The King James Ve rs ion HowItBecamePopular 1611 ) ANY celebrations were held in England Shortly afterward, in 1535, Miles Coverdale M this year to commemorate the 400th produced his complete English Bible. A year anniversary of the King James version of the before that, Henry VIII broke relations with Bible, otherwise known as the Art Resource, NY Authorized Ver- Rome and also made a strategic move. To sion. These included special TV and radio strengthen his position as head of the Church documentaries, as well as conferences, lec- of England, Henry VIII authorized a transla- tures, and seminars. tion of the Bible into English. It is known as Prince Charles took a lead in celebrating the Great Bible. Printed in 1539, it was a large the national treasure that bears the name volume in heavy Gothic type. of King James I of England. How, though, Puritans and other Protestant exiles from did the King James Version, published in all over Europe settled in Geneva, Switzer- May 1611, attain a unique place in the hearts land. In 1560 the Geneva Bible, the first En- of English-speaking people? glish Bible in easy-to-read type, was pro- Translation Gains Momentum duced, with chapters divided into verses. It was imported to England from continental By the middle of the 16th century, a long- Europe and quickly became popular. Eventu- ing for knowledge of the teachings of the Bi- ally, in 1576, the Geneva Bible was also printed ble had begun to sweep across Europe. Near- in England. Maps and marginal notes helped ly two centuries earlier, about 1380, John clarify its text. But some of its readers were Wycliffe had whetted the appetite of English- speaking people with a translation of the Bi- irritated by its notes because these spoke ble from Latin. In the following two centu- against the papacy. ries, his followers, the Lollards, circulated Meeting a Challenge handwritten Bible texts countrywide. Because the Great Bible failed to gain gen- Bible scholar William Tyndale’s New Testa- eral acceptance and the Geneva Bible con- ment was another milestone. It was translated tained contentious footnotes, a revised Bi- from the original Greek into English by 1525. ble was decided upon. The Great Bible was 22 Awake! December 2011 THE AMERICAN The preface explains this: Itisnotthatthedivine “The American Revisers, name,Jehovah,doesnotap- STANDARD after a careful consideration, pear at all in the King James VERSION were brought to the unani- Version. It does appear in In 1901 the American mous conviction that a four places, namely Exodus Standard Version was pub- Jewish superstition, which 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah lished. It was based on the regarded the Divine Name 12:2; and Isaiah 26:4. The text of the King James Version. as too sacred to be uttered, American Standard Version Its preface states: “We are not ought no longer to dominate of 1901, however, restored insensible to the justly lauded in the English or any other thenametosome7,000ofits beauty and vigor of the style version of the Old Testament, rightful places in the Bible. of the Authorized [King James] as it fortunately does not Version.” Yet, the American in the numerous versions Standard Version made a made by modern missionar- significant adjustment. ies.” 1901 chosen as its basis. The task was entrusted most high and mighty prince, James” ac- to Church of England bishops, and in 1568 knowledged his initiative. As head of the the Bishops’ Bible was published. This was a Church of England, James was seen to be ex- largevolume,repletewithmanyengravings. erting his authority to bring the nation to- But Calvinists, who repudiated religious ti- gether. tles, took exception to the word “bishops.” So the Bishops’ Bible was not generally accepted A Literary Masterpiece in England. The clergy were pleased to receive from the hand of their king a Bible “appointed to be King James I, after ascending the English read in Churches.” However, the question re- throne in 1603, endorsed the making of a mained, How would the nation receive this fresh Bible translation. He stipulated that it new Bible translation? should commend itself to all by omitting any offensive notes or comments. The translators, in their original extended King James promoted the project. Eventu- preface, revealed their apprehensions as to ally, 47 scholars in six separate groups across whether this new translation would be accept- the country prepared sections of the text. ed. However, the King James Version fared MakinguseoftheworkofbothTyndaleand well, even though it took some 30 years for it Coverdale, these Bible scholars basically re- to supplant the Geneva Bible in the affections vised the Bishops’ Bible. However, they also of the people. drew from the Geneva Bible and the Roman “By that time,” says The Bible and the Catholic Rheims New Testament of 1582. Anglo-Saxon People, “it was the Authorized James himself was a respected Bible schol- Version, though its only authorization had ar, and the translation’s dedication to “the been its own excellence.” The Cambridge His- tory of the Bible concludes: “Its text acquired James was born in 1566 and was crowned in 1567 as asanctityproperlyascribableonlytothe JamesVIofScotland.WhenhewascrownedKingJamesIof unmediated voice of God; to multitudes of England in 1603, he became the ruler of both countries. In 1604, he took the title “King of Great Britain.” English-speaking Christians it has seemed Awake! December 2011 23 MEETING A AVALUABLEMODERN SPECIAL NEED TRANSLATION In 1907 a Bible Students Edition of In the past half century, many Bible trans- the King James Version was published lations (some of them printed in numerous in the United States of America for the languages) have been provided. Considered Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. especially valuable by many is the New World It included an extensive appendix called Translation of the Holy Scriptures. More than the “Berean Bible Teachers’ Manual.” 170 million copies have been distributed, Later, Jehovah’s Witnesses printed the in whole or in part, in 100 languages. The King James Version on their own maps, alphabetical index, and appendix in presses. By 1992 the Witnesses had its Reference Edition have helped readers produced 1,858,368 copies. to understand more clearly the Bible’s message for our day. 1907 1961 little less than blasphemy to tamper with the revision of the resulting English Revised Ver- words of the King James Version.” sion was published as the American Standard Version. In a more recent revision, in 1982, To the Ends of the Earth the preface to the Revised Authorised Version The early settlers from England who land- says that effort was made “to maintain that ed in North America brought with them the lyrical quality which is so highly regarded in Geneva Bible. Later, however, the King James the Authorised Version” of 1611. Version gained greater acceptance in Ameri- Although the Bible remains the world’s ca. As the British Empire expanded through- best seller—and the out the world, Protestant missionaries spread King James Version is the most popular one—Professor Rich- its use. Since many who translated the Bible ard G. Moulton observed: “We have done al- into local languages were unfamiliar with Bib- most everything that is possible with these lical Hebrew and Greek, the King James Ver- HebrewandGreekwritings....Wehave sion in English became the basis for these lo- translated them [and] revised the translations cal translations. There is yet one thing left to do with the Today, according to the British Library, Bible: simply to read it.” “The King James, or Authorised, Version of Without question, the King James Version is the Bible remains the most widely published a literary masterpiece, appreciated and valued text in the English language.” Some estimates for its unparalleled beauty of expression. But put the number of copies of the King James what about the importance of its message? Version produced in print worldwide at over The Bible’s inspired writings reveal the last- one billion! ing remedy for the problems of our critical Time for Change times. No matter which version or translation Over the centuries, many have believed you choose to use, Jehovah’s Witnesses will be that the King James Version is the only “true” happy to help you in your study of the Bible. Bible. In 1870, work on a full revision of it See the accompanying box “The American Standard started in England. Later a minor American Version.” 24 Awake! December 2011.