When I first started going back to church, even before being born again, a well-meaning friend told me to get a King James Version (KJV). Guess what? I got frustrated with the “thees” and “thous” and stopped reading it, totally defeating the purpose. Who talks like that?! It even has words that are no longer used in the English language! It was a struggle.
As a former Roman Catholic, who was never encouraged to read the Bible, it helped me to have a Bible translation in plain, everyday English.
Eventually, I got the New International Version (NIV), and it was perfect for a “new Christian” to get into the habit of reading the Bible daily. Today, I study from the New Living Translation (NLT). I like them both. They are written in modern English — easy to read and understand. Others like the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New King James Version (NKJV).
If you buy an actual Bible book, a study Bible helps you dig deeper into Scripture and understand it better.
Get a FREE Bible!
I recommend the FREE YouVersion Bible App. They have study plans and just about every version out there. Furthermore, you can pick from several languages! You can easily compare versions to see if there is a difference. And you can’t beat free!
What’s Wrong with the King James Version (KJV)?
It’s OK if you grew up hearing the KJV Bible. However, I don’t recommend it if you, like me, grew up Catholic or another religion that deprived you of the scriptures. It’s hard to read and understand, and you want to read it daily.
Some Problem Words Found In KJV
The following is an excerpt from Don Stewart’s ebook on Bible Translations.
As we will discover, there are three main problems with the English that is found in the King James Version.
This includes English words that are presently going out of use, English words that have now become obsolete,
and words that have changed in meaning since 1611.Words That Are Presently Going Out Of Use
There are a number of words found in the King James Version which are going out of use in modern English.
Many people might still understand what these words mean despite the fact that they are seldom, if ever, used
in English today.There Are A Number Of Obsolete Words In The King James Version
While words that are going out of use do not cause a big problem with the modern reader, there are a number
of words found in the King James Version that are no longer used in the English language. These do cause a
problem. Consider these examples which are found in the Old Testament:
“Tabret” (Genesis 31:27) “blains” (Exodus. 9:9), “cotes” (Exodus 30:35) “scall” (Leviticus. 13:30) “wen”
(Leviticus. 22:22) “crookbackt” (Leviticus. 21:20), champaign (Deuteronomy 11:30), “glede” (Deuteronomy.
14:13), “amerce” (Deuteronomy. 22:19), “clouted” (Joshua. 9:5), “withs” (Judges. 16:7), descry” (Judges. 1:23), “scrabbled” (1 Samuel. 21:13), felloes” (1 Kings 7:33), covert (2 Kings 16:18), collops (Job 15:27), “neesing” (Job 41:18), habergeon” (Job 41:26), “suretiship” (Proverbs. 11:15), “nitre” (Proverbs 25:20), “muffler” (Isaiah 3:19), wimples (Isaiah 3:22), “stomacher” (Isaiah. 3:24), “brigadine” (Jeremiah. 46:4 fanners” (Jeremiah. 51:2), “sackbut” (Daniel. 3:5), “wont” (Daniel. 3:19), “cieled” (Haggai. 1:4).The King James translation of the New Testament also contains a number of obsolete words. They are as
follows:
“Charger” (Matthew. 14:8), “glistering” (Luke 9:29), “wist” (Acts 12:9), “hoised” (Acts 27:40), “froward” (1
Peter 2:18)Most modern English-speakers would not have the slightest idea as to what these words mean. In fact, they are incomprehensible to us today!
Don Stewart, Bible Translations
