Chapter 1

¹ A revelation that God gave to Jesus the Anointed One, to show His slaves the things that must quickly take place. He sent it by His messenger to His slave John, in signs. ² And [John] testifies that everything he saw was the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus the Anointed One. ³ Those who read it aloud, as well as those who listen to the words of this prophecy and obey the things that are written in it are blest, because the time is near.

⁴ From John, to the seven congregations in the [province of] Asia; May you find loving care and peace from the One who is, who was, and who is coming; from the seven spirits that are near His throne; ⁵ and from Jesus the Anointed One, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. [He's] the one that loves us, who freed us from our sins by his own blood, ⁶ and who made us to be a Kingdom of Priests to his God and Father. So, may he have age-long glory and might… may it be!

⁷ Look! He's coming in the clouds and all eyes will see him, including those who pierced him, and all the nations of the earth will beat themselves because of him. Yes, may it be.

⁸ 'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says Jehovah The God; 'He who is, who was, and who's coming… the Almighty.'

⁹ I (John) am your brother… I'm someone who shares in your persecutions, and in the Kingdom and endurance of Jesus. I'm on this island called Patmos for talking about God and for testifying about Jesus.

¹⁰ It was through the Breath [of God] that I found myself in the Lord's Day. For, from behind me I heard a voice that was as loud as a trumpet ¹¹ that said: 'Write the things that you're about to see on a scroll and send it to these seven congregations: Ephesus, Smyrna, PergaMōm, ThyaTira, Sardis, PhilAdelphia, and LaoDikia.'

¹² Then I turned around to see who was talking to me. But when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands. ¹³ And between the lampstands, [I saw] someone [who looked] like a son of man. He was dressed in a robe that came down to his feet, and his chest was wrapped in gold. ¹⁴ His head and hair were as bright as white wool or snow, and his eyes were as flames of fire. ¹⁵ His feet looked like the finest copper as it pours from a furnace, and his voice sounded like the noise that's made by large bodies of water. ¹⁶ In his right hand [he held] seven stars; a long, sharp, two-edged sword was sticking out of his mouth; and his face glowed as brightly as the sun. ¹⁷ And when I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man.

Then he laid his right hand on me and said, 'Don't be afraid; I'm the first, the last, ¹⁸ and the living one. And although I died, {Look!} I'm alive into the ages of the ages. I also have the keys to death and the grave. ¹⁹ So, write about the things you see… the things that are, and the things that will soon be.

²⁰ 'As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lampstands: The seven stars signify the messengers of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands signify the seven congregations.'

Chapter 2

¹ Write this to the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus: 'This is what the one who is holding the seven stars in his right hand and who walks among the seven gold lampstands has to say: ² I know what you're doing… that you've worked hard and endured; that you can't tolerate bad men; and that you've put those who say they are Apostles (but aren't) to the test, and you found them to be liars. ³ You're also patient, because you've been carrying my name and haven't given up. ⁴ But you've lost the love you had at first, and I hold this against you,

⁵ 'So, recognize how far you've fallen and turn around! Go back to doing what you did at the first. For if you don't – and unless you repent – I'm coming to you and I'll remove your lampstand from its place. ⁶ However, I can say this in your behalf; You hate what the Nicolaitans are doing, and I hate what they're doing too.'

⁷ Let those who have ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations: 'I'll allow the one who conquers to eat from the Tree of Life that is in the Paradise of God.'

⁸ And write this to the messenger of the congregation in Smyrna: 'This is what the one who is first and last, who died and came to life, has to say: ⁹ I know about your problems and your poverty (although you're rich), and about the blasphemy of those who say they're Jews… although they really aren't; they're [really] a synagogue of the Slanderer. ¹⁰ Don't be afraid of the things that you're about to suffer, for {Look!} the Slanderer is about to throw some of you in prison in order to test you, and you'll be persecuted for ten days. But be faithful to death and I'll give you the crown of life.'

¹¹ Let those who have ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations: 'Whoever conquers won't be harmed by the second death!'

¹² And write this to the messenger of the congregation in PergaMōm: 'This is what he who has the long, sharp, two-edged sword has to say: ¹³ I know that the place where you live is the very throne of the Slanderer, and yet you keep hanging onto my name. Why, you didn't deny your faith in me even in the days of my faithful witness AntiPas, who was killed right next to you, there where the Slanderer lives. ¹⁴ However, I still have a few things against you, for there are some among you who are following the teachings of BalaAm. It was he who taught Balak how to set a trap before the Sons of Israel [by getting them] to eat idol sacrifices and to be sexually immoral. ¹⁵ And you have those who are following the teachings of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ So, turn around; for if you don't, I'll be there soon and I'll war against you with the long sword of my mouth!'

