This version was translated from the Greek text of Westcottand Hort by George Swann, a Christian Church pastor in Kentucky. He hadused the Greek New Testament for nearly forty years, often consulting itin sermon preparation. He tried to make the translation as true to theGreek as possible. He was critical of the King JamesVersion translators for having used many words that were not in theGreek. He tried to retain and improve the beautiful rhythm of the King JamesVersion.

Chapters were put into the Bible about 1248 A.D. In 1551,a French printer, Robert Stephen, hastily created the versing while ridinga horse. The result of the latter was cutting through thoughts and sentences.Through experience in Bible study classes the translator found that thechapter and verse system was tedious for reference. He felt that a differentmethod was needed. Therefore, his work was done using only verses, numberedconsecutively from Matthew to Revelation. Each is about four times thelength of the traditional verses. He felt that for four hundred years onlyministers and few others could readily find scriptures.

He has used, usually, one- and two-word headings, which,where feasible, were taken from the text itself. The range on each pageis listed at the top, using the traditional chapters and verse numbers.A partial index is included at the end of the book. Only in Hebrews, Revelation,and a few other places are quotation marks used. Although the Bible looksdifferent, every book and content-arrangement come just as in the KingJames Version.

George Swann (1947)

[Bridwell Library, Perkins Schoolof Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas]