# How Many of You Know The Holy Bible is a Specific Version?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 23, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042 "2013-12-23T21:35:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![itsharkley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7993a0/32.png) [@itsharkley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/itsharkley)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/1 "2013-12-23T21:35:23Z")

</div>

King James’ rendition is just called the holy bible today.?

The only known bible edition that has every christian idea is john Wycliffe’s

That stuff will freak you out in the old and new testament.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/2 "2013-12-23T21:50:43Z")

</div>

> [@itsharkley](#):
>
> King James’ rendition is just called the holy bible today.?
> 
> The only known bible edition that has every christian idea is john Wycliffe’s
> 
> That stuff will freak you out in the old and new testament.

I have three different versions of the bible (NIV, RSV, and King James). They all say “Holy Bible” on them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/3 "2013-12-23T21:54:49Z")

</div>

> [@itsharkley](#):
>
> King James’ rendition is just called the holy bible today.?
> 
> The only known bible edition that has every christian idea is john Wycliffe’s
> 
> That stuff will freak you out in the old and new testament.

Who told you this?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/4 "2013-12-23T22:32:15Z")

</div>

And the Great Debate is?

Here’s a handy table of [21 bible versions](http://apilgriminnarnia.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/bibletranslation.gif) in English, according to the literalness of the translation.

This is not breaking news…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2013, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/5 "2013-12-23T23:04:50Z")

</div>

[Bible Gateway](http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/) rocks 46 versions in English, and a metric tonne of other languages.

The Wycliffe is fascinating, but hardly any more authoritative than any other translation.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/6 "2013-12-24T01:01:36Z")

</div>

Not sure what you are asking. Are you really asking how many people know there is more than one “version” of the bible? I’m pretty sure the vast, vast, vast majority know that.

If you are claiming that Wycliffe’s is more correct/complete - I have no idea - but common sense suggests that it can not have EVERY Christian idea in it.

The whole concept of a “version” of a bible Iskenderun of silly anyway. The bible is a collection of different stories and writings - not all of which were written by the same people, time period, or even language. The decision to include or exclude certain books is relatively arbitrary.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/7 "2013-12-24T01:52:22Z")

</div>

> [@DataX](#):
>
> The whole concept of a “version” of a bible Iskenderun of silly anyway.

So, Iskenderun is the new name for a city in Turkey that used to be called Alexandria near Issos. \<–I mean, that was its actual name, “Alexandria near Issos.” (Well, probably in Turkish.) I find that pretty cool, that a city name would have a geography lesson in it. Except that I can’t find an Issos in Turkey, so I’m not sure what Alexandria near Issos was near. There was once an Issus, which is near Iskenderum, though. So maybe Issos and Issus are the same place and Iskenderum is near them, but it’s not in the name?

It wasn’t the home of the Library of Alexandria, though. That was in Egypt. I bet it had a lot of bibles in it, but it probably didn’t have the King James version, being burned (several times) well before the King James Bible was written.

(Who would have guessed that the most interesting bit of the thread would come from Autocorrect?)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Silvorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Silvorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvorange)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/8 "2013-12-24T01:59:20Z")

</div>

> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> So, Iskenderun is the new name for a city in Turkey that used to be called Alexandria near Issos. \<–I mean, that was its actual name, “Alexandria near Issos.” (Well, probably in Turkish.) I find that pretty cool, that a city name would have a geography lesson in it. Except that I can’t find an Issos in Turkey, so I’m not sure what Alexandria near Issos was near. There was once an Issus, which is near Iskenderum, though. So maybe Issos and Issus are the same place and Iskenderum is near them, but it’s not in the name?
> 
> It wasn’t the home of the Library of Alexandria, though. That was in Egypt. I bet it had a lot of bibles in it, but it probably didn’t have the King James version, being burned (several times) well before the King James Bible was written.
> 
> (Who would have guessed that the most interesting bit of the thread would come from Autocorrect?)

