The New King James Bible Examined
By M. H. Reynolds, Editor, Foundation Magazine
Edited by R.S.Brewer

Introduction by R.S. Brewer

The Word of God has been attacked since the Garden of Eden. The attacks are seemingly endless and from every direction. We of the fundamental persuasion are tasked with shedding the light on these attacks and exposing them for what they are, Satan and his minions doing their best to cast doubt on God’s Word, water it down, and confuse God’s people, who are already spiritually anemic. There are relatively few who have answered the call of the watchman to warn God’s people who have ears to hear. We strongly admonish fundamental preachers and pastors to stand up and warn God’s people, followed by instructing God’s people in and from His preserved and perfect Word. His Word is our only hope. I trust the following treatise by Bro. Reynolds will be a blessing to you and others. Feel free to print it and pass it on but be sure to give Bro. Reynolds credit for his labor and willingness to share his work. We reject the NKJV as well as the NIV and all other johnny-come-lately versions spawned for filthy lucre and to pervert God’s Word. May God bless this study to your understanding.

What about the New King James Bible?
In this article, we want to share with God's people some of the important facts which led us to reject the NKJV and warn others about it. We do not believe that the "NKJV makes the KJV even better" as its publishers claim. To the contrary, our study leads us to conclude that the NKJV vitiates the original, reliable, accurate KJV in a most deceptive manner. While claiming to have "preserved the authority and accuracy" of the original KJV, the actual result is a hybrid t ext which incorporates many changes identical with or similar to the corruptions found in other modern Bible versions.

Why the New King James Bible?
Its publisher, Thomas Nelson Company, says its purpose is "To Preserve the Integrity of the Original in the Language of Today"-"To preserve the authority and accuracy . . . of the original King James while making it understandable to 20th Century readers"-"To update with regard to punctuation and grammar; archaic verbs and pronouns"; and "Up-to-date accuracy with regard to words whose English meaning has changed over a period of 3 1/2 centuries." The completed NKJV text is said to be "Beautifully Clear" and "Highly Readable." Thomas Nelson Publishers has spent millions to convince Christians that the NKJV is "the" Bible of the present and the future.

Why do we recommend rejection of the NKJV?
Space limitations preclude a full discussion of every reason, but we do urge a careful consideration of the following facts. It is essential to know that many of the word changes between the original KJV and the NKJV are not changes which result from removing archaisms, etc. Instead, many are changes which clearly reveal that, contrary to their agreed basis, the NKJV translators departed from the original KJV and its underlying Greek text, the Textus Receptus, in favor of the very same wording found in versions translated from corrupted Greek texts.

The instances in which the NKJV breaks with the original KJV by substituting wording identical to that of corrupted modern Bible versions are too numerous to be considered coincidence. And, since Nelson tells us that the NKJV scholars spent "months of prayer, research, and discussion over the handling of a single word," we must conclude that these changes were neither coincidental nor accidental.

The following references are listed as examples of the way the translators inserted erroneous words and meanings from corrupted modern Bible versions into the NKJV text:

Titus 3:10-KJV reads, "A man that is an heretick...reject." NKJV and NIV change "heretick" to "divisive man"; RSV and NASV to "factious" man. (The one who holds to heresy is to be rejected, not the one who exposes false doctrine. The new versions confuse who is in mind here).

Acts 4:27-KJV reads, "Thy holy child, Jesus." NKJV, NASV and RSV change "holy child" to "holy servant."

Acts 8:9-KJV reads, "bewitched the people." NKJV and NASV change "bewitched" to "astonished." NIV and RSV change "bewitched" to "amazed."

Romans 1:25-KJV reads, "changed the truth of God into a lie." NKJV, NASV and NIV read "exchanged the truth of God for the lie" or "a lie."

Romans 4:25-KJV reads, "Who was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification." NKJV and NASV change "for" to "because of." (Even the NIV and RSV use the correct word, "for").

