John 3:34-
ὃν γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ θεοῦ λαλεῖ, οὐ γὰρ ἐκ μέτρου δίδωσιν τὸ πνεῦμα.”
For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; because to him God gives the Spirit without measure.”
txt το πνευμα 𝔓³⁶ 𝔓⁶⁶ 𝔓⁷⁵ 𝔓⁸⁰ ℵ B¹ C* L Wsupp 083 it-b,e,fc,l Or-grk Cyr Vict-Pett½ SBL TH NA28 {B} ‖ ο θεος το πνευμα A C² D E 047 086 𝔐 it-a,aur,(d),f*,j,π,q,r¹ (itff² του θεου) vg syr-p,h cop arm eth geo Or-lat Did-dub Chrys Vict-Pett½ Greg-Elvvid Jer Aug TR RP ‖ ο πατηρ τω υιω αυτου syr-c,Diatess-Eph ‖ ο θεος ο πατηρ syrs ‖ omit B* ‖ lac Ν P Q T 0233
The Bible translator confronts two questions here: (1) whether to include ο θεος “God” or not; and (2), whether the verb δίδωσιν has an implied direct object, i.e., the person who is the subject being discussed, “he whom God has sent,” the Son.
On the first question, we cannot tell which text the translations are following, since they could have, like I did, even though following the Greek text not containing ο θεος, felt a need to clarify who was doing the giving, and added the word “God” anyway. Note in the critical apparatus that indeed the Curetonian Syriac and the Diatessaron supplied τω υιω αυτου, “to his Son.” That does not mean that their Greek exemplar contained those words.)
Following are he translations which we presume follow the UBS/NA text, which nevertheless supply the word “God” for clarification:
Weym for God does not give the Spirit with limitations.”
CBW for God continues to give Him the Spirit without measure.
AMP for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!
CEB because God gives the Spirit generously.
CJB For God does not give him the Spirit in limited degree —
ERV God gives him the Spirit fully.
EHV? for God gives the Spirit without measure.
GW After all, God gives him the Spirit without limit.
GNT because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit.
ICB . God gives him the Spirit fully.
ISV because God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.
MOUNCE for God does not give the Spirit in a limited measure.
NCB for God gives him the Spirit without measure.
NCV because God gives him the Spirit fully.
NIV for God gives the Spirit without limit.
NLT for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
On the 2nd question, whether a direct object is implied as to whom the Spirit is given without measure, the following translations supply “him” or some other stand-in for the Son:
CBW for God continues to give Him the Spirit without measure.
Bishops For God geueth not the spirite by measure vnto hym.
CJB For God does not give him the Spirit in limited degree —
CEV and he has been given the full power of God’s Spirit.
DLNT For He does not give Him the Spirit from a measure.
ERV God gives him the Spirit fully.
Genev for God giveth him not the Spirit by measure.
GW After all, God gives him the Spirit without limit.
GNT because God gives him the fullness of his Spirit.
ICB God gives him the Spirit fully.
ISV because God does not give the Spirit in limited measure to him.
PHILLIPS and there can be no measuring of the Spirit given to him!
KJV for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
NCB for God gives him the Spirit without measure.
NCV because God gives him the Spirit fully.
NLT for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
And those which do not supply an object:
Weym for God does not give the Spirit with limitations.”
AMP for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!
Tyndale For God geveth not the sprete by measure.
ASV for he giveth not the Spirit by measure.
CSB since he gives the Spirit without measure.
CEB because God gives the Spirit generously.
EHV for God gives the Spirit without measure.
ESV for he gives the Spirit without measure.
HCSB since He gives the Spirit without measure.
MOUNCE for God does not give the Spirit in a limited measure.
NAB He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
NASB95 for He gives the Spirit without measure.
NET for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.
NIV for God gives the Spirit without limit.
NKJV for God does not give the Spirit by measure.
NRSV for he gives the Spirit without measure.
RSV for it is not by measure that he gives the Spirit;
Now a conclusion I make about which was the true early Greek text, is that it was the reading without ο θεος, as in the 3rd centruy 𝔓⁸⁰, and that the Byzantine text, coming out of Syria, had to acknowledge the prior popularity of all the Syriac language translations that were already popular, including the Diatessaron which was more popular than the individual Greek gospels. The Syriac translators I say, supplied “God” or “the Father” for clarification just as many modern translations do even though their translations were based on a Greek source text that doid not include ο θεος. Fortunately, the addition of ο θεος in the text does no harm, since that is who is doing the giving clearly from context.