Tyndale's version really was we have now to CHAP. inquire. § I. TYNDALE. III. INTERNAL HISTORY. All external evidence goes to prove Tyndale's Tyndale acquainted and He originality as a translator. He had, as we have with Greek seen, formed his purpose of translating the New brew. Testament before he could have heard of Luther's', and in the year in which that appeared (1522) went up to London with a translation from Isocrates as a proof of his knowledge of Greek. His knowledge of Hebrew and Greek is also incidentally attested by the evidence of Spalatinus, of his opponent Joye3, and yet more clearly by the steady confidence with which he deals with points of Hebrew and Greek philology when they casually arise. Thus after defending his renderings of presbyteros (elder), charis (favour), agape (love), &c. CHAP. against Sir T. More he says (1530): 'These things III. HISTORY. INTERNAL 'to be even so Mr More knoweth well enough: for 'he understandeth the Greek, and he knew them 'long ere I' Again in an earlier work he writes (1528): 'The Greek tongue agreeth more with the 'English than the Latin. And the properties of 'the Hebrew tongue agree a thousand times more 'with the English than the Latin. On the other hand there is nothing to shew that he was thoroughly acquainted with German up to the time when his New Testament was finished, and the testimony of Spalatinus tacitly proves that he was not3. Tyndale's with Vulgate and Luther. But the translation of the New Testament itself compared is the complete proof of its own independence. It is impossible to read through a single chapter without gaining the assurance that Tyndale rendered the Greek text directly while still he consulted the Vulgate, the Latin translation of Erasmus, and the German of Luther. Thus taking a chapter at random we find in Eph. iv. the following certain traces of the peculiarities of the Greek 1 Answer to Sir T. More, III. p. 23 (ed. Park. Soc.). 2 Obedience of a Christian Man, I. p. 148. Compare An swer to More, p. 75. Prologue to St Matthew, I. p. 468. See above, p. 42, n. I. which are lost in the Vulgate and the translations CHAP. made from it. 2 in...longsuffering, forbearing one another...cum patientia supportantes...with patience support- 4 even as...sicut...as (Wycliffe, Rheims). 8 and hath given...dedit...he gave...(Wycliffe, Rheims). 17 as other Gentiles...sicut et...as heathen men (Wycliffe), as also the Gentiles (Rheims). 27 backbiter...... diabolo...... the devil (Wycliffe, Rheims). 29 filthy communication...sermo malus...evil word (Wycliffe): naughty speech (Rheims). but that which is good to edify withal when And so again Tyndale's rendering of vv. 5, 12, 14, 22 might come from the Greek but hardly from the Latin. On the other hand it is evident that he had the Vulgate before him, and that he owed to it the rendering 'blindness of their hearts' (cæcitatem), which has wrongly retained its place in the authorised version, III. INTERNAL HISTORY. CHAP. III. INTERNAL HISTORY. The Vulgate, Luther, Tyndale. Eph. ii. 13-22. From Luther the same chapter differs in the entire complexion of the rendering and unequivocally in the interpretation of the following passages: 5 Let there be but one Lord... Ein Herr .... 13 Till we every one, in the unity of faith... grow up unto a perfect man bis dass wir alle hinan kommen zu einerlei glauben und ein vollkommener Mann werden ... ... ... 21 as the truth is in Jesus... wie in Jesu ein rechtschaffenes Wesen ist. 24 in righteousness and true holiness ... in rechtschaffener Gerechtigkeit und Heiligkeit... A continuous passage will place the substantial independence of Tyndale in a still clearer light.' VULGATE. TYNDALE (1525). LUTHER. 13 Nunc autem 13 But now in 13 Nun aber die in Christo Jesu Christ Jesus ye ihr in Christo Jesu vos qui aliquando which a while ago seyd und weiland eratis longe, facti were far off are ferne gewesen, estis prope in san- made nigh by the seyd nun nahe geworden durch das Blut Christi. 14 Denn er ist guine Christi. blood of Christ. 14 Ipse enim est 14 For he is our pax nostra, qui peace which hath unser Friede, der 1 The Italics in Tyndale mark what is preserved in the Authorised Version. The only difference which I have observed be tween the editions of 1525 and 1534 is the omission in the latter of the words in the midst in v. 14. VULGATE. TYNDALE (1525). LUTHER. CHAP. III. fecit utraque u- made of both one, aus beiden Eines INTERNAL num, et medium and hath broken hat Gemacht, und HISTORY. parietem maceria down the wall in hat abgebrochen his flesh the cause Fleisch wegnahm legem mandato- to say, the law nemlich das Ge- cuans, 16 for to make 16 auf dass er aus zweien Einen neu- 16 ut duos condat in semetipso of twain one new in unum novum man in himself, so hominem, faciens making peace and ihm selber schaffpacem, et reconci- to reconcile both te, und Frieden liet ambos, in uno unto God in one machte, und dass corpore Deo per body through His er beide versöhcrucem, interfici- cross, and slew nete mit Gott in Eiens inimicitias in hatred thereby. semet ipso. nem Leibe durch 17 Et veniens e- 17 And came and 17 Und ist gevangelizavit pacem preached peace to kommen, hat vervobis, qui longe you which were kündiget im Evanfuistis, et pacem iis afaroff, and to them gelio den Frieden N |