Post by ambassador on May 14, 2009 23:56:29 GMT -5
Biblos: The Bible Versions & the Bible Perversions
[10-14 May 2009]
"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" (2 Corinthians 2:17 KJV).
Preface
If you support the King James Bible as the preserved Word of God in English, and because God's Word has never been popular with man, it is no surprise to learn that you have a lot of enemies and critics. Is it really true that because you support the King James Bible, you are "old-fashioned?" God's Word never ages! What would the critics say about the original Bible manuscripts? (They were so "old-fashioned" they disintegrated and are nonexistent today!) Are you wrong for supporting the King James Bible as the preserved Word of God, seeing as to most professing Christian prefer a modern version like the NIV, the NKJV, or the NASB? No, my friend, you are not wrong for supporting the King James Bible! Most people do not study the Bible, and most people are not even saved today; do you think the majority is right in these cases? Of course not. The majority is wrong in those cases, so why would it be any different with the Bible versions?
Many times, anyone who claims that the King James Bible is God's preserved Word in the English language is labeled a "church splitter," a "fanatic," or a "heretic." What a shame because it is a reversal--how can we be heretics, church splitters, and fanatics if we support God's preserved Word in the King James Bible as the Final Authority? It is a silly accusation because when does a heretic ever support God's Word? The devil uses intimidation in an effort to pry God's Word from your hands, but the fact of the matter is that you do not have to relinquish your good ol' Authorized Version King James Bible! You do not have to trade off God's infallible Word for man's errant word! You can leave the modern Bible versions on the shelves, and leave your money in your pocket!
I devote this special article to giving you basic information about the Bible versions debate--we cannot exhaust this topic. I want you to keep these things in mind. I love you as a fellow Christian (if you are saved today), BUT it is my obligation to the Lord to promote and teach His Word and let it offend whomever it offends. If you happen to be a Christian who uses a modern Bible (like NIV, NASB, or NKJV), please know that I do not want to attack you. I will not name-call, or belittle, but I rather please God than man, so I will tell you the Truth. This is a lot of information, and it may seem "deep" for you at first, but do not be alarmed. It took me a while to learn this too, but please read (and re-read) this and consider this prayerfully, so you can understand these modern versions are NOT reliable and are DANGEROUS! It is my hope to show you the seriousness of the Bible versions debate, as well as provide you with a stronger faith in the AUTHORIZED VERSION KING JAMES BIBLE AS THE PRESERVED WORD OF GOD IN ENGLISH!
Part I - A Brief History of Bible Corruption
Just prior to the Apostle Paul being martyred, the Holy Spirit inspired him to pen his last epistle: his second (and final) letter to Timothy. In chapter 3 and the early part of chapter 4, Paul urged Timothy to remain vigilant, cautious, keeping watch for false teachers and heresy:
2 Timothy 3:5 KJV, "[False teachers] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV, "3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
The instructions from God are clear. Satan's goal is to deceive you by appearing to be an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan's associates will have "the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof": this is what these modern versions have done; they have come in the form of innocence, denied the power of God, and yes, sadly, people have turned to these modern versions, the "fables" the Bible spoke against in 2 Timothy! Instead of people TURNING AWAY from such "fables" like God instructed us to do, they are EMBRACING "fables."
The Holy Spirit knew that the devil would continue to target the early churches, and poor Timothy needed to be ready for the deception that would only get worse (2 Timothy 3:13). The devil hindered Paul's work for the Lord throughout his ministry, so he certainly had no intention of allowing God's Gospel of Grace to be promulgated after Paul's demise. Satan's answer was to destroy God's Word, to pollute it, to water it down, to do whatever he could to keep the Lord's pure word out of the hands of lost mankind… the good news is that the old devil has not fully succeeded, as God's Word has been preserved through the Byzantine/Antiochian Bible manuscripts, eventually bringing us the King James Bible (more on this later). God kept His Word to preserve His Word… He literally KEPT HIS WORD! Still, the devil succeeded in bringing about his own "bibles," counterfeit versions of God's Holy Word!