2 Corinthians 10:5-KJV reads, "Casting down imaginations." NKJV, NIV and RSV change "imaginations" to "arguments."

Colossians 3:2-KJV reads, "Set your affection on things above." NKJV, NASV, NIV and RSV change "affection" to "mind."

1 Thessalonians 5:22-KJV reads, "Abstain from all appearance of evil." NKJV, NASV and RSV change "appearance" to "form."

2 Timothy 2:15-KJV reads, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God." NKJV and NASV change "study" to "be diligent." NIV and RSV change "study" to "do your best."

Old Testament examples include:

Psalm 79:1-the word "heathen" in the KJV is changed to "nations" in the NKJV, NASV and NIV.

Isaiah 11:3-the entire phrase, "And shall make Him of quick understanding" in the KJV is eliminated in the NKJV, NASV, NIV and RSV.

Isaiah 66:5-the wonderful phrase, "But He shall appear to your joy" in the KJV disappears without explanation from NKJV, NASV, NIV and RSV.

Daniel 3:25-the fourth person who was in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, was identified as "the Son of God." The same identification is given in the text of the NKJV but a footnote reads "or, a son of the gods," and both NIV and NA SV actually have the latter reading in their texts.

In other Old Testament portions, the word "evil" in the KJV is replaced by several different words-doom, disaster, calamity, catastrophe, trouble, adversity, terrible, harm, wild. In four different places in 1 and 2 Kings, "sodomites" is changed to "perve rted persons."

The NKJV does not deserve its respected name.
It is a perverted version.

Additional examples of significant changes would include the following: Matthew 4:24; 6:13; 7:14; 20:20; Mark 4:19; John 14:2; Acts 17:29; Romans 1:18; Philippians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Timothy 6:5, 10, 20; Hebrews 2:16; 10:14; James 1:15; 1 Peter 1:7.

A striking word change involves changing "corrupt" to "peddling" in 2 Corinthians 2:17. The KJV correctly says, "For we are not as many, which corrupt the Word of God...." But the NKJV, NASV, NIV and RSV, change "corrupt" to "peddling." Is there any great difference between peddling (selling, or making a gain of) the Word of God and corrupting (adulterating) it? Of course there is, and one does not have to be a Greek scholar to decide which word is correct. When this warning was given in the 1st Century, was there any way for people to peddle (make a gain of) God's Word? Of course not-they were suffering for it. The warning clearly refers to corrupting God's Word, something that was common then as it is now. Only in our day has it ever been possible to pe ddle (make a gain of) the Bible. With its huge profits from the sale of many different Bible versions, the Thomas Nelson Publishers is both corrupting and peddling God's Word.

Dr. Jerry Falwell, a member of the NKJV overview committee, gives this new Bible his unqualified endorsement, stating that, "It protects every thought, every idea, every word, just as it was intended to be understood by the original scholars." This simply is not true! As already pointed out, words have been changed and with those changed words have come changed thoughts and ideas.

Some will argue that the changes noted do not affect
any fundamental Bible doctrine.
We strongly disagree. Is not the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures a fundamental doctrine? Is not every word of the Bible important? Jesus Christ said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt.4:4). He also said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35). Since Christ is concerned about every word, we should also be concerned about every word and raise a voice of protest whenever scholarly sleight of hand is discovered in any modern version, including the NKJV.

In raising strenuous objections to the changed words of the NKJV text, we are not referring to those changes which update old English verb forms without changing the meaning, i.e., removing "est" or "eth" from verb endings. Neither do we refer to updating the old English pronouns "thee," "thou" and "thine" where they refer to individuals. We do consider it a tragic mistake to eliminate the use of "Thee," "Thou" and "Thine" where these refer to Deity. There is a disturbing trend toward stripping God of His Majesty both in word and deed. The substitution of the common pronouns 'You" and "Yours" for "Thee," "Thou" and "Thine" which have historically been used to refer to Deity both in the Scriptures and the Hymns of the Church, only helps pave the way for further attempts of sinful men to bring God down to their level rather than exalting Him in every way possible.

