Women in the Bible

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Women were an integral part of the early scriptural narrative as well as of the life and ministry of Jesus. Throughout church history, women have read and studied the scriptures and shared their truths with others in many ways: as scribes, translators, missionaries, queens, mothers, and teachers. Drawing primarily on items from the Dunham Museum of the Bible collection, this special exhibit opens a window into some of these aspects of “women and the bible.”

“Ruth in Boaz’s Field”, by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfield, 1828

Ruth is one of two books in the Bible named after a woman. Ruth, a Moabitess, had married a Jewish man who had moved to Moab with his parents and brother when a famine came to Israel. When Ruth’s husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law all died, Ruth stayed close to her mother-in-law, Naomi, followed her back to Israel, and promised “wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God…” (Ruth 1:16) Back in Israel, Ruth went to work in the fields of Boaz, who took notice of her and married her. Besides being a beautiful love story and picture of personal redemption, the story of Ruth fits into the grand story of our redemption through Jesus. Ruth became the great-grandmother of King David and an ancestor of Jesus.

You are reading: Female books in the bible

the second book of the bible that bears the name of a woman is esther. Esther was among the exiled Jews in Babylon, and under the care of her uncle Mordecai. when the king of persia was looking for a new wife,

“Esther and Mordecai “by Aert de Gelde, c. 1685, Museum of Fine Arts,, Budapest. Artist Aert de Gelder was a student of Rembrandt’s, and his style very much follows his master’s.

Mordecai encouraged Esther to be considered, and Esther soon became Queen Esther. When a plot at court threatened to destroy the Jewish people, Esther, with Mordecai’s encouragement, courageously approached the King and was able to find reprieve for the Jewish people. The book of Esther beautifully shows the working of God’s Providence in history and through a woman whom God had placed as queen “for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14)

Annunciation” from Merode altarpiece tryptich by Robert Campin, c. 1425-1430

Paintings of the annunciation very often show Mary reading the Scriptures when Gabriel comes with his announcement that she will bear a son. As Mary is taking in the written Word of God, she also will conceive the living Word of God. That Mary was a woman of the Word is evident from the song of praise she sings when she meets Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55), which contains over thirty quotes or allusions to Scripture. Look carefully at the painting, and you can see a baby Jesus bearing across entering the room through the left window.

“the holy women in the tomb”, engraved by e.m. Latin after a painting by W.A. bouguereau., from the holy bible, vol. xii, boston, merrymount press, 1904; #165 limited edition.

When Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, he had never been to Rome, yet he knew many of the Christians there. At the end of his letter, he greets 28 people by name, at least eight of whom are women. He begins his closing greetings by commending Phoebe, “our sister” who was “a servant of the church in Cenchrea,” a port near Corinth. Phoebe was a businesswoman who brought Paul’s letter to Rome. What a treasure she carried over the many Roman miles!

Paul’s Romans were later important in the conversion of Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and many others. John Calvin wrote, “when anyone understands this epistle, he has opened to him… the understanding of all the scriptures.” Thanks Phoebe!

The Women of Scripture, by Clara Lucas Balfour, London, 1862

The Women of Scripture recounts the stories of Scriptural women under several headings: Leadership (Miriam & Deborah), Friendship (Ruth & Naomi), Maternal Piety (Hannah), Hospitality (The Shunamite), Female Patriotism (Esther), Humility (the Virgin Mary), Piety in old age (Elizabeth & Anna), Action and Contemplation (Mary & Martha), Inquiry and Repentance (woman of Samaria), Fidelity (Mary Magdalene), Christian Benevolence (Dorcas & Lydia), and Christian Intelligence (Priscilla & Phoebe).

women and the bible in the early church

“Saint Jerome with the Saints Marcella, Paula, and Eustochium”, by Jan Hovaert, c. 1665 Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, GenoaJerome was a leading church father of the fourth century who translated the Bible into Latin, a translation which became known as the Vulgate, or the common translation. This translation was the authoritative Bible used for one thousand years.

Jerome was supported in his work by three wealthy Roman ladies. Marcella, whose family lived in a palatial home on the Aventine hill in Rome, held Bible studies in her home and paid scribes to copy Scriptures which she distributed. Paula and her daughter Eustochium came to Christ through Marcella’s witness. Paula especially was Jerome’s patron, buying manuscripts for him to use in his translation work. Jerome dedicated several of his translations and commentaries to them.

Biblia, Christopher Plaintin, Antwerp, 1565.

Latin translation of Jerome’s Bible, known as the Vulgate. paula, marcella and eustochium supported and helped jerome in his translation.

women and the bible in the middle ages

Margaret of Scotland’s Bible Lectionary, Bodleian Library

Margaret (1045-1093), daughter of the exiled English Prince Edward of Wessex, married Malcolm II, King of Scotland (the same Malcolm who killed Macbeth in Shakespeare’s famous play). Malcolm was a rough guy, but he could not help but be moved by Margaret’s Christian spirit and devotion. Margaret spent time each morning reading the Scriptures and in prayer. Though Malcolm could not read, he cherished Margaret’s copies of the Scriptures out of love for her, and had them illuminated with gold and bound with precious stones.

