Thoughts about using a KJV update?

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 23, 2021

Hi, I would love to hear the community’s feedback about using an update to the King James Version. I love the KJV. But the language is basically 400 year-old English. So if there were a simple, accurate, and high quality update to the KJV that made no changes except updating the old language, would you want to use it? What would be your thoughts generally about such an update? Would you like it as a stand alone version, or as a parallel Bible with the current KJV? It would be great to hear what you all think. May God be glorified.

(I edited my post to clarify the issue based on replies by the community. Thanks!)

Albion · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, I would love to hear the community’s feedback about using an update to the King James Version. I love the KJV. But the language is basically 400 year-old English. So if there were a simple and accurate update to the KJV that made no changes except updating the old language, would you want to use it? What would be your thoughts generally about such an update? Would you like it as a stand alone version, or as a parallel Bible with the current KJV? It would be great to hear what you all think. May God be glorified.

In Christ,
Joseph

Don't we already have several newer versions that do exactly what you are suggesting be done?

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 23, 2021

Albion said:
Don't we already have several newer versions that do exactly what you are suggesting be done?

Hi, I have not found any simple and accurate update to the KJV (that is also of high quality I should add). What I mean is a modern KJV Bible that keeps everything exactly the same as the KJV, except for updating the old language. I have looked at many attempts at updating the KJV (KJ21, KJVER, KJV2000, American KJV, Updated KJV), but I have not found any that fit the previously mentioned criteria.

Dave L · Jan 23, 2021

The Modern English Version is a translation of the Textus Receptus and the Jacob ben Hayyim edition of the Masoretic Text, using the King James Version as the base manuscript.

Modern English Version. (2014). (Thinline Edition, p. x). Lake Mary, FL: Passio.

Albion · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, I have not found any simple and accurate update to the KJV (that is also of high quality I should add). What I mean is a modern KJV Bible that keeps everything exactly the same as the KJV, except for updating the old language. I have looked at many attempts at updating the KJV (KJ21, KJVER, KJV2000, American KJV, Updated KJV), but I have not found any that fit the previously mentioned criteria.

Okay. I asked because I did want your comment about the quality of such editions as the KJV2000 and some others. I agree that they are not very satisfactory.

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 23, 2021

Dave L said:
The Modern English Version is a translation of the Textus Receptus and the Jacob ben Hayyim edition of the Masoretic Text, using the King James Version as the base manuscript.

Modern English Version. (2014). (Thinline Edition, p. x). Lake Mary, FL: Passio.

Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I am aware of the Modern English Version. It is a completely new translation that many people do not know or trust. It differs a lot from the KJV. I am wondering if people would want to use an exact KJV that has updated modern language.

Dave L · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I am aware of the Modern English Version. It is a completely new translation that many people do not know or trust. It differs a lot from the KJV. I am wondering if people would want to use an exact KJV that has updated modern language.

I use the pure Cambridge KJV for its spiritual depth I do not see in other glosses. But use the Amplified bible in Old Testament studies along with the KJV.

Albion · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, thank you for your reply. Yes, I am aware of the Modern English Version. It is a completely new translation that many people do not know or trust. It differs a lot from the KJV. I am wondering if people would want to use an exact KJV that has updated modern language.

Personally, I would not use it as my preferred Bible version, even if "an exact KJV that has updated modern language" were available.

That is because the beauty and dignity of the language, and the familiarity of the phrasing found in the KJV, are incomparable and should not be lost for the sake of "easier reading." It's been estimated that there are something like 100 expressions or sayings taken from the KJV which most of us in the English-speaking world use routinely, most often without realizing what their origin is. And the wording of the KJV is only at the 12th grade level as it is.

The parts that cause people difficulty are not so much of a problem that the reader cannot do a little study and then understand the meaning just fine.

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 23, 2021

Albion said:
Personally, I would not use it as my preferred Bible version, even if "an exact KJV that has updated modern language" were available.

That is because the beauty and dignity of the language, and the familiarity of the phrasing found in the KJV, are incomparable and should not be lost for the sake of "easier reading." It's been estimated that there are something like 100 expressions or sayings taken from the KJV which most of us in the English-speaking world use routinely, most often without realizing what their origin is. And the wording of the KJV is only at the 12th grade level as it is.

The parts that cause people difficulty are not so much of a problem that the reader cannot do a little study and then understand the meaning just fine.

Thank you for the helpful feedback!

Albion · Jan 23, 2021

Here's one more thing, although it may be considered incidental.

The other great religions of the world--Islam and Judaism, for instance--TEACH their children what the old wording in their sacred texts means. It is considered important to perpetuate their people's knowledge of the books. To be sure, the KJV, being in English, is not in the original tongues, but it still is the edition that won the world to Christ, is much older than all these "modern language" versions, and is the best known of all versions. By far.

