"Science" of Textual Criticism - 1 and 2 Thessalonians - Philemon.
First Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1:1 and the dubious "science" of textual criticism.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 KJB - “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.”
ESV (NIV, NASB, NET, Holman, Jehovah Witness NWT, all Catholic versions) - “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.”
In 1 Thessalonians 1:1 all the words in capital letters "Grace unto you and peace FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST" have been entirely omitted by the NASB, NIV, RSV, Holman, NET, ESV and all Catholic versions because Vaticanus omits them.
Yet they are all found in Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, D as well as the majority of all texts. So once again, the so called “oldest and best manuscripts” are divided and do not agree with each other. Not even all “Critical Text” versions agree with each other, as we shall see in a moment.
ALL these words "from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" are found in Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, the Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza N.T. 1599, Mace N.T. 1729, Wesley's translation 1755, Worsley 1770, Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, the Thomson Bible 1808, The Revised Translation 1815, Living Oracles N.T. 1835, the Pickering N.T. 1840, the Longman Version 1841, the Morgan N.T. 1848, the Boothroyd Bible 1853, the Julia Smith Translation 1855, The Revised N.T. 1862, The Revised English Bible 1877, Young’s 1898, the Clarke N.T. 1913, Living Bible 1971, the NKJV 1982, Revised English Bible 1989 (a Critical text version), Third Millennium Bible 1998, Lamsa's 1933 translation of the Syriac Peshitta, The Word of Yah 1993, the Lawrie Translation 1998, The Koster Scriptures 1998, God’s First Truth 1999, The Last Days Bible 1999, The Tomson N.T. 2002, Apostolic Bible Polyglot Greek 2003, Green’s literal 2005, The Pickering N.T. 2005, A Conservative Version 2005, the Concordant Version 2006, Bond Slave Version 2009, the Jubilee Bible 2010, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, Online Interlinear 2010 (André de Mol), The Biblos Interlinear Bible 2011, The Far Above All Translation 2011, World English Bible 2012, The Voice 2012 (Critical Text version), The Hebraic Roots Bible 2012, The English Majority Text N.T. 2013, the ISV 2014 (International Standard Version, another Critical text version), The Hebrew Names Version 2014, The Modern Literal N.T. 2014 and the Modern English Version 2014.
Foreign Language Bibles
Among foreign language Bible that contain all these words are the Italian Diodati 1649 and La Nuova Diodati 1991 and Riveduta 2006 - "Paolo, Silvano e Timoteo, alla chiesa dei Tessalonicesi in Dio Padre e nel Signore Gesú Cristo: grazia a voi e pace da Dio nostro Padre e dal Signore Gesú Cristo.", the French Martin 1744, Ostervald 1996 and French Louis Segond 2007 - "que la grâce et la paix vous soient données de la part de Dieu notre Père et du Seigneur Jésus-Christ!", the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, Cipriano de Valera 1602, the Reina Valera 1909, 1960, 1995 - "Gracia y paz sean a vosotros, de Dios nuestro Padre y del Señor Jesucristo.", Luther's German bible 1545 and Schlachter Bible 2000 - "Gnade sei mit euch und Friede von Gott, unserm Vater, und dem HERRN Jesus Christus!", the Dutch Staten Vertaling Bible, Finnish Bible 1776, the Afrikaans Bible 1953, the Czech Kralicka Bible, the Hungarian Karoli Bible, the Polish Updated Gdansk Bible 2013, the Russian Synodal Bible, Smith & van Dyke’s Arabic Bible, the Romanian Fidela bible 2014 and The Tagalog Ang Salita ng Diyos Bible 1998 - “sa Diyos na ating Ama at mula sa Panginoong Jesucristo.”
and the Portuguese A Biblia Sagrada em Portugués, Almeida Corrigida 2009 AND even the NIV Portuguese edition of 1999! - Paulo, Silvano e Timóteo, à igreja dos tessalonicenses, em Deus Pai e no Senhor Jesus Cristo: A vocês, graça e paz da parte de Deus e de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo."
The Modern Greek Bible - “χαρις ειη υμιν και ειρηνη απο Θεου Πατρος ημων και Κυριου Ιησου Χριστου.”
And the Modern Hebrew Bible - פולוס וסלונוס וטימותיוס אל קהלת התסלוניקים באלהים האב ובאדון ישוע המשיח חסד לכם ושלום מאת אלהים אבינו ואדנינו ישוע המשיח׃
Even though the NIV English edition omits the words “FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.” yet the NIV in Portuguese, called Nova Versão Internacional 1999, includes them.
1 Tessalonicenses 1:1 Nova Versão Internacional 2000 -"Paulo, Silvano e Timóteo, à igreja dos tessalonicenses, em Deus Pai e no Senhor Jesus Cristo: A vocês, graça e paz DA PARTE DE DEUS E DE NOSSO SENHOR JESUS CRISTO.”
You can see it here -
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+1%3A1-2&version=NVI-PT
1 Thessalonians 2:7 King James Bible - "But we were GENTLE among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children."
NIV 1973, 1978 and 1984 editions - "but we were GENTLE among you, like a mother caring for her little children."
NIV 2011 edition -"Instead, we were like YOUNG CHILDREN among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children."
One of the silliest readings in the ever evolving Critical Text New Testament is found primarily in the Vaticanus manuscript in 1 Thessalonians 2:7. It is also found in several Old Latin mss. and a few others. Vaticanus says "we were BABES (νηπιοι) among you, as a nurse cares for her children."
The Ever Revolving Door of the "Science" of Textual Criticism
Westcott and Hort adopted this silly reading, but later editions of the Nestle-Aland Critical text (4th edition 1934 and 21st Nestle edition 1975) went back to "we were GENTLE (ηπιοι) among you."
Oh, but wait. Now the latest Nestle-Aland/UBS/Vatican critical texts to come down the pike have once again gone back to the reading of "we were BABES among you" (νηπιοι) This change is not due to any "new manuscript discoveries". They just changed their minds.....again!
The word for GENTLE is ηπιος and is only found 2 times in the N.T. Here and in 2 Timothy 2:24 "must not strive, but be GENTLE unto all men".
The word for "babes" or "children" is neepios (νηπιος) and is found 14 times in the Traditional Reformation texts. For example, "thou hast revealed them unto BABES" (Matthew 11:25), "Out of the mouth of BABES and sucklings" (Matthew 21:16), "When I was A CHILD, I spake as a CHILD" (1 Cor. 13:11) and "be no more CHILDREN tossed to and fro" (Ephesians 4:14).
