Well lets take a look at some comparisons in the difference between the Minority Text based on the Alexandrian manuscripts and the Majority Text.

Rev 22:16 (KJV) I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star

We see Jesus is the "Morning star"

Isa 14:12 (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

KJV has Satan is Son of the Morning.

But look at the same verse in the NIV, Satan is given the name of Jesus.

Isaiah 14:12
New International Version (NIV)
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!

Interesting, to say the least. Now here is one Adventist know very well..


Revelation 22:14
King James Version (KJV)
14 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.

and the NIV....


Revelation 22:14
New International Version (NIV)
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.

One verse adjusted may not seem much but what about if there were taken out. Here are some the verses which have been removed in the NIV--whether in the text or footnotes...

Matthew 12:47 -- removed in the footnotes
Matthew 17:21 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
Matthew 18:11 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
Matthew 21:44 -- removed in the footnotes
Matthew 23:14 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."
Mark 7:16 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."
Mark 9:44 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Mark 9:46 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Mark 11:26 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
Mark 15:28 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors."
Mark 16:9-20 (all 12 verses) -- There is a line separating the last 12 verses of Mark from the main text. Right under the line it says: [The two most reliable early manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-20] (NIV, 1978 ed.) The Jehovah's Witness "Bible" also places the last 12 verses of Mark as an appendix of sorts.
Luke 17:36 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
Luke 22:44 -- removed in the footnotes
Luke 22:43 -- removed in the footnotes
Luke 23:17 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)"
John 5:4 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had."
John 7:53-8:11 -- removed in the footnotes
Acts 8:37 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"]. It's deletion affects how that people can be baptized and saved without believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
"And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
Acts 15:34 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still."
Acts 24:7 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,"
Acts 28:29 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves."
Romans 16:24 -- completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."
I John 5:7 -- Vitally important phrase completely removed [also deleted from the Jehovah's Witness "Bible"].

In the NIV it says,
"For there are three that testify:"
Compare the NIV reading with the following Jehovah's Witness reading--
"For there are three witness bearers,"

So does it matter the change, is the verse important.

1 John 5:7
King James Version (KJV)
7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Everyone needs to look for themselves carefully and think this through...

Rick, you are still fulfilling the warning given by Ellen White.



The choice is yours. Is there sufficient verses left in the faulty Bible where you can find joy and salvation, or do you prefer a life in the mire and misery by finding flaws?

Rick, the fundamental issue is not whether or not a reading of a verse supports a SDA Doctrinal understanding, but what is the best text. Our doctrinal understanding should always be based on a unified witness of the Bible and not on one verse.

You mention the well known verse in Revelation 22:14. Vol. 7 of the SDA Bible Commentary comments on this verse. It is of value here to point out that the "washing of the robes" in in the context of Revelation 7:14 where "washing robes" is in the blood of Christ. IOW, it is not a simply washing with soap and water.

The SDABC then goes on to comment on the textual evidence and how it is mixed, with some texts supporting each reading. It then goes on to say:


NOTE: I am quoting form page 897.

I personally think that the following is of great value:


I will say again: SDA Foundational doctrines can all be taught from the unified witness of Scripture from both the KJV and your so-called modern translations. We are not Bible students if we attempt to base our doctrinal understanding on one verse. Our doctrines do not and should not stand or fall on the basis of one verse. If you think that a fundamental SDA doctrine stands or falls on the basis of Revelation 22:14, you simply have not studied the overall witness of the Bible.

How did Jesus reply?

Let me expand more on the idea that that God has preserved in the various Bible translations what God wants preserved and true doctrines may be taught from them.

I do not think positively of the Jehovah's Witness translations. I do not chose to use them. However, in working with a JW, I will use them.

Recently, a book crossed my desk, which I then read. It told the story of a nominal Roman Catholic who converted to the Jehovah's Witness faith and became a very active leader in that denomination for a number of years.

Then he converted to the Baptist faith and he became active in working to convert people to that faith.

After a period of years he converted to the Roman Catholic church.

This book is instructive in how this person made the decision at each point in his life to leave his church and to join another.

