How the Bible Came to Us - fredsites.weebly.comfredsites.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/3/2/...of_gods_word_and_his_people… · Web viewBy about the year 1000, ... Revelation 19:13 "And

Introduction

“Forever, O LORD, thy Word is settled in heaven.”Psalms 119:89

This is one of the forceful declaration of God’s Word as eternal, abiding, settled in heaven. The Holy Bible is understood as inerrant and infallible book. It is usually and verbally quoted as without admixture of error.

The Biblical and Historical Overview of God’s Word is to point the believers on how the Bible came to us and explain the King James Version (KJV), otherwise known as the Authorized Version (AV) of 1611 as the PRESERVED, PURIFIED, AND PERFECTED WORD OF GOD IN ENGLISH. In Psalms 12:6 clearly states that “The words of the LORD are pure words; as silver tried in the furnace of earth, PURIFIED SEVEN TIMES.” Herein is the Word of God, being purified seven times. Biblically speaking, seven is the number of completeness and is the number of God. In the Chart of the Preservation on page 21 we see the KJV fits this quality ever imagine. Here are the seven purifications (or translations) in English :

Tyndale’s New Testament in 1526. Coverdale’s Bible in 1535 Matthews’ Bible in 1537 The Great Bible in 1539 The Geneva Bible in 1560 The Bishops Bibles in 1568 The King James Bible in 1611

Beginning from TYNDALE to BISHOPS BIBLE and in 1611 the KJV was published so that we have the Word of God in English in its purest form. The majestic structure of its language lends a grandeur to the text to which many modern translations cannot compare. It is quite literal and very specific in its use of English phrasing and so is highly accurate. In general its sentence structure is easier to read than that of any new or modern English version (see Chart on Readability of the KJV on p.60). Dr. William Lyon Phelps, Professor of English Literature in Yale University said,

Now as the English-speaking people have the best Bible in the world, and as it is the most beautiful monument erected with the English alphabet, we ought to make the most of it, for it is an incomparably rich inheritance, free to all who can read. This means that we ought invariably in the church and on public occasions to use the Authorized Version; all others are inferior.

The arguments that since there was a perfect Bible in English then there must also be a perfect Bible in German, Chinese, French, Japanese, Burmese, Tagalog and all other languages of the world. But this seems impossible, because God chooses languages he likes and whenever God choose the language He would used, I believe that He chooses with the following criteria:

1. The language that His people knew.2. The language universally or commonly used by the people.

Let me further explained. In this case, God did chose the HEBREW language instead of the Egyptian, Syrian or other languages for the Old Testament Text, simply because IT WAS THE LANGUAGE THAT HIS PEOPLE KNEW. Did Moses speak the Egyptian language? Moses grew at Egypt and certainly he knew the language of Egypt, however, when writing the Pentateuch Moses used the Hebrew language as the Holy Ghost led him (see also Psalms 114:1; 81:5; Deut. 28:49 cp. v27). In the New Testament, God chose the GREEK language over many other languages. In Acts chapter 2, when the Day of Pentecost came and the Holy Ghost empowered the apostles and disciples so that the multitude came together and spoke with their own language, whether Galileans, Parthians, Medians, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Judeans, Cappodicians, Asians, Phyrgians, Phampillians, Egyptians, Cretians and Arabians. However, when Apostle Peter preached the Word of God he used the COMMONLY ACCEPTED LANGUAGE by the people. Of course, he used the GREEK language so that 3,000 souls were then saved and were baptized.

Today the universally accepted language is ENGLISH and I know God is using this language in order to preserved His Word. The other reason that there could no longer be other translation suited for today other than the King James Version in English is that the degeneration of mankind or morals. This implies that we are now LIVING IN THE LAST DAYS as Apostle Paul stated in 2 Timothy 3:1-4. In it states that men will become lovers of themselves and COVETOUS. The major factor for the promotion

2

and the production of many versions today is MONEY. This is a wise observation that when the publishers discover that the versions no longer brings financial profit to their treasuries, that versions runs out of print in a hurry. This is the reason why numerous versions occur for confusion. The Holy Bible states that these are “DESPISERS OF GOOD THINGS…EVER LEARNING AND NEVER BE ABLE TO COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.”

The soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ further compels me to believe that the KJV is already enough for us to teach the Gospel truth. I don’t think we will still be needing more translations or versions of the Holy Bible when in fact a Soulwinner or a Christian can simply explained salvation out of this English text and by the process of ILLUMINATION, one can use the vernacular language he likes, either Ilocano, Tagalog. Cebuano, Pangasinese etc.

I would say this that we already have the standard Holy Bible in ENGLISH or the KJV, so that the newer versions or translation of the Holy Bible simply means PERVERSION.

I hope that as you scan and read on the pages you will learn more and be blessed. MAY GOD BE EXALTED.

Dedicated in His service,

Frederick L. Langit

3

How The Bible Came To UsBelow is the diagram that best illustrates how the Word of God came to us:

Revelation

Inspiration

Communication

Preservation

Translation

Publication

4

GOD

God desires to make Himself known to man, and hath revealed Himself at various times and in different ways (Hebrews 1:1-2). His revelation to man falls into two categories that is General Revelation like creation (Psalms 19: 1-6; Isaiah 40:12, 26; Acts 14:17) or by conscience (Romans 2:15) and Special Revelation like Dreams (Genesis 37:5-10), Visions (Daniel 8:1), Audible voices (1 Samuel 3: 1-10) or by Angels (Luke 1:26-37). However, the crown of God’s special revelation of Himself to man was in the personhood of our Lord Jesus Christ (John1: 14; 14:9) and its completion is the Holy BIBLE.

GOD

GENERAL SPECIAL REVELATION REVELATION

MAN

Revelation is very important to us since we might not be able to know about the character of God or even know that there exists a God. Revelation makes the truth known and it has God for its source and truth as its end (Deut. 29:29).

What God Hath Revealed, He Inspired

Inspiration simply means that the documentation of His words were without error. The BIBLE states that it “is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim 3:16). The Gk “theopneustos” is a word-for-word translation for God-breathed or God-Inspired. However the translator of

our beloved King James Version gives us the accurate meaning of the Gk “theopnuestos”. What God had done is not to breathe the scrolls but simply inspired every word that wherein His own people wrote. This truth is seen in 2 Peter 1:21 stating that it was not the will of man, which is capable of making mistakes, that brought about the recording of the Bible. It was the Holy Spirit, who cannot err. Further its Latin counterpart “Inspiro” which according to Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary means the infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit; the conveying into the minds of men, ideas, notices or monition by extraordinary or supernatural influence.

Whenever we think of inspiration we always note of the following:

Verbal or Plenary Inspiration – that God inspired every word without an error.

Inerrancy or Infallibility – this speaks that the Bible tells the truth. This truth can and does include approximations, free

5

MAN

quotations, language of appearances and different accounts of the same event as long as they do not contradict.

Examples:

Approximations – If you were to report to someone that a mutual friend had a Php1, 000,000.00 income last year would be the truth, even if his reported income to the BIR were actually Php1, 001,900.00. The Bible uses some of these approximations.

Free quotations – Does the Bible say not to lie? Yes, it does. Is that a true statement? Of course. Though the exact wording reads, “Lie not one to another,” the free quotation is just as true.

Language of appearance – If you were to say, “The sunrise over the Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful sites in the world,” you would be telling the truth. It is beautiful site. However, everyone knows the sun does not rise. You are using the language of appearance.

Different account of the same event – In 1 Cor. 10:8, 23,000 died in one day while in Numbers 25:9, 24,000 died, however with no restriction concerning “in one day”. In this case both tell the truth with approximations; one is telling how many died in one day. The other tells with no restriction many additional deaths occurred.

BIBLE – Basic Instructions Before Leaving the Earth

6

God Hath Communicated Through Us

The Bible is God’s message to man and He communicated to us in the Old Testament by way of His servants – Prophets, Priests and Kings

7

Prophets – were anointed servants of God (Daniel 9:10). These men were raised for the purpose of proclaiming the impending judgment to the nation of Israel. They were primarily speaking in behalf of God to the heart and conscience of men. So that whenever they spoke, they speak not for themselves but what “Thus saith the LORD”. The two

main characteristics of their message were:

A. Forth-telling – the ability to recognize God’s voice and talk to people about His will and way to them.

B. Foretelling – the ability to predict what will happen in the future as God gave them utterance.

8

Priests – were God’s anointed servant usually for the temple service (Leviticus 8:10; Numbers 3:5-9) and take a general interest in the spiritual welfare of the people (Numbers 6:23-27; Deut. 17:8-9).

Kings – were also divinely appointed servants to serve and protect its people. Although Saul was a fallen king, nevertheless, he was still an anointed king of Israel. Likewise David was also an anointed King over all Israel at Hebron (2 Samuel 5:1-5).

In the New Testament, God hath communicated to His Son, Jesus Christ our Prophet, Priest and King (Luke 24:19; Hebrews 5:5-10; Matthew 2:2; Revelation 19:11-16). He also used Apostles as they preached and wrote Epistles and other New Testament books of the Bible. After which John the Beloved, wrote the Revelation, the completed Bible is

the standard of God as He communicates to us today.

Preservation of the Word of God

9

God promises us to preserve His words. Psalms 12:6-7 says “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Then we read in Psalm 100:5 that “…his truth

endureth to all generations,” and Jesus said in John 17:17 that God’s Word is truth. Dr. Thomas Holland states that Preservation of God’s Word simply demands that God has kept and preserves the words throughout the generations from the time of their inception until this present day and even beyond. The doctrine of Preservation is likewise of much important as compared to the doctrine of Inspiration. Wilbur Pickering noted that “If the scripture have not been preserved then the doctrine of Inspiration is purely academic matter with no relevance for us today. If we do not have the inspired words or do not know precisely which they be, the doctrine of Inspiration is inapplicable.” Likewise, Dr. Samuel C. Gipp stated, “It is always to be remembered that the Bible is a spiritual book which God exerted supernatural force to conceive; and it is reasonable to assume that He could exert that same supernatural force to preserve.” The Bible is like no other book. All other books are written and cast adrift on the sea of time in which this is not the case with the Bible. God is actually very active in its preservation. By the way, Preservation simply means that God keep His words which was not necessarily to preserved the original autographs or it does not demand that these words would be preserved in the original language only. The original New Testament autographs that were actually penned by the “holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” have long been acknowledged by the scholars to have been passed from the scene. This is due to the fact that scribes were known to

10

have destroyed WORN out MSS after they have copied them. It was to be understood that the words of the original is valued more that the original itself. Since then the evidence at hand are available which falls into these three groups:

The Copies

Copies – Since there are no originals, every record of Scripture will be a copy. Copies are divided into three groups:

A. Miniscules /Cursives– These are by far the most numerous of extant copies which we posses. Miniscules in Greek are like the lower case letters of the English alphabet. The oldest of this type are papyrus MSS written somewhat like newsprint. These were very fragile. Some were written in animal skins called Vellum. While some were written in book form called Codice. Codex the singular form of codice, which were written either in papyrus or vellum. In early copies words were written end to end with no space in between Words like God, Son, and Father were abbreviated in this manner: God – gd, Son – sn, Father – ftr.

B. Majuscules/Uncials – These are equivalent to upper case letters of the English alphabet. These were exists in smaller numbers. The English reading of Phil. 1:1-2 would read something like this:

PAULANDTIMOTHEUSTHESERVANTSOFJESUSCHRISTTOALLTHESAINTSINCHRISTJESUSWHICAREATPHILIPPIWITHTHEBISHOPSANDDEACONSGRACEBEUNTOYOUANDPEACEFROMGODOURFATHERANDFROMTHELORDJESUSCHRIST

C. Lectionaries – these are called the responsive reading found in the back of today’s hymnals. These were much closed to the originals.

11

The Versions

The early Greek MSS were translated into other languages so that the Word of God will be known and read into the hands of people in other lands. Early Versions include the following:

Syrian Text or Peshitta – The word Peshitta comes from the Syrian word peshitia, which means “common.” It carries with it the implication that it was the version commonly used by the people. Antioch, Syria was the birthplace of the word Christian (Acts 11:26). This Church is the home and sending church of Apostle Paul. It is undoubtedly the mother church of other numerous churches of Syria during that period of church history. Traditionally, it was the work of St. Mark while others claim the Apostle Thaddeus (Jude) who translated it. This is the translation of the New Testament based upon the Received Text and was made about 150 A.D.

The Old Latin, Italic or Itala Version – The Old Latin was used by the Christians in the churches of the Waldenses or the Vaudois. Both these names mean “people of the valleys”. The Old Latin not by Jerome’s Vulgate (A Roman Catholic translation from the corrupted MSS by Jerome in 380 A.D.) was translated from the Received Text by the year 157 A.D.

The Gothic Version – This translation of the New Testament in about 350 A.D. by the missionary to the Goths named Ulfilas or Wulfas. The Gothic language was used by the Germanic tribes in Central Europe in the fourth century. This also supports the “Majority MSS” or the Received Text.

The Ethiopic Version - While this is a mixed reading at time it is classified as being Byzantine origin, which is of Traditional line or Received Text.

12

Patristic Citations

These are quotations from the early church fathers. The early church fathers were men who led the Christians in the first centuries after the New Testament was completed.

Ignatius (d. 107 AD) – Ignatius or Theophorus was the bishop of Antioch, Syria. Traditionally it is claimed that he knew several of the apostles personally. He patterned his life after Paul and somewhat reflects the attitude and theological belief after the Apostle John. His scriptural citations clearly agree with the Traditional Text Line or the Received Text. As an example he cites 1 Timothy 3:16 that “God existing in flesh” (Ephesians 7:1) and “God Himself being manifested in Human form” (Ephesians 19:1). Ignatius used of God in Greek as theos, and for flesh that is sarki and the form of Greek word for manifest in the second was peanerosas which all agrees with Received Text or the KJV of 1611.

Polycarp (70 – 155 AD) – Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna and traditionally is considered a disciple of the Apostle John. He was burned at stake in 155 AD while singing hymns and fire to devour him. However, the fire burned around did not consume him and was later stab him to death. As an example to his scriptural quotation is found in Romans 14:10, “for we shall all stand in the judgment seat of Christ.” Polycarp

wrote “And we must all stand at the judgment-seat of Christ” (Philippians 6:2) opposing the statement that it was the

13

“judgment seat of God” and thus agreeing with the Traditional Text Line or the Received Text.

Chrysostom (345 – 407 AD) – John Chrysostom was a career lawyer before his conversion in 368 AD. His parents were Christians and came from Antioch. He was ordained as preacher in 386 AD. In 398 AD, he became the Bishop of Constantinople and used the Traditional Greek Text of the New Testament. He was called the “Great Biblical Expositor” in his time since he left about 640 sermons. His expository style of preaching reflected the used of Codex K (9 century), which is of the Traditional Text Line or the Received Text. To be noted he supported the reading found in the KJV of Matthew 6:1 as opposed to other English Versions. The Traditional Text line reads in Gk “eleemusunen” as alms while others used the Gk. “dikaiosunen” which is the phrase “acts of righteousness”. Chrysostom writes, “Thus, ‘take heed’ saith he, ‘as to your alms’” (Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew, XIX: 5).

The Three Cappadocian Fathers - These three uses the Old Latin and Greek that reflects the Traditional Text line.

A. Basil of Caesarea (329-379 AD)B. Gregory of Nazianzus (330-389 AD)C. Gregory of Nyssa (330 – 395 AD)

Of these three groups of evidences combined they now give us more than 5,200 witnesses in forming the Greek New Testament.

The Corruption of the Bible

14

The Bible warns us that there will be many false prophets and teachers that would arise. These will in turn pervert the Gospel and the writings of the Apostles (2 Thessalonians 2:2), eventually these would “corrupt the word of God” (2Corinthians 2:17). Their beginnings are being referred to the New Testament in the following verses:

Galatians 1:6-81 John 4:32 John 1:7Jude 1:3-4

Such false teaching plagued the early church and attempted to influence the transmission (copying of the original Gk. MSS) of the Bible, changing text to fit various teachings whenever possible.

John 1:18 is one of the major tampering of the text with Gnostic belief. Gnosticism is by far raging even during the time of Apostle John. In general Gnostics taught that the physical was evil and the spiritual was good. For Gnostics, Jesus Christ was an aeon, a “created god”. To them, Christ was a begotten god from the “Unbegotten Father”. The KJV reads “the only begotten Son” which is the literal translation of the Greek “monogenes huios” in contrast with the corrupted Greek text into “monogenes theos” (the only begotten god). The possibility of changing the original rendering of the Greek Text was literally based on the teaching of Gnosticism.

A form of Gnostic belief, which is Docetism, argued that Jesus only appeared to have a body. In reality, He was an apparition, a phantom. Another form of Gnosticism was named after their chief spokesman named Cerinthus of Ephesus. Cerinthus believed that the nature of Christ was two-fold that is spiritual and physical. The

15

physical nature was “Jesus” while “the Christ” is the spiritual. Cerinthus further believed that “the Christ” departed Jesus at His crucifixion and left him on the cross to suffer and die. With the discovery of the “Gospel of Peter” about 1886 and even the citation of Origin and Eusebius reflect such belief. The translation of Gospel of Peter states:

“And many went about with lamps, supposing that it was night: and some fell. And the Lord cried out aloud saying: My power, my power, thou hast forsaken me. And when he had so said, he was taken up. And the same hour was the veil of the temple of Jerusalem rent in two”.

These Gnostics believed the power of Jesus, “the Christ” left him while he was on the cross. This belief have crept in some of the Greek MSS such case in 1 John 1:7. Again, our beloved standard KJV reads “the blood of Jesus Christ” while others read “the blood of Jesus”. On the surface it seems the difference is only a minor, however, when checked carefully, this will reflect a major tampering. These Gnostics would agree with the reading “the blood of Jesus” because they believed Jesus shed his blood and died on the cross when “the Christ” left him. However, when the text used the phrase “Jesus Christ” will of course, refutes the Gnostic teaching of Cerinthus.

