I haven't done much digging yet ... but this page appears to be a pretty good summary of the Fathers and the biblical texts they bear witness to. As I guessed, some of the very earliest (e.g. Origen) and later Alexandrian Fathers (e.g. Athanasius) follow the Alexandrian text -- but apparently all of the text-types are attested to at very early dates (Origen is Caesarean in the Gospels; Irenaeus has a largely Western text; Clement of Alexandria has them all).
The Church Fathers
thats a lot of quotations, I would have to see them side by side. I did see a further proof of early quotes fro the byzantine text type:
In
Matthew 6:13 the phrase “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” is omitted in the critical Greek text (look in the NIV for an example of this corruption and any mentioned in this article). An early text known as
Didache or
Teachings, short for
The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles, is dated between A.D. 70-120 cites the “Lord’s Prayer” in its entirety and includes this phrase3) Tatian lived and wrote in the second century and was discipled by Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165). Tatian produced a harmony of the four gospels called the
Diatessaron, originally written in Greek but he translated it into Syriac and it became the authoritative text of the gospels in Syria for a number of centuries. Sadly, after Justin Martyr died, Tatian became a heretic, teaching Gnostic ideas. However, the
Diatessaron includes this phrase,4) even though it is not the most reliable text it confirms the early Greek New Testament contained this phrase. Dean John Burgon wrote concerning this passage, “these words have been rejected by critical writers as spurious for the past 360 years, in spite of the fact that S. Paul recognizes them in
2 Tim. 4:18—which alone, one would have thought, should have been sufficient to preserve them from molestation.”5)
Matthew 9:13 states, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The words “to repentance” is omitted and the NIV6) does not even footnote this omission. This omission of the phrase “to repentance” is also evident in the parallel passage in
Mark 2:17. Interestingly, the NIV and many of the modern Bible version put preeminence of corrupted manuscripts such as Codex Sinaiticus. This Codex itself in the text of
Matthew 9:13 omits the phrase,7) but the Epistle of Barnabas is included in the Codex and contains the words “to repentance.”8) The Epistle of Barnabas is of an unknown author, but the date of its composition is evident in its statement about the Jewish Temple. “Moreover, He again says, Behold, they who have cast down this temple, even they shall build it up again. It has so happened. For through their going to war, it was destroyed by their enemies; and now: they, as the servants of their enemies, shall rebuild it.”9) From this statement, scholars have recognized “the temple has been destroyed and plans to rebuild it are in process. This places the composition of
Barnabas after A.D. 70 and perhaps as late as sometime in the A.D. 130s.”10) Justin Martyr (A.D. 100-165) also cites these words in his
The First Apology of Justin.11) Surely these Greek documents that are centuries earlier than the Codex Sinaiticus stands on firmer ground for the inclusion of these words.
In
Matthew 19:16-17 “And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” The adjective “Good” preceding “Master” is omitted, the phrase “Why callest thou me good” is changed to “why do you ask me about what is good?” (NIV), which is not an accurate rendering of the Greek but rather an example of the corrupting character of the dynamic equivalent method; nor is this phrase even in the critical Greek text that was used for the NIV. The whole phrase “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” is omitted from the Greek text used by the NIV, but the phrase is quoted by Hippolytus (A.D. 170-236).12) Hippolytus quotation of the phrase is in the context of what the Gnostic Marcion taught which sets the phrase in existing text prior to Hippolytus since Marcion died around 160 A.D. Tertullian stated of him: “Marcion expressly and openly used the knife, not the pen, since he made such an excision of the Scriptures as suited his own subject-matter.”13) This would indicate that those who have omitted this phrase from Scripture have followed the corruption of the Gnostic Marcion. Origen (A.D. 185-255) also quotes this passage including the adjective “Good Master”14) as well as the second phrase which he quotes in two separate writings of his15) Origen, though not orthodox in his own theology, also opposed the heresies of Marcion16) which would indicate why he refused to recognize the omission of this text as any sort of valid variant even though he was the first New Testament textual critic in history. His actions of textual criticism is the source of many of the corruptions in the modern critical text which makes it all the more remarkable that modern critics adapt this corruption.
The phrase “for many be called, but few chosen” is omitted from
Matthew 20:16 in the Greek critical text and without a footnote in the NIV.17) This phrase is quoted without reservation by Irenaeus (A.D> 130-200) in his major text
Against Heresies.18) Ed Reese mentioned, “In his famed book, he made 1800 quotations from the New Testament, implying they had for some time been considered Scripture…. Irenaeus is considered the first writer to deserve the title of theologian, using both the Old Testament and New Testament in building his theology.”19)
Matthew 27:35 states: “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” The critical text ends this verse with “casting lots,” omitting the larger portion of the verse and a very significant phrase acknowledging the fulfillment of prophecy. The NIV footnote states: “A few late manuscripts
lots that the word spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled.”20) Tertullian (A.D. 160-230) was the earliest extant Latin author of the Christian era. He wrote, “Upon my vesture they did cast (the) lot; just as the other (outrages) which you were to commit on Him were foretold — all which He, actually and thoroughly suffering, suffered not for an evil action of His own, but that the Scriptures from the mouth of the Prophets might be fulfilled.”21) His inclusion of this phrase shows that it existed very early since Tertullian was quoting from a Latin translation of the New Testament. This early Latin version must have an early origin being translated from the Greek source showing the antiquity of this phrase predating the corrupt manuscript of an older date having omitted this portion of God’s word. “When and where the new Testament was first translated into Latin has been the subject of much dispute, but, according to [Bruce] Metzger, most scholars now agree that the first Latin translation of the Gospels was made in North Africa during the last quarter of the second century.”22) It is likely this Latin text existed earlier since Christianity was well grounded in North Africa and the extensive citations of the New Testament from Tertullian seems to imply his expectation of his readers to have a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures allowing the assumption that North Africa was proliferated with Latin New Testament quite a bit earlier than 175 A.D. David Soernson speaks of the Old Latin, “It has existed since A.D. 157. Noted church historian Fredric Nolan confirms the same. This date is less than one hundred years after most of the books of the New Testament were written. The greater point is that the Itala (or Old Latin) was translated from the Received Text, indicating its existence to the earliest days of the New Testament church. Therefore, the Received Text clearly existed and was used by churches in early church history.”23)
Mark 9:29 says: “And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.” The NIV following the critical text omits “and fasting” as well as the parallel verse in
Matthew 17:21 which is completely missing from the text being relegated to a footnote.24) However, Origen noted in his book
On Fasting, “He taught likewise that fasts are to be weapons for battling with the more direful demons…”25) He is clearly reference the thought of this verse with the presupposition his readers were familiar with what statement of the Lord was being implied without a specific quote. Furthermore, since he did not quote the verse itself, it cannot be argued that this is a text that Origen is guilty of corrupting. The verse is also cited in a pseudo-Clemetine text.26) Surely Clement of Rome was not the author of this text but it comes from an early author nevertheless as the editor’s introduction states, “Jerome was acquainted with the writing (
Ad Jovinum, i. 12), and possibly Epiphaius (
Haer.,xxx. 15). Hence we may safely allow an early date.”27)
In
Luke 4:18, Dr. Frederick Scrivener noted εὐαγγελίζεσθαι is spelled εὐαγγελίσασθαι and the phrase “to heal the brokenhearted” is missing.28) This phrase was present when Irenaeus quotes the passage in the second century29) and it is contained in the quote by Peter of Alexandria30) who in A.D. 311 “was the last martyr put to death by public authority at Alexandria.”31) As the head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria, some might suppose affiliation with Origen, however, he opposed his false teachings and was counted “among the enemies of Origen…”32)
