Is 'KJV Only" a denominational issue?

[Dansiph]

If the KJV is easy to read and other versions are not, you must be a native Old English speaKer. I find the version so difficult because it is like reading a foreign language sometimes (word order and words that do not exist anywhere else screw me up). There is no way someone can be a native modern English speaker and not have a much easier time reading the KJV.

Early Modern English - Wikipedia

This page says "Most modern readers of English can understand texts written in the late phase of Early Modern English, such as the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare, and they have greatly influenced Modern English."

 

[bbbbbbb]

Early Modern English - Wikipedia

This page says "Most modern readers of English can understand texts written in the late phase of Early Modern English, such as the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare, and they have greatly influenced Modern English."

The great irony is that most advocates of KJV only do not recognize the actual language of the KJV when otherwise obscure passages are read. I attended a Bible conference recently where the speaker used a somewhat obscure nineteenth-century translation, which I immediately recognized as such, but he had some KJVO folks convinced that he was one of them. BTW, he did not do this intentionally. He merely preferred that particular translation for a number of sound reasons.

 

[A.ModerateOne]

I use the KJV, but I know it is not the one and only preserved word of God and it is quite easy to see. Check the following verse from the KJV -

"And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." (Heb 1:6 KJV)

That is a quote from Deut. 32:43 so go to that reference in the KJV and see if you can find "let all the angels of God worship him"? It is not there. Where is it found? In the LXX, the Greek translation of the OT and a few modern English translations.

"Rejoice, ye heavens, with him, and let all the angels of God worship him; rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people, and let all the sons of God strengthen themselves in him; for he will avenge the blood of his sons, and he will render vengeance, and recompense justice to his enemies, and will reward them that hate him; and the Lord shall purge the land of his people." (Deut 32:43, LXXE)

There are many instances of this type of difference between the NT quotes of the OT in the KJV, which differences are resolved by checking the English of the LXX. If you read the full "Translators to the Readers" in the original KJV, you'll see that the KJV translators did not consider their word the only preserved word of God. The original "Translators to the Readers" is available online.

The Orthodox Study Bible uses the LXXE for their Old Testament, the NKJV for the New Testament.

 

[GodLovesCats]

What is the LXXE?

 

[Concord1968]

What is the LXXE?

The LXX is the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament.

 

[Daniel Marsh]

As some of you know, I strongly oppose the idea that it is better to learn foreign languages for the sake of exact transliteration than simply buy a readable version of the Bible. Reason being, of course, if you can't understand the Bible now, you won't read it later. I want to know if "KJV only" churches belong to specifc denominations or random pastors at any kind of church prefer it. Can i just look at a church name and assume they only read the KJV?

Yes, they started their own KJV only churches.

 

[ToBeLoved]

There are different kinds of KJVO, the most extreme kind I could not call 'Christian.' James White wrote on this subject in one of his books that I read (like half-way). There are some that hold the KJV to be superior to the Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic, and all who use any other translation is considered a heretic (I suppose Paul was one), as if the translation improved the flaws of the original tongue.

I think there are a few debates w James White and some KJV Only on YouTube

 

[bbbbbbb]

Yes, they started their own KJV only churches.

They are, however, an extreme fringe minority which is rapidly diminishing. There is a curious parallel in Germany where a fringe group conducts its services entirely in English, even though none of the members speak English. The reason is that the word for angels in German is very similar to the word for English. In I Corinthians 13:1 Paul mentions speaking in the tongues of angels, so they think that the heavenly language is English (not seventeenth-century English)
.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Early Modern English - Wikipedia

This page says "Most modern readers of English can understand texts written in the late phase of Early Modern English, such as the King James Bible and the works of William Shakespeare, and they have greatly influenced Modern English."

Wikipedia is wrong.

I don’t understand Shakespeare.

