New Testament verses not included in modern English translations are verses of the New Testament that exist in older English translations (primarily the King James Version), but do not appear or have been relegated to footnotes in later versions. Scholars have generally regarded these verses as later additions to the original text.
Although many lists of missing verses specifically name the New International Version as the version that omits them, these same verses are missing from the main text (and mostly relegated to footnotes) in the Revised Version of 1881 (RV), the American Standard Version of 1901, the Revised Standard Version of 1947 (RSV), the Today's English Version (the Good News Bible) of 1966, and several others. Lists of "missing" verses and phrases go back to the Revised Version and to the Revised Standard Version, without waiting for the appearance of the NIV (1973). Some of these lists of "missing verses" specifically mention "sixteen verses" – although the lists are not all the same.
The citations of manuscript authority use the designations popularized in the catalog of Caspar René Gregory, and used in such resources (which are also used in the remainder of this article) as Souter, Nestle-Aland, and the UBS Greek New Testament (which gives particular attention to "problem" verses such as these). Some Greek editions published well before the 1881 Revised Version made similar omissions.
Editors who exclude these passages say these decisions are motivated solely by evidence as to whether the passage was in the original New Testament or had been added later. The sentiment was articulated (but not originated) by what Rev. Samuel T. Bloomfield wrote in 1832: "Surely, nothing dubious ought to be admitted into 'the sure word' of 'The Book of Life'." The King James Only movement, which believes that only the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible (1611) in English is the true word of God, has sharply criticized these translations for the omitted verses.
In most instances another verse, elsewhere in the New Testament and remaining in modern versions, is very similar to the verse that was omitted because of its doubtful provenance.
The sixteen omitted verses
Matthew 17:21
KJV: "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Reason: The verse closely resembles Mark 9:29, but it is lacking in Matthew in א (original handwriting), B, θ, some Italic, Syriac, Coptic and Ethiopic manuscripts. It is, however, found in this place in some Greek mss not quite so ancient – C, D, K, L – as well as some other mss of the ancient versions. It is believed to have been assimilated from Mark.
Matthew 18:11
KJV: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost." Reason: This verse is lacking in א, B, L (original handwriting), θ, ƒ, ƒ, some old Italic, Syriac, Coptic and Georgian manuscripts, and such ancient sources as the Apostolic Canons, Eusebius, Jerome, and others. It is found in some other sources, not quite so ancient, such as D, K, W, X, and the Latin Vulgate. It is not found in any manuscript before the 5th century. According to Bruce Metzger, "There can be little doubt that the words[...] are spurious here, being omitted by the earliest witnesses representing several textual types... [This verse was] manifestly borrowed by copyists from Luke 19:10."
Matthew 23:14
KJV: "Woe 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." Reason: This verse is very similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47. This verse is lacking altogether in א,B,D,L,Z,θ, ƒ, Ethiopic, Armenian, several Italic, and Syrian and Coptic manuscripts, and the writings of several early Church Fathers. It appears before verse 13 in K,W, and several New Testament minuscules. It appears after verse 13 in ƒ, some Italic and Syriac and Coptic manuscripts. The fact that it is absent from the most ancient sources of multiple text types and that the sources that do contain the verse disagree about its placement, as well as the fact that it is a repetition of verses found elsewhere, show "that verse 14 is an interpolation derived from the parallel in Mark 12:40 or Luke 20:47 is clear."