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Chapter 1 In the beginning was the Word |
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The Lord Jesus Christ stated: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." Matt. 24:35 AV Well, let us check out a few verses; AV is Authorized Version (KJV) and NIV is New International Version. Matt.18: 11 AV~ "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." NIV~ omitted Acts 8:37 AV~ "And Phillip said, [to the Ethiopian eunuch] If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." NIV~ omitted Mark 11:26 AV~ "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespasses." NIV~ omitted Mark 15:28 AV~ "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors." NIV~ omitted Matt. 17:21 AV~ "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." NIV~ omitted Matt. 23:14 AV~ "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayer ; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." NIV~ omitted Those are some of the complete omissions; let us check out a few of the partial omissions: The bolded portion is the part the NIV leaves out. I John 5:7-8 AV~ "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. (8) And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." NIV~ "For there are three that testify:(8) the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three are in agreement." Here the NIV eliminates verse 7, and then splits verse 8 to make it verses 7-8. Luke 9:55-56 AV~ "But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. (56) For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village." NIV~ "But Jesus turned and rebuked them, (56) and they went to another village." Luke 11:2 AV~ "And he said unto them, When ye pray say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." NIV~ "He said to them, when you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come." Matt. 6:13 AV~ "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen." NIV~ "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Mark 6:11 AV~ "…Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment, than for that city." NIV~ "… -omitted Now let us check out a few verses that are in both the Authorized Version (KJV) and the NIV, but which the NIV leaves an important piece of the verse out. The bolded portion is the piece the NIV leaves out. Eph. 3:9 "…God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ was there in the 1st Chapter of Genesis, creating the heaven and the earth. Here the NIV subtly attempts to rob Christ of his power and presence in the creation by editing out "by Jesus Christ." Col. 1:14 "In whom we have redemption, through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins."
Luke 4:4 "…man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." Matt. 9:13 & Mark 2:17 "…I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Mark 10:24 "…Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" John 6:47 "…He that believeth on me hath everlasting life." Believe what?!? The "on me" part IS extremely important, it is imperative who or what you believe on. Not sacraments, baptism, nor church membership or Mary, Mohammed, Avatars, the Pope, Maitreya, Hiram, etc. I Tim. 6:5 "…supposing that gain is godliness; from such withdraw thyself." Gal. 3:1 "O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,…" Matt. 25:13 "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Luke 23:38 "And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." This piece is important so that you can understand why this statement is recorded differently in -3- of the gospels. The wording comes out slightly different when translated from each language. Most Christians are completely unaware that Christ’s deity, character, attributes, teachings, etc. have been damaged seriously in the modern "translations." How do the modern revisers justify their actions in the light of God’s clear and steadfast promise to preserve His Words? Psalm 12:6-7 AV "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven times. (7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." The answer is easy. You simply change God’s promise! Psalm 12:6-7 NIV "And the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. (7) O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever." God promised to preserve His Words, he did not abandon them to fate. God had no intention of trusting the keeping of His Words solely with us. As they had been Divinely authored, so they would be Divinely kept. Yes, the Words of God were Divinely authored: II Peter 1:21 AV "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." Mark 12:36 AV "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost,…" In John 17:8 AV; Jesus prayed to His Father, "For I have given them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them…" Luke 24:44 AV "And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me." II Timothy 3:16 AV "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;" Inspiration is when God uses sinful men to write His words- Originals. Preservation is when God uses sinful men to preserve those words He has already written. God has assured us that He has exercised control over both processes. Just how important does God view His Words? Psalm 138:2 AV "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name." How important must YOU view God’s Words? John 12:48 AV "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." As Jesus himself made extremely clear by this last verse, it is of utmost importance to each and every one of us, what precisely ARE the Words of God. For Jesus himself is issuing a direct and explicit warning that all eternity hangs on each and every one of His Holy Words. By whose authority did any one qualify to reject Divine Words? Well, I’ll give you a clue who took it upon himself to do this. In the Garden of Eden; Satan - from under the tree of knowledge - made subtle change to what God had said, till Eve’s faith was shaken to the point that she doubted God’s words… then the fatal bite was taken. That was the first appearance of Satan in the Old Testament (O.T.) Then his first appearance in the New Testament (N.T.), and what is he doing again? Making subtle change to the words of God in an attempt to get Jesus to sin while Christ was fasting 40- days in the wilderness. A hazy mistrust of all Scripture has been insinuated into the hearts and minds of countless millions, through modern translations and all their footnotes. People who in this way have become doubters - like Eve - in the truth of the Words of God. It can also be seen in the ways many "christians" show indifference and/or disregard toward God’s Words. Exhibiting none of the fear of God, of generations past. Not truly concerned if what they are doing or not doing is sin in the eyes of a truly Holy God. While many prefer to look the other way, or to pretend that this controversy doesn’t exist - remember - there are none so blind as those who refuse to see. So let us not be blind and check out a few word changes. Luke 2:33 AV "And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him." NIV "The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him." Luke 2:43 AV "… as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it." NIV "…while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it." Great stuff that "modern scholarship" to insinuate Joseph as the father of Jesus Christ. Matt 24:36 AV "…not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." NIV "… not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Acts 2:30 AV "… he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne." NIV "… he would place one of his descendants on his throne." Acts 3:13 AV "… the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus…" NIV "…the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus…" They keep subtly trying to push that -- Joseph as Jesus’ father thing. Acts 3:26 AV "Unto you first God, having raised up his son Jesus, sent him to bless you…" NIV "When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to bless you…" Maybe it’s becoming apparent that there may be a scheme to de-face and de-emphasize the Lord Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, who is also God part of the Trinity. It would also seem that revisers are taking stabs at the virgin birth as well. Matt 19:17 AV "And he [Jesus] said unto him, why callest thou me good?…" NIV " Why do you ask me about what is good? Jesus replied…" A few more changes. Rev. 13:1 AV "And I [John] stood upon the sand of the sea…" NIV "And the Dragon [Satan] stood on the shore of the sea…"
That
last one is an attempt to duck around the Evolution - Creation controversy. Rev. 22:14 AV "Blessed are they that do his commandments,…" NIV "Blessed are those who wash their robes,… Go figure on that last one…but then realize its only one of many, many more. The revisers of the NIV claim a, "Concern for clear and natural English…contemporary but not dated."(Archaic) 1 Let’s compare a few of their "clear and contemporary" words against the AV’s "dated" archaic words.
