Early English Bibles

I just ran across a site that may interest some of you. It is called Early English Bibles. The site has history, actual page scans and information about the major English up through the 1611 AV.

The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible

Lucado, Max. The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible. Thomas Nelson, 2010. ISBN 978-1418543969.

I was recently given a complimentary copy of the Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishers for review purposes.

I am not a big fan of study Bibles. I prefer to use a Bible, concordance, Bible dictionary/encyclopedia then commentary (in that order). However, I was interested in this Bible for devotional purposes. I have found Lucado's writing to be both inspirational and encouraging. I requested this Bible, expecting to be able to combine Bible reading and devotional reading.

I was delighted to find this Bible using the New King James Version. I find it is readable while still sounding the way I expect Bible text to sound. I am surely biased since the NKJV was the first one I read through cover to cover.

Once I received the Bible, I discovered that is doesn't really fit the genre of "study Bible." I would class it as a devotional Bible. (By devotions I mean inspirational & encouraging writings apart from the Biblical text). Fortunately, this is exactly what I hoped it would be.

This is a sturdy hardback Bible with dustcover. It lays flat, making study very easy (It is laying open beside me as I write this review). The paper is the typical thin Bible paper which allows some bleed through from the other side.

This is not one of the Bibles with just a few inspirational pages sprinkled throughout. Nearly every page has study/devotion material. Each "lesson" includes the situation, observations, inspiration, application and exploration. In the passage on Mark 16:1-20, he describes the issues of Jesus' burial in the situation section. In the observation, he comments about Jesus and death. In inspiration he compares the death of Dwight L. Moody and that of an agnostic named Robert Ingersoll. The short application mentions our death while the exploration section lists references for five Bible passages that discuss victory over death. The inspiration section is taken from the book The Applause of Heaven also by Max Lucado.

I have read other reviews that stated the content of this Bible is a carryover from his earlier study Bible. It is clearly marked "Third Edition." If you already have a previous Lucado Bible, you may not wish to purchase this one. However, remember that this is in the New King James Version as opposed to the New Century Version of the earlier Bible.

For anyone looking for a devotional Bible, I would recommend this Bible as a good possibility. The text is clear with good headings. The devotional material is brief and engaging. As with much of Lucado's material, the notes are encouraging and interesting. The Bible also has a presentation page so this would make a good gift for that Lucado fan on your list.

The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible

The Gift New Testament

Paula Fether is continuing her translation work. Since she will be translating the entire New Testament, she has changed the name to The Gift New Testament. So far, the book of John and the letters of Paul have been finished. The new site also includes Greek interlinear, pop-up information for Greek words and pop-up copy/paste for the Greek and interlinear.

The Common English Bible

The Common English Bible New Testament has been added to Bible Gateway. Read the CEB NT for yourself!

The Bible in Rhyme

Wow, I look for new Bibles all the time. And I keep finding ones that came out a year or more past. I wish I knew how I keep missing so many. Who knows what we'll find tomorrow?

This one is The Bible in Rhyme by Kyle Holt. It was published in October, 2009. You can read a sample of his work at his website. His work is also available on Amazon.com, where you can read a sample as well.


While reading about this work, I also found out about another - The Gospels In Rhyme: Let's sing the scriptures!. This one is by William Simmer. It is also available on Amazon.com with a preview.

Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament

Osborne, Grant R. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2010. ISBN 978-0-310-24357-1.

I was recently given a complimentary copy of this work for review purposes. Physically, the book has a nice appearance and good quality. It lays flat on my desk as I work. It is a heavy book - no surprise since is 1154 pages long.

It has been a long time since I used a new commentary. My first impression was that this commentary has a good layout. With pages (9.5x7 inches) larger than my other commentaries the pages are far less crowded.

I was quickly able to find the information that I wanted. Of course, I could find the chapter and verse I wanted. But within each chapter (for example the one on Matthew 7:1-12) information is separated well. The sections are Literary Context, Main Idea, Translation, Structure and Literary Form, Exegetical Outline, Explanation of the Text (the largest section in this chapter) and Theology in Application.

I appreciate having these things separated as I prefer to read more technical discussions of the text first. After making my own notes, then I will read the author's ideas on application. I also found the explanations to be a good balance between the technical and the practical.

Though many seek commentaries that completely fit their theological perspective, I prefer those that accurately discuss the Scriptures regardless of one's personal opinions. In the passages I read it appears that Osborne accomplishes this. Sometimes I agreed - on occasion I did not. I see the latter as a chance for me to challenge my beliefs and explore further exactly what the Bible says. I feel this reference helps me to do just that.

One drawback for me personally was the use of Today's New International Version as the Scripture text. I do not use that version for study purposes (and rarely for any other purpose). However, it would not be a serious issue as I usually read the passage from a Bible first before going to the commentary.

A few other interesting features ar: Greek text included in the Explanation of the Text, an 8 page bibliography and a section on the theology of Matthew. Most of the information is readily accessible by reading the pertinent chapter. One does not have to read a huge introduction to discover major themes. These are referenced throughout the text.

It will take more time to determine if I will use this regularly. My initial impression is that this is an excellent reference. The ease of use and quality of the material leads me to expect to use it more often.
Matthew (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament)

Wickliffe's New Testament

I just discovered a modern spelling reprint of Wycliffe's New Testament that I hadn't seen before. It isn't that new - the copyright is 2006. But in case you haven't seen it yet either, here it is:

Westcott, Stephen P. Wickliffe's New Testament. Reformation Christian Ministries, 2006. ISBN 0977344215.



Wickliffe's New Testament

Bible Facsimiles

I try to keep an updated listing of Bible facsimiles (including re-typeset editions) available. I have updated the list this morning. Please contact me if you know of a facsimile that is not listed on my Bible Facsimiles and Ancient Bible Reprints page.

Christmas Gift Ideas...

Looking for a Christmas gift for that Bible collector on your list? Here's a set I got recently that I would recommend. It is the New Testament and Old Testament by William Tyndale - in modernized language. Both are from Yale University Press and were edited by David Daniell. The New Testament volume is 480 pages. The Old Testament (containing the Pentateuch and Historical Books only) is 688 pages. Click the links below for more information:




Tyndale's New TestamentTyndale's Old Testament

The Shaw's Revised King James Bible

I'd been waiting for this Bible to clear copyright issues for some time. I missed it coming out a couple months ago. An interesting side note to this Bible is that Dr. Shaw earned his doctorate, wrote a book and produced this Bible version all while in in prison. He has "made revisions and amendments to correct the flaws, errors, and interpolations that are in today's Bible." Click the links below to see more information on Amazon.com.

The Shaw's Revised King James Holy Bible

Bible Reader's Museum Downloads

I have added a new section to the Bible Reader's Museum for downloads. Featured right now are Bibles and books formatted by Tom Savage for reading on your computer. The files are PDF format with indexes for easy access. Has provided the following: American Standard Version 1901, The Antiquities of the Jews 1737 with Index, Brenton's Deuterocanonical Apocrypha 1851 With Appendix, Brenton's Septuagint Old Testament 1844 with Appendix, Jewish Publication Society 1917, King James Version 1611, The Wars of the Jews 1737 and Youngs Literal Translation 1898. Visit my website and click on downloads for access.

Freedom Bible Version --> Free Bible Version

The Freedom Bible Version which was previously a project at Pine Knoll is now a project of Free Bible Ministry and is called the Free Bible Version. The Book of Colossians is available for now at the Free Bible Version website. The translator is Dr. Jonathan Gallagher.

Accurate New Testament, Second Edition

Mark Harness has posted a second edition of his Accurate New Testament. Both the first and the second editions are available at his website. The first edition is available on Lulu.com in paperback, hardback or on CD.

Wycliffe Old Testament

Many of you have probably seen the work done by Terence Noble in editing the Wycliffe New Testament in 2001. He has, after many years of hard work, now finished the Old Testament as well! He makes it freely available at this web site. The New Testament is available in print at the Bible Reader's Museum. The Old Testament will eventually be ready in print through Terry's lulu.com site (stay tuned - I'll let you know when it is ready). Congratulations, Terry, on an amazing work for the Word of the Lord!

Douay Rhemes Bible!

I have added the Rhemes New Testament of 1582 in one volume and the Douay Old Testament of 1609-10 in four volumes to the Museum Store. This was the first Catholic translation of the entire Bible in English. Click on "Facsimile Bibles" on the left, then scroll down to "Pre-1611 Bibles."

Bibles for sale

Here are a couple more Bibles for sale from my personal stock: I have just added a paperback facsimile of the 1538 Illustrated New Testament by Miles Coverdale to my Special Sales page. I've also temporarily reduced the price of the Bishops' Bible of 1568. Please see the Special Sales page for details on each of these facsimiles. There is just one of each available so it is first come, first served!

Lexham English Bible NT Reverse Interlinear

The Lexham English Bible New Testament Reverse Interlinear is now available for download. The Greek text is the SBL Greek New Testament. Visit the SBL Greek New Testament page for downloads. The interlinear is at the bottom of the page.

The Holy Bible: Quatercentennary Edition

Oxford University Press (USA) has produced a King James Bible for the 400th anniversary next year. It is a Roman text reprint of the original 1611. They have left in any errors, spellings and special features of the original. The "Translators to the Reader" and other preliminary material are there as well. At the back, an "errata" page shows some of the misspellings of the original.

It looks similar to the one Hendrickson did in 2003, though the Oxford Bible is 9.1" x 11.3" - much larger. It is available on Amazon.com and most likely many other sellers as well.




I first heard about this new Bible from Gconan, on the Bible Versions Discussion Board. He frequently catches new Bibles as they come out.

Start! The Bible for New Believers

I was recently given a free copy of Start! The Bible for New Believers through Thomas Nelson publisher’s BookSneeze program. This is a study Bible edited by Pastor Greg Laurie. It is a paperback with a bright red cover that has a large white arrow pointing up on the front. The paper is very thin (typical Bible paper) so print on the reverse does show through. The thin paper also serves to make this a thin, easily handled volume.

The text is the New King James version with the slight updates that were made in 1984 (the copyright is dated 1982). The additions are found in several features sprinkled throughout the Bible. Sections titled “Know” deal with core beliefs of the Christian faith, “Learn” - mini commentaries , “Grow” - guidance on key principles of Christian life and “Live” - short articles on various aspects of being a Christian.

The articles I read were helpful, clear and practical. Simple theology and personal application are both covered in the various features. I found several that were personally encouraging. I have read some of Greg Laurie’s writings and heard some of his preaching - I found the notes in this Bible to be as well grounded and spiritual as his other work.

I had only one minor criticism: I expected some kind of “start” or path through the Bible. There are initial sections on the plan of salvation and secrets to spiritual success. But I would like to have seen something on getting started with reading the Bible.

I would feel comfortable recommending this Bible to both new converts and existing believers. The text is not cluttered and notes do not overtake the Scriptures. This is a simple and helpful edition of the Bible.

NIV Comparison

There are, of course, many blog posts showing up about the New New International Version. Two very helpful ones I read today are both comparisons of the NIV (1984), TNIV and the new NIV (I've see it called the NIV2011, N²IV and enjoy calling it the NNIV). Those two comparison sites are by Robert Slowley and John Dyer.

Versery Rhymes Update

I recently had a comment on an old blog from Dr. Reece Sherman, which I moved here. He writes:

I have completed The Gospels of John and Mark, as well as the books of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, James and Revelation. I am more than halfway through Matthew. I will complete the New Testament w/in the next year & a half.
You can read samples on website. They can also be downloaded as e-books.

See samples, purchase downloads or buy Versery Rhymes in print at Lulu.com.

