Textus Receptus Bibles
Julia E. Smith Translation 1876
| 2:1 | And it was in those days an order came out from Caesar Angustus, for the whole habitable globe to be enrolled. |
| 2:2 | (This enrolling was first, Cyrenius being leader of Syria.) |
| 2:3 | And all went to be enrolled, each in his own city. |
| 2:4 | And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (for he was of the house and family of David :) |
| 2:5 | To be enrolled with Mary his betrothed wife, being pregnant. |
| 2:6 | And it was in their being there, the days were completed for her to bring forth. |
| 2:7 | And she brought forth her firstborn son, and swathed him, and put him in a mangier; : for there was no place for them in the inn. |
| 2:8 | And shepherds were in the country, sleeping in the fields, and watching over their flock the watches of the night. |
| 2:9 | And, behold, a messenger of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them : and they fear a great fear. |
| 2:10 | And the messenger said to them, Fear not : for, behold, I announce you good news, great joy, which shall be to all people. |
| 2:11 | For this day a Saviour was born to you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. |
| 2:12 | And this the sign to you; ye shall find the babe swathed, lying in a manger. |
| 2:13 | And suddenly was there a multitude with the messenger of the heavenly army praising God, and saying, |
| 2:14 | Glory to God in the highest ones, and upon earth peace, benevolence in men. |
| 2:15 | And it was when the messenger departed from them into heaven, and the men, the shepherds, said to one another, Let us pass through now to Bethlehem, and see this word done,which the Lord made known to us. |
| 2:16 | And having hastened, they came and found both Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. |
| 2:17 | And having seen, they made known concerning the word spoken to them about the child. |
| 2:18 | And all having heard wondered at the things spoken to them by the shepherds. |
| 2:19 | And Mary kept together all these sayings, reflecting in her heart. |
| 2:20 | And the shepherds returned, honouring and praising God for all which they heard and saw, as was spoken to them. |
| 2:21 | And when eight days were completed for circumcising the child and his name was called JESUS, called by the messenger before he was conceived in the womb. |
| 2:22 | And when the days of her cleansing were completed, according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present to the Lord; |
| 2:23 | (As has been written in the law of the Lord, That every male openingthe womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) |
| 2:24 | And to give a sacrifice according to that said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle-doves, or two of the young of pigeons. |
| 2:25 | And, behold, a man was in Jerusalem, the name to him Simeon; and this man just and cautious, waiting the consolation of Israel : and the Holy Spirit was upon him. |
| 2:26 | And it was intimated to him by the Holy Spirit, not to see death, before he should see the Christ of the Lord. |
| 2:27 | And he came in the Spirit to the temple : and in the parents bringing in the child Jesus, for them to do according to the custom of the law for him, |
| 2:28 | And be took him into his arms, and praised God, and said : |
| 2:29 | Now Lord, thou wilt loose thy servant, according to thy word, in peace : |
| 2:30 | For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, |
| 2:31 | Which thou bast prepared before the face of all peoples: |
| 2:32 | A light for the revelation of the nations, and the glory of thy people Israel. |
| 2:33 | And Joseph and his mother were wondering at the things spoken of him. |
| 2:34 | And Simeon praised them, and said to Mary his mother, Behold, he is laid for the fall and rising up of many in Israel; and for a sign spoken against; |
| 2:35 | (And also a spear shall pass through the soul of thyself,) so that the reasonings from many hearts might be revealed. |
| 2:36 | And Anna was a prophetess, daughter of flannel, of the tribe of Aser : she advanced in many days, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; |
| 2:37 | And she a widow of about eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple, with fastings and supplications serving night and day. |
| 2:38 | And she having stood at that hour, confessed to the Lord, and spake concerning him to all awaiting redemption in Jerusalem. |
| 2:39 | And when they finished all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to heir city, Nazareth. |
| 2:40 | And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, being filled with wisdom : and the grace of God was upon him. |
| 2:41 | And his parents went every year to Jerusalem to the festival of the passover. |
| 2:42 | And when he was of twelve years, they having gone up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the festival : |
| 2:43 | And having completed the days, in their returning the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not. |
| 2:44 | And they, having supposed him to be in the caravan, came the way of a day, and sought him among Kingmen and among acquaintances. |
| 2:45 | And not having found him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. |
| 2:46 | And it was after three days they found him in the temple, sitting, in the midst of teachers, and bearing them, and inquiring of them. |
| 2:47 | And all hearing him were affected in mind at his understanding and answers. |
| 2:48 | And having seen him, they were struck with awe : and his mother said to hint, Child, why didst thou so to us ? behold, thy father and I, grieving,have sought thee. |
| 2:49 | And he said to them, For what have ye sought me ? knew ye not that among the things of my Father I must be ? |
| 2:50 | And they understood not the word which he spake to them. |
| 2:51 | And he went dawn with them, and came to Nazareth, and was placed under them : and his mother kept all these words in her heart. |
| 2:52 | And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age, and in grace with God and man. |
Julia E. Smith Translation 1876
The Julia Evelina Smith Parker Translation is considered the first complete translation of the Bible into English by a woman. The Bible was titled The Holy Bible: Containing the Old and New Testaments; Translated Literally from the Original Tongues, and was published in 1876.
Julia Smith, of Glastonbury, Connecticut had a working knowledge of Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Her father had been a Congregationalist minister before he became a lawyer. Having read the Bible in its original languages, she set about creating her own translation, which she completed in 1855, after a number of drafts. The work is a strictly literal rendering, always translating a Greek or Hebrew word with the same word wherever possible. Smith accomplished this work on her own in the span of eight years (1847 to 1855). She had sought out no help in the venture, even writing, "I do not see that anybody can know more about it than I do." Smith's insistence on complete literalness, plus an effort to translate each original word with the same English word, combined with an odd notion of Hebrew tenses (often translating the Hebrew imperfect tense with the English future) results in a translation that is mechanical and often nonsensical. However, such a translation if overly literal might be valuable to consult in checking the meaning of some individual verse. One notable feature of this translation was the prominent use of the Divine Name, Jehovah, throughout the Old Testament of this Bible version.
In 1876, at 84 years of age some 21 years after completing her work, she finally sought publication. The publication costs ($4,000) were personally funded by Julia and her sister Abby Smith. The 1,000 copies printed were offered for $2.50 each, but her household auction in 1884 sold about 50 remaining copies.
The translation fell into obscurity as it was for the most part too literal and lacked any flow. For example, Jer. 22:23 was given as follows: "Thou dwelling in Lebanon, building as nest in the cedars, how being compassionated in pangs coming to thee the pain as in her bringing forth." However, the translation was the only Contemporary English translation out of the original languages available to English readers until the publication of The British Revised Version in 1881-1894.(The New testament was published in 1881, the Old in 1884, and the Apocrypha in 1894.) This makes it an invaluable Bible for its period.