NKJV Translators

NKJV Translators

Several years ago (about 1991) I sent a letter to Thomas Nelson Publishers ~ Nelson Place at Elm Hill Pike ~ PO Box 141000 ~ Nashville, TN 37214-1000. I asked them to send me the names and qualifications of the translators of the NKJV. Below is what they sent me in reply. (I scanned the document into my PC using my new scanner with OCR software.)

Some information was also taken from: Arthur L. Farstad. The New King James Version in the Great Tradition (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1993), pp. 141-159. This book is available from: The Majority Text Society ~ PO Box 141289 ~ Dallas, TX 75214.

The Scholarly Team

To fulfill the purpose of the New King James Version of the Bible, over 130 scholars, editors, church leaders, and Christian laity were commissioned to work on the project.

To maintain a singleness of purpose, each person was commissioned only after pledging commitment to the basic aims of the project, and signing a statement of faith declaring belief that the Scriptures in their entirety are the uniquely inspired Word of God, free from error in their original autographs.

NKJV Scholars-Old Testament

The following scholars individually revised one or more books of the Old Testament. The schools and positions are those of the period when the NKJV was being produced.

Dr. Ronald B. Allen ~ Professor, Old Testament Language and Exegesis
Western Conservative Baptist Seminary ~ Portland, Oregon

Dr. Barry J. Beitzel ~ Associate Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School ~ Deerfield, Illinois

Dr. Walter R. Bodine ~ Associate Professor of Semitic Languages and Old Testament
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Newton L. Bush ~ Editor, Minister
Bethel Christian Union Chapel ~ Elida, Ohio

Rev. E. Clark Copeland ~ Professor of Old Testament
Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary ~ Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Dr. Leonard J. Coppes ~ Minister
Calvary Orthodox Presbyterian Church ~ Harrisville, Pennsylvania

Dr. Arthur L. Farstad ~ New Testament Editor
Dallas, Texas

Dr. Harvey E. Finley ~ Professor of Old Testament
Nazarene Theological Seminar ~ Kansas City, Missouri

Dr. D. David Garland ~ Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Paul R. Gilchrist ~ Professor of Biblical Studies
Covenant College ~ Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Dr. Louis Goldberg ~ Professor of Theology and Jewish Studies
Moody Bible Institute ~ Chicago, Illinois

Rev. Geoffrey Watts Grogan ~ Principal
Bible Training Institute ~ Glasgow, Scotland

Dr. Victor Paul Kamilton ~ Associate Professor of Religion
Asbury College ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr. Allan M. Harman ~ Professor of Old Testament
Reformed Theological College ~ Victoria, Australia

Dr. Edward E. Hindson ~ Professor of Religion
Liberty Baptist College ~ Lynchburg, Virginia

Dr. Horace D. Hummel ~ Associate Professor of Old Testament
Concordia Seminary ~ St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. David K. Huttar ~ Professor of Old Testament and Greek
Nyack College ~ Nyack, New York

Dr. Meredith C. Kline ~ Professor of Old Testament
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary ~ South Hamilton, Massachusetts

Dr. Donald A. Leggett ~ Professor of Old Testament
Ontario Theological Seminary ~ Willowdale, Ontario, Canada

Dr. Elmer A. Martens ~ President, Professor of Old Testament
Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary ~ Fresno, California

Rev. William H. McDowell ~ Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Florida Southern College ~ Orlando, Florida

Dr. Eugene H. Merrill ~ Associate Professor of Semantics and Old Testament Studies
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Gerald I. Miller ~ Chairman, Division of Foreign Language
Asbury College ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr. Richard 0. Rigsby ~ Associate Professor of Semitic Languages and Old Testament
Talbot Theological Seminary ~ La Mirada, California

Dr. Allen P. Ross ~ Professor of Old Testament
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Glenn E. Schaefer ~ Chairman, Department of Bible, Theology and Mission
Simpson College ~ San Francisco, California

Dr. Gary V. Smith ~ Dean
Winnipeg Theological Seminary ~ Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada

Rev. Arthur Steltzer ~ Pastor/ Teacher
Emmanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church ~ Wilmington, Delaware

Dr. William A. VanGemeren ~ Professor of Old Testament
Reformed Theological Seminary ~ Jackson, Mississippi

Dr. William White, Jr. ~ Writer, Editor
Warrington, Pennsylvania

NKJV Scholars-New Testament

The following scholars individually revised one or more books of the New Testament. The schools and positions are those of the period when the NKJV was being produced.

