Things to Look for in the Geneva Bible Facsimile Reproduction

In the history of Bible translations, the Geneva Bible occupies a special place. It preceded the KJV (King James Version) by 51 years. Considered the most influential Bible, which was also the primary Bible of 16th century Protestantism, the Geneva Bible found its users in Oliver Cromwell, William Shakespeare, John Bunyan, John Donne, and John Knox.

This was the first English Bible that had its scriptures segregated into numbered verses. Since its publication was an enormous achievement, owning the 1560 Geneva Bible is worth every dime you spend to acquire it. But not everyone will find its steep price affordable.

For them, a facsimile reproduction of the Geneva Bible will be worth considering. This Bible was widely read throughout the 16th and 17th centuries and played a large role in boosting the rate of scripture literacy among England’s public.

Things You Should Look For in the Geneva Bible Facsimile Reproduction

The Geneva Bible had some unique features, knowing which will help you check and ensure your facsimile reproduction too comes with them. To begin with, each chapter of this Bible had numbered verses.

A key factor behind the Geneva Bible’s popularity was its “study resources,” which referred to the marginal notes. The translators of this Bible included these notes to help the common people easily understand the Bible. These marginal notes comprised almost 300,000 words, which was approximately one-third of the text.

At the time the Geneva Bible was published, Gothic Blackletter-style typeface was commonly used. However, the Geneva Bible deviated from the norm and used a Roman-style typeface instead, which was easy to use for its readers.

The original 1560 Geneva Bible had 30+ woodcut maps and illustrations depicting Biblical views. Some of the notable among these were the labeled images of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. The Geneva Bible also had the Apocrypha.

When buying a facsimile reproduction of the Geneva Bible, you should check if the copy has all these unique features that the original had, thus ensuring your purchase is worth it.

Final Words

Keep all these features in mind when shopping for the Geneva Bible’s facsimile to ensure you get an authentic facsimile reproduction and not a cheap replica with missing pages and features.

Original Source: http://geneva-bible.com/geneva-bible-facsimile-reproduction.html

Where to Buy the 1611 King James Bible Facsimile

Buying an antique Bible like the 1611 KJV may not be possible for everyone despite their desire to own the original piece. However, you don’t need to feel disheartened as a 1611 King James Bible facsimile can be the best alternative to buying the original. This way, you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank and yet own a piece of history.

Whether you want to buy a 1611 King James Bible facsimile for your personal library or give it away as a gift to a friend or family member, you should be careful about where you buy it from. This is especially true if you are buying a rare Bible for the first time and don’t know the things you should check to ensure it’s indeed an authentic facsimile of the 1611 KJV.

It always helps to know a few things about the original book when you are planning to buy its facsimile, and it’s no different for the 1611 King James Bible facsimile. People have loved the original KJV for over 400 years and even today, it’s loved and respected for its unmatched rhythm, beauty, and poetic feel.

Some experts claim that there’s hardly any other book that has influenced our theology and language as intensely as the 1611 King James Bible. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise that there’s an extremely high demand for its cost-efficient facsimile. If you plan to buy a 1611 King James Bible facsimile, here are a few things you should take note of.

What Makes the 1611 King James Bible Fascinating?

This Bible features Jacobean-style spelling and a Gothic-style typeface. It’s written in Early Modern English that stands testimony to the language’s strong connection to its Latin roots. Despite not being fully standardized, this Bible could be read phonetically.

You need to find a reliable and reputed dealer of rare Bibles to buy a 1611 King James Bible facsimile. Else, you may end up with a copy that doesn’t have the original’s additional prefatory features. You could even be encouraged to buy a facsimile that had some words changed, books removed, or the typesetting altered.

How to Find a Dealer Selling 1611 King James Bible facsimiles

You can ask friends, family, colleagues, or hobbyists who buy rare and antique Bibles for a referral. You may even go online and check the feedback and testimonials of past clients to decide if your shortlisted dealers are good to buy a 1611 King James Bible facsimile without being taken for a ride.

