Understanding The Presentation and Preservation of God's Word

Jeremiah 23:36 states that God's Word was being perverted by His own people. As a result of their actions, they were going to have to live according to their word and not from His Word. The people of God would not hear God's Word (burden) any more.

The actions of God's people today many times resemble the actions of God's people in the past. Especially when it comes to the Word of God! This study is designed to educate the people of God on the Word of God.

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I. The Different Languages of the Bible.

A. The Word of God was written in three different languages.

1. Hebrew.

2. Aramaic.

3. Greek.

B. The Languages of the Old Testament.

1. Hebrew was used to write most of the Old Testament.

2. Aramaic was used to write a small portion of the Old Testament

a). Ezra 4:8-6:18, & 7:12-26 was written in Aramaic

b). Daniel 2:4-7:28 was written in Aramaic

c). Jeremiah 10:4 was written in Aramaic.

C. The Language of the New Testament.

1. The New Testament was written in Greek.

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II. The Beginning of the Written Word of God.

A. God wrote the Word of God Himself.

1. God wrote the Word of God in stone and gave it to Moses. Exodus 31:18 & 34:27-28. Deuteronomy 10:4-5.

B. God allowed others to write His Word.

1. Moses' law was written in the book. Deuteronomy 31:24-26.

2. Copies of the book were made. Deuteronomy 17:18.

3. Joshua added to the book. Joshua 24:26.

4. Samuel wrote in a book. I. Samuel 10:25.

5. The book was known 400 years later. II. Kings 22:8-20.

6. Prophets wrote in a book. Jeremiah 36:32, Zechariah 1:4, 7:7-12.

7. Ezra read the book. Ezra 7:6, Nehemiah 8:5.

8. The Jews spoke of the book. Matthew 21:42, Mark 14:49, John 5:39.

9. Jesus spoke about the book. Luke 24:38.

10. Jesus read from the book. Luke 4:16-21.

11. Paul quotes as scripture I. Timothy 5:18. His reference is only found in the New Testament. Matthew 10:10, Luke 10:7. This makes the New Testament scripture just as the Old Testament is scripture.

12. Paul's books were authoritative. I. Corinthians 2:7-13, 14:37, I. Thessalonians 2:13.

13. Paul's epistles were to be read in churches. Colossians 4:16, I. Thessalonians 5:27, II. Thessalonians 2:15.

14. Peter states Paul's writings were scripture. II. Peter 3:15-16.

15. John states he wrote God's Word. Revelation 1:2.

C. God gave the Word.

1. God used many people to write His Word. Psalm 68:11.

There are sixty six books in the Bible written over a period of 1600 years by forty different authors. God has promised to preserve every word. Isaiah 40:8, Matthew 24:35, Psalm 12:6-7.

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III. There Were Different Languages Mentioned in the Bible.

The Word of God mentions more languages than just Hebrew and Greek. Although the Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. There were other languages mentioned in the Word of God.

A. God's Word states there were diversity of languages.

1. Deuteronomy 28:49 states their was a language that the Hebrews would not understand.

2. Ezra 4:7 mentions the Syrian language.

3. Isaiah mentions the Egyptian tongue or dialect.

4. Acts 2:8 mentions diverse languages from sixteen different countries. These languages were peculiar to the people of their land or country.

5. Revelation speaks of diverse tongues, languages and nations. Revelation 5:9.

B. Different Languages did not mean Different Meanings or Concepts. Although the Language was different, the meaning stayed the same.

1. Esther 1:22 states a message was to be delivered to all providence's and tongues. Although the message was written in different languages, it did not mean the message was changed. Notice; Esther 3:12 was the same message, it was just in a different language.

2. In Acts 2:6 the miracle of the day of Pentecost, was that the Jews from different languages heard the message of God in their own language, of which they were born. See also Acts 2:8. They heard the same message, although it was given to each of them in their own language.

3. In II. Kings 18:26 a request is made that a message be delivered in the Sydrian language rather than in the Hebrew language.

4. In Ezra 4:7 a message was delivered in the Syrian tongue.

It is clear in the Scriptures that different languages were used in Bible days. Although different languages were used, the meaning stayed the same. The same is true of God's Word. Although God's Word has been translated into different languages, the meaning and truth of God's Word is still the same. God has promised to preserve His Word unto every generation. Psalm 12:6-7.

