Publication of the Eliot Indian Bible
- When
- 1661–1663
- Where
- Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Episodes
- 2
John Eliot translated the Geneva Bible into Massachusett, resulting in the first complete Bible published in British North America. The New Testament appeared in 1661, followed by the full edition in 1663, printed in Cambridge with assistance from Algonquian collaborators.
Episodes
- New Testament Printing
The New Testament was printed in Cambridge in 1661 with 1,500 copies, marking the first part of the Eliot Bible publication.
- Complete Bible Publication
The full Eliot Indian Bible, including Old and New Testaments, was printed in 1663 as a 1,180-page volume with 1,000 copies.
Background and detail
Translation Motivation. Eliot believed Massachusett people would better understand Christian scriptures in their own language than in English. He learned the Natick dialect to translate the Bible, aiming to make reading possible for non-English speakers without requiring them to learn English.
Publication Process. The New Testament was printed in 1661 with 1,500 copies. The complete Bible followed in 1663 as a 1,180-page volume with 1,000 copies. John Ratcliff bound the 1663 edition, and Algonquian assistants like James Printer facilitated the translation work.
Historical Significance. The Eliot Indian Bible was the first complete Bible published in British North America and the first translation into an Indigenous American language. It represented a major milestone in printing and translation, with later editions influencing language reclamation projects.
People involved
- John Eliot · Translator and missionary
- James Printer · Algonquian assistant
- John Ratcliff · Bookbinder
Sources
- Eliot Indian Bible Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-08
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.