<P> All of the foregoing examples as provided by Shaheen suggest that Shakespeare was well - acquainted with the Bible and its various themes via individual verses spread throughout its various chapters enough so that he could easily expand upon any said theme with his own continuation of such verses . </P> <P> R.A.L. Burnet states: "(A) s Professor E.P. Dickie has pointed out to me, words found in the margin (of the Geneva Bible) will not have circulated very readily nor become proverbial sayings . Shakespeare would not have heard these words either in church or in conversation; he could only have read them ." </P> <P> Although Naseeb Shaheen's important study calls attention to three references to the Rheims translation of the New Testament, it overlooks a number of other allusions or correspondences . For example, Matthew 3.2 is translated in the Tyndale, Geneva, Great and Bishops' translations as "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," but in the Rheims translation it is "Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ." This significant difference in translation, of importance for the Catholic sacrament of penance and the theological notion of satisfaction for sins, occurs numerous times in the Rheims New Testament and nineteen times in Shakespeare's plays . There are some seventy other possible references, according to David Beauregard </P>

Let never day nor night unhallowed pass but still remember what the lord hath done