NKJV, The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version

The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible

Charles F. Stanley

General Editor

THE CHARLES F. STANLEY LIFE PRINCIPLES BIBLE

Copyright © 2009 by Charles F. Stanley

Holy Bible, New King James Version,

copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The text of the New King James Version® (NKJV®) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted; (2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text.

Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgement as follows:

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Used by permission.

All rights reserved.

However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday school lessons, church newsletters, and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the following notice may be used at the end of each quotation: NKJV.

For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to

Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attention: Bible Rights and Permissions,

P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000.

eISBN: 9781418586843

Contents

How to Use This Bible

Abbreviations

Introduction from Charles F. Stanley

Preface to the New King James Version

Life Principles Index

Promises Index

OLD TESTAMENT

NEW TESTAMENT

Concordance

Nelson’s Full-Color Maps

Map 1 - The World of the Patriarchs

Map 2 - The Exodus from Egypt

Map 3 - The Conquest of Canaan

Map 4 - The Twelve Tribes

Map 5 - David and Solomon’s Jerusalem

Map 6 - Jerusalem in New Testament Times

Map 7 - The Holy Land in the Time of Jesus

Map 8 - Paul’s First Missionary Journey and His Journey to Rome

Map 9 - Paul’s Second and Third Missionary Journeys

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50

Exodus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40

Leviticus

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27

Numbers

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

Deuteronomy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34

Joshua

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

Judges

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Ruth

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

2 Samuel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

1 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

2 Kings

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25

1 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29

2 Chronicles

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36

Ezra

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Nehemiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Esther

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Job

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42

Psalms

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150

Proverbs

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31

Ecclesiastes

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Song of Solomon

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Isaiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66

Jeremiah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52

Lamentations

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Ezekiel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48

Daniel

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

Hosea

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Joel

1 | 2 | 3

Amos

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

Obadiah

1

Jonah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Micah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Nahum

1 | 2 | 3

Habakkuk

1 | 2 | 3

Zephaniah

1 | 2 | 3

Haggai

1 | 2

Zechariah

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14

Malachi

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

NEW TESTAMENT

Matthew

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

Mark

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

Luke

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24

John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Acts

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28

Romans

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

1 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

2 Corinthians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

Galatians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Ephesians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Philippians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Colossians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

1 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 Thessalonians

1 | 2 | 3

1 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

2 Timothy

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Titus

1 | 2 | 3

Philemon

1

Hebrews

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

James

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

1 Peter

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 Peter

1 | 2 | 3

1 John

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

2 John

1

3 John

1

Jude

1

Revelation

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22

How to Use This Bible

Thank you for purchasing the HarperCollins Christian Publishing eBook version from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan’s excellent line of Bible translations that exist to serve Christians who not only recognize the Bible’s importance, but who also want a Bible to treasure in their lifelong pursuit of the knowledge of God’s revelation of Himself.

There are a multitude of Bibles available to engage children, youth, men, and women with the Word of God, including Text Only, Daily, Devotional, Reference, and Comprehensive Study.

What is the difference between an eBook and a print book?

eBook versions of various Bibles contain all of the content and supplementary materials found in the original print versions and are optimized for navigation in the various apps and devices used for display. eReaders recognize text as one fluid string and are formatted in a single column. eReaders currently do not support the more complex layout seen in print version books. Therefore, some content may not appear in the same place as in the original print version, but it is structured consistently and uses hyperlinks to navigate between related content.

How do I use the eBook Table of Contents?

*Important Note: Be sure to consult your device manufacturer’s User’s Guide for device-specific navigation instructions.*

The Table of Contents is the primary navigation anchor to quickly access various parts of the Bible and is generally formatted in the same order as the original print version and hyperlinked as follows:

• Front matter – Introductory articles

• Old Testament

• New Testament

• Bible books

• Bible chapters

• Back matter – Supplementary materials

Old Testament and New Testament hyperlinks quickly access individual Bible books and chapters in each testament.

• Book links go directly to the Introduction.

• Chapter links go directly to the beginning of the chapter associated with a book.

• Every Bible book and chapter hyperlink returns or goes back to the Table of Contents.

• Every entry is hyperlinked directly to the content-specific location in the main text.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

How do I navigate to Bible Books, Chapters, and Verses?

Use the Table of Contents to navigate to specific Bible verses using one of the 2 methods below:

Method 1

• Navigate to and select a specific book of the Bible from the Table of Contents.

