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This article is written by a "KJV onlyist." This is a sect of the Christian community whose adherents believe the KJV is the only true translation of the Bible and all others are corrupted.
This article is written by a "KJV onlyist." This is a sect of the Christian community whose adherents believe the KJV is the only true translation of the Bible and all others are corrupted.
The author doesn't explain, but the "Textus Receptus" manuscripts of the NT are regarded by "onlyists" as the only authentic texts from which to translate, and the KJV is translated from these texts. But all other translations are corrupt because they are based on inferior "Alexandrian" (Westcott and Hort) texts.
So the author's premise is that all other Bible translations are heretical and evil, which includes the NKJV. Unfortunately, rather than articulate valid reasons for his position, he only manages to demonstrate nit-picking. None of the issues the author discusses represent a risk of departure from true doctrine or saving knowledge.
Not one.
In addition, the KJV is also a revision of earlier translations, and has in fact been changed many times over the centuries. Here's an interesting discussion about this.
We also should mention that we are not writing to defend the NKJV, we are focused on examining the author's presentation.
Lastly, the author never quotes the Bible. Not once. We must deem this Bad Bible Teaching.
We will now give some special attention to one of the deadliest translations on the market--the New King James Version, first published in 1979. It is a deadly version because it's (sic) editors have succeeded in deceiving the body of Christ on two main points: (1) That it's a King James Bible (which is a lie), and (2) that it's based on the Textus Receptus (which is only a partial truth). The following information should be helpful when dealing with Christians who have been swindled by the Laodicean lovers of filthy lucre:
1. The text of the NKJV is copyrighted by Thomas Nelson Publishers, while there is no copyright today on the text of the KJV. If your KJV has maps or notes, then it may have a copyright, but the text itself does not. (Irrelevant.)
2. There's nothing "new" about the NKJV logo. (The author is referring to the Celtic triquetra:
It is thought to be a pagan symbol co-opted by early Celtic Christians as a means to explain the Trinity to the locals. However, some think that the symbol was actually co-opted by the pagans.)
It is a "666" symbol of the pagan trinity which was used in the ancient Egyptian mysteries. (Odd that the ancient Egyptians would use a symbol representing 666, which the book of Revelation first revealed thousands of years later.)
It was also used by Satanist Aleister Crowley around the turn of this century. (Thousands of years after the Egyptians.)
The symbol can be seen on the New King James Bible, on certain rock albums (like Led Zeppelin's), or you can see it on the cover of such New Age books as The Aquarian Conspiracy. (See Riplinger's tract on the NKJV.) (While the use of a symbol is perhaps troublesome, that does not speak to the issue at hand.)
3. It is estimated that the NKJV makes over 100,000 translation changes, which comes to over eighty changes per page and about three changes per verse! (Presuming that change is bad, and lots of change is really bad.)
A great number of these changes bring the NKJV in line with the readings of such Alexandrian perversions as the NIV and the RSV. Where changes are not made in the text, subtle footnotes often give credence to the Westcott and Hort Greek Text. (We hope the author will discuss some of these changes, particularly where the change might create a heresy.)
4. While passing off as being true to the Textus Receptus, the NKJV IGNORES the Receptus over 1,200 times. (We hope the author will discuss some of these deletions, particularly where a deletion might create a heresy.)
5. In the NKJV, there are 22 omissions of "hell", 23 omissions of "blood", 44 omissions of "repent", 50 omissions of "heaven", 51 omissions of "God", and 66 omissions of "Lord". The terms "devils", "damnation", "JEHOVAH", and "new testament" are completely omitted. (We hope the author will discuss some of these omissions, particularly where an omission might create a heresy.)
6. The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him. (Finally, our first example. The Greek word di’ is a preposition that can be translated "through, by, or because of." More specifically, "of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense..." The Father used the instrument of His Word and spoke with power [The Holy Spirit] all things into existence. This manifestation of the Trinity in the creation of the universe shouldn't surprise us. So what is the problem, exactly?)
