Quarterly Record

The Magazine of the Trinitarian Bible Society • Issue Number 647

April–June 2024

T H E WOR D OF G OD A MON G A L L NAT ION S

Founded in 1831 for the circulation of
Protestant or uncorrupted versions of the Word of God

Officers and Executive Staff of the Society

President: General Secretary:
Mr D. P. Rowland Mr J. D. Arnold, LLB. (Hons.), M.A.*

Vice-Presidents: Resources Director:

Dr D. Allen Mr D. J. Broome, C.P.F.A.
Mr G. R. Burrows
Editorial Director:
Mr G. D. Buss
Mr M. A. Vogan, B.A. (Hons.), M.A., M.Litt.
The Rev. R. G. Ferguson
The Rev. Dr T. Gilmer Operations Director:
Pastor M. J. Harley Mr P. A. Blows, B.A. (Hons.)
The Rev. M. Stuart
Senior Editorial Consultants:
The Rev. M. H. Watts
Mr L. Brigden, B.Sc. (Hons.), M.Sc.,
Chairman: B.A. (Hons.) – Linguistics
M. Keogh-Brown, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.* Mr P. J. D. Hopkins, M.A. Oxf. – Projects
Vice-Chairman: Editorial Consultants:
The Rev. J. P. Thackway* Mr A. Hembd, M.A.C.S.
Treasurer: J. Cammenga, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
The Rev. W. M. Patterson Jnr., B.A., D.D.
Pastor R. A. Clarke, B.Sc., F.C.A.*
Mr A. C. Thomson, M.A. Cantab.
Members: D. E. Anderson, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.
The Rev. W. Irwin*
Mr A. K. Jones, LLB. (Hons.) Solicitor* * These are the serving members of the
The Rev. E. T. Kirkland, B.A. (Hons.), Dipl.Th.* General Committee.

The Rev. A. J. Lewis, Dipl.Th.*

Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations are from the
Mr J. P. Sayers*
Authorised (King James) Version. Rights in the Authorised
Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown.

Cover Picture: © Grispb – stock.adobe.com

 Issue Number: 647 © Trinitarian Bible Society 2024
All rights reserved. The Trinitarian Bible Society permits
April to reprinting of articles found in our printed and online
Quarterly Record provided that prior permission is
June 2024 obtained and proper acknowledgement is made.

AGM Advance Notice 2

General Secretary’s Introduction 3
Devotional: Only the Word of God 6
Inspiration and Text Conferences 8
Stealing God’s Words? 9
Swahili: A Language Across Borders 16
Deputation Visit to Australia 22
Obituary: George Anderson 25
Persian Scriptures 26
Does the NKJV Live Up To Its Claims? 28
The Treasury 35
The Word of God Among All Nations 37

Quarterly Record Production Team Editorial Director: Mr M. A. Vogan

Lead Editor: Mrs N. A. Hanks
Editor: Miss E. Tichelaar
Senior Editorial Consultant (Projects): Mr P. J. D. Hopkins
Editorial Consultant: Dr. D. E. Anderson
Graphic Designers: Mr P. Hughes, Mr S. Talas
Circulation: Mr J. M. Wilson

1
 ADVANCE NOTICE

ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
Saturday 21 September 2024
God Willing
at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London SE1 6SD
The Business Meeting at 11.00 a.m. will include
reports and updates on the Society’s work.
After the Business Meeting,
at 2.00 p.m.
the Rev. W. Irwin
Member of the General Committee
is expected to preach.
All are invited to attend. Please see our website
for most up-to-date details.

22
 The General
Secretary’s
Introduction
Jonathan D. Arnold
I
t is my privilege once again to present
to you a Quarterly Record packed full
of information about the work of the
Society. As such, a short introduction is
needed on this occasion. We prayerfully
seek to distribute God’s Word to the world
and trust that the Lord will bless the
seed that is being sown. For those that
know the Lord, the view of God’s Word as
precious should cause us to be interested
in its distribution, but also we must not
neglect its use in our day-to-day walk
with God. Psalm 119.114 states ‘Thou art
my hiding place and my shield: I hope in
thy word’. May the Lord grant each of us
to know that God is our hiding place, and
our hope is fixed on the sure and certain
Word of God.
I recently had the privilege of attending
an annual TBS auxiliary meeting in the
UK. The take-up of Bibles from state
schools (known as public schools in
North America) has been remarkable.
We hope to continue with this task,
and I am grateful for all those involved
in auxiliaries who are engaged in this
local work of distributing the Scriptures.
We would be remiss if our aim is only to
distribute Bibles in more exotic locations,
3
when there is a great need in our home
nations for God’s Word. In some countries
where our branches are located we are
confronted with an apathy and even
radical opposition to God’s Word. May the
Lord grant each true believer and Gospel
congregation a burden to make God’s
Word known, and to stand on the firm
foundation of Christ and His Word, the
Bible (Matthew 7.24–27).
At the time of writing we have just had a
most encouraging Open Day at William
Tyndale House, London. We reached
our approximate capacity for the day of
around 200 people; and whilst we should
never go by numbers alone, it warmed
the heart to see fellow believers interested
in the work, particularly many families
and children. Visitors attended one of
two identical sessions, the first in the
morning and the second in the afternoon.
Each session was again divided into two
parts. At the start visitors were able to
look at various displays and have time for
refreshments and fellowship. There were
also several activities for children. Visitors
were then split into groups to have a tour
of the building and view presentations
from staff on the work of the Editorial
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
The Open Day at William Tyndale House drew a good number of visitors both young and old
Department, the Spanish Bible project
and distribution, and the work of the
Operations Department. We are grateful
to all the supporters who attended, and
we hope the event gave a helpful
insight into our work. There is a lot of
work that goes on behind the scenes, and
we are thankful for staff, both past and
present, who labour with such dedication
to the work.
We were recently saddened to hear of
the loss of one of our Vice-Presidents,
Mr Graham Bidston. Graham was
associated with the Society for many years,
initially as a Regional Representative,
before working in the warehouse and
becoming a deputation speaker in 1991
4
until his retirement in 2005 before joining
the General Committee for a time. This
QR also contains an obituary for the
late Mr George Anderson who worked
in the Editorial Department for over
twenty-five years, and who will especially
be remembered for his knowledge of New
Testament Greek. We would thank the
Lord for both Graham’s and George’s many
years of fruitful labour with us, and pray
that the Lord would be with their families
at this time.
Please continue to remember the staff in
your prayers. As the number of projects
increases and the completed translations
are ready for distribution, the workload
inevitably increases. We are most thankful
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
to the Lord for recent provision in the
legacy left to the Society mentioned in
the Treasury Report. This provision is
timely for us as we are identifying the
printing needs following the completion
of the Spanish Bible, Chinese New
Testament, French New Testament, and
others. A substantial amount of printing
is planned in order to meet the need for
Scriptures in poorer parts of the world over
the next few years.
The Vaiphei, Zou, Zokam, and Chichewa
Bibles are nearing completion, along with
the Dan/Gio, Kalenjin, Kom, and Hebrew
New Testaments, and a large number of
Gospels. The pipeline of translations that
are due to be completed shortly, Lord
willing, is the most significant in recent
years, and they each need printing and
5
shipping. We see on a daily basis that, even
with these plans, there is yet more need for
the Scriptures than we are able to meet,
whether due to difficulty in obtaining
more Bibles or the staff to administrate
the work. We also have many translation
projects for people groups without any
Scriptures in their language which cannot
move forward without support for the
translators. We, of course, recognise these
things are in the Lord’s hands, and we
continue to look to the Lord for guidance
and provision in these matters.
I commend to you this edition of the
Quarterly Record, which contains articles on
copyrighting the Bible, the Swahili project,
and whether the NKJV Bible meets its
claims, along with other interesting articles
and distribution news.
 Trinitarian
T
Tr
Trin
rin
niittar an Bible
aria Bibl
Bible So
SSociety
ociiet
ety – Quarterly
ety
ONLY THE
WORD OF
GOD
By Mr G. D. Buss
A Vice-President of the Society
T
he perfect Hand and operation
of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of
Truth, is discernible throughout
the pages of Holy Scripture. This is
especially seen in what He has seen fit
to be recorded and what He has not seen
fit to be recorded. Where He remains
silent it is our wisdom to be silent. When
men have sought unwisely, however well-
meaning, to fill up the ‘gaps’ their efforts
noticeably lack the authority and unction
of the accepted canon of Scripture, and
many erroneous men have sought to
lead others astray, the Roman Catholic
Church being a chief culprit! Was not
this Martin Luther’s dictum, ‘Only the
Word of God’. For example, very little is
recorded between the birth of our Lord
and the beginning of His public ministry.
That those years were vital in the robe of
righteousness He was perfectly weaving
is indisputable, but again the Holy Spirit
has for wise reasons remained largely
silent. And in the context of the words
of John 20.30–31, ‘And many other
signs truly did Jesus in the presence of
6
Quar
Quarterl
tteerrlly R
Re
Record
eco
cord
rd
his disciples, which are not written in
this book: but these are written, that ye
might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might
have life through his name’; we again
come face to face with several important
truths concerning the inspiration of Holy
Scripture.
The four evangelists, Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and John, were not left to rely on
their memory nor on that of others, but,
according to the Saviour’s promise, the
Spirit brought to ‘their remembrance’ no
doubt in various ways, those things which
He had told them as well as what He had
done. They were the Divinely appointed
and inspired recorders of the Lord’s
ministry, meaning that we have a faithful
and infallible account of His sacred life,
death, and resurrection. They were as
much moved by the Holy Spirit as the
holy men of old to whom Peter refers in
2 Peter 1.21, ‘For the prophecy came not
in old time by the will of man; but holy
men of God spake as they were moved by
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
the Holy Ghost’. But as John says in the
close of his Gospel, so much more could
have been written (cf. John 21.24–25)!
What are we to learn
from this?
Firstly, the sovereignty of inspiration.
Although it seems from Luke’s words in
the opening of the Gospel that bears his
name that many had ‘taken in hand’ to
make a record of the life and ministry of
the Lord Jesus Christ, these ‘many’ were
not authorised and appointed so to do, as
the four evangelists were. Were they rather
like Ahimaaz whose tidings were not clear,
and had to stand aside in the telling of
the death of Absalom, whereas Cushi the
appointed messenger had the authority to
declare faithfully what he had witnessed
(see 2 Samuel 18.19–32)?
But then the question still arises, ‘why
does it appear that only a fraction of what
could have been written was recorded?’
The answer lies in Divine sovereignty: not
just in the messengers being appointed,
but also in the message they were given to
deliver. The Holy Ghost left on record that
which He would use as His sword in the
ingathering of souls to be saved.
Secondly, the purpose of inspiration.
John tells us this in the words we have
already referred to: ‘But these are written,
that ye might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God …’ (John 20.31).
The whole purpose of God in giving
the Scriptures is that sinners might be
awakened to their need of a Saviour, and
to see that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is
indeed the Son of God, through Whom
alone salvation can come. ‘Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God’ (Romans 10.17). The written Word
is given us to reveal to us the Incarnate
Word, even Jesus. But what a complaint
Isaiah has in this regard! ‘Who hath
7
believed our report? and to whom is the
arm of the LORD revealed?’ (Isaiah 53.1).
The Arm of the Lord is God’s eternally
begotten Son in our nature, and the
Revealer is the Holy Spirit, who takes of
the things of Jesus and reveals them to
sinners, that they might believe. Sadly,
man’s fallen nature is such that it is neither
able nor willing to believe in this way.
Even though the children of Israel heard
the very voice of God giving the Ten
Commandments, while they remained
only written on the tables of stone it did
not make them believers; such is the sinful
and culpable state of fallen man. But when
the Holy Spirit writes in our hearts the
truth, then there is a believing wrought
by Him which is saving. This is the
incorruptible seed Peter speaks of in his
epistle ‘which liveth and abideth for ever’
(1 Peter 1.23).
Thirdly, the success of inspiration.
When Paul said ‘I have planted, Apollos
watered’ (1 Corinthians 3.6), of what
seed was he speaking? None other than
the Word of God that God has promised
will not return unto Him void (see
Isaiah 55.10–11). What a responsibility
then lies on both the ministers and
translators as well as the hearers that we
cleave to ‘what is written’ and nothing
else! How many times did the Lord Jesus
Christ Himself refer to those very words:
‘It is written’? How often in His holy life
was it recorded ‘that what was written
might be fulfilled’? Could it not be said
that He is the One of whom David speaks:
‘He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing
precious seed, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with
him’ (Psalm 126.6)? He Who was the
Man of Sorrows here below now sends
His ministers forth with the precious seed
of His Word, which He has promised to
bless: ‘Cast thy bread upon the waters:
for thou shalt find it after many days’
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
(Ecclesiastes 11.1). What a clear example
of this principle is that of the Ethiopian in
Acts 8.37. When Philip had expounded
the truth concerning Jesus in Isaiah 53
the eunuch confessed: ‘I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God’ (Acts 8.37), so
we see fulfilment of the words, ‘These
are written, that ye might believe …’
(John 20.31).
Finally, the power of inspiration. The
inspired Word as used by the Holy Spirit
gives life through the Name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. What a precious difference
to the believer there is in comparison to
the letter of the truth (which nonetheless
is not to be despised) when the Word
2024
CONFERENCES
R E G I S T E R AT
tbsbibles.org/2024conferences
S AV E T H E D AT E
8
becomes alive such as the words spoken
by the Saviour in John 6.63, ‘It is the
spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing: the words that I speak unto you,
they are spirit, and they are life’. It is then
that the dead are quickened and the living
enlivened, and it becomes the food of faith
in accordance with the Saviour’s words: ‘If
any man eat of this bread, he shall live for
ever’ (John 6.51).
How indebted we are to the three Persons
in the undivided Trinity for these Words
of Life! May it be our aim that many more
may be brought to savingly experience the
reason ‘why these things are written’.
LORD WILLING
8 NOVEMBER
LISBURN
SPEAKERS
CHRISTIAN MCSHAFFREY
JOEY DUNLAP
12 NOVEMBER
LONDON
SPEAKERS
CHRISTIAN MCSHAFFREY
TIMOTHY ROSS
J O N AT H A N A R N O L D
Editorial Director’s
Report
by Matthew A. Vogan

Stealing God’s Words?

‘Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer
that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against
the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one
from his neighbour.’ Jeremiah 23.29–30

T
his passage deals with the nature and
effects of God’s Word together with
how its use may be distinguished
from that of those who do not handle it
faithfully. No doubt these words have a
number of possible applications, but we
wish to focus on the matter of stealing
God’s words. It is solemn to observe
that it was not pagan false prophets
who were guilty of this, but those who
claimed to be in the service of the Lord.
Andrew R. Fausset observes that it was,
‘a twofold plagiarism; one steals from the
other, and all steal words from Jehovah’s
true prophets, but misapply them’.1 There
was therefore a false claim to using God’s
words as well as a false application of them.
There is an unmistakably solemn warning
pronounced against those who did this
9
in verses 30–32; on three successive
occasions the Lord utters, ‘Behold, I am
against’ them.
Currently, some Christians have begun
to discuss the role of Bible publishing
organisations and question the use of
copyright by Bible publishers as well as
its wider use in Christian ministry.2 Some
have even accused Bible publishers of
stealing the Word of God from the church.
It is true that some publishers do indeed
(as we will mention later) control the text
of Scripture in ways that do not maximise
distribution but rather serve their own
interests. Yet this abuse of God’s Word
does not mean that there are no Biblical
reasons for using copyright to carefully
preserve Scripture.
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
The motives of those who draw attention
to the issue and criticise copyright are
undoubtedly sincere. Yet, on reflection, the
question is not so simplistic as to copyright
or not to copyright. We need to bring
these challenging issues back to the test of
Scripture. What does the Word of God say
on this matter? Then the conclusions to that
question need to be applied in determining
the Society’s approach in this area.
The following are some implications and
applications of the verses quoted earlier in
relation to Bible translation and circulation
as well as this issue of placing a legal
protection on versions of the Scriptures.
1. It is Possible to Steal
God’s Words
God’s words are His property. They are
from Him and for His glory alone. They
are consecrated to a holy and sacred use,
and to take for ourselves anything that
is devoted to Him is called robbing God
(cf. Malachi 3.8). Some people deny that
the Bible has anything to say about what
is often termed ‘intellectual property’. They
say that there are no Biblical principles
that would imply we should protect God’s
Word from those who may be unfaithful
with it, believing that we should allow a
10
completely free and open use without
regard to the consequences.
However, this passage from Jeremiah 23
shows not only that it is possible to steal
words and thoughts from others, but also
that it is possible to steal God’s words.
The false prophets were doing more than
merely claiming that their own words
were God’s; they were also taking God’s
true words without a right to do so. They
were mixing their own message with
God’s words to give their own words more
authority. If we are entrusted with God’s
words, we have a duty to steward them
faithfully or we will be detracting from His
glory. This means that they are to be used
and preserved with reverence to God. We
strive to be able to use the words of the
Saviour in all good conscience: ’I have given
unto them the words which thou gavest
me’ (John 17.8). When we place a copyright
on a translation we are not claiming
ownership of God’s Word, rather we are
acknowledging the need to be faithful
stewards of it.
We owe a great debt to the temple scribes
and the later Masoretes who carefully
preserved the Word of God in Hebrew.
They operated under strict rules and
exercised careful control of the copying
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
of God’s Word. Similarly, we owe a debt
of thankfulness to the professionalism of
Byzantine scribes who took such great
care to bequeath to us the Greek text
received from the Apostolic times, under
the singular care and providence of God,
so that it was kept pure in all ages in the
church. Sadly, fearful damage has been
caused by the corrupted texts discovered
or promoted in the nineteenth century
that were not carefully copied and
compared, but have gone on to become
the pillars of the reconstructed modern
Critical Text. This text has plagued the
church during the past one hundred and
fifty years, and spawned multiple modern
versions that present different options.
The Trinitarian Bible Society’s purpose
is ‘to circulate uncorrupted versions of
the Word of God’ and so we wish to use
all lawful means to protect the Word
from corruption. As was observed in an
older issue of this magazine, ‘The Lord’s
sowers desire to obey Him, and not to
sow ‘mingled seed’. They desire to see
incorruptible fruit, and hence they sow
only ‘incorruptible seed’ (cf. 1 Peter 1.23)’.3
A few chapters on from our passage in
chapter 23 Jeremiah is commanded, ‘Thus
saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the
LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities
of Judah, which come to worship in the
LORD’s house, all the words that I command
thee to speak unto them; diminish not
a word’ (Jeremiah 26.2). Modern textual
critics tell us that we should not get hung
up on whether we actually have every
single one of God’s words but that we
just have to live with the uncertainty of
not knowing. This is the confusion and
undermining of the authority of Scripture
that continues to result from a less than
careful handling of God’s Word. But the
Lord says ‘diminish not a word’ because He
requires us to convey ‘all the words’ that
He has inspired, every single word. It is a
11
very serious matter, however well-meaning
the motives, when words are omitted
from translations on the grounds that the
canons of modern textual criticism have
determined this, and omitting one word of
God means that we are stealing His words
from Him.
2. It is Possible to Steal God’s
Words in Translation
No doubt there was something of God’s
words in the messages given by the
prophets competing with Jeremiah,
but they were stolen and presented in a
distorted way. To translate in a way that
does not give full access to God’s Word
is also very serious. There is a danger of
stealing God’s words, inadvertently or
otherwise, through a translation that does
not fully give God’s true words but instead
denies the reader access to them. This
withholds from God’s people and others
that to which they have a right. A popular
approach to translation, called dynamic
or functional equivalence, focuses not on
translating the words on a page so much
as attempting to reproduce the thoughts
of the author as he himself would have
expressed them had he been writing in
the language and culture into which the
translator is translating. Yet God’s Word is ‘a
hammer and a fire’, it has its own force and
we do not need to reinterpret or rewrite
it—we simply need to translate it faithfully.
There is also a danger of mixing a wrong
interpretation of the Scriptures in with
God’s true words in the translation
process, and so stealing God’s words. It is
particularly egregious when it undermines
the true message of God’s Word and
promotes unbiblical doctrines. The result
may be to ‘corrupt the word of God’
(2 Corinthians 2.17) or to use man’s wisdom
in place of God’s words (1 Corinthians 2.13).
It is especially solemn to read later in
Jeremiah, ‘And the burden of the LORD shall
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
ye mention no more: for every man’s word
shall be his burden; for ye have perverted
the words of the living God, of the LORD
of hosts our God’ (Jeremiah 23.36). How
dangerous for anyone to be offering their
own message in place of God’s!
3. It is Possible to Steal
God’s Words by Denying the
Publication of the Scriptures
Those who are concerned about the
impact of copyright have a genuine
and valid motivation, and we should
seek to have the Scriptures circulated
as much as possible. This is a Biblical
principle. Very sadly there are examples
of publishers and other organisations
who make considerable money from the
royalties derived from the copyright of a
translation. Bible circulation should not be
approached with any kind of commercial
motivation.
We can also think of examples of
organisations holding copyright to a
translation with no intention of allowing
it to be printed lest it hurt the sales
of a newer version. This strategy of
monopolising translations, where it
exists, clearly withholds God’s words.
This is entirely contrary to the goal of the
Trinitarian Bible Society, as we aim for the
widest possible circulation of the Holy
Scriptures. We seek to make Scripture
translations as freely available as possible
to churches and individuals (particularly
in the developing world) through an
extensive grants programme. We also
seek to serve the church as a handmaid
and therefore give particular discounts to
help them distribute the Scriptures freely.
This is in line with the Biblical principle
that we ought not to be chargeable
to others or to insist upon our rights
where it would impede the work of God
(1 Corinthians 9.12–18).
12
With this in mind, we are working to
ensure that all of our translations are
also freely available on our online Bible
(tbsonlinebible.com), which can be used
on mobile devices online or offline. It is also
good to be able to work with other digital
platforms that make them freely available.
We also do not charge for our published
articles, magazine, and website content
which explain our principles, uphold the
doctrine of Scripture, and help to promote
faithful translations. Currently we are
exploring a more open type of license
for this type of content. This is because
up until around fifteen years ago the
traditional approach to copyright was
the only option; but there are now more
open alternatives. However, while these
are appropriate for this sort of content, we
need to preserve the Scriptures uniquely
from corruption as far as possible. If we
desire accurate translations (and we must)
we must also recognise that this demands
curated translations (Latin accuratus
meaning ‘having been take care of’).
4. It is Possible to Steal
God’s Words by Stealing a
Translation
Someone may take the translation work
of others without having any moral or
civil right to it and publish it as though it
were their own. It is a serious matter when
Bible translation work is stolen and then
amended in a way that is inconsistent with
Scripture in terms of its message and the
way that it requires us to translate.
