I have read in some sites (i.e.: www.breachbuilders.org/bible-kjv.htm and www.biblebaptistmeaford.com/nkjv2.html) that THE NEW KING JAMES is a bad bible to read because of all its changes. What do you think about this? What Bible do you use? How do we know if the version of the Holy Bible we are reading is really true? Can you recommend a good version of the bible?
Answer
I went to both the sites you mentioned that objected to certain things in the New King James Version. The one thing that stands out about both of those sites is that the authors clearly don’t know anything about the original Greek in which the New Testament was written. The examples they give of “bad” changes between the King James Version and the New King James Version are almost all changes that make it follow the original much more closely. The only complaint they mentioned with which I would agree would be that changing “thee, thou, and ye” (all singular) to the generic “you” sometimes makes for confusion. The modern English language does not have two different words for the singular and plural of “you.” On the other hand, most people today don’t know the distinction between ye and you, so it is not a serious objection.
What I have seen of the New King James is that it is more readable, and in the instances these writers give it is more accurate, than the KJV of 1611. The real problem is that many people act as if the King James Version were the original of the Bible. It wasn’t even the first English translation. It certainly has some inaccuracies, either in translation or in the differences in English between 1611 and today. One of these authors asked whether one would update Shakespeare because of obsolete language. If what Shakespeare wrote were essential to salvation, I certainly hope someone would! The Bible should be clear to those who read it. I wonder if these men would object to translating the Bible into other languages because they aren’t King James English. After all, that is what the New King James Version is, a translation of the KJV into more modern English, with some corrections from the original Greek.
For my previous answer on which version is the best to use, please go to What Does the Bible Say About..Bible Versions?