I received this e-mail from a Chinese Christian. It needs no further introduction.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Just thought i would share with you on my experience on how I decided to change to the AKJV Bible from the NIV which I had been using for a few years.

At first, I thought all bible versions were the same except that the English was just different. Until one day when my muslim friend questioned me regarding the infallibility of the bible. He had his facts from Muslim debaters like Ahmed Deedat and so on and what he brought up really scared me. He showed me so many contradictions in the NIV alone and even questioned me on the missing verses and some figures that were inaccurate. I did not know how to answer him as I haven't been taught these things before. I tried asking my church members but all they could tell me were we have so many manuscripts and it was up to the so and so church council to decide which manuscripts should be put in. My muslim friend even questioned me on the footnotes in my NIV and why is it says some manuscripts have this verse and some manuscripts have that verse. I really didn't know what to do. I even began to have my doubts on whether the Bible is truly the word of God since all these versions contradict each other. And that verse in Revelations 22:19 also made me think a lot on whether I am in the right faith or not. I was very frustrated and angry at why we have all these versions. I prayed a lot on this.

It was only then a few months back when I started reading up on all these Bible corruptions that I only realised that the AKJV is the only infallible word. I decided that the best thing to do then was to go and get one. I had to go to 4 different christian bookstores just to get a King James bible. The majority of the christian bookstores no longer sell the AKJV. They only sell the NIV or the NKJV. The infallible Word of God is being thrown out of our Christian bookstores !And to imagine, the NIV almost killed my faith in Christ !

Recently , I tried sharing with some of my christian friends regarding the bible corruptions. The AKJV is not being used in my church. Only the NIV and the RSV. I thought it be right to tell them that the NIV, RSV and the other versions are corrupted. While I was showing my friend in church today on how the NIV equates Jesus with Satan [Note: in Isaiah and Revelation], my youth fellowship vice-president came to have a look at what we were doing. He then questioned me on whether I thought that the AKJV is the only infallible word of God . So I said yes, it certainly is. He was kinda angry with me for sharing with my friend there by the tone of his voice and the dagger-eyed look he gave me. He then questioned me, "Look here, it is easier for the people to read the NIV and understand God's word cause I myself don't understand the AKJV with all the thees and the thous." So I showed him Revelations 22:19 together with some verses that show how they equate Jesus with Satan. I even showed him some missing verses in the NIV but he didn't seem to care as he felt that it is better that the people get something which is easier to read rather than give them something which they can't understand. So I asked him to try reading it but he said it is hard to read and understand. Rather than pursue with the debate cause it was getting quite heaty on both sides , I decided not to pursue my debate with him at the moment cause we were drawing some curious youths around. Moreover, I was starting to get tensed at that moment.

Anyway, just need your enlightenment on this subject, should I share with my christian friends regarding this bible corruptions and risk the younger youths to lose their faith in the Bible cause the majority of them use either good news or NIV or wait until they are more mature and older before I talk to them about bible corruptions ?

What about bibles in other languages ? The majority of bibles sold in my country in Chinese and Malay (Indonesian) are translated from various versions other than the KJV and yet they have brought many of the Chinese and Indonesians to Christ. What is your opinion on this part regarding bibles in other languages as I have not found any Chinese or Indonesian bible translated from the texus receptus (The manuscripts that the KJV was translated from ) ?

I would be most grateful if you could help me on this. Thank you.

My Response

What a sad and compelling letter you write. Your experience is that of many of us who take a stand for the word of God. As you can imagine, I get a lot of flack here at the site about this issue and at my last church it was the same. Once they started preaching out of the NASV, we had to go. But we had already taught our kids in Sunday School and Awana that the KJV is the word of God. When the new preacher came and started using the NASV, they asked us what was wrong with him. We never said anything against the preacher in response to their questions, but the Lord let us know the impact had been made.

Let me answer your questions by course:

Recently , I tried sharing with some of my christian friends regarding the bible corruptions. I thought it be right to tell them that the NIV, RSV and the other versions are corrupted.

This is totally right and good for we are commanded to expose error to keep the body of Christ clean.

While I was showing my friend in church today on how the NIV equates Jesus with Satan, my youth fellowship vice-president...

