From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians

Chapter 1

¹ After Israel was captured and Jerusalem was desolated, Jeremiah sat down and cried, wailing this lamentation over Jerusalem:

O how that city, once filled with people, now must sit all alone; among the nations she [sits as] a widow; she is now ruled and [pays] tribute.

² She cried and wept all through the night, as tears rolled down her cheeks; for no one is left to offer her comfort, among all those who once loved her. Those who cared have now left her, and her enemies they have become.

³ Judea [now knows] humiliation, for [all her people] were [removed], and she has become just a slave. Now she finds no way to rest, because she [belongs to] the nations. Yes, all those who chased her have caught her, and [she lives] among those who oppress her.

⁴ The roads to Zion now mourn, for none come to celebrate her feasts. All of her gates have been broken… all her Priests are now groaning, and all her virgins are captives; so inside herself she is bitter.

⁵ Now her head is those who opposed her, for by her enemies [she has been conquered]. By Jehovah she has been humbled, for all the irreverence within her. Her young were led out as captives, before all those who oppressed her.

⁶ The daughters of Zion (her beauty) are gone, [and others now serve as] their rulers. As rams without pasture they left without strength, in front of those who pursued them.

⁷ She remembers her days of humiliation, and she is repulsed [by the thought]. All her beautiful things [are now gone] – the things that she had from ancient times – when her people fell into the hands of oppressors, and no one came to their aid. Then her enemies laughed when they saw them displaced.

⁸ Because Jerusalem had sinned, she was allowed to be battered. She was humbled by those whom she [loved], for they saw how indecent she was. So, now she [just sits and] moans, and all she does is look back.

⁹ Her filth lies there at her feet, for she forgot how things would have to work out. So, she has now been brought down, and there’s no place where she can find comfort. [She cries]: Behold my humiliation, O Lord, for my enemies are now [those who rule me]!

¹⁰ He who oppressed her has spread out his hand, upon her desirable things. She watched as the nations entered her [Temple]… those who I said should not enter, among the assembly [of My people].

¹¹ Now all of her people are groaning, because they are searching for bread. Her desirable things they’ve traded for food, in order to save their own lives. Look upon this O Jehovah, for she has now been disgraced!

¹² All those who draw close and turn to Your way, will see if there’s pain like the pain that I feel. I’ve been humbled by He who’s speaking to me… the Lord in the day of His rage.

¹³ From out of the heights He sent fire! Upon my bones He sent it all down, then He opened and spread out a net for my feet. He turned me back and made me retreat. Throughout the rest of my days, He’s appointed me into hiding, because of all of my grief.

¹⁴ He was aware of my godless deeds, for they were close to my hands, and then they [crawled] up my neck. So all of my strength has now left me, for the Lord has put grief in my hands, and I am unable to stand.

¹⁵ All my strong men are gone, because Jehovah has left me. For, the time arrived when He came to visit, and to break my best men. Yes, Jehovah has trodden the winepress, of the virgin daughter of Judea.

¹⁶ It’s over such things that I weep, and my eyes are now filled up with tears. Because, those who would offer me comfort (those who would bring back my life), are now so very far away. For all of my sons are now gone, and by my enemies I have been conquered.

¹⁷ Zion has opened and spread out her hands, but there is no one to offer her comfort. For, Jehovah gave warning to Jacob, that he’d be encircled by those who’d oppress him. Jerusalem was to be a woman set apart, from all the [nations] that are unclean, as she was to live in their midst.

¹⁸ Jehovah is righteous because, it is I who made His mouth bitter. So, hear all you peoples and look at my pain… all my virgins and young men are gone… they’ve been taken as captives!

¹⁹ I called to my lovers but they all misled me… my priests and the elders of my city have failed, for they just sought food for themselves, so they could save their own lives.

²⁰ Behold, O Lord, how afflicted I am! My stomach is upset and my heart is rolling within me. I have become very bitter, for the sword has left me no children… it’s as though there is death in my house.

²¹ Listen indeed to my moaning, and there’s no one to offer me comfort. For my enemies have heard of my badness, and they rejoice at the things that You’ve done. But, You’ll bring the day and the time, when like me, they will become.

