Textual basis and translation philosophy
| Version | First published | Textual basis | Philosophy |
|---|---|---|---|
| King James Version | 1611 (std. 1769) | Received Text (Textus Receptus) | Formal, word-for-word |
| New American Standard Bible | 1971 (rev. 1995, 2020) | Critical Text (Nestle-Aland / UBS) | Formal, word-for-word |
| English Standard Version | 2001 (rev. 2016) | Critical Text (Nestle-Aland / UBS) | "Essentially literal" |
| New International Version | 1978 (rev. 1984, 2011) | Critical Text (Nestle-Aland / UBS) | Dynamic (thought-for-thought) |
| New Living Translation | 1996 (rev. 2004, 2015) | Critical Text (Nestle-Aland / UBS) | Dynamic (thought-for-thought) |
Every version above except the KJV shares essentially the same critical Greek text as its New Testament basis, which is why they tend to agree with each other — and diverge from the KJV — in the same places. The reasoning behind the KJV’s different textual basis is explained on the Textus Receptus page.
Disputed passages, verse by verse
These are among the most-cited, best-documented differences. In each case the KJV includes wording that modern critical-text versions omit, bracket, or footnote as textually uncertain.
| Passage | KJV reading | Modern critical-text reading | What’s at stake |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 John 5:7–8 | Includes the explicit Trinitarian statement: "there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost." | Shortened to "there are three that testify," with the Trinitarian clause omitted or moved to a footnote. | The clearest single verse explicitly naming Father, Word, and Spirit together. |
| Mark 16:9–20 | Prints the full longer ending, including the resurrection appearances and the Great Commission. | Retained but bracketed, italicized, or footnoted as absent from the two oldest manuscripts. | Twelve verses of resurrection testimony and the closing commission. |
| John 7:53–8:11 | Includes the account of the woman taken in adultery in full. | Retained but bracketed or footnoted as a later addition. | A well-known account of Christ’s mercy and authority to forgive sin. |
| Acts 8:37 | Includes the eunuch’s confession: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." | Omitted from the main text or moved to a footnote. | An explicit, pre-baptismal confession of Christ’s deity. |
| 1 Timothy 3:16 | Reads "God was manifest in the flesh." | Reads "He was manifest in the flesh" or similar, following a manuscript reading of "who/he" rather than "God." | A direct textual statement of the incarnation and deity of Christ. |
Why this matters more than style
Word-choice differences between translations are ordinary and expected. What KJV-only believers find significant is that the differences above are not simply stylistic — they are places where a translation either includes or excludes actual wording, often touching directly on the deity of Christ or the doctrine of the Trinity. The full theological case is laid out on the Why KJV page.
A note on tone: this comparison aims to document real, verifiable textual differences, not to question the sincerity or salvation of believers who read other translations. Many faithful Christians read the NIV, ESV, NASB, or NLT. This page explains why KJV-only believers make a different choice.