Chapter XXV: Front Matter (25)

The measure of a man, i.e., According to the measure of men, and used by the angel. . .This seems to be the true meaning of these words.

21:18. And the building of the wall thereof was of jasper stone: but the city itself pure gold like to clear glass.

21:19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper: the second, sapphire: the third; a chalcedony: the fourth, an emerald:

21:20. The fifth, sardonyx: the sixth, sardius: the seventh, chrysolite: the eighth, beryl: the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a chrysoprasus: the eleventh, a jacinth: the twelfth, an amethyst.

21:21. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, one to each: and every several gate was of one several pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were, transparent glass.

21:22. And I saw no temple therein. For the Lord God Almighty is the temple thereof, and the Lamb.

21:23. And the city hath no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God hath enlightened it: and the Lamb is the lamp thereof.

21:24. And the nations shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour into it.

21:25. And the gates thereof shall not be shut by day: for there shall be no night there.

21:26. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.

21:27. There shall not enter into it any thing defiled or that worketh abomination or maketh a lie: but they that are written in the book of life of the Lamb.

Apocalypse Chapter 22

The water and tree of life. The conclusion.

22:1. And he shewed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

22:2. In the midst of the street thereof, and on both sides of the river, was the tree of life, bearing twelve fruits, yielding its fruits every month: the leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations.

22:3. And there shall be no curse any more: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it. And his servants shall serve him.

22:4. And they shall see his face: and his name shall be on their foreheads.

22:5. And night shall be no more. And they shall not need the light of the lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall enlighten then. And they shall reign for ever and ever.

22:6. And he said to me: These words are most faithful and true. And the Lord God of the spirits of the prophets sent his angel to shew his servant the things which must be done shortly.

22:7. And: Behold I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the words of the prophecy of this book.

22:8. And I, John, who have heard and seen these things. And, after I had heard and seen, I fell down to adore before the feet of the angel who shewed me the things.

22:9. And he said to me: See thou do it not. For I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets and of them that keep the words of the prophecy of this book. Adore God.

22:10. And he saith to me: Seal not the words of the prophecy of this book. For the time is at hand.

For the time is at hand. . .That is, when compared to eternity, all time and temporal things vanish, and are but of short duration. As to the time when the chief predictions should come to pass, we have no certainty, as appears by the different opinions, both of the ancient fathers and late interpreters. Many think that most things set down from the 4th chapter to the end, will not be fulfilled till a little time before the end of the world. Others are of opinion, that a great part of them, and particularly the fall of the wicked Babylon, happened at the destruction of paganism, by the destruction of heathen Rome, and its persecuting heathen emperors. Of these interpretations, see Aleazar, in his long commentary; see the learned Bossnet, bishop of Meaux, in his treatise on this Book; and P. Alleman, in his notes on the same Apocalypse, tom. 12, who in his Preface says, that this, in a great measure, may be now looked upon as the opinion followed by the learned men. In fine, others think that St. John's design was in a mystical way, by metaphors and allegories, to represent the attempts and persecutions of the wicked against the servants of God, the punishments that should in a short time fall upon Babylon, that is, upon all the wicked in general: the eternal happiness and reward, which God had reserved for the pious inhabitants of Jerusalem, that is, for his faithful servants, after their short trials and the tribulations of this mortal life. In the mean time we meet with many profitable instructions and admonitions, which we may easily enough understand: but we have no certainty when we apply these predictions to particular events: for as St. Jerome takes notice, the Apocalypse has as many mysteries as words, or rather mysteries in every word. Apocalypsis Joannis tot habet Sacramenta quot verba--parum dixi, in verbis singulis multiplices latent intelligentiae. Ep. ad Paulin, t. 4. p. 574. Edit. Benedict.

22:11. He that hurteth, let him hurt still: and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is just, let him be justified still: and he that is holy, let him be sanctified still.

Let him hurt still. . .It is not an exhortation, or license to go on in sin; but an intimation, that how far soever the wicked may proceed, their progress shall quickly end, and then they must expect to meet with proportionable punishments.

