Why I Continue To Use The KJB

                                     

 


The King James Bible is still the supreme Bible translation in the English speaking world.

From 1611 A.D. to 2002 A.D. the King James Bible has been read, taught, and preached from in the entire English speaking world. It is the Bible of the great revivals and the Christian missionary movement

Many Bible believing Christians are firmly convinced the Holy Spirit of God providentially superintended in bringing together this magnificent English translation which has become known as the Authorized Version. There are now seventy or more English translations of the Bible in part or in whole, but the King James Bible continues to be superior to all these versions for four reasons; its: (1) Superior Hebrew and Greek Texts (2) Superior Translators (3) Superior Translation Technique and (4) Superior Theology.

(1) The Texts underlying the King James Bible are the Masoretic Hebrew Text for the Old Testament and the Received Text for the New Testament. As to the Masoretic Old Testament Text the late Dr. Robert Dick Wilson, Princeton Seminary, said “I can affirm that there’s not a page of the Old Testament in which need have any doubt. We can be absolutely certain that substantially we have the text of the Old Testament that Christ and the Apostles had and which was in existence from the beginning.” (Which Bible, 1st edition pp.80-81). For the New Testament the vast bulk of Greek manuscripts (over 5,000) in existence today are of the Received Text which underlies the King James Bible.

(2) The King James Bible Translators were brilliant scholars (Puritan and Church of England men). They were
the greatest scholars of their day, so scholarly and learned that the scholarship of today dwarfs in comparison. Two examples of the quality of these men are John Bois and Lancelot Andrews. John Bois was able to read the Bible in Hebrew at the age of five years! He was a proficient Greek scholar at the age of fourteen, and for years he spent from 4 o’clock in the morning till 8 o’clock at night in the Cambridge library studying manuscripts and languages. His library contained one of the most complete collections of Greek literature ever assembled.
Lancelot Andrews was the Chairman of the overall committee and was the greatest linguist of his day, being conversant with fifteen languages! His manual for private devotions, prepared by him, is wholly in the Greek language.

(3) The Superior Translation Technique used was the verbal and formal equivalence translation technique. The translation work was performed by 57 men divided into six companies, following fifteen rules to govern their work. Every translator was assigned certain books and was to translate those books from the Hebrew or Greek into English. When each man’s committee met he had to come with the translation in his own handwriting of those books assigned him from the Hebrew or Greek. Fourteen times was the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, translated, analyzed, and corrected before completion.

(4) Lastly the King James Bible is Superior in its Theology. By using Superior Texts the King James Bible has retained many passages omitted in the new versions and therefore retaining vital Bible doctrines. The King James Bible retains 1 John 5: 7, 8. The text is found in eight extant Greek manuscripts, and five of them are dated before the 16th century (Greek miniscules 88, 221, 429, 629, 636. There is also abundant support from the Latin translations of which there are at least 8000 extant Latin manuscripts, and many of them contain 1 John 5:7f. These verses should be regarded as authentic for they are the clearest proof-text in Scripture for the doctrine of the Trinity. Then consider Mark 16:9-20. These verses are retained in the King James Bible but either bracketed or omitted in the other English versions throwing doubt on doctrines such as Christ’s bodily resurrection. Dean John Burgon (1813-1888) aptly defends these verses in his book The Last Twelve Verse of Mark. Burgon’s defense is from the Early Church Fathers, early Versions, Manuscript evidence, internal evidence, and Lectionaries.

By God’s good providence King James I authorized the English Bible translation which gave the world a masterpiece of English literature and at the same time God’s Word to man! Arguments will not change unbelief or the minds of skeptics but saving “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17. 1 Peter 1:25 “the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” Mark 4:9 “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

 

By David C. Bennett, D. Min.