When I first heard that John 3:16 was added at some point in time and that it was not in the original, I was a little skeptical. But after doing a little research
on it, I find that It would indeed appear that it was added.
Please read and let me know your thoughts on it. Also let me know your thoughts about it and if there is anything that I should add to it.
Original New Testament (ONT)
(See Authentic New Testament). Footnote: While much that was in his documentary source (the Memoirs of John the Priest) has been adapted by the Greek author to bring the text into line with his ideas, as here, some passages, largely by way of commentary, stand out as his distinctive contribution. Whenever possible attention has been drawn to these, as in this instance, and some have been placed below the main body of the text and in slightly smaller type. The present passage is John 3:16‑21. [This passage has been so placed by the translator].
The Ferrar Fenton Bible Translation has the following in bracket indicating that the verse WAS ADDED BY THE TRANSLATORS at some point in time.
[For God so loved the world that He gave the only‑ begotten Son, so that every one believing in Him should not be lost, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son to the world that He might condemn the world; but that He might save the world through Him...] and ends with John 3:21, Therefore it would appear that all the verses from John 3:16 forward to John 3:21 were added.
It appears that John 3:16 was not in the original Gutenberg Bible. You can see for yourself at the following url:
http://www.gutenbergdigital.de/gudi/eframes/index.htm
Love Not The World
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15)
If this is true, and we believe that it is, then why would Yahweh say that He so loved the world? We don't believe that He would do so.
Now the question that was put forth that so many began jumping up and down because it was even suggested that John 3:16 should not be in the Bible.
"For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)
We also have the testimony of Luke:
"...take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (Luke 21:34‑36)
James said:
"...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4:4)
In Colossians we are told:
"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2)
Yet John 3:16 is a direct contradiction to the above verses.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Therefore, we must research the word "world" and see what it actually means.
World: Strong's Concordance: #2889 kosmos (kos'‑ mos); probably from the base of 2865; orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively [morally]): KJV‑adorning, world.
World: Strong's Concordance: #2865 komizo (kom‑ id'‑zo); from a primary komeo (to tend, i.e. take care of); properly, to provide for, i.e. (by implication) to carry off (as if from harm; genitive case obtain): KJV‑‑ bring, receive.
World: Thayer's Definition: #2889 kosmos‑
1) an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
2) ornament, decoration, adornment, that is, the arrangement of the stars, ‘the heavenly hosts,’ as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet. 3:3
3) the world, the universe
4) the circle of the earth, the earth
5) the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human race
6) the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ
7) world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
8) any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
a) the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Rom. 11:12 etc)
a) used of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19
World: Thayer's Definition: #2865 komizo‑
1) to care for, to take care of, to provide for
2) to take up or carry away in order to care for and preserve
3) to carry away, to bear off
4) to carry, to bear, to bring to, to carry away for oneself, to carry off what is one's own, to bring back
a) to receive, to obtain: the promised blessing
b) to receive what was previously one's own, to get back, to receive back, to recover
Now does it make sense that Yahweh would tell us that He loved world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc., which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, SEDUCE FROM GOD AND ARE OBSTACLES TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST.
WORLD: "World is also associated with mankind. Christ said of His disciples, 'Ye are the light of the world' <Matt. 5:14a>. OFTEN WORLD IS USED TO INDICATE 'THE MEN OF THIS WORLD' WHO ARE SAID TO LIE IN WICKEDNESS <Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19>. THE MEN ARE CALLED 'THE WORLD,' not only because they compose the greater part of the world's population, but mainly because they pursue and cherish the things of this world. The Psalmist describes these men 'as having their portion in this life' <Ps. 17:14>.
"World may also denote the fleeting character of life's riches and pleasures and the folly of making them of central importance in life. "Will a person gain anything if he wins the whole world, but loses his life?" <Matt. 16:26>. (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Now John 3:16 makes even less sense, and it certainly appears that it does not belong in the Bible or men have been interpreting it in error for a long period of time. It would appear that John 3:16, like the rest of the Bible is making reference only to the Israelites in the world; not to all mankind.
When reading John 3:16, seldom does the Judeo‑ Christian clergy mention the following verse:
"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17)
This is very clear, if men of Yahweh will only look with their eyes open and not closed by the lying, deceiving Judeo‑Christian clergy, that John is speaking of the Israelites who were, even then, scattered all over the earth. He is not speaking of the blacks, chinese, and the other races or peoples, he is speaking only of the world of Israelites.
But men will deny this because their eyes have been blinded to the truth as the scriptures say:
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And THEN SHALL THAT WICKED BE REVEALED, WHOM THE LORD SHALL CONSUME WITH THE SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH, AND SHALL DESTROY WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:3‑12)
We full well realize that many will say we are the ones deceived, not them. But you be the judge, if we are explaining this and MOST WILL DENY IT, and we know that most are deceived, who is telling the truth. It is those who are few in number, whom the masses will deny.
Many people who claim to be Christian don't know the meaning of the word; for they think all they have to do is run down to the altar and bow down on their knees and pray and that is accepting Yahshua as their savior. IT IS NOT. For they will go out and not think about church again for the next week when they attend church again.
Oh yes some will listen to the television preachers, or listen to the radio preachers, never knowing that these people are not teaching them a thing; but are only regurgating a politically correct sermon from some book or set of books. Therefore, they have wasted that much time listening to them because they have not learned anything about Yahweh's Word or His Laws, Statutes, and Judgment.
Yet they will listen to these same television evangelists, and radio evangelist tell them that Yahweh's Laws have been done away with. Which is a bald faced lie. They have not been done away with, for if they had then there would be no more sin, and if there were no sin then Yahshua died in vain.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4)
Therefore, if the Laws of Yahweh have been done away with then what law are the sinners breaking in order to have to be saved from their sins. No it is not possible for the Law to be done away with and any preacher or teacher that tells you that is a liar and the truth is not in him.
"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." (1 John 2:4)
We know just from observation that it is the jews who love the world, and all the material goods, gold, silver and things of value. Yet they are the ones who will be totally destroyed in the end, by God’s Servant Race, the Anglo-Saxon, Germainc, Scandinavian, Celtic, Nordic, Slavic and kindred people of the so-called Christian Nations of the West.