RANDOM THOUGHTS ON BIBLE VERSIONS

This is a repost of an earlier article under a different title.

These are some of my thoughts on the many versions of the Bible. I myself prefer the King James Version above all others. I figure that if it was good enough for the past 400 years of history, it is good enough for me.

• Not so long ago, people used to bring their Bibles to church and would follow along when the Pastor/teacher read scripture. They could verify for themselves if what the Pastor/teacher was saying was true or not. Today hardly anyone brings their Bible to church as the Pastor/teacher may chose to read out of a different version. How can we know if we are being led astray or if Scripture is being taken out of context? How can we know that what the Pastor/teacher is preaching is truth? With so many different versions it is really hard to tell sometimes.

• The memorization of Scripture was of the utmost importance for many years. Jesus knew the word of God and was able to drive away Satan when tempted. King David clearly saw that knowing the word of God was the key to purity. Paul says that the word is a sword in your amour against the devil's schemes. God's word in your heart keeps your feet from slipping. Yet today we see very little emphasis on memorizing the word of God. Why is that? Could it be that we have too many Bible versions to choose from and the word we try to memorize gets confusing?

• Have you tried to share a passage of Scripture with someone only to get the line “Well, that’s YOUR interpretation!”. Why is it we can no longer agree on the basic principles of what God’s word says? Why is a lot of it left up to the individual’s interpretation? Could it be because we have so many different translations out there and each one says something just a little bit different than the next? This has caused confusion in the Body of Christ and God is NOT the author of confusion - 1 Cor. 14:33.

• Why do all the newer versions compare themselves to the King James Version? Isn't it strange that the new versions never compare themselves to one another?

• When the KJV translators had to add certain words, largely due to idiom changes, they placed the added words in italics so we'd know the difference. Why don’t the new translations do this? If something is removed from the Bible, and placed in a footnote, is that good enough? Most certainly not! This causes one to doubt if God really said that thing and it takes the focus off God’s word, most of the time for the worse. Many time references in the footnotes say, "The oldest manuscripts don't include . . ." This causes one to cast a shadow of doubt upon what they are reading. Also many times footnotes are totally ignored which can drastically change the meaning of what is being read. Why can’t all these “scholars” agree?

• The modern day “scholars” tell us that there were mistakes in the KJV and the newer versions correct these mistakes. If they have better and more accurate versions today then why are there so many of them? Is each one more accurate and better than the other? Why can’t they find all the mistakes at once and put them into one perfect new version that we can all agree on?

• If the Holy Spirit leads us into “All” truth, why did He change His mind over the years? He gave us the KJV for the last 400 years and now there are mistakes to be corrected??? Is this really how the Holy Spirit works?

• 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 we have so many different versions of the Bible? Could it be that we have one true Bible, yet many false "bibles"?

• Isn't it true that God inspired His Holy words in the "original manuscripts." Many will tell us that what we have today is not the “inspired true word of God.” Is God that small that He couldn’t preserve a perfect Bible for today? Does this sound like the character of God who says “…one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”? (Matt. 5:18) Could it be that we have the True Inspired Word of God but people today do not want to accept it? They want things their own way?

• It is claimed that the newer Bibles are easier to read. Why was the Bible translated in the first place? So the normal regular every day person could read and interpret the scriptures for themselves without the need of clergy. Have men of education somehow "evolved" and are now more qualified to translate God's word today than in 1611? If the King James Version is so difficult to read and understand by people today and yet the people 400 years ago could understand it, what does that say about our intelligence? Were those people that much more intelligent than we are today – they had no problems understanding the King James Version?

• Many claim that the “thee’s and thous” of the KJ Bible make it too hard to read. These words were not part of the vocabulary in 1611 but were added for clarity of text. They serve an important purpose. The second person in English is rendered "you" in both the singular and the plural. Thus, when "you" is employed in a modern translation, one does not know if it is to be understood as singular or plural. However, "you", "ye", and "your" are always plural in the King James Bible whereas "thy", "thou", "thee" and "thine" always denote the singular - how easy. The King James Bible reads: Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you [plural! all of the apostles] ... 32 But I have prayed for thee [singular - Peter] ... Is man getting dumber or smarter? Hmmm, I wonder.