I’m glad to know I’m not the only person who immediately looked up Iskenderun.

My sister used to say that her preferred version of the Bible was the Holy Bible, and wouldn’t believe me when I said that was not the name of a particular version. That was one of our regular arguments for a while. I don’t blame her for doubting me, though, since I thought it was so funny to trick her into believing all kinds of stuff when she was little.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/9 "2013-12-24T02:20:26Z")

</div>

> [@Silvorange](#):
>
> I’m glad to know I’m not the only person who immediately looked up Iskenderun.

😃

I bet we’re not even the only _two_. That’s why I love this board!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/10 "2013-12-24T02:44:41Z")

</div>

I prefer my own Old Aramaic version from 1,000 BC, updated in Middle Aramaic in 400 BC, with NT added by Paul in Greek in the 1st Century AD. English is for wussies.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/11 "2013-12-24T03:01:45Z")

</div>

> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> I prefer my own Old Aramaic version from 1,000 BC, updated in Middle Aramaic in 400 BC, with NT added by Paul in Greek in the 1st Century AD. English is for wussies.

Dude, that’s the Necronomicon.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/12 "2013-12-24T12:01:49Z")

</div>

> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> It wasn’t the home of the Library of Alexandria, though. That was in Egypt. I bet it had a lot of bibles in it

Well that would rather be the purpose of a library, wouldn’t it? To have books.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/13 "2013-12-24T12:10:02Z")

</div>

> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> So, Iskenderun is the new name for a city in Turkey that used to be called Alexandria near Issos. \<–I mean, that was its actual name, “Alexandria near Issos.” (Well, probably in Turkish.) I find that pretty cool, that a city name would have a geography lesson in it. Except that I can’t find an Issos in Turkey, so I’m not sure what Alexandria near Issos was near. There was once an Issus, which is near Iskenderum, though. So maybe Issos and Issus are the same place and Iskenderum is near them, but it’s not in the name?
> 
> It wasn’t the home of the Library of Alexandria, though. That was in Egypt. I bet it had a lot of bibles in it, but it probably didn’t have the King James version, being burned (several times) well before the King James Bible was written.
> 
> (Who would have guessed that the most interesting bit of the thread would come from Autocorrect?)

It took me all the way to the last sentence before I realized what the hell you were going on about - I have no idea how apple decided “is kind of” or I, guessing more likely “is kindof” was turned into that 🙂 I’m glad it never seems to use what I really have typed in my history in the past 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/14 "2013-12-24T13:25:45Z")

</div>

It’s Vulgate of Saint Jerome or nothing!

So it’s nothing, really.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/15 "2013-12-24T14:28:11Z")

</div>

> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> And the Great Debate is?
> 
> Here’s a handy table of [21 bible versions](http://apilgriminnarnia.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/bibletranslation.gif) in English, according to the literalness of the translation.
> 
> This is not breaking news…

When you’re [not quite 20](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=711201), it’s all breaking news. And you think you’re the first to discover half of it. Often while drunk.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/16 "2013-12-24T15:08:59Z")

</div>

> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> Who told you this?

A witch must have told him.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2013, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/17 "2013-12-25T12:02:37Z")

</div>

The Authorised Version (not ‘King James Version’) is the normal name for it here, and it is the text you would most expect to be quoted in literary, musical or poetic contexts.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2013, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/18 "2013-12-26T05:34:34Z")

</div>

“Authorized” is a term used less and less, to refer to the King James Bible. The approval of a British king 400 years ago is not a very strong authorization. I can think of at least a half-dozen with better authorizations. I’ll not dispute the KJV is very likely to be quoted.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/19 "2013-12-27T16:34:34Z")

</div>

There is also The Women’s Bible.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2013, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042/20 "2013-12-27T16:47:44Z")

</div>

There’s really only one Bible that a true, patriotic American would read:  
[http://conservapedia.com/Conservative\_Bible\_Project](http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-you-know-the-holy-bible-is-a-specific-version/677042.md?page=2)