With the apostolic age now gone and the Bible's canons closed in the first century A.D., the corruption of the Scriptures expounded in a chain-like fashion. (1) In the second century A.D., Justin Martyr combined the heretical idea of Gnosticism with Christianity. (2) Following in his footsteps was Tatian, who was just as guilty of adulterating the Scriptures. (3) One of Tatian's adherents was Clement of Alexandria, who founded his apostate theological school in Alexandria, Egypt. (4) Origen attended the school in Alexandria, and his corrupt Bible texts led to his follower (5) Eusebius, also a student at the Alexandrian school, and the editor of two heretical Bible manuscripts: Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus--the adulteration found in these manuscripts is astonishing. (6) Then, Jerome came and took the corrupted Alexandrian Greek manuscripts and translated them into Latin (a second corruption), to assemble the "New Latin Vulgate," a Roman Catholic Bible that true Christians avoided. The date at this point was approximately A.D. 380--just a little more than 300 years after Paul's death! See, the devil is not wasting time corrupting the Scriptures, is he? What do you think he has done these past 2000 years, let alone the first couple hundred years A.D.? You will be amazed as we continue….
From the fifth to the fifteenth century A.D., the Roman Catholic Church was corrupting the Scriptures. This led to the Inquisition, and burning of Christians at the stake (and their Bibles) who refused to submit to the heresy of Roman Catholicism. [By the way, the text used by the King James Bible translators in 1603-1611 was the same text used against the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation nearly a century earlier.] Jumping up to the late 19th century, in 1859, a German "Bible scholar" Tischendorf discovers Codex Sinaiticus (Eusebius' and Origen's work) in a trashcan! No more than two decades after Tischendorf, you find two additional "Bible scholars" by the names of Wescott and Hort--these two men were so apostate it is unbelievable. Using the already perverted Alexandrian manuscripts, they constructed their own Greek text. Eventually, the Wescott-Hort Greek text was submitted to the Committee to be used as the basis for the Revised Version. In 1881, the RV New Testament was completed, and the RV Old Testament was finished in 1885.
At the very end of the 19th century, a new face in Bible corruption appeared: Eberhard Nestle. Nestle's work was first published in 1898, and it was based on the corrupt texts of Tischendorf, Weymouth, Wescott, and Hort! The "Nestle-Aland (NA) Text," as it is currently known, is in its 27th edition. This Nestle-Aland text is the basis for most modern English Bible versions' New Testaments! So, you can trace the corruption in modern Bibles back to the first century: from Nestle, to Wescott and Hort, then to Tischendorf, to Jerome, and to Eusebius, then to Origen, and to Clement of Alexandria, and then Tatian, and right up to Justin Martyr! See how the corruption trickled down? The devil attacked the Bible's purity almost as soon as it was completed--first century A.D.!
By the dawn of the 20th century (see Part II - "A Century of Bible Versions" Timeline below), after the RV of 1881, the first in a series of new Bible translations was produced. As I said earlier, Nestle's text was based on the corrupt Wescott-Hort text, and Nestle's text is the basis for most modern English Bibles even today. Currently in Christian bookstores, you can find over 100 paraphrased, watered-down, inferior, corrupt English Bible versions--pitiful!
In 2008, the most popular English Bible among evangelicals was certainly not the King James Bible, but rather the NIV--of course, the majority never flocks to God's Truth! Young adults and teenagers have been told the King James Bible is too "archaic" for them, so they need a modern version with slang, street-language that they can understand, and it looks like many young people have fallen into that devil's trap. Shame! I am waiting for the day when we have another new translation filled with emoticons and "text-messaging language"…like "PTL" (Praise the Lord) replacing "Hallelujah." Spiritually lazy people want an "easy-to-read translation," and they refuse to think on the Scriptures and "STUDY" the Bible like 2 Timothy 2:15 says!
