In mid-February, I was pointed to the site “Variations Between the Textus Receptus and the King James Bible.” I was particularly interested to see what claims they made concerning the KJV following the Latin Vulgate.
The site includes a table which purports to show a complete list of differences between the text that underlies the King James Version (apparently they mean the 1881 Scrivener text, though that is not stated) and “the texts of Stephanus 1550 and Beza 1598 Textus Receptus.”
Additionally, if “the reading of the KJV is not supported by both the Stephanus 1550 and the Beza 1598,” a source is proposed in the right column for that KJV reading. The other proposed sources are:
- Complutensian Polyglot 1522
- Clementine Vulgate 1592
- Erasmus New Testament 1516
- Tyndale Bible 1534
- Bishops’ Bible 1568
- Geneva Bible 1560
“Where a question mark appears support for the KJV reading is unknown” to the compiler. Of the sources in the right column, 29 that are credited to the Vulgate (which is noticeably less than 1/2 Scrivener’s figure of 60).[i]
John 11:19 is an intriguing translation to attribute to the Vulgate, when other Reformation-era Bibles follow much the same pattern of translation. In fact, the only translations I have found (at least so far) with “came to (or, joined) those women around Martha and Mary” were two modern ones (NKJV & WEB). Even the supposed to be literal Robert Young translation had, “and many of the Jews had come unto Martha and Mary, that they might comfort them concerning their brother” (no insertion of the word “women”).
The Greek Traditional Text reading:[ii]
- καὶ πολλοι ἐκ τῶν ιουδαίων ἐληλύθεισαν πρὸς τὰς περὶ μάρθαν καὶ μαριὰν ἵνα παραμυθήσωνται αὐτὰς περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐυτῶν
Here is what I found in some of the prominent Reformation-era translations:[iii]
- Tyndale: And many of the iewes cam to Martha and Mary to comforte them over their brother.
- Geneva: And many of the Iewes were come to Martha and Marie to comfort them for their brother.
- Diodati Italian Bible: E molti de Iudei erano venuti a Marta, e Maria per consolarle del lor Fratello (And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.).
- Dutch Statenvertaling: En velen uit de Joden waren gekomen tot Martha en Maria, opdat zij haar vertroosten zouden over haar broeder (And many of the Jews came unto Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother).
- German Luther Bible: und viele Juden waren zu Martha und Maria gekommen, sie zu trösten über ihren Bruder (And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother).
- Olivetan French Bible: Et pfusieurs des Juifs estoient venus a Marthe & a Marie, affinqss les consolassent de leur frère (And many Jews came to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.).
- Spanish Reina Valera: Y muchos de los Judíos habían venido á Marta y á María, á consolarlas de su Hermano (And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother).
It seems passing strange to say this is based on the Vulgate when so many other translators seemed to think the Greek of the TR could be translated with the same meaning as the KJV translators thought.[iv] Additionally, this verse is not included in the 60 places that Scrivener thought were based on the Vulgate.
[ii] There is a slight difference in the Critical Text versus the Traditional Text, but it not something that affects the translation. CT: πολλοὶ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐληλύθεισαν πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ Μαριὰμ ἵνα παραμυθήσωνται αὐτὰς περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ is usually translated almost the same “[And] many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.”
[iii] English translations were made with the help of Google Translate. I do not know all these different languages.
[iv] Multi autem ex Judaeis venerant ad Martham et Mariam, ut consolarentur eas de fratre suo. (Biblia Sacra Vulgata)
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