Final Words

Some fly-by-night dealers and dubious elements are always lurking to take gullible buyers for a ride and coerce them into buying a book that’s a close replica of the rare Bible they seek but not an authentic version.

To avoid falling prey to them, you need to exercise caution and do your homework well. So, find a reliable dealer of antique Bibles from which you can buy a 1611 King James Bible facsimile that’s worth every dime spent.

Original Source: http://king-james-version-bible.com/1611-king-james-bible-facsimile.html

Why Should You Own the 1611 KJV Bible?

The 1611 KJV Bible continued its popular run for over 400 years. Even today, those looking for rare and antique Bibles would almost die to have them in their collection. It’s a collectible that’s worth displaying in your personal library or even gift to your loved ones.

Also called the King James Bible or King James Version, this 1611 Bible is perhaps the world’s most printed book and has become a dominant Bible ever since it was published. If you plan to buy it, it will be prudent to know its features, what makes it so special, and find a reliable dealer of rare and antique Bibles.

If you can’t wait to own a part of history by getting the 1611 KJV Bible, here are a few things you should know about it.

How Did the 1611 KJV Bible Come Into Existence?

In 1604, after James was crowned the king of England, a churchmen’s conference put forward their request for the English Bible’s revision. They asked for it as they believed the existing translations were corrupt and failed to answer to the truth of the original.

King James was quick to understand what this request meant and why there was an immediate need to authorize the translation. He was quick to act and gave 54 revisers his approval by June 30, 1604. But existing records prove that just 47 scholars actually participated.

These scholars were classified into six groups and specific sections of the Bible were assigned to them. These six groups were further divided into three groups of two, each of which functioned separately at Cambridge, Oxford, and Westminster on their assigned parts.

The entire work was managed by Richard Bancroft, Canterbury’s archbishop, who set up the doctrinal principles to be followed by the translators. Finally, in 1611, the new Bible saw the light of day.

Features of the 1611 KJV Bible

The text was written in Early Modern English and showed the language’s closer link to its Latin roots. As can be expected, its spellings were in Jacobean style. Though the 1611 KJV Bible wasn’t entirely standardized, it was possible for the readers to read it phonetically.

This Bible had a Gothic typeface. Today, many people may find its typeface and older language pretty difficult to read. Yet, you can’t deny the popularity, recognition, and respect it still gets due to its beauty, rhythm, and poetic feel.

Final Words

The creation of the 1611 KJV Bible was a huge project undertaken under royal sponsorship. This Bible was prominently influenced by the original Hebrew version and had an elaborate set of rules to control individual inclinations, thus ensuring the translation’s neutral and intellectual character.

Are you ready to get hold of the 1611 KJV Bible from a reputed dealer of rare Bibles?

Original Source: http://1611-king-james-bible.com/1611-kjv-bible.html

Knowing the Story Behind the Historical Tyndale New Testament

William Tyndale was the first man to print the New Testament in English. The 1536 Tyndale New Testament was the most elaborate and last edition done before Tyndale died in October of the same year. This Bible has outstanding woodcut illustrations and a Gothic blackletter typeface that bears resemblance to calligraphy and evokes a medieval feel.

What Made Tyndale Print the New Testament in English?

Tyndale got educated at the University of Oxford and took up an instructor’s job at the University of Cambridge. While working there, he started meeting some humanist scholars at the White Horse Inn in 1521. Soon, Tyndale became convinced that the church’s doctrines and practices should be determined by the Bible alone and that all believers should be capable of reading the Bible in their own language.

This prompted him to start working on a New Testament translation in 1523. He translated directly from Greek. After England’s church authorities prevented him from continuing his translation as they wanted to be in charge of access to the scriptures and their interpretation, Tyndale fled to Germany in 1524. This became possible due to the financial support extended to him by the affluent London merchants.

The Tyndale New Testament was completed in July 1525, after which it went to print at Cologne. Again, city authorities pressured him, which forced Tyndale to move base to Worms, where he published two more editions in 1525. In 1526, the first copies of the Tyndale New Testament were smuggled into England, thanks to their small octavo format. However, they were forbidden immediately.

