King James I did not write the King James Bible (also called the King James Version or the Authorized Version). He did commission it, however. James made the project his own after Puritans attending the 1604 Hampton Court Conference requested that a new translation of the Bible be made. Forty-seven scholars were enlisted to help, with the archbishop of Canterbury, Richard Bancroft, at their helm. The first edition was published in 1611. The King James Version turned out to be a resounding success, highly regarded for its unprecedented scholarliness and its literary beauty. It was adopted by numerous denominations and remains the translation of choice for some congregations today.