The Holy Bible published 1611 known as the King James version
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The most famous English translation of the Scriptures began in 1604 at a meeting of bishops at Hampton Court, arranged by James I.
Many
turns of phrase and speech patterns still in use today derive from the
King James Bible: "the apple of his eye", "a labour of love" and "by
the skin of his teeth", to name just three.
At the time of its
publication in 1611, it provided a focal point for the various strands
of the Protestant church to rally around - and when read aloud to
illiterate worshippers it had a dramatic effect on church attendance! Many
more English translations of the Bible have appeared in the centuries
since the King James, but no other has had the impact of the King James. This is the one that has been described as "the
noblest monument of English prose".
FInd out more about the King James Bible...
Biography
Discover how the King James Bible came to be compiled, the troubled history of attempts to produce a standard English translation, and compare the merits of some of the modern rivals to it
Features
We trace the story of the Hampton Court conference that set the KJB in motion, discover how it was printed, compare methods of translation, and talk to author David Crystal about the evolution of the English language. We even try a lucky dip...
