The New International Version

vs.

The King James Version

BY GEORGE BURNSIDE

George Burnside was our leading evangelist in Australia for decades. When the new theology entered Australia (due to Desmond Ford’s influence over theology students at Avondale College), from the 1960s onward, Burnside resisted the incoming new theology with all his energies. His efforts were deeply resented by the Australasian (now South Pacific) Division and its subsidiary conference leaders. But Burnside refused to abandon his defense of the God’s truths for these last days. Pastor Burnside visited me in the early 1990s and expressed deep gratitude for the work we are trying to do here. He passed to his rest several years ago.

Here is one of his powerful messages. Burnside was an earnest warrior, defending God’s truth. The world needs more men like him. You will meet him in heaven. (All underlinings are his. His pattern was to give the Bible reference before the quotation.)

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CHAPTER 1

WHY I DO NOT USE THE NIV

IN SOULWINNING

I get no scarcity of questions on the Bible. These questions come by phone—many by long distance, by visitors, and by mail. Many of the questions are regarding the confusing flood of new versions of the Bible. This is especially true in respect to the New International Version, commonly referred to as the NIV. Seeing the NIV is now being urged by many, I am repeatedly asked why I do not also advocate the use of the NIV version and use it in my work of soulwinning.

As I believe it is my duty to give an answer, I will endeavour to pass on some clear and straight-forward reasons why I do not use the NIV, and never intend to use the NIV, in place of the time-honoured and sure King James Version.

Here is Luke 4:4 in the King James Version. In the NIV the underlined words are cut out:

Luke 4:4 is not the only place where parts of the Word of God have been cut out. There are literally hundreds of omissions in the NIV.

This omission in Luke 4:4 makes the statement of Jesus of little sense. "But by every word of God." Now we have it. The Scriptures are to stay. The Word of God is to feed us. We are to live by the Scriptures. Here Jesus is in conflict with the devil and in this statement our Lord is revealing the efficient weapon against sin and Satan.

Is it not significant that this very mutilated version of Scripture cuts out the very passage that condemns it. This omitted passage condemns the NIV!

Note again that our Divine Guide is showing that man is to live by "every word of God." If "every word" is vital and we need "every word" what can be said in favour of a professed version that omits a whole verse? Not only that but omits scores of passages. I will never use in my work a mutilated version, no matter how popular it may be. The "Scripture of Truth" closes with these important words:-

I would fear to stand before the judgment bar of God, if I knowingly had used and upheld a version that had taken away from the Word of God.

We should remember also that this solemn warning against taking "away from the words" of God’s Holy Book is given by none other than our Lord Himself.

Jesus clearly states:-

It is Jesus who says "Surely I come quickly." He is the One who testifies these warning words.

Our Lord leaves us in no doubt. Without Jesus the Bible would never have existed or been written. Jesus gave it to us. It is vital. So Jesus warns against taking away any of His words. "Every word" counts. He declared we are to live "by every word of God." On this important theme may I draw your attention to these words of inspired comment.

To sense the seriousness of this subject, notice a few more gems from the "Testimony of Jesus," which is the "Spirit of Prophecy."

"False teachers" like false versions, they are used and advocated by liberals and new theology followers. You cannot live by "every word" of God if many of those words have been taken away by the agents of Satan, the "false teachers."

How can you follow "the whole Bible" if hundreds of words are missing?"

Note again the words of our Lord:-

The words of Jesus shall not pass away. Therefore His words still stand.

That includes:-

These wonderful words of Jesus have transforming power. That is why the devil wants to get rid of them.

The devil tries to cut out all he can of these precious and powerful words. It is the words of Scripture that work conversion in the life, for by this "living" Word we are "born again."

The Scriptures impart Christ’s own divine nature.

Note "every word of God."

"Every word" says our Saviour and our Lord.

"Every word of God" includes all the Scriptures,

every verse,

every sentence

every clause

every phrase

every word - No exceptions.

Then, who is behind the abbreviated, shortened and reduced Bible?—It is not our God; that is apparent.

It is the enemy of God and the hater of mankind. It is the one who cast doubt on the Word of God in Eden with "Yea, hath God said?" Gen 3:1. "Surely God did not say that?" Doubt lies at the root of all sin; doubt of the Word of God. The enemy, the devil hates and dreads the Word of God.

Then Satan denied that Word.

