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THE KING JAMES CULT
Introduction
In my last book, Bible Power for Salvation, I mentioned the “King James Cult.” This is a name I gave to a group of people who have cult-like beliefs regarding the use of the KJV (King James Version of the Bible). It is my belief that the true messages and stories of the Bible are more important than just the words. Just the fact that we read the Bible in English means the words have been changed. I only devoted two sections of a chapter to the KJV in my last book. Since then, I have found so much more information regarding the KJV that I felt it was necessary to write a whole chapter in this book regarding the King James Cult.
Cult-like beliefs
These people of the King James Cult have several disturbing beliefs that make them different from just the average person who prefers the KJV. These inferred beliefs are as follows:
1. The Church of England was a special church chosen by God to “authorize” his Word.
2. King James was a unique and righteous king who was chosen by God to “authorize” the Bible.
3. A claim that other versions are the work of the Devil and anyone who reads these versions is going to hell.
Furthermore, the King James Cult people isolate themselves and often attend a church that also only accepts the KJV. They figuratively close their eyes, put their hands over their ears, and hum when anyone tries to prove that many of the ideas they have been taught about the KJV are factually untrue.
The KJV and NIV myths exposed
1. The original books of the Bible were written and remained unchanged until the KJV was printed in 1611. This is not true.
2. The KJV is taken directly from the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. This is not true.
3. The KJV was translated in the same language style as the original Greek and Hebrew. This is not true.
4. The KJV New Testament was mostly translated by its own translators. This is not true.
5. King James told his translators to be as accurate as possible, even if translation disagreed with church policy. This is not true.
6. King James did not force scholars to change words to his liking even though they were less accurate. This is not true.
7. King James recognized that the church was a higher authority than his kingship. This is not true.
8. King James never ordered the torture of women accused of witchcraft. This is not true.
9. There was only one “authorized version” and that is the KJV. This is not true.
10. The protestant Christian churches endorsed the King James Bible as a translation that was without error in its translation. This is not true.
11. Most Bible scholars and translators believe the word count of a Bible determines its accuracy. This is not true.
12. Many people believe the KJV Bible they read today is complete and the same KJV authorized in 1611. This is not true.
13. The KJV has strict accuracy requirements regarding its publishing. This is not true.
14. Most Bible scholars believe all Bibles should be compared to the KJV. This is not true.
15. G. A. Riplinger, a popular KJV advocate and author of New Age Bible Versions, Is a degreed Bible scholar and theologian. This is not true.
16. G A Riplinger has only been married only once or twice. This is not true.
17. The NIV was translated by Zondervan Publishing. This is not true.
18. One reason given to not read the New International Version (NIV) is that all NIV Bibles are published by Zondervan. It is pointed out that Zondervan was bought out by HarperCollins, and HarperCollins printed The Joy of Gay Sex. It is not true that all NIV Bibles are printed by Zondervan.
King James – A power hungry king
Many people equate the Word of God with the word of King James. Most people do not know a thing about King James other than he authorized the KJV. The following facts will give us a little insight into the personality of King James
King James the 1st of England (6th of Scotland) ruled Scotland before he added England to his kingdom. He was a convert to Presbyterianism, and passed several acts that made him head of the Scottish Presbyterian church.
King James, always hungry for power, dissolved parliament in 1611. This was the same year that the KJV was written. King James believed in an absolute monarchy, and wrote The True Law of Monarchies and Basilicon Doron, explaining the divine right of kings. In 1606, Parliament passed the Popish Recusants Act, which could require any citizen to take an oath of allegiance to the king as being above the pope’s authority.
Wikipedia quotes King James as saying: "The state of monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth, for kings are not only God's lieutenants upon earth and sit upon God's throne, but even by God himself they are called gods. There be three principal [comparisons] that illustrate the state of monarchy: one taken out of the word of God, and the two other out of the grounds of policy and philosophy. In the Scriptures kings are called gods, and so their power after a certain relation compared to the Divine power. Kings are also compared to fathers of families; for a king is truly parens patriae [parent of the country], the politic father of his people. And lastly, kings are compared to the head of this microcosm of the body of man." 24
King James considered witchcraft a branch of theology and became obsessed with the threat of witches. He personally supervised the torture of women accused of witchcraft. He wrote a tract called “Daemonologue” that supported and encouraged witch-hunts against these servants of Satan.
