Introduction
As Bible-believing
Christians, we believe that the words of the King James Authorized Version are
the pure and preserved words of God for the English speaking people. This
booklet has been written to help fellow Bible-believers defend themselves
against the fiery darts of the wicked Laodiceans and Alexandrians who do not
believe that any human being should have a printed final authority to guide him
through this wicked world of darkness and deceit.
I realize it is unusual
to see such a brief booklet addressing so many subjects, but it is my personal
belief that this is what many people need in these last days. The Bible
Believer's Helpful Little Handbook has been well accepted by Christians
because of its variety, its brevity, and its scriptural content. I've
tried to stick to that same basic principle in this booklet. Since this
is mainly a reference guide, it isn't necessary for you to read the entire
booklet in order to appreciate many of the truths it contains. Each small
section contains valuable truths that the active Bible-believer will find
helpful time after time. However, if you'll take the time to read the
entire booklet, you will learn many things that will increase your faith in
God's preserved word. You will also become more equipped to do battle
with the Alexandrian apostates who work endlessly in their efforts to replace
your two-edged sword with a toothpick. These people take great
delight in ridiculing and intimidating people like you and I, and far too often
they win because we do not know the answers. With a good knowledge of the
information in the forthcoming pages, you CAN know the answers and you can win
a few battles of your own.
I urge you to become
familiar with this little booklet. Mark or highlight the special places
that will be most useful to you and use it frequently in fighting back
at the enemy.
The words of the LORD
are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever. (Psa. 12:6-7)
Reasons for Accepting
the KJV as God's Preserved Word
1. God promised to preserve His words
(Psa. 12:6-7; Mat. 24:35). There has to be a preserved copy of God's pure
words somewhere. If it isn't the KJV, then what is it?
2. It has no copyright. The text
of the KJV may be reproduced by anyone for there is no copyright forbidding its
duplication. This is not true with the modern perversions.
3. The KJV produces good fruit (Mat.
7:17-20). No modern translation can compare to the KJV when it comes to producing
good fruit. For nearly four hundred years, God has used the preaching
and teaching of the KJV to bring hundreds of millions to Christ.
Laodicean Christians might favor the new versions, but the Holy Spirit
doesn't.
4. The KJV was translated during the
Philadelphia church period (Rev. 3:7-13). The modern perversions began to
appear rather late on the scene as the lukewarm Laodicean period got underway
(Rev. 3:14-22), but the KJV was produced way back in 1611, just in time for the
many great revivals (1700-1880). The Philadelphia church was the church
that "kept" God's word (Rev. 3:8).
5. The KJV translators were honest in
their work. When the translators had to add certain words, largely due to
idiom changes, they placed the added words in italics so we'd know the
difference, unlike many new perversions.
6. All new translations compare themselves
to the KJV. Isn't it strange that the new perversions never compare
themselves to one another? For some strange reason (Mat. 12:26) they all
line up against one Book--the A.V. 1611.
7. The KJV translators believed they were
handling the very words of God (I Ths. 2:13). Just read the King James
Dedicatory and compare it to the prefaces in the modern versions.
Immediately, you will see a world of difference in the approach and attitude of
the translators.
8. The KJV is supported by far more
evidence. Of over 5,300 pieces of manuscript evidence, ninety-five
percent supports the King James Bible. The changes in the new perversions
are based on the remaining five percent of manuscripts, most of which are from
Alexandria, Egypt.
9. No one has ever proven that the KJV is
not God's word. The 1611 should be considered innocent until proven
guilty with a significant amount of genuine evidence.
10. The KJV exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. The true scriptures should
testify of Jesus Christ (John 5:39). There is no book on this planet
which exalts Christ higher than the King James Bible. In numerous places
the new perversions attack the Deity of Christ, the Blood Atonement, the
Resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and the Second Coming.
The true scriptures will testify of Jesus Christ, not attack Him!
Questions for the KJV
Critics
1. Since you're smart enough to find
"mistakes" in the KJV, why don't you correct them all and give us a
perfect Bible?
2. Do you have a perfect Bible?
3. Since you do believe "the
Bible" is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice,
could you please show us where Jesus, Peter, James, Paul, or John ever practiced
your terminology ("the Greek text says...the originals say...a
better rendering would be...." etc.)?
4. Since you do not profess to have a
perfect Bible, why do you refer to it as "God's word"?
5. Remembering that the Holy Spirit is the
greatest Teacher (John 16:12-15; I John 2:27), who taught you that the KJV was
not infallible, the Holy Spirit or man?
6. Assuming you believe in the
degeneration of man, rather than evolution, why is it that you believe
education has somehow "evolved" and that men are more qualified to
translate God's word today than in 1611?
7. There is one true God, yet many false
gods, so why do you think it's so wrong to teach that there is one true Bible,
yet many false "bibles"?
8. Isn't it true that you believe God
inspired His holy words in the "originals," but has since lost
them, since no one has a perfect Bible today?
9. Isn't it true that when you use the
term "the Greek text" you are being deceitful and dishonest since
there are many Greek TEXTS (plural), rather than just one?
10. Before the first new perversion was published in 1881 (the RV), the King
James Bible was published, preached, and taught throughout the world. God
blessed these efforts and hundreds of millions were saved. Today, with
the many new translations on the market, very few are truly being saved.
The great revivals are over. Who has gained the most from the new
versions, God or Satan?
Seventy-five Common
Sayings
The King James Bible
is supposedly written in an "old and archaic language" that people
today have trouble understanding, but please notice how so many of our
modern sayings come from between its covers. Hundreds could be presented,
but we'll limit ourselves to seventy-five:
1. Genesis 4:2-5: can't get blood from a turnip
2. Genesis 7: don't miss the boat
3. Genesis 11:7-9: babbling
4. Genesis 15:5: teller
5. Genesis 43:34: mess (of food)
6. Exodus 19:16-18: holy smoke
7. Exodus 28:42: britches
8. Exodus 32:8: holy cow
9. Leviticus 2:14: roast ears
10. Leviticus 13:10: the quick (raw flesh)
11. Leviticus 14:5-6: running water
12. Leviticus 16:8: scapegoat
13. Leviticus 25:10: Liberty Bell
14. Numbers 21:5: light bread
15. Numbers 35:2-5: suburb
16. Deuteronomy 2:14: wasted him
17. Deuteronomy 24:5: cheer up
18. Deuteronomy 32:10: apple of his eye
19. Judges 5:20: star wars
20. Judges 7:5-12: under dog
21. Judges 8:16: teach a lesson
22. Judges 17:10: calling a priest father
23. I Samuel 14:12: I'll show you a thing or two
24. I Samuel 20:40: artillery
25. I Samuel 25:37: petrified
26. II Samuel 19:18: ferry boat
27. I Kings 3:7: don't know if he's coming or going
28. I Kings 14:3: cracklins
29. I Kings 14:6: that's heavy
30. I Kings 21:19-23: she's gone to the dogs
31. II Chronicles 9:6: you haven't heard half of it
32. II Chronicles 30:6: postman
33. Nehemiah 13:11: set them in their place
34. Esther 7:9: he hung himself
35. Job 11:16: It's water under the bridge
36. Job 20:6: he has his head in the clouds
37. Psalm 4:8: lay me down to sleep
38. Psalm 19:3-4: he gave me a line
39. Psalm 37:13: his day is coming
40. Psalm 58:8: pass away (dying)
41. Psalm 64:3-4: shoot off your mouth
42. Psalm 78:25: angel's food cake
43. Psalm 141:10: give him enough rope and he'll hang himself
44. Proverbs 7:22: dumb as an ox
45. Proverbs 13:24: spare the rod, spoil the child
46. Proverbs 18:6: he is asking for it
47. Proverbs 24:16: can't keep a good man down
48. Proverbs 25:14: full of hot air
49. Proverbs 30:30: king of beasts
50. Ecclesiastes 10:19: money talks
51. Ecclesiastes 10:20: a little bird told me
52. Song Solomon 2:5: lovesick
53. Isaiah 52:8: see eye to eye
54. Jeremiah 23:25: I have a dream (MLK, Jr)
55. Ezekiel 26:9: engines
56. Ezekiel 38:9: desert storm or storm troopers
57. Daniel 3:21: hose (leg wear)
58. Daniel 8:25: foreign policy
59. Daniel 11:38: the force be with you (star wars)
60. Hosea 7:8: half-baked
61. Jonah 4:10-11: can't tell left from right
62. Zephaniah 3:8-9: United Nations Assembly
63. Matthew 25:1-10: burning the midnight oil
64. Matthew 25:33: right or left side of an issue
65. Matthew 27:46: for crying out loud
66. Mark 5:13: hog wild
67. Luke 11:46: won't lift a finger to help
68. Luke 15:17: he came to himself
69. Romans 2:23: breaking the law
70. Philippians 3:2: beware of dog
71. Colossians 2:14: they nailed him
72. I John 5:11-13: get a life
73. Revelation 6:8: hell on earth
74. Revelation 16:13: a frog in my throat
75. Revelation 20:15: go jump in the lake
If you've checked these
references, then you can easily see how our all-wise God has played a beautiful
joke on the modern revisionists. People who do not even believe the
KJV quote it every day! Furthermore, if you'll grab yourself a NIV, a
NCV, a TEV, or anything else, you'll find that many of these modern sayings
have been destroyed by the "better language" of the Laodiceans.
For example, I always
thought that when I was a young boy my father and I crossed the Mississippi on
a ferry boat (II Sam. 19:18), but I guess we must have crossed
at the ford instead (NIV). Then there were times when I got out of line and
dad would really set me in my place (Neh. 13:11). Too bad he
didn't have a NIV, for he could have stationed me at my post. I
guess there was nothing dad loved more than going out early on Saturday
mornings and catching a mess of fish (Gen. 43:34). It's a good
thing we didn't have a NKJV in those days, for he would have only caught a
serving. We usually had hushpuppies with that fish dinner, but
sometimes we just had light bread (Num. 21:5). That is, until the
neighbors came over with their New American Bible. Then we had wretched
food. Then dad would always say, "Cheer up, son, it'll be
better next time!" (Deu. 24:5) Too bad he didn't have a NKJV, for I'm
sure he would have said, "Come on, boy, bring happiness to
yourself!"
So you get the
point: the new versions don't stand a chance when competing with the
KJV to use the most "modern" speech!
