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400 years of the King James Bible

David Williams, Friday 07 October 2011

The story of King James’s Bible – which has had a profound effect on the entire world – is one of intrigue, smuggling and violent death.

In January 1604, Hampton Court was the scene of a decision that would have a profound impact on the religious, political and cultural future of the United Kingdom and many other countries. An ecclesiastical conference, presided over by the new King, James I, decided to produce a new English translation of the Holy Bible.

The King James Version (KJV), or Authorised Version, appeared seven years later, in 1611. Today, 400 years later, it is still read by thousands of people worldwide. In a BBC Television programme earlier this year, Melvyn Bragg said ‘I think that the King James Version not only influenced the English language and its literature more than any other book; it was also the seedbed of Western democracy, the activator of the abolition of the slave trade… its impact has been amazing.’

The KJV was not the first English Bible. John Wycliffe and his ‘Lollard’ followers had produced an English Bible more than 200 years earlier. This was before the days of printing, so every Bible was laboriously copied by hand. The Church of the day opposed the translation of the Bible into English, claiming that if the common people could read it they would misinterpret its teachings. It was only available in Latin, the language of academics, the clergy and diplomats.

In the early 16th century William Tyndale set about translating the Bible into English despite fierce opposition from church and state. He famously told a cleric ‘If God spare my life, ere many years pass I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.’ Tyndale had to flee to the Continent to continue his work, basing his translation on the earliest available Hebrew and Greek manuscripts rather than the Latin version, which was itself a translation. When his English New Testament was published, it was smuggled into England in bales of cloth or secret compartments in barrels and casks. In an effort to stem the tide, the Bishop of London bought all the copies he could and burned them – but this only provided Tyndale with more funds to continue his work and print more. Tyndale was eventually betrayed and in 1536 he was strangled and burnt at the stake as a heretic.

Tyndale’s last words were ‘Lord open the King of England’s eyes’. Three years later Henry VIII, granted a licence for an English Bible to be placed in every church in the realm.

By the time of the Hampton Court Conference there were two rival English Bibles – The popular Geneva Bible and the Bishops Bible, produced by Anglican Bishops.  The Geneva Bible was an English translation produced by Puritans who had fled to Geneva from persecution under Queen Mary (Bloody Mary). The Puritans believed that The Church of England had not gone far enough in rejecting the doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

James welcomed the idea of a new translation because he hated the Geneva Bible which had extensive explanatory notes, some of them challenging the authority of the King. The KJV translators were told that their Bible should be based on the Bishops Bible and should not contain notes. However, the title of the KJV says that it was ‘translated out of the original tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised’. Interestingly, 90% of Tyndale’s words passed into the KJV.

For many people it is the beauty and grandeur of the KJV that sets it apart from all other books. There is a rhythm to the text that is not matched in other translations. Along with the works of William Shakespeare, who died in 1616, it made a major contribution to the shaping of modern English. Many of its phrases have passed into our everyday speech.

Nevertheless, many of its words sound quaint today, or their meaning has changed – Christians are called ‘a peculiar people’ where modern translations have ‘a people belonging to God’.  ‘Certain lewd fellows of the baser sort’ in the KJV is ‘some bad characters’ in modern translations. And the well-known passage on love that is often read at weddings uses the old word ‘charity’ for ‘love’.

Many new translations have appeared in the last 60 years. The most popular is the New International Version published in 1984. A major revision appeared this year.

For Christians, it is not the beauty of the KJV that is important – it is its message. They believe that this is ‘God’s Word’ for people in any age. William Tyndale and the KJV translators believed this and tried to be faithful to the original meaning. So too did the translators of the New International Version and other modern versions.

The King James Version, the New International Version and other modern Bibles are available from re:fresh books & christian resources in Tolworth Broadway, which has a special display featuring the King James Bible. Replica copies of Tyndale’s New Testament, the Geneva Bible and the 1611 KJV are also on sale.

Readings at the National Theatre to mark the 400th anniversary of King James Bible

The National Theatre will be taking part in the 400th anniversary celebrations for the King James Bible. An ensemble of leading NT actors, directed by Nicholas Hytner, James Dacre, Simon Russell Beale, Joseph Paterson and Polly Findlay, will read twelve extracts from the Bible.

Services and lectures at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 400th anniversary of King James Bible

The Law, the Bible, and Politics
5 October, 12 October and 19 October 2011
Three Public Lectures at Westminster Abbey to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

Sixty-Six Books: A unique 12-hour performance at Westminster Abbey
21 October 2011
Produced by the Bush Theatre in collaboration with Westminster Abbey

Handel’s Messiah
29 November 2011
The Choir of Westminster Abbey and St. James’s Baroque

King James Bible Oratorio
13 November 2011
The premiere performance of the King James Bible Oratorio composed and conducted by Howard Goodall takes place during the Evening Service at Westminster Abbey on Sunday 13 November at 6.30pm.

A Service of Celebration to Mark the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible
16 November 2011
In association with the King James Bible Trust

Useful links

David Williams is a Partner at re:fresh books and Christian resources, Tolworth.

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