Why Buy the 1560 Geneva Bible Facsimile

If you consider the Protestant Bible translation’s history, the Geneva Bible stands tall. It was the first English Bible, where the scriptures were divided into numbered verses. Its publication was a huge accomplishment, which makes owning the 1560 Geneva Bible facsimile reproduction worth it.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the Geneva Bible was the most dominant and widely read English Bible. It played a significant role in promoting scripture literacy among the common people of England.

This was the first time when a Bible came equipped with study resources to help England’s common people easily understand the scriptures. The marginal notes of this Bible included around 300,000 words. This was close to one-third of the text.

These notes were one of the principal reasons behind the soaring popularity of the Geneva Bible. The level of popularity of this Bible could be understood with a single instance - Shakespeare quoted the Geneva Bible in his plays more than 5,000 times!

Why Buy the 1560 Geneva Bible Facsimile?

Not everyone may find the steep price tag of the original 1560 Geneva Bible affordable. But it doesn’t mean you should kill your desire to own and read this historical Bible. The best solution is to get hold of a 1560 Geneva Bible facsimile reproduction.

You just need to ensure you buy it from a reliable dealer of antique and rare Bibles to make your investment worth it. Else, you may end up getting an unauthentic replica with missing pages and illustrations.

What to Look for in a 1560 Geneva Bible Facsimile Reproduction?

You should check for the unique features in your 1560 Geneva Bible facsimile reproduction, some of which were quite radical. One is the numbered verses that each chapter has. Secondly, you should check for the cross-references and explanatory notes in the margin intended to help the readers.

Thirdly, this Bible has a user-friendly Roman-style typeface. This was a deviation from the Gothic Blackletter-style typeface common during those times.

Fourthly, your facsimile should have 30+ woodcut illustrations and maps portraying Biblical views, including labeled images of the Ark of the Covenant, Tabernacle, and more. Since the Geneva Bible had the Apocrypha, you should ensure your 1560 Geneva Bible facsimile reproduction has it too.

Final Words

In Biblical history, the Geneva Bible is the lone Bible that outsold the King James Bible and even exceeded its popularity. Its fame continued until its printing was stopped in 1644. The Geneva Bible was the first Bible brought to America and upon which the nation was founded.

To own a piece of this fascinating history, albeit in a budget-friendly manner, you should get yourself a 1560 Geneva Bible facsimile reproduction.

Original Source: http://geneva-bible.com/why-buy-the-1560-geneva-bible-facsimile.html

Key Things to Know About Foxe's Book of Martyrs

John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs emphasizes the stories of faith and courage. It talks about courageous men and women who were tortured and killed due to their faith and confessions of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior during Queen Mary’s reign. To understand why this book was read widely during the 16th and 17th centuries, you should know some key things about this book.

Purpose of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs

Through the simple stories of martyrs, Foxe’s book aimed to bring forward what Protestantism represented. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs also showed a strong yearning to return to Christianity’s true teachings and reject what Protestants believed to be the Catholic Church’s corrupt practices.

What Makes Foxe’s Book of Martyrs Special?

John Foxe’s study of Christian martyrs throughout history had a strong emphasis on those who had to die during the reign of “bloody” Mary. However, Foxe’s work began prior to Catholic Mary’s reign and the Protestants’ persecution. His first studies were related to the early Christian martyrs, the sufferers of the Inquisition, and the admirers of Wycliffe and Tyndale who expressed their support for the reading of the Bible in English.

During his exile in Germany as a Protestant, John Foxe continued writing, as he heard the news of the persecutions in England. The first edition (in Latin) of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs got published in 1559. However, it didn’t contain a lot of details about the latest Protestant martyrs. The stories of these martyrs were included in the much broader 1563 edition published in English. Though Foxe wasn’t a neutral writer and his historical presentation is selective and interspersed with comments, there’s no denying that he had access to the evidence from very current trials and eyewitness accounts, which makes his work usually reliable.

