What version was the Lincoln Bible that president Barack Obama was sworn to the office?

Probably King James Version. but thats just an assumption

I heard it was the “Pop-up Pictures” version.

Good question. I was wondering the same thing this morning. One thing, I’m sure it’s nothing like the Jeffersonian Bible.

The Holy Bible translation by Oxford.

Yay Google!

From the Lincoln Inaugural Bible:

The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments: translated out of The Original Tongues: and with the former translation diligently compared and revised, by His Majesty’s special command, appointed to be read in churches.

Oxford: Printed at the University Press.

It wasn’t the Koran?

Either that or The Communist Manifesto. har har

KJV is my guess. Were there other versions readily available back then?

The Oxford attribution of this Bible seems to have been the publisher but not the translation. I can’t find evidence of an Oxford translaiton. But this article seems to make it plain that the King James version was really the only one in use until the Revised Version came along in 1885. So KJV seems like a safe bet.

@Jeruba, it definitely wasn’t the old KJV. Here’s a quote from the wiki article on Authorized KJV:

“The 1611 and 1769 texts of the first three verses from I Corinthians 13 are given below.

1. Though I speake with the tongues of men & of Angels, and haue not charity, I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I haue the gift of prophesie, and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge: and though I haue all faith, so that I could remooue mountaines, and haue no charitie, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestowe all my goods to feede the poore, and though I giue my body to bee burned, and haue not charitie, it profiteth me nothing.

1. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

So it was what’s called the Authorized KJV translation ; that is, committees were charged with “retooling” / “fixing up” the KJV translation.

KJV and not RSV. KJV and not New English Bible. KJV and not Douai. Etc. ‘KJV’ referring to a particular translation produced at a known time under a known charge and with an understood designation, and not to a particular edition of the translation. It is understood that various editions contained errors and that the English language has undergone changes since 1611. We are still speaking of a particular rendition in English for which the term ‘KJV’ is an accepted abbreviation.

@Jeruba, um, okay, thanks? I was just being specific by supplying what version of KJV Lincoln’s Bible had.

Sure. I just think the answer to the question is the King James version and not some other version. And you agree, I think?

broadly speaking, yes; though it would have been interesting if he had the un-updated version.