Which Version of the
Bible?
The question comes, what
Bible version should I read? This is a subject that can cause a lot of
discussion, and sometimes more heat than light. There are, however, some
versions, which seem to be better, even much better, than others. To start with,
there are two basic versions of the New Testament that have
been handed down to us in the original Greek language. One is
called the Received Text, and there are thousands of remnants of
these Greek manuscripts. The other version is the Egyptian Text.
This latter version is also called the Alexandrian Text, as that
was the city in Egypt from which these manuscripts came. There are not very many
of the Egyptian texts, compared to the Received texts, but they are much older.
The two most prominent Egyptian manuscripts are the Vaticanus and the
Sinaiticus. These texts are quite different from the Received texts. The
Received texts are nearly 100% consistent, but in the few
texts that originated in Egypt we found many differences and
omissions, not only as compared to the Received texts, but also
amongst themselves.
The King James Version (KJV) is
based upon the Received Text. Many conservative Bible scholars
believe that this is the text that came from the original writings of the
apostles, and that portions of the Egyptian Text were changed by the Christian
leaders there, such as Clement and Origen. Egypt was one of the first places to
start mixing Christianity with pagan philosophies. These leading Christian
scholars of Egypt, though calling themselves Christian, did not agree with the
teachings of the New Testament in every detail. They began the process that came
to be called the “Hellenization” of Christianity. That means they tried
to bring the pagan ideas of Greece into Christianity. They, for example, along
with the Christians in Rome, began to keep a different day of worship than the
one Jesus kept. They began to keep the day the Greeks had kept in honor of their
sun god.
Most of the Received texts are from
Syria. Since Egypt is much drier than Syria, the Egyptian texts have survived
much longer than the older Received texts. Some have also surmised that the
Egyptian texts were so inferior that they were not used much, whereas the
Received texts became worn out with use. When one manuscript wore out, it was
faithfully copied to a new manuscript and the old one was destroyed by
fire. Though the Received texts that
have survived are not as old as the Egyptian texts, it is of interest to note
that the Bible quotations found in the early church fathers (leaders of the
Christian church in the first few centuries after the Bible was written)
generally agreed with the wording of the Received Text, showing that this
version of the Greek New Testament is as old as the one from
Egypt.
The Latin Vulgate, as
well as Catholic Bibles, is based upon texts similar to the Egyptian
texts. That has been one of the differences between the Catholic Bibles
and the Protestant Bibles. The King James Bible was based upon the Received
Text. The Received texts were the accepted New Testament manuscripts for all
Protestants until the later half of the 19th century when two Oxford scholars by
the names of Westcott and Hort began attacking the Received Text. They claimed
that the Egyptian texts, being older, were more accurate than the Received
texts. They said that though the Egyptian texts had many mistakes, it was
because the disciples were not very well educated and the omissions and
various things found in these Egyptian texts were probably as the disciples
wrote them. They hypothesized that someone must have come along and smoothed the
texts up, and that “smoothed-up” text then became the Received Text.
Their biggest proof was that the Egyptian texts were older than the Received
texts. They never produced the proof of their hypothesis, but it
was believed by many scholars anyway. Westcott and Hort made such an impression
upon the academic community that most new English versions of the Bible since
that time have used the Egyptian Text as the basis for the New Testament rather
than the Received Text. There is no such thing as an “original” New Testament,
but I agree with the early church fathers in their use of the Received Text.
This was the text that most early Christians used, as is evident by its
prevalence.
The translation
process
A second item that makes for a good
version, versus one that is not as good, is the method of translation.
Some versions try to stick very closely to the original while others take
great liberties in changing the structure and order of the thought content when
translating to another language. The King James was a fairly literal
translation. Some of the newer versions, such as the New International
Version (NIV), have beautiful flowing English, but one of the reasons for
that is that they have made English more important than a strict rendition of
the text.
There are roughly three
categories of translations: First,
the fairly literal translations, such as the King James Version (KJV), the
New King James Version (NKJV), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), and the
Revised Standard Version (RSV). Second, the translations that took quite
a few liberties with the wording of the original, such as the New International
Version (NIV), Today's English Version (TEV), and the New English Bible (NEB).
And third, those Bibles that are acknowledged paraphrases such as the
Living Bible (TLB). The New International Version takes many liberties in
translating the original into English, both in sentence structure and the
translation of words. Of the above versions, only the King James Version and
New King James Version are based upon the Received Text. Over the years I
have read several modern versions, usually comparing them with the original
Greek and Hebrew, and have always gone back to the King James Version as being
my favorite because of the accuracy.
The truth can always be
found
Even with the most literal and best
versions, there are still a few mistakes. There is no certainty that there are
not mistakes even in the Greek manuscripts used to translate from. One author
says that “God… especially guarded the Bible; yet when copies of it were few,
learned men had in some instances changed the words, thinking that they were
making it more plain, when in reality they were mystifying that which was plain,
by causing it to lean to their established views, which were governed by
tradition” Early Writings, 220, 221.
