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Bible Printing Errors

Below is a collection of humorous accidental man-made errors where the proof reader or print setter either added to or took away from the intended print. All errors are as they were printed.

1. In 1535, the first Coverdale Bible translates Psalm 91:5, “Thou shalt not need to be afrayed for eny bugges by night” instead of “Thou shalt not need to be afraid for any terror by night.” The word ‘bugges’ back then did mean ‘bogie’ or ghosts.

2. In 1560, the first Geneva Bible translates Genesis 3:7, “They sowed figge tree leaves together and made themselves breeches,” breeches meaning trousers, whereas other versions uses the word ‘…made themselves a covering [or aprons].’

3. In 1560, the first Bishops Bible translated Jeremiah 8:22, “Is there no tryacle [treacle] in Gilead?” instead of “Is there no balm in Gilead?”

4. In 1562, a Geneva Bible quotes Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the placemakers…” instead of “Blessed are the peacemakers…”

5. In 1611, one printing of the AV Bible (Authorised Version also known as King James Version KJV) quotes Matthew 26:26, as Judas initiating the Last Supper rather than Jesus and that Judas was in the Garden of Gethsemane whereas it was Jesus!

6. In 1631, an AV Bible which was printed for King Charles I by Robert Barker and Martin Lucas, printed a verse of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shall commit adultery,” instead of “Thou shall not commit adultery.” The printers were fined £300 and the entire print run was ordered to be returned and destroyed but very few were returned.

7. Another AV Bible around the same era which was also printed for King Charles I quotes Psalm 14:1, as “A fool hath said in his heart there is a God” instead of, “A fool hath said in his heart there is no God.”

8. In 1641, an AV Bible quotes Revelations 21:1, “There was more sea” instead of “There was no more sea.”

9. In 1653, an AV Bible quotes 1 Corinthians 6:9, “The unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God” instead of “The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”


Recommended Book: Britain, A Christian Country, A Nation Defined by Christianity and the Bible.


10. In 1702, an AV Bible quotes Psalm 119:161, “Printers have persecuted me without a cause” instead of “Princes have persecuted me without a cause.”

11. In 1716, the first English Bible printed in Ireland quotes Jesus speaking to the healed man who had be bedridden by the pool of Bethesda from John 5:14, as “Sin on more” instead of “Sin no more…”

12. In 1717, an AV Bible gives the title to Luke 20:9-18 as ‘The Parable of the Vinegar’ instead of ‘The Parable of the Vineyard.’

13. In 1792, an AV Bible quotes Luke 22:34, as Philip denying Christ instead of Peter.

14. In 1801, an AV Bible quotes Jude 16, “These are murders, complainers, walking after their own lusts” instead of “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts” but in light of Jesus' words in that anger is the same as murders and that gossiping murders another's character then perhaps its not so bad an error!?

15. In 1806, an AV Bible quotes 1 Timothy 5:21, as “I discharge thee before God…” instead of “I charge thee before God…”

16. In 1806, an AV Bible quotes Ezekiel 47:10, “The fishes shall stand upon it” instead of “The fishermen [or fishers] shall stand upon it.”

17. In 1810, an AV quotes Matthew 13:43, “Who hath ears to ear, let him hear’ instead of “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’

18. In 1810, an AV Bible quotes Luke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother…yea, and his own wife also…” instead of “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother…yea, and his own life also…”

18. In 1823, an AV Bible translates Genesis 24:61, “And Rebekah arose, and her camels’ instead of ‘And Rebekah arose, and her damsels.’



Recommended Links:

Book: How Christianity Made the Modern World: How The Bible Inspired Liberty and Shaped Western Civilisation.

The Evolving English Language and Bible Translation

Bible and Church Sitemap

The History / Origins of the English Language

The History of England / Britain