6

Are there any publishers of the KJV Bibles today that include not just the epistle dedicatory, but also the "translators to the reader", which is 10 or so pages long? There are a few publishers that produce really nice KJV Bibles which include the epistle dedicatory, but not the translators message to the reader.

[ update ] This is a few samples of what I'm referring to
http://www.bible-researcher.com/kjvpref.html

http://ecmarsh.com/lxx-kjv/kj_account.htm

http://www.pitt.edu/~hunter3/KJVbible/Preface.html

[ update 2 ] Also, as far as comparing KJV publishers, here is one comparison that lists separately, the Dedicatory and the "Translators to the Reader"
https://evangelicalbible.com/bibles/allan/allan-longprimer/

I know of one other publisher so far, Trinitarian Bible Society that I think includes the Translators message to the reader.

[ update 3 ]
The reason for my interest in this and desire to have a KJV Bible with it included, is there is a wealth of history in these few pages (about 10-4 or so)

The 1611 version (notice the epistle dedicatory and the seperate "translators to the reader") https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611-Bible/1611-King-James-Bible-Introduction.php

https://library.osu.edu/innovation-projects/omeka/exhibits/show/the-king-james-bible/sidebars/the-translators-preface-to-the

Improve this question
2
  • Interesting +1. Do you have a link online to the 'Translators to the Reader' ? I have studied the KJV for fifty years and had never heard of this before today. Thank you for mentioning it.
    – Nigel J
    Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 18:41
  • 1
    Feel free to post an answer to your own question if you like. I noticed that the two bibles compared with the longprimer supposedly have it. An answer including links to their site stating and / or showing that that is the case would be excellent.
    – Bit Chaser
    Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 20:00

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
4

The Trinitarian Bible Society has published the 'Translators to the Readers' section in my copy which I bought on-line from them.

The front page says this:

The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised by His Majesty's special command (that would be King James VI of Scotland and I of England)

Here is the note that precedes the section 'The Translators to the Reader':

This preface was written by the translators of the Authorized Version, and appeared in full in the original 1611 printing. It was omitted for reasons of space as smaller-sized Bibles were produced in later years, and is rarely to be found in modern editions. The text of this Preface is taken from F. H. Scrivener's 1873 Cambridge Paragraph Bible.

The Trinitarian Bible Society is based in London, U.K. https://www.tbsbibles.org/default.aspx

Improve this answer
2
  • Good answer. However, we should also note that the Trinitarian Bible society's Bibles do NOT reproduce either the 1611 KJV nor the 1769 version because they invariably omit the Apocrypha.
    – user43409
    Commented Mar 1, 2019 at 19:42
  • Yes, I have the Concord Edition from the Trinitarian Bible Society, England, with all 16 pages of small type, "The Translators To the Readers". Before that is the 2 page dedication "To the Most High and Mighty Prince, James".
    – Anne
    Commented Mar 2, 2019 at 18:24
2

Almost all publishes now omit "translators to the reader" and about another 100 pages of other material covering chronology, Easter calculation, genealogies and maps. Further, almost all publishers now also (and significantly) omit the Apocrypha containing another 14 books.

Most of this "extra" material was slowly abandoned over the first 150 years of the KJV and its 5 revisions (plus numerous variations), the last of which was in 1769 by Benjamin Bayley who produced the standardised version now common. Compared to the original 1611, there are about 75000 changes in text, mostly minor to standardise spelling, orthography and some words and grammar updates.

The omission of the all the "extra" material was a silent process, largely unnoticed and unquestioned. If someone still wishes to study all this extra material, it is possible to buy reproduction copies of the original printing (with it numerous errors) from the usual outlets.

The "Translators to the Reader" text can be found at https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(King_James_Version,_1611)/Translators_to_the_Reader

Improve this answer
6
  • 1
    I realize there were things removed (eg. Aprocrypha) from the original 1611, but there have been some KJV publishers (of the standard edition) that have included both the epistle dedicatory (more common) and the translators to the reader (least common). It's this last category that I'm trying to find who is still doing it. I've emailed a few publishers to ask as well.
    – bitshift
    Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 19:51
  • 1
    eg. evangelicalbible.com/bibles/allan/allan-longprimer
    – bitshift
    Commented Feb 28, 2019 at 20:01
  • 1
    I'm going to have to downvote this unless you add something about a Bible available today with the "translators to the reader" section. There are facsimiles, but I assume the OP prefers a KJV Bible with spelling similar to the 1769 edition.
    – Bit Chaser
    Commented Mar 1, 2019 at 1:40
  • Source now added as requested.
    – user43409
    Commented Mar 1, 2019 at 5:07
  • That's not a copy in a printed bible. I will remove the downvote anyway.
    – Bit Chaser
    Commented Mar 1, 2019 at 23:03

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .