|
The
Deuterocanonical
Books In The Original 1611 King James Version.
In 1615, The Anglican Archbishop [George] Abbott, a High Commission
Court member and one of the original translator of the King James Version, "forbade
anyone to issue a Bible without the Apocrypha on pain of one year's imprisonment"
(Moorman, Forever Settled, p. 183).
WERE THE "APOCRYPHA" BOOKS
REALLY IN THE ORIGINAL AV1611 KJV?
The
truth is original 1611 King James Version contained the Deuterocanonical
books. Just as these books the Protestants call the "Apocrypha" Books were
in Martin Luther's Translation and all of the Earlier Protestant English
Translations of the Bible which Predated the 1611 KJV. This should not come
as a surprise when one considers that right in side the front cover the KJV
says That it was:
Newly Translated Out Of The
Original Tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and
revised .
Thus, we could safely say
the version of the King James Bible that most Protestants use today omits
these These 7 Books ( or counted as 14 Books when each section is counted as
one.) [There are 155,683 words in over 5,700 verses in 168
Chapters in the "Apocrypha" as divided in the 1611 King James Version] of
scripture. Verses which were originally contained in the 1611 version of the
King James Bible and also in ALL of the other previous Protestant English
translations of the Bible.
See images of the King James
Version :
1614,
1615,
1625 Bindiing,
1625 image,
1625,
1670,
1674,
1791,
1824,
1846,
1873,
1877
Were not the "Apocrypha" Books
were a part of the
Septuagint version [The LXX]? Did not the LXX play a important
part in the the creation of the King's 1611 Version of the Bible?
The answer to both of these
questions is "YES". The translators chose to base the structure and order of
there Canon on the Septuagint. The KJV translators themselves not only
believe in the existence of the Septuagint, but also believe that God
caused the LXX to be created, that Christ the
Apostles used the Septuagint, and that the LXX, was
the very word of God.
"This is the translation of the Seventie
Interpreters, commonly so called, which prepared the way for our Saviour among the
Gentiles by written preaching, as Saint John Baptist did among the Jewes by vocall."
(from the Translators' Preface to the 1611 KJV)
To start with we Know King James own Position on
the "Apocrypha" Books:
"As for the Scriptures, no man
doubteth, I will believe them; but even for the Apocrypha, I hold them in the same account
that the ancients did: they are still printed and bound with our Bibles,
and publicly read in our Churches; I reverence them as the writings of holy and
good men:" ["The Church History Of Britain" by Thomas Fuller,
Oxford, M.DCCC.XLV].
We Know That King James intended to have the
"Apocrypha" in his Bible, he set up the "Translation" Committee in a
very specific structure it was composed of six panels of translators (47 men in all), two
panels met respectively in Westminster, Cambridge and Oxford. Three panels were
responsible for the Old Testament, two for the New Testament, and one One of the Cambridge
Companies specifically for the "Apocrypha" Books, this last group composed of
seven members was led by Dr. Bois. although the King nominated the translators to
the number of fifty-four actually only 47 actually took part in the work which,
however--officially at least--they were in no hurry to begin; for, although named in 1604
and with all the preliminaries arranged before the end of that year, they did not begin
their work till 1607.
When the translation and multiple revisions were
done and approved by Bishop Belson, both he and Miles Smith Delivered a hand written copy
of the Bible [including the "Apocrypha"] to Robert Baker, the King’s
Printer [who up until 1629 had exclusive Printing rights to this Bible], whose shop was in
the Churchyard of St Paul’s. There were three separate printings of the King’s
Bible in the first year [1611] and a total fifteen editions [often between five hundred
and a thousand copies each printing] between 1611-1614..
we know for a fact, that the
translators held these books as sacred and wish them to be part of there Bible, by the
measures they took to keep part of the KJV.
"One of the participating
Archbishops [George Abbott], issued an order in 1615, forbidding on penalty of a
year's imprisonment the sale of any Bible omitting them" (The Dartmouth Bible, A
edition of the KJV, (C) 1961 p. 735).
