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For our 25th anniversary we went to a Bible museum in Sevierville TN called Treasuring the Word – Rare Bible & Book Museum. I love museums and this one after my own heart. It has both originals and facsimiles, though most were originals. Sorry for the shadows. I am not showing everything here. You’ll just have to visit and see them for yourself :0)

 

Facsimiles

Facsimiles include a 1456 Gutenberg Bible, a 1382 Wycliffe, a 1535-1536 Tyndale NT, a 1535 Coverdale, and a 1549 Matthews’.

 

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Originals

Original editions include scrolls, single pages, and complete (or near complete) Bibles. They include a 1250 Hebrew scroll, a 1522 Greek/Latin NT, a 1551 Tyndale-Taverner, a 1566 Great Bible, the 1606 German Bible, a page from the 1557 Geneva small Bible, a page from the 1560 Geneva Bible, a 1591 Geneva Bible, a 1599 Geneva Bible, a 1640 Geneva Bible, a page from Martin Luther’s 1546 Bible, a page from the 1560 Italian Protestant Bible, a page from the 1569 Spanish Protestant Bible, the 1573 Bishops Bible, 1582 first edition Rheims Bible, a first edition 1611 King James Bible, a 1612 King James first edition New Testament, a 1613 second edition King James Bible, and a 1795 King James Bible. there are two armpit Bibles (from Russian with love). There are lots of biographies and historical charts, and even some other rare artifacts and a model of the Gutenberg press.

 

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The museum is small but a fun and educational visit that takes about two hours. It’s free, but I encourage you to give a donation. The curator is fascinating to talk to. He’s very knowledgeable and obviously loves God’s Word. When we arrived he was working on a manuscript of a book he’s writing. He immediately greeted us and started talking about the history of the Bible in English. Yeah, he has the best job ever and I’m jealous. If you have or know of anyone who has some original editions from Wycliffe to Matthews’ that can be donated, I can tell you Treasuring the Word Rare Bible & Book Museum is a worthy cause. Please visit and support this museum and the work it is doing.