King James Version increases focus of attacks

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If any version of the Bible gets dragged through the mud, it is most notably the English-language King James Version. The attacks on the early 17th century translation are increasingly the focus of attacks. The reasons are obvious.

Increasing attacks on KJV

In English-speaking countries, attacks on the Bible of King James I (KJV) continue to spread. A completely outdated version, difficult to understand and the KJV also contains verses and statements that don’t belong there. To give the Bible a certain touch of ridiculousness, people like to quote the verse in which the KJV speaks of a unicorn.
“Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?” (Hiob 39,9)

At this point, for example, the German-speaking Schlachter 2000 writes about a buffalo.

The King James Version is in fact not the most modern Bible. It was completed in 1611. The language is appropriate, unusual, but entirely understandable. There is also evidence of how everyday language, as in German, was simplified over the centuries in order to avoid the word degeneration.

People like to simply believe such statements about the KJV without ever finding out about the background and, above all, checking the truth. The word “unicorn” in the KJV is now equated with the fantasy figure of an often rainbow-colored horse with a horn on its forehead, which is common in our time. What is today does not necessarily have to be back then. The fantasy figure of the unicorn is a modern construct. But what if it was actually a rhinoceros that was meant? After all, this animal only has one horn, in German even on its nose (literally “nosehorn”).

Attacks target textus receptus

In fact, the attacks on the KJV are not primarily aimed at the translation, but at the underlying original text in Greek. It is the so-called textus receptus. Once compiled by Erasmus of Rotterdam. The first compilation was completed in 1516. His second and corrected edition was available in 1519. This was also the basis for the translation of the New Testament by Martin Luther into German. There were further corrections up to the 1550 edition of Stephen. This ultimately served as a template for the translators commissioned by King James I.

For the Old Testament, Luther and the translators of King James used the Masoretic text. The quasi original of the Jewish communities with Torah (Moses books) and the Tanakh in Hebrew and Aramaic.

Church of Rome has “own” gospel

This combination of Masoretic Text for the Old Testament and textus receptus (majority text) is a thorn in the side of the Church of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church prides itself on being the author of the Bible. In the compilation, yes, but not in the written word. It was Jerome who created the Latin Vulgate starting in the 380s. However, he did not use the Masoretic text for the Old Testament, but rather the Greek version of the Septuagint. A Bible translated by 72 Hellenistic-influenced Jewish scribes, infused with Gnostic ideas (Info).

For the New Testament, Jerome also used originals from the Alexandria area.

Where does the textus receptus come from?

The textus receptus is also called the majority text and the Byzantine text. Majority text because there are more than 5000 almost identical copies that have been found so far. While the other variants only have a handful of copies available. For centuries the majority text was in the area of ​​Constantinople, i.e. the Eastern Roman Empire, or with the Eastern Church. In the western hemisphere, however, the Latin Vulgate of the Roman Catholic Church dominated, with corresponding content.

Some may call it providence, others may call it “a stroke of genius from God”. In 1453 the Ottomans conquered Constantinople. Eastern Rome fell and Islam took hold. Everything that could be saved had to be saved. This also included the many copies of the majority text. The escape route led straight to Europe. Once there, the polymath Erasmus of Rotterdam also took on the textus receptus and compiled it into the New Testament. Due to increasing pressure from the Church of Rome, Erasmus moved to Basel, Switzerland.

Perfectly timed

Perfect timing at the beginning of the Reformation. Martin Luther, Tyndale and King James translated the Bible into their respective languages ​​using the Masoretic Text and textus receptus as their basis. The printing press enabled rapid and relatively inexpensive distribution. Much to the horror of the Roman Church. Their Babylonian teachings and also their true identity were now revealed (Info). Protestant theologians recognized the Bible’s prophetic statements about the “Beast” and the “Harlot of Babylon.” (Info).

The deep fall of Protestantism

The counterattack from Rome came with the new direction of human thinking. The “Age of Reason” arrived in the 18th century. In addition, there was a critical and scientific examination of the Bible towards the end of the 18th century. Johannes Salomon Semler stood out here. At the beginning of the 19th century “New Protestantism” was proclaimed. A self-given name. Such “critical-scientific” minds were Eberhard Nestle and Kurt Aland. Their product is the “Novum Testamentum Graece”. A New Testament based on papyri, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Bezea. Textus Receptus was left out.

The Bible societies agreed, with the blessing of Rome, to issue modern Bibles that do not use the textus receputs as the basis for the NT, but rather the “new” according to Nestle-Aland. This is despite the fact that there are only a few finds for their basic texts, while the textus receptus exists more than 5,000 times. Added to this is the “scientific-critical” spirit of “should God really have said…?”

Truth can be found in the textus receptus

It is the textus receptus that is primarily the focus of the attacks and the KJV only because it is based on this basic text. In German, the Schlachter 2000, the Luther 1912 and the Elberfelder 1855 are among the Bibles that are based on the textus receptus.

More details about the corrupted modern Bible editions – here

When listing the “many disadvantages” of the KJV, it is often forgotten that an attack was planned against King James I and the English Parliament. The arch-Catholics Robert Catesby and Guy Fawkes actually wanted to blow up the entire parliament. The date of the attack was November 5th, 1605. However, it was discovered and the assassination attempt was thwarted. This incident went down in history and is now known as the “Gunpowder Plot.”

Bible verses from King James Version (1611)