In 1840 the Bible Society published its first edition of the whole Bible in Tamil: the Old Testament consisting of the translation of Fabricius and the New Testament that of Rhenius. He brought out the New Testament in 1833. Rhenius (born 1790), a German, who had come to work under the Church Missionary Society at Tirunelveli. The first project of the Bible Society in Tamil was given to C. We don't want bread or money from you, but we want the Word of God. Buchanan reported in his memorable journey in 1806 that there was a 'great cry for Bibles'. The translation of scripture in several Indian languages in association with William Carey began to emerge. The British and Foreign Bible Society was established in the 19th century.

Philip Fabricius, also a German, spent twenty four years on the translation of the Bible which was published in 1777. The remaining work was completed by another German missionary, Benjamin Schultze, and published in Tranquebar in 1728. He had completed the translation of the New Testament within five years of his arrival in the Tamil area it was published in 1714, and by 1719, the year of his death, he had finished the Old Testament up to the Book of Ruth. He had a remarkable gift for languages and he was tireless in diligence and made rapid progress. The history of Bible translation into Tamil begins with the arrival of Bartholomew Ziegenbalg (German missionary) at the Danish settlement of Tranquebar in 1706.

Tamil bible free download pdf