Who Is This For?
Best For:
Historical research, understanding translation history, studying the origins of English biblical vocabulary, appreciating the martyrdom tradition, and scholarly comparison with later translations.
Not Ideal For:
Regular reading, worship, children, or those unfamiliar with early modern English.
Strengths & Limitations
✓ Strengths of the TNT
- Foundational to all English Bible translation
- First translation from original Greek and Hebrew
- Created enduring English phrases still in use
- Clear, direct prose style
- Public domain - freely available
✗ Limitations to Consider
- 16th century English is very archaic
- Incomplete Old Testament (Tyndale was executed)
- Based on limited manuscripts available in 1520s
- Difficult for modern readers without training
- Some contemporary spelling and grammar confusing
Overview
William Tyndale's pioneering translation was the first English Bible translated directly from Greek and Hebrew, and the first to be printed. Despite being executed as a heretic, Tyndale's work became the foundation for all major English translations - scholars estimate that 84% of the King James New Testament and 76% of its Old Testament portions come directly from Tyndale.
Want to read the TNT Bible online? Use our Bible search tool to find any verse, or start reading from Genesis.
Notable Features of the TNT
- First printed English New Testament
- First English Bible from Greek/Hebrew originals
- Coined numerous English words and phrases
- Foundation for all major English translations
- Public domain
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Tyndale Bible?
William Tyndale's pioneering translation was the first English Bible translated directly from Greek and Hebrew, and the first to be printed. Despite being executed as a heretic, Tyndale's work became the foundation for all major English translations - scholars estimate that 84% of the King James New Testament and 76% of its Old Testament portions come directly from Tyndale.
How can I read the TNT Bible online?
You can read and search the Tyndale Bible online for free at Acts1 Family. Use our Bible search tool to find any verse, chapter, or keyword in the TNT translation.
When was the TNT Bible published?
The Tyndale Bible was first published in 1526. It is classified as a Formal Equivalence translation with a College reading level.
Who should use the TNT Bible?
Historical research, understanding translation history, studying the origins of English biblical vocabulary, appreciating the martyrdom tradition, and scholarly comparison with later translations.
How does the TNT compare to other Bible translations?
The Tyndale Bible (TNT) is a Formal Equivalence translation. Compare it with other versions like the KJV, ASV, or NIV using our Bible comparison tools to find the best translation for your needs.
Read the TNT Online
Search any verse, compare with other translations, or start reading from Genesis.
Start ReadingHistory
Complete History of the TNT Translation
William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536) was educated at Oxford and Cambridge, becoming convinced that Scripture should be available in the common tongue. When church authorities refused his request to translate the Bible legally, he fled to Germany in 1524. Working secretly in Cologne and Worms, Tyndale completed his New Testament in 1525-1526 - the first English New Testament translated from Greek and the first to be printed.
Copies were smuggled into England hidden in bales of cloth and flour sacks. Church authorities, led by Thomas More and Bishop Tunstall, bought up copies to burn them - ironically funding Tyndale's continued work. Tyndale revised his New Testament in 1534 and translated the Pentateuch (1530) and other Old Testament books, but never completed the entire Old Testament.
In 1535, Tyndale was betrayed in Antwerp, arrested, and imprisoned for over a year. On October 6, 1536, he was strangled and burned at the stake at Vilvoorde Castle near Brussels. His last words were reportedly: 'Lord, open the eyes of the King of England.' Within a year, Henry VIII authorized an English Bible that was largely Tyndale's work.
Tyndale's influence on the English language is immeasurable. He coined words like 'Passover,' 'scapegoat,' and 'atonement,' and phrases like 'salt of the earth,' 'the powers that be,' 'my brother's keeper,' 'fight the good fight,' and 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.'
Learn More on Wikipedia
Translators
Meet the 1 Key Translators and Contributors
William Tyndale
Sole translator
Oxford and Cambridge educated scholar and linguist. Proficient in eight languages including Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Spanish, French, Italian, English, and German. Executed as a heretic in 1536 at approximately age 42.
Textual Basis
Manuscript Sources and Translation Methodology
Tyndale translated the New Testament from the Greek text of Erasmus (1516 and later editions) and the Old Testament portions from the Hebrew Masoretic Text. He also consulted Luther's German translation and the Latin Vulgate.
Reception
Scholarly Praise
"Linguistic scholars found that nearly 84 percent of the New Testament and close to 76 percent of the Old Testament portions Tyndale translated have been transmitted to the KJV just as he left them."
— David Daniell, William Tyndale: A Biography (1994) [source]
"It would be hard to overpraise the literary merits of what he had done. Tyndale ingeniously coined new English words like 'Passover,' 'atonement,' 'scapegoat,' and 'mercy seat.'"
— BYU Religious Studies Center, Revisiting William Tyndale, Father of the English Bible (2011) [source]
Scholarly Concerns
Bishop Tunstall of London declared upwards of 2,000 errors in Tyndale's translation, and Thomas More accused Tyndale of purposely mistranslating terms like 'church' to 'congregation' and 'priest' to 'elder.'
— Wikipedia (citing contemporary sources), Tyndale Bible - Historical Reception (2024) [source]
Revision History
View 4 Major Revisions and Updates
- 1526 First complete printed English New Testament, published in Worms.
- 1530 Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) published.
- 1534 Revised New Testament with improvements and corrections.
- 1535 Jonah published; Tyndale was arrested before completing more of the Old Testament.
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