Which Bible Version Should I Use? (Resources)
Should you use the NIV, ASV, NKJV etc or the KJV? Here is a load of resources in that great Bible Version debate to let you decide for yourself. There has been an ongoing debate as to whether we should read the King James Version (KJV) or modern Bible versions like the NIV, NKJV, NEB etc. It is often said that the newer versions are clearer as they use words that are easier to understand and weed out obsolete words including the Shakespeare-sounding “thee” “thou” and “thine.” However, despite the advantages of these modern versions we still have to be concerned about their twisting of scripture and their disturbing omissions which cast doubt on the Bible’s reliability. I once conducted Bible studies with a young man who was on drugs and he told me that he appreciated the Bible studies more when my friend and I used a modern version than when we used the more archaic KJV. That comment is not to be ignored but at the same time we have to be concerned by some grave details surrounding these new versions. Here are the resources I recommend on all this.
(1) Av1611.com
The links below show various texts and graphically runs a line through all the words left out by modern versions. In one instance at least you see a whole paragraph crossed out by modern Bible versions. See the links below:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker.html
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker2.html
The following link shows Bible versions side by side and you can see what has been omitted. It is called a “Bible Version Comparison Chart.” See the links:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/various.html
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts.html
Imagine the NIV, NASV and the NWT leave out the following crucial text from Matt. 18:11:
“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”
Then in Luke 4:8 they leave out something the Devil would want to be left out. The omitted text is:
“Get thee behind me, Satan.”
They also leave out Acts 8:37 which says:
“If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Another text that the Devil would love to take out of the Bible was taken out by the modern versions mentioned. They leave out “Let us not fight against God.” (Acts 23:9)
The following link demonstrates that the Modern Versions often omit the names “Jesus” or “Christ” or “Lord”:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/preeminence.html
As you continue with this research it will become plain as day that key texts proving the deity of Jesus, the Trinity (three as one in unity not three in one), the great need for prayer and fasting, the holiness of God’s Word and the people He used to write the Bible, all these things were attacked by the omissions of the Modern Versions. Even when they mention these things they say in the margin of these Bibles that some manuscripts do not have that text. This then casts uncertainty on the validity and credibility of the text.
(2) Av1611.org
This site is not to be confused with av1611.com. Note that one web address ends with “.com” and the other with “.org.” On that site Terry Watkins put together an online tract entitled “The New International Perversion.” While there are a few things there that are trivial and somewhat wrong biblically for the most part he makes some good points showing that that version robs Jesus of His deity and even gives one of Jesus’ titles to the Devil. He claims that the NIV takes away 64,576 words from the Bible! He also challenges the claim that the NIV is easier to read and also shows many of the NIV’s omissions. See the link here: http://www.av1611.org/niv.html See also this extensive list of omissions on the part of modern Bible versions:
http://www.av1611.org/biblecom.html
This site also claims that the symbol found on the NKJV is the same symbol that witches use and pictorial evidence is given comparing the NKJV symbol with the symbol on a witch’s manual! Read all about it and the other pitfalls of this version here: http://www.av1611.org/nkjv.html
This site also has some empirical data showing that modern Bible versions often use words that are harder to understand than the KJV. See http://www.av1611.org/kjv/kjveasy.htmlIt then ironically gives a long list of archaic words in the NIV. See here: http://www.av1611.org/kjv/vanceniv.html
(3) jesus-is-savior.com
This site is loaded with information on this topic as well as on other spiritual and contemporary topics. It seems to be a repository of almost all the information mentioned so far. While I have seen things on that site that I do not agree with even in the manner in which things are sometimes stated yet no serious research on this topic and on many other topics like music should be without the contributions of this site.
It deals with the various Bibles together comparing their readings and showing the omissions that affect various Bible doctrines. You can see that here:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/bibles_compared.htm
See also:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/deity_of_christ_and_modern_versions.htm
This site goes behind the scenes to look at the two main men behind all modern Bible versions – Wescott and Hort (or should I say coHort), giving their beliefs and practices which were diametrically opposed to good Bible teaching and practice. See the page with links to their background here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/heretics_behind_modern_versions.htm
The site claims and gives information regarding this – that both men used to literally attempt to chase ghosts! See that here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/chasing_ghosts.htm
As you navigate that page you will see that they also believed in Purgatory, prayers for the dead and even in evolution. Some of their own words are quoted to that effect so you hear it from the horses’ mouth. See also: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/wh-heretics.htm
They have an article entitled “Lineage of the Modern Corrupt Versions” here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/lineage_of_corrupt_versions.htm as well as a host of related articles links on the same page. Jesus-is-savior.com also gives the reason that the word “sodomite” found in the KJV does not appear in the NIV stating the practices and orientation of some of the people on the Translation committee as the reason! See it here:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/sodomite_missing_from_niv.htm
This site also gives a lengthy list of words in the NIV that are certainly not clearer than the words in the KJV: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/NIV/vt.htm
(4) Sdadefend.com
This site has a free online copy of the book “Our Authorized Bible Vindicated” by Benjamin Wilkinson. It gives a history of the two different streams of manuscripts from which come the KJV and the modern Bible versions. It is a must read for anyone wanting to get a grasp of the history of both sets of versions and so make a judgment as to whether the modern versions are trustworthy or not. Get the book at this link:
http://www.sdadefend.com/MINDEX-Resource%20Library/Our%20Authorized%20Bible%20Vindicated.pdf
Browse the above sites to find more information on this topic. I gave the main pages of these sites.
