02/18/2025
February 18 In memoriam: Henry Martyn (18 February 1781 – 16 October 1812) who has been called “the pioneer Protestant missionary to Muslims.”
Henry Martyn was an English missionary who was the first to translate the New Testament and Psalms into Persian (Farsi) in 1809-1812. In keeping with the Persian custom of presenting books to the Shah as a gift, Martyn approached the Vazir (Prime Minister) who held access to the Shah, with his request and his precious gift. A verbal discussion followed and the Vazir challenged Martyn to recite the Muslim creed, “God is God and Mohammed is the Prophet of God.” Martyn replied, “God is God, and Jesus is the Son of God.” It was a miracle that Martyn escaped with his life, but he sure did not get his audience. Later, Martyn entrusted a special edition of the Persian New Testament and Psalms to the British Ambassador to give to the Shah. After the British Ambassador presented Martyn's Persian New Testament and Psalms to the Shah, the Shah wrote. "In truth (said the royal letter of thanks to the ambassador) through the learned and unremitted exertions of the Reverend Henry Martyn it has been translated in a style most befitting sacred books, that is in an easy and simple diction...The whole of the New Testament is completed in a most excellent manner, a source of pleasure to our enlightened and august mind."
With thankfulness to the Lord for Henry Martyn's pioneer ministry in bringing God's Word to Persia, MEHR Ministries seeks to continue Martyn's mission of bringing God's Word, accurately translated from the Hebrew Old Testament and Greek New Testament, to the current generation of Farsi speakers so that they may learn "God is God, and Jesus is the Son of God."