Misquoting Jesus

by Ehrman, Bart D.

  First Epistle to the Corinthians, The (Fee), 226n. 4

  “For They Know Not What They Do” (Daube), 227n. 10

  Fox, Adam, 222nn. 10, 11

  Frend, W.H.C., 227n. 13

  Froben, Johann, 78

  Galatians, Letter of Paul to the: account of Paul after conversion, 10; earliest copy, papyrus P46, 60; “false teachers” warning, 27; number of copies, 58; original text, 58–60; Paul’s postscript in his handwriting, 58–59; right standing with God comes from faith, 33; source, 62; women equality in, 180; 1:16–17, 10; 2:15–16, 189; 3:37–28, 180; 6:11, 58

  Gallagher, Eugene, 227n. 19

  Gamble, Harry, 220n. 10, 221nn. 1, 12

  Genesis, 19

  Gibson, Mel, 63

  Gnostics, 28, 35, 152, 170–71, 172–73, 174, 220n. 8–9, 226n. 12

  God: identity of, issues, 152, 153, 154; of Jews, 18, 21, 33–34, 153; as lawgiver, 19–20; one true, 26; pagan, 18, 19, 197, 201, 227n. 20

  God’s Secretaries (Nicolson), 227n. 1

  Good News Bible, 209

  Gospel of Peter, 172

  Gospel of Philip, 172

  grace (charis), doctrine of, 145, 147

  Graham, Billy, 6

  Grant, Robert M., 227n. 18

  Grapte, 49

  Greek Apologists of the Second Century (Grant), 227n. 18

  Greek language: abbreviations, nomina sacra, 91, 113; apologia, 26; Bart Ehrman’s language studies, 5, 6; Bengel’s New Testament, 112; Christian texts in, 6, 10, 11; Eastern Christianity and, 74, 76; Jewish Bible in (Septuagint), 24, 119; Johannine Comma absent from most texts, 81; Lachmann’s New Testament, 116–17; lectionaries, 89; manuscripts of Scripture, 6, 10, 11, 73, 83, 219 n. 1, 222n. 13, 223n. 14; manuscripts of Scripture, variations in, John Mill and, 83–88; manuscripts of Scripture, variations in, known today, 88, 115, 222n. 13; majuscule manuscripts, 89, 223n. 15; Mark, Gospel of, 135; miniuscule manuscripts, 89, 223n. 15; monks copying Greek scriptures, Byzantine manuscripts, 73, 75, 124, 131, 157, 224n. 2; New Testament, Complutensian Polygot, 76–77, 78, 81; New Testament, T.R., 78–83; papyrus manuscripts, 89, 191, 223n. 15; problems interpreting ancient Greek texts and scriptuo continua, 48, 90, 221n. 5; T.R. Bible (Erasmus’s), 78–83; texts available, 77; Tischendorf’s discoveries of manuscripts, 117–21, 224n. 22; Westcott and Hort’s New Testament and textual principles, 121–25

  Gregory, Caspar René, 121, 224n. 25

  Griesbach, J. J., 116

  Guardians of Letters (Haines-Eitzen), 220n. 15, 221nn. 4, 7, 222n. 2

  Gutenberg, Johannes, 75, 76

  Haines-Eitzen, Kim, 55, 220n. 15, 221nn. 4, 7, 222n. 2

  Harris, William V., 37, 220n. 13

  Hawthorne, Gerald, 6, 7

  Hebrews, Epistle to the: intentional change to single word in, 56; textual problem of “by the grace of God” or “apart from God,” 144–48, 225n. 12; 1:3, 56; 2:8–9, 144–48, 149, 209, 225n. 12; 4:16, 147; 5:7, 148; 10:29, 147; 12:15, 147; 13:25, 147

  Heracleon, 28–29

  heresies: alteration of sacred texts and, 52–53; antiheretical treatises, 27–28, 34–35; copyist changes in texts to prevent use by, 95–96; Gnostics, 28, 35, 152, 170–71, 172–73, 174, 220nn. 8, 9, 226n. 12; Marcion’s, 33–34, 35, 52–53, 152; orthodoxy and, 28; Socinianism, 115

  Hermas, 25, 47–51

  Her Share of the Blessings (Kraemer), 226n. 1

  Hezser, Catherine, 220n. 14

  Hippolytus of Rome, 165

  Holmes, Michael, 222n. 13

  Hort, Arthur Fenton, 224nn. 26, 27, 28, 29

  Hort, Fenton John Anthony, 121–25, 130–31, 224nn. 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

  Hulbert-Powell, C. L., 224nn. 17, 18

  Ignatius of Antioch, 14

  Inventing Superstition (Martin), 227n. 20

  Irenaeus of Gaul, 35, 52–53, 116, 163, 165, 174, 226n. 12

  Isaiah, 20

  Ischyrion of Ptolemais Hormou, Egypt, 38–39

  Israel, contemporary, 12–13

  Jenkins, Philip, 13

  Jeremiah, 20

  Jerome, Saint, 74–75, 76, 89, 101, 103, 106–7, 145, 222n. 5

  Jerusalem Bible, 209

  Jesus (Ehrman), 219n. 3, 226n. 2

  Jesus Christ: adoptionist view, 155–57, 158, 164, 226n. 4; apostles, 24–25, 39–40, 68; ascension, 169–70; as carpenter, 202, 227nn. 21, 22; copyist changes, intentional, 95–98; crucifixion, differences in Gospels of Mark and John, 10; death of as human, 147–48; depiction in John, 60–61; divinity of, Johannine Comma, 81–82, 102, 113; divinity of, passage in Timothy, 113–15, 157–58; docetist view, 162–64, 170, 226n. 5; effects of His death, 53, 154; events following birth, differences in Gospels of Luke and Matthew, 10; Hebrews, problem of forsaken Jesus, 144–49, 225n. 12; heretical belief, as not the Christ, 35; interpretation of Jewish scripture by, 30–31; as Jewish rabbi, 20, 30, 187, 219n. 3; Law of Moses and, 63, 64, 137; Luke’s imperturbable Jesus, changes to scripture and, 139–44, 164–65, 213, 225nn. 10–11; Luke’s depiction of the Passion, 142–44, 214; Mark’s depiction of an angry Jesus, changes to scripture and, 133–39, 225nn. 5, 7–9; Mark’s depiction of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, 65–68, 142–43, 148, 172–73, 213–14; as messiah, 187–88, 189; nature of Christ (fully human, fully divine, both) issues, 153, 154, 155–75, 227n. 19; oral tradition, 65; return of, 21, 25; scriptural authority for life of, 21, 24; separationist view of, 170–71; as Son, 21; story of woman taken in adultery, 63–65, 80, 82, 97–98, 102; teachings as Scripture, 30–31; women and, 178–82, 226n. 1

  Jewish Apocrypha, 25

  Jewish Bible (Old Testament): books of the prophets, 20, 24; Christian use, 24, 28, 189; contents, 19–20; history books in, 20; original languages, 6, 11; Paul’s use of, 21; Pentateuch, 19–20, 24, 30, 31; Psalms, 20, 24; scriptural authority of, 21, 29–30; Septuagint, 24, 119

  Jewish Literacy in Roman Palestine (Hezser), 220n. 14

  Johannine Comma, 81–82, 102, 113

  John, the Apostle, 39

  John, First Epistle of, 4:2–3, 173–75

  John, Gospel of, 24; additions to original text, 61–62; alteration in text involving Jews, 194, 227n. 7; commentaries on, 28–29; copyist intentional changes in, 98, 223n. 21; copyist mistakes, 92, 93; crucifixion, timing, 10; divinity of Jesus in, 161–62; Jesus’s conversations with Nicodemus, 60; Jesus’s portrayal, 60–61; Johannine Comma, 81–82, 102, 113; Lazarus, 60; manuscript fragment, 88; miracles in, 60; Samaritan woman, 60; sources, 222n. 17; textual criticism of woman taken in adultery, 63–65, 80, 82, 102; “unique,” use of work, 161–62; Valentinian use of, 35; “Word” of God becomes flesh, 61, 161–62; 1:1–18 (Prologue), 61, 161–62, 209; 3, 60; 3:16, 162; 3:18, 162; 4, 60; 4:1–42, 179; 4:22, 194; 5, 98, 223n. 21; 5:7–8, 81–82; 5:39, 93; 7:53–8:12, 63–65; 8:58, 161; 10, 60; 10:30, 161; 17:15, 92; 19:14, 10; 20:1–2, 179; 20:3–10, 168; 20:28, 161; 20:30–31, 61; 21:22–23, 61; 21:25, 65

  John James Wettstein (Hulbert-Powell), 224nn. 17, 18

  John Mill and Richard Bentley (Fox), 222nn. 10, 11

  Josephus, 14

  Judaism: adoptionistic view of Jesus, 155–57, 164, 226n. 4; alteration in scripture, involving Jews, 186–95, 227n. 7; apocalyptic literature, 25; beliefs, 17–18; conflicts with Christianity, 187–90, 227n. 8; divorce laws, 30–31; Law, 19–20, 30, 35, 63, 64, 137; literacy and, 220n. 14; patriarchs and matriarchs, 18, 19; Pentateuch, 19; as religion of the book, 17–20; sacred books, 19–20; synagogues, 18; Temple in Jerusalem, 18, 227n. 14; Torah, 19, 30, 31

