Understanding and Using the “Authorized” King James Version (KJV) of the Bible

By Jim Craft, Copyright 2003
 

The Bible has been the most influential book in United States history.  While not all European settlers came to this country seeking religious freedom, Christianity and the Bible, which orthodox Christians view as authoritative, has been the foundation of our government, law, and our view of natural human rights.  The Mayflower Compact of 1620, perhaps the earliest political document in North America shows this clearly:

 

IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith , &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first Colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually, in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. IN WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.

 

In the American Civil War and throughout much of United States history, “the translation” of the Bible used was the “King James Version,” or KJV, commissioned by King James the first of England.  (In 1609, Gregory Martin translated the Latin Vulgate for the first Roman Catholic English version, the Douai-Rheims Bible, but it was not widely used).  The KJV was carried into battle and read to comfort families at home.  Its words changed our history.  The KJV was quoted by American statesman, military leaders, abolitionists, and slaveholders of the 19th century.  For example, on June 16, 1858 upon his selection to be the Republican presidential candidate against Democrat candidate Stephen Douglas, Abraham Lincoln gave his famous speech that included the well-known lines, "A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”  Lincoln was referring to Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:25 of the KJV, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand."

 

The 1611 KJV itself sprang from political and religious turmoil.  When James the First became king of England in 1603, he found the Anglican Church divided between those who were happy with Church traditions drawn from Roman Catholic usage and ardent reformers (including the writers of the Mayflower Compact) who sought to “purify” out any “Papist” influences.  Both sides appealed to the King for support.  England was just thirty-nine years away from a bloody war between the forces of Parliament and the King Charles the First. In many ways the English Civil War, with the cry “No King but Jesus”, foreshadowed the American Revolution. 

 

In October, 1603, King James called for a conference at Hampton Court Palace, in the coming January, "for hearing and for the determining things pretended to be amiss in the Church." This Conference failed to resolve the major issues, but on the conference’s second day, Dr. John Reynolds, President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, suggested to the king, that a new English version of the Bible be commissioned, because of the many errors in the “Bishop’s Bible”, used in official Church functions, and the Geneva Bible favored by the reformers (including the Plymouth Colonists).   After some political maneuvering to placate the factions, King James commissioned the translation.  King James’ main intent may have been to eliminate the use of the marginal notes found in the Geneva Bible, many penned by Calvin himself, and considered “inflammatory.” 

 

The King, claiming poverty, did not fund the effort but rather depended on voluntary contributions from bishops and others. The king later did reward the translators by bestowing positions and ecclesiastical promotions.  King James appointed of fifty-four scholars, stating, "our said translation may have the help and furtherance of all our principal learned men within this our kingdom," and instructed the translators as follows:

1.     The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, is to be followed, and as little altered as the original will permit.

2.     The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names in the text, are to be retained, as near as may be, accordingly as they are vulgarly (or commonly) used.

3.     The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, as the word church, are not to be translated congregation.

4.     When any word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most eminent fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the analogies of faith.

5.     The division of chapters to be altered either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity so require.

6.     No marginal notes at all to 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.

7.     Such quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit reference of one Scripture to another.

8.     Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter or chapters; and, having translated or amended them severally by himself where he thinks good, all to meet together to confirm what they have done, and agree for their part what shall stand.

9.     As any one company hath dispatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously; for his Majesty is very careful on this point.

10.            If any company, upon the review of the book so sent, shall doubt or differ upon any places, to send them word thereof, to note the places, and therewithal to send their reasons; to which if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general meeting, which is to be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work.

11.            When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority to send to any learned man in the land for his judgment of such a place.

12.            Letters to be sent from every bishop to the rest of his clergy, admonishing them of this translation in hand, and to move and charge as many as, being skillful in the tongues, have taken pains in that kind, to send their particular observations to the company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford, according as it was directed before in the king's letter to the archbishop.

