« | Isaiah 61 | » |
1 The spirite of the Lord is vpon me: for the Lord hath annoynted me, and sent me to preache good tidinges vnto the poore, that I might binde vp the wounded heartes, that I might preache deliueraunce to the captiue, and open the prison to the that are bounde:
2 That I might declare the acceptable yere of the Lorde, and the day of the vengeaunce of our God: that I might comfort all them that are in heauinesse:
3 That I might geue vnto them that mourne in Sion, that I might geue [I say] beautie in steede of asshes, ioyfull oyntment for sighing, pleasaunt rayment for an heauie minde, that they might be called trees of righteousnesse, a planting of the Lorde for hym to reioyce in.
4 They shall buylde the long rough wildernesse, and set vp the olde desert: they shall repayre the waste places, and suche as haue ben voyde throughout many generations.
5 Straungers shall stande and feede your cattell, and the altauntes shalbe your plowmen and dressers of your vines.
6 But ye shalbe named the priestes of the Lorde, and men shall call you the seruauntes of our God: ye shall enioy the goodes of the gentiles, and triumph in their substaunce.
7 For your great reproofe you shal haue double ioy, and for shame shall they haue ioy of their portion: for they shall haue double possession in their lande, and euerlasting ioy shalbe with them.
8 For I the Lorde whiche loue right and hate robberie (though it were offered me) shall make their workes full of faythfulnesse, and make an euerlasting couenaunt with them.
9 Their seede also and their generation shalbe knowen among the gentiles, and among the people: all they that see them, shall knowe that they are the hye blessed seede of the Lorde.
10 And therefore I am ioyfull in the Lorde, and my soule reioyceth in God: For he hath put vpon me the garment of saluation, and couered me with the mantle of righteousnesse: He shal decke me lyke a bridegrome, and as a bride that hath her apparell vpon her.
11 For like as the ground bringeth foorth her fruite, and as the garden shooteth foorth seede: so shall the Lorde God cause righteousnesse and prayse to floorishe foorth before all the heathen.
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.