The King James Bible (KJV) and the King James Bible (KJB), and the Authorized Version, is an English translation of the Christian Bible for the Church of England, commissioned in 1604 and published in 1611 by the sponsorship of King James VI and I. The 80 books of the King James Version include 39 books of the Old Testament, an intertestamental section containing 14 books of what Protestants consider the Apocrypha, and 27 books of the New Testament. Noted for its “majesty of style,” the King James Version has been described as one of the most important books in English culture and a driving force in the shaping of the English-speaking world.
THE TRANSLATORS TO THE READER: Preface to the King James Version, 1611
The 1611 KJV translators said in the 1611 Preface that they revised the 16th century English Bible trying to make advancements on the English Bible and that when new manuscripts were discovered, and a better understanding of the Hebrew and Greek happened, they expected that there would be an improved English Bible.
The King James Only Movement
The King James Only movement asserts that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is superior to all other translations of the Bible.
The King James ONLY Movement (KJV Onlyists)
The King James Only movement asserts that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is superior to all other translations of the Bible. Adherents of the King James Only movement believe that the KJV is the greatest English translation ever produced, needing no further improvements, and they also believe that all other English translations which were produced after the KJV are corrupt. Is this true?
PREPARING THE WAY: Ancient Versions and the English Bibles before the 1611 King James Version
THERE are three great Book-religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Other religions have their sacred writings, but they do not hold them in the same regard as do these three. Buddhism and Confucianism count their books rather records of their faith than rules for it, history rather than authoritative sources of belief. The three great Book-religions yield a measure of authority to their sacred books which would be utterly foreign to the thought of other faiths.
1611 Preface to the King James Version
Below is the original essay prefixed to the King James Version in the edition of 1611, in which the translators defend their version against criticisms they expected to be brought against it.
Light to Better Understanding the Bible
Amazing discoveries have brought to light the better-understood Bible. How can you discover this Bible for yourself?
Why Have Modern Bible Translations Removed Words, Phrases, Sentences, Even Whole Verses?
As some Christians have been studying their King James Version and comparing it to other modern translations, they have discovered that in the King James Version there are verses that these other translators removed, such as our Luke 17:36 under discussion herein, as well as Matthew 18:11; 23:14 that we discussed earlier this week, and...
GREEK NEW TESTAMENT TEXT: Copyists Attempted to Preserved God’s Word [100 A.D.-1500 A.D.] Textual Scholars Restored God’s Word [1500 A.D. – Present]
IS IT TRUE OR FALSE THAT the Bible has been handed down through the ages without alteration?
IS IT TRUE OR FALSE THAT the hundreds of thousands of variations in Bible manuscripts weaken its claim that it is the Word of God?
KING JAMES VERSION: Read the Bible to Understand It
Above All Acquire Wisdom Proverbs 4:7 Updated American Standard Version (UASV) 7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Acquire wisdom, and with all you acquire, acquire understanding. The beginning of wisdom is this: Acquire wisdom: Here the Hebrew has two detached phrases that are literally “the first thing of wisdom” and “get wisdom.” Here King David... Continue Reading →