Prohibition and restriction of the Bible in the vernacular for lay people

In 1229 the Synod of Toulouse forbade lay people to possess the books of the Old and New Testaments; only the Psalter and the breviary were permitted, and these not in the vernacular. In Aragon, Bibles in the vernacular had to be handed over to the bishop to be burned. In 1564 the Tridentine rules of the Index made reading dependent on written permission; anyone who read without it received no absolution. In 1596 Clement VIII took this power away from the bishops again. In 1713 Clement XI condemned the proposition "The reading of Holy Scripture is for all". Popes of the 19th century reaffirmed the restriction, and the canon law of 1917 allowed translations to be printed only with church approval. In 1965 the Second Vatican Council declared that access to Holy Scripture must be wide open to the faithful.

Period

1199-1917 (718 years)

Country

France, Spain, Vatican City

Institutions

Synod of Toulouse
Council of Trent
Holy See
Roman Inquisition
Congregation of the Index

Category

Censorship

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Innocent III (Pope)
James I of Aragon (King)
Paul IV (Pope, Index of 1559)
Sixtus V (Pope)
Clement VIII (Pope)
Benedict XIV (Pope)
Pius IV (Pope, confirmed the rules of the Index)
Clement XI (Pope, constitution "Unigenitus")
Pius VII (Pope)
Gregory XVI (Pope)
Leo XIII (Pope)

Background

Course of events

1. In canon 14 the Synod of Toulouse of 1229 decreed that lay people may not possess the books of the Old and New Testaments. Only the Psalter, the breviary and the Hours of the Blessed Virgin were permitted, and these not in translations into the vernacular.
   Evidence: Carl Joseph von Hefele (Herder, Freiburg 1886), Bd. 5, 2. Aufl., § 655 „Synode zu Toulouse im J. 1229“, S. 982

   „14. Die Laien dürfen die Bücher des alten und neuen Testaments nicht besitzen; nur das Psalterium und Brevier oder auch die Marianischen Tagzeiten dürfen sie haben, und auch diese Bücher nicht in Uebersetzungen in die Landessprache“

   Evidence: The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Bd. 2 (1908), Abschnitt II „The Middle Ages“

   „The Synod of Toulouse in 1229 forbade the laity to have in their possession any copy of the books of the Old and the New Testament except the Psalter and“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 44

   „Die Provincialsynode von Toulouse 1229 verordnete: Laien sollen nicht die Bücher des Alten und Neuen Testaments haben“

2. In Aragon, Bibles in the vernacular had to be handed over to the bishop. According to Lea, King James I issued this in 1234 together with his prelates: anyone who possessed books of the Old or New Testament in the vernacular had to hand them in within eight days to be burned, otherwise he was considered suspect of heresy. Schaff-Herzog names the Synod of Tarragona in 1234 and a renewal by James I in 1276 for this; Reusch dates the ordinance to around 1276. Later kings renewed it; Ferdinand and Isabella forbade, under threat of severe penalties, translating the Bible or possessing translations.
   Evidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39451), Bd. 1, Kapitel „The State“, S. 323 f.

   „In 1234, in conjunction with his prelates, he drew up a“

   Evidence: Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39451), Bd. 1, Kapitel „The State“, S. 324

   „All possessing any books of the Old or New Testament, “in Romancio,” are summoned to deliver them within eight days to their bishops to be burned, under pain of being held suspect of heresy“

   Evidence: The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Bd. 2 (1908), Abschnitt II „The Middle Ages“

   „The Synod of Tarragona (1234) ordered all vernacular versions to be brought to the bishop to be burned. James I renewed thin decision of the Tarragona synod in 1276“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 44

   „Jacob I. von Arragonien verordnete um 1276“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 44

   „Die Verordnung Jacobs I. wurde von späteren Königen erneuert“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 44

   „1516) verboten unter Androhung schwerer Strafen, die Bibel in die Volkssprache zu übersetzen oder solche Uebersetzungen zu besitzen“

3. At the Council of Trent in 1546 it was debated whether Bible translations in the vernacular should be forbidden entirely; no decision was reached.
   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 196

   „auch über die Frage discutirt, ob es nicht zweckmässig sei, die Bibelübersetzungen in der Volkssprache zu verbieten“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 196

   „Zu einem Beschlüsse darüber kam es aber nicht“

4. Under the Index of Paul IV of 1559, only the Roman Inquisition could permit the reading of the Bible in the vernacular.
   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 333

   „Nach P. sollte die Erlaubniss zum Lesen der Bibel in der Volksprache nur von der Rom. Inquisition ertheilt werden“

