the english bible the origin, translation, and study of god’s word in our language
TRANSCRIPT
THE ENGLISH BIBLE
THE ORIGIN, TRANSLATION, AND STUDY OF GOD’S WORD IN OUR LANGUAGE
II Timothy 3:14-17
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it,
and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Holy Bible, New International Version.
Terms you may recognize:
Authority This refers to the right of Scripture to
command belief or action Inspiration This does not refer to the translation but what
the writers experienced through the acting of the Holy Spirit
Inerrancy There are varying degrees and types Revelation This refers to the fact that God has made
himself known to us
FACT
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew (OT), Aramaic (some of OT and some of NT) , Koine- or common-Greek (NT).
The Bible was authored by approximately 40 individuals over a period of about 1500 years in a variety of settings.
FACT
The groupings of books in the English Bible is not based on the original text but the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament translated by a group of Jewish scribes in the third century B.C.
The Old Testament
OT is grouped into five categories:
Pentateuch
Literally “five in a case”
BOOKS OF HISTORY
JOSHUA Through ESTHER
WISDOM LITERATURE
Job through Song of Solomon
Major and Minor Prophets
Divided merely on the size of the books…not significance
Prophets
Major prophets include Isaiah through Daniel
Minor prophets include Hosea through Malachi
Manuscripts
There are no original manuscripts, or autographs , in existence today, however….
HOWEVER…
Copies were made of manuscripts using painstaking techniques, including counting the number of letters on the new copy and comparing it with the number of letters in the old copy.
If there was any discrepancy the copy would be destroyed and the process would start over.
MASORETES
masoretes
From the sixth century to the tenth century A.D. a group of scribes called Masoretes worked carefully to preserve the OT.
MASORETES
Several of their manuscripts are still in existence. Some of the most prominent Masoretic texts are the following:
Masoretic Texts
The Cairo Codex of the Prophets (895 A.D.)
contains the Prophetic books
Masoretic Texts
The British Museum Codex Oriental 4445 (ninth or tenth century A.D.)
Large portion of the Pentateuch
Masoretic Texts
The Leningrad Codex of the Prophets (916 A.D.)
The Prophets
Masoretic Texts
The Leningrad Codex (1008-1009 A.D.)
the entire Old Testament text
Masoretic Texts
The Aleppo Codex (900-925 A.D.)
originally the entire Old Testament text but a quarter of it is now missing
DEAD SEA SCROLLS
In 1947 and 1948 A.D. a bedouin shepherd boy discovered what is now referred to as the Dead Sea Scrolls. These scrolls are dated between 100 B.C. and 100 A.D.
These scrolls contain at least some portion of every book except Esther
Today’s Hebrew Text
The text scholars use as the authoritative, standard text is the Masoretic text known as the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia.
The New Testament
The New Testament was written entirely in a span of about 50 years.
New Testament Organization Four Gospels Book of History (Acts) Letters (Epistles) Apocalyptic Letter (Revelation)
The earliest Gospel, Mark, was probably written about 50-55 A.D. John was probably not written until about 85-90 A.D. Tradition holds that Mark used Peter’s sermons as a foundation for his Gospel. Many hold that Matthew and Luke used Mark’s Gospel as a basis for their own. Galatians was probably the earliest of Paul’s writings (49 or 56 A.D.).
New Testament Manuscripts
Like the Old Testament there are no original manuscripts, or autographs.
P52
It is one of the oldest fragments and contains a few verses of John 18-- dates around 110-125.
New Testament Manuscripts
P46, or Chester Beatty Papyrus II (175-225) Contains all of Paul’s letters except for 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus.
New Testament Manuscripts
Oxyrhynchus Papyri (various) Beginning in 1898, thousands of Papyrus fragments were found in the ancient rubbish heaps of Oxyrhyncus, Egypt. They included various items of literature, business and legal contracts, letters, etc. as well as over thirty-five manuscripts containing portions of the New Testament, including P1 (Matthew 1), P5 (John 1, 16), P13 (Hebrews 2-5, 10-12), and P22 (John 15-16).
New Testament Manuscripts
The Chester Beatty Papyri (various dates from late first century through the third century) Purchased in 1930’s from an Egyptian dealer by Chester Beatty and the University of Michigan. P45 (third century) contains portions of all four Gospels and Acts. P46 (late first century) has almost all of Paul’s epistles and Hebrews. P47 (third century) contains Revelation 9-17.
New Testament Manuscripts
The Bodmer Papyri –Named after the owner, M. Martin Bodmer—The three most important papyri are P66 (c. 175, containing almost all of John), P72 (third century, containing all of 1 Peter, 2 Peter, and Jude), and P75 (c. 200, containing large parts of Luke 3—John 15).
New Testament Manuscripts
During the twentieth century nearly a hundred manuscripts containing portions of the New Testament were discovered.
