- Fighting Back! -

Copyright © 1997 James L. Melton

Used by permission

Published by Bible Baptist Church, Sharon, TN

Fighting Back! Is written, and copyrighted by James L. Melton. We are honored to be using this information on our website by permission from the author.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction

2. Reasons for Accepting the KJV as God's Preserved Word

3. Questions for the KJV Critics

4. Seventy-five Common Sayings in the KJV

5. The Italicized Words in the KJV

6. Antioch vs. Alexandria

7. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus

8. Facts about Westcott and Hort

9. Translating the King James Bible

10. Let's Compare Bibles

11. The New King James Version

12. The New Scofield Reference Bible

13. The Various Editions of the 1611 A.V.

14. Why the KJV Translators Did Not Accept the Apocrypha as Scripture

15. "Errors" in the King James Bible

16. Fifty Stumbling Stones of the Laodicean Translations

17. Recommended Reading

Introduction:

As Bible-believing Christians, we believe that the words of the King James Authorized Version are the pure and preserved words of God for the English speaking people. This booklet has been written to help fellow Bible-believers defend themselves against the fiery darts of the wicked Laodiceans and Alexandrians who do not believe that any human being should have a printed final authority to guide him through this wicked world of darkness and deceit.

I realize it is unusual to see such a brief booklet addressing so many subjects, but it is my personal belief that this is what many people need in these last days. The Bible Believer's Helpful Little Handbook has been well accepted by Christians because of it's variety, it's brevity, and it's scriptural content. I've tried to stick to that same basic principle in this booklet. Since this is mainly a reference guide, it isn't necessary for you to read the entire booklet in order to appreciate many of the truths it contains. Each small section contains valuable truths that the active Bible-believer will find helpful time after time. However, if you'll take the time to read the entire booklet, you will learn many things that will increase your faith in God's preserved word. You will also become more equipped to do battle with the Alexandrian apostates who work endlessly in their efforts to replace your two-edged sword with a toothpick. These people take great delight in ridiculing and intimidating people like you and I, and far too often they win because we do not know the answers. With a good knowledge of the information in the forthcoming pages, you CAN know the answers and you can win a few battles of your own.

I urge you to become familiar with this little booklet. Mark or highlight the special places that will be most useful to you. Keep a copy close by and when the moment is right, USE IT!

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. (Psa. 12:6-7)

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Reasons for Accepting the KJV as God's Preserved Word:

1. God promised to preserve His words (Psa. 12:6-7; Mat. 24:35). There has to be a preserved copy of God's pure words somewhere. If it isn't the KJV, then what is it?

2. It has no copyright. The text of the KJV may be reproduced by anyone for there is no copyright forbidding it's duplication. This is not true with the modern perversions.

3. The KJV produces good fruit (Mat. 7:17-20). No modern translation can compare to the KJV when it comes to producing good fruit. For nearly four hundred years, God has used the preaching and teaching of the KJV to bring hundreds of millions to Christ. Laodicean Christians might favor the new versions, but the Holy Spirit doesn't.

4. The KJV was translated during the Philadelphia church period (Rev. 3:7-13). The modern versions begin to appear rather late on the scene as the lukewarm Laodicean period gets underway (Rev. 3:14-22), but the KJV was produced way back in 1611, just in time for the many great revivals (1700-1900). The Philadelphia church was the only church that did not receive a rebuke from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was the only church that "kept" God's word (Rev. 3:8).

5. The KJV translators were honest in their work. When the translators had to add certain words, largely due to idiom changes, they placed the added words in italics so we'd know the difference. This is not the case with many new translations.

6. All new translations compare themselves to the KJV. Isn't it strange that the new versions never compare themselves to one another? For some strange reason they all line up against one Book--the A.V. 1611. I wonder why? Try Matthew 12:26.

7. The KJV translators believed they were handling the very words of God (I Ths. 2:13). Just read the King James Dedicatory and compare it to the prefaces in the modern versions. Immediately, you will see a world of difference in the approach and attitude of the translators. Which group would YOU pick for translating a book?

8. The KJV is supported by far more evidence. Of over 5,300 pieces of manuscript evidence, ninety-five percent supports the King James Bible! The changes in the new versions are based on the remaining five percent of manuscripts, most of which are from Alexandria, Egypt. (There are only two lines of Bibles: the Devil's line from Alexandria, and the Lord's line from Antioch. We'll deal with this later.)

9. No one has ever proven that the KJV is not God's word. The 1611 should be considered innocent until proven guilty with a significant amount of genuine manuscript evidence.