1) He converted from the RC Church to the JW church because he really did not understand the teachings of the RC church and the JWs convinced him that their teachings were Biblically based.

2) He converted to the Baptist faith when a Baptist used his JW Bible to show him that a foundational teaching of the The JWs was not supported by his JW Bible.

3) The process of returning to the RC Church took several years. Part of that process involved a priest (and Bishop) who did not respond to his challenges on specific Bible doctrines. IOW, they refused to debate him on these points. Rather, they appealed to him on building a devotional life that brought him closer to God.

NOTE: I am not advocating the RC church. DO not misunderstand me. I am saying that the book he wrote is instructive as to how people may be converted. Lessons learned from this book may include: 1) One can teach Biblical doctrines from a person's favorite translation of the Bible. 2) To convert, we may need to do more than just teach intellectual doctrines. We may need to teach people about a living, on-going, relationship with Christ.

I am not looking for any issue with the Bible as I stand by it 100%, but if you try to change or add or delete the Word, then we must stand up as the Reformers did and make clear that must be rejected.

But if they remove who Christ is, then should we say that's ok and teach others with it. We have to think that through.

Now here is from the Dean Burgon site which is very clear...

"..Purposeful efforts to alter and corrupt the New Testament began almost immediately after each Gospel and letter were written. Turn to"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ." The word corrupt here is a translation of the Greek word kaphleuontev - kapaleuontes (kap-ale-loo-entace) which means a huckster. One scholar said this about the word - The word was used to describe shady "wine-dealers playing tricks with their wines; mixing the new, harsh wines, so as to make them pass for old. They not only sold their wares in the market, but had wine-shops all over the town..." where then peddled their corrupt wine claiming it was genuine. They made a bundle of money by their deception.

So how is this word used in reference to the Word of God? Gnostic hucksters, and others, took the pure word of God and, like the shady wine dealers, mixed in their own philosophies, opinions and perversions and they peddled it all over as the real thing.

We know that false gospels and false letters were written and circulated while the Apostles were still alive. Turn to 2 "That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." It is obvious that someone had written a letter and was circulating it, claiming that is was from the Apostle Paul and other disciples. Paul says the letter is a bogus, fake, a fraud."

Turn in your Bibles to "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." These false prophets and teachers are said to "privily...bring in damnable heresies." That is, they secretly introduced spurious (unauthentic, counterfeit or bogus) teachings that were "damnable heresies" or perversion of the truth. They sought to peddle these heresies among believers. And how would they do that? Certainly by their slick teachings but likely also in their writings and corruptions of what God had given in the New Testament.
•An Overview Of Gnostic Heresies

Let's look at some of the Early Heresies that developed in the days of the Apostles, and shortly afterwards. The beginnings of these heresies are alluded to in the Epistles John, Paul and Jude. Let's look at several of these places.

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."

Someone was promoting a false perverted letter or letters, and many in the church of Galatia were buying into the lie. Next, lets look at...

in the King James Bible -- "And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God...."

The NIV says, "Every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not of God...." You see that the NIV leaves out the word "Christ." Why? It is because it was translated from the Alexandrian line of Greek texts that had been corrupted by the Gnostics. The so called "Christian" Gnostics believed in a dualistic Jesus Christ. Jesus was the physical Jesus and Christ was the spiritual Jesus. I will explain that more later in this paper. However, suffice it to say that this corrupt teachings influences some of the scribes who changed the Apostolic texts to reflect their Gnostic beliefs. Next in your Bibles to...

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." This verse makes it obvious that "ungodly men" were turning the "grace of our God into lasciviousness." That is what Gnostics did. They taught that the flesh was evil and therefore, it does not matter what you do with it.

Next, we are going to look at three early heresies - Gnosticism in general, Docetism, and Marcionism. Docetism and Mariconism are types of Gnosticism. There are others, but time will not allow us to consider them. But, know this, Gnosticism, had the biggest on early Christianity and also had a major influence on the transmission of New Testament, and accounts for many of the differences between the Apostolic-Traditional line and the Alexandrian-Western line of manuscripts.
•GNOSTICISM IN GENERAL

I remind you of what was mentioned earlier in this paper: There was no unified doctrinal statement among Gnostic groups. There was no consensus on a Gnostic canon of scriptures. Gnostic groups had no scruples about rewriting and adapting other religions sacred writings to fit their fancy. Many of their own works were circulated in different versions. Various sects had their own preferred rendition.