Lulu.com specials

If you've been waiting to buy a Bible Reprint (I have) now might be the time. Lulu.com has a special - buy two get one free. The offer ends on November 7th. Visit Lulu's specials page for more information. The code is 3FOR2, but double check their page to make sure.

New International Version Online

The newly updated New International Version is available online now at Bible Gateway. You can read more about the translation and read the translators notes as well.

It is also available at Biblica (formerly IBS-STL Global, formerly International Bible Society).

New Jubilees Version of the Sacred Scriptures

This version is found in a four volume set titled "The Beloved and I" by Thomas McElwain. It is not clear if this is a complete translation or poetry inspired by Scripture. It can be found on the lulu page of Thomas McElwain.

Illustrated Bible Update

The Illustrated Bible Old Testament is due to be published soon. Samples from both the Old Testament and New Testament are available at Free Illustrated Bible. Both the Old and New Testaments are available on disc now as well. In November the Illustrated Bible will be issued with the New American Standard Bible text instead of the ICB text.

Right now, paperbacks are available with Genesis, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Samuel, Joshua+Judges+Ruth, Matthew, John and the full New Testament. The full New Testament was published by Thomas Nelson and is running out. It will be reissued by Neely Press at a higher price.

The free samples include the books of John and Jonah as well as the stories of David and Goliath, Gideon, Samuel's calling and Elijah.

NIV 2011

The NIV 2011 update will be available online in November of 2010. According to the NIV Bible Update site, it will be on BibleGateway.com and Biblica.com. Print versions will be released starting in March of 2011.

International Children's Bible

I was given a complimentary copy of the International Children's Bible by Thomas Nelson publishers through their BookSneeze program.

This is called the "Big Red Bible" by many people. This new edition contains many full color pictures which appear to have been drawn via computer. The text is "The Holy Bible: International Children's Bible" with a copyright date of 1999. This is a paperback
with the typical thin paper making it a reasonable size. There are no cross references or marginal notes. Extras include a dictionary, "Where do I find it?", memory verses and four color maps.

The text is easier to read than other translations. However, a problem will arise if attempting to use different editions of the "International Children's Bible" (ICB) in a group setting. For instance, the Illustrated ICB Bible New Testament text is not exactly the same as this text. As an example, this Bible has "he was appointed to be God's Son" in Romans 1:4. The Illustrated ICB Bible says he was "declared to be God's Son." The differences show that there may be confusion or lack of control of the text. The reading in the "Big Red Bible" goes back to that found in the earlier 1986 edition of the ICB. If all copies are the same edition, or this is used for just one reader, this may not be a problem.

I might use this in our church setting as an easier-to-read Bible version. I would be more likely to use the Illustrated ICB instead.

Taverner's Bible of 1539

I've just added a facsimile of the Taverner's Bible of 1539 to the Museum Store. As with all my facsimiles, there are some limitations due to the quality of scans I was able to find. There is some text loss in the gutters, mostly affecting the marginal notes. However, I think this is a readable copy of an historical English Bible.

Bishops' Bible of 1568

I've completed a Bishops Bible facsimile for the Bible Reader's Museum. Visit the Museum Store. Click on facsimile Bibles, then scroll down to pre-1611 Bibles. This is a 3 volume set due to the limitations of Lulu.com. I've also got a two volume edition that was used as a proof copy. There is only one - it is available in the Special Sales section at a reduced price.

Type in Word and Convert to PDF? Read this!

William Welty, translator on the International Standard Version, discovered a problem converting from WORD to PDF. For instance, in Matthew 11:15 the Word file has “Let the person who has ears listen!” but when it was converted to PDF it read “Let the person who has listen!”Read about it in the Orange County Register. There is more about the problem at the ISV website.

If anyone has one of the defective ISV NTs and would like to donate it to the museum, please contact me.

Bible Version Encyclopedia

I just got back from the International Society of Bible Collectors conference (more about that later). I had some copies of my book available at a discounted price. There are (right now) three paperback copies left at the reduced price of $20.00 USD plus $4.00 shipping in the continental USA. Visit the Specials page to order a copy. The BVE is at the bottom of the page.

The Bible Museum

Here is another Bible Museum to put on your list to visit. This one is in St. Arnaud, Australia. Take a look at their website. They have a virtual tour showing many of their wonderful displays. It sounds like they have rotating displays so there is even more than meets the eye. Wonderful to hear from them - hope I get to go there some day!

KJV 400th Anniversary

Here is another web site dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Authorised or King James Bible. It even has a count down show the days, hours, minutes and seconds till the exact day 400 years from the first publication of the KJV.

Little Mouse Bible Stories

Ever had a mouse narrate Bible stories? Check out the book dummy for "Little Mouse Bible Stories: The Creation, Genesis 1-2." This is another one I read about first at the Bible Illustration Blog.

Illustrated ICB Bible

The Illustrated ICB New Testament came out in 2006. According to the Bible Illustration Blog the full Bible is coming soon. The text is a derivative or variant of the text found in the Easy to Read Version. The text also has been edited and published as the New Century Version and the Reader Friendly Edition.

The Illustrated ICB combines the entire Biblical text with a bright, comic style presentation. You can see a preview of actual pages at Thomas Nelson.

New Generation Bible

I'm not sure yet what this one is all about, just found it today. It is the New Generation Bible. The website says it "is the outcome of several kinds of Bible versions rolled into one version." There are couple sample pages on the site as well.

Special Sales

I have added a small new section to my website. It is for the sale of items from the Bible Reader's Museum that are being removed. All are one-of-a-kind items and are in stock ready to ship. Visit Special Sales to view the current inventory.

Old English Bibles

I was privileged to receive a copy a while back of Old English Bibles: From the Fourteenth Century Wycliffite Bibles to the Seventeenth Century King James Bible by James A. Fowler. This excellent book gives history and facsimiles of the Wycliffe, Tyndale, Joye, Coverdale, Matthew, Taverner, Great, Geneva, Bishops, Douay-Rheims and King James Bibles. Each section gives several facsimile pages from these historical Bibles. General and New Testament titles are included as well as Biblical text. Many pages are illustrated or have elaborate initial lettering. One can read the first chapter of the Gospels in each version.

