« | 1 Timothy 6 |
1 Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke, count their maisters worthy of all honour, that the name of god and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
2 And they whiche haue beleuyng maisters, despise them not because they are brethren: but rather do seruice, forasmuch as they are beleuyng and beloued and partakers of the benefite. These thynges teache and exhort.
3 Yf any man teache otherwyse, and consenteth not vnto the wholsome wordes of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and to the doctrine whiche is accordyng to godlynesse:
4 He is puft vp, knowyng nothing, but dotyng about questions and strifes of wordes, wherof commeth enuie, stryfe, raylynges, euyll surmysynges,
5 Uayne disputations of men of corrupte myndes, destitute of the trueth, thynkyng lucre to be godlynesse. From suche be thou separate.
6 Godlynesse is great lucre, if a man be content with that he hath.
7 For we brought nothyng into the worlde, and it is certayne that we may carry nought away.
8 But hauyng foode and rayment, we must therwith be content.
9 For they that wyll be riche, fall into temptations and snares, and into many folishe & noysome lustes, which drowne men in perdition and destruction.
10 For loue of money, is the roote of all euyll, whiche whyle some lusted after, they erred from the fayth, & pearced the selues through with many sorowes.
11 But thou O man of God, flee these thynges, and folow after righteousnes, godlynes, faith, loue, pacience, mekenes.
12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hand on eternall lyfe, wherevnto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
13 I geue thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all thynges, and before Iesus Christe, which vnder Pontius Pilate witnessed a good profession,
14 That thou kepe the commaundement without spot, vnrebukeable, vntyll the appearyng of our Lorde Iesus Christ:
15 Which in his tymes he shall shewe that is blessed and prince only, the kyng of kynges, and Lorde of Lordes,
16 Who only hath immortalitie, dwelling in the light that no man can attayne vnto, Whom no man hath seene, neither can see, vnto whom be honour & power euerlastyng. Amen.
17 Charge them which are riche in this world, that they be not hie minded, nor trust in vncertayne riches: but in ye lyuyng God, which geueth vs aboundauntly all thinges to enioy:
18 That they do good, that they be riche in good workes, that they be redye to geue, glad to distribute:
19 Laying vp in store for them selues a good foundation agaynst the tyme to come, that they may lay holde on eternall lyfe.
20 O Timotheus, saue that which is geuen thee to kepe, auoydyng prophane [and] vayne bablynges, and oppositions of science, falslie so called:
21 Which some professyng, haue erred concernyng the fayth. Grace [be] with thee. Amen. [Sent from Laodicea, which is the chiefest citie of Phrygia Pacaciana.]
The Bishop’s Bible (BB)
The Bishop’s Bible (BB) is a significant English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1568 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It was commissioned by the Church of England as a revision of the Great Bible and as a response to the Geneva Bible, which was popular among the Puritans but contained marginal notes that were considered politically and theologically contentious by the Anglican establishment. The primary goal of the Bishop’ s Bible was to create a translation that would be more acceptable to the ecclesiastical authorities and suitable for use in Anglican churches.
One of the distinguishing features of the Bishop’s Bible is its effort to maintain a high level of accuracy and scholarly integrity while also ensuring that the language used was dignified and appropriate for public reading. The translation was undertaken by a team of bishops and other scholars, hence its name. The translators aimed to preserve the poetic and literary qualities of the original texts, drawing on previous translations such as the Tyndale Bible, the Coverdale Bible, and the Great Bible, while also incorporating their scholarly insights and linguistic refinements.
The Bishop’s Bible was notable for its large, folio format, which was designed to be read from the pulpit. It included extensive marginal notes, though these were more restrained and less controversial than those found in the Geneva Bible. The translation also featured elaborate illustrations and maps, as well as a comprehensive introduction and various prefaces that provided context and guidance for readers. Despite its grandeur and scholarly merit, the Bishop’s Bible did not achieve the widespread popularity of the Geneva Bible among the general populace.
Although the Bishop’s Bible played an essential role in the religious and cultural life of Elizabethan England, it was eventually overshadowed by the King James Version (KJV), which was commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611. The KJV drew heavily on the Bishop’ s Bible, as well as other earlier translations, but ultimately surpassed it in both scholarly rigor and literary quality. Nonetheless, the Bishop’s Bible remains an important milestone in the history of English Bible translations, reflecting the theological and political currents of its time and contributing to the development of subsequent translations.