Acts & Epistle Bible Doctrines Affected by Modern Versions
BIBLE DOCTRINES AFFECTED BY MODERN VERSIONS (2/2)
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ACTS
Title “of the Holy Apostles” is deleted. To leave us with “ACTS” means nothing. That the Apostles were sanctified (holy) by the Lord Jesus and sent forth as his sent ones is evident from John 17:17- 19. The title in the MAJORITY Text is doctrinally correct.
2:30 “according to the flesh he would raise up Christ” is omitted. It was not just that one of David’s descendants would sit upon the throne, but that his greater Son would be raised from the dead in a body of flesh.
2:31 “his soul” is omitted. The body of Christ was in the tomb but his soul went down into Hades (Hell), the place of departed spirits. The teaching of the Bible is that our Lord had a body, soul and spirit.
2:47 “to the church” is left out. Believers are added to the Church which is Christ’s body. The Church is an organism, and when persecutors touched the Church they touched Christ (see 9:5).
3:21 “all” is dropped in front of “his holy prophets.” God has spoken of the Kingdom age by the mouth of ALL his prophets since the world began. In harmony with this Jesus spoke to the two on the road to Emmaus about himself from “all the prophets” (see Luke 24:27). There are others in the world who claim to be prophets but they do not speak of Jesus and his kingdom, therefore they are not of God.
3:26 “Jesus” is dropped. The specific name leaves no doubt as to whom God raised up from the dead to offer again the kingdom to Israel.
4:24 “thou art God” is changed to “thou art he who.” There is no reason to accept MINORITY manuscripts when they want to change “God” to “he who” (see 1 Tim. 3:16).
6:3 The word “Holy” is dropped. When God led the Church to choose deacons he made it clear that they should be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Many churches since have appointed men who had a lot of spirit and were full of enthusiasm, but that is not the same as being full of the “Holy Ghost.” Godly living is required of deacons and it is contrary to sound doctrine to leave out “Holy.” The Greek word for spirit can refer to man’s spirit or God’s spirit and lest we should err here God inserted the word “Holy” before spirit.
6:8 “faith” is changed to “grace.” The Bible does not teach that Christians are full of grace but rather that they receive grace. The only one who was “full of grace” was our Lord Jesus Christ (see John 1:14). The measure of faith is given to every believer to profit thereby.
7:30 “of the Lord” is omitted. It was not just an angel that appeared to Moses at the burning bush, it was an angel of Jehovah (the Lord). This was an Old Testament appearance of the eternal Son of God in angelic form. In plain words it was the Lord who appeared to Moses (see Exodus 3:1-5).
7:37 “The Lord your” and “him shall ye hear” are omitted. This is contrary to the original quotation as found in Deut. 18:15. In Stephen’s sermon the “him shall ye hear” is most important since those who refuse Christ’s words will be judged by God.
8:18 “Holy” is dropped. Four times here in four verses the Holy Ghost is mentioned. To drop the word Holy in one out of the four times is to create confusion and doubt concerning the Word of God.
8:37 The whole verse is omitted. This leaves the question of the Ethiopian eunuch unanswered. Philip’s answer is correct in that belief must be from the heart prior to baptism. The eunuch’s confession of faith is in exact agreement with what is required for salvation as given in John 20:31. Souls have been led to Christ with this verse of Scripture and it is doctrinally unsound to remove it.
9:5,6 “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him” is all omitted. This passage gives us a picture of Saul resisting the Spirit of God as he was under conviction. Saul’s response is to submit to the Lord’s direction, having been humbled before the Lord. Without Saul’s “what wilt thou have me to do?” there could be no “arise and go.”
9:29 “Jesus” is left out. The reason the Jews went about to slay Saul was not because he spake boldly in the name of the Lord, but because he spoke of the Lord Jesus. As we well know in this day of Modernism there is a great difference.
