| The voluminous Bible carries the stories of humanity | | | | of translating the Holy Book in vernacular. For instance, |
| from its birth to thousands of years later, its contents | | | | William Tyndale (1494- 1536) translated, printed and |
| being written down by hand. All Bibles were copied | | | | disseminated copies of the New Testament in English. |
| manually until the invention of the printing press. | | | | This led to his trialing and being pronounced a heretic |
| Nevertheless, the Hebrews have a strict tradition | | | | by the English Church officials and he was eventually |
| concerning the rules of copying the religious texts in | | | | burnt on stake. Another person who translated the |
| order to ensure accuracy. Even today, one can see | | | | Bible, this time in German, was Martin Luther (1483- |
| handwritten Torah scrolls as being used in synagogues. | | | | 1546) but he also insisted that the Bible be written in |
| The Christian Bible was initially scribed by monks that | | | | the language of common, average people so that they |
| spent countless hours of labor to copy the sacred | | | | could have access to its contents. Gradually, his |
| books. The invention of the printing press by Johann | | | | efforts paid off and from then on, the mysteries of the |
| Gutenberg in 1456 sure did save a lot of effort. The | | | | Bible could be made public for all to examine and |
| first book to be printed on that press was the Bible | | | | meditate on. |
| and it was in Latin. This fact had major implications | | | | During his reign, King James gathered and appointed a |
| later. Due to the fact that the Bible was printed in Latin, | | | | commission of scholars to provide an official English |
| a language that could be read by few, this bestowed | | | | language translation of the Bible that was published in |
| a certain powers on the respective persons. This way, | | | | 1611. This version became standard and it is still in use |
| the Bible stayed out of the masses' reach for a long | | | | today. |
| time, which led to the controlling of the way in which | | | | In 1952, after years of work by scholars, another |
| the Great Book was interpreted. | | | | important translation resulted. It was called the Revised |
| Later on, the Bible was translated in English and | | | | Standard Version and marked a period in which many |
| German too, although the authorities initially protested | | | | other translation would follow. |
| against this. Some had to suffer for taking the initiative | | | | |