Bible translations facts for kids

The Bible has been translated into many languages over time. It was first written in Aramaic and Hebrew for the Old Testament. The New Testament was written in Greek. Translating the Bible helps people everywhere understand its messages.

Why Translate the Bible?

Translating the Bible makes it available to more people. Imagine if a book was only in one language! Most people would not be able to read it. By translating the Bible, its stories and teachings can reach many different cultures. This has been happening for thousands of years.

Early Bible Translations

One very important early translation was the Latin Vulgate. This version was widely used in Western Christianity during the Middle Ages. It was the main Bible for many centuries. After the Middle Ages, people started translating the Bible into even more languages.

The Latin Vulgate

The Vulgate was translated into Latin by Saint Jerome. He finished this huge project around the year 405 AD. For over 1,000 years, the Vulgate was the most common Bible in Europe. It helped spread Christian teachings across many lands.

The Bible in English

The history of the Bible in English is very long. It goes back more than a millennium, which is over a thousand years! People wanted to read the Bible in their own language. This was not always easy.

John Wycliffe's Work

In the 14th century, John Wycliffe and his friends started translating the Bible into Middle English. This was a big step. At that time, many people believed the Bible should only be in Latin. Wycliffe's work faced challenges from some religious leaders. But it helped many English-speaking people read the Bible for the first time.

The King James Version

Later, the authorized King James Version became a very important English translation. It was published in 1611. This version became the standard Bible for many English speakers. It is still widely read today. The King James Version has had a huge impact on the English language itself. Many phrases from it are still used in everyday speech.

Images for kids

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  Collection of Bibles and New Testaments in several languages

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  The Codex Gigas from the 13th century, held at the Royal Library in Sweden.

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  Czech Protestant Bible of Kralice (1593)

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  This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library of Congress

See also

In Spanish: Traducciones de la Biblia para niños