A Comparison
of the
New American Standard Version (NASV)
with the
Authorised King James Bible (KJB)
Edited by David Otis Fuller
Scanned to digital form and re-edited by Brandon Staggs
"BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURITH FOREVER. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." -1 Peter 1:25
The whole issue of this confusion engendered by such a multiplicity of versions is narrowed down to the following: If the reader believes the Bible to be the verbally, plenary, inspired Word of God in the original manuscripts, then of necessity he must believe that God has providentially preserved it through the ages down to the present hour. For the Holy Spirit has recorded in Psalm 138:2, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
The Psalmist tells us (12:6): "The words of the Lord are pure words:
as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." And again in Psalm 119:140: "Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it." If we believe God has, in His great and sovereign Providence, preserved His Book intact through the ages, then there’s but one question left: "Which version is nearest to the original manuscripts?" We maintain with solid substantial proof that the KING JAMES VERSION is that version.
The following analysis of the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION (NASV) compared with the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) is enlightening, to say the least! And, also, disheartening! We have noted that some very fine evangelicals (a number of whom we know personally) have highly and heartily endorsed the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION (NASV). We just cannot understand it, and we feel sure you will agree after reading this pamphlet. The facts are here. They cannot be denied. We cannot bring ourselves to believe that these fine evangelicals read the NASV through completely.
The reader will note in the following examples that doubt is cast again and again upon the infallibility of God’s Holy Word when verse after verse is radically changed or omitted - often times without any explanation.
Leviticus 6:21 NASV: "... as a soothing aroma to the Lord." KJV: "for a sweet savour unto the Lord." (Whoever heard of soothing a sovereign God!) The same is found in Leviticus 8:28, 17:6, and 23:18.
1 Kings 19:12 NASV: "... a sound of a gentle blowing." KJV: "... a still small voice." (In the English language, there’s a vast difference between "a gentle blowing" and "a still small voice!" I’m sure the reader will agree.)
I Kings 20:38 NASV: "... with a bandage over his eyes." KJV: "... with ashes upon his face." (In English, "ashes" and "bandage" are two different words entirely.)
Isaiah 53:10 NASV: "... If He would render Himself as a guilt offering." KJV: "... When thou Shalt make his soul an offering for sin..." (This, in our humble opinion, is a very serious perversion.)
Hosea 11:12 NASV: "... Judah is also unruly against God, Even against the Holy one who is faithful." KJV: "... but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.’ (What is this but perversion!)
Matthew 12:6 NASV: "... that something greater than the temple is here." KJV: "... That in this place is one greater than the temple."
Matthew 12:42 NASV: "... behold, something greater than Solomon is here." KJV: "... behold, a greater than Solomon is here."
Matthew 19:17 NASV: "... ‘Why are you asking Me about what is good?’"
KJV: "... Why callest thou me good?"
Mark 3:5 NASV: "... and his hand was restored." KJV: "his hand was restored whole as the other. "
Mark 6:51b NASV: "... and they were greatly astonished." KJV: "... and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered."
Mark 7:16 NASV: The verse is eliminated here and is placed in the margin in very small italicised type. KJV: "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." (This would cause the reader to doubt the accuracy or authenticity of this verse.)
Mark 9:24 NASV: "... ‘I do believe; help me in my unbelief’" KJV: "...
Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."
Mark 9:46 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note referring to verse 43 which says, "Verses 44 and 46, which are identical with verse 48, are omitted by the best ancient manuscripts." (The "best ancient manuscripts" are Codex B and Codex Aleph, both of which are the worst of manuscripts with the most errors and have proved to be the most unreliable.) KJV: "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Mark 10:24 NASV: "... ‘Children how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!’" KJV: "... Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"
Mark 11:10 NASV: "... ‘Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David’" KJV: "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."
Mark 11:26 NASV: Omitted entirely but placed in the margin in italics explaining that "later manuscripts add verse 26." (The later manuscripts in many cases are better by far than the earlier ones.) KJV: "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Mark 16:9-20 NASV: Gives the footnote, "Some of the oldest manuscripts omit from verse 9 through 20." (In John Burgon’s book, The Last Twelve Verses of the Gospel of Mark, he has written over 400 pages proving conclusively that this section was in the original manuscripts. Burgon’s book remains unanswered and is unanswerable.)
Luke 2:33 NASV: "And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him." KJV: "And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things that were spoken of him." (God was the father of our Lord Jesus Christ - not Joseph!)
Luke 4:8 NASV: Omits entirely, "Get thee behind me, Satan."
Luke 4:18 NASV: Omits entirely, "he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted." (There’s no explanation whatever.)
Luke 9:55, 56 NASV: "But He turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village." In the margin they say "Later manuscripts add, `and said, You do not know what kind of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’" (Again, this casts doubt on the veracity, the authenticity of this passage.)
