Saturday, July 19, 2008

KJV or Bust

Is it me...or are there any others out there who find it extremely hard to read the King James Version.

I know there are people out there that argue it is the only version we should read...BUT...is it even in English. Maybe I'm under-educated and just don't know some of those words. Maybe it's because I just can't understand the old English. All that and I've pastored for 14 years.

Am I the only one that struggles with it?

[photo credit flickr.com]

6 comments:

Unknown said...

no. you're not. i have friends who will only read the KJV and i just. don't. get. it.

it frustrates me so much.

what version/s do you use?

Anonymous said...

I grew up in a KJV only atmosphere's. One day I asked myself, "Why is the KJV the only right version?" Funny thing was, I didn't have the answer...it was simply because I was brainwashed from a child to believe so. Most of the people who push this are the same way, if you really push them, they only have the arguments they've been given. Its Legalism. When I first discovered the NLT I told a friend he should get one, he said, "That's ok I don't want to use the 'devils' Bible" So I asked him why the KJV was the only right version? He now love the NLT :)

There is nothing wrong with the KJV. I don't use it a lot at all anymore, but there are some verses that are simply better from it, but it is a translation just like the others. It maybe more accurate than some, but when you have to translate the Old English, all you are doing is reducing it to personal commentary anyway, so unless there is a group of scholars that love the language, it is easier to use another version when preaching/teaching.

There is a KJV1611 cult. They believe that God re-inspired the Word of God in 1611 and that it is perfect. Watch out if they find your blog :) They believe the KJV is perfect, problem is they cannot read the 1611, funny! - Sorry for the long comment!

Chris said...

I can understand the KJV perfectly fine, but I am not one to advocate it like the "KJV ONLY" crowd. You need to understand that there is a real organized movement that advocates the KJV as the only "authorized" version and claim that all other Bibles are of the devil. James White does a great job in arguing otherwise in his book called "The King James Controversy." Some proponents of the KJV even argue that the KJV version is better than the original manuscripts. Just crazy.
Personally, I use the ESV.

Anonymous said...

i like my kjv, maybe because thats what igrew up with. but i am not kjv only. i also like the new american standard.
i don't believe there is a flawless version.
Go with whatever ver. works for ya.

Jason Curlee said...

Don't get me wrong with my post...I'm not a KJV hater. When I first chose to follow Christ it was the first version I read...I also many times check out some scriptures by it. But after many years of reading I have come to read mainly out of the NIV or the New KJV. I also love the Message bible. It presents a great paraphrase and often I can't find a better way that I would have translated a verse.

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Anonymous said...

Boy, where can I get one of those for my car?

I personally prefer to read the scriptures in Latin.