Why I Believe the King James Bible Is the Preserved Word of God
Published on: October 2, 2015 by Pastor A.W. Weckeman Category: Articles (Edited Oct.10, 2025)
Why I Believe the King James Bible Is the Preserved Word of God
There are two approaches to discussing the preservation of the Scriptures.
First, from a technical perspective, the science of textual criticism. The textual critic approaches the Bible as he would any other ancient literary work where the original autographs are no longer available. The premise is that since the original copies have long since perished, and what has survived consists of questionable, conflicting copies, it is therefore impossible to have a pure Bible.
Textual criticism is the science through which biblical scholars aim to restore or reconstruct the uncertain (lost) text of the Bible as accurately as possible to its original form by carefully analyzing various manuscripts. The common standard for determining reliability is age, with the assumption that the older the manuscript, the closer it is to the original. Unfortunately, this approach overlooks the fact that most Bible corruption occurred during the first few centuries (2 Cor. 2:17, 2 Peter 3:16).
Like in any academic field, there are different schools of thought among textual critics. Disagreements are common and come in many forms. Each group of scholars supports its own criteria and assumptions for judging whether one text type is better than another (textual disputes) or whether one family of manuscripts is superior to another.
Then there are translation disputes and disagreements over how to interpret and translate the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts (the original languages of the Bible) into English. For example, the Greek word “logismos,” found in 2 Corinthians 10:5, can mean reasoning, imagination, or thought. According to Greek, any of these three definitions would be correct. The question then arises: how do we determine the exact word (meaning) the Holy Spirit originally intended? Who gets to make that decision, and on what basis or authority?
When considering all the complexities and variables of textual criticism, not to mention the differences between Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and English, it should be clear that without supernatural intervention, it would be impossible to reconstruct the original text of the Scriptures, even if it were lost. In reality, textual criticism is essentially a matter of guesswork, an academic exercise in futility and disbelief. The Bible summarizes the science of textual criticism in 2 Tim.3:7: “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
False doctrine begins with accepting a false premise; deception arises from failing to recognize the truth. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die… (Gen.3:4). The beginning of the end came when Satan planted a false thought in Eve’s mind— a bold lie that sounded logical, even though it contradicted what God had said. Tragically, Eve accepted it. Why was Eve so easily deceived?
It has been wisely said that the heart of every problem is a problem in the heart. Eve was deceived because she questioned what God had said. Similarly, the serpent told the “biblical scholar’ that God has not preserved His Word. The falsehood that God’s words perished along with the papyri or vellum they were written on has been widely spread and accepted, despite being contrary to what God has stated. Papyri and vellum are physical, material, and temporal objects. God’s Word, however, is spiritual (John 6:63) and eternal (1 Peter 1:21). Students of modern textual criticism have little, if any, faith in God’s ability to preserve His own words. Essentially, their stance accuses God of neglect.
The false doctrine of non-preservation is a belief that has no foundation in the Word of God except for “Yea, hath God said…” (Gen. 3:1). It is essentially a theory built on a flawed premise that assumes inspiration was limited to the original autographs. This approach is very similar to “Darwin’s theory of evolution,” which is also based on a lie. Textual criticism and evolution both rely on human wisdom to challenge God’s Word; both replace certainty with doubt. Their common aim is the destruction of absolutes, which is one of the main goals of secular humanism.
Absolute truth is the foundation of morality that holds man accountable; therefore, his fallen nature leads him to challenge, resist, and deny it, especially when it concerns his conduct. In a sense, evolution eliminated God, and textual criticism removed His words. The so-called “scholars” begin with absolute inerrancy (the original lost autographs) and end up with relative inerrancy (hundreds of “relatively pure” albeit conflicting versions of the Bible).
The core issue in textual criticism of the Bible isn’t about recovering lost truth; it’s about final authority. The entire process lacks any Scriptural foundation and conflicts with God’s nature. How can we accept the sovereignty of a God who depends on fallen human minds to discern, decide, and declare what is true or not? The idea that man’s wisdom can revive God’s Word has no support in the Bible. In fact, when we look at Scripture, we see the opposite. Jesus Himself said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35). The notion that God’s words could be lost contradicts His character as revealed in Scripture—if God is pure, perfect, holy, and eternal (and He is), then His Word must be likewise. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).
Textual critics have achieved much if uncertainty is preferable to certainty, confusion is more desirable than clarity, and impurity is better than purity. As a direct result of the modern school of textual criticism, there are now over two hundred different versions of the Bible, all of which differ in some way (to satisfy copyright laws, among other reasons). Consequently, Bible publishing has become a profitable business.
The resulting confusion within the Body of Christ is yet another confirmation that the whole process is not from God “For God is not the author of confusion…” (1 Cor. 14:33). In reality, the science of modern textual criticism has proven to be a “Pandora’s box,” a contemporary form of “Yea, hath God said…” resulting in continuous controversy and significant divisions within the Body of Christ. “As if it weren’t enough for proud men to doubt God’s Holy Word, in their folly they imagine they could somehow resurrect it!” Humility is hardly the hallmark of supposed higher learning.
