The Ancient Fathers

Here's an interesting chapter on translation issues, before any of the more recent textual discoveries (Sinaiticus, Westcott & Hort, Vaticanus, etc.) were made.

"This goes to show that in general the conclusions of recent editors do not depend upon a small number of recently-discovered manuscripts, nor upon any theory of recensions as developed by Westcott and Hort. Indeed, as Tregelles shows, these conclusions were anciently held by fathers of the church."

All the differences in the Greek

Wow! Here is a verse by verse analysis of all the KJV/other differences based on the underlying Greek texts used to translate the NT into English. Start with the Preface.

The Geneva Bible

More from the English Bible History timeline.

The 1560 Geneva Bible:

1. 50 years before the KJV
2. "Bible of the Protestant Reformation"
3. First Bible to number the verses (the verse numbers themselves aren't Scripture....)
4. Bible of the Puritans and Pilgrims

Just read the whole timeline page! Note the anti-Protestant KJV history comments.

Tyndale on Understanding the Scriptures

Here's a great quote from the martyred William Tyndale, found in a brief history of the Bible in English, a history marked by the desire to have a Bible in the common language of the people:

"William Tyndale fought and died for the right to print the Bible in the common, spoken, modern English tongue of his day… as he boldly told one official who criticized his efforts, 'If God spare my life, I will see to it that the boy who drives the plowshare knows more of the scripture than you, Sir!'"

Given the reading ability of today's schoolchildren, the KJV, however....

The Webster Bible

Noah Webster produced his own revision of the KJV in 1833. And for interesting reasons (This site also contains a list of what he changed, from his own Introduction).

KJVO Humor

Here's a classic example of a pithy KJVO one-liner (with grammar error):

I'm still in The Book, you're in many books.

Does anyone remember a name for this type of "argument" in logic--the "my-wit-proves-your-error" argument?

Chicken and the Egg?

"No KJVO church I know of is even borderline charismatic."

What to make of this statement?!

Really, if this is true, what does it mean? Does this mean that the KJV translation, unlike others, somehow makes clear that God is anti-charismatic (and anti-guitar)? Or does this shed light on who KJVO appeals to?

I would have thought that an honest and rational translation philosophy could be shared by members of all denominations, but maybe I'm wrong. So ... what? Only within the Baptist community do we find those who genuinely hear the Lord, who are genuinely spiritual?

If this statement is true, then it may be some of the strongest proof for KJVO having a short history--that the movement hasn't moved beyond a specific denominational flavor or been integrated into a more diverse range of churches, yet. I don't think that Baptists are the only Christians gullible or anti-intellectual enough to fall for this kind of weak teaching; therefore, I would expect that, given time, it would infect the Body of Christ more widely.

Baptist Board forum

Here's a lengthy but interesting KJVO thread at BaptistBoard.com on the origins of the KJVO movement. The thread is interesting because contributors include Baptist missionaries and pastors, and because it references some first-hand experiences with Baptist Bible schools and churches during the early years of the KJVO movement. Beware the last few pages; a couple KJVO folk try hijacking the thread and it starts to deteriorate into typical KJVO-style salvation questioning and red herring flinging.

Posts of note in this thread
1. The Psalm 12 controversy: #27
2. cults' use of KJV: #44
3. KJVO vs. foreign language Bibles and missions: #16, #180
4. reasons for KJV dominance / continued use of other translations: #22, #49, #83, #119
5. The "study to show thyself approved" archaism: #29, #39
6. The "devil's plot" to water down the Bible claim: #16, #189
7. KJVO / Baptist history: #3, #7, #53, #64
8. KJVO / anti-charismatic (& anti-contemporary music) link: #195

Changes to the KJV, and Defects Unchanged

Here is a list of changes made to the KJV from 1611 to 1769, including alterations to the text. Here is a sampling of outright translation errors, some with significant implications for proper understanding.

Obsolete and Archaic Language

Here's a link to the full text of the Bible Word-book, now in the public domain, which contains all the words in the KJV whose definitions were obsolete or archaic. Obsolete or archaic by the time of its publication in 1884, that is!

1st Ed. KJV Online

Wow! Page by page scans of the 1st edition KJV.

Textus Receptus differences

A nice site of resources on textual criticism and the NT Greek, including this page about differences found within the Textus Receptus "tradition."