10. The KJV exalts the Lord Jesus Christ. The true scriptures should testify of Jesus Christ (John 5:39). There is no book on this planet which exalts Christ higher than the King James Bible. In numerous places the new perversions attack the Deity of Christ, the Blood Atonement, the Resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and the Second Coming. The true scriptures will TESTIFY of Jesus Christ, not ATTACK Him!

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Questions for the KJV Critics:

1. Since you're smart enough to find "mistakes" in the KJV, why don't you correct them all and give us a perfect Bible?

2. Do you have a perfect Bible?

3. Since you do believe "the Bible" is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice, could you please show us where Jesus, Peter, James, Paul, or John ever practiced your terminology ("the Greek text says...the Hebrew text says....the originals say...a better rendering would be....older manuscripts read...." etc.)?

4. Since you do not profess to have a perfect Bible, why do you refer to it as "God's word"?

5. Remembering that the Holy Spirit is the greatest Teacher (John 16:12-15; I John 2:27), who taught you that the King James Bible was not infallible, the Holy Spirit or man?

6. Since you do believe in the degeneration of man and in the degeneration of the world system in general, why is it that you believe education has somehow "evolved" and that men are more qualified to translate God's word today than in 1611?

7. There is one true God, yet many false gods. There is one true Church, consisting of true born-again believers in Christ, yet there are many false churches. So why do you think it's so wrong to teach that there is one true Bible, yet many false "bibles"?

8. Isn't it true that you believe God inspired His holy words in the "originals," but has since lost them, since no one has a perfect Bible today?

9. Isn't it true that when you use the term "the Greek text" you are being deceitful and lying, since there are MANY Greek TEXTS (plural), rather than just one?

10. Before the first new perversion was published in 1881 (the RV), the King James Bible was published, preached, and taught throughout the world. God blessed these efforts and hundreds of millions were saved. Today, with the many new translations on the market, very few are being saved. The great revivals are over. Who has gained the most from the new versions, God or Satan?

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Seventy-five Common Sayings:

The King James Bible is supposedly written in an "old and archaic language" that people today have trouble understanding, but please notice how so many of our modern sayings come from between it's covers. Hundreds could be presented, but we'll limit ourselves to seventy-five:

1. Genesis 4:2-5: can't get blood from a turnip

2. Genesis 7: don't miss the boat

3. Genesis 11:7-9: babbling

4. Genesis 15:5: teller

5. Genesis 43:34: mess (of food)

6. Exodus 19:16-18: holy smoke

7. Exodus 28:42: britches

8. Exodus 32:8: holy cow

9. Leviticus 2:14: roast ears

10. Leviticus 13:10: the quick (raw flesh)

11. Leviticus 14:5-6: running water

12. Leviticus 16:8: scapegoat

13. Leviticus 25:10: Liberty Bell

14. Numbers 21:5: light bread

15. Numbers 35:2-5: suburb

16. Deuteronomy 2:14: wasted him

17. Deuteronomy 24:5: cheer up

18. Deuteronomy 32:10: apple of his eye

19. Judges 5:20: star wars

20. Judges 7:5-12: under dog

21. Judges 8:16: teach a lesson

22. Judges 17:10: calling a priest father

23. I Samuel 14:12: I'll show you a thing or two

24. I Samuel 20:40: artillery

25. I Samuel 25:37: petrified

26. II Samuel 19:18: ferry boat

27. I Kings 3:7: don't know if he's coming or going

28. I Kings 14:3: cracklins

29. I Kings 14:6: that's heavy

30. I Kings 21:19-23: she's gone to the dogs

31. II Chronicles 9:6: you haven't heard half of it

32. II Chronicles 30:6: postman

33. Nehemiah 13:11: set them in their place

34. Esther 7:9: he hung himself

35. Job 11:16: It's water under the bridge

36. Job 20:6: he has his head in the clouds

37. Psalm 4:8: lay me down to sleep

38. Psalm 19:3-4: he gave me a line

39. Psalm 37:13: his day is coming

40. Psalm 58:8: pass away (dying)

41. Psalm 64:3-4: shoot off your mouth

42. Psalm 78:25: angel's food cake

43. Psalm 141:10: give him enough rope and he'll hang himself

44. Proverbs 7:22: dumb as an ox

45. Proverbs 13:24: spare the rod, spoil the child

46. Proverbs 18:6: he is asking for it

47. Proverbs 24:16: can't keep a good man down

48. Proverbs 25:14: full of hot air

49. Proverbs 30:30: king of beasts

50. Ecclesiastes 10:19: money talks

51. Ecclesiastes 10:20: a little bird told me

52. Song Solomon 2:5: lovesick

53. Isaiah 52:8: see eye to eye

54. Jeremiah 23:25: I have a dream (MLK, Jr)

55. Ezekiel 26:9: engines

56. Ezekiel 38:9: desert storm or storm troopers

57. Daniel 3:21: hose (leg wear)

58. Daniel 8:25: foreign policy

59. Daniel 11:38: the force be with you (star wars)

60. Hosea 7:8: half-baked

61. Jonah 4:10-11: can't tell left from right

62. Zephaniah 3:8-9: United Nations Assembly

63. Matthew 25:1-10: burning the midnight oil

64. Matthew 25:33: right or left side of an issue

65. Matthew 27:46: for crying out loud

66. Mark 5:13: hog wild

67. Luke 11:46: won't lift a finger to help

68. Luke 15:17: he came to himself

69. Romans 2:23: breaking the law

70. Philippians 3:2: beware of dog

71. Colossians 2:14: they nailed him

72. I John 5:11-13: get a life

73. Revelation 6:8: hell on earth

74. Revelation 16:13: a frog in my throat

75. Revelation 20:15: go jump in the lake

If you've checked these references, then you can easily see how our all-wise God has played a beautiful joke on the modern revisionists. People who do not even believe the KJV quote it every day! Furthermore, if you'll grab yourself a NIV, a NCV, a TEV, or anything else, you'll find that many of these modern sayings have been destroyed by the "better language" of the Laodiceans.

For example, I always thought that when I was a young boy my father and I crossed the Mississippi on a ferry boat (II Sam. 19:18), but I guess we must have crossed at the ford instead (NIV). Then there were times when I got out of line and dad would really set me in my place (Neh. 13:11). Too bad he didn't have a NIV, for he could have stationed me at my post. I guess there was nothing dad loved more than going out early on Saturday mornings and catching a mess of fish (Gen. 43:34). It's a good thing we didn't have a NKJV in those days, for he would have only caught a serving. We usually had hushpuppies with that fish dinner, but sometimes we just had light bread (Num. 21:5). That is, until the neighbors came over with their New American Bible. Then we had wretched food. Then dad would always say, "Cheer up, son, it'll be better next time!" (Deu. 24:5) Too bad he didn't have a NKJV, for I'm sure he would have said, "Come on, boy, bring happiness to yourself!"

So you get the point: the new versions don't stand a chance when competing with the KJV to use the most "modern" speech! Go ahead, have yourself some fun. Learn to appreciate God's sense of humor! Grab a new translation and see first hand how the modern versions are still stuck in the Dark Ages when it comes to keeping up with modern speech.

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The Italicized Words in 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:

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

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Antioch vs. Alexandria:

We hear much talk these days about "older" and "more authoritative" manuscripts, but we aren't hearing much about the origin of these manuscripts. It is a well established fact that there are only two lines of Bibles: one coming from Antioch, Syria (known as the Syrian or Byzantine type text), and one coming from Alexandria, Egypt (known as the Egyptian or Hesycnian type text). The Syrian text from Antioch is the Majority text from which our King James 1611 comes, and the Egyptian text is the minority text from which the new perversions come. (Never mind Rome and her Western text, for she got her manuscripts from Alexandria.)

The manuscripts from Antioch were mostly copied by Bible-believing Christians for the purpose of winning souls and spreading the word of God. The manuscripts from Alexandria were produced by infidels such as Origen Adamantius and Clement of Alexandria. These manuscripts are corrupted with Greek philosophy (Col. 2:8), and allegorical foolishness (not believing God's word literally). The strange thing is that most Christians aren't paying any attention to what God's word says about these two places! Notice how the Holy Spirit casts Egypt and Alexandria in a NEGATIVE light, while His comments on Antioch tend to be very positive:

Egypt and Alexandria:

1. Egypt is first mentioned in connection with Abraham not trusting Egyptians around his wife (Gen. 12:10-13).

2. One of the greatest types of Christ in the Bible was sold into Egypt as a slave (Gen. 37:36).>

3. Joseph did not want his bones left in Egypt (Gen. 50:25).

4. God killed all the firstborn of Egypt (Exo. 12:12).

5. God calls Egypt "the house of bondage" (Exo. 20:4).

6. God calls Egypt an "iron furnace" (Deu. 4:20).

7. The Kings of Israel were even forbidden to get horses from Egypt (Deu. 17:16), so why should we look there for a Bible?

