inverbum
Theme

King James Version

Region United Kingdom Language English

Publisher

Commissioned by King James I of England

Date

1611

Click here to read this Bible

Description

The King James Version (KJV), also known as the Authorized Version (AV), is an English translation of the Bible commissioned by King James I and published in 1611. It became the standard English Bible for the Church of England and has had a profound influence on English literature and language.

Key Features

Known for its majestic Jacobean English prose style. It became the most widely printed book in history and profoundly influenced English literature and language.

Historical Information

Created to provide a standard English Bible for the Church of England, aiming to unify religious factions and replace earlier, sometimes contentious, English translations. It drew heavily on previous translations, especially the work of William Tyndale and the Bishops' Bible (1568).

Source Texts

  • Learn More

    Masoretic Text

    Primary source for the Old Testament translation

  • Learn More

    Textus Receptus

    Primary source for the New Testament translation

  • Learn More

    Septuagint

    Used for the Apocrypha (included in the original 1611 edition but often omitted later)

Trustworthiness

Highly regarded for its literary quality and historical significance. While modern scholarship has access to older manuscripts discovered since its publication, the KJV remains valued for its accuracy to the textual traditions it was based on and its cultural impact.