I occasionally give talks about the history of the English Bible as well as running a small museum at our church. This book will be an invaluable tool that allows me to show people pages from these old English Bibles. Instead of carrying a trunk full of facsimiles, I can bring one 8.5 x 11 inch paperback. This is a must-have for anyone interested in the history of our English Bible.

If you have balked at the high cost of full facsimiles of these Bibles, here is an affordable alternative. For just $20 USD (plus shipping) you can now read pages from 11 historical Bibles. (If you can read the middle English of the Wycliffe Bible.) Order your copy directly from Rev. Fowler on his Lulu.com store in paperback or in hardback.

I give this work a high rating and definitely recommend it!

The Chronicle Project

This, according to the website, is not a new translation. "Rather it is the application of the newly discovered Self Defining Hebrew or SDH system which was built into the ancient Hebrew language by its creator(s)." They do have samples of the resulting English version, so you can read their ongoing work.

Mom's Bible

A while back I received a complimentary copy of The Mom's Bible: God's Wisdom for Mothers from www.booksneeze.com. I look for good Bibles to give to my parishoners so I was interested in this one for the women of my church.
The translation in this Bible is the New Century Version. There are introductions to each book as well as introductions to some sections within the book. There are frequent devotional sections included in boxes on the page such as "walking in authority," "walking in worship." There are also "insights" and "passing it on" included throughout the Bible.
The layout of the Bible is simple - not cluttered. I prefer a simple layout as this makes for easier and smoother reading. It has a tasteful gray decorative border around the edges. There is not a lot of room for notes so those who like to write in the margins will be disappointed. It is a sturdy hardback, touted as a “companion to the Dad’s Bible.”
The New Century Version was designed to be easier to read and has been used and revised for children's Bibles. It does use gender neutral renderings for many passages especially those referring to people. This version has been revised (in 1991) and does not necessarily match up with versions that are part of the same family (such as the International Children’s Bible and the English Version for the Deaf).
My final test for this Bible was to see if my wife liked it. She wasn't ready to give up her current study Bibles in favor of this one. She didn't want the NCV text as her main Bible. So, while she felt this was a decent Bible, it wasn't one she would choose.
I might recommend this Bible to others in the church. The text can be very helpful for those struggling to read other Bible versions. The “insights” that I read appeared Biblical and encouraging. As with any Bible that adds extra material the quality of that material varies.

HCSB Study Bible

The HCSB Study Bible is online here in a beta format.

Bible Visualizations

There is some interesting work going on with Bible Visualizations - presenting the words or data of the Bible in unique ways. These are not new versions of the Bible, but interesting, artistic presentations. If that sounds interesting, visit Bible Visualization Blog to see some cool artwork.

Meta Version

This isn't technically a new version of the Bible - it is the King James Version (Authorised Version). But it is a new presentation of the text. Many or all machine readable copies present one verse at a time. But this researcher has created a file that presents the text word by word. This allows for noting whether a word is in italics, if it is the beginning or end of a parenthetical phrase, what punctuation follows the word, if it is the beginning of a new paragraph and if it is an introductory phrase before the first verse.

This probably won't be useful unless you are interested in doing word analysis, need a good text for programming or are a researcher. Then it is a great resource. While reading the blog I already came up with some things I'd like to try.

The creator of this database intends to add further information such as Strong's numbers, location, speaker and more.

Read about it and download the database at Bibliographic.

Numerical Bible

The Numerical Bible by F. W. Grant has been reprinted by Believer's Book Shelf (Canada). The seven volume hardback set costs $249. This is offered by Believer's Bookshelf Canada so that price may be in Canadian dollars.

New NT Translation

Retired Pastor Bob Fenstermacher is translating the New Testament. He started on his translation and exposition in 2008. I read about on the Marion County Record page.

Modern Young's Literal Translation

I had already listed Modern Young's Literal Translation on my links page but just recently discovered the actual text of this revision is also online. Thought you might like to have that link!

More Twitter Bibles

I've just discovered some more attempts at twittering the Bible.

1. FakeBible - attempt at humor (warning: profanity)
2. Twible - another attempt at humor
3. What Would God Tweet - appears to be just select verses.

Amended King James Version

I ran across some references to a Bible called "Holy Bible: Amended King James Version." This page has references to it as well as pictures of the cover and a scan of one page. I cannot find any other references to this Bible. Anyone have a copy and is willing to help with some references?

A Description of the Great Bible...

Earlier this year I was looking for a book titled "A Description of the Great Bible, 1539, and the Six Editions of Cranmer's Bible, 1540 and 1541, Printed by Grafton and Whitchurch: Also of the Editions, in Large Folio, of the Authorized Version of the Holy Scriptures, Printed in the Years..." by Francis Fry. I finally was able to use a friend's access to ATLA but discovered their copy was incomplete. Another friend loaned me a copy of Vance publications "The Works of Francis Fry." After seeing this excellent book, I purchased a copy.

It is expensive - $100 USD. However, it includes four books: 1. "A Brief Memoir of Francis Fry" by Theodore Fry (Francis' son). 2. "The Bible by Coverdale" 1867. 3. "A Description of the Editions of the New Testament, William Tyndale's Version in English..." 1878 4. "A Description of the Great Bible..." 1865. All four are bound together in one hardback volume. It appears to be a glued spine. It includes a chart from the fourth book printed on one sheet 3 foot by 3 foot! It is folded and kept in a sleeve in the back of the book. The binding includes a spacer to allow for the thickness of the chart (this prevents stress and cracking of the binding). All the charts and plates are very readable.

The books by Francis Fry are excellent. I recently worked through the book on Tyndale's versions. It covers more variants and details than any other book I've read. I am just starting on the book about the Great Bible. I highly recommend this volume to anyone researching historical English Bibles.

