Bible

"Holy Bible, for me, you are a treasure here"

A brief history of the Bible in Spanish

The history of Bible translations into Spanish represents not only a linguistic and cultural feat, but also an act of faith, resilience, and theological commitment. From the earliest medieval attempts to the Reformed versions of the 16th century, access to the Scriptures in the vernacular has been fundamental to the doctrinal and devotional development of the Spanish-speaking world.

1. Medieval Precursors

The Alfonsine Bible (13th century) Under the patronage of King Alfonso X the Wise, a partial translation of the Bible into Castilian Spanish was promoted. Although based on the Latin Vulgate, this work reflects an early interest in bringing the sacred text to the people in their own language, in a context still controlled by the Roman Catholic Church.

The Alba Bible (1430), commissioned by Duke Luis de Guzmán from Rabbi Moisés Arragel, is a translation of the Hebrew Bible into Castilian Spanish, significant for its Judeo-Christian approach. It includes abundant glosses and rabbinic commentaries, revealing the interreligious complexity of its time.

2. The Reformation and the birth of the Protestant Bible in Spanish

The Bear Bible (1569), translated by Casiodoro de Reina, a former Hieronymite monk and Reformed theologian, was the first complete translation of the Bible into Spanish from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Published in Basel, Switzerland, in an environment hostile to Spanish Protestants, the work represents a milestone not only in the history of Bible translation but also in the affirmation of the Reformed principle of Sola Scriptura. Its nickname comes from the allegorical cover depicting a bear extracting honey from a honeycomb, a symbol of the soul's longing for the sweetness of God's Word (cf. Psalm 119:103).

The Reina-Valera Bible (1602 and later revisions) Revised by Cipriano de Valera, Reina's colleague and also a Protestant theologian, the 1602 edition refined the style and improved the accuracy of the text. This version, known as the Reina-Valera, has undergone multiple revisions (1862, 1909, 1960, 1995, among others), maintaining a preeminent place in Hispanic Protestantism as the most emblematic and doctrinally sound translation for Reformed and Evangelical churches.

3. The most widely used version: Reina-Valera 1960

From a theological perspective, the 1960 revision of the Reina-Valera Bible has become the most widely read, memorized, and preached version in the Spanish-speaking Protestant world. Its textual fidelity, its balance between reverence and clarity, and its doctrinal coherence have made it the Spanish equivalent of the English King James Version. Unlike more recent versions influenced by liberal textual criticism, the RVR60 maintains a traditional textual basis (the Textus Receptus in the New Testament and the Masoretic Text in the Old Testament), which reinforces its authority in theologically conservative contexts.

Access to the Bible in the people's language was not a literary luxury, but a spiritual necessity driven by the Gospel. Translations into Spanish not only democratized access to the Word of God, but also served as instruments of reform, renewal, and resistance against oppressive religious structures. From Casiodoro de Reina to modern revisions, the Hispanic biblical tradition continues to bear witness to the Reformed principle that the clear and sufficient Word of God must be proclaimed, understood, and obeyed by all believers, in their own language, for the glory of God and the edification of His Church.