THE DEFILED BREAD

and

Which Version of

the Bible

Shall I Use?

William T. Barrett

© 2007

There are at least five different objects used by the Bible to represent itself.

These are: 1. Bread

2. Sword

3. Table

4. Breasts or Bosom of a woman

5. Bow

1. UsingBreadas an example:

Luke 4:4And Jesus answered him, saying “It is written”, That man shall not live bybreadalone, but by everyword of God“.

Clearly, the Bible is using “bread” to represent God’s Word or the Bible.

BREAD = THE BIBLE

2. Similarly, using theSwordas another, example, the Bible says:

Eph.6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

Clearly, the Bible is using the “sword” to represent God’s Word or the Bible.

SWORD = THE BIBLE

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3. A third example using aTableis given:

Isaiah 30:8…write it before them in a table, and note it in a book.

Ezk.23:41 “…And a table prepared… where upon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil”.

Clearly the Bible is using the “table” to represent God’s Word or the Bible.

TABLE = THE BIBLE

TABLE = God’s word

(Bible)

Isa.30:8 “…write it before them in a table and note it in a book.”

Ezk.23:41 “…And a table prepared… whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.”

4. The Bible uses the Breasts of a woman as another example:

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babies desire the sincere milk of the word…

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are:

Weaned from the milk, and

drawn from the breasts.

Conclusion : To be “weaned from the milk” is the same as to be “drawn from the breasts”.

Since the milk represents God’s Word then the breasts must also represent God’s Word.

As the Breasts produce the Milk

So the Bible produces the first principles of God.

Clearly, the Bible uses the “breasts” to represent the Bible.

BREASTS = THE BIBLE

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5. A fifth example is given using a Bow to represent the Bible:

Rev.19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth make war.

Rev.6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse and he that sat upon him had a bow; and a crown was given him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Hab.3:9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah…

Clearly, the Bible is using the symbol of a Bow to represent God’s Word.

BOW = THE BIBLE

Now it is time to review what we have learned about these five objects:

1. Bread

2. Sword

3. Table

4. Breasts or Bosom of a woman

5. Bow

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To summarize briefly, it has been shown that each of the following objects is used in the Bible to represent the Bible.

TABLE = God’s word

(Bible)

Isa.30:8 “…write it before them in a table and note it in a book.”

Ezk.23:41 “…And a table prepared… whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.”

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Now it will be shown that the Bible warns us through these objects that the enemy of God will defile or pervert the Bible. We will examine each of these objects beginning first with the Bow.

THE DECEITFUL BOW

Ps.78:56,57 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

Thus, the Bible describes a Bow that will not shoot an arrow straight, a deceitful Bow or deceitful Bible which will not tell the truth!

Jer.9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: But they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth…

Jer.9:8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit…

Psalms 11:2 For lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

Thus, the Bible presents the picture of the wicked having “their own bow” or “their own Bible” which they “shoot at” or deceive people with because it will not tell the truth!

The Bible or “Bow” as it came from the Lord’s mouth through the prophets of old was and is pure!

Ps 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace…

But the Lord knew that men would “strip away” or remove His Words and would use their own words to make a new bow or “New Bible”.

Hab.3:9 Thy bow was made quite naked.. even thy word . Selah..

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God foresaw that men would change the Bible and God has warned men of the consequences of changing the Bible, His Word!

Rev.22:18,19 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 will 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…

God foresaw that men would get together in secret councils with the devilish thought in mind of trying to deceive those trying to do God’s will!

Ps.64:2-4 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked… Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

The promise of God to us is that there will always be a version of the Bible that is pure and contains His Words.

Ps.12:6,7 The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified 7 times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.

THE “TABLE” OR BIBLE THAT IS A SNARE AND TRAP.

God planned that the “Table” or Bible would be a blessing to us and that we would be spiritually fed by reading it. However, God foresaw that men would change the Bible and that “their table” or “their Bible” would become a snare and a trap to them and others.

Ps.69:22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap.

In the Bible a snare represents a false prophet.

Hosea 9:8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. Jer.5:26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

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When the Bible said in Psalms 69:22 “Let their table become a snare… let it become a trap”, it was saying, Let “their Bible” become like a false prophet, or a book that deceives instead of being for their welfare.

THE BOSOM OF THE STRANGE WOMAN

The Bible uses a pure woman or virgin

to represent God’s True Church

Similarly, the Bible uses a harlot woman or whore

to represent Satan’s False Church

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The Bible also uses the “strange woman” to represent Satan’s False Church. Prov.2:16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words; which forsakes the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

THE BOSOM OF THE STRANGE WOMAN

Prov.5:18-20 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?

We have learned that the breasts of a woman represent the Bible. Now, we see that the Bible is warning us to “be satisfied” with the “breasts” of the “wife of our youth” and to leave the “breasts or bosom” of the “strange woman” ALONE!

Thus, in it’s symbolic language, the Bible has warned us to “stay with the Bible (breasts) that the”True Church (wife)” has had “for a long time (since our youth)”, and to “leave the Bible (breasts or bosom)” of the False Church (strange woman) ALONE!

Prov.2:16,17 To deliver thee from the strange woman… which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteh the covenant of her God.

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THE SWORD OF THE LORD

IN THE HAND OF THE KING OF BABYLON

Ezk.21:3 And say to the land of Israel, Thus sayeth the LORD; behold I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath…

Ezk.21:11 And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled:… it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

Ezk.21:19 … appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come…

We previously learned that the Sword of the Spirit represents the Bible or Gods’ Word.

The Bible says that the “Sword” of the Lord or the Bible will be given into the hand of the “king of Babylon” or head of the False Church.

The Bible says that when the “king of Babylon” receives the Lord’s sword” he will “furbish” it, (furbish #4008-sharpen, pluck off, make bald) or in other words remove part of it.

The Bible says that the reason that it is “furbished” is so that it may be “handled” (handled #8610-manipulate, use unwarrantably) or used to manipulate or use unwarrantably.

Thus, the Bible has predicted and warned us that Satan, through the False Church (Babylon), will change the Bible by removing part of it (furbish), so that it can be manipulated (handled) and used unwarrantably.

THE DEFILED BREAD

Ezk.4:12,13 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight. And the Lord said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

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To “eat” means to read or gain knowledge.

Jer.15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of my heart…

We previously learned that God used “Bread” to represent the Bible. Now we see that the Bible predicts or warns us that God’s people will:

• “eat defiled bread”

or • will be “reading defiled Bibles”

or • “reading Bibles CHANGED by MEN.

(bread with dung that cometh out of man).

This “defiled bread” will “pollute the souls” of those who “eat” it.

Exk.4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord God! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

Thus, reading a defiled “Bible” will “pollute the soul” or cause a person to have wrong ideas that relate to religious matters, as they read the words of men, instead of the words of God.

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A “famine” of reading or hearing the words of the Lord was predicted as men added their words to the Bible and removed God’s words.

Amos.8:11 Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.

Thus, although there will be plenty of Bibles (not a famine of “bread”) yet these Bibles will not satisfy Spiritual Hunger because they contain the words of men instead of the words of God.

Psa.105:16 Moereover he called for a famine upon the land; he brake the whole staff of bread.

Ezk.4:16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight…

Lev.26:26 And when I shall have broken the staff of your bread…. They shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat and not be satisfied.

Receiving only a small portion (by weight) of real or Physical bread will not satisfy physical hunger, so receiving only a portion of God’s Word (spiritual bread) will not satisfy Spiritual Hunger.

Lev.26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

We previously learned that a “woman” represents a Church. Thus, the Bible has predicted that a group of Churches (10 women) would get together and make a “COMMON BIBLE” (bake bread in one oven), which when delivered to the people, would not satisfy their spiritual hunger, because they would give the people only a portion of God’s words (deliver you bread by weight).

