Textual Evidence for Romans 8:1

[Jar1979]

Hello Loved Ones,

I'm sure this has already been discussed here on the PB, but I've not been able to find anything about it. I'm wondering what textual evidence there is for the last half of Romans 8:1 as it is in the KJV-"who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Thanks for your help.

Rick Davis
Fellowship of the Word
Cincinnati, OH

 

[rbcbob]

According to Hodges and Farstad, in their Majority Text Greek NT the second half of the verse is extremely well attested in extant manuscripts. The chief objection being that two very old manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus) do not contain it.

 

[Phil D.]

I'm no expert on these things, but according to the note in the NET...

The earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts, as well as a few others (א* B D* F G 6 1506 1739 1881 pc co), have no additional words for v. 1. Later scribes (A D1 Ψ 81 365 629 pc vg) added the words μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν (mē kata sarka peripatousin, “who do not walk according to the flesh”), while even later ones (א2 D2 33vid M) added ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα (alla kata pneuma, “but [who do walk] according to the Spirit”). Both the external evidence and the internal evidence are compelling for the shortest reading. The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace. The KJV follows the longest reading found in M.

Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.​

 

[nicnap]

The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace.

Presupposition at best; impugning motives at worst. Men who believed that the Bible is the Word of God do not add to or take away from it. This note shouldn't be included in the NET Bible's notes. If it is not original, it may very well have been interpolated, but it would have been accidental.