We believe that in this day of many Bible interpretations, the KJV 1611 is the best English Bible to use for teaching and study. We believe that the King James Authorised Version is God's preserved word for the English-speaking people. It is often avoided because it's thought that the language is old fashioned and difficult to understand, but in fact it has a text that is rich and fulfilling.
Other Bible translations that are good to go with your KJV are the (NKJV) New King James Bible, (ESV) English Standard Version and the (NASB) New American Standard Bible. Also worth buying them in Wide margin form for better Bible study.
When you begin to study the Word the Holy Spirit will assist you in your understanding, and when the Lord wants to teach you something He will reveal it through His Word and by the power of His Spirit.
Important changes and omissions in other versions
It is often said that modern versions are simply using updated modern language that is more easily understood by people today. BUT these translations have done far more than change the language, they have changed the meaning of many key verses in Scripture and therefore changed some of the key principles of God's Word.
The table below sets out some of these changes and below that is an expose on some of the concerns raised by these changes. The versions compared here are the King James Version, the New International Version (NIV), the New American Standard (NAS) and the New World Translation (NWT). The New World translation is that used by the Jehovah Witnesses. True Christians would agree that the JW's are a cult yet look at the similarities between their bible and the translations in another two well used versions.
|
|
AV King James |
NIV |
NAS |
NWT |
|
Matt 1:25 |
firstborn son |
a son |
a son |
a son |
|
Matt 8:29 |
Jesus, thou Son of God |
Son of God |
Son of God |
Son of God |
|
Matt 9:13 |
For I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. |
For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners. |
For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. |
For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners. |
|
Matt 18:11 |
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost. |
OMITTED |
Footnotes cast doubt |
OMITTED |
|
Matt 19:17 |
Why callest thou me good? |
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" |
"Why are you asking me about what is good?" |
"Why do you ask me about what is good?" |
|
Matt:25:13 |
Ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. |
You do not know the day or the hour. |
You do not know the day nor the hour. |
You know neither the day nor the hour, |
|
Mk 10:24 |
how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! |
how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! |
how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! |
how difficult a thing it is to enter into the kingdom of God! |
|
Luke 2:33 |
And Joseph and his mother, |
The child's father and mother. |
His father and mother. |
its father and mother. |
|
Luke 4:4 |
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. |
Man does not live on bread alone. |
Man shall not live on bread alone. |
Man must not live by bread alone. |
|
Luke 4:8 |
Get thee behind me, Satan |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
|
John 6:47 |
He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. |
He who believes has everlasting life. |
He who believes has eternal life. |
He that believes has everlasting life. |
|
John 8:9 |
And when they heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out. |
those who heard began to go away |
when they heard it, they began to go out one by one. |
OMITTED |
|
John 9:4 |
I must work the works of him that sent me. |
We must do the work of him who sent me. |
We must work the works of Him who sent Me. |
We must work the works of him that sent me. |
|
John 10:30 |
I and my Father are one |
I and the Father are one. |
I and the Father are one. |
I and the Father are one. |
|
Acts 2:30 |
that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; |
he would place one of his descendants on his throne. |
to seat one of his descendants upon his throne. |
he would seat one from the fruitage of his loins upon his throne. |
|
Acts 8:37 |
If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. |
OMITTED |
footnote casts doubt (some editions just omit it) |
OMITTED |
|
Acts 23:9 |
Let us not fight against God. |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
|
Romans 13:9 |
Thou shalt not bear false witness. |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
OMITTED |
|
Cor 1:14 |
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. |
In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. |
In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. |
By means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. |
|
1 Tim 3:16 |
God was manifest in the flesh. |
He appeared in a body. |
He who was revealed in the flesh. |
He was made manifest in the flesh. |
|
1 Pet 1:22 |
Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit. |
you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth. |
Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls. |
Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth |
|
1 John 4:3 |
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God. |
But every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. |
And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. |
But every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. |
|
Rev 5:14 |
Four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. |
the elders fell down and worshipped. |
the elders fell down and worshipped. |
the elders fell down and worshipped. |
|
Rev 20:9 |
Fire came down from God out of heaven. |
Fire came down from heaven. |
Fire came down from heaven. |
Fire came down out of heaven. |
|
Rev 21:24 |
And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it. |
The nations will walk by its light |
And the nations shall walk by its light. |
And the nations will walk by means of its light. |
