Chapter 1

¹ The message of life has been here since long ago. We've heard about it, seen it with our eyes, stared at it, and felt it with our hands. ² Yes, the life was on display… we've seen it, we're testifying to it, and we're reporting to you. Age-long life is with the Father and He showed this to us. ³ As the result, we're reporting what we've seen and heard to you, so we can also share in it with you. What's more, we're sharing with the Father and his Son, Jesus the Anointed One, ⁴ and now we're writing these things down so that our joy can be completed.

⁵ And the message that we heard from Him, which we want to announce to you is: God is light and there isn't any darkness in Him!

⁶ However, if we say that we're sharing something with Him and we just keep on walking in the darkness, we're lying, and we aren't doing what's right. ⁷ But if we're walking in the light (since He's in the light), we will share with each other, and then the blood of His Son Jesus will cleanse us of all our sins.

⁸ Now, if we say that we don't have any sins, we're misleading ourselves and there's no truth in us. ⁹ But if we admit our sins, He will forgive our sins and wash away all our unrighteousness, because He is faithful and righteous. ¹⁰ So, if we ever say that we haven't sinned, we're making Him out as a liar, and His words aren't in us.

Chapter 2

¹ My little children; I'm writing these things to you, in order to keep you from committing any sins. Yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have someone righteous who is our advocate with the Father, Jesus the Anointed One. ² He's the sacrifice that begs forgiveness for our sins… and not just for ours, but also for those of the whole world!

³ This is how we can be sure that we've come to know him: If we keep on obeying his commandments.

⁴ So, he who says, 'Now I know him,' but doesn't obey his commandments, is a liar and the truth isn't in him. ⁵ However, God's love has been made perfect in all those who really do what they're told to do. So, that's how we know whether we're in him. ⁶ For, whoever says he's in [Jesus] is obligated to keep walking in the way that he walked.

⁷ Loved ones; What I'm writing to you about here isn't a new commandment, it's an old commandment that you've had since the beginning. This old commandment is all the words that you've heard so far. ⁸ However, I'm also writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.

⁹ Now, whoever says that he's in the light, but dislikes his brother, has been in the darkness all along. ¹⁰ For, those who love their brothers are in the light, so they don't have to go stumbling about. ¹¹ However, he who dislikes his brother is still in darkness… he's walking around in the dark and doesn't have any idea where he's going, because the darkness has left him blind.

¹² I'm writing to those of you who are still boys, because your sins have been forgiven through his name.
¹³ I'm writing to those of you who are fathers, because you've come to know the one who is from long ago.
I'm writing to those of you who are young men, because you've conquered the wicked one.

I have written to you who are boys, because you've come to know the Father.
¹⁴ I have written to you who are fathers, because you've come to know the one who is from long ago.
I've written to you who are young men, because you are strong, God's Word is in you, and you've conquered the wicked one.

¹⁵ Don't love this system of things or anything in [it]. For, if anyone loves the system of things, there's no love of the Father in him. ¹⁶ Because, everything in this system of things – its fleshly desires, lusting after the things you can see, and trusting that you can provide for yourself – doesn't come from the Father, it comes from the world… ¹⁷ and the world with all its desires is passing away! However, he who does God's Will lives for the age.

¹⁸ Young children; It's the last hour. And just as you've heard, the Antichrist is coming. Why, right now there are many Antichrists; and that's how we know it's the last hour. ¹⁹ They left us, because they weren't like us; for if they had been like us, they would still be with us. But [they left], which is proof that they aren't like us.

²⁰ However, the Holy One has chosen you… but then, you all know that. ²¹ So, I'm not writing to you because you don't know the truth, but because you have known it. Why, lies don't come from the truth. ²² And who are the liars? It's those who deny that Jesus is the Anointed One. This is the Antichrist (gr. antichristos – anti-anointed): He who denies both the Father and the Son! ²³ For, whoever denies the Son [also denies] the Father. However, he who admits [to knowing] the Son also [admits to knowing] the Father.

²⁴ As for you; Hang onto the things that you heard long ago! For, if the things that you heard long ago stick with you, you will remain in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵ And this is what he has promised us: age-long life.

²⁶ Now, I'm writing this to you [in order to warn you] about those who are trying to lead you in the wrong direction. ²⁷ I realize that you don't need anyone to be teaching you, since the anointing that you received from him is still in you. His anointing is teaching you about everything… it's true and it doesn't lie. So, just as it taught you, remain in him.

