According to the word of God, Egypt is an iron furnace and a house of
bondage.
Exodus 20:2, “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the
land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Deuteronomy 4:20, 5:6, 6:12, “But the LORD hath taken you, and brought
you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a
people of inheritance, as ye are this day… I am the LORD thy God, which
brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage… Then
beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”
God commanded His people, the Israelites, not to walk in the ordinances of
Egypt, nor to do after their doings, because they would be defiled in so
doing, and so would the land.
Leviticus 18:3, 24-25, “After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye
dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither
I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances…
Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the
nations are defiled which I cast out before you: And the land is defiled:
therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself
vomiteth out her inhabitants.”
Egypt was such an abomination to God that He commanded His people not to get
horses from there, and that they shall return no more that way. In other
words: God did not want His people going back to Egypt for any reason, not
even for horses.
Deuteronomy 17:16, “But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor
cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply
horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return
no more that way.”
Let us review: the people of Egypt committed many abominations, defiling
themselves and the land as a result. They enslaved the Israelites and would
not let them go, thus earning the title “house of bondage.” Therefore the
word of God has nothing good to say about Egypt.
In stark contrast, God’s word has nothing but good things to say about
Antioch, Syria. Antioch is where the first great awakening of the Gentiles
occurred, and a great number of them turned unto the Lord because they
believed the gospel. Antioch also happens to be the city where the disciples
were first called Christians. Antioch bare much fruit and was blessed by
God, and it was from Antioch that relief was sent unto the brethren in
Judaea.
Acts 11:19-30, “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution
that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and
Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only. And some of them
were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake
unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was
with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord. Then
tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in
Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as
Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and
exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the
Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and
much people was added unto the Lord. Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for
to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it
came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church,
and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in
Antioch. And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. And
there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that
there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in
the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his
ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and
Saul.”
In the book of Acts, we learn something interesting: the word of God was
published throughout the region of Antioch, NOT Egypt.
Acts 13:14, 47-49, “But when they departed from Perga, they came to
Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat
down… For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a
light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of
the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified
the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.”
It is important to keep these places and scriptures in mind because this
will help you determine which Bible is the word of God and which is a
counterfeit. Now we are going to look at the origins of the manuscripts used
for our English Bibles.
ORIGINS OF THE MANUSCRIPTS
Ultimately, there are only two sources of origin for the manuscripts of the
Bible: Antioch, Syria, and Alexandria, Egypt. Alexandria is mentioned only
four times in the scriptures, but for the sake of space, I will show only
one reference.
Acts 6:7-11, “And the word of God increased; and the number of the
disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the
priests were obedient to the faith. And Stephen, full of faith and power,
did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of
the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and
Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing
with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by
which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.”
We see here that Jews from Alexandria, and others, disputed with Stephen
about the word of God, and because they could not resist the wisdom and
spirit by which he spake, they defamed him, attempting to assassinate his
character. This is similar to what “scholars” like James White and his
followers do to those who defend the King James Bible. There is nothing new
under the sun.
As stated earlier, there are two sources for the manuscripts used in
translating the Bible. The Majority text originates from Antioch and the
Minority text originates from Alexandria.
The Majority text includes roughly ninety-nine percent of over five thousand
extant (surviving) manuscripts: this includes the manuscripts used by the
translators of the King James Bible, such as the Textus Receptus (Latin for
“received text”). These manuscripts are in agreement with one another.
The Minority text includes one percent or less of the remaining extant
manuscripts: this includes the manuscripts used by the translators of all
modern bible versions today, such as the NIV, the NLT, the NASB, the ESV,
and so on. The main manuscripts used in these translations are the Codex
Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus. It has been documented that the
Sinaiticus and the Vaticanus manuscripts disagree with each other in over
three thousand places in the four gospels alone (see “Antioch & Alexandria”
by the Berean Research Institute).
The Alexandrian manuscripts were generated by Origen, who founded a Gnostic
school of philosophy in Alexandria. The two manuscripts are believed to
contain copies of columns from Origen’s Hexapla, which he is known for. The
Hexapla is also what is pointed to when “scholars” are asked to provide
evidence of the mythical Septuagint, which is a subject that is for another
time.
The Codex Vaticanus was found, and remains secluded, in the library at the
Vatican. The Codex Sinaiticus was found in a trash can at the St. Catherine
Monastery on Mt. Sinai in 1844. These were the two manuscripts used by
occultists Westcott and Hort in their 1881 revision of the New Testament,
later called the “Revised Version.” The following question must be asked:
would God allow His word to be kept secluded in a religious library, only to
be pulled out when translating? Would God allow His word to spend an unknown
amount of time in a trash can? God tells us that He does not speak in
secret, nor in dark places of the earth. His word is known, and is never
kept a secret.
Isaiah 45:19, “I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth:
I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak
righteousness, I declare things that are right.”
