THE 1611 APOCRYPHA: The Fourteen Books Removed from the King James Bible, In-cluding Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, and the Maccabees
About this ebook
This edition includes:
- All fourteen books of the 1611 Apocrypha in the King James wording, in modern spelling
- A short introduction to the Apocrypha and its history
- A headnote before every book, and chapter and verse numbers throughout
When the King James Bible first appeared in 1611, it did not run straight from Malachi to Matthew. Between the Old and New Testaments sat a section headed Apocrypha: fourteen books that English readers of the day knew, quoted, and heard read in church. Over the following centuries most Protestant printings quietly left them out. This volume gathers the fourteen back into one place.
Here are the stories and teachings that many readers meet only in fragments. Tobit and his son Tobias travel with a companion who is more than he seems. Judith takes matters into her own hands against an invading general. The Wisdom of Solomon and Ecclesiasticus, also called Sirach, gather proverbs, prayers, and reflections on how to live. The two books of the Maccabees tell of the Jewish revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes, the events behind the festival of Hanukkah. Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, and the Song of the Three Children expand the Book of Daniel. First and Second Esdras, Baruch with the Letter of Jeremiah, the Additions to Esther, and the Prayer of Manasses complete the set.
Together they open a window onto the centuries between the Testaments: Jewish life under Persian, Greek, and Seleucid rule, hope of resurrection, angels, prayer, martyrdom, and wisdom. Several of these books are received as scripture in Catholic and Orthodox tradition, while the Reformation churches generally kept them for reading but not for doctrine. Whatever your own tradition, they are valuable background for anyone who wants to understand the world of the New Testament.
This volume is for:
- Readers whose King James Bible does not include these fourteen books
- Students of the Second Temple period and the world of the New Testament
- Anyone curious about what the 1611 Bible actually contained
- Readers of older literature who keep meeting these books in quotation and allusion
Fourteen books, one volume, the King James text.
About the author
Merrick Press publishes editions of classic sacred and historical texts for general readers. Its catalog gathers older works that are often hard to find in a clean, readable edition, from scripture and devotional literature to medieval legend and esoteric tradition. Each title is prepared so that today's reader can approach the original material directly, with clear presentation and no unnecessary clutter. The 1611 Apocrypha brings together the fourteen books printed between the Testaments in the first King James Bible.