²⁸ Little children; Stay within him, so that when he is revealed, we can be free to talk (and not be ashamed) when he arrives. ²⁹ If you recognize the fact that he's righteous, you'll realize that he has fathered everyone who does righteous things.

Chapter 3

¹ Look at the type of love that the Father has given us… to be called the children of God (which is what we are). And that's the reason why the world doesn't understand us… because they don't understand Him!

² Loved ones; Although we're the children of God, we haven't really been shown what we'll be yet. What we do know is that when [Jesus] is revealed, we'll be just like him, because we'll see him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has been given this hope purifies himself, as [Jesus] is pure. ⁴ However, all those who are sinning are breaking the law, so sin is lawlessness.

⁵ You know that he showed himself [in the flesh] for the purpose of taking away sins, and that he isn't a sinner. ⁶ So, no one who is in him will keep on sinning, for no one who continues to sin has seen him or come to know him.

⁷ Little children; Don't allow anyone to mislead you. Only those who do righteous things are righteous in the same way that he's righteous. ⁸ Those who are sinners come from the Slanderer, because the Slanderer has been sinning since ancient times. That's the reason why the Son of God was shown [in the flesh]; to eliminate the deeds of the Slanderer.

⁹ No one who has been fathered by God is a sinner, because [God's] seed is within him… so he can't keep sinning, because God has fathered him!

¹⁰ Now, it's easy to tell the children of God from the children of the Slanderer, because God didn't father those who aren't righteous and those who don't love their brothers. ¹¹ Why, from the earliest [days] you've heard the message that we should love each other. ¹² [We don't want to be] like Cain, who came from the wicked one and slaughtered his brother. And just why did he slaughter him? Because what his brother did was righteous, but what he did was wicked. ¹³ So brothers; Don't be surprised that the system of things hates you!

¹⁴ Because we love our brothers, we know that we've crossed over from death to life. However, those who don't love, stay dead. ¹⁵ For, whoever dislikes his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer will receive age-long life. ¹⁶ We know that we are loved, because [Jesus] gave his living body for us. As the result, we owe our very lives to our brothers.

¹⁷ So, how does God's love stay with a person who has the worldly means to provide, but when he sees that his brother is in need, doesn't feel pity for him? ¹⁸ Little children; Don't just love with words and tongues, but in reality, by doing [the things that are needed]; ¹⁹ for, that's how we'll know that we've been fathered by the truth!

Why, when we stand before Him, our hearts must be sure; ²⁰ because, if our hearts feel guilty, God is greater than our hearts and He knows all!

²¹ Loved ones; If our hearts don't hold anything to condemn us, we can speak freely to God. ²² Then we'll receive whatever we ask of Him, because we're obeying His commandments and doing the things that are pleasing in His eyes. ²³ And this is what He has commanded: We must have faith in the name of His Son, Jesus the Anointed, and [we must] love each other… just as He told us. ²⁴ For, whoever obeys His commandments is in Him and He's in them! And we know that He's in us by the Spirit (Breath) that He gave us.

Chapter 4

¹ Loved ones; Don't believe every inspiration, but prove whether the inspirations come from God; because, many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² You can tell whether an inspiration is from God by this: Every inspiration that speaks of Jesus the Anointed One as having come in the flesh, comes from God. ³ But any inspiration that doesn't speak of Jesus, doesn't come from God… it comes from the Antichrist, whom you heard would come into the world, and who is already here.

⁴ Little children; You were fathered by God and you've conquered them, because [He] who is in you is greater than the whole world! ⁵ Those who were fathered by this world talk about worldly things, and the world listens to them. ⁶ However, God fathered us; so those who know God, listen to us, while those who aren't from God don't listen to us… and that's how we can tell the true inspirations from the false inspirations.

⁷ Loved ones; Keep on loving each other, because love comes from God… and those who love, know God, because love comes from God! ⁸ But whoever doesn't love, doesn't know God, because God is love!

⁹ God showed His love for us by sending His one-and-only Son into this world, so that we could gain life through him. ¹⁰ This really is love, because, [back when] we didn't love God, He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to cover our sins.

¹¹ Loved ones; If this is how much God loves us, then we're obligated to love each other! ¹² Why, no one has ever seen God, but as long as we love each other, God is in us, and He's making His love perfect in us.

