King James Bible - Do you have one?

[Marjorie13]

Hello everyone,

I am a student of English langage and literature (a non-native) and I have been writing a thesis on agnosticism. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of King James Bible (only a PDF version) and I would like to complete my bibliography with a proper citation.

I am supposed to cite: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). In my PDF version it is page 624.

Is there anyone who has a copy of the book, and would be willing to check the quotation for me, tell me the page + give me the name of the publishing house, city of publishing and the year? Thank you very much for any help! :)

[YesNo]

I don't have a copy, but I wonder how one is expected to cite such texts? Is there a preferred style sheet for bibliographies and why couldn't one reference an internet site?

[Marjorie13]

My professor does not accept internet sources or PDF (I know, its 2016). So I have to use the printed copy. Then, I'll follow Chicago/Turabian.

[Pompey Bum]

Marjorie: My KJV is an unusual one that wouldn't help you, but here is a current citation I found online:

The Holy Bible, King James Version. New York: American Bible Society: 1999.

The example italicized The Holy Bible, but in my day it wouldn't have been done that way. It wouldn't hurt to confirm the whole thing with Chicago.

You have the correct format for paranthetical references, but you need to add KJV: (John 20:25 KJV).

The subject sounds interesting. I hope you will discuss it with us when you can. :)

[Jackson Richardson]

And in Britain when I grew up (and it was the only translation in regular use) it was called the Authorized Version. King James Version was an Americanism.

Page numbers will be different in different editions. In academic works of Biblical scholarship (I have oddles) John 20.25 is an adequate reference.

[OrphanPip]

Jackson is correct, in most academic writing styles Biblical citations only require verse and chapter. In your bibliography you include the version of the Bible used, but you don't need to provide the edition.

In MLA the in-text citation would be (KJV John 20-25)

The Bibliography would be

The Bible. The Authorised King James Version. Then the edition here, is it from OUP or some Bible society (Your pdf should still show who the publisher of your edition was). And then the year here.

[Pompey Bum]

Just a caveat that we Yanks have a tendency to do our own thing. Where are you from, Marjorie?

[Marjorie13]

Oh my, thank you all soo much! I think you are absolutely right about the citation style, but I have never cited Bible before, so I have a lot to learn, obviously. Thank you so much again!
I am from The Czech Republic :)

[Pompey Bum]

I am from The Czech Republic :)

Oh, cool! You mentioned the Chicago Manuel of Style; do your professors usually want American style citations? Anyway, good luck on your paper. :)

[Marjorie13]

Yes, we use it in every seminar :)

[Marjorie13]

The only annoyance is making footnotes :( :D

[Pompey Bum]

Well, when I was a graduate student (shortly before the time of Jesus and Thomas), Biblical references outside the bibliography were always parenthetical. If that's still the case, you should have no problem. I have given you the American style and JR the British. Pip is Canadian but he lives in Malaysia. Apparently he has given you the Malaysian style.

We have a healthy mix of theists, atheists, and agnostics on the site. I would love to hear your ideas about agnosticism sometime, but for now get your thesis done. Good luck on it!

[Marjorie13]

Thank you very much, Mr. Rabbit. Almost done & forever grateful. In case you are planning a trip to Europe, don't hesitate to contact me. We can visit all the libraries, where is not a single copy of KJB.

[Pompey Bum]

That's very gracious of you. I'm a little home bound these days (looking after my father). Also my wife wouldn't like it :) But thanks!

[Marjorie13]

Bring the whole family ;) ! And I am wishing your dad the best :)

[OrphanPip]

Well, when I was a graduate student (shortly before the time of Jesus and Thomas), Biblical references outside the bibliography were always parenthetical. If that's still the case, you should have no problem. I have given you the American style and JR the British. Pip is Canadian but he lives in Malaysia. Apparently he has given you the Malaysian style.

We have a healthy mix of theists, atheists, and agnostics on the site. I would love to hear your ideas about agnosticism sometime, but for now get your thesis done. Good luck on it!

The MLA is the Modern Languages Association, it's also a US based style guide but used internationally like Chicago.

