God's Word in Latin
When Latin was the Mother Tongue
Because Latin was the common language of many peoples surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, several translations of the Bible in Latin were completed. They often had inaccuracies. So, Pope Damasus assigned Jerome, his theological advisor and perhaps the most learned man of that time, to complete an official Latin translation for the church. 
Jerome's translation, called the Vulgate (meaning common Latin) translation, became the most widely used translation of the Western church. But, the Vulgate translation would outlast its purpose.
Latin as Language of Religious Elite
Soon, this translation, originally created for the common people, became accessible almost exclusively only to the highly educated. False doctrines became more prevalent as the Word of God became remote and unintelligible to most. The church discouraged and at times tried to prevent new translations of the Bible. But, some boldly stood against the church making the Bible available once more to the common person by translating it into their mother tongues. Persecution and even death followed for many taking this risk.
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