1. Modern English Versions of the Bible
Robert C. Newman
Professor of New Testament
Biblical Theological Seminary
Hatfield, PA, USA

2. The Problem Stated
We have a very large number of Bible versions in English today, with new ones coming out nearly every year.
How do we tell which ones are reliable for the use of Christians and seekers in trying to understand God’s message to mankind?

3. Evaluating a Translation
Are the translators in agreement with the teachings of the Bible?
Is the translation faithful to the best available text of the Bible in the original languages?
Is the translation clear for its intended audience?
Does the translation conform to good contemporary English usage?
Does the translation have stylistic beauty?

4. The Authorized (King James) Version (1611)
A committee translation, with 3 committees appointed by King James 1 and meeting at Westminster, Oxford and Cambridge
Involved the best scholars in England at a time when biblical scholarship was at a peak
All the committee members had a very high opinion of the Bible.
Thus the KJV seems to have satisfied all 5 items when it was translated.
But with the passage of almost 400 years, it no longer satisfies all these criteria.

5. The KJV & the Criteria
The KJV no longer conforms to the best available text in the original languages.
The KJV is no longer in contemporary English.
The original audience of the KJV is long dead.
None of this is the fault of the original translators.

6. Changes in English since 1611
Verb changes
Pronoun changes
Vocabulary changes

7. Verb Changes Disappearance of “est” forms for 2nd person singular
‘thou knowest’  ‘you know’
Transformation of “eth” forms for 3rd person singular
‘he knoweth  ‘he knows’

8. Pronoun Changes
Disappearance of distinct 2nd person singular forms ‘thou, thee, thy’
These were not terms of respect when the KJV was made.
Disappearance of 2nd plural ‘ye’
Replaced by 2nd singular/plural ‘you, your’
Replacement of relative pronoun ‘which’ by ‘who’ when a person is referred to

9. Verb & Pronoun Changes
None of these changes are likely to produce serious misunderstanding of the text.
They do give the average person the impression either:
That the Bible was written in some sort of pious or stilted language
That its writers were illiterate
Neither of which is true!
Far more important are vocabulary changes, as they hinder understanding.

10. Vocabulary Changes
Some words in the KJV are archaic or no longer used in modern English:
Assuage (Job 16:5)
Ensue (1 Pet 3:11)
Holpen (Ps 83:8)
Rereward (Num 10:25)
Straightway (Mt 4:22)
Twain (often)
Wot (Gen 21:26)

11. Vocabulary Changes Other words have changed meaning:
Charity (1 Cor 13)
Fetch a compass (2 Sam 5:23)
Girdle (often)
Leasing (Ps 4:2)
Meat (often)
Prevent (Ps 119:147-48)
Rent (often)
Tire (Isa 3:18)

12. Vocabulary Changes
But the Bible was originally written in common, everyday language.
It was intended to be understood by average people.
We need to make a revision or new translation as often as the language changes significantly:
To preserve God’s intention
To make His message plain

13. Textual Discoveries & Developments since 1611
The Textual Basis of the KJV
Manuscript Discoveries since 1611
Developments in Textual Study

14. The Textual Basis of the KJV
NT ultimately based on the edition of the Greek NT by Erasmus in 1516.
Erasmus’ edition was based on only a few manuscripts; the oldest (10th cen) was least used.
Erasmus had only one (incomplete) manuscript of Revelation; he supplied the last 6 verses from Latin.
Acts 9:6 and 1 John 5:7-8 were also supplied from the Latin.

15. Manuscript Discoveries
In 1611, very few manuscripts known from before AD 1000.
Since then, several hundred earlier mss on parchment have been found, with two nearly complete from before AD 400.
Since 1900, many fragmentary NT mss have been found written on more fragile papyrus and copied before AD 400.
These include substantial parts of several mss from before AD 200 and a small fragment of John from about AD 130.

