Chapter 1

¹ Paul, an Apostle of the Anointed Jesus (by the will of God), to the Holy Ones in Ephesus and to those who have faith in the Anointed Jesus: ² May you receive care and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus the Anointed One.

³ May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be praised, for He has blest us with every blessing of his Breath in the heavens, through the Anointed One. ⁴ He chose us to be one with Him before the world came to be, so we could be holy and unblemished before Him in love. ⁵ For, He envisioned us as adopted sons through Jesus the Anointed One, as it pleases His will, ⁶ in praise of the glory of the concern that [is shown by] the one through whom He favored us, the one that He loved. ⁷ It’s through him and his blood that our ransom has been paid, and it’s through the richness of his concern that our sins can be forgiven.

⁸ He has given us more wisdom and good sense than we need, ⁹ and he has allowed us to understand the mystery of His will, which He laid out in front of him as He pleases, ¹⁰ as an arrangement (when the time comes) to bring everything in heaven and on earth under the headship of the Anointed One.

¹¹ We were selected to be heirs through him, as the one who operates everything the way His will directs and has planned, ¹² so that we can praise His glory… yes, we who have put our hope in the Anointed One. ¹³ [This is the one] about whom you heard the word of truth (the good news that is saving you); the one you believed in and who sealed you with the promised Holy Breath ¹⁴ that was given in advance as a token of the inheritance which we will receive and that has been reserved for us, for the glory of his praise.

¹⁵ That’s why, when I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the Holy Ones, ¹⁶ I haven’t stopped giving thanks for you. I keep mentioning you in my prayers, ¹⁷ asking that the God of our Lord Jesus (the Anointed One), who is the Father of glory, will give you the spirit of wisdom and of the revelation of an accurate knowledge of Him; ¹⁸ and that the eyes of your hearts will be enlightened so you can know the glorious richness of the hope that He has called you for, and which He holds as an inheritance for the Holy Ones.

¹⁹ O how great His power is toward us who are believers, as it operates through the mightiness of His strength, ²⁰ which He showed in the case of the Anointed One when He raised him from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavens, ²¹ far above every government, authority, power, lordship, and above every name that has been given, not only in this age, but also in the one that’s coming. ²² He has put everything under his feet and made him the head over everything to the congregation ²³ (his body), to fill him with everything that belongs to the One who does the filling.

Chapter 2

¹ You have died to the ways of sin and error ² that you once walked in (the ways of this worldly age), when you used to follow the ruler of the power of the air; the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience. ³ That’s the way we were all headed once, following human desires and doing whatever our bodies wanted. For, because of the cravings that we once had, we were like everyone else… the natural children of [God’s] wrath. ⁴ But due to the love He had for us, God (who is so rich in mercy) ⁵ made us alive to the Anointed One while we were still dead in our failings. So, His caring has saved you… ⁶ He lifted us up and seated us in the heavens in the Anointed Jesus, ⁷ so that He could show to all those upon whom the ages are coming, the tremendous richness of His care, by His kindness upon us through the Anointed Jesus.

⁸ Why, it’s because of [His] care that you’ve been saved through faith. This doesn’t come from inside you; it’s a gift from God! ⁹ Nor is it because of anything that you’ve done so you can brag. ¹⁰ Rather, we were something that was made for Him, having been created by the Anointed Jesus before God, by the good deeds that he prepared for us to walk in.

¹¹ So, don’t forget that you were once people of the nations in the flesh, and you were called the uncircumcised by those who were circumcised by hand in the flesh. ¹² And at that time, you were without the Anointed One… aliens to the citizens of Israel and strangers to the Sacred Agreements of the promise. You were godless and without hope in this world. ¹³ But now (in the Anointed Jesus) you who were once far away have come to be near by means of the blood of the Anointed One, ¹⁴ for he is our peace.

He’s the one who made [Jews and Gentiles] one, and tore down the wall that fenced them off from each other. ¹⁵ Through his flesh, he destroyed the hatred [that was caused by] the Law of Commandments and rules, so he could make the two people a new man and bring peace through himself. ¹⁶ He brought both [types of] people back to God in one body with the impaling pole, so he used himself to destroy the hatred. ¹⁷ Then when he came, he preached the good news of peace both to you who were far away and to those [of us] who were nearby. ¹⁸ So, because of him we can all approach the Father together now through the same Spirit.

¹⁹ As the result, you are no longer strangers and aliens; you are fellow citizens among the Holy Ones and fellow members of the house of God. ²⁰ You’ve been erected on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, whose cornerstone is the Anointed Jesus. ²¹ And through him, the whole building is coming together and is growing into a Holy Temple for Jehovah. ²² Through him, you’re being assembled into a place for God to live through [His] Breath.

Chapter 3

¹ I give thanks that I (Paul) am a slave to the Anointed Jesus on your behalf. Yes you, the people of the nations. ² Perhaps you’ve heard about the responsibility that I (by the care of God) was given for you, ³ and how (as I wrote you briefly earlier) this mystery was revealed to me. ⁴ As you read on, hopefully you can grasp [how well] I understand the mystery of the Anointed One.

⁵ [This mystery] wasn’t revealed to past generations of the sons of men. However, it has now been revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by means of [God’s] Breath… ⁶ that people of the nations will be fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise (in the Anointed One, Jesus), through the good news. ⁷ I became a servant of this through the gift that was given me by the caring of God, in harmony with His Power.

⁸ This caring was shown to me (a man who is less than the least of all the Holy Ones) so that I should preach the good news about the unimaginable richness of the Anointed One to the nations, ⁹ and to shine a light on how this mystery that has been hidden away through the ages in God (who created all things) works out, ¹⁰ so that governments and heavenly powers might learn about the vast wisdom of God through the calling. ¹¹ This has been His purpose of the ages through the Anointed One, Jesus our Lord. ¹² And it’s through our confidence and faith in Him that we have this freedom to speak and this direction.

¹³ It’s also because of this, that I’m asking you not to tire of the concern that I have for you, because it glorifies you. ¹⁴ For, it’s over this that I thankfully bend my knees to the Father ¹⁵ (from whom all families in heaven and earth get their names) ¹⁶ to [ask Him to] grant you (by the richness of His glory) the power to become strong in His Breath and to make the man that you are on the inside ¹⁷ alive in the Anointed One, through faith in your hearts with love; and to give you enough roots and foundation ¹⁸ to be able to understand (along with all the Holy Ones) the width, length, height, and depth; ¹⁹ to know of the love of the Anointed One (which is more than you can understand) and to fill you with all the fullness that God gives.

²⁰ Now, to the One who (through His power that operates in us) can do far more than anything we can ask or even conceive, ²¹ may He be glorified by the congregation and by the Anointed Jesus into all generations for the age of the ages. May it be.

Chapter 4

¹ So, as a prisoner in the Lord, I urge you to be worthy of the calling that you received, ² [doing this] with all humility, gentleness, and patience, while you lovingly put up with each other. ³ Try hard to recognize the unifying force of [God’s] Breath and its power to bring you together in peace. ⁴ For there’s just one body; just one Breath; there’s just one hope that you were called to; ⁵ there’s just one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ and one God and Father of everyone, who is over all, through all, and in all.

⁷ Now, the amount of caring that was shown to each of us depends on how much of the Gift the Anointed One measured out to us. ⁸ For he says, ‘He stepped up into the highest place, and carried off captives into captivity; then he gave gifts to the men.’

⁹ Now, when it says ‘he stepped up,’ this also means that he first stepped down to the lower places… to the earth. ¹⁰ So, the one who stepped down also stepped up – high above the skies – so he could make everything complete.

¹¹ Then he gave them those who are Apostles, those who are Prophets, those who are messengers of the good news, and those who are shepherds and teachers, ¹² to prepare the Holy Ones for the work of serving and strengthening the body of the Anointed One, ¹³ until we all become one in the faith and gain an accurate knowledge of the Son of God to the point where it’s a perfect man who fully measures up to the stature of the Anointed One; ¹⁴ so we won’t be babies anymore, being tossed up and back by waves, and being blown around by every wind of the treacherous teachings of men who will use any means to do something that’s wrong.

¹⁵ So, while holding onto the truth (and in love), let’s grow up in every way [to match] he who is the head… the Anointed One. ¹⁶ For, he brings the body together… he assembles its parts and makes all the connections so as to supply each part what it needs (depending on its function), so the body grows and strengthens itself in love.

¹⁷ I tell you this and testify to it in the Lord; You must not continue in the path that the nations are following! For, their thoughts are worthless, ¹⁸ their minds have been darkened to any understanding, and they are aliens to a Godly life because of their ignorance and [their] dull hearts. ¹⁹ And because it no longer causes them any pain, they’ve given themselves over to living wasted lives and being greedy for filthy things.

