Do you have the "fruit of the light" (Eph. 5:9, NIV)?

[Bluefalcon]

Why do scholars and many modern versions reject the oldest MS of this passage (P46) from ca. 200 along with the consensus of all Greek MSS that read "fruit of the Spirit", when it seems plain an early copyist accidentally but mentally wrote FWTOS ("of light") in place of the original PNEUMATOS ("of Spirit") due to the suggestion of FWTOS that was copied but six words earlier in Eph. 5:8? The error occurred early and easily and happens to be the more difficult reading were FWTOS not present in its such near vicinity, and thus it was able to gain a foothold in the MS tradition, but not able to overcome it due to its lateness in comparison to the original text.

Yours,

Bluefalcon

 

[Dr. Bob]

Why would they opt for the copyist error of "Spirit" when the context is 100% clear for "light".

This is NOT a list of the "fruit of the Spirit" (as given elsewhere) but an exposition on light. If I were writing it today, 'light' would be the only word that fits!

So a fragment from back when already shows the copyist error to "Spirit" (totally out of context). Easy enough. Look at all the older manuscripts and see "light" as it should be.

Eph. 5:8-10 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light resides in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord."

 

[Ziggy]

But the oldest MS (p46 - ca. AD 200) reads "Spirit"; and p46 is *not* "Byzantine".

Why is it not equally possible that *later* MSS such as p49 Aleph A B D* etc. indeed may have erred by the very common phenomenon of "atraction" or "harmonization to the immediate context" (as documented by Colwell, Royse, and Head), and accidentally written a word that happened to appear six words earlier? (or have followed an archetype that had done the same?).

Attraction certainly seems more likely in this situation, since the whole context otherwise revolves around the contrast between light and darkness. In this sense, the word "Spirit" is once more clearly the "more difficult" reading, and thus the one more likely to be changed than vice versa.

 

[Logos1560]

The reading "fruit of the light" is also found in
the KJV-only view's line or stream of good Bibles.

The old Peshitta Syriac and the Wycliffe's Bible
(both on the KJV-only view's line of good Bibles
according to leading KJV-only advocates) have
this reading.