What About People Who Can't Understand The King James?

Bible Versions Your Questions Answered ^ | 2002 | David W Daniels

[Commander8]

QUESTION: I know some people who basically refuse to read the KJV because they claim they don't understand it. However, they are willing to read the NIV. I feel bad about recommending the NIV to them if they aren't willing to read the KJV because I feel that the KJV is the Word of God. But in a case like this, is it better to have them read the NIV over nothing at all?

[Wrigley]

For those who want the answer, but don't want to head over to the site:


Answer: A false Bible is not the truth. It's that simple. I am a kind and soft-hearted person. I would love to tell people it were okay to read other Bibles and just as good for them. That's my personality. But I cannot. I cannot compromise the truth and tell people that a Bible that is missing or adding or changing the truth is STILL the truth. False Bibles are not "The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing but the Truth."

I have to tell people the truth. I myself found it out at 17 when I started reading a King James Bible and needed to understand it. This truth is simple: It is by the Holy Ghost that we understand the King James Bible. Look at these scriptures.


Luke 24:45 — Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 — Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Acts 17:11 — These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

It is by God's great grace that we can understand His words. Here is what I did. Just as the Bible says, I pray to the Father (Colossians 3:17; 1 Peter 1:17) in the name of Jesus, God the Son (Matthew 18:20; John 14:13-14; 15:16), and ask that the Holy Ghost reveal the scriptures to me (John 14:26; 15:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12-16).

Since the first day I prayed that way to God, even though I was still in the occult, the Lord began to show me His truth as I read His words in the King James Bible. Two weeks later I was saved!

What's more, I was amazed to find out two years later in Bible college that what God had shown me about the Bible was correct. What a blessing! And God is "no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34) so I believe what He did for me He will also do for you or anyone who asks Him.

If we need help with words we do not understand, we use a Bible dictionary or King James Bible Companion. But when we do not understand Bible teaching, we pray to our God, in Jesus' name, who by the Holy Ghost richly supplies "all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

May God bless us all as we read and trust God to understand His preserved words in English, the King James Bible

[Salvation]

Bible Translation Guide

Basically what it says that there are many translations. So which one should a person use? The one they will read. Don't worry about it.

[jgrubbs]

I personally use the New King James, but have many different translations in my library.

[Conservative til I die]

What's it like to worship a Bible translation?

[Conservative til I die]

May God bless us all as we read and trust God to understand His preserved words in English, the King James Bible

But it's missing 7 books of God's Word.

[Commander8]

Bible believers do not worship the Bible.

http://www.chick.com/reading/books/158/158_21.asp

[drstevej]

***Since the first day I prayed that way to God, even though I was still in the occult, the Lord began to show me His truth as I read His words ***

Sound familiar?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***But it's missing 7 books of God's Word***

Nonsense. If you want the one with the Apocrypha just order one. Cambridge and Nelson(origional 1611 version)both print KJV bibles with it. Or you can order the KJV Apocrypha as a separate book.

[aimhigh]

Just before the New King James version, there was the release of the King James II, which I found to be the best translation. Anyone who is hard core for the old King James should get an original version. It's changed many times over the centuries.

[Conservative til I die]

Nonsense. If you want the one with the Apocrypha just order one. Cambridge and Nelson(origional 1611 version)both print KJV bibles with it. Or you can order the KJV Apocrypha as a separate book.

SO you deny that these are God's Word?

[Jean Chauvin]

"This truth is simple: It is by the Holy Ghost that we understand the King James Bible. Look at these scriptures. "

With that logic, we don't need the KJV at all. For it will be by the Holy Ghost that we understand the Greek and Hebrew original wordings!

Jean

[xzins]

I think some didn't understand that wrigs was quoting the link from which this thread derives.

I have great regard for the KJV and for the TR. I think they arose before the advent of the critical methods and texts. They are a wonderful balance to whatever anti-supernatural presuppositions that higher criticism brings to textual study.

I also like the fact that the translators were decisive. Like it or not, but they did make translation choices and boldly put them forward without quibbling in margins and footnotes.

[drstevej]

***Like it or not, but they did make translation choices and boldly put them forward without quibbling in margins and footnotes.***

If a greek or Hebrew term has flexibility in meaning why not note it in the margin? What merit is "boldness" if it may be at the expense of the original. I like the NASB precisely because it doesn't always make the call for the reader.

[xzins]

We had this discussion last week.

Whoever wrote whatever passage didn't say 2 different things, they said 1 thing.

I like those with the courage to choose. There are plenty of commentaries and study bibles to raise issues.

[drstevej]

If I am the translator (or preacher for that matter) and after study I believe there is reasonable room for two different renderings, I think it is wisdom to note that.

For example. The phrase "the love of God" (genitive case) may mean either God's love for us (subjective genitive) or our love for God (objective genitive). The greek word would be precisely the same in either instance. So the context controls the meaning. But it is not always clear from the context whether a genitive is an objective genitive versus subjective genitive. And it may well be possible that the author chose a term that had a dual meaning because both are true.

I say, be faithful to the original language.

[LiteKeeper]

For a balanced presentation, see The Biblical Position of the KJV Controversy

[xzins]

I'm talking textual variants primarily, but it does extend to translation issues.

In your example, "the love of God" the dual meaning is carried over precisely into English. There is no issue.

[drstevej]

Xzins, I give up trying to help you see my point.

[xzins]

Give up.....I'm gonna have to become a heretic. You post smilies to them. :>)

Some bird flippin' smilies