The King James Version, also called the Authorized Version, was first published in 1611 under the patronage of King James in England. It was at about this time that the Bible first became available in English, or in just about any language other than Latin or Greek. Along with the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible, the KJV was among the first authorized English translations of the Bible. This is the version people often think of when they think of Biblical language with its “thees and thous.” Due to its complex sentence structure and Elizabethan vocabulary it clocks in at a 12th grade reading level and tends to be more of a word-for-word translation. It is highly revered and well distributed thanks to the Gideons who place one in almost every hotel room drawer. Some Christian denominations will allow no other translations. It is hard to surpass the King James translation in terms of beauty and influence. Many, if not all, of the famous phrases that have entered the English language from the Bible have come from the King James Version. It works especially well if you hear it read by a professional speaker or actor who knows how to deliver Elizabethan English.