10:6 “he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do” is left out. The would- be correctors of the MAJORITY Text would have us believe that Cornelius was already saved and that it would be good for him to have fellowship with Peter. The truth is that Cornelius was not saved (see 11:14) and that there was something which he had to do. He must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ or he would be lost and go to Hell.
10:30 “fasting” is left out. Fasting, to find the will of God, is a Biblical doctrine. Though it is little used today, especially since we have the completed Word of God, it was evident in the New Testament apostolic times.
10:32 “who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee” is omitted. See above comments under 10:6.
15:24 “Ye must be circumcised and keep the law” is left out. This is exactly the reason why the Jerusalem council was called or convened. There is no doubt that the reply to the Gentile converts made mention of the all important question.
16:31 “Christ” is omitted. The word speaks of the Deity of Christ. It pointed the Philippian jailer to the God he must believe in for salvation.
18:5 “was pressed in the Spirit” is changed to “was engrossed with the word.” When Paul was teaching he was always engrossed with the Word. In Corinth Paul had been laying the groundwork at the synagogue concerning what the Scriptures had to say about their Messiah (Christ). When Silas and Timothy came, Paul was under compulsion to show that Jesus was the Christ.
19:10 “Jesus” is left out. For the heathen to hear about the Lord is not enough. They must hear that Jesus is that Lord.
20:28 “of God” is changed to “of the Lord.” The word lord is sometimes used of men and sometimes of God. Therefore, the change does not affirm the Deity of Christ. Our Authorized King James Version shows that God purchased the church with his own blood. This establishes the Deity of Christ irrefutably.
21:25 “they observe no such thing, save only that” is omitted. The Gentiles had been told that they did not have to observe the law of Moses nor circumcise their children (see Acts 15:23-29). James was in error when he sought to keep the Jews obedient to the Law after he had written to the Gentiles that they were not under it. The omission here leaves one with the impression that the Law was optional for the Gentiles and possibly preferable. Tampering with God’s Word always leaves the door open for doctrinal error.
26:28 “almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” is changed to “do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” King Agrippa was “almost persuaded” and he was in possession of the truth concerning salvation. The change would have us believe that he needed more information and perhaps Paul was too quick to expect a decision.
ROMANS
1:16 “of Christ” is omitted. The gospel message is of Christ and centers around his Person and Work. This is an inexcusable attempt to leave Christ out of the good news of salvation.
3:22 “and upon all” is dropped. The doctrine of imputed righteousness is most blessed to the believer. We are clothed in his righteousness and God sees us in Him, therefore it is “upon us.”
8:1 “Who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” is dropped. To the truth that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ, the Word adds the truth that they are characterized by a walk in the Spirit. It is a Bible doctrine that those who are saved are characterized by a changed life.
11:6 “But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work” is dropped. The first part of the verse shows that grace rules out works. The second part of the verse shows that works rules out grace. It is intended for those who want to intrude works into the established state of grace for good measure (or safekeeping in salvation). This is a very important doctrinal passage in its’ entirety.
13:9 “thou shalt not bear false witness” is dropped. Those who wrote the corrupt manuscripts had no trouble with the other commandments shown here. It is obvious that a smiting conscience would not permit them to include this commandment since it directly involved what they were engaged in, bearing false witness about God’s Word.
14:9 “and rose” is left out. Many heretics are willing to say that he died and that he lives again, but that he rose (bodily out from among the dead) they reject outright. The bodily resurrection of Christ is a cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith.
1 CORINTHIANS
2:4 “man’s wisdom” is changed to “wisdom.” Paul did not reject wisdom in his teaching, he rejected MAN’S wisdom.
3:4 “are ye not carnal?” is changed to “are ye not men?” It should be obvious that they were men, but the Bible truth to be taught was that in their divisions they were being controlled by fleshly (carnal) desires and not spiritual desires.
5:7 “for us” is omitted. This affects the vital doctrine of the substitutionary atonement of Christ. If Christ did not die for our sins then we are still under the wrath of God and without hope.
5:12 The little word “also” is dropped. That word indicated that Paul did judge those who were within the church. Those who were outside the church were for God to judge. The responsibility for believers to carry out discipline within the church is a Bible doctrine.
6:4 “set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church” is changed to “do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church?” The Word of God teaches that it is better to suffer wrong than to go to court against another Christian before a lost world. It is better to leave the judgment of the matter to the least Christian than to the greatest worldly judge. The change here completely turns around the way of God and seems to rebuke the church for leaving the matter in the hands of the least Christians.
6:20 “and in your spirit which are God’s” is omitted. The body gives us world consciousness and the spirit gives us God consciousness. We are to glorify God in our body by holy living and in our spirit by walking in fellowship with God. Verses 16 and 17 talk about both.
10:9 “Christ” is changed to “Lord.” In the Old Testament they tempted Christ and that rock that followed them was Christ (see verse 4). The word Lord can be used of the Father and the Son. Changing to that word here eliminates the pre-existence of Christ.
11:24 “take eat” is omitted along with “is broken.” The symbolic bread was broken and given to the disciples with instruction to eat it. It typified his flesh which “is being broken for you” (literal Greek). Though not a bone of him was broken it is true that his flesh was broken in many places before he died on our behalf.
11:29 “unworthily” is dropped. The word gives the picture of a believer treating the Lord’s Supper as a common meal, not reverencing the symbolic meaning and spiritual impact it is intended to make upon his soul and spirit. To remove this word is a very great doctrinal error. When you consider that sickness and death was the result of such unworthy participation, it is no light matter.
11:29 “not discerning the Lord’s body” is changed to “if he does not judge the body rightly” (NASV). When we partake of the Lord’s Supper we are to see through the elements to the Lord’s body. As you think of the cost of your redemption there ought to be more holy living. The change brings absolute confusion concerning what body is meant, the Lord’s or the believers. It is hallowed ground and the corrupters of God’s Word have dared to tread upon it.
15:47 “the Lord” is left out. God is contrasting Adam and Christ. To say that the second man is from heaven is not enough. There have been men from heaven who were angels. Here the man from heaven is the Lord. This is an attempt to do away with the Deity of Christ.
15:49 “we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” is changed to “we should bear the image of the heavenly.” The first is a fact based upon the certainty of our eternal salvation in Christ. The second is an exhortation based upon the uncertainty of a salvation by works. The first is sound doctrine, the second is unsound doctrine.
16:22 “Jesus Christ” is omitted. In a phrase with such import as to be accursed it is unthinkable that the test should center around the general term “Lord.” The curse of God is upon those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ. When his person and work is refused there is nothing to look for but wrath.
2 CORINTHIANS
4:4 “unto them” is omitted. The devil does not have power to keep the light of the gospel of Christ from shining, but he does have power to blind men lest it shine “unto them.”
5:17 “all things” is left out. The believer is brought into vital union with Christ so that it is declared that he is in Christ. In the sight of God “old things” of the sinful nature are passed away. It only remains for those old things to be unwound, like Lazarus’ graveclothes, in his daily life. In the sight of God “all things” are become new though they make their appearance in the life of the believer as he grows in grace and knowledge. To deny that “all things” are become new is to deny the finished work of Christ whereby we are made accepted in the beloved.
12:11 “in glorying” is dropped. The Corinthians had compelled Paul to talk about his experiences with the Lord. He did not want to brag about his spirituality. He felt that he had become foolish in boasting or glorying. The change would have Paul saying, “I have made a fool of myself.” That is not what we are to understand.
GALATIANS
3:1 “that ye should not obey the truth” is omitted. The Galatians had been bewitched by the Jewish legalizers who had put them under the Law to keep saved. Paul tells them that in so doing they were not obeying the truth. The truth was that they were saved by grace and that all spiritual blessings were theirs in Christ. To turn from that is to be in error.
3:17 “in Christ” is dropped. Paul is talking about the covenant with Abraham through his seed which was Christ. The law was added later and did not affect the covenant of promise to those who would be saved by believing as Abraham did. God promised Abraham that through his seed (singular) all the families of the earth would be blessed. That was a covenant confirmed before of God “in Christ.”
