Matthew 9:13
 
Matthew 9:13
(KJV) 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.
(1611 KJV) But goe ye and learne what that meaneth, I will haue mercy and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
(1587 Geneva) But goe yee and learne what this is, I will haue mercie, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance.
(1526 Tyndale) Goo and learne what that meaneth: I have pleasure in mercy and not in offerynge. For I am not come to call the rightewes but the synners to repentaunce.
 
Counterfeit Versions
(CSB) Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
(NIV) But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
(NASV) "But go and learn what this means: “ DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,' for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
(THE MESSAGE) Go figure out what this Scripture means: 'I'm after mercy, not religion.' I'm here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."
(AMP) Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).
(NLT) Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices. ’For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
(ESV) Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
(CEV) Go and learn what the Scriptures mean when they say, `Instead of offering sacrifices to me, I want you to be merciful to others.' I didn't come to invite good people to be my followers. I came to invite sinners."
(NCV) Go and learn what this means: 'I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices. '’I did not come to invite good people but to invite sinners."
(1901 ASV) But go ye and learn what this meaneth, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.
(NLV) But go and understand these words, 'I want loving-kindness and not a gift to be given.' (Hosea 6:6) For I have not come to call good people. I have come to call those who are sinners."
(HCSB) Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners."
(RSV) Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
(NAB-Roman Catholic) Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) Go, then, and learn what this means, ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.”
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
poreuqenteV de maqete ti estin eleon qelw kai ou qusian ou gar hlqon kalesai dikaiouV all amartwlouV eiV metanoian
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
poreuqenteV de maqete ti estin eleoV qelw kai ou qusian ou gar hlqon kalesai dikaiouV alla amartwlouV
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
036 - (Majuscule) Tenth century
037 - (Majuscule) Ninth Century
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
C 04 - Ephraemi Rescriptus - Fifth century
L 019 - Seventh century
Theta 038 - Ninth century
13 (Minuscule) - Eighth century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit “to repentance”
Greisbach, Johann - 1805
Lachmann, Karl - 1842
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Wordsworth, Christopher - 1856 revised in 1870
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
 
Affected Teaching
When the Lord Jesus came to earth, he came to call sinners to repentance, that is, to salvation. (2 Tim 2:25 KJV) In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; The King James Bible makes no bones about who is being called and for what purpose. The modern versions omit the fact that the Lord is calling people to salvation. This, of course, plays right into the belief system of the Gnostics who disbelieved that Jesus was God in the flesh and therefore could call no one to repentance or salvation. However, the truth coming from the King James Bible refutes the fact that Jesus was just a good teacher and that He was divinely able to call sinners to repentance aka salvation. Once again the King James Bible does not leave us wandering why Jesus was calling the sinners. In the Modern versions, you could take this verse to mean that the sinners were being called for dinner or for some other reason than salvation. Let us stay with the King James Bible for truth untarnished.

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