The fact remains that the Authorized Version of the Bible (called the King James Version) is the one that has more to recommend it than any other version.
But if a person does not have even a high school education and cannot understand parts of the KJV, then he can pick up one of those publications that lists four different versions side by side in parallel columns. Using it, he can easily make a variety of comparisons as he reads along.
But the claims that are often made against the KJV...that it's outdated, cannot be understood, or is not accurate, are not persuasive. There is NO modern language translation that is free of potentially confusing phrases, expressions, or words. There is NO modern language translation that is 100% factually correct and has no "errors in translation'' that might mislead the reader.
The reader gives up much more than he gains by abandoning the KJV for one of those homely translations that were intended for people with an 8th grade or lower reading level.
Not that your post is obviously biased, but...
The KJV was based on a limited set of source documents and a limited knowledge of what the culture of the Biblical times was actually like.
Regarding the attitude that a person who does not have even a high school education and cannot understand parts of the KJV... The KJV version was created for all to read, written in the common language of that era,
a version of Englysh that nobody uses any more, i.e., it is obsolete. If you're going by reading levels, those are created by computer algorithms to analyze
modern languages and are irrelevant regarding the KJV Englyshe.
You wrote that there is NO modern language translation that is free of potentially confusing phrases, expressions, or words. There is NO modern language translation that is 100% factually correct and has no "errors in translation'' that might mislead the reader. That applies to the KJV,
even more so. It is
loaded with confusing phrases, expressions, and words. It is not 100% factually correct (whatever that means) and has errors in translation that confuse the reader.
Your statement that "The reader gives up much more than he gains by abandoning the KJV for one of those homely translations that were intended for people with an 8th grade or lower reading level" doesn't even deserve a comment!
I have several questions for you...
If the KJV Englyshe is so clear and understandable, forsooth, why does thou not write in that archaic Englyshe in all your correspondence (and/or your speech)? You obviously write in modern English because you want to be understood,
a goal shared by modern translations. Do you want people to understand what you write or not?
The KJV translators gave many alternative readings of some of the text, so obviously they didn't think that what they created was 100% reliable and reliable.
There are instances where words have been added in the KJV that aren't in the earliest and best manuscripts. A perfect example is Romans 8:1, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,
who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The earliest and best manuscripts don't have this phrase; it was added by a zealous scribe. The same can be said for the "long ending" of Mark and the story of the woman caught in adultery.
Luke 14:8-12, KJV...
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.
What are all those numbers? They're not in the earliest manuscripts.
Verse 8: there were not upper and lower rooms. It was one room.
Verse 9: what does "Give this man place" mean? Was it crowded?
Verse 10: "then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee." Were they worshipping at dinner? Over meat??
Obviously, none of this is accurate. Here is a far, far better translation...
“When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
It's written in clear, understandable modern English; it's meant to be
understood by the readers. The languages of the Bible sources are ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek, all simple, clear languages, meant to be understood by everyone.
Also, how many unicorns have you come across? They're mentioned
nine times in your "accurate" KJV.
My conclusion is that you and others who laud the KJV want to feel exalted, holy, and self-important, not because of what the Bible text actually communicates, but because you think that God (who came to earth as an impoverished carpenter) doesn't want His words to be clearly communicated and clearly understood by everyone. It's the same thinking that caused the church to communicate in Latin for centuries: only a select few can understand what is truly meant, so
it must be interpreted and explained by (supposedly) "learned" people.
Finally,
the KJV is just a translation; it is not the pure Word of God.