- GOD'S UNCHANGING WORD
INTRODUCTION
There is such a need today for God's people to have an unshakable
confidence in God's Word. It is my hope that this brief look into the
"versions issue" will help people lay aside the confusion that will in time
take a toll on such confidence.
This booklet is not intended to be an exhaustive work or a defensive work.
By its design as a booklet, it is simply my desire that it be a flashlight
to illumine briefly one thing-that this whole issue is not as intellectually
puzzling as one might think- therefore, one does not need a degree in
Textual Criticism to know what is right.
May God use this in conjunction with His Word to help settle this issue for
you.
Abbreviations Used In This Booklet
KJV-King James Version
NASB-New American Standard Version
NIV-New International Version
TR-Textus Receptus (original language text behind the KJV)
NT-Nestles Text (original language text behind the NIV and NASB)
YEARS OF AVOIDING THE ISSUE
"Patience is a virtue..." or so they say. Scripture calls it part of the
fruit of the Spirit. Yet, there seems to be no place in this debate for
patience. Churches are split, life-long friendships are severed, believers
become guilty of violating biblical principles of communication, and
half-truths are used constantly to prove a point-all in the name of
defending God's Word!
Patience. Thank God people were patient with me! It took nearly twenty years
of ministry before these issues were settled in my life. For twenty years I
ministered from the KJV while believing that there were only two issues that
could be understood by a non-textual critic scholar. First, to change from
the KJV would bring needless division. Second, the only difference between
the KJV and a modem translation was the updated language.
So there I stood-firmly positioned-on a foundation of mush! I was almost
apologizing to new Sunday School teachers for requiring them to teach from
the KJV, while assuring them I saw nothing wrong with them having their
daily devotions from whatever. It is no wonder that lay people struggle with
this issue, when leadership is so vague.
Finally, I had had it! Disgusted with my stance and embarrassed about my
ignorance, I decided that enough was enough! So back to school I went. I was
convinced that one class in Textual Criticism would not transform me into a
scholar. (I was right about that.) I was doubtful that one class would even
be very helpful. (WRONG!!) After all, I had been convinced that to really
understand the issues, one would have to be a Greek and Hebrew scholar and
spend years comparing Greek and Hebrew texts against the versions-and I was
not about to do that. Nevertheless, I went with an open heart and mind.
Three weeks into the class, there I sat-shamed before God! Shamed-for all
those years of being indecisive and ignorant and not doing anything about
it. Shamed-to have thought that God would have made such an important issue
too difficult to be understood. Shamed-because as a leader I had led wrong.
Shamed, but grateful. Grateful-for the man who was teaching the class.
Grateful-that he had done his homework well. Grateful-that he would take
time to teach me.
SOME ISSUES WE WON'T TAKE TIME FOR
While there are many issues that are too complicated to explain,
authenticate, and illustrate in a booklet this size, I thought it might be
worthwhile to at least ask some questions to bring some of the issues to
light.
I. Did you know that the KJV and most modern Bible translations are not
translated from the same text? The KJV is a translation of the TR and most
modern Bible translations are translations of the NT.
2. Did you know that there are over five thousand manuscripts that are in
agreement with the TR, and only two (2, not 2000) in agreement with the NT?
3. Did you know that there are more discrepancies between the two
manuscripts of the NT than there are between the thousands of manuscripts of
the TR?
4. Did you know that no non-Catholic has been allowed to see the two
manuscripts of the NT [Codex B (Vaticanus) and the Codex Aleph (Sinaiticus)]
in the last 500 years? (That's right, all we have is the Vatican's word for
what they contain!)
5. Did you know that the manuscripts behind the Nestles Text are referred to
as Alexandrian texts? They are named after the corrupt school in Alexandria
that produced them.
6. Did you know that the early church fathers gave warning about the
corrupted manuscripts coming out of Alexandria?
THE HEART OF THE ISSUE
"There really is no difference between them, this one is just much
easier to read..." "Oh! No, you don't lose anything by switching to the NASB;
if anything, you gain some..." Have you heard that before? Yeah, me too.
Well, let's take a quick look to see if an old enemy is up to his deception
again!
In the next few pages I will try to demonstrate for you that there is a
conspiracy to change the unchangeable Word of God. Conspiracy, don't you
just hate that word? We hear political alarmists use it over and over, until
we almost want to say that there is no such thing as a conspiracy of any
kind. However, God has recorded in His Word a warning that we need to echo
at this point. "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 that are written in this book "-
Revelation 22:19.
