Maggie's Farm

The first modern English Bible translation remains, in my opinion, the best. The final edition was published in 1534 by William Tyndale, an English scholar and follower of Luther, who single-handedly translated the New Testament and parts of the old, including a wonderful Genesis. He was burnt at the stake in 1536 in Brussels for his trouble.

His language is at once distant and direct. The antique manner reminds you that you are reading both an ancient and a sacred text, while his use of plain, Anglo-Saxon words reminds you that the New Testament was written in everyday speech.

Much of the King James Bible was based on Tyndale, but that version adopted a self-conscious grandiosity that, while a glory of the English language, often tramples the tone of the originals with its high bearing.

Tyndale is tough sledding for a modern reader in his original spelling and eye-blinding Blackletter type, so I don't recommend wrestling with him in facimile. In my opinion, the best current version is this modern-spelling edition by David Daniell.

If you want a little Christmas in June, here is Luke 2:1-20 in Daniell's edition:

And it chanced in those days: that there went out a commandment from August the Emperor, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was the first and executed when Cyrenius was lieutenant in Syria. And every man went unto his own city to be taxed. And Joseph also ascended from Galilee, out of a city called Nazareth, into Jewry: unto the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be taxed with Mary his spoused wife which was with child.

And it fourtuned while they were there, her time was come that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first begotten son, and wrapped him swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them within in the inn.

And there were in the same region shepherds abiding in the field and watching their flock by night. And lo: the angel of the Lord stood hard by them, and the brightness of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. But the angel said unto them: Be not afraid. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy that shall come to all the people: for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a saviour which is Christ the Lord. And take this for a sign: ye shall find the child swaddled and laid in a manger. And straightway there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly soldiers, lauding God and saying: Glory to God on high, and peace on the earth: and unto men rejoicing.

And it fortuned, as soon as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: let us go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is happened which the Lord hath shewed unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe laid in a manger. And when the had seen it, they published abroad the saying which was told them of that child. And all that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them of the shepherds. But Mary kept all those sayings, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, praising and lauding God for all that they had heard and seen, even as it was told unto them.