5. The fourth of the rules on forbidden books, drawn up by the Fathers of the Council of Trent and confirmed by Pope Pius IV, left the reading of the Bible in the vernacular to the judgment of the bishop or inquisitor. He could permit it on the advice of the parish priest or confessor, and only in translations by Catholic authors and only in writing.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 1854, Regula IV

   „hac in parte iudicio episcopi aut inquisitoris stetur, ut cum consilio parochi vel confessarii Bibliorum a catholicis auctoribus versorum lectionem in vulgari lingua eis concedere possint“

   Evidence: Konzil von Trient, bestätigt von Pius IV.; Internet Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University, Regel IV

   „who may with the advice of the pastor or confessor permit the reading of the Sacred Books translated into the vernacular by Catholic authors to those who they know will derive from such reading no harm but rather an increase of faith and piety, which permission they must have in writing“

   Evidence: Konzil von Trient, bestätigt von Pius IV.; Internet Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University, Überschrift

   „TEN RULES CONCERNING PROHIBITED BOOKS DRAWN UP BY THE FATHERS CHOSEN BY THE COUNCIL OF TRENT AND APPROVED BY POPE PIUS“

6. In 1590 Sixtus V revoked the milder Tridentine rule: Bibles in the vernacular, even by Catholics, were permitted nowhere without a new special permission of the Apostolic See. In 1596 Clement VIII took away from bishops and inquisitors the power to grant such permissions; according to Reusch, this restored the rule of Paul IV.
   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 333

   „Die mildere Bestimmung im Tr. wurde schon durch S. wieder aufgehoben“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 333

   „Bibeln oder Theile von Bibeln in Uebersetzungen in der Volksprache, auch von Katholiken, werden ohne neue und specielle Erlaubniss des apostolischen Stuhles nirgendwo gestattet“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 334

   „nachdem ihnen diese Vollmacht durch das Mandat und den Usus der Rom. Inquisition entzogen worden“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 334

   „Damit ist die Bestimmung Pauls IV. einfach wiederhergestellt“

7. Translations of the New Testament by authors of the first class of the Index could not be permitted to anyone; translations of the Old Testament only to learned and pious men at the bishop's discretion.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 1853, Regula III

   „Versiones vero Novi Testamenti ab auctoribus primae classis huius Indicis facta nemini concedantur“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 1853, Regula III

   „Librorum autem Veteris Testamenti versiones viris tantum doctis et piis iudicio episcopi concedi poterunt“

8. On 8 September 1713 Pope Clement XI condemned in the constitution "Unigenitus" propositions of the Jansenist Pasquier Quesnel, among them: "The reading of Holy Scripture is for all" and "To forbid Christians to read Holy Scripture, especially the Gospel, is to forbid the children of light the use of light".
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), Überschrift vor DS 2400

   „Clément XI, Const. 'Unigenitus Dei Filius', 8 septembre 1713“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), Überschrift vor DS 2400

   „Errores iansenistici Paschasii Quesnel“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2480

   „80. Lectio sacrae Scripturae est pro omnibus“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2485

   „85. Interdicere Christianis lectionem sacrae Scripturae, praesertim Evangelii, est interdicere usum luminis filiis lucis“

9. In 1816 Pope Pius VII wrote to the Archbishop of Mohilev that the Bible in the vernacular, permitted everywhere and without distinction, does more harm than good. The Roman Church accepts only the Vulgate and admits translations only with notes from the Church Fathers and Catholic scholars.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), Überschrift vor DS 2710

   „Pie VII, Ep. 'Magno et acerbo' ad archiepisc. Mohilovensem“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2710

   „si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur, plus inde detrimenti quam utilitatis oriri“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2710

   „Porro Romana Ecclesia solam Vulgatam editionem ex notissimo Tridentini Concilii praescripto“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2710

   „aliarum linguarum versiones respuit, easque tantum permittit, quae cum adnotationibus ex Patrum et catholicorum doctorum scriptis opportune depromptis eduntur“

10. Under Benedict XIV, the Congregation of the Index declared on 13 June 1757 that only translations approved by the Apostolic See or published with notes from Church Fathers and Catholic scholars were permitted.
    Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2772

    „ea demum auctoritate Benedicti XIV adiecta declaratio est, ut permissa porro habeatur lectio vulgarium versionum, quae ab Apostolica Sede approbatae, aut cum annotationibus desumptis ex sanctis Ecclesiae Patribus vel ex doctis catholicisque viris editae fuerint“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, S. 187, Commentarium