• Select a chapter number hyperlink.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the verses.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Method 2

• Select either the Old Testament or New Testament hyperlink in the Table of Contents.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the Bible books.

• Select a chapter number hyperlink.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the verses.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

How do I navigate Supplementary Materials?

The eBook version of the NKJV Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible includes introductory articles, the complete Old and New Testament text, translators’ notes, Life Principles, What the Bible Says About . . . , Answers to Life’s Questions, Life Examples, and Life Lessons articles, God’s Promises verses, a concordance, and a color map set. Hyperlinks to the materials appear in the Table of Contents as well as the main Bible text.

Introductory articles (lists) are hyperlinked directly to the content-specific location in the main text.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the article or list to go to its location in the main text.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the main text to go back to the article or list in the Table of Contents or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Footnotes (Translators’ Notes) are marked with small, hyperlinked letters a to point out verses that will explain the referenced word or phrase.

• Select the hyperlinked letter in the main Bible text to the corresponding cross reference(s).

• Select the hyperlinked letter to the left of the cross reference(s) and you are returned to the main Bible text, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Life Principles articles highlight thirty of the Bible’s most critical principles for successful Christian living.

• Select the hyperlinked entry that begins with the phrase Life Principle at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry in the Annotations section to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

• You can also select a Life Principles article from the Life Principles Index.

What the Bible Says About articles bring scriptural insight to bear on a wide variety of topics of special concern to all believers in Christ.

• Select the hyperlinked entry that begins with the phrase What the Bible Says About at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry in the Annotations section to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Answers to Life’s Questions focus on the many challenges we face in our Christian faith as we try to live for God in a world often hostile to our growth in grace.

• Select the hyperlinked entry that begins with the phrase Answers to Life’s Questions at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry in the Annotations section to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Life Examples consider the lives of God’s servants spotlighted in the Bible.

• Select the hyperlinked entry that begins with the phrase Life Examples at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry in the Annotations section to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Life Lessons offer more than 2,500 insights into individual Bible verses and passages.

• Select the hyperlinked entry that begins with the phrase Life Lessons at the end of a paragraph where referenced Bible verse(s) appear to go to its location in the Annotations section.

• Select the hyperlinked title entry in the Annotations section to go back to the Bible verse location, or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

God’s Promises highlight more than 300 of the Lord’s promises to His people.

• Promise verses are indicated by hyperlinked asterisk symbols (*) at the beginning of the verse.

• Select the hyperlinked asterisk to go to the Promises Index.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the Bible verse location, or select the hyperlinked verse reference from the Index.

Concordance includes an alphabetic list of important words.

• Select the hyperlinked letter of the alphabet to the corresponding list of entries from the Table of Contents.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through the entries.

• Select the Bible reference hyperlink to the corresponding main Bible text or use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Color Maps are included as images and optimized for eReader device display.

• Select the hyperlinked entry in the Table of Contents to a specific map.

• The first image displays the entire map with 4 equal sections defined.

• Use the device’s Next Page/Previous Page buttons or functions to scroll through larger versions of each individual section.

• Use the device’s back button or function to go back to the last selection.

Abbreviations

Book abbreviations used in the notes and articles:

OT = Old Testament

NT = New Testament

Symbols

* An asterisk next to highlighted Bible text indicates a Bible promise. (Some of these include a Life Lesson.) See the Promises Index.

Introduction from Charles F. Stanley

Dear Friend,

When I was a young man, I had the opportunity to spend two very important and intensely rich weeks with my grandfather. He was a godly man, who loved the Lord with his whole heart. And though he did not have a formal education, he was tremendously wise and had great insight into the principles of God’s Word. One of the first things he taught me was this: Obey God and leave the consequences to Him. No matter what He tells you to do, do it and trust Him for the outcome. This is a principle that I have learned to live by each day. There is nothing too great for God. He is above and over all things. He is sovereign, omnipotent, and omnipresent. My greatest needs are all met within Him.

The second thing he told me was to read my Bible everyday. After his death, I was given his Bible and knew the moment it was placed in my hands that he had lived what he preached. Every page was well-worn, and most bore the marks of intense Bible study. Over the years, I have come to realize that God’s Word offers the wisdom and insight I need at every turn. I cannot and never will encounter anything that is beyond Him and the principles He has written in Scripture.

The Christian life is a wondrous adventure, full of twists and turns, good times and also difficult challenges. Through all of it, God’s Word is our greatest resource for insight, wisdom, hope, and guidance. Every problem we face has its solution in the Word of God. Where there is a need for comfort, peace, or courage, He provides it. To find His wisdom, there is simply no substitute for spending time alone with Him in prayer and the study of His Scriptures. Each year, I receive countless letters from people who ask if there is a way for them to know God’s will for their lives. The answer is yes. But before He will reveal this to us, we need to get to know Him—the way He thinks, acts, and demonstrates His love for us.

The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible was written to provide powerful insight into the principles written in God’s Word. These lessons are ones that I have learned personally during my fifty years of ministry, and it is my prayer that they will become principles that God will use in your life to teach you more about Himself and to draw you closer to His heart. There is no substitute for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the very core of God’s message to each one of us. If we want to know Him, we need to get to know His Son.

The various features and helps included in this Bible are not designed to be a substitute for personal Bible study. Instead, they are meant to be signposts to help you journey even deeper into God’s Word. You can pray and ask Him to open your heart to His Word so that you will understand His principles and learn to apply them to your life. They are timeless.

In this resource, I have highlighted many of the most crucial ones so that you might grow in your faith and learn to trust God in every area of your life. By surrendering our lives to Him and then asking Him to teach us His truths, we can put into practice the life principles He has given us. We also can learn to live a life of spiritual success and avoid the snares and traps that would lead to ineffectiveness, heartache, and disappointment. God’s greatest goals for your life are for you to know Him and then for you to live your life committed to Him.

Throughout this Bible you’ll find several features designed to help you get the most out of your time in God’s Word:

• Book introductions to each of the 66 books of the Bible offer helpful background information and alert you to some of the most crucial Life Principles found in each book.

• Life Principles articles highlight thirty of the Bible’s most critical principles for successful Christian living. They focus on crucial topics such as building intimacy with God, prayer, obedience, dealing with adversity, and more.

• What the Bible Says About articles bring scriptural insight to bear on a wide variety of topics of special concern to all believers in Christ: the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the process of spiritual growth, experiencing forgiveness, listening to God, and many more.

• Answers to Life’s Questions focus on the many challenges we face in our Christian faith as we try to live for God in a world often hostile to our growth in grace. How do we deal with jealousy or bitterness, or how do we gain God’s mind in a tough situation? You’ll find those kinds of questions answered here.

• Life Examples briefly consider the lives of scores of God’s choice servants spotlighted in the Bible, with a special eye toward discerning how their experiences can encourage and help us.

• Life Lessons offer more than 2,500 insights into individual Bible verses and passages, emphasizing the practical and personal nature of God’s Word to us.

• God’s Promises highlight more than 300 of the Lord’s promises to His people—promises meant to encourage, strengthen, and fill us with hope.

• The Life Principles Indexes and the Promises Index, located in the front of the Bible, give you a convenient way to study God’s principles and promises throughout the Old and New Testaments.

As you read God’s holy Word, I encourage you to keep a notebook and a pen nearby so you can record the date and time of your interaction with the Lord. As He shows you fresh truths, write them down. If He convicts you of a certain sin or attitude, make a note of it and write your prayer confessing that particular sin. If He gives you a moment of joy, praise Him in writing. If you have questions, write those down as well, and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you God’s truth for every situation. You will also want to use other Bible helps, such as dictionaries and commentaries, to shed light on difficult passages. Don’t try to read large portions of the Bible at one time; sit and meditate on one verse or one portion of a verse. Also, be sure to ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand what that verse means and how to make a practical application of it.

If you find a promise, a provision, a requirement, or a commandment that you sense He is giving you, record it in your notebook. Doing this faithfully day after day helps you to begin to think the way God thinks. You will start to use the mind of Christ, which the Bible says you have (1 Cor. 2:16). You also will begin to see life from His perspective, which will help you understand how you need to live each day. The more you learn about God, the richer your life will become through the knowledge of His Word.

By surrendering your life to Him and following His principles of obedience, you will be on the road to great blessing and reward. You will have the ability to live a liberated life—free from sin and full of God’s goodness, grace, and mercy. When you obey Him, you can anticipate that He will reveal exciting new things to you. Never forget that the key to crossing any bridge successfully is faith and obedience. Jesus said, He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him (John 14:21). The act of understanding His Word and obeying Him comes from personal growth and intimacy with the Lord. The closer you draw to Him, the more you will know about Him.