4. While passing off as being true to the Textus Receptus, the NKJV IGNORES the Receptus over 1,200 times. (We hope the author will discuss some of these deletions, particularly where a deletion might create a heresy.)
5. In the NKJV, there are 22 omissions of "hell", 23 omissions of "blood", 44 omissions of "repent", 50 omissions of "heaven", 51 omissions of "God", and 66 omissions of "Lord". The terms "devils", "damnation", "JEHOVAH", and "new testament" are completely omitted. (We hope the author will discuss some of these omissions, particularly where an omission might create a heresy.)
6. The NKJV demotes the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 1:3, the KJV says that all things were made "by" Jesus Christ, but in the NKJV, all things were just made "through" Him. (Finally, our first example. The Greek word di’ is a preposition that can be translated "through, by, or because of." More specifically, "of the instrument used to accomplish a thing, or of the instrumental cause in the stricter sense..." The Father used the instrument of His Word and spoke with power [The Holy Spirit] all things into existence. This manifestation of the Trinity in the creation of the universe shouldn't surprise us. So what is the problem, exactly?)
The word "Servant" replaces "Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces "child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. (Child, servant, boy, children. Does the author think that the numerous clear statements of other scriptures that Jesus is the Son gets negated by rendering this word as "servant?" Especially in light of verses like:
Mt. 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”Again, the author needs to demonstrate heresy. Remember, he branded the NKJV as "deadly.")
The word "Jesus" is omitted from Mark 2:15, (Let's quote. First the KJV:
And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
The NKJV:
Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.
The careful Bible student will notice that both translations clearly tell us who was dining in Levi's house. The word "Jesus" does actually appear once in the NKJV, but not twice like the KJV.
Again, where's the heresy?)
Hebrews 4:8, (Let's quote. KJV:
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day.
The obvious question is, who failed to achieve rest for the people of God, Jesus or Joshua? Certainly Jesus has never failed. Further, "Jesus" is the Greek form of "Joshua," so the context would determine which person is being discussed. Here it is clearly Joshua.)
and Acts 7:45. (Sigh. Let's quote. KJV:
Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David...
which our fathers, having received it in turn, also brought with Joshua into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers until the days of David...
It's a matter of the testimony of Scripture that Joshua led Israel into the promised land.
Which was [the son] of Jose, which was [the son] of Eliezer, which was [the son] of Jorim, which was [the son] of Matthat, which was [the son] of Levi...
"Jose" is also Iésous.
At this point we are going to cease commenting, because nothing the author has presented up to this point regarding the NKJV negates any doctrine, major or minor, creates any issue that would impede someone's ability to come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved, or inhibits one's Christian walk.
The reader will find that it's the same with everything that follows.)
7. The NKJV confuses people about salvation. In Hebrews 10:14 it replaces "are sanctified" with "are being sanctified", and it replaces "are saved" with "are being saved" in I Corinthians 1:18 and II Corinthians 2:15. The words "may believe" have been replaced with "may continue to believe" in I John 5:13. The old straight and "narrow" way of Matthew 7:14 has become the "difficult" way in the NKJV.
8. In II Corinthians 10:5 the KJV reads "casting down imaginations", but the NKJV reads "casting down arguments". The word "thought", which occurs later in the verse, matches "imaginations", not "arguments". This change weakens the verse.
9. The KJV tells us to reject a "heretick" after the second admonition in Titus 3:10. The NKJV tells us to reject a "divisive man". How nice! Now the Alexandrians and Ecumenicals have justification for rejecting anyone they wish to label as "divisive men".
10. According to the NKJV, no one would stoop so low as to "corrupt" God's word. No, they just "peddle" it (II Cor. 2:17). The reading matches the Alexandrian versions.
11. Since the NKJV has "changed the truth of God into a lie", it has also changed Romans 1:25 to read "exchanged the truth of God for the lie". This reading matches the readings of the new perversions, so how say ye it's a King James Bible?
