John 3:25

(KJV) Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
(1611 KJV) Then there arose a question between some of Iohns disciples and the Iewes, about purifying.
(1587 Geneva Bible) Then there arose a question betweene Iohns disciples and the Iewes, about purifying.
(1526 Tyndale) And ther arose a questio bitwene Iohns disciples and the Iewes about purifiynge.

Counterfeit Versions
(1881 RV) There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purifying.
(1901 ASV) There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purifying.
(AMP) Therefore there arose a controversy between some of John’s disciples and a Jew in regard to purification.
(CEB) A debate started between John’s disciples and a certain Jew about cleansing rituals.
(CEV) John’s followers got into an argument with a Jewish man about a ceremony of washing.

(CSB) Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification.

(ERV) Some of John’s followers had an argument with another Jew about religious washing.
(ESV) Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.
(GNB) Some of John's disciples began arguing with a Jew about the matter of ritual washing.
(HCSB) Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification.
(JB PHILLIPS) This led to a question arising between John’s disciples and one of the Jews about the whole matter of being cleansed.
(LB) One day someone began an argument with John’s disciples, telling them that Jesus’ baptism was best.
(NABRE-Roman Catholic) Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew about ceremonial washings.
(NASV) Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.
(NCV) Some of John’s followers had an argument with a Jew about religious washing.
(NET) Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing.
(NIRV) Some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew began to argue. They argued about special washings to make people “clean.”
(NIV) An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
(NLV) Then some of the followers of John and a Jew started to argue about the religious washing of the Jewish worship.
(NLT) A debate broke out between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.
(RSV) Now a discussion arose between John’s disciples and a Jew over purifying.
(VOICE) John’s activities raised questions about the nature of purification among his followers and a religious leader,
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Now the disciples of John had a dispute with a Jew concerning purification.

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιων περι καθαρισμου

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
εγενετο ουν ζητησις εκ των μαθητων ιωαννου μετα ιουδαιου περι καθαρισμου

Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit (corrected)
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
K 017 - Ninth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
Delta 037 - Ninth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
700 - (Minuscule) Eleventh century
P 75 - Third Century

Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
P 66 - circa 200 A.D.
Stephanus (1550 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit (orig.)
Theta 038 - Ninth century
1 (Minuscule) - Seventh century
13 (Minuscule) - Eighth century
565 - (Minuscule) - Ninth century

Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Reads “a Jew” instead of “the Jews”
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
Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902
Hodges and Farstad - Majority Text 1982 as corrected in 1985

Affected Teaching
Luke 3:7 (KJV) Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? The modern versions make it sound like there was only one Jew who was challenging John’s disciples when we read in Luke 3:7 that a multitude of people had come to see John when he was baptizing. The word in the Greek text is plural (Jews) but was changed to a singular (Jew) in the modern versions. There were many that came to John and therefore there would have been much discussion among many of them and not just one. John drew many people because they wanted to know if he was the Messiah or not.

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