²² May the evils before You come upon them… glean them as they’ve gleaned me for my sins! For, [they are the cause] of my moaning, and the concern in my heart.

Chapter 2

¹ O how dark is the rage of the Lord, when it came to the daughter of Zion. From the sky He tossed Israel’s glory, onto [the face of] the earth… He forgot the stool for His feet, in the day of His rage.

² [He] didn’t hold back, nor did He spare, Jacob’s beautiful things. In His rage He demolished all of the forts, of the daughter of Judah. He cut her down to the ground, and profaned her rulers and king.

³ He broke them to pieces in anger and rage… taking all of Israel’s strength… He turned His hand from the enemy’s face, and then He lit Jacob ablaze, and consumed all the things round-about her.

⁴ As an enemy He stretched tight His bow; as an opponent he stiffened His hand, and destroyed all the desires of my eyes, inside the Tent of the daughter of Zion… He poured out the flames of His rage.

⁵ Like an enemy Jehovah became… He sunk Israel and all its palatial homes, and He destroyed all its forts (those of the daughter of Judah). He multiplied those who did humbling, as well as those being humbled.

⁶ He opened and spread out His Tent like a grapevine; He corrupted His holiday feasts; Jehovah forgot all the things He’d appointed for Zion… the holiday feasts and the Sabbaths. It was because [we had] provoked Him, that He threatened the king and the priests in His rage.

⁷ [He] thrust away His own Altar; His Holy Place He brushed aside; by the hand of the enemy, her palace walls have been broken, with a crash [that was heard] in [His Temple], as though it were a holiday feast.

⁸ Jehovah made plans to ruin the walls, of the daughter of Zion. First He stretched out His ruler, and He didn’t stay His hand from the trampling. So, there was mourning around all the walls, for all the walls were destroyed.

⁹ Her gates were cut to the ground; He broke and destroyed the bars for her gates. Now her king and her rulers, are scattered among all the nations, where there is no longer Law, and prophets no longer see visions.

¹⁰ They sat on the ground and kept silent – the elders of the daughter of Zion – throwing dust on their heads, and they were putting on sackcloth, as in Jerusalem the heads of her virgins, were being pushed to the ground.

¹¹ Then the tears in my eyes even failed, because my heart was so very disturbed. My glory was poured to the ground, over the destruction of the daughters, and the [murder] of babies and their nursing mothers, in the squares of the city.

¹² For, they asked the mothers, ‘Where is the grain and wine?’ while they were as weak as the wounded. Then in the city squares they poured out the lives, [of babies] on the breasts of their mothers.

¹³ What more can I say, O daughter of Jerusalem; to what can you be compared? Who can now come and save you, O virgin daughter of Zion? The cup of destruction was widened for you, so who can bring healing to you?

¹⁴ Your prophets saw all your folly, but refused to uncover your sins, and from captivity turn you. Yet, they were concerned over your foolish ways, and saw how you had to be purged.

¹⁵ Now, all clap their hands as they’re passing, and shake their heads as they whistle, over the daughter of Jerusalem. They ask: ‘Isn’t she the city that was called glory’s crown… the joy of the whole earth?’

¹⁶ Your enemies opened their mouths, then they whistled and ground their teeth. They said: ‘Now we have swallowed her down, and this is the day we expected to do it… we found it and [then made it happen]!’

¹⁷ Jehovah did what He’d thought of… He finished the things that He said He would do… the instructions He gave long ago. He didn’t spare… He demolished! He made the enemy glad over you, and lifted the horn of those who attacked you!

¹⁸ Their hearts yelled out to Jehovah, ‘O tear down all Zion’s walls; let them stream tears day and night! Don’t allow them to sober, or the pupils of their eyes to remain still!’

¹⁹ During the night, awaken and think… at the start of each watch, pour out your hearts, before the face of Jehovah! Raise your hands up before Him, on behalf of your starving infants, who are on each corner of your streets!

²⁰ Behold, O Lord… see what You’ve gleaned! Shall the women eat the fruit of their bellies… shall the babies be murdered as they’re nursing on breasts… will you kill the priests and the prophets, inside Jehovah’s Holy Place?

