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Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale – Martyr, Father of the English Bible
The leading personalities of his century would draw upon all their resources to stop him, from the brilliant Sir Thomas Moore to King Henry VIII; from Charles V, ruler of half of Europe, to the Pope. Both church and state hunted him relentlessly—at a time when the church held power over both soul and body and could condemn the heretic to execution by fire. His crime? Translating the words of the Bible into the "vulgar" English tongue.
He was William Tyndale, and the story of his life, told in Fire in the Bones, reads like a novel, as exciting in its facts as any fiction could be. He knew the smugglers' secret marks and their intense, fraternal loyalty. He tasted the salt of shipwreck and knew the despair of lost manuscripts buried under the waves of the North Sea. Intrigue, safe houses, bribes, spies, covert conversations, last-minute flight, aliases, imprisonment, loneliness, all wove their spell into the riddles of his hidden world. He died at last as a martyr, but not before he had bequeathed to the world some of the most beloved and sacred phrases and terms in Holy Writ, including Atonement, still small voice, and Let there be Light. Readers everywhere will be captivated by his story.
Michael Wilcox received his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado and is an institute instructor at the University of Utah. He has also taught institute classes in Alberta, Canada, and Arizona, and has guided tours to the Holy Land and church history sites. He received the Orton Literary Award in 1996 for his book House of Glory. He lives in Draper, Utah.
He was William Tyndale, and the story of his life, told in Fire in the Bones, reads like a novel, as exciting in its facts as any fiction could be. He knew the smugglers' secret marks and their intense, fraternal loyalty. He tasted the salt of shipwreck and knew the despair of lost manuscripts buried under the waves of the North Sea. Intrigue, safe houses, bribes, spies, covert conversations, last-minute flight, aliases, imprisonment, loneliness, all wove their spell into the riddles of his hidden world. He died at last as a martyr, but not before he had bequeathed to the world some of the most beloved and sacred phrases and terms in Holy Writ, including Atonement, still small voice, and Let there be Light. Readers everywhere will be captivated by his story.
Michael Wilcox received his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado and is an institute instructor at the University of Utah. He has also taught institute classes in Alberta, Canada, and Arizona, and has guided tours to the Holy Land and church history sites. He received the Orton Literary Award in 1996 for his book House of Glory. He lives in Draper, Utah.
255 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
64 people are currently reading
2035 people want to read
About the author
S. Michael Wilcox
53 books143 followersS. Michael Wilcox is an instructor at the institute of religion adjacent to the University of Utah. A frequent speaker at Brigham Young University Education Week, Michael also conducts tours of the Holy Land, Church history sites, Europe, China, and Central America. He received a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Brigham Young University, a master’s in media from the University of Arizona, and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in educational philosophy. He is the author of House of Glory and When Your Prayers Seem Unanswered.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
August 2, 2011
While undoubtably LDS in nature, this is an absolutely amazing account of the life of William Tyndale, the 16th century reformer who's life work it was to translate the Bible into English. Insisting scripture should be available to even the common man, Tyndale is responsible for most of the beautiful wording in the King James Bible, as well as it's accurate translations. As history attests, Tyndale paid for his work with his life - as those in authority in England, along with the Roman Catholic church, vehemently disagreed.
October 6, 2015
Now I have one more reason to admire Michael Wilcox. This biography of William Tyndale is exceptional! I have such a great appreciation now of this reformer who fought valiantly to make the scriptures available in the English language and ultimately gave his life to the cause. He was a genius in languages and spoke seven fluently. He translated the New Testament from Latin and gave us the beautiful lyrical language which we love. While in exile, he studied Hebrew and translated much of the Old Testament. It is the world's loss that he was martyred before he was able to finish his work. But his life and his martyrdom stand as witnesses of his devotion and his desire that all people be able to read for themselves the words of God. He risked his life constantly to print the texts and smuggle them in to England against the wishes of the Catholic Church and others whose livelihood and life style were threatened if the average person had access to the scriptures. Brother Wilcox has produced an incredible book which he has researched thoroughly and documented with exactness. Many times he draws parallels to the experiences of Joseph Smith. Although this is written by an LDS author, the history of the reformers and the coming forth of the English translation of the Bible should be of interest to all.
September 24, 2007
This was a beautiful, well written book about the miracle of William Tyndale's life and his super-human efforts to translate the Bible into English for his fellow countrymen. His dream was to see an English Bible in the hands of every ploughboy and Wilcox points out that his dream was fulfilled in the hands of Joseph Smith. Wilcox draws a lot of parallels between the lives of William and Joseph. I found the arguments compelling and the facts well researched. Fascinating story. It also had short chapters and is not a very long book, which is a good thing for me right now. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the English Bible or life in the 1500's in Northern Europe. It helped me get a lot of people and dates from the 1500's straightened out in my head as well.
