The Lord Jesus Christ did not leave a Bible to his followers , he left it to the Church to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to make the Bible we use today . Before the Bible there were no Protestants , after Martin Luther left the Catholic Church in the 15 th Century , and printed the Bible from which he removed seven ( 7 ) books , more than 40,000 sects , like mushrooms , emerged everywhere .

1. Who wrote/translated the Latin Vulgate?

St. Jerome (347–420 AD)
He was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in AD 382 to standardize the Latin Bibles that had varied in the past.

You are Jerome:

studied Hebrew in Bethlehem
Greek expert
native speaker in Latin

That's why he was the most qualified scholar of his time.

2. How did he write the Latin Vulgate?

A. Manual, handwritten translation

There was no printing press at that time (Gutenberg didn't arrive until 1450).
So manuscript writing was the method — everything was written by hand .

B. Materials used

Jerome and the scribes in the monasteries of that time used:

Vellum (animal skin, usually sheep)
Parchment
Reed pens o quill pens
Ink made from soot, oak gall, and resin

C. Jerome's Process

He examined the oldest Hebrew manuscripts (OT).
He compared the Septuagint (Greek OT) and other Latin versions (Vetus Latina).
He translated it back into Latin that everyone could understand (“vulgata” = common language).
He was supported by scribes to copy his master manuscript into many copies.

D. He lived in Bethlehem (in the cave near the Nativity)

There he completed most of the translation. He worked on the Vulgate
for about 35 years (382–405 AD).

3. How did they reproduce the Latin Vulgate without a printing press?

After Jerome's translation was completed, it was still not printed.
Scribes made thousands of copies through painstaking work.

Monastic Scriptoria

Starting around 500 AD, many monasteries had a scriptorium — a room dedicated to writing and copying:

Bible
Liturgy books
Church Fathers’ writings

Their system is very strict:

A reader shouts at the text.
Many scribes listen and write on their parchment.
After that, there is a proofreader/corrector who will check for any errors.
If a letter is wrong, usually:
- to-correct by scraping the parchment (animal skin, strong/durable)
- if the mistake is big → sometimes dispose of the whole sheet

They have multiplied thousands of copies

Although not the same as the printing press, Catholic monasteries were able to do mass production, but by hand .

So by the year 1000–1400 AD , the Latin Vulgate had:

thousands of manuscripts across Europe
standard Bible for liturgy, study, theology, and missionary work

4. What is the valuable result?

Because of the diligence of the monasteries:

the Vulgate was the official Bible of the Church for more than 1,000 years
became the basis for the Council of Trent (1546) as the “authentic” Latin text
preserved in the original Hebrew and Greek meaning in a unified Latin form

And because of the Vulgate, the Bible was preserved even at a time when almost no one knew how to read.

5. Easiest summary

How was the Vulgate written before the printing press?
✔ Translated manually by St. Jerome using vellum and ink.
✔ All copies were handwritten, not printed.
✔ Reproduced in monasteries by many scribes who copied letter-for-letter.
✔ Written and preserved in thousands of handwritten manuscripts for 1000+ years.

📜 TIMELINE: Latin Vulgate → Gutenberg Bible (382–1455 AD)

1. AD 382 – Jerome was commissioned by Pope Damasus

Pope Damasus I assigned St. Jerome to correct and standardize the various Latin translations.
It is called Vetus Latina (Old Latin), somewhat confused and ununified.

➡ Start of the Latin Vulgate Project

2. AD 386–405 – Jerome’s translation

Jerome moved to Bethlehem and there he wrote the Vulgate.

Jerome did:

Gospel manuscripts were rewritten (around AD 383–384).
The Old Testament was translated from the original Hebrew (AD 390–405).
The Greek Septuagint, Hebrew manuscripts, and Latin versions were examined.

➡ AD 405 – Vulgate completed

3. 5th–6th Century – Early Spread of the Vulgate

After Jerome's death:

His translation spread throughout the Early Church.
Many scribes in monasteries copied the Vulgate by hand .
There are still many versions because copying is not unified.

➡ Vulgate slowly becomes the standard Bible in Western Europe.

4. 6th–8th Century – Monasteries spread the Vulgate

Monasteries in:

Italy
France (Gaul)
Ireland
England

Scriptoria (rooms dedicated to copying) were installed .
Letter-perfect copying was done.

➡ This era preserved the Bible despite wars and barbarian invasions.

5. AD 700–800 – The Carolingian Renaissance

During the time of Charlemagne , he ordered scholars:

Alcuin of York (735–804)
Theodulf of Orléans

To:

to-clean up the Vulgate
correct the errors
standardize Latin text

Alcuin Bible (AD 801) → THE MOST-IMPACTFUL version before printing press.

