Mark and John: The First and Last Gospels

This is a new translation from John Howard Reid called Mark and John: The First and Last Gospels. It is being published by AuthorHouse. He claims to present "the uncensored and restored Mark." This translation is promised to be "an entirely new and even controversial picture of the life and death of Jesus, the Christ." There are no samples of the translation available.

New American Bible

I just saw a page here telling the update time line for the Old Testament of the New American Bible. The NAB OT is apparently finished, but it was decided not to use the 1991 Psalms. The Psalms are now being assigned and revised. Once that is finished, the updated NAB should be ready to publish.

Digital Christian Library

It appears that an excellent web site is off line now. For some time I have been unable to bring up The Digital Christian Library. His Bible scans are some of the best I've seen and were always shared freely. Sorry to see the site gone, but more importantly - pray all is well and blessed with him!

Coverdale 1535 Apocrypha & NT Hardback

Recently I got word from Lulu.com that there was a problem printing the Coverdale 1535 volume covering the Apocrypha and New Testament. That problem has been fixed.

Wycliffe-KJV New Testament (Modern Spelling Edition)

After considerable delay, I have gotten the Wycliffe-KJV Parallel New Testament (Modern Spelling Edition) by Terence Noble ready for the Museum Store. You'll find it under TEXT BIBLES. It is a a two volume edition in paperback or hardback. Many thanks to Mr. Noble for all his hard work and dedication to the Lord!

English Bible History and Versions

I've added a new set of links to my website under BIBLIOGRAPHY, WEB BOOKS. This is a listing of downloadable books about English Bible History and Bible Versions.

Genderless God Bible

The title of this revision of the KJV indicates exactly what it is. This revision is not a gender neutral Bible, but is edited to depict God as being genderless. There is a small sample available at the website.

Complutensian Polyglot

The Complutensian Polyglot Bible (New Testament) was scanned by bibles.org.uk some time ago. It has recently been posted here as a free PDF download on the Internet Archive.

NEATSB

This translation is one that may never have gotten started. NEATSB stands for New English Annotated Translation of the Syriac Bible. It is mentioned in a few articles such as this one. It is also discussed in an article or monograph titled The New English Annotated Translation of the Syriac Bible (NEATSB): Retrospect and Prospect (2004). I haven't been able to get a copy of that article. It is mentioned in a message on Yahoo here. It appears that this project was discussed or started as early as 1999. This is a project of the Peshitta Institute in Leiden at the University of Leiden, Netherlands. I've tried e-mailing some of the names mentioned in the articles with no results. As usual, if anyone knows anything about this version please e-mail me or leave a comment here.

Common English Bible

I found out today the best link for the Common English Bible. I don't know why it isn't simply posted on commonenglishbible.com.

Common English Bible

There isn't any mention of it on the main page for the Common English Bible but there is a sampler of Matthew available for download. I first heard about it on the Better Bibles Blog. Download the PDF of Matthew here. Apparently the link shows up in some sort of pop-up on the site. Those of us with pop-up blockers don't see it while others probably will.

New Revised Beans Version

This is a translation of the New Testament that has just started called the "New Revised Beans Version". It is being posted on the blog of Jeffrey J. Kent, aka "Beans."

Bible As Poetry

This is a new translation of the New Testament in poetic form coming soon. It is due to be released in full next month. You can download a sample of Matthew in PDF for now. Visit Bible As Poetry for more information.

(sorry for the lack of entries and short entry today - taking my turn with the flu)

The Way New Testament

The full title of this one is The Way New Testament Wherever You Go There You Are by Heinz Duthel. It is available on Lulu.com where you can also see a preview. Looking through the preview, I began getting deja-vu. The introduction finally gave it away as being the Common Edition by Timothy Clontz (1999). However, this does not have Clontz's copyright. It has the copyright altered for Duthel with some other alterations to the introduction.

I do not know if this has been authorized by the original copyright holder or if it is a copyright violation. If anyone has contact information for Timothy Clontz, please let him know about this work.

Bible Stories in Cockney Rhyming Slang

I can't remember if I've mentioned the Bible Stories in Cockney Rhyming Slang by Keith Park. But even if I did, I'll mention it again to direct you to this video so you can hear what it sounds like.

New Bible revision in the works

I ran across this new Bible version which is in the works. It is the Word of Yahavah--KJV3. It is scheduled to be finished in January 2010. The website states the changes are as follows: "Original Hebrew words are used in place of LORD (YHVH-Yahavah) and God (Elohim or El as indicated). Old English grammar was not altered, except in rare instances for clarity and is consistent with other versions. Words such as thee, thou, couldst, wouldst, etc., were changed to current (2009) English spelling."

The Scriptures

The Scriptures, by the Institute for Scripture Research, has been updated for 2009. Visit the ISR for more information and a sample.

Retsored New Testament

Willis Barnstone has made a translation of the New Testament now called the Restored New Testament. It's available at Amazon.com. It includes the canonical books as well as the "gospel" of Thomas, Judas and Mary. Portions of this were previously published as "The New Covenant: Volume 1: The Four Gospels and Apocalypse. Amazon's description of the Restored New Testament is as follows: "From acclaimed scholar Willis Barnstone, The Restored New Testament—newly translated from the Greek and informed by Semitic sources. For the first time since the King James Version in 1611, Willis Barnstone has given us an amazing literary and historical version of the New Testament. Barnstone preserves the original song of the Bible, rendering a large part in poetry and the epic Revelation in incantatory blank verse. This monumental translation is the first to restore the original Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew names (Markos for Mark, Yeshua for Jesus), thereby revealing the Greco-Jewish identity of biblical people and places. Citing historical and biblical scholarship, he changes the sequence of texts and adds three seminal Gnostic gospels. Each book has elegant introductions and is thoroughly annotated. With its superlative writing and lyrical wisdom, The Restored New Testament is a magnificent biblical translation for our age."

Reader Friendly Edition Bible

A friend just e-mailed about a Bible I've not seen yet: The "Reader Friend Edition Bible" from Thomas Nelson. I can't find much information about it except that it came out this year. It is listed on ChristianBook.com where there is a short description. That description reads: "If you are new to reading, find reading difficult, or are learning English as a second language, this simply worded edition will open the door to comprehending God's Word. A faithful, accurate translation in clear, understandable language * Designed for every age and reading level."
Most other sites don't even have a description. I'll post more when I find out additional information.

Noahide Nazarene Bible

This version is just getting started. It is combined with commentary. Currently the author is working on Revelation and plans to turn to Daniel next. It is a revision of the World English Bible, Messianic Edition. I first read about it on his blog then found some chapters of Revelation at his main website.

Better Life Bible

In case you missed it (I did), the Better Life Bible is available for download in PDF on the "About Us" page. It is also available in print on Lulu.com

Massachusetts Bible Society and Internet Archive

Hopefully by now you've been visiting the Internet Archive. There are thousands (millions?) of books, movies and audio recordings there free for the downloading.

Recently there have been a great many posts on IA from a new source:

The Massachusetts Bible Society is scanning (or having scanned) many of the Bibles in their collection. You'll find most of the Bibles in English linked on my website. There are also many Bibles in other languages - too many to list. This is a great addition to the Internet Archive.

I will keep watch and try to post the English Bibles as they come available. There are many excellent Bibles now available - check them out!

Digital Book and Bible Archives

What are the repositories of Digital Books online? Here are a few, both facsimiles (digitized copies) and text format copies:

The Digital Christian Library

Europeana

Gallica, French National Library

Google Books

Internet Archive

Making of America Books

Project Gutenberg

Schoenberg Center for Electronic Text & Image

Universal Digital Library

Finally, http://www.ditext.com/etexts.html has a full page of links to sites that house digital books. Enjoy!

Digital Books...

If you are a reader, or just love books, then you should follow the debate going on about digitizing books: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8233324.stm

Google books is a huge project. They've got 1 million books on "full preview" and another million public domain. I've found links (available on my site) to 700 Bibles that can be downloaded for free (and that's not all). http://books.google.com

Internet Archive has different types of content (audio and video) but not as many books. I have found 190 different Bibles freely available for download. http://www.archive.org/.