March 6, 2011
I was very impressed with how Tyndale held onto his mission in life up to the very end that he was martyred. I liked the book!. It would have been even better if it focused solely on Tyndale and his life and his importance in history. The author always tried to slip in comparison to Joseph Smith--which were not pertinent to the story of Tyndale (The message of the book would have been stronger and held up on its own without these comparison's.). Tyndale was a very courageous man and was truly directed.
One interesting point of the book was that because Tyndale had rhetorical learning he was able to translate the Bible into the English language with meanings closer to the original intent. Because we are not schooled rhetorically today in our modern schools, it would be difficult for any one today to produce something as elegant as the King James' version of the Bible.
One interesting point of the book was that because Tyndale had rhetorical learning he was able to translate the Bible into the English language with meanings closer to the original intent. Because we are not schooled rhetorically today in our modern schools, it would be difficult for any one today to produce something as elegant as the King James' version of the Bible.
November 17, 2009
I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in knowing how we got the English translation of the Bible. I didn't have any idea how much sacrifice was involved in getting it into its present form. This book gave me a greater appreciation for the Bible and the influence it has had on many generations of people. No wonder it is the most read book in the world!
November 27, 2020
I loved the content but I found the writing style a little cumbersome. If it were not for the content I probably would not have read the book.
December 23, 2008
(Review I wrote for Amazon)
At first blush this book may appear to be an academic historical treatment of William Tyndale, who's life is indeed worthy of further study. However, the reader will find that the book is really meant to be a faith-promoting narrative for a Mormon audience. The experiences of William Tyndale are regularly compared to Joseph Smith, the Mormon church's founder, in attempt to make Joseph appear more credible and divine. This may be fine for an LDS audience, but anyone else will likely be off-put by such comparisons.
Wilcox does a reasonable job covering Tyndale's story, and presents many of the fascinating aspects of his life in reasonably readable narrative. One gets a strong sense of the tyranny of the government and church at that time and the extreme measures they take in an attempt to maintain control of the presses and distribution of printed material. Many were punished or burned at the stake merely for possession of materials that were deemed heretical. Wilcox also praises the work Tyndale did in translating the Bible, citing examples of his eloquent prose and spiritually inspiring, even poetic, wording. Unfortunately, it is distracting to have the text sprinkled with comparisons between Tyndale, Joseph Smith, the Bible translation, and the Book of Mormon. But Wilcox really misses the ultimate irony - Tyndale was burned at the stake in his fight to freely print the Bible in the English language as well as other religious tracts, while Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob for his ordering the destruction of a printing press in Nauvoo.
A surprisingly dark character in this story is Thomas More. While he is more traditionally known as the heroic character that withstood Henry VIII in "A Man for All Seasons," here we get to see the other side of a man totally committed to the law and the church. While he was honest in refusing bribes, helping the poor, and praying for the afflicted, he also was instrumental in burning heretics at the stake. Wilcox postulates the possibility that More, even though in prison, still played an key role in the arrest of Tyndale. The only ironic justice is that More is actually executed before Tyndale.
One cannot help but admire the stoic courage and conviction of these men that helped usher in a new age of religious pluralism. If you can look past the regular LDS references, this book may be worth reading. But if you're looking for a scholarly historical treatise, look elsewhere.
At first blush this book may appear to be an academic historical treatment of William Tyndale, who's life is indeed worthy of further study. However, the reader will find that the book is really meant to be a faith-promoting narrative for a Mormon audience. The experiences of William Tyndale are regularly compared to Joseph Smith, the Mormon church's founder, in attempt to make Joseph appear more credible and divine. This may be fine for an LDS audience, but anyone else will likely be off-put by such comparisons.
Wilcox does a reasonable job covering Tyndale's story, and presents many of the fascinating aspects of his life in reasonably readable narrative. One gets a strong sense of the tyranny of the government and church at that time and the extreme measures they take in an attempt to maintain control of the presses and distribution of printed material. Many were punished or burned at the stake merely for possession of materials that were deemed heretical. Wilcox also praises the work Tyndale did in translating the Bible, citing examples of his eloquent prose and spiritually inspiring, even poetic, wording. Unfortunately, it is distracting to have the text sprinkled with comparisons between Tyndale, Joseph Smith, the Bible translation, and the Book of Mormon. But Wilcox really misses the ultimate irony - Tyndale was burned at the stake in his fight to freely print the Bible in the English language as well as other religious tracts, while Joseph Smith was murdered by a mob for his ordering the destruction of a printing press in Nauvoo.
A surprisingly dark character in this story is Thomas More. While he is more traditionally known as the heroic character that withstood Henry VIII in "A Man for All Seasons," here we get to see the other side of a man totally committed to the law and the church. While he was honest in refusing bribes, helping the poor, and praying for the afflicted, he also was instrumental in burning heretics at the stake. Wilcox postulates the possibility that More, even though in prison, still played an key role in the arrest of Tyndale. The only ironic justice is that More is actually executed before Tyndale.
