Since adding a word to scripture makes you cursed according to Protestants?

Question

Since Luther did just that.


Doesn't that make your whole manmade beliefsystem crumble?

Luther added on his own accord the word "alone" infront of faith in the letter of St Paul to the Romans

I'm talking about Romans

Romans 3:28; the word alone is not in the original Greek it was added by Luther to fit his own agenda and not the Lords.

Catholics also belive we are saved by grace alone but not by faith alone.

if you read your original protestant version of the bible by luther you willse that it's there. Modern scholars removed it but the damage was already done.

Answer 1

First, "adding a word" refers specifically to the prophecies of Revelation. The Church added and subtracted whole books in determining the New Testament canon.

Once it was determined, however, Luther was wrong in shoring up his pet theory by adding "alone" to Romans 3:28, or by trying to remove the book of James, which he called "a veritable epistle of straw."

A careful reading of the New Testament shows that the man-made idea of "faith alone" must crumble into the dross of bad scriptural interpretation.

The Catholic Church teaches that justification comes by faith, but not through faith alone. Paul never says that our righteousness comes from faith alone. He is arguing that righteousness does not come from observing the disciplinary laws of Judaism, especially the painful requirement of circumcision (Gal 5:2).

Romans 3:28 ("For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law.") is a key verse in the differences between traditional Protestants and Catholics. When Martin Luther translated the letter to the Romans into German in the sixteenth century, he added the word alone —but alone is not in the original Greek text.

The phrase "faith alone" does occur in the New Testament one time, in James 2:24. There the inspired apostle DENIES that justification is from faith alone: "You see that a man is justified by works and NOT by faith alone."

Paul says in Philippians 2:12 you must "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." And that squares with James’s teaching that works that grow from faith justify.

http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0303sbs.asp

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Luther inserted "alone" because it reflected the meaning of the verse. Even the Roman Catholic "New Jerusalem" bible cannot
produce a "word-for-word" translation of the original texts because one language cannot translate exactly word-for-word into another. What may be expressed as just one verb in Greek may require one or two words more in English to be understandable.
Does Luther's translation of Romans disagree with the New Jerusalem bible translation of Galatians 2:16?

Answer 3

So what word or words did Luther supposedly add? He was a Catholic monk, studying the Bible and interpreting it differently (correctly, I might add), and working "within the system" at least at first. Clarifying or educating is not adding. If you refer to different translations such as King James, NIV, Living Bible, and so on, those are just different translations from the same language -- once again, not adding.

So, my belief system is just fine.

--EDIT-- "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law" (Romans 3:28, New International Version). "Apart" does not mean the same, and in fact cannot be replaced by "alone" -- the sentence wouldn't even make sense. Faith justifies. The law does not, nor does following the law. The law shows our need for faith in a Savior.

Answer 4

Actually, there is no verse in scripture that says that adding a word to scripture will cause you to be cursed. The verse you are talking about is in the Revelation, and applies to ONLY THAT PROPHECY.


While I don't believe that it is right to change scripture, that verse is often taken out of context.

Answer 5

Is the book of Luther next to 2 Hesitations? I can't find it in my Bible.

Oh - you mean that he re-wrote Ephesians? Ephesians 2:8-9 for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, that no one would boast.

Or did he add the word "Free" here?
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Did he re-write Galatians also?
Galatians 2:16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

I thought that was Paul this whole time. Silly me. No, I think you are incorrect. Luther simply read his Bible. He didn't write it.

Thanks for the update - we finally get to the verse you are talking about.

Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Let's see. If he did add the word "alone" - it means the same exact thing. My Bible doesn't say "alone", but it also doesn't say faith plus works, or faith plus anything. It's just faith.

If we add anything to faith in this verse, who is adding to the Bible here? (Hint: It's not Luther)

Answer 6

It's not according to Protestants, It's according to the Lord! Read last chapter of Revelations.

Answer 7

Amen!

Answer 8

I wonder how many christians realize that theres a "do not add or subtract anything from this" in deuteronomy as well. ... the entire NT could really be seen as in violation of this.

Answer 9

Good post !

Answer 10

BINGO! You are correct