Part II - "A Century of Bible Versions" Timeline
(Non-exhaustive; just a small sample of the over 100 modern English versions today)
1901. The American Revised Version (later renamed ASV, American Standard Version)
1954. The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
1960. The New American Standard Version (NASV)
1965. The Amplified Bible (AMP)
1967. The New Scofield Version
1978. The New International Version (NIV)
1979. The New King James Version (NKJV)
1989. The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1991. The New Century Version (NCV)
1995. Contemporary English Version (CEV)
1995. God's Word (GW)
1995. The New American Standard 1995 Update (NASB95)
1996, 2004. New Living Translation (NLT)
2002. The Message (MSG)
Part III - Are All English Bibles REALLY Equal in Authority?
Like most of our poor Christian brethren, I used to think of the Bible versions debate as something minor and petty. At one time, I also believed the myth that all English Bibles basically said the same thing. However, since studying much on the subject, I have found that the modern versions are guilty of removing MUCH, MUCH more than just the "KJV-isms" like "thee," "thou," "ye," and "shalt." Some modern translators admit they have done much more than that too! People do not realize the seriousness of the Bible versions issue--major doctrines of the Christian faith are being questioned, watered down, twisted, or even OMITTED from these modern versions! If you think the blood of Christ, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the eternality of Hell, the sinlessness of Christ, and the virgin birth of Christ are minor doctrines that can be compromised, then a modern version of the Bible is for you! If you feel that these are important doctrines that CANNOT be compromised, then you need to stay with the King James Bible.
Now, I mentioned the Nestle-Aland text earlier. I want to show you the difference between the modern versions and the King James Bible. To give you an idea of just how far removed these modern versions are from the King James Bible, this table below is how the Nestle-Aland 27th edition (NA27) compares with this selection of English Bible versions. The higher the percentage, the more the version is identical to the corrupt NA27. So, you can see there is a substantial difference between the reliability of the NASB and the KJV, with 84% of the NASB agreeing with the corrupt NA27, and over half of the KJV NOT agreeing with the corrupt NA27:
NASB … 84%
ASV … 84%
NASB95 … 83%
ESV … 83%
RSV … 80%
NIV … 74%
NLT … 68%
NKJV … 49%
KJV … 47%
Now, you tell me, after viewing this information about the NA27, are all English Bibles equal in authority? The King James Version is the most reliable of all because it is the LEAST identical to the corrupt NA27. And as you can see, the NKJV is not entirely the KJV either. In fact, the NKJV is nothing like the KJV because the NKJV removes "God," "blood," and "Heaven" dozens of times!
Facts do not lie; we can CONFIDENTLY say without doubt that "no, all English Bibles are NOT equal in authority because all English Bibles DO NOT say the same thing." The King James Bible is substantially different from modern bible versions because they are from two separate sets of Bible manuscripts. The modern Bible versions are based on the adulterated Alexandrian manuscripts, the CORRUPT manuscripts that underlie NA27. The King James Bible is based on the Byzantine/Antiochian manuscripts, the RELIABLE manuscripts, which is why over half of the King James Bible is NOT identical to the corrupt NA27. Which Bible should you be using? Obviously, the KING JAMES BIBLE!
The irony of it all is that you get pummeled with criticism when you expose the heresy behind these corrupt texts and the resulting modern English Bibles. I know that firsthand. The majority has abandoned the KJV for an NIV, an NASB, or an NKJV that is more "modern" and more "popular." A plain fact of Scripture is that when it comes to spiritual things, the MAJORITY IS USUALLY WRONG! The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 that very few people will ever go to Heaven, will ever believe the Truth, and will ever embrace His Word. When God approves of what you are doing, man will feel the opposite toward you. So, are long as you support the King James Bible, be ready to get more criticism (and be ready to ignore it too)!
Conclusion - Nine Questions and Points to Ponder
1. How is there unity in the Body of Christ if everyone is using a different Bible version? If one Christian is using the King James Bible (based on the reliable Antiochian, Byzantine manuscripts), and another Christian is using a modern version (based on the unreliable, corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts), how is this unity in the Body of Christ? One totes heresy under his arm, the other holds God's preserved Word (KJV) … oh, how sad.