²¹ Young boys go to bed in the streets, along with old men and virgins. My young men were all taken captives… You killed them with broadswords and famine, for on the day of Your rage, You slashed and You have spared none.

²² As a festival day (as no other day), You called to all who were living around us. Then, no one was saved from the Lord’s rage… there were none left behind… [You] won and my enemies became filled.

Chapter 3

¹ I am a man who is helpless, for the rod of His rage is upon me. ² He took me and led me away, into the darkness (not into light). ³ Throughout the day, against me He’s turned His hand. ⁴ My flesh and my skin He’s made old; He has broken [all of] my bones; ⁵ Against me He’s built [a wall], and encircled my head with great trouble. ⁶ Inside a dark place He has put me, as though I were dead through the ages.

⁷ He’s built against me so I can’t escape; He’s weighed me down with brass chains. ⁸ And though I cry out and yell, He has shut out of my prayers… ⁹ He’s blocked all my ways and my roads.

¹⁰ He’s a bear that is lying in wait, and a lion in hiding. ¹¹ When I rebelled He chased after me, and caused me to no longer be… He established me to be wiped away. ¹² He has stretched tight His bow, and set me on a stone as His target.

¹³ Poison to my kidneys He’s brought from His quiver, ¹⁴ and He made me a reason for laughter… a psalm throughout the whole day. ¹⁵ With bitterness He has now filled me, and bile He gave me to drink.

¹⁶ With a small rock He knocked out my teeth, and gave me ashes to eat. ¹⁷ He pushed away peace from my life, so I forgot all the good things. ¹⁸ I said that my victory had perished, as well as my hope in the Lord.

¹⁹ And then I remembered, that despite the state I was in (yes, despite my persecution, bitterness, and bile), ²⁰ I will not be forgotten; yes, my life will continue… ²¹ this is [the thought] that I’ve kept in my heart, and the reason why I keep on waiting.

²² The mercies of Jehovah never end, nor have His compassions ever failed. ²³ For, each morning they are renewed, and upon Him you can rely. ²⁴ ‘My portion is Jehovah,’ said my soul, ‘and because of this, I’ll wait upon Him [to take action].’

²⁵ Jehovah is good to all those who wait, and search for Him with their whole souls.

NOTE: The following verses do not appear in Hebrew texts, but they seem to include a Messianic prophecy (if they are authentic).

²⁶ It’s good [for us] to be still, and await the salvation of Jehovah. ²⁷ And it’s also good for a man, to carry his yoke from his youth. ²⁸ He will sit all alone, and be quiet as he carries his load… ²⁹ he’ll put his mouth to the dust, and believe that there is still hope.

³⁰ To the one who slaps him he’ll turn the other cheek, and he’ll accept all their scorn. ³¹ For [in his heart] he knows that Jehovah, won’t push [him] away through the ages.

³² He feels pity for the humble, in the abundance of his mercy. ³³ Harsh answers will never come from his heart, when sons of men are humbled by him. ³⁴ For, under his feet he has humbled, all the prisoners of the earth. ³⁵ And he’s turned aside the judgment of man, from before [God’s] face in the heights. ³⁶ For, Jehovah never said that He’d bring, condemnation on all of mankind. ³⁷ Who said such a thing, and could it come to pass, without Jehovah saying that it’s so?

³⁸ From out of His mouth in the heights, comes both the bad and the good. ³⁹ So, why do living men grumble, at another concerning his sins?

⁴⁰ Our ways are stretched and examined, so we should turn to Jehovah. ⁴¹ We should lift our hearts with our hands, to the Most High in heaven. ⁴² For we are irreverent sinners, and this You haven’t forgiven, ⁴³ so we’ve been wrapped in Your rage.

We turned, so You sent us away… You killed and You haven’t spared. ⁴⁴ Then You wrapped Yourself in a cloud, and closed Your eyes to our prayers… ⁴⁵ and You pushed us away.

