Romans 11:6

 

Romans 11:6

(MLV) But if it is by grace, it is no more from works: otherwise grace becomes grace no more. But if from works, no more is it grace; otherwise work is work no more.

(KJV) And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

(1611 KJV) And if by grace, then is it no more of workes: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it bee of workes, then is it no more grace, otherwise worke is no more worke.

(1587 Geneva Bible) And if it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or els were grace no more grace: but if it be of workes, it is no more grace: or els were worke no more worke.

(1526 Tyndale) Yf it be of grace the is it not of workes. For then were grace no moare grace. Yf it be of workes then is it no moare grace. For then were deservyng no lenger deservynge.

 

Counterfeit Versions

(NIV) And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

(NASV) But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

(ESV) But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

(1901 ASV) But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

(1881 RV) But if it is by grace, it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.

(HCSB) Now if by grace, then it is not by works; otherwise grace ceases to be grace.

(RSV) But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

(NAB-Roman Catholic) But if by grace, it is no longer because of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Now if it is by undeserved kindness, it is no longer due to works; otherwise, the undeserved kindness no longer proves to be undeserved kindness.

 

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text

ei de cariti ouketi ex ergwn epei h cariV ouketi ginetai cariV ei de ex ergwn ouketi estin cariV epei to ergon ouketi estin ergon

 

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text

ei de cariti ouketi ex ergwn epei h cariV ouketi ginetai cariV

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

This verse is corrupted in the following Manuscripts:

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Fourth century (original)

A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century

C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century

D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century

P 025 - St. Petersburg - Ninth century

P 46 - circa 200 AD

 

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse

Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)

Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Fourth century (corrected)
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century

L 020 - Ninth century

 

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions

Omit “But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

Greisbach, Johann - 1805

Lachmann, Karl - 1842

Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869

Tregelles, Samuel - 1857

Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871 (in brackets or margin)

Westcott and Hort - 1881

Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941

Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition

Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition

United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition

 

Affected Teachings

(Rom 11:5 MLV) Even so then in this current time there has also become a remnant according to the choice of grace.

Here Paul points out the great differences between grace and works. He continues the thoughts from verse 5 that at present there is a remnant who is saved by grace. The works-grace battle has been going on for thousands of years but the bottom line is that works can never save anyone. Without this phrase in the minority text one whole teaching from God's word is just washed away. What is presented here is an either/or situation. Either you are under a covenant of works as Israel was for many years or you are saved and under the covenant of Grace. However, if you insist on trying to keep the law, then you will not be under grace. The Judaizers which followed Paul had tried to get the people to keep the law while under grace. They added that and claimed that keeping the law of Moses was a necessary part of salvation and without it, one could not be saved.

 

The Gnostics of the second century would have fallen right in line in believing that works were necessary for salvation. They believed they were saved by increasing their knowledge. Grace came through the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 MLV) Because the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.. Since the Gnostics did not believe that Christ had come from Heaven and that He was the Son of God, God incarnate, they would have removed anything which would remotely connect Him with salvation. The Gnostics believed that He had become Christ while He was here on Earth. The change in this verse has Origen’s name attached to it in the UBS Fourth edition of the Greek. Origen was definitely a Pagan and a Gnostic and would have deleted the second half of this verse because it did not fit in with his belief system. Keep in mind that Origen was just one of the Gnostics at Alexandria and any of them could have made any of the changes. There is no reason given why the last part of this verse was removed so we may safely conclude that it was removed because works is an integral part of all religions outside of true Christianity and was removed because of the systematic prejudices of the Gnostics.

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