In some countries the first person to bring
a printed copy to the ‘copyright office’ of
the country, fill out the paperwork, and
pay the fee is considered the copyright
owner. There are sad examples shared with
us by others such as one Bible translator
working alone in an Asian country who
spent more than twenty years working on
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
a Bible translation. He was not fully aware
of the copyright law, and a group from
another religion took it in its first printing
and copyrighted it. They then demanded
that the translator never print the work
again and his work could never be used
again for any derivative use.
Similarly, making a translation available
without restriction could help to promote
cults who take it up and change it to
suit their teachings. Through using
the greater resources that they have
available to them they are able to
use it to promote their false teaching.
Confusion results when the distinction
between the corrupted and uncorrupted
words of God is removed in this way. It
becomes hard for people to distinguish
this when the integrity of the text is thus
compromised. If we are not to defraud
others by removing our neighbour’s
landmark (Deuteronomy 19.14 and 27.17;
Job 24.2; Proverbs 22.28 and 23.10), it is
also a duty to maintain the boundary of
God’s pure Word. It is our duty to prevent
such stealing which involves adding to
and taking away from the Word of God
(Deuteronomy 4.2; Revelation 22.18–19).
Part of our duty in keeping the eighth
commandment is also to prevent others
from stealing if it is within our power to
do so. How much greater a duty is this
when we are speaking about God’s Word!
Copyright can of course be violated; it
is not a failsafe way to protect Scripture.
But it does assert the moral rights of
those involved in producing the text. It
is a legally recognised way of seeking to
warn and prevent others from stealing a
translation.
In God’s providence, the printing of the
Authorised (King James) Version within the
British Isles has been controlled over the
centuries through the Royal Letters Patent.
The purpose of this was to prohibit the
circulation of printed Bibles with serious
13
mistakes and errors, which were all too
common throughout the seventeenth
century in typesetting a large volume with
movable type.4 It did not fully prevent
copies that were printed abroad being
imported of course. Nor did it mean that
official printers were preserved from error;
but when they did print serious errors
they were punished and stripped of the
right to print the Bible.5 In a similar way,
copyright helps to establish a faithful
translation in a language, whereas if there
were no restrictions it could be changed
and amended so that translations multiply
and confusion results. It does matter
when there are a multitude of competing
translations, and it is important not to feed
this.6
5. It is Possible to Steal God’s
Words by Failing to Give the
Translators Their Due
Many years of effort and cost are
associated with a translation project.
If there is no restriction on the use
of a translation in a way that gives
due honour and recompense to the
translators, translation then becomes
restricted only to those who can afford
to translate. It is a great blessing when
translators can engage in their work freely
as a service devoted to the Lord. Yet in
some impoverished contexts it may not
be possible for individuals to lay aside
employment and engage in the task at
their own expense. Neither is it always
possible for it to be done in their spare
time when long hours must be worked
just to earn low wages. Scripture says
that we are to render to everyone their
due, giving honour to whom honour is
due (cf. Romans 13.7). This means we
should give due respect to those who
have been involved and ‘not muzzle the
mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn’
(1 Corinthians 9.9) because the labourer
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
is worthy of his hire (cf. Luke 10.7). We
glorify God when we give that honour
and credit where it is due, i.e., to the
people who have faithfully laboured.
It is easy to dismiss financial
considerations as somehow unspiritual
or materialistic, but there are spiritual
principles to take into consideration in
this connection. The money that has
been freely given to the Society for the
task of translating and circulating the
Scriptures is also God’s money and we
have a moral as well as a legal duty to
safeguard it. If anyone could take up one of
our translations unauthorised and change
it at will, it would mean that the resources
faithfully donated for accurate translation
would have been given without fully
achieving the purpose. There are often
also significant printing and shipping
costs to which the same principles would
apply. In many languages the Society’s
Scriptures are donated because the people
who speak the language cannot afford to
purchase Scriptures for themselves.
Why Does the Society
Maintain Copyright?
We can therefore summarise these points
in the following way that explains the
Society’s reasons for holding copyright.
Our desire is for the widest possible
circulation of the Holy Scriptures. Currently
a very significant part of our Scripture
circulation comes through licensing
arrangements with publishers. We are
thankful to be able to work with those
who wish to use the text for publications
which they will give away free of charge in
Christian ministry. We are also glad to see
the Scriptures circulate on digital platforms
and in audio format. We look positively on
such opportunities whilst still exercising
discretion. We have no desire to withhold
that which ought to be widely accessible,
14
noting that making a translation widely
available can help to establish its popular
use. Likewise, we look for opportunities to
license the text of faithful translations that
meet our principles from others in a way
that respects their rights to the text.
We recognise that the Word of God
belongs to His church, and that the
Society works as a handmaid, or helper,
to the churches. This tends towards the
principle of making Scripture translations
as freely available as possible to churches
and individuals for the purposes of
distribution. However, on a practical
level it is right and proper for the Society
to retain the intellectual property of a
particular translation, revision, or setting
that it has developed. Retaining the
copyright helps us to safeguard the text
against corruption, ensure the publications
are produced correctly, and recoup some
of the development costs, a principle
consistent with the labourer being worthy
of his hire (Luke 10.7).
Firstly, we hold copyright to protect
the integrity of the text, e.g., from
unauthorised, unwarranted, specious and/
or malicious changes, and to ensure that
it is copied correctly in each successive
print run and when published in electronic
form.
Secondly, we hold copyright to protect
the investment of our staff, members, and
supporters, and of our partners, who will
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
have donated time, money, and/or labour
to ensure that the published Scripture item
can be produced and has been produced
to meet the Society’s high standards.
Thirdly, we hold copyright to oversee
the use of the text. We make every
effort not to restrict the text and to give
permission wherever we can for it to be
used and quoted. However, there are
instances when we will not give the text
either partially or in its entirety for others
to publish. For example, in recent years
a request from the Watchtower Society
was refused to publish/amend one of our
Bibles. Additionally, sometimes we won’t
allow others to print our Scriptures in a
low-quality form but would rather give
them a good-quality printing done by us
at the lowest possible price or even free of
charge.
Fourthly, we hold copyright to give
credibility to the text. We have a good
reputation for publishing reliable and
faithful translations of the Holy Scriptures,
and our copyright gives the text a level of
credibility and assurance that helps aid
acceptance and circulation.
Conclusion
We can sympathise with the good
intentions behind the idea that removing
copyright restrictions increases access
to Scripture. Nevertheless, the reality is
that doing so might in fact indirectly help
some people to steal the words of God
by corrupting Scripture in relation to text
and translation. It can also steal the Word
from people by undermining its authority
where people seek to amend translations
according to their preference and circulate
them widely. Taking into account all the
Biblical principles that relate to our duty of
care to Scripture, it is clear that we should
make judicious use of copyright, yet not in
a way that would restrict the circulation of
the Word of God among all nations. May
15
the Lord grant much needed wisdom in
these complex matters.
Endnotes:
1. R. Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, and D. Brown, A
commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997),
3 vols. Vol. 2.
2. Copyright can be generally defined as a
legal right created by the law of a country that
grants the creator of an original work exclusive
rights (with certain exceptions) for its use and
distribution during a limited period. Laws
may vary from country to country. Copyright
restrictions are automatically applied even
without applying for a registered copyright.
Owners of the copyrights, however, can of
course choose to release the content under a
more open licence.
3. ‘Our Sub-title’ Quarterly Record 447 April to
June 1974 No. 447, p. 7.
4. ‘The letters patent have been a great
advantage to the people of God in English-
speaking countries. The letters patent have
provided for a uniformity of the text of the
Authorised Version throughout the centuries.
Individual printers, churches, denominations
and publishers have not been allowed to
amend, change or revise the Authorised
Version, or in any way tamper with its text’
from ‘The Authorised (King James) Version and
Copyright’ available on our website tbsbibles.
org/TheAVAndCopyright. This contrasts with
Reformation translations such as German,
Italian, Spanish, and Dutch where the absence
of a copyright led to multiple revisions and
editions rather than one definitive text.
5. For instance, the so-called ‘Wicked Bible’ in
1631 where the word ‘not’ was omitted from the
commandment ‘thou shalt not commit adultery’.
For this the royal printers Robert Barker and
Martin Lucas were summoned before the Star
Chamber, fined £300 and deprived of their
printing license.
6. Some may argue that copyright makes
translations in English multiply because
publishers invent their own to avoid
significant royalty costs, but this is more to do
with a commercial approach to Bible versions
in both cases.
 SWAHILI A LANGUAGE
ACR OSS BORDERS
by Natalie Hanks, Lead Editor

Sunset on the savannah plains in Kenya

S
wahili is one of the most widely
spoken languages in the world, with
over 200 million speakers. It is the
most spoken African language south of
the Sahara, and is the continent’s most
internationally recognised language, with
BBC and Voice of America radio broadcasts.
Swahili, also known as Kiswahili, is not a
language of a particular country but of an
area, and is used across borders.
Around fifteen million people speak Swahili
16
as a first language, with others speaking it
fluently as a second, third, or even fourth
language. Recently, the African Union
adopted Swahili as an official language—
amazing when the population of its member
states speak approximately 2,000 languages!
Considering the wide use of Swahili, it is
sad that there is still no current Swahili
Bible translated from the Greek Received
and Hebrew Masoretic texts on a formal
equivalence basis.
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
A language for East Africa
The word ’Swahili’ literally means ‘coast’ and
is given to the people group with the same
language and culture. People who speak
Swahili as their mother tongue are usually
called Waswahili, but the name refers to
their language only, rather than their tribe
or ethnicity.
Swahili is widely spoken within East Africa
in countries such as Kenya, Uganda, and
Tanzania, but also in Burundi, Rwanda, and
South Sudan. It is the official language in
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, along with
English.
People who speak Swahili as a first
language are predominantly found along
the coast of East Africa stretching from
southern Somalia to the border between
Tanzania and Mozambique. There are
also native Swahili speakers on the Indian
Ocean islands of Zanzibar, Madagascar, and
the Comoros Islands, though different areas
use different dialects.
Origins of Swahili
Swahili as a language originally came from
the inhabitants of the ‘Swahili coast’, the
eastern coast of Africa. Among the earliest
inhabitants of the area were the Bantu-
speaking Africans who migrated to the
coast from the interior of the continent.
These people began trading with each
other, and this eventually extended to
people from all over the world as the area
became an international crossroad of
humans and trade. People from different
cultures, languages, and religions mixed,
and Swahili developed as a trading
language between all these people groups.
The word ‘Swahili’ was first used by
early Arabic traders who arrived in the
eighth century. Arabic settlements and
marketplaces began to appear, and slaves
and ivory were traded. It was during this
time that Islam was introduced to the area,
17
and until today remains the predominant
religion along the eastern coast. Indian
traders also travelled to the area, and in the
twelfth century Persian settlers also arrived.
Around this time the coast was ruled
by individual city states—independent
sultanates—who traded across the Indian
Ocean for goods such as silk, pottery, and
glassware. Each city state was independent,
but shared the same language of Swahili
and religion of Islam. An example is the
Kilwa Sultanate, ruled by Persian princes,
which at its height stretched over the
whole of the Swahili coast.
During the fifteenth century the
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama led an
expedition past the Cape of Good Hope at
the southern tip of Africa and up the east
coast into the Indian Ocean. Once there,
within five years the Portuguese attempted
to control by force all trade in the area,
establishing bases at sites along the Swahili
Coast. This control was later eclipsed by
the Islamic dominion of the Imam of Oman
during the seventeenth century.
The spread of Swahili
Initially, Swahili was the language of the
east coast. However, the language started
to spread across the continent. Traders took
the language of Swahili into the interior of
Africa, particularly Tanzania, but also Arab
slave and ivory caravans travelled as far as
Uganda and Congo.
During the eighteen and nineteenth
centuries, the east of Africa was split up by
various colonial powers in the ‘scramble for
Africa’. These played a role in the spread of
the language as in many places they used
it for communicating with the inhabitants.
For example the Germans used Swahili
as the language of administration in
Tanganyika (now part of Tanzania), and
formalised it to be used as the official
language in schools.
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
The arrival of missionaries in
East Africa
The arrival of Europeans in East Africa
brought Christianity to the area. The first
missionary posts were on the east coast,
where the missionaries picked up Swahili
and used it to spread Christianity into the
interior.
One of the first missionaries to the area was
German missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf.
In 1834 he finished his studies to become
a Lutheran pastor. He eventually arrived in
Africa in 1830s with the Church Missionary
Society of the Anglican Church. He initially
started work in the Tigre region of Ethiopia,
but after Protestant missionaries were
expelled from the area he ended up in
Zanzibar seeking permission to settle in
Mombasa. The Sultan was favourable,
giving him a letter to pass to the governors
on the coast, saying, ‘be kind to Dr Krapf,
who wishes to covert the world to God’.1
Life in Mombasa was hard.
Krapf’s wife, Rosine, and
newborn child died,
himself too ill with
fever to even name
the child. Krapf
suffered depression
as he was betrayed
by his associates,
beset by tropical illness
and the climate,
and living
Johann Ludwig Krapf
in oppressive living conditions. However,
during this time he translated the New
Testament and other Bible portions into
Swahili. He was an incredible linguist.
He had arrived at Mombasa in January
1844 and by June he began translating
the book of Genesis, writing later that
he always considered that day the most
important day of his life. It is thought that
his translation of Genesis was the first
printed Swahili text, and he also published
a Swahili dictionary.
Swahili had originally been written in
Arabic script, introduced by the Arabs.
However, when Krapf had learnt Swahili
and began to think about Bible translation,
he decided to use Latin characters.
This is why Swahili today is written in
Latin characters, as it was introduced
and used by missionaries and colonial
administrators.2
Krapf challenged the Church Missionary
Society to make the grave of his wife and
child in Mombasa the starting point for the
conversion of East Africa. He had a vision
that the east and west coasts of Africa could
be linked with a chain of Christian mission
stations—this later became one of the
goals for the Africa Inland Mission (AIM), set
up in 1895 by Peter Cameron Scott.
Krapf travelled widely across the area (he
and a friend were the first Europeans to
see Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro), and
his travels, along with the appeal of David
Livingstone to stop the slave trade, inspired
many missionary societies to send workers
to Africa. Within twenty-five years, seven
societies arrived in East Africa. Many of
these initially settled on the east coast and
Zanzibar, caring for redeemed slaves and
refugees. Conversions on the east coast
were few as it was an Islamic area, and
missionaries were not permitted to seek
to convert Muslims but only ex-slaves and
non-Swahili immigrants. God granted
18
The cloud covered summit of Mount Kenya
the missionaries more success when they
moved into the interior of East Africa, and
gradually additional mission stations were
established further into the continent,
many of them using the language of
Swahili.
Swahili today
Swahili was used as an international
means of collaboration in the decades
leading up to the independence of
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. It meant
that people fighting together for their
freedom could communicate even if
their native languages differed. For many
Africans the rise of Swahili was a mark of
cultural independence from the colonising
Europeans. The presidents of Kenya and
Tanzania, after independence, promoted
Swahili as important for the countries’
political and economic interests, along with
their security and liberty.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda all have
Swahili and English as their official
19
19
languages. In Tanzania Swahili is the
main primary language and is used in
education and administration; for many
people, particularly those born in cities,
it is their first language. In Kenya and
Uganda English is more widely used than in
Tanzania, although Swahili is a compulsory
subject in schools. In some areas of Kenya,
particularly away from the big cities,
Swahili is spoken far more widely than
English.
Today, Swahili is the lingua franca of East
Africa, with speakers of many different
African languages across numerous
countries using it as a universal means of
communication.
The language and vocabulary
of Swahili
As we have seen, Swahili has been used
by many people in Africa to communicate
over the centuries. The Bantu, traders
from Asia, Arabs, European countries,
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
settlers, colonial rulers, missionaries, and
others have all used Swahili and adapted
it. This has left a lasting legacy on the
language.
Arabic and Persian cultures had the
greatest influence on Swahili—as much
as thirty percent of Swahili has Arabic
connections. The Swahili words chai
(tea), diwani (councillor), sheha (village
councillor) all come from the Persian.
The Portuguese who controlled the coastal
towns (AD 1500–1700) also had some
influence. For example, the Swahili words
leso (handkerchief), meza (table), and
pesa (money) are all borrowed from the
Portuguese. Words also originated from
the colonial powers, e.g. from English
baiskeli (bicycle), basi (bus), and mashine
(machine). German words include shule
(school) and hela (coin).
There are around fifteen Swahili dialects,
but these can be mutually understood. The
three main dialects are kiUnguja (found
in Zanzibar and the mainland areas of
Tanzania), kiMvita (found in Mombasa and
other areas of Kenya), and kiAmu (spoken
on the island of Lamu and parts of the east
coast). Standard Swahili is based on the
kiUnguja dialect.
The Swahili Bible
The earliest Swahili Bible translation work
was carried out by Krapf in the 1840s, in
the kiMvita dialect. In 1846 the kiMvita
New Testament was completed, but never
published. When Krapf retired to Europe,
he continued to revise the New Testament
translation, which was then purchased by
the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS)
in 1878 and sent to Bishop Steere in Africa
for his work on the kiUnguja version. In
1909 the complete kiMvita New Testament
was published by BFBS, followed by the
whole Bible in 1914.
20
The kiUnguja New Testament, worked
on by Bishop Steere, was published in
1879. This was revised in 1883, using
the new English Revised Version Bible
and its Westcott and Hort Critical Greek
Text with its omissions and deletions.3
Steere continued working on the Old
Testament, but died while working on
Isaiah. F. R. Hodson completed the work,
and it was published in 1895.
Other Bible versions were published in the
following years, but the most significant
was the Swahili Union Bible in 1952 (and
then the Revised Swahili Union Version in
2005). This aimed to bring together the
kiMivta and kiUnguja dialects, but again
is based on the Critical Text. It also uses
Islamic/Arabic words such as the word
msikiti for temple, and Isa for Jesus.
Another version, the Habari Njema ‘Good
News’ Bible in 1996, is the product of an
inter-denominational and international
effort, involving both Roman Catholics
and Protestants. Various other Critical
Text Bibles have been produced, such
as the Neno Biblia Takatifu in 1989,
and the Neno Maandiko Matakatifu in
2018, both using informal language
style and employing meaning-based
translation philosophy. While the Neno
Biblia Takatifu reads better and matches
standard Swahili as taught in schools,
is not as accurate word for word as the
Neno Maandiko Matakatifu.
There is a great need for a Swahili
Bible based on the Greek Received and
Hebrew Masoretic Texts, with formal
equivalence translation principles. There
are a huge number of people identifying
as Christians in East Africa (for instance,
85.5% of the population in Kenya, 63%
of the population in Tanzania, and 82%
of the population in Uganda), so the
need for an accurate Bible translation in
this popular lingua franca is huge. While
a large number of these people are
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
Protestant, many are Roman Catholic
or Pentecostal: all of them in need of a
faithful copy of God’s Word.
TBS Swahili project
For years the TBS longed to start a Swahili
project, and it was with rejoicing that in
early 2021 we were able to commence this.
The translation work is being undertaken
directly from the Greek Received Text
by a suitably qualified Swahili speaker,
supported by other Swahili speakers based
in Kenya and Tanzania.
The TBS Swahili translation aims to be
widely understood by readers of many
dialects, in the hope that it will be widely
accepted across East Africa. Feedback on
the draft Gospel according to John has
been very helpful, and a deeper work of
grammatical review is currently underway.
DOES IT
MATTER?
The Woman
man
Caught In Adultery
John 7.53–8.11
AV/KJV
All the verses from John 7.53–8.11
about the woman caught in adultery are
included.
ESV
[John 7.53–8.11 is marked off in double
brackets with a note that the verses are
missing in some manuscripts.]
21
We hope that the Gospel according to
John will be published online and in
print after this detailed review has been
accomplished.
Please pray for this project, that it might be
blessed to many souls across Africa.
Endnotes:
1. L. Krapf, A Dictionary of the Swahili Language
(London, England: Trübner and Co., 1882), p. vii.
2. V. Pawlikova-Vilhanova, Biblical translations
of early missionaries in East and Central Africa:
Translations into Swahili (Asian and African
Studies, 15, 2006, 1, 80-89), sav.sk/journals/
uploads/021015317_Vilhanov%C3%A1.pdf.
3. T. Darlow and H. Moule, Historical Catalogue of
the printed editions of Holy Scripture, 3 volumes
(London, England: The Bible House, 1911).
It does matter …
Because every Word of God matters
(Proverbs 30.5). But also because there
is overwhelming documentary evidence
since the earliest times for the retention
of these words. They have been read and
used by millions all over the world for
nearly two thousand years and preserved
through the ages.
The words fit with the context of the Gospel
and are quoted by early Christian writers. To
reject it is to rob Holy Scripture of a precious
account of the good news of the unfathomable
forgiveness of sin found in Christ. To find out
more read the article Why John 7.53–8.11 is
in the Bible tbsbibles.org/John7v53
21
 Deputation Visit
to Australia
By the Rev. Craig Dennison
Deputation Speaker

