It means the monumental King James Version of the Bible is 400 years old.
My genius son sent me some links of interest on the subject. First is a site marking the anniversary with documentaries, events, and many other bits of information.
And there is a film coming out… you can watch the trailer here and sign up to be notified when the DVD is available.
KJB: the Book that Changed the World
Every believer ought to celebrate this anniversary, regardless of your view of the versions. The King James Version really was the book that changed the world.
It is a magnificent translation (from my preference text family!). I love the Psalms in the KJV!
I am celebrating (albeit inwardly). I love the beauty of the KJV language which will probably never again be paralleled in an English translation.
I’d say the Bible changed and is changing the world. Not sure about the KJV especially. Maybe the English speaking world.
Remember the missionaries who used it… Carey, Judson, and the rest. Of course they had to translate into other languages (and did so from the original languages, not the kjv) but their native language Bibles they used themselves would have been the KJV.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
The prose of the KJV is unmatched in any other English translation. When you stop to look back at history, the KJV is the culmination of the previous century’s efforts of an English translation (starting with Tyndale’s efforts) and for the most part remains the crowning achievement of English translations. Efforts at a new English translation did not really come until the last 150 years or so, thus leaving the KJV as the translation for English speaking people for well over 250 years.
Admittedly, I am rejoicing more over this 400 year anniversary than the previous 400 year celebration in 2009 of John Calvin’s birth.
IMO the KJV has done more for Christianity than John Calvin (I know, in some quarters that is a heretical statement, oh well).
You’re such a radical!
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jeremiah 33.3
Firstly, Calvin was born 500 years ago, not 400.
And had there been no KJV, all would still have been accomplished using whatever version was available.
Weird perspective.
I know, I know, I guess it comes from living on the left coast of the country for the past 12+ years. Things get to you after while.
Sorry there d4v34x, remembered the ’09 for Calvin and did not think further to verify that the century was 15 not 16.
You’re right, another version would have been and in some quarters was still being used even after the KJV came out. Like the pilgrims bringing their Geneva Bibles with them. But my premise still holds, nothing has compared to the KJV. The previous versions (Bishops, Geneva, Matthews, Coverdale, Tyndale) did not accomplish within Christianity what the KJV did and that was putting the Scriptures into the hands of the masses so that all English speaking peoples could read the Scriptures for themselves.
“Weird perspective”? It was not a perspective, just noting that with the hoopla that was out there last year for Calvin, that this coming year there should be far greater hoopla marking the 400th anniversary of the KJV.
I wrote a post of my own about this that you guys might find interesting, check it out here:
http://www.duncanandmeg.org/blogs/seminary/bible/richard-dawkins-the-youtube-bible-and-me/