The First Boke of Moses called Genesis.
by William Tyndale.
W. T. To the Reader.
When I had translated the newe testament/ I added a pistle vnto the laiter ende/ In which I desyred them y^t were learned to amend if ought were founde amysse. But oure malicious and wylye hypocrytes which are so stubburne and hard herted in their weked abhominacis that it is not possible for them to amend any thinge atall (as we see by dayly experience when their both lyvinges and doinges are rebuked with the trouth) saye/ some of them that it is unpossible to translate the scripture in to English/ some that it is not lawfull for the laye people to have it in their mother tonge/ some that it wold make them all heretykes/ as it wold no doute from many thinges which they of longe tyme haue falsly taught/ d that is the whole cause wherfore they forbyd it/ though they other clokes pretende. And some or rather every one/ saye that it wold make them ryse ageynst the kinge/ whom they them selves (vnto their d.a.m.naty) never yet obeyed. And leste the temporall rulars shuld see their falsehod/ if the scripture cam to light/ causeth them so to lye.
And as for my translati in which they afferme vnto the laye people (as I haue hearde saye) to be I wotte not how many thousande heresyes/ so that it c not be m?ded or correcte/ they haue yet taken so greate payne to examyne it/ & to compare it vnto that they wold fayne haue it and to their awne imaginations and iugglinge termes/ and to haue some what to rayle at/ and vnder that cloke to blaspheme the treuth/ that they myght with as litle laboure (as I suppose) haue translated the moste parte of the bible. For they which in tymes paste were wont to loke on no more scripture then they founde in their duns or soch like develysh doctryne/ haue yet now so narowlye loked on my translatyon/ that there is not so moch as one I therin if it lacke a tytle over his hed/ but they haue noted it/ and nombre it vnto the ignorant people for an heresy. Fynallye in this they be all agreed/ to dryve you from the knowlege of the scripture/ & that ye shall not haue the texte therof in the mother tonge/ and to kepe the world styll in darkenesse/ to the ntent they might sitt in the consciences of the people/ thorow vayne superst.i.tion and false doctrine/ to satisfye their fylthy l.u.s.tes their proude ambition/ and vnsatiable covetuousnes/ and to exalte their awne honoure aboue kinge & emperoure/ yee & above G.o.d him silfe
-- A thousand bokes had they lever to be put forth agenste their abhominable doynges and doctrine/ then that the scripture shulde come to light. For as long as they may kepe that doune/ they will so darken the ryght way with the miste of their sophistrye/ and so tangle th?
that ether rebuke or despyse their abhominations with argumentes of philosophye & with wordly symylitudes and apparent reasons of naturall wisdom. And with wrestinge the scripture vnto their awne purpose clene contrarye vnto y^e processe/ order and meaninge of the texte/ and so delude them in descantynge vppon it with alligoryes/ and amase th?
expoundinge it in manye senses before the vnlerned laye people (when it hath but one symple litterall sense whose light the owles c not abyde) that though thou feale in thyne harte and arte sure how that all is false y^t they saye/ yet coudeste thou not solve their sotle rydles.
-- Which thinge onlye moved me to translate the new testament. Because I had perceaved by experyence/ how that it was impossible to stablysh the laye people in any truth/ excepte y^e scripture were playnly layde before their eyes in their mother tonge/ that they might se the processe/ ordre and meaninge of the texte: for els what so ever truth is taught them/ these ennymyes of all truth qwench it ageyne/ partly with the smoke of their bottomlesse pyite wherof thou readest apocalipsis .ix. that is/ with apparent reasons of sophistrye & traditions of their awne makynge/ founded with out grounde of scripture/ and partely in iugglinge with the texte/ expoundinge it in soch a sense as is impossible to gether of the texte/ if thou see the processe ordre and meaninge therof.