T
he Trinitarian Bible Society has a
long history in Australia. In 1887 the
first Australian auxiliary meetings of
the Society were held in Sydney; and after
the formation of many more auxiliaries,
eventually in 1992 a branch of the Society
was formally established. In the summer
of 2023 I was invited by TBS (Australia)
to conduct deputation meetings there.
In twenty-two days I took thirteen
flights, spoke at twenty meetings, visited
fourteen cities and towns, and met
hundreds of people who support the
work of the Society.
My journey to Australia was broken up
with a weekend stopover in Singapore.
I preached at a Lord’s Day service in
Singapore before travelling to Brisbane on
the Monday. This was followed by a long
drive down the east coast to Grafton for
the next meeting. The next day saw an
early flight to Sydney for two meetings
before travelling to Melbourne. Following
services in Castlemaine and Melbourne,
I travelled westward along the beautiful
gold coast to Nullaware. After this came
a very brief trip to Tasmania for two
meetings at opposite ends of the island.
My next destination was the Eyre Peninsula
for four more meetings before heading
to Adelaide. A house meeting in Adelaide
was followed that evening by a meeting
in Maitland. The final part of my trip took
me to Perth on the west coast for the final
series of meetings, including a meeting in
an Aboriginal church.

The Rev. Dennison with Dr Jeffrey Khoo and members of the congregation in Singapore
22
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
It was a pleasure to meet people who had
travelled many hours to attend a meeting
and hear updates of the work of the
Society. I was particularly encouraged to
meet many supporters who passionately
share our Biblical convictions for the
Hebrew Masoretic Text and Greek Textus
Receptus. Much literature was taken, and
we trust the Lord will use it to bring others
to share our convictions concerning the
purity of Scripture.
Many people helped contribute to this
trip—too many to name—but can I extend
my appreciation for all who assisted in
travel, hospitality, and organising facilities
for the meetings. The trip would have
been most difficult without their gracious
assistance. Furthermore, I am thankful to
the Lord for His mercies in travelling; every
flight was on time, luggage arrived at every
destination, and every meeting proceeded
as planned.
My trip coincided with the launch of a
commemorative Bible to mark the first
Christian worship service held on Australian
soil in 1788. Excitement for this Bible was
seen in all the meetings where it was
mentioned, and many expressed their
gratitude for such an endeavour to reach
the lost with the good news of the Gospel.
Please continue to pray for the blessing of
God upon the work of the TBS in Australia.
The increased demand for Scriptures in the
nation is most encouraging, and we pray
that as many read the good news of the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, they will
come to saving faith in the only Redeemer
of sinners.

The Aboriginal Church

By the Rev. Philip Gardiner
Member of the Board of TBS (Australia)

with the Junjuwa People’s Church in the

Fitzroy Crossing area. Many people come
a long distance from different Aboriginal
groupings to attend those yearly meetings.

D
uring the Rev. Dennison’s time
spent in Perth, Western Australia,
he visited the Aboriginal Christian
Church in Harrisdale. The pastor there has a
congregation in the south-eastern suburbs
of Perth, but he also has an extensive
ministry throughout Western Australia.
Recently a new congregation has been
established in Narrogin, a rural town in
what is referred to as Western Australia’s
‘wheat belt’. Each year the pastor travels
to the north of the state to minister
23
Numerous have professed the Lord’s Name
in salvation.
New converts among Aboriginal people
can face great challenges in their stand
for the Lord. Over recent years there has
been a resurgence of interest in the ancient
traditions of Aboriginal people. Throughout
Australia there has been great promotion
of ‘culture’ in both the education system
and the corporate world. Schools have time
set aside to learn about various aspects of
culture including smoking ceremonies, the
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

The Rev. Dennison with members of TBS (Australia) and

members of Central Area Aboriginal Christian Church

didgeridoo, and other ancestral issues. The a result, the English Bible that is used is
Biblical account of creation is replaced with the Authorised Version of the Scripture.
the ‘dream time’ story. The congregations in the ACC have long
been supporters of the TBS and have been
This means that there is great pressure pleased to receive various donations of
upon Aboriginal young people to embrace Bibles and literature from TBS to enable
‘culture’. Among some churches in Australia them in their witness for Christ. We
there is a willingness to seek to mix culture encourage our readers to pray much for
and Christianity. By God’s grace the pastor, the furtherance of the Gospel among the
and those who labour with him, take a Aboriginal peoples of Australia.
strong stand, seeking to show Christians
that there is no freedom in culture, but our
freedom is in Christ and His Gospel. Just
as Elijah challenged the people on Mount
Carmel to follow either Baal or God, his
challenge is to God’s people today to either
follow culture or Christ.
Tragically Aboriginal families throughout
Australia have suffered greatly on
account of alcohol and drug abuse. Many
children are being raised in very difficult
circumstances. The answer for these
children is not culture, but the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. It is encouraging that the
Aboriginal Christian Church has retained
a strong stand on the text of Scripture A remote Indigenous community in Western Australia
and the preservation of God’s Word. As
24
 George W. Anderson
12 October 1951 to 26 December 2023
By Philip J.D. Hopkins
Senior Editorial Consultant (Projects)

A
s 2023 drew to a close we learned of the passing of George Anderson, who
worked in the Editorial Department for over 25 years until his retirement in
October 2016.
George Anderson, together with his wife Debra, commenced working for TBS in
1990. At the invitation of the Society the Andersons moved to England in 1991 and
made it their home, living near the Society’s London Headquarters. Together, during
the 1990s and 2000s, George and Debra wrote many articles for the Society, oversaw
the production of the Quarterly Record magazine, and managed many of the Society’s
Bible translation and revision projects. For the last ten years of his time in the Editorial
Department, George was primarily engaged in preparing the New Testament section
of a Translator’s Manual, an important tool which, with further added input, will help
guide our Bible translators and revisers in their labours.
George’s particular specialism was New Testament Greek, and it is for this that he
will be especially remembered. One of the much valued booklets prepared by George
and Debra is the Society’s A Textual Key to the New Testament: a list of omissions and
changes. The Textual Key, as it is more typically known, is used when the Editorial
Department is checking the textual fidelity of Scriptures that are submitted to us for
review and for publication. The ongoing usefulness of this booklet is one example of the
way in which George’s legacy will continue to benefit the Society’s work. How true it is:
‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them’ (Revelation 14.13).
George’s ability in New Testament Greek will also live on through those whom he
taught Greek. This includes a number of our current Bible translators and revisers
who learnt some or much of their Koiné Greek from George, who gave generously
of his time to teach them. One of our Bible revisers, who was helped with his Greek
knowledge by George during the pandemic (after George had retired), wrote, ‘I am so
sorry to see this news of George’s home-call. He was such an encouragement to me over
the years’. The reviser subsequently explained that George had spent time with him each
week during the various lockdowns, explaining the nuances of the Greek and helping
him in his work.
We give thanks to God for the labours of George, recognising the ongoing benefit from
his work. We also express our sincere condolences to his wife, Debra, and to their son,
Daniel, and pray that they would experience the Lord’s comfort in their great loss.
‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the
God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation’ (2 Corinthians 1.3–4a).

25
 enia Azerbaijan
Arm nistan
Turkme

Tür
kiy
Mashhad

Afghanistan
Tehran

e
Persian Isfahan

Scriptures Kerman

Pak
Shiraz

T
he Persian language (also known as
Farsi) belongs to the Iranian branch
of the Indo-Iranian subdivision of
the Indo-European languages. Old Persian
dates back to the sixth century BC. Today the
modern version of the language is spoken
in Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan in three
mutually intelligible standard varieties:
Persian, Dari, and Tajik. In its several different
forms, Persian is spoken by over 100 million
speakers worldwide.
Persian is predominantly spoken and used
officially within Iran (a country corresponding
to the Biblical Elam). Persian is the language
of government and education in Iran,
ista
n
and is the mother tongue of half of the
population. A large proportion of the rest
of the population have Persian as a second
language.
Christianity in Iran
The early period of the Khomeini regime
(1979–1989) in Iran left the church alone.
Meetings were unrestricted, and evangelism
and Bible distribution seemed to thrive.
However, this has changed, and although
there is no official hostility to Christianity the
churches have suffered—anger towards

Tehran with the backdrop of the Alborz Mountains

266 226
266
26
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
converted Muslims and the association of
Christianity with Western imperialism have Persian New Testament
sparked attacks on church property and
people. Burgundy vinyl covered paperback
In recent years persecution has led to Page size: 180 x 120mm (7.1" x 4.7")
significant numbers of Persian Christians Thickness: 10mm (0.4")
fleeing Iran. Türkiye is often their first port of
call; from there many of them then move on
Print size: 12 pts
to other countries such as the USA, UK, and Product Code: FASNT/SBG
Germany where there are now large Iranian 978 1 86228 495 1
populations.
UK £5.85 AUS $9.20
Persian Scriptures CAN $7.25 NZ $12.10
USA $7.00
Together with Mīrzā Sayyed Alī Khan, Henry
Martyn translated the New Testament which
was published in 1815. This translation was
later revised by Robert Bruce to reflect the
form of Persian that was then more current
and published in 1895.

