[A quarto volume of traditions, gathered in the immediate neighbourhood of the scene of action, was privately printed in the year 1530, under the title of The Worm of Lambton.]
REPLIES.
LUTHER'S TRANSLATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Luther's solemn request that his translation should on no account be altered, accompanies most of the earlier editions of the N.T. I find it on the reverse of the title-page of the edition in 8vo. printed at Wittemberg by Hans Lufft in 1537, thus:—
"I request all my friends and enemies, my master printer, and reader, will let this New Testament be mine; and, if they have fault to find with it, that they make one of their own. I know well what I do, and see well what others do; but this Testament shall be Luther's German Testament; for carping and cavilling is now without measure or end. And be every one cautioned against other copies, for I have already experienced how negligently and falsely others reprint us."[1]
The disputed verse (1 John, v. 7.) is omitted in all the editions printed under Luther's eye or sanction in his lifetime; but it has not, I think, been remarked that in verse 8. the words auf erde, found in later editions, are wanting. The passage stands:—
"Denn drey sind die da zeugen, der Geist, und das Wasser, und das Blut, und die drey sind beysamen."
In the first edition of the Saxon (Düdesche version of Luther's Bible, by Jo. Heddersen, printed in a magnificent volume at Lubeck, by Lo. Dietz, in 1533-4), the verse stands thus:—
"Wente dre synt dede tüchinisse geven, de Geist unde dat Water, unde dat Bloth, unde de dre synt by emander."