1 Thessalonians 2:7 "But we were GENTLE among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children."
So read the Majority of all Greek texts as well as Alexandrinus and the corrections to Sinaiticus, C and D, as well as the Syriac Peshitta, Harclean, Armenian, Georgian and Slavonic ancient versions.
This is the reading found in Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, the Beza New Testament 1599, Wesley’s translation 1755, the Thompson Bible 1808, the Alford N.T. 1870, the Revised Version 1885, the ASV of 1901, Rotherham’s Emphasized bible 1902, Darby 1890, Young’s 1898, the Bible in Basic English 1960, the New English Bible 1979, the NASBs 1963 through 1995, the NIVs of 1973, 78 and 84 editions, the NKJVs, the RSV, NRSV 1989, The Complete Jewish Bible 1998, the Faithful N.T. 2009, the ESV 2001, 2007 and 2011 editions, the Revised English Bible 1989, the Lawrie Translation 1998, the Message of 2002, the Pickering N.T. 2005, the Holman Standard of 2009, The New European Version 2010, the Online Interlinear 2010 (André de Mol), the Orthodox Jewish Bible 2011, Names of God Bible 2011, The Mounce Interlinear 2007, Conservative Bible 2011, the Common English Bible 2011, The Voice 2012, The World English Bible 2012, the Interlinear Hebrew-Greek Scriptures 2012 (Mebust), The Biblos Bible 2013, the ISV 2014, The Modern English Version 2014, The Pioneers' N.T. 2014, The Translators Bible 2014 and The Amplified Bible 2015.
Several of these are modern Critical text versions that continue to reject the most recent UBS/Nestle-Aland/Vatican critical text reading here in 1 Thessalonians 2:7.
Among foreign language Bibles, the reading found in the Traditional Greek Texts and the King James Bible of “GENTLE among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children” are the Spanish Reina Valera of 1602, 1909-2011, - “nos portamos con ternura”, the 1997 Biblia de las Américas - “benignos entre vosotros” as well as the Traducciôn en Lenguage Actual of 2000 put out by the United Bible Society- “los tratamos con mucho cariño”, the Reina Valera Gomez Bible of 2004 and the NIV Spanish edition 1999 - "los tratamos CON DELICADEZA. Como una madre[b] que amamanta y cuida a sus hijos "
Also agreeing with “were gentle among you” are the Italian Diodati 1649 and 1991 New Diodati, the Riveduta of 2006, the Italian 1997 La Parola é Vita - “gentili con voi”, the French Martin 1744 - “French Louis Segond 1910, the Ostervald 1996, the 1999 La Bible du Semeur and the Louis Segond 2007, Luther's German Bible 1545 and German Schlachter Bible 2000 and the 2000 Portuguese O Livro as well as the NIV Portuguese version of 1999 - "fomos BONDOSOS quando estávamos entre vocês, como uma mãe que cuida dos próprios filhos."
However Vaticanus actually says: "But we were BABIES among you, as a nursing mother cares for her own children." Westcott and Hort first adopted this absurd reading, but very soon the critical text editors deleted this reading and replaced it with the correct reading of “GENTLE among you”.
This reading - "GENTLE among you" - lasted through at least 21 separate editions of their ever changing Greek Critical text. However the 27th and 28th editions of the Nestle - Aland text as well as the UBS 1 through 4 editions texts have now removed the previous reading of “GENTLE” and replaced it once again with the Vaticanus, Westcott-Hort reading of “we were BABES among you”.
Even though the more recent Nestle - Aland, UBS Greek texts have adopted this strange reading, still most modern versions that usually follow the critical text readings have not gone along with them on this.
But there are a few notable exceptions like Daniel Wallace’s NET version. Daniel Wallace’s NET version has actually followed this strange reading and reads: “although we could have imposed our weight as apostles of Christ; instead we became LITTLE CHILDREN among you. Like a nursing mother caring for her own children”
AND the latest NIV 2011 edition - "Instead, we were like YOUNG CHILDREN among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children."
Go back and read that again. Does that even make SENSE?!
The Catholic Connection
This is similar to the Catholic Douay-Rheims version of 1582 which reads - “but WE BECAME LITTLE ONES IN THE MIDST OF YOU, as if a nurse should cherish her children”, but this reading is obviously absurd since it defies all reason and logic and turns the apostles into little children and the new believers into their care givers.
The Catholic Douay version of 1950 has: "still while in your midst WE WERE AS CHILDREN, as if a nurse were cherishing her own children."
The the 1970 Saint Joseph New American Bible went back to the reading of “we were GENTLE among you”. Then the New Jerusalem bible 1985 apparently aware to some degree of the absurd reading in their Vaticanus mss. translated it as "Instead, WE LIVED UNASSUMINGLY among you. Like a mother feeding and looking after her children."
But now once again in 2009 the latest Catholic Public Domain Version has come out and gone back to the reading of - “we became LIKE LITTLE ONES in your midst, like a nurse cherishing her children.”
The New Living Translation of 1998 has “we were as GENTLE among you as a mother feeding and caring for her own children.”
But the 2004 New Living Translation has changed their text to now read - “we were LIKE CHILDREN children among you.”
The simple truth is that the so called "oldest and best" manuscripts upon which most modern versions are based are among the most corrupt, confused and contradictory concoctions made by man. They are not the true and pure words of the living God.
For many more examples of just how messed up these "oldest and best manuscripts" really are see -oldestandbestmss.htm
Get yourself the King James Holy Bible. The Book God has clearly set His marks of approval on like no other in history and the only Bible among English speaking people that is believed to be the complete, inspired and inerrant words of the living God. Accept no inferior substitutes.
1 Thessalonians 4:6 “in ANY matter” or “in THE matter”?
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7.
3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother IN ANY MATTER: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Many tell us that the King James Bible is in error here for saying “IN ANY MATTER” rather than “IN THE MATTER” or “in THIS matter”, where these other versions make it refer back to only the matter of fornication.
Or, as wrongly translated by a multitude of modern versions with their “sexual immorality” - whatever THAT is.
See my article on Fornication or Sexual Immorality?
Among those saying something like “not to defraud his brother IN THIS MATTER” are the NKJV, NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman, NET and the ISV.
However there are other Bible translations that read like the KJB has it with “IN ANY MATTER”, which can either be referring to any kind of dishonesty or defrauding of your brother in the faith.
Several Bibles actually give this explicit meaning to the verse. Tyndale 1524, as well as Coverdale 1535, the Great bible 1540, the Douay-Rheims 1610, Matthew’s bible 1549 -“that no man goo to farre and defraude his brother in BARGAINING”
The Godbey N.T. 1902 says: “defraud his brother IN A BUSINESS TRANSACTION”
Even the Amplified Bible 1987 says: “That no man transgress and overreach his brother and defraud him in this matter OR DEFRAUD HIS BROTHER IN BUSINESS.”
The Resurrection Life N.T 2005 says: “So no man should CHEAT HIS BROTHER IN ANY MATTER because the Lord is the avenger of those who are thus wronged. Remember we spoke, and warned you about this.”
The Good News Translation 1992 reads: “none of you should do wrong to other Christians OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.”
The Worsley New Testament says: “or wrong his brother IN ANY THING”
The New Life Bible 2003 has: “No man should do wrong to his Christian brother IN ANYTHING.”
Or the King James Bible with its “not defraud his brother IN ANY MATTER” may also be an expansion upon the literal and more accurate “fornication” to where the sanctification from sexual sins are implicitly expanded to include such things as homosexuality, adultery, and incest.
The Voice Bible 2012 says: “Don’t violate or take advantage of a fellow believer IN SUCH MATTERS.”
The Montgomery N.T. also reads: “That no man overreach or take advantage of his brother IN SUCH MATTERS”
The Twentieth Century N.T. also reads this way, with: “None of you over-reaching or taking advantage of his Brother IN SUCH matters.”
Agreeing with the King James Bible reading of “not defraud your brethren IN ANY MATTER” are the Bishops’ bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza New Testament 1599 - “or defraud his brother IN ANY MATTER”, The New Simplified Bible, 21st Century KJV 1994, the Jubilee Bible 2010, and the Modern English Bible 2014 - “and defraud his brother IN ANY MATTER, because the Lord is the avenger”
The Beza New Testament -
https://archive.org/details/newtestamentofou00beze/page/n5/mode/2up
And the Tomson New Testament 2002 reads like the KJB with: “That no man oppress or defraud his brother IN ANY MATTER: for the Lord is avenger of all such things, as we also have told you before time, and testified. “
https://geneva97.tripod.com/tnt/1thessal.htm
1 Thessalonians 5:14 - feebleminded.
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort THE FEEBLEMINDED, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Liddell & Scott Greek-English Lexicon page 1215 - ολιγοψυχους - faint hearted, FEEBLE-MINDED.
This compound word is composed of two Greek words - Oligos which means few or little, and Psukos, meaning soul, or mind.
Also reading “feebleminded” are Tyndale 1524, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, Douay-Rheims N.T., the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza N.T. 1599, Wesley’s N.T. 1755, Whiston’s N.T. 1745, Worsley N.T. 1770, Haweis N.T. 1795, Webster Bible 1833, Noyes N.T. 1869, Young’s literal 1898, 21st Century KJV 1994, and the Tomson New Testament 2002 - comfort the FEEBLEMINDED.
https://geneva97.tripod.com/tnt/1thessal.htm
Other translations
Revised Version - console the discouraged
NKJV - comfort the fainthearted.
World English bible - encourage the faint hearted
J.B. Phillips - encourage the timid.
Charles Thompson Translation - comfort the desponding.
Goodspeed N.T. - cheer up the despondent.
Mace N.T. - comfort the pusillanimous.
Sawyer N.T. - comfort the dispirited.
Living Bible - comfort those who are frightened.
New Testament For Everyone - console the downcast.
Wycliffe - Comfort men of little heart.
1 Thessalonians 5:27-28 KJB - "I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the HOLY brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. AMEN."
ESV, NIV, NASB - "I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." (ESV)
You will notice that there are two words omitted in most modern versions that are based on the ever changing UBS/Nestle-Aland Greek texts - the words HOLY and AMEN. Both words "HOLY" and "AMEN" are found in the Traditional texts of the Reformation bible. They are found in the Majority of all remaining Greek manuscripts including P46 for the word "holy" (which is the oldest known mss. they have) and Sinaiticus, A, and in copies of the Old Latin, the Syriac Peshitta, Harclean, Palestinian, Armenian, Ethiopic and Georgian ancient versions.
The main manuscript that omits both these words is Vaticanus, but there are mixed readings in a few others, with some having one word and others the other word. What is significant here too is the fact that the earlier Catholic bible versions themselves used to include BOTH words in their translations, but the modern ones, following the formal agreement made with the Vatican and the UBS to create an "interconfessional" text, now omit them.
Both the Catholic Douay Rheims of1582 and the Douay of 1950 read word for word exactly like the King James Bible. The Douay Rheims bible said: "I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the HOLY brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. AMEN."
There was a translation that came out in 1918 called The N.T. Translated from the Sinaitic Manuscript, by Henry Anderson, and it read: "that the letter be read to all the HOLY brethren."
However now the St. Joseph New American bible of 1970 and the New Jerusalem bible 1985 omit both words and read like the ESV, NIV, NASB, NET and Holman Standard. The Catholic New Jerusalem bible says: "My orders, in the Lord's name, are that this letter is to be read to all the ( ) brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you ( )." But wait. The Catholic church is not done yet. Now the 2009 Catholic Public Domain Version has come out and it has gone back to the old, Traditional reading. It reads: "I bind you, through the Lord, that this epistle is to be read to all the HOLY brothers. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. AMEN."
Agreeing with the reading found in the KJB that include both the words "HOLY brethren" and "AMEN" are the following Bible translations: Wycliffe 1395 - "that this pistle be red to alle HOOLI britheren. The grace of oure Lord Jhesu Crist be with you. AMEN.", Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible (Cranmer) 1540 - "I charge you in the Lorde, that this Epistle be red vnto all the HOLY brethren. The grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ be wyth you. AMEN.", the Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, Lamsa, Worsley Version 1770, Etheridge and Murdock's translations of the Syriac Peshitta, the Hebrew Names Bible, the World English Bible, Young's, the NKJV 1982, the Aramaic Bible in Plain English 2012, the Knox Bible 2012 and the Third Millennium Bible 1998.
