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Chapter 3
III. Examples Of Changes In The New King James Version.
Note: To show the seriousness of the changes in the New King James Version (NKJV), the translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the New World Translation (NWT), is also going to be shown sometimes.
#1 — Proverbs 25:23
KJV (King James Version) - “The north wind ______________ ________ rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “The north wind BRINGS FORTH rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.”
NWT (New World Translation — Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “The wind from the north BRINGS FORTH as with labor pains a downpour; and a tongue [giving away] a secret, a denounced face.”
Note: Notice here that the NKJV translators made the same exact change as did the Jehovah’s Witnesses in their NWT. The Bible says that the north wind DRIVES AWAY rain, but they changed it to say that the north wind BRINGS FORTH rain. What was the stated purpose of this new translation? “To update... words whose English meaning has changed…” (http://av1611.com/kjbp/articles/reynolds-nkjv.html). Is that what they did here? No.
The translators were not honest. They were not updating
Old English words here — they changed the text to read exactly the opposite.
1. Have we forgotten the seriousness of tampering with God’s Word? Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Ye shall not ______ unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye _______________ ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.”
2. Proverbs 30:5, 6 says, “Every ________ of God is ________: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. ______ thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a ________.”
Note: The NKJV translators have been deceitful in what they stated was their purpose of translating. In their process of changing the Bible (not just updating words), they have now made a clear contradiction in the Bible in regard to the facts of weather. The north wind does not bring forth rain — it drives it away, just like the Bible says.
3. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 says, “__________ all things; hold fast that which is good.”
The downright hatred for the KJV on the part of many Christians and pastors
is quite shocking. But even more astounding is their blindness to the gross errors
of these new translations, and their unwillingness to “prove all things.”
Illustration: One pastor wrote and stated that some people in his congregation used the NKJV, and he would not want them to think that it was not the Word of God. He was written back and given Proverbs 25:23 as an example of gross error in the NKJV. It was explained to him how that through personal observation over the years (watching storms come in and observing wind direction), it had confirmed that the Bible was correct, and the NKJV was wrong (when the north wind starts to blow, it will drive the rain away). His response? “Why do you assume that the weather where you live is the same as in the Holy Land?”
Is the Bible only true in the Holy Land? Should you question its accuracy if you live elsewhere?
Was God not aware of the weather in every country and state when He had His Word written?
4. Nahum 1:3 says, “The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the __________, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.”
Does the Lord control the weather, or not? If the Lord says that when the north wind
begins to blow, it is going to drive away the rain, can you trust that statement?
If God does not even understand the weather, then how can you trust Him with your soul?
Illustration: Several missionaries around the world were consulted as to whether Proverbs 25:23 was true where they were located. Every missionary who had been there long enough to observe the weather where he lived, confirmed that the north wind indeed drives away the rain. Some of the liberal commentators and supporters of the critical text, have written that in the Holy Land the north wind brings forth rain, but that is not true. There are two witnesses who testify against them.
Witness #1 — When contacted, a missionary in Israel confirmed that the north wind there does NOT bring forth rain, as the NKJV and NWT claim. He stated that rain usually comes from the south west there.
Witness #2 — Secular weather sources state that storms which produce rain in the Holy Land are usually the result of a low pressure system out on the Mediterranean Sea. Low pressure systems contain winds which blow counterclockwise. When such a system approaches the Holy Land from the sea, it would produce rain from the southwest. That is exactly what the missionary there confirmed — the rain usually comes in from a southwest wind — not from the north wind.
It is utterly amazing that Christians would accept such a gross error found in the NKJV.
Every time a pastor preaches Proverbs 25:23 out of the NKJV, any observing person
would have to say that his message and his translation of the Bible is in error.
And how could they then trust the other things that he said?
5. 1 Timothy 6:20, 21 says, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of ______________ falsely so called: Which some ____________________ have __________ concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
Note: Not only does the change of the NKJV make a false statement about the weather, it also changes the second half of the verse, thus making it false, as well. Look at it first in the KJV.
KJV (King James Version) - “The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.”
The word backbiting means, "The act of slandering the absent" (Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary). The Bible says that the north wind drives away the rain, and that an angry countenance will drive away a backbiting tongue. So if someone comes up to you and starts backbiting someone else, by showing them your angry countenance, it will stop them from talking about that person any more in your presence. But the NKJV says the exact opposite.
NKJV (New King James Version) - “The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.”
The NKJV states that the north wind will bring forth rain, and a backbiting tongue will bring forth an angry countenance. That is a false statement on both counts. If you start backbiting someone, that is no guarantee that you are going to then receive an angry countenance from someone. In fact, many people love to hear bad things about others. It makes them feel that they are not so bad, personally. It also proves to be exciting news to share with someone else. It is probably a rare thing to ever get rebuked by anyone for backbiting someone else, but the NKJV falsely says it is a guaranteed thing.
