In contrast to THE SON of God, the apostle John points out that believers are SONS (of God). In chapter 1, vs 12 of his gospel, speaking of those who would receive Him, he said
". . . to them gave he power (authority) to become the sons of God". The apostle Paul affirms believers' status as sons indirectly when
he referred to Christ as "the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29) John becomes very clear in chapter three of his first epistle. Variants
in verse one seem to make a distinction between being called and actually being sons of God. It reads:
(KJV) "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the
sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
(NASB) "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God;
and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."
(NIV) "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And
that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
Example 8 (II Peter 3:11)
II Peter 3:1 speaks of "things" being destroyed. Taken completely out of context, the verse leaves uncertainty about what "things" will be destroyed. Some variants add an additional question
with the phrase "in this way".
The confusion doesn't arise at all when first considering verse 10. The "things" are the heavens and the
elements. The "way" is the action of intense heat. Verse 11 says:
(KJV) "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye to be in
all holy conversation and godliness,"
(NASB) "Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to
be in holy conduct and godliness,"
(NIV) "Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You
ought to live holy and godly lives"
Example 9 (Jude 1:23)
In the brief epistle of Jude, the writer focuses primarily on apostates who would be a danger to the church. He changes direction in
verses 20 and 21. There, he exhorts his readers to build their faith as they await eternity with Christ. Then, in verses 22 and 23, he instructs
them to show mercy on others. In some texts, he separates them into three categories which could be called: the doubtful, the dying, and the
dirty. Other texts combine the last two and make them, let's say, the "dirty dying". Paraphrasing verse 22, it says "Show mercy on those who
doubt." Then verse 23 says:
(KJV) "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by
the flesh."
(NASB) "save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercywith fear, hating
even the garment polluted by the flesh.
(NIV) "save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even
the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."
Example 10 (Jude 1:25)
Verses 24 and 25 of Jude are the writer's benediction. The texts of verse 25 have variant readings. The phrase "through Jesus Christ our
Lord" is present in some texts and missing in others. Also, some texts contain two references to "all ages". The first affirms that Christ
is the absolute authority (also called "power") over, of, or "before" all ages of time. The second further affirms that, in addition to the present time, His authority
extends into the ages to come (expressed in translations as "ever", "forever" or "forevermore"). Other texts do not include the "before", or "over" concept and
simply declare his authority into the future as well as in the present time.
(KJV) "To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both
now and ever. Amen."
(NASB) "to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion
and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
(NIV) "to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ
our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."
Example 11 (Rev. 4:11)
The words "Lord" and "God" are often used together in the New Testament when both words refer to the same person.
One example is Acts 2:39 on the day of Pentecost where Peter used the words "the Lord our God". Another example is in John 20:28
when the not-so-doubting Thomas, addressing Jesus, said "My Lord and my God!" Some texts put the words together in Revelation 4:11. It says:
(KJV) "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
(NASB) "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created
all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."
(NIV) "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created
all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Example 12 (Rev. 14:8)
The book of Revelation contains references to many angels. Seven of them are in chapter 14. Using some translations, a reader may question
which of the seven is in verse eight. It says:
(KJV) “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is
fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of
her fornication.”
(NASB) “And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great,
she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.”
(NIV) “A second angel followed and said, ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which
made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”
In I John 3:1, the Greek phrase "καὶ ἐσμέν" (and we are) is included in the GNT text, but is missing in the TR. The TR reading does not explicitly
confirm the believers' status as "sons". However, the very next verse contains the explicit phrase "τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν" (we are the sons of God). The words
"καὶ ἐσμέν" in verse one (of the GNT) are redundant and superfluous.
II Peter 3 vs 11
TR
xx
τουτων
ουν
παντων λυομενων ποταπους δει υπαρχειν υμας εν αγιαις αναστροφαις και ευσεβειαις
II Peter 3:11 (GNT) contains the Greek word "οὕτως" (in this way) while it is missing from the TR. It becomes clear what "this way" is
when considering the previous verse, which clearly indicates that "this way" is the action of intense heat (καυσούμενα). Inclusion of the word in
verse 11 is not necessary and has no effect on the meaning of the passage.
