Many believers probably receive a short bias article alerting them that there are almost sixty-five thousand words removed from our modern-day Bible versions like Jehovah, calvary, Holy Ghost and omnipotent just to mention some especially in the widely read New International Version.
Modern-day versions have been accused of deleting "forty-five complete verses" altogether labeling them as "missing verses.?"
Modern-day Bible versions like the New International Version (NIV), English Standard Version (ESV), and New American Standard Bible (NASB) were not spared. This very short article even accused two prominent and respected Christian publishers namely Zondervan and Thomas Nelson of compromising the Christian faith by partnering with Harper-Collins, a secular publication responsible for reprinting literatures against Christianity, that is, The Satanic Bible (1969 Avon Books) and promoting homosexuality through a book titled The Joy of Gay Sex (1977 HarperResource).
Are these valid reasons to give up the modern versions of the Bible today? Where is the news coming from? What is the purpose of the article?
This is propaganda aimed to promote the King James Version.
Many of these arguments have been refuted several years ago in many lectures and formal debates by known biblical scholars namely Dr. James White, Dr. Daniel Wallace, Dr. D. A. Carson, and many more.
The unscholarly article was written by a King James Only advocate and proponent of Peter Ruckman, Samuel Gipp, Dr. D. A. Waite, and Gail Riplinger whose sole purpose is to remove all modern-day Bible versions from the hand of every believer but the King James Version.
Their works did not escape the notice and careful scrutiny of many biblical scholars and serious researchers which leads them to write several scholarly books and articles to respond and refute like, The King James Controversy (Dr. James White), The King James Version Debate (Dr. D.A. Carson), The King James Only Debate (Dr. John Ankerberg & Dr. John Weldon), An AJA Review of the New Age Bible Versions (Bob & Gretchen Passantino), and others.
Many biblical scholars carefully translated the ancient biblical languages into our modern-day languages that can be easily understood by laypeople. Unfortunately, the first manuscripts written by the apostles were no longer with us. However, before the manuscripts became extinct many scribes in Alexandria, Byzantium (Constantinople), West (Rome), and Caesarea (Jerusalem) volunteered to copy the original manuscripts to maintain their circulation from one church to another. Even though it is difficult to assure an exact copy of the original manuscript by one scribe due to the possibility of human error there are still thousands of manuscripts to compare so faithfulness to the originals can be achieved.
Many critics would question the accuracy of the Bible versions we have in our possession. Surprisingly, they are willing to accept the trustworthiness of such works like Homer's Iliad with only 643 manuscripts. But they try to undermine the fact that there are currently 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts and 300 of those can be found in the National Library of Greece.
These manuscripts are not fully identical to each other because of minor differences that we call variants. There are approximately 400,000 variants. Approximately one to two percent only of these variants affect the meaning of the text. While ninety-eight percent of these variants could be differences in spelling or words due to unintentional Scribal error, word pronunciation while dictating, or word order. These variants have not affected the soundness of the Christian teaching about the Trinity, Christ, salvation, church, among others. Some of the "missing texts" fall under these variants.
The missing texts are not to be understood as withholding the truth from Bible readers rather as awareness that such verses cannot be found in the earliest Greek manuscripts of the New Testament.
One rule of the thumb amongst Greek scholars is the closer the manuscript to the original writings the more reliable it is.
Sadly, several King James Only advocates are not after trustworthiness and accuracy but with an agenda of placing the said version up on the pedestal making them guilty of bibliolatry.
Some facts that you need to consider are the following:
a. "Quoniam tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in caelo: Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus Sanctus: et hi tres unum sunt." - A passage inserted by Jerome in his Latin Vulgate (AD 383-405).
b. "For there are three that beare record in heauen, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost: and these three are one." - The translators of King James followed the Textus Receptus in their King James Bible of 1611 (Authorized Version).
c. "the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are into the one." - This is how it is written in the earliest Greek manuscripts therefore giving credibility and accuracy on the renderings of our modern-day Bible versions.
Of course, we are not limited to 1 John 5:7 in proving the Trinity doctrine but there are still various passages that support this doctrine like Gen. 1:26; Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 13:14, etc.
First, there are thousands of variants found in many Greek manuscripts. The seventeen omitted texts in the modern Bible versions do not mean a conspiracy theory but rather to inform us that these verses cannot be found in the earliest family of manuscripts. The more early the manuscripts, the more reliable it will be.
The very latest Greek manuscript which is the Bodmer Papyri in 1955 is not available for the King James Bible of 1611 translators. In reality, they are not really "missing" because many of them are still found in the footnote of modern Bible versions.
Second, it's true that Zondervan and Thomas Nelson publishing houses became part of HarperCollins, but this doesn't mean they've compromised for that would be an unfair judgment. It's good to know that HarperCollins step in to acquire the two Christian publications since the former has a much wider reach than the latter. As long as these publications stand strongly on their conviction this move will surely advance the Gospel of Christ more in different parts of the world. The HarperCollins may have printed such books as The Satanic Bible and The Joy of Gay Sex in the past but what's more important today is preaching the Gospel of Christ as Paul wrote,
But whether or not their motives are pure, the fact remains that the message about Christ is being preached, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. - Phil. 1:18, New Living Translation
Any story sounds true until someone sets the record straight. - Prov. 18:17, New Living Translation
So once you hear from some people or read an article regarding the alleged "missing verses" you are now in the position to educate them because they are usually uninformed about the real story behind.
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