FOMO, Missing Verses, and Helping Laypeople Think about Textual Criticism

In this post, I want to talk about another observation from my time at the conference last week. It concerns the way people think about the “missing verses” (e.g., John 5.4) in modern translations. I noticed, for instance, that Dave Black often turned to readings that aren’t in translations like the ESV to illustrate his own text-critical view. Later, at the end of the conference, I had a chance to talk to a couple people who seemed surprised when I pointed out that the Byzantine text (and hence the KJV) is also missing some important clauses relative to the ESV. 

The Anxiety of Missing Verses

It was a fresh reminder of just how much psychological weight “missing verses” carry for some people new to the subject. I have never, for instance, had a concerned person ask me about the added verses in the KJV. Some of that is due to historical precedent, no doubt. Because the KJV reigned for so long as the only Bible of the English speaking world, it naturally serves as the reference point. 

But it also seems to be something deeper at work because, in my experience, even non-KJV Bible readers are far more concerned about missing words in the Bible than they are about added ones. Again, this was on display at the conference. Dave Black put many at ease by explaining the problem of textual criticism as one of having too much of the NT text not too little. He said something to the effect that we don’t have 97% of the text, we have 104% and the question is whether the original is above or below the line. I’ve made the same point myself and I always find people receptive to it. Too much is okay. Too little is not.

But why do we find it more reassuring to think that our Bibles might have too many uninspired words than too few inspired ones? A text like Rev. 22.18–19 certainly gives us no reason to prefer one over the other. Instead, it puts both adding and removing words on equal par. Neither is presented as more acceptable than the other; both are bad. From that text, we ought to be just as anxious about having 104% of the NT text as we are of having 97%. What gives?

Behind the Anxiety

I suspect that what’s going on here, psychologically, is what the youth of today call FOMO: Fear Of Missing Out. It’s the feeling of apprehension that you’re not “in the know” or that you’re missing out on information, events, or experiences. It’s the fear of being caught outside a group of friends’ inside joke. Although we may think of it primarily in relation to social media us, it’s not limited to that realm. I have several close family members who experience definite FOMO when they have to order from a large restaurant menu. What if they order the wrong thing and regret it when the food comes?

When it comes to the Bible and Bible translations, there is a similar fear that we might be missing out on something that belongs in the Bible. Better to have one that has more than it should so that we don’t have to worry about the potential for later regret. It’s FOMO.

When it comes to the question of textual method, then, this FOMO may predispose conscientious Bible readers to reject any view that might leave them with less, especially when they don’t know Greek and don’t feel confident to judge between arguments about manuscript quality and the clash of internal criteria. It just feels safer to follow the Bible that avoids FOMO. Please note, I am not looking down my nose at them for this. I know the feeling myself and I sympathize with anyone new to the subject who feels this way. 

Moving beyond It

But I also think that choosing a Bible translation or an approach to textual criticism based on FOMO is a bad way to do it. I see at least three reasons. First, though not all fear is bad, even good fear can cloud good judgment. Second, since I can’t think of a theological reason why its better to add text than remove it, a greater fear of missing text creates a bias. Third, and most important, FOMO confronts us either way. Whether you use an MT-based translation like the KJV/NKJV or an eclectic text-based one like the NASB/ESV, your English Bible is missing things that the other has. There is no translation whose text has everything that the other is lacking (the NKJV with its notes is the closest you can get I suppose). That means the potential for FOMO can’t be avoided. So, your decision will have to be based on more than a fear of missing out. (If you want to put it positively, you are going to gain some readings either way.)

Saying this, however, is not enough. It only seems to click when people see it with their own eyes. To that end, here are some places where the KJV is missing text found in the NASB95. Some of these came readily to mind and some I found using kjvparallelbible.org. I’ve restricted myself to the NT and to differences that rise above the level of the merely trivial, but we could expand the list, especially if we brought the OT into the picture (for example).

NT Examples

Mark 3.16

• NASB: And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter),
• KJV: And Simon he surnamed Peter;

Luke 10.21

• NASB: At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.
• KJV: In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Acts 4.25

• who by the Holy Spirit, through the mouth of our father David Your servant, said, ‘WHY DID THE GENTILES RAGE, AND THE PEOPLES DEVISE FUTILE THINGS?
• KJV:Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

1 Cor. 7.38

• NASB: So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.
• KJV: So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

1 Cor. 9.20

• NASB: To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law;
• KJV: And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

James 4.12

• NASB: There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?
• KJV: There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another? [note the variant at the end of the verse too]

1 Peter 2.2

• NASB: like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation,
• KJV: As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby

1 John 2.23

• NASB: Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
• KJV: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. [The italics mark this as a variant; more on this here and here]

1 John 3.1

• NASB: See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
• KJV: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Jude 3

• NASB: Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
• KJV: Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Jude 25

• NASB: to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
• KJV: to the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. 

Rev. 4.11

• NASB: Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
• KJV: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

Rev. 8.7

• NASB: The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
• KJV: The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

Rev. 20.14

• NASB: Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
• KJV: And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Conclusion

The point is not to say that these differences prove anything about which translation is better. Quite the opposite, in fact. The point is to show that, by themselves, they prove nothing at all. But, if we’ve only ever heard about the “missing” verses in the other guy’s Bible, without any knowledge of the “missing” text in our own, fear of loss can lead us to oversimplify the choice. Pointing out these places can break the FOMO spell, prompting us to ask Why are these translations missing different texts? and How should we use the evidence we have to best decide which text is best? Those are the questions that really matter.