This pages
are from the 1612 printing of the King James Version "Apocrypha" second
book of the Maccabees. This sheet is of chapter XII , it is in this chapter that we find
the famous "praying for the Dead" verse.
This page a leaf is part of my
collection from the 1612 printing by
Robert Barker, the King’s Printer, London of the King James Version.
This next one is an original leaf (page) from
the King James Bible. This is the Table of Contents. Please note that it list all the
books of the old Testament, the Apocrypha and the new Testament.
This leaf is from the original first printed of the King James Version, the Great "HE" Bible. It was printed by Robert Barker at
London, England in 1611, Measuring 16 by 10 inches.
Throughout the following centuries we find that in
the KJV the Deutero-canonical books would appear and disappear in a whirlwind of apparent
confession as the following Link shows. These a just a few (and
only jest a few) examples.
WHAT DOES THE TITLE PAGE TELL
US?
 It is
also interesting to note, that the beautify engraved title page which was to the
Scriptures Simply say " The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old testament, and the
New" with no designation separating the "Books called Apocrypha" [Even
though they were bound in the middle of this section.] from the Old testament.
The creators
of the 1611 KJV went to great lengths to form a separation between the Old and New
testament even placing a special elaborately engraved title page marking the beginning of
the New testament. Yet they placed NO SUCH distinction between the end of the Old
Testament and the "Apocrypha". Again this show acceptance of these Books as part
of the Old Testament.
Another, great example of the acceptance of the
"Apocrypha" Books as part of the Old Testament is that as late as 1764
[printed by Joseph Harrop, in Manchester England.] some King James
Version were printed containing only the Old Testament and "Apocrypha."
By far most of the editions of the KJV
printed between 1611 and 1890 contained the "Apocrypha" books bound
between the New and Old Testaments. [here are a few examples of the tables of contents
from different editions of the KJV 1614,
1615,
1625 Bindiing,
1625 image,
1625,
1670,
1674,
1791,
1824,
1846,
1873,
1877]
Some Protestants will try to argue;
Doesn't the 1611 introduce
these Books as Apocrypha , which means "spurious,".
First the
word Apocrypha simply means "Hidden".
We must also note that the 1611 introduces these Books as being "called
Apocrypha." NOT "As being Apocrypha" there is a fine difference between the
two.
|
Another way we know that the "Apocrypha"
Books were held in high regard in the early KJV's is the way the printers decorated them
with ornate woodcuts.
Click Here to see the full scan of this
page from the 1611.
|
|
| |
The 1625 King James Version Printed by Richard Norton and John Bill The "printers to
the Kings moft excellent Majestie". This printing has become fondly know among
collectors a the "Last Edition" because of the year of its Printing.
This was The LAST edition published During the reign of King James the
first of England. |
WHAT DO THE MARGIN NOTES AND CROSS-REFERENCES TELL US?
Many Protestants will try to argue;
"Sure
thay were there, but thay were never held by the translators as authoritative or
Scriptural."
We find the
"Apocrypha" cross-referenced to the New and Old Testaments.
If this were true, than may I ask, why
would any credible scholar cross-reference Sacred Scripture to an "uninspired",
"unauthoritative", and "unscriptural" book? The fact is they
wouldn't,
yet in the Original 1611 King James Version we find over 840
marginal cross-references books of the "Apocrypha" (the Deuterocanonical
books)
to the "ligament" Books allow me to Show just a few.
 |
This leaf is from the 1612 printing [by Robert Barker, the King’s Printer, London] of the King James Version "Apocrypha" book
of Ecclesesiasticus. The marginal notes show the translators cross-referenced these
"Apocrypha" verses thirteen times to the Old New and testament: This leaf is in
a "Roman type print". |
OLD TESTAMENT
11:1 was cross-referenced to Gen. 40:40
and Dan.6:3
11:6 was cross-referenced to 1 King 15:18
11:8 was cross-referenced to Prov. 8:13
11:11 was cross-referenced to Prov. 10:13
11:12 was cross-referenced to Job. 1:12 and
Ezek. 28:4
11:23 was cross-referenced to Mal. 3:14
NEW TESTAMENT
11:4 was cross-referenced to Acts. 12:21
11:11 was cross-referenced to Mat. 19:12 and I
Tim. 6:9
11:19 was cross-referenced to Luke 12:19
11:20 was cross-referenced to Mat. 10:22
We Must point out that not only did the the 1611 came
complete with Apocrypha and Margin notes, but that these "Apocrypha books" and
these same "Margin notes" were very much a part of the KJV for over a hundred years.