Dr. Boyce Blackwelder ~ (Deceased)
Anderson College ~ Anderson, Indiana

Dr. E. M. Blaiklock ~ Professor Emeritus of Classics
University of Auckland ~ Titirangi, Auckland, New Zealand

Dr. James L. Boyer ~ Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Greek
Grace Theological Seminary Winona Lake, Indiana

Dr. John A. Burns ~ Academic Dean
Luther Rice Seminary ~ Jacksonville, Florida

William J. Cameron ~ Principal Emeritus
Free Church of Scotland College ~ Edinburgh, Scotland

Dr. A. Glenn Campbell ~ Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Greek, and Theology
Montana Institute of the Bible ~ Ottawa, Kansas

Dr. Gary C. Cohen ~ Lecturer
Miami Christian College ~ Miami, Florida

Dr. Huber L. Drumwright ~ (Deceased)
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. William K. Eichhorst ~ President of Academic Affairs
Winnipeg Bible College and Theological Seminary ~ Otterburne, Manitoba, Canada

Dr. Virtus E. Gideon ~ Professor of New Testament and Greek
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Robert L. Hendren ~ Minister
Donelson Church of Christ ~ Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. Robert G. Hoerber ~ Professor of Exegetical Theology
Concordia Seminary ~ St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. Ronald Jones ~ Associate Professor
Victory Tabernacle Baptist Church ~ Norfolk, Virginia

Dr. Charles R. Smith ~ Professor of Christian Theology and Greek
Grace Theological Seminary ~ Winona Lake, Indiana

Dr. John A. Sproule ~ Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek
Grace Theological Seminary ~ Winona Lake, Indiana

Dr. Harry A. Sturz ~ Professor Emeritus of Greek
Biola College ~ La Mirada, California

Dr. Joseph S. Wang ~ Professor of New Testament
Asbury Theological Seminary ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr. Phillip R. Williams ~ Registrar, Professor of New Testament
Northwest Baptist Seminary ~ Tacoma, Washington

Dr. A. Skevington Wood ~ Principal
Cliff College ~ Calver, Sheffield, England

Dr. Arthur L. Farstad ~ New Testament Editor
Dallas, Texas

Dr. Lewis A. Foster ~ Professor of New Testament
Cincinnati Seminary Cincinnati, Ohio

Executive Review Committee-Old Testament

All of the following members of the ERC read through the typescripts of the entire Old Testament, and made written suggestions. These were taken up and acted upon by the assembled ERC. These meetings met for a week or two at a time in various parts of the U.S.A., Canada, and finally, Scotland.

Dr. James D. Price. Chairman ~ Professor, Department of Old Testament
Temple Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dr. Arthur L. Farstad ~ New Testament Editor
Dallas, Texas

Dr. D. David Garland ~ Professor of Old Testament
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Paul K. Gilchrist ~ Professor of Biblical Studies
Covenant College ~ Lookout Mountain, Tennessee

Dr. R. K. Harrison ~ Professor of Old Testament
Wycliffe College ~ Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dr. G. Herbert Livingston ~ Professor of Old Testament
Chairman of the Division of Biblical Studies
Asbury Theological Seminary ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Rev. William H. McDowell ~ Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Florida Southern College ~ Orlando, Florida

Executive Review Committee-New Testament

All of the following members of the ERC read through the typescripts of the entire New Testament, and made written suggestions. These were taken up and acted upon by the assembled ERC. These meetings met for a week or two at a time in various parts of the U.S.A., Canada, and finally, Scotland.

