Why Is Everyone Producing Their Own Version of the Bible?

The Unchanging Foundation of Truth

In recent years, we have witnessed a proliferation of Bible translations, paraphrases, and personalised versions that claim to make Scripture more accessible, relevant, or contemporary. Whilst the desire to understand God's Word is commendable, we must ask ourselves a crucial question: Are we truly seeking to understand what God has said, or are we reshaping His message to fit our own preferences and prejudices?

This troubling trend reflects a deeper spiritual crisis—the subtle but dangerous temptation to mould God's Word into our own image rather than allowing it to transform us into His.

The Holy Spirit & the Integrity of Scripture

Jesus promised His disciples: "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come" (John 16:13, KJV). This precious promise assures us that the Holy Spirit leads believers into all truth—but we must ask: How can the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth if we are not reading the truth itself?

When we turn to altered, diluted, or modernised versions of Scripture that reshape God's message to suit contemporary sensibilities, we no longer encounter the pure Word that the Spirit inspired. The Apostle Peter declared: "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (2 Peter 1:21, KJV). If the Holy Spirit moved upon holy men to record God's exact words, how can we expect that same Spirit to lead us through words changed by human hands?

Paul warned the Corinthians: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (2 Corinthians 11:3, KJV). When we exchange the simplicity and purity of God's preserved Word for versions shaped by human wisdom, we risk the very corruption Paul cautioned against.

The Holy Spirit works through the Word of God, for "the word of God is quick, and powerful" (Hebrews 4:12, KJV). But when that Word is compromised, its power is diminished, and the Spirit's ability to convict, transform, and illuminate is hindered. Jesus Himself prayed: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17, KJV). If what we are reading is no longer the unadulterated truth, how can we be sanctified by it?

We must return to the faithful, preserved text of Scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate what God has actually said rather than what modern interpreters think He should have said. Only then can we truly experience the Spirit's guidance "into all truth".

The Authority of Scripture

The Bible itself warns against tampering with God's Word. In Revelation 22:18–19 (KJV), we read: "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, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book".

This solemn warning underscores the sacred nature of Scripture. God's Word is not ours to edit, dilute, or reinterpret according to cultural trends or personal comfort. It stands as an objective, authoritative revelation from the Almighty.

The Apostle Paul reminded Timothy: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16–17, KJV). Scripture's divine origin demands our reverent submission, not our editorial oversight.

The Temptation to Reshape God's Image

When we create versions of the Bible that soften difficult passages, remove unpopular doctrines, or reinterpret clear teachings to align with contemporary values, we are essentially creating a god in our own image. This is nothing new—it echoes the golden calf incident in Exodus, where the Israelites fashioned a deity that suited their desires rather than waiting on the true God.

Proverbs 30:5–6 (KJV) declares: "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". To add to or subtract from God's Word is to call God a liar and to presume that we know better than the Omniscient One.

Jesus Himself addressed this issue when confronting the religious leaders of His day: "Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?" (Matthew 15:3, KJV). He went on to quote Isaiah: "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:8–9, KJV).

The Consequences of Compromise

When we dilute or distort Scripture to make it more palatable, we rob it of its transformative power. The Bible is described as "quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12, KJV).

A compromised Bible loses its edge. It cannot pierce hearts, convict of sin, or transform lives. Instead, it produces a generation of believers who are "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7, KJV).

Furthermore, reshaping God's Word to suit ourselves prevents genuine spiritual growth. Romans 12:2 (KJV) instructs us: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God". Transformation requires confronting uncomfortable truths, not avoiding them.

The Call to Faithful Stewardship

As Christians, we are called to be faithful stewards of God's Word. Paul charged Timothy: "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called" (1 Timothy 6:20, KJV). We have been entrusted with the greatest treasure—the revelation of God Himself—and we must guard it zealously.

This does not mean we cannot study different translations for insight or use study tools to understand the original languages. However, we must approach Scripture with humility, recognising that we come to be changed by it, not to change it.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) reminds us: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path". When we alter that light to shine where we prefer rather than where we need to go, we stumble in darkness of our own making.

Returning to the Unchanged Word

The antidote to this dangerous trend is a return to reverence for God's unchanging Word. As the prophet Isaiah declared: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever" (Isaiah 40:8, KJV).

We must resist the pressure to make God's Word conform to our culture and instead allow it to confront and transform both us and our culture. As Jesus prayed: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17, KJV).

Let us approach Scripture with the prayer of Samuel: "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth" (1 Samuel 3:9, KJV). May we be those who tremble at His Word (Isaiah 66:2, KJV) rather than those who presume to edit it.

The proliferation of personalised Bible versions is symptomatic of a deeper issue—a loss of reverence for God's authority and a dangerous elevation of human wisdom above divine revelation. Let us return to the pure, unadulterated Word of God, allowing it to shape us rather than attempting to shape it. For as Jesus Himself declared: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35, KJV).

Key Takeaways:

• Scripture's Divine Authority: The Bible is God's inspired, preserved Word and must not be altered, added to, or subtracted from.
• The Holy Spirit Requires Truth: The Holy Spirit guides believers into all truth, but this requires reading the unadulterated Word of God, not modernised or personalised versions.
• Danger of Reshaping God's Word: Creating versions of the Bible that suit our preferences is tantamount to creating a god in our own image, echoing the golden calf incident.
• Loss of Transformative Power: Compromised Scripture loses its ability to pierce hearts, convict of sin, and transform lives.
• Call to Faithful Stewardship: Christians are called to guard and preserve God's Word faithfully, approaching it with humility to be changed by it rather than attempting to change it.
• Return to Reverence: We must resist cultural pressure to conform God's Word and instead allow it to confront and transform both us and our culture.