Between 1604-1611, fifty-seven of the most educated men in England translated the Bible not only so that people could have a personal copy, but so that it could be easily read and understood. The king ordered that a new translation be made that would satisfy the two religious sects: the bishops and the Puritans. Therefore, the language of the King James Bible was translated as the undisputed translation to appease the religious ideas of the two sects and at the same time be faithful to the oldest Hebrew and Greek sources known at the time.
The King James was also translated so that it is easy to read and flows smoothly as it is read. When read aloud, the words sound majestic and ornate. Today, after 400 years, the words sound extremely different from today’s English speech, in England, the United States, and other English-speaking countries.
Even after 400 years, many people love this translation so much that they believe it is the only Bible that should be read. This is the idea of the “King James Onlyists” who believe many misconceptions about it and its superiority over all other translations. But until 1769, the KJV was printed so many times because it contained many spelling and punctuation problems, even though it was the main Bible that English-speaking people read.
Among most American Christians, the KJV is one of the most popular English Bibles. Unfortunately, due to its outdated language, it has contributed to illiteracy. Since many buy it, that does not mean they have read it. It is surprising that Christians have not abandoned it due to many unstable meanings through its words, expressions, and grammatical structure. Gail Riplinger, an advocate for the King James Version Onlyist movement, claims that the youngest age a person can read and understand is a fifth grader. (“Evangelical Outreach” website). If a parent wants to teach their child to read the Bible in, say, third or fourth grade, they would not use the King James Bible. But many doubt Riplinger’s theory. Many call it a “fraud” because of hundreds of “incomprehensible” words and many sentences in the KJV that no longer exist. (“Evangelical Outreach”, “kjvterms”).
In general, Protestant and Evangelical Christians today do not read their Bibles because most churches have become “apostate”, which means that they are deviating from the Word of God in the Holy Bible. This is a spiritual problem that has been seriously evolving, especially in the last two decades. Most pastors and their congregation turn to the King James Version because it is well established and cannot be disputed as it is the oldest Bible in widespread use. Researchers George Gallup and Jim Castelli put the problem in perspective in a 2004 article on the “Christian Headlines” website: “Americans worship the Bible, but generally they don’t read it. And why not read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates “(” The Biblical Illiteracy Scandal, “June 24, 2004).
Most churches use entertainment to attract “parishioners.” Instead of learning the Gospel of the Bible, covered by the New Testament, people prefer to engage in some secular activity, because for them, church is boring. So these “churches” no longer welcome God. The apostasy of the church is a facet of our foolish society. Fewer people read God’s Word in the Bible.
The broader problem of Biblical illiteracy growing in the United States is not just spiritual, but illiteracy itself. Actually, it has been going up for quite some time. Most people graduate from high school, but the highest rates for people with college diplomas are between 35% and 48%. (The Worldatlas website). For those who obtain a higher degree, the highest amount is 14 to 28% (Worldatlas). But since 1990, fewer children have been learning as much as before and more teens have dropped out of high school. College tuition has risen so much in cost that many people don’t even attend. So people know less; few can read. How are they supposed to read the KJV or any other Bible?
Many church-affiliated people are missionaries living in foreign countries to preach the Gospel of Christianity. How are natives who know little English supposed to read the Bible in their 400-year-old English? They would have to be highly educated and fluent in English.
Although many love the King James Version for appreciating its oldest form of English, I think it is one of the worst Bible translations. Christians should probably read a more recently translated version, such as the ESV, NIV, ASV, or even the New King James Version. One of the best modern translations of the New Testament is “Good News for Modern Man.” These are all faithful translations. The KJV has been around for a long time and everyone who reads it will make sure it is in print forever.