ferdinand Tobias
World Christianity 2

4. Background/situation:
• There was a rapid ignorance of the scripture on
the 16th century.
• Bible reading is a crime to read especially the
Lollard.
• The breach between the Renaissance and the
reformation which from the first had implicit
now became manifest and acknowledge

5. • The action of putting the scripture in the
language of the masses is just a recent action
to England.
• There was a continuous revolt of the German
people against Papacy
Background/situation:

6. 1408 Constitution that prohibits translating
the Bible into English or by any means:
“ It is a dangerous thing as witnessed blessed
Saint Jerome to translate the text of the Holy
Scripture out of one tongue to another, for in
the translation the same text is not always easily
kept, as the same Saint Jerome confesseth, that
although he were inspired…

7. 1408 Constitution that prohibits translating the
Bible into English or by any means:
Continuation:
“… yet often times in this erred, we therefore
decree and ordain that no man hereafter buy his
own authority translate any text out of the
scripture into English or any other tongue, and
that no man read such book, pamphlet he will
be excommunicated, and considered as heresy
and error.”

8. Birth and Family
• 1494 Born in
Stinchcombe, Gloucestershire
• Born as prosperous Yeoman family
• Alice Hunt and Thomas Tyndale

9. Education
• He study the science of
grammar school at Wootenunder –Edge
• He was exposed to different
type of literature and poetry.

10. Events in his life
• 1506 He was sent to Magdalen
school in Oxford at
t
he age of 12
• 1510 He entered at Oxford
• 1512 He took Bachelor of Arts
degree in Hertford

11. Events in his life
• 1515 He study Master of Arts
from Oxford University and
introduction to Lollard.
• 1516 Cambridge he was
immersed in Lollard movement
and continuous studies

12. Tyndale’s famous saying:
“If God spares my life, before many years pass I
will make it possible for a boy behind the plow
to know more Scripture than you do”

13. Events in his life
1523 London he meets with Cuthbert Tunstall seeking
permission to translate the Bible.
1524 Hamburg, Germany he seeks asylum and freedom
to translate the New Testament, it was also the
time that Tyndale learned a German language.

14. Tyndale’s translation: 1525
“Cologne Fragment” -1525 Mathew Fragment
This was also the time that he printed his first
Bible into English Bible from Greek.
He translated the book of Psalms and Pentateuch
(while Wycliffe translated the first English Bible
from Latin)

16. Events in his life
1526 He began smuggling the first copies of his work to
his country.
1528 He issued The Parable of the Wicked Mammon

17. “The vehicle of the printing press made possible
the reformation, the enlightenment, and the
triumph of vernacular Bible”
Donald Blake – author of the Visual History of the English Bible

18. Events in his life
1534
He revised his New Testament and
published it in Antwerp.
1535
He was betrayed by Henry Philip and he was
imprisoned in Vilvorde, Brussels
Miles Coverdale had published Tyndale’s first edition
of his complete translation
1536 August he was found guilty, on October 6th he
was tied to stake and burned

19. Tyndale’s final words:
“Lord, open
the King of
England’s eye”

20. Later on God’ answered
his PRAYER…
It was NOT only the King’s
EYEs open but…

23. Result:
There is now the permission that the Bible to be PRINTED in
England
A year after his death the Matthew Bible appeared as the work of
John Rogers. Matthew Bible is one of the edited compilation of
Tyndale and Coverdale.
The Royalty sanctioned and authorized Bible, Tyndale’s New
Testament
Tyndale’s Bible was printed in “Inexpensive” small in size where it
can be transported or hidden.
His death shook the foundation of ENGLISH RELIGIOUS SOCIETY

24. In relation to King James Version:
They said that the famous translator of 1611 King James Version
relied heavily upon the work of Tyndale.
It has been estimated that eighty- ninety percent of the King James
version is the direct expression of Tyndale.
Tyndale’s use and commands of English language had a positive
influence on the works of Shakespeare.
Truly in his short lifetime, the BIBLE was no longer only to be read
by Priest and Clergy BUT also by the man behind the plow….

25. Conclusion
Truly heroes battle by the use of swords…

26. Conclusion
because of his tireless commitment, being
an uncompromising churchman,
and a fearless advocate can also say that…

27. Bibliography
•
Brake, Donald L. A Visual History of the English Bible. Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Books, 2008.
•
Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995.
•
Manschreck, Clyde L. A History of Christianity: The Church from the Reformation to the Present.
Vol. 2. Grand Rapids Michigan: Baker Book House, 1981.
•
Moynahan, Brian. God's Bestseller: William Tyndale, Thomas More, and the Writing of the English
Bible- a Story of Martyrdom and Betrayal. New York: Saint Martin's Press, 2002.
•
Ryken, Leland. The Word of God in English: Criteria for Excellence in Bible Translation. Wheaton,
Illinois: Crossway Books, 2002.
•
Latourette, Kenneth S. Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: A History of Christianity in the
Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1958.
•
Nida, Eugene A. God’s Word in Man’s Language. Harper and Brother’s Publishers. New York, 1952.