Changes & Fakes in the New Versions of the Bible

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Deutsch

From Textus Receptus to Nestle-Aland

The Bible is not the same as the Bible. Quite a few translators have wracked their brains over how statements, style and, above all, the meaning of the content should be translated into the respective national language. The reformer Martin Luther is of course one of the pioneers in the German-speaking world. When translating the New Testament, he stuck to the Greek majority text (Textus Receptus).

The following essay focuses on the Bibles in the German language. But the concept of the sometimes massive Bible changes and Bible falsifications is also used in English-speaking areas. Detailed examples of English Bibles can be found here and here.

DThen the original texts were subjected to “scientific” criteria. Led by Eberhard Nestle at the end of the 19th century and then by Kurt Aland from the 1960s. While Nestle did not use the original Greek texts as a basis, but various variants of existing translations, Aland compared Nestle’s results with the original texts and other individual manuscripts. The result is the so-called “Novum Testamentum Graece” (Nestle-Aland). In the further modifications, among other things, a focus was on reliability and readability.

Ease of reading or misrepresentation?

In principle, there is nothing wrong with adapting the respective translations to a modern reading. However, it becomes critical when some fundamental statements are either twisted or omitted entirely. A fairly clear guide can be seen from the changes and omissions in the new Bible translations. On the one hand, the translations in individual areas have to be brought into line with the Catholic catechism (e.g. Catholic Trinity, immortal soul, presence of saints as spirits at the Eucharist, etc.) and on the other hand, Jesus, the Son of God, has to be dethroned and be reduced to some kind of privileged, simple prophet or just ordinary founder of a religion.

As part of the ongoing ecumenism (Oikumene = inhabited entire earth) the goal is compatibility with other religions (e.g. Islam, Judaism). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his Father, the living God, are also incompatible with Buddhism. Hence the effort to remove personality and install a kind of pantheism, coupled with a strong pinch of “New Age” philosophy.

Different Bible translations

Bible translations according to the Textus Receptus include:
Luther 1545, Luther 1912, Schlachter 2000, Alte Elberfelder (with limitation), King James Version(KJV, English)

The Bible translations after “scientific processing” according to Nestle-Aland include:
Luther 1954, Luther 1984, Luther 2017, Gute Nachrichten, Züricher Bibel 1931, Revidierte Elberfelder, Ökumenische Einheitsübersetzung, Neue Genfer Übersetzung 2003, Neues Leben, Hoffnung für Alle.

The “Volxbibel” is one of the particularly extravagant modern versions of the Bible, which is intended to appeal to young people through the language used. One could argue about taste, but this so-called “Youth Bible” also contains statements that sometimes differ significantly from the original.
So z.B. Exodus 20:8-10:

Schlachter 2000: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:”

Volxbibel: “Sunday is the day I want you all to relax. This seventh day of the week is a very special day and belongs to God alone. You can work and do your job for six days. But the seventh day is the day of relaxation, which belongs only to God.”

In addition, the following very important thing should be noted: Sunday as the 7th day within the calendar week, or Monday as the first of the week, is still a relatively young phenomenon in Germany and has only been around since March 1975. With DIN 1355 (German Industrie Norm), Monday was assigned the “ordinal number 1” and since then the week has started with Monday. Until then, Saturday was the 7th day and Sunday the 1st day of a new week for centuries. This is how it is still used in the USA, for example, and in many other countries around the world. Thus, according to Exodus 20:8, the biblical Sabbath is Saturday. This puts the shifting of the Saturday to be celebrated to Sunday in a particularly clear light.

The following list is just an excerpt of the changes made so far compared to the original text according to Textus Receptus. It is clear that it is not primarily about efforts to improve the flow of speech and understanding of the text.

Changes / falsifications in German Bibles

Statements in the "modern" versions of the Bible in German, some of which twist the meaning.
The verses are translated from German. The changes in the German Bibles may differ from the English language Bibles.

