The King James Only Controversy

The King James Only Controversy, Revised Edition By James R. White / Bethany House The King James Version has been trusted by Christians for generations. Today it’s the center of a debate where critics charge that contemporary translations have changed essential Christian doctrines. In this revised edition of his noteworthy book, James White refutes the claims of those who believe the KJV is the only true translation of the Bible. In addition, White explores the differences between the NIV, NASB, and other translations while addressing some of the complex issues surrounding textual criticism. Sound reading for anyone engaged in, or intrigued by, the “King James Only” controversy.

This book gives background information explaining the various beliefs of those who are a part of the “King James Only” movement. It provides an excellent exposition for the lay person of both the process of translating the Bible from the Greek text, and the process of compiling the Greek text from various manuscripts. The author methodically details the translational differences between the King James and other versions of the Bible, explaining the reasons for different word choices. Also included is a detailed examination of the differences between the Greek texts used to translate the King James version, and those texts used for modern translations.

I found this book enlightening in several different ways. First, though I was familiar with the fact that some people believed that the KJV was the best translation and chose to use it exclusively for their study and preaching, I did not know that some of those who are King James Only believe that the modern translations were intentionally corrupted by translators who did not believe in the deity of Christ. The book provides evidence to the contrary, showing that the translators had no such desire. In fact the modern translations do not diminish Christ’s deity, but in some places actually give testimony to His deity where it is lacking in the King James version. In addition, I learned about the methods used to determine the inspired words from the various Greek manuscripts.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to understand how our versions of the Bible came to be. It is also a valuable resource for Christians on both sides of the King James Only Controversy.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House in order to write this review. All opinons expressed are my own. I was not compensated for this post. This post contains an affiliate link, and I will receive a small percentage if you purchase from this link.