The most influential book in English

The Queen attended a service at Westminster Abbey today to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Despite being written by a committee (of six subcommittees, two each at Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster) it is, of course, wonderfully poetic—certainly compared to the leaden prose, that might have been written by management consultants, in versions of the last 50 years. I think many of the more memorable turns of phrase were lifted from William Tyndale's earlier version (for which he paid with his life). What a monumental effort, for one man to translate all that Hebrew and Greek into accessible and beautiful English.

I seem to have followed around one of the King James authors—Archbishop of Canterbury George Abbot. He was Guildford born, raised, educated (at the still going strong Royal Grammar School) and buried; most days I walk by the statue of him at the top of the High Street. He was master of my college (University College) at Oxford. He was also chancellor of Trinity College, Dublin—where I've stayed right next door to, maybe two dozen times in the last five years. Finally, the conference convened by James I which initiated the production of his Bible was at Hampton Court Palace, where I play real tennis.

It has been argued, most recently by Melvyn Bragg (with whom I tend to agree), that the King James Bible inspired the liberal-democratic development of the English-speaking world, through the great internal struggles of the English Civil War, the American War of Independence and the American Civil War. Further, that it inspired free thought and free enquiry, unleashing the scientific revolution that has shaped today's world.

Whereas those points might be debated, the influence of the King James Bible on our every day discourse cannot be denied. I give you:

• the powers that be
• the apple of his eye
• signs of the times
• law unto themselves
• turned the world upside down
• God forbid
• take root
• filthy lucre
• no peace for the wicked
• a fly in the ointment
• wheels within wheels
• the blind leading the blind
• feet of clay
• put words in his mouth
• the writing on the wall
• salt of the earth
• go from strength to strength
• a thorn in the flesh
• broken-hearted
• sick unto death
• clear-eyed