Why We're KJV Only

In the early 1600s, King James I of England commissioned a new English translation of the Bible. He wanted it to be true to the original inspired Word and accessible to everyone so that people could read the Word of God themselves without having to go through a priest or anyone else.

More than 400 years later, we still read the same Bible that was painstakingly translated from the authentic texts without the adulteration of man’s alterations. The world changes over time, but God’s Word remains the same. He is the “same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

There are many reasons why the King James Version is the purest and most trustworthy Bible available in the English language. Here are just a few:

• It is faithful to the original texts of the Old Testament and the New Testament.
• It was translated through a rigorous, peer-reviewed editorial process.
• It is the preserved Word of God that never changes.

Other translations of the Bible may release new editions with changes made to the text, but the KJV is the same as the day it was first published. Modern versions have a copyright on each edition so they can create a product and get more of your money. The KJV is in the public domain in the United States. It is God’s unchanging Word for us to spread as is, not for us to add to or take away from.

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it…” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

Prior to the seventeenth century, several English translations of the Bible already existed. However, none of them were universally accepted by the Church of England. King James sought to unite the English-speaking world through a new translation of the Bible that would be acceptable to all denominations and factions.

In 1604, King James appointed a team of about 50 scholars to translate the Bible. The scholars came from a variety of backgrounds, including academics, clergymen, and translators. They were divided into six groups, each of which was assigned a different section of the Bible to work on.

A set of guidelines was agreed upon for the translation, which included the following:

• It should be based on the best available manuscripts in Greek and Hebrew, the original languages of the Bible.
• It should be accurate and faithful to the original texts.
• It should be clear and easy to understand.

The scholars were instructed to translate word-for-word and to avoid adding their own interpretations to the text. They worked scrupulously, consulting with each other and debating over the meaning of difficult passages. Most of all, a lot of prayer took place to ensure the Holy Spirit guided the process just as He did for the original Bible writers.

After seven years of meticulous work , the authorized KJV was published in 1611. Many churches, including ours, still use this version to this day. It is the only pure, unadulterated “every word” Bible—the most accurate representation of God’s actual words in the English language.

• A Visual History of the King James Bible by Donald L. Brake with Shelly Beach (Baker Books, 2011)
• The King James Bible: A History by David Norton (Oxford University Press, 2011)
• The English Bible: A History of Translation by David Daniell (Yale University Press, 2003)
• The Oxford Companion to the Bible edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan (Oxford University Press, 1993)
• https://www.britannica.com/topic/King-James-Version 
• https://www.thekjvstore.com/articles/reasons-to-use-the-king-james-bible-over-other-translations/