A t the root of all the rhetoric about the need for new versions lies the true cause— covetousness. "The love of money is the root of all evil." Some "destroy souls to get dishonest gain" (Ezekiel 22:27). Are there ministries which promote the new versions because they, in turn, pack their treasuries?
ROMANS 12:8 KJV
contributing. . .give generously giveth.. .with
(NIV) simplicity
gives,. . .do so generously (NAB)
be qenerous (LB) do it qenerously (TEV) qive with liberality (NASB) dives, with liberality (NKJV) gives, with liberality (J.W. Translation)
ROMANS 12:13
contributing (NASB et al.) distributing The word of God is not bound. II Timothy 2:9
The KJV is the only version not bound by a copyright. No author or publisher receives a royalty because God is the author.
However, "God is not the author of confusion" (I Corinthians 14:33) or of "commercial ventures." The latter term was used to describe the ASV (NASB, Living Bible), RV (RSV) and 'New' G reek T ext by P hilip S chaff the chairm an o f their A m erican Com m ittee. His autobiography exposes the sordid details o f "intense fighting" and "battles" over the profits to ensue. God did not author these versions, as S c h a ffs book reveals. He admits the translation m oved to "publisher's control mid-stream"; each verse was "subject to approval o f the University presses" who had "assumed all the expenses o f the en te rp rise.. .$100,000." He states further:
[Property and commercial rights were the bone of contention. . .[I] fought with the New Testament Company for three hours for the American rights. . .The syndics of the University presses.. .agreed to ratify them on the condition that the American Committee purchase the copyright of the revision fo r.. .5000 pounds [several million American dollars today].. .[I]n return for the 5000 pounds the American Committee would then at all events obtain complete command of the American market [$$$]. . .The battle over commercial rights was so great that. . . the University presses had prohibited the British companies from sending any more material to the U .S ... .After intense fighting, it was agreed that the American Committee could not release their version for 14 years.43
The autobiography o f J.B. Phillips [NASB Interlinear Greek-
English New Testament Forward, J.B. Phillips Translation] likewise
lays bare his beliefs (about his billfold). He not only expects to receive royalties from the sale o f these versions but those who use "extended q u o tes.. .must expect to pay a proper copyright fee. "44 Dr. Frank Logsdon, a force behind the NASB, says of his partner, Dewey Lockm an, ”[H]e did it for money." Is it any wonder new version editors twist verses which warn of seeking wealth?
NIV, NASB, et al. KJV
Nobody should seek his own good.
ICor. 10:24 Let no man seek his ow n.. .wealth
the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil
ITim. 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil
M E N S H A L L B E U N H O L Y • 173
T R E N D F O U R
This know also that in the last d a y s .. .men shall b e .. .FIERCE II Timothy 3:2
The hardhearted fierceness which will characterize the "last days" m an is fed by the new versions.
NEW VERSIONS KJV
OMIT Matt. 5:44 do good to them that hate you
OMIT Mark 11:26 But if ye do not
forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses
The beheading o f Christians during the tribulation receives no censure from them in the following verses.
Neither repented they of their murders. Revelation 9:21
NEW VERSIONS KJV
OMIT Gal. 5:21 murders
Don't extort money Luke 3:14 Do violence to no man
haters of good 2 Tim. 3:3 despisers of th o se
that are good
loves what is good Titus 1:8 a lover of good men These martyrs will be beheaded by the hands of:
MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH
drunken
with the blood of the saints. . .[T]he inhabitants of the earth have been madedrunk
with the wine of her fornication. Revelation 17:2,5,6The inflamed feelings which shadow such escapades mark the fierce tribulation tyrants as "drunken." The dispassionate and calm reason which characterizes sobriety is gone. So the word 'sober' is also gone from the new version. They deny their reader the two-fold m eaning o f the word by divorcing it from its Latin root (se . m eans apart; ebrius means drunken). Being "apart from drunkenness" is a characteristic m issing from the W HORE, the "inhabitants of the earth," and the new versions.
NEW VERSIONS K JV
discreetly 1 Tim. 2:9 sobriety
sensible Titus 1:8 sober
temperate Titus 2:2 sober
self-restraint I Tim. 2:15 sobriety
prudent I Tim. 3:2 sober
The "discreet," "sensible" and "temperate" use o f alcohol is accepted by society. A 1991 survey showed that 50% o f all high school students used alcohol regularly, a marked rise in consumption in this age group.
T R E N D F I V E
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the fa ith .. .SPEAKING LIES I Timothy 4:2
[T]hey received not the love of the truth... II Thessalonians 2:10
A prominent Christian psychologist said that people tell, on the average, 100 lies per d a y .. .not a good habit since,
All liars, shall have their part in the lake which bumeth with fire and brimstone... Revelation 21:8
M E N S H A L L B E U N H O L Y • 175 The word 'honesty' is not a part of the New Age vocabulary. They believe:
[T]ruth is intensely personal and entirely subjective. . .It is the apex of love to allow others to have their own truth. . ,[A]nything can be true for the individual but nothing can be true for everyone.45
New Age
"[T]he many sided Diamond of Truth . . ."46 Vera Alder "[T]he end sanctifies the means."47 Jesuits "It doesn’t matter if you lie teaching p e o p le . "4 8
Bob Kropinchi, Former T.M. Instructor "A lie told in the name of evolution is truth."
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi "If you tell a lie to make a person better then that is not a sin. . .Even God tells lies very often. "49
Moon, "Heavenly Deception"
The KJV calls for 'honesty' ten times in the New Testament, the NIV and NASB only once. Do you think the KJV might produce honest Christians and the other versions might not?
NEW VERSIONS KJV
OMIT Rom. 13:9 Thou shalt not
bear false witness
honorable 2 Cor. 8:21 honest
honorable Phil. 4:8 honest
excellent I Pet. 2:12 honest
dianitv I Tim. 2:2 honesty
shame 2 Cor. 4:2 dishonesty
adulteratinq 2 Cor. 4:2 deceitfully
error I Thess. 2:3 deceit
false Rev. 2:2 liars
The NIV's penchant for personal interpretation rather than translation is seen in Psalm 40:4 and Amos 2:4 where the Hebrew
word for lies, kazab, is left untranslated. The KJV does not lie. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. Isaiah 63:8