William Tyndale
- Born:
- c. 1494, Gloucestershire, England
- Died:
- October 6, 1536, Vilvoorde, Duchy of Brabant (modern-day Belgium)
- Nationality:
- English
- Profession(s):
- Biblical Scholar, Translator, Priest
Early Life and Education
- Educated at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1512 and a Master of Arts degree in 1515.
- Ordained as a priest in 1521.
- Developed a strong interest in biblical scholarship and the availability of scripture in the vernacular language.
Career and Major Achievements
- Sought support from Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall of London to translate the Bible into English, but was denied.
- Moved to mainland Europe around 1524 to pursue his translation work.
- Published his English translation of the New Testament in 1526, printed in Worms, Germany.
- His New Testament translation was smuggled into England, facing opposition from religious authorities.
- Continued to revise and improve his translation of the New Testament.
- Began translating the Old Testament from Hebrew, completing the Pentateuch.
- Arrested in Antwerp in 1535 and imprisoned.
- Convicted of heresy and burned at the stake in 1536.
Notable Works
- Translation of the New Testament from Greek into English (1526, revised editions).
- Translation of the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) from Hebrew into English.
- The Obedience of a Christian Man (1528), a theological treatise.
- The Practice of Prelates (1530), a critique of the clergy.
Legacy and Impact
William Tyndale is celebrated for his pioneering English translation of the Bible, which had a profound and lasting influence on the development of the English language and the Protestant Reformation. His translations served as a foundation for subsequent English Bibles, including the King James Version. The search for reliable information on figures such as the subject of the entry 'William Tyndale biography online people' is testament to his enduring impact on English culture and religion.