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About the KJV
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The King James Version (KJV)

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.

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The King James Study Bible, Full-Color Edition: Large Print, Red Letter, Burgundy Leathersoft

Regular Price $64.99

Our Price $44.99

The King James Study Bible, Full-Color Edition is the most complete and comprehensive KJV study Bible available. Comprehensive book introductions, doctrinal articles, study notes, commentaries, personality profiles, word studies, and archaeological insights will help you experience the riches of God s Word. The full-color design, Holy Land images, classic works of art, charts, and maps further enhance your Bible reading experience. With all these features, plus special subject indexes, Christ s words in red, and an extensive concordance, no other KJV Bible offers more to students of the Holy Bible.

Features include:

Time-honored KJV Bible text
Center-column references with translation notes
Beautiful full-color pages and features
Hundreds of full-color maps, images, and charts
5,700 authoritative and time-tested study notes
Over 100 archaeological notes
Over 100 Personality Profiles highlighting important figures in Scripture
More than 200 notes on important Christian doctrines
Book introductions and outlines
Indexes and word-study concordance

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The King James Study Bible, Hardcover, Full-Color Edition

Regular Price $44.99

Our Price $36.99

Features include:

Time-honored KJV Bible text
Center-column references with translation notes
Beautiful full-color pages and features
Hundreds of full-color maps, images, and charts
5,700 authoritative and time-tested study notes
Over 100 archaeological notes
Over 100 Personality Profiles highlighting important figures in Scripture
More than 200 notes on important Christian doctrines
Book introductions and outlines
Indexes and word-study concordance

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The King James Study Bible, Bonded Leather, Brown, Indexed, Full-Color Edition

Regular Price $74.99

Our Price $65.99

Features include:

Time-honored KJV Bible text
Center-column references with translation notes
Beautiful full-color pages and features
Hundreds of full-color maps, images, and charts
5,700 authoritative and time-tested study notes
Over 100 archaeological notes
Over 100 Personality Profiles highlighting important figures in Scripture
More than 200 notes on important Christian doctrines
Book introductions and outlines
Indexes and word-study concordance

Discover More

The King James Study Bible, Black Genuine Leather, Thumb-Indexed, Red Letter, Large Print, Full-Color Edition

Regular Price $119.99

Our Price $105.59

Features include:

Time-honored KJV Bible text
Center-column references with translation notes
Beautiful full-color pages and features
Easy-to-read 10-pt type large print
Hundreds of full-color maps, images, and charts
5,700 authoritative and time-tested study notes
Over 100 archaeological notes
Over 100 Personality Profiles highlighting important figures in Scripture
More than 200 notes on important Christian doctrines
Book introductions and outlines
Indexes and word-study concordance

KJV in Comparison to Other Translations

Verse

KJV

NKJV

MEV

ESV

Gen. 4:1

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the Lord."

Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived, gave birth to Cain and said, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord."

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord."

1 Pet. 1:1-2

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the refugees scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification by the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Rom. 10:9

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

[T]hat if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

[B]ecause, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the King James version come about?
James VI of Scotland took over the English throne from the Tudors in A.D. 1603. He was promptly crowned King James I of England. At that time, the number of English translations of the Bible caused disunity in the kingdom.

In January of 1604, James I called a conference of theologians and churchmen at Hampton Court in order to hear and then resolve things that were amiss in the church. He sought to deal with ecclesiastical grievances of all sorts. A number of those present pressed the new king for a new translation—one that would take the place of both the Geneva Bible and the Bishops' Bible (so named because a group of Anglican bishops revised it), as well as thwart the Catholic challenge symbolized by the Douai-Rheims Bible. The actual proposal for a new translation came from a Puritan, Dr. John Reynolds, president of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. King James I was agreeable to the proposal.
What is the Translation Philosophy and Procedure?
The KJV is a word-for-word translation—though, many would say, not unbendingly so. In producing this translation, there were six panels of translators appointed by King James I, two meeting at Oxford, two at Cambridge, and two at Westminster. A total of 54 translators were involved in the project, and began their work in 1604. Of these six panels, two oversaw the translation of the New Testament, three oversaw the translation of the Old Testament, and one oversaw the translation of the Apocrypha. The six groups worked separately, and once their work was complete, it was sent to the other panels for comment and revision. The chief members of the six panels then met to make final decisions on all suggested revisions.

The translation procedure was based upon fifteen rules that were given to the team of 54 translators. For instance, the first rule states: "The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, [was] to be followed, and as little altered as the truth of the original will permit." The sixth rule stipulates that no marginal notes be affixed "but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words, which cannot without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed in the text." All 54 translators adhered to all fifteen rules.
What was the goal of the translators?
The original Preface of the KJV tells us that the goal of the translation team was not to make "a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one... but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones one principal good one." So, dependence on the work of previous translators is acknowledged. The original title page of the KJV even states that it was made "with the former translations diligently compared and revised."
How is the 1611 version different from the KJV Bible today?
Since its initial publication, the King James Version has undergone three revisions, incorporating more than 100,000 changes. The most careful and comprehensive revision was published in 1769. The KJV is well known for its archaic language, using such terms as Thee, Thou, and ye, and verbs often ending in "-eth" and "-est" (loveth and doest). This is one reason some love the KJV. The language seems so elegant.