¹⁷ Let those who have ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations: 'To the one who conquers I'll give some of the hidden manna and a white pebble. This pebble has a new name written on it that no one knows other than those who receive it.'

¹⁸ And write this to the messenger of the congregation in ThyaTira: 'This is what the Son of God says… he who has eyes like flames of fire and whose feet are like fine copper: ¹⁹ I know what you're doing, and of your love, faith, service, and endurance. And what you've been doing recently is even more than what you used to do! ²⁰ However, I do hold this against you: You're still putting up with that woman Jezebel. She calls herself a prophetess, but she teaches and misleads my slaves into immoral sexual acts and into eating things that are sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her enough time to turn around, but she doesn't want to repent from her immorality. ²² So, {Look!} I'm throwing her into a bed and I will create big problems for those who are enjoying sex with her, unless they repent over what they're doing with her. ²³ I'm also going to kill her children, so all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the kidneys and hearts; and I'll give each of you what you deserve for what you've done.

²⁴ 'However, to the rest of you in ThyaTira (those who don't know about this teaching and who haven't come to know about these things that are referred to as the deep things of the Slanderer), I say this: I won't lay any other loads upon you. ²⁵ Just hang on until I get there, ²⁶ and then I'll give he who conquers and obeys whatever I tell him to do down to the end, power over the nations. ²⁷ He will shepherd the people [of the nations] with an iron rod using the same [power] that I received from my Father, and they'll be broken to pieces like clay pots. ²⁸ I'll also give him the morning star.'

²⁹ Let the one who has ears, hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations!

Chapter 3

¹ And write this to the messenger of the congregation in Sardis: 'This is what he who has the seven Breaths of God and the seven stars says: I know what you're doing, for while you have the reputation of being alive, you're dead! ² Wake up and strengthen the things that haven't died yet, because I don't see where you've accomplished any of the things that you're doing before my God! ³ Start remembering [all the things] you received and heard, then hang onto them and repent! Why, if you don't stay awake, I'm going to come like a thief, and you won't know it until I'm right there on you!

⁴ 'However, there are a few names in Sardis that haven't dirtied their robes. They will walk with me and wear white [robes], because they deserve to. ⁵ Those who conquer will be dressed like that… in white robes. I'll never erase their names from the Scroll of Life, and then I'll admit to knowing their names before my Father and His messengers.'

⁶ Let the one who has ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations!

⁷ And write this to the messenger of the congregation in PhilAdelphia: 'This is what he who is holy and true… he who has the key of David – which opens what no one can close and closes what no one can open – has to say: ⁸ I know what you're doing, and Look; I've put an open door before you that no one can close! I know that you don't have much strength, but you've kept my word and haven't denied knowing my name.

⁹ 'Look at what I'm going to do to those from the synagogue of the Opposer who say they are Jews (but who aren't and are just lying): {Look!} I'm going to make them come and bow at your feet, and I'll make sure that they know how much I love you. ¹⁰ And because you've obeyed my instructions to endure, I'm going to protect you from the hour of trial that's going to come upon the earth to test all those who are living on it.

¹¹ 'I'm coming soon, so keep hanging on and don't let anyone steal your crown, ¹² for I'll make the one who conquers a pillar in the Divine Habitation of my God, and he'll never leave it. I'll also write the Name of my God upon him, as well as the name of the city of my God, New JeruSalem (which will come down out of the sky from my God), along with my new name,'

¹³ Let the one who has ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations!

¹⁴ And write this to the messenger of the congregation in LaoDikia: 'This is what the Amen (the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by The God) has said: ¹⁵ I know what you're doing, and that you're neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were either one or the other; ¹⁶ but, since you're neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm, I'm going to vomit you out of my mouth! ¹⁷ This is because you're saying, I am rich, and because I'm rich, I don't need anything! However, what you don't realize is that you're really miserable, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ So, my advice to you is to buy gold that has been refined by fire from me, in order for you to become rich and wear white robes (so nobody will see the shame of your nakedness), and buy salve to rub in your eyes so you can see. ¹⁹ Since I correct and discipline all those whom I care for, [you should] repent and be zealous! ²⁰ Look, I'm standing at the door and knocking. And if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I'll come in and we'll have supper together. ²¹ Then I'll allow the one who conquers to sit down with me on my throne, just as my Father has allowed me to sit on His throne, because I have conquered,'

²² Let the one who has ears hear what [God's] Breath says to the congregations!

