7.14.25 Religious freedom in Africa, the fight with the Fed, and an overlooked Bible translation

The King James Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, was commissioned by King James I of England to resolve disputes over different translations of the Bible. It was translated by 54 scholars over seven years, using the best Hebrew, Greek, and Latin texts available. The KJV consists of 66 books: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It was first published in 1611 and has since become a cornerstone of English-speaking Christianity, known for its poetic and influential language.

The Coverdale Bible, published in 1535, was the first complete English translation of the Bible to include both the Old and New Testaments. It was compiled by Myles Coverdale, who built upon the earlier translation work of William Tyndale. Coverdale used various sources, including Luther’s German text, the Latin Vulgate, and the Zurich German Bible, rather than the original Hebrew and Greek texts. This Bible was groundbreaking in its arrangement of the books and influenced virtually every English language Bible that followed, including the monarchy’s first authorized versions.

The Tyndale Bible, translated by William Tyndale between 1522 and 1535, was a groundbreaking work that challenged the authority of the Catholic Church by making the Bible accessible to the common people in their own language. It was the first English Bible to utilize the printing press and was influential in shaping later translations, including the King James Version.

The Matthew's Bible was the first complete English Bible to include all of William Tyndale's translation work, along with contributions from Miles Coverdale. It was compiled by John Rogers under the pseudonym 'Thomas Matthew' to avoid persecution. The Bible includes Tyndale's New Testament and parts of the Old Testament, with Coverdale translating the remaining Old Testament books and Apocrypha. The publication was sanctioned by King Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell, leading to its widespread use in churches. This edition is significant in the history of English Bible translations, influencing later versions such as the Geneva Bible and the King James Version.