Project Gutenberg
1995-06-01
Public domain in the USA.
198
Luther, Martin
1483
1546
Mann, Gary
An Open Letter on Translating
"An Open Letter on Translating" by Martin Luther is a theological treatise written in the early 16th century, during the period of the Reformation. The book serves as a defense of Luther's translations of the Bible into German, primarily taking aim at critiques from Catholic authorities regarding his interpretations of scripture. The text discusses the challenges and responsibilities of translating sacred texts, especially when addressing contentious theological issues such as justification by faith alone. In the letter, Luther responds to a friend’s inquiries about his translation choices, particularly the inclusion of the word "sola" (alone) in his version of Romans 3:28, arguing that faith alone is central to Christian salvation and necessary to convey the meaning intended by St. Paul. He emphasizes the importance of using accessible language that resonates with common speakers of German rather than relying solely on literal translations from Greek or Latin, which may be unclear or misleading. Luther's passionate advocacy for a more nuanced and heartfelt approach to translation highlights his belief that language should serve the needs of believers seeking to understand and engage with the Christian faith. Throughout, he defends his authority and capability as a translator against accusations from his opponents, asserting that a proper understanding of scripture is paramount for the well-being of the church. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 78.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
en
Reformation -- Germany
Bible -- Translating
BR
Text
Christianity
Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
Category: History - Early Modern (c. 1450-1750)
Category: Religion/Spirituality
66480
2025-07-01T04:50:32.650747
text/html
66301
66302
2025-01-01T04:58:51.256689
2023-10-01T04:47:50.610382
text/html
text/html
96856
2025-07-01T04:50:37.233726
application/epub+zip
95761
2025-07-01T04:50:35.223768
application/epub+zip
82619
2025-07-01T04:50:34.215735
application/epub+zip
219531
2025-07-01T04:50:38.678706
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
213669
2025-07-01T04:50:36.632742
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
175022
2022-09-01T05:09:33.440744
application/x-mobipocket-ebook
57238
2025-07-01T04:50:32.441743
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
57011
2021-01-01T07:40:10
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
22021
2021-01-01T07:40:10
text/plain; charset=us-ascii
application/zip
18446
2025-07-01T04:50:38.802712
application/rdf+xml
15606
2025-07-01T04:50:34.689723
image/jpeg
3897
2025-07-01T04:50:34.450736
image/jpeg
96189
2025-07-01T04:50:32.657732
application/octet-stream
application/zip
Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at
https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog
en.wikipedia