King james version biography definition

The King James Version of the Bible, or KJV, originally released in 1611, is one of the bestselling and most popular Bible translations of all time. Though the KJV is not, of course, the original Bible (which was not written in English) — nor was it the first English translation — its influence on the language, literature, government, law, culture, and morality of the English-speaking world is immense and unrivaled by any other work or author (sorry, Mr.

Shakespeare).

But how did it come to be? Why is it named after King James (and who was King James)? What are some of the ways it influenced our culture? And what is its legacy today? 

This post will answer all these questions about the KJV, from its origins in the English Reformation to its complex, enduring legacy and the effect it has had not only on other Bible translations but on our language and culture as a whole. 

Origins of the KJV

The King James Bible had its origins in the English Reformation and the relat