In 1986 I bought for myself my first proper Bible. A King James Version. My pastor at that time asked if anyone wants a Bible so I raised my hand and said I wanted one. 

Back then we didn’t have the internet and the nearest place to buy a new Bible (that we knew of) was in the city centre, and they were known to be expensive. 

So I got my money together and I bought for myself my first new complete Holy Bible. 

I read from it at my baptism that same year and I cherished it over the years that followed. As time went on it started to fall apart and eventually broke into three pieces and the binding lost. I eventually bought a New King James in 2002, and my old Bible got stored away.

Over recent years I started to look at it again and this year I decided I would do some restoration work and I made the emotional decision to rebind it. 

This month I completed that work after seeing an original 1535 Tyndale New Testament in Lancashire. 

The King James Bible contains over 80% of Tyndale’s translative work and 2026 marks the 500th anniversary of the 1526 Tyndale New Testament. It also marks the 40th anniversary of my baptism, so I’ve chose to honour Tyndale’s legacy by rebinding my first Bible.