I have been asked this question many times: “Is the King James Bible inspired?” My answer: The King James Bible is not the inspired Word of God in the same way as the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek preserved Traditional Texts were inspired. The Traditional Texts were directly inspired by God, and preserved by God for us till today, while the King James Bible is given to us by “derived inspiration” because of its four-fold superiority (Superior Texts, Translators, Technique and Theology) over all the other modern English versions. The King James Bible remains faithful to the Traditional Texts. So, when you read the King James Bible, it is as if you are reading the Traditional Texts. That is how faithful the King James Bible is. And the Holy Spirit assures you that you are indeed reading the Word of God in English. God willing, I will share more about the four-fold superiority of the King James Bible over all the modern English Bibles in my next article.

The King James Bible is an excellent, faithful English translation of the Traditional Texts. Since most of us cannot read the Bible in its original languages (Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek), we must cherish what we have in our hands: the King James Bible. God gave us the translated Bible in English so that we can have the sure Word of God in our hands, and this also means that we can know God's will for us. We must, therefore, diligently study God’s Word to show ourselves “approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). We can do this only if the English Bible we use is a faithful translation of the perfect Bible!

No doubt God in His sovereignty can use any modern English version of the Bible (eg: the New International Version, NIV) to save an unbeliever from sin, and even to edify a believer in the faith. In the Old Testament, for example, we are told that God, according to His good pleasure, used a false prophet, Balaam, to bless Israel instead of allowing him to curse Israel. Those who use the modern English versions of the Bible are often ignorant of the dangers in these modern English Bibles. Modern English versions of the Bible like the NIV merely contain the Word of God. In other words, they also contain the words of men. They are not the pure Word of God. They ought to be looked upon as Bible commentaries, rather than the Holy Bible. If you are aware of the dangers of modern English Bibles, will you still put your confidence in them? And if you know that the King James Bible is a faithful translation, will you not make the effort to read and study it no matter how difficult it may seem? Will you not lean upon the Spirit of God for wisdom and understanding as you read the King James Bible?

I would not encourage you to use other English versions of the Bible in your private reading or study, as if the use of the King James Bible is only for outward or public show. Modern English versions of the Bible may be easier to read and understand compared to the King James Bible, but this is a very weak reason to favour modern English versions over the King James Bible. The old English of the King James Bible is not difficult to understand if one makes an effort to find out the meaning of the archaic words. They can be known. You must not be put off by words like “thee,” “ye,” “thou,” etc. Instead you should appreciate that the King James Bible is so precise and accurate in its translation. (These different terms, for example, reveal if the second personal pronoun is singular or plural.) We must also pray for the Holy Spirit’s illumination when reading and studying God’s Word. The modern English versions are based on the corrupt manuscripts. Using them (whether privately or publicly) as the Word of God for meditation and study carries the danger of us not knowing exactly what God has revealed to us.

The dangers posed by these modern English Bibles are not insignificant. Wrong, missing or mistranslation of a word, a verse or a passage can lead to an erroneous understanding of God’s Word. Worse still, since they are passed off as the Holy Bible, God’s people will readily put down their spiritual guard. False doctrines and heresies may result from these inaccurate translations. Important doctrines are undermined (eg: the Holy Trinity, the deity, person and work of Christ, the reality of hell and judgment, etc). And these lead to serious errors that corrupt the truth of God. In short, it is most dangerous to use the modern English Bibles for our personal devotion and Bible study.

We who are English-speaking must thank God for the King James Bible. It has stood the test of time since 1611 as the Authorized Version of the Bible. May God help us as we study His Word faithfully and diligently using the King James Bible. Amen.