The NKJV translators claimed it was one of their purposes to update words where the meaning of a particular word had changed over the last 375 years. In 2 Thessalonians 2:7, they updated "letteth" to "restraineth"; in Psalm 4:2, "leasing" is updated to "lying"; In 1 Thessalonians 4:15, "prevent" is updated to "precede"; in Matthew 19:14, "suffer" is updated to "let" (meaning allow or permit).

In other instances it is difficult to understand how the NKJV scholars thought they were updating and clarifying the KJV as, for example, when they substituted "minas" for "pounds" in Luke 19:13; or, "satraps" for "princes" in Daniel 3:3; or, "black cummin" for "fitches" in Isaiah 28:27.

Many Christians today are purchasing NKJV Bibles for three reasons:
(1) Many pastors and Christian leaders are highly recommending it. (2) They have been assured by translators and publishers that the NKJV is based upon the same Hebrew and Greek texts used by the KJV translators. However, as already mentioned, such a claim is simply not true and can be easily documented by comparing the wording of the NKJV with the NIV, NASV, RSV and other versions whose translators admittedly used other Hebrew and Greek texts. (3) The NKJV is supposedly easier to read and understand but its impurities actually make it doubly deceptive and dangerous.

The duplicity of the NKJV publishers, translators and endorsers greatly increases the possibility of believers being deceived. The word duplicity is used advisedly. Webster's Dictionary defines duplicity as, "Deception by pretending to feel and act one way while acting another." The following duplicity can be fully documented:

The duplicity of the Thomas Nelson Publishers is clearly evidenced by their supposed concern and stated desire to "preserve the authority and accuracy...of the original King James" Bible. Yet, Nelson is the largest publisher of Bibles in the world and publishes eight of the nine modern versions including the iniquitous Revised Standard Version, copyrighted by the apostate National Council of Churches. If the Thomas Nelson Publishers were genuinely concerned about the purity of the Scriptures, would they continue printing the RSV and other corrupted modern Bible versions?

The duplicity of the NKJV scholars is also a matter for concern. Although each scholar was asked to subscribe to a statement confirming his belief in the plenary, divine, verbal inspiration of the original autographs (none of which exist today), the question of whether or not they also believed in the divine preservation of the divinely inspired originals was not an issue as it should have been. Dr. Arthur Farstad, chairman of the NKJV Executive Review Committee which had the responsibility of final text approval, stated that this committee was about equally divided as to which was the better Greek New Testament text-the Textus Receptus or the Westcott-Hort. Apparently none of them believed that either text was the Divinely preserved Word of God. Yet, all of them participated in a project to "protect and preserve the purity and accuracy" of the original KJV based on the TR. Is not this duplicity of the worst kind, coming from supposedly evangelical scholars?

Further duplicity is revealed in the preface of the NKJV and in a 16-page history of the KJV printed at the end. On page VI of the preface, NKJV readers are given the following erroneous information: "There is only one basic New Testament used by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox, by conservatives and liberals." This is simply not true! There are two basic New Testament texts-the Divinely preserved Textus Receptus from which the original KJV was translated and the satanically corrupted Westcott-Hort Text (and its revisions) which form the basis of all other modern Bible versions.

NKJV readers are further misinformed as to why there are so many differences between the original KJV and all the modern versions. On page VI of the preface, NKJV readers are assured, "...That the most important differences in the English New Testament of today are due, not to manuscript divergence, but to the way in which translators view the task of translation." This simply is not true. Many important differences in the English New Testament of today are indeed due to manuscript divergence (over 5700 differences exist between the TR and WH Greek texts) in addition to the divergent views of the scholars who produced the various translations.

On page VII of the preface is another very significant statement concerning the NKJV footnotes: "Significant explanatory notes, alternate translations, and cross references, as well as New Testament citations of Old Testament passages, are supplied in footnotes. Important textual variants in the Old Testament are footnoted in a standard form. The textual information in the New Testament footnotes is a unique provision in the history of the English Bible. Terms in the footnotes such as 'better manuscripts' are avoided. The footnotes in the present edition make no evaluation of the readings, but do clearly indicate the manuscript sources of readings which diverge from the traditional text. Thus, a clearly defined presentation of the variants is provided for the benefit of interested readers representing all textual persuasions."