4:7 “an heir of God through Christ” is changed to “an heir through God.” The inheritance is to the children of God through the mediatorship of Christ. We are not heirs of God through God, but through Christ. The change here is intended to destroy the reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
EPHESIANS
1:1 “at Ephesus” is left out. It is hard to conceive that the Spirit of God addressed an epistle and then lost the address.
3:9 “by Jesus Christ” is removed. It is a Bible doctrine that all things were created by Jesus Christ and without him was not anything made that was made. This change detracts from the Deity of Christ which is made evident by the fact that ALL THINGS were created by Him.
5:30 “of his flesh, and of his bones” is left out. The Bible teaching is that the believer is vitally conjoined to Christ for a new life and walk in the Spirit. We are “quickened together with Christ,” “raised up together,” and “seated together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” God likens this to the marriage relationship where two people become one flesh.
6:10 “my brethren” is dropped. These words make it very clear that Paul’s instructions concerning Christian living are for Christians who by the new birth have become Paul’s “brethren.” There is a great danger that unsaved people might get the impression that by imitating the things that Christians do they can become Christians.
PHILIPPIANS
4:13 “Christ” is changed to “him.” It is precious to the believer to know that Christ will give him strength for spiritual living. Christ himself said, “without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5). The word “him” is quite indefinite and can be misconstrued by Modernists to include the “him” of any religious group believing in a Supreme Being.
COLOSSIANS
1:2 “and the Lord Jesus Christ” is omitted. Along with the Father he is the source of grace and peace.
1:14 “through his blood” is left out. Redemption and forgiveness of sins is through the direct agency of his shed blood. Many Modernists today can work around the words “redemption” and “forgiveness of sins,” but they cannot work around the shed blood. Therefore they must deny it and be in direct opposition to it.
2:11 “of the sins” is removed. What is left to work with brings the NIV to translate “In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of your sinful nature.” It is an established Bible doctrine that by the circumcision of our heart which the Lord made, we are able to overcome the sins of our flesh. But the putting off of our sinful nature will not take place until we are changed in the Rapture. Errors like this can only occur as the group of translators persist in following the MINORITY Text.
2:18 “those things which he has not seen” is made to read “those things which he has seen.” Men were vainly attempting to worship angels as emanations from God in a step-ladder effort to reach God. Paul exhorted them to hold fast to the Head (our God-man Christ Jesus) who proceeded forth and came from God (himself being of the Trinity) that he might bring us to God. Paul says they DID NOT see them, heretics say THEY HAVE.
1 THESSALONIANS
1:1 “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is dropped. Are we to think that grace and peace is bestowed by Paul? No, that is not within his power. They have their source in the Father and the Son.
5:27 “holy” is dropped from before “brethren.” Paul had other brethren according to the flesh who were not saved (Rom. 9:1-3; 10:1). These were sanctified and preserved brethren and they were “holy” because they were accepted in the beloved.
1 TIMOTHY
3:3 “not greedy of filthy lucre” is omitted. The phrase has to do with obtaining earthly gain through disgraceful means. This happens everyday within professing Christendom. It is inspired of God and belongs in the text.
3:16 “God was manifest” is changed to “He was manifest.” The reference is to Christ manifest in the flesh, etc. The MAJORITY Text tells us that this Christ was God. There are 252 copies of Paul’s Epistles which have “God” and only 2 copies which have “he.” The MINORITY Text leaves us in doubt as to who “he” is. The doctrine of the Deity of Christ is greatly harmed here by the corrupt text.
4:12 “in spirit” is left out. To be an example of the believer it is necessary to have a spiritual man guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
5:16 “if any man” is omitted. It is unthinkable that the head of the house should be removed here from the responsibility to provide for widows.
6:5 “from such withdraw thyself” is dropped. The Bible doctrine of separation is affected by this corruption. We are to withdraw from teachers who are destitute of the truth.