C. Those who are unlearned or unstable believe that the original scriptures are the only true Words of God.

1. When the scripture uses the term unlearned, it is referring to those who are not properly taught in the division/dividing of scripture. II. Peter 3:16, and I. Timothy 2:15.

2. Those unlearned do not believe in the teaching of the preservation of God's Word as taught in Psalm 12:6-7.

3. Pslam 12:6-7 teaches that God's Word will be kept to every generation.

4. Psalm 12:6-7 also teaches that God will preserve His Word

a). He will keep His Word safe

b). He will keep His Word from destruction

c). He will keep His Word from decay

5. Just because God's Word is translated into other languages does not mean It ceases to be the Word of God!

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IV. The Origin of Language.

A. The beginning of language starts with God Himself.

1. God spoke audibly to Adam after he was created. Genesis 1:27-30.

2. All humanity spoke the same language up to the time of Genesis 11:1.

B. The Scripture mentions in Genesis 10:5 the different languages of Noah's children.

1. Genesis 10 is the history of Noah's children settling the different parts of the world.

2. Genesis 10:32 informs the reader that the different languages, as well as the setting of the world, came after the flood.

3. Genesis 11 gives the breakdown on the event, which led God to confound the language of mankind.

C. God Confounded the language of man. Genesis 11:1-9.

1. The term confound means to mix, to disarranged, to tangle.

2. God took the existing language and rearranged it to develop the different languages of the world. Genesis 11:7.

3. God did not confound mankind's intellect. He confounded the language.

4. The people could understand the language that God gave them. But they could not understand the language that God, gave to others. Genesis 11:7.

5. In confounding the languages God, scattered the people over the face of the earth. Genesis 11:8.

6. Genesis 10 informs the reader of the Word of God, where Noah's children migrated. Genesis 11 informs the reader of the Word of God, how the different languages came about. From Noah's children came the different nationalities of the world. (The events recorded in Genesis 10 came after the tower of Babel in Genesis 11).

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V. The History of The Word of God.

A. All Scripture originated with God.

1. II. Timothy 3:16 states God inspired the Word. This means it came from God Himself. He spoke the Word. Cf.; Matthew 4:4, Psalm 68:11.

2. God has promised to preserve His Word. Psalm 12:6-7.

B. God's Word was hand copied form generation to generation.

1. Copies were made. Deuteronomy 17:18.

2. Copies were made of different books. Proverbs 25:1.

C. God's Word was copied on different things.

1. On stone. Joshua 8:30-32.

2. In a book. I. Samuel 10:25. The books were made of paperous, vermilion, leather, and paper scrolls. Eventually God's Word was bounding books.

3. The book of Psalms was the first book which was printed. It was printed in 1477. In 1488 the entire Old Testament was printed.

4. God gave His Word unto the Jews first. Romans 1:16, Romans 3:2.

5. The Jewish scribes hand copied the Word of God. When a copy was used for a period of time, it would be destroyed, lest there be a part of it marred by continual use.

6. It was copies of the Word of God in which Jesus used, as He ministered on this earth. Luke 4:16-21. Luke 24:27, 44-48

7. There are no original scriptures any where. There are copies of the originals called "The Massoretic Hebrew Text". These were copied by the Massorites. The New Testament copies are the Greek scriptures dated about 100 A.D. All the New Testament was written during the life of the Apostles. The oldest New Testament is the "Pershita Bible" it is the Syrian manuscript.

8. The manuscript line of the King James Bible is as follows;

a). Massoretic Text. Traditional Hebrew Text.

b). Greek New Testament. 30-90 A.D.

c). Syrian Manuscript of Asia Minor. 100-200 A.D. (Syria of Antioch where Paul preached Acts 13:14).

d). Old Latin & Old Syriac of the originals. 100-200 A.D.

e). Papyrus Readings of the Receptus. 150-400 A.D. (The receptus means that these were received from the manuscripts of the originals).

f). Unicial Readings of the Receptus. 150-400 A.D.

g). Latin Bible of the Waldensians. 1100-1300 A.D.

h). Latin Bible of the Albigeneses. 1300-1500 A.D.

i). Latin Bible of the Lollards. 1382-1550 A.D.

j). Martin Luther's German Bible. 1522-1534 A.D

k). The Russian, French, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Bulgarian, Rumanian, Swiss, Swedish, Austrian and Czech Bibles that came from Luther's Version. 1540-1900 A.D.

l). Wycliff. 1382 A.D.

m). Tyndale. 1522 A.D.

n). Erasmas. 1522 A.D.

o). Coverdale. 1535 A.D.

p). Matthew's. 1537 A.D.

q). The Receptus of 1516, Beza's Receptus of 1565, Stephanus of 1550, Colinaeu's Receptus of 1534, and Elzevir's Receptus of 1624.

r). King James Version. 1611 A.D.

