Leaf from Martin Luther's Old Testament (1523)

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Numbers 33:8-44

Printed in German, this is one of the oldest translations of the Bible into a commonly spoken language. It played a significant part in the Protestant Reformation, which had its start in October 1517 with the posting of Luther's Ninety-Five Theses.

This German translation actually preceded William Tyndale's first English New Testament of 1526 by three years. Luther's translation helped unify German as a language. His translation of the Bible is still in use, with current printings being based on a 1984 revision.

This leaf is from an original 1523 edition of Luther's translation.

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