From the Greek Septuagint text as was used by First Century Christians
A prophecy against Samaria (the northern ten-tribe kingdom) and Jerusalem that was
written sometime in the mid 8^th Century B.C.E.

Chapter 1

¹ These words of the Lord came to MicAh the Morasthite in the days of JoTham, Ahaz, and HezekiAh (kings of Judah), over the things He saw concerning Samaria and JeruSalem.

² 'Hear, O peoples, these words! Also, pay attention O earth, and all of you who live on it! For, God Jehovah will witness against you, from out of His Holy [Temple]. ³ {Look!} Jehovah will come from His place; He'll come down and mount the heights of the earth, ⁴ and the mountains will shake underneath Him. Like beeswax in fire the valleys will melt, and as water that's poured down a slope.

⁵ 'These things [will happen] for the irreverence of Jacob, and the sins of IsraEl's house. Isn't Samaria the irreverence of Jacob; isn't JeruSalem the house of Judah's sin?

⁶ 'I'll turn Samaria into a warehouse, to store the fruits of the fields, and for the plantings of vineyards. I'll tear down her stones in chaos, and uncover all her foundations.

⁷ 'All her carved images I'll cut to pieces; all her hirelings I'll burn in a fire, and I'll appoint all her idols to extinction. For, she hired whores and gathered them there, so the wages of whores He'll destroy.

⁸ 'For this she'll wail and beat on her breasts… she will go barefoot and naked… she'll beat on her chest like a dragon, and mourn like the daughters of chained demons.

⁹ 'For, inevitable is the calamity upon her, because; to Judah and JeruSalem she went, and touched the gates of My people.

¹⁰ 'O you in Gath; don't feel important! And O you in Bakeim; don't laugh and start rebuilding your homes, for the earth will be strewn with your laughter! ¹¹ Why, no good came from the cities she lived in. And when [laughter] lived in ZaAnan, she beat her breasts for the houses next door. So, by your calamity she will be grieved.

¹² 'But who acted kindly when she was in grief? For, the bad that came to JeruSalem's gates, had really come from Jehovah.

¹³ 'Then came the sounds of chariots and riders, upon those dwelling in LachIsh, for they have been the [chief leaders], of the sins of the daughter of Zion… IsraEl's godless acts were found there among them. ¹⁴ Because of this, He'll have them deported, as the inheritance of Gath. [They'll be sent] to the poorest of homes; for, to IsraEl's kings they are worthless. ¹⁵ Yes, their inheritance they will become… the people of LachIsh will then become theirs. And to AdulLam will come all the glory, of IsraEl's daughters.

¹⁶ 'Shave and shear your loved children; make them as bald as the vultures; for, from you they'll be taken.

Chapter 2

¹ 'When they came they were looking for trouble, and doing what's bad in their beds. They did it all in the daytime, and to God they'd not lift their hands. ² They desired more fields and plundered orphans, and they tyrannized households… they plundered both men and their homes… both the men and the things they'd inherit.'

³ It's because of this that thus says Jehovah: '{Look!} Against their tribe I'll bring bad things, so there's no way that they'll lift their necks, and no way that they'll walk erect, for now is a time of great evil.

⁴ 'In that day, they will say these words about you… they'll raise a lament and then sing:

'We were miserable with misery,
For a portion of our people was measured with a line,
And then there were none to restrain him,
Or to make him return them;
So their fields were divided [as loot].

⁵ 'Then none will measure allotments,
Among the gathering of Jehovah.
⁶ So, weep [many] tears and cry for these things,
Since He'll not remove all their scorn.

⁷ 'It will then be said about them:

'The house of Jacob provoked,
The Spirit of Jehovah to rage!
For, isn't this just how He does things…
Aren't His words good and all His ways straight?

⁸ 'In the past, My people had displayed, their hatred and resistance to peace. So they flayed the skin [of those passing by], [and brought on themselves] the conflict of war.

⁹ 'Now the leaders of My people will be thrown from their mansions… because they are wicked, they'll be pushed out. So, to the mountains of the ages now get up and go, ¹⁰ because, for you there'll be no rest, since you're unclean and corrupt!

¹¹ 'You'll run [for your lives] when no one's behind you, because of your lying spirit, which trickles on you like wine and strong drink, that comes from the sweat of these people.

¹² 'In the [time when] they are brought back, Jacob will be gathered along with the rest… for the remnants of IsraEl I'll search. I'll collect them and I'll return them, as sheep that have gone through hard times… they'll jump away from those men, and then in the midst of their pasture, they will all live as one flock. ¹³ They'll [run] though the breach that's before them, for the gate will be cut so they can escape. Then before them will travel their king, and Jehovah will be their [true] leader.'

