SOME FACTS ABOUT THE KING JAMES 2011 REVISION

The Tyndale Memorial Revision

 

 

During the decade of the seventies many churches were feeling the pressure to replace the King James Translation with one of the newer translations. While there were some good reasons for doing this, I found the proposed change upsetting because certain problems with the newer translations were not being addressed. As a result, there were at least three different occasions when I asked the Lord to raise up someone who would revise the King James translation.

The first time I made that request, the thought “Why don’t you do it” came very strongly into my mind while I was praying. At the time, I just brushed that thought aside for I felt that such a task was far beyond my ability. Months later, when praying on the same topic, that thought came to me again and again I brushed it aside. Then, perhaps a year or more later, that thought came to me a third time as I prayed. However, that time, instead of brushing the thought aside I said to God, “If you really want me to revise the King James Translation, you need to give me the ability to do it for I feel totally inadequate to take on such a task”. After that I did not think much more about it. However, about ten to fifteen years later I began to write theological articles.

When I first began writing I tended to be very critical of myself, and for that reason would often rewrite my articles over and over three, four and even five times until I was satisfied with them. I concentrated on being able to present a clear train of thought. And, in time I learned how to word things in a way that was unambiguous and easy to follow. Over the years I have written more than two-hundred essays, many of which have appeared in “Christian News”. Then, as I neared retirement, everything seemed to fall into place for me to revise the King James Translation. I had the entire text of the King James Bible on my computer, the skill needed, and confidence that could do it. It took about five years of work, but by 2011 that revision was largely complete.

 

Gary Ray Branscome