Here is my opinion, on further reflection, about King James Only people...
The King James translation was created over 400 years ago 1) from a limited set of sources and 2) a limited knowledge of the ancient source languages. Today we have many more ancient documents and 2) the art/science of translation is better than it has ever been. So, why do people still insist that the King James translation is the only one to use?
The main reason, in my opinion, is that early 17th Century Englyshe makes them feel "holy". Rather than accept the fact that Jesus, when He was on Earth, spoke Aramaic and was a rural man (not an urban Pharisee), they have to create a false image in their minds of what He really was like. He was not a Pharisee (in every sense of the word).
The Pharisees were a Jewish group that separated themselves from impurity, the common people, and adhered to the law of the Old Testament as they understood it. They scorned Jesus, a rural commoner (in their eyes). They were more interested in outward form than genuine faith, and they taught that the way to God was by obeying the law.
Those who insist in the King James translation are similar. After all, how could anyone question the work of a group of specifically-selected men who produced a version of the Bible ordered by a secular king to verify his status? Does anyone really think that God, who created and oversees all His creation, gave a specific group of men perfect insight into His word, and has never done so at any other time before or since? It is beyond comprehension for anyone to believe such nonsense.
They will give all kinds of reasons for their belief: the KJV translators had better sources, they had better knowledge of the ancient languages, God gave them perfect understanding; that was never the case before and has never been the case since, there is a conspiracy among modern translators to corrupt God's Word, modern source manuscripts are corrupt, the translators are inspired by Satan, Bible publishers are in it to make a fast buck, etc., etc., etc.
If there ever was a group that believed that they are "holier than thou", the King James group are it. They will come up with all kinds of (phony) rationale for their rigid belief, but there is no basis for it. They want to believe that they are superior to the rest of us who (in their eyes) are gullible at best and deceived at worst.
I really feel sorry for this group of latter-day Pharisees! They think that they alone have the truth and have perfect understanding of the Bible, but, because of their arrogance, they are as deceived as the Pharisees were centuries ago.
Finally, I have nothing against the King James translation per se. If someone wants to use it as their Bible, fine. But the choice of which Bible to use is up to the individual. Whichever Bible "speaks" to them is the one they should use. Almost without exception, today's Bibles are excellent.
Personally. I read the NET Bible, The NIV, and the NRSVue. I occasionally read the 1599 Geneva Bible -- the version the Pilgrims used -- and the King James Bible. There is no perfect translation!
The King James translation was created over 400 years ago 1) from a limited set of sources and 2) a limited knowledge of the ancient source languages. Today we have many more ancient documents and 2) the art/science of translation is better than it has ever been. So, why do people still insist that the King James translation is the only one to use?
The main reason, in my opinion, is that early 17th Century Englyshe makes them feel "holy". Rather than accept the fact that Jesus, when He was on Earth, spoke Aramaic and was a rural man (not an urban Pharisee), they have to create a false image in their minds of what He really was like. He was not a Pharisee (in every sense of the word).
The Pharisees were a Jewish group that separated themselves from impurity, the common people, and adhered to the law of the Old Testament as they understood it. They scorned Jesus, a rural commoner (in their eyes). They were more interested in outward form than genuine faith, and they taught that the way to God was by obeying the law.
Those who insist in the King James translation are similar. After all, how could anyone question the work of a group of specifically-selected men who produced a version of the Bible ordered by a secular king to verify his status? Does anyone really think that God, who created and oversees all His creation, gave a specific group of men perfect insight into His word, and has never done so at any other time before or since? It is beyond comprehension for anyone to believe such nonsense.
They will give all kinds of reasons for their belief: the KJV translators had better sources, they had better knowledge of the ancient languages, God gave them perfect understanding; that was never the case before and has never been the case since, there is a conspiracy among modern translators to corrupt God's Word, modern source manuscripts are corrupt, the translators are inspired by Satan, Bible publishers are in it to make a fast buck, etc., etc., etc.
If there ever was a group that believed that they are "holier than thou", the King James group are it. They will come up with all kinds of (phony) rationale for their rigid belief, but there is no basis for it. They want to believe that they are superior to the rest of us who (in their eyes) are gullible at best and deceived at worst.
I really feel sorry for this group of latter-day Pharisees! They think that they alone have the truth and have perfect understanding of the Bible, but, because of their arrogance, they are as deceived as the Pharisees were centuries ago.
Finally, I have nothing against the King James translation per se. If someone wants to use it as their Bible, fine. But the choice of which Bible to use is up to the individual. Whichever Bible "speaks" to them is the one they should use. Almost without exception, today's Bibles are excellent.
Personally. I read the NET Bible, The NIV, and the NRSVue. I occasionally read the 1599 Geneva Bible -- the version the Pilgrims used -- and the King James Bible. There is no perfect translation!