EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Reformation emphasised starting from the original languages and translating the Bible into the mother tongue for the common man.
The King James Bible was raised providentially as the universal standard for spreading the Gospel worldwide. Various Biblical prophecies are fulfilled in English and the King James Bible.
Protestant history shows a providential shift from reliance on Hebrew and Greek originals to authoritative English Scripture, and the KJB is now positioned to continue as the primary Bible for global Gospel progress and doctrinal unity.
INTRODUCTION
The Reformation was a movement that saw both the turning to the Hebrew and Greek for the source of translation, but also the outworking of translation in English to reach every person. Therefore, Protestant writers must be understood to be within a providential continuum where they were acting in such a way as to bring about the ultimate result of having one Bible as standard for the world.
THE SCRIPTURAL CASE
1.1
“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” (Isaiah 28:11).
Besides the fact that Pentecostalism has done more for spreading the Gospel into foreign nations than any other movement, and that the Pentecostal movement is primarily an English-speaking movement, this passage also points to a time when God will speak to the Jews in a language other than Hebrew.
Now this was not a prophecy of Greek, nor of the day of Pentecost which were only the start of the fulfilment, but the completion of God speaking to the Jewish people is with the English language and one standard Bible: the King James Version.
The movement of history, particularly with Protestantism, has done much in this regard, so that the Jews now have English (which is the most known and essentially global language), there is now a recognised perfect Bible as a world wide standard for the conversion of the Gentiles and the Jews, so as to fulfil the prophecies of Romans 11.
1.2
“For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9).
The pure language that God would turn natural Israel to is English, specifically, the English of the Bible, to access it. And by this all can know the name of the Lord, which is JEHOVAH, not some other thing. And by having one perfect Bible, as a standard, Protestants and Jews can be together in the one true evangelical religion as based on one Bible.
1.3
“But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:” (Rom. 16:26).
The passages of the Old Testament, conveyed formerly by the Jews, even to the Reformation, are now made known to the whole world, not in Hebrew, but in English. No nation on this Earth has a population that could access Biblical Hebrew, but more and more, all can access English.
Therefore, God has providentially raised up the King James Bible as the standard for all, and by conforming to it properly, may continue the holiness doctrine pioneered by Wesley, Finney and the early Pentecostals, that men everywhere should actually obey the truth.
1.4
The prophecy of Revelation 10 shows, in the Historicist view, a mighty angel holding a book, which represents both the preaching of the Gospel by Protestantism, and also the book for the world, ultimately being the King James Bible.
This angel’s power is felt on sea and land, and the angel’s voice is like a roaring lion — a symbol incidentally of English and the British Empire — and the fact of seven thunders, which could be said to be seven major Protestant iterations of the English Bible. After this is done, England then passed through the movement of looking ahead to the Seventh Trumpet, known as the Millenarian movement, which is the time when the English Bible is to be made universal.
Before the upcoming flood tide of the Spirit, when His outpouring brings revival to the Earth before the coming of Jesus in the air to take up His Church, we see the witness of the King James Bible reaching the nations, as it did in the 19th century for example. But in our future, we look for the increase of the King James Bible witness in all the world (from the time of the future fall of Gog) before the end come.
THE TRANSLATORS
2.1
“If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost.” — William Tyndale.
William Tyndale was the first Protestant translator of the Bible into English. He did not expect the population of England to learn or know Greek or Hebrew. They were going to know the Bible in English, and this is exactly what happened.
2.2
Many lengthy quotes can be given from the makers of the King James Bible. The prefatory materials — The Translators to the Reader and The Epistle Dedicatory — offer rich insights into why translating the Bible into English was not only necessary but a duty in line with divine providence. They argue for clear, accessible Scripture for the English-speaking people, affirming the value and sacredness of the English language in carrying God’s Word.
“For when Your Highness had once out of deep judgment apprehended how convenient it was, that out of the Original Sacred Tongues… there should be one more exact Translation of the holy Scriptures into the English Tongue…”
2.3
They expressed their concern for the spiritual welfare of all, showing that without Scripture in their own tongue, many would be deprived of the ability to meditate on and apply God’s Word:
“But we desire that the Scripture may speak like itself, as in the language of Canaan, that it may be understood even of the very vulgar.”