22:12. Behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to render to every, man according to his works.

22:13. I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

22:14. Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb: that they may have a right to the tree of life and may enter in by the gates into the city.

22:15. Without are dogs and sorcerers and unchaste and murderers and servers of idols and every one that loveth and maketh a lie.

22:16. I, Jesus, have sent my angel, to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the root and stock of David, the bright and morning star.

22:17. And the spirit and the bride say: Come. And he that heareth, let him say: Come. And he that thirsteth, let him come. And he that will, let him take the water of life, freely.

22:18. For I testify to every one that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add to these things, God shall add unto him the plagues written in this book.

22:19. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from these things that are written in this book.

22:20. He that giveth testimony of these things, saith: Surely, I come quickly: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

22:21. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

APPENDICES

These texts come from the 1582 Rhemes printing of the New Testament (see the 'History' section at the top of the e-text). The primary sources provide a glimpse both into the history of the Douay-Rheims version and the English language itself. The reader will quickly notice that the letter 'j' does not appear in the texts, rather 'i' functions either as a vowel or a consonant. Likewise 'u' is not a distinct letter; it is employed typographically in the lower-case in place of 'v' where not starting a word. The letters 'u' and 'v' both function either as vowels or consonants. The word 'vniuersity' demonstrates this rule. The letter 'w' is sometimes employed, but in most cases the earlier form of a double-v (vv) appears instead.

The transcriber has done his best to render the text accurately. Note the relaxed spelling standards of the time; many variants appear. While the errata section from the 1610 edition observed: "We haue also found some other faultes of lesse importance; and feare there be more. But we trust the reader may easely correct them, as they occurre." only obvious errors have been amended. Where the transcriber has doubt between whether an irregular spelling is either an error and a variant, the printed text stands. 7-bit ASCII cannot fully represent the typographical standards of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and many special characters have been replaced with modern equivalents. Where verse numbers stand in the margins of the printed texts, they have been transferred to the body.

BOOK FOR COMPARISON

THE CATHOLIKE EPISTLE OF IVDE THE APOSTLE.

He exhorteth them to stand to their old faith, shevving them by examples, that it is damnable not to continue and be constant: 8 inueighing against the lecherie, blasphemie, apostasie, banketing of the heretikes, 14 and that their damnation vvas long foretold. 17 Catholikes therfore to be vnmoueable, to reproue the obstinate, to recouer al not desperate, to confirme the vveake, and to liue them selues vertuously and vvithout mortal sinne, vvhich by Gods grace they may doe.