Chapter 3

¹ But now He says: 'Hear indeed, O heads of Jacob, and those remaining of IsraEl's house! Will you never know what is fair? ² O you who hate good things and seek what is bad; they'll reach out for you and tear off your skin, then rip your flesh from your bones, ³ the same as you ate the flesh of My people, and flayed off all of their skin… you broke their bones as flesh for the pot, and as meat for the cauldron.

⁴ 'Then to Jehovah they'll cry, but He will not listen to them. He'll turn His face in that time, because they were wicked in all that they did.'

⁵ Thus says Jehovah concerning their prophets… to those misleading His people… those clenching their teeth as they proclaim peace, when [God put] no [words] in their mouths… and then holy war came upon them.

⁶ 'Because of this; You'll just see night, not a vision… you'll just see darkness, not light. For, the sun will set on the prophets, and day will darken upon them. ⁷ Those who see dreams will be disgraced, and ridicule will come to those seeing the future. All will speak badly of them, and none will pay them attention. ⁸ But I'll be filled with the strength and the Breath of Jehovah, as well as His justice and might, so I can report the irreverence of Jacob, and speak to IsraEl of his sins.

⁹ 'Hear all these things, O leaders of Jacob, and remnants of the house of IsraEl… you who hate fairness and twist what is straight… ¹⁰ you who've built Zion on blood, and filled JeruSalem with injustice! ¹¹ For, her leaders accept bribes when they judge; her priests ask a wage for replies; and her prophets ask for silver to tell of the future. Yet, they still rest on the Lord and they say, Isn't Jehovah among us? There's no way He'll bring bad things upon us!

¹² 'It is for all of these reasons, that Zion will be plowed like a field, JeruSalem will be an empty warehouse, and the Temple Mount just a place in the woods.

Chapter 4

¹ 'But in the last days, the Mountain of Jehovah will be seen, sitting on the tops of the mountains, raised higher than all of the hills, and to it all peoples will run. ² Many nations will go there and say, Come, let's ascend the Mountain of Jehovah, and enter the [Temple] of Jacob's God. Then they will show us His ways, and we will walk in His roads.

'For, out of Zion will come Law, and from JeruSalem the Word of Jehovah! ³ Then He'll serve as judge between many peoples, and decide for distant strong nations. They'll cut their swords into plows, and their spears into sickles. No more will nation rise against nation, and no longer will they learn to wage war.

⁴ 'Then, under his grapevine each one will rest, and beneath his own fig tree; for no one will make them afraid…' this came from the mouth of Jehovah the Almighty.

⁵ 'Then all the peoples will go their own way, but in the Name of Jehovah our God we will walk, from now and into the ages.

⁶ 'In that day,' says Jehovah; 'I will gather she who was broken, and she who was [once] pushed away… those I pushed away, I will accept. ⁷ I'll accept she who was broken, and make her I pushed away a great nation. Upon them Jehovah will reign from Mount Zion, from now and into the ages.

⁸ 'But, upon you, O tower of the flock (O austere daughter of Zion); the foremost kingdom of Babylon's head, will come and enter you, O daughter of JeruSalem.

⁹ 'So, why have you known all the bad things? Wasn't there a king among you? Have your good intentions all perished? For, now you are gripped as with birth pains. ¹⁰ But, hang on and take courage O daughter of Zion, as [a woman who's about to] give birth! For, what's coming to you is a city, which will encamp in your plains; then into Babylon you'll be taken. But from there your God Jehovah will save you, and ransom you from your enemy's hands.

¹¹ 'Now, many nations have gathered against you, and this is what they are saying: We'll rejoice as we gaze on Zion with our eyes!

¹² 'Yet, they don't know the ways of Jehovah, and His council they don't understand. For, like sheaves [of grain] He's gathering them, and as on a threshing floor they are laid. ¹³ So, get up and thresh them, daughter of Zion! For, I'll turn your horns into iron, and your hoofs into brass. I will dissolve many peoples, then you'll present their abundance to Jehovah, and their strength to the Lord of the earth.'

Chapter 5

¹ 'Now the daughter of Zion has reason to fear, for upon them He's decreed war, and the tribes of IsraEl they'll strike on the jaw!

² 'And as from you, O BethLehem, of the house of EphRatha (the few among the thousands of Judah); from out of you will come forth, the one who'll be IsraEl's ruler. His [roots] are from the most ancient times, and from the days of the ages. ³ He'll appoint her a time to give birth, and then she'll [truly] give birth. And to the sons of IsraEl, the remnants of his brothers will return. ⁴ Then he will arise and shepherd them all, in the strength of Jehovah. They'll bask in the glory of the Name of their God, and He'll be known to the ends of the earth.

