« | Colossians 2 | » |
1 For I woulde that ye knew what great fight I haue for you, and for them that are at Laodicea, and for as many as haue not seene my face in the fleshe,
2 That their heartes myght be comforted, beyng knyt together in loue, and in al riches of certaintie of vnderstanding, to knowe the misterie of God, and of the father, and of Christe,
3 In whom are hyd all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge.
4 This I say, lest any man shoulde begyle you with perswasion of wordes.
5 For though I be absent in the fleshe, yet am I with you in the spirite, ioying and beholdyng your order, and your stedfast fayth in Christe.
6 As ye haue therfore receaued Christe Iesus the Lorde, [so] walke ye in hym:
7 Rooted and built in hym, & stablished in the fayth, as ye haue ben taught, aboundyng therin with thankes geuing.
8 Beware lest any man spoyle you through philosophie & vayne deceipt, after the tradition of men, and after the rudimentes of the worlde, and not after Christe.
9 For in hym dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodyly:
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principalitie and power,
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with circumcisio made without handes, by puttyng of the body of sinnes of the fleshe, in the circumcision of Christe:
12 Buried with him in baptisme, in who ye are also risen agayne through ye fayth of the operation of God, who hath raysed hym from the dead.
13 And ye beyng dead to sinne and to the vncircumcision of your fleshe, hath he quickened with him, forgeuyng all your trepasses,
14 And puttyng out the hande writing of ordinaunces, that was agaynst vs, and that hath he taken out of the way, fastenyng it to his crosse:
15 Spoylyng all principalities & powers, hath made a shewe of them openly, triumphyng ouer them in it.
16 Let no man therfore iudge you in meate, or in drinke, or in part of an holyday, or of the newe moone, or of the Sabboth [dayes]:
17 Which are shadowes of thynges to come: but the body (is) of Christe.
18 Let no man begile you of victorie, in the humblenesse and worshippyng of Angels, intrudyng (hym selfe into those thinges) which he hath not seene, causelesse puft vp with his fleshly mynde,
19 And holdeth not the head, wherof all the body by ioyntes & bandes supported and knit together, encreaseth with the encrease of God.
20 Wherfore, yf ye be dead with Christe from ye rudimentes of the world: why, as though lyuyng in the worlde, are ye led with traditions,
21 Touche not, taste not, handle not?
22 Which all be in corruption, in abusyng after the commaundementes and doctrines of men.
23 Which thynges haue a shewe of wisdome, in superstition & humblenesse of mynde, and in hurtyng of the body, not in any honour to the satisfiyng of ye flesh.
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.