What difference does it make?

Several doctrines have weaker support in the minority text, such as the deity of Christ (1 Tim 3:16) and His virgin birth (Lk. 2:33,43). Furthermore, the doctrine of inerrancy becomes much more difficult to defend.

Difficulties for Inerrancy in the Minority Text

1. In Matt 1:7,10 two non-existent kings are listed in Christ's genealogy; Asaph, and Amos. The M-text correctly reads: Asa and Amon.

2. In Lk 23:45 there is a scientific error that the sun was eclipsed (Gr. eklipontos) at Christ's death. But this was impossible during the full moon that occurs at Passover. The M-text reads, "the sun was darkened" (eskotisthe).

3. In the minority test of John 7:8 Jesus tells his brothers that He's not going to the feast; then two verses later, He goes. There is no contradiction in the M-text, which quotes Jesus' words, "I am not yet going."

Unfortunently, these Gr. texts and the translations based on them often plant doubts in the minds of Christians about the integrity of the NT. They do this primarily by means of textual notes that are often inaccurate and slanted.

Mark 16:9-16

Many Chrisitans have been led to believe that these concluding verses of Mark are not original because of notes stating that this paragraph is missing in the "oldest and best mss." In truth, Mk. 16 9-20 is lacking in only three Gr. mss. against an estimated 1800 that have it.

Other textual notes propose that the original ending of Mark is lost. However, we are convinced that if any words of the NT are lost beyond recovery, then Jesus' words in Matt. 24:35 cannot be true.

Equally distressing, the minority text deletes nine and a half pages of words, phrases, and sentences found in the M-text. If the M-text it correct, then users of the minority text are being deprived of nine and a half pages of inspired Scripture!

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