Shortly after he ascended the English throne in 1603, King James I commissioned a new Holy Bible translation that, more than 400 years later, is still widely read around the world.

The King James Version of the Bible, the most popular book in the English language, was published according to scholarly estimate on this day in history, May 2, 1611.

The King James Version of the Bible was published on this day in history, May 2, 1611. King James I authorized the first official English-language version of the Bible in 1604.