Some
other "common" words found in the NIV are; clerestory, dirge, festal,
festooned, filigree, etc. Admittedly there are some archaic words in the AV, but in view of the above examples, one might call it a draw. Additionally, you can order a very thin pamphlet entitled, ‘The King James Bible Companion’ by David W. Daniels from Chick Publications for a few cents which fits neatly in the cover of your KJV Bible for clarification of any archaic words. Let’s check out a few obvious inaccuracies in the NIV. Any Sunday School child knows that David slew Goliath, But here is what it says in the NIV; II Samuel 21:19 NIV "In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, who had a spear with a shaft like a weavers rod." Let’s see if the Authorized Version can clear this matter up. II Samuel 21:19 AV "And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam." Now that’s easier to understand. Mark 1:2 NIV "It is written in Isaiah the prophet: I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way." This is actually a quote from Malachi 3:1 NIV "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me…" How does the Authorized Version read? Mark 1:2 AV "As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger …" Matt. 5:22 AV "But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment…" NIV "But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of judgment…" Jesus is stating that anger is sin, unless there is a good biblical reason. But the revisers of the NIV make it to read that anger is sin regardless. By revising the verse this way the NIV editors contradict; Eph. 4:26 AV "Be ye angry, and sin not…" NIV "In your anger do not sin…" And worse yet, the NIV corrupts the Savior by making the Lord Jesus Christ a common sinner; Mark 3:5 AV "And when he had looked round about them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts…" NIV "He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts…" Then -2- more times the NIV makes Jesus a sinner. Such as early in His ministry - John 2:13-17, where Jesus made a scourge of small cords to drive out the animals from the Temple. Overturning the moneychanger’s tables and driving them out of the Temple for making, "my Fathers house an house of merchandise". Then again later in His ministry - Matt. 21: 12 -13, Jesus cast out all them that bought and sold in the Temple. Jesus stated, "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." And before you think, "it can’t get any worse", the NIV revisers reveal Jesus here in the book of Revelation, to be Lucifer falling from heaven. Rev. 22:16 NIV "I Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches, I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." Here Jesus identifies the title Morning Star to be himself. Then according to the NIV revisers, they are disclosing Jesus to be the one spoken of, back in the Old Testament. Isaiah 14:12 NIV "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star , son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! (vs. 13) You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God…" So I’m studying my NIV, and if I understand it correctly, Jesus was here because he was kicked out of heaven, and cast to the earth?! Then considering the previous changes and omissions about Jesus and the Bible - in the NIV: I’m thinking this Jesus is not who I thought he was. Now, since the revisers of the NIV must believe their version, which is what they wrote: no wonder they’ve done what they’ve done. Let us see if we can use the AV to clear this up. Rev. 22:16 AV "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David. And the bright and morning star." Isaiah 14:12 AV "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! The prudent person would cry out; where, why and how did this mass of confusion come about. Two hints: 1. "For God is not the author of confusion" I Corinthians 14:33 AV. 2. Jesus Christ calls him, "a liar, and the father of it." John 8:44 AV. The short answer: II Peter 2:1-3 AV "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2) And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (3) And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…" Acts 20:29-30 AV "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (30) Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." The longer answer: First we will break it down into the New Testament (N.T.) of which the Originals were written in Greek, then the Old Testament (O.T.), which is the Hebrew Text with some Aramaic Text in Daniel. We will initially deal with these individually, then we will look at the N.T. and O.T. collectively. Also, we will only be dealing with the core subject matter. We will not be chasing rabbits. Then at the end I’ll list some very interesting books that go in depth on the matter, which you are sure to want to read. Also for your information, because many people ask this question, "Why was the N.T. originally written in Greek instead of Hebrew." The answer is because approximately 325 years before the birth of Christ, Alexander the Great had conquered the then ‘known’ world. He was the Greek conqueror prophesied in the book of Daniel. Since he was Greek he demanded that all his subjects communicate in the Greek language. This made most everyone in the ‘known’ world bi-lingual. Though they preferred their native tongue. Therefore; God gave the O.T. to the Jewish people who spoke Hebrew. Then God gave the N.T. to the Christian Church who spoke Greek; which was the universal language of that period in history. And finally, God brought them both together in the English, which God foreknew would be the universal language of the last 300-plus years. |
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