When Bible Verses Vanish: What Happened to the 14 ‘Missing’?
In modern Bibles, we encounter a curious phenomenon: verses that seem to skip numbers or appear in footnotes—rather than in the main text. The most notable among these is Acts 8:37, but it’s not alone—13 other verses share a similar status: Matthew 17:21, 18:11, 23:14; Mark 7:16, 9:44, 9:46, 11:26, 15:28; Luke 17:36, 23:17; John 5:4; Acts 8:37, 15:34, and 24:7.
However, we quickly discover these textual variations don’t cause concern. Far from undermining our confidence in God’s Word, understanding these variants actually strengthens our faith…
In this analysis, we shall focus particularly on Acts 8:37 as a case study, while drawing insights from the broader pattern of textual transmission evident in all 14 verses.
What Does Acts 8:37 Say?
In the King James Version (KJV) and New King James Version (NKJV), Acts 8:37 reads:
“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
This verse appears in the context of Philip baptising the Ethiopian eunuch. However, if you check other translations such as the ESV, NIV, or NASB, you’ll likely see Acts 8:37 omitted or placed in brackets with a footnote explaining its absence. Why is this the case?
Why Is It Missing in Many Modern Translations?
The primary reason Acts 8:37 is omitted from many translations: it’s absent from the earliest and most reliable Greek manuscripts, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus. It only appears in later medieval manuscripts, leading scholars to believe it was a later addition rather than part of the original text penned by Luke.
The verse was likely a marginal note added by a scribe to reinforce the theological truth that faith precedes baptism. Over time perhaps, the note became incorporated into the text in some manuscript traditions, particularly those that influenced the Textus Receptus—the Greek text used for the KJV.
Modern translations, unlike the KJV, are based on a broader and older collection of manuscripts. This has prompted scholars to conclude Acts 8:37 wasn’t part of the original autographs.
WHEN BIBLE VERSES VANISH: DOES THIS AFFECT THE DOCTRINE OF SCRIPTURE?
Some may worry removing Acts 8:37 calls into question the trustworthiness of the Bible. However, from a Reformed perspective, the concern is unfounded for several reasons:
- Sola Scriptura and the Original Autographs: The doctrine of Sola Scriptura teaches that Scripture’s authority rests in the original manuscripts (autographs), not later copies. Since Acts 8:37 was likely a later addition, its removal does not diminish biblical authority.
- Doctrinal Consistency: The essential truth conveyed in Acts 8:37—that faith precedes baptism—is already affirmed in numerous other passages, such as Romans 10:9 and Acts 16:31. The Bible’s teaching remains unchanged.
- God’s Sovereign Preservation: The Reformed view upholds God’s providence in preserving His Word throughout history. The discipline of textual criticism, which identifies and removes later additions, is part of that divine preservation.
WHEN BIBLE VERSES VANISH: THEOLOGICAL AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The Sufficiency of Scripture: Even without Acts 8:37, Scripture clearly teaches salvation comes through faith in Christ alone. The removal of later interpolations doesn’t take away from the gospel’s clarity.
God’s Preservation of His Word: Rather than undermining confidence in Scripture, the omission of later additions strengthens our assurance that we have an accurate biblical text. This demonstrates that Scripture has been faithfully preserved, even as textual variants are identified and corrected.
Avoiding KJV-Onlyism: While the King James Version has historical significance, it isn’t the only valid English translation. A proper Reformed understanding recognises translations are to be evaluated based on the best available manuscripts, rather than tradition alone.
CONCLUSION: WHEN BIBLE VERSES VANISH:
Understanding why Acts 8:37 is missing in modern translations helps to build our confidence in the Bible—not weaken it. The omission isn’t a result of tampering with Scripture but of careful scholarship aimed at preserving the authentic Word of God. As Reformed believers, we trust in God’s sovereignty over His Word, knowing that He has faithfully preserved His revelation for His people. Rather than causing doubt, the study of textual transmission should lead us to a greater appreciation for the reliability and sufficiency of Scripture.
THE OTHER 13 ‘MISSING’ BIBLE VERSES—A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
- Matthew 17:21 KJV: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? This verse is absent from key early manuscripts but appears in later manuscripts. It appears to be an insertion harmonizing with Mark 9:29, where similar words are firmly attested. Modern translations omit it based on the earliest manuscript evidence while noting its presence in later traditions.
- Matthew 18:11 KJV: “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from the earliest and best manuscripts. The verse appears to be a later addition borrowed from Luke 19:10. While theologically true, textual evidence suggests it wasn’t original to Matthew’s gospel.
- Matthew 23:14 KJV: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Missing from the most reliable early manuscripts. Appears to be an insertion from Mark 12:40 or Luke 20:47. This harmonisation likely occurred as scribes sought to align the gospel accounts.
- Mark 7:16 KJV: “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from several important early manuscripts. This saying, while authentic to Jesus’s teaching style and appearing elsewhere in the gospels, was likely added here by scribes familiar with similar expressions in Mark’s gospel.
- Mark 9:44 KJV: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Along with Mark 9:46, this verse repeats Mark 9:48, which is firmly attested in all manuscripts. Verses 44 and 46 appear to be scribal additions repeating verse 48 for emphasis. They’re absent from the earliest manuscripts.
- Mark 9:46 KJV: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? See explanation for Mark 9:44. These verses represent liturgical or scribal repetition of the authentic verse 48.
- Mark 11:26 KJV: “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from early manuscripts. This appears to be an addition harmonizing with Matthew 6:15. While the teaching aligns with Jesus’s message, textual evidence suggests it wasn’t original to Mark’s gospel.
- Mark 15:28 KJV: “And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Missing from the earliest and best manuscripts. This appears to be a later addition incorporating Isaiah 53:12, possibly influenced by Luke 22:37 where this quotation is firmly attested.
- Luke 17:36 KJV: “Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from the majority of early Greek manuscripts. Appears to be an addition harmonising with Matthew 24:40. The verse fits the context but lacks early manuscript support.
- Luke 23:17 KJV “(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Missing from several early and important manuscripts. This explanatory note about Pilate’s custom appears to be a later addition providing context, possibly influenced by Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6.
- John 5:4 KJV: “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from the earliest and best manuscripts. This appears to be a later explanatory addition providing background for the healing story, possibly reflecting popular tradition about the pool.
- Acts 15:34 KJV: “Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Missing from the earliest manuscripts. This appears to be a later addition explaining how Silas could be present in Acts 15:40 after departing in 15:33.
- Acts 24:7 KJV: “But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands.”
Why Missing/Footnoted? Absent from the earliest and best manuscripts. This appears to be a later addition providing additional narrative detail about Paul’s arrest.
SUMMARY
Like Acts 8:37, these 13 verses are omitted or bracketed in modern translations because they were not part of the original biblical manuscripts. However, this shouldn’t shake our confidence in Scripture. Instead, it demonstrates how God has sovereignly preserved His Word through careful textual transmission. The process of identifying and removing later additions ensures we’re reading as close to the original text as possible.
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