In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
钦定版圣经(英語:Authorized Version,縮寫為 AV),又稱詹姆士王译本(英語:King James Version,縮寫為 KJV)或詹姆士王聖經(英語:King James Bible,縮寫為 KJB),由苏格兰及英格兰国王詹姆士六世及一世的命令下翻译的英文版本聖經,於1611年出版,自诞生至今一直都是英語世界極受推崇的圣经译本,也称為詹姆士译本或詹姆士欽定本等。英格兰国王钦定本圣经是英国国教会官方批准的第三部圣经,第一部是1535年出版的《大圣经》,第二部是1568年出版的“主教圣经”。但早期译本都有问题,所以当时的英格兰国王詹姆斯授权翻译一本新的英语圣经。詹姆斯给译者一些指示,要他们确保新的译本符合英国国教的治理方式,反映国教的主教制度。有47位学者参与了钦定本圣经的翻译,他们都是英国国教的成员[1]。钦定版圣经除了39卷舊約聖經、27卷新約聖經外,亦包括14卷次經,但目前由新教的改革宗、浸禮宗,以及大部分福音派教會發行的欽定版聖經中一般無次經,僅包含新教認可的39卷舊約聖經、27卷新約聖經正典。
钦定版圣经不仅影响了随后的英文版圣经,对英语文学的影响也是很大的。为了让更多未受良好教育的普通人也能知晓神的旨意,该部圣经词汇量一共只有8000个常用的英文单词,因此十分容易理解。一些著名作者,如约翰·弥尔顿、赫爾曼·梅爾維爾、约翰·德莱顿及威廉·華茲華斯很明显从这个版本的圣经中得到启发。一些圣经如英语修订版圣经、新美国标准版圣经、修订标准版圣经(the Revized Standard Version),还有新钦定版圣经(New King James Version)等都是这个版本的修订版。尽管新国际版圣经等其他版本的圣经没有说它们是这个版本的修订版,但是可以看出这些版本所受的深厚影响。
在旧约圣经,与使用耶和华之名的中文译本不同,钦定本将大部分Jehovah换成LORD(四字母均大写,以区别Lord);但是在两个地方(赛12:2和26:4),原文连续用两個Jehovah的时候,此译本译为the LORD Jehovah。其他译出Jehovah的五处地方分别是创世记22:14、出埃及6:3、出埃及17:15、士师记6:24、诗篇83:18。
(KJV): Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
(NIV): Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD , the LORD , is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
(ASV): Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Jehovah, [even] Jehovah, is my strength and song; and he is become my salvation.
(NASB): "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."
新約中Episkopos一詞應譯作監督(overseers),但在使徒行傳和書信中均被譯為主教(bishop),完全脫離經文處境和文化,新約年代根本未有主教一詞。新約中Presbyteros可譯作年長的人(the old ones)或長老(elders),但在《欽定本》中全譯作長老。當然不是指向初期教會的長老,而是聖公會制度下的長老。這樣做無非是為了維護教會在位者的權威,例如在彼得前書五章五節,「你們年幼的、也要順服年長的」,就變成教會會眾要順服在位的長老。[26]《欽定本》所選取的字眼經過政治考量,讓讀者經过長時間閱讀,不知不覺接受了背後的教會論。
我們無法證明《欽定本》在英語發展上是否最大而單一的影響,但無可置疑的是,它與沙士比亞的作品並列為有同等的文化影響力。 一位美國猶太教改革領袖,威廉羅西瑙認為,從《欽定本》的經文如何塑造今日流行的英文諺語,便可發現它的影響力。「活人之地」(The land of the living,伯28:13) 和「低頭俯伏在地」(fell flat on his face,民 22:31) 就是好例子。好些片語是從希伯來文化中經微調發展出來的,例如「看見粉牆上的字」(to see the writing on the wall,但5:5)和「水桶的一滴」(a drop in the bucket,賽40:15)。[47]正因為希伯來文諺語常常是直譯的,它們後來便發展成英文諺語,例如「在你眼前蒙恩」(found favour in his eyes,創39:5)[44] 。
^Translation that openeth the window : reflections on the history and legacy of the King James Bible. Burke, David G. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature. 2009. p. 80. ISBN 9781589833562. OCLC 587391869.
^Translation that openeth the window : reflections on the history and legacy of the King James Bible. Burke, David G. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature. 2009. pp. 81–82. ISBN 9781589833562. OCLC 587391869.
^The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence. Burke, David G., Kutsko, John F., 1963-, Towner, Philip H., 1953-. Atlanta. p. 172. ISBN 9781589838000. OCLC 868915785
^The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence. Burke, David G., Kutsko, John F., 1963-, Towner, Philip H., 1953-. Atlanta. p. 263. ISBN 9781589838000. OCLC 868915785
^The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence. Burke, David G., Kutsko, John F., 1963-, Towner, Philip H., 1953-. Atlanta. p. 263. ISBN 9781589838000. OCLC 868915785.
^The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence. Burke, David G., Kutsko, John F., 1963-, Towner, Philip H., 1953-. Atlanta. p. 265. ISBN 9781589838000. OCLC 868915785
^The King James version at 400 : assessing its genius as Bible translation and its literary influence. Burke, David G., Kutsko, John F., 1963-, Towner, Philip H., 1953-. Atlanta. pp. 163–164. ISBN 9781589838000. OCLC 868915785
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. p. 87. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. pp. 89–90. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. pp. 95–97. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.
^The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. p. 11. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. pp. 71–72. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. pp. 35–37. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.
^The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. pp. 27–28. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446.
^The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. pp. 33–35. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446.
^1953-, McGrath, Alister E., (2001). In the beginning : the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language, and a culture (1st ed ed.). New York: Doubleday. pp. 256–259. ISBN 9780385722162. OCLC 44794843.
^ 44.044.1The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. pp. 46–47. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446.
^1953-, McGrath, Alister E., (2001). In the beginning : the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language, and a culture (1st ed ed.). New York: Doubleday. pp. 251–254. ISBN 9780385722162. OCLC 44794843.
^The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. p. 28. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446.
^1953-, McGrath, Alister E., (2001). In the beginning : the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language, and a culture (1st ed ed.). New York: Doubleday. pp. 262–264. ISBN 9780385722162. OCLC 44794843.
^1953-, McGrath, Alister E., (2001). In the beginning : the story of the King James Bible and how it changed a nation, a language, and a culture (1st ed ed.). New York: Doubleday. pp. 258–259. ISBN 9780385722162. OCLC 44794843.
^The King James Bible after 400 years : literary, linguistic, and cultural influences. Hamlin, Hannibal., Jones, Norman W. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2010. pp. 132–134. ISBN 9780521768276. OCLC 653083446.
^Leland., Ryken, (2011). The legacy of the King James Bible : celebrating 400 years of the most influential English translation. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway. pp. 93–94. ISBN 9781433513886. OCLC 617425132.