King James Version is 99 Percent Tyndales, says NewtonSteinDavid Daniell, the leading authority on Tyndale, stated that nine-tenths of the New Testament - 90% - in the King James Version is Tyndale's "actual words. Even more amazing, when the KJV doesn't use Tyndale's "word choice" . . . it does maintain Tyndale's thought and interpretation. If you look in the examples of actual scripture below, where their differences are greatest, you will see the thought of the KJV is still Tyndales. 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 Geneva King James Percentage taken from Tyndale no. of words words from Tyndale no. of words words from Tyndale Gen. KJVGenesis 13 452 358 457 389 81.4 85.1Deuteronomy 8 557 454 554 438 81.5 79.11 Samuel 8 519 431 524 425 81.1 81.1Matthew 3 395 337 385 317 85.3 82.3Acts 25,1-15 373 301 358 302 80.7 84.3Romans 13 361 294 354 256 81.4 72.31 Corinthians 5 316 268 312 248 84.8 79.5James 4 374 294 362 289 78.6 79.8Revelation 20 479 444 469 434 92.7 92.5Total 3836 3191 3646 2975 83.4 81.6 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 VersionsTyndale 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 GodGeneva: 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 outGeneva: It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast outKJV: 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 worksGeneva: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good worksKJV: 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 Versionhe took the dragon he laid hold on the dragonand bound him and shut him upI saw seats I saw thronesthe other of the dead the rest of the deadthe people the nationsthe plain of the earth the breadth of the earthfor ever more for ever and evertheir place was no more found there was found no place for themtheir deeds their works Of less consequence:Tyndale King James Versionon him upon himwere fulfilled should be fulfilledwhich and whichthat first resurrection the first resurrectionhave no power hath no powerfor butwhose number the number of whoma lake the lakewere areheaven the heavenof those things out of those thingsthe 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. Based on the research of Ronald Mansbridge.
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