⁴⁶ So, against us our enemies [shouted], ⁴⁷ and we became fearful and stunned… then destruction and devastation came on us. ⁴⁸ So, tears have poured from my eyes, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

⁴⁹ I’ll [drink the tears] from my eyes, and not be quiet or restrained, ⁵⁰ until the time that I can look through, and see Jehovah in the heavens… ⁵¹ yes, my eyes will look on my life in great rage, for [what’s happened to] the daughters of my city.

⁵² My enemies are free to hunt me like sparrows; ⁵³ they’ve ended my life and tossed me into a grave, then covered it over with a stone. ⁵⁴ [Soon] water dripped down on my head, and I said: ‘I’ve been just thrown away.’ ⁵⁵ So, I called on Your Name, O Jehovah, from out of the lowest of pits.

⁵⁶ [Please] do not hide Your ears, for You’ve heard my voice and the things that I’ve begged. ⁵⁷ Then You came to my aid in the day that I called, and You told me, ‘Don’t be afraid!’

⁵⁸ O Lord; You forgave the [bad] that my life deserved, and then You ransomed my soul. ⁵⁹ You saw my disturbance, O Lord, and then You [examined] my case. ⁶⁰ You beheld all their vengeance against me, and all the plans that they plotted. ⁶¹ You have heard all their scorn, and saw their devices against me… ⁶² the lips of those who were rising against me, and the things that they thought throughout the whole day. ⁶³ Yes, when they sit down and when they arise, You can see it through their eyes!

⁶⁴ O Lord; You will pay them what they deserve, according to the works of their hands. ⁶⁵ Curse them for all the trouble they’ve caused, ⁶⁶ then pursue them in rage and remove them, from under the sky, O Jehovah.

Chapter 4

¹ O how the gold’s lost its luster, and all the silver is dull, for the [Temple’s] holy stones were tossed in the streets. ² Because the sons of Zion esteemed, and gained all their courage from gold, they’re considered as earthenware pots… works of the hands of the potter.

³ Then beasts stripped their cubs from nursing breasts, and the daughters of my people were ever lost, like sparrows that are lost in the desert.

⁴ The tongues of the nursing stuck to the breasts, so their thirst could be quenched. And infants cried out for bread, but it was all snatched away.

⁵ Those who once ate the best foods, have had it all taken away, and those who were raised wearing purple, were found in the streets embracing manure. ⁶ For, the lawlessness of the daughter of my people, was greater than the lawlessness of Sodom (the place that was wiped away, and which no one tried to prevent).

⁷ Her Nazarites were once [whiter] than snow… they radiated and were whiter than milk… they were better than pieces of sapphire. ⁸ But then their appearance got darker than soot… they couldn’t be recognized in the streets. Their skin then stuck to their bones, and they were dried up like wood.

⁹ It was better for those who were killed by the sword, than for those who were pierced by starvation… in want of the produce of the fields. ¹⁰ For the hands of women [who were known for their] pity, then boiled their own children as food. In the destruction of the daughter of my people, ¹¹ as Jehovah completed His rage… as He poured out the rage of His anger. He lit a fire throughout Zion, and it consumed her foundations.

¹² The kings of the earth could not believe it (all those who were living at that time), that an enemy could enter Jerusalem’s gates, and bring so much devastation.

¹³ It [came] because of the sins of her prophets, as well as the failures of her priests, and the shedding of innocent blood in her midst. ¹⁴ So, in her streets her watchmen were shaken, for they were then [spattered] with blood, and they were unable to stop this, for the clothes that they wore had to touch it.

¹⁵ Men shout: ‘Get away… get away… for you are unclean! Get away… get away… don’t touch them!’ And when they flee and wander about, the ethnics say ‘You can’t stay here!’

Shout it aloud among all the nations: ‘No way should you want to go there! ¹⁶ For, their portion was the person of Jehovah, but He didn’t look [with favor] upon them, for they showed no respect for their Priests, and on their elders they showed no mercy.’

¹⁷ Our eyes had failed as we searched for aid, and they offered no aid as they watched us; for they watched a nation with no one to save them.

¹⁸ Stay away from our city squares, for they are hunting our small ones. Yes, our time has approached; all our days are all fulfilled; and our end is now close at hand!

