King James Only – Research Resources

Articles

• The Conspiracy Behind the New Bible Translations by Daniel B. Wallace
  

  So, is there a conspiracy today? My answer may surprise the reader: yes, I believe there is. But the conspiracy has not produced these modern translations. Rather, I believe that there is a conspiracy to cause division among believers, to deflect our focus from the gospel to petty issues, to elevate an anti-intellectual spirit that does not honor the mind which God has created, and to uphold as the only Holy Bible a translation that, as lucid as it was in its day, four hundred years later makes the gospel seem antiquated and difficult to understand. … It takes little thought to see who is behind such a conspiracy.

• The Debate Over the King James Version by Rick Wade, Probe Ministries
• Gimme the Bible that Paul Used A Look at the King James Only Debate by Eric Pement
• Good enough for Paul the apostle by Don Stoner
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• Is Inerrancy Enough? (A defense of the KJV) [Pro] Written by F. William Darrow, this article should actually be subtitled: a defense of King James Onlyism.
• Is the King James Version the only Bible we should use? Among other things this article from GotQuestions.org notes that “KJV Only advocates are loyal to the King James Version itself, not to the Textus Receptus.”
  

  Our loyalties are to the original manuscripts of the Old and New Testaments, written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Only the original languages are the Word of God as He inspired it. A translation is only an attempt to take what is said in one language and communicate it in another. The modern translations are superb in taking the meaning of the original languages and communicating it in a way that we can understand in English. However, none of the modern translations are perfect. Every one contains verses that are at least somewhat mistranslated. By comparing and contrasting several different translations, it is often easier to get a good grasp on what the verse is saying than by only using one translation. Our loyalty should not be to any one English translation, but to the inspired, inerrant Word of God that is communicated by the Holy Spirit through the translations (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

• Is the King James Version the only perfect translation of the Bible? by David R. Reagan. Specifically addresses Gail Riplinger’s New Age Bible Versions — the terribly flawed book upon which many KJV-onlyists base their opinions. The author correctly points out that Riplinger’s book is “full of misrepresentations, distortions, and slander. It is a mean-spirited, unscholarly, and petty attempt to defend the King James Version as the only acceptable translation of the Bible. The King James Version deserves a better defense.”
• The King James Version and modern Bible translations by Andrew Bromage. A balanced defense of modern translations.
• King James Version Only by Elgin L. Hushbeck, author of Consider Christianity: Evidence For The Bible.
• When the Bible Becomes an Idol: Problems with the KJV-Only Doctrine by Robert Bowman
• Which Bible is the Word of God? by Elgin L. Hushbeck
  

  The bottom line is that it really does not make much difference which of the major Bible translations you use. It is true that, because of the vast increase in our understanding of ancient languages and the number of manuscripts upon which to base translation, there are some differences between the KJV and the modern translations. For the most part, these differences are minor.

  In fact, the important point that so often goes overlooked in such discussions is that with over 5,000 early Greek manuscripts, there really is very little variation. Norman Geisler and Ron Brooks noted, “There are less than 40 places in the New Testament where we are really not certain which reading is original, but not one of these has any effect on a central doctrine of the faith. Note: the problem is not that we don’t know what the text is, but that we are not certain which text has the right reading. We have 100 percent of the New Testament and we are sure about 99.5 percent of it.”(11)

  The KJV is a good translation, but so are the NIV, NASB, NRSV, etc. All of the major translations have their good points. All major translations, including the KJV, have their problems.

  When choosing a translation, as long as you are considering a major translation, you do not have to worry if it really is the Word of God. The only real concern is whether or not this is a Bible you will read and study. For if you don’t bother to read and study the Bible, then the accuracy of the translation is of little importance.

• Why do some Christians believe in KJV Onlyism? Opinion article at Blogos, a blog associated with GotQuestions.org, that shows how ridiculous KJV-onlyism is.
  

  While they rarely admit it, advocates of KJV Onlyism essentially believe that God re-inspired the Bible in 1611 A.D. Ultimately, they have to go there because if they place their loyalty on the Textus Receptus (the Greek manuscript compilation used by the KJV translators), that would open the door to new translations being created. […]

  So, don’t be deceived by KJV Onlyism. God did not re-inspire the Bible in 1611 A.D. The King James Version is not the only Bible we can use. The new translations are not a part of a grand conspiracy to spread false doctrine. When the Bible was written, it was written in the common and current language of the people of that time. When the Bible is translated, it should be translated into the common and current language of the people. My first reaction to being exposed to KJV Onlyism was precisely correct. To force the English-speaking world to use an archaic and antiquated translation is ridiculous.