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Vaticanus (third century)has been in the Vatican since 1481, but was not made accessible to scholars until the mid 1800’s—contains both the Old Testament and New Testament in Greek excluding everything after Hebrews 9:15 and the Pastoral Epistles)
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Sinaiticus (350, The Entire New Testament)
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Alexandrinus (Fifth century, nearly all of the New Testament)
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (Fifth century, partially erased and written upon with the sermons of St. Ephraem but later deciphered and containing a large portion of the New Testament)
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Bezae (Fifth Century, the Gospels and Acts)
New Testament Manuscripts
Codex Washingtonianus, or The Freer Gospels, named after its owner Charles Freer (Fifth Century—all four Gospels and housed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.)
The Greek New Testament Text Written in Koine (Common) Greek, not
Classical Greek
Greek New Testament Today
Probably the most reliable Greek New Testament used today is the latest edition by the United Bible Society
New Testament Manuscripts
While there are more than 6,000 manuscripts in existence…
…and there are some differences among them…
…There are NO DOCTRINAL variances
How do we know which documents should be included in Scripture?
CANON
The Canon is what we call the accepted collection of Scriptural texts
TESTS FOR CANONICITY
Many factors were considered in determining which books to include in the final collection of Scriptural texts, including the following: historical considerations, comparisons to other canonical books, and affirmation by early Jewish and Christian leaders.
TESTS FOR CANONICITY
AFFIRMATION BY THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS:
Tertullian Polycarp Origen
Augustine Iraneus Justin Martyr
Clement of Alexandria Clement of Rome
TRANSLATION
We could have the very best Hebrew and Greek text available and it wouldn’t be enough!
A TRANSLATION STORY
EARLY TRANSLATIONS
English was not the first translated language!
EARLY TRANSLATIONS
By 500 a.d. Scriptures had been translated into over 500 languages, including the following:
Coptic (Egyptians) Syriac (Aramaic-speaking Countries) Gothic (Germanic peoples called
Goths) LATIN (Roman Catholic Church)
Latin
Vulgate– Translated by Jerome c 400 a.d. Is from the Latin meaning “common”
Vulgate
In England
In the sixth century missionaries from Rome brought the Scriptures to England
The text they brought with them was the Vulgate
In England
Christians living in England at that time depended on Monks for any kind of instruction from the Bible
The monks read and taught them from the Latin Bible.
Scriptures in English
Caedmon Bede Alfred the Great
Caedmon
A seventh century Monk and poet Produced the earliest known English
translation Made a metrical version of parts of both
the Old and New Testaments
Caedmon’s Hymn
Nu we sculon herigean heofonrices weard, Meotodes meahte ond his modgeþance, Weorc wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs, Ece drihten, or onstealde. He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum heofon to hrofe,
halig scyppend; Þa middangeard moncynnes weard, ece drihten, æfter teode firum foldan, frea ælmihtig.
Now [we] must honour the guardian of heaven, the might of the architect, and his purpose, the work of the father of glory — as he, the eternal lord, established the beginning of wonders. He, the holy creator, first created heaven as a roof for the children of men. Then the guardian of mankind, the eternal lord, the lord almighty, afterwards appointed the middle earth, the lands, for men.
Bede
Benedictine Monk who translated the Gospels into English
He was a noted poet and author in subject of history and science
Tradition holds he was translating the Gospel of John on his deathbed in 735
Bede
translating John
Entombed at
Durham
Cathedral
Alfred the Great
Ruled England from 871-899 Was a very literate king Included in his laws parts of the Ten
Commandments translated into English Also translated the Psalms
Other Early Versions
Lindisfarne Gospels Shoreham’s Psalms Rolle’s Psalms Wycliffe’s Version Tyndale’s Translation Coverdale’s version Thomas Matthew and The Great Bible The Geneva Bible
Anglo-Saxon Proto-English Manuscript
John 3:16 (995 A.D.)
God lufode middan-eard swa, dat he scade hs an-cennedan sunu, dat nan ne
forweorde de on hine gely ac habbe dat ece lif.
