Matthew 6:27

(KJV) Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
(1611 KJV) Which of you by taking thought, can adde one cubite vnto his stature?
(1587 Geneva Bible) Which of you by taking care is able to adde one cubite vnto his stature?
(1526 Tyndale) Which of you (though he toke thought therfore) coulde put one cubit vnto his stature?

Counterfeit Versions
(1901 ASV) And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?
(AMP) And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life?
(CEB) Who among you by worrying can add a single moment to your life?
(CEV) Can worry make you live longer?

(CSB) Can any of you add one moment to his life-span by worrying?

(ERV) You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.
(ESV) And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
(GNB) Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it?
(JB PHILLIPS) Can any of you, however much he worries, make himself an inch taller?
(LEB) And who among you, by being anxious, is able to add one hour to his life span?
(LB) Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?
(THE MESSAGE) “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?
(NABRE) Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
(NASV) And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?
(NCV) You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it.
(NET) And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?
(NIRV) Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
(NIV) Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
(NLT) Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
(NRSV) And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?
(RSV) And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?
(VOICE) Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying?
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit* to his life span?

Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
τις δε εξ υμων μεριμνων δυναται προσθειναι επι την ηλικιαν αυτου πηχυν ενα

Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
τις δε εξ υμων μεριμνων δυναται προσθειναι επι την ηλικιαν αυτου πηχυν ενα

Corrupted Manuscripts
None

Affected Teaching
Here is another case of the modern version translators making an interpretation instead of a translation. What time is it? It is one foot and 6 inches! That is about the way the “experts” have confused this verse. A cubit is approximately 18 inches. So when we look at some of the modern versions, how can one add 18 inches to the length of their life? It is confusing time with measurement. Now the Greek word behind the term “stature” is the word “hlikia” (helikia) and it is translated two ways in the New Testament. The first way is in Matthew 6:27 and Luke 12:25 where it speaks of a person’s stature, which is a person’s natural height. The second way is “age” which would represent time and we see this in the modern versions. (John 9:21 KJV) But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. So we see that the meaning of this word is determined by the context. In John 9:21, we read the parents of the blind man made to see was speaking of the age of the man. In Matthew 6:27 and Luke 12:25, we interpret it as height because the word “stature” is connected to the words “one cubit.” The Greek word behind “cubit” is “pêchus” which is used 4 times in the New Testament and always means a unit of measurement. One cubit is a term of physical measurement and not of time. What we have here in the modern versions again is the neglect of context. If we ignore and neglect context, then we will always come up with an erroneous conclusion just like the modern versions have.

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