Chapter 4

¹ Then, after I saw those things, {Look!} a door opened in the heavens, and the first voice that I heard speaking to me sounded like a trumpet. It said, 'Come on up here, and I'll show you the things that must happen.'

² Then I immediately became like the wind. And look… there was a throne in the heavens with someone sitting on it. ³ The One who was sitting there looked like jasper and sardius gems; and all around the throne [there was] a rainbow that looked like an emerald.

⁴ Then, surrounding the throne there were twenty-four thrones, upon which twenty-four older ones were sitting. They were dressed in white robes and had gold crowns on their heads; ⁵ and lightning, thunder, and voices were coming from the throne. There were also seven flaming lamps that were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ⁶ Also, in front of the throne was a transparent sea that looked like crystal.

On each of the four sides of the throne, there was an animal with many eyes, both on its front and backsides. ⁷ The first animal looked like a lion, the second looked like a young bull, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth looked like a flying eagle. ⁸ Also, each of the four animals had six wings that were wrapped around them, and the inside parts of their wings were full of eyes. They don't rest night or day, and they were saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, is Jehovah God the Almighty, who was, who is, and who's coming.'

⁹ And whenever the animals gave glory, honor, and thanksgiving to the One who is sitting on the throne (He who lives for ages of ages), ¹⁰ the twenty-four older ones fell down before He who is sitting on the throne, and bowed low before the One who lives for ages of ages. Then they threw their crowns before the throne saying, ¹¹ 'O Jehovah our God; You deserve all the glory, honor, and power, because You created all things… they were created and exist because of Your Will!'

Chapter 5

¹ Then I saw a scroll with writing on both sides, which was sealed tightly with seven seals, in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. ² And I saw a mighty messenger who called out in a loud voice: 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?'

³ But there wasn't anyone in heaven or on the earth that was able to open the scroll or examine it.

⁴ So at that I started crying, because nobody could be found who was worthy to open the scroll and examine it.

⁵ But then, one of the older ones said to me, 'Stop crying. Look! The Lion who is of the tribe of Judah – the root of David – has conquered, so he can open the scroll and its seven seals!'

⁶ Well, that's when I saw a lamb that looked like it had been slaughtered standing between the throne, the four animals, and the older ones. It had seven horns and seven eyes (which symbolize the seven Spirits of God that have been sent into the entire earth). ⁷ So, [the lamb] went and immediately took [the scroll] out of the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. ⁸ And when he took the scroll, the four animals and the twenty-four older ones fell down in front of him.

Now, each one held a harp and gold bowls that were full of incense (which symbolize the prayers of the Holy Ones), ⁹ and they sang a new song. It went:
'Because you have been slaughtered,
You deserve to take the scroll and open its seals.
You bought people for God with your blood,
From every tribe, language, country, and race.
¹⁰ Then you made them rulers and Priests to our God,
And they'll rule as kings on the earth.'

¹¹ And next; I looked around, because I heard the voices of many messengers around the throne, who (along with the animals and the older ones) numbered into the thousands of thousands and ten thousands of ten thousands! ¹² And they were all shouting in a loud voice, 'This Lamb who was slaughtered deserves to receive the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength, the honor, the glory, and the blessings!'

¹³ And I heard all those in the heavens, those on the earth, those on the sea and all the things that are in them say, 'May He who is sitting on the throne and the Lamb be praised, honored, and glorified; and may they have the power into the ages of the ages.' ¹⁴ Then the four animals kept repeating, 'May it be!' as the older ones fell down and bowed to their faces.

Chapter 6

¹ Thereafter, I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four animals say in a thundering voice, 'Come on out!' ² And at that, {Look!} I saw a white horse, and the one who was sitting on it had a bow. He was given a crown, and then he conquered and completed his victory.

³ Then he opened the second seal and I heard the second animal say, 'Come on out!' ⁴ And a fire-red horse came out, and the one who was sitting on it was given a large sword. He was authorized to take peace away from the earth, so [people] would kill each other.

⁵ Then he opened the third seal, and I heard the third animal say, 'Come on out!' And I saw {Look!} a black horse; and the one who was sitting on it had a balance scale in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard a voice that sounded like it came from the midst of the four animals, which said, 'A quart of wheat for a silver coin and three quarts of barley for a silver coin… but don't waste the olive oil or the wine.'

