In 1382, English scholar and priest, John Wycliffe published a Bible in English, translated from Latin. His purpose was to take the truths of the Gospel to the people.
In 1415, Wycliffe’s remains were dug up and burned, the ashes thrown into the River Swift. He had been declared a heretic.
The first English Scriptures translated directly from the Old Testament’s Hebrew and the New Testament’s Greek were done so by linguist William Tyndale between 1522-1535. He had been influenced by the work of Martin Luther’s German New Testament.
“It came into his heart that the thing to do in life was to translate the scripture into the common language of the people.” (Dr. Timothy George at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, 2009)
The translation was a direct challenge to the Roman Catholic Church. His English Scripture translations were banned in England by Catholic authorities. Tyndale was later declared guilty of heresy, strangled and burned at the stake. Just prior to his death, witnesses heard Tyndale pray, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.” (Houston Christian University)
God answered the prayer. The King of England allowed the English Scriptures into his country’s churches. In 1611, the King James Bible was printed in his royal name.
Government leadership that promotes the Gospel does its people a great service.
The King hired on 47 translators who consulted various sources, including Tyndale’s. A large portion, up to 90% of his work was incorporated. The King James Bible remained the standard for more than 200 years and is still widely used.
God puts into the hearts of key people, a love for the Gospel, causing them to translate the Scriptures for the majority. People must have and know the Scriptures. Knowledge of the Lord, the Word himself, is within them, recorded since the beginning, and instructing the church about what will come.
The printing press had been invented and believers took the Gospels with them to remote areas of the world. (Dr. Philip Jenkins, Baylor University, 2011) The majority were those of Protestant denominations.
In the Colonies, the King James Bible was the most widely used version of the Scriptures. Since colonial days until 1963, Bible reading in United States public schools. During this time volatile disputes about which version of the Bible should be read occurred between Protestants and Catholics. (Pew Research Center, 2019) This disagreement was approximately 400 years old, existing between two branches of the church which call Jesus Christ the Lord.
The result was a court case, Abington Township v. Schempp (1963). The United States Supreme Court struck down compulsory Bible reading as unconstitutional.
When the honor of God is removed, evil enters.
The King James Bible puts it this way: “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” (1 Samuel 16:14)
The Virginia Law Review ( Mark Storslee, 2024) states that at the time the Schempp court case was decided, “More than half of Americans disapproved” of its resolution.
It is yet a controversial, but necessary subject that students and parents contend with.
A few states—Oklahoma, Idaho and Texas, are working toward reintroducing the King James Bible or Bible stories into their curriculums. (Ryan Suppe, Idaho News, 2024)
Historically, believers fought against believers about what their children would hear being read from the Word of God in the U.S. classroom. The result has been that nothing Scriptural reaches the ears of children while at school.
Forgiveness must be made. Apologies must be given on both sides, Protestant and Catholic.
Church leadership must settle this issue themselves, outside a court of law. The Apostle Paul spoke on this subject:
“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to be judged before the unjust: and not before the saints? Know you not that the saints shall judge this world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know you not that we shall judge angels? how much more things of this world?
“If therefore you have judgments of things pertaining to this world, set them to judge who are the most despised in the church.
“I speak to your shame. Is it so that there is not among you any one wise man, that is able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before unbelievers.” (1Corinthians 6:1-6 Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)
This ancient dispute began within church leadership and they themselves must end it. The people follow church leadership.
The Word of God is for the children too. Jesus said, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:16)
Protestants and Catholics must rally around the four Gospels, around Jesus, where there is agreement in who is Lord. There should be no division within the United States between those who are true believers.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:35 KJV) Unity in Jesus is a witness to the world. It is safety for the children.
Jesus speaks “I AM” to both Catholics and Protestants.
To honor the Lord and the Christian Church in the United States and Britain, “I AM” from John 18:5 has been embroidered into this artwork titled “I AM.”