The New King James Version - Who Published It? Bad Dreams Are Made of This!

 

"Thomas Nelson commissions 130 scholars, pastors, and lay Christians to create the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, aiming to “retain the purity and stylistic beauty” of the original King James produced in 1611. The New Testament is released in 1979, and the entire Bible follows in 1982. The NKJV becomes one of the top three bestselling Bibles, alongside the NIV and KJV."

Timelin above

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"In the mid-1970s, Bible publisher Thomas Nelson found itself with extra capital and decided to channel these profits into the New King James Version of the Bible.

The new version strove to revise the King James Version (KJV) with updated language. The seven-year project drew on the skills of 130 respected Bible scholars and church leaders. The New Testament was released in 1979, and the entire Bible followed in 1982. The NKJV went on to become one of the top three bestselling Bibles, alongside the NIV and the KJV.

Harper & Row acquired Zondervan and the NIV in 1988, and 23 years later, HarperCollins purchased Thomas Nelson and with it, the NKJV. The move shocked many in the industry because Nelson and Zondervan, the two largest Christian publishers in the world, had long been direct competitors. Despite initial concerns about the viability of the transaction, the two Bible versions continue to flourish as part of what is now HarperCollins Christian Publishing."

Stories above

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The History of the NKJV Bible

In 1611, the King James Version of the Holy Bible was published in England. No other book has had as much impact on the world as this historic translation. Earlier century scholars maintained the translation by modifying grammar, spelling and word usage to keep the biblical language alive and relevant for each new generation. In 1769, updates to the King James Version ceased, and its words continue to be cherished today. In the last thirty years, more than forty modern translations of the Bible have been published, and the King James Version continues to be the overwhelmingly favorite translation.

In 1975, more than two-hundred years since the King James Version’s last update, the boldest and most extensive revision in the history of modern Bible publishing began. With a 130-person team of Greek, Hebrew, and English scholars, editors, church leaders, and Christian laity Thomas Nelson Publishers sought to preserve the accuracy and poetry of the King James Version, but in a language that the everyday person could understand. In 1979 the NKJV New Testament was finished, releasing only the Book of Psalms in 1980. In 1982, the New King James Version was released in its entirety, seven years after its commission, making it the fifth major revision to the beloved King James Version.

Above - Thomas Nelson, aka TAN, which publishes Roman Catholic polemics

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GJ - King James himself did not want a lot of footnotes, which steadfastly change the message of the Bible. The KJV is stingy with notes. The New KJV employs new edits and footnote$, which help to $how that they own the copyright for the every-changing New KJV. Ditto the NIV and the rest.

The Westcott-Hort Greek New Testament, which I own, has no footnotes to explain why they changed the text, erasing such words and phrases as "the Son of God" Mark 1 - and Mark 16:9-20. Didja notice that Presiding ELCA Bishop Liz Eaton said in her Easter 2024 message that Mark's Gospel ended at Mark 16:8 ("for they were afraid")? The Bogus Beck Bible from Christian News does the same.

Doc Lito - Convinced by the New KJV

How I got convinced by the Textus Receptus

 The Textus Receptus aka Received Text is the basis for the NT part of the KJV and those translations that follow its tradition.

Now, what convinced me that I should standardize on this text?

It was the NKJV!

Yes, that is what happened to me. The NKJV helped me to determine that the TR holds the orthodox teaching of early Christians.

I have heard a lot of conspiracy theories against NKJV because it has these myriad of footnotes about the text. The assertion is that these textual comments lead the reader away from the Received Text. Yet, that is not what happened to me. What happened to me was the reverse.

Many years ago, I bought a leather bound NKJV NT (nice leather actually, you cannot find this anymore, unfortunately, I believe I gave it away to a relative). 

It had of course, some footnotes, but I focus for you only the one that caused me to think.

This NKJV comment here:

NU omit - meaning the Nestle-Aland Union Greek collection omits this word or phrase or passage.

What I did was to highlight all occurrences of these comments, even using a marker.

