2022 | Walter’s Grove Baptist Church

Authorized Version 1611 - History

of the King James Bible
Andrew Misenheimer
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LESSON 1 – THE AUTHORIZED VERSION OVERVIEW

Four views by Christians on Translational Accuracy
1. The bible is an inaccurate collection of ancient religious ideas.
2. The bible is the word of God in the “originals”
3. The bible is the word of God in the Textus Receptus
4. The word of God exists in the KJV that came through the Textus Receptus manuscripts.

God’s word – Its Importance

• Philippians 2:5-11: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted
him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
o Colossians 3:18: … in all things he might have the preeminence.
• Nehemiah 9:5: Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah,
Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever
and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
• Psalm 138:1-2: I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise
unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy
lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Notice the hierarchy (bottom to top): blessing and praise Godward →name of God→word of God

• John 5:22-23: For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that
honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
o (Rev. 20:11 = Great White throne judgment; Rom. 14:10 & 2 Cor. 5:10 = Judgment
seat of Christ)
• John 12:47-48: I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should
not abide in darkness. And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:
for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth
not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day.
o Revelation 20:12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and
the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according
to their works. (c.f. Dan. 7:10)

Absolute Authority = Jesus Christ → Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25)
Final Authority = God’s word → The standard of judgment
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God’s word – Perfection

• Proverbs 30:5: Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in
him.
• Psalms 19:7: The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the
LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
• Psalms 18:30: As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a
buckler to all those that trust in him. (c.f. 2 Samuel 22:31)
See also 1 Corinthians 13:10: But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part
shall be done away.

God’s word – Inspiration

• 2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be
perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
• 2 Peter 1:21: For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of
God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (c.f. 1Thessalonians 2:13)
• John 14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever
I have said unto you.

God’s word – Preservation

• Psalms 119:89, 152, 160:
o For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
o Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for
ever.
o Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments
endureth for ever.
• Matthew 24:35: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. (c.f.
Mark 3:31, Luke 21:33)
• Psalms 12:6-7: The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from
this generation for ever.
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“The Originals”
• Exodus 20, and 32:15-19 with 34:1 … Moses broke the tables of stone written by God,
requiring them to be rewritten. The “originals” were never seen by anyone other than
Moses and are forever lost.
• Jeremiah 36:21-23 … Jeremiah destroyed what God commanded him to write
• Jeremiah 36:32 … Jeremiah told a scribe to rewrite what was originally destroyed, which
included some additional words. These words are recorded in chapters 45 – 51.
o Jeremiah 51:59-63 … the words above were again destroyed by being cast into the
Euphrates, meaning the writings of chapters 45 – 51 were written a minimum of
three times before becoming part of the Old Testament scriptures.
Summary: The original manuscripts do not exist today and, as illustrated above, many of the
originals were immediately destroyed following their transcription. Therefore, taking a stand on
faith in “the originals” is a weak foundation at best. Trust God to preserve and keep His word
throughout the passing of time.

“Translations”
1. Genesis 42 … “for he spake unto them by an interpreter.” (v.23)
a. Joseph spoke to his brethren through an interpreter, and we have their
conversation preserved in writing. Therefore, the original scripture started out as
a translation.
2. Exodus 4 – 14 … Assumption based on Joseph’s experience
a. Moses spoke to the Egyptian Pharaoh in the Egyptian tongue. Thus, yet again,
the original scripture started out as a translation for both Moses and Pharaoh.
3. Acts 21:40 – 22:2 … “he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them” (v.2)
a. Paul spoke in Hebrew, but the original scripture was written in Greek. Another
translation. Similar occurrence in Acts 9:1-6 (c.f. Acts 26:12-14).

See also the three uses of the word “translation” in scripture …

• 2 Samuel 3:7-10 … Israel’s kingdom translated from Saul to David
• Colossians 1:13 … Believers are translated into the kingdom of God’s Son
• Hebrews 11:5 … Enoch was translated that he should not see death
All three uses of “translation” in scripture show an improvement post-translation. David’s
kingdom was an improvement to the kingdom under the rule of Saul. Believers are much
improved, positionally with God, after being translated into God’s kingdom. Enoch’s condition
on earth was vastly improved after being translated by God into heaven. Thus, translations are a
good thing!
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KJV – Italicized words

- 1 John 3:16-17: Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good, and
seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him?
Translations from one language to the next require various accommodations to produce
equivalent statements. One such accommodation is providing additional words in the new
language to produce an equivalent statement with the former. ALL translations require this to be
done. The KJV translators were honest about their work and provided those additional words in
italic font.
- Example: English to Spanish
o Toothbrush = Cepillo de dientes → “brush of teeth”
▪ 1 word in English requires 3 words in Spanish to produce an equivalent
statement.

The attacks against the KJV based on these italic words are hypocritical. The common attack is
proclaiming these added words should not be included in the text; however, ALL translations do
this.
• 2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God …
o This verse required “is” to be added in English to produce the equivalent statement.
EVERY SINGLE MODERN VERSION PROVIDES “IS” IN 2 TIMOTHY 3:16.

POOF ITALICIZED WORDS ARE CORRECT

▪ Jesus – Luke 4:4 with Deuteronomy 8:3
o And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which
thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that
man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth
of the LORD doth man live. (Deut. 8:3)
o And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread
alone, but by every word of God. (Lk. 4:4)
▪ Peter – Acts 2:25 with Psalms 16:8
o I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not
be moved. (Ps. 16:8)
o For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: (Acts 2:25)
▪ Paul – Romans 10:20 with Isaiah 65:1
o I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not:
I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. (Is.
65:1)
o But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was
made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (Rom. 10:20)
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▪ Paul – 1 Corinthians 3:20 with Psalms 94:11

o The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. (Ps. 94:11)
o And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. (1 Cor.
3:20)
▪ Paul – 1 Corinthians 9:9 with Deuteronomy 25:4
o Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn. (Deut. 25:4)
o For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox
that treadeth out the corn. (1 Cor. 9:9)

ELIZABETHAN-ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Many have argued that the bible needs to be easily understood. This premise is the basis
of their argument for preferring a modern version over the King James Bible. 2 Peter 3:16 & 1
Corinthians 2:14 refute such logic.
o As also in all his [Paul] epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things
hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also
the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. (2 Pet. 3:16)
o But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness
unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14)

Consider the following in Elizabethan English…

o Thee / Thou / Thy / Thine = 1st person singular
o You / Ye / Your = 2nd person plural
o John 3:7: Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
o John 3:11: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify
that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
o The ending of words using: eth / est = 3rd person / 2nd person singular present progressive
o 1 Corinthians 2:14
o Colossians 1:3-6: … and bringeth forth fruit (v.6)
▪ The word of the truth of the gospel brings forth fruit now in the present, and
guaranteed to continue doing that throughout the future. That truth is
unaltered regardless of the passing of time.
The Elizabethan language distinguishes between singular and plural perfectly, and more accurately
than any other English language period, before or after it.
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LESSON 2 – CONTRADICTIONS
American Standard Version (ASV) * Amplified Bible * Common English Bible * Contemporary English
Version * Darby Translation * Easy-To-Read Version * English Standard Version (ESV) * Expanded Bible
* God’s Word Translation * Good News Translation * Holman Christian Standard Bible * King James
Version (KJV) * The Message * New American Standard Version (NASV) * New Century Version * New
English Translation (NET) * New International Version (NIV) * New King James Version (NKJV) * New
Living Translation (NLT) * New Revised Standard Version * Revised Standard Version * The Living Bible

- The false notion that modern versions are easier to read: see few examples below …

• Joshua 12:8: “south country” (KJV) – “negev” (NIV, NASV)

• Daniel 5:12: “doubts” (KJV) – “enigmas” (NASV, NKJV)
• Colossians 2:23: “satisfying of the flesh” (KJV) – “restraining sensual indulgence” (NIV)
• Acts 21:34: “know” (KJV) – “ascertain” (NKJV)
• Ezra 6:11: “word” (KJV) – “edict (NKJV)
• Jeremiah 3:22: “go” (KJV) – “gad” (NKJV)
• Isaiah 28:4: “fat” (KJV) – “verdant” (NKJV)

An Examination of Modern Versions

1. Genesis 27:39 – In this verse, Isaac is blessing his son Esau after Jacob stole Esau’s blessing
• KJV: And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the
fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above.
• NIV: His father Isaac answered him, your dwelling will be away from the earth’s richness,
away from the dew of heaven above.
This is an interesting contradiction because Esau will indeed have so much substance later
in life (as the KJV properly states) that he refuses a gift from his brother Jacob upon Jacob’s return
from Haran (Genesis 33:8-9).
Every bible mentioned at the beginning states the same as the NIV except the NKJV, ASV,
Amplified Bible, and the Darby Translation.

