MODERNIST FINGERPRINTS ON THE RV 1960 BIBLE

By Allen Johnson

If you are reading this you must be aware of the Spanish Bible controversy among professing fundamentalists. Let me first say that it is not my goal to attack or criticize but simply to present the truth. This article specifically addresses the battle for the purity of the Spanish Bible but this battle is also going on in French, Korean, and many other languages. However, this is not just a language issue but a fundamental doctrinal issue that affects all languages. It is my hope that this will help bring unity and not division to the cause of Christ and His Preserved Word.

It has been very disheartening to see people resort to name calling and attacking people rather than dealing with the issue. Some, while professing to be fundamentalists, have attacked those who desire the pure Word of God in Spanish by calling them "dysfunctional preachers", "Nazi-Baptists", and "Gringos" who don't really understand the issue. This is the tactic employed by people who cannot defend their position. The truth of the matter is that many who know Spanish as a first language and as a second or third language have been standing against modernism and for the truth all along. Besides, you do not need to be a linguist to understand the underlying principles and the doctrine of Scriptures that demonstrate that the King James Bible is the inspired, infallible, perfect, pure, preserved Word of God. Just apply these same principles into any language, including Spanish, and you will find out whether or not you have the pure Word of God or not.

I ask that we open our hearts and our minds and put our prejudices aside, even if it is inconvenient. I believe there are many more out there that are willing to look at the facts and take a stand for the truth. It is time for true Bible fundamentalists to unite and stand for the purity of the Word of God in any language. Let us choose purity over popularity and truth over tradition! By the grace of God this article will illustrate the modernist fingerprints on the RV 1960 Spanish Bible. After all, facts are stubborn things.

For the sake of space I will include only ten detailed comparisons in the following study. I will use the English King James Version, the Portuguese Bible translated by Joao Ferreira de Almeida and revised by the Trinitarian Bible Society in 1994, and the Spanish Valera 1602-R* as my Received Text Bibles. I will contrast them with the following Critical Text Bibles: the English Revised Standard Version, the New World Translation (Jehovah Witness Bible), and the United Bible Societies' 1960 revision of the Spanish Reina-Valera Bible (RV 1960). I include the Portuguese, which is very similar to Spanish, to demonstrate that the issue at hand is not just a linguistic one. To claim that you can not compare English with Spanish as some have claimed is erroneous. If the Portuguese can match up with the English so can the Spanish because God can preserve His words in any language. However, because of man's tampering, some languages still have Bibles in need of purification. This study will show that the RV 1960 is one of them. I trust this study will be helpful as we compare Scripture with Scripture. Let us study to show ourselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (II Timothy 2:15) As you study the following comparisons please keep in mind the following words of God:

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. (Deuteronomy 4:2)

The words of the LORD are pure words: ... O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. (Psalm 12:6-7)

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life...(Rev. 22:18-19)

1. An Attack on the Inerrancy of Scripture by

Changing the Words of God in Mark 1:2

Omitting the words "without a cause" from these verses makes Jesus "liable to judgment" because Jesus was angry in Mark 3:5. The Critical Text verses also contradict the command in Ephesians 4:26 to "be ye angry and sin not". In fact, of the three Critical Text bibles the RV 1960 has it the worst. The JW bible at least reads "continues wrathful" and the RSV says "liable to judgment". The translation of the RV 1960 to English is "whosoever is angered against his brother shall be guilty of judgment"! Jesus is NOT guilty of judgment because when He is angry it is not "without a cause". I personally believe He is angry at all the modernist fingerprints in the RV 1960 "with cause".

The above comparisons should make it very clear that this is not simply a "different language" issue as some claim. The real issue is the "different source". It is not coincidence that the examples in three different languages all match with each other – they all come from the Received Text. It should also be no surprise that the Spanish RV 1960 matches with the RSV, NWT, and other perversions – they all have modernist fingerprints from the Critical Text. Not to mention that the RV 1960 is a product of the United Bible Societies and men like Eugene Nida, Westcott, and Hort!

I trust that these ten comparisons are enough to convince anyone with an open heart and mind to the truth. Some will continue using the RV 1960 and that is their choice. However, please do not believe ignorant statements such as, "the RV 1960 is the King James Bible in Spanish" because we just saw ten examples where a truer statement would be, "the RV 1960 is the RSV in Spanish". We have also seen the error in stating, "I believe the KJB is the Word of God in English and the RV 1960 is the Word of God in Spanish" because God only has one Word in any language. In the words of Pastor Mickey Carter, "Things that are different are not the same"!

If you are still not convinced please compare the verses in the following partial list of verses that have changes, additions, or omissions to the Words of God in the RV 1960. (Genesis 1:14, 18:19; Numbers 23:22, 33:52; Judges 18:30; I Samuel 5:6; II Samuel 22:3, 23:18; Ezra 2:43; Job 11:12; Psalm 2:12; Isaiah 9:3, 64:5; Jeremiah 5:17Matthew 5:22, 6:24, 20:20, 24:22, 28:19; Mark 1:2, 2:27; Luke 2:22, 5:17, 16:23, 21:5, 22:43, 24:12; John 3:36, 5:29; Acts 15:17, 19:27, 22:16; Romans 1:16, 4:8,23,24, 10:9, 10:15; I Corinthians 10:9; II Corinthians 2:10, 4:14; Galatians 3:2, 5; Ephesians 3:9, 3:14, 6:24; Colossians 3:10; Titus 3:10; I Peter 2:2, 3:21; Revelation 14:1, 17:5, and 22:14) to name a few. Then refer one more time to the following words of God:

