King James Bible Editing

This post presents some interesting research by Christopher Yetzer. In it he tests the theory that some later editors of the King James Bible made some decisions giving preference to the Stephanus 1550 edition of the Textus Receptus over the Beza 1598 Textus Receptus.[i] I found his research interesting and asked his permission to post it on my blog. Brother Yetzer is a Baptist missionary, a native Ohioan, preaching in Milan, Italy. In addition, he researches and writes concerning the Traditional Texts and King James translation of the Bible. The writing below is from Brother Christopher Yetzer, posted with his permission.[ii]

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I had heard that the later editors (after the initial printing) of the KJV used Stephanus’ 1550 text (for italics and such) instead of Beza’s 1598 text which was clearly the most uniform to the 1611 translation itself. Scrivener said “so that Beza’s fifth and last text of 1598 was more likely than any other to be in the hands of the King James’s revisers...” It has also been commented that the Elzevir text was more often printed on mainland Europe. So, I wanted to check some verses and test these hypotheses. 

Out of 13 verses checked 8 followed Stephanus where he differed from Beza and 7 of those were also in Elzevir’s text. None followed Beza against Stephanus. 3 of the changes were from 1638 or previous and the other 4 were from after 1638.

• (KJV1611) the readings in the 1611 printing
• (CE) what they are in the current edition
• (Date) when the change was made in the KJV tradition
• (Steph./Beza:) the readings according to the 1550 Steph. and the 1598 Beza
• (Elz.) which of those editions was followed by the 1633 Elzevir edition[iii] 

Ephesians 6:24. KJV1611: “in sinceritie.” CE: “in sincerity. Amen.” Date: 1616/1629. Steph./Beza: Both include αμην. Elz.: Same.

Matthew 14:34. KJV1611: “Genesaret” CE: “Gennesaret” Date: 1629. Steph./Beza: Both have Γεννησαρετ (*both also have variant spellings in their notes). Elz.: Same.

Mark 6:53. KJV1611:”Genesareth” CE: “Gennesaret” Date: ≥1638. Steph./Beza: Both have Γενησαρετ (*Steph. has variant in margin). Elz.: Same.

Mark 8:14. KJV1611: “Now the disciples had” CE: “Now [the disciples] had” Date: ≥1638. Steph./Beza: NA(margin)/οι μαθηται: Elz.: Steph.

Revelation 11:14. KJV1611: “woe is past, and behold,” CE: “woe is past; [and], behold,” Date: ≥1638. Steph./Beza: NA/και. Elz.: Steph.

Acts 7:16. KJV1611: “Sichem” CE: “Sychem” Date: 1638. Steph./Beza: Συχεμ/Σιχεμ. Elz.: Steph.

John 8:6. KJV1611: “as though he heard them not.” CE: “[as though he heard them not].” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: Neither (Steph. has the reading in the margin.) Elz.: Same.

Acts 1:4. KJV1611: “assembled together with them” CE: “assembled together with [them]” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: NA/μετ αυτων. Elz.: Steph.

Acts 26:3. KJV1611: “Especially, because I know thee” CE: “Especially [because I know] thee” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: NA(margin)/ειδως. Elz.: Steph.

2 Peter 2:18. KJV1611: “lusts of the flesh, through much wantonnesse,” CE: “lusts of the flesh, [through much] wantonness,” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: NA/εν Elz.: Beza.

1 John 3:16. KJV1611: “the love of God” CE: “the love [of God]” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: NA(margin)/του θεου. Elz.: Steph.

John 16:25. KJV1611: “the time commeth” CE: “but the time cometh” Date: 1756. Steph./Beza: Both have αλλ. Elz.: Same.

Acts 26:18. KJV1611: “To open their eyes, and to” CE: “To open their eyes, [and] to” Date: 1638<. Steph./Beza: του/και Elz.: Steph.

Used by permission.

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[i] Originally posted in the Facebook group “King James Bible / Textus Receptus Defenders,” August 30, 2023. 

[ii] With some minor formatting for the blog. 

[iii] Yetzer: “I didn’t attempt to track all of them to the specific year that they were changed in English, but mainly compared them to the 1638 printing as to whether the change was pre or post 1638. I also tried to mention if Stephanus or Beza gave the reading in a marginal note.”

Christopher Yetzer on the KJV Preface

The Translators to the Readers link

Historically speaking the KJV preface was the work of one translator, Miles Smith.29 To understand it best, one must understand the context in which it was written. That context was first and foremost a commercial product of the early 17th century. As such Smith had several important audiences and for each one different objectives to accomplish. He had to prepare the general public for the acceptance of a new translation without maligning the ones which they believed to have been accurate representations of the words of God and which were defended as such.30 He also had to prepare them for the criticisms which Smith knew would come, as well as inform them on some particulars of the book. The most consuming portion of the preface was a defense against the Anglicans’ primary rivals whom Smith calls “Adversaries”, “Papists”, “Romanists” and not without objection “Catholics”. Smith also had to create unity among the theologians of differing positions in England whom he refers to as “brethren”, “Puritans” and twice describes them as “scrupulous”. 

Apart from those audiences which Smith was actively working to refute or convince, he also had a few audiences which he was simply trying to honor. Possibly the most important of these was King James who had his own dedication printed separately from the general preface, but also had a place in that preface where Smith referred to him as “Majesty”, “King” and “Sovereign”. Lastly Smith had to represent the other translators. The word “we” appears 143 times in the text, although a fair amount of them are simply inclusive with the general Christian reader.31

Notes: 

29 “...this Reverend Bishop, Doctor Smith, ...who happily concluded that worthy Labour. Which being so ended, for perfecting of the whole worke as now it is; he was commanded to write a Preface, and so he did in the name of all the Translators, being the same that now is extant in our Church Bible, the Originall whereof I have seene under his owne hand.” Smith, Miles. “The Preface.” Sermons of the Right Reverend Father in God Miles Smith, Elizabeth Allde, London, 1632.
30 Fulke, William. A Defence of the Sincere and True Translations of the Holy Scriptures into the English Tongue. Henrie Bynneman, 1583.
31 Throughout this article the preface I am using for the text is found at https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bible_(King_James)/

Preface as well as images of a 1611 KJV preface found at https://archive.org/details/1611TheAuthorizedKingJamesBible/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater.

Christopher Yetzer, The Very Vulgar, pp. 3-4