The Italicized Words
If we are to believe
what we hear from the critics, then we must accept the notion that the
italicized words in the King James Bible do not belong. We are told that
the words were added by the translators and are not the words of
God. If this is true, then please explain why Luke, Paul, John,
Peter, and even the Lord Jesus QUOTE them! The scripture printed in bold
is the Old Testament passage, while the scripture that follows is the New
Testament quote of that passage:
I have set the LORD
always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
(Psa. 16:8)
. . . I foresaw the
Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be
moved: (Acts 2:25)
Thou shalt not muzzle
the ox when he treadeth out the corn. (Deu. 25:4)
. . . Thou shalt not
muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for
oxen?
(I Cor. 9:9)
. . . that he
might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Deu. 8:3)
But he answered and
said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Mat. 4:4)
I have said, Ye are
gods; and all of you are children of the most High. (Psa. 82:6)
Jesus answered them,
Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (John 10:34)
Therefore thus saith
the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious
corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
(Isa. 28:16)
Wherefore also it is
contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect,
precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (I Pet. 2:6)
Did you notice that
the New Testament writers QUOTE the words in italics? This means they
WERE actually in the originals! When Jesus said, "It is
written..." (Mat. 4:4), he was saying that the word "word" was
also written--even if the King James translators didn't have it in the
Hebrew Old Testament. The Holy Spirit led them to use the word
anyway. If He didn't, then why did Jesus quote it?
Also, we have the
case of WHO killed Goliath? II Samuel 21:19 in the KJV says:
"And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan
the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the
Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam."
The words "the brother of" are in italics. If these words
were omitted, then the Bible would say that Elhanan slew Goliath, instead of
his brother, which would contradict the fact that David killed Goliath. If
you'll check I Chronicles 20:5, you'll see that the italics of II Samuel 21:19
are well justified. Moral: The English sheds light on the
English--WITHOUT "the Greek."
Antioch vs.
Alexandria
We hear much talk
these days about "older" and "more authoritative"
manuscripts, but we aren't hearing much about the origin of these
manuscripts. It is a well established fact that there are only two lines
of Bibles: one coming from Antioch, Syria (known as the Syrian or Byzantine
type text) and one coming from Alexandria, Egypt (known as the Egyptian or
Hesycnian type text). The Syrian text from Antioch is the Majority text
from which our King James 1611 comes, and the Egyptian text is the minority
text from which the new perversions come.
The manuscripts from
Antioch were mostly copied by Bible-believing Christians for the purpose of
winning souls and spreading the word of God. The manuscripts from
Alexandria were produced by infidels such as Origen and Clement of
Alexandria. These manuscripts are corrupted with Greek philosophy (Col.
2:8), and allegorical foolishness. The strange thing is that most Christians
aren't paying any attention to what God's word says about these two places.
Notice how the Holy Spirit casts Egypt and Alexandria in a negative
light, while His comments on Antioch tend to be very positive:
Egypt and Alexandria
1. Egypt is first mentioned in connection
with Abraham not trusting Egyptians around his wife (Gen. 12:10-13).
2. One of the greatest types of Christ in
the Bible was sold into Egypt as a slave (Gen. 37:36).
3. Joseph did not want his bones left in
Egypt (Gen. 50:25).
4. God killed all the firstborn of Egypt
(Exo. 12:12).
5. God calls Egypt "the house of
bondage" (Exo. 20:4).
6. God calls Egypt an "iron
furnace" (Deu. 4:20).
7. The Kings of Israel were even forbidden
to get horses from Egypt (Deu. 17:16).
8. The Jews were forbidden to go to Egypt
for help (Jer. 42:13-19).
9. God called His Son out of Egypt (Mat.
2:15).
10. Egypt is placed in the same category as Sodom (Rev. 11:8).
11. The first time Alexandria is mentioned in the Bible, it is associated
with unbelievers, persecution, and the eventual death of Stephen (Acts 6:9;
7:54-60).
12. The next mention of Alexandria involves a lost preacher who is
messed up doctrinally (Acts 18:24-26).
13. The last two times we read about Alexandria is in Acts 27:6 and Acts
28:11 where Paul was carried to his eventual death in Rome by two ships from
Alexandria .
Alexandria was the
second largest city of the Roman Empire, with Rome being the first. It
was founded in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great (a type of the Antichrist in
Daniel 8). Located at the Nile Delta, Alexandria was the home of the
Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. Also,
during the second and third centuries B.C., it was the home of a massive
library containing between 500,000 and 700,000 volumes. It was also the
home of a catechetical school once head-mastered by the great apostate
Adamantius Origen (185-254 A.D.).
QUESTION: In light of
what God's word says about higher knowledge and philosophy (I Cor. 1:22; Rom.
1:22; Gen. 3:5; Col. 2:8; I Cor. 8:1), why would a Christian expect to find the
true word of God in Alexandrian manuscripts?
Antioch
1. Upon its first
mention, we find that Antioch is the home of a Spirit-filled deacon (Acts
6:3-5).
2. Antioch sheltered
persecuted saints (Acts 11:19).
3. The first major
movement of the Holy Ghost among the Gentiles occurs in Antioch (Acts
11:20-21).
4. Paul and Barnabas
taught the Bible in Antioch for a whole year (Acts 11:26).
5. The disciples were
first called "Christians" at Antioch (Acts 11:26).
6. The church at Antioch
sent relief to the poor saints at Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30).
7. The first missionary
journey is sent out from Antioch (Acts 13:1-3).
8. Antioch remained the
home base or headquarters of the early church (Acts 14:19-26; 15:35).
9. The final decision of
the Jerusalem council was first sent to Antioch (Acts 15:19-23, 30) because
Antioch was the home base.
10. Antioch was the
location of Paul setting Peter straight on his doctrine (Gal. 2:11).
Founded in 300 B.C.
by Seleucus Nicator, Antioch was the third largest city of the Roman
Empire. Located in Syria, about twenty miles inland from the
Mediterranean on the Orontes River, Antioch had its own sea port and more than
its share of travelers and tradesmen. In His infinite wisdom, God picked
this ideal location for a "home base". Antioch was far
enough away from the culture and traditions of the Jews and the dominant
Gentiles that new Christians could grow in the Lord. Meanwhile, its
geographical location was ideal for taking God's word into all the world.
Friend, you can get
your Bible from Alexandria, or you can get it from Antioch. Wise
Christians choose Antioch.
Sinaiticus and
Vaticanus
When someone
"corrects" the King James Bible with "more authoritative
manuscripts" or "the best authorities," they're usually making
some reference to Sinaiticus or Vaticanus. These are two very corrupt
fourth century uncials that are practically worshipped by modern
scholars. These are the primary manuscripts that Westcott and Hort relied
so heavily on when constructing their Greek text (1851-1871) on which the new
perversions are based.
Vaticanus (B) is the
most worshipped. This manuscript was officially catalogued in the Vatican
library in 1475 and is still property of the Vatican today. Siniaticus
(Aleph or !) was discovered in a trash can at St. Catherine's
Monastery on the traditional “Mt. Sinai” by Count Tischendorf, a German
scholar, in the year 1844. Both B and ! are Roman Catholic
manuscripts. Remember that. You might also familiarize
yourself with the following facts:
1. Both manuscripts
contain the Apocrypha as part of the Old Testament.
2. Tischendorf, who had
seen both manuscripts, believed they were written by the same man, possibly
1. Eusebius of Caesarea
(260-340 A.D.).
2. Vaticanus was
available to the King James translators, but God gave them sense enough to
ignore it.
3. Vaticanus omits
Genesis 1:1-46:28, Psalm 106-138, Matthew 16:2-3, Rom. 16:24, I Timothy through
Titus, the entire book of Revelation, and it conveniently ends the book of
Hebrews at Hebrews 9:14.
4. While adding The
Epistle of Barnabas and The Shepherd of Hermas to the New Testament,
Siniaticus omits John 5:4, 8:1-11, Matthew 16:2-3, Romans 16:24, Mark 16:9-20,
Acts 8:37, and I John 5:7 (just to name a few).
5. It is believed that
Siniaticus has been altered by as many as ten different men.
Consequently, it is a very sloppy piece of work (which is probably the reason
for it being in a trash can).
6. The Dutch scholar,
Erasmus (1469-1536), who produced the world's first printed Greek New
Testament, rejected the readings of Vaticanus and Siniaticus.
7. Vaticanus and
Siniaticus not only disagree with the Majority Text from which the KJV came,
they also differ from each other (over 3,000 times in the Gospels alone).
8. When someone says
that B and Aleph are the oldest available manuscripts, they are lying.
There are many Syriac and Latin translations from as far back as the SECOND
CENTURY that agree with the King James readings. For instance, the
Pashitta (145 A.D.), and the Old Syriac (400 A.D.) both contain strong support
for the King James readings. There are about fifty extant copies of
the Old Latin from about 157 A.D., which is over two hundred years before
Jerome was conveniently chosen by Rome to "revise" it. Then
Ulfilas produced a Gothic version for Europe in A.D. 330. The Armenian
Bible, which agrees with the King James, has over 1,200 extant copies and was
translated by Mesrob around the year 400. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus are clearly
not the oldest and best.
Facts about Westcott
and Hort
Brooke Foss Westcott
(1825-1901) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) were the two English
scholars who produced the corrupt Greek text of the modern perversions.
Their dominating influence on the revision committee of 1871-1881 accounts for
most of the corruption that we have today in modern translations. The
Bible believer should keep several points in mind when discussing these two
men. The following information is well documented in Final Authority,
by William Grady, and in Riplinger's New Age Bible Versions:
1. Together, the Life
and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott and the Life and Letters of Fenton
John Anthony Hort run over 1,800 pages. A personal salvation
testimony is not given once for either man, and the name "Jesus" is
found only nine times!
2. Westcott was a firm
believer in Mary worship, and Hort claimed that Mary worship had a lot in
common with Jesus worship.
3. Hort believed in
keeping Roman Catholic sacraments.
4. Hort believed in
baptismal regeneration as taught in the Catholic church.
5. Hort rejected the
infallibility of Scripture.
6. Hort took great
interest in the works of Charles Darwin, while both he and Westcott rejected
the literal account of Creation.
7. Westcott did
not believe in the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennium, or a literal
Heaven.
8. Both men rejected the
doctrine of a literal Hell, and they supported prayers for the dead in
purgatory.
9. Hort refused to
believe in the Trinity.
10. Hort refused to
believe in angels.
11. Westcott confessed
that he was a communist by nature.
12. Westcott also did his
share of beer drinking. In fact, only twelve years after the Revised
Version was published, Westcott was a spokesman for a brewery.