¹⁹ Those who pursued us were more agile, than eagles on mountains in the sky… they sat and waited for us, from high perches in the desert.

²⁰ Jehovah’s Anointed, our very life’s breath… for our corruption our Lord was then seized… he about whom we said, Among the nations we’ll live in his shadow.

²¹ ‘So, rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, she who lives within the land of Uz! Yet, you too will go into the cup of the Lord, where you will get drunk and be poured out.’

²² O daughter of Zion; Your lawless acts have now vanished, and to the place you were taken, He will not go. And you, O daughter of Edom; He’s also seen your lawless deeds, and revealed your impious actions.

Chapter 5

¹ Remember, O Jehovah, what has happened to us! Look down upon us and see all our scorn! ² Our inheritance was [given] to alien peoples, and our houses were given to strangers.

³ We don’t have a father, so we are now orphans, and all of our mothers are widows. ⁴ Thus, now we must pay for water, and we must barter for wood.

⁵ Close on our [heels] we were pursued; we had no rest and were tired. ⁶ So, to Egypt we held out our hands, and to the abundance of Assyria.

⁷ Our fathers had sinned and no longer exist; they paid the penalty of breaking the Law. ⁸ As the result, we’re now slaves, and we have no one to redeem us. ⁹ We carry bread at the risk of our lives, before the broadsword in the desert. ¹⁰ Our skin is as dark as though baked in an oven, and it has shriveled from famine.

¹¹ They’ve degraded the women of Zion, and the virgins in the cities of Judah. ¹² Rulers were hung by their hands, and the elders could no longer be recognized.

¹³ The chosen men have taken to weeping, and from carrying wood their young men are weak. ¹⁴ Their old men no longer sit at the gates, and the chosen stopped singing their songs. ¹⁵ The joy and dance in our hearts turned to mourning, ¹⁶ and because of our sins, the crowns of our heads turned to woe… ¹⁷ the grief in our hearts is more grievous; and all our eyes are now dark.

¹⁸ Mount Zion has been destroyed, as though foxes ran through it. ¹⁹ But You, O Jehovah, live through the ages… through generations of generations Your throne still exists.

²⁰ Why have You forgotten to bring victory? Will You forsake us through the rest of our days? ²¹ Turn back to us, O Jehovah, and then we’ll return and make our days new, as they were long ago!

²² We were pushed away and rejected by You, for You were provoked to great rage.

Notes

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 link 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.

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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The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?

In both the Ancient Scriptures of Israel (OT) and the Christian Era Scriptures (NT), we find all the realm of creation divided into three entities; the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (the waters). Now, in contemporary English, we understand that there is a difference between the heavens and the sky, the earth and the land (or ground), and the seas and waters. However, in both Hebrew and Greek, these fine distinctions that we accept because of our modern technology, can’t be found. So, Genesis 1:1 could literally be translated as, ‘In the beginning, God created the sky and the ground.’

This is accurate, because it was the view of man from the earth. There was the land that he stood on, the sky above him, and the waters or seas over there. There was no technical understanding of the earth as a planet, because men didn’t view the earth as we do today, as a ball in space… it just wasn’t necessary at the time! However, because of these distinctions that we understand so well today, translators must choose the proper words to provide the right nuances in English, in order for readers to grasp the proper meaning of each text.

This is why you’ll find the Greek word ourano translated as both heaven(s) and sky herein, depending on the context. You’ll also find the Greek words ge and ges translated as earth, ground, or land, depending on the context. So, the symbolic words at 2 Peter 3:5, 6, for example, are translated herein as, ‘The thing that they don’t want to understand is this: That the ancient earth and sky were out of the water, but (in obedience to God’s instructions) they stood together between the waters.’ (For an example of the problems created by the wrong use of the words ge and ges, see the linked document Isaiah 24 - Is It Speaking of Armageddon?).

Notice that the ‘earth and sky’ were located ‘between the water.’ So, although other Bibles translated this verse as speaking of the ‘heavens and earth,’ the reference is to the portion of the heavens that are close to the earth… to the sky. Likewise, at Matthew 5:5, where Jesus spoke of the ‘meek’ as inheriting ‘the earth; since he was talking about people receiving an ‘allotment’ on the earth,’ we have chosen to translate ges as earth, not land or ground. However, the words land and ground are equally correct.

