William Tyndale

William Tyndale – Life, Faith, and the English Bible

Discover the life and enduring legacy of William Tyndale (1484–1536), the English clergyman, scholar, and martyr who translated the Bible into English, defied church authorities, and laid the foundation for the modern English language.

Introduction

William Tyndale stands among the greatest figures of the English Reformation — a man whose scholarship and courage forever changed the course of Christianity and the English language. Born around 1484, Tyndale’s dream was to make the Bible accessible to every English-speaking person, regardless of social class or education. His English translation of the Scriptures, completed in defiance of royal and clerical prohibition, became the foundation for later versions such as the King James Bible (1611).

Condemned as a heretic, betrayed, and executed in 1536, Tyndale’s story is one of faith, intellect, and sacrifice. His famous dying prayer — “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes” — symbolized his unshakable conviction that divine truth should never be imprisoned by human authority.

Early Life and Family

William Tyndale was born around 1484 in Gloucestershire, England, probably in the village of North Nibley near Dursley.

His family was of modest means but well-connected in local affairs. The Tyndales were believed to have descended from a family long established in Northumberland. From a young age, William showed exceptional linguistic aptitude and religious curiosity.

Growing up in a period when Latin was the language of Scripture, worship, and scholarship, Tyndale would come to question why ordinary people were denied access to the Word of God in their own tongue — a question that would define his life’s mission.

Youth and Education

Tyndale entered Magdalen College, Oxford, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in 1512 and Master of Arts in 1515. His studies immersed him in classical languages, theology, and philosophy.

Later, he studied at Cambridge University, a hotbed of humanist and reformist ideas influenced by Erasmus of Rotterdam. Erasmus’s Greek New Testament (1516) especially impressed Tyndale — it made him realize that much of the Latin Vulgate translation used by the Church was inaccurate or misleading.

This academic foundation, combined with a deep personal faith, set Tyndale on a path toward the most dangerous goal of his time: to translate the Bible into English directly from the Hebrew and Greek texts.

The Road to Reformation

In the early 1520s, Tyndale served as a chaplain and tutor in the household of Sir John Walsh at Little Sodbury Manor in Gloucestershire. During this period, he frequently debated with local clergy and scholars, defending his view that Scripture should be available in English.

It was here that he reportedly declared one of his most famous lines, addressed to a priest who argued that people were better off following the pope than Scripture:

“If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”

This declaration encapsulated his vision — a faith accessible to all, free from clerical mediation.

When Tyndale sought official authorization to translate the Bible, Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall of London refused him. Facing opposition from church authorities, he left England for the European continent in 1524, never to return.

Exile and the English Bible

Translation Work in Europe

Tyndale settled first in Hamburg, then in Wittenberg, where he may have met Martin Luther, whose writings inspired him. He soon began translating the New Testament directly from Greek into English — a revolutionary act considered heresy in England.

In 1526, the first printed edition of Tyndale’s English New Testament was produced in Worms, Germany, and smuggled into England hidden in barrels of grain and bolts of cloth.

Church authorities were outraged. Bishop Tunstall publicly burned copies at St. Paul’s Cross in London, yet the books continued to circulate widely. The more they were banned, the more eagerly they were read.

Revisions and the Old Testament

Tyndale continued revising and refining his translation while living under constant threat. In 1529, he narrowly escaped capture in Antwerp and later began translating portions of the Old Testament from Hebrew — completing the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy), which was printed in 1530.

His translations emphasized clarity and simplicity, favoring direct English phrasing over Latinized forms. Many of his expressions entered common English speech and endure today, including:

• “Let there be light.”

• “The powers that be.”

• “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• “Fight the good fight.”

These phrases would later appear in the King James Version, demonstrating Tyndale’s lasting linguistic influence.

Opposition, Betrayal, and Execution

By the early 1530s, Tyndale’s writings — especially his “The Obedience of a Christian Man” (1528) — had circulated among reform-minded readers, including Anne Boleyn, who reportedly showed it to King Henry VIII. Ironically, while Henry used parts of Tyndale’s theology to justify breaking from Rome, he still condemned Tyndale as a heretic.

Tyndale’s criticisms of Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon and his opposition to royal supremacy over the Church made him an enemy to both the Catholic hierarchy and the English crown.

In 1535, Tyndale was betrayed by a supposed friend, Henry Phillips, and arrested in Antwerp. He was imprisoned in Vilvoorde Castle, near Brussels, for over a year.

On October 6, 1536, after a sham trial, he was strangled and then burned at the stake. Witnesses recorded his final words:

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

Only a year later, his prayer was answered — King Henry VIII authorized an English Bible, much of it based on Tyndale’s translation.

Legacy and Influence

The Father of the English Bible

William Tyndale’s translation work laid the foundation for all subsequent English Bibles. Scholars estimate that over 80% of the King James New Testament (1611) is directly based on Tyndale’s words.

His approach set new linguistic and spiritual standards: simple, musical, and faithful to the original texts. He helped shape modern English prose, influencing writers from Shakespeare to Milton.

Martyrdom for Truth

Tyndale’s execution made him a martyr for conscience and Scripture. His courage inspired generations of reformers who viewed him as the man who risked everything for faith and truth.

His story symbolizes the power of conviction against oppression — a reminder that words, once released, cannot be burned.

Personality and Beliefs

Tyndale was described as humble, disciplined, and scholarly, yet bold in his convictions. He valued truth over comfort and intellect over dogma.

He rejected institutional corruption and insisted that Scripture alone (sola scriptura) should guide faith. He also emphasized justification by faith, a cornerstone of Protestant theology.

His letters from prison reveal a man of great humility and faith. In one, he requested only a warm cap, a candle, and his Hebrew Bible, hoping to continue translating even while awaiting death.

Famous Quotes by William Tyndale

“If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”

“The Scriptures spring out of God, and flow unto Christ.”

“I perceived how that it was impossible to establish the lay people in any truth, except the Scripture were plainly laid before their eyes in their mother tongue.”

Lessons from William Tyndale

1. Truth demands courage. Tyndale risked everything for intellectual and spiritual integrity.

2. Language shapes faith. His English Bible democratized religious understanding and transformed the English language.

3. Conviction transcends power. Neither kings nor bishops could silence his message.

4. Faith is freedom. His belief in the individual’s right to read and interpret Scripture remains a cornerstone of modern religious liberty.

5. Words endure. Centuries later, his translations continue to echo in sermons, literature, and common speech.

Conclusion

William Tyndale’s life is both tragedy and triumph — the story of a scholar who died to give others the right to read. His translations not only opened the Scriptures to English speakers but also transformed the language itself, leaving an indelible mark on history.

Today, his legacy lives on in every English Bible, in the language of faith and everyday speech, and in the enduring belief that truth — when spoken clearly — can outlast tyranny, fire, and time.

“The Word of God cannot be bound.” — William Tyndale