Several copies of the Tyndale New Testament were seized and burned, and those who owned them risked death by burning at the stake. Eventually, Tyndale was detained in Belgium and burned at the stake in 1536. But he continued living through his work.

Printing of the Tyndale New Testament opened the floodgates of new versions, and several English translation works that followed in the rest of the 16th and early 17th centuries were mostly based on Tyndale’s work. Today, just two known copies of the first edition of Tyndale New Testament exist.

Whether you are looking for the 1525 copy or the 1536 Tyndale New Testament, getting the originals could be pretty difficult and extremely costly. However, you can get hold of a facsimile of these Bibles by buying them from a reliable and reputed dealer of rare Bibles and their facsimile reproductions.

Wrapping Up

When buying a facsimile of the Tyndale New Testament, it would help to buy photographically enlarged reproductions. The ones that are almost 125% the size of the original can facilitate easy reading. You should also make sure the facsimiles are the authentic replica of the original Tyndale New Testament and feature multiple large woodcut illustrations.

Original Source: http://tyndale-bible.com/knowing-the-story-behind-the-historical-tyndale-new-testament.html

The Gutenberg Bible – World’s Most Famous Bible

Johann Gutenberg was a German skilled in engraving and metalworking. He and his associates, Peter Schoeffer and Johann Fust, printed the Gutenberg Bible in Germany’s Mainz in 1455. Thus, Gutenberg made the scriptures potentially accessible to every individual. According to some sources, just 48 copies of the Gutenberg Bible are known to have survived, of which 36 are printed on paper and 12 on vellum. To own a piece of history, you can get a facsimile reproduction of the Gutenberg Bible.

The Gutenberg Bible in Latin text is a two-volume work, which was printed in 42-line columns. During the later stages of this Bible’s production, six compositors worked on it simultaneously. Sometimes, the Gutenberg Bible is called the Mazarin Bible, because the first copy that the bibliographers described was located in Cardinal Mazarin’s Paris-based library.

Knowing Johann Gutenberg Better

In the 1440s, Johann Gutenberg started experimenting with new ways of printing, similar to several other Europeans. Everyone was trying to find a cheaper and faster way to produce books. Typically, the Europeans used woodcuts or hand stamps, which were an improvement over handwritten text. Yet, they were still utterly slow.

Though printing with moveable type was developed earlier in East Asia, it was still unknown in Europe. The earliest type of this form of printing is documented in some 11th century Chinese sources. In the 13th century, a moveable metal type was built in Korea. From the early 15th century, several officially commissioned fonts began being created in Korea.
Meanwhile, Johann Gutenberg continued with his experiments. Since he was skilled in engraving and metal working, he had an advantage over many others. During his stay in Strasbourg, he perfected quite a few unique ideas. One was an adjustable hand-held mold that could be used to cast any letter precisely and in large quantities. Another was a sturdy tin alloy that melted and solidified rapidly without distortion. He also developed a modified printing press and oil-based ink.

Though it took him many more years, he finally finished printing the Bible in 1455 using moveable type. In Europe, the Gutenberg Bible was the earliest full-scale work that was printed with the use of a moveable type.

Features of the Gutenberg Bible

This Bible had no page numbers, title page, and innovations to differentiate it from a manuscript copyist’s work. Apparently, this was what Gutenberg desired. Though the Gutenberg Bible used space uneconomically, it depicts a certain level of technical efficiency not significantly improved upon prior to the 19th century. This Bible’s Gothic type is grand in appearance, has a medieval feeling, and is a little less pointed and compressed than other examples that emerged soon.

Final Words

The technological breakthrough of Johann Gutenberg - the German printer, is a landmark in the history of printed Bibles. Had it not been for his relentless pursuit of cheaper and speedier printing modes during his time, the Gutenberg Bible wouldn’t have seen the light of day. Since not everyone can afford the steeply-priced rare original copy, the best way to own the Gutenberg Bible is to buy a facsimile reproduction from a reputed dealer of rare and antique Bibles.

