Frequently Asked Questions

Can my book be personalised with a name or emblem on the front?

Which Bible versions do you publish? Will you be publishing others?

Answer:
At present, we publish the following Bible versions: KJV, ESV, NASB, NEB, NKJV, NRSV, NIV, REB and NLT, plus a facsimile edition of Tyndale's New Testament. For text samples of the different translations, see our Bible Versions page.

Other versions may become available in the future. If you would like further information, please contact bibles@cambridge.org or sign up for an e-mail alert.

For any other Bible version, please contact the copyright holders.

My Cambridge Bible is faulty. What do I do?

Answer:

Each Cambridge Bible has been made with skill and care from the best and most appropriate materials. If treated with reasonable care and respect as befits a well-made and valuable article, it will give years of use.

The cover material used to bind fine Bibles is of course a natural product, and many of the binding processes are still hand crafted, so each real leather Bible is unique. However, if there is reason to believe that a Bible suffers from defects in materials or workmanship and that its current condition is not consistent with normal wear and tear nor the consequence of misuse or damage after purchase, the customer should return it to the source from which it was purchased. If the problem remains unresolved the customer should contact Cambridge University Press, which reserves the right to inspect the book to determine whether it has a manufacturing flaw before considering offering a replacement.

How valuable is my Bible?

Answer:
We do not have the expertise to offer valuations. We would recommend you consult an antiquarian book dealer or research via the Internet, eg www.greatsite.com. (Be aware that very few Bibles printed since 1800 are of significant value.)

How old is my Bible?

Answer:
We cannot date your Bible precisely, but if the name of the University Printer is given on the publication details page at the front, their term of office will enable the Bible to be dated within a range of years.

For further research, contact an antiquarian book expert.

How old is my Prayer Book?

Answer:
We cannot date your prayer book precisely, but if the name of the University Printer is given on the publication details page at the front, his term of office will enable the Bible to be dated within a range of years. The link here gives their dates.

Another clue is to be found in prayers for the monarch and in the State Prayers located towards the end of the Morning and Evening Prayer services, where the royal personages vary over time. The Society of Archbishop Justus has a comprehensive list of changes to the the text. See also David N Griffiths' The Bibliography of the Book of Common Prayer 1549-1999, British Library, 2002, ISBN 0-7123-4772-0.

Can you match my old Bible with a new one that is the same?

Answer:
Perhaps, as many of our current KJV editions use printing images that date from the first half of the twentieth century. Please give us as much information as you can:

• What version is it?

• What edition is it? (eg Cameo, Concord — look on the bottom left-hand corner of the title page).

• Does it contain the Apocrypha?

• Is it a red-letter edition? (words of Christ in the New Testament printed in red)

• What type of leather is it bound in? (eg calfskin, bonded leather — sometimes the leather type is stamped on the inside cover).

• Does it have any names of University Printers or Cambridge University Press addresses at the front?

• Are any codes or numbers printed on the back end-paper or on the box?

• What is the size of the page?

Please e-mail this information to bibles@cambridge.org and we will recommend the closest equivalent that we can.

What are the italics for in my KJV Bible?

Answer:
The Bible was translated from Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. These languages are economical with words compared to English. Often, they used just one word where we would use three or four in English. Sometimes words in a sentence are 'understood' in the other languages, so when the sentences were translated into English, extra words were added to make the sense clear. The italics show that the new words were not in the original texts.

Where does the name Pitt Minion come from?

Answer:
The Pitt Building, built to house the Press and named after William Pitt the Younger, Prime Minister of Britain and member of Parliament for Cambridge University, lent the name to series of Pitt Press publications from the nineteenth century onwards.

Minion is a traditional term for a type size of approximately 7 point, giving text of about 10-11 lines to the inch.

Can my book be personalised with a name or emblem on the front?

Answer:
Yes. Cambridge does not carry out this work in house and we would recommend you consult a bookbinder. Brignell Bookbinders of Cambridge offers this service and will be happy to discuss your requirements with you.

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