²⁰ However, that isn’t the way that you’ve learned the Anointed One to be – ²¹ if you for a fact did hear him and were taught about him – because, truth comes through Jesus. ²² So, get rid of those old ways that are being corrupted by the enticements that come from desire, ²³ and remake the power that influences your minds. ²⁴ Then put on the new person; [the one] that is created by God’s will in the righteousness and loyalty of the truth.

²⁵ Also, get rid of lying… everyone must always tell his neighbors the truth, because we’re all fellow body parts of each other!

²⁶ [You can] be angry, but don’t sin. Don’t let the sun set on the reason for your anger, ²⁷ nor allow any room for the Slanderer.

²⁸ The one who steals shouldn’t steal anymore. Rather, let him work hard and do good things with his hands, so he will have something to share with the needy.

²⁹ Don’t allow any foul words to come from your mouths. Rather, use good words that are upbuilding (as they are needed) to show that you care for those who hear you. ³⁰ Don’t sadden the Holy Breath of God, in which you were sealed in that Day when your ransom was paid.

³¹ Cause all the bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and slandering to be taken away from you, along with everything [else] that’s bad, ³² and be kind to each other… be sympathetic and graciously forgive each other, as God (by the Anointed One) has graciously forgiven you.

Chapter 5

¹ Become imitators of God as His loved children, ² and keep on walking in love, because the Anointed One loved you and gave himself up for you as an offering… a sweet smelling sacrifice to God.

³ Don’t allow sexual immorality or any type of uncleanness or greediness to be even mentioned among you, as would be expected from holy people. ⁴ Nor [should you share in] shameful conduct, foolishness, or dirty jokes (which are all unbecoming), but rather, in giving thanks. ⁵ Because, you already recognize and know that all those who are immoral, unclean, and greedy (which really amounts to being an idol worshiper) won’t have any inheritance in the Kingdom of God and the Anointed One.

⁶ Don’t allow anyone to seduce you into using empty words. For it’s because of things like this that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ So don’t join in with them, ⁸ because; although you were once dark, you’re now light in the Lord. So, keep walking as children of light.

⁹ The fruitage of light is every sort of goodness, righteousness, and truth… ¹⁰ things that prove themselves pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ So, don’t share in the unproductive deeds of darkness, but speak out against them. ¹² It’s shameful to talk about things that are only done in private, ¹³ because everything that the light speaks against is being exposed, and all the things that are being made known are the light. ¹⁴ That’s why he says, ‘Wake up, you who are sleeping, and lift yourselves from among the dead; then the Anointed One will shine on you.’

¹⁵ So, pay close attention to the way you’re walking, so it’s not like those who are foolish, but as those who are wise. ¹⁶ Buy [the extra] time for yourselves, because these are wicked days… ¹⁷ don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ¹⁸ And don’t be getting drunk on wine, because that won’t lead to your salvation. Rather, fill yourselves with the Breath [of God].

¹⁹ Sing to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and songs through the Breath [of God]… sing and create music in your hearts to Jehovah ²⁰ in the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One. And always give thanks to our God and Father for everything!

²¹ Submit to each other in the fear of the Anointed One. ²² Wives should submit to their husbands as they would to the Lord, ²³ because a husband is the head of his wife as the Anointed One is the head of the congregation and the savior of that body. ²⁴ So, as the congregation submits to the Anointed One, is how wives should [submit] to their husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands; Love your wives as the Anointed One loved the congregation and gave himself up ²⁶ to make it holy. He washed it in a bath of water (so to speak), ²⁷ in order to present a glorious congregation to himself that doesn’t have any spots, wrinkles, or any such things, but which is holy and without any blemishes. ²⁸ That’s how husbands should love their wives – as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹ For nobody ever hates his own flesh, but he feeds and takes pride in it, just as the Anointed One does the congregation.

³⁰ So, we’ve become parts of his body, and ³¹ ‘That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’

³² Now, this is a great mystery (I’m talking about the Anointed One and the congregation). ³³ However, each of you should love your wives as you do yourselves, and wives should have [Godly] fear for their husbands.

Chapter 6

¹ You children; Obey your parents in the Lord, because this is righteous. ² ‘Honor your father and mother,’ for this is the first Commandment that came with a promise, ³ ‘so things will go well for you and you can live on the earth a long time.’

⁴ Fathers; Don’t frustrate your children, but raise them with discipline and put the mind of the Lord in them.

⁵ You slaves; Be obedient to those who are your fleshly masters, with [Godly] fear, trembling, and sincere hearts, just as [you would] to the Anointed One. ⁶ Don’t just put on a good show to please men, but as slaves of the Anointed One, do the will of God with your whole lives. ⁷ Be willing slaves of the Lord (not of men), ⁸ because you know that whatever good each one does will be rewarded by the Lord, whether he’s a slave or a freeman.

⁹ You masters; Keep on doing the same for [your slaves], and don’t threaten them, because you know that your Master in the heavens is over both them and you, and He doesn’t recognize any difference [between you].

¹⁰ Finally, become powerful in the mightiness and strength of the Lord. ¹¹ Put on all the armor of God so you can resist the methods of the Slanderer. ¹² For our fight isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the governments, the authorities, the mighty ones of this worldly darkness, and against the unseen power of wickedness in the heavens. ¹³ So because of this, pick up all the armor from God [so you can] fight in that wicked day and still be left standing in the end.

¹⁴ Stand there with your hips wrapped in truth and wearing the breastplate of righteousness. ¹⁵ Wrap your feet and get them ready with the good news of peace. ¹⁶ And above all, pick up the large shield of faith, with which you can put out all the flaming missiles of the wicked one. ¹⁷ Also, accept the helmet of salvation and the sword of [God’s] Breath, God’s Word.

¹⁸ Pray in every way and always keep begging [God]. Pray at all times in the Breath [of God] and stay awake… don’t give up! Also, keep begging [Him] on behalf of all the Holy Ones. ¹⁹ And [pray] for me too, so that words may be given to me to open my mouth and speak freely in order to make the mystery of the good news known. ²⁰ For, that’s why I’m an ambassador in chains… to speak out boldly about it and to tell the things that I’m supposed to say.

²¹ Now, so you can know how I’m getting along and what I’m doing, Tychicus (a beloved brother and faithful servant of the Lord) will explain everything to you. ²² This is why I’m sending him to you… to let you know what’s happening with us and to comfort your hearts.

²³ Peace to the brothers; and love with faith from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus the Anointed One. ²⁴ May all those who have an uncorrupted love for our Lord Jesus the Anointed One receive [His] care.

Notes

The Greek word for respect (or value) is temer, while the Greek word for fear is phobou (as in phobia). You will often find phobou incorrectly translated as respect in some Bibles, especially when referring to wives in their relationships with their husbands. This is likely an effort on the part of some to make the Bible ‘politically correct,’ because the same word just a few verses away, when applied to slaves, is usually translated as fear.

What type of fear does the Bible mean? The same word (phobou) is used in other places to describe our relationships with God and Jesus, and we are to love them. So, phobou must imply a fear of creating displeasure, in the same way that husbands, wives, or slaves would fear (but love) God and Jesus. So, in several places we have translated phobou as [Godly] fear.

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Breath

The Greek word pneuma (as in pneumonia, a breathing disease) means breath or wind – the movement of air. In other Bible translations, this word is often translated as spirit or ghost – as in Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. However, spirit is just a shortened form of the Latin word spiritu, which just means breath in Latin. And ghost conveys another meaning altogether.

The most common use of the word pneuma in the Bible is to imply an unseen force (such as breath or wind). And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost is that many people have started believing that the unseen force that is called [God’s] Holy Breath herein, is another God-like person and part of a Divine ‘Trinity.’ This can’t be true, because the only scripture that can be used to support this theory (that is, where the Father, the Son, and the Holy Breath are supposed to be ‘one’) is found at Matthew 28:19, which simply says that baptism should be done ‘in the name of’ (or, in recognition of) these three. All other scriptures that are used to prove the Trinity theory fail to mention the Holy Breath as part of that group. And the King James wording of 1 John 5:7 (which was used for years to attempt to prove the Trinity) is spurious (something that was added to the Bible). In fact, the reference to the Holy Breath at Matthew 28:19 may also be spurious, and if so, then there are no actual Bible references that mention God’s Holy Breath along with the Father and the Son.