2. Is it not odd that you have professing Christians attacking you as a KJV Christian because you support the infallible Word of God as THE INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD? Sound ridiculous, but it is true!
3. The Jehovah's Witnesses can freely distribute their corrupt Bible (New World Translation), and the Mormons can even produce a "sequel" to the Bible (Book of Mormon), but they will NEVER get as much flak as the KJV proponents will. Why? [Of course, you know why].
4. If Bible manuscripts produced by apostates are unreliable, what about those Bibles based on those manuscripts? Would they be any better?
5. How is it possible that God's Word is preserved in EVERY modern English Bible, seeing as to each and every modern Bible contains various paraphrases, slang terms, and mistranslations (remember the various percentages listed above)? And considering the KJV and the modern versions have two SEPARATE sources, does the KJV really say the same thing as the modern versions?
6. According to Psalm 12:6-7, God promised that He would preserve His WORDS, not just His thoughts! God's WORDS will not pass away, which is what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35. Or, will people be guilty of unbelief in denying the infallibility of those verses? Interestingly, modern versions distort Psalm 12:6-7 so it reads that God will preserve the Jews--the KJV says God will preserve His words.
7. Is it not sad to see professing Christians hold a Catholic Bible in their hands while getting on your case because you support a NON-Catholic Bible, THE preserved Word of God? Pitiful.
8. The Apostles Peter and Paul gave clear warnings about "many people corrupting the Word of God" (2 Corinthians 2:17) and people "wresting [twisting] the Scriptures to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). Why should we ignore these warnings from the Holy Spirit? Are we "wise in our own conceits" as Paul would say?
9. In the fall of 2009, a 28th edition of the Nestle-Aland text is expected to be completed. Why another edition? Does it need more "correction?" Or more "perversion?" Will a new translation based on this new NA28 be released as well?
You may also want to check out [ www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/ ] for more information on this subject.
arcministries@gmail.com
[10-14 May 2009]
"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" (2 Corinthians 2:17 KJV).
Preface
If you support the King James Bible as the preserved Word of God in English, and because God's Word has never been popular with man, it is no surprise to learn that you have a lot of enemies and critics. Is it really true that because you support the King James Bible, you are "old-fashioned?" God's Word never ages! What would the critics say about the original Bible manuscripts? (They were so "old-fashioned" they disintegrated and are nonexistent today!) Are you wrong for supporting the King James Bible as the preserved Word of God, seeing as to most professing Christian prefer a modern version like the NIV, the NKJV, or the NASB? No, my friend, you are not wrong for supporting the King James Bible! Most people do not study the Bible, and most people are not even saved today; do you think the majority is right in these cases? Of course not. The majority is wrong in those cases, so why would it be any different with the Bible versions?
Many times, anyone who claims that the King James Bible is God's preserved Word in the English language is labeled a "church splitter," a "fanatic," or a "heretic." What a shame because it is a reversal--how can we be heretics, church splitters, and fanatics if we support God's preserved Word in the King James Bible as the Final Authority? It is a silly accusation because when does a heretic ever support God's Word? The devil uses intimidation in an effort to pry God's Word from your hands, but the fact of the matter is that you do not have to relinquish your good ol' Authorized Version King James Bible! You do not have to trade off God's infallible Word for man's errant word! You can leave the modern Bible versions on the shelves, and leave your money in your pocket!
I devote this special article to giving you basic information about the Bible versions debate--we cannot exhaust this topic. I want you to keep these things in mind. I love you as a fellow Christian (if you are saved today), BUT it is my obligation to the Lord to promote and teach His Word and let it offend whomever it offends. If you happen to be a Christian who uses a modern Bible (like NIV, NASB, or NKJV), please know that I do not want to attack you. I will not name-call, or belittle, but I rather please God than man, so I will tell you the Truth. This is a lot of information, and it may seem "deep" for you at first, but do not be alarmed. It took me a while to learn this too, but please read (and re-read) this and consider this prayerfully, so you can understand these modern versions are NOT reliable and are DANGEROUS! It is my hope to show you the seriousness of the Bible versions debate, as well as provide you with a stronger faith in the AUTHORIZED VERSION KING JAMES BIBLE AS THE PRESERVED WORD OF GOD IN ENGLISH!