6. Many people with nothing to do, love to hear and spread gossip about people. 1 Timothy 5:11-13 says, “But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but ________________ also and busybodies, ________________ things which they ought not.”
If this was the only verse in the Bible that the NKJV translators had corrupted,
it would be enough to reject the whole translation. It has God not knowing facts
about the weather (that the north wind drives away the rain); and it has God not knowing
facts about the human personality (that man loves to hear gossip about other people).
#2 — Acts 3:26
KJV (King James Version) - “Unto you first God, having raised up his ______ Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”
NWT (New World Translation—Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “To YOU first God, after raising up his Servant, sent him forth to bless YOU by turning each one away from YOUR wicked deeds.”
Note: Remember the stated purpose of the NKJV translators? “To UPDATE... words whose English meaning has changed…” Were they faithful to their purpose here? Has the meaning of the word son changed to servant? Do this little test to see. The next time you introduce your children to someone new, say of your son, “And this is my SERVANT, Joshua (or whatever his name is).” You will either get some strange looks (possibly an angry look from your son!), or you will get some laughs (as if you were trying to tease your son).
The answer is “No, the word SON has not changed to SERVANT.” Once again, we find that
the translators were not honest. They made a change here, but it was not “To UPDATE… words
whose English meaning has changed.” It is strange that the translators chose to use the same word
as did the Jehovah’s Witnesses. We know why the Jehovah’s Witnesses would want to change the word
to servant, because they do not believe that Jesus is God. They believe that Jesus is “a god.”
John 1:1 — NWT (New World Translation, Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”
Note: When translating the Bible, there is more involved than just looking up a word in the dictionary, and then randomly choosing one of the words of the definition. First, the context of the verse needs to be considered. That is the rest of the verse, and the whole passage surrounding that verse. Secondly, other passages of Scripture that deal with that subject should be considered. These are critical things to consider when translating God’s holy Word.
1. 1 Corinthians 2:12-14 says, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; __________________ spiritual things with __________________. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually __________________.”
Translating the Bible is more than just learning another language.
It is not just a scholarly task — it is a spiritual task.
It is something which requires spiritual discernment.
2. 1 Corinthians 1:19-21 says, “For it is written, I will ______________ the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to ______________ the understanding of the prudent. Where is the ________? where is the ____________? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made ______________ the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
Note: When comparing Scripture with Scripture, what does the Bible emphasize when dealing with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ — that He is a servant — or that He is the Son of God?
3. John 10:17,18 says, “Therefore doth my ____________ love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my ____________.”
Notice the words used here, and their proper complementing words.
Did Jesus receive this commandment from His Master? No, He received it from His Father.
The complementing word to Father is Son. If the word Servant was the proper one to use,
then the word Master would have needed to precede it.
4. Romans 1:3, 4 says, “Concerning his ______ Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the ______ of God with __________, according to the spirit of holiness, by the ________________________ from the dead.”
Note: When talking about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the emphasis is not upon Jesus being a servant, but upon Him being the Son of God raised with power.
We know why the Jehovah’s Witnesses would want to change the word
Son to Servant, because they do not believe that Jesus is God;
but why did the NKJV translators make the same change?
#3 — Hebrews 3:15-17
KJV (King James Version) - “15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. “16 For ________, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit ______ ______ that came out of Egypt by Moses. “17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, WAS IT NOT ALL who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?”
NWT (New World Translation — Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “16 For WHO were they that heard and yet provoked to bitter anger? DID NOT, IN FACT, ALL do so who went out of Egypt under Moses?”
Note: The translators of the NKJV, like the translators of the Jehovah’s Witness NWT, said that ALL who came out of Egypt rebelled against God. That is a flat-out error. The KJV is right — “SOME… NOT ALL that came out of Egypt” rebelled.
1. Numbers 13:25-31 proves that not all that came out of Egypt rebelled, “And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And __________ stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and ______________ it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the ______ that went up with him said, We be ______ able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”
2. Numbers 14:1-10 affirms the same thing, that not all rebelled, “And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. And ____________ the son of Nun, and __________ the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel ______ ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the ________ is with us: fear them not. But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.”
3. Once again, Joshua 14:6-13 proves that not all rebelled, “Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly ________________ the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly ________________ the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. And Joshua ______________ him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.”
The NKJV translators made a clear contradiction of Scripture when they said,
“WAS IT NOT ALL (who rebelled)?” The KJV is correct when it says, “SOME… NOT ALL” rebelled.
4. Proverbs 30:5, 6 warns, “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 ________.”
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