Actually, the first attack of the Word of God was when Satan firstly attacks the human race. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had

16

made. And he said unto the woman, YEA, HATH GOD SAID…?”

The question implanted in the mind of Eve by Satan is the twist of truth implying his very aim to pollute the minds of the people. This is the fundamental truth in the study of the corruption of the Bible. It started by Satan. What happened to the Bible after it was written? The first Christian of Antioch Syria have copied it and traded them to other churches. Besides Gnostic belief found its way, somehow, when the brilliant Scholars of Alexandria got hold of the Bible, they begun to changed and tampered the text to fit with their Greek Philosophy which then continued this kind of attack with the famous Westcott & Hort Theory of the 19th century.

The Corruption Under Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD) Clement was a second known leader of the catechetical school of Alexandria. He synthesized Greek philosophy and Mosaic tradition, and attempted to mediate Gnostics and orthodox Christians.

17

Clement was probably an Athenian by birth and of pagan parentage. Although well versed in all branches of Greek literature and in all the existing systems of philosophy, in these he found nothing of permanent satisfaction. In his adult years he embraced the Christian religion, and by extensive travels East and West sought the most distinguished teachers. Coming to Alexandria about 180 he became a pupil of Pantaenus, his teacher and first reported leader of the catechetical school. Captivated by his teacher, whom he was accustomed to call 'the blessed presbyter', Clement became, successively, a presbyter in the church at Alexandria, an assistant to Pantaenus, and, about 190, his successor as head of the catechetical school.

The school itself was built on a tradition that always emphasized allegory more than literalism. Its approach to scripture and its overall exegesis mirrored "otherworldly" concerns. Its teachers as a result tended to look for the hidden and spiritual meanings of what they confronted. Alexandrian theology, just like Platonism, was idealistic, not materialistic. Clement of Alexandria was no exception to his school's line of thought.

From here we say through history that Clement was no longer an authority to the New Testament patristic citation since he is mixing Gnosticism with Christianity, which was the problem arose even during the time of Apostle John. Though he cites the bible at least 2,400 of them however, this marks a 56% disagreement with the Traditional Text line. The data below will give us a broader view of how Clement cites Greek text considering actual disagreement with the Traditional Text line.

Agreement CompleteDisagreement

Mixed Reading

ActualDisagreemen

t

TOTAL

15% 56% 29% 85% 100%

360 1,344 696 2,040 2,400

18

On the other hand he also considered other writings, not in the present New Testament, of value:

Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel of the Hebrews Traditions of Matthias Preaching of Peter I Clement Epistle of Barnabas Did ache Shepherd of Hermas Apocalypse of Peter

The Corruption Under Origen (185-254 AD).

Origen was an uncommonly prolific author, but by no means an idle bookmaker. Jerome says, he wrote more than other men can read. Epiphanius, an opponent, states the number of his works as six thousand, which is perhaps not much beyond the mark, if we include all his short tracts, homilies, and letters, and count them as separate volumes. He succeeded Clement of Alexandria as headmaster at the Catechetical School. He implores allegorical interpretation of the Scripture. He was responsible for the corrupt Septuagint (LXX), which he included in his six (6) translation of the Old Testament (OT) called Hexapla. This of course, Pamphilus transcribed with his own hand useful books, among others the Septuagint from the Hexapla of Origen.

Eusebius of Caesarea (c 263 – 339?[1]) (often-called Eusebius Pamphili, "Eusebius [the friend] of Pamphilus") became the bishop of Caesarea in Palaestina c 314. He was responsible for the two (2) Vatican worn out Manuscripts (MSS) based on Origen’s work.

Codex Vaticanus – B

19

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Caesarea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbishop_of_Caesarea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamphilus_of_Caesarea

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusibius#_note-World_History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/339


http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Apocalypse_of_Peter

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Shepherd_of_Hermas

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Didache

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Epistle_of_Barnabas

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#I_Clement

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Preaching_of_Peter

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Traditions_of_Matthias

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Gospel_of_the_Hebrews

http://www.ntcanon.org/Clement.shtml#Gospel_of_the_Egyptians

Codex Sinaiticus – Aleph

Page from Codex Vaticanus

Concerning the Scripture, Eusebius questioned the authenticity of James, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and the book of Jude. Emperor Constantine had to order him produce fifty (50) copies of

Bible and have to be written on a prepared parchment in a legible manner. These include Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, which is the view Tischendorf and Hort.

Jerome (Sophronius: Eusebius Hieronymus) (340-420) was called upon by his friend Damasus: the Bishop of Rome (who was already exalting himself above his fellows

and calling himself the pope), to produce a standard Latin Bible. This was completed between A.D. 383 and 405. JEROME "WAS BROUGHT UP WITH A DISLIKE FOR THE VULGAR [COMMON] EDITION OF THE GREEK, AND WITH A PREDILECTION FOR THE CORRECTED TEXT OF EUSEBIUS; having imbibed an early partiality for this edition, through Gregory of Nazianzum" (Nolan, p. 151). Jerome rejected the Old Latin: texts, which differed from Eusebius and thus perpetuated certain textual corruptions in his version. His completed translation included nine spurious apocryphal books. Modern textual critic Bruce Metzger admits that the Greek manuscripts used by Jerome "APPARENTLY BELONGED TO

20

THE ALEXANDRIAN TYPE OF TEXT" (Metzger, The Text of the New Testament, p. 76). THIS MEANS THEY WERE IN THE SAME FAMILY AS THOSE UNDERLYING THE MODERN VERSIONS.

Lobegott Friedrich Constantin (von) Tischendorf (January 18, 1815 – December 7, 1874) was a noted German scholar. He deciphered the Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus, a 5th Century Greek manuscript of the New Testament, in the 1840s, and rediscovered the Codex Sinaiticus, New Testament manuscript, in 1859. Tischendorf’s original plan was to set aside the Textus Receptus altogether. This is the hidden plan to replace the pure Word of God with this infamous, depraved Sinaiticus. He said, “Learned men have again and again attempted to clear the sacred text from these extraneous elements. But we at last hit upon a better plan even than this, which is to set aside this Textus Receptus altogether, and to construct a fresh text, derive immediately from the most ancient and authorative sources”. However, the text (written in four columns to the page) contains an unusually high number of readings that have clearly arisen by transcriptional error, most of them by careless omissions, a rotten one.The Corruption Under Wescott and Hort

BFWescott (1825-1901) Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892)

21

http://www.bible-researcher.com/faulty.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Sinaiticus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_manuscript

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Century

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Ephraemi_Rescriptus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_7


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_18

The heart of the Wescott and Hort theory was that the New Testament was preserved in almost perfect condition in two Greek texts, the Vaticanus and the Sinaiticus. Sinaiticus was discovered in a wastebasket in St. Catherine’s Monastery (near Mt. Sinai) in 1844 by Constantin von Tischendorf. The Vaticanus was found in the Vatican library in 1475 and was rediscovered in 1845.

The King James New Testament was translated from a different family of Greek texts. To Westcott and Hort, the King James Bible was clearly an inferior translation. It must be replaced by a new translation from texts that they considered to be older and better. They believed that the true work of God in English had been held back by an inferior Bible. They determined to replace the King James Bible and the Greek Textus Receptus. In short, their theory suggests that for fifteen hundred years the preserved Word of God was lost until it was recovered in the nineteenth century in a trash can and in the Vatican Library. Hort clearly had a bias against the Textus Receptus, calling it "villainous" and "vile". Hort aggressively taught that the School at Antioch (associated with Lucian) had loosely translated the true text of Scripture in the second century A. D. This supposedly created an unreliable text of Scripture which became the Textus Receptus. This was called the Lucian Recension Theory.

However, Hort did not have a single historical reference to support the idea that such a recension took place. He simply theorized that it must have taken place.

Below are the data that shows how Wescott and Hort changed the Greek Text.

Table I

Textus Receptus Wescott & Hort Changes

22

Has 140,521 Gk. Words

Has 647 pages

217 Gk word/ page

100% of Gk. Words

Made 5,604 changes(Added,Omitted etc.)

9,970 Gk. Words

15.4 word/page

7% of Gk. Words

The data of Table I and II were derived from Dr. Donald D. Waite’s article “The Fourfold Superiority of the King James Bible” published by Way of Life Literature: David C. Cloud.

Wescott and Hort made 5,604 instances of changes on the New Testament Greek either by adding or omitting the text.

Table II.

Manuscripts (MSS) Total TR % W/H %

Papyrus 88 75 85% 13 15%

Uncials 267 258 97% 9 3%

23

Cursives 2,764 2,741 99% 23 1%

Lectionaries 2,143 2,143 100% 0 0%

TOTAL 5,262 5,217 99% 45 1%

From the above data, Westcott and Hort only used 1% of all the available Manuscripts (MSS) with corrupt Alexandrian Text Type. In short the preservation then was that of the 99% rather than Wescott and Hort 1%, hence, the King James Version (KJV), which is, called the Authorized Version (AV) as the perfected, pure and preserved Word of God in English nothing less and nothing more.

The chart on the next page for the providential preservation of New Testament Greek Text is quite interesting, since we can know for sure we trust the text that is pure and preserved rather than the rotten and perverse text.

24

25

Translation of the Word of God in EnglishThe fascinating story of how we got the Bible in English actually starts thousands of years ago which covers the transmission of the

scripture through the original languages of Hebrew and Greek and earlier versions together with the patristic citation from the early church fathers. The story of the English Bible has made a starting point in the advent of the “Morning Star of the Reformation”, John Wycliffe.

John Wycliffe

The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe, (also spelled “Wycliff” & “Wyclif”), was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes, Wycliffe produced dozens of English language manuscript copies of the scriptures. Sadly, they were translated out of the Latin Vulgate, which was a Roman Bible. Nevertheless, this paved way to the translation of many more English Versions attaining the cradle of the English language.

William Tyndale

William Tyndale was the Captain of the Army of Reformers, and was their spiritual leader. Tyndale

26

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/william-tyndale.html

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html

holds the distinction of being the first man to ever print the New Testament in the English language. Tyndale was a true scholar and a genius, so fluent in eight languages that it was said one would think any one of them to be his native tongue. He is frequently referred to as the “Architect of the English Language”, (even more so than William Shakespeare) as so many of the phrases Tyndale coined are still in our language today. He started the translation in English language using the Traditional Text Type. William Tyndale wanted to use the same 1516 Erasmus text as a source to translate and print the New Testament in English for the first time in history. Tyndale showed up on Luther's doorstep in Germany in 1525, and by year's end had translated the New Testament into English. Tyndale had been forced to flee England, because of the wide-spread rumor that his English New Testament project was underway, causing inquisitors and bounty hunters to be constantly on Tyndale's trail to arrest him and prevent his project. God foiled their plans, and in 1525-1526 the Tyndale New Testament became the first printed edition of the scripture in the English language. Subsequent printings of the Tyndale New Testament in the 1530's were often elaborately illustrated.

“They were burned as soon as the Bishop could confiscate them, but copies trickled through and actually ended up in the bedroom of King Henry VIII. The more the King and Bishop resisted its distribution, the more fascinated the public at large became. The church declared it contained thousands of errors as they torched hundreds of New Testaments confiscated by the clergy, while in fact, they burned them because they could find no errors at all. One risked death by burning if caught in mere possession of Tyndale's forbidden books.

Having God's Word available to the public in the language of the common man, English, would have meant disaster to the church. No longer would they control access to the scriptures. If people were able to read the Bible in their own tongue, the church's income and power would crumble. They could not possibly continue to get away with selling indulgences (the

27

forgiveness of sins) or selling the release of loved ones from a church-manufactured "Purgatory". People would begin to challenge the church's authority if the church were exposed as frauds and thieves. The contradictions between what God's Word said, and what the priests taught, would open the public's eyes and the truth would set them free from the grip of fear that the institutional church held. Salvation through faith, not works or donations, would be understood. The need for priests would vanish through the priesthood of all believers. The veneration of church-canonized Saints and Mary would be called into question. The availability of the scriptures in English was the biggest threat imaginable to the wicked church. Neither side would give up without a fight.”

Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale’s 1525-26 First Edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely valuable. Tyndale's flight was an inspiration to freedom-loving Englishmen who drew courage from the 11 years that he was hunted. Books and Bibles flowed into England in bales of cotton and sacks of flour. Ironically, Tyndale’s biggest customer was the King’s men, who would buy up every copy available to burn them… and Tyndale used their money to print even more! In the end, Tyndale was caught: betrayed by an Englishman that he had befriended. Tyndale was incarcerated for 500 days before he was strangled and burned at the stake in 1536. Tyndale’s last words were, "Oh Lord, open the King of England’s eyes".

Myles Coverdale

Myles Coverdale and John “Thomas Matthew” Rogers had remained loyal disciples the last six years of Tyndale's life, and they carried the English Bible project forward and even accelerated it.

Coverdale finished translating the Old Testament, and in 1535 he printed the first complete Bible in the English language, making use of Luther's German text and the Latin as sources. Thus, the

28

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/myles-coverdale.html

first complete English Bible was printed on October 4, 1535, and is known as the Coverdale Bible.

John Rogers

John Rogers went on to print the second complete English Bible in 1537. It was, however, the first English Bible translated from the original Biblical

languages of Hebrew & Greek. He printed it under the pseudonym "Thomas Matthew", (an assumed name that had actually been used by Tyndale at one time) as a considerable part of this Bible was the translation of Tyndale, whose writings had been condemned by the English authorities. It is a composite made up of Tyndale's Pentateuch and New Testament (1534-1535 edition) and Coverdale's Bible and some of Roger's own translation of the text. It remains known most commonly as the Matthew-Tyndale Bible. It went through a nearly identical second-edition printing in 1549.

Thomas Cranmer

In 1539, Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, hired Myles Coverdale at the bequest of King Henry VIII to publish the "Great Bible". It became the first English Bible authorized for public

use, as it was distributed to every church, chained to the pulpit, and a reader was even provided so that the illiterate could hear the Word of God in plain English. It would seem that William Tyndale's last wish had been granted...just three years after his martyrdom. Cranmer's Bible, published by Coverdale, was known as the Great Bible due to its great size: a large pulpit folio measuring over 14 inches tall. Seven editions of this version were printed between April of 1539 and December of 1541.

In 1560, the Geneva Bible was publish. Due to a passage in Genesis describing the clothing that God fashioned for Adam and

29

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-rogers.html

http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/thomas-cranmer.html

Eve upon expulsion from the Garden of Eden as "Breeches" (an antiquated form of "Britches"), some people referred to the Geneva Bible as the Breeches Bible. The Geneva Bible was the first Bible to add numbered verses to the chapters, so that referencing specific passages would be easier. Every chapter was also accompanied by extensive marginal notes and references so thorough and complete that the Geneva Bible is also considered the first English "Study Bible". William Shakespeare quotes hundreds of times in his plays from the Geneva translation of the Bible. The Geneva Bible became the Bible of choice for over 100 years of English speaking Christians. The marginal notes, which were vehemently against the institutional Church of the day, did not rest well with the rulers of the day. Another version, one with a less inflammatory tone was desired, and the copies of the Great Bible were getting to be decades old.

In 1568, a revision of the Great Bible known as the Bishop's Bible was introduced. Despite 19 editions being printed between 1568 and 1606, this Bible, referred to as the “rough draft of the King James Version”, never gained much of a foothold of popularity among the people. The Geneva may have simply been too much to compete with.

By the 1580's, the Roman Catholic Church saw that it had lost the battle to suppress the

will of God: that His Holy Word be available in the English language. In 1582, the Church of Rome surrendered their fight for "Latin only" and decided that if the Bible was to be available in English, they would at least have an official Roman Catholic English translation. And so, using the corrupt and inaccurate Latin Vulgate as the only source text, they went on to publish an English Bible with all the distortions and corruptions that Erasmus had revealed and warned of 75 years earlier. Because it was translated

30

at the Roman Catholic College in the city of Rheims, it was known as the Rheims New Testament (also spelled Rhemes). The Douay Old Testament was translated by the Church of Rome in 1609 at the College in the city of Douay (also spelled Doway & Douai). The combined product is commonly referred to as the "Doway/Rheims" Version. In 1589, Dr. William Fulke of Cambridge published the "Fulke's Refutation", in which he printed in parallel columns the Bishops Version along side the Rheims Version, attempting to show the error and distortion of the Roman Church's corrupt compromise of an English version of the Bible.

The Birth of the King James Bible

History of the King James Version of the Bible

The Holy Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments, King James Version also known as KJV. In 1604 James VI, King of Scotland from his youth, became King James I of England, the first ruler of Britain and Ireland.

Because of the growing animosity of James toward the Puritans, a leading Puritan spokesman, Dr. John Reynolds, proposed that a new English Bible be issued in honor of the new King. King James saw an opportunity to bring about a unity with the church service in Presbyterian Scotland and Episcopal England. King James appointed 54 learned scholars in the making of this new translation from the original Greek and Hebrew into English. For the Old Testament they used the ben Asher text, and for the New Testament they used the Greek text of Erasmus and a Greek and Latin text of the 6th Century found by Theodore Beza. They used Chapters (developed by Archbishop Stephen Langton in 1551) and Verses (the verse divisions of Robert Estienne). It was completed

31

and published in 1611 and became known as the "Authorized Version" because the making of it was authorized by King James. It became the "Official Bible of England" and the only Bible of the English church. There have been many editions not revisions of the King James Bible ie. 1615, 1629, 1638, and 1762. Some of them include marginal notes containing the chronology of Biblical events laid out by Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656), which dates Adam and Eve at 4004 B.C. The 1762 edition is what we now presently know as the King James Version.

James desired to secure reconciliation between the throne and the Anglican church on the one hand, and the puritans on the other. Therefore he called the Hampton Court Conference in January of 1604 "for the hearing, and for the determining, things pretended to be amiss in the church" inviting Anglican bishops, clergymen, and professors, along with four Puritan divines, to consider the complaints of the Puritans. None of the Puritan demands were met but one. The Puritan president of Corpus Christi College, John Reynolds, "moved his Majesty, that there might be a new translation of the Bible, because those which were allowed in the reigns of Henry the eighth, and Edward the sixth, were corrupt and not answerable to the truth of the Original."

James replied that he:

"Could never yet see a Bible well translated in English; but I think that, of all, that of Geneva is the worst. I wish some special pains were taken for an uniform translation, which should be done by the best learned men in both Universities, then reviewed by the Bishops, presented to the Privy Council, lastly ratified by the Royal authority, to be read in the whole Church, and none other."

The resolution states in part:

"That a translation be made of the whole Bible, as consonant as can be to the original Hebrew and Greek; and this to be set out

32

and printed, without any marginal notes, and only to be used in all churches of England in time of divine service."

The translation was undertaken by six committees, comprising 54 invited participants, of whom about 47 apparently participated in the work. Ten people meeting at Westminster managed Genesis through 2 Kings; seven had Romans through Jude. At Cambridge, eight produced 1 Chronicles through Ecclesiastes, while seven others handled the Apocrypha. Oxford employed seven to translate Isaiah through Malachi; eight occupied themselves with the New Testament Gospels, Acts and Revelations.

The work began to take shape in 1604 and progressed

steadily. The translators expressed their early thoughts in their preface as:

"Truly (good Christian Reader) we never thought from the beginning, that we should need to make a new Translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one...but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principal good one, not justly to be excepted against, that hath been our endeavor."

They had at their disposal all the previous English translations to which they did not disdain:

"We are so far off from condemning any of their labors that travailed before us in this kind, either in this land or beyond sea, either in King Henry's time, or King Edward's...or Queen Elizabeth's of ever renowned memory, that we acknowledge them to have been raised up of God, for the building and furnishing of his Church, and that they deserve to be had of us and of posterity in everlasting remembrance."

And, as the translators themselves also acknowledged, they had a multitude of sources from which to draw from:

33

“Neither did we think much to consult the Translators or Commentators, Chaldee, Hebrew, Syrian, Greek, or Latin, no nor the Spanish, French, Italian, or Dutch." The Greek editions of Erasmus, Stephanus, and Beza were all accessible, as were the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots, and the Latin translations of Pagninus, Termellius, and Beza.”

The six groups spent Four years on the preliminary translation. The translators were exacting and particular in their work, as related in their preface:

“Neither did we disdain to revise that which we had done, and to bring back to the anvil that which we had hammered: but having and using as great helps as were needful, and fearing no reproach for slowness, nor coveting praise for expedition, we have at the length, through the good hand of the Lord upon us, brought the work to that pass that you see.”

The conferences of each of the six being ended, nine months were spent at Stationers' Hall in London for review and revision of the work by two men each from the Westminster, Cambridge, and Oxford companies. The final revision was then completed by Myles Smith and Thomas Bilson, with a preface supplied by

Smith. The completed work was issued in 1611, the complete title page reading:

"THE HOLY BIBLE, Conteyning the Old Testament, and the New: Newly Translated out of the Originall tongues: & with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties Special Commandment. Appointed to be read in Churches. Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most

Excellent Majestie. ANNO DOM. 1611."

34

The New Testament had a separate title page, the whole of it reading:

"THE NEWE Testament of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Newly Translated out of the Originall Greeke: and with the former Translations diligently compared and revised, by his Majesties speciall Commandment. IMPRINTED at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. ANNO DOM. 1611. Cum Privilegio."

The King James Bible was, in its first editions, even larger than the Great Bible. It was printed in black letter with small italicized Roman type to represent those words not in the original languages. A dedicatory epistle to King James, which also enhanced the completed work, recalled the King's desire that "there should be one more exact Translation of the Holy Scriptures into the English tongue." The translators expressed that they were "poor instruments to make GOD'S holy Truth to be yet more and more known" while at the same time recognizing that "Popish persons" sought to keep the people "in ignorance and darkness." The Authorized Version, as it came to be called, went through several editions. Two notable editions were that of 1629, the first ever printed at Cambridge, and that of 1638, also at Cambridge, which was assisted by John Bois and Samuel Ward, two of the original translators. In 1657, the Parliament considered another revision, but it came to naught. The most important editions were those of the 1762 Cambridge revision by Thomas Paris, and the 1769 Oxford revision by Benjamin Blayney. One of the earliest concordances was A Concordance to the Bible of the Last Translation, by John Down-ham, affixed to a printing of 1632.

The Authorized Version eclipsed all previous versions of the Bible. The Geneva Bible was last printed in 1644, but the notes

35

continued to be published with the King James text. Subsequent versions of the Bible were likewise eclipsed and ensuing modern translations. It is still accepted as such by its defenders, and recognized as so by its detractors. Alexander Geddes (d. 1802), a Roman Catholic priest, who in 1792 issued the first column of his own translation of the Bible, accordingly paid tribute to the Bible of his time:

“The highest eulogiums have been made on the translation of James the First, both by our own writers and by foreigners. And, indeed, if accuracy, fidelity, and the strictest attention to the letter of the text, be supposed to constitute the qualities of an excellent version, this of all versions, must, in general, be accounted the most excellent. Every sentence, every work, every syllable, every letter and point, seem to have been weighed with the nicest exactitude; and expressed, either in the text, or margin, with the greatest precision.”

From the middle of the seventeenth century, the King's Bible has been the acknowledged Bible of the English-speaking nations throughout the world simply because it is the best.

Inasmuch as the Bishop's Bible had relied on Tyndale for the most part, the King James Version preserved the work of Tyndale and carried it forward into modern times. The preface reflects some of the partisanship between Christian sects that in part motivated the translation:

“Lastly, we have on the one side avoided the scrupulosity of the Puritans, who leave the old Ecclesiastical words, and betake them to other, as when they put WASHING for BAPTISM, and CONGREGATION instead of CHURCH: as also on the other side we have shunned the obscurity of the Papists, in their AZIMES, TUNIKE, RATIONAL, HOLOCAUSTS, PRAEPUCE, PASCHE, and a number of such like, whereof their late Translation is full, and that of purpose to darken the sense, that since they must needs translate the Bible, yet by the language

36

http://www.zionism-israel.com/old_testament/KingJamesPreface.html

thereof, it may be kept from being understood. But we desire that the Scripture may speak like itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it may be understood even of the very vulgar.”

The Language of the KJV 1611

Every living language is communicated in three levels of speech.

First, there is the level of intelligentsia - the cleverest scientists, the clearest thinkers and the most careful writers. We would call that the upper level. This level is remote in many ways from the habitual speech of common life.

Second, there is the level of the least educated of our people. Their speech is rough, often incorrect grammatically, well flavoured with what is called "slang". It is uncouth and unkind, the language of the back-street corner, the speech of the back street guttersnipes and the gutter press. We would call that the lowest level. Between the upper level of the first and the lowest level of the second there is a great gulf fixed. What is food and drink to one is poison to the other and what is poison to one is food and drink to the other.

There is, however, another level. It is the language of the vast majority of the populace. It is the language of the church, the school, the study, the home, the parlour, the shop, the business and the press.

We would call that the middle level, It has little to do with the peculiarities and distinctiveness of either of the other two levels. It is not a slave to where a man lives his life and does his business. What is important, however, is that those of the other two can both meet here.

37

It has been said that the essays of Lord Macauley move on the upper level. Those of much of our present day fiction move on the lowest level. Dickens, however, moves on the middle level and as is known, those from both the upper and lowest levels can understand and enter into the spirit of his narratives. In other words, it can be colloquial.

Now the languages in which the Bible was written, the Hebrew of the Old Testament and the Greek of the New Testament were not literary languages but the languages of the street, the market, the fields and the councils.

The Hebrew is almost our only example of the tongue at its period, but it is not a literary language in any case. The Greek of the New Testament is not the Eolic, the language of the lyrics of Sappho; nor the Doric, the language of war-songs or the chorus in the drama; nor the Ionic, the dialect of epic poetry; but the Attic Greek, and a corrupted form of that, a form corrupted by use in the streets and in the markets.

- Dr. McAfee, p 88

The origin of the languages of the Bible were colloquial.

This, of course, does not determine at what level the Bible is translated. Attempts have been made to put the Bible translation on to the upper level. On the other hand, attempts have been made by translation to put the Bible on the lower level. There are what are called elegant translations and there are those cast in slang language - the lowest level. The Authorized Version is on the middle level. Its language is in the middle English. It blends the exaltedness of the upper level with the popularity of the lowest.

The Authorized Version was aimed at being a Bible for all the people. It spawned a middle language which bridged the king and all his subjects.

38

Many of those who had translated the Scripture thought only of reaching a limited constituency. It was Tyndale who had his eyes on the total masses of the people. He believed that the Bible was the Book of God for all peoples.

The Authorized Version is not in the peculiar language of its time. The peculiar language of its time can be discovered in the translators' dedication to the king and in their preface to the reader.

What a difference between this language and that of the translation itself!

The language of the translation itself had lived from Wycliffe's translation through all the other successive versions into common use. Henry Hallam, the historian of the Constitution of England, accepts that. He states:

"The style of this translation is in general so enthusiastically praised, that no one is permitted either to qualify or even explain the grounds of his approbation. It is held to be the perfection of our English language. I shall not dispute this proposition; but one remark as to a matter of fact cannot reasonably be censured, that, in consequence of the principle of adherence to the original versions which had been kept up ever since the time of Henry VIII, it is not the language of the reign of James I. It may, in the eyes of many, be a better English, but it is not the English of Daniel Defoe, or Raleigh, or Bacon, as anyone may easily perceive."

- History of the Literature of Europe Vol 1 p 366

So the Authorized Version finally minted and consolidated an English of its own. It was not a matter of its language coming up to standard, but rather its language actually became the standard. It was itself the well of the Anglo Saxon tongue, pure and undefiled.

As Dr McAfee states:

39

"But it is true that the English of the King James version is not that of the time of James I, only because it is the English of history of the language. It has not immortalised for us the tongue of its times, because it has taken that tongue from its beginning and determined its form. It carefully avoided words that were counted coarse. On the other hand, it did not commit itself to words which were simply refinements of verbal construction. That, I say, is a general fact.

It can be illustrated in one or two ways. For instance, a word which has become common to us is the neuter possessive pronoun "its". That word does not occur in the editon of 1611, and appears first in an edition in the printing of 1660. In place of it, in the edition of 1611, the more dignified personal "his" or "her" is always used, and it continues for the most part in our familiar version. In this verse you notice it: "Look not upon the wine when it is red; when it giveth his colour aright in the cup. "In the Levitical law especially, where reference is made to sacrifices, to the articles of the furniture of the tabernacle, or other neuter objects, the masculine pronoun is almost invariably used. In the original it was invariably used. You see the other form in the familiar verse about charity, that it "doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked." Now there is evidence that the neuter possessive pronoun was just coming into use. Shakespeare uses it ten times in his works, but ten times only and a number of writers do not use it at all. It was, to be sure, a word beginning to be heard on the street, and for the most part on the lower level. The King James translators never used it. The dignified word was that masculine or feminine pronoun, and they always use it in place of the neuter.

On the other hand, there was a word which was coming into use on the upper level which has become common property to us now. It is the word "anxiety". It is not certain just when it came into use. I believe Shakespeare does not use it; and it occurs very little in the literature of the times. Probably it was known to these translators. When they came, however, to translating a word which now we translate by "anxious" or "anxiety" they did not use that word. It was not familiar. They

40

used instead the word which represented the idea for the people of the middle level; they used the word "thought". So they said, "Take no thought for the morrow," where we would say, "Be not anxious for the morrow." There is a contemporary document which illustrates how that word "thought" was commonly used, in which we read: "In five hundred years only two queens died in child birth, Queen Catherine Parr having died rather of thought." That was written about the time of the King James version, and "thought" evidently means worry or anxiety. Neither of those words, the neuter possessive pronoun or the new word "anxious" got into the King James version. One was coming into proper use from the lower level, and one was coming into proper use from the upper level. They had not yet so arrived that they could be used.

One result of this care to preserve dignity and also popularity appears in the fact that so few words of the English version have become obsolete. Words disappear upward out of the upper level or downward out of the lower level, but it takes a long time for a word to get out of a language once it is in confirmed use on the middle level. Of course, the version itself has tended to keep words familiar; but no book no matter how widely used, can prevent some words from passing off the stage or from changing their meaning so noticeably that they are virtually different words. Yet even in those words which do not become common there is very little tendency to obsolescence in the King James version. More words of Shakespeare have become obsolete or have changed their meaning than in the King James version."

- pp 84,85,86,87

So high is the English language standard of the 1611 Authorized Version that the committee appointed by the Upper House of the Province of Canterbury of the Church of England on February 10th, 1870 to report on the desirability of a revision of the Authorized Version, stated in their report submitted in May of the same year: -

41

"WE DO NOT CONTEMPLATE ANY NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE, OR ANY ALTERATION OF THE LANGUAGE, EXCEPT WHERE, IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE MOST COMPETENT OF SCHOLARS, SUCH CHANGE IS NECESSARY ... THAT IN SUCH CHANGES THE STYLE OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE EXISTING (AV) VERSION BE CLOSELY FOLLOWED."

Could we have a greater witness than that after over 250 years the English of the Authorized Version stood the test?

Professor Albert Cooke of Yale University said, "The movement of English diction which in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was on the whole away from the Bible, now returns with ever-accelerating speed towards it."

Professor Cooke wrote The Authorized Version of the Bible and its Influence as a chapter for the Fourth Volume of The Cambridge History of English Literature. He states:

“The theme or themes of the Bible are of the utmost comprehensiveness, depth and poignancy of appeal. In the treatment there is nowhere a trace of levity or insincerity to be detected. The heart of a man is felt to be pulsating behind every line. There is no straining for effect, no obtrusive ornament, no complacent parading of the devices of art. Great matters are presented with warmth of sentiment, in a simple style; and nothing is more likely to render literature enduring.”

Another trait of good literature exemplified by the Bible is breadth. Take, for example, the story of Jacob, the parable of the Prodigal Son, or St Paul's speech on Mars hill. Only the essentials are given. There is no petty and befogging detail. The characters, the events, or the arguments stand out with clearness, even with boldness. An inclusive and central effect is produced with a few masterly strokes, so that the resulting impression is one of conciseness and economy.

42

Closely associated with this quality of breadth is that of vigour. The authors of the Bible have no time nor mind to spend upon the elaboration of curiosities, or upon minute and trifling points. Every sentence, nay, every word, must count. The spirit which animates the whole must inform every particle. There is no room for delicate shadings; the issues are too momentous, the concerns too pressing, to admit of introducing anything that can be spared. A volume is compressed into a page, a page into a line.

And God said, Let there be light, and there was light.

Jesus wept.

It would not be difficult to show how all these qualities flow necessarily from the intense preoccupation of the Biblical authors with matters affecting all they held dear, all their hopes and fears with respect to their country, their family and themselves, at the present and in a boundless future. Even when the phrases employed seem cool and measured, they represent a compressed energy like that of a tightly coiled spring, tending to actuate effort and struggle of many kinds, and to open out into arts and civilisations of which the Hebrew never dreamed.

- pp 29,30

Cooke goes on:

The influences which moulded the English language into a proper vehicle for so stupendous a literary creation as the English Bible must next be briefly considered... Throughout the Old English period, most of the literature produced was strongly coloured by biblical diction. Even a work like Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People was under this influence. By about the year 1000, the language was able to render the Latin of Jerome... according to the computations of Marsh, about 93 per cent of the words of the Authorized

43

Version, counting repetitions of the same word, are native English (pp. 35-37).

Cooke then states that four traits in the original Scriptures make them easy to translate into all languages.

One, universality of interest. There are words in all languages which express that about which all men talk.

Two, concreteness and picturesqueness of their language avoiding abstractness which would make it difficult to translate.

Three, the simplicity of its structure.

Four, the rhythm so that part follows part catching a swing which is not difficult to imitate.

Because of the diligence of the Authorized Version translators the universality of interest, the concreteness and picturesqueness, the simplicity and the rhythm of the Original Scriptures have been captivated.

That is what has made our English Authorized Version what it is, a classic for more languages than any other book.

Cooke says:

Among the qualifications of a good translator, the first, undoubtedly, is that he shall be penetrated by a sense of the surpassing value of his original and a corresponding sense of the importance of his task. This will preserve him from flippancy and meanness, by imbuing him with earnestness and humility. It will make him ready to follow wherever he is led by the text, and will prevent him from preening himself upon prettiness of phrase, or any fancies of his own. Such a translator will strive with all his might after fidelity to word and sense, and after the utmost clearness and simplicity of rendering, avoiding, on the one hand, the trivial, and on the

44

other, the ornate or pompous. He will conform to the genius of his own tongue while endeavouring to transfer to it the treasures of another; and, besides possessing naturally, he will cultivate, in every proper way, a high sensitiveness to that music of the phrase, which, in the case of the Bible, is but another name for the music of the heart.

- pp 35,36

The vocabulary of the English Bible is by no means extensive.

Shakespeare used from 15,000 to 20,000 words. Milton in his versification uses 13,000.

In the Hebrew Old Testament there are 5,642 words and in the Greek New Testament 4,800. However in the whole Authorized Version there are only about 6,000 different words. The vocabulary is narrow - one third of Shakespeare's vocabulary to record the very Word of God.

These words are all short words. The average Bible word is barely over four letters. Taking out the longer proper names the average would be under four letters.

Addison, commenting on this fact, said:

If anyone would judge of the beauties of poetry that are to be met with the divine writings, and examine how kindly the Hebrew manners of speech mix and incorporate with the English language, after having perused the Book of Psalms, let him read a literal translation of Horace of Pindar. He will find in these two last such an absurdity and confusion of style with such a comparative poverty of imagination, as will make him very sensible of what I have been here advancing.

- McAfee p 107

45

To illustrate, look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20.

There are 319 words in all. 250 of these words are one syllable and 60 are of two syllables or over. In the Sermon on the Mount 82 percent of all the words in our Authorized Version are words of one syllable.

