Why Do Some Bible Versions Have Italicized Words?

[Richard Aberdeen]

In some versions of the Bible, including KJV and NKJV, certain words are in italics. Such words are not italicized for emphasis as in most English writings. Rather, these are words added for clarity and are not in the original Hebrew nor Greek. This is sometimes necessary because neither Hebrew or Greek always translate clearly and smoothly into English.

But one should be suspect of these added words, because sometimes they are added because of certain religious bias, rather than what is necessary for clarity. Most of us can't read either Hebrew or Greek and, this website linked here can be helpful to compare the original language against English and other language translations Interlinear Bible.

 

[backNforth]

Why Do Some Bible Versions Have Italicized Words?​

Some of the words placed in italics were included in the KJV because the Greek critical editions or manuscripts were at variance. Inclusion of such words in the ancient vernacular editions, such as the Gothic, provide further evidence that the reading is correct. Do not be so ready to throw out the italicized words; they often have support from the Greek manuscripts as well as the vernacular editions. The italics in 1 John 2:23, Mark 8:14 (the disciples), Mark 9:42 (these), John 8:6 (as though he heard them not), Acts 1:4 (them), 1 John 3:16 (of God), and numbers of other places, are in the GREEK Received text.

It is often wrongly stated that all of the 'words in italics in the KJV were not in the originals, but were added to complete the thought in English.’ This is not true in numerous cases. The italics in 1 John 2:23 are actually a part of Beza’s Greek text, but not part of Stephanus’ edition. The KJV sometimes uses italics where the textual tradition was inconclusive, as in Matt. 12:31. Scrivener lists numerous places where ample evidence exists in Greek and Hebrew manuscripts and critical editions for inclusion in the actual text of many of the KJV’s italicized words. The KJV translators had access to very old Anglo-Saxon scriptures, as well as numerous very old vernacular Bibles. These used regular type for the word ‘Holy,’ not italics or any other orthographic device to indicate an addition to the text. Even the corrupt New Living Translation and New Century Version keep ‘Holy' unitalicized. (Frederick Scrivener, The Authorized Edition of the English Bible, Cambridge University Press, 1884, pp. 671-680.)

this website linked here can be helpful to compare the original language against English and other language translations

The sources are corrupt.

 

[Richard Aberdeen]

Some of the italics make sense. Other of the italics represent inserted opinion not in the Koine Greek New Testament. A translation should stick to one source and footnote other sources, like NKJV does. What is worse is that some of the non-italicized words are added opinion. You can learn for yourself here, where I have linked John chapter three to the Greek: https://biblehub.com/text/john/3-16.htm

Bible hub translation is not always true to the Greek, either. It is helpful to look up the meanings of a Greek word for yourself online, as many Greek words have multiple meanings. Example of correct Greek translation of John 3:16-17:

For God so loved the people that he gave the only begotten son; so that, everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life. For God sent not his son into the world that he might judge the people, but rather, so the people through him might be saved.

Note: The root word "kosmos" in Greek has three different meanings. The KJV translates all three incorrectly as "world". This is what the Koine Greek means, depending on context:

kosmos means world or earth
kosmos means mankind or the people
kosmos means world system (of evil)

All three of these are used in the NT, depending on context. John 3:16-17 refers to the people, not the world. Elsewhere, when the Bible says "love not the world", it is referring to the world system of evil, personified in Revelation as "the great ***** of Babylon."

Translating all of these as "world" is extremely misleading and incorrect. Depending on KJV will lock the reader into 17th Century science understanding like "firmament" and strange language like holy ghost and angel, instead of holy spirit and messenger, not to mention the Middle English is no longer spoken in modern English societies. The Hebrew word translated as "firmament" in Genesis actually means "expansion" in Hebrew. In the 17th Century, no one knew the universe is expanding, so KJV chose to use the misleading "firmament". The Bible several times says God stretches out the heavens, agreeing precisely with modern science evidence.

 

[Bill]

May Jesus fill us with his love and wisdom

To be honest with you I don't pay too much attention to all that stuff. If you go through about four or five different Bibles you'll find that there's different things in each one of them. It's all based on who the translators are, things are printed more boldly or have different colors or whatever.

And plainly you can't translate some of the words into English out of Hebrew because in Hebrew they have a completely different language for God.

As an example the word "God" by itself in English the grammar makes it a singular noun. But the grammar in Hebrew makes it a plural noun. Something we don't have in English language.

In Hebrew every time God is speaking, whenever he is referring to himself, or the author is referring to God at any time. All the words that we read as nouns come across as singular. Such as words like "I" "Who" "God" and other things that are associated in the sentence such as "I am who am". We plainly do not have the grammar for it. So it's impossible to translate the words correctly into English.

The correct translation of the phrase, "I am who am" where God is talking to Moses, the correct phonetic translation is "I's am whom am"

 

[Richard Aberdeen]

May Jesus fill us with his love and wisdom

To be honest with you I don't pay too much attention to all that stuff. If you go through about four or five different Bibles you'll find that there's different things in each one of them. It's all based on who the translators are, things are printed more boldly or have different colors or whatever.

And plainly you can't translate some of the words into English out of Hebrew because in Hebrew they have a completely different language for God.

As an example the word "God" by itself in English the grammar makes it a singular noun. But the grammar in Hebrew makes it a plural noun. Something we don't have in English language.

In Hebrew every time God is speaking, whenever he is referring to himself, or the author is referring to God at any time. All the words that we read as nouns come across as singular. Such as words like "I" "Who" "God" and other things that are associated in the sentence such as "I am who am". We plainly do not have the grammar for it. So it's impossible to translate the words correctly into English.

