I would like to discuss,without argument,see a discussion on 1st Corinthians 1:18.

#1.Why would one think,this to be the correct Translation being saved instead of which are saved as is translated in God`s preserved Word,as in the AV 1611 KJ Bible?

God richly bless this discussion.

Secure In Christ.

Brother Miller.

Hi brother Miller. Thank you for bringing up this alleged error in the King James Bible. As we shall see, it is not an error at all.

1 Corinthians 1:18 - alleged error in the King James Bible refuted.

The usual group of Bible correctors who themselves do not believe that any Bible in any language is today the complete, inspired and 100% true Holy Bible will sometimes bring up this verse and claim “error” in the Book of books. They tell us the KJB translators got is wrong when they translated the participle as “are saved”. The tell us it should rather be “are being saved” as many modern versions like the NKJV, NASB, NIV, RSV, and ESV have it.

King James Bible - “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but UNTO US WHICH ARE SAVED it is the power of God.”

The King James Bible teaches that we who have believed the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ ARE SAVED.

However several modern versions like the NKJV, RSV, NASB, NIV, ESV and Holman tell us that we ARE BEING SAVED, instead of “ARE SAVED”.

The NKJV, NIV, NASB - “ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but TO US WHO ARE BEING SAVED it is the power of God.” (NKJV)
 

The Message - “but for those ON THE WAY OF SALVATION it makes perfect sense.”

The verb found here in all texts is a present participle, and participles frequently, both in Greek and in English, serve as adjectives describing a present state. Thus the King James Bible is the best translation of this verse. We are saved, that is our state. We are not “being saved”, which is a process that may or may not be carried out to completion.

The Greek participle functions primarily as an adjective. In English the verb is seen in the phrase “I closed the door”, but the participle functions as an adjective when we say: “The door is closed.” Even the conflicting modern versions frequently translate the present participle as an adjective. For example, Acts 13:50 ‘devout women’ (sebomenas); Mathew 12:44 ‘findeth it empty’ (sxolazonta); Titus 2:1 ‘sound doctrine’ (ugiainousee); Phil. 2:3 ‘better than themselves’ (uperexontes); 1 Peter 2:13 ‘the king as supreme’ (uperexonti) and in Revelation 21:24 where the text of the KJB and the NKJV we read “the nations of them which ARE SAVED” (soozomenoon), the NKJV also has “are saved”, even though the NKJV did not translate the same verb in the same participle form as “are saved” in 1 Cor. 1:18.

Bible commentators and ‘scholars’ of every stripe will of course differ one from another as to whether the focus is on the adjectival or the verbal aspect of the phrase used here in I Corinthians 1:18, but since I believe The Book as it stands, I do not change it in any way.

John Gill remarks on this verse: “...but unto US WHICH ARE SAVED; who are chosen in Christ unto salvation; whose persons and grace are secured in Christ, and in the everlasting covenant; for whom Christ has wrought out salvation; and to whom it is applied by the Spirit of God; and who are kept unto the full enjoyment of it by divine grace: to these (the gospel) is the power of God.”

Likewise Matthew Henry comments on this verse, saying: “To those who ARE called and SAVED he is the wisdom of God, and the power of God. Those who are called and sanctified, who receive the gospel, and are enlightened by the Spirit of God, discern more glorious discoveries of God's wisdom and power in the doctrine of Christ crucified than in all his other works. Note, Those who ARE SAVED are reconciled to the doctrine of the cross, and led into an experimental acquaintance with the mysteries of Christ crucified.”

Even the People’s New Testament commentary says: “Unto us who ARE SAVED. There are two sections of mankind--the unsaved and THE SAVED. To the first, the cross is folly; to the second, the gospel of the Crucified One comes as the power of God. See Rom. 1:16. To the unsaved, the cross is a pillar of cloud; TO THE SAVED, a pillar of light.”




Not only does the King James Bible correctly translate this phrase as “unto us which ARE SAVED” but so also do the following English Bible translations. Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, the John Wesley’s translation 1755, Websters 1833, the ASV 1901 = KJB - “but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.”; the Douay version 1950, Darby, the World English Bible, Lamsa’s 1936 translation of the Syriac Peshitta, the 2003 Updated Bible version, the 1994 21st Century KJV, the 1998 Third Millenium Bible.


1 Corinthians 1:18 in other languages - “unto us which ARE SAVED it is the power of God.”

Participle is used as an adjective describing a present state.

Italian Diodati 1649 - “ma a noi, che SIAM SALVATI, è la potenza di Dio.” = KJB

French Louis Segond 1910, French Ostervald 1996 = KJB - “mais pour nous qui SOMMES SAUVES, elle est une puissance de Dieu.”

Portuguese Almeida = KJB - “mas para nós, que SOMOS SALVOS , é o poder de Deus.”

Spanish Reina Valera 1909, 1960, 1995 = KJB - “mas á los que se salvan, es á saber, á nosotros, es potencia de Dios.”

Spanish La Biblia de las Américas 1997 (put out by the Lockman Foundation, who also do the NASB) = KJB - “Porque la palabra de la cruz es necedad para los que se pierden, pero para nosotros LOS SALVOS (the saved) es poder de Dios.”

French La Bible du Semuer 1999 (put out by the same people who give us the NIV, International Bible Society) = KJB - “Mais pour nous qui SOMMES SAUVES, elle est la puissance même de Dieu.”

The 2000 Portuguese O Livro (put out by the same people who give us the NIV, the IBS) = KJB - “Mas, para nós que ESTAMOS SALVOS, isso é a expressão do poder de Deus.”

The King James Bible is right, as always.

Will Kinney

Brother Will

Thank you for that refreshing,breeze of truth.I believe which are saved,is why so many believe they can fall from grace.

God richly bless this thread, and let it be exhorting.

Secure in Christ.

Brother Miller.