Lindisfarne Gospels
950 a.d. One of multiple interlinear versions,
which were word-for-word English translations written between the Latin lines
Shoreham’s Psalms
1300’s A translation of the Psalms
Rolle’s Psalms
Richard Rolle lived 1290-1349 Produced a translation of the Psalms that
included commentary
Wycliffe’s Version
John Wycliffe (c. 1329-1384), the most eminent Oxford theologian of his day
He and his associates were the first to translate the entire Bible from Latin into English
John WycliffeEarly Life and Career
Born at Yorkshire, England sometime between 1320 and 1330 (likely 1324)
Attended Oxford in the 1340’s (exact years of attendance, but he was certainly there in 1345, when he attended with some noted philosophers
John WycliffeEarly Life and Career
Well grounded in Roman and English law, as well as in native history
Attained headship of Balliol College in 1360, but left in 1361 to take a parrish at Fylingham in Lincolnshire, though he was able to live at Oxford
John Wycliffe
John WycliffeEarly Life and Career
As baccalaureate he busied himself with natural science and mathematics
As master he had the right to read in philosophy
After becoming a bachelor in theology he pursued his interest in Bible study
The archbishop of Canterbury placed him as head of Canterbury Hall in 1365
John WycliffeEarly Life and Career
Between 1366 and 1372 he became a doctor of theology
This credential afforded him the right to lecture in systematic divinity
In 1368 he gave up his living at Fylingham and took over the rectory of Ludgershall in Buckinghamshire, near Oxford. This enabled him to maintain his connection with the university
Wycliffe’s Version
Wycliffe has often been called the “Morningstar of the Reformation” because of his criticisms of the Catholic Church, including the following:
Wycliffe’s Version
Questioning of Papal Authority
Wycliffe’s Version
Questioning of Papal Authority Criticizing the sale of indulgences (Indulgences can be purchased to
release a person from punishment in purgatory)
Wycliffe’s Version
Questioning of Papal Authority Criticizing the sale of indulgences (Indulgences can be purchased to
release a person from punishment in purgatory)
Questioned the reality of transubstantiation
Wycliffe’s Version
Questioning of Papal Authority Criticizing the sale of indulgences (Indulgences can be purchased to
release a person from punishment in purgatory)
Questioning the reality of transubstantiation
Speaking out against church hierarchies
Wycliffe’s Version
The pope reproved Wycliffe for his teachings and asked Oxford University to remove him.
Wycliffe’s Version
The pope reproved Wycliffe for his teachings and asked Oxford University to remove him.
Oxford and many governmental leaders supported Wycliffe and he was able to survive the pope’s opposition.
Wycliffe’s Version
Wycliffe and his associates completed an English translation (from the Latin) of the New Testament in 1380 and the Old Testament in 1382
Wycliffe’s Version
Wycliffe believed the best way to respond to be successful in his struggle with church authority was to make the Bible available to the people in their own language rather than in Latin—apart from any ecclesiastical authority.
Wycliffe’s Version
Wycliffe concentrated his labors on the New Testament while an associate, Nicholas of Hereford, did a major part of the Old Testament.
Wycliffe’s Version
LOLLARDSWent throughout England preaching and teaching the Common folk from the Scriptures. This caused Wycliffeto be loved …
Wycliffe’s Version
…and hated. Although he was never martyred by the church (he died before they could kill him) during his lifetime, several decades after he died they condemned him for heresy. They dug up his body, burned it, and threw his ashes into the Swift River.
Wycliffe’s Version
John Purvey (c. 1353-1428)Purvey finished a revision of Wycliffe’s
version in 1388. Within less than a century, Purvey’s version had replaced
the original Wycliffe Bible.
Wycliffe’s Version
John 3:16 from Wycliffe’s Version-
“for god loued so the world; that he gaf his oon bigetun sone, that eche man that bileuth in him perisch not; but haue euerlastynge liif.”
John Huss1369-1415
Also Jan Hus (Hus means “goose”)
John Huss
Also Jan Hus (Hus means “goose” in his native Bohemian language)
Actively promoted Wycliffe’s ideas
John Huss
Also Jan Hus (Hus means “goose”) Actively promoted Wycliffe’s ideas In 1393 earned Bachelor of Arts at
University of Prague; the next year Bachelor of Divinity; two years later the Master of Arts
John Huss
Was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church as priest
John Huss
Was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church as priest
He taught at the University and preached on Sundays
John Huss
Was ordained by the Roman Catholic Church as priest
Taught at the University and preached on Sundays
Became rector of Bethlehem Chapel
John Huss
He began to boldly propound Wycliffe’s ideas in the form of written articles.
John Huss
He began to boldly propound Wycliffe’s ideas in the form of written articles.
The university, fearful of the consequences, prohibited him from teaching evangelical doctrines and placed his articles under ban.
John Huss
Martyred by being burned at the stake on July 6, 1415
His last words wereThat, “100 years from now God willraise up a man whosecalls for reform Cannot be repressed.”
Corruption and Persecution in the Church
Under Pope Leo X indulgences were being sold by the thousands, new offices were being created and sold to the highest bidder, and lavish parties were being thrown which were even more extravagant than those of the Royalty.
Corruption in the Church
Pope Leo X was actually heard to say that, “the fable of Christ was quite profitable.”
Corruption in the Church
Relics of all sorts were for sale by the church including the following (some 17,000 in all):
Part of the rock where Jesus wept Part of Mary’s gown and milk from her breast Part of the burning bush 35 pieces of the cross A skeleton of one of the babes killed in
Bethlehem Pieces of Jesus’ hair and clothing Pardons excusing all kinds of behavior (a
phenomenon which, for Martin Luther, was the last straw)
Desiderius Erasmus1466-1536
Criticisms from Non-evangelicalsReferring to the theologians of his day,
Erasmus stated their “brains were the rottenest, intellect the dullest, doctrines the thorniest, manners the brutalist, life the foulest, speech the spitefullest, hearts the blackest that I have ever encountered in the world.”
Erasmus’ Criticism of the Theology of the Day
Erasmus was disgusted at the useless topics at which theologians who professed to teach Christianity squandered so much of their time:
Can God create an infinite in all directions?
