A New Look
at the Text of the Bible
A New Look Regarding the Original Text of
the Bible
a History of the Text and the Church
The King James Bible is probably the most known and utilized Bible
in the world. It was first printed in 1611 under the authority of King James of
England. However, many today claim that the King James Bible is the only true
Bible and all others should be avoided. The people who support this view have
made many claims concerning this version. Such as it was inspired by God or
that the translators were. They also claim that it is the perfect word of God
without flaw. Can these claims be true? Is there a way we can find out? These
pages will provide convincing evidence in opposition to this view, then you can
be the judge of whether the King James Version is the perfect word of God or
that it is just another step forward in the long line of Biblical works.
This is not an attempt to say
that the King James Bible is of no use or a bad translation. I am only pointing
out that it is only one version in a long line of versions and it was a good
Bible for the people of England in the 17th century. We will start by looking
at the King James Version, and then we will look at the underlying Greek text
of the King James Version, and other important information concerning this
topic. For a basis of the opposing view, we will be using quotes from the book
"The King James Version Defended" by Edward F. Hills. To start us
out, we will look at how these ones view the King James Bible. Therefore, let
us quote from Edward Hills Book to give you an understanding of what they
believe. In the box below is how Edward Hills states his belief as to the
preservation of the Textus Receptus (the Greek underlying the KJV) and the King
James Bible.
"When we believe in
Christ, the logic of faith leads us first, to a belief in the infallible
inspiration of the original Scriptures, second, to a belief in the providential
preservation of this original text down through the ages and third, to a belief
in the Bible text current among believers as the providentially preserved
original text. This is the common faith which has always been present among
Christians. For Christ and His Word are inseparable, and faith in Him and in
the holy Scriptures has been the common characteristic of all true believers
from the beginning. Always they have regarded the current Bible text as the
infallibly inspired and providentially preserved True Text." (King James
Version Defended)
If you will note the last
sentence, Edward Hills is saying: "Always they have regarded the current
Bible (King James Bible) as the infallibly inspired and providentially
preserved True Text." And many share this view that the King James Bible is
the perfect and original true text. Providentially preserved means The Bible
text was preserved by God's care and guardianship. Infallible means, the text
is not wrong or no mistakes at all. Now these two items are what we will be
dealing with first. For these to be true in the case of the King James Bible,
two requirements have to be met. (1) The people God used to preserve his word
should be faithful or true followers as Mr. Hill comments. (2) The text be
infallible, no mistakes at all in either the Greek or the English text.
For the King James Bible to
be the true perfect text of the Bible, it has to be without error. Now the
translators of this version did a wonderful Job for their time and what was
available to them. Nevertheless, anyone who has ever done any investigations
into these matters since the King James Version has been published will know
that there are many things lacking in the translation from Hebrew and Greek to
English. The following facts will show that this translation includes these
problems. (1) The translators did not have a complete understanding of the
Greek and Hebrew languages. (2) There are mistranslated words. (3) The choosing
of the same English words for different Greek words when not appropriate. (4)
The choosing of different English words for the same Greek word when not
appropriate. However, these are human mistakes. That is just the point we need
to make. This is a human work and not perfect. Here are just a few of the many
translation errors in the King James Version.
Thus, while the King James Version uses "blasphemy" and "blasphemed" in Acts 18:6, Colossians 3:8, 1 Timothy 6:1, and Titus 2:5, later translations say "slander," "abusive talk [or "speech"]," "reviled," "defamed," "abused," "spoken of abusively," and similar expressions. (See RS, AT, NW, and others.) However, the King James Version does recognize this distinction elsewhere in the Greek Scriptures.
The common tradition as to the apple's being the forbidden fruit of Eden is without any Scriptural basis whatsoever. Similarly, the expression "apple of the eye" is found in the King James Version (Ps 17:8; Pr 7:2; and others) but is not a Hebrew expression, the literal translation being "the pupil of [one's] eyeball."
The King James Version uses the name Assir at 1 Chronicles 3:17; however, many modern translations (AS, AT, Mo, NW, Ro, RS) view the Hebrew word here, not as a proper name, but, rather, as a common adjective descriptive of Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) as a captive or prisoner in Babylon. (2Ki 24:12-15; 25:27-30) The New World Translation fittingly reads: "And the sons of Jeconiah as prisoner [assir'] were Shealtiel . . ."
At John 12:6; 13:29 in the King James Version, Judas is spoken of as carrying a "bag"; however, most modern translations render the Greek word glosso'komon as "box" or "money box." Originally used to refer to a case for keeping the mouthpiece of a wind instrument, the Greek word came to stand for a small box used for any purpose, including the keeping of money. The translators of the Greek Septuagint used this word to refer to the chest mentioned at 2 Chronicles 24:8, 10.
"Old Testament" and "New Testament." Today it is a common practice to refer to the Scriptures written in Hebrew and Aramaic as the "Old Testament." This is based on the reading in 2 Corinthians 3:14 in the Latin Vulgate and the King James Version. However, the rendering "old testament" in this text is incorrect.
The rendering of Micah 2:12 in the King James Version contains the name "Bozrah," but most modern translations view this as referring, not to a town, but to an enclosure or pen for sheep.
The broom tree (Retama raetam) is in reality a desert shrub of the pea family. The corresponding Arabic name (ratam) aids in identifying the plant and shows the rendering "juniper tree" in the King James Version to be incorrect.
The King James Version calls Elizabeth Mary's cousin (syggenis') at Luke 1:36. This Greek word is considered a peculiar form of the word syggenes', which is rendered "relative" in modern versions. (Lu 2:44; 21:16; Ac 10:24; CC, ED, NW) Syggenes' occurs five times in the Septuagint, again meaning "relatives" in general rather than the modern restricted designation "cousin."-Le 18:14; 20:20; 25:45; 2Sa 3:39; Eze 22:6; LXX.
Oikoume'ne, translated "world" in the King James Version, denotes "inhabited earth."-Mt 24:14; Lu 2:1; Ac 17:6; Re 12:9.
The English term "epilepsy" is derived from the Greek word epilepsi'a, meaning literally "seizure." However, epilepsi'a is not used in the Bible. Rather, for this disorder Matthew (4:24; 17:15) employed forms of the Greek word selenia'zomai, meaning, literally, "be moonstruck." Whereas the King James Version uses "lunatick," certain modern translations employ "epileptic(s)" at Matthew 4:24; 17:15.-AS; NW; RS.
The name Ezer in this case possibly means "Store Up," because of a difference in the spelling in the original Hebrew. At 1 Chronicles 1:38 it has been misprinted "Ezar" in many modern editions of the King James Version, although it was correct in the edition of 1611 as well as other early editions.
If 1 John 3:6, 9 is read without taking into account the fact that the verb there is in the present tense, John seems to contradict his words above noted. The King James Version reads: "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not," and, "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." These renderings fail to carry over into English the continuous action denoted by the present tense of the Greek verbs used. Some modern translations, instead of saying here, "sinneth not" and "doth not commit sin," take note of the continuous action and render the verbs accordingly: "does not practice sin," "does not carry on sin" (NW); "practices sin," "makes a practice of sinning" (CB); "does not habitually sin," "does not practice sin" (Ph); "does not continue to sin" (TEV). Jesus commanded his followers at Matthew 6:33: "Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom," indicating continuous effort, rather than merely "seek ye first the kingdom" (KJ).
Likewise, in Luke 1:59, speaking of the time of circumcision of the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the imperfect tense used indicates that instead of the rendering, "They called him Zacharias, after the name of his father" (KJ), the passage should read "They were going to call [the young child] by the name of its father, Zechariah" (NW). This is in harmony with what actually took place, namely, that he was given the name John, according to the angel Gabriel's instructions.-Lu 1:13.
Hell - A word used in the King James Version (aas well as in the Catholic Douay Version and most older translations) to translate the Hebrew sheohl' and the Greek hai'des. In the King James Version the word "hell" is rendered from sheohl' 31 times and from hai'des 10 times. This version is not consistent, however, since sheohl' is also translated 31 times "grave" and 3 times "pit." In the Douay Version sheohl' is rendered "hell" 64 times, "pit" once, and "death" once.
The rendering of 2 Samuel 12:31 in the King James Version makes it appear that David caused Ammonite captives to "pass through the brickkiln," but the sense of the Hebrew text, by a correction of one letter, appears to be that he "made them serve at brickmaking."-NW; AT; RS.
There is no evidence that the candle as we know it today was used in Bible times. Whereas the flammable wax or fat of a modern candle is kept in the solid state until melted by the proximity of the flame, lamp oil, a liquid, was used in Biblical days. Hence, frequent rendering by the King James Version of the Hebrew ner and the Greek word ly'khnos as "candle" is inappropriate, as at Job 29:3 and Luke 11:33, where modern translations (such as AT, NW, RS) fittingly use "lamp."
The word "law," in the Hebrew Scriptures, is translated primarily from the Hebrew word tohrah', related to the verb yarah', meaning, "direct, teach, instruct." In some cases it is translated from the Aramaic term dath. (Da 6:5, 8, 15) Other words translated in the King James Version as "law" are mishpat' (judicial decision, judgment), and mitswah' (commandment). In the Greek Scriptures the word no'mos, from the verb ne'mo (deal out, distribute), is translated "law."
Some have tried to read into the text at Deuteronomy 33:14 an evidence of pagan influence or a superstitious attitude toward the moon. In the King James Version this text speaks of "the precious things put forth by the moon." However, as more modern translations show, the sense of the Hebrew word rendered "moon" here (yerachim') is actually "months" or "lunar months" and basically refers to the monthly periods in which the fruits ripen.
Resinous Tree - [Heb., go'pher]. A tree whose wood Noah used in the construction of the ark but which cannot be identified with any degree of certainty. (Ge 6:14) The King James Version simply transliterates the Hebrew name.
The Hebrew words tse'pha' and tsiph'ohni' are understood by lexicographers to refer to poisonous snakes, the Hebrew pronunciation perhaps representing in sound the hissing noise made by such snakes when they are approached. Both may refer to some variety of viper, but identification is uncertain. The King James Version incorrectly translated these words as referring to the mythical "cockatrice," at Isaiah 11:8; 14:29; 59:5; and Jeremiah 8:17.
The King James Version used "world" to render not only ko'smos but also three other Greek words in some of its renderings of them (ge; aion'; oikoume'ne) and five different Hebrew words (e'rets; che'dhel; che'ledh; 'ohlam'; tevel'). This produced a blurring or confused blending of meanings that made it difficult to obtain correct understanding of the scriptures involved.
GREEK AND HEBREW
UNDERSTANDING
Until about the turn of the century scholars had a somewhat fuzzy understanding of the Greek in which the Bible was written. In the 1890’s, archaeologists uncovered all kinds of documents in Egypt. From long-buried rubbish heaps outside ancient towns flooded forth papyri of all kinds- letters, bills, deeds, contracts, petitions, invitations, even copies of plays and poems. These papyri were written in Greek. Not until about 1895 did scholars realize what kind of Greek this was. It was the same kind of Greek in which the Bible was written.
Why was this a vital discovery? Because scholars had thought the Greek of the Bible to be of a special kind. They knew it was not classical or even the literary Greek of the first century A.D. They called it "Biblical Greek." So thoroughly did many scholars believe Bible Greek to be a unique jargon that one German scholar even declared that the Greek of the Bible was a miracle language, a language devised by the holy spirit. But the discoveries in Egypt showed otherwise!
The documents of everyday life dug up in Egypt provided the clue to understanding Bible Greek. It was found that the Greek of all these documents was not classical or literary but the Greek of the Bible! And the Greek of the documents was the everyday language of the people of the first century! So the Christian Greek Scriptures were written in the koin or common Greek of the people. Bible Greek was not a unique jargon after all. The Bible writers had put God's message in the simplest language of all, the language of the common people.
This vital knowledge of Bible Greek was not available to the translators of the King James Bible. Hence, many passages in that version sound odd or are hard to understand. For example, 1 Peter 2:2 speaks of the "sincere milk of the word." Now from the papyri unearthed in Egypt it was found that the word here translated "sincere" was very often used in koin Greek to characterize food or drink as pure. Hence, modern translations give us a more understandable reading, rendering it "unadulterated milk belonging to the word."
The imperfect tense in Greek may express not only an action that continues but also an action attempted but not accomplished. Note how Hebrews 11:17 in the King James Version reads: "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son." The verb "offered up" differs in form in these two occurrences in the Greek. The first occurrence is in the perfect (completed) tense, whereas the second is in the imperfect (past continuous) form. The New World Translation, taking into account the different tenses, translates the verse: "Abraham, when he was tested, as good as offered up Isaac, and the man . . . attempted to offer up his only-begotten son." The completed sense of the first verb is thus retained, while the imperfect tense of the second verb indicates that the action was intended or attempted but not carried out to completion.-Gen. 22:9-14.
There has been new light not only on the Greek language but also on the Hebrew as well. The knowledge of Hebrew available to scholars today is vastly greater than that which was at the command of the translators of the King James Version. Therefore, Bible translators today can also give us a better-understood translation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Discoveries have also cleared up errors and obscurities in the Hebrew text by giving us scrolls or fragments older than those on which the King James Bible is based. Until recent years, scholars had no manuscripts of the Hebrew Scriptures that were dated earlier than the ninth century A.D. For 336 years, from 1611 to 1947, practically no new evidence to correct already available sources on the Hebrew text came to light. Then in 1947 came what one archaeologist called "a phenomenal discovery."
But the 1947 discoveries were just the beginning. In 1949, the cave was rediscovered and explored. Hundreds of scroll fragments were found. In 1952 to 1953 other caves were explored. So many manuscript fragments have been found that every book of the Hebrew Scriptures, with the possible exception of Chronicles, was represented.
The scrolls have already been put to use. For example, thorough study of the Isaiah scroll enables today's translators to correct a copyist's error at Isaiah 3:24. The King James Version says: "There shall be . . . burning instead of beauty." Modern translations made before 1947 often use the word "branding" instead of burning. Still it is not clear. As the 1956 edition of The Encyclopedia Americana explains, the word "branding" "assumes a meaning for the common Hebrew word ki, . . . which it has nowhere else in the Bible. The Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah contains an additional word to the last line, which makes it possible to render it as follows: 'for instead of beauty (there will be) shame.'"