King James Onlyism is the belief that the 1611 King James Version of the Bible is the only divinely authorized English translation, while modern translations corrupt the Bible. As KJV Onlyist Robert Breaker has said, promoting Gail Riplinger’s book on modern translations, “It’s not just a deception. It’s a Satanic conspiracy against the word of God.”
The most glaring flaw with King James Onlyism is not one verse in the Bible supports it. And that’s pretty much it — King James Onlyism is a false doctrine.
Now if someone wants to use the King James Bible, that’s fine — if you can understand it. But to say it’s the only translation God approved is a lie.
King James onlyists argue the KJV is translated from the majority text, while modern versions are from corrupt Alexandrian texts. But the Byzantine texts used by King James translators were no older than the 11th century. We now have access to older and more reliable texts closer to the originals.
King James onlyists say modern translations removed references to Christ’s lordship, and deleted entire Bible verses. But the Byzantine texts added these verses to the original text, and the extra references to Christ’s lordship. It’s just extra pious language from some overly ambitious scribes.
King James onlyists say the 1611 authorized version is the only true Bible. “Unless you have a King James Bible, you don’t have a Bible. You need a 1611 authorized version.” Actually, no one uses the 1611, which also included the apocrypha. Today’s King James Bible is the 1769 revision.
God has preserved His word which we have in some very good translations of the Bible. Jesus said heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away (Mark 13:31), when we understand the text.
