Page "Bible translations" Paragraph 6

Most variants among the manuscripts are minor, such as alternative spelling, alternative word order, the presence or absence of an optional definite article (" the "), and so on.

Occasionally, a major variant happens when a portion of a text was accidentally omitted ( or perhaps even censored ), or was added from a marginal gloss.

Fortunately, major variants tend to be easier to correct.

Examples of major variants are the endings of Mark, the Pericope Adulteræ, the Comma Johanneum, and the Western version of Acts.