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The Inspiration of the Bible -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Portion taken from Dr. Paisley's book My Plea for the Old Sword -- The English Authorised Version (KJV). "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (I Timothy 3:16 Authorized Version). Dr. Ian Paisley The Inspiration of the Bible is a cardinal doctrine of Holy Scripture. It is all important as it sets forth the Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice. Now the...

Wanted: A Bible For The Twenty-First Century And The New Millennium By DR. LAURENCE M. VANCE P.O. BOX 11781 - PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32524 At the dawn of the twentieth century, an attempt to provide the world with a Bible translation in modern English was well underway. The Twentieth Century New Testament (no Old Testament was ever produced) was produced in England and released in three parts between 1898 and 1901. A revised one volume edition was issued in 1904. The excuse for this version was that “English-speaking people of today have not, until quite recently, had the opportunity of reading...

The Validity of the Received Text by Debra E. Anderson Much is being said today in an attempt to denigrate the Textus Receptus, the Greek New Testament text upon which the English Authorised Version and other Reformation-era translations were based. Critics believe that there is no single text which can validly claim the title "Received Text", that the text originated in the works of a Roman Catholic priest, that it was produced using only a few manuscripts - these things would all exclude its use as a valid source of translation, and thus any translations based upon something called the...

The Influence of the King James Version on English Literature THE Bible is a book-making book. It is literature which provokes literature. It would be a pleasure to survey the whole field of literature in the broadest sense and to note the creative power of the King James version; but that is manifestly impossible here. Certain limitations must be frankly made. Leave on one side, therefore; the immense body of purely religious literature, sermons, expositions, commentaries, which, of course, are the direct product of the Bible. No book ever caused so much discussion about itself and its teaching. That is...

Lesson Twelve: Deliberating the Arguments "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39) LESSON INDEX The foundations of mankind are philosophies, traditions (Col. 2:8 ), and science (1 Tim. 6:20). The reality, however, is that our very bedrock lies with the blessed Hope and His bountiful word (Heb. 11:1-3). What and how we think is not as important as what God says. How we view our world is not how God views it (Isa. 55:8). Therefore, if we are to know the truth of a matter...

The King James Version as English Literature LET it be plainly said at the very first that when we speak of the literary phases of the Bible we are not discussing the book in its historic meaning. It was never meant as literature in our usual sense of the word. Nothing could have been further from the thought of the men who wrote it, whoever they were and whenever they wrote, than that they were making a world literature. They had the characteristics of men who do make great literature—they had clear vision and a great passion for truth; they...

Lesson Eleven: Translational Considerations LESSON INDEX As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16) The majority of objections to the King James Bible can be placed in one of two categories. The first deals with the text. In regard to this, we have not only considered the underlining Greek text of the Authorized Version, but also the Greek text which underlines the vast majority of...

Lesson Eleven: Translational Considerations LESSON INDEX As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Peter 3:16) The majority of objections to the King James Bible can be placed in one of two categories. The first deals with the text. In regard to this, we have not only considered the underlining Greek text of the Authorized Version, but also the Greek text which underlines the vast majority of...

LESSON 10: TEXTUAL CONSIDERATIONS LESSON INDEX Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6) Contextually the above citation concerns the strengthening of Zerubbable with regard to building the Temple. The Almighty God informed his servant that the accomplishment of this deed would not be fulfilled by the potency and purpose of human authorities, but by His Spirit. For us, there is a deeper and continuous meaning. Successful endeavors for God can auspiciously be...

The King James Version: Its Influence on English and American History THE King James version of the Bible is only a book. What can a book do in history? Well, whatever the reason, books have played a large part in the movements of men, specially of modern men. They have markedly influenced the opinion of men about the past. It is commonly said that Hume's History of England, defective as it is, has yet "by its method revolutionized the writing of history," and that is true. Nearer our own time, Carlyle's Life of Cromwell reversed the judgment of history on...

LESSON EIGHT: The Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek Septuagint What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. (Rom. 3:1-2) LESSON INDEX According to the Bible, the Hebrews were given charge of keeping and copying God's word. The word oracle means revelation, prophecy, canon, or edict. It was unto the Jew, that the Old Testament revelation and canon were committed. This is why twice in the Old Testament they were instructed not to add to or take from the word of God....

LESSON SEVEN: The Authorized Version Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou? (Ecc. 8:4) LESSON INDEX The Authorized King James Version is the word of the King. It not only contains the name of the monarch who ruled England in 1611, but it speaks with royal majesty proclaiming the words of the King of Kings. No translation of the Bible has had a greater impact on the English-speaking people as has the KJV. This is not opinion, but fact. In literature, it stands immortal with the writings of...

LESSON SIX: German, Spanish, and Early English Versions The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it. (Psalm 68:11) LESSON INDEX It has been argued that if the KJV is the word of God, what about the time before 1611? Were believers who spoke English without the preserved word of God until the KJV was published? Is the word of God limited only to the English-speaking people? Such argumentation is clearly either a misunderstanding or misrepresentation of the views of Bible believers who hold to the KJV as the preserved word of God for the...

LESSON FIVE: The Traditional Text Line For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. (1 Thess. 2:13) LESSON INDEX INSPIRATION AND PRESERVATION The Biblical approach to textual criticism stands in direct contrast to the concepts and theories of modern textual scholars and their accepted texts and translations. While textual evidence and studies is by no means to be ignored,...

LESSON 4: Early heresies and the Western and Alexandrian line LESSON INDEX (NOTE: The student should be forewarned that the material in these next two lessons is lengthy but essential in the understanding of textual criticism and our approach to that study.) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them....

LESSON 2 Comparing Translational Differences ''Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?'' (1 Cor. 5:6). The claim is often made that contemporary versions of the Bible and the traditional King James Version (KJV) differ only in that the modern versions update the archaic language found in the KJV. All one need do to verify this point is ask the average layperson who uses a current version why they use it. The common response will be that the King James is hard to understand and the modern version uses today's language. There are those who are more...

LESSON 1 Preservation And Reconstruction [Footnotes are in red and placed in brackets] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17) As Bible-believing Christians we begin our search for truth with the Word of God. By faith, we accept what God has said and allow Him to prove it to be true. For example, we believe in special creation and oppose the theory of evolution because Scripture teaches man was created and did not evolve from a common primate. There are many convincing proofs in the realm of science that support Biblical...