How a Typo Changed the Meaning of the Bible — and Cost a Printer His Fortune

How a Typo Changed the Meaning of the Bible — and Cost a Printer His Fortune is a fascinating look into the high stakes of 17th-century publishing.

This article explores the infamous “Wicked Bible” of 1631, an editorial disaster that redefined religious history and financial ruin.

We examine the technical errors, the royal fallout, and why these rare copies remain highly valuable today.

Summary of Contents

• The Scandalous Origin of the Wicked Bible
• How a Typo Changed the Meaning of the Bible and Law
• Why King Charles I Punished the Royal Printers
• What Are the Most Famous Biblical Printing Errors?
• The Technical Reality of 17th-Century Printing Presses
• The Modern Market Value of Historical Typographical Errors

How a Typo Changed the Meaning of the Bible in 1631?

In the quiet workshops of London, Robert Barker and Martin Lucas prepared a new edition of the King James Bible. They were respected figures holding the prestigious “King’s Printer” patent.

Precision was expected, yet a single missing word turned a holy commandment into a license for sin. In Exodus 20:14, the word “not” was omitted, instructing the faithful to commit adultery.

This catastrophic oversight demonstrates how a typo changed the meaning of the Bible and shattered the professional reputation of the men responsible for its distribution.

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Public outrage was immediate once the error was discovered. The Church of England viewed this omission as a blasphemous attack on public morality rather than a simple mechanical failure.

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Why Did the “Wicked Bible” Cause a Financial Ruin?

King Charles I was notoriously protective of his divine right and the integrity of the Anglican Church. He summoned the printers to the High Commission Court for judgment.

The printers faced a massive fine of £300, an astronomical sum in 1631, equivalent to nearly £50,000 in modern currency. This penalty effectively ended Barker’s commercial career.

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The Crown ordered the immediate recall and destruction of approximately 1,000 copies. Only a few escaped the flames, becoming some of the rarest artifacts in the world of bibliophilia.

Beyond the fine, the loss of their printing license was the true death blow. Without the exclusive right to print Bibles, their business model collapsed into total bankruptcy.

What Are the Most Famous Historical Printing Errors?

The 1631 disaster was not an isolated incident in the history of early printing.

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Various editions earned nicknames based on their peculiar and often humorous typographical mistakes.

Bible Edition	Year	Infamous Typo	Resulting Meaning
The Wicked Bible	1631	Omitting “not”	Commanded adultery
The Vinegar Bible	1717	“Vineyard” became “Vinegar”	Parable of the Vinegar
The Murderers’ Bible	1801	“Murmurers” became “Murderers”	Changed the nature of Jude 16
The Fools’ Bible	1763	“No God” became “a God”	Psalm 14:1 read “The fool hath said… there is a God”

Data provided by the Museum of the Bible, which tracks historical scripture variations and their impact on global culture.

Which Technical Factors Led to These Massive Mistakes?

Printing in the 17th century was a grueling, manual process involving thousands of individual lead characters. Each letter was placed upside down and backward into a composing stick.

Typesetters often worked long hours in poorly lit rooms. Fatigue likely played a major role in how a typo changed the meaning of the Bible during this era.

The “Wicked Bible” error specifically happened during the “pulling” phase. Once a page was set, it was difficult to spot missing small words amidst the dense, Gothic blackletter font.

Some historians speculate that the error might have been sabotage. A rival printer could have sneaked into the shop to remove the “not” to steal the King’s patent.

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How Does a Typo Affect the Value of Rare Books Today?

In the world of rare book collecting, a mistake that should have been corrected creates immense scarcity. Scarcity, combined with a scandalous backstory, drives up market demand.

When considering how a typo changed the meaning of the Bible, collectors look at the provenance of surviving copies. Only about 15 editions of the Wicked Bible still exist.

In 2015, a copy of this infamous Bible sold at auction for over $40,000. Institutional libraries and private collectors view these errors as tangible pieces of human fallibility.

The value lies in the “censored” nature of the object. Since the Crown attempted to erase the book from history, every surviving page represents a successful defiance of authority.

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When Did Accuracy Become the Standard for Biblical Printing?

The scandal of 1631 forced the British authorities to implement stricter proofreading protocols. The University Presses of Oxford and Cambridge eventually took over much of the production.

These institutions established rigorous multi-stage checking systems. They recognized that the spiritual authority of the text relied heavily on the mechanical accuracy of the printer’s labor.

Modern digital printing has eliminated the risk of “missing lead,” yet software bugs can still create errors. However, nothing matches the cultural shock of the 1631 adultery commandment.

Today, we appreciate these errors as snapshots of a time when the printed word was a new, powerful, and sometimes dangerously unpredictable medium for spreading ideas.

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Conclusion

The story of the Wicked Bible is a powerful reminder of the weight of words. It illustrates how a typo changed the meaning of the Bible and transformed a successful business into a tragedy.

From the wrath of King Charles I to the high-stakes auctions of the 21st century, these “wicked” pages remain icons of the printing age. They prove that even small mistakes have legacies.

For more information on historical manuscripts and their preservation, you can visit the British Library, which houses some of the world’s most significant typographical rarities.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly was the typo in the Wicked Bible?

The word “not” was omitted from the Seventh Commandment in Exodus. This changed “Thou shalt not commit adultery” into a direct command to engage in the act.

How many copies of the Wicked Bible exist today?

It is estimated that only 15 copies survived the mass burning ordered by the Crown. Most are held in private collections or high-security museum archives worldwide.

Who were the printers responsible for the error?

Robert Barker and Martin Lucas were the printers. Robert Barker was particularly famous for having printed the original 1611 King James Version, making this failure even more shocking.

Was the typo intentional?

There is no definitive proof of sabotage, but the printing industry was highly competitive. Some scholars believe a disgruntled employee or a rival printer intentionally removed the word.

Why is it called the “Wicked Bible”?

The nickname was coined because the error promoted “wicked” behavior. It has remained the standard historical name for this specific 1631 edition of the King James Bible.