Sermon Tone Analysis

History of Translation and Transmission

Definitions

Autograph—the original letter or book penned by the author himself

Manuscript—a hand copy of the original penned by a scribe or copyist

Autographs in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek

Last books in the OT (Hebrew & Aramaic) written around 450-430 BC (Esther & Malachi)

NT autographs (Greek) ranging from AD 50-95

Translations through the Middle Ages

The Septuagint (LXX)

Language: Greek

Scope: Old Testament

Source text: Hebrew OT Scriptures

Translator(s): A group of 72 Greek speaking Hebrews

Date: ~3rd Century AD (AD 285-246)

Significance:

First translation of Scripture into a foreign language

Used by Jesus and NT authors

Helped scholars discern the meaning of many Hebrew words

Still used today by scholars

The Latin Vulgate

Language: Latin

Scope: Full Bible plus Apocrypha

Source texts: Hebrew & Vetus Latina

Translator: Jerome

Date: ~AD 400

Significance:

Used by the Catholic Church for ~1,500 years

Validated many Catholic practices/doctrines (including purgatory, penance, etc.)

Originally, made the Bible accessible to common Latin speaking people

Eventually, made the Bible inaccessible to the laity (and clergy) who no longer spoke Latin

Old English Hexateuch

Language: Old English

Scope: Portions of Genesis and the Hexateuch

Date: ~AD 955-1010

Source texts: Latin

Translator: Ælfric of Eynsham

Significance:

First Bible translation into English

Reformation-Era Bible Translations

Wycliffe Bible

Language: Middle English

Scope: Full Bible plus Apocrypha

Date: ~AD 1380-83

Source text: Latin Vulgate

Translators: John Wycliffe and colleagues

Significance:

First complete Bible Translation into English

Preceded and sparked the Protestant Reformation

Strongly condemned by the Catholic Church

Tyndale New Testament

Language: Early Modern English

Scope: NT and some OT Portions

Date: ~AD 1526

Source text: Erasmus’ Greek New Testament (1516)

Translators: William Tyndale

Significance:

First English translation from Greek

Strongly condemned by the Catholic Church

“The boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than [an educated man].”

—Tyndale

Tyndale was martyred for his translation in 1536

Coverdale Bible

Language: Early Modern English

Scope: Full Bible plus Apocrypha

Date: ~AD 1535

Source text: Tyndale NT (and OT portions), Martin Luther’s German Bible, Vulgate, etc.

Translators: Miles Coverdale

Other Translations during the Reformation: Matthew Bible, the Great Bible, Martin Luther’s German Bible, Zürich Bible, and more...

Geneva Bible

Language: Early Modern English

Scope: Full Bible plus Apocrypha

Date: ~AD 1560

Source text: Greek, Hebrew, Tyndale, Coverdale, etc.

Translators: Various Swiss Protestants

Significance:

First English Bible with chapter and verse divisions

The Bible used in Jamestown and brought over on the Mayflower

The first English “Study Bible” with marginal notes and commentary

King James Version (“Authorized Version”)

Language: Early Modern English

Scope: Full Bible plus Apocrypha

Date: ~AD 1611

Source text: Greek, Hebrew, Tyndale, Coverdale, etc.

Translators: Committee of 47 Biblical Scholars

Significance:

Best-selling Bible translation (and book!) of all time

Notable Quotes from the Translators of the KJV (from the 1611 Preface)

Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devising anything ourselves, or revising that which hath been laboured by others, deserveth certainly much respect and esteem, but yet findeth but cold entertainment in the world.

It is welcomed with suspicion instead of love, and with emulation instead of thanks

Now to the latter we answer; that we do not deny, nay we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English, set forth by men of our profession, (for we have seen none of theirs of the whole Bible as yet) containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God.

As the King's speech, which he uttereth in Parliament, being translated into French, Dutch, Italian, and Latin, is still the King's speech, though it be not interpreted by every Translator with the like grace, nor peradventure so fitly for phrase, nor so expressly for sense, everywhere.

A man may be counted a virtuous man, though he have made many slips in his life, (else, there were none virtuous, for in many things we offend all) [James 3:2] also a comely man and lovely, though he have some warts upon his hand, yea, not only freckles upon his face, but also scars.

No cause therefore why the word translated should be denied to be the word, or forbidden to be current, notwithstanding that some imperfections and blemishes may be noted in the setting forth of it.

For whatever was perfect under the Sun, where Apostles or Apostolic men, that is, men endued with an extraordinary measure of God's spirit, and privileged with the privilege of infallibility, had not their hand?

The Romanists therefore in refusing to hear, and daring to burn the Word translated, did no less than despite the spirit of grace, from whom originally it proceeded, and whose sense and meaning, as well as man's weakness would enable, it did express.

But how shall men meditate in that, which they cannot understand?

How shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue?

as it is written, "Except I know the power of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh, a Barbarian, and he that speaketh, shall be a Barbarian to me." [1 Cor 14] The Apostle excepteth no tongue; not Hebrew the ancientest, not Greek the most copious, not Latin the finest.

Nature taught a natural man to confess, that all of us in those tongues which we do not understand, are plainly deaf; we may turn the deaf ear unto them.

Translation it is that openeth the window, to let in the light; that breaketh the shell, that we may eat the kernel; that putteth aside the curtain, that we may look into the most Holy place; that removeth the cover of the well, that we may come by the water, even as Jacob rolled away the stone from the mouth of the well, by which means the flocks of Laban were watered [Gen 29:10].