Dr Arthur L. Farstad. Chairman ~ New Testament Editor
Dallas, Texas

Dr. Robert L. Hughes ~ President
Pensacola Baptist Seminary ~ Pensacola, Florida

Dr. Alfred Martin ~ Professor of Bible
Dallas Bible College ~ Dallas, Texas

Rev. William H. McDowell ~ Professor of Philosophy and Religion
Florida Southern College ~ Orlando, Florida

Dr. Robert L. Reymond ~ Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics
Covenant Theological Seminary ~ St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. Harry A. Sturz ~ Professor Emeritus of Greek
Biola College ~ La Mirada, California

Dr. William Curtis Vaughan ~ Professor of New Testament
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Commonwealth Oversight Committee

The NKJV is available in both Commonwealth [British] and American editions... The following participated in the initial meeting in London in early 1976. Several also attended the final meetings at St. Andrew University in July of 1981 and contributed their wisdom in written form at other times.

Sir Cyril Black ~ Justice of the Peace
Deputy Lieutenant ~ Beaumont House ~ London, England

Rev Raymond Brown ~ Principal
Spurgeon College ~ London England

Rev. David B. Bubbers ~ General Secretary
Church Pastoral Aid Society ~ London, England

Donald J. Crowther ~ Numismatic Consultant
Sevenoaks, Kent, England

Edward England ~ Edward England Books Ltd.
East Sussex, England

Dr. lames William Fairbairn ~ (Deceased)
University of London ~ London, England

Rt. Rev. A. W. Goodwin-Hudson ~ Bishop
Newton Solney, Derbyshire, England

David R. L. Porter ~ Writer, Editor
Greatham, Hampshire, England

Sir J. Eric Richardson ~ Director
London Polytechnic ~ London, England

Rev. David H Wheaton ~ Principal
Oakhill Anglican Theological College ~ London, England

Rt. Rev. Maurice A. P. Wood ~ Bishop
Chaplain to Her Majesty the Queen ~ Norwich, England

North American Overview Committee

Two large meetings of the North American Overview Committee met at Nashville and Chicago in 1975 to assist in preparing guidelines for the NKJV. Nearly all felt that the project was worthy of the time, money, and effort that would be invested. Members of this committee included:

Rev. Porter L. Barrington ~ Evangelist, Author
World Witness Evangelism ~ Thousand Oaks, California

Dr. Batsell Barrett Baxter ~ (Deceased)
David Lipscomb College ~ Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. B. Clayton Bell ~ Sensor Minister
Highland Park Presbyterian Church ~ Dallas, Texas

Rev. D. Stuart Briscoe ~ Senior Pastor
Elmbrook Church ~ Waukesha, Wisconsin

Dr. Kenneth L. Chafin ~ Pastor
South Main Baptist Church ~ Houston, Texas

Dr. J. Richard Chase ~ President
Wheaton College ~ Wheaton, Illinois

Dr. Robert Coleman ~ Professor of Evangelism
Asbury Theological Seminary ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr. Cortez Cooper ~ Senior Pastor
Christ Presbyterian Church ~ Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. W. A. Criswell ~ Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church ~ Dallas, Texas

Mary C. Crowley ~ Founder, President
Home Interiors & Gifts. Inc. ~ Dallas, Texas

Millie Dienert ~ World Prayer Fellowship
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rev. Truman E. Dollar ~ Pastor
Kansas City Baptist Temple ~ Kansas City, Missouri

Dr. Leo Eddleman ~ Old Testament Semitic Languages
Criswell Center for Biblical Studies ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Jerry Falwell ~ Evangelist, Pastor
Thomas Road Baptist Church ~ Lynchburg, Virginia

Rt. Rev. Peter E. Gillquist ~ Author, Lecturer, Bishop
Isla Vista, California

Rev. William S. Glass ~ President
Bill Glass Evangelistic Association ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Ben Haden ~ Radio and TV Speaker, Pastor
First Presbyterian Church ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dr. Richard Halverson ~ Chaplain. U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C.

Rev. Marlin C. Hardman ~ Pastor
Covenant Community Church ~ Falls Church, Virginia

Dr. A. V. Henderson ~ Pastor
Temple Baptist Church ~ Detroit, Michigan

Dr. Howard C. Hendricks ~ Chairman, Christian Education Department
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. E. V. Hill ~ Pastor
Mt. Zion Baptist Church ~ Los Angeles, California

Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs ~ Pastor Emeritus
Southern Baptist Convention ~ Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

David L. Hofer ~ President, Manager
National Religious Broadcasters ~ Dinuha, California

Dr.. Donald E. Hoke ~ Senior Pastor
Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church ~ Knoxville, Tennessee