One cannot help but admire the stoic courage and conviction of these men that helped usher in a new age of religious pluralism. If you can look past the regular LDS references, this book may be worth reading. But if you're looking for a scholarly historical treatise, look elsewhere.
October 12, 2017
I would give this 4.5 stars if we could do halves. It isn't an easy read, but a very good one. William Tyndale's life is one that should be shared. His work to translate the Bible into English, from the original Greek and Hebrew, and not from the Latin Vulagate used by the Catholic Church (and used in the translations into German, Italian, French, Czech, Dutch, Catalan, and Danish), and get it into the hands of the common people, even the ploughboy, was the goal of his life. He had other remarkable works published as well. That he had to flee from England to do his work, and was persued as a heretic, makes his accomplishments even more remarkable. He died a martyr, as did many of the reformers of his time. The lasting influence of "the Father of the English Bible" is a testment to the greatness of his life's work.
Each chapter begins with a quote, all but three from William Tyndale's own writings. I found these quotes to be inspiring. What a great understanding of God and Christ and their gospel Tyndale had! The quotes were done in a fancy font, which was nice, but hard to read, especially since they were such a small size. This history was fascinating. That so much is known about people who lived 500 years ago is impressive. As I read, I would suddently find myself reading the author's commentary rather than the history, without any indication of the change. That caught me offguard several times.
There were practices in the Catholic Church in the early 1500s that Luther, Calvin, Erasmus, Tyndale and many other reformers found no backing for in holy scripture. Thus they tried to reform the religion of their time and brought additional light into the world. God bless them!
Each chapter begins with a quote, all but three from William Tyndale's own writings. I found these quotes to be inspiring. What a great understanding of God and Christ and their gospel Tyndale had! The quotes were done in a fancy font, which was nice, but hard to read, especially since they were such a small size. This history was fascinating. That so much is known about people who lived 500 years ago is impressive. As I read, I would suddently find myself reading the author's commentary rather than the history, without any indication of the change. That caught me offguard several times.
There were practices in the Catholic Church in the early 1500s that Luther, Calvin, Erasmus, Tyndale and many other reformers found no backing for in holy scripture. Thus they tried to reform the religion of their time and brought additional light into the world. God bless them!
July 6, 2010
"Fire in the Bones" is a remarkable account of the life William Tyndale, known as the "father of the English Bible." A brilliant scholar who mastered several languages, he dedicated his life to translating the New and Old Testaments into the English language so that every English speaking person might read the Bible in his native tongue. He did so at a time when such an endeavor was almost always punishable by death. Ninety percent of wording of the King James Bible was taken directly from Tyndale's translation. Most of the beautiful phrases which comprise the King James verison were crafted by him. Many of the sacrifices he made and privations he suffered find their parallels in the lives of great prophets and apostles such as Joseph Smith and Paul of the New Testament. Tyndale refused to recant his testimony of his work. Ultimately, he sealed that testimony with his life when he was strangled then burned at the stake at the young age of 41. Without question, he played a significant roll in setting the stage for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ three centuries later. The book is well written, informative and a very good read.
September 27, 2012
I was really disappointed in "Fire in the Bones" by S. Michael Wilcox. I was excited to read more about William Tyndale and I really hoped to come away from the book with a deeper understanding of his life and that period in history. Quite frankly, most of the book turned out to be a poorly written and edited commentary on William Tyndale's life, rather than the facts. I was especially troubled by the constant presentation of opinion as fact and the stretching of fact to fit opinion. I won't trouble myself to read more by this author because this was such a poor effort. I am also, once again, frustrated with the poor editing present in so many of Deseret Book's publications. If they wish to have their publications taken seriously, they really need to insist on higher quality writing and editing. I want to like what they publish, but until they pursue a higher standard, it will be hit and miss (more often miss than hit).
August 28, 2012
Blah blah blah blah. This book could have been 75% better if 75% had been cut out. There's a ridiculous amount of repeating information in here. The book is written interestingly enough (especially for a history book, hooray novel-ish format!) but holy verbose, Batman.
I did not realize this was an LDS book. I almost fainted when the first page was talking about Joseph Smith. Being LDS I didn't mind it, but it definitely narrows down the audience. Actually, I did kind of mind it, because this book is about Joseph Smith as much as William Tyndale. Every other page talks about Smith. Which is fine, but I wasn't actually looking to read a book on him.
I did not realize this was an LDS book. I almost fainted when the first page was talking about Joseph Smith. Being LDS I didn't mind it, but it definitely narrows down the audience. Actually, I did kind of mind it, because this book is about Joseph Smith as much as William Tyndale. Every other page talks about Smith. Which is fine, but I wasn't actually looking to read a book on him.
