Thoughts on the KJV

The Bible "came alive".

I started reading the Bible when I was gifted an NIV in high school.
I'm not real crazy about the NIV, but that's what it took to get me to read the Bible.
The Bible "came alive", to quote a Christian cliche.

Are you bored with bible reading?

Try something different...

Pray for understanding before reading.
Different translation...
Kindle or other e-book reader...
Audio bible...
Chronological bible...
Bible study ideas, etc.

I can't get enough of the Bible.

I've read the Bible through, Genesis to Revelation, a dozen or so times, in every translation I can get ahold of except the KJV.
I was reading through the Bible every nine months last time I checked.

2... The KJV is the hardest translation to understand.

I don't understand the KJV.

I used to think I did.
I'm used to it.
I hear it all the time at my church.
I have it memorized.

Words that don't mean what they used to:

Secret Code:

The words we are concerned with here are all modern words, like "conversation" and "prevent", not obsolete words like "hungerbitten" or "chode" or "froward".

I think the best way to describe these words is that they are a "secret code".
You don't know what they mean unless you know the KJV definitions.

"Secret code" words are very easy to misunderstand, because they are modern words that we still use.
We think we know what they mean.
Obsolete words in the KJV are easy to identify, because we don't know what they mean.
But we may read right over "secret code" words without even knowing it.

Here is the most important resource on this page:

Modern / KJV words that have archaic definitions

Know your limits.

I think the most important general principle about the KJV is, "Know your limits." or "Know what you don't know.".
You really have to be a linguist to understand the KJV.

3... NKJV:

The NKJV is the answer to all your translation concerns.

We don't have to reinvent the wheel.
We don't have to learn Greek.
We don't have to learn KJV English.
We don't have to rely on modern translations that are "missing" stuff.

The NKJV is different than other modern translations.

The NKJV and the MEV are the only modern translations I know of that are based on the same manuscripts as the KJV.
The most common argument against modern translations is that they are missing stuff.
The NKJV avoids this issue...

5... How to talk to people about the KJV:

Problems:

Ignorance of Greek and Hebrew
Ignorance of Bible transmission
Not "researching" stuff we don't know
Kids and adults misunderstanding the KJV
Mistrusting the scientific consensus on scientific issues that the Bible doesn't specifically address
Not using multiple translations because of mistrust, misunderstanding or ignorance of modern translations and paraphrases
Not realizing the limits of your personal knowledge
Not reading the Bible
Ignorance of how to evaluate sources and contradictory claims
Ignorance of how to discuss controversial issues
Defending your viewpoint instead of looking for the truth
Overemphasis of religion instead of Jesus
Overemphasizing fear of man rather than fear of God
Not relying on the Holy Spirit

Know what you don't know.

I don't know Koine Greek.
I don't know how anything should be translated.
I don't understand the KJV.

If you want to know what you don't know...

...Read the translators' preface to a bible
...Or check out the footnotes in the NET Bible
...Or the footnotes in the Lexham English Bible

Know what you know.

Is your viewpoint more logical than the other side's viewpoint?
Is it more biblical?

Have you thought through why you believe what you do?
Or are you just attacking the other side?

Don't fight about it.

People are more important than ideas.
Actions are more important than beliefs.

There are two sides, but we're on the same side.

It's not about who's right and who's wrong...
...It's about what's right and what's wrong.

Are you looking for the truth?
Or are you trying to win an argument?

Are you emotional about the issue?
When people tell me I'm wrong, I only get upset if I'm wrong.
If I've done nothing wrong, why would I get upset?

Emotions are diagnostic.
They reveal what is important to you.
Are you worried that your viewpoint may be wrong?
...And that you may need to admit that you were wrong all these years?

The message is more important than the messenger.
Liberals can be good textual critics and translators.
Professional ethics demand the textual critic and translator translate accurately, regardless of any bias.
Correcting the error is better than attacking the source.

Don't be scared to dig deeper and dialog with people.

If you're looking for the truth, and I'm looking for the truth, we should get closer to the truth talking to each other.

There's plenty of facts to go around.

"I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible that you may be mistaken."
(Oliver Cromwell)

Facts are better than opinions.
Questions are better than opinions.
Consensus carries more weight than a minority opinion.

Information is good.
More information is better.
Information that challenges your worldview is best.

The KJV isn't appropriate for kids or unchurched people.

This is a reading comprehension issue, not a spiritual issue.
I grew up with the KJV, memorized it and thought I understood it.
What about people who are unfamiliar with it?

Also, is our familiarity with the KJV an advantage or a disadvantage over those not familiar with it?

If you follow the old paths...
...watch out for ruts.