8. The Jews were forbidden to go to Egypt for help (Jer. 42:13-19).

9. God plans to punish Egypt (Jer. 46:25).

10. God calls His Son out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1; Mat. 2:15).

11. Egypt is placed in the same category as Sodom (Rev. 11:8).

12. The first time Alexandria is mentioned in the Bible, it is associated with unbelievers, persecution, and the eventual death of Stephen (Acts 6:9; 7:54-60).

13. The next mention of Alexandria involves a lost preacher who has to be set straight on his doctrine (Acts 18:24-26).

14. The last two times we read about Alexandria is in Acts 27:6 and Acts 28:11. Here we learn that Paul was carried to his eventual death in Rome by two ships from Alexandria .

Alexandria was the second largest city of the Roman Empire, with Rome being the first. It was founded in 332 B.C. by Alexander the Great (a type of the Antichrist in Daniel 8). Located at the Nile Delta, Alexandria was the home of the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world. Also, during the second and third centuries B.C., it was the home of a massive library containing between 500,000 and 700,000 volumes. It was also the home of a catechetical school once headmastered by the great apostate Adamantius Origen (185-254 A.D.).

QUESTION: In light of what God's word says about higher knowledge and philosophy (I Cor. 1:22; Rom. 1:22; Gen. 3:5; Col. 2:8; I Cor. 8:1), why would any serious Christian expect to find the true word of God in Alexandrian manuscripts?

Antioch:

1. Upon it's first mention, we find that Antioch is the home of a Spirit-filled deacon (Acts 6:3-5). Do you suppose it is a mere accident that the Holy Spirit first mentions Antioch in the same chapter where He first mentions Alexandria?

2. In Acts 11:19, Antioch is a shelter for persecuted saints.

3. The first major movement of the Holy Ghost among the Gentiles occurs in Antioch (Acts 11:20-21).

4. Paul and Barnabas taught the Bible in Antioch for a whole year (Acts 11:26).

5. The disciples were first called "Christians" at Antioch (Acts 11:26).

6. The church at Antioch sends relief to the poor saints at Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30).

7. The first missionary journey is sent out from Antioch (Acts 13:1-3).

8. Antioch remains the home base or headquarters of the early church (Acts 14:19-26; 15:35).

9. The final decision of the Jerusalem council was first sent to Antioch (Acts 15:19-23, 30), because Antioch was the home base.

10. Antioch was the location of Paul setting Peter straight on his doctrine (Gal. 2:11).

Founded in 300 B.C. by Seleucus Nicator, Antioch was the third largest city of the Roman Empire. Located in Syria, about twenty miles inland from the Mediterranean on the Orontes River, Antioch had it's on sea port and more than it's share of travelers and tradesmen. In His infinite wisdom, God picked the ideal location for a "home base". Antioch was far enough away from the culture and traditions of the Jews (Jerusalem and Judaea) and the Gentiles (Rome, Greece, Alexandria, etc) that new Christians could grow in the Lord. Meanwhile, it's geographical location was ideal for taking God's word into all the world.

So, friend, you have a choice. You can get your Bible from Alexandria, or you can get it from Antioch. If you have a KJV, then your Bible is based on manuscripts from Antioch. If you have a new version, then you are one of many unfortunate victims of Satan's salesmen from Alexandria, Egypt.

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Sinaiticus and Vaticanus:

When someone "corrects" the King James Bible with "more authoritative manuscripts" or "older manuscripts," or "the best authorities," they're usually making some reference to Sinaiticus or Vaticanus. These are two very corrupt fourth century uncials that are practically worshipped by modern scholars. These are the primary manuscripts that Westcott and Hort relied so heavily on when constructing their Greek text (1851-1871) on which the new versions are based.

Vaticanus (B) is the most worshipped. This manuscript was officially catalogued in the Vatican library in 1475, and is still property of the Vatican today. Siniaticus (Aleph) was discovered in a trash can at St. Catherine's Monastery on Mt. Sinai by Count Tischendorf, a German scholar, in the year 1844. Both B and Aleph are Roman Catholic manuscripts. Remember that! You might also familiarize yourself with the following facts:

1. Both manuscripts contain the Apocrypha as part of the Old Testament.

2. Tischendorf, who had seen both manuscripts, believed they were written by the same man, possibly Eusebius of Caesarea (260-340 A.D.).

