Search results
2 days ago · King James Bible Online: Authorized King James Version (KJV) of the Bible- the preserved and living Word of God. Includes 1611 KJV and 1769 Cambridge KJV.
- Psalms
Psalms chapter 1 KJV (King James Version) 1 Blessed is the...
- Matthew
Matthew chapter 1 KJV (King James Version) 1 The book of the...
- Bible Trivia Questions
Challenge yourself with thousands of original Bible trivia...
- Hebrews
Hebrews chapter 1 KJV (King James Version) 1 God, who at...
- Genesis
Genesis chapter 1 KJV (King James Version) 1 In the...
- 1 John
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,...
- Verse of The Day
"And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all...
- Revelation
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him,...
- Psalms
Jan 4, 2022 · Answer. The King James Version of the Bible is also called the Authorized Version, because the translation was authorized by King James I of England.
- Overview
- Background
- Preparation and early editions
- Reputation since the early 20th century
King James Version (KJV), English translation of the Bible, published in 1611 under the auspices of King James I of England. The translation had a marked influence on English literary style and was generally accepted as the standard English Bible from the mid-17th to the early 20th century.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603) succeeded in imposing a high degree of uniformity upon the Church of England. Protestantism was reinstated as the official religion of England after the short reign of Mary I (1553–58), who had attempted to restore Roman Catholicism in the country. In 1604, soon after James’s coronation as king of England,...
Given the perceived need for a new authorized translation, James was quick to appreciate the broader value of the proposal and at once made the project his own. By June 30, 1604, James had approved a list of 54 revisers, although extant records show that 47 scholars actually participated. They were organized into six companies, two each working separately at Westminster, Oxford, and Cambridge on sections of the Bible assigned to them. Richard Bancroft (1544–1610), archbishop of Canterbury, served as overseer and established doctrinal conventions for the translators. The new Bible was published in 1611.
Not since the Septuagint—the Greek-language version of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) produced between the 3rd and the 2nd centuries bce—had a translation of the Bible been undertaken under royal sponsorship as a cooperative venture on so grandiose a scale. An elaborate set of rules was contrived to curb individual proclivities and to ensure the translation’s scholarly and nonpartisan character. In contrast to earlier practice, the new version was to use vulgar forms of proper names (e.g., “Jonas” or “Jonah” for the Hebrew “Yonah”), in keeping with its aim to make the Scriptures popular and familiar. The translators used not only extant English-language translations, including the partial translation by William Tyndale (c. 1490–1536), but also Jewish commentaries to guide their work. The wealth of scholarly tools available to the translators made their final choice of rendering an exercise in originality and independent judgment. For this reason, the new version was more faithful to the original languages of the Bible and more scholarly than any of its predecessors. The impact of the original Hebrew upon the revisers was so pronounced that they seem to have made a conscious effort to imitate its rhythm and style in their translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. The literary style of the English New Testament actually turned out to be superior to that of its Greek original.
In the early 20th century the King James Version fell into disfavour among many mainstream Protestant churches, which viewed it as antiquated. Beginning in the middle of the century, they increasingly turned to more-modern translations, such as the Revised Standard Version (1952), the New International Version (1978), and the New Revised Standard Version (1989). The King James Version, however, remained a popular source for the more famous Psalms and for the Gospels.
Are you a student? Get Britannica Premium for only 24.95 - a 67% discount!
Learn More
English-speaking Roman Catholics used an authorized English Bible, the Douai-Reims (1609), which was produced from the Latin Vulgate by English Catholic exiles in France, who also worked from many of the same English sources used by translators of the King James Version. Yet among English Catholics the King James Version was widely accepted from the 18th century; moreover, when the Douai-Reims Bible was updated in the mid-18th century, the translator, Richard Challoner (1691–1781), a convert from Protestantism to Catholicism, largely worked from the King James Version. Both the King James Version and the Douai-Reims Bible were finally supplanted in popularity by the Jerusalem Bible (1966).
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Jun 19, 2017 · The King James Bible, one of the most printed books ever, transformed the English language, coining everyday phrases like “the root of all evil.” But what motivated James to authorize the...
Mar 11, 2011 · King James Bible: Historical Timeline. Many of you know this is the 400 year celebration of the King James Bible. Here’s a timeline of the people, places and events that led up to and include the publication of this great English Bible. 130 B.C.
Nov 15, 2017 · The Museum of the Bible is home to one of two first edition King James Bible New Testaments known to have survived. The Bible, which is bound together with the Book of Common Prayer, dates back to 1611.
People also ask
Where is the King James Bible located?
What is an antique King James Version of the Bible?
What is the King James Version of the Bible called?
Who owns the original King James Bible?
Most of the smaller group, the translators, had already been active in the production of the NKJV, but two eminent New Testament scholars, Dr. Borland and Professor Hodges were invited to join this select group. New King James Bible Review Committee. Dr. Paul Afford ~ President Toccoa Falls College. Dr. Bill Bright ~ President
