Article: NKJV Word Changes by Will Kinney

From Textus Receptus

The NKJV is not "just like the King James Bible but with the old words updated". It has changed the meaning of literally hundreds of verses and needlessly altered thousands of words it has in other places translated just as they are in the Authorized Version they are supposedly revising. The NKJV has introduced between 80,000 to 100,000 word changes, not counting all the 'thee's and 'ye's, and most of this is done in order to get their copyright and make money. The NKJV translators have no firm convictions as to what the true texts of the Holy Bible are, and have merely produced another in a long list of bogus bible versions in an attempt to overthrow the time tested and God honored Authorized King James Holy Bible.

A few of many examples: Loins, strength, goodness, vanity

LOINS

Loins is not an archaic word. In fact the NKJV, NASB and NIV frequently use the word loins, which means the upper and lower abdominal area and the region about the hips.

The NKJV correctly translates the word "loins" in 15 passages, but in many others it changes the meaning of the word into something very different.

The NKJV reads "loins" in the following passages: Deut. 33:11 "smite through the loins of them that rise against him"; 1 Kings 8:19; 2 Chron. 6:9 "thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins"; 1 Kings 18:46 "he girded up his loins and ran"; Psalm 38:7 "for my loins are filled with a loathsome disease"; Psalm 69:23 "make their loins shake continually"; Isaiah 5:27; 11:5; 21:3 "my loins are filled with pain"; Jeremiah 30:6 "every man with his hands on his loins"; 48:37; Ezekiel 29:7 Hebrews 7:5 "though they come out of the loins of Abraham"; 7:10, and 1 Peter 1:13 "wherefore gird up the loins of your mind".

The NKJV correctly contains the phrase "gird up your loins" in 1 Kings 8:19 and 1 Peter 1:13, but in 2 Kings 4:29 where Elisha says to Gehazi "gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand", the NKJV now switches over to "GET YOURSELF READY and take my staff." It also does the same thing in 2 Kings 9:1, Job 38:3; 40:7; and Jeremiah 1:17.

One time the NKJV wrongly translates a different word as "loins" when it doesn't refer to loins at all. In Lamentations 3:13 we read in the King James Bible: "He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter my REINS." Reins is not an archaic word. Webster's 1999 College Dictionary defines reins as "the seat of feelings or affections". Reins is also the reading of the Revised Version, American Standard Version, Douay 1950, Darby, Young's, Geneva Bible, TMB, Hebrew Names Version, and the Jewish translations of 1917 and 1936. However the NKJV says: "He has caused the arrows of His quiver to pierce my LOINS." Loins and reins are not the same thing in English or in Hebrew - the NKJV is wrong again. The NIV has "heart" while the NASB says "inward parts".

Another time the NKJV unbelievably joins the NIV and wrongly translates "loins" as "armor". In Isaiah 45:1 the KJB, as well as the NASB, RV, ASV and even the RSV all say: "I will loose the LOINS of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates", but the NKJV and NIV say: "I will loose the ARMOR of kings..."

Exodus 1:5 "And all the SOULS that CAME OUT OF THE LOINS of Jacob were seventy SOULS." This is also the reading of the Revised Version, the American Standard Version, and the NASB.

However the NKJV says: "All THOSE WHO WERE DESCENDANTS of Jacob were seventy PERSONS." Footnote in NKJV - Literally "who came from the loins of". The NKJV omits "souls" and unnecessarily changes the literal meaning of the Hebrew. The NKJV reads much like the NIV which omits even more by saying: "The DESCENDANTS of Joseph numbered seventy in all" thus omitting the word "souls" twice and changing "came from the loins of" to "descendants" like the NKJV.

2 Chronicles 10:10 KJB - "My little finger shall be thicker than my father's LOINS." Loins is the reading of the NASB, RV, and ASV, RSV, and NRSV here.

But the NKJV has again joined the NIV and translated this word here as WAIST as it also does in Genesis 37:34; Exodus 12:11; 28:42; 1 Kings 2:5; 1 Kings 12:10; 1 Kings 20:31, 32; 2 Kings 1:8; Job 12:18; Isaiah 32:11; Jer. 13:1,2,4,11; Eze. 1:27; 8:2; 23:15; 47:4; Daniel 10:5; and Amos 8:10.