As a crowning climax of duplicity and inconsistency, the editors of the NKJV make the following incongruous statements on pages 1,234 and 1,235 of the King lames history printed at the conclusion of the NKJV text:

"The tendency of recent revisers has been to remove words and phrases from the text of Scripture, based on the most recently discovered extant manuscripts. In using the Greek text underlying the King James Bible, these words and phrases were retained. And, in those few places where the majority of the manuscripts did not support a word or phrase, that fact could best be indicated in a footnote. (The New Testament of the New King James Version shows in its footnotes those places where the major textual traditions differ from the language of the King James Bible.)

"It was the editors' conviction that the use of footnotes would encourage further inquiry by readers. They also recognized that it was easier for the average reader to delete something he or she felt was not properly a part of the text, than to insert a word or phrase which had been left out by the revisers."

Will the next modem Bible be the "Do It Yourself" version?
This would be a distinct possibility if the advice of the NKJV editors in the two preceding paragraphs were to be followed. In effect, they are saying, let each reader decide for himself what portions, verses, phrases and words should be included in God's Holy Word." NKJV footnotes, far from being helpful, are an invitation to disobey the plain command of God not to add to or take from His Word. Deuteronomy 4:2; Revelation 22:18,19.

The preservation of God's divinely inspired Word is clearly set forth in Psalm 12:6,7, "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever. " God has fulfilled His promise through the Textus Receptus and the King James Version. Those who replace the KJV with the NKJV will have been duped into accepting a Bible which still bears a respected name but one which has placed "readability" above purity.

The translators of the original King James Bible had a distinct advantage. They were able to use their vast knowledge of ancient languages and translation abilities prior to the time when the deadly virus of so-called "Higher Criticism" infected the whole field of scholarship. False teachers boldly dissected God's Word with the "tools of scholarship" in order to reconstruct it according to their own speculations and presumptions. The result is a pseudo-intellectual aura in which no one can be sure of anything. It's time to get back to the pure Word of God where faith prevails and doubt is vanquished!

Believers who will take the time to compare the KJV with the NKJV and then with other modern versions will see for themselves why the NKJV should be exposed and repudiated as a polluted version. And, those who will take time to carefully look at the NKJV footnotes will be doubly concerned and will join in warning others about it.

Our plea to God's people is to reject the NKJV Bible and continue preaching, teaching, memorizing and meditating upon the pure, unadulterated, Divinely preserved milk and meat of God's Holy Word-The King James Authorized Version of 1611 upon which God has placed His stamp of approval over a span of nearly four centuries. Nothing is more important than the purity of God's Holy Word.
http://www.gilbertindependentbaptist.or ... amined.htm

Great article Bro Parish, thanks for posting it!
One of the things that I have often said that the titles of these "new Bibles" are often the greatest give-aways as to what they really are. What I mean by that is that the title of this "bible" in itself "The New King James Version" is bearing false witness for a start, as it is anything but what it claims to be! If it were what it claims to be then it would be an updated edition of the Authorised Version, word for word! But it isn’t even a revision, let alone an edition, it is a separate work in its own right. But the thing that makes it so grating for me is the fact that its producers had the audacity to highjack the trustworthy reputation and title of the true King James Bible and use them as the basis of getting theirs on the market.



God bless
PaulB

Yes Paul, and that word "market" is key; unfortunately a big part of this constant stream of "new Bibles" is all about marketing and money. That's why manufacturers continue to use one of the oldest marketing terms in the advertising world; "NEW NEW NEW"... Thomas Nelson claims the "NEW" KJV has been selected by more than 25 million customers since its release; do the math!

