Who first translated the Bible into German?

Answer 1

Many people have translated The Bible into German; Martin Luther's translation (since revised several times) from 1522 remains one of the most widely read translations in Germany (similar in some ways to the role the King James version plays in the English-speaking world).

The question is made complex by what the definition of the word "German" is. If understood broadly, the first translation was into Gothic by Wulfila (ca. 380). Charlemagne funded translations into Frankish in the 800s AD. The first bible in what can be considered more or less modern German was the Gutenberg Bible (1455); the Mentel Bible (1466) was the first printed bible.

Answer 2

Martin Luther translated the Old Testament Hebrew into German. This is still highly regarded today as a great work of German literature, as well as Bible scholarship and even played an important role in the formation of the modern German language.

Answer 3

A:

The New Testament gospels had already been translated into Old Latin by the time Jerome, whose full name was Sophronius Eusebius Hieronymus, was commissioned in 382-383 to revise the translations. His intention was to "correct the mistakes made by inaccurate translators and the blundering alterations of confident but ignorant critics, and further, all that has been inserted or changed by copyists more asleep than awake."

It is not certain that Jerome translated the remainder of the New Testament, or whether this was undertaken by others.

Jerome also translated the Old Testament. He had begun by relying heavily on the Septuagint, but then abandoned it and worked from the Hebrew texts. He decided that the books found in the Septuagint but not the Hebrew scriptures were nonsensical, so although he did translate some of them he rejected them as part of the Old Testament canon and labelled them as Apocrypha.

Answer 4

That was Martin Luther (10 November 1483 - 18 February 1546). He was a German monk, priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. His translation of the Bible into the language of the people (instead of Latin) made it more accessible, causing a tremendous impact on the church and on German culture. It fostered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation into English of the King James Bible.

Answer 5

Martin Luther first did this, his style of work forming a basis for other later translations as well as being important for the formation of the modern German language itself.

Answer 6

No. William Tyndale was known for translating the Bible into English.

He did do some of his work while in Germany.

See related links for more information.

Answer 7

Martin Luther

Answer 8

Martin Luther