Textus Receptus Schlachter 2000	Variant Nestle-Aland	Passage in the Bible
Greetings, pardoned one! The Lord is with you, blessed one among women!	"You blessed among women" has been omitted	Luke 1:28
And Joseph and his mother marveled at what was said about him.	And his father and his mother wondered...	Luke 2:33
...and Joseph and his motherdidn't know	...and his parents didn't know	Luke 2:43
Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word of God	"but from every word of God" is dropped	Luke 4:4
And Jesus answered him and said: Depart me, Satan! For it is written...	"Depart me, Satan!" is omitted	Luke 4:8
Demons also came out from many, crying out and saying: You are the Christ, the Son of God!...	"the Christ" is omitted	Luke 4:41
This is my beloved son; you should listen to him!	This is my chosen son, hear him!	Luke 9:35
But if your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him	"against you" has been omitted	Luke 17:3
Two will be on the field; one will be taken and the other left.	has been completely omitted	Luke 17:36
And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when you come in your kingdom!	And he said: Jesus, remember me when you...	Luke 23:42
No one has ever seen God; The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father has enlightened [about him].	No one has ever seen God; God only who is in the bosom of the Father...	John 1:18
This is he who comes after me, who came before me; and I am not worthy to loosen the thong of his shoe	"who came before me" is omitted	John 1:27
And no one has gone up into heaven except he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven	"who is in heaven" has been dropped	John 3:13
.. we have heard and recognized for ourselves that this is truly the savior of the world, the Christ.	"the Christ" is omitted	John 4:42
.. because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me	But the will of him who sent me "of the father" has been omitted	John 5:30
and we have believed and known that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God!	.. and realized that you are the saint of God.	John 6:69
.. and when he found him, he said to him: Do you believe in the Son of God?	Do you believe in the Son of Man?	John 9:35
Sanctify them in your truth! Your word is truth.	Sanctify them in the truth	John 17:17
Come see the place where the Lord lay!	"the Lord" is omitted	Matthew 28:6
Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God	"the kingdom" has been dropped	Matthew 1:17
.. he has no forgiveness in eternity, but is subject to an eternal judgment.	.. but is guilty of eternal sin	Mark 3:29
.. shake the dust off your feet as a testimony to them. Truly I say to you, Sodom and Gomorrah will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment than that city!	highlighted part is missing completely	Mark 6:11
.. I believe, Lord; help me, [to break away] from my unbelief!	"Lord" is omitted	Mark 9:24
where their worm does not die and the fire does not go out.	has been completely omitted	Mark 9:44
.. and come on take this Cross on you and follow me!	"take this Cross on you" has been dropped	Mark 10:21
Gepriesen sei das Reich unseres Vaters David, das kommt im Namen des Herrn!Praise be to the kingdom our father David, that comes on behalf of Lord!	"that comes on behalf of Lord!" has been dropped	Mark 11:10
Take heed, watch and pray!	"and pray!" is omitted	Mark 13:33
There the Scripture was fulfilled, who says: "And he is among the outlaws calculated	has been completely omitted	Mark 15:28
Philip said: If you whole heart believe, so it is permitted! He replied and said: I believe that Jesus Christ the Son God's!	has been completely omitted	Acts 8:37
And he went into Jerusalem with them out and in and proclaimed boldly in Names of the Lord Jesus.	"Jesus" is omitted	Acts 9:28
.. Four days ago fasted I until this hour, and I prayed for the ninth Hour ..	"fasted I" is omitted	Acts 10:30
.. that we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ ..	"Christ" is omitted	Acts 15:11
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be saved become, you and your house!	"Christ" is omitted	Acts 16:31
.. became Paul by the Spirit urged the Jews to testify that Jesus who is Christ.	Paul was urged by the Word ..	Acts 18:5
.. so that all those in [the province] Asia lived, that heard the word of the Lord Jesus	"Jesus" is omitted	Acts 19:10
than those that are full of of all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, Malice;	"fornication" is omitted	Romans 1:29
.. but live for God in Christ Jesus, our Lord!"	"our Lord" has been dropped	Romans 6:11
that but Israel, that after the law of justice aspired to the law of Justice not achieved has.	"of Justice" has been dropped	Romans 9:31
For the [Commandments]: You you shall not commit adultery shall not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not false testimony cast off, thou shalt not desire	highlighted part has been omitted	Romans 13:9