Lev.26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

In summary, the Bible has shown us that a group of Churches will get together and make a Common Bible that will not satisfy the spiritual hunger of people because it contains the words of men and because some of God’s words have been removed.

It will now be shown that the Bible’s prediction has COME TRUE.

Continue reading on the following pages to see the astounding changes that men have dared to make to the Word of God!!

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When is a “Bible” a Bible and when is a

book called a “Bible” Just a Book

Bringing Down the Bible

(The Reader’s Digest condenses Scriptures by 40%)

“Were God and his inspired scriptural writers unforgivably long-winded? Could they have benefited, like other authors, from a dose of tough-minded, un-worshipful editing? Verily, saith the Reader’s Digest, and last week it brought forth the Reader’s Digest Bible. Priced at $16.95, it is 320,000 words (or 40% shorter than the Protestant text of the Revised Standard Version on which it is based: the Old Testament has been cut down by half and the New by one-fourth. Alas, less in this instance is not more.

The project began in 1976 when the Digest won the approval of the National Council of Churches, which holds copyright to the Revised Standard Version. As general editor, the Digest recruited the Rev.Bruce M. Metzger of Princeton Theological Seminary, a distinguished Bible expert, to supervise the work of nine staff condensers. Despite the inevitable jokes to come about the Six Commandments or the 4.2 Days of Creation, the team wisely left un-shrunk the best-known passages, like the 23^rd Psalm. Instead they applied the scissors to parallel accounts, such as the dozens of stories concerning Jesus Christ that appear in more than one of the four Gospels. Whole narrative passages are squeezed to a minimum. God’s words to Moses out of the burning bush are boiled down by two-fifths.

The editors also eliminated entire sentences, like Matthew 4:25 “And great crowds followed (Jesus) from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan”. This moves the action along briskly, but at the sacrifice of historical detail. Many complicated sections are cut altogether, such as those Old Testament family trees and lists of kings and much of the ritual law in Leviticus.

In the poetic books, chapter after chapter is hacked away. Gone is fully half of the book of Psalms, which might now be better re-titled David’s Greatest Hits. The prophets are especially victimized,. Besides large chunks, telling phrases are lost. Consider the felicitous line from Jeremiah: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately corrupt”. Snip out the last three words. Or this passage from Isaiah, immortalized in Handel’s Messiah: “He was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities” Away with the second phrase, on grounds of redundancy. So much for poetry. (Cont.)

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Also omitted are the chapter and verse numbers. Ostensibly this is to aid readability, though other modern editions avoid clutter by including unobtrusive numbers in the lines or at the margins.

The Digest Bible leaves the reader with no idea what is missing.

What justifies such a venture?

Metzger hopes that once that once people have been lured into his 60% rendition, “a sizable proportion who have never cracked the cover of a Bible will go on to read the whole thing”. The Digest contends that the Bible is all too little read, because many sections are rough going for the typical reader. Undoubtedly so, but such people could use one of the readable modern translation of the real thing (such as the Good News Bible or New International Version) and skip the slow parts.

The Digest Bible comes with ringing publicity hosannas from the likes of Norman Vincent Peale, Oral Roberts, Pat Boone (an “authentic Bible feast”!) Executive Director John Mostert of the conservative American Association of Bible Colleges, and President Donald Shriver of New York City’s liberal Union Theological Seminary (“an important new addition to the life of Christians, the churches and the world…”). So far, only cranky Fundamentalists seem to be offended. They argue that Christians must take the Bible straight, the way God gave it. Warns the Christian Beacon: ” The Reader’s Digest has done a good job for Satan”.

A bit much, to be sure, but even the Digesters must have entertained the thought that not everybody was going to be pleased. Why else would they have dropped some of the climactic words from the last book in the Bible, Revelation? The passage threatens eternal damnation “if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy”. (End of quotation).

This “Bible” was approved by the National Council of Churches. Would you call this book “The Bible”? Why not? The cover says it’s a Bible. The National Council of Churches says it’s a Bible. What more do you need?