In other places where the KJB correctly has loins, the NKJV changes this to HIPS - 2 Samuel 20:8; Nehemiah 4:18; Job 40:16; Daniel 5:6; BODY - Genesis 35:11; 46:26; Isaiah 20:2; BACKS - Psalms 66:11; HERSELF - Proverbs 31:17; YOURSELF - Jeremiah 1:17; HEART - Ezekiel 21:6; Job 31:20; BODIES - Ezekiel 44:18, and FLANKS - Nahum 2:10. So much for the accuracy of the NKJV and the false claim that they are just updating the "archaic" language.

In the New Testament the word loins (osphus) occurs 8 times. The NKJV has correctly translated this word as loins only 3 of the 8 times it occurs. They correctly have loins in Hebrews 7:5,[[Hebrews 7:10|10 and 1 Peter 1:13. However, in both Matthew 3:4 and Mark 1:6 where John the Baptist is described as having a leathern girdle about his loins, the NKJV says he had a leather belt around his WAIST.

In Luke 12:35 where the Lord tells us: "Let your loins be girded about", the NKJV changes this to "waist". The same thing occurs in Ephesians 6:14 "having your loins girt about with truth" becomes " having girded your waist with truth" in the NKJV.

In Acts 2:30 we are told of David: "knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of THE FRUIT OF HIS LOINS, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne", but the NKJV changes this to "of the fruit of his BODY". There is a different Greek word used for "body" (soma) but this is not it. The Greek here is all texts is "of the fruit of his loins" (ek karpou tees osphuos autou) and so read the KJB, RV, ASV,Lamsa, Darby, Douay, Third Millenium Bible, Green's literal translation, Young's, Tyndale and Geneva Bibles. However the NASB and NIV join the RSV, ESV, and ISV (International Standard Version) in completely paraphrasing this as "ONE OF HIS DESCENDANTS".

Psalms 144:1-4 Other Examples of the NKJV'S Changes for Changes Sake - Strength, Goodness, Vanity.

"Blessed be the LORD MY STRENGTH, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: MY GOODNESS, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer....Man is like to VANITY; his days are as a shadow that passeth away."

"Blessed by the LORD my strength". The word "strength" is # 6697 and has several meanings in both the KJB, NASB, and NKJV. It can mean strength, rock, the mighty One, or even the mighty God.

"the LORD my STRENGTH" is the reading of the KJB, Geneva Bible, 1936 Jewish translation by the Hebrew Pub. Company, Lamsa's, Webster's, Third Millenium Bible, and the KJV 21. The NKJV joins the NASB, NIV and says: "Blessed be the LORD my ROCK, who trains my hands for war", yet the NKJV still translates this same word as "strength" in Psalm 18:2 "my God, my strength, in whom I trust"; Psalm 73:26 "God is the strength of my heart" (along with both the NASB, NIV), and Isaiah 26:4 "for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength".

144:2 "my GOODNESS, and my fortress" is also the reading of the Geneva Bible, 1936 Jewish translation, Green's Modern KJB, Webster's, TMB and the KJV 21. The NKJV this time joins the NASB and says: "my LOVINGKINDNESS and my fortress", while the NIV paraphrases it as: "my LOVING GOD and my fortress".

The word used here is #2617 and as most words has several meanings including mercy, goodness, lovingkindness, good deeds, and even 'wicked thing' or 'reproach' (Proverbs 14:34 "sin is a reproach to any people"). So we see it has a wide variety of meanings. But again, the NKJV still has this word translated as "goodness" in Exodus 34:6 "the LORD abundant in goodness and truth"; Psalms 33:5 "the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD"; 52:1 "the goodness of God endureth continually", and Proverbs 11:17 (along with the NASB).

One thing the word does NOT mean is "faithfulness", yet the NKJV has so rendered it in Hosea 6:4. In the KJB, Revised Version, American Standard Version, Geneva Bible, 1917, 1936 Jewish translations, Young's, Darby and others we read: "O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your GOODNESS is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away." However here the NKJV says: "your FAITHFULNESS" while the NASB has "your LOYALTY" and the NIV "your LOVE".

VANITY

144:4 "Man is like to VANITY: his days are as a shadow that passeth away." This is also the reading of the RV, ASV, Geneva Bible, Young's, Third Millenium Bible, Green's and several other versions. However the NKJV again aligns itself with the NASB, NIV here and says: "man is like A BREATH". There are several words that are translated as vanity in the KJB, NASB and NKJV, including this one. The word "vanity" has disappeared entirely from the NIV.

