Another Preface: The Good Ole KJV

In 1611, Robert Barker, printer to the King, published "The Holy Bible, Conteyning the Old Testament and the New. Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues; & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised by his Majestie's speciall Commandement. Appointed to be read in Churches." It wasn't the first English language Bible by any means, being preceded by the Bishop's Bible, the Coverdale Bible, William Tyndale's Bible (Tyndale was burned alive for translating the Bible), Matthew's Bible, Whitchurch's Bible, and of course the bestselling Puritan favorite (and the Bible of Shakespeare), the Geneva Bible. But the King James set a new standard of literary achievement, precision in translation, and accumulation of wisdom and progress in translation of the ancient Biblical languages into English.

The KJV's fascinating story is well told in Alister McGrath's "In the Beginning: The Story of the King James Bible and How It Changed a Nation, a Language, and a Culture." But what concerns us here, of course, is the Preface to the 1611 KJV. (Unless you have a really old copy, don't bother to pull your KJV off the shelf as the Preface was omitted from most later printings; but you can find it on Google, of course.)

It's too lengthy to include the whole thing here, so I'm content to give just this excerpt concerning the value, beauty and sufficiency of the Bible:

[The Bible] is not only an armour, but also a whole armoury of weapons, both offensive and defensive; whereby we may save ourselves and put the enemy to flight.

It is not an herb, but a tree, or rather a whole paradise of trees of life, which bring forth fruit every month, and the fruit thereof is for meat, and the leaves for medicine.

It is not a pot of Manna, or a cruse of oil, which were for memory only, or for a meal's meat or two, but as it were a shower of heavenly bread sufficient for a whole host, be it never so great; and as it were a whole cellar full of oil vessels; whereby all our necessities may be provided for, and our debts discharged.

In a word, it is a panary of wholesome food, against fenowed traditions; a physician's shop (Saint Basil calleth it) of preservatives against poisoned heresies; a pandect of profitable laws against rebellious spirits; a treasury of most costly jewels against beggarly rudiments; finally, a fountain of most pure water springing up unto everlasting life.

And what marvel? the original thereof being from heaven, not from earth; the author being God, not man; the inditer, the Holy Spirit, not the wit of the Apostles or Prophets; the penmen, such as were sanctified from the womb, and endued with a principal portion of God's Spirit; the matter, verity, piety, purity, uprightness; the form, God's word, God's testimony, God's oracles, the word of truth, the word of salvation, &c;.; the effects, light of understanding, stableness of persuasion, repentance from dead works, newness of life, holiness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost; lastly, the end and reward of the study thereof, fellowship with the Saints, participation of the heavenly nature, fruition of an inheritance immortal, undefiled, and that never shall fade away. Happy is the man that delighteth in the Scripture, and thrice happy that meditateth in it day and night.