King James Bible Celebrates 400 years 400th Anniversary.

A Brief History
The King James Bible was published in 1611 in England, the result of a rift between the Catholic Church and the Church of England. That makes it 400 years old in 2011. King James gave strict instructions that the bible was to conform to the Church of England’s doctrine. Shakespeare was very much alive when it was being written and that is the reason that the King James Version seems to be using Shakespearean English. That is the way English was spoken during that time.

70 Different Events to Mark Occasion in UK
Britain will host more than 70 different events in order to mark the occasion. The first will be an exhibition at St. John’s College in Cambridge comprising many different events, e.g. seminars and concerts. The British Royal Mail will also have a special commemoration stamp and the British Broadcasting Corporation will show an hour long documentary.

Ironically, only eight percent of the British population attend a church of any sort. It is, predominantly, a secular society.

America
In America, the Dunham Bible Museum (Houston) will be the first to commemorate the fact that the King James Bible is 400 years old in 2011. The King James Bible Trust has a list of all the celebrations and commemorations that will be taking place around the world.

KJV Favorite Bible
While many would find difficulty in reading the old English within the Authorized Version, it still remains a favorite as a result of the beauty of the language used in it. Many of the phrases that we currently use come from the times during which this bible was written. These include phrases like leading a lamb to the slaughter, obtaining something by the skin of one’s teeth, nothing new under the sun, a land flowing with milk and honey, a man after his own heart, a leopard not being able to change its spots, an eye for an eye, turning the other cheek, and all the days of one’s life.

Influence on Spread and Development of English
It has been said that the King James version has had more influence on the English language than any other book. While all who have read it have derived something from it, there are those that took particular verses and made a life work from it.

In all, the 400^th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible will be much spoken about in 2011.

The exact birthday of the King James bible is May 2^nd, 2011.

Helen Keller
Helen Keller, the deaf, dumb, and blind scholar was struck by the verse, “"Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD." She spoke up for those that were deaf and dumb and became an international figure.

John Lock
John Lock was a great reader of it and maintained from reading Genesis that kings did not have divine rights.

JRR Tolkien
Tolkien, the author of Lord of the Rings, while stressing that the book was not a biblical fairy tale did say that in his final resolution of his mighty tale, he was aware of the biblical words, ‘‘Forgive us our trespasses a we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Special Editions
It’s inevitable that when a publishing anniversary, as important as 400 years, arrives, there will be those that commemorate it with special editions. Only Shakespeare, who lived at the time that the King James Bible was been written, can probably also have a 400 year publishing anniversary.

It’s also true that while bibles are cherished, there is something decidedly special to have one that marks the longevity of the oldest Protestant bible around. Also, once 2011 passes, many of these bibles will probably become collectors pieces because there will not be another 400 year anniversary.

Collectors Value. Spiritual Value
The ones to look out for are the limited editions which will add an even greater collector’s value. Other features would include exact duplications of the original King James versions. They are large and can be seen at the British Library in London.

Timeless
The 400^th anniversary edition of the King James Version will also remind readers that what they are holding in their hands has withstood 400 years of time. While other bible interpretations have been printed, the King James bible, in spite of its old fashioned use of the English language, still retains an aura of authenticity and authority. No wonder it is called the authorized version.

¹I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.²My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.³He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.⁴Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.⁵The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.⁶The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.⁷The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.⁸The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.