The Daring Mission of William Tyndale

A Long Line of Godly Men Profile

by Steven J. Lawson

Early in the sixteenth century, legislative decree in England controlled people’s access to Scripture and prohibited an English Bible. But theologian and linguist, William Tyndale, was determined to provide his fellow countrymen with Scripture they could read.

In The Daring Mission of William Tyndale, Dr. Steven J. Lawson traces this daring mission, which was ultimately used by God to ignite the English Reformation yet would cost Tyndale his life. From one man’s labor, we’re reminded of God’s faithfulness to preserve His Word and equip His people.

Genres: Biography, Christian, History, Nonfiction, Church History, Theology, Religion

154 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2015

About the author

Dr. Steven J. Lawson is the Senior Pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama, having served as a pastor in Arkansas and Alabama for the past twenty-nine years. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University (B.B.A.), Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M.), and Reformed Theological Seminary (D. Min.)

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Makes me appreciate having my own Bible! May I never take for granted the privelage that it is to be able to read God's word!

[Josh Bauder · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good high school book report.

My favorite part was when Oliver Cromwell (b. 1599) advised Henry VIII (d. 1547).

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stirring biographical sketch of the father of the English Reformation, a pioneer in bible translation, and the architect of the modern English language. Lawson writes with clarity and verve, making even the details of Tyndale’s translation work interesting. This is a book that will steel your heart with fresh resolve for courage, determination, and faithfulness to the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Highly recommended.

[Jami Balmet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this entire series by Steven Lawson and this one is no exception! It was so cool to learn more about the father of the English Bible!!

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Tyndale gave his life to translate the bible into the english language. Shame on me if I do not diligently invest the time to read my Bible daily, else his death was in vain.

[Hudson Christmas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book I did not believe I was the kind of person who would enjoy/learn from biographies. This book changed that view.

William Tyndale was a man who sought after God with everything he had. His passion was for the translation of the Bible from the original languages into English. But more than that, Tyndale desired his translation to be such that ordinary Englishmen would be able to read the Scriptures for themselves. This was unheard of in Tyndale's world. And yet, Tyndale stride forward against all opposition and hardship to translate and write a Bible for all Englishmen.

The tenacity and zeal with which Lawson describes the efforts of Tyndale makes this book interesting and gripping. Even though Tyndale worked only as a translator, Lawson describes his work and his lifestyle in such a way that held my attention. Not only that, but throughout the book, Lawson reminds his readers of Tynadale's pure, but deep love for Christ and how that love drove his entire life.

William Tyndale was more than just a martyr. He is largely the reason that we have the Bible's that we own. His life was dedicated to the Word of God, and he understood man's need of it. Tyndale was used mightily by God and Steve Lawson's biography of him is one that is both gripping and convicting because of the incredible story within its pages. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to see an example of a life dedicated to Christ.

[J. Alfred · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aside from its modest length, I don't have much that's nice to say about this book in terms of its writing style, approach to history, or writerly persona.
Tyndale, however, seems like a good and interesting person. Maybe read him or about him-- in a different book.

[Matt Simms · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyndale was unwavering in his desire to translate the Bible into the common language.

[Rueben Rosalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic, succinct glimpse into the life of one of the greatest heros of church history.

[Thaddeus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great, short biography of a man who bravely committed his life to translating and transmitting God's Word in English! Definitely, an inspiring read to challenge us in our commitment to God's Word, and to appreciate the sacrifices of so many before us who preserved it faithfully so that we can have such amazing access to it today!

[Aardvark · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book offers a pretty good overview of tyndale's life, and was actually a lot more enjoyable than i had anticipated. because so little is really known about tyndale's life, i felt that it was inevitable for the same five sayings or facts to be repeated in basically every chapter (i.e. plowboy, new English phrases, etc.). but, it's relative brevity makes the book easier to get through, and i never really felt bogged down by repeated or unnecessary facts.
not bad. :/

[Jacob London · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate so much all that William Tyndale did that we may have an English translation of the Word of God. It was interesting to learn of his understanding of the original langues and his passion for clarity. Although, this book is quite repetitive and almost exclusively documents his annotations and corrections as he translates, which doesn't make for a very fascinating read.

