Hand-in-Hand Ministries of Connecticut
The Path to English
The Vulgate
Around 400 AD, Jerome translated the Bible into Latin from Greek. His translation was called the Vulgate, meaning "common" because Latin was the language commonly used in the church and understood by the priesthood. About 200 years later, missionaries brought the Vulgate to England, seeking to spread the message of the Gospel.
First Translations
Since most English Christians did not speak Latin, they wanted to have the Word of God available in the language they understood, English. The first known translator was a monk named Caedmon. He was followed by Bede and by King Alfred the Great (871-899). All of these translated portions of the Bible, working from Jerome's Latin translation. Thus, they were translations of a translation and thus subject to error. Others followed in their path. Finally, John Wycliffe of Oxford and his associates translated the entire Bible from the Latin into English in 1382.
Tyndale & Coverdale
William Tyndale & Miles Coverdale, working in Geneva and using a Hebrew text and an improved Greek text by the monk-scholar, Erasmus, produced a better translation. It was completed in 1535. Tyndale was burned at the stake in 1536 by the church, which thought it dangerous for people to know what the Bible said (strange concept).
The Geneva Bible
A few years later, the Geneva Bible was produced, but included much commentary that reflected the influence of John Calvin and was considered by the King and the Church of England to be subversive and it was banned.
The King James Version
In 1607, King James I of England authorized a new translation, officially called the Authorized Version, but widely known as the King James Version or KJV. He commissioned over 50 scholars in Hebrew and Greek to produce the translation, with no commentary. The result, published in 1611, is a monument of English literature and is still widely used today. Because of changes in the language, it can be difficult to understand, but nonetheless continues to draw people because of its beauty and what many view as its reliability. Fundamental to this translation is the underlying twofold assumption that the Bible is the Word of God and the Word of God is true.
Modern Translations
Since then, many different English translations have appeared, reflecting different goals and theologies. Some try to be literal, others try to reflect the everyday spoken language of today. Some translations are liberal in their theology, others are conservative. There are many choices.