The word vanity, as used in the Bible, means something worthless, trivial or pointless. This particular word is # 1892 heh-vel, and is used 66 times and always translated as "vanity" or "in vain" in the King James Bible. It is found 32 times in the book of Ecclesiastes where even the NASB and NKJV translate it as "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity."

As in the King James Bible, both the NASB and NKJV often translate this word as vanity or in vain, BUT the NKJV has also frequently changed this word, apparently in an attempt to gain their copyright and sell bibles. One thing the word does not mean is "idols". There is a different Hebrew word for idols, though the word vanity may refer to the use of idols which are called by God "vanities" because they are of no profit and worthless.

In 2 Kings 17:15 we read: "And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers...and they followed VANITY and became VAIN, and went after the heathen that were round about them..." This is also the reading of the RV, ASV, NASB, Geneva, Young's, Darby, TMB, and Douay. But here the NKJV has: "they followed IDOLS and became IDOLATERS".

I will not go through the whole list of where the NKJV changes the word "in vain" or "vanity" to something else, even though it does keep the translation of vanity in other passages. I merely give these few examples to illustrate the NKJV tendency to make changes for the sake of change rather than accuracy.

The NKJV retains vanity and in vain in Job 9:29 "why then labour I in vain", and Job 35:16 "Therefore Job doth open his mouth in vain", but it alters other verses in the book of Job.

Job 7:16 KJB "my days are vanity"

NKJV - "my days are A BREATH"

Job 21:34 KJB "How then comfort ye me in vain?"

NKJV - "How then can you comfort me WITH EMPTY WORDS?"

A few other examples should suffice to illustrate the point.

Psalm 39:5, one of my favorite verses, the KJB says: "VERILY every man at his best state is ALTOGETHER VANITY."

NKJV - "CERTAINLY every man at his best state is BUT VAPOR."

Psalm 78:33 KJB "Therefore their days did he consume IN VANITY, and their years IN TROUBLE."

NKJV - "Therefore their days He consumed in FUTILITY, and their years IN FEAR."

Proverbs 13:11 KJB "Wealth gotten BY VANITY shall be diminished."

NKJV - "Wealth gained by DISHONESTY will be diminished."

Proverbs 21:6 KJB "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is A VANITY tossed to and fro of them that seek death."

NKJV - "Getting treasures by a lying tongue is THE FLEETING FANTASY of those who seek death."

Jeremiah 10:8 KJB "The STOCK is a doctrine of VANITIES."

NKJV - "A WOODEN IDOL is a WORTHLESS doctrine."

Jeremiah 16:19 KJB "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, VANITY, and things wherein there is no profit."

NKJV - "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, WORTHLESSNESS, and unprofitable things."

Jeremiah 51:18 KJB speaking of graven images: "They are VANITY, THE work of errors."

NKJV - "They are FUTILE, A work of errors."

The NEW KJV has already come out with three different editions in its short history. The first one was in 1979, then 1980 and the final one so far in 1982. This version supposedly follows the texts that underlie the Authorized 1611 Holy Bible, but in fact it sometimes follows other texts and changes the meaning in literally hundreds of verses. In addition to this, one NKJV is not like the next NKJV to come off the assembly line.

I have two editions of the NKJV, the first one in 1979 and the 1982 edition. This brief study will look at the word changes made in just three years in the book of 1 Peter chapter one and in the book of Galatians. These are just examples of what is found throughout the different NKJV editions.

First I will list the Authorized 1611 Holy Bible, then the NKJV 1979 followed by the NKJV 1982. Notice how the changes often depart form the traditional KJB reading to become more like the NASB or NIV. Some of these word changes are minor and others are of more significance.

1 Peter Chapter One

Changes from 1979 NKJV to 1982 NKJV

1:1 KJB "to the strangers SCATTERED THROUGHOUT Pontus, Galatia..."

NKJV 79 "to the pilgrims SCATTERED THROUGHOUT...

NKJV 82 "to the pilgrims OF THE DISPERSION..."

Here, even the NASB, NIV read as does the KJB (scattered), and the NKJV still renders this same word as "scattered abroad" in James 1:1.

