Romans 1:20

 

(KJV)   For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

(1611 KJV) For the inuisible things of him from the Creation of the world, are clearely seene, being vnderstood by the things that are made, euen his eternall Power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse:

(1587 Geneva Bible) For the inuisible things of him, that is, his eternal power & Godhead, are seene by ye creation of the worlde, being considered in his workes, to the intent that they should be without excuse:

(1568 Bishops Bible) For his inuisible thinges, being vnderstanded by his workes, through the creation of the worlde, are seene, that is, both his eternall power and godhead: So that they are without excuse.

(The Great Bible 1539) For hys inuisyble thinges (that is to saye hys eternall power ad godhed) are sene, for as moch as they are vnderstande by the workes from the creacyon of the worlde: So that they are wythout excuse

(Matthew's Bible 1537) So that his inuisible thinges, that is to saye, hys eternall power and Godhead, are vnderstand & sene by the workes from the creation of the worlde. So that they are wythout excuse,

(Coverdale Bible 1535) that the inuisible thinges of God (that is, his euerlastinge power and Godheade) mighte be sene whyle they are considered by the workes from the creacion of the worlde: so that they are without excuse,

(Tyndale Bible 1526) So that his invisible thinges: that is to saye his eternall power and godhed are vnderstonde and sene by the workes from the creacion of the worlde. So that they are without excuse

 

Counterfeit Versions

(1881 RV) For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:

(1901 ASV) For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse:

(AMP) For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense.

(CSB) For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

(CEB) Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities—God’s eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through the things God has made. So humans are without excuse.

(CEV) God’s eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all he has made. That’s why those people don’t have any excuse.

(1899 DOUAY RHEIMS) For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; his eternal power also, and divinity: so that they are inexcusable.

(ERV) There are things about God that people cannot see—his eternal power and all that makes him God. But since the beginning of the world, those things have been easy for people to understand. They are made clear in what God has made. So people have no excuse for the evil they do.

(ESV) For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

(GNB) Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!

(HCSB) For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

(ISV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse.

(JB PHILLIPS) Now the holy anger of God is disclosed from Heaven against the godlessness and evil of those men who render truth dumb and inoperative by their wickedness. It is not that they do not know the truth about God; indeed he has made it quite plain to them. For since the beginning of the world the invisible attributes of God, e.g. his eternal power and divinity, have been plainly discernible through things which he has made and which are commonly seen and known, thus leaving these men without a rag of excuse.

(LEB) For from the creation of the world, his invisible attributes, both his eternal power and deity, are discerned clearly, being understood in the things created, so that they are without excuse.

(LB) Since earliest times men have seen the earth and sky and all God made, and have known of his existence and great eternal power. So they will have no excuse when they stand before God at Judgment Day.

MSG

But God’s angry displeasure erupts as acts of human mistrust and wrongdoing and lying accumulate, as people try to put a shroud over truth. But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.

(NABRE) Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse;

(NASV) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

(NCV) There are things about him that people cannot see—his eternal power and all the things that make him God. But since the beginning of the world those things have been easy to understand by what God has made. So people have no excuse for the bad things they do.

(NET) For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse.

(NIV) For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

(NLT) For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

(NRSV) Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse;

(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship,

(TLV) His invisible attributes—His eternal power and His divine nature—have been clearly seen ever since the creation of the world, being understood through the things that have been made. So people are without excuse—

(VOICE) From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature. Creation itself makes His undying power and divine identity clear, even though they are invisible; and it voids the excuses and ignorant claims of these people

 

Textus Receptus – Traditional Text

τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους

 

Hort-Westcott – Critical Text

τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους

 

Corrupted Manuscripts

None

 

Affected Teaching

“Godhead” is replaced by “divine nature.”  The term “divine nature” is another New Age term.  Here are some quotes from some prominent New Agers:

 

We are all 100% divine. – Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow by Constance Cumbey, iv)

 

We need a world religion… based on Divine Essence in each person.  Peace can only come when we recognize the divinity in each person. (Toward a World Religion for the New Age by Lola Davis)

 

All men are innate divinity (Annie Besant, Is Theosophy anti-Christian? London: Theosophical Pubishing Society, 1901, Page 16)

 

The knowingness of our divinity is the highest intelligence…You know you are divine.  But you must continually remember your Divinity...we had all forgotten we wre each divine. (Shirley MacLaine, Out on a limb, New York: Bantom Books, 1983, pp. 209, 347, et al

 

Colossians 2:9 (KJV)   For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  The Godhead represents the one God in three persons as we see in Colossians 2:9 that all the fulness of the Godhead was in Christ.  It was not just a divine nature but it was the totality of the attributes of all three persons.  If it was just the divine nature, then it would reduce His authority.  As you can see by New Age adherents that they believe all people are divine so if you reduce the God status of Jesus to a divine nature and elevate man from a fallen nature to a divine nature then you can meld the two and man becomes a divine being on the level of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is another reason why the modern versions are so dangerous.

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