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Did God preserve
exact words?
I have read many articles concerning the
KJV and how it is the only Word of God and that God has preserved the text of the KJV from
error. While for the most part I have no problems with the KJV and use the KJV I am
wondering if it is the exact word that is preserved or the exact meaning. If it is the
exact word then how can those of other languages received the preserved word of God, since
there are many words in the KJV that are not directly translateable in other languages,
such as the word Lord, in Spanish the word is translated Senor, which is a common word
that is applied to every male. Yes, I understand that the context will determine, most of
the time, who is meant. But what about words that there is not an equivalent in the other
language. I guess the problem I am having is that every single word in the KJV is
absolutely the only word that can be used. That if you change for example the wilt to will
you have some how changed the meaning of the passage. I am not trying to defend any
other translation my only concern is that everyone in the world has an opportunity to read
the Word of God, and be able to know for sure that what they are reading is accurate.
II Timothy 3:16,17 says, “All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished
unto all good works.” Proverbs 30:5,6 says, “EVERY WORD of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ADD THOU NOT UNTO HIS WORDS,
lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Matthew 5:18 says, “For verily
I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, ONE JOT OR ONE TITTLE SHALL IN NO WISE PASS
FROM THE LAW, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth
shall pass away, but MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.” Psalm 12:6,7 says, “THE
WORDS OF THE LORD ARE PURE WORDS: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified
seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, THOU SHALT PRESERVE THEM FROM THIS GENERATION
FOR EVER.”
God
clearly promised to preserve His “Word” (His exact words), not just the basic
meaning behind His words.
To create
a standard which says the “exact words” do not matter, as long as the
“basic meaning” is the same, would never be allowed or even considered in any
other field of study. Can you imagine a teacher trying to teach students how to read, if
they all had books with “the same meaning,” but not necessarily “the same
words?” How would the teacher ever teach them to read under such conditions?
When a student goes to
school, the student is required to not only get a textbook which teaches that subject, but
THE SAME EDITION of the textbook which the teacher is using. Everyone understands that to
require less, would bring about confusion in the classroom and with the assignments.
Churches
today are filled with confusion. The pastor is reading out of one translation, and the
people in the congregation are reading out of several different translations. They are
trying to guess what verse he is reading, because they cannot even tell, at times, because
the reading is so different. Are not salvation and the Christian life subjects worthy of
careful teaching, with absolutely no confusion whatsoever over what is being said? I
Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,
as in all churches of the saints.” That verse lets us know who is behind the
confusion of today. The devil started out casting doubt upon God’s Word, and he is
still doing the same thing today. Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea,
HATH GOD SAID…” ?”
The real
issue at stake here is normally not even discussed. The different companies that are
coming up with different translations are not just updating words. THEY ARE USING
DIFFERENT MANUSCRIPTS in their translation work. They are not using the Received Text of
Scripture, but the Critical Text. That is why the NIV drops the phrase, “through his
blood” out of Colossians 1:14. What is so hard to understand about the word
“blood?” What other word could you use to make the meaning more clear? The real
agenda is being set by Satan, and he is out to gradually take away from the Word of God,
and to get people to wonder, “What did God really say?”
The King
James Bible is an accurate translation of the exact words that God had written in His
Word. It is not an “interpretation” of what God said, but a
“translation.” An “interpretation” would be “WHAT MAN SAYS God
said.” A “translation” is “WHAT GOD SAID” in your own language or
tongue.
I Peter
1:23-25 says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by
the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and
all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof
falleth away: But THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOR EVER. AND THIS IS THE WORD WHICH BY
THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED UNTO YOU.” Those people were hearing the gospel in Greek
— not Hebrew. The Old Testament was being “translated” to them. But the
Holy Spirit through Peter still gave FULL WEIGHT that the translation was the
authoritative Word of God.
As far as
the “wilt’s,” or “thee’s,” or “thou’s,” etc.,
the Old English shows more accuracy than the modern English. It shows whether one person
was in view, or more than one, etc. Shall we leave off those words, and lose accuracy in
the translation? You said, “I am not trying to defend any other translation my only
concern is that everyone in the world has an opportunity to read the Word of God, and be
able to know for sure that what they are reading is accurate.” If we change those Old
English words, we are going to lose accuracy, not gain it. Any linguist would have to
agree.
It just
goes to show you another reason why God has so mightily used and preserved the King James
Version. God has chosen to do a great work through 3 languages, thus far in history. He
gave the Old Testament in the Hebrew language. He gave the New Testament through the very
precise Greek language. And God has used the translation of the Hebrew and Greek into the
precise Old English to spread His Word across the entire world.
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