What is/are the differences between the KJV Bible and the NIV Bible?

Question

What is/are the differences between the King James Version (KJV) of the Bilbe and the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible?

Answer 1

KJV is old English
NIV is more to the English here in the US, or not as proper..LOL, it is broken down to better understand, I have a Bible that has 4 versions to it, and I go from one to the other to compare and also online

Answer 2

Those people need to read that KJV that they love so much! It seems that they seem to have somehow misinterpreted the Shakespearian grammar. Seriously though, there are two camps of KJV people: One is the traditionalist who loves it because there is a sentimental tie to it and the conviction that it is a holier language (ever noticed how they slip into KJV speak when they pray?), and secondly there is the scholar who appreciates the literalism of the KJV. The scholar who is very spiritually minded might be against the NIV because many of its translators are liberals and because they used a system of textual criticism which basically says that there are variations of meaning in ancient manuscripts (that is why your NIV suggests that most early manuscripts don't have the last part of Mark). I love the KJV's accuracy and poetry, but also like the plain English of the NIV. If I were studying a particular passage I would look at both and then refer the the key Greek words, tenses etc. Can you trust the NIV? By enlarge yes, but it is always good to look at the KJV, and the New KJV for clarification.

Answer 3

Why did the recently published “New International Version” (NIV) of the Bible fail to use the name of God where it appears about 7,000 times in ancient Bible manuscripts? In response to a person who inquired about this, Edwin H. Palmer, Th.D., Executive Secretary for the NIV’s committee wrote:

“Here is why we did not: You are right that Jehovah is a distinctive name for God and ideally we should have used it. But we put 2 1/4 million dollars into this translation and a sure way of throwing that down the drain is to translate, for example, Psalm 23 as, ‘Yahweh is my shepherd.’ Immediately, we would have translated for nothing. Nobody would have used it. Oh, maybe you and a handful [of] others. But a Christian has to be also wise and practical. We are the victims of 350 years of the King James tradition. It is far better to get two million to read it—that is how many have bought it to date—and to follow the King James, than to have two thousand buy it and have the correct translation of Yahweh. . . . It was a hard decision, and many of our translators agree with you.”

Concerning the NIV:

Bruce Metzger: (NIV) "It is surprising that translators who profess to have 'a high view of scripture" should take liberties with text by omitting words or, more often, by adding words that are not in the manuscripts."

Since the NIV was held hostage by the KJV, is the KJV a better bible?

No, though it was good for it's day, we know know that it has over 20,000 known mistakes.

Duthie, in his book "How to Choose your Bible" states

for seriouse bible readers:

NASB, RSV, NWT are the best.

Of these three the NWT has been judged the best.

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.

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Answer 4

KJV in preface to the 1611 edition, translators state it was not their purpose 'to make a new translation" but to make a good one better'. The best of the English version, is a continuation of the labors of the earlier translators.

The New King James Version uses terms that are easier to read just as the NIV. Both are better English translations. They are both deserving to be called The Bible, The Word of God. There are only slight differences, none of which changes the meaning of any passage.

Answer 5

The King James Bible is an English translation that was originally released in 1611 (during the lifetime of Shakespeare). Because the language has changed over the last 400 years, it had to be revisted in the 1790s. That is the version used today. However, still being 200 years old, some of the words have changed meaning (such as Paul stated that satan had "let" him go to Rome, with "let" meaning "hinderered him" from going to Rome).

While it is a good translation, with some wonderfully poetic language, it is becoming harder and harder to understand.

The NIV translation is a newer version made just a few years ago. It is a very readable version, but has sometimes sacrificed a little of the accuratcy to make it more "understandable". It has also choosen language that is equally acceptable in both Great Britain and the US (as they do use different versions of "English" - thus the "International" in the name.

In the early 20th century, two scholars (Westcott and Holt) released an "updated" version of what they considered to be the original text of the New Testamen books. They went through the roughly 7,000 manuscripts of the NT, and if there was a variation in even one copy, they followed the 1 and not the 6,999. There are about 40 such alternate readings, with most be one different word (such as your instead of our) or two words reverse (such as Jesus Christ instead of Christ Jesus). In its notes, the NIV Bible makes reference to some of those alternate readings. So some people have rejected it because it dares to "question the valid of the Bible".

If you want a good translation, try the New King James. It is a version which keeps as much of the working and language of the tradition KJ Bible, but updates where needed to keep the language readable for today. It has a nice balance between the beauty of the King James and the readability you need to understand it.

Answer 6

Satan's first attack on the human race was "Yea, hath God said....." Satan's aim of attack hasn't changed. In Luke 8, Christ tells the parable of the sower, verses 11,12 read, "Nor the parable is this: The SEED is the word of God ....THEN COMEth the devil, and taketh away the word...."

Satan knows if he can supplant even a small seed of doubt in God's word - mankind will look elsewhere! Never in history has such doubt and confusion over the Bible existed as it is today. Nothing flames the fire of confusion more than the scores of different translations flooding the world. Since 1880 over 200 different translations have appeared. Every 6 months a new English version appears! No wonder people are confused.

God promising in Psalm 12:7 that he would preserve His word and God keeps His promises. The King James is the preserved word of God. The new versions are satanic counterfeits to cast doubt, cause confusion and attack the Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the clearest verses in the Bible proclaiming the deity of Jesus Christ, that Jesus was God in the flesh, is 1 Timothy 3:16. The King James Bible reads, "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..." The King James says, clearly, "God was manifest in the flesh.."

The New International Version (NIV) SAYS, "He appeared in a body." The NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV, etc. change "God" to "He." He appeared in a body. Big deal! Everyone has appeared in a body.

But the KJV is clear and definite, "God was manifest in the flesh."

Go to http://www.av1611.org/attack.html

There are many more and they are very disturbing and I will only read the King James Version.

Answer 7

Comparisons between The KJV and NIV Texts

http://ecclesia.org/truth/m-m.html

Answer 8

I don't read the KJV. It has a lot of errors in translation and will lead to wrong interpretation. Just look at the people who use the KJV. They do not agree among each other in their interpretation. They read the Bible but do not understand it. Pathetic people really.

Answer 9

Unknown

KJV, divinely brought about for English speaking readers. The KJV Contains God's Spirit.

NIV, another version.

The KJV is not that difficult to understand and is time tested and approved.

Answer 10

KJV is the Bible

The NIV is missing so many things, it's hard to call it a complete Bible. The NIV is from unbelievers Wescott and Hort:

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Bible/wh-heretics.htm