John 18:20-21, “Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever
taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort;
and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard
me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.”
It is important to know that even in Paul’s day people were corrupting the
word of God. This is nothing new: Satan was the first to do so in the garden
of Eden. Let us see the differences between what God said and what Satan
said in the garden.
Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every
tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest
thereof thou shalt surely die.”
God told Adam that he could eat of every tree in the garden except the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil. What did Satan say?
Genesis 3:1, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field
which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said,
Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
Satan came to Eve and did two things: first, he questioned the word of God.
Second, he twisted God’s word into something that God never said. Oh, how
Satan is a tricky one! That is why he is called “subtle.” Now we are going
to see how the Egyptian bibles pervert God’s plan of salvation.
HOW THE EGYPTIAN BIBLES PERVERT GOD’S SALVATION
1. The New King James Version (NKJV) is deceptive in that it claims to be a
modernized version of the King James Bible.
This is a half-truth: it uses
the majority of the Textus Receptus and a handful of the Westcott-Hort text.
The NKJV perverts the plan of salvation by saying, “difficult is the way
which leads to life…” in Matthew 7:14. The King James Bible never said
salvation was difficult. To believe the gospel of Christ is not hard.
Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which
go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV), “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and
broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by
it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life,
and there are few who find it.”
The reason the way to life is narrow is because there is only ONE way to
heaven, and there is only ONE gospel, ONE plan of salvation. Jesus Christ is
the way, the truth, and the life, and it is His gospel that leads to eternal
life.
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
2. The Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) perverts the plan of salvation by
redefining repentance to require works, rather than a simple change of mind,
in Mark 1:15.
Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is
at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Mark 1:15 (ERV), “He said, ‘The right time is now here. God’s kingdom is
very near. Change your hearts and lives, and believe the Good News!’”
Salvation is not of works of ANY kind: it is by grace through faith in the
gospel of Christ. You change your mind from trusting in your good works to
trusting in the work Jesus Christ did for you.
Romans 11:6, “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.”
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
3. The New International Version (NIV) perverts the plan of salvation by
omitting key words in Mark 10:24.
Jesus Christ said that it is hard for
those that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God. He did NOT say
that it was hard to be saved.
Mark 10:24, “And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus
answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that
trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!”
Mark 10:24 (NIV), “The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said
again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!’”
4. The English Standard Version (ESV) perverts the plan of salvation by
requiring obedience in addition to faith in John 3:36.
The King James Bible
says you are saved by believing the gospel of Christ, while the ESV says if
you do not obey Christ, you did not really believe and are therefore not
really saved. This mixes works and faith, which is another gospel, a false
gospel.
John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him.”
John 3:36 (ESV), “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever
does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on
him.”
Faith and obedience are NOT synonymous. To obey God is to be a disciple,
which is NOT evidence of salvation. Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Christ,
but he sadly went to hell in his sins because he did not believe on Jesus
Christ as his Saviour. It is safe to say that the modern bible versions are
the root cause of the Lordship Salvation heresy.
5.
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) perverts the plan of salvation by
adding words to the text in 1 Corinthians 1:18.
In doing so, salvation goes
from being a spiritual birth (a one-time, miraculous, permanent event) to a
lifetime process.
1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NASB), “For the word of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God.”
Which sounds more assuring? That you “are saved”, or that you “are being
saved”? This, again, is where many preachers are getting their Lordship
Salvation heresy from.
6. The New Living Translation (NLT) perverts the plan of salvation by
changing the text in 2 Corinthians 11:3.
Here Paul is talking about the
Corinthians’ minds being corrupted from the simplicity in Christ, which is
the gospel. However, the NLT changes the text from the simplicity of
salvation to discipleship, which is HARD.
2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from
the simplicity that is in Christ.”
2 Corinthians 11:3 (NLT), “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided
devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the
cunning ways of the serpent.”
If you read both of Paul’s letters to the church of Corinth, you will find
that the Corinthians were anything but purely devoted to Christ. The NLT’s
rendering of 2 Corinthians 11:3 does not corroborate the carnality of the
church of Corinth.
You have seen six examples of how the Egyptian bibles pervert the plan of
salvation, thus bringing many into bondage and insecurity. Remember that the
word of God calls Egypt a “house of bondage.” The King James Bible is THE
perfect, preserved, inspired word of God; it brings assurance to the born
again believer in Christ; the Egyptian bibles do not. Ultimately it comes
down to a matter of the heart: do you cleave to the word of God and believe
in its purity and integrity, or do you think it should be changed,
corrected, added to, or taken away from?
John 6:35, “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that
cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst.”
Romans 4:5-8, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as
David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord
will not impute sin.”
Hebrews 10:17-22, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of
Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through
the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the
house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed
with pure water.”
1 John 5:10-13, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he
believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record,
that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that
hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of
God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God.”
