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