An Exposition of the Old and New Testament

This copy of Matthew Henry’s verse by verse commentary on the Old and New Testaments is the first America edition published in 6 volumes in Philadelphia in 1828 by Barrington & Haswell.

Jefferson Bible

This Jefferson Bible is an exact facsimile photographic reproduction, published in color in its complete form, based on the original copy at the Smithsonian Institution.

Geneva Bible Leaf

The text on this leaf is from John 6:69 – 8:20. This edition of the Geneva Bible, called the Geneva-Stafford Bible, was the first to eliminate the inclusion of the Apocrypha.

Aitken Bible

A facsimile reproduction of the first English Bible printed in America, published by Robert Aitken in Philadelphia in 1782

King James Bible

A photographic facsimile edition, providing an exact replica of the original 1611 King James first edition.

The Whole Booke of Psalmes

This 1594 copy of the Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter, printed in London in 1594, is bound in the 1595 Geneva Bible.

Biblia Sacra

1 volume of a multi-volume set of Elias Hutter’s 1599 Polyglot Bible in six languages - Hebrew, Chaldean, Greek, Latin, German, and Sloven.

Book of Common Prayer

This 1608 version issued by the Church of England includes the Psalter and the Psalms of David, bound in the1608 Geneva Bible.

Concordances

Two 1608 concordances, printed in London, and bound with the 1608 Geneva Bible.

Coverdale Bible

Photographic facsimile of the first edition of this first printed English translation of the entire Bible

Geneva Bible

A facsimile reprint of the 1560 first printing of this translation of the Bible

Geneva New Testament

A photographic facsimile of the 1557 edition

Great Bible

Original leaf, printed in London in 1541, with text from Judges 6 through the first few verses of Judges 8

Matthew's Bible

A facsimile reproduction of the first (1549) complete English Bible translated directly from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts

Stephanus Greek New Testament

A photographic facsimile of the 1550 edition of this work by Robert Stephanus

Torah Sheet

Sheet produced in southern Germany in the late 1550s containing Leviticus 26:11-Numbers 1:33

Whole Booke of Psalmes

This 1609 Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter was printed in London and is bound in the 1608 Geneva Bible.

Eliot Bible

The Bible in the Natick dialect of the east coast Algonquin Indians was the first Bible printed in America. This leaf is from a copy printed in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson between 1660 and 1663.

King James Bible, Authorized Version

This copy of the Bible, published by the American Bible Society 13 years after its founding, was printed during the presidency of Andrew Jackson (1829-1837).

Webster Bible

This copy of the "Webster Bible" is a facsimile of the original, printed in 1987, and it represents the first time that Webster's version of the King James Bible was published in the 20th century.

King James Bible

Volume 5 of 6 of the King James Version of the Bible, with commentary and notes by Adam Clarke, an Irish Methodist minister.

King James Bible

This thick, pocket-sized edition of the King James Version was printed in Philadelphia in 1860, one year prior to the beginning of the Civil War.

King James Bible New Testament

This copy of the New Testament, published by the American Tract Society, was printed in New York in 1862 during the Civil War. The Society initiated efforts to distribute religious literature and Bibles to the Union Army during the war.

Revised Version

This copy of the Revised Version of the New Testament is a presentation copy from the American Committee of Revision given in 1881 to those who had provided donations for the expense of the translation and publishing work.

American Standard Version

This copy of the American Standard Version of the Bible, printed in Camden, New Jersey, in 1901 is typical of those published by the American Revision Committee.

Jefferson Bible

Photographic reproduction of the original cut-and-paste version created by Jefferson. Published by an act of Congress in 1904, for many years copies were given to incoming members of Congress.

German Bible

German Bible, published by the American Bible Society, representative of many foreign language Bibles distributed by the Society. It was printed in New York in 1844.

King James Bible Leaves

Leaves from an original first large folio edition of the King James Version printed in London in 16ll. They include texts from Genesis, Ezekiel, Matthew, II Thessalonians, Hebrews, II Kings, and John.

Aitken Bible Leaf

One leaf from a copy of the King James Bible printed in Philadelphia in 1782, Robert Aitken’s first and only edition of the first English Bible printed in America.

King James Bible

This is the first hot-pressed edition of the Bible printed in America and distributed by subscription. The Library copy is a folio-size lectern Bible.

King James Bible New Testament

This copy of the King James Bible New Testament, published during the time of the presidency of Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), was printed in New York in 1807 by Duyckinck and Mesier.

Matthew's Bible

Original leaf, printed in Antwerp, Belgium, from a first edition printing done in 1537. The text on this leaf is from John 11:22 to 13:5.

Great Bible

Original leaf, printed in London, likely from a first edition printed in 1539 or 1540. The text on these two pages is from Job 21:1 to 24:20.

Coverdale Bible Leaf

Original leaf, printed in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1551. This was the latest reprint of the Coverdale Bible, first printed in 1535, issued during the life of Coverdale. The text on these two pages is from II Chronicles 12:1 to 14:12.

Rheims New Testament

A first edition of the Rheims New Testament, published in Rheims, France, in 1582. This translation was the first foray of the Roman Catholic Church into the battle for a dominant English language version of the Bible in the 16th century.

Bishop's Bible

First edition of the Bishops’ Bible, published in 1568. This copy, once in the collection of the Edinburgh Public Library, is a small folio edition published in 1584. Bound into the volume is a 17th Century Book of Common Prayer.

Geneva Bible

1595 printing of the Geneva BIble. first published in 1560. This Roman letter copy is a quarto printing with a 19th century binding. Also bound in the volume is a 1594 Psalter.

King James Bible

Printed in London in 1613, this copy is a black letter quarto edition. This edition is known as a “he” Bible because of the “he” reading in Ruth 3:15. Bound in this volume are a Common Book of Prayer and a 1614 Psalter.

King James Bible

This third edition of the 1611 King James Bible is a large folio lectern Bible printed by Robert Barker in London in 1617. This example is known as a “She” Bible because of the “she” instead of the “he” reading in Ruth 3:15.

King James Bible

A first Cambridge printing, completed by Thomas and John Buck and Roger Daniel in 1629. Done by unknown scholars at Cambridge, this is the first significant revision of the 1611 edition.

King James Bible

Often called the “Cambridge Standard Edition,” this rare copy represents the thorough revision of the King James undertaken by Dr. F. S. Parris at the University of Cambridge.

Erasmus Greek-Latin New Testament

A photographic facsimile of the first edition, published in 1519

Tyndale New Testament

A color photographic reproduction of a copy of Peter Schoeffer’s 1526 printing held in the collection of the British Library

Luther New Testament

Original leaf, taken from the only fragment known to exist of Luther’s 1529 German New Testament. The text on this leaf is from Colossians, chapters 1 and 2.

Tyndale New Testament Leaf

This original leaf is from a printing done in 1535 or 1536 in Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Myles Coverdale. The text on this leaf is from Romans 10:12 to 11:13.

Tyndale New Testament

A facsimile reproduction of the last and most elaborate edition of Tyndale’s work done prior to his death at the stake in Belgium. The text contains intricate woodcut illustrations.

History of the Life and Death of Master John Calvin

A reproduction of the English translation of the life of Calvin, printed in London in 1564, originally written in French by Theodore Beza, a Protestant theologian and disciple of Calvin.

Calvin's Commentary on Genesis

This copy, with its original leather covers, is an English translation from the Latin, printed in London in 1578. This copy has almost 130 pages of hand-written text filling in missing pages of the printed text.

Institutes of Christian Religion

A facsimile reproduction of the first English edition, a 1585 one-volume abridgement of the original multi-volume publication, first printed in Latin in 1536 and then French in 1541.

In librum Psalmorum

This copy of the second edition of Calvin’s Latin Commentary on the Psalms, printed in Geneva, has the original binding and silk ties.

Confessio Fidei

Writings related to the Augsburg Confession, printed in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1591

Collected Writings of Martin Luther

Single volume of a multi-volume set containing masses, sermons, and letters received and sent from 1522-1525. This volume has binding clasps and is hand colored.

