Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
Elvis Presley’s personal Bible is being auctioned off, with a starting bid of $30,000. The Bible, which was on his nightstand the night he died, has Elvis’s name embossed on the cover and several verses underlined. It also includes a letter from his cousin, Patsy Presley.
“Shortly after Elvis’ passing, my uncle Vernon (Elvis’ dad) and I went up into Elvis’ bedroom at Graceland to organize and pack many of his personal belongings,” the letter reads. “This Holy Bible was one of three that Elvis had on his night table. After packing them Uncle Vernon had me take them home for safekeeping and eventually gave them to me.”
The front cover includes “Elvis Aaron Presley” embossed in gold, and the inner content contains a “large amount of book marked pages and underlined passages that seemingly spoke to Elvis,” according to the auction company.
Among the verses highlighted by Elvis is Job 31:24-26: “If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand has gotten much; If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness.”
Presley also highlighted Genesis 1:31: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” and Isaiah 29:19: “The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.”
Presley’s Christian faith played a key role in his life and was a focus of the 2022 film “Elvis,” which depicts him late in life demanding that TV executives allow him to sing gospel music during a special. He won a Grammy for a live performance of “How Great Thou Art.”
In “The Faith of Elvis,” Billy Stanley recounted Elvis’ life and abiding belief in Jesus and heaven, which has been kept from public view until now. Though the King of Rock and Roll struggled with addiction and with his notorious playboy image, Stanley reveals that the true Elvis was deeply committed to ensuring his family and his fans knew the true King, Jesus Christ.
“Behind the glitz and glamour, beyond the movies and millions of records sold, is a man driven by his faith in God,” Stanely said in 2023.
As for the bible, it is renewing interest in Elvis once again.
“It is well known that Elvis was an avid reader and a deeply spiritual man,” an auction spokesperson said. “Of all of Elvis’ Bibles sold over the years, this particular book has a truly touching story and fantastic provenance.”
–Dwight Widaman | Metro Voice