Coventry Martyrs, from John Foxe’s Actes and Monuments

When John Wycliffe translated the Scriptures into English in the 14th century, many women learned to read so they could read the Scriptures. Several women were active in Scripture distribution. With Scriptures scarce, some women memorized long passages of Scripture they could recite in meetings. Many of the church authorities were horrified that women would be so open to the Scriptures. On April 4, 1519 a widow Smith was among those burned at Coventry for teaching her children the Lord’s Prayer in English.

The New Testament in English, Translated by John Wycliffe, Chiswick: Charles Whittingham, 1848.

Wycliffe’s Bible is the most abundant of medieval English manuscripts. This is the first printing of Wycliffe’s work. Wycliffe’s English Bible was a forbidden book, and there were women and men executed for having even a portion of the Wycliffe Bible. The Bible is open to the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer.

women and the bible in the reformation

Katharina von Bora Luther, c. 1528, by Lucas Cranach the Elder

The Reformation had an important effect on women, as reading the Scriptures encouraged literacy and as the role of wife and mother received renewed honor. Katharina Luther (1499-1552) became a model for many. When she was five, Katie’s father sent her to a Benedictine cloister for her education. At nine she moved to a Cistercian monastery where her aunt was a member. When she began reading some of the works of Martin Luther, Katie became dissatisfied with life in the monastery. She and several other nuns contacted Luther to help them flee the monastery.

Die Ganze Heilige Schrift, D. Martin Luther. St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, c. 1900

Two years after her escape from the nunnery, Katie and Martin Luther were married. Their family helped demonstrate that life could be lived for God in a family setting, not just in a monastery. Martin Luther believed even women should learn to read so they could read the Bible, a truly revolutionary thought for his day. Luther encouraged his wife to memorize Scripture. She especially loved the Psalms. After Luther’s death, Psalm 31, which she memorized years earlier, especially comforted her.

katherine zell (1497-1562) was the wife of matthew zell, the reformed minister of strasbourg. when persecution of protestants in europe intensified, many found refuge in strasbourg. katherine kept many of the refugees in her house. She wrote a letter to the women of a town facing persecution, encouraging them to seek God’s word as sufficient for salvation. she pointed out to the women the beatitudes, which gave a special blessing to those persecuted for the sake of justice.

Latin Bible printed by Yolande Bonhomme, 1526,courtesy of Bridwell Library, SMU

Women participated in the copying of the scriptures from the first centuries of the church. the first woman to print a bible was yolande bonhomme (c. 1490-1557), daughter of pasquier bonhomme, a printer at the university of paris. She married Thielman Kerver, a very successful printer. when her husband died in 1522, she continued to manage her printing press. Like her husband, she specialized in books of hours, but in 1526 she printed a Latin Bible, becoming the first woman to print a Bible.

Anne Boleyn

In England it had been illegal to have any portion of the Bible in English since 1408.

Anne Boleyn’s copy of Tyndale’s New Testament, 1534, in British Library.

Yet, Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn (1501-1536), was a supporter of the Reformation and encouraged her court ladies in scriptural piety. Anne’s copy of William Tyndale’s 1534 translation of the New Testament, which in her day was still outlawed, is now in the British Library. On the cover is the queen’s coat of arms.

Queen Catherine Parr, National Portrait Gallery

Queen Catherine Parr (1512-1548), the last queen of Henry VIII, held a regular Bible study at the palace for her ladies-in-waiting. she encouraged the translation of the paraphrases of the erasmus scriptures into english and helped with the translation of “matthew” and “acts”. princess mary tudor, later queen mary i, she translated the “gospel of john” for the paraphrases, although when she became queen she had the paraphrases removed from churches and destroy.

The First Tome or Volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus upon the newe testament, Desiderius Erasmus; London: Edward Whitchurch, 1551, second edition

This English Paraphrase of Erasmus combined Coverdale’s Great Bible translation of the New Testament with an English translation of Erasmus’ Latin Paraphrase of the New Testament. This first volume contained the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Queen Catherine Parr, King Henry VIII’s last wife, encouraged the translation of the Paraphrases into English, and the book was dedicated to her. The Queen probably translated parts of “Matthew” and the “Acts of the Apostles”; Mary I, while a princess, translated the “Gospel of John”.

in 1547, king edward vi ordered that a copy of this work be placed in every church in england. Erasmus’ commentary thus became the authoritative commentary of the Church of England. When Mary came to the throne, he favored a return to the Latin Vulgate and ordered all copies of the paraphrases to be destroyed, even though he had translated the Gospel of John.

