William Tyndale
English biblical scholar and translator executed for heresy.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
William Tyndale (c. He translated much of the Bible into English. Tyndale's translations were the first English Scriptures to draw directly from Hebrew and Greek texts, the first English translation to take advantage of the printing press, the first of the new English Bibles of the Reformation, and the first English translation to use Jehovah as God's name. His work was taken to be a direct challenge to the authority of the Catholic Church and of those laws of England maintaining the Church's position, and it continued to play a key role in spreading Reformation ideas across the English-speaking world.
- died
- October 1536, executed by strangulation and burnt at the stake at Vilvoorde cast
- field
- Biblical scholarship, translation, linguistics
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- First English Bible translation from Hebrew and Greek; use of printing press; in
Lore & Background
William Tyndale is commemorated in modern Anglican calendars for beginning the full translation of the Bible into English (a project which led to the Geneva Bible), and for writings against the Catholic Church. He is listed among the English martyrs. His translation work was a direct challenge to the authority of the Catholic Church. Tyndale was executed in October 1536.
Reader's Guide
His use of the printing press allowed wide distribution, and his translation choices—such as using 'Jehovah' for God's name—were substantially adopted by subsequent English editions. His work continued to play a key role in spreading Reformation ideas across the English-speaking world. The Church of England commemorates William Tyndale on 6 October as a translator of the Scriptures and martyr.
Did You Know?
- William Tyndale's translations were the first English Scriptures to draw directly from Hebrew and Greek texts.
- His translation was the first English Bible to take advantage of the printing press.
- Tyndale's translation was the first English Bible to use Jehovah as God's name.
- He is commemorated in the Church of England calendar on 6 October as a translator of the Scriptures and martyr.
- Tyndale is listed among the English martyrs in modern Anglican calendars for beginning the full translation of the Bible into English.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is William Tyndale?
William Tyndale was an English biblical scholar and translator of the early 16th century, best known for producing the first English Bible rendered directly from the original Hebrew and Greek texts. He is widely regarded as a foundational figure of the Protestant Reformation.
What made Tyndale's English Bible translation groundbreaking?
His work was the first English rendering of Scripture to draw from Hebrew and Greek sources rather than the Latin Vulgate, and the first to exploit the printing press for mass distribution. It was also the first English translation to render God's name as 'Jehovah.'
How did William Tyndale die?
Tyndale was executed in October 1536 at Vilvoorde Castle, where he was strangled and then burned at the stake. His death resulted from a conviction of heresy.
Why was Tyndale seen as a threat to the Catholic Church?
By publishing an English Bible based on the original languages, he effectively removed the Church's exclusive control over scriptural interpretation. His translations were treated as a direct challenge to both papal authority and the English statutes that upheld the Church's established position.
What is Tyndale's lasting legacy?
His translations laid the linguistic and theological groundwork for every subsequent English Bible of the Reformation period. His work kept spreading Reformation ideas across the English-speaking world well beyond his lifetime.
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