The second means by which to approach the subject of Bible preservation:
Scriptural perspective: Upon close examination of what God’s Word says about itself, it becomes clear that preservation and purity have never been, nor could they ever be, subject to man. The fundamental error of textual criticism, which assumes that God’s Word is lost, can be disproved by studying the internal evidence within the Scriptures regarding preservation. Additionally, consider the Holy Spirit’s indictment of “man’s wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:19-20 & 3:18-21). When it comes to spiritual realities, man’s wisdom is inherently flawed and therefore insufficient. The powers of human intellect are limited in understanding spiritual truth. “…Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Matt. 11:25). “…be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
Therefore, having no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3), we can rely on what God has historically stated in His Word by faith (Heb. 11:6). Instead of accepting an unscriptural premise and proceeding with so-called “scientific means” created in the finite mind of man, we can look to the abundant internal evidence that assures us God has truly preserved His precious Word.
Consider the Nature of God’s Word:
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt PRESERVE them from this generation FOR EVER” (Ps.12:6-7) [emphasis added].
“Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” (Ps.119:140).
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that trusteth in him.” (Prov.30:5). Therefore, if we don’t have the pure Words of God, then it stands to reason that what we have is impure.
“For the word of God is quick [alive], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12) [emphasis added].
“It is the spirit that quickeneth [imparts life]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” Jesus Christ (John 6:63) [emphasis added].
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever .” (1 Peter 1:23).
The above Scripture reveals the nature of God’s Word: Pure, living, breathing, incorruptible, eternal spirit words. Why would God supernaturally inspire and promise to preserve scriptures that He did not intend us to have? If He promised to keep them pure and then failed to do so, He would have been a liar.
“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar…” (Rom. 3:4).
The clear conclusion is that the only way God could fulfill His promise to preserve His Word for all generations would be through “infallible preservation.”
Jesus and the Word
The Scriptures state that Jesus and the Word are one (John 1:1, Rev. 19:13). Therefore, everything that Jesus is, the Word must be. God’s attributes and character must be perfectly reflected in His Word. If God is absolute, the same must be true of His Word… “thy word is truth.” (John 17:17); the truth is never malleable or relative…it is absolute!
Examples of comparisons between Jesus and the Word of God:
Salvation is found in Christ (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) and “For by grace are ye saved through faith….” (Eph.2:8) and “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom.10:17).
Jesus had the power to give life (John 11:43-44). Therefore, he is called “the Word of life” (1 John 1:1).
The same is true of His words; they give life, “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). Also consider (James 1:21, Acts 11:14, 2 Tim. 3:15).
The power is not in our ability to explain the Word, but in the Word itself! Everlasting life is revealed through a Book; believing and trusting God’s Word gives us eternal life, “…thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).
“God is light…” (1 John 1:5). Not a light or the light, He is pure light, “and in him is no darkness at all.” (Darkness constitutes error, Eph. 4:17-19). “Every word of God is pure…” (Prov. 30:5). That is the absolute truth (John 17:17). It functions as pure light, revealing all imperfections, errors, and motives (Eph. 5:13).
In its presence, nothing can remain hidden, “For the Word of God is quick, [alive] and powerful…and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Heb. 4:12) [emphasis mine]. Also consider (John 3:19-21, Ps.119:105 & 130).
Just as Jesus has the supernatural ability to see into man’s heart and read his mind (Matt. 9:3-4, cf. 2 Chron. 6:30), (John 4:16-19, 29; Jer. 17:9-10), the same is true of the Word of God, as we saw in (Heb. 4:12). Also, consider (1 Cor. 14:24-25). In reality, as we read God’s Word, we are being read by God. His living Word simultaneously convicts the conscience, discerns our thoughts, and reveals our hearts.
The Doctrine of Inspiration
The science of textual criticism rests on three fundamentally false premises: First, God has allowed His Word to be lost. Second, it is man’s responsibility to preserve God’s Word. Third, inspiration is restricted to the first century and the original autographs.
First of all, we must remember that the Holy Spirit is the source of inspiration, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:21).
What makes God’s Word unique is that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim. 3:16). The goal of divine inspiration is to put a supernatural signature on the Bible to confirm the Scriptures as the very words of God.
How reasonable is it to believe that God supernaturally inspired His life-giving Word and then allowed it to be lost? Without the doctrine of preservation, the doctrine of inspiration is meaningless; what value are pure God-breathed words that man has carelessly lost and are no longer obtainable? If God failed to preserve His Word (which He didn’t), how can we be sure He can preserve our souls?
Consider the Bible’s use of the term “scripture.”
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2 Tim. 3:15-16).
Would anyone in their right mind believe that Timothy’s mother and grandmother (2 Tim.1:5) possessed a copy of the original Hebrew autographs?