13.            The directors in each company to be the Deans of Westminster and Chester, for Westminster, and the king's professors in Hebrew and Greek in the two universities.

14.            These translations to be used, when they agree better with the text than the Bishops' Bible: Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Matthew's [Rogers'], Whitchurch's [Cranmer's], Geneva."

15.            By a later rule, "three or four of the most ancient and grave divines, in either of the universities, not employed in translating, to be assigned to be overseers of the translation, for the better observation of the fourth rule."

 

Only forty-seven of the men appointed for this work are known to have engaged in it. These were divided into six companies: two each meeting at Oxford, Westminster, and Cambridge. The first Westminster company (ten in number), was assigned the Old Testament as far as 2 Kings; the second (seven in number) had the Epistles. The first Cambridge company (eight scholars) had 2 Chronicles to Ecclesiastes; the second (seven) had the Apocryphal books.  The first Oxford company (seven) were assigned the prophetical books, from Isaiah to Malachi; and the second (eight) were given the four Gospels, the Acts and the Apocalypse, or Revelation.

 

The translators used Greek texts commonly referred to as the Textus Receptus dedicated to Pope Leo the tenth, the work of a Dutch Roman Catholic priest, Desiderius Erasmus and based on texts rescued from the fall of Constantinople.  Erasmus’ Greek New Testament was first published in 1516.  While Erasmus’ work was initially done in haste, suffered from a limited number of manuscripts, and was modified in later editions under direction of the Roman Catholic Church, it was the best Greek text available to the Protestant translators of the time.  With much prayer, the translators weighing the Textus Receptus with orthodox Anglican Church traditions, the Latin Vulgate, and earlier English translations.  The translators sent their finished manuscripts (last seen in 1655) to London where two scholars from each University, gave it a final revision.   The KJV was released in a folio volume printed in black letter, the full title as follows:

"The | HOLY | BIBLE, | Conteyning the Old Testament, | AND THE NEW, | Newly Translated out of the Original | tongues: & with the former Translations | diligently compared and revised by his | Maiesties special Comandement. | Appointed to be read in Churches | Imprinted at London by Robert | Barker, Printer to the Kings | most excellent Maiestie | Anno Dom. 1611."

 

While the KJV sometimes called the "Authorized Version,” it was never was actually authorized by royal proclamation, act of Parliament, or by vote of a Church body.  The Geneva Bible, remained in popular use for many years (last printed in 1644) but the KJV had an immediate impact on religious life.  While some of the leading scholars of the day did not like it, the government pushed it.  It was the best English translation to that point and was both poetic in style and written in the common language of the people.  It was a “modern” translation of the 17th century.  Earlier editions of the KJV even had what would be considered “street language” where appropriate.  For example, the KJV's rendering of 1 Samuel 25:34 reads: For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall.  The term “any that pisseth against the wall” was a colorful way to say “any male” and so revised in later editions of the KJV.  Some churches today would be a little uncomfortable with the world “pisseth” though Jesus or the prophets of old would likely not. 

 

The original preface and other statements of the translators clearly show that they never envisioned the KJV as being the ultimate authoritative English language translation, as some who ignore its history now claim it to be, but rather the best effort given the available manuscripts.  Today, while the proper translation to use for Civil War re-enactment, the KJV is not in 21st century language, which was a major goal of King James and the translators.  Many words used in the original KJV are not used today or have taken on different or even opposite meanings, including words such as: chode, gat, habergeon, hosen, kab, ligure, leasing, wimples, ouches, tatches, occurent, purtenance, nusings, mufflers, anathema, corban, ephrata, let, wot, and trow.  There are now translations that benefit from improved Greek scholarship and the availability of older Greek manuscripts found since the Textus Receptus was printed.  The original title page speaks of this version as being "with the former translations diligently compared and revised." In their address to the readers, the translators themselves say: "Truly, we never thought, from the beginning ... that we should need 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."   This statement reflects the intent and belief of many modern translators since 1611.  God’s handiwork is clearly seen in the preservation of the Bible but God uses weak vessels to accomplish his purposes.

