William Tyndale was the first person to translate significant portions of the Bible into English for public circulation in the early 16th century. He was motivated by his belief that scripture should be accessible to all people. However, the Catholic Church opposed vernacular Bibles, considering it heresy. Tyndale was arrested in 1536 and burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English. Most of Tyndale's translation work was later incorporated into the King James Bible. He introduced many familiar phrases and words into the English language through his translations. Tyndale's efforts made the Bible available to English speakers and significantly impacted both religion and language.

1. Sir William Tyndale Why my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandfather was really Great by Miah Hale

2. (sometimes spelled Tindall, Tindill, Tyndall; c. 1494 – 1536)

3. Sir William Tyndale Known as the Great Reformer & the Father of the English Bible

4. What it looked like Tyndale was the first to translate considerable parts of the Bible into English for the public

5. Early Life Tyndale's family descendants were barons. Tyndale began a Bachelor of Arts degree at Oxford University in 1512 He was made Master of Arts in July 1515 He was fluent in 8 languages: French, Greek, Hebrew, German, Italian, Latin, and Spanish, in addition to his native English.

6. Why he translated the Bible Tyndale determined to translate the Bible into English, convinced that the way to God was through His word and that scripture should be available even to common people. Common thinking of the day favored the Pope’s words not God’s word.

7. Later life cont. This was taken to be a direct challenge to the Roman Catholic Church and the English church and state. Tyndale opposed Henry VIII's divorce on the grounds that it was against scriptural law

8. Arrested and Martyred! In 1535, Tyndale was arrested in Brussels, Belgium for more than a year, tried for heresy and treason and then strangled and burnt at the stake in the castle's courtyard. At the time, the Church believed that if lay people had direct access to the Bible they would misinterpret it. They would question the teaching of the Church and the authority of the priests.

9. Martyred! William Tyndale was not only burnt at the stake he was also hanged at the same time.

10. Legacy Most of Tyndale's translation was used to create the King James Version of the Bible published in 1611.

11. Contributions to the English Language In translating the Bible, Tyndale introduced new words into the English language, and many were subsequently used in the King James Bible: Jehovah (from a transliterated Hebrew construction in the Old Testament; composed from the Tetragrammaton YHWH. Passover (as the name for the Jewish holiday, Pesach or Pesah) scapegoat (the goat that bears the sins and iniquities of the people in Leviticus, Chapter 16)

12. More contributions to English He also coined such familiar phrases as: let there be light the powers that be my brother's keeper the salt of the earth

13. Memorials A bronze statue commemorating the life and work of Tyndale was erected in London in 1884. It shows the reformer's right hand on an open Bible, which in turn is resting on an early printing press. There is also a memorial tower, the Tyndale Monument, erected in 1866 and prominent for miles around, on a hill above his birthplace of North Nibley. The site in Vilvoorde, Belgium where Tyndale was burned is also marked by a memorial. Tyndale University College and Seminary, a Christian university college and seminary in Toronto, is named after William Tyndale.

14. Why you should call me ‘Sir Jeremiah’ My great greatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreatgreat grandfather was Tyndale's family descendants of Baron Adam de Tyndale, a tenant-in-chief of Henry I . Since 1611, the British Crown has awarded a hereditary title in the form of the Baronetcy. Like knights, baronets are accorded the title Sir. Baronets are not peers of the realm, and did not sit in the House of Lords when it was a hereditary house, therefore like knights they remain commoners in the view of the British nobility system. However, unlike knights, the title is hereditary!