“The New Testament is a book, wherein are contained the promises of God and the deeds of them which believe them, or believe them not.
Evangelion (that we call the gospel) is a Greek word and signifieth good, merry, glad and joyful tidings, that maketh a man’s heart glad, and maketh him sing, dance, and leap for joy.
Just as when David had killed Goliath the giant glad tidings came unto the Jews, that their fearful and cruel enemy was slain and that they were delivered out of all danger.
In like manner is the Evangelion of God (which we call gospel; and the New Testament) joyful tidings. The gospel is published by the apostles throughout all the world, of Christ, the right David, who hath fought with sin, with death, and the devil, and overcome them.
Whereby all men that were in bondage to sin, wounded with death, overcome of the devil, are, without their own merits or deservings, loosed, justified, restored to life and saved, brought to liberty and reconciled unto the favor of God, and set at one with Him again, which tidings as many as believe laud, praise, and thank God and are glad, sing and dance for joy.
This Evangelion or gospel (that is to say, such joyful tidings) is called the New Testament because man, when he shall die, appointeth his goods to be dealt with by testament and distributed after his death among them which he nameth to be his heirs.
Even so Christ before His death commanded and appointed that such Evangelion, gospel, or tidings should be declared throughout all the world, and therewith to give all His goods unto all that repent and believe.
What goods? That is to say, His life, wherewith He swallowed and devoured up death; His righteousness, wherewith He banished sin; His salvation, wherewith He overcame eternal damnation.
Now the wretched man (that knoweth himself to be wrapped in sin, and in danger to death and hell) can hear no more joyous a thing, than such glad and comfortable tidings of Christ so that he cannot but be glad, and laugh from the low bottom of his heart, if he believe that these tidings are true.”
–William Tyndale, “A Pathway Into the Holy Scripture,” in Doctrinal Treatises, Ed. Henry Walter, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1531/1848), 8-9.
