There is therefore a real need for a version in modern English which faithfully reflects

the original languages. In recent years we have had quite a number of new translations of

the Scriptures and in our opinion, there have been too many of them. Some are only

loose paraphrases hardly fit for the designation of translations and are useless to the

serious student of the Word of God.

We should avoid two extremes.  (1) Accepting every version that comes along,

however highly publicized. (2) Rejecting all modern translations and treating the A.V. as

though it was as fully inspired by God as much as the original autographs. Our old

English Version is an excellent version on the whole and will never be superseded. Its

matchless prose and general reliability are too well known to need advertising. However,

it has marks of human frailty on it, as all translations have, and we do not further the truth

by ignoring this. One of its most stalwart defenders, Archbishop French (Trench?), who

was one of the foremost scholars of his day, wrote On the Authorized Version of the New

Testament and discussed some of its weaknesses, and this book, together with others, can

still be obtained second-hand. A parallel Bible, with the A.V. and R.V. side by side,

together with one of the more reliable modern versions, will prove helpful to those lovers

of the Word of God who have no access to the original languages.

Let us constantly thank God for all those lovers of His Word who down the centuries

have laboured to give us a reliable original text and translations in our own language.