The Only Reliable English Translation?

die Blumen leben

At first glance without translating the first word in the statement above, one would see the word “die” in it. In the English language, it is a word that we all know to mean the cessation of life. In the German language however, it is plainly the article “the”. How fortunate we are that in this day and age, we have at our disposal tools that help us in translating and actually learning languages and knowing exactly what they mean without leaving home.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Acts 2:1-13

I have no issues with the King James bible. However, there is something utterly problematic about those who circulate that it is the only reliable translation there is in the English language. As the passage above illustrates, the good news has been proclaimed in different tongues showing us that translating text had always been part of God’s equation in reaching every single man and woman on this Earth in their own native tongue and it is truly amazing that we see this in action in Scripture itself.

To claim that every other English translation out there that is not the King James (which ironically happens to be a translation from a Greek manuscript) is corrupt is obliviously also making the assertion that any other gospel text out there that is translated in another language (which would obviously make it not the King James) is unreliable. How can one manage to say they have been blessed by people who read from new “corrupt” English translations which supposedly have “antichrist” wording without contradicting themselves?

If you believe the word of the Lord endures forever (1 Peter 1:25), it can also endure a tactic of the enemy to cause people to doubt the reliability of other English translations which clarify and make easily understandable to those who speak English as their second language certain expressions that have changed in meaning through time that even some native English speakers may have a hard time understanding. God can speak and convict a person even with a single verse. Must that exact verse be only read from the KJV to achieve what God set it out to do? I believe my non-English speaking Christian brothers and sisters who do not have possession of the KJV can answer this question very clearly.