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King James Only Advocates believe the KJV (King James Version) is the only true bible translation and all other modern versions like NIV (New International Version), NASB (New American Standard) or NKJ (New King James) are unreliable. The KJO argument makes the King James Bible something that the translators never intended it to be.

“This is a belief riddled with emotion and ignorance.” – Norman Guisler

“This movement splits churches, destroys ministries and shakes peoples faith in the word of God.” – Hank Hanegraaff

“Often there is ignorance that Christians have about the history and transmission of the bible.” – James White

Video - James White Debates Jack Moorman On Exclusive King James Onlyism

Canon

Skeptics sometimes have the notion that a bunch of men got together and decided what would be included in the bible. However, the whole bible is inspired. Spirit-moved men wrote God Breathed words which are inherent (true and without error) and divinely authoritative. The scriptures are God-breathed, not the translators. There was never a time in history when any one man, a group of men or religious organization had control over all the manuscripts of the bible. There were copies of manuscripts spread all over the known world and translated to different languages. So if someone came along and made a radical change in a manuscript (as the Gnostics did), when you compare that one manuscript against the other 5,000 it sticks out like a sore thumb. This is how God has preserved Scripture from contamination.

If there were 10 people in a room and you asked them to hand copy a chapter out of the book of John, you would end up with 10 different copies because some might make spelling mistakes or other errors in copying the information down. Textual variations don’t sacrifice content. Even as I type on my laptop with a spell-check function I still find errors that have been overlooked. So if you collected the 10 variations that were copied, you could piece together the original by comparing the texts.

The word “canon” comes from the rule of law that was used to determine if a book measured up to a standard. The writings of Scripture were canonical at the moment they were written over a 1500 year period by 40 different authors in 3 languages. It reads like a complete story from Genesis to Revelation.

Textual Choices

In 1516 the first printed and published version of the New Testament was completed by Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Roman Catholic priest. Bibles were printed in Greek and in Latin. This translation was based on 6 manuscripts. But we now have 5,366 manuscripts to date. Erasmus published five editions during his lifetime. The 3rd edition was the most popular. His editions and other editions were available and utilized by the King James translators as the basis for the King James New Testament. So they had less information available to them than we have available to us today. No matter what translation you read from, realize that human beings were involved in making the textural choices. The KJV didn’t just fall out of the sky. King James commissioned the project in 1604 and it was completed in 1611.

Received Text

NIV or other modern translations are faithful to the original manuscripts. The idea that the door of revelation closed in 1611 is based on tradition (and we know what Jesus had to say about tradition). It is understandable that readers can get attached to a certain style of writing and tend to oppose anything that brings change, but when is the last time you heard someone speaking in old English? There are at least 827 words and phrases in the days of King James that have changed meaning or are no longer used in our modern, everyday English language.

Modern translations are more effective in communicating to the people of today. KJO advocates go as far as to say the JKV is a re-inspiration of the bible. They refer to this as the Textus Receptus or received text, but the 1611 edition of the KJV underwent various changes in 1613, 1629, 1638, 1762 and 1769. So which one should a KJO Advocate hold to?

Formal & Dynamic

If you take a German saying and translate it to English what do you get? Here’s a formal translation of a particular German saying. THE MORNING HOURS HAVE GOLD IN THEIR MOUTHS. If you do a dynamic translation you get THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM. Which one makes more sense to you? Here’s a formal translation of a French saying. I HAVE THE COCKROACH. That doesn’t make much sense. But if we do a dynamic translation we get I AM DEPRESSED or I HAVE THE BLUES. In modern translations, when Greek manuscripts are translated to English, the same rules apply. The argument KJO people use is dynamic translations lose meaning in the process. This is not true.

Luke 9:44

Formal Translation (King James Version)

Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

Dynamic Translation (New International Version)

 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”

Textual Disputes

Translations are using different Greek or Hebrew manuscripts, therefore showing a different reading in the English translation.

John 3:36

KJV - He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

NIV  - Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

Translational Disputes

Both translations are using the same Greek or Hebrew manuscript but wording information in a different ways.

John 6:47

NIV  - I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.

KJV  - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

2 Timothy 2:15

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

NKJ -  Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

NIV -  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

NCV -  Make every effort to give yourself to God as the kind of person he will approve. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way.

ESV -  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

ASV -  Give diligence to present thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, handling aright the word of truth.

AMP - and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

Proof Text

A proof text is a verse or short passage from the Bible used as a proof for a doctrinal belief. However, since verses and passages may depend on the context in which they appear for correct interpretation, pulling these out of their context and having them stand alone in a “proof” can, at times, be very misleading. Jehovah’s Witnesses love to use KJV as a tool to promote their heresy by referring to Romans 8:26 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. JW’S claim the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force. Reading the KJV as a whole, you can’t come to that conclusion. This verse was better translated in NKJ. Romans 8:26 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Psalm 12:1-8 

KJV  - for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him. 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 wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

NIV  - for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, “We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips – who is our master?” “Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,” says the LORD. “I will protect them from those who malign them.” And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.

KJO Advocates claim the word of God is taken out verse 7 and changed to people. The psalmist talks of the growing strength of the wicked. Dishonesty and deception abound. The psalmist can only appeal to God’s justice. The Lord knows them that serve Him and will indeed come to their aid. To find a promise in verse 7 of the promise of God’s written word is to introduce a subject totally foreign to the context. Had verse 7 referred to God’s preserving His Word from corrupting influences and evil men, we should have expected the preceding verses of the psalm to speak of the attack of men upon the Scriptures, but It’s the persecuted men, not written words, that occupy the psalmist’s attention. If you isolate 6 and 7 from the context, it appears that the words are the object of preservation, not the people. Yes, God’s word will be preserved forever. He is the “Word”, the “I Am” therefore it would seem improper to say that He preserves Himself. Modern translations are also accused of removing the blood of Christ and the reality of Hell from the bible. Again, when you read the bible as a whole you certainly don’t come to that conclusion.

Cited Sources:  The King James Only Controversy by James White