John Perrin (translator) facts for kids
John Perrin (born around 1558, died 1615) was an important English churchman and scholar. He was a professor at Oxford University and helped translate one of the most famous English Bibles, the King James Bible.
Early Life and Education
John Perrin was born in London around 1558. When he was about 17, he went to Merchant Taylors' School. This was a well-known school at the time. After that, he went to St John's College at Oxford University in 1575. He became a fellow, which means he was a senior member of the college.
He worked hard and earned several degrees. He got his first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), in 1579. Then he earned a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1583. Later, he continued his studies in theology, getting a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) in 1589 and a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) in 1596.
A Professor and Bible Translator
John Perrin became the Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford University in 1597. This was a very important job. He taught the ancient Greek language to students. He held this position until 1615.
King James I chose John Perrin to be part of a special team. This team was given the huge task of translating the Bible into English. This new version would become known as the King James Bible. It was a very big project. Because of this important work, it was hard for him to keep up with all his teaching duties as a professor.
Besides his work at Oxford, John Perrin also held other church roles. In 1604, he became a canon at Christ Church Cathedral. From 1605 to 1611, he was also the vicar of Worthing, a town in Sussex. John Perrin passed away on May 9, 1615.
