The Bible verses from 2 Peter draw a sharp picture of people who rise up inside the church, twist the truth, and lead others into confusion. What we see today in extreme KJV-only teaching fits the pattern described long ago. The issue is not the KJV itself—it is a beautiful and historic translation. The problem is the claim that only the KJV is the true Bible and that all other translations are corrupt. This claim is not biblical, not historical, and not truthful.
2 Peter warns us clearly:
“There were false prophets among the people… there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies… Many will follow them, and because of them the way of truth will be spoken against.” (2 Pet 2:1–2)
The KJV-only movement acts exactly like this.
They secretly introduce a new doctrine that never existed in the early church: the idea that one English translation is perfect and all others are satanic or fake. They turn a translation made in 1611 into an idol. Instead of helping believers understand God’s Word, they shame and mock Christians who read the ESV, NIV, or other translations.
2 Peter also explains their motivation:
“In their greed, they will exploit you with false words.” (2 Pet 2:3)
Some leaders build entire ministries on fear:
• “If you don’t use the KJV, you are using a corrupt Bible.”
• “Modern translations are attacking God’s Word.”
• “Only we have the pure Scripture.”
Fear creates control. Control brings power. Power brings money. Peter saw this pattern long before these modern groups existed.
They also behave exactly like the people Peter described:
“They follow the flesh… they despise authority… bold and arrogant.” (2 Pet 2:10)
This attitude shows in the way they talk:
Mocking other Christians, insulting scholars, dismissing all history, claiming to be the only ones who really understand the Bible. Their pride blinds them. They insult everyone who disagrees with them, even though their knowledge of Greek, Hebrew, and early manuscripts is usually very shallow.
The Myth of a “Perfect Bible” Cannot Survive Judgment Day
The verses also say something important about the future:
“The present heavens and earth are reserved for fire… until the day of judgment.” (2 Pet 3:7)
“The heavens will pass away… the elements will melt in the heat… the earth and everything in it will be burned up.” (2 Pet 3:10)
If everything physical will be burned, that includes paper Bibles—even the KJV.
That alone proves that no physical copy can be the eternal and perfect form of God’s Word. The truth of God does not depend on ink and paper. The Word of God is bigger than any translation.
Their Most Dangerous Habit: Twisting Hard Scriptures
Peter gives another warning:
“Some things in Paul’s letters are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist… to their own destruction.” (2 Pet 3:16)
This is exactly how extreme KJV-only teachers operate. When a Greek or Hebrew text disagrees with their claims, they twist it. When a modern translation captures the original meaning better, they ignore it. When historical evidence proves their theory wrong, they attack the evidence rather than change their belief.
This is not devotion. It is distortion.
They do not respect Scripture—they manipulate it to defend their favorite translation.
The Real Calling: Grow in Christ, Not in Arguments
Peter ends with a simple command:
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet 3:18)
Growth in Christ is not about defending one English translation. It is about knowing the Lord more deeply, loving Him more fully, and living in truth. The church is built on Jesus, not on King James English. Faith does not depend on a 17th-century translation. The Holy Spirit does not speak only in Elizabethan English.
Let Their Idol Fall
False teachers will eventually collapse under the weight of their own pride. Their “perfect Bible” myth will not survive history, scholarship, or God’s final judgment. The paper copies they worship will burn like everything else on that final day. What remains is the eternal Word of God—Christ Himself.
The church does not need a perfect translation.
The church needs a perfect Savior.
That is the truth 2 Peter keeps pointing us back to, and it is the truth that frees us from the fear-based teaching of those who claim that only one translation is truly God’s Word.
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