FABRICATIONS · INTERPOLATIONS
As It Is Written in the Prophets
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
The KJV uses "in the prophets," while the NIV and ESV use "in Isaiah the prophet," based on the oldest extant manuscripts (Codex Sinaiticus / Vaticanus). This variation highlights a scribal tendency in later manuscripts to generalize attributions, likely as a harmonization attempt since combines verses from and . This detail is significant because it reveals how scribes shaped the narrative to align with their interpretation of proper attribution.
THE CHRISTIAN RESPONSE
The phrase ‘in the prophets’ was a scribal correction to avoid attributing a composite quote solely to Isaiah. They claim the change was a harmless harmonization that did not alter any core beliefs.
THE ISLAMIC POSITION
Even a seemingly minor change like modifying a citation shows the text’s fluidity. If scribes felt free to ‘correct’ Scripture for consistency, it demonstrates that what Christians hold as revealed text can be subject to human revision, challenging its authenticity and preservation. This underlines the notion of an unaltered divine word and supports the view that the biblical text’s final form was shaped by human editorial practices.
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As It Is Written in the Prophets