To me, it is a blatant act of fraudulence when someone attempts to sell you something that in reality it is not what it is claimed to be. It is like using someone else’s’ C.V at a job interview and presenting their employment history, their qualifications and their references as your own so that you can get to the place that they should be.
You are right Bro Parish when you refer to the term "new", as this is also a sales gimmick used to give the impression that the product on offer is somehow better than the one you presently have. The trouble is, we now have as much of a materialistic consumer mentality within the church as we do in the world, and when these "new" versions are endorsed by the big named preacher/Christian Celebes, they get brainwashed into believing that they are in the "in crowd".



You normally hear things such as; "Well, Billy Graham says that it is a good version" or "my pastor says that this is the most accurate version", as though they have the originals at home to verify this.
But what they fail to realise is the fact that all they have done is fallen sucker to the latest sales gimmick and in a year or two they will be saying the same thing about the next "new" version!
Because of modern copyright laws substantial changes in the texts have to be made in order for a new version to earn its right to be released which nobody in the modern camp seems to be aware of. Not only that but the entire philosophy behind the method of translating bible versions have changed dramatically in our lifetime. These days we are being forced away from terms such as "Mankind" and are taught to say "humankind", "sons" has now become "children" and "Brethren" has been replaced by "brothers and sisters". Now that is also a concern for me, as "What is written" is not the basis for what is to be translated which means that the customer has become the rule of writ, (not of interpretation but translation).



So the question has to be asked, are we getting an accurate translation of holy writ or are we being sold dummies? And like I have just touched on, the evidence does tend to point in the direction forgeries.


God bless

PaulB
　

That's a great point brother. As you know Paul, I believe the "Scholarship Onlyists" (SO's) have been hoodwinked by a dark and evil strategy of questioning God's words, that was hatched in pre-flood Eden (Gen. 3:1). So, I think the questioning itself is part of the enemy's goal! If Bible agnostics can create an environment (in churches, bible Colleges, modern translations, or wherever) where Christians are constantly QUESTIONING WHAT GOD SAID, the enemy has already won a significant portion of the battle.

Ha, ha, ha I like the term "scholarship onlyists" but when you think about it it is true!


The majority today would have us believe that only the elite can interpret holy writ (which is quite a scary thought when so many today are preaching that!).



Mt.8:16
"When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:"



The spirits will be rubbing their hands when they hear churches preaching stuff like that because according to them no one knows that word any longer!



As I see it this is all part of a dark spiritual agenda and the most frightening thing is the fact that the majority of churches have fallen foul to the plot at the expense of their own disarmament.
Strange isn’t it how quoting the word of the LORD has always been the assurance of the believer but now it has become contention for the believer amongst his fellow kinsmen?


When the word came to the English speaking people it was their deliverance from darkness and how many a saint has there been who has been able to recite such assuring words in the midst of arising darkness? There was a day when all the churches, all the devils and all God’s enemies knew what the word of the LORD was and the wonders of its power testified to this truth by the lives and nations that it changed.

But as the word of the LORD threw down its opponents and raised up precious fruit in their places the dark forces of this world could do nothing to withstand it. They backed off and backed off in defeat with great losses until one day an emergency meeting was called with the aim of dealing with this unstoppable menace! They knew that opposition only strengthened the believers adherence to the book so they decided that they would act subtly and alter people’s opinion by guile in order to get them away from this foolish notion of a final authority!


So they gathered together all of their experts, their wise men and their scholars and worked around the clock day and night with a plan that would take this concept of a final authority away from the common people and put it back into the hands of the elite!

This they did by inventing (not just a new Bible in English) but going one step further by creating a new "original manuscript" that could undermine the faith of the very elect if that were possible!


As soon as they had put together their masterpiece they saw to it that every learning centre, every college and every university in Europe was to be filled with the news of this "new" foundation and it was from that moment onwards that the rot set in.

Churches were issued with revisions of the Bible, whole passages were to be read anew and the "learned" professors indoctrinated their students to follow this new light at the expense an ridicule of the old. Whole commentaries were written, university lessons designed and sermons constructed to redirect the thinking of the generations that were to follow.