[Rick Shrader]

This is a 2015 biography from Reformation Trust Publishing. Lawson is the series editor which includes biographies about John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, John Knox, Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther, Isaac Watts, George Whitefield, and John Owen. This book falls into three parts: Chapter 1 gives a biography of Tyndale’s life, work, and death. Then Lawson departs from the chronology to give a defense of the five points of Calvinism (chapter 2) and how Tyndale defended each. Then, chapters 3-7 come back to the story and fill in the gaps of Tyndale’s translation work, his constant moving to keep from being captured, the details of his translation method, and then finally his capture and martyrdom. John Foxe called Tyndale, “the apostle of England . . . The most remarkable figure among the first generation of English Protestants.” Tyndale graduated form King’s College, Cambridge only a few years after Luther posted his 95 theses in 1517. Determined to see his English people have a Bible they could read, he vowed, “if God spared him life, ere many years he would cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of the Scripture than he does.” History records that William Tyndale was more responsible than any man in giving us an English Bible. Having fled to the mainland of Europe, Tyndale moved about translating and printing various parts of the Bible as he translated them. These were covertly shipped to England where they were bought up faster than they could be shipped. Tyndale was finally betrayed by a spy and sent to burn at the stake in 1536. His last words were, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” Lawson writes, “Less than a year after Tyndale’s death, Thomas Cranmer, who had become the archbishop of Canterbury, and Oliver Cromwell persuaded Henry VIII to approve the publication of an official English Bible. When King Henry saw the Coverdale Bible, he emphatically proclaimed, ‘if there be no heresies in it, then let it be spread abroad among all the people.’” The Coverdale Bible (first printed in 1535) was actually Tyndale’s translation compiled by Miles Coverdale, Tyndale’s protégé. In addition, another student, John Rogers published his English Bible under the pseudo-name The Matthew Bible in 1537. In 1539 Coverdale issued a revised version called the Great Bible (due to its size) which was approved by the King and commanded to be chained to every Anglican pulpit. Even the King James Bible of 1611 continued the tradition begun by Tyndale and his desire to see the English Bible in the hands of the English people.

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[David Dunlap · Rating 2 out of 5]

William Tyndale was an important figure, not only in the history of the Christian Church (specifically the Reformation in England), for his (incomplete) translation of the Bible into English, but also, as the author persuasively argues, as a founder of the modern English language (perhaps even having a wider impact on the language we have today than the Bard, William Shakespeare himself!). I was looking forward to this book, then, since my knowledge of Tyndale is rather sketchy. The facts are here. The appreciation for the man and his gifts are here. The treacherous times for Reformers is made clear. The book itself is a jumbled mess that would have benefited greatly from a sagacious (and strict) editor. The text is repetitious to an extreme. The author makes good use of Tyndale's own words, but before he introduces them, he informs the reader what they say -- when Tyndale himself (despite the time difference between his life and ours) does this more than adequately. I also found one howling error, at least: Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) is credited with helping persuade King Henry VIII (1491-1547) to make an English Scripture available to his subjects. (I believe Thomas Cromwell -- an ancestor of Oliver's -- was meant here.) And was Tyndale eventually betrayed into martyrdom by Henry or Harry Phillips? (The author gives the name one way toward the beginning of the book and the other towards the end.) -- All in all, a great disappointment that I cannot recommend.

[Todd Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really outstanding read on the life of a man every English speaker is greatly indebted to. Though few people know much of Tyndale, we all owe much to this man. His life is one of great faithfulness in the face of the harshest of persecution. The result, every English translation of the Bible in some way finds the work of William Tyndale underlying it. This well written biography by Lawson ought to encourage every Christian to persevere in their faith and certainly ought to teach us all not to take our Bibles for granted. Blood has been shed so we can read the Bible in our own language.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little repetitive, but still wonderful in content.

