Queen Elizabeth II Celebrates 400th Anniversary of King James Bible (VIDEO)

England's Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the British royal family attended a service Wednesday to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

The service at London's Westminster Abbey paid tribute to the completion of the "Authorized Version" of the Bible, which took place in 1611, the BBC reports. The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales also attended the ceremony, during which Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams gave the sermon.

In his sermon, made available through the Anglican Communion News Service, Williams recognized the anniversary by speaking about his appreciation of this specific translation:

What is a good translation? Not one that just allows me to say, when I pick it up, 'Now I understand'. Of course, if I'm faced with a text in a strange language, I need to be able simply to read it; but a good translation will be an invitation to read again, and to probe, and reflect, and imagine with the text. Rather than letting me say, 'Now I understand', it prompts the response, 'Now the work begins.'

During the ceremony, a version of the Book of Genesis from "The People's Bible" was presented at the altar. This project features verses handwritten by more than 22,000 different people from across Britain. The book traveled through about 200 towns since June 19, the Christian post explains, before ending up at Westminster Abbey on Nov. 16.

The King James translation of the Bible was first ordered in 1604, with the finished piece being read aloud in the Jerusalem Chamber of Westminster Abbey in 1611, the UKPA points out.

To see the full text of Williams' sermon, visit the Anglican Communion News Service.

Comments

[RohanL]

12:33 PM on 11/24/2011

"What is a good translation? Not one that just allows me to say, when I pick it up, 'Now I understand'. Of course, if I'm faced with a text in a strange language, I need to be able simply to read it; but a good translation will be an invitation to read again, and to probe, and reflect, and imagine with the text. Rather than letting me say, 'Now I understand', it prompts the response, 'Now the work begins.'"

This is only true if the original text does the same in it's original language. Otherwise, it's the complete opposite of a good translation.

[Nathaneal Green]

06:02 PM on 11/23/2011

Most appropriate for the current monarch of England to pay tribute to the most notable endeavor of a former monarch.

May the name of William Tyndale long be honored as the person who was burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English, which translation became the basis for much of the King James translation of the New Testament.

[speedy evans]

08:48 AM on 11/22/2011

KJB memo's from a madman.thanks to all the bi-ships at the 400+ councel meetings

[KenInd]

06:54 PM on 11/21/2011

Someone needs to inform Her Majesty that she cannot sit on Father Christmas' lap until after Advent Sunday.

[Willie12345]

10:09 AM on 11/21/2011

When I first saw the photo, I thought it was a meeting of the Funny Hat club.

[jgthomas]

01:58 AM on 11/21/2011

The KJB although a notable acomplishment in history was one of the worst things for christianity to have happen. It's more propaganda then true writings. So much of it was made up or rewritten.

[Angelaaaa]

12:20 AM on 11/21/2011

The King James Bible is (to my mind) the most poetic and lyrically beautiful of the various Bibles. I make no comment as to the validity of its moral and historical claims. But it is a wonderful piece of literary work.

[KenInd]

06:55 PM on 11/21/2011

So is the Book of Common Prayer.

[erehwon man]

11:01 PM on 11/19/2011

I think it would be cool to see the Queen and the Archbishop switch hats. Just for a laugh.

[KenInd]

06:55 PM on 11/21/2011

She might catch nits.

[erehwon man]

07:23 PM on 11/21/2011

LOL!

[firstamendment3]

02:04 PM on 11/19/2011

Nice that the Queen is the Defender of the Faith but where was she while her son, the future Defender of the Faith, was committing adultery or her grandson, another contender to the title, was didling before marriage?

[gwinegarden]

11:51 PM on 11/20/2011

I think she has more important things to concern herself.

[firstamendment3]

06:30 AM on 11/21/2011

What a sad pathetic world in which you exist.

[KenInd]

06:57 PM on 11/21/2011

The Anglican Church is very forgiving. How it will accept Camilla as Charles' Consort bremains to be seen. Her Majesty won't dream of going until she surpasses her great grandmother's reign - the longest. I believe that is another four years or so.

[Savierra]

12:31 PM on 11/18/2011

Hooray for the King James Bible!

[KenInd]

06:58 PM on 11/21/2011

(Just ignore the fact the James was a prolific bisexual).

[BlackYowe]

12:46 AM on 11/18/2011

I still just love to read the King James Bible it is so beautiful.

[James F Barry]

11:25 PM on 11/17/2011

It is a work of art, as if the Angles sang it for the writters............

[firstamendment3]

02:06 PM on 11/19/2011

Were those right angles or obtuse angles?

[maternatura]

03:02 AM on 11/20/2011

equilateral

[joethecaregiver]

08:12 PM on 11/17/2011

the king james bible should be called babble because was translated WRONG

[gwinegarden]

11:51 PM on 11/20/2011

Please supply corrections.

[PWM]

03:46 PM on 11/17/2011

There is more than a translation change between the 1611 KJV and today's version.

[GM Thomas]

03:28 PM on 11/17/2011

A brief moment to contemplatate, may be shed a tear. Who knew 400 years ago what and who all this translation could move. And how many epochal works and thoughts might have been squelched meantime, unlike the providence that KJV could survive. So we remain Neanderthal. If one feels like arguing that we really advanced somewhere, click and survey the front page.