In their elegant but often overlooked preface to the King James Bible, the translators asserted, Translation it is that openeth the window, to let in the light; that breaketh the shell, that we may eat the kernel; that putteth aside the curtain, that we may look into the most holy place; that removeth the cover of the well, that we may come by the water.

In celebration of the work of these translators and the fruit of their labors, the authors of this volume, representing a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, examine the cultural and religious monument that is the King James Bible. After David G. Burke’s introduction to the volume, Alister McGrath, Benson Bobrick, Lynne Long, and John R. Kohlenberger III explore in part 1 The World of Bible Translation before the King James Version. In part 2, A. Kenneth Curtis, Barclay M. Newman and Charles Houser, and Jack Lewis investigate The Making of the King James Bible, while in part 3 Leonard J. Greenspoon, Cheryl J. Sanders, Lamin Sanneh, David Lyle Jeffrey, and James R. White review The World of Bible Translation after the King James Bible. By looking at the historical context in which the translation was born, exploring its beauty and complexity, and evaluating its lasting impact on church and society throughout the English-speaking world, this volume provides a comprehensive introduction to the King James Bible and its influence throughout the centuries.