Bill Taylor – Satan has multiplied “bible” versions so greatly that Christians and lost people are confused. God is not the author of confusion, so the confusion illustrated in this short article is not of God: https://successful-marriage.blogspot.com/…/why-we-use…

Marriage Under Threat: Why We Use the King James Version (KJV) (successful-marriage.blogspot.com)

DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN VERSIONS CAUSES CONFUSION

A friend of mine needed to replace a worn-out Bible.  He described his shopping experience:

An entire wall was dedicated to the sale of Bibles.  Impressed, I headed to that section.  This should be quick and easy, I thought, but I became quite confused.  Some of the Bibles is saw were The Voice Bible (2012), the Tree of Life Bible (2014), Third Millennium Bible (1998), Today’s New International Version (2005), The Holy Bible: Jah International Version (2017), The Story Bible (1971), Simple English Bible (1980), The Scriptures (revised 2009), Revised English Bible (1989), Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (2006), Revised Standard Version (1952), New Revised Standard Version (1989), Revised New Jerusalem Bible, (2019), New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013 Revised), New Living Translation (1966), New King James Version (1982), King James Version (1611, 1769), New International Version (2011), New International Version Inclusive Language Edition (1996), English Standard Version (2016), New American Standard Bible (2020), The Message (2002), The Living Bible (1971) Good News Bible (1976) . . . the available selections went on and on!  How am I ever going to choose?  Is there a Bible right for me?

There are large Bibles, small Bibles, pocket-sized Bibles, partial Bibles, large-print Bibles, interlinear Bibles, study Bibles, Bibles bearing people’s or ministry names . . .  Wow! Trying to select one was not going to be easy.  As a matter-of-fact, it was overwhelming! 

Some say the KJV is hard to understand because of outdated language.  I selected some passages in a few translations to see which was easiest to understand.  I was surprised at what I read:

Psalm 10:5

KJV:  His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

ESV: His ways prosper at all times; your judgments are on high, out of his sight as for all his foes, he puffs at them.

NASB:  His ways prosper at all times; Thy judgments are on high, out of his sight; as for all his adversaries, he snorts at them.

NIV: His ways are always prosperous; he is haughty, and your laws are far from him; he sneers at all his enemies.

NKJV:  His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; as for all his enemies, he sneers at them.

Now this is interesting.  The KJV (which has been around for about 400 years) seems to be out of step with these more modern translations—at least that is what some writers claim.  I compared a few other passages.

Ecclesiastes 8:10

KJV:  And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this is also vanity.

ESV:  Then I saw the wicked buried. They used to go in and out of the holy place and were praised in the city where they had done such things. This also is vanity.

ASV:  So I saw the wicked buried, and they came to the grave; and they that had done right went away from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city: this also is vanity.

NIV:  Then too, I saw the wicked buried—those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this.  This too is meaningless.

Two versions say that the wicked were forgotten in the city and two say that they were praised.  Being forgotten and being praised are two different concepts.  They don’t mean the same thing.  Which did God say?

Isaiah 9:3

KJV:  Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

ESV:  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

ASV:      Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased their joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

NIV:  You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, when men rejoice when dividing the plunder.

The KJV is out of step.  It says their joy was increased and the others say that joy was not increased. This reminds me of a book title by Dr. Mickey P. Carter, Things that are Different are not the Same.

Colossians 2:18

KJV:  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

ESV:  Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,

ASV:  Let no man rob you of your prize by a voluntary humility and worshipping of the angels, dwelling in the things which he hath seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

NIV:  Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worshipping of angels disqualify you for the prize.  Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unscriptural mind puffs him up with idle notions.

Two versions talk about what they have seen.  One states that they intrude into those things which they have not seen.  And one states . . . well it implies having seen.  Which one has the correct wording?

Hosea 11:12

KJV:  Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.

ESV:  Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.

ASV:  Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the Holy One.

NIV:  Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the House of Israel with deceit, and Judah is unruly against God.

Three versions say that Judah ruled with God and was faithful to God, but one version says the opposite!  How can this be?  Are not these supposed to be from the same Bible?  Do they not claim to be the Word of God?  Shouldn’t we be reading the same ideas in all the versions?  Let’s try one more:

Proverbs 18:24

KJV:  A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

ESV:  A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

ASV:  He that maketh many friends doeth it to his own destruction; But there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

NIV:  A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Two of these say may come to ruin.  One says the man will cause his destruction if he makes many friends.  These concepts are not the same.  One version doesn’t mention destruction—it says that one must show himself friendly to have friends.  These are three different concepts.  Which is from God?  Are we to study an armful of bibles, compare every verse, and choose one we think or feel is the correct one?  Are we to choose one that we believe is right for us but may not be right for someone else?  How confusing!

The unsaved will laugh Christians to scorn.  I can hear their complaint: Christians can’t agree on what their so-called authority (the Bible) says.  How can we believe anything they say?

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.  I Corinthians 14:33

This widespread confusion should settle the discussion by identifying the author of the newer versions:

He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.  Matthew 12:30

He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.  Luke 11:23

There are only two sides, God’s and Satan’s.  The KJV was relied on for 400 years, then confusion about God’s Word came through many versions.  Confusion is not of God, so non-KJV should be avoided.

MEMORIZATION ENDED

Christians stopped memorizing the Word of God as they became confused about what God said.  Memorization will be vital when persecution comes.  Early Christians identified each other by quoting part of a verse and having the other person complete it.  Going back and forth a few times identified believers.

