Q
Don’t Aleph, B, A, and some eight other manuscripts have the Greek word
for “sins” (harmatia) in James 5:16? (The Textus Receptus, the KJV, and the
NKJV have “faults.”)
A
Manuscripts Aleph, B, A, P, as well as Scrivner’s a, c, d, and Tregelles 13, do
say “sins.” There is also a citation by Ephraem the Syrian that says “sins.” However,
uncials K, L, 049, cursives 322, 323, 1846, 2298, and the majority of Greek
manuscripts say the word “faults.” Even textual critics like Griesbach and Alford
retain the word “faults” in their text.
I would direct any reader who is looking at manuscript evidence and trying to
determine what manuscripts to trust, to read Codex B and Its Allies by Herman
Hoskier. Hoskier did an extensive collation of these corrupt uncial manuscripts that
read “sins” in that reading (Aleph and B et al.). He proved, beyond a shadow of a
doubt, that the manuscripts underlying new versions, like the NIV and NASB, are
totally corrupt. When you compare Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (Aleph) with each
other, in the gospels alone, they disagree with each other three thousand times. So, if
almost all of the manuscripts in the world say “faults” and a handful of corrupt
manuscripts that do not even agree with each other, say “sins,” it is evident that the
body of Christ throughout history has rejected these old uncials. Because these
manuscripts were not copied, we have the verdict of history against them.