(5) Biblegateway.com
If you are want to do your own comparisons between versions besides those given at the above sites you will need to have various Bible versions. Here is a s ite that will let you access various Bible versions and in various languages. It is http://www.biblegateway.com/
(6) Great books on this topic
I am very reluctant to even mention the name of this site since the name can mean more than one thing. Please remember that the name of the site seen in the upcoming link is the man’s name! Two of the best books on this topic are Gail Riplinger’s “New Age Bible Versions” and “If the foundations be destroyed.” These can be purchased at the following links:
http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0170.asp
http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0132.asp?FROM=biblecenter
They also have a Bible quiz where you have to use your NIV and supposedly you cannot answer the questions using your NIV because they have omitted the words. That is priceless! I mean it is great fun and you do not have to pay for the quiz. See the quiz here:http://www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/articles/nivquiz.asp
Now, I do not share the view that the KJV is the only Bible you can read. There is also the Geneva version of the Reformers which is by no means one of the modern ones where the manuscripts were tampered with. I have read portions of the Geneva Bible online and to my mind it reads just like the KJV. Remember too that while the KJV and the Geneva Bible are the two most accurate English Bibles they are not perfect. As I said in my introduction, the modern versions are often clearer and I am objective and fair enough to admit that. I find that where they are clearer and accurate at the same time they can be used even more effectively than the KJV. (I know that is considered heresy in some quarters). However, my advice here is only for those who know their Bible and know when something is missing. I recommend that the KJV be studied first alongside the modern versions if the modern versions are to be used at all. If this is not done it is better not to use them altogether.
You may be interested in the following articles:
Why So Many Christian Religions? (Part One)
Why So Many Christian Religions? (Part Two)
How to Understand The Bible (Part One)
How to Understand The Bible (Part Two)
(1) Av1611.com
The links below show various texts and graphically runs a line through all the words left out by modern versions. In one instance at least you see a whole paragraph crossed out by modern Bible versions. See the links below:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker.html
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/themagicmarker2.html
The following link shows Bible versions side by side and you can see what has been omitted. It is called a “Bible Version Comparison Chart.” See the links:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/various.html
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts.html
Imagine the NIV, NASV and the NWT leave out the following crucial text from Matt. 18:11:
“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”
Then in Luke 4:8 they leave out something the Devil would want to be left out. The omitted text is:
“Get thee behind me, Satan.”
They also leave out Acts 8:37 which says:
“If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Another text that the Devil would love to take out of the Bible was taken out by the modern versions mentioned. They leave out “Let us not fight against God.” (Acts 23:9)
The following link demonstrates that the Modern Versions often omit the names “Jesus” or “Christ” or “Lord”:
http://av1611.com/kjbp/charts/preeminence.html
As you continue with this research it will become plain as day that key texts proving the deity of Jesus, the Trinity (three as one in unity not three in one), the great need for prayer and fasting, the holiness of God’s Word and the people He used to write the Bible, all these things were attacked by the omissions of the Modern Versions. Even when they mention these things they say in the margin of these Bibles that some manuscripts do not have that text. This then casts uncertainty on the validity and credibility of the text.
