The Bible

Our Purpose in Addressing the King James Bible

The intent of this page sets forth our beliefs about the King James Authorized Version and explains why we hold these convictions. It is not intended to be an exhaustive study of every textual or historical issue related to the Bible. Those who desire a deeper investigation are encouraged to examine the available evidence and come to their own conclusions, for at its core, believing the Bible is ultimately a matter of faith. Although the original manuscripts no longer exist, even their discovery would not alter our confidence in the perfection and authority of the Authorized Version.

The Question of “Which Bible?”

If we approach Scripture believing that God has perfectly preserved His word, then the pressing question becomes: Which Bible has God preserved for us today? New translations continue to appear, and the debate over Bible versions remains intense. Entire libraries have been written both defending and attacking the King James Bible. A proper understanding of the history of manuscript transmission is essential for answering the “which Bible” question with clarity and conviction.

Two Streams of Manuscripts in History

When we examine the men involved in either preserving or corrupting the biblical text, we find key turning points in history. Even in the apostle Paul’s lifetime, some were already corrupting the word of God (2 Corinthians 2:17). Later, Origen of Alexandria—a teacher steeped in Greek philosophy—produced the Hexapla, a work that reflected liberal theology, denied biblical miracles, and questioned the full deity of Christ. His writings contain the seeds of the Arian heresy, which taught that Jesus Christ was a created, lesser being rather than fully God.

From this point forward, history reveals a clear division between two manuscript lines:

• The Majority Text, representing roughly 96% of all surviving manuscripts
• The Minority Text, representing the remaining 4% and heavily influenced by Alexandrian thought

Many religious institutions, including the Roman Catholic Church and numerous Protestant denominations, regard Origen as an early church father. Yet his philosophical approach and willingness to reinterpret Scripture demonstrate a system that elevates human authority above the infallibility of God’s word. This same spirit is seen in practices such as Mariology, idolatry, and doctrinal corruption—errors that have continued through the textual line used in Catholic Bibles and most modern versions.

The Alexandrian Line and Its Influence

Origen’s text was later used by Eusebius to produce fifty Bibles for Emperor Constantine, who held the title Summus Pontifex, effectively the first pope of Rome. Eusebius, a devoted follower of Origen, wrote works such as On the Discrepancy of the Gospels, which questioned the genealogy of Christ and cast doubt on the resurrection. His influence shaped the thinking of Jerome (331–420 AD), who struggled with the moral climate of Rome but embraced the theological perspectives of Origen and Eusebius.

Jerome relied on this same corrupted manuscript line when producing the Latin Vulgate, which later formed the basis of the Douay–Rheims Bible of 1610. This Alexandrian stream continued to shape the textual foundation of the Roman Catholic Church and the majority of modern Bible translations.

The Preserved Line of Scripture

In contrast, from the days of the apostle Paul onward, God has always had faithful men committed to preserving the pure text of Scripture. These believers, often persecuted by Rome throughout the Dark Ages, safeguarded the manuscripts that would later be known as the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Hebrew Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. These are the texts that avoided the corruptions introduced by Origen and Eusebius and were embraced by the true, persecuted church for centuries.

The Reemergence of the Preserved Text After the Dark Ages

As the world emerged from the Dark Ages, a remarkable recovery began to unfold. The Textus Receptus, long preserved by faithful believers, came back into view. It was from this text that Martin Luther rediscovered the truth that “the just shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17). This simple yet powerful doctrine had been obscured for centuries under the authority of the Roman Church. If salvation is by faith alone, then the religious and civil power of Rome is diminished, and its system of indulgences—essentially a “pay for salvation” structure—loses its grip on the people. This realization helped ignite the Protestant Reformation.

