King James Bible

American  

[king jeymz bahy-buhl] / ˈkɪŋ ˈdʒeɪmz ˈbaɪ bəl /

noun

1. an English version of the Bible prepared in England under James I and published in 1611.

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King James Bible ¹ Cultural  

1. The best-known English translation of the Bible (see also Bible), commissioned by King James I of England and published in the early seventeenth century. It is also known as the Authorized Version. In the late nineteenth century, the Revised Version was published in England.

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King James Bible ² Cultural  

1. (1611) The best-known English translation of the Bible (see also Bible). Most biblical quotations in English literature come from the King James Bible. (See also under “Bible.”)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

King James Bible

As the historian Daniel Dreisbach has observed, the King James Bible was “the most accessible, authoritative, and venerated text in early colonial society.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026

As Johnson begins reading a medley from the King James Bible and the 1875 founding text by Mary Baker Eddy, “Science and Health,” the room feels caught in amber.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2024

The royal couple will then see the church's treasures, which include a first edition King James Bible and an early 14th Century chalice which is still in use.

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2022

One Twitter user prompted it to “write a biblical verse in the style of the King James Bible explaining how to remove a peanut butter sandwich from a VCR.”

From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2022

Two days later, I tell Mother I’m going to pick up a new copy of the King James Bible since I’ve worn mine so thin and all.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett