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Examining the Lies of the King James Attackers
The Bible is without a doubt the most attacked book of all time. There are hundreds of years of history when it was illegal for individuals to even own Bibles. During the time of early English Bible translation work, two notable translators worked under pseudonyms (Both William Tyndale and John Rogers worked under the name Thomas Matthew) and several (including Jon Hus) were burned at the stake.
Fast forward to America in the 21st century and while things are different, they are not nearly as different as you would expect them to be. Bible translation is no longer secret and hidden, it is big business. Millions are made every year on the sale and printing of Bibles and every time you turn around there is a new one being released. Growing up I was often told by my father “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” which is certainly good advice. It seems natural to me that in order to promote their latest cash cow, reasons have to be invented as to why you need to shelf your Bible and buy a new one. Sadly these folks often resort to lies in an attempt to pad their growing bank accounts.
In the midst of all of these things, we find the King James as the most attacked of the Bibles. Personally I am convinced that this is because of the stand of most of those who stand on the King James Bible. I have never seen anyone stand with an NIV or a _______ (insert your favorite version here) and proclaim “This is the perfect Word of God” but you will find countless people who will do exactly that with their King James Bibles. The difference in the two positions is this. The vast majority of the King James users believes it to be the only acceptable English translation of the Bible, while the vast majority of the modern Bible crowd will use multiple translations and buys many of the new Bibles when they are released. Therefore if the thrust of the modern Bible movement is money (and I believe it is) then the position that would stand against the profit flow must be destroyed. Sadly in an effort to do exactly that people often resort to lies and deception.
While not an exhaustive list by any stretch of the imagination, following you will find a listing of many of the reasons that the modern bible promoters use to convince you that your Bible needs to be updated, followed by a careful examination of the actual facts.
Lie #1 We Need a New Bible Because We Don’t Talk That Way Any More
You need not wade to deep into the advertising for the current “flavor of the month” as far as bibles go before you run into phrases like “Up to date language” “A Bible that says what it means” and “We removed the Thee’s and thou’s” Arguments like these have long been the standard of the modern bible crowd.
Someone once said the most dangerous lie is a truth misplaced. That is exactly what you have here. Hidden within this lie is the truth, but that truth goes unaddressed. The fact of the mater is this: We don’t talk now the way they do in the King James. While that is true here is another truth- they didn’t talk that way in 1611 either. There is a certain danger that exists in trying to bring the words of a holy God down to the language of the streets. Certain niche marketed bibles such as the black bible chronicles have made laughable attempts at doing exactly that.
If in fact the above statement is correct, and the language of the King James was not the normal language of conversation in 17th century England. Then the push for Bibles that read the way we speak today loose all of its steam. The question before us then is this: How can we determine if the language of the King James is the normal language of conversation in 1611? After the translators finished their work they wrote a document that went into the front of the Bibles as they were printed. This document is called the Epistle Dedicatory which is included before the text of most King James Bibles still printed today. This document was written by the translators after they spent the 7 years required to produce the King James Bible. It would make sense that that if the language of the Bible was the normal conversational English of 1611 then this document would read exactly like the Bible text. If it does not then our point is made. You will find the Epistle Dedicatory in its entirety below.
TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE
JAMES,
BY THE GRACE OF GOD
KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &C.,/P
The Translators of the Bible wish Grace, Mercy and Peace, through JESUS CHRIST, our Lord.
G REAT and manifold were the blessings, most dread Sovereign, which Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, bestowed upon us the people of England, when first he sent Your Majesty's Royal Person to rule and reign over us. For whereas it was the expectation of many, who wished not well unto our Sion, that upon the setting of that bright Occidental Star, Queen Elizabeth of most happy memory, some thick and palpable clouds of darkness would so have overshadowed this Land, that men should have been in doubt which way they were to walk; and that it should hardly be known, who was to direct the unsettled State; the appearance of your Majesty, as the Sun in his strength, instantly dispelled those supposed and surmised mists, and gave unto all that were well affected exceeding cause of comfort; especially when we beheld the Government established in Your Highness, and Your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted Title, and this also accompanied with peace and tranquillity at home and abroad.
But among all our joys, there was no one that more filled our hearts, than the blessed continuance of the preaching of God's sacred Word among us; which is that inestimable treasure, which excelleth all the riches of the earth; because the fruit thereof extendeth itself, not only to the time spent in this transitory world, but directeth and disposeth men unto that eternal happiness which is above in heaven.