3. Vaticanus was available to the King James translators, but God gave them sense enough to ignore it.

4. Vaticanus omits Geneses 1:1-46:28, Psalm 106-138, Matthew 16:2-3, Rom. 16:24, I Timothy through Titus, the entire book of Revelation, and it conveniently ends the book of Hebrews at Hebrews 9:14. If you're familiar with Hebrews 10, you know why.

5. While adding The Epistle of Barnabas and The Shepherd of Hermas to the New Testament, Siniaticus omits John 5:4, 8:1-11, Matthew 16:2-3, Romans 16:24, Mark 16:9-20, Acts 8:37, and I John 5:7 (just to name a few).

6. It is believed that Siniaticus has been altered by as many as ten different men. Consequently, it is a very sloppy piece of work (which is probably the reason for it being in a trash can). Many transcript errors, such as missing words and repeated sentences are found throughout it.

7. The Dutch scholar, Erasmus (1469-1536), who produced the world's first printed Greek New Testament, rejected the readings of Vaticanus and Siniaticus.

8. Vaticanus and Siniaticus not only disagree with the Majority Text from which the KJV came, they also differ from each other. In the four Gospels alone, they differ over 3,000 times!

9. When someone says that B and Aleph are the oldest available manuscripts, they are lying. There are many Syriac and Latin translations from as far back as the SECOND CENTURY that agree with the King James readings. For instance, the Pashitta (145 A.D.), and the Old Syriac (400 A.D.) both contain strong support for the King James readings. There are about fifty extant copies of the Old Latin from about 157 A.D., which is over two hundred years before Jerome was conveniently chosen by Rome to "revise" it. Then Ulfilas produced a Gothic version for Europe in A.D. 330. The Armenian Bible, which agrees with the King James, has over 1,200 extant copies and was translated by Mesrob around the year 400. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus are clearly NOT the oldest and best manuscripts.

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Facts about Westcott and Hort:

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) were the two English "scholars" who produced the corrupt Greek text of the modern versions. Their dominating influence on the revision committee of 1871-1881 accounts for most of the corruption that we have today in modern translations. The Bible believer should keep several points in mind when discussing these two men. The following information is well documented in Final Authority, by William Grady, and in Riplinger's New Age Bible Versions:

1. Together, the Life and Letters of Brooke Foss Westcott and the Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort run over 1,800 pages. A personal salvation testimony is not given once for either man, and the name "Jesus" is found only nine times!

2. Westcott was a firm believer in Mary worship, and Hort claimed that Mary worship had a lot in common with Jesus worship.

3. Hort believed in keeping Roman Catholic sacraments.

4. Hort believed in baptismal regeneration as taught in the Catholic church.

5. Hort rejected the infallibility of Scripture.

6. Hort took great interest in the works of Charles Darwin, while both he and Westcott rejected the literal account of Creation.

7. Westcott did not believe in the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennium, or a literal Heaven.

8. Both men rejected the doctrine of a literal Hell, and they supported prayers for the dead in purgatory.

9. Hort refused to believe in the Trinity.

10. Hort refused to believe in angels.

11. Westcott confessed that he was a communist by nature.

12. Hort confessed that he hated democracy in all it's forms.

13. Westcott also did his share of beer drinking. In fact, only twelve years after the Revised Version was published, Westcott was a spokesman for a brewery.

14. While working on their Greek text (1851-1871), and while working on the Revision Committee for the Revised Version (1871-1881), Westcott and Hort were also keeping company with "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1). Both men took great interest in occult practices and clubs. They started the Hermes Club in 1845, the Ghostly Guild in 1851, and Hort joined a secret club called The Apostles in the same year. They also started the Eranus Club in 1872. These were spiritualists groups which believed in such unscriptural practices as communicating with the dead (necromancy).

15. The Westcott and Hort Greek text was SECRETLY given to the Revision Committee.

16. The members of the Revision Committee of 1881 were sworn to a pledge of secrecy in regard to the new Greek text being used, and they met in silence for ten years.

17. The corrupt Greek text of Westcott and Hort was not released to the public until just five days before the debut of the Revised Version. This prevented Bible-believing scholars like Dean Burgon from reviewing it and exposing it for the piece of trash that it was.

QUESTION: Does this sound like an HONEST work of God or a DISHONEST work of the Devil?

