Q
In 1 John 2:17 if “passeth away” (KJV) is in the present tense, how is this different than the present tense participle in the NKJV, “is passing away”?

A
In the present tense there are three forms: simple (passeth), continuous (is passing), and emphatic (does pass away). The “eth” in the King James Version designates present, continuous, or repetitive action. Note the inconsistency in the New King James. “Abide” and “abideth,” in the very same verse, is not changed. So my question is, why are not New King James translators consistent, saying “is passing,” “is doing,” “is abiding”? The “is passing” in the New King James allows for the New Age notion of entropy, a progressive slowing down of things. This conflicts with 2 Peter 3:10 which says, “The elements shall melt with fervent heat.” This is a sudden dissolution of the world. New versions often give voice to some of the new scientific notions, like the theory of “ages.”