William Tyndale

William Tyndale (1495–1536)
William Tyndale's life's work was the translation of the Bible into English and it cost him his life. At this time it was still illegal to possess a Bible in English. Tyndale was committed to making it possible for the boy at the plough to know the Scriptures as well as any cleric. He lived and worked in Europe hunted at all times by the Catholic authorities.

In 1525 he completed the first ever translation of the New Testament into English from the original Greek. He revised the work in 1534 and set about translating the Old Testament. His translation has formed the basis of biblical translation for many centuries.

Tyndale is remembered for his work of translation, his beautiful use of English prose and for his martyrdom as a Reformer. Tyndale did not just translate the Bible; he read it. This led him to the great biblical doctrines of justification by faith alone, the centrality of the Scriptures and the denial of Catholic practices.
In 1536, in Europe, he was betrayed, arrested, charged with heresy (including, "he maintains that faith alone justifies") and burned at the stake.