English Bible Versions: A Tercentenary Memorial of the King James Version

Barker, Henry. English Bible Versions: A Tercentenary Memorial of the King James Version . New York: New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, 1911. 

Printed after Barker’s death by the New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society in honor of the third century of the King James Version, this Bible handbook was intended to provide a comprehensive survey of biblical texts and translations for introductory students. “The same and not the same,” Barker concludes about similarities and differences among the biblical versions he examined, including the Old Testament Hebrew, the Septuagint, the Vulgate, various English versions, the Douay Version, the King James Version and its subsequent printings, and even the American Standard Edition (269). In the course of this sweeping overview of the history of translating the Bible, Barker traces the history of the King James Version. He begins with its inception at the Hampton Court Conference and the support of King James for one “uniform” translation. He discusses the organization of the translation committees, the qualifications of the translators, and the rules they were to follow. Finally, he explains the acceptance of the title “Authorized Version” and the triumph of the King James Version over other English versions within less than 50 years, and briefly— but exhaustively— demonstrates its significant influence within English culture and religion. He writes: “It has been remarked that: ‘English literature has been formed largely on the Bible of 1611. Our great works, whether in prose or verse, bear the plain stamp of its language. No master of style has neglected its charms’ ” (178). Barker justifies the need for continued revisions of the King James Version because of its many defects (such as Greek tenses that were “misconceived, misinterpreted, and confused”) and because of the discovery of biblical manuscripts since the 1611 edition (190– 91). He explains that as “good as it is,” the King James Version “might be made better” (193). Barker thus expresses qualified admiration for the King James Version. He claims that through God’s providence, the 1611 edition was created at a time when “the English language was at its best” (177). Yet he also recognizes the need for continued revisions of Bible translations. Barker includes several useful tables and appendices, although much of his information is now dated. (The King James Bible and the World It Made, edited by David Lyle Jeffrey, Baylor University Press, 2011.)

From the passage above, Barker’s perspective on Bible translation and the King James Version (KJV) can be summarized like this:

Qualified admiration for the KJV:

He praises the King James Version as a product of God’s providence, written when the English language was at its finest. He also highlights its cultural and literary influence, noting that English literature bears the mark of its language.

Not KJV-only:

While he recognizes the greatness of the KJV, Barker is clear that it is not perfect. He points out its defects, such as mistranslations of Greek tenses, and stresses that new manuscript discoveries since 1611 show the need for revision. He explicitly says the KJV, “as good as it is, might be made better.”

Translation as an ongoing process:

He frames Bible translation as something that should continue, not be fixed in one version. His conclusion—“the same and not the same”—reflects the paradox of continuity and change across translations.

So, Barker saw the King James Version as a remarkable and providential work, but not as the final or only acceptable translation. He valued ongoing revision and improvement, rejecting what we’d call a “KJV-only” stance.