Is the NKJV really a King James Version?

08/04/2013 16:26

  Ah yes, the New King James Version. It has won the hearts of countless Christians who wouldn't dare use an NIV, ASV, RSV, etc. It professes to be just like the old KJV just easier to understand, it supposedly takes out all those dreadful "thee's and thou's", and it even came from the same line of manuscripts as the KJV! (only a partial truth). Little do the users and supporters of the NKJV realize that their apparently "safe" KJV alternative is perhaps the most dangerous false translation of them all.

I want to run through a bullet list of a few of the many dangers that Christians should be aware of concerning the New King James Version.

(1. The NKJV is Copyrighted
   The New King James Version (along with almost any other version since 1881) is copyrighted . Thomas Nelson Publishers own the copyright on the NKJV. This means that you cannot quote the NKJV in writing without giving proper credit by referencing that the quote came from the NKJV (unless you have been given consent otherwise by the publishing company). The Authorized KJV does not have a copyright. If you have a KJV Study Bible then your study notes or maps may be copyrighted, but you will NOT find a copyright on the Authorized text of the King James Bible. Why? Because it is the words of God.

(2. There are approximately 100,000 textual changes in the NKJV versus the KJV.
   For a version that claims only to clear up some of the archaic words found in the KJV, they sure have made quite a few textual changes. That 100,000 adds up to an average of some eighty changes per page and about three changes per verse.
   Let us take a look at a few of these changes.

Acts 12:4
NKJV: "...Passover..."
KJV: "...Easter.."
  Note: This change is completely wrong. Easter and Passover are NOT the same. Passover was a Jewish holiday. In the context of this verse, why in the world would Herod (a Roman client king) be observing Passover? He wasn't. He was observing Easter (as the KJV says) which was a Pagan holiday. By changing Easter to Passover, the NKJV completely pollutes the truth of this verse. (The NIV, NASV, RSV, and NRSV all make this same change).

Acts 17:22
NKJV: "...religious..."
KJV: "...superstitious..."
  Note: Here the NKJV portrays religion as something to be condemned. James 1:27 states that there is a Pure religion that is undefiled before God.

Job 3:8
NKJV: "May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse LEVIATHAN."
KJV: "Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up THEIR MOURNING."
   Note: The NKJV's use of the word "Leviathan" isn't found in any edition of the King James Verison; it is from the RSV of the Nat'l Council of Churches. It is not supported by any edition of any Antiochan manuscript.

Proverbs 2:1
NKJV: "My son, if you receive my words, And TREASURE my commands within you;"
KJV: "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and HIDE my commandments with thee:"
   Note: This is a major change to a Biblical truth involving spiritual growth.

Proverbs 12:4
NKJV: "An EXCELLENT wife is the crown of her husband, But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones."
KJV: "A VIRTUOUS woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones."
   Note: This is a major change to a truth regarding a Biblical wife.

Philippians 2:8
NKJV: "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient TO THE POINT OF death, even the death of the cross."
KJV: "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient UNTO death, even the death of the cross."
   Note: This is a major doctrinal change in the NKJV that implies there was a point before Jesus' death that He was not obedient, which is a lie.

Acts 4:27
NKJV: "For truly against Your holy SERVANT Jesus..."
KJV: "For of a truth against thy holy CHILD Jesus..."

   A. The NKJV removes "hell".
The word "hell" is removed atleast ten times in the NKJV and replaced by the Greek word "hades". The references for this are:
Matthew 11:23, 16:18; Luke 10:15, 16:23; Acts 2:27, 31; Revelation 1:18, 6:8, 20:13, 14.

 

(2. The NKJV is easier to read than the KJV?  Myth.
   This is simply nothing less than false advertising. There are many instances where the NKJV does change "thee" or "thou" to "you" (this results in a mistranslation that we will discuss later), but it is FAR from an easy read. Take a look:

Reference KJV NKJV
Genesis 9:9 seed descendents
Genesis 18:1 plains terabinth trees
Genesis 35:4 oak terabinth tree
Leviticus 4:11 dung offal
Judges 8:13 the sun was up Ascent of Heres
Ruth 4:5 raise up perpetuate
1 Samuel 16:14 evil distressing
2 Samuel 6:5 cornet sistrums
1 Kings 10:2 trane retinue
2 Kings 12:5 breech dilapidation
Ezra 31:4 little rivers rivulets
Psalm 43:1 Judge Vindicate
Isaiah 28:1 fat verdant
Jeremiah 36:6 mouth    instructions
Daniel 1:17 learning literature
Daniel 6:2 princes satraps
Acts 10:1 Italian band Italian regiment
Acts 21:38 uproar insurrection
Acts 27:30 boat skiff
Titus 1:6 riot, unruly dissipation, insubordination
James 5:16 faults tresspasses


  The "thee's" and "thou's" that seem to throw everyone off are "graciously" removed in the NKJV by the less exhausting "you". This, however, creates an error in translation. When "thee" and "thou" are used, you can define the difference between the singular and pluaral regarding that particular verse. When "you" is used it can refer to either singular or plural. This results in an unclear interpretation of any given verse, making the KJV a superior text. 
  Besides that fact, God went through all the trouble of inspiring men to pen down His words, He preserved the Antiochan manuscripts that were translated into the KJV from Roman Catholic oppression, countless brave men were persecuted and killed while trying to translate a Bible into English, and then YOU have the nerve to whine and complain about the "thee's" and "thou's" . . . shame on you.

