We as Americans owe much of our rich spiritual heritage to the Geneva Bible — the Scriptures carried by Plymouth Pilgrims and great reformers. Nearly forgotten today, this version of the Holy Scriptures — first translated into English in 1560 — created the conditions for a Christian reformation of life and culture that transformed the world.

In 1553, Bloody Mary’s vicious crusade against the Protestants in England drove scores of reformers to John Calvin’s Geneva. Gathering together, a team of these men produced a new English Bible based on the original languages and not beholden to any king or prelate — the 1560 Geneva Bible. Calvin himself endorsed this translation and would use it in his preaching.

Yet the Geneva Bible’s impact would go far beyond Calvin’s sanctuary, inspiring millions around the globe who championed self-government and civic virtue. Its mighty influence was manifest in the lives of Knox, Cromwell, and Shakespeare. And it was the 1599 Geneva Bible that the Pilgrims read as they arrived in the New World in 1620, deriving principles from its pages that helped lay the foundation-stones of liberty in the Western Hemisphere.

In celebration of John Calvin’s 500th birthday, Vision Forum is pleased to offer the Calvin Legacy Edition 1599 Geneva Bible. Casebound in genuine leather with gold foil stamping, this special edition features a reproduction of an original letter from Calvin, along with a special introduction that highlights his profound legacy of reform. It also contains original cross references, original study notes by reformers, modern spelling, and easy-to-read print. FREE CD-ROM with searchable Bible text, Apocryphal books, and metrical Psalms.