Tyndale's New Testament [Paperback]

David Daniell (Editor), William Tyndale (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 1996

William Tyndale's 1534 translation of the New Testament into English from the original Greek ultimately led to his being hunted down and burnt at the stake for blasphemy. This astounding work of pioneering scholarship formed the basis of subsequent English bibles until after the Second World War and was the version of the bible used by some of our greatest poets. By the twentieth century, however, it had become virutally unknown because of its suppression for political reasons and its difficult early sixteenth-century spelling. The edition - published in modern spelling, as the modern book it once was - makes this masterly work of English prose by one of the greatest geniuses of the ages accessible to today's reader.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Tyndale's was the first English translation of the Bible based on the original languages and was the forebear of the King James version. Because the influence of the latter obscured Tyndale's work, this is only the second full edition of his New Testament published in over 400 years. The 1938 edition introduced few alterations to the text. Daniell, on the other hand, thoroughly modernizes the spelling (with the exception of just over 100 terms, which he lists in a glossary) and adds modern verse numbers at the top of each page. His introduction discusses the translation and translator and their place in the history of the English Bible. This edition makes it possible to see just how much Tyndale's work influenced what followed and to appreciate Tyndale in his own right, without having to wrestle with the specifics of 16th-century English. This volume deserves wide circulation. Recommended for most public, academic, and seminary libraries.
- Craig W. Beard, Harding Univ. Lib., Searcy, Ark.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, Greek (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 466 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; Modern Spelling ed edition (September 10, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300065809
• ISBN-13: 978-0300065800
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 1.1 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 72 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book of multiple glories December 8, 1999

By Ralph H. Peters

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

It is impossible to capture the wealth and worth of this translation of the New Testament in a few sentences. For Christians, or for those interested in religious studies, Tyndale's inspired work has a clarity and purity unmatched even by the King James Bible--to which I previously looked for my personal readings, and which is three-quarters Tyndale (the other quarter not necessarily an improvement). In my career, on the other hand, I make my living from language and have gone again and again to the cadences and powerful forms of the Authorized Version--now I will go directly to Tyndale, and regret only that it took me half my life to read his rendering. His language shaped our own, down to the present day, just as his passion for the Word shaped our religious practice. There is no finer source for the study of English as we write it and revere it. This is, at the risk of too secular a characterization, the ultimate writer's handbook. Tyndale was martyred for his belief--for his words--and this reprint, with updated spelling, makes his most important work widely available again. Even for those for whom religion has no place in their lives, this is a work of surpassing literary beauty. It is a book of multiple glories. As a minimum, it is the most beautiful book of poetry in the English language.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Daniell's Tyndale February 28, 2002

By Mr. Gary S. Dykes

Format:Hardcover

This 429 page (+ xxxv) hardcover volume is a nice appearing work. It contains an up-to-date "translation" of William Tyndale's 1534 New Testament. No mention on the quality of paper used. The type is clear and well printed.

David Daniell is well qualified for this effort. He does a masterful job, and the book is a great value in the paperback edition, but the hardcover is priced much too high. It is poorly bound, using glue injection, the pages will not lay open! As the glue hardens in the future, you can expect pages to fall out.

I am very glad I bought the book, Tyndale's work is worthy of study, and shows great respect for God's Word. Tyndale himself suffered greatly to get the Word into the hands of all English speakers... Surely the work would be more popular if it could be freely quoted.

For your money, buy the paperback edition...

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must have New Testament August 14, 2000

By Gary G. Nichols

Format:Hardcover

Anyone interested in the history of the English Bible and Bible translation should own a copy of this historic masterpiece of Bible translation. Tyndall was the first to translate the New Testament into English from the Greek and it cost him his life.

This historic New Testament is available at what amounts to a bargin price. The type is easy to read. Anyone woried about reading older English forms should not hesitate to purchase this volume. I believe what makes older English harder to read is the older spelling and type. With Mr. Daniell's updating of the spelling, I believe Tyndall's New Testament is more readable than the King James Version (KJV). Additionally, Tyndall's wording seems simplier than the KJV and is in more in keeping with modern translations. For example, the word "love" is used in 1 Corinthians 13 instead of the KJV's "charity".

I would like to own an original printing of Tyndall's New Testament, but I'm sure I can not afford it. With the publication of this volume, I got a more readable and much more affordable copy.