Acts 8:37 is completely omitted in the critical text and is rendered to a footnote in the NIV.33) It should stand as reading: “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” In the later half of the second century Irenaeus wrote, “But again: Whom did Philip preach to the eunuch of the queen of the Ethiopians, returning from Jerusalem, and reading Esaias the prophet, when he and this man were alone together? Was it not He of whom the prophet spoke: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb dumb before the shearer, so He opened not the mouth? But who shall declare His nativity? For His life shall be taken away from the earth. [Philip declared] that this was Jesus, and that the Scripture was fulfilled in Him; as did also the believing eunuch himself: and, immediately requesting to be baptized, he said, I believed Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. This man was also sent into the regions of Ethiopia, to preach what he had himself believed, that there was one God preached by the prophets, but that the Son of this [God] had already made [His] appearance in human nature (
secundum hominem), and had been led as a sheep to the slaughter; and all the other statements which the prophets made regarding Him.”(brackets in original)34) Craig Keener, whose massive commentary on Acts is considered by many to be the top scholarship on the text, says “there is little likelihood that [Acts] 8:37 is original”35) yet noted this early quotation by Irenaeus attempting to ignore it by reasoning, “Church fathers quote the passage widely (
Iren.
Her. 3.12.8), but what probably began as oral tradition and marginal notations took some time to work its way into the text.”36) When arguing against another authors view of Acts being a second century composition based on it being rarely quoted in the early church fathers, Keener asks: “But is dating a document no earlier than its first clear attestation in later sources a fair criterion, in any case?”37) of which his argument clearly indicates his answer is “No.” Then why would he argue the same admittedly fallacious view against
Acts 8:37? Elsewhere, Keener admits (though tucked away in a footnote), “I depend mainly on secondary sources to survey patristic and later Christian opinion,”38) showing he is not personally familiar with the corpus of early church fathers. This makes it all the more improbable for a later interpolation when speaking of Irenaeus, who spoke of personal acquaintance with “the most approved and ancient copies”39) of Scriptures, specifically speaking in this context of the book of Revelation, he diligently opposed any form of corrupting God’s words. Noting that in his day some copies of Revelation had the number 616 instead of 666, he attacked anyone who would be willing to alter even one letter of the Bible. “But as for those who, for the sake of vainglory, lay it down for certain that names containing the spurious number are to be accepted, and affirm that this name, hit upon by themselves, is that of him who is to come; such persons shall not come forth without loss, because they have led into error both themselves and those who confided in them. Now, in the first place, it is loss to wander from the truth, and to imagine that as being the case which is not; then again, as there shall be no light punishment [inflicted] upon him who either adds or subtracts anything from the Scripture, under that such a person must necessarily fall.”(brackets in original)40) The verse in question is also referenced by the Latin author Cyprian,41) as well as being alluded to by Pontius the Deacon who wrote “The Life and Passion of Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr,” who stated: “For although in the Acts of the Apostles the eunuch is described as at once baptized by Philip, because he believed with his whole heart..”42) Cyprian’s writings were composed around A.D. 250, and his citations of Scripture is from the Old Latin that had been translated approximately a century earlier, thus presenting evidence for the verse a few decades earlier than Irenaeus’ writings. It is thus vouched for from both Greek and Latin sources extending back to the mid-second century.
This is just a handful of examples of where the critical text have clearly corrupted God’s word as the antiquity for the reading in the Textus Receptus is vouched for by the Christian authors of the earliest years. Other important passages such as
Mark 16:9-20and
1 John 5:7-8 are also strongly evident with similar quotations but such controversial passages deserve lengthy articles for themselves so have not been included here. Those passages will be discussed in future articles. These passages are sufficient for now to present why we hold the KJV as the preeminent English Bible.
above section from:
Textus Receptus in the Early Church Fathers | Truth Watchers
I did notice that this site is a typical apologetics site, not a KJV only site. So that adds to the validity. Besides I am a NKJV user, which is heresy to the KJV only.