Wycliffe’s Bible

Handwritten Wycliffe Bible – The Prologue of John

In my various writings and gleanings of spiritual materials I sometimes neglect the importance of having a reliable version of the Bible that I can read in my own language. The father of the English Bible is the Oxford scholar, John Wycliffe. His enemies called him “John Wicked-Believe,” and his church branded him a heretic and traitor. Wycliffe completed his translation directly from the Vulgate into English in the year 1382, now known as Wycliffe’s Bible. Below is the prologue of John from that Bible.

John 1:1-5 (Wycliffe Bible)

¹ In the beginning was the word, and the word was at God, and God was the word. ² This was in the beginning at God. ³ All things were made by him, and without him was made nought, that thing that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men; ⁵ and the light shineth in darknesses, and darknesses comprehended not it.

Prayer Thought: Lord we thank for those who sacrificed to bring your Word to us.