Dr. Warren C. Hultgren ~ Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church ~ Tulsa, Oklahoma

Dr. John J. Hurt, Jr. ~ Editor Emeritus
Baptist Standard ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Curtis Hutson ~ President
Sword of the Lord ~ Murfreesboro, Tennessee

Dr. James T. Jeremiah ~ Chancellor
Cedarville College ~ Cedarville, Ohio

Dr. L. C. Johnson ~ President Emeritus
Free Will Baptist Bible College ~ Nashville, Tennessee

Dr. Rufus Jones ~ Editor
International Literature Foundation ~ Wheaton, Illinois

Dr. D. James Kennedy ~ Senior Minister
Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church ~ Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Dr. Jay Kesler ~ President
Youth for Christ. Inc. U.S.A. ~ Wheaton, Illinois

Rev. Charles W. Keysor ~ Associate Professor in Christian Journalism
Asbury College ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr Tim F. LaHaye ~ President
Family Life Seminars ~ El Cajon, California

Dr. Harold Lindsell ~ Editor Emeritus
Christianity Today ~ Laguna Hills, California

Rev. Craig Massey ~ Author, Lecturer
Des Plainest, Illinois

Dr. Duke K. McCall ~ President
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ~ Louisville, Kentucky

Dr. David L. McKenna ~ President
Asbury Theological Seminary ~ Wilmore, Kentucky

Dr. J. Robertson McQuilken ~ President
Columbia Bible College ~ Columbia, South Carolina

Donald S. Meredith ~ President
Christian Family Life ~ Little Rock, Arkansas

Dr. Jess C. Moody ~ Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church ~ Van Nuys, California

Dr. W. Stanley Mooneyham ~ Director
World Vision International ~ Monrovia, California

Dr. Henry Morris ~ Director
Institute for Creation Research ~ El Cajon, California

Dr. Clyde M. Narramore ~ President, Director
Narramore Christian Foundation ~ Rosemead, California

Dr. Harold J. Ockenga ~ President Emeritus
Gordon-Conwall Theological Seminary ~ South Hamilton, Massachusetts

Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie ~ Senior Pastor
First Presbyterian Church ~ Hollywood, California

Rev. Luis Palau ~ Founder
Luis Palau Evangelistic Association ~ Portland, Oregon

Dr. Donald B. Patterson ~ Senior Minister
First Presbyterian Church ~ Jackson, Mississippi

Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost ~ Professor of Bible Exposition
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Robert E. Picirilli ~ Academic Dean
Free Will Baptist Bible College ~ Nashville, Tennessee

Matthew S. Prince ~ President
New Life, Inc. ~ Knoxville, Tennessee

Dr. Earl D. Radmacher ~ President, Professor of Systematic Theology
Western Conservative Baptist Seminary ~ Portland, Oregon

Dr. Walter B. Roehrs ~ Professor Emeritus of Old Testament
Concordia Seminary ~ St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. Adrian P. Rogers ~ Senior Pastor
Bellevue Baptist Church ~ Memphis, Tennessee

Dr. Harlin J. Roper ~ President
Evangelical Projects ~ Dallas, Texas

Dr. Samuel Schultz ~ Professor Emeritus, Wheaton College
Board of Trustees, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Lexington, Massachusetts

Dr. Richard H. Seume ~ Chaplain
Dallas Theological Seminary ~ Dallas, Texas

Rev. Jack R. Taylor ~ President
Dimensions in Christian Living ~ Fort Worth, Texas

Dr. Arthur Joseph Temple ~ Pastor
Abilene Bible Church ~ Abilene, Texas

Howard Edwin Timmons ~ Director, Seminarist
Maximum Life Communications ~ Corona del Mar, California

Dr, Elmer Towns ~ Dean, Professor of Systematic Theology
Liberty Baptist Seminary ~ Lynchburg, Virginia

Rev. Nathaniel A. Urshan ~ General Superintendent
United Pentecostal Church ~ Hazelwood, Missouri

Dr. Abe C. Van Der Puy ~ Chairman of the Board
World Radio Missionary ~ Fellowship, Inc. ~ Opa Locka, Florida

Dr. John Wesley White ~ The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Willowdale, Ontario, Canada

Rev. Bruce H. Wilkinson ~ President
Walk Through the Bible ~ Ministries, Inc. ~ Smyrna, Georgia

Dr. John W. Williams ~ Pastor
St. Stephen Baptist Church ~ Kansas City, Missouri

Dr Thomas F. Zimmerman ~ General Superintendent
The General Council of the Assemblies of God ~ Springfield, Missouri

The Nashville Convocation

The Nashville Convocation of August 13th and 14th, 1984, consisted of two groups.