History of the so called "Apocryphal" Books in the King James'
Bible
 |
This next Leaf is also part of my collection from the 1625 King James Version Printed by Richard Norton and John Bill
The "printers to the Kings moft excellent Majestie".
This printing has become fondly know among collectors a the
"Last Edition" because of the year of its Printing. This was The
LAST edition published During the reign of King James the
first of England. this leaf is arraigned in double columns in "Gothic print type". |
This is a leaf is the Title
page of the second book of Esdras, it is another very fine example of the
acceptance of the "apocryphal" books by the translators of the King James
Version. The marginal notes show the translators
cross-referenced these so Called "Apocrypha" verses seventeen times to
the Old New and testament:
OLD TESTAMENT
1:1 was cross-referenced to Ezra. 7:1
1:4 was cross-referenced to Isa. 58:1
1:10 was cross-referenced to Exod. 14:28
1:11 was cross-referenced to Num. 21:24
1:11 was cross-referenced to Josh. 8:12
1:13 was cross-referenced to Exod. 14:29
1:13 was cross-referenced to Exod. 3:10
1:13 was cross-referenced to Exod. 4:14
1:14 was cross-referenced to Exod. 13:21
1:15 was cross-referenced to Exod. 16:13
1:15 was cross-referenced to Psalm 104:40
1:17 was cross-referenced to Num. 14:3
1:20 was cross-referenced to Num. 20:11
1:21 was cross-referenced to Isa. 5:4
1:21 was cross-referenced to Exod. 15:23
1:24 was cross-referenced to Exod. 32:8
1:26 was cross-referenced to Isa. 1:15
1:31 was cross-referenced to Isa. 1:13
NEW TESTAMENT
1:30 was cross-referenced to Mat. 23:37
We must
remember that these "Cross references of the Scriptures" was one of the Fifteen
general rules were set forth in advance By King James himself for the guidance of
his translators of his version of the Bible:
"7. Such Quotations of Places to be marginally set down
as shall serve for the fit Reference of one Scripture to another." [As found in
"The Church History Of Britain" by Thomas Fuller, Oxford, M.DCCC.XLV]
We find the New and Old Testaments
cross-referenced to the "Apocrypha".
We even find them even cross-referencing the Old and New
Testaments to the the so called "Apocrypha" books. The total number of
references in the margins in the Old and New Testaments to the so called
"Apocrypha" books of the King James version as printed in 1611 is 113. Of this
number, 102 are in the Old Testament, and 11 in the New. The New Testament passages with
references to the Apocrypha are as follows:
The above links are to images
taken from the 1625 King James Version, Printed by Bonham Norton and John Bill The
"printers to the Kings moft excellent Majestie". This Bible is part of my collection.
WERE NOT THESE BOOK PLACED IN THIS
BIBLE FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSES?
The original 1611 KJV had a
calendar for each month of the year. Bellow are scans of the 1613 KJV calendars for the months of:
| May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
All of these
leafs were printed by Robert Barker at London, England in 1613. The page
size is A HUGE 11" X 16" these are Original leafs from the true
Second Folio of the King James Bible. Black
and red Letter English language text arraigned in double columns in "Gothic print
type". The following links at to scans of the remaining
months, these scans are from the Nelson reprint of the KJV:
|
|
|
November |
|
 |
|
|
|
These calendars contained [shown in the scan above] contained
such things as a schedule of Scripture readings for morning and evening prayer which
includes passages from the "Apocrypha":
2 Esdras May 27-29;
Judith, Oct. 6-13;
Wisdom, Jan. 25; Feb.3; Feb.