I know a friend whose book is posted on Google Books as a "preview." Many times one can search and use his book (it is a reference) just as though one owned a copy. The preview is limited, but if it won't show the page you want today, simply try again tomorrow (the pages shown change from time to time).

It appears that the settlement is supposed to deal with this issue. But some question why the US Authors' Guild and the Association of American Publishers are assuming to speak for all published authors. And I wonder why my friend (who is the copyright owner of his work) had no say in this online publishing of his work!

For those of us who want to read out-of-copyright works, these online digital libraries are already a blessing. But clearly there are many ethical, legal and financial considerations in digitizing all the rest of the works.

Common English Bible sample verse

I haven't seen any samples of the upcoming Common English Bible. However, a comment on this blog has a tentative translation of Mark 8:33: “Get behind me, you devil! You think like a human being; that’s not the way God thinks.”

Another NIV is coming...

Yep, the producers of the NIV are at it again. Disappointed with results on the TNIV, they will be trying yet another rendition. I first read about it on USA Today. There is a little information on the new version's website, NIV Bible 2011.

The Committee on Bible Translation is still in charge. It will be published by Zondervan Publishing. And it is a production of Biblica. Who? Oh, that's what was formed when the International Bible Society and Send the Light merged. They were IBS-STL Global, then became known as Biblica.

Another interesting note: On the Biblica press release page, there is a short paragraph about the CBT. The link for more information leads to Michael Marlowe's Bible Research website.

John 1:1-18 Retranslated and Explained

Craig Bluemel retranslated John 1:1-18 as part of his Bible Answer Stand Ministry.

The Way to Yahuweh

Here is another translation (?) in the Amplified tradition. The author plans 3 different versions with decreasing degrees of amplification. A sacred name type version, it uses Yahushua for Jesus' name. Visit the author's website for more information.

Essential Bible Wisdom: Good News

This is a translation by John Howard Reid called Essential Bible Wisdom: Good News. It is a translation of the book of John.

Translation Pieces

Here are a translation of Matthew 2-5 and a paraphrase of Psalm 139 by John Squires.

One you probably don't have

If you are a Bible collector, I may have found one translation you don't have yet. It is a personal translation by Kenneth Johnston. He wrote about it on 43things.com.

GAV Bible

It must be new Bible Version week! Here is another project underway. This is being produced by Graham Gould. You can see his work on the GAV Bible blog. It is intended to be an amplified version.

Translating My Favorite Bible Passages

No, I'm not starting my own translation project. That's the title of a new work by Dr. Edwin Lee Vrell. It is for sale on Inkwater Books. There isn't much information there and no sample verses.

MAS Translation

Mark Shepherd has started his own translation of the New Testament. So far he has finished revelation. You can download his work here or here.

Kata Mattyah

Here is a new translation of the Book of Matthew called Kata Mattyah. It is translated from the Hebraic New Testament of Yahshua the Messiah according to the Matthew page. However, this page indicates it was "Translated from 3rd Century Sinaitic Manuscript (א) and Diligently Compared with the Anderson New Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, Aramaic Peshitta, and Nestlé-Aland 26 Greek Text: For Readers of the English Language." Translated by Jackson H. Snyder.

Bible Illuminated

If you were curious about the "Bible Illuminated" which uses "The Book" or the "Good News Bible" which is also known as "Today's English Version." It is filled with pictures (many of which aren't directly relevant to the text). But, you can download a sample and examine it for yourself. Visit Bible Illuminated.

Conservative Bible

A new Bible project is now on the Conservapedia website. It is called the Conservative Bible Project. It is a revision of the King James Version (Authorised Version). Some of the revisions are available on the Conservative Bible Page. It isn't immediately clear to me if it is part of the Bible Retranslation Project. Anyone know the answer to that one?

Theodore Haak Bible

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the facsimile of the Dutch Annotations Upon the Whole Bible by Theodore Haak? I had to sell my only copy a couple years ago and now would like to get another one.

RSV-CE

The RSV Catholic edition has been put online at this site.

Book Review: Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions

Nelson's Illustrated Guide to Religions: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Religions of the World
by James A. Beverley (Thomas Nelson,2009)

I have read several books that cover the world religions. This was the first I've read from a Christian viewpoint. As I read the introduction I began getting the feeling I would not like the book. It first sounded like a lecture on how we should view world religions. I got the feeling the writer assumed I was simple minded and ignorant about world religions in general.

However, when I began reading the descriptions themselves, my opinion changed. I found that the author engaged world religions from a Christian viewpoint in a way that challenged me. He also showed how each religion varied from Biblical Christianity. Understanding these differences is critical in helping us understand our neighbors of different religions.

Some of the book spent too much time on what seemed to me to be irrelevant details. The discussion about who in Hollywood follows the Dalai Lama was not useful to me. I found the long section on Tibet and its history were also unhelpful. Information on the various Buddhist leaders did help me to differentiate between the various groups. The lengthy section on the Branch Davidians should have be shorted into a sub-section under Davidian Adventism.

The book presents many resources using timelines, more information tables and references to other works. It does not read like an encyclopedia. One can simply turn to a specific religion and read that entry. But that entry is written in a more engaging style than a list of facts.

This work is very up-to-date. I was especially helped by the discussion of the issue of violence in relation to Islam. The role of women and an overview of the Quran were both good as well. It was refreshing to read a reference of this type that clearly was informed about the religions of today.

This guide might be well used as for a Bible study group dealing with world religions. It would be quite possible to use it as the primary text. It is also quite good for personal study. I might not recommend it as a primary, authoritative reference on world religions.

(This post is done as part of the Nelson Book Review Bloggers. Visit their site to discover how you can get copies of books to review.)

What do you think?

OK, this isn't really new (it was published in 2005). But how would you categorize this one? Is it a new version?

Here's what the author has done: He took the Hebrew text of Daniel and reversed it...letter for letter backwards. Then he translates the resulting Hebrew text into English.

It is called the "Linear Bible Code." An example of reversing and translating is here. This was done by Gustav Mahler. I assume this is not the same person as the composer.

Visit Linear Bible Code: The Secret Book of Daniel Revealed for more explanation, samples from the text and information about other books of the Bible that Mahler is working on.

New Project

There is a new project underway to produce a new version of the Bible. It is called the Bible Retranslation Project. Debate about it is ongoing on the Talk Page.

Douay/Rheims - Challoner Editions

I've started a new section of my links collection on my website. Click on LINKS or visit the links directly. The new section (DRC Bibles) contains links to facsimiles of Douay/Rheims - Challoner editions of the Bible.

Logos Bible Giveaway

Logos software is giving away several Bibles each month. For details on entering see the ad below.

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Logos Bible Software is celebrating the launch of their new online Bible by giving away 72 ultra-premium print Bibles at a rate of 12 per month for six months. The Bible giveaway is being held at Bible.Logos.com and you can get up to five different entries each month! After you enter, be sure to check out Logos and see how it can revolutionize your Bible study.

Spirit of Prophecy Version

The Spirit of Prophecy Version has been updated (last month) with several new books.

Torah Version in Progress

Here is a version of the Torah in progress, it is called the Hebrew Transliterated and English Translated Torah.

Facebook Group on Bible Versions

If you are a facebook user, you might be interested in this group, Bible Versions Debate and Discussions.

Holy Bible - Lighthouse Version

Here is a new version of the Bible. It is an update of the language in the KJV. The Holy Bible - Lighthouse Version is edited by David Plaisted. For more information read his blog entry or visit lulu.com for free downloads or to purchase print versions.

Pioneers' NT corrections

The Pioneers' NT is going to receive some corrections. You can read this list at the Pioneers' NT site. The PDF will be updated soon, but probably isn't yet.

MacDonald's Idiomatic Translation

This is a call for help...in getting a couple Scripture quotes. If you have access to Bibleworks 8 - I have a favor to ask. There is a new Bible version in Bibleworks 8 that isn't available anywhere else (yet). It is MacDonald's Idiomatic Translation. If someone could send me John 14:6 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17 I would be much obliged. Update:

The best email to request the Idiomatic Translation by Dr. William G.MacDonald is: oldmacdonald7@gmail.com Hope that helps! Grace and Peace, Laurie MacDonald.

Non Ecclesiastical New Testament

Frank Daniels has a new website for his Non Ecclesiastical New Testament. It is now available in print for $70 and in a PDF for $10. I don't know yet if this is updated from his 2007 third edition.

Geocities and the New Anglo Saxon Bible

I read in a forum that Geocities will be closing in October of this year. Any Bibles that are hosted there will have to be relocated or lost.

One of those is the New Anglo Saxon Bible. He has already relocated to a very nice looking new website. It also sounds like work may pick up again on this interesting project!

Hebraic Roots Bible

Somehow, I missed this one till Bill Chamberlin showed me a copy at the Bible Museum. It is the Hebraic Roots Bible by Don Esposito. Don was raised Catholic, joined the Worldwide Church of God, then started the Congregation of YHWH, Jerusalem. The church's website has a download for a PDF copy of the Bible.

The Truth New Testament

Here is a new translation of the New Testament for this year. It is called "The Truth New Testament." It was translated by Colin Urquhart. More information about it can be found at the Kingdom Faith website. Some sample pages and an audio reading by Urquhart are available there as well.

Great Versions Listing

I just got an e-mail from Steven DeRose about his page, List of English Bible Versions. His page lists Bible versions chronologically and includes the version name, the translator(s), contents, the language, source, publisher, copyright, ISBN, links, affiliation and has notes for each version. There has obviously been a lot of research put into this site - go take a look for yourself!

Holy Scriptures Translated Version

An update on yesterday's post about the Judaean Bible by Perry Peña: It has the JPS 1917 text with a slightly modified HSTV New Testament. The title page lists the New Testament as "The Bound Up Testamony [sic] of the Torah Sealed Disciples of Rabbi Joshua". The HSTV is the "Holy Scriptures Translated Version." It is also available on Lulu.com (free download as well) by clicking here.

Judaean Bible

Bill Chamberlin deserves the credit for finding this one: The Judaean Bible by Perry Pena. It is being offered on Lulu.com in print or in a free downloadable PDF. The description given is: "This Bible is a strictly Jewish based RE-translation of the Scriptures which Christianity labels the "Old Testament" and the "New Testament". The Tanakh of this Bible is a reprint of the 1917 Jewish Publication Society's Tanakh, a translation now in the public domain. The Apostolic writings are also RE-translated through their orthodox Jewish and synagogue centered lens. The Second Temple period writings have had the stigma of a "New Testament" removed from them as their composition was never intended to be considered this by those who composed them. Copyright is held on the RE-translation of the Apostolic Scriptures of this volume. In honor of the history involved in this translation this Bible is called the Judean Bible. Judea was the name of the Messiah expectant Jewish kingdom during the second temple period, a period in which the last of these writings were composed."

Neat feature on Google Books

I haven't noticed this before - Google has a "clip" feature when reading one of the digitized books on Google Books. This allows you to select a portion of a page then gives you either the text (for pasting in a word processor, etc), a link to the selection image or the code to embed the image. For instance, here is the first paragraph of The First Mortgage by E. U. Cook.

Original King James Version

I frequent a local store that sells (and trades) used Christian books. Today I ran across a Bible that intrigues me. The title page says it is "Original King James Version." It has a trademark symbol next to the word "Original." (View the title page here.) Upon getting it home, I remembered and verified that I have a pocket NT called the "Shoeleather New Testament" that has the same designation on the title page. However, I cannot find out any information about what version/edition of the KJV they used. Neither Bible offers any information about the version itself. If you have heard of it or know how to contact Dugan Publishers, Inc - I would love to hear from you!

New Simplified Bible

There is ongoing work being done on the New Simplified Bible. There is now a Jehovah Version, a LORD version, a Yahwist version and a research version. The first three refer to what name is used for God's name. The last is a combination of the NSB dictionary and the Bible.

American Folk Gospel / American Koine Version

In 1999 (copyright date) Thomas E. Q. Williams edited a volume known as The American Folk Gospel. It contained a New Testament by Ben Johnson called the The American Koine Version. It can be found on Archive.org's wayback machine here.

Bible Sets

I've added several volumes of the Century Bible to my Bible sets list.

New View Old Testament

This is a new book, "How Often Would I Have Gathered You," by Val D. Greenwood. It contains 229 Old Testament stories written in "clear modern English for adult and young adult Latter-day Saints." Visit Greenwood's site at New View Old Testament.

Internet Archive Problems

One of the great digitized Bible and book resources on the world wide web is the Internet Archive. Unforunately, someone has found a way to flood the newer listings with entries for pornography. Even the listings themselves are offensive. You may not see them in your searches unless you click "Date Added" which will sort the entries with the most recently added first. Here's a work around until things get fixed over there - add "NOT sex" to your search. (So when searching for Bibles type "Bible NOT sex" or click this link for newest Bible listings and this one for newest New Testament listings.

Matthew's Bible 1537

Doing my rounds this morning, I came across a notice at the Bible Versions Discussion Board that may interest you. Hendrickson Publishers will be releasing a 1537 Matthew's Bible in June of 2009. It will be available in hardback and leatherbound. Unfortunately, it will only be 7 x 10 inches. Here's Hendrickson's page on this new version. They've got a free sample (PDF) of the Introduction and one chapter. It is available for pre-order at Amazon.com and I'm sure it will be available at other sellers.

Interview with a Bible Hunter

Interview with a Bible Hunter

I am pleased today to present to you an interview with William J. Chamberlin, author of the CATALOGUE OF ENGLISH BIBLE TRANSLATIONS: A Classified Bibliography of Versions and Editions Including Books, Parts, and Old and New Testament Apocrypha and Apocryphal Books. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1991. His work is the most complete reference on English Bible versions. He is a Bible Collector, Bible Hunter, Museum Curator and much more. This is your chance to discover something more about him and his work.



INTRODUCTION
Bradford:      Hello, Mr. Chamberlin. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. You'd prefer I not call you Mr. Chamberlin, right?
William: Thanks right. Mr. Chamberlin, my father, died several years ago. Please call me Bill.



COLLECTING
Bradford:      Obviously you are interested in Bibles. How long have you been a collector?
Bill:      I started collecting in 1969 (40 years ago). It started when I was shopping at an old dusty used book store in Toledo. I came across volume one of the Thomas Scott Bible dated 1816. What attracted it to me was a Sprague family record that was near the front. I purchased it for $3. This then led me to the National Archives to obtain the war record for one of the sons mentioned in the Bible. He died in a battle located at Washington, NC where 9 men died. I still had no idea if he was from the North or the South. After receiving his war record, I placed a small article in the Toledo Blade newspaper about the Sprague family. A lady called me and said she can prove beyond any doubt that she was related. To make a long story short, I ended up with the only copy of the Canfield family tree completed in 1854. The root of the tree went back to 1340 and gave the history of how the family name evolved from DePhillo to Canfield. The Tree was beautiful being approximately 24 inches by 36 inches. Emily L. Sprague, the mother in the Bible, was a Canfield and was listed on one of the branches.
     So, I started to look for old Bibles with family records. It didn't take long for me to notice that in some of the Bibles I purchased, the text was easier to read than others. This really appealed to me and so I started to search for old Bibles for that purpose - a better understanding of what the Scriptures were telling me. One of the older Bibles I purchased had a notation in the back with a small list of Bibles for sale and contact information for Walter Coslet. I contacted him which started a very long friendship. It turned out that Mr. Coslet had the largest private collection in this country. He was instrumental in my becoming a serious collector.

Bradford:      Some might want to ask, "do you have all these Bibles in your collection?"
Bill:      No, I do not have all the versions listed in my book. There must be 10,000 of them listed in my book.

Bradford:      How many versions do you have?
Bill:      I collect only English versions- I now have 2,080+/- versions. This adds up to approximately 3,000 volumes when counting the multi volumes sets, the 1st, 2rd and 3rd editions, the revised edition, etc. This doesn't include the digitized Bibles, which number approximately 1,963 versions plus approximately 475 online only versions I have downloaded onto my computer.

