"Free" Bibles and books

I've just found a site called paperbackswap.com. I would call it a book trading center.

Here's the way it works: you post books you are willing to trade. People request those books and you mail them (you pay for postage). For each book you get a credit. Use your credits to requests books you want from other people who will mail them to you. You will get two credits just for signing up and listing 10 books.

There are currently about 2.7 million books available. One search using "Bible" as a keyword yielded 612 books. You can both search and browse the listings.

Posting books to share is easy - just type in the ISBN numbers. I've already had one requested that I posted yesterday. Mailing the books is easy too - the site gives you a mailing label in a PDF file. Download it, print it, wrap the book in the paper, tape it securely and take it to the Post!

If you are interested, please visit paperbackswap.com using this link. I will get credit for referring you.

I will try to post a follow-up when I receive my first book.

Pristine Faith Restoration Version

This is a translation of some New Testament books (Galatians and Ephesians so far) by the Pristine Faith Restoration Society. The Greek text being used is Scrivener's 1891 Textus Receptus.

Canadian Reformed Churches' Revised Psalter

The Canadian Reformed Churches are revising the Psalter in their Book of Praise. You can view the changes at the web site for the proposed changes.

Psalmists of Britain

Archive.org has posted a work titled "The Psalmists of Britain: records, biographical and literary, of one hundred and fifty authors who have rendered the whole or parts of the Book of Psalms into English verse, with specimens of the different versions" in two volumes (vol. 1, vol. 2). It was written in 1843 by John Holland.

Christian Community Bible

I recently received an e-mail from a gentleman who is researching the different revisions of the Christian Community Bible originally translated by Bernardo Hurault. This Bible is continually being updated/revised and has many different editions (41 so far).

Question 1: Can you provide any of the editions (and copyright dates) not listed here?
1st Edition: 1988
2nd Edition: 1989
11th Edition: 1994
17th Edition: 1995
36th Edition 2004
37th Edition: 2005
41st Edition 2008

Question 2: Sometime after edition #2 and before edition #11 the revisers began to switch to inclusive language. For example, in Psalm 1:1 it reads "Blessed is the one." If you have an edition from 3 to 10, please check Psalm 1:1 and let us know.

Question 3: Revisions are continuously made to these editions. If you know of any other differences please let us know that too.

If you have any information, would you kindly leave a comment here? Thank you!

New New Testament

Once again a random search turns up something interesting. I almost didn't download and look at this version, but it turned out to be a new version after all. It is only available (as far as I know) as a program. There is a download at the web site. It is a revision of the Douay Rheims New Testament modernizing the language and using some readings from several different versions.

I could do without this one...

Here is one I'd rather not even have to mention in my book. It's called the "Princess Diana Bible". There is a sample of Genesis provided on the website. The whole thing sounds so strange that I can't quite believe it is really something that will be published. Take a look for yourself...

Review of the "Voice" New Testament

There is an interesting examination of some passages from the new translation of the New Testament called "The Voice." The review is on a blog called Extreme Theology. The reviewer shows some very serious flaws in this new translation.

ASL New Testament Online

In browsing/searching around I happened across a neat presentation of the New Testament. It is the American Sign Language Version online with a lookup feature. Check it out here.

Accurate New Testament

I just received notice of a new Bible Version. It is called the Accurate New Testament and is translated by Mark D. Harness. It is a very literal translation of the Nestle-Aland 27th edition of the Greek New Testament. It is available in print format through Lulu.com.

Praying the New Testament

I have a new one I haven't gotten to look over much yet. It is from a series called "Praying the Scriptures" by Elmer L. Towns. Towns has done a poetic paraphrase of selections of Scripture for the purpose of being used as prayers. There are also sections that are based on Biblical stories (such as the transfiguration of Jesus) with many fictional elements added. He has also released (in separate volumes) the Psalms, Proverbs+Eccl+Song, Job, Revelation, Gospels, Acts+Epistles and Paul's Letters.

Sample (from chapter 22, The Story of Stephen, the introduction) "Stephen, a leader in the new sect of the way, was a follower of Jesus. Blood trickled from his mouth."

Sample (from chapter 22, The Story of Stephen, Acts 7:1-52) "The high priest asked if the charges against Stephen were true; / Stephen answered, "My brother and father listen to me,"

Towns, Elmer L. Praying the New Testament. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-1-60751-454-1.

American Bible Society Editions Online

I have added a new link category to my web site. So far I have listed 74 volumes of American Bible Society editions of the Bible that are scanned and downloadable from either Google or Archive.org. Click "Links" then "ABS Editions." If you find any not listed there, please let me know. Hope this is helpful to some of you!

American Bible Society versions (continued)

I should note that the Bible Society report for 1858 says that the Bibles were not revised, but carefully collated according to the best editions.

One difference that can be found between an ABS 1845 Bible and one from 1851 is changing from "Cherubims" to "Cherubim" in Genesis 3:24. However, this did not change back. It shows up in editions I have from 1884 to 1903 (all downloaded from Google books).

The entry in Darlow and Moule (see previous post for a copy of this) says "Some fruit, however, of the collator's careful work remains in the later editions published by the A.B.S., which are generally commended for their accuracy." Now, to find some examples of fruit that didn't remain!

One such change is in Jude 1:11 where "Core" was changed to "Korah." This appears in editions from 1853 to 1859. Editions from 1884 on (those found on Google) have gone back to "Core." Obviously, this isn't a theology modifying change, but does help identify Bibles in the ABS editions.

I should also note that Scrivener discusses the A.B.S. work in his book The Authorized Edition of the English Bible (1611): Its Subsequent Reprints and Modern Representatives on pages 36 through 39.

American Bible Society revised KJV (1850s)

I recently read a discussion on the Bible Version Discussion Board about the revision of the King James Version done in the 1850s by the American Bible Society. A desire to learn more moved me to organize some information on this topic. Links are given here to help you read more about it as well. Darlow and Moule, in the Historical Catalogue of the Printed Editions of Holy Scripture (pp 362-3), discuss the changes the ABS made. A report (full title Report on the History and Recent Collation of the English Version of the Bible: Presented by the Committee on Versions to the Board of Managers of the American Bible Society, and Adopted, May 1, 1851) from the ABS gives details of the revision. A Bible published in 1853 that shows some or all of these changes is here. In 1858 strong opposition to the changes convinced the ABS to cease publication of the changed text. A long statement about the matter was included in the society's report for 1858. A copy of that can be found on pages 355-60 of the Annual Report of the American Bible Society.

KJV and RV (1611 and 1881)

Most of you already know that the Authorised Version of the Holy Bible (King James Version) was revised in 1881 (NT) and 1885 (OT). In 1881 a book showing the exact changes made to the New Testament was published. It is available on Archive.org, titled Where the Old and New Versions Differ. The changes are listed in parallel columns showing the words/phrases from each version.