Romans 5:1-2 "...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access BY FAITH into this grace wherein we stand..."

"By faith" is found in the Majority of all texts as well as Sinaiticus,C, most Old Latin copies, the Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta, Harkelian, Palestinian, Coptic Boharic, Armenian, Ethiopic, Georgian and Slavonic ancient versions. It is also in the RV, ASV, NASB, NIV, and ESV. However Vaticanus omits "by faith" and so do the RSV and the NRSV. So the revision and the revision of the revision omit the words "by faith", but then the revision of these (ESV) now has put it back in! Westcott and Hort put the words in brackets, but later in the 4th edition of the Nestle text they took away the brackets. But now in the 27th edition of the Nestle text they have once again put the brackets around the words, thus indicating doubt as to their authenticity.

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, WHO WALK NOT AFTER THE FLESH, BUT AFTER THE SPIRIT."

These last 10 words are found in the Majority of all remaining Greek manuscripts, several uncials (capital letter Greek mss.), Sinaiticus correction and some Old Latin copies, which predates anything we have in Greek. They are also found in the Syriac Harkelian, Georgian, and Slavonic ancient versions. It is also the reading of Wycliffe, Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops' Bible, the Geneva Bible, NKJV, Youngs, Amplified and the Hebrew Names Bible.

Codex Alexandrinus includes "who walk not after the flesh", but it omits "but after the Spirit", and so reads the Catholic Douay version 1950. However, later Catholic versions have removed these words and now match versions like the NASB, RSV, NIV.

Vaticanus, C, and the uncorrected Sinaiticus omit all of these words and so do the NASB, NIV, RSV, ESV, Holman, and Jehovah Witness versions.

Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made ME free from the law of sin and death."

"made ME free" is the reading of the Majority, A, C, D and is found in Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops, Geneva, the Revised Version 1881, ASV 1901, NIV 1984, NKJV 1982 , RSV 1952, Douay 1950, and the brand new ISV. However Vaticanus and Sinaiticus read: "made YOU free" and so do the NASB and the NRSV, ESV, Holman Standard, and the 2005 TNIV. Notice that the NASB is a revision of the American Standard Version, yet they do not agree with each other nor with the NIV. The TNIV now disagrees with the previous NIV, so I guess the Old NIV is now out of date. The NRSV, ESV are revisions of the RSV, and they don't agree with each other. The two latest evangelical Bible of the Month Club versions have now come out, and the 2003 Holman reads one way, with the new International Standard Version reading the other way. No new evidence was uncovered during this time; the scholars just change their minds every few years to keep you on your toes. Alter a few words and out comes a new ver$ion with the late$t in $cholar$hip.

Romans 8:26 "but the Spirit itself maketh intercession FOR US with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Again, FOR US is the reading of the Majority, C and Sinaiticus correction. Vaticanus, A and Westcott - Hort omit these words. The NIV includes them but the NASB, ASV have them in italics, as though they were added to the text. The NRSV 1989 completely omitted the words "for us", but they were included in the previous RSV, and are now found once again in the 2001 ESV and the Holman Standard.

Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

This is the reading of the Majority of Greek texts, C, D and Sinaiticus. It is also the reading of the RV, ASV, NRSV, NKJV, Holman Standard 2003, and the 2001 ESV.

However the "scholars" who "scientifically" put together the Nestles 26th edition of the Greek Critical text, follow the reading of Vaticanus and A by adding the word "God" a second time in this verse. In fact, the Nestle-Aland, Westcott-Hort, UBS critical texts have changed FOUR different times. When WH first came out they included the extra word [God] in italics. Later the 1934 4th edition Nestles omitted the word. Later the Nestles once again put it back in, and then finally the Nestles 27th edition took it back out again. Accordingly the NASB and the Jehovah Witness versions read: "And we know that GOD causes all things to work together for good to those who love GOD", while the NIV, TNIV and RSV have: "And we know that in all things GOD works for the good of those who love HIM." There is no text that reads as does the NIV, TNIV.

