The History of Biblical Translation

The Bible is the most translated text of all time. Throughout history, daring to translate the Word of God has resulted in violence and controversy. Biblical translation has also exerted a crucial influence on linguistic development around the world, giving some languages their first written or standardized form. In this six-week course you will be introduced to the rich and fascinating history of biblical translation from antiquity to the present day.

This six-week course includes live two-hour sessions with the instructor each week. Sessions consist of lecture, discussion of readings, and Q&A.

Week 1

Ancient Foundations: Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek

We will begin with an overview of the origins of biblical literature in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. We will explore pivotal moments in the emergence of the Bible as a written artifact and key stages in its textual development. We will consider the Bible’s various contexts of production and shifts in the languages used for biblical writing at its earliest stages. In this session you will gain an essential foundation for understanding the Bible as a text.

Week 2

From Vernacular to Vulgate: The Latin Biblical Tradition

Latin is synonymous with the Catholic Church where it symbolizes history, tradition, and authority. Surprisingly, Latin was first used as a scriptural language because it was an everyday, spoken tongue. In this session we will uncover the surprising history of the Latin Bible, which began as an accessible translation before evolving into a text of monumental linguistic status and authority.

Week 3

The Earliest Christian Translations

The three sacred languages of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin dominate conceptions of early biblical languages. Seldom do we hear about the great variety of languages used for early biblical translation: as Christianity spread, biblical translations were produced in Arabic, Armenian, Coptic, Ge’ez (Ethiopian), Georgian, Gothic (East Germanic), Slavonic, Sogdian (an Iranian language), and Syriac. In this session we will explore the dynamic culture of ancient and early biblical translation.

Week 4

Englishing the Scriptures: The Bible in Old and Middle English

The medieval English were precocious in their enthusiasm for translating the Bible. Old English boasts the earliest and most complete translations of the Bible from medieval Europe. Significant leaps were made in the Middle English period that paved the way for the vernacular Bibles of the Reformation. In this session we will delve into the fascinating history of the earliest English Bibles.

Week 5

The Medieval European Vernacular Bible

In the Middle Ages, the Bible was translated into a number of European vernaculars, including Castilian, Czech, Dutch, French, German, and Norse. Some translations stimulated religious controversy, while others embodied and reflected concepts of linguistic identity and cultural independence. In this session we will survey biblical translation in Europe before the Reformation, the forces driving vernacular translation, and how these works were viewed in their own day.

Week 6

From Scroll to Screen: Modern Biblical Editing and Translation

Throughout history, technology has shaped how the Bible has been edited, translated, and read, from Origin’s multi-version Bible (the “Hexapla”) to Gutenberg’s printing press. In this session we will examine how biblical translation and editing have evolved from the Reformation to the present day, and the role played by technology in that development. We will touch on famous Reformation-era translations such as the Protestant Geneva Bible, the Catholic Douay-Rheims Version, and the venerable King James translation (the “Authorized Version”), as well as less well-known versions, such as the New English Bible (1961/1970), Da Jesus Book (Hawaiian Pidgin), and translations in fictional languages (conlangs) like Tolkien’s Quenya.

More about this course from Dr. Gallagher


This course is open to people of all backgrounds with an interest in the Bible and its translation history. No previous academic or linguistic qualifications are required to participate. The focus is scholarly but accessible. Applications are welcome from specialists, non-specialists, (post)graduates, undergraduates, and people outside of research and education who want to learn more about biblical translation. 

No knowledge of any other languages beyond English is required. 

Some very light preparation will be required for the weekly discussion segment and will be provided in advance of each session.

Participants will be provided with additional, optional reading materials and useful resources, should they be of interest during or following the course. 

Overall, participants will gain an understanding of:

1) the textual and transmissional history of the Bible

2) historical and contemporary contexts of biblical translation

3) the concept of  “sacred” or “holy” language(s) and the relationship to “everyday” language

4) translation theory as it pertains to scripture

5) the cultural and linguistic importance of the Bible in translation. 

 

Contact us if you are interested in this course

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    Contact us if you are interested in this course.

  • Access

    Course materials are available for three months from the first course session.

Meet your Instructor

John J. Gallagher

Dr. John J. Gallagher is a biblical scholar with research interests in the history, reception, adaptation, and exegesis of biblical and apocryphal texts in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. His teaching is interdisciplinary and spans Divinity, History, Literature, and Linguistics. John has held teaching and research positions at the University of St Andrews, University College Dublin, and the University of Oxford, and has taught several courses for Medievalists.net and the Orthodox Academy of Crete. His interests centre on the biblical canon, textual formation, and how biblical and apocryphal texts evolve in the course of their cultural and textual transmission. His recent edition of the Old English Heptateuch and his forthcoming edition of the Gothic Bible explore these matters in detail. He is affiliated with the University of St Andrews and the Orthodox Academy of Crete, and is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, a Member of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, and an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Additionally, he is the Assistant Editor of the Fontes Anglo-Saxonici database – the largest and most complete source database for Latin and vernacular literature from early medieval England, which includes the Apocrypha.

What Dr. Gallagher's Students Say

“John Joseph Gallagher is an absolute God send! He is professional, knowledgeable, genuine and engaging.”

“John is an excellent teacher; his lectures were always interesting, and his personal and patient way of engaging with students showed his dedication to teaching.”

“John had researched his subject well and the sessions were very informative, interesting and well-illustrated.”

“I believe we were fortunate to be the recipients of such an enjoyable and unusual course, and to work with such an enthusiastic and diligent member of the academic staff.”