The correct translation of the phrase, "I am who am" where God is talking to Moses, the correct phonetic translation is "I's am whom am"

I'm aware that there are language problems with translation. That's not what I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about obviously deliberate mistranslation, which is found in all modern translations, including both KJV and NKJV. Here's a list of just a few of the obvious bad translations in modern bibles, that bow to tradition, rather than to the Greek meaning:

Gospel- correctly translated as "good news" from the Greek.

Church – “assembly”.

Apostle – “sent one”,such as Paul and Peter the “sent ones”. Paul calls other people“sent ones” besides the twelve, including a woman.

Deacon - "servant".

Bishop - "overseer” or “elder".

Pastor – "shepherd". Shepherds did not preach sermons and were not the leader of an assembly.

Word (in John 1:1) – While logos does mean word in Greek, "the logos" as it says in John, is a Greek philosophical concept that refers to the divine reason, order, plan and purpose in the cosmos, ordering it and giving it form and meaning; or, the "mind" and intention of God; the Creator. "The logos" represents God's understanding and universal and beyond view, which at best is only very partially understood by anyone living on earth.

Epistle - "letter".

Doctrine -"teaching" or "instruction".

Homosexual - correctly translated as “homosexual sex”, referring to the act, not the person. God is not against people. Rather, God is against what people often do, including fornication, adultery and homosexual sex; all three listed together in I Corinthians 6:9. “For God did not send his son into the world so that he might judge the people, but so that the people through him might be saved.”

Disciple – "follower" / "student".

Angel – “messenger”

Minister– “servant” – Ministry - “service”

Preach- "proclaim" – anyone can proclaim the good news of Jesus; no religious cemetery degree either needed, required or desired. However, one should be very careful regarding anything in the Bible, that they understand and teach others correctly.

Saint- a saint is someone who has been made holy by being washed by the blood of Jesus. No pope or other human being can make anyone a saint. Only Jesus can make someone a saint. And we cannot make ourselves a saint by doing good works or refraining from certain things. Only through forgiveness from Jesus can someone become a saint.

These mistranslations are used to turn Jesus into a religion, which is not the intention of the New Testament; Jesus is deliberately secular, eating, drinking and associating with sinners and the common people, while railing against the religionists of his time. The New Testament s written in secular Koine Greek, the language of the common people. True religion is defined in James I:27.

Be not deceived, Jesus did not come to earth to establish a religion called Christianity. He came to earth to save us sinners, to set us free, to give us life abundantly and to establish his assembly, which consists of his people. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him who he sent.”

 

[Bill]

I'm aware that there are language problems with translation. That's not what I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about obviously deliberate mistranslation, which is found in all modern translations, including both KJV and NKJV. Here's a list of just a few of the obvious bad translations in modern bibles, that bow to tradition, rather than to the Greek meaning:

Gospel- correctly translated as "good news" from the Greek.

Church – “assembly”.

Apostle – “sent one”,such as Paul and Peter the “sent ones”. Paul calls other people“sent ones” besides the twelve, including a woman.

Deacon - "servant".

Bishop - "overseer” or “elder".

Pastor – "shepherd". Shepherds did not preach sermons and were not the leader of an assembly.

Word (in John 1:1) – While logos does mean word in Greek, "the logos" as it says in John, is a Greek philosophical concept that refers to the divine reason, order, plan and purpose in the cosmos, ordering it and giving it form and meaning; or, the "mind" and intention of God; the Creator. "The logos" represents God's understanding and universal and beyond view, which at best is only very partially understood by anyone living on earth.

Epistle - "letter".

Doctrine -"teaching" or "instruction".

Homosexual - correctly translated as “homosexual sex”, referring to the act, not the person. God is not against people. Rather, God is against what people often do, including fornication, adultery and homosexual sex; all three listed together in I Corinthians 6:9. “For God did not send his son into the world so that he might judge the people, but so that the people through him might be saved.”

Disciple – "follower" / "student".

Angel – “messenger”

Minister– “servant” – Ministry - “service”

Preach- "proclaim" – anyone can proclaim the good news of Jesus; no religious cemetery degree either needed, required or desired. However, one should be very careful regarding anything in the Bible, that they understand and teach others correctly.

Saint- a saint is someone who has been made holy by being washed by the blood of Jesus. No pope or other human being can make anyone a saint. Only Jesus can make someone a saint. And we cannot make ourselves a saint by doing good works or refraining from certain things. Only through forgiveness from Jesus can someone become a saint.

These mistranslations are used to turn Jesus into a religion, which is not the intention of the New Testament; Jesus is deliberately secular, eating, drinking and associating with sinners and the common people, while railing against the religionists of his time. The New Testament s written in secular Koine Greek, the language of the common people. True religion is defined in James I:27.

Be not deceived, Jesus did not come to earth to establish a religion called Christianity. He came to earth to save us sinners, to set us free, to give us life abundantly and to establish his assembly, which consists of his people. “This is the work of God, that you believe in him who he sent.”

May Jesus fill us with his love and wisdom

If a man calls on his own identity as a movement, then that person is an egotist.

Jesus never refered to himself as a Christian, only the apostles due and those who follow Jesus

 

[Christ4Ever]

True religion is defined in James I:27.

James 1:27 is true, but it’s not the whole definition. God gave the rest of James and the rest of Scripture too. That verse shows real faith in action; it doesn’t replace faith in Christ or everything else God says. God established His people in both the Old and New Testaments and reducing it to pure religion to one verse misses the full picture of what He’s set before us.

With the Love in Christ Jesus.
YBIC/Moderator
Nick
\o/