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Translating the King James Bible:

Unlike Westcott, Hort, and the R.V. Committee, King James went through great efforts to guard the 1611 translation from errors. Please note the following:

1. In 1604, King James announced that fifty-four Hebrew and Greek scholars had been appointed to translate a new Bible for English speaking people. The number was reduced to forty-seven by the time the work formally began in 1607.

2. Rather than working together all at one location, these men were divided into six separate groups, which worked at three separate locations. There were two at Westminster, two at Oxford, and two at Cambridge.

3. Each group was given a selected portion of Scripture to translate.

4. Each scholar made his own translation of a book, and then passed it on to be reviewed by each member of his group.

5. The whole group then went over the book together.

6. Once a group had completed a book of the Bible, they sent it to be reviewed by the other five groups.

7. All objectionable and questionable translating was marked and noted, and then it was returned to the original group for consideration.

8. A special committee was formed by selecting one leader from each group. This committee worked out all of the remaining differences and presented a finished copy for the printers in 1611.

9. This means that the King James Bible had to pass at least FOURTEEN examinations before going to press.

10. Throughout this entire process, any learned individuals of the land could be called upon for their judgment, and the churches were kept informed of the progress.

QUESTION: Does THIS sound like an HONEST work of God or a DISHONEST work of the Devil?

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Let's Compare Bibles:

In this section, we have reprinted our Let's Compare Bibles tract. Here you will see several good examples of how modern Bible versions are attacking God's word. We have selected eight modern translations for evaluation. The translations evaluated are as follows:

NIV....... New International Version

NASB... New American Standard Bible

NRSV... New Revised Standard Version

REB...... Revised English Bible

LB......... Living Bible

NWT..... New World Translation

NAB ..... New American Bible

NKJV.... New King James Version

Although we have limited this study to eight new translations, you will find many of these attacks manifested in ANY new translation. You will find that some of the most important doctrines of the Bible are being attacked in the new versions. Whether you have a Living Bible, a New Century Version, a Revised Standard Version, or any of the other perversions of Scripture, you are going to see the Devil hard at work on the revision committees of the new translations. The King James reading will appear first, followed by a brief comment, and then the perverted readings of the modern perversions.

Psalm 12:6-7

"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."

The above promise from the King James Bible tells us that God intends to preserve His WORDS forever. Notice how the new versions destroy this promise by making you think the context is God's PEOPLE rather than His WORDS:

NIV....... you will keep us safe

NASB... Thou wilt preserve him

NRSV... You, O Lord, will protect us

REB...... you are our protector

LB......... you will forever preserve your own

NAB...... You, O Lord, will keep us

Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Notice how some new versions attack the Virgin Birth of Christ by robbing Mary of her virginity. As anyone well knows, a young woman or a maiden is NOT necessarily a virgin:

NRSV... young woman

REB...... young woman

NWT..... maiden

Luke 2:33

"And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him."

Here the new versions attack the Virgin Birth by telling us that Joseph was Christ's father:

NIV....... The child's father

NASB... His father

NRSV... the child's father

REB...... The child's father

NWT..... its father

NAB...... the child's father

I Timothy 3:16:

"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."

Notice how the King James is very clear in telling us WHO was manifest in the flesh: GOD was manifest in the flesh. Now watch the new perversions throw God clear out of the verse:

NIV....... He appeared in a body

NASB... He who was revealed in the flesh

NRSV... He was revealed in flesh

REB...... He was manifested in the flesh

LB......... who came to earth as a man

NWT..... He was made manifest in the flesh

NAB...... He was manifested in the flesh

Micah 5:2:

"But thou, Bethlehem 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 of old, from everlasting."

This is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the verse tells us that He had no beginning. As the Second Member of the Trinity, He is ETERNAL, or from everlasting, but not in most modern translations:

NIV....... from ancient times

NRSV... from ancient days

REB..... in ancient times

NWT.... from the days of time indefinite

NAB..... from ancient times (vs. 1)

Isaiah 14:12:

"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!"

Revelation 22:16 tells us that Jesus Christ is the "Morning Star". The King James Bible never gives this title to anyone else. However, in some new versions, Jesus Christ and Satan are the same, because some versions have taken the liberty to call Satan the "morning star" in Isaiah 14:12. Although some versions do not go so far as to call Satan the "morning star," they still throw out the name "Lucifer".

NIV....... morning star

NASB... star of the morning

NRSV... Day Star

REB...... Bright morning star

NWT..... you shining one

NAB...... morning star

Daniel 3:25:

"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."

