The history behind the KJV | Rapp Report Daily 008 | Andrew Rappaport | SFE | Striving for Eternity

The Apocrypha in the King James Version

Welcome to The Rapid Pull, daily edition, where we provide a quick biblical interpretations and applications. This is a ministry of striving for eternity.

As we looked at yesterday's podcast, we saw that the King James Version of the Bible included the 14 books known as the Apocrypha, along with the 39 Old Testament books and 27 New Testament books. Why is that so important?

The English Bible Before the KJV

Well, we have to understand the history of the time. We mentioned that this was not the first English translation. In fact, the first had been the Great Bible, commissioned by Henry VIII in 1535. That was the first state Bible that had been replaced by the second version, which was the Bishop's Bible in 1568.

James VI, the Hampton Court Conference, and a New State Bible

And then James VI had convened the Hampton Court Conference. He announced a new translation, which was known as the King James Version. Why did he do this? Well, when Henry VIII had come to power and separated from the Roman Catholic Church, it created a revival, and people wanted a new Bible.

And they had used the Great Bible. When Mary replaced him, she wanted to return to Roman Catholicism, and in doing so, she replaced the Great Bible with the Latin Vulgate. After the reign of Queen Elizabeth, James VI came to power and wanted to bring an end to the disputing over the state Bible, as there had constantly been, between the Protestants and Roman Catholics, a fighting over which would be the state Bible.

Why the KJV Included the Apocrypha

James' solution was to create an English Bible, which is what the Reformers wanted, but he included the Apocrypha, which is what the Catholics wanted, bringing unity to have one state Bible that would last even till today.

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