Geneva Bible

The Bible of the Puritans and the Pilgrims, this black letter copy is a quarto printing done in London in 1608, with a 19th century binding. Also bound in the volume are two concordances, a 1609 Psalter, and a 1608 Book of Common Prayer.

Colloquia

This copy of Erasmus’ Colloguies, first published in 1518, was printed in Amsterdam in 1643. These were written by Erasmus as examples of discourse for his students.

New and Complete Book of Martyrs

This copy of John Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a revised, updated, and expanded version published by Paul Wright in 2 volumes, was printed in New York in 1794.

Codex Sinaiticus

Old Testament and New Testament Greek manuscripts. Two volume photographic copies of the original manuscripts in the Imperial Library at St. Petersburg

Isaiah Scroll

Color photographic reproduction of the original from one of the Dead Sea Scrolls that contained parts of the book of Isaiah. This fragment [4Q5 from Cave 4] contains portions of Isaiah 22:10-14 and Isaiah 23:8 – 24:15.

Latin Manuscript Bible

This vellum leaf from a 15th Century Latin manuscript Bible was scribed in Bohemia. The text is from the end of the 4th chapter of Isaiah on the front side through the beginning of the 8th chapter on the reverse.

Gutenberg Bible

A 1985 reproduction of the Mazarin Bible, once owned by Cardinal Jules Mazarin (1602-1661) and currently housed in the Mazarin Library at the French Institute in Paris.

Wycliffe Bible

A facsimile reproduction of the very first translation of the Scriptures into the English language. The Wycliffe translations were hand-written manuscript Bibles, pre-dating printing by 70 years [Gutenberg, 1455].

Leningrad Codex

Photographic copy of the original, the oldest complete codex of the Hebrew Bible

"Pocket" Manuscript Bible

This vellum leaf from a 13th century Latin manuscript "pocket" Bible was scribed in France. The text is from the end of the 3rd chapter of Zephaniah through the first two chapters of Haggai.

"Portable" Manuscript Bible

Vellum leaf from a 14th century Latin manuscript "portable" Bible, scribed in France. The text includes the prologue to Matthew and chapter 1 through part of chapter 4.

Deuteronomy Scroll

Also called the Ten Commandments Scroll, this color photographic reproduction of the original is one of about 30 portions of the book of Deuteronomy discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. This scroll [4Q41] contains Deuteronomy 5:1-31.

Erasmus Greek-Latin New Testament

Photographic copy of Erasmus’ third printed edition of the Greek New Testament, published in 1522, used by Tyndale in his translation of the first English New Testament in 1526 and by the translators of the Geneva and King James Bibles.

Genesis Scroll

Color photographic reproduction of the original. One of 20 fragments of different copies of the book of Genesis discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls. This fragment [4Q4 from Cave 4] contains 11 lines of text from Genesis 1:18-27.

Tyndale New Testament

An original text reprint of the 1526 first edition of Tyndale’s New Testament translation

Tyndale New Testament

An original text reprint of the 1534 edition of Tyndale’s New Testament English translation published in 1526

Codex Alexandrinus

Considered to be one of the four great uncial codices, along with the Codex Sinaiticus and Vaticanus also included in this collection. Photographic copy of the New Testament volume. The original resides in the British Library.

Codex Vaticanus

Considered to be one of the best Greek texts of the New Testament, with the Codex Sinaiticus as its only competitor. This single facsimile volume includes the text from Matthew 1:1 through Hebrews 9:14.

Bible Heritage Collection

The items in this special collection, many of them rare, were identified or acquired because of their importance to the history of the Biblical text and its reproduction, to historical representations of the early church Reformers, and to the significant printings of the English Bible. Items are arranged chronologically, the oldest first. All items are original unless identified as a facsimile, original text reprint, reproduction, or a photographic copy. Those wishing to examine the items personally should contact the Archivist. Follow this link to view and download these images in a different online gallery.

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