The Road to Hampton Court:
The English Bible before 1611
Four centuries now separate us from the Hampton Court Conference of 1604 and the conception of the King James Version of the Bible in English. This event has become a mere historical footnote in world history, but its timeless impact is still evident today throughout the English-speaking world. The widespread use of the KJV had a profound impact on the English language, placing the Bible on a level with the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare.
But this literary masterpiece is neither the handiwork of a single person, nor even a single generation. It is the result of the labor of scholars, the changing wills of monarchs, determination, opposition, persecution, and the blood of martyrs. In fact, many paid the ultimate price so that the Scriptures might be available to all who seek them. We owe a great debt to these brave men and women.
Humble Beginnings: Jerome and the Latin Vulgate version
The Morning Star: John Wycliffe
Two Defining Moments: Gutenberg and Erasmus
Faithfulness unto Death: William Tyndale
Tending a Flickering Flame: Miles Coverdale and John Rogers
The Family Tree of King James' Translation
A Bible for Every Church: The Great Bible
A Bible for the People: The Geneva Bible
A Bible a Bit More Anglican: The Bishops' Bible
A Bible a Bit Less Protestant: The Rheims-Douai Bible
A Bible to Unite Britain: King James and His Bible