Which Bible Is the Most Reliable?
A Look at the 1611 KJV, Older Manuscripts, and the Importance of Translation
A non-Catholic Protestant friend recently told me, “The only Bible you should read is the 1611 King James Version. It’s the most accurate and faithful to God’s Word!” I appreciated her passion for Scripture, but it got me thinking: Why do some people insist that the 1611 KJV is the only trustworthy Bible? If the Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, shouldn’t we check which translations are closest to those original languages?
Most people, however, prefer to read Scripture as it is presented rather than dive into discussions about ancient manuscripts and textual variations. And let’s be honest—just hearing terms like Textus Receptus, Codex Sinaiticus, and Codex Vaticanus might make someone prefer to have root canal just to escape the conversation. But the truth is, we can and should do both. Studying the development of the biblical text is not scary or difficult; it just requires a few basic understandings. And once we see how the Bible has been preserved, copied, and translated over time, it deepens our confidence in God’s Word rather than shakes it.
One thing we often take for granted is how much effort and discernment goes into translating the Bible. Unlike modern English, biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek often do not have direct word-for-word replacements. A translator’s job is not just about swapping words but making choices—sometimes very difficult ones—about how best to convey the meaning of the original text while keeping it readable and faithful. This is why different translations sometimes phrase things differently. Some prioritize formal equivalence (a word-for-word approach, like the Douay-Rheims or RSV-CE), while others use dynamic equivalence (a thought-for-thought approach, like the New American Bible). Both approaches have their strengths, but a good study Bible will help the reader understand why certain words were chosen, what alternative meanings exist, and where some level of critical change was necessary. This is also why reading multiple translations is so valuable—it allows us to see where different scholars have interpreted the text slightly differently and better understand what the original languages were saying.
The King James Version was translated in 1611 by a team of English scholars under the authority of King James I of England. At the time, England was a Protestant nation, and the KJV was meant to provide an official English Bible for use in churches. The New Testament of the KJV was based on a Greek text called the Textus Receptus, a collection of Greek manuscripts compiled in the 1500s by a scholar named Erasmus of Rotterdam. The Old Testament of the KJV was translated primarily from the Masoretic Text, a Hebrew manuscript tradition dating from around 1000 AD.
While the KJV remains a beautiful and historically significant translation, its textual foundation is much later than some of the earliest surviving biblical manuscripts. And here’s the kicker—those older manuscripts, ding ding ding, contained the Deuterocanonical books! No wonder some Protestants were delighted when the later editions of the KJV eliminated them!
Many people do not realize that the original 1611 KJV included the Deuterocanonical books, also known as the Apocrypha, which are part of the Catholic Old Testament. These books include Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), Baruch, First and Second Maccabees, as well as the additions to Daniel and Esther.
The KJV translators placed these books between the Old and New Testaments, following the tradition of earlier Protestant Bibles like the Geneva Bible of 1560 and Martin Luther’s German Bible. However, they were later removed from most Protestant editions of the KJV in the late 1800s when Protestant publishers followed Martin Luther’s recommendation to throw them out in order to avoid theological confusion with parts he did not understand or agree with. Luther had originally moved these books to a separate section in his German Bible because they contained doctrines that contradicted aspects of his theology, such as purgatory and prayers for the dead. The British and Foreign Bible Society officially removed the Apocrypha from the KJV in 1885, but before that, the King James Bible was always printed with these books. Many Protestants today claim that the KJV is the only true Bible, yet most modern KJV editions do not include the books that were originally in it. The Catholic Church, however, has always included these books, as they were part of the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament used by Jesus and the Apostles.
If someone insists that the 1611 KJV is the only true Bible, they should ask themselves: Do I accept the full 1611 KJV, including the Deuterocanonical books? If not, why trust only part of it? The removal of these books is a Protestant revision that came centuries after the original KJV was first published.
While the KJV was translated in 1611, we now have access to much older copies of the Bible—some dating back to the 200s and 300s AD, long before the KJV was written. Here we go with a few of these challenging Bible words that cause some people to leave their Bibles on dusty bookshelves … These older manuscripts include Codex Vaticanus (c. 300 AD), one of the oldest nearly complete copies of the Bible; Codex Sinaiticus (c. 330 AD), another ancient copy found in a monastery near Mount Sinai; and the Dead Sea Scrolls (c. 200 BC – 100 AD), which contain fragments of the Old Testament that confirm the reliability of the Hebrew text. These early manuscripts show that the Bible was copied and transmitted with great care, though minor differences exist due to human copying errors over time. And guess what? Those early texts? Yep, they contained the Deuterocanonicals!
Many KJV-Only advocates argue that older manuscripts, such as Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, omit verses and are therefore unreliable. But what they do not mention is that the Textus Receptus added text that did not originally exist. One of the most well-known examples of a textual addition is 1 John 5:7, often called the Johannine Comma.
The KJV, based on the Textus Receptus, includes the passage: “For there are three that bear record in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.” However, older manuscripts such as Codex Vaticanus, which form the basis of modern Catholic translations like the RSV-CE and NAB, do not include this phrase. Instead, they read: “For there are three that testify: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree.” The longer verse does not exist in any Greek manuscript before the fourteenth century. It was likely added in the Middle Ages to emphasize the doctrine of the Trinity, though the doctrine itself is overwhelmingly supported elsewhere in Scripture.
Ultimately, only Bibles that include the Deuterocanonical books are truly complete. The 1611 KJV originally included them, but they were later removed by Protestants. Only Catholic Bibles, such as the RSV-CE, NAB, and Douay-Rheims, contain the full canon of Scripture as recognized by the early Church. This means that the only truly complete Bible is one that includes the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books, as they were part of the Scriptures used by Jesus, the Apostles, and the early Christians.
Instead of insisting on only one translation, it is wiser to compare different versions to get a fuller picture, understand the history of how translations were developed, and read a Catholic Bible with the full canon to ensure that nothing is missing from God’s Word. The good news is that you don’t have to be a scholar to do this. You just need a little curiosity, a willingness to compare, and the confidence that a deeper understanding of Scripture will always strengthen—not weaken—your faith. And if along the way you find yourself yawning at the mention of Codex Vaticanus or Textus Receptus, just know you’re not alone. But hang in there—it’s worth it.
If you’re enjoying the content we’re sharing, we invite you to become a premium Lightbearer and help us continue shining the light of truth! As a , you’ll receive exclusive free digital downloads, including Bible studies, apologetics resources, and faith-deepening reflections to support your journey.
If becoming a premium subscriber isn’t possible at this time, we completely understand. Please keep us in your prayers, and if you find value in what we’re sharing, consider spreading the word by sharing our content with friends, family, or anyone who might benefit from it. Your support—whether through prayer, sharing, or subscribing—helps us continue this mission.
Thank you for walking this path with us. Let’s keep moving Always Toward the Light!
Below is a free gift that we have shared with our premium members! I hope you enjoy it! Instant download below: “Peter and the Keys of the Kingdom” Bible study!
It’s not so much about the Bible-version, as the interpretation. To correctly interpret scripture we need the teachings of the Church. Just as the Jews need the Talmud to interpret the Torah. Not every Tom, Dick and Harry has the charism of interpretation.