FABRICATIONS · INTERPOLATION
Added phrase in 1 Cor 6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
This phrase is absent from some early manuscripts, exemplifying how scribes might have embellished the text with theological affirmations. The NIV and ESV omit this phrase, with other minor differences like the NIV opting for "honor God" and the ESV using "glorify God." While minor, it shows that the Bible’s wording wasn’t fixed. This bolsters the argument that the Scriptures were not preserved in a consistent, unaltered form.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
This phrase was added for emphasis, aligning the believer’s body and spirit in service to God. Since it doesn’t contradict doctrine, it is a harmless clarification. Scribes aimed to reinforce a known truth rather than distort the message.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
Even non-controversial verses were subject to lengthening. If scribes felt free to add devotional elements, then the text’s stability is compromised. Distinguishing between original revelation and scribal enhancements becomes difficult, challenging claims of biblical integrity.
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Added phrase in 1 Cor 6:20