The Mandela Effect and Bible Correction

The Mandela effect, a phenomenon in which people recall something in a way it either: 1) didn't happen or 2) it never was. There are many such Mandela effects in Christianity. One of the most known is the term “the lion and the lamb.” Such a statement has never been in the Bible, yet it is a very common phrase within Christianity. The correct phrase is "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb" (Isaiah 11:6).

A project called the "The KJV Restoration Project" claims that the KJV has been corrupted by so-called "supernatural changes." They state that they are using "the evidence posted on the Amos 8 website"¹ (amos8.org). Originally, in July of 2023, I published a now-privated YouTube video titled "The KJV - Part 6: The Bible and the Mandela Effect" in which I covered this very topic. The Amos 8 (who also started The KJV Restoration Project) website updated their website to say:

"Proof that the Mandela effect on the Bible is real. But it's not really the Mandela effect! It's Bible prophecy being fulfilled."²

Whether they added this due to my video or not (I assume not since my video went down before they updated the site), the truth is they claim it is biblical prophecy. Let's check this out. According to this website (which The KJV Restoration Project is based upon), Amos 8:11 is their basis.

"¶ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:" (Ibid.)

They claim that this passage, which speaks of people not being able to find God's Word, refers to words literally disappearing and being replaced due to some sort of supernatural cause. They claim:

"As a matter of fact, most recently people have started noticing many of their favorite bible verses mysteriously changing in not only the King James, but in the other versions and languages. Even many scriptural manuscripts and works of literature throughout history have changed."² 

Notice something: they want us to believe that the Words of the Lord just disappeared and that other works of history have been changed in conjunction with the Bible being changed. Ironically, the way that these changed words are found is primarily through literature from history. This is important because they then claim that the phrase "wear out" in Daniel 7:25 didn't exist at the time of the King James Bible (despite the fact the 1611 edition says "weare out"). Even Shakespeare used this phrase in his play The Two Gentlemen of Verona.³

Daniel 7:25 in the 1611

Now, when one puts blinders on (like person(s) behind this website), you can see that historically the phrase did exist but write it off as being changed by Satan or a demonic force. But I have a question: Even if we grant you your interpretation of Amos 8:11-12, where does it say that historical works would be changed? It's simply not there, thus they're adding to the text of Scripture.

The KJV Restoration Project website says: "I prefer to get at least 7 clear residue proofs, before I say they are a definite change."¹ These "proofs" being referred to are videos and/or transcribed sermons that use a "different reading" from that found in the KJV. In all the cases this person(s) provides, it is either: 1) the Mandela effect—that is, people misremembering the exact wording of a passage or 2) people reading too fast and misreading the verse(s). Now that we've seen their argument, let's look at some of their changes.

Numbers 23:22: "God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn." Change: "unicorn" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "wild ox"

1 Samuel 20:40: "And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city." Changed: "artillery" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "bow and arrows"

Job 14:1: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Changed: "Man that is born of a woman is of few days" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "Man’s days are few"

Ecclesiastes 10:19: "¶ A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things." Changed: "but money answereth all things" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "and money provideth every pleasure"

 

Isaiah 1:25: "¶ And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:" Changed: "tin" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "sin"

Isaiah 11:6: "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them." Changed: "wolf" (1611, 1638, 1714, 1762, PCE) to "lion"

Does it make more sense that a random reading just appeared out of nowhere in some seven sermons in the 1800s is the original reading or that the reading that has been there since the KJV's inception (and persisted throughout its editions) would be its correct reading?

 

These are just a couple of the changes they've made. One may argue it's minor, but a change is a change! I want the true Words of God! Their argument requires that Satan/some other demonic force can somehow change ink on a written page, change characters in digital files, and can persevere over the LORD who promised to keep His Word (Psalm 12:6-7, Matthew 5:18). It doesn't sound like they believe God preserved His Word very well if Satan has power over it! Don’t blame the Bible for not matching your memory, blame your memory for not matching the Bible.

Several of these misquotations being used as "proof" of supernatural changes come from before the time of Strong's Concordance (which came out in 1890). People would have had to rely on their memory of a specific passage. Man is fallible, therefore sometimes we will make errors in quotation. Man's memory is not above the Bible.

The KJV Restoration Project says (in essence), “The King James Bible is corrupted, so we must rely on some obscure extra-biblical sources to ‘fix’ the Bible.” Doesn’t that sound a lot like the textual critics? They say something similar: “The Bible has been corrupted so we must rely on obscure manuscripts to ‘fix’ the text.” Don't fall for this ploy of Satan.

Sources:
1. "About." The KJV Restoration Project, kjvrestore.org/?page_id=277. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

2. "Welcome." Amos8.org, amos8.org. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

3. "The Two Gentlemen of Verona: Full Text." The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, shakespeare.mit.edu/two_gentlemen/full.html. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.