 

The KJV was very good but not perfect.  This was shown by the first printings of the KJV Bible, which contained many errors and differences and inconsistencies.  In 1611 there were two folio editions Bible printed. There are some copies extant where the sheets from the two are combined; and some, where the title page of 1611 is prefixed to the later editions. The two editions of 1611 had distinctive titles, though it is said that in some cases these were interchanged; one being a woodcut, which had been used before in the earlier Bishops' Bible, and the other an elegant copperplate. Each of them has distinct errors. For example, one edition has, "Judas" instead of "Jesus" in Matt. 26:36; the other has a part of the verse repeated in Exodus 14:10, making what printers call "a doublet." In Gen. 10: 16, one copy reads the "Amorite," and the other the "Emorite."  One has in Ruth 3:15, "He went into the city;" the other has, "She went into the city." This led to their being designated, the great He Bible, and the great She Bible.  Faithful men have sought to correct these problems.

 

While still calling it the “King James Version” or without labeling it as "revised," the text was edited many times from 1611 to 1769 by various printers, including changes in spelling, changes in punctuation, changes in wording, the removal of the Old Testament Apocrypha, the removal of KJV marginal notes with alternative renderings. In a 1614 edition alone, changes were made in over four hundred places. In 1769 Dr. Benjamin Blayney of Oxford completed one of the most popular revisions that came to be known as "the Authorized Version." Dr. Blayney's 1769 revision is the text most used by publishers today and in the American Civil War.

 

Not withstanding the limitations of the translation, the translators fulfilled their purpose in bringing forth the best scholarship of the time coupled with a masterful use of the common English language.  The KJV was also true to orthodox Christian beliefs.  One of the revisers of the Old Testament Company, the Rev. Dr. Talbot W. Chambers, said of the King James' Version:  "The merits of the Authorized Version, in point of fidelity to the original, are universally acknowledged. No other version, ancient or modern, surpasses it, save, perhaps, the Dutch, which was made subsequently, and profited by the labors of the English translators. But a version may be faithful without being elegant. It may be accurate without adequately representing the riches of the language in which it is made. The glory of the English Bible is that while it conveys the mind of the Spirit with great exactness, it does this in such a way that the book has become the highest existing standard of our noble tongue. Lord Macaulay calls it a stupendous work, which, if everything else in our language should perish, would alone suffice to show the whole extent of its beauty and power."

 

The weaknesses of the men involved and limitations that the translators faced in creating the KJV Bible does not in any way undermine the power and authority of Holy Scripture.  The Holy Spirit is not solely invested in, or limited to, one translation or even one ancient manuscript.  Ignoring translations by individuals and groups that enter into the translation process believing that that the original accounts are somehow tainted by “superstition” (such as President Thomas Jefferson whose own Gospel translation lacked the Virgin Birth, miracles, or Resurrection) or those who are pushing some cultic doctrinal belief, the different versions are essentially in agreement on the essentials of orthodox teaching.  Minor verse-to-verse differences in various translations do not put into question core Christian beliefs as summarized by the Apostles Creed found in the Prayer Book liturgy.  The better translations, such as the New International Version (or even the early printings of the KJV), acknowledge the limitations of the translators and by highlighting alternate renderings, words added to aid understanding, or where the translators believe that later copyists had added passages. 

 

Unlike the doctrinal comments of the Geneva Bible, KJV marginal notes were originally limited to alternate renderings and italicized text was used to show where the translators added words to aid in understand.  The New Testament was originally written in the common, often idiomatic, Greek of everyday life.  It does not always smoothly translate into English.  Modern Greek scholarship involves reviewing Greek manuscripts of the times, including documents of an entirely secular nature, to better understand what the Greek of the first century really meant.  Additionally, many of the best Greek manuscripts of the Bible have become available since King James the First commissioned the forty-seven Anglican KJV scholars.  Some are being found today.

