![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/KJV-NIV-meme-300x300.webp\")
A meme has been passed around a good bit, usually with a warning that these newer versions, like the NIV, have removed certain phrases and verses. This is quite misleading and does not comport with how translations work and why certain phrases and passages are “missing.” The truth is, one could just as well argue that the KJV and some older translations “added” words to Scripture, which is just as wrong. But this all really misses the point.<\/p>\n
Take the passages in the meme. Luke 9:56 in newer translations does not have what the KJV has. This is not because of some sinister plot to take things out of Scripture. Rather, passages like this are simply not present in the older manuscripts. Since the KJV was done, many more manuscripts have come to light, and most newer translations use the earlier manuscripts instead of the later ones that were relied upon by those who did the KJV.<\/p>\n
Further, the exact same teaching appealed to in Matthew 18:11 is found in Luke 19:10, and the NIV didn’t remove that. If there was some conspiracy to remove things from Scripture, why leave in a passage that says the same thing elsewhere? It comes down to the use of ancient manuscripts that were not available when the KJV was made.<\/p>\n
In fact, the reason certain passages like that are missing is due to efforts to be true to what is legitimately Scripture. If phrases and words are added where they do not belong, is that not also a problem? This is why the work of textual criticism is so important (i.e., the task of finding and verifying the original text, necessary for any translation to exist).<\/p>\n
We have at our disposal a great amount of information that we can study to learn how the process works. It’s not like printing NIVs or ESVs or NASBs is going to make the KJV and NKJV disappear, translations that rely on other, later manuscripts. Those who worked on those newer translations were not trying to pull a fast one and take stuff out of the Bible. They include or don’t include passages and phrases because they want to be as accurate and honest as possible with the evidence they have in the manuscript families.<\/p>\n
We need to be accurate and honest, so if there is evidence that the earliest books of Scripture did not contain some words that were later added, what should our response then be? Unless you begin with the premise that the KJV is somehow the only inspired translation allowed (which is not tenable), we need to make sure we aren’t overstating a case based on a lack of knowledge about how this works.<\/p>\n
You might agree or disagree with translation choices (the NIV is not my favorite), and you might argue that we should be using later manuscripts or even the majority text, but we cannot rightly make an argument about it until we understand the reasons for the choices made in these versions. And let’s remember that these newer translations (not to be conflated with paraphrases) will still lead us to understand God’s will, as will the KJV and NKJV. No vital teaching is changed. But bad arguments and misleading memes will not help us.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A meme has been passed around a good bit, usually with a warning that these newer versions, like the NIV, have removed certain phrases and verses. This is quite misleading and does not comport with how translations work and why certain phrases and passages are “missing.” The truth is, one could just as well argue…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[190],"class_list":["post-68224","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-translation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50437,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-the-kjv-the-only-true-bible-version\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":0},"title":"Is the KJV the Only True Bible Version?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ethan R. Longhenry via\u00a0De Vibro Vitae There has been some discussion in the world today, even in the church, that there is one Bible version which is the only true version, the Authorized or King James Version. Is this so? How can we determine which Bible version is better,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":48194,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-is-the-last-phrase-in-matthew-199-missing-in-some-translations\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":1},"title":"Why is the last phrase in Matthew 19:9 missing in some translations?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In Matthew 19:9, I can't find the phrase \"and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery\" in my translation. Answer: \"And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery\" (Matthew\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16777,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-there-so-many-translations\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":2},"title":"Why are there so many translations?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 6, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why are there the KJV, NKJV, ASB, and NASB versions of God's Word? Other than the language changing, I don't get the idea for the different translations. Answer: The primary reason given for doing a new translation is to update the language to match modern terminology. While language shifts,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68231,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-king-james-translators-thoughts-on-bible-translations\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":3},"title":"The King James Translators’ Thoughts on Bible Translations","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer I recommend reading the translators' preface to the King James Version of 1611. It's easily found online, and some older King James Bibles may contain it. It helps provide some context when trying to see the value in various translations. People today make claims about KJV that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68238,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/literal-or-dynamic-translations\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":4},"title":"Literal or Dynamic Translations","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer It should go without saying that we want to have accurate Scripture translations. For many, that means wanting a \"word for word\" (aka literal) translation instead of a more \"thought for thought\" (aka dynamic) translation. While some translations get closer to doing that than others (e.g., NASB\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":82673,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-are-some-translations-not-captializing-the-pronouns-referring-to-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":68224,"position":5},"title":"Why are some translations not captializing the pronouns referring to God?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 29, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why aren't the scripture readings using capitalized \"He,\" \"Him,\" etc. when referring to God or Jesus? In respect for Their holiness? Thank you. Answer: I can't answer why the supplier of your Scripture readings chose not to capitalize pronouns referring to God. However, I would like to point out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68224","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68224"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68224\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}