Thought to be a contemporary portrait of Lady Jane Grey, discovered in Streatham House in early 21st century.

Lady Jane Grey (1537-1554) was an extremely well-educated teenager who knew Latin, Greek, and Hebrew and corresponded with leading reformers on the continent. Queen for nine days after the death of King Edward VI, the people did not accept Jane as queen, and Queen Mary assumed the throne. Mary executed Jane for treason in 1554. The day before her execution, Jane gave her Greek New Testament to her sister Katherine. At the back of the Testament, she wrote a letter expressing her Christian faith:

I have sent you, my dear sister katherine, a book which, though outwardly it is not adorned with gold or the curious embroidery of the most ingenious needles, is inwardly worth more than all the precious mines that the vast world can boast: it is the book, my only best and most beloved sister, of the law of the lord: it is the testament and last will, which he bequeathed to us, miserable and miserable sinners, that will lead you to the path of eternal joy: and if with a good mind you read it, and with a fervent desire you follow it, without a doubt it will lead you to an immortal and eternal life: it will teach you to live, and it will teach you to die: it will earn you more, and endow you with greater happiness…

Before she was beheaded on February 12, 1554, Lady Jane recited Psalm 51.

women and the bible in the 17th-18th centuries

These two paintings of Rembrandt and one of his students show Rembrandt’s mother reading the Dutch Bible of Estates General.

“Woman Reading the Bible” (“Rembrandt’s Mother”) by Gerard Dou,a student of Rembrandt’s, Rijksmuseum

“Prophetess Hannah Reading the Bible” (“Rembrandt’s Mother”) by Rembrandt, 1651, Rijksmuseum

king james bible inspired this dutch translation of the bible, commissioned by the dutch states general of the netherlands in 1626. this first official translation of the bible from the original hebrew and greek into the dutch language was first published in 1637. The General State Bible, as it is known, was the standard Dutch translation for Dutch Protestant churches well into the 20th century.

This 1682 edition of the Estates-General Bible was printed by the Keur brothers in Dordrect and contains over 200 finely crafted engravings.

a pastor of a church in amsterdam gave his church bible to jan willem knegtmans to keep it from being bombed during world war ii. By the end of the war, the church had been destroyed and the knegtmans were never able to find the pastor. The Bible was brought to America when the family later emigrated. jan knegtmans grandson and his wife donated the bible to the dunham bible museum

The Bible Gallery: Portraits of Women mentioned in Scripture, engraved by the Most Eminent Artists London, 1747

Exquisitely executed steel engravings of 18 women from the Bible are accompanied by narration. They include women such as the queen of sheba, the wife of potiphar, athalia, the mother of the macabees, and others. beautifully bound in full white leather with abundant gilt stamping, the binding is in excellent condition.

Anne Dutton (1682-1765) was a writer and poet who wrote extensively on theological subjects.

One 18th century woman diligent in her study of the Bible was Anne Dutton (1682-1765). Anne was a poet and theologian who wrote extensively on theological subjects. Many of her works were published anonymously, for in her day many thought it improper for a woman to be writing publicly on theological subjects. Anne, however, considered her writings as private conversations with her readers and not in any way like public preaching. Many of her writings addressed aspects of evangelism and conversion, such as justification and the new birth. The wife of a Baptist pastor, Dutton corresponded widely with leaders of the Evangelical Revival in England, including John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Selina Hastings. Whitefield especially encouraged the publication of Dutton’s letters and works for the wider Christian audience.

catherine ii was the czarina of russia from 1762 to 1796, the country’s longest reigning female ruler. Under her leadership, Russia grew in power. silver covered gospels have five enamel medallions on the cover. the central one represents the risen Christ. the other four represent the four gospel writers. the gospels are written in Old Slavonic in the Cyrillic alphabet. As beautiful as they are, there is little evidence that Catherine ever read the scriptures or took an interest in them.

mary jones (1784-1864), from a poor Welsh family, had wanted her own bible since she was a child. she saved the money she earned from housework and, when she turned 15, she had enough money to buy a bible. She walked 26 miles, often barefoot to save her shoes, to Bala to buy Rev a Bible. thomas charles, the only person with bibles for sale in the region. Rev. Charles was so impressed with Mary’s devotion that he wrote her story in a tract for the Religious Tract Society and proposed that an organization be set up to supply Wales with Bibles. This proposal led to the establishment of the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1804. Today the Bible Society continues to provide scriptures throughout the world and encourage people to read the Bible.

