Wycliffe's Bible. John Wycliffe
and/or the flow of the passage. Seven significant examples include Deeds 6:3, 13:20, 17:10, 18:21, Ephesians 6:21, and Apocalypse 16:4-5 and 17:16. Countless more times, less consequential "missing" words, mostly "and" and "the" - perhaps inadvertently "dropped" by weary or distracted copyists - were often found only in "Early Version" verses. These "missing" words, significant and insignificant alike, were inserted in Wycliffe's Bible to improve its accuracy, reader comprehension, and passage flow. All "missing" words are contained within square brackets [ ].
Third, like the glosses and footnotes, the "Early Version" itself served as a source of "alternate" words and phrases. When the "Early Version", the "Later Version", and the KJV are compared side-by-side, one discovers numerous instances where the KJV leaves off from following the "Later Version" and, to a greater or lesser degree, mirrors the "Early Version". Sometimes it is a single word, sometimes it is a phrase, and sometimes it is the order of several phrases within a verse. This usually occurs where the "Early Version" more closely follows the Hebrew of the OT, or the Greek of the NT, than does the "Later Version". These textually significant "alternate" renderings from the "Early Version" are also contained within square brackets [ ].
Fourth, the "Early Version" served as a source of "interesting" words and phrases, no more accurate than what is found in the "Later Version", and many not utilized by the KJV, but fascinating nevertheless. Words such as "experiment", "prescience", "copious", and "litigious", to name but a few. These words are written in italics, and are placed in square brackets, [ ], in Wycliffe's Old Testament, and in parentheses, "( )", in Wycliffe's New Testament (see the note below).
Fifth, in 1st Chronicles 8:16-26 (one of the "list" chapters), the text of the "Early Version" was used, rather than that of the "Later Version", because of more accurate punctuation. There are no major differences in wording between the two versions; consistency in punctuation and aid to comprehension were the only reasons for using these "EV" verses. Each verse is marked with a superscript "E" to denote its origin.
To sum up: All of the words in square brackets, "[ ]", in Wycliffe's Bible are from the "Early Version" of the "Wycliffe Bible". Some were added to aid textual accuracy, reader comprehension, and passage flow; other words are either "alternate" words that are textually closer to the original Hebrew or the original Greek, and/or what is found in the KJV, or simply "interesting" variations too fascinating to ignore. A limited number of these "EV" words are printed in Wycliffe's Bible, but all of them can be found in the online files and in files on the Wycliffe's Bible CD.
For the Revised Edition of Wycliffe's New Testament, the number of "Early Version" words in square brackets was dramatically reduced, in an effort to reduce clutter on the page, and so to improve readability. However, not wanting to short-change the reader of many of the insights and interesting alternatives found in the WNT "Early Version", notable excerpts were taken from the same verses, written in italics, and placed in parentheses. Indeed, all of the words in italics in parentheses in Wycliffe's New Testament are from the "Early Version" of the New Testament of the "Wycliffe Bible". For further details, see the "Preface to the Revised Edition of Wycliffe's New Testament".
All of the foregoing understood, it needs to be clearly stated that Wycliffe's Bible can be read, and readily comprehended, without reference to any of the words or phrases found within the square brackets or the parentheses. The "Later Version" of the "Wycliffe Bible" - as represented by Wycliffe's Bible - can and does stand on its own. The inclusion of the words in the square brackets, and those in parentheses, written in italics, simply provide additional dimensions of this seminal work in the English translation of the Bible. (For more discussion of "Early Version" highlights and insights, see the "Endnotes" section at the back of the book.)
A Final Note
With the spelling up-dated, and the obsolete words replaced, the book you now hold in your hands is a fair and accurate representation of John Wycliffe's and John Purvey's 14th century translation of the very first English vernacular Bible. This is their Bible with modern spelling - not some 21th century variation on a medieval theme. The melodies and harmonies are distinctly Wycliffe's and Purvey's. Only now they are sung with words that we can all understand. Six centuries later, you can now read what those common folk were themselves at long last able to read (or more likely, have read to them). Simple, direct words, with their own rhythm and charm, their own humble, cogent beauty. Sophisticated and graceful words, their originality and newness making the well-known and fondly remembered fresh and alive once again. All because John Wycliffe and John Purvey, and their compeers, cared so deeply, and sacrificed so dearly.
Today there are scores of modern translations of the Bible in English, available at the library, in bookstores, and on the Internet. But once, there was just one. This one. Try to imagine the impact upon hearing (or reading) these words for the very first time:
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3:
"Wycliffe Bible", 1395 (Original Spelling):
Alle thingis han tyme,
Wycliffe's Bible, 2012 (Modern-Spelling Version):
All things have a time,
1395: and alle thingis vndur [the] sunne passen bi her spaces. 2012: and all things under the sun pass by their spaces, or pass forth in their places.
1395: Tyme of birthe, and time of diyng; 2012: A time of birth, and a time of dying;
1395: tyme to plaunte, and tyme to drawe vp that that is plauntid. 2012: a time to plant, and a time to draw up that which is planted.
1395: Tyme to slee, and tyme to make hool; 2012: A time to slay, and a time to make whole;
1395: tyme to distrie, and tyme to bilde. 2012: a time to destroy, and a time to build.
1395: Tyme to wepe, and tyme to lei3e; 2012: A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
1395: tyme to biweile, and tyme to daunse. 2012: a time to bewail, and a time to dance.
1395: Tyme to scatere stoonys, and tyme to gadere togidere; 2012: A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them together;
1395: tyme to colle, ether biclippe, and tyme to be fer fro collyngis. 2012: a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embracings, or embraces.
1395: Tyme to wynne, and tyme to leese; 2012: A time to win, and a time to lose;
1395: tyme to kepe, and tyme to caste awei. 2012: a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
1395: Tyme to kitte, and tyme to sewe togidere; 2012: A time to cut, and a time to sew together;
1395: tyme to be stille, and tyme to speke. 2012: a time to be still, and a time to speak.
1395: Tyme to loue/Tyme of loue, and tyme of hatrede; 2012: A time to love/A time of love, and a time of hatred;
1395: tyme of batel, and tyme of pees. 2012: a time of battle, and a time of peace.
1 Following King Edward I's expulsion edict of 1290, decreeing the banishment of all Jews from England, the Jewish people were absent from its soil until the mid-17th century. However, Hebrew Old Testaments, commentaries, and other scholarly writings concerning the Hebrew Scriptures, were studied when the Old Testament of the "Wycliffe Bible" was written and revised (as were Greek sources when its New Testament was written and revised). For more on this, see 'A Word Regarding the Primary Source' below.
2 Nicholas (de) Hereford, an associate of Wycliffe's and Purvey's, helped write 2/3rds of the highly literal "Early Version" of the