  Judas Thomas, Gospel of, 24

  Junia, 180, 185, 226n. 5

  Justin Martyr, 32, 33, 42, 165, 190, 200, 226n. 8, 227n. 21

  Kannaday, Wayne, 227nn. 15, 17

  Ker, Walter C. A., 221n. 3

  King James Bible, 76, 227n. 1; problems with, 209; source for, 79, 82, 83

  Kraemer, Ross, 226n. 1

  Kümmel, Georg Werner, 223n. 6

  Lachmann, Karl, 116–17, 224n. 19

  Laodicea, 23, 42, 220n. 6

  Late Grea
t Planet Earth, The (Lindsay), 12, 110

  Latin Vulgate Bible, 74–75, 222nn. 5, 6; Bentley’s proposed collation, 106–7; editions of, 76; Erasmus’s use of for his Greek Bible, 79; Lachmann’s Greek New Testament and, 116; number of manuscripts known, 89; textual variation, First Epistle of John, 174

  Left Behind (LaHaye and Jenkins), 14, 110

  LaHaye, Tim, 13, 110

  Leo X, Pope, 77

  Letter to Barnabas, 189

  Letter to Diognetus, 200, 227n. 18

  letters: authorship, 23; early Christian, 21–23; lost, 22–23; Paul’s, 21–23, 31–32, 34, 219–20n. 5, 220n. 6; as Scripture, 22

  Leviticus, 19; 13–14, 133; 20:10, 64

  Life and Letters of Fenton John Anthony Hort (Hort, ed.), 224nn. 26, 27, 28, 29

  Life of Richard Bentley, The (Monk), 223nn. 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 224n. 13

  Lindsey, Hal, 12, 110

  Lipsiensis, Phileleutherus. See Bentley, Richard literacy: in Athens, 37–38, 220n. 13; contemporary, 37; copyists and, 38–39, 46–51, 55, 220n. 15; early Christians, 21, 38–41, 220n. 13; Jews and, 220n. 14; public reading of texts, 22, 23, 32, 41–43, 51; readers and writers, ancient world, 38; status in ancient world and, 50; study of, in ancient times, 37

  liturgy, 32; textual changes and, 97

  Living Text of the Gospels (Parker), 219n. 2, 223n. 20

  Locke, John, 86

  Lost Christianities (Ehrman), 220nn. 10, 12, 221n. 6, 225n. 2, 226n. 12

  Lucian of Samosata, 14

  Luke, Gospel of, 24; alteration in, involving Jews, 190–93, 194–95, 227nn. 10, 12; angels in, 140; antidocetic changes in, 164–70, 226n. 9; apologetic changes to, 203; chiastic structure in, 140–41; copyist changes, intentional, 96, 97, 139–44, 158–61, 164–70; copyist mistakes, 92, 93–94, 96, 223n. 18; depiction of Jesus as imperturbable and copyist change in manuscript, 139–44, 164–65, 213–14, 225nn. 10, 11; depictions of Jesus as not angry, 136, 225nn. 7, 8; divinity of Christ and antiadoptionist changes, 158–61; divinity of Christ and antidocetic changes, 164–70; Jesus as Messiah, 160; Lord’s Prayer, 97, 223n. 20; Marcion’s canon and, 34, 35; Mark as source for, 135, 212–15, 222n. 17; prayer as theme in, 141–42; predecessors of, 24; return to Nazareth after birth of Jesus, 10; salvation, view of, 166–67; 1:1, 24; 1:1–4, 212, 222n. 17; 1:35, 159–60; 2:11, 160; 2:33, 158; 3, 94, 223n.18; 3:22, 160; 3:23, 159; 5:38–39, 96; 6:1–4, 194–95, 227n. 12; 8:1–3, 179; 10:1, 160; 10:7, 31; 11:2–4, 97; 12:8–9, 92; 18:16, 136; 21:38, 65; 22:17–19, 166; 22:39–46, 139–44; 22:41, 142; 22:42, 142; 22:43–44, 142, 149, 164–65, 209, 226n. 9; 23:27–31, 143; 23:32, 203; 23:33–34, 191–93, 227n. 10; 23:34, 143; 23:43, 143; 23:55–24:10, 179; 24:12, 168–70; 24:36, 143; 24:51–52, 169–70, 226n. 9