Final Words

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs depicts stories of heroic courage and amazing faith in God that enabled men, women, and children to tolerate persecutions and often, terrible deaths. As this book was extensively read during the 16th and 17th centuries, it significantly influenced popular opinion pertaining to Catholicism over the following centuries.
Often called the most vital Christian work ever printed outside of the Bible, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is worth possessing. However, the original printings of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs cost a lot, which could be difficult for many to buy. You can get a facsimile reproduction of this masterpiece instead at almost 99% less.

Original Source: http://foxes-book-of-martyrs.com/key-things-to-know-about-foxes-book-of-martyrs.html

William Tyndale - the Father of the English Bible

William Tyndale was a scholar who went to the University of Oxford. He could speak seven languages and was skilled in ancient Greek and Hebrew. He was a priest who led a disciplined life and was blessed with intellectual gifts, which could have taken him a long way in the church if he had not felt the compulsion to teach his countrymen the good news of justification by faith.

Tyndale discovered this doctrine when he read his mentor, Erasmus’s Greek edition of the New Testament. He felt there wasn’t a better way to share this message with the men and women in his country than to create an English version of the New Testament and put it into their hands. And this became William Tyndale’s passion in life.

William Tyndale’s Work and Bible Translations

Tyndale raised objection to the Catholic Church’s control of the Latin scripture and the ban against an English translation. When he sought permission from ecclesiastical authorities for translating the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek, his request was denied. However, he left for Germany, where he worked on the Bible’s English translation.

He published his work on the New Testament and sections of the Old Testament, together with other writings, and got them smuggled into England. His work created the foundation of all other English translations of the Bible that followed until the contemporary era.

It’s interesting to note that William Tyndale is recognized as the first person who translated the Bible into English, instead of Wycliffe, because he used the original language Bibles, unlike the Latin translation that Wycliffe used.

William Tyndale’s Death

After Henry VIII called for his arrest, William Tyndale kept changing his locations to maintain safety. Though he was protected well by Antwerp’s affluent merchants, it was Henry Phillips who finally betrayed him though Tyndale considered him his friend. William Tyndale was imprisoned, followed by a torturous execution by strangulation, after which his body was burned at the stake in October 1536.

Final Words

Three years later, the Bible’s completed English version was published in England by his colleague Myles Coverdale with the king’s approval. Today, both William Tyndale and Coverdale are honored as the first to translate the Bible into English though it’s widely accepted that Coverdale mostly developed William Tyndale’s earlier work.

Original Source: http://william-tyndale.com/william-tyndale-the-father-of-the-english-bible.html

Know the Bible History Better

After the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, the publication of texts got a big boost. During those early years of printing, there were many takers for the Latin Bible. However, things changed after the Gutenberg Bible was printed in 1455. It was followed by 90+ other editions of the Vulgate, some of which came equipped with commentary, and were published by presses spread across Europe.

The 15th and early 16th centuries in Europe are marked by significant intellectual change, which had a direct impact on the Bible’s availability and accessibility in the vernacular language to the commoners. 

Tracing the Bible History

The first hand-written Bible manuscripts in English were produced by John Wycliffe in the 1380’s AD. Wycliffe was a leading theologian and scholar of his time, who believed the organized Church's teaching was in contrast to the Bible.

In the 1450s, after the printing press was invented, Johann Gutenberg printed a Latin language Bible. This became the first book ever to get printed.

Over time, the Latin Vulgate became so corrupt that it could no longer preserve the message of the Gospel. This was exactly what Thomas Linacre, an Oxford professor, stated after he learned Greek and then read the Gospels in Greek. His words couldn't be taken lightly as he was the personal doctor to England’s King Henry VII and VIII.

After he found 6,000+ mistakes in the Vulgate, Erasmus, a priest based in the Netherlands, published a new Greek translation of the Bible by using multiple sources.

In 1522, Martin Luther's translation of the New Testament into German was published, which became renowned as Luther’s September Testament. In 1526, William Tyndale published his New Testament. Later, in 1530, he published the Pentateuch. Often called the Protestant Reformation’s “father,” Tyndale’s work had a significant impact on subsequent Bible translators.