2. Matthew 5:22a
• KJV: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment.
• NIV: But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to
judgment.
As you can see, without a cause is missing in the NIV causing problems on a number of
levels. First, Jesus is our judge (2 Corinthians 5:10) and He is completely sinless (1 Peter 2:22).
If the NIV were correct and someone is angry with someone else, then they will be judged for it.
My question is how many times was Jesus angry with his brethren? He was upset with the disciples
in Mark 16:14: Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided
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them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had
seen him after he was risen. He was also upset in the temple with people misusing that holy
place by making it a den of thieves. According to Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, and John 2
Jesus went into the temple to drive out the individuals that were corrupting the place and He even
overthrew tables. I would say that he was angry. So, the NIV claims that Jesus is in danger of
judgment. However, Jesus had a cause, so like the KJV says, He is not in danger of the judgment.
All the bibles mentioned at the beginning, say the same as the NIV except for the NKJV.
The Message Bible states nothing close to any of the others.

3. 2 Samuel 21:19 – Here is an example from King David’s life. The story of David and Goliath
is so well known that most young converts know some details of this story. All would answer
that David killed Goliath, but many modern versions say otherwise.
• KJV: And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of
Jaare-oregim, a Beth-lehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose
spear was like a weaver’s beam.
• NIV: In another battle with the philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the
Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.
Brother is missing in the NIV. Another interesting point is that Goliath was from Gath (1
Samuel 17), therefore not making him a Gittite as the NIV wrongly proclaims.
Every bible mentioned at the beginning states the same as the NIV except the Easy-to-Read
Version, NET, NKJV, and NLT.
However, all the bible versions get this detail correct in 1 Chronicles 20:5. EVERY
MODERN BIBLE CONTRADICTS ITSELF!!

4. Mark 1:1-3
• KJV: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the
prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before
thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his
paths straight.
• NIV: The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, as it is
written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare
your way – a voice of one calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord, make
straight paths for him.
Two specific things are mentioned in these verses (underlined above). The KJV correctly
states it was written by a plurality of prophets whereas the NIV mentions only Isaiah wrote and
recorded the information. The NIV is wrong. You cannot find BOTH things mentioned above in
Isaiah. You have to see Malachi 3:1 to reference the messenger, and Isaiah 40:3 to see where the
voice of one crying in the wilderness is mentioned.
Every bible mentioned at the beginning states the same as the NIV except the NKJV.
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DOCTRINAL PROBLEMS
5. Colossians 1:14
• KJV: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.
• NIV: In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
This is a verse about Jesus and through his blood has been omitted. What I do not
understand is why. That is the very way we have redemption because He shed his blood on the
cross at Golgotha. He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and it has always taken the blood of a lamb
for forgiveness. It was so for Adam and Eve in the garden when God himself provided the coats
of skins: the animal had to die. It was so for Abel in Genesis 4 where a lamb had to die, and Cain
showed proof there is no other way. It was so for Abraham and Isaac on the mountain in Genesis
22:8. It was so for the Israelites in Egypt during the first Passover feast when God smote the land,
killing all the first born of the Egyptians. It was so day after day and year after year in the
wilderness, and in the Promised Land for Israel. It was prophesized that Jesus would die and not
speak a word as a lamb led to the slaughter in Isaiah 53:7. John’s vision in Revelation 5 revealed
Jesus as a lamb that had been slain from the foundation of the world. The very picture of
redemption has always been by blood, and specifically the blood of the lamb: the blood of Jesus
(John 1:29)!
The only bibles from above that come close to matching the KJV are the NKJV, the
Amplified bible, and the NLV.

6. Luke 2:33
• KJV: And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
• NIV: The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
Jesus had no earthly father. He was conceived of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 1:20), begotten
of the Father (John 1:18, Hebrews 1:5 & 5:5, Psalm 2:7, Acts 13:33), and entered a body prepared
for him (Hebrews 10:5), as prophesied in Isaiah 7:14, Genesis 3:15, Galatians 4:4, Luke 1:35, and
Jeremiah 22:24-30. The NIV contradicts this doctrinal truth.
See also Luke 3:23 – many of the modern versions get this doctrinal truth incorrect here as
well.
All the bibles mentioned at the beginning, say the same as the NIV except for the Amplified
Bible, and NKJV.

TRANSLATOR PROBLEMS
7. Matthew 2:1-2
• KJV: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born
King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him..
• NIV: After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi
from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of
the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
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This is strictly a matter of preference on the translator’s part considering how the
manuscripts were written – either all capital letters or all lowercase letters (see lesson 3
manuscripts notes). Looks to me that the NIV committee has a problem towards our Lord and
savior Jesus Christ.

OMITTED VERSES
I challenge you to find the following New Testament verses in each version: Matthew
17:21, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44 & 46, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28,
Luke 17:36, Luke 23:17, John 5:3-4, Acts 8:37, Acts 15:34, Acts 24:6-8, Acts 28:29, and Romans
16:24. These nineteen verses are completely omitted in most of the modern versions. The verse
number can be found in the text, but not the words.
The modern versions also argue that Mark 16:9-20, John 7:53-8:11, and 1 John 5:7 should
not belong in the bible. This is because they are not found in the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus
manuscripts (the two manuscripts that are the major basis of all modern versions) → see
manuscript notes, Lessons 3 and 4.

8. 1 John 5:7
• KJV: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost: and these three are one.
• NIV: For there are three that testify:
Most of verse 7 has been omitted in the NIV, and immediately jumps to verse 8. This is
the singular verse in the bible that clearly states a trinity exists.

NEW KING JAMES VERSION

You are probably noticing a trend that all the modern bibles do not even compare to the
KJV’s text except for the NKJV. So far it has proven to be just as accurate. Therefore, this is
where we need to focus our attention. A verse to think about when comparing the KJV with the
NKJV is Genesis 3:1. Now the serpent was more subtil … The differences you will notice below
are very subtle changes, but they prove to be big changes doctrinally. The point is simply that
everything God has, Satan has a copy. A copy that seems to be so close to the truth but is changed
just enough to completely distort the meaning of what is being said. Look at how Satan slightly
changes the words of God in Genesis 3 when talking to Eve in the garden, and even how he uses
the same approach when tempting Jesus in the wilderness in Matthew 4 (you will have to run the
cross reference in Psalm 91 to see what scripture Satan changed).
9. Matthew 18:26
• KJV: The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience
with me, and I will pay thee all.
• NKJV: The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master, have patience with
me, and I will pay you all.
In order to be saved you have to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9). Here the
NKJV subtly takes away the truth of Christ’s deity by removing this servant’s worship of Jesus.
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10. Genesis 22:8

• KJV: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering
• NKJV: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt
offering
God does not need a lamb sacrificed FOR himself. He is sinless, perfect, and THE Lamb
according John 1:29, and Revelation 5:6.

The following five verses show how the only way you are saved is by grace through faith (belief
coming from the word of God – Romans 10:17) and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9, and Titus 3:5).
However, according to these verses the NKJV shows it takes works to be saved.

11. Romans 11:30

• KJV: For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through
their unbelief.
• NKJV: For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through
their disobedience.
Do you see the subtle change from belief to works?

12. Revelation 19:8

• KJV: And to her [the church] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
• NKJV: And to her [the church] it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright,
for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
The NKJV might state that people are part of the church based on their acts, however the
word of God declares that our acts are nowhere close to holiness.
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we
all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6).
Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before
thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity (Psalm 39:5).

13. 1 Corinthians 1:18

• KJV: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which
are saved it is the power of God.
• NKJV: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the power of God.
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More subtle support of working hard enough, long enough to obtain salvation.

14. 2 Corinthians 2:15

• KJV: For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them
that perish
• NKJV: For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and
among those who are perishing.
Again, more subtle support of working for salvation. Also, the four verses above in the
NKJV match exactly what is written in the Jehovah Witness Version.

15. Matthew 7:13-14

• KJV: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
• NKJV: Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to
destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult
is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
Yet again, another example of struggling to be good enough through works to earn your salvation.
The way is not difficult! Jesus is the way (John 14:6), and all that the way requires is belief in
Him (Romans 10:9).

Illustrating an Important Bible Principle

We are told in God’s word that His words are not for private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20):
not a single verse stands alone in how we interpret its meaning. Thus, we must study and rightly
divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15), aligning precept with precept, line upon line, here a
little and there a little (Isaiah 28:9-10) to properly handle and understand it.
The modern versions make this impossible to accomplish.

16. Hebrews 4:8

• KJV: For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another
day.
• NKJV: For if Joshua had given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of
another day.
Acts 7:45 has the same switch among the names.
Joshua seems to be the correct name to use given the Old Testament context of each
passage. However, God inspired his word to say Jesus in place of Joshua so we would know that
the Old Testament Joshua was a type/picture of Jesus in the New Testament. The simple fact that
this happens twice in the bible is our proof this was done intentionally by God.
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17. Galatians 5:1-11 (v.11)

• KJV: I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
• NIV: As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate
themselves!

