Hebrews 1:3
 
(KJV) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
(1611 KJV) Who being the brightnesse of his glory, and the expresse image of his person, and vpholding all things by the word of his power, when hee had by himselfe purged our sinnes, sate down on ye right hand of the Maiestie on high,
(1587 Geneva Bible) Who being the brightnes of the glory, and the ingraued forme of his person, and bearing vp all things by his mightie worde, hath by himselfe purged our sinnes, and sitteth at the right hand of the Maiestie in the highest places,
(1526 Tyndale) Which sonne beynge the brightnes of his glory and very ymage of his substance bearinge vp all thinges with the worde of his power hath in his awne person pourged oure synnes and is sitten on the right honde of the maiestie an hye
 
Counterfeit Versions
(CSB) The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
(NIV) The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
(NASV) And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(THE MESSAGE) This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says--powerful words! After he finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God,
(ESV) He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(1901 ASV) who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
(HCSB) He is the radiance of His glory, the exact expression of His nature, and He sustains all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
(RSV) He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(NAB-Roman Catholic) who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
(DOUAY-RHEIMS Roman Catholic) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, making purgation of sins, sitteth on the right hand of the majesty on high.
(NWT-Jehovah‘s Witnesses) He is the reflection of [his] glory and the exact representation of his very being, and he sustains all things by the word of his power; and after he had made a purification for our sins he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in lofty places.
　
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
oV wn apaugasma thV doxhV kai carakthr thV upostasewV autou jerwn te ta panta tw rhmati thV dunamewV autou di eautou kaqarismon poihsamenoV twn amartiwn hmwn ekaqisen en dexia thV megalwsunhV en uyhloiV
 
Hort Westcott - Critical Text
oV wn apaugasma thV doxhV kai carakthr thV upostasewV autou jerwn te ta panta tw rhmati thV dunamewV autou kaqarismon twn amartiwn poihsamenoV ekaqisen en dexia thV megalwsunhV en uyhloiV
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Omit “by himself”
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
H 015 - Sixth century (original)
I 016 - Fifth century
P 025 - Ninth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
 
Omit “our”
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (original)
P 025 - Ninth century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
 
Contains “by himself”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century
H 015 - Sixth century (corrected)
K 018 - Ninth century
L 020 - Ninth century
 
Contains “our”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
D 06 - Paris: Claromontanus - Sixth century (corrected)
K 018 - Ninth century
L 020 - Ninth century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
 
Omits “by himself”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
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
 
Omits “our”
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
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
Here is a subtle attack on two of the most cardinal doctrines of the Christian Faith. In the first attack, the words “by himself” have been omitted. Any true Christian knows that it was the Lord Jesus Christ who went to the cross to pay for the sins of the Elect. No one helped Him nor did anybody else have anything to add to the sacrifice of Christ. In fact, knowing what the Roman Catholics would do with Peter, the Lord Jesus had to remove him to a different place or else they would teach that he assisted the Lord in His sacrifice. By removing the words “by himself” it removes the reality that Christ Himself is the Savior of His people and that it was He who died. (Mat 1:21 KJV) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. When the fact that Jesus Himself was the sacrifice, the modern versions convey that God had purged our sins by other methods. A person who believes in works can claim that God accomplished their salvation by giving them certain works to do. A Roman Catholic can claim that God will accomplish their salvation by letting them spend time in Purgatory. So by removing those very important words “by himself” it opens up the door for a host of belief systems which attempt to circumvent the personal cross of Christ.
 
The second cardinal doctrine that is attacked is for whom did Christ die. Many believe He died for the sins of the whole world, that is, for every single person who lives on Earth. This can be taught when you remove the word “our” because that word “our” points to a specific group of people for whom Christ died and that was His people. His people are not the unregenerate nation of Jews which the Premillenialists teach but “His people” are those who are the truly redeemed of God by free grace, chosen out of every nation on earth from before the foundation of the world, including both Jews and Gentiles. The word “our” specifies for whom Christ died and by removing it, you can create another verse which seemingly would teach universal salvation. Hebrews 1:3 is a long verse and by removing those three words, it changes the meaning of it. Once again the King James Bible shows its doctrinal superiority and purity in comparison with the modern versions.

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