Matthew 6:33
New International Version
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
When Jesus was teaching, every word must have been important, could you elaborate a little on what Jesus stated in the following verses from the
NIV?
1. Matthew 17:21
2. Matthew 18:11
3. Matthew 23:14
4. Mark 7:16
5. Mark 9:44
6. Mark 9:46
7. Mark 11:26
8. Mark 15:28
9. Luke 17:36
10. John 5:4
11. Acts 8:37
12. Acts 15:34
13. Acts 24:7
14. Acts 28:29
15. Romans 16:24
16. I John 5:7
I know in Acts, Romans and 1 John that others are speaking, but it is
the Spirit of Christ that is in them speaking, and so I feel they would be pretty important too. We can look at one at a time, and so you may please choose which one you would like to consider first with me. If the places of text are somewhat difficult to understand in the
NIV, perhaps we can look at some of the koine Greek and try to understand the truth from them there, as the
NIV loves to rely upon the 'best' and most reliable MSS (manuscripts), and so looking at them may help also.
For instance:
The King James Bible, faithful as ever reads:
Mar 9:29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
In the NWT & NIV, in
Mark 9:29, it reads:
Mark 9:29 NWT - 29 He said to them: “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Mark 9:29 NIV - 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.[
a]”
The side notation on the NWT says [
red, bold and underline added by myself]:
"...
by prayer: Some manuscripts add “and fasting.” But
the earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not include “and fasting.” These words were evidently added by
copyists who advocated fasting and practiced it. They repeatedly included references to fasting where these were not found in earlier copies.—See
study note on Mt 17:21. ..."
The NIV notation:
Mark 9:29
Some manuscripts prayer and fasting
That is a total lie. Notice:
It is because of
Codex Sinaiticus (aleph) (desert) and
Codex Vaticanus (B) (secret vaults)
(Matthew 24:26) and
0274 (pc, no cursives are cited by the N/A, or UBS),
k.
These (alone) leave off “and fasting”.
Yet, consider that vast evidence for “and fasting”:
“… P45
Aleph-2
C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, S, U, V, W, X, Y
Gamma, Delta, Theta, Pi, Sigma, Phi, Psi, Omega
Cursives: MAJORITY fam 1,13
Old Latin: a, aur, b, d, f, f2, i, l, q, r1, Vulgate
Syriac: Pes.hitta, (sin, old Syriac), Harclean, Palestinian
Coptic: Sahidic, Bohairic
Gothic: Armenian, Ethiopic
Also extant in 047?, 055, 0211, 0233?, 0257? …” - A Closer Look: Early Manuscripts & The AV, by Jack Moorman, page 79
It is
not as the NWT or
NIV notation which says "Some manuscripts", but in all practicability, all of them. It is
not as the NWT notation says, "the earliest and most reliable manuscripts", but only primarily refers to Vaticanus and Sinaiticus the two most emended codices/texts on earth.
It is even found in the so called ECF:
Thomas Aquinas, citing Chrysostom, and Theophylact, and Bede, and Pseudo-Jerome, in Catena Aurea, states on
Mark 9:29:
"… Chrys.: They feared that perchance they had lost the grace conferred upon them; for they had already received power over unclean spirits.
“…
Theophylact: That is, the whole class of lunatics, or simply, of all persons possessed with devils. Both the man to be cured, and he who cures him,
should fast; for a real prayer is offered up,
when fasting is joined with prayer, when he who prays is sober and not heavy with food. …” -
https://ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2/catena2.iii.ix.html 2
“…
Bede: Further, 179 our Lord, while teaching the Apostles how the worst devil is to be expelled, gives all of us rules for our life; that is, He would have us know that all the more grievous attacks of evil spirits or of men are to be overcome
by fastings and prayers; and again, that the anger of the Lord, when it is kindled for vengeance on our crimes, can be appeased by this remedy alone. …” -
https://ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2/catena2.iii.ix.html 2
“…
Pseudo-Jerome: Or else, the folly which is connected with the softness of the flesh, is
healed by fasting; anger and laziness are healed by prayer. Each would has its own medicine, which must be applied to it; that which is used for the heel will not cure the eye; by fasting, the passions of the body, by prayer, the plagues of the soul, are healed. …” -
https://ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2/catena2.iii.ix.html 2
Even the Douay Rheims has (which counters their Jerome's corrupted Vulgate):
Mar 9:29 (9:28) And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
This may be of help also: