In this episode of “Liana’s Favorite Books,” Dr. Liana Lupas takes you on a tour of the first printed English Bible, commonly known as the Coverdale Bible.

Printed in 1535, this Bible was translated by Miles Coverdale. Coverdale was the first British translator to translate the entire text of Scripture into English. He was not proficient in Hebrew or Greek, so he used approximately five Latin and German texts during the translation process. Much of the language Coverdale originated—including “tender mercy” and “lovingkindness”—was included in later English translations like the King James Version.

In addition to some of the best-known biblical phrases in the English language, Coverdale’s Bible contained an intricate title page that became the model for many English books for years to come.

We hope you enjoy exploring this remarkable Bible with Dr. Lupas!