9. This is the true line of Texts received form the Originals. It is traced back to the time of the Apostles.

10. The other bibles come from other texts (texts other than those received from the time of the apostles). Their lines is as follows;

a). The Apocrypha. 300-50 B.C. (The apocrypha means hidden. These books were never used by The Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostles never used them. The Old Testament is quoted 263 times. It is alluded to over 370 times. But the apocrypha, was not a part of God's Word. It was included in the King James Bible at first, as a part of Jewish history. But it was placed between the Old Testament and The New Testament. It was never intended to be a part of God's Word. The next translation of the King James Bible omitted the apocrypha, because some people thought it was a part of Scripture. In A.D. books of the Apocrypha to be scripture, therefore they have included them in the midst of their bible).

b). Philo. 20 B.C.-50 A.D.

c). Clement of Alexandria. 150-215 A.D.

d). Origen of Alexandria. 184-254 A.D.

e). Eussebius of Caesarea. 260-340 A.D.

f). Vaticanus B. 331 A.D.

g). Sinaiticus. 331 A.D.

h). Jerome. 382 A.D.

i). Alexandrinus. 450 A.D.

j). Codex Ephraem. 450 A.D.

k). Latin Vulgate. 1592 A.D.

l). Brian Walton. 1657 A.D.

m). John Mill. 1707 A.D.

n). Griesbach. 1774 A.D.

o). Carl Lachmann. 1842 A.D.

p). Tregelles. 1857 A.D.

q). Tischendorf. 1870 A.D.

r). Alford. 1861, 1872 A.D.

s). Westcott and Hort. 1881 A.D. (This text was used by these men to replace the King James Version. From this text came the English Revised Version of the Bible of 1884 A.D. and the American Standard Version of 1901 A.D.).

t). Eberhard Nestle. 1898 A.D

11. These versions are traced back to three main sources;

a). Vanicanus B. Dating back to 331 A.D. Its manuscript was found in a Vatican. It is now housed in the Vatican Library in Rome.

b). Sinaitic 331 A.D.

c). Alexandrian Manuscript 450 A.D.

12. As you can see the manuscripts used to translate the King James Version, are those traceable to the Apostles and the Apostle Paul. Those of the other versions are traceable only to The Vatican, Alexandria of Egypt, and Sinai.

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VI. The different Text for the English Bible.

A. As noted, the English Bible (King James Version) has been translated from an entirely different line of texts than the other translations of the Bible. The change in the English speaking community came in the 1800's.

1. Two men Westcott and Hort, decided that the English Bible needed to be translated again. Unlike the King James Version, which was authorized by a King. The Bible which Westcott and Hort, translated was done by their own choosing.

2. These men choose texts different from which the King James was translated.

3. There are 5,309 manuscripts either in part or in whole that contain the New Testament. These texts agree in most cases. There are some differences which account to about 5 percent.

4. In 1516 Erasmus, compiled and edited the Scripture and printed it in Greek. This is where the King James was translated from. Remember, this Greek manuscript only differed 5 percent from the other translations. So the modern translations did contain the Received Texts (Manuscripts of the King James Version). The problem in that they also contained portions form the other manuscripts which were not traceable back to the apostles.

B. When Westcott and Hort Translated their Bible they used some Corrupt Texts.

1. There were many verses in which Westcott and Hort, choose to translate from the corrupt texts of Alexandria and Vaticanas.

2. Beside the over 5,000 texts existing in their day. There were translations of the bible in different languages dating back to 100 years of the apostles. These translations of the bible in these other languages agreed with the Textus Receptus, or received Text, with the exception of about 5 percent of the time.

3. Wescott and Hort choose to use the texts of Alexandria and Vaticanus in some verses that the reliable texts traceable to the time of the apostles.

4. The texts they chose different among themselves over 300 times.

5. The Vatican text they used was found in a library in the Vatican. It omitted Genesis 1:1-46:28, Psalm 106-138, Matthew 16:2-3, all the Pauline Pastorial epistles, Hebrews 9:14-13:25, and all of the book of Revelation. In the Gospels 237 words were omitted, 452 clauses and 748 whole sentences.