6:19 “eternal life” is changed to “that which is truly life.” The first talks about the length of life, the second talks about the quality of life. You cannot have the first without being saved. You can have the second but still be lost, depending on what you think is “truly life.”
2 TIMOTHY
1:11 “of the Gentiles” is omitted. That Paul was appointed to teach the gospel to the Gentiles is indisputable (see Gal. 2:7-9).
HEBREWS
1:3 “When he had by himself purged our sins” is changed to “when he had made purification of sins.” The omission of the word “our” leaves us to wonder whose sins were purged, his own or others. It is not plain and therefore the substitutionary atonement of Christ is affected by the change. With the words “by himself” the Holy Spirit wanted us to see that the atonement for our sins was accomplished by Christ alone. The damage to this verse is awesome in its’ consequences.
3:1 “Christ” is omitted. Our High Priest must be anointed of God to that office and the word Christ means the Messiah or Anointed one of God.
10:34 “in heaven” is left out. Those who had lost all their earthly goods certainly had no enduring substance here, but in heaven was their treasure and reward.
JAMES
2:20 “faith without works is dead” has been changed to “faith without works is useless.” There is a great difference between dead faith and useless (or idle) faith. The first indicates that no faith exists and the person is lost. The second implies that faith exists but it is not being used. Again we see humanism and the false idea of a little divinity in each one which only needs to be fanned into a flame. The change promotes false doctrine.
4:4 “ye adulterers” is dropped from the text. No reason to excuse the men from the scathing denunciation of God’s Word.
4:14 “It is even a vapour” is changed to “Ye are just a vapour.” In describing the length of our life, God tells us it will pass quickly like a vapour. The change would have US OURSELVES to exist as a little steam. There is a leaning here toward annihilationism.
5:16 “Confess your faults” becomes “confess your sins.” In a context where God talks about sin in relationship to sickness, he moves on to talk about faults (a side-slip or deviation). The change “faults” to “sins” leads to the priesthood and the confession box which is contrary to all of Scripture.
1 PETER
1:22 “through the Spirit” is removed. The Bible teaches that it is through the agency of the Holy Spirit that men are brought to believe in Christ. In John 16:8,9 he convicts the world (all men) and draws them to faith in Christ.
1:23 “for ever” is dropped and thereby the preservation of the Word of God is called into question. The agency here of the new birth is the Word of God, which is eternal. Our new birth therefore is as eternal as the Word which originated it.
2:2 The phrase “unto salvation” is added by Westcott and Hort to “that ye may grow thereby.” This puts a question mark over the certainty of our present salvation. It makes salvation a process rather than an accomplished fact. The doctrine of eternal security is denied by the new exhortation to grow UNTO SALVATION.
3:18 “suffered for sins” is changed to “died for sins.” The context has Christians suffering for well doing and they are exhorted to keep on because Christ also has suffered for us. It is a Bible teaching that Christ not only died for our sins, but that he suffered for our sins (see Isaiah 53:5-7).
3:18 “quickened by the Spirit” is changed to “quickened in the spirit.” The correct rendering attributes the resurrection of Christ to the Holy Spirit. This completes the truth that all three persons of the Trinity were involved in the resurrection of Christ (see John 2:19; Rom. 8:11).
4:1 “for us” is left out. Christ suffered for us, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.
5:2 “taking the oversight thereof” is omitted. To watch over the flock of God with authority is a clear teaching of the Word.
5:12 “wherein ye stand” is changed to “wherein stand.” By the removal of the word “ye” there is a change from our standing in grace to an exhortation to stay there standing. The blessing of a perfected standing in grace is thereby removed.
2 PETER
2:17 The words “for ever” are dropped. Peter, in the word concerning false teachers, states that their darkness is to last forever. The change leaves us with no definite word as to their end.
2:18 “those that were clean escaped” is changed to “those that are scarcely escaping.” The change from past tense to present tense moves us from a completed salvation to a hope-so salvation. Those who are saved are in possession of eternal life (see John 5:24).
