Hebrews 6:6 "IF they shall fall away..." The IF clauses: Are they "in the Greek"?
Another common criticism of the King James Bible bites the dust.
The alleged error.
Dan Corner, is a modern bible teacher/evangelist who does not believe in the eternal security of the born again Christian, uses the NIV, and does not believe that any Bible in any language is the complete and infallible words of God. He constantly belittles the King James Bible and points out what he thinks are errors. Here is one of his favorites.
http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/gailriplinger.htm
Hebrews 6 - Verse 6. IF they shall fall away..
Mr. Corner writes: "And having fallen away". I can express my own mind on this translation nearly in the words of Dr. Macknight: "The participles , "who were enlightened", "have tasted" and "were made partakers", being aorists, are properly rendered by our translators in the past time; wherefore being an aorist, ought likewise to have been translated in the past time, "HAVE fallen away". Nevertheless, our translators, following Beza, who without any authority from ancient MSS. has inserted in his version the word "if", have rendered this clause, IF they fall away, that this text might not appear to contradict the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. But as no translator should take upon him to add to or alter the Scriptures, for the sake of any favourite doctrine, I have translated in the past time, "have fallen away", according to the true import of the word, as standing in connection with the other aorists in the preceding verses." [End of Mr. Corner's comments]
My Response -
First of all, the allegation that the KJB translators got their translation of "IF they shall fall away" from Beza's Greek text, without any authority from ancient manuscripts, is pure baloney. This "scholar" has absolutely no idea what he is talking about. ALL the Greek texts read the same in this passage. It is not a question of which text is followed, as he erroneously claims, but rather of how to translate it.
Secondly, the man has only voiced his own peculiar opinion as to how the aorist should be translated. ALL major versions I am aware of frequently translate the aorist tense just as it is found in the King James Bible. Many others of equal or superior education would disagree with this man about what "the true import of the word" really is. This Bible corrector is just another puffed up, self-appointed critic who has no Bible anywhere on this earth that he considers to be the inerrant word of God.
Another wannabe "scholar" with his School Boy Greek who goes around the internet criticizing the King James Bible about the word IF in these verses is a guy names Matias Granbacka.
The Conditional Participle
It is amusing to see how every man thinks he is an expert in Greek when it comes to criticizing the King James Bible. Anytime someone says: "All scholars agree that...." you should immediately know that the guy has no idea what he is talking about. All scholars do not agree on anything, and to say they do, is to be ignorant of the facts.
Participles in Greek are TIMELESS; that is, they can bear any relationship to time, including present, past, future or habitual. In his lengthy discussion of the Greek participle found in A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, A.T. Robertson says on page 1111: "The participle was TIMELESS." He then lists several examples of both present and aorist participles, showing how the sense of time is nowhere implied in either. He then says: "the aorist tense does not mean past or future time."
Mr. Robertson also shows the disagreements that exit among the "scholars". He says: "Goodwin holds that the aorist participle generally represents the action as antecedent to the principal verb. So Blass denies that the aorist tense implies antecedent action."
Here you have two "experts" who both radically disagree with each other.
Dr. Robertson says on page 1113: "One has no ground for assuming that antecedent action is necessary or an actual fact with the aorist participle."
Some of the "if" clauses in the King James Bible.
On page 1129 Dr. Robertson takes up the subject of the Conditional Participle. He notes that the conditional participle disappeared in the later Greek, but "It is still a common idiom in the New Testament." He then lists several examples of its use, including Luke 9:25, Romans 2:27; Galatians 6:9, 1 Timothy 4:4, and Hebrews 2:3.
A conditional participle is a verb form that "literally" does not contain the little word "if" but it can be implied or assumed by the immediate context. Most Bible versions, including Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, Bishops' Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the RV 1881, ASV 1901, NASB 1995, NIV 1984-2011, NKJV 1982, RSV, NRSV 1989, ESV 2001-2011, NET 2006 and Holman Standard 2003 all do this very thing, just as the King James Bible and earlier English translations.
One of the classic examples Dr. Robertson lists is that found by comparing Matthew 16:26 with Luke 9:25. In Matthew we read: "For what is a man profited, IF he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?". In this verse the little word "if" (or 'ean' in Greek) is present in the construction. However in the parallel verse in Luke 9:25 we find an aorist participle WITHOUT the little word "if".
Most Bible versions still correctly translate Luke 9:25 as "IF he shall gain the whole world". These include: the Geneva Bible, King James Bible, Revised Version, American Standard Version, NASB, NKJV, RSV, ESV and Holman versions.
Other Conditional Participles as found in the King James Bible and other translations.
The one found in Hebrew 6:6 is the one criticized by our Bible "expert with no Bible". Let's see what other Bible translators have done with this passage. In the KJB we read: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened...IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY, to renew them again unto repentance."