Luke 11:2 NASV: :And He said to them, ‘When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come." KJV: "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth."
Luke 11:29b NASV: "... but the sign of Jonah." KJV: "... but the sign of Jonas the prophet."
Luke 23:17 NASV: Omitted, but has a marginal note stating: "Some manuscripts insert verse 17, `Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.’" KJV: "(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)" (Again, this casts doubt on a passage in God’s Word.)
Luke 23:23b NASV: "... And their voices began to prevail," KJV: "And
the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed"
Luke 23:42 NASV: "And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’" There is no explanation for leaving out "Lord, remember me" KJV: "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom."
Luke 24:40 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note, reading, "Some manuscripts add verse 40, ‘And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.’" (This again casts doubt on such a wonderful verse.)
John 3:13b NASV: "... even the Son of Man." KJV: "... even the Son of man which is in heaven."
John 5:4 NASV: Omitted, but refers to a marginal note which says, "Many authorities insert [verse 4] wholly or in part." (This injects another doubt as to the authority and accuracy of God’s Word.)
John 5:16 NASV: "And for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath." KJV: "And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day." (There is no reason given for omitting this phrase.)
John 6:33 NASV: "`For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.’" KJV: "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth Life unto the world."
John 6:69 "`And we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.’" KJV: "And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God."
John 7:53 NASV: "And everyone went to his home". There is a marginal note here stating that "John 7:53-8:11 is not found in most of the old manuscripts." (This is not true. The British Museum has 73 manuscripts and 61 have this passage. Doubtless Aleph and B are referred to as "old manuscripts" and they are two of the worst as we have noted before.)
John 8:9 NASV: "And when they heard it, they began to go out one by one..." KJV: "And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one..." (No reason is given for omitting this phrase.)
John 8:59 NASV: "Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple." KJV: "Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by" (Quite a different thought.)
John 9:4 NASV: "’We must work the works of Him who sent Me...’" KJV:
"I must work the works of him that sent me..."
John 9:35b NASV: "’Do you believe in the Son of Man?’" KJV: "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?"
John 10:30 NASV: "’I and the Father are one.’" KJV: "I and my Father are one."
John 17:5 NASV: "...’glorify Thou Me together with Thyself...’" KJV:
"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."
Acts 8:37 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note stating, "Late manuscripts insert verse 37, ‘And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’" (Both Codex Aleph and B leave this verse out and they are two of the worst manuscripts: again this casts doubt upon another section of God’s Word.) KJV: "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
Acts 9:5, 6 NASV: "And he said, ‘Who art Thou, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but rise, and enter the city, and it shall be told you what you must must do.’" KJV: "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." (Truly the translators have emasculated these two verses and give no reason at all for their omission. Again they would inject a doubt into the mind of the one who believes the Bible to be the verbally inspired Word of God.)
Acts 9:20 NASV: "and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus...." KJV:
"And straightway he preached Christ..."
Acts 10:37 NASV: "you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed." KJV: "That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached."
Acts 15:11 NASV: "But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way as they also are." KJV: "But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they."
Acts 15:34 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note "Some manuscripts add verse 34, ‘But it seemed good to Silas to remain there.’" KJV:
"Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still." (Another doubt cast on God’s Word.)
Acts 16:31 NASV: "And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household’" KJV: "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Again they omit the name "Christ.")
Acts 20:24 NASV: The following is omitted, "But none of these things move me," and no reason is given for the omission. KJV: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy..."
Acts 24:6, 7 NASV: Most of this has been omitted and only a weak explanation is given in the margin.
Acts 28:29 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note saying, "Some manuscripts add verse 29..." (The vast majority "add" this verse. This is still another doubt cast upon the Word of God.)
Romans 1:16 NASV: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God..." KJV: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:" (The translators seem to dislike the word "Christ" very much!)
Romans 15:19 NASV: "in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit so that from Jerusalem and round about..." KJV: "Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God..."
Romans 16:24 NASV: Omitted with a marginal note stating, "Some ancient manuscripts add verse 24, ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.’" (The vast majority add this verse, not just "some".)
1 Corinthians 5:4 NASV: "In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus." (In both cases the name "Christ" is omitted with no reason given. Why do the translators of the NASV dislike the name "Christ" so much?)
1 Corinthians 5:7b NASV: "... For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed." KJV: "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us." (If Christ is not sacrificed FOR US we cannot be saved!)
1 Corinthians 6:20 NASV: "For you have been bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body." KJV: "For ye are brought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s." (Reasons for omitting this are inadequate.)
1 Corinthians 9:1b NASV: "... Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?" KJV:
"... Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord?" (There is no reason given for omitting the name "Christ," and again they show their dislike for the name "Christ.")
