AKJVReader
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The Deity of Jesus Christ has always been a strong belief of true Christianity. Likewise, those “churches”, groups, or organizations who do not recognize the Deity of Jesus Christ are easily seen to not be true Christians but rather false religions. The contention regarding the Deity of Christ is certainly nothing new. Ever since the days of Jesus there has been a great dispute as to whether He was God or not. As you know many times the Pharisees took up stones to stone Him because He made the claim that He was God (John 10: 24-33). The Pharisees of His day rejected His claim, so too have many throughout history even up to our present day. Gnosticism, a pre-Christian pagan religion, is one such group that denies the Deity of Jesus. After the death of Christ, however, Gnosticism began to infiltrate the church (around 85 to 90 AD). Dr. Thomas Holland writing in his Introduction to the Epistle of 1 John makes the following comments, “Gnostics believed in the duel nature of all things. They claimed that whatever is spiritual is good, and what is physical is evil. Since God is a Spirit, He is good and could not have created the physical universe, which they considered evil. They also believed God created other gods (called "aeons") who created the physical universe.
One such Gnostic, Cerinthus, took the teachings of pagan Gnosticism and mixed them with Christianity. He taught that Jesus was born of Joseph and Mary and became the "Christ" thirty years later at the time of his baptism. Therefore, according to this form of Gnosticism, Jesus Christ had a dual nature. He was both Jesus (physical) and the "Christ" (spiritual). At the crucifixion, so taught Cerinthus, the "Christ" departed leaving only the human Jesus to die. He claimed there was no resurrection of the physical body of Jesus. Cerinthus also proclaimed that "Christ" was the aeon (a lesser god) who made the earth. Much of Cerinthus’ false doctrine can still be seen in the modern teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses.”
Most, if not all, Christians recognize the Jehovah’s Witnesses as a false religion. They also acknowledge that the New World Translation, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible, is a corrupt work. What they don’t know is that the modern translation they are using is a close parallel to the New World Translation (NWT). Since we know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the Deity of Christ and have altered their Bible to correspond with their belief. I thought it necessary to take a look at some of the most important scriptures dealing with the Deity of Christ to see just how the modern translations compare with the NWT and with the King James Version (KJV). Obviously, we won’t be able to cover every verse due to time and space but we will cover as many as possible. Due to the amount of verses we will be looking at I will attempt to keep my comments to as little as possible.
We will begin examining the belief that Joseph and Mary was His father and mother. Luke 2:33 reads as follows:
New International Version (NIV)- The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
New American Standard Version (NASV)- And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him;
New World Translation (NWT)- And its father and mother continued wondering at the things being spoken about it.
King James Version (KJV)- And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Notice how the NIV, NASV, and NWT all agree in calling Joseph Jesus’ “father”. The KJV rightly states “Joseph” instead of “father” knowing that Joseph was not Jesus’ Father. Let’s look at one more example: Luke 2:43
NIV- After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
NASV- and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;
NWT- and completed the days. But when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it.
KJV- And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
Again, we see that the NIV and NASV agree with the NWT. And again the KJV is careful to call him “Joseph”. Think this is insignificant? Remember the beliefs of the Gnostics and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s). Any small change is important when it fosters heresy. But believe me it only gets worse from here.
Remember the Gnostic/JW’s belief that the “Christ” did not die on the cross? They believe that the “Christ” (the spiritual) left, leaving only “Jesus” (the physical) to die on the cross. Let’s take a look at a verse that pertains to this exact issue. Luke 23:42
NIV- Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
NASV- And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.
NWT- And he went on to say: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.”
KJV- And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Again, notice the NIV, NASV, and NWT are all in agreement in having the malefactor call Him “Jesus” (the physical) , his earthly name. This adds to the belief that the “Christ” (the spiritual) had left. However, the KJV rightly records the malefactor as saying “Lord” (the spiritual) thus refuting the belief that “Christ” had left before the crucifixion. Again, this may seem like a small thing to you but it carries alot of weight doctrinally.
