Followers

Monday, July 5, 2010

Trinity

i posted this on my facebook note last week...
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title: why are some Bible verses missing in NIV and some other versions?

i was translating some materials for the church and found Matthew 17:21 is missing in NIV, yet Chinese version has this verse. so i googled and found there are many other more in the missing lists (or being put into Notes); yet they're not missing in King James Version. don't understand how so?

Revelation 22:18-19 (NIV) say,

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

if so, then who on earth has the right to take those words away? is this changing God's words?

---missing list, found on www.jesus-is-lord.com---
Matthew 12:47, Matthew 18:11, Matthew 21:44, Matthew 23:14, Mark 7:16, Mark 9:44, Mark 9:46, Mark 11:26, Mark 15:28, Mark 16:9-20, Luke 17:36, Luke 22:44, Luke 22:43, Luke 23:17, John 5:4, John 7:53-8:11, Acts 8:37, Acts 15:34, Acts 24:7, Acts 28:29, Romans 16:24

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i have been asking some friends, and they have kindly replied me with their precious opinions. one friend gave me a link which is on NIV's defend, and the context of it and some other websites which depict more historical background as well as his view about God and human helped me learn that actually NIV is the one which is translated more accurately, carefully, and directly from Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek languages than KJV which was done in 7 years with over 50 scholars (hundreds for NIV). the achievement of it had been most likely influenced by government, for me it means KJV can't be as accurate as NIV.

by the way, KJV was done based on a manuscript around 1500AD, yet the ones NIV was based on were over 1000 years older, the answer can't be much clearer!

all of this made me rethink about Trinity (God, Holy Son and Holy Spirit). what i've made sure are:

1. Trinity was from the Latin word "Trinitas", the birth of it was originated from the discussion about the characteristics of God, Holy Son and the Holy Spirit. afterwards people chose it for explanation;

2. Jesus didn't have clear discussions or instructions about Trinity the word;

3. throughout the history, politics had had great influences over religion and given "Trinity" stronger standing place, in another word human "selected" Trinity.

until today i couldn't understand since Jesus didn't teach Trinity, then why people keep using the word.

then what will i do?

i believe God, i believe Jesus, and i know Holy Spirit has been working in me; yet, i don't believe human mind. how dare people who tried to define God's characteristics with their limited knowledge, just like human try to define the whole universe with only some equations and rules?

i think i will not trust Trinity this man-made word unless God reveals it to me.

2 comments:

  1. Greetings Eugene. The main reason why the NIV does not contain some verses that the KJV contains (and the reason why the NIV contains some phrases that the KJV does not contain) is that the NIV is based mainly on a small group of manuscripts that display the text that was used in Egypt, while the KJV is based mainly on a sub-group (the "Textus Receptus") of the text of manuscripts used throughout the Christian world (the "Byzantine Text") from about 400 onward, at least as far as the text of the Gospels is concerned.

    If you search the internet for "New Testament textual criticism," you should find several resources on this topic. I welcome you to visit my own presentations about this sort of thing, at the Curtisville Christian Church website.

    Yours in Christ,

    James Snapp, Jr.

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  2. Hi James,

    What a great honour to have your words in my blog! When i brought up these questions to some friends, one of them replied me with a web address linked right to your site, at that time i saw your name on it. That was just before i made this post, and then you replied me! That's incredible!!

    Do you think politics influenced (more or less) the translation of KJV? i have to admit it is really hard for me to believe one Bible of a version, not only the differences of languages, but i reckon Bible had been written by human(sinners), more or less the Bible would be contaminated with sin. i'm not quite sure if it is realistic to believe in only one version (or i should read and check as many versions as possible?)

    I'm so glad to have your words in my blog, James! again i want to say this is my honour! looking forward to hearing from you soon!

    God bless,
    Eugene

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