Short words are strong and clear. The strength of our English Bible lies in such clear-cut wording.

The story is told of a very powerful preacher who preached a most eloquent and elegant sermon on Creation. When he concluded his pulpit oratory he said to an old listener, '"What do you think of that?" The old listener replied, "You can't beat Moses!" Certainly, you can't beat the Bible! It goes straight to the point with the clear-cut sharpness of a rapier blade.

THE FACT IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE AUTHORIZED VERSION (KJV) OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE IS UNSURPASSABLY PRE-EMINENT BEING THE FIRST FROM THE WELL UNDEFILED AND INDEED THE VERY WELL ITSELF.

Comparison of Bible Versions

The old, King Solomon once stated in Ecclesiastes 12:10 “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even the words of truth.

A good Christian, a preacher or laymen must be very selective in its choice and consideration of the versions of the Bible. A specific guides or rules must be implemented. A simpler way for that is to remember what King Solomon did. It must contain an “acceptable words…upright words and truthful words.”

46

http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=plea55#TOP

VerseDESCRIPTION OF 337 CHANGE'S THAT ARE REMOVED IN THE MODERN TRANSLATIONS VERSIONS...

Isaiah 14:12

CHANGE "Lucifer" TO "morning star" ("How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!") The Lord Jesus Christ is the Morning Star. See Revelation 22:16.

NIV

Deuteronomy 23:17

CHANGE "sodomite" TO "shrine prostitute OR cult prostitute" ("There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.") This change also occurs in 1 Kings 14:24, 1 Kings 15:12, 1 Kings 22:46 and 2 Kings 23:7.

NIV, NASB, RSV

Deuteronomy 32:22

CHANGE"lowest hell" TO "realm of death (et. al)" ("For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.")

NIV, NASV, NRSV, LB, NC

Daniel 3:25CHANGE "the Son of God" TO "a son of the gods" ("He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.")

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Daniel 7:10 REMOVE "judgment was set" NIV, NASV, NRSV, LB, NC

Psalms 8:5CHANGE "the angels" TO "the heavenly beings (et. al)" ("For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.")


Micah 5:2

CHANGE "everlasting" TO "ancient times or ancient days (et. al.)" (""But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting.") Contradicts Psalm 90:2 "...from everlasting to everlasting thou art God..."

NIV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Zechariah 12:10

CHANGE "his only son" TO "an only child" ("And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.")


Psalms 9:17 REMOVE "turned into hell" ("The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.")


Psalms 12:7

CHANGE "thou shalt preserve them" TO "you will keep us safe and protect us"(et. al) ("Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.) NOTE: Changes the emphasis of what is preserved in verse 6: "The words of the LORD..."


47

NEW TESTAMENT

Matt. 1:25

REMOVE "Firstborn" (And knew her not till she had brought forth her FIRSTBORN son: and he called his name JESUS). The word "firstborn"(also appears in Luke 2:7) refers to Jesus was the first child (of 5 children) that Mary had given birth to.


Matt. 5:22

REMOVE "without a cause" (contradicts: Psalms 25:3, Psalms 69:4 and Psalms 35:19 "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause." And many many other verses that are in conflict caused by this omission.


Matt. 5:44

REMOVE "bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,...which despitefully use you," (contradicts: Psalms 109:28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.)


Matt. 6:13 REMOVE "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (This is the Lord's Prayer)


Matt. 6:27 CHANGE "cubit to his stature" TO "hour to his life"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 6:33 REMOVE "of God"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 8:29 REMOVE "Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 9:13

REMOVE "to repentance" ( "... for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."(see also Mark 2:17. Removal of "to repentance" leaves the verse meaningless. Calling sinners to do what?) Note: contradicts Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9


Matt. 11:23 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 12:6 REMOVE "one greater" TO "something greater" NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 12:35 REMOVE "of the heart"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 12:40 CHANGE "whale" TO "fish", sea monster NIV, NASV, NKJ, NRSV, LB,

48

NC

Matt. 12:47 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee."

NIV, RSV, NRSV,

Matt. 13:51 REMOVE "Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 15:8

REMOVE "draweth nigh unto me with their mouth" Contradicts: Isaiah 29:13 "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:" and also Ezekiel 33:31 "And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their covetousness."


Matt. 16:3 REMOVE "o ye hypocrites"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 16:18 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 16:20 REMOVE "Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 17:21 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 18:11 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."


Matt. 18:26 REMOVE "and worshipped him" (A key verse for showing that only Jesus is worshipped in the New Testament)

NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 19:9 REMOVE "and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery."


Matt. 19:17 CHANGE "Why callest thou me good" TO "Why do you ask me about what is good"


Matt. 19:17 REMOVE "God" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

Matt. 20:7 REMOVE "and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 20:16 REMOVE "for many be called but few chosen" NIV, NASV,

49

RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 20:20 CHANGE "worshipping him" TO "kneeling down" (referring to worshipping the Lord Jesus Christ)

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

Matt. 20:22 REMOVE 12 WORDS "baptized with Christ's baptism"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 21:44 REMOVE "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

NIV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Matt. 23:14

REMOVE "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." Note: contradicts Luke 20:47 "Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation."


Matt. 23:33 CHANGE "damnation" TO "condemn"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 24:36 ADD "nor the Son"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 24:36 CHANGE "my Father" TO "the Father" (very similar to the John 10:29 and John 10:30 change, clouds deity of Jesus)


Matt. 25:13 REMOVE "wherein the Son of man cometh"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB

Matt. 27:35

REMOVE "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots." (ANOTHER FULFILLED PROPHECY REMOVED. Psalms 22:18 "They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.") 7 FULFILLED PROPHECIES IN PSALM 22


Matt. 27:54CHANGE "the Son of God" TO "a son of God" (OUTRIGHT BLASPHEMY. There is only ONE Son of God--the only BEGOTTEN Son)


Matt. 28:2 REMOVE "from the door"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Matt. 28:9 REMOVE "And as they went to tell his disciples"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 1:1 REMOVE "the Son of God" NIV, NASV,

50

RSV, NRSV, NC

Mark 1:2

CHANGE "prophets" TO "Isaiah" (Quoted in Malachi 3:1, not Isaiah) Malachi 3:1 "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts."


Mark 1:14 REMOVE "of the kingdom" (gospel ... of God) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 1:31 REMOVE "immediately" Note: The descriptive word "immediately" tells us when the fever left her and therefore provides us with a miracle. The word left out denies the miracle and thus the one who performed it.


Mark 2:17 REMOVE "to repentance" Note: contradicts Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Mark 3:29 CHANGE "eternal damnation" TO "eternal sin", et al.NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 4:24 REMOVE "and unto you that hear shall more be given" Note: contradicts John 7:17.


Mark 6:11 REMOVE "Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."


Mark 7:8 REMOVE "[as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do." Note: The Lord not only condemns the Pharisees for traditions of men, but he names them.


Mark 7:16 REMOVE "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 9:23

REMOVE "if thou canst believe" Note: The father had said to Jesus, "if thou canst do anything." To this lack of faith Jesus answered, "if thou canst believe." It was at once a rebuke and an encouragement to have faith in him.


Mark 9:24 REMOVE "Lord" (refers to Jesus) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 9:44 REMOVE "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."


Mark 9:46 REMOVE "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."


Mark 9:47 REMOVE "fire" Note: contradicts Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not NIV, NASV,

51

found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 9:49

REMOVE "and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt" Note: contradicts Ezekiel 43:24 "And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up [for] a burnt offering unto the LORD." and also Leviticus 2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."


Mark 10:21

REMOVE "take up the cross" Note: contradicts Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:27, Matthew 10:38 and Matthew 16:24 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and follow me."


Mark 10:24

REMOVE "for them that trust in riches" (referring to how hard is it for them that TRUST in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God) Note: contradicts 1 Timothy 6:[10] "For the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." And also Psalms 49:6-7 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; [7] None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:"


Mark 11:10

REMOVE "that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Mark 11:10 "Blessed [be] the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.) Note: contradicts Luke 13:35 "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until [the time] come when ye shall say, Blessed [is] he that cometh in the name of the Lord."


Mark 11:26 REMOVE "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." Note: contradicts Ephesians 4:32


Mark 12:23 REMOVE "when they shall rise" NIV, RSV, NRSV, LB,

Mark 12:40 CHANGE "greater damnation" TO "punished most severely, greater condemnation"

NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 13:6 CHANGE "I am Christ" TO "I am He , the One"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 13:14

REMOVE "spoken of by Daniel the prophet" (this is ANOTHER FULFILLED PROPHECY REMOVED from the bible, which contradicts Daniel 8:13, Daniel 9:27 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." And also contradicts Daniel 12:11.).


Mark 13:33 REMOVE "and pray" (Mark 13:33 "Take ye heed, watch and pray: NIV, NASV,

52

for ye know not when the time is.") RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Mark 14:22 REMOVE "eat" (Mark 14:22 "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.")


Mark 14:68

REMOVE "and the cock crew" (Peter's denial of Jesus three times, makes Jesus Christ a LIAR by Mark 14:[30] "And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, BEFORE THE COCK CROW TWICE, thou shalt deny me thrice.") Note: Removal of "and the cock crew" leaves Mark 14:72 meaningless

NIV, NASV, RSV

Mark 15:28

REMOVE "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." (ANOTHER FULFILLED PROPHECY REMOVED. Isaiah 53:[12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. ").


Mark 16:9-20

REMOVE ENTIRE LAST 12 VERSES of Mark 16! (Most modern translations remove these verses by a footnote stating "the best and earliest manuscripts did not have these verses." That is a lie.)


Luke 1:28 REMOVE "blessed art thou among women" Note: There were many virgins in Israel at the time, but God chose Mary. Mary was blessed AMONG women, but not ABOVE women.


Luke 2:14 CHANGE "good will toward men" TO "to men on whom his favor rests" Note: Contradicts Hebrews 12:14 "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:"


Luke 2:22

CHANGE "her" TO "their" (makes Jesus a sinner by requiring purification for him!) Luke 2:22 "And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present [him] to the Lord;"


Luke 2:33 CHANGE "Joseph" TO "his father" (attacks virgin birth by stating that Joseph IS Jesus' father!)


Luke 2:43 CHANGE "Joseph and his mother" TO "parents" (again, this is making Joseph, Jesus' father!)


Luke 4:4 REMOVE "but by every word of God" (go check Deuteronomy 8:3) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 4:8 REMOVE "get thee behind me, Satan"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 4:18 REMOVE "he hath sent me to heal..." (important verse to show that NIV, NASV,

53

Jesus Christ can heal. Only God can heal and Jesus Christ heals.) RSV, NRSV, NC

Luke 4:41 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 6:10

REMOVE "whole as the other" Note: Not only was his hand restored to use but it was whole as the other. The completeness of the miracle is attested to by these words written in Luke 6:6 "And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand WAS WITHERED."


Luke 6:48 CHANGE "founded upon a rock" TO "well built"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 9:54

REMOVE "even as Elijah did" Note: quoted in 2 Kings 1:10 "And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I [be] a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty."


Luke 9:55 REMOVE "ye know not what manner of spirit..."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 9:56 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."


Luke 9:57 REMOVE "Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 10:15 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Luke 11:2 REMOVE 14 WORDS from Lords prayer. ("...which art in heaven,...Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.")


Luke 11:4 REMOVE "but deliver us from evil" (Lord's prayer AGAIN and again....)


Luke 11:29 REMOVE "the prophet"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 16:23 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 17:36 REMOVE "Two [men] shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left." (this verse also appears in Matthew 24:40-41)

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRS, LB,

54

NC

Luke 21:4 REMOVE "cast in unto the offerings of God"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 21:8 CHANGE "I am Christ" TO "I am He , the One"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Luke 22:31 REMOVE "And the Lord said" (Luke 22:31 "And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat:")


Luke 22:64

REMOVE "they struck him on the face" (another fulfilled prophecy removed! Isaiah 50:6 "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Psalms 69:7 "Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.")


Luke 23:17 REMOVE "For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast."


Luke 23:38 REMOVE "letters of Greek, Latin, Hebrew" (Luke 23:38 "And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.")


Luke 23:42 REMOVE "Lord" (thief on the cross - asking Jesus how to be saved! Confessing that "Jesus is Lord" is CENTRAL to salvation, see Romans 10:9)


Luke 24:6 REMOVE "He is not here, but is risen" (THIS IS DENYING THE RESURRECTION!) RSV, NRSV

Luke 24:12

REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass."

RSV

Luke 24:40 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet." (Note: The bodily resurrection of Christ is proven here as he showed them his hands and his feet."

RSV

Luke 24:49 REMOVE "of Jerusalem" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB

John 1:14, 18

REMOVE "begotten", Greek word 'monogenes' meaning "begotten" DOES appear in every Greek NT manuscript, but was intentionally omitted. (refers to Jesus as the ONLY begotten Son of God)


John 1:27 REMOVE "is preferred before me"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 3:13 REMOVE "which is in heaven" (refers to Jesus) NIV, NASV,

55

RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 3:15 REMOVE "should not perish" (believeth in him...) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 3:16 REMOVE "begotten"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 3:18 REMOVE "begotten"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 4:24

CHANGE "God is a Spirit" TO "God is Spirit" (denial of the Holy Trinity by implying that God can ONLY be spirit. see John 1:14 "..the word was made flesh..." and also Luke 24:39 "Behold my hands and my feet, THAT IT IS I MYSELF: handle me, and see; FOR A SPIRIT hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.")


John 4:42 REMOVE "the Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 5:3 REMOVE "waiting for the moving of the water."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 5:4

REMOVE "For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."


John 5:16 REMOVE "and sought to slay him" (prophecy from the O.T.)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 5:29 CHANGE "damnation" TO "condemn , judgement"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRV, LB, NC

John 6:47 REMOVE "on Me" ("... He that believeth ON ME hath everlasting life.")


John 6:69 CHANGE "Christ, the Son of the living God" TO "Holy One of God"


John 7:53-8:11

REMOVE VERSES 7:53 - 8:11 (the woman caught in adultery. "He who is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.")


John 8;9 REMOVE "being convicted by their own conscience"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

56

John 8:47 REMOVE "heareth God's words" TO "hears what God says" NIV, NC

John 8:59 REMOVE "...going through the midst of them, and so passed by."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 9:4 CHANGE "I must work the works" TO "We must work the works" (Salvation by grace thru faith in Jesus Christ is perverted by this verse. Implies that salvation is through works)


John 9:35 CHANGE "Son of God" TO "Son of Man , Messiah"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 10:30 CHANGE "my" TO "the" (in reference to FATHER, John 10:29 uses "my father" twice, but changes to "the father" in 10:30)


John 11:41 REMOVE "For the place where the dead was laid"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 14:2 CHANGE "mansions" TO "rooms", "dwelling places"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 14:16 CHANGE "Comforter" TO "Helper , Counselor" , et al. NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

John 16:16 REMOVE "because I go to the Father"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

John 17:12 REMOVE "in the world"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 1:3 CHANGE "infallible" TO "convincing" et al. NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 2:30 REMOVE "he would raise up Christ" (denies the resurrection!) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 2:31 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Acts 2:38 CHANGE "remission of sins" TO "forgiveness of sins"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 4:27,30 CHANGE "holy child" TO "holy servant" (attacks deity of Jesus Christ again)

NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV,

57

NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 7:30 REMOVE "of the Lord" (angel of the Lord) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 7:37 REMOVE "Him shall ye hear" NI, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 8:37

REMOVE "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." (salvation comes thru believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This verse pertains to believing prior to getting baptized in verse 38.)


Acts 9:5 REMOVE "it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 10:6

REMOVE "he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do" (Acts 10:7 would not make any sense because "And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius...") Note: Cornelius was not saved (Acts 11:14) and that there was something which he had to do. He must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ or he would be lost and go to Hell.


Acts 15:11 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 15:18 CHANGE "beginning of the world" TO "...eternity , ...ages"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 15:34 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE ("Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.")


Acts 16:31 REMOVE "Christ" (Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 17:16 CHANGE "stirred" TO "provoked", distressedNIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 17:22 CHANGE "Mars Hill" TO "Areopagus"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Acts 17:22 CHANGE "superstitious" TO "religious"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 17:26 REMOVE "blood"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 17:29 CHANGE "Godhead" TO "Divine Nature , divine" being NIV, NASV,

58

NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 19:35 REMOVE "worshipper"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Acts 20:21 REMOVE "Christ" NIV, NRSV, NC

Acts 20:24

REMOVE "none of these things move me. . ." ("But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.)


Acts 20:25 REMOVE "of God" ("And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.")

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB

Acts 23:9

REMOVE "let us not fight against God" Note: contradicts 2 Chronicles 13:12 "...O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper." and also Jeremiah 1:19 "And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee."


Acts 24:7 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE ("But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,")


Acts 24:14 CHANGE "heresy" TO "sect"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB

Acts 24:15 REMOVE "of the dead" (And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.)

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB

Acts 28:16 REMOVE 11 WORDS and CHANGED "kept" to "guard"("the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard")


Acts 28:29 REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE ("And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.")


Romans 1:3 REMOVE "Jesus Christ our Lord" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

Romans 1:16

REMOVE "of Christ" ("For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.)


Romans 1:18

CHANGE "hold the truth" TO "suppress the truth" NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV,

59

NRSV, LB, NC

Romans 1:25 CHANGE "changed the truth" TO "exchanged the truth"


Romans 1:29 REMOVE "fornication"


Romans 5:8 CHANGE "commendeth" to "demonstrates"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Romans 6:8 CHANGE "we be dead" TO "we died"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Romans 6:11 REMOVE "our Lord"


Romans 8:1 REMOVE LAST 10 WORDS ("who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.") (Romans 8:1 - 13 is specifically addressing being in the Spirit and not in the flesh)


Romans 9:28 REMOVE "in righteousness"


Romans 10:15

REMOVE LAST 10 WORDS ("that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings")


Romans 10:17

CHANGE "word of God" TO word of Christ (WHAT? Are there TWO different word's? Read John 1:1 again. Revelation 19:13 "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.")


Romans 11:6

REMOVE "But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." ("And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.")


Romans 13:2 CHANGE "damnation" TO "judgment" et al.


Romans 13:9

REMOVE "Thou shall not bear false witness" Note: One of the 10 commandments.


Romans 14:6

REMOVE ("and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it.")


Romans 14:10

CHANGE "the judgement seat of Christ" TO "God's judgment seat" et al. (conflicts with John 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV,

60

hath committed all judgment unto the Son:" and 2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Also, John 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

LB, NC

Romans 14:21 REMOVE "or is offended, or is made weak"


Romans 14:23 CHANGE "damned" TO "condemned"


Romans 15:8 REMOVE "Jesus"


Romans 15:19 REMOVE "of God" NIV, NASV,

RSV, LB, NC

Romans 15:29 REMOVE "of the gospel"


Romans 16:18

CHANGE "good words and fair speeches" TO "smooth talk and flattery"


Romans 16:24

REMOVE ENTIRE VERSE "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen."


I Cor. 1:21 CHANGE "foolishness of preaching" TO "foolishness of the message preached"


I Cor. 1:22 REMOVE "require" TO "request", ask ("For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:")


I Cor. 5:4 REMOVE "Christ" (TWICE)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 5:7 REMOVE "for us" ("Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:")


I Cor. 6:9 CHANGE "effeminate" TO "male prostitutes" (or "sexual perverts")NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 6:20 REMOVE "and in your spirit, which are God's" ("For ye are bought NIV, NASV,

61

with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.") Note: contradicts John 14:20 "At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and YE IN ME, AND I IN YOU."

RSV, NRSV, NC

I Cor. 7:5 REMOVE "fasting" (with prayer) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 7:39 REMOVE "by the law" (The wife is bound) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 9:1 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 9:27 CHANGE "I keep my body" TO "I beat my body"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 9:27 CHANGE "castaway" TO "disqualified"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 10:28 REMOVE " for the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: ..."


I Cor. 11:11 REMOVE "in the Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 11:24 REMOVE "take eat . . . broken..." ("And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.")


I Cor. 11:29 CHANGE "damnation" TO "judgment" ("For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. )


I Cor. 11:29 REMOVE "unworthily" (completely removes the entire meaning of the verse!)


I Cor. 14:33 CHANGE "author of confusion" TO ""a God of disorder" et al. NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 15:47 CHANGE "Lord from heaven" TO "man from heaven" (ANOTHER BLASPHEMY)


I Cor. 15:55 CHANGE "grave" TO "Hades", deathNIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

I Cor. 16:22 REMOVE "Jesus Christ" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV,

62

LB, NC

I Cor. 16:23 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Cor. 2:10 CHANGE "person of Christ" TO "presence of Christ"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Cor. 2:17 CHANGE "corrupt" TO "peddle, sell" ("For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. )


2 Cor.4:6 REMOVE "Jesus" NIV, NASV, RSV, LB, NC

2 Cor. 4:10 REMOVE "the Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Cor. 5:17 CHANGE "creature" TO "creation"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Cor. 5:18 REMOVE "Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

2 Cor.10:5 CHANGE "Casting down imaginations" TO "We demolish arguments" et al.


2 Cor.11:6 CHANGE "rude in speech" TO "untrained in speech"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Cor.11:31 REMOVE "Christ" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

Gal. 2:20 REMOVE "nevertheless I live"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Gal. 3:1

REMOVE "that ye should not obey the truth" Note: contradicts Matthew 7:26 "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:"


Gal.3:17 REMOVE "in Christ" (confirmed...of God in Christ) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Gal. 4:7 REMOVE "through Christ" (heir of God through Christ) NIV, NASV,

63

RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Gal. 5:4 CHANGE "no effect" TO "estranged from", alienatedNIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Gal. 6:15 REMOVE "For in Christ Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Gal. 6:17 REMOVE "the Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Ephesians 1:6 REMOVE "accepted in the beloved"


Ephesians 3:9 REMOVE "by Jesus Christ" (who created all things by)


Ephesians 3:14 REMOVE "of our Lord Jesus Christ"


Ephesians 4:6

REMOVE "you" (One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.) Note: "you" is referring to the Body of Christ.


Ephesians 5:9 CHANGE "fruit of the Spirit" TO "fruit of the light"


Ephesians 5:26

CHANGE "by" TO "with or through" ("That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, ") Note: this questions Titus 3:5 by teaching salvation is by baptism instead of by the washing of the word.


Ephesians 5:30 REMOVE "of his flesh, and of his bones"


Philippians 2:6

CHANGE "thought it not robbery to be equal with God" TO "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped" (questions the deity of Jesus Christ).


Philippians 2:7 CHANGE "made" TO "emptied" NASV, RSV,

NRSV, LB,

Philippians 3:8

CHANGE "dung" TO "rubbish , trash" NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV,

64

NRSV, LB, NC

Philippians 3:16

REMOVE "let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."


Philippians 4:13 CHANGE "through Christ" TO "through him" NIV, NASV,

RSV, NRS

Colossians 1:2 REMOVE "and the Lord Jesus Christ"


Colossians 1:14

REMOVE "through His blood" ("In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: ")


Colossians 1:28 REMOVE "Jesus"


Colossians 3:6 REMOVE "on the children of disobedience" NIV, NASV,

RSV, LB, NC

1 Thess. 1:1 REMOVE "from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 Thess. 2:19 REMOVE "Christ" NIV, NASV,

RSV, NRSV

1 Thess. 3:11 REMOVE "Christ"


1 Thess. 3:13 REMOVE "Christ"


1 Thess. 5:22 CHANGE "all appearance of evil" TO "every form of evil"


1 Thess. 5:27

CHANGE "this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren." TO "this letter read to all the brothers. (et. al)"


2 Thess. 1:8 REMOVE "Christ" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

2 Thess. 1:12 REMOVE "Christ"" NIV, NASV,

RSV, NRSV

65

1 Timothy 1:1 REMOVE "Lord"


1 Timothy 1:17 REMOVE "wise" ("the only wise God")


1 Timothy 2:7 REMOVE "in Christ" (...the truth in Christ)


1 Timothy 3:16

CHANGE "God" TO "he" Note: conflicts with John 1:1 and John 1:14: "...and the word became flesh and dwelt among us." Also conflicts Titus 3:4 "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man APPEARED,"


1 Timothy 4:10

CHANGE "specially" TO "Especially" ("For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.") This verse is used by Universal Unitarians as a proof text for universal salvation. "Specially" was first used as a word in 1451 A.D., quoted in a Shakespearean play. "Especially" was not in the English Language until the late 15th century. "Specially" means "special contract to", while "especially" means "chiefly, most of all."


1 Timothy 4:12 REMOVE "in spirit"


1 Timothy 5:21 REMOVE "Lord"


1 Timothy 6:1 CHANGE "blasphemed" TO "spoken against" NIV, NASV,

RSV, LB, NC

1 Timothy 6:5

CHANGE "gain is godliness" TO "godliness is a means of gain" ("Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.")


1 Timothy 6:5 REMOVE "from such withdraw thyself"


1 Timothy 6:10 CHANGE "root of all evil" TO "root of all kinds of evil"


1 Timothy 6:19 CHANGE "eternal life" TO "the life that is truly life"


66

1 Timothy 6:20 CHANGE "science" TO "knowledge"


2 Timothy 1:11 REMOVE "of the gentiles"


2 Timothy 2:15

REMOVE "study" ("Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.") Note: contradicts 1 Timothy 4:6 "If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained." and also Ecclesiastes 12:10 "The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth."


2 Timothy 3:3 CHANGE "of those that are good" TO "good"

NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

2 Timothy 4:1 REMOVE "the Lord"


2 Timothy 4:22 REMOVE "Jesus Christ"


Hebrews 1:3 CHANGE "by himself purged our sins" TO "provided purification for sins"


Hebrews 2:7 REMOVE "and didst set him over the works of thy hands:" ("Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:")


Hebrews 3:1 REMOVE "Christ Jesus" (High Priest of our...) NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Hebrews 7:21 REMOVE "after the order of Melchisedec"


Hebrews 10:34 REMOVE "in heaven" ("ye have in heaven a better")


Hebrews 11:11 REMOVE "was delivered of a child"


67

James 5:16

CHANGE "faults" TO "sins" (The Bible says that ONLY God can forgive sins. We are supposed to confess our SINS to Him. We should confess our FAULTS to one another, but SINS are confessed to God. Faults and sins are entirely different.


1 Peter 1:22 REMOVE "through the Spirit"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 Peter 2:2 REMOVE "of the word" ("As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:")


1 Peter 2:2 CHANGE "grow thereby" TO "grow up in your salvation"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 Peter 3:15 CHANGE "the Lord God" TO "Christ as Lord" (ANOTHER BLASPHEMY OF OUR LORD)


1 Peter 4:1 REMOVE "for us" ("Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;")


1 Peter 4:14 REMOVE "on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified."


1 Peter 5:10 REMOVE "Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 Peter 5:11 REMOVE "glory" ("to Him be glory and dominion") NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 Peter 5:14 REMOVE "Jesus"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Peter 2:1 CHANGE "damnable" TO "destructive"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Peter 2:17 REMOVE "for ever" (darkness is reserved for ever)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

2 Peter 3:9 REMOVE "us" TO "you" NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV,

68

LB, NC

1 John 1:7 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 John 3:16 REMOVE "of God" (love of God) NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 John 4:3

REMOVE "Christ is come in the flesh" (Evil spirits DID confess Jesus. In Luke 4:34 (and in Mark 1:24) a man having a "spirit of an unclean devil" said to Jesus: "... Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, [thou] JESUS of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God." HOWEVER, the antichrist CANNOT say: "JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH".)


1 John 4:9 REMOVE "begotten"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 John 4:19 REMOVE "him" (We love him, because he first...)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 John 5:7

REMOVE LAST 15 WORDS ("For there are three that bear record in heaven, The Father, The Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.") 34 NT Greek Manuscripts have this verse quoted as early as 150 A.D.


1 John 5:8 REMOVE "And there are three that bear witness in earth,"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

1 John 5:13 REMOVE "and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."


1 John 5:13 ADD "continue to" (denys eternal salvation!) NKJ

2 John 1:3 REMOVE "the Lord"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Jude 1:25

REMOVE "wise" ("To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.") Note: contradicts 2 Samuel 14:20 "To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise,..." and also Romans 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.


69

Rev. 1:8 REMOVE "the beginning and the ending"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 1:9 REMOVE "Christ" (TWICE in the same verse!)NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 1:11 REMOVE "I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last."NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 1:13 REMOVE "seven"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 1:18 REMOVE "hell" and "Amen"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 2:9 REMOVE "works"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 2:13 CHANGE "Satan's seat' TO "Satan's throne" REMOVE "works"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 2:15 REMOVE "which thing I hate"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 5:14 REMOVE "Him that liveth for ever and ever"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 6:8 REMOVE "Hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 6:17 CHANGE "his wrath" TO "their wrath"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 7:3

CHANGE "in" TO "on"("Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.") note: see also Rev. 9:4, Rev. 13:16, Rev. 14:1, Rev. 14:9 and Rev. 22:4


Rev. 8:13 CHANGE "angel" TO "eagle"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 9:4 CHANGE "in" TO "on"("And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither

NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV,

70

any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.") note: see also Rev. 7:3, Rev. 13:16 Rev. 14:1, Rev. 14:9 and Rev. 22:4

NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 11:15 CHANGE "kingdoms" TO "kingdom"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 11:17 REMOVE "and art to come"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 12:12 REMOVE "inhabiters of"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 12:17 REMOVE "Christ"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 13:1 CHANGE "I" TO "the dragon" (note: the RSV REMOVES "stood upon the sand of the sea,")


Rev. 13:16

CHANGE "in" TO "on" ("And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark IN their right hand, or IN their foreheads:") note: see also Rev. 7:3, Rev. 9:4, Rev. 14:1, Rev. 14:9 and Rev. 22:4


Rev. 14:1

CHANGE "in" TO "on" ("And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.") note: see also Rev. 7:3, Rev. 9:4, Rev. 13:16, Rev. 14:9 and Rev. 22:4.


Rev. 14:5 REMOVE "before the throne of God" ("And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.)


Rev. 14:9

CHANGE "in" TO "on" ("And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,") note: see also Rev. 7:3, Rev. 9:4, Rev. 13:16, Rev. 14:1, and Rev. 22:4.


Rev. 15:3 CHANGE "King of saints" TO "King of the ages"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 16:5 REMOVE "and shalt be" ("And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.") (questions eternal reign of Jesus Christ)


Rev. 16:7 CHANGE "And I heard another out of the altar say" TO "And I heard the altar respond"

NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV

Rev. 16:17 REMOVE "of heaven"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

71

Rev. 20:9 REMOVE "from God out of"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 20:12 CHANGE "God" TO "throne"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 20:13 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Rev. 20:14 REMOVE "hell"NIV, NASV, NKJ, RSV, NRSV, NC

Rev. 21:24 REMOVE "of them which are saved" ("And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.")


Rev. 22:4 CHANGE "in" TO "on" ("And they shall see his face; and his name shall be IN their foreheads.") note: see also Rev. 7:3, Rev. 9:4, Rev. 13:16, Rev. 14:1 and Rev. 14:9


Rev. 22:14 CHANGE "do his commandments" TO "wash their robes"NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, LB, NC

Bible Version LegendNIV New International Verison NRSV New Revised Standard Version

NASV New American Standard Version LB The Living Bible

NKJ New King James Version NC New Century Version

RSV Revised Standard Version

ALLEGED MYTHS OF THE KJV

MYTH #1 REVISIONS OF THE KJV

If someone decides to produce a "new Bible version", then they must also convince Christians that there is a NEED and a justifiable CAUSE for the new version. One of the deceitful excuses being used today for producing new versions is that the King James Bible has been revised

72

several times since 1611, and that a new revision is needed once again. While spreading this piece of deceitful misinformation, the KJV critics hold their breath, hoping that no one will be intelligent enough to ask for specific details about these "revisions". The many revisions that have occurred since 1881 bear NO RESEMBLANCE to the various EDITIONS of the KJV prior to 1881. The modern revisors are just trying to justify their sins!

There were only FOUR actual EDITIONS of the King James Bible produced after 1611: 1629, 1638, 1762, and 1769. These were not translations (like the new versions SINCE 1881), and they really weren't even "revisions".

The 1629 edition was simply an effort to correct printing errors, and two of the original King James translators assisted in the work.

The 1638 edition of the KJV also dealt with printing errors, especially words and clauses overlooked by the printers. About 72% of the textual corrections in the KJV were done by 1638, only 27 years after the first printing.

Please bear in mind the fact that printing was a very laborious task prior to 1800. Publishing a flawless work was almost impossible. Even today, with computers and advanced word processors, printing errors are still frequently made. Imagine what it was like in the 1600's!

Then, in 1762 and 1769, two final editions of the KJV were published. Both of these involved spelling changes, which became necessary as the English language became more stabilized and spelling rules were established.

There were no new translations, and there were really no new revisions published in 1629, 1638, 1762, or 1769. These were simply EDITIONS of the 1611 KJV, which corrected printing errors and spelling. Those who try to equate these editions with the modern translations are just being deceitful or stupid--or both. The many other so-called "revisions" of the KJV that occurred in 1613, 1616, 1617, and 1743 are nothing more than running changes and touch-up work at the printers. The REAL revisions and translations do not start appearing until 1881 (RV) and 1901 (ASV). So if some punk walks up with a smirky grin on his face and asks you, "So which King James Bible do you have, the 1611, the 1629, the 1638, the 1762, or the 1769?", you can simply state that you have a 1769 edition of the King James 1611 Authorized Version.

73

MYTH #2 ARCHAISM OF THE KJV

Is the King James Bible Harder to Understand?

"In the last days. . .men shall be HEADY, HIGHMINDED" II Timothy 3:4

The Flesch-Kincaid research company's Grade Level Indicator betrays the strictly black and white nature of the issue showing the new version's true colors. The KJV ranks easier in 23 out of 26 comparisons. (Their formula is: (.39 x average number of words per sentence) + (11.8 x average number of syllables per word) - (15.59) = grade level. The first chapter of the first and last books of both the Old and New Testaments were compared. (All complete sentences, whether terminating in a period, colon, or semi-colon, and all incomplete phrases ending in a period, were calculated as 'sentences'.)

KJB Grade Level

NIV Grade Level

NASV Grade Level

TEV Grade Level

NKJV Grade Level

Gen. 1 4.4 5.1 4.7 5.1 5.2Mal. 1 4.6 4.8 5.1 5.4 4.6Matt. 1 6.7 16.4 6.8 11.8 10.3Rev. 1 7.5 7.1 7.7 6.4 7.7

Grade Level Average 5.8 8.4 6.1 7.2 6.9

To extend the inquiry, one each of the three book-types (Gospel, Pauline epistle, General epistle) were surveyed. The resulting data confirms the readability of the KJV.

KJB NIV NASB Good News (TEV) NKJVJohn 1:1-21 3.6 3.6 4.2 5.9 3.9Gal. 1:1-21 8.6 9.8 10.4 6.7 8.9

James 1:1-21 5.7 6.5 7.0 6.0 6.4

Why is the KJV easier to read? The KJV uses one or two syllable words while new versions substitute complex multi-syllable words and phrases. Their "heady, high-minded" vocabulary hides the hope of salvation from simple saints and sinners.

74

Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech. (KJB) II Cor. 3:12

The NASB substitutes "lividness of speech" here and carries this confusing and condescending vocabulary from cover to cover. Children and church members need to change to the KJV for "clarity." An extensive list is given because Christians have been so extensively brainwashed to 'believe a lie'.

