The Real Reason Why I Read And Recommend The King James Version Bible

My first Bible was a gift from my mom in my early teens. It was a King James Version with a picture of Jesus with children surrounding him. 

I was hungry to learn more about this life in Christ, so I acquired other versions over the years, like the NIV, Amplified, and the NKJV, but for no particular reason, the KJV was my go-to Bible. The pastor preached from the KJV, and everyone else in the church seemed to read from it too. I just followed along.

But my neutral feelings about different Bible versions shifted one day, but not for why you might think. My reasons were more personal and profound and, as I said, unexpected. I wasn’t looking to prefer one version over another. Nor didn’t think there were any real differences between versions, and, frankly, I didn’t care.

That would soon change.

STEAK OR JELLO?

One morning shortly after getting married, I noticed my wife reading a book called, The One Year Bible. It was an easy way to read the entire Bible through in a year.

I tried reading the Bible through when I was about sixteen but failed. And like many of us Christians, my daily engagement with the word was hit-n-miss at best. The One Year Bible, with its 15-min daily reading plan, removed any excuse for not knowing what to read on any given day. 

365 days later, I’d read the entire KJV Bible right on schedule. The following year, I decided to mix it up and got the New King James Version (NKJV). 

But I sensed something was off about three weeks into the daily readings. It was a subtle yet noticeable feeling that I wasn’t getting fed. Like I was going through the motions of eating without nourishment. Or eating Jello when I was eating steak. 

So I stopped, picked up the KJV, resumed my daily readings, and started getting fed again. That’s the only way I can describe what I’d felt.

A CLOUD OF WITNESSES

A few years later, I watched a video presentation by Gail Riplinger called New Age Bible Versions. It was eye-opening and supported why I felt what I’d felt when I read the NKJV. I highly recommend watching this video and bringing a notepad and plenty of skepticism.

A Thought-Provoking Video Comparing The KJV With Other Versions

Other encounters with different versions were during several Bible studies I led with friends and church visitors. We’d take turns reading scriptures, but we could all see the differences in the versions. The idea that they all say the same thing went out the window after this. Some differences are slight and subtle, but some are striking. Take a look at this side-by-side comparison and keep in mind this is just one of literally hundreds of examples:

Many people bought their own KJV Bibles after these studies.

God commands us never to add or take away from his word. In fact, there are harsh consequences for those who do (See Rev 22:18-19). Yet, many versions do precisely that; they change it. And in changing it, they dilute the purity and power of the word of God. 

I remember hearing of a Bible scholar publicly apologizing for his involvement with the New American Standard Version. 

DO WE NEED TO READ GREEK?

I don’t read Greek or Hebrew, and I’ll bet you don’t either. Nowhere in the scriptures are we commanded or even encouraged to learn these languages to verify the Bible’s authenticity or authority. 

Many detractors of the KJV claim issues with ancient manuscripts, the age of the papyrus, translations, translators, and so on. 

That was never my position. I’m not a manuscript expert and don’t need to be.

Jesus Christ didn’t change people with his eloquence or pedigree. He changed them with something else.

THE POWER OF THE KING JAMES VERSION

If we search the scriptures, we’ll find that God has always validated himself and his people the same way; unmistakable power.

• Moses and the signs and wonders done before pharoh in Egypt

• Elijah calling for fire upon the sacrifice to show the LORD was God

• The three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace

• Jesus, a man approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs

• Believers and the miracles and wonders and signs that follow them

The power of the KJV changed me, and it’s changed many others who have searched the scriptures for themselves as I have. 

A CHALLENGE FOR YOU

There’s a power in the KJV that I have not found in any other version. A power that punches through the noise and speaks to my heart. It convicts me and gives me light for the way ahead. It is savory steak for my soul and not bland Jello.

I read, study, teach from, and recommend the KJV because of the life-changing power I’ve personally experienced and have heard from others. I didn’t just take someone’s word from a YouTube video. I’m a witness to the power of the pure word of God.  

I’ve sought God over and over about this subject, concerned that I might be making a mountain out of a molehill. But each time, I get the same response. And that’s what I hope you will do; get your own experience. Seek the Lord for yourself and know which version God has approved and wants you to read. 

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