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TO THE PUBLICK.

[VARIOUS English Translations of bestowed upon us the people of England, the Bible were extant at the close of the when firft he fent your Majesty's Royal fixteenth century: In some of them the Person to rule and reign over us. For Old Testament was made from the Sep- whereas it was the expectation of many, tuagint, (that is, from a Greek tranflation who wished not well unto our Ston, that if the Hebrew executed by order of upon the setting of that bright Occidental Ptolemy Philadelphus, 284 years before Star, Queen Elizabeth, of most happy the Chriftian Æra) in others, immediately memory, fome thick and palpable clouds from the Hebrew Text, except a few of darkness would fo have overshadowed paffages which were rendered from the this land, that men should have been in Septuagint and in others, both the Old doubt which way they were to walk; and New Testament were made from the and that it should hardly be known who Latin of the Vulgate. These tranflations was to direct the unsettled State: The in several infiances differed from each appearance of your Majefty, as of the other, which induced King James 1. to Sun in his strength, instantly difpelled select fifty four men, eminent for their pi- those supposed and furmised mifts, and ety and learning, and particularly skilled gave unto all that were well affected, exin the original languages of the Scriptures, ceeding cause of comfort; especially when to make an entire new tranflation of the we beheld the Government establismed in Bible-the Old Testament from the ori- your Highness, and your hopeful feed, ginal Hebrew Text, and the new from the by an undoubted title, and this alfo acoriginal Greek. Fortyseven of these em- companied with peace and tranquillity at inent men commenced the important bu- home and abroad. finess in the beginning of the year 1607. "But among all our joys, there was They arranged themselves into feparate no one that more filled our hearts, than the claffes, and to expedite the work, each blessed continuance of the Preaching of class took a feparate portion of the Bible. God's facred Word among us; which is After three years close application, the that ineftimable Treasure, which excelleth several claffes had completed the parts all the riches of the earth; because the affigned them. The whole number then fruit thereof extendeth itself, not only to Qaffembled in a body, and critically com- the time spent in this tranfitory world, but pared the copies of each class with the directeth and difpofeth men unto original, and with other tranflations; and ternal

3

MO

m year,

in the

that e

happiness which is above in heaven. Then no to furfer this to fall to the

nofentence was finally accepted till, general o opinion, it expreffed the sense of ground, but rather to take it up, and to the infpired original: Nearly another continue it in that state, wherein the famit is faid, was fpent in this business; ous predeceffor of your Highness did leave And in the year 1611, this tranflation was it: Nay, to go forward with the confiby authority first published. As it was dence and refsolution of a man in maintainexecuted by the order, and at the expense ing the Truth of Chrift, and propagating it of the crown, the copyright became the farand near, is that which hath fobound and property of the King, whose it has ever

Lince continued.

firmly knit the hearts of all your Majesty's loyal and religious people unto you, that your very name is precious among them;

This is univerfally acknowledged to be the most correct English tranflation of the their eye doth behold you with comfort, Bible that has yet been published to the and they bless you in their hearts, as that world-and it is generally used in Church- fanctified person, who under God, is the Band private Families throughout Great-immediate author of their true happiness. -Burain and America,

And this their contentment doth not di

With their copy the Tranflators pre-minish or decay, but every day increaseth ksed to King James the following AD. and taketh ftrength when they obferve DRESS, which has ever since been pre- that the zeal of your Majesty toward the fired to all British editions of the Holy house of God doth not flack or go backScriptures, viz.] ward, but is more and more kindled, man"To the Most High and Mighty Prince ifesting itself abroad in the farthest parts JAMES, by the Grace of God, King of of Christendom, by writing in defence of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, the Truth, which hathigiven fuch a blow Defender of the Faith, &c. unto that man of fin, as will not be heal"The TRANSLATORS Of the BIBLE wished, and every day at home, by religious Grace, Mercy, and Peace, through Je- and learned ditcourte, by frequenting the Jas Christ our Lord. House of God, by hearing the Word "GREAT and manifold were the preached, by cherishing the teachers bleflings, moft dread Sovereign, which Al- thereof, by caring for the Church, as a mighty God, the Father of all mercies, most tender and loving nurfing tather.