God had declared "Thou shalt not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Gen 3:3. Disobedience will result in death, declared our God. But the devil first led man to doubt that Word, then he denies that Word. How he hates that Word! He fled before it in the wilderness of temptation. He cannot meet it. Today the deceiver, and master liar (John 8:44), tries to get rid of that infallible and all powerful Word by abbreviating it and cutting out vital parts. This is seen in the flood tide of false versions. They are perversions. Yet, even with the clear light that our Lord has given the Advent people, how easily multitudes fall before the flood of versions and perversions.

Turn to:-

Now open the NIV and what do we find? This too is missing! These precious words that explain the saving work of our Lord are cut out. Not merely are the Scriptures attacked, but also the work of our Redeemer is likewise cut. This tragic work is repeated in scores, even hundreds of places. The infallible Word of Jesus is:-

We ask, how can we live by every word of God, if literally hundreds of these life-giving words have been removed?

That is the first reason why I do not use, and do not intend to use, the NIV.

CHAPTER 2

THE NIV AND REVELATION 22:14

These two translations of this verse are certainly not the same. They are different statements. The question naturally arises: Which is the original? Which is the oldest? Which one has been corrupted? Which is the true version and which is the perversion? The claim for the NIV and other modern versions is that they are found in such ancient manuscripts as the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus and the lesser known Alexandrian manuscripts of the fourth century. This claim instead of supporting the NIV condemns it, as we shall see.

The evidences on the other hand in favour of the Authorized Version (KJV) go back to much earlier years. Note these facts:-

1. One very interesting, and little used, line of evidence is found in the writings of the earliest Church Fathers. When quoting Rev. 22:14 they all quote "do His commandments." These include Tertullian (A.D. 200) Cyprian (A.D. 248-258) and. Tertonius (A.D. 390). The first of the others [Christian writers] to quote Rev. 22:14 as "wash their robes" was Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, in the fourth century (A.D. 326-373).

This proves positively that the only earliest and true words of this text are "do His commandments." They were the originals. These early men knew nothing of "wash their robes." The words "wash their robes" did not appear until the fourth century.

The fourth century was the century of corruptions on a gigantic scale. It was the century of Constantine, Jerome, and Eusebius. It was the century of the introduction of the pagan symbol, the cross. It was the century that brought in Sunday, in place of the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. It was the century in which the church adopted so many corruptions of doctrine and practice. It was a bad century. Moreover, it brought many corruptions into the Scripture. This was the century that gave birth to the Latin Vulgate by Jerome, which was the manuscript of Scripture that contained "many errors" (Great Controversy, 56).

These corrupt words of Rev 22:14 "washed their robes" most likely began in the home of corruption—Alexandria. Alexandria was the home of Clement and Origen, philosophers who greatly corrupted Christianity.

Thus the plain facts of church history show that the Christians of the first centuries knew that Rev 22:14 said "do His commandments." The words "washed their robes" was a corruption that probably originated in Egypt in the time of corruption, namely "the fourth century." It appears all that came out of the fourth century is corruption and perversions.

Another interesting line of evidence is found in:-

2. The Aramaic or Syriac.

As I write, before me is the New Testament in the Syriac. All authorities "frankly admit that Jesus spoke Aramaic and His teachings were handed down in that language." Here is a photocopy of a large section of the introduction [the introduction to Lamsa’s Syriac (Peshitta) translation about those early centuries, prior to the fourth century].

Thus the Syriac, the language of Jesus, unites with the Scripture quotes of the earliest Fathers in proclaiming the truth of Rev. 22:14 in the Authorized Version. It has "do His commandments" and not the corrupt text "washed their robes." Here is a photocopy of Rev 22:14 in the Syriac:-

The Coptic Version, one of the earliest translations, likewise has "do His commandments."

But there is more. Inspiration confirms which is right:-

Sister White quotes Rev 22:14 probably a dozen times and in every case she quotes from the Authorized Version (KJV). When quoting Rev. 22:14 she never uses any of the perverted modern versions, "wash their robes."

She also gives us some very interesting and helpful light. This light from heaven shines clearly through the mists and confused reports of history. Here we have truth, uncontaminated by the bias of humanity.

Much of that changing of the ancient writings (Scripture = writings) was done by monks.