The Holy Bible, Containing the Old and New Covenant: Commonly called the Old and New Testament: translated from the Greek by Charles Thomson, late Secretary of the Congress of the United States, Philadelphia: Jane Aitken, 1808.

women and the bible in the nineteenth century

Jane Aitken inherited her father’s printing business upon his death, a business that also included a bookbinding business. When she printed Charles Thomson’s translation of the Holy Bible in 1808, she became the first woman to print an English Bible in America.

charles thomson made the first english translation of the new testament published in america and the first translation of the septuagint into the english language. Charles Thomson was Secretary of Congress during the American Revolution and was the only person to sign the original Declaration of Independence with President John Hancock. After the Constitution was adopted, Thomson resigned from Congress and spent 20 years working on his translation of the Bible.

Biblical annual: containing a fourfold translation of the book of Ecclesiastes, or, The Preacher with illustrative notes, London: Hamilton, Adams and Co., London, 1832

This little book contains Ecclesiastes in four parallel translations: the King James Version and new translations from the Hebrew, Greek Septuagint, and Latin Vulgate. translations were a family affair. one teenage girl translated from Hebrew, while her younger sister translated from Vulgate Latin. the teens’ father did the translation from the Greek Septuagint. the names of the girls or the father are not given and are not known.

Harriet Beecher Stowe by Alanson Fisher,National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian

The best-selling novel in 19th century America was Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The novel contains nearly 100 Biblical references and reflects an evangelical perspective on slavery. Themes of sin, suffering, repentance and salvation are woven throughout the powerfully influential book. Harriet was a member of a prominent Christian family. Her father Lyman Beecher and brothers Henry Ward, Charles, and Edward Beecher were all famous preachers, as was her husband, Calvin Stowe. Harriet wrote thirty books, all reflecting her biblical faith. One of her earliest books was The Child’s Bible by a Lady of Cincinnati (1834). Harriet had moved to Cincinnati in

Child’s Bible by a Lady of Cincinnati, who was Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1834

1832, when her father, Lyman Beecher, became President of Lane Theological Seminary. Harriet married Calvin Stowe, a professor at Lane Seminary, in 1836. Both were very active in abolitionism and supporting the Underground Railroad. Harriet stated the purpose for this little Bible in its preface:

the bible is the best book in the world… we have made this little book dear children on purpose for you… after reading it you will want to know more about the bible… your mom will get you one or leave take hers with you, and you’ll learn much more than we had space to tell you.

Woman in Sacred History by Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1873, 1st edition

Harriet Stowe, along with a number of women writers of the 19th century, believed that wherever Christianity flourished, there the position and role of women was elevated. After the Civil War, Harriet published Woman in Sacred History: A Series of Sketches Drawn from Scriptural, Historical, and Legendary Sources. She said the purpose behind this book was, “to show, a series of biographical sketches, a history of Womanhood under Divine Culture, tending toward the development of that high ideal of woman which we find in modern Christian countries.” The book is beautifully illustrated with chromo-lithographs, bringing European art into American homes.

Old Testament Stories by Aunt Laura, Buffalo, New York: Breed, Butler & Co., 1862

“Aunt Laura” was actually Francis Elizabeth Barrow (1822-1894) of South Carolina, who wrote several series of popular children’s books in the mid-19th century, some of which were translated into French, German and Swedish. Her Old Testament stories of hers were a popular “thumb bible”, miniature books named after Tom Thumb the Midget.

Women of the Bible by Mrs. S.T. Martyn, New York: American Tract Society, 1868

Sarah Towne Martyn (1805-1879) was a descendant of New England Puritans. Her father, a clergyman who had fought in the American Revolution, provided an excellent education for Sarah. She learned several modern languages as well as Greek and Hebrew. Sarah became very supportive of the temperance and antislavery movements and was active in the Female Moral Reform Society of New York, editing its journal, Advocate of Moral Reform. Sarah wrote numerous works of historical fiction set in the Reformation era, including one on the English Bible translator William Tyndale. Her most well-known work is Women of the Bible, an illustrated gift book that retells the stories of 28 women in the Bible.

The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus ChristThe Common English Version, corrected by the Final Committee of the American Bible Union, 2nd revision, New York: American Bible Union, 1869.

In 1879, this New Testament was presented to Alice W. Hayward, “A friend of the poor and the destitute who has collected $1.54 cts. To furnish copies of the Word of Life to those who are not able to pay for them.” The American Bible Union, founded in New York in 1850, was a Baptist organization which promoted the revision of the King James Bible. In their 1863 revision, they claimed to correct 24,000 errors in the King James Version. This revision paved the way for the Revised Standard Version published in the 20th century.

Emily Taylor interleaved a New Testament with poems and illustrations on the Scriptures. Many of the poems are written by herself. (Click on the picture to enlarge).

