The King James Bible

King James Version of the Bible turns 400
Alexis Sanders - 28 minutes ago
source: LDS Living

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Photos by Kenneth Mays. This hospital in Guildford, UK was founded by the Bible translator George Abbot.

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Documenting 4,000 years of sacred and secular history, comprising over 1,800 pages and standing as the No. 1 most read book of all time, the King James Version of the Bible celebrates its 400th anniversary this year.

With such a legendary background, its content addresses Jesus Christ, the most influential figure in history. Even our year system is framed after the date of his birth, 1 A.D. As Elder M. Russell Ballard said in his Ensign May 2007 talk, “The Holy Bible is a miracle!”

Today, the Bible—including its extensive number of translations—is used worldwide. Rich in history, doctrine, stories, sermons and testimonies, its ultimate focus is on Jesus Christ and His physical and spiritual message to Heavenly Father’s children. “Tens of millions of individuals have come to a faith in God and in Jesus Christ through seeking truth in the Holy Bible,” Elder Ballard said in his talk.

Even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was begun after a young boy, Joseph Smith Jr., knelt in humble prayer after searching the Bible, seeking the true church. Today, the Bible has been translated into thousands of languages, while hundreds of religions are founded upon it.

“Joseph Smith’s work on the Translation of the Bible was not an attempt to show up the weaknesses of the bible but to show how central it is to our faith,” said Richard Bennett, Associate Dean of Religious Education at BYU. “The Bible has been the springboard of so much of what is important and uniquely ours in the Restoration.”