3. Xurvx(/itin. — Although the Norwegian and Danish Bibles were origin.-dly the same, yet the revisions of later times have maile them different. Since about 1800
the Norwegian Bible, with slightly revised text, was published both by the Norwegian and the British Bible Society. A revision of the New Test, was begun about the year 1871, at the expense and by the authority of the Norwegian Bible Societ}', with the sanction of the chief of the Hoyal Church and Education departments. The changes introduced rarely touch the interpretatiou of the text, but are chiefly intended to express the same sense as before, only in language more conformed to the requirements of modern usage. Of the Old. Test., the Pentateuch, in a revised form, was published in 1876.
4. Swedish. — Aversion of the Scriptures into Swedish is said to have been made in the 14th century by order of St. Brigit, or Bridget, who. about the year 1344, founded the religious order called, from her, the Brigit- tines. A translation of the New Test., according to Luther's German version (the first Swedish version of which we have any definite account), was under- taken, by command of Gustavus Vasa, in 1523, by Lau- rentius Andreas, and printed in 1526, in folio, at Stock- holm, with the title Thet Nyia Testamentit pa Swcn- sko. The first Swedish version of the entire Bible was published at Upsala in 1541, with the Apocrypha, the Old Test, being translated by Laurentius and Olaus Pe- tri from Luther's (ierman version of 1534, and the New Test, was that of Laurentius Andreas, printed in 1526. Another version of the New Test., prepared by Amund Laurent, was published at Stockholm in 1550, and again in 1601 and 1621 ; and in the course of subsequent years several editions of the Psalms were printed. At the commencement of the 17th century, Charles IX ordered Jonas Petri, bishop of Stregnaes, and other learned men, to collate Luther's editions of 1534 and 1545, noting such discrepancies as appeared to them of any impor- tance, with the view of producing an improved edition of the Sw^edish translation. These notes, when com- pleted, were called Observafionts Stregnenses ; and it was decreed in the Synod of Stockholm, in 1602, that they should be incorporated with the old version in a new edition of the Bible. From various causes, this new edition was not published until 1618, when it was printed in folio at Stockholm, with the following title: Biblia thet aer (dl then Helffha Saifft pu Sirensko. Ejj- ter Jvrre Biblieiis Text, oforundrat viedh Forspruk pd the Boeker ther Jurr inge woro, medh Summarier for Capitelen, Marginalier, flere Concoidctntier, s<imt vyt- lighe Furkluringur och Register, etcjormeixtt och ejf'ter then stormdchtigesfe hogborne Forstes och IJerres, Uerr Gustajf Adolffs, Sicerikes Gothes och Weiidts Konvngs, Befulning (tryckt i Stockholm, anno 1618). In 1622 not a copy of this edition remained on sale, and a re- print was therefore issued at Lubeck, followed by sev- eral successive editions at Leyden, and by two editions (in 1636 and 1646) at Stockholm. In 1650 the Stregnaes Bible was printed under the care of bishop Jlatthia, which was executed very negligently. The edition of 1618 was also reprinted several times, but with many de- viations from the text. A revised edition of the entire Bible was undertaken under the reign of Charles XII, which was published in 1703, with the title Biblia thet dr all then Helign Scrifft pd Sirensko, ejfler Konung Carl then Tolftes Befalning (Stockholm, 1703). Another revised edition appeared in 1709 at the same |)lace. The preparation for this edition was begun by John Gezel, bishop of Abo, who died in 1690, but the work was com- pleted and published by his son. In the course of the 18th century so many editions of the Danish Scriptures appeare<l that the coinitry was generally considered well supplied with Bibles. When, however, in 1808, Dr. Patcrson visited the country, the fact was ascertained that the poorer inlial)itants, on account of the high price of Bibles, were almost destitute of the Word of (iod. The consequence was the formation of the Evangelical Society, which issued several editions for the poor, aided by grants from the British and Foreign Bible Society, In 1815 the Swedish Bible Society was formed, which, with its numerous auxiliary societies, continues the im-
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portant work of printing and disseminating the Script- ures. Till \H'2i} it received much assistance from the liritish and F'oreign Bible Society, when the decision of the Apocryphal question in London severed the connec- tion between the two societies. In order to maintain the circulation of Hibles in Sweden without the Apoc- rypha, several editions of tlie Old and New Testaments have been issued by the British and Foreign Bible So- ciety. Their first edition, which was stereotyped, was published in 18"28. The text adopted was that of the last edition of the Swedish Bilile Society. Several edi- tions from the same text have since been printed by the same society in London, and likewise at Stockholm, through the medium of their agency maintained there. A revision of the old text is now under preparation. The total number of copies of Swedish Scriptures issued by the British and Foreign Bible Society up to March 31, 1877, amoinited to 2,59t),2()l, of which 452,879 were Bibles, 1,912,782 New Testaments and New Testaments with the Psalms, 218,G;J0 portions of the Old Test., and 14,950 portions of the New Test.