[Pompey Bum]

Oh sorry, Pip. I think Marjorie got what she was looking for.

[Jackson Richardson]

Hello everyone,

Is there anyone who has a copy of the book, and would be willing to check the quotation for me, tell me the page + give me the name of the publishing house, city of publishing and the year? Thank you very much for any help! :)

I went and looked and I have three copies, none of which have a date on the title page. One of those gave two publisers, on in London and one in New York. I'm not sure how you would show that in a Harvard citation.

I've only heard of Harvard. What's Chicago?

[Jackson Richardson]

I’ve been doing a bit of Googling as I understand the KJV (AV) was heavily dependent on earlier versions and may not deserve its high reputation for original literary excellence.

John 20.25 is an identical text in the Geneva Bible, (1560) and the translation Shakespeare would have known.

The much earlier (c 1530) William Tyndale version is almost the same – it doesn’t include “therefore” in the first sentence and has the more active “thrust my honed” for “put my hand”.

The other disciples sayd vnto him: we have sene ye lorde. And he sayde vnto the: except I se in his hondes the prent of the nayles and put my fynger in the holes of the nayles and thrust my honde into his syde I will not beleve.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/tyn/john/20.html


Incidentally, I wonder what the original spelling for the KJV was. Spelling changed noticeably in the C17.

[Marjorie13]

Hello Jackson! Thank you for your research, it's impressive! I believe that in my case, it goes with the specifications of the academics in the particular institution. At least at my Uni, we've been told that KJV is the only version we are supposed to use for citing. This particular citation I've mentioned is used just for the illustration, as the opening statement, if you want, so my concern is rather formal, biblio-oriented. In my country, academics are sometimes obsessed with the rules of bibliographies and citations. :)
Chicago is a style of citing, with footnotes rather than brackets. :)

[Pompey Bum]

Bring the whole family ;) ! And I am wishing your dad the best :)


Thank you. You are very sweet.

[Pompey Bum]

JR: Chicago is the Chicago Manuel of Style, a fixture of American campuses. It was kosher at Harvard in my day.


I’ve been doing a bit of Googling as I understand the KJV (AV) was heavily dependent on earlier versions and may not deserve its high reputation for original literary excellence.

I'll forgive the KJV a little indebtedness because it is just so sumptuous. I grew up with the wooden RSV and walked away from the interpolations of the later NRSV. Whatever its limitations may be (and there are a few), I have no problem with taking the KJV as the Bible in English.

Incidentally, I have an old copy of the New Testament of Wycliffe and Purvey (put into English from the Vulgate). You would love the language:

But Y se in hise hondis the fitchinge of the nails, and putte myn fyngar in the places of the nails, and putte myn honde to hise side, Y schhal not bileue.

[Jackson Richardson]

And best wishes for you looking after your father, Pompey.

[Pompey Bum]

And best wishes for you looking after your father, Pompey.

Thank you, JR. New England winters are a little hard on him.

[Micanou]

Hello everyone,

I am a student of English langage and literature (a non-native) and I have been writing a thesis on agnosticism. Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of King James Bible (only a PDF version) and I would like to complete my bibliography with a proper citation.

I am supposed to cite: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25). In my PDF version it is page 624.

Is there anyone who has a copy of the book, and would be willing to check the quotation for me, tell me the page + give me the name of the publishing house, city of publishing and the year? Thank you very much for any help! :)


I have an actual Cambridge Authorized Version 1611 "KJV" bible at my disposal. I can get the info for you when I get back to the house later today. Do you still need this?

[Pompey Bum]

Cool. My other treasure is a Bible given to my great great grandfather by the Mashalltown (Iowa) Bible Society when he enlisted for the American Civil War in 1861. It is engraved to him (in pencil!) and signed by him, my great great grandmother, and my great grandfather (among others). It is fragile, and I treat it with great veneration.

P.S. Welcome to the site, Micanou. :)

[DeeKaah]

I'm an English major as well, although I find it odd that the King James Bible wasn't a book that you had to buy for your classes. I had to buy one. Luckily, pretty much every bookstore in the world probably carries a copy of the KJB. Shouldn't be that expensive.