(2) Av1611.org
This site is not to be confused with av1611.com. Note that one web address ends with “.com” and the other with “.org.” On that site Terry Watkins put together an online tract entitled “The New International Perversion.” While there are a few things there that are trivial and somewhat wrong biblically for the most part he makes some good points showing that that version robs Jesus of His deity and even gives one of Jesus’ titles to the Devil. He claims that the NIV takes away 64,576 words from the Bible! He also challenges the claim that the NIV is easier to read and also shows many of the NIV’s omissions. See the link here: http://www.av1611.org/niv.html See also this extensive list of omissions on the part of modern Bible versions:
http://www.av1611.org/biblecom.html
This site also claims that the symbol found on the NKJV is the same symbol that witches use and pictorial evidence is given comparing the NKJV symbol with the symbol on a witch’s manual! Read all about it and the other pitfalls of this version here: http://www.av1611.org/nkjv.html
This site also has some empirical data showing that modern Bible versions often use words that are harder to understand than the KJV. See http://www.av1611.org/kjv/kjveasy.htmlIt then ironically gives a long list of archaic words in the NIV. See here: http://www.av1611.org/kjv/vanceniv.html
(3) jesus-is-savior.com
This site is loaded with information on this topic as well as on other spiritual and contemporary topics. It seems to be a repository of almost all the information mentioned so far. While I have seen things on that site that I do not agree with even in the manner in which things are sometimes stated yet no serious research on this topic and on many other topics like music should be without the contributions of this site.
It deals with the various Bibles together comparing their readings and showing the omissions that affect various Bible doctrines. You can see that here:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/bibles_compared.htm
See also:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/deity_of_christ_and_modern_versions.htm
This site goes behind the scenes to look at the two main men behind all modern Bible versions – Wescott and Hort (or should I say coHort), giving their beliefs and practices which were diametrically opposed to good Bible teaching and practice. See the page with links to their background here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/heretics_behind_modern_versions.htm
The site claims and gives information regarding this – that both men used to literally attempt to chase ghosts! See that here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/chasing_ghosts.htm
As you navigate that page you will see that they also believed in Purgatory, prayers for the dead and even in evolution. Some of their own words are quoted to that effect so you hear it from the horses’ mouth. See also: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/wh-heretics.htm
They have an article entitled “Lineage of the Modern Corrupt Versions” here: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/lineage_of_corrupt_versions.htm as well as a host of related articles links on the same page. Jesus-is-savior.com also gives the reason that the word “sodomite” found in the KJV does not appear in the NIV stating the practices and orientation of some of the people on the Translation committee as the reason! See it here:
http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/sodomite_missing_from_niv.htm
This site also gives a lengthy list of words in the NIV that are certainly not clearer than the words in the KJV: http://jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/NIV/vt.htm
(4) Sdadefend.com
This site has a free online copy of the book “Our Authorized Bible Vindicated” by Benjamin Wilkinson. It gives a history of the two different streams of manuscripts from which come the KJV and the modern Bible versions. It is a must read for anyone wanting to get a grasp of the history of both sets of versions and so make a judgment as to whether the modern versions are trustworthy or not. Get the book at this link:
http://www.sdadefend.com/MINDEX-Resource%20Library/Our%20Authorized%20Bible%20Vindicated.pdf
Browse the above sites to find more information on this topic. I gave the main pages of these sites.
(5) Biblegateway.com
If you are want to do your own comparisons between versions besides those given at the above sites you will need to have various Bible versions. Here is a s ite that will let you access various Bible versions and in various languages. It is http://www.biblegateway.com/
(6) Great books on this topic
I am very reluctant to even mention the name of this site since the name can mean more than one thing. Please remember that the name of the site seen in the upcoming link is the man’s name! Two of the best books on this topic are Gail Riplinger’s “New Age Bible Versions” and “If the foundations be destroyed.” These can be purchased at the following links:
http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0170.asp
http://www.chick.com/catalog/books/0132.asp?FROM=biblecenter
They also have a Bible quiz where you have to use your NIV and supposedly you cannot answer the questions using your NIV because they have omitted the words. That is priceless! I mean it is great fun and you do not have to pay for the quiz. See the quiz here:http://www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/articles/nivquiz.asp
Now, I do not share the view that the KJV is the only Bible you can read. There is also the Geneva version of the Reformers which is by no means one of the modern ones where the manuscripts were tampered with. I have read portions of the Geneva Bible online and to my mind it reads just like the KJV. Remember too that while the KJV and the Geneva Bible are the two most accurate English Bibles they are not perfect. As I said in my introduction, the modern versions are often clearer and I am objective and fair enough to admit that. I find that where they are clearer and accurate at the same time they can be used even more effectively than the KJV. (I know that is considered heresy in some quarters). However, my advice here is only for those who know their Bible and know when something is missing. I recommend that the KJV be studied first alongside the modern versions if the modern versions are to be used at all. If this is not done it is better not to use them altogether.
You may be interested in the following articles:
Why So Many Christian Religions? (Part One)
Why So Many Christian Religions? (Part Two)
How to Understand The Bible (Part One)
How to Understand The Bible (Part Two)