# Luther Bible



## Prufrock (Dec 28, 2008)

1. Does anyone know from what Luther translated the Old Testament?

2. Side question especially for anyone from Germany: is Luther's translation still widely used?


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## Scynne (Dec 28, 2008)

Prufrock said:


> 2. Side question especially for anyone from Germany: is Luther's translation still widely used?



It's more common than the Authorized Version is in North America. And, when you read from it, even to people who don't normally read from it, they won't be shocked and confused!


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## TimV (Dec 28, 2008)

He used the same sources as the translators of the KJV, the Masoretic and Septuagint.


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## PresbyDane (Dec 28, 2008)

I known that I am not from Germany, but Denmark is close.
And yes it is well used and it is very good.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 28, 2008)

If I may be permitted to add additional line of query, does anyone know to what extent these men contributed to the preparation of the whole Luther Bible: Johannes Bugenhagen, Justus Jonas, Caspar Creuziger, Philipp Melanchthon, Matthäus Aurogallus, and Georg Rörer.


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## TimV (Dec 28, 2008)

Bugenhagen was a Latin expert (they consulted the Vulgate), Creuziger was the Hebrew and Aramaic expert and Melanchthon was the main translator for the TR and Septuagint which were of course in Greek. I understand Luther never became totally expert in any of the languages, but he got good enough that he could be the final editor. Don't know about the other guys, though. They regularly consulted other scholars.


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## Prufrock (Dec 28, 2008)

It's from a website, so I'll take it with a grain of salt, but I found this, if anyone is curious:

"The basis for Luther's version of the Old Testament was the Massoretic text as published by Gerson Ben Mosheh at Brescia in 1494. He used also the Septuagint, the Vulgate of Jerome (although he disliked him exceedingly on account of his monkery), the Latin translations of the Dominican Sanctes Pagnini of Lucca (1527), and of the Franciscan Sebastian Münster (1534), the "Glossa ordinaria" (a favorite exegetical vade-mecum of Walafried Strabo from the ninth century), and Nicolaus Lyra (d. 1340), the chief of mediaeval commentators, who, besides the Fathers, consulted also the Jewish rabbis."

Apparently, Luther's copy of the Hebrew Bible is at the Royal Museum in Berlin.

Andrew, I found this on the same website:



> In the progress of the work he founded a Collegium Biblieum, or Bible club, consisting of his colleagues Melanchthon, Bugenhagen (Pommer), Cruciger, Justus Jonas, and Aurogallus. They met once a week in his house, several hours before supper. Deacon Georg Rörer (Rorarius), the first clergyman ordained by Luther, and his proof-reader, was also present; occasionally foreign scholars were admitted; and Jewish rabbis were freely consulted. Each member of the company contributed to the work from his special knowledge and preparation. Melanchthon brought with him the Greek Bible, Cruciger the Hebrew and Chaldee, Bugenhagen the Vulgate, others the old commentators; Luther had always with him the Latin and the German versions besides the Hebrew. Sometimes they scarcely mastered three lines of the Book of Job in four days, and hunted two, three, and four weeks for a single word. No record exists of the discussions of this remarkable company, but Mathesius says that "wonderfully beautiful and instructive speeches were made."


Not much, but it's something. I'll try to find something more substantial tomorrow.
*Edit*: I just realized that this quote from the website is really from Schaff's history.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Dec 28, 2008)

Thanks, gentlemen. This history is very interesting to me. Much obliged!

I had occasion to highlight the Glossa Ordinaria here recently.

http://www.puritanboard.com/f78/glossa-ordinaria-39449/


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## jawyman (Dec 29, 2008)

Just a very quick side note. High German (which is what everyone speaks and hears) is based on the dialect that Luther spoke and wrote. The Luther Bible is still very widely accepted and used. It is my prayer from Germany that more people would use in the Churches. Let's all pray to bring the Reformation back to Germany. Danke Schön meine Freunde.


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