Among foreign language Bible that include both words "holy" and "Amen" are the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, the Reina Valeras 1602, 1909-2011 -"Les encargo en el nombre del Señor que esta carta sea leída a todos los SANTOS hermanos. Que la gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo sea con ustedes. AMEN.", the French Martin 1744 and La Bible Ostervald 1996 - "Je vous conjure par le Seigneur, que cette épître soit lue à tous les SAINTS frères. La grâce de notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ soit avec vous! AMEN"., the Italian Diodati 1649, La Nuova Diodati 1991 and the Riveduta 2006 - "Vi scongiuro per il Signore che questa epistola sia letta a tutti i SANTI fratelli. La grazia del Signor nostro Gesú Cristo sia con voi. AMEN.", Luther's German bible 1545 and the 2000 German Schlachter Bible - "Ich beschwöre euch bei dem HERRN, daß ihr diesen Brief lesen lasset vor allen HEILIGEN Brüdern. Die Gnade unsers HERRN Jesu Christi sei mit euch! AMEN.", and the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida E Fiel 1681 - "Pelo Senhor vos conjuro que esta epístola seja lida a todos os SANTOS irmäos. A graça de nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo seja convosco. Amém." Both words are also found in the Modern Greek Bible - "Σας ορκιζω εις τον Κυριον να αναγνωσθη η επιστολη εις παντας τους αγιους αδελφους. Η χαρις του Κυριου ημων Ιησου Χριστου ειη μεθ' υμων· αμην."
2 Thessalonians 1:2 "Grace unto you, and peace, from God OUR Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
If EVERY word of God is precious to you, then this example is important. The word "our" before "our Father" is found in the majority of all texts, including Sinaiticus. Vaticanus omits the word "our" and the NASB, NIV, RSV follow Vaticanus saying "God THE Father". The older Nestle-Aland text read this way, but then later they changed it again to now read "God OUR Father", and this is how the NRSV, ESV, ISV and Holman versions now read.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus CHRIST."
To give an example of just how irrelevant and useless the critical notes of the various readings are in the UBS and Nestle-Aland texts, let's take a look at 2 Thessalonians 1:8. In the King James Bible we read: "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus CHRIST."
The word CHRIST is found in the Majority of all texts, including Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, F, G, the Old Latin copies of d,e,f, and g, which predate anything we have in Greek by 150 years, the Syriac Peshitta, Gothic, and Armenian ancient versions. The full title of "our Lord Jesus Christ" is found in the KJB, NKJV, Douay, Spanish Reina Valera, Italian Diodati, Lamsa's translation of the Syriac Peshitta, Luther's German bible, and all older English Bibles including Tyndale, Coverdale, Bishop's, and the Geneva Bible.
Vaticanus omits the word Christ, and so do the Coptic Boharic and Armenian versions, and it is omitted in the RV, ASV, RSV, NASB, NIV, ESV, ISV, and most versions that follow the Westcott-Hort texts.
However when we look at the critical notes found at the bottom of the page of both the UBS 4th edition and the Nestle-Aland 27th edition, there is not one single mention of the evidence for the inclusion or the omission of the name Christ. Instead what we find are three totally useless variant readings which in no way affect the sense of the passage.
One note deals with a handful of manuscripts adding and extra kai (and); another note deals with "in flaming fire" as to whether it is spelled en puri flogos, which is the reading of the Majority and Sinaiticus, or if the words are reversed and it is en flogi puros, which is the reading of Vaticanus and would not affect the translation at all; and the third critical note deals with the verb "taking" vengeance, and whether it is a present tense (which is followed by all versions and most texts) or if it is an aorist or past tense, as a handful of texts have it, or if it is an infinitive as quoted by one church father. BUT not a word about the omission of the word CHRIST! Folks, this is modern textual scholarship in action.
2 Thessalonians 2:2 - "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, that the day of CHRIST is at hand."
ESV, NASB, NIV, NET, Holman, Catholic Douay-Rheims 1582, Douay 1950, St. Joseph NAB 1970, New Jerusalem bible 1985 and the Jehovah Witness New World Translation - "that the day of THE LORD has come."
One Bible critic wrote me saying: "2 Thess. 2:3 should refer to the "day of the Lord", not "day of Christ."
Well, the truth of the matter is that the reading of "the day of CHRIST" as opposed to "the day of THE LORD" is the textual reading of all Reformation Bibles in numerous languages.
The reading of "the day of the LORD" is that of all Catholic bible versions like the Douay, St. Joseph NAB 1970 and the New Jerusalem bible 1985 and the new Vatican Versions like the ESV, NIV, NASB, NET, Holman Standard - "the day of the LORD", as well as the Jehovah Witness New World Translation - "the day of Jehovah".
See "Undeniable Proof the ESV, NIV, NASB are the new Vatican Versions" -
The reading of "the day of CHRIST" is the one found in the Majority of all remaining Greek manuscripts including D correction, K, 630, 1175, The Greek Majority Text by Hodges & Farstad, Erasmus, Stephanus 1550, Beza 1598, Scrivener 1894, Elzevir 1624 and the Greek Orthodox New Testament 1904. It is the text of the Reformation Bibles in all languages.
and the Modern Greek Bible - "οτι ενεστηκεν η ημερα του χριστου"
and the Modern Hebrew Bible also reads this way - אשר לא תטרף דעתכם פתאם ואשר לא תבהלו לא ברוח ולא בדבור ולא באגרת כמו שלוחה מאתנו כאלו הגיע יום המשיח׃
2 Thessalonians 2:1 refers to "the coming of our Lord Jesus CHRIST and our gathering together unto him." and in verse 3 we are told that "THAT day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed."
The Bible speaks of "the day or our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 1:8, and 5:5); "the day of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:6) and "the day of Christ" (Phi. 1:10; 2:16) and in Revelation 6:16-17 we are told about "the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of HIS wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"
"the day of CHRIST"
Agreeing with the King James Bible's reading of "the day of CHRIST" are Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535 - "as though ye daye of CHRIST were at hande.", the Great Bible 1540, the Bishops' Bible 1568 - "as though the daye of CHRISTE were at hande.", the Geneva Bible 1587 - "s though the day of CHRIST were at hand.", the Beza N.T. 1599, The Revised Translation 1815, Young's literal 1898, the Julia Smith Translation 1855 - "as that the day of CHRIST has drawn near.", the Clarke N.T. 1913, the NKJV 1982, The Word of Yah 1993, Interlinear Greek N.T. 1997 (Larry Pierce), Third Millennium Bible 1998, Lawrie Translation 1998, The Last Days N.T. 1999, World English Bible 2000, the Apostolic Bible Polyglot English 2003, God's First Truth 1999, the Tomson New Testament 2002, the Apostolic Polyglot Bible 2003, Green's Literal 2005, the Complete Apostles' Bible 2005, The Pickering N.T. 2005, The Resurrection Life N.T. 2005, Bond Slave Version 2009, English Majority Text Version 2009, the Jubilee Bible 2010 - "as if the day of CHRIST is at hand.", Holy Scriptures VW Edition 2010, The New European Version 2010, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010 - "as that the day of MASHIACH is at hand.", Conservative Bible 2011, The Far Above All Translation 2011, Interlinear Hebrew-Greek Scriptures 2012 (Mebust), Hebrew Names Version 2014 - "the day of MESSIAH", Modern English Version 2014 and the Holy Bible Modern Literal Version 2014 - "as that the day of CHRIST is at hand."
