why Matthew 17: 21 is missing from most Bibles what if I told you that over 500 million Bibles that exist today are missing a particular verse how is that possible did this take place on purpose the Bible is a history book but it is unlike any other history book available in any public library the Bible's history starts with the Earth's creation and and ends with the end of the world no other history book has ever been published that covers such a broad range of events on planet Earth partially because no one was present at the
start to witness and document it and therefore no one can write the beginning of our world authoritatively have you ever been reading the Bible and felt like something was missing well what if I told you that one verse Matthew 17: 21 just isn't in many modern Bibles that's right an entire verse what's going on here let's start by reading Matthew 17 verse 21 from the King James version how be it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting it's a verse that reminds us of the power of spiritual discipline prayer and fasting together
but if you open most newer translations like the NIV or the ESV this verse is nowhere to be found instead you might see a footnote and that footnote says something like some manuscripts do not include this verse and that's when the questions start flying what manuscripts why would some Bibles leave it out while others keep it and does this mean we can't trust the Bible this is where things get really interesting to understand what's happening we have to look back in time way back the Bible didn't just fall from the sky in one piece it
was copied by hand for centuries and the New Testament it's based on thousands of ancient manuscripts but here's the twist not all those manuscripts are exactly the same some are older some are more complete and yes some include this verse While others don't now Scholars call these differences textual variants most of the time these variants are tiny like a missing letter or a swapped word but sometimes entire verses are in one manuscript but missing from another let's zoom in on the 1500s the King James version one of the most beloved translations was based on a
handful of Greek manuscripts collectively called the texus receptus these manuscripts included Matthew 17: 21 but fast forward to the 1800s when Scholars discovered older manuscripts like the Codex sinaiticus and codex vaticanus these ancient texts dating back to the 4th Century didn't include the verse now the question becomes which is more reliable the manuscripts that included the verse or the ones that didn't and here's where it gets messy some believe the verse was added later to emphasize the importance of fasting others argue it was accidentally left out in the older manuscripts the stakes are high because
this verse directly impacts how we approach spiritual warfare it is also a serious topic because it covers Jesus's own Direction fasting correctly is a concept deeply rooted in spiritual discipline and who better to learn from than Jesus himself Jesus viewed fasting not just as a religious duty but as something much deeper and more meaningful this particular verse was in response to a situation where the disciples couldn't drive out a demon from a boy this statement from Jesus gives us a huge insight into the significance of fasting combined with prayer the disciples were unable to cast
out a demon which was a bit of a shock for them since they had been given the authority to perform such Miracles when they asked Jesus why they couldn't drive it out he pointed out their lack of faith and then mentioned fasting as a powerful tool this indicates that some spiritual battles require not just faith and prayer but the added strength that comes from fasting well the verse that is missing in many bibles suggests that fasting can bring a deeper spiritual Clarity and connection with God it's like when you fast you're tuning out the noise
of the world and tuning into God's frequency have you ever felt cluttered by all the distractions around you fasting can be a way to clear out that clutter it can be a form of spiritual warfare think about what Matthew 17: 211 is saying how be it this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Jesus is talking about driving giving out demons about facing the spiritual battles in life now imagine you're a believer in the early church copying these texts by hand maybe the verse didn't seem necessary because prayer and fasting were already a
part of everyday life or maybe just maybe someone thought it was too difficult to practice and decided to leave it out wouldn't you be curious to know if that's true and this is not the only verse that has this particular particular issue verses like Matthew 18:1 Mark 7: 16 Mark 9: 44 and 46 Mark 16: 9-20 John 5: 4 acts 8: 37 acts 15:34 and acts 24: 7 let me show you an example John 5: 4 in the KJV reads for an angel of the Lord went down at certain times into the pool and stirred
up the water whoever stepped in first was made well of whatever disease he had but in the NIV it jumps straight from verse 3 to verse 5 before you panic let me assure you this isn't some conspiracy to rewrite the Bible instead it's part of an incredible effort to uncover what the biblical writers originally wrote over the course of 1,500 years as the Bible was copied and recopied some scribes made notes in the margins these notes Were Meant to explain confusing passages or provide extra details modern Scholars using the most ancient manuscripts available believe these
