Can you buy a Bible that pre-dates the King James version?

Answer 1

Yes, you can. As others have said, there is the Douay Rheims, which predates the KJV and includes the books known as "deuterocanonical" or (in some traditions) "apocryphal". These include, among others, the books of the Maccabees, which contain the history of events related to the Jewish festival of lights or Hannukkah.

There is also the Wycliffe Bible, which unlike the Douay was first published in English and predates the King James. It is not widely distributed anymore, but I checked and you can get it at Half.com or download an online version.

If you are looking for versions in languages other than English, one of the great versions that preceded the KJV was Martin Luther's German translation.

Of course, all the translations were preceded by the original texts, most of which were written-down versions of oral accounts and traditions. There is no way to be absolutely certain that we don't have the first written version (in Greek for the New Testament; in Hebrew, usually, for the Old Testament) of a given text, but the odds are against it. The Greek and Hebrew scriptures can be obtained from your local Bible Society, but again, these are not "the original texts". Rather, they are versions constructed from various ancient copies that have survived the years.

Answer 2

The Bishop's Bible pre-dated the King James Version.
Originals would cost a fortune, but you can get re-prints.

Contrary to popular opinion, the KJV was NOT the first English Bible translation. It was the most famous though because a King mandated it for the whole country.

Answer 3

The KJV is the first english translation. The Bible was originally written in Hebrew and Greek. There are several english translations that are very accurate to the original Hebrew and Greek but are in modern english. I know New Testament Greek, so I can attest to the accuracy of these english translations. Your local Christian bookstore is a great source for you to get a good english translation. Ask a sales associate for help. Or I would be HAPPY to send you a Bible free if you will contact me.

Answer 4

You can buy the Douay Bible, which predates the King James. It was translated from the Latin version of the Bible known as the Vulgate.

Answer 5

You can't buy a version of a Bible that pre-dates the KJV. But there are many books written on the subject of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other important documents that the BIble was put together from. Check out any Christian bookstore.

Answer 6

Not in english. But I know alot of seminaries go with greek and hebrew, so they have to be out there. If your trying to claim that king james in inaccurate, that is false. Each verse was translated and reviewed from the ancient texts 14 times by language experts of the day.

Answer 7

The Douay Rheims Bible has the books that were taken out of the King Jimmy.

Answer 8

Earthgirl; You sure ...can! ..In about 1947, a vast cache on really ANCIENT manuscripts were unearthed by shepperds, 'way into the desert at Nag Hamadi, in Egypt: the REAL "McCoy": the Holy Grail ng Bible: the very first correlated Gospels.. (and a goodly MANY more, and even -slightly- [contradictory] versions of the sayings of very many prophets). -Especially, 'Duetoronomy'..

The important thing, to understand is this story of "The Jews" having been "enslaved IN Egypt. Basically, it was quite rare for a Gallilean, servant/baby-sitter to EVER travel down into a culture -one that did not, really like King Jerrimiah's father..
(so they just did NOT go into Egypt, -nor were 'forced')..

We well know today that all the Pyramids were constructed by teams of (Egyptian contractors); we have deciphered the text, via the 'Rosetta Stone'. (SO we even know the menu of the meals, fed those contractors -as it is "spelled-out in stone, even a tally of the beer consumed.

I know it IS a beautifull myth, but -quite simply.. there was NO 'Moses'; no "flight-from Egyptian, oppression. There WAS Egyptian oppressionj; but it was in Gaza.. -when the semi-desert, Gallileans had the IMMENSE good-fortune to find, totally VACANT, a very fertile, but empty, opperating farming system.. -one with advanced irrigation, even -in the fertile hills, directly west, & north-west -of their precarious desert existance: right where they'd never moved from; tribal-boundaries being jealously guarded.
How did this "Promised Land", their sooth-sayers (may) have predicted -would come, their way? The HUGE Babylonian Army, under the Military genius, King Nebukadenzah absolutely [scooped-up] the entire (blond-headed) population of Israel: a paradise-in-the hills; and took the REAL Israelites NORTHWARD: 100% of them, then sold them further northward -even into Kashmire, ("By the waters of Babylon, We sat down and Cried" -go the words handed to the singers, "Boney M": it IS an account of the (REAL) "Children-of-Israel" -on the move: hearded into slavery.

Getting back to The Nag Hahmadi Scrolls.. Start at your library with the EXCLUDED New Testamebt Gospels, like The Gospel of Thomas; try the Gospel of Philipp.. But the Book-of Dueteronomy, -out of this original scource is {markedly Different}.. (And NO need for your interest to reach the Elders-of almost ANY Church: some Catholic Bishops consider excluded Gospels.. [herretical!}, so follow-your nose to THE Truth, with rather tight lips -if you're in either Mexico, or The Philippines, as the Power OF the clergy's .. strong, IN those Traditional countries. And they don't like to enter into King Jerrimiah re-writing the Old Testament, completely -(but he did -during his rather fortuous Gallilean life -one cut short, by a young Egyptian King who'd travelled-up into the various Gaza garrisons.. tracking-down Jerrimiah; invited him to a feast, then murdered him, himself! (Oh, yeah.. the term, "Pharoe" is Gallilean. -NOT Egyptian, at all..

THAT gives you some idea, of the DEPTH, of the Gallilean-Jewish deceit; one must simply 'go back'.. to gain The Truth -even on Jesus.. Saul, was [confronted by] Jesus -in person.(!).. in Damascus: HE.. did NOT die, (not then.. much, much later..): it may even have been Simon-Peter ON the cross! There WAS some Roman collusion; and these 'Disciples' [were] expert Magicians, ALL, -also..
Always bare-in-mind that Judas had the job of IDENTIFYING, exactly WHO is to BE arrested. Also, the person (Jesus) who set-out carrying The cross was , during the journey obscured from view, for a moment with/by a Centurion's cloak: "many deals": "wheels-within-wheels"!

Mostly; above ALL else: remember that 'Christianity' would be little-more than some obscure 'off-shoot' of the Jewish religion..
if it wasn't for the untiring work of Saint Paul-of Tarsus,
linking-up all the little, Christian churches, of varying doctrine;
-right up into Greece, and East, across Syria.
MUCH is still to BE ..learned.

Answer 9

Yes... there is the KJV 1611 and the Geneva Bible of 1586... both are available for sale

Answer 10

Yes you can, the Rheims-Douay version is earlier and is translated straight from the early Greek texts.