If emasculation is correct, then show me the cross reference. The fact that no cross
reference exists in all the bible tells me the NIV is dead wrong!

After looking at just 17 verses I must ask a few questions. First, if all bibles say the same
thing, why do all the texts above prove to be so confusing? The answer is according to 1
Corinthians 14:33: God is not the author of confusion. Therefore, all these bibles are not of
God. Second, if all of these bibles were God’s word, where are the corrupt and perverted versions
we are warned about in 2 Corinthians 2:17, and Jeremiah 23:36? Hopefully now we know exactly
where these versions are. ALL the modern versions are guilty of adding to and subtracting from
the word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). There is only one true, inerrant, and infallible word of
God and we have it in the King James Bible.

Supposed KJV Contradictions

1. Crucifixion details
- Mark 15:25: And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.
- John 19:14-16: And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he
[Pilate] saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with him, away with
him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests
answered, We have no king but Caesar.
o Mark gives statement on how long the “crucifixion trial” has taken, while John gives
the time of day. Proof = Luke 23:44 with Matthew 27:45

2. God tempting men

- James 1:13: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be
tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man
- Genesis 22:1: And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said
unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

3. Numbers Contradict – Jacob’s family

- Genesis 46:26: All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins,
besides Jacobs sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six (66)
- Acts 7:14: Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore
and fifteen souls (75)
 13

4. Numbers Contradict – Whoredom with Moab

- Numbers 25:9: And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand (24,000)
- 1 Corinthians 10:8: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell
in one day three and twenty thousand (23,000)

5. King Saul and witch of Endor

- 1 Samuel 28:5-7: 5And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart
greatly trembled. 6And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not,
neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. 7Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me
a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants
said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.
- 1 Chronicles 10:11-14: 11And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had done to
Saul, 12They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his
sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted
seven days. 13So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even
against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had
a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and
turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.
o Bible context!! Saul refused to listen to the word of God that God had provided him
(1 Chronicles 10:13), thus God refused to give him an answer on this occasion.

6. Abraham’s inheritance
- Genesis 17:8: And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art
a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
- Acts 7:5: And he [God] gave him [Abraham] none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set
his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after
him, when as yet he had no child.
o Hebrews 11:8-13, Matthew 22:23-32, Ezekiel 37:1-12 all explain Abraham is
currently alive and one day he’ll be in the promised land.

7. Solomon’s house - bath count contradicts

- 1 Kings 7:26: And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the
brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths (2,000)
- 2 Chronicles 4:5: And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work
of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths
(3,000)
 14

8. Nebuzaradan
- 2 Kings 25:8: And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth
year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a
servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem
- Jeremiah 52:12: Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the
nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard,
which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem
o Notice the key word in each verse (c.f. Mark 15:21-22 and John 19:17 – regarding the
crucifixion account. Simon the Cyrenian carried the cross unto Golgotha and Jesus
carried it into Golgotha.)

9. Solomon’s horses
- 1 Kings 4:26: And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots
- 2 Chronicles 9:25: And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots
o Notice the key word in each verse

10. Prophets and the Scripture

- Matthew 2:23: And he [Jesus] came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
o Potential problem: No Old Testament prophet wrote what is referenced in v. 23.

- 2 Chronicles 36:22: Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD
spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of
Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also
in writing (c.f. Ezra 1:1)
o Problem: Jeremiah did not write what is referenced in v. 22
▪ Isaiah wrote it (Isaiah 44:24-28) → written approx. 200 years prior to the event.

11. Chariot count contradicts

- 2 Samuel 10:18: And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred
chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach thecaptain of their
host, who died there.
- 1 Chronicles 19:18: But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven
thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the
captain of the host.
o Welcome to math class. 10 men fought in each chariot (700 chariots with 10 men in
each chariot = 7,000 men)

12. Adam
- Genesis 2:17: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Adam ate it – Genesis 3:6)
- Genesis 5:5: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he
died.
 15

LESSON 3 – EARLY MANUSCRIPTS (90 AD – 400 AD) – Silent Centuries

OLD TESTAMENT: MANUSCRIPTS

• Compiled from 1500 BC (Moses → Pentateuch) – 400 BC (Malachi)
• Written mostly in Hebrew except for the following Aramaic [Chaldean] portions …
o Daniel 2:4 – 7:28; Ezra 4:8 – 6:18; Ezra 7:12-26; Jeremiah 10:11
• Levitical scribes were responsible for “preserving” the text according to Deuteronomy
17:18, 31:25-26; Malachi 2:7.
TRADITIONAL PRESERVATION RULES
o When document became worn-out, it was required to be copied.
o Written on skins of clean animals, with uniform columns (both in length and
width) → imagine the Microsoft Word type-set “Justify” – words spaced evenly
between the margins = book printing type-set.
o Black ink required
o Scribe copied one letter at a time, with uniform spacing between letters and
words.
▪ Two-fold goal
• Preserve the text
• Must be visually appealing
o Special garments made and worn by scribes only when copying God’s word.
▪ Rule example: If in process of copying God’s name and king addresses
you, he must be ignored until God’s name is completely copied.
o Copy was reviewed and burned if not appealing to the eye or if ONE SINGLE
ERROR WAS FOUND.
• Originally the Hebrew lacked a vowel system, and as the ancient Hebrew began to evolve
the scribes (probably around the 6th century BC) supplied orthographical marks to the text,
adopted from the Chaldeans, to assist in its pronunciations → i.e. the vowel system was
supplied. These Jewish scholars were called Masora, and the text called the Masoretic
Hebrew.
o This is basis of the King James Old Testament

NEW TESTAMENT - TYPES OF EXTANT MANUSCRIPTS

These fragmented ancient documents abbreviated God’s name, had no punctuation, no

capitalization (as English grammar requires), and written extremely small with no spaces between
words. It seems the goal was to get as much information as possible onto a single piece of
parchment (paper)
 16

• MAJUSCULES: manuscript is all upper-case letter (uncial lettering)

o Mostly written on vellum → calf skin
o Well preserved, lasted a long time, and very expensive
▪ Scroll: many skins sewed together and rolled up into one long page
▪ Codex (singular), Codexes (plural): many sheets (leaves) of skins put together like a
book
FORBYGRACEAREYESAVEDTHROUGHFAITHANDTHATNOTOFYOURSELVESITISTHEGIF
TOFGDNOTOFWORKSLESTANYMANSHOULDBOASTFORWEAREHISWORKMANSHIPCRE
ATEDINCRTJESUSUNTOGOODWORKSWHICHGDHATHBEFOREORDAINEDTHATWESHO
ULDWALKINTHEM (Eph. 2:8-9)

• MINUSCULES: manuscript is all lower-case letters

o Mostly written on papyrus → see Archaeological findings below
o Cheaply made, and would not last a long time
Forbygraceareyesavedthroughfaithandthatnotofyourselvesitisthegiftofgdnotofworkslestanymansh
ouldboastforwearehisworkmanshipcreatedincrtjesusuntogoodworkswhichgdhathbeforeordainedt
hatweshouldwalkinthem (Eph. 2:8-9)

• CURSIVES: manuscript written in script form

Forbygraceareyesavedthroughfaithandthatnotofyourselvesitisthegiftofgdnotofworkslestanymanshouldboastforwearehi
sworkmanshipcreatedincrtjesusuntogoodworkswhichgdhathbeforeordainedthatweshouldwalkinthem (Eph. 2:8-9)

ADDITIONAL RECORDS
• LECTIONARIES: portions of scripture in backs of song books

• VERSIONS: different language formats

o Peshitta (150 AD) = oldest example → N.T. translation into Syrian language
▪ Complete N.T. and matches KJV word for word
o Latin Vulgate (157 AD) → N.T. translation into Latin
o Diatessaron (150 AD) → A culmination of all 4 gospels written side by side
▪ Eventually translated into Arabian & Syrian. Copied extensively.
▪ Written by Tatian the Assyrian who lived 110-166 AD
• A philosopher who studied philosophy along with the bible. Studies
persuaded him that bible was far superior to philosophy.
o Didache (80 AD) → “the Lord’s teachings through the 12 Apostles to the Gentiles”
▪ Almost all church fathers referenced this document
▪ Contained 25 direct quotes from gospels (excluding John because not
written yet) and referenced 14 N.T. books.
o Coptic Version (150 AD) → N.T. translated for church of Egypt and Syria
 17

