007 SCS The Wicked Bible

Today’s topic is a big one. I am going to talk about Sacred Scripture and errors in the King James translations over the years…

Let’s start with the 16 13 edition of the King James Version of the Bible. In Matthew chapter 26 verse 36 it says that “Judas” was the one to tell the apostles “sit ye here while I go yonder to pray”. Yeah, that was JESUS that said that, NOT JUDAS. This version of the KJV is known as the “Judas Bible”. You can see one for yourself at Saint Mary’s Church Totnes in England.

The Judas Bible of 16 13 was however able to correct an error from the K J V that came out the year before. In 16 12 Psalm Chapter 1 19 verse 1 61 said “Printers have persecuted me without cause”. It was actually “Princes” and not “Printers” doing the persecuting without cause. This bible is known as the “Printers Bible”.

Then there is the “More Sea” version of the King James Bible in 16 41.  It said “the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was MORE sea” in Revelation Chapter 21 verse 1. We all know this should read “there was NO more sea.”

In 17 16 the KJV tells us in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 34 to “sin on more”, rather than “sin NO more.”

In 17 17 they tried again, this edition of the King James Version has a great story in Luke 20 called “The parable of the vinegar” instead of “The parable of the VINEYARD.” People refer to this 17 17 K J V as a “basket full of errors,” due to the abundance of typographical errors in it. If you think these things were immediately identified and destroyed, think again. An original “Vinegar Bible” sold in 2008 for FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS.

In 17 63 we see “The Fools Bible” in which Psalm Chapter 14 verse 1 said “the fool hath said in his heart there IS a God” rather than, “There is NO God.”

In 18 O 1 the “murmurers” in Jude Chapter 16 were renamed “Murderers” in this King James Version of the Bible.

In 18 O 5 a proof-reader had written "to remain" in the margin, as an answer to whether a comma should be deleted. The note became part of the text, making the edition read "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit to remain, even so it is now." In Galatians Chapter 4 verse 29.

The very next year another King James Version was produced in 18 O 6 known as “The Standing Fishes Bible”. The word "Fishes" replaced "fishers" making Ezekiel chapter 47 verse read "And it shall come to pass, that the fishes shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many."

And who doesn’t love “The Wife Hater Bible” of 18 10. "Wife" replaces "life" in this edition, making Luke chapter 14 verse 26 reference a second wife that must also be hated to become a disciple "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own wife also, he cannot be my disciple."

"The Large Family Bible" from the year 18 20 reads: "Shall I bring to birth and not cease to bring forth?" rather than "Shall I bring to birth and not cause to bring forth?" in Isaiah chapter 66 verse 9 of this K J V.

The "Rebecca's Camels Bible", from 18 23 says "Camels" instead of "damsels", making Genesis chapter 24 verse 61 read "And Rebecca arose, and her camels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebecca and went his way." I have to admit, it is kind of fun to imagine camels, riding on camels, but I digress.

The next one is more recent, but we can’t make a list like this without including the holy women who married “owls” in the King James Version of 19 44. In the "Owl Bible", "Owl" replaces "own", making first Peter chapter 3 verse 5 say, "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their owl husbands."

And to close out this list, I’ve saved the best (or worst) for last. The year was 16 31. Gutenberg perfected his printing press about 180 years prior. Martin Luther launched the protestant deformation more than 100 years before this and the completed “King James Version” of the bible had been around for 20 years at this point. The original King James Version contained 80 books, and was the third English translation mass produced. The K J V followed the “Great Bible” of 15 35 and the “Geneva Bible” of 1568.

In 16 31, the Royal Press pumped out what has come to be known as the "Wicked Bible", "Adulterous Bible" or "Sinner's Bible". It omits a VERY important "not" from Exodus chapter 20 verse 14, making the seventh commandment read "Thou shalt commit adultery." An 18 86 study of Star Chamber case reports suggests that this was just one of the "two grossest errors" in this particular printing of the King James Bible. In this same printing, Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 24 which reads "the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his GREAT ASS" instead of the correct word, "greatness". At least 15 known original copies of “The Wicked Bible” are still circulating around today. A copy sold at auction for $47,500 in 2015.

This last one, “The Wicked Bible”, played a part in MY conversion story. I had always believed that The Holy Spirit guided the entire process, from writing the scriptures originally all the way through to any Bible that I had in my hand. I didn’t think an error in translation was even possible. When I found out about “The wicked Bible” of 16 31, and that they weren’t all immediately destroyed, that many copies still exist today, I was a bit crushed if I’m being totally honest with you.

It was through my research on this topic that I found out the oldest intact scripture that we have today was a copy that was made roughly 300 years AFTER Jesus ascended to heaven. I asked myself what it would have been like for me in the year 16 31, if I wanted to be a follower of Jesus. I’d save 6 months of the average salary to go buy myself one of these “King James Bibles” hot off the printing press. I’d get home and start reading it, but what would happen when I get to Exodus chapter 20 verse 14? “Though SHALT commit adultery”.

I’d get together with my friend who also saved for 6 months to purchase this King James Bible and ask their opinion. My friend would say “It says what it says, so we better believe it. All we have is this book and it is the word of God.” That wouldn’t sit right with me, I would reject it, and my friend would follow it. We wouldn’t agree and our journeys through this book would now be on two different paths. I’d have to find somebody else to clarify it for me. Who would know more about it than my friend and I do? And why should I trust what THAT person tells me this verse means? By what authority do THEY get to tell my friend that it is an error in translation?

That’s when it hit me like a flood. Apostolic Succession, the magisterium, Sacred Tradition, it all MUST be true! I’d find my answers in the Catholic Church. They are the one’s that have faithfully passed these texts down from the beginning, and they are the ones that would give me a straight answer about Exodus chapter 20, verse 14. An answer that would keep me away from a grave sin based on my buddy’s interpretation of the text.

That’s a little bit of MY conversion story, I hope it edifies you in some small way. And so you know, this episode did NOT include an exhaustive list of all translation errors that are out there. This is just a few from the King James Version that I decided to share for my K J V only friends. A quick Google search tells me that there are at least 60 different English versions of the Holy Bible.

Remember, the faith is timeless. Sure we have things like “Google” today. Most of you can find a quick answer to just about anything on the phone in your hand. That was not the case even 50 years ago, let alone 500 years ago, or 2,000 years ago. We can’t make the mistake of assuming that the resources available to us today were always available. They weren’t always available. What HAS always been available is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the Church that HE founded and sent out to “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to obey ALL that He commanded.” He didn’t say “Go therefore and write a book.” That’s enough for today, I’m sure I’ll receive plenty of hate mail at “Sad Catholic Show at G Mail dot com” for this one.

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Be kind to others, and try to be happy. Let ME be the only Sad Catholic.Until next time. -Sad