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![John of Crete Gospels]()
This manuscript contains the Gospels, Eusebian Canon Tables and portraits of the Evangelists. Each Gospel begins with a folio written with gold-over-magenta. Similar to other eastern Mediterranean and Palestinian Gospel manuscripts, it was copied in 1156 for the John of Crete, Archbishop of Cyprus.![Spanish Inquisition Torah Scroll]()
This Sephardic Scroll is written on gvil, a specially processed skin. It was produced in Northern Spain during the thirteenth century Spanish Inquisition, a period of persecution Jews that resulted in their expulsion from the region. Few scrolls survived this period.![Karaite Former and Later Prophets]()
This is a rare Byzantine Hebrew biblical manuscript containing Joshua through Malachi. Dating to the 11th century, it was likely composed by Karaites, members of a Jewish sect with a strong interest in the Scripture.![Federigo de Venezia, Commentary on the Apocalypse]()
This is one of the earliest-known works that has a vernacular translation of Scripture in Italian. Dating back to 1420, this commentary on the Apocalypse or Revelation by a Dominican named Federigo de Venezia. It examines the text and grammar of the Apocalypse and was translated into Greek likely in Candia, the main town of the Venetian colony on Crete..![Ethiopic Gospels]()
This 13th century Ancient Ethiopian Gospel book contains a colophon indicating it was commissioned by a woman and dedicated to her daughter. The Gospel book illustrates female literacy and readership of Scripture as well as a mother's desire that her daughter have the privilege to own, cherish and read the Gospels.![Blockbook Apocalypse]()
Considered the finest and earliest of the blockbooks, before the Gutenberg Bible, only fifteen complete copies of this 1463 German edition are recorded. The scenes are colored by hand. Blockbooks were sometimes thought to teach the Bible in pictures but some think it more likely they were made for well-off individuals.![Biblia Pauperum]()
The pages from this near-complete blockbook were printed from single carved blocks containing the first edition of this popular work, written in Latin. This method of printing was before Gutenberg's moveable typeset printing and even continued to be used after Gutenberg's innovation. Blockbooks allowed for the first printing on demand, because the page did not need to be composited and they allowed printers to combine the text and image.![Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John with Canon Tables:]()
The largest surviving fragment of an early Armenian Gospel, it dates back to 1040. Few Armenian manuscripts exist from before this none pre-date the mid-ninth century. Armenian illuminated manuscripts are among the most richly lavished screen fold books of the Christian Church. The Eusebian Canon Tables provide a cross-reference system for the Gospels and are commonly well decorated.![Book of Psalms]()
A 1631 metrical translation, it is believed to have been done by King James with the assistance of his clerical advisors.![Greek Gospel]()
One of the smallest Greek gospels and one of the earliest written in this script, it was commissioned by and for a non-cleric.![New Testament]()
This hand-colored and gilded edition of Luther's German translation of the New Testament was published two years after the first edition. Evidence also shows that it was commissioned by a person of nobility.![Scroll Cover]()
Here is a decorative cover of an early Esther or Megillah Scroll, dating to the 16c. It was likely used in the synagogue for the Feast of Purim and surviving the Nazi Holocaust.![Blockbook]()
One of two surviving copies of this block book, "The Antichrist and the 15 Signs of Doomsday," produced in Germany with an accompanying German text.![Genesis]()
A fragment of one of the earliest surviving texts of the Bible from the Book of Genesis, from the Dead Sea Scrolls.![Torah]()
A complete Torah scroll, composed in northern Spain and dating to the time of the Spanish Inquisition![The Matthias Bible]()
This richly illuminated Latin Bible contains contemporary notes of great interest. A scribe who escaped from Prague when it fell to the Hussites copied the manuscript.![William Tyndale, New Testament]()
This undocumented Tyndale New Testament dates to just prior to his 1535 execution. Each book is preceded by chapter summaries and followed by a biographical sketch of the author. The first complete edition appeared in 1526 and was fully revised in 1534, but only a few copies of each remain.![Khabouris New Testament Codex]()
According to the colophon of this important version of the New Testament, it was copied in Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, from a now-lost manuscript which may have dated to the second century CE. It even has the authenticating seal and signature of the Bishop of Nineveh. Carbon-dating indicates that the copy was made in the eleventh century and is one of the earliest-known, complete Peshitta manuscripts.![Codex Climaci Rescriptus]()
Scholars have uncovered this earliest surviving New Testament written in Palestinian Aramaic - the language used in Jesus' household - found on recycled parchment under a layer in this rare manuscript.They did this using a new technology developed by The Green Collection in collaboration with Oxford University.![Gospel of St. John]()
This half page was once part a codex that contained the Gospel of St. John. It is one of the earliest-known texts of that Gospel dating to the late-second or early third century. It is believed to be composed by a professional scribe in the city of Alexandria. It has the earliest-known page number, which has proved useful for researchers.![Bodmer Papyrus Codex XXIV]()
The papyrus codex containing this leaf is the earliest, near-complete Greek codex of Psalms. Seen here is a passage from Psalms 109-110, that speaks of deliverance from evil.![King James Bible]()
This extremely rare octavo edition of the New Testament was clearly intended for popular use and very few have survived.![Steve Green]()
Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby, one of the world's largest privately owned arts and crafts retailers, and founder of The Green Collection.![Passages]()
Passages, the 14,000-square-foot, interactive, non-sectarian traveling exhibition in Hobby Lobby’s hometown of Oklahoma City, at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art May 16-Oct. 16 of 2011.![Carroll and Green]()
Dr. Scott Carroll and Steve Green at the Vatican Embassy - Public Debut of The Green Collection Photo Gallery on March 31, 2011The Green Collection: Rare Biblical Artifacts
Steve Green's collection includes more than 44,000 pieces, including cuneiform tablet, pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls and rare illuminated manuscripts. "Scroll" through for more images.
Move Forward
- The Green Collection: Rare Biblical Artifacts
