Introduction: On January 24, 2013, the traveling exhibition Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible opened at the William H. Hannon Library at Loyola Marymount University. The keynote talk for the opening: “What Kind of a Text is the King James Bible? Manuscripts, Translation, and the Legacy of the KJV” was presented by Dr. Bart Ehrman, James A. Grey Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at UNC Chapel Hill and New York Times bestselling author.

In this lecture by Dr. Bart Ehrman, a leading authority on the New Testament and New York Times bestselling author, you will hear why the KJV has received such praise and adoration over the centuries, and then turn to consider aspects of the translation that also need to be considered when assessing its greatness and value:  the archaic language that at times can confuse modern readers; the inferior ancient manuscripts on which the translation was based; and the theological biases that occasionally led the translators to make the biblical text say something other than it originally meant.

The exhibition, which was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Bible in 1611, tells the story of the origins, creation, and impact of one of the most influential books in history. Manifold Greatness not only highlights the dramatic history behind the making of this great book, but also includes its influence on English and American literature, and its multifaceted impact on culture and society to the present day. Even many of those whose lives have been affected by the King James Bible may not realize that less than a century before it was produced, the very idea of the Bible translated into English was considered dangerous and even criminal. Many may also be unaware of the meticulous work of some four dozen of England’s top scholars, who labored for years to complete the translation, now named “the King James Bible” after its royal sponsor, James I.

Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible was organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, D.C., and the American Library Association Public Programs Office. It is based on an exhibition of the same name developed by the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, with assistance from the Harry Ransom Center of the University of Texas. The traveling exhibition was made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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In this video, Bart explains why the KJV has received such praise and adoration over the centuries; he then turns to consider aspects of the translation that also need to be considered when assessing its greatness and value: the archaic language that at times can confuse modern readers; the inferior ancient manuscripts on which the translation was based; and the theological biases that occasionally led the translators to make the biblical text say something other than it originally meant.