He is typical of people who read other versions. One of the reasons I even started the website is because people in my church castigated me for putting an article in our youth newspaper about it. I needed a release to tell people the truth, but alas, many don't want to hear it.

dagger-eyed look he gave me...He then questioned me some verses that show how they equate Jesus with Satan. I even showed him some missing verses in the NIV but he didn't seem to care...

Typical of these kinds of people. The Bible says, "Let him that is ignorant be ignorant." It may sound harsh but that's the way the Bible puts it. There are plenty of people that will hear what you have to say and this man might hear one day--but right now, his pride is puffed up because you're basically telling him, "You're wrong about the NIV."

[He said that it is] better that the people get something which is easier to read rather than give them something which they can't understand. So I asked him to try reading it [KJV] but he said it is hard to read and understand.

I had a young lady who could not read at all, but I still taught her out of the KJV and she could quote scripture. I've had kids who could barely speak English and I still used the KJV. As they were faithful in Sunday School and mid-week youth meetings they learned English remarkably fast and could read and understand the KJV. I would say most of our kids were honor roll students (many of them A students).

In actuality, the KJV is not difficult to understand though there are dark sayings in the Bible that we may not always understand at first. What's so hard about, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." Nothing is hard about it. I've even taught that verse to fourth graders in Spanish!

Anyway, just need your enlightenment on this subject, should I share with my christian friends regarding this bible corruptions and risk the younger youths to lose their faith in the Bible cause the majority of them use either good news or NIV

TELL THEM NOW WHILE THEY ARE YOUNG AND HAVE TENDER HEARTS. Kids listen, adults think they know everything. If the defenders of the new age bibles get mad, let 'em get mad. But I certainly wouldn't stop telling the truth because they are puffed up. I'd personally be looking for a new church and telling the truth while I'm looking. We got kicked out for telling the truth and that place is like a desert now. The Bible says, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." This is what you are experiencing. [Note: my husband and I taught our church kids about the KJV for years. As a result they were the only ones who caught on to the antics of the new pastor who used the NASV.]

or wait until they are more mature and older before I talk to them about bible corruptions ?

NO WAY!! NOW is the time. If at some point you start looking for another church, we have a link to a list of KJV churches all over the world. It's under the "Believer's Corner" section. There are a lot of people out there going through the same thing you are.

What about bibles in other languages ? The majority of bibles sold in my country in Chinese and Malay (Indonesian) are translated from various versions other than the KJV and yet they have brought many of the Chinese and Indonesians to Christ.

God has always given His word in just one language. The OT in Hebrew, the NT in Greek. When these two were put together, He chose English. In terms of perverted Bibles bringing people to Christ, there are two considerations: 1) many of the people witnessing to these Chinese and Malaysian Christians grew up hearing the pure doctrine of the KJV so they are able to accurately explain the things of Christ even though they may use another version. 2) Good can come out of evil. Remember in Acts where the girl kept following the apostles around saying "These men are servants from the Most High God"? She had an evil spirit but she was able to speak some truth--same with these perversions.

What is your opinion on this part regarding bibles in other languages as I have not found any Chinese or Indonesian bible translated from the texus receptus (The manuscripts that the KJV was translated from)?

In addition to the above comments, I would probably "correct" these Bibles before giving them to anyone. For example, I just found out that the Spanish Reina-Valera of 1909 has bad spots like Mark 1:2-3. I have this on my computer at home and before I print it out, I will closely read it and change errors. You could do the same with your Chinese/Indonesian Bibles. I know that this seems like a lot of work, but it will pay big dividends as you will help others to have the truth in their hands.

Sometimes the Bible version issues seems so overwhelming that no one will hear. I get tired of it myself sometimes, but the Lord keeps me going. Dear friend keep telling the truth. Yes, you'll get a lot of "hot" folks but there will be the few (especially kids) who will listen. But then again, Paul warned Timothy that in the last days there would be a great falling away when men would no longer endure sound doctrine. Is this not that day? Just keep praying and doing what we know must be done.

One last thing in terms of buying KJVs. I have several software programs containing the KJV. I intend to print out the entire Bible, copy it, and laminate it for posterity. The day will come where you will find it no where. Our pastor talked with a Greek scholar who was asked to sit on the NKJV translation committee. At the first meeting, the first thing the Thomas Nelson respresentative (publisher's of the NKJV) said was, "Our goal is to get the KJV off the shelf."

For Jesus' sake,
Tracy

Home