This is the preface in my KJV:
PREFACE TO THE KING JAMES VERSION
1873 EDITION
The most time-honored and widely used edition of the English Bible is the translation of 1611,
commonly known as the Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV). But though it has
served as the standard translation for millions of users through nearly four centuries, there has never
been a standard edition to which all printings are conformed.
No two early printings of the KJV were identical—not even the two printings of 1611—and no two
modern settings are identical, either. These differences are due to accidental human error as well as
to intentional changes by printers and editors, who sought to eliminate what they judged to be the
errors of others and to conform the text to their standards of English usage. This said, most differences
involve only spelling, punctuation, and italics, and few variations materially affect the meaning
of the text.
As early as 1616 there were systematic attempts to revise and standardize the KJV. Other important
early editions were issued by Cambridge in 1629 and 1638. In the eighteenth century, the two
great English universities (who were also officially chartered printers) commissioned thorough and
systematic revisions. The edition of Dr. F. S. Paris was published by Cambridge in 1762 and that of
Dr. Benjamin Blayney by Oxford in 1769. Though far from perfect, these remained the standard editions
until The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of 1873.
The Cambridge Paragraph Bible began with the simple plan of arranging the text of the KJV according
to the sense of the literature: arranging the prose sections into paragraphs and the poetic sections
into parallel lines. This simple plan, however, was enhanced by the editor’s desire to create the
most thorough standardization of the text ever attempted. To this task Dr. F. H. A. Scrivener devoted
seven laborious years: 1866 to 1873.
Because the translators’ original manuscript no longer exists, the KJV text must be established by
consulting the earliest settings. Dr. Scrivener compared at least 15 early settings and important revisions,
including both settings of 1611; Bibles of 1612, 1613, 1616, 1617, 1629, 1630, 1634, 1638,
1640; and the significant editions of Drs. Paris (1762) and Blayney (1769).
In his 120-page introduction, Dr. Scrivener addressed the various features of the KJV he worked to
standardize:
Marginal notes. The KJV does not contain explanatory or doctrinal comments but does include annotations
“for the explanation of the Hebrew and Greek words.” In the Old Testament of 1611, there
are 6,637 such notes. The more literal meaning of the original Hebrew or Aramaic (“Chaldee”) is expressed
in 4,111 notes, indicated by the abbreviation “Heb.” or “Chald.”; 2,156 give alternate renderings,
indicated by the word “Or”; 63 give the meaning of proper names; 240 harmonize parallel
passages; and 67 refer to various readings in the Hebrew manuscripts used by the translators.
In the New Testament of 1611, there are 765 marginal notes. Alternate translations are given in 583
notes, indicated by the word “Or”; 112 provide a more literal rendering of the Greek, indicated by the
abbreviation “Gr.”; 35 are explanatory notes or brief expositions; and 35 relate to alternate readings
in the Greek manuscripts used by the translators.
Significant notes from later editions have also been included in square brackets [ ]. There are 368
additional notes in the Old Testament (for example, Gen. 1:20) and 105 in the New (for example,
Mat. 1:20,21).
The KJV Looseleaf Reference Bible includes a significant system of cross references in addition to
the translators’ notes. Cross references are indicated by letters (a, b, c, etc.), while translators’ notes
are indicates by numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.).
Italic type. Italic type was used in the KJV, as in the Geneva Bible, to indicate words in the English
translation that have no exact representative in the original language. Dr. Scrivener, following many
earlier scholars, noted that the KJV translators were noticeably inconsistent in their use of italics,
sometimes even in the same paragraph and verse. To cite one small pattern from the 1611 edition,
Leviticus 11:20 has “upon all foure,” while for the same Hebrew 11:21 and 42 have “upon all foure,”
and 11:27 has “on all foure.”
Dr. Scrivener carefully analyzed why italic type was used throughout the KJV, reduced this analysis
to 14 major principles, and then applied these principles with meticulous consistency throughout
the entire Bible. A substantial portion of the editor’s “seven laborious years” was devoted to this
significant improvement.
Punctuation. Later printings of the KJV added a great deal of punctuation to the editions of 1611.
