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The Apocalypse of John (as it is called in Catholic translations, or the Book of Revelation (as it is generally known to Protestants) is the last book of the New Testament. It claims to be the visions of the end of the world as given to John, on the Isle of Patmos. The book appears to date from the last quarter of the first century and addresses itself specifically to seven churches in Asia Minor. In the Middle Ages, this John was believed to be the same beloved disciple John who wrote the fourth Gospel, although today this identity has been questioned.
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revelation, from the Latin revelare, to reveal, related to Latin velum or curtain. apocalypse from Greek apokalypsis, from apokalyptein to uncover, from apo- + kalyptein |
What translation should I use?
For the purposes of this class, it does not matter which translation of the Apocalypse you consult. Pick one that is familiar or available to you.
The Middle Ages were familiar with the Latin Vulgate Bible, translated by St. Jerome in the late fourth century. The most useful English translation of this Bible is the so-called "Douay-Rheims" version, undertaken in 1568 by the English College at Douai, in Flanders. In 1582 the New Testament portion was first published at Reims (or Rheims) in France,with the Old Testament portions following in 1608 and 1610, giving it the name by which it is commonly known today. Although not always the most elegant or scholarly edition available, the DR version has the virtue of being closest to the Bible in use during the period of the period of time I cover in most of my courses: the years 1000-1400.
Download a Printer-Friendly version of the Douay-Rheims Apocalypse, the version I will be reading in class.
The Authorized Version, or the so-called "King James Bible" is the translation produced by a commission appointed by King James I of England and approved for English Protestants. The first edition appeared in 1611, with a preface to the Reader by King James himself. Its language is contemporary with Shakespeare, and is often thought to be the most literary of the translations available. The Commission was also able to take advantage of increasing knowledge of Hebrew and Aramaic, although many of its aspects are now considered out of date.
There are many editions of the Bible available, often issued with commentary and notes pertinent to a particular Protestant group, translated using commonly-understood language, or even amplified in accordance with a theological point of view. The version available in the Allegheny College Bookstore and used in many Religious Studies classes is the New Revised Standard Bible.
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