13. While working on
their Greek text (1851-1871), and while working on the Revision Committee for
the Revised Version (1871-1881), Westcott and Hort were also keeping company
with "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1).
Both men took great interest in occult practices and clubs. They
started the Hermes Club in 1845, the Ghostly Guild in 1851, and
Hort joined a secret club called The Apostles in the same year.
They also started the Eranus Club in 1872. These were
spiritualists groups which believed in such unscriptural practices as communicating
with the dead (necromancy).
14. The Westcott and Hort
Greek text was secretly given to the Revision Committee.
15. The members of the
Revision Committee of 1881 were sworn to a pledge of secrecy in regard to the
new Greek text being used, and they met in silence for ten years.
16. The corrupt Greek
text of Westcott and Hort was not released to the public until just five days
before the debut of the Revised Version. This prevented
Bible-believing scholars like Dean Burgon from reviewing and exposing it.
Translating the King
James Bible
Unlike Westcott, Hort,
and the R.V. Committee, King James went through great efforts to guard the 1611
translation from errors. Please note the following:
1. In 1604, King James
announced that 54 Hebrew and Greek scholars had been appointed to translate a
new Bible for English speaking people. The number was reduced to 47 by
the time the work formally began in 1607.
2. Rather than working
together all at one location, these men were divided into six separate groups,
which worked at three separate locations. There were two at Westminster, two at
Oxford, and two at Cambridge.
3. Each group translated
a selected portion of Scripture.
4. Each scholar made his
translation of a book and then passed it on to be reviewed by each member of
his group.
5. The whole group then
went over the book together.
6. Once a group had
completed a book of the Bible, they sent it to be reviewed by the other five
groups.
7. All objectionable and
questionable translating was marked and noted, and then it was returned to the
original group for consideration.
8. A special committee
was formed by selecting one leader from each group. This committee worked
out all of the remaining differences and produced a finished copy.
9. This means that the
King James Bible had to pass at least FOURTEEN examinations before going
to press.
10. Throughout this
process, any learned individuals of the land could be called upon for their
judgment, and the churches were kept informed of the progress.
Let's Compare Bibles
In this section, we
have reprinted our Let's Compare Bibles tract. Here you will see
several good examples of how modern Bible versions are attacking God's
word. We have selected eight modern translations for evaluation.
The translations evaluated are as follows:
NIV...... New International Version
NASB...New American Standard Bible
NRSV...New Revised Standard Version
REB.....Revised English Bible
LB........Living Bible
NWT.... New World Translation
NAB ....New American Bible
NKJV... New King James Version
Although we have
limited this study to eight new translations, you will find some of
these attacks manifested in ANY new translation. You will
find that some of the most important doctrines of the Bible are being attacked
in the new versions. Whether you have a Living Bible, a New Century
Version, a Revised Standard Version, a Holman Christian Standard Version, or
any of the other perversions of Scripture. You are going to see the Devil hard
at work on the revision committees of the new translations. The King James
reading will appear first, followed by a brief comment, and then the perverted
readings of the modern perversions.
Psalm 12:6-7
The words of the LORD
are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from
this generation for ever.
The above promise
from the King James Bible tells us that God intends to preserve His WORDS
forever. Notice how the new versions destroy this promise by making you
think the context is God's PEOPLE rather than His WORDS:
NIV...... you will keep us safe
NASB...
Thou wilt preserve him
NRSV.. You, O Lord, will protect us
REB.....you are our protector
LB........you will forever preserve your own
NAB.....You, O Lord, will keep us
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord
himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear
a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Notice how some new
versions attack the Virgin Birth of Christ by robbing Mary of her
virginity. As anyone well knows, a young woman or a maiden
is NOT necessarily a virgin:
NRSV.. young woman
REB.....young woman
NWT.....maiden
Luke 2:33
And Joseph and
his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Here the new versions
attack the Virgin Birth by telling us that Joseph was Christ's father:
NIV.......The child's father
NASB...His father
NRSV...the child's father
NWT.....its father
I Timothy 3:16
And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed
on in the world, received up into glory.
Notice how the King
James is very clear in telling us WHO was manifest in the flesh: GOD was
manifest in the flesh. Now watch the new perversions throw God
clear out of the verse:
NIV.......He appeared in a body
NASB...He who was revealed in the flesh
NRSV...He was revealed in flesh
REB.....He was manifested in the flesh
LB........who came to earth as a man
NWT.... He was made manifest in the flesh
NAB.....He was manifested in the flesh
Micah 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem
Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee
shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth
have been from of old, from everlasting.
This is a prophecy of
the Lord Jesus Christ, and the verse tells us that He had no beginning.
As the Second Member of the Trinity, He is ETERNAL, or from everlasting, but
not in most modern translations:
NIV...... from ancient times
NRSV.. from ancient days
REB.... in ancient times
NWT... from the days of time indefinite
NAB.... from ancient times (vs. 1)
Isaiah 14:12
How art thou fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the
ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Revelation 22:16
tells us that Jesus Christ is the "Morning Star". The
KJV never gives this title to anyone else. However, in some new
versions, Jesus Christ and Satan are the same, because some versions have taken
the liberty to call Satan the "morning star" in Isaiah
14:12. Although some versions do not go so far as to call Satan the
"morning star," they still throw out the name "Lucifer".
NIV.......morning star
NASB...star of the morning
NRSV...Day Star
REB.....Bright morning star
NWT.... you shining one
NAB.....
morning star
Daniel 3:25
He answered and said,
Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no
hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
This is an excellent
Old Testament verse which shows that Jesus Christ existed long before He was
born in Bethlehem. Naturally, the new versions will pervert it with pagan
foolishness:
NIV...... a son of the gods
NASB.. a son of the gods
NRSV.. a god
REB.... a god
LB....... a god
NWT... a son of the gods
NAB.... a son of God (vs. 92)
Colossians 1:14
In whom we have
redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Satan hates the Atoning
Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, so we shouldn't be surprised to find the blood
missing in modern translations:
NIV...... redemption, the forgiveness of sins
NASB.. redemption, the forgiveness of sins
NRSV.. redemption, the forgiveness of sins
REB.....our release is secured and our sins are forgiven
NWT.... we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of sins
NAB.....redemption, the forgiveness of our sins
Romans 14:10-12
But why dost thou judge
thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live,
saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to
God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
If you'll read the
above verses carefully, you will notice how it magnifies Jesus Christ.
According to verse 10, we will stand before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST,
and verse 12 says that when we do we will give account to GOD.
When we stand before Jesus Christ we will be standing before God--an excellent
text on the Deity of Christ. Now watch as the new versions throw Jesus
Christ clear out of the passage by replacing the word "Christ" with
"God":
NIV.......God's judgment seat
NASB...Judgment seat of God
NRSV...judgment seat of God
REB.....God's tribunal
LB........Judgment Seat of God
NWT.... judgment seat of God
NAB.....judgment seat of God
Acts 8:37
And Philip said, If
thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
This verse is very
important because it places a definite condition upon water baptism: one
must first BELIEVE ON CHRIST. Many modern versions throw the entire
verse out of the Bible:
NIV...... entire verse missing
NRSV.. entire verse missing
REB.....entire verse missing
NWT.... entire verse missing
NAB.....omits entire verse, but re-numbers the verses so you won't miss it
II Corinthians 2:17
For we are not as
many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God,
in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
You can imagine how
this verse must be a thorn in the flesh to the modern translators who are busy
CORRUPTING the word of God day and night. Naturally, they change it:
NIV...... peddle
NASB...peddling
NRSV.. peddlers
REB.....adulterating the word of God for profit
LB........hucksters
NWT.... peddlers
NAB.....trade on the word of God
NKJV... peddling
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.
This is the one command in the New Testament to "study" and "rightly
divide" God's word, and the Devil does NOT appreciate it:
NIV...... Do your best...correctly handles
NASB...Be diligent...handling accurately
NRSV.. Do your best...rightly explaining
REB.....Try hard...keep strictly to the true gospel
LB........Work hard...Know what his word says and means
NWT.... Do your utmost...handling the word of truth aright
NAB.....Try hard...following a straight course in preaching the truth
NKJV....Be diligent...rightly dividing
I Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, keep that
which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and
oppositions of science falsely so called:
Many lies are being propagated today in the name of "science"
(evolution for example), but I Timothy 6:20 has been warning us about it all
along - except in the new perversions:
NIV.......knowledge
NASB...knowledge
NRSV...knowledge
REB.....knowledge
LB........knowledge
NWT.... knowledge
NAB.....knowledge
NKJV... knowledge
NOTE: Our tract Let’s
Compare Bibles is available through Bible Baptist Church. Legal Size,
parallel-fold. Suggested Donation: 10 cents each.
The New King James
Version
We will now give some
special attention to the New King James Version, first published in
1979, which is NOT a King James Bible at all since the text differs from the
KJV.
The following information should be helpful when dealing with Christians who
have been swindled by the Laodicean lovers of filthy lucre:
1. The text of the NKJV
is copyrighted by Thomas Nelson Publishers, while there is no copyright today
on the text of the KJV. If your KJV has maps or notes, then it may have a
copyright, but the text itself does not.
2. There's nothing
"new" about the NKJV logo. It is a "666" symbol of
the pagan trinity which was used in the ancient Egyptian
mysteries. It was also used by satanist Aleister Crowley around the turn
of this century. The symbol can be seen on the New King James Bible, on
certain rock albums (like Led Zepplin's), or you can see it on the cover
of such New Age books as The Aquarian Conspiracy. (See Riplinger's
tract on the NKJV.)
3. It is estimated that
the NKJV makes over 100,000 translation changes, which comes to over eighty
changes per page and about three changes per verse! Many of these
changes bring the NKJV in line with the readings of such Alexandrian
perversions as the NIV and the RSV. Where changes are not made in the
text, subtle footnotes often give credence to the Westcott and Hort Greek Text.
4. In the NKJV, there
are 22 omissions of "hell", 23 omissions of "blood", 44
omissions of "repent", 50 omissions of "heaven", 51
omissions of "God", and 66 omissions of "Lord". The
terms "devils", "damnation", "JEHOVAH", and
"new testament" are completely omitted.
5. The NKJV demotes the
Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made
"by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made
"through" Him. The word "Servant" replaces
"Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces
"child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. The word "Jesus" is
omitted from Mark 2:15, Hebrews 4:8, and Acts 7:45.
