Great Bible
Quick Summary
The Great Bible was an English translation of the Bible ordered by Henry VIII in 1538 and first published in 1539. Its large page size earned it the nickname "the Great Bible". It was enthusiastically received and went through several editions.1
The Great Bible was intended for installation in every parish church in England. While it was an important step in making the Bible accessible in English, it faced competition from other translations, such as the Geneva Bible, which gained significant popularity. The Great Bible was eventually reinstated in churches after a period of persecution of Protestants, but the Geneva Bible, with its technical innovations and commentary, became a favored family Bible and influenced later translations like the King James Version.123
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biblical literatureThe Great BibleIn an injunction of 1538, Henry VIII commanded the clergy to install in a convenient place in every parish church “one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English.” The order seems to refer to an anticipated revision of the…
Read MoreIn an injunction of 1538, Henry VIII commanded the clergy to install in a convenient place in every parish church “one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English.” The order seems to refer to an anticipated revision of the…
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John Rogers…formed the basis of the Great Bible (1539), from which the Bishops’ Bible (1568) and the Authorized, or King James, Version (1611) came.
Read More…formed the basis of the Great Bible (1539), from which the Bishops’ Bible (1568) and the Authorized, or King James, Version (1611) came.
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