And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. thalassa), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassa and rivers are called potamos (or ‘flowing’). However, notice (in Revelation 20: 13) how the resurrection of the dead is divided between those who died on land and those who were lost in the water, ‘The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.’

We again find all three of these realms of creation brought together symbolically at Revelation 21:1, where it says, ‘Then I saw a new earth and sky, because the previous earth and sky had disappeared, as did the sea.’

Also, in the case of where EliJah was taken in a celestial chariot, most people think he was taken to (as their Bibles put it) ‘heaven,’ where he went to live with God. This isn’t true, because King JehoRam later received a letter from Elijah (see 2 Chronicles 21:12). So, God had apparently used the celestial chariot to take him into the sky (the proper translation here), where he was then taken to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, The Hereafter.

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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 as having received 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 (pronounced ai-on-oss), which is used throughout the Bible and is often translated as forever and everlasting, 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(s) or era(s).

Where the plural form of the word (aionion) is used, it refers to a long time… at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (aionos), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And 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?’ 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 God’s 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 (world or system of things), not aionos.

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 expire.’

So, notice; The Bible shows that even our universe will eventually end and need to be ‘wrapped up and repaired,’ which agrees with the conclusions of modern science.

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 forms (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; He 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, for he 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, for has crossed over from death to life.’

So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they in their current lifetime would 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. What we find (from consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life) is 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 righteous people will receive ‘life in the age,’ or be considered worthy of (possibly everlasting) life by God during their current lifetimes… that their names would be written in ‘the scroll of life,’ and that they would not have to be judged, but will have already ‘crossed over from death to life,’ as Jesus said at John 5:24.

Yes, we know that this is a difficult concept to understand, but it’s what Jesus actually said.

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

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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 spoken of together) is found at Matthew 28:19, which appears to be spurious (See the Note in Matthew). 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 also spurious (something that was added to the Bible). So, there are no actual Bible references that mention God’s Holy Breath along with the Father and the Son.

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 says, ‘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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Dragon

That the Bible speaks about what is translated as dragons several times, raises some interesting questions. The dragon (although supposedly a mythical animal) is one of the world’s most widely recognized creatures. It is highly regarded in the Buddhist religion and is seen in ancient religious carvings from around the world. This testifies that people have believed in the existence of dragons for as far back as human records go. Why?

Note that dragons are thought of as animals with the bodies of snakes (gr. orphis), but they also have feet and legs. However, other Bible references seem to imply that the ancient use of the term dragon (gr. drakonta) and its apparent Hebrew counterparts, leviathan or behemoth, were used to describe any sort of fearsome wild beasts.

What was the dragon? Revelation 12:9 tells us, when it says, ‘So, the huge dragon was thrown out. He is the first snake, the one who is called the Slanderer and Opposer, who is misleading the whole earth.’

So from the above, we see that this vision in Revelation identifies the dragon as ‘the Opposer’ and ‘the Slanderer,’ and it says that he was the first snake, the one who seduced Eve in the ‘Paradise of Delights’ (see Genesis 3:2).

The fact that the dragon is viewed as a snake with legs in religious legends throughout the world, testifies to the fact that people everywhere once believed in the Bible account in Genesis, and they also believed that when God cursed the snake to ‘travel on its chest and belly,’ it lost its legs.

It is interesting that dragons are also part of the folklore of Europe, for who hasn’t heard the story of St. George and the dragon. Yet, if you read that story, you’ll see that it is actually an allegory about man’s fight against sin and the Slanderer. So in that case, it refers to the original dragon, or the first creature of terror.

Notice that faithful Job asked God (at Job 7:12), ‘Am I the sea or the dragon that guards it?’ This view that a dragon guarded the edges of the seas was common throughout Europe until after the Sixteenth Century, for dragons were usually drawn at the edges of maps of seas during that time. Yet, the actual original reference may have been to animals and fish that men feared and didn’t understand (fearsome beasts), not snakes with legs.

