10.02.06
KJV Only Debate
Why I Do Not Use The King James Version In Public Worship
Pastor Paul Orrick
In the past few years a strange movement has started up in some circles; The movement is the “King James Only” movement. Some are saying that the KJV is the only correct translation of the Bible. Some churches are even advertising themselves as a “King James Only Church”.
I am happy to tell you that the idea that the “King James Bible” is the only true translation of the Bible is not an issue in our church. In fact I do not use a KJV in public worship and will give you some of the reasons why I do not.
I Do not Like The Idea of a State Sponsored and Mandated Translation.
I want you to do some “roll playing” with me. I want you to pretend that you are a Baptist in England in the years 1611; the year the King James Bible was first issued.
Here are a couple of questions for you: What Bible are you using in your home in 1611? - What Bible does your pastor read at church on Sunday? - The answers may surprise you. - At home you have The Geneva Bible which was first published in 1560. At church your pastor will probably be reading from The Bishop’s Bible (1568) which was edited by Archbishop Matthew Parker.
Imagine that; Two translations of the English Bible in a Baptist Church, and neither of them is the King James Version. As much as 40 years later it will still be the same, and should you come to America you would find nothing but the Geneva Bible and The Bishops Bible.
The most popular Bible in 1611 and for many years after that was the Geneva Bible, NOT the King James. In 1620 the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth with plans to establishing a new nation. The Bible under their arms was not the King James Version; It was the Geneva Bible.
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Now lets talk about the man King James. James disapproved the use of the Geneva Bible for three reasons (1) The marginal notes in the Genevah Bible were clearly Calvinistic and James was a Catholic (2) Marginal notes in the Genevah Bible said that men and women were sometimes correct in disobeying the king’s orders – King James took this as a strike against his authority (3) The marginal notes in the Genevah Bible clearly identified the Anti-Christ as being the Pope of Rome, and James was a Catholic (Revelation 11:7)
Because of his hatred of the Geneva Bible, James ordered a new translation be created. The result was the King James Version of 1611
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By the way, The same year that King James published his Bible he also burned a Baptist at the stake. The man’s name was Edward Wightman. He was a member of the church were Dr. John Gill was pastor. Wightman was arrested, accused of heresy before the Bishop of Coventry, and burned at the stake on April 11, 1611
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The King James Bible did not meet with acceptance. English speaking people already had the Geneva Bible and it was a Bible that they loved. In order to abolish the Geneva Bible and promote his own translation King James made it against the law to use any other Bible in England other than His Translation.
Think About It: What would you do if a president were elected who immediately ordered a new translation of the Bible be made in his name and then passed a law saying that no other Bibles could be read publicaly in the churchs of America?
Now you know one more reason why Puritans and Baptists left England to come to the free lands of America.
I Do Not Like Having To Translate English Into English
Pastors who use the King James Version are forced Sunday after Sunday to read and then translate the Bible from Old archaic English into the language of the people. We will always have to do some of that, but it is a crime to insist that people use a Bible that they cannot understand without a pastor’s help.
Here are a few examples of King James language which does not make since to 21st century readers:
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. Hebrews 2:18 (KJV)
For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:18 (NKJV)
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: Galatians 1:13 (KJV)
For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
Galatians 1:13 (NKJV)
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? Matthew 6:31 (KJV)
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Matthew 6:31 (NKJV)
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1 Thess 4:15 (KJV)
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 1 Thess 4:15 (NKJV)
But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. Mark 1:30 (KJV)
But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. Mark 1:30 (NKJV)
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Matthew 13:20 (KJV)
But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; Matthew 13:20 (NKJV)
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: James 2:3 (KJV)
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” James 2:3 (NKJV)
And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. Luke 8:55 (KJV)
Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. Luke 8:55 (NKJV)
When I was a boy I would regularly hear preachers preach against the Catholic church. One of the charges that they would level against the priests was that Catholic priests withheld the Bible from the common people. At that time all Catholic Churches conducted Mass in Latin, which the common people could not understand. Old Time Baptist preachers argued that this was done so that the Priest could “lord” their authority over the people
I have just shown you a number of passages in the King James Bible which most Americans cannot understand. This is but a small sample.
Are “King James Only” preachers assuming the same role that Priests of the Latin church assumed? Do they love having it that way?
Jesus Christ Used a Translation of The Bible and Ordered Us To Make More of Them.
In 400 B.C. The Old Testament was translated into Aramaic. This was done because many Jews lost their Hebrew during the Babylonian captivity and could only read and converse in Aramaic. Aramaic was a common language in the Palestine of Jesus’ day, and the Aramaic translations was in use then.
In 250 B.C. The Old testament was translated from Hebrew and Aramaic into Greek. This translation is known as the Septuagint. It is sometimes designated with the Roman numeral LXX (70) because it is believed that 70 – 72 translators did the work of translating. Greek speaking people in the Palestine of Jesus’ day would have known the Scriptures as they came to them from the LXX.
Jesus and His disciples would have used these two translations, and there is evidence of both in the New Testament writings of the Apostles.
Imagine that; Two translations of the Old Testament in use in the early church and neither of them is the King James Version.
In Matthew 28: Jesus gave us these instructions:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
To fulfill this commission we must make many different translations of the Bible. We must see to it that the Bible can be read and understood by the common people of every nation. This means that we not only translate the Bible, but that we from time to time “Update” the language so that common people who read it will be able to understand what it says.
People who insist that the KJV is the only true English translation are failing to fulfill our Lord’s directions in the Great Commission. They are insisting that the common people must not be allowed to read the Bible in their own language. This “smells” of Popery to me.
In the year 1428 a company of men were commissioned by the Pope to travel to the burial place of John Wycliffe. Once there they were to exhume his body (which had been in the grave 44 years) Burn it to ashes, and spread the ashes in the river so that his memory would be erased from the minds of the English people.
Wycliffe’s crime was that he had translated the Bible into the language of the common people. Wycliffe’s dream came true; The plow boys of England could read the Bible in their own language.
Modern translators of the Bible have followed the steps of Wycliffe; They have devoted themselves to getting the Bible into the language of the common people. Sad to say, there are still those who oppose such works and demand that common people read and listen to a form of English that they do not speak and often do not understand.
Amen