6. The NKJV confuses
people about salvation. In Hebrews 10:14 it replaces "are
sanctified" with "are being sanctified", and it replaces
"are saved" with "are being saved" in I Corinthians 1:18
and II Corinthians 2:15. The words "may believe" have
been replaced with "may continue to believe" in I John 5:13.
The old straight and "narrow" way of Matthew 7:14 has become the
"difficult" way in the NKJV.
7. In II Corinthians
10:5 the KJV reads "casting down imaginations", but the NKJV reads
"casting down arguments". Yet, the word "thought",
which occurs later in the verse, matches "imaginations", not
"arguments". This change weakens the verse.
8. The KJV tells us to
reject a "heretick" after the second admonition in Titus 3:10.
The NKJV tells us to reject a "divisive man". How
nice! Now the Alexandrians and Ecumenicals have justification for
rejecting anyone they wish to label as "divisive men".
9. According to the
NKJV, no one would stoop so low as to "corrupt" God's word. No,
they just "peddle" it (II Cor. 2:17). The reading matches the
Alexandrian versions.
10. Since the NKJV has
"changed the truth of God into a lie", it has also changed Romans
1:25 to read "exchanged the truth of God for the lie". This
reading matches the readings of the new perversions.
11. The NKJV gives us no
command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.
12. The word
"science" is replaced with "knowledge" in I Timothy 6:20,
although "science" has occurred in every edition of the KJV since
1611!
13. The Jews
"require" a sign, according to I Corinthians 1:22 (and according to
Jesus Christ - John 4:48), but the NKJV says they only "request" a
sign. They didn't "request" one when signs first appeared in
Exodus 4, and there are numerous places throughout the Bible where God
gives Israel signs when they haven't requested anything (Exo. 4, Exo. 31:13,
Num. 26:10, I Sam. 2:34, Isa. 7:10-14, Luke 2:12, etc). They
"require" a sign, because signs are a part of their heritage.
14. The King James
reading in II Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man is in Christ he is a new
"creature", which matches the words of Christ in Mark 16:15.
The cross reference is destroyed in the NKJV, which uses the word
"creation."
15. As a final note, we'd
like to point out how the NKJV is very inconsistent in its attempt to
update the language of the KJV. The preface to the NKJV states that
previous "revisions" of the KJV have "sought to keep
abreast of changes in English speech", and also that they too are taking a
"further step toward this objective". However, when taking a
closer look at the language of the NKJV, we find that oftentimes they are stepping
BACKWARDS! Please note a few examples of how “well” the NKJV has
"kept abreast of the changes in the English language":
SCRIPTURE
KJV
NKJV
Ezek 31:4
little rivers rivulets
Psalms
43:1
Judge
Vindicate
Psalms
139:43
thoughts anxieties
Isaiah
28:1
fat
verdant
Amos 5:21
smell
savor
Matthew
26:7
box
flask
Luke
8:31
the deep
the abyss
John
10:41
did
performed
Luke
19:11-27
pounds
minas
John
19:9
judgment hall Praetorium
Acts
1:18
bowels
entrails
Acts
18:12
deputy
proconsul
Acts
21:38
uproar
insurrection
Acts
27:30
boat
skiff
Hebrews
12:8
bastard
illegimate
Oh, yes! That’s
so much clearer, isn’t it?
The New Scofield
Reference Bible
Another counterfeit
"KJV" is the New Scofield Reference Bible (NSRB). "King
James Version" is clearly printed on the cover, but since when has it been
safe to judge a book by its cover? Please note the following:
1. Dr. C.I. Scofield had been dead many
years when the NSRB was published in 1967. He would have never approved
of having his name on a "bible" that alters the text of the KJV. The
1909 and 1917 editions of the Scofield Reference Bible do NOT change the
text. Therefore the NSRB of 1967 is NOT a Scofield Bible and it is NOT a
KJV.
2. Dr. Scofield would have never referred
to baptism as a "sacrament," but the NSRB takes the liberty to do so
in an Acts 8 footnote.
3. The NSRB changes the KJV with
"better readings" in over 6,500 places.
4. In the introduction to the NSRB, 1967
edition, E. Schuyler English tries to justify changing the KJV text on
the basis that Scofield saw the need to update his reference Bible after only
eight years. Yes, Scofield did update his Bible, but HE NEVER CHANGED
THE TEXT, and he never granted anyone else permission to do so.
5. In many places the NSRB agrees with the
readings of the new translations, rather than the KJV, so it cannot possibly be
a KJV. For example, "a son of the gods" appears in Daniel
3:25, rather than "the Son of God" (KJV). A great reference to
television and magazines is destroyed when the NSRB replaces "pictures"
with "stone idols" in Numbers 33:52. Then, of course, the NSRB
lines up right behind the ASV in places like I Timothy 6:20, Acts 4:27, and
Romans 1:25.
6. Dr. William Grady addresses the NSRB in
his book, Final Authority. His research includes the following on
page 316: "A random survey of the NSRB margins in Philippians alone
revealed a total of 29 changes from the King James Bible. Of these,
twenty-one (72%) were traced to either the RSV or the NASV. The skeptic
can ckeck it out for himself: Philippians 1:7, 8, 23, 27; 2:1, 15, 25, 27, 28;
3:1, 8, 17, 19, 20, 21; 4:3, 6, 14, 15, 21, and 22."
The "New
Scofield Reference Bible" in the "King James Version"
is NOT new, is NOT a Scofield Bible, and it is certainly NOT a King
James Version.
The Various Editions
of the 1611 A.V.
If someone decides to
produce a "new Bible version", then they must also convince
Christians that there is a NEED and a justifiable CAUSE for the new
version. One of the deceitful excuses being used today for producing new
versions is that the King James Bible has been revised several times since
1611, and that a new revision is needed once again. While spreading
this piece of deceitful misinformation, the KJV critics hold their breath,
hoping that no one will be intelligent enough to ask for specific details about
these "revisions". The many revisions that have occurred since
1881 bear NO RESEMBLANCE to the various EDITIONS of the KJV prior to
1881. The modern revisors are just trying to justify their sins.
There were only FOUR
actual EDITIONS of the King James Bible produced after 1611: 1629, 1638,
1762, and 1769. These were not translations (like the new versions
SINCE 1881), and they really weren't even "revisions".
The 1629 edition was
simply an effort to correct printing errors, and two of the
original King James translators assisted in the work.
The 1638 edition of
the KJV also dealt with printing errors, especially words and clauses
overlooked by the printers. About 72% of the textual corrections in the
KJV were done by 1638, only 27 years after the first printing.
Please bear in mind
the fact that printing was a very laborious task prior to 1800.
Publishing a flawless work was almost impossible. Even today, with
computers and advanced word processors, printing errors are still frequently
made. Imagine what it was like in the 1600's!
Then, in 1762 and
1769, two final editions of the KJV were published. Both of these
involved spelling changes, which became necessary as the English language
became more stabilized and spelling rules were established.
There were no new translations,
and there were really no new revisions published in 1629, 1638, 1762, or
1769. These were simply EDITIONS of the 1611 KJV, which corrected
printing errors and spelling. Those who try to equate these
editions with the modern translations are just being deceitful or ignorant--or
both. The many other so-called "revisions" of the KJV that
occurred in 1613, 1616, 1617, and 1743 are nothing more than running changes
and touch-up work at the printers. The REAL revisions and translations
did not start appearing until 1881 (RV) and 1901 (ASV). So if someone
walks up with a smirky grin on his face and asks you, "So which King
James Bible do you have, the 1611, the 1629, the 1638, the 1762, or the
1769?", you can simply state that you have a 1769 edition of
the King James 1611 Authorized Version.
Why the KJV
Translators Did Not Accept the Apocrypha as Scripture
Another favorite lie
of the critics is that the original KJV of 1611 included the Apocrypha, which
no true Christian today accepts as Scripture. The Apocrypha is a
collection of several pagan writings which the Catholic church accepts as
inspired Scripture. In fact, the Council of Trent (1546) pronounced a
CURSE upon anyone who denied that these books were inspired. The King
James translators did NOT consider the books to be inspired Scripture, nor did
they include them in the canon as such. They merely placed the Apocryphal
books BETWEEN the Old and New testaments as a historical document, not as
Scripture. Their reasons for not accepting the Apocrypha as Scripture are
listed on page 185-186 of the book Translators Revived, by Alexander
McClure. The seven reasons are basically as follows:
1. Not one of them is in the Hebrew
language like the rest of the Old Testament books.
2. Not one of the writers lays any claim
to inspiration.
3. These books were never acknowledged as
sacred Scriptures by the Jewish church, and therefore were never sanctioned by
our Lord.
4. They were not allowed a place among the
sacred books, during the first four centuries of the Christian church.
5. They contain fabulous statements, and
statements which contradict not only the canonical Scriptures, but
themselves. For example, in the Books of Maccabees alone, Antiochus
Epiphanes dies three times in three places!
6. It inculcates doctrines at variance
with the Bible, such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.
7. It teaches immoral practices, such as
lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.
"Errors" in
the King James Bible
Critics of the KJV
have a nasty habit of pointing out what they believe to be errors,
contradictions, and mistranslations in the Authorized Version. The sad
fact is that they usually point these things out to young men and women in
Christian colleges who do not know any better. Many young Christians,
including young preachers, are having their faith in God's word destroyed by
the very people they look to for spiritual guidance.
These so-called
"errors" that are presented by such infidels have been explained and
written about so many times that it's a shame to even have to mention it
again. There isn't enough space in a booklet of this size to deal
at length with such claims. Besides, it has already been done quite well
by others. Nevertheless, for the sake of showing the reader the nature of
the so-called "errors" in the AV, we will take the time to briefly
deal with just a few:
1.
1. According to the critics, the word "Easter" in Acts
12:4 is a mistranslation, because the Greek word is"pascha," and it
is translated "passover" twenty-eight times in the New Testament, and
it should be translated likewise in Acts 12:4.
This is what happens when a man is so hung up on "the Greek" that he
can't read plain English. It should NOT be translated
"passover" because the Passover had already passed. The "days
of unleavened bread" had already begun (vs. 3), which means the
Passover was over (Num. 28:16-18; Exo. 12:13-18). The Passover was always
the fourteenth day of the first month, while the days of unleavened bread ran
from the fifteenth through the twenty-first. Herod could not have been
waiting for the Passover. Besides, why would a Gentile king like Herod be
concerned about a Jewish feast day? "Easter" is from the
pagan "Ishtar", the goddess that the pagans worshipped--Rome
included. Herod wanted to wait until his pagan holiday was over before
bringing Peter out to the people.
