The Authorised King James Version of the Bible will be 400 years old next year, and is believed to be the biggest-selling book ever and to have taken the English language around the world, yet 51% of under-35’s in the UK have never heard of it.
The Bible was prepared as a result of the orders of King James I to unite religious factions and correct flaws and political problems in the existing translations of the time.
The King James also provided the English language with hundreds of well-known phrases like ‘let there be light’ and ‘eat, drink and be merry’, but has dropped out of fashion recently because clergy are more likely to use modern translations.
A spokesman for the King James Bible Trust, which commissioned the poll that uncovered this statistic, stated: “There has been a dramatic drop in knowledge in a generation. Yet this is a work which was far more influential than Shakespeare in the development and spread of English.”
He said the book should be taught by schools in English, history and religious education classes.
Labour MP Frank Field said: “It is not possible to comprehend fully Britain’s historical, linguistic or religious development without an understanding of this great translation.”