Oh you say it does not contain all of God’s Words because men have eliminated 40% of them.

Alright suppose I only eliminate 10% of God’s Words would you call it “The Bible” then? No? How about 1%? No? You say you want all of God’s Words.

Now, let’s look at the NIV, another book that calls itself “The Bible”.

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NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION OF

The Holy Bible

“The newest entry in modern versions is the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE. (NIV) released by Zondervan- Publishing in 1978. The New Testament had come out in 1973.

T

GROUP

OF

CHURCHES

he translators included scholars from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Great Britain. The denominations taking part in the work included Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Brethren, Christian Reformed, Church of Christ, Evangelical Free, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodist, Nazarene, Presbyterian and Wesleyan. The New York International Bible Society supplied the funds.

T

REMOVING

GOD’S WORDS

he NIV translators condemn themselves! They put in this Revelation warning about adding or subtracting from the Bible. Then they blithely omit whole texts, portions of texts, etc.

They omitted: 17 whole verses

180 portions of verses

They omitted names of our Lord:

Jesus 38 times

Christ 43 times

Lord 35 times

God 31 times

173 times

B

ADDING

MEN’S WORDS

y omission or change of wording they have changed the meaning of texts in at least 229 verses in the New Testament alone!”

(Taken from: “New International Version of the Holy Bible page 91, 105 by Gar Baybrook).

Lev.26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and you shall eat and not be satisfied.

So, just as the Bible predicted, a group of churches did get together and they made a Common Bible (NIV) that will not satisfy the spiritual hunger of people because it contains the words of men and because some of God’s words have been removed.

The Bible’s prediction has COME TRUE.

King James Version

Rev.12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

To “HAVE” means to POSSESS.

New International Version

Rev.12:17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring─those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

To “HOLD TO” means only to BELIEVE.

King James Version

Rev.19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

To “HAVE” means to POSSESS.

New International Version

Rev.19:10 At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”.

To “HOLD TO” means only to BELIEVE.

King James Version

Ex.20:8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

New International Version

Ex.20:8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

No longer is the Sabbath a particular day
but “a” Sabbath day which could be any day of the week
according to the NIV.

Deut.5:12-14 does the same thing.

King James Version

Rev.13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

New International Version

Rev13:4 Men worship the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?” 7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast─all those names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. 9 He who has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed.

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

If you try to show from the Bible that it was prophesied that the Beast power would have its power come to an end by the “sword” of Napoleon or the “sword” of the Reformation, you can’t do it if you are using an NIV, because no longer is “the beast” a definite person (He) or power but rather an indefinite person (if anyone).

THE BIBLE BABEL

FALSE CLAIM – “ALL VERSIONS ARE GOOD”

K.J.V. –Ps.22:16 “They pierced my hands and my feet”.

K.J.V. – Luke 24:40 “He showed them His hands and feet”.

Good News Bible – “They tear at my hands and feet”.

New English Bible – “They hacked off my hands and feet”.

K.J.V. –Zech.13:6 “What are these wounds in thine hands?”

Good News Bible – “What are these wounds on your chest?”

N.I.V. – “What are these wounds on your body?”

R.S.V. – “What are these wounds on your back?”

Living Bible – Ken Taylor – “What are these scars on your chest? These are the scars I received when I was in a brawl with my friend”.

Moffats Translation – “When He is asked ‘Then what are these scars on your hands?’ He will answer ‘I got these in my harlot’s house’”.

Smith and Goodspeed – “In the house of my lovers”.

New World Translation (Jehovah’s Witnesses) – “And when someone says to him, ‘What mean these scars on your back?’ He will say,”I was wounded in the house of my lovers.’”

