Items of Interest September 5, 2011 Issue

American Bible Society celebrates the KJV

Alex Kocman

“King James Bible celebration features film, exhibit and education” www.americanbible.org July 29, 2011

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!”

These were the final words uttered by William Tyndale as he burned at the stake in 1536, convicted for his work in translating the Bible into English. Little did he know that his prayer would be answered with the resulting translation bearing the following king’s name.

Published in 1611, the King James Bible was unparalleled by other translations of its day. It allowed many—rich or poor, young or old, clergy or layman—to read and understand God’s Word. The King James Bible’s language laid the foundation for expressions we still use today, from “pearls before swine” to the “skin of your teeth.” In fact, it has contributed 257 idioms to English, more than any other single source, including Shakespeare. And, 400 years later, its impact continues to ripple across the world.

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