James was known not to be interested in girls during his youth, and was known for his chastity. James selected his wife without ever seeing her. The 14-year-old Anne of Denmark was selected to help bolster James’s monarchy. Considering his lack of interest in girls, it should not be a surprise that later, as king, James was known to like the company of young men. Some of his biographers name three specific male lovers. Others claim the relationships were not sexual since James once wrote against sodomy. However, a recent 2004–2008 restoration of his residence, Apethorpe Hall, uncovered a secret hallway connecting James’s bedroom with the bedroom of a man named as one of his lovers.
Along other lines, history shows King James’s court was suspected of low moral conduct and corruption based on the king’s involvement in pardoning two murderers. The biggest part of the scandal was that King James was suspected of aiding in the murder. The murder benefitted a friend of his and happened after the king invited the victim to stay at the place of the murder.
The Church of England
he Church of England is still today the official Church of England. The church dates back to the time of the Roman Empire and was once part of the Catholic Church. The church’s website, https://www.churchofengland.org , said her majesty the queen (prior to her death in 2022) is the supreme governor of the Church of England and that it is “part of the one Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.”
The Church of England has a history of confusion regarding its identity. One must surely read a whole book on the church to understand what its members believed in any given year. Satan is truly the master of confusion. The Church of England was under the power of the pope three times and under the power of the British monarchy the rest of the time. Pick your poison. Do you want the pope or the English monarchy to be the head of your church? Is either choice one that God would authorize?
In 1534, the church in England denounced the authority of the pope because King Henry VIII didn’t want to pay 100,000 pounds to the pope to have one of the king’s many marriages annulled. Then, from roughly 1538–1555, the Church of England again fell under authority of the pope. Then, in 1559, the pope was out again, and Parliament once again recognized the monarchy as head of the church. In 1611, the year of the King James Version, King James was the official head of the Church of England.
In 1643, only about 32 years after the Church of England authorized the KJV, the Church of England said at the Westminster Confession that the pope was the Antichrist. In 1662, the Uniformity Act declared the Church of England as the only legally approved church in England. Here we go again. By the end of the 1600s, the Church of England was declared both Catholic and Reformed. The English monarch was still, however, its supreme governor. It was this mixed-up church that authorized the King James Version.
Authorizing the King James Version
The first “authorized version” (1539) of the Bible was called the “Great Bible,” but religious leaders had to later come up with another authorized version since a large part of this authorized Bible was not even taken from the original languages of Hebrew and Greek. It was actually taken from prior translations in German and Latin. The second attempt at an “authorized version” was done in 1568 and was called the “Bishops’ Bible.” The Church of England had to do something because the Geneva Bible was more accurate and was used by the Puritans who believed the church should be run by common people instead of the bishops. The archbishop of Canterbury was under pressure and a new authorized version was published. This Bible was quickly thrown together without much supervision. One proof of this is the Hebrew word for God, (YHWH), is translated as “Lord” and another name for God, “Elohim,” is translated as “God.” However, in Psalms the words are reversed. The Geneva Bible was allowed to be used only at home. The Bishops’ Bible, even though authorized, had to be redone in a second version in 1602. Finally, the KJV was printed in 1611. I guess if you can forgive the Church of England for getting it wrong twice before the KJV, you can revere the KJV. Like they say, “Three is the charm.” Keep in mind, the King James Version, like other authorized versions, was the only Bible allowed to be used in churches.
Here is another important fact: King James gave strict instructions for the translators to keep in mind the ecclesiology of the Church of England and reflect the Episcopal structure of the church in the translation. For example, translators were told to use the word “church” instead of “congregation” so as to imply one central religious authority. King James was not concerned with accuracy, but with political correctness. Nobody was to argue with the king since he was the head of the church.
By 1613, the KJV had 300 errors corrected from the original KJV. By the 1760s, there were 30,000 marginal references added to explain the text. Over the next 200 years, the KJV would be edited numerous times. Much of the editing was done by Benjamin Blayney at Oxford about 150 years after the King James was authorized. The title “King James Version,” especially in the USA, includes this editing by Blaney. In other words, not all KJV Bibles have the same words. Neither do they all include the books of the Apocrypha. Moreover, the KJV used by Protestants today is a revised edition written in 1769. Obviously, this KJV is not the same as the 1611 original Authorized Version.