Wrapping Up

In 1539, the Great Bible was published. It was the first authorized version of the Bible in English. Some years down the line, the Geneva Bible and the Bishop’s Bible came into existence, and then came the KJV in 1611, which quickly became the most extensively published text in the English language.

Factors to Consider Before Buying Rare Bibles for Sale

People buy rare Bibles for sale driven by varied reasons. Some may plan to procure a rare Bible that can be passed down generations as an heirloom. Others could buy one as an investment or give it away as a gift.

Whatever be your reason for buying antique Bibles for sale, it will be wise to know about certain factors to ensure you understand what you are buying and can negotiate a better deal.

Decide on the Size and Check the Collation

From folio Bibles and quarto bibles to octavo Bibles, old Bibles for sale are available in different sizes. If more than one size is available for your chosen Bible, you need to decide the one you want to buy. Knowing about the collation is also crucial as it lets you decide the version or edition of the Bible and whether any of its pages are missing.

Be Aware of the Additional Features

Old and rare Bibles for sale often have extra features that make them collector’s items. Be it pictorial depictions, marginal notes, woodcut illustrations, calendars showing important holy days, or optional maps, old Bibles often have various special features, knowing which will help you ensure your copy has them. 
Being aware of such additional features also makes you an informed buyer, thus letting you stay safe from dubious sellers and those out to make a quick buck at your ignorance’s expense.

Don’t Forget to Check the Binding

Rare Bibles for sale are always hardcover. They are usually bound in various types of leather over wooden boards. As the binding of these books wasn’t designed to be durable enough to last for centuries, you will notice that several antique Bibles for sale have been rebound or re-backed.
Sometimes, the original boards are retained and reused when an old and rare Bible is rebound. But it’s pretty rare to locate an antique Bible in its original binding.

Wrapping Up

Now that you know what to look for when negotiating a deal and buying rare Bibles for sale, go out there or log in to your chosen dealer’s site and bring home the desired Bible.

Top Three Things to Remember Before Buying an Old Bible

If you don’t have a copy of the Bible at your home and plan to buy one, you could consider buying a rare and old Bible instead of your standard copy. Even if you already have a Bible but want to procure another rare copy, it pays to know a few things before investing in an antique piece.

Three Things to Remember When Buying an Old Bible

Shortlist the Size Huge sheets of paper were used to make old Bibles of the ancient era. These sheets were folded in half for a folio Bible, thus creating 2 leaves or 4 pages. For quarto Bibles, the sheets were folded in half twice, thus giving rise to 4 leaves or 8 pages. By folding the sheets in half three times, octavo Bibles with 16 pages or 8 leaves were created.

When planning to buy an old Bible, you should check the space you have to accommodate the book (say, in your personal library) to decide the size that will suit you.
Check the Collation This is the sequence and manner in which leaves are assembled and bound into a solitary book. Checking the collation helps you decide if any pages in your old Bible are missing and the version or edition of the book.

If you aren’t sure how to check the collation, you could ask an antique Bible collector (if you know one) or rely on a reputed dealer of rare and old Bibles, who usually use catalogs, like the Historical catalog of Printed Bibles by Herbert, A.S., or Historical Catalogue of the Printed Editions of Holy Scripture by Darlow, T. H., and Moule, H. F. to date and list antique Bibles correctly.

Be Aware of the Special Features From maps and Biblical pictorial depictions to woodcut illustrations, marginal notes, and red-ruled markings, old Bibles come with various unique and special features that make them worth possessing.

Knowing the special features of an old Bible you target to buy will help you check if your copy has them, thus letting you decide whether it’s authentic or not.

Wrapping Up

Since old Bibles have a steep price tag, it pays to remember these three things to ensure you make an informed and judicious buy.

Original Source: http://old-bible.com/top-three-things-to-remember-before-buying-an-old-bible.html

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