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Friday, April 07, 2023

Bible translators on Bible study

“…it shall greately helpe ye to understonde scripture, yf thou marke not onely what is spoken or written, but of whom, & unto whom, with what wordes, at what tyme, where, to what intent, with what circumstaunce, consyderynge what goeth before, and what foloweth after…” [It shall greatly help thee to understand scripture, if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom, and unto whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstance, considering what goeth before, and what followeth after.] -- Miles Coverdale, A prologe…unto the Christen reader, 1535

“Take the books into thine hands, read the whole story, and that thou understandest, keep it well in memory; that thou understandest not, read it again, and again. If thou can neither so come by it, counsel with some other that is better learned. Go to thy curate and preacher; show thyself to be desirous to know and learn, and I doubt not but God - seeing thy diligence and readiness (if no man else teach thee) - will himself vouchsafe with his holy spirit to illuminate thee, and to open unto thee that which was locked from thee.” -- Thomas Cranmer, Preface to the Great Bible, 1540

“To the Reader.

“Because there are in ye newe Testament some wordes, which should not of every body be wel understanded, because they are not accustomed in common speach, we have made a lytle gathering, & an exposicion of them: Not thorughly to treate them as learned men myghte, nor to declare them with longe circumstance, but only that the rude and ignorannt may knowe what they signifie, & so not be troubled in the readinge. [Because there are in the New Testament some words, which may not of everybody be well understood, because they are not customarily used in common speech, we have made a little gathering, and an exposition of them: Not thoroughly to treat them as learned men might, not to declare them with long circumstance, but only that the untaught and uniformed may know what they signify, and so not be troubled in the reading.] -- A gatherying of certayne harde wordes in the newe Testament, with their exposition, Taverner Bible, 1551

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