15550 Stephanus - Source Text for the King James New Testament

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1550 Stephanus NT, Item #ST1001

The Stephanus “Editio Regia”
of the Greek New Testament, 1550

Source Text for the King James New Testament

And Fundament of the Greek “Textus Receptus”

Distinguished Provenance

[Bible in Greek.] [Title in Greek] … Novum Iesu Christi D.N. Testamentum. Ex Bibliotheca Regia. Ex Officina Roberti Stephani typographi Regii, Regiis typis: Lutetiae. 1550.

The third and most important of R. Stephanus’ editions, known as the Editio Regia, substantially based on the final lifetime recension of Erasmus.

A collation against the first edition of Stephanus, 1546, reveals that in 38 passages the editor here rejected the Complutensian reading in favor of that if Erasmus, whereas the converse occurs only twice. This edition is the important 1550 printing in Paris by Estienne (Robert Stephanus) of the Greek New Testament, based on the final lifetime edition of Erasmus of Rotterdam. This was this printing that Stephanus used to divide the text into numbered verses which he first put into print in the 1551 edition. These two Stephanus printings (1550, 1551) were utilized by the translators of the New Testament for the 1611 King James Bible and became cited as the fundament of the 1633 “Textus Receptus” Greek New Testament printed by the Elzeviers in Amsterdam (DM 4679) – “Est haec ipsa editio ex qua derivatur quem nostri textum receptum vulgo vocant, nomine rei minus bene aptato”.

Small folio in eights. Collates complete. *8, **8, a-q8, r6, A-M8, N6. Very modest light browning. Generally very nice. A couple of inoffensive wormholes. One-inch by three-inch cutting from title-page, likely an ownership inscription removed. Leaves b[1]-c[6] with minor top-edge rodential nibbling.

As tall a copy as one is likely to encounter; leaf size 342mm x 210mm.

Full German pigskin binding, dated 1559, elaborately stamped with Scriptural vignettes. Binding soiled, bowed, and tired – but perfectly appropriate and completely strong.

Provenance: ex-Rochester Theological Seminary (Ambrose Swasey Library) (de-accessioned) with blind embossed stamp of the Rockefeller Fund to the title-page and a couple of other prelimaries. Also with ex-libris of Jonathan Byrd, noted American Bible collector.

A very desirable copy of a hugely important publication.

Darlow and Moule 4622, pp. 587-8. Cf. also: Scrivener-Miller, Introduction, i, p. 124, n.3 and ii, pp. 190-1; Ellis, Bentleii Critica Sacra, pp. xiv-xv; Hoskier, Full Account, passim.

Please Note: This is a low-resolution photo, which shows the format, but makes reading the text nearly impossible. In reality, the text of these Bibles is large enough and clear enough to read very easily.

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Just The Facts

Item # ST1001
NT Title Page: 1550
Size: 9 x 14 x 2

Additional Features:

Full Calf
End Papers: Cotton

Appraisal Value: $40,000

Inventory List Price: $29,000

Sale Price: Your actual price on this Bible is significantly LOWER than the "List Price" shown above. For a current exact price quote on item # ST1001, please Contact Us.





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