➡ Made the Vulgate popular throughout Europe.

6. 9th–12th Century – Golden Age of Handwritten Vulgate Bibles

Thousands of copies were produced:

monasteries (Benedictine, Cistercian)
cathedral schools
universities (Paris, Oxford, Bologna)

Famous manuscripts:

Codex Amiatinus (700 AD – one of the oldest full Vulgate)
Paris Bibles (12th–13th century)

➡ By 1200 AD, Vulgate = official Bible of the Western Church.

7. AD 1220–1400 – Standardization Before Printing Press

The University of Paris produced a more unified version called:

Paris Vulgate (13th century)

This was often the basis of medieval preaching and education.

➡ By 1400, almost all churches and monasteries in Europe were using the Vulgate .

8. AD 1450 – Invention of the Printing Press (Gutenberg)

Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany:

invented a movable-type printing press
faster and more stable output compared to handwritten

9. AD 1455 – Gutenberg Bible

The world's first printed book:
➡ The Gutenberg Bible (1454–1455 AD)

42 lines per page
printed in Latin Vulgate
based on the medieval Vulgate manuscript tradition
180 copies printed, around 49 copies survive today

IMPORTANT:
The Gutenberg Bible is a Latin Vulgate Bible, not a Greek or Hebrew Bible.

This is the strongest evidence of how dominant the Vulgate was for 1,000 years.

SUMMARY (Easiest)

Year	Event
382 AD	Jerome begins translation
405 AD	Vulgate completed
500–800	Monasteries hand-copy Vulgate
801 AD	Some revise the Vulgate.
900–1400	Vulgate dominates Europe
1450	Gutenberg invents printing press
1455	Gutenberg prints first Bible → Latin Vulgate

Final Insight

From 382 AD to 1455 AD, 1,073 years , the Vulgate dominated.
No other Bible version has claimed such a long period in the history of Christianity.

What exactly is the role of the Latin Vulgate in the doctrine of the Catholic Church ?

This is very important because the Vulgate is not just a “translation,” but an instrument of the Church in preserving true teaching.

Let's break it down to make it easier to understand.

📌 1. The Vulgate preserved the Church’s official Scripture for 1,000+ years

From its completion by Jerome (405 AD) until the modern era, the Vulgate was the standard Bible of the Catholic Church.

Because of this:

priests, monks, and theologians share the same foundation
the liturgy consistent
the doctrine is consistent

Without the Vulgate, interpretation in Europe would be chaotic because many Latin versions initially did not have the same wording.

👉 The Vulgate unified Scripture for the whole Catholic world.

📌 2. Basis for Catholic doctrines and theology (St. Augustine, Aquinas, etc.)

All the great Doctors of the Church use the Latin Vulgate :

St. Augustine (354–430)
St. Gregory the Great (540–604)
St. Bede (673–735)
St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)

Known doctrines and theological writings:

Trinity
Sacraments
Grace and Faith
Original Sin
Eucharist
Priesthood
Purgatory

→ based on the wording in the Vulgate .

Example:

The word “gratia” (grace)
The word “sacramentum” (mystery → sacrament)
The word “poenitentia” (penance / repentance)

Many Catholic doctrines were introduced and made clearer because of the exact Latin vocabulary .

📌 3. Foundation for Catholic Liturgy (Mass) for more than 1,500 years

Nearly ALL liturgical texts in Catholic Church:

readings at Mass
Psalms
prayers in the breviary
chants in monasteries

→ from the Vulgate .

That is why Catholic spirituality throughout the medieval and renaissance periods built on a Latin Biblical foundation.

Example:

“The Lord is with you”
“Agnus Dei”
“Glory to God in the highest”
Responsorial Psalms

—all rooted in the Vulgate text.

📌 4. The Vulgate preserved the 73-book Catholic Canon

Jerome’s Vulgate included all 73 books:

46 OT (including Deuterocanonicals)
27 NT

Even though Jerome personally hesitated at first regarding the Deuterocanonicals, the Church insisted, and the Vulgate eventually contained all 73.

And because the Vulgate was the official Bible for 1,000 years,
→ the Catholic Canon (73 books) remained intact .

This became crucial later when Protestants removed 7 books in the 1500s.

📌 5. The Council of Trent declared the Vulgate “authentic text” (1546)

Because of the Protestant Reformation:

many problems in interpreting the Bible
many new translations (Luther Bible, Geneva Bible, etc.)

The Catholic Church declare:
➡ Latin Vulgate is the most “authentic” text for teaching, preaching, and liturgy.

Note:
It is not said to be “the best translation,” but:

most trusted sa Church
most time-tested
most used in doctrine for 1,000+ years

📌 6. Modern Catholic Bibles are rooted in the Vulgate

Even though modern Bibles (ex. NABRE, RSV-CE, Douay-Rheims) are based on the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts, Catholic theological vocabulary is still mostly from the Vulgate.

