In this post, I want to present 3 verses of scripture for comparison in 5 of the most popular versions of the English Bible. The versions I will compare are the KJV, the Amplified, the ESV, the NIV, and the NKJV. My purpose here is to show the absolute supremacy of the KJV.
The first verse for comparison is Genesis 22:8 where the context is Abraham is about to sacrifice his son Isaac. Issac has just said to Abraham that he sees the fire and the wood but has asked, “where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Genesis 22:8 is Abraham’s answer.
Genesis 22:8
King James Version (KJV)
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
8 Abraham said, My son, God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering. So the two went on together.
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
New International Version (NIV)
8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.
New King James Version (NKJV)
8 And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
All five of these versions of scripture make clear that God will provide the sacrifice. He does in the ram caught in the thicket in verse 13. However, only the KJV in its wording looks to the time when God, Himself would be the sacrifice. One of great sins of all the newer English versions of the Bible is to diminish the deity of Jesus Christ. In the KJV, the scriptures look to the time when the Lamb of God, Immanuel (God with us), would take away the sins of the world.
The next of verse of scripture that I would like to consider is Psalm 8:5. Those who know the New Testament well will recognize that Paul quotes this verse in Hebrews 2:7 in his discussion about Christ’s supremacy over the angels. Paul uses this verse to point out that the world to come will not be put under the angel’s feet but under the God-man, Christ’s feet. The way in which the different English versions of the Bible translate Psalm 8:5 is very revealing.
Psalm 8:5
King James Version (KJV)
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
New International Version (NIV)
5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
and crowned them with glory and honor.
New King James Version (NKJV)
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
One of the first things to notice is the Amplified version has man a little lower than God rather than the angels. The Bible is clear that man is infinitely lower than God. The versions of the Bible that say heavenly beings rather than angels destroy the cross reference to Hebrews 2. The NIV in its attempt to be gender neutral substituted “them” for “him”. The NKJV feels the need to add an extra word just to distinguish itself from the KJV.
I added Psalm 8:5 in the Message just to basically creep out everyone who uses the Message. The Message’s rendering of Psalm 8:5 fits well into Mormon theology and reminds me of someone who transforms himself into an angel of light.
The Message (MSG)
5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
The last passage of scripture to consider in today’s post is Psalm 12:6-7. What this passage is about is the words of God: the pure inspiration of them in verse 6 and the supernatural preservation of them (the words) in verse 7. Please look closely at how each English version translates this very important, doctrinal, passage of scripture.
Psalm 12:6-7
King James Version (KJV)
6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
Amplified Bible (AMP)
6 The words and promises of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in an earthen furnace, purified seven times over.
7 You will keep them and preserve them, O Lord; You will guard and keep us from this [evil] generation forever.
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 The words of the Lord are pure words,
like silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7 You, O Lord, will keep them;
you will guard us from this generation forever.
New International Version (NIV)
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible,
like gold refined seven times.
7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
and will protect us forever from the wicked,
New King James Version (NKJV)
6 The words of the Lord are pure words,
Like silver tried in a furnace of earth,
Purified seven times.
7 You shall keep them, O Lord,
You shall preserve them from this generation forever.
The most important thing to notice from this comparison of English versions of the Bible regarding Psalm 12:6-7 is that in the Amplified and the ESV, God’s promise to supernaturally preserve His words is severely diminished and in the NIV it is removed altogether. Notice that in these 3 versions, God is preserving people throughout the generations and not His words. There is no Hebrew manuscript in existence that supports this translation. The translators of most of the new versions have purposely removed or diminished this promise of God’s providence over His words.
For all of the supporters of the new translations of the English bible who claim that nothing of doctrinal substance is missing or that its all in there (James White), I have presented three examples where doctrine is either missing or severely compromised when you move away from the KJV.
For all those who scream about archaic words in the KJV, I would like to submit “crucible” from the NIV as exhibit “A”. The KJV is precise in its choice of words. It uses the least amount of words to communicate God’s truth. If you doubt this, please take the time to count the words.
In future posts about versions of the Bible, I will show other truths about the KJV that show its absolute supremacy over all other translations.
Let me leave you, my reader with this thought: the discussion is about final authority. The supporters of new English translations of the Bible would have you believe that God inspired the originals (Hebrew and Greek) but did not inspire or supernaturally preserve a translation. This makes Hebrew and Greek scholars as the final authority for all matters of faith and practice. This is why they change or remove the promise of God’s preservation of His words. In future blogs, I will show in many different ways how the KJV is the perfect word of God in every word and even in the chapter and verse divisions. The KJV is the final authority.