Note: You will notice that many of these men were Professors at "Colleges" within the UNIVERSITIES, of Westminster, Oxford and Cambridge.

First Westminster Committee: (10)

1. Dr. Lancelot Andrewes, Fellows of Pembroke, Cambridge, where he took his B.A., M.A. and divinity degrees, later became Dean of Westminster, Bishop of Ely and then of Winchester.

2. Dr. John Overall, Fellow of Trinity and Master of St. Catharine's, Cambridge, became Dean of St. Paul's and successively Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield and Norwich. He took his D.D. in 1596 and became Regius Professor of Divinity of Cambridge.

3. Dr. Adrian Saravia, Professor of Divinity of Leyden University in 1582, became Prebenary of of Canterbury and Westminster. In the controversies of that period he is often referred to as "that learned foreigner." His Spanish descent and residence in Holland qualified him to assist the translators with his first-hand knowledge of the work of Spanish and Dutch scholars.

4. Dr. John Layfield, Fellow of Trinity, Cambridge in 1585 and Greek lecturer in 1593, was specially skilled in architecture; and his judgment was relied on regarding passagesdescribing the Tabernacle and Temple.

5. Dr. Richard Clarke, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, D.D.

6. Dr. William Teigh, Archdeacon of Middlesex, Rector of All Hallows, Barking-by-the-Tower, described by Wood as "an excellent textuary and profound linguist."

7. Dr. F. Burleigh, B.D. 1594, D.D. 1607. Fellow, King James' College, Chelsea.

8. Richard Thomson, M.A., Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, described by Richard Montagu as "a most admirable philologer. . . . .better known in Italy, France and Germany than at home."

9. William Bedwell, M.A., St. John's College, Cambridge, had established his reputation as an Arabic scholar before 1603 and is recognized as "the Father of Arabic studies in England." He was the author of the Lexicon Heptaglotton in seven folio volumes, including Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldee and Arabic. He also commenced a Persian dictionary and an Arabic translation of the Epistles of John (now among the

Laud MSS in Bodleian Library).

10. Professor Geoffrey King, Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, and

Regius Professor of Hebrew. Lively, Spalding, King and Byng held this professorship in succession.

Second Westminster Committee: (7)

1. Dr. William Barlow, St. John's, Cambridge, B.A. in 1583, M.A. in1587,

Fellow of Trinity in 1590, B.D. in 1594, D.D. in 1599. He represented the "Church Party" at the Hampton Court Conference and wrote The Summe and Substance of the Conference, which the Puritans criticized as being biased against their cause. He was made Bishop of Rochester in 1605, "one of the youngest in age, but one of the ripest in learning" of all those that had occupied that position. He later became Bishop of Lincoln.

2. Dr. Ralph Huchinson, President of St. John's College, Oxford, B.A. in 1574, M.A. in 1578, B.D. in 1596, and D.D. in 1602.

3. Dr. T. Spenser, President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

4. Dr. Roger Fenton, Fellow of Pembroke, Cambridge, D.D., one of the popular preachers of the day.

5. Mr. Michael Rabbet, Rector of St. Vedast, Foster Lane.

6. Mr. Thomas Sanderson, Rector of All Hallows.

7. Professor William Dakins, Fellow of Trinity, Cambridge, M.A. in 1594, B.D. in 1601, Greek Lecturer at Trinity, and Professor of Divinity at Gresham College in 1604.

Sub-Total = 17

The Oxford Old Testament Committee:

1. Dr. John Harding, President of Magdalen College and Regius Professor of Hebrew. He presided over this committee.

2. Dr. John Reynolds, Merton College, Oxford, moved to Corpus Christi and became Fellow in 1566. He took his D.D. in 1585 and became Regius Professor of Divinity. After several years as Dean of Lincoln he was made President of Corpus Christi College in 1598. He represented the Puritans at the Hampton Court Conference at which he suggested that a new translation of the Bible should be undertaken. His reputation as a Hebrew and Greek scholar was sufficient warrant for his inclusion among the translators, and Hall relates that "his memory and reading were near to a miracle." He worked on the translation of the Prophets until his death in 1607. during this period the Oxford translators met at his residence once a week to compare and discuss what they had done.

