Who translated the Bible into English in 1526?

• A. John Wycliffe
• B. King James I
• C. Thomas Bilney
• D. William Tyndale

Answer: (D)

Translating the Bible into English and making scripture accessible to ordinary people was a major shift in religious history. William Tyndale, in 1526, produced the first printed English New Testament from the original Greek, with portions of the Old Testament soon after. This work is pivotal because it freed English readers from reliance on Latin and helped shape the language and phrasing later echoed in the King James Version. Tyndale’s push to translate directly from the original languages set a standard for clarity and accuracy, even though it led to persecution and his eventual execution in 1536. Earlier, John Wycliffe had translated parts of the Bible into English in the 14th century using the Latin Vulgate, and the King James Version would not appear until 1611 under royal sponsorship. Thomas Bilney was part of the English Reformation movement, but he did not translate the Bible in 1526.