The larger group was composed of distinguished Christian leaders whose counsel was sought on proposed finishing touches to the New King James Version after it had been in print for two years.

Most of the smaller group, the translators, had already been active in the production of the NKJV, but two eminent New Testament scholars, Dr. Borland and Professor Hodges were invited to join this select group.

New King James Bible Review Committee

Dr. Paul Afford ~ President
Toccoa Falls College

Dr. Bill Bright ~ President
Campus Crusade for Christ International

Mrs. Jill Briscoe
Author, Lecturer

Rev. Joseph Brown ~ Director, Speaker
Grace Memorial Hour

Dr. Harold Buls ~ Professor of Exegetical Theology
Concordia Theological Seminary

*Dr. Richard Chase ~ President
Wheaton College

Mrs. Evelyn Christenson ~ Chairperson
United Prayer Ministries

*Dr. Robert Coleman ~ Chairman: School of World Mission and Evangelism
Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Dr Billie Friel ~ Pastor: First Baptist Church
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee

Mr. Alan George ~ President
Child Evangelism Fellowship

*Ben Haden ~ Pastor, Speaker
First Presbyterian Church ~ Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dr. Jack Hayford ~ Senior Pastor: The Church on the Way
Van Nuys, California

*Dr. E. V. Hill ~ Senior Pastor: Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Los Angeles, California

*Dr. Herschel H. Hobbs ~ Pastor Emeritus: First Baptist Church
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Dr Peter Kreeft ~ Professor of Philosophy
Boston College

Dr Billy Melvin ~ Executive Director
National Association of Evangelicals

Dr. Stephen Offord ~ President
Encounter Ministries, Inc.

*Dr. Earl Radmacher ~ President
Western Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Charles C. Ryrie ~ Author, Lecturer

Dr. R. C. Sproul ~ President
Ligonier Valley Study Center

Dr. Charles Stanley ~ Pastor: First Baptist Church
Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. George Sweeting ~ President
Moody Bible Institute

*Dr. Howard (Tim) Timmons ~ Pastor: South Coast Community Church
Newport Beach, California

Mrs. Juleen Turnage ~ Secretary of Information
General Council of the Assemblies of God

Dr. Paul Van Gorder ~ Teacher, Lecturer
Radio Bible Class

Dr. Jack Wyrtzen ~ Founder, Director
Word of Life Fellowship

*Dr. Thomas Zimmerman ~ General Superintendent
General Council of the Assemblies of God

*Participants marked with an asterisk were also members of the North American Overview Committee.

New King James Translation Committee

Dr. Arthur L. Farstad ~ Executive Editor
New King James Version

Dr. James D. Price ~ Chairman
Old Testament Translation Committee
New King James Version

Dr. William H. McDowell ~ English Editor
New King James Version

*Dr. James Borland ~ Professor of Theology and Bible
Liberty Baptist Seminary

Dr. D. David Garland ~ Professor of Old Testament
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dr. Paul R. Gilchrist ~ Professor of Biblical Studies
Covenant College

Dr R. K. Harrison ~ Emeritus Professor of Old Testament
Wycliffe College ~ University of Toronto

*Prof. Zane C. Hodges ~ Professor of New Testament Literature and Exegesis
Dallas Theological Seminary

Dr G. Herbert Livingston ~ Chairman, Division of Biblical Studies
Asbury Theological Seminary

Dr Alfred Martin ~ Professor of Bible
Dallas Bible College

Dr. Harry Sturz ~ Professor of Greek
Biola College

Dr. Curtis Vaughan ~ Professor of New Testament
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

*Dr. Borland and Prof. Hodges joined the New King James Translation Committee after the first printing of the NKJV had been available for two years. The other scholars listed here participated from the 1970's on. The Convocation was chaired by the Executive Editor.

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