[Bill Pence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read most of the books in the Long Line of Godly Men Profiles series, edited by Steven Lawson. Like his other books in the series, the author gives us an efficient and fast-moving account of the life and ministry of his subject.
In this book, the author profiles William Tyndale, known as the father of the Modern English language for his work in translating the New Testament from the Greek and much of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. Tyndale was also widely regarded as the father of the English Reformation.
The author begins by giving us an overview of Tyndale’s life and ministry, and then in succeeding chapters tells us in detail how Tyndale went about his translation work, before he was arrested and martyred.
In England, it was a capital crime to translate the Bible into English. Those found guilty would be condemned as heretics and burned at the stake. A spiritual night had fallen over England. If the Reformation were to come to England, there must be the translation of the Bible into the English language for the people to read.
Tyndale studied at Oxford for ten years. While there, he was ordained into the priesthood, though he never entered a monastic order. In 1519, he went to study at Cambridge. Cambridge was becoming the training ground for future reformers and martyrs. Tyndale came to the realization that England would never be evangelized using Latin Bibles. He was a remarkable scholar, proficient in eight languages. The mission before Tyndale was clear. An English Bible was not optional, but mandatory. However, opposed by both the English church and crown, Tyndale realized he must leave the country and undertake his epic work elsewhere, never to return. He would live underground as a condemned heretic and hunted fugitive for the last twelve years of his life.
In the spring of 1524, at age 30, Tyndale sailed to the European continent to launch his translation and publishing endeavor. He would do so without the king of England’s consent, a clear breach of the established law. As a result, every biblical text he translated, he translated illegally. Tyndale began the work of translating the New Testament from Greek into English in Wittenberg, completing it in Cologne in 1525. Tyndale would ship his Bibles, hidden in bales of cotton, along the international trade routes to England. Church officials immediately declared the purchase, sale, distribution, or possession of this Bible a serious crime that would result in severe punishment.
Tyndale, after growing in his knowledge of Hebrew, began to translate the Hebrew Old Testament into English in Marburg, all the while a manhunt for him was underway. He published the five books of Moses in January 1530 in Antwerp. The translation of the English Bible by Tyndale was a demanding work that did not occur all at once. It came in successive stages over an entire decade.
Both the translation and printing were done under the shroud of absolute secrecy.
In England, a man named Henry Phillips was offered a large sum of money to travel to Europe and locate Tyndale. Phillips established a fake friendship with Tyndale, only to betray him. After translating Joshua through 2 Chronicles, Tyndale was arrested through the deception of Phillips and was executed on October 6, 1536. Tyndale’s final words were, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” That dying prayer was answered two years after Tyndale’s death, when King Henry VIII ordered that the Bible of Miles Coverdale was to be used in every parish in the land. The Coverdale Bible was largely based on Tyndale’s work.
As we read our Bibles, I doubt that many of us realize the sacrifice that was made to provide us a Bible in English. Here are some of the facts I found interesting about Tyndale and his work:
• Tyndale’s translation, and those based on it, formed the basis of the King James Version in 1611, and through it, nearly every English translation since.
• A complete analysis of the King James shows that Tyndale’s words account for eighty-four percent of the New Testament and more than seventy-five percent of the Old Testament.
• Tyndale’s New Testament was the first English translation from the Greek text. His Pentateuch was the first portion of the Old Testament to be translated into English.
• Tyndale wrote with the aim of bringing the truth of Scripture to the masses of common people. Tyndale wrote in everyday language for the average person. Herein lies the broad appeal of his translation work.
• Tyndale’s revised 1534 New Testament proved to be the greatest of his works.
• As a skilled linguistic scholar, Tyndale introduced many words into the English language.

[Blue Morse · Rating 3 out of 5]

The “Daring Mission of William Tyndale” meets the “Elementary Writing Style of Steven Lawson.”

Lawson is a prophet not a scribe. His fire from the pulpit does not translate into being a captivating author. This being the third Lawson book I’ve read, I can honestly say he needs to stick to preaching. This one read like a post-graduate writing assignment or bad monograph. However, I do appreciate the brevity of the “Long Line of Godly Men” series albeit the writing could use some work. I wonder if Lawson assigned his seminary students to write these 😂

That being said, the subject was incredible and refreshing. William Tyndale’s passion for translating the Bible from the original language (Greek and Hebrew) into English, making him both the father of the modern English language as well as the foundation for the reformation in England was fascinating. Allowing the plow boy to know as much about scripture as the pope enabled internal spiritual revival while spreading the gospel message outside of England into the four corners of the world.

After reading this one I have a whole new appreciation and love for the Bible that I so often take for granted each day. Praise the Lord for the faithfulness of men like Tyndale who would give his physical life (he was strangled by chains and then literally blown up with gunpowder at the stake) so that others could be spiritually set free by having full access to the word of God. As Philip Schaffer wrote, “every true progress in church history is conditioned by a new and deeper study of the Scriptures.”

Some great Tyndale quotes:

“Though a man had a precious jewel and a rich, yet if he wist not the value thereof, nor wherefore it served, he were neither the better nor the richer of a straw. Even so, though we read the scripture, and babble of it never so much, yet if we know not the use of it, and wherefore it was given, and what is therein to be sought, it profiteth us nothing at all. It is not enough, therefore, to read and talk of it only, but we must also desire God, day and night instantly, to open our eyes, and to make us understand and feel wherefore the scripture was given, that we may apply the medicine of the scripture, every man to his own sores.”

“The scripture is a light and sheweth us the true way, both what to do and what to hope. And a defence from all error, and a comfort in adversity that we despair not, and feareth us in prosperity that we sin not.”