However, notice how vividly Job described the Slanderer as the dragon at Job 26:12, 13, where we read, ‘By His strength He has settled the sea in its bed, and in His wisdom He’s filled it with whales. The bolts from the skies stand in awe of Him, and He’s ordered the death of the dragon that rebelled.’

We find a whole Chapter in Job (Chapter 41) that is obviously a description of the evil one, but has gone mistranslated for centuries, simply because its meaning has been misunderstood. Other Bibles speak of a leviathan or a behemoth here, and some of a crocodile. However, in the Septuagint, we find no name at all or any explanation, leaving us to guess what is being described.

It is unusual that some translators have thought that this creature was a crocodile, for crocodile is a Greek word that is easily recognized, since it is spelled almost the same as in English. There is one place where that word is found in the Law of Moses, at Leviticus 11:25, when listing animals that shouldn’t be eaten, and in that place, most Bibles also translate the word crocodile wrong.

Yet, if you read the text of Job 41, you’ll see an obvious reference to a fire-breathing dragon. For notice how verses 18-21 describe it: ‘His sneezing brings about brightness, and his eyes are like the morning star. From out of his mouth comes burning lamps, like the scattered grates of a fire. From out of his nostrils comes the smoke of a furnace, burning with the fire from coals. His life is much like live coals, and flames shoot from his mouth.’

At this point, critics could say the Bible was talking about a mythical dragon, and others would say that God is describing a wild ox. Yet, notice the further description in verses 31, 32: ‘He breaks from the abyss as though a brass cauldron; he thinks of the sea as his own ointment jar, and the abyss of Tartarus as his captive. For, to him the abyss just a promenade.’

If you examine these verses, you’ll see that God is using cryptic text to explain to Job just who is to blame for his problems. Yet, the word Tartarus (the place where evil gods are sent) isn’t found again in the Bible until the reference at 2 Peter 2:4, and the only mention of his coming out of his prison (pit or abyss) is found at Revelation 20:7.

Clearly, this second-to-the-last Chapter in Job, as in any good writing, brings back into play all the characters that the book started with.

Then, why did Jewish scribes and translators have so much trouble understanding this Chapter, that there are obvious deletions? There are four likely reasons:

· They didn’t believe in fire-breathing dragons

· They didn’t know that the Slanderer was the dragon

· They didn’t know of the Slanderer’s position in Tartarus or the pit

· A correct understanding would have linked the Book of Job to the Scriptures of the Christian era.

It is interesting that we again find mention of a dragon at Isaiah 27:1, where we read: ‘In that day, God will bring His great, holy, and strong sword against the dragon – the crooked and fleeing snake – and He will do away with the dragon, the one in the sea.’ This is an obvious reference to the destruction of the same dragon mentioned at Revelation 12:9 above, but it goes unnoticed in Hebrew texts, where the word leviathan is once more misunderstood. Of course, the word dragon is of Greek origin, so its use came after the Hebrew text was written; and regardless of popular (mis)conceptions, leviathan is probably its Hebrew equivalent.

What is particularly interesting about this scripture, is that it speaks of the dragon from the sea in the same words as found at Ezekiel 32:2, where the reference is obviously to the land of Egypt and to its destruction. And you will also find references to the land of Egypt in the song of Isaiah 26, 27. However, this song seems to speak of some future time when God’s people (Israel) are released from a symbolic Egypt at Armageddon, for notice the words of the prophecy found at Isaiah 26:19-21, which say:

‘We will not fall, though others will fall,
But the dead will be raised from their tombs.
Then all on the earth will be joyful,
For, as dew You’ll send them a cure,
While the lands of the godless will fall.

‘Proceed, O my people, to enter your bedrooms…
Go inside and lock your doors,
Then hide in there for a while!
Because this will happen, then that;
And the rage of Jehovah will pass.

‘{Look!} From His Holy Place Jehovah sends rage,
Upon those who live in the land.
Then the ground won’t cover all of the blood,
Nor [the bodies] of those He destroys.’

So, Egypt seems to be used here as a symbol of the godless nations that are destroyed in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16) and the dragon that represents them, appears to be the Opposer.

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