Vance Publications is online at www.vancepublications.com. Click here for a list of the reprints. The works of Francis Fry is #53.

Common English Bible

The New Testament of the Common English Bible is available at Christian Books Distributor, Amazon.com and probably many others. I signed up when they had the free copy offer on the website but haven't seen anything of it yet. Anyone get their free copy yet?

King James Bible Anniversary

As most of you already know, next year is the 400th anniversary of the Authorised Bible of 1611. Known commonly as the "King James Bible," it is already receiving a great deal of attention for next's years anniversary. One website with many resources is the King James Bible Trust. Amongst their resources are:

The Digitized KJV of 1611 (facsimile images with limited zoom)
Read and Search (text and video of real people reading)
KJV Timeline (short history)
Music (sheet music based on KJV Scriptures)
YouTube Bible (people (maybe even you!) reading the KJV Bible)

A Twitter Bible

Twitter is a site that allows users to post messages up to 140 characters. These messages are called "tweets." A new project has been started on Twitter called Bible Summary. It is the work of Chris Juby, who plans to summarize a chapter a day. He will finish sometime in 2013. There's an article about it at The Daily Mail online.

Just found Juby's main website for his project. This is a better place to start.

Catholic Bible

In February of next year, a new Catholic Bible will be released. It will be the NRSV text with the Grail Psalms. I do not know if the Grail Psalms will replace the NRSV or if it will be added. I read about it over at Catholic Bibles and that linked also to a page on Harper Collins.

Psalmes of King David Translated by King James

I've added a new reprint to the Museum Store. (Under facsimile Bibles, then scroll down to 4. 1611 to 1901 Bibles). It is the Psalmes of King David attributed to King James and published in 1631.

Some believe that King James did not do the translation work and suggest that Sir William Alexander was the translator. Others point to statements by Alexander about James' insistence on his translations to suggest King James did indeed do the translation work. Thomas Young wrote that King James translated only 31 of the Psalms before his death and that Alexander revised and finished the translation. No matter what the actual authorship was, this book of Psalms was published after King James' death by his son, King Charles. It was not well received by the church.

This is a reprint made from scans of an original. There are marks from the original, a very few pages have lost some text in the gutter, several pages have lost part of the catchword. Overall, this is a readable copy of a very rare work.

The Old Testament According to the Septuagint

Asser, Michael. The Old Testament According to the Septuagint a Translation into English of the Greek Text Published by the Orthodox Church of Greece’s Apostoliki Diakonia, 2009. orthodoxengland.org.uk/zot.htm Based on the Authorised Version. Thanks to an anonymous submission.

Common English Bible

The Book of Luke is available for download now at the Common English Bible website. The downloads available differ depending on where on the site you click. Try here for Genesis, Matthew and Luke.

In His Name Bible Version

All I know about this new version is the name I found on this MySpace Page. I'll add it to my watch list and see what comes up!

Bible Version Generator

How in the world do people come up with all those names for new versions? After all, as one friend said "how many combinations of new, revised, english and standard can we have?" One blogger has come up with help for naming those new versions. It is called the "Bible Version Generator." It is on the blog Kouya Chronicle. You should see it in the upper right just below the picture title bar. I clicked a few times and among the many it gave me was "The Simplified Amplified Paraphrase." That should be an interesting one!

(The author is having fun, of course, but also wants to draw attention to the fact that there are 2,000 languages without a single word of the Bible. The bloggers work with Wycliffe Bible Translators UK. Click here to learn more.

Greyden Press

Greyden Press has produced several facsimiles of old Bibles. They now have an e-bay store.

If you know of other sellers of facsimiles I haven't listed yet, please let me know.

Coverdale 1535 Facsimile

Greatsite.com has a new facsimile available - the Coverdale 1535. But if you buy it from them through e-bay you can get it cheaper. They are including a reprint of Bagster's 1840s reprint of the Geneva 1557 Bible. Plus the shipping is free! Here's the e-bay link. Plus, they have the 400th Anniversary King James Facsimile on e-bay too. If you buy it there you get free shipping, two Bible leaves and a Geneva Bible facsimile. I bought mine on Amazon.com and didn't get all those extras. If you're in the market for one, buy yours here.

New International Version

Does anyone know of a list of changes that were made in the 1984 New International Version? That is, differences between the 1978 and 1984 editions of the NIV?

International Standard Version

The International Standard Version final release of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs is ready. Print orders will start June 18, 2010. The PDF file I downloaded did not work for me. If anyone has better luck, please leave a comment.

Freedom Bible Version

I just ran across a new Bible version in the works this morning. It is called the Freedom Bible Version. It is on a website for "Pine Knoll Publications" and is the work of Jonathan Gallagher.

Zombie Bible?

The Zombie Bible is too offensive - this post and link have been removed.

King James 1611 Bible 400th Anniversary Edition

Thought some of you might like an opportunity to get an actual sized Authorised Bible facsimile. The seller bought several to give as gifts, then got stuck with extras. Normally this sells for about $750 with a 1611 Bible leaf. On Amazon.com he is selling them for $375. It doesn't come with the leaf, but is a brand new, full size facsimile.

This is a "He" Bible since Ruth 3:15 reads "he went into the city." This is, according to Herbert's "Historical Catalogue of Printed Bibles" #309, the first edition of the Authorised or "King James" Bible. It is printed on heavy paper - just as the original is described. The covers feel like a leather covered box lid. It gives this Bible a true sense of majesty. The print is dark and clear to read. The calendars which originally had red print still have their color. The binding is a glued binding, unlike the original, but opens nicely and appears to lay reasonably flat. Mine does not appear to be numbered. The size is at least as big as the original - the measurements listed in Herbert's book are actually slightly smaller. This Bible has a wonderful feel and appearance whether you are displaying it or reading the text. There were 10 available originally - no idea how many are left.

Catholic Bibles

Since the title, Catholic Bibles, says it all - let me just make this notice of an interesting blog for Bible lovers!