¹³ We know that we're in Him and He's in us because He has given us His Breath… ¹⁴ and we've seen and testified to the fact that the Father sent His Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵ For, whenever anyone admits that Jesus the Anointed One is God's Son, God is in him and he's in God. ¹⁶ And we've come to know and believe in the love that God has for us, because God is love, and whoever keeps on loving is in God and God is in him. ¹⁷ Love is being perfected in us, so we'll be able to speak freely in the Judgment Day. Yet, we can be just like Him while we're still in this system of things!

¹⁸ There isn't any fear in love, for perfect love throws fear outside… because fear implies [that we are afraid of] punishment. So, those who are afraid haven't perfected their love. ¹⁹ But as for us; We love because He loved us first!

²⁰ Now, if anyone says 'I love God,' and he still dislikes his brother, he's a liar! Because; If he doesn't love his brother whom he can see, he can't love God whom he hasn't seen. ²¹ For [God] gave us this commandment: 'Everyone who loves God should also love his brother!'

Chapter 5

¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Anointed One, has been fathered by God. And whoever loves He who fathered [him], also loves those whom He fathered.

² By this we show that we love the children of God: When we love The God and obey His commandments. ³ Yes, that's how you show your love for God: By obeying His commandments… and His commandments aren't hard to follow. ⁴ For, whatever has been fathered by God conquers the world; and the victor that conquers the world is our faith.

⁵ Who has conquered the world, other than those who have faith that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶ This is he who came through water and blood: Jesus the Anointed! No,not just through water, but through water and blood! And the Spirit testifies to this, for, the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ So, these three [things] are the witnesses: ⁸ the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three are in [unity].

⁹ Now, if we believe the testimony that men provide, then the testimony of God is even greater. And that's what God testified to as a witness on behalf of His son… ¹⁰ and whoever puts faith in the Son of God has the same witness given about him! But, whoever doesn't have faith in God makes Him out as a liar, because [such a person] hasn't trusted the testimony that God Himself testified to concerning His Son. ¹¹ And this is what He testified to: That God gave us age-long life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² So, whoever has the Son has the life. And whoever doesn't have God's Son doesn't have the life.

¹³ I'm writing all of this to you, so you'll know that those who have faith in the name of the Son of God have age-long life. ¹⁴ And we trust that no matter what we may ask for ourselves (as long as it's His will), He hears us. ¹⁵ So, if we know that He hears whatever we ask of Him, we know that we'll have the things we're asking for, because we asked Him.

¹⁶ Now, if anyone sees his brother committing a sin that isn't deadly, he can [speak to God] and give life to the one who is guilty of the sin, as long as it isn't deadly… but there are deadly sins. When it comes to such sins, I'm telling you not to ask for anything. ¹⁷ Of course, everything that is unrighteous is sin, but there are sins that aren't deadly.

¹⁸ We know that none of those who have been fathered by God continue to sin; for, having God as their Father will protect them, so the Wicked One can't touch them. ¹⁹ But, we know that we come from God and that the whole world is lying in [the power of] the wicked [one].

²⁰ We also know that the Son of God has come and that he has given us the understanding to know the truth… and that we are in the truth, through His son, Jesus the Anointed. This is the truth: God and age-long life!

²¹ Little children; Guard yourselves from the idols!

Notes

Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

Two words imply infinite states in the Bible; one is the Greek word athanasia (undying), which is only found in two places, 1 Corinthians 15:53, where it mentions resurrected ones as clothing themselves with immortality, and at 1 Timothy 6:16, where Paul speaks of Jesus alone as having it. The other Greek word is aidios, which is used at Romans 1:20 to describe God's Power and Might as eternal, and at Jude 6 when speaking of the perpetual state of gloomy darkness that rebellious angels have been confined to.

However, the Greek word aionos, which is used throughout the Bible in various conjugated forms and is often translated as eternal and forever, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age or era.

Where the singular form (aionos) is used, this appears to mean a period such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the plural form of the word (aiōnōn) is used, it refers to a longer time… at least multiple generations. Also, where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The 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 Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl. 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: 'Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?' Notice that aionos is also translated as world here in many Bibles, such as the KJ, and as system of things in other Bibles, such as the NWT. However, if the Apostles had meant any of those things, they would have used the Greek word cosmos (world or arrangement), not aionos.

You can see that 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 God's Temple in JeruSalem would be destroyed, because that's what Jesus was explaining to them.

