King James Version vs. Other Versions?

Question

My husband believes that the King James Version Bible is the only "true" version of the Bible since it was translated directly from the original Hebrew and Greek. I believe there is at least one other version that was translated directly from the original Scriptures. Does anyone know what that version is?

Answer 1

Actually the KJV predominately used the Latin Vulgate, Tyndall's bible and a few Greek and Hebrew manuscripts from about the 8th century.


Today's modern English bibles have hundreds of copies of Greek and Hebrew manuscripts some dating back 200 yrs before Christ.

Please note these comments.

Old Testament:
In fact, the New World Translation is a scholarly work. In 1989, Professor Benjamin Kedar of Israel said:
"In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translation, I often refer to the English edition as what is known as the New World Translation. In doing so, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this kind of work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew....Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the New World Translation any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain."

New Testament:

While critical of some of its translation choices, BeDuhn called the New World Translation a “remarkably good” translation, “better by far” and “consistently better” than some of the others considered. Overall, concluded BeDuhn, the New World Translation “is one of the most accurate English translations of the New Testament currently available” and “the most accurate of the translations compared.”—Truth in Translation: Accuracy and Bias in English Translations of the New Testament.

“Here at last is a comprehensive comparison of nine major translations of the Bible:
King James Version,
New American Standard Bible,
New International Version,
New Revised Standard Version,
New American Bible,
Amplified Bible,
Today's English Version (Good News Bible),
Living Bible,
and the New World Translation.
The book provides a general introduction to the history and methods of Bible translation, and gives background on each of these versions. Then it compares them on key passages of the New Testament to determine their accuracy and identify their bias. Passages looked at include:
John 1:1; John 8:58; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1

Jason BeDuhn
Associate Professor of Religious Studies, and Chair
Department of Humanities, Arts, and Religion
Northern Arizona University

Answer 2

The NIV is supposed to be pretty close to the original also. There are so many versions of the Bible out there now, that it is hard to decide which is the best one. My wife likes the New American Standard, I like King James, my daughter likes the New King James. I have a parallel Bible with four different translations side by side so you can compare them. It is good for study, because you can get different views of the same scripture. Contact your local Christian bookstore and ask them which one is closest to the original.

Answer 3

Yes. It's called the Latin Vulgate. That was the FIRST bible translated from the original Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic by St. Jerome, who was, and probably still is, the greatest linguist that ever lived. He was fluent in all three languages, including Latin.

Many King James Bible supporters are always so worried about shielding there beloved version from the "stigma" of the terrible word "revision", in the hope they can present the Authorized Version as a perfect version of the Bible. They often ignore one simple fact, the 1611 King James Version was it self simply nothing more than a revision of earlier corrupt Protestant English Bibles. although it was a improvement over the earlier versions, it was far from perfect.
http://www.catholicapologetics.net/0002kjv.htm

Luther's Protestant Bible came out 1520 and before his Bible the Catholic Bible had been translated into Spanish, Italian, Danish, French, Norwegian, Polish, Bohemian, Hungarian and English, there was exactly 104 editions in Latin; 38 editions in German language, 25 editions in Italian language, 18 in French. In all 626 editions of the Bible with 198 in the language of the laity, had been edited before the first Protestant Bible was sent forth into the world.

The divisions of the Bible. The Bible was divided into chapters by Bishop Stephen Langton in the 13th century, and into verses in the 15th and 16th centuries. Protestants who use chapter and verse numbers are following a lesser Catholic tradition, and have no clue as to why.The first Bible to be printed in the modern chapter-verse format was Stephanus' Latin Bible of 1555. The first English Bible to incorporate these divisions was the popular Geneva English Bible of 1557, which was a forerunner of the 1611 King James Bible.

Answer 4

The science of textual criticism attempts to reconstruct the text from the available manuscripts. No one has the "originals" except God, where it is written in heaven. The King James or Authorized Version is taken from the majority text, meaning that it most closely agrees with the majority of ancient documents. Most all of the other translations favor a critical selection of those documents believed to be the oldest. There is considerable debate about which appraoch is the most accurate, however, for living out the faith - which is what it's all about - most any translation will work.

Answer 5

LIFE IS VERY SHORT WHEN IT COME TO LEARNING THE BIBLE

KJV Bible 1611 + 303 = 1914 and WW1 of 1260 days, 3 !/2 years or 42 months as Revelations says and this bible is an excepted translation for the last days of the world that Satan has been in since Eden, it is coming thriugh 1000's of religions and WW2 and the holocaust, and many world conflicts.

Daniel 8:12-14 [ is 2300 days years to us before world has truth less the 606 BCE to 1694 + 300 until and excepted translation to 1994, after examination of some small facts, along with life being so short, THE TRUTH IS SO VERY IMPORTANT, best not to waste time but get busy with study 2Tim.2:15; 3:16 ];

It seems we have all we need.

Answer 6

The KJV built on a number of earlier translations, particularly Wycliffe's.

The American Standard Version was essentially an entirely new translation, even tho' they tried to keep the text and diction of the KJV whereever possible.

There are a broad number of new translations to suit any taste or denominational flavor. Catholics prefer the Jerusalem Bible. Evangelicals like the New International Version. Other Protestants use the New Revised Standard Version.

Answer 7

The New International Translation is translated directly, and from a wider collection of original documents, so there is even greater accuracy. Actually, King James is translated from Latin Vulgate.

Answer 8

The Masoretic text..edit by Ginsburg in 1880.

Answer 9

I think that the KJV even has its errors in translation, although it is the most correct. I think we need more scripture...
Like... a book of Mormon or something.... :O

Answer 10

Does it REALLY matter