Mark 11:25-26

Mark 11:25-26 (Traditional text)

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.........και οταν στηκητε προσευχομενοι αφιετε
ει τι εχετε κατα τινος ινα και ο πατηρ υμων ο εν
τοις ουρανοις  αφη υμιν τα παραπτωματα υμων
ει δε υμεις ουκ αφιετε  ουδε   ο πατηρ υμων ο εν
τοις ουρανοις  αφησει   τα παραπτωματα υμων

And when ye stand praying, forgive,
if ye have ought against any: that your Father
which is in heaven will forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither your Father
which is in heaven will forgive your trespasses.

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Include Line: A (D) K X Θ Π (C f1 1079 f13 33 1009) 28 1010 1071 1195 1230 1241 1242 (1253) 1344 1365 1546 2148 2174 Byz Maj (Majority of all continuous MSS) Lect. (l-10/12/32sm/69/70/80/303/333/374/313/1579) it-a/aur/b/c/d/t/ff2/(i)/q/r1 Vg Syr-P/H Copt-Bo(mss) Goth Eth Diat. (Cyprian) Augustine.

Omit: א B L W 565 700 892 1216 it-k/l vg(ms) Syr-S/pal copt-Sa/Bo arm geo

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One could not ask for a more complete nor harsher example of homoioteleuton, combined with homoioarcton, combined with another whole pair of lines with both. Its a recipe that demands disaster.

And disaster strikes in Egypt, right where scribes are most likely to be sloppy, and least likely to catch the boner, and even less likely to correct it, even if spotted. After all, its a chance to jettison some Markan redundancy free of charge.

Nor do modern editors miss the opportunity: like their ancient counterparts in Egypt, they lop the whole verse out, in spite of it being the greatest example of a scribal error by omission that we can find.

Everything is in place, from the longer length of line to the early Egyptian witnesses, and all nod their head in agreement that the verse is better left unwritten, and unspoken: The threatening content alone is offensive enough for all to hope its just an elaborate scribal hoax by some hell and damnation preacher.

All 'modern' versions expunge the pesky verse, making those longwinded Sunday sermons just that little bit shorter and more pleasant, so we can proceed to the afternoon horse-racing.