In
the following table, I have given four versions to show the progression from
Tyndale to the KJV. So that the comparison may be as fair as possible, I have
used original-spelling texts of all four versions: for Tyndale and the
"Bishops' Bible," Luther A. Weigle's The
New Testament Octapla (Nelson, 1962); for Geneva,
the 1607 Robert Barker NT in the Pilgrim Press facsimile (1989); and for the
KJV, the reprint of the first edition by Nelson (1982). Despite what some have
asserted, this comparison amply demonstrates the truth of what Weigle says in the introduction to the Octapla
(p. ix): "The
English Bible owes more to William Tyndale than to any other man. . . . "
Luke 22:54-71
|
Tyndale |
Geneva |
Bishops' |
KJV |
|
Then toke they him, and ledde him,
and brought him to the hye Prestes
housse. And Peter folowed
a farre of. 55 When they had kyndled
a fyre in the myddes of
the palys, and were set doune
to gether Peter also sate doune
amonge them. 56 And wone
of the wenches behelde him
as he sate by the fyer,
and set good eyesight on him and sayde: this same
was also with him. 57 Then he denyed him sayinge: woman I knowe him not.
58 And after a lytell whyle,
another sawe him and sayde:
thou arte also of them. And Peter sayde: man I am not. 59 And about the space of an hour
after, another affirmed sayinge: verely even this felowe was
with him, for he is of Galile, 60 and Peter sayde: man I wote not what thou
sayest. And immediatly whill he yet spake, the cocke crewe. 61 And the Lorde tourned backe and loked upon Peter. And
Peter remembred the wordes
of the Lorde, how he sayde
unto him, before the cocke crowe,
thou shalt denye me thryse. 62 And Peter went out, and wepte
bitterly. 63 And the men that stode about Jesus,
mocked him, and smoote him, 64 and blyndfolded him, and smoote his
face. And axed him sayinge: arede
who is it that smoote the? 65 And many other thinges despytfullye sayd they agaynst him. 66 And assone as it was daye the
elders of the people and the hie
Prestes and Scribes, came to gether,
and ledde him into their counsell
sayinge: 67 arte thou
very Christ? tell us. And he sayde
unto them: yf I shall tell you, ye will not beleve. 68 And yf also I axe
you, ye will not answer me or let me go. 69 Herafter
shall the sonne of man syt
on the ryght honde of the
power of God. 70 Then sayde they all: Arte thou then the sonne of
God? He sayd to them: ye saye
that I am. 71 Then sayde they: what nede we eny further witnes? We oure selves have herde of his awne mouthe. |
Then tooke they him, and led
him, and brought him to the high Priests house, and Peter followed afarre off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middes of the hall, and were set downe
together, Peter also sate downe
among them. 56 And a certaine maid beheld him as hee sate by the fire, and hauing
wel looked on him, said, This man was also with
him. 57 But hee denied him, saying, Woman, I know
him not. 58 And after a little while, another man sawe
him, and said, Thou art also of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 And
about the space of an houre
after, a certaine other affirmed, saying, Verely euen this man was with
him: for hee is also a Galilean. 60 And Peter said,
Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediatly while hee yet spake, the cocke crewe. 61 Then the Lord turned backe,
and looked vpon Peter, and Peter remembred the word of the Lord, how he had said vnto him, Before the cocke crowe, thou shalt denie me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept
bitterly. 63 And the men that helde Iesus, mocked him, and stroke him. 64 And when they had
blindfolded him, they smote him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophecie who it is that smote thee. 65 And many other
things blasphemously spake they against him. 66 And
assoone as it was day, the Elders of the people,
and the hie Priests and
the Scribes came together, and led him into their councill,
67 Saying, Art thou that Christ? tell vs. And he
said vnto them, If I tell you, yee
will not beleeue it. 68 And if also I aske you, you will not answere
me, nor let me goe. 69 Hereafter shal the Sonne of man sit at
the right hand of the power of God. 70 Then sayd
they all, Art thou then the sonne of God? And he
said to them, Yee say, that I am. 71 And they said, What neede
wee any further witnesse? for
wee our selues haue heard
it of his owne mouthe. |
Then tooke they him, and led him,
and brought him to the high Priests house, and Peter followed afarre off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the
midst of the hall, and were set downe together,
Peter also sate downe
among them. 56 But when a certain wench beheld him as hee
sate by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, she said, This same
fellow was also with him. 57 And hee denied him
saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a while another sawe him, and sayd, Thou art
also of them. And Peter sayde, Man, I am not. 59
And about the space of an houre
after, another affirmed, saying, Verely this fellow
was with him also: for he is of Galilee. 60 And Peter sayd,
Man, I wote not what thou sayest.
And immediatly while he yet spake,
the Cocke crew. 61 And the Lord turned backe, and looked upon Peter: and Peter remembred the word of the Lord, how hee
had sayd unto him, Before the Cocke
crowe, thou shalt denie me thrise. 62 And Peter
went out and wept bitterly. 63 And the men that helde
Jesus, mocked him, and smote him. 64 And when they had blindfolded him, they strooke him on the face, and asked him, saying, Areade, who is it that smote thee? 65 And many other
things blasphemously spake they against him. 66 And
assoone as it was day, the elders of the people,
and the high priests, and the Scribes came together, and led him into their councell, saying, 67 Art thou very Christ? Tell us. And
he said unto them, If I tell you, you will not beleeve
in any wise. 68 And if I aske you, you wil not in any wise answere me,
nor let me goe. 69 Hereaf[t]er shall the sonne of man sit
on the right hand of the power of God. 70 Then said they al, Art thou then
the sonne of God? He sayd,
Ye say that I am. 71 And they said, What neede we
any further witnesse? For we
our selves have heard of his owne
mouthe. |
Then
tooke they him, and led him, and brought him into
the high Priests house, and Peter followed afarre
off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middes
of the hall, and were set downe together, Peter
sate downe among them. 56 But a certain maide beheld him as he sate by
the fire, and earnestly looked vpon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57 And he denied him,
saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a little while another saw him,
& said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said,
Man, I am not. 59 And about the space of one houre
after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a trueth this fellow also was with him; for he is a
Galilean. 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest.
And immediatly while he yet spake,
the cocke crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked vpon Peter; and Peter remembred
the word of the Lord, how he had said vnto him,
Before the cocke crow, thou shalt
deny me thrise. 62 And Peter went out, and wept
bitterly. 63 And the men that helde Iesus, mocked him, and smote him. 64 And when they had
blindfolded him, they stroke him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesie, who is it that smote thee? 65 And many other
things blasphemously spake they against him. 66 And
assoone as it was day, the Elders of the people,
& the chiefe Priests and the Scribes came
together, and led him into their Councell, saying,
67 Art thou the Christ? Tell vs. And hee said vnto them, If I tell you, you will not beleeue. 68 And if I also aske
you, you will not answere me, nor let me goe. 69 Hereafter shal the sonne of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Sonne of
God? And hee said vnto
them, Ye say that I am. 71 And they said, What need we
any further witnesse? For wee our selues haue heard of his owne mouthe. |
(NB--The verse numbers in the Tyndale passage are editorial, supplied by the Octapla.)