Martin Luther’s “The New Testament” (‘Das Newe Testament Deůtzsch’) appeared on 21 September 1522, and is better known in Germany as the “Septembertestament” (‘September Testament’). This translation, which is based on the original texts in their various versions (in Greek for the New Testament, in Hebrew for the Old Testament published in 1523), frees itself from the Vulgate authorised by the Catholic Church at the time. It was the first Bible in everyday German and is considered to be the founding work of the modern German language. Backed by the rise of the printing press, it was an immediate success and made a major contribution to the spread of the Reformation in German-speaking countries.