Foreign Language Bibles
Among foreign language bible that read "the day of CHRIST" are the French Martin 1744, French Ostervald 1996 - "si le jour de Christ était proche.", the Dutch Staten Vertaling - "van CHRISTUS aanstaande ware.", the Russian Synodal Version - "Христов" , the Czech Bible Kralicka - "jako by nastával den KRISTUV", the Basque Navarro-Laborudin-"CHRISTEN eguna bertan baliz beçala.", the Albanian Bible, the Ukranian Bible, Luther's German bible 1545 and the German Schlachter Bible of 2000 - "Tag CHRISTI vorhanden sei.", the Italian Diodati 1649, La Nuova Diodati 1991 - "che il giorno di CRISTO soprastia vicino.", the Spanish Cipriano de Valera of 1602 - 1865 "como que el día de CRISTO estuviese ya cerca.", the Spanish Reina Valera Gómez Bible 2010 - "como que el día de CRISTO está cerca.", the Portuguese A Biblia Sagrada em Portugués and the Almeida Corrigida 2009 - "como se o dia de CRISTO estivesse j perto." the Finnish Bible 1776 - "KRISTUKSEN päivä jo käsissä olis.", the Hungarian Károli Bible - "KRISZTUSNAK ama napja.", the Afrikaans Bible 1953 - "dag van CHRISTUS al daar is.", the Romanian Fidela Bible 2014 - "de parca ziua lui CRISTOS este aici." and the Polish Updated Gdansk Bible 2013 - “jakoby już nadchodził dzień CHRYSTUSA.”
Once again, it comes down to the Traditional Reformation texts of the Bible versus the Vatican Versions.
2 Thessalonians 2:11 - a lie or the lie
For the Bible critics who think the KJB is wrong for saying “a lie” instead of “the lie”
KJB - And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
ESV - so that they may believe what is false,
ISV - a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.
NASB - a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,
NKJV - that they should believe the lie,
NIV = a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie
εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει
The use of the Greek definite article (the) is not the same as it is in English, and all bible translations are themselves inconsistent when it comes to translating it or not, and all of them put in the definite article “the” many times when it is not in the Greek text.
See The Greek Definite Article is not used in the same way as the English Definite Article.
“A lie” or “the lie”
For example, other places where the literal Greek is THE LIE, we see the versions vary among themselves.
In John 8:44 Jesus says of Satan - “When he speaketh A LIE, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Yet the Holman Christian SB also says “a lie” as well as the ISV, NASB, and versions like the NIV, ESV and NET say “when he lies”
You see, there are many more lies in this world than just one.
Romans 1:25 - Who changed the truth of God into A LIE, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Also saying “a lie” are the ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV, ISV, NET and the Holman CSB to name but a few.
And in Ephesians 4:24 we are given the commandment of “putting away LYING” (or falsehood). It refers to lying in general; all kinds of lies, yet the Greek text has the definite article.
But all these translations say the same thing and not “putting away the lie”. The ASV, NKJV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, NIV, NET, ISV and Holman CSB.
Back to 2 Thessalonians 2:11 - that they should believe A LIE.
Also reading like the KJB in this verse are the English Revised Version 1881, the ASV 1901, Mace N.T., Haweis N.T., Sawyer’s N.T., Whiston’s N.T., Wesley’s N.T., Webster’s Bible, Living Oracles N.T., World English Bible, God’s Word 1995, the KJV 21st Century Version 1994, Twentieth Century N.T., the Names of God Bible 2011, the New Life Version 1969 and 2003 editions, Godbey N.T., Third Millennium bible 1998, New Century Version, Hebrew Names Version 2014.
Some Bibles say that they should believe LIES. These are Tyndale, the Geneva Bible 1587, Bishops’ bible 1568, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s bible 1549, Beza’s N.T. 1599, The Tomson N.T. 2002 and The New Living Translation 2015.
And several others have “that they believe what is false”. There are many things that are false, not just one thing.
Among these are the RSV, NRSV, ESV, Bible in Basic English, Holman CSB, Darby and the NASB.
2 Thessalonians 3:6 - “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of OUR Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which HE received us of.”
There are two conflicting textual readings in this verse and the Critical Text continues to change and the multiple-choice versions are in disagreement even among themselves.
First, the word “our” (hemoon) is found in the majority of all texts including Sinaiticus and A, but Vaticanus omits it. “OUR Lord Jesus Christ” is the reading of the Geneva Bible, Bishops’, Coverdale, the RV, ASV, NKJV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, and Holman Standard.
However the NIV and TNIV follow Vaticanus here and omit the word “our” from the text. So too do the more modern Catholic versions like the St. Joseph New American Bible and the Jerusalem Bible, though the word “our” was in the previous Douay-Rheims.
Westcott and Hort, and the early Nestle-Aland critical texts originally omitted the word too, but later on the Nestle-Aland text began to put the word back in, but in brackets as it appears today.
The second textual error is found in the last phrase where it says: “as HE received of us” referring back to the ‘brother that walketh disorderly’. It is singular in the Greek found in several Greek copies (5, 76, 218, 234, 1962, and others) and in the Greek texts of Stephanus, Beza, Elziever and Scrivenir. It is also the reading of many Old Latin copies, the Syriac translation of Lamsa, the corrections done to Sinaiticus and D, and in the Modern Greek text used throughout the Greek Orthodox churches today.
“which HE received of us” is the reading found in Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible, Bishops’ bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Wesley 1755, Lamsa 1936, Italian Diodati 1649, Webster’s 1833, Darby, the NKJV 1982, and the Third Millennium Bible 1998.
The NKJV 1982 reads the same as the King James Bible,(which HE received from us) but it tells us in a footnote: ‘Nestles, UBS text and Majority text read “they”.’ Well, this isn’t entirely true. The “majority text” reads differently from the present Nestle text. The “majority text” has the word parelabON (which can be either ‘I’ received or ‘they’ received, while the previous Nestle text actually has ‘parelabETE’, which means YOU (plural) received, but the more recent Nestle-Aland text has once again changed and it now reads ‘parelabOSAN’, which means “they received”.
This confusion is further seen in the versions. Those that read “YOU received”, following the previous Nestle-Aland critical texts, are the NASB, NIV, ESV 2001, RSV 1954, and TNIV 2004. Apparently these versions are now “out of date” according to the latest whims of modern scholarship.
