Generations of believers fought for the right to read the Bible in their own language. To delve into the history of the first French translations of the Bible up to the beginning of the 20th century is to understand that Christians have always wanted to feed on the biblical message and pass it on. But they did so within their own theological, political, and social context, just as we do today. The history of biblical translations is rich with personalities, obstacles, and achievements. It tells us of struggles for faith, culture, and freedom. To understand this history is to realize that our predecessors received the Bible as a living book. It is this same Bible that we read today.