Which version of the Bible do you prefer to read? Two versions commonly used in our churches are the New King James Version (NKJV) and the New International Version (NIV), but there are many others. Some versions may seem quite different, reflecting the interpretations of their publishers or translators. How can one choose a trustworthy translation? This would be an impossible challenge without proper guidance. Thankfully, as confessional Lutherans, we are blessed to have biblical doctrine accurately summarized in documents like Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms and the Augsburg Confession. This means we can use them to evaluate modern Bible versions, among other things.

But what if we discovered that our chief confession of faith also had more than one version? As it happens, the Augsburg Confession was revised over the years by its original author, Philip Melanchthon. Even after it had been signed, sealed and delivered by all of Lutheran Germany as its official confession of faith, Melanchthon continued making adjustments. Various later editions of the Augsburg Confession, called variata (variations) were printed.

The changes may have seemed harmless; however, as time passed, it became clear that the alterations had weakened the Confession and threatened its usefulness to the Lutheran church. Martin Chemnitz wrote, "Our papalist opponents mention that copies of the Augsburg Confession, in the editions of 1530, 1531, 1537, and 1542, do not agree with each other but differ considerably. The same issue has aroused a great deal of contention among our own people." Indeed, the variata and other adjustments that Melanchthon had made over the years became a point of deep division. Some, called "Phillipists," defended the variata. Others, called "gnesio [true] Lutherans," rejected the variata.

The problem with the variata was twofold. First, they should never have been published and accepted alongside the first edition of the Augsburg Confession. Once the document had been adopted by the Lutheran church, the original author had no more authority to change it. The second problem was that the changes made parts of the confession ambiguous, particularly the tenth article on the Lord's Supper. John Calvin, early leader of the Reformed church in Geneva, said he could accept the tenth article as Melanchthon explained it. He eventually accepted the version published in 1542.

Unfortunately, Calvin's change of heart did not include the original version of article ten. The new version was likened to a boot that can fit either the right or left foot equally well. It was purposely made ambiguous in a flawed attempt to bring unity between Lutherans and the followers of Calvin. The biblical doctrine at issue was and remains the real presence of Jesus' body and blood in holy communion. Calvin agreed that body and blood are spiritually received in the supper, but he stopped short of the plain sense of Jesus' words, "This is my body."

In contrast, the Unaltered Augsburg Confession reads, "Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat in the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise."

How did Lutherans resolve the variata problem? When the Formula of Concord was published in 1580, its signers confessed that the Bible is the sole rule and norm for judging doctrine. After that, they pledged themselves to the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. Then they confessed, "we regard as the unanimous consensus and declaration of our Christian faith and confession ... as the symbol of our time, the First, Unaltered Augsburg Confession, delivered to the Emperor Charles V at Augsburg in the year 1530."

To this day, the Lutheran church holds to the unaltered Augsburg Confession (sometimes abbreviated U.A.C.). You may see these letters on a Lutheran church’s cornerstone. It may not be easy to decide which version of the Bible we wish to use, but at least we have a trusty guide in the unaltered Augsburg Confession.

Jesse Jacobsen is Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in Madison, Wisconsin.