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THE LAST TWELVE VERSES OF
MARK
Every English
Version of the New Testament, except the King James Version, refuses to accept
the last twelve verses of Mark’s Gospel as authentic. The reason they do this
is because they have based their translation on the corrupt Westcott and Hort
Greek Text of 1881. The King James Version was translated from a different
Greek Text, now called the Textus Receptus or Received Text. There are about
6,000 differences in these two Greek Texts.
Their refusal to
accept these verses as inspired of God through Mark has stripped this Gospel of
the Doctrine of Christ’s resurrection, His post-resurrection appearances, the
Great Commission, and His bodily ascension into Heaven. All of these Versions
are in total agreement with the New World Translation of the Jehovah’s
Witnesses who deny all of the Doctrines just mentioned. The Devil has won a
great victory here in his “yea, hath God said?“ campaign.
The Westcott and
Hort Greek Text of 1881 is based entirely on two corrupted manuscripts (the
Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus) which were rejected by the early church. The
twelve verses in question are left out in both of these manuscripts. All other
copies of the Gospel in existence include these twelve verses. There are 18
Uncial copies (capital letters) and 600 cursive copies (small letters) which
include them. They are also found in the sermons of the early church leaders,
in other translations or versions, and in the lectionaries used for responsive
readings by the church. The fact is that they are only omitted in the two
manuscripts used by Westcott and Hort. The Vaticanus manuscript, which is older
than the Sinaiticus manuscript by 50 years, has a complete blank space where
the twelve verses belong. This tells us that the copier was ordered to omit
these verses from his copy. The blank column left purposely by the copier bears
mute testimony to the previous existence of the verses in question. The Sinaiticus
manuscript, coming 50 years later, completely omits the twelve verses and
removes the blank space. In other words there is only one manuscript which
omits all reference to the verses in question. This manuscript is corrupt due
to the fact that ten different persons, in ten time periods, have made alterations
and emendations in the text. Such a mutilated document is untrustworthy to say
the least.
Let us examine the
footnote found in the New American Standard Version, since this translation is
perhaps the most popular among true believers. The NASV says, “some of the
oldest manuscripts omit from verse 9-20. A few later manuscripts and
versions contain this paragraph...” Since when does 1 or at most 2 manuscripts
qualify for the use of the word “some” while 618 manuscripts are described by
the word “few?” The designed intention to deceive Christians is obvious.
Believers today
need to remember that God did not inspire two different Bibles. The Word of God
is being stolen away by Modernists who do not believe in the God-inspired book,
and by professing Christian “scholars” who’s learning and authority we are
supposed to meekly rely upon. Christians should reject the English Versions
based on a corrupt text and return to the King James Version, which is based on
the inspired and preserved Word of God.
Most Bible Schools,
Christian colleges, and Seminaries today are using the Westcott and Hort Greek
Text in their Greek classes. There are several schools which use only the
Textus Receptus and King James Version, there may be others but they are few in
number. When we add to the foregoing the fact that Professors Westcott and Hort
were unsaved men it becomes more apparent that Christians have been deceived.
By
Paul L. Freeman, Evangelist
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