  Lyons, in Gaul, 35

  Malach 3:1, 95

  Manuscript 1739, 145, 174

  Marcion, 33–34, 35, 52–53, 152, 163, 167, 220nn. 6, 12, 226nn. 6, 7

  Mark, Gospel of, 24; Abiathar-Ahimelech mistake in, 9; apologetic alterations in text, 200–3, 204–5, 227n. 15; baptism of Christ, 158–59; Christ’s passion in, 65–68, 142–43, 148, 172–73, 213; copyists’ intentional changes in, 94–95, 97; crucifixion, timing of, 10; dating as earliest Gospel, 135, 212; earliest and best manuscripts, 67, 203, 227n. 22; Ehrman’s study of Mark 2, at Princeton, 8–9; ending of, difficulty in interpreting, 67–68; Greek manuscripts of, 135; heretical use of, 35; missing page, theory of, 68; mustard seed error, 9–10; salvation from death of Jesus, 166–67; as source for Gospels of Matthew and Luke, 135, 212; textual criticism of an angry Jesus, 133–39, 149, 225nn. 5, 7, 8, 9; textual criticism of last twelve verses, 65–68, 80, 82, 97–98, 102; 1:2, 209, 224n. 16; 1:11, 159, 161; 1:41, 133–39, 149, 200, 209, 225nn. 5, 7, 9; 1:43–45, 68; 3:5, 135; 6:3, 201–2, 203, 227n. 22; 6:34, 225n. 7; 6:51–52, 68; 7:24–30, 179; 8:21, 68; 8:31–33, 68; 9, 138; 9:29, 97; 9:30–32, 68; 10:14, 136; 10:33–40, 68; 10:45, 167; 13:55, 203; 14:12, 10; 14:33, 142; 14:34, 142; 14:35, 142; 14:36, 39, 41, 142; 14:62, 204–5; 15:25, 10; 15:34, 172–73; 15:39, 167; 15:40–41, 179; 15:40–51, 179; 15:42–47, 65; 16:1–8, 179; 16:4–8, 66; 16:8, 67, 68; 16:9–20, 66–67

  Martial, 47, 221n. 3

  Martial: Epigrams (Ker, ed. and trans.), 221n. 3

  Martin, Dale B., 227n. 20

  Martyrdom of Polycarp, 27

  martyrologies, 27

  Mary Magdalene, 65–66, 67, 179

  Mary Magdalene, Gospel of, 24

  Matthew, Gospel of, 24; alteration of the text involving Jews, 193–94, 227n. 7; Antitheses, 30; apocalypse, timing of, 13; apologetic alterations to text, 204; church orders in, 26; copyist changes, intentional, 95, 96–97, 223n. 19; events following birth of Jesus, 10; Jesus depicted as not angry, 136, 225nn. 7, 8; Jewish Christians and, 35; Jewish Law and, 189; Lord’s Prayer, 97, 223n. 20; Mark as source for, 135, 212; Scheide Codex, 88; 1:16, 96–97; 1:21, 194; 2:19–22, 10; 5, 30; 5:17–20, 189; 6:9–13, 97; 9:30, 225n. 7; 14:14, 225n. 7; 15:32, 225n. 7; 16, 26; 17:12–13, 95; 18, 26; 19:14, 136; 24:32–34, 13; 24:36, 110, 204, 209, 223n. 19, 224n. 16; 26:29, 204; 27:24–25, 193–94; 27:34, 204; 27:55, 179; 28:1–10, 179

  Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church (Frend), 227n. 13

  Melito of Sardis, 190, 227n. 9

  Memoir of the Life and Writings of John Albert Bengel (Burk), 224nn. 14, 15

  Metzger, Bruce M., 220n. 10, 221nn. 5, 9, 14, 222nn. 4, 6, 9, 223nn. 16, 17, 18, 224nn. 1, 20

  Middleton, Conyers, 108

  Mill, John, 83–88, 89, 101–2, 105, 222nn. 10, 11; controversy and, 85–88; death of, 85; number of variations in witnesses found by, 84, 101, 115

  Monk, James Henry, 223nn. 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 224n. 13

