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Luther's Wartburg Seclusion and Bible Translation
After the Diet of Worms in May 1521, Martin Luther was 'abducted' for protection on his way out of Worms by agents of Saxon Elector Frederick III, hi…
Timeline
- 1521Wartburg castle · ThuringiaAfter leaving Worms, Luther was seized near the Forest of Thuringia by Saxon knights—an arranged protection operation by Frederick III. He arrived at the Wartburg castle under the alias knight Junker Jörg, evading pursuit under the Edict of Worms.
- 1521–1522Wartburg castle · ThuringiaIn his study at the Wartburg, Luther translated the entire New Testament into plain German based on Erasmus's Greek New Testament and other sources. He sought wording close to spoken German across the regions, presenting the Bible in a language the general public could read for the first time, with far-reaching effects on the German language and religious culture.
- 1522Wittenberg · Saxony-AnhaltLuther ended his Wartburg seclusion and returned to public activity in Wittenberg to address the disorder caused by radical reformers there. He brought the completed New Testament manuscript, which was subsequently handed to printers for publication.
Sources
- Martin Luther at the Wartburg https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Luther
- Luther's Works, Vol. 35: Word and Sacrament I — Martin Luther (1960)