A New Look at an Old Word: introduction

Introduction

    Most current modern American Churches have either given up on the King James Version or are in the process of it.   When I took Bible College Courses,  I was not allowed to bring the King James Version of the Bible to class.
 They say it is too hard to understand for the congregation.  I was taking an admittedly liberal course on the New Testament and the professor stated this rule.  An older Black preacher began to question this; but the Professor shot him down, before he could finish the phrase of a sentence. He then had the nerve to assure this African American preacher that blacks could not comprehend in terms of Literature but needed symbols.  (The irony of this racist statement was that the preacher was reading from the KJV, which the professor had declared incomprehensible!)
  Yet from my studies, the Authorized Version is closer to the Greek and Hebrew than these new translations anyway.  Why do we want to rob people of that?  I will later show how about 3000 words have been taken out of the manuscripts of the New Testament.  Don't you want to read everything the Bibles says? Even if it is claimed by some to be spurious, why can't you investigate it for yourself?
  There has been a remnant of defenders of the Textus Receptus, the Masoretic text and the KJV.  However, most are separatist, who never got their defenses broadcast to mainstream Christianity, since they deemed the mainstream culture "unclean".  (while their attackers didn't) Other scholars, who defended the text, were placed into obscurity and hidden from the pubic by liberal academia.
  This book is an attempt to lay a defense of the traditional text into the conservative evangelical mind.  While it is true that there is an unyielding more liberal fringe of evangelicalism that will not listen to this issue.  There are many conservatives who would listen to the truth if they were simply presented with the evidence. So it is my prayer that this may reach them.
From the time I was nineteen until twenty six,  I was indoctrinated to believe in the superiority of modern versions of the Bible compared to the KJV.  Being new to the personal study of God's Word, I picked the NIV. (though I had read some passages of the KJV)  I then went to Bible College and was encouraged to read the NASB.  While at Bible College I started collecting various translations; as many as I could.  I currently possess between 25-40 translations.  I was told that certain passages, like the ending of Mark and the story of the Woman caught in adultery were not originally in the Bible.  This caused me great spiritual stress,  yet I decided that since I was uneducated and these men were all godly Christians I had to deal with this as a fact.  In College I assumed that God only generally preserved the main theme of the New Testament while all the words were originally inspired.  Which though it was inconsistent, was what everyone else in my circle was thinking.  I was very confident of my position.  I remember teaching the youth at my former church against the "King James only" doctrine with out even a hint of doubt.
    Ironically it hit me while I was taking theology under a professor who leaned towards the Neo-orthodox point of view.  He challenged the neo-evangelical doctrine of inerrancy by looking through the manuscripts.  The question was, "If the scriptures have no error, then which manuscripts have no error?"  There are many thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament.  there are also a number of growing manuscripts of the Old Testament.  Many verses are added and many verses are taken away.  This is reflected in modern Bible versions.  The evangelical response was that we did not possess the original manuscripts, but they were inspired.  The professor retorted "What's the point?"  Why would God inspire writing that would not be preserved?
   My faith in the Word of God was not shaken.  But my Faith in the evangelical doctrine of inspiration only in the lost originals was.   I then began to look for the manuscripts which would best fit the description.  Obviously the Greek Textus Receptus and the Hebrew Masoretic text came up.  I happened along some material supporting the King James Version.  I then went through a process of reading two books in support (Final Authority by William Grady, Touch not the unclean thing by David Sorenson) and two books against the preservation of the King James version ( The King James version Debate by D.A. Carson and the King James Version Only controversy by James White) I then logged into crosswalk.com and participated in a  forum debating the issue for about 5 months.  I noticed that the KJVO group argued that the Bible says it will be preserved.  As I read the material and debated, I noticed that alexandrine advocates could not refute this doctrine.  Again and again it would simply be ignored.  Both sides demonstrated a great deal of knowledge of church history and battled over a vast array of topics.  However at the end of the day, as a Bible believer, I knew that I would have to follow what the Bible said, and at the end of the day I knew what it said.