From “New International Version or the King James Version”

by George Burnside, p.171

Now lets compare four “versions” of the Bible:

1. The K.J.V.

2. The N.I.V

3. The DOUAY

4. The R.S.V.

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A Comparison of

KJV – NIV – DOUAY – RSV

Subject: SABBATH AS 7^th day(Ex.20:10)

Subject: DEITY OF JESUS (John 9:35)

Subject: DEITY OF JESUS (Isaiah 7:14)

Subject: DEITY OF JESUS (John 6:47)

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Subject: STATE OF THE DEAD (Job19:25,26)

Subject: STATE OF THE DEAD (2Pet.2:9)

Subject: STATE OF THE DEAD (Jude 6)

Subject: SALVATION (Mat.18:11)

Subject: HUMANITY OF CHRIST (1 John 4:3))

Subject: HUMANITY OF JESUS (1 Tim.3:16)

Subject: JESUS AS CREATOR (Eph.3:9)

Subject: REPENTENCE (Mat.9:13)

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Subject: COMMANDMENT KEEPING (Rev.22:14)

Subject: LORD’S PRAYER (Mat.6:13)

Subject: THE BIBLE (Luke 4:4, Deut.8:3)

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Subject: SALVATION THROUGH JESUS BLOOD (Col. 1:14)

Subject: THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS (1Cor.15:47)

Subject: THE SECOND ADVENT (Mat.25:13)

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Subject: JESUS WOUNDED HANDS

(Zech.13:6 Psa.22:16 - 22:17 for Douay)

Subject: SABBATH FOR JEWS AND GENTILES (Acts.13:42)

Subject: 2300 DAY PROPHECY (Dan. 8:14)

Subject: 2300 DAY PROPHECY (Dan. 9:25)

Reading the preface of each new version would lead you to believe that, that particular translation was absolutely necessary due to:

1. New archeological discoveries.

2. Better understanding of the ancient Greek and Hebrew languages.

3. Obsolete and archaic words and phrases in the King James version.

4. Discovery of older manuscripts of Scripture than heretofore available to scholars.

Lets look at the King James Bible and see if these new translations are really necessary.

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The Trinitarian Bible Society exists to publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world in many languages, in accurate and trustworthy translations.

Trinitarian Bible Society, 217 Kingston Road, London, SW19 3NN, England. Article No.63

PLAIN REASONS FOR KEEPING

TO THE AUTHORIZED VERSION (KJV)

“Why should we keep to the Authorized Version of the Bible in preference to the many modern versions now available? The question is often asked and here are some of the answers.

1. The Authorized Version (KJV) is based on a better “text”.

By “text” is meant the Hebrew and Greek wording of the Bible, from which translations are made into English and other languages. A good text is one that can be trusted as a faithful copy of the words which God originally inspired. The text of the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament is available in printed editions, which are in turn based on handwritten copies known as “manuscripts”.

The Hebrew and Greek editions which were used by the Authorized Version translators were based on only a few manuscripts. In the centuries which have passed since 1611, when the Authorized Version was published, several thousands of manuscripts have been discovered which were not used by the early translators. The majority of such manuscripts have been proved to be substantially in agreement with the Authorized Version, and the general reliability of the text used for the version has been confirmed.

From the 18^th century onwards, scholars have made increasing use of a few very old Greek manuscripts which contain a different form of text. The two best known such manuscripts are the “codex Vaticanus”, found in the papal library in Rome, and “codex Sinaiticus” discovered at a monastery on Mount Sinai. Most modern Bible translations leave out or alter many verses to make them agree with these 4^th century manuscript copies. The assumption behind this change of text is that “the oldest manuscripts must be the best”. However, the age of a manuscript is not at all a proof of its quality. The early copies which have survived reflect a form of text which was used in Egypt during the 3^rd and 4^th centuries, and there is a grave danger that the text suffered from local influences. By following this form of text, the modern versions have revived ancient errors. Hundreds of words in the New Testament have been omitted as well as two lengthy passages (Mark 16:9,20 and John 7:53-8:11) and dozens of complete verses.

