Bishops’ Bible

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June 22, 2026

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The Bishops' Bible is an English translation of the Bible that was first published in 1568. It was commissioned by Archbishop Matthew Parker of Canterbury and was a revision of the Great Bible, aiming to improve upon its predecessor and address the perceived partisan nature of the Geneva Bible.12

The work was undertaken by numerous scholars, many of whom were bishops, giving the translation its name. Although Queen Elizabeth I never officially authorized it, the Bishops' Bible was sanctioned for public use by the Convocation in 1571, making it the second authorized version of the Bible in England. The 1568 edition was noted for its high quality in terms of paper, typography, and illustrations, presenting an impressive folio volume.2

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biblical literature
The Bishops’ Bible
The failure of the Great Bible to win popular acceptance against the obvious superiority of its Geneva rival, and the objectionable partisan flavor of the latter’s marginal annotations, made a new revision a necessity. By about 1563–64 Archbishop Matthew Parker of Canterbury had…
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The failure of the Great Bible to win popular acceptance against the obvious superiority of its Geneva rival, and the objectionable partisan flavor of the latter’s marginal annotations, made a new revision a necessity. By about 1563–64 Archbishop Matthew Parker of Canterbury had…
Read More