Earlier English Translations before the 1611 KING JAMES BIBLE
Why did the King James 1611 have to written?
The King James Bible (1611) was translated using the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus, specifically Erasmus's editions, for the New Testament. Below is a list of English Bible translations before 1611 that also used these sources. Note that earlier translations often relied on a mix of sources, including the Latin Vulgate or other Greek texts, so only those explicitly using both the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Textus Receptus (Erasmus’s editions or closely related Byzantine-type texts) are included, as per your request.
Tyndale New Testament (1526, revised 1534)Source: William Tyndale’s New Testament was translated from Erasmus’s Greek Textus Receptus (specifically the 1516 and later editions) for the New Testament. His partial Old Testament translations (e.g., the Pentateuch) used the Masoretic Hebrew Text, supplemented by the Latin Vulgate and Luther’s German Bible.
Details: Tyndale’s work was the first English translation of the New Testament directly from Greek and parts of the Old Testament from Hebrew. His translations heavily influenced later English Bibles, including the KJV. Only the New Testament and portions of the Old Testament (Pentateuch, Jonah) were completed before his execution.
Matthew Bible (1537)Source: Compiled by John Rogers under the pseudonym Thomas Matthew, this Bible used Tyndale’s New Testament and Pentateuch (based on the Textus Receptus and Masoretic Text) and completed the Old Testament using the Masoretic Text, with some reliance on Coverdale’s work for untranslated portions.
Details: The Matthew Bible combined Tyndale’s translations with Coverdale’s, but its New Testament relied on Tyndale’s use of Erasmus’s Textus Receptus, and the Old Testament primarily followed the Masoretic Text.
Great Bible (1539)Source: Prepared by Myles Coverdale, the Great Bible was a revision of the Matthew Bible. It used Tyndale’s New Testament (based on Erasmus’s Textus Receptus) and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament, though Coverdale also consulted the Latin Vulgate and German translations.
Details: Commissioned by Thomas Cromwell for use in churches, it was the first authorized English Bible and relied heavily on Tyndale’s Textus Receptus-based New Testament and Masoretic Text for the Old Testament.
Geneva Bible (1560, New Testament 1557)Source: Translated by English exiles in Geneva, this Bible used the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus (specifically Stephanus’s 1550 edition, derived from Erasmus) for the New Testament.
Details: The Geneva Bible was the first complete English Bible translated entirely from the original Hebrew and Greek. It was highly influential, known for its study notes and accessibility, and was the primary Bible used by English Protestants before the KJV.
Bishops’ Bible (1568)Source: A revision of the Great Bible, the Bishops’ Bible was translated from the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus (Stephanus’s editions, based on Erasmus) for the New Testament, with some consultation of the Latin Vulgate.
Details: Commissioned to counter the popularity of the Geneva Bible, it was the official Bible of the Church of England until the KJV. It relied heavily on earlier translations but maintained the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus as primary sources.Notes:Exclusions: Earlier English translations, such as Wycliffe’s Bible (1380s), were excluded because they were primarily based on the Latin Vulgate, not the Masoretic Text or Textus Receptus. Partial translations (e.g., Old English glosses, Caedmon’s paraphrases, or Aelfric’s Pentateuch) were also excluded as they were either incomplete or relied on the Vulgate.
Source Confirmation: The translations listed above explicitly used the Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament and Erasmus’s Textus Receptus (or its derivatives, like Stephanus’s editions) for the New Testament, aligning with the KJV’s textual basis.
Limitations: The availability of manuscripts in the 16th century meant translators sometimes consulted secondary sources (e.g., Vulgate, Septuagint), but the listed translations prioritized the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus where possible.
To clean up and clarify earlier English translations that were either from corrupt manuscripts OR to clean out corrupted commentary or to make a more comprehensive completion of the Masoretic and Textus Receptus.