-- And even in the bisshope of londons house I entended to have done it. For when I was so turmoyled in the contre where I was that I coude no lenger there dwell (the processe wherof were to longe here to reherce) I this wyse thought in my silfe/ this I suffre because the prestes of the contre be vnlerned/ as G.o.d it knoweth there are a full ignorant sorte which haue sene no more latyn then that they read in their portesses and missales which yet many of them can scacely read (excepte it be Albertus de secretis mulieru in which yet/ though they be never so soryly lerned/ they pore day and night and make notes therin and all to teach the mydwyves as they say/ and linwod a boke of const.i.tutions to gether t.i.thes/ mortuaryes/ offeringes/ customs/ and other pillage/ which they calle/ not theirs/ but G.o.des parte and the deuty of holye chirch/ to discharge their consciences with all: for they are bound that they shall not dimynysh/ but encreace all thinge vnto the vttmost of their powers) and therfore (because they are thus vnlerned thought I) when they come to gedder to the alehouse/ which is their preachinge place/ they afferme that my sainges are heresy. And besydes y^t they adde to of thir awne heddes which I never spake/ as the maner is to prolonge the tale to shorte the tyme with all/ and accuse me secretly to the chauncelare and other the bishopes officers/ And in deade when I cam before the chauncelare/ he thretened me grevously/ and revyled me and rated me as though I had bene a dogge/ and layd to my charge wherof there coude be none accuser brought forth (as their maner is not to bringe forth the accuser) and yet all the prestes of y^e contre were y^t same daye there. As I this thought the bishope of london came to my remembrance whom Erasmus (whose tonge maketh of litle gnattes greate elephtes and lifteth vpp aboue the starres whosoever geveth him a litle exhibition) prayseth excedingly amonge other in his annotatyons on the new testament for his great learninge. Then thought I/ if I might come to this mannes service/ I were happye. And so I gate me to london/ & thorow the accoyntaunce of my master came to sir harry gilford the kinges graces controller/ d brought him an oration of Isocrates which I had translated out of greke in to English/ and desyred him to speake vnto my lorde of london for me/ which he also did as he shewed me/ d willed me to write a pistle to my lorde/ and to goo to him my silf which I also did/ and delivered my pistle to a servant of his awne/ one wyllyam hebilthwayte/ a m of myne old accoyntauce. But G.o.d which kneweth what is within hypocrites/ sawe that I was begyled/ d that that councell was not the nexte way vnto my purpose. And therfore he gate me no favoure in my lordes sight
-- Wherevpp my lorde answered me/ his house was full/ he had mo th? he coude well finde/ and advised me to seke in london/ wher he sayd I coude not lacke a service/ And so in london I abode almoste an yere/ and marked the course of the worlde/ and herde oure pratars/ I wold say oure preachers how they bosted them selves and their hye authorite/ and beheld the pompe of oure prelates and how besyed they were as they yet are/ to set peace and vnite in the worlde (though it be not possible for them that walke in darkenesse to ctinue longe in peace/ for they can not but ether stble or dash them selves at one thinge or a nother that shall clene vnquyer all togedder) & sawe thinges wherof I deferre to speake at this tyme and vnderstode at the laste not only that there was no rowme in my lorde of londons palace to translate the new testament/ but also that there was no place to do it in all englonde/ as experience doth now openly declare.
-- Vnder what maner therfore shuld I now submitte this boke to be corrected and amended of them/ which can suffer nothinge to be well?
Or what protestacyon shuld I make in soch a matter vnto oure prelates those stubburne Nimrothes which so mightely fight agenste G.o.d and resiste his holy spirite/ enforceynge with all crafte and sotelte to qwench the light of the everlastinge testament/ promyses/ and apoyntemente made betwene G.o.d & vs: and heapinge the firce wrath of G.o.d vppon all princes and rulars/ mockinge th? with false fayned names of hypocrysye/ and servinge their l.u.s.tes at all poyntes/ & dispensinge with th? even of the very lawes of G.o.d/ of which Christe him silf testifieth Mathew .v. y^t not so moch as one t.i.ttle therof maye perish or be brok?. And of which the prophete sayth Psalme .cxix. Thou haste cmaunded thy lawes to be kepte meod/ y^t is in hebrew excedingly/ with all dilig?ce/ might & power/ and haue made th? so mad with their iugglinge charmes and crafty persuasis that they thinke it full satisfaction for all their weked lyvinge/ to torme?t soch as tell th?
trouth/ & to borne the worde of their soules helth & sle whosoever beleve theron.
-- Not withstdinge yet I submytte this boke and all other that I haue other made or trslated/ or shall in tyme to come (if it be G.o.ddes will that I shall further laboure in his hervest) vnto all them that submytte th? selves vnto the worde of G.o.d/ to be corrected of th?/ yee and moreover to be disalewed & also burnte/ if it seme worthy when they have examyned it wyth the hebrue/ so that they first put forth of their awne translatinge a nother that is more correcte.
-- A prologe shewinge the vse of the scripture
Though a man had a precious iuell and a rich/ yet if he wiste not the value therof nor wherfore it served/ he were nother the better nor rycher of a straw. Eyen so though we read the scripture & bable of it never so moch/ yet if we know not the vse of it/ and wherfore it was geven/ and what is theim to be sought/ it profiteth vs nothinge at all. It is not ynough therfore to read and talke of it only/ but we must also desyre G.o.d daye and night instantly to open oure eyes/ d to make vs vnderstond and feale wherfore the scripture was geuen/ that we maye applye the medicyne of the scripture/ every m to his awne sores/ inlesse then we entend to be ydle disputers/ and braulers aboute vayne wordes/ ever gnawenge vppon the bitter barcke with out and newer attayninge vnto the swete pith with in/ and persequutinge one an other for defendinge of lewde imaginacions and phantasyes of oure awne invencyon
-- Paule in y^e thyrde of y^e secde epistle to Tymothe sayth/ y^t the scripture is good to teache (for y^t ought m? to teach & not dreames of their awne makige/ as y^e pope doth) & also to improve/ for y^e scripture is y^e twichstone y^t tryeth all doctrynes/ & by y^t we know the false from y^e true. And in the .vi. to the ephesians he calleth it the swerd of the spirite/ by cause it killeth hyppocrites and vttereth d improveth their false inventyons. And in the .xv. to the Romayns he sayth all that are wryten/ are wryten for oure learninge/ that we thorow pacyence and csorte of the scripture myght have hope.
That is/ the ensamples that are in the scripture comforte vs in all oure tribulacyons/ and make vs to put oure truste in G.o.d/ and pacyently to abyde his leysure. And in the .x. of the firste to the Corinthyans he bringeth in examples of the scripture to feare vs and to bridle the fleshe/ that we caste not the yoke of the lawe of G.o.d from of oure neckes/ and fall to l.u.s.tynge and doinge of evill.
-- So now the scripture is a light and sheweth vs the true waye/ both what to do/ and what to hope. And a defence from all erroure/ and a comforte in adversyte that we despayre not. and feareth vs in prosperyte that we synne not Seke therfore in the scripture as thou readest it first the law/ what G.o.d cmaundeth vs to doo. And secundarylye the promyses/ which G.o.d promyseth vs ageyne/ namely in Christe Iesu oure lorde. Then seke ensamples/ firste of comforte/ how G.o.d purgeth all them that submitte them selves to walke in his wayes/ in the purgatorye of tribulatyon/ delyveringe them yet at the latter ende/ and never soferinge any of them to perysh/ that cleave faste to his promyses. And fynallye/ note the ensamples which are writen to feare the flesh that we synne not. That is/ how G.o.d suffereth the vnG.o.dlye and weked synners that resiste G.o.d and refuse to folow him/ to contynue in their wekednesse/ ever waxinge worse and worse vntyll their synne be so sore encreased and so abhomynable/ that if they shuld longer endure they wold corrupte the very electe. But for the electes sake G.o.d sendeth th? preachers. Neverthelesse they harden their hartes agenste the truth/ and G.o.d destroyeth th? vtterlye and begynneth the world a new.
-- This comforte shalt thou evermore finde in the playne texte and literall sense. Nether is there any storye so homely/ so rude/ yee or so vyle (as it semeth outwarde) wherin is not exceadinge greate comforte. And when some which seme to them selves great clarkes saye: they wott not what moare profite is in many geftes of the scripture if they be read with out an allegorye/ then in a tale of robenhode/ saye thou: that they were wryten for oure consolacyon and comforte/ that we despayre not/ if soch like happen vnto vs. We be not holyer then Noe/ though he were once dronke. Nether bettter beloved then Iacob/ though his awne sonne defyled his bedde. We be not holyer then lot/ though his doughters thorow ignorance deceaved him/ nor paradventure holyer then those doughters. Nether are we holyer then David/ though he brake wedlocke and vppon the same commytted abhomynable murther. All those men have witnesse of the scripture that they pleased G.o.d and ware good men both before that those thinges chaunsed them and also after.
Neverthelesse soch thinges happened them for oure ensampler not that we shuld contrafayte their evill/ but if whyle we fight with oure selves enforsynge to walke in the law of G.o.d (as they did) we yet fall likewise/ that we despayre not/ but come agayn, to the lawes of G.o.d and take better holde
-- We read sens the tyme of Christes deeth/ of virgins that have bene brought vnto the com?stues/ and theye defyled/ and of martyrs that haue bene bounde and h.o.r.es haue abvsed their bodyes. Why? The iudgem?tes of G.o.d are bottlesse. Soch thinges chaunced partely for ensamples/ partely G.o.d thorow synne healeth synne Pryde can nether be healed nor yet appere but thorow soch horrible deades. Paraduenture they were of y^e popes secte d reioysed fleshly/ thinkinge that heaven came by deades and not by Christ/ and that the outwarde dead iustyfyed them & made them holy and not the inward spirite receeved by fayth and the consent of the harte vnto the law of G.o.d.
-- As thou readeste therfore thinke that every sillable pertayneth to thyne awne silf/ and sucke out the pithe of the scripture/ and arme thy silf ageynst all a.s.saultes. Firste note with stronge faith the power of G.o.d in creatinge all of nought Then marke the grevous fall of Adam and of vs all in him/ thorow the light regardige of the commaundement of G.o.d. In the .iii. Chapitre G.o.d turneth him vnto Abel and then to his offeringe/ but not to Cain and his offeringe. Where thou seest that though the deades of the evel apere outwardly as gloryous as the deades of the good: yet in the sight of G.o.d which loketh on the harte/ the deade is good because of the man/ and not the man good because of his deade. In the vj. G.o.d sendeth Noe to preach to the weked and geueth them s.p.a.ce to repent: they wax hard herted/ G.o.d bringeth them to nought And yet saveth Noe: even by the same water by which he destroyed them. Marke also what folowed the pryde of the buyldinge of the toure of Babel
Consydre how G.o.d sendeth forth Abrah out of his awne contre in to a strange lande full of weked people/ and gave him but a bare promesse with him that he wold blesse him and defende him. Abraham beleved: and that worde saued and delyuered him in all parelles: so that we se/ how that mannes life is not mayntayned by bred onlye (as Christe sayeth) but moch rather by belevinge the promyses of G.o.d. Behold how soberly and how circuspectly both Abraham and also Isaac behaue them selves amge the infideles. Abraham byeth that which might have ben geven him for nought/ to cutte of occasions. Isaac when his welles which he had digged were taken from him/ geveth rowme and resisteth not. More over they creand sowe and fede their catell/ and make confederacyons/ d take perpetuall truce/ and do all outward thinges: Even as they do which have no faith/ for G.o.d hath not made vs to be ydle in this world Every man must worke G.o.dly and truly to the vttmoste of the power that G.o.d hath geven him: and yet not truste therin: but in G.o.ddes worde or promesse: and G.o.d will worke with vs and bringe that we do to good effecte. And th? when oure power will extend no further/ G.o.ddes promesses wyll worke all alone
