THE KING JAMES VERSION
By Heinz Schmitt
The KJV is arguably the greatest piece of English literature ever. Let's take a look at one example: "A vertuous woman reioyceth her husband, and he shall fulfill the yeeres of his life in peace." Ecclesiasticus 26:2 What is that you say? That scripture isn't in your copy of the KJV? Why is that? It is because the original KJV of 1611 had the apocrypha (books not canonized). And as you can see, the language is a little different from your copy. Here is another example from the book of Psalms: "That men may knowe, that thou, whose name alone is IEHOVAH, art the most high ouer all the earth."Psalmes LXXXIII:18 What does this mean? It means that the King James Version Bible has been revised thru the ages to meet the demands of a changing language.
How Many Revisions?
First, there were printer errors.
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There was the Wicked Bible which omitted "not" from 7 of the 10 Commandments.
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The Vinegar Bible with its parable of the vinegar
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The Unrighteous Bible where the unrighteous inherit the kingdom
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The Ears to Ear Bible and an assortment of others
Intentional Changes:
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1612
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1613
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1616
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1629 edition omitted the Apocrypha
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1638 edition by Goad, Ward, Boyse and Mead
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1659 William Kilburne found 20,000 errors in 6 different editions made in the 1650's
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1660 marginal references introduced
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1683 Dr.Anthony Scargood added 7,250 references
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1727 thousands of errors were amended by the King's Printer
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1762 italics extended by Therold and Paris and modernized the language
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1769 extensive revision by B.Blayney
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Blayney's edition became standard until....
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1873 the Cambridge Paragraph Bible edited by Scrivener
Will the real King James Bible please stand up!
Do you understand these Scriptures from the KJV?
For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I? Eccl.2:25
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing. Ps.5:6
Nevertheless even him [Solomon] did outlandish women cause to sin. Neh. 13:26
Solomon loved many strange women. 1Kings 11:1
Dead things are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. Job 26:5
The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour. Job 36:33
Woe to them that...stay on horses. Is. 31:1; 10:20; 30:12; 50:12
The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market. Ez. 27:25
I trow not. Luke 17:9
He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. John 15:2
We do you to wit of the grace of God. 2Cor. 8:1
I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified. 1Cor.4:4
Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels. 2Cor.6:12
Not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. 2Cor.10:16
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. Eccl.12:11
For some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol. 2Cor.8:7
Do You Know These Words in the KJV?
almug, algum, chode, charashim, chapt, earing, gat, habergeon, hosen, kab, ligure, leasing, maranatha, nard, neesed, pate, rabboni, raca, ring-staked, stacte, strake, sycamyne, thyme wood, trode, wimples, ouches, tatches, brigandine, ambassage, occurent, purtenance, bruit, fray, cracknels, nusings, mufflers, anathema, corban, talitha cumi, ephrata, aceldama, centurion, quarternion, sanctum sanctorum, let, wot, trow, sod and swaddling clothes.
Mythical Creatures in the KJV
Cockatrice
Isaiah 14:29 serpent-RSV Snake- NWT
Isaiah 11:8 serpents-RSV & NWT
Isaiah 59:5 adders-RSV snake NWT
Unicorn
Deut. 33:17 wild ox-RSV wild bull-NWT
Psalms 22:21 wild oxen-RSV wild bulls-NWT
Isaiah 34:7 wild oxen-RSV wild bulls-NWT
Satyr
Isaiah 13:21 goat-shaped demon-NWT wild goats[like demons]-Amplified Bible
Isaiah 34:14 goat-shaped demon-NWT shaggy wild goat-Amplified Bible
Doctrinal Problems in the KJV
1 John 5:7 "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." Omitted by most other versions
1Timothy 3:16"God was manifest in the flesh"
"He who was revealed in the flesh" NASB, NWT, RSV etc
Revelation 1:11"I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last" Omitted by most others
Matthew 5:22 "hellfire" Should be "gehenna" NWT, Youngs Literal Translation
Psalms 16:10 "hell" Should be "sheol" NWT, Youngs Literal Translation
Acts 2:27 "hell" Should be "hades" NWT, Youngs Literal Translation
2Peter 2:4 "hell" Should be "tartarus" NWT, Youngs Literal Translation
The Divine Name "Jehovah" is used only at Exodus 6:3, Psalms 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4, but it is omitted everywhere else and replaced by LORD in capital letters.
Should we accept newer Bible revisions and translations? Yes, by doing so we are following King James tradition. Did you know that the translators preface to the KJV quotes scripture 14 times, each time from the Geneva Bible. If it can quote other bibles, so can you.