This is an excellent Old Testament verse which shows that Jesus Christ existed long before He was born in Bethlehem. Naturally, the new versions will pervert it with pagan foolishness:

NIV....... a son of the gods

NASB... a son of the gods

NRSV... a god

REB..... a god

LB........ a god

NWT.... a son of the gods

NAB..... a son of God (vs. 92)

Colossians 1:14:

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"

Satan hates the Atoning Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, so we shouldn't be surprised to find the blood missing in modern translations:

NIV....... redemption, the forgiveness of sins

NASB... redemption, the forgiveness of sins

NRSV... redemption, the forgiveness of sins

REB..... our release is secured and our sins are forgiven

NWT.... we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of sins

NAB...... redemption, the forgiveness of our sins

Romans 14:10-12:

"But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God."

If you'll read the above verses carefully, you will notice how it magnifies Jesus Christ. According to verse 10, we will stand before the Judgment Seat of CHRIST, and verse 12 says that when we do we will give account to GOD. When we stand before Jesus Christ we will be standing before God--an excellent text on the Deity of Christ. Now watch as the new versions throw Jesus Christ clear out of the passage by replacing the word "Christ" in verse 10 with "God:"

NIV....... God's judgment seat

NASB... Judgment seat of God

NRSV... judgment seat of God

REB...... God's tribunal

LB......... Judgment Seat of God

NWT..... judgment seat of God

NAB...... judgment seat of God

Acts 8:37:

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.

This verse is very important because it places a definite condition upon water baptism: one must first BELIEVE ON CHRIST. Many modern versions throw the entire verse out of the Bible:

NIV....... entire verse missing

NRSV... entire verse missing

REB...... entire verse missing

NWT..... entire verse missing

NAB...... omits entire verse, but re-numbers the verses so you won't miss it

II Corinthians 2:17:

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.

You can imagine how this verse must be a thorn in the flesh to the modern translators who are busy CORRUPTING the word of God day and night. So, do they repent of their sins and get right with God? Of course not:

NIV....... peddle

NASB... peddling

NRSV... peddlers

REB...... adulterating the word of God for profit

LB......... hucksters

NWT..... peddlers

NAB...... trade on the word of God

NKJV.... peddling

II Timothy 2:15:

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

This is the one command in the New Testament to "study" and "rightly divide" God's word, and the Devil does NOT appreciate it:

NIV....... Do your best...correctly handles

NASB... Be diligent...handling accurately

NRSV... Do your best...rightly explaining

REB...... Try hard...keep strictly to the true gospel

LB......... Work hard...Know what his word says and means

NWT..... Do your utmost...handling the word of truth aright

NAB...... Try hard...following a straight course inpreaching the truth

NKJV.... Be diligent...rightly dividing

I Timothy 6:20:

"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:"

Many lies are being propagated today in the name of "science" (evolution for example), but I Timothy 6:20 has been warning us about it all along - except in the new perversions:

NIV....... knowledge

NASB... knowledge

NRSV... knowledge

REB...... knowledge

LB......... knowledge

NWT..... knowledge

NAB...... knowledge

NKJV.... knowledge

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The New King James Version:

We will now give some special attention to one of the deadliest translations on the market--the New King James Version, first published in 1979. It is a deadly version because it's editors have succeeded in deceiving the body of Christ on two main points: (1) That it's a King James Bible (which is a lie), and (2) that it's based on the Textus Receptus (which is only a partial truth). The following information should be helpful when dealing with Christians who have been swindled by the Laodicean lovers of filthy lucre:

1. The text of the NKJV is copyrighted by Thomas Nelson Publishers, while there is no copyright today on the text of the KJV. If your KJV has maps or notes, then it may have a copyright, but the text itself does not.

2. There's nothing "new" about the NKJV logo. It is a "666" symbol of the pagan trinity which was used in the ancient Egyptian mysteries. It was also used by satanist Aleister Crowley around the turn of this century. The symbol can be seen on the New King James Bible, on certain rock albums (like Led Zepplin's), or you can see it on the cover of such New Age books as The Aquarian Conspiracy. (See Riplinger's tract on the NKJV.)

3. It is estimated that the NKJV makes over 100,000 translation changes, which comes to over eighty changes per page and about three changes per verse! A great number of these changes bring the NKJV in line with the readings of such Alexandrian perversions as the NIV and the RSV. Where changes are not made in the text, subtle footnotes often give credence to the Westcott and Hort Greek Text.