But we Christians tend to look upon our own book of divine revelation as if it were some sort of handbook or study guide. So we produce easier, shorter, and more contemporary versions, and even some that have been reworded for the benefit of special groups of people.

Strange, isn't it?

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 23, 2021

Albion said:
Here's one more thing, although it may be considered incidental.

The other great religions of the world--Islam and Judaism, for instance--TEACH their children what the old wording in their sacred texts means. It is considered important to perpetuate their people's knowledge of the books. To be sure, the KJV, being in English, is not in the original tongues, but it still is the edition that won the world to Christ, is much older than all these "modern language" versions, and is the best known of all versions. By far.

But we Christians tend to look upon our own book of divine revelation as if it were some sort of handbook or study guide. So we produce easier, shorter, and more contemporary versions, and even some that have been reworded for the benefit of special groups of people.

Strange, isn't it?

I believe when it comes to Scripture, the meaning is what is important, not the exact words used as long as the correct meaning is expressed. So if I can read something with the same meaning in contemporary English versus archaic English, I would opt for the modern version as long as it accurately conveys the meaning of the Scriptures.

Sophrosyne · Jan 23, 2021

What about the NKJV?

Ancient of Days · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, I would love to hear the community’s feedback about using an update to the King James Version. I love the KJV. But the language is basically 400 year-old English. So if there were a simple, accurate, and high quality update to the KJV that made no changes except updating the old language, would you want to use it? What would be your thoughts generally about such an update? Would you like it as a stand alone version, or as a parallel Bible with the current KJV? It would be great to hear what you all think. May God be glorified.

In Christ,
Joseph

(I edited my post to clarify the issue based on replies by the community. Thanks!)

Update??? Is there something wrong with the original???

Religiot · Jan 23, 2021

BibleBeliever5 said:
Hi, I would love to hear the community’s feedback about using an update to the King James Version. I love the KJV. But the language is basically 400 year-old English. So if there were a simple, accurate, and high quality update to the KJV that made no changes except updating the old language, would you want to use it? What would be your thoughts generally about such an update? Would you like it as a stand alone version, or as a parallel Bible with the current KJV? It would be great to hear what you all think. May God be glorified.

In Christ,
Joseph

(I edited my post to clarify the issue based on replies by the community. Thanks!)

I love the fact that the KJV is Old English, cause so's our legal system: it seems very fitting that we have the laws of God in Old English and the laws of this land in the same.

It seems very profitable to seek to understand King James English, for both spiritual profit and secular.

Thus, I would object to using an updated version, even if every word would be left in it's place.

BibleBeliever5 · Jan 25, 2021

Thank you for your comments everyone. In my opinion, the KJV is a wonderful but archaic 400 year-old translation. Couldn't updating it for the modern English speaker help people better learn God's Word compared to using a version with archaic English? Many words in the KJV are generally unknown today. And the grammar is at times very different than what is used in English today. Is this really necessary or best? Do you all share the KJV with non-Christians who are not familiar with KJV English? Wouldn't that make it difficult for non-Christians to read and understand God's Word? If someone has any additional thoughts on the topic, I am glad to hear it. It has been great to hear your opinions so far. And please give your answer in the poll so we can see what more people think (right now only 5 have voted).

Direct Driver · Jan 25, 2021

I pretty much ignore any version of the KJV and use them primarily to compare to the others. My personal favorite is ESV, though even it is not perfect. Frankly, we've discovered so much in the last 100 years I'm honestly surprised our modern bibles' OT section is not based on the Septuagint rather than the Masoretic text. The former is what the writers of the content of the NT were quoting - often word for word. The problem is we'd have to add some books, and human traditions really hate that sort of thing.

GreekOrthodox · Jan 25, 2021

Religiot said:
I love the fact that the KJV is Old English, cause so's our legal system: it seems very fitting that we have the laws of God in Old English and the laws of this land in the same.

It seems very profitable to seek to understand King James English, for both spiritual profit and secular.

Thus, I would object to using an updated version, even if every word would be left in it's place.

Then why not learn the original Greek and Hebrew?

Dave L · Jan 25, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
Then why not learn the original Greek and Hebrew?

Do you think in those languages? I'm curious.

Shane R · Jan 25, 2021

Not to sidetrack this discussion but, are you familiar with the New Matthew Bible project? The goal was to do exactly what the OP has advocated with the even older Matthew Bible. The NT was published as the October Testament. It is available at Bible Gateway as well (New Matthew Bible (NMB) - Version Information - BibleGateway.com). The person responsible for this project is the Canadian Ruth Magnusson Davis.

bekkilyn · Jan 25, 2021

GreekOrthodox said:
Then why not learn the original Greek and Hebrew?

But it's the KJV that was given directly by God to the Israelites as they wandered the wilderness after God saved them from slavery in Egypt. It came down from heaven with the quail and manna, and the Hebrew and Greek languages (as well as Aramaic) are obviously a deception from Satan to interfere with the true language of God....KJV English.

Thoughts about using a KJV update?

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