TBS Persian project

The Society have had a project underway Persian Gospel according
for many years to revise the classic Persian to John
Bible of 1895, led by a native speaker. The
publication of the New Testament in 2019
represented an important milestone and Pictorial paperback
the fruition of years of hard work by our Page size: 185 x 120mm (7.3" x 4.7")
main reviser and others who have helped
him in the project. A second printing of Print size: 10 pts
5,000 copies was completed in 2022; the Product Code: FASJN2
entire New Testament in Persian is available 978 1 86228 426 5
to download at tbsonlinebible.com/#fa. We UK £0.65 AUS $1.00
are delighted that the online edition of the CAN $0.85 NZ $1.40
TBS Persian New Testament is being accessed
USA $0.80
from Afghanistan as well as Iran and other
countries such as Türkiye where Persian
speakers reside.
It is hoped that the Old Testament revision
work will be completed before too long, with
the aim of publishing the whole Bible, God
willing.
‘And I will set my throne in Elam, and will
destroy from thence the king and the
princes, saith the LORD. But it shall come
to pass in the latter days, that I will bring
again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD’
(Jeremiah 49.38–39).

27
 DOES THE
NKJV LIVE UP
TO ITS CLAIMS?
By the Rev. Craig Dennison
Deputation Speaker
T
he preface to the 1982 edition of
the New King James Version (NKJV)
calls it the most recent revision of
the Authorised (King James) Version (AV),
and says it ‘is a continuation of the labours
of the earlier translators’. The NKJV also
claims to use a translation principle
known as ‘complete equivalence’. In other
words, the translators say they have
used a literal translation approach like
that used in the Authorised (King James)
Version, translating ‘word for word’. The
NKJV preface also says that the Greek
text used for the New Testament is the
one that was followed by the
King James translators.1 All
of this seems to encourage
the general assumption
that the New King
James Version
(NKJV) is as
faithful and
accurate
as the
228
22888
Authorised (King James) Version, just
‘newer’. This article will test these claims
so that the reader can assess them for
themselves and make a decision whether
the NKJV really is a successor to the AV, or
whether this is misleading and it is actually
another translation.
Does the NKJV adhere fully
to the Greek Received Text?
The NKJV claims to follow the Received
Text (Textus Receptus) and not the Critical
Greek Text. If we test this claim with a few
examples, it becomes clear that are many
differences from the Received Text
by alteration, addition, or omission.
Here are some examples where
the Critical Text has influenced the
NKJV; sometimes it is claimed that
these are more translational than
textual choices, but this is not the
case in the following examples.
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024

Luke 1.35
AV: ‘that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called the Son of God’
NKJV: ‘that Holy One who is to be born will
be called the Son of God’
The NKJV leaves out ‘of thee’ ‘ἐκ σοῦ’;
this is a phrase found in the Received Text
but omitted from the Critical Text. Leaving
this untranslated could not reasonably be
argued to be a translational choice.

Colossians 3.17
AV: ‘giving thanks to God and the Father by
him’
NKJV: ‘giving thanks to God the Father
through Him’
The NKJV leaves out ‘καὶ’ (and) in keeping
with the Critical Text, there is no reason this
‘καὶ’ should be omitted in translation if the
NKJV translators were indeed looking at the
Received Text. The Received Text has to be
translated, ‘to God and the Father’.

2 John 7
AV: ‘For many deceivers are entered into
the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh’
NKJV: ‘For many deceivers have gone out
into the world who do not confess Jesus
Christ as coming in the flesh’
The NKJV changes ‘entered into’ to ‘gone out
into’, which follows the Critical Text reading
Ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν
κόσμον’. The NKJV implies they have left
the church, but this is not the reading of the
Received Text ‘ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι εἰσῆλθόν
εἰς τὸν κόσμον’. The NKJV’s ‘gone out into
the world’ is a correct translation of the
Critical Text’s ‘ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον’.
However, ‘εἰσῆλθόν εἰς τὸν κόσμον’ of
the Received Text must be translated as
29
29
‘entered into the world’. The difference is in
the preposition prefixed to the verb ‘ηλθον’
(‘to go’): ἐξ = out, εἰσ = in. There is no way
that ‘εἰσῆλθόν εἰς τὸν κόσμον’ could be
translated ‘gone out into the world’.

Jude 19
AV: ‘These be they who separate
themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit’
NKJV: ‘These are sensual persons, who
cause divisions, not having the Spirit’
The NKJV follows the Critical Text in
omitting ‘ἑαυτούς’ (themselves). There is
no translational reason that could justify
passing over this Greek word, ‘ἑαυτούς’
(themselves).

Revelation 6.11
AV: ‘And white robes were given unto every
one of them’
NKJV: ‘Then a white robe was given to each
of them’
The NKJV changes from the plural ‘white
robes’ (στολαὶ λευκαὶ) to the singular ‘a
white robe’ (στολὴ λευκὴ) which is the
reading of the Critical Text. If the NKJV
translators were looking at the Received
Text with the plural, ‘στολαὶ λευκαί’ (white
robes), they would not have translated it as
the singular ‘white robe’.
The NKJV makes over five hundred
references in the margins to the Majority
Greek Text—a text closer to the Received
Text but still differing in many respects.
The NKJV also gives even more references
to the Critical Text. It gives marginal notes
suggesting, and even implying, that there
is confusion and uncertainty as to what the
Word of God is.2
The publishers provided the following
explanation regarding the marginal notes:
‘It was the editors’ conviction that the use
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
of footnotes would encourage further
inquiry by readers. They also recognised
that it was easier for the average reader
to delete something he or she felt was
not properly in the text, than to insert a
word of phrase which had been left out
by the revisers’.3
Unwittingly, the publishers of this
comment do three things. Firstly, they
invite the reader to dismiss God’s Word
based on their ‘feelings’. Secondly, they
undermine the authority of the Hebrew
Masoretic and Greek Received Text
(Textus Receptus) as the providentially
preserved Word of God. Thirdly, they
demonstrate they are not as committed
to the underlying texts of the AV as
they claimed in the preface to the
original NKJV.
While the NKJV claims to follow the
Received Text, we have seen that the
reality is very different and there are
instances where the Critical Greek
Text has been used. There are many
differences from the Received Text by
alteration, addition, or omission, and
there are some clear examples where
the Critical Text has influenced the NKJV.
While it is sometimes claimed that these
are translational rather than textual
choices, we have also seen that this is not
the case.
Malcolm H. Watts notes this concerning
the NKJV. ‘This translation, with
its credence given to the marginal
reference, has the appearance of a most
subtle attempt to discredit both the
Received Text and the Authorised Version
… In many ways the NKJV is far more
dangerous than the modern translations
which have openly abandoned the
Received Text’.4
30
Does the NKJV adhere fully
to the Hebrew Masoretic
Text?
The NKJV claims to follow the AV but in
relation to the Old Testament it uses a
different text; the Hebrew Text used for the
Old Testament is the 1967/1977 Stuttgart
edition of the Biblica Hebraica, while that
used for the AV is the Bomberg Hebrew
Old Testament, first printed in 1524. How
can the NKJV be a ‘continuation’ of the AV if
it used a different Hebrew Old Testament,
a text which was not even available when
the AV was first published?5 It is also said
that ancient versions and the Dead Sea
Scrolls were consulted. In the margins, the
NKJV also makes numerous references to
the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, the Dead
Sea Scrolls, and ‘Various ancient versions’.
Translations should not correct the original
Hebrew and Greek but rather should
reflect them. Here are two examples of
marginal notes found in the NKJV:
 Genesis 4.8 has the marginal note
‘Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, Syriac,
and Vulgate’.
 The marginal notes in
Deuteronomy 32.8 give alternative
readings for the phrase ‘the children of
Israel’. It reads ‘Septuagint, Dead Sea Scrolls
‘angels of God’; Symmachus [a revision of
the Septuagint, approximately AD 180],
Old Latin [exhibiting a pre-Vulgate text]
‘sons of God’.’
In some instances, alternate readings have
been brought into the text to replace the
Hebrew Masoretic Text; the following are
some examples.
 In Psalm 4.4 the AV reads ‘Stand in
awe, and sin not’ while the NKJV reads ‘Be
angry, and do not sin’. The Hebrew verb
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
‫ רָ גַ ז‬means ‘to tremble’, and this is the most
common translation. The NKJV follows
the Septuagint and Latin Vulgate reading
rather than the Hebrew Masoretic when it
translates this verb ‘be angry’.
 In 1 Chronicles 25.3 Shimei is included
as one of the sons of Jeduthun in the NKJV,
but is not included in the AV or the Hebrew
Masoretic. This reading is from the Greek
Septuagint translation of the Hebrew, and
not the Hebrew itself.
Does the NKJV fully adhere to
formal equivalence?
The AV is translated via formal equivalence,
meaning that the translation follows
word for word the original languages of
Scripture as closely as possible. The NKJV
claims to use a translation principle known
as ‘complete equivalence’, ’which seeks to
preserve all of the information in the text’.
However, in many places they are found
to be using a method known as ‘Dynamic
Equivalence’, even though they claim to
reject it.
‘Dynamic Equivalence’ is the principle of
translation that attempts to recreate on the
reader the effect the Biblical language texts
had on the original recipients, without being
bound literally to reproduce the words
as nearly as possible. The translator then
assumes the role of interpreter, to determine
the thought intended in the original. This
often results in an interpretative paraphrase
that has little or no relationship to the
original language text. While all translations
may need to employ dynamic equivalence
to a limited extent, we oppose the extensive
and unnecessary use of this method of
translation, as we believe that every Word
of God is inspired. Here is a small sample of
where this is found in the NKJV.
31

Jeremiah 1.17
AV: ‘gird up thy loins’
NKJV: ‘prepare yourself’
This is more than translation; it is the
translators trying to interpret the text.

2 Corinthians 7.2
AV: ‘Receive us; we have wronged no man’
NKJV: ‘Open your hearts to us. We have
wronged no one’
The simple phrase has been unnecessarily
altered.

