LIST 58

5 Family-Safe Bibles

The Good Book is so pornographic and violent that several goodly Christians tried to make it fit for family reading, publishing five such versions in a 37-year period.

 

1

In 1796, the Bishop of London put out a Bible in which each chapter was rated with one of four designations. The fourth designation—which was actually no designation at all—was given to the nasty parts.

2

Swedenborg follower John Bellamy offered a G-rated version in 1818.

3

1824 saw the publication of The New Family Bible and Improved Version, which took a scalpel to the “offensive” parts.

4

Soon after, a Quaker released a Bible with the naughty bits toned down and printed in italics so they could easily be avoided (or easily read).

5

Legendary lexicographer Noah Webster, who created the first English-language dictionary, published a heavily reworded edition in 1833.