The Erasmus Myth: Not What Critics Claim

Many attacks on the Textus Receptus  target Erasmus and his early Greek texts from 1516–1535. They claim he rushed the work or even translated backward from Latin. But here’s the truth: KJV translators barely used Erasmus, if at all. F.H.A. Scrivener’s 1894 book proves they stuck mostly to later TR versions—Stephanas 1550  and Beza’s editions from 1565–1598 . Erasmus played a tiny role, less than 1%. So those criticisms miss the mark.

Scrivener’s Detailed Breakdown: 99% TR Matches

Scrivener carefully matched the KJV’s Greek text to TR editions across the whole New Testament . It lines up 99% of the time. Only 483 spots differ:

– Stephanas 1550: Chosen 8,137 times .

– Beza: About 300 times.

– Outside TR: 483 changes, all thought through carefully.

These came from the KJV’s strict 15 rules and triple-check process by top scholars from Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster.

Sticking to Church Fathers and the Old Vulgate

When translators did go outside the TR, they often followed early church fathers and Jerome’s Latin Vulgate Bible . Jerome used very old Greek manuscripts that are now lost. Examples:

– Acts 9:5–6: Extra details matched by Tertullian and Ignatius.

– Colossians 1:14: Added “through his blood,” backed by Origen and the Vulgate.

– 1 John 2:23: Second part of the verse, quoted by Cyprian around 250 AD.

Rule 8 told them to use “old ecclesiastical words” from ancient sources. About 190 readings lean on the Vulgate this way—God using it to preserve the originals.

Protecting Key Doctrines

These choices keep core beliefs safe:

– 1 Timothy 3:16: “God was manifest in the flesh”  instead of weak “who.”

– Ephesians 3:9: Keeps “by Jesus Christ he created all things,” supported by early writers.

Number Patterns Seal the Deal

Ivan Panin’s studies show patterns based on 7s that only work in this KJV Greek text. Genesis 1:1 is perfectly balanced; 1 John 5:7 has 49 letters . Changes made it even stronger—not weaker.

Wrapping Up: God’s Hand at Work

The KJV blends TR reliability with smart picks from fathers and Vulgate—Psalm 12:6-7’s “purified seven times.” Ignore Erasmus drama; trust the 54 scholars God guided. It powered the Great Awakenings for proof.

: Scrivener, The New Testament in the Original Greek , Intro and Appendix F.

: KJV Translation Rules .

: Burgon, The Causes of Corruption .

: Panin, Numeric New Testament .