All are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Let’s take a quick look at how our Bibles translate Dan. 3:25:
NIV- He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
NASV-He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
NWT- He was answering and saying: “Look! I am beholding four able-bodied men walking about free in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt to them, and the appearance of the fourth one is resembling a son of the gods.”
KJV- He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
I don’t think this one needs a whole lot of commentary. I believe you can see the absurdity of the NIV, NASV, and NWT translation of “a son of the gods”. Again, the KJV upholds the integrity of “the Son of God”.
One such Gnostic, Cerinthus, took the teachings of pagan Gnosticism and mixed them with Christianity. He taught that Jesus was born of Joseph and Mary and became the "Christ" thirty years later at the time of his baptism. Therefore, according to this form of Gnosticism, Jesus Christ had a dual nature. He was both Jesus (physical) and the "Christ" (spiritual). At the crucifixion, so taught Cerinthus, the "Christ" departed leaving only the human Jesus to die. He claimed there was no resurrection of the physical body of Jesus. Cerinthus also proclaimed that "Christ" was the aeon (a lesser god) who made the earth. Much of Cerinthus’ false doctrine can still be seen in the modern teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses.”
Most, if not all, Christians recognize the Jehovah’s Witnesses as a false religion. They also acknowledge that the New World Translation, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Bible, is a corrupt work. What they don’t know is that the modern translation they are using is a close parallel to the New World Translation (NWT). Since we know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny the Deity of Christ and have altered their Bible to correspond with their belief. I thought it necessary to take a look at some of the most important scriptures dealing with the Deity of Christ to see just how the modern translations compare with the NWT and with the King James Version (KJV). Obviously, we won’t be able to cover every verse due to time and space but we will cover as many as possible. Due to the amount of verses we will be looking at I will attempt to keep my comments to as little as possible.
We will begin examining the belief that Joseph and Mary was His father and mother. Luke 2:33 reads as follows:
New International Version (NIV)- The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
New American Standard Version (NASV)- And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were spoken concerning him;
New World Translation (NWT)- And its father and mother continued wondering at the things being spoken about it.
King James Version (KJV)- And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
Notice how the NIV, NASV, and NWT all agree in calling Joseph Jesus’ “father”. The KJV rightly states “Joseph” instead of “father” knowing that Joseph was not Jesus’ Father. Let’s look at one more example: Luke 2:43
NIV- After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it.
NASV- and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;
NWT- and completed the days. But when they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it.
KJV- And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
Again, we see that the NIV and NASV agree with the NWT. And again the KJV is careful to call him “Joseph”. Think this is insignificant? Remember the beliefs of the Gnostics and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s). Any small change is important when it fosters heresy. But believe me it only gets worse from here.
Remember the Gnostic/JW’s belief that the “Christ” did not die on the cross? They believe that the “Christ” (the spiritual) left, leaving only “Jesus” (the physical) to die on the cross. Let’s take a look at a verse that pertains to this exact issue. Luke 23:42
NIV- Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
NASV- And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.
NWT- And he went on to say: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom.”
KJV- And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Again, notice the NIV, NASV, and NWT are all in agreement in having the malefactor call Him “Jesus” (the physical) , his earthly name. This adds to the belief that the “Christ” (the spiritual) had left. However, the KJV rightly records the malefactor as saying “Lord” (the spiritual) thus refuting the belief that “Christ” had left before the crucifixion. Again, this may seem like a small thing to you but it carries alot of weight doctrinally.
All are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace. Let’s take a quick look at how our Bibles translate Dan. 3:25:
NIV- He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
NASV-He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the aspect of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
NWT- He was answering and saying: “Look! I am beholding four able-bodied men walking about free in the midst of the fire, and there is no hurt to them, and the appearance of the fourth one is resembling a son of the gods.”
KJV- He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
I don’t think this one needs a whole lot of commentary. I believe you can see the absurdity of the NIV, NASV, and NWT translation of “a son of the gods”. Again, the KJV upholds the integrity of “the Son of God”.