2.
I John 5:7 is also the subject of much debate. It is argued that
the verse lacks manuscript evidence and does not belong in the Bible.
Being one of the greatest verses in the Bible on the Trinity, we should be
suspicious of any oppositions to it.
The verse should NOT be omitted from the Bible. It is found in Greek
manuscript 61, which probably forced Erasmus to include it in his third edition
Greek text of 1522.
I John 5:7 is also found in Codex Ravianus, and in the margins of 88 and
629. It is also found in Old Latin manuscripts r and Speculum. It
was quoted by Cyprian around A.D. 250, and two Spanish Bishops quoted it in the
fourth century (Priscillkian and Idacius Clarus). Several African writers
quote it in the fifth century, and Cassiodorus quotes it in the sixth century
in Italy.
The fact that Siniaticus and Vaticanus do not include the verse means nothing to
a true Bible believer. After all, Vaticanus omits the entire book of
Revelation, while keeping the Apocrypha!
3.
Many argue that the KJV is in error with its use of the word
"devils" instead of "demons". Again, this is due to
an over emphasis on "the Greek" as well as a lack of faith in God's
ability to preserve His words in English. While protesting that
"daimon" should be translated "demon", many have overlooked
a great truth which the Holy Spirit has preserved in the King's English.
There is one true "Son of God", but many "sons of
God". There is one true "Church", the Bride of
Christ, but many local "churches". Likewise, there is one
"Devil", but many "devils" under his control.
The word "demon" itself does not necessarily imply an evil
spirit. Even Webster's 1828 dictionary states that "the ancients
believed that there were good and evil demons...", and New Agers of today
believe likewise. Therefore, God led the KJV translators to translate
"devils" instead of "demons" because every "daimon"
in the Bible IS an evil spirit. The word "devil" makes that
clear. Every "devil" in the Bible is under the authority of
their father "the Devil".
4.
Then we have "contradictions" like Exodus 24:10 and John
1:18. Exodus says the Israelites SAW God, while Jesus said in John that
"no man hath seen God at any time".
This is no contradiction, just a matter of rightly dividing the word of
truth. God is a Trinity, just like you. You have a spirit, a soul,
and a body (I Ths. 5:23). The Israelites saw a physical manifestation
of God, but not the SOUL of God, just as no one has ever seen your soul.
5.
Numbers 25:9 says that 24,000 people died in a plague, but I Corinthians
10:8 says that only 23,000 died. Read I Corinthians 10:8 again and notice
that 23,000 fell "in one day". The 24,000 died altogether in a
few days.
You see, these are the kind of "errors" in the King James
Bible. These are the reasons given for you to throw away your Bible and
buy a new one. Don't fall for it. Always give God the benefit of a
doubt and always count the critics guilty until proven innocent. It’s
safer that way.
Fifty Stumbling
Stones of the Laodicean Translations
In this final
section, I'd like to point out one of the best things about the new versions: the
fact that we know where they're going to alter God's word before they do
it! We know how to "check'em out" without having to waste
our God-given time reading the whole translation. The following list
includes fifty "check points" that anyone can use to expose a new
translation. No translation will be guilty on all fifty counts, but any
translation since 1881 will alter God's word enough to prove that the
revisionists do not have God's best interest in heart. For emphasis, I'll
present these items from Satan's standpoint, briefly illustrating his purpose
for many of the changes:
1. Genesis 1:29. Omit the word
"meat" since there is no real flesh in the verse, only plant
life. This will destroy the cross reference to the "meat
offering" of Leviticus 2, which is really a GRAIN offering with no
flesh. The Bible has its own built in dictionary, but let's not allow
people to know it.
2. Genesis 3:5. Alter the word
"gods" and the cross references to Psalm 82, I Corinthians 8:5, and
II Corinthians 4:4 will be destroyed.
3. Genesis 22:1. The word
"tempt" in the verse should be replaced with "try".
Here's another case of the "built-in dictionary". James 1:2-3
explains the kind of tempting that this was, but let's hide it from as many
Christians as possible.
4. Numbers 33:52. Someone might use
the word "pictures" as a reference to television. Throw it out!
5. Isaiah 7:14. Attack the virgin
birth by omitting the word "virgin". After all, the
Hebrew word "almah" can mean a virgin, a damsel, or just
a young woman. Laodicean Christians are too lazy to check Matthew
1:23 to see how Matthew translated it.
6. Daniel 3:25. There's Jesus in the Old
Testament! Can't have that! Someone might get the idea that He's
eternal. Change "the Son of God" to "a son of the
gods."
7. Micah 5:2. Another chance to
attack the eternal existence of Christ. Throw out
"everlasting".
8. Zechariah 9:9. We're not
interested in anyone being SAVED, so omit the words "having
salvation".
9. Matthew 1:25. Omit
"firstborn" because it shows the reader that Mary had other children
after Jesus and did NOT remain a perpetual virgin. They'll never think to
check Psalm 69:8, Galatians 1:19, or John 7:5.
10. Matthew 5:22. Let's create a contradiction by omitting the words
"without a cause". This will make Jesus contradict Paul
in Ephesians 4:26.
11. Matthew 6:13. Omit the "kingdom", the "power",
and the "glory".
12. Matthew 27:54. Change "the Son of God" to "a son of
God".
13. Mark 1:1. This is the only Gospel which refers to Christ as the
"Son of God" in the very first verse. Throw it out.
14. Mark 16:9-20. Throw out the last twelve verses or raise doubt
about them in the margins and footnotes. The less we read of a resurrected
Christ the better.
15. Luke 1:34. Change Mary's words "I know not a man" to
"I have no husband". This will allow for possible
fornication between Mary and Joseph, which could make Joseph the father of
Jesus.
16. Luke 2:33. Attack the virgin birth again by replacing
"Joseph" with "father".
17. Luke 4:4. Omit "by every word of God". No one will
think to check Deuteronomy 8:3.
18. Luke 23:42. Here's a sinner being saved by calling upon the name
of the "Lord", which is in perfect tune with Romans 10:13.
Replace the divine title "Lord" with the human name
"Jesus".
19. Luke 24:51. Raise doubt about the ascension of Christ by omitting
the words "carried up into heaven". No one will check Luke's
later comments in Acts 1:1-2.
20. John 1:14. Omit the word "begotten", just like in John
1:18, 3:16, and 3:18.
21. Acts 1:3. Omit the word "infallible".
22. Acts 4:27. Jesus wasn't God's "child". He was only
His "servant".
23. Acts 8:37. Either omit the entire verse or raise doubt about it,
because this verse states that scriptural water baptism is conditional upon
BELIEF.
24. Acts 12:4. Change "Easter" to
"passover". No one will ever read Exodus and Numbers to find
the truth.
25. Acts 17:22. Change "superstitious" to
"religious".
26. Romans 1:18. Let's change "hold the truth in unrighteousness"
to "suppress the truth", which is a much weaker reading.
27. Romans 1:25. Say they "exchanged the truth of God for a
lie" instead of "changed the truth of God into a lie".
28. Romans 1:29. Throw out "fornication".
29. Romans 10:17. Replace the word "God" with
"Christ". This will teach that faith comes by rallying around
the person of Jesus alone and not by feeding on every word of God (Luke
4:4).
30. Romans 14:10. Change the word "Christ" to
"God". This will prevent anyone from realizing that Jesus
Christ is God when they read verse twelve.
31. I Corinthians 1:22. Change "require" to
"request", and destroy the great truth about signs being for
Israel.
32. II Corinthians 2:17. Replace the word "corrupt" with
"peddle" since the verse slaps us right between the eyes.
33. II Corinthians 5:17. Replace the word "creature" with
"creation", although Mark 16:15 says "creature".
34. Ephesians 1:7. Throw out the "blood".
35. Philippians 3:21. People don't have "vile" bodies.
They just have "lowly" bodies.
36. Colossians 1:14. Throw out the "blood".
37. I Thessalonians 5:22. Omit the word "appearance" so
Christians will not be as concerned about their testimony.
38. I Timothy 3:16. The verse says that "God was manifest in the
flesh". Attack the Deity of Christ and the Incarnation by throwing
"God" clear out of the verse.
39. I Timothy 6:10. Change "all evil" to "all kinds of
evil".
40. I Timothy 6:20. Since many heresies are taught today in the name
of "science", and this verse gives a strong warning against
"science falsely so-called", change the word "science" to
"knowledge".
41. II Timothy 2:15. This is the only command in the Bible to
"study" the word of God. Omit the word "study".
42. James 5:16. Let's justify Roman Catholic confessionals by changing
the word "faults" to "sins".
43. I Peter 5:11. Omit "glory" and "dominion".
44. I John 1:7. Omit the word "Christ".
45. I John 4:3. Omit "Christ is come in the flesh".
46. I John 5:7. There's the Trinity! Throw out the whole verse
or insert marginal notes to raise doubt about it.
47. Revelation 1:5. Omit the word "blood".
48. Revelation 5:9. Omit the word "blood".
49. Revelation 11:15. Change the many "kingdoms" that Jesus
Christ will receive to one singular "kingdom".
50. Revelation 11:17. Attack the Second Coming of Christ by omitting
the words "art to come".
Recommended Reading
The following are a
few books well worth reading. Some of the ministries that publish them
carry other good materials relevant to the King James Bible debate.
Which Bible?, David Otis Fuller,
Which Bible? Society, P.O. Box 7096, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507.
An Understandable
History of the Bible, Dr. Samuel C. Gipp, Bible Believer's Baptist Bookstore, 1252 E. Aurora
Road, Macedonia, Ohio 44056.
The Answer Book, Gipp.
Final Authority, Dr. William P.
Grady, Grady Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 5217, Knoxville, TN 37928.
The King James
Version Defended, Dr. Edward F. Hills, The Christian Research Press, P.O. Box 2013, Des
Moines, Iowa 50310.
A Tale of Three
Cities, Dr. David Reagan, Trinity Baptist Temple Bookstore, 5709 N. Broadway,
Knoxville, TN 37918.
Translators Revived, Alexander McClure,
R. E. Publications, P.O. Box 66212, Mobile, Alabama 36606.
The Men Behind The
King James Version, Gustavus Paine, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49516.
God Only Wrote One
Bible, Jasper James Ray, Eye Opener Publishers, P.O. Box 7944, Eugene,
Orgeon 97401.
New Age Bible
Versions, G. A. Riplinger, A.V. Publications, P.O. Box 280, Ararat,
VA 24053. Web: avpublications.com
The Christian's Handbook
of Manuscript Evidence, Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, Pensacola Bible Institute,
P.O. Box 7135, Pensacola, FL 32504.