    This book shows the results of my spiritual pilgrimage

THESIS:  From my studies, which will be presented, the prophets were miraculously inspired of God to write almost mechanically inspired revelation which in it's complete compilation we understand to be The Holy Bible.  It was entrusted to born-again local congregations of Christians first reached by the apostles.  While it was on the majority preserved well.  Early on the church underwent persecution and many Bibles were burned.  Many Christians went apostate and several early scholars compromised the word of God with these errors.  However, the vast majority of manuscripts were preserved correctly.  When a large segment of Christendom repented of apostasy during the period known as the reformation.  The manuscripts went through a filtering process by God's hand of Providence.  Working through not only Erasmus but the scholars of the early reformation and finding it's climax in the Elzifer brothers and the Authorized Version translation known as KING James.  The English King James version along with it's alternative language and English translations based upon the traditional text have been used by God to bring the gospel to more people throughout church history than all others.
     Therefore while most Bible translations deserve skepticism, you may still open up the A.V. and know that you hold the Word of God.
What this book does not Advocate:  It is easy to misinterpret a position based upon some eccentric past defenders and anti-KJV propagandists.  Let me go ahead and let you know where we are not going.
1.  the KJV was re-inspired of God in 1611.
The Bible teaches that the Apostles and Prophets were inspired.  Not a specific class of scribes/translators.  The inspired Word of God was keep pure by preservation.  People were capable of error and we have many bibles with many errors.  However there is a perfect manuscript in the Textus Receptus and Masoretic texts.

2. The KJV is an absolute perfect translation.
  Translation can not be perfect,  otherwise it would only be copying.  Language got distorted in the tower of Babel.  Every word carries not only meanings but an array of word pictures which get lost in translation. However  The authorized version is quite brilliant and usually carries over meaning in other words to harmonize the translation.  In some places I can see a word that ought to be better translated. ( for instance baptism as immersion etc.) But The authorized version carries a type of perfection. often perfection actually means complete of whole.  The Authorized version is so careful that though one may loose something in a word here or there. the context recovers every type of meaning the Lord intends to share.
3. other translations are absolutely worthless
  If a translation is conveying truths found in the Textus Receptus or Masoretic text then they are convey God's Authoritative Word.
4. We should no longer produce modern English translations.
Modern translations may be seen as a good study tool or aide.  Some individual translations could be to spurious for public instruction.  But that is their general use.
5.  The KJV is superior to the Greek and Hebrew
God inspired the Bible in the Greek and Hebrew as well as Aramaic.  Once again I do not follow the teachings of Peter Ruckman.
6. The KJV is superior to all foreign Language translations
  All translations are on equal grounds in their duty original languages.  I have no problem with a foreign translation that is based on the AV.  Though ideally it should also look at the TR and MT.
7.  All modern Bible translators and text critics are outgoing Satanist.
I try not to copy Gail Riplinger's approach of demonizing opponents.  Many translators critics and scribes were devout men of God.  Sadly not all though.  Occasionally I will study the teachings and activities of these scholars to see if they may possess ulterior motives or character flaws, which would  compromise their fidelity to the word of God. Unfortunately there are many such individuals which exist.  But to be fair there are many who are simply naïve or wrong about the issue. The goal is to find the truth, not condemn the sinners, because there are too many of those.
8.  All modern Bible translators will burn in Hell
  This is a judgment which I can not and will not make.  However, certain ideas are certainly signs of apostasy,  such as if a scholar openly conspiring to warp God's Word. Yet who is to say that the scholar might repent?
9.  Only Christians who use KJV will be saved.
 We are saved at justification by grace through faith alone.  Many have read the Bible yet never been saved.  Many people can be saved from reading modern Translations.  My contention is not about evangelism, but discipleship.
10.  We must all speak in King James English
While I do argue that the phraseology is more accurate to the original text.  I believe it i s the job of the preacher to edify the congregation. But don't try to control people's speech patterns!
11. Reading from a modern translation is a sin.
  Most evangelicals are not fully aware of this debate.  Many are simply trying to have a better relationship with God and they only possess one bible.  They should not be judged on the issue.
12. We should shun who does not read from the King James Version.
  We should only separate from those who teach a false gospel.  This is an important issue but separation overdone just looks like a cowardly retreat.
13.  Only independent Baptist are worthy to discuss the issue.
  All people should read the complete Bible!  Everyone should have a right to the complete word of God and not just independent Baptists.
   So one of the goals of this book is to argue for the traditional text of scripture without falling into these sectarian trappings.
  Throughout the book I will still use the label KJVO because of it's popular understanding.  In a perfect world I would use the phrase TTO (traditional text only) and/or AVM (Authorized Version Mainly).  However, I am realistic so call me what you will.   ...Just don't talk about my momma!

 Biblolatry?

    One frequent accusation often labeled against a pro-king James position is that to prefer a translation of scriptures is idolatrous.  In fact this term is thrown against conservatives by liberals quite often.  The problem is the idea of such a heresy is a contradiction in terms!
Idolatry) Image-worship or divine honor paid to any created object, (Easton's Bible Dictionary).
   When we think of a Bible, we think of it's message and words.  The physical casing or the image of the letters is not what we suppose.  If the Authorized version were on a scroll or the software of a computer it would still be labeled AV or KJV.   If it were in Times New Roman or in cursive it would still be the authorized version of the Bible.  It may change names if it translated in a different language but it's always the Bible.
  Now let's say if we give divine honor to the message of the Bible, have we then committed a form of idolatry? No, because the Word of God is divine!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Luke 11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
john 1: ¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
john 5: ³⁹ Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
2 timothy 3:¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
  The Greek "Logos" identifies the deity of Christ as well as the scripture in the Gospels.  Could it be that the whole revelation of scripture is indeed a manifestation of the logos/Deity of Christ?  The term "inspiration" points to the fact that the message actually came from God's Breath and directly reflects Him.  Obviously, I have cast my vote.  But we do not worship the word by giving honor to ink and paper.  Instead we worship this manifestation of the true God through fearing and honor and having faith in His Message.
Hebrews 10:⁷ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God."
   The book's theme is meant for an evangelical audience.  For many years this debate has gone on in a "closed door" Fundamentalists circles.  Yet evangelicals have been amazingly closed off from the debate and are simply indoctrinated against the King James Version.  At least in the last 30 or so years of my existence.  The problem is that fundamentalism, though valiant enough to have defenders of the traditional text, have always focused on polemics instead of apologetic s.  In other words they have a tendency to fight for more than explain their doctrines.  However through God's grace I learned the need of manuscript superiority and coincidentally found books on this debate.
 The words of Scripture are not a minute point.  Scripture is essential for not only Christian theology but Christian spirituality as well.
"Writing is the ideal medium to conceptualize the invisible God' says Neil Postman because "unlike pictures or oral tradition, the written word is a symbol system of a symbol, twice removed from reality and perfect for describing a God who is also far removed from reality; a non-physical, abstract divinity.'  God is described as an abstract divinity because the intangible nature of His being.  God is an invisible  , all-knowing, self existing, eternal spirit.  He is perfectly holy, is everywhere at once, does what he wills, controls every atom inside the universe, and yet is deeply concerned with His creation, with which he has a long history of involvement, including identifying sin, judgment of sin, and redemption from it.  Blocks and paint are just insufficient to convey these kind of truths.  Only writing suffices."  Arthur W.  Hunt III   The Vanishing Word pg. 36  

   The Word of God is essential for true Christian living and Worship.  Why should we treat it so flippantly?  Do we really have the freedom to word it according to our opinions?  Do we have the freedom to reword it multiple times and confuse it's message?   How should we treat scripture and do we acknowledge which scriptures are inspired?  These questions are at the core of the topic of the book.  It is not just tradition or division.
Please read this book with an open mind and consider the case for that old Bible.
May the Peace of Christ dwell in you richly,
Matt Singleton 

A new look at an old Word: preface

 Preface

As we look into this study, I must tell you where I come from as far as my position to 

the debate. When I grew up I had some, though not extensive contact with fundamental

Independent Baptist on my father's side of the family, and summer Bible camp growing up.

Yet I was not a member of an independent Baptist church.  Growing up I was exposed to

several passages of the KJV. I found them good and everything but was not very Bible literate and as a result did not get into the Bible very much. Years later, as a teenager, I

was ok with KJV, yet I was still intimidated. The church I was going to used the NIV, so I

read from that.  It would be my first read "cover to cover".  A few years later I was a freshman in college and I felt God's call for me to enter into full-time Christian service. I knew then that I would have to become Bible Literate. I was decently knowledgeable from years of church and Bible courses recently but I was about to read the Bible completely through, for myself.   I started with an NIV teen study Bible. It took me five months the next time I read from multiple versions and it took five years.

