The New Testament: 1526 Tyndale Bible, Original Spelling Edition

By W.R. Cooper

The publication in 1526 of a modestly-priced pocket edition of the New Testament in English was arguably the most important single event in the history of the English Reformation. This volume is a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0712346643
• ISBN13: 9780712346641
• Release Date: August 2000
• Publisher: The British Library
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.0" x 1.0" x 4.0"

Customer Reviews

The English language in swaddling clothes...

This wee 12-mo of the 1526 Tyndale New Testament from the press of the British Library is the closest most will come to the genesis of the English-speaking bible which was to appear 85 years later in the guise of the familiar King James Version of 1611. The prefacist, David Daniell, is known for his modern language version published by Yale University Press, but this is the original Tyndale-spelling edition for we purists. The introducer, W R Cooper of Oxford, employs his eight pages so profitably as to leave the reader edified and stocked with a trove of bibliophilic lore and conversation from the dawn of the Reformation. Here begins the second chapter of Matthew: "When Jesus was borne in Bethleem a toune of Jury, in the tyme of kynge Herode. Beholde, there cam wyse men from the est to Jerusalem saynge: where is he that is borne kynge of the Jues? we have sene his star in the est, and are come to worship hym. Herode the kynge, after he hadd herde thys, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with hym..." This is the English language in the swaddling clothes of its very infancy. Its rustic power thrills us, even unto these very days...

The New Testament: The Text of the Worms Edition of 1526 in Original Spelling

If one is serious about Bible study and is only fimiliar with the King James version then this little book is worth considering. From the Geniva Bible on the Bible has been written in verses, which lends itself to taking the meaning out of context. This gives a much distorted view of the meaning and spirit of the Bible. There is a reason the King James is "authorized" by King and Church (it was never authorized nor did King James have anything to do with it). It could be manipulated and is manipulated even more so to this day. Just because people have been extracting meaning from the Bible by combining verses from different chapters and even books, for 400 yrs., doesn't make it correct. This book is small and the print is small but very readable. The spelling is at times a bit difficult but one quickly becomes used to it. The difficulty is soon over come and the rewards of a fresh view, free of agendas and controle, is worth the time spent. I understand that there is a movement twards studing the Bible in its original form. I think reading this version will help you understand why.

A God-Given Treasure

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This reprinting of the first translation of the New Testament by William Tyndale is a true treasure today - as was the original in 1526. Through his ardent devotion, careful and diligent scholarship, and fluency in New Testament Greek, Tyndale seems to have accomplished an ideal pairing of literal accuracy and beautiful readability. Even though his original spellings have been retained in this reprinting, within my first day of reading this volume, I was able to become comfortable with these, and they have seldom slowed my reading since. I found it very easy to understand - a much easier and more fluid read than either the current renditions of the King James Bible or the writings of Shakespeare. The only drawbacks I noticed were the unfamiliar spellings (which I quickly moved beyond) and the use of chapter numberings only, with no verse numbers. Tyndale's 1526 version was the first translation of the New Testament into English, and personally, I doubt that its overspreading of innate beauty and scholarship have been equalled since. It is said to have formed the basis for much of the 1611 "King James Version", but I far prefer the Tyndale translation. It is worth mentioning also, that the items noted in Tyndale's own errata on his 1526 version have been fully reflected in the text of this re-publication. This is no facsimile version, but a readable English text well-suited for serious study as well as for reading pleasure. Someone has pointed out that, historically, it was around the time when written language moved beyond picture-based heiroglyphics to a more objective and stable, alphabet-based, form when the Old Testament first began to take shape; and that it was at the historical peak of precision and beauty in written language that the Greek New Testament was given. It seems that the original translation of the New Testament into English was no less a glorious work of providence and timing, and that Tyndale was ideally qualified for this very thing. I believe that, apart from the gift of Jesus' own Presence and Spirit within the hearts of believers through the New Birth, the Tyndale translation of the New Testament was certainly the most wonderful gift that English-speaking believers in Christ have ever been given: God's Word beautifully and accurately conveyed in our own language. I believe this translation to be an authentic, and God-given treasure. I am so glad to have discovered it! I pray that you may too!

I love this book

I was very impressed by the quality of the binding of this book, as well as the paper. It has been very difficult putting this little book down. Now I am enjoying reading this New Testament, and it really isn't difficult to understand, even with the original spelling. I highly recommend this book.

The book that turned England upside down

This is the British Library edition of the William Tyndale New Testament of 1526, original spelling Worms edition, in small but easy to read modern type. This older freer form of spelling takes a little to get used to but is worth it. The English is clear, often clearer than the authorized version, although similar since the AV is essentially a revision of Tyndale. The volume is small and easy to carry around, much as was the intent of the volume of nearly 500 years ago. It contains no notes or cross references, it has chapter headings. There is no verse numbering, since these did not appear in English for the first time until the 1558 Geneva New Testament. It has a brief preface by Tyndale's biographer David Daniell, and a helpful historical introduction by the editor W. R. Cooper. These men have done a great service to the modern English reader in increasing the accessibility of William Tyndale's works.Not only is this an important book to own for historical reasons, it also is useful for the message it contains: the life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ."For yf when we were enemys, we were reconciled to God by the deeth of hys sonne: moche more, seynge we are reconciled, we shalbe preservyd by his life. Not only so, but we also ioye in God by the meanes off oure lorde Jesus Christ, by whom we have receavyd this attonment," Romayns v.