12. The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.
13. The word "science" is replaced with "knowledge" in I Timothy 6:20, although "science" has occurred in every edition of the KJV since 1611! How say ye it's a King James Bible?
14. The Jews "require" a sign, according to I Corinthians 1:22 (and according to Jesus Christ - John 4:48), but the NKJV says they only "request" a sign. They didn't "request" one when signs first appeared in Exodus 4, and there are numerous places throughout the Bible where God gives Israel signs when they haven't requested anything (Exo. 4, Exo. 31:13, Num. 26:10, I Sam. 2:34, Isa. 7:10-14, Luke 2:12, etc). They "require" a sign, because signs are a part of their national heritage.
15. The King James reading in II Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man is in Christ he is a new "creature", which matches the words of Christ in Mark 16:15. The cross reference is destroyed in the NKJV, which uses the word "creation."
16. As a final note, we'd like to point out how the NKJV is very inconsistent in it's (sic) attempt to update the language of the KJV. The preface to the NKJV states that previous "revisions" of the KJV have "sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech", and also that they too are taking a "further step toward this objective". However, when taking a closer look at the language of the NKJV, we find that oftentimes they are stepping BACKWARDS! Please note a few examples of how well the NKJV has "kept abreast of the changes in the English language":
8. In II Corinthians 10:5 the KJV reads "casting down imaginations", but the NKJV reads "casting down arguments". The word "thought", which occurs later in the verse, matches "imaginations", not "arguments". This change weakens the verse.
9. The KJV tells us to reject a "heretick" after the second admonition in Titus 3:10. The NKJV tells us to reject a "divisive man". How nice! Now the Alexandrians and Ecumenicals have justification for rejecting anyone they wish to label as "divisive men".
10. According to the NKJV, no one would stoop so low as to "corrupt" God's word. No, they just "peddle" it (II Cor. 2:17). The reading matches the Alexandrian versions.
11. Since the NKJV has "changed the truth of God into a lie", it has also changed Romans 1:25 to read "exchanged the truth of God for the lie". This reading matches the readings of the new perversions, so how say ye it's a King James Bible?
12. The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.
13. The word "science" is replaced with "knowledge" in I Timothy 6:20, although "science" has occurred in every edition of the KJV since 1611! How say ye it's a King James Bible?
14. The Jews "require" a sign, according to I Corinthians 1:22 (and according to Jesus Christ - John 4:48), but the NKJV says they only "request" a sign. They didn't "request" one when signs first appeared in Exodus 4, and there are numerous places throughout the Bible where God gives Israel signs when they haven't requested anything (Exo. 4, Exo. 31:13, Num. 26:10, I Sam. 2:34, Isa. 7:10-14, Luke 2:12, etc). They "require" a sign, because signs are a part of their national heritage.
15. The King James reading in II Corinthians 5:17 says that if any man is in Christ he is a new "creature", which matches the words of Christ in Mark 16:15. The cross reference is destroyed in the NKJV, which uses the word "creation."
16. As a final note, we'd like to point out how the NKJV is very inconsistent in it's (sic) attempt to update the language of the KJV. The preface to the NKJV states that previous "revisions" of the KJV have "sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech", and also that they too are taking a "further step toward this objective". However, when taking a closer look at the language of the NKJV, we find that oftentimes they are stepping BACKWARDS! Please note a few examples of how well the NKJV has "kept abreast of the changes in the English language":
SCRIPTURE KJV NKJV
Ezra 31:4little rivers rivulets Psalms 43:1 Judge Vindicate Psalms 139:23 thoughts anxieties Isaiah 28:1 fat verdant Amos 5:21 smell savor Matthew 26:7 box flask Luke 8:31 the deep the abyss John 10:41 did performed Luke 19:11-27 pounds minas John 19:9 judgement hall Praetorium Acts 1:18 bowels entrails Acts 18:12 deputy proconsul Acts 21:38 uproar insurrection Acts 27:30 boat skiff Hebrews 12:8 bastard illegitimate
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