Bible versions and perversions

There are bible perversions that are abominations and were intentionally mistranslated due to an agenda.  These versions such as the sodomite inspired "queen james version" and "the message" are not legitimate bibles - they were written to mislead and deceive.  Those perversions are not what this blog post is about although I will warn that they are blasphemy against Yahweh and those who wrote them are in danger of hell fire for changing Yahweh's word.  Stay away from these versions!  Also stay away from the Jehovah Witness version (New World Translation)  Do your research to see which ones are accepted by mainstream Christianity before you read it.

Some people are adamant on which bible versions they use and they consider all other versions as "uninspired".  The most notable are the "King James Only" (KJV) crowd who insist that the King James bible is the "only authorized english translation of the bible".  These people apparently believe that the KJV was "authorized" by Yahweh because it has "authorized" in the name.  Some of them consider the only legitimate version is the 1611 version of the King James Bible.  Since the 1611 KJV has the apocrypha and other writings not received as cannon by the majority of the churches, it can be assumed they accept the apocrypha as inspired.

The King James bible is a good translation but is not the only good translation.  It was "authorized" by King James and that is the only reason it has "authorized" in the name.  It is not copyrighted because it was written before copyrights existed and the copyright would have expired a long time ago even if it had been copyrighted.  Many claim the lack of copyright is because it was the "authorized translation".  These people have a hard time to explain which translation is "authorized" in other languages.  When examining the "KJV only", their opinions fall apart in the light of fact.

There are many bible versions because their are several manuscripts they are translated from. Other versions come about due to the change in language and meaning of words and even others are due to the different meaning of Hebrew and Greek words and many words do not directly translate to other languages and to english in particular.

In my opinion, it is very good there are other translations so you can get a better idea of what the writer meant when it is presented in a different way.  People communicate different and because of their life experiences a passage said in a different way, while still hold the same meaning, is better understood than how another version presents it.

Several years ago I posted a passage from a non-KJV verion of the bible to support something I had said (I believe it was on how Christians are to observe the Sabbath).  Someone jumped all over it and said "that is not from the authorized KJV version so it doesn't mean what you say it means"  so I posted the same passage in the KJV because it said the very same thing and I have nothing against the KJV bible.  Then someone else posted "You are a legalist using the KJV".  You can't please everyone regardless of which bible you use so I gave up and used whichever one is clearer.

Yahweh showed me a long time ago that those who are truly seeking His will and are seeking to please Him that He will reveal truth regardless of which bible version someone reads.  I came to follow Torah at a very young age in an easy to read paraphrase version.   Yahweh will, and does, use the words of scripture although He reveals the meaning of those words through His Holy Spirit.  This is why an unbeliever can read a passage and have no clue to the meaning and how the same passage comes alive and the riches of Yahweh's word comes through to those who are seeking Him and His will for their lives.

If you have a hard time understanding the KJV, then use a legitimate accepted mainline version and ask Yahweh to reveal His truth to you.  He is not limited to one version and He will reveal His truth to those who are truly seeking.

I highly recommend e-sword --- free bible software with many free versions (some for pay due to copyright) and a lot of free commentaries and resources (including Josephus and Fox's Book of Martyrs - both for FREE)     You can read and compare plus highlight in different colors (and remove highlight when there is another point you want to highlight) 
http://www.e-sword.net/