The Christian's
Handbook of Biblical Scholarship, Ruckman.
NOTE: Some of these
books can be purchased used at web sites like amazon.com and others.
Fables and Facts about
the King James Bible
Letter Size Tract,
Tri-fold
Copyright © 1996
James L. Melton
Over the past few
decades, new Bible translations have been popping up like popcorn. Many
strong Christians have stood their ground and continued to believe, read, and
study only the Authorized King James Bible. Many others, however, have
forsaken the Book that God has used for centuries. Such people have
fallen for smooth advertising schemes and have actually started believing that
the modern versions are superior to the King James Bible. It's very sad
that most Christians today have not taken time to study the subject thoroughly
enough to see what is really happening.
Originally we
published only one tract about the King James Bible. The tract is
titled How I Know The King James Bible Is The Word Of God, and it
presents some rather strong arguments for the KJV. Then we offered a
second tract, titled Let's Compare Bibles. This tract shows how
the modern Bible translations are literally attacking God's word!
Both of these tracts are still available, and are free upon request.
Now, by the grace of
God, we are able to offer a third tract on the King James issue. We call
it Fables and Facts about the King James Bible. Its purpose is to
better educate Christians about the KJV by clearing up some of the fables that
have been spread by the critics. Far too many Christians are accepting
the Authorized Version by faith alone, rather than working and studying to
become more grounded in some of the basic FACTS about this important
issue. The following information should be helpful to the believer who
desires to be readily armed with TRUTH.
FABLE: The King James Bible
was revised several times before 1800, so modern translations are just
additional revisions of the original King James Bible of 1611.
FACT: The so-called
"revisions" of the King James Bible prior to 1800 were to correct
typographical errors, add notes, and omit the Apocrypha from between the
Testaments. There were no changes in the actual TEXT of the King James
Bible. The REAL changes (over 36,000 of them) didn't start until
the modern revisionists came on the scene.
FABLE: The modern translations
are more accurate because they have been translated from older and better
manuscripts.
FACT: It is truly
amazing how so many Christians have bought into this lie without ever checking
to see WHAT these manuscripts are, WHERE they came from, and WHO wrote
them. It's also strange that no one seems to be asking the question, "Has
God honored these 'older' and 'better' manuscripts throughout Church
History?"
The modern
translations are based on the work of two nineteenth century Greek scholars
from England--B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort. Westcott and Hort, who
were deeply involved in the occult, hated the Textus Receptus Greek text,
from which the King James Bible was translated, so they conjured up THEIR OWN
Greek text. This Westcott and Hort Greek text was based primarily
on two very corrupt fourth century ROMAN CATHOLIC manuscripts: Codex Vaticanus
(discovered in the Pope's library in 1481) and Sinaiticus (discovered in
1859 in a trash can at St. Catherine's monastery on Mt. Sinai). These are
usually the "older" and "better" manuscripts that we keep
hearing so much about. These manuscripts support most of the attacks in
the new versions.
The Vaticanus is
considered to be the most authoritative, although it is responsible for over
thirty-six thousand changes that appear today in the new versions.
This perverted manuscript contains the books of the pagan Apocrypha, which are
not scripture; it omits the pastoral epistles (I Timothy through Titus), the
Book of Revelation, and it cuts off the Book of Hebrews at Hebrews 9:14 (a very
convenient stopping point for the Catholic Church, since God forbids their
priesthood in Hebrews 10!). The attacks on the word of God found in these
manuscripts originated in Alexandria, Egypt with the deceitful work of such
pagan Greek "scholars" as Origen and Clement of Alexandria.
Then in 313 A.D. the Roman emperor Constantine ordered fifty copies of
"the Bible" from Eusebius, the Bishop of Caesaria. Eusebius,
being a devout student of Origen's work, chose to send him manuscripts filled
with Alexandrian corruption, rather than sending him the
true word of God in the SYRIAN text from Antioch, Syria. So the corrupt
Alexandrian text (also called the "Egyptian" or "Hesychian"
type text) found its way into the Vatican manuscript, then eventually into the
Westcott and Hort Greek Text, and finally into the new "Bible"
versions in your local "Christian" bookstore. Therefore, when
you hear or read of someone "correcting" the King James Bible
with "older" or "more authoritative" manuscripts, you are
simply hearing someone trying to use
a ROMAN CATHOLIC text to overthrow the God-honored text of the Protestant
Reformation and the great revivals. God has never honored this corrupt
text and He never will.
FABLE: New translations are
needed to correct the errors and contradictions in the King James Bible.
FACT: No one has ever
proven that there are errors and contradictions in the KJV. Many
"Christian" colleges and preachers have a nasty habit of pointing out
APPARENT contradictions to their people, but these arguments have been
disproved so many times that it is nothing less than disgusting to hear them
still being used.
FABLE: New
Translations are needed to bring the archaic Old English language up to
date. People have trouble understanding the language of the King James
Bible.
FACT: The King James
language is NOT hard to understand. Most of the so-called
"archaic" words are explained by the context of the passage or by
comparing the passage with other passages in the Bible where the same word is
used. Heady and high-minded people resent
the King James language because it is plain and simple, and it isn't in tune
with their high-minded vocabulary. In fact, the Grade Level Indicator
of the Flesch-Kincaid research company says the King James language is EASIER
to understand than the new versions.
We certainly agree
that the language of the King James Bible is a unique language, but why
shouldn't it be? It's the WORD OF GOD!
FABLE: The King James
Bible cannot be infallible because the translators were only men, and all men
are sinners. The human element prevents the KJV from being infallible.
FACT: If this is true, then
even the ORIGINAL AUTOGRAPHS in Hebrew and Greek were not infallible, because
they too were penned by men!
The fact of the
matter is that the King James translators were only INSTRUMENTS of preservation
(which is exactly what they called themselves in the Dedicatory to the A.V.
1611). God has always been the Divine Preserver of His word (Psa.
12:6-7), but He has used men as tools and instruments of preservation, just as
He uses men to teach and preach His words. When men humbly yield
themselves to the will of God, God can use them to accomplish His will (Rom.
12:1-2), and this is precisely what happened between 1604 and 1611.
FABLE: The King James
translators added to the word of God, because the italicized words in the KJV
were not in the originals.
FACT: The italics in
the KJV prove that the translators were HONEST in their work. They set
the words in italics so we'd know they were not in the manuscripts they were
using.
Besides, no one has a
copy of the original manuscripts today, so no one knows for certain that the italicized
words aren't in them. In fact, there are many cases where we know that
the italicized words are justified. For example, notice in Deuteronomy 8:3 that
the word "word" is in italics. However, when Jesus
quotes this verse in Matthew 4:4 he INCLUDES the italicized word! If the
italicized word does not belong in the Bible, why did the Lord Jesus quote it?
FABLE: The original
King James Bible included the Apocrypha in the Old Testament.
FACT: The King James
translators knew the Apocrypha was not scripture, so they placed it BETWEEN the
Old and New Testament as a HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, not as scripture.
Friend, don't be
deceived by the crafty critics of God's word. LEARN THE FACTS! If
you haven't read our other tracts on the KJV, order them soon and read
them. Arm yourself with the facts!
If you've never
received Jesus Christ as your Savior, please send for a free copy of Understanding
God's Salvation Plan.
http://www.biblebaptistpublications.org/understandingsalvation.html
The
Italicized Words in the King James Bible
Letter Size Tract,
Tri-fold
Copyright © 2001
James L. Melton
The italicized
words in the King James Bible are words that were added by the
translators to help the reader. This is usually necessary when
translating from one language to another because word meanings and idioms
change. So, to produce a more readable translation, the King James translators
(1604-1611) added certain words to the Bible text. However, to make sure
that everyone understood that these words were not in the available manuscripts
they set them in italics.
Imagine the confusion
which would arise if the translators had not used the italicized words:
“Salvation unto the
LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.” This is Psalm 3:8
with one italicized word omitted. As you can see, the reading implies
that the Lord needs to be saved! The correct reading is: “Salvation belongeth
unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”
Here is Psalm 7:11
with three italicized words omitted: “God judgeth the righteous, and God is
angry every day.” Is God angry with the righteous every day?
No, the correct reading is as the King James has it: “God judgeth the
righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.”
Consider Psalm 12:5
without the italics: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the
needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set in safety puffeth at
him.” The verse makes no sense without the italics: “For the
oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith
the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.”
If we subtract the
italics from Psalm 18:3, we have God commanding men to call upon Him to be
praised:
“I will call upon the
LORD, to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Yet, if we leave the
italics in place, the verse makes perfect sense and gives the praise to God: “I
will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be
saved from mine enemies.”
Note Psalm 34:16-17
without the italicized words: “The face of the LORD against them that do
evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. Cry, and the
LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” This reading
allows those that do evil to be delivered from all their troubles, but the
italics give a whole new meaning: “The face of the LORD is against
them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all
their troubles.”
Just from these few
examples in Psalms alone, it is clear that the italics are essential.
Hundreds of such examples could be presented.
Someone might suggest
that some of the italics could be omitted, which may be true, but who makes
that choice, and where do we draw the line? The moment we agree to
changing any italicized words, we open the door for Satan. This we cannot
do, so the best option is to leave the Authorized Version as it stands.
Not only does
confusion arise when the italicized words are omitted, contradictions can also
arise. For example, omitting the italicized words from II Samuel 21:19
would give Elhanan credit for slaying Goliath, yet everyone knows that it was
David who slew Goliath. II Samuel 21:19 says, “And there was again a
battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a
Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of
whose spear was like a weaver's beam.” If we omit the words “the
brother of” then we make II Samuel 21:19 contradict I Chronicles 20:5: “And
there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew
Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver's
beam.” (No italics!)
Another important
point is that New Testament writers QUOTE from the italicized words in the Old
Testament. Note the following:
Psalm 16:8 says, “I
have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I
shall not be moved.” The words “he is” are in italics.
When Peter quotes this verse in Acts 2:25 he also quotes the italicized words,
but Luke doesn’t write them in italics: “For David speaketh concerning him,
I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I
should not be moved.” Why did Peter quote these words and why did
Luke write these words if they weren’t in the original manuscripts?
Should we omit the italics? Not according to Peter and Luke!
