Is
the KJV "Inspired Scripture"?
Often it is stated that the King James Bible can't be "true scripture" because copies and translations can't be "inspired" - only the "originals" were inspired. Even some supposed KJV advocates will only go so far as to claim that the KJV is "preserved", but not the inspired word of God. Of course, others claim neither preservation, nor inspiration for the Authorized Bible. Can we take a moment and consider just what God’s word says about itself?
Let's look at what the word of God says about inspiration and preservation:
2 Timothy 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
"Scripture" is what God gave by "inspiration". The question is "What is the scripture?"
A copy or a translation CAN indeed be "inspired scripture". Just look at the previous verse:
2 Timothy 3:15 And that
from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee
wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
It was what Timothy had since childhood. It was not the "original manuscripts", but it was "inspired scripture".
Acts 17:11 These were
more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were
so.
Did they steal the "scriptures" from Timothy? No, obviously scriptures, which are inspired by definition, can be pure copies.
Acts 8:32 & 35 The
place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the
slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto
him Jesus.
Did the Ethiopian had the original autograph of Isaiah? Not a chance.
Exodus 32:19 And it came
to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the
dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands,
and brake them beneath the mount.
Uh oh! There go the "originals". Even the replacement "original" tablets were not scripture. Moses COPIED (maybe translated) them into the Pentateuch. The 10 Commandments in the "original" were a third-generation copy. Then in the "original" New Testament, Jesus and Paul quoted and translated them! Their words, when referring to the Commandments in the "original" NT, were fourth-generation translations of copies, but still "inspired scripture".
Proverbs 25:1 These are
also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied out.
Jeremiah 36:32 Then took
Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who
wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which
Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides
unto them many like words.
New Testament quotes of Old Testament passages are Greek translations of Hebrew. Nearly EVERY WORD spoken by Jesus (Aramaic or Hebrew) was translated into Greek.
What exactly is it that is preserved? Logically it is the inspiration of scripture that is preserved.
Psalm 12:6 The words of
the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever. (7's P. 69-70)
Isaiah 40:8 The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.
Matthew 24:35 & Luke
21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
1 Peter 1:25 But the
word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is
preached unto you.
The "originals" are gone! If God was talking about them, He FAILED (or LIED)!
The scripture cannot be the "winnowed sum of all the texts", because they differ. We must have something 100% certain to stand on as authoritative from God. Otherwise, we do not know for certain what parts are accurate and what parts are errors. We'd have no absolute authority beyond our own opinion.
Proverbs 30:5 EVERY WORD
of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Deuteronomy 8:3 And he
humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou
knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man
doth not live by bread only, but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth
of the LORD doth man live.
Matthew 4:4 But he
answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus
answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but
by EVERY WORD of God.
John 12:48 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.
Which "Bible" is the one in which "EVERY WORD" can be claimed? The Greek? There are 5,000 Greek portions? The Majority Text? Which one? The Textus Receptus? Which one? The MT and TR are reasonably "accurate" and agreeable, but not identical. Most "reliable" are the TR tests. They are what the King James was translated from, but even they are not absolute. There are at least six TR texts Erasmus, Stephanus, Elzevir, Colineaus, Beza, Scrivener. There are several editions of each, about two dozen total. They are very close, but not identical, ("ass" & "son" interchanged, among other differences).
Could be that one of them is the pure scripture in Greek, or could be they came from the pure Greek which is no longer extant. Perhaps the pure Greek is somewhere with the "originals"?
There are two lines of Bible texts, one good (Antioch) one corrupt (Alexandria):
KING'S Lineage: Very little dispute on OT Masoretic. Disparity is in the Greek.
Alexandria, Egypt (Africa)
Egypt represents sin cursed world system, arch-enemy to Israel. God called Moses, Jacob, Israel, Joseph's Bones, and Jesus Christ, OUT of Egypt.
Acts 6:9 Then there
arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines,
and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing
with Stephen. (1st mention)
Acts 27:6 And there the
centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
(Wreck)
Acts 28:11 And after
three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the
isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux. (occultic)
Adamantius Origen's heretical allegorical school was in Alexandria. The principle Alexandrian texts are spurious at best, Satanic perversions at worst. Vaticanus was found stuffed in the Vatican library where it had been for 1500 years. Even the old Catholics rejected it!, Sinaiticus was found in a trash can, where it belonged. Only 1% of the 5000 portions are Alexandrian and they disagree w/each other, as well as the Antioch texts. One is missing Revelation, both are missing large portions, but add apocryphal books. Westcott & Hort propagated Origen's' corruptions.
ALL English versions, except ONE (you get ONE guess which ONE), use Alexandrian texts. Even ones that claim TR, use Alex. when changing. Nkjv also uses Kittle's Samaritan OT.
Antioch: Syria (Middle-East, Byzantine)
Acts 6:5 And the saying
pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of
the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas,
and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: (1st mention)
Acts 11:26 And when he
had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole
year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the
disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Acts 13:1 Now there were
in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas,
and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had
been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
Acts 15:22-23 Then
pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of
their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed
Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren: And they wrote letters by
them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto
the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Big difference between Alexandria and Antioch. ONLY ONE English Bible comes from the Antioch line, guess which one?
Certainly there is faith involved, but the facts point to no other possible version but the Authorized King James Bible.