CalvinandHodges
Puritan Board Junior
Simply put: Because the Greek Text (Nestle/Aland 23) used in these translations are not reflective of the inspired originals.
The Westminster Confession, Belgic Confession, London Baptist Confession, Savoy Confession, and all of the Reformation hold to the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Inspiration. That is, that the Inspiration of the Scriptures is found in the Words (Verbal) and all of the Words (Plenary) of the Hebrew and the Greek.
The Confessions, and the Reformed, specifically teach that the Inspiration of the Scriptures is not only found in the Original Autographs of the Bible, but is Providentially Preserved in the copies that we have today such that not one word of the Autographs is missing. Consequently, the copies we have today contain the Inerrant Word of the Original Autographs. See: WCF 1:8; Belgic Article 7; LBC 1:8.
(There are "errors" that do not affect Inspiration or Inerrancy - such as misspelling a word or misplacing a line or phrase in a particular copy. Such "transcription errors" are corrected in other copies - "What error may be found in one copy is corrected in another." Also, translation errors - which can be found in all translations KJV, ESV, NIV, NASB, do not affect the Greek or Hebrew Text, and are simply problems found in the translation of any foreign language text into another language.)
However, the Nestle/Aland Greek Text departs from the Reformed understanding of the Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Scriptures and these errors are reproduced in the NASB and ESV. These errors do affect the Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture and should be condemned. Here is a short list:
Compare Mark 1:35-39 with Luke 4:44 - All translations (KJV, ESV, NASB) state in the Mark 1 passage that Jesus went into Galilee. However, in the parallel passage in Luke 4:44, the NASB and ESV (following the Nestle/Aland Greek text) contradict this statement by saying that Jesus went into Judah. Bruce Metzger makes it clear that this change in the Greek Text was done on purpose when he commented on this passage in his Textual Commentary claiming that the "harder reading" was preferred in Luke 4:44. Some Bibles have a note at Luke 4:44, but not all Bibles have footnotes. Also, footnotes are not the text.
The Bible does not contain contradictions - that is the clear teaching of the doctrine of Inerrancy. However, Nestle/Aland has not only introduced a contradiction in the Greek Text (which is not there in the Textus Receptus), but has also produced an error of fact. We are confidently told, however, "that not one doctrine of the Bible is affected by the changes." Is Inerrancy a doctrine of the Bible? Nestle, Aland, and Metzger do not believe the Scriptures to be Inerrant, and such is reflected in their Greek Text.
1 Cor 5:1 - the phrase "is named" is in the Textus Receptus, but is omitted in Nestle/Aland. The ESV follows less literally the translation here. However, the NASB claims that the fornicating sin that Paul speaks of "does not exist" among the Gentiles. This is not simply contrary to what Paul is saying, but is a flat out lie - Greek Mythology talks about the "Oedipus complex."
Matthew 1:8 - "Asaph" does not belong in the genealogy of Jesus - it is generally considered a scribal error (corrected in other copies) of the name "Asa." This "error" found in the Nestle/Aland Greek Text is not reproduced in the NASB, but is noted in the footnotes, it is found in the ESV.
Luke 9:10 "into a desert place" the Nestle/Aland text omits this point. Consequently, both the ESV and NASB state that Jesus went into the town of Bethsaida. The ESV and NASB contradict what they say in verse 12. If Jesus and the crowd were in the town of Bethsaida - which is what the ESV and NASB both claim - then why would they want to send the crowd to the towns and cities, "for we are in a desolate place" (vs. 12). The Nestle Greek Text does not make sense, and the ESV and NASB follow it.
Brothers and Sisters: Scholars have combed the Textus Receptus for centuries, and have found no errors of fact or contradiction in it. The Textus Receptus upholds the Verbal and Plenary Ispiration and Inerrancy of the original Autographs. The Nestle/Aland Greek Text used by the modern translations does not.
Blessings,
Rob
The Westminster Confession, Belgic Confession, London Baptist Confession, Savoy Confession, and all of the Reformation hold to the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Inspiration. That is, that the Inspiration of the Scriptures is found in the Words (Verbal) and all of the Words (Plenary) of the Hebrew and the Greek.
The Confessions, and the Reformed, specifically teach that the Inspiration of the Scriptures is not only found in the Original Autographs of the Bible, but is Providentially Preserved in the copies that we have today such that not one word of the Autographs is missing. Consequently, the copies we have today contain the Inerrant Word of the Original Autographs. See: WCF 1:8; Belgic Article 7; LBC 1:8.
(There are "errors" that do not affect Inspiration or Inerrancy - such as misspelling a word or misplacing a line or phrase in a particular copy. Such "transcription errors" are corrected in other copies - "What error may be found in one copy is corrected in another." Also, translation errors - which can be found in all translations KJV, ESV, NIV, NASB, do not affect the Greek or Hebrew Text, and are simply problems found in the translation of any foreign language text into another language.)
However, the Nestle/Aland Greek Text departs from the Reformed understanding of the Inspiration and Inerrancy of the Scriptures and these errors are reproduced in the NASB and ESV. These errors do affect the Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture and should be condemned. Here is a short list:
Compare Mark 1:35-39 with Luke 4:44 - All translations (KJV, ESV, NASB) state in the Mark 1 passage that Jesus went into Galilee. However, in the parallel passage in Luke 4:44, the NASB and ESV (following the Nestle/Aland Greek text) contradict this statement by saying that Jesus went into Judah. Bruce Metzger makes it clear that this change in the Greek Text was done on purpose when he commented on this passage in his Textual Commentary claiming that the "harder reading" was preferred in Luke 4:44. Some Bibles have a note at Luke 4:44, but not all Bibles have footnotes. Also, footnotes are not the text.
The Bible does not contain contradictions - that is the clear teaching of the doctrine of Inerrancy. However, Nestle/Aland has not only introduced a contradiction in the Greek Text (which is not there in the Textus Receptus), but has also produced an error of fact. We are confidently told, however, "that not one doctrine of the Bible is affected by the changes." Is Inerrancy a doctrine of the Bible? Nestle, Aland, and Metzger do not believe the Scriptures to be Inerrant, and such is reflected in their Greek Text.
1 Cor 5:1 - the phrase "is named" is in the Textus Receptus, but is omitted in Nestle/Aland. The ESV follows less literally the translation here. However, the NASB claims that the fornicating sin that Paul speaks of "does not exist" among the Gentiles. This is not simply contrary to what Paul is saying, but is a flat out lie - Greek Mythology talks about the "Oedipus complex."
Matthew 1:8 - "Asaph" does not belong in the genealogy of Jesus - it is generally considered a scribal error (corrected in other copies) of the name "Asa." This "error" found in the Nestle/Aland Greek Text is not reproduced in the NASB, but is noted in the footnotes, it is found in the ESV.
Luke 9:10 "into a desert place" the Nestle/Aland text omits this point. Consequently, both the ESV and NASB state that Jesus went into the town of Bethsaida. The ESV and NASB contradict what they say in verse 12. If Jesus and the crowd were in the town of Bethsaida - which is what the ESV and NASB both claim - then why would they want to send the crowd to the towns and cities, "for we are in a desolate place" (vs. 12). The Nestle Greek Text does not make sense, and the ESV and NASB follow it.
Brothers and Sisters: Scholars have combed the Textus Receptus for centuries, and have found no errors of fact or contradiction in it. The Textus Receptus upholds the Verbal and Plenary Ispiration and Inerrancy of the original Autographs. The Nestle/Aland Greek Text used by the modern translations does not.
Blessings,
Rob
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