The practice of indicating, by different types, words and phrases which were not in the Original Text, was, it is believed, first introduced by Sebastain Münster, of Basle, in a Latin version of the Old Testament published in 1534.
The English New Testament (published at Geneva, 1557) and the Geneva Bible (1560) "put in that word which, lacking, made the sentence obscure, but set it in such letters as may easily be discerned from the common text." The example was followed and extended in the Bishops' Bible (1568, 1572), and the roman and italic 1 types of these Bibles (as distinguished from the black letter and roman type of previous Bibles) were introduced into the Authorized Version (1611).
The following seem to have been the principles guiding
the translators of the Authorized Version :-
1. To supply the omissions under the Figure Ellipsis, or what they considered to be Ellipsis.
2. To supply the words necessary to give the
sense, when the Figure Zeugma is employed.
3. Once, at least, to indicate a word
or words of doubtful Manuscript authority, 1John 2:23 (first introduced
in Cranmer's Bible-doubtless from the Vulgate). Perhaps also Judges
16:2 and 20:9 .
4. Where the English idiom differs from that
of the Originals, and requires essential words to be added, which are
not necessary in the Hebrew or Greek.
For the use of italic in the Revised Version see
Appendix 7.
The use of large capital letters for certain words
and phrases originated with the Authorized Version. None of the previous
or "former translations" have them.
The revisers abandoned this practice, but have not
been consistent in the plan they substituted for it. In most of the
cases they have used small capital letters instead of the large capitals;
but in three cases (Jeremiah 23:6. Zechariah 3:8; 6:12 )
they have used ordinary roman type.
The use of the large capitals by the translators of
the Authorized Version is destitute of any authority, and merely indicates
the importance which they attached to such words and phrases thus indicated.
The following is a complete list :-
Large capitals in Authorized Version. Small
capitals in Revised Version.
Exodus 3:14. "I am that I am."
Exodus 3:14. "I am."
Exodus 6:3. "Jehovah."
Exodus 28:36; 39:30. "Holiness (Revised
Version "Holy") to the Lord."
Deuteronomy 28:58. "The Lord thy
God."
Psalm 68:4. "Jah."
Psalm 83:18. "Jehovah."
Isaiah 26:4. "Jehovah."
Daniel 5:25-28. "Mene, Mene, Tekel,
Upharsin," (verse 28, "Peres".)
Zechariah 14:20. "Holiness (Revised
Version "Holy") unto the Lord."
Matthew 1:21. "Jesus."
Matthew 1:25. "Jesus."
Matthew 27:37. The inscriptions on the
Cross. Also Mark 15:26. Luke 23:38. John 9:19.
Luke 1:31; 2:21. "Jesus."
Acts 17:23. "To the (Revised Version "an") unknown God."
Revelation 17:5. "Mystery, Babylon
the Great, the Mother of (Revised Version "the") Harlots
and (Revised Version "the") Abominations of the Earth."
Revelation 19:16 . "King
of Kings, and Lord of Lords."
Large capitals in Authorized Version. Small
roman letters in Revised Version.
Jeremiah 23:6. "The Lord our Righteousness."
Zechariah 3:8. "Branch."
Zechariah 6:12 . "Branch."
NOTE 1 The word italic means relating to Italy, and is used of a kind of type dedicated to the States of Italy, by Aldus Manutius, about the year 1500.