Men like Origen, Clement of Alexandria, Jerome and Eusebius looked to philosophy as the supreme authority. To change Scripture to fit in with their philosophy was an easy matter. In the case of Rev 22:14 this was especially easy. First, they, like many modern professed Christians, wanted to get rid of the bothersome commandments. The following translation shows how easy it was to corrupt this vital text of Scripture:-

hoi poiountes las entolas auiou, "that keep his commandments"

hoi plunontes tas stolas autőn, "that wash their robes"

This happened in the fourth century. Note the facts:-

Of the same fateful times we read again from inspired history:

The "fourth century," the century of corruptions, saw apostasy flourish. This was the century that saw the origin of Jerome’s Latin Vulgate; the basis of the Roman Catholic Bible—the Douay Version.

Latin, the common medium of the learned world, had become the language of the Church’s worship and doctrine. When the Council of Trent reaffirmed the Faith [errors] and revived the discipline of the Church amid the confusion of that age, its earliest sessions (in 1546) repeated the list of the Bible’s books and the truth of their sacred authority. At the time there were different Latin versions known in Europe. To fix upon one of them as an authoritative standard, the Council gave its approbation to "the Vulgate," prepared late in the fourth century by Saint Jerome, the greatest [Catholic] biblical scholar of antiquity.

The same "fourth century" saw the origin of the Vaticanus and the Sinaiticus. These two corrupt manuscripts are the basis and foundation of the NIV and its companion perversions, the other modern versions.

The enemy’s desire to downgrade God’s Commandments is well known to you all. His corrupt methods are seen in the Emphatic Diaglott. It is apparent that the work of deception has not ceased. Notice the deliberate changing of the words. The left hand column contains the Greek Text of the Vatican Manuscript and interlined with it the literal word corresponding in English. Now read the right hand column for deliberate change. Are they traded on the ignorance of trusting people?

Rev 22:14 has never been popular with nominal "Christians" who reject "the commandments of God." They would make void the law of their Creator by their professed faith in Christ. The apostle Paul separated himself from such teachings and so should we all.

Despite this clear statement of Scripture we need not be surprised by the rejection of God’s law. The sure word of prophecy foretold of just such apostate teaching.

The time has come when they have made void God’s law and, wonder of wonders, they do it by claiming that faith makes void this law! Therefore, with them Rev. 22:14 must be gotten rid of so as to silence God’s Eternal Ten.

A well known religious periodical The Sword of the Lord [and John R. Rice] rejected "do His commandments" of Rev. 22:14. They declared it teaches "salvation by works." They say it teaches "Legalism," "Works," as opposed to "Grace." How inconsistent, for according to the NIV and all other Jesuit versions they too teach legalism and works just the same. "Oh, consistency thou art a jewel."

Notice, according to the popular NIV, the ones who wash their robes have right to the tree of life.

They do the washing. Is that not works? Note, nothing is said about the finished work of Christ. Nothing about the new birth. Merely they wash their robes. In all my experience I have never heard any one try to expound this perversion. It came from the corruption of Origen, Jerome and Eusebius, and the flatterers of Constantine. It came in the fourth century.

The inspired words of the early church of the first century must be our foundation. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus shows who are going to Heaven and who will not go there. Our Lord closes His sermon with an appeal to build on the Rock. He shows us how:-

Now from the words of our only Guide to Glory we see the perfect harmony of Scripture and expose the perversions of the "fourth century." Read again the two contrasting statements.

Rev 22:14 These two Bibles are teaching two different doctrines:

"Wash their robes" is claimed by most NIV users to mean forgiveness for past sins.

"They that do His commandments" are people who are abiding in Christ.

Jesus clearly states:-

When a person abides in Christ, he can—by that abiding—do the commandments of God. Jesus promises:-

It is such exceeding great and precious promises of Christ abiding in His servants that grants them power to obey and a place in the City Eternal. Note these clear statements.

By partaking of the divine nature of our Lord you are enabled:-

That is why we read this:-

Those who only "wash their robes," and then keep on sinning, will never have right to the tree of life. The verses just before call for a "holy," "righteous" people. Jesus says this:-

The Authorized (KJV) is correct:-

By the context.

By the early fathers before the fourth century.

By the earliest of manuscripts. The Syriac.

By the Coptic.

By the Received Text.