IVDE the seruant of IESVS Christ, and brother of Iames: to them that are in God the Father beloued, and in IESVS Christ preserued, and called. 2 Mercie to you, and peace and charitie be accomplished. 3 My deerest, taking al care to vvrite vnto you of your common saluation, I thought it necessarie to vvrite vnto you: beseeching you to contend for the faith once deliuered to the sainctes. 4 For there are certaine men secretely entred in (vvhich vvere long ago prescribed vnto this iudgement) impious, transferring the grace of our God into riotousnes, and denying the onely Dominator, and our Lord IESVS Christ. 5 But I vvil admonish you, that once knovv al things, that IESVS, sauing the people out of the land of AEgipt, secondly destroied them vvhich beleeued not. 6 But the Angels vvhich kept not their pricipalitie, but forsooke their owne habitation, he hath reserued vnder darkenesse in eternal bondes vnto the iudgement of the great day. 7 As Sodom and Gomorrhe, and the cities adioyning in like maner hauing fornicated, and going after other flesh, vvere made an example, sustaining the paine of eternal fire. 8 In like maner these also defile the flesh, and despise dominion, & blaspheme maiestie. 9 Vvhen Micheal the Archangel, disputing vvith the Diuel, made altercation for the body of Moyses: he durst not inferre iudgment of blasphemie, but said, Our Lord 'commaund' thee. 10 But these, vvhat things so euer certes they are ignorant of, they blaspheme: and vvhat things so euer naturally, as dumme beastes, they knovv, in those they are corrupted. 11 Vvo vnto them, 'vvhich' haue gone in the vvay of Cain: and vvith the errour of Balaam, haue for revvard povvred out them selues, and haue perished in the contradiction of Core. 12 These are in their bankets, spottes, feasting together vvithout feare, feeding them selues, cloudes vvithout vvater vvhich are caried about of vvindes, trees of autumne, vnfruitful, tvvise dead, plucked vp by the rootes, 13 raging vvaues of the sea, foming out their ovvne confusions, vvandering starres: to vvhom the storme of darkenesse is reserued for euer. 14 And of these propheceied Enoch, the seuenth from Adam, saying, Behold our Lord is come in his holy thousandes, 15 to doe iudgement against al, and to reproue al the impious, of al the vvorkes of their impietie vvherby they haue done impiously, and of al the hard thinges vvhich impious sinners haue spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, ful of complaintes, vvalking according to their ovvne desires, and their mouth speaketh pride, admiring persons for gaine sake. 17 But you my deerest, be mindeful of the vvordes vvhich haue been spoken before by the Apostles of our Lord IESVS Christ, 18 vvho told you, that in the last time shal come mockers, according to their ovvne desires vvalking in impieties. 19 These are they vvhich segregate them selues, sensual, hauing not the Spirit. 20 But you my deerest, building your selues vpon 'our' most holy faith, in the holy Ghost, praying, 21 keepe your selues in the loue of God, expecting the mercie of our Lord IESVS Christ vnto life euerlasting. 22 And these certes reproue being iudged: 23 but them saue, pulling out of the fire. And on other haue mercie in feare: hating also that vvhich is carnal, the spotted cote. 24 And to him that is able to preserue you vvithout sinne, and to sette you immaculate before the sight of his glorie in exultation in the comming of our Lord IESVS Christ, 25 to the onely God our Sauiour by IESVS Christ our Lord be glorie and magnificence, empire and power before al worldes, and novv and for al vvorldes euermore. Amen.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

As recorded in the title, the Douay-Rheims version is a translation primarily from the Latin Vulgate. A brief selection from the preface to the 1582 edition explains the reasons for this approach. Together with the glossary the text shows the translators scholarly motivations, but also provides a glimpse into the charged climate of the period. The transcriber hopes he did a tolerable job in transliterating the Greek words in the preface. The glossary contains words newly used in the language of the day. Some were later dropped from the Challoner revision, others have found common usage today.

THE PREFACE TO THE READER

Treating of the causes vvhy this nevv Testament is translated according to the auncient vulgar Latin text.

THE holy Bible long since translated by vs into English, and the old Testament lying by vs for lacke of good meanes to publish the vvhole in such sort as a vvorke of so great charge and importance requireth: vve haue yet through Gods goodnes at length fully finished for thee (most Christian reader) all the NEVV TESTAMENT, vvhich is the principal, most profitable & comfortable peece of holy vvrite: and, as vvel for all other institution of life and doctrine, as specially for deciding the doubtes of these daies, more propre and pregnant then the other part not yet printed.

NOVV TO GIVE thee also intelligence in particular, most gentle Reader, of such thinges as it behoueth thee specially to knovv concerning our Translation: Vve translate the old vulgar Latin text, not the common Greeke text, for these causes.

1. It is so auncient, that it vvas vsed in the Church of God aboue 1300 yeres agoe, as appeareth by the fathers of those times.

2. It is that (by the common receiued opinion and by al probabilitie) vvhich S. Hierom aftervvard corrected according to the Greeke, by the appointment of Damasus then Pope, as he maketh mention in his preface before the foure Euangelistes, vnto the said Damasus: and 'in Catalogo in fine,' and 'ep. 102.'

3. Consequently it is the same vvhich S. Augustine so commendeth and allovveth in an Epistle to S. Hierom.

4. It is that, vvhich for the most part euer since hath been vsed in the Churches seruice, expounded in sermons, alleaged and interpreted in the Commentaries and vvritings of the auncient fathers of the Latin Church.