Psalm 94.19
AV: ‘In the multitude of my thoughts
within me’
NKJV: ‘In the multitude of my anxieties
within me’
The Hebrew word is literally ‘thoughts’
and should be translated so, but the
NKJV translators are including their
interpretation in the translation.

Proverbs 4.18
AV: ‘But the path of the just is as the
shining light’
NKJV: ‘But the path of the just is like the
shining sun’
The Hebrew ‘a light of brightness’ is
rendered in the NKJV as ‘sun’.
Does the NKJV clearly show
supplied words?
The AV uses italics to show words which
have been added to give the sense in
the English; these are called supplied
words. Meanwhile, the NKJV has italics for
supplied words but also uses a strikingly
similar oblique type for Old Testament
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
quotations in the New Testament, causing
confusion for the reader.
Further difficulties also arise when the
NKJV adds words but does not put them in
italics. One example is below.

Mark 9.18
AV: ‘And wheresoever he taketh him, he
teareth him: and he foameth’
NKJV: ‘And wherever it seizes him, it
throws him down; he foams at the mouth’
The NKJV adds the words ‘at the mouth’
but does not put them in italics, causing
the reader to assume they are in the
original texts.
Does the NKJV maintain
accuracy of translation?
Is accuracy of translation improved in
the NKJV, compared to the AV? Here are
several test cases:

Psalm 30.4
AV: ‘the remembrance of his holiness’
NKJV: ‘the remembrance of His holy name’
This is not a translation but an
interpretation since the Hebrew Masoretic
has the word ‘holiness’.

Zechariah 9.17
AV: ‘For how great is his goodness, and
how great is his beauty!’
NKJV: ‘For how great is its goodness And
how great its beauty!’
This is a passage that is prophetic of
Christ and ‘his goodness’ is changed to ‘its
goodness’. In the margin the NKJV offers
the alternative ‘his’.

Revelation 19.8
AV: ‘for the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints’
32
NKJV: ‘for the fine linen is the righteous
acts of the saints’
The Greek reads ‘righteousnesses’. This
verse speaks plainly of the imputed
righteousness of Christ to His people. The
NKJV replace this vital doctrine with the
good works of the saints.
If the NKJV was a sincere update of the
AV, it would continue with the orthodoxy
of the AV and reject the influence of other
translations. Here are two examples of the
NKJV following the NIV readings.

Matthew 26.45
AV: ‘Then cometh he to his disciples, and
saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take
your rest:’
NKJV: ‘Then He came to His disciples and
said to them, “Are you still sleeping and
resting? … ’”
The NKJV follows the New International
Version (NIV) in making the statement
of Christ a question, rather than an
imperative. The Received Text and
the Critical Texts make no distinction,
meaning that it is a deliberate translation
decision.

Luke 12.49
AV: ‘I am come to send fire on the earth;
and what will I, if it be already kindled?’
NKJV: ‘I came to send fire on the earth,
and how I wish it were already kindled!’
Again, the NKJV follows the NIV reading
in making a question a definitive
statement.
Does the NKJV adhere to
accurate pronouns?
Many languages of the world make the
distinction between the singular and the
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024
plural. The Biblical languages also make
this distinction. Therefore, in order to
have a faithful and accurate translation
in English, we must also make this
distinction.
One of the claims against the AV is that
it uses ‘Old English’ terminology such as
words like ‘thee’. However, this is not true;
particularly with ‘thee’ it uses accurate
English that is able to address clearly
the singular and the plural. There are
many thousands of instances of personal
pronouns in a vast quantity of verses in
the AV which differentiate between the
singular and the plural, using words such
as thee and you.

Luke 22.31–32
AV: ‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath
desired to have you, that he may sift you
as wheat: but I have prayed for thee’
NKJV: ‘Simon Simon! Indeed, Satan has
asked for you, that he may sift you as
wheat. But I have prayed for you’
In the AV it is clear that Satan has desired
to have all the disciples (you), but the
Lord Jesus Christ has prayed specifically
for Peter (thee). This important distinction
is lost in the NKJV.

John 3.7
AV: ‘Marvel not that I say unto thee, Ye
must be born again’
NKJV: ‘Do not marvel that I said unto you,
“You must be born again”’
The Lord Jesus Christ addresses
Nicodemus with the singular ‘thee’ but
makes the application to all people with
the plural ‘ye’. This is not conveyed in the
NKJV.
33
Does the NKJV maintain
theological accuracy?
The NKJV claims to maintain the ‘doctrinal
and theological terms’ used in the AV.6
This is not the case in relation to some
very key terms.

Matthew 11.23
AV: ‘And thou, Capernaum, which art
exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought
down to hell’
NKJV: ‘And you, Capernaum, who are
exalted to heaven, will be brought down
to Hades’
The Greek word is Hades and it can be
translated in this way. But what is Hades?
Even scholars like Richard Lenski and William
Hendriksen who favour the Critical Text
agree this word used here means ‘hell’. Like
the NIV, the NKJV appears reluctant to use
the word hell, and instead employs the word
hades, as if to disguise the full meaning of
the word from the reader. The AV uses the
word ‘hell’ fifty-four times and the NKJV uses
it thirty-five times. Nineteen times the word
is downgraded to a weaker term.

Romans 1.28
AV: ‘God gave them over to a reprobate
mind’
NKJV: ‘God gave them over to a debased
mind’
The AV uses the word ‘reprobate’ seven
times. This is a deeply profound theological
term with repeated usage throughout
church history. There are no occurrences in
the NKJV.

Matthew 21.32
AV: ‘ye, when ye had seen it, repented not
afterward, that ye might believe him.’
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
NKJV: ‘and when you saw it, you did not
afterward relent and believe him.’
The word ‘repent’ is changed in total
forty-four times in the NKJV.
Furthermore, every reference to the
word ‘Sodomite’ is removed from the Old
Testament. It is replaced in the NKJV with
‘perverted one’.
Conclusion
We acknowledge that the problems
of the NKJV are not as numerous or
as serious as those found in English
versions which are translated exclusively
from the Critical Text, such as the
NIV and ESV. We must also be honest
and say there are occasions when
the NKJV updates words and phrases
that are found in the AV so they can
be understood more readily by the
modern reader. Yet there are evident
serious flaws in the NKJV. Jack P. Lewis
in his book The English Bible: From KJV
to NIV made the following conclusion
regarding the readability of the NKJV,
‘The NKJV is neither the KJV nor is it in
the language of the twentieth-century
common man’.7
Dr Henry Morris, who was on the North
America Overview Committee of the NKJV
makes a powerful argument regarding
it: ‘I believe it is probably the best of the
modern translations. Even so, after trying
to use it and endorse it, I finally went back
to the ‘old’ King James, convinced that it
is still the best, in terms of poetic majesty,
spiritual power, and over-all clarity and
reliability’.8
In our assessment of this translation we
ask the question: Is the NKJV an update
and revision of the AV, or is it another
translation? The answer is that it is a
34
34
completely different translation. It claims
to be a successor to the AV but it is rather
attempting to ride on the coattails of the
AV to gain acceptance with those who are
committed to the traditional Received Text.
To that extent, it is actually a misleading
translation.
As Christians, we should have a zeal and a
passion for the ‘purity of Scripture’. If we do,
I have no doubt it will lead us to dismiss
the NKJV and appreciate with heartfelt
gratitude the AV as the most faithful and
accurate translation available today.9
Endnotes:
1. Holy Bible: New King James Version (Nashville,
TN, USA: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Preface.
2. The original executive editor of the NKJV,
Arthur Farstad, was a Majority Text proponent.
At about the same time as the NKJV was
created, he collaborated with Z. C. Hodges and
others to produce The Greek New Testament
According to the Majority Text (Nashville, USA:
Thomas Nelson, 1982). The team of translators
working on the NKJV did not favour the Greek
Received Text. Some were for the Majority Text
and some (possibly most) were for the Critical
Text. None were Received Text proponents. At
least seven of them also worked on the NIV.
The preface makes various references that
undermine confidence in the Received Text.
3. Why the NKJV? (n.c.: Thomas Nelson
Publishers,n.d.), p.10.
4. M. H. Watts, The New King James Version: A
Critique (London, UK: TBS, 2008), p.13.
5. It is true that the translators say in the
preface to the NKJV that they referred to the
Bomberg edition, but it was not their base text.
Preface, vii.
6. NKJV 1982 Preface, p.v.
7. J. P. Lewis, The English Bible: From KJV to NIV.
A History and Evaluation (Michigan, USA: Baker
Book House, 1981), p.331.
8. H. M. Morris, A Creationist Defence of the King
James Bible, wholesomewords.org/pdf/defense.
pdf, accessed 11 April 2024.
9. Those who wish to explore the issues
further: The New King James Version: A Critique
tbsbibles.org/TheNewKingJamesVersion
The
Treasury
From David J. Broome
Resources Director
W
e wonder how many of our
readers have ever wished that
they could have journeyed with
Cleopas and his fellow disciple on the road
to Emmaus (Luke 24) on that memorable
‘same day’ (v. 13) on which Jesus had
sealed His great plan of salvation by rising
from the dead (v. 6). We read that ‘while
they communed together and reasoned,
Jesus himself drew near, and went with
them’ (v. 15), yet they didn’t recognise Him
(v. 16). He lovingly enquired concerning
their sadness and gently chided their
unbelief (v. 17–26) before commencing
what must surely be one of the most
blessed sermons ever preached on earth,
‘And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, he expounded unto them in
all the scriptures the things concerning
himself’ (v. 27). What a change it wrought!
Their hearts now burned within them in
love and joy (v. 32), they constrained Him
to abide with them because they could
not bear to be parted from Him (v. 29),
and their eyes were opened and they
knew Him truly for who He was (v. 31), the
Messiah set forth in the Old Testament
(John 1.41).
35
The power of the Word of God is still
the same in 2024, though not preached
by Jesus physically here on earth but
instead through the operations of the
Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, whom
Jesus promised to be His testifier after
His ascension to Heaven until the end of
time (John 15.26 and 16.13–14), whether
that be way of renewal as in Luke 24 or in
conversion. Whilst in these Gospel days the
Spirit’s more usual method of conversion
is by ‘the foolishness of preaching’
(1 Corinthians 1.21), we must not limit His
operations (1 Corinthians 12.6), because
sometimes the means used is the Word
of God under the Holy Spirit’s immediate
application. We heard of this recently
when visiting a local prison, where we
found those who were soundly converted
and well-grounded in the truth simply
by studying the Word in their cells; we
have reason to believe that these are not
unique cases. The Lord is still working in
our prisons, even as He did in the days
of the early church (Acts 16). We should
be encouraged to continue with the
distribution of Scriptures into prisons and
many other places.
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record
On that journey to Emmaus Jesus began
at Moses and all the prophets and
expounded in all the Scriptures the things
concerning Himself; and who knew those
Scriptures so well as Christ Himself? Joseph
Hart put it so well when he wrote:
The Scriptures and the Lord
Bear one tremendous Name;
The written and the incarnate Word
In all things are the same.1
There is no space here to attempt a
study of even some of the Old Testament
Scriptures that our blessed Lord
would have expounded. However, the
margin in the Society’s Westminster
Bible at Luke 24.27 gives an expansive
list of many such verses (prepared
by John Brown of Haddington in the
eighteenth century along with most
of the other cross-references in the
Westminster Bible), and it makes a very
wonderful study.2 We are told that Christ
expounded in ALL the Scriptures, and
if we hold a God-honouring and high
view of His Word, we must surely believe
that Christ is set forth on every page
of Scripture. No omissions from Bibles
poorly translated from corrupted texts by
those who do not believe in the Divine
preservation of the Holy Scriptures is
ever going to change that blessed fact!
The Word of God has been providentially
preserved in the original languages
of Hebrew (Masoretic Text) and Greek
(Received Text), as we were promised
it would be in the Word of God itself
(Psalm 119.89 and 119.152, Isaiah 40.8
and 59.21, Matthew 5.18 and 24.35,
1 Peter 1.24–25, etc.). It is the work of
this Society to translate and publish this
precious Bible into many languages, so
that as many people as the Lord sees
fit across the world will be able to read
faithful Scriptures in their own tongue,
for God’s glory and their salvation and
subsequent edification.
36
We are very thankful for the provision of
Mr Nicholas de Vogel to replace Mr Mark
Wilson, who hopes to retire as Finance and
Supporter Manager in late spring 2024
after over 31 years’ faithful service to the
Society. We would put on record our great
thankfulness to the Lord and to Mark as he
closes his long journey with the Society,
and also to wish Nick the Lord’s richest
blessing as he takes up the mantle in this
important role, with which many of our
supporters have contact.
Since we last wrote in these pages, the
Society’s General Committee approved
the 2024 Budget for the Society and the
Financial Plan 2024–2028. We are very
thankful to the Lord for His provision such
that the Financial Plan is currently balanced
over the 5-year period, based on current
staffing and income levels adjusted for
known variations. The remarkable provision
of a single legacy of around £1.6 million
has significantly helped in this respect. We
are certainly far from complacent, and we
continue to seek your prayers that the Lord
would continue to provide for the Society’s
financial needs. There is so much more that
we could be doing with further resources,
not least the expansion of granting in
places such Africa and Latin America:
‘there remaineth yet very much land to be
possessed’ (Joshua 13.1).
We remain deeply thankful to all the
Society’s members and supporters who
uphold us in prayer and give practically to
the work (Hebrews 6.10).
‘Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the
word of the Lord may have free course,
and be glorified, even as it is with you’
(2 Thessalonians 3.1).
Endnotes:
1. J. Hart, ‘Say, Christian, wouldst thou thrive’,
Gadsby’s Hymns, no. 878.
2. Also available on our online Bible
tbsonlinebible.com.
TheWord of God
Among All Nations
Although certain phrases and expressions used in these letters may not be
doctrinally accurate or in correct English, we reproduce the letters essentially as
received, knowing that the Lord is using His Word to the glory of His Name and the
furtherance of His Kingdom as the Scriptures are distributed among the nations of
the world.