BACKGROUND STUDY links:
The ACID Test in today's Apostate Laodicean Church Age is the King James Bible
The FINAL AUTHORITY of the King James Bible; Never Bring a Knife to a Theological GunFight;
Case Study on How much the Devil HATES the King James Bible
CASE STUDY Another FOOL attempting to refute the KING JAMES BIBLE with Greek
Modern Bible Translations PREACH Another GOSPEL
Why does the King James Bible use and distinguish Holy Ghost and Holy Spirit? #Doctrine Matters
https://www.thethirdheaventraveler.com/2025/07/for-words-of-god-are-pure-why-im-king.html
The King James Bible (1611) was translated using the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus, specifically Erasmus's editions, for the New Testament. Below is a list of English Bible translations before 1611 that also used these sources. Note that earlier translations often relied on a mix of sources, including the Latin Vulgate or other Greek texts, so only those explicitly using both the Masoretic Hebrew Text and the Textus Receptus (Erasmus’s editions or closely related Byzantine-type texts) are included, as per your request.
Tyndale New Testament (1526, revised 1534)Source: William Tyndale’s New Testament was translated from Erasmus’s Greek Textus Receptus (specifically the 1516 and later editions) for the New Testament. His partial Old Testament translations (e.g., the Pentateuch) used the Masoretic Hebrew Text, supplemented by the Latin Vulgate and Luther’s German Bible.
Details: Tyndale’s work was the first English translation of the New Testament directly from Greek and parts of the Old Testament from Hebrew. His translations heavily influenced later English Bibles, including the KJV. Only the New Testament and portions of the Old Testament (Pentateuch, Jonah) were completed before his execution.
Matthew Bible (1537)Source: Compiled by John Rogers under the pseudonym Thomas Matthew, this Bible used Tyndale’s New Testament and Pentateuch (based on the Textus Receptus and Masoretic Text) and completed the Old Testament using the Masoretic Text, with some reliance on Coverdale’s work for untranslated portions.
Details: The Matthew Bible combined Tyndale’s translations with Coverdale’s, but its New Testament relied on Tyndale’s use of Erasmus’s Textus Receptus, and the Old Testament primarily followed the Masoretic Text.
Great Bible (1539)Source: Prepared by Myles Coverdale, the Great Bible was a revision of the Matthew Bible. It used Tyndale’s New Testament (based on Erasmus’s Textus Receptus) and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament, though Coverdale also consulted the Latin Vulgate and German translations.
Details: Commissioned by Thomas Cromwell for use in churches, it was the first authorized English Bible and relied heavily on Tyndale’s Textus Receptus-based New Testament and Masoretic Text for the Old Testament.
Geneva Bible (1560, New Testament 1557)Source: Translated by English exiles in Geneva, this Bible used the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus (specifically Stephanus’s 1550 edition, derived from Erasmus) for the New Testament.
Details: The Geneva Bible was the first complete English Bible translated entirely from the original Hebrew and Greek. It was highly influential, known for its study notes and accessibility, and was the primary Bible used by English Protestants before the KJV.
Bishops’ Bible (1568)Source: A revision of the Great Bible, the Bishops’ Bible was translated from the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and the Textus Receptus (Stephanus’s editions, based on Erasmus) for the New Testament, with some consultation of the Latin Vulgate.
Details: Commissioned to counter the popularity of the Geneva Bible, it was the official Bible of the Church of England until the KJV. It relied heavily on earlier translations but maintained the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus as primary sources.Notes:Exclusions: Earlier English translations, such as Wycliffe’s Bible (1380s), were excluded because they were primarily based on the Latin Vulgate, not the Masoretic Text or Textus Receptus. Partial translations (e.g., Old English glosses, Caedmon’s paraphrases, or Aelfric’s Pentateuch) were also excluded as they were either incomplete or relied on the Vulgate.
Source Confirmation: The translations listed above explicitly used the Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament and Erasmus’s Textus Receptus (or its derivatives, like Stephanus’s editions) for the New Testament, aligning with the KJV’s textual basis.
Limitations: The availability of manuscripts in the 16th century meant translators sometimes consulted secondary sources (e.g., Vulgate, Septuagint), but the listed translations prioritized the Masoretic Text and Textus Receptus where possible.
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