The second website,
http://jesus-is-lord.com/nkjvdead.htm is more interesting.
Here the page presents the problem with the New King James in a far smaller list of "16 points". This is probably a more realistic approach, which is good.
On the other hand, the propaganda engine here is cranked up to the max, with 'skull and crossbones' graphics, and wild statements, like
"one of the deadliest translations on the market--the
New King James Version".
You'd think we were talking about claymore landmines painted up to look like toys, or bottles of cyanide pills disguised as 'Smarties'.
Well, what about the 16 points? Let's have a look;
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.
Opening with a red herring like this hardly inspires any confidence in the writer: Of course the book is copyrighted, and so is the King James, by Her Majesty's Printers. Who cares? You buy the book, you can read it over and over for a lifetime. No one is likely to come after you for quoting it, even if you post huge chunks of it on the internet. People don't have the time for that tripe.
2. There's nothing "new" about the NKJV logo. It is a "666" symbol of the pagan trinity which was used in the ancient Egyptian mysteries. It was also used by satanist Aleister Crowley around the turn of this century. The symbol can be seen on the New King James Bible, on certain rock albums (like Led Zepplin'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.)
Uh oh: the guitarist for Led Zepplin plagarized a similar symbol for the 3rd album of his defunct 70s rock band. Call the exorcist.
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! 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.
(a) The readings are NOT 'Alexandrian' when the 'Byzantine/Western' Majority text also has the same reading. These are mostly just corrections of the 'received text' to make it more accurate.
(b) The footnotes in the NKJV hardly give any credence to the WH text! The whole point of putting those notes in the margin is to show for CONTRAST why the NKJV is better than other modern translations. This is the main selling point of the NKJV. The charge is ridiculous and misses the whole point. Try reading the indroduction.
4. While passing off as being true to the Textus Receptus, the NKJV IGNORES the Receptus over 1,200 times.
Most sane defenders of the Received Text have admitted its imperfections. The main point is that however imperfect, it was 8,000 readings better than the Westcott-Hort critical text, and the modern versions that follow it.
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.
Quoting these omissions without reference to where they occur, or what manuscript evidence is being used to support the readings or the translations is really stupid. How can anyone check these claims?
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. The word "Servant" replaces "Son" in Acts 3:13 and 3:26. "Servant" replaces "child" in Acts 4:27 and 4:30. The word "Jesus" is omitted from Mark 2:15, Hebrews 4:8, and Acts 7:45.
Finally some useful, checkable details. The number of texts involved is apparently less than a dozen.
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.
This puts the cart before the horse. There is no point in arguing about controversial doctrines like Calvinism or Free will versus predestination, and appealing to the text as an authority, until the best and most accurate wording can be established. It may be that Calvinists and other extreme protestants would like their own bible, or think the old King James could suit that purpose, but really, if you want a bible that supports all your denomination's favourite doctrines, then translate it and publish it yourself! The King James was always meant to be a non-denominational bible for the English speaking peoples, and the New King James here is following the same Spirit.
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.
A minor complaint, even if its a gaff.
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".
I don't think this was done to give 'Ecumenicalists' power to reject people of divergent views: Think about it! Ecumenicalists want to UNITE the various denominations, even at the cost of 'important' doctrinal differences, not divide or isolate themselves! Most protestants who are anti-ecumenical are this way because of this. They don't propose 'conspiracies to divide' Protestants, who are already divided!
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.
The question isn't whether it 'matches Alexandrian versions', but whether it is supported by the Byzantine or Majority text-type.
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?
The translational point here is so obscure or ill-presented that it just comes off as a slur.
12. The NKJV gives us no command to "study" God's word in II Timothy 2:15.
I doubt most bible students are going to stop studying and take it easy because of this verse.
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?
Now the complaint is made over an obvious improvement in accuracy.
It seems like a no-win situation here.
Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
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."
I am almost afraid to touch this one.
There are 6 different meanings for 'Israel' in the bible, and 4 meanings for 'Jew/Judah', none of which correspond to the blurry picture here.
A major bible study would be required to sort out this drivel.