Europe
From Northern Ireland
I am so grateful for all 2024
calendars. The Ukrainian will be a
special blessing to our thousands
of Ukrainian refugees all over Ireland in
so many refugee camps from north to
south, and east to west. So far, we have
used 80,000 Ukrainian John’s Gospels and
thousands of children’s literature, plus so
many Ukrainian Bibles all over Ireland,
plus several hundred Russian Bibles. Also,
250 thousand of John’s Gospel went into
Ukraine via Poland. As many as 650 to
700 families of Ukrainians are in the big
camps all over Ireland. Many other camps
are smaller and around 25 camps are within
an hour’s drive of my home. Thank you very
very much in helping spread God’s Word. Calendar distribution

keeping in our minds your dedication

From Romania
We received the quantity of
541 calendars. We want to thank
you for the kindness to keep us in
your agenda. We want to assure you by our
love and our best thoughts and prayers,
37
shown over years. We use the calendars in
our food campaign for pensioners and old
people, in carol events for visitors, church
members, all of this being given completely
free. We want to give our appreciation for
your work serving His Kingdom. May God
bless you in this time and in future.
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

Bibles in Nigeria

Africa
From the DRC
this will be of great help to our
Receive our warm Christian local churches and ministry leaders in
greetings in the name of our the area.
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I acknowledge to having a grant of We pray that the Lord of all grace will
seventeen parcels (1,000 French New use these opportunities to help us in our
Testaments) shipped on August 14, 2023. preaching ministry and for our own growth
in Him.
Here, we do have multiple activities, among May the God of all grace bless you in His
which is the free reading and distribution of service.
Christian literature. We daily receive young
(secondary school students, university
students) as well as adult Christians (mostly
From Ghana
school directors) and pastors from different 2024 Golden Thoughts calendars
Christian churches who come to our centre have been successfully distributed
to read and learn about Christ and His to youth members of my church.
Church. After exchanging with them about
the Gospel of Christ, we freely distribute
some Christian literature at our disposal.
So we are very grateful to Trinitarian Bible
Society for the grant and will regularly be
sending reports to you with photos for you
to use them as you want.
Our request: could you please provide
us some 500 French Bibles with both
Testaments? This is a great need to our
readers and churches we do locally
partner with. If you have some in Swahili,
Golden Thoughts calendars in Ghana
38
 Issue Number: 647 – April to June 2024

From Nigeria new families who have children. Since

200 Children of our Reformed
Tabernacle Sunday School received
TBS Bibles at their year end
closing ceremony and prize giving. We are
grateful for the donation of the Bible for
free distribution to our hungry and thirsty
people for the Word of God. There was joy
among all the families for the free Bibles
God has so graciously given us more room
to meet, in a new hall, new families are
visiting.
From Australia
Thank you for the Commemorative Bibles,
which are a special token of the first
sermon preached in Australia.

Australian Commemorative Bibles

to their children. Thanks for your help and

kindness. Much appreciated. The Americas
Australia From the USA
I think his face says it all! Thanks
From Australia again to Trinitarian Bible Society for
their generous support of children
Thank you for the shipment memorising the Word of God!
of thirteen Boxes of the
Commemorative Bibles. They have
been distributed to the School Scripture
Classes, also in the Western suburbs and
North Sydney where children gather for
Scripture. The children were delighted with
their new Bibles.
We are requesting for 200 more copies as
we are in constant contact (weekly) with Receiving a
Bible with joy!
39
 Trinitarian Bible Society – Quarterly Record

From Honduras
Distribution of the TBS Spanish
Bible is ongoing throughout Latin
America. Some of these photos
show the distribution in Honduras.

From the Dominican Republic

Spanish Words of Life calendars and
Golden Thoughts calendars were
received with joy.
Spanish distribution

40
International Headquarters
Trinitarian Bible Society
William Tyndale House
29 Deer Park Road
London
SW19 3NN
England
Telephone: (020) 8543 7857
website: tbsbibles.org
email: contact@tbsbibles.org
Facebook: facebook.com/tbsbibles
Office Hours:
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
International Branches
Australian Branch
National Secretary: Mr A. Brown, B.E.
Trinitarian Bible Society (Australia)
P.O.Box 1381, Grafton NSW 2460, Australia
Tel.: +61 2 6642 8880 Fax: +61 2 6642 8881
email: aus@tbsbibles.org
Brazilian Branch
President: The Rev. Dr T. L. Gilmer
Executive Vice-President: Pr H. R. Gilmer, M.A.
Sociedade Bíblica Trinitariana do Brasil
Rua Julio de Castilhos, 108/120
Belenzinho, 03059-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Tel.: (11) 2693-5663 Fax: (11) 2695-3635
email: sbtb@biblias.com.br

Registered Charity No.: Canadian Branch

233082 (England) SC038379 (Scotland)
General Secretary: Mr W. Grisnich, B.Ed.
V.A.T. Registration No.: GB 215 9219 67 Trinitarian Bible Society (Canada),
10-320 41st Street S. Lethbridge, AB
T1J 5B3 Canada
Auditors:
Tel.: 403-634-3911
Moore Kingston Smith LLP
email: office@tbscanada.org
9 Appold Street
London
New Zealand Branch
EC2A 2AP
Chairman: Mr B. de Boer
Solicitors: Trinitarian Bible Society (New Zealand)
Bates, Wells & Braithwaite PO Box 137025
10 Queen Street Place Parnell, Auckland 1151, New Zealand
London EC4R 1BE Tel.: 09 263 5919
email: sales@tbs.org.nz
Bankers:
Arbuthnot Latham & Co Ltd USA Branch
Arbuthnot House General Secretary: Mr W. Greendyk, B.A.
7 Wilson St Trinitarian Bible Society (USA)
London EC2M 2SN 927 Alpine Commerce Park, Suite 100,
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49544, USA
Tel.: (616) 735-3695 Fax: (616) 785-7237
email: usa@tbsbibles.org
The aims of the Society
To publish and distribute the Holy The foot of Mount Kililim
iman
im anja
an jaro
ja ro
Scriptures throughout the world in many
languages.

To promote Bible translations which are

accurate and trustworthy, conforming
to the Hebrew Masoretic Text of the Old
Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus
of the New Testament, upon which texts
the English Authorised Version is based.

To be instrumental in bringing light and

life, through the Gospel of Christ, to those
who are lost in sin and in the darkness of
false religion and unbelief.

To uphold the doctrines of reformed

Christianity, bearing witness to the equal
and eternal deity of God the Father, God
the Son and God the Holy Spirit, One God
in three Persons.

To uphold the Bible as the inspired,

inerrant Word of God.

For the Glory of God and the Increase of

His Kingdom through the circulation of
Protestant or uncorrupted versions of
the Word of God.

ISSN 0049-4712

William Tyndale House, 29 Deer Park Road

London SW19 3NN, England
9 770049 471000
email: contact@tbsbibles.org
www.tbsbibles.org

T H E WOR D OF G OD A MON G A L L NAT ION S