Bible Historymanuscripts · dates · variants

Compare passages across manuscripts

Famous passages where the manuscripts disagree. For each one, see exactly which early witness has it and which doesn't — and what that means.

Verses that probably weren't in the original

Beloved passages found in your Bible today that are missing from the earliest manuscripts and were almost certainly added later by scribes.

Later addition1 John 5:7-8
The Comma Johanneum

Not in any Greek manuscript before the 14th century. A late Latin addition that entered the KJV via Erasmus's third edition.

Later additionJohn 7:53 – 8:11
The woman caught in adultery (Pericope Adulterae)

Not original to John. Missing from every early Greek manuscript. First appears in Codex Bezae (~AD 400).

Later additionLuke 22:43-44 + 23:34
The bloody sweat and 'Father, forgive them'

Both passages are missing from P75 (~AD 200) and Vaticanus. Most likely 2nd-century additions to Luke.

Later additionMark 16:9-20
The long ending of Mark

Almost certainly added in the 2nd century. Missing from the two oldest complete Bibles.

Variant readings worth knowing

Places where the manuscripts disagree but the earliest evidence has changed how modern translations read.

Older variant restoredDeuteronomy 32:8
Sons of God or sons of Israel?

The Dead Sea Scroll reading 'sons of God' is almost certainly older than the Masoretic 'sons of Israel'.

Older variant restoredIsaiah 53:11
The Suffering Servant 'sees light'

An older reading recovered from the Dead Sea Scrolls — restored in modern translations against the medieval Masoretic.