088. THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

King James’ version of Mark 3:28-29, reads thus: "Verily, I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." The best manuscripts of the New Testament, however, have the word "sin," in place of the word here rendered "damnation," and the Revised version accordingly reads as follows: "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin." We have here, in the very words of Scripture, the essence of the doctrine of future punishment. It is plainly taught that there are some who shall never be forgiven, because they are guilty of an eternal sin. A careful consideration of this passage, and of the relation it suggests between punishment and sin, will clear the subject of many of its difficulties, and will show the doctrine founded upon it to be entirely reasonable.