The NIV has the support of Origen, the perverter of Scripture, Constantine and Jerome of the fourth century—the century of corruption of truth. The century of the change of the Sabbath to Sunday. The century of the introduction of the pagan sign of the cross. The century of the first church father to quote the perversion "wash their robes."

The Advocates of the NIV proudly claim that it is based on "the two most reliable early manuscripts." These go back to the "fourth century." They are the Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. They are both from the Papacy. "Come out of her, My people."

May our Lord lead you to love and follow:-

The Bible of the early church writers.

The Bible of the Waldenses.

The Bible of Tyndale, Luther, and all the Reformers.

The Bible of Wesley, Whitefield, and Spurgeon.

The Bible of the Adventists of 1844.

The Bible of God’s Truth of 1888.

The only Bible that S.D.A.’s ever published in English—the Authorized Version (KJV).

Read again these inspired words. Note too that Sister White repeatedly quoted Rev 22:14. Never once did she quote it as found in the NIV or as found in the eighty other corrupt per - versions. All of these per ­ versions came from the Jesuit selected manuscripts.

In desperation to uphold the corrupt modern versions, and "wash their robes" instead of "do His commandments," Sister White’s statement in E.W. 17 was mentioned. However, look it up for yourself. Here is the full statement. Jesus said unto us:-

Now look at this good statement again.

It certainly gives no support to any modern version.

None whatsoever. Note: "stood stiffly for My truth."

In Psalms 119:142 we read "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth." This favours the good, true version and refutes the modern corrupt versions including the NIV.

There are two other statements in Early Writings that leave no question as to where our Christ-given Spirit of Prophecy stands.

CHAPTER 3

THE NIV AND THE LORD’S PRAYER

This is a shocking expose!

Now read it in the Douay Bible:-

Here is the NIV:-

Note both NIV and Douay finish the Lord’s Prayer with evil!

They both omit "Thine be the glory" etc.

More evil done in the fourth century. A grand cover-up. Taking away God’s glory.

Constantine, Jerome, Origen, Augustine.

It is claimed that St. Jerome omitted the half of Matt. 6:13. He with Origen and Eusebius. They taught that the world was getting better.

They taught they were entering into the millennium. The kingdom was being set up on earth. The Douay (Roman Catholic) has this note. Dan. 2:44:-

Both St. Jerome and Eusebius were greatly influenced by Origen. History claims that Origen "did most to create and give direction to the forces of apostasy." Origen wrote "The Scriptures are of little use to those who understand them as they are written." (McClintock and Strong. Article, Origen.)

The Scriptures warn "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy" (Col 2:8). Origen ignored God’s warning and, while professing to be a Christian, worshipped Greek philosophy. Philosophy was his supreme authority, where Scripture got in his road, he changed it to suit his pagan philosophies.

In Early Writings, Sister White makes this illuminating statement:-

St. Jerome was greatly influenced by Origen and so was Bishop Eusebius. Both of these men were the servants and devoted followers of Constantine. Changing Scripture meant little to these men. They were church leaders and lived in the time when Sunday took the place of the Sabbath. The cross began to be used, and placed on professed Christian Churches. This is repeatedly stated by Catholic Authorities. See "The Cross. Should We Display a Cross?" by G. Burnside.

This "Fourth Century" was famous for the climax of apostasy. It was in this century that Sunday was exalted. The Sabbath of our Lord was pushed into the background. In this same fourth century the pagan symbol of the cross was made a symbol of Christianity. This was the century when the Vulgate was compiled by St. Jerome. This contained "many errors" (GC 245). This was due to the corruptions, omissions, and changes by such men as Origen and Jerome.

This was when "many errors" came into the Catholic versions. These omissions and errors have been passed on to the NIV and the other modern versions which are based largely on the Vaticanus and Sinaitus, both Catholic Manuscripts.

The parallel, for instance between the NIV and the Jesuit-prepared Douay version, is too close for comfort. The parallel is no mistake. They come from a common source.

Remember! They both end the Lord’s prayer with evil.

They both omit the words of our Lord.

They both omit the same important words of holy Scripture in hundreds of other places.

Thank God, the Spirit of Prophecy still upholds and exalts these words of Jesus:

"THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY."

Here, read it for yourself, from the book, Mount of Blessing:

" ‘Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory.’ Matthew 6:13.

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"We cannot overestimate the value of simple faith and unquestioning obedience."—That I May Know Him, 116.