November 21, 2021

Then [Jesus] spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Matthew 13:3-4

The local priests went behind Tyndale to undo what he had just accomplished through his preaching. Misrepresentations and threats were the devices they employed. Said Tyndale: “What is to be done? While I am sowing in one place, the enemy ravages the field I have just left. I cannot be everywhere. Oh! if Christians possessed the Holy Scriptures in their own tongue, they could of themselves withstand these sophists. Without the Bible it is impossible to establish the laity in truth.”

As he applied himself to do the work of translating, he was driven from his home in Gloucestershire. For a while he was able to continue the work in London, but was soon driven to flee again, this time to Germany. At Worms, where Luther had faced the Diet, he finished the work and, thanks to many friends of the Reformation there, 3000 copies were printed.

Although the English authorities guarded her ports, copies made it in. As the papists worked in vain to suppress the truth, new and better editions were being published. The bishop of Durham bought the entire stock of Bibles from one bookseller for the purpose of destroying them. His thinking was that this would greatly hinder the Reformation. But the monies procured actually covered the publishing cost of an improved edition! Afterwards, Tyndale was imprisoned. Liberty was offered to him on the condition that he would reveal the names of those who had helped him pay the cost of printing. He answered that the Bishop of Durham had helped the most!

But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Genesis 50:20