Celebrating the King James Bible with Your Kids

The Bible is not just a part of our history; it is the foundation of our past, present, and future. Each written word is meant to be used as a stepping stone on our paths to eternal life.

This year, the King James Version of the Holy Bible celebrates its 400th anniversary. Take time to teach your children the history of God’s Word through the years. They will grow to appreciate the Bible’s longevity more once they realize its history.

Children do not need to study it all, but learning a brief history of how the King James Version came to be can be a fun way to help them fully understand the heritage of this very important book, which just happens to be the No. 1 best-seller of all time.

Start by sharing with them about how the Bible was (and continues to be) translated so that people of all nations can read and understand it for themselves. The KJV is especially significant because it has withstood the test of time for 400 years.

The King James Bible actually came about at the request of English Puritans in 1604. King James granted their request and gathered the best scholars of the time to complete the monumental task of creating one version that the Christians of England could read. Six groups worked for years on the literal translation. The king and scholars kept to a literal translation to avoid commentary and to allow the words of God to speak for themselves.

Explain to your kids why this version of the Bible is so important. Till the mid-20th century, the King James Bible was the primary version used in England, America, and other English-speaking countries.

You may not even know this, but many passages from the King James Version are displayed on our historic buildings and are used in everyday speech. The term “labor of love” comes from I Thessalonians verses 1-3, “a cross to bear” is from Luke 14:27, and there are many more. Our language is full of phrases directly derived from the King James Bible. It’s great to see that God’s words make a difference in our language even today – whether we realize it or not.

Most churches used and some continue to use the King James Version for scripture memorization, for The Ten Commandments, and other quoted passages.

It is essential that our children not only follow God’s words, but also understand how we have access to Bibles today. Without a clear and accurate translation, we would be reliant on others to translate it.

Telling your kids about this date in our history is a great way to start the foundation of learning and understanding the history of Christianity.

A Few Ways to Mark This Anniversary

Give your child a copy.

Children’s Bibles are great for teaching stories and specific passages. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, I encourage you to gift your child with a copy inscribed with a special message. They do not have to read from it right away if it is too advanced for their reading levels, but they can have it as a keepsake and use it when they are older.

Host a 400th anniversary party.

Invite friends or just have it be your immediate family at a fun party to celebrate this important historical event. Make a cake and light four candles (not four hundred of course). Have your child help you prepare and use the time to talk about how important this anniversary is for us as believers. This is a great way to open the doors to learning about our important legacy as Christians.