coupled with marvelous exegetical insight and a remarkable ability to express ideas clearly In strong, pure German. 1t was so popular that 10 editions of the Bible and 16 of the New Testament were issued in Luther's lifetime, under his supervision, besides over 50 independ ent and unauthorized reprints. Other German versions made during this period have been almost forgotten: though the excellent transla tion of the Prophets made by Denek and Hiitzer (1527-29), of which 10 editions in quick suc cession were published, deserves to be mentioned. From Roman Catholic circles versions were is sued in opposition to Luther's, notably Speier's. L526, Ditenberger's, 1534, and the Cologne Bible of 1630 and ]632, commonly called the 'Catholic Bible.' Of revisions of Luther's version, the •Durehgesehene Bibel.' and an official revision of 1892ff., called the 'Probebibel,' are the most re cent and important. Of the many independent German versions since Luther the most impor tant are l'iscator's. 1602, De \Vette and Angus ti's, 1809-69, E. Reuss's. l892-94. E. Kautseh's (Old Testament) 1890-94 (2d ed. 1896), and C. Weizsiteker's (New Testament), 7th ed. 1894.
In Switzerland, Luther's version became known at once. The delay in the publication of the fourth and fifth parts of the Old Testament led to an independent translation of these portions at Zurich in 1529. The Zurich Bible, issued in l530, was largely identical with Luther's. This has been revised from time to time, most recently in 1895 (New Testament and Psalms only).
Dutch Versions.—During the Fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries, a Thad] version, made per haps as early as 1300, was represented in many manuscripts, none containing the whole Bible. On the basis of this version, a portion of the Bible was printed at Delft in 1477. In 1478 the 'Co logne Bible,' the first complete Bible in Low German, was published. In 1522 a Dutch revi sion of Luther's New Testament was printed at Basel and Amsterdam. In 1524 an independent Dutch translation of Erasmus's Greek New Testament. "in goede platte Duytsche," appeared at Delft. This was followed in 1526 at Antwerp by a Bible of the Reformation period. On the Roman Catholic side, a New Testament was printed in 1527. the whole Bible in 1548. ln Protestant Holland many Bibles were issued by the various branches of the Reformed Church. In 1632 the Dutch Bible was officially revised lay order of the States-General and the Synod of Dort. This was published in 1636, and became known as the 'Staaten Bibel.' Of modern edi tions, the most noteworthy is the revision under taken at the request of the Synod by Kuenen and his disciples, known in Holland as the 'Synod Bibel' (New Testament, l866; Old Testa ment, 1897-1902).
Scandinarkin Versio»g.—Parts of the Bible existed in Old Norwegian and Old Swedish as early as the Twelfth and Thirteenth centuries. somewhat later in Old Danish. Under the auspices of Christian II. a New Testament was issued in Danish in 1524, lint it was not well received. In 1529 a Danish New Testament and Psalms by Christen Pedersen (14SO-1554l was published at Antwerp, in 1531 a new and im proved edition, and in the same year a Danish translation of the Psalms. lint it was not till 1550 that the whole Bible was printed in Dan ish, the version being based on Luther's Ger man. A revision of this in 1605.07 was not popular. After the separation of Norway (in
1814), a revision for Denmark alone was made in 1810. In 1872 a second revision was pub lished. In Norway revisions were published in 1830, 1357-69, and 1890 (not yet complete). In Icelandic, a New Testament was issued in 1540, the whole Bible in 1534. This was revised in 1644, and a number of times since. In Sweden a translation of the New Testament, made by Laurentius Andrea> and Olaus Petri on the basis of Luther's version, was printed in Stockholm in 1526. Parts of the Old Testament appeared in 1536, and in 1510-41 the entire Bible, translated by Laurentius Petri. Laurentius Andrew, and Ohms Petri, was published in Stockholm. The most important revisions have been those by Johan Gezelins, father and son (1674-1724), Oilman and Tingstadius (1774.93), and Toa>n, Uniform and MOM (1853-79). The new ver sion of the New Testament, which since 1883 is officially recognized by the Lutheran Church, is the work of Sundberg, Tor(7>n. and Johnson. Of independent translations, those by Thomsader and Walderstriim of the New Testament, and by Fjollstedt and :Melin of the whole Bible, have enjoyed the greatest popularity. Perhaps the most elegant and scholarly versions of biblical books are those by F. O. Myrberg.
French.—The earliest versions on French soil were in the Teutonie dialects. Not until the Twelfth Century was any part of the Bible trans lated into French. The first printed French Testament appeared in 1477 at Lyons. In 1487 a large edition of the Bible was issued, dedicated to Charles VIII. This was followed by other sump tuous, expensive editions. Of a more popular character were the translations by J. Lefebvre d'Etaples (New Testament, 1523, Old Testa ment. 1528. lacking the Psalter; Bible, 1530), all based on the Vulgate. In 15411 this Bible was placed on the Index. The Louvain Bible of 1550, though only a slightly altered Lefebvre d'•taples. became the generally used Roman Catholic Bible of France. It was revised in 160S, 1621, and 1647. More modern versions, to keep pace with the development of the French lan guage, have appeared from time to time, such as the New Testament of Richard Simon, 1702, and the Port Royal Bible of 1667.87. Of modern Roman Catholic versions, Lassere's (gospels, 1887, is excellent, though not approved by the Church authorities. On the Protestant side, Olivetan (Peter Robert), Calvin's cousin, made a transla tion which was issued at 1535 at Serrieres at the expense of the Waldenses. III subsequent editions this version was greatly improved. it was revised in 1588 by the Geneva pastors. In 1724 and 1744, J. F. Ostervald made a more modern version, which succeeded Olivetan's ar the Bible of French Protestantism. Ostervald's version was revised. not very successfully, in 1805 (Old Testament) and 1835 (New Testa ment). Better modern revisions of the same are those of Si;gond, 1874 and 1880, and the New Testament. of Oltramare, 1872, and that of the French Bible Society, 1381. Other good modern translations are those of Perret 44(4011, Neuelift tel, 18471f. (Old Testament), Eng. Arnaud, 18:18 (New Testament), A. Geneva, 1859 (New Testament), E. Stapfer, Paris, 1889 (New Tes tament), and E. Reuss. Paris, 18740. Au offi cial synodical revision, undertaken at the sug gestion of Bersier, is not yet complete.