Original Source: http://gutenberg-bible.com/the-gutenberg-bible-worlds-most-famous-bible.html

Know All About Wycliffe’s New Testament

No one should be coerced to learn another language to comprehend God’s Word and experience the Bible’s life-transforming power. John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor and a leading theologian of his time, believed this. He was among the few individuals who had read the Latin Bible.

Despite being a scholar who lived a life of privilege, he felt a special empathy for the uneducated and the poor. He challenged the Church princes to face their widespread corruption and hypocrisy and repent. He opined the Church was no longer fit to be the keeper of God’s Word.

Wycliffe proposed a truly revolutionary idea of God’s Word being made available to people in both Latin and English so they can read it in the tongue most known to them. He strongly believed that with God’s Word literally in their hands, individuals would be able to work toward their own salvation without needing any institutional or human intermediary.

This was the basic premise that drove Wycliffe to translate the scriptures into English for the first time. And thus, Wycliffe’s New Testament came into existence.

Wycliffe’s Translation of the Bible

John Wycliffe, together with his followers, translated the “Latin Bible” (Saint Jerome’s Vulgate) into the very first English Bible in the 1380’s. This literal and respectful translation was hand-printed.

Wycliffe was in his room at Queen’s College from August 1380 until 1381’s summer, busy with his Bible translation and an order of Poor Preachers, whom he trusted to take Bible truth to the people.

At Wycliffe’s instigation, two translations were made of the Bible, one more idiomatic than the other. His considerable toil can be understood better by how the Bible became essential in his theories to replace the discredited church authority and to make God’s Word available to every literate person.

This, together with a belief in the efficiency of preaching, paved the way for the creation of the Lollards. Though it’s uncertain to which level Wycliffe was involved in the formation of the Lollards, it’s clear that the Lollards propagated his controversial views.

Wycliffe retired to Lutterworth in 1381. At this time, the Peasants’ Revolt happened due to the labor classes’ discontent. After Simon of Sudbury, Canterbury’s archbishop, was killed in the revolt, William Courtenay took his place.

Courtenay moved against Wycliffe and condemned several of his works at the synod held in May 1382 at Blackfriars, London, and banned all his writings. That year, Wycliffe had his first stroke at Lutterworth. However, he continued writing prolifically until his death in December 1384, triggered by another stroke.

Features of Wycliffe’s New Testament

Wycliffe’s New Testament was hand-written. Consequently, it was extremely challenging to read. Yet, its historical importance couldn’t be ignored as it was the very first English translation of the Bible from Latin.

To make the readers’ job easier, Wycliffe’s 1378 manuscript was reprinted in 1731. It had a modern, user-friendly typeface. Thus, the text was easier to read compared to Wycliffe’s New Testament that was hand-written. However, reprinted edition preserved the Middle-English wordings and spellings of the original 100% faithfully.

If you are planning to buy a facsimile of Wycliffe’s New Testament, it may be wiser to look for the 1731 reprint with the modern English typeface. It’s important to note here that this 1731 publication was a vital milestone in Biblical history and printing history as it was the first printed version of the English translation of God’s Word.

In 1731, a limited number of copies (160) were printed. Today, less than ten of those are known to exist. Perhaps you can imagine how costly each of those copies would be in case they are available for sale. However, a facsimile of the first printed edition of Wycliffe’s New Testament is relatively easier to get and would cost you just a small fraction of the cost of the 1731 printed version.

Wrapping Up

John Wycliffe’s New Testament angered the Church so much that his bones were dug up and burned. All confiscated copies of his work were burned. Those who possessed, copied, or distributed the copies they could manage to hide were imprisoned or burned at stake. But the spark elicited by Wycliffe’s English Bible couldn’t be extinguished.

God’s Word was copied, time and again, and shared from hand to hand. It was read, heard, and spoken by the common people in their own language for the first time in more than 1300 years. Thus, Wycliffe’s New Testament finally returned God’s Word to the simple folk in a language they spoke and understood.

Original Source: http://john-wycliffe.com/know-all-about-wycliffes-new-testament.html