• WRITINGS OF CHURCH FATHERS: commentaries, letters from pastors to other

pastors (as examples)
o Polycarp (70-155 AD) → Bishop to Smyrna and ordained by Apostle John. His
letter reference 12 N.T. epistles and 1 letter (110 AD) written to Philippi encouraging
them to read and study Paul’s Philippians letter.
▪ Martyred at 86 while stating, “I’ve served the Lord for 86 years and I
won’t deny Him now.”
o Barnabus (98 AD) → letter quoting multiple N.T. passages from 5 N.T. books
o Ignatius (35-108 AD) → Bishop in Antioch. Wrote to Ephesus and quoted several
N.T. books
o Irenaeus (130-202 AD) → student of Polycarp
▪ Quoted multiple epistles and 3 of the gospels
o Justin “Martyr” (165 AD) → martyred but wrote hundreds of commentaries/essays
on the bible during 2nd century.
o Tertullian (190-211 AD) → picked up where Justin left off and put together a canon
containing Luke and 10 Pauline epistles.
o Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD) → wrote “The Stromata” in 211 AD
▪ Referenced Peter, James, John, and Paul’s writings. Quotes entire bible
except Ruth, Song of Solomon, James, Philemon, II Peter.
o Hippolytus → writing from 198-236 AD = Greek volume telling people not to pull
verses from the bible but to examine the whole counsel in it entirety (must have had
written word to make that statement).
o Adamantius Origen (184-253 AD) → wrote commentaries on all the N.T. books
o Athanasius (296-373 AD) → writing contained quotations of entire N.T. except 14
verses. Matches KJV word-for-word.

• ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS:
o Wall plaques, clay pots, etc. with verses on them
o Waxed Tablets → 7”x9” called Tabularum, used commonly by Rome. Looked like
a modern-day computer tablet.
▪ Ecclesiastes 1:9: The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and
that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing
under the sun.
▪ Old messages would be melted down and recast so new messages could be
transcribed. Hundreds, if not thousands, have been found with identical
bible passages.
o Papyrus → reed like paper made from the pith of a papyrus plant, pressed and dried
that become a paper-like writing material. If message needed “blotting out,” it was
moistened and rubbed until top layer was completely removed and new message
could be written. This could only be erased once, thus 2nd writing was permanent.
▪ Colossians 2:13-14: And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having
forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that
was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross
 18

o Ostraca (plural) / Ostracon → broken pottery pieces used for writing (essentially a
clay piece of paper). Thousands exists before 5th century. Cheap and readily
available writing instrument.
▪ Prayers written down that quoted scripture
▪ Scripture verses written on these
o Amulets → jewelry, etc. that contained bible messages/scripture

COMBINING THESE FINDINGS WITH THE EXTANT PAPYRUS FRAGMENTS YIELDS

THE ENTIRE N.T. EXCEPT FOR 3 VERSES.

Summarizing extant evidence from Silent Centuries

88 Papyrus manuscripts
267 Majuscules
2764 Miniscules
2143 Lectionaries
10,000 + copies of Latin Manuscripts
9,000 + copies of Coptic, Egyptian, Vulgate versions
_______________

Total = 24,000 + manuscripts prior to 400AD

o Mark 16:15: And he [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach
the gospel to every creature.
o Acts 1:8b: … ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,
and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
o Colossians 1:5b-6a & 24b: … the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come
unto you, as it is in all the world … which ye have heard, and which was preached
to every creature which is under heaven
▪ THIS EXTANT EVIDENCE, ALONG WITH THE BIBLE,
STRONGLY SUGGESTS THE APOSTLES ACCOMPLISHED
THEIR COMMISSION.

CORRUPTION SETS IN (PHILOSOPHY & PERSECUTION)

• Persecution – life & death: major attacks against Christians up to the 4th century
o Acts supports this fact, along with historical death accounts of the Apostles (c.f.
Acts 12:1-2)
o Persecutions strengthened the church, but often led to people conforming and
compromising on their beliefs → Galatians speaks of this
▪ Galatians 1:6: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel
▪ Galatians 4:29: But as then he [Ishmael] that was born after the flesh
persecuted him [Isaac] that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
 19

• Philosophy – comes out of Alexandria Egypt → Jewish Greek philosophy

o Clergy (upper class priests and preachers) vs. Laity (lower class of commoners)
became the church’s hierarchical structure
2 Timothy 3:5: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:

▪ Nicolaitans (Revelations 2:6, 15) = “Nikao” (to conquer) + “Laos” (the

people) → condemned by God’s word (c.f. Matthew 20:25-28, 1 Peter
5:2, Romans 8:28-30, Galatians 3:28 – c.f. Romans 12:5, Ephesians 1:8 &
2:4-14)
• Roman political structure became the model for the NT church

o Jewish model also set precedent for church order

▪ Reach God through priest, thus priesthood of the believer not recognized
(Revelation 1:6 & 5:10).
▪ Lord’s supper no longer viewed as an act of remembrance (1 Corinthians
11:24-25), but viewed as a sacrifice → Jewish philosophy … lead to
practice being called a sacrament
▪ Water baptism viewed as a requirement for church membership and/or
salvation
▪ Novatian Schism (251 AD) → because of persecution, many departed
from church practices until persecution ceased, therefore the church
decided these “lapsers” should be punished
• Required another baptism to rejoin the church
from such turn away.

• Venial sins (forgivable) vs. Mortal sins (unforgiveable) resulted

from this.
• If the person baptizing you, sinned “awfully” then the baptisms he
performed are no longer valid. Communion and another baptism
thus required to rejoin the church
▪ Celibacy & set fasting times (both condemned 1 Timothy 4:1-3), and use
of the sign of the cross all predate Roman Catholicism.

ALEXANDRIA EGYPT – THE CENTER OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY

Colossians 2:8: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Philo of Alexandria (Born 25 BC) → A Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who studied after Plato
(Approx. 425-345 BC) and applied his learned Greek philosophy to the Old Testament scripture.

↓
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD) → Taught, if not founded, the Catechetical School of
Alexandria. Known as the father of Christian philosophy.

↓
Adamantius Origen (184-253 AD) → Followed Clement, and Ammonius Saccas (founder of
Neoplatonism – essentially a worship of Plato’s philosophical views). He is responsible for
constructing a Western approach to Christianity
 20

Origen’s Beliefs
• Interpreted O.T. in mystical way = stories are not true accounts of literal people
• Denied a physical resurrection, the virgin birth, and thought all people (plus devils) would
be saved = “universal salvation” begins with him
o Recall virgin birth contradictions (p. 8 - #6)
• Castrated himself when read Matthew 19:12b: … there be eunuchs, which have made
themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake.
o Recall Galatians contradiction (p. 12 - #17)
• His N.T. commentaries (p. 17 note) twisted the text to conform to his philosophical views
o Philo taught that Malachi copied Isaiah, thus Malachi’s writings belonged to Isaiah
▪ Recall Mark 1:1-3 contradiction (p. 7 - #4)
• Believed Jesus Christ to have been created by God the Father, thus Jesus did not exist prior
to Bethlehem.
o This was apparently a common theology during Origen’s time because the Council
of Nicea (325 AD) debated the matter, among other things.
• Most notable work is his Hexapla → hex (6) + apla (column) = 6 columns
o O.T. presented in 6 ways, written mostly in Greek.
Columns
1. Masoretic Hebrew text
“Secunda” 2. Greek transliteration of O.T. → process yields translated word with similar
pronunciation to the original (Ex. Baptiso = baptism)
3. Greek literal translation of O.T. → translation by Aquilla (130 AD)
4. Revision to Aquilla by Symica (200 AD)
“Septuagint” 5. LXX = 70 → Origen’s Greek O.T. text, also included Apocryphal books (1)Bel & the
Dragon (additional chapters to Daniel), (2)Judith, and (3)Tobit
6. Theodocian Green text of O.T. (150 AD)

LXX
Supposedly, this is a Greek translation of the O.T. performed by 72 Hebrew scholars (6 from each
of the 12 tribes) approximately 2nd – 3rd century BC. Supposed to be a Greek translation for the
Jews living in Egypt when Greek became the common language. The only support for this legend
is an unreliable (scholar’s word) letter of Aristeas, written by Ptolemy II Philadelphus at the
request of Eleazar, the chief priest at Jerusalem, asking this translation to take place.
Problems
1. Why call it 70 when 72 people produced it?
2. These non-Levitical Jews would be in direct violation of scripture (p.15 in notes)
3. Apparently Eleazar knows what happened to the 10 northern lost tribes of Israel?
4. Why are 3 Apocrypha books included when they weren’t even written until 2nd or 3rd
century AD?
5. Text does not match the Masoretic Hebrew, but matches Origen’s philosophy
All these problems indicate this is Origen’s work. Bible scholars who defend modern translations
and Origen even have suspicions about its true authorship. Scholars claim Origen “corrected errors
in the Septuagint” – doubtful! Even the letter of Aristeas is argued to have been written by Philo,
not Ptolemy.
 21

