Before anyone reads this reply, understand that it is not directed to any one person. It is meant to set forth a clear reason why we at BBC, BBC Youth Ministry, and CHARGE use the KJV. It is also meant to explain to all who read and/or post on the CHARGE forum where we stand on this issue.

I think this is starting to need some serious study. Let's look at the choices first. What is out there that is being used right now? KJV, NKJV, NIV, ASV (American Standard Version), ISV (International Standard Version), NLT (New Living Translation), and more than fifty others that I could list for you, but I'm afraid I would run out of room!

As we so often do with other things in our Christian life, we tend to put these many different versions on a scale of best to worst, as opposed to right and wrong, most often putting the version that is most compatible with ourselves at the top of the list (easiest to understand, easier to memorize, more fun to read, least convicting, etc.). WHY? Why is it that some feel that one version is better than another? Is it really a conviction or just a choice that could be changed with enough reasoning or pressure? Our view of the Bible should not be based on preference or opinion, but on conviction.

So, why the fuss? What is the truth? Which one is right? Let's deal with things on God's terms, not ours.

The dictionary definition of the word version is : a translation from another language; especially : a translation of the Bible or a part of it. So what language were all of these versions of the Bible written from? We tend to think of different versions as being a re-make of the same thing. They aren't. To find this out you have to do a little bit of studying (which is something that we don't do anymore, by the way - me included!).

First, where did THE Bible come from? We all know that the Bible was written by God through holy men of God. The original letters that comprise the New Testament are known as the Autographs. These original texts were written in Greek. As a letter was written to a church it was copied, word for word, and sent on to other churches for them to read and study. None of the original letters has survived, but because of the word for word copying of them, translators had the exact words from them. These perfectly exact copies are what are known as the Textus Receptus or received text. This text is what the King James Version is translated from.

So, what about all the other ones?

In the 19th century a German textual critic and Greek scholar found a text of the New Testament in a monastery. This text is what is known as Codex Sinaiticus and had been disregarded because of it's errors. It was viewed as corrupt and was ordered to be destroyed. Incidentally, it was found in the garbage! This version was later combined with a text known as the Codex Vaticanus (which was published by the Roman Catholic church). These two texts combined to become known as the Critical Text. Two unsaved Bible critics by the name of Westcott and Hort took this corrupt text and made it into their own version of the Bible. After deceiving and manipulating a committee to accept the text as true, they had it published. From the translation of Wescott and Hort, came versions such as the NIV, the NKJV, and all other modern, incorrect versions.

So, what exactly is wrong with the NIV and the NKJV?

Because these are the two versions many people seem to use the most, other than KJV, we will look at them. First let's look at the NIV. There is a long list of verses, over forty of them, that have been left out of the NIV. Many of these verses deal with rapture, hell, and the Trinity. Some of these verses are Matt. 18:11, Mark 9:44 & 46, and Mark 16:9-20. These are just a few. One of the more obvious verses taken out of the NIV is Acts 8:37. It says, "And Phillip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God". This verse is nowhere to be found in the NIV because this version tends to deny the deity of Christ. The fact that verses have been removed from the NIV that are included in the original text should throw up red flags, especially ones dealing with the Deity of Christ!

Many believe that the NKJV is just a revision of the KJV that helps American English speaking people understand it better. Not really. It is actually just another version from the Westcott and Hort text with many of the same flaws. One example of this is found in Acts 3:26. The phrase, Having raised up His Son" has been changed to "Having raised up His servant". (This same changed phrase is also found in the NIV, NASV, ASV, RSV, and the NAB (Roman Catholic New American Bible).) The NKJV is slowly and quietly trying to disclaim the deity of Jesus! The NKJV is only a little more subtle in it's changes, which makes it more widely accepted.

I am not upset with anyone on the forum. I love you all in Christ and I pray that all of us will allow God to show us the truth. We all have to decide whether or not to accept it. Remember, as it is with everything, we will be held accountable as Christians before God for this. Be sure you are doing what is right. Don't look at this issue and say, "Well, what is wrong with this or that version?" Say, "What is right with it?" This is an issue that had been put on the back burner long enough and needed to be addressed. Do not just take my word for it. Study it for yourselves and look for the truth. Don't just accept what you have heard from anyone, including me, as correct. If anything is not clear or if you have any questions I would be happy to help in any way I can.