Hmm… how many revivals took place from 405-1500 AD using the Roman Catholic Latin Vulgate?
The same number as there are with the new Bibles: ZERO!!
The next time you open your Bible, consider what you hold. Do you know that you hold God’s words perfectly preserved and passed down? Words that were translated through the tireless diligence of the best scholars using the most well-preserved manuscripts?
Modern-day publishers and scholars have run a smear campaign against the KJV Bible by claiming their translations to be superior. They state that the KJV is impossible to understand and modern translations are needed.
150 Bibles?
Has this led to one singular modern version of scripture that is error-free, theologically sound, and accurate? No! Quite the opposite. The Bible Gateway, a popular Bible website and app, offers over 150 different versions of the Bible! And that number is still growing.
Under the guise of making the Bible “more readable” for everyone, the Word of God is mistranslated, its authority undermined, theology questioned, and accuracy diminished. Why? All so publishers can keep pumping out different versions and making money on sales.
If you have a King James Bible in your hands, we have some great news! You are holding God’s accurately preserved words in English. Your KJV Bible has a remarkable history, making it the only Bible with the highest degree of accuracy, scholarship, and preservation among any Bible ever created.
Which Manuscripts?
When the King James translators gathered to undertake the monumental task of translating scripture into common English, the first question they had to answer was which manuscripts to use. There were two manuscript types available. One is known as the Textus Receptus. This set of manuscripts was commonly used by the majority of Bible believing saints, scholars, schools, and churches. They widely agreed with each other and portrayed accurate theology.
These manuscripts were also prized for their textual integrity. Since there was no printing press, duplicates were painstakingly copied, ensuring any errors could be clearly seen by comparing manuscripts. The result was a stable, accurate, and widely used text.
Alexandrian Counterfeits
The other option was the Alexandrian texts. These texts came out of Egypt and were alleged to be older than the Textus Receptus. But age would be the only thing going for them. They had been revised, corrected, and revised again. They contained contradictions, errors, and disagreed with the majority texts in use at the time.
The decision was clear. The translators commissioned by King James I of England chose the Textus Receptus for the basis of their translations. Their decision would have an eternal impact. They would produce a translation that unequivocally upholds the deity of Jesus, His forgiveness of sin, and His sinless nature. The translation would provide accurate descriptions of death and hell, our position before God, and place authority squarely with the Word of God alone.
Proven Power
Because of their decision, they produced a version of Scripture so accurate and powerful that it has fueled countless pulpits, revivals, classrooms, Bible studies, and personal studies. In fact, it was so powerful that the devil decided he needed to put a stop to it with modern translations.
Those modern translations are based on the Alexandrian texts. Scholars claim these texts are older and, therefore, “better.” However, the translations that use these texts have led to doubt, confusion and little else. Due to variations in wording, phrases, and vocabulary changes, translators introduce different meanings and even concepts into scripture that were never present before. Footnotes that call words and concepts into question cause readers to doubt what the Bible says rather than believe it.
Modern translations continue to get promoted with flashy covers, modern designs, and features like coloring pages and influencer commentary. But the glitz and glam falls away instantly when you realize those versions are riddled with errors and confusion.
Proven Integrity
Rather than pick up the newest version available, we can read the tried-and-true Bible God has used to preserve His words in English. We can confidently learn from it, memorize it, and study it, knowing we have the most accurate Bible ever recorded. There is no doubt about the KJV Bible – it is God’s words, preserved through the use of superior manuscripts, translated by a committee of learned scholars dedicated to upholding the integrity of scripture, and superintended by God.
The next time you pick up a KJV Bible, you can hold it with confidence, knowing you have the true, preserved, authentic Word of God. Now that’s something to live by.