But the versions that follow the Alexandrian manuscript (not the reading of Vaticanus or even Sinaiticus correction, which both disagree with each other), and say “which THEY received from us” are the RV, ASV, NRSV 1989, and the up and coming ISV. The Holman Standard just omits the ‘troublesome’ reading and paraphrases it as ‘the tradition received from us’.
The whole point of this little study on this single verse is to show the ever changing opinions of modern scholarship, and how the modern versions continually disagree even with each other. The Critical Text “scholars” keep going back and forth between two different readings in just this one verse, and the modern versions reflect this confusion. They simply have no settled text and no infallible Bible.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 Another mind-blower!
"But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath FROM THE BEGINNING chosen you to salvation..."
"From the beginning" is the reading found in the majority of all texts, as well as Sinaiticus, the Old Latin, Syriac Peshitta, Coptic Sahidic, Armenian, and Ethiopic ancient versions. It also was the reading of the previous Nestle-Aland Greek editions, and is still found in the NIV 1973, 1984 editions, NASB, RV, ASV, NKJV, RSV, NET version and the 2003 Holman Christian Standard.
However, the latest Nestle-Aland texts have once again changed their reading, based on Vaticanus, and now reads: "God has chosen you AS THE FIRST FRUITS to be saved" and this is how the NRSV, ESV and the NIV 2010 now read! So again, it looks like those old NASB, NIV and 2003 Holman Standards are once again out of date and follow the wrong texts according to the late$t $cholarly finding$.
To see a much fuller article on 2 Thessalonians 2:13 "from the beginning" or "first fruits"? See my article here -
1 Timothy 1:1 "Paul, and apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and LORD Jesus Christ, which is our hope;"
The word LORD is in the majority of all texts and even in Sinaiticus. The Vaticanus manuscript is missing the whole section of the New Testament from 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and from the middle of Hebrews chapter nine to the end of the book. It is also missing the entire book of Revelation. In spite of the fact that the word "Lord" is in Sinaiticus, the NASB, NIV, ESV all chose to follow a later text (manuscript Alexandrinus) and omit this word from the title of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Nestle text has no footnotes telling us why they did this nor of the Majority reading of "Lord".
1 Timothy 1:17 KJB - Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only WISE God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
The Vatican Versions omit the word “wise”, yet it is found not only in the Majority of all Greek texts but also in Sinaiticus correction and D correction. There is no Vaticanus reading of the whole book of 1 Timothy.The Roman Catholic versions omit the word “wise” and so too do the modern Vatican Versions like the ESV, NASB, NIV, NET.
Reading like the KJB are Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, Worsley N.T. 1770, Haweis N.T. 1795, Young’s 1898, the World English Bible, the NKJV, Concordant Literal Version, Green’s Literal, the Complete Apostles’ Bible 2005, Hebrew Names Version, Wilbur Pickering N.T., Jubilee Bible 2010, and the Modern English Version 2014.
1 Timothy 6:5 “from such withdraw thyself”
1 Timothy 6:5 KJB Reformation text - “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF.”
αφιστασο απο των τοιουτων
ESV (NIV, NASB, NET, Holman, Jehovah Witness NWT, Catholic Versions) - “and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.”
The reading of “FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF” (αφιστασο απο των τοιουτων) is that found in the Majority of all remaining manuscripts, including D correction, K, L, P, Psi, the Old Latin ar, b, m, mon, o, the Syriac Peshitta, Harclean, Armenian, Gothic, Georgian and Slavonic ancient versions and is quoted by such early church writers as Irenaeus, Cyprian, Ambrosiaster, Ephraem, Basil, Chrysostom, Theodoret and John-Damascus.
It is the reading found in the Reformation Bibles in all languages.
This reading is omitted in Sinaiticus (there is no Vaticanus book of 1st or 2nd Timothy), A and a few others.
Bibles that agree with the KJB and include all these words are Tyndale 1524, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza N.T. 1599, Wesley’s N.T. 1755, Worsley Version 1770, Haweis N.T. 1795, the Thomson Bible 1808, Living Oracles 1835, Julia Smith Translation 1855, The Revised N.T. 1862, Emphatic Diaglott N.T. 1864, Young’s 1898, Clarke N.T. 1913, Lamsa’s 1933 translation of the Syriac Peshitta, the Living Bible 1971, the NKJV 1982, The Koster Scriptures 1998, Laurie Translation 1998, Worldwide English N.T. 1998, God’s First Truth 1999, The Last Days N.T. 1999, World English Bible 2000, the Tomson N.T. 2002, Apostolic Polyglot Bible 2003, Complete Apostle’s bible 2005, Resurrection Life N.T. 2005, Green’s Literal 2005, Pickering N.T. 2005, The Mebust Bible 2007, Hebrew Transliteration Bible 2010, The Bibles Bible 2013, The English Majority Text N.T. 2013, the Modern English Version 2014, The Far Above All Translation 2014, the Hebrew Names Version 2014, Modern Literal N.T. 2014 and the New Matthew Bible 2016 - “Separate yourself from such people.”
Foreign Language Bibles
Foreign language Bibles that include “FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF” are the Spanish Las Sagradas Escrituras 1569, Cipriano de Valera 1602, the Reina Valera 1960-1995 and the RV Contemporánea 2011 - “Apártate de los tales.”, the French Martin bible 1744, French Ostervald 1996 and the French Louis Second 2007 - “Eloigne-toi de telles personnes.”, Luther’s German bible 1545 and the German Schlachter bible 2000 - “von solchen halte dich fern!”, the Italian Diodati 1649, La Nuova Diodati 1991 and the Italian Nuova Riveduta 2006 - “da costoro separati.”, the Polish Updated Gdansk bible 2013 - “Strońcie od takich.”, the Portuguese A Biblia Sagrada and the Almeida Corrigida 2009 - “Aparta-te dos tais.”, the Romanian Fidela Bible 2014, and the Tagalog And Salita ng Diyos 1998 - “Layuan mo ang mga ganitong tao.”, to name but a few.
And The Modern Greek Bible - “Απομακρυνου απο των τοιουτων.”
2 Timothy 1:11 KJB - “ Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher OF THE GENTILES.”
ESV (NIV, NASB, NET, Holman Standard, Jehovah Witness NWT, modern Catholic versions) - “for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher”
The words “OF THE GENTILES” are found in the Majority of all remaining Greek manuscripts including Sinaiticus correction, C, D, F, G, K, L, P, Psi as well as the Old Latin ar, b, c, d, dem, div, e, f, g, mon, o, x, z and is in the Latin Vulgate, Syriac Peshitta, Harclean, Palestinian, Coptic Sahidic and Boharic, Gothic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Georgian and Slavonic ancient versions.