1:6 KJB "if need be, ye are in heaviness through MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS..."

NKJV 79 " MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS"

NKJV 82 "VARIOUS TRIALS" - now equals the NASB, NIV.

1:8 KJB "ye rejoice with joy UNSPEAKABLE and full of glory"

NKJV 79 "joy UNSPEAKABLE"

NKJV 82 " joy INEXPRESSIBLE" - now equals the NASB, NIV

1:12 KJB "the Holy Ghost SENT DOWN from heaven"

NKJV 78 "SENT DOWN from heaven"

NKJV 82 "SENT from heaven" - now equals the NASB, NIV

1:13 KJB "hope TO THE END for the grace that is to be brought unto you"

NKJV 79 "hope TO THE END..."

NKJV 83 "hope FULLY UPON the grace..." now equals the NIV

1:18 KJB "FORASMUCH AS YE KNOW that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things..."

NKJV 79 "INASMUCH AS YE KNOW that...

NKJV 82 "KNOWING that ...." now equals the NASB

1:22 KJB "SEEING you have purified your souls...unto UNFEIGNED love of the brethren"

NKJV 79 "SEEING you have purified...IN UNFEIGNED love"

NKJV 82 "SINCE you have purified...IN SINCERE love..." now equals the NIV

1:25 KJB "AND this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you" NIV, NASB = KJB

NKJV 79 "AND this is the word..."

NKJV 82 "NOW this is the word..."

As you can see the NKJV continues to change evermore towards the other modern versions. There are hundreds of such changes being made every time they come out with a new, newer, newest New KJV.

Galatians 1:15 KJB "and called me BY his grace"

NKJV 1979 "and called me BY his grace"

NKJV 1982 "and called me THROUGH his grace" now equals NASB, though the NIV has "by his grace".

Galatians 1:19 KJB "But other of the apostles saw I none..."

NKJV 1979 "But no other of the apostles did I see..."

NKJV 1982 "But I saw none of the other apostles..."

Galatians 1:21 KJB "Afterwards I CAME into the regions of Syria"

NKJV 1979 "Afterward I CAME into the regions..."

NKJV 1982 "Afterward I WENT into the regions..." Now equals NASB, NIV

- - Galatians 3:24-25 KJB "Wherefore the law was our SCHOOLMASTER to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a SCHOOLMASTER." This is also the reading of Tyndale, Geneva Bible, Webster's 1833 translation, KJV21 and Third Millenium Bible.

NKJV 1979 "the law was our SCHOOLMASTER...no longer under a SCHOOLMASTER"

NKJV 1982 "the law was our TUTOR...no longer under a TUTOR" Now equals the NASB. The NIV paraphrases as: "the law was PUT IN CHARGE...no longer under the SUPERVISION of the law."

Galatians 3:27 KJB "For as many of you as HAVE BEEN baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

NKJV 1979 "For as many of you as HAVE BEEN baptized into Christ..."

NKJV 1982 "For as many of you as WERE baptized into Christ..." now equals NASB, NIV.

Galatians 4:7 KJB "Wherefore thou art no more a SERVANT, but a son."

NKJV 1979 "no longer a SERVANT, but a son"

NKJV 1982 "no longer a SLAVE, but a son" Now equals NASB, NIV.

Galatians 4:15 KJB "WHERE is then the blessedness YE SPAKE OF?"

NKJV 1979 "WHAT then was the blessedness YOU SPOKE OF?

NKJV 1982 "WHAT then was the blessedness YOU ENJOYED?

Galatians 4:20 KJB "I DESIRE to be present with you..."

NKJV 1979 "I DESIRE to be present with you..."

NKJV 1982 "I WOULD LIKE to be present with you..."

Galatians 4:23 KJB "but he of the freewoman was BY promise"

NKJV 1979 "but he of the freewoman was BY promise"

NKJV 1982 "but he of the freewomans was THROUGH promise"

- - Galatians 4:24 KJB "Which things are AN ALLEGORY; for these are the two covenants."

NKJV 1979 "Which things are AN ALLEGORY"

NKJV 1982 "which things are SYMBOLIC"

Galatians 4:24 KJB "the Mount Sinai, which GENDERETH to bondage"

NKJV 1979 "Mount Sinai which ENGENDERS bondage"

NKJV 1982 "Mount Sinai which GIVES BIRTH TO bondage"

Galatians 5:4 KJB "Christ IS BECOME OF NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, WHOSOEVER OF YOU ARE justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace."