Examples:

“Full of grace” (Luke 1:28 – gratia plena)
“Repent and do penance” (Acts 2:38 – do penance )
“Charity” vs “love” (1 Cor 13 – caritas)
“Church” (ecclesia)
“Priest” (presbyter → priest)
“Bishop”

That is why many doctrinal languages in the Catholic Church have survived because of the Vulgate tradition.

📌 7. The Vulgate was essential for evangelization of Europe

The Catholic missionaries (500–1500 AD):

St. Patrick (Ireland)
St. Boniface (Germany)
Cyril & Methodius (Slavs)
Jesuits (Asia, America)

Brought Latin Scripture (Vulgate)
→ that is what defined the entire Christian civilization.

If not Vulgate, it cannot be filled in:

monasteries
universities
Christian kingdoms
cathedrals
moral law of Europe

📌 EASIEST SUMMARY

The Latin Vulgate:

Unified the Bible for the Catholic Church
Preserved doctrine and made theology stable
Formed Catholic liturgy (Latin Mass)
Kept the 73-book canon intact
Was declared authentic at Trent
Influences all Catholic teaching today
Helped evangelize the entire Western world

👉 Without the Vulgate, the course of Christian history and Catholic doctrine would be very different.

The true history and status of the Vulgate in the Early Church, how it differs from the original manuscripts, and why some call it “unreliable,” and what is the clear Catholic response.

PART 1 — Role of Vulgate in Early Church Fathers

This is very important:
Although the Latin Vulgate was written by Jerome in the 4th–5th century, the Early Church Fathers (2nd–4th century) played a major role in the beginning of the Latin Scripture that eventually formed the basis of the Vulgate.

1. The Vulgate paved the way

Many people make the mistake of thinking that Jerome invented the Latin Bible.
This is not true.

Before Jerome , there was:

Old Latin Versions (2nd–3rd century)
used by the Fathers in North Africa, Rome, Gaul, Spain

Fathers who used early Latin Bibles:

Tertullian (160–225)
Cyprian of Carthage (210–258)
Ambrose of Milan (337–397)
Hilary of Poitiers (310–367)

Those Latin texts were used by the early Church in the West.
But they were not unified — that's why Jerome was needed.

2. Support of the Fathers for a standard Bible

St. Augustine himself (354–430), a contemporary of Jerome, said:

There are many versions of the Latin OT and NT.
really need a standard Latin text
because it can be confusing and interpretation

Although he and Jerome argued at first, Augustine praised the project.

3. Fathers after Jerome embraced the Vulgate

After the Vulgate was completed, the next generations of Fathers and Doctors of the Church followed suit:

St. Gregory the Great (540–604) → use the Vulgate in teaching
St. Isidore of Seville (560–636) → recommended the Vulgate to the clergy
Venerable Bede (673–735) → translator and commentator using the Vulgate
St. Louis Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) → built Catholic theology on the Vulgate text

Conclusion of Part 1:
👉 The Vulgate is the “Bible of the Early Western Church” and was used by all the Fathers of the Latin world.

PART 2 — Differences between Vulgate vs Hebrew/Greek manuscripts

Let's make this clear and direct:

1. Old Testament

Hebrew → Vulgate

Jerome translated the OT directly from Hebrew, which is:

Closer to the original
More grammatically clear
More accurate in vocabulary

Difference:
The Septuagint (Greek OT) version sometimes uses a different wording from the Hebrew.

But:

The Eastern Church (Orthodox) relies more on the Septuagint
The Catholic Church relies on Hebrew through Vulgate

Implication:
Doctrines in Catholic OT interpretation are mostly Latin-based.

2. New Testament

Greek → Latin Vulgate

The Vulgate NT is very close to the Greek, but has some unique readings:

Example:

Luke 1:28 “gratia plena” → Full of grace
Matthew 4:17 “ Do penance ” → Do penance
1 John 5:7 “Comma Johanneum” → Trinity is more explicit (entered in late manuscripts)

Modern Catholic Bibles today:

usually based on the original Greek
but still doctrinally influenced by Vulgate vocabulary

3. Vocabulary difference shaped by Catholic doctrine

Latin → molded into doctrine

Caritas vs Love
Gratia vs Favor
Repentance vs Repent only
Sacramentum (mystery → sacrament)

That is why Catholic theology is Latin in structure, not Greek and not Protestant English.

Conclusion on Part 2:
👉 The Vulgate is faithful but also has Latin theological flavor, which formed Catholic doctrine.

PART 3 — Why it is unreliable for Protestants and what is the Catholic response?

We will explain this truthfully, without bias.