LESSON 4 – TRUE LINE VS. THE CORRUPT LINE (400 AD – 1604 AD)
• Antioch → sent pure bible throughout all the world which led to multiple translations in
various languages
o Acts 2 – Men out of every nation under heaven hear the gospel (Acts 2:5)
o Acts 11 – The great commission quest reaches Antioch, the term “Christian”
originates (Acts 11:26), and missionary journeys begin (Acts 13:1, 15:40)
o Church headquarters officially relocated from Jerusalem to Antioch
▪ Antioch settled the “observe the law” debate in Act 15:23
• Egypt → Philosophy corrupted the bible and this corruption adopted by Rome and the
Roman Catholic Church. (Revelation 11:8 – Egypt is not a good picture scripturally)

West (Egpyt): Corrupt Line → Constantine, Eusebius & Jerome

Extreme Roman persecution until Roman Emperor Constantine the Great (312 – 337 AD).
In 311 AD, Constantine fought civil war against Maxentius (believed he deserved title of Rome)
and the battle at Milvian Bridge – he saw a vision of a flaming cross with inscription, “by this sign,
conquer.” He won the battle and took events as a sign for him to convert to Christianity.
Instantaneously the persecutions changed to so-called Christians persecuting pagans for
not converting. Multitudes convert to avoid persecution and bring with them their pagan practices,
which are the roots of all Christian holidays today (Easter, Halloween, Christmas, etc.)
Changes under Constantine
• Cross thought to be magical and contained special powers
• Christianity = state religion
• Pastors/Priests free from military duty and taxation
• Slaves granted freedom if converted

Constantine ultimately wanted a bible for all the land; thus Eusebius and Jerome enter the picture.
They Produced translations from Origen’s hexapla (Old Testament) and Origen’s teachings
regarding the New Testament. These 2 are the original creators of modern versions before
Westcott & Hort (see Lesson 6).

Eusebius
• Studied at Antioch (opportunity for truth) & Caesarea (school founded by Origen)
o Decided to follow Origen’s philosophy
o Became a bishop of Caesarea = capital under Constantine
• Constantine hired him to produce a bible for the Roman empire.
o 50 bibles were produced and written on vellum in uncial lettering (majuscule) →
331 AD
▪ Codex Vadicanus and Codex Sinaiticus believed by scholars to be the
result of Eusebius’ work.
• These two manuscripts are the major basis to every modern version
▪ Codex Alexandrinus believed by scholars to be a later copy of Eusebius’
work
 22

Jerome
• Actual name = Eusebias Sophronius Hieronymus
• Studied Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Gaulic dialects
• 379 AD → ordained a presbyter at Antioch (opportunity for truth)
• 382 AD → resigned to become personal secretary to Pope Damasus at Rome
• 383 AD → began revising a bible to fit the Pope’s views on God and Christianity
• 405 AD → produced his Latin Vulgate (compare p. 16 notes)
o Wanted to ignore Apocrypha books included by Origen (p. 20 notes) – believed
them to be junk
▪ Council of Rome (382 AD) → Pope wanted them included
▪ The Roman Catholic Church added the remainder of the Apocrypha to the
canon of scripture → Council of Trent 1545 – 1563 AD.
• His Latin established the text and language of Western Christianity (i.e. Catholicism) for
the next 1000+ years.
o 801 AD → Revision by Alcuin and presented to Charlemagne (Roman Emperor)
o 1522 AD → incorporated into Complutension Polyglot Bible (p. 24 notes)
o 1604 AD → Clementine Vulgate = Latin translation linked to Jerome and used
by Roman Catholics until 1979
▪ 1969 = Stuttgart Vulgate – revision of above
▪ 1979 = New Vulgate – another revision of above

John Wycliffe
Called “morning star of the Reformation” – he proclaimed many of the same truths of
Reformation 150 years before it began.
• 1320 AD → born in Yorkshire England
• 1340 – 1350 AD → attended Oxford University
• 1367 AD → obtained Doctorate-of-Theology (Thd.)
• 1374 – 1382 AD → lectured at Lutterworth, Leicestershire & Oxford
• 1377 AD → mailed statement to Pope with 19 heresies of the Catholic Church
o Pope responds with edict of 5 papal bulls against him
• 1378 AD → began doctrinal battle against Church
o Refuted the following …
▪ Saved by good works
▪ Prayer to/for dead saints
▪ Indulgences = license to sin if pay enough money
▪ Confession – argued this gave the church power over the people that could
never be relinquished (i.e. susceptible to black-mail)
▪ Church offices above pastor/deacon/bishop
▪ Rebuked transubstantiation
o This led to his expulsion from Oxford (1382)
He wanted everyone to be free like him by being able to read what he was reading.
Ultimately, he studied Jerome’s Latin Vulgate and concluded that the Catholic Church was so
corrupt that they were not teaching what “the bible” proclaimed → Roman Catholicism’s
teachings had corrupted the corrupted bible
 23

Quote: “What sort of anti-Christ is this who to the sorrow of Christian men is so bold as to
prohibit the laity from learning this holy lesson which is so earnestly commanded by God? Every
man is bound to learn it that he may be saved, and every layman that is to be saved is a priest of
God’s own making. Every man is bound to be a priest.”
• 1380 AD → translated N. testament into Middle English
• 1382 AD → translated O. testament into Middle English
o Done by hand and assisted by Nicholas Hereford and John Purvey – both put in
jail as a result
o This English Translation was based on Jerome
▪ Recall Lesson 2, omitted verses – p. 9 → all those “questionable verses”
were apparently in Jerome’s Latin Vulgate because Wycliffe had all of
them in his English translation.
• 1384 AD → died
• 1408 AD → Oxford forbade reading the Wycliffe bible
• 1415 AD → Council of Constance condemned Wycliffe
• 1428 AD → Bones were dug up, put on trial, burned & scattered in a river

East (Antioch): Pure Line → Erasmus, Tyndale & Coverdale

While Wycliffe provided the emotional ammunition to the Reformation, Erasmus
provided the intellect, and Martin Luther ignited it all.

Erasmus – 1 Corinthians 1:26

An absolute genius, and the greatest scholar during the Renaissance Era. Known as the
“prince of the humanists” → used God given brain for benefit of others – goal to promote
civilization through capitalism, freedom, and liberty. All adult life he traveled to libraries around
the world to study writings of the greatest minds of the past and translated those writings into the
common language for the common man to read and learn. As a result, many Kings (France,
Germany, Netherlands, England, etc.), Cardinals, and the Pope offered him position(s) and high
recognition. He turned them all down so he could benefit others, not himself.
He compared the products of Jerome, Origen, and Eusebius with the writings of the church
fathers, and the Antiochian text. He discovered the early church manuscripts did not match the
Alexandrian text (Jerome, Origen, Eusebius) and he produced translations to show and prove his
discoveries.
• Studied in the best schools of Netherland and Europe until ordained to the Roman Catholic
church → 1492 AD
• 1495 AD → studied in Paris
• 1499 AD → went to England and influenced by John Colet and Thomas More
• 1506 – 1509 AD → studied in Italy
• 1509 – 1514 AD → lectured in Cambridge, England and promoted the new learning =
learn and study the bible text itself (do not just take the Catholic Church at their word)
o Greatest student was William Tyndale
• 1515 AD → studied in Switzerland
• 1516 – 1521 AD → lectured in Netherlands
 24

• 1521 – 1529 AD → lectured in Basel, Switzerland

• 1529 – 1535 AD → lectured in Freiburg, Germany
• 1536 AD → died

Erasmus Published 5 Editions of Greek New Testament

Preface: “I would have these words translated into all languages so that not only Scotts and
Irishmen, but Turks and Sarisens might read them. I wish that the farmer might sing parts of the
scriptures at the plow, that the weaver might hum them at the shuttle and the traveler might beguile
the weariness of the way by reciting them.”
1) 1516 AD → a 3 column edition called a “diglot” – means 2 languages at once (Latin based
on Old Latin Vulgate – see p. 16 notes, and Erasmus’ Greek translation)
a. Third column contained his notes
b. Asked by Martin Dorf (University of Louvain) not to publish because it would
discredit the Latin Vulgate (Jerome) and weaken the Roman Catholic Church
c. Only errors were typographical → it was a rushed publication because he wanted
to publish before the Complutension Polyglot Bible printed (1522)
i. Complutension – contained Hebrew, Greek, and Jerome’s Latin Vulgate
ii. Erasmus’ work was so influential, the Complutension was unreceived by
the people (God was setting up the reformation)
2) 1519 AD → Revised 1st printing to correct the typographical errors
a. Martin Luther used this as basis of his German New Testament
3) 1522 AD → Another revision that added the missing text to 1 John 5:7-8 (see #8 – p.9)
a. This text has become known as the Johannine Comma
i. Fact: the grammar of verse 6 requires verse 7 for verse 8 to be
grammatically correct. Erasmus knew this, he just didn’t have the evidence
support until this printing to prove to the world it belonged in the bible.
Evidence supporting 1 John 5:7 (to name a few):
• The Peshitta has it (157 AD) – lesson 3, p. 16 notes
• Tertullian quotes it (200 AD)
• Cyprian quoted it (250 AD)
• Priscillian, Idacius Clams, and Athanasius cite it (350 AD)
• Council of Carthage appeals to the verse as a basic text proving a fundamental
doctrine when contending with the Arians (415 AD)
• Cassiodorus cites it (500 AD)
• Old Latin manuscript “r” has it (550 AD)
• Wianburgensis cites it (750 AD)
• Jerome’s Vulgate has it (both 405 AD edition, and 801 AD revision – p. 22 notes)
• Miniscule manuscript “88” has it in the margin (1150 AD)
• Waldensian Bibles have it (1200-1400 AD)
• Miniscule manuscript “61” has it (1500 AD)
4) 1527 AD → Added Jerome’s Latin Vulgate for comparison to show its corruption
5) 1535 AD → Removed Jerome’s Latin Vulgate
a. This edition known as the Textus Receptus – means received text
i. 1633 AD → the Elziver brothers’ 2nd of 7 Greek editions based on
Erasmus’ work coined the phrase
 25

