Which is the Right Bible to Read?

September 10, 2011 | Buen Consejo | for http://www.baptist.org |

As you continue reading the Bible, I thought it prudent to make you aware of what is going on in the world of truth. Since the days when Eve (Gen 3:1-6) replied to the serpent’s questioning of the words of God, the battle has been on. She replied with her own, re-worded version in her own words and easier to understand (though it was riddled with inaccuracies) and Satan answered with a more scholarly version (having more truth than hers, just one lie). Mankind fell! Jesus was also tempted of the Devil and answered with correct, word for word quoting of the words of God and stood! (Matt 4)
The current day battle over the hearts and minds of Christians is still on the forefront.

The word of God is the main source of Christian strength and improvement.

it is also the main weapon in the fight against evil.

There are many, even in the ministry that use the “so called Bibles” and hold the truth in unrighteousness.

Here’s where it stands: In Old Testament times the majority of God’s people spoke Hebrew (a little Aramaic). The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (a little Aramaic). In the first century the majority of God’s people spoke Greek. Hence, the New Testament was written in Greek. God’s promise of preservation of the scriptures did not stop there.

There was a time when the Bible went into English. It happened at the time of the reformation. It triggered it. It was in accordance with the Biblical prophesies of the book of Revelation, during the Philadelphia church period (1500 and on). The majority of God’s people speak English. That makes the English Bible the most important book on the planet.
According to the scriptures the source of the Old Testament would be the Jews. So the Hebrew Old Testament was used. It is called the Mazaratic Text. In the book of Acts and throughout the scriptures we find that Antioch, Syria was the place of Christian and apostolic headquarters. Therefore, the Textus Receptus, Antioch manuscripts were chosen for the New Testament. Theses were put together in the King James 1611, also known as the Authorized Version. And there it stood. All nations with religious freedom were established on the King James 1611.
Around 1888 (at the beginning of the Laodicean church period– the worst, most corrupt) two men named Hort and Westcott decided to stir things up. They were heretical misfits who did not believe in many sound biblical principals. They took some manuscripts based on a work called Hexapla from around 270 AD. It was the fifth column of Origen’s self proclaimed work. Other columns had grocery lists and commentaries. Origen did not believe in many of the biblical principals of Christianity. Therefore he re-wrote it to suit himself. These manuscripts were used to make the Egyptian family of manuscripts consisting of Vaticanus, Codex Ephramis, Alexandrinus and Sinaiticus. These counterfeits had always been rejected by the church.
There was also another counterfeiting job of the Old Testament back in the second century. There were some Jews that rejected the whole Messiah, Jesus thing. They re-wrote the Old Testament in Greek to reflect that. There were about 70 of them (72), so they called in the Septuagint (Latin for 70) or LXX.
Hort and Westcott took all these corrupt manuscripts and made the Revised Standard Version of 1888. Then Fundamentalists took the manuscripts and made the American Standard Version. Another denomination took them and made the International Version. Each one re-writing the counterfeit manuscripts to suit their beliefs. Then, the one-up-manship of the New Revised Standard, New International, etc.. Now there are well over 100 versions in English. All based on counterfeit manuscripts.
In 1982, as a fund raising idea, Jerry Falwell joined together with Thomas Nelson to make a New King James. It was a fiasco! To get a copyright on an existing work one must change 35% of the text. For that they had to go to the Egyptian manuscripts again. After it’s completion Dr. Falwell pulled his name from it and denounced it. Thomas Nelson went and sold it anyway.
The bottom line is: there is only one Bible in English that comes from the correct manuscripts. It is the King James 1611 or Authorized Version. It is written in Old English, more specifically, literary English for accuracy. The grammar and sentence structure resembles Greek and Hebrew better than modern English. Those that whine that we don’t talk like that anymore should know that they did not talk that way then either. Regional English then was as poor and corrupted as modern English.
The part people complain about is the blessing! The literary English is better than modern English. Not only because it uses more and more accurate verb tenses, but because of those Thees and Thous. We struggle in modern English to express the difference between You (singular) and You (plural). In Texas they use Ya’ll for plural. You’s Guys in New York, You’ins in some states. What a mess! In literary English there is no mess. Thee and Thou are singular. Ye and You are plural. One might think that it doesn’t matter much, but in makes a large difference in many critical areas.
It usually takes a couple of weeks to get used to the Old English, then, … you’re hooked!