For that is what Christ is for also died and rose again and alive again become that he both about dead as well be lord of the living	"and rose again" has been dropped	Romans 14:9
And my speech and mine Annunciation did not exist in persuasive words human wisdom, but in proof of spirit and strength	"human" has been dropped	1Corinthians 2:4
For our Passover lamb was slaughtered for us become: Christ.	"for us" has been omitted	1Corinthians 5:7
and thanked it broke and said: Take, eat! That is my body, that for you is broken; this does to my memory!	And said: (/) This is my body, which is for you (/); this does in my memory!	1Corinthians 11:24
The first human is from the earth, earthly; the second Man is the Lord out the sky.	"the Lord" is omitted	1Corinthians 15:47
When it but God that me excreted from the womb and through his grace has called, well-pleased,	"God" is omitted	Galatians 1:15
So you're not like that anymore servant but son; but if son, then also Inheritance of God through Christ.	But if son, then also inheritance through God.	Galatians 4:7
For in Christ Jesus circumcision does not count still uncircumcised something but a new one creation.	"in Christ Jesus" has been omitted	Galatians 6:15
I can do everything through who strengthens me, Christ.	"Christ" is omitted	Philippians 4:13
in which we find salvation have by his blood that forgiveness of sins.	"by his blood" has been dropped	Colossians 1,14
.. Grace be with you and Peace from God ours Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ!	highlighted part has been omitted	1Thessalonians 1:1
.. Don't you be too before our Lord Jesus Christ at his second coming?	"Christ" is omitted	1Thessalonians 2:19
But he himself, God, is ours Father and our Lord Jesus Christ guide ours way to you!	"Christ" is omitted	1Thessalonians 3:11
.. before our God and Father at the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.	"Christ" is omitted	1Thessalonians 3:13
.. and those who dem gospel of our lord Jesus Christ not obedient are.	"Christ" is omitted	2Thessalonians 1:8
hence the name of ours Lord Jesus Christ in be glorified to you and you in him, according to grace our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.	"Christ" is omitted	2Thessalonians 1:12
for which I was assigned as preachers and apostles - I'm telling the truth in Christ and do not lie - , as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and in truth.	"in Christ" is omitted	1Timothy 2:7
.. looks at the apostle and high priest of ours Confession, Christ Jesus,	"Christ" is omitted	Hebrews 3:1
Behold, I come to your will, O God do	"O God" is omitted	Hebrews 10:9
he will be the crown of receiving life, which the Lord promised to them has those who love him	"the Lord" is omitted	James 1:12
and theirs is darkness keep out of darkness forever.	"forever" has been dropped	2Peter 2:17
We know we're dating came to life after death are because we love the brothers. Who the brother not love stays in Death.	"the brother" is omitted	1John 3:14
We love him because he loves us loved first.	"him" is omitted	1John 4:19
grace, mercy and Peace be with you from God the Father and of to the Lord Jesus Christ, the father's son, in truth and love!	"to the Lord" is omitted	2John 3
ungodly, which the grace of our God in to practice licentiousness and God, the only one ruler, and ours deny the Lord Jesus Christ.	"God" is omitted	Jude 1:4
I am the be-all and end-all the beginning and the end, says the Lord who is and who was and who is coming, who Almighty.	I am the be-all and end-all the O, (/), speaks the Lord, God, the is and was and who comes, the Almighty.	Revelation 1:8
who said: I am the A and the O, the first and the last! and: What you see, write that in book and send it to the Churches those in Asia are:	highlighted positions have been omitted	Revelation 1:11
And the 24 elders fell down and prayed the on, he lives from eternity to eternity.	And the (/) elders fell down and worshiped (/)	Revelation 5:14
We thank you, oh Lord, God Almighty, the you are and who you were and you come that you on your great power taken you and the assumed royal rule have!	"and you come" is omitted	Revelation 11:17
And fire came down from God out of heaven and consumed them.	"from God" has been omitted	Revelation 20:9
These words are certain and verily; and the Lord the God of the saints Prophet, has his angel sent to his servants to show what should happen quickly	.. and the gentleman who God of spirits the prophets, has his ..	Revelation 22:6

There is in the New Testament a difference of no fewer than 3,600 words between the Textus Receptus and the Nestle 23rd edition. Over 970 words have been added. The difference between Textus Receptus and Neste-Aland is almost 2,890 omitted words. This removes about two of Peter’s epistles in the scope of Nestle-Aland.

A comprehensive description and detailed explanation (in German) of the “career” of the new Bible versions is available from Rudolf Ebertshäuser. The freely available .pdf The traditional text of the New Testament and today’s Bible translations may be reproduced and distributed as a whole.