NKJV 1979 "You HAVE BECOME ESTRANGED from Christ, WHOSOEVER OF YOU WOULD BE justified by law"

NKJV 1982 "You have BECOME ESTRANGED FROM Christ, YOU WHO ATTEMPT TO be justified by law."

Galatians 5:9 KJB "A little leaven leaveneth the whole LUMP"

NKJV 1979 "A little leaven leavens the whole BATCH"

NKJV 1982 went back to the KJB reading of "lump".

- - Galatians 5:12 KJB "I would they WERE EVEN CUT OFF which trouble you"

NKJV 1979 "I WISH those who trouble you WERE ALSO CUT OFF."

NKJV 1982 "I COULD WISH THAT those who trouble you WOULD EVEN CUT THEMSELVES OFF."

Galatians 5:15 KJB " TAKE HEED that ye be not consumed one of another"

NKJV 1979 "TAKE HEED that you are not consumed by one another."

NKJV 1982 "BEWARE LEST you BE consumed by one another."

Galatians 5:17 KJB "so that ye cannot do the things that YE WOULD"

NKJV 1979 "so that you do not do the things YOU WANT."

NKJV 1982 "so that you do not do the things THAT YOU WISH"

Galatians 6:12 KJB "ONLY LEST they should suffer persecution"

NKJV 1979 "ONLY LEST they suffer persecution"

NKJV 1982 "ONLY THAT THEY MAY NOT suffer persecution"

NKJV changes from 1979 to 1982 editions in the book of Hebrews:

NKJV changes in the book of Hebrews from 1979 to 1982

2:1 KJB "lest at any time we should LET THEM SLIP" - NKJV "lest we LET THEM SLIP" (79) to "lest WE DRIFT AWAY " (82)

2:12 KJB "in the midst of the CHURCH will I sing praise unto thee" -NKJV "in the midst of the CHURCH" (79) to "in the midst of the CONGREGATION" (82)

2:15 KJB "And DELIVER them who through fear..." - NKJV "and DELIVER those who through fear" (79) to "and RELEASE those who through fear" (82)

2:16 KJB " For verily, he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham" - NKJV "For indeed He does not give HELP to angels, but He does give HELP to the seed of Abraham" (79) to "He does not give AID to angels, but He does give AID to the seed of Abraham" (82)

2:17 KJB "in all things it behooved him to be made" -NKJV "in all things He WAS OBLIGATED to be made" (79) to "in all things He HAD to be made" (82).

In these 5 changes from one NKJV to the next in just one chapter, we see that 3 of these changes have gone from being like the KJB to being like the other modern versions of the NIV, NASB.

5:1 KJB "For every HIGH PRIEST taken from among men.." The word here is HIGH priest and is so rendered by the NASB, NIV and even the NKJV in verse 5, but here the NKJV has only the word PRIEST, omitting the part about "high priest".

5:3 KJB "And by reason hereof HE OUGHT...to offer for sins." NKJV 1979 "AND because of this he IS OBLIGATED..." NKJV 1982 " Because of this He is REQUIRED..."

5:7 KJB "with STRONG CRYING and tears" NKJV 1979 "with STRONG CRYING and tears" NKJV 1982 "with VEHEMENT CRIES and tears"

5:14 KJB "EVEN those who by reason of use". NKJV 1979 "EVEN those who by reason of use", NKJV 1982 "THAT IS, those who..."

6:1 KJB "Therefore leaving the principles of the DOCTRINE of Christ, let us go on unto perfection..." The "doctrine" of Christ is the reading of the ASV, Geneva, Tyndale, RSV and even the new ESV 2001. The NASB, NIV have the "teaching" of Christ, but the NKJV reads: "Therefore leaving the DISCUSSION of the elementary principals of Christ..."

6:6 KJB "SEEING they crucify to themselves..." NKJV 1979 "SEEING they crucify..." NKJV 1982 "SINCE they crucify..."

6:12 KJB "That ye be not slothful, but FOLLOWERS of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." NKJV 1979 "but FOLLOWERS OF those who..." NKJV 1982 "but IMITATE those who..."