One could say the KJV is guilty of plagiarism. The KJV fails to mention that 61 percent of its text is taken from other translations such as the previous works of William Tyndale (who was fluent in seven languages), Coverdale, Wycliffe, and the Geneva Bible. Instead, glory to the king and to the Church of England. It should be noted that it is estimated that between 83 and 90 percent of the New Testament was copied directly from Tyndale’s work. This is not theory, but historical fact. Tyndale’s work was the first English translation of the New Testament. It can be read online at https://www.biblestudytools.com/tyn
It should also be noted that this same William Tyndale was killed by the Church of England for heresy only a couple years before the first authorized Bible, the Great Bible, was printed using Tyndale’s translations. It is obvious that Tyndale was not a heretic because his translation was evil, but because he was evil to print a Bible without the blessing of the Church of England.
One must understand that all Bibles are based on thousands of fragments of copies of Scripture. No current Bible is based on the original manuscripts because these manuscripts did not even exist in medieval times. According to Smith’s Bible Dictionary of 1884, “The present division of the whole Bible into chapters was made by Cardinal Hugo of St. Gher about 1250. The present division into verses was introduced by Robert Stephens in his Greek Testament, published in his edition of the Vulgate, about 1555. The first English Bible printed with these chapters and verses was the Geneva Bible, in 1560.” Rather than stay with the format of the original texts, the KJV chose to use the chapters and verses.
The KJV was never authorized by Parliament, so calling it authorized is a deception and a marketing tool. Furthermore, why should we have to refer to the name of a man when we refer to God’s Word?
In 1546, the Roman Catholic Council of Trent authorized the following books to be Scripture: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom of Solomon, Ecclesiasticus, and Baruch. In addition, they authorized additions to the books of Esther and Daniel. These books were included in the original version authorized by King James and the Church of England. Yes, the Apocrypha was translated as part of the original KJV. It is not clear whether King James or any of the translators believed the Apocrypha was divine or not, since some of the translation committee was Puritan, despite the fact that the vast majority was from the Church of England, which still had many Catholic beliefs and practices.
1. In 1643, 32 years after the translation of the KJV, at the Westminster Confession, the Church of England officially said the Apocrypha is not actually divine Scripture.
Even after the KJV was published in 1611, the Geneva Bible remained popular. The Geneva Bible, not the KJV, was the Bible that the Pilgrims took with them to the New World in 1620.
Making of the NIV
The NIV is translated mainly from the Masoretic Text, which is the authorized Hebrew text for the Jewish Bible. The NIV also incorporates manuscripts from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
1. The Dead Sea Scrolls were a massive archeological find that revealed older and better manuscripts than previously existed.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls are dated from 408 BC to 318 AD.
The NIV was not translated by Zondervan as some might think. Instead, the NIV copyright (first in 1978, later in 1984) was held by the International Bible Society (aka International Bible Society and Biblica.) The society was aided by both the Reformed Christian Church and the American Association of Evangelicals.
3. The NIV was then approved and sponsored by several denominations. These denominations are: Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Reformed, Church of Christ, Evangelical Free Church, Lutheran, Mennonite, Methodists, Nazarene, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and other churches. These churches helped make sure that the translators did not translate with a denominational bias. The KJV, on the other hand, was translated to reflect the Catholic and Reformed beliefs of the Church of England.
The King James Only cult believes that a current NIV publisher, Zondervan, is evil because it was purchased by HarperCollins. As for HarperCollins, they did not own Zondervan until 1988. Zondervan, however, only has rights to publish in the USA. Therefore, if you do not like Zondervan, its parent companies HarperCollins and News Corp., you can buy an NIV printed outside the USA or read one printed before 1988. Not that it makes a difference to me, but my Bible was printed in 1984.
I find it hypocritical that people criticize Zondervan, but these same people look at Fox News and use other media owned by News Corp. (the parent company of HarperCollins.) These people also subscribe to cable networks that broadcast pornography. Even the regular networks promote sin. Hypocrites, throw away your televisions!
Look at the books promoting the KJV as the only acceptable version. Are they printed by Random House, which prints Fifty Shades of Grey? Perhaps it is printed by Thomas Nelson Publishers, which is now also owned by HarperCollins and News Corp. Thomas Nelson and Zondervan publish almost half of all Christian books. Odds are that almost half of the Christian books you own are published by a company owned by HarperCollins. Therefore, if people don’t want to be hypocrites, they should start throwing out all their books printed by Thomas Nelson and Zondervan. Since Thomas Nelson also prints a King James Bible, they may want to throw away their King James Bible if it has the wrong publisher. If you are really legalistic, you can research all the divisions of Zondervan and Thomas Nelson to make sure you have no books printed by them. We cannot go through life worrying about who owns what company. As the apostle Paul said, “I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people––not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11 NIV).