Emily Taylor (1795-1872) was an English poet, hymn writer and author of numerous books, especially for children. She had scarlet fever at an early age, which affected her hearing and made it impossible for her to attend school, but she was well educated by her father and aunts (her mother died when she was an infant) and went on to live a productive life as both a teacher and writer. In 1826, she published Poetical Illustrations of Passages of Scripture. The Dunham Bible Museum has a fascinating volume put together by Emily Taylor. It is a New Testament put together from two different years. Matthew 1:1-5:6 is a commentary Bible from the early 1800s; the section beginning with Matthew 5:16 dates from the 1700s. The portions of these volumes were bound together with blank pages between many of the printed Bible leaves. Written on the interspersed pages in lovely Spenserian script are numerous poems, almost all in iambic pentameter, on specific verses of Scriptures. Hundreds of small woodcut illustrations have also been glued on the additional pages next to the appropriate text. Many of these are labeled “1556” and apparently came from a book printed at that time. Many of the poems are by several identifiable poets – Bernard Barton, John Newton, James Montgomery, as well as Emily Taylor. A comparison of the script used with Emily Taylor’s known autograph confirms that this interesting New Testament was indeed put together by Emily. (Click link for a typescript of the numerous poems on Scripture)

julia evelina smith (1792-1886) was the first woman to translate the bible into english from the original hebrew and greek. After studying the Bible in the original Greek to determine the authority of William Miller’s doomsday prediction, she concluded that the King James translation was not literal enough. she herself learned Hebrew and translated both the Old and New Testaments word for word. Julia self-published the Bible in 1876. Scholars recognized the accuracy of her translation, but its literalness often led to awkward English, hurting sales.

Julia Evelina Smith was the first woman to translate the Bible into English from the Hebrew and Greek.

Proverbs 31 from Julia Smith’s translation of The Holy Bible, 1876

Julia Evelina Smith (1792-1886) was the first woman to translate the Bible into English from the original Hebrew and Greek. After studying the Bible in the original Greek to determine the authority for William Miller’s prediction of the end of the world, she concluded that the King James translation was not literal enough. She taught herself Hebrew and translated both the Old and New Testaments word for word. Julia published the Bible at her own expense in 1876. Scholars recognized the accuracy of her translation, but her literalness often led to awkward English, which hurt sales.

Margaret Smith Gibson (1843-1920)

agnes and margaret smith were twins whose mother died shortly after their birth. raised by her father, he promised to take them to visit any European country once they learned the language of the land. They eventually learned twelve languages and traveled throughout Europe. After their father’s death, they traveled to the Middle East, through Egypt and Palestine, an incredible journey for two ladies in the 19th century. Fluent in Greek, Syriac, and Arabic, they became interested in biblical manuscripts and traveled to St. catherine monastery in sinai there they discovered an early Aramaic version of the gospels. they also cataloged the Syriac and Arabic manuscripts in the monastery library.

Helen Barrett Montgomery (1861-1934)

All of her life Helen Barret Montgomery (1861-1934) was involved in Christian education, social reform, and international missions. She organized and taught a women’s Bible class at the Lake Avenue Baptist Church in New York for 44 years, all the while active in the Northern Baptist Convention, of which she was elected President in 1921. Helen as a strong advocate for women’s education and worked for reform in the public school system. She served as president of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and worked tirelessly in the cause of missions and improving the position of women throughout the world, writing several books on women’s work in foreign lands – all of this in addition to translating the New Testament from the Greek into contemporary English.

Centenary Translation of the New Testament: Published to Signalize the Completion of the First Hundred Years of Work of the American Baptist Publication Society, Helen Barrett Montgomery, translator, Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1924.

Helen was concerned that the boys in her Sunday School class did not understand the Bible in the King James Version. Since she had excelled in Greek at Wellesley College, she decided to make her own translation and “make it plain” for all to understand. The Bible was printed in ordinary paragraphs with verse numbers in the margins. Helen put titles on chapters and sections to further aid in understanding. Helen was the first woman to translate the New Testament from the Greek and have it professionally published (Julia Smith had self-published her translation.), and Helen’s is the only published translation by a Baptist woman. The version was reprinted and called The New Testament in Modern English.

A Translation of the Old Testament Scriptures from the Original Hebrew by Helen Spurrell, London: James Nisbet & Co., 1985 reprint of 1885 1st edition

Helen Spurrell (1819-1891), the wife of a pastor, was a talented musician and sculptor. She began learning Hebrew after she was 50, and within 15 years published her Old Testament translation. In addition to the Hebrew, Helen also consulted the Samaritan Pentateuch and the Septuagint. She printed the text in paragraphs with poetic sections laid out as poetry, something only later done by the Revised Version. Critics were very positive in reviewing her translation. Helen is the only woman to have published a translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew. For all who read her translation, Helen wished, “May every man exclaim, as the translator has often done when studying numerous passages in the original, I have found the Messiah!” A warehouse fire destroyed many of the 1885 edition, making them extremely rare.

women and the american bible society

Women stitching in Astor Place Bible House, 19th century

Women have been involved in the American Bible Society, established in 1816, in a number of ways. In 1845, the Bible Society began on-site printing of Bibles and three years later began on-site binding. From the earliest times, women were involved in the printing department. By 1851, 230 females and 56 males worked in the printing department. Women were involved in sheet-folding and straightening, stitching, binding, and finishing, and also worked as typesetters and compositors. In 1922, 5 female workers retired from the bindery; each had worked at the American Bible Society for fifty years.