Yet, there are instances when some forms of the word could imply forever, such as when we find it in the form aiōniŏn. This is an adjective in the singular case, which, when combined with the Greek word zoe (in its various forms) is usually translated in other Bibles as everlasting life. However, that isn't a totally-accurate description.

In the past, we had tried to reconcile the words zoe aiōniŏn as meaning, life in the age. However, the word age in this instance would not be an adjective, so we have recently chosen, in most cases where we find this word combination, to translate them more accurately as age-long life, which we will agree could mean everlasting life.

For more information, see the linked Scriptural Commentary, Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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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.

Especially in the book of John do we find the question raised, 'Was Jesus really the same person as The God?' This a question has been 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.' And in many Bibles, this text is translated as saying, 'I and my father are one.' Is this the true meaning of what Jesus said? Is Jesus 'one with' (the same as) the Father?

That could be a correct translation if the verse is pulled out of context. However, notice what Jesus said later on, as found at John 14:20: '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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Who are '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 before God, due to inherited (and their own) sins. Thus, the scriptures in Revelation Twenty appear to be speaking of people who are no longer physically dead (for they will have already been resurrected), that will stand before God and be judged either to age-long life, or to the permanent destruction of the 'lake of fire.'

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear as though 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, will have age-long life… he won't come into the judgment, for he has crossed over out of the death and into the life!'

And John wrote again at 1 John 3:14 'Because we love our brothers, we know that we've crossed over from death to life. However, those who don't love stay dead.'

So, it appears as though a person is no longer considered to be 'dead' by God, 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!'

Also, this appears to be the meaning of his words as found at John 6:54-56, where he said, 'For, if you chew my flesh and drink my blood, you will have life within yourselves, and then I'll resurrect you on the Last Day, because my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. Those who chew on my flesh and drink my blood will stay in me and I [will stay] in them.'

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Soul or?

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 thereafter crept into the Christian religions. Please see the Wikipedia definition 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. Therefore, the later 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. For 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 or His person.

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 or soul). Rather, be afraid of him who can destroy both the person (soul) 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 in this instance, 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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Judgment Day

Throughout the Bible, we read of a Judgment Day. Does this refer to some random time in the future when individuals will meet their own judgment, or to a specific 'day' (or period) when all will be judged?

At Matthew 10:15, for example, Jesus spoke of the 'hemera chriseos' (Day of Judgment or Crisis) and each of the succeeding references seems to be talking about this same 'day' or time. When will that period start? Well, it must be sometime after the 'great time of difficulty' (see Matthew 24:21), and following 'the war of the great day of the Almighty God' (see Revelation 16:14), because Jesus spoke of people being resurrected when he talked about the Judgment Day.

However, although Psalm 1:1 tells us that the irreverent, impious, or ungodly (gr. asebe) won't be raised in the Judgment, Paul said (at Acts 24:15) that both the righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected. So, how can we resolve this discrepancy?

Remember that the word unrighteous doesn't necessarily refer to those who are deliberately bad, but to those who simply aren't righteous. On the other hand, the irreverent are those who know of God and simply choose to disobey Him; and apparently, this is the reason why they are found unworthy of a resurrection. For more information, see the linked document What is Righteousness?

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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, and a wily person who does things just to serve his own interests. It was applied to the Evil One, because of his opposition to God. And so, to keep from misleading people into thinking of Satan 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, and bolos means throw (it's where we get the English words ball and bowl). So, Devil means one who throws through, which amounts to being a slanderer (using the Greek colloquialism), so that's the way it's translated herein.

· Lucifer: Lucifer is commonly thought of as another name for the Biblical Opposer. However, this word doesn't appear as a name in most translations of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James Version, at Isaiah 14:12, in which the King of Babylon is referred to as Lucifer, Son of the Morning. However, the original Hebrew words were: Helel ben Shahar or, Day/star, son/of the/dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan to Lucifer. Changing the description day star son of the dawn into a name (Lucifer) was done by Augustine, when he was translating the text in IsaiAh from the original Hebrew into Latin.

· BeelZebub: There are eight references in the Bible to this Hebrew noun, 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 spirit sons (messengers or angels 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).

The idea (which some religions have promoted) that the Slanderer isn't real, but only a state of mind, creates some conundrums. For example:

· When Jesus was being tempted in the desert, was he simply struggling with the bad within himself rather than against a real, evil personality? If so, we would have to conclude that there was bad in Jesus.

