« | 2 Peter 3 |
1 This is the seconde epistle that I now wryte vnto you, dearely beloued, wherwith I stirre vp & warne your pure myndes,
2 By puttyng you in remembraunce, that ye may be myndfull of the wordes which were tolde before of the holy prophetes, and also the commaundement of vs, whiche be Apostles of the Lorde and sauiour.
3 This first vnderstande, that there shall come in the laste dayes mockers, whiche wyll walke after their owne lustes,
4 And say: Where is the promise of his commyng? For sence the fathers dyed, all thynges continue a lyke from the begynnyng of the creation.
5 For this they knowe not (and that wylfully) howe that the heauens were of olde, and the earth that was of the water, and by the water, by the worde of God:
6 By the which thinges the world that then was, perisshed, beyng then ouerrunne with water.
7 But the heauens and earth whiche are nowe, be kept by his worde in store, and reserued vnto fire, agaynst the day of iudgement and perdition of vngodly men.
8 Dearely beloued, be not ignoraunt of this one thyng, howe that one day is with the Lorde as a thousande yere, & a thousande yere as one day.
9 The Lorde that hath promised, is not slacke, as some men count slacknesse, but is pacient to vswarde [forasmuch] as he woulde haue no man lost, but wyll receaue all men to repentaunce.
10 Neuerthelesse the day of the Lorde wyll come as a theefe in the nyght, in the which the heauens shal passe away with a noyse, and the elementes shall melt with heate, the earth also and the workes that are therein shall burne.
11 Seyng then that all these thynges shall perisshe, what maner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynesse:
12 Lokyng for, and hastyng vnto the comyng of the day of God, by whom the heauens shall perishe with fire, and the elementes shall melt with heate?
13 Neuerthelesse, we accordyng to his promise, loke for a newe heauen, and a newe earth, wherein dwelleth ryghteousnesse.
14 Wherfore dearely beloued, seyng that ye loke for such thynges, be diligent that ye may be founde of hym in peace, without spot, and vndefyled:
15 And suppose that the long suffering of the Lord is saluatio, euen as our dearely beloued brother Paul also, accordyng to the wisedome geuen vnto hym, hath written vnto you:
16 Yea almost in euery epistle, speakyng of such thinges: among which, are manye thynges harde to be vnderstande, which they that are vnlearned and vnstable, peruert, as they do also the other scriptures, vnto their owne destruction.
17 Ye therfore beloued, seyng ye be warned afore hande, beware lest ye with other men be also plucked away through the errour of the wicked, and fall from your owne stedfastnesse:
18 But growe in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe, to whom be glorie both nowe and for euer. Amen.
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.