Fundamentalist / Baptist History

Some interesting quotes from Fundamentalist and/or Baptist leaders over the years in this article, along with some basic criticisms of KJVO and some thought-provoking warnings about dividing the church.

Jesus and translation

Examples where Jesus' affirmation of scripture differs from the KJV translation of the same scripture. An interesting line of argument.

Who Burned Whom?

"Let's not bicker and argue about who killed who" (Monty Python).

Calvinist King James, Baptist at the stake burner?

Ruckman and Foreign Language Bibles

A compilation of quotes from that amazing Mr. Ruckman, and their obvious implication for Bible translation in other languages.

Fundamentalist History on KJVO

Despite the error in the title, this article gives some interesting quotes against KJVO by fundamentalist pillars, seminaries, etc.

KJV Readability

A handful of interesting oddities still found in the latest versions of the KJV and some thoughts on the "readability" issue. More oddities here, too.

Church History and the Revised Version

This might shed some light on the origin of the knee-jerk reaction to any other (non-KJV) version, along with contributing to a better understanding of the last 120 years of church history with regard to the Bible.
(JSTOR permission may be required)

The Point of Translation

A concise reminder of what Bible translation is FOR, and a few examples of the KJV's failings in that regard.

Baptists and Bible Translation

Interesting analysis of Baptists, their historical participation in world missions, and their priority of accurate, relevant Bible translation.

Note the "immerse" / "baptize" translation issue.

Some Baptist History

How was KJVO viewed by Fundamentalist Baptists prior to 1970? What does Baptist history reveal?

King James and the Pilgrims

King James? Divine Right of Kings? The godly king ... who persecuted the Pilgrims? Something to thank him for, or we might still be British citizens and members of the Anglican church.

Purified Silver

One explanation of the error in 1) the KJV's translation of Psalm 12, and 2) the KJVO interpretation of this Psalm as a proof text for their preservation doctrine. Another treatment of this error.

kjv-only.com

See http://www.kjv-only.com/ for many excellent articles.

The Goliath "Issue"

Who really killed Goliath? Here and here for some reasonable explanation.

The Lucifer "Issue"

Is Jesus equated with Lucifer in the modern translations?! Read here, and here, for the answer.

Example of KJV Obscuring the Text

Here's a great example of how the KJV's rendering of a passage creates confusion for anyone but a scholar of the original language--not that such a person would then rely on KJV English to explain the meaning....

Isn't it interesting how a KJV user trying to preach or teach will paraphrase the KJV so that it can be understood in English? And how often those paraphrases sound like one of the modern translations?

King James and the Translators

Just read rule #1: Use the Bishop's Bible whenever possible. Thus, KJV is not really a fresh translation from the Greek and Hebrew, and God's Word was already believed to exist in another Bible.

Of course, the translators themselves were fine with other translations being called God's Word: "Nay, we affirm and avow that the meanest translation of the Bible in English is the word of God."

What else was in the original 1611 KJV, you ask--besides margin notes and the Apocrypha?

The "Great Inconsistency"

James May's must-read on KJVO.

One of many amazing articles from the King James Only Resource Center, if you can overlook the color scheme.

The Infamous Genealogy

When did God's people come up with this faith in King James? In just the last couple generations, according to this genealogy and this article.

Bob Jones on KJVO

Fascinating. Never thought I would be referring people to Bob Jones on this topic. Note the other links--to R. A. Torrey, for example, and Spurgeon.

The wit and wisdom of Fred Butler

Excellent first-person story from a former KJVO convert.
Confessions of a King James Only Advocate

Similar to
Leaving King James Onlyism

Then read Fred Butler's
6 Arguments in Defense of KJVO

and his response to each:

• The Exclusivity Argument [1]
• The Exclusivity Argument [2]
• The Promise Argument
• The Textual Argument [1]
• The Textual Argument [2] The OT
• The Textual Argument [3] The NT
• Have Heretics Corrupted My Bible?
• Were Westcott and Hort Apostate New Agers?
• The Line of Good Bibles Argument
• The King James Translators and Their Work
• The Historical Argument

And perhaps, while we're at it, his analysis of the "inerrancy" issue, and the similarities between KJVO folk and the liberal / unitarian types:

• Liberals, KJV Onlyists, and Inerrancy
• Liberals and Inerrancy Part Two
• Responding to Non-Inerrancy Claims