6. The Alexandrian texts they used was found in 1844 in Saint Catherine's Monastery near Mount Sinai. It was discovered by a man named Tischendorf. It contained most all of the New Testament. It also contained other books not found in the received texts.

a). In April of 1892 Philip Mauro was admitted to the United States Supreme Court. In the 1900's he wrote a book entitled Which Version. Concerning the Siniaticus he wrote... "From these facts, therefore, we deduce; first that the impurity of Codex Sinaiticus, in every part of it, was full recognized by those who were best acquainted with it, and that from the very beginning until the time when it was finally cast aside as worthless for any practical purpose."

b). Again remember, that Westcott and Hort chose to use manuscripts that were not of the manuscripts received from the time of the apostles. They chose the other manuscripts which differed from each other.

c). What translators do which use the text that Westcott and Hort translated is to put verses in questions. They do this by putting in the margin of their bible statements such as "the older manuscripts did not contain these verse. For example; the last 12 verses of Mark. Two manuscripts leave out these verse.

Those manuscripts are the Alexandrian and Vanicants manuscripts. Westcott and Hort choose these manuscripts when translating Mark. Other words the translators use are; this verse not found in the oldest manuscripts; ancient authorities omit this verse, ect. Some examples are; Mark 16:9-20, Mark 9:44, 9:46, Matthew 6:13, John 7:53-8:11, Acts 8:37.

d). Remember, when you see these phrases; ancient authorities, or older manuscripts do not contain these verse, keep in mind that they are taking their information from the corrupt texts.

They does not get this information from the Received Text of the King James Bible! Their test differed from the King James Text in 5,337 places!

C. Omissions left out in the Prominent New International Version. The International Bible is being accepted as the most reliable bible of our day. It is being used by most to the television and popular speakers who are before the masses. The International Bible, is being taunted as the Bible for all people.

1. Although the New International Version contains the books of the bible. The New International Version does not contain all of the verses and words of the Bible!

2. The New International Version used the Greek text that Arthur Wescott translated. It has already been established that this Greek text different from the received text. And that the Westcott text omitted verses, passages and words from the Word of God.

3. The New International Version's chief editor is a disbeliever to the true teachings of Christianity. This [his NIV] shows the great err that is so prevalent today in some orthodox Protestant circles, namely the error that regeneration depends upon faith... and that in order to be born again man must first accept Jesus as Savior. (Edwin Palmer, The Holy Spirit (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1974), p.83.

4. Few clear and decisive texts say that Jesus is God. ( Kenneth Baker, The NIV: The making of a contemporary Translation (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Corporation. 1986), p.143.

5. Some of the verses and words that have been changed from the Word of God are; Romans 1:18,21,24; II Corinthians 2:17; I Timothy 6:5,10,20.

6. Acts 8:37 is left out of the NIV. It is also out in these other verses which are translated from texts other than the received texts of the King James Version. Revised Standard Bible, New World Translation (The Bible of the Jehovah Witnesses), New Revised Standard Version, New English Version, Good News for Modern Man. New Testament in the Language of the People, New Testament In Modern English, Catholic Bible, and the New Scofield Bible.

7. Mark 9:43-48 are verses left out of the NIV. However, the newest edition of the NIV now adds these verses.

8. Zechariah 13:6 is changed in the NIV from "..these wounds in thy hands?" to "...wounds on thy body." It was clearly prophesied that Jesus would be wounded in His hands.

9. I John 5:7 is changed form "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." To " There are three that testify."

10. II Samuel 22:6 states, "the sorrow of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me." The NIV changes it to read, "...the cords of the grave."

11. I Timothy 3:16 says, "God was manifest in the flesh.." The NIV changes the word, God , to the word, He. It is obvious that the texts used for the translation of the NIV are texts the ignore and neglect the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ!

D. More Noticeable facts of the New International Version.

1. The text used to translate the NIV is the Nestlé's Greek text. This text is the result of Westcott and Hort's translation. This Greek text (Nestle's) was translated from the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts. These manuscripts as previously noted omitted Revelation, the Pauline epistles and many other verse of scripture. Westcott and Hort had to use verses and books from the King James Version text (The Received Text). But when they translated they included the corrupt texts of the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus. Both of the manuscripts contain the Apocryphal books as part of the inspired Word of God. The translators call these manuscripts call these manuscripts the more reliable manuscripts. Nothing can be farther from the truth. These manuscripts and the so-called bibles that are translated from them stand in direct contradiction of the King James Bible!