Helen Keller received a Braille Biblepublished by the American Bible Society in 1931.

helen keller (1880-1968) became blind and deaf due to an illness she contracted at the age of 19 months. however, she helen learned to speak and communicate. she became the first blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. much of her life she gave lectures around the world, advocating for people with disabilities. In 1931, the American Bible Society presented Helen Keller with her first Braille Bible. she then she gave them her bible with raised letters from 1908.

In 1842, Samuel G. howe, director of the perkins institute for the blind in boston, printed the first bible in america for the blind. Howe went to Paris to buy type and a printing press for a new type system with raised letters. The American Bible Society and other Bible societies funded efforts to produce books for the blind using this “line letter” system, as it was called. (bible for the blind, using raised letters, american bible society, 1909)

The reading point system for the blind was developed in France by Charles Barbier and perfected by Louis Braille. It did not replace the “line letter” system in America until the late 19th century. The first American Braille Bible was published in 1911. The American Bible Society published its first Braille Bible in 1931. The Dunham Museum’s copy of the Braille Bible, published in 1936 by the American Bible Society, has the first 16 volumes, including the old testament and the gospels

margaret thorndike hills (1898-1972) spent 37 years working for the american bible society, beginning as secretary to the general secretary of the society and later becoming, in turn, librarian, assistant secretary of the translation department and secretary of historical research. Some of Margaret’s achievements in the American Bible Society included the following:

The American Bible Society’s library became the most comprehensive collection of printed Scriptures in America and was second only to the British and Foreign Bible Society’s library in London. The Bible Society Record noted that “No one can contemplate this collection with anything but awe at the variety of languages, the amazing labor of translation, and the monument that it is to the Christian gospel.”
In her work as Assistant Secretary of the Translation Department, Margaret corresponded with translators and supervised the publication of the translations. In 1938 she published The Book of a Thousand Tongues, which provided a bibliography for the Bible in over 1000 languages.
She arranged exhibits on the Scriptures, supervised publications, and answered numerous questions on old or rare Bibles.
Her Bibliography of Editions of the Bible and New Testament Published in America, 1777-1957 continues a standard reference work today.

Ready Reference History of the English Bible by Margaret Thorndike Hills, American Bible Society, 1976 revision.
Margaret also wrote numerous pamphlets and articles for the American Bible Society on the Bible and its history.

A ready reference history of the English Bible was first printed in 1935 to commemorate four hundred years of the English Bible in print. concisely tells the moving story behind the story of the English Bible.

women translators of the bible

In 1936, eunice pike and florence hansen became the first single women to date alone with the wycliffe bible translators. In six years they had learned Mazatec, an indigenous language indigenous to Mexico, and had translated the New Testament from Mazatec. Today, women make up 85% of Wyclife’s Bible Translators translators. Many women have been involved in Bible translations, some of which are shown here.

Many missionary wives worked with their husbands on Bible translations, including the following:

burmese – adoniram and ann hasseltine judson
arabic – eli and sarah smith
amiesha from peru – martha duff tripp, ppeter and mary fast, and mary ruth wise
bahnar dialect of vietnam – john and betty bank
indian hindi – ashis and natalie kotak
maco – davey and marie jank
quiche in guatemala – dr. james and carla cocking

Gordoni Vu’a Maiu’ina: The New Testament in Mangalasi, the language of Papua New Guinea Wycliffe Bible translators, 1975

There are about 5000 Managalasi speakers living southeast of Mount Lamington and southwest of the mountain ranges called the Hydrographers in the Northern District of Papua. Jim and Judy Parlier lived in the jungle and worked among the stone age people there for twenty years. They developed a Managalisi alphabet, taught the natives to read, and translated the New testament into Managalasi. They then taught native people to evangelize and teach others.

Yompor Po’non: Nent atto Yepartshshar Jasucristo e’ne etserra a’pocataterrnay, Wycliffe Bible Translators, 1978

This New Testament translated into the Amuesha language of Peru was the 100th translation of the New Testament by the Wycliffe Bible Translators. The Amuesha language is spoken in 23 main towns in the foothills of the Andes at elevations of 800 to 4,000 feet, with a population of approximately 4,500 in 1978. The Amuesha Bible School and an association of nine Amuesha churches include more than 1,000 believers. Wycliffe’s translators were Martha Duff Tripp, Peter and Mary Fast, and Mary Ruth Wise.

the new testament in the dialect of the maco, a remote tribe in the amazonian jungle of venezuela, was translated by davey and marie jank. The maco had heard of a book that had “words from God” and had begged the missionaries to bring it to him. Davey and Marie were the first outsiders to live among the Maco in 1991 and began to learn their language. They developed an alphabet and worked on a translation of the Bible, completing the New Testament in 2013. The Maco can now hear God speak to them in their own language. (god iwene [god’s speech] jesus ichaja ikenasa’ye [the book written after the coming of jesus] the new testament in macau, 2014).

