Which Bible is It?

The simple beleeueth euery word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. (1611 KJV)

The foolish will beleeue euery thing: but the prudent will consider his steppes. (Geneva)

An ignorant body beleueth euery worde: but who so hath vnderstanding, loketh well to his goynges. (Bishops)

Gal 5:1

Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free, (1611 KJV)

Stand fast therefore in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free, (Geneva)

Stande fast therfore in the libertie wherwith Christe hath made vs free, (Bishops)

1 Tim 5:22

neither bee partaker of other mens sinnes. Keepe thy selfe pure. (1611 KJV)

neither be partaker of other mens sinnes: keepe thy selfe pure.(Geneva)

neither be partaker of other mens sinnes. Kepe thy selfe chaste.(Bishops)

Follow after charitie, and desire spirituall giftes, but rather that yee may prophesie.(1611 KJV)

Folowe after loue, and couet spirituall giftes, and rather that ye may prophecie. (Geneva)

Folowe after loue, and couet spirituall [giftes] but most chiefelie that ye may prophesie. (Bishops)

 

Pilgrims and early Baptists may well refer to or quote from more than one English translation since they did not advocate a one-translation-only theory. Was John Robinson referring to the rendering of the KJV at Acts 14:23?

In 1625, John Robinson referred to Acts 14:23: “where Paul and Barnabas do ordain elders in every church by suffrages (not their own as some fancy, unto whom to lift up and to lay on hands is all one) but the people’s; or by the lifting up of hands” (Just and Necessary, p. 34).

 

Perhaps apparently, but there could be another explanation. If the books by John Robinson were printed in England where they had to been licensed or approved by Church of England officials, it could be that the printer would substitute quotes from the 1611 KJV for any quotes from the 1560 Geneva Bible in order to make it more likely that a license or approval to print the book could be obtained. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, or one of their chaplains had to approve of books before they could be printed. There was no freedom of religion and freedom of the press in England in those days. Another possibility would be that John Robinson himself would use quotations from the 1611 KJV for books to be printed in England, knowing that would make it more likely that approval for printing could be obtained.

The Geneva Bible could not be printed in England after 1616. David Cloud claimed: “In 1616 the king [James I] issued a command that only the King James Bible was to be printed in England” (Faith, p. 584). MacGregor wrote that the last quarto edition of the Geneva Bible printed in England was in 1615 and the last folio in 1616 (Literary History, p. 145). There could have been pressure on printers against including quotations from the Geneva Bible even before 1616. Other methods to attempt to decrease the use of the Geneva Bible had likely been tried before the order that forbid the printing of the Geneva Bible in England.