4. While passing off as being true to the Textus Receptus, the NKJV IGNORES the Receptus over 1,200 times.

5. In the NKJV, there are 22 omissions of "hell", 23 omissions of "blood", 44 omissions of "repent", 50 omissions of "heaven", 51 omissions of "God", and 66 omissions of "Lord". The terms "devils", "damnation", "JEHOVAH", and "new testament" are completely omitted.

6. The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him. The word "Servant" replaces "Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces "child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. The word "Jesus" is omitted from Mark 2:15, Hebrews 4:8, and Acts 7:45.

7. The NKJV confuses people about salvation. In Hebrews 10:14 it replaces "are sanctified" with "are being sanctified", and it replaces "are saved" with "are being saved" in I Corinthians 1:18 and II Corinthians 2:15. The words "may believe" have been replaced with "may continue to believe" in I John 5:13. The old straight and "narrow" way of Matthew 7:14 has become the "difficult" way in the NKJV.

8. In II Corinthians 10:5 the KJV reads "casting down imaginations", but the NKJV reads "casting down arguments". The word "thought", which occurs later in the verse, matches "imaginations", not "arguments". This change weakens the verse.

9. The KJV tells us to reject a "heretick" after the second admonition in Titus 3:10. The NKJV tells us to reject a "divisive man". How nice! Now the Alexandrians and Ecumenicals have justification for rejecting anyone they wish to label as "divisive men".

10. According to the NKJV, no one would stoop so low as to "corrupt" God's word. No, they just "peddle" it (II Cor. 2:17). The reading matches the Alexandrian versions.

11. Since the NKJV has "changed the truth of God into a lie", it has also changed Romans 1:25 to read "exchanged the truth of God for the lie". This reading matches the readings of the new perversions, so how say ye it's a King James Bible?

12. The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.

13. The word "science" is replaced with "knowledge" in I Timothy 6:20, although "science" has occurred in every edition of the KJV since 1611! How say ye it's a King James Bible?

14. The Jews "require" a sign, according to I Corinthians 1:22 (and according to Jesus Christ - John 4:48), but the NKJV says they only "request" a sign. They didn't "request" one when signs first appeared in Exodus 4, and there are numerous places throughout the Bible where God gives Israel signs when they haven't requested anything (Exo. 4, Exo. 31:13, Num. 26:10, I Sam. 2:34, Isa. 7:10-14, Luke 2:12, etc). They "require" a sign, because signs are a part of their national heritage.

15. The King James reading in II Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man is in Christ he is a new "creature", which matches the words of Christ in Mark 16:15. The cross reference is destroyed in the NKJV, which uses the word "creation."

16. As a final note, we'd like to point out how the NKJV is very inconsistent in it's attempt to update the language of the KJV. The preface to the NKJV states that previous "revisions" of the KJV have "sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech", and also that they too are taking a "further step toward this objective". However, when taking a closer look at the language of the NKJV, we find that oftentimes they are stepping BACKWARDS! Please note a few examples of how well the NKJV has "kept abreast of the changes in the English language":

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The New Scofield Reference Bible:

Another counterfeit "KJV" is the New Scofield Reference Bible (NSRB). "King James Version" is clearly printed on the cover, but since when has it been safe to judge a book by it's cover? Please note the following:

1. Dr. C.I. Scofield had been dead many years when the NSRB was published in 1967. He would have never approved of having his name on a "bible" that alters the text of the KJV. The 1909 and 1917 editions of the Scofield Reference Bible do NOT change the text. Therefore the NSRB of 1967 is NOT a Scofield Bible and it is NOT a KJV.

2. Dr. Scofield would have never referred to baptism as a "sacrament," but the NSRB takes the liberty to do so in an Acts 8 footnote.

3. The NSRB changes the KJV with "better readings" in over 6,500 places.

4. In the introduction to the NSRB, 1967 edition, E. Schuyler English tries to justify changing the KJV text on the basis that Dr. Scofield saw the need to update his reference Bible after only eight years. Yes, Dr. Scofield did update his Bible after only eight years, but HE NEVER CHANGED THE TEXT!, and he never granted anyone else permission to do so. Only the NOTES were revised! (The Judgment Seat of Christ is going to be very interesting to say the least!)

5. In many places the NSRB agrees with the readings of the new translations, rather than the KJV, so it cannot possibly be a KJV. For example, "a son of the gods" appears in Daniel 3:25, rather than "the Son of God" (KJV). In Genesis 1:28, Adam is told to "fill" the earth, instead of "replenish" it, which isn't the same at all. A great reference to television and magazines is destroyed when the NSR