verses were not part of the original Bible That's why newer translations either omit them or place them in footnotes but wait doesn't this mean the Bible has been tampered with shouldn't we be worried about the reliability of scripture not at all in fact this shows us just how much care has gone into preserving God's word textual critics people who study ancient manuscripts use science and history to ensure we're reading what was originally written and here's the amazing part even with these missing verses the core message of the Bible hasn't changed the doctrines of salvation the
resurrection of Jesus and God's love for us remain perfectly intact by placing these verses in footnotes or brackets modern translations are being honest about what's in the oldest manuscripts they're not hiding anything they're helping us understand the truth the Bible is more than just a book it's God's message of love and Redemption another example is John 7:53 the story of the woman caught in adultery is found in John 7:8 this part of the Bible sometimes called the paropy adultery has caused a lot of debate over the years the big question is whether it's authentic did
the Apostle John actually write John 7 or was this story about the woman forgiven by Jesus added later and not inspired by God the texus receptus includes this passage and most Greek texts do too that's why the King James version of the Bible based on the textus receptus includes it as part of the original Gospel of John but newer Bible translations like the NIV and the ESV still include the story but put brackets around it showing they don't think it was part of the original text this is because the oldest and what many believe to
be the most trustworthy Greek manuscripts do not have this story about the woman caught in adultery when you look at the Greek manuscripts it's pretty clear that the story wasn't originally part of John's gospel even in the manuscripts that include the story either in full or in part there are differences in where it is placed I remember talking to a friend who discovered this verse was missing in their Bible they were heartbroken they asked me does this mean my Bible is incomplete but before you panic let's put this into perspective the heart of the Bible's
message hasn't changed whether Matthew 17: 21 is there or not the call to prayer and fasting is echoed throughout scripture Jesus himself fasted in the wilderness the apostles prayed fervently the Bible consistently teaches these practices so don't let this shake your faith instead let it deepen your hunger for God's word the Bible is critically important for Christian faith as it serves as the source of information about God who he is and what he has done for us additionally it reveals insights into Humanity including our character history and spiritual needs furthermore the Bible outlines God's Plan
of Salvation offering forgiveness and renewal for Humanity in its sinful state it also delineates God's standards of right and wrong and communicates his will for his Creations as Christian faith is rooted in Hope for the future the Bible is indispensable in guiding our path into eternity the significance of the Bible and its Revelations cannot be overstated the Bible is an unusual book the Bible is a unique and unparalleled book that stands alone it was written by about 40 human authors over a period of 1,500 years starting with Moses in the 15th century BC the Bible
was written in two major languages Hebrew and Greek with a few portions of the Old Testament in Aramaic the diverse group of authors came from various walks of life including Moses Joshua and renowned prophets such as Samuel Isa Isaiah Jeremiah and Ezekiel this makes the Bible a truly exceptional and unparalleled work the authors of the Bible came from diverse backgrounds for example there were authors like David who started as a Shepherd but later became the king of Israel as a King David wrote many of the Psalms providing a rich poetic background for biblical truths other
writers were farmers Warriors or fishermen despite their differing backgrounds they all contributed to the Bible the Bible itself is unique it contains a wide range of content including moral and political laws history poetry prophecy and letters yet it maintains continuity from Genesis to Revelation in Christian faith the unity of the Bible amid its diversity is attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit rather than to human authors the difficult of producing a book like the Bible is evident when considering that it was written by 40 different authors over a span of 1,500 years even with
access to all the world's literature it would be impossible to create a second Bible identical to the original the Bible is seen as a supernatural production distinct from other works and presents a consistent portrayal of God and the world while some of the writers may have had access to other manuscripts containing historical information the Bible is not simply a copy of those books instead the authors selected and included what they believe to be true resulting in a fresh unique and authoritative account of God's truth the Bible is a supernatural book it would be impossible to
explain the origin of the Bible by any other means than to note that it claims to be a supernatural book Guided by the holy hly spirit and supports its claim by the facts presented the Bible's contents indicate that it is of Supernatural origin because it contains Revelations Beyond human knowledge it also provides God's perspective on human activity and history which could only be known through divine revelation the Bible is not only Supernatural in its origin but also in its truth it deals with subjects such as salvation forgiveness righteousness spiritual restoration and Hope For Eternity the
scope of the Revelation extends from eternity past to Eternity future which obviously requires divine revelation