King James Cult people will often twist a Scriptural quote to meet their beliefs. For example, they will quote Proverbs 30:5, which says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him” (KJV). What these King James Cult people will tell you is that this verse is referring to written Scripture when it is actually referring to verbal prophesy. It then becomes obvious that the context is referring to God’s messages and not to individual words. When the NIV uses a different word than the KJV, then the NIV is accused of watering down the truth. Using this King James Cult logic, I could say the KJV is corrupt because its interpreters were afraid to use the term homosexual. I would not mention that the real reason is because there was no specific Greek or Hebrew word for homosexual. That is why the KJV uses the term “effeminate.” The King James Cult uses many similar linguistic tricks to fool people. It is foolish to prove the NIV is different from the KJV. After all, if the NIV were exactly the same as the KJV, why print the NIV? The NIV was made to be more accurate than the KJV, so any comparison is an example of the NIV actually being more accurate than the KJV in comparison to early manuscripts.
2011 edition of the NIV
The jury is still out on the 2011 edition. I will eventually make my decision on accepting this version by using unbiased scholarly linguistic means, and not by reading a book by an unqualified author with a book to sell. I will make a decision based on Hebrew and Greek accuracy, not on a word count or personal bias. If it is true that word changes reflect a more accurate translation of the original Greek and Hebrew, and not a change for political correctness, then I will accept the new version.
I must note that I currently cannot endorse the 2011 version of the NIV since I have not read it yet. I understand that there is some controversy about the gender-neutral language. It will always be my position that a change is okay if it is for the sake of accuracy, but a change to advance a theology is wrong. I do not believe in perverting the Greek or Hebrew when it disagrees with my theology, but I also do not support these changes when they support my theology.
My first attempt to prove the 2011 version as wrong has failed. I examined Revelation 3:20 to prove that it is incorrect to change “him” to “that person.” I checked two Greek resources and they both stated the Greek word “tis” is gender neutral. I guess you could ask a person who speaks Greek to verify this.
All legitimate Bible versions show that men and women are not equal in authority. This teaching is very clear in Scripture, so I want to make sure nobody corrupts the Scripture in this regard. Any attempt to make us view God as anything but masculine would, of course, be blasphemy since God describes himself as our “Father” in order to make a point of both love and authority.
There is also a “Today’s New International Version” (TNIV), which is a cross between a paraphrased Bible and a literal Bible. This Bible is designed to be easy to read. The TNIV is translated to deliver the message (Word) of God. Word accuracy is second as long as the message is not changed. I have not read this Bible, but my yardstick is the message, not the words.
If counting words is your yardstick, you will hate the NIrV. The NIrV is a Bible written at the third grade reading level to bring children to Christ. The Bible is also helpful for mentally challenged people and people who are just beginning to learn English.
The King James Conspiracy
1. Prior to the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the KJV was the main Bible to be read. Since it was not copyrighted, anyone could print a KJV and make money selling Bibles. Since the NIV would copyright its Bible, this meant a lot a people would lose money selling their inaccurate KJV Bibles. Soon, trashing the NIV became a money-making scheme. After all, every KJV Bible sold means that someone made some money.
2. You should know that the King James Version was never authorized by Parliament, so calling it authorized is a deception and a marketing tool.
3. Many people have been making money by deceiving people into believing that the KJV is the only Bible to be read. One of the moneymakers is author G. A. Riplinger. In 1993, she wrote a book called New Age Bible Versions. Is Riplinger a Bible scholar or just a woman who wanted to make some money? Judge for yourself. She does not have a degree in theology, divinity, or even journalism. Her degrees are in art, home economics, and interior design.
4. Riplinger has printed at least eight books that I know of, and I am sure she makes a nice living by pushing the KJV and trashing all other versions.
5. Riplinger employs a cult-like brainwashing by isolating her readers from the truth by claiming that people who read other versions than the KJV are satanic. Once she convinces someone that the KJV is the only version that offers salvation, she can sell more books, and make more paid TV and radio appearances.