3. Dr. Thomas Holland, Balliol and Exeter Colleges, Oxford, B.A. 1579, M.A. 1575, B.D. 1582, D.D. 1584. Master and Regius Professor of Divinity, 1589. He achieved so much distinction in many fields of learning that he was not only highly esteemed among English scholars but also had a good reputation in the universities of Europe. Like Apollos, he was mighty in the Scriptures, and like the Apostle, he was faithful in explaining them. His example went hand in hand with his precepts, and he

himself lived what he preached to others. Among the translators he was probably the most strongly opposed to Rome, and it is recorded that whenever he went on a journey away from his college he would call the men together and "commend them to the love of God and to the abhorrence of popery."

His biographer writes – "He loved and he longed for God, for the presence of God, and for the full enjoyment of Him. His soul was framed for heaven, and could find no rest till it come there. His dying prayer was - `Come, O come, Lord Jesus, Thou Morning Star ! Come, Lord Jesus; I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Thee !'"

4. Dr. Richard Kilbye, Lincoln College, Oxford, B.A. 1578, M.A. 1582, B.D. and D.D. in 1596 and Regius Professor of Hebrew in 1610. Author of a work on Exodus prepared from Hebrew commentators.An interesting story is found in Walton's biography of Bishop Sanderson illustrating the truth of the old proverb, "a little learning is a dangerous thing."

Dr. Kilbye, an excellent Hebrew scholar and Professor of this language in the university, also expert in Greek and chosen as one of the translators, went on a visit with Sanderson, and at church on Sunday they heard a young preacher wast a great amount of the time allotted for his sermon in criticizing several words in the then recent translation. He carefully showed how one particular word should have been translated in a different way. Later that evening the preacher and the learned strangers were invited together to a meal, and Dr. Kilbye took the opportunity to tell the preacher that he could have used his time more profitably.The Doctor then explained that the translators had very carefully considered the "three reasons" given by the preacher, but they had found another thirteen more weighty reasons for giving the rendering com-

plained of by the young critic.

5. Dr. Miles Smith, M.A., D.D., Corpus Christi, and Brasenose and Christ church, Oxford, Bishop of Gloucester in 1612. He provided more evidence of his contribution than any of the others, as it was left to him to write the long Translators' Preface – "The Translators to the Read," which used to be printed at the beginning of most English Bibles. His knowledge of the oriental languages made him well qualified for a place among the translators of the Authorized Version of the bible. He had Hebrew at his fingers' ends; and he was so conversant with Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, that he made them as familiar to him as his native tongue. He persisted in this task from its commencement to its completion and was himself the last man engaged in the translation.

The work of the whole company was revised and improved by a small group selected from their number, and was then finally examined by Bilson and Miles Smith. The latter then wrote the famous preface, beginning – "Zeal to promote the common good. . . ."

6. Dr. Richard Brett, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, D.D., well versed in classical and Eastern languages, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic and Ethiopic.

7. Mr. Fairclowe, Fellow of New College, Oxford. Sub-Total = 24

Oxford New Testament Committee: (8)

1. Dr. Thomas Ravis, Christ church, Oxford, B.A. 1578, M.A. 1581, B.D. 1589, D.D. 1595, Vice Chancellor 1597. He was one of the six deans who attended the Hampton Court Conference in 1604 and was made Bishop of Gloucester in that year.

2. Dr. George Abbot – Began his university studies at Balliol College, Oxford in 1578 and soon became known for his strong Calvinism and puritanism. In1593 he took his B.D., in 1597 his D.D., and in the same year became Master of University College at the age of thirty-five (35); and a few years later he was Vice Chancellor. He very strongly opposed the Romanizing influence of Laud and was very severe in his denunciation of anything which savored of "popery." Nevertheless he accepted some

high offices in the Church of England and in 1609 became Bishop of Lichfield and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1611. He was regarded as the head of the Puritans within the Church of England, and he vigorously opposed the King's declaration permitting sports and pastimes on the Lord's Day. He encouraged James to request the States General to dismiss Vorstius from his professorship at Leyden because of his Arminianism.

3. Dr. R. Eedes, Dean of Worcester.

4. Dr. Giles Thompson, Dean of Windsor, Bishop of Gloucester, a man of high repute as scholar and preacher.

5. Sir Henry Saville, Brasenose College, Oxford, Fellow of Merton College in 1565 and Warden in 1585, Provost of Eton in 1596, Tutor to Queen Elizabeth I. He was a pioneer in many branches of scholarship and the founder of the Savillian Professorships of Mathematics and Astronomy at Oxford. His works include an eight volume edition of the writings of Chrysostom.

6. Dr. John Perion, Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, Canon of Christ Church and Professor of Greek.

7. Dr. Ralph Ravens, Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford, Canon of Christ Church and Professor of Greek.

8. John Harmar, M.A., New College, Oxford, Professor of Greek in 1585. He was well read in patristic and scholastic theology and an noted Latinist and Grecian. His works include translations of Calvin's sermons on the Ten Commandments, several of Beza's sermons, and some of the Homilies of Chrysostom.

Sub-Total = 32

First Cambridge Committee: (8)

1. Edward Liveley, Trinity College, Cambridge, B.A. in 1568, M.A. and fellow in 1572, Regius Professor of Hebrew in 1575, enjoyed the reputation of an acquaintance with the oriental languages unequalled at that period.

2. Dr. John Richardson, Fellow of Emmanuel College, D.D., Master of Peterhouse and later Master of Trinity.

3. Dr. Laurence Chaderton, Fellow of Christ's College, D.D., Master of Emmanuel. Chaderton entered Christ's College in 1564 and embraced the Reformed doctrines. He had been brought up as a Roman Catholic, and his father offered him an allowance of thirty pounds if he would leave Cambridge and renounce Protestantism – "Otherwise I enclosed a shilling to buy a wallet – go and beg." He acquired a great reputation as a Latin, Greek and Hebrew scholar and was also proficient in French, Spanish and Italian. For fifty years he was Afternoon Lecturer at St. Clement's, Cambridge, and forty of the clergy said they owed their conversion to his preaching.

He was a noted Puritan; but he did not join the cry against "prelacy," although he never accepted a bishopric himself. He was one of the three representatives of the Millenary Plaintiffs at the Hampton Court Conference. This faithful preacher and teacher lived to be 94 (one of his biographers says 104), and almost to the time of his death he was able to read his small type Greek New Testament.

Francis Dillingham, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, M.A. in 1590 and B.D. in

1599. According to Fuller, he was "an excellent linguist and subtle disputant." His works include A diswasive from Poperie, containing twelve effectual reasons by which every Papist, not wilfully blinded, may be brought to the truth.

.5. Dr. Roger Andrewes, Fellow of Pembroke, Master of Jesus College, D.D., brother of Dr. Lancelot Andrewes.

6. Dr. Thomas Harrison, St. John's College, Cambridge, B.A. in 1576. Fellow, Tutor and Vice Master of Trinity, D.D., noted Hebraist and chief examiner in Hebrew. He was a convinced Puritan.

7. Professor Robert Spalding, Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, succeeded Edward Liveley as Professor of Hebrew.

8. Professor Byng, Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and Hebrew Professor.

Sub-Total = 40

Second Cambridge Committee: (7)

1. Dr. John Duport, Jesus College, M.A. and Fellow before 1580. D.D. in 1590, Master of Jesus College, four times Vice-Chancellor of the University.