William Tyndale – Tyndale Bible

Followed Erasmus’ lead, and desired to translate the bible into English using the Greek (N.
Testament) and Hebrew (O. Testament) → he was a master of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.
Quote while debating church leader: “If God spared my life err many years I would cause
that a boy who driveth the plow will know more of the scripture than thou doest.”
• 1524 AD → began in Hamburg, Germany
• 1525 AD → N. Testament complete and went to Cologne, Germany for printing.
• 1526 AD → copies make it to England
o Thousands printed 1526 – 1530 (only 1 copy remains today)
• 1530 AD → Pentateuch published in Marburg
• 1531 AD → Jonah printed
• 1534 AD → N. Testament revised and published because George Joy printed “Tyndale
Bible” with marginal notes discrediting certain passages or translational comments
o Like study bibles today (Example: Scofield – Mark. 16:9-20 & John 7:53-8:11)
• 1535 AD → final edition and imprisoned for heresy against church of Rome
o Oct. 6, 1536 – put to death
▪ Dying words: “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes” – Henry VIII

Myles Coverdale
Friend and editor of Tyndale. His search for truth led him to Martin Luther’s writings. He
became a Puritan, took up cause of the Reformation and soon preached against idols and the mass.
• 1529 AD → helped Tyndale translate Pentateuch into English
o Bloody Mary wanted him killed as a result
• 1535 AD → Coverdale Bible complete
o Essentially an edited work of Tyndale
o 1st bible to have chapter summary and headings
• 1539 AD → The Great Bible printed (named due to size = 16½ x 11)
o 1st English bible placing books in order as we have them today
o A bible comparing the Matthew’s bible (see below) Old Testament with Jerome’s
Latin Vulgate, and the Matthew’s bible New Testament with Jerome’s Latin
Vulgate and Erasmus’ work.

John Rogers
Friend and assistant to Tyndale. Before Tyndale’s death, Rogers collected all of Tyndale’s
work/notes and continued the work under a false name = Thomas Matthew (didn’t want to suffer
the same fate as Tyndale). Proved unsuccessful – Bloody Mary had him killed.
• 1537 AD → Matthew’s Bible printed = completion of Tyndale’s work
o 1st complete (Old and New Testament) English Bible
o Contained over 2,000 marginal notes
▪ Example – 1 Peter 3:1 note: “if she be not obedient and helpful unto him,
he endeavoreth to beat the fear of God into her head that thereby she may
be compelled to learn her duty and to do it.”
o Translation prepared with 2 French Translations
▪ 1534 AD → Lefèvre
 26

▪ 1535 AD → Olivétan – French Bible available and used there today

Geneva Bible
• 1557 AD → Printed in Geneva, Switzerland = refugee location for Protestants seeking
safety from Bloody Mary
o Often called the 3rd Revision of Tyndale
• Primarily completed by William Whittingham (brother-in-law to John Calvin) with the aid
of Myles Coverdale, Theodore Beza, and John Knox
• 1st English Bible to use …
o Verse divisions
o Italics for translator’s supplied words
o Removed the Apocrypha
o Printed with Roman type instead of Gothic Script (see lesson 5)
• Dedicated to Queen Elizabeth I with many Calvinistic footnotes/notations
• Popular amongst the Puritans and those against the Episcopalian state church
• Bible quoted by Shakespeare and brought over to America on the Mayflower

Bishop’s Bible
Popularity of Geneva Bible cause concern for Episcopalians. They feared they would lose
their authority with the people.
• 1563 AD → Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, initiated revision of Great Bible
o 15 men, 3 of whom bishops, worked under Parker in companies to produce the
translation – set pattern for KJV translation committee
o Obviously, had an Episcopalian flavor
• 1571 AD → made official church bible by church convocation, but considered a poor
translation so people didn’t want it

Robert Stephanus → 1560 AD – issued entire bible with chapter and verse separations = same as
today.

Rheims Douay Bible → 1582 AD

• English translation of Jerome’s Latin Vulgate for the Roman Catholic Church
• Produced by Jesuit priest, William Allen
o Rheims, France = 10 years to produce N. Testament
o Douay, France = 15 years to produce O. Testament
• When complete, Roman Catholics decreed it forbidden to be read
 27

LESSON 5 – KING JAMES TRANSLATION (1604 – PRESENT)

Following Reformation of King Henry VIII

o Edward VI (1537-1553) was protestant and rules after father. Reigned 1547-1553
o Suffered from “consumption” – commonly identified as tuberculosis
o Died at 15 years old with no descendants
o Edward announced 1st cousin once removed, Lady Jane Grey, as successor instead of his
½-sisters (Mary & Elizabeth). 9 days later Mary was named true heir by Privy council of
England. Jane was eventually executed for treason, 1554.
o Mary 1 (Bloody Mary) comes to power and rules 1553-1558. Married Philip II of Spain
and could not bear a child (complications).
o Tried to bring back Catholicism & killed all she could
• Burned Christians using English bibles as kindling.
o Named Elizabeth I as successor to honor father’s wishes, Henry VIII
o Elizabeth I (Virgin Queen) comes to power and rules 1558-1603. Mary Stuart, Queen of
Scots (cousin), was to succeed her since childless but Mary executed for treason 1587.
o Mary of Scots was forced to advocate throne of Scots (1567) to son James (13
months old at time) upon suspicion of murdering husband, Henry Stuart (Lord
Darnley). Flees to England for protection by Elizabeth. Protected for 19 years
before being executed on suspicion of treason.
o King James VI (of Scots) / I (of England) comes to power after Elizabeth (1603).
o Elizabeth probably announced him as successor out of guilt for executing his
mother.

Queen Elizabeth I reign

• 3 religious/political parties summarize the people …
1. The Papists = Catholic
2. The Episcopalians = New state church under Henry VIII / Edward VI
3. The Puritans
 28

• Catholic party broken by 3 events (not to mention the Reformation)

1. Execution of Mary Stuart (1587): Catholics believed her entitled to the throne.
2. Sir Francis Drake: read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, bought some ships, and sailed the
7 seas looking for Catholic treasure ships out of Spain w/ goal of sinking them …
This led to the financial ruin of the Papacy
3. Sir Francis Drake defeated Spain’s Spanish Armada (136 war ships) with only 30
small boats. England thus becomes new world military/naval power, and
Catholicism loses its economic influence.
i. This ultimately led to English, Scots, Welsh, and Irish merchants to sail the
world taking the bible with them.
ii. Martin Luther & Erasmus fueled the intellectual reformation while Drake
fueled the physical reformation.