2:20 “the Lord and Saviour” becomes “our Lord and Saviour.” The false teachers had escaped some of the world’s worst sins by following the teachings of “the Lord” but they had never come to know him as “our Lord” is known to real Christians. They were not saved and then lost, but never saved at all.
3:2 “us the apostles” is changed to “your apostles.” The Church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20) and there are no apostles and prophets today nor is there any such thing as an apostolic succession. The phrase “your apostles” indicates that the people he was writing to had special apostles designated for them and lends support to the continuance of a so-called “Apostolic Succession.”
1 JOHN
1:7 “Christ” is dropped. This word brings the cleansing blood into relationship with our great anointed High Priest who ever liveth to make intercession for us. Many cults believe that Jesus (as man) died for the original sin of Adam and that Christ (as a spirit) rose without the body. John would have us know that the one who died and the one who arose are the same.
3:5 “our” is removed from before “sins.” Once again the question of whose sins were taken away is raised. There have been sins committed by angels and men. The “our sins” refers the atonement to those of men. (see my comments under Hebrews 1;3).
3:14 “his brother” is removed. The teaching of the Word is that a true Christian will love his brother in Christ. If a man does not love a true Christian, then it is evident that he is still lost and abides in death. The test of spiritual life is not that we love, but that we love the brethren (see John 13:34,35).
4:19 “We love him” is changed to “We love.” The object of God’s love is us, and the object of our love is him. Christians are not just people who love, but people who love God because of his grace. The very next verse deals with the professor who says he loves God but is a liar. Lost people may love, but saved people love God.
5:7 The whole verse bearing testimony to the Triune God is discarded. There are at least 20 Greek manuscripts which have this verse in. It is also seen in the writings of the church fathers and lectionaries. It directly affects the Bible doctrine of the Trinity.
REVELATION
5:10 “kings and priests” is changed to “a kingdom of priests.” The 24 elders are representative of all the redeemed who in Christ are constituted kings and priests. A kingdom of priests smells of Nicolaitanism (the rule of the clergy over the laity) and the priesthood for a select few as in the Roman Catholic Church. (The same change is seen in 1:6)
8:13 “an angel” is changed to “an eagle.” This is most amusing and shows how captive the Revisers are to their corrupt text. In a setting replete with angels we are told about a talking eagle who pronounces three more “Woes” to the inhabiters of the earth.
14:5 “before the throne of God” is dropped. This phrase speaks of the perfect standing that the saved have in Christ. They are without fault before God because they are, like the church, “accepted in the beloved” (Eph. 1:6).
20:9 “from God” is dropped. At the end of the Kingdom Age the enemies of God are destroyed by fire “from God out of heaven.” God is the one who will destroy all enemies and create a new heaven and a new earth.
20:12 “before God” is changed to “before the throne.” The dead will be raised, not to stand before an impersonal throne, but to stand before “the God” [literal]. Many would like to change the personal God into some kind of Divine Mind or Supreme Being.
CONCLUSION
All that has gone before makes it very clear that Christian Doctrine is greatly affected by the changes. The MINORITY Text is the source of these changes and the New Modern Versions usually follow that Text. It is unthinkable that men of God would continue to advocate the use of these versions when they are in complete possession of all the facts. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into “all truth.” May he be allowed to have his way in our hearts. If you have read this book and are of the same persuasion as the author, I would exhort you to give copies to your Christian friends. It is very important that they understand the issue confronting the Church today. As great numbers of Christian people let their voices be heard for the retention of God’s Word, as given to us in the Traditional Text, there will be a restoration of the same in the pulpits and in the Christian schools of our land.
Published by Way of Life Literature. All rights are reserved by the author. Permission is given for duplication for personal use, but not for resale. Available in booklet format from Way of Life Literature, Bible Baptist Church, 1219 N. Harns Road, Oak Harbor, Washington 98277. Phone (206) 675-8311.