4-g
The
Received Text: No No Support Given to Works or Universal Salvation
A conviction of modern textual critics that the oldest manuscripts are the best seems to render them blind to potential problems, and modern translators seem to blindly accept the opinions of the critics. This results in numerous obvious errors in modern critical Greek texts and translations, including even occasional support of works or universal salvation, as illustrated below.
1. Mark 10:24 Not by works
KJV:…Jesus answereth again…Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God…
NIV:…"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God…
The KJV Received Text teaches that
trust in riches sidetracks us from trust in Christ to get to heaven.
The NIV critical text says there’s a hard way to heaven that can
only be by hard works, which contrasts with trusting Christ to gain
heaven. Is this one of those insignificant differences in critical
texts that scholars say do not affect basic doctrine? Textual critics
favor a short reading from just four manuscripts, saying conservative
scribes added words to traditional texts, disliking a harsh short reading (indeed works salvation is harsh).* Today scholars say conservative scribes likely altered scripture, and they say a works-salvation rendering is the true, though harsh, one.
*White claims the
traditional text adds the phrase on riches to smooth transition to
verse 25 that deals harshly with rich men. This is just an
imaginative excuse, for without the phrase, we can’t tell why
there’s difficulty with riches in verse 25. (White, J.R. 1995. The
King James Only Controversy.
Bethany. p168)
2. Revelation 22:14
KJV: Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (New Jerusalem).
NASV: Blessed are they who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.
The KJV Greek Received Text is often accused of teaching works salvation here, but it's actually the critical Greek texts of modern versions that do so. The KJV rendering speaks of
the nature of true Christians as they who do the Lord's commandments
willingly, which is normal in the Christian life in that we are those who gladly obey the admonitions not to kill, not to commit adultery, not to lie, etc., all of which is due to His grace and their love for Him as a result of their
salvation, and they are the ones who enter into eternal life. On the
other hand, Greek texts of modern English versions speak of people
who wash their robes, or make themselves clean enough to enter into
eternal life, which is works-salvation philosophy. While the intent is to wash them in the blood of the Savior, that's not expressed here (Will Kinney provides a detailed good account of this matter at
brandplucked.webs.com/revelation2214do.htm).
Now the KJV Rev.7:14 speaks of those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, which is very different from Rev.22:14 in the modern versions where the blood of Christ isn't noted. In Rev.7:14 the washing of robes refers to receiving Christ as Savior, for His blood of Crucifixion pays for our sin, and is the only agent that cleanses us of sin in salvation. The figurative sense of people washing their robes is obvious when it's said that the washing & cleansing occur in that blood.
3. Ephesians 4:6 No
universal salvation
KJV: One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
NIV: One God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Paul speaks to Ephesian Christians when he says God is in you all. The NIV supports universal salvation here in Ephesians due to its use of a critical Greek text. In omitting you, the NIV Greek text would place God in everyone, not just redeemed people, and would negate the need for biblical salvation, especially to various types of religionists reading this passage.
4. Rev.21:24
Are all the nations saved?
KJV: And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it (heavenly city)..
NIV: The nations will walk by its light…
In the KJV, the nations of them that are saved, contextually emphasizes the saved and the nations they represent are of secondary importance, despite the order in which they appear. Omitting nations wouldn't change the essence of meaning in the KJV, but the NIV critical Greek text omits the primary them that are saved, accenting the secondary nations. In this latter case, the effect is to include those of any spiritual state in the light of heaven's city, and many who see no need for conversion will favor verses like this one in the NIV Greek text.
