# Red Lettering in Bibles



## Phil D. (Jan 7, 2011)

A post in another thread that mentioned red-lettering in a certain edition of the KJV got me thinking. 

I've heard some people say that this practice wrongly insinuates that some parts of the Bible are more important than others. 

What do you think? Is it simply a useful tool (like an individual choosing to underline certain verses in their Bible), or a well-meaning but improper distinguishing of the text?


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## au5t1n (Jan 7, 2011)

I don't prefer it, but I can live with it if it's there.


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## Tripel (Jan 7, 2011)

Unnecessary, but not a big deal. I'm fine either way.


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## KMK (Jan 7, 2011)

Joshua said:


> For example, I can't remember which chapter it is in the gospels, but some red-letter instances have Jesus saying things that were actually spoken by John Baptist



You might be referring to John 3, where it is difficult to say where the words of Jesus end and the words of the Apostle John begin.


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## Reformed Roman (Jan 7, 2011)

Yeah, I just read that. It seems extremely obvious. Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, and then after that, John to his disciples. It seemed rather obvious.


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## N. Eshelman (Jan 7, 2011)

I prefer the Words of the Holy Spirit in black.


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## Jack K (Jan 7, 2011)

To me, red-lettering suggests that somehow those words spoken by Jesus are more important than the words otherwise spoken by the Spirit in the Scriptures. So that's a problem. It feels as if whoever first came up with the idea had a mushy, oh-these-are-the-words-of-Jesus thing going on that failed to take into account the inspiration of ALL the Bible. It also seems like it may compound the tendency to look through the Bible for single, feel-good verses here and there rather than reading it as a whole.

That said, I do admit it's handy now and then for finding a specific text. And I'll put up with it, even though it isn't my first choice.


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## Steve Curtis (Jan 7, 2011)

What Jack said


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## KMK (Jan 7, 2011)

Joshua said:


> Sincerely, I ask, Where is the difficulty found?



In some red letter Bibles vs. 18-21 are printed in red. Is that a good and necessary inference? In verse 12, Jesus refers to Himself in the first person (I). In verse 18, Jesus is referred to in the third person (him).


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## bookslover (Jan 7, 2011)

I remember reading somewhere that the red-letter Bible was originally meant as a marketing gimmick, and that the first one was published around 1904 or so. "Hmmm. How can we sell more Bibles? I know! Let's put Christ's words in red ink!" And publishers have been doing it ever since. I don't prefer it, myself. I'm glad that Crossway makes plenty of black-letter ESVs.


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## 21st Century Calvinist (Jan 7, 2011)

Not what I prefer, but I can live with it.


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## Herald (Jan 7, 2011)

I prefer my bible to be written in plant-based ink on papyrus scrolls.


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## Skyler (Jan 7, 2011)

I'm still trying to find a red-letter version for the Kindle.


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## Jeffriesw (Jan 8, 2011)

Jack K said:


> To me, red-lettering suggests that somehow those words spoken by Jesus are more important than the words otherwise spoken by the Spirit in the Scriptures. So that's a problem. It feels as if whoever first came up with the idea had a mushy, oh-these-are-the-words-of-Jesus thing going on that failed to take into account the inspiration of ALL the Bible. It also seems like it may compound the tendency to look through the Bible for single, feel-good verses here and there rather than reading it as a whole.
> 
> That said, I do admit it's handy now and then for finding a specific text. And I'll put up with it, even though it isn't my first choice.


 


kainos01 said:


> What Jack said


 
X's 2


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## Marrow Man (Jan 8, 2011)

Herald said:


> I prefer my bible to be written in plant-based ink on papyrus scrolls.



I hear Android actually has an app for that.


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## Jerusalem Blade (Jan 8, 2011)

Here's a thread on the topic from a few years ago: http://www.puritanboard.com/f63/red-letter-bibles-19186/ — with my two cents!


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## Elimelek (Jan 9, 2011)

Red letter Bibles seems to me to be a very English phenomenon to my knowledge. In South Africa the Bibles of the Bible Society of South Africa are all printed in black letters. A few years ago an Afrikaans Bible with red letters were published, but these red letters didn't highlight the words of Jesus, the red letters gave alternative translation possibilities to the current 1983-translation which follows the same translation philosophy as the NIV. The red letter edition called "Die Multi-vertaling Bybel" (The Multi-translation Bible) thus indicated other possibilities for translation. I thought that it was a good option for people who couldn't access the Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the Bible.

Concerning the words of Jesus in red, I don't think it is such an issue to have them in red or not. It does however help a person trying to remember on what page a certain passage stood to find it easier, even if it is not printed in red. The Jews realised that different page layouts in the Talmudim helped Jewish scholars to remember on what page to find something quite easily. You will find that one page may have five columns and the other three and another four etc. The Mishnah-text block will also be at different places, making it easier to remember where something is found in the respective Talmud.

Because Bibles are usually printed in two columns of equal size on one page, it makes sense to print the words of Jesus, or Paul or whoever in another colour than black. It helps to find a specific passage of Scripture much more easily. Maybe everything someone says in the Bible should be printed in a different colour.


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## Contra_Mundum (Jan 9, 2011)

Does anyone know where I might be able to find a NKJ Bible, *without* red-letters? These seem scarce, for some reason.


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## Skyler (Jan 9, 2011)

Elimelek said:


> Maybe everything someone says in the Bible should be printed in a different colour.



And each person's color should be different. Might as well make those printers work for their income. =)


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## Phil D. (Jan 9, 2011)

Contra_Mundum said:


> Does anyone know where I might be able to find a NKJ Bible, *without* red-letters? These seem scarce, for some reason.


 
Rev. Buchanan, CBD lists these as NKJV with "black lettering" as opposed to those with "red lettering".


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## Augusta (Jan 9, 2011)

My KJV from TBS (Trinitarian Bible Society) doesn't have red lettering. http://trinitarianbiblesocietyusa.org/images/usa2009_2.pdf


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## bookslover (Jan 10, 2011)

How about the words of Christ in plaid? Could sell them to the Scots!


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