Geneva Bible vs. KJV?

[Devin P]

So, recently, I've wanted to get an interlinear bible. My searching for the perfect (for me) interlinear bible led me to stumble upon the Geneva Bible. After reading about it, some things I learned were that

- It was condemned by King James
- He made it illegal and tried to print his own in it's place
- The KJV was hated and failed miserably upon release
- King James literally had to enforce laws banning the printing of the Geneva Bible and make owning one completely illegal and making the use of it in churches illegal, but even after the banning of the Geneva, people still illegally imported it due to the preference of it over the politically inspired KJV
- Then, even after it's banning, it still took nearly nearly half a century of the KJV being the only bible being published, to finally start catching on because it was the only bible being printed
- The only reason the KJV was printed, was because the king wanted people to stop reading the Geneva (some historians argue it's - among many other reasons - partially because of the use of the word tyrant being used over 400 times to describe wicked kings and queens)
- Even the people who translated the KJV bible read and historically preferred this bible (Geneva)
- Several famous people of the day, and those that worked on the KJV quoted from the Geneva bible

My questions are as follows:

Does anyone own a Geneva?
How is it compared to the KJV?
Have you compared any of the scripture to the KJV?
What are the illustrations like?
What are the footnotes like?
Would you recommend it?

Thank you

 

[faroukfarouk]

So, recently, I've wanted to get an interlinear bible. My searching for the perfect (for me) interlinear bible led me to stumble upon the Geneva Bible. After reading about it, some things I learned were that

- It was condemned by King James
- He made it illegal and tried to print his own in it's place
- The KJV was hated and failed miserably upon release
- King James literally had to enforce laws banning the printing of the Geneva Bible and make owning one completely illegal and making the use of it in churches illegal, but even after the banning of the Geneva, people still illegally imported it due to the preference of it over the politically inspired KJV
- Then, even after it's banning, it still took nearly nearly half a century of the KJV being the only bible being published, to finally start catching on because it was the only bible being printed
- The only reason the KJV was printed, was because the king wanted people to stop reading the Geneva (some historians argue it's - among many other reasons - partially because of the use of the word tyrant being used over 400 times to describe wicked kings and queens)
- Even the people who translated the KJV bible read and historically preferred this bible (Geneva)
- Several famous people of the day, and those that worked on the KJV quoted from the Geneva bible

My questions are as follows:

Does anyone own a Geneva?
How is it compared to the KJV?
Have you compared any of the scripture to the KJV?
What are the illustrations like?
What are the footnotes like?
Would you recommend it?

Thank you

Dhe Geneve Bible is wrytten inne 16the cent. Englysshe, before the spellynge was settilled.

 

[Devin P]

Dhe Geneve Bible is wrytten inne 16the cent. Englysshe, before the spellynge was settilled.

I can understand to a extent, but none of the reasons I explained are to be taken lightly. They completely understood the spelling, and we can today as well - hence me being able to respond. Using f's in place of s's isn't really a reason to completely ban a book. Especially since the one that was to replace it was looked upon more than unfavourably.

That and the King James bible when first published was itself filled with the improper spelling.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I can understand to a extent, but none of the reasons I explained are to be taken lightly. They completely understood the spelling, and we can today as well - hence me being able to respond. Using f's in place of s's isn't really a reason to completely ban a book. Especially since the one that was to replace it was looked upon more than unfavourably.

That and the King James bible when first published was itself filled with the improper spelling.

What people use today in the King James (and I do too) is printings based on the 1769 revision of the 1611 - which itself had undergone revisions in 1628 and 1762.

 

[Shane R]

I have a good quality facsimile reproduction of the Geneva that belongs to the Univ. of Wisconsin Library. One thing that is immediately noticeable is that Martin Luther's convention of publishing the Apocrypha between the Testaments was followed. The textual notes are quite theologically Reformed in perspective. Interestingly and much to my bemusement, the translators did not bother to make any notes for the Apocrypha - a sign I suppose of their regard for those books.

The flavor of the language is not significantly different from the King James, if at times somewhat plainer in that traditional vocabulary derived from the Latin church is eschewed. The Psalter is also a little off of what those who have been immersed in a prayer tradition that prays the Psalms will remember, primarily in the cadence of the text. But I enjoy reading the Geneva Bible and I even look at the notes from time to time.

 

[Occams Barber]

I can understand to a extent, but none of the reasons I explained are to be taken lightly. They completely understood the spelling, and we can today as well - hence me being able to respond. Using f's in place of s's isn't really a reason to completely ban a book. Especially since the one that was to replace it was looked upon more than unfavourably.

That and the King James bible when first published was itself filled with the improper spelling.

Four Questions
1. Do you like reading Shakespeare?
2. Do you understand Shakespeare?
3. Will you still understand Shakespeare if the spelling is all wrong?
4. Are you familiar with the often considerable differences in meaning between 17th century English words and their 21st century English equivalents?

If the answer to all questions is 'Yes" - go for it!

(NB I may not be a Christian but I have a good comprehension of the linguistic issues and the f/s thing is the least of your worries.)
OB

 

[Dkh587]

You can search the Geneva Bible here
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) - Version Information - BibleGateway.com

Looks like this version has been updated to accommodate modern English