Here, the translators highlighted that Scripture was meant to be understood by all people in English, not confined to scholars who knew the original languages.
They further illustrated the plight of those who could not read Latin or Greek, describing them as at a deep well without a bucket to draw water:
“Indeed without translation into the vulgar tongue, the unlearned are but like children at Jacob’s well (which was deep) without a bucket or something to draw with: or as that person mentioned by Esay, to whom when a sealed book was delivered with this motion, Read this, I pray thee, he was fain to make this answer, I cannot, for it is sealed.”
This metaphor underscored the translators’ conviction that English translation brought spiritual nourishment to those otherwise shut out from the Word.
2.4
By citing previous translators, they affirmed the legitimacy and necessity of English Scripture, situating the KJB as a faithful continuation of this important tradition.
The translators also emphasised their commitment to faithful translation from the original Hebrew and Greek texts, striving for accuracy and clarity.
Quite lengthy quotes can be garnered from their works illustrating these points, but here the reader is admonished to do their own reading.
THE THEOLOGIANS
3.1
The Westminster Confession spoke of the authenticity and appeal to the original languages, but then made this important elaboration, “But because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God who have right unto, and interest in, the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them, therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come, that the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner, and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.”
Thus, they endorsed the Scripture being translated and that the common people, indeed all people, could access the Scripture by translation.
Therefore ALL controversies of religion today may be resolved by the English translation which represents in English the original languages, being the KJB.
3.2
John Selden wrote that, “The English Translation of the Bible, is the best translation in the world, and renders the sense of the original best, taking in for the English Translation, the Bishops’ Bible, as well as King James’. The translation in King James’ time took an excellent way.”
Having established that the King James Bible is the best translation in the world, Selden then explained “the Bible is rather translated into English words, than into English phrase. The Hebraisms are kept, and the phrase of that Language is kept.” Meaning that the King James Bible represents the ideas of the Hebrew the best.
3.3
Selden moved onto talking about Jesus’ command to search the Scriptures, saying “Scrutamini Scripturas. These two words have undone the world, because Christ spake it to his disciples, therefore we must all, men, women and children, read and interpret the Scripture.” And even English kings allowed, by degrees, everyone to read and interpret the scriptures.
Therefore, the Scripture truly is destined to every man, young, old, male, female, servant, etc.
THE CASE
We therefore see the providential continuum, from the Reformation to today. The logical extension of the Reformation men and Puritans is that the true nature of Protestantism is to put emphasis onto perfect Scripture in English.
We must therefore be loosed of the chains of this Hebrew and Greek in primacy, as the King James Bible was translated from the originals and has been checked for over 400 years, now bringing the Word of God to the ears, eyes and hands of everyone in every place.
There is a providential process to shift the focus of Scripture from the originals to the English. And as the Puritans were pro-translation. Cromwell’s commanded the printing of the King James Bible (not the Geneva Version), and there was no enforcing of the Hebrew and Greek, and Brian Walton’s London Polyglot certainly was not a best seller for every home in the country.
We are therefore able to observe the process of providence where we observe the shift through Protestant history from the originals to the Word of God in English in authority. The providential shift already evident in the Westminster Confession of Faith. They clearly did allow that the Word of God in English would be the authority.
In times past there were learned men who knew Hebrew and Greek, but that has been effectively left behind. By the time of Granville Sharp, we can see in practice how going to the original languages was now becoming evidentially contrary to providence, and now that process has entered into completion.
If any today are insisting on, or deferring to the Hebrew and Greek, then they are bucking against providence.
CONCLUSION
As the Reformation was about getting the truth to every man, the King James Version, represents the providential theological standard for the progress of proper doctrinal understanding within Protestantism.
Into the future, as the Gospel must reach every nation, and make its progress around the world, the King James Bible is in the prime position to serve as a doctrinal and cultural standard for Christianity with its ongoing authority and spiritual power.