Dr. Scrivener restored the major punctuation (periods, colons, parentheses, question marks) of 1611
I suppose everyone has that preface -
PREFACE TO THE KING JAMES VERSION
1873 EDITION
The most time-honored and widely used edition of the English Bible is the translation of 1611,
commonly known as the Authorized Version or King James Version (KJV). But though it has
served as the standard translation for millions of users through nearly four centuries, there has never
been a standard edition to which all printings are conformed.
No two early printings of the KJV were identical—not even the two printings of 1611—and no two
modern settings are identical, either. These differences are due to accidental human error as well as
to intentional changes by printers and editors, who sought to eliminate what they judged to be the
errors of others and to conform the text to their standards of English usage. This said, most differences
involve only spelling, punctuation, and italics, and few variations materially affect the meaning
of the text.
As early as 1616 there were systematic attempts to revise and standardize the KJV. Other important
early editions were issued by Cambridge in 1629 and 1638. In the eighteenth century, the two
great English universities (who were also officially chartered printers) commissioned thorough and
systematic revisions. The edition of Dr. F. S. Paris was published by Cambridge in 1762 and that of
Dr. Benjamin Blayney by Oxford in 1769. Though far from perfect, these remained the standard editions
until The Cambridge Paragraph Bible of 1873.
The Cambridge Paragraph Bible began with the simple plan of arranging the text of the KJV according
to the sense of the literature: arranging the prose sections into paragraphs and the poetic sections
into parallel lines. This simple plan, however, was enhanced by the editor’s desire to create the
most thorough standardization of the text ever attempted. To this task Dr. F. H. A. Scrivener devoted
seven laborious years: 1866 to 1873.
Because the translators’ original manuscript no longer exists, the KJV text must be established by
consulting the earliest settings. Dr. Scrivener compared at least 15 early settings and important revisions,
including both settings of 1611; Bibles of 1612, 1613, 1616, 1617, 1629, 1630, 1634, 1638,
1640; and the significant editions of Drs. Paris (1762) and Blayney (1769).
In his 120-page introduction, Dr. Scrivener addressed the various features of the KJV he worked to
standardize:
Marginal notes. The KJV does not contain explanatory or doctrinal comments but does include annotations
“for the explanation of the Hebrew and Greek words.” In the Old Testament of 1611, there
are 6,637 such notes. The more literal meaning of the original Hebrew or Aramaic (“Chaldee”) is expressed
in 4,111 notes, indicated by the abbreviation “Heb.” or “Chald.”; 2,156 give alternate renderings,
indicated by the word “Or”; 63 give the meaning of proper names; 240 harmonize parallel
passages; and 67 refer to various readings in the Hebrew manuscripts used by the translators.
In the New Testament of 1611, there are 765 marginal notes. Alternate translations are given in 583
notes, indicated by the word “Or”; 112 provide a more literal rendering of the Greek, indicated by the
abbreviation “Gr.”; 35 are explanatory notes or brief expositions; and 35 relate to alternate readings
in the Greek manuscripts used by the translators.
Significant notes from later editions have also been included in square brackets [ ]. There are 368
additional notes in the Old Testament (for example, Gen. 1:20) and 105 in the New (for example,
Mat. 1:20,21).
The KJV Looseleaf Reference Bible includes a significant system of cross references in addition to
the translators’ notes. Cross references are indicated by letters (a, b, c, etc.), while translators’ notes
are indicates by numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.).
Italic type. Italic type was used in the KJV, as in the Geneva Bible, to indicate words in the English
translation that have no exact representative in the original language. Dr. Scrivener, following many
earlier scholars, noted that the KJV translators were noticeably inconsistent in their use of italics,
sometimes even in the same paragraph and verse. To cite one small pattern from the 1611 edition,
Leviticus 11:20 has “upon all foure,” while for the same Hebrew 11:21 and 42 have “upon all foure,”
and 11:27 has “on all foure.”
Dr. Scrivener carefully analyzed why italic type was used throughout the KJV, reduced this analysis
to 14 major principles, and then applied these principles with meticulous consistency throughout
the entire Bible. A substantial portion of the editor’s “seven laborious years” was devoted to this
significant improvement.
Punctuation. Later printings of the KJV added a great deal of punctuation to the editions of 1611.
Dr. Scrivener restored the major punctuation (periods, colons, parentheses, question marks) of 1611
I suppose everyone has that preface -
Not a 1611 I hope. 
