Serious question for all KJV only-ites.
How can the AV 1611 KJV be inspired if it was originally published along with the apocrypha?
Hi all. This is a good question. What you probably do not realize is that it is a sword that cuts both ways.
Why did the 1611 King James Bible include the Apocrypha?
Early editions of the King James Bible, as well as many other English-language Bibles of the past, including the Wycliffe Bible (1382), the Coverdale Bible (1535), the Great Bible (1539), the Geneva Bible (1560), the Bishop's Bible (1568), the Douay-Rheims Bible (1609), and the Authorized Version (1611), the Zurich Bible 1530, the French Olivetan 1535, the Spanish Reina Bible of 1569, the Reina Valera of 1602, and the German Luther (1545), all contained the Apocrypha, but these books were included for historical reference only, not as additions to the canon of Scripture. The Reformation bibles included the books known as the Apocrypha. In 1666 they began to print King James Bibles without the Apocryphal books, and eventually they stopped including them altogether.
The Geneva Bible also had several Apocryphal references in it's footnotes, "In the 1560 edition, the Geneva listed Psalm 22 and Wisdom 2:18 as a cross reference for Matthew 27:43. The Geneva Bible cross references James 3:2 with the book of Sirach 14:1, 19:16, and 25:11. It cross references Hebrews 1:3 with Wisdom 7:26.
If you look at a copy of the original 1611 King James Bible, the book of Malachi ends with these words: "The end of the Prophets". Then the whole Apocrypha, which itself means "unknown, or spurious" is clearly marked off from the rest of the Scriptures by the words "Apocrypha" twice at the top of every page throughout. It then ends with these words: "The end of Apocrypha". Then on the next page is an elaborate woodcutting and it says: "The Newe Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." All King James Bible contained the Apocrypha in the inter-testamental section until 1666. Then it began to be omitted in subsequent printings.
A brother at another Christian club pointed out the following points regarding the KJB and the Apocrypha issue: "A few observations concerning the Apocrypha in the King James Bible: (1) The KJB 1611 printing had a fancy title page that says "The Holy Bible Containing the Old Testament, and the New". There is no mention of the Apocrypha here. So what was considered "The Holy Bible" comprised the Old and New Testaments. (2) The New Testament also had a fancy title page which says, "The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ". Note again there is no mention of the Apocrypha. (3) The Apocrypha was placed by itself in between the two testaments. (4) The Apocrypha had no fancy title page preceding it, only the title "Apocrypha". (5) The word "apocrypha" is defined in a number of ways including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity". Is it not true that the Protestants used the word Apocrypha to mean that these writings were spurious and of questionable authenticity? If this is how the word apocrypha was used then simply labeling the section "Apocrypha" indicated that they did not esteem these writings as part of the canonical Scriptures."
It is ironic and somewhat hypocritical of those who criticize the KJB for including the Apocrypha in its earlier printings, when they usually favor the modern English versions like the NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, and the NIV. These versions are based primarily on Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts, which actually contain the Apocrypha books and then some others as well mixed up within and scattered throughout the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures with no separation indicating that they are less than inspired and authoritative. It is also hypocritical because one of the biggest promoters of the ever changing Critical Text is the Dallas Theological Seminary internet site of Daniel Wallace and company, called the NET version, and they clearly include the Apocrypha in their "bible". You can see it here:
http://bible.org/netbible/
Here is a Catholic book store site where you can buy the ESV with the Apocryphal books included. This version has the full backing of the Catholic church, but you will not find the King James Bible being sold here -
Catholic Bibles: ESV w/ Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals) is Here!
You can also get The Revised English Bible with the Apocrypha of 1989, which is another Nestle-Aland Critical Greek Text edition. This is a recent revision of The New English Bible that came out in 1970. I have a copy of it right here in my study.
Alexander McClure, a biographer of the KJV translators, says: "...the Apocryphal books in those times were more read and accounted of than now, though by no means placed on a level with the canonical books of Scripture" (McClure, Translators Revived, p. 185). He then lists seven reasons assigned by the KJV translators for rejecting the Apocrypha as canonical.
The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England clearly states that the Apocrypha have no scriptural authority. "...[the Church of England] doth not apply to them to establish any doctrine."
Most of the KJB translators were from the Anglican church, which at that time was far more Orthodox in their beliefs that is the present day Apostate Anglican church.
They all held to the believes of the document called The 39 Articles. The Puritans, who also took part in the translation of the King James Bible, were in agreement.
You can see The 39 Articles here -
The 39 Articles of Religion (1562)
The 39 Articles form the basic summary of belief of the Church of England. They were drawn up by the Church in convocation in 1563 on the basis of the 42 Articles of 1553. Clergymen were ordered to subscribe to the 39 Articles by Act of Parliament in 1571.
Article VI: Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for salvation
Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture, we do understand those Canonical books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church.
Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
The First Book of Samuel
The Second Book of Samuel
The First Book of Kings
The Second Book of Kings The First Book of Chronicles
The Second Book of Chronicles
The First Book of Esdras
The Second Book of Esdras
The Book of Esther
The Book of Job
The Psalms
The Proverbs
Ecclesiastes or Preacher
Cantica, or Songs of Solomon
Four Prophets the greater
Twelve Prophets the less
And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following:
The Third Book of Esdras
The Fourth Book of Esdras
The Book of Tobias
The Book of Judith
The rest of the Book of Esther
The Book of Wisdom
Jesus the Son of Sirach Baruch the Prophet
The Song of the Three Children
The Story of Susanna
Of Bel and the Dragon
The Prayer of Manasses
The First Book of Maccabees
The Second Book of Maccabees
All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical. (End of Article 6 on the Canon of Scripture)