The King James Bible, the most famous version of the world’s most influential book, was published on this day in history, May 2, 1611.
“The King James, or Authorized, Version of the Bible remains the most widely published text in the English language,” claims the British Library.
Commissioned by King James I of England in 1604, it is famed for its artfully written versions of Old and New Testament tales; its success bringing the Word of God to English-speaking commoners; and its influence on the American colonies.
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“In commissioning the first complete English translation of Christianity’s most sacred book, the King hoped to end protests by the Puritan faction of the Church of England,” the website MapsoftheWorld.com notes.
“The result, beyond simply an authoritative text on which to continue building the national religion, would have far-reaching influence on the language itself.”
A 1616 printed King James Bible translated by James I is shown on display at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 27, 2011. The Folger exhibition, “Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible,” marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The King James Bible was definitively published in 1611, though the actual date of its first release is unknown.
Biblical scholars established May 2 as its most likely date in 2011 during the global celebration of the 400th anniversary of the King James Version.
“The King James, or Authorized, Version of the Bible remains the most widely published text in the English language.” — British Library
King James I proved perhaps the most consequential monarch in the growth of the future United States.
He chartered the Virginia Company, which in 1607 established the first permanent English settlement in the American colonies.
