Today is the 451st birthday of King James I! James’ long rule was marked by many noteworthy historical events and literary developments, but perhaps the most important was the Bible translation that he sponsored: the Bible we know today as the King James Version (also known as the King James Bible or KJV).
The King James Version of the Bible continues to be enormously popular around the English-speaking world. For many people, the KJV was the first Bible they encountered (and memorized from) in childhood, and so it exerts a nostalgic pull. But there’s no denying the sheer majesty of its language. While the vocabulary of the KJV can be archaic and difficult at times, it produces some truly beautiful passages. See how it renders Psalm 23, for example:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. — Psalm 23 (AKJV)
The KJV’s influence extends beyond the Christian church; it’s influenced the English language itself. (See a list of common English phrases that originated in the KJV.)
If you normally read a different, modern Bible translation, why not try something different today and revisit the King James Version? You can find the Authorized King James Version at Bible Gateway. You may find it illuminating to read the King James Version alongside your “regular” Bible, which you can easily do using Bible Gateway’s side-by-side Bible view (click here for a quick tutorial). Here’s Genesis 1 in both the King James and New International Versions of the Bible.
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