November 21, 2009
While William Tyndale and his story are incredibly interesting, I found this book tedious and annoying. The author's constant comparisons between Tyndale and Joseph Smith were off-putting and his insistence on "guessing" Tyndale's motives and reasoning irritated me. With all that said, the story is one that gave me great thankfulness for those people willing to sacrifice themselves for truth, for freedom, and for their fellow men. I also was so interested to learn how Tyndale shaped our present-day scripture language----thanks, William!
May 5, 2009
I loved learning about William Tyndale. A man placed in that particular time to help everyone read, from a truer translation, the bible we have today. He was frustrated with the church changing the definitions and meaning of words and leaving so much out from the original text of Greek and Hebrew. So he translated from those original forms. He even stated that he had a "fire in my bones" to do this work. A man truely inspired.
January 2, 2011
This book came highly reccomended, more because it's about William Tyndale than because it's a good book. This is not a good book. I should have put it back when I realized it was an LDS author and printed by Deseret Book, but I didn't. I suffered through the book. The writing is...horrible. Just horrible.
I am interested by William Tyndale and will read his story by a different author, hopefully one that can actually write.
I am interested by William Tyndale and will read his story by a different author, hopefully one that can actually write.
November 17, 2009
I haven't actually finished this book. The subject matter is interesting, William Tyndale is an incredible man. However, I did not like how the author put the information together. I felt like I was trudging through information. At some point I will finish this book. I want to give this book more stars, but I can't. Maybe you will be able to. :)
April 11, 2010
I haven't read a lot of non-fiction, but I couldn't put this one down. Brother Wilcox breaks the chapters into short 1-2 page sections that make it easy to follow and read. I appreciated learning more about William Tyndale in addition to the connections Brother Wilcox makes to the restoration of the gospel. I highly recommend this book.
April 22, 2013
William Tyndale sacrificed more to bring about the King James Version of the Bible than I could have possibly imagined. This is a great read and one that will make you truly grateful for Tyndale's life and efforts.
August 7, 2012
I loved this book! Of all the people I've read about, William Tyndale is among those I admire most.
August 21, 2014
This is the story of the life and work of William Tyndale, an early Christian reformer who was martyred because of his extensive work in translating the Bible into English in the early 1500s. It is told from and LDS perspective, but is meaningful to anyone who loves the scriptures and word of God.
It's amazing to consider the sacrifices and faithfulness of many individuals who prepared, preserved, and shared the word of God with His help. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these people who made it possible for us to learn of Him. I love the Lord and His words and those who have brought them forth! I love this short video - Scriptures Legacy - that shares the story of William Tyndale and others and the importance of scriptures in our lives.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
"The nature of God's word is, that whosoever read it, or hear it reasoned and disputed before him, it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man (William Tyndale, p. xv)."
"The principle cause of the apprehension of these persons, was for teaching their children and family the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments in English (p. 1)."
"The man who put the beautiful Lord's Prayer into the English of the King James Bible had not yet discovered his life's calling. But he was being prepared. The heretic's fire could only be equaled by another fiercely burning fire, and God lit such a fire in the bones of a man named William Tyndale (p. 5)."
"Hailed as a saint and condemned to the blackest pit of hell, William Tyndale lived in a world-changing time, a world of whispers and shouts. He altered that world more than any of his contemporaries, and in doing so he brought all of us closer to God (p. 7)."
"Nephi saw the Bible in the hands of the common man....But for centuries the voices of the scriptures had been hushed. Known only in the cloistered halls of monastery, abbey, or university, they were long forbidden in the cottage. Removing plain and precious truth was not the unique problem of darker ages; the very book itself had been removed. It would take the blood of martyrs before the subtle tones and warm music of holy writ could sound joyfully in the ear without the fearful knocking at the door by the fisted hand of arresting authority, before the doctrine of eternal life could enter the casual conversations of an evening's table talk without the terror of facing the searing pain of the heretic's fire (p. 11)."
"God, for a secret judgment and purpose, and for his godly pleasure, provided an hour that thy father and mother should come together, to make thee through them. He was present with thee in thy mother's womb and fashioned thee and breathed life into thee, and for the great love he had unto thee moved also thy father and mother and all others to love thee, to pity thee, and to care for thee (William Tyndale, p. 19)."
"John Wycliffe had struck the first blow against apostasy's grip in England by sending out itinerant preachers--'poor priests' or 'true men' armed with manuscript translations of the Bible. They shared these translations in taverns, village greens, forests, and private homes with all who dared to listen. Because manuscripts were costly and time-consuming to produce, many of Wycliffe's followers traveled with a single gospel, committing whole books to memory to partially escape the prohibitions of the law (p. 21)."
