2 Corinthians 11:3 "the simplicity that is in Christ" or ?

[brandplucked]

2 Corinthians 11:3 ?the simplicity that is in Christ? or ?your sincere and pure devotion to Christ??

?But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. For if he that cometh preacheth ANOTHER JESUS, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive ANOTHER SPIRIT, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. --- For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. ? 2 Corinthians 11:3-4; 13-15.

There are two problems in the differences between the King James Bible and the modern versions such as the NIV, NASB and ESV. One is textual and the other is translational, and the doctrinal emphasis has been changed as a result.

The context of 2 Corinthians 11 is the contrast between the true Jesus Christ (and by direct implication, the true Bible) versus another, false Jesus and the deceiving work of Satan.

The apostle is telling us that there is a simplicity in the doctrine of Christ and we should not be moved from these fundamental truths that are revealed even to babes in Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:3-4)

The famous Baptist commentator, John Gill, remarks on this verse: ?should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ; that is, lest their judgments should be misled, their minds be vitiated with corrupt principles, and be carried away in any degree with the error of the wicked, from off the pure and simple doctrine of the Gospel, which respects the person and grace of Christ; and chiefly lies in this one plain, easy, and important truth, salvation alone by him.?

Likewise John Calvin translates the verse as it is found in our King James Bible and comments: ?by the simplicity that is in Christ is meant, that which keeps us in the unadulterated and pure doctrine of the gospel, and admits of no foreign admixtures.?

Agreeing both with the underlying Greek texts and the meaning of the King James Bible are the following bible translations: Wycliffe 1395 ?the simpleness that is in Christ.?, (Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, Bishops? Bible 1568), the Geneva Bible 1599 - ?so your mindes shoulde be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ.?, Wesley 1755, Webster?s 1833, Young?s, Hebrew Names Version - ?corrupted from the simplicity that is in Messiah. ?; Darby, World English Bible, Douay-Rheims, NKJV 1982, KJV 21st Century 1994 and the Third Millenium Bible 1998.

The Spanish Reina Valera 1602, 1909, and the 2004 Reina Valera Gomez also agree with the King James Bible saying: ?Mas temo que en alguna manera, como la serpiente enga