Chapter 4
III. Examples Of Changes In The New King James Version (continued).
#4 — Heb. 2:14-17
KJV (King James Version) - “14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For verily he took ______ on him the NATURE OF ____________; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. “17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “16 For indeed He does not give AID TO ANGELS, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”
NWT (New World Translation — Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “16 For he is really not ASSISTING ANGELS at all, but he is assisting Abraham’s seed.”
We can understand the Jehovah’s Witnesses wanting to change this passage, because they
do not accept that the Lord Jesus Christ, God Almighty, came in the flesh to redeem mankind.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses say, “The foremost angel, both in power and authority is the archangel,
Jesus Christ, also called Michael” (The Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1995, http://www.afcministry.com/What_do_Jehovahs_Witnesses_believe.htm).
What the translators of the NKJV have done here is give aid to the cults in their false teaching.
Note: This was not an update of archaic words, but a total change in meaning, proving, once again, that the NKJV translators were dishonest in what they stated as their purpose for making a new translation: “To update… words whose English meaning has changed.” By making this change, the NKJV translators have made another error and have made a false statement. They have stated that God does not give aid to angels. That is not true. God does give aid to angels, or angels would be unable to do anything. Angels are not omnipotent (all powerful) beings. They depend upon God for their strength, just like we do.
1. Jude 1:9 says, “Yet Michael the __________________, when ____________________ with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The ________ rebuke thee.”
Note: We find here that Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses. Michael did NOT try to REBUKE the devil in his own power, but called upon the Lord to do it, “The Lord rebuke thee.” God does give aid to His angels, or they would have no power. The NKJV translators have made an absolutely false statement here.
2. Revelation 15:7 says, “And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven ____________ seven golden vials full of the wrath of ______, who liveth for ever and ever.”
Note: It is not the wrath of these angels that is being poured out upon earth. The angels are simply the means by which God is delivering His wrath upon earth.
3. Hebrews 2:5 says, “For unto the ____________ hath he not put in subjection the __________ to come, whereof we speak.”
Note: The angels are not in charge of the world to come. They are subject to God’s will and His power.
4. Psalms 103:20, 21 says, “Bless the LORD, ye his ____________, that excel in strength, that do his ________________________, hearkening unto the voice of his ________. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his ________________.”
Note: Angels are not all-powerful. They cannot fulfill God’s pleasure by their own power, but only by being aided or given power by God to fulfill such tasks. The NKJV translators have made a serious error here, and also aided the Jehovah’s Witness false doctrine.
#5 — 2 Kings 23:29
KJV (King James Version) - “In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up ______________ the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him; and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “In his days Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went to the AID of the king of Assyria, to the River Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him. And Pharaoh Necho killed him at Megiddo when he confronted him.”
Note: Remember the translators stated purpose? “UPDATE... with regard to words whose English meaning has changed." That statement is deceitful, because going “AGAINST” someone, and going to their “AID”, is the exact opposite in meaning. There is no reason for the change in words, as far as the language goes. Remember, translating the Bible is not just looking up in a dictionary the meaning of a word, and then randomly choosing one of the many options. Translation is a spiritual work that must consider the context and compare it with the rest of the Bible.
1. 1 Corinthians 2:13 says, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which _________ wisdom teacheth, but which the ________ __________ teacheth; comparing spiritual things with __________________.”
Note: It appears that the translators changed this word to match up with the supposed dates of when the Assyrians fell to the Babylonians. They claim that Assyria had already fallen to Babylon, so that Pharaoh then must have been coming up to the aid of the king of Assyria — not to go up against him.
The NKJV translators were thus not updating words, but correcting
what they felt was an error in the Bible. This, once again, shows their deceit.
2. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 says, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and _______________________ of science ______________ so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
Note: To show that there is no basis, as far as language goes, to change aid to against, notice how this same Hebrew word (al - Strong’s #5921) is used in the previous chapters and verses.
2 Kings 21:23 - “And the servants of Amon conspired ______________ him, and slew the king in his own house.”
Does that sound like those servants came to the aid of Amon? No, they clearly came against him. It is the same Hebrew word, al.
2 Kings 22:13 - “Go ye, inquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled ______________ us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.”
Does that sound like the Lord was coming to the aid of them? No, He was coming against them. It is the same Hebrew word, al.
2 Kings 22:17 - “Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled ______________ this place, and shall not be quenched.”
Was the Lord going to come to the aid of that place? No, He was coming against that place. It is the same Hebrew word, al.
2 Ki. 22:19 - “Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou heardest what I spake ______________ this place, and ______________ the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the LORD.”