    „Indicis (13 Iunii 1757) Bibliorum versiones vulgari lingua“

11. On 8 May 1844, in the encyclical "Inter praecipuas machinationes", Pope Gregory XVI warned against the translations of the Bible societies and recalled that under the rules of the Index, Bibles in the vernacular should be permitted only to those for whom reading them would serve to increase faith and piety.
    Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), Überschrift vor DS 2771

    „Grégoire XVI, Ep. encycl. 'Inter praecipuas machinationes', 8 mai 1844“

    Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2772

    „ut Biblia vulgari sermone edita non aliis permitterentur, nisi quibus illorum lectio ad fidei atque pietatis augmentum profutura iudicaretur“

    Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2771

    „in eorundem versionibus per societates biblicas multiplicatis gravissimi ex tot interpretum vel imprudentia vel fraude inserantur errores“

12. In 1897, in the Apostolic Constitution on the prohibition and censorship of books, Pope Leo XIII forbade all Bible translations in the vernacular, even by Catholics, unless they had been approved by the Apostolic See or published under the supervision of the bishops with notes from Church Fathers and Catholic authors. Translations by non-Catholics, especially those of the Bible societies, were forbidden and permitted only for theological or biblical study.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, S. 39, Titel

    „CONSTITUTIO APOSTOLICA DE PROHIBITIONE ET CENSURA LIBRORUM“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, S. 44, Nr. 7

    „versiones omnes in lingua vernacula, etiam a viris catholicis confectae, omnino prohibentur, nisi fuerint ab Apostolica Sede approbatae, aut editae sub vigilantia Episcoporum cum adnotationibus desumptis ex Sanctis Ecclesiae Patribus, atque ex doctis catholicisque scriptoribus“

    Evidence: Leo XIII.; Transkription auf Wikisource nach Acta Sanctae Sedis 30, S. 39–53, Caput III, Nr. 8

    „8. Interdicitur versiones omnes Sacrorum Bibliorum, quavis vulgari lingua ab acatholicis quibuscumque confectae, atque illae praesertim, quae per Societates Biblicas, a Romanis Pontificibus non semel damnatas, divulgantur“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, S. 45, Nr. 8

    „Hae nihilominus versiones iis, qui studiis theologicis vel biblicis dant operam, permittuntur“

13. The canon law of 1917 (Codex Iuris Canonici, promulgated on 27 May 1917) adopted the rule: translations of the Bible into the vernacular could be printed only if the Apostolic See had approved them or if they appeared under the supervision of the bishops with notes from Church Fathers and Catholic authors. Translations by non-Catholics were forbidden by law and permitted only for theological or biblical studies.
    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917), can. 1391

    „Versiones sacrarum Scripturarum in linguam vernaculam typis imprimi nequeunt, nisi sint“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917), can. 1391

    „Sede Apostolica probatae, aut nisi edantur sub vigilantia Episcoporum et cum adnotationibus praecipue excerptis ex sanctis Ecclesiae Patribus atque ex doctis catholicisque scriptoribus“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917), can. 1399 Nr. 1

    „itemque eiusdem versiones in quamvis linguam, ab eisdem confectae vel editae“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917), can. 1400

    „iis dumtaxat permittitur qui studiis theologicis vel biblicis quovis modo operam dant“

    Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917), Vorwort

    „constitutione Providentissima Mater Ecclesia, die festo Pentecostes (27 maii)“

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

1. Schaff-Herzog sees the occasion in the Albigensians and Waldensians, who appealed to the Bible in their disputes with the Church.
   Evidence: The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Bd. 2 (1908), Abschnitt II „The Middle Ages“

   „With the appearance, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, of the Albigenses and Waldenses, who appealed to the Bible in all their disputes with the Church, the hierarchy was furnished with a reason for shutting up the Word of God“

2. According to Reusch, the first to speak in favour of a prohibition was the Bishop of Acqui: uneducated people could easily misunderstand the Bible, and for women and the common people it was enough to know the teaching of Scripture from sermons.
   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 197

   „Für ein Verbot der Bibelübersetzungen in der Volkssprache sprach sich zunächst der Bischof von Acqui in Piemont aus“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 197

   „für die Weiber und das gewöhnliche Volk sei es genügend, dass sie durch die Predigten mit der Lehre der h. Schrift bekannt würden“

3. As its reason the rule cites the experience that the Bible in the vernacular, permitted everywhere and without distinction, does more harm than good because of the rashness of men.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 1854, Regula IV

   „Cum experimento manifestum sit, si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua passim sine discrimine permittantur, plus inde ob hominum temeritatem detrimenti quam utilitatis oriri“

4. Pius VII justified this with the concern that free translation would shake the immutability of Scripture and cause the faith to waver, and asked what would be feared if Scripture were handed over to the uneducated people to read freely.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2711

