The first Finnish New Testament was completed 1548 by the Finnish bishop and scholar Mikael Agricola (1510-1557). Mikael Agricola also translated several books of the Old Testament, such that a quarter of the work was complete when he died in 1557.
Many years passed before Finns could read the Bible in its entirety in their own mother tongue. In 1638 the government set up a new committee headed by Bishop Eskil Petraeus (1593-1657) to translate the Bible; Which was printed in 1642. According to its commission, the committee was to write good and pure Finnish that could be understood by Finns all over the country. The importance of the Bible as a unifier of the language was in fact greater than any other factor; even the mass media of today could hardly dream of having a comparable influence.
The first complete Bible in Finnish was first printed 1642, and subsequent printings followed 1685, 1758 and 1776.
Reprints of the 1776 revision: 1817, 1821, 1832, 1845, 1852 and then on regular basis until present day.
SwordSearcher Tab: Bibles > FinnishB
This module is included in the Deluxe Library.
Many years passed before Finns could read the Bible in its entirety in their own mother tongue. In 1638 the government set up a new committee headed by Bishop Eskil Petraeus (1593-1657) to translate the Bible; Which was printed in 1642. According to its commission, the committee was to write good and pure Finnish that could be understood by Finns all over the country. The importance of the Bible as a unifier of the language was in fact greater than any other factor; even the mass media of today could hardly dream of having a comparable influence.
The first complete Bible in Finnish was first printed 1642, and subsequent printings followed 1685, 1758 and 1776.
Reprints of the 1776 revision: 1817, 1821, 1832, 1845, 1852 and then on regular basis until present day.
SwordSearcher Tab: Bibles > FinnishB
This module is included in the Deluxe Library.