Part I - A Brief History of Bible Corruption
Just prior to the Apostle Paul being martyred, the Holy Spirit inspired him to pen his last epistle: his second (and final) letter to Timothy. In chapter 3 and the early part of chapter 4, Paul urged Timothy to remain vigilant, cautious, keeping watch for false teachers and heresy:
2 Timothy 3:5 KJV, "[False teachers] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."
2 Timothy 4:3-4 KJV, "3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
The instructions from God are clear. Satan's goal is to deceive you by appearing to be an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan's associates will have "the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof": this is what these modern versions have done; they have come in the form of innocence, denied the power of God, and yes, sadly, people have turned to these modern versions, the "fables" the Bible spoke against in 2 Timothy! Instead of people TURNING AWAY from such "fables" like God instructed us to do, they are EMBRACING "fables."
The Holy Spirit knew that the devil would continue to target the early churches, and poor Timothy needed to be ready for the deception that would only get worse (2 Timothy 3:13). The devil hindered Paul's work for the Lord throughout his ministry, so he certainly had no intention of allowing God's Gospel of Grace to be promulgated after Paul's demise. Satan's answer was to destroy God's Word, to pollute it, to water it down, to do whatever he could to keep the Lord's pure word out of the hands of lost mankind… the good news is that the old devil has not fully succeeded, as God's Word has been preserved through the Byzantine/Antiochian Bible manuscripts, eventually bringing us the King James Bible (more on this later). God kept His Word to preserve His Word… He literally KEPT HIS WORD! Still, the devil succeeded in bringing about his own "bibles," counterfeit versions of God's Holy Word!
With the apostolic age now gone and the Bible's canons closed in the first century A.D., the corruption of the Scriptures expounded in a chain-like fashion. (1) In the second century A.D., Justin Martyr combined the heretical idea of Gnosticism with Christianity. (2) Following in his footsteps was Tatian, who was just as guilty of adulterating the Scriptures. (3) One of Tatian's adherents was Clement of Alexandria, who founded his apostate theological school in Alexandria, Egypt. (4) Origen attended the school in Alexandria, and his corrupt Bible texts led to his follower (5) Eusebius, also a student at the Alexandrian school, and the editor of two heretical Bible manuscripts: Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus--the adulteration found in these manuscripts is astonishing. (6) Then, Jerome came and took the corrupted Alexandrian Greek manuscripts and translated them into Latin (a second corruption), to assemble the "New Latin Vulgate," a Roman Catholic Bible that true Christians avoided. The date at this point was approximately A.D. 380--just a little more than 300 years after Paul's death! See, the devil is not wasting time corrupting the Scriptures, is he? What do you think he has done these past 2000 years, let alone the first couple hundred years A.D.? You will be amazed as we continue….
From the fifth to the fifteenth century A.D., the Roman Catholic Church was corrupting the Scriptures. This led to the Inquisition, and burning of Christians at the stake (and their Bibles) who refused to submit to the heresy of Roman Catholicism. [By the way, the text used by the King James Bible translators in 1603-1611 was the same text used against the Catholic Church during the Protestant Reformation nearly a century earlier.] Jumping up to the late 19th century, in 1859, a German "Bible scholar" Tischendorf discovers Codex Sinaiticus (Eusebius' and Origen's work) in a trashcan! No more than two decades after Tischendorf, you find two additional "Bible scholars" by the names of Wescott and Hort--these two men were so apostate it is unbelievable. Using the already perverted Alexandrian manuscripts, they constructed their own Greek text. Eventually, the Wescott-Hort Greek text was submitted to the Committee to be used as the basis for the Revised Version. In 1881, the RV New Testament was completed, and the RV Old Testament was finished in 1885.