It is also so quoted by early church writers as Ambrosiaster, Ephraem, Chrysostom, Pelagius, Theodore, Euthalius, Theodoret, and John-Damascus.
However Sinaiticus original, A and 2 minor cursives omit these words. There is no Vaticanus reading for this entire book.
In spite of the massive evidence for the legitimacy of this reading - “OF THE GENTILES” it basically comes down to one Greek manuscript, Alexandrinus, that omits these words.
So much for the bogus claims of James White that the modern Critical text versions are based on ALL the manuscripts.
Bible versions that agree with the Traditional Reformation text and read “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher OF THE GENTILES.” are Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible, 1568 the Geneva Bible 1587, the Douay-Rheims bible 1582, The Beza N.T. 1599, Wesley N.T. 1755, Haweis N.T. 1795, The Alford N.T. 1870, The Revised English Bible 1877, Darby 1890, Young’s 1898, The Sinaitic N.T. 1918, Living Bible 1971, NKJV 1982, The Word of Yah Bible 1993, Third Millennium Bible 1998, The Complete Jewish Bible 1998, the Lawrie N.T. 1998, The Koster Scriptures 1998, World English Bible 2000, Apostolic Polyglot Greek Bible 2003, A Conservative Version 2005, The Pickering N.T. 2005, The Scripture 4 All Translation 2010, The Work of God’s Children’s Bible 2011, the ISV (International Standard Version) 2014, The Far Above All Translation 2014, The Modern English Version 2014, The Modern Literal New Testament 2014, and The Hebrew Names Version 2014 - “and a teacher of the Goyim.”
The Catholic Connection
The previous Douay-Rheims bible of 1582 as well as the Douay 1950 both contained the reading “a teacher OF THE GENTILES.” But now the St. Joseph New American bible 1970 and the New Jerusalem Bible 1985 omit these words.
The Jehovah Witness New Word Translation also omits them.
Foreign Language Bibles
The words “OF THE GENTILES” are found in the Spanish Reina Valera 1960-2011- “y maestro de los GENTILES”, The German Schlachter bible 2000 - “und Lehrer der Heiden eingesetzt worden bin.”, the Italian Diodati 1649 & 1991 and Italian Riveduta 2006 -“e dottore dei GENTILI.”, the French Martin Bible 1744 - “et Docteur des GENTILS.”, Ostervald 1998 and French Louis Segond 2007, and the Portuguese Almeida Corrigida 2009 - “e doutor dos GENTIOS”, Lamsa’s 1933 translation of the Syriac Peshitta, The Dutch Staten Vertaling bible, Russian Synodal Bible, Polish Gdansk Bible, Romanian Cornilescu, Smith & van Dyck’s Arabic Bible, Vreen’s Contemporary Bulgariain Bible, the Norwegian Det Norsk Bibelselskap, the Hungarian Karoli Bible, the Tagalog Bible, the Afrikaans bible
And the Modern Greek Bible - εις το οποιον εταχθην εγω κηρυξ και αποστολος και διδασκαλος των εθνων.
And the Modern Hebrew Bible - אשר הפקדתי להיות לה כרוז ושליח ומורה הגוים׃
2 Timothy 2:1 “be strong” or “be strengthened”?
Good afternoon Bro. Kinney. Thought I'd bring to your attention something that was preached today at our church by a missionary. 2 Timothy 2:1 in the KJB it says to "...be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." In whatever version he was reading from, it says, "be strengthened."
He made a point of saying that this is in the passive voice (be strengthened) which implies that God is the one who strengthens us, but he also said this is a command for us to "be strengthened."
My Response -
HI sister. He was probably reading out of the ESV. It actually is a passive command, but even the NASB, NIV, Holman, NKJV, NET, RSV, NRSV, Geneva Bible, etc. all say "Be strong".
There is such a thing as a passive command in the Greek. But they are usually translated as an active. The ESV is not consistent in this.
Here are some examples of passive commands in the Greek that the ESV translates as an active command -
"Save yourselves" Acts 2:40; "Be silent" Mark 1:25; "you must remember" Jude 17; "purify yourself" Acts 21:24; "have no fear" Matthew 10:26; "rejoice" Matthew 5:12; "Do not trouble yourself" Luke 7:6; "conduct yourselves" 1 Peter 1:17; "Submit yourselves" James 4:7 and "Humble yourselves" James 4:10.
So the guy is just another Greekophile who doesn't really know what he is talking about and has no inerrant Bible to believe in himself or to show to anybody else. He is just another self appointed authority who thinks he knows more than he really does.
2 Timothy 2:14 "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before THE LORD that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers."
The reading of "the Lord" is in the Majority as well as A, D, and the Syriac. This is also the reading of the RV, ASV and the RSV. However Sinaiticus reads "charging them before GOD" and thus read the NASB, NIV and ESV.
1:8 "But UNTO the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of THY kingdom."
This verse shows God the Father directly addressing His Son as God. However the NASB says: "but OF the Son He says...the righteous scepter is the scepter of HIS (not Thy) kingdom." The word "his" instead of "thy" is found in the corrupt manuscripts of Siniaticus and Vaticanus, yet they differ from each other literally thousands of times. We will see more instances of these differences between them as we continue.
The NASB has a misleading footnote that says: SOME mss. read "Thy" - Some?! How about the vast majority of all remaining manuscripts and ancient versions, including A, D, the Old Latin, Syriac Peshitta, Harkelian, Palestinian, Coptic Sahidic, Armenian, Ethiopian, Slavonic, Wycliffe, Coverdale, Tyndale, Bishops’, the Geneva Bible, the RV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, ESV, Holman, NET, NKJV, and even the NIV. For some reason these other modern versions chose not to follow Vaticanus in this verse, even though they do so hundreds of other times.
The Nestle-Aland critical text continues to change every few years. The Nestle-Aland text USED to read “HIS kingdom” (autou) , even when the RV and ASV came out, but they didn’t follow this reading. Only the NASB reads this way, but the latest Nestle-Aland 27th reads THY (your - sou) like the NIV, NKJV, ESV and most other bibles. I guess the old NASB is now out of date, huh?
2 Timothy 2:19 - “the name of CHRIST” or “the name of the LORD”?
“το ονομα χριστου” OR “το ονομα κυριου”
2 Timothy 2:19 KJB - “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of CHRIST depart from iniquity.”
ESV (NIV, NET, NASB, Holman Standard, all Catholic versions) - “But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the LORD depart from iniquity.”
Here is one of the few places in the New Testament where the KJB and the Reformation Bibles follow a “minority” reading. But for every one “minority” reading found in the KJB, there are about 20 of them found in the Critical text modern versions.
The reading of “the name of CHRIST” is that found in the Greek texts of Erasmus, Stephanus 1550, Beza 1598 and the Elzevir brothers 1624.
Agreeing with the reading found in the King James Bible are the following Bible versions, both in English and in foreign languages.
Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the Beza N.T. 1599, Worsley N.T. 1770, The Thomson Bible 1808, The Revised Translation 1815, Webster’s Bible 1833, Living Oracles 1835, The Commonly Received Version 1851, Julia Smith Translation 1855, The Revised N.T. 1862, The Smith Bible 1876, The Revised English Bible 1877, Young’s 1898, The Clarke N.T. 1913, the NKJV 1982, The Word of Yah Bible 1993, The 21st Century KJV 1994, The Third Millennium Bible 1998, God’s First Truth 1999, The Last Days N.T. 1999, The Tomson N.T. 2002, The Apostolic Polyglot Bible 2003, Green’s literal 2005, The Resurrection Life N.T. 2005, the Jubilee Bible 2010, The Hebrew Transliteration Scripture 2010 - “that nameth the Name of Moshiach”, The Scripture 4 All Translation 2010, The Bond Slave Version 2012 and The Modern English Version 2014.
Foreign Language Bibles - “the name of CHRIST”
The Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, Cipriano de Valera 1602, Reina Valera 1960 - 2011 - “el nombre de Cristo.”, the Italian Diodati 1649 and La Nuova Diodati 1991 - “il nome di Cristo”, Luther’s German bible 1545 and the German Schlachter Bible 2000 - “den Namen des Christus”, The Portuguese Almeida Corrigida 2009 - “o nome de Cristo”, and the Portuguese O Livro 2000, The French Martin Bible 1744 and French Ostervald 1996 - “le nom de Christ”, The Czech Kralicka Bible - “Kristovo”, the Finnish Bible 1776 - “Kristuksen nimeä”, The Hungarian Karol Bible - “Krisztus”, the Afrikaans Bible 1953 - “die Naam van Christus”, The Polish Gdansk bible 1881 and Updated Gdansk Bible 2013 - “imienia Chrystusa.”, The Dutch Staten Vertaling bible - “den Naam van Christus”, the Smith & van Dyck’s Arabic bible, The Tagalog Ang Salita ng Diyos bible 1998 - “sa pangalan ni Cristo.”,
And the Modern Hebrew Bible -
אך איתן הוא יסוד האלהים וזה חותמו ידע יהוה את אשר לו ועוד יסור מעול כל הקורא את
שם המשיח׃
Thus, once more it comes down to a choice between the Reformation Bibles or the Vatican Versions.
Philemon - Textual differences in the Vatican Versions.
There are several textual differences among the various bible versions in this little epistle and the modern versions don't even agree with each other nor do they always follow their own UBS/Nestle-Aland Critical Greek text.
Verse 2. KJB - “And to our BELOVED Apphia”
BELOVED is the reading found in the Majority of all manuscripts as well as D correction, K, L, Psi and the Syriac Peshitta.
But Sinaiticus, A and a few others read SISTER.
In 1:6 we read: “…by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in YOU in Christ JESUS.”
This time Sinaiticus actually agrees with the KJB reading of “in YOU” along with P61, F, G, P, the Old Latin, Syriac Peshitta, Harclean, Coptic Sahidic and Boharic, Armenian and Slavonic ancient versions.
But A, C, D and several others read “in US”, which is the reading adopted by Westcott and Hort and in the Critical UBS Greek tex
But not even the modern versions agree among themselves.
The ASV 1901 and even the NASB and Dan Wallace’s NET read “every good thing which is in YOU”, but the ESV, Holman say: “good thing in US”.
While the NIV completely paraphrases this as “every good thing WE share”.
So the ASV, NASB and NET don’t even follow the Westcott-Hort text nor the UBS/Nestle-Aland text in this place.
The Majority of all texts including Sinaiticus correction, D, F, G, K, L, P, Psi, reads “in Christ JESUS” but the Critical text omits it and so do the NASB, NIV, ESV, Holman and NET.
In 1:7 we read: “For WE have great joy and consolation in thy love” and this is the reading found in the Majority of all manuscripts as well as the Syriac Peshitta, and so read Tyndale, the Great Bible, Matthew's bible, the Bishops' bible, the Geneva Bible and the King James Bible.
but Sinaiticus, A and C read “I” have great joy” and this is how the NASB, NIV, ESV, NET, Holman, Jehovah Witness NWT and Catholic versions read.
The epistle is written from both Paul and Timothy and is therefore WE and not just “I”.
In 1:10 we read: “…whom I have begotten in MY bonds” and this again is the reading of the Majority of all manuscripts as well as Sinaiticus correction and C, but A omits it and so do Westcott and Hort and the UBS Critical text.
But once again versions like the ASV, NASB, ESV do not even follow their own Critical text and they read “in MY bonds” while the NIV and Holman totally paraphase it as “when I was in chains”.
The last textual variant of significance is found in the last verse (25) where we read: “The grace of OUR Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. AMEN.”
Here “OUR Lord” found in the Majority of all remaining manuscripts including A, C, D, K, L, Psi, as well as the Syriac Peshitta, but it is omitted by Sinaiticus and the Critical Greek text versions.
And the word AMEN again is found in the Majority of manuscripts INCLUDING Sinaiticus, C and the Syriac Peshitta, but A omits it and so do versions like the NASB, NIV, ESV, NET, Holman, Jehovah Witness NWT and the more modern Catholic versions (St. Joseph NAB and New Jerusalem bible 1985), though both OUR Lord Jesus Christ and AMEN were in the earlier Catholic versions like the Douay-Rheims and the Douay 1950.
Even though Westcott and Hort as well as the UBS/Nestle Aland Critical Greek texts omit both OUR and AMEN, yet both the Revised Version 1881 and the ASV of 1901 retained them and read like the King James Bible -
Revised Version 1881, ASV 1901- “The grace of OUR Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. AMEN.”
NASB (ESV, NIV, NET, Holman) - “The grace of THE Lord Jesus be with your spirit.”
Word of advice from God’s word - “My son, fear thou the Lord and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change”. Proverbs 24:21.
ALL of grace, believing the Book - the King James Holy Bible.
Will Kinney