24; Oct. 14-17; Nov. 1;
Ecclesiasticus; July 25;
Oct. 18;
|
 |
| Among the Pages of the
1611 KJV was a Chart showing the scriptural Lessons to be taught at the
different saint's holy days. It included lessons from the
"apocrypha" Books. The above scan is from a facsimile of the
first impression the original 1611 edition of The King James Bible was
produced in 1961 for the World Publishing Company |
The 1611 KJV encourages rather than discourages the use
of the Apocrypha in devotional reading and public worship, which is strange if the
"Apocrypha" is not considered in some
way inspired and authoritative Scripture. Clearly, the original translators of the
1611 King James Version held the Deuterocanonical books as authoritative or Scriptural,
and worthy of public prayer and worship. It is also important to note the occasions
of the use of these "Apocrypha" books in the calendars.
We observe the creators of the Kings Bible chose to
use the book of "Ecclesiasticus" and "Wisedome" for
Public prayer on the special holy days and for many of the
days in honor of the Apostles of Christ, some examples are:
Jan. 25 is the
holy-day in honor of the "Conuerf [conversion] of Paul" the book of
"Wisedome" was chosen
Feb. 2 is the holy-day in honor of
"Purification of Mary" the book of "Wisedome" was chosen
Feb. 24 is the holy-day in honor of "S.
Matthias" the book of "Ecclesiasticus" was chosen
Jun. 29 is the
holy-day in honor of "S. Peter Apostle" the book of
"Ecclesiasticus" was chosen
July 25 is the
holy-day in honor of "S. James Apostle" the book of
"Ecclesiasticus" was chosen
Aug. 24 is the
holy-day in honor of "S. Barthol. Apostle" the book of
"Wisedome" was chosen
Oct. 18 is the
holy-day in honor of "S. Luke. Apostle" the book of "Wisedome"
was chosen
Nov. 1 is the holy-day in honor of "All
Saints" the book of "Wisedome" was chosen
As we can see above also found in these
calendars, are designated saints days' (Sept.
30, St. Jerome, [The creator of the Catholic Latin Vulgate];
Oct. 18, Luke the Evangelist; Oct. 28, Simon and Jude); a list of
designated fast days (Oct. 27 and 31); The significance of this is that
"saints' days" and "fast days" are considered "popish" and "Romanist" by
Most Protestants today, yet there they are listed in the 1611 KJV
These calendars also contained a notation about which
sign of the zodiac the sun is in that month (Oct. 12, "Sol in Scorpio"); The
Significance of this is that most Protestants today consider astrology "New Age"
and "of the devil," yet there it is in The early printing of the King James
Version.
THE "APOCRYPHA" WRITINGS
IN SONG FORM, FOR USE IN THE WORSHIP SERVICES:
|
|
| The Song of the iii Children, from a
1615 King James Version. This leaf was printed by Robert Barker at London, England. |
Not only does the 1611 KJV promote the use of
these writings for public teaching, It actually had printed among its pages
some of the "Apocrypha" books in to song form, to be sung
during the public worship services. We must remember that the original 1611 KJV
was a pulpit Bible, it was printed with the intention to be used by the Church
of England . The 1611 edition (like many subsequent editions that would
follow it) contained the Anglican Psalter or Psalms of
David (by Sternhold and Hopkins), The title page of this Psalter
reads:
"Set forth allowed to be Sung in
all Churches, of all the People together, before and after Morning and Evening
Prayer, and also before and after Sermons; and moreover in private houses for
their godly Solace and Comfort, laying apart all un-godly songs and
Ballads, which tends only to the nourishing of Vice, and corrupting of Youth."
(Click to
Here see a complete
Scan of the title page of this Psalter from a later edition of the KJV.)
Among the pages of this Psalter
is the " Song of the iii Children" , it is
a
musical rendition of the "Apocrypha" writing by the same name (Part
of the book of Daniel Chapter three in the Catholic Bible). its The 1611's Psalter
version of this writing is complete with musical notes, ready to be sung in
public worship.
|
