too, can be looked into.  In fact, all this has been done by competent scholars, and Luther’s translation has been pronounced a masterpiece.  Not only does it reproduce the original text faithfully, but it speaks a good and correct German.  Luther’s translation of the Bible is now regarded as one of the classics of German literature.  It is true that the philological attainments of the world have increased since Luther, and that improvements in his translations have been suggested, but they do not affect any essential teaching of the Christian religion.  Bible commentators to-day are still citing Luther’s rendering as an authority.  The movement recently started in Germany to replace Luther’s translation by a modern one deserves little consideration because it originated in quarters that are professedly hostile to Christianity.  The things in Luther’s German Bible which vex Catholics most are in the original Greek text.  Luther did not manufacture them, he merely reproduced them.  It is the fact that Luther made it possible for Germans to see what is really in the Bible that hurts.  To please the Catholics, Luther should not have translated the Bible at all.

The truth of this remark is readily seen when one examines specific exceptions which Catholics have taken to Luther’s translation.  They find fault with Luther’s translation of the angel’s address to Mary:  “Du Holdselige,” that is, Thou gracious one, or well-favored one.  The Catholics demand that this term should be rendered “full of grace,” because in their belief Mary is really the chief dispenser of grace.  They complain that in Matt. 3, 2 Luther has rendered the Baptist’s call:  “Tut Busse,” that is, Repent, instead of, Do penance.  They fault Luther for translating in Acts 19, 18:  “Und verkuendigten, was sie ausgerichtet hatten,” that is, They reported what they had accomplished.  Catholics regard this text as a stronghold for their doctrine of confession, especially for that part of it which makes satisfaction by works of penance a part of confession; they insist that the text must be rendered:  They declared their deeds, that is, the works which they had performed by order of their confessors.  Catholics charge Luther with having inserted a word in Rom. 4, 15, which he translates:  “Das Gesetz richtet nur Zorn an,” that is, The law worketh only wrath, or nothing but wrath.  They object to the word “only,” because in their view man can by his own natural powers make himself love the Law.  They set up a great hue and cry about another insertion in Rom. 3, 28, which Luther translates:  “So halten wir es nun, dass der Mensch gerecht werde ohne des Gesetzes Werk’, allein durch den Glauben,” that is, We conclude, therefore, that a man is justified without the deeds of the Law, by faith alone; they object to the word “alone,” because in their teaching justification is by faith plus works.  It is known that there are translations before Luther which contain the same insertion.  On this insertion Luther deserves