Is the NIV Purposefully Removing References to Fasting?
Today’s topic addresses the claim that the NIV (and other modern translations) purposefully removed words and verses about fasting from the New Testament. When we look up the passages in Greek, it becomes quite evident that no devious plot was afoot.
Comparison of Fasting Passages
Matthew 17:21
KJV: Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
NIV: [omitted]
Mark 9:29
KJV: And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
NIV: He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.“
Acts 10:30-31
KJV: And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.
NIV: Cornelius answered: “ Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor.
1 Corinthians 7:5
KJV: “Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
NIV: Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer …
Analysis of Matthew 17:21 and Mark 9:29
Of the changes made to fasting verses, Matthew 17:21 appears to to be the most alarming because the entire verse has been removed from many Bibles. The reason for this omission is simple: most early manuscripts don’t actually include this verse and the ones that do include it read more like Mark 9:29 without the fasting. To be clear, Matthew was written later than Mark and Mark was used as source material. If this verse was ever part of the original Matthean narrative, it was copied from Mark.
On the matter of Mark 9:29, nearly all of the early manuscripts do not include the “and fasting” at the end of the verse. Modern textual critics prefer the older texts of Vaticanus, Sinaiticus, and others due to their age, completeness, and use within the early church. Since we have no actual original manuscripts there is no way to know which version was original.
Manuscript Evidence for Mark 9:29
Manuscripts supporting the translation that includes both fasting and prayer:
- lat (Latin Vulgate): 4th century
- W (Codex Washingtonianus): 4th – 5th century
- sy p (Peshitta): 5th century
- A (Codex Alexandrinus): 5th century
- C (Ephraemi Syri Rescriptus): 5th century
- D (Codex Bezae): 5th century
- N (Codex Petropolitanus Purpureus): 6th century
- ƒ 1,13 (Codex Fuldensis): 6th century
- sy h (Harclean Syriac version): finished in the 6th century
- sy s (Codex Sinaiticus Syriacus): 7th century
- ℵ 2 (Codex Sinaiticus, redaction #2): 8th century
- L (Codex Regius): 8th century
- Ψ (Codex Athous Lavrensis): 8th-9th century
- co (Coptic): 9th century
- K (Cyprius): 9th century
- Δ (Codex Sangallensis 48): 9th century
- Θ (Codex Koridethi): 9th century
- Γ (Codex Tischendorfianus IV): 9th-10th century
- GA 33, 565, 892, 1424: 9th-10th century
- ℓ (Leningrad Codex): 10th century
- bo ms (Bohairic): 10th century
Ancient manuscripts supporting the translation that does not include fasting:
- ℵ (Codex Sinaiticus): 4th century
- B: (Vaticanus): 4th century
- k (Codex Bobiensis): 4th century
- W/032 (Codex Washingtonianus): 4th century
- Uncial 0274: 5th century