Partly it was a fear of the encroachments of “Lutheran” ideas, partly the opposition aimed to maintain the church’s power in a period of turmoil.

Such was the impact of hearing the Bible read in their mother tongue that many learnt to read just so they could read the Bible. Of course there weren’t many other books in English – it was still a developing language.

Tyndale put the Bible’s words into plain English words. He avoided Latin words where he could find a good English one. He coined new words in English, such as Passover, atonement, scapegoat. Many of his pithy phrases have found their way into ordinary English, “the powers that be”, “my brother’s keeper”, “the salt of the earth”, and “a law unto themselves”.

It was Tyndale’s translation more than any other that became the foundation for the Authorised King James version of 1611.

Tyndale was one of a group of people in the 16th century who believed that every Christian should have the Bible in their own language – and should be free to read it themselves.

Dale