THE NKJV versus the KJB

By HERB EVANS

157 PATTIES PLACE

PORTERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIS 16051

E-Mail: herbevans@juno.com

The New King James Version starts of with the lie that it is a King James Version; it is not. The second lie is that it is faithful to the traditional Received Text or TR. It is not! Still, this is the translation that some say is BETTER than the AV KJB and is more faithful to the Greek.

The NKJV also claims to make the "old" KJB "much clearer" by "updating obsolete words" (New King James Version, 1982 e. p. 1235). And if you think the NKJV just "innocently" updated the "obsolete words," removing the "thee's and thou's" - here's what the translators proudly admit: "IT IS CLEAR that this revision REQUIRED more than the dropping of "-eth" endings, removing, "thee's" and "thou's," and updating obsolete words." (The New King James Version, 1982e. p. 1235).

The Thomas Nelson Publishers have the audacity to claim in an ad for the NKJV (Moody Monthly, June 1982, back cover), "NOTHING HAS BEEN CHANGED except to make the original meaning clearer." In just the New Testament alone the NKJV removes 2,289 words from the KJV! The NKJV makes over 100,000 word changes! And many changes match the NIV, NASV, RSV, or RSV. The New King James is a COUNTERFEIT! It's NOT NEW! Many of the changes are already in the NIV, NASV, NRSV, or RSV! It is not the King James Bible!

 

The KJB versus the NKJV and the Godhead

Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead (G2304) is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. -- Acts 217:29 (KJB)

Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine nature is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. – Acts 17:29 (NKJV)

[γενος ουν υπαρχοντες του θεου ουκ οφειλομεν νομιζειν χρυσω η αργυρω η λιθω χαραγματι τεχνης και ενθυμησεως ανθρωπου το θειον ειναι ομοιον ] -- Acts 17:29 GNT

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: -- Rom. 1:20 (KJB)

For since the creation of the world His invisible things attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse, -- Rom. 1:20 NKJV

For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. – Col. 2:9 (KJB)

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; – Col. 2:9 (NKJV)

According as his divine (G2304) power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine (G2304) nature (G5449), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2 Pet. 1:3, 4 (KJB)

. . . as His divine (G2304) power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine (G2304) nature (G5449), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2 Pet. 3, 4 (NKJV)

Taking great liberties with a Greek derivative (THEIOS) of the Greek THEOS (GOD), the New Age NKJV replaces "Godhead" with "Divine Nature" in Acts 17:29, as does the NIV. The pre KJB English Bibles say GODHEAD except for the Rheims bible which says "DIVINITIE." The RSV says "DEITY." The JW bible outdoes the NKJV and the Rheims bible by rendering it "DEVINE BEING."

How could the NKJV excuse something like the NKJV's use of "Divine nature" in Acts 17:29? Well, by referring to 2 Peter 1:3 and 4 in the KJB, which has "divine power" and "divine nature" in those passages. In the KJB "divine" is used as an adjective and "power" and "nature" as the nouns with both underlying words found in the Greek.

In Acts 17:29 "Theios" is the Greek noun without any underlying Greek "nature." Still, the NKJV does reluctantly allow GODHEAD to remain in Romans 1:20 and Colossians 2:9. The Rheims goes with "Divinitie" in Rom. 1:20 and strangely with "GODHEAD" in Col. 2:9, while the ASV/RV goes with "divinity" (uncapitalized) in Romans 1:20 and Godhead in Col. 2:9. The RSV sticks with an uncapitalized "deity" in Romans 1:20 and Col. 2:9 but a capitalized Deity in Acts 17:29.

The NKJV Removal of Worship

The NKJV agrees with the AV in regard to worship in Matt. 15:25; 18:28; 289, and Acts 10:25 in regard to the translation of the Greek word. However, it makes a switch and follows the RSV in Matt. 20:20

Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. -- Matt. 20:20 (KJB)

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him, with her sons, KNEELING DOWN, and asking something from him. -- Matt.20:20 (NKJV)

There are Greek words for kneeling, which are not found here. So, where does Tim get his Greek support for kneeling here. From the RSV, of course! Of course, the NKJV and others agree with the AV’s "worship" in Heb. 11:21 and 1 Cor. 14:24, for it is pretty hard to kneel while worshipping on your staff or falling on your face.

The NKJV does not agree with the KJB in Matt. 18:26 and in fact REMOVES the word "worshipped" to which there is Greek support.

The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord . . . -- Matt. 18:26 (KJB)

The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, Master . . . -- Matt. 18:26 (NKJV)

Again, the NKJV follows the RSV while ignoring the Greek support. Actually, the JW bible does a better job than either by telling us that the servant fell down and did obeisance. What is the moral of this story? This version game is NUTS! Stick with your King James Bible! U