No original manuscript of the New Testament survives; we have thousands of copies, and they don’t all agree. Translators choose which Greek text to follow, so some Bibles have verses others leave out. Here are the best-known differences, three Bibles side by side:
The notes were written with AI (Claude) from standard reference works on the manuscripts and checked against the texts on this site; they describe what the manuscripts contain without taking sides. More is coming: pages on the manuscripts themselves and on how the canon was formed.
These verses are in the KJV. Bibles translated from the oldest manuscripts (the ASV, BBE and most modern versions) leave them out or put them in a footnote, because those manuscripts don't have them. Most scholars think copyists added them, often from a parallel passage; some hold that the oldest copies dropped them.
“This kind goes out only by prayer and fasting” is not in Codex Sinaiticus (first hand) or Codex Vaticanus. It matches Mark 9:29, and copyists likely added it here from there.
KJV
21Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
WEB
21But this kind doesn’t go out except by prayer and fasting.”
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 9:29
Not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus. The words echo Luke 19:10 (“the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”).
KJV
11For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
WEB
11For the Son of Man came to save that which was lost.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Luke 19:10
Not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus. The same saying about devouring widows’ houses is in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47; manuscripts that have it here don’t agree where to put it (before or after verse 13).
KJV
14Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
WEB
14“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 12:40
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear” is not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus; it repeats Mark 4:9 and 4:23.
KJV
16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
WEB
16If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!”
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 4:9
Verses 44 and 46 repeat verse 48 word for word (“where their worm dieth not…”). They are not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus.
KJV
44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
WEB
44‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 9:48
Same as verse 44: a repeat of verse 48, not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus.
KJV
46Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
WEB
46‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 9:48
Not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus. It matches Matthew 6:15 (“if ye forgive not… neither will your Father forgive”).
KJV
26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
WEB
26But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your transgressions.”
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Matthew 6:15
“He was numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12) is not in Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus or Vaticanus; Luke 22:37 quotes the same line.
KJV
28And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
WEB
28The Scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was counted with transgressors.”
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Luke 22:37
“Two men shall be in the field…” is in few Greek manuscripts (it is missing from most, which is why the WEB leaves it out too); it matches Matthew 24:40.
KJV
36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
WEB
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
The custom of releasing a prisoner at the feast is not in some of the oldest manuscripts (the papyrus P75, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus); Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6 tell of it.
KJV
17(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
WEB
17Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Mark 15:6
The angel who stirred the water of the pool (with the end of verse 3, “waiting for the moving of the water”) is not in the oldest manuscripts (the papyri P66 and P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus). It reads like an explanation of verse 7 that entered the text.
KJV
4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.
WEB
4for an angel went down at certain times into the pool and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare John 5:7
The eunuch’s confession (“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God”) is in few Greek manuscripts but in Latin ones; Erasmus included it in his Greek New Testament, and so it came into the KJV. Most Greek manuscripts don’t have it, so the WEB leaves it out too.
KJV
37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
WEB
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
“It pleased Silas to abide there still” is missing from most Greek manuscripts (so the WEB leaves it out too). It may have been added to explain why Silas is still in Antioch in verse 40.
KJV
34Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.
WEB
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Acts 15:40
The end of verse 6, verse 7 and the start of verse 8 (Lysias taking Paul away by force) are missing from most Greek manuscripts, so the WEB leaves them out too.
KJV
7But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,
WEB
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
“The Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves” is not in the oldest manuscripts (Sinaiticus, Alexandrinus, Vaticanus).
KJV
29And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.
WEB
29When he had said these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
This blessing (“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all”) repeats verse 20 and is not in the oldest manuscripts.
KJV
24The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
WEB
24The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all! Amen.
ASV
Not in this Bible (the verse number is skipped)
Read it in context →Compare Romans 16:20
The KJV prints all of these; the other Bibles differ. They are missing from some of the oldest manuscripts, so modern editions often set them in brackets or add a note.
The “longer ending” of Mark. Sinaiticus and Vaticanus end the Gospel at 16:8, with the women afraid; one Latin manuscript has a short ending instead, and a few have both. Early writers (Eusebius, Jerome) knew of copies without it. Most later manuscripts include verses 9–20.
KJV
9Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. …
WEB
9Now when he had risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they disbelieved. …
ASV
9Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10She went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved. …
The woman taken in adultery (7:53–8:11) is not in the oldest manuscripts (P66, P75, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus). In later manuscripts it appears here, or after John 7:36, 21:25 or Luke 21:38. Many think it is an old story about Jesus that was kept outside the Gospels at first.
KJV
53And every man went unto his own house. …
WEB
53Everyone went to his own house, …
ASV
53And they went every man unto his own house: …
The words “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth” (the Johannine Comma) come from Latin manuscripts. Only a handful of late Greek manuscripts have them; Erasmus added them in his third edition (1522), and so they are in the KJV. The WEB and ASV don’t have them. (The ASV numbers these verses a little differently, so its verse 7 begins with words the KJV has in verse 6.)
KJV
7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
WEB
7For there are three who testify: 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one.
ASV
7And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8For there are three who bear witness, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and the three agree in one.
The end of the Lord’s Prayer, “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen,” is not in Sinaiticus or Vaticanus, and Luke’s version (Luke 11:2–4) doesn’t have it. A similar closing is in the Didache, an early Christian manual. The KJV and WEB have it; the ASV doesn’t.
KJV
13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
WEB
13Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’
ASV
13And bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Read it in context →Compare Luke 11:4
The angel strengthening Jesus and his sweat “as it were great drops of blood” are missing from some of the oldest manuscripts (P75, Vaticanus) but present in others (Sinaiticus, the first hand). Editors disagree; all the Bibles here print the verses.
KJV
43And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
WEB
43An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. 44Being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.
ASV
43And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
Sometimes the words are all there, but in a different place.
The closing praise (“Now to him that is of power to stablish you…”) ends chapter 16 in Sinaiticus, Vaticanus and the KJV (the oldest papyrus, P46, has it after chapter 15), but stands at the end of chapter 14 in most later manuscripts, so the WEB prints it as Romans 14:24–26.
KJV
25Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
WEB
Printed elsewhere (Romans 14:24–26)
ASV
25Now to him that is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal, 26but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, is made known unto all the nations unto obedience of faith: 27to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
Read it in context →Compare Romans 14:24