The Luther Bible

The Luther Bible is the most traditional German Bible translation. No translation has shaped the German language and literature as much as the Luther Bible. And its impact remains unbroken to this day. Terms such as "Feuereifer" or "Denkzettel" and familiar sayings like "Perlen vor die Säue werfen" originate from it. When quotes from the Bible are used in novels or films, they are often taken verbatim from the Luther Bible.

The Luther Bible goes back to the translation work of Martin Luther. Many are familiar with the story: Martin Luther is kidnapped on his way back from the Reichstag in Worms and hidden away on the Wartburg as "Junker Jörg". In his study high above Eisenach, he tackles the translation of the Bible and translates the New Testament into German within a few weeks in the winter of 1521/1522. This edition was published in September 1522 in printed form. The first complete edition of the Old and New Testaments followed in 1534.

The Luther Bible, as it is commonly used today, is still based on the translation of Luther. However, over time, insights in the field of biblical studies have been added, and the German language has also continued to evolve. It was thus necessary to adapt the wording of the Luther Bible carefully to reflect these changes. The Luther Bible has undergone a thorough review in the course of four official church revisions (1892, 1912, 1984, and 2017). This ensures that the Luther Bible can continue to be used as a reliable basis in schools and congregations.

Due to its long tradition, the Luther Bible is one of the linguistically demanding Bible translations. It is primarily aimed at members of the core Evangelical congregations who grew up with the Luther text, as well as readers with historical education and aesthetic expectations. The revised version of 2017 is the official version that the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has adopted and recommends as the authoritative text for church use.