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

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