“As thou readest, therefore, think that every syllable pertaineth with to thine own self, and suck out the pith of the scripture, and arm thyself against all assaults.”

“Faith is, then, a lively and a steadfast trust in the favour of God, wherewith we commit ourselves altogether unto God; and that trust is so surely grounded, and sticketh so fast in our hearts, that a man would not once doubt of it, though he should die a thousand times therefor. And such trust, wrought by the Holy Ghost through faith, make the a man glad, lusty, cheerful, and true hearted unto God and unto all creatures.”

[Justin Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Tyndale accomplished for the English is similar to what Martin Luther did for the Germans. He was born in England and educated at Oxford and quickly developed into a brilliant man whose dream was to see the Bible in the hands of the layman, the plower of the field. In this time, the Bible was forbidden to be written any any other language other than Latin and could only be read personally by the clergy. Tyndale hoped that one day, all would be able to read the Bible for themselves.

So he began a journey that would be considered heretical, and “daring”: he began to translate the Bible from Greek to English. He needed a bit of work learning Greek which he pick up from perhaps the great scholar, Melancthon in Germany. He had to move outside of England because he was already beginning to build a reputation for heresy and treason. He began work on the New Testament probably in Germany and had to frequently move around to avoid capture by Church officials. He translated the entire New Testament and would send copies hidden by boat to England. He continued to revise his New Testament and stayed close with individuals who either held connections to or physically with printing presses. After his completion of the New Testament, he began to work on the Old. Sadly, he never finished his work on the Old Testament and was martyred for heresy.

Tyndale becomes an important figure in the English speaking world because his work on the Bible transformed the English language. We in the West often attribute the greatest influence of the English language to Shakespeare, but it was actually Tyndale who coined phrases that even Shakespeare copied.

I think it is important to remember Tyndale when we read our Bibles because throughout human history, we have not enjoyed the freedoms we have now throughout history. Many people have shed their blood to get to the point we are at today. The fact that Bibles are in hotels and freely distributed today is a realization of Tyndale’s dream that someday the plowers of the fields would have access to the Bible.

[Patrick Lacson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steven J. Lawson provides a brief sketch of William Tyndale. Lawson gives him the title of the Father of the English Language. Lawson claims that his Bible translation in English has influenced the English language more than Cartwright and Shakespeare. His translation of the New Testament and large portion of the Old Testament was in clear, accessible, and contemporary English thereby shaping future English Bible translations which left an indelible impact on the English language.

Lawson offers a very vivid picture of the perseverance of Tyndale who was a 12-year fugitive of England as he translated, book by book, having to learn biblical Hebrew despite already knowing 7 languages - all without any grammars, lexicons, or formal instruction. He relied upon Zwingli’s exposition of the OT and Septuagint as he tries to master the difficult language of Hebrew.

Lawson ties Tyndale’s reformed theology as the undergirding motivation to endure the arduous task of translating the Bible while a fugitive on the run from English magistrates who wanted his head. If you’re unfamiliar with Tyndale and Reformed soteriology, you will be quickly acquainted with both from Lawson’s book.

Tyndale was an amazing man who selfishly gave all for the gospel to reach all.

Read this book and never take for granted your English Bible again!

I read this book on a flight from California to Greece. Lawson himself is very easy to follow and I recommend his series of a Long Line of Godly men.

[James Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very little book, but massively encouraging. I got this from Mom & Dad last Christmas...and I do so love biographies, so even very little ones are always worth it! This was a great reminder of Tyndale and the great works of God that were done through him. He lived in 16th century England for a time...but eventually fled to Europe to complete his Great Work - the translation of much of the Bible into English. A truly staggering accomplishment, especially as he was not translating from the Latin, as had been done before. No - he translated from the original Greek & Hebrew...and in doing so, he created a marvelous translation that still is the foundation and backbone of the majority of English translations today. He translated all of the New Testament and much of the Old, coordinating the printing and smuggling of these English Bibles into England so that the common man and woman could read. Before he could finish the Old Testament translation, he was captured by English agents, held in prison in Belgium and eventually executed for the grave crime of translating God's Word into English so that all could read. Tyndale's passion for the glory of God and desire that all might know Him through His Word...oh so gloriously inspiring. May the desire for God's glory to increase fill our hearts this day.

[Brandon H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much about William Tyndale but after hearing some of his quotes lately I wanted to learn more. After reading the book and seeing other reviews on it, I've concluded that this is probably a good introduction to the man and his ministry.

