King James VI of Scotland became King James I of England in 1603 when Queen Elizabeth I died without an heir. He commissioned a new English translation of the Bible in 1604 to satisfy both Protestant and Anglican views. 47 scholars created the King James Bible over a period of 7 years, basing it primarily on the Bishops Bible but also incorporating elements of the Geneva and earlier Tyndale translations. Published in 1611, the King James Bible became the standard Bible for Anglican and Protestant churches.

1. King James
King of Scotland and England
1566 - 1625

2. • Born in Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Became “king” at 14 months
• Was not interested in woman
• Critics winked at his close relationship with
George Villiers, that he called “wife”.
• (There were a secret passage from the kings
bedroom to Mr. Villiers room)
• Eventually he “needed” to get married
• A marriage was agreed with a Danish princess.
Her name was Ann.

3. • Ann with her enter age was suppose to sail
from Copenhagen, Denmark to Scotland, but
the wind was not favourable and she ended
up in Norway.
• James took 300 of his men and sailed to Oslo.
• They got married in 1589 in Oslo by the local
bishop.
• James and Ann had 3 children. A successor to
the throne was secured.

4. • King James wrote 3 books. One of his books
was a “theological argument for monarchy”.
• The Tyndale Bible (1526) was the first bible to
be uses in the protestant church in England.
• King Henry commissioned “The Great Bible”
in 1568 and the “Bishops Bible” came in 1568.
• But the Anglican church did not like any of
these bibles.

5. • They found them to “low church” - to simplistic –
to evangelical.
• On the one hand the protestants had broken
away from the catholic church and their xxxx
bible that taught superiority of the pope and the
ordained priesthood.
• But Tyndale on the other hand had according to
the Anglicans gone to far in the other direction –
equality for all Christians. (“We are all priests”)

6. • So in 1604 King James comissioned a new bible
• This was done in partnership with the Anglican
church.
• The innstructions to the translaters was as
follows:
• They had to guaranty the new translation to
conform to the theology and episcopal
(hierarchical) structure of the Angelical church
• (this structure is very similar to the catholic and
orthodox church with ordained clergy,
archbishops, bishops and die sees)

7. • They were also instructed to translate “certain
Greek words” in a manner that reflected the
“traditional use of the church”
• Example: Tyndale's use of the word congregation
or assembly (Ecclesia) was to b translated
“church” (as in institutional church)
• This was to bring the translation in tune with “the
high church” – liturgy, formality, rituals, mass
• (Low church” was defined by: simplicity, equality,
every man a priest)

8. • Together with the angelical bishops, 47
translators was chosen.
• 46 of them were church of England priests and 1
was an language expert.
• 83% of the scriptures ended up being the same as
the Tyndale Bible
• 17% was “updated” to conform to the church.
• Some old Greek new testament manuscript from
the time period 300 – 500 AD was also used as
source material.

9. • The King James Bible was completed in 1611.
• It was only printed in a large format (38 cm x 30
cm) since it was only to be used and read from in
the church or by the priests.
• The translators did not get paid for their job.
Instead they were promised “high positions” in
the church as they came available.
• The printers in London charged 10 shillings for a
loose leaf version and 12 shillings for a bound.

10. • This photo shows the
following Bible page:
• The epistle of Pavl –
the apostle to
the Hebrews.
• At least they got
this one right…

11. • King James’ support (partnership) with the
Anglican church angered the puritans (Calvinists)
• They still preferred the Tyndale Bible that was
more “low church”
• The puritans demanded an end to use of the title
“Priest” and the use of cap, surplice and liturgical
coat.
• King James demanded conformity and the
puritans felt persecuted.
• (Many of them decided to leave for America)

12. • King James was later accused of having several
male lovers.
• After age 50 he lost his teeth, suffered from
arthritis, gout and kidney stone.
• He also drank heavily.
• Eventually he got seriously ill, had a stroke and
died in 1625.
• He was berried in Westminster Abbey in
London.