· Is the battle in heaven that is spoken of at Revelation the Twelfth Chapter to be just figurative, and not a real war against the Opposer and his messengers? If so, then in what sense would 'the Opposer' and his 'messengers' lose the battle and be confined to the earth? Also, why would this entity, if just 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 (as spoken of in 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), where 'a slanderer' had urged King David to take a census of Israel. 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) when the Bible was first translated into Greek. But the text seems to imply that a slanderer, not the Slanderer, had come to David. So, we don't really know if the text implies that the Evil One came to him personally, if it was just an evil spirit that came over or to him, or if some bad human had urged David to defy God and take a census of IsraEl.

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Who are God's '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:

· Because Christ has almost totally lost its meaning to most Bible readers today, and most have come to believe that 'Christ' was Jesus' last name. It wasn't.

· Because Christ is a 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 (anointing) 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 whom God chose to be kings or priests 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 Saul, David, and Solomon were Christs, for you can't have it both ways. As an example; look at the words that David spoke about Saul, as found at 1 Samuel 24:6 LXX): 'Kai eipin David pros tous andras autou: Medamos moi para kiriou ei poieso to hrema touto to kyrio mou to christo kyriou epenegkai cheira mou ep auton hoti christos kyriou estin autos,' or 'Said David to the men of/his: By/no/means of/me from the/Lord if I/should/do this thing to my/Lord to/the Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord to/raise my/hand against him, for the/Christ (Anointed) of/the/Lord this is.'

So as you can see; if Christos should be translated as Christ, then unrighteous King Saul was also Christ. However, almost all Bibles translate christos as anointed in this case (one of many instances).

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 on the earth' (Revelation 5:10).

Notice what can be learned from a proper understanding of the Greek words by looking at Matthew 24:24. For there, many Bibles say that Jesus foretold the coming of false Christs and false prophets. But 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. For more information, see the linked document, False Anointed and False Prophets.

Another example of the poor use of the title Christ (implying Jesus) by Bible translators can be found at 1 Peter 1:10, 11, which reads in this Bible: 'When it comes to salvation, the Prophets looked and searched for this loving-care that's being shown to you. They tried, through the spirit of anointing that was in them, to determine the exact time and circumstances of the sufferings of the Anointed One and of his being glorified, which they knew about even back then.'

Other Bible say that it was the Spirit of Christ that was in the ancient Prophets. However, as we pointed out above, Jesus didn't become the Christ or the Anointed until after his baptism.

So, what Peter was saying in those verses, is that those ancient Prophets tried through the power of God's Breath which had anointed them to be Prophets, to determine the time and circumstances of the glorification of Jesus. For, if you check the wording of those verses in Greek, you'll see that there is no definite article preceding the first christou (anointed), which would be required if it was saying that the Spirit of the Christ (or the Anointed One) was in them.

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Who Are the Antichrists?

Who are the antichrists? As John said (at 1 John 2:22), 'This is the Antichrist: He who denies both the Father and the Son.'

Apparently, by the turn of the Second Century C.E., there were people in the Christian congregation (probably more Judaizers) who were denying that there ever was a Jesus, or possibly denying that he was the Chosen One of God. And as John said (at 1 John 2:23), 'Whoever denies the Son [also denies] the Father.'

Such a denial of Jesus amounted to an unforgivable sin against God's Holy Breath, because it was God's Breath that had testified to who Jesus was. So, this was a very serious matter. In fact, it was so serious that John told Christians not to even talk to such people – to treat them as though they were dead – because, what they were saying truly condemned them.

Popular modern tradition has it that the antichrist is a single person, group, or entity that will come in the last days. However, notice how this idea is proven false by the words of 1 John 2:18, which read: 'Young children; It's the last hour. And just as you've heard, the Antichrist is coming. Why, right now there are many Antichrists; and that's how we know it's the last hour. They left us, because they weren't like us; for if they had been like us, they would still be with us.'

Then John again gave the same identification at 2 John 1:7, where he wrote: 'Many have strayed [back] into the world and won't admit that Jesus the Anointed One came in the flesh. And these who have strayed are the AntiChrists.'

So, modern beliefs about the antichrist reflect a lack of Bible reading.

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Who Was John, the Apostle?