The common folk no longer had holy writ but a mere copy in a foreign tongue that was flawed with countless additions and mistakes that had accumulated over the centuries. Suddenly as if over night and under the guise of a quest for enlightening knowledge for the truth the truth itself was being pushed aside and exchanged for a lie. But as far as God’s enemies were concerned, it was a job well done and now the work could truly begin in changing the thinking of the common folk at the hands of their elite superiors who alone could tell them what God doesn’t say!



Two centuries on and other than the odd few troublemakers in the Bible belt hardly anyone holds to the belief that they actually possess the very words of God. Yes, the devils rejoice and all their disciples, as they laugh at the state of a powerless church without its sword. But they aren’t totally at ease yet especially with the knowledge there is still a remnant out there who have the very thing that they fear so much!


Hold on to the very word – it is a lamp unto your feet!



Isa.40:8 "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."



God bless
PaulB

Very good PaulB -- that post makes me want to stand up and fight for the truth!
The "NEW" KJV is just the same OLD nonsense.

Right on Baptist 1611! You certainly have a very "front-line" user name!!!


God bless



PaulB

My personal belief is that the KJV is the MOST ACCURATE on the market. I sell bibles at work, and some folks love
the KJV, as they should. When I recommend a KJV to many customers, they tell me "it is too hard to read" or

my brother is a new believer and is not the best reader in the world, so the "KJV might not be the best for him".



I'm in a difficult spot, but most often than not, I try to sell the KJV. Children can present another problem. They

are not taught the verbage of older English, so the KJV reads like -- pardon the pun -- Greek to them, especially if

they have no guidence on reading it. They will set it down rather than try to read it, which is unfortunate.



My idea is to sell the KJV first. But some customers simply can't read it because of the older verbage, or they

don't have the mental capacity to do so. Some folks just cannot read it, and I would rather give them either a

NKJV or an NASB before I denied the Word of God to them. Usually I remind them to get a KJV once they feel

comfortable with whatever version they bought. Many come back several months later and get a KJV bible.



Lastly, has anyone read the 21st Century KJV?? It is on BibleGateway.com if you would like to look.



God bless all of you!!!



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Brother, there are more basic underlying issues, i believe.


First of all, children will do as they seen done. The real reason that children don't read their Bibles has nothing to do with the "harder to read" KJV. (I dispute that claim by the way!) IT has to do with their PARENTS not encouraging - even enforcing it, particularly at a young age.

Certainly, with the way our Federal Schools have completely FAILED in the education of our young people, there are many people out there with less than satisfactory reading comprehension skills. Some people have learning disabilities which make reading of ANY KIND difficult. However, this should never be an excuse to withhold the truth from them. All of these disabilities can be corrected with Reading Tutorial classes. THose who simply have poor reading habits can quickly correct this by one thing - PRACTICE. If they need help, they can always purchase the Bible on CD/MP3, and listen to it, while following along.



Now, Brother, here is the REAL problem.

THe NASB and NKJV have errors in them.

THe Bible says "THY WORD IS TRUTH."

So, either we have THE TRUTH today, or we don't.

If we don't have THE TRUTH today, then the Bible is WRONG, and not to be trusted.

Giving these people the NASV or NKJV is like giving a soldier a grenade with no explosives in it.

Or maybe like giving the soldier a rifle with no ammunition.



Remember, the Holy Spirit bears witness to the TRUTH (John 16:13.) If it is not TRUE, then the Holy Spirit WILL NOT bless, use, or bear witness to it.



Some might say that this is an over-simplification of an extremely complex "problem." My answer is that the "problem" has been over-inflated to make that stuffed-shirt scholars look good, while they destroy the faith of Christians in the word of God.

The Bible is clear: either what God said about inspiration and preservation is TRUE, or it ISN'T. There is no middle ground.

I believe the promises of Psalm 12:6-7, and Matthew 24:35, among others, are absolutely 100% true, which would mean that we have a 100% pure, accurate, error free Bible for us to read today.

That 100% pure, accurate, and error free Bible is the KJV.



We love you brother. I hope you will take the time to read some more of our threads and information on the KJV. And please, feel free to ask questions, as we desire to be a blessing to you!