1 Corinthians 11:11b NASV: "... nor is man independent of woman." KJV:
"... neither the woman without the man, in the Lord."
1 Corinthians 11:24 NASV: "and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’" KJV: "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, ‘Take eat: this is my body, which is broken for you...’"
1 Corinthians 16:23 NASV: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you." KJV: "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." (Why do they keep insisting on eliminating the name "Christ?")
2 Corinthians 5:17b NASV: "... behold, new things have come." KJV:
"... behold, all things are become new."
2 Corinthians 10:4 NASV: "for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses." KJV: "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.)"
2 Corinthians 11:31 NASV: "The God and Father of the Lord Jesus..." KJV: "The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (We ask in all sincerity, "Are the translators anxious to get rid of the name `Christ’ altogether?")
Galatians 2:20 NASV: "’I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.’" KJV: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me."
Galatians 6:17b NASV: "... for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus." KJV: "... for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus." (It seems as if they don’t like the name "Lord" either.)
Ephesians 3:14 NASV: "For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father." KJV: "For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. " (We ask in all sincerity, "Would the translators wish to get rid of the name entirely?")
Ephesians 5:9 NASV: "(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)." KJV: "(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.)"
Colossians 1:14 NASV: "in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." KJV: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Why omit the blood?)
Colossians 2:2b NASV: "... resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself." KJV: "... to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ."
Colossians 2:11b NASV: "... in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." KJV: "... in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ."
1 Thessalonians 2:19b NASV: "... in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?" KJV: "... in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?"
1 Thessalonians 3:11 NASV: "Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you." KJV: "Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you."
1 Timothy 1:1 NASV: "... and of Christ Jesus, who is our hope." KJV:
"... and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope."
1 Timothy 1:17 NASV: "... the only God, be honour and glory..." KJV:
"... the only wise God, be honour..."
1 Timothy 3:16 NASV: "... He who was revealed in the flesh." KJV: "...
God was manifest in the flesh."
1 Timothy 5:21 NASV: "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus..." KJV: "I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Timothy 6:1b "... that the name of God and our doctrine may not be spoken against." KJV: "... that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed."
2 Timothy 3:3b NASV: "... haters of good." KJV: "... despisers of those that are good." (Quite a difference in the meaning of the two phrases.)
2 Timothy 4:1 NASV: "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus." KJV: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ..."
Titus 1:4b NASV "... from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour."
KJV: "... from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour."
Philemon 6b NASV: "... which is in you for Christ’s sake." KJV: "... which is in you in Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 1:3b NASV: "... when He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." KJV: "when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." (Jesus Christ did it ALONE and FOR US!)
Hebrews 3:1 NASV: "Therefore, holy brethren; partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." KJV: "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus."
Hebrews 7:21b "Thou art a priest forever." KJV: "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." (There is no explanation for the omission.)
Hebrews 10:30 NASV: "For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.’" KJV: "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord."
Hebrews 11:6b NASV: "... He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." KJV:
"he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
1 Peter 3:15 NASV: "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts..." KJV: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." (Is this another attempt to do away with the Deity of our Lord as in 1 Timothy 3:16?)
1 John 1:7b NASV: "... and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." KJV: "... and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." (Let’s not stop the translators of getting rid of the name "Christ," they’re on a roll!)
1 John 2:20 NASV: "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know." KJV: "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things."
1 John 3:16 NASV: "We know love by this..." KJV: "Hereby perceive we the love of God."
1 John 4:19 NASV: "We love because He first loved us." KJV: "We love him because he first loved us."
1 John 5:6, 7 NASV: The majority of both of these verses is omitted and there is no mention in the margin as to why there is an omission.
1 John 5:13b NASV: "... in order that you may know that you have eternal life." KJV: "... that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God." (No reason is given for this phrase being omitted.)
2 John 3 NASV: "Grace mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love." KJV: "Grace be with you, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love."
Jude 25 NASV: "to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord..." KJV: "To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." (Another attempt to remove the Deity of our Lord?)
Revelation 1:9b NASV: "... and the testimony of Jesus." KJV: "...and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Revelation 6:17 NASV: "for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?" KJV: "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" (There is quite a difference between THEIR wrath and HIS wrath!)
Revelation 8:13 NASV: "... and I heard an eagle flying..." KJV: "... and I heard an angel flying..."
Revelation 15:3b NASV: "... Thou King of the nations." KJV: "... thou King of saints."
Revelation 16:7 NASV: "And I heard the altar saying..." KJV: "And I heard Another out of the Altar say..."
In this analysis we have sought to be factual and fair. The reader may have noted, or you can go over it again and check for yourself, the following: Sixteen times the Name "Christ" as applied to our Lord and Saviour is omitted with no reason given; twelve times the Name "Lord" is omitted in connection with our Saviour and also with no reason given.
