Matthew's Bible 1537. William Tyndale, Myles Coverdale, John Rogers. 1537. 4304 pages. [Source: Bought]
First sentence: 1:1 In the beginnynge GOD created heauen and erth. 1:2 The erth was voyde and empty, and darcknesse was vpon the depe, and the spirite of God moued vpon the water. 1:3 Than God sayd: let there be light: & there was lyght. 1:4 And God sawe the lyght that it was good: & deuyded the lyght from the darcknesse, 1:5 & called the lyght the daye, & the darcknesse the nyght: and so of the euenyng & mornyng was made the fyrst daye. 1:6 And God sayde: let there be a fyrmament betwene the waters, & let it deuyde the waters a sonder. 1:7 Than God made the fyrmament, and parted the waters whyche were vnder the fyrmament, from the waters that were aboue the fyrmament: And it was so.
I find the history of English Bible translations to be ever-fascinating. Better than reading about the translation process--aka how we got our Bible into English--is to actually read some of these early translations.
In 1537, John Rogers under the pseudonym "Thomas Matthew" assembled and published the Matthew Bible. Essentially comprised of William Tyndale's translation work in the New Testament and part of the Old Testament (Genesis - 2 Chronicles) AND Myles Coverdale's Old Testament (the remaining books that Tyndale had not translated before his death).
I began reading this one September 2, 2021. I finished on October 21, 2021. I really enjoyed this one. The more I read these translations with the original spelling, the more I love them. I can appreciate the artistry of non-conforming spelling. For example, mynynister instead of minister and worckemanshyppe instead of workmanship. Both words are completely decipherable. And it's just FUN.
Quotes:
John 1:1 In the begynnynge was the worde, and the word was with God, & the worde was God. 1:2 The same was in the begynnynge wyth God. 1:3 All thynges were made by it and without it was made nothynge that was made. 1:4 In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men, 1:5 & the lyght shyneth in the darknes, but the darknes comprehended it not.
John 4:24 God is a spyryte, and they that worshyp hym, must worshyp hym in spiryte and trueth. 4:25 The woman sayd vnto him: I wot well Messias shal come, whiche is called Christe. When he is come, he wyll tell vs all thinges.
John 6:38 For I came doune from heauen: not to do myne owne wyll, but his wyll which hath sent me. 6:39 And this is the fathers wyll which hath sent me, that of all whiche hath geuen me, I shoulde loose nothinge: but shoulde rayse it vp agayne at the laste daye. 6:40 And this is the wyll of him that sent me: that euerye man which seeth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting lyfe. And I wyll rayse him vp at the laste daye.
John 14:1 And he sayd vnto hys disciples: Let not youre hertes be troubled. Beleue in God & beleue in me. 14:2 In my fathers house are manye mansyons. Yf it were not so, I wolde haue told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 14:3 And yf I go to prepare a place for you, I wyl come agayne, and receyue you euen vnto my self, that wher I am, there may ye be also.
John 14:6 Iesus sayd vnto hym: I am the waye, the truthe and the lyfe. And no man commeth to the father, but by me. 14:7 Yf ye had knowen me, ye had knowen my father also. And nowe ye knowe hym, & haue sene hym.
John 14:14 Yf ye shall axe any thyng in my name, I wyl do it. 14:15 Yf ye loue me, kepe my commaundementes 14:16 & I will praye the father, and he shal geue you another conforter, that he may byde with you euer 14:17 which is the spirite of truth whom the worlde can not receyue, because the world seeth hym not, neyther knoweth hym. But ye knowe hym. For he dwelleth with you, & shal be in you.
Romans 3:23 for al haue sinned, and lacke the prayse that is of valoure before God, 3:24 but are iustifyed frelye by hys grace thorowe the redempcion that is in Christe Iesus, 3:25 whome God hath made a seate of mercye thorowe fayth in hys bloude, to shewe the rightuousnes whiche before hym is of valoure, in that he forgeueth the synnes that are passed, whiche God dyd suffer 3:26 to shewe at thys time the ryghteousnes that is alowed of hym that he myghte be counted iuste, and iustifyar of hym which beleueth on Iesus.
2 Timothy 3:16 For al scripture geuen by inspyracion of God, is profytable to teache, to improue, to amende and to instruct in ryghtuousnes, 3:17 that the man of God maye be perfecte and prepared vnto all good workes.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quicke and myghty in operacion, and sharper then anye two edged swerde, and entreth through, euen vnto the diuiding a sonder of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioyntes and the marie, and iudgeth the thoughtes and the ententes of the herte: 4:13 neyther is there anye creature inuisible in the syght of him. For all thinges are naked and bare vnto the eyes of him, of whom we speake. 4:14 Seyng then that we haue a great hye prieste, which is entred into heauen (I meane Iesus the sonne of God) let vs holde our profession. 4:15 For we haue not an hye prieste, whiche can not haue compassion on our infirmities, but was in all pointes tempted, lyke as we are, but yet without sinne.
Psalm 34:8 O taste and se how frendly the Lorde is, blessed is the man that trusteth in hym.
Psalm 37:4 Delyte thou in the Lorde, & he shall geue the thy hertes desire. 37:5 Committe thy waye vnto the Lorde, sette thy hope in hym, and he shall brynge it too passe.
Psalm 23:1 A Psalme of Dauid. The Lord is my shepherde, I can want nothynge. 23:2 He fedeth me in a grene pasture, and ledeth me to a freshe water. 23:3 He quickeneth my soule, and bryngeth me forth in the waye of righteousnes for his names sake. 23:4 Though I should walke now in the valley of the shadow of death, yet I feare not euel for thou arte with me: thy staffe & thy shepehoke comforte me. 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me agaynste myne enemyes: thou anoyntest my head with oyle, and fyllest my cuppe ful. 23:6 Oh let thy louing kyndnes and mercy folowe me all the dayes of my life, that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde for euer.
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