Bible In Its Traditions

This has been announced earlier on other blogs, but I didn't realize that it may have an updated Bible text. The web site is the Bible In Its Traditions (abbreviated BEST because the French title is "La Bible en ses Traditions"). My guess is that the Bible text used is an updated New Jerusalem Bible, but it could be a new translation entirely. The original Jerusalem Bible was a translation and minor revision from the French. Does anyone know for sure what this version really is? More information about the project can be found at Ecole biblique.

{Corrected, 2010-06-01} I should have spent less time comparing this to Jerusalem Bible and the New JB. Then I might have noticed it is the KJV text. Not sure why they posted this version, but I'll watch their website for future developments.

New Matthew Bible

Another new project to announce today: This is a project to "republish" the Mathew Bible. The editor(s) are working from an actual 1549 reprint of the 1537 Matthew Bible. The project website has several articles including one titled "Editing the Matthew Bible for Today" which also gives some samples of the New Matthew Bible (NMB) text. There is an interim PDF of Romans available on the Topics Page.

{corrected 5-28-2010}

Christogenea New Testament Translation

Just found another new version this morning. This translation is by William Raymond Finck, Jr. His translation are "with a few exceptions are based upon the 27th edition of the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece." You can read his work online or download PDFs of each book of the New Testament at the Christogenea Website.

New Project Just Started

Another new project just got started. This one is by "The Potluck Catholic." It looks like it will just be the Gospels and Revelation. He has posted the introduction. Reading through his post, it sounds like it may be finished, but is just now being posted on his blog.

Hebrew to ... Music???

Here is a project that claims to translate directly from the Hebrew to musical notes! Music samples and a videos explaining the process are available on their website. A very interesting idea I just had to mention!

Halleyujah Scriptures

This appears to be a sacred name style version. It is to be a literal translation. It is about 50% finished. Visit their website for more information.

Universal Bible Project

I just ran across another new project for a new version of the Bible. It is sponsored by the Arian Catholic Church. The project is just beginning - you can read about it here. It is also mentioned on the "Unitarian Ministries International" page on facebook.

Internet Bible Catalog Update

One of the great resources about English Bibles is The Internet Bible Catalog. Lately, the owner of the site has been adding Scripture samples to many of the entries. This is a great addition, allowing you to read Genesis 12:1-5; Psalm 23; Isaiah 55:1-3; Mark 1:9-13; John 1:1-5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (as they apply) from many different versions.

Don't forget, it is a "wiki" site that allows others to add information to the site. You can be a contributor - maybe provide some Scripture samples or a new version not yet listed!

Hebrew Interlinear Bible

Today's post proves that part of a Bible Hunter's job is digging through the old piles looking for something new. My latest find is a Hebrew Interlinear Bible program by Walter Kenaston. The copyright date on the program is 2003 - not one of my fastest finds!
Of course, it is the English Interlinear text that draws my interest since I research and collect Bibles in English. His Hebrew Page will provide some articles and links on Hebrew as well as a link to his Hebrew Interlinear Bible program. To see his interlinear text in the program, go to Edit, Preferences then click on the Sources tab. Under Interlinear Translation Sources choose "ILT Translation." You can also turn on KJV text under View on the main menu.

Apologies

I had to switch to moderated comments on this blog. That means your comments won't be posted until I check them. I apologize for this, but there have been some spam comments lately. Some of them appear to be to very inappropriate links as well. All other comments will show up as soon as I can get to them. Thanks for reading and sharing this love for Bibles!

Lexham English Bible

Another Bible version to announce today: the Lexham English Bible. This is a literal translation that is based on the Lexham Greek-English Interlinear New Testament (available in the Logos 4 Bible software). The New Testament is finished and work on the Old Testament is ongoing. I assume that the OT will be based on the Lexham Interlinear Old Testament. Free downloads of the NT are available at the website.

Open English Bible

I received word of a new Bible project that is underway. It is the Open English Bible. This is a revision of the Twentieth Century New Testament. This will be "under a licence enabling the maximum reuse, remixing and sharing without requiring the payment of royalties or the obtaining of permission from copyright holders" and
"a translation reflecting modern English usage and Biblical scholarship." For more information and a download of the book of Mark visit OpenEnglishBible.org.

The Literally Translated New Testament Bible

The Literally Translated New Testament Bible is a new version by Billy J. Mooneyham. His website tells about this new translation. Samples can be viewed on Amazon.com.

Book Request

I need to read the book "A Description of the Great Bible, 1539, and the Six Editions of Cranmer's Bible, 1540 and 1541, Printed by Grafton and Whitchurch: Also of the Editions, in Large Folio, of the Authorized Version of the Holy Scriptures, Printed in the Years..." by Francis Fry. One place I've seen it listed is in ATLA's Historical Monograph series. It is #0790510456. Can anyone help me out with a copy of this to read?

Holy Bible - Lighthouse Version

David Plaisted has updated his revision of the King James Bible titled Holy Bible - Lighthouse Version. He sent me the link to a home page for his work rather than just the lulu.com page.

New Addition to the Links Page

I developed my links page to share things I've found while doing research on the Bible in English. Lately I started adding initials of those that send me a link or run a web site where I found the link. Also, with so many Bibles on Google Books and Internet Archive, I've found myself wishing I could just see the ongoing translations. I haven't gotten it fine tuned that well, but I have added a new listing to the site. It is called "No Facsimiles." It removes the Google Books, Internet Archive and other similar sites from the listing. I've also cut out all versions older than 1950. This leaves a list that can be searched for new and ongoing English Bible translations. I hope this helps somebody else as much as it is helping me.
My Site Just the Links Page

Wycliffe Bible

Here is another edition of the Wycliffe Bible. Lamp Post books has made "a modern, clean, readable version of the original Middle English text." The advertisement does not make clear what edition of Wycliffe was used to create this version.