• Because of the many Bible versions, many people are lacking in true Bible discernment. If we don’t have one true Bible then objective and absolute truth does not exist. Everything becomes a matter of personal interpretation. Seeing there are multiple readers of multiple versions, then it is easy to see why there are multiple interpretations with the end result being no universally valid interpretation. Could the many translations be part of the reason we are having so much trouble reaching the lost for Christ? They use our “many translations” against us, telling us that we can’t even agree amongst ourselves about what the truth is. I think they have a valid point.

• Why are there copyrights on the newer versions of the Bible? The text of the KJV may be reproduced by anyone. There is no copyright forbidding it's duplication.

• The majority of modern Bible publishers - not Bible Societies - are neither religious organizations nor missionary societies. They operate in the cold hard world of business. They don’t care if their product is a faithful reading of the texts or not. They do not “care for our souls” and are not deserving of our unqualified trust. Their only concern is for profit. They are anxious and ready to meet the needs of the people mentioned in 2 Tim. 3:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

What are some of your thoughts?

THE ENEMY ATTACKED - GOD SAVED ME.

A woman named Gina wrote an article (Chats with an Old Lady) that inspired me to share this story of what happened to me.  Her article was titled ‘I am NOT a Grace filled Woman’. Her link is in my sidebar.

Recently I went through a spiritual battle.  Out of the blue, the enemy of my soul came at me firing both barrels at once.  I wasn’t prepared for an attack and he hit me full force.    

"How do your really know you are saved?  You've just been fooling yourself.  Jesus said that in the last days many would come to him and claim they did all kinds of things for him, and yet, he will tell them he never really knew them.  How do you know you are not one of them?  Those people believed they were saved just like you do but they were wrong. Your heart is more deceitful above everything.  The Bible says so.   

How can you be saved when you have such terrible thoughts about others?  You are always getting angry with others and you fuss and fume inside. That's not love.  How can God love you when you don't love your neighbour as yourself?  How could God love you when you don't love those around you?  Don't you know that the Bible says that if you don't love your neighbour who you do see, then you can’t love God who you don’t see?”

On and on he went and I listened to every word and agreed with everything he said.  When he was finished his tirade I took over for him and began to accuse myself of every rotten thing I had ever done or ever do.  It was all true. I am a horrible person.  I was crumbling under the accusations.  I felt helpless and hopeless.  I was fooling myself.  My life was all a lie.  I had thoughts of ending it all yet I knew that either way I would end up in hell.  What could I do?  How could I be saved?  I knew I could never live up to what I thought God wanted of me?

With uncontrollable sobs I cried out, “Oh God, Please, Please help me, I don’t know what to do.  If I have been deceiving myself, please forgive me.  Help me to be the person you want me to be. Please have pity on me because I can’t do this.  I really am a bad person and I need you to fix me.  I can’t do this on my own.”

As my tears were subsiding I began to hear that wee small voice of my master reminding me of what Christ’s coming was all about.

Grace! 

God’s Grace! 

God’s perfect Grace for a sinner such as I. 

That was the whole reason He came and died in the first place.  None of us are perfect and we never will be.  That’s why we need a Saviour.  If we were perfect, He wouldn't have had to take our place.  No matter what we do we will never measure up to God’s standard of Holiness. 

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The enemy is real.  He is very subtle.  He knows our weak spots and he hits us when we are down. He is cunning and relentless. When we think we can stand on our own, that's when we become an easy target.  I've been a Christian for nearly 33 years and I thought I was standing but that's where I was deceiving myself. We can never do it on our own.  We need His help daily - moment by moment.  It is only in His strength that we are able to fight and win the battles. I didn’t have my spiritual armour on and nearly lost that battle.  God reached out and reminded me that it is only by His grace that I have been saved and nothing of myself.

