What about the missing Bible verses?

About the Bible?, All Questions

What about the missing bible verses?

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Bible,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 22, 2025

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When you compare some of the modern Bible translations (for example, NIV, ESV, HSSB) with that of the King James Version (KJV), it would seem as though there are some “missing verses.”

One of the famous verses, is 1 John 5:7–8, where it says in the KJV, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth.” However, this verse is missing in the most recent translations.

But didn’t Jesus promise that not a single word would be lost (Matthew 5:18)? How is it possible for there to be missing verses then? How then can we trust the Bible? Answering this question isn’t as complicated as it seems.

To begin with, the KJV Bible, written in 1611 AD, utilized the best resources that were available at the time to ensure an accurate translation from the original language into the common language (English).

In the years since 1611, many older manuscripts have been discovered that were carefully evaluated by scholars. Scholars generally consider older manuscripts to be more reliable (since they are closer to the original documents). Therefore, most modern Bible translations exclude/omit verses that appear in the KJV but not in older manuscripts.

Most modern translations will still include a footnote referencing the missing verses.

It is also pertinent to note that the original Bible manuscripts were not divided into chapters and verses as we have today. These were later inventions to facilitate Bible teaching, preaching, writing, and speaking around the globe.

Following the Geneva Bible translation in 1560, the King James Bible was the first major Bible translation, which slightly altered chapter and verse divisions. This structure is now common to all modern English translations.

The tricky part for scholars is deciding what to do when the verse assigned a number in the 1500s does not appear in the original manuscript/text. Since all subsequent verses cannot be simply altered, translators will leave the verse blank and keep the original numbering. In this way, consistency is maintained; for example, if we moved John 3:16 up a verse, then everyone who quotes John 3:16 would not have the same verse.

Finally, it is important to keep in mind that no missing verse disrupts the essential Christian teachings. The key message of Jesus as the divine Son of God, the Triune Godhead, the virgin birth of Jesus, His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and second coming all remain undeterred.

Whether you prefer the ESV, NIV, NASB, or any other modern translation, you can be confident that it is a trustworthy one. That it is “living and active” (Hebrews 4:12), “inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

As important as anything else, the Bible you hold contains God’s plan for salvation for us.

FOR TRULY I TELL YOU, UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH DISAPPEAR, NOT THE SMALLEST LETTER, NOT THE LEAST STROKE OF A PEN, WILL BY ANY MEANS DISAPPEAR FROM THE LAW UNTIL EVERYTHING IS ACCOMPLISHEd.

Mathew 5:18

Are there any contradictions in the Bible?

About the Bible?, All Questions

Are there any contradictions in the Bible?

Category

Bible,   All Questions

Last Updated

Jan 22, 2025

Reading Time ‘Minutes’

Word Count

What would you say if someone told you that the Bible contains contradictions? It’s unfortunate that many Christians are usually silent whenever posed this question since they themselves struggle with interpreting the scriptures.

But, before we tackle this question, we need to be honest.

Does the Bible contain challenging passages? Yes, some readings are easy to understand, and some are tough. Are there Biblical challenges? Yes, but are there any verified contradictions? Absolutely not.

Whenever anyone asks about the contradictions of the Bible, we need to explain to them that just because there are tough passages doesn’t mean we conclude there are contradictions.

To understand these differences/tensions in the Gospels, we should consider the following two essential points:

(1) We must be able to distinguish between a ‘Difference’ and a ‘Contradiction.’

            • Contradictions are errors that are definite / absolute and cannot be reconciled. For example, take the famous story of the Titanic ship; if some survivors said the ship broke in half and another group stated that it sank in one piece, this would be classified as an apparent contradiction.
            • A ‘Difference’ for  example, would be if you went home and your spouse comes to you and says, “a man showed up at the door and said that I won a cheque for a million dollars.” But an hour later, she/he calls their parents and says, “two men showed up at the doorstep one with a cheque and the other with a camera saying I am going to be on television.” This scenario would illustrate a difference and not a contraction. One scene contained more information, while the other was not exhaustive.

Many of the ‘alleged’ Bible contractions are differences and not contradictions.

(2) We should also understand that the genre in which the gospels were recorded was according to the ‘Greco-RomanBiography.’ Wherein much like today’s literature, some liberties were allowed (such as time compression and lack of precision) when it came to minor chronological details. For example, one commonly disputed argument is concerning Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness, where the authors Mathew and Luke invert the first and second temptations in their books. This does not disregard the Bible’s authenticity, as they both give the same message.

In conclusion, the Bible contains no contradictions. While some passages may present challenges or differences, these do not undermine the core message of the Gospel. It’s crucial to distinguish between differences in detail and true contradictions. The Bible, when properly understood, is consistent in its teachings and reliable in its testimony. The truth of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection remains unchallenged, affirmed throughout scripture, and stands as the foundation of the Christian faith.

The Bible contains no contradictions—only differences that enrich its depth and context.

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