Could God have created the world better than He did?
Can He create a universal with no particulars?
Erasmus
Probably the most beneficial criticism was against the corruption of the Vulgate by that time
In his efforts to produce a better Latin text he also compiled his invaluable Greek text (same text used by Tyndale, Luther, and others)
Erasmus’ skull
Criticisms from non-evangelicals Dean John Colet from Oxford also sharply
criticized the priesthood In 1496 he began reading the New
Testament in Greek and translating into English. He shared his work with the public at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London
Criticisms from Non-evangelicals A spiritually-hungry crowd of 20,000
packed in to hear the Scriptures in English, with about the same number waiting to get in.
That same church today averages about 200, which are mostly tourists!
From Wycliffe to Tyndale
The approach of the Renaissance brought with it a revival of the classics—including the study of Greek and Hebrew.
From Wycliffe to Tyndale
For the first time since around 500 a.d. scholars began to read the Scriptures in the original languages.
From Wycliffe to Tyndale
For the first time since around 500 a.d. scholars began to read the Scriptures in the original languages.
By 1500 Greek was being taught at Oxford.
Martin Luther
While he had a slight head start, he was a contemporary of Tyndale.
He declared his intolerance of the corruption of the Church by nailing his 95 Theses of Contention to the door of the Church at Wittenberg on Halloween in 1517
After having been exiled in 1521, he completed an entire edition of the Bible in German in 1530
William Tyndale1494-1536
William Tyndale was born during this period of re-birth. He graduated from Oxford in 1515 where he had studied Greek.
Tyndale’s Translation
By the age of thirty Tyndale had committed his life to the translation of the Bible from the original languages into English.
Tyndale’s Translation
In 1521, he stated to a friar, “If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”
Tyndale’s Translation
In 1523 Tyndale went to London to seek a place to work on his translation.
Tyndale’s Translation
In 1523 Tyndale went to London to seek a place to work on his translation. Although he had hoped to find a place in the palace of Bishop Cuthbert Tunstall, Tunstall was not comfortable with Tyndale’s work and told him he did not have room for him in the palace.
He stayed with John and Lady Walsh at Little Saubry Manor until by 1524 Tyndale was forced to leave England because of the Church still strongly opposed placing the Bible into the hands of the laity.
Tyndale’s Translation
Tyndale’s life and work very much paralleled the work of Martin Luther.
Tyndale possibly could have met Luther in Wittenberg. Even if he didn’t, he was well acquainted with Luther’s work. They used the same Hebrew and Greek Scriptures for their respective translations (Erasmus’ compilation of 1516).
Tyndale at Wittenberg?
Registry at Wittenberg from May 27, 1524 shows a visitor by the name of “Daltici”
The reformers would often cover their tracks by using code names such as spelling their names backward.
“Daltici” could actually be “Daltin” which, if reversed, is “Tyndale”
Luther was out of town during the time which “Daltici” or “Daltin” was visiting the University
Tyndale’s Translation
Tyndale’s New Testament translation was completed in 1525 (Luther’s German translation was published in 1522).
Tyndale’s Translation
15,000 copies of Tyndale’s New Testament were smuggled into England between 1525 and 1530.
Tyndale’s Translation
15,000 copies of Tyndale’s New Testament were smuggled into England between 1525 and 1530.
Despite their efforts to stop it, the copies continued to circulate and Tyndale continued to revise his work until a final revision of his New Testament was finished in 1535.
Tyndale’s Translation
In 1535 he was betrayed in “Judas fashion” by Henry Phillips in Antwerp, arrested, and carried off to a castle near Brussels
called Vilvoorde Castle.
Tyndale’s Translation
He was imprisoned there for a period of eighteen months
On October 6, 1536 he was strangled and burned at the stake.
He would be martyred before he could finish his Old Testament translation.
Tyndale’s Translation
His final words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”
Tyndale’s TranslationIn translating the Bible, Tyndale introduced new words
into the English language, and many were subsequently used in the King James Bible:
Jehovah (from a transliterated Hebew construction in the Old Testament; composed from the Tetragrammaton YHWH and the vowels of adonai: YaHoWaH)
Passover (as the name for the Jewish holiday, Pesach or Pesah),
Atonement (= at + onement), which goes beyond mere "reconciliation" to mean "to unite" or "to cover", which springs from the Hebrew kippur, the Old Testament version of kippur being the covering of doorposts with blood, or "Day of Atonement".
scapegoat (the goat that bears the sins and iniquities of the people in Leviticus, Chapter 16)
Tyndale’s Translation
let there be light the powers that be my brother's
keeper the salt of the
earth a law unto
themselves filthy lucre
gave up the ghost
the signs of the times
the spirit is willing
live and move and have our being
fight the good fight
He also coined such familiar phrases as:
• It came to pass
Tyndale’s Translation
Tyndale was careful to avoid words that carried with them strong “Catholic” meanings:
Penance “repentance” Charity “love”Priest “senior” (later “elder”)Confess “acknowledge”Church “congregation”Grace “favor”
Tyndale’s Translation
There are two known copies of Tyndale’s 1525-26 First Edition.
In 1996 one copy went on a tour of the United States.
Tyndale’s Translation
During the time Tyndale was a wanted man Books and Bibles flowed into England in bales of cotton, sacks of flour, etc.
Tyndale’s best customers were the Kings men who would buy his Bibles and then go burn them. Tyndale would use the money from the sales and go print more!
Tyndale’s Translation
John 3:16 from Tyndale’s Translation:
“For God so loveth the worlde, that he hath geven his only sonne, that none that beleve in him, shuld perisshe: but shuld have everlastynge liif.”
Monument to Tyndale at Vilvoorde
Myles Coverdale
Coverdale and John Rogers (a.k.a. Thomas Matthew) had remained loyal disciples the last six years of Tyndale’s life.
Coverdale finished Tyndale’s Old Testament work and in 1535 he printed the first complete Bible in the English language, making use also of Luther’s German Bible.
This Bible was known as the Coverdale Bible.
Myles Coverdale
Thomas Matthew’s TranslationJohn Rogers (a.k.a. Thomas Matthew) went
on to print the second complete English Bible in 1537.
His was the first printed Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek.
He used a lot of the work of Tyndale and Cloverdale.
The Great Bible
Seemingly as an answer to Tyndale’s last prayer, King Henry VIII commissioned Thomas Cranmer (who subsequently hired Coverdale) in 1539 to the printing of this Bible.
Called the Great Bible because of its size, this was the first authorized Bible for public use.
The Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible
Around 1540 Henry VIII had a change of heart in his support of the Church and he renounced Catholicism and declared himself to be pope (creating the Anglican Church).
The Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible
The succession of Queen Mary to the throne after King Edward VI made matters worse; people were burned at the stake simply for being Protestant.
Included among the Martyrs were John Rogers and Thomas Cranmer.
The Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible
This renewed persecution caused an exile for Protestants to Geneva. In this context in 1560 the exiles chose William Whittingham (c. 1524-1579) to translate a new Bible, which would be called the Geneva Bible.
This was the first Bible to add numbered verses to the chapters, with extensive marginal notes and references. This would make it the first English “Study Bible.”
The Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible
The Geneva Bible was the Bible of choice for English-speaking Christians for over 100 years. Between 1560 and 1644 at least 144 editions of this Bible were published.
It was the first Bible to be brought to America, and was the Bible of the Puritans and Pilgrims.
The Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible
The Geneva Bible has been out of print since 1644.
In 1568 a revision was produced by which never really had much success among the people. This Bible, known as the Bishop’s Bible, was produced by the English clergy and considered a “rough draft” of the King James Bible.
Immediate Precursors to The King James Bible
By the 1580’s the Church finally conceded to the long-fought battle by the Reformers for an English Bible.
In this light, the Douay Old Testament and the Rheims New Testament were introduced by the church as a combined work (the Douay/Rheims Version), although it was based on the inferior Latin text.
The King James Bible
English Puritans during the time of Queen Elizabeth were very irritated at both the Church and the government, as well as the Scripture they had available to them.
After King James VI of Scotland (James I of England) took the throne in 1603 they were afforded new opportunities.
The King James Bible
In 1604 King James held a meeting of diverse religious groups to discuss the question of religious toleration. This meeting was known as the Hampton Court Conference.
King James I
The King James Bible
During the Hampton Court Conference Dr. John Reynolds of Oxford raised the possibility of a new translation.
King James welcomed the idea to have a less protestant-oriented translation.
The King James Bible
By 1604, the new King James I had taken a personal dislike to the Geneva Bible, largely due to the marginal notes which propounded Protestant ideals—namely the challenge to the “divine right of kings.”
He commissioned a new edition of the Bible—one that would take the place of the Geneva Bible.
The King James Bible
King James laid down the ground work for the translation and by 1607 the project was well on the way.
A hand-picked group of 47 Hebrew and Greek scholars were selected and divided into six working companies.
The King James Bible
Richard Bancroft
The King James Bible
Two companies were at Westminster, two at Oxford, and two at Cambridge.
The King James Bible
The responsibilities were divided as follows:
At Westminster: ten were assigned Genesis through II Kings, seven had Romans through Jude
The King James Bible
At Cambridge: eight had I Chronicles through Ecclesiastes, seven had the Apocrypha
At Oxford: seven had Isaiah through Malachi, eight had the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
1. The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the Truth of the original will permit.
This new Bible would be read in the Church and they wanted it to be kept similar to the Bishop’s Bible (which was produced by the Church).
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
2. The names of the Prophets, and the Holy Writers, with the other Names of the Text, to be retained as nigh as may be, accordingly as they were vulgarly used.
They were not to take liberties with names.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
3. The Old Ecclesiastical Words to be kept, viz. The Word Church not to be translated Congregation &c.
This is to keep the Scriptures in line with the church’s teachings.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
4. When a Word hath divers Significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the Ancient Fathers, being agreeable to the Propriety of the Place, and the Analogy of the Faith.
They were to reference earlier English versions.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
5. The Division of the Chapters to be altered, either not at all, or as little as may be, if Necessity so require.
The chapter divisions were first introduced in the Geneva Bible.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
6. No Marginal Notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek Words, which cannot without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the Text.
Some of the marginal notes from the Geneva Bible were blatantly anti-Catholic.
KJV Misc Info
Example of marginal notes:
In Exodus 1:17 the marginal notes commend the example of civil disobedience by the Hebrew midwives.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
7. Such Quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit Reference of one Scripture to another.
There was to be a cross-referencing system in place.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
8. Every particular Man of each Company, to take the same Chapter or Chapters, and having translated or amended them severally by himself, where he thinketh good, all to meet together, confer what they have done, and agree for their Parts what shall stand.
Individual work would be brought to the group for approval or rejection.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
9. As any one Company hath dispatched any one Book in this Manner they shall send it out the rest, to be considered of seriously, for His Majesty is very careful in this Point.
If there was disagreement among the Company it would be sent on to the other Companies.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
10. If any company, upon the Review of the Book so sent, doubt or differ upon any Place, to send them Word thereof; note the Place, and withal send the Reasons, to which if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general Meeting, which is to be of the chief Persons of each Company, at the end of the Work.
Ultimately the general meeting at the end of the project would be the place to iron out any difficulties.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
11. When any place of special Obscurity is doubted of, Letters to be directed by Authority, to send his particular Observations to the Company.
They could obtain the King’s input as well if necessary.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
12. Letters to be sent from every Bishop to the rest of his Clergy, admonishing them of this Translation in hand; and to move and charge as many skilful in the Tongues; and having taken pains in that kind, to send his particular Observations to the Company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford.
The company leaders were to submit their final work for approval.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
13. The Directors in each Company, to be the Deans of Westminster, and Chester for that Place; and the King’s Professors in the Hebrew or Greek in either University.
This specifies the qualifications for leadership of a Company.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
14. These translations to be used when they agree better with the Text than the Bishop’s Bible: Tyndale’s, Matthew’s, Coverdale’s, Whitchurch’s, Geneva.
Similar to rule 4, earlier work may be, and should be, referenced.
The King James BibleFifteen General Rules
15. Besides the said Directors before mentioned, three or four of the most Ancient and Grave Divines, in either of the Universities, not employed in Translating, to be assigned by the vice-Chancellor, upon Conference with the rest of the Heads, to be Overseers of the Translations as well Hebrew and Greek for the better observation of the 4th rule above specified.
The leaders should not be busy with the translating work in order that they may be able to provide oversight.
The King James Bible
After four years of translation, nine months were spent in Stationer’s Hall in London for review. Two men from each company participated in the finalization with Myles Smith and Thomas Bilson making the final revision. Smith provided a preface.
The King James Bible
The completed work was issued in 1611, and the complete title page read as follows:
THE HOLY BIBLE, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised by his Majesties Special Commandment. Appointed to be read in Churches. Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. ANNO DOM 1611.
The King James Bible
Title Page
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
The New Testament had had a separate title page reading as follows: THE NEWE Testament of our Lrd and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Newly Translated out of the Originall Greeke: and with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties speciall Commandment. IMPRINTED at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. ANNO DOM. 1611. Cum Privelegio.
The King James BibleThe King James Bible had Many deficiencies:
Inadequate knowledge of Hebrew in that time period, although the text was sufficient (Masoretic Text).
Used an inferior Greek text known as Textus Receptus (compiled by Erasmus to be printed on the printing press).
Better manuscripts were discovered around 1630 (after the King James Bible had been completed in 1611).
KJV Misc Info
The “Authorized” Version underwent several editions and revisions.
KJV Misc Info
While the AV was meant to replace the Bishops’ Bible as the official version for readings in the Church of England, it was never specifically “authorized” like the Great Bible.
KJV Misc Info
It became the authorized version by default, as the King’s Printer issued no further editions of the Bishop’s Bible.
KJV Misc Info
In most parts of the world, the AV has passed out of copyright.
In the United Kingdom, the British Crown holds perpetual Crown copyright to the AV.
KJV Misc Info
With the rise of Bible societies in 1827 most editions have omitted the Apocrypha.
The British and Foreign Bible society threatened to withdrawal subsidies if the Apocrypha was included.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN REVISIONS AND MODERN TRANSLATIONS
New Available Texts
The KJV did the best that they could with the text they had available to them.
However, the next centuries would see new developments, especially in a compilation of better Greek texts.
New Available Texts
Around 1830 a German scholar named Tischendorf discovered Codex Sinaiticus in St. Catherine’s Monastery.
Codex Sinaiticus dates around 350 and is one of the two oldest manuscripts of the Greek NT.
New Available Texts
The earliest manuscript, Codex Vaticanus (325), had been in the Vatican library since 1481 but was not made available to scholars until the middle of the nineteenth century. Around 1630 Codex Vaticanus was brought to England.