There

ACCOUNT OF DATES.

"There are infinite arguments of this and judicious a Prince as your Highnef
right christian and religious affection in is, whose allowance and acceptance of our
your Majesty; but none is more forcible labours shall more honour and encourage
to declare it to others, than the vehement us, than all the calumniations and hard
and perpetuated defire of accomplishing interpretations of other men hall dismay
and publishing of this Work, which now us. So that if, on the one fide, we shall
with all humility we present unto your be traduced by popish persons at home on
Majesty. For when your Highness had abroad, who therefore will malign us, be-
once, out of deep judgment, apprehended cause we are poor inftruments to make
how convenient it was, that out of the God's holy truth to be yet more and more
original Sacred Tongues, together with known unto the people, whom they defire
comparing of the labours, both in our own ftill to keep in ignorance and darkness
and other foreign languages, of many Or if, on the other fide, we shall be ma
worthy men who went before us, there ligned by felf-conceited brethren, who
should be one more exact Translation of run their own ways, and give liking unte
the Holy Scriptures into the English nothing, but what is framed by them
Tongue; your Majesty did never delift to selves, and hammered on their anvil; we
urge and to excite those to whom it was may rest secure, supported within by the
commended, that the work might be haft- truth and innocency of a good confcience
ened, and that the business might be ex- having walked the ways of fimplicity and
pedited in so decent a manner, as a matter integrity, integrity, as before the Lord; and fultain
of fuch importance might juftly require fed wi without, by the powerful protection

" And now, at latt, by the mercy of of your Majesty's grace and favour, which

will ever give countenance to honeft and
chriftian endeavours against bitter cen-
fures and uncharitable imputations.

"The Lord of heaven and earth bless
your Majesty with many and happy days
that as his heavenly hand hath enriched

God and the continuance of our labours,
it being brought unto fuch a conclufion,
as that we have great hopes that the
Church of England shall reap good fruit
thereby; we hold it our duty to offer it
to your Majefty, not only as to our King
and Sovereign, but as to the principal your Highness with many fingular and
mover and author of the work; humbly extraordinary graces; lo you may be the
craving of your most sacred Majesty, that wonder of the world in this latter age, for
fince things of this quality have ever been happiness and true felicity, to the honour
fubject to the censures of ill meaning and of that great GOD, and the good of his
difcontented persons, it may receive ap- Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord
probation and patronage from so learned and only Saviour."

ACCOUNT OF THE DATES OR TIME OF WRITING THE BOOKS
OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

The NAMES and ORDER of all the BOOKS of the OLD and NEW TESTA
MENT, and APOCRYPHA, with the Numbers of their Chapters, and Pages
where they may be found.

THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

Colonians

1. Theffalonians

11. Theffalonians

4 910 Jude

5 913 Revelation

1 945

22 946

Note, Silver is bere reckoned at 5s. Sterling---Gold at it. per oz.

THE

OLD TESTAMENT.

THE FIRST BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED GENESIS.

CHAP. 1.

1 The creation of beaven and earth, 3 of the light, 6 of the firmament, 9 of the carib separated from the waters, 11 and made fruitful, 14 of the fun, moon, and stars, 20 of fish and fowl, 24 of beafts and caule, 26 of man in the image of God. 29 Also she appointment of food.

IN the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God faid, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God faw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darknefs.

5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

6 And God faid, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 1 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.

8 And God called the firmament heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.

9 And God faid, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear and it was fo.

10 And God called the dry land Earth: and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas; and God faw that it was good.

the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind and God faw that it was good,

13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

14 And God faid, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be fer figns, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth and it was fo.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the leffer light to rule the night: be made the

stars alfo.

11 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light uponthe earth:

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God faw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

20 And God faid, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the feas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

24 And God faid, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind and it was fo. earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon

11 And God faid, Let the earth bring forth grafs, the herb yielding feed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, 25 And God made the beast of the

whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was fo.

12 And the earth brought forth grafs, the earth after his kind: and God faw and herb yielding feed after his kind, and that is was good.