I learned that he is considered the father of the English bible and had a tremendous influence on modern English, even more than Shakespeare and other accredited historical figures. And he paid a high price to translate the Bible into English. Clearly, he needs to be considered one of the great historical figures in Christian history.

This book helped me see how much I have taken for granted, especially having access to the word of God in my native tongue. It also reminded me of just how political the church can be and the lengths it will go to hold onto political power.

The one disappointments of the book for me was the repetitiveness of some facts. Perhaps the author didn't have more information to share so he repeated himself to add length to the book. I don't know.

I'd give this one 3 and half stars.

[Rubén Zúñiga · Rating 3 out of 5]

La vida de William Tyndale sin duda puede ser llamada "inspiradora". Desde su determinación proveniente de lo que el entendió que era la voluntad de Dios para su vida, la traducción desde el griego y el hebreo de la biblia al inglés popular, hasta la consumación de parte de su proyecto de traducción al inglés, detenido por su martirio, Tyndale mostró el fuego de convicción que poseía al entender la importancia de tener la escritura en su lengua vernácula.

En cuanto a la estructura del libro, es una biografía simple, de fácil lectura, pero un poco circular, apelando constantemente a la repetición de frases y eventos.

Debido a la escasez de literatura biográfica en español acerca de los reformadores es relevante leerlo como punto de inicio para un conocimiento general de estos "héroes de la fe".

[JD Hormann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to read about the life, testimony, and journey that William Tyndale had in his faith. The first part was great. Very informative sharing the history that was know and placing it in a setting that the reader himself would be encouraged by and drawn to examine his own walk and what they’re doing. However, after the testimony ends at 1536, Steven Lawson uses this opportunity to share “his” doctrine and “his” beliefs, pulling Tyndale into the same Calvinistic ideology. Quotes and writings by Tyndale himself are given a conclusion with Lawsons perspective. I was disappointed in the end since the title of the book was “The Daring mission of William Tyndale”. The title should be, “A Calvinist’s point of view of the thoughts and workings of William Tyndale”.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of really interesting information in the book. It was more a recounting of *how* Tyndale translated the Bible rather than a story of his life. It focused a lot on linguistics and how he is the father of modern English.

The book was a little bit repetitious. It could have used a good editor. It reminded me a bit of the way a high school term paper is laid out, rather than a book. I would have been more impressed if it hadn’t resembled a 9th grade English paper. Love Dr. Lawson’s preaching but the writing style
Wasn’t my favorite. Great info though.

[Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was given 3 stars only out of personal preference. Sometimes it can be too technical of translation rather than tracking the life of Tyndale. I benefited from a deeper understanding of bible translation of Tyndale's usage, inspiration of the precision he used to his task given from God, and a greater love for the scriptures. Grace does not mean sloppy work and shown as Tyndale meticulously completes his assignment from the Lord. I would have liked to catch more of a glimpse of Tyndale's life and Character.

[Pig Rieke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I only listened to this one on Audible.

The book serves as a small intro into the life and ministry of William Tyndale. The strength of the work is to portray a man who was willing to not only die but to live so that Gods word might be translated into the English language. The work principally shows a man who believed that God had revealed Himself in His word. While Luther and Calvin will be remembered for their theological understandings in the reformation, the movement was most evidentially one of Scripture in which linguist provided the foundations to build up from.

[Nate Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book that describes the importance of William Tyndale to not only the English Speaking World, but to all subsequent missionaries who venture in boldness and to translators who accurately deliver God's Word in their native tongue.

As for the structure of the book, it is written more as an essay than a narrative, as Tyndale's life is given in the first chapter and then expounded on in the subsequent chapters with applicable exhortations. My personal preference would have been a chronological narrative, but I understand the author's intent.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, easy read that was filled with a lot of great information. To learn about Tyndale was both inspiring and humbling. As the book discusses, not only did he have a massive contribution to the Christian faith, he can be credited in many ways as the father of the modern English language.

My favourite quote from the book was this: “For Tyndale, the most important matter at hand was to put the Bible in the hands of the people. Let us have the same drive to read, know, and digest the Word of God as Tyndale had to put it into our hands.”

[Anson Cassel Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have the utmost respect for William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536), the father of the English Bible, a gifted linguist who contributed as much to the development of the English language as William Shakespeare. But while Steven Lawson's brief, inspirational study may be helpful for those who know little of the history of the Reformation, the organization of the book is idiosyncratic and its exposition repetitive. Earlier reviewers have suggested better editing. Personally, I would have enlisted a co-author or a ghost writer.