1. Protestants distrust the Vulgate because:

A. Kay Catholic translation

Luther showed that:

“The Vulgate is a translation of the papists”
He blamed the Latin vocabulary that was built into Catholic doctrines.

B. Because it differs from the Hebrew/Greek text in other parts

Example:

“Do penance” → Made the doctrine of penance
“Full of grace” → support to Marian doctrines
“Hail Mary” wording from the Vulgate

C. Not based on Luther's chosen manuscripts

Luther used:

Later Greek manuscripts (Textus Receptus)
Unlike the Catholic textual tradition

D. The Deuterocanonical books are included in the Vulgate

Protestants do not accept the 7 books.

2. What is the Catholic response?

A. The Vulgate is the best-preserved Bible in history

For 1000+ years:

used in liturgy
used in monasteries
used in education
used in evangelization

B. The early Church Fathers relied on the Vulgate tradition

Not a true invention of medieval Rome:

supported by Augustine
used by Synods
preserved in monasteries

C. The Council of Trent declared:

The Vulgate “authentic” meaning:

faithful
doctrinally safe
proven by 1000 years of Church usage

D. The Catholic Church now uses Hebrew and Greek for translations

But the doctrinal interpretation:

Vulgate still referenced (Catechism quotes Vulgate wording)
Nova Vulgata is the official Latin
but modern translations is already balanced

Conclusion on Part 3:
👉 The Protestant objection mas motivated in doctrinal differences, not in historical accuracy of the Vulgate.

EASIEST OVERALL SUMMARY

1. Role in Early Church Fathers:

Fathers before Jerome used in early Latin
Fathers after Jerome fully embraced the Vulgate
Theology in West built on the Vulgate

2. Difference vs Hebrew/Greek:

OT: Hebrew base
NT: Greek base
Latin vocabulary molded by Catholic doctrine

3. Why Protestants reject it & Catholic answer:

They don't like it because it supports Catholic doctrine.
But historically the Vulgate is the most tested and best preserved Bible in Christian history.

Pages

Friday, November 21, 2025

How and Who wrote/translated the Bible into Latin Vulgate before the Printing Press was invented?

2. How did he write the Latin Vulgate?

A. Manual, handwritten translation

B. Materials used

C. Jerome's Process

D. He lived in Bethlehem (in the cave near the Nativity)

3. How did they reproduce the Latin Vulgate without a printing press?

Monastic Scriptoria

Their system is very strict:

They have multiplied thousands of copies

4. What is the valuable result?

5. Easiest summary

📜 TIMELINE: Latin Vulgate → Gutenberg Bible (382–1455 AD)

1. AD 382 – Jerome was commissioned by Pope Damasus

2. AD 386–405 – Jerome’s translation

Jerome did:

3. 5th–6th Century – Early Spread of the Vulgate

4. 6th–8th Century – Monasteries spread the Vulgate

5. AD 700–800 – The Carolingian Renaissance

6. 9th–12th Century – Golden Age of Handwritten Vulgate Bibles

7. AD 1220–1400 – Standardization Before Printing Press

8. AD 1450 – Invention of the Printing Press (Gutenberg)

9. AD 1455 – Gutenberg Bible

SUMMARY (Easiest)

Final Insight

📌 1. The Vulgate preserved the Church’s official Scripture for 1,000+ years

📌 2. Basis for Catholic doctrines and theology (St. Augustine, Aquinas, etc.)

📌 3. Foundation for Catholic Liturgy (Mass) for more than 1,500 years

📌 4. The Vulgate preserved the 73-book Catholic Canon

📌 5. The Council of Trent declared the Vulgate “authentic text” (1546)

📌 6. Modern Catholic Bibles are rooted in the Vulgate

📌 7. The Vulgate was essential for evangelization of Europe

📌 EASIEST SUMMARY

PART 1 — Role of Vulgate in Early Church Fathers

1. The Vulgate paved the way

2. Support of the Fathers for a standard Bible

3. Fathers after Jerome embraced the Vulgate

PART 2 — Differences between Vulgate vs Hebrew/Greek manuscripts

1. Old Testament

2. New Testament

3. Vocabulary difference shaped by Catholic doctrine

PART 3 — Why it is unreliable for Protestants and what is the Catholic response?

1. Protestants distrust the Vulgate because:

A. Kay Catholic translation

B. Because it differs from the Hebrew/Greek text in other parts

C. Not based on Luther's chosen manuscripts

D. The Deuterocanonical books are included in the Vulgate

2. What is the Catholic response?

A. The Vulgate is the best-preserved Bible in history

B. The early Church Fathers relied on the Vulgate tradition

C. The Council of Trent declared:

D. The Catholic Church now uses Hebrew and Greek for translations

EASIEST OVERALL SUMMARY

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