While my research indicates that Carpocrates was the founder of the "Christian" Gnostics in the first half of the second century A.D., I do not know for sure that there were not others that preceded him. There were sects of Gnostics before him that used other religions and philosophies as their basis. However, we know that Carpocrates corrupted Christian teachings because of what Irenaeus wrote. The earliest and most vivid account of the Carpocratian Gnostics can be found in Irenaeus (130-202 A.D.) work titled Against Heresy. This sect did not believe Jesus was divine. His followers did not believe they had to follow the Law of Moses or any morality. They were very licentious (immoral) in their behavior.

Gnosticism, in all of its varieties, was the most influential heresy faced by the early Church. Not only did the Gnostic corrupt many readings found in the New Testament, but offered their own writings as inspired scriptures, such as the The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Peter, The Gospel of Philip, The Gospel of Judas, The Gospel of the Ebionites, The Gospel of The Twelve, The Gospel According To The Hebrews (also called The Gospel According To Matthew, not to be confused with the real Gospel of Matthew), The Gospel According to the Egyptians, The Gospel of Mary (Magdalene), The Acts of Andrew, The Acts of Peter, The Acts of John, etc. Gnosticism had a variety of forms and sects, which broadened its base and growth. Historian Will Durant calls Gnosticism "the quest of godlike knowledge (gnosis) through mystic means" (The Story Of Civilization Vol. III, p. 604). Durant is correct. Gnosticism is thinly veiled Pantheism. Pantheism is the doctrine that identifies God with and in the whole universe, every particle, tree, table, animal, and person being are part of GOD. Or, to explain it in a very basic way, the Greek word pan = all. The Greek word theos = God). Therefore it literally means "God is All" and "All is God".

The Gnostics taught that the physical (material) is evil and the spiritual (non-material) is good. Thus, a good god (spiritual) could not have created a physical world, because good can not create evil (that is the spiritual would not create the physical). So the Gnostic god created a being (or a line of beings called aeons) removing himself from direct creation. One of these aeons, or gods, created the world. The so-called Christian Gnostics believed that Jesus was one of these aeons who created the world. Some Gnostic taught that Jesus did not have a physical body. When he walked on the earth, he left not footprints because he never really touched the earth (he being spiritual and the world physical). Others taught that only our spiritual bodies were important, so the physical body could engage in whatever acts they desired because only the spiritual body would be saved. Still other Gnostics taught that the physical body was so evil that it must be denied in order for the spiritual body to gain salvation, thus shunning marriage and certain foods ().

The influence of Gnosticism can be seen in some of the heresies of today. For example, many of the teachings stated above are found, in revised form, in the teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses. To the Jehovah's Witness, Jesus is a created god, not God manifest in the flesh. It is no wonder that the Watchtower's New World Translation changes "God was manifest in the flesh" in 1 and replaces it with "He was made manifest in flesh." In the TR Greek which underlies our King James Bible reads it reads yeov (theos) (God) <2316> efanerwyh (Ephanerothe) (was manifested/revealed) <5319> (5681) en (in) <1722> sarki (sarki) (the flesh) <4561>. However, the Greek text which underlines the NWT has made a change, so it is natural for the Jehovah Witnesses to choose the reading which reflects their false doctrine. What is interesting is that the NIV, NASB, ESV, and perhaps others says "He" instead of "God," thus following part of the Gnostic corruption. Why, because the NWT, NASB, NIV and, ESV have as their base the corrupt Alexandrian text."
http://www.deanburgonsociety.org/Versions/gnosticism.htm

Ellen White states somewhere that in the final days of our history people will not be converted by our teachings but through the fellowship with the believers. You may want to find the quotation and give us the right wording.

I agree, it can be taught, but which is better, one that has been tested and preserved with comparitively the same text or one which is filled with changes, deletions or omissions.