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Martin Luther—The Man and His LegacyThe Watchtower—2003 | September 15
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September Bible in Great Demand
For the next ten months, Luther lived in Wartburg castle as a fugitive from both emperor and pope. The book Welterbe Wartburg explains that “the time at Wartburg was among the most productive and creative periods of his life.” One of his greatest achievements, the translation of Erasmus’ text of the Greek Scriptures into German, was completed there. Published in September 1522 without identifying Luther as the translator, this work was known as the September Bible. The price was 1 1/2 guilders—the equivalent of a year’s wages for a household maid. Nevertheless, the demand for the September Bible was staggering. Within 12 months, 6,000 copies were printed in 2 editions, with no fewer than 69 editions to follow during the next 12 years.
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Martin Luther—The Man and His LegacyThe Watchtower—2003 | September 15
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Talented Translator and Prolific Writer
By 1534, Luther had finished his translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. He had the ability to balance style, rhythm, and vocabulary. The result was a Bible that was understandable to ordinary people. Commenting on his method of translation, Luther wrote: “We should question the mother in her home, the children on the street and the common man at the market, and then watch their mouths to see how they talk and then translate accordingly.” Luther’s Bible helped lay the basis for a standardized written language that came to be accepted throughout Germany.
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