What is of interest here is that the newest Nestles 27th edition and the UBS 4th edition have gone back to the reading of the Majority and the one the King James Bible had all along. In other words, if you have a NASB or the NIV, they are no longer "up to date". Again, no new evidence has been uncovered in some cave somewhere, but the "scholars" have again changed their minds. Nothing is settled; everything is constantly evolving. They have revised their Greek texts in scores if not hundreds of places on the average of once every three and one half years for the past 120 years and will continue to do so.

Romans 8:34 "Who is he that condemneth? It is CHRIST that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

"It is CHRIST that died" is the reading of the Majority, D and Vaticanus. However Sinaiticus, A and C add the word JESUS, so that the NASB, NIV, ESV, RSV read: "it is CHRIST JESUS that died." Notice that in this verse Sinaiticus differs from Vaticanus, yet the new versions seem to side with A and C and this pushes them over to that reading. However in this same verse both A and C and Sinaiticus correction all add the words "FROM THE DEAD" (ek nekroon) after "it is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again (from the dead). Yet the NASB, NIV and ESV do not follow the very manuscripts they adopted in the first part of this verse for the reading which adds JESUS. The J.W. version and the RSV both do follow Sinaiticus correction, A and C and read: "Christ JESUS that is raised again FROM THE DEAD." If all this seems confusing, that's because it is.

Romans 8:35 "Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST?"

CHRIST again is the reading of the Majority of all Greek manuscripts and C and D. The NASB, NIV and ESV this time follow the KJB reading, but it should be noted that of the "oldest and best" that are used to omit literally thousands of words from the New Testament of the King James Bible, Sinaiticus reads "love of GOD" instead of "love of Christ", and Vaticanus has "love of GOD which is in CHRIST JESUS", and the NASB footnote informs us that "some ancient manuscripts read GOD".

Romans 15:19 "Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the SPIRIT OF GOD...I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."

Textually speaking, this is a very interesting verse in that it reveals a great deal about the mindset of the men behind the multitude of conflicting modern versions. The reading of "the Spirit OF GOD" is that of the Majority of all texts, including Sinaiticus and P46, which is about 200 years older than Vaticanus. "Spirit of GOD" (pneumatos theou) is found in Tyndale, Geneva, KJB, NKJV, and Lamsa's translation of the Syriac Peshitta. The modern versions of the NRSV, ESV, ISV, and the upcoming Holman Christian Standard all read "Spirit of GOD", just as the King James Bible.

When Westcott and Hort first came out with their totally revised Greek text in the 1881 Revised Version, their text read: "power of the HOLY SPIRIT" (pneumatos hagiou) and so read the Revised Version, ASV, and the RSV of 1952.

I have in my possession three different Nestle-Aland Greek texts, which is basically the Westcott-Hort text that underlies most modern versions since 1881. All three of these are different here in Romans 15:19. The one from 1934 (4th edition) says: HOLY Spirit. The one dated 1962 changed this to simply "the SPIRIT", thus omitting "Holy" and "God". This reading comes from only one manuscript and that is Vaticanus. The NASB and the NIV both follow only one Greek manuscript here and read: "through the power of the SPIRIT".

Then sometime between the 1962 edition and the 1993 edition, the Nestle-Aland text changed for the third time and now reads: "the Spirit OF GOD", as has the King James Bible for almost 400 years now. We can clearly see here the constantly changing opinions of the noted scholars behind the modern versions.

Here is a brief chart showing the conflicting readings of just this one phrase.

"power of the SPIRIT OF GOD" - KJB, NKJV, NRSV, ESV, ISV, Holman

"power of the HOLY SPIRIT" - RV, ASV, RSV

"power of the SPIRIT" - NASB, NIV

Romans 16:24 "THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU ALL. AMEN."

This entire verse is found in the Majority of all texts, as well as the Old Latin, the Syriac, and all English Bibles from Wycliffe to Tyndale and the Geneva Bible. Vaticanus and Sinaiticus omit this entire verse and so do the RV, RSV, NIV, and ESV. However though the NASB omitted the verse from 1960 to 1972, in 1977 and again in 1995 the NASB now includes the verse in its text and so does the 2003 Holman Christian Standard Version, but the ISV does not. So I guess we can all confidently rest in the findings of our present day noted scholars, huh?

1 Corinthians 4:17 "...Timotheus...shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in CHRIST, as I teach every where in every church."

Here the word "Christ" stands alone in the Majority and Vaticanus. So read the NKJV, NASB, RSV, and ESV. However Sinaiticus add the word 'Jesus' and so the NIV, NRSV, ISV and Holman say: "my ways which are in CHRIST JESUS."

We will see a whole lot more of this type of thing in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ because Sinaiticus and Vaticanus both differ from each other numerous times. In fact, already in 1 Corinthians Vaticanus omits "Christ" in 1:7 and 10, while Sinaiticus includes it. In 2:16 Vaticanus reads "the mind of THE LORD", while Sinaiticus has "the mind of CHRIST." In 5:4 "In the name of our Lord Jesus CHRIST", Vaticanus omits "Christ" and so do most modern versions, but "Christ" is found in the Majority, Sinaiticus and the oldest one we have which is P46.

1 Corinthians 5:5 "that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord JESUS." Here the word "Jesus" again is in the Majority and Sinaiticus, and so read the KJB, NASB, RV and ASV. However Vaticanus omits the word "Jesus" and so do the NIV, NRSV, ESV and the ISV.

1 Corinthians 10:9 "Neither let us tempt CHRIST, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents."

This verse is typical of the tossed to and fro by every wave methods of modern scholarship. CHRIST is the reading of the Majority of texts, as well as P46 which predates Sin/Vat by 150 years. The RV, ASV, NASB, NIV follow Sinaiticus and Vaticanus here and say: "Neither let us tempt THE LORD" (RV). The Nestle-Aland text originally read "the Lord" but more recent editions have gone back to reading "Christ". In fact, the NRSV, ESV and Holman now read as the KJB with "neither let us tempt CHRIST", but the ISV still reads " the Lord".

1 Corinthians 13:3 This is another head slapper. "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body TO BE BURNED, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

The reading of "give my body TO BE BURNED" is in the Majority text, C, D, Syriac Peshitta, Old Latin, Armenian, and Ethiopic ancient versions. The Nestle-Aland text originally read "to be burned" and so also read the RV, ASV, RSV, NASB, NIV, Holman and ESV. However Sinaiticus and Vaticanus read: "though I give my body THAT I MAY BOAST,...it profits me nothing." The latest Nestle-Aland Greek texts have changed once again and now have "that I may boast" and so read the NRSV and the ISV.

If you think the Vaticanus manuscript is the best to follow here, you should take note of the fact that in 13:5, just two verses later, instead of reading "charity...seeketh not her own", Vaticanus reads: "charity does not seek that which is NOT her own". As for Sinaiticus, among many other blunders, in 1 Cor. 15:51 instead of saying: "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" Sinaiticus actually says: "we shall sleep but we shall not all be changed." These are the "oldest and most reliable manuscripts" the modern sholars are so fond of.

Here are the details on the Vaticanus rendering of:

1 Cor 15:54-55 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in VICTORY. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy VICTORY?

         There is a minor difference in the Greek between the word of victory and the word for controversy. The Greek word "nikos" means victory whereas "neikos" means controversy. The difference between the two Greek words is just the letter 'e'.

         Vaticanus has neikos (controversy) and the TR has nikos (victory). Just to show it wasn't an inadvertent typo (before they had typewriters) Vaticanus makes the blunder TWICE in a row in verses 54 and 55, virtually contradicting itself while disagreeing with the KJB and common sense at the same time.