⁵ 'This is [the sign that there will be] peace: When the Assyrians come to your land, and when they mount on your place. Seven shepherds will then be roused up against them, [and whip them] with the eight strokes of men. ⁶ Assyria they'll shepherd with a broadsword, and the land of Nimrod [will serve as] her grave. For, from the Assyrians He'll save you, when against your land they ascend, and when they cross over your borders.

⁷ 'And the few remaining of Jacob, will be in the midst of many peoples. But, as the dew falls from Jehovah, and as the lambs [feed] on wild grass, they will be gathered by no one, nor among sons of men will they stand. ⁸ And though the remnant of Jacob, will be [scattered] among all the nations, and in the midst of many peoples, they'll be like lions amidst cattle, and as bear cubs among flocks of sheep. For, he'll go through and scatter his prey, and none of them will be saved. ⁹ Your hand will be raised against your opponents, and all your enemies will be destroyed.

¹⁰ 'But, [before] that day,' says Jehovah, 'I'll destroy all the horses from your midst, and I will destroy all your chariots. ¹¹ I will destroy all the cities of your land, and I will remove all your forts. ¹² I'll destroy the [magic] potions from your hands, and those telling fortunes will not be among you. ¹³ All your carved idols I will destroy, and remove all the monuments from your midst. Then you'll [no longer] bow to the works of your hands.

¹⁴ 'I'll cut the sacred poles from your midst, and obliterate all of your cities. ¹⁵ Then in My anger and rage, I'll send vengeance among all the nations, because they too failed to listen.'

Chapter 6

¹ Hear indeed what Jehovah has said! Arise and plead with the mountains, and let all the hills hear your voice! ² Hear, O mountains, the judgment of God… you ravines and foundations of earth! There's a case between the Lord and His people… yes, with IsraEl He will contend.

³ 'O My people, what did I do, and how did I bring any trouble to you… Answer Me! ⁴ For, from the land of Egypt I led you… from the house of slaves I ransomed you… before your face it was I who had sent, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses!

⁵ 'O My people; Remember what Balak (the king of Moab), had once planned against you, and the answers he was given by BalaAm (son of BeOr), from the bulrushes to GilGal… so the righteousness of Jehovah would be known:

⁶ 'How could I conquer Jehovah?
Can I take hold of My God in the heights?
With whole burnt-offerings can I overcome Him…
With calves that are a year old? No!

⁷ 'Will Jehovah [be swayed] by a thousand male sheep,
Or ten thousand hearty winter yearlings? No!
Could I offer my first-born for my sins? No!
Or the fruit of my belly for the irreverence of my soul? No!

⁸ 'To you He's explained it, O man…
All the things that are good, and what Jehovah requires from you…
He wants you to be fair and love mercy,
And to be prepared to walk with your God.

⁹ 'The voice of Jehovah will call in the town,
And He'll save all those who fear His Name.

'So, now hear this, O you tribes:
'Will you bring adornment to the city?
¹⁰ Won't there be fires in the homes of Law breakers…
Those who treasure their lawless deeds,
As well as insolence and what is unrighteous?

¹¹ 'Will I justify wicked scales,
And the bags of deceptive weights?
¹² Will your irreverence [be covered by] your wealth?
And those living here who are liars;
Will their tongues be exalted in their mouths? No!

¹³ 'For your sins, I'll torment you into extinction;
¹⁴ Then you will eat and never be filled.
I'll banish you and you'll be forsaken (no way will you be preserved),
And those who survive I'll hand to the broadsword.

¹⁵ 'Then you will plant but not reap;
You will press olives but never anoint,
And wine in no way will you drink.
Then the Law of My people will be gone.

¹⁶ 'For, the rules of Omri you have followed,
And all the deeds of the house of Ahab.
You went by all of their plans,
So as not to receive people's scorn,
And so I will bring extinction upon you.'

Chapter 7

¹ Alas, I'm as one who gleans in a harvest…
And as one gleaning grapes in the picking,
When there are no ripe clusters to eat…
These things I desire for my life…
Oh, woe is me, O my soul!

² For, the pius are destroyed from the land,
And those who walk straight no longer exist.
All righteous blood has been squeezed out,
By the oppression of their neighbors,
³ For, each prepares evil with his hands.

Rulers are asking for gifts,
And judges [offer justice] for bribes,
And this is the desire of their souls.

