Textus Receptus (TR)

The TR is based on the Majority Text, so called because it consists of over 5000 surviving manuscripts of the Byzantine text type.

The TR was collated by Erasmus, and was used for His Greek New Testament first published in 1516. 

Martin Luther’s German Bible of 1517, William Tyndale’s translation of 1525, The Geneva Bible of 1560 and the King James Bible of 1611 were all translated from the TR.

Modern Translations

Modern translations are based on the Minority Text, so called because it consists of only about 5% of surviving manuscripts, which are of the Alexandrian text type. 

The two main Alexandrian texts are the Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Alexandrinus, both of which have been extensively altered and corrupted.

Alexandria was a centre of Gnosticism (a blend of Christianity and mysticism) and the Minority texts subtly reflect this corruption - the TR is not  corrupted by Gnosticism.

Vaticanus and Alexandrinus do not even agree with one another, but both have many omissions when compared to the TR.  For instance both omit the important text:  Mt 18:11  For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.   (see "The Revision Revised",1881 by Dean John William Burgon, who personally collated the Sinaiticus and Vaticanus manuscripts). 

The New International Version is a major modern translation based on the Minority Text.