The Scriptures Paul referred to were copies of the Old Testament. Faithful copies of copies of the originals, which had not only been inspired but also preserved! The standard view among “Bible scholars” is that “holy scriptures” in (2 Tim.3:15) refer to imperfect copies of God’s Word; however, in verse 16 (same context), they refer to the word “scripture” as the inspired, infallible originals.
The Greek word for Scripture is “graphe,” which appears 51 times in the New Testament. The following is a small sample:
In Acts 17, Paul came to Thessalonica, where he “reasoned with them out of the scriptures…” (vs.2). Later in that same chapter, Paul went to Berea and preached Christ to the Bereans, who “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (vs.11).
In Luke 24:45, Jesus opened the eyes of the apostles so that “they might understand the scriptures.” Jesus read from Scripture in the synagogue at Nazareth, Luke 4:21. These were not the originals He was reading; they were “infallibly preserved” copies of copies, which the Bible refers to as Holy Writ, graphe.
What evidence do Christians use to demonstrate that the Bible is divinely inspired? We rely on the testimony of the Scriptures to confirm the authorship of the Word.
The Internal Evidence that Supports Inspiration:
(All Scripture is from the King James Bible unless otherwise noted)
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim. 3:16). Notice, “All Scripture is given, not was given.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God…” (1 Thess. 2:13).
“Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord…” (Heb.10:15-16). Notice that the author of Hebrews doesn’t attribute Jeremiah 31:33 to the prophet Jeremiah but to the Holy Spirit. Men did not write the Bible, but God worked through them.
“And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.” (Exodus 32:16).
“The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.” (2 Sam. 23:2).
“Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” (Jerm.1:9).
How can we be sure that God not only inspired His Word but also preserved it? Simply, by faith and following the same method and reasoning we use for inspiration—believing what the Word of God says about itself.
The Alteration of Internal Evidence which Supports Preservation
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35). [That is, unless you refer to the “New International Version” or one of the other modern perversions]. Contrast Jesus’ words in Matt. 23:14 (K.J.B) with (N.I.V.)
Notice the subtle deletion of verses in Acts chapter 8, verses 35, 36, and 35,36,38. Verse 37 “passed away,” along with passages like Matt.17:21, Matt.18:11, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28, Luke 17:36, Luke 23:17, John 5:4, Acts 15:34, Acts 24:7, Acts 28:29, and Rom.16:24, to name a few.
Also, compare (Ps.12:6-7 K.J.B.)
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt PRESERVE them from this generation for ever” (Ps.12:6-7) [Emphasis mine]. Compare these crucial verses as rendered in the N.I.V. below:
“And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.” N.I.V.
A comparison of the above “proof-text” (regarding preservation) in modern versions (N.I.V., N.A.S.B., etc.) offers essential insight into how God’s Word has been corrupted by liberal, so-called “biblical scholars.” Remember, the original reason for creating a new version was simply to update the archaic language of the K.J.B.
“For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a MORE SURE WORD of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts…” (2 Peter 1:17-19) [Emphasis mine].
The words of the Lord are “MORE SURE” than the actual voice of God! (Compare the above verse in the N.A.S.B. & N.I.V. and notice how the wording attempts to confuse the meaning).
“Every word of God is pure…” (Prov. 30:5). The N.A.S.B. replaces “pure with “tested” (same as N.A.B, Catholic Bible), N.I.V. replaces “pure” with “flawless.”
“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and thy truth: for thou hast MAGNIFIED THY WORD ABOVE THY NAME.” (Ps.138:2) [Emphasis mine].
The N.A.S.B. changes “above” to “according,” while the N.I.V. rewords the entire verse, completely distorting it.
* Note: Highlighting that most of these key verses about the doctrines of inspiration and preservation are also present in the modern versions (though altered) weakens the claim that supporters of the K.J.B. rely on circular reasoning (assuming the K.J.B. is pure) to defend their stance.
At this point, some may ask the logical question, “Aren’t you assuming the K.J.B. to be absolute? Why should I accept it as a standard by which to judge?” But, to answer the question with an equally logical question, why should I believe that there is no standard even though God plainly states in His Word that there is? Should we place our faith in what God has said or the speculation of “professional theologians”?
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man…..” “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” (Jerm.17:5 & 7).
Consider the following insightful quote by A.W. Tozer:
“I know all the arguments against the King James Version, but answer me this: If it is as bad as some scholars tell us, why has God blessed it so much? More people have come into the Kingdom of God through this blessed translation than any other. It has been translated into more languages than any other version, perhaps more than all the rest put together.”
“Does it not seem strange that the generation with the most advanced technology and the easiest-to-read Bible translations is the weakest generation of Christians in the history of our country?”
“It is my observation that the natural man does not understand spiritual principles. The problem has never been the translation. The problem has never been academic. The problem has always been spiritual.” – A.W. Tozer, “The Crucified Life.”
“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Ps.119:160).