Bradford:      One question I imagine people ask you a lot is "what is your favorite version of the Bible?" or "What is the best version?"
Bill:      I believe as the original 1611 KJV translators stated in the "To the Readers", "We do not deny, nay we affirm and avow, that the very meanest translation of the Bible in English... containeth the word of God, nay, is the word of God." Therefore, I don't have a favorite for I use ALL of them in my studies.
     No perfect translation, version, or edition of the Bible exists. All translators tend to lean towards their own religious beliefs when choosing the words they use in their translations, including the KJV. The KJV was to support the doctrines of the Church of England.
     There are many accurate Bibles or should I say, there are some Bibles with only a few errors, in existence today. In fact, I would suggest that most Bibles today have a high level of accuracy. Some inaccuracies that have slipped through have been discussed more than others here and there. EVERY BIBLE VERSION HAS SOME INACCURACIES.
     However, we can consider nearly every Bible version as accurate, as long as we understand what kind of Bible version we are using and who the targeted readers are. In addition, we need to know who the translators are and their background, both educational and religious, and then watch for the areas where they chose to use a word which was influence by their religious tradition in their translating.
     That should explain why my collection includes 275 Bible bibliographies, books describing various versions and, in most cases, supplying information on the translators and editors as well.

Bradford:      What is the most unusual translation you have ever seen?
Bill:      Dr. Dymond's New Testament. It has never been published, however, I own the original manuscript which was done on the back side of scratch paper (8.5" x 11") cut in half. It's an expanded translation with a lot of material added in order to make it more understandable. He also used a lot of space-age words in the translation. I do treasure this manuscript. I do have other original English translation manuscripts, but this one is unusual. I also have the KJV N.T. hand-printed on scrolls where each book is on it's own scroll, thus, 27 scrolls making up this copy of the KJV.
Bradford:      You and I came up with a term for what we do. Want to tell everyone what that is?
Bill:      Bible Hunters. We search out any and all digitized English versions we can find on the world wide web. Some of the Internet sites are free and others have a yearly fee where old books can be found. Since Microsoft's old books database was shut down due to pressure from used bookstores, I believe its just a matter of time before more will give in or will start charging a fee for every book downloaded. Thus, a true Bible Hunter, and I only know of two, will spent a lot of time searching for English versions of the Bible and parts thereof and then download them.
     I have found approximately 475 English versions that can ONLY be found on the Internet. These need to be downloaded immediately, as you find them, for web sites come and go daily for various reasons. Once a site with a non-published Bible version shuts down it may be lost forever. My book was completed before things like books began to appear on the Internet.
     (Editor's note: You can get a very good start on that digital collection by visiting my links page at the Bible Reader's Museum and my blog about new and interesting Bible versions.)


Bradford:      You really aren't just a collector. I know you are also a Bible reader. Would you share with us what Bible(s) you've read?
Bill:      There are too many to list. I have a list which I stopped updating several years ago. From 1969 to 2006 I read 13 complete Bibles, 27 New Testaments, 7 Old Testaments, and parts from over 2,000 translations of single books of the English Bible. The only reason I made the list was that I did not want to read the same translation more than once until I had read every one in my collection.

Bradford:      Why have you read so many different versions?
Bill:      I have no desire to be bogged down in the technicalities of the original languages even if the original autographs were to be found. Variant translations seem the ideal way of understanding the opinions of what was originally written, though there is no full equivalency to be expected between languages. Therefore, we need translations that better reveal how the original expressed itself (literal), translations that express the thought that the translator "understood" and paraphrases which bring out the opinions of what scholars conclude was understood by the original readers. This being the case, we can rely on God's Holy Spirit to guide us in our study of God's written Word. And new translations can help us in our studies.
Bradford:      Do you have any recommendations for people interested in the history of the English Bible?
Bill:      The history of the English Bible is a very interesting adventure. There are a lot of good books in print that deal with the history of the Bible. One can start with my book. Then they could add the following: The English Bible in America by Margaret Hills, 1962; Historical Catalogue of Printed Editions of the English Bible by A.S. Herbert, 1968; A Visual History of the English Bible by Donald L. Brake, 2008; The English Bible; a History of Translations by F. F. Bruce, 1961; The Bible in English. Its History and Influence. By David Daniell, 2003.
     Now, if one would like to go a step further into the history of the English Bible, then reading about the translators can really build up one's faith. The following books can be most helpful in this regard; English Language Bible Translators. William E. Paul. Mcfarland & Co., 2003; The Forbidden Book. Lollard House, Shippensburg, PA, 1992; Bible Editions & Versions. International Society of Bible Collectors Quarterly journal; The Indestructible Book. The Bible, It's Translators, and Their Sacrifices. W. Kenneth Connolly. Baker Books, 1996.

Bradford:      What about advice for beginning Bible collectors?
Bill:      Start with modern translations where there are a couple hundred available. Then, as your collection begins to grow in size, start adding older versions. Just remember that not all Bible collectors have a large number of volumes. Either way, you will need to be patient and don't give up. Remember that collecting in itself does not mean must, but reading and understanding what you are reading is most important. It can lead one to a very close relationship with your God.



EXPERIENCE
Bradford:      Rather that list every job you've had - was there one that stands out as a favorite?
Bill:      I actually had two favorite jobs. I loved my job as editor of my church's Sunday, 12 page bulletin. This job was very rewarding to me. I also loved my job as a Project Manager, where I was solely responsible for projects up to $10 million. This was an exciting job with new challenges every day.

Bradford:      You have also studied for the ministry, specifically chaplaincy, is that correct?
Bill:      Not exactly correct. I studied at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit to become ordained in the Catholic Church as a Deacon receiving three levels of degrees in Pastoral Ministry. However, because of my handicap I dropped out 6 weeks before ordination. As a Layperson, I could do anything a Deacon could and I did.
Bradford:      Were you called to work as a chaplain, then?
Bill:      One was NOT related to the other. My education at the seminary was for the purpose of ordination in the Catholic Church as a Deacon, a clergyman and the lowest position in the hierarchy; the highest is a Bishop and the lowest is a Deacon.
     I started as Chaplain at the hospital before I started going to the seminary. In fact, I was the only Lay chaplain at the hospital where I served for 14 years. I received training at the hospital's Chaplain's office in Pastoral Care of the Ill. It consisted of approximately 2 hours a session with about 12 sessions. I also rec'd training at the seminary in Pastoral Care of the Ill.

Bradford:      What was it like for you being a Chaplain?
Bill:      The first 8 years at the hospital was as a chaplain on call for Crisis Intervention, usually where death was pending or had taken place. Its was not an easy ministry. It was rewarding work for me. I learned how to pray with people from all faiths both Christian & non-Christian. Let me related to you why I stopped my ministry in Crisis Intervention.
     One evening, I was called to the hospital for a 17 day old baby that died. The baby had never been out of the hospital and the parents had never held their baby boy. I got to the hospital just before the parents, both sets of grandparents and some aunts & uncles. It was a very difficult time. I got the idea to ask the parents if they would like to hold and rock their baby for the first and last time. They said, "Yes, is that possible?" So, I asked the nurses to dress the baby boy. I got a rocking chair and brought it into a private office. The parents, and all the family members there each took a turn at rocking the boy.
     One of the grandmothers ask me if I would do the funeral. I asked them which faith they were, if any. I was told Catholic. Since I was also Catholic, I had to ask for permission from the Catholic priest responsible for the area where the hospital was located. He knew me well and gave permission. (As I had previously stated, I can do anything a Deacon can do even though I was not ordained. All I need to do is to ask for permission.). The funeral was held at a chapel located at the cemetery. Over 200 people came to the service. It was a very hard time for me - here was this tiny casket and all were in tears after my sermon for I started out my sermon by confronting the parents with their anger with God for taking their baby. I used the Bible to show them that death is the result of sin and who was really responsible for sin and the death of their child. I showed them how even God was crying with them over the lost of the boy. As the sermon progressed I showed them the love that God has for all of us with his providing a means for all of us to receive salvation through His son, Jesus. Well anyway, from that time onward, I changed to bedside ministry.


