Ronald Mansbridge: The Percentage of Words in the Geneva and King James Versions taken from Tyndale's translation.

During the Tyndale quincentenary year we were told repeatedly, and rightly, that most of the language of the King James Version of the Bible was taken, without acknowledgement, from William Tyndale's translation. The figures given varied, ranging from two-thirds to 90%. David Daniell, the leading authority on Tyndale, stated that nine-tenths of the New Testament in the King James Version is Tyndale's.

A new encyclopaedia recently published stated that “about 20% of the text of the Authorized (King James) Version shows the influence of Tyndale.” We can suppose that this was just a misprint rather than an editorial error. In writing to the editor to suggest a correction, I thought I would try to establish the actual percentage.

At the same time I decided to try to measure the amount of Tyndale's work used by the translators of the Geneva Version, about which we had heard less. The Geneva Version, first printed in 1560, went through at least 140 printings: it was the Bible that Shakespeare read; it was the version in common use at the time that King James' men undertook their revision. My figures indicate that the Geneva Version followed Tyndale even more closely than the King James Version.

It is possible to calculate the percentage in different ways, without making any significant difference to the result. I followed the simple procedure of counting the total number of words in nine representative chapters first in Geneva, then in King James, and then counting how many of these words were taken from Tyndale's translation. The resulting figures are as follows:

Number of words taken from Tyndale by Geneva Version and King James Version

G eneva

King James

Perce ntage taken from Ty ndale

no. of words

words from Ty ndale

no. of words

words from Ty ndale

Gen.

KJV

Ge nesis 13

452

358

457

389

81.4

85.1

D euter onomy 8

557

454

554

438

81.5

79.1

1 S amuel 8

519

431

524

425

81.1

81.1

Ma tthew 3

395

337

385

317

85.3

82.3

Acts 25 ,1-15

373

301

358

302

80.7

84.3

R omans 13

361

294

354

256

81.4

72.3

1 C orint hians 5

316

268

312

248

84.8

79.5

James 4

374

294

362

289

78.6

79.8

Revel ation 20

479

444

469

434

92.7

92.5

To tal

3 836

3 191

3 646

2 975

8 3.4

8 1.6

It will be seen that in these nine chapters more than 83% of the words in the Geneva Version were taken direct from Tyndale, and more than 81% of the words in the King James Version. I believe this sample is statistically valid for the whole New Testament and those books of the Old Testament that Tyndale translated, within a margin of possible error of between 2 and 3 per cent.

As a matter of interest I have set down the Beatitudes in the three versions. It is well known that in these verses the closeness of the language is very great; as can be seen, verse after verse is identical in all three.

The Beatitudes, Matthew 5, 1-16: Tyndale, Geneva, and King James Versions

Tyndale

When he saw the people, he went up into a mountain,

Geneva:

And when he saw the multitude, he went up into a mountain,

KJV:

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain,

Tyndale

and when he was set, his disciples came to him,

Geneva:

and when he was set, his disciples came to him,

KJV:

and when he was set, his disciples came unto him,

Tyndale

and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying:

Geneva:

and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying:

KJV:

and he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying:

Tyndale

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Geneva:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

KJV:

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Tyndale

Blessed are they that moum: for they shall be comforted.

Geneva:

Blessed are they that moum: for they shall be comforted.

KJV:

Blessed are they that moum: for they shall be comforted.

Tyndale

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Geneva:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

KJV:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Tyndale

Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness:

Geneva:

Blessed are they which hunger and thirst for righteousness:

KJV:

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:

Tyndale

for they shall be filled.

Geneva:

for they shall be filled.

KJV:

for they shall be filled.

Tyndale

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Geneva:

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

KJV:

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Tyndale

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Geneva:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

KJV:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Tyndale

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God

Geneva:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

KJV:

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Tyndale

Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness' sake:

Geneva:

Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousness' sake:

KJV:

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:

Tyndale

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Geneva:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

KJV:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Tyndale

Blessed are ye when men revile you, and persecute you,

Geneva:

Blessed shall ye be when men revile you, and persecute you,

KJV:

Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you,

Tyndale

and shall falsely say all manner of evil sayings against you for my sake.

Geneva:

and say all manner of evil against you for my sake falsely.

KJV.

and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Tyndale

Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Geneva:

Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

KJV:

Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.

Tyndale

For so persecuted they the prophets which were before your days.

Geneva:

For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

KJV:

For so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Tyndale

Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost her saltness,

Geneva:

Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour,

KJV:

Ye are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savour,

Tyndale

what can be salted therewith?

Geneva:

wherewith shall it be salted?

KJV:

wherewith shall it be salted?

Tyndale

It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out

Geneva:

It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out

KJV:

It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out

Tyndale

and to be trodden under foot of men.

Geneva:

and to be trodden under foot of men.

KJV:

and to be trodden under foot of men.

Tyndale

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Geneva:

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

KJV:

Ye are the light of. the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Tyndale

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,

Geneva:

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,

KJV:

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel,

Tyndale

but on a candlestick, and it lighteth all that are in the house.

Geneva:

but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

KJV:

but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Tyndale

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works

Geneva:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works

KJV:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works

Tyndale

and glorify your father which is in heaven.

Geneva:

and glorify your father which is in heaven.

KJV:

and glorify your father which is in heaven.

Most of the differences between the versions are inconsequential. Here are the differences between Tyndale and King James in Revelation, chapter 20:

Of greater consequence:

Tyndale

King James Version

he took the dragon

he laid hold on the dragon

and bound him

and shut him up

I saw seats

I saw thrones

the other of the dead

the rest of the dead

the people

the nations

the plain of the earth

the breadth of the earth

for ever more

for ever and ever

their place was no more found

there was found no place for them

their deeds

their works

Of less consequence:

Tyndale

King James Version

on him

upon him

were fulfilled

should be fulfilled

which

and which

that first resurrection

the first resurrection

have no power

hath no power

for

but

whose number

the number of whom

a lake

the lake

were

are

heaven

the heaven

of those things

out of those things

the sea gave up her dead

the sea gave up the dead

There are indeed significant differences elsewhere, such as Tyndale's use of elder or minister, not priest; repent, not do penance; and congregation, not church. Such usages have doctrinal importance, and were held against Tyndale. But this is not the place to consider their implications. Here I have been concerned merely with the modest aim of establishing the percentage of Tyndale's words that were used by his successors. It seems reasonable to use 80% as a rough figure.