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The Two English Bibles, Pt. 1: A Quick Look at the KJV

First well touch on the King James Version. The KJV was translated from a collection of
manuscripts which included, but was not exclusive to, the Greek Received Text (note that
todays available editions of the Received Text are slightly different, often misrepresenting it).
Critics of the KJV point out that the Received Text does not contain the oldest dated copies of
the original manuscripts (none of the originals themselves exist today), and believe that because
we have since discovered older manuscripts that differ textually, the KJV requires updating.
This argument appears solid. However, the types of manuscripts used for the Received Text
were mostly made up of quickly eroding material (e.g. papyrus), which required continual
recopying, in contrast to the longer-surviving types of manuscripts of more durable material,
which were actually written later than the papyrus groups of manuscripts.
Therefore, the simple age of a manuscript copy is irrelevant. What matters is its content. And
with conflicting manuscripts, how can we tell which are authentic? Well, we check their origins.
The Received Text emanates from copies hailing back most notably to Antioch, Syria. So, can
we trust manuscripts from this area?
In the Book of Acts, Antioch is noted to be the city where the disciples were first called
Christians (Acts 11:26). Many prophets and teachers were brought up there under the guidance
of Apostle Paul (13:1, 15:35), whose scriptures immediately follow Acts in the Bible, and speak
primarily to the church today. His books comprise at least 32% of the New Testament:

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Antioch became a home base for Paul, where he would occasionally regroup with the
disciples (Acts 14, 15, 18). The city was a grand center for Christianity with many prophets and
disciples migrating in and out (11, 15).
[ Note: Along with Antioch, much of Syria, as well as neighboring Cilicia was brought
up in the faith by Paul who revisited them to confirm their churches (15:36-41) ]

Trusting the Apostle Paul, we can have confidence in the early central church at Antioch, and
thereby the manuscripts from it, as well as 5,000+ total manuscripts compiled since then
whose text properly aligns with those of Antioch.
So what about the longer-surviving Greek manuscripts (totaling 45+) whose text differs? Did
you know that all other English Bibles are translated using them? Theyd better be right... right?

The Two English Bibles, Pt. 2: Change! Better or Worse?

In 1881 entered two men, Brooke Westcott and Fenton Hort. These two published their Greek
Critical Text in an effort to modify the Received Text with dissimilar manuscripts.
Westcott and Hort favored two particular manuscripts in the assembling of this Critical Text:
Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus.
Sinaiticus and Vaticanus not only differ textually from the Received Text, but also from each
other in multiple places. Furthermore, Sinaiticus is known to have been modified literally
thousands of times, making it one of the most edited manuscripts in existence.
These manuscripts both have their origins traced back to Alexandria, Egypt. So, with
conflicting texts, which can we trust more, Alexandria in Egypt, or Antioch?
Unfortunately, after the New Testament was written, heretical scholars arose in Alexandria,
who altered the text; the most notable being Origen Adamantius (184-254 AD), who denied the
historicity of scripture, calling it allegorical, and rejected the Holy Trinity.
Also note that the amount of scripture bearing witness to the historical corruption of Egypt
numbers beyond what would be practical to detail in this report. From the first Book of Genesis
to the final Book of Revelation, Egypt is nearly always found opposing God.
Critical Text in hand, Westcott and Hort misleadingly stated their goal as follows:
"to adapt King James' version to the present state of the
English language without changing the idiom and vocabulary"

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This appealed to itching ears and drew Christians to their English Revised Version. By
1901, printing began in the US, and it became labeled the American Standard Version (ASV).
Over time, more than 50 different versions were produced using Westcott and Horts Critical
Alexandrian Text and its subsequent ASV. These include the NASB, ESV, NIV, NKJV, RSV,
NLT, NET, and New World Translation (the Jehovahs Witnesses Bible).
To this day, the only English Bible that remains consistent with the 5,000+ majority of
manuscripts minus the differing 45+ minority is the KJV. Some have a tough time accepting this
reality because they believe the KJVs older style is difficult to read, obligating God to provide
us all with a more recent translation. But why would God give us 50 different English Bibles?
In actuality, older words retained by the KJV such as thee and thou serve a vital role in
properly understanding the text. Thee, thou, thy, and thine are 2nd-person singular, while ye,
you, and your denote 2nd-person plural. See the simplicity of it:
If it starts with T, its speaking to a particular person, if it starts with Y, its referring to a
group or everyone. In the modern versions, this distinction is removed, which opens up the
reader to accidentally twisting the audience of certain passages, even with context in mind.
Today we have dictionaries at our fingertips with the internet and even phone apps. We dont
have to flip a single page to look up any older, yet more accurate word found in the KJV.
Knowing the truth, wed be hard pressed to find an excuse to settle with the modern versions.

Finally. Comparing scripture with... what claims to be scripture:

The much often debated 1 John 5:7-8. Watch the the Trinity here:
KJV: For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
And there are three that bear witness in earth,
the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

ASV: And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth.
For there are three who bear witness,
the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one.

NIV: For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and
the blood; and the three are in agreement.

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Here is just one example of how these updated Alexandrian versions disagree even with each
other, let alone the KJV. Where is the Trinity?
[ Important: The NIV claims this reading is "not found in any Greek manuscript before the
sixteenth century," yet it can be found in the old Syriac (AD 170), old Latin (AD 200), Latin
Vulgate: 4th and 5th century, Italian 4th and 5th century. Additionally, many early church
fathers quoted it, as found in Liber Apologetic (AD 350) and Council of Carthage (AD 415). ]

1 Timothy 3:16:
ASV: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness;
He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels,
Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.

KJV: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

The great mystery of godliness is that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. Jehovahs
Witnesses and others will use the modern versions to support their idea that Jesus Christ is not
God, rejecting the Trinity. Can we blame them? Their newer versions have been altered.
Another passage many misinterpret Christs deity in is from Philippians 2:5-6:
ASV: Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
who, existing in the form of God,
counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped

One word: ambiguous. Translated in a way that can be taken either of two ways.
KJV: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God

And yet the ASV is supposed to be less confusing; easier to read in the present English.
I encourage you to do an internet search for a list of textual contradictions between the KJV
and the modern versions. There are hundreds. Remember, the corruption of Gods word is not
so overt, but subtle. Satan could try throwing an entirely different book at us and it wouldnt
work. But tweak the scripture a bit... Yea, hath God said? I leave you with Proverbs 30:5...
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.