1 Cor 15:54 ... Death is swallowed up in CONTROVERSY. 55 O grave, where is your CONTROVERSY?

         We don't have to take the opinions of biased KJV proponents. The Alexandrian supporters themselves admit it readily:

Bruce M. Metzger, The Text Of The New Testament, 3rd Edition, p 191. -

"This kind of error, which is commonly called itacism, accounts for several extremely odd mistakes present in otherwise good manuscripts. For example, in 1 Cor. xv. 54 the statement 'Death is swallowed up in victory (nikos)' appears in P46 and B as 'Death is swallowed up in conflict (neikos)'."

Kurt & Barbara Aland, The Text Of The New Testament, p 286. - "The sounds ei and i were also identical: in 1 Cor. 15:54-55 P46 B D 088 twice read neikos for nikos, so that death is swallowed up by controversy instead of victory, and the question is asked where the controversy of death is."

         Of course, what the textual critics fail to divulge is that both B and Aleph and P46 are literally bursting at the seams with itacisms and outright gross misspellings, along with all their other manifest inaccuracies.

         One wonders how an educated man who realizes that a text contains "several extremely odd mistakes" could consider it an "otherwise good text". If it wasn't for the odd fact of all the people he killed, Al Capone might have been an otherwise nice guy.

        That's not all. 1 Cor 15:54 is supposed to be a quotation of Isa 25:8. It's one of the verses the LXX proponents think shows the New Testament quotes from an already-existing Greek Old Testament. Let's look at that verse:

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces ...

        The Vaticanus LXX (from Brenton's LXX) renders the first part of that verse: Isa 25:8 Death has prevailed and swallowed men up ...

        In the LXX, DEATH WINS! Death (and the grave) gets the victory over us and over Jesus Christ. DEATH swallows us up instead of death being swallowed up in victory. I guess that should be a controversy. What is not at controversy is the fact that the modern versions turn the VICTORY of the KJB and Jesus Christ into CONTROVERSY and DEATH.

        It's a shame they have to kill trees to print those modern versions.

Second Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:12-14: "For our REJOICING is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in SIMPLICITY (haplotnti) and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our CONVERSATION in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward...(14) As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your REJOICING, even as ye also are ours in the day of THE Lord Jesus.”

There are several issues to be addressed in these two verses; some are translational and others are textual.

First of all, the word "simplicity" is found in the Majority of all texts, D, and Sinaiticus correction, as well as the Old Latin and the Syriac. It is the reading found in Wycliffe, Tyndale, Bishops's, Coverdale, the Geneva Bible, Darby, Young's, Douay, the Spanish Reina Valera, and the Complete Jewish Bible 1998.

It is also the reading of the newer Nestle-Aland Greek text and of the NKJV, NRSV, TNIV 2005, and the 2001 ESV. The ISV has tried to combine the earlier and the newer reading by saying "pure motives", but no Greek text actually says this.

The older Nestle-Aland Greek critical texts used to read “that in HOLINESS” (hagiotnti) following Vaticanus and Alexandrinus, and so read the RV, ASV, NIV, NASB, and RSV. The Holman Christian Standard also continues to follow this older reading in spite of the fact that the newer Greek texts (UBS 4TH edition, and Nestle 27th) have gone back to the KJB reading. So, apparently once again the NASB, NIV and Holman are now out of date with “the latest in scholarly findings” yada, yada, yada.

Notice that the new TNIV has rejected the previous NIV reading, and the ESV has rejected the previous RSV. Even Daniel Wallace's NET version has now adopted the reading found in the King James Bible, but his footnotes has one of the dumbest textual remarks I have ever seen. After arguing back and forth between these two different Greek words, he says: "This diversity of mss. provides excellent evidence for authenticity, but because of the internal evidence listed above, haplotnti (the KJB reading) is to be preferred, albeit only slightly." How in the world does diversity of manuscripts provide "excellent evidence for authenticity", and then one is to "prefer" one reading above another but "only slightly"? Is this the new double-minded, weak-kneed, milk-sop standard for the "authenticity" of the Bible?

As for the second textual difference, again we see the ever changing nature of the so called “art and science of textual criticism” in action. The vast Majority of all texts as well as P46, A, C and D read “THE Lord Jesus Christ”, whereas Sinaiticus and Vaticanus read “OUR Lord Jesus Christ”.

The older Nestle-Aland critical texts confidently put the word OUR in their text, but then later on the newer ones have now placed the word “our” in brackets.

The NASB and ESV read “OUR Lord Jesus”, but the RSV, NRSV, NIV, TNIV and NKJV read “THE Lord Jesus.” Daniel Wallace’s NET version also omits the word “our” and has gone back to the former KJB reading of “THE Lord Jesus”. He even notes: “It is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic. NA27 places the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.”

Actually, if a Christian blindly chooses to follow the ever changing modern critical text that is behind most versions such as the NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman and ISV versions, all they get is a text that is in constant flux and has HUNDREDS of words in BRACKETS indicating doubt as to its authenticity! This is the very nature of the beast and why more and more Christians no longer believe that any Bible in any language is the inspired and inerrant word of God.

For a more detailed study of the ridiculous folly called "the art and science of textual criticism" see the series beginning here: http://www.oocities.org/brandplucked/science.html

Are Pride and Boasting Christian Virtues?

One of the more serious and far reaching translational perversions found in most modern versions (NKJV, NIV, NASB, ESV, Holman) is to make Pride and Boasting into Christian virtues rather than the abomination that it really is.

2 Corinthians 1:12-14 - The King James Bible, as well as Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible, 1599, Mace’s N.T. 1729, Wesley’s translation 1755, Webster’s 1833, Lamsa’s 1936 translation of the Syriac, the KJV 21st Century version 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998 all read: “For our REJOICING is this, the testimony of our conscience...we have had our conversation in the world...we are your REJOICING, even as ye also are ours in the day of the Lord Jesus.”

(Side Note: A common complaint brought against the King James Bible by those who do not believe that ANY bible in any language is the complete and inerrant word of God is the use of this old word “conversation”. Even they themselves know perfectly well that it means “manner or life or pattern of living”, but they suggest we toss out the “archaic” King James Bible and use some other “new and improved” modern version, that not even they consider to be the inerrant word of God.

Not only does the Authorized King James Holy Bible use the word conversation in this way but so also do the following Bible versions: Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishop's Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, the Douay-Rheims Bible 1950, John Wesley's translation of the N.T. 1755, Darby's translation 1890, and Young's literal translation. Webster's 1833 translation also uses the word "conversation" in Philippians 3:20 as does the King James Bible and several others.)

For a further discussion on the use of the word “conversation” and why it is not at all an error in the King James Bible, please see: http://www.oocities.org/brandplucked/convers.html

Rejoicing or Boast?

However when we begin to read the “new and improved” modern versions we find a radical change in meaning - we go from “rejoicing” in what God has done in our lives and the lives of others to “reason to be proud” and “boasting”.

NKJV - “that WE ARE YOUR BOAST AS YOU ALSO ARE OURS, in the day of THE Lord Jesus. “

NIV - “YOU CAN BOAST OF US JUST AS WE WILL BOAST OF YOU in the day of THE Lord Jesus. “

NASB - “WE ARE YOUR REASON TO BE PROUD as you also are ours, in the day of OUR Lord Jesus.”

ESV - “on the day of our Lord Jesus YOU WILL BOAST OF US AS WE WILL BOAST OF YOU.”

NO, emphatically No. Nobody will be “boasting” or “proud” in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will all be flat on our faces in the dust where we belong and ALL the glory and praise will be His and His alone. For a further discussion of this change from "rejoicing" to "boast" see: http://www.oocities.org/brandplucked/rej-prid.html

The choice is clear. You can either stick with the King James Bible, which has a few “archaic” words that even its critics understand, and is The Bible God has used and honored above all others, and the only one seriously believed and defended as the true, complete and inerrant word of God, OR you can decide to go for the ever-changing, textually aberrant and doctrinally impure Bible of the Month Club versions that nobody believes are the inerrant and totally true words of God.

2 Corinthians 4:6 "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of JESUS Christ."

The word JESUS is found in the Majority of all texts, as well as Sinaiticus and P46. "the face of JESUS Christ" is found in the NKJV, RV, ASV, NRSV, ESV, ISV, and the Holman Standard. However Vaticanus omits the word "Jesus" and has only "Christ" and so read the NASB, NIV and the RSV. Again, the Nestle-Aland text continues to change. It used to omit the word "Jesus" but not they have put it back in their texts.

Galatians 1:15 "But when it pleased GOD, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,"

Here the word GOD (THEOS) is in the majority of all texts as well as Sinaiticus. "When it pleased GOD" is the reading of the NKJV, NIV, RV, ASV, NRSV, ISV, and the Holman Standard. Vaticanus, however, omits the word "God" and so the NASB from 1960 till 1977 read: "When HE was pleased...". But then in 1995 the NASB changed their version once again and it now reads "When God was pleased." For some strange reason, the ESV and the RSV still read "He" instead of "God". Again, the Nestle-Aland text used to say "He" but once again they changed it so that now the word "God" appears in their newer editions.

Galatians 4:28 "Now WE, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise." The word WE is in the majority of all texts as well as Sinaiticus, A, and C, and is the reading of the NKJV, Revised Version, American Standard Version, and the RSV. However, Vaticanus says YOU instead of WE, and so read the NIV, NASB, and the ESV.

There are several familiar verses where the names of our Saviour have been omitted from most modern versions. For instance, in Galatians 6:15 we read: "For IN CHRIST JESUS neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature."

The words "Christ Jesus" are in the majority of all texts, as well as Sinaiticus, A, C, and the Syriac Peshitta. They are found in the NKJV, Young's, Tyndale, Geneva Bible, Third Millenium Bible and several others. But because Vaticanus omits the words "Christ Jesus" the NASB, NIV, ESV, RSV omit them.

Galatians 6:17 says: "For I bear in my body the marks of the LORD Jesus" and this is the majority reading. Even Sinaiticus says "the Lord Jesus Christ", but Vaticanus omits the word "Lord" and so the RSV, NASB, NIV merely say: "I bear in my body the marks of Jesus."

Ephesians 3:9 - “And to make ALL MEN see what is the FELLOWSHIP of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things BY JESUS CHRIST.”

In this one verse alone there are three different textual issues. The reading for “all men” is found in the majority of all texts including P46, Sinaiticus correction, Vaticanus, C and D. It was omitted by Sinaiticus original and A.  

The NASB continues to omit the phrase “all men” as did the previous Westcott-Hort text and the previous Nestle-Aland text. However the total inconsistency in the ever changing “science” of textual criticism is seen in that the phrase “all men” is in the Revised Version, ASV, NIV, RSV, NRSV, ESV, and the Holman Standard. The latest Nestle-Aland text now includes the word for ‘all men’(panta) but in [brackets].

The NASB says: “and to bring to light (omits “all men”) what is the ADMINISTRATION (instead of “fellowship”) of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things.” (omits “by Jesus Christ”)

The second textual variant is between the words “fellowship” (koinonia) and another word usually translated as “administration” or “dispensation” (oikonomia) in many of the Westcott-Hort based versions like the Douay, the NASB, RSV, NIV, ESV and Holman.

The word for “fellowship” is a minority reading but it is found in Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, Geneva Bible 1599, Wesley 1755, Young’s, Websters, the NKJV, KJV 21st Century, Green’s 2000 ‘literal’ version, Luther’s 1545 German bible, the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, the Reina Valera 1858, Italian Diodati 1649, French Martin 1744, Ostervald 1996, and the Modern Greek New Testament used by the Greek Orthodox churches today.

John Calvin’s translation and commentary of Ephesians 3:9 also agrees with with the readings found in the King James Holy Bible. His Latin translation includes both “fellowship” of the mystery (communio mysterii) and “who created all things by Jesus Christ”. He comments: “What is the FELLOWSHIP of the mystery. The publication of the gospel is called a FELLOWSHIP, because it is the will of God that his purpose, which had formerly been hidden, shall now be shared by men.”

The third and perhaps most important textual change is in the phrase “God who created all things BY JESUS CHRIST”. The words “by Jesus Christ” are found in the majority of all texts as well as in Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops’ bible, the Geneva bible, Wesley, the NKJV, Youngs, Diodati, Luther, Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569 and the Reina Valera 1858 (though removed from the 1909, 1960 and 1995 revisions), French Martin and Ostervald, the Amplified version and again in the Modern Greek New Testament Scriptures used by the Orthodox churches throughout the world today.

The modern Westcott-Hort variations like the RV, ASV, NASB, NIV, RSV, ESV and Holman all omit these important words - “God who created all things BY JESUS CHRIST”. Sinaiticus originally omitted them, but a later scribe put them back in, but the Vaticanus copy omits them.

Philippians 1:14 "And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word *** without fear."

So read Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishops' bible, the Geneva Bible, Wesley, Young's, the NKJV 1982,the NRSV 1989, ESV 2001, Holman Standard 2003, Daniel Wallace's NET version, and even the 2005 TNIV. The Spanish Reina-Valera 1909-1995 as well as the modern Greek Bible also agree with the KJB reading - "to speak the word without fear."

The fickleness of the "art and science" of textual criticism is once again displayed in the handling of this verse. Both Vaticanus and Sinaiticus add extra words here, which are not found in the Majority of all texts, nor in the earlier P46. Vaticanus says "speak the word OF GOD". Westcott and Hort originally added them to their text. Later on the Nestle critical text (Nestle 4th edition 1934)still included the extra words "of God" right there in their printed text. However later on (Nestle-Aland 1962) they decided to but the words "tou Theou" in [brackets]. Oh, but wait! Now the latest Nestle-Aland Greek critical texts (27th edition) have removed them from their text and placed then at the bottom of the page in the footnotes. So, some of the more recent Bible of the Month Club versions like the ESV 2001, the Holman Standard 2003, NET and the 2005 Todays NIV. I guess the old NIV, along with the ASV, RSV, and NASB, is now out of date "according to "the latest findings" yada, yada, yada".

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through CHRIST which strengtheneth me." The word "Christ" is the majority reading and is found in the Syriac Peshitta and Sinaiticus correction. But Vaticanus omits "Christ" and so the NASB, NIV, ESV etc. read: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

Colossians 1:2 "Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father,AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST." This is the majority reading as well as Sinaiticus and the Syriac Peshitta. But Vaticanus omits "and the Lord Jesus Christ" and so do the NASB, NIV, ESV.

Colossians 3:4 "When Christ, who is OUR life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

"OUR life" is the majority reading as well as Vaticanus and so read the NKJV, NASB, RV, ASV and the RSV. But Sinaiticus reads: "Christ, who is YOUR life" and thus read the NIV, NRSV, and the ESV. Again, the Nestle-Aland text used to read "our life" but again they later changed it to "your life".

Colossians 3:6 "For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh ON THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE."

"on the children of disobedience" is the Majority reading and that of Sinaiticus. It is found in the RV, ASV, NRSV, ISV and Holman. It is also now in the latest Nestle-Aland Greek text. However the previous Nestle texts omitted this phrase and the versions that continue to omit this phrase are the NASB, NIV, RSV, and the ESV. Consistency is not their strong point, is it?

Colossians 4:15 "Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church that is in HIS house."

Some modern versions tell us Nymphas was a "she" rather than a "he". For an amusing and very well done article on this verse, I highly recommend an article done by my good friend Marty Shue. He deals with the textual issues and does it in a very interesting manner. See his article at http://www.AVDefense.com/nymphas.html