THE Catholicks were not the only Persons who thought themselves obliged to translate the Bible into French, that they who understood neither Greek nor Latin, and much less Hebrew, might be enabled to read the Holy Scriptures. The Protestants likewise have taken this Liberty, for the use of those who are of their Communion. We shall mention them again, in the second Article of the following Part, where we shall speak of the Notes which they have added to their Bibles.
The Geneva Bible, translated into French by Robert Peter Olivetan, and printed in fol. 1535, in the Town and County of Neufchâtel by Peter de Wingle. This is the first Edition published by the Calvinists. It was made after that of the Louvain Doctors, or, if they will have it so, of James le Fevre of Estaples, printed at Antwerp by Martin l’Empereur, in 1534. See the Dictionary upon the Article French Bibles, and what we have said above, in the Article of James Fevre of Estaples’s Bible. Robert Peter Olivitan, or Olivetan, the Author of this Translation, was of Picardy, and related to Calvin. He was a Calvinist Minister in the Vallies of Piedmont, and died in 1538. If we believe Beza he understood three Languages, whereof Hebrew was one: But his Knowledge of it was not very deep, as we may judge by his bad Translation.
The French Bible, in 4to. Lugd. 1545. The Geneva Bible has been frequently reprinted, and it is entirely copied from the first Bibles published by the Catholicks.
Sebastian Chaetillon’s French Bible, whereof the Old Testament is translated from the Hebrew, and the New from the Greek, with a Dedication to Henry II. King of France, in fol. at Basil, John Hervage, 1555. See what we have said of it in the Dictionary.
The French Bible, with large Notes, and Nicholas des Gallars’s Epistle, in fol. Geneva, 1552, and often elsewhere.
Santes Pagninus’s Latin Bible, and the French Bible of Geneva, printed at Lyons several times, in 1560, -71, -75, and at Geneva in 1568, &c.
The Latin Version by Pagninus, who always was a very good Catholick, has been so much approved by Protestants, that they have, as it were, appropriated it to themselves, and published very many Editions of it.
The French Bible of Geneva, corrected from the Hebrew and the Greek, with Prints, Marginal Notes, &c. in fol. in 4to. and in 8vo. Genev. 1588, 1591, &c.
The French Bible, translated from the Hebrew and the Greek by John Diodati, in fol. at Geneva, for Peter Chouet, 1644. It has been very much esteemed among Protestants, and still at this Day they make use of it. The Author sometimes paraphrases, that he may be the better understood. See the Dictionary.
The Geneva Bible, commonly called Desmaretz’s, two Vols. in fol. at Amsterdam, by Daniel Elzevir, 1669. To this Version many Notes are added, taken from Diodati, and other Protestant Divines. The Impression is beautiful and magnificent, but not very correct. The Version is Olivetan’s, but revised, and copied from that of Charenton, made in 1652, by Peter Deshayes, in three Vols. in 12mo. which Samuel Desmaretz says is the most correct of all.
The Geneva Bible revised and corrected by David Martin, who has also added Critical and Theological Annotations, two Vols. in fol. at Amsterdam, 1707.
The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testament, revised and corrected from the Hebrew and Greek Text, by the Pastors and Professors of the Church of Geneva, with new Arguments and Reflections upon every Chapter of the Holy Scripture, by J. F. Osterwald, Pastor of the Church of Neufchatel, at Amsterd. and Roterd. 1724.
The New Testament in French, from James le Fevre of Estaples’s Version, received by the Calvinists, printed in 1534, and afterwards revised by Olivetan and Calvin, printed in 1535.
The New Testament in French, translated by Stephen Dolet. This Book appeared about the Year 1546. for the Author was burnt at Paris, the 3d of August in the same Year, for his impious Opinions touching Religion. He was of Orleans, and a Printer at Lyons.
The New Testament in French, revised and corrected by John Calvin and Theodore de Beze, in 12mo. 1560. The same, with Nicholas des Gallars’s Notes, at Geneva, 1561, and 1562. The same again, with Augustin Marlorat’s Notes, in 1564, -65, &c.
The New Testament in French, with David Martin’s Notes, in 4to. at Utrecht, 1696.
The New Testament in French, translated from the Greek by M. le Clerc, with Notes of his own making, two Vols. in 4to. at Amsterdam, for Louis de Lorme, 1703. This Edition was suppressed by Order of the States-General, and prohibited in the Territories of Prussia, by the Direction of the Consistory at Berlin, as a Work that might establish the Errors of Sabellius and Socinus. This we learn from M. Bayle, in his Discourses, printed against M. le Clerc, in 1707, which however is confuted by M. le Clerc himself, in his Bibliotheque ancienne & modernne, tom. 19. p. 130. He was concerned in Interest and Honour to defend himself upon this Occasion: But he will never prevent People’s believing that his Version is liable to great Suspicions, not to say that it is dangerous.
Beausobre and L’Enfant have published a new Translation from the Greek of the New Testament, together with Literal Annotations, at Amsterdam, 1718, 2 Vols. in 4to. the large Paper. The Preface of the first Tome contains 308 Pages, and may serve for an Introduction to the Holy Scripture, and an Abridgment of the Jewish Antiquities; it is written by l’Enfant: The second is by Beausobre, on St. Paul’s Epistles, and contains but 38 Pages.