⁴ So, [please] take away all their good things,
As a moth chews up woolen clothes,
[On behalf of those] who walk a straight line,
In the day of the watch.

O woe, for your punishment has come,
And now there will be [much] weeping.

⁵ Do not confide in your friends,
And don't put hope in your leaders!
Watch out for she who sleeps in your bed;
[Be wary] and show nothing to her!

⁶ For, the son dishonors the father,
And the daughter opposes her mother…
It's daughter-in-law against mother-in-law,
And your enemies are the men in your homes.

⁷ But I will look to my Lord;
I'll wait on my Savior, Jehovah,
And my God will listen to me.

⁸ O enemy mine, do not rejoice,
For though I have fallen, I will arise.
And if I must sit in the darkness,
The Lord will provide me with light.

⁹ I will endure the rage of Jehovah
(For, against Him I've also sinned),
Until He [brings] justice to my [case],
And until He brings me my judgment.
For, into the light He will lead me.

Then I will see His just ways,
¹⁰ And my enemies will also look upon them.
And he who sees my shame will then ask:
'Where is Jehovah your God?'

'I'll examine her with my eyes,
Then she will be trampled like mud in the road…
¹¹ Like mortar from bricks she'll be wiped away,
And her rules will be gone in that day.

¹² 'Your cities will all then be leveled,
And divided among Assyrian peoples.
They'll divide your fortified cities,
From Tyre unto the river… from mountain to mountain and sea to sea.

¹³ 'Then the land will all be destroyed,
Along with all those who live there,
Because of the fruits of the things that they did.'

¹⁴ O tend Your people with Your rod…
Yes, Your inherited sheep…
Those who must camp by themselves in the woods,
And in the midst of [Mount] Carmel!

In BaShan and GileAd they will feed,
According to the days of the age,
¹⁵ And the days of their departure from Egypt.

¹⁶ 'Wonderful things I'll then show them,
Which the nations will see and then be disgraced.
At that time [they will lose] all their strength…
They'll place their hands over their mouths,
And they'll cover their ears.'

¹⁷ Yes! They'll lick the dust as though they were snakes,
Crawling along on the ground.
And by confinement they'll be confused…
But by our God they'll be amazed,
And they will learn how to fear You.

¹⁸ What other god is quite like You?
For, You remove the unrighteous,
But [You'll also overlook] the irreverence,
Of Your inheritance who still remain…
[You'll] hold back Your rage for the things You have seen,
Because [You wish to] show mercy.

¹⁹ Then He'll turn and show pity on us…
Our unrighteous ways He will sink…
He'll throw our sins in the depths of the sea.

²⁰ To Jacob, He will bring truth,
And on AbraHam He will show mercy…
He who swore an oath to our fathers.

Notes

Soul

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

In ancient Greece, philosophers eventually added another meaning to psyche: The inner person (as opposed to the person that others see and come to know). And with time, the pagan religion of Greece started to teach that this inner person is its own entity and can never die (is immortal). Over the centuries, this pagan Greek doctrine 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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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 non-living creation divided into just three entities; the heavens (or sky), the earth (the land or ground), and the seas (or the waters) and rivers.

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 is literally translated herein as, 'In the beginning, The God created the skies and the lands.' This is very accurate, because it was man's view of creation from the earth. There was just the land that he stood on, the sky above him, and the waters or seas over there. He had no technical understanding of the earth as a planet, because men had never seen the earth as a globe in space, as most of us have done today. However, because of these distinctions that we are aware of, 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. And as you will see, something as simple as selecting another synonym can give us a quite different view of the meanings of some common verses.

The Greek word ourano(n), for example, can be correctly translated as heaven, heavens, sky, and skies, depending on the context and tense. But if the translator should choose the wrong word, people will reach very different (and often wrong) conclusions, because of the nuances implied in English.

Likewise, the Greek words ge, ges, and gen can be translated as earth, earths, ground, grounds, land, or lands, depending on the context and tense. 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 skies and land 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, ges, and gen, see the linked document Isaiah 24 - Is It Speaking of Armageddon?).

Notice that the 'skies and land' 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 skies.

The same is true of the famous words of Jesus at Matthew 5:5, which read in Greek: 'Makarioi oi praeis hoti outoi kleronomesousin ten gen,' or, Blest the gentle for they will/inherit the (earth, ground, or land).' Notice that in some Bibles Jesus is recorded as saying, 'The meek will inherit the earth;' while in others he said, 'The meek will inherit the land.' Do you see the difference in nuances implied here? Yet, both word choices are equally correct.

