FTGF Lesson 265 | The Printed History of the King James Text (British Text After 1769)

Summary: This teaching examines the printed history of the King James Bible following the 1769 Blaney edition, which became the standard text. Through careful comparison of various British printings from 1769 to 1900, the lesson demonstrates that even after standardization, the King James text was not reproduced with perfect uniformity. The instructor presents evidence of spelling variations, punctuation differences, and word choice changes across different editions, including Oxford and Cambridge printings. The lesson challenges the notion of verbatim identicality while addressing the "Pure Cambridge" position that demands exact textual conformity. The teaching emphasizes the need to understand the actual state of textual transmission rather than an idealized version, encouraging believers to focus on substantive meaning rather than minor orthographic variations that don't affect doctrine or understanding.

Chapters
Chapter 1: Introduction to Post-1769 British Text Variations
0:00 - 5:00
We examine how the 1769 Blaney edition became the standard King James text while acknowledging that subsequent British printings have not maintained verbatim identicality.
Chapter 2: Documented Changes in British Editions Since 1769
5:00 - 15:00
We explore specific textual variations documented by scholars like Dr. David Norton and Professor Gordon Campbell in British King James editions printed after 1769.
Chapter 3: Live Comparison of Textual Variations Across Modern Editions
15:00 - 30:00
We conduct a hands-on examination comparing actual King James Bibles in the room, revealing significant spelling and word choice differences even among Oxford printings.
Chapter 4: The Pure Cambridge Edition Position and Its Implications
30:00 - 40:00
We evaluate the Pure Cambridge Edition position which claims that only Bibles matching twelve specific textual conventions represent the correct King James text.
Chapter 5: Conclusion: The Reality of Textual Transmission
40:00 - 45:00
We conclude that modern King James Bible readers are not using a text verbatim identical to the 1769 Blaney edition, requiring us to address the actual state of textual transmission rather than an idealized version.

Key Points:
The 1769 Blaney edition set a benchmark but was not reproduced with exact identicality in subsequent printings.
At least 30 readings changed between 1769 and modern British printings, including 22 name spellings.
Oxford and Cambridge printings contain minor textual differences in spelling, punctuation, and word choice.
Examples include variations like "sins" vs "sin," "flyeth" vs "fleeth," "further" vs "farther," and "LORD" vs "Lord"
Even modern Oxford editions printed by the same press contain variations between different printings.
The "Pure Cambridge" position demands conformity to 12 specific readings, claiming editions without these are imperfect.
Demanding verbatim identicality creates an impossible standard that would falsify most King James Bibles.
The body of Christ functioned effectively before awareness of these minor variations.
Context allows readers to understand meaning regardless of minor spelling or word choice differences.
We must deal with the textual situation that actually exists, not the one we wish existed.

PDF Notes
https://gracelifebiblechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Lesson-265-Assessing-the-Printed-History-of-the-King-James-Text-British-Text-After-1769-1.pdf

From This Generation For Ever Complete Class (GLBC Website Format)
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