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

Answer:

At present, we publish in the original Greek and in the Bible versions shown on the web pages: KJV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, NIV, REB, RV and NLT plus digital reprints of the NEB and Tyndale's New Testament. Other versions may become available in the future. For further information contact bibles@cambridge.org.

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

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My Cambridge Bible is faulty. What should I do?

Answer:

Every Cambridge Bible is unique, because the cover material is a natural product and many of the binding processes are hand-crafted. Our Bibles have been made with skill and care from the best and most appropriate materials: if treated with reasonable care and respect as befits well made and valuable articles, they will give years of use.

However, if you have cause to believe that a Bible suffers from defects in materials or workmanship — that its current condition is not consistent with normal wear and tear nor the consequence of misuse or damage after it came into your possession, you should contact the vendor from which you purchased it.

If they cannot offer resolution, contact Cambridge Customer Services for advice. We reserve the right to inspect the book to determine whether it has a genuine manufacturing flaw before considering appropriate remedy.

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:

1. What version is it?

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

3. Does it contain the Apocrypha?

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

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

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

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

8. What is the size of the page?

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

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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.)

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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, his term of office will enable the Bible to be dated within a range of years – see our table of the Printers here.

If you are enquiring with a view to replacing your Bible, please write to bibles@cambridge.org with details of the Bible edition and photocopies or scans of the title page, imprint page and a text page from the Bible. Modern Bibles will also show a binding order number printed on a label on the back endpaper of the Bible.

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How old is my Prayer Book?

Answer:

The text of the Prayer Book has had many changes over its history, which provide useful clues to the date of printing. A good start is to look at the Royal Prayers to check which monarchs and other royal personages are included. The Royal Prayers’ first appearance in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer are in Morning Prayer: there is a Prayer for the Queen’s (King’s) Majesty, followed by a Prayer for the Royal Family. You can then date your prayer book to the reign of the king or queen. For a comprehensive listing of all the changes, see http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/Variations.htm.

For a further filter on the dates, see if the University Printer is named on the publication details page at the front of the book. His term of office, shown at http://www.cambridge.org/bibles/info/printers.htm, will enable you to date the Bible to within a range of years.

To establish the date more precisely, contact an antiquarian book expert.

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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.

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Where does the name Pitt Minion come from?

Answer:

The Pitt Building, built to house the Press was named after William Pitt the Younger, Prime Minister of Britain and member of Parliament for Cambridge University. Many series of Pitt Press publications were named after him 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.

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

Answer:

Yes. However, Cambridge no longer carries out this work in house and we would recommend you consult a bookbinder and discuss your requirements with them. We can have your book sent direct to a bookbinder if you wish.

In the UK, we have used Brignell Bookbinders of Cambridge for personalisation and other services. Another bookbinder you may wish to contact is J S Wilson & Son, also of Cambridge. http://www.jswilsonandson.co.uk/

Links from this website are provided for information and convenience only. We have no control over and cannot therefore accept responsibility or liability for the content of any linked third party website. We do not endorse any linked website.

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