If all of these deletions of Names properly ascribed to Jesus Christ and verses or long passages, such as Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53 to 8:1-11, are to be removed from God’s Holy Word, we ask, "WHERE is the doctrine of Verbal, Plenary Inspiration gone?" ALL we have left is a fallible Book, filled with errors and names and verses that should not be there. If this is the case then we are indeed "of all men most miserable."
When it comes to this blessed Word of God, and we are forced to follow the findings of the so-called critical scholars, we feel like Mary of old as she stands weeping before the sepulchre and the angels say unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?" She saith unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him."
But thanks be to God this is NOT the case! We have an infallible, inerrant, verbally inspired Book to fall back upon in which we rest our weary souls for Time and Eternity. At the beginning of the Christian Era, the Holy Spirit personally superintended the collation of the twenty-seven books which comprise our New Testament and also in the arrangement of them in the Sacred Canon.
Just so, we are as firmly convinced that the same Blessed Holy Spirit was personally involved in the choosing of the men who comprised the committee of translators of the KING JAMES VERSION. They were giants in the realm of scholarship. All one needs do is to read the roster and a thumbnail sketch of each of their achievements (see Which Bible, page 13, "The Learned Men" by Rev. Terence Brown, Secretary of the Trinitarian Bible Society of Great Britain).
There have been many versions of the Holy Scriptures since the KING JAMES VERSION was published but not one committee of these versions has suffered for their faith except the committee of the KING JAMES VERSION. Some were imprisoned or threatened with imprisonment. Many if not all had loved ones or friends who had gone to the stake or endured banishment or prison terms. Why? Because they believed the Bible to be the Very Word of the Living God and "loved not their lives unto the death." This fact speaks volumes, Such men had convictions and held the Bible in reverence and awe and thus handled it and translated it with the greatest care and precision, knowing they must give an account before the Judgement Seat of Christ some day.
You see, God knew what He was doing - as He always does - in the timing of the production of this greatest masterpiece in all English literature. It was brought into being before mankind was cursed with telephones, radios or televisions. They had time to think and meditate and spend Year after year (as one did) in the Cambridge Library from 4 o’clock in the morning until 8 o’clock in the evening studying the Greek language. Lancelot Andrewes, the chairman of the overall committee, was fluent in twenty different languages, the greatest linguist of his day, and spent five hours a day in prayer.
The Holy Spirit also had His hand on William Tyndale, choosing him for his remarkable ability as a linguist. His native tongue was English but he was perfectly at home in eight different languages, according to the record. He studied under Erasmus, the greatest scholar of that age or any age. The genius of Rotterdam was courted by kings was offered the cardinal’s hat by the pope, which he refused, and was used of God to bring into being the Textus Receptus in which the KING JAMES VERSION is founded. Tyndale’s English was so perfect in his Translation that the committee chosen by King James used well over sixty percent of it with little or no change in the wording. Had they used their own style, it is said, it would never have endured for three centuries.
We do not say the King James Version is infallible. There are changes that could be and should be profitably made, but we do say and with emphasis, there are no errors found therein. The four or five thousand extant Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, in whole or in part, agree in ninety to ninety-five percent of their contents with the text of Erasmus, while the Greek text of Westcott and Hort, founded as it was on two of the worst manuscripts, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, is filled with errors and contradictions as of necessity it must have been with such a shaky, unstable, inaccurate foundation.
No age in the history of the Christian church, until ours, has witnessed such a sustained, Satanic assault on God’s Holy Word. The versions, perversions, and paraphrases of the Scriptures increase constantly. Some of these are worthwhile and profitable; others are deliberate attacks upon God’s Holy Word. One does not need to understand Greek or Hebrew to learn which is the pure Word of God. Use the KING JAMES VERSION as the criterion and test any questionable passage in any other version by the KING JAMES VERSION. If it doesn’t pass the test and agree with it, then discard the questionable passage and keep to the Authorised Version.
There comes to mind the poem which so perfectly describes the picture of this battle fought over the centuries.
Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith’s door, And heard the anvil ring, the vesper chime.
And looking in I saw upon the floor, Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.
"How many anvils have you had?" said I, "To wear and batter out those hammers so?"
"Just one," said he, and then with twinkling eye,
"The anvil wears the hammers out, you know."
And so I thought, the Anvil of God’s Word,
For ages sceptics blows have beat upon.
But tho the sound of falling blows is heard, The Anvil still remains - the hammer’s gone!
HAMMER AWAY, YE REBEL BANDS!
YOUR HAMMERS BREAK - GOD’S ANVIL STANDS!
This text may be obtained in booklet form from the Which Bible? Society, Inc., 1540 Plymouth, S.E., Apt. 8, PO Box 7096, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49510. Write for information.