2. The translators of the NIV make the following statements:

a). "The NIV is a completely new translation of the Holy Bible made by over a hundred scholars working directly form the best available Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek Text." p.vii. The truth is that they included the corrupt text of Westcott and Hort which differ from the New Testament of The King James Bible in over 3000 verses, as being good texts.

3. The NIV is a translation that has originated from corrupt manuscripts. The manuscripts, as noted, take away from the Deity of The Lord Jesus Christ.

a). For example; Luke 2:33. The KJV has "And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him." The NIV has .."The child's father" instead of Joseph and his mother. The NIV teaches that Joseph was Jesus' father. This of course, is heresy.

b). Micah 5:2. The KJV has prophecy of Jesus as being from of old, form everlasting. The NIV changes Jesus from being an eternal being to one that has only been from ancient times.

c). Daniel 3:25. The KJV states that the fourth person in the fire with the three Hebrew children was like the Son of God. The NIV has changed this to read ...a son of gods.

d). Colossians 1:14 states Christians receive redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. The NIV omits through his blood.

e). Romans 14:10-12. These verses teach that Christians will appear before the judgment seat of Christ. And that every tongue will confess to God. The NIV change this verse and omits the name Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20, that one can know of things by the fruit which they bear. Also in Matthew 12:33 Jesus said, Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt; for the tree is known by his fruit. Either the King James Version is good or corrupt; or either the New International Version, is good or corrupt. According to the evidence, which is open to all, it is evident that the versions which came from the corrupt manuscripts are also themselves corrupt. Therefore, one must conclude that the bibles that came from the corrupt texts are corrupt texts are corrupt. They are the versions that comply with the popular trends of the world's view of theology. I Timothy 4:1 predicted the corruptness of doctrine which would permeate the Christian world. The teachings of the prominent theologians today run concurrent with the world. However, God states that preachers are to preach out and against the changing of doctrine. II Timothy 4:2-3. The prominent versions corrupt sound doctrine by changing the truths of God. This is called apostasy! Jude prophesied that this would happen as recorded in Jude 3-4. Believers should denounce the new versions and the corrupt teaching that they contain. God has promised to preserve His Word unto every generation Psalm 12:6-7. The Word of God for the English speaking people is the King James Version of 1611. It comes from the received manuscripts that glorify the person, of the Lord Jesus Christ!

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VII. Questions You May Have About The Bible.

There are some questions many have, that have been asked by skeptics of the Authorized King James Bible. These questions tend to dislodge some people's faith in the Authorized King James Bible. These questions will be presented with an appropriate response.

A. What about the Italicized Words, of the King James Bible?

1). Many are taught that the italicized words are not a part of scripture. They are taught, that they are or were inserted by the translators, to clarify the meaning.

a). The truth of the matter is that the italicized words are a part of the English Language. The English language uses the italicized words to bring out the main emphasis of the verse! The translators knew the different languages. And the translators knew the emphasis of each verse. They used the Italicizes words to notify the reader to emphasize the meaning of the verse. When the reader sees the italicized words. The readers is to recognize the purpose of the italics and pay particular attention, to what is being read.

b). Secondly, the Italicized words are quoted as scripture in the Word of God. The writers of the New Testament quote, as scripture, the italicized words of the Old Testament! Notice the following Old Testament verses containing Italicized words which are quoted in the New Testament. Psalm 16:8 the Italicized words he is, is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:25. Deuteronomy 25:4 the italicized words the corn is quoted by Paul in I Corinthians 9:9, and also see I Timothy 5:18. In Deuteronomy 8:3 the italicized words every word is quoted by Matthew and Luke in Matthew 4:4, and in Like 4:4. Other verses for reference are; Psalm 82:6 which has italicizes words quoted in John 10:34; Isaiah 28:16 which has italicized words quoted in Peter 2:6.

B. What about the Original King James Version of 1611? I contained the Apocrypha. Why do people insist that the Authorized 1611 is the Word of God, when the King James Bible of today does not contain the Apocrypha?

1. The original 1611 Version continued the Apocrypha. However, it was not contained among the other books of the bible.

2. The Apocrypha was placed between the Old Testament and the New Testament as historical books only.

3. The reason the Apocrypha was taken out of the King James Version was because some people thought the Aprocryphia was the Word of God.

4. Taking the Apocrypha out keeps people from the false assumption of it, the Aprocrypha, being the Word of God.

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