Tzij Re Dios pa Quiche, The Quiche Bible from Guatemala, 1995

The first translation of the New Testament into the Quiche language was made by Paul and Dora Burgess with the help of native Patricio Xec Cuc, born in 1905. Patricio then worked on the Old Testament with several translators, but the work of the Old Testament was abandoned by 1980. Patricio invited and urged Dr. James Cocking and his wife Carla to join him in completing the Old Testaments translation. The United Bible Societies sent consultants to help with the project, and the first complete Quiche Bible was printed and dedicated in August of 1995.

biblical women among the poor

elena h. ranyard (1810-1879) worked among the poor of london, providing them with bibles and helping the sick and needy. she established a biblical women’s ministry to work among the poor that became a model for missionaries around the world. under the initials

Ellen Ranyard established a ministry of Bible Women to work among the London poor, in addition to writing numerous works and tracts on the Bible.

“L.N.R.”, Ellen wrote numerous books and tracts on the Bible, archaeology, and the Bible Women. Following are the instructions to the Bible Woman working with the

london bible and home missions:

Your first and foremost job is to find out who doesn’t have the holy scriptures and is willing to buy at a cheap price.
Carry it in a bag, with which you will be provided with a variety of of bibles and testaments, and if any of the parties you visit can and are willing to pay the full price at once, take it; if not, offer to be paid in small weekly installments, calling periodically.

let people understand that you are not supplying them at a profit, but, in many cases, at a loss to biblical society, and that the good people who employ them only seek to further the benefit of society. poor.

You are expected to spend five hours every day except Saturday at your job, for which you will receive 2 shillings. per day. Bible work must be done by itself, and home missionary work at another time. you will follow the instructions you will be given as to the localities in which you are to work for both purposes.
Since Bible work leads to other benevolent schemes, your overseer will instruct you how to proceed in taking subscriptions for clothing and bedding, also inducing the poor to live no longer content with dirt, rags and discomfort. then you can gradually instruct them in sewing, cooking, and cleaning.
You are expected to live in or near your district, and a room will also be available for quest purposes.
if you can, it is desirable that you keep a diary in which you will give true statements of the things you find.
you will submit to your superintendent a weekly report of all your proceedings, at the appointed place and time, and from according to a form that will be provided to you.
The lady who has kindly agreed to supervise your work is _______________.

The Missing Link recounts the experiences of the Bible Women in London, sent by the British and Foreign Bible Society to bring the Scriptures to London’s poor. The women were from the poor and were trained by the Bible Society to reach those in their community with the word of God. The Bible’s model of women among the London poor was adopted and used by missionaries around the world.

The book and its history were written to mark the jubilee of the British and Foreign Bible Society, established in

The Book and its Story: A Narrative for the Young by L.N.R. (Ellen H. Ranyard), London, 1853, 2nd edition

1804. With access to the records of the Bible Society, Ellen Ranyard told the story of the writing of the Scriptures, the history of the English Scriptures, the history of the Bible Society, and the spread of the Scriptures throughout the various parts of the world. Ellen concluded her account by quoting Isaiah 55:11, “My word shall not return unto Me void; but it shall accomplish that which I please, and shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

like many feminists today, elizabeth cady stanton (1815-1902), leader of the first women’s suffrage movement in the united states, believed that religion was the primary cause of women’s oppression . she edited the woman’s bible to free women from what she felt was such religious oppression. a committee of 26 women worked on the project, none of whom had a biblical or theological background. the commentary on the biblical text was full of radical feminist positions, such as that the trinity was composed of a “heavenly mother, father and son” and that prayers should be addressed to the “heavenly mother”. Although the book became a bestseller, it reduced Stanton’s influence on the women’s suffrage movement, as many women sought to distance themselves from Stanton’s anti-Christian views.

women and the bible in the 20th century

The 20th century New Testament is considered the first translation of the Bible into modern English. The project was launched by Mary Ann Higgs (1854-1937), the daughter and wife of Congregational ministers, when she wrote to prominent Victorian journalist W.T. stead on the need for a translation of the Bible that “captures the meaning of the original Greek” and expresses it in modern English.