At the very end of the 19th century, a new face in Bible corruption appeared: Eberhard Nestle. Nestle's work was first published in 1898, and it was based on the corrupt texts of Tischendorf, Weymouth, Wescott, and Hort! The "Nestle-Aland (NA) Text," as it is currently known, is in its 27th edition. This Nestle-Aland text is the basis for most modern English Bible versions' New Testaments! So, you can trace the corruption in modern Bibles back to the first century: from Nestle, to Wescott and Hort, then to Tischendorf, to Jerome, and to Eusebius, then to Origen, and to Clement of Alexandria, and then Tatian, and right up to Justin Martyr! See how the corruption trickled down? The devil attacked the Bible's purity almost as soon as it was completed--first century A.D.!
By the dawn of the 20th century (see Part II - "A Century of Bible Versions" Timeline below), after the RV of 1881, the first in a series of new Bible translations was produced. As I said earlier, Nestle's text was based on the corrupt Wescott-Hort text, and Nestle's text is the basis for most modern English Bibles even today. Currently in Christian bookstores, you can find over 100 paraphrased, watered-down, inferior, corrupt English Bible versions--pitiful!
In 2008, the most popular English Bible among evangelicals was certainly not the King James Bible, but rather the NIV--of course, the majority never flocks to God's Truth! Young adults and teenagers have been told the King James Bible is too "archaic" for them, so they need a modern version with slang, street-language that they can understand, and it looks like many young people have fallen into that devil's trap. Shame! I am waiting for the day when we have another new translation filled with emoticons and "text-messaging language"…like "PTL" (Praise the Lord) replacing "Hallelujah." Spiritually lazy people want an "easy-to-read translation," and they refuse to think on the Scriptures and "STUDY" the Bible like 2 Timothy 2:15 says!
Part II - "A Century of Bible Versions" Timeline
(Non-exhaustive; just a small sample of the over 100 modern English versions today)
1901. The American Revised Version (later renamed ASV, American Standard Version)
1954. The Revised Standard Version (RSV)
1960. The New American Standard Version (NASV)
1965. The Amplified Bible (AMP)
1967. The New Scofield Version
1978. The New International Version (NIV)
1979. The New King James Version (NKJV)
1989. The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
1991. The New Century Version (NCV)
1995. Contemporary English Version (CEV)
1995. God's Word (GW)
1995. The New American Standard 1995 Update (NASB95)
1996, 2004. New Living Translation (NLT)
2002. The Message (MSG)
Part III - Are All English Bibles REALLY Equal in Authority?
Like most of our poor Christian brethren, I used to think of the Bible versions debate as something minor and petty. At one time, I also believed the myth that all English Bibles basically said the same thing. However, since studying much on the subject, I have found that the modern versions are guilty of removing MUCH, MUCH more than just the "KJV-isms" like "thee," "thou," "ye," and "shalt." Some modern translators admit they have done much more than that too! People do not realize the seriousness of the Bible versions issue--major doctrines of the Christian faith are being questioned, watered down, twisted, or even OMITTED from these modern versions! If you think the blood of Christ, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the eternality of Hell, the sinlessness of Christ, and the virgin birth of Christ are minor doctrines that can be compromised, then a modern version of the Bible is for you! If you feel that these are important doctrines that CANNOT be compromised, then you need to stay with the King James Bible.
Now, I mentioned the Nestle-Aland text earlier. I want to show you the difference between the modern versions and the King James Bible. To give you an idea of just how far removed these modern versions are from the King James Bible, this table below is how the Nestle-Aland 27th edition (NA27) compares with this selection of English Bible versions. The higher the percentage, the more the version is identical to the corrupt NA27. So, you can see there is a substantial difference between the reliability of the NASB and the KJV, with 84% of the NASB agreeing with the corrupt NA27, and over half of the KJV NOT agreeing with the corrupt NA27:
NASB … 84%
ASV … 84%
NASB95 … 83%
ESV … 83%
RSV … 80%
NIV … 74%
NLT … 68%
NKJV … 49%
KJV … 47%
Now, you tell me, after viewing this information about the NA27, are all English Bibles equal in authority? The King James Version is the most reliable of all because it is the LEAST identical to the corrupt NA27. And as you can see, the NKJV is not entirely the KJV either. In fact, the NKJV is nothing like the KJV because the NKJV removes "God," "blood," and "Heaven" dozens of times!
Facts do not lie; we can CONFIDENTLY say without doubt that "no, all English Bibles are NOT equal in authority because all English Bibles DO NOT say the same thing." The King James Bible is substantially different from modern bible versions because they are from two separate sets of Bible manuscripts. The modern Bible versions are based on the adulterated Alexandrian manuscripts, the CORRUPT manuscripts that underlie NA27. The King James Bible is based on the Byzantine/Antiochian manuscripts, the RELIABLE manuscripts, which is why over half of the King James Bible is NOT identical to the corrupt NA27. Which Bible should you be using? Obviously, the KING JAMES BIBLE!
The irony of it all is that you get pummeled with criticism when you expose the heresy behind these corrupt texts and the resulting modern English Bibles. I know that firsthand. The majority has abandoned the KJV for an NIV, an NASB, or an NKJV that is more "modern" and more "popular." A plain fact of Scripture is that when it comes to spiritual things, the MAJORITY IS USUALLY WRONG! The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 that very few people will ever go to Heaven, will ever believe the Truth, and will ever embrace His Word. When God approves of what you are doing, man will feel the opposite toward you. So, are long as you support the King James Bible, be ready to get more criticism (and be ready to ignore it too)!
Conclusion - Nine Questions and Points to Ponder
1. How is there unity in the Body of Christ if everyone is using a different Bible version? If one Christian is using the King James Bible (based on the reliable Antiochian, Byzantine manuscripts), and another Christian is using a modern version (based on the unreliable, corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts), how is this unity in the Body of Christ? One totes heresy under his arm, the other holds God's preserved Word (KJV) … oh, how sad.
2. Is it not odd that you have professing Christians attacking you as a KJV Christian because you support the infallible Word of God as THE INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD? Sound ridiculous, but it is true!
3. The Jehovah's Witnesses can freely distribute their corrupt Bible (New World Translation), and the Mormons can even produce a "sequel" to the Bible (Book of Mormon), but they will NEVER get as much flak as the KJV proponents will. Why? [Of course, you know why].
4. If Bible manuscripts produced by apostates are unreliable, what about those Bibles based on those manuscripts? Would they be any better?
5. How is it possible that God's Word is preserved in EVERY modern English Bible, seeing as to each and every modern Bible contains various paraphrases, slang terms, and mistranslations (remember the various percentages listed above)? And considering the KJV and the modern versions have two SEPARATE sources, does the KJV really say the same thing as the modern versions?
6. According to Psalm 12:6-7, God promised that He would preserve His WORDS, not just His thoughts! God's WORDS will not pass away, which is what Jesus Christ said in Matthew 24:35. Or, will people be guilty of unbelief in denying the infallibility of those verses? Interestingly, modern versions distort Psalm 12:6-7 so it reads that God will preserve the Jews--the KJV says God will preserve His words.
7. Is it not sad to see professing Christians hold a Catholic Bible in their hands while getting on your case because you support a NON-Catholic Bible, THE preserved Word of God? Pitiful.
8. The Apostles Peter and Paul gave clear warnings about "many people corrupting the Word of God" (2 Corinthians 2:17) and people "wresting [twisting] the Scriptures to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). Why should we ignore these warnings from the Holy Spirit? Are we "wise in our own conceits" as Paul would say?
9. In the fall of 2009, a 28th edition of the Nestle-Aland text is expected to be completed. Why another edition? Does it need more "correction?" Or more "perversion?" Will a new translation based on this new NA28 be released as well?
You may also want to check out [ www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/ ] for more information on this subject.
arcministries@gmail.com