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(Stay tuned for the end to get my updated opinions)
3 John 1:4 (KJV)
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
One of the biggest controversies splitting modern Christians is the debate over which English translation of the Bible is the most accurate. I’m going to just say right now that it’s the King James Version. No sense making that be the twist ending of this post, because it wouldn’t be much of a twist. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have noticed that I’ve been using that version since the beginning of this series. My goal here is to prove that it’s the correct version and why other, more modern versions are actually evil.
What? The Bible is evil? When it changes the Word of God to fit an agenda, then yes, it’s evil. Let’s start with the New International Version, which is the most popular modern version. What do the translators of the NIV have to say?
“Even the best literal translation can’t follow the original form all the time. And even the best meaning-based translation can’t capture every detail of meaning found in the original.”
That was the translators themselves (not some anti-NIV website) stating that it’s not possible to translate the Bible so that the original meaning is there. So by their own admission, their version isn’t complete or authoritative.
Michael Marlowe of Bible Researcher has this to say:
“In June of 2011 the Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) published a critique of the 2011 NIV, which describes and criticizes the gender-neutralizing alterations of the revision. The critique is carefully written, and I recommend it highly. It should be studied by those who are considering using this version. The critique rightly emphasizes the fact that the revision is designed “to water down or omit details of meaning that modern culture finds offensive.” This is the crux of the matter: the theoretical position taken by the NIV revisers, that the language of the version must be made inoffensive to the sensitivities of feminism. That is what makes the revision unacceptable to conservatives.”
Romans 9:33 (KJV)
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
The Bible will offend people. By changing things to make it inoffensive, you’re changing the word of God, which is forbidden.
Interpreting the Bible is very important to understanding it. This page is a clear example of people who read the Bible and misinterpreted it. I’m going to run through real fast and refute their claims.
The site says: “1- Notice in Luke 24:1, the women came to the tomb with medicine and found Jesus gone. If he was already dead, they would have no reason to bring this to dead Jesus. But Jesus was alive and was receiving medical treatment.”
Luke 24:1 (KJV)
24 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Spices are not medicines. Jesus was a Jew, remember? Here’s a Jewish website explaining Jewish burial customs. they use spices instead of flowers.
The site says: “2- Also, notice in John 20:15, Mary Magdalene thought Jesus was a gardener, after he healed and rose back up.”
Here, context is key, so I included the verse before and the verse after:
John 20:14-16 (KJV)
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
She wasn’t looking at Him and didn’t even realize it was Jesus.
The site says: “3- And in John 20:17, Jesus was still in pain, he told Mary Magdalene “touch me not!”.”
John 20:17 (KJV)
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Basically, “Don’t waste any time, but go tell people that I have risen.”
The site says: "4- And in John 20:19-29, Jesus showed his original body to the disciples, and they checked it. Jesus Christ: Never actually died. He has always been alive in the tomb receiving medical treatment. He was never buried underground, or in a coffin. He was laid on the floor, alive.”
These spiritually blind people were falsely preaching that Jesus was alive in the tomb, merely getting medical treatment, and they used modern traditions to back up their claims. It was customary of the time to bury people in a tomb. Back in those days it was more like a cave than what we consider a tomb these days. They were saying that because there was no coffin, and because Jesus physically appeared to His Disciples, he never died. they were denying the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. that’s what satan wants the world to do.
To really understand the Word of God, and to avoid corrupt teaching like the one I just presented, you need a correct translation of the Bible. But how can I be sure that the King James Bible is the one true English version? As always, I will back up my claims.
But lucky for me, Jesus-Is-Savior.com already thoroughly did this for me. That link is a list of other links proving that the King James Version is the authoritative version of the Bible. And here is a list of verses deleted from the NIV.
I know most people reading this will probably be thinking, “But the King James version is written in Shakespearean and is impossible to understand. NIV and modern translations are written in plain English”. I know you’re thinking that because I thought the same way my entire life until recently. I used the NIV my whole life, always being told I should use the KJV. I’m dyslexic, so I always used that as my excuse for not reading the hard-to-read version. But eventually, last week, I did the research for myself and was shocked to find out how many changes modern versions made. Modern translations of the Bible literally attack God’s Word by changing things around, removing words or verses, and by trying hard not to offend anyone. King James Version offends people, because it makes them realize they’re living in sin. it doesn’t shy away from the heavy stuff.
And as for being hard to read, once I saw the truth, I started trying to read the KJV more, and now, a week later, it’s not a problem for me. I’m dyslexic and I can understand it. If I come across something i don’t understand, I merely research it until I understand it. There is no excuse for not understanding God’s Word.
Update on 26 January 2020
There’s still more I could add to this. Like answering how we know that the Bible can even be trusted for accuracy. This article explains how we can know. Also this article shows how the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls between 1948 and 1952 (which were hidden in the first century AD) prove that the Bible has been perfectly preserved through the years. The King James Version of the Bible is a direct translation of the original Greek and Hebrew. If you’re still not convinced, you can always use eSword to check every single word in the Bible.
Update on 3 September 2023
Okay, So while I still agree with most of this post, I've relaxed on my "strictly KJV" stance. I still think it's the most accurate, but that doesn't mean the other versions are useless. In 2021, I moved to San Francisco, and my new church uses New Living Translation (NLT). At first, this made me uncomfortable, and I actually considered leaving that church because of it. But then I talked with someone about it, and they made me realise that there are good modern translations of the Bible, you just have to make sure to do your own research to find the version you are the most comfortable with. Now NLT is my primary translation, and all future Scripture I use, whether on this website, the Instagram account, or elsewhere, will be the NLT version.
I still say to stay far away from the NIV!!