« | Leviticus 18 | » |
1 And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying:
2 Speake vnto the chyldren of Israel, and say vnto them: I am the Lorde your God.
3 After the doynges of the lande of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doinges of the lande of Chanaan whyther I wyll bryng you, shall ye not do: neither walke in their ordinaunces.
4 But do after my iudgementes, and kepe mine ordinaunces, to walke therin: I am the Lorde your God.
5 Ye shall kepe therfore mine ordinaunces, and my iudgementes: which if a man do he shall lyue in them: I am the Lorde.
6 None shall approche to any kinred of his fleshe, for to vncouer their nakednesse: I am the Lorde.
7 The nakednesse of thy father, & the nakednesse of thy mother shalt thou not vncouer, for she is thy mother: therfore shalt thou not discouer her nakednesse.
8 The nakednesse of thy fathers wife shalt thou not discouer: for it is thy fathers nakednesse.
9 Thou shalt not discouer the nakednesse of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be borne at home, or without.
10 Thou shalt not vncouer the nakednesse of thy sonnes daughter, or thy daughters daughter, for that is thyne owne nakednesse.
11 The nakednesse of thy fathers wiues daughter begotten of thy father, which is thy sister: thou shalt not discouer her nakednesse.
12 Thou shalt not vncouer the nakednesse of thy fathers sister: for she is thy fathers kinswoman.
13 Thou shalt not discouer the nakednesse of thy mothers sister: for she is thy mothers kinswoman.
14 Thou shalt not vncouer the nakednesse of thy fathers brother, that is, thou shalt not go in vnto his wyfe, whiche is thyne aunt.
15 Thou shalt not discouer ye nakednesse of thy daughter in lawe, for she is thy sonnes wyfe: therefore shalt thou not vncouer her nakednesse.
16 Thou shalt not vncouer the nakednesse of thy brothers wife, for that is thy brothers nakednesse.
17 Thou shalt not discouer the nakednesse of the wyfe and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her sonnes daughter, or her daughters daughter, to vncouer their nakednesse: For they are her kinswomen, and it were wickednesse.
18 Thou shalt not take a wyfe and her sister also, to vexe her, that thou wouldest vncouer her nakednesse vpon her in her lyfe [tyme].
19 Thou shalt also not go vnto a woman to vncouer her nakednesse, as long as she is put apart for her vncleannesse.
20 Moreouer, thou shalt not lye with thy neighbours wyfe, to defile her with seede.
21 Thou shalt also not geue of thy seede to offer it vnto Moloch, neither shalt thou defile the name of thy God: I am the Lorde.
22 Thou shalt not lye with mankynde as with womankynde, for it is abhomination.
23 Thou shalt lye with no maner of beast to defile thy selfe therwith: neither shall any woman stande before a beast to lye downe therto, for it is vnnaturall confusion.
24 Ye shall not defile your selues in any of these thinges: for in all these, the nations are defiled whiche I cast out before you.
25 Wherthrough the lande is defiled, and I wyll visite the wyckednesse thereof vpon it, yea and the lande it selfe hath vomited out her inhabitauntes.
26 Ye shall kepe therfore mine ordinaunces and my iudgementes, and commit none of these abhominations, neither any of your owne nation, nor any strauger that soiourneth among you:
27 (For all these abhominations, haue the men of the lande done whiche were before you, and the lande is defiled.)
28 Shall not the lande spewe you out also if ye defile it, as it spewed out the nations that were before you?
29 For whosoeuer shall commit any of these abhominations, the same soules that commit them shall be cut of from among their people.
30 Therefore shall ye kepe myne ordinaunces, that ye commit not one of these abhominable customes whiche were committed before you, and that ye defile not your selues therein: I am the Lorde your God.
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.