Why was it forbidden to translate the bible into English?

Answer 1

A few thoughts:

One notion by some maintain that God's Word is too sacred to be uttered or written [in any language] other than the inspired languages of the original manuscripts.

Some feel that the "common man" isn't able to grasp the Truth of God, and doesn't need to be reading it in any language. Some have gone so far as to teach that "too much Bible study drives a person insane" [a teaching that lends itself well to "Inquisitions"... where the power-driven clergy can apply themselves diligently to the purging of certain "heretics" of their "insanity"... or "demon possession"... or whatever else they might claim afflicts their victims].

The leaders of many religions and religious denominations [professing Christian or otherwise] want to maintain total control over their "interpretation" of their scriptures... and the less their flocks know about it, first-hand, the better.

Some feel that the English language is the most vile language ever to pass from the lips of men, being a veritable mish-MASH of all the other "purer" languages in the world. In this mindset, uttering the scriptures using English might be regarded as the worst form of "blasphemy" against the Sacred Word of God.