• Why I Do Not Think the King James Bible Is the Best Translation Available Today by Daniel B. Wallace
  

  Finally, though it is true that the modern translations “omit’ certain words and verses (or conversely, the KJV adds to the Word of God, depending on how you look at it), the issue is not black-or-white. In fact, the most recent edition of a Greek New Testament which is based on the majority of MSS, rather than the most ancient ones (and thus stands firmly behind the King James tradition), when compared to the standard Greek New Testament used in most modern translations, excises over six hundred and fifty words or phrases! Thus, it is not proper to suggest that only modern translations omit; the Greek text behind the KJV omits, too! The question, then, is not whether modern translations have deleted portions of the Word of God, but rather whether either the KJV or modern translations have altered the Word of God. I contend that the KJV has far more drastically altered the scriptures than have modern translations. Nevertheless, I repeat: most textual critics for the past two hundred and fifty years would say that no doctrine is affected by these changes. One can get saved reading the KJV and one can get saved reading the NIV, NASB, etc.

Books

• The Facts on the King James Only Debate, by John Ankerberg and John Weldon. Concise summary, with copious footnotes for further study.
• King James Only Controversy, The: Can You Trust the Modern Translations? by James White, director of ministries for Alpha and Omega Ministries, a Christian apologetics ministry.
• King James Version Debate, The: A Plea for Realism by D.A. Carson, research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• One Bible Only?: Examining Exclusive Claims for the King James Bible By Roy E. Beacham, professor of Old Testament at Central Baptist Seminary, Minneapolis, Minn., and Kevin T. Bauder, associate professor of systematic and historical theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary

FAQ

• Bible Translations FAQ by Henry Neufeld. Addresses many KJVO issues

Multimedia

• Is the King James Version the best? [Audio] Premier Christian Radio
  

  James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries disputes the idea that the King James Version is the “only and best” version Christians should read.  He says that there are translation problems as well as serious issues regarding the manuscripts the translators based it upon.

  Revd Kyle Paisley, son of DUP leader Ian Paisley, defends the KJV as the best English version, despite any faults.  He says that modern versions downplay key doctrines of the Christian faith and fail to live up to the prose of the KJV.

• James White Debates Jack Moorman On Exclusive KJVOnlyism [YouTube]

See Also

• James White reponds to “85 Large Pages of Scholarly Refutation” The “refutation” by Dr. Kirk D. DiVietro, and published by Dr. D.A. Waite’s The Bible For Today, purports to be a refutation to the book The King James Only Controversy, by James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries.
  

  [W]e began by noting the advertisement produced by Dr. Waite’s ministry, “85 Large Pages of Scholarly Refutation!” Yet, have we found Dr. DiVietro’s work to be scholarly? I think not. Have we found anything “refuted”? Hardly. Yet, this is the best the KJV Only perspective has to offer. I strongly encourage the reader to obtain my book, and a copy of Dr. DiVietro’s work, and do some reading. A little homework, a little research into the cited sources, and you will see why I can only believe the advertisement should read, “85 Long Pages of Scholarly Obfuscation.”

• Bible research resources collected by Apologetics Index
• Gail Riplinger Author of “New Age Bible Versions,” a book that claims modern Bible versions pervert and obscure God’s Word.
• Peter Ruckman best known for his assertion that the King James Version constitutes “advanced revelation” and is the final, preserved word of God for English speakers.

Websites

• Dial-The-Truth Ministries [Pro] “We are a King James Bible believing ministry presenting the truth and exposing error with the Word of God. We provide informational tracts on the King James Bible, exposes of corrupt Bible versions, false teachings, Christian music, rock music, youth issues, prophecy and current events.” Included as a ‘research resource’ only, though one will find little of scholarly value.
• The King James Only Resource Center “This website is dedicated to the defense of the Bible as originally  written, against the flood of falsehood propagated  by King James Onlyism.”