The King James Bible

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 4.8

Word count: 4.3M words
Chapters: 435

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The King James BibleAuthor: ,Language: English, Class: BS: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: The Bible, Old and New Testament, Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

The King James Bible is a classic text of far-reaching influence in the English-speaking world. This free electronic edition from Project Gutenberg is a public-domain resource in English, classified under religion and biblical studies. Its value is not limited to religious reading: the King James English is known for its solemn, strongly rhythmic style and has had a long influence on English literature, oratory, and rhetorical tradition, making it suitable as a sample for understanding classic English prose style. The electronic edition is convenient for full-text searching and comparative reading, and suits looking up specific passages, making thematic excerpts, or close reading. Note that this is a very large collection lacking modern annotations and an introduction, so first-time readers can easily get lost in its structure; moreover, reading religious texts involves matters of faith, and readers should remain open and respectful. It is best treated as a classic to be read in installments over the long term rather than a task book to be read through at once.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English learners who want to understand classic English prose style and rhetorical tradition
Readers and researchers who need a free electronic text for looking up biblical passages
General readers interested in religious texts and the history of English literature
Readers accustomed to reading large classics by searching and excerpting

Not a good fit for

Beginners who need modern annotations, an introduction, and background notes to understand it
Chinese readers expecting a Chinese translation and parallel layout
Readers who want to read it through at once and lack the patience for reading in installments

Reading tips

Don't force yourself to read from the first page to the last; start with a familiar passage or book.
Use the electronic edition's search function to read comparatively across passages around one thematic word.
Read a short passage each day and read it aloud to feel the rhythm and wording of the King James Version.
Use a table of contents or a reading plan to avoid losing your way in such a large volume.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this edition in Chinese or English?

According to the information, the book is in English: it is an English electronic text released by Project Gutenberg, namely the English version of the King James Bible, and contains no Chinese translation.

Is it suitable to read as literature?

Yes. The King James English is known for its solemn style and distinctive rhythm and has had a long influence on English literature and rhetorical tradition, so many readers also treat it as a sample of classic English prose style.

The whole book is very long; how should I begin?

It is advisable not to read straight through from the first page. Start with a familiar passage or book, use the electronic edition's search function for thematic comparative reading, and proceed in installments with a reading plan.

Does this electronic edition have annotations and an introduction?

The available information only states that it is a free electronic text from Project Gutenberg and does not mention annotations, an introduction, or appendices. If you need background notes and annotations, find an annotated edition to use alongside it.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Project Gutenberg Author

Project Gutenberg is not a single author but a nonprofit digital library founded by Michael Hart in 1971 and one of the world's earliest free ebook platforms. It relies on volunteers to digitize, proofread, and freely distribute public-domain works and is now operated by the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Its collection contains 2,692 works, mainly religious texts, epics, and story collections, including the King James Bible and the Douay-Rheims volumes, the epic Mahabharata, a literal translation of the Arabian Nights, and Danish editions of the Old and New Testaments. Public information is limited, and its nature is closer to a public-interest compiling and dissemination body; these texts are open to the public, easy to consult and circulate, and have had a profound influence on the spread of ebooks and the preservation of public-domain resources.