"In the universities they have ordained that no man shall look on the scripture, until he be noselled [nurtured] in heathen learning eight or nine years, and armed with false principles; with which he is clean shut out of the understanding of scripture (William Tyndale, p. 29)."
Tyndale's "knowledge created a desire to share what he was discovering, and the need to edify and feed a scripturally famished population fueled his search for more nourishing truths. But where could he preach? And what danger would it entail (p. 39)?"
"As pertaining to good deeds therefore, do the best thou canst, and desire God to give strength to do better daily; but in Christ put thy trust, and in the pardon and promises that God hath made thee for his sake; and on that rock build thine house, and there dwell. For there only shalt thou be sure from all storms and tempests, and from all wily assaults (William Tyndale, p. 49)."
"Though rebuffed, Tyndale was not without friends. The Lord did not let his enterprise die, nor was Tyndale ready to give up. Help came in the form of one Humphrey Monmouth and the wool merchants of London (p. 55)."
"The 'course of the world' was one of confusion despite all efforts to unify it....Tyndale had tried every open, legal avenue he could and had met with opposition, threat, and hypocrisy. He would now, as had the Lollards before him, go underground. The English people would have the word of God one way or the other, even if he had to sacrifice his homeland and his life (p. 59)."
"If Tyndale's original intention had been possible, we would not know who translated this first groundbreaking work. He did not attach his name to the translation--doing so for the purest of reasons, not for fear of persecution.....'The cause why I set my name before this little treatise, and have not rather done it in the New Testament, is, that then I followed the counsel of Christ, which exhorteth men to do their good deeds secretly, and to be content with the conscience of well-doing, and that God seeth us; and patiently to abide the reward of the last day, which Christ hath purchased for us (p. 75).'"
"Tyndale fought the battle of the ploughboy with a Bible in his hand. Joseph Smith would still have to fight, but God spared him a large number of battles that cost the lives of many hundreds of devoted, promising, faith-filled people and the tears of those who loved them (p. 146)."
"Who taught the eagles to spy out their prey? Even so the children of God spy out their Father; and Christ's elect spy out their Lord, and trace out the paths of his feet and follow; yea, though he go upon the plain and liquid water, which will receive no step, and yet there they find out his foot: his elect know him, but the world knoweth him not (William Tyndale, p. 163)."
"It never crossed [Thomas] More's mind that the simple power of scripture, when searched in the light of the Holy Spirit, produced a love for the Savior that directed a faithful life in the ways of righteousness. Tyndale trusted the plain power of God's words, for he worked in them every day. He spoke for the free flow of the Holy Spirit, which would teach the true meaning of God's word. As Nephi testified, 'The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do' (2 Nephi 32:3). Tyndale would have smiled at that marvelous sentence, both in its sentiment and sound (p. 167)."
"More constructed his arguments with a lawyer's skill and a zealot's fury, but he lacked the pure religion of Tyndale's contribution to the duel. Tyndale believed in a 'feeling faith'...More defended a historical faith (p. 172)."
"For a decade, Tyndale had eluded his enemies. Now, betrayed by a perceived friend, he gave up without a struggle. Seeing his resignation, his captors were touched by his innocence (p. 196)."
"Close association with Tyndale usually softened feelings against him...like Paul in Philippi, Tyndale converted his jailors. 'Such was the power of his doctrine, and the sincerity of his life, that during the time of his imprisonment (which enduring a year and a half), it is said, he converted his keeper, the keeper's daughter, and others of his household. Also the rest that were with Tyndale conversant in the castle, reported of him that if he were not a good Christian man, they could not tell whom to trust (p. 210).'"
"If you give yourself, cast yourself, yield yourself, commit yourself, wholly and only to your loving Father; then shall his power be in you, and make you strong (William Tyndale, p. 216)."
"Tyndale published his first New Testament without adding his name because he wanted to follow his Savior's command to do good works without the left hand knowing what the right hand was doing. He would not have been troubled by the fact that the crowds of common folk who massed around his translations did not know to whom they owed such a debt of gratitude (p. 226)."
It's amazing to consider the sacrifices and faithfulness of many individuals who prepared, preserved, and shared the word of God with His help. We owe a great debt of gratitude to these people who made it possible for us to learn of Him. I love the Lord and His words and those who have brought them forth! I love this short video - Scriptures Legacy - that shares the story of William Tyndale and others and the importance of scriptures in our lives.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
"The nature of God's word is, that whosoever read it, or hear it reasoned and disputed before him, it will begin immediately to make him every day better and better, till he be grown into a perfect man (William Tyndale, p. xv)."
"The principle cause of the apprehension of these persons, was for teaching their children and family the Lord's Prayer and Ten Commandments in English (p. 1)."
