KING JAMES BIBLE HAS A RHYTHYM THAT PEOPLE THINK IS QUAINT. Others Are Put Off By The Archaic Language. Snobs like to think that are intellectually superior and people ought to learn what Old English meant.

How can the rhythm of different books in the King James Bible be achieved? Is there a style guide for that, or has no one cared to look into it?

Harry Riches · Answer requested by Guido Arbia

Some people who are “King James Only” would claim that any rhythm found in that translation was put there by God Himself.

As the original writings are not extant, all we have are copies of copies. Of course, this does not negate the ability of Lord God Almighty to influence people who are seeking the truth to bring forth the teaching that is in accord with the Law and the Prophets in the desired manner. The cadence of the King James Bible is an English construct of its time and not of Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek origin.

Many like to claim that the King James Bible is a literal translation. The American Standard Version is a literal translation. The Emphasized Bible is probably the most literal translation of the original Hebrew and Greek. Yet the American Standard Version and The Emphasized Bible are not as easy to read.

Compare these versions to reading the Revised Standard Version (a revision of the American Standard Version and compared to King James Version) which has a much better cadence, and even today is still more readily understandable than the King James Version, largely because of change in word definitions and certain idioms used—for instance: Holy Ghost is what?

One particular deception readers of the King James Version of the Sacred Scriptures often fall into accepting is the belief people are required to study to shew thyself approved unto God. Bible Colleges also deceptively promote this same meme. The truth is the word study meant in 1611 be diligent and to shew meant to present. Unless you understand this, you the reader will believe that works are required to find approval from God. Yet all these Protestants deceptively promote this falsehood that unless you study, you cannot find approval before God. There is a big difference in being diligent to present yourself to God and acquiring knowledge so that you might be approved by God.

Marg Mowczko says: “The King James Version is an excellent translation, but I believe that many of the recent English translations to be better. I mostly read the New Testament in Greek, but the English Bibles I use, roughly in order of preference, are: the NIV (2011), the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), and the King James Version (KJV). Most of the other, better known English translations are fine too.” [1]

The style used in 1611 to write the King James Version of the Bible, which was translated from the original languages and compared with the other versions of the day, is not what is used today. Nevertheless, the Revised Standard Version was written with the style used during 1611 in mind.

DANIEL B. WALLACE from the Center For the Study of New Testament Manuscripts provides some insight to how there are different styles of translation while speaking about word-for-word translations.

1. Perhaps the number one myth about Bible translation is that a word-for-word translation is the best kind. Anyone who is conversant in more than one language recognizes that a word-for-word translation is simply not possible if one is going to communicate in an understandable way in the receptor language. Yet, ironically, even some biblical scholars who should know better continue to tout word-for-word translations as though they were the best. Perhaps the most word-for-word translation of the Bible in English is Wycliffe’s, done in the 1380s. Although translated from the Latin Vulgate, it was a slavishly literal translation to that text. And precisely because of this, it was hardly English.
2. Similar to the first point is that a literal translation is the best version. In fact, this is sometimes just a spin on the first notion. For example, the Greek New Testament has about 138,000–140,000 words, depending on which edition one is using. But no English translation has this few.

Here are some examples from the Center For the Study of New Testament of the number of words used in the English translations to translate the Greek text. Beginning from the least number and working up, you notice that the RSV has the least and the King James Version, which is often touted as the most literal, comes in no. 12 on the list.

1. RSV 173,293
2. NIV 175,037
3. ESV 175,599
4. NIV 2011 176,122
5. TNIV 176,267
6. NRSV 176,417
7. REB 176,705
8. NKJV 177, 980
9. NET 178,929
10. RV 179,873
11. ASV 180,056
12. KJV 180,565
13. NASB 95 182,446
14. NASB 184,062 [2]

What really counts, though, is possessing the Holy Spirit and walking in accordance to His guidance, so that you might know the truth. Truth is axiomatic.

You Know Truth When You Can See What Is Written Explains What Is Happening Around You Today As The Only Words Written By God Himself Demonstrates And Provides The Answers You Need To Know In Respect To Yourself And Life

Footnotes

[1] 7 things you may not know about the King James Bible

[2] Fifteen Myths about Bible Translation