The Bible

Published in 1579, this, the Geneva Bible, was the most popular Bible in England in its time, and was used by such notable personages as John Bunyan, Shakespeare, and the Pilgrims. Because its notes were considered offensive by the monarchy of Great Britain, it was not officially recognized by the Church of England. Eventually, partially because of the conflict between the Geneva Bible and the official "Bishops Bible" of the Church of England, a new translation, without notes, was called for by King James I. The resultant translation, known as the Authorised Version (or as the King James Bible in the U.S.A.), borrowed heavily from this Geneva translation.