#7 The Great Bible 1539

The Great Bible 1539. Myles Coverdale. 2017. 4355 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence from the preface: The Great Bible of 1539 was the first authorized edition of the Bible in English, authorized by King Henry VIII of England to be read aloud in the church services of the Church of England. The Great Bible was prepared by Myles Coverdale, working under commission of Thomas, Lord Cromwell, Secretary to Henry VIII and Vicar General. 

First sentence from Genesis: In the begynnynge God created heauen and earthe. The earth was voyde and emptye: and darcknes was vpon the face of the depe: and the sprete of God moued vpon the face of the waters. And God sayde: let there be made lyght, and there was light made. And God sawe the light that it was good. And God made a diuision betwene the light and darknesse. 

I have a genuine interest in the history of Bible translations. (See also my review of the 1560 Geneva Bible, 1537 Matthew's Bible,  1611 King James Bible, and the 1395 Wycliffe Modern Spelling Bible.)

While I don't see any of these historic translations becoming my number one "go-to" Bible translation for daily use, I do appreciate reading them through cover to cover. And, yes, the experience of reading these ancient translations build on one another. The more you read of this archaic language/spelling, the easier it is to "decipher" or "comprehend." Reading speed is definitely picking up the more time I spend in these older translations. (Not that speed is the most important thing or even an important thing.) 

I started the Great Bible in January 2022. (I finished the first book of the Bible, Genesis, January 9, 2022. I finished the last book of the Bible, Revelation, on May 31, 2022). I tried my best to read some in this Bible three to six nights a week. (This was my evening tea devotional Bible).

Quotes:

Genesis 6:5 But God sawe that the malyce of man was greate in the erth, and all the ymaginacyon of the thoughtes of hys hert was onely euell euery daye.

Ruth 1:16 And Ruth answered: entreate me not to leaue the, and to returne from after the: for whether thou goest, I will go also, & where thou dwellest, there I wyll dwell: thy people shalbe my people, and thy God my God, 1:17 Where thou dyest, there wyll I dye, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so and so to me, yf ought but death onelye departe the and me asondre.

Isaiah 40:11 He shall fede his flock lyke an herdman. He shall gather the lambes together with hys arme, and carye them in his bosome, & shall kyndely intreate those that beare yonge.

John 1:1 In the begynnynge was the worde, and the worde was wyth God: and God was the worde. 1:2 The same was in the begynnyng wyth God. 1:3 All thinges were made by it, & wythout it, was made nothynge that was made. 1:4 In it was lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyght of men, 1:5 and the lyght shyneth in darcknes, and the darcknes comprehended it not.

Acts 17:11 These were the noblest of byrth amonge them of Thessalonia, which receaued the word with all dilygence of mynde, and searched the scryptures dayly, whether those thynges were euen so.

Romans 3:23 for all haue synned, and are destitute of the glorye of God:

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye made safe thorow fayth, and that not of youre selues. It is the gyfte of God

Philippians 4:4 Reioyce in the Lord alwaye and agayne I saye reioyce.

James 4:8 Drawe nye to God, and he will drawe nye to you. Clense your handes ye siners, & pourge your hertes ye waueryng mynded.

I definitely enjoyed this translation. I am SO thankful that this edition exists in e-book at such an affordable price. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible