There are quotations of scripture like 1 John 5:7 that are found in the writings of the early church fathers which validate the family of manuscripts that the KJV is translated from.
Hi nicolaus,
Just so everyone is on the same page here, I'm going to copy the referenced passage which is actually 1 John 5:7-8 depending on the translation one might have.
For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. NIV
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. KJV
Now, there has certainly been some serious debate concerning this little piece of Scripture and certainly much wiser minds than mine have looked into it. Here's some research found on Bible.org:
This longer reading is found only in eight late manuscripts, four of which have the words in a marginal note. Most of these manuscripts (2318, 221, and [with minor variations] 61, 88, 429, 629, 636, and 918) originate from the 16th century; the earliest manuscript, codex 221 (10th century), includes the reading in a marginal note which was added sometime after the original composition. Thus,
there is no sure evidence of this reading in any Greek manuscript until the 1500s; each such reading was apparently composed after Erasmus’ Greek NT was published in 1516. Indeed, the reading appears in
no Greek witness of any kind (either manuscript, patristic, or Greek translation of some other version)
until AD 1215 (in a Greek translation of the Acts of the Lateran Council, a work originally written in Latin). This is all the more significant, since many a Greek Father would have loved such a reading, for it so succinctly affirms the doctrine of the Trinity.
2 The reading seems to have arisen in a fourth century Latin homily in which the text was allegorized to refer to members of the Trinity. From there, it made its way into copies of the Latin Vulgate, the text used by the Roman Catholic Church.
From the site, Puritan Board, we find this:
Cyprian quotes
1 John 5:7 in the year 250 A.D.
"The Lord warns, saying, "He who is not with me scattereth." He who breaks the peace and the concord of Christ, does so in opposition to Christ; he who gathereth elsewhere than in the Church, scatters the Church of Christ. The Lord says, "I and the Father are one;" and again it is written of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," And these three are one." And does any one believe that this unity which thus comes from the divine strength and coheres in celestial sacraments, can be divided in the Church, and can be separated by the parting asunder of opposing wills? He who does not hold unity does not hold God's law, does not hold the faith of the Father and the Son, does not hold life and salvation."
Oddly, this bit of research claims that the entire passage is Cyprian quoting, but it seems to be written more as a quote of Cyprian. While Cyprian does say "and again it is written of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," and the quote appears to end there in this text, but then the next passage is also covered in a closed quote. And these three are one." From the evidence offered in this blurb, there really isn't any assurance that Cyprian was quoting from 1 John. As far as the quote "and again it is written of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," could just as well be a quote from the last words of Jesus to his disciples in Matthew. Jesus also referenced the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit in a single sentence there, too.
I find it somewhat telling that we have manuscript evidence of this in some relatively recent manuscripts and 4 of the 8 show the longer passage as a marginal notation. Why, if it were generally accepted Scripture half a millennia ago, would people not write it out in its completion?
The Chick organization does have a response to be viewed, but there are, I think, some questionable claims made as to 'why' we don't find the longer translation in our earliest manuscripts. His claim is basically that the Catholic organization destroyed it. However, that doesn't really answer why the earliest manuscripts wouldn't have it. I mean, I know that the Catholic organization has long stood against many of the saints of Christ, but to actually seek and destroy pretty much every early manuscript copy seems like an impossible task to me.
Chick.com: Is 1 John 5:7 not in any Greek manuscript before the 1600s? If it is true, why is it in the KJV?
However, two things that I will concede. First, without the original, we can't really be sure that we have any of the words of the new covenant Scriptures correct other than in their agreement with one another. Second, that this small passage of Scripture has no bearing on the whole of what the Scriptures teach us about God, His Son and His Spirit and all that He has done that we might know Him and receive His promise of eternal life. If in the other passages of the Scriptures where Jesus declares to us that he and the Father are one with the Spirit, we can't understand that the three are in agreement, then this passage isn't likely to convince us either.
Jesus prayed that the future believers would be one, just as he and the Father are one.
So, you're free to believe what you believe about this passage, but I still contend that you couldn't prove it. No one else has really been able to or we wouldn't have the debate still going on.
God bless,
In Christ, ted