MEMBERSHIPS
Bradford:      Do you belong to any organizations related to Bibles, collecting or the study of Bibles?
Bill:      I belong to a few:
     I am President & curator for the Bible Museum & Biblical Research Foundation located in Clarkston, MI.
     I am Vice President for the International Society of Bible Collectors.
     I am a member of the four different Bible Translation Discussion groups on the Internet.

Bradford:      How long have you been a member of the International Society of Bible Collectors?
Bill:      I have been a member of the ISBC since around 1969 or 1970. So, its been approximately 40 years.

Bradford:      What is your role with the ISBC?
Bill:      I am Vice President. I help to set the ISBC's goals along with the Executive Committee. I chair the Executive Committee when the President is not available, etc.

Bradford:      As an officer in the ISBC, what is your hope for its future?
Bill:      My hope for the ISBC is growth in membership and, maybe someday, ownership in their own building.



MUSEUM
Bradford:      You also have a Bible museum. Describe that for us?
Bill:      First of all, I built a special building (24 feet x 28 feet) behind my modest home. The building is well insulated but has no drywall or paneling Most of the walls are covered by bookcases anyway. Of course I have electricity in the building, thus lights, a dehumidifier and overhead fans but no heat (this keeps book worms out). It has 9 foot high walls so standard 8 foot boards can be used to build bookcases. All books are on bookcases not in glass cases like other museums. I want the books to be used. (I do not allow anyone to handle the Bibles unless they wear surgeon's gloves. They protect the old paper from body oil & acid.) Museum hours are by appointment only.

Bradford:      What was your goal in forming the museum?
Bill:      There were several reasons for setting up the museum. First, I wanted to preserve old Bibles. Then I wanted to make them available to all who might be interested in God's Written Word.

Bradford:      What is the oldest Bible in the museum?
Bill:      1582 Rheims N.T. (An incomplete copy.)

Bradford:      How many volumes are in the collection?
Bill:      Approximately 2,080 hard copy versions which add up to 3,000 volumes, approximately 1,963 digitized versions which add up to 2,600 digitized volumes, and 475 online only versions. One word of explanation about the online only versions. I have downloaded most revised copies of each and for those that were in progress I downloaded enough revisions of each so as to put together an evolution of any given translation with all the changes made to them over a period of time.


Bradford:      What about donations to the museum, are they tax deductible?
Bill:      Donations to the museum are tax deductible. It doesn't matter if the donations are books or money, a tax receipt is issued to the donor.

Bradford:      What kinds of Bibles, Books or other things does the museum need?
Bill:      The museum needs Bible versions from the 1500s. However, it will accept any Bibles, for the museum is allowed to sell its duplicates and use the money for Bibles they do need. The museum needs original English translation manuscripts, whether published or unpublished. The museum also needs old Bible bibliographies and books on the history of the English Bible.
     The museum is also in need of any artifacts from the Holy Land. The museum does have a couple of very neat items. It owns a handle from one of the containers that held a Dead Sea Scroll. In addition, it has a piece of tile from Masada, and a large tile (6" x 6" x 0.5" thick) from an old temple, and an oil lamp from the time of Jesus.



BILL'S STUDIES
Bradford:      What motivated you to begin this study of English Bible versions?
Bill:      My need for a written "want list" of Bibles that I didn't have in my collection motivated me to started the research. It grew and grew in size to the point I thought if I needed a list like this then so would others. That is what started my adventure. I saw where my research could turn into a bibliography such as had never been done before. Almost all of the bibliographies I had in my collection list complete Bibles, Old Testaments and New Testaments with little said about parts of the Bible (single books) and none had listed any single chapters or single verses. I wanted my book to include everything.
     I did a lot of traveling as a Project Manager. Every place I went I looked up all the libraries in that area. I spent hours, days, and sometimes weeks going through each and every book in their religious book sections. I would look at every book to see if the author used a common translation for their scripture quotes or did their own translating. I went through stacks of old & new religious magazines searching articles for new translations of the scriptures or parts of scripture. The result of all this work is in my book.

Bradford:      Have advances in computer technology helped or hindered your work?
Bill:      Computers have both hindered and helped with my work. When I started my research back in 1968-69, there were no Internet databases containing Bibles. All my research was done in libraries. Now the computer, through the Internet, provides much more bibliographical material on old Bibles than all the libraries I spent so much time searching.
     It has been a hindrance in the fact the only true Bible Hunters, I know, keep coming up daily with Bible versions to either add to my book, or to expand from a short title to the full title, or to help add to the publication history of many entries in my book. Many of the old Bible bibliographies I used for the first edition of my book had short titles for the versions they were describing. This was often the only information available, and so, I used that information for lack of anything else. The actual hindrance is that it seems that there is NO end to the gathering of new data for the book. When & how do I stop?

Bradford:      What changes would you like to see in terms of technological resources relating to Bibles?
Bill:      I would like to see ALL old Bibles that are in libraries (even private libraries) digitized and put on the Internet for our use. Many are not made accessible even when they are well beyond the copyright laws. All books older than 1923 are no longer under the copyright laws and should be available for anyone to read and/or download for offline use.

Bradford:      You have been studying Bibles for many years. Have you noticed trends in Bible versions?
Bill:      Yes, there have been some that most people most likely would not even notice.
     The first one that most people are not aware of is the fact the KJV, from 1611 through the mid-1800s most always contained the Apocrypha. Then, for the next 100 years, it was a very rare version that contained it. Since about 1950 many Bibles now include the Apocrypha again. Some of the most well-known versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, have the Apocrypha. Catholic Bibles have always contained the Apocrypha.
     The second one deals with a form of God's name. Even though the Hebrew Scriptures have always had God's name over 6800 times, most old Bibles used God's name just a few times, if at all. The form of God's name used up until, I believe, 1895 was Jehovah, an English name that first came into use in the 1300s. Since about 1895 the form of God's name that became most popular was Yahweh. In the last few years, a lot of "Name" Bible versions have come into existence.

Bradford:      Have you done things to help future generations study these Bibles the way you have (aside from the obvious resource of your published book)?
Bill:      I am sorry to say that the only thing I have done is to preserve 2,080 or so English translations/versions in my museum. After I am no longer living here on the earth, the Bible Museum and collection will be passed on to the International Society of Bible Collectors. Since the ISBC does not have their own building in order to house the collection (which consists of more than just Bible versions) I am trying to locate an institution which would house it for the ISBC. In addition, I would give them around 4,000 religious books (this includes approximately 400 books dealing with creation/evolution) that are not a part of the Bible Museum. I don't want my life's work shut away in some room where it can not be used.

Bradford:      Have you written any other publications as a result of your study?
Bill:      Yes, I have written a booklet and about 50 or so articles that have been published in magazines, journals, news papers, etc. I have also put out a regular column for the ISBC's journal. I am also going to have a Bibliography of Bible Bibliographies ready for publication, hopefully by the end of the year.




CATALOGUE OF ENGLISH BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
Bradford:      Your book contains an amazing number of Bible versions. How long did you work on the book (once you knew you would be writing a book)?
Bill:      I worked for 23 years (every day of the week even if only for a few hours), which included 4 years to type it for I type with just two fingers and still do.

Bradford:      How in the world did you ever find all those different versions?
Bill:      I found them though a lot of time and patience. I never gave up on the project. Since I wanted to produce something that had never been done before, I collected Bible bibliographies, other collector's lists of what they had, I was given a card file 72 inches long that contained a lot of Bible versions, a lot of entries from the letters Walter Coslet and I exchanged over the 25 years or so that we communicated before he died. (I don't throw anything away.) Finally, through a lot of "leg work", I was able to put together seven - 3" notebooks full of possible entries for my book. They would include stick-ons, photocopies of titles page data, hand-written notes from small note pads I carried with me every where I went.

Bradford:      How much time did you spend in libraries?
Bill:      23 years in all. Some days I was in a library all day. Then there were times it took me a week or more in given library. The most time I spent at any one library was every day for a month. Since I traveled a lot as a project manager, I would go to the library after 2 pm until they closed and then I would go for a late supper. I would spend every hour I could find to do research in a library. None of this time was taken away from my family for I was gone anyway on business, that's not saying that my family didn't give up some of their time with me for they did.

Bradford:      Some of us know about Herbert's and Hills' Bible bibliographies. But how many Bible bibliographies did you use to do your work?
Bill:      Maybe 200 of them were used for that is all I had at the time.

Bradford:      What other resources did you use?
Bill:      I mentioned most of them previously, however, there are a couple I did not mentioned and will now.

General Catalog of Printed Books: Photolithographic Edition to 1955. London:
   Published by the Trustees of the British Museum, 1965.
     Vol. 17 Bible; Complete Bible - O.T.
     Vol. 18 Bible; --N.T.
     Vol. 19 Bible; --Appendix
Library of Congress Catalogs; National Union Catalog, vol. 2, pages 234 to 595, 1983.
Library of Congress Catalogs; National Union Catalog, 1956 through 1967, vol. 12, pages 6 to 192
Brown University Library Catalog, approximately 1,000 photocopy pages.
Catalog of Books Contained in the Library of the American Bible Society, Embracing Editions of the Holy Scriptures in Various Languages, 1855, 1863, & 1870.
Historical Catalogue of the Printed Editions of the Holy Scriptures in the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society Compiled by T. H. Darlow and H. F. Moule. 4 Vols. London: British and Foreign Bible Society, 1903-1911. (Vol. 3)

Bradford:      What do you like best about your book? What would you change if you did it all over again?
Bill:      What do I like best? That's a hard question for me to answer. I guess maybe it's comprehensiveness (complete Bibles down to single verses in some obscure religious magazine).
     I would like to change the type of font and the size of the font. This was dictated to me by the publisher. It was Courier type font which every single letter takes up the exact same amount of space. In other words, the "i" takes the same amount of space as a "w." Then they limited me to the max number of pages. I went over by a hundred pages. To get down to that, I had to remove a lot of annotations.


Bradford:      Bill, your published book is really the second best resource on English Bible versions, isn't it? (I'm referring of course to the upcoming new book.)
Bill:      You are counting your chickens before they are hatched aren't you?

Bradford:      Guilty! But is something in the works?
Bill:      Yes, I am in the process of completing a two companion Bible Bibliographies. One volume will contain the canonical books (those that were, at one time or another, considered canonical) and the other will contain the Pseudepigrapha (non-canonical books O.T. & N.T.) books.
     I know you are wondering why not two volumes? Well, I had numerous people say they would purchase a copy of my book if it did not include books that are not scripture. They are the same ones who will not purchase a Bible if it contains the Apocrypha. (Even though the Apocrypha were in the first edition of the KJV all the way up to the mid-1800s.) Because I really don't want to offend anyone and because of the size of the first book, I decided to separate them. I am not even calling them volume one and volume two. They will be entirely separate one from the other, and so, I am referring to them as companion books.
     I guess I would not mind if there was a third companion book. It would sort of tie them all together. My Bibliography of Bible Bibliographies.

Bradford:      Any idea when can we will see it published?
Bill:      I am doing everything I can to get it them published this year. Sometime I will need to draw a line and say "stop." I do need to find another publisher and I need to work on it first.

Bradford:      What will be the volumes of your next work?
Bill:      Hopefully, there will be only one volume - the canonical books of the Bible (those that were at one time considered canonical). Then after that or even at the same time, its companion book with non-canonical Bible books will get published.


Bradford:      Has much changed since 1991, when Catalogue of English Bible Translations was published?
Bill:      I guess one can say that if one wants to include the fact that:

1. Hundreds of new entries have been added,
2. Many, many short titles have been replaced with full titles,
3. Many of the unknown dates have been replaced with actual dates,
4. It now contains hundreds of new listings of "Online Only" versions which have never been published and may never be published and where they were located on the Internet at one time or another. (I have downloaded all of them.),
5. It will also include unpublished English manuscripts.

     In my revised book, I was able to save 25% of the space by using Times New Roman font. (I hope the next publisher will accept the font I have used this time around.) I need the added space. After removing the Pseudepigrapha (non-canonical) books, and adding the newer versions since 1991, the enlarging of many of the short titles, the adding of the older versions I did not know anything about back in 1991, my book is back up to 1,022 pages and I am not done yet.
     In fact, the changes are so numerous that the book may be published as a new book and not as a 2nd edition.

Bradford:      How many new Bibles versions do you think will be added?
Bill:      I have no idea. I can say, though, there are approximately 400 additional pages.

Bradford:      Will this next book(s) be it? Will you have gotten all the Bible versions listed?
Bill:      Absolutely not. As long as we have new Bible versions coming out each year and as long as older versions are being found, there will be the need for new "next edition." The one thing I have learned over the last 17 yrs since the 1st edition, is that I most likely will never have all Bible versions listed. In just the last two years I have discovered parts of 7 original manuscripts which have not been published. These works deserve to be listed as well. One of them is almost all of Paul's writings, five are parts of the Book of Job, and one is part of the Song of Songs all done by different translators. They are all a labor of love. So, will I ever have all listed? NO!

Bradford:      If this study never ends, how did you decide in 1991 that it was time to publish?
Bill:      In 1990, I decided to see if there would be any interest in this type of book. I knew I could make it useful to anyone with a question about a English Bible versions, but, would a publisher see what I envisioned. So, I sent out six samples and got back five rejections saying the subject matter was not what they publish. I also received a letter back from the New York Public Library who use to be in the publishing business. In it, they stated that I should sent a sample copy to Greenwood Press and that they were sure that Greenwood would give it "the serious consideration it deserved." Before I got a sample put together, I received a letter from Greenwood requesting a copy. Their letter seem to say that they were going to publish it even though unseen. Evidently, the New York Public Library contacted them directly and based on that they decided to publish it.
     This time, I waited until the 1st edition had run its course. All the published copies were sold and now it is only published upon demand. So it is time for an even more comprehensive listing of English Bible Versions & Editions. Maybe this time, it could be advertised not only as a Bible Bibliography, but, a book that could be used for a history of the English language and also for the history of the English Bible.      You know, most people and some collectors believe that Wycliffe translated the first scripture into English. That is not technically true as can be seen from my book. Wycliffe was the first to translate the first complete Bible into English but from the Latin and not the original languages.

CONCLUSION
Bradford:      How can people get in touch with you?
Bill:      The Bible Museum & Biblical Research Foundation      6413 Snow Apple Drive      Clarkston, MI 48346-2455      U.S.A. E-mail: research87@biblemuseum.org or Research87@yahoo.com
Bradford:      Bill, thank you for giving us your time and answering all these questions.
Bill:      I consider it an honor that you had asked me to do this interview. Thank you and may God bless you.

Bradford:      I'm going to give you the last word. Anything else you'd like to say?
Bill:      I pray that my life's work will help some young people to develop an appreciation of God's written Word. May it encourage some to begin to collect the hard work of the many God loving English translators and editors of the Bible. My hope is that they will become more than just collectors, but, real lovers of God's Written Word as we have it in our English language. This, then, can lead to the glory & praise of our heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior.
      Only then will the full purpose of my Bible Bibliography be fulfilled.
Amen.

More links, and a couple sets

I've been blessed with some extra time to search out links for Bibles. Right now I'm concentrating on Google Books. Next I may turn to Internet Archive. I've also added a couple things to the Sets page: The Polychrome Bible and the International Critical Commentary.

Another Peshitta Translation Project

This is another translation of the Peshitta being done by Rick Wills of Wellsprings of Torah. Matthew was made available in 2005 - no other books are on the site.

MacDonald Idiomatic Translation Bible

I haven't heard of this one yet. It is included with Bibleworks 8. If anyone is fortunate enough to afford this fine software, could you send information along about this version? So far, I find no mention of it except on pages about Bibleworks.

Spirit of Prophecy Version

This is a literal translation called the Spirit of Prophecy Version. The introduction on the website gives the reason for a new version of the Bible: "The main reason for producing a new Bible translation is to finally have a translation that, for the first time in history since the time of the prophet Daniel, corresponds with the present truth." PDF downloads of the translation (still in process) are available.

Expanded Bible: New Testament Update

The Expanded Bible: New Testament is indeed based on the New Century Version (I'd have known that yesterday if I'd read the introduction). The introduction says it is a "modified version" of the NCV. Since William Chamberlin and I both need to catalog this new work properly, I looked for differences. I found several with the briefest of searches. I did not consider the bracketed expansions. One such example is found in Matthew 5:3 (I've removed the expansions here):

NCV Those people who know they have great spiritual needs are happy
EB-NT They are blessed who realize their spiritual poverty

I'm not trying to establish any theories or complaints - just to properly categorized the base text.

Expanded Bible New Testament

Late again! This one was announced on April 30th. I just read about it at Fredericksbug Church of Christ blog. This is a new Bible version from Thomas Nelson. The New Testament is ready and available in a PDF download. It is much like the Amplified Bible in its format. One blog reports that it is a revision of the New Century Version. I haven't found confirmation of that yet. Its predecessor, the Amplified Bible was finished in 1965 and updated (minor) in 1985. The expansions are marked to show if they are an alternate rendering, a literal rendering, a traditional rendering, a comment or an expansion. This is very helpful for study and keeps one from jumping about to different resources. Finally, there is an entry on the blog of Wayne Hastings who is the Senior Vice President and Group Publisher of the Bible Division for Thomas Nelson Publishers. The translators (revisers?) are Tremper Longman III, Mark Strauss and Daniel Taylor.

Revised English Version Link

I just discovered I messed up the link for the Revised English Version in a previous posts. Here's the link and the previous post is fixed as well.

Money you'll save

The other day I had an e-mail about a Bible a Pastor had purchased. I found a copy for sale on AbeBooks.com for $450.00 (he picked up his copy for 25 cents!). It got me to thinking what it would cost to have the "virtual Bible collection" in real, paper copies. I've added a page on my website listing prices found plus links to free downloads. With 17 Bibles listed so far (some multi-volume sets) the total is up to $83,895 (USD). While links are given for the free downloads, you're on your own for the 84 thousand dollars.

Links and more links

I've added many links to my links page lately. A couple more sets have been added too. There are now over 700 entries in the database. As always, if you find a link I don't have, please let me know.

Revised English Version

No, I didn't think to see yet another combination of those words for a Bible Version title. But this revision of the American Standard Version did that, just don't confuse it with the Revised English Bible published in 1989 or the Revised English Bible of 1877 done by Benjamin Davies and others. I ran across this version after doing a search (in Google, where else?) for "Unitarian Bible." That led me to an entry on the blog, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth. There, sure enough, I discovered that there was indeed a Unitarian based group conducting a new version of the Bible. The Revised English Version is being done by the group "Spirit and Truth Fellowship International." Their work can be viewed/downloaded in PDF at the website.

They have posted the entire New Testament, but much of that will be the unaltered ASV as work is still underway. Their intention is to have something for readers to use as work progresses. Updates will be posted as it goes along.

Catholic Public Domain Version

The Catholic Public Domain Version is now finished (as of March 28, 2009). It is available in print or as a free download. There are also many Latin resources at this site.

Bible Facsimiles

I love to see old Bibles. I also love collecting old Bibles. Unfortunately, many of the old Bibles are extremely expensive. But I am delighted to have facsimiles (like photocopies) instead. That's why I made the Bible Reader's Museum Store - to share those facsimiles with others.

Today, a site visitor asked to see a page from a Greek New Testament I suddenly realized I needed samples on my site. It would be a big help to be able to see what the print will look like before purchasing. Even these inexpensive facsimiles are a significant investment for many of us. So I spent the morning posting a random page from every Bible and book in the store. You should now see a link for a sample page at the end of each description. Sorry I didn't think of it before!

YPTC Psalms and Selected Scriptures

Here is another sacred name scripture portion. This the book of Psalms and Selected Scriptures. Visit the Yahweh's Philadelphia Truth Congregation for more information. This version uses "Yahweh" and "Yahshua" for God and Jesus' names, respectively.

New Translation, details unknown

Another translation of the New Testament is being planned. I know, it is a shock, but yes, there is one more. I don't know much about it yet. I discovered the news when Matthew in the Majority Text was published on lulu.com. The base text will be used for a new translation of the New Testament.

Positive Infinity New Testament

The Positive Infinity New Testament is available as a PDF download or in print via lulu.com. It is the text of The Twentieth Century New Testament with spelling corrections and "missing" verses restored (from the Authorised Version or from Weymouth's New Testament). I don't know if any other modifications were made to the text.

Pioneers' New Testament

I just discovered that the Pioneers' New Testament by Ruth P. Martin is available for download at the blog for the version. It is the "Second Digital Edition, Revised 2008." I am interested to finally take a look at this one.

Inclusive Bible

The editor of the Inclusive Bible is Craig R. Smith. If you visit his blog you'll find a link (lower right, scroll down) to a sample of the twelve prophets from that Bible.

Numerical Bible

I've been looking for the Numerical Bible by Frederick W. Grant for some time. Today, checking again on the usual scanned book sites, I discovered that the Internet Archive has it! Visit my website and click on "Links/Newest Links" to get this and other links. Here is the seven volume set of the Numerical Bible:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 4
Volume 5
Volume 6
Volume 7

Wycliffe Bible

The Wesley Center Online has the Wycliffe Bible (in old spelling minus Anglo-Saxon letters) in text files online. They have also added a PDF version for download.

King James Version -- Twentieth Century Edition

Question of the week here: "Did Jay P. Green make a Bible called the King James Version - Twentieth Century Edition?" I've got quite a list of his translations, but can't substantiate this one.

Revised Translation by J. M. Ray

I added this to my links page, but don't believe I mentioned it here. This is a rare one, so it is great to find it in a downloadable scan. It is titled A Revised Translation and Interpretation of the Sacred Scriptures, After the Eastern Manner: From Current Authorities. It was translated by J. M. Ray, who may also be known as "J. M. Macrae," "James M'Crae," "J. M. Ray," "D. McRae," or "McRay." This unique volume is available at Google Books.

DCL.org

One of the best scanners of Bibles I've ever seen is our friend at The Digital Christian Library. He has a new scan up - the 1866 H.T. Anderson NT (revised edition). He also has a new scan in the works - be watching for that one (it is mentioned on the main page)!

Robert Crumb's version of Genesis

Robert Crumb, a cartoonist, is going to release his version of Genesis this year. Look for it to be subversive and probably offensive. Here's an picture and article, working drawing and Crumb's official website.

New Link Section

I've started a new link section on the Bible Reader's Museum (click Links). It's a section linking to Bible sets. It's rough right now, but features the first set, the Expositor's Bible set from the late nineteenth century.

Leet Bibles

Someone mentioned the "Leet Bible" to me recently. "Leet" means "elite." It's the so called hacker language that represents letters with other characters. An example is Isaiah 1:1 "tHe v!sioÑ oF ISa!a# t#E s0Ñ 0F @MoZ, WHi¢H hE S4W (øNCe®n!Ñ' JµÐ@# and JerUsa1Em N ThE Ð4yZ øF UzzI@h, jøT#4M, aHAz, AND #EZEkIA#, KiNGz øf JuDAH."

I got to thinking they might have seen one I didn't so I went looking. I found some I hadn't seen before (note that these are not serious translations or revisions and may contain offensive material):

1. 1337 Bible (Leet Bible) is 50% done.
2. Alan Gerow started making the 8i8l3 but suffered some system failure and lost the files. The link provided here is an example of using Internet Archive's Wayback Machine
3. Gerow next developed a script to convert an existing text into the "Leet Speek" created the 1337 5p35K 8i813 (Wayback Machine link again). Gerow is not (or was not at the time of the projects) a Christian.

Holy New Covenant - update

Last time I visited the web site for the Holy New Covenant all I could find were .doc files for the Palm device. Now they offer PDF files for the rest of us. Thanks to Internet Bible Catalog for making me look again.