 

The authenticity of historical documents is generally evaluated by answering two questions.  First, “how many original manuscripts are there and where they were found?.” The more manuscripts there are concerning the same story, written at the same time, but in different geographic locations, the greater the probability of the integrity and authenticity of the document.  Second, “what is the time span elapsed from when the purported events happened and when the manuscript was written, to when the first copy was found?”  The shorter the time between the event and the written record, the less opportunity for corruption of the original story by folklore or by falsified copies.  In the case of the New Testament, it is the most trustworthy of ancient texts. 

 

While earliest manuscripts of the histories of Herodotus, Tacitus, or even Caesar’s “Gallic Wars” are few in number and written a thousand years after the originals written, many thousands of early manuscripts of the New Testament, only a few hundred years after the life of Jesus have been found from around the Mediterranean.  Some major portions of manuscripts were written only a hundred and fifty years after the life of Jesus.  From one end of the Mediterranean to the other, from early to late, these manuscripts tell the same story and are in 99 percent agreement.  The books of the Old Testament benefit for the extreme rigor that was applied by Jewish copyist who even today demonstrate an extreme discipline in quality control that has no rival.

 

To some, the Bible is the most hated of books.  Since ancient Rome, dictators, self-assured intellectuals (some within the Christian establishment), hostile religions, and the profligate have sought to destroy or undermine the moral authority of the Bible.  Even today, Communists, Fascists, and Islamic governments have had campaigns to destroy or restrict the Bible.  Despite this war against the Bible, it has spread around the globe with its rich history and its message of hope.  The preservation and spread of the Bible in the face of evil is a great indicator of the power of the Holy Spirit and the sacredness of the text.  There are other evidences of the reliability of Holy Scripture which cannot be examined in this short paper, which include: fulfilled prophecy, internal consistency between books written hundreds of years apart, archeological evidence, logical consistency, and perhaps most importantly to people today, the miraculous power to change lives for the better.

 

But how do we know what should be in the Bible?  The Bible is not just one book but many books jointed together.  This is a critical point in understanding a text that is at times historic, prophetic, poetic, allegorical, and importantly to Christians, directive.  The Bible contains moral law that is the basis of our secular law.

 

The KJV originally had the books of the Apocrypha (which means “hidden,” “secret,” or “profound”) in addition to the 66 books (39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books) found in most KJV versions today.   The make up of the KJV is based on a concept known as the “Canon of Scripture”.  People have choices in what they believe and believing Christians have had some differences in what books of the Bible they thought came inspired or even inerrant (without error) from God.  For example, the famed reformer Martin Luther, did not believe that the Book of James was inspired but rather in error because it differed from his view of the works of grace as opposed to salvation by works (earning your way to heaven).  The canon of scripture are those books that Christians since the third century and across denominational lines have believed to be inerrant and authoritative (Martin Luther not withstanding).  These are the 66 books.  The translators were Anglicans and believed fully in the value and inspired nature of the Apocrypha and so included it in the 1611 KJV.  The subject of the Canon of Scripture is a rich and complex area of study and I recommend the book, “The Canon of Scripture”, by F. F. Bruce for anyone who wishes to explore it.

 

Unfortunately for all of the richness and power of the KJV, most in instances it lies unopened and unused today.  Many a home has the KJV on nightstand covered with dust.  Most of the KJVs placed by the Gideons in hotels that I have seen are in “like new” condition.  Even in the Civil War re-enacting community, I see many reproductions of Civil War pocket New Testaments that after three years of field campaigning look as if they have just been bought new from a sutler.  For the 21st century person the earlier KJV may be hard to comprehend.  So how then should a history student or re-enactor use the KJV today?