Although some may point out flaws, in
the best version and manuscripts these flaws are really very few—God has kept
His hand over His word and has not allowed any discrepancies to come in that
would cause the honest in heart to be lost. God has promised that if we will
compare scripture with scripture, humbly asking for divine guidance, He will
guide us into truth. We may have to search for it as for a hidden treasure, but
the search is worth the effort. His promise is, “You will seek Me and find
Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13. Please
take a look at the following examples of major differences between
the King James Version (KJV), which is the most accurate, and the two most
common translations today, the New International Version (NIV) and the Revised
Standard Version (RSV), which are based on the corrupted Alexandrian
manuscripts.
Luke
4:4
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread
alone, but
by every word of God.
(KJV)
Luke
4:4 Jesus answered, “It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone. . .
.[but by every word of God, omitted].’” (NIV)
Luke
4:4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.
. . .[but by every word of God, omitted].’” (RSV).
******************************
The
Truth In the King James Version
2
Timothy 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine,
for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
(KJV)
The
Altered Truth In Modern Translations
2
Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training in righteousness. (NIV)
2
Timothy 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
(RSV)
Notice
that the Scriptures are “profitable
for Doctrine” is
altered to read “useful for teachings.”
With this altered reading it becomes possible for the “Church” to define
doctrine when that is to be done by God alone.
The
Truth In the King James Version
Matthew
18:11 For
the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
(KJV)
The
Altered Truth In Modern Translations
Matthew
18:11 Omitted entirely. (NIV).
Matthew
18:11 Omitted entirely. (RSV)
No
comment necessary!
*******************************************
The
Truth In the King James Version
John
6:47 Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on
me hath
everlasting life. (KJV)
The
Altered Truth In Modern Translations
John
6:47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.
(NIV)
John
6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.
(RSV)
The
most important truth, belief in Christ, is omitted from the modern translations.
The NIV and RSV simply state, “he who believes has everlasting life.” But the
question is, what
or who are we to believe in?
“He that believeth on
me hath
everlasting life,” Jesus replies in the King James Version. (John
6:47)
************
The
Truth In the King James Version
Matthew
9:13 But
go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I
am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.
(KJV)
The
Altered Truth In Modern Translations
Matthew
9:13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I
have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” [to repentance-omitted].
(NIV)
Matthew
9:13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” [to repentance-omitted].
(RSV)
Notice
that this important truth of repentance is not just altered, but omitted
entirely from the new translations!
************
Conversion
The
Truth In the King James Version
Matthew
18:3 And
said, Verily I say unto you, Except
ye be converted,
and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
(KJV).
The
Altered Truth In Modern Translations
Matthew
18:3 And he said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like
little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
(NIV)
Matthew
18:3 And said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (RSV)
The
words of Jesus, “Except ye be converted,” have been altered to read, “unless you
change,” and “unless you turn.” Change or turn from what? The important truth of
conversion has been altered in the new translations.
The
Truth In the King James Version
Revelation
22:14 Blessed
are they that do
his commandments,
that
they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into
the city. (KJV)
Revelation
22:14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to
the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
(NIV)
Revelation
22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to
the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.
(RSV)
The
truth of obedience to God’s ten commandments is omitted from the modern
translations! The
NIV and RSV simply state, “wash their robes.” Anyone who washes his or her robes
will be saved. Notice the rendering of the text is exactly the same in the NIV
and RSV, again proving that they were translated from the same spurious Greek
sources.
The
Truth In the King James Version
Revelation
14:12 Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God,
and the
faith of Jesus.
(KJV)
The
Altered Truth In the New International Version
Revelation
14:12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s
commandments and remain faithful to Jesus. (NIV)
The
“flag” of pioneer Christians was “The commandments of God, and the faith
of Jesus.” This banner of truth has been omitted from the New
International Version.
The
remnant people of God in these last days “keep the commandments of God, and the
faith of Jesus.” (Revelation
14:12). The modern translations state that these remnant people have “faith in
Jesus,” rather than “the faith of Jesus.” The new theology in the Christian
Church teaches “we must only believe in Him.” Only believe, and you will be
saved. The truth is we must have saving faith–the faith of Jesus – faith like
Jesus had. The truth is that if we have the faith of Jesus we will walk as Jesus
walked. “He that saith he abideth in
him ought himself also so to walk,” Jesus said, “even
as he walked.”
(I John 2:6, emphasis supplied).
In contrast to this truth,
the new theology teaches that if we have faith in Jesus, He will do the walking
for you. Everything is done for you. What is the new theology? In brief it is:
“Dear Lord, forgive me for my past sins and forgive me for the sins I am
planning to commit in the future.”