New Available Texts
Around 1700 John Mill assembled a new Textus Receptus.
In the 1730’s Johannes Albert Bengel began to deviate from the Textus Receptus.
New Available Texts
Due to contributions of Bengel and Tischendorf, in the 1800 scholars began to deviate from the Textus Receptus.
In 1831, a classical philologist named Karl Lachman produced a text based on the fourth century manuscripts.
New Available Texts
Tischendorf also was instrumental in deciphering the palimpsest Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, collated countless manuscripts, and produced several editions of the Greek New Testament.
New Available Texts
With the help of British scholars Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort, Tischendorf worked for twenty-eight years to produce The New Testament in the Original Greek (1881).
This work was based largely on Codex Vaticanus and became the standard text that was responsible for dethroning the Textus Receptus.
English Revised Version
In 1870 a motion to consider a revision of the KJV was passed by the Convocation of the Province of Canterbury.
The membership was inter-denominational, and included English and American translators.
English Revised Version1885
The English companies began their work in June 1870.
The NT committee met on 407 days over a period of 11 years.
The OT committee met on 792 days over a period of 15 years.
The entire ERV was completed in 1885.
American Standard Version1901
The ASV does not differ greatly from the ERV; however, on points of idiom, spelling, word order, etc. are Americanized.
American Standard Version
The 1901 version is based on a Greek text which is far superior to the text used by the KJV translators.
The text is rendered more accurately.
Misleading archaic words of the KJV were cleared up.
American Standard Version
While some of the obsolete words were removed, others were retained—and even created.
American Standard Version
CORRECTED TERMS
“GLORY” “PRAISE” (MATT 6:2)“DISPUTE” “DISCUSS (MARK 9:34)“DOCTOR” “TEACHER” (LUKE 5:17)“ALLEGE” “PROVE” (ACTS 17:3)
American Standard Version
CREATED WORDS
“AFORETIME” “WOULD FAIN”“HOWBEIT”“LEST HAPLY”“US-WARD”“YOU-WARD”
Revised Standard Version1952
In 1929, the copyright of the ASV expired.A new committee of scholars was
appointed to produce a new revision that embodied the best results of modern scholarship and yet preserved the literary qualities of the King James translation.
The work was put on hold until 1936 due to the effects of the Great Depression.
Revised Standard Version
NT and OT committee members met on occasion from 1936 to 1952 when a complete Bible was finished on September 30.
Revised Standard Version
Three reasons for the RSV:
1. A recognition of the many inadequacies of the KJV.
2. The failure of the ERV and ASV to overcome these inadequacies.
3. The discovery of new resources.
Revised Standard Version
The RSV was able to take into account the labors of text-critical advances and the recovery of many Biblical papyri. This aided in more precise renderings.
Revised Standard Version
IMPROVED ACCURACY “AFTER THE SABBATH” “LATE ON THE SABBATH”
(MATT 28:1)
“UNTIL AN OPPORTUNE TIME”” “FOR A SEASON”
(LUKE 4:13)
“ONLY” “ONLY BEGOTTEN”
(JOHN 1:14,18; 3:16,18; I JOHN 4:9)
“ALL OF THEM” “BOTH OF THEM”
(ACTS 19:16)
Revised Standard Version
IMPROVED ACCURACY“GOD’S FIELD” “GOD’S HUSBANDRY” (I COR 3:19)“PEDDLERS OF GOD’S WORD”
“CORRUPTING THE WORD OF GOD” (II COR 2:17)“IN IDLENESS” “DISORDERLY” (II THESS. 3:6)
Revised Standard Version
Translation Shortfalls:
“WILDERNESS” BETTER TO BE RENDERED “DESERT” (MATT 3:3)
“WALE” BETTER TO BE RENDERED “SEA MONSTER” (MATT 12:40)
“CONVINCE” BETTER TO BE RENDERED “CONVICT” (JOHN 16:8)
“DETERMINED” BETTER TO BE RENDERED “DECIDED” (ACTS 11:29)
Revised Standard Version
Translation Shortfalls:“IF THEY THEN COMMIT APOSTACY’’
BETTER TO BE RENDERED “AND THEN FELL AWAY” (HEB 6:6)
“INTERPOSED” BETTER TO BE RENDERED “GUARANTEED” (HEB 6:17)
Revised Standard Version
IMPROVED READABILITY EXAMPLE FROM MATTHEW 21:41
ASV crudely reads, “he will miserably destroy those miserable men.”
RSV reads, “he will put those wretches to a miserable death.”
New Revised Standard Version1990
The revision committee continued to meet periodically since 1952 and in 1974 a new
committee began work on the NRSV.
Led by Bruce M. Metzger, a 30-member committee worked for 15 years altering structure and punctuation, reducing archaisms, striving for greater accuracy and clarity, and eliminating masculine-oriented language. The NRSV was published in 1990.
