Paraphrases of Erasmus

The paraphrase of Romans was published in quarto by Flemish printer Dirk Martens in Louvain in November 1517 and reprinted by Erasmus's friend Johann Froben in January of the following year.

In the autumn of 1521, Erasmus moved from Louvain to Basel, and from that time Froben published the first editions of the remaining Paraphrases.

The Paraphrases were reissued in various formats and combinations during the following decades; Roger Mynors writes: "When one is faced with one of these editions in folio, one has to remember that a purchaser would see them as composed of separable parts, out of which sets could be made up in any way that supply might dictate.

"[2] Edward VI of England ordered the Paraphrases to be put up "in some convenient place" for reading in all parish churches.

Since Edward was only ten years old at the time (although already Protestant), it is likely that the elevation of Erasmus's text came about through the influence of one of his guardians or Thomas Cranmer.