Millenary Petition 1603 & Hampton Court Conference 1604

Approximately 1,000 Puritan pastors presented a petition to King James following his
coronation. They wanted changes in church state organization.
1. Eliminate use of “the sign of the cross”
2. Eliminate elaborate priestly garments
3. Eliminate wedding rings
4. Wanted stricter church discipline – included stopping process of confirmation
5. Asked King to provide ministry training in the bible – wanted pay for each position held.
6. Asked for biblical church polity → bow at the name of Jesus
7. Wanted corrections to corrupt quotations from corrupt versions contained in English Book
of Common Prayer
King James called for a conference in London, January 1604 to settle the grievances. In
attendance were 4 Puritans (outnumbered), 9 Bishops, 9 Preachers, and 4 professors from
Cambridge & Oxford.
- Dr. John Reynolds – main speaker on behalf of the Puritans – claimed “defeated by kingly
insolence and pride”
- Reynolds suggested a translation of the bible be produced that is consistent as can be to the
original Hebrew & Greek text.
o Desired a printing without any marginal notes & would be used in all churches of
England (Recall marginal notes discussion – Lesson #4, p.25-26)
- King James agreed by recognizing the solution as a wise political move
- June 22, 1604 → 54 men selected to translate the bible. Their qualification was simple …
“They must have taken pains in their private study of the scriptures”
o Titles, degrees, connections, politics, etc. were not considered

Translation Set-up & Rules

- 6 groups at 3 different locations (precedent set by Bishop’s bibls – p.26 notes)… each group
responsible for different sections of scripture
o Oxford, Cambridge, Westminster Abbey
▪ Oxford → Isaiah – Malachi, Gospels, Acts, Revelation
 29

▪ Cambridge → Chronicles – Ecclesiastes & Apocrypha (p.30 note)

▪ Westminister → Genesis – II Kings, Romans – Jude
15 Rules
1. Bishops Bible to be followed & altered as little as manuscripts will permit.
2. Names left as they are vulgarly used.
a. Example: Jeremiah (Old Testament) & Jeremias (New Testament)
3. Old Ecclesiastical words are to be kept.
a. Example: Church could be called congregation, but church used to describe the
church so leave it that way. Goal was for text not to sound foreign to current
English Bible.
4. When any word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly
used by the most eminent fathers being agreeable to the propriety of the place and the
analogy of faith. (i.e. use Christian terms instead of secular terms when translation could
go either direction)
a. Example: deacon vs. servant … deacon pertains to church life so use it
5. Division of the chapters is to be altered not at all or as little as may be, as necessity so
requires. (Lesson #4, Robert Stephanus, p.26)
6. No marginal notes at all are to be affixed – only explanation notes for translation reasoning.
7. Cross references are allowed in margins
8. Every man of each company is to take the same chapter(s) and having translated/amended
them separately by himself where he things good … all are to meet together to confer what
they have done and agree for their part what shall stand.
a. 1 translates and every member checks it independently
b. Then all meet to agree on final rendering
9. As any 1 company has dispatched any 1 book in this matter (#8), they shall give to the rest
to be considered seriously and judicially for his majesty is very careful in this part.
a. Step 8 goes to other 5 groups: they all repeat step 8 amongst themselves
b. Ultimately there are 54 translations checked by 53 men in several stages
10. If any company upon the review of the book shall doubt or differ on any places, word is to
be sent thereof with their reasons to which they consent not. The differences to be
compounded at the general meeting, which is to be the chief persons of each company for
the work. (i.e. if #9 cause a problem, chief members of each group come together to work
out final decision)
11. When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority is to
be sent to any learned in the land for his judgment in such a place
a. If 54 can’t agree, send all work with letters to anybody you want that you feel can
accurately resolve the matter.
12. Letters were to be sent from every Bishop to the rest of the clergy admonishing them of
this translation at hand and to move and change as many as being skillful in the tongues,
and taken pains of that kind, to send their particular observations to the company, either at
Westminister, Cambridge, or Oxford according as it was directed before in the King’s letter
to the archbishop.
a. Anybody that has done any study/translation work can and should send their work
to the translators to be reviewed and considered.
 30

13. Directors in each company to be the deans in Westminister and the King’s professors in
the 2 universities.
14. These translations are to be used, when they agree better with the text than the Bishop’s
Bible: Tyndale, Coverdale, Matthews, Whitchurch, and Geneva. No Rheims-Douay!
15. Besides the said directors before mentioned, 3 or 4 of the most ancient and great divines in
either of the universities not employed in translating to be assigned by the vice-chancelor
upon conference with the rest of the heads to be overseers in the translation for the better
observation of the 4th rule above specified
a. Reference those that know church history when needing help to pick a word for
translation.

- After completion, reviewed by any in the land qualified, and one final time by board of 6
original translators, then sent to printer.
- Apocrypha placed between Old and New Testaments because of historical value.
- Words added were put in italic (Lesson 1, italicized words, p.4-5) → a precedent set by
Geneva bible (p. 26 notes)
- Chapters/verses divided in accord with Geneva Bible
- Type style selected was Gothic script instead of Roman type
o s and f looked almost identical
o u and v used interchangeably (example: writing on Lexington courthouse building)
o 1611 – didn’t have a J (used I)
- Printing Presses used at Oxford and Cambridge
- Ended with 47 scholars

Printing Press & “problems”

The printing press greatly helped to increase productivity and distribution of copied
materials. However, it was prone to human error, and not until Samuel Johnson (England 1755),
and Miriam Webster (America 1828) did English spelling have a “standardized” arrangement.
1611 printing error examples …
• Exodus 13:10: hoops → hooks (1613)
• Leviticus 13:56: plan → plague (1613)
• Matthew 16:25: his his → his (1613)
• Psalm 69:32: seek good → seek God (1613)
• 1 Chronicles 5:2: chief rulers → chief ruler (1629)
• Isaiah 13:8: traveleth → travaileth (1629)
• Ezekiel 14:18: daughter → daughters (1629)
• Revelation 21:1: “no” more sea → “no” missing (1641)
• 1 Corinthians 6:9: “not” unrighteous → “not” missing (1653)
• John 5:14: sin “on” more → sin “no” more (1716)
• Luke 14:26: hate his own “wife” also → hate his own “life” also (1810)
- Approximately 400 of these types of printing mistakes occurred and were corrected in later
printings
 31

- 4 major printings occurred from 1611 to 1769

o 1629, 1638, 1762, 1769
▪ 1769 printing collated in Claredon, England by Benjamin Blayney
- These printings have often been called “revisions” (arguably, that is an incorrect description
because the translation was not revised)
o Previous printing mistakes were corrected
o Standardized spelling incorporated (1762 and 1769 printings)
o Gothic script abandoned for Roman type

Are all KJV Bibles the same???

- 1769 Edition (Genesis 1:2, Job 33:4, Ezekiel 11:24, Matthew 4:1, Mark 1:12, Acts 11:28, 1
John 5:8)
o Oxford University Press vs. Cambridge University Press
Spirit or spirit
▪ Answer: Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 21:33 = Heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my words shall not pass away. SPIRIT is the correct word.
• Recall capitalization discussion (Lesson 2, contradiction #7, p.8-9)

- Thomas Nelson Publishing

o Own publishing rights to the NKJV
▪ Hebrews 4:8 and Acts 7:45 → change Jesus to Joshua in the text or provide a
marginal notation (reference Lesson 2, contradiction #16, p.11)

- New Scofield or New Improved Scofield

o 1967 edition changed some of the bible to match modern versions. Recent printings
(2003-present) reverted to the original, just moved the textual changes to the margins.
o Scofield’s notes modified and added → Acts 8:12 marginal note on baptism …
▪ “Baptism has, since the apostolic age, been practiced by every major group in
the Christian church and, in Protestant communions, is recognized as one of
two sacraments – the other being the Lord’s Supper. Since early in the
Church’s history three different modes of baptism have been used: aspersion
(sprinkling); affusion (pouring); and immersion (dipping).”

- Beware the Marginal Notes

o 1 John 5:7
▪ It is generally agreed that v.7 has no real authority, and has been inserted.
o John 7:53-8:11
▪ Jn. 7:53 – 8:11 is not found in some of the most ancient manuscripts.
 32

LESSON 6 – WESTCOTT & HORT (ALL MODERN VERSIONS)

The Authorized Version – KJV reached into all the world by 1640 and everyone at the time
were “King James only.” The Protestants replaced their preferred Matthews Bible with the KJV.
The Puritans replaced the Geneva Bible, and the Episcopalians replaced the Bishop’s Bible. The
Presbyterians, Quakers, Congregationalists, Baptists, and Pilgrims all adopted the KJV. Only the
Roman Catholics refused it.
From 1611 to 1880, over 150 English translations popped up, but none stood up to the
Authorized Version. American schools read from it, and even the Supreme Court honored it.
Winston Churchill claimed that over 90 million copies had been printed by the mid-
twentieth century.
The modern Missions Movement of 1800’s and 1900’s experienced by all denominations
(Methodists, Baptists, Protestants, etc.) occurred because God honored His word…the Authorized
King James Bible.

WHY A DEPARTURE FROM THE KJV???

(1) Textual Criticism
(2) Additional Manuscripts discovered
(3) Oxford/Tractarian Movement

Textual Criticism
This is described as the process of comparing variations among manuscripts (variations
range from word differences, spelling differences, textual omissions, etc.), comparing extant
versions of scripture, and comparing writings of the church fathers with the final goal to produce
a text as close as possible to the original. Ultimately, people set out to do this because they don’t
trust God to preserve His word (Psalm 12:6-7), they don’t believe the Textus Receptus manuscripts
to be accurate, and/or they simply want to make a name for themselves like Erasmus, Wycliffe,
Tyndale, etc.
This is the main reason we have many critical marginal notes in our bibles today (see lesson
5 notes, p. 31).
These texts are not all negative toward the Textus Receptus/Majority Text, but many of
them are.

