One Bible, One Voice: Why Multi-Version Preaching is Failing Our Churches

Brent Madaris
Aug 16
5 min read

During a recent visit to a church that identifies as Independent Baptist, I heard a message preached with sincerity and passion. I didn’t struggle to understand the content. But I did struggle to follow along in my Bible—because the pastor kept quoting from different versions. My digital Bible software holds many English translations, but even with those tools, I found myself constantly swiping and searching to locate which version he was quoting from next.

Sadly, this kind of preaching is becoming increasingly common, even among churches that still carry the Independent Baptist name. The practice of switching between versions—or abandoning the King James Version altogether—is now widespread in pulpits once known for clarity and conviction. While some view this as a harmless or even helpful trend, it raises serious theological and practical concerns. Multi-version preaching is not just a minor inconvenience: it confuses listeners, fractures unity, undermines authority, and weakens doctrinal clarity. In short, this approach is, sooner or later, a recipe for disaster. This article makes the case that pastors should preach from one Bible in the pulpit—and that Bible should be the King James Version.

God’s Word Has Always Been Preserved—But Not Always Honored

The Bible teaches that God preserves His Word for every generation (Psalm 12:6–7;Psalm 119:89-90, Matthew 24:35). That promise applies across the centuries and languages of history. We do not believe that God’s Word suddenly appeared in 1611 or that it was unavailable before the King James Bible. We do, however, believe that the KJV reflects a faithful culmination of God’s providential preservation in the English language through the traditional/Byzantine Text.

Psalm 12:6–7 affirms, “The words of the LORD are pure words…Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.” Some critics argue that the “them” in verse 7 refers to the poor and needy mentioned earlier. Yet the structure and emphasis of the passage strongly favor a reference to the “words” of the Lord in verse 6. This interpretation is affirmed by many faithful scholars and translators throughout church history, including the translators of the King James Bible themselves.

The KJV is not only a faithful English rendering—it is the only widely used English translation based entirely on the Byzantine text-type and the Textus Receptus. All other major English translations—including the ESV, NASB, NIV, CSB, and NLT—are influenced by the Critical Text, which favors Alexandrian manuscripts such as Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (ℵ). Even the NKJV, though nominally based on the TR, incorporates Critical Text notes and readings. The KJV alone remains fully rooted in the TR and Byzantine textual tradition.

Multiple Versions in the Pulpit: A Confusing and Dangerous Practice

Using multiple Bible versions in preaching may sound like an effort to make things clearer. In reality, it often makes things more confusing. When a pastor quotes from three or four different versions in a sermon, it frustrates listeners who are trying to follow along. Instead of hearing and believing the Word, people are comparing renderings and questioning why one Bible says something different than another.

Even worse, multi-version use undermines the authority of Scripture itself. When the preacher acts as a referee between translations—choosing which version to quote for a given point—it subtly shifts the congregation’s trust away from the Bible and toward the preacher. That is a dangerous move, especially in a generation that already struggles to understand biblical authority.

Churches also suffer practically when they lack a unified Bible. Public Scripture reading (which is commanded in the Bible - I Timothy 4:13), Bible verse memorization, discipleship materials, Scripture songs, evangelism tools, and family devotions all become fragmented. Instead of speaking with one voice, the church begins to echo the confusion of the world.

The Textual Divide: What’s Really the Difference?

Critics sometimes say, “What’s the big deal? The differences aren’t that significant.” But that’s not true—not if we look honestly at the data.

There are more than 5,000 textual differences between the Textus Receptus (underlying the KJV) and the Critical Text (used in modern versions). While it is true that many of the 5,000+ differences are grammatical—spelling, word order, singular vs. plural, or synonyms—hundreds of variations affect meaning, and a number involve entire verses or critical phrases. Examples include:

Matthew 17:21 – Entire verse missing in many versions.
Matthew 18:11 – “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” removed.
Mark 16:9–20 – The entire resurrection appearance section is bracketed or omitted.
John 7:53–8:11 – The woman taken in adultery narrative is removed or footnoted.
Acts 8:37 – The Ethiopian eunuch’s confession of faith is deleted.
Colossians 1:14 – “Through his blood” is removed.
1 Timothy 3:16 – “God was manifest in the flesh” becomes “He was manifest…”

And these are just a few of the major examples.

And, by the way, when comparing the primary Alexandrian witnesses, Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (ℵ), scholars identify thousands of variant readings just between these two manuscripts, demonstrating the uncertainty and fluidity of the Critical Text even before translation. One specific study by Herman C. Hoskier found 3,036 textual variations between Sinaiticus and Vaticanus in the Gospels alone. This means, on average, a discrepancy between these two manuscripts can be found in almost every verse of the Gospels.

This further underscores the stability and consistency offered by the TR/KJV.

But Some will Argue, Doctrines Aren’t Lost… Right?

A common retort is, “But no major doctrine is lost in modern versions.” While it’s true that orthodox doctrines can be found somewhere in modern versions, this argument misses the point.

Sound doctrine doesn’t merely rest on the presence of key ideas. It rests on the exact words God inspired and preserved. Reducing truth to a checklist of doctrines fails to honor the integrity of Scripture’s language, which was given “word for word” (Matthew 4:4).

When verses that affirm the deity of Christ, the blood atonement, or salvation by faith are diluted, deleted, or footnoted—it weakens confidence in those doctrines, especially for new or immature believers. The issue isn’t whether modern Bibles deny truth outright. The issue is that they chip away at clarity, consistency, and certainty—and they do so under the guise of scholarship.

We are not called to preach the general ideas of God. We are called to preach the word of God (2 Timothy 4:2).

Why the King James Bible Is Still the Right Choice

The King James Bible has stood for over four centuries with unmatched doctrinal clarity, literary excellence, and ecclesiastical impact. It is faithful to the traditional text that undergirded the Protestant Reformation and the historic Baptist witness. The KJV speaks with reverence and consistency. Its so-called “archaic” words are often more precise than their modern counterparts.

We do not claim the King James is re-inspired. But it is a trustworthy, complete, and time-proven English Bible based on the preserved text of Scripture. This position promotes maximum certainty, which leads to full confidence. Anything less engenders maximum uncertainty, which leads to frustration and a lack of confidence in the Word of God.

One Bible, One Voice, One Standard

For the health of the church, the unity of the congregation, and the clarity of the gospel, pastors and churches must settle on one Bible in the pulpit—the King James Version. This is not about nostalgia, tradition, or personal preference/familiarity. It’s not about what I grew up with. It’s not about sounding old-fashioned. It is about truth, faithfulness, accuracy, authority, and pastoral responsibility.

Churches that want to speak with a clear and unified voice must settle on one Bible. Pastors who desire authority in the pulpit must stop outsourcing their confidence to a buffet of translations. Families who want to disciple their children must hide the same words in their hearts—not fifteen different paraphrases of them.

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Key Scripture References