The Wycliffe New Testament 1388: An Edition in Modern Spelling with an Introduction, the Original Prologues and the Epistle to the Laodiceans [Hardcover]

 

 

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For those who believe Martin Luther was the author of the Reformation they forget that two hundred years before there was in Oxford a scholar of great intellect in the 1370's who taught the same doctrines and preached the same message of the Reformation.

John Wycliffe, described as an Augustinian by persuasion, was born during a time of great upheaval for the Church in England. He saw the hierarchy as corrupt and had departed from the apostolic faith both in doctrine and deed. For his yardstick he used the Scriptures,(Latin Vulgate) upon which to make his judgements. He held an influential position in Oxford University where he lectured for several years before being forced out of office. He taught the infallibility of the Scriptures and drew many disciples round him called Lollards. There was an attempt in Wycliffe's time to translate the Vulgate into middle English which was emerging as the language of the common man. The thinking was that as the Vulgate was produced in about the year 400 AD in Latin to allow ordinary people to read the Scriptures for themselves so in their day people should be free to do the same. It was some four years after his death that his followers produced this version of the Scriptures called the Later Version. The Earlier one relied excessively on the Latin text.
The printing press had not been invented so that each copy was reproduced by hand. So precious was this translation that even in the sixteenth century this version was still being read. The development of modern English eventually led to its demise.
Dr. Cooper who has translated this version into modern English is to be congratulated at giving us a Bible that is understandable. If we were given the original then most of us would struggle to understand the language. Even while reading this version readers may find some parts of it rather difficult to understand. The reason being was that English was just emerging as a separate language. The influence of French and Latin in everyday written communication was common and it was not until the publication two hundred years later of the Tyndale version on the New Testament that modern English became what we understand it to be today

As I read this version I felt I was being given the privilege of stepping back into Church history and tried to imagine being an ordinary person reading the Scriptures in his language for the first time. It must have been an extraordinary experience.
The reader has to possess patience in reading the passages. Only chapter headings are available because verses were not introduced in the Bible until the Geneva version in 1560's. In a sense this makes the reading easier because verse numbers do not keep reappearing and so distracting the reader.

I wish to give the reader just an example of the changing nature of the English language.

Romans Chapter 5: 1-4 Wycliffe Version

Therefore we, justified of faith, have we peace at God by our Lord Jesus Christ. .By whom we have nigh going to by faith into this grace in which we stand, and have glory in the hope of the glory of God's children. And not this only, but also we glory in tribulations, witting* that tribulation works patience, and patience proving, and proving hope. And hope confounds not, for the charity of God is spread abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is given to us."
*Means knowing or aware

Romans 5:1-5 New King James Version
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Occasionally the wording of Wycliffe is exceptionally descriptive. As an example Mark 16:8 says in the Wycliffe version as the women left the tomb having been met by an angel, "And they went out and fled from the sepulchre, for dread and quaking had assailed them, and to no man they said anything, for they dreaded."

"It is much more instant and dramatic than, "So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." (NKJV)

Finally, I use this version to check on a particular text to see if it can add something to a modern text.

I fully recommend this book to the serious Bible student and those who like to hold a piece of Church history in their hands.

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