In Deuteronomy 25:4,
the word of God says, ““Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the
corn.” The words “the corn” are in italics, which the
sceptics claim should be omitted. However, we find Paul quoting these
words in I Corinthians 9:9: “For it is written in the law of Moses,
Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God
take care for oxen?” If these words do not belong in Deuteronomy
25:4, why did Paul quote them?
It is easy to claim
that the italicized words do not belong in the King James Bible, but proving
it is altogether a different story. May God help us to spend more
time reading and believing our King James Bible and less time speaking
critically of it.
How I
Know the King James Bible Is the Word of God
Legal Size Tract,
Parallel-fold
Copyright © 1994
James L. Melton
There are many good
works that one can read on the authority of the King James Bible, and this
particular effort offers nothing really new. However, it does attempt to
explain the issue in a simple and brief manner for all to understand.
Over the years I have learned a great deal about this issue, and I believe that
a truth worth learning is a truth worth telling.
Many preachers and
teachers across our land talk about "preferring" and
"using" the KJV, but I haven't heard them speak much about BELIEVING
it. Many prefer it and use it, because that's what their congregations
prefer and use, but they do not BELIEVE it to be the infallible words of
God. They are taught in college to USE, PREFER, and RECOMMEND the KJV,
but they are NOT taught to BELIEVE it. Most "Christian
colleges" teach that the King James Bible is only a translation, and that
NO translation is infallible. Consequently, the average minister
today uses a Book which he doesn't even believe.
Now, I thank God that
I don't have that problem. I don't have to play make-believe with anyone
about the word of God. I believe it. I believe the King James Bible
is the preserved and infallible words of God. It doesn't merely
"contain" the word of God: it IS the word of God. I'm absolutely sure
of it, and I'd like to give a few reasons why. Here are twelve reasons
how I know that the KJV is the word of God:
God Promised to
Preserve His Words
Psalm 12:6-7 says, "The
words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them
from this generation for ever." Then we read in Psalm 100:5 that
". . . . his truth endureth to all generations," and Jesus
said in John 17:17 that God's WORD is truth.
These words state
very clearly that God's preserved word MUST be available to us today, because
God PROMISED to preserve it for us. There MUST be an infallible Book
somewhere.
You say, "But
ALL translations are God's word, not just one." That's impossible,
because the various translations contain different readings, and God is not the
author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). Besides, if all of the versions are
the word of God, then where are the "corrupt" and
"perverted" versions that we are warned about in II Corinthians 2:17
and Jeremiah 23:36? If everyone is innocent, then where are those who are
said to be GUILTY of subtracting from and adding to the word of God (Rev.
22:18-19)? God wouldn't have warned us about Bible perversion if it
wasn't going to be a reality. According to the scriptures, there must be
a single Book that is the word of God, and there must be MANY which are
involved in CORRUPTING the word of God.
Now, if the
Authorized Version isn't the infallible word of God, then WHAT IS? There
has to be a Book somewhere in "all generations" which is God's
word; so what book is it? Those who "use" the new versions believe
that these are good and reliable translations, but they do NOT believe these to
be INFALLIBLE translations. However, I know MANY people who believe the
King James Bible to be an infallible Book. Why? Because they know
that the One True God has ONE TRUE BOOK. He promised to preserve His
words, and we believe that He has done just that. Jesus said, "Heaven
and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew
24:35). If His words didn't pass away, then where are they? I
want to read them. There has to be a perfect volume somewhere. I know the
King James Bible is the word of God because God promised to preserve His words.
The Authorized
Version Was Translated Under A God-Ordained English King
The main subject of
the Bible is the kingdom which God intends to give to His Son, the Lord Jesus
Christ, Who will be crowned "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS," according to Revelation 19:16. Ecclesiastes 8:4
says, "Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say
unto him, What doest thou?" Unlike the modern versions, the KJV
was translated under a king. In fact, the king's name was
"James," which is the English word for "Jacob," whom God
renamed "Israel," because he had power with God and with men (Gen.
32:28).
The new versions have
been translated in America, which is not a monarchy. God's form of
government is a theocratic monarchy, not a democracy. Therefore, it makes
perfect sense that His word would be translated for the English speaking people
under a monarchy with an English king. I know the King James Bible is the
word of God because it was translated under a king.
Because It Has No
Copyright
The original crown
copyright of 1611 does not forbid anyone today from reprinting the Authorized
Version. It was only copyrighted then for the purpose of allowing the
printer to finance the publication. For nearly four hundred years now we
have been printing millions of copies of KJV's without requesting permission
from anyone. Over eight-hundred million copies of the Authorized Version
have been printed without anyone paying royalties. This cannot be said of
any of the new translations.
The new
"bibles" are the work of MEN, but the KJV is a divine work of the
Holy Spirit. The term "Authorized" has traditionally been
applied to the King James Version alone, for this is the one Book which the
Holy Spirit has blessed and used for so long. The fact that it bears no
copyright allows printing ministries throughout the world to print millions of
copies each year for the mission field. I know the King James Bible is
the word of God because it has no copyright.
Because God Always
Translates Perfectly
The words
"translate" and "translated" occur three times in the
Bible, and GOD is the Translator each time. The scholars insist that the
KJV cannot be infallible, because it is "only a translation." Do you
suppose that such scholars have checked II Samuel 3:10, Colossians 1:13, and
Hebrews 11:5 to see what GOD has to say about translating?
In II Samuel 3:10 we
are told that it was God Who translated Saul's kingdom to David. We are
told in Colossians 1:13 that Christians have been translated into the kingdom
of Jesus Christ, and Hebrews 11:5 tells us that God translated Enoch that he
should not see death. God was the One doing the translating each
time. What's the point? The point is that a translation CAN be
perfect, if God is involved in the translating.
When the New
Testament writers would quote the Old Testament (Mt. 1:23; Mk. 1:2; Lk. 4:4;
Jn. 15:25; Acts 1:20; 7:42; I Cor. 2:9; Gal. 3:13, etc.), they had to TRANSLATE
from Hebrew to Greek, because the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, but THEY
wrote in Greek. So, if a translation cannot be infallible, then EVEN THE
NEW TESTAMENT IN THE "ORIGINAL GREEK" ISN'T INFALLIBLE, because it
contains translations from the Hebrew text!
Obviously God
assisted them in their translating by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and He
assisted the King James translators as well. The scholars will never
understand this, for most of them have QUENCHED the Holy Spirit in their own
lives by looking to higher education for truth, rather than seeking the Lord's
leadership (Jn. 16:13).
The Holy Spirit Who
inspired the word of God through "holy men of God" (II Pet. 1:21) is
quite capable of guiding His servants to KEEP the words which Jesus told us to
keep (Jn. 14:23). In essence, the KJV translators were merely INSTRUMENTS which
God used in translating and preserving His word. In fact, they said this
themselves in the Dedicatory to the Authorized Version: ". . . .
because we are poor instruments to make God's holy truth to be yet more and
more known to the people. . . "
I know the King James
Bible is the word of God, because God is very capable of using anyone He
pleases as His very own instruments of righteousness in order to preserve His
word.
Because It Produces
Good Fruit
The Lord Jesus said
that every good tree will bring forth good fruit, and we can know them BY their
fruits (Mt. 7:17-20).
God had the KJV
translated for the purpose of bringing forth fruit, and it has been very
obedient to the call. The greatest preachers of the past four centuries
have been King James Bible believers. Billy Sunday is said to have led
over one million people to Christ, and he was a KJV believer. Spurgeon,
Moody, Whitfield, and Wesley were all KJV men, and the list goes on. God
has richly blessed the ministries of such men as these because they stayed busy
OBEYING His word rather than questioning its authority.
The KJV produces good
fruit. I was led to Christ with a King James Bible. Nearly every
Christian I know was led to Christ with a KJV. Why? Because it
produces good fruit.
The new translations
produce EVIL fruit. The modern perversions of scripture are producing
infidels who do not even know what the word of God is, much less where to find
it. The new translations produce spiritual babies who are totally
incapable of discussing Bible doctrine. The new versions produce NEWER
versions, which produce MONEY for the publishers, and I Timothy 6:10 tells us
that the love of MONEY is the root of all EVIL.
The Holy Spirit
doesn't bear witness to the modern translations, but He DOES bear witness to
the King James. I've always believed the KJV to be God's word, even
before I was saved. No one ever told me to believe this, but the Holy
Spirit just bore witness to the King James--not the others. After being
saved, I spent several years of my Christian life not being aware of the big
debate going on these days between King James Bible believers and New Age
Version believers. The whole time I believed only ONE BOOK to be God's
word, and even then I was suspicious of the new versions, although no one had
told me to be. When I discovered that over eighty percent of the
"Christian" schools in our nation do not believe the KJV to be the word
of God, I was shocked.
How is it that one
comes to believe the KJV naturally, but must be EDUCATED OUT of his belief in
it? Why is it that King James believers are accused of following men when
GOD is the One Who led them to believe it? Why do opponents of the KJV
accuse us of following men, when THEY are the ones who allowed MEN to talk them
out of believing the KJV?
The KJV produces good
fruit, because the Holy Spirit bears witness to it like no other book in the
world. It's easier to memorize than any new version, and the beautiful
old English language gives the reader the impression that he is reading a Book
very different and far superior to the rest. It reads different because
it IS different, and it IS different because it has a different Author.
We shall know them "by their fruit", and I know the King James
Bible is the word of God, because it produces GOOD fruit.
Because the King
James Translators Believed They Were Handling the Very Words of God
One can see this
truth by reading the Prefatory and Dedicatory remarks in the Authorized
Version. These men didn't believe they were handling "God's
message" or "reliable manuscripts." They believed they
were handling the very words of God Himself. As I Thessalonians 2:13
says, they ". . . . received it not as the word of men, but as it is in
truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that
believe."
Like the serpent of
Genesis 3:1, modern translators approach the scriptures in skepticism, saying, "Yea,
hath God said?" This was the first recorded sin in the
Bible, and it still runs rapid through the hearts and minds of most scholars
and new version promoters.
God has always
allowed such people to be DECEIVED because of the IDOLS in their hearts
(Ezek. 14:1-9; II Thess. 2:10-12; I Kings 22). A man who lacks faith in God's
word is in no condition to translate it. This eliminates every revision
committee in the past one hundred years, because these committees have
consisted mostly of highly educated men who were heady, high-minded, and proud,
thinking that their intelligence qualified them to tamper with the pure words
of God.