5. The holy Councel of Trent, for these and many other important considerations, hath declared and defined this onely of al other latin translations, to be authentical, and so onely to be vsed and taken in publike lessons, disputations, preachings, and expositions, and that no man presume vpon any pretence to reiect or refuse the same.

6. It is the grauest, sincerest, of greatest maiestie, least partialitie, as being vvithout al respect of controuersies and contentions, specially these of our time, as appeareth by those places vvhich Erasmus and others at this day translate much more to the aduantage of the Catholike cause.

7. It is so exact and precise according to the Greeke, both the phrase and the word, that delicate Heretikes therfore reprehend it of rudenes. And that it follovveth the Greeke far more exactly then the Protestants translations, beside infinite other places, we appeale to these. Tit. 3,14. 'Curent bonis operibus praeesse.' 'proissasthai.' Engl. bib. 1577, 'to mainteine good vvorks.' and Hebr. 10, 20. 'Viam nobis initiauit,' 'enekainisen.' English Bib. 'he prepared.' So in these vvordes, 'Iustificationes,' 'Traditiones,' 'Idola' &c. In al vvhich they come not neere the Greeke, but auoid it of purpose.

8. The Aduersaries them selues, namely Beza, preferre it before al the rest. (Inpraefat. no. Test an. 1556.) And againe he saith, that the old Interpreter translated very religiously. (Annot. in 1. Luc. v. 1.)

9. In the rest, there is such diuersitie and dissension, and no end of reprehending one an other, and translating euery man according to his fantasie, that Luther said, If the vvorld should stand any long time, vve must receiue againe (which he thought absurd) the Decrees of Councels, for preseruing the vnitie of faith, because of so diuers interpretations of the Scripture. And Beza (in the place aboue mentioned) noteth the itching ambition of his fellovv-translators, that had much rather disagree and dissent from the best, then seeme them selues to haue said or vvritten nothing. And Bezas translation it self, being so esteemed in our countrie, that the Geneua English Testaments be translated according to the same, yet sometime goeth so vvide from the Greeke, and from the meaning of the holy Ghost, that them selues which protest to translate it, dare not folow it. For example, Luc. 3,36. They haue put these wordes, 'The sonne of Cainan,' which he wittingly and wilfully left out: and (Act. 1,14.) they say, 'Vvith the vvomen,' agreably to the vulgar Latin: where he saith, 'Cum vxoribus,' 'vvith their vviues.'

10. It is not onely better then al other Latin translations, but then the Greeke text it self, in those places where they disagree.

The proofe hereof is euident, because most of the auncient Heretikes were Grecians, & therfore the Scriptures in Greeke were more corrupted by them, as the auncient fathers often complaine. Tertullian noteth the Greeke text which is at this day (1 Cor. 15,47) to be an old corruption of Marcion the Heretike, and the truth to be as in our vulgar latin, 'Secundus homo de caelo caelestis,' 'The second man from heauen heauenly.' So reade other auncient fathers, and Erasmus thinketh it must needes be so, and Caluin him self folovveth in 'Instit. li. 2. c. 13. parag. 2.' Againe S. Hierom noteth that the Greeke text (1 Cor. 7, 33) which is at this day, is not the 'Apostolical veritie' or the true text of the Apostle: but that which is in the vulgar Latin, 'Qui cum vxore est, solicitus est quae sunt mundi, quomodo placeat vxori, & diuisus est.' 'He that is vvith a vvife, is careful of vvorldly things, hovv he may please his vvife, and is deuided or distracted.' The Ecclesiastical historie called the Tripartite, noteth the Greeke text that now is (1 Io. 4, 3) to be an old corruption of the auncient Greeke copies, by the Nestorian Heretikes, & the true reading to be as in our vulgar Latin, 'Omnis spiritus qui soluit IESVM, Ex Deo non est.' 'Euery spirit that dissolueth IESVS, is not of God:' and Beza confesseth that Socrates in his Ecclesiastical historie readeth so in the Greeke.

