James 1:13

B. Ward Powers bwpowers at eagles.com.au
Thu Jul 13 05:13:11 EDT 2000


B-greekers all:

At 08:21 PM 000711 -0400, Mike Sangrey wrote:

>"Mark Wilson" <emory2002 at hotmail.com> said:
> > > Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> > > Last question: IAKWBOS
> > >
> > > Why is this James, and not Jacob?
>
>
>When the Bible was translated into English the translators changed the 
>name of this book, from Jacob to James, in order to honor the King, King James.
>
>Long live King Jacob.


Subsequent contributions to the List have cast doubt upon this as an 
explanation, pointing out that the epistle had the title "James" (and that 
"James" rather than "Jacob" appeared in the NT text, here and elsewhere) in 
translations rather earlier than 1611.

Fair enough. But what of this business of calling the 1611 translation 
itself the "King James Version"? All of you who do this: why do you wish 
thus (in perpetuity) to honour King James? True, he chaired the conference 
(1604) at which it was decided to make the translation. True, there is in 
consequence a polite dedication to King James in the front of this 
translation. But these are minor justifications.

Rather, it is historically, and rightly, called the "Authorized Version" - 
for, after a period in times past when it fact it was a serious offence 
against the church and against the law for a person to possess a 
translation of the Scriptures (think of the situation in Wycliffe's day, 
and the story of Tyndale), this version was actually AUTHORIZED for people 
to read, and hear read in church.

SO: I invite you, join me (on the List and elsewhere) in referring to it as 
the Authorized Version or AV (and let King James fade back into the mists 
of history).

Regards,

Ward




                                 http://www.eagles.bbs.net.au/~bwpowers
Rev Dr B. Ward Powers             Phone (International): 61-2-9799-7501
10 Grosvenor Crescent             Phone (Australia): (02) 9799-7501
SUMMER HILL  NSW  2130            email: bwpowers at eagles.bbs.net.au
AUSTRALIA.                      Director, Tyndale College




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