Then not to suffer this to fall to the ground, but rather to take it up, and to continue it in that state, wherein the famous Predecessor of Your Highness did leave it: nay, to go forward with the confidence and resolution of a Man in maintaining the truth of Christ, and propagating it far and near, is that which hath so bound and firmly knit the hearts of all Your Majesty's loyal and religious people unto You, that Your very name is precious among them: their eye doth behold You with comfort, and they bless You in their hearts, as that sanctified Person who, under God, is the immediate Author of their true happiness. And this their contentment doth not diminish or decay, but every day increaseth and taketh strength, when they observe, that the zeal of Your Majesty toward the house of God doth not slack or go backward, but is more and more kindled, manifesting itself abroad in the farthest parts of Christendom, by writing in defence of the Truth, (which hath given such a blow unto that man of sin, as will not be healed,) and every day at home, by religious and learned discourse, by frequenting the house of God, by hearing the Word preached, by cherishing the Teachers thereof, by caring for the Church, as a most tender and loving nursing Father.
There are infinite arguments of this right christian and religious affection in Your Majesty; but none is more forcible to declare it to others than the vehement and perpetuated desire of accomplishing and publishing of this work, which now with all humility we present unto Your Majesty. For when Your Highness had once out of deep judgment apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original Sacred Tongues, together with comparing of the labours, both in our own, and other foreign Languages, of many worthy men who went before us, there should be one more exact Translation of the holy Scriptures into the English Tongue; Your Majesty did never desist to urge and to excite those to whom it was commended, that the work might be hastened, and that the business might be expedited in so decent a manner, as a matter of such importance might justly require.
And now at last, by the mercy of God, and the continuance of our labours, it being brought unto such a conclusion, as that we have great hopes that the Church of England shall reap good fruit thereby; we hold it our duty to offer it to Your Majesty, not only as to our King and Sovereign, but as to the principal Mover and Author of the work: humbly craving of Your most Sacred Majesty, that since things of this quality have ever been subject to the censures of illmeaning and discontented persons, it may receive approbation and patronage from so learned and judicious a Prince as Your Highness is, whose allowance and acceptance of our labours shall more honour and encourage us, than all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So that if, on the one side, we shall be traduced by Popish Persons at home or abroad, who therefore will malign us, because we are poor instruments to make God's holy Truth to be yet more and more known unto the people, whom they desire still to keep in ignorance and darkness; or if, on the other side, we shall be maligned by self-conceited Brethren, who run their own ways, and give liking unto nothing, but what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their anvil; we may rest secure, supported within by truth and innocency of a good conscience, having walked the ways of simplicity and integrity, as before the Lord; and sustained without by the powerful protection of Your Majesty's grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to honest and Christian endeavours against bitter censures and uncharitable imputations.
The Lord of heaven and earth bless Your Majesty with many and happy days, that, as his heavenly hand hath enriched Your Highness with many singular and extraordinary graces, so You may be the wonder of the world in this latter age for happiness and true felicity, to the honour of that great GOD, and the good of his Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour.
This introduction to the Bible contains just over a thousand words (1,003) to be exact. If the words that the modern bible crowd loves to complain about-thee, thine, thou & ye, just to pick four were in common use in 1611 you would expect to find them somewhere in these thousand words. Yet as you read (or use your text search feature, control F) you will find that there is not one of these words used even one time. The combined total use of these four words in the Biblical text is 10,346 (thee-2751 thine-843 thou-3894 and ye-2857, just incase you were wondering) yet strangely enough they don’t show up even one time in the introduction.
The reason for this is simple. Careful thought and prayer went into the language of the King James Bible. What resulted was not a Bible in the common language of the streets but rather a Bible in the purest form of English available with aids to understanding built in. A full explanation of these aids to understanding would require another article devoted to just that subject but suffice it to say that as a general rule (and there are a few exceptions) when you read a “T” pronoun (Thee, Thine, Thou) the speaker is addressing one single person. For example when Jesus addressed Nicodemus in John 3 He said to him in verse 3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” Likewise when a group of people was being addressed they are referred to with a “Y” pronoun (ye,you) like when Jesus addressed His followers in Matthew 28 and gave them what we know as the great commission He told them “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” Matthew 28:19. Similar things hold true for the verb endings “ETH” and “EST” the way these verbs are used give us a guide to understanding person and tense, but again that would require another article.
In short, the language of the King James Bible was not the language of the streets, nor was it ever intended to be. So the answer to those who say “we don’t talk that way anymore” is simply “They didn’t talk that way then either.”
Next Topic: The new bibles are easier to read
IMPORTANT NOTE: Throughout these articles you will notice the word bible with a lower case “b” is used when referring to modern versions and the word Bible with an upper case “B” when referring to the King James. This is not a typo, this is deliberate and intentional.