In this episode of “Liana’s Favorite Books,” Dr. Liana Lupas takes you on a tour of two New Testaments published by Robert Estienne, who was also known by his Latin name: Robertus Stephanus.
Estienne was a renowned French academic in the 16th century, but his sympathy for the Protestant Reformation meant that he required the protection of the king of France to safely remain in the country. When the king died, Estienne fled to Geneva.
American Bible Society’s vast Scripture library includes two of Estienne’s Greek New Testaments. The first, published in Paris in 1550, is known as the “kingly edition” for its large size and beautiful script.
The second is Volume I of a two-volume New Testament in Greek, with two Latin translations (the Vulgate and the Erasmus) included. This volume, which was published by Estienne in Geneva in 1551, is significant because it marked the first time that Scripture was divided into verses! Four years later, Estienne published the first Old Testament divided into verses, which is also part of the American Bible Society library.
We hope you enjoy touring these two volumes with Dr. Liana Lupas and learning how Estienne helped give us the Bible format we know today!
