Most of your "gratuitous changes" are simply different choices for wording and have no bearing on doctrine. As usual, you have overstated your case. If you focused on just the additional text, I would see no reason to criticize your post.
Thanks for going over this.
I want to cover the additional text...
GNOSTIC ADDITION! (PURE BALONEY)
[But they excused themselves, saying, "This age of lawlessness and unbelief lies under the sway of Satan, who will not allow what lies under the unclean spirits to understand the truth and power of God; therefore," they said to Christ, "reveal your righteousness now." Christ answered them, "The term of years for Satan's power has now expired, but other terrors are at hand. I was delivered to death on behalf of sinners, that they might return to the truth and sin no more, that they might inherit that glory of righteousness which is spiritual and imperishable in heaven."]
All the copies I downloaded had Moffatt's notes included. Here's what it says regarding the passage above:
The following appendix represents a couple of second century attempts to complete the gospel. The passage within brackets in the first of these epilogues originally belonged to it, but was excised for some reason at an early date. Jerome quoted part of it, but the full text has only been discovered quite recently in codex W, the Freer uncial of the gospels.
That clarifies that these verses at one time in history were considered for inclusion and that's why they were bracketed. Moffatt included them for informational purpose only.
ANOTHER GNOSTIC ADDITION!
[(b) But they gave Peter and his companions a brief account of all these injunctions. And, after that, Jesus himself sent out by means of them from east to west the sacred and imperishable message of eternal salvation.]
That "(b)" designation I thought was curious. so I looked at the entire chapter 16 of Mark.
The canon part of
Mark 16 ends at verse 8.
"And they fled out of the tomb, for they were seized with terror and beside themselves. They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid of — ."
The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20, but they are in all Bible translations including KJV.
Moffatt had found that there were
two possible endings based on the manuscripts available to him, marked (a) which are
verses 9-20, and a shorter one (b)
"But they gave Peter and his companions a brief account of all these injunctions. And, after that, Jesus himself sent out by means of them from east to west the sacred and imperishable message of eternal salvation."
So with ending (a), Mark 16 would have 20 verses. With ending (b), Mark 16 would have only 8.
So just like with the previous bracketed verses, it was informational.
I hope this clarifies things!
❧