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The instructions given by King James to the translators were:

  • The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as the original will permit.
  • The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names in the text, to be retained, as near as may be, accordingly as they are vulgarly used.
  • The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, as the word church, not to be translated congregation.
  • When any word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most eminent fathers, being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the analogies of faith.
  • The division of chapters to be altered either not at all, or as little as may be, if necessity so require.
  • No marginal notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words, which cannot, without some circumlocution, so briefly and fitly be expressed, in the text.
  • Such quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall serve for the fit reference of one Scripture to another.
  • Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter or chapters; and, having translated or amended them severally by himself where he thinks good, all to meet together to confirm what they have done, and agree for their part what shall stand.
  • As any one company hath dispatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judiciously; for his Majesty is very careful on this point.
  • If any company, upon the review of the book so sent, shall doubt or differ upon any places, to send them word thereof, to note the places, and therewithal to send their reasons; to which if they consent not, the difference to be compounded at the general meeting, which is to be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work.
  • When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority to send to any learned man in the land for his judgment of such a place.
  • Letters to be sent from every bishop to the rest of his clergy, admonishing them of this translation in hand, and to move and charge as many as, being skillful in the tongues, have taken pains in that kind, to send their particular observations to the company, either at Westminster, Cambridge, or Oxford, according as it was directed before in the king's letter to the archbishop.
  • The directors in each company to be the Deans of Westminster and Chester, for Westminster, and the king's professors in Hebrew and Greek in the two universities.
  • These translations to be used, when they agree better with the text than the Bishops' Bible: Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Matthew's [Rogers'], Whitchurch's, Geneva.

A later instruction:

  • Three or four of the most ancient and grave divines, in either of the universities, not employed in translating, to be assigned to be overseers of the translation, for the better observation of the fourth rule.
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Q: What were the instructions to the King James Bible translators?
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Were the translators of the King James Bible inspired by the Holy Spirit?

AnswerThere was never any suggestion that the translators of the King James Bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit. King James gave them quite specific instructions on how to go about their task, including that their work should be consistent with the existing Bishop's Bible as much as practicable. They followed these instructions to produce one of the most important religious works in English literature, but this was a clearly human endeavour.


Did King James the 4th of Scotland rewrite the bible?

No the King James is James the 1st of England. He didn't rewrite the Bible but he instructed translators to translate a new version.


Did King James change the Bible?

His Highness had no such intentions! The King merely appointed a commission to edit- and in effect codify the English Translations of the Bible which would be pressed into service ( not the best analogy, maybe) by the Episcopal Church. It is almost certain that William Shakespeare may have served as an English advisor- there was no Poet laureate at the time. Good luck, The King intended to standardize the Bible- not mess it up.


How many books are in the original King James Bible published in 1611?

The King James Version is a protestant bible, and therefore includes 66 books. The KJV originally also included the apocrypha but the translators did not consider them to be the word of God.


Who wrote King James Bible?

The King James Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, was written by a team of scholars and translators commissioned by King James I of England and first published in 1611. It was a revision of earlier English translations of the Bible.


Who wrote the new King James version?

The New King James Version of the Bible was translated from the same type of old manuscripts that formed the original King James Version. There were 130 translators led by the Executive Editor, Arthur Farstad. The completed Bible was published in 1979 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.


Did the translators of the King James Version of the Bible believe that their finished work was perfect and entirely without error?

One of the instructions given to the translators was to follow the Bishops' Bible as closely as possible, otherwise to use Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Matthew's, Whitchurch's or the Geneva Bible. The King James Bible was not so much a new translation, but a revision of existing English translations. Another instruction was to not change commonly accepted names and theological expressions, even if research showed those names to be wrong. They were also to check the work meticulously and seek advice wherever available. When the translators were not sure of the original meaning of a passage, or when they intentionally departed from that meaning, they often placed their text in italics as a record of this. The 1769 revision made greater and more frequent use of italics. The translators are unlikely to have thought of the King James Bible as perfect or without error, but they were justly proud of having produced a literary masterpiece that improved upon the versions then in existence.


What bible did the Jamestown settlers use?

King James Verison.I must differ!Since we do not have any records to the contrary, the Bible in use at that time would have been the Geneva Bible. The King James version translators relied on the Geneva (as well as Wycliffe's translation) and was influenced by it. Jamestown was established in May 14, 1607 and the King James version was not completed until 1611.


How many times is mansion in the Bible?

It will depend on the version of the Bible you look at. In the King James it appears in John 14:2. Many translators believe the meaning of the word is 'place to abide' or a room.


Was King James a king in the Bible?

No, King James was the English king who had the bible translated from latin to english... hence, the King James' version of the bible.


How did the King James Bible come about?

When James I succeeded Elizabeth in 1603, there were at least three popular versions of the Bible used in England at that time: The Geneva Bible, the Great Bible and the Bishop's Bible. He instructed the translators to produce a new Bible, following the ordinary Bible read in the Church, the Bishops' Bible, with as little alteration as the original would permit.


Is the King James Bible translated from the original texts?

A:When James I. succeeded Elizabeth in 1603, there were at least three popular versions of the Bible at that time: The Geneva Bible, the Great Bible and the Bishop's Bible.His instructions to the translators were that the ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, was to be followed and as little altered as the original will permit. These translations to be used, when they agree better with the text than the Bishops' Bible: Tyndale's, Coverdale's, Matthew's [Rogers'], Whitchurch's [Cranmer's] and the Geneva Bible. In other words, the translators were to use existing English translations to the extent possible, given their acknowledged flaws, comparing the Bishops' Bible to the available Greek copies and, if necessary, make improvements by reference to lesser versions or by using direct translation where necessary.The translators of the King James Version did not use the Hebrew texts for the Old Testament, and would have had great difficulty in reading them. Even the Greek texts available to them, for both the Old Testament and the New Testament, were not the same as earlier Greek texts since discovered.