Jude 1 vs 23
TR
xx
ους δε
εν φοβω
σωζετε εκ
του
πυρος αρπαζοντες
μισουντες και τον απο της σαρκος εσπιλωμενον χιτωνα
The word "οὓς" means "who"(as plural) or, by implication, "some people who". The GNT text uses the word twice, indicating that the writer
is talking about two different groups. The instruction with regards to the first group is to "save (σῴζετε) by snatching (ἁρπάζοντες) out of the
fire (ἐκ πυρὸς). Use of the word "πυρὸς" (fire) suggests the reference is to people who are on the brink of death. Instruction with regards
to the second group is to show mercy (ἐλεᾶτε) on them while hating (μισοῦντες) even the garment (χιτῶνα) being stained (ἐσπιλωμένον). The use of the
participle phrase about staining suggests he is talking about persons who are stained, or, dirty. The words "ἐν φόβῳ" (in fear) advise caution about
being stained while showing mercy on those who are stained. The verse could thus mean "Save the dying and carefully show mercy to the dirty."
The TR speaks of a single group by using "οὓς" only once. The sentence begins with the same reference to the "dying", but adds
the cautionary advice and the same participle phrase.. The verse could thus mean "Carefully save the dirty dying."
The prepositional phrase "διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν", included in the GNT text, means "through, or (in the person of), our Lord Jesus
Christ". It is not included in the TR, which explicitly indicates that God is our Savior, with no mention of Jesus Christ. However, Since the New Testament teaches the
doctrine of the Trinity throughout, there is no conflict between the two texts. God is our Savior. Jesus is our Savior. No contradiction, just another affirmation
that the Lord Jesus Christ is God in human flesh.
The words "μόνῳ θεῷ σωτῆρι" are in the dative case, so the first phrase means "(Let us ascribe) to the only God our Savior". The subject
of the verse (God Our Savior) has four objects: δόξα (glory), μεγαλωσύνη (majesty), κράτος (strength), and ἐξουσία (authority). In the GNT text, "ἐξουσία" has two types of modifiers:
• "πρὸ παντὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος" (before, or over, all ages), and • "εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας" (into all ages)
The TR text includes only the second. It's impossible to know which reading is original, but the sense is not affected enough to make much difference.
Revelation 4 vs 11
TR
xx
αξιος ει
κυριε
λαβειν την δοξαν και την τιμην και την δυναμιν οτι συ εκτισας τα παντα και δια το θελημα σου
εισιν
The words "ὁ κύριος καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν" mean "our Lord and God". The GNT uses both "κύριος" (Lord) and "θεὸς" (God). The TR has only "κυριε" (a
variant spelling for "Lord"). In spite of the variant readings, there can be no doubt that the writer (John) knew that "our Lord" and "our God" are one and the
same. In verse eight, he used the words "κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ" (Lord God Almighty).
Revelation 14 vs 8
TR
xx
και αλλος αγγελος
ηκολουθησεν λεγων επεσεν επεσεν βαβυλων η
πολις η
μεγαλη
οτι
εκ του οινου του θυμου της πορνειας αυτης πεποτικεν παντα
References to angels in the book of Revelation are numerous. They're also found in groups. The seven angels of the seven churches
are referenced in chapters two and three. Angels of the seven trumpet judgements are in chapters 8-11. The seven "vial", or "bowl" angels begin
in chapter 16. Another group of seven angels is in chapter 14. The first is in verse 6. He is referred to as "αλλος αγγελος" (another angel) simply because
many had come before him. The rest of them are in verses eight, nine, 15, 17, 18, and 19. The angel in verse nine is explicitly called the "third" angel.
Clear implication makes it easy to know which one is in verse eight. The explicit word "δεύτερος" (second) is superflous.
John 3:16 is arguably the most
recognized verse in the Bible. Two variants appear in the major source texts involving the presence or absense of the word "αυτου", or, "his".
The Byz and TR texts include the word while the GNT does not. If the KJV used the GNT source, it would read something like this:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave THE only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