But the proofe is more preganant out of the Aduersaires them selues. They forsake the Greeke text as corrupted, and translate according to the vulgar Latin, namely Beza and his scholers the English translatours of the Bible, in these places. Hebr. chap. 9. vers. 1. saying, 'The first couenant,' for that vvhich is in the Greeke. 'The first tabernacle.' vvhere they put, 'couenant,' not as of the text, but in an other letter, as to be vnderstood, according to the vulgar Latin, vvhich most sincerely leaueth it out altogether, saying, 'Habuit quidem & prius iustificationes &c.' 'The former also in deede had iustifications &c.' Againe, Ro. 11, vers. 21. They translate not according to the Greek text, 'Tempori seruientes,' 'seruing the time,' vvhich Beza sayth must needes be a corruption: but according to the vulgar Latin, 'Domino seruientes,' 'seruing our Lord.' Againe, Apoc. 11, vers. 2. they translate not the Greeke text, 'Atrium quod intra templum est,' 'the court vvhich is vvithin the temple:' but cleane contrarie, according to the vulgar Latin, vvhich Beza saith is the true reading, 'Atrium quod est foris templum,' 'the court vvhich is vvithout the temple.' Onely in this last place, one English Bible of the yere 1562, folovveth the errour of the Greeke. Againe, 2 Tim. 23 vers. 14. they adde, 'but,' more then is in the Greeke, to make the sense more commodious and easie, according as it is in the vulgar Latin. Againe, Ia. 5, 12. they leaue the Greeke, and folovv the vulgar Latin, saying, 'lest you fall into condemnation.' "I doubt not (saith Beza) but this is the true and sincere reading, and I suspect the corruption in the Greeke came thus &c." It vvere infinite to set dovvne al such places, vvhere the Aduersaries (specially Beza) folovv the old vulgar Latin and the Greeke copie agreable therevnto, condemning the Greeke text that novv is, of corruption.

HARD VVORDES EXPLICATED

The explication of certaine vvordes in this translation, not familiar to the vulgar reader, vvhich might not conueniently be vttered otherwise.

A

Abstracted. Dravven avvay. [James 1:14]
Acquisition. Getting, purchasing. [Eph 1:14]
Aduent. The comming. [Matt 24:27]
Adulterating. Corrupting. [2 Cor 2:17] The Greeke vvord signifieth to
to make commoditie of the vvord of God, as vulgar Vinteners do of their
vvine. Vvhereby is expressed the peculiar trade of al Heretikes, and
exceding proper to the Protestants, that so corrupt Scriptures
by mixture of their ovvne phantasies, by false translations, glosses,
colorable and pleasant commentaries, to deceiue the tast of the simple,
as tauerners and tapsters do, to make their vvines salable by manifold
artificial deceites. The Apostles contrarievvise, as all Catholikes,
deliuer the Scriptures and vtter the vvord of God sincerely and
entirely, in the same sense and sort as the fathers left them to the
Church, interpreting them by the same Spirit by vvhich they vvere
vvritten or spoken.
Agnition. Knovvledge or acknovvledging. [Philemon 1:6]
Allegorie. A Mystical speache, more then the bare letter. [Gal 4:24]
Here vve learne that the holy Scriptures haue beside the litteral
sense, a deeper spiritual and more principal meaning: which is not
only to be taken of the holy vvordes, but of the very factes and
persons reported: both the speaches and the actions being
significatiue ouer and aboue the letter.
Amen. What is it vvhen our Lord saith, Amen, amen? He doth much commend
and vrge the thing he so vttereth, doubling it. Amen in Hebrue
signifieth verum, a truth. [John 8:34]
Anathema. By vse of Scripture is either that vvhich by separation from
profane vse, and by dedication to God, is holy, dreadful, and not
vulgarly to be touched: or contrarievvise, that which is reiected,
seuered or abandoned from God, as cursed and detested, and therfore is
to be auoided. [Rom 9:3]
Archisynagogue. Cheefe gouerner of a Synagogue. [Mark 5:22]
Assist. Signifieth the Angels standing and attending, alvvaies readie
to doe their ministerie. [Luke 1:19]
Assumption. Christs departure out of this vvorld by his death and
Ascension. [Luke 9:51]
Azymes. Vnleauened bread. [Matt 26:17]