6. Wikipedia states – “A lengthy critical review of her book New Age Bible Versions was originally published in Cornerstone magazine in 1994, authored by Bob and Gretchen Passantino of Answers In Action, and described the book as "erroneous, sensationalistic, misrepresentative, inaccurate, and logically indefensible." [4] They concluded by summarizing, "There is hardly a page of this book that is free from error. Riplinger does not know Greek, Hebrew, textual criticism, linguistics, principles of translation, logical argumentation, proper citation and documentation standards, competent English grammar and style, or even consistent spelling. This book would never have done more than use Riplinger's savings and fill up her garage if Christian ‘celebrities’ such as Texe Marrs and David Hocking had not promoted it."25 The Passantinos have worked closely with famous author and evangelist Walter Martin. Gretchen Passantino , unlike Gail Ripplinger, is actually a professor who teaches graduate level courses in theology.
7. For more information go to http://www.kjvonly.org or to http://avpublications.org
A story of legalism and hypocrisy:
We are a small but elite group of modern-day Hebrews who believe in Christianity. Our group was founded in the mid-1200s AD. Our group is called the Caesar Only group. We believe that our version of the Bible, the Caesar Version, is the only version that is holy. The Caesar Version, printed in 1250, long before the KJV, is also known as the Authorized Version since it was authorized by the Judeo-Christian Sanhedrin and by a descendant of Julius Caesar, Josephus Caesar. Josephus funded the translation and told the Judeo/Christian Sanhedrin to make certain changes to the Scripture in order to keep peace between the Catholics and the Jews. Caesar even made it a crime to read any other version in a church, and any scholar who questions them should be killed. Caesar finally got tired of arguing with the head of the Sanhedrin, so he passed a law that people can be forced to honor him above the leader of the Sanhedrin. After all, the king should not answer to any religious figure––especially if the Bible is in his name. They don’t call it the “pope’s version,” do they? If they did, only Catholics would buy it.
The authorized Caesar Version is written in the original Greek and Hebrew, so we have some very good points.
1. Every word of Scripture is pure and true. Therefore, nobody should change the words. The message is not important; it is the physical words that are important because Scripture says every word of God is pure. There are numerous other Scriptures that support this fact. In fact, Jesus said, “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17 KJV). (Do not read the NIV version of this Scripture because it is easier to understand.)
2. How can the KJV be holy when EVERY WORD of the Greek and Hebrew law has been changed in order to put it in English?
3. The original manuscripts did not have chapters or verses, so who is this King James to add them?
4. The Apocrypha was part of the original, authorized King James Version of 1611. However, in 1643, at the Westminster Confession, the Church of England said the Apocrypha is not actually divine Scripture.
5. The Caesar Version was authorized about 150 years before the KJV by translators who use Greek and Hebrew as their primary languages, so the KJV version is inaccurate.
6. The herd of the Judeo/ Christian Sanhedrin are descendants of the Jewish Sanhedrin and considers their leader as a better man of God than the pope, who uses the KJV.
7. The authorized version of the KJV includes the Apocrypha, so Protestants use a version that was condensed by Satan.
8. The Caesar Version has strict publishing requirements. Each printing is reviewed and blessed by the head of the Caesar Only group. However, the KJV can be printed by any publisher in the world, allowing Satin to corrupt any printing he chooses.
The Caesar Only group believes that anyone who reads the KJV is of the Devil and going to hell. Any versions that have a different word count than the Caesar Version are demonic. A person that reads any translation that omits any words, verses, or books is a follower of Satan. If people really want to be saved, they should learn Hebrew and Greek. In fact, Josephus Caesar along with the Sanhedrin church, passed a law that no other Bible should be read in church. Caesar (not God) made our version popular.
Although this is the third “authorized version,” the Caesar Version is finally correct. Of course, it has been revised several times since over the next couple hundred years, but this can all be explained if you have a few hours.
If you need more proof, you can read several books by authors who have degrees in home economics, interior design, and art. If you know anyone who claims to be born again, ask them which Bible they have read. If they did not read the Caesar Version, tell that person he is not born again and that he is going to hell because he read a corrupted version. And whatever you do, do not even listen to anyone who tries to prove us wrong because you can’t handle the truth.
This story sounds strange, but the logic of the King James Cult is similar to that of the Caesar Only believers. The King James Cult needs to understand that its beliefs are so hypocritical and legalistic that these beliefs go against the very purpose of God’s Word.
Summary:
The KJV was not taken from the original manuscripts. Instead, 61 percent was translated by other people, but King James got credit for their work. King James told the translators to make changes that would support his kingdom and his church. Furthermore, the KJV was full of errors and required numerous corrections. The NIV rightly claims that it is a more accurate and easier to read Bible than the KJV. The NIV was taken from more recent and accurate manuscripts that were kept safe for thousands of years until God allowed them to be discovered. Therefore, the NIV is taken from written copies in the original languages. You must remember that NO BIBLE is taken directly from the original writings. There is also not just one manuscript, but thousands of pieces of numerous copies.
Neither King James nor the Church of England was fit to authorize a Bible. King James was certainly not a person who should authorize the words of God. It was the Church of England that was pressured to let a worldly king help authorize a Bible. This church couldn't make up its mind on what it believed, let alone agree on what to authorize. Why did Protestants such as the Puritans, for example, use the Geneva Bible instead of the KJV? Why did the early Lutherans also use the Geneva Bible instead of the KJV? Scripture does not authorize a particular version or give a certain church the power to authorize a Bible. To pretend that Scripture teaches this is adding man-made rules to God’s message. To add a new teaching to Scripture that prevents people from easily reaching Christ is a sin of legalism and hypocrisy like those of the Pharisees. Matthew 23:10..... "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are" (NIV). We are told to go into all the world and bring people to Christ, not to be legalistic and hypocritical word counters based on a Bible named after a power-hungry king and authorized by a confused church with many Catholic beliefs.
The King James Cult is legalistic and hypocritical. These people call the Catholic Church a demon, yet claim the Church of England, which has always been headed by the pope or a member of the British monarchy as worthy of authorizing their Bible. They pretend accuracy by making claims that are just not true. History shows the KJV was revised and corrected many times, and the original English translations of Tyndale and others have been changed to please the church and King James. Like a prophet that keeps changing his mind, so was the Church of England, which had three authorized versions of the Bible. These people claim every word is pure, yet they do not believe the books of the Apocrypha, which were ordained as divine by the Catholic Church and included in the original authorized version of the KJV. The King James Cult is part of a money-making conspiracy by unqualified deceivers to convince people that the KJV is ordained by God, and all other versions are demonic. They spread myths and beliefs that are not true. How many untruths must be proven before one is not deceived anymore?
The good news
The good news is that the “Word of God” is not one word. If you check your dictionary, you will see that “word” can mean a single word, or it can refer to an idea or message. Check your Bible; most of the times the Scripture uses “word” to refer to ideas or messages. Is only one word of God pure? Is only the written word pure? We can take things too literally and out of context.
There are certainly many people brought to Jesus by the verbal word and by other written Bibles than just by the KJV. Is a pastor evil if he uses his own words to bring a person to Christ? Is a Bible version that does not meet a word count by a book author satanic?
The Bible was translated into Latin and German before the KJV was ever written. Does anyone still want to do a word count against the oldest Bible? The real miracle is that a version written about 50 years ago (NIV) has exactly the same messages as the Hebrew Bibles, the Greek Bibles, the Latin Bibles, the KJV, the NIV, and any other legitimate translations. The words are different in various languages and different versions, but the message (the Word) is the same. As the apostle Paul said, “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3 NIV).
Moreover, we should not keep people from learning about Jesus just because they will not read a hard-to-understand translation such as the KJV. One person says, “I follow King James.” Another says, “I follow the International Bible Society.” One person says, “I follow the Bible of the Baptists.” Another says, “I follow the Bible of the Church of England.” Again, we can learn from the Apostle Paul who said, “What I mean is this: One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13 NIV).
Perhaps everyone can agree that a paraphrase Bible such as the Living Bible is okay to read. There are no claims that it is a translation. Instead, it is like a verse-by-verse sermon of the Bible that is written down. It is a good first-time Bible and should be followed up by a reputable literal translation of the Bible. After all, our greatest calling is to spread the message of God’s salvation, not to help sell a particular version of the Bible or cult-like books. God’s message is the standard, not a book authorized by a power-hungry king who proclaimed himself to be the head of the church and a confused church with many Catholic beliefs. No person is evil because they got saved reading the wrong Bible version.
Review
1. Discuss whether King James appears to be appointed by God to authorize the Bible.
2. Discuss whether the Church of England was qualified to authorize the Bible.
3. In what respect was the KJV never really authorized?
4. What Bible do you read and why?
5. Have you ever felt uncomfortable reading a Bible other than the KJV?
6. Have you read any books by authors who fit the King James Cult description?
7. Use a concordance to find numerous Scriptures that use the word “word.” Does the context refer to a single literal word or to an idea or message?
8. Discuss what new information you learned that may be helpful to your Bible reading.
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