Men and their Critical Texts – early examples

1675 → Bishop John Fell (Oxford)
1707 → John Mill
1757 → J.J. Wetstein (Wettstein)
1777, 1801, 1805 → Johann Jakob Griesbach – first to really question the validity of the KJV
- He theorized that “oldest is best”
1831, 1842 → Karl Lachmann
 33

Additional Manuscripts Discovered

The works of Erasmus, Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and the Bibles that resulted from their
efforts, coupled with the Reformation, sparked a desire for many to search libraries and museums
of the world to find further manuscript evidence that had been lost/forgotten.
- Codex Alexandrinus → given to the King of England 1627
o Well preserved, almost complete Greek manuscript
o This discovery was the initial spark instigating “scholars” to search for
further manuscripts
- Dead Sea Scrolls → 1946
- Codex Sinaiticus → 1841
FACT: NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN DISCOVERED THAT THE KJV TRANSLATORS DID
NOT ALREADY KNOW IN 1604-1611.
The Antiochian - Textus Receptus (Majority Text) accounts for the majority of all extant
manuscripts. They agree with one another without any contradictions. The Alexandrian –
Egyptian Text (Minority Text) accounts for the smallest percentage of all extant manuscripts.
They disagree with one another, and many of them disagree with themselves.

Constantine von Tischendorf (1815-1874)

• Graduated with theology degree from Leipzig
o While there became internationally known because of his translation of the 5th
century N.T. Greek manuscript, Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus
• Dedicated life to travel world looking for biblical manuscripts and publishing his finds
o Discovered 18 majuscules and 6 miniscules
o Published many critical texts, edited fragments of 25 uncials, re-edited 11 more
uncials, and even published many N.T. translations
• He discovered the Codex Sinaiticus at St. Catherines monastery on Sinai Peninsula
o Closely agrees with Codex Vaticanus (p. 21 notes) – discovered 1481 and revisited
again by Tischendorf in 1844
o Found in a waste basket about to be burned
▪ Greek O.T. caught his eye (recall Origin, Eusebius, and Jerome
notes, p. 19-22)
o Went there under commission of king Fredrick Augustus II of Saxony. The king
wanted manuscripts for the country’s museum = tourist attraction
▪ Ex. Shroud of Turin at Cathedral of Saint John in Turin, Italy

Oxford/Tractarian Movement (1833-1845)

A movement in England where tracts/pamphlets were printed/distributed throughout the
country to encourage people to move away from the church of England, and back to Roman
Catholicism.

1835 – 1836 → Cardinal Wiseman preached to revert the church of England back to Catholicism,
and founded the Catholic quarterly “Dublin Review”
 34

1850 → Pope Pius IX made him archbishop of Westminster

Followers of Wiseman
John Henry Newman → Wrote the Tracts for the Times, and was a major force responsible for
redirecting focus of schools away from fundamental Christianity back to Romanism
- His tracts encouraged simple reform
o Argued for liturgical practices: bright garments worn by preachers, burning
incense and candles, and reading scripture with back turned to congregation
(Roman Catholic approach at the time)
- Renounced his office of a bishop to join Catholicism in 1845
- Wiseman made him a Cardinal as a result in 1847
Edward Pusey → sought to do exactly what Newman did, but within the churches themselves

Additional men involved in the movement …

John Keble
Charles Marriott
Richard Froude
Robert Wilberforce
Isaac Williams
William Palmer

Results of the Movement

1830 → 434 Roman Catholic Priests, and 1242 by 1860
1830 → 16 Convents training nuns, and 162 by 1860
1844 → 2054 Roman Churches, and 7044 by 1898
Of the approx. 16,000 churches in England, only about 2500 remained true to the fundamentals of
the faith by the time the movement ended.

Brooke Foss Westcott & Fenton John Anthony Hort

Westcott – Bishop within the church of England
Hort – Cambridge University Professor

Beliefs
▪ Scripture
▪ Westcott: “I reject the infallibility of Holy Scriptures overwhelmingly”
▪ Hort: “Evangelicals seem to me perverted ... There are, I fear, still more serious
differences between us on the subject of authority, especially the authority of the
Bible.”
▪ Hell
▪ Westcott: “Hell is not the place of punishment of the guilty, it is the common
abode of departed spirits”
▪ Hort: “We have no sure knowledge of future punishment, and the word eternal
has a far higher meaning.”
 35

▪ Heaven
▪ Westcott: “Heaven is a state and not a place … we may reasonably hope, by
patient, resolute, faithful, united endeavor to find heaven about us here, the glory
of our earthly life.”
▪ Creation
▪ Westcott: “No one now, I suppose, hold that the first three chapters of Genesis,
for example, give a literal history. I could never understand how anyone reading
them with open eyes could think they did.”
▪ Hort: “But the book which has most engaged me is Darwin. Whatever may be
thought of it, it is a book that one is proud to be contemporary with … My feeling
is strong that the theory is unanswerable.”
▪ Atonement
▪ Hort: “The popular doctrine of substitution is an immoral and material counterfeit
… nothing can be more unscriptural than the limiting of Christ’s bearing our sins
and sufferings to His death; but indeed that is only one aspect of an almost
universal heresy.”
▪ Hort: “The fact is, I do not see how God’s justice can be satisfied without every
man’s suffering in his own person the full penalty for his sins.”
▪ Roman Catholicism
▪ Westcott: “I wish I could see to what forgotten truth Mariolatry bears witness.”
▪ Hort: “I have been persuaded for many years that Mary-Worship and Jesus-
Worship have very much in common.”
▪ Hort: “… at the same time in language stating that we maintain Baptismal
Regeneration as the most important of doctrines … the pure Romish view seems
to be nearer, and more likely to lead to the truth than the Evangelical.”

English Revised Version Committee (1870-1881)

English Parliament authorized a revision of the King James Bible – instructed to make as
few alterations as possible. Most members were of the Church of England, but also included 7
Presbyterians, 4 Congregationalists, 2 Baptists, 2 Methodists, and 1 Unitarian.
Westcott and Hort ignored the intent of the committee and desired to produce a Greek
text that replaced the Textus Receptus → Hort believed it to be “villainous” and “vile” (direct
quotes from him). Ultimately, they replaced the Textus Receptus with the Sinaiticus and
Vaticanus manuscripts based on Grisbach’s theory “older is best.” Roman Catholicism and the
Alexandrian Text reenter the scene.

1881 → English Revised Version

1901 → American Standard Version
Neither sold very well, thus propaganda and new sales tactics were needed → attack KJV

- Authorized Version called the KJV (mid 1900’s) → Hard to compete with “authority”
- King James was called a homosexual despite any historical evidence for it.

ALL MODERN VERSIONS TODAY ARE BASED ON WESTCOTT AND HORT

 36

ADDITIONAL STUDY MATERIALS

Samuel Gipp → An Understandable History of the Bible
• Excellent overview of Bible history, includes insight into some of the KJV translators

Samuel Gipp → The Answer Book

• Answers 62 common questions people have regarding bible translations. Includes
additional appendix material associated with topics stemmed from those questions.

Samuel Gipp → Valiant for the Truth

• Two-year, self-study course on the history of the Bible from the originals to the present

David Otis Fuller → Which Bible

• Another excellent overview of Bible history – easy to read

David Otis Fuller → True or False

• Sequel to the book above

Bill Bradley → Purified Seven Times

• Easy to Read, fantastic summary of the major English bibles from Wycliffe to KJV

Dr. Mike Holloway → Common Sense and the King James Bible
• 14 sermons providing additional summary details to topics discussed in our lessons

Gail Riplinger → New Age Bible Versions

• Comparison of modern versions and examines their “hidden agenda”

Gustavus Paine → The Men Behind the King James Bible

• Excellent look at the translators and a good section on the Gunpowder Plot

Robert Sargent → Landmarks of English Bible: Manuscript Evidence

• Covers almost all key issues and has the most detailed material on extant manuscripts
anywhere

James Sightler → A Testimony Founded Forever

• The only work that focuses on how the corruption took hold of the schools and churches
in America and the hand of the Plymouth Brethren in the RV and ASV

Donald Clarke → Bible Version Manual

• A fundamental and easy to use work comparing key renderings in modern versions to
KJV

Edward F. Hills → Believing Bible Study

• Easy to Read defender of scriptural preservation and God’s word being true

Edward F. Hills → The King James Version Defended

• Easy to Read defender of the King James Bible
 37

Dean Burgon → The Revision Revised

• Dean’s masterpiece refuting Westcott and Hort

Dean Burgon → The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels, Vol. I

• Additional work to “The Revision Revised”

Dean Burgon → The Causes of Corruption of the Traditional Text, Vol. II

• Additional work to “The Revision Revised”