Question
“What are your feelings about all the translations of the Bible we have today? Are they safe to follow?”

Answer
The Devil has done his work when it comes to the so-called translations of today. He has tried to corrupt the very text of the Bible.

Many of the so-called translations are not translations but mutilations: they are not versions but perversions. One can find his doctrine taught in one of these modern translations if he will look long enough. Some of these modern one-man versions of the Bible were done by those that did not know the Greek and Hebrew language. They are nothing more than a one-man commentary on the Bible or parts of the Bible: and they are false commentaries at that. I shall give you some examples.

The New International Version on Psalms 51:5: "Surely I have been a sinner from birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." This translation teaches that little babies are born sinners. It teaches that they are sinners when conceived. This is false to the core. We sin when we transgress the law of God (I. Jn. 2:4). How could an unborn baby transgress God's law? How can a born baby disobey the Word of God?

The Amplified Version on Ephesians 5:19: "Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices (and instruments), and making melody with all your heart to the Lord." This version teaches that it is all right to use mechanical instruments of music in worship to God. They were honest enough to place the man-made in parenthesis. The original language does not have "and instruments" in it. This is just some fellow's idea about the matter.

The Revised Standard Version on Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." The original says "a virgin shall conceive." These translators tried to destroy the miraculous conception of Christ. A young woman might be a virgin and she might not be a virgin.

The New English Bible on I Corinthians 14:19: "Thank God, I am more gifted in ecstatic utterance than any of you." These translators are trying to make a mouthful of nothing but mutterings equal to speaking in tongues. Tongues were always languages in the Bible (Acts 2:4-6). The word "ecstatic" is not in the Greek text. Devilish people place things like this in the Bible.

Today's English Version on Acts 20:7: "On Saturday evening we gathered together for the fellowship meal." There are two false things in this translation with reference to Acts 20:7. First, the original Greek says it was the first day of the week and not "Saturday evening." Second, the original Greek says they were taking the Lord's Supper and not eating a "fellowship meal." The devil is working in people who do this type of thing.

The Living New Testament on I Corinthians 2:14: "But the man who isn't a Christian can't understand and can't accept these thoughts from God, which the Holy Spirit teaches us. They sound foolish to him, because only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can understand what the Holy Spirit means. Others just can't take it in." This translation teaches that the Holy Spirit must dwell in a miraculous way within a person before he can understand what the Bible says. This is so foreign to the truth that it is deplorable. If the Holy Spirit interpreted the Bible for us, then we would all see the Bible the same and there would be no division among us.

The most dependable versions today are the King James Version of 1611, American Standard Version of 1901, and the New King James Version. For other versions of today, you must watch out. I would suggest that you throw them away when it comes to using them in the classroom and in Bible study.
Malcolm L. Hill, President
Tennessee Bible College
If you have Bible questions please send them to us at: tbc@tn-biblecollege.edu