The Case of the Missing Verses

Many of my favorite preachers read from the old King James Version of the Bible. Personally, I have a hard time with its archaic English. That’s why I prefer using the New King James Version. It’s close enough to the KJV to where I can follow along and better understand what God is saying in HIs word.

Still, there are King James Only advocates who criticize translations such as the New International Version for missing certain verses and phrases. For example, Colossians 1:14 in the NIV says, “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” It doesn’t include the phrase “through His blood” used both in the KJV and NKJV. 

Does this mean the New International Version dishonors the blood of Jesus? No! Six verses later it talks about “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Ephesians 1:7 in the NIV says, “In him we have redemption through his blood…” Revelation 12:11 refers to “the blood of the Lamb.” Many other examples could be cited. 

The above meme being shared on social media is misleading. The missing verses are included in the New International Version’s footnotes. So why weren’t they placed in the main text? The King James Version was translated from the Textus Receptus, a Greek edition of the Bible completed in the 16th century. The NIV and most newer translations are based on older manuscripts that don’t include the missing verses. This refutes claims made by some King James Onlyists that verses were removed by translators with a satanic agenda. None of those missing verses alter basic Christian doctrine.

The bottom line is no Bible translation is 100% perfect including the much venerated King James Version. That’s why it’s wise to use tools like a Strong’s Concordance and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us when reading His word. He will reveal truth to those sincerely seeking it.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” - Mark 13:31

The Fallacy of King James Onlyism

Walk into your local Christian bookstore and you will find a variety of bibles to choose from. Because of questionable translations that have come out in recent years, a few defenders of the faith have gone to an extreme by declaring there’s only one type of bible that’s the true word of God. The King James Version (also known as the Authorized Version) has been used by the English-speaking world for over 400 years. While I agree the KJV is an accurate translation of God’s word, it’s totally illogical for its advocates to claim it’s perfect and the only bible Christians should use.

Not everybody in the world understands English. Let’s say I grew up in South America and could only read Spanish. A missionary leads me to the Lord and then offers to give me a bible. Which type of bible would work best for me: a King James Version I cannot understand at all or a Spanish translation of the Hebrew and Greek scriptures? The answer to that is a no brainer.

One well-known publisher of cartoon tracts heavily promotes King James Onlyism. Yet in the tracts they print in foreign languages, they obviously don’t quote bible verses from the King James Version.

Did Moses originally present the Ten Commandments in 17th century English? No! How about Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount or the Apostle Paul’s epistles to the church? Of course not. That language did not exist in the Holy Lands then. Because the English language has changed over the years, you rarely hear people say “thee” and “thou” nowadays except in some churches and Shakespearean plays.

Another fact that should be pointed out is that the King James Version has been revised many times since it first came out in 1611. Because the translators didn’t have computers and a Strong’s Concordance to assist them, errors were occasionally found and corrected. The Apocrypha inserted in earlier versions was also removed. A 21st Century King James Version of the Holy Bible was released over twenty years ago that eliminated obsolete English words no longer used today.

Let me share an example why the King James Version is not a perfect word-for-word translation. Genesis 1:2 in the KJV says, “And the earth was without form and void.” The Hebrew word “hayah” (translated here as “was”) means “became” and is translated that way in other parts of the KJV. Since God doesn't create anything in vain (Isaiah 45:18), Genesis 1:2 would be better translated as “the earth BECAME without form and void” due to Lucifer's fall in Isaiah 14:12.

I'm not attacking the King James Version but simply pointing out no translation is 100% accurate. Even the KJV translators themselves wrote in their original preface, “No cause therefore why the Word translated should be denied the Word, or forbidden to be current, notwithstanding that some imperfections and blemishes may be noted in the setting forth of it.” God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect plans.

Still, some Christians judge others more by what bible translation they read than the fruit they produce for the Lord. Once I lived with a man who at the time was a King James Only advocate. One night he insisted I watch a video in which a minister touted the King James Version’s superiority to the New International Version (a favorite target of King James Onlyists). The next morning, my roommate got upset when he saw me reading my New King James Version bible. When I tried reasoning with this man, he threatened to kick me out of his house! I moved out voluntarily the next day. A few weeks later when I ran into this man, he apologized and acknowledged that he had been deceived.

Now if the King James Version is your preferred translation, then I encourage you to continue using it. But please don’t get religious by telling me it’s the only true Word of God. If a translation as a whole (not isolated verses taken out of context) doesn't violate basic Christian doctrine, then we shouldn’t be too quick to judge it as corrupt. When we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our Scripture readings, we can know “the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). Jeremiah 1:12 says that God watches over His word to perform it.

Many ministers use a variety of translations in their studies and to help clarify points in their sermons. Once there were four clergymen discussing the merits of the various translations. One liked the King James Version best because of its beautiful English. Another liked the American Revised Version because it is more literal and comes nearer to the original Hebrew and Greek. Still another liked Mofatt's translation because of its up-to-date vocabulary. When the fourth minister was asked to express his opinion, he replied, “I like my mother's translation best. She translated it into life...and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw.”

“The ultimate translation is one that influences the behaviors in readers' lives and gives them hope...The task of translation is not finished.” - from the Holman Bible Dictionary

Satanic Verses?

Two days ago I visited a fellow street evangelist in Ashland, Virginia who I hadn’t seen in over a year. This man previously blessed me with numerous gospel tracts including the “million dollar bills” I enjoy handing out. Since I was running low on those money tracts, I hoped he had extra so I wouldn’t have to place a special order for them. To my surprise (and disappointment), my friend revealed he burned all his tracts except those that quoted from the King James Version of the Bible. 

I’ve dealt with “King James Only” advocates before but don’t remember knowing someone who suddenly became one. During our meeting, my friend repeatedly claimed the New International Version was satanically inspired. That prompted me to look up a few evangelistic verses from the NIV…

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” - John 3:3

“You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’” - John 3:7

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:11-12

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” - Acts 16:31

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 6:23

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

Do any of these Scriptures look satanically inspired? Would the devil influence someone to translate a verse that would help lead people to salvation? I doubt it.

King James Only advocates even claim that people open doors to the devil if they read and quote bible verses from other translations. If Jesus walked our streets today, I don’t believe He would speak Elizabethan English except maybe at a Shakespearean festival or an old-fashioned church. I picture the Lord reaching out to the homies by speaking the vernacular of today. (“You know what I’m sayin'?”) The Apostle Paul encourages us to “become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Corinthians 9:22)

Although my friend got a little pushy about his opinion, he still valued our friendship and asked to pray with me before I left his place. He specifically asked the Lord to reveal the truth to whoever was wrong about this issue. While I personally don’t use the New International Version that much (I prefer the New King James Version), I still consider it a viable translation.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

- 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV)