Do Lutherans Use the King James Bible? What Lutherans Read Today

Yes, Lutherans can and do use the King James Bible, but the King James Version is not the required Bible of the Lutheran Church.

That distinction matters.

Some Lutheran Christians love the King James Version because of its beautiful language, long history, and familiar wording. Others read the ESV, NIV, NRSVue, EHV, NKJV, or another trusted translation. There is no single English translation that every Lutheran church must use.

Lutheran Bible Translators explains that there is no official English “Lutheran Bible.” There is the historic German Luther Bible translated by Martin Luther, and there are study Bibles written from Lutheran viewpoints, but Lutheran Christians use many Bible translations.

So if you are asking, Do Lutherans use the King James Bible? the simple answer is:

Yes, some do. But Lutherans are not generally King James Only, and many Lutheran churches today use modern English translations.

Understanding why takes us into an interesting story about Martin Luther, Bible translation, the Book of James, and the Lutheran belief that ordinary people should be able to understand God’s Word.

Do Lutherans Use the King James Bible Today?

Lutherans still use the King James Version today.

You may find an older Lutheran Christian who has read the KJV for most of his or her life. You may also find Lutheran families who prefer the KJV for personal devotion because its wording feels traditional and reverent.

A writer in Living Lutheran remembered growing up at a time when ordinary Lutherans knew the King James Version so well that many were hardly aware of other Bible translations. The same writer also noted that the older English could be difficult for modern readers.

That gives us a balanced picture.

The KJV has a real place in Lutheran history, especially among English-speaking Lutherans. Yet its age also creates a challenge.

Words such as:

• thee
• thou
• ye
• begat
• charity
• suffer
• conversation

do not always mean to modern readers what they meant centuries ago.

This does not make the King James Bible bad.

An LCMS publication, The Lutheran Witness, describes the KJV and NKJV as accurate and useful translations. It also notes that the KJV’s old-fashioned English can make it harder for people today to understand.

That is one reason many Lutherans are comfortable reading a newer translation.

Using the KJV Is Different From Being King James Only

This difference is important.

A Christian may say:

“I love the King James Bible.”

That is a personal preference.

Another person may say:

“The King James Bible is the only trustworthy English Bible, and every other translation is corrupt.”

That is a much stronger claim.

Lutheranism has not generally adopted that second position. LCMS material directly discusses the King James Only movement while affirming that Christians can compare the KJV with modern translations that make use of older biblical manuscripts.

So a Lutheran can deeply appreciate the KJV without believing that God requires every English-speaking Christian to use it.

What Bible Should Lutherans Read?

There is no one Bible that every Lutheran must read.

A good starting point is the translation used in your local congregation. This makes it easier to follow Scripture during worship, Bible study, Sunday school, or preaching.

After that, having a second translation can be helpful.

Different Lutheran church bodies make different choices.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America currently uses the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, or NRSVue, for its online Daily Bible Reading material.

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has discussed several translations, including the NIV, ESV, EHV, and NKJV. WELS specifically says that the NKJV is an acceptable translation while also noting some concerns about archaic expressions and its New Testament textual base.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has also used different translations in church resources over time. For example, LCMS records from the development of Lutheran Service Book show discussion of both the NIV and ESV.

Here is a simple way to think about it:

The best choice often depends on why you are reading.

For deep study, you may prefer a more literal translation.

For family reading, you may want something easier to understand.

For church, it often helps to use what your congregation uses.

For comparison, reading the same passage in two or three translations can be very useful.

If choosing a readable study edition is your concern, our guide to the best large-print study Bibles also compares several popular translations and study formats.

The goal is not simply to own the “right” Bible.

The goal is to open it, understand it, and live by God’s Word.

Why Do Lutherans Use Different Bible Translations?

Some Christians are surprised that there are so many Bible translations.

Why not simply have one?

The answer begins with language.

The Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew, with some Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek. English readers therefore depend on translation.

You can learn more about these biblical languages in our guide to the original Bible language.

Translation is not always as simple as replacing one Hebrew or Greek word with one English word.

Languages work differently.

A sentence that sounds natural in Greek may sound strange if copied word for word into English. An ancient expression may need explanation. One original word may have several possible English meanings depending on context.

That means every Bible translation must make choices.

LCMS teaching on Bible translations makes this point clearly: even translations that try to stay very close to the original wording still have to decide how to express Hebrew and Greek meaning in good English.

Some translations lean toward a more word-for-word style.

Others focus more strongly on communicating the thought in natural English.

Neither approach automatically makes a translation faithful or unfaithful. The quality depends on how well translators understand the original text and communicate it.

Bible translation itself is not a modern idea.

Long before the New Testament period, much of the Hebrew Scriptures was translated into Greek in the ancient translation commonly called the Septuagint. If that history interests you, see what LXX means in the Bible.

The desire to put Scripture into understandable language became especially important during the Protestant Reformation.

That brings us to Martin Luther.

Do Lutherans Use the King James Bible Because of Martin Luther?

No.

Martin Luther did not translate, write, or use the King James Bible.

This is sometimes confusing because the words Luther, Lutheran, and King James Bible are all connected with the Protestant Reformation era.

But they belong to different translation stories.

Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. Lutheran Bible Translators notes that the complete German Luther Bible was printed in 1534.

The King James Version was an English translation published much later, in 1611.

So Martin Luther never sat down with a King James Bible.

The connection is indirect.

Both the Luther Bible and the King James Bible belong to a wider period when Christians were increasingly concerned about giving people Scripture in languages they could understand.

Luther believed ordinary German-speaking people should hear Scripture in natural German.

The King James translators worked to produce an English Bible suited to both church reading and careful study.

Different countries. Different translators. Different projects.

Yet both became enormously influential.

Another common misunderstanding is that King James himself wrote the KJV. He did not. The translation was produced by teams of scholars during his reign. We explain that history more fully in Who Wrote the King James Bible?.

So when Lutherans read the KJV today, they are not reading Martin Luther’s translation. They are simply reading one historic English translation of the same biblical Scriptures.

Why Didn’t Martin Luther Like the Book of James?

This question needs careful wording.

Martin Luther did not simply “hate” the Book of James.

His view was more complicated.

Luther praised James in some respects. He considered it a useful book because it strongly taught God’s law and challenged sinful behavior. Yet he gave it a lower place than books such as John, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, and 1 Peter.

His biggest concern involved the relationship between faith and works.

Paul writes in Romans 3:28 that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

James 2:24 says that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

Read quickly, those statements can sound like direct opposites.

Luther’s theology placed great emphasis on justification by grace through faith in Christ. Because of this, he struggled with the way James expressed the relationship between faith and works.

But Christians have long explained that Paul and James are dealing with different problems.

Paul opposes the idea that human works can earn salvation before God.

James opposes a dead claim to faith that produces no changed life.

Paul asks, in effect:

“Can good works earn our acceptance with God?”

His answer is no.

James asks:

“Can real saving faith remain completely fruitless?”

His answer is also no.

James uses Abraham as an example of faith becoming visible through obedient action.

So the two writers can be read together rather than against each other.

Faith saves.

Living faith also bears fruit.

Did Martin Luther Remove James From the Bible?

No.

This is one of the most common myths about Luther.

Luther famously described James as an “epistle of straw” in comparison with the New Testament books he believed proclaimed Christ and the gospel most clearly. But he kept James in his German New Testament.

He did arrange several books differently.

James, Hebrews, Jude, and Revelation were placed at the end of his New Testament because Luther believed their status and theological importance differed from what he called the chief books.

But James remained there.

A detailed study of Luther’s treatment of James notes that his “epistle of straw” phrase appeared in his early general New Testament preface and was later removed from editions after 1537. The same study also points out that Luther still quoted James and preached from it.

So it would be inaccurate to say:

“Martin Luther removed the Book of James because he disagreed with it.”

He criticized it.

He ranked it below several other New Testament books.

He struggled with parts of its theology.

But he did not erase James from his Bible.

This distinction matters whenever we discuss historical Christians. Their views were often more complex than one famous quotation suggests.

What Is the Unforgivable Sin in Lutheranism?

The “unforgivable sin” is not a special Lutheran teaching.

It comes directly from Jesus’ words about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31–32, Mark 3:28–30, and Luke 12:10 contain Jesus’ warning.

In Matthew’s account, religious leaders saw Jesus perform a work associated with God’s power but accused Him of working through Satan.

Lutheran explanations therefore describe the unforgivable sin as something much deeper than accidentally saying the wrong words.

WELS describes it as a knowing and forceful rejection of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. The seriousness comes from rejecting the very Spirit who brings a person to repentance and faith.

LCMS teaching gives a similar explanation.

It describes a hardened heart that deliberately opposes the Holy Spirit and continually rejects His work of bringing people to Christ.

This gives worried Christians an important comfort.

If you are afraid that you have committed the unforgivable sin and you want God’s mercy, that concern itself is very different from a hardened refusal of the Holy Spirit.

LCMS teaching specifically says that people troubled by this fear should be comforted rather than driven into despair.

The Christian message is not that God searches for excuses to refuse forgiveness.

The gospel announces forgiveness through Christ to sinners who repent and trust Him.

That is where Lutheran teaching puts the focus.

Is the King James Bible the Most Accurate Bible for Lutherans?

The King James Version is a respected translation, but Lutheran teaching does not generally say it is the only accurate English Bible.