  Moody Bible Institute, 4, 5, 12

  Moses, 18, 19; Law of, 20, 30, 63, 64, 137

  Muratorian Canon, 221n. 6

  Nag Hammadi Library in English, The (Robinson), 220n. 8

  Neutral text, 124, 125, 131

  New American Standard Version, 209

  New International Version, 209

  New Revised Standard Version, 203, 209

  New Testament: alteration in scripture, involving Jews, 186–95, 227n. 7; alteration in scripture, involving women, 183–86, 226nn. 4–6; anti-adoptionist changes to scripture, 157–62; antidocetic changes to scripture, 164–70; antiseparationist changes to scripture, 171–75; Apocalypse of John, 25; apologetic changes to scripture, 200–205, 227n. 15; apologies (defenses) in, 26–27; Beatitudes, 24; Bengel’s Greek New Testament, 112; books chosen for, first list, 35–36; books included in some versions, 47; Byzantine manuscripts of, 73, 75, 124, 131, 157; commonly accepted textual variants (that are wrong), 133–49, 225n. 4; competing canons, 153; copyists’ errors, 52, 90–94; copyists’ intentional changes, 34, 46, 52–56, 59, 94–98, 133–49, 151–75, 183–86, 190–95, 200–205, 226nn. 4, 5, 6, 227nn. 7, 15; dating of, 36; doctrine of Christ’s divinity and, 81–82, 102, 113–15, 157–58; establishing oldest possible text, 88; formation of Christian canon, 29–36, 153, 220n. 10, 221n. 6; Galatians, earliest extant copy, 60; Gospels, 24, 35; Greek manuscripts, 6, 10, 11, 73, 83, 219 n. 1; Greek New Testament, Complutensian Polygot, 76–77, 78, 81; Greek New Testament, Lachmann’s, 116–17; Greek New Testament, T.R., 78–83; importance of, 69, 208; Latin translations, 74; letters in, 22–23, 31–32; liturgy in formation of, 32; Lord’s Prayer, 24, 97, 223n. 20; Marcion, role in formation of, 33–34; New Revised Standard Version, 203, 209; “original” texts, inaccessibility of, 60, 69; original texts, importance of textual criticism and, 208–18; orthodox canon, after Marcion, 34–35; Q (source), 24, 220n. 7; scholars, notable, searching for origins, 101–25; teachings as Scripture, 31; theologically motivated alterations of the text, 151–75; translations into indigenous languages, 74; variations in (Greek) witnesses found, 83–88, 89–90, 101–25; Vulgate Bible, 74–75, 76, 79, 89, 106–7, 116, 222nn. 5–6; Westcott and Hort’s edition, 121–23

  New Testament, The (Ehrman), 220n. 7, 222n. 17, 225n. 6, 226n. 3

  New Testament, The (Kümmel), 223n. 6


  New Testament Apocyrpha, 220n. 6

  New Testament Canon, The (Gamble), 220n. 10

  New Testament in the Original Greek, The (Westcott and Hort), 121–23

  Nicholson, Adam, 227n. 1

  Numbers, Book of, 19

  oral tradition, 65, 97–98

  Origen, 40–41, 52, 89, 101, 106, 107, 116, 117, 145, 174, 179, 190, 193, 200, 202–3, 221nn. 9, 12, 16, 227n. 11; Rufinus’s translation of, 54, 221n. 12

  Origen’s “Contra Celsum” (Chadwick), 221n. 16, 227n. 11

  Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, The (Ehrman), 221n. 11, 225nn. 10, 11, 12, 226nn. 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12

  orthodoxy and proto-orthodoxy, 28, 154, 164, 165, 168, 169, 170, 171, 173, 174; canon, after Marcion, 34–35; heresies and, 28; scribes, changes by, 53; as true teaching, 28

  pagans, 195–96, 227n. 20; alterations to scripture to counter, 200–205; converts to Christianity, 21; opponents to Christianity, 40–41, 52, 179, 196–200, 227n. 13

  Parker, David C., 219n. 2, 223n. 20

  Paschal Homily, 94–96 (Melito), 190, 227n. 9

  Passion of the Christ, The (film), 63

  Paul of Tarsus: alterations to Pauline letters involving women, 183–86, 226nn. 4, 5; antiheretical writings, 27–28; churches founded by, 26; conflicts with Jews and, 188–89, 227n. 7; dictation of letters by, 59–60, 210, 221nn. 15, 16; differing accounts of events following conversion on road to Damascus, 10; education of, 21; on grace (charis), 147; letters, 21–23, 31–32, 34, 219–20n. 5, 220n. 6; Marcion’s heresies and, 33–34; pagan persecution of, 196, 227n. 13; pseudonymous letters, 23; on public reading of letters, 42; right standing with God comes from faith, 33, 163, 188–89; slavery and, 181; women in Christianity and role in early church, 178–82, 226n. 1. See also specific letters

  Pentacostal Christians, 66

  Petaus of Karanis, Egypt, 38, 39

  Peter the Apostle, 39, 1681 Peter, 3:15, 272

  Peter: authorship of, 31; 3:16, 31

  Philip, Gospel of, 24

  Philippi, Polycarp’s letter to church, 31–32

  Pius, 50

  Plutarch, 14