 

(3. The incompetency of the NKJV translators regarding capitilization of words referring to Deity.
  
The NKJV translators attempted to be super-spiritual by taking the initiative to capitalize words that they felt were referring to Deity. Little did they realize that by doing this, they revealed their own stupidity and incompetence regarding Scripture. Lets look:

- In Deuteronomy 32:15,18,31   "Rock" is capitalized, referring to God.
- In 1 Samuel 2:2   "rock" is not capitalized, referring to God.

- 2 Samuel 22:2 "rock" is not capitalized, referring to God.
- 2 Samuel 22:47 "Rock" is capitalized, referring to God.

- 1 Corinthians 10:4 "Rock" is capitalized, referring to God.
- Matthew 16:18 "rock" is not capitalized, referring to God. (Failure to capitalize here also makes the NKJV a Catholic friendly version).

 

(4. The NKJV is "Gender Inclusive"
   In effort not to appear sexist or politically incorrect, the NKJV took the liberty of making changes that, once again, are not supported by the KJV text or any Antiochan manuscript. A few examples are cited below.

Reference KJV NKJV
1 Corinthians 1:26 wise men wise
1 Corinthians 2:4 man's wisdom human wisdom
1 Corinthians 4:3 man's judgment human court
1 Corinthians 4:14 sons children
1 Corinthians 4:6 of man (omitted)
1 Corinthians 7:36 flower of her age flower of youth

More examples of the NKJV's gender inclusiveness can be found in:
1 Corinthians 2:11, 15, 3:5,8,10,11,12,13,14,15,18,21, 4:2,5,14, 5:11.
There are 42-43 times that the NKJV uses gender neutrality in the book of First Corinthians alone.

 

(5. Do you have a "in your hands" or "between your arms" NKJV?
   I ask this question to everyone that I come across that uses the NKJV. Not one of them ever has the slightest clue as to what I am talking about. When I ask this question I am referring to Zechariah 13:6. If you have an older NKJV it will read "...wounds in your hands"; if you have a newer NKJV it will read "...wounds between your arms". This is a major textual change. The funny thing is that I wasn't comparing the NKJV to the KJV. I was comparing an older edition of the NKJV to a newer edition of the NKJV. The publishers of the NKJV have made running textual changes without you knowing about it. How's that for a trust-worthy translation?


(6. What's the logo on the NKJV?

Thomas Nelson publishers branded their NKJV's with a logo that they claim ". . . is an ancient symbol for the Trinity". First of all, the Bible strictly condems the practice of representing the Godhead with symbology.

Acts 17:29 KJV "". . . we ought NOT to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, GRAVEN BY ART and man's device." (emphasis mine).
Secondly, there is nothing "new" about the New King James Version's symbol. It actually has been used very actively in the occult world for over one hundred years.

The symbol on the the NKJV is called a Triqueta. It was used frequently by famed Satanist, Aleister Crowley around the turn of the last century.
Constance Cumbey, author of The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow and a notable authority on the New Age Movement, said, "On the cover of the Aquarian Conspiracy is a Mobius, it is really used by them as triple six (666). The emblem on the cover of the New King James Bible is said to be an ancient symbol of the Trinity. The old symbol had gnostic origins. It was more gnostic than Christian. I was rather alarmed when I noticed the emblem..." (The New Age Movement, Southwest Radio Church, 1982 p.11).

That is correct. The Triqueta on the NKJV does not represent the Trinity; it is three interwoven esoteric 6's.

Revelation 13:18 "Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six."
Six hundred + threescore (one score = 20, threescore = 60) + six = 600+60+6 = 666.
 

The three esoteric "6"'s separated.
Plainly displaying the interlocked "666".


 

THE NKJV & WITCHCRAFT?

The Craft: A Witch's Book of Shadows
The Witch's Book of Shadows or Grimoire is a book of spells, enchantments, and rituals. Includes Rituals, Spells, and Wicca Ethics


The Craft Companion: A Witch's Journal


By Dorothy Morrison, a high priest of Witchcraft.

NOTE: We circled (in YELLOW and RED), and also enlarged to the side The NKJV symbol.


Would God mark his word with a symbol in the occult?

 

 

 

Article by: Mason Burchette