Translation in Progress

Stephen Nickolas is working on a translation of the New Testament. He started a couple years ago and has recently posted his work for review. View his ongoing translation work at http://usotsuki.hoshinet.org/ntdraft/.

Updated American Standard Version

A Project is started (or at least being discussed) to update the American Standard Version of 1901. There are samples and a very brief description at Bible-Translation.net.

Historical English Bibles Online

I was just notified about a great site this afternoon (thanks, CC). It belongs to the folks at Greatsite.com. The web site is www.bibles-online.net. The website works like a "virtual Bible" where you can actually turn the pages of the Bibles. Double clicking zooms in on the page. It is high enough resolution for doing research, I think. They've got a Great Bible, Matthew's Bible, Taverner's (most likely Becke's revised Taverner/Tyndale), Jugge's Tyndale, Bishop's Bible, Geneva Bible, Authorised and a 1731 Wycliffe New Testament. There also have an Erasmus Greek-Latin, a Stephanus Greek NT and a Spanish Bible. This looks to be a great resource - go have a look for yourself.

New Translation?

The man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 just got out of prison. He has declared himself "Christ eternal" and promises to write a new Gospel as the present one is full of mistakes. This should be an interesting version??? Anyway, here's a news article about this potential new translator.

Standard Bible Storybook

This new storybook from Standard Publishing is due to be released in March of 2010. It has over 130 stories from the Old and New Testaments. Each is written in only about 300 words. The Bible stories have been retold by Carolyn Larsen. For a bit more information and a PDF sample visit Standard Publishing.

The Voice of Psalms - a review

The Voice of Psalms: Psalms Retold by the Friends of Ecclesia Bible Society - a review

This volume doesn’t look or feel like the average Bible. It is printed on heavy paper that has a colored background picture to make it look like old paper. Each Psalms is set apart by a horizontal border making it easy to find a particular chapter. It is also set up as a devotional with reflections or devotions every few pages. Twenty-eight day and forty day reading plans are included as well. This is another installment in Thomas Nelson’s new translation “The Voice.” This version will eventually cover the entire Bible.

This is an easy to use copy of the Psalms although the page background made reading more difficult for me. The appearance and layout make it seem like something good for daily devotions. It is clearly made to have an artistic appeal in its general layout, translation style and writing.

The content is of some concern to me. I am not comfortable with some of the theology that comes through in The Voice translation. Also, in place of “the Lord” this translation uses “the Eternal One.” This may be an accurate translation (I am not qualified to decide), but feels awkward on my tongue when I am reading. The use of italicized word and phrases helps highlight added material. Some of this material is part of the theology being added into this translation.

The devotions included vary somewhat in quality. Some seem relevant, modern and applicable instantly to most any reader. Other come across as vague poetry that is difficult to apply to ones life. Perhaps this is a positive aspect, since other readers will likely have a different purpose in reading that I.

The most important thing to me is, of course, the translation itself. I am not a fan of the translation choices of this version. For that reason, I would not recommend “The Voice of Psalm.”

LOLCat Bible

The LOL Cat Bible project has published a selection of Scriptures. The 128 page volume features pictures of cats and selection of Scriptures rendered into "LOL Cat." This is a made up pidgin English based on chat room abbreviated slang. It can be found at Amazon.com among others.

The Existential Jesus

The Existential Jesus is by John Carroll who asserts that Jesus is "is anti-church, anti-establishment, anti-family, and anti-community; a teacher, with himself his only student, he gestures enigmatically from within his own torturous experience, inviting the reader to walk in his shoes and ask the question, Who am I? (according to amazon.com). His work includes a new translation of the book of Mark.

Carroll, John. The Existential Jesus. Counterpoint, 2009. ISBN 978-1582434650.

Hebrew Heritage Bible Website

I couldn't find any samples of this translation. It is a translation that takes into account the Hebrew background of the Biblical writers. The work is being conducted by Dr. Brad H. Young. There is more information about Young and his work at the website.

Retranslation...

Here's an interesting one for you. This is a translation back into English from the 1874 "Four Gospels in the Seneca Language." Only the first two chapters of Matthew are done. It appears the translation was done by Drs. Jordan Lachler and Thomas McElwain. Take a look at their work here.

James to Jude: A Lyrical Paraphrase

James to Jude: A Lyrical Paraphrase is by Jim Muffo. The ad from the publishers website states: "James to Jude is a line-by-line, verse-by-verse lyrical paraphrase of seven New Testament books: James, I & II Peter, I, II & III John and Jude. 417 of the 431 total verses of scripture found in James through Jude are represented by two lines of poetry. Intros to each book are taken from The Message//Remix: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Also included are lyrical paraphrases of Psalm 91, Matthew 5:3-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, and 1 Corinthians 13."

New Testament: A Poetry Version

The New Testament: A Poetry Version is by J. A. Porter. Not much information on this one either, so again here is the blurb from the publisher's website: "The New Testament: A Poetry Version is a unique rendering of the story of Jesus, his disciples and the promise he left for all mankind. The Gospels, Paul's letters and all the other books of the New Testament come alive in a new and different way."

Tyndale's Pentateuch of 1530

I've added another new facsimile to the Museum Store: It is a facsimile of Tyndale's 1530 Pentateuch. Some titles were cropped and a very few pages had some text loss in the gutter. Otherwise this is a good copy of Scriptures 480 years old! Available in a 6x9 hardback.

New Peace Treaty

I just happened upon this one today, though it appears it was published two years ago. It is called "The New Peace Treaty (Between God and Humanity)" and is a translation of the New Testament by R. Joseph Owles. I haven't found anything but adverts on book sellers' websites, so here's their blurb:

"The New Peace Treaty (Between God and Humanity) is a new translation of the New Testament. The purpose of this translation is to make the meaning of New Testament documents accessible to the average reader. The language is basic and often employs common slang. Highly theological or often misunderstood religious terms are broken down to their core meaning. Chapter and verse have been removed because they were added much later during the Middle Ages. The New Peace Treaty (Between God and Humanity) is designed for those who want the power and the clear meaning of the New Testament to come alive. It is the perfect translation for personal reflection and personal devotion. It is the first translation to look and read like what first century Christians would have heard if they lived in the twenty-first century."