   I said all that to say this, I do believe that God can use multiple Bible translations to do his work in the world. I believe that these Bibles can usually be used to help bring a lost sinner to Christ.   My purpose in this book is not to beat every evangelical over the
head that doesn't possess the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

   My goal is to make sure that every born again Christian is provided a copy of the

true preserved Word of God. They need to have this in order to truly have a "personal
relationship with God". In order for this to happen, the believer must pray directly to God
for guidance and receive his absolute Word back.  When the common language Bible is
not trusted as the Word of God, then other' authorities rise up and take over. It is the duty
of the minister not to over take the sheep, but to guide them to Jesus. They can't come to
Jesus, if they aren't able to do so by themselves. Therefore, all regenerate members ought
to have equal access to God's Word. The first place for that formula is faithful
translation.

             How should we handle God's Word?

When a person goes to a Christian bookstore, they will notice dozens of Bibles and Bible translations for sale. Many of them are leather bound and say "Holy Bible;' others don't and may be in paperback. I noticed in the last decade or so copies of the New Testament written in the guise of teen magazines. Magazines are many times bendable and are often thrown away when one is done unless there is cause to keep it. Also these NT magazines are covered in pictures and captions that have nothing to do with the New Testament and everything to do with teen pop culture.

  Obviously some are treating the Bible less seriously than others. Now this may not be the biggest deal because we believe that the words of the Bible are holy and sacred,

not the paper itself. The problem is that words in the Holy Bible are being treated just as
loosely as the physical binding.  God's Word is no longer treated as an immutable

foundation, if it is no longer treated as an immovable rock, can it still be believed to

be that?

  When the scribes and scholars went about the process of copying and translating the bible, they were handling God's Word.  When one is doing this process, whether or not they recognize this makes a difference. Some have gone about this process believing that they were merely copying the time-honored stories of the Jewish people. Others believed that these in

fact were the very words of the Lord God through the prophets. Maybe in a perfect world

the effort would be the same, however in reality the differences are huge.  Imagine that one was a limousine driver, there would be a different way of taking the president of the United States across town than perhaps taking teenagers to the prom. The teenagers would simply be honored just to be there. While with transporting the president, it's the other way around.   
     In fact it could not simply be just any limousine, It would have to have special steel reinforcement to make it bullet proof. They would also have to make sure that everything with both the driving and luxury was in peak condition.  The cargo is a big deal especially if we are dealing with the Words of the one true living God. We see this with the first manuscript of God's Word, which were kept in the Ark of the Covenant.:

Exo.25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou

shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Deu.l0:5·And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the

ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.

Deu.31 :2 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of

the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

Exo. 40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark,

and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:

1 Ki.8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there

at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came

out of the land of Egypt.

Unbelievers who misused God's Word were cursed

1 Sam 5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the LORD was

against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city, both small

and great, and they had emerods in their secret parts.

1 Sam 6:19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of

the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and

the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great

slaughter.

Even Believers who handled the Word of the Lord unbiblically were cursed

l Ch. l3:9 And when they came unto the threshing floor of Chi don, Uzza put forth his

hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

1Ch.l3:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him,

because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

^{1Ch. 13:11} And David was displeased, because the Lord had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perez-uzza to this day. "
  Only the Levites were supposed to carry the ark of the covenant.  Uzza died for David's error.

Obviously mishandling the Word of God must be treated differently than other

writings. Over the last two or three hundred years we have shifted our treatment of

God's Word. When we go about trying to figure out what the original word of God is we

have let non-believing experts try to figure out and determine what the word of God

truly is for the last two centuries.

We have let them determine history in an unbiblical paradigm (Evolutionary

naturalism). Determine the origin of scripture from this philosophy. Rewrite the history

of the Bible. Search for as much difference in the manuscripts as possible. Then use

their unregenerate minds to determine what God's word is. Finally, we have moved on to

let them figure out how it ought to be presented.

Key to all of this is the idea that the Bible is presented to us naturally. However,

those of us who believe the Bible know that it was a work of God and not just a work of

man.  If the Bible truly is a work of God and not simply the writings of men, then

shouldn't it be treated differently? How so? For this we will look in our next chapter.

  One question that is constantly debated through this whole issue is: Did God

preserve his words perfectly?  Though I will show that this is a consistent teaching from scripture, oddly enough the vast majority of evangelical scholarship rejects this idea. For the believer, this doctrine is an awesome assurance that there is a Bible which you can rely on just as much as the originals.

  The reason l believe this is, that the evangelical scholar knows that if this were true, then they would have to defend every verse of their Bibles. Plus, there would be less

money to make on their translations. Sure they may come out with study Bibles and new

translations of the traditional King James Version text.  Yet not nearly as much as the billions that are being made from all the various alternative translations today.

   But when it comes to the spiritual walk of a believer, this doctrine is fundamental.

I remember my freshman year of college I had grown closer to God and decided to go

into ministry. One day I had been part of a campus ministry and met a young, Brazilian

student there. When the subject came up about Christ, he quickly fired back that our

Bibles were made up and the real Bible was kept with the Catholic Church in the Vatican.

Then he made a quick exit, before I could respond in full.

   I also remember personally when I had first been indoctrinated with the teaching

that passages like the sixteenth chapter of Mark were not in the original manuscripts. It was

definitely a tough blow, but it only  grew worse. After reading constantly for the next year

through the Bible with all these hundreds if not thousands of footnotes saying that this or

that may not be in the original manuscripts. I could never fully depend on the Bible as I

would have liked to.

   The believer can no longer fully rely on God's word.  They have to occasionally

submit to the authority of the scholar. I can recall a time in my first year at Bible

college, we would have non-stop spiritual discussions.  A student there had started growing very legalistic. A fellow student brought up Jesus' forgiveness of the woman caught in adultery. The student fired back "That wasn't in the original manuscripts!" This Student grew more legalistic. When "evangelizing" he would go downtown and chew out drunken, homeless people, telling them how they didn't deserve God's grace. The drunks fired back that he shouldn't judge them so harshly. The student retorted that he wouldn't cast his pearls before swine. He eventually became very arrogant chewed out the faculty of the Bible College and quit. He actually started out with potential. But since he didn't fully rely on God's word, he wouldn't be corrected and was ruined.

  Losing foundations on God's Word is always catastrophic. One either becomes

a slave to other forces or goes into chaos. Here is the purpose of this book: that we not

lose our grasp of the scriptures, so that we will not be ruined.
    Writing this book has been a labor of love and a lesson in humility.  I finished the rough draft pretty early in 2010.  However, I had it saved on a 3.5 inch disk and the technology had just past me by. Then I had a friend save the manuscript on adobe format, the problem of which is that the adobe format is not for rough draft and it does not allow for alteration.  The only way out would permanently scramble the manuscripts.  On top of that, my paper manuscript was in the trunk of my car during a local flood! From all these shambles I would have to slowly piece together the manuscripts all the while moving forward with other agendas, blogs, internet radio, YouTube, local church ministry and odd jobs. I have had to struggle to persevere as much as this book. But on the bright side I have also revised the text.  The New Evangelical movement was not at a place where it was ready to listen to this message, but now fidelity to God's Word is needed more than ever as the fruits of this modernized philosophy have failed to overcome the world but instead submitted be-grudgingly to it. Yet Just as God has preserved this manuscript he can preserve His People!

Peter's keys to the kingdom

Matthew 16:¹⁹ And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
 

Rock or stone?
Matthew 16: ¹³ When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
¹⁴ And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
¹⁵ He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
¹⁶ And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
¹⁷ And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
¹⁸ And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
   The Rock on which the Church was built and founded is Is the Faith that jesus is the messiah and Son of God.  God the Father revealed this to Peter.
John 1:42  And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone."
 Peter was a stone, the church could not be founded upon a small stone.   The Church needed to be founded upon the rock of Christ. 
Matthew 7:²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
²⁸ And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:"

Peter was the devil when he was in the flesh.
Matthew 16: ²¹ From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
²² Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
²³ But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
²⁴ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."   Cross-less Christianity is not  true Christianity.  It is indeed satanic.