So to prevent confusion, the Greek word pneuma is frequently translated as breath herein. However, there are exceptions, as in instances where the Bible refers to demons as ‘spirits.’ Translating pneuma as breath in these cases, although correct, might just be confusing. There are also places where we have left pneuma translated as spirit, when the word implies a person's tendency (or spirit). And, since the nuance implied by the word Spirit in the English language (an unseen power) is correct, we recently changed back to translating pneuma as Spirit in several places, when referring to God’s Holy Spirit. However, recognize that pneuma is often best defined by calling it [God’s] Holy Breath. For an example, see the Note Worshiping God In Spirit and Truth.

Another important use of the word pneuma is in the phrase, ‘Breath of Life.’ This phrase means more than just breathing; it refers to the entire mechanics of life itself. It’s the unseen force of life for all creatures… it’s what makes each cell alive. However, nowhere does the Bible describe the ‘pneuma’ as immortal, nor is it the same as the soul (a breathing thing), so it can (figuratively) ‘return to God’ at death,’ because all hope of future life depends on God and His promise of a resurrection.

Note in particular how the term Breath is used at Job 27:3, where Job spoke of God’s Breath or Spirit. For there he asked, ‘Does the Breath of the Divine One remain in my nose?’ As you can see from his application of this word, pneuma obviously referred to God’s Breath in this case, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and caused him to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3 God says, ‘I won’t allow My Breath to stay with these men through the the age, for they are fleshly.’ In Greek that reads, ‘Ou me katameine to pneuma mou en tois anthropois toutoiseis ton aiona, dia ai einai autous sarka,’ or, ‘Not not should stay the Breath Mine with these men the age through, their being flesh.’

While the words Breath Mine (pneuma mou) here can refer to God’s Holy Breath, it seems more likely that He is referring to the breath of life that he gave Adam. So it appears as though what He was saying here is that the breath of life (of the people of that age) would be removed prematurely. However, since God referred to it as ‘My Breath,’ there may be a link implied between God’s Holy Breath and the breath of life. For more information, see the attached link ‘The Powers of God’s Holy Spirit.’

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), ‘he hung his head and quit breathing’ (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath).

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What does In Mean?

The Greek word εν (en) simply means in. However, it is translated as in, one, in union with, and as other words, depending on the context, in most Bibles.

Especially in the book of John do we find the question raised, ‘Was Jesus really the same person as the God?’ This question is raised because the text at John 10:38 literally says, ‘… in order that you should know and you may be knowing that in (en) me the Father and I in (en) the Father.’

However, the text above is often translated as, ‘I and my father are one.’ Is this the true sense of what John wrote? Is Jesus ‘one with’ (the same as) the Father?

That could be a correct translation, but not in the context of the way the book of John was written. For example, notice how John 14:20 reads: ‘εν εκεινη τη ημερα υμεις γνωσεσθε οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν,’ or, ‘In that the day you will know that I in (εν) the Father of me, and you in (εν) me, and I in (εν) you.’

So, if John 10:38 means that Jesus is the same person as his Father, then John 14:20 means that all of Jesus’ followers are the same person and that they are also the same persons as Jesus and his Father. Is this a logical conclusion? No, because it doesn’t harmonize with numerous other scriptures that show his followers to be individuals, but one with (or in unity with) Jesus and God.

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The Ransom

Throughout the Bible, we read of ‘the ransom’ (gr. lytron) that Jesus paid. Exactly what does this term refer to?

At Matthew 20:28, Jesus said, ‘This is how the Son of Man came, not to be served, but to serve and to give his living body as a ransom for many.’

Romans 5:12, 14 says, ‘Sin entered this world through one man and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men because everyone has sinned. However, death reigned from [the time of] Adam down to Moses, even over those who didn’t sin in the same way that Adam did. And [Adam] was a prototype of the one who would come.

1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 says, ‘Since death came through a man, resurrection from the dead also comes through a man. And as all are dying because of Adam, all will be made alive in the Anointed One.’

So, from the above, we must conclude that Adam lost the hope of ‘life’ for himself and all his descendents, because of his sin in Eden. However, Jesus came and paid the ‘ransom price’ to God, to redeem us from the sin of Adam, so that we could once again have the hope of ‘life in the age’ and a resurrection of the living.

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New Jerusalem

At Ephesians 2:21, 22, Paul spoke of Jesus’ chosen ones as being assembled ‘into a Holy Temple for Jehovah’ as ‘a place for God to live in by [His] Breath.’ What is he talking about here?

Paul’s reference is later explained in the Revelation, where this Temple of God was spoken of as being assembled of ‘a hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth,’ (Revelation 14:3) and are taken to heaven from among the symbolic earthly ‘twelve tribes of Israel.’ (see Revelation 7:4, 5).

They then make up a heavenly ‘city’ or seat of government for the earth. Notice how Revelation 21:2, 3 describes it,
‘I also saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It had been prepared as a bride who is dressed for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say, Look! God’s tent is with men. He is going to pitch his tent among them. They will be His people and He will be their God.’

Finally, Revelation Chapter 22 gives us a vision of this glorious Holy City, which is built on a foundation of the ‘twelve Apostles of the Lamb.’ Notice the description found at Revelation 22:9-12, 14, ‘He said, Come here! I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. So, he carried me away by [God’s] Breath to an enormously high mountain. There he showed me Jerusalem, the Holy City, coming down out of heaven from God. It had all the glory of God. It had a shine like the most precious of gems. It gleamed like a crystal-clear jasper stone. It had thick high walls and twelve gates. And at the twelve gates, there were twelve messengers. [On the gates] were inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. The city wall also had twelve foundation stones, and the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb were written on them.’

This is the special hope of those who are chosen to be a part of God’s arrangement to govern the earth from this ‘New Jerusalem’ and to ‘become one’ with Jesus as ‘the bride of the Lamb.’

For more information, see the linked document Jerusalem and the Israel of God.

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Forever, System of Things, or Age?

The Greek word aionos (pronounced ai-on-oss) is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period. However, there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age(s) or era(s). Please note that where the plural form of the word (ages) is used, it refers to a long time, at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (age or era), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the term ages of ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

It is noteworthy that aionos is the word that is used in the Greek Septuagint in place of the Hebrew word ohlam, which is also translated as forever and time indefinite in popular versions of the Hebrew Scriptures. So this one word (aionos) is translated as forever, everlasting, eternal, system of things, time indefinite, [end of] the world, long ago, from of old, etc. Obviously, something is very wrong here, because the word can’t mean a period having a definite end in one place and infinity in another.

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus’ Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3, ‘What will be the signs when you are near and this age will come to its conclusion?’

You can see that the word aionos obviously doesn’t mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age or the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when the Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, because that’s what Jesus had just told them.

The word aionos (which we have translated as age here) is also translated as world (KJ) and as system of things (NW) in other Bibles. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those words, they would have used the Greek word cosmos, not aionos, for world or system of things.

The ancient Hebrews viewed everything (and rightly so) as having a beginning and an end. For that reason, you will only find three places in the Bible where words are used that imply no end and none that imply no beginning. An interesting possible insight on the reason for this can be found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says:

‘Long ago, O Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and your hands made the heavens. They will destroy themselves, but you will remain. They will grow old just like clothes do. Then, as [you would do to] a robe, you> will wrap them up and repair them like clothes. Yes, you are the one, and your years will never run out.’

The problem with most Bible translations is that when they encounter the word aionos in all its different tenses, they interpret it according to accepted doctrine, not according to the way that Jesus and his disciples used it. So the common renderings forever, eternal, and everlasting are used even when the word is in its singular form (aioni, aiona, aionos, aionion, aionian, aionios, aioniou), and this totally distorts the meaning of the text.

Take for example, the scripture at John 5:24, where Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth; the one who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me will have life in this age. He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

Most Bibles translate Jesus as saying that those who believe in the One who sent him will have everlasting life (or the equivalent). However, the words that Jesus used there were, zoe aionos (life age – singular), not zoe aionion (life ages – plural).

Notice how Jesus explained the meaning of these words with his next statement, ‘He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they would (in their current life) be considered among the living, not among the dead (see Revelation 20:12). This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t live forever; it’s just that Jesus wasn’t really saying that.

From consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life, the conclusion might be logically reached that he never taught the hope of ‘life eternal,’ ‘everlasting life,’ or ‘immortality,’ in those specific words. However, the concept is still there. What he taught was that (unlike those whom God considers to be ‘dead’) living people will receive ‘life in the age,’ meaning, they will be considered worthy of life by God during their lifetimes.

Two words imply infinity in the Bible. One is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus as having received it. The other Greek word, aidios, which is found at Romans 1:20 and at Jude 6, is used to describe God’s Power and Might as eternal.

For more information, select the linked documents, The Hereafter and Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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Pole or Cross?

The Greek word stauros simply means pole. So, regardless of popular tradition and doctrine, there is no mention of a pole with a cross piece (cross) in the original Bible. Also, the Greek word staurotheto (which is translated crucified or hung on a cross) is translated impaled (put on a pole or stake) here, because that’s what it means.

Does any of this really make any difference? No, for whether the Romans used just an upright pole or one with a crossbeam as a means of torture and execution is unimportant. However, if one views such a thing as an object of worship, then this is condemned in the Bible as idolatry. And they are also missing the point. For what should be held as sacred to us is the one who gave his life on our behalf, not the disgusting object of his execution.

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Fornication or Sexual Immorality?

The Greek word porneia means much more than copulation between individuals who aren’t married to each other. The term literally means that which is sold (by prostitutes). So it includes all the types of services that might be sold by a prostitute, not just copulation.

It also just refers to acts between unmarried persons (which is what happens in prostitution). This includes such actions between unmarried ‘consenting adults,’ although there may be no exchange of money, because, where porneia is found in the Greek Septuagint, the Hebrew Law shows that it involves intimate relations between unmarried persons.

Because the English word fornication carries the nuance of just copulation between unmarried persons, we have used the broader term sexual immorality here to indicate the full range of the term.

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The Kingdom

The word Kingdom is translated from the Greek word basileia, which refers to the realm of a king (basil).

A common misconception about this Kingdom is that it isn’t real… that it’s just a state of mind. This conclusion is based on Jesus’ words found at Luke 17:21 which say (in Greek), he basileia tou Theou entos hymon estin (the Kingdom of the God in you is). These words are then translated as, ‘for God’s Kingdom is within you.’ However, this couldn’t be the correct meaning, because, notice that (at Luke 17:20) Jesus said these words in reply to a question that was raised by the Pharisees, and he certainly didn’t believe that the Kingdom was in their hearts.

So, what did Jesus mean? He was saying that he, the king of that Kingdom, was there in their midst, and that the hope of becoming kings in that Kingdom was being offered to them. And while it’s true that real Christians ever since that time have in fact been members of that Kingdom in their hearts, the word Kingdom (an area of rule) implies that there will be an actual time of rule and a realm for Jesus and his faithful servants. And, since it appears as though some of these kings will rule from heaven, the place where they rule from is called ‘the Kingdom of Heaven.’

However, Kingdom of Heaven appears to refer to the rule from heaven and not to the place where those who are ruled will live. We draw this conclusion from Jesus’ words as found at Matthew 8:11, which reads: ‘Many from the sunrise and sunset will come and recline [at the table] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.’

That such faithful individuals as Abraham weren’t really in heaven at the time Jesus spoke these words (but they were alive in God’s memory), is confirmed by what Jesus said at John 3:13, ‘Nobody has gone to heaven other than he who came from heaven, the Son of Man.’

So, Matthew 8:10-12 must be referring to Abraham and his descendants living under the rule of a heavenly Kingdom government. These faithful ones don’t appear to qualify to be rulers in heaven themselves, because they weren’t ‘born again’ to receive the value of a spiritual life, nor were they part of the ‘Sacred Agreement for a Kingdom’ (Luke 22:29) that Jesus made with his Apostles just prior to his arrest and execution.

Notice how Jesus showed that the Kingdom of God hadn’t already arrived at the time he was speaking, for we are told at Luke 19:11, ‘While they were listening to these things, he told them another illustration, because he was getting close to Jerusalem, and they all thought that the Kingdom of God was about to happen instantly.’ Then Jesus told about a man who made a long trip to a distant land to receive kingship. So, a long period of time was obviously involved between when Jesus would leave on his journey (to receive kingship in heaven), and the time when he would return to reward his faithful slaves.

There is a definite time for this Kingdom to start its rule, which is made clear by the words of Revelation 12:10. For there we read, ‘Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, This is the moment when the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the authorization of His Anointed began. Because the one who has been accusing our brothers has been thrown down… the one who has been complaining about them day and night in front of our God!’

So, when the Opposer and his messengers are/were expelled from heaven, God’s Kingdom begins there. However, it must await the end of the ‘short period of time’ before God’s opposers are destroyed at ‘Armageddon’ and any of its effects will be seen on earth.

Then, what IS the Kingdom? The term appears to refer to a coming rulership of the earth by God, Jesus, and a spiritual Israel that originates in the heavens but extends to those in charge on the earth, for John wrote at Revelation 1:6, ‘[Jesus] made us to be a Kingdom of Priests to his God and Father.’ And he wrote that a heavenly group sang this song to him about Jesus (at Revelation 5:9, 10):

‘You bought people for God with your blood,
From every tribe, language, ethnicity, and country.
Then you made them rulers and Priests to our God,
And they’ll rule as kings on the earth.’

Then at Revelation 2:26 it’s recorded that Jesus promised: ‘I’ll give he who conquers and obeys whatever I tell him to do down to the end, power over the nations.’

And again at Revelation 3:21, Jesus promised: ‘Then I’ll allow the one who conquers to sit down with me on my throne, just as my Father has allowed me to sit on His throne, because I have conquered.’

For more information, see the linked document, The ‘Seed’ – God’s Kingdom.

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Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub

It is appropriate that the heavenly name of the great Opposer and Slanderer of God is never given in the Bible. However, several terms (and one mistakenly) have been used to describe him. Here is a list of those descriptions:

Satan: This is a Hebrew word meaning, opposer, resistor, a smart person who does things to serve his own interests, and/or a person who can’t be fooled. It was applied to the Evil One because of his opposition to God. To prevent people from thinking of it as a name, it is translated as ‘the Opposer’ herein.

Devil: This is the only Greek word (Diabolos) used in the Bible to describe the evil one. The first part of the word, dia, means through. Bolos means throw (it’s where we get the English words ball and bowl). So, Devil means one who throws through, which implied Slanderer in Greek, so that’s the way it’s translated herein.

Lucifer: The name Lucifer is commonly tied to the Biblical Opposer, however the name doesn’t appear in most versions of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James Bible, at Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referenced as Lucifer, Son of the Morning, which is translated from the Hebrew words Helel ben Shahar – Day Star, Son of the Dawn. This term was used there, because Lucifer is the Latin term for the planet Venus, which is also known as the morning star.
So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan and the person who was referred to as Lucifer. This was a myth that was created by Augustine after he translated the text in Isaiah from the original Hebrew into Latin.

BeelZebub: There are eight references in the Bible to this Hebrew word, and it does refer to the Slanderer. However, once again, this is not a proper name. It appears to be a title. Beel (like Baal) means Lord, and Zebub appears to refer to flies (the insects). So, BeelZebub likely means Lord of Flies.

Is the Opposer (Slanderer or BeelZebub) a real person? All one has to do is look at the titles he was given above to realize that he is. To deny his existence negates the rest of the Bible. For example, when dealing with Adam’s sin, why did God adhere so closely to a law when other options were available to Him? Why didn’t he just destroy rebellious Adam and create another man?

The fact is, He created men and His messengers with the ability to choose whether to serve Him or not, so none are automatons. And as a man failed in the Paradise of Pleasure, we can assume (and as the Scriptures support) that there were failures (and rebels) in the heavens also. This is the reason why it became necessary to have a law that clearly outlined what rebellion against God constituted, and what the consequences for violating that law would be. It was obviously for the sake of the millions of millions of heavenly spirit (breath) creatures that the issue of rebellion here on the earth had to be resolved by legal means, and in a way that demonstrated the love and loyalty of God’s first-born son, which resulted in the painful need for a ‘ransom’ (Jesus’ death).

And the idea that the Slanderer isn’t real raises other questions. For example, while Jesus was being tempted in the desert, was he simply struggling with the bad inside himself rather than against a real, evil personality? If so, we would have to conclude that there was bad in Jesus.

Also, was the battle in heaven (as spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter) just figurative and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? If so, then there are still ‘evil thoughts’ in heaven prior to that battle. And, in what sense would ‘the Opposer’ and his ‘messengers’ lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would internal evil be ‘angry’ in knowing that he just has ‘a short period of time left?’

And lastly, when the Opposer entered God’s presence and spoke to Him (Job the First Chapter), could we assume that this inherent evil was found in God? That isn’t likely.

However, there is some question as to the use of the Greek word Diabolos found at 1 Chronicles 21:1 (in the Greek Septuagint). First, since Diabolos is a Greek word and First Chronicles was written in Hebrew, we would assume that Diabolos (Slanderer) was substituted for the Hebrew word Satan (Opposer). But the text seems to imply that a slanderer (or resistor), not the Slanderer, had come to David. And we would have to assume it to be a satan or resistor that came to him. So, we don’t really know if the text implies that the Evil One came to him, if it was just an evil spirit that came over him, or if someone bad had urged David to defy God and take a census of Israel.

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Amen

Amen is a Hebrew word that was never really translated into English; it was just Anglicized. In Greek it is pronounced, ah-main. The reason why it was never translated is that ancient scholars were afraid to change this supposed ‘magical’ word that ensures God will listen to the prayer. There is no record in the Bible of anyone ending prayers with amen, although it was likely said. And the fact that others who were present said amen at the end of prayers to show that they agree, is indicated by Paul’s words at 1 Corinthians 14:6.

In addition, amen isn’t said in the Bible just at the end of a Prayer. Paul used the word frequently in his writings to affirm that what he was writing was, or would be, true. And that’s the literal meaning of amen as it is rendered here, ‘may it be.’

So, should Christians end their prayers with the word amen, or with the phrase, may it be? It really makes no difference. In fact, neither really has to be said for God to hear the prayer, or for Him to understand that it is concluded.

The problem with saying amen is that most people really don’t know what it means today. They think of it as just a word that you end prayers with. However, saying amen (or may it be) at the conclusion of a prayer indicates that the one praying assumes the things that were asked are as good as done – and he or she should also believe that.

In several places we have left the word amen unchanged, for example, at Revelation 3:14, where Jesus was referred to symbolically as ‘the Amen,’ or, he who ‘causes things to be’ (under the direction of God).

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Undeserved Kindness or Caring?

The Greek word caris is where we derive the English word care or caring. However, the Greek word carries a slightly different meaning. Old English Bible translations have rendered caris as grace. However, the nuance that grace implies (smooth and flowing) totally distorts the meaning of this term in contemporary American English.

Most Bible dictionaries prefer to see caris translated as undeserved kindness. However, this phrase, which may or may not make some minor technical difference in the meaning, adds wordiness, and that distracts from the ease of reading. So you will find it translated as care, caring, or kindness herein, depending on the setting.

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The Anointed

Notice that in this Bible translation, 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22 (for example) says, ‘The One who guarantees that we all belong to the Anointed One, and He who anointed us, is God.’

So, why didn’t these translators just go ahead and render the word (Anointed) as Christ – as countless other translators have done? For two reasons:

1. Because Christ has almost totally lost its meaning to most Bible readers today, and most have come to believe that ‘Christ’ was part of Jesus’ name. It wasn’t.

2. Because Christ is word that was made up by early Bible translators and is only used in that form when they think that the Bible was speaking of Jesus. In other places it is correctly translated as anointed.

If you look at the above verse in Greek, you’ll see that it reads, ‘Ho de bebaion hemas syn hymin eis Christon kai chrisas hemas Theos,’ or, ‘The of stabilizing us with you into Anointed and anointing us God.’

You will notice here that Christon (Christ or Anointed) and chrisas (anointed) are both derived from the same root word, which by the way, is Greek for olive oil. Why olive oil? Because, that substance was traditionally poured over the heads of those who God chose to be kings over Israel. For example, David and Solomon were both anointed (oil was poured over their heads) in proof of the fact that they had been chosen by God to be kings over Israel.

So, the word means anointed. But if you prefer the word Christ, then David and Solomon were Christs, for you can’t have it both ways.

Such a physical anointing with oil appeared to picture receiving God’s Holy Breath, which happened to Jesus at his baptism, to 120 of Jesus’ disciples at Pentecost of 33-C.E., and to other First-century Christians. So Jesus didn’t really become the Christon (Christ, Anointed, or Chosen One) until he was anointed with Holy Breath at his baptism (when the ‘dove’ came down on him).

If you understand this nuance, you get the true meaning of the word Christ (Anointed) as it applies to Jesus; it means that he was the one who God chose to be king over His people. Also, Paul was telling the Christians in Corinth that they too would be anointed… become ‘christs.’ For when they were ‘anointed’ and sealed in their hearts by God’s Holy Breath, they were selected to be ‘kings over the earth’ (Revelation 5:10).

Also, notice what can be learned from a proper understanding of the Greek words by looking at Matthew 24:24. For what he actually said was, ‘Because false Anointed ones and false prophets (gr. pseudo christon kai pseudo prophetai) will arise and they will perform great signs and omens to mislead (if possible) even the elected.’

So, Jesus wasn't necessarily saying that people would come claiming to be him, but people would come falsely claiming to be the anointed and prophets.

At Exodus 29:29 we find that Aaron and his sons were to be ‘anointed’ as Priests to Jehovah, and that this action would make them ‘holy,’ or clean. It also signified that had been ‘chosen’ to this office by God. And in Leviticus, when we read of the ‘anointed’ Priest, the reference seems to be to the one who had been chosen for the special office of what later became known as the High Priest, which gives credence to our translating Christos as Anointed One, rather than Christ, in the Christian Era Scripture (NT) portion of this Bible. However, at least in the case of Aaron and his sons, fragrant herbs were added to the oil to give it a pleasing odor. This is implied at Exodus 25:7 where the Israelites were asked to donate ‘fragrances for anointing oil.’ And we find the exact formula for the anointing oil at Exodus 30:34, where we read that it was to be made of ‘sixteen pounds of choice myrrh flowers, eight pounds of sweet-smelling cinnamon, eight pounds of sweet-smelling calamus, sixteen pounds of cassia (for the Holy Place), and a gallon of olive oil.’

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The Day of the Lord

Throughout the Bible, we find references to ‘the Day of Jehovah,’ and ‘the Day of the Lord.’ Are both of these references to the same time, and if so, how do we know?

There is no conflict between the two Days; in fact, they appear to be the same. Notice what we are told in the Revelation, when it is speaking of the beginning of that Day (at Revelation 12:10), ‘This is the moment when the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the authorization of his Anointed One began.’

As you can see, the purposes of that Day are tied together. For, the establishment of God’s Kingdom (with the battle in heaven and the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers) and the authorization for Jesus (the Lord) to rule appear to begin at the same time.

So, does the Lord’s Day begin when the things spoken of in the Revelation start to happen? It appears to be so, because it starts out with John’s words (at Revelation 1:10), ‘Through the Breath [of God] I found myself in the Lord’s Day.’

What are some of the features of that Day? Well, they appear to start with the ouster of the Opposer and his messengers from heaven (See Revelation 12), which is followed by the destruction of ‘Babylon the Great’ (See Revelation 17, 18). Then in rapid succession there comes the ‘marriage of the Lamb’ (acceptance of the rest of the Anointed ones to heaven?), the Battle of Armageddon, the abyssing of the Opposer and his messengers, and the resurrection (see Revelation 19, 20). And finally, the Opposer is released for a short time, which precipitates the battle against Gog of Magog, and which is thereafter followed by the descent of ‘New Jerusalem’ to the earth, and the making of the ‘new earth and sky’ (see Revelation 21).

Also, in the prophecy found at Joel 2:1-12, ‘the Day of the Lord’ appears to start with the destruction of Jerusalem by worldly armies (the destruction of Babylon the Great?), and this is followed by the destruction of the worldly armies, in Joel Chapter Three (Armageddon?). And in between these two events, we read of the marvelous outpouring of God’s Breath upon His faithful servants (Joel 2:28-32).

Peter wrote in length about this period, and at 2 Peter 3:7 he wrote: ‘It was also promised that; What’s [now] in store for the earth and sky is fire, which [will come] during the Judgment Day, when godless men will be destroyed.’ And although many misinterpret these words as describing just the destruction of the wicked at Armageddon, the context shows that he was looking at a much longer period of time, the total ‘Lord’s Day’ or ‘Judgment Day’… the ‘thousand-year’ period spoken of at Revelation Chapter Twenty. For what he said about the burning of the earth and sky and of the ‘new earth and sky’ corresponds exactly with the end of the thousand years and the promises found at Revelation 21:1.

So, from the periods described in the Revelation, near the end of Jesus’ thousand-year reign there will be a judgment of the wicked (those who join with Gog of Magog) and they will be destroyed. Then there will be a ‘new earth and sky.’ What does that really mean? Perhaps we’ll all have to live to see it to be sure.

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God’s Adopted Sons

Throughout the Christian Era Scriptures, we read of the hope that certain humans have of being adopted as sons of God and ruling with Jesus. When does this ‘choosing’ actually happen; what are its results; and how does one know that he/she has been so adopted by God?

Well, notice Paul’s words at Romans 8:15, ‘You received His Breath and it adopted you as sons. And it is by this Breath that we call out, ‘Abba Father!’ So from this we can see that such individuals first receive God’s Breath, and then it ‘adopts’ them as God’s sons. And, as was true in the days of the Apostles, receiving God’s Breath must have some sort of visible manifestation. What might that be?

Since the ‘gifts of the Breath’ were prophesied to end, perhaps this manifestation could be seen in the form of extraordinary love. This was prophesied at 1 Corinthians 13: 8-11, which says, ‘However, the [gift of] prophesying will be done away with, the [gift of] speaking in [foreign] languages will stop, and the [gift of miraculous] knowledge will be done away with. Because, now we only have partial knowledge and we only prophesy partially. But when the perfect thing arrives, the partial thing will be done away with. When I was a baby, I used to talk like a baby, think like a baby, and reason like a baby. But, now that I’ve become a man, I’m finished with the things of babies.’

Of course, manifestations of God’s breath could also take the form of special abilities. As Ephesians 4:11 says, ‘Then he gave [the gifts]: Some are Apostles, some are prophets, some are messengers of the good news, and some are shepherds and teachers.’

So, adoption imparts the value of a spiritual life to the individual. Notice that Paul also referred to such individuals as a ‘new creation’ at Galatians 6:15, ‘However, a new creation [is something].’

And, once a person has received this adoption, he/she is said to become joint ‘heirs’ with Jesus. As Romans 8:17 says, ‘So, if we are [His] children, we are also [His] heirs. Yes, heirs of God and heirs with the Anointed One.’

Heirs of what? You will find this discussed in the linked document, God’s Promise of an Inheritance.

Are there any special requirements for receiving spiritual adoption? Notice that Paul adds at Romans 8:17, ‘However, we have to suffer together so we can also be glorified together.’ And suffering a violent death or being greatly persecuted for their faith was true of the Apostles, and many (if not all) the rest of the adopted sons from the First Century through the middle ages.

Is such violent physical suffering required for all who have this hope? Well, consider what Revelation 6:11 says, ‘Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to take it easy just a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow slaves and brothers was filled (who were going to be killed, as they were).’

However, nobody can say for sure that all who are adopted as sons must suffer greatly, for the ‘choosing’ and its qualifications are in the hands of God.

It appears as though the choosing and adoption of sons of God doesn’t necessarily happen at the time of their baptism. For example, in the case of the first gentile converts to Christianity (Cornelius and his family), such selection happened even before baptism, because, that’s when God’s Breath manifested itself. So, ‘baptism in the Holy Breath’ happens whenever God selects such individuals, which doesn’t necessarily come at baptism. This was also true of those baptized individuals who received God’s Breath on Pentecost of 33-C.E.

However, Galatians 3:26, 27, says, ‘The fact is, you are all sons of God, because of your faith in the Anointed One, Jesus. All who were baptized into the Anointed One have put on the Anointed One.’

So, it appears as though ‘becoming one’ with Jesus occurs to all when they are baptized. However, whether this refers to water baptism or baptism by God’s Breath, isn’t made clear here.

And although the sons of God receive the value of spiritual life when God selects them, their actual adoption comes upon the death of their fleshly bodies. Paul points this out at Romans 8:23, 24, ‘Even we who have the first fruit of [God’s] Breath; yes, we also groan inside ourselves while we anticipate being adopted as sons when the ransom payment frees our bodies. This is the hope that saves us.’

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Mystery

The Greek word that is translated as mystery here (Sacred Secret in other Bibles) is mysterion, which is the root word of the English word mystery.

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The Dead

Revelation 20:12 speaks of the ‘dead’ ‘standing before the throne’ and ‘being judged.’ Since they are able to stand for judgment, in what sense are they dead?

Note that at Matthew 9:60 Jesus said, ‘Let the dead bury their dead.’ And at Romans 8:10, Paul speaks of the body being ‘dead’ because of sin. Then at 1 Corinthians 15:22 he explains that, ‘Because of Adam, all men are dying.’

So the conclusion we must reach is that all men are considered as dead and dying in front of God, due to inherited (and their own) sins. Thus the scriptures in the Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of living people (some of whom will have already been resurrected) who will stand before God and be judged either to life for the ages, or to the permanent destruction of the ‘lake of fire.’

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear that people can be considered no longer dead even before the resurrection. For, notice what is recorded that he said at John 5:24, ‘I tell you the truth: He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, has life for the ages. He won’t have to be judged, but has crossed over from death to life.’

And Paul wrote at Romans 5:17, ‘And if (because of that one error) death started its reign through [Adam]; then those who receive His caring and the gift of righteousness during this life will even be more sure to rule as kings through Jesus the Anointed One.’

So, it appears as though a person is considered no longer ‘dead’ as of the time when his/her name is written in ‘the book of life.’ This doesn’t mean that they won’t die, but that they are considered as ‘alive’ in God’s eyes, and they will not be counted among the dead who are raised in the resurrection (for more information, see the linked document, The Resurrection).

This appears to be the meaning of Jesus’ words at Matthew 22:32, which say, ‘Haven’t you read what God told you about the resurrection of the dead, [when he said], I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He isn’t the God of the dead, but of the living.’

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Jehovah

Although there are no existing ancient Christian Era Scripture (New Testament) manuscripts that contain the full name Jehovah, there are four reasons why we (and other Bible scholars and translators) believe that it existed in the original text. They are:

1. The Name is found in many of the Hebrew Scripture texts that are quoted by Jesus and his disciples

2. Jesus mentioned God’s having a Name in ‘The Lord’s Prayer,’ and at John 5:43, 10:25, 12:13, 17:26, and in numerous other places

3. The Name still appears in a combined form in Revelation where the word hallelujah is used (Hallel means praise, u implies second person, and Jah is a shortened form of Jehovah.)

4. The fact that Christians who lived in Jerusalem were still worshiping at the Temple of Jehovah late in Paul’s ministry proves that they still viewed Jehovah as their God (see Acts 21:20-26).

So, this Bible is one of two that we are aware of that uses God’s Name in the Christian Era Scriptures, which makes it quite unique. However, you will see that we have avoided using it in places where the Greek words ho Kyrios could have been speaking of Jesus, using the Name Jehovah mostly in quotations from Hebrew texts which were clearly speaking of The God.

That the Name Jehovah (which means, He who Causes to Be, or, The Creator) was originally in the Bible, is documented in all ancient Hebrew texts. And it is most likely that the Septuagint translation which Jesus and his Apostles used (most quotations they gave seem to have come from an ancient Septuagint) carried that Name, but probably in the four Hebrew characters that represent the English consonants YHWH.

Notice this comment by Robert Hanhart, who contributed the Introduction to ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture.’ He stated therein that, ‘All Greek biblical texts of Jewish origin found to date, whether from pre-Christian or Christian times, transmit the name יהוה Jehovah not in the form κύριος [Lord] encountered in all the LXX [Septuagint] manuscripts of Christian origin, but in some form of the Tetragrammaton.’ (See: ‘The Septuagint as Christian Scripture,’ 2002, book, p.7, by Martin Hengel. Introduction by Robert Hanhart, published by Baker Academic. ISBN 0-8010-2790-X).

You will see how in the book of Isaiah, for example, God is often referred to in Greek as Kyrios ho Kyrios, or, Lord the Lord (see Isaiah 48:16 LXX). And these are obvious examples of texts where God’s Name was omitted, for such sentences should clearly read Jehovah the Lord, or Lord Jehovah.

Since the words God and Lord both seem to have been substituted in the text wherever God’s Name originally appeared, it is difficult to know where to reinsert the Name in place of the titles. We could refer to the Hebrew texts and insert it wherever the Name appears there, but that would be out of harmony with the purpose of presenting this translation of the Septuagint on its own merit. So, wherever the term the Lord appears in obvious reference to God, we have decided to insert the Name Jehovah.

The rule that other translators have adopted for inserting God’s Name is to simply use it wherever the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) appears in the oldest existing Hebrew texts (which aren’t that old). However, it can be proven that these texts and such insertions are unreliable. For example, there is the instance when Abraham was talking to three ‘men,’ one of whom he referred to as the Lord (יהוה). In this case, Abraham was obviously speaking to a messenger from God (likely His representative, Michael), because, as God told Moses, ‘No man can see God and live.’ So in such instances we have left the term ‘Lord’ unchanged, because that is likely the actual word Abraham used.

Also, in the writings of many of the Prophets, you will notice that they were often spoken to by God’s messengers, who the Prophets referred to as the Lord. And these messengers (angels) thereafter went on to give them messages from Jehovah. For example, notice the wording of Jeremiah 2:1: ‘Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, Go and yell in the ears of Jerusalem! Tell them that thus says Jehovah …’ So in this Bible you’ll see an interspersing of the term the Lord, when it appears to be referring to the angel messenger, and as Jehovah, when it appears to be referring to God.

Notice again the wording of Amos 4:13, where the one who gave the message to that Prophet (the Lord) definitely put Jehovah in the third person (though he is apparently saying that he did much of the work of creating) for there he said: ‘{Look!} I brought the thunder and I made the wind; and I report to men of His caring. For He produces the dawn and the fog, and is mounted on the heights of the earth… His Name is Jehovah God the Almighty!’

Then look at the words of Zephaniah 1:9, where the Prophet wrote: ‘And I asked, What are these, O Lord? And [God’s] messenger replied (he who was speaking to me), I will show you what all these things mean.’

So, it appears as though the Greek word kyrios should be translated as Lord or the Lord when it is referring to the angel who was speaking, and as Jehovah in many cases when it is speaking of God… regardless of how modern Hebrew texts may read, for from the context you can clearly see that these verses are quoting someone other than God.

However, the Lord (kyrios) would also have been used by Hebrew writers when speaking of God in poetry, where the previous or following verse uses the Name Jehovah; for the rule for a following verses is to use a simile.

Another important place where it appears as though the term the Lord should be used instead of the name Jehovah, is where people do something in His Name, as in James 5:10, which speaks of ‘Prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.’ For, since Jehovah is God’s Name (in English), they would not be speaking in the Name of Jehovah (which is His Name), but in the Name of the Lord (Jehovah). Yes, this could be an arguable point, but where there is some question and the understanding isn't changed, we believe it is better to take a cautious approach.

Probably the most striking and confusing reference to the Lord is found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says: ‘Long ago, O Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth, and you made the heavens with your hands. But they’ll pass away while you still remain. For like clothes they will grow old. Then, as [you would do to] a robe, you will wrap them up and repair them. Yes, you’re the one and your years will never expire.’

As you can see, the reference to the Lord here appears to be speaking of God (Jehovah). And if you go back to the scripture Paul was quoting (Psalm 102:25-27), you’ll see (from the context of the surrounding verses) that it appears to be speaking of Jehovah there also, and this is the conclusion of many, because the Tetragrammaton (יהוה) appears there in both the ancient Hebrew and Greek texts. Yet, the entire First Chapter of Hebrews is discussing Jesus and his special position before God. And Paul is clearly quoting Psalm 102:25-27 to make the point that Jesus made the heavens and the earth, that he will remain through the ages, and that he will eventually rebuild (repair) them after they grow old.

So, either Paul misapplied this scripture, which seems unlikely, or both Hebrew and Greek versions of Psalm 102 have been badly corrupted through the years, which our research proves is possible. As the result (because the answers are unclear), we have deviated from our rule of capitalizing the first letter of the words You and Your in many places in Psalm 102 and Hebrews 1, and from inserting the Name Jehovah where its use may be in doubt. However, this opens another can of worms, for it brings into question the accuracy of major portions of the Hebrew text and the use of the Tetragrammaton rule altogether.

It has also been suggested that since Jesus ‘shines with the same glory, is the exact image of His (God’s) being, and is responsible for everything that’s said through His power,’ as we were told at Hebrews 1:3, anything that is said about God also applies to Jesus… perhaps.

Of course, the easy answer to why Paul used Psalm 102 in reference to Jesus, is because Jesus is actually Jehovah, as many theologians claim. But this is proven untrue by the other words in the same First Chapter of Hebrews. For notice the following verses:

• Hebrews 1:3 ‘He sat down at the right hand of the Great One in the highest places.’
• Hebrews 1:4 ‘He has become so much greater than the [other] messengers [of God] and so different, that he has inherited a [special] name among them.’
• Hebrews 1:5 ‘For example, to which of His [other] messengers did He ever say, You’re my son. Today I’ve become your Father. Or, I will become his Father and he will become My son.’
• Hebrews 1:9 ‘You loved righteousness and hated wickedness. That’s why God (your God) anointed you with the oil of great joy among those who are your partners.’
• Hebrews 1:13 ‘And to which one of His messengers did He ever say, Sit here on My right until I set your enemies as a stool for your feet?’

(For more information on this subject, please see the linked document Who Was Jesus?)

The word that is translated lord (gr. kyrios) is found throughout the Bible in Greek texts and is usually used as a term of respect for men, such as a king, governor, or homeowner… and it is also frequently translated as master. So, whenever you see the term master used in the Bible, recognize that it is translated from the same Greek word as lord. And as translators, it’s easy to see how inappropriate it is to always refer to God as ‘the Lord.’ This was something that was started by later Jewish copyists, and the custom was adopted in English Bibles in the Fifteenth Century. Yet, even then the translators showed where God’s name once appeared in the Hebrew text by capitalizing all the letters, as in LORD (see Exodus 6:1). And in the King James Bible, the name Jehovah still does appear in four texts (see Exodus 6:3).

Some have objected to putting the name Jehovah in the Greek text, for they say that that use of the Name would have been offensive – and might have resulted in stoning – if Jesus and his disciples had actually spoken it. Yet, the Name had to be used when preaching to the Gentiles, or they simply wouldn’t have known which Lord the disciples were talking about (remember, they were polytheistic). And to call God the Lord when most gods (and many men) were also called lord, would have been very confusing to everyone that Jesus’ disciples preached to, both Jews and Gentiles. So we question whether the use of God’s Name was considered as offensive prior to Jerusalem’s destruction by the Roman armies (70-C.E.).

The reason why the Name was removed from later copies of the Ancient Scriptures of Israel was because Jewish Scribes had become so awed with God’s Name that they refused to write it or say it, so, they started substituting the term ‘the Lord’ (the Master) wherever His Name was found. And since all existing versions of the Septuagint come from the Second Century or later, it isn’t surprising that God’s Name has been omitted from such modern texts. The fact that the name Jehovah was once there is well substantiated from ancient Bible manuscripts, both Hebrew and Greek. In fact, a verse in the Jewish Talmud claims that Jesus received his miraculous powers because he had sewn the Holy Name (Jehovah) into his skin, which indicates both their (his enemy’s) recognition of Jesus’ miraculous powers and the common view of God’s Name.

Forgetting God’s Name is a practice that has had a long history with the Jews, for apparently they were trying to do this during the time of the Prophet Jeremiah (sometime in the early Seventh Century B.C.E.), for we read at Jeremiah 23:27: ‘They’ve devised ways to forget My Name, then they use their dreams to describe to their neighbors, how their fathers were the ones who’ve forgotten My Name, and turned to the service of Baal.’

What about the Christian Era Scriptures? Recognize that most early Christian Congregations (and especially those in Judea) were predominantly made up of Jews, and their traditions seemed to have had a strong negative effect on Christian conduct and doctrine throughout the world. For example; almost all of Paul’s letters (Romans through Hebrews) contain strong references to Judaizers in the congregations, and this influence likely led to substituting Lord for God’s Name in Christian writings after the deaths of the Apostles.

Perhaps Christians would more deeply appreciate the need to use the name Jehovah, rather than the title ‘Lord,’ when referring to God, if they understood that the term ‘the Lord’ in the language of the Canaanites was ‘Baal’ or ‘Beel.’ And the same term in modern-day Arabic is ‘Allah.’

Then, what of those who prefer a more exact Hebrew pronunciation of the Name, which can be Yahweh (yah-h’-Wĕh), Yahwah (yah-h’-Wah), or Yehwah (yĕh-h’-Wah)? That is commendable if their reasons are consistent. For, if their concern is to properly pronounce Bible names (not a hatred for God’s name as it is pronounced in English), they will also be found promoting the proper Hebrew pronunciation of His son’s name, Ieshuah (Ye-Shuah), or Iehoshuah (Yĕ-h’-shuah)… or at least the proper pronunciation of his name in Greek, Iesous (Yay-sous).

But then they would also have to start changing hundreds of other Bible name containing a J (such as John, Jeremiah, Jonah, Jerusalem, etc.), and they would find that almost every other Bible name is currently mispronounced in the English language.

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Soul

The Greek word psyche (as in psychology) has been translated many ways, including soul, life, etc. However, psyche actually means something that breathes. It is used in the Bible to describe both breathing animals and breathing humans. So by definition, a soul cannot leave the body, because a soul is what the living body (whether human or animal) is (see Genesis 2:7).

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine crept into the Christian religions. Please see the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul for more history of the word.

However, such Greek philosophical thought never influenced Jesus and his Apostles. So, they consistently used psyche to indicate a living person or animal. The teaching that the soul is immortal stands in direct conflict with Jesus’ promise of a resurrection, because, if a person is immortal (can never die) he/she can never be resurrected (brought back to life).

In addition, the teaching of the immortality of the human soul is totally without support from the Bible. The word immortal(ity) (Gr: athanasia or undying) is only mentioned in the Bible in two places, and it isn’t used with or applied to the word soul in either case. Both of these scriptures show that immortality is only given by God as a reward for righteousness. And as Ezekiel 18:4 says, ‘The person (gr. psyche or ‘soul’) that is sinning will die (gr. apothaneitai).’

