The first person to translate the Bible into Latin was St. Jerome.
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St. Jerome, also known as Hieronymus or Jerome of Stridon, is widely recognized as the first person to translate the Bible into Latin. He completed this significant translation during the late 4th century AD. Jerome’s translation, called the Vulgate, became the standard Latin version of the Bible and had a profound impact on Western Christianity.
One interesting fact about St. Jerome is that he was a prominent Christian scholar and theologian, renowned for his knowledge of Hebrew and Greek. His dedication to translating the Bible into Latin stemmed from a desire to provide an accurate and accessible version of the sacred text to the Latin-speaking Christians of his time.
Here is a quote from St. Jerome himself, highlighting the importance he placed on accuracy and fidelity in his translation work: “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.”
To delve further into this topic, let’s explore a table comparing the Vulgate with other notable Bible translations:
| Translation | Language | Year Completed | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vulgate | Latin | Late 4th c. | First complete Latin translation by St. Jerome |
| Septuagint | Greek | 3rd c. BC | Oldest Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible |
| King James Version | English | 1611 | Influential English translation with poetic language |
| NIV | English | 1978 | Modern translation aiming for clarity and accuracy |
| The Message | English | 2002 | Contemporary paraphrase with a conversational tone |
| Biblia Hebraica | Hebrew | Ongoing | Critical edition of the Hebrew Bible based on manuscript evidence |
These translations, including the Vulgate, have played crucial roles in making the Bible accessible to diverse audiences and expanding its influence.
In conclusion, St. Jerome holds the honor of being the first person to translate the Bible into Latin with his work on the Vulgate. His dedication to accuracy and his significant contribution to Christianity have left a lasting impact on the study and dissemination of the Bible throughout history.
Video answer to “Who was the first person to translate the Bible into Latin?”
This video delves into the history of early Bible translators who faced persecution and death for their efforts to translate the Scriptures into English. These translators challenged the authority of the Latin Bible, allowing ordinary people to read the Bible for themselves. Notably, John Wycliffe and William Tyndale played significant roles in translating the Bible into English. Tyndale, in particular, faced criticism and was ultimately executed for his translation work. However, his death eventually led to the legalization of Bible translation in England. King James commissioned a translation that became widely accepted, and the speaker also touches on a humorous anecdote about Governor Ma Ferguson rejecting the translation of the Bible into Spanish. The video concludes by reflecting on how attitudes towards translators and their work have changed over time, emphasizing the importance of being discerning and open-minded today.
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St JeromeSt Jerome translated the Bible into Latin between A.D. 383 and 404. He originally translated it all from Greek, but as he went on he corrected the Old Testament against the Hebrew original. (The New Testament was originally written in Greek.)
In 382 Pope Damasus commissioned Jerome, the leading biblical scholar of his day, to produce an acceptable Latin version of the Bible from the various translations then being used. His revised Latin translation of the Gospels appeared about 383.
Jerome was born at Stridon, a village near Emona (now Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia) on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia. He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate) and his commentaries on the whole Bible.
In 382 the pope, Damasus, commissions Jerome to provide a definitive Latin version. In his monastery at Bethlehem, tended by aristocratic virgins, the saint produces the Vulgate. This eventually becomes established as the Bible of the whole western church until the Reformation.
Jerome was born at Stridon, a village near Emona on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia. He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate) and his commentaries on the Gospels. When was the Bible first translated into Latin?
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The Latin translation of the Bible written by St. Jerome, who was asked by Pope Damasus in 382 A.D. to bring order out of the proliferation of Old Latin versions which were in circulation. His translation became the standard Latin version of the Bible for the Western Latin-speaking Church.
Translated by Casiodoro de Reina. The earliest complete Bible printed in Castilian Spanish was translated by Casiodoro de Reina (c. 1520–1594) of Seville, who fled the Inquisition in 1557 and preached to Spanish Protestants throughout Europe.
The Vulgate is usually credited as being the first translation of the Old Testament into Latin directly from the Hebrew Tanakh rather than from the Greek Septuagint.