Historical chart outlining the timeline of the King James Version (KJV) and its relationship to other significant Bible translations. This chart includes the progression of translations before and after the KJV, highlighting its influence.
| Year | Translation | Significance |
| 4th Century | Latin Vulgate | Translated by Jerome; dominant Bible in Western Christianity for over 1,000 years. |
| 1382-1395 | Wycliffe Bible | First complete Bible translation into English, based on the Latin Vulgate. |
| 1526 | Tyndale New Testament | First English New Testament translated directly from Greek manuscripts. |
| 1535 | Coverdale Bible | First complete English Bible, combining Tyndale’s work with translations of the Old Testament. |
| 1539 | Great Bible | Authorized by King Henry VIII, first English Bible for public use in churches. |
| 1560 | Geneva Bible | First English Bible with numbered verses; popular among Puritans and Pilgrims. |
| 1568 | Bishops’ Bible | Official Church of England translation, precursor to the KJV. |
| 1611 | King James Version (KJV) | Commissioned by King James I, translated from Hebrew and Greek, and became the standard English Bible. |
| 1881-1885 | English Revised Version (ERV) | First major revision of the KJV, updating language and reflecting advances in biblical scholarship. |
| 1901 | American Standard Version (ASV) | Based on the ERV, with Americanized English. |
| 1946-1952 | Revised Standard Version (RSV) | A significant modern revision of the ASV, aiming for accuracy and readability. |
| 1971 | New American Standard Bible (NASB) | Known for its literal accuracy, based on the ASV. |
| 1995 | New American Standard Bible Update (NAS95) | A revision of the NASB (1971) with smoother readability while maintaining literal accuracy. |
| 1978 | New International Version (NIV) | A dynamic translation aiming for accessibility and modern readability. |
| 1982 | New King James Version (NKJV) | Updates the KJV while preserving its literary style and accuracy. |
| 2001 | English Standard Version (ESV) | A revision of the RSV, aiming for word-for-word accuracy and modern clarity. |
| 2014 | Christian Standard Bible (CSB) | Balances readability with faithful translation from original texts. |
Notes on the KJV
- The KJV (1611) was based on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament.
- It incorporated and refined translations from earlier English Bibles, especially the Tyndale Bible, the Geneva Bible, and the Bishops’ Bible.
- Modern versions like the NKJV aim to update the language while maintaining the KJV’s textual tradition.
Notes on the NAS95:
- The NAS95 updated the NASB 1971 to improve clarity and smoothness for modern readers while retaining a high level of formal equivalence (word-for-word translation).
- It remained a go-to version for those seeking a highly literal Bible translation faithful to the original texts.