KYV is 'sublime'; newer versions add light

[Columnist Michael J. McManus takes Scripture out of context to support illegal alien immigrants]:

"When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them. Any immigrant who lives with you must be treated as if they were one of your citizens. You must love them as yourself because you were immigrants in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." (CEB)

Isn't that more clear and compelling than anything all Republican candidates are saying?"

("...Isn't that more clear and compelling than anything all Republican candidates are saying?")

That last question/statement by McManus makes it clear he is using Scripture out of context to support "illegal" immigrants and attack Republicans.

Those Scriptures taken out of context by McManus were not intended to defend those who "break the law" and trespass a nation's sovereign borders.

Click the link below to read all of McManus's column, which for the most part deals with different enlish translations of the Bible.

"And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God." (KJV)

Once again, the KJV is accurate. You see, illegals aren't sojourning here - they're trespassing here. Committing a crime. The new versions don't reveal anything special.

Once again, the KJV is accurate. You see, illegals aren't sojourning here - they're trespassing here. Committing a crime. The new versions don't reveal anything special.

The newer versions may be easier to read if you aren't familiar with Elizabethan English, but they are translated from manuscripts that were redacted. I'm amazed at how much of the New Testament is flat missing from the NASB, for example (it's the translation used in my church, but I use the KJV and my wife and kids use the NKJV).

Go look up Acts 8:37 in an NIV and see what you find.

Another example was from a recent message I heard, and the passage is Colossians 1:14:

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (NASB)

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (KJV)

The mention of the blood of Christ is conspicuously absent from multiple passages in the newer translations.

“Redacted” isn’t exactly the truth, but that is another subject for another thread. There are verses and pieces of the KJV that do NOT exist in ANY manuscript, period - but were added in from the Latin Vulgate (which is by no means an inspired document in-and-of itself). And Acts 2:37 is in brackets in my NASB - with a footnote that truthfully says that “many manuscripts do not contain these verses”. Indeed there are several much older manuscripts that don’t this and other verses that appear in the Textus Receptus (and again - the KJV translators supplemented this more recent collection of manuscripts with the Vulgate to further “expand” the Bible). But again - another thread and/or private discussion...

But with ANY translation (including the KJV), using tools available like a good Greek/Hebrew dictionary (Strong’s) is so very important in digging out the real meaning.

Far too many people “read the Bible” with no intention of looking “deeper” - thus the popularity of super-dumbed-down translations and paraphrases (ECV, NLT, The Message, et-al.)

But back to the current thread - the specific passage McManus is using (out of context and wrongly) is the same passage that so many others (especially in the Catholic Church) use to justify amnesty/welfare/etc. for illegals. As has been pointed out, the actual context and literal meaning is that those who are visiting - temporarily present (remember lots of folks passed through Israel in travels and in commerce. This wasn’t folks trying to come in and take advantage of the Israelites. Travelers... not uninvited permanent residents.

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