"The man who put the beautiful Lord's Prayer into the English of the King James Bible had not yet discovered his life's calling. But he was being prepared. The heretic's fire could only be equaled by another fiercely burning fire, and God lit such a fire in the bones of a man named William Tyndale (p. 5)."
"Hailed as a saint and condemned to the blackest pit of hell, William Tyndale lived in a world-changing time, a world of whispers and shouts. He altered that world more than any of his contemporaries, and in doing so he brought all of us closer to God (p. 7)."
"Nephi saw the Bible in the hands of the common man....But for centuries the voices of the scriptures had been hushed. Known only in the cloistered halls of monastery, abbey, or university, they were long forbidden in the cottage. Removing plain and precious truth was not the unique problem of darker ages; the very book itself had been removed. It would take the blood of martyrs before the subtle tones and warm music of holy writ could sound joyfully in the ear without the fearful knocking at the door by the fisted hand of arresting authority, before the doctrine of eternal life could enter the casual conversations of an evening's table talk without the terror of facing the searing pain of the heretic's fire (p. 11)."
"God, for a secret judgment and purpose, and for his godly pleasure, provided an hour that thy father and mother should come together, to make thee through them. He was present with thee in thy mother's womb and fashioned thee and breathed life into thee, and for the great love he had unto thee moved also thy father and mother and all others to love thee, to pity thee, and to care for thee (William Tyndale, p. 19)."
"John Wycliffe had struck the first blow against apostasy's grip in England by sending out itinerant preachers--'poor priests' or 'true men' armed with manuscript translations of the Bible. They shared these translations in taverns, village greens, forests, and private homes with all who dared to listen. Because manuscripts were costly and time-consuming to produce, many of Wycliffe's followers traveled with a single gospel, committing whole books to memory to partially escape the prohibitions of the law (p. 21)."
"In the universities they have ordained that no man shall look on the scripture, until he be noselled [nurtured] in heathen learning eight or nine years, and armed with false principles; with which he is clean shut out of the understanding of scripture (William Tyndale, p. 29)."
Tyndale's "knowledge created a desire to share what he was discovering, and the need to edify and feed a scripturally famished population fueled his search for more nourishing truths. But where could he preach? And what danger would it entail (p. 39)?"
"As pertaining to good deeds therefore, do the best thou canst, and desire God to give strength to do better daily; but in Christ put thy trust, and in the pardon and promises that God hath made thee for his sake; and on that rock build thine house, and there dwell. For there only shalt thou be sure from all storms and tempests, and from all wily assaults (William Tyndale, p. 49)."
"Though rebuffed, Tyndale was not without friends. The Lord did not let his enterprise die, nor was Tyndale ready to give up. Help came in the form of one Humphrey Monmouth and the wool merchants of London (p. 55)."
"The 'course of the world' was one of confusion despite all efforts to unify it....Tyndale had tried every open, legal avenue he could and had met with opposition, threat, and hypocrisy. He would now, as had the Lollards before him, go underground. The English people would have the word of God one way or the other, even if he had to sacrifice his homeland and his life (p. 59)."
"If Tyndale's original intention had been possible, we would not know who translated this first groundbreaking work. He did not attach his name to the translation--doing so for the purest of reasons, not for fear of persecution.....'The cause why I set my name before this little treatise, and have not rather done it in the New Testament, is, that then I followed the counsel of Christ, which exhorteth men to do their good deeds secretly, and to be content with the conscience of well-doing, and that God seeth us; and patiently to abide the reward of the last day, which Christ hath purchased for us (p. 75).'"
"Tyndale fought the battle of the ploughboy with a Bible in his hand. Joseph Smith would still have to fight, but God spared him a large number of battles that cost the lives of many hundreds of devoted, promising, faith-filled people and the tears of those who loved them (p. 146)."
"Who taught the eagles to spy out their prey? Even so the children of God spy out their Father; and Christ's elect spy out their Lord, and trace out the paths of his feet and follow; yea, though he go upon the plain and liquid water, which will receive no step, and yet there they find out his foot: his elect know him, but the world knoweth him not (William Tyndale, p. 163)."
"It never crossed [Thomas] More's mind that the simple power of scripture, when searched in the light of the Holy Spirit, produced a love for the Savior that directed a faithful life in the ways of righteousness. Tyndale trusted the plain power of God's words, for he worked in them every day. He spoke for the free flow of the Holy Spirit, which would teach the true meaning of God's word. As Nephi testified, 'The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do' (2 Nephi 32:3). Tyndale would have smiled at that marvelous sentence, both in its sentiment and sound (p. 167)."
"More constructed his arguments with a lawyer's skill and a zealot's fury, but he lacked the pure religion of Tyndale's contribution to the duel. Tyndale believed in a 'feeling faith'...More defended a historical faith (p. 172)."
"For a decade, Tyndale had eluded his enemies. Now, betrayed by a perceived friend, he gave up without a struggle. Seeing his resignation, his captors were touched by his innocence (p. 196)."
