Another trust issue, the SKJV

The Simplified King James Version (Simplified KJV™) is a relatively new updated King James Version created by Barbour Publishing, Inc. Barbour is a Christian publishing house in Uhrichsville, Ohio. According to Barbour’s SKJV site, “The revision work was conducted by Peachtree Publishing Services, a highly respected Bible editing and proofreading company serving publishers around the world.” The online version shows that it is copyrighted in 2022, so it is at this point about two years old. In the following quotes from the Barbour SKJV FAQ page, they make it clear that their purpose is to update the language of the KJV, but not to retranslate anything.[i]

Is this a translation or a version?

The SKJV is a version. The term translation implies going back to the original documents, in the original languages, which we didn't do. Keeping all the original translation work of the 1611 Bible, the Simplified KJV Bible carefully updates old styles that may interfere with your understanding today while leaving the KJV translation work untouched.

What source documents were used?

Only the King James Version itself. We did not attempt to create a new translation from the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts. Instead, our editors simply updated confusing words, spellings, sentence structures, and punctuation issues in the King James Version.

How does the SKJV differ from the NKJV?

The SKJV did not engage in any new translation work as the NKJV did. There will be similarities in wording, since both versions are based on the original KJV, but the SKJV limited itself to updating antiquated or confusing language in the original KJV text. The NKJV performed new translation work from the original languages.

However, the claims are not technically accurate. When I was studying the NKJV change of Isaiah 9:3 that contradicts or is translated in an opposite manner of the King James Bible, I decided to look up how that verse is presented in the SKJV. Here is a comparison to the Authorized King James Version.

• AKJV: Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
• SKJV: You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy. They rejoice before You according to the joy of harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the plunder.

If “only the King James Version itself” was the source document for the SKJV, why did they leave out the word “not” in Isaiah 9:3? This does not match the KJV, but does match the NKJV and most modern English translations.

I sent a message to Barbour Publishing, asking:

“In Isaiah 9:3 you change ‘Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy...’ to ‘You have multiplied the nation and increased its joy...’ How is this dropping of a word not a change to a new translation that does not agree with the King James Version?”

I received a quick response, which described this omission as a typographical error that will be corrected. I appreciate that they intend to correct it. However, the error causes me to question the reliability of their statement about only using “the King James Version itself” and yet ending up with a typographical error that matches modern English translations and does not match the KJV.[ii]

I find it hard to trust publishers that seem to say one thing and do another. I admit that I find it hard to believe this is simply a misprint. It would seem that they have had two years to correct it, and yet it still exists. I understand previously printed hard copies, but how long would it take to correct it online (which is where I read it, and is still there 20 Nov 2024 as I type this).

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[i] Like most modern versions, but unlike the WEB which is public domain, Barbour maintains tight restrictions on quoting from the SKJV. Not more than 500 verses or 25% of the total work in which they are quoted, may be used with one of three credit lines they suggest. Permission must be specifically requested and granted by Barbour to use over 500 verses, or over 25% of the total work in which they are quoted. The Simplified KJV can be purchased in print from their site or on sites like Amazon. To read the version online, one must subscribe to their email service.

[ii] Another example of matching modern versions is the SKJV text of Proverbs 18:1. To compare:

• AKJV: Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.
• SKJV: Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and rages against all wisdom.

“Rages” matches the NKJV and is against the AKJV (The RV and ASV had “rageth”). A modern language update should have replaced “intermeddle” with a more common synonym rather than a word with a different meaning.