   „profecto ex immoderata biblicarum versionum licentia immutabilitas illa convelleretur, quae divina decet testimonia, et fides ipsa nutaret“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2711

   „quid non timendum, si imperito vulgo, qui ut plurimum non delectu aliquo, sed temeritate quadam iudicat, translatae in vulgarem quamcumque linguam Scripturae libere pervolvendae traderentur?“

5. Gregory XVI accused the Bible societies of being concerned only that readers should become accustomed to judging the meaning of Scripture for themselves and to rejecting the teaching authority of the Church.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2771

   „dummodo assuescant paulatim ad liberum de Scripturarum sensu iudicium sibimet ipsis vindicandum, atque ad contemnendas traditiones divinas ex Patrum doctrina in Ecclesia catholica custoditas, ipsumque Ecclesiae magisterium repudiandum“

Response of the Church

1. Reusch sums up that until the end of the 12th century there were no regulations on Bible reading by lay people and that the French synodal prohibitions of the 13th century probably did not apply permanently. Bible translations were generally forbidden only in Spain; the Roman indexes contained a restriction that came close to a prohibition.
   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 43

   „Bezüglich des Lesens von Bibelübersetzungen und des Bibeliesens der Laien finden sich bis zum Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts keinerlei Verordnungen“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 43

   „Diese Verordnungen scheinen aber nicht dauernd in Geltung gewesen zu sein“

   Evidence: Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883), Bd. 1, S. 43

   „Dieses unbedingte Verbot findet sich auch in den spanischen Indices des 16. Jahrhunderts, in den Römischen nur eine, allerdings einem Verbote nahe kommende Einschränkung“

2. The propositions were condemned together and "respectively", that is each with one or more of these qualifications, among others as false, scandalous, pernicious and up to heretical.
   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2502, Censura

   „Propositiones praeinsertas tamquam falsas, captiosas, male sonantes, piarum aurium offensivas, scandalosas, perniciosas“

   Evidence: Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch), DS 2502, Censura

   „manifeste innovantes respective... declaramus, damnamus et reprobamus“

3. On 18 November 1965 the Second Vatican Council declared in the constitution "Dei Verbum" that access to Holy Scripture must be wide open to the faithful.
   Evidence: Zweites Vatikanisches Konzil, Nr. 22

   „Christifidelibus aditus ad Sacram Scripturam late pateat oportet“

See also

• 1233-1966 · 733 years

  Book burnings and the Index of Forbidden Books

  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Vatican City
  • Anti-Judaism
  • Persecution
  • Censorship

Original documents to read

1. Church document
   Heiliger Stuhl (Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis, Rom 1917): Codex Iuris Canonici (1917), 27 May 1917. Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
2. Church document
   Heinrich Denzinger; Transkription auf Wikisource (lateinisch): Enchiridion symbolorum, definitionum et declarationum (Textsammlung kirchlicher Lehrdokumente). Original · Archive copy (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
3. Church document
   Konzil von Trient, bestätigt von Pius IV.; Internet Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham University: Council of Trent: Rules on Prohibited Books (englische Übersetzung). Original · Archive copy (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
4. Church document
   Heiliger Stuhl: Acta Sanctae Sedis, Bd. 30 (1897–98): Leo XIII., Constitutio Apostolica de prohibitione et censura librorum, 25 January 1897. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
5. Church document
   Leo XIII.; Transkription auf Wikisource nach Acta Sanctae Sedis 30, S. 39–53: Officiorum ac munerum (Constitutio Apostolica de prohibitione et censura librorum), 25 January 1897. Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
6. Church document
   Zweites Vatikanisches Konzil: Constitutio dogmatica de divina revelatione „Dei Verbum“, 18 November 1965. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)

Scholarly literature and reference works

1. Scholarly literature
   Franz Heinrich Reusch (Max Cohen & Sohn, Bonn 1883): Der Index der verbotenen Bücher. Ein Beitrag zur Kirchen- und Literaturgeschichte, Bd. 1, 1 January 1883. Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
2. Scholarly literature
   Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39451): Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 1 (New York 1887/88). Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
3. Scholarly literature
   Harper & Brothers; Project Gutenberg (eBook 39458): Henry Charles Lea, A History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, Bd. 2 (New York 1888). Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
4. Scholarly literature
   Carl Joseph von Hefele (Herder, Freiburg 1886): Conciliengeschichte. Nach den Quellen bearbeitet, Bd. 5, 2. Auflage, 1 January 1886. Original (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)
5. Reference work
   The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Bd. 2 (1908): Bible Reading by the Laity, Restrictions on, 1 January 1908. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 15 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.