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The mass of later manuscripts, on the other hand, are undoubtedly faithful copies of the form of text which was handed down over hundreds of years in the many areas where Greek was spoken, This is known as the “majority text” or “traditional text”. The Authorized Version is largely based on this form of text, which is the safest and most trustworthy.

2. The Authorized Version (KJV) is a more accurate translation.

Because of their reverent regard for the Bible as the inspired Word of God, the translators felt that they should very carefully set down in English all that was written by the inspired writers. They were conscious of the strict commands in Deuteronomy 4:2, that God’s people should not add to His Word or take anything away from it. Modern versions quite often commit both of these errors, and the reader loses as a result.

For instance, in John 1:17, John wrote “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”. The Authorized Version puts this in simple English, with nothing added and nothing taken away. Compare this with the Living Bible: “Moses only gave us the law, with its rigid demands and merciless justice. Jesus gives us loving forgiveness as well”. Here something is added about “rigid demands and merciless justice”, but John did not write these words, and they are not in any New Testament manuscript. The Law of Moses says that God shows mercy to thousands of them that love Him (Exodus 20:6), so the Living Bible makes John contradict Moses. Notice also that Moses did not ONLY give us the Law – The Living Bible adds the word ONLY - but Jesus said of Moses, “He wrote of Me”. The Living Bible also takes something away. John wrote “Grace and TRUTH came by Jesus Christ” but the Living Bible omits all reference to the TRUTH, although all the manuscripts have this word in this place. In this example the modern version is neither accurate nor true.

In other passages the same tendency to add to and take away from the inspired words is also found in the Good News Bible, the New International Version, and other popular modern versions. The Authorized Version (KJV), however, keeps very close to the original, and is a reliable guide to what the inspired writers actually wrote under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and also a reliable guide to what they meant.

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3. The Authorized Version (KJV) is in more appropriate English.

The Holy Bible is the Word of a Holy God, and a translation should be in language appropriate to the Divine Author. The Bible was written by holy men of God who “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21), so a translation should use language and style appropriate to the inspired writers. The Bible speaks of many important and solemn matters such as eternal life, everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, of sin and salvation, of lost sinners and their Divine Saviour, the Eternal Son of the Eternal God. A translation should therefore be in language and style appropriate to the subject matter.

As the Bible is the Word of God, it should be read both in public and in private, and it should be remembered. A translation therefore needs to be in a form of English suitable for public and private reading - and easy to learn by heart. The rhythm of the Authorized Version, its reverent and dignified style, and the very high proportion of simple short words of Anglo-Saxon origin, which have continued to provide the “basic” vocabulary of our language in every-day use, all combine to make this version the most suitable in all these respects. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost… He that hath the Son hath life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not life”. These great statements are given to us in simple words all of one syllable, and much of the Authorized Version is in this simple “timeless” English that a child can read, learn and understand.

4. The Authorized Version (KJV) bears a stronger testimony to the Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ than we find in many modern versions.

Some of the old manuscripts favoured by modern scholars leave out or alter some of the most important passages which declare that our Redeemer is equal and co-eternal with God, and that He is Himself “God manifest in the flesh”. This great testimony in 1 Tim.3:16 is weakened or lost in nearly every modern version. In many also the testimony of Mark 1:1 is lost, where in the Authorized Version we read “The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”. The modern versions tend to omit or question the statement that He is “the Son of God” (see also John 6:69 and 9:35).In Hebrews 1:8 God the Father addresses the Son as God: “unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever”. In many modern versions this testimony is weakened or lost.

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In the Old Testament the Authorized Version says in Isaiah 9:6 that the coming Saviour’s Name shall be called “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”. Many modern versions change this passage so that the Messiah is not called “the Mighty God”. Moffatt calls Him no more than “a Divine hero”. In Rom.9:5 the Authorized Version says that Christ is “over all God blessed for ever” while modern versions tend to change this so completely that only God is said to be “over all” and “blessed for ever”, and Christ is not said to be God.