Bible Web Links

If you haven't browsed around the Bible Reader's Museum then you haven't seen my ongoing attempt to collect internet links for English Bible versions. Click up the website, then click on "Links" in the left hand menu. If you want to see the links organized by the date they're added, click on "Newest Links." Click here to just call up that page.

This is an ongoing effort, obviously. Web links good today may disappear tomorrow. If files are available for download - grab them if you are at all interested. I've seen many sites disappear and the files cannot be found. Sometimes you can use the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to view an evaporated web site.

And of course, if you know of a new version on the web please let me know.

Bible Museum Store - printing problems

Some of you may have gotten an e-mail from lulu.com about a recent order. I'm not sure what message they send to customers, but often it says "this order will not rip." That means the current printer couldn't get it to print. If you tried to order one of the Forshall-Madden Wycliffe volumes that problem should be fixed now. You will probably have to reorder, but wait till you hear from lulu.com about the status of your order. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

Textament - The Mobile Text Message Bible

This month saw the release of another text message "language" Bible. This one is released by Paul's Mission Press. Like the SMS Bible this is designed to be used on cell phones and mobile pocket devices. It is available (at $3.95 per Testament) for download in both .PDF and for mobile devices. One advantage is the PDF version, allowing wider usage with cut/paste.
Sample:
n d Bginin God cr8d d heaven n d erth. n d erth wz w/o 4m, n void; n darkness [was] upon d face of d deep: n d Spirit of God movD upon d face of d waters. n God z, Let der B lyt: n der wz lyt. n God saw d lyt, dat [it was] gud: n God dividd d lyt frm d darkness. n God cllD d lyt dy, n d darkness he cllD nyt: n d evng n d AM wr d 1st dy (Genesis 1:1-5).

Internet Bible Catalog Contributor

I've finally taken the time to sign up to Wikidot in order to be a contributor to the Internet Bible Catalog. Signing up was easy and so was getting a flickr account so I could upload my cover scans.

I've always had an interest in dialects and slangs of English, so I'm starting with a section on Bibles in slangs, dialects, pidgins and cognates. I set up the main dialect page which links to some that were already there as well as the ones I'm adding.

I hope I'm helping and not making a mess!

Site Review: Internet Bible Catalog

Web Site Review: The Internet Bible Catalog


Site started: June 29, 2007
Site address: http://bibles.wikidot.com/

I've been wanting to provide a review of this site for quite some time. The both the site and the site owner have been a great blessing to me in my own research. If you are interested in Bible versions, you'll want to bookmark this site right now.

The Internet Bible Catalog started almost two years ago. It is a collaborative effort - one of the "wiki" projects - with several contributors. The site owner continues to oversee the project to provide guidance and consistency. This site is just what the title indicates - a listing of Bibles in a catalog format.

And what kind of catalog would it be without pictures? Pictures of covers, jackets and title pages are available for many of the entries. A large thumbnail is provided which is clickable for a larger picture. I love being able to look at title pages myself. It is so helpful to be able to verify information directly.

Next to the picture (if it has one) is the description. Descriptions include titles, translators, publishers, dates, contents and other information. Many entries include cross references to Chamberlin's Catalogue of English Bible Translations, Herbert's Historical Catalogue of Printed Bibles or Hills' English Bible in America (and sometimes even my own humble work). View the page on the Living Bible for a sample of the format.

This site is much more than just a listing. There is often quite a bit of research behind the entries. One area that has been a help to me is the extensive information on the American Bible Union editions. Scroll to the bottom of that page for an excellent table on the New Testaments and portions published by the ABU. It is without a doubt the best listing for ABU Bibles. The site owner has researched them extensively and sorted out much of the confusion found in reference books.

One of the contributors is a collector of Catholic Bibles. In the recent months, many new entries about Catholic (specifically Douay-Rheims) Bibles have been added. The starting place for Catholic Bibles is here. As an example of how thorough this list is, see the page for the the 20th century Brepols Bibles. There are 24 entries, each with a title page scan! This collector is an expert on Catholic Bibles so this already excellent section will continue to get even better.

The entire site is becoming that extensive. Though it is two years later, work has continued steadily throughout that time. To get an idea of how much is there, visit the index page. Did you know that Isaiah in the New International Version was published in 1975 - three years before the full Bible? Go see the cover on the NIV page. The site also lists the NIVI (inclusive language NIV) and the TNIV (Today's New International Version).

A more recent addition to the site is the Internet Only Translations page. These are versions of the Bible that have never made it to print but are available on the world wide web. Here you'll find the American King James Version, the King James, Corrected and the Revised Young's Literal Translation among several others.

There is also a section devoted to non-English Bibles. It is currently divided into Native American, Asian, European, African and American Pidgins & Dialects. This portion is not as extensive as the English section, but does appear to be slowly growing.

Want more information that you can find on this site? Then visit their page on Catalogues for a great listing of books on Bible versions. Hint: several of the older volumes can be found, read online and downloaded on Google books or Internet Archive.

This review is not an exhaustive list of the site's contents. There are also sections on Hebrew, Greek and Latin Bibles. Another page lists the Pseudepigrapha. The nature of the organization lends itself to easy expansion if new categories are needed.

The site also has a forum though it is not regularly used. This does provide an excellent means for group discussion on ongoing projects.

This is a huge project. None of us who study English Bible Versions really expect to finish listing them all. But the Internet Bible Catalog is well on its way to covering a huge portion of them. Research is always ongoing - click here to see if you can help with some of the current questions. You can join the site and become an editor if you'd like to help make new entries or improve existing ones. Read How to Help for more information on contributing to the site.

The site owner stated he hopes to bring in more contributors to include even more Bibles. If you've got a Bible not listed on the site, especially if its a new version for the site, please consider scanning the cover and title page and entering a description. This site can serve as a central updating point for all of us who study, collect and read Bibles. Hope to see you there!

Holy Name Bibles - Update

I got a very helpful e-mail from the owner of qbible.com today. Here's the scoop on his Bible versions. There are really only two versions - I had thought there were several. What he has are variations such as Hebrew parallel and Strong's numbers included. The first version is The Hebrew Bible, King James Edition of 1769, Holy Name & Divine Titles Restored. (2006). In 2008 he produced a new revision that also included all proper nouns in transliterated Hebrew. This 2008 edition is called the The Hebrew Bible, King James Edition of 1769, Hebrew Names Restored &
Emphasized..

Holy Scriptures, Genesis, Rastafarian Text

I really don't know much about this one. The title page reads "The Holy Scriptures / The Book of Genesis / Scholars Edition / The Rastafarian Text / Scroll One." I welcome any information or a sample of the translation!

Holy Peshitta of the Assembly of Jerusalem

It started out as the Aramaic English Standard Version of the Peshitta. Apparently the Assembly of Jerusalem (AOJ) and the Peshitta Foundation (PF) were associated at that time. Then the PF and the AOJ parted ways. The PF is continuing to translate/revise their version. The AOJ apparently considers the original work finished (according to their website, see the version information and now calls it The Holy Peshitta of the Assembly of Jerusalem.

Voice in the Wilderness

The Voice in the Wilderness Bible version continues to be updated. For a list of the updates visit the errata page.

ASV 1901

Credit for this link goes to Michael Marlowe at Bible Researcher. Visit his site for excellent resources too numerous to mention!

This link is for an excellent site that offers the good old ASV of 1901 online. There is a nice online version with easy access. You can also download the ASV in PDF, with original footnotes included. Visit asv1901.com to read this 100 year old classic today!

Wycliffe New Testament (Modern Spelling Edition)

I am delighted to announce that the Bible Reader's Museum now has Terence Noble's Wycliffe New Testament (Modern Spelling Edition) added to the list. It is available both as a hardback and as a paperback. For more information or to purchase a copy visit the Bible Reader's Museum Store.

Next, I'll be adding (as a two volume set) the parallel Wycliffe/KJV New Testament. Look for that one in the next week or two.

Please note that both editions of the New Testament (Wycliffe and the Wycliffe/KJV) are available for free download at this site.

Thank you Terry for sharing this wonderful ministry!