“For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue a word that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of sounds in the world, and none is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the sound, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:8–12, LSB)
“Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and uninformed men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that surely God is among you.” (1 Corinthians 14:23–25, LSB)
This text does not have anything to do with translations, and certainly neither Paul nor the church at Corinth were thinking about English translations. Paul is writing about tongues. However in this writing, we have a principle that applies to Bible translation – that is without good translation there can be no edification.
In this text, we see Paul was telling the Corinthians that there needs to be understandable speech for believer and unbeliever alike. The believer needs edification and if the speech is not clear, if it is not understandable then it is like a trumpet with an indistinct sound, speaking to the air, or as someone who is speaking another language.
It is of necessity that there be modern Bible translations for these reasons. Nobody that I have ever met speaks the same language as the King James English. Even the most hardcore of the Ruckman type KJV Onlyists are not speaking Elizabethan English.
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18–20, LSB)
All points of the Great Commission demand the translation of the Bible into the common vernacular. That is why the Bible is not locked up in the original languages. We have a gospel to preach and that message has got to come from the Word of God. Further, how can we preach the “all things whatsoever I have commanded you” unless it be preached in the language common to man?
The history of the English translations has been great. Going all the way back to the great work of men like John Wycliffe and William Tyndale to the Geneva Bible and the King James Bible, there was some great work going on in English. Yet some say the work of translation in English was complete in 1611. Yet, where do we read that?
Did God decree that this translation would be the final translation in English when the Anglicans had finished their work in 1611?
The King James Bible was a wonderful translation, and a great translation but English has changed. No, the modern versions are not “dumbing it down” for people but rather they are translated into our modern English.
William Tyndale lived from about 1494-1536. I have a photo of him hanging over my desk. He was martyred for his work of translating the Bible into English. He said, “I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plow shall know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.”
Who is the plow boy of this generation? Am I to believe that the KJV is understandable for my elementary aged children? What about my neighbors who have an 8th grade education? How about those who live among us and speak English as a second language?
Certainly they all would be the plow boy.
But even as a preacher who grew up around the KJV all my life, I must admit that I often get tripped up in the old language of the King James. Yes, I am not too proud to admit that I, too, am a plow boy in need of a good understandable translation of the Bible….a translation in modern English.
There is a need to have a Bible in the language of the common people. They need it. And I need it.
The KJV has a number of hard-to-understand words that are archaic or out of date. Further there are places where the translators could have done a better job. Here are a few examples I have gathered in my own research with a comparison of the Legacy Standard Bible.
FIRST, LET’s LOOK AT ARCHAIC or OUTDATED WORDS in THE KJV:
LEASING = FALSEHOOD
Psalm 4:2
KJV: O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.
LSB: O sons of men, how long will my glory become a reproach? How long will you love what is worthless and seek falsehood? Selah.
BRAY = POUND
Proverbs 27:22
KJV: Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
LSB: Though you pound an ignorant fool in a mortar with a pestle in the midst of crushed grain, His folly will not turn aside from him.
PATE = SKULL
Psalm 7:16
KJV: His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
LSB: His mischief will return upon his own head, And his violence will descend upon his own skull.
BESOM = BROOM
Isaiah 14:23
KJV: I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
LSB: “I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares Yahweh of hosts.
BITTERN = HEDGEHOG
Isaiah 14:23
KJV: I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
LSB: “I will also make it a possession for the hedgehog and swamps of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,” declares Yahweh of hosts.
BRUIT = REPORT
Jeremiah 10:22
KJV: Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
LSB The sound of a report! Behold, it comes— A great quaking out of the land of the north— To make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt of jackals.
ASIDE FROM ARCHAIC WORDS IN THE KJV THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WORDS THAT HAVE CHANGED THEIR MEANING.
This is a more dangerous issue. Mark Ward, in his book Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Version calls these “false friends.” I highly recommend his book and also his YouTube channel too.
HALT = LIMPING
1 Kings 18:21
KJV: And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
LSB: And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you be limping between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.
OCCUPY = ENGAGE IN BUSINESS
Luke 19:13
KJV: And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
LSB: “And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’
SIMPLICITY = GENEROSITY
Romans 12:8
KJV: Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
LSB: or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
AFFECT = SEEK
Galatians 4:17
KJV:They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them.
LSB: They zealously seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will zealously seek them.
FOLLOWERS = IMITATORS
1 Corinthians 11:1
KJV: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
LSB Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
QUIT YOU LIKE MEN = ACT LIKE MEN
1 Corinthians 16:13
KJV: Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
LSB: Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
DISSEMBLED, DISSIMULATION = HYPOCRISY
Galatians 2:13
KJV: And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
LSB: And the rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
QUICKENED = MADE ALIVE
Ephesians 2:5
KJV: Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
LSB: even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
PERFECTING = EQUIPPING
Ephesians 4:12
KJV: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
LSB: for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ,
CONVENIENT = FITTING
Ephesians 5:4
KJV: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
LSB: nor filthiness and foolish talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.
MODERATION = CONSIDERATE SPIRIT; REASONABLENESS
Philippians 4:5
KJV: Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
LSB: Let your considerate spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
ESV: Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
IGNORANT = UNINFORMED
1 Thessalonians 4:13
KJV: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
LSB: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
QUICK = LIVING
Hebrews 4:12
KJV: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
LSB: For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
THOSE THEES and THOUS, and YOU TOO.
We are told that the modern English will confuse things because they don’t use the thees and thous. And I suppose that would be true, if we spoke Elizabeth English all the time. But we don’t. And how often have you heard the following passage preached wrong? To the readers of the 1600s this would be easy, but for our generation the Legacy Standard clears up the confusion.
Luke 22:31
KJV: And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
LSB: Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat.
DID GOD BREACH HIS PROMISE? (NO!)
Numbers 14:34
KJV: After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
LSB: ‘According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you will know My opposition.
BISHOP = OVERSEER
1 Timothy 3:1
KJV: This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
LSB: It is a trustworthy saying: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.
POWER = AUTHORITY
1 Corinthians 11:10
KJV: For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
LSB: Therefore the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels.
ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES WITH MANKIND = HOMOSEXUALS
1 Corinthians 6:9
KJV: Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
LSB: Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
CONCLUSION
“They read from the book, from the law of God, explaining and giving insight, and they provided understanding of the reading.” (Nehemiah 8:8, LSB)
When the Word was read, it was important to that generation that it be understood. How much of the KJV is understandable? Are we willing to hold on to a position with a 400 year old Bible when there are better options?
Some may push back and say that the new translations are inferior to the KJV. I disagree but if your starting point/standard is that the KJV is the perfect Word of God, then nothing else will ever be good enough. It kind of makes me wonder what churches did before the KJV, or what saints do in places where English is not the language spoken and they use another translation.
We are blessed with multiple English translations and I am thankful that the work of translating the Scriptures into the language of the people continues.