⁷ Then he opened the fourth seal, and I heard the voice of the fourth animal say, 'Come on out!' ⁸ And I saw {Look!} a greenish-yellow horse, and he who was sitting on it was named Death… and the Grave came following him. They were then given authority over a quarter of the earth, to kill with the large sword, famines, plagues, and by the earth's wild animals.

⁹ Then he opened the fifth seal, and underneath the Altar I saw the lives of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and because of the testimony that they gave. ¹⁰ They were calling out in a loud voice asking, 'O Sovereign Lord who is holy and true; How much longer will You hold back from passing judgment on those who live on the earth and avenging our blood?'

¹¹ Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to take it easy for just a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow slaves and brothers was filled (who were going to be killed as they were).

¹² Then I saw him open the sixth seal, and there was a great shaking, which caused the sun to become as black as haircloth and the entire moon to become like blood. ¹³ Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree drops its figs when it's shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ And next; the sky disappeared as though it was being rolled up in a scroll, and all the mountains and islands were moved from their locations.

¹⁵ And at that, all the kings of the earth, all the important people, all the military commanders, all the rich and powerful, as well as all the slaves and free people hid themselves in caves and under rocks on the mountains. ¹⁶ They kept saying to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall over us and hide us from the face of He who is sitting on the throne and from the rage of the Lamb, ¹⁷ because the Great Day of their rage has [finally] arrived, and who can stand against them?'

Chapter 7

¹ After that, I saw four messengers who were standing at the four corners of the earth, hanging onto the four winds of the earth so the winds wouldn't blow on the land, the sea, or the trees. ² Then I saw another messenger who was coming up from the sunrise. He had the seal of the living God, and he shouted aloud to the four messengers who were allowed to harm the land and sea, ³ saying, 'Don't harm the land, the sea, or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads.'

⁴ And I heard how many of them had been sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand from among every tribe of the sons of Israel.

⁵ Twelve thousand were sealed from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of ReuBen, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, ⁶ twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of NaphTali, twelve thousand from the tribe of ManasSeh, ⁷ twelve thousand from the tribe of SimeOn, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of IsSachar, ⁸ twelve thousand from the tribe of ZebuLun, twelve thousand from the tribe of JoSeph, and twelve thousand were sealed from the tribe of BenJamin.

⁹ And after all that, I saw {Look!} a crowd so large that no one could count them. They came from all countries, nationalities, ethnic groups, and languages; and they were standing within sight of the throne and within sight of the Lamb. They were all wearing white robes, they carried palm branches in their hands, ¹⁰ and they were shouting, 'We owe our salvation to our God who is sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb!'

¹¹ Then the messengers who were standing in a circle around the throne, the older ones, and the four animals all fell to their faces before the throne and prostrated themselves before God, ¹² saying, 'May it be! May our God have all praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength through the ages of the ages… may it be!'

¹³ Then one of the older ones asked me: 'Just who are these that are dressed in the white robes, and where did they come from?'

¹⁴ And I replied, 'My lord; You're the one who knows!'

Then he told me, 'They are the ones who have come out of the great time of difficulty, and who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ That is why they're before the throne of God, serving Him day and night in His Holy Abode. He who is sitting on the throne will then spread His tent over them, ¹⁶ and they won't be hungry or thirsty anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them with blistering heat; ¹⁷ because, the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe all the tears from their eyes.'

Chapter 8

¹ And when he opened the seventh seal, the heavens were silent for about a half hour. ² Then I saw that the seven messengers who stand before The God were given seven trumpets.

³ Then another messenger showed up carrying a gold incense container. He stood at the Altar and he was given a lot of incense to offer on behalf of the prayers of all the Holy Ones, there on the gold Altar in front of the throne. ⁴ And the smoke from the incense that was being held by the messenger kept arising before God, along with the prayers of the Holy Ones.

⁵ Then the messenger took the incense container and filled it with some of the fire from the Altar, and he threw it to the earth, which caused thunder, voices, lightning, and a great shaking. ⁶ And then the seven messengers prepared to blow the seven trumpets.

⁷ And when the first one blew his trumpet, hail and fire that was mixed with blood was thrown to the earth, which caused a third of the earth, the trees, and the green plants to be burned up.

⁸ And when the second messenger blew his trumpet, something that looked like a huge burning mountain was thrown into the sea. [This caused] a third of the sea to turn into blood, ⁹ which killed a third of the animals that lived in the sea and caused a third of the ships to be destroyed.

¹⁰ When the third messenger blew his trumpet, a huge star (that had been burning like a lamp) fell from the sky onto a third of the rivers and the springs of water… ¹