NASV vs. KJBHARD WORD (NASB) EASY WORD (KJB)

Matt.1:11, 1:17 deportation carried away Matt.1:20 considered thought

Matt.2:1, 2:7 magi wise men Mark. 2:21 unshrunk new Matt. 2:16 environs coasts

Luke 3:17, Matt. 3:12 winnowing fork fan Luke 11:33, Matt. 5:15, Mark

4:21 peck-measure bushel

Matt. 5:19 annuls break Matt. 5:21 murder kill

Luke 5:29, Matt. 8:11 recline at the table sat Matt. 8:32 begone go

Matt. 9:13, 12:7 compassion mercy Matt. 9:17 wineskins bottles Matt. 9:18 synagogue official certain ruler

Mark 5:25, Matt. 9:20 hemorrhage issue of blood Matt. 9:20, 14:36 fringe hem

Matt. 9:38 beseech pray Matt. 10:1 summoned called Matt. 10:10 tunics coats Matt. 10:16 shrewd wise Matt. 11:26 well pleasing good Mark 14:3 vial box

Mark 14:3, 14:18 reclining sat Luke 1:22 mute speechless

Mark 15:18 acclaim salute Luke 3:5 ravine valley

75

Luke 6:17 descended came down Luke 5:5 bidding word

Luke 6:22 ostracize separate you from their company

Luke 6:48 torrent burst stream beat Luke 6:49 collapsed fell Luke 7:2 highly regarded dear Luke 7:32 sang a dirge have mourned Luke 8:15 perseverance patience Luke 8:31 the abyss the deep Luke 8:33 rushed ran Luke 9:39 seizes taketh Luke 9:42 dashed him to the ground threw him Luke 9:45 concealed hid Luke 10:2 plentiful great Luke 10:2 beseech pray Luke 10:20 recorded written Luke 10:21 well-pleasing good Luke 11:21 undisturbed in peace Luke 11:28 observe it keep it Luke 23:45 being obscured darkened

(This has other implications. It states that the sun was darkened by being obscured, implying the natural phenomenon of an eclipse rather than a supernatural move of God.)

Luke 18:40 questioned asked John 6:60 difficult hard John 7:6 opportune ready

John 10:23 portico porch John 10:24 suspense doubt John 11:17 tomb grave John 11:57 seize take John 11:39 stench stinketh John 12:45 beholds seeth John 12:40 perceive understand John 13:12 reclined set down John 13:23 reclining leaning

76

John 14:27 fearful afraid John 16:8 concerning of

I Thess. 2:17 having been bereft of you being taken from youI Thess. 2:18 thwarted hindered I Thess. 5:1 epochs seasons I Thess. 5:14 admonish warn 2 Thess.2:3 apostasy falling away 2 Thess. 2:3 lawlessness sin 2 Thess. 3:2 perverse unreasonable 2 Thess. 3:6 aloof withdraw I Tim.1:15 foremost of all chief I Tim. 2:8 dissensions doubting I Tim.2:9 discreetly sobriety I Tim. 3:2 prudent sober I Tim.3:2 respectable of good behavior I Tim. 3:3 pugnacious striker I Tim. 3:3 uncontentious not a brawler I Tim.3:8 sordid filthy

I Tim. 5:12 previous pledge first faith I Tim. 6:3 advocates teach I Tim.6:4 conceited proud

I Tim. 6:10 a pang sorrows 2 Tim. 3:2 arrogant proud Titus 1:6 dissipation riot Titus 1:7 sordid filthy Titus 3:2 to malign no one to speak evil of no man Titus 3:2 uncontentious to be no brawlers Titus 3:10 factious heretick Phil. 2:1 consolation comfort Phil. 2:30 deficient lack Heb. 2:17 propitiation reconciliation Heb. 5:10 designated called Heb. 7:2 apportioned gave Heb. 12:1 encumbrance weight James 1:2 encounter fall into

77

James 1:11 in the midst in his ways James 5:11 blessed happy

I Pet.4:4 dissipation riot I John 5:10 borne gave

Rev.1:3 heed keep Rev. 1:9 perseverance patience Rev. 2:2 perseverance patience Rev. 2:3 perseverance patience Rev. 3:10 perseverance patience Rev. 2:23 pestilence death Rev. 4:1 standing was

Rev. 5:11 myriads of myriads ten thousand times ten thousand

Rev. 6:8 ashen pale Rev. 6:8 famine hunger Rev. 6:8 pestilence death Rev. 7:15 spread His tabernacel over dwell among Rev. 9:11 abyss pit Rev. 11:7 abyss pit Rev. 11:9 laid in a tomb put in graves

(It refers to the two witnesses, so graves plural are needed.)Rev. 11:11 who were beholding them saw Rev. 12:3 diadems crowns Rev. 13:1 diadems crowns Rev. 13:5 arrogant words great things Rev. 13:10 perseverance patience Rev. 16:9 fierce great Rev. 16:21 severe great Rev. 17:1 harlot whore Rev. 17:8 abyss bottomless pit Rev. 17:16 harlot whore Rev.18:1 illumined lightened Rev. 18:2 prison of every. . .bird cage Rev. 18:7 mourning sorrow Rev. 18:8 pestilence death

78

Rev. 18:11, 18:12 cargoes merchandise Rev. 19:12 diadem crown Rev. 19:20 seized taken

Rev. 20:1, 20:3 abyss bottomless pit Rev. 21:8 cowardly fearful Rev. 22:7 heeds keepeth

(source: New Age Bible Versions, G.A.Riplinger, 1993 (690 pgs),

Dr. Waite continues: "Some people say they like a particular version because they say it's more readable. Now, readability is one thing, but does the readability conform to what's in the original Greek and Hebrew language? You can have a lot of readability, but if it doesn't match up with what God has said, it's of no profit. In the King James Bible, the words match what God has said. You may say it's difficult to read, but study it out. It's hard in the Hebrew and Greek and, perhaps, even in the English in the King James Bible. But to change it around just to make it simple, or interpreting it, instead of translating it, is wrong."

Version Words Vocab VersesKJB 790685 12784 31102NIV 726109 14500 31085

NKJV 770930 13309 31102RSV 760151 14110 31083

All Those Thee's and Thou's

Have you ever heard any one say "I can't understand that ol' King James Bible with all those thee's and thou's. The young people really need something easier to understand." Sure, all of us King James Bible believers have heard such remarks.

I think people who use such remarks highly under estimate the intelligence of our young people today. It is really not that complicated. If they can figure out all the high tech gadgets of modern society to day then this ought to be as easy as falling when you jump out of an airplane. Unfortunately many young people do not even try because an older generation has told them "it's hard to understand." It's not hard to understand, it's easy to understand. There are two rules to remember:

79

Rule #1:The words that begin with "T" (thee, thou, thy and thine) are singular and refer to only one.

Rule #2:The words that begin with "Y" (Ye, you, your, and yours) are plural and refer to two or more.

That's it, that's all there is to it. Now if you replace the second-person singular pronouns "thee and thou" with the word "you" then you are distorting the scriptures. This is exactly what is happening in the new modern versions and is not an accurate reflection of the way the words are used in the Hebrew and Greek.

You just can't beat the Elizabethan English that the King James Bible is written in. It's a pure beautiful language.

MYTH # 3 ITALICS OF THE KJV

If we are to believe what we hear from the critics, then we must accept the notion that the italicized words in the King James Bible do not belong. We are told that the words were added by the translators and are not the words of God. If this is true, then please explain why Luke, Paul, John, Peter, and even the Lord Jesus QUOTE them! The column on the right shows how New Testament writers and speakers QUOTE the King James italics of the Old Testament:

OLD TESTAMENT SCRIPTURE NEW TESTAMENT QUOTE

I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psa. 16:8)

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: (Acts 2:25)

80

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. (Deu. 25:4)

For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? (I Cor. 9:9. Also see I Tim. 5:18)

And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. (Deu. 8:3)

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Mat. 4:4)

I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. (Psa. 82:6)

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? (John 10:34)

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (Isa. 28:16)

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (I Pet. 2:6)

Did you notice that the New Testament writers QUOTE the words in italics? This means they WERE actually in the originals! When Jesus said, "It is written..." (Mat. 4:4), he was saying that the word "word" was also written--even if the King James translators didn't have it in the Hebrew Old Testament! Like it or not, the Holy Spirit led them to use the word anyhow! If He didn't, then why did Jesus quote it?

Also, we have the case of WHO killed Goliath? II Samuel 21:19 in the KJV says: "And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam." The words "the brother of" are in italics. If these words were omitted, then the Bible would say that Elhanan slew Goliath, instead of his brother, which would contradict the fact that David killed Goliath. (In fact, this is exactly how the New World Translation reads!) If you'll check I Chronicles 20:5, you'll see

81

that the italics of II Samuel 21:19 are well justified. Moral: The English sheds light on the English--WITHOUT "the Greek."

MYTH #4 THE APOCRYPHA OF THE KJV

Another favorite lie of the critics is that the original KJV of 1611 included the Apocrypha, which no true Christian today accepts as Scripture. The Apocrypha is a collection of several pagan writings which the Catholic church accepts as inspired Scripture. In fact, the Council of Trent (1546) pronounced a CURSE upon anyone who denied that these books were inspired. The King James translators did NOT consider the books to be inspired Scripture, nor did they include them in the canon as such. They merely placed the Apocryphal books BETWEEN the Old and New testament as a historical document, not as Scripture. Their reasons for not accepting the Apocrypha as Scripture are listed on page 185-186 of the book Translators Revived, by Alexander McClure. The seven reasons are basically as follows:

1. Not one of them is in the Hebrew language like the rest of the Old Testament books.

2. Not one of the writers lays any claim to inspiration.

3. These books were never acknowledged as sacred Scriptures by the Jewish church, and therefore were never sanctioned by our Lord.

4. They were not allowed a place among the sacred books, during the first four centuries of the Christian church.

5. They contain fabulous statements, and statements which contradict not only the canonical Scriptures, but themselves. For example, in the Books of Maccabees alone, Antiochus Epiphanes dies three times in three places!

6. It inculcates doctrines at variance with the Bible, such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.

7. It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.

What is the Apocrypha anyway?

82

The Apocrypha is a collection of uninspired, spurious books written by various individuals. The Catholic religion considers these books as scripture just like a Bible-believer believes that our 66 books are the word of God, i.e., Genesis to Revelation.

At the Council of Trent (1546) the Roman Catholic religion pronounced the following apocryphal books sacred. They asserted that the apocryphal books together with unwritten tradition are of God and are to be received and venerated as the Word of God. So now you have the Bible, the Apocrypha and Catholic Tradition as co-equal sources of truth for the Catholic. In reality, the Bible is the last source of truth for Catholics. Catholic doctrine comes primarily from tradition stuck together with a few Bible names. In my reading of Catholic materials, I find notes like this: "You have to keep the Bible in perspective." Catholics do not believe that the Bible is God's complete revelation for man.

The Roman Catholic Apocrypha

TobitJudithWisdomEcclesiasticusBaruchFirst and Second MaccabeesAdditions to Esther and Daniel

Apocryphal Books rejected by the Catholic Religion:

First and Second EsdrasPrayer of ManassesSusanna*

*A reader says: "Susanna is in the Roman Catholic canon. It is Daniel 13."

83

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Roman%20Catholicism/oral_tradition.htm

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/1611_authorized_king_james.htm

Basis for the doctrine of purgatory:

2 Maccabees 12:43-45, 2.000 pieces of silver were sent to Jerusalem for a sin-offering...Whereupon he made reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.

Salvation by works:

Ecclesiasticus 3:30, Water will quench a flaming fire, and alms maketh atonement for sin.

Tobit 12:8-9, 17, It is better to give alms than to lay up gold; for alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin.

Magic:

Tobit 6:5-8, If the Devil, or an evil spirit troubles anyone, they can be driven away by making a smoke of the heart, liver, and gall of a fish...and the Devil will smell it, and flee away, and never come again anymore.

Mary was born sinless (immaculate conception):

Wisdom 8:19-20, And I was a witty child and had received a good soul. And whereas I was more good, I came to a body undefiled.

1. It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.

2. No apocryphal book is referred to in the New Testament whereas the Old Testament is referred to hundreds of times.

3. Because of these and other reasons, the apocryphal books are only valuable as ancient documents illustrative of the manners, language,

84

opinions and history of the East.

Wasn't the Apocrypha in the King James?

The King James translators never considered the Apocrypha the word of God. As books of some historical value, the Apocrypha was sandwiched between the Old and New Testaments as an appendix of reference material. This followed the format that Luther had used. Luther prefaced the Apocrypha with a statement:

"Apocrypha--that is, books which are not regarded as equal to the holy Scriptures, and yet are profitable and good to read."

King James Version Defended page 98.

In 1599, TWELVE YEARS BEFORE the King James Bible was published, King James said this about the Apocrypha:

"As to the Apocriphe bookes, I OMIT THEM because I am no Papist (as I said before)..."

King James Charles StewartBasilicon Doron, page 13

Not only this, but the sixth article of the Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England (1571 edition) states:

In the name of the Holy, we do vnderstande those canonical bookes of the olde and newe Testament, of whose authoritie was never any doubt in the Churche...

Now concerning the apocrypha it states,

And the other bookes, (as Hierome sayeth), the Churche doth reade for example of life and instruction of manners: but yet doth it not applie them to establish any doctrene [sic].

Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977, Vol. III, pp.

85

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/basilico-king_james1.htm

489-491.

The Apocrypha began to be omitted from the Authorized Version in 1629. Puritans and Presbyterians lobbied for the complete removal of the Apocrypha from the Bible and in 1825 the British and Foreign Bible Society agreed. From that time on, the Apocrypha has been eliminated from practically all English Bibles--Catholic Bibles and some pulpit Bibles excepted.

Not even all Catholic "Church Fathers" believed the Apocrypha was scripture. Not that this really means anything. The truth is not validated by the false. Nevertheless, this may be of interest to some... Jerome (340-420) rejected the Apocrypha:

"As the Church reads the books of Judith and Tobit and Maccabees but does not receive them among the canonical Scriptures, so also it reads Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus for the edification of the people, not for the authoritative confirmation of doctrine."

JeromeJerome's preface to the books of Solomon

According to Edward Hills in The King James Version Defended p. 98 other famous Catholics with this viewpoint include Augustine (354-430 who at first defended the Apocrypha as canonical), Pope Gregory the Great (540-604), Cardinal Ximenes, and Cardinal Cajetan.

There are other spurious books. These include the Pseudepigrapha which contains Enoch, Michael the Archangel, and Jannes and Jambres. Many of these books falsely claim to have been written by various Old Testament patriarchs. They were composed between 200 B.C. and 100 A.D. There are lots of these spurious books like The Assumption of Moses, Apocalypse of Elijah, and Ascension of Isaiah.

86

Concerning the Dead Sea Scrolls, there may be some information in them that parallels the Masoretic Text, but there are fables in them too. I went to see the scrolls a few years ago with great expectation but found a bunch of fables. The best defense against error in any form (fake Bibles and religions) is a solid knowledge of your King James Bible. If you read it, forgeries become readily apparent.

MYTH #5 ERRORS IN THE KJV

Critics of the KJV have a nasty habit of pointing out what they believe to be errors, contradictions, and mistranslations in the Authorized Version. The sad fact is that they usually point these things out to young men and women in Christian colleges who do not know any better. Many young Christians, including young preachers, are having their faith in God's word destroyed by the very people they look to for spiritual guidance!

These so-called "errors" that are presented by skeptics have been explained and written about so many times. Here are few examples:

1. God is not the author of evil [1 Cor 14:33 / Deut 32:4 / James 1:13]

Now, in Deut 32:4, we read that God is just. None of the above verses teach that God is unjust. Paul is speaking about God in the context of Church gatherings - that in such gatherings, God is a God of peace, not confusion. None of the above verses speak of such Church gatherings. James teaches that God does not tempt anyone with evil. None of the above verses teach that God tempts with evil. (I think Ez 20:25 is best understood in light of Romans 1). Thus, no obvious contradictions in this set.

2. There is but one God [Deut 6:4]

There is a plurality of gods [Gen 1:26 / Gen 3:22 / Gen 18:1-3 / 1 John 5:7]

Deut. 6:4 reads, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one."

Now it is important to note that the Hebrew word used for 'one' is NOT yahid, which denotes absolute singularity elsewhere in the OT. Instead,

87

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?1-John+5:7

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Genesis+18:1-3

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Genesis+3:22


http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Deuteronomy+6:4

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Romans+1

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Ezekiel+20:25


http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?James+1:13


http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?1-Corinthians+14:33

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/king_james_bible_defended.htm

Moses chose the Hebrew word ehad, which signifies unity and oneness in plurality. This word is used in Gen 2:24 where Adam and Eve are instructed to become "one flesh". It's also found in Numbers 13:23, where the Hebrew spies returned with a "single cluster" of grapes. So Deut 6:4 actually supports the concept of the Trinity, by noting that God is "oneness in plurality" (composite unity). The same word which describes the oneness of a marriage relationship is also used to describe God's essence!

3. Public prayer sanctioned [1 Kings 8:22,54 / 9:3]

Public prayer disapproved [Matt 5:5,6]

Mt 6 (not 5) does not as much focus on public prayer as it does on hypocritical prayer -- "And when you pray, you are not to pray as hypocrites." Jesus condemns the prayers designed to gather favor in the eyes of men. Nothing was in contradictory here.

5. God hardened Pharaoh's heart [Ex 4:21 / Ex 9:12]

Pharaoh hardened his own heart [Ex 8:15]

Who hardened Pharoah's heart? Exod. 4:21 and 9:12 God did. Exod. 8:15 Pharoah did.

I agree that They both did. But I would note that people often react very differently to God's actions. For example, let's imagine that God invoked some calimity on people as a judgment for their sin. Some people would respond and repent. Many would simply harden their heart and blame God. Thus, by bringing about this calamity, some might be saved, but God could be said that have indirectly hardened the hearts of others. Of course, sometimes you don't need calamity. I'm sure many Christian's can testify of varying evangelistic experiences. After months of witnessing, some become saved. But sometimes, those who come awful close to being saved back away and become more rebellious than ever, their hearts being more hardened that ever after being touched by the convicting hand of the Holy Spirit.