16. Developments in Text Study
The known manuscripts are now seen to fall into several families, of which the most important are:
Alexandrian
Western
Byzantine
Byzantine
Western
Alexandrian

17. Text Families Alexandrian Western Byzantine Early, known by AD 150
Short, but seems reliable
Text used in most recent English versions
Western
Longer, erratic, tendency toward additions
Byzantine
Later, apparently not before AD 300
Intermediate length
Often seems to combine Alex and West readings
Text used in KJV

18. Some Differences Matthew 6:13b – doxology of Lord’s Prayer
Probably not before 3rd or 4th century
Mark 16:9-20 – ending of Mark
Most controversial
Known before AD 150
John 7:53-8:11 – woman caught in adultery
Not in earlier mss
Probably a real incident preserved outside NT
1 John 5:7-8 – heavenly witnesses
Not in Greek before late medieval period
Not in Latin before 5th century

19. Theological Trends since 1611
Renaissance ( )
Revival of interest in Classical period
Weakened dominance of the Church
Reintroduced many pagan ideas
Reformation ( )
Return to Scripture as sole authority in faith
Priesthood of believers  more variety interpreting
Occultism of Renaissance suppressed

20. Theological Trends since 1611
Liberalism (1700-present)
Antisupernatural reaction
Science replaces authority of Church & Bible
Rejection of miracles
Enters German churches in 1800s, US in 1900s
Present situation (c2000)
Liberalism still strong in academia
Some resurgence of orthodoxy
Growing diversity in ethnic groups, with influence of other religions and new age movement

21. Evaluating Translations
Are the translators in agreement with the teachings of the Bible?
Is the translation faithful to the best available text of the Bible in the original languages?
Is the translation clear for its intended audience?
Does the translation conform to good contemporary English usage?
Does the translation have stylistic beauty?

22. Evaluating Translations
Are the translators in agreement with the teachings of the Bible?
Pass: NASU, NIV, NLT, ESV
Fail: NRSV, REB, NWT
Is the translation faithful to the best available text of the Bible in the original languages?
Pass: Most modern versions
Fail: KJV, NKJV, etc.

23. Evaluating Translations
Is the translation clear for its intended audience?
Not all have same intended audience.
NLT easiest reading
NASU, KJV hardest
Does the translation conform to good contemporary English usage?
Pass: most modern versions
Fail: older versions, NASB, Amplified

24. Evaluating Translations
Does the translation have stylistic beauty?
Think NIV, ESV best
NASU, NKJV somewhat weak

25. Literal vs Paraphrase

26. Some Tests for Theological Soundness
Do the translators think the apostles properly understood the Old Testament?
Peter – cp Acts 2:27 with Ps 16:10
Matthew – cp Mt 1:23 with Isa 7:14
Hebrews – cp Heb 1:8 with Ps 45:6
Do the translators think the apostles believed Jesus was God?
John – check Jn 1:1 and 8:58
Paul – check Rom 9:5
Hebrews – check Heb 1:8

27. Some Tests for Theological Soundness
Do the translators downplay Messianic prophecy?
Ps 2:12 (kiss the Son?)
Ps 22:16 (pierced hands?)
Isa 9:6 (names suggest deity?)
Isa 53:10, 12 (dies and lives again?)
Dan 9:24-25 (Messiah or just anointed one?)
Mic 5:2 (eternally pre-existing?)
Zech 12:10 (look on me?)

28. Some Tests for Theological Soundness
Do the translators downplay resurrection in the Old Testament?
1 Sam 2:6
Job 19:25-27
Ps 17:15
Ps 49:14-15

29. Daniel
8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
"Days" here is inaccurate. The Hebrew here uses the words ereb (evening) and boqer (morning). The RSV renders this better: "And he said to him, 'For two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.'"