2. Dr. William Brainthwaite, Fellow of Emmanuel and Master of Gonville and Gaius College.

3. Dr. Jeremiah Radcliffe, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.

4. Dr. Samuel Ward, Emmanuel College, Cambridge, D.D., Master of Sidney college, and Margaret Professor. His correspondence with Archbishop Ussher contains treasures of diversified learning, especially concerning Biblical and oriental criticism.

5. Professor Andrew Downes, St. John's, Cambridge, B.A. 1567, Fellows 1571, M.A. 1574, B.D. 1582, Regius Professor of Greek 1585. Downes and Boys revived the study of Greek at St. John's. These two men joined Miles Smith on the sub-committee which subjected the whole translation to a final careful process of checking and correction.

6. John Boys, Fellow of St. John's, Cambridge, and Greek lecturer there. He was born in 1560 and at a very early age showed an unusual interest in languages. He began to read Hebrew at the age of five years and was admitted to St. John's College, Cambridge, when he was fourteen. There he very soon distinguished himself by his knowledge of the Greek language, which he sometimes studied in the library

from 4 a.m. until 8 p.m.

When he was elected Fellow of his college he was suffering from smallpox, but he was so anxious not to delay his career that, at some risk to himself and fellow-scholars, he persuaded his friends to wrap him in blankets and carry him in. After studying medicine for some time he gave up this course and applied himself to the study of Greek. For then years he was the chief Greek lecturer in his college. At four in the morning he voluntarily gave a Greek lecture in his own room which was frequented by many of the Fellows.

After twenty years of university life he became Rector of Boxworth in Cambridgeshire, and while he was there he made an arrangement with twelve other ministers that they should meet each Friday in each other's homes in turn and share the results of their studies.

When the translation of the Bible was begun he was chosen to be one of the

Cambridge translators, and eventually he not only undertook his portion but also the part allotted to another member of the committee. When the work was completed John Boys was one of the six translators who met at Stationers' Hall to revise the whole. This took them about nine months, and during this period the Company of Sattioners made them an allowance of thirty shillings each per week.

After a long life of profitable study, ministry, translating and writing he died at the age of eighty four, "his brow without wrinkles, his hearing sharp, his countenance fresh and his body sound."

6. Dr. Ward, Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, D.D., Prebendary of Chichester.

TOTAL = 47

Comments:

Lancelot Andrewes, a member of the Westminster Committee, had his early

education at Coopers Free School and Merchant Taylors School, where his rapid progress in the study of the ancient languages was brought to the notice of Dr. Watts, the founder of some scholarships at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. Andrewes was sent to that College, where he took his B.A. degree and soon afterwards was elected Fellow. He then took his Mater's degree and began to study divinity and achieved great distinction as a lecturer.He was raised to several positions of influence in the Church of England and distinguished himself as a diligent and excellent preacher, and became Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I. King James the 1st promoted him to be Bishop of Chester in 1605 and also gave him the influential position of Lord Almoner. He later became Bishop of Ely and Privy Counsellor. Toward the end of his life he was made Bishop of Winchester

It is recorded that Andrewes was a man of deep piety and that King James had such great respect for him that in his presence he refrained from the levity in which he indulged at other times. A sermon preached at Andrewes' funeral in 1626 paid tribute to his great scholarship – "His knowledge in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Syriac and Arabic, besides fifteen modern languages was so advance that he may be ranked as one of the rarest linguists in Christendom. A great part of five hours every day he spent in prayer, and in his last illness he spent all his time in prayer – and when both voice and eyes and hands failed in their office, his countenance showed that he still prayed and praised God in his heart, until it pleased God to receive his blessed soul to Himself."

Copied from book entitled – "WHICH BIBLE ?" Edited by David Otis Fuller

Personal HFB Comments:

While these 47 men were clearly, first and foremost LANGUAGE SCHOLARS, they also, for the most part, were men of piety, Born Again Elect Children of God, and were to varying degrees of intensity, involved in "Church Work." They were of vastly different theological persuasions, some were preachers and held various offices in a variety of Religious Orders, mostly those which we Primitive Baptists of the late 20th Century would not fellowship whatsoever.