Eph 6:11-18  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

I will end with this quote from Gina’s article.

“I am not a grace filled woman, but I serve a grace filled God and I desire that He work through me.  If you see any evidence of grace in my life it is only because of Him. He gets the glory.  And that is how it is meant to be.”

BEWARE - CHRISTIANS BELIEFS - BEING ATTACKED - BY BIBLES???

The Christian church has gone through many changes in the past few
decades. What has transpired is a “new” way of thinking. We have given
up our individual rights by conforming to the “world’s” way of thinking
instead of God’s way of thinking. We want to be “politically” correct in our ways of thinking and speaking, not wanting to offend anyone.

How did we get this way? It started subtly. Just a little changing here and a little changing there.

Satan tells those who have God’s Word not to judge, so the counterfeit can be established. This way he can either keep you from growing or shipwreck your faith. He uses the world to tell us “its not loving,” and “its biblical not to judge.” However, it is biblical to judge. What they have done is use a particular Scripture out of context and then bring you to the conclusion that if you judge you are being divisive. Many walk in fear of using discernment because they have been convinced it is horribly wrong or “politically” incorrect.

The enemy wants to bring the church to the place where we cannot distinguish between God’s Word of truth and Satan’s lies. The whole point is to prevent one from finding what is disagreeable and make it all agreeable.

So now, a new technique has crept into the church called the Hegelian dialectic. This type of dialect is used in politics, T.V. shows, morality, commerce, advertising, film, churches, music, books, entertainment, etc. It is all about changing to accommodate the world.

The Hegelian dialectical formula is basically: A (thesis) versus B (anti-thesis) equals C (synthesis). Two contradicting statements or ideas brought together to form a new synthetic doctrine.

For example: If (A) my idea of evolution conflicts with (B) your idea of creation then (C) we can agree on a long age day theory called Theistic Evolution.

In a Christian setting, the presupposition is that the group's will determines "the will of God". It's no longer a question of what is right or wrong, good or bad, lawful or unlawful, but rather HOW WE ALL FEEL ABOUT IT......no absolutes, no conscience, no convictions, no laws, no Constitution, no Bible and NO GOD!!!.
This brings me to some Biblical examples taken from various versions of the Bibles. Who is right when 2 different translations say exactly the opposite? One would normally think that one version must be lying. Example

KJV - Hos 11:12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
NIV - Hos 11:12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.

The KJV implies that Judah ruled WITH God and WAS faithful with the
saints. Yet the NIV implies that Judah was AGAINST God and AGAINST
the faithful Holy One. So what are we to believe?

Here’s another example:

KJV - 2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
ASV - 2 Ti 3:16 Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.

The ASV seems to imply that there are some scriptures that are inspired and maybe others that are not. Is ALL the scripture inspired as the KJV implies or just some? Do we pay attention only to the scriptures that seem inspired and leave the rest?

Final and most important example:

KJV - Isa 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!
NIV - How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

The NIV is calling Lucifer the morning star when the Bible clearly teaches
that Jesus is the morning star.
KJV - Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
KJV - 2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Satan would have us believe that Jesus is Lucifer and the fallen one.

Can you see how the enemy has crept into the churches and is subtly changing just a little here and a little there. He has crept into some of the Bible translations and corrupted the word of God leaving it up to individuals to sort it all out. This should NOT be happening!!!

IT IS WRONG!!!

God places supreme importance upon His written word. The importance of God's word runs throughout the Bible. Psalm 119 (I think is the longest Chapter in the Bible) has 176 verses each talking about God's word. He even magnifies His Word above His name.

Psa 138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

God's word is so important to Him that he warns those who tamper with it.

"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6)
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." (Deuteronomy 4:2)
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." (Rev. 22:18-19)

Anyone who has ever read the Bible diligently should recognize the importance God puts on His words.

Isa 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Be very careful when choosing which Bible you should read. Pray about it. Ask God to direct you. We cannot depend on what “men” say anymore. We must go directly to God.

Jud 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.