Luke 7:28
 
Luke 7:28
(KJV) For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
(1611 KJV) For I say vnto you, among those that are borne of women, there is not a greater Prophet then Iohn the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdome of God, is greater then he.
(1568 Bishops Bible) For I say vnto you, among womens chyldren, is there not a greater prophete then Iohn Baptist. Neuerthesse, he that is lesse in the kyngdome of God, is greater then he.
 
Counterfeit Versions
(CSB) I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
(NIV) tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(NASV) "I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(THE MESSAGE) Let me lay it out for you as plainly as I can: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer, but in the kingdom he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him.
(AMP) I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; but he that is inferior [to the other citizens] in the kingdom of God is greater [in incomparable privilege] than he.
(NLT) I tell you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!”
(ESV) I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(CEV) No one ever born on this earth is greater than John. But whoever is least important in God's kingdom is greater than John.
(NCV) I tell you, John is greater than any other person ever born, but even the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John."
(1901 ASV) I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there is none greater than John: yet he that is but little in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
(HCSB) I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, but the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(RSV) I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(NAB-Roman Catholic) I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) I tell YOU, Among those born of women there is none greater than John; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of God is greater than he is.”
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
legw gar umin meizwn en gennhtoiV gunaikwn projhthV iwannou tou baptistou oudeiV estin o de mikroteroV en th basileia tou qeou meizwn autou estin
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
legw umin meizwn en gennhtoiV gunaikwn iwannou oudeiV estin o de mikroteroV en th basileia tou qeou meizwn autou estin
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Omit “Prophet”
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
K 017 - Ninth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
X 033 - Tenth century
XI 040 - Sixth century
1 (miniscule) - Seventh century
P 75 - Third century
 
Omit “The Baptist”
P 75 - Third century
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
XI 040 - Sixth century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Contains “Prophet”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
U 030 - Ninth century
Gamma 036 - Ninth or Tenth century
Delta 037 - Ninth century
Theta 038 - Ninth century
13 (Minuscule) - Eighth century
700 - (Minuscule) Eleventh century
 
Contains “the Baptist”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
K 017 - Ninth century
U 030 - Ninth century
Gamma 036 - Ninth or Tenth century
Delta 037 - Ninth century
Theta 038 - Ninth century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “Prophet”
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857 (in brackets or margin)
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871 (in brackets or margin)
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
 
Omit “The Baptist”
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
 
Affected Teaching
On this particular verse, different modern versions omit different parts of this verse. Some of these leave out the part “born of women.” This shows the humanity of John and that he was born of Elizabeth who was the cousin of Mary the mother of Jesus. Then some omit his title “The Baptist.” That part of his name revealed his ministry as the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Mal 4:5 KJV) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: John had baptized people in the Jordan River as he preached the coming kingdom of God. They all omit his office of being a “prophet.” John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. This showed his official standing as equal to Isaiah or Jeremiah, even though he did not pen any books, nevertheless, his ministry was prophetic and ordained from Heaven. Once again we see the modern versions mutilating a portion of Scripture, plus they all do it differently based upon the preference of the translators. There is no reason why the phrase “born of women” should be omitted from these versions since it is in the Hort-Westcott text but again it goes back to the preferences and prejudices of the translators.

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