Great Bible
The Great Bible (dt. Great Bible ) of 1539 was the first authorized English translation of the Bible and replaced the Matthew Bible .
background
In 1538, Henry VIII issued a royal decree that all English congregations had to purchase an English Bible and display it in a suitable location 'for all to see and read'. Although there was already a Bible in English, the Matthew Bible , its translation was obviously based largely on the work of William Tyndale , who was burned as a heretic in 1536. At Thomas Cranmer 's instigation , Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex , initiated the printing of a new Bible, which was called the Great Bible because of its size . Miles Coverdale , who had already published the so-called Coverdale Bible in 1535 , oversaw the translation work. Even if the newly created Bible translation was no longer directly associated with William Tyndale, his Bible translation was still clearly recognizable in the Bible text and so this Bible is basically just a revision of his translation.
pressure
In 1538 official efforts began to print the Great Bible. Since the English printing industry was still in its infancy at that time, it was supposed to be printed in France. However, the project met with distrust and hostility in France and even sparked a police raid. Only parts of the printed work could be saved to England, the rest was confiscated. In 1539 the Bible was finally printed in England and was a milestone in the development of the English printing industry. This was followed by 6 editions with a circulation of more than 9,000 up to 1541.
Individual evidence
- ↑ David Starkey, Susan Doran (eds.): Man and Monarch, Henry VIII. British Lib, 2009, pp. 202 ff.
- ↑ Cf. David Daniell : The Bible in English . London, 2003, page 198 ff.
- ↑ David Starkey, Susan Doran (Eds.): Man and Monarch, Henry VIII. British Lib, 2009, p. 203