« | Ezekiel 2 | » |
1 And then said he vnto me, Stande vp vpon thy fete (O thou sonne of man) and I wyll talke with thee.
2 And the spirite entred into me when he had spoken vnto me, & set me vpon my feete, so that I heard him that spake vnto me.
3 And he sayde vnto me, Thou sonne of man, I sende thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious people which haue rebelled against me, both they and their forefathers haue wickedly behaued them selues against me, euen vnto this very day.
4 For they are children of a harde face and stiffe heart, I do sende thee vnto them, and thou shalt say vnto them, Thus saith the Lorde God.
5 And whether they wyll heare or refuse (for they are a rebellious house) yet they may knowe that there hath ben a prophete among them.
6 And thou sonne of man feare them not, neither be afraide of their wordes, for bryers and thornes are with thee, and thou doest dwell among scorpions: feare not their wordes, nor be abashed at their lookes, for they are a rebellious house.
7 And thou shalt speake my wordes vnto them, whether they wyll heare or refuse, for they are rebellious.
8 Therefore thou sonne of man, obay thou all thinges that I say vnto thee, and be not thou rebellious lyke the rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eate that I geue thee.
9 And when I looked, beholde a hand was sent vnto me, and lo, in it was a roule of a booke.
10 And he opened it before me, and it was written within and without, and there was written therein, lamentations, and mourning, and wo.
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.