A committee of about 25 people met to work on the project and rules for translators were drawn up. about half the committee were pastors, but others came from other professions. Mary Higgs was one of two women on the committee and worked on the Gospel of Mark.

the new testament of the 20th century had a definitely modern format. the text was arranged in a single column with paragraphs, and chapter and verse numbers were in the margin. the modern “you” replaced the old-fashioned “you”. the order of the books followed the chronological pattern of the westcott-hort greek text.

the amplified bible was the first project of the lockman foundation. the goal of this translation was to take into account both the meaning of the word and the context. explanatory alternative readings and amplifications helped the reader to understand the writing. francis siewert was the official research secretary behind the expanded new testament. she had dedicated her life to the study of the scriptures and was fluent in greek and the archaeological background of the bible. Francis’s work was reviewed by a committee of Greek consultants. In 1954 Francis wrote, “Almost every day, I find myself bubbling with excitement at discovering some nuance of meaning in the original Greek that had never before been apparent to me. I have averaged 4 hours a day of serious bible study since 1914, when I was already a graduate of theological seminary, and yet I find daily evidence of the fact that there are countless passages of scripture that have been obscure to me until now. now.”

Annie Vallotton’s drawing of Ruth in the fields, from The Good News Bible

Annie Vallotton (1915-2013) was the artist who provided the illustrations for The Good News Bible

The Good News Bible is a “common language Bible, a simple and clear translation faithful to the Hebrew and Greek texts, Annie Vallotton (1915-2013), a Swiss artist, provided the illustrations for the Bible. Harper Collins claimed Annie was the best-selling artist of all times, since sales of The Good News Bible exceed 225 million. Annie said her aim in her drawings was “to make people want to read the Bible…I tried to make my illustrations…arouse interest in the reader and provoke questions to make him apply the text to himself and to dip further into the text. In a word, I want the text to become more alive and intelligible.”

Annie Cressman (1913-1991) was a Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada missionary to Liberia, translating and teaching the Bible in the Tchien dialect. In the 1950s, while teaching at an English-language Bible school in Liberia, Annie began translating scripture passages into an easier-than-King James version of English. Her translation of the New Testament was published in 1969 as Good News to the World: The New Testament in World English. In 1996, the second edition was published as The Book of Jesus – The World English Bible – New Testament.

Butterfly Edition, New Testament, American Bible Society, 1992

Eleanor McCollum supported many Christian causes and was on the board of the American Bible Society for 47 years.

Eleanor McCollum (1908-2002) was a wealthy philanthropist who contributed to musical, Christian, and medical causes throughout the world. For many years she sang with the Billy Graham Ministries and was a soloist in churches of all denominations, as well as with the United States Air Force Band and at Presidential Prayer breakfasts and civic events. Eleanor was on the Board of the American Bible Society for 47 years. In 1992, she produced the Butterfly Edition of the Good News New Testament and provided for its distribution through the American Bible Society. Eleanor and her husband Leonard McCollum, oilman, cattle rancher, banker, and philanthropist, made their home in Houston. A supporter of Houston Grand Opera, Eleanor established the “Eleanor McCollum Competition for Young Singers Concert of Arias.”

Dale Evans (1912-2001) was an American singer, songwriter, actress, and wife of singing cowboy Roy Rogers. Dale and Roy had starred in movies together and their very successful television series, The Roy Rogers Show. Dale and Roy often appeared at Billy Graham’s crusades and traveled the country singing gospel songs and giving their testimonies. Among the 200 songs Dale wrote was “The Bible tells me so.”

drs. dorothy patterson and rhonda kelley are trained in theology and the original languages of scripture. together they edited the women’s evangelical commentary on both the old and new testaments, the women’s study bible, and the women’s devotional. This collection is designed to help women study the scriptures and live their lives for the glory of Christ.

The Women’s Study Bible has sold more than 1.5 million since its first publication in 1995. Written by an editorial board of theologically trained women with knowledge of Biblical Greek and Hebrew, the Women’s Study Bible Women aims to help women find meaning in the text of scripture. Free from the gender perspective of feminists, the Women’s Study Bible is intended to be a catalyst for personal study as well as a resource for women teaching scripture. Each book of the Bible includes an introduction, a key verse, an outline of the book’s themes, explanations of key doctrines, and a devotional application. marginal notes tackle difficult passages and focus on issues particularly relevant to women.

Women and the Bible: Heroines and the Lessons They Can Still Teach Us, American Bible Society & Time Home Entertainment, Inc., 2014

Women of the Bible examines experiences of 70 women from the ancient, biblical world to reveal timeless stories of God’s everlasting love, care, and protection.

From biblical times to the present, women have been involved in the study, teaching, and distribution of scripture. Wherever the Bible has spread, the position of women in society has improved. As sarah joseph hale summed it up in her registry of women: sketches of all distinguished women from creation to a.d. 1854, “the Bible is the only guarantee of the rights of women, and the only expositor of her duties. under her teachings men learn to honor her. ”

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Women in the Bible | Houston Baptist University