I discovered that if you follow the said comment, you will miss out in explicit terms some orthodox teachings of Christianity.

An example of this is Mk 16:9-20 being reportedly omitted in the Nestle-Aland.

That involved a support for the Great Commission, the teaching on faith and baptism and signs and charismatic gifts which St Paul experienced.

Another is  1 John 5:13, this is a verse which powerfully supports the promise we now have eternal life for us who believe in Christ.

After this discovery, I seemed to have neglected it. I got affected with Bible translation trends and fell into considering other translations like the NASB, the NRSV and ESV. I used the NRSV a lot. Funny but I got into these translations because the pastor who had an influence on me used the RSV. We should really double check the person we look up to and respect, for after all they are like us, human beings too.

Some maybe 10 years ago, I read that you can re-construct the TR passages from the quotation of the Church Fathers.

This fact and my discovery experience with NKJV led me to conclude - I should stick to the TR. I still have these other translations, as a reference, but I do not use them for my personal Bible Study or personal devotion.

That is what happened.

Requested - Is the New KJV No Better Than the Apostate NIV?

 Graphic by Norma A. Boeckler

One person recently claimed, "The New KJV is no better than the NIV, so you might as well use the NIV."

That is patently false, because all King James Versions - note the plural - use the traditional text. However, the NIV uses the Butcher Commission of the International Bible Sorority, blackballing the verses they do not like. They erase the verses by dropping them into the footnotes, based on the hyperbolic lying of Tischendorf, Westcott, and Hort.

Regarding the New Testament text, which should matter to Lutherans, any King James is better than the NIV. In fact, the NIV should not be used at all, but there is big money in it for the synods.

Secondly, the New KJV does have translation errors in it, because it was marketed for the Babtists who liked the KJV but did not want the olde English in it. However, it is far closer to the precise translation of the KJV, maintaining that approach while the NIV uses the "dynamic equivalence" baloney of Nida.

When I have done comparisons, the KJV agrees with the old Luther translation. That is no shock because Tyndale's translation became the KJV.

The Great Commission, 

Teach or Manufacture?

KJV

Matthew 28: 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

NKJV

28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Apostate NIV

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The apostate Lutherans love "make disciples" because they learned from Fuller, Cho, and other fraud machines that cell groups make disciples that make disciples that make disciples. The synods that fell for this are collapsing. The underlined verb in Greek means "teach nations" so nations are the object of the verb. It does not say "manufacture disciples." The New KJV was aimed at the Baptists so they like the distortion.

Holy Communion or Just a Symbolic Ordinance?

KJV

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

NKJV

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Apostate NIV

1 Corinthians 10:16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 

WELS and LCMS are so gushy with the anti-Lutherans that they have no problem with the rejection of the Real Presence. 

Baptism Saves or It Is Just a Symbolic...Wait, I'm Lost

KJV

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

NKJV

1 Peter 3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Apostate NIV

1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 

No shock, the Babtist New KJV backs away from "baptism now saves us." The NIV is completely allergic to the Sacraments, but when The CORE starts with no communion - no shock!

Is the Savior Locked in Heaven? 

Then no Real Presence

KJV

Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

NKJV

Acts 3: 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since [e]the world began.

Apostate NIV

Acts 3:21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

New Living Translation
For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.

I think the NIV had "must remain in heaven" in the earlier version, but that is gone, gone, forgotten, gone.

WELS-LCMS Certifies Their Anti-Christian Stance with

the NIV Universalism Addition

KJV

Romans 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

NKJV

Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 

Apostate NIV

Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Two parts here - 

1) The Greek says "faith of Jesus Christ" not faith in Jesus Christ. The second construction is common but "faith of Jesus" is used by Paul three or more times. Nevertheless, though the KJV is precise on this, the others are not.

The reliably apostate NIV has everyone on earth justified. That sounds like all the modern theologians  like Barth - and just like the apostate leaders of WELS-ELS-LCMS. Does ELCA teach this? Of course.

Count on the ever-changing NIV to get more feminism into the New Testament.