Martin Luther ignited the Reformation of the Church and impacted the
German language. Now, Germany's Protestant Church plans to revise the
Luther Bible, making it even closer to the reformer's original
translation.
Martin Luther, the man who sparked the Reformation in the early 16th century, was not only an astute theologian but also a clever wordsmith. In addition to shaking up Europe's religious thinking by preaching salvation based on faith rather than works, he also helped shaped the German language.
Luther's German translation of the New Testament was first published in 1522, while the entire Bible was printed in 1534. The text helped streamline the German language of the time and included expressions that continue to be used to this day - such as "casting pearls before swine" and "separating the wheat from the chaff."
The standardization of the German language led in turn to a stronger sense of common identity among German speakers, which would not be united into a nation-state until much later in 1871.
Luther's translation of the Bible was not the very first into German, but is still considered to be the definitive edition in the language.
Read more: German Protestants to revise landmark Luther Bible | Culture | DW.DE | 06.01.2015
Martin Luther, the man who sparked the Reformation in the early 16th century, was not only an astute theologian but also a clever wordsmith. In addition to shaking up Europe's religious thinking by preaching salvation based on faith rather than works, he also helped shaped the German language.
Luther's German translation of the New Testament was first published in 1522, while the entire Bible was printed in 1534. The text helped streamline the German language of the time and included expressions that continue to be used to this day - such as "casting pearls before swine" and "separating the wheat from the chaff."
The standardization of the German language led in turn to a stronger sense of common identity among German speakers, which would not be united into a nation-state until much later in 1871.
Luther's translation of the Bible was not the very first into German, but is still considered to be the definitive edition in the language.
Read more: German Protestants to revise landmark Luther Bible | Culture | DW.DE | 06.01.2015
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