The Big Five changes in modern bibles are found in these verses: Rom. 1:18, 25; 2 Cor. 2:17; 1 Thes. 5:22; 1 Tim. 6:5.

A modern Bible is easy to spot by the changes in modern bibles to these five verses which reveal the heart condition of every modern Bible publisher. These five verses are so convicting that when a modern Bible translator hits them, he cannot avoid changing them because they “tell on him.” If he were to leave these verses alone, his conscience would trouble him every time he read them. So, he changes them because, deep down, he knows that changing God’s words is wrong. He tries to cover his sins.

Most modern Bibles are really easy to spot because they attack many more than these five verses. However, some publishers have “wised up.” They limit their changes in the New Testament to keep from looking like the “run of the mill” modern Bible. They want their translations to appear more like a King James Bible. They might even go so far as to call their new translation the “New King James Bible.”

But when you see the changes in modern bibles to these five verses, you will know that they are anything but the pure words of God preserved in an English Bible. Somebody’s been messing with God’s Book. And they don’t like these five verses announcing their deeds to their readers.

So, what are the changes?

1. Rom 1:18 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

The change in modern Bibles is made to the portion of this verse that says, “hold the truth in unrighteousness”.  Modern bibles change this phrase to “suppress the truth”.  There is a major difference here between these two phrases that reveals their sin.

Because modern bible authors and publishers are selling bibles, they do not look at themselves as the people to whom this verse is aimed. They think that their bibles are “truth”.  Thus, by selling them, they are broadcasting the truth, not suppressing it.  But this verse is not aimed at holding back or pushing down the truth, which is what suppress means.  

Rom 1:18 doesn’t say “suppress the truth”.  It says “hold the truth in unrighteousness”.  The expression to “hold in” is defined as “To think of in a particular way: Regard”.  Regard is defined as “The worth or estimation in which something or someone is held”.   An example from the Merriam Webster dictionary of “hold” used in this sense is “Were held in high esteem”.

So Rom 1:18 is aimed at people who “hold the truth in” or regard it as “unrighteousness”.  That is, their estimation of the truth is that there is something wrong with it.  They look at the truth in the King James Bible and say “this is not right”.  And so, they come up with a different translation which they think is better, and one which they hold in higher esteem.  

They hold their translations in higher esteem than the King James Bible because they regard the King James Bible to be unrighteous.  They speak of its incorrect translations and errors.  This is the excuse they give for retranslating God’s words into their own words.  Then they publish their words without the least feeling of guilt, because in their minds they aren’t “suppressing the truth”.

2. Rom 1:25 – Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Now here is a verse that really exposes modern translators.  Rom 1:25 says that when you “change” the truth, you change it into a “lie.” Ouch!!  Therefore, modern translators substituted the word “exchanged” for the word “changed” and and the word “for” for the word “into”.  Now, changing words in the Bible doesn’t look so bad.  They don’t believe that by changing God’s words they are putting forth a lie.  Yet, you should know they are lying, because that’s exactly what the devil did in Gen. 3:4 (contrast this with Gen 2:17).

3. 2 Cor 2:17 – For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Here’s another conscience grabber.  Bible believers have often contended that modern bibles are “corrupt.” So, to hide their sin, modern translators had to remove themselves from the “many which corrupt the word of God.” They subtly changed the word to “peddle” to hide the fact that they had corrupted God’s words when they retranslated them.  Substituting the word “peddle” makes it look like they aren’t marketing the word of God, either.  Actually, they are “peddling” it, with their copyrights and all.  But worse still, they have corrupted it.

4. 1 Thes. 5:22 – Abstain from all appearance of evil.

The word “appearance” has been changed to “form” or “kind.”  The truth is that, not only should you not do things that are a “form” or “kind” of evil, you shouldn’t even do things that “appear” to be evil.  And it “appears” that no modern translator has found one provable error in the King James Bible.  Yet, they all criticize it vehemently as being erroneous, archaic, and hard to understand.  Well, with the Holy Spirit as our guide, teacher and revealer of truth (Jn. 14:26; Jn. 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:10), why would we need a modern scholar to improve something that is perfect?  What business does a scholar have criticizing and changing God’s words?  That just plain “looks” bad.  Indeed, they had to change this verse.

5. 1 Tim 6:5 – Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Modern translators change “gain is godliness” to “godliness is a means of gain.” Well, why would you withdraw from a person that thought that godliness was a means of gain when verse 6 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain?” To change verse 5 the way they do causes verse 6 to contradict verse 5.

Do you know what they are doing here? They have built an alibi for two of their worst sins. First, they really believe that material gain from the sale of Bibles and the promotion of their ministries is a sign of their “godliness” and God’s blessing. They believe that “gain is godliness.” And they don’t want people withdrawing fellowship from them over that.

Second, they want you to believe that they are pious and they would never use personal “godliness” as a means to personal “gain.” They can fool some of you but they can’t fool all of us. Have you ever noticed that the higher they go on the charts of popularity the more “godly” their titles become?

Well, maybe now you will be able to spot even the most subtle changes in modern Bibles.  Click this link for more information on the errors and omissions in the modern bibles.

Hope this helps,

Pastor Bevans Welder