Beautiful. Trustworthy. Timeless.

In 1604, at the request of King James I of England, representatives from the Church of England and leading English Puritans gathered together to discuss issues affecting the church in their day. Among those items for consideration was whether God would have them undertake the creation of a new Bible for the English-speaking world. King James approved plans for a new translation, and work began in 1607.

Nearly 50 of the day’s finest scholars, all from the Church of England, were organized into six groups for the task. Using the Bishop’s Bible of 1568 as the basis for this revision, the Old Testament was translated from Hebrew and the New Testament from Greek. The completed work was then peer-reviewed before being sent to bishops and other church leaders for their examination, and ultimately to King James for his approval. 

In 1611, the King James Version Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, was published. Because of the printing technology available at the time, various misprints, variations in spelling, and other inconsistencies were common in early editions. Therefore, subsequent updates were necessary in 1613, 1629, and 1638. But the revisions made at Cambridge in 1762 and at Oxford in 1769 standardized the text, ensuring that the King James Version would remain immensely readable for generations to come.

Today, more than 400 years since its initial publication, the bestselling King James Version Bible continues to inspire, encourage, and strengthen people from all walks of life. The KJV is considered one of the most influential and beautiful works of literature in the English language and continues to be the favorite translation for millions of Christians.