"Close association with Tyndale usually softened feelings against him...like Paul in Philippi, Tyndale converted his jailors. 'Such was the power of his doctrine, and the sincerity of his life, that during the time of his imprisonment (which enduring a year and a half), it is said, he converted his keeper, the keeper's daughter, and others of his household. Also the rest that were with Tyndale conversant in the castle, reported of him that if he were not a good Christian man, they could not tell whom to trust (p. 210).'"
"If you give yourself, cast yourself, yield yourself, commit yourself, wholly and only to your loving Father; then shall his power be in you, and make you strong (William Tyndale, p. 216)."
"Tyndale published his first New Testament without adding his name because he wanted to follow his Savior's command to do good works without the left hand knowing what the right hand was doing. He would not have been troubled by the fact that the crowds of common folk who massed around his translations did not know to whom they owed such a debt of gratitude (p. 226)."
April 15, 2020
3.5 stars. This is the story of William Tyndale, who translated the Bible into English from the original Greek/Hebrew. It was shocking to me how much opposition there was to keep the Bible out of the commoners' hands and out of their language (and how many died to eventually make it happen). It's something that is so easy to take for granted today when these words that are easily accessible. I was also struck by the realization of how beautiful Tyndale's translation was. The artistic way he combined words and phrases, used literary devices, and the specific words he used made for some truly beautiful phrases that are now quoted and memorized. Lastly, I appreciated the comparisons between Tyndale and Joseph Smith, and finished the book feeling grateful for both and what they sacrificed to make the word of God personal and accessible.
-"A flame lit by God marked his path, and he had the courage to walk it."
-"If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scriptures than thou dost." Tyndale to Cleric
-"Are we sufficiently grateful for the ease with which we reach for divine truth?"
-"For centuries of apostate night, James's apostolic promise that God would give to any that lacked wisdom, as recorded in the stately rhythms of the English language, was hidden from the unlearned man. The apostle's moving words were locked in the coffin of a dead language. The scholar's Latin sealed the divine truths in quiet darkness."
-"All of these breathe with the music of heaven that imprints the truths they teach indelibly upon the heart. It is not only the words that make them so memorable but also the fluid way they glide softly through the mind."
-"So great was the desire to know truth fresh from its source that the new Bible encouraged literacy among the people."
-"A flame lit by God marked his path, and he had the courage to walk it."
-"If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scriptures than thou dost." Tyndale to Cleric
-"Are we sufficiently grateful for the ease with which we reach for divine truth?"
-"For centuries of apostate night, James's apostolic promise that God would give to any that lacked wisdom, as recorded in the stately rhythms of the English language, was hidden from the unlearned man. The apostle's moving words were locked in the coffin of a dead language. The scholar's Latin sealed the divine truths in quiet darkness."
-"All of these breathe with the music of heaven that imprints the truths they teach indelibly upon the heart. It is not only the words that make them so memorable but also the fluid way they glide softly through the mind."
-"So great was the desire to know truth fresh from its source that the new Bible encouraged literacy among the people."
October 24, 2022
Loved learning about how the Bible came to be and a the sacrifices that were made. Such a fascinating read.
July 30, 2018
I was very disappointed in this book. I had been intrigued by Tyndale for years based on references made to him by Neal Maxwell. This is not a scholarly bio at all. Footnotes and references are limited and reliance on previously published works seems to be fairly extensive. I think Tyndale could have stood on his own without the extensive speculation and LDS imprint. I did find the information on Thomas Moore very intriguing and did not know if his involvement with Tyndale from a previous bio of Moore.
On to find a better bio of Tyndale.
Maybe I am too critical but I find CES authors who seem to pump out books on a regular basis of limited scholarship are doing a disservice both to themselves and their readers. I personally am troubled by the avalanche of books, tapes, tours, etc. that seem to come from these guys and it makes me at least wonder about motives. Adoration of fans can be fatal to the human spirit. Is the motive the dollar or really to inform and educate? Not judging just wondering.
On to find a better bio of Tyndale.
Maybe I am too critical but I find CES authors who seem to pump out books on a regular basis of limited scholarship are doing a disservice both to themselves and their readers. I personally am troubled by the avalanche of books, tapes, tours, etc. that seem to come from these guys and it makes me at least wonder about motives. Adoration of fans can be fatal to the human spirit. Is the motive the dollar or really to inform and educate? Not judging just wondering.
July 2, 2025
I am surprised that I have not ever written a review of this book. I think this last reading was at least my third time through. The scholarship is on point and this work offers a succinct look at the way Tyndale worked and conducted himself as a man, a priest, and a scholar. It also provides a fascinating window into the personalities that surrounded Tyndale. It does need to be understood that this one comes from an author who is writing from an LDS perspective and so that perspective occasionally comes into play in the writing. I am not even going to attempt to offer quotes from this one. If you could see this book of mine you would understand, it has so many small Post-it notes sticking out of it that it looks like a porcupine! I do recommend this one if you are interested in the history and work from Tyndale's hand.