The KJV translators
were not like this. Their scholarship FAR EXCEEDED that of modern
translators, yet they remained humble and allowed God to use them in order to
produce an infallible masterpiece. They didn't set out to
"judge" and "correct" the word of God. Their purpose
was to translate God's word for the English speaking people, as they were told
to do by their appointed king. I know the King James Bible is the word of
God because the KJV translators believed it themselves.
Because the King
James Translators Were Honest In Their Work
The critics of the
KJV enjoy making a fuss about the words in italics, which were added by the
translators, but the argument is entirely unnecessary and unfair.
The italic words in
the KJV actually PROVE that the translators were honest in their work.
When translating from one language to another, the idioms change, thus making
it necessary to add certain words to help the reader grasp the full meaning of
the text. When the KJV translators added such words they set them in
italics so that we'd know these words were added, UNLIKE we find it in so many
new versions today, which do NOT use the italics.
Besides, no one has
ever PROVEN that the italic words are not the words of God, because no one has
"the originals" to check them with. In fact, we know for sure
that the translators were led by the Holy Spirit to add at least some of the
italicized words.
One good example of
this is found in II Samuel 21:19. When the translators came to this verse
in the Hebrew text, they noticed that an exact translation would give Elhanan
credit for slaying Goliath, but we know from I Chronicles 20:5 that he actually
slew THE BROTHER OF Goliath. So the KJV translators added the words "the
brother of" to II Samuel 21:19. If the Lord had not led them to
do so, then II Samuel 21:19 would contradict I Chronicles 20:5 (as it DOES in
the New World Translation!).
Another fine example
is I John 2:23. The last half of the verse was missing at the time, but
the KJV translators inserted it anyhow (in italics), feeling that it was
necessary. This naturally disturbed many people, but since that time new
manuscripts have been found which CONTAIN the last half of I John 2:23.
The translators were RIGHT in adding the italicized words.
One last example of
the Holy Spirit's guiding influence on the KJV translators is found in Psalm
16:8, which says, "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is
at my right hand, I shall not be moved." As you can see, the
words "he is" are in italics. According to many
scholars they should be omitted, but according to the Apostle Peter they should
NOT be omitted. Peter quotes Psalm 16:8 in Acts 2:25, and he USES the
italicized words! How did the translators know this if the Lord didn't
lead them?
The italics in the
King James Bible are the marks of an HONEST translation, for no one added these
words to mislead us, or to change the word of God. They added the words
to help us, and they set the words in italics so we'd know they were
added. That's honesty. I know the KJV is the word of God, because
the translators were more honest in their work than any of the modern Bible
translators.
Because All New
Translations Compare Themselves to the KJV
The new versions do
not compare themselves with each other, because they're too busy comparing
themselves with one Book--the King James Bible. This fact alone proves
that there is something very special and unique about the KJV.
Why does everyone
line up in opposition AGAINST the King James Bible? Why not attack one
another? That's easy: Satan has no desire to divide his own kingdom (Mt.
12:26). His desire is to discredit the word of GOD, not himself; so he
attacks only one Book, God's Book, the KJV.
Those who oppose the
KJV are unsure of themselves, for they have no Final Authority; so they despise
those of us who DO have an Authority. They're unstable, insecure,
dishonest, and very inconsistent. They're all TERRIFIED of One Book, the
KJV, and they'll stop short of nothing in their efforts to rid the Body of
Christ of that Book.
I know the KJV is the
word of God, because it's the standard which all others use for comparison.
Because of the Time
in History in Which It Was Translated
The King James Bible
was not translated during the apostate and lukewarm Laodicean church period,
like the new translations. The Laodicean period is the last church period
before the Second Coming of Christ. It is the last of the seven church
periods in Revelation chapters two and three. One can clearly see
that we are living in the Laodicean period today by simply comparing modern
churches to the church of Revelation 3:14-22. This lukewarm period began
toward the end of the 1800's and will continue until Christ returns. The
new versions fit well into the lukewarm churches, because they are lukewarm "bibles."
The Authorized
Version, however, was translated LONG BEFORE the Laodicean churches
appeared. It was translated during the Philadelphia church period, which
is the best church period of all. It was this church that the Lord Jesus
COMMENDED for KEEPING HIS WORD ( Rev. 3:8-10)!
In 1611, when the
King James Bible was completed, the scourge of lukewarm Laodicea had not yet
swept over the world. There was no "scientific" crowd around in
1611 to put pressure on the translators. There was no civil rights movement
going on at this time to influence the work of these men. The women were
not screaming for "equal rights," and the humanists and socialists
had not yet taken control. The massive army of liberal and modernistic
preachers had not yet been assembled. The open public denial of God's
word and the Deity of Christ was practically unheard of among ministers.
It wasn't until the twentieth century that professing Christianity became
flooded with lukewarm preachers who would be willing to compromise the word of
God for self gain.
The greatest
missionary work in church history occurred between 1700 and 1900, so it makes
perfect sense that God would have a Bible ready for this great work, and He did
- the KJV. Unfortunately, the new translations appeared a bit LATE on the
scene! Think about that. I know the KJV is the word of God because
of the time in history in which it was translated.
Because No One Has
Ever Proven That the KJV is Not God's Word
Any honest American
should know that innocence is supposed to prevail in our land until guilt is
proven. The KJV should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Has anyone proven it guilty? No. Has any scholar actually PROVEN
that there are errors in the King James Bible? No. Enemies of the
KJV delight in IGNORING the facts about the Authorized Version, while never
PROVING anything. All apparent "errors" in the KJV can be
explained through prayer and a careful study of the scriptures, but the
opponents of the KJV aren't interested in looking for TRUTH; they're interested
attacking God's word, while never proving anything. I know the KJV is the
word of God, because, over nearly four hundred years, no one has proven
otherwise.
Because of the
Manuscript Evidence
Only a very deceived
individual could believe that the new versions are equal to the King James
Bible. Ninety-five percent of all evidence SUPPORTS the text of the King
James Authorized Version. The new versions are supported by the remaining
five percent evidence.
The new
"bibles" are supported by two very corrupt fourth century
manuscripts, known as the "Vaticanus" and the
"Siniaticus." These manuscripts are filled with many text
alterations to meet the demands of Roman Catholic tradition. They also
include the Apocrypha, which the Lord Jesus Christ EXCLUDED from the Old
Testament in Luke 24:44. All new versions contain readings from
these corrupt manuscripts, and all new versions use their tiny five
percent evidence to attack the ninety-five percent majority text of the King James
Bible.
The Textus Receptus
(received text) from which the King James Bible came can be traced clear back
to Antioch, Syria, where the disciples were first called Christians and where
Paul and Barnabas taught the word of God for a whole year (Acts 11:26).
The other "bibles" do not come from Antioch. They come from
Alexandria, Egypt, and from Rome. We don't need an Egyptian version, for
Egypt is a type of the WORLD in the Bible. God called His people
OUT of Egypt (Exod. 3-14), and God called His Son out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1 with
Matt. 2:13-15). Why, the Bible says that "every shepherd is an
abomination unto the Egyptians" in Gen. 46:34, and the Lord Jesus
Christ is called a SHEPHERD in John chapter ten. Alexandria, Egypt, is
associated with SUPERSTITION in Acts 28:11, and Aquilla and Pricilla had to set
an Egyptian straight on his doctrine in Acts chapter 18. Alexandrians are
also found DISPUTING WITH STEPHEN in Acts 6:9. So we don't need a
"bible" from Alexandria, Egypt.
Then there's the
Roman text, also called the "Western Text." We can also do
without a Roman "bible", because it was ROMAN soldiers who nailed our
Lord to the cross. The harlot of Revelation 17 is a perfect description
of the Roman Catholic Church, which has persecuted Christians for thousands of
years. Romans persecuted the Christians in Acts18:2, and in 70 A.D. the
Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Rome is the "dreadful and terrible"
beast of Daniel chapter seven, and Christ will destroy the "Revised
Roman Empire" at the Second Coming (Dan. 2; 7; and Rev. 13). It has
been estimated that Rome is guilty of the blood of some 200 million people who
have rejected her corrupt system. A "bible" from Rome is
another thing we can live without.
There's only one line
of manuscripts that we can trust, and this is the line from Antioch, called the
"Syrian" or "Byzantine" type text. The word of God
speaks POSITIVELY of Antioch, and NEGATIVELY of Rome and Egypt. We
should TAKE THE BEST AND DUMP THE REST! I know the King James Bible is
the word of God because of the manuscript evidence.
Because It Exalts the
Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus said, "Search
the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: And they are
they which testify of me." John 5:39.
A REAL Bible will testify
of the Lord Jesus Christ. The true word of God will always EXALT Jesus
Christ, and it will NEVER attack Hid Deity, His Virgin Birth, His Blood
Atonement, His Bodily Resurrection, His Glorious Second Coming, or any other
doctrines concerning His Person. However, the new versions attack ALL of
the fundamental doctrines concerning the Lord Jesus Christ at one time or
another.
By perverting the
many important verses of scripture which deal with the fundamental doctrines of
Christ, the new "bibles" have a CONTINUOUS ATTACK launched against
our beloved Savior, and this is NOT an overstatement! His Virgin Birth is
under attack in Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:34, and Luke 2:33. His Blood
Atonement is under attack in Colossians 1:14, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:7, and
Revelation 1:5. The Bodily Resurrection is under attack in Acts 1:3, Luke
chapter 24, and the last twelve verses of Mark. His Deity is under attack
in Acts 10:28, John 9:35, and I Timothy 3:16. The new versions attack the
Second Coming in Revelation 11:15, and Titus 2:13, and the list goes on,
because the new versions have an extreme bitter HATRED toward the Authorized
Version and the way it gives the Lord Jesus Christ the preeminent place.
If the reader doubts
this, we challenge you to take whatever version you want and compare the above
verses in it to the same verses in the King James Bible. If you still
doubt it, after checking the verses, then write us and we will send you a great
many more references to check. The new "bibles" have a very consistent
record of attacking the Lord Jesus Christ; so they cannot possibly be "the
scriptures" that He said would testify of Him in John 5:39. They
testify AGAINST him.
The King James Bible NEVER attacks our Lord. More than any book in
the world, the Authorized Version of the Protestant Reformation EXALTS the Lord
Jesus Christ. If we had no other reason for receiving the Authorized
Version as the word of God, this reason alone should be enough to convince any
true believer, for how could we not become suspicious of the new versions for
making such changes? I know the King James Bible is the word of God
because it always exalts the Lord Jesus Christ.
Booklet, 38 pages
(used by permission)
Copyright © 1997
James L. Melton
http://www.biblebaptistpublications.org/kingjamesbibledebate.html
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