Before you lay this aside, please let me set one thing straight-I do not
have a problem with the use of a modern word or phrase replacing an archaic
word or phrase. If you will simply stay with me a while longer, I believe
that I can show you some things that you will be glad to know.
Okay, one more question and then we'll get started. What will you do if you
see that the new versions are not trying to simplify the Scriptures, but to
plunder them?
THE HEART OF THE ISSUE for me is simply this-Is the Word of God inspired,
inerrant, and unchangeable? I mean from Genesis 1: I to Revelation 22:21-is
it, or not? Was that a "yes," I heard? Then how could you ever have
confidence in a version that came from the NT, which denies many of those
verses? How? And, how could a preacher hold up a KJV at one point in his
ministry and declare every verse, every word, every jot, and every tittle to
be God's inspired Word-then later give credence to a version that leaves
some of it out? I know-you want me to stop ranting and raving and start
producing-right? Well-grab a KJV and one of the modern versions and let's
get to work.
I John 5:7 - The keynote verse in the Bible for the Trinity. Probably
just an oversight-right? Wrong! Your modern versions leave out "these three
are one, " the strongest statement in Scripture establishing the doctrine of
the Trinity. Please don't think that verse eight covers that, because it
doesn't. Verse eight simply says, "they agree in one. "
Mark 16-9-20 - Did you know that these eleven verses are not even found in
the manuscripts of the new versions. I know-but they are in your
Bible-right? Look closer. Do you see a marginal note or a footnote that
reads like a disclaimer? This time they make you wonder whether these verses
belong in the Bible-next time they leave them out.
It is amazing that some readers will still be saying, "well if that's all
you have got-leave my new version alone." What ever happened to the "I
believe every verse, every letter, every jot and tittle" attitude? It is my
prayer that those of you who are beginning to see the problem will not be
afraid to take a stand.
I am sure you know that the Morning Star of the Bible is Jesus Christ-see
Revelation 22:16. Now turn to Isaiah 14:12.
In your KJV you will read about the fall of Lucifer from Heaven, but in your
modern versions you will read about the fall of the Morning Star.
Matthew 18:11 - This verse is not in the corrupted manuscripts either. Try
to find it in an NIV, you cannot! The NASB has it with a disclaimer. What a
verse to disclaim - "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost,
" This is just one of many omissions about Christ in the NT and the modern
versions.
Have you noticed that the doctrine of Hell is not very popular these days?
You know-all that "where the -worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched"
stuff is just kind of old fashion. Oh well, it probably doesn't matter
anyway, so what if they decided to leave it out of Mark 9:44, 9:46, 6:II? A
lot of people probably don't care-do you? If you're thinking, "well that is
only three verses," check a concordance for the KJV, the NASB, and the
NIV-you will be shocked at how many times they have taken "Hell" out of the
NASB and the NIV.
While -you have your NASB or NIV concordance out, read number 3 again and
then try to find the Devil's name "Lucifer." You can not even find his name
in most of the modem versions. What a deceiver!
Don't put that NASB concordance away yet. Look up "the One." You will find
800 blanks where the original Greek or Hebrew word should be given. "Why?" I
am glad you asked! They are replacing masculine nouns and pronouns
referencing God with "the One." I am sure that the feminists who despise the
masculine nature of God will be glad, No doubt the New Age group approves,
since that is a title for their god-whoever he is. Just a few verses to get
you started-John 6:69- John 4:42- 1 Corinthians 15:28.
If you are still thinking, "Well, those things happen in translation work,"
let's talk about the original language texts behind the KJV (the TR) and the
modern versions (NT).
Remember these are the original language (Greek and Hebrew) texts-not works
of translation. They are even changing the Greek and Hebrew in the NT.
That's right, the current edition of the NT is the 26th. Not the 26th
printing, but the 26th edition (in less than 100 years). Pray tell me-If
Jesus said, "not one jot or tittle" would pass away in His Word-how can they
call that mess, "His Word?" But, the poor old TR (the Greek and Hebrew texts
behind the KJV)-it don't got none of them there edition numbers. It just
says the same old thing it said over 300 years ago.
Thank God some things do not change!
Pastor Eddie Egbert
Bethel Baptist Church
Linton, Indiana
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