Other altered passages concerning the Person of Christ are found in Isaiah 7:14 and Mat.1:23, where modern versions sometimes put “young woman” instead of “virgin”, thus obscuring the doctrine that Christ was born of a virgin. Many versions also omit the word “firstborn” in Mat.1:25, where the Authorized Version bears a clear testimony that Jesus was Mary’s firstborn son. The virgin birth is further called into question as Luke 2:33 where modern versions refer to Joseph as the “father” of Jesus. In the book of Micah 5 (5:2), the prophet speaks of the coming birth of a Ruler at Bethlehem, “whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”, clearly referring to the eternal nature of the son of God. In the New International Version this becomes “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” which could easily give a reader the impression that Christ was a created being. The same error occurs in the Revised Standard Version and other modern versions.

5. The Authorized Version (KJV) has served as a standard English translation recognized throughout the English-speaking world as the source and foundation of effective Gospel preaching, and as the highest authority in all matters of controversy.

No other version has taken its place in this respect. The greatest evangelists and expositors of the last 350 years have used this version for their ministry, and by means of it God has blessed millions of people with the light and truth of the Gospel of Christ.

There are hundreds of thousands of Christian people in Africa, India, the Far East and the West Indies, who use this version and want no other. During recent years the Trinitarian Bible Society has sent hundreds of thousands of copies of the Authorized Version into Africa, where it is read by Africans whose language is English. It is the Bible they know and love, and from which the Gospel is preached to them. In their resistance to less reliable modern versions these people show more discernment than many in our own country, who have too readily adopted one or other of the modern versions far inferior to the Authorized Version.

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There are more than a hundred modern English versions. No doubt in every one of them some passages may be found well translated and perhaps some difficult passages are made clear, but any such advantage gained is far outweighed by the shortcomings and losses which have been mentioned. It is right to keep to the Authorized Version, not because it is older, but because it is better than the versions offered in its place. This Bible is a precious gift of God for which we should be thankful. Its excellence, its faithfulness, its power and fruitfulness, have been well tried in the experience of millions. It must not be surrendered in exchange for an inferior version.”

The Trinitarian Bible Society exists to publish and distribute the Holy Scriptures throughout the world in many languages, in accurate and trustworthy translations. Information literature will be sent on request, and a list of other pamphlets is available.

Making the King James Version even better

“Although it is 368 years old, the King James Version (K.J.V.) of the Bible is still preferred by more readers than are all other translations combined.

Not many are aware the K.J.V. has been updated three times. The last time it was updated was in 1700. Since that time the English language has changed substantially, making it difficult for many readers to understand clearly the meaning of the Authorized Version.

Four years ago an international team of 119 scholars, editors, and church leaders began work on an update to be known as The New King James Bible. The New Testament, published by Thomas Nelson, has recently been released for purchase. At a press conference in Washington D.C. in May, Dr Arthur L. Farstad, the New Testament editor, told the surprisingly small handful of those of us who attended that he had gained a new respect for the accuracy of the K.J.V. during his work on this revision. He admitted that he had been biased by his studies at various seminaries in the direction of accepting the view that the K.J.V. contained numerous inaccuracies in translation. He now has reversed this conviction, concluding instead that the initial K.J.V. translators worked with extreme accuracy, selecting valid options in the Greek text.

The team of international scholars commissioned to produce The New King James Bible claims it has done everything possible to retain the originally intended meaning and the poetic beauty that characterizes the K.J.V. and makes it precious to millions of readers.

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This revision is unique in that it takes a different approach to manuscript selection than do all other modern versions. Dr. Farstad and the scholars working with him decided to follow the same Greek text tradition selection as did those who originally translated the K.J.V. They maintain that there are good arguments for the superiority of the traditional text as over against the more modern critical editions.

Explaining this position, Dr Farstad states “The editors and scholars on The New King James Bible project considered it far wiser to accept the consensus of the thousands of manuscripts that are in basic agreement rather than the few different but older manuscripts that have so heavily influenced recent translations”. The New King James Bible thus follows the “traditional text” concept. The result is that it is tied more closely to the 1611 version than are most modern translations.” ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 3, 1979

We have seen the statements about the extreme accuracy with which the King James Bible was translated.

