The King James Bible

Woe is me! It may be sour grapes, or a drop in the ocean, but there's a fly in the ointment. For somehow I was led as a lamb the slaughter, but even when I was at my wits' end,
King James I by keeping to the straight and narrow, I escaped by the skin of my teeth. So let's eat, drink and be merry!

The quotations strung together above - and there are hundreds more of them - all come from one great book, and we use them probably without knowing where they come from. They are all sayings still in common use today and they come from the King James Bible (sometimes called the Authorised Version), first published in 1611. Its use spread all over the world taking with it our English language and culture.

It is a book that has become one of the most important works of English literature, whether you believe in God or not. 'Bible reading King James I is an education in itself' said Lord Tennyson, and scholars, linguists, poets, historians, artists, musicians and story tellers have found it a rich source of information and inspiration over the centuries and continue to do so today. It would be true to say that without the King James Bible we would not be the nation we are now

So this year we are celebrating this English national treasure, now 400 years old, which continues to be used and delighted in for its exquisite and memorable language and its insights about humanity. Throughout the year you will be seeing programmes on TV, information on the internet and radio, articles, talks, plays and readings, which show how this great Bible came to be written and also illustrate its amazing content. And do come to some of the local events too, including Candlemas (7pm on 2nd February), and later on a reading of St Mark's Gospel, some story telling, music and poetry, all in celebration of this great work.

And for those who know and love God, it is in this book also that we discover the story of his love for us all as he gradually reveals himself through the history of a people and then the coming of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Revd Gill  

The Story of Jesus
as told by St Mark

read from the King James Bible

400 years old this year

on Wednesday 20th April at 7pm in All Saints' Church Doddinghurst

Listen to the story right through. St Mark's is the shortest Gospel, only 16 chapters long, and it takes only about an hour and a half to read aloud. Bring a cushion to sit on and enjoy the wonderful language of the Authorised (or King James) Version of the Bible.

This is the Bible that would have been heard here in our village church from 1611, 400 years ago, when the Revd John Williams was Rector here. The local villagers would have gathered each week to hear the scriptures read in a new English translation with vivid, everyday language, much more accessible than in any previous version. Now they could hear and understand the Bible better than ever before, and it was tremendously exciting and liberating. Today many of us still remember many parts of the Bible in this old version and still enjoy hearing it read aloud, as our parents and grandparents did.

On this occasion there will be several people to read this fast moving and exciting Gospel. You are invited to come and hear it for yourself.