NEW TEXT
The 1535 edition of Erasmus’ Novum Testamentum stands as the crowning achievement of his life’s work in biblical scholarship. As the fifth and final edition, published just a year before Erasmus’ death, it reflects a lifetime of tireless study, revision, and refinement of the Greek New Testament. This edition holds special significance, not only for its textual precision but also as a testament to the enduring influence of Erasmus’ contributions to the study and translation of Scripture.
By the time Erasmus published this edition, his earlier work had already become central to the Protestant Reformation and the broader world of biblical translation. The 1535 edition further polished the Greek text, benefiting from Erasmus' continuous engagement with new manuscripts, including the Complutensian Polyglot and additional Greek sources. It represents the culmination of his efforts to produce a text that was as faithful to the original Greek as possible, ensuring that future generations of scholars and translators would have a reliable foundation for their work.
One of the most significant aspects of the 1535 edition is the careful attention Erasmus gave to refining the Textus Receptus, which by this time had become widely accepted and influential among scholars, especially in Protestant circles. The influence of this edition is felt not only in later translations, such as the King James Bible, but also in its role in shaping theological discourse throughout Europe.
The 1535 edition also reflects the final thoughts of Erasmus, a scholar deeply devoted to bringing the Scriptures back to their original languages, so that they could be accurately translated and understood by all. Knowing that this was likely his last major work, Erasmus poured all of his learning, corrections, and insights into this edition, ensuring it was the most comprehensive and reliable of all his versions.
Shortly after this edition was published, Erasmus passed away in 1536, leaving behind a legacy that would forever alter the course of Christian history. His Novum Testamentum continued to serve as the primary source for New Testament translations well into the modern era, and the 1535 edition, in particular, is seen as the definitive version of his work.
This facsimile of the 1535 Erasmus Greek New Testament offers a rare opportunity to hold the final, most refined version of the text that shaped centuries of biblical scholarship and translation. It stands as a tribute to Erasmus’ lifelong dedication to the study of Scripture and his desire to make the Bible accessible to all.
ORIGINAL TEXT
Desiderius Erasmus had a great passion for reading, and was the only man to read every book in existence at that time. While in England, Erasmus began diligently studying the Greek manuscripts he had acquired. He focused his attention on how corrupt the Latin Vulgate had become, and the necessity to return to the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts in order to accurately translate the Scriptures into common languages.
Working with John Froben, Erasmus published Novum Instrumentum omne, the first Greek-Latin Parallel New Testament, in 1516. This remarkable accomplishment was the first Scripture in a millennium to be produced without using the Latin Vulgate, and the first to be published from a printing press. Erasmus' text came to be known as the Textus Receptus, meaning Received Text as presented in the 1633 Elzevir edition of the Greek text. The third edition of 1522 formed the basis of the New Testament of the Authorized King James Version of 1611.
This fifth and final edition of Erasmus' Novum Testamentum was published in 1535, the year before he died.
