It's good to see you're still in the game
@David Lamb.
Not here in the UK. The KJV here is published under what is known as "Crown Copyright."
In the UK, the publishing of the Authorized (King James) Version of the Bible is governed by Royal
Letters Patent rather than standard copyright law.
There are fundamental differences between a “
copyright” and a “
letters patent."
Copyright: "The legal protection given to
authors and artists to prevent reproduction of
their work without
their consent. The
owner of a copyright has the exclusive right to print, reprint, publish, copy and sell the material covered by the copyright."
The New Standard Encyclopedia, volume 3, page 565.
LETTERS PATENT. The name of an instrument granted by the government to convey a right to the patentee; as, a patent for a tract of land; or to secure to him a right which he already possesses, as a patent for a new invention or discovery; Letters patent are a matter of record. They are so called because they are not sealed up, but are granted open. Vide Patent.
Bouvier's Dictionary of Law, 1856.
A Letters Patent is about
preservation; a copyright is about
restriction.
So this is how it plays out in the real world:
Obviously the KJB's crown patent is not the same as a copyright, as it was created before copyright laws. The proof is in the pudding, as anyone may reproduce the text, throughout the world, freely. God had his Bible done before the invention of the copyright. The crown patent simply related to the care and control of printing an accurate text back then and was overseen by the government which 'authorized' the text. That same government, although now liberal, still has the responsibility of guarding the veracity of the text within England. They have always allowed anyone in the world to print it, and consequently could never go back and change their mind and not allow this. Even if one wanted to say it had a copyright, that copyright would be null and void, because they have set the precedent of allowing it to be printed worldwide. One of the legal caveats about current 'copyright' law is that if you do not restrict people from printing your material, you lose your right to come back later and insist that they do. So either way, the KJB, as the word of God, unlike the modern copyrighted versions
of the KJB, is not bound.
God made certain that the historic English Bible (e.g. KJB) had the correct "equivalency"
long before copyright laws were created worldwide. He makes certain that the antique
Queen's Patent is
never enforced to curtail its spread in Great Britain.
Besides, godly commentators who did not use "modern versions" believed that Romans 13 is speaking of the civil authorities, which in that time meant the Roman Empire.
Many commentators believe many different things, much of it untrue.
The UK has various laws that apply to married people as you say. Do you mean that Christian married people should not sign a marriage certificate so that the government has no knowledge that they are married? That sounds like being deceitful, which cannot be right for a Christian.
That's a common question. The reason it "sounds like being deceitful" is because one now finds himself in a pickle, the consequence of trying to serve two masters. This is where most folks are today. Rather, believers have an obligation to resist - not to twist the scriptures into justification for compliance with an ungodly government. Compromising with temporal powers can never lead to redemption. Most "Christians" have accepted the unrighteous code of the State, instead of insisting that the State follow the Laws of Almighty God.
What believer would want to inform an unbelieving purported authority about the details of his Godly life?
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Cor. 6).