 

If you are going to actually read it there are two basic approaches.  One is to read it strictly as a historical or literary document and the second is to treat it as a Holy Book.  While I strongly recommend treating the Bible as Holy, both methods are beneficial.  Many a skeptical scholar has opened the Bible, perhaps to disprove it only to become a believing Christian.  Many powerful governments have sought to destroy the Bible because it truly is powerful.  I close this short paper with some recommendations for using the KJV.  For both approaches the following tips apply:

1.     Get a large print version or make sure that you have glasses needed to read it.  Because of the work and expense in obtaining period reading glasses and the pervasive use of small print KJV Bibles, many re-enactors find it painful to read the Bibles that they carry to be “authentic.”  For a small unit, it may be better to have someone in the unit carry one KJV with larger print and take turns reading it rather than a dozen small New Testaments that no one can read.  A larger bible would also have the Old Testament.

2.     Spend time listening to the rhythm and pronunciation of the KJV.  The 1611 or even 1789 English is really different than the mass media, homogenized English of today.  Only repeated exposure to it will allow you to handle it well.  One easy way to become familiar with the KJV is to buy audio tapes or CDs and play them in your car as you commute or travel to an event.  Another great way to learn the KJV is to take turns reading it aloud around the camp or in a living history situation.  The KJV was often read aloud in the Civil War era that was without radios, TVs, recorded music, etc.

3.     Learn the meaning of the KJV language by referring to commentaries or by comparing it to good modern translations.  The major danger here is that so many people and organizations have sought to twist the meaning of Holy Scripture to support their personal views or to discredit the Bible that you may find yourself lead astray by deceptive arguments.  One defense is to hold fast to the Apostles’ Creed as you read the KJV.  The early Christian creedal statements, such as the Apostles’ Creed were developed to help protect the message of the Gospels from being distorted.  Even when reviewing the Bible as a historic or literary document, it should be considered in light of the belief structure that sprung out of.

 

If you wish to completely understand or re-create the history that the KJV is a part of then it really must be approached as a Holy Book.  I believe that to do so will also move you from spiritual death to abundant life.  If you choose to walk this road less traveled, I recommend the following:

1.     Begin with prayer.  Since the beginning of recorded history man has approached the sacred by prayer or speaking to the Holy.  If you believe in Jesus, pray that he would send the Holy Spirit to guide your study.  Before His death on the cross and later resurrection, Jesus promised (John 15:26) He would send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to His followers, that would guide them into ALL truth. (John 16:13). Jesus said, ‘The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’  (John 14:26).  If you don’t believe in Jesus, then pray to God to guide you and to reveal the truth about Jesus.  If you don’t believe in God (atheist or agnostic) then apply the scientific method and ask God to reveal Himself.  There are also many resources available that cover the area known as Christian Apologetics, which deals with the “proofs” of Christianity.  Like translations, they depend on the work of frail people.  In the end, you will choose what you want to believe.  Good Christian Apologetics will help you see the choices more clearly.

2.     Use a good commentary and a good modern translation.  The bible commends those who search for truth and even question what is true with the goal of not being deceived.  As the KJV translators used different translations, including the Roman Catholic Vulgate, we also should be open to comparing different translations.  Good commentaries can put verses in perspective.

3.     Use the Bible to interpret itself.  It is dangerous to base a belief on one verse alone, regardless of how clear it may appear.  When God has something to say that he thought was important, He did not say it only once but repeated it many times (as I have done with my children).  In many cases, the Bible will actually say this means that such as when Jesus explained parables to his disciples (Matthew 13:10-17).

4.     Ask key questions when you read it.  These are questions that many history or English professors would have students ask.  Who is the passage addressed to?  What type of writing is it (historical, poetry, instruction)?  How does it relate to the rest of the book?  What does it mean to me at this time?

Where appropriate apply it you your own life.  When Jesus talks about the power of forgiveness, it may mean very little until you actually try to forgive someone.  You don’t understand that sinners need grace until you recognize that you are a sinner.  Application includes becoming part of a believing, orthodox Christian community or Church.  Much of the Christian faith can only be practiced in the context of Christian communal life.  Churches are filled with fallible people: so focus on Jesus not the Christians.