(November 06, 2023) Dr Jim McClure, esteemed theologian, responds to the following often asked question…

‘Can you please tell me which is the best English version of the Bible?  A friend told me that the best is the KJV (King James Version), but I find it difficult to read.  Is it okay if I read a more modern version?’

Firstly, all the earliest manuscripts we have today are copies of the originals – we do not have one original handwritten copy – or even a small portion – of any of the books of the Old or New Testaments. 

Faithfully copied handwritten copies
We do, however, have a number of excellent copies that faithful men have hand-written over many centuries. There are some minor variations in many of those copies, but none that in any way changes the message of the Bible.

Our English versions are ‘translations’ from the original Hebrew (and Aramaic) Old Testament and Greek New Testament.  It must always be remembered that even the ‘best’ translation is, at best, only a translation!

(more…)