Why use the New King James Version (NKJV)? Many reasons could be offered and many reasons are offered for other translations. Some of those are technical. Others merely criticise previous translations, accusing them of errors, stylistic faults, being married to tradition, or even liberalism. But I think one reason for choosing a Bible translation that many simply don’t acknowledge is sentiment. Often, we aren’t even aware how big a role sentiment played in choosing our Bible translation.
A translation should also encourage the reader to spend time in the Bible.
For me, one of the reasons I choose the NKJV it that is was the first new Bible I purchased with my own money. Furthermore, I purchased it on the last day I saw my father before he passed away. My reasoning here does not qualify the NKJV as being a superior translation to others. But it is one of the reasons I keep my NKJV close at hand. It goes with me whithersoever I do. Living in my car, it has travelled as many miles and to as many conferences and camps as I’ve been to over the last decade.
However, there is, indeed there must be, more to this choice.
The NKJV Can Be Traced Back to the KJV
Now, I am by no means a KJV-only proponent. But I do prefer the King James Version (KJV) or Authorised Version (AV) because of its devotional character, complete equivalence in translation, and style. The last of those, style, aids enormously in memorisation. It is for this reason that I “cleave” to the KJV and its modern counterpart the NKJV. For the KJV is the translation that most people—Christian or not—have grown up with. Thus, while being more modern and clear, the NKJV is can be read with a great deal of familiarity and continuity.
Let me give an example of what I mean.
The KJV is the translation that most people—Christian or not—have grown up with.
In the KJV, Romans 12:16 reads: “Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.” Similarly, NKJV reads: “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” Note that “men of low estate” is replaced with “the humble,” which avoids the hyper formality and archaic sounding language. Furthermore, the NKJV replaces obsolete senses of “conceit” and “condescend” which are replaced with their modern equivalents “opinion” and “associate.” Despite those adjudgment to help modern readers, the majority of the verse reads exactly the same.
The Translation is Sensibly Modern
Contrast my example from Romans 12:16 above with another modern translation. The NIV has: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.” This sounds significantly different to both the KJV and the NKJV. In fact, one of the few resemblances is in the NIV’s decision to keep “conceit,” using the word’s modern sense. Significantly, this is more than a matter of mere memorisation.
The NKJV seeks to preserve the good qualities of the KJV, while updating its language and ensuring understandability.
The NKJV and NIV both clarify what is meant by Romans 12:16, keeping the language modern. But the NKJV is more similar to the KJV, aiding readers who’re familiar with the older translation. This is the crucial principle of continuity in translation work. Continuity is important because our English translations are part of a living tradition. Many modern translations (ASV, RSV, NRSV, NASB, and more) are indebted to the KJV in some way. Simply read the preface to the ESV for proof of this. Of course, other recent translations (CSB, Message, NIV, NAB, and GN) are entirely new, preserving nothing of the KJV style, word order or devotional character.
What is helpful about the approach of the NKJV is that it seeks to preserve the good qualities of the KJV, while being careful to update the language of the KJV to suit modern conventions and to ensure understandability.
Devotional Character
I’ve mentioned “devotional character” a few times now, so let me elaborate. Very few forewords won’t claim that this is true of their translation. So I’m not merely rehashing the introductory note to the NKJV. By devotional character I’m referring to specific features of the NKJV translation that engender a love for God’s word and promote the practice of private devotion. These include subject and section headings, helping readers identify particular sections and themes.
A commitment to being overly literal fails to carry the intended sense of certain texts, especially poems and hymns.
In addition to formatting that instructs readers, the NKJV has a compositional quality committed to devotional study. Instead of a slavish devotion to literalism (wooden, word for word translations), the translators of the NKJV have recognised the various genres throughout the Bible and translated accordingly. After all, it contains poetry, songs, stories, prophecy, and parables, to name a few of the genres. This means that the Bible shouldn’t read like prose from start to finish. I’d go further and argue that a commitment to being overly literal fails to carry the intended sense and meaning of certain texts, especially poems and hymns.
Compositional quality must be sensitive to the genre, simultaneously using carefully chosen words or phrases that are both understandable as well as suitably rhythmic and rich. This is what I mean by a devotional character. As a translation, the NKJV is concerned with aiding readers to engage with God’s words. The best translations are always aware of both the original text and the needs of its readers.
A Few Nuts and Bolts
The NKJV reflects the variety of possible meanings in the original languages.
In places where the KJV translators had consistently rendered certain words like “and” or “behold,” which have a broad meaning in the original languages with a singular English translation, the NKJV reflects the variety of possible meanings in the original languages.
In places where a one-for-one translation isn’t possible, the additional English words are italicised. This might seem unnecessary. However it’s very helpful in identifying hard-to-translate idioms, words, or phrases. And this can certainly aid a pastor in exegesis, perhaps leading him to consult the original languages or a technical commentary.
Helpful also is that while the NKJV editors have eliminated the archaic pronouns, they’ve preserved the reverence these pronouns expressed by capitalising those that refer to God; something which many translations don’t do. This is very helpful in identifying whom is being addressed in a sentence, when the subject is unclear.
Another thing I really appreciate is how the NKJV structures different genres. So when you’re reading Psalms, you know you’re reading poetry. The translators do this by using English verse. This helps the reader see the poetic character of the Psalms and helps them correctly analyse and comprehend the intended meaning—especially in terms of contrasts and parallelisms.
Reckoning with Textual Criticism
Finally, I really appreciate that the NKJV doesn’t ignore the advances of what is called textual criticism. This is the science of identifying and resolving the different versions of biblical texts. And so, the NKJV includes copious footnotes indicating variants. Importantly, however, it doesn’t centre the critical texts. Thus the basis of the NKJV remains the same as the received text (or Textus Receptus) of the KJV. So where the critical texts might omit or have a significant revision of a verse, the traditional text is kept in the main body while the critical versions are offered in a footnote.
The NKJV recognises the value of the critical texts but doesn’t dislodge the received text.
The received text has served the church well for over 500 years and continues to do so. However, this doesn’t mean it’s the only text. Simultaneously then, the NKJV recognises the value of the critical texts but doesn’t dislodge the received text. This makes, again, for continuity with earlier English translations, like the KJV. It also avoids the confusion created by other versions, which block off and sometimes even footnote entire sections.
Get a Translation That Moves You Towards God
Ultimately the Bible translation we choose should be one that accurately communicates the truth of the scripture. And it must do so in a way that is understandable. A translation should also encourage the reader to spend time in the Bible, and thus needs to possess a devotional quality. It so happens that I think the translation that best represents these qualities is the NKJV. I encourage you to try it out for yourself.