Luke 22: ³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
³³ And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
³⁴ And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me."
It is obvious That Simon need to be born again. Simon is powerless in the flesh and a tool of the devil.

Mark 14: ⁶⁹ And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.
⁷⁰ And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.
⁷¹ But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak."
Sadly, Peter learned that man made religion can never bring us to God.

Yet Peter later recieved the Holy Ghost. 
John 20: ²¹ Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:"

Peter was not the 1st Pope of Rome
Romans 15:²⁰ Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:"
      The apostle Paul would not go to Rome if another apostle had established his ministry there.
acts 2:¹⁰ Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,"
  There were saints in Rome before Peter had left Jerusalem.
^{1 peter5 13} The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
  Here Peter refers to Rome as Babylon.  Not a spiritually flattering statement!
These facts lead us away from the legend of peter as the 1st Pope/bishop of Rome.  We know that Mark  was in Rome  later writing down Peter's Sermons as the source for His Gospel.


Peter on Paul
2 peter 3:¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
¹⁶ As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.  "
  Notice that Paul recognizes Paul's writing as scripture.   Paul was also a beloved apostle.  But Paul's
message about the gentiles and about grace were being misinterpreted by the Jewish Christians.  Because all they knew was a Jewish perspective.  So they would smear Paul as promoting lawlessness and loose the chance do be saved by grace. 

Paul on Peter
Galatian 2:
⁷ But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
⁸ (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
⁹ And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
¹⁰ Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
¹¹ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
¹² For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
¹³ And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
¹⁴ But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
¹⁵ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
¹⁶ Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
   Peter had to be corrected By Paul.  Obviously Paul had the authority to correct Peter Because Peter never really retaliated.  Paul had New Revelation from God.  The revelation of Jesus being Christ was already accepted.  But Paul was to preach the cross and Christ Crucified.  The 12 apostles recorded these things and the Spirit led Paul to explain them.

Peter on the Bible
 2 Peter 1:¹⁶ For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty."
 2 Peter 3:This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
² That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:

2 peter 1: ¹⁹ We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
²⁰ Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
²¹ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

1 peter 1: ²³ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
²⁴ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
²⁵ But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

Peter on salvation

 Acts 10:¹⁵ And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
 Acts 10:³⁴ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
⁴³ To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
 1 peter 1:³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
⁴ To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
⁵ Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Peter on baptism
 Acts 2:
²¹ And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
²² Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
²³ Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
²⁴ Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
²⁵ For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
²⁶ Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:
²⁷ Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
²⁸ Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
²⁹ Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
³⁰ Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
³¹ He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
³² This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
³³ Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
³⁴ For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
³⁵ Until I make thy foes thy footstool.
³⁶ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
³⁹ For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
  It is clear here that Baptism is recorded as volitional.  The people must repenet and change from their unbelieveing heart to faith.  They must change from a denial of Christ as their Lord to faith.  In order to join in Baptism they must repent of their sins.  This is not a command to an incoherent infant.

^{1 Peter 3:20} Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
²¹ The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

acts 10:
³⁸ How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
³⁹ And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
⁴⁰ Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
⁴¹ Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
⁴² And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
⁴³ To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
⁴⁴ While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
⁴⁵ And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
⁴⁷ Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?


Peter on clergy

 1 peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

² Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
³ Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
⁴ And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
    Peter's idea of ministry is humble servant-hood.  Not abusive of power, nor enchroahching.  But simply being a good example.  Specifically not a lord over anyone. 

Acts 10:²⁵ And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.
²⁶ But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man."
So in Peter's ministry,  he would never allowed people to bow down to Him.  You can't see Peter having a throne by which world leaders would bow down to Him and Kiss his ring.

Acts8: ¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
¹⁹ Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
²⁰ But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
²¹ Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
²³ For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity."
Peter would never allow corruption in the clergy, you could not buy the anointing of the Holy ghost.


 There is a legend that Peter out of shame had his captors crucify himself upside down.  Some believe it is a fact and other's don't.  In fact many occultist use the upside down cross as a way of mocking Christ.  But peter had nothing to be ashamed of, because His messiah had cleased him.
John 13:
⁸ Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
⁹ Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
¹⁰ Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
¹¹ For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."  

BUT WHO NOW HOLDS THE KEYS??

Revelation 1:¹⁸ I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

 

He holds the keys!!!!!!