Smith: for the Scriptures to speak

Thursday, May 5, 2011
    400th anniversary of the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible
Meditation:
    And [Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
    Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures...
    —Luke 24:44-45 (AV)
Quotation:
    We desire that the Scripture may speake like it selfe, as in the language of Canaan, that it may bee understood even of the very vulgar.
    Many other things we might give thee warning of (gentle Reader) if we had not exceeded the measure of a Preface alreadie. It remaineth, that we commend thee to God, and to the Spirit of his grace, which is able to build further then we can aske or thinke. He removeth the scales from our eyes, the vaile from our hearts, opening our wits that we may understand his word, enlarging our hearts, yea correcting our affections, that we may love it above gold and silver, yea that we may love it to the end.
    ... Miles Smith (1554-1624), in the preface to The Authorised Version of the English Bible [1611], Cambridge: The University Press, 1909, p. 29 (see the book)
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, we praise You for the gift of Your word in our language. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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