88

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Exodus+8:15



http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Matthew+5:5-6

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?1-Kings+9:3

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?1-Kings+8:22-54

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Numbers+13:23


6. Christ was crucified at the third hour [Mark 15:25]

Christ was not crucified until the sixth hour [John 19:14,15]

At what hour was Jesus crucified?

Mark 15:25 says it was in the third hour, 9:00 a.m. John 19:14-15 says that in the sixth hour (different clock). He was still not crucified yet but was being judged before Pilate. This was at about 6 a.m.

So three hours later He had carried the cross up to Golgotha (with some help) and was crucified.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts use Hebrew time for their reckoning. John uses Roman time. Another example of this is in John 18:28 -- early morning refers to the fourth Roman watch, which was 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.

8. Jesus was all-powerful [Matt 28:18 / John 3:35]

Jesus was not all-powerful [Mark 6:5]

Matt. 28:18 is after the resurrection, after all power was given to Him by the Father. John 3:35 says that the Father has given all into His hand… could be referring to all the believers, as in other verses in John...

Mark 6:5 shows us that Jesus was limited by man's unbelief.

This is a recurring theme in the Bible, that although God is all-powerful, He chooses to limit Himself to man; that is, He chooses to wait for man's co-operation. This explains why the Bible calls His believers His fellow workers. God doesn't need man to work together with Him, yet this is His chosen means of operation. If this is how He chooses to work, this explains how He is all-powerful and yet "could not do many works of power there because of their unbelief."

Additional Study of Seemingly Difficult Passages or Text of the BIBLE

Eternal Life – John 17:3

89

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Mark+6:5

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Matthew+28:18

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?John+18:28

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?John+19:14-15

http://www.biblegateway.com/bible?Mark+15:25

One of the questions by the Jehovah Witnesses (Russelites) to the Bible Believers is Eternal Life and how to get it. A usual response of the Russelites is to have “the knowledge of the TRUE GOD” which they refer to know and believe Jehovah as the only TRUE GOD.

However, the issue that underlies this text or such belief was met by the following:

Russelites intends to cut the entire verse of the said text.

Explanation: The entire verse states that to have eternal life is to know the only TRUE GOD (Holy Father v.11) and Jesus Christ, whom He has sent. (Note: For additional clarification read the text again)

Russelites did not know how to rightly divide the context.

Explanation: The context is that the world or the people did not comprehend or know the Father save His Son. Clearly on verse 25 our Lord stated that the world hath not known His Father, but only Him (see also Matthew 11:27). In such case knowing the Father is through Christ and only in Christ we can experience eternal life. (Verses like John 3:16; John 3:36; John 5:39-40; John 6:40 etc, sheds light to this truth.)

Russelites are confused with the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about His equality with His Father.

Explanation: Following down in verse 11 our Lord clearly stated that He and His Father are one “…that they may be one, as we are.” One in what? Verse 3 again, stated that His Father was the only TRUE GOD as John wrote it. However, the same writer speaks Jesus as the TRUE GOD (1 John 5:20). So we can see the harmony of the Bible that the Father and His Son are equal (John 10:30).

Almighty and Mighty God

Bible Believers should not be stunned when the Russelites or any skeptics who says that the Father (Jehovah) is the ALMIGHTY GOD and that JESUS CHRIST is only MIGHTY GOD, claiming that they are not equal. The issue here as described by Isaiah the Prophet refer Jesus as the

90

MIGHTY GOD (Isah. 9:6) and that JEHOVAH (YHWH) is the ALMIGHTY GOD (Gen. 17:1;Exo. 6:3).

To fix this seemingly problem in the equality of God the Father and the Son, we shall be using the CHART that will present the two (2) Persons being presented in whom the ALMIGHTY GOD is also the MIGHTY GOD and that the MIGHTY GOD is also the ALMIGHTY GOD.

The Father Almighty God

Gen.17:1 Exo. 6:3

Mighty God

Jer.32:18;Gen.2:4 Psalms 50:1,7; Hab. 1:12

The Son Mighty God

Isah. 9:6

Almighty God

Rev. 1:8; 11:17; Isah.48:12

Book of Life or Tree of Life -Revelation 22:19

While the focus of this verse deals with the phrase "book of life," as opposed to "tree of life," the issue is deeper. The manuscript Codex 1r used by Desiderius Erasmus in the production of his Greek New Testament is missing the last six verses of Revelation chapter twenty-two. It is thought that Erasmus took the Latin Vulgate and retranslated these verses back into Greek. [Erika Rummel, Erasmus’ Annotations on the New Testament: From Philologist to Theologian (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1986), 93. It is claimed that Erasmus openly declares in the Annotations of his 1516 edition (page 675) that he "ex nostris Latinis supplevimus Graeca" (supplied the Greek from the Latin). Thus the claim that the last six verses of Revelation chapter twenty-two were retranslated from the Vulgate into Greek. However, the reprint of the 1516 edition of Erasmus does not contain this phrase on page 675 of his Annotations, which is the conclusion of his notes on the book of Revelation, nor is such a phrase found elsewhere in that edition.] Assuming this hypothesis is true we must ask ourselves the

91

following questions. First, if Erasmus did make use of the Latin Vulgate to supply these last six verses, has the usage of the Latin corrupted the text? Second, was Codex 1r really the only Greek manuscript used by Erasmus for this passage?

Certainly the Latin Vulgate and the Greek Textus Receptus are similar in these last six verses. This, of course, would be natural if the Latin was based on early Greek manuscripts that correspond with the Textus Receptus. We must remember that most of the Greek manuscripts of the second, third, and fourth centuries have not survived the passage of time. However, the Vulgate and the Textus Receptus are not identical either. For example, the conclusion of Revelation 22:20 reads in the Receptus, Amen. Nai, erchou, kurie Iesou (Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus). The Latin reads, amen veni Domine Iesu (Amen come Lord Jesus). The Textus Receptus includes an additional affirmation nai (even so), an addition not found in either the Greek Critical Text or the Latin Vulgate.

If Erasmus did translate back into Greek from the Latin text, he did an astounding job. These six verses consist of one hundred thirty-six Greek words in the Textus Receptus, and one hundred thirty-two Greek words in the Critical Text. There are only eighteen textual variants found within these verses when the two texts are compared. Such textual variants, both in number and nature, are common throughout the New Testament between these two Greek texts. For example, the preceding six verses, Revelation 22:10-15, have fourteen textual variants which are of the same nature, and in Revelation 21:3-8 we find no fewer than twenty textual variants. One would expect, therefore, a greater number of textual variants if Erasmus was translating from the Latin back into Greek, and yet the two texts are extremely close. Even if he did translate from the Latin into Greek it would have no bearing on the doctrine of biblical preservation. Preservation simply demands that God has kept and preserved the words throughout the generations from the time of their inception until this present day and even beyond. It does not demand that these words be preserved in the original languages only.

However, this brings us to our second question. Did Erasmus really translate the Latin back into Greek? Textual scholar Herman C. Hoskier argued that Erasmus did not do this. Instead, he suggests that Erasmus used other Greek manuscripts such as 2049 (which Hoskier calls 141), and the evidence seems to support this position. [H. C. Hoskier, Concerning the Text of the

92

Apocalypse, vol. 2 (London: Bernard Quaritch, Ltd., 1929), 644.] Manuscript 2049 contains the reading found in the Textus Receptus including the textual variant of Revelation 22:19. To this we can also add the Greek manuscript evidence of 296, and the margin of 2067.

Additionally, the Greek text copied by Erasmus in Revelation 22:16-21 reflects a consistency that is found elsewhere in the Textus Receptus, suggesting that it was copied from other Greek manuscripts and not translated from the Latin back into Greek. In Revelation 22:16 we find the phrase tou dabid (the David) in the Textus Receptus as opposed to the Critical Text’s dauid (David). While the English would translate the two identically, it is interesting to note that in Revelation 3:7 we find the same thing. In that passage the Textus Receptus places the definite article before the name of David just as it does in Revelation 22:16, while the Critical Text does not use the definite article before David’s name in either passage.

To counter this, it has been noted that within the text of Erasmus at Revelation 22:16-21 there are a few unusual spellings; for example, elthe (come) instead of the normal erchou (come). This suggests that Erasmus was copying from a Greek manuscript and not translating from the Latin. Erasmus, it should be remembered, was one of the greatest scholars and thinkers of his day. He was fluent in Greek and several other languages. He would have known that the normal New Testament word for come is not elthe but is instead erchouIn fact, Erasmus used erchou in Revelation 22:7; 22:12; and even in 22:20. There must have been a reason for Erasmus to depart from the normal form of the word and write elthe in 22:17. Moreover, the Latin for come in 22:17 is the same Latin word in 22:20, veni. This further suggests that Erasmus was not really translating from the Latin, but was using an additional Greek manuscript other than Codex 1r.

Likewise, there is textual evidence for the reading book of life instead of tree of life. As noted above, the reading is found in a few Greek manuscripts. It is the main reading among the Latin witnesses. The phrase book of life is also the reading of the Old Bohairic version. Finally, it is the reading found in the writings of Ambrose (397 AD), Bachiarius (late fourth century), Primasius (552 AD) and Haymo (ninth century).

One must also consider the internal evidence. The phrase tree of life appears seven times in the Old Testament and three times in the New Testament. In these verses we are told we will be able to eat of this tree, and that this tree

93

of Eden will reappear in Eternity. The idea that one can have their share taken away from the tree of life seems abnormal to Scripture. However, the phrase book of life appears seven other times in the New Testament (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; and 21:27). In each case we find the book of life either contains or does not contain names, or names are blotted out of it. Therefore, the phrase, "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life," is extremely consistent with the biblical texts.

As can be seen from this text, the warning is ominous. While one may understand this passage to apply only to the book of Revelation, it is clear from other passages that the same is true of the whole of Scripture (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6). When applied to the verses discussed in this chapter we must conclude that somewhere in the process of transmission someone either added to the text or omitted from it. There’s the rub, and it should be taken seriously. Scholarship is a noble and honorable profession. However, it ceases to be both if it seeks to usurp the authority of the Lord God. After all, our commitment does not so much rest with our scholarship as it does with the ultimate Scholar.

Jehovah or Yahweh?

The name of God is spelled with the Hebrew letters yod, heh, vav, and heh, read from right to left and then transliterated into English as JHVH (called the Tetragrammaton). In the KJV Old Testament it is translated ‘JEHOVAH’ seven times (and rendered ‘LORD’ the remaining times; see New Age Bible Versions, pp. 373-385). Each of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet paints a picture. The letters in the name of God illustrate the following:

J = jod = It suggests a ‘giving, extending hand’ (Marc-Alain Oauknin, Mysteries of the Alphabet, New York: Abbeville Press, 1999, p. 207). H = heh = It represents an ‘enclosure,’ like heaven or a window (Mysteries, p.191). V = vav = It symbolizes a nail (Mysteries, p. 168). A ‘v’ in

94

English is a pictogram of the chiseled end of a nail.

H = heh = The H is repeated at the end of the name because “Jesus was risen” and “received up into heaven” again (Mark 16:19).

God reached his hand out of the windows of heaven , and we put a nail in it; having taken our punishment for sin, he has returned to heaven . The “nail” “pierced” “hands” of Jesus were foretold in Ps. 22:16 and Isa. 22:23- 25. (Dr. Floyd Jones has even suggested that the sign recorded in John 19:19 might have been written in Hebrew, “JESUS OF NAZARETH AND THE KING OF THE JEWS,” creating an acrostic of the name JHVH, as the vav for ‘and’ begins the word for King, melek (see Hebrew O.T. Gen. 14:8 for Hebrew form). This could explain why the Jews immediately asked Pilate to change it to “he said, I am King of the Jews” (v. 21).

Jesus is a transliteration of the Hebrew ‘Joshua,’ meaning ‘JEHOVAH is salvation.’ Jesus Christ is shown to be the J, the jod “the arm of the LORD” in Isaiah 53:1-12 and Isaiah 59:16, which says, “therefore his arm brought salvation.” Isaiah 63:2, 5 repeats this theme. The jod, is a picture of an arm and hand, drawn in a tiny and compact form. Professor Ouaknin traced the jod from pictograms of a praising upright arm and hand, to outstretched arms, as if on a cross, and finally, to an arm and hand reaching down, like the letter -- reaching like Jesus -- to rescue perishing mankind (Mysteries, pp. 200-207).

In the 19th century, as unbelieving German critics of the Bible were hammering away at the word of God, they tried to refashion God’s name, JEHOVAH. They asserted that the God of Israel’s name should be pronounced Yahweh because, to them, he was nothing more than an offshoot of the pagan deity “Yaho.” Nothing could be further from the truth....

Who hatched the vowels in the new imaginary name Yahweh? The pronunciation, Yahweh, relies upon made-up vowel sounds.

95

It ignores those seen in every pointed Hebrew Bible and used for thousands and thousands of years by both Jews and Christians. The Catholic Encyclopedia, ever ready to perpetuate any theory that discredits the Holy Bible (and its word, JEHOVAH) and promote their church ‘Fathers’ and traditions, reveals that the “cockatrice eggs” ? vowels ‘a’ and ‘e’ ? were laid by Theodoret in the fifth century. “Not familiar with Hebrew, Theodoret used the Syrian” Jabe. (The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. XI, New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1911, s.v. Jehovah, pp. 323-324; Vol. XII, s.v. Theodoret). Over 1500 years later, German higher critics and Catholic ‘scholars’ inserted the vowels in Jabe (a & e) into the consonants in JHVH to hatch the name Jahveh. This broke “out into a viper” called Yahweh, at the hand of English speaking writers, untrained in German and Latin pronunciations (Isa. 59:5). The Catholic Encyclopedia boasts, “Inserting the vowels of Jabe into the original Hebrew consonant text, we obtain the form Jahveh (Yahweh)...” (Catholic Encyclopedia, 1910, Robert Appleton Company, vol. VIII, Online edition 1999, Kevin Knight, www.newadvent.org, s.v. Jehovah, quote taken from Section I, last paragraph; see also Theodoret, in “Ex Quaestione,” xv, in Patrologia Greek., (Greek Fathers, Migne et. al). LXXX, col. 24)

The “oracles of God” were not committed for safekeeping to the Syrians, but to the Hebrews (Rom. 3:2). The name Yahweh is founded upon nothing stronger than a tissue of error woven by the following Bible critics.

• Theodoret taught churches “the cult of the saints” and “supplied them with relics.” He pronounced “anathema upon Nestorius, and upon all who call not upon the Holy Virgin Mother of God...” He could not read Hebrew, but called God, Jabe. (EB, 11th ed., Vol. 26, s.v. Theodoret, p.767; The New Schaff, Vol. XI, pp. 323-324, s.v. Theodoret; Vol. XII, s.v. Yahweh, pp. 470 473). • Unbelieving Bible critics, in the 19th century, merged the vowels in Jabe with JHVH, ignoring every vowel-pointed Hebrew manuscript and

96

printed edition that has ever existed. • Non-German and non-Latin speaking writers copied the Bible critic’s ‘w,’ not realizing that in the critic’s languages it represents the Hebrew and English ‘V’ sound.

Do Commas Matter?

King James Version New International and other Modern Versions

Exodus 12:40“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four

hundred and thirty years.”

Exodus 12:40“Now the length of time the

Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years.”

These Bibles do not say the same thing!The KJV requires 430 years of sojourning and does not state the time

in Egypt.The NIV and others say nothing about sojourning but require 430 years

in Egypt.

Do you know Bible history? God promised Abraham He would bless all Gentile nations through him, when he was 75 years old. This occurred 430 years before God gave the Law to Moses (Gal 3:17), in the same year that Israel left Egypt. Abraham and his family sojourned in Canaan for 215 years, and then his family lived in Egypt for another 215 years. Here is what the 430 years looks like in a table:

God blessed Abraham, when he was 75 (Gen 12:1-4) 0Years until Isaac was born (Gen 21:5) 25Years until Jacob was born (Gen 25:26) 60Age of Jacob at move to Egypt (Gen 47:9) 130

Number of years the family "sojourned in Canaan" 215

Number of years the family sojourned in Canaan 215

97

Number of years the family sojourned in Egypt 215

TOTAL Years Between Abraham's Promise and Moses's Law (Gal 3:17) 430

Can you read English? The KJV in Exodus 12:40 does not say how long Israel dwelt in Egypt: it only says they sojourned 430 years. The NIV does not say Israel sojourned at all: it only says they lived in Egypt 430 years. This is wrong by 215 years, as the table shows. The NIV contradicts itself, because it has Israel in Egypt for 430 years (Ex 12:40), but has only 430 years from Abraham to Sinai (Gal 3:17).

A nonrestrictive clause is not essential to the sentence, so it is enclosed with commas. Exodus 12:40 in the KJV allows Abraham and his family to sojourn for 215 years before moving to Egypt, where their children dwelt another 215 years. The clause, “who dwelt in Egypt,” is enclosed in commas, so it is not essential to the sentence, and it has no relation to the 430 years. The NIV, by removing the commas and any reference to sojourning, requires Israel in Egypt for 430 years, contradicting Galatians 3:17! Commas are important! The NIV is wrong! And so are all other modern versions in Exodus 12:40!

Adjective clauses or phrases are nonrestrictive when they describe (rather than limit the meaning of) the noun or pronoun they modify: set off by commas, they are nonessential parenthetical elements that may be omitted.

Johannine Comma – 1 John 5:7

1 John 5:7 belongs in the King James Bible and was preserved by faithful Christians. But the passage was removed from many Greek manuscripts, because of the problems it seemed to cause.

It is true that there is a small number of Scriptures that are not the same between the King James Bible and the so-called "Majority" Greek text. There are a number of reasons for this:

98

1. The so-called "Majority" text was not really based on the majority of texts, but rather a relatively small number of manuscripts. The last person to try to find the differences between the majority of Greek manuscripts, Dr. Von Soden, did not collate more than 400 of the more than 5,000 Greek texts. In other words, what is commonly called the "Majority" Greek text is not a collation of the majority of manuscripts at all.