May 19, 2012
I was awed by this book. To read about what people have sacrificed, what they've gone through so that we could have the privilege of picking up the Bible and reading it made me ashamed if I've ever taken scriptures lightly.
Tyndale was a rather unsung hero. I didn't know about him until I heard someone give a talk that included information about him in an LDS General Conference. I wanted to know more, so I bought this book. Did you know that people were literally burned at the stake in the 1400/1500's in England for possessing written copies of the Ten Commandments???
Wilcox did a lot of research for this book, and like any scholarly work worth its salt, he has included references to all his sources. I'm just glad he did it so I could benefit from it. I LOVED this book!
Tyndale was a rather unsung hero. I didn't know about him until I heard someone give a talk that included information about him in an LDS General Conference. I wanted to know more, so I bought this book. Did you know that people were literally burned at the stake in the 1400/1500's in England for possessing written copies of the Ten Commandments???
Wilcox did a lot of research for this book, and like any scholarly work worth its salt, he has included references to all his sources. I'm just glad he did it so I could benefit from it. I LOVED this book!
March 8, 2018
A wonderful book about William Tyndale who translated the Bible into English in the Henry the VIII era and lost his life because of it. Tyndale wanted the common people to be able to read the Bible in English. The Catholic Church and the King wouldn’t have it. Wilcox quotes from several of the writings of Tyndale which sounded like words of Nephi or of Moroni from the Book of Mormon. This book should be required reading for members of the church to understand what a treasure we have in the Bible and how the English translation helped open the door for Joseph Smith. This is a scholarly work that occasionally difficult to understand (it could be just my age) but it was great to know. I wish I had known this as a missionary.
June 30, 2008
A good read about a man who I knew nothing about previously... this is a good book from a Latter-Day Saint perspective because the author draws some parallels with the prophet Joseph Smith and also the persecution surrounding the translations of both the English bible and the Book of Mormon. Both men ultimately gave their lives for their work. I'm surprised that I had never heard of William Tyndale before, but after reading about him I realize that he must have been an inspired man of God and his work was one very important step to bringing about the Bible as we know it today, and making it available for all.
September 27, 2009
4.7 stars I didn't give it 5 stars because the author's writing style is a little over-blown at times.
I loved this book. We owe such gratitude to reformers throughout Europe in the 1500s who worked so selflessly to tranlate the Bible into English, German, French, Dutch, etc.
William Tyndale devoted his life to translating the New Testament into English. He translated it from the Greek (instead of from the Latin). His translation later formed the basis of the King James version of the Bible. He also began a translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew, but he was burned at the stake (as were so many of the other reformers) before he could finish.
I loved this book. We owe such gratitude to reformers throughout Europe in the 1500s who worked so selflessly to tranlate the Bible into English, German, French, Dutch, etc.
William Tyndale devoted his life to translating the New Testament into English. He translated it from the Greek (instead of from the Latin). His translation later formed the basis of the King James version of the Bible. He also began a translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew, but he was burned at the stake (as were so many of the other reformers) before he could finish.
November 23, 2009
This might be a 3 1/2 star for me, but went ahead and pushed it up to a 4. Totally and completely fascinating story (William Tyndale's life story), but for some reason it took me like a month to read. Every time I picked it up Nate would say, "Wow, that's taking you a long time to read--it must be pretty bad." I would respond with, "No, I really like it, it just isn't a page turner for me." It was one of those slow and steady books--a chapter a day kinda book. I'm not very savvy when it comes to my religious history and this book gave me a great look at all the sacrifices that others made for me to have the bible--something I've always taken for granted.
December 7, 2009
Awesome book. I will never complain about not being able to understand the wording of the bible after reading this book. The history behind the coming forth of the bible in english, so that "even a plow boy" could read the word of God is so inspiring. It made me realize what a treasure I hold in my hands when i read the holy bible. Michael Wilcox does an awesome job researching and painting an honest historical picture of the bibles history. A little side note...I was shocked to read that Sir Thomas More was so adamantly opposed to publishing the Bible for the common people, and fought it so harshly.
December 8, 2009
I guess I never really concurred that the Bible was not always in English. I have taken for granted the privilege of owning my own copy to read at will. But the process that it took to get it into English was nothing short of heresy in the 1400's, which is why this story is so compelling. William Tyndale felt a call to put the bible into the hands of the plough boy, so that any who wanted the word of God, pure and simple, could receive it. He truly gave his life for this purpose and because of his deeds, the bible was in the hands of plow boys, especially the hands of another key figure to the work of God, even Joseph Smith.
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