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"Does I John 5:7 belong in the Bible? Some say this verse proves God is a Trinity."?


Answer # 141


This verse is spurious! It is a FRAUD -- a deliberate hoax -- foisted upon a deceived world centuries AFTER the inspired New Testament was written!

It is not part of the faith once delivered to the saints!

Those who cite this verse to prove the doctrine of the Trinity are either in gross ignorance or are out-and-out deceivers! The Bible nowhere teaches the pagan doctrine of a Trinity! I John 5:7 is properly deleted in modern translations, such as the Moffatt, Goodspeed, and the Revised Standard Version.

Where then did I John 5:7 come from? Why is it found today in the King James Bible? And who put it there?

The editors of the "Critical and Experimental Commentary" were forced to admit this verse is NOT found in ANY of the old manuscripts of the Bible and was not found in the manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate until as late as the eighth century! Notice their confession:

"The only Greek MSS., IN ANY FORM, which support the words, "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one: and there are three that bear witness in earth," are the Montfortianus of Dublin, copied from the MODERN Latin Vulgate; the Revianus, copied from the Complutensian Polyglot; a MS. at Naples, with the words added IN THE MARGIN BY A RECENT HAND; Ottobonianus, 298, of the FIFTEENTH CENTURY, the Greek of which is a TRANSLATION of the accompanying Latin. ALL THE OLD VERSIONS OMIT THE WORDS. The OLDEST MSS. of the Vulgate OMIT THEM, the earliest Vulgate MS. which has them being Wizanburgensis, 99, of the EIGHTH CENTURY.

Even Adam Clarke confesses in his "Commentary": "But it is likely this verse is NOT GENUINE. It is wanting in every MS. of this epistle written BEFORE the invention of printing, one excepted, the "Codex Montfortii", in Trinity College, Dublin

Clarke continues, "It is wanting in both the Syriac, all the Arabic, Ethiopic, the Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Slavonian, etc., in a word, IN ALL THE ANCIENT VERSIONS but the "Vulgate"; and even of this version many of the most ancient and correct MSS. have it not. It is wanting also in ALL THE ANCIENT GREEK FATHERS; and in most even of the Latin."

How, then, did it creep into the text of the King James Version? Hear the voice of History:

I John 5:7 "... is not contained in any Greek manuscript which was written earlier than the fifth century. It is not cited by ANY of the Greek ecclesiastical writers; nor by any of the early Latin fathers, even when the subjects upon which they treated would naturally have led them to appeal to its authority. IT IS THEREFORE evidently SPURIOUS; and was first cited (though not as it now reads) by Virgilius Tapsensis, a Latin writer of no credit, in the latter end of the fifth century, but by whom FORGED, is of no great moment, as its design must be obvious to all." (The Emphatic Diaglott.)

Trinitarians grasp at I John 5:7 as a last straw to support their doctrine because NO OTHER SCRIPTURE IN ALL THE BIBLE CAN LEND CREDENCE to the pagan doctrine of a tri-une God!

The doctrine of "God in three Persons" is not Biblical! It originated in ancient paganism!

Babylonish and Oriental religions have LONG believed in triune divinities -- father, mother and child. The Egyptians worshiped Isis, Osiris, and Horus; the Babylonians deified the archrebel Nimrod, his wife Semiramis, and her illegitimate son Horus, known also as Gilgamesh. The widespread worship of a "Trinity" traces all the way back to this original trio!

God is NOT a Trinity. God is a FAMILY (Ephesians 3:15), composed of the Father, and Jesus Christ, the first-born AMONG MANY BRETHREN (Romans 8:29). The Bible does not teach a "closed" God-head. Rather, true Christians can become Sons of God -- very members of the GOD FAMILY -- if they are BORN AGAIN by His Spirit at the resurrection.

At the resurrection, Christians begotten by the Holy Spirit, are born into God's ruling Kingdom. We will become co-inheritors with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17)! We will be born of God as He is! We will be glorified just like Jesus Christ -- we will be LIKE HIM, "for we shall see Him as He is" (I John 3:2) -- as VERY GOD!

Satan has deluded the world with his diabolical trinitarian concept in order to HIDE the marvelous truth about MAN'S DESTINY!

For literature which will clearly explain the TRUTH about the Holy Spirit, and WHY you were born, see the book "Mystery Of The Ages" in the "Books by Herbert W. Armstrong" and the booklet "Why Were You Born?" in the "Booklets and Articles" Section on this web site. They will OPEN your eyes!