6:16 KJB "and oath for confirmation is to them and end of all STRIFE." NKJV 1979 "and end of all STRIFE." NKJV 1982 "and end of all DISPUTE."

6:19 KJB "Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which enters INTO THAT WITHIN THE VEIL." This is clearly what all Greek texts say and it is the reading of the RV, ASV, Geneva Bible, Young's and many others. The NKJV 1979 reads: "which enters INTO THAT behind THE CURTAIN", while the 1982 NKJV has: "which enters THE PRESENCE behind THE VEIL."

NKJV changes from the 1979 edition to the 1982 edition

7:2 "THAT IS, king of peace" to "MEANING king of peace"

7:5 "from the BODY of Abraham" to "from the LOINS of Abraham"

7:8, 9 "AND here mortal men", "AND even Levi" - "And" (kai) is in all texts, but the 1982 edition omits both words - "Here mortal men", "Even Levi..."

7:10 "BODY of his father" to "LOINS of his father"

7:14 "OUT OF Judah" to "FROM Judah"

7:21 "And will NOT CHANGE HIS MIND" to "And will NOT RELENT"

7:25 "come to God BY Him, SEEING He ever lives" to "come to God THROUGH Him, SINCE He ever lives"

8:2 "the Lord SET UP" to "the Lord ERECTED"

8:5 "Moses was ADMONISHED BY GOD" to "Moses was DIVINELY INSTRUCTED"

8:8 "the days COME" to "the days ARE COMING"

8:11 "from the least to the greatest" to "the least OF THEM to the greatest OF THEM"

8:13 "what is obsolete" to "what is BECOMING obsolete"

9:2 "a tabernacle was MADE" to "a tabernacle was PREPARED"

9:3 "the second CURTAIN" to "the second VAIL"

9:6 "performing THE SERVICE OF GOD" to "performing the SERVICES"

9:9 "It was A FIGURE FOR THAT TIME THEN PRESENT" to "It was SYMBOLIC FOR THE PRESENT TIME"

9:9 "sacrifices WERE offered THAT COULD NOT" to "sacrifices ARE offered WHICH CANNOT"

9:11 "Christ HAVING COME...BY the greater" to "Christ CAME...WITH the greater"

9:12 "NOR BY the blood...but BY His own blood" to "NOT WITH the blood..but WITH His own blood"

9:13 "sanctifies TO the purifying" to "sanctifies FOR the purifying"

9:21 "AND likewise" to "THEN likewise"

9:24 "FIGURES of the true" to "COPIES of the true"

9:25 "NOR YET...the holy place" to "NOT THAT...the MOST Holy Place"

10:1 "with THOSE sacrifices which they OFFERED" to "with THESE SAME sacrifices, which the OFFER"

10:3 "there is a REMEMBRANCE" to "there is a REMINDER"

10:24 "consider one another SO AS TO stir" to "one another IN ORDER TO stir"

10:28 "HE who DESPISED Moses' law DIED" to "ANYONE who HAS REJECTED Moses' law DIES"

10:34 "knowing IN YOURSELVES that you have a better and an enduring possession in heaven" to "knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession FOR YOURSELVES in heaven"

Hebrews 11-12 from one NKJV to the next NKJV

As I have been pointing out in this comparative study, the NKJV 1979 is quite different from the NKJV of 1982. If they ever come out with a newer NKJV, you can bet it will be different still, both as to the texts used and the meanings conveyed.

Hebrews chapter 11

11:4 KJB "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, BY WHICH he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and BY IT ( di' autees) he being dead yet speaketh.

NKJV 79 "BY WHICH he obtained witness....and BY IT he, being dead..."

NKJV 82 "THROUGH WHICH he obtained witness...AND THROUGH IT he..." Both the NIV, NASB mistakenly translate "by it" as "by faith"; though it refers to faith, it does not say faith here.

11:7 KJB "By faith Noah, being warned OF GOD of things not seen as yet, moved with fear..."

NKJV 79 " being warned OF GOD of things not yet seen, moved with fear..."

NKJV 82 "being DIVINELY warned of things not yet seen, moved with GODLY fear..."

11:14 KJB "For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a COUNTRY."

NKJV 79 "that they seek a COUNTRY"

NKJV 82 "that they seek a HOMELAND"

11:15 KJB "if they had been mindful of that country from whence they CAME OUT..."