To say these men were Divinely Inspired would be an overstatement; however, without a doubt, they were certainly under the "Guiding Hand of God" so far as Godly Providence is concerned. This Translation into the "King's English" is the finest hour of the English Language and no other will probably ever excel this workmanship. God has always demonstrated His Power (Omnipotence), Omniscience, and Omnipresence including Immutability in many varied ways, employing different (even worldly)men to further "His Cause." God even fed Elijah by Ravens – 1st Kings 17:6; and, He raised up Pharaoh, the Ruling Monarch of Egypt to demonstrate (manifest) His OWN Power in him – Exodus 9:16; Rom. 9:17. God at one time even "talked to the Prophet Balaam through an ass (donkey) – Num. 22:28-30…

From Moses in Genesis all the way through to Revelation written by The Apostle John, we know that God DIVINELY INSPIRED these men to take "spiritual dictation" and write things which they themselves, many times, had no understanding of whatsoever. They wrote what they were told "as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." – 2nd Peter 1:21. These men lived in many different generations of time, and were unknown to each other, and therefore could not compare or collaborated with one another.

The Prophecies of the O.T. were scattered through a period of 3600 years, not including the 400 silent years from Malachi to Matthew. The following is copied from Hassell's History, Pages 179-180: Now reflect on this, that these Prophecies, as given by god to His People, were scattered through a period of 3600 years, so that, if there had been ANY deception, it would have required the collusion of about 70 generations, and that, too, to bring about a belief of the human race in the most elevating spiritual blessings – a circumstance utterly incredible; remember that the Jews who persecuted Jesus Christ to death, and who still reject His claims, have handed down these prophetic writings to us as infallibly inspired of God, and are, many of them, today willing to lay down their lives, if necessary, in defense of such inspiration; and then carefully read the New Testament, which was written more than 400 years after the last Old Testament prophet; and see how these vastly complicated, and seemingly inconsistent details were precisely fulfilled in the history of Jesus of Nazareth; and if you have not a darkened understanding, a seared conscience, and a stony heart, you will prostrate your soul before the once incarnate and crucified, but now risen and enthroned Redeemer, with the impassioned exclamation of Thomas, "My Lord and my God !" As has well been said, Jesus Christ is the only key in all the universe that fits the infinitely complicated lock of Messianic prophecy. (end of Hassell's quotes)

To further the authenticity of this Translation by these 47 Translators, and to simultaneously show the vast difference between these TRANSLATORS, and the WRITERS of the ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPHS, notice these 47 men DID collaborate, consult and compare their work, by King James' edict, till they all agreed to the LETTER, this work taking them 7 years – 1604 to 1611 A.D. The Original Autographs were not required to, nor were they able, literally, to collaborate, living in about 70 different generations of 3600 years. The only One to be satisfied with their work was THE KING OF KINGS, and not KING JAMES.

Solomon wrote – Prov. 30:5-6 – "Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

The Apostle John wrote – Rev. 22:18-19 – " For I testify unto every man that

heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Notice that these Scriptures refer to the WORDS (Plural) (not just Word - Singular) of God. That is, EVERY WORD of THE WORD is preserved.

I close with – Jesus' statement in – Mark 13:31 – "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but MY WORDS shall not pass away." I defend these 47 Language Scholars, for having accurately, without error, completed the King James Translation, and I've never had any desire to want to change a SINGLE WORD. God, in His Wisdom and Foreknowledge, had The Words in His Word, written in such manner and fashion, till such is hidden from the carnal gaze of the worldly unrenewed mind. The most dangerous carnal activity of moral fallen Adamic Man is to "tamper with the Word of God…."

I ask, do you think you can find in this late 20th Century, 47 Language Scholars that would excel these men? Even with our High Technology on the "Cutting or Leading Edge" would not, and have not excelled such workmanship, that God's Providence overshadowed, 386 years ago.