Would it be better for someone to read a simplified version of the Bible and understand it, or to read the King James Version in all its glory and be lost? People have gleaned a lot of spiritual knowledge from the KJV. It is known as the version that is closest in meaning to the original scriptures, so it is probably best for scholars and those who want to closely analyze it. The typical person, though,—even the typical Christian—does not read the Bible often enough to always look at it that closely.
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| 47 scholars worked for years to translate the King James Version of the Bible. |
I have never read a version of the Bible other than the KJV. However, in reading the KJV, I’ve realized that I’m often so focused on getting through all the complicated language and sentence structure that I don’t even realize what I’m reading about. I rarely recognize the intricate beauty and rhythm of the passages, because I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.
Unlike past versions of the Bible, the King James Version includes the English forms of names rather than the Hebrew forms in effort to keep the scriptures popular. Additionally, Jewish commentaries helped to translate the Hebrew literally, rather than into English forms of speaking, and made an effort to keep the same flow the original Hebrew had. This is probably part of what makes the writing in the KJV sound so profound—but also what makes it somewhat difficult to understand.
We start children reading simple books; why not start people new to Christianity on a simplified bible? Leland Ryken points out that the prose in modern interpretations of the bible is flat and lacks the impact that verses in the KJV have. Perhaps we could come up with a modern edition that keeps every meaning the same but simplifies the syntax so any English speaker could understand it, while maintaining the same emphases and rhythm of the KJV. There is certainly modern prose that is beautiful and impactful and easy to understand. Look at the works of Brian Doyle, for example. I wouldn’t mind reading a Bible written by him.
Image obtained from Wikimedia Commons.
