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Rare Bibles: Whitby’s Paraphrase & Commentary

The Styberg Library has a special collection of rare Bibles. This guide features some of the ones that are within the collection.

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These two volumes were printed by W. Bowyer, for Awnsham and John Churchill, at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row in 1703, the same year John Wesley was born in Epworth. The Paraphrase and Commentary features a fine binding, a long dedication in the first volume to the Queen (at the time, Queen Anne who ruled from 1702-1714), with a discourse on the Millennium following Jude in place of the book of Revelation.

About Daniel Whitby

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Image of Dedication Page
Image Text: Whitby’s A Paraphrase and Commentary on the New Testament has several interesting features: Volume I includes a long dedication to the Queen. The Queen at the time of publication was Queen Anne (born 1665), who ruled from 1702 until she died in 1714). The dedication includes a blessing that, like Queen Elizabeth I, she would exceed all that went before her in wisdom and the happiness of her reign Volume II includes a dedication to Gilbert, Lord Bishop of Salisbury  The book of Revelation is excluded, and in its place following Jude is “A Discourse of the Millennium”  Fine binding  It was published in the year 1703, the year John Wesley was born

Image Text: Whitby’s A Paraphrase and Commentary on the New Testament has several interesting features:

  • Volume I includes a long dedication to the Queen. The Queen at the time of publication was Queen Anne (born 1665), who ruled from 1702 until she died in 1714). The dedication includes a blessing that, like Queen Elizabeth I, she would exceed all that went before her in wisdom and the happiness of her reign
  • Volume II includes a dedication to Gilbert, Lord Bishop of Salisbury
  • The book of Revelation is excluded, and in its place following Jude is “A Discourse of the Millennium”
  • Fine binding
  • It was published in the year 1703, the year John Wesley was born