William Tyndale

QUESTION: How did William Tyndale suffer persecution?

ANSWER:

William Tyndale was born near the border of Wales in 1494. He was educated at Oxford and Cambridge and later began his work of translating the Bible into English. Tyndale delighted in defending his beliefs while having discussions at the home where he resided. The local clergy who visited to dine soon grew weary of Tyndale's constant criticism of their doctrines. They became so weary with him, that they began to bear a grudge against him in their hearts.

Tyndale knew that in order for lay people to know the truth of God's Word, they needed to be able to read it for themselves. The clergy kept the Scriptures hidden and unavailable to their congregations. God gave William Tyndale the will and wisdom to begin translating and printing the New Testament.

The printing began in Cologne, Germany in 1525, but was interrupted by a legal injunction. The printing of his work was completed in Worms, Germany in 1526. Later Tyndale translated the Old Testament as well. It was of great spiritual benefit to the godly lay people of that day.

Tyndale experienced a lot of harassment, ridicule, and threats from the clergy and their aids throughout his lifetime of work for the Lord. Finally, in Antwerp, Henry Philips tricked him into coming out of the house, where officers were waiting to arrest him. He was condemned by decree of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, at Augsburg, in 1530. On October 6, 1530, in the town of Vivorde, Netherlands, William Tyndale was tied to a stake, strangled by the hangman to the point of death and then burned in fire for doing God's Work. It is said that as he met the Lord, Tyndale cried with a loud voice, "Lord! Open the King of England's eyes!"