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document； from which I am quoting； adds that the Bishop thought he had
God by the toe when； indeed； he found afterward that he had the devil by
the fist。＇1＇
＇1＇ Pollard； Records of the English Bible； p。 151。
The final revision of the Tindale translations was published in 1534；
and that becomes the notable year of his life。 In two years he was put to
death by strangling； and his body was burned。 When we remember that
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this was done with the joint power of Church and State； we realize some
of the odds against which he worked。
Spite of his odds； however； Tindale is the real father of our King James
version。 About eighty per cent。 of his Old Testament and ninety per cent。
of his New Testament have been transferred to our version。 In the
Beatitudes； for example； five are word for word in the two versions； while
the other three are only slightly changed。＇1＇ Dr。 Davidson has calculated
that nine…tenths of the words in the shorter New Testament epistles are
Tindale's； and in the longer epistles like the Hebrews five…sixths are his。
Froude's estimate is fair： 〃Of the translation itself； though since that time it
has been many times revised and altered； we may say that it is
substantially the Bible with which we are familiar。 The peculiar genius
which breathes through it； the mingled tenderness and majesty； the Saxon
simplicity； the preternatural grandeur； unequaled； unapproached； in the
attempted improvements of modern scholars； all are here； and bear the
impress of the mind of one man； William Tindale。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ The fourth reads in his version； 〃Blessed are they which hunger
and thirst for righteousness〃； the seventh； 〃Blessed are the maintainers of
peace〃； the eighth； 〃Blessed are they which suffer persecution for
righteousness' sake。〃
＇2＇ History of England； end of chap。 xii。
We said a moment ago that Wiclif's translation was the standard of
Middle English。 It is time to add that Tindale's version 〃fixed our standard
English once for all； and brought it finally into every English home。〃 The
revisers of 1881 declared that while the authorized version was the work
of many hands； the foundation of it was laid by Tindale； and that the
versions that followed it were substantially reproductions of Tindale's； or
revisions of versions which were themselves almost entirely based on it。
There was every reason why it should be a worthy version。 For one
thing； it was the first translation into English from the original Hebrew and
Greek。 Wiclif's had been from the Latin。 For Tindale there were available
two new and critical Greek Testaments； that of Erasmus and the so…called
Complutensian； though he used that of Erasmus chiefly。 There was also
available a carefully prepared Hebrew Old Testament。 For another thing； it
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was the first version which could be printed； and so be subject to easy and
immediate correction and revision。 Then also； Tindale himself was a great
scholar in the languages。 He was 〃so skilled in the seven languages；
Hebrew； Greek； Latin； Italian； Spanish； English； and French； that；
whichever he spoke； you would suppose it was his native tongue。〃＇1＇ Nor
was his spirit in the work controversial。 I say his 〃spirit in the work〃 with
care。 They were controversial times； and Tindale took his share in the
verbal warfare。 When； for example； there was objection to making any
English version because 〃the language was so rude that the Bible could
not be intelligently translated into it；〃 Tindale replied： 〃It is not so rude as
they are false liars。 For the Greek tongue agreeth more with the English
than with the Latin； a thousand parts better may it be translated into the
English than into the Latin。〃＇2＇ And when a high church dignitary
protested to Tindale against making the Bible so common； he replied： 〃If
God spare my life； ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth a plow
shall know more of the Scriptures than thou dost。〃 And while that was not
saying much for the plowboy； it was saying a good deal to the dignitary。 In
language； Tindale was controversial enough； but in his spirit； in making
his version； there was no element of controversy。 For such reasons as these
we might expect the version to be valuable。
＇1＇ Herman Buschius。
＇2＇ This will mean the more to us when we realize that the literary men
of the day despised the English tongue。 Sir Thomas More wrote his Utopia
in Latin； because otherwise educated men would not deign to read it。 Years
later Roger Ascham apologized for writing one of his works in English。
Putting the Bible into current English impressed these literary men very
much as we would be impressed by putting the Bible into current slang。
All this while； and especially between the time when Tindale first
published his New Testament and the time they burned him for doing so；
an interesting change was going on in England。 The King was Henry VIII。；
who was by no means a willing Protestant。 As Luther's work appeared； it
was this same Henry who wrote the pamphlet against him during the Diet
of Worms； and on the ground of this pamphlet； with its loyal support of the
Church against Luther； he received from the Roman pontiff the title
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〃Defender of the Faith；〃 which the kings of England still wear。 And yet
under this king this strange succession of dates can be given。 Notice them
closely。 In 1526 Tindale's New Testament was burned at St。 Paul's by the
Bishop of London； ten years later； 1536； Tindale himself was burned with
the knowledge and connivance of the English government； and yet； one
year later； 1537； two versions of the Bible in English； three…quarters of
which were the work of Tindale； were licensed for public use by the King
of England； and were required to be made available for the people！ Eleven
years after the New Testament was burned； one year after Tindale was
burned； that crown was set on his work！ What brought this about？
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