To the most high and mightie Prince, James by the grace of God, King of Great Britaine, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. The translators of The Bible, wish Grace, Mercie, and Peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
What did you just read? Answer: The original preface of the King James Version of the Bible printed in 1611.
At over 1 billion copies, The King James Version is the most published book in world history.
Even with outdated language, many of us still use KJV phrases such as: “Woe is me!” “a drop in the bucket,” “my brother’s keeper,” “holier than thou, and “&c” (&c used in the KJV means “et cetera”).
Though the language of the KJV can seem archaic, one scholar claims, “There is a cadence, a sentence rhythm, in the KJV that has never been matched in other English Bibles.”
Let’s read the KJV for beauty and not the NASB, NIV, NLT, &c.
But let’s read the NASB1995 and ESV for accuracy, the NIV and NLT for clarity, and the OGV for fun (Old Guy Version or Pastor Grant’s translation).
Some consider the KJV New Testament the ultimate translation in English, allowing only this version to be read aloud in churches. I don’t buy this thinking, but I will still allow those who believe in the KJV to read Interruptions.
Why do I believe other versions are just as good as the KJV?
7 vs. 5,000
Seven Greek manuscripts were known during the translation of the KJV New Testament, and there are over 5,000 known Greek manuscripts today. Claiming the original “7” as the best falls short because scholars can read those seven along with the additional 4,973 manuscripts for the best accuracy.
5 Percent
Considering the favored seven and the other 4,973, there are now over 900 English versions that derive from these manuscripts. Not only the versions already mentioned but also the NLV, RSV, VOICE, TLV, and RGT—and again, for word limit considerations—I must write “&c.”
With all the Greek manuscripts, there is only a 5 percent variation in all the English translations of the New Testament. Again, a 5 percent variation (most of it very slight) between the KJV and the other 4,937 manuscripts!
Let’s not argue about the miniscule.
Instead, while enjoying the flavoring of many differing translations, let’s appreciate God’s providential care in preserving the integrity of the New Testament—from the original documents penned by the New Testament authors, through the differing Greek manuscripts, to the English translation sitting in our homes today.
This deserves a hearty and completely out-of-context shout of “&c!”
Let’s conclude with perhaps the most famous passage in the KJV New Testament…
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:9-10, KJV).
&c and &c!