-- How many thinges also resisted the promesses of G.o.d to Iacob? And yet Iacob coniureth G.o.d with his awne promesses sayenge: O G.o.d of my father Abraham: and G.o.d of my father Isaac/ O lorde which saydeste vnto me returne vnto thyne awne contre/ and vnto the place were thou waste borne and I wil do the good I am not worthy of the leste of those mercyes/ nor of that trouth which thou haste done to thy seruant I went out but with a staffe/ and come home with ij droves/ delyver me out of the handes of my brother Esau/ for I feare hym greatly &c. And G.o.d delyvered him/ and will likewyse all that call vnto his promesses with a repentinge herte/ were they never so great synners. Marke also the weake infirmites of the m He loveth one wife more then a nother/ one sonne more then a nother. And se how G.o.d purgeth him. Esau threteneth him: Laban begyleth him. The beloued wife is longe baren: his doughter is ravyshed: his wife is defyled/ and that of his awne sonne. Rahel dieth/ Ioseph is taken a way/ yee and as he supposed rent of wild beastes And yet how gloryous was hys ende? Note the wekenesse of his Children/ yee and the synne of them/ and how G.o.d thorow their awne wekednes saved them. These ensamples teach vs that a man is not attonce parfecte the firste daye he beginneth to lyve wel They that be stronge therfore muste suffre with the weake/ and helpe to kepe them in vnite & peace one with a nother vntill they be strger
Note what the brothren sayde when they were tached in Egipte/ we haue verelye synned (sayde they) ageynste oure brother in y^t we sawe the anguysh of his soule when he besought vs/ and wold not heare him: d therfore is this tribulation come vppon vs. By which ensample thou seiste/ how that conscience of evyll doenges findeth men out at the laste. But namely in tribulacyon and adversyte: there temptacyon and also desperacyon: yee and the verye paynes of h.e.l.l find vs out: there the soule feleth the ferse wrath of G.o.d and wyssheth mountaynes to falle on her and to hyde her (yf it were possible) fr the angrye face of G.o.d.
Marke also how greate evelles folow of how litle an occasion Dina goeth but forth alone to se the doughters of the contre/ and how greate myscheve and troble folowed? Iacob loved but one sonne more than a nother/ d how grevous murther folowed in their hartes? These are ensamples for oure learninge to teach vs to walke warely and circuspectlye in the worlde of weake people/ that we geve no m occasions of evyll
-- Finally/ se what G.o.d promysed Ioseph in his dreames. Those promesses accpanyed him all ways/ and went doune wyth him even in to the depe dongeon/ And brought him vppe agayne/ And never forsoke him till all that was promysed was fulfilled. These are ensamples wryt? for our learnige (as paule seyth) to teach vs to truste in G.o.d in y^e strge fyre of tribulation and purgatorye of oure flesh. And that they which submytte them selves to folow G.o.d shuld note and marke soch thinges/ for theyr lerninge and comforte/ is the frute of the scripture and cause why it was wryten: And with soch a purpose to reade it/ is the waye to everlastynge life and to those ioyfull blyssinges that are promysed vnto all nacyons in the seade of Abraham/ which seade is Iesus Christe oure lorde/ to whom be honoure and prayse for ever and vnto G.o.d oure father thorow him.
AMEN.
The fyrst boke of Moses called Genesis
The fyrst Chapiter.