The Voice - updates

The Voice Psalms was released in November of 2009. According to Amazon.com the Voice New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs will be available in June of this year. In September of 2009 they also released "The Voice Reader's New Testament" which does not have the commentary.

The Voice

I recently received a complimentary copy of The Voice: New Testament from Thomas Nelson publishers. The project founder is Chris Seay, an active figure in the emerging church movement. Nelson's 2006 press release stated that this project would eventually cover the entire Bible. Currently, only the New Testament has been released. It is laid out in two column format with paragraphs split somewhat like a script. Speakers’ names mark the beginning of the paragraphs.

Immediately upon reading the book of John, I had many complaints. I will list just a few here.

This version adds and changes words to support the "voice" theme (“Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God” John 1:1). It isn’t clear if the theme or the translation came first. Reading more than a few chapters quickly leads one to the conclusion that the themes were in mind before the “translating” began. Translating logos as “voice” is certainly unique. I question whether it is accurate or helpful in any way.

It appears that some syncretistic theology is peeking through this version as well. Eastern mythical concepts such as the concept "inner calling" are inserted into the text. An example is found in 1 John 1:11-12 where it reads “Though the Voice utters only truth, His own people, who have heard the voice before, rebuff this inner calling and refuse to listen. But those who hear and trust the beckoning of the Divine Voice and embrace Him, they shall be reborn as Children of God; He bestows this birthright not by human power or initiative but by God's will. Because we are born of this world, we can only be reborn to God by accepting His call.

Theological changes are made to the text such as inserting "by accepting his call" in 1 John 1:13. It might be appropriate to add such things as marginal notes. But inserting them directly into the text shows a desire to change the text according to a theological bias. The more of this that occurs in a translation the worse the translation becomes. Interpretation belongs with the reader, the teacher and the preacher.

Words in italics supposedly contain information "that would have been obvious to the those originally addressed" by the Scripture and are intended "to help the reader better understand the text.” Reading only a few verses leads me to suggest that italics show areas where the “translators” want to change or at least re-interpret the meaning of the text.

Rather than titling this “The Voice: New Testament,” it should be title “The Voice: Emergent Church Theological Document.” This is not a careful translation of the New Testament, nor is it an honest attempt to render the scriptures in the language of our day. It contains too much theological bias, syncretistic inclusions and strange renderings for it to be of any practical use. It made an interesting addition to my collection of Bible versions, but I would not recommend this to anyone for any other purpose.

Book Review: Fearless by Max Lucado

I believe there is some rule now that I have to notify you when I have received a free book before I post my review. Seems odd that an individual would have to do that in posting an opinion on a private blog, but there it is: I received a free PDF of Max Lucado's "Fearless." Now here's my review:

I read this book as one of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Bloggers. I grabbed the chance as I have read several of Max Lucado's books and expected to enjoy this book as well. I assumed this would be an easy review for me to write. I was only about half right.

One concern nagged at me while reading this book: Lucado's conversational style of writing is distracting. He darts from one example to another in almost a stream-of-consciousness manner. Some of his examples do help to explain his arguments. But many simple draw attention away, painting pictures I don't need to look at in order to understand what he is teaching. Perhaps this style is popular, but I found it to be a deterrent in reading this book.

Yet he also comes across as a normal Christian who struggles with the same things that I do. I don't wonder if he knows how it feels to be afraid - I can see that he does. It is much easier to hear from somebody who experiences the same things that some lofty theologian. Unfortunately, he may have taken that too far. Some of the chapters felt a bit shallow.

I always find his writing to be very congenial. He does not give an air of arrogance or condescension. It is more like a conversation with a pastor or a friend than a theological treatise. I often come away from Lucado’s books with the feeling that this man wants me to succeed in my Christian life. Usually, I also have the feeling that he really knows his subject.

My general summary of this book would be this: It was not as well written and properly condensed as his other works. It had a feeling about it of being rushed into print. But I felt that he accomplished his goal of helping Christians deal with fear. I didn’t find it to be his most readable work but certainly experienced encouragement from it.

Coverdale Bible and Great Bible

Thanks to some new software, I have been able to finish a facsimile of the Great Bible of 1540 and the Coverdale Bible of 1535. Both are now available through the Bible Reader's Museum Store. Initially, I had cut the marginal notes out of the Coverdale Bible as many of them were obscured, especially in the gutter. With this new production, I left those notes in to provide as much of the original as possible. The scans I have showed the problems of the originals so be warned - some titles are cropped, notes in the gutter are often obscured (on the Coverdale) and just a few pages had some text obscured or lost. The Great Bible New Testament was "repaired" with some pages from another copy of the same year. Those of us who bought the New Testaments of both of those will have to buy both volumes of the new edition to have a correct set. If I did not do it this way, we still would have had to buy two volumes as the Old Testaments were too long to fit in one volume with lulu.com's page limits. The new software I used for processing the pages made a better product as well.

ASL John

I have seen a couple sites that have rendered the Scriptures into sign language via video. Here is one that has translated it into a printed format. This is the Gospel of John in ASL by Nancy Romero.

This may give you the blues

Here's an older post from a blog called the "Zeray Gazette." It is a humorous entry only, but is the The Wycliffe Bible Translation Project: Smurf. I certainly hope it is only a joke!

Dore Bible

Many of you have heard of the Bibles illustrated by Gustave Dore. Project Gutenberg has an online gallery of his illustrations here. The Gutenberg site has several other Bibles available for download as well (some are already linked on my site).

The Twitter Bible

Fortunately, this is just a humorous article. But the scriptures are being "converted" into the many new online trends such as SMS, IM, Wiki and LOLcat so don't be surprised if it takes off into a huge project. The article, by James Watkins, can be found on his blog. File this one under humorous bits...