As the preserved Scriptures became more accessible, long‑hidden Pauline doctrine began to shine again. Early English translations such as the Tyndale, Bishops’, and Geneva Bibles drew from the same preserved textual stream. When the translators of the 1611 Authorized Version undertook their work, they compared all available sources—including the Textus Receptus, earlier English translations, and even the Latin Vulgate. The result was the culmination of centuries of preservation: the recovery of the majority text and the clear presentation of Pauline truth in the English language.

The Rise of Textual Criticism in the 1800s

By the 1800s, a new movement arose seeking to reconcile the King James Bible, based on the majority text, with the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts of the minority Alexandrian line. Two influential scholars, Westcott and Hort, shaped this effort. Though academically respected, both were influenced by the German rationalism of their day—a philosophy that questioned the supernatural elements of Scripture and cast doubt on the full deity of Christ.

Westcott and Hort produced a new Greek New Testament by blending the majority and minority texts through a method called textual criticism. Its foundational assumption was that “older is better.” Because the oldest manuscripts available at the time were Vaticanus and Sinaiticus—both aligned with the Catholic minority text—Westcott and Hort consistently favored minority readings whenever differences appeared.

Their Greek text, published in 1881, became the foundation for every major new translation since that time and carried forward doctrinal tendencies consistent with the Roman Church. Meanwhile, the King James Authorized Version has remained unchanged in content since its standardization in 1769.

The Convergence of Modern Translations and Rome

For those who examine the Bible version issue honestly, it is striking that the same manuscripts underlying the Roman Catholic Bible now form the basis of nearly all modern Protestant translations. Equally noteworthy is the growing movement among denominations and the Catholic Church to “reconcile” doctrinal positions. Such efforts, by their very nature, require compromise—often at the expense of biblical truth.

It is also telling that Pope Benedict revived the practice of granting indulgences, reinforcing the same theological system that once suppressed access to the preserved Scriptures.

Our Commitment to the Preserved Word of God

We choose not to be swayed by the marketing strategies or promotional campaigns surrounding new Bible versions. Our confidence rests in the Scriptures that emerged from the textual line God promised to preserve. For English‑speaking believers, that preserved word is found in the King James Authorized Version.

The Bible as God’s Revelation to Man

We believe the Scriptures were given by God to reveal His truth exactly as He intended us to receive it. Throughout the Bible, God unfolds His will through progressive revelation—providing new information at different points in history as His plan advances. Adam knew nothing of a coming flood. Noah had no knowledge of the Law delivered to Moses. Moses knew nothing of Israel’s New Testament promises. And none of the prophets before Paul understood the Revelation of the Mystery, first made known to the apostle beginning in Acts 9.

When Scripture is studied by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13), it becomes unmistakably clear that the Bible is not the product of human imagination. With 66 books, written by 40 authors over 1,600 years, the unity, continuity, and doctrinal harmony from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:20 testify to its divine origin and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

God’s Promise to Preserve His Word

God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9), cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), and has promised to preserve His word in purity and perfection (Psalm 12:6; Psalm 33:4; Psalm 119:89; Psalm 119:140). Scripture declares that God has magnified His word above all His name (Psalm 138:2), showing the priority He places on keeping His revelation intact.

While some argue that using the Bible to affirm the Bible is circular reasoning, the issue ultimately rests on faith. Every person must choose whether to trust the shifting opinions of men or to take God at His word and allow Scripture to stand as the final authority in all matters of faith and practice (Romans 3:4).

What the Bible Reveals About God and His Creation

Within the pages of Scripture, God records the origin of all things—visible and invisible—including the heavens, the earth, spiritual beings, mankind, and the created order we observe today (Romans 1:20). Through His word, He reveals His attributes, His thoughts, His eternal purpose, and His will for humanity.

The Purpose and Function of Scripture

The Bible exists to provide written instruction in doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Without a God‑given and God‑preserved Bible—available in a language ordinary people can read and understand—the final authority in spiritual matters inevitably becomes human opinion. By holding to the Scriptures as our standard, we gain access to God’s wisdom, rather than relying on our own limited understanding.