And finally, when it comes to the seas (gr. tas thalassan), there are already distinctions as to different types of waters in the Greek text. For instance, seas are called thalassan 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, whIch we have translated as saying, 'Then I saw new skies and new lands, because the previous sky and land had disappeared, as did the sea.' So, did John see 'a new heavens and a new earth,' as some translate his words, or did he see 'new skies and new lands,' as we have quoted him? The Greek words that are used in the beginning of this verse are both in the plural tense, but in the singular tense in the latter half of the verse. So, what John says that he saw was 'new skies and new lands' which took the place of the old 'sky, land, and sea' that had just disappeared before him (he didn't see the globe and the realm of God disappear).

Also, in the case of where EliJah was taken away in a celestial chariot; most people think he was taken (as their Bibles put it) 'to 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 sent to another place here on the earth. For more information on this, see the linked document, The Hereafter.

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Hades: Hell or the Grave?

The Greek word Hades (the Greeks pronounced it hah-dess) has been translated both as Hell (which many today think of as a place of torture) and as the Grave in other Bible versions (such as the King James). Since one word can't mean two very different things, which translation is correct?

Hades (like the English word Hell) actually means the place of the dead. However, as pagan Greek philosophy started to develop and creep into Christianity, the later-day Greek view of Hades (a place of torture) was applied to it. Was this a correct application?

An insight into how the ancient Hebrews and the early Christians understood the word can be gained from looking at how it was applied in the Greek Septuagint translation of the Ancient Scriptures of IsraEl (the 'Old Testament' Bible of Jesus' day). There, the Hebrew word Sheol is translated into Greek as Hades in every instance; yet in each case, these are obvious references to the grave (the place of the dead), not to a place of conscious torture (see Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10).

Another revealing application of the word Hades is found at Revelation the 20:13. It says there, 'The sea (gr. he thalassa) gave up its dead, death and the grave (gr. thanatos kai ho hades) gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things that they did.'

So, notice that those who die at sea are differentiated from those who are buried in graves (Hades) and in other places (thanatos). Therefore, Hades is better translated as grave, and even better translated as the place of the dead.

In the book of Job, another word that is used once in the Christian-era Scriptures and often translated as Hell, is found twice. That Greek word is Tartarus, which refers to the place where evil gods or angels are sent. For more information on this and other words that are translated as Hell, see the linked document, Is There a Burning Hell?

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Age

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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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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Why the Name Changes?

You have likely noticed that we are putting some of the letters in Bible names in capital letters. For example, we've started spelling such names as Jonathan as JoNathan, Isaiah as IsaiAh, and Eliezer as EliEzer. Why? Well, partly to help with the correct pronunciations of the names, and partly to show some translating consistency.

Of course, the common English pronunciation of Jonathan (for example) is Jon-uh-thun. But did you know that the first part of the name (Io in Greek, Ieho in Hebrew) refers to the name Jehovah, and the second part of the Name (Nathan) means Gift? So, the name was originally pronounced closer to Ye-hoh-nuh-thahn.

In the case of names that end with an iah, as in Isaiah, the last part of the name often includes the name of God. Isaiah, for example, means Salvation [of] JehovAH, and it was originally pronounced Ee-sai-Yah. Yet, there are other names (such as EliJah), where the IEs have been changed to Js.

So, why have translators substituted a capital 'J' for the letters 'Ie' in both of the above cases? Well, there is an inconsistency here, because there was no letter 'J' in Hebrew or Greek alphabets. However, the letters were changed to coincide with the common English pronunciations of these names. Unfortunately though, this process wasn't followed consistently by ancient translators; so while some names are spelled with a J, many others are still spelled with an Ie or Iah.

Another important word in names that we usually capitalize is 'El' (from the Hebrew Elohe, or God). So EliEzer (which people commonly pronounce Eelai-eezer and means God [has] Helped), should actually be pronounced Elee-ehzer. The same is true for the letters Ai, especially in the names of cities, because Ai in Hebrew refers to the word city. So, AiLam (for example) probably meant the City of Lam.

Similar words, such as Bel (as in BelShazzar), Baal, and Beel, refer to 'the Lord' or 'the God.' Also, the prefixes 'Ben' and 'Bar' mean 'the son of.' 'Beth' means 'the house of,' 'Beer' refers to a 'well,' 'Is' or 'Ish' means 'Man,' etc.

Does this mean that we have put all the capitals in the right places? No, for we make no claim to Hebrew scholarship (all our translating here has been from Greek). So, what we are trying to do is provide a better understanding to how these names were pronounced by First-Century Christians.

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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, described any sort of fearsome wild beast.

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 to 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, 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, so 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 this song (Isaiah Chapters 26 and 27). However, notice that the 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 (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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