This question often grows out of a real concern:

“If Bible translations are different, how can I know which one to trust?”

That is a fair question.

The KJV translators worked with the Hebrew and Greek texts available to scholars in their time. Since 1611, scholars have gained access to additional biblical manuscripts, including some that are older than those used by the KJV translators.

This is one reason modern translations sometimes differ from the KJV.

LCMS discussion of this subject says the KJV remains accurate and useful while explaining that modern scholars can also consult older manuscript evidence. It encourages comparison rather than fear.

WELS makes a similar point when discussing the NKJV. Its explanation notes that more recent translations have access to earlier biblical manuscripts that were not available to translators in 1611.

That does not mean archaeologists discovered a completely different Bible.

Most manuscript differences are small.

They may involve:

• word order
• spelling
• a repeated phrase
• a missing or added word
• slightly different wording

LCMS material notes that the great majority of these variations do not change the meaning of the passage and do not overturn Christian doctrine.

So Lutherans do not need to fear Bible comparison.

Reading the KJV beside the ESV, NIV, NKJV, NRSVue, or another respected translation can actually help you notice details you might otherwise miss.

Do Lutherans Use the King James Bible or a Lutheran Bible?

There is an easy misunderstanding hidden inside this question.

Someone may imagine that Catholics have one Bible, Baptists have another Bible, Lutherans have another, and the King James Bible belongs to yet another group.

That is not quite how it works.

Lutheran Bible Translators states plainly that there is no official English translation called the “Lutheran Bible.”

You may see something called a Lutheran Study Bible.

That usually means the Bible text is an existing English translation while the notes, introductions, explanations, and devotional material reflect Lutheran theology.

That is different from creating an entirely new biblical text.

There is also the Luther Bible, but that refers to Martin Luther’s historic German translation.

So:

Luther Bible = Martin Luther’s German Bible.

Lutheran Study Bible = a Bible edition with Lutheran study material.

King James Version = historic English translation published in 1611.

Lutheran Bible = not one universally required English translation.

Once these terms are separated, the issue becomes much easier to understand.

Choosing a Bible You Will Actually Read

Bible translation debates can become surprisingly emotional.

One Christian says the KJV sounds more reverent.

Another says the NIV is easier to understand.

Another prefers the ESV for study.

Someone else appreciates the NKJV because it keeps much of the KJV’s traditional sound while using more familiar English.

Those preferences are understandable.

But ask yourself a more practical question:

Which faithful translation helps me read God’s Word carefully and regularly?

A Bible that stays closed because its language feels impossible is not helping you much.

A Bible that is easy to read but never studied carefully is not helping you much either.

Look for both faithfulness and understanding.

For many people, a good approach is:

1. Use the translation your church commonly reads.
2. Keep another trusted translation for comparison.
3. Read difficult verses in context, not by themselves.
4. Use study notes carefully without treating notes as Scripture.
5. Ask what the biblical writer is actually saying before building a doctrine from one English word.
6. Keep Christ and the message of Scripture at the center.

This approach fits well with one of the great aims of the Reformation: helping ordinary people hear and understand the Word of God.

You do not need to become a Hebrew or Greek scholar before you can know Scripture.

But you should remain teachable.

Sometimes another translation will help you notice something.

Sometimes a pastor or commentary will explain an ancient expression.

Sometimes studying the historical setting will make a confusing passage clear.

Good Bible reading grows through patience.

What Matters More Than the Translation on the Cover

So, do Lutherans use the King James Bible?

Yes.

Some Lutherans still love and regularly read the KJV. It remains an important and respected part of English-speaking Christian history.

But Lutherans do not generally believe that Christians must use only the King James Version.

Different Lutheran churches and believers use translations such as the KJV, NKJV, ESV, NIV, EHV, NRSVue, and others. Lutheran organizations themselves show this variety in their worship, teaching, and study resources.

Martin Luther himself did not use the KJV. His great translation work was the German Luther Bible, completed decades before the King James Version appeared.

He also did not remove James from his Bible, even though he openly struggled with the book and considered it less central than writings such as Romans, Galatians, and John’s Gospel.

These historical details are useful, but they point toward something more important.

The Bible was not translated so Christians could spend all their time fighting about translations.

It was translated so people could hear God’s Word.

Read carefully.

Ask questions.

Compare trusted translations when something is unclear.

Listen to Scripture in church.

Study it at home.

And above all, allow God’s Word to lead you toward Christ, repentance, faith, love, and a life shaped by truth.

A beautiful old Bible can be a treasure.

A clear modern Bible can be a treasure too.

What matters most is that God’s Word does not remain unopened on the shelf.

Dr. Rachel Adams

Dr. Rachel is very smart and knows a lot about the Bible. He helps us understand the Bible better by talking about the old texts in a simple way.