Matthew 1:25

Matthew 1:25

Matthew 1:25
(KJV) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

(NIV) But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
(ESV) but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
(NASB) But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
(HCSB) but did not know her intimately until she gave birth to a son. And he named Him Jesus.
(1901 ASV) and knew her not till she had brought forth a son: and he called his name JESUS.
(CEV) But they did not sleep together before her baby was born. Then Joseph named him Jesus.
(RSV) but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
(NRSV) but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
(NAB-Roman Catholic) He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witness) But he had no intercourse with her until she gave birth to a son; and he called his name Jesus.

Textus Receptus
kai ouk eginwsken authn ewV ou eteken ton uion authV ton prwtotokon kai ekalesen to onoma autou ihsoun

Hort-Westcott
kai ouk eginwsken authn ewV [ou] eteken uion kai ekalesen to onoma autou ihsoun

Effect
The Greek word for “firstborn” is omitted in both (B) and (Aleph). By removing this word in the modern versions, it endorses the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. The word “firstborn” automatically indicates that Mary did have other children and the Bible tells us that she did in the following:

(Mark 6:2-3 KJV) And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? {3} Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

By removing the word “firstborn” it can also set up erroneous beliefs that Mary had children before she had Jesus. That word “firstborn” is pivotal to the doctrine of the Virgin Birth. The removal of this word is a serious breach of truth and can lead to the denial of the Virgin Birth of Christ. If Christ was not born of a Virgin, then we will still be in our sins and bound for Hell. The modern versions, along with the Jehovah’s Witness version, all agree with the Roman Catholic Institution’s teaching that Mary was a perpetual Virgin. For someone to say that the modern versions do not stem from Roman Catholic Manuscripts is willful denial of the truth, keep in mind the two manuscripts which omit “Firstborn.” The two are Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, both manuscripts were in the hands of the Roman Church, yet have become the primary manuscripts underlying the modern versions.

So tonight or tomorrow when your Pastor reads the narrative about the birth of Jesus from the book of Matthew in a modern version, then realize he is perpetuating the Roman Catholic error of the perpetual virginity of Mary which has caused many true Christians to be put to death under their inquisition because they refused to believe what was false in light of Mark 6:1-3.

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