2. The "Majority" Greek text is also the main Greek text used by the Eastern Orthodox religion. They had a vested interest in changing (or deleting) some texts. More on this in a moment.

3. 1 John itself is not in a large number of extant Greek manuscripts.

So why then is 1 John 5:7 in the King James Bible, but not in many of the existing Greek manuscripts? To understand the answer, we must look at the history of what happened shortly after the Bible was written.

The Greek and Roman Institutions

During the early growth of the Christian church, ministers (whether saved or not) wrote down doctrines that they said were Christian and Biblical. Starting after the death of the apostles (about 100 AD) many people taught the lie that Jesus was not God the Son and Son of God, or that Jesus became God at His baptism, or the false doctrine that the Holy Spirit was not God or was not eternal.

The growing religion that became known as Roman Catholic, after many debates eventually agreed on the doctrine of the Trinity. So they had no reason to remove 1 John 5:7 from their Bibles, since it supported what they taught.

But the Greek Eastern Orthodox religion was combating a heresy called "Sabellianism," and would have found it easier to combat the heresy by simply removing the troubling passage from their Bibles.

A Trail of Evidence

But during this same time, we find mention of 1 John 5:7, from about 200 AD through the 1500s. Here is a useful timeline of references to this verse:

200 AD Tertullian quoted the verse in his Apology, Against Praxeas

250 AD Cyprian of Carthage, wrote, "And again, of the Father, Son,

99

http://www.chick.com/ask/articles/glossary.asp#sabellianism

and Holy Ghost it is written: "And the three are One" in his On The Lapsed, On the Novatians, (see note for Old Latin)

350 AD Priscillian referred to it [Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, Academia Litterarum Vindobonensis, vol. xviii, p. 6.]

350 AD Idacius Clarus referred to it [Patrilogiae Cursus Completus, Series Latina by Migne, vol. 62, col. 359.]

350 AD Athanasius referred to it in his De Incarnatione 398 AD Aurelius Augustine used it to defend Trinitarianism in De

Trinitate against the heresy of Sabellianism 415 AD Council of Carthage appealed to 1 John 5:7 when debating

the Arian belief (Arians didn't believe in the deity of Jesus Christ)

450-530 AD

Several orthodox African writers quoted the verse when defending the doctrine of the Trinity against the gainsaying of the Vandals. These writers are: A) Vigilius Tapensis in "Three Witnesses in Heaven" B) Victor Vitensis in his Historia persecutionis [Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum, Academia Litterarum Vindobonensis, vol. vii, p. 60.] C) Fulgentius in "The Three Heavenly Witnesses" [Patrilogiae Cursus Completus, Series Latina by Migne, vol. 65, col. 500.]

500 AD Cassiodorus cited it [Patrilogiae Cursus Completus, Series Latina by Migne, vol. 70, col. 1373.]

550 AD Old Latin ms r has it550 AD The "Speculum" has it [The Speculum is a treatise that

contains some good Old Latin scriptures.] 750 AD Wianburgensis referred to it 800 AD Jerome's Vulgate has it [It was not in Jerome's original

Vulgate, but was brought in about 800 AD from good Old Latin manuscripts.]

1000s AD miniscule 635 has it1150 AD minuscule ms 88 in the margin 1300s AD miniscule 629 has it157-1400 AD

Waldensian (that is, Vaudois) Bibles have the verse

1500 AD ms 61 has the verse Even Nestle's 26th edition Greek New Testament, based upon the corrupt Alexandrian text, admits that these and other important manuscripts have the verse: 221 v.l.; 2318 Vulgate [Claromontanus]; 629; 61; 88; 429 v.l.; 636 v.l.; 918; l; r.

The Vaudois

Now the "Waldensian," or "Vaudois" Bibles stretch from about 157 to the 1400s AD. The fact is, according to John Calvin's successor Theodore Beza, that the Vaudois received the Scriptures from missionaries of Antioch of Syria in the 120s AD and finished translating it into their Latin language by

100

http://www.chick.com/ask/articles/glossary.asp#oldlatin

http://www.chick.com/ask/articles/glossary.asp#oldlatin

157 AD. This Bible was passed down from generation, until the Reformation of the 1500s, when the Protestants translated the Vaudois Bible into French, Italian, etc. This Bible carries heavy weight when finding out what God really said. John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards believed, as most of the Reformers, that the Vaudois were the descendants of the true Christians, and that they preserved the Christian faith for the Bible-believing Christians today.

Who Has the Most to Gain? Who Has the Most to Lose?

The evidence of history shows us that the Roman Catholic religion was relentless in its effort to destroy the Vaudois and their Bible. It took them until the 1650s to finish their hateful attacks. But the Vaudois were successful in preserving God's words to the days of the Reformation.

Now we have to ask ourselves a question: Who had the most to gain by adding to or taking away from the Bible? Did the Vaudois, who were being killed for having their Bibles, have anything to gain by adding to or taking from the words of God? Compromise is what the Roman religion wanted! Had the Vaudois just followed the popes, their lives would have been much easier. But they counted the cost. This was not politics; it was their life and soul. They above all people would not want to change a single letter of the words they received from Antioch of Syria. And they paid for this with their lives.

What about the "scholars" at Alexandria, Egypt? We already know about them. They could not even make their few 45 manuscripts agree. How could we believe they preserved God's words?

The Reformation itself owes a lot to these Christians in the French Alps. They not only preserved the Scriptures, but they show to what lengths God would go to keep his promise (Psalm 12:6-7).

God or who/which – 1 Timothy 3:16

THE REVOLTING REJECTION OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST IN 1 TIMOTHY 3:16

The American Standard Version, obviously follows the lead of the Westcott - Hort Revised Version of 1881, using an almost identical misleading footnote. In turn we find the Westcott - Hort team continued the attack on

101

http://www.chick.com/ask/articles/glossary.asp#jonedwards

http://www.chick.com/ask/articles/glossary.asp#johnwesley

the Deity of our Lord, which was launched by the Roman Catholic scholars, who were responsible for the Douay-Rheims Version.

THE N.I.V. IS NO BETTER

The N.I.V., in company with the vast majority of new version, with slavish obedience to custom, deletes one of the great biblical testimonies to the Deity of our Lord. Its footnote, in a masterpiece of understatement, simply reads, "Some MSS. read God".

SOME OF THE EVIDENCE FOR "GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH"

All the Uncial copies except two.

(1) The sickly Sinaiticus

(2) The depraved "D"

All the cursives except one. (viz 17)

All the Church lectionaries, by universal consent. 5th century.

At least 18 of the Church Fathers - quoting directly.

At least 6 of the Church Fathers - quoting indirectly.

The British Museum.

Out of 300 manuscripts and versions, personally examined by John Burgon, 293 contain the reading, "God was manifest in the flesh." Dean Burgon in the Revision Revised gives us a total of 84 pages filled with incontrovertible evidence in favour of "God was manifest in the flesh"; at the same time invalidating the evidence for "He who was manifest in the flesh".

The Codices which are known to witness to the reading, "God was manifest in the flesh" amount to exactly three hundred. (Burgon's Revision Revised Page 528)

102

EVIDENCE FOR SUBSTITUTING "WHO" FOR "GOD"

Of the two lone Uncials claimed as authority for deleting "God," we find that the chief MSS., Sinaiticus speaks with a divided voice. A later scribe, correcting Sinaiticus has written, "God" over the word "Who" of the original scribe. Perhaps I should say, "scribbler," for such he obviously was.

"Who" is not found for certain, in one single ancient Father nor for certain in one single ancient version.

Re three cursives usually cited for "Who:" 17, 73, 181. Number 73 proves to be merely an abridgment of Oecumenius, who certainly read, "God". Number 181 is non-existent.

So transparent, in fact, is the absurdity of writing, ('the mystery who') that copyists promptly substituted (which): thus furnishing another illustration of the well known property of a fabricated reading, viz; sooner or later to become the parent of a second. (Revision Revised Page 99-100)

THE EVIDENCE FOR "WHICH"

Codex Clarmontanus - the only surviving MSS. - 6th century.

Gelasius of Cyzicus - (A.D. 476) the only Church Father.

An unknown author of a homily.

The Versions - for they invariably make the relative pronoun agree in gender with the word which represents mystery, which immediately precedes it.

The Georgian and Slavonic versions agree with the Received Text. (Revision Revised Page 100).

The Romanist Jesuit Douay-Rheims Version.

The more modern versions flee from the Jesuit scholar's "which" in all directions. They do well to abandon this reading.

A PATHETIC CHOICE

Against a mighty Niagara of evidence from the voices of ancient Uncials, Cursives, Lectionaries, and Church Fathers, the New International Version

103

chooses to align itself with the pitiful evidence which enables it to greatly weaken this testimony to the Deity of Christ. This decision of the translators is more than ever to be rejected outright as biased when we consider the character of the only other Uncial Mss., which apart from Sinaiticus, deletes "God". That MSS. Is Codex D.

AND WHAT OF CODEX D?"But by far the most depraved Text is that exhibited by Codex D. No known manuscript contains so many bold and extensive interpolations. Its variations from the sacred Text are beyond all other example." (Scrivener's Plain Introduction Page 118)

"It (Codex D) is thought (not without reason) to exhibit a second century text. When we turn to the Acts of the Apostles,' (says the learned editor,Dr. Scrivener, of the codex in question,) 'we find ourselves confronted with a text, the like to which we have no experience of elsewhere. It is hardly an exaggeration to assert that Codex D reproduces the Textus Receptus much in the same way that one of the best Chaldee Targums does the Hebrew of the Old Testament: so wide are the variations in the diction, so constant and inveterate the practice of expounding the narrative by means of interpolations which seldom recommend themselves as genuine by even a semblance of internal probability." (The Revision Revised Page 13)

"Though a large portion of the Gospels is missing, in what remains (tested by the same standard) we find 3704 words omitted: no less than 2213 added, and 2121 substituted. The words transposed amount to 3471: and 1772 have been modified: the deflections from the Received Text thus amounting in all to 13, 281.---Next to D, the most untrustworthy codex is Sinaiticus, which bears on its front a memorable note of the evil repute under which it has always laboured: viz. it is found that at least ten revisers between the IVth and the XIIth centuries busied themselves with the task of correcting its many and extraordinary perversions of the truth of Scripture. --- Next in impurity comes Vaticanus." (The Revision Revised Page 13, 14)

Jesus Christ is Jehovah Jehovah said: "…and they shall look upon me whom they have

pierced" (Zec. 12:10). The preceding verses (1, 4, 7, 8) identify Jehovah as the one speaking. Christ is the one who was pierced, and

104

John 19:37 clearly tells us that this prophecy was fulfilled in His crucifixion.

Jeremiah the prophet predicted that God would raise up a descendent of David who would reign and be called LORD, or Jehovah: "…this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD (Jehovah) OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Jer. 23:6). Jesus Christ was the descendent of David, who was to be called Jehovah our righteousness.

Who is Lord of the Sabbath? Christ said that He is. "Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath" (Mark 2:28).

Only One Can Be the First and the Last. That One Is Called Both Jesus and Jehovah!

"Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Isa. 44:6)

The Redeemer is, throughout the New Testament, identified as Christ Jesus. In this Scripture He is called LORD (Jehovah). It is clear in this passage that the title "the first and the last" belongs to Jehovah the Redeemer. Look where this title is repeated!

Two Pairs of Passages in Revelation

God makes the identification of Christ with Jehovah even more clear and undeniable in two pairs of passages in Revelation which speak of the first and the last. Only one can be first. There can be no second first. The "last" is also exclusive.

The First Pair Is in Chapter One

The one who is coming in these verses is Jesus Christ, the one who was pierced, who is also clearly called "Jehovah God":

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindred of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1:7-8).

105

To make it more clear that the Jesus who was pierced and is coming with the clouds is Jehovah, here is the same passage from the New World Translation:

"Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen. 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says Jehovah God, 'the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty'" (Rev. 1:7-8).

This identification becomes even more clear in the second verse of this pair where Jesus Christ, the one who died, is identified as Jehovah by calling Him the First and the Last, the exact same words which we saw used for Jehovah a few paragraphs above in the quote from Isaiah 44:6. So you can compare the verses more easily, here is that quote again, this time from the New World Translation: "This is what Jehovah has said, the King of Israel and the Repurchaser of him, Jehovah of armies, 'I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God'". Here is the second of the pair of verses in Revelation:

"…I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore…" To make even more clear that Jehovah is the one who was dead and now lives, the New World Translation capitalizes "First" and "Last". Here it is: "I am the First and the Last, and the living one; and I became dead, but, look! I am living forever and ever…" (Rev. 1:17-18). Jehovah is called the one who died and is living which is Jesus Christ.

The Second Pair Is in Chapters 21-22 "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new.

And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; andI will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Rev. 21:5-7).

In this passage the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end is God, the one seated on the throne, but in the second of this pair Christ

106

the one who is coming quickly is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

"Behold, I come quickly… I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last" (Rev. 22:12, 13).

Not only are the same words used of Christ in 22:13 that were used of the one sitting on the throne in 21:5-7, but He is also called "the first and the last," again applying the description of Jehovah in Isaiah to Christ: "I am the first and I am the last, and besides me there is no God" (Isa. 44:6).

If you are thinking, "Can I believe that this is Christ, when it is Jehovah?" Yes, you can, because as the passage continues, It says:

"I, Jesus…" (Rev. 22:16).The one who is "coming quickly" (22:13) is also identified:

"Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Rev. 22:20).

There can not logically be two beginnings and two ends. There aren't, the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah, come in human flesh.

John the Baptist Prepared the Way of Jehovah

John the Baptist explained why he was preparing the way for Jesus Christ by quoting the words of Isaiah, "Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God" (Isa. 40:3). The New World Translation of the Jehovah's Witnesses puts it, "Clear up the way of Jehovah…"

Matthew shows how John fulfilled this prophecy by preparing the way of Jesus Christ (3:3, 11-17).

The book of Mark begins with the announcement that God was sending John the Baptist to prepare the way of Jesus Christ saying, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Mark 1:1-3). The New World Translation: "Prepare the way of Jehovah, you people, make his roads straight…" John the Baptist, in preparing the way of Christ fulfilled this prophecy. He prepared the way of Jehovah because Jehovah is Jesus Christ come in the flesh.

107

Luke's Gospel says that at John the Baptist's birth, his father had prophesied that John would make Jehovah's ways ready: "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways" (Luke 1:76). New World: "…you will go in advance before Jehovah to make his ways ready". John made Jehovah's ways ready by preparing the way of Christ (Luke 3:4, 16).

In the first chapter of John's Gospel, when people asked John, "who are you?" he answered: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias" (John 1:23. See Isa. 40:3). New World: "…Make the way of Jehovah straight…" Lets pick up the narrative three verses ahead, and see who it is talking about.

"John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not. He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose… The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world… I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water" (John 1:26-27, 29, 31).

For whom was John preparing the way? For Jehovah. That is why John was not worthy to untie His sandal, but John also called Him "Jesus" and "the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world," and said that the reason he had come was to make Him manifest to Israel. Just four verses ahead, John again identifies the Lamb of God whose way he was making straight:

"Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he looked at Jesus walking he said: 'See, the Lamb of God!'" (John 1:35).

God the Son existed with the Father before John was born. Then He came and was born here on earth so that we might know God. That's why He was called Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23), and why John prepared the way for Jesus when he prepared the way for Jehovah (See also Php. 2:5-8).

There Is Only One Savior: Jehovah This One Savior Is also Called Jesus

"I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour" (Isa. 43:11). See also Hos. 13:4; Jude 1:25; Titus 3:4-7. The

108

New World Translation puts it: "I-I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no Savior".

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).

Speaking of Christ, Acts 4:12 says: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved" (See also Titus 2:13, 2 Pet. 3:18).

"But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10).

"For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:11).

If you could do enough works to save yourself, you and Christ would both be saviors, but Christ and Jehovah are one Savior.

Arguments to the Contrary

To deny the divine nature of Jesus, the Watchtower shows his human nature and that he has the relationship of Son to the Father. He does, but before He took on the human nature, He already had the divine nature. "…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14) when He, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Php. 2:7), He already had the divine nature. He humbled Himself to take on a human nature as well when He was born of the virgin and called "God with us".

Whose Witnesses Should We Be?

We are not told to be Jehovah's witnesses in some generic way, but it is specified that we should be witnesses of Jesus Christ:

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

"And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name

109

whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins" (Acts 10:42-43).

The apostles did as they were told, and went out as witnesses of Jesus Christ: "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus…" (Acts 4:33).

Even the Holy Spirit was a witness of Christ. Peter and the other apostles, when they had told of Christ's death and resurrection and that He forgives sins said, "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them" (Acts 5:32). Which side are you on? Would you prefer that Christ's witnesses were done away with, or would you like to join them in their witness that Jesus Christ is that one Saviour?

An Easy Approach to the Word of God

Never try changing the TEXT of the KJV. 2 Corinthians 2:17 Bear in mind that the KJV almost entirely defined difficult words by

studying its context.

Pray for the heavenly wisdom.

Apply what you have learned.

Note: Study tools like Lexicons, Bible Dictionary and commentaries are great but never equate them with the Bible. Oftentimes, this will lead you to question or corrupt the plain interpretation of the Holy Bible.

Rule of Thumb: Reject commentaries or books that correct the TEXT of the Holy Bible (KJV).

110

The Bible

This book reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy,

its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer

you.It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's

sword, and the Christian's charter.Here, too, heaven is opened and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered

forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will regard the greatest labor, and

condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. Owned in riches; studied in wisdom; trusted in salvation; loved it is

character; and obeyed it is power.Author Unknown

111

112

Documents

How the Bible Came to Us - fredsites.weebly.comfredsites.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/3/2/...of_gods_word_and_his_people… · Web viewBy about the year 1000, ... Revelation 19:13 "And