Holman KJV Study Bible © 2020 by Holman Bible Publishers

The 1611 King James Bible was prefaced by two articles "The Epistle Dedicatory" and "The Translators to the Reader". These articles are presented here in their entirety. "The Epistle Dedicatory" was written by the translators to officially dedicate the Bible to James I of England. In this foreword, they enthusiastically thank the king for blessing the church of Christ by graciously sponsoring this translation of the Word of God. They also contend that, though the translators would be attacked by Catholics and Protestants alike, their conscience is clear because they have translated faithfully.

In "The Translators to the Reader", one of the translators, Miles Smith, speaks for all in his explanation of the discipline and process of Bible translation. He defends his particular translation, which is in fact a revision of several previous versions, saying "we never thought from the beginning that we should need to make a new translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one;... but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones one principal good one, not to be justly excepted against; that hath been our endeavour, that our mark." He acknowledges that this undertaking, like any great project, will not be without detractors. But the translators' primary goal was to make an accurate translation of the Bible that could be easily understood by all English-speaking persons: "to deliver God's book unto God's people in a tongue which they understand." In another place he says, "But we desire that the Scripture may speak like itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it may be understood even of the very vulgar." Smith goes on to explain the use of marginal notes and discusses the employment of a variety of English terms for the same Hebrew or Greek term. Finally, he earnestly implores the reader to read and study the Word and to take it to heart.