Was William Shakespeare utilized in the writing of the King James Bible?

Was William Shakespeare utilized in the writing of the King James Bible? — Nancy Tyndall

The King James Bible was the work of 50-odd scholars grouped in six teams, two from Westminster, two from Cambridge and two from Oxford.

The text of the Bible was divided into six sections and at each location one team translated a portion of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, the other, a portion of the Greek text of the New Testament and the Apocrypha.

The names of the translators are preserved in four contemporary manuscript lists. While there is no complete agreement between the four documents, none of them includes Shakespeare's name.

A fascinating account of the translators' work can be found in Adam Nicolson's book God's Secretaries (New York: HarperCollins, 2003).

Puzzled by a Scripture passage? Submit your Bible-related questions to dr. Liana Lupas at
LLupas@AmericanBible.org or via U.S. mail. ABSRecord.com/bibleqa

Thanks to the support of our faithful financial partners, American Bible Society has been engaging people with the life-changing message of God’s Word for more than 200 years.

Help us share God's Word where needed most.

Give Now

Sign up to stay in touch with how God is changing lives with his Word!

×

Subscribe Now

Sign up to stay in touch with how God is changing lives with his Word!