Historic Background on the Translation
In 1611, the King James Version of the Holy Bible was published in England. No other book has had as much impact on the world as this historic translation of the Scriptures into English.
English is a living, changing language, yet the King James Version is over 370 years old. Earlier centuries maintained the freshness of the translation by gradually modifying the grammar, spelling, and word usage to keep the meaning alive for each new generation. However, in our time, due to the proliferation of new translations, the King James had not been published in an updated edition since 1769. This has been the case for kid’s Bibles as well as those geared toward adults.
Although more than 40 modern translations of the Bible have been published in the last 30 years, the overwhelming favorite continues to be the King James Version. Some of the new translations have lost either the beauty and power or the structure and meaning of the original version. A need was clearly seen for an updated and understandable edition of the world’s favorite translation.
In 1975, the boldest, most extensive revision in modern Bible publishing history began. A 130-person team, including Greek, Hebrew, and English scholars, editors, church leaders, and Christian laity, was commissioned to work on the project. Altogether it took seven years to produce the complete New King James Version.
The NKJV New Testament was finished in 1979, and the Book of Psalms released in 1980. The first full NKJV Bible became available in 1982, making the New King James Version the fifth major revision of the beloved King James Version. Since this revision there has also been NKJV Bible for children focusing more on pictures and Bible stories for kids.
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