The “King James Only” Movement

by Wayne Schatzle, Director, Freedom Biblical Information Center, PO Box 1806

West Chester OH 45071 ( www.atruechurch.info/kjv.html)

Over the years I have heard of more than a few curious beliefs extant in religious circles today. One that pops up every so often is: “The King James Version (KJV) is the only acceptable Bible translation Christians should use.” The argument is that “modern” translations, since 1901, are New Age propaganda tools of the antichrist to prepare the world to accept the end time’s one-world apostate church. Supposedly, there is a hidden alliance between all publishers of modern Bible translations and the New Age movement, and also with ties to occult and homosexual organizations!

Most adherents of this belief are not aware that this movement was formed by a handful of conspiracy theorists who collect sensational exposé books and videos. Like all conspiracies, the usual suspects are blamed. This debate has caused some heated, unchristian words from both sides of the issue, each calling on the evidence from their own professional researchers. The average person will usually wind up following the argument that is best presented rather than doing his or her own research. I would encourage people to study and learn about it themselves.

It is not a sin to use only the KJV, but for many people the archaic language of the 1600s is quite a distraction to study and makes it very difficult for most beginners. Due to the obvious grammatical differences, the “eth” suffix, thees and thous, and a host of common words that have changed their meaning over the centuries, study is difficult to say the least. I have conducted and attended many open Bible studies where several translations were in use and seldom found any significant differences.

I have over two dozen different translations in my personal library and refer to many of them often. I have yet to find anything but minor problems in translations; even the much criticized Douay-Rheims version based on the Latin Vulgate is a valuable tool for searching Christians—and again, few discrepancies. There is great value in using the KJV as a study Bible, mainly because there are so many Bible helps geared to it. Oddly enough, all my Bible helps are KJV-oriented and yet are easily used with my other translations! Also, the KJV has been studied for so many years that almost all errors are known by someone—in spite of the fact that the KJV-only adherents insist there are no errors.

Bible students should be aware that there are no original Bible manuscripts in existence today, only copies reproduced over several centuries. All contain errors and copyist marginal notes! Plus, any translation will reflect a bias of the translators, the KJV translators included. Another problem with the KJV-only proponents is their belief that King James of England was pure in character and purpose. These web pages show that was not always true:

www.isitso.org/guide/kjvonly.html

www.kjvonly.org/doug/unlearned_men.htm

Another example of faulty measuring (Matt 7:2) can be seen in some of the discrepancies KJV advocates point out as they compare the KJV with the NKJV. Now, at times, the KJV does a better job at giving a more literal translation (e.g. “pisseth against the wall” 1Sam 25:22, 34; 1Kngs 14:10; 16:11; 21:21; 2Kngs 9:8; “eat their own dung and drink their own piss” 2Kngs 18:27; Isa 36:12; “effeminate” 1Cor 6:9). But the NKJV also has its share of more literal translations. For example, in John 4:24 the KJV reads, “God is a Spirit.” The NKJV reads, “God is Spirit.” Since there is no indefinite article (“a”) in the Greek, and there is no reason to insert it, the NKJV is more literal (following the Greek in a more exacting way). Likewise, in 1 John 3:16 the KJV reads, “love of God.” The NKJV reads, “love.” The “of God” is not in the Greek. Moreover, in several passages (Luke 20:16; Rom 3:4,6,31; 6:2,15; 7:7,13: 9:14; 11:1,11; 1Cor 6:15; Gal 2:17; 3:21; 6:14) the KJV translates the Greek phrase mh genoito as “God forbid!” The Greek word for “God” is not even there. The first word (mh) means “no”. The second Greek word (genoito) means “may be” (in this context). The NKJV translates it, “Certainly not!”; the NASV, “May it never be!”

So it turns out that the KJV may have its share of better translations when compared with other versions, but it also has its share of problems!

God Still Accepts Us If We:

1. Don’t know everything

2. Are not in a group that knows everything

This writer has spent many years reading the Bible and comparing multiple

translations, and has found strengths and inaccuracies in all of them. There are

probably thousands of places where the KJV is still the best translation, but

there are hundreds of verses where it is the poorest of common translations.

Some Christians find this very disturbing and ask, “If I cannot know exactly

what is the word of God, how can I obey any of it?”

The answer is that we simply obey what we do understand, and then pray

for additional understanding through His Spirit:

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He

will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you

what is yet to come” (John 16:13, NIV).

We need not be concerned about being judged for what we do not know

(John 9:41), but we need to be very concerned about doing what we do know

(Jms 1:22-25). Furthermore, we can be confident that He will take care of us:

“Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in

you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phlp 1:6).

The meaning of these verses, like most, is clear in all translations. —NSE