John (who wrote the Bible books of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation) was apparently one of Jesus' earliest followers. And although many Bible critics and commentators have pointed out that John my not have written the books attributed to him (because of language and style differences), remember that; when he did his writing he was almost 100 years old, so like Paul, he likely used others as secretaries to do the actual writing, and this would explain the variations in writing styles.

John and his brother James, whom Jesus had appointed to be his Apostles (or Sent Ones), were Galileans (considered 'country bumpkins' by people in Judea) who worked as fishermen for their father in a business that seemed to be co-owned by Peter (Simon).

Some Bible critics have describe John as a laid-back dreamer. However, notice that Jesus referred to him and his brother as 'the Sons of Thunder' (at Mark 3:17). So this common view of John's passive personality doesn't seem to be well founded.

It is interesting that John appears to have been known and liked by the Jewish Chief Priest, CaiAphas. For, notice what the account at John 18:15, 16 tells us, 'Now, Simon Peter (and another disciple) followed Jesus. The Chief Priest was familiar with that disciple, so he went into the High Priest's courtyard along with Jesus, but Peter stood outside at the door. Then the disciple who knew the High Priest went outside and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.'

So, many of the things that happened and were said inside the Chief Priest's house (as well as in the palaces of Pilate and Herod after Jesus' arrest) seem to have come to us as the result of John being there and serving as an eyewitness. Therefore, Peter wasn't the only disciple who stayed with Jesus after his arrest.

So, why was John (a disciple of Jesus) allowed into this important meeting? It appears as though John was a relative of the High Priest, for Acts 4:5, 6 tells us: 'Then the next day, they held a meeting in JeruSalem that included the rulers, elders, and Scribes, as well as AnNas the Chief Priest, CaiAphas, John, Alexander, and all the rest of the Chief Priest's relatives.'

It's a fact that; whenever Peter and John were together, as when they stood before the Jewish High Court, Peter did most of the talking. However, this doesn't appear to have happened because Peter outranked John in the Congregation, or because John was tongue-tied or shy. Rather, it seems as though John deferred to Peter because he was older, and a friend and his father's business partner. You will notice that later on, John, Peter, and James (not John's brother, who was an early Christian martyr, but James the half-brother of Jesus and the writer of the book of James) were referred to by Paul as the 'pillars' of the early Christian Congregation in JeruSalem. And thereafter, James served as the spokesman for the three, when the matter of circumcising the gentiles had to be decided.

As Jesus prophesied, John appears to have lived the longest of all the Apostles, dying at around the age of 100, either by execution or as the result of old age, or poor health (from his long stay in an ancient prison). And it was shortly before his death that he did all his writing. So, the book of John is quite different in its format from the Gospels of Mark and Luke, which seem to be more based on and influenced by the book of Matthew.

For this reason, the Gospel of John provides us a far greater insight into who Jesus actually was and the things that he thought and did. John was obviously very impressed with the privilege he had of being 'the loved Apostle' of the most important individual who ever walked this earth, and of the privilege that he and others would have of becoming 'one' with Jesus and his Father in heaven. So, the opening words of the book of John reflect that awe, as he poetically tried to impress us with the full meaning of who Jesus actually was in his pre-human life as 'the one-and-only' son of God.

John's three epistles (letters) were written to congregations to warn of the dangers that they were facing from within. This is because 'the great turning away' that Paul foretold was already in progress. For, 'Christians' were starting to deny that Jesus was the 'Promised One,' or perhaps that there ever was a Jesus. So, John labeled them as the 'Antichrists,' and he told Christians not to have anything to do with such individuals.

In John's book of Revelation, he recorded a vision of 'the Lord's Day,' which he received from God through Jesus. And although some critics have concluded that this was some sort of hallucination, the Revelation provides a fitting climax to the entire Bible by bringing together the four mysterious characters mentioned in the first Bible prophecy (Genesis 3:16) about the snake, its seed, the woman, and her seed. There it fills in all the gray areas as to who each of these individuals would prove to be, and it shows the full meaning of the roles they will play in God's purposes. Far from a hallucination, the Revelation explains in detail what is really happening to us today, what will soon happen, and what hope there is for all obedient mankind. For more information, see the linked document, The Seed - God's Kingdom.