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

If you are convinced of the corruption in the RV 1960 we can move on to the question, "What Spanish Bible should we use?" Allow me to continue my testimony. For 20 years my parents used a Portuguese Bible that contained the Words of God but also contained corruption (just like the RV 1960). They used the truth to win souls and disciple them but they still desired the pure Word of God. Some defend the RV 1960 because of the souls that have been won with it. That can be used to supplement the defense of a Bible (like the KJV) but it should not be used as the basis of defense. Like Spurgeon won souls with the Revised Version, others have won Catholics to Christ with their Catholic Bibles. Does that mean we should continue using them? In 1994 the Portuguese Bible (the one used in my comparisons) was revised with the Received Text and my parents and other missionaries made the transition because they were interested in the truth and not in tradition. Purity was more important to them than popularity.

I do not understand why this has not been the case many times in the Spanish world. There are good soul winners and church builders using the RV 1960. Again, I am not attacking them or the truth contained in the RV 1960. However, I am attacking the "leaven" that is contained in the RV 1960 because I Corinthians 5:6 states, "Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?" I am also urging people to stop trying to defend the RV 1960 at the same time they are supposedly defending the KJV because that is either ignorant or deceptive. To truly defend the one you must attack the other. They are not the same and in fact, they are not even in the same ballpark! My desire is that we keep winning souls and building churches in the Spanish world but that we do it with the purest Spanish Bible available. The comparisons should have made it clear that the RV 1960 with its modernist fingerprints does not fit that description.

So what is the purest Spanish Bible available? I do not have time to share all the research I have done but let me share briefly about the 1909, 2001, 1865, and 1602-R* revisions.

Many have been using the Valera 1909 revision, recognizing its superiority to the RV 1960. It is much better than the 1960 and in fact some defend it as the Word of God in Spanish. It has scores of better readings than the RV 1960 including Job 21:13, Matthew 5:22, Luke 2:22, and I Peter 2:2 from our comparisons. Unfortunately, the United Bible Societies basically monopolize the Spanish Bible industry. If you go into an average "Christian bookstore" you will only find the RV 1960 or even more modern "per"-versions. However, the 1909 is still in print and available through conservative Bible distributors and local church bookstores. If nothing else, exchange your United Bible Societies' RV 1960 for a purer, uncopyrighted 1909 Valera revision.

Just last year, in 2001, the Trinitarian Bible Society released their revision of the Valera 1909 revision. It improves upon the 1909 in several key passages including Mark 1:2, Romans 1:16, and Ephesians 3:9 from our comparisons.

In 1865 there was a good revision of the Valera Bible bringing it very close to the Received Text. This Bible went out of print around 1950 but there is a group reprinting it. I have the 1865 as it just became available in the summer of 2002. It has the correct rendition of all the verses used in my comparisons. I believe the 1865 Valera is the best full Spanish Bible available in print as of June, 2002.

Finally, there is the Valera 1602-R* project. This project has a threefold approach. First they are "Regressing" to the old 1602 Valera text as their textual base (instead of the 1909 or other modern revisions which rely on the critical apparatus). Second, they are "Restoring" words and phrases omitted in the 1602 that appear in other Spanish translations prior to 1611 that agree with the Received Text. Third, they are using the Received Text and "Revising" any remaining textual problems. This project has been underway for over 6 years and has been misrepresented, falsely accused, and attacked. However, their New Testament is now available in its second edition and the "proof is in the pudding". This is the Spanish text used in my comparisons and it matches the Received Text in every verse I have compared. I believe this is the best Spanish New Testament available. They are currently working on the Old Testament and hope to have the complete Bible soon.

My prayer is that true Bible fundamentalists will unite around the doctrine of Scripture and the desire for the pure Word of God in every language. We should encourage those who are in favor of purifying the Spanish text rather than fighting amongst ourselves. Also, I pray that true Bible fundamentalists will take a stand against modernism and corrupted texts like the RV 1960. May the Lord bless those who faithfully serve Him with the pure, perfect, and preserved Words of God. Please feel free to contact me with any feedback, questions, comments, or requests for more information such as contact information for the Bibles and New Testaments mentioned above.

For the Preserved Words of God (in any language),

Allen L. Johnson

Allen Johnson grew up on the mission field of Brazil where his parents have been serving the Lord for almost 30 years. He attended Hyles-Anderson College for one year and later received a B.A. in Foreign Languages, International Studies from Purdue University in 1997. He finished his formal language studies at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain. He is currently working on his Master's degree from Landmark Baptist College. Brother Johnson has spent the last five years in full time Christian service. He taught Spanish in Christian schools for three years and is now the Director of the Hispanic Department at Landmark Baptist College. He teaches Spanish, coordinates the Spanish program in the college, and preaches in the Spanish ministry of Landmark Baptist Church and abroad.

MODERNIST FINGERPRINTS ON THE RV 1960 BIBLE

1. An Attack on the Inerrancy of Scripture by

Changing the Words of God in Mark 1:2

Taking Away from the Words of God in Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is...

For I am not ashamed of the gospel: it is the power...

Taking Away From the Words of God in Ephesians 3:9

Changing the Words of God in Luke 2:22

Changing the Words of God in Daniel 3:25

Adding to the Words of God in II Kings 10:25

Changing the Words of God in II Kings 23:7

Taking Away from the Words of God in Matthew 5:22

Allen L. Johnson