King James Bible facts

Because of the Counter Reformation, the protestant movement, which was introduced during the 1500s there were numerous protestants pushing for a non-Church of England endorsed Bible. King James I himself was not a sympathizer of protestant ideals. The Protestants, specifically the Puritans, were hoping for a suitable revision of the Bishops bible. What they got was a completely new translation.

What we often do not realize is the Bible's influence on language. Valued works of American literature such as the Grapes of Wrath and Lincoln's Gettysburg Address contain language which stemmed from the King James Version (KJV)of the Bible. The KJV also had a strong influence on music, specifically Handel's famous Messiah.

No other book has had so wide and deep an influence on the world, especially American culture, than the form and substance of the Bible.