This is what makes the journey into His truth so exciting. You have the guarantee that the Lord will reveal more of Himself and His goodness to you as you mature in your relationship with Him. He also will pour out His blessings on your live until it overflows with joy, peace, and goodness; and I believe that as you put into practice His principles, you will enjoy the abundant life that Jesus so earnestly desires to give to you (John 10:10). It is my prayer that you will not only discover the treasure of His infinite love and truth, but that you will walk in the light of His goodness each and every day. There is only one way to do this, and it is by knowing God through prayer and the study of His Word.

Charles F. Stanley

Preface to the New King James Version®

Purpose

In the preface to the 1611 edition, the translators of the Authorized Version, known popularly as the King James Bible, state that it was not their purpose to make a new translation . . . but to make a good one better. Indebted to the earlier work of William Tyndale and others, they saw their best contribution to consist in revising and enhancing the excellence of the English versions which had sprung from the Reformation of the sixteenth century. In harmony with the purpose of the King James scholars, the translators and editors of the present work have not pursued a goal of innovation. They have perceived the Holy Bible, New King James Version, as a continuation of the labors of the earlier translators, thus unlocking for today’s readers the spiritual treasures found especially in the Authorized Version of the Holy Scriptures.

A Living Legacy

For more than hundred years, and throughout several revisions of its English form, the King James Bible has been deeply revered among the English-speaking peoples of the world. The precision of translation for which it is historically renowned, and its majesty of style, have enabled that monumental version of the Word of God to become the mainspring of the religion, language, and legal foundations of our civilization.

Although the Elizabethan period and our own era share in zeal for technical advance, the former period was more aggressively devoted to classical learning. Along with this awakened concern for the classics came a flourishing companion interest in the Scriptures, an interest that was enlivened by the conviction that the manuscripts were providentially handed down and were a trustworthy record of the inspired Word of God. The King James translators were committed to producing an English Bible that would be a precise translation, and by no means a paraphrase or a broadly approximate rendering. On the one hand, the scholars were almost as familiar with the original languages of the Bible as with their native English. On the other hand, their reverence for the divine Author and His Word assured a translation of the Scriptures in which only a principle of utmost accuracy could be accepted.

In 1786 Catholic scholar Alexander Geddes said of the King James Bible, If accuracy and strictest attention to the letter of the text be supposed to constitute an excellent version, this is of all versions the most excellent. George Bernard Shaw became a literary legend in the twentieth century because of his severe and often humorous criticisms of our most cherished values. Surprisingly, however, Shaw pays the following tribute to the scholars commissioned by King James: The translation was extraordinarily well done because to the translators what they were translating was not merely a curious collection of ancient books written by different authors in different stages of culture, but the Word of God divinely revealed through His chosen and expressly inspired scribes. In this conviction they carried out their work with boundless reverence and care and achieved a beautifully artistic result. History agrees with these estimates. Therefore, while seeking to unveil the excellent form of the traditional English Bible, special care has also been taken in the present edition to preserve the work of precision which is the legacy of the 1611 translators.

Complete Equivalence in Translation

Where new translation has been necessary in the New King James Version, the most complete representation of the original has been rendered by considering the history of usage and etymology of words in their contexts. This principle of complete equivalence seeks to preserve all of the information in the text, while presenting it in good literary form. Dynamic equivalence, a recent procedure in Bible translation, commonly results in paraphrasing where a more literal rendering is needed to reflect a specific and vital sense. For example, complete equivalence truly renders the original text in expressions such as lifted her voice and wept (Gen. 21:16); I gave you cleanness of teeth (Amos 4:6); Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ (Matt. 28:9); and Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? (John 2:4). Complete equivalence translates fully, in order to provide an English text that is both accurate and readable.

In keeping with the principle of complete equivalence, it is the policy to translate interjections which are commonly omitted in modern language renderings of the Bible. As an example, the interjection behold, in the older King James editions, continues to have a place in English usage, especially in dramatically calling attention to a spectacular scene or an event of profound importance such as the Immanuel prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. Consequently, behold is retained for these occasions in the present edition. However, the Hebrew and Greek originals for this word can be translated variously, depending on the circumstances in the passage. Therefore, in addition to behold, words such as indeed, look, see, and surely are also rendered to convey the appropriate sense suggested by the context in each case.

In faithfulness to God and to our readers, it was deemed appropriate that all participating scholars sign a statement affirming their belief in the verbal and plenary inspiration of Scripture, and in the inerrancy of the original autographs.

Devotional Quality

The King James scholars readily appreciated the intrinsic beauty of divine revelation. They accordingly disciplined their talents to render well-chosen English words of their time, as well as a graceful, often musical arrangement of language, which has stirred the hearts of Bible readers through the years. The translators, the committees, and the editors of the present edition, while sensitive to the late-twentieth-century English idiom, and while adhering faithfully to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, have sought to maintain those lyrical and devotional qualities that are so highly regarded in the Authorized Version. This devotional quality is especially apparent in the poetic and prophetic books, although even the relatively plain style of the Gospels and Epistles cannot strictly be likened, as sometimes suggested, to modern newspaper style. The Koine Greek of the New Testament is influenced by the Hebrew background of the writers, for whom even the gospel narratives were not merely flat utterance, but often song in various degrees of rhythm.

The Style

Students of the Bible applaud the timeless devotional character of our historic Bible. Yet it is also universally understood that our language, like all living languages, has undergone profound change since 1611. Subsequent revisions of the King James Bible have sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech. The present work is a further step toward this objective. Where obsolescence and other reading difficulties exist, present-day vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar have been carefully integrated. Words representing ancient objects, such as chariot and phylactery, have no modern substitutes and are therefore retained.

A special feature of the New King James Version is its conformity to the thought flow of the 1611 Bible. The reader discovers that the sequence and selection of words, phrases, and clauses of the new edition, while much clearer, are so close to the traditional that there is remarkable ease in listening to the reading of either edition while following with the other.

In the discipline of translating biblical and other ancient languages, a standard method of transliteration, that is, the English spelling of untranslated words, such as names of persons and places, has never been commonly adopted. In keeping with the design of the present work, the King James spelling of untranslated words is retained, although made uniform throughout. For example, instead of the spellings Isaiah and Elijah in the Old Testament, and Esaias and Elias in the New Testament, Isaiah and Elijah now appear in both Testaments.

King James doctrinal and theological terms, for example, propitiation, justification, and sanctification, are generally familiar to English-speaking peoples. Such terms have been retained except where the original language indicates need for a more precise translation.

Readers of the Authorized Version will immediately be struck by the absence of several pronouns: thee, thou, and ye are replaced by the simple you, while your and yours are substituted for thy and thine as applicable. Thee, thou, thy, and thine were once forms of address to express a special relationship to human as well as divine persons. These pronouns are no longer part of our language. However, reverence for God in the present work is preserved by capitalizing pronouns, including You, Your, and Yours, which refer to Him. Additionally, capitalization of these pronouns benefits the reader by clearly distinguishing divine and human persons referred to in a passage. Without such capitalization the distinction is often obscure, because the antecedent of a pronoun is not always clear in the English translation.

In addition to the pronoun usages of the seventeenth century, the -eth and -est verb endings, so familiar in the earlier King James editions, are now obsolete. Unless a speaker is schooled in these verb endings, there is common difficulty in selecting the correct form to be used with a given subject of the verb in vocal prayer. That is, should we use love, loveth, or lovest? do, doeth, doest, or dost? have, hath, or hast? Because these forms are obsolete, contemporary English usage has been substituted for the previous verb endings.

In older editions of the King James Version, the frequency of the connective and far exceeded the limits of present English usage. Also, biblical linguists agree that the Hebrew and Greek original words for this conjunction may commonly be translated otherwise, depending on the immediate context. Therefore, instead of and, alternatives such as also, but, however, now, so, then, and thus are accordingly rendered in the present edition, when the original language permits.

The real character of the Authorized Version does not reside in its archaic pronouns or verbs or other grammatical forms of the seventeenth century, but rather in the care taken by its scholars to impart the letter and spirit of the original text in a majestic and reverent style.

The Format

The format of the New King James Version is designed to enhance the vividness and devotional quality of the Holy Scriptures:

• Subject headings assist the reader to identify topics and transitions in the biblical content.

• Words or phrases in italics indicate expressions in the original language which require clarification by additional English words, as also done throughout the history of the King James Bible.

• Oblique type in the New Testament indicates a quotation from the Old Testament.

• Verse numbers in bold type indicate the beginning of a paragraph.

• Poetry is structured as contemporary verse to reflect the poetic form and beauty of the passage in the original language.

• The covenant name of God was usually translated from the Hebrew as LORD or GOD (using capital letters as shown) in the King James Old Testament. This tradition is maintained. In the present edition the name is so capitalized whenever the covenant name is quoted in the New Testament from a passage in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament Text

The Hebrew Bible has come down to us through the scrupulous care of ancient scribes who copied the original text in successive generations. By the sixth century

A.D.

the scribes were succeeded by a group known as the Masoretes, who continued to preserve the sacred Scriptures for another five hundred years in a form known as the Masoretic Text. Babylonia, Palestine, and Tiberias were the main centers of Masoretic activity; but by the tenth century

A.D.

the Masoretes of Tiberias, led by the family of ben Asher, gained the ascendancy. Through subsequent editions, the ben Asher text became in the twelfth century the only recognized form of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Daniel Bomberg printed the first Rabbinic Bible in 1516–17; that work was followed in 1524–25 by a second edition prepared by Jacob ben Chayyim and also published by Bomberg. The text of ben Chayyim was adopted in most subsequent Hebrew Bibles, including those used by the King James translators. The ben Chayyim text was also used for the first two editions of Rudolph Kittel’s Biblia Hebraica of 1906 and 1912. In 1937 Paul Kahle published a third edition of Biblia Hebraica. This edition was based on the oldest dated manuscript of the ben Asher text, the Leningrad Manuscript B19a (

A.D.

1008), which Kahle regarded as superior to that used by ben Chayyim.

For the New King James Version the text used was the 1967/1977 Stuttgart edition of the Biblia Hebraica, with frequent comparisons being made with the Bomberg edition of 1524–25. The Septuagint (Greek) Version of the Old Testament and the Latin Vulgate also were consulted. In addition to referring to a variety of ancient versions of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New King James Version draws on the resources of relevant manuscripts from the Dead Sea caves. In the few places where the Hebrew was so obscure that the 1611 King James was compelled to follow one of the versions, but where information is now available to resolve the problems, the New King James Version follows the Hebrew text. Significant variations are recorded in the New King James translators’ notes.

The New Testament Text

There is more manuscript support for the New Testament than for any other body of ancient literature. Over five thousand Greek, eight thousand Latin, and many more manuscripts in other languages attest the integrity of the New Testament. There is only one basic New Testament used by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox, by conservatives and liberals. Minor variations in hand copying have appeared through the centuries, before mechanical printing began about

A.D.

1450.

Some variations exist in the spelling of Greek words, in word order, and in similar details. These ordinarily do not show up in translation and do not affect the sense of the text in any way.

Other manuscript differences such as omission or inclusion of a word or a clause, and two paragraphs in the Gospels, should not overshadow the overwhelming degree of agreement which exists among the ancient records. Bible readers may be assured that the most important differences in English New Testaments of today are due, not to manuscript divergence, but to the way in which translators view the task of translation: How literally should the text be rendered? How does the translator view the matter of biblical inspiration? Does the translator adopt a paraphrase when a literal rendering would be quite clear and more to the point? The New King James Version follows the historic precedent of the Authorized Version in maintaining a literal approach to translation, except where the idiom of the original language cannot be translated directly into our tongue.

The King James New Testament was based on the traditional text of the Greek-speaking churches, first published in 1516, and later called the Textus Receptus or Received Text. Although based on the relatively few available manuscripts, these were representative of many more which existed at the time but only became known later. In the late nineteenth century, B. Westcott and F. Hort taught that this text had been officially edited by the fourth-century church, but a total lack of historical evidence for this event has forced a revision of the theory. It is now widely held that the Byzantine Text that largely supports the Textus Receptus has as much right as the Alexandrian or any other tradition to be weighed in determining the text of the New Testament.

Since the 1880s most contemporary translations of the New Testament have relied upon a relatively few manuscripts discovered chiefly in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Such translations depend primarily on two manuscripts, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, because of their greater age. The Greek text obtained by using these sources and the related papyri (our most ancient manuscripts) is known as the Alexandrian Text. However, some scholars have grounds for doubting the faithfulness of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, since they often disagree with one another, and Sinaiticus exhibits excessive omission.

A third viewpoint of New Testament scholarship holds that the best text is based on the consensus of the majority of existing Greek manuscripts. This text is called the Majority Text. Most of these manuscripts are in substantial agreement. Even though many are late, and none is earlier than the fifth century, usually their readings are verified by papyri, ancient versions, quotations from the early church fathers, or a combination of these. The Majority Text is similar to the Textus Receptus, but it corrects those readings which have little or no support in the Greek manuscript tradition.

Today scholars agree that the science of New Testament textual criticism is in a state of flux. Very few scholars still favor the Textus Receptus as such, and then often for its historical prestige as the text of Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, and the King James Version. For about a century most have followed a Critical Text (so called because it is edited according to specific principles of textual criticism) which depends heavily upon the Alexandrian type of text. More recently many have abandoned this Critical Text (which is quite similar to the one edited by Westcott and Hort) for one that is more eclectic. Finally, a small but growing number of scholars prefer the Majority Text, which is close to the traditional text except in the Revelation.

In light of these facts, and also because the New King James Version is the fifth revision of a historic document translated from specific Greek texts, the editors decided to retain the traditional text in the body of the New Testament and to indicate major Critical and Majority Text variant readings in the translators’ notes. Although these variations are duly indicated in the translators’ notes of the present edition, it is most important to emphasize that fully eighty-five percent of the New Testament text is the same in the Textus Receptus, the Alexandrian Text, and the Majority Text.

New King James Translators’ Notes

Significant textual explanations, alternate translations, and New Testament citations of Old Testament passages are supplied in the New King James translators’ notes.

Important textual variants in the Old Testament are identified in a standard form.

The textual notes in the present edition of the New Testament make no evaluation of readings, but do clearly indicate the manuscript sources of readings. They objectively present the facts without such tendentious remarks as the best manuscripts omit or the most reliable manuscripts read. Such notes are value judgments that differ according to varying viewpoints on the text. By giving a clearly defined set of variants the New King James Version benefits readers of all textual persuasions.

Where significant variations occur in the New Testament Greek manuscripts, textual notes are classified as follows:

NU-Text

These variations from the traditional text generally represent the Alexandrian or Egyptian type of text described previously in The New Testament Text. They are found in the Critical Text published in the twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and in the United Bible Societies’ fourth edition (U), hence the acronym, NU-Text.

M-Text

This symbol indicates points of variation in the Majority Text from the traditional text, as also previously discussed in The New Testament Text. It should be noted that M stands for whatever reading is printed in the published Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, whether supported by overwhelming, strong, or only a divided majority textual tradition.

The textual notes reflect the scholarship of the past two centuries and will assist the reader to observe the variations between the different manuscript traditions of the New Testament. Such information is generally not available in English translations of the New Testament.

Life Principles Index

Life Principle 1

Life Principle 2

Life Principle 3

Life Principle 4

Life Principle 5

Life Principle 6

Life Principle 7

Life Principle 8

Life Principle 9

Life Principle 10

Life Principle 11

Life Principle 12

Life Principle 13

Life Principle 14

Life Principle 15

Life Principle 16

Life Principle 17

Life Principle 18

Life Principle 19

Life Principle 20

Life Principle 21

Life Principle 22

Life Principle 23

Life Principle 24

Life Principle 25

Life Principle 26

Life Principle 27

Life Principle 28

Life Principle 29

Life Principle 30

Life Principle 1

Our intimacy with God—His highest priority for our lives—determines the impact of our lives. Gen. 1:26

What the Bible Says About

The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Gen. 1:1, 2)

The Cover-Up (Lev. 6:6, 7)

Enjoying God’s Presence (Eccl. 2:24–26)

God as Our Lover (Song 2:4)

The Best Friend You Will Ever Have (Song 5:16)

Knowing All of God (Hos. 2:19, 20)

God’s Forever Love (1 Cor. 13:1–13)

Spiritual Growth (2 Pet. 1:2–12)

Answers to Life’s Questions

What does the Bible say to lonely people? (1 Sam 12:22)

What does it mean to sit before the Lord? (2 Sam. 7:18–29)

How can I develop and maintain an attitude of active listening before the Lord? (1 Kin. 19:11–13)

How can I find renewal and restoration? (Ps. 23:2–4)

How does my relationship with the Lord affect what and how I hear from Him? (Ps. 79:13)