New Revised Standard VersionExample of improvements from I Timothy:
“INSTRUCT” FOR “CHARGE” (1:3)“INNOCENT” FOR “JUST” (1:9)“SLAVE TRADERS” FOR “KIDNAPPERS”
(1:10)“DECENTLY IN SUITABLE CLOTHING” FOR
“SENSIBLE IN SEEMLY APPAREL” (2:9)“OLD WIVES TALES” FOR “SILLY MYTHS”
(4:7)“EXHORTING” FOR “PREACHING” (4:13)
New Revised Standard VersionExample of improvements from I Timothy:
“PUT ON THE LIST” FOR “ENROLLED” (5:9)“THEIR SINFUL DESIRES ALIENATE THEM
FROM CHRIST” FOR “THEY GROW WANTON AGAINST CHRIST” (5:11)
“MANAGE THEIR HOUSEHOLDS” FOR “RULE THEIR HOUSEHOLDS” (5:14)
“ORDAIN” FOR “LAYING ON OF HANDS” (5:22)
“TRAPPED” FOR “FALL INTO A SNARE” (6:9)
New Revised Standard Version
NOT-SO-GOOD TRANSLATIONS IN THE NRSV
In I Timothy 3 NRSV says that bishops (elders) and deacons are to be “married only once.” This language is ambiguous and would be better as “the husband of one wife,” in order to avoid committing in one direction or another.
The New American Standard Bible1963/1971
This is a revision of the ASV and not a new translation.
One noticeable feature is the printing of each verse as a separate unit, rather than in paragraph form.
The New English Bible1961
This version employs a sense-for-sense rather than word-for-word translation.
Example: John 1:1 in the NEB reads “When all things began, the Word already was. The Word dwelt with God, and what god was, the Word was.”
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
Has roots from the 1950’s due to dissatisfaction with what some thought was a too liberal translation in the RSV.
Considerable gains were made in accuracy and clarity. It is a thought-for-thought and not a word-for-word translation.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
In 1965, over a hundred scholars began meeting in Palos Heights, IL to begin work on a completely new translation from the best available manuscripts.
The group was made up of individuals from the Christian Reformed Church and the National Association of Evangelicals.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
In 1967 the group now known as the International Bible Society (formerly the New York Bible Society) undertook the financial sponsorship of the project.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
The project utilized distinguished scholars from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This provided an international scope.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
These individuals also came from a variety of denominational backgrounds—including Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Brethren, Christian Reformed, Church of Christ, Evangelical Free, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and others. This helped to safeguard from sectarian bias.
New International Version
1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
For the Hebrew, the Masoretic Text was primarily used (from Biblia Hebraica) in addition to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Samaritan Pentateuch.
New International Version
1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
The Greek text was eclectic.
Footnotes are used to signify any uncertainties if variances are present.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
The translation of each book was assigned to a team of scholars. Then one of the Intermediate Editorial Committees revised the initial translation, with constant reference to the original languages. Their work went to the General Editorial Committees, who then checked it again and then sent to the Committee on Bible Translation.
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
IMPROVEMENTS FROM OBSCURE EXPRESSIONS
“PLACE OF LEADERSHIP” FOR “OFFICE” (ACTS 1:20)
“CONVERTS TO JUDAISM” FOR “PROSELYTES” (ACTS 2:10)
“ALL PEOPLE” FOR “ALL FLESH” (ACTS 2:17)“CORRUPT” FOR “CROOKED” (ACTS 2:40)“SOLOMON’S COLONNADE” FOR
“SOLOMON’S PORTICO” (ACTS 3:11)
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT)
IMPROVEMENTS FROM OBSCURE EXPRESSIONS
“FROM THE LORD” FOR “FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD” (ACTS 3:19)
“MIRACULOUS SIGNS” FOR “SIGNS” (ACTS 5:12)
“MURDEROUS THREATS” FOR “THREATS AND MURDER” (ACTS 9:1)
“PRAYED REGULARLY” FOR “PRAYED CONSTANTLY” (ACTS 10:1)
New International Version1973 (NT)/1978 (OT) POSSIBLY TOO ADVANCED VOCABULARY IN PLACESEXAMPLES FROM ACTS
“BEWILDERMENT” (2:6)“CONSPIRE” (4:27)“DISPERSED” (5:36)“SHRIEKS” (8:7)“BAFFLED” (9:22)“CLUTCHES” (12:11)“ABUSIVELY” (13:45)“APPEASE” (16:39)“DEFYING” (17:7)
“SNEERED” (17:32)“MISDEMEANOR” (18:14)“OBSTINATE” (19:9)“PUBLICLY MALIGNED”
(19:9)“VENTURE” (19:31)“DISSUADED” (21:14)“PRETEXT” (23:15)“DESECRATE” (24:6)
“OBESESSION” (26:11)
Other Translations
Good News Bible (1976) –employs simple vocabulary and short sentence structure for ease of reading.
New King James Version (1982)–is appealing to those who used the KJV.
The Continuum of Accuracy and Readability
FORMAL EQUIVALENT
DYNAMIC EQUIVALENT
PARAPHRASE
ACCURACY VS. READABILITY