Was the Lord going to come to the aid of that place and people? No, He was coming against them. It is the same Hebrew word, al.
2 Kings 23:26 - “Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled ______________ Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.”
Was the Lord pronouncing His aid for Judah? No, He was pronouncing His anger toward them. It is the same Hebrew word, al.
In all of that context, the NKJV translators suddenly changed the Hebrew word, al,
from against to aid. What they were showing was their unbelief in the preservation of
the Scriptures. If the translators of the NKJV thought that there were errors
that had crept into the text, why were they not honest enough to admit it?
God has promised to preserve His Word pure from errors.
3. Psalms 12:6-7 says, “Psalms 12:6-7 says, “The words of the LORD are ________ words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt ________________ them from this generation for ever.”
#6 — 1 Tim. 6:5
KJV (King James Version) - “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that GAIN IS __________________: from such withdraw thyself.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “Useless wranglings[a] of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that GODLINESS IS A MEANS OF GAIN. From such withdraw yourself.[b]”
NWT (New World Translation — Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “Violent disputes about trifles on the part of men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth, thinking that GODLY DEVOTION IS A MEANS OF GAIN.”
Note: This change is focusing upon two different groups of people. In the KJV, the group in mind has gain, and they think that it is proof of their godliness. They are the self-righteous people who look to their prosperity as the proof that God is pleased with them.
In the NKJV and the NWT, the group in mind is looking for ways to get gain, and so they carnally consider that acting godly may bring them their desires. They are the evil people who are trying to find ways to get rich. Once again, the NKJV translators have shown that their stated purpose was not their real purpose. They did not update any Old English words in that verse ? they literally changed the verse around to deal with the opposite crowd.
#7 — 2 Corinthians 2:17
KJV (King James Version) - “For we are not as many, which ______________ the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”
NKJV (New King James Version) - “For we are not, as so many,[a] PEDDLING the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.”
NWT (New World Translation — Jehovah’s Witnesses) - “[We are;] for we are not PEDDLERS of the word of God as many men are, but as out of sincerity, yes, as sent from God, under God’s view, in company with Christ, we are speaking.”
Is it not strange that the NKJV translators once again chose
to make the same exact change as did the Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Note: Once again, the NKJV translators have shown that their stated purpose was not their real agenda. Did they just UPDATE Old English words here in this verse? No. Has the word “CORRUPT” now been changed to “PEDDLE” in our language? No. Corrupt means “to break, separate or dissolve. Hence: 1. “To change from a sound to a putrid... state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which accompanied by a fetid smell." 2. “To waste, spoil or consume." 3. “To defile or pollute." Exodus 32. 4. “To entice from good and allure to evil." 2 Corinthians 11. 5. “To pervert; to break, disobey or make void." Malachi 2. 6. “To pervert or vitiate integrity; to bribe; as, to corrupt a judge." 7. “To debase or render impure, by alterations or innovations; as, to corrupt language." 8. “To pervert; to falsify; to infect with errors; as, to corrupt the sacred text” (Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary).
Note: Consider the first part of that definition: “to change from a sound to a putrid... state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which accompanied by a fetid smell.” That fits the context of that verse perfectly.
1. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the ____________ of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a __________ savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the ____________ of __________ unto death; and to the other the ____________ of ________ unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”
Note: The word savour means, “the taste or SMELL of something; a particular flavor or SMELL” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary). Thus, the use of the word corrupt in the KJV, perfectly fits the context. Does the word peddle, used by the NKJV and the Jehovah’s Witnesses fit the context? No. The word peddle means, “to travel about with wares for sale” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th Collegiate Dictionary).
What is interesting is that both the NKJV translators and the Jehovah’s Witnesses have violated
their own faulty translation of this verse, because both groups are peddling (traveling about trying to sell)
their translations. Right inside the cover of the NKJV it gives the details of their copyright stipulations.
You can only copy a certain amount of the NKJV, or else you have to pay royalties to the Thomas Nelson company;
but you can freely copy the King James Version (in Great Britan, you may first need permission from the
Royal Printer - people in that country should check before printing).
If your KJV has a copyright on it, then one of two things is true: #1 — You have a corrupt KJV that has been subtly changed by the publisher (enough to be able to place their own copyright on it - they have to make a certain number of changes to be eligible to do that). #2 — The other case is that it is the notes or the maps or some other Bible helps in the Bible that the publisher is copyrighting — NOT the TEXT of the Scripture.
If you have a KJV that stipulates a copyright on the text of Scripture itself,
then you have a corrupted text, and need to replace it with a real KJV.
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