 

[ToBeLoved]

They are, however, an extreme fringe minority which is rapidly diminishing. There is a curious parallel in Germany where a fringe group conducts its services entirely in English, even though none of the members speak English. The reason is that the word for angels in German is very similar to the word for English. In I Corinthians 13:1 Paul mentions speaking in the tongues of angels, so they think that the heavenly language is English (not seventeenth-century English)
.

Interesting. Odd but interesting

 

[bbbbbbb]

Interesting. Odd but interesting

I thought so, as well, when a friend told me of them.

 

[Yahkov]

As some of you know, I strongly oppose the idea that it is better to learn foreign languages for the sake of exact transliteration than simply buy a readable version of the Bible. Reason being, of course, if you can't understand the Bible now, you won't read it later. I want to know if "KJV only" churches belong to specifc denominations or random pastors at any kind of church prefer it. Can i just look at a church name and assume they only read the KJV?

I'll say first, I am not KJVO. But I believe there is a benefit to learning Greek if you want to use inter linear versions of the New Testament. Reason being, you can take words in the inter linear that can hold several meanings. In the Greek, only a select number of a words meaning would make sense. This is where the benefit of knowing Greek would come into play.

 

[Major1]

As some of you know, I strongly oppose the idea that it is better to learn foreign languages for the sake of exact transliteration than simply buy a readable version of the Bible. Reason being, of course, if you can't understand the Bible now, you won't read it later. I want to know if "KJV only" churches belong to specifc denominations or random pastors at any kind of church prefer it. Can i just look at a church name and assume they only read the KJV?

You probably have already read it, but post #3 is right on target.

In fact the Southern Baptist's now have what is their personal recommended Bible which is the Holman Translation.

 

[Concord1968]

You probably have already read it, but post #3 is right on target.

In fact the Southern Baptist's now have what is their personal recommended Bible which is the Holman Translation.

The CSB. Good translation, as a matter of fact.

 

[Major1]

Jesus said that if the kingdom of darkness is divided against itself, it would fall. Satan is not going to produce a version of the Bible that would cause sinners to be saved through the truth of the gospel of Christ.

Osacarr……...I wonder if you would agree with something someone said a long time ago which was …. that the devil wants everyone to be saved.

He has not problem with being saved so long as you put it off to tomarrow.

 

[Major1]

The CSB. Good translation, as a matter of fact.

I read and taught from the KJV for many years but in the past 10 years I have gravitated to the ESV.

IMO, a well devoted believer will always go to a "word for word" translation and never to a phraseology translation such as the Living Bible.

 

[Concord1968]

I read and taught from the KJV for many years but in the past 10 years I have gravitated to the ESV.

IMO, a well devoted believer will always go to a "word for word" translation and never to a phraseology translation such as the Living Bible.

Yeah, I personally use the ESV. I switched over when I joined the LCMS where it's the preferred version. Previously I was using the NASB and the NIV. I have pretty much all the major ones in Logos.

 

[GodLovesCats]

I read and taught from the KJV for many years but in the past 10 years I have gravitated to the ESV.

IMO, a well devoted believer will always go to a "word for word" translation and never to a phraseology translation such as the Living Bible.

You are wrong. If being a devoted believer was based on which Bible someone reads, no churches that do not use word for word Bibles would be Christian.

 

[bbbbbbb]

Yeah, I personally use the ESV. I switched over when I joined the LCMS where it's the preferred version. Previously I was using the NASB and the NIV. I have pretty much all the major ones in Logos.

I have the ESV, but prefer the NASB. Both are excellent IMO.

 

[Major1]

You are wrong. If being a devoted believer was based on which Bible someone reads, no churches that do not use word for word Bibles would be Christian.

Isn't it wonderful that we all have opinions???? I guess you know that I have never been wrong before!!!!

My "opinion" is still that Christians who are serious about the Bible tend to gravitate toward a single version, which results in the tendency to identify versions that differ from their self-chosen norm as “bad.”

In reality, Christians have been blessed with a wide variety of fine versions. When used together and compared to one another, with an understanding of the basic issues in Bible translation, they can greatly enhance one’s Bible study experience.