# Date of King James Version first printing?



## VictorBravo (Apr 9, 2010)

It just struck me that this year is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James translation. I was looking around through a few history sources trying to find the date of first printing and am not finding anything. I wonder if anybody here knows or could point me in the right direction.

The thing that struck me while thinking about this is how little the language has changed in 400 years. Sure, many say they have trouble with the old language, but it is still not hard to comprehend. Anybody who has struggled trying to read Chaucer can easily see that the 200 years before the KJV was a period of rapid change in English compared to the last 400 years.

I'd like to learn the date, if possible, so I can have a party. Please, no discussion about translation or manuscript issues on this thread.


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## MW (Apr 9, 2010)

The year was 1611. I can't recall coming across a specific date for that year. Some interesting details of the printing are recorded in Alister McGrath's "In the Beginning: the story of the King James Bible," especially chapter 9, "Production."


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## ClayPot (Apr 10, 2010)

The King James Version of the Bible helped to establish consistency in the English language. Perhaps that's why the language has stayed so consistent for so long. It's interesting that language has changed much more rapidly in this century, when people have stopped reading the Bible and moved to a greater variety of translations when they do read it!


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## KSon (Apr 10, 2010)

From History of the King James Version


COMPLETION OF THE REVISION.
Some work upon the revision was, in all probability, begun soon after the appointment of the committees. Vigorous effort was, however, delayed till about 1607, for what reason is unknown.

When the translators had finished their work, a copy each was sent from Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster to London, where two from each place, six in all, gave it a final revision, and Dr. Miles Smith and Bishop Wilson superintended the work as it passed through the press. The former wrote the Preface, which is entitled, "The Translators to the Reader."

The expenses of the work were not borne by the king, who pleaded poverty, but by voluntary contributions from bishops and others who had fat livings. The king, however, rewarded the translators by bestowing good livings on them as vacancies occurred, and by ecclesiastical promotion.

The work was given to the public in 1611, 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."

The same year, the New Testament, in 12mo, was issued, and in 1612, the entire Bible in 8vo, and in Roman type. The Genevan Bible, however, had a firm hold on the popular heart, and it required the lifetime of a generation to displace it.


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