Now lets look at the two main “texts” that were used to translate the New Modern Versions:

The Vaticanus (codex B)

The Sinaiticus (Aleph)

The Unreliableness of the:

The Vaticanus (codex B)

The Sinaiticus (Aleph)

With regard to Codex B (Vaticanus) Dr. Scrivener says:

“One marked feature characteristic of this copy, is the great number of its omissions, which has induced Dr Dobbin to speak of it as presenting an abbreviated text of the New Testament: and certainly the facts he states on this point are startling enough. He calculates that Codex B leaves out words or clauses no less than 330 times in Matthew, 365 in Mark, 439 in Luke, 357 in John, 384 in the Acts, 681 in the surviving Epistles. or 2,556 times in all.”

Scrivener “Introduction”, Vol.1, p.120

With regard to the corruptions of these two manuscripts, Dean Burgeon says:

“The impurity of the Texts exhibited by Codices B and Aleph is not a matter of opinion, but a matter of fact. These are two of the least trustworthy documents in existence… Codices B and Aleph are, demonstrably, nothing else but specimens of the depraved class thus characterized.” “Revisions Revised”, pp315-318

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Now listen to Phillip Mauro, a New York Lawyer and writer of several excellent books on the Scriptures:

“It is easy to understand why this particular MS (Vaticanus) is cherished at the Vatican; for its corruptions are what make it valuable to the leaders of the papal system. We can conceive therefore the satisfaction of those leaders that their highly prized MS has been allowed to play the leading part in the revision of the English Bible, than which there is nothing on earth they have more reason to fear. “Which Version? note p.50.

Many excuses are made for using the N.I.V. and other modern versions. For instance it is claimed that “many new manuscripts have been found”.

What they do not tell you is that there are over 5000 New Testament Manuscripts and 95% of these support what is known as the Received Text or the Textus Receptus from which the King James Bible was translated.

Only 5% support the Vaticanus or Sinaiticus.

The Vaticanus omits from Gen. 1:1 to Gen. 46:28.

Also from Psalms 106 to 138 is missing. Likewise Matthew 16:2,3; Romans 16:24, most of Paul’s epistles and the book of Revelation as well as all of Hebrews after Hebrews 9:14.

As one writer has stated “It cuts off the beginning, middle and end of the Scriptures, plus many other parts”.

G. Burnside “The N.I.V. or K.J.V. p.159.

Translations that stay as close as possible to the original text, follow the principle of “complete equivalence” which attempts to preserve all the information of the original text. (example-K.J.V.).

A growing number of modern translations, called “dynamic translations”, do not follow this principle.

Rather, they paraphrase the text, using what they call “dynamic equivalence” (example-N.I.V.)

P. Gerard Damsteegt “The Role of BibleTranslations”

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WHAT THEN WILL BE WRITTEN DOWN

IN THE “LOSS” COLUMN FOR THE NEW VERSIONS?

“The first loss, easily demonstrated is the loss of thousands of words, hundreds of verses, which have been completely removed or have had doubt thrown upon them.

Secondly, thousands of verses engraved in the hearts of God’s people are now unnecessarily changed…

The virgin birth is clouded by translating “young woman”.

The Son of God becomes “a son of God”.

Demon possession becomes “epilepsy”, etc…

NOT ONE of these can be claimed to be a precise translation of the Greek words God’s apostles wrote.

Another massive loss occurs because myriads of words are added to the Holy Scriptures. The reader is not given the slightest inkling as to which are God’s words and which are words added by the translators…

The translators feel free to improve upon the ancient texts…

A meaning can become simply what the translators… ‘think it ought to mean’.”

Jay Green-preface of Modern King James Bible

CONCLUSION:

WHICH VERSION OF THE BIBLE

SHALL I USE?

THE

KING JAMES BIBLE

(K.J.V.)

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