Sinhala Bible History (1)

Useful Resources

**List: Sinhala Ministry

Bible ( බයිබලය )
Sinhala...
"Of the 10.6 million inhabitants of Ceylon, more than 80 per cent
speak the national language, Sinhala.   Tamil is spoken in the
north of the island.   Ceylon, separated from India by the Palk
Strait, has been independent since 1946.

In the 6th century B.C. the Aryans arrived in Ceylon from
northern India and took over from the aboriginals, thought to be
the ancestors of the few remaining Veddahs of mountainous
eastern Ceylon.   It was the first of the invasions that characterize
Ceylon’s history.   B_ddhism, introduced in the 3rd century B.C.,
became a cultural influence, stimulating art, architecture, and
literature.   (See Pali.)

The Sinhalese script, developed from Grantha character, has 54
letters, of which 18 are vowels."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]

Sinhalese Character unless noted
"1817 New Testament Colombo Auxiliary BS [BFBS]
Translated by William Tolfrey, a Ceylonese civil servant, and A.
Armour, an English schoolmaster, assisted by a committee.
"
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only:
pro-KJV.]

"1820 Psalms Wesleyan MP, Colombo
Included in the Book of Common Prayer."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]

"1823 Old Testament Colombo Auxiliary BS [BFBS]
Translated by W. Tolfrey and a committee, including C. E. Layard,
Mudaliyar P. Perera, and W. B. Fox.
"
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]

"1826 Matthew Church MP, Cotta
Translated into simple Sinhala by Samuel Lambrick, Church MS."
- -1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only: colloquial.]

"1827 New Testament   1830 Bible   Colombo Auxiliary BS [BFBS]
Translated by Abraham de Thomas, a member of the committee for the
1817 and 1823 Testaments.
"
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]

"1832 New Testament   1834 Old Testament   MP, Cotta
The CMS simplified version begun by S. Lambrick."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only: colloquial.]

"1855 Bible Colombo
A partial revision, prepared by a committee directed by D. J. Gogerly,
WMS.
"
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]
       "Union Version:
    Bible, BFBS, Colombo, 1855; prepared by D. J. Gogerly of the
    Wesleyan My. Society and a committee representing several
    missions.
    "
    --1000 Tongues, 1939   [Info only]

       "Baptist Version: St. John’s Gospel and Romans, BMS, Colombo, 1859;
    tr. by J. Chater, J. Harris and Charles Carter: New Testament, 1862;
    Old Testament, 1876; mainly tr. by Mr. Carter.
    "
    --1000 Tongues, 1939   [Info only]

"1862 New Testament   Psalms   1876 Old Testament
1881 New Testament (revised)   Baptist MS, Colombo
Translated by Charles Carter, BMS, and a committee."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]

       "Baptist Version: Revised: New Testa-
    ment, 1881; 1889; Old Testament, 1905.
    "
    --1000 Tongues, 1939   [Info only: ?]

"1899 New Testament   1905 Old Testament
BMS, Colombo
A revision, prepared by C. Carter, H. A. Lapham, and S. De Saram."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only: ?]

"1905 New Testament   1910 Bible   Colombo Auxiliary BS
Revised by S. Coles, CMS, C. W. de Silva, WMS, and a committee."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only]
       "Re-
    vised Version: New Testament, BFBS, Colombo, 1905; tr. by a com-
    mittee headed by S. Coles of the CMS, later by R. S. Copleston and still
    later by C. W. de Silva of the Wesleyan My. Society.   Genesis,
    1910; Bible, 1910.
    "
    --1000 Tongues, 1939   [Info only]

SINHALESE--1000 Tongues, 1939   [Info only: Sinhalese characters   "1905" Book 3:15b-23 unknown.]

"1909 Mark (Roman character)   Printed privately, Eastbourne
Transliterated by J. H. Knowles."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only:
Roman Character   "1909" Mark 1:2 unknown (yesayiyagε = Isaiah @ 1:3).]

SINHALA--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only: SINHALESE CHARACTER   "1941" Mark 1:2 unknown.]

"1966 Mark (tentative revision)   BS of India and Ceylon
Prepared by S. J. de S. Weerasinghe and Lynn de Silva."
--1000 Tongues, 1972   [Info only: ?]

**File: Sinhala Bible History (3)--1860   S. Bagster   [Info only]

**File: Sinhala Critical Text History

[Chr. Helps Ministry (USA)] [Chr. Home Bible Course]