What happens when we praise God? (Ps. 150:1–6)

What does God’s love look like? (Song 8:6, 7)

When is the appropriate time to praise the Lord? (Is. 25:1)

How does God define sin? (Jer. 2:12–17)

How can I get to really know God? (Hos. 6:6)

What are the characteristics of a godly man? (Matt. 1:18–25)

How can I know if my worship pleases God? (John 4:5–26)

How can God use an imperfect person like me? (1 John 4:7–21)

Life Examples

Phinehas: A Man with a Zeal for God (Num. 25:10–13)

Deborah: A Mother in Israel (Judg. 4—5)

Hosea: A Longing for Intimacy (Hos. 11:1–9)

The Wise Men: Giving Passionate Praise (Matt. 2:1–12)

The Centurion: A Bold Confession (Mark 15:39)

Mary of Bethany: A Life Devoted to God (John 12:1–8)

Judas: Rabbi Is Not Enough (John 18:3)

Stephen: Echoing His Savior (Acts 7:59, 60)

Timothy: A Man Who Honored God (1 Tim. 1:2, 18)

Luke: Laboring in the Background (2 Tim. 4:11)

Titus: Serving God with Abandon (Titus 1:4)

James: A Changed Man (James 1:1)

Life Lessons

• Gen. 1:16

• Gen. 2:18

• Gen. 2:25

• Gen. 3:8

• Gen. 3:15

• Gen. 4:16

• Gen. 4:26

• Gen. 5:24

• Gen. 8:20

• Gen. 24:63

• Gen. 29:35

• Gen. 35:2

• Ex. 20:3

• Lev. 20:26

• Lev. 26:12

• Deut. 4:24

• Deut. 7:4

• Deut. 32:36

• Judg. 17:3

• 1 Sam. 2:17

• 1 Sam. 7:3

• 1 Sam. 12:21

• 2 Sam. 6:22

• 1 Kin. 8:10

• 1 Kin. 8:43

• 1 Kin. 12:33

• 2 Kin. 17:33

• 1 Chr. 16:7

• 1 Chr. 28:9

• 2 Chr. 26:5

• Ezra 7:10

• Neh. 13:26

• Job 31:4

• Job 42:5, 6

• Ps. 37:3

• Ps. 42:1

• Ps. 63:1

• Ps. 84:10

• Ps. 92:2

• Ps. 103:1

• Eccl. 1:18

• Song 2:13

• Song 5:16

• Song 8:6

• Is. 17:7

• Is. 57:15

• Jer. 2:32

• Jer. 13:11

• Jer. 24:7

• Dan. 11:32

• Hos. 2:16

• Nah. 1:2

• Nah. 3:19

• Zeph. 3:9

• Zech. 7:5

• Zech. 12:10

• Matt. 4:23

• Matt. 14:23

• Mark 1:35

• Mark 6:46

• Mark 15:38

• Luke 2:47

• Luke 3:11

• Luke 5:16

• Luke 14:23

• Luke 15:32

• Luke 19:10

• John 4:23

• John 7:37

• Acts 3:19

• 2 Cor. 5:19

• Gal. 4:6

• Gal. 6:2

• Eph. 2:13

• 1 John 1:3

• Rev. 2:4

Life Principle 2

Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Ex. 19:5

What the Bible Says About

The Adventure of Obedience (Is. 30:21)

Keeping One Another Accountable (Gal. 6:1–5)

Spiritual Growth (2 Pet. 1:2–12)

Answers to Life’s Questions

How can I rid myself of guilt? (Lev. 5:5)

What does it mean to live in the fear of the Lord? (Lev. 25:17)

Why does God tell us to flee from evil? (Deut. 19:19, 20)

Is fleece-throwing a good way to discover the will of God? (Judg. 6:36–40)

How can we effectively guard against temptation? (2 Sam. 11:2–4)

Where do we draw the line between healthy and unhealthy compromise? (1 Kin. 11:1–13)

How do I deal with the temptation toward pride? (1 Chr. 28:9)

When is the appropriate time to praise the Lord? (Is. 25:1)

What role does obedience play in a mature Christian’s life? (Jer. 42:1–6)

How can I confront a believer who has fallen spiritually? (Ezek. 16:2)

How can I become a more obedient Christian? (Dan. 1)

What can I do when my feelings go from discouraged to hopeless? (Hab. 3:17–19)

What are the