We have noted that some 'Bible scholars' have concluded that there were actually three Johns who wrote the Bible books… one who wrote the book of John, one who wrote the epistles, and a third one who wrote the Revelation. Part of the reason for this conclusion is that John didn't identify himself by name in the books bearing his name, but he uses his name frequently in the Revelation. However, certain common words that are used in each of the writings clearly identify John as their author, and they show that each of the works were written at about the same time. The unique description of Jesus as the Word at John 1:1 and Revelation 19:13, ties both of those writings to the same John. And the number of similar words and phrases between the book of John and his epistles are too numerous to discuss here. So, there was definitely only one Bible writer named John.

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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've been praised by my Father, inherit the Kingdom that's been prepared for you from the founding of the arrangement.'

In Greek, the words we have translated as founding of the arrangement are katabole kosmou. You may recognize that the English word cosmos is a derivative of kosmou. And cosmos is the word that modern peoples usually use when referring to the universe today. So, why have we translated it as arrangement, and what is meant by the term, founding of the arrangement?

Actually, the closest English meaning of Greek word kosmos is arrangement. For example, when Paul urged Christian women to dress modestly, he used the word kosmos to describe well-arranged clothing. However, in other Bibles kosmos is usually translated as world.

Although it has been said that the word world doesn't appear at all in the Hebrew texts of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (OT), the word kosmos does appear there several times in the Greek Septuagint. The reason why some say that world (or kosmos) doesn't appear there, is because the equivalent Hebrew word (te·vel) is often 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 kosmos appears several times, it is usually translated as world… as in the world of Noah, the light of the world, the field is the world, etc. However, there are some fifteen definitions given to the word world in English dictionaries, and most don't carry the same meaning as the Greek word. So, world is a poor choice when translating kosmos. For example: kosmos never seems to apply to the earth (which is how we often think of it). Rather, it often applies to the arrangement or situation of human society… system of things might be a better word choice.

Actually, two different Greek words are often translated as world in the Septuagint, kosmos and oichonomeo; and oichonomeo does appear to refer to the earth, because it means the habitation, or, the place where [man] dwells. So the Greek text clearly delineates the two meanings, which are both commonly translated as world in other Bibles.

Notice how the word kosmos was used by Paul at Romans 5:12, 'Sin entered the arrangement (kosmos) through one man, and this sin resulted in death. So, death spread to all men and everyone has sinned.'

Thus, 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 for 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 (or kosmos) in a negative context, and that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

Yet, the Scriptures also indicate that the present worldly arrangement or system of things began after the Downpour of Noah's day, and that Noah had inherited the arrangement 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 arrangement (or 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 arrangement. Yet, He guarded Noah (who was a preacher of righteousness) along with seven others, when He brought a downpour on a system (kosmos or world) of godless people.'

So, apparently there have been at least two different worlds or arrangements; the one that Noah inherited and which started before the Downpour, followed by the second arrangement or system of things that we are now living in, which will also be destroyed. For, we read at 1 John 2:17, 'The system (kosmos) with all its desires is passing away, but he who does God's Will lives for the age.' And Romans 4:13 says, 'AbraHam and his seed weren't given the promise of inheriting the arrangement because of the Law, but because of his righteousness, which came from his faith!'

Thus (from the above), we may conclude that: What Jesus said about the Kingdom having been prepared for the sheep since the founding of the arrangement could 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.

However, the words of Revelation 13:8 could indicated that a third world began with the death of Jesus. For, there it says concerning him: 'he who had been slaughtered from the founding of the arrangement' (gr. esphagmenou apo kataboles kosmou or, who/was/slaughtered from foundation – or down-throw – cosmos). Therefore, we could be living in an entirely new world, arrangement, or system of things since the time of Jesus' death. And if so, then what Jesus may have been foretelling at Matthew 25:34, is that people would start being selected as 'Kingdom inheritors' after his death, or after the latest 'founding (or down-throwing) of the world.'

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Hate, Dislike, or Care Less for?

The Greek word meso means middle (as in the English term, meso soprano). However, it is often translated as middle, midst, among, and HATE in other Bibles. Obviously, hate (an extreme emotion) isn't conveyed by the word middle, which simply means less. For that reason, the word is translated as dislike (or the equivalent) herein, when it refers to the emotion.

Advocate, Helper, Comforter, or Savior?

The Greek word ParaCletos (pronounced: para-clay-toss), as found at John 16:7, has been translated many ways, and we aren't implying that these translations are wrong. However, the two words that make up this single combined word are para (next to) and cletos (caller), so this combination of words appears to refer to an entity that stands next to us and calls out to God on our behalf. An online search for other meanings of ParaCletos turned up the word Lawyer, which implies someone who represents us legally, but we have chosen to translate it as Advocate there, as we also did at 1 John 2:1, 2.

