In honour of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible the worship service scripture readings in November and December will be read from the King James version.

<h1>
400th 
Anniversary of the King James Bible
</h1>
<p>
With more than 6 billion copies published the Bible is the most popular book in the world and the King James Bible is the most published Bible translation. Its inspired words have brought peace, joy, and hope to millions of people and is regarded today as one of the most accurate translations.
</p>
<p>
In 1603 James Stewart learned that Queen Elizabeth passed away and he then became King James I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. He was born in the 17th century during a controversy in England over the relationship between church and state. Fascinated with the Bible, King James sought a new English translation that could be authorised for all churches to use - a version more true to the original manuscripts. The King James Version came to prominence in the 1660s with the restoration of the monarchy after the English Civil War.
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<h1>King James Bible Facts</h1>
<ul>
<li>Prior to the 1611 King James Bible most churches did not have Bibles.</li>
<li>A committee of 54 translators worked for seven years to complete the King James translation</li>
<li>First published in 1611 A.D. some believe between May 2 and May 5.</li>
<li>The first 1611 Bibles were expensive and were chained to the front pulpit of churches to prevent them from being stolen.</li>
<li>The original book was very large: approximately
17" tall, 30" wide when opened, and it weighed up to thirty pounds.</li>
<li>The title was not originally called the "King James Version" but "The Holy Bible, Contayning the Old Testament and the New: Newly Translated out of the Original Tongues; & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties special Commandment. Appointed to be read in Churches."</li>
<li>1814 A.D. is the earliest recorded date of it being called "King James Version" or "Authorised Version".</li>
<li>More than 169 original 1611 King James Bibles are in existence today.</li>
<li>Gothic text and Jacobean spelling was used in the original 1611 version which is noticeably different than 21st century English.</li>
<li>Eighty books were included: 39 in the Old Testament, 14 in the Apocrypha and 27 in the New Testament</li>
</ul>