30. "Evening and morning" is a Hebew idiom for a day, but it is not a literal translation to collapse these, and it has unfortunate con sequences, as some have built elaborate eschatological theories (such as William Miller and Ellen G. White, the founding prophetess of Seventh-Day Adventism) on the existence of the word "day" here. They have supposed that they can make each day here correspond to a year and thus they infer a period of 2300 years here. In reality, the word "day" is not in the text, and unlike the word for day (yom, which can denote longer periods of time just as "day" can in English, e.g., "In my day..."), the expression "evening and morning" is much more concrete and less able to be read as a year.

31. Mark 6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
The word here rendered "observed" is suntereo and it means "to protect"--something the KJV translators elsewhere acknowledge as the other three times it appears in the New Testament they render it "protect" (twice) or "keep" (once).

32. Acts 12:4 And when he [Herod] had apprehended him [Peter], he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
This verse discusses a time right after Herod had arrested and execute the Apostle James. This pleased the Jews, and so he decided to do it to another apostle--Peter. Jewish sensibilities, however, did not favor the execution of people during holy days, and so Herod planned to execute Peter after Passover. The word in the Greek text is pascha, and it an Aramaic loan-word for the Jewish holiday of Passover. Easter was not a distinct holiday at the time, much less did it have a distinct name (pascha simply meant "Passover"), much less would it have been a holiday the non-Christian Jews cared about.

33. 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
The Greek word here rendered "ministering" is hierourgeo and it means "to work as a priest." The KJV translators, however, have suppressed this in order to avoid giving creedence to the idea that ministers of Jesus Christ have any priestly duties (something that would undermine the Protestant idea of eliminating the middle, ministerial priesthood in the Christian age). The RSV renders the verse much better: "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."

34. "Who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Thy Servant, didst say, why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples devise futile things?" (Acts 4:25 NASB).
"Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?" (Acts 4:25 KJV).

35. "To the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now forever. Amen" (Jude 25 NASB).
"To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" (Jude 25 KJV).

36. In Hebrews 10:23, the word "faith" is erroneously substituted for the word "hope." All of the source documents use "hope." It is very obvious that Paul meant to use faith, hope and love in verses 22, 23, and 24.
"10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works."

37. In Revelation 22:19, the scholars made the mistake of thinking Jesus was speaking of the "Book of Life." Researchers have found 99% of all Greek manuscripts reading "tree of life." The context of verse 14 verifies that the Lord was speaking of the "tree of life."
"22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." "22:19 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, and from the things which are written in this book."

38. There are a number of places especially in the Book of Revelation where there is no Greek manuscript evidence for the words. For example, no Greek text says "book of life" in Revelation 22:19. The Greek say, "tree of life." I John 5:8 is a later addition not found in as Greek manuscripts before the 16th century.

39. About 1,000 Greek words and particles were not translated by the KJV
About 1,000 Greek words and particles were not translated by the KJV. A number of words are mistranslated like John 20:17 which says, "Touch me not" should be rendered "Do not keep on holding me"

40. Unicorns
The "Unicorn" is mentioned nine times in the KJV (Numbers 23:22; 24:8; Deuteronomy 33:17; Job 39:9,10; Psalm 22:21; 29:6; 92:10; Isaiah 34:7). In Deuteronomy 33:17 it says the unicorn has "horns" plural, so the KJV solved this problem by translating "unicorn" as plural "unicorns." It is an unfortunate translation of the Hebrew "reem" which means "wild ox"

41. But here's how it appears in the KJV:
2 Samuel 21:19 (NASB) "There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam."
But here's how it appears in the KJV:
2 Samuel 21:19 (KJV) "And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam."

42. The Hebrew phrase "Let the king live" is used several times in the OT writings. It is correctly translated in many places in the KJV (such as I Kings 1:31), which shows that the translators were aware of how to correctly render this phrase. However, in several places they substitute the British paraphrase "God save the king" (I Samuel 10:24; II Samuel 16:16, to give just a couple).

43. In Genesis 25:8 the KJV reads, "Then Abraham gave up the ghost
In Genesis 25:8 the KJV reads, "Then Abraham gave up the ghost..." This is a very liberal paraphrase of a verb which simply means to "die, expire."

