William Tyndale speaks on KJVO (or what he has said before that is relevant)

UPDATE 22/1/2014:

I must point out here, that my opinion on the King James has drastically changed over the last year, and that the average KJVO would not have killed anyone for bringing out a new translation. The KJV is the only source of infallibility in the English bible line, but KJVOs would not begrudge or dispute anyone using Tyndale thru Bishops for their edification. The issue truly is the modern scholarship, and the idea that the Holy Spirit does not have a hand in preserving God's word. There is also a prevailing belief in a conspiracy on the parts of translators and corporations to continually print new bible translations in order a. keep themselves in a job and b. make lots of moolah and c. seal up the word of God in unrighteousness

Now for the original post:


I found this just a few moments ago and I instantly thought of KJVO (which is shocking considering 85% of the KJV is Tyndale.



From the Pathway to the Holy Scripture c1530

I do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the scripture to be had in every language, and that of every man. For I thought that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be shewed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation: or so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing, or so Bedlam (insane) mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and verity and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness and verity reproveth all manner lying.


Now, I know its hard to read - and I'm sure Tyndale would agree that today, because our English is so different, it is hard. Remember, Latin used to be a language that anyone throughout the civilized world could read - thats why the Vulgate was made - it no longer is. We now speak English: and thats why we get translations like the NIV and NLT today, because 17th century English is not 21st century English and whilst some still use the KJV, not all want to read such a difficult translation - or are able.

Tyndale says it all so succinctly, people question why others dont use the KJV, and why they need a new translation. They use any excuse possible to turn people from light (i.e. knowledge) to darkness (ignorance). The catholics did it in the 16th century and killed Tyndale for it. Nowadays we have KJVOs who want people to read only that, and they should struggle, But struggling to read something that is so vital and important, when it is near incomprehensible to them, is not fair. I think that filling peoples minds with rhetoric and propaganda to keep them in darkness (accidentally or not) is not the way to go. If Tyndale had of yielded to the same manner as the KJVO- we wouldn't have had the KJV, in fact England would never have had the bible. Just imagine it. NO Tyndale bible, no great bible, no Matthew Bible, no Geneva Bible.  Scary to me!

As I have likely said before, Tyndale is my HERO - I cant wait to meet him one day. Knowing his views, his opinions and knowing how similar our theologies are- makes my day.


Check back later when I may just add an explanation to what Tyndale said, and expand upon it a little

God bless.

EDIT: UPDATE 30/1/2013

 I do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the scripture to be had in every language, and that of every man. 

Tyndale here states his wonder, that anyone would be against scripture in all languages -for everyone. In his day all Papally-aligned governments supported the position that latin was the only God-approved language for scripture. You see Rome in part idolized scripture, and of course didn't want people to read it and discover their man-made traditions.

For I thought that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be shewed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation:

Alluding to both the Gospels of Luke and John - Tyndale uses scripture to allegorize the situation in his day -and ours. You would have to be blind not to see light, and to not understand the necessity of it to those who are in darkness. Hes saying "Can the blind lead the blind? Will not both fall into the ditch?". He knows that the ditch is the lake of fire, and he is basically saying: Deny the scripture (light) to those who need it (those in darkness) and you are damning them! I say the same thing to the KJVOs, As dangerous as a latin scripture to english readers is a 12th grade translation to a 3rd grade reader. You may as well throw a book on string theory in front of them. Or perhaps La Bibla. I may be able to read it, but I have a 12th grade reading level (but not writing lol). I read the NLT!


or so despiteful that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing, or so Bedlam (insane) mad to affirm that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, and that lying should be grounded in truth and verity and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness and verity reproveth all manner lying.

Tyndale posits that hate may be the cause, or insanity that causes the powers that be to declare the scriptures in English evil. Pointing out that the scriptures are good - yet the church declares them evil, when in fact the truth is that the scriptures will wake people up and rebuke the church for its lies. Isn't it evil to declare a bible translation, evil? To deny anyone the Holy Bible on the grounds that it will damn them? Its been pointed out before that even the NWT is the scriptures, despite some interpretive takes in the NT. There is a lot of websites out there warning people about corrupt bibles, people have even burned NIVs before. Yet this is what the catholics did in the 16th century to Tyndales NT for THE SAME REASON. They claimed his NT was of the devil and would damn someone to hell, now protestants are burning NIVs claiming they are satans bibles and will damn people to hell.

Thats why I knew this quote was good enough to show the idiocy of the argument. Use any translation, dynamic, formal, literal. Go for it, do it with a clean conscience, and never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Chris.

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