Bible versions that render Hebrews 6:6 as "IF they shall fall away" are: Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible (Cranmer) 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549 (John Rogers), the Geneva Bible 1599, the Beza N.T. 1599, Mace's New Testament 1729, The Clarke N.T. 1795, The Improved New Testament 1809, The Revised Translation 1815, The Wakefield N.T. 1820, Webster's 1833, The New Covenant N.T. 1836, The Commonly Received Version 1851, The Revised N.T. 1862, Anderson's N.T. 1864, The Dillard N.T. 1885, The Twentieth Century New Testament 1904, the RSV 1952 and 1971, The New Life Version 1969, the ESV 2001 edition (English Standard Version) - "IF they then fall away", The Third Millennium Bible 1998, The New Life Bible 1960, The Message 2002, Amplified Bible 1987, the NKJV 1982 and the NIVs 1973, 1978 and 1984 editions, the 2012 Natural Israelite Bible, the Expanded Bible 2011.
Other English Bibles that say "IF they shall fall away" in Hebrews 6:6 are the Twentieth Century N.T., The Word of Yah 1993, the Revised Webster's Bible 1995, Worldwide English New Testament 1998, God's First Truth 1999, The Tomson New Testament 2002, The Evidence Bible 2003, The Spoken English New Testament 2008 - "IF they fall away after that, it's impossible to bring them back to a change of heart again.", Bond Slave Version 2009, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, Conservative Bible 2011 -"IF they fail in faith...", Expanded Bible 2011 (Thomas Nelson), The New Testament For Everyone 2011, Interlinear Hebrew-Greek Scriptures 2012 (Mebust), BRG Bible 2012, The Voice 2012, the Modern English Version 2014 - " IF they fall away", The New Matthew Bible 2016, The Passion Translation 2017 and The Revised Geneva Bible 2019.
So this self appointed Bible agnostic is just plain ignorant.
NIV 1973, 1978 and 1984 editions - "IF they fall away". But the 2011 NIV edition once again changed their text to now read "And who have fallen away". The ESV did the same thing. The 2001 edition of the ESV (I have a hard copy) says "IF they then fall away", but then in the 2007 and 2011 editions changed this to now read: "and then have fallen away"
The NASB is one of the versions that does not include the word "if" in this particular passage, but as we shall see, the NASB does include it in many other verses that have the same Greek construction. Here the NASB reads: "and THEN have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame." However it should be noted, there is no literal word for "then" either.
The Holman reads: "and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt." Here is should be noted that there is no Greek text anywhere that reads "because, to their own harm" as the Holman has it.
Other Examples of the Conditional Participle
The following list of verses are other examples of where there "literally" is no Greek word for "IF", but it is rightly included in the English translation, being a Greek idiom that is expressed in English as "IF....".
Acts 15:29 "...that ye abstain from...fornication: from which IF ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well."
So read: Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, the Bishops' Bible 1568, the KJB, The Beza N.T. 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Whiston's N.T. 1745, The Sawyer N.T. 1858, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, The Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Anderson N.T. 1918, the NKJV, NASB, RSV, RV, ASV, NRSV, ESV 2011, Bible in Basic English 1961, Living Bible 1971, World English Bible, Worldwide English N.T. 1998, The Complete Jewish Bible 1998, The Tomson N.T. 2002, The Resurrection Life New Testament 2005 (Vince Garcia), NET version 2006, Names of God Bible 2011, BRG Bible 2012, Holman Standard 2009, Jubilee Bible 2010, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Hebrew-Greek Interlinear Scriptures 2010 (Mebust), Modern English Version 2014, International Standard Version 2014,.
Romans 2:27 "And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, IF it fulfill the law, judge thee..?"
So read: Tyndale 1534, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, the Bishops' Bible 1568, Geneva 1587, The Beza New Testament 1599, the Douay-Rheims 1583, the Bill Bible 1671, Daniel Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's N.T. 1745, The Worsley Version 1770, the Webster Bible 1833, The Calvin Translation 1856, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, the RV 1885, ASV 1901, The Worrell N.T. 1904, The Weymouth N.T. 1912, The Anderson N.T. 1918, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, J.B. Phillips 1962, NASB 1995, NKJV 1982, Third Millennium Bible 1998, the Tomson N.T. 2002, The Resurrection Life New Testament 2005 (Vince Garcia), The Conservative Bible 2011, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Hebrew-Greek Interlinear Scriptures 2010 (Mebust), The Work of God's Children Illustrated Bible 2011, The World English Bible 2012, the Hebrew Names Version 2014, Modern English Version 2014.
The NIV says: "AND YET obeys", but again there are no Greek words for "and yet".
Romans 4:24 "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, IF we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."
So read: Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, the Bill Bible 1671, Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's Primitive N.T. 1745, John Wesley's translation 1755, Whiston's N.T. 1745, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, Webster's translation 1833, The Sawyer N.T. 1858, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ American Bible Union 1904, The Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Anderson N.T. 1918, King James Bible, Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Worrell N.T. 1904, Bible in Basic English 1961, New Life Version 1969, Douay-Rheims 1950, The Word of Yah 1993, Worldwide English N.T. 1998, The Resurrection Life New Testament 2005 (Vince Garcia), Public Domain Version 2009, the Third Millenium Bible 1998, the Last Days Bible 1999, The Resurrection Life N.T. 2005 (Vince Garcia),Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Work of God's Children Illustrated Bible 2011, Conservative Bible 2011, BRG Bible 2012, New Living Translation 2013, International Standard Version 2014 - "IF we believe in the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.", and the Modern English Version 2014.
Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, IF we faint not."
So read: The Bishops' Bible 1568, the Beza New Testament 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Daniel Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's N.T. 1745, John Wesley's N. T. 1755, The Worsley Version 1770, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The Sawyer N.T. 1858, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, Darby 1890, the RV, ASV, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, The Worrell N.T. 1904, The Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Weymouth N.T. 1912, The Anderson N.T. 1918, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, RSV, NRSV, The Tomson N.T. 2002, ESV 2011, The Conservative Bible 2011, NASB, NIV, NET and Holman 2009, The Voice 2012, Tree of Life Version 2015, Orthodox Jewish Bible 2011, New Testament for Everyone 2011, New Living Translation 2015, The Hebrew-Greek Interlinear Scriptures 2010 (Mebust), to name a few.
1 Timothy 4:4 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, IF it be received with thanksgiving."
So read: Tyndale 1534, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, The Bishops' Bible 1568, the Beza N.T. 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Whiston's N.T. 1745, The Worsley Version 1770, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, the RV, ASV, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, The Weymouth N.T. 1912, RSV, The Tomson N.T. 2002, ESV, NASB, NKJV, NIV, NET and Holman 2009, The Hebrew-Greek Interlinear Scriptures 2010 (Mebust), The World English Bible 2012, to name a few.
Hebrews 2:3 "How shall we escape, IF we neglect so great salvation"
So read: The Wycliffe Bible 1395, Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, The Bishops' Bible 1568, the Beza New Testament 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Daniel Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's N.T. 1745, John Wesley's N. T. 1755, The Worsley Version 1770, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The Calvin Translation 1856, The Noyes Translation 1869, Darby 1890, the RV, ASV, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, The Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Weymouth N.T. 1912, The Anderson N.T. 1918, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, NKJV 1982, The Tomson N.T. 2002, The Koster Scriptures 1998, The Resurrection Life New Testament 2005 (Vince Garcia), NASB, RSV, ESV, NIV, Dan Wallace's NET version and Holman 2009, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Work of God's Children Illustrated Bible 2011, The Conservative Bible 2011, The World English Bible 2012, and many others.
Hebrews 10:26 "For IF we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins."
So read: Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, The Bishops' Bible 1568, the Beza N.T. 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Daniel Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's N.T. 1745, The Worsley Version 1770, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The Sawyer N.T. 1858, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, the RV, ASV, Rotherham's Emphasized Bible 1902, The Worrell N.T. 1904, The Twentieth Century N.T. 1904, The Weymouth N.T. 1912, The Anderson N.T. 1918, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, RSV, The Koster Scriptures 1998, The Tomson N.T. 2002, ESV 2011, NASB, NIV, NKJV, NET and Holman 2009, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Conservative Bible 2011, The Work of God's Children Illustrated Bible 2011, The World English Bible 2012, among many others.
2 Peter 1:8 "For IF these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
So read: The Wycliffe Bible 1395, Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, The Bishops' Bible 1568, the Beza N.T. 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Daniel Mace N.T. 1729, Whiston's N.T. 1745, the Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The Sawyer N.T. 1858, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, the RV, ASV, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, NKJV, The Resurrection Life New Testament 2005 (Vince Garcia), NASB, NIV, ESV, RSV, NET and Holman plus many others. Dan Wallace footnotes: "THE PARTICIPLES ARE EVIDENTLY CONDITIONAL, as most translations render them."
2 Peter 1:10 "...for IF ye do these things, ye shall never fall."
So read: Tyndale 1534, Coverdale 1535, The Great Bible 1540, Matthew's Bible 1549, The Bishops' Bible 1568, Beza N.T. 1599, the Bill Bible 1671, Whiston's N.T. 1745, The American Bible Union N.T. 1865, The Noyes Translation 1869, the RV, ASV, The Worrell N.T. 1904, Goodspeed's N.T. 1923, NIV, NKJV, ESV, RSV, and the Holman Standard among many others.
The NASB has: " for AS LONG AS you practice these things, you will never stumble", yet there are no "literal" words for "as long as" either.
These are all examples of the use of the Conditional Participle in the various Bible versions. The person who initially brought up this alleged error in the King James Bible has openly admitted that he does not believe any Bible version or any single Hebrew or Greek text is the inspired, complete, inerrant word of God.
It is truly pathetic to see a man like this who admits he has no inspired Bible, who then turns around to criticize the King James Bible out of his own ignorance. This man is so perverse in his blindness to the truth, that when I show him things like this about how the grammar works or the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words, if he personally does not like how it is rendered in the King James Bible, and no matter how many other translators have rendered the passage in the same way, he will insist that he is right and everybody else is wrong.
I believe God has given him over to a reprobate mind, as far as the Bible version issue is concerned.
We who believe God has been faithful to keep His promises to preserve His inerrant words rejoice at having them in our beloved King James Holy Bible. As our blessed Lord said so many times: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Will Kinney
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