In the begynnynge G.o.d created heaven and erth. The erth was voyde and emptie/ d darcknesse was vpon the depe/ and the spirite of G.o.d moved vpon the water
Than G.o.d sayd: let there be lyghte and there was lyghte. And G.o.d sawe the lyghte that it was good: & devyded the lyghte from the darcknesse/ and called the lyghte daye/ and the darcknesse nyghte: and so of the evenynge and mornynge was made the fyrst daye
And G.o.d sayd: let there be a fyrmament betwene the waters/ d let it devyde the waters a sonder. Than G.o.d made the fyrmament and parted the waters which were vnder the fyrmament/ from the waters that were above the fyrmament: And it was so. And G.o.d called the fyrmament heaven/ And so of the evenynge and morninge was made the seconde daye.
And G.o.d sayd/ let the waters that are vnder heaven gather them selves vnto one place/ that the drye londe may appere: And it came so to pa.s.se. And G.o.d called the drye lande the erth and the gatheringe togyther of waters called he the see. And G.o.d sawe that it was good
And G.o.d sayd: let the erth bringe forth herbe and gra.s.se that sowe seed/ and frutefull trees that bere frute every one in his kynde/ havynge their seed in them selves vpon the erth. And it came so to pa.s.se: d the erth brought forth herbe and gra.s.se sowenge seed every one in his kynde & trees berynge frute & havynge their seed in th?
selves/ every one in his kynde. And G.o.d sawe that it was good: and th?
of the evenynge and mornynge was made the thyrde daye.
Than sayd G.o.d: let there be lyghtes in y^e firmament of heaven to devyde the daye fr the nyghte/ that they may be vnto sygnes/ seasons/ days & yeares. And let them be lyghtes in the fyrmament of heav?/ to shyne vpon the erth. & so it was. And G.o.d made two great lyghtes A greater lyghte to rule the daye/ & a lesse lyghte to rule the nyghte/ and he made sterres also. And G.o.d put them in the fyrmament of heaven to shyne vpon the erth/ and to rule the daye & the nyghte/ d to devyde the lyghte from darcknesse. And G.o.d sawe y^t it was good: and so of the evenynge d mornynge was made the fourth daye.
And G.o.d sayd/ let the water bryng forth creatures that move & have lyfe/ & foules for to flee over the erth vnder the fyrmament of heaven. And G.o.d created greate whalles and all maner of creatures that lyve and moue/ which the waters brought forth in their kindes/ d all maner of federed foules in their kyndes. And G.o.d sawe that it was good: and G.o.d blessed them saynge. Growe and multiplye d fyll the waters of the sees/ & let the foules multiplye vp the erth. And so of the evenynge & morninge was made the fyfth daye.
And G.o.d sayd: leth the erth bring forth lyvynge creatures in thir kyndes: catell & wormes & beastes of the erth in their kyndes/ & so it came to pa.s.se. And G.o.d made the beastes of the erth in their kyndes/ & catell in their kyndes/ d all maner wormes of the erth in their kyndes: and G.o.d sawe that it was good.
And G.o.d sayd: let vs make man in oure symilitude d after oure lycknesse: that he may have rule over the fysh of the see/ and over the foules of the ayre/ and over catell/ and over all the erth/ and over all wormes that crepe on the erth. And G.o.d created man after hys lycknesse/ after the lycknesse of G.o.d created he him: male & female created he them.
And G.o.d blessed them/ and G.o.d sayd vnto them. Growe and multiplye and fyll the erth and subdue it/ and have domynyon over the fysh of the see/ and over the foules of the ayre/ and over all the beastes that move on the erth.
And G.o.d sayd: se/ I have geven yow all herbes that sowe seed which are on all the erth/ and all maner trees that haue frute in them and sowe seed: to be meate for yow & for all beastes of the erth/ and vnto all foules of the ayre/ and vnto all that crepeth on the erth where in is lyfe/ that they may haue all maner herbes and gra.s.se for to eate/ and even so it was. And G.o.d behelde al that he had made/ d loo they were exceadynge good: and so of the evenynge and mornynge was made the syxth daye
The seconde Chapter.