44. In Psalm 8:5 there is a very familiar quotation in the KJV: "For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels." The Hebrew word here is actually "Elohim" which means "gods." The KJV translators were aware of this fact, for they correctly translated this word in Psalm 138:1 --- "Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee."

45. Psalm 77:2 reads, "My sore ran in the night, and ceased not
Psalm 77:2 reads, "My sore ran in the night, and ceased not." This isn't even close to what the actual text says, which is: "At night I stretched out my untiring hands."

46. In John 20:17 the KJV has Jesus saying to Mary, "Touch Me not
In John 20:17 the KJV has Jesus saying to Mary, "Touch Me not." It seems He is here forbidding what He has elsewhere allowed (Matthew 28:9). However, the Greek word employed here actually means "to cling to." Jesus was not forbidding Mary to touch Him, but rather forbidding her to cling on to Him as if to prevent His departure

47. Acts 5:30; 10:39 the KJV, in speaking of Jesus' death, reads, "Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree." The word "and" is not in the Greek text, and by adding it to the text at this point in the verse it leads to some confusion on the part of the readers. The conjunction "and" indicates grammatically that one action followed another (i.e.: two separate actions independent of one another). Some unbelievers have tried to use this verse to demonstrate that Christ was killed first, and then His dead body was hung on a tree.

48. James 3:2 in the KJV: "For in many things we offend all
James 3:2 in the KJV: "For in many things we offend all." This should read, "For we all stumble in many ways." In the Greek, the "all" modifies "we," it is not the object of the verb's action. Also, the Greek word employed here means "to stumble," and does not mean "to offend" someone. The KJV translators made two major blunders in just one short phrase. By means of these errors, they have presented a teaching other than the one intended by the inspired writer.

49. I Kings 16:33 they state, "And Ahab made a grove," which provoked the Lord God to anger. In point of fact, Ahab made an idol here (the Asherah); his sin was idolatry, not planting a grove of trees!!

50. II Kings 23:29 the KJV reads, "In his days Pharaoh Nechoh king of Egypt went up against the king of Assyria." This is not true. Pharaoh Nechoh went to the aid of the Assyrian king; they were allies, not enemies, as ancient records from that time have now clearly proven. The KJV translators did not have that information available to them, and thus they assumed their meeting to have been one of enmity.

51. Acts 2:47 the KJV reads, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The actual Greek verb form here is: "the ones who are being saved."
Hyper Calvinists use this verse to support irresistible grace.

52. Galatians 5:17 the KJV reads: "
Galatians 5:17 the KJV reads: "...so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." This particular verb appears in the Subjunctive Mood in the Greek text; thus, it is a conditional statement, not an absolute statement! Its correct translation would be, "so that ye might not do..." By failing to correctly translate this verb form the KJV implies a lack of free will, which is another strong Calvinistic doctrine.

53. Hebrews 6:6 the KJV reads, "If they shall fall away
Hebrews 6:6 the KJV reads, "If they shall fall away." The word "if" is not in the original Greek text; it has been added by the KJV translators. The text actually reads, "and having fallen away." This is a statement of absolute fact, yet the KJV translators have changed it into a conditional statement. By making it hypothetical, the implication is left with the reader that the statement is unlikely at best, thus upholding the Calvinistic doctrine of The Eternal Security of the Believer or "Once Saved, Always Saved" (the "P" in TULIP theology --- Perseverance of the Saints).

54. Exodus 20:13 the KJV reads, "Thou shalt not kill
Exodus 20:13 the KJV reads, "Thou shalt not kill." This rendering has become quite familiar, since we have all memorized the Ten Commandments, and usually from the KJV wording. However, it is incorrect. The actual word used here in the original language is "murder," NOT "kill." The command is against murdering someone, not against killing someone.

56. Lord, help us to judge rightly!
The End
Lord, help us to judge rightly!