Of course, there are places in the Bible where the word soul means more than just a living, fleshly body. For example, God is recorded to have spoken of ‘My Soul’ in several places. Obviously, God is much more than just a ‘soul’ as most people think of that term, and He surely wasn’t talking about His having a human body. So we must conclude that what He was referring to is His life.

Then there are Jesus’ words found at Matthew 10:28, which read, ‘Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but can’t kill the person (psyche). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person and the body in the garbage dump.’ Here, Jesus is using the word psyche (soul) to refer to the value of life that remains with God until the resurrection. And he obviously isn’t referring the soul as immortal here, because he says God will destroy (gr. apolesai) the [unrighteous] soul or person.

Unfortunately, no single word can be used to translate psyche in every possible Bible application, so various terms are used herein, depending on the circumstances, but always in an attempt to harmonize with the meaning.

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Cosmos or World?

In Jesus’ discussion about the sheep and goats found at Matthew 25:34, he said, ‘Then the king will tell those on his right, Come, you who have been praised by my Father, inherit the Kingdom that has been prepared for you from the founding of the world.’

In Greek, the words we have translated as founding of the world are katabole cosmou, or down-throw arrangement. You may recognize that the English word cosmos is a derivative of cosmou. And cosmos (which we pronounce as cas-mose, but the Greeks pronounces as cas-mas) is the word that modern peoples usually use when referring to the universe today (thank you Mr. Sagan). So, why have we translated it as world, and what is meant by the term, founding of the world?

Actually, cosmos is used many times in the Bible and in many different ways. For example, when Paul urged Christian women to dress modestly, he used the word cosmos to describe well-arranged clothing, and arrangement is probably the closest English meaning of the word. So, it isn’t always translated as world.

And although it has been said that the word world doesn’t appear at all in the Hebrew texts of the Ancient Scriptures of Israel (Old Testament), it really does appear there several times in the Greek Septuagint. And the reason why they say that world doesn’t appear there is because the equivalent Hebrew word is translated (in different Bibles and in different places) as arrangement, ornamentation, honor, delight, universe, earth, army, etc.

Yet, in the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), where cosmos appears several times, it is usually translated as world… such as the world of Noah, the light of the world, the field is the world, etc. So, the term doesn’t seem to apply to the earth, but rather to the arrangement of human society on the earth.

Actually, two different Greek words are often translated as world in the Septuagint, cosmos and oichonomeo; and oichonomeo does appear to refer to the earth, because it means the habitation, or, the place where [man] dwells. So the Septuagint (OT) clearly delineates these two words (that are both commonly translated as world).

But notice how the word cosmos was used by Paul at Romans 5:12, ‘Sin entered the world (cosmos) through one man, and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men and everyone has sinned.’

So, it seems likely that the arrangement we call ‘the world’ started around the time of Adam’s sin in Paradise, when man created for himself and all life on earth a new arrangement or set of circumstances (which was something other than what God had planned). We have come to this conclusion based on the many scriptures that refer to the world in a negative context, and the fact that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

Yet, the Scriptures also indicate that the present world (arrangement) began after the Downpour of Noah’s day, and Noah inherited the world prior to that time. For, notice what we are told at Hebrews 11:7 ‘Because of his faith, Noah (after being given a divine warning of things he hadn’t seen yet) trusted in God and built a large chest to save his family. And due to this righteous faith, he condemned the world and became its heir.’

Also notice what was said at 2 Peter 2:4, 5, ‘Why, God didn’t spare the messengers who sinned, but by threw them into the dark pits of Tartarus, where they are awaiting His justice. And He didn’t spare the first world. Yet, He guarded Noah (who was a preacher of righteousness) along with seven others, when He brought a downpour on a world of godless people.’

So, apparently there have been two different worlds or arrangements; the one that Noah inherited that started before the Downpour, and the second one that we are now living in, and which the righteous will inherit at its destruction. For we read at 1 John 2:17, ‘And the world with all its desires is passing away, but the one who does what God wants remains through the age.’ And Romans 4:13 says, ‘Abraham and his seed weren’t given the promise of inheriting the world because of the Law; it was because of his righteousness, which came from his faith.’

Thus from the above, we have concluded that what Jesus said about the Kingdom having been prepared for the sheep since the founding of the world must mean that the Kingdom was God’s plan for the righteous since at least the time of the Downpour, and possibly since the time of Adam’s sin in Paradise.

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Seating in the Heavens

It has been argued that Paul’s words at Ephesians 2:6, 7 prove that all those to whom he was writing were going to heaven, for there he wrote, ‘And He lifted us up and seated us in the heavens in the Anointed One Jesus, so that He could show to all those upon whom the ages are coming, the tremendous richness of His care, by His kindness upon us through the Anointed Jesus.’

However, notice that Paul was speaking of something that had already happened to them, because he spoke of this being seated in the heavens in the past tense, and it had already happened to them while they were still on the earth. So, what was Paul saying?

To get the sense of these verses, you must first read the previous two verses (4, 5), for there he wrote, ‘But due to the love He had for us, God (who is so rich in mercy) made us alive to the Anointed One while we were still dead in our failings. So you’ve been saved by His caring.’

As you can see; before they became Christians, these people had been considered dead in God’s eyes because of their sins, but now God considers them as being alive to (and in) Jesus. So, when Jesus was raised to heaven, their life in Jesus the Anointed was raised to heaven along with him. Therefore, Paul wasn’t speaking of their literally going to heaven; he was saying that their hope (of future life) was then in the heavens with Jesus.

For more information, see the linked document God’s Promise of an Inheritance.

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One Hope?

At Ephesians 4:4-6 we read, ‘For there’s just one body, just one Breath, and there’s just one hope that you were called to… there’s just one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of everyone, who is over all, through all, and in all.’ So, doesn’t this imply that there is just one hope for the faithful, that of going to heaven to be with Jesus?

Well, when we speak of our hope we usually think that it applies to our eventual destination in God. However, Paul spoke of it in a different way at Ephesians 1:11, 12, where he said, ‘We were selected to be heirs through him, as the one who operates everything the way His will directs as planned, so that we can praise His glory… yes, we who have put our hope in the Anointed One.’

So, notice that the hope didn’t necessarily have reference to a destination, but to the hope that we have in Jesus and his promises. But then at Ephesians 2:18 Paul went on to write, ‘... so you can know the glorious richness of the hope that He has called you for, and which He holds as an inheritance for the Holy Ones.’

And for a fact, this reference does seem to imply that all had the same calling or hope. But does it mean that they will all receive the same reward? Remember that Jesus said, ‘Many are called but few are chosen.’ So the obvious implication is that; although all may be called to the same hope, not all are chosen for the same reward.

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Captives and Gifts

At Ephesians 4:8 Paul quoted the words of Psalm 68:(verse 18 Septuagint verse 19 Hebrew text), which says: ‘He stepped up into the highest place, and carried off captives into captivity; then he gave gifts to the men.’

This has been a very difficult verse to translate in both places, for neither agrees with the available texts of the other, and neither appears to make any sense in the original language. The Greek text of Ephesians 4:8 literally reads: ‘anabas eis hypsos echmaloteusen aichmalosian kai edokendomata tois anthropois,’ or, ‘through/which he/is/saying Having/stepped/up into height he/led/captive captivity and gave gifts to/the men.’

Whereas the Septuagint shows Psalm 68:18 as saying, ‘You/ascended into the/height you/captured captivity you/received gifts by (or in) men.’

And the Hebrew text at Psalm 68:19 reads literally, ‘you/ascended to/the/height you/led captive you/received gifts from/the man.’

So you can see that the meanings differ widely, and the NT text says that Jesus GAVE the gifts, while both OT texts (which Paul was quoting) say that he RECEIVED the gifts. So it is obvious that there are errors in at least two of the texts, and perhaps in all three. Which is the correct rendering?

Since he had God’s Holy Breath, and because he was using older texts, we are going to trust that Paul came the closest to quoting what the Psalm originally said. However, when attempting to arrive at the proper translation of a scripture, it also helps to take a look at what the preceding and following verses have to say, to see if the words being translated harmonize with the context.

So, take a look at the words of verse eleven to see how Paul applied the scripture that he had just quoted. For there it reads ‘kai autos edoken tous men apostolous tous de prophetas,’ or, ‘and to/them he/gave those indeed apostles, those but prophets,’ or as we rendered it, ‘Then he gave them those who are Apostles, those who are Prophets…’

Thus it appears obvious to us that what Jesus gave, was men who had special gifts to build up the congregation, and we have translated the verses as shown above.

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