The King James Version of the Bible – KJV
There are so many translations of the bible that it is very difficult and confusing to decide which one is the most accurate. There are three criterias to look for in a Bible translation:
- Is it based on the true text of God’s Word?
- Is it an accurate translation of the true text?
- Is it the best translation of the true text available?
The King James Version – KJV (and the New King James – NKJV) of the Bible is the most reliable translation because it fulfilled the above criteria. The King James Bible, so called because it was commissioned by King James I of England (born 1566 A.D., died 1625), and was written in 1611 A.D. It is also known as the Authorized or Common version.
Though four hundred years old, the KJV still remains one of the most popular versions sold. Its Old Testament is based on what is called the Masoretic text, while the New Testament is based on the Textus Receptus. The translation method used is called Formal Equivalence, meaning that the translators attempted to translate the source text they had available, word-for-word, into English.
Forty-seven scholars from the Church of England worked on the translation. The King James Version translators were men of exceptional ability, among the most learned men of that age or of any other, experts in Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, and other ancient languages.
The King James Version was not the first English version based on the Received Text. Before it made its appearance, other versions were published. Tyndale’s Version, Coverdale’s Version, the Great Bible, the Geneva Bible, and the Bishops’ Bible, were some of the versions that appeared in the sixteenth century. They were all based on the true text, and carefully translated; but without any doubt whatsoever the King James Version superseded them all.
Many of the best concordances and other helps are based on the King James Version such as Strong’s Concordance, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, The Englishman’s Hebrew Concordance of Old Testament and The Englishman’s Greek Concordance of New Testament.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