Persecution is coming to America.  The Colorado Civil Rights Division ruled that a Christian baker can’t refuse to write a homosexual “marriage” message but a baker that supports same-sex “marriage” can turn down a Biblical marriage message because the Bible is hateful and bigoted.[40]

Päivi Räsänen, a member of parliament, and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission faced hate speech charges after they published a pamphlet about “biblical marriage.”[41]  The court ruled that although their statements could offend, the purpose was to explain religious teaching, which was protected.  The fact that the case was brought at all shows the danger.

The fish symbol to common to use it as a password.  We’ll have to go back to quoting scripture.  People seeking to persecute us will have to memorize enough of the Bible to fool us, and studying it may lead them to salvation!  The KJV is the best-known, time-tested version.  That’s one of many reasons we use the KJV.

The Translation

All scripture is given by inspiration (theopneustos) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  II Timothy 3:16-17

Theopneustos is two words, theos meaning God, and pneustos meaning “breathed” from which we get “pneumatic.”  Scripture is literally God-breathed.  Peter explained the origin of scripture:

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  II Peter 1:21

Some describe this process as “plenary verbal inspiration;” a fancy way of saying that the Holy Spirit was involved in each and every word of the original documents.  The Bible uses “inspiration” in one other place:

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration

 of the Almighty giveth them understanding.  Job 32:8

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  James 1:5

God gives inspiration such as Thomas Edison’s desire to create an electric light or Einstein’s desire to explain the movement of the planet Mercury.  Earlier translators had been burned at the stake; they knew that their work might displease King James.  The translators wrote the Epistle Dedicatory to flatter the king and to save their lives.  The dedication is so far inferior to the translation that it’s hard to believe they were written by the same group.  The difference in writing quality shows that Holy Spirit was visibly involved.

ITALICS

The KVJ translators strove for word-for-word translation wherever possible and inserted English words that weren’t in the Greek to make the English more understandable.  These extra words are in italics.

One of the most vivid examples is:

Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? ⁵They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. ⁶As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.  John 18:4-6

If the officers had asked, “Which of you is Jesus?”  “I am” would have made sense in English.  When they said, “We’re looking for Jesus,” saying “I am” would have been awkward; “I am he” reads much better.

In Greek, Jesus’ answer is ego (I) emi (am) without any “he.”  That makes sense according to Greek grammar, but adding “he” make the English easier to understand.  It’s interesting to read the KJV and think about how it would read without the extra words:

For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.  Psalm 38:7

Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. ¹¹Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.  Isaiah 3:10-11

For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; ⁴Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.  II Corinthians 8:3-4

STYLISTIC DIFFERENCES

All scripture is given by inspiration (theopneustos) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: ¹⁷That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.  II Timothy 3:16-17

Theopneustos is two words, theos meaning God, and pneustos meaning “breathed” from which we get “pneumatic.”  Scripture is literally God-breathed.  Peter explained the origin of scripture:

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.  II Peter 1:21

Although God breathed His Word through holy men as He chose, their different personalities and writing styles are evident to those who know Greek or Hebrew.  The KJV translators didn’t want to show the styles or personalities of the individual translators so they strove for a common style for the entire work.  This masks differences in style between the books of the Bible – the KJV English is stylistically uniform.

Some say there are three different Hebrew writing styles and therefore three different writers of the Book of Isaiah.  That isn’t proof – many writers have multiple styles which they use for different audiences.

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. ¹⁷And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet (prophētēs) Esaias. And when he had opened the book (biblion), he found the place where it was written,  Luke 4:16-17

Prophētēs is singular, the plural is prophētae.  Biblion means one book; the plural is biblia.  “Esias the prophet” or “the prophet Esias” appear 8 times in the gospels; sometimes spoken by Jesus.  The Bible describes one book of Isaiah written by one prophet.

Many believe that Paul didn’t write Hebrews because the writing style in Hebrews is different from his other books.  Someone who knows how multilingual people think would expect stylistic differences.

A young missionary writes sermons in English and translates to the members’ language.  He can’t speak from an outline because he must use the dictionary to look up words he doesn’t know before he can deliver the message.  Native hearers will know that the message was composed in English and translated.

Awkwardness is reduced as the missionary learns the language, but sermons won’t sound natural until he thinks and writes in the target language without translating.  Japanese user manuals translated to English caused much amusement until the Japanese hired Americans to write manuals in English.  The Americans didn’t need to know Japanese; they needed to know how to use the device they were explaining.

Paul was a “Hebrew of the Hebrews (Phi. 3:5).”  He spoke Greek to the men of Athens (Acts 17:22[42]), changed his evangelistic focus to the gentiles (Acts 18:6[43], 22:21[44], 26:20[45]), and spoke Greek to the chief captain in Jerusalem (Acts 21:37[46]).  He ministered to gentiles, so he thought in Greek when writing most of his letters.  He thought in Hebrew when writing to Jews, but translated Hebrew to Greek as he wrote.  That would change the writing style of the Greek text even though the books had the same author.

The Lessons of History

History shows that the KJV is the version God wanted for all English speaking people.

The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD

, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.  Proverbs 21:1

God involves Himself in human affairs to work out His plans.  He helped Alexander the Great spread Greek language and culture from Macedonia to India.  When the Romans conquered Greece, Greek became the language of culture and business and Latin was the language of government.  Pilate’s title for Jesus “was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. (Jn. 19:20)”

At the time the Gospels were written, Roman roads and the “pax Romana,” or Roman peace, made Paul’s missionary journeys possible.  God inspired the “holy men (2 Peter 1:21)” to write in Greek, the language of culture and business in much of the known world.  Paul preached the Gospel in Greek in Athens (Acts 17:22[47]).