(08-07-2009 11:55 AM)Mark Wrote: [ -> ]I guess I need to ask this; since no one ever spoke "proper english" as translated in the King James version in Jesus' time, how do we still use it today in teaching the newcomers in Christ God's Word? Wouldn't a newer version with today's language be better suited? If you are trying to reach someone who doesn't understand the way it is written in the KJV, wouldn't it be better to use a modern language bible? What if you are trying to reach someone who doesn't even speak english? Would you teach them the language used in the KJV? To me, that would be very confusing since we do not use thee, thou, thus, etc. anymore.
And waht about the Catholic translation (I believe it's the one prior to the KJV)? It wasn't written in the english the KJV was and it was before that. Any thoughts?
The KJV has been used for 400 years and is still used by a large group of people--and understood by them.
I am going to paste in something I wrote in the series on The Message: http://www.seekgod.ca/themessagepromo.htm
The Message & NavPress Promotions
Psalm 119:104-105
"Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
In April 2006, the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) listed the ranking of Versions/Translations by actual sales in Christian retail stores in the United States during February 2006. Eugene Peterson's The Message ranked number seven. The NIV was first, followed by NKJV, KJV, New Living Translation, Holman Christian Standard Bible and Reina Valera 1960, which is a Spanish version. 1.
NavPress is the publishing arm of The Navigators. On their website list of their various ventures, the promo for NavPress is: "This ministry of The Navigators publishes books, Bible studies, periodicals and The Message Bible to enrich the spiritual walks of some four million people annually."1b
According to NavPress, publisher of Eugene Peterson's The Message The Bible in Contemporary Language, there have been over 10,000,000 readers of The Message. Although it is a paraphrase based on Eugene Peterson's opinions and beliefs, and not a word for word or thought for thought translation, many today are using it as their main source of study or as a secondary source of what they would call God's Word.
Pastors are preaching from The Message, and people of all walks of life and beliefs are reading it as a source of inspiration. Many firmly believe it is the Bible in modern American language, regarding it with the same authority as their other various translations. Others believe it tears down barriers and allows this book to be understood by Believers in Jesus Christ as well as those who do not know Him.
Many also believe that, for example, the language of the King James Bible is archaic and people cannot understand it, and Eugene Peterson's words clarify and make it all easy to understand. However, it is also viewed as an easier version to understand than the NIV, NASB and so on, making those versions, also promoted with the idea of modern language and easier to understand, suddenly obsolete.
The NIV for example, although using different manuscripts for their sources than the KJB, from their site stated the purpose of the NIV to be, "...The NIV was created and is maintained with the mandate to accurately and faithfully translate the original Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic biblical texts into clearly understandable English. The NIV is the most widely accepted contemporary Bible translation today..." 2 The NASB makes a similar claim concerning it being translated in understandable English.
The idea that Peterson's "American street language" is better understood, and for many, more accurate than the 'archaic English' of the King James Bible or even the 'clearly understandable English' used in NIV and other versions, needs to be addressed. Things not understood in the Scriptures has nothing to do with language used, according to the Word of God.
2 Peter 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.
The 'archaic English' used in the KJB, is the same English used in Shakespeare's writings, that is, Early Modern English or Elizabethan English. Shakespeare, who lived about 1564-1616, wrote his many plays and stories in the same time period as when the 1611 King James Bible was published. In fact, Beowulf, is 'Old English' (500-1100 AD) while Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, studied by many, was in 'Middle English' (1100-1500) and both are studied in schools. The Shakespearean and similar writings are also studied in schools and understood. Shakespeare's archaic English stories are used in movies, theater and drama and actors ply for the 'honor' of being in a production of a Shakespeare tale. And remarkably, all seem able to understand the vernacular. Oddly the many thousands of individuals, including young people, that choose to read and study the KJB also seem able to comprehend it, as do those who choose to read the contemporary English of the NIV, regardless how one views those versions.
About half of the most commonly used words in modern English have Old English roots, which was spoken from about 500-1100 AD. Early Modern English, which included the 1611 King James Bible, was spoken from about 1500-1800 AD. According to one website discussing the History of the English Language, "American English is closer to the English of Shakespeare than modern British English is. Some "Americanisms" that the British decry are actually originally British expressions that were preserved in the colonies while lost at home." 3
In point of fact, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy not only uses Old English, but several invented languages as well as words tied to Finnish and other languages, and yet, we see it not only craved by readers but now movies are made for the anything but 'modern English' connoisseur.
The idea that Believers and non-Believers in Christ will flock to read a fable or book of fiction using the same 'archaic' KJB language or even contemporary English, while their Bible has to be in common or 'easy' language in order to be understood, is a false premise.
It is not the 'archaic' English that is the problem. It is the desire for Truth and the obedience to God's Word that is a problem. We are told that the things of God are foolishness to those who do not know Him.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
2 Corinthians 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
*****
Mark, when I was 14 I picked up the only Bible in our home, a KJB, which was there for unknown reasons. And as I sought Christ, and believed Him, God opened my understanding on a Book I had not read before. It became alive to me, because it is the Holy Spirit that gives understanding. It's not about what we think we know or understand. Understanding the scriptures comes from a God given thirst for righteousness and He promises to give us the understanding. 
. The KJV is written at a 6th grade level of comprehension. I grew up on it. That is what I memorized in school from kindergarten onwards. I think the argument of the language issues is blown way out of proportion. If you don't understand a word, then look it up in a concordance. I have known many people who thought they would have problems with the KJV, but once they started reading it, it was not a big deal. So, methinks this is a myth that was started to promote the modern translations - dumbing down God's ability to reach into people with the truth. And so it goes ............
