Five Paradigm Shifts in Bible Translation, Part One

Several weeks ago, as I was considering the history of Bible translation into English, a new chart came to mind. It seems like viewing history in this way allows for a revised viewpoint.

Could not this approach be called “Viewing History as a Game of Chess”?

In seeking to look at the history of English Bible translation chronologically, several major paradigm shifts became evident. Some of the older shifts may appear obvious. However, several of the more recent shifts may be less obvious.

This chart that there are five distinct paradigm shifts that have occurred and are occurring in eight centuries of English Bible translation. In this, my first blog on this subject, I will cover the first two paradigm shifts.

(1) A Bible in English: Wycliffe 1^st and 2^nd editions (1382, 1388)

The first major shift in English Bible translation was the transition from no available English Bibles to the translation of the entire Bible into English. All approved Bibles in England prior to that time were in Latin, a language the common people did not understand.

(2) The New Testament from the Greek: Tyndale and Geneva Bible (1534-1560)

The next major paradigm shift in English Bible translation took place when William Tyndale translated the New Testament from the Greek text, rather than from the Latin text. He published his work in 1534. Tyndale’s translation removed a lot of the Catholic biases found in the Latin Vulgate. He was publicly burned alive for his audacity in setting out to translate the Bible in 1536.

It must be remembered that Martin Luther had published his German New Testament in 1522, also published from Erasmus’ Greek text. Pierre Robert Olivétan published a French version of the Bible in 1534, a version funded by the Alpine Waldenses—only to die mysteriously on a trip to Rome in 1538. Olivétan’s version that became the basis for the French Geneva of 1560, also influencing the 1560 English Geneva translation.

Each of the aforementioned translations yielded a radical impact within the language group where these Bibles were disseminated. In each society people came to believe in Christ as a result of the Bible translations. Furthermore, because these Bibles led towns and cities to distance themselves from Catholicism, the revivals that took place were considered “Peasant Revolts” and led to military crusades to squelch their impact.

What can be learned from these first two stages?

A first and foremost lesson relates to the power of Word of God put into print in the common language of the people. God’s Word is living and active, and does its supernatural work through the language known to its recipients. A second lesson regards the need for a good original from which to translate. While the Wycliffe English Bible was definitely better than having no Bible in English. It was through the use of a Greek original during the Protestant Reformation that the Bible brought about dynamic societal change in many countries in Europe.

To view the chart, please see: http://www.evangelismunlimited.com/documents/misc%20chart%204-paradigm-shifts.pdf).