Another view of the meaning of ParaCletos comes from an Aramaic translator, who claims that the word is of Aramaic origin, and means Savior, or, Another Savior. And we will allow that this quite different translation could be correct, because we know that Jesus likely spoke Aramaic to his Jewish disciples.

One argument that we found online, presented Jesus as being the ParaCletos, because he was called the paraclete at 1 John 2:1, 2. However, the words of Jesus himself at John 16:7 seem to dispel that theory, for he said: 'For, if I didn't go away, the Advocate wouldn't come to you. But if I go, I'll send him to you.' In Greek this reads: 'εαν γαρ μη απελθω ο παρακλητος ου μη ελθη προς υμας εαν δε πορευθω πεμψω αυτον προς υμας,' or (literally), 'if/ever for not I/should/go/off the ParaCletos not not would/come toward you. If/ever but I/should/go I/shall/send him toward you.' And if Jesus was the ParaCletos, he would simply have said, 'I will come to you.'

Therefore, we have assumed that the reference to Jesus being the ParaCletos in First John was not implying that Jesus was the Holy Spirit, but this is a simple reference to the fact that Jesus is also our advocate before God.

Of course, much has been made of Jesus' use of the personal pronoun him, when speaking of the ParaCletos or the Holy Spirit. This is because Trinitarians, in an attempt to tie him (or it) into a triune relationship with God and Jesus, like to speak of the ParaCletos as a person. So, the use of the word him here is a hotly-debated topic.

Then, what is the ParaCletos? It appears to be the Breath (or Spirit) of Jesus, and the power that makes faithful Christian one with him. We have concluded this from Paul's words at Romans 8:9, 10, where he wrote: 'However, if God's Breath lives in us, we aren't fleshly but spiritual… and whoever doesn't have the Spirit of the Anointed One doesn't belong to him. So, if the Anointed One is in you, your body is indeed dead through sin, but the spirit is alive through righteousness.'

So, since Jesus' Apostles already had God's Spirit or Breath, as did many other ancient faithful Prophets and leaders, we must assume that this Advocate (ParaCletos), which arrived on Pentecost of 33-C.E. was the Spirit of Jesus, and that it performed in an even more powerful way on behalf of early Christians, literally calling out to God on their behalf, and making them one with Jesus. However, at Acts 1:4, this Spirit or Breath was said to have come from the Father.

But then, Jesus gave a further description of this special Spirit at John 14:16, where he called it the Spirit of Truth. And at Acts 1:5, Jesus said that his disciples would be baptized in it. So, similar to the visible outpouring of God's Spirit or Breath on Jesus at his baptism (which appears to be the point of his anointing and receiving special powers), the outpouring of Holy Spirit on Pentecost appears to be the point where the disciples were anointed, given special powers, and it is when they were born from above (John 3:3).

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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.

In the Bible, the most common use of the word pneuma is to convey the idea of a force that can't be seen, such as breath or wind. And the problem with translating it as spirit or ghost, is that those words have been given religious meanings that aren't implied by the Greek texts.

Therefore, 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 appears to mean more than just breathing, for it seems to refer 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, not to a person or to an unseen force. He was talking about that which comes from God and which caused him (Job) to breathe… the Breath of Life.

It is interesting that at Genesis 6:3, God said concerning the wicked people on earth before the Downpour: 'I won't allow My Breath to stay with these men through 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 to Adam. So it appears as though what God 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 linked document, '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 gave up the breath' (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to 'the breath of life,' or that force which gave him life as a human.

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1 John 5:7, 8

In other Bibles, 1 John 5:7, 8 reads, 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.' However, Bible manuscripts that were written prior to the Eleventh Century C.E (A.D.) read quite differently. So, it appears as though someone who wanted to provide scriptural backing to the Trinity doctrine changed this verse about 1,000 years after John penned it.

As you can see from the context of John the Fifth Chapter, the three witness-bearers of Jesus are the water (baptism), the Breath (Gr. pneuma – the Breath of God), and the (his shed) blood. Changing the water, the Breath, and the blood to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost would make the rest of what John wrote illogical; so that rendering is obviously spurious (words that were added to the Bible in the 11th Century C.E.). For more information, see how these words are translated in other Bibles.

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