NKJV 79 "that country from which they CAME OUT..."

NKJV 82 "that country from which they HAD COME OUT..

11:24 KJB "By faith Moses, when HE WAS COME TO YEARS..."

NKJV 79 "when he HAD COME of age..."

NKJV 82 "when he BECAME of age..."

11:36 KJB "AND others had trial of cruel mockings..."

NKJV 79 "AND others had trial of mockings..."

NKJV 82 "STILL others had trial..."

Hebrews chapter 12

12:1 KJB "Wherefore SEEING WE ALSO are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses..."

NKJV 79 "Therefore SEEING WE ALSO are surrounded..."

NKJV 82 "Therefore WE ALSO SINCE we are surrounded..."

12:3 KJB "lest ye be wearied and faint in your MINDS"

NKJV 79 "lest you become wearied and discouraged in your MINDS."

NKJV 82 "lest you become wearied and discouraged in your SOULS."

Yet the NKJV 82 still translates this word as "minds" in other places.

12:4 KJB "Ye have not yet resisted unto BLOOD striving against sin"

NKJV 79 "not yet resisted to BLOOD...

NKJV 82 "not yet resisted to BLOODSHED... (there is no text that says "bloodshed", and it sounds as if we are the ones doing the killing rather than the ones being killed by others.)

12:7 KJB "for what son IS THERE whom the father chasteneh not?"

NKJV 79 "for what son IS HE whom a father does not chasten?"

NKJV 82 "for what son IS THERE whom a father..."

12:8 KJB "whereof all ARE partakers"

NKJV 79 "of which all ARE partakers"

NKJV 82 "of which all HAVE BECOME partakers"

12:9 KJB "shall we not MUCH RATHER be in subjection..."

NKJV 79 "shall we not MUCH RATHER be in subjection...

NKJV 82 "shall we not MUCH MORE READILY be in subjection...

12:10 KJB "For they verly for a few days chastened us AFTER THEIR OWN PLEASURE"

NKJV 79 "chastened us AS THEY DEEMED BEST"

NKJV 82 "chastened us AS SEEMED BEST TO THEM"

12:12 KJB "Therefore LIFT UP the hands which hang down..."

NKJV 79 "Therefore LIFT UP the hands...

NKJV 82 "Therefore STENGTHEN the hands... (It is actually spelled "stengthen" rather than "strengthen".)

12:13 KJB "And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame BE TURNED OUT OF THE WAY..."

NKJV 79 "so that what is lame may not BE TURNED FROM THE WAY"

NKJV 82 "so that what is lame may not BE DISLOCATED"

12:15 KJB "springing up TROUBLE YOU, and thereby many BE defiled."

NKJV 79 "springing up TROUBLE YOU, and by this many BE defiled."

NKJV 82 "springing up CAUSE TROUBLE, and by this many BECOME defiled."

12:20 KJB "or thrust through with a DART"

NKJV 79 "or thrust through with a JAVELIN"

NKJV 82 "or thrust through with AN ARROW"

12:27 KJB "AND THIS WORD, Yet once more, signifieth the removing..."

NKJV 79 "AND THIS WORD, Yet once more,.."

NKJV 82 "NOW THIS, Yet once more...."

These changes from one edition of the NKJV to the next are obviously not a case of printing errors, which are so vigorously attacked in the KJB history by the Whateverists, but are deliberate word changes to keep churning out new editons so you can buy the late$t in $cholar$hip. The NASB and NIV do the very same thing by changing their wording and even the texts from one edition to the next.

Don't accept a poor imitation when you can have the real thing. Get a King James Bible and stick to it believing every word.

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matthew 11:15

Will Kinney

External Link

NKJV Word Changes by Will Kinney

The King James Version 2023 Edition New Testament is now complete and in print format here.

Internal Links

Old Testament - New Testament KJV 1900

New Testament KJV 2016

Scrivener's 1894 Textus Receptus

2016 Urdu New Testament (TR Based)

Russian Synodal Version (TR Based)

Reina Valera Gómez Spanish (TR Based)

Marginal Notes in the 1611 Authorized Version

Ephesians 3:9

Why We Should Not Passover Easter 1, 2, & 3

Will Kinney

List of TR/KJV based foreign bibles

List of New Testament minuscules

List of New Testament lectionaries

List of New Testament Papyri

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