Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Reasons for Using the King James Version (KJV) Bible

A couple weeks ago I purchased the new Westminster Reference Bible from the Trinitarian Bible Society (TBS) and along with it I added a couple informational pamphlets about the King James Version (KJV). If you are familiar with TBS then you know that they actively promote and strive to circulate accurate and trustworthy translations of the word of God.

One of the informational pamphlets I would like to highlight was produced in response to the question of whether or not Christians should still read the KJV when there are so many modern translation versions available nowadays. This is an important question especially in light of the ridiculous number of new translations that have become available over the past twenty years.


Produced by TBS

The pamphlet shown above explains five plain reasons for keeping to the KJV over the modern translation versions. For this post I will not dive in and expound upon the five reasons, but will only provide a brief description of the five points. If interested in reading the arguments in their entirety I encourage you to visit the TBS website here and you can request a copy be sent to you free of charge.

Reasons for Using the KJV over the modern translations available today:

  1. The KJV is based on a better "text." 
  2. The KJV is a more accurate translation.
  3. The KJV is in more appropriate English.
  4. The KJV bears a stronger testimony.
  5. The KJV serves as the standard English translation. 


While the reasons above personally resonate with me, I am not necessarily a hardcore KJV-onlyist. My journey as a Christian has led me from initially using the NIV, to preferring the ESV, to finally reaching a position where I only use the KJV in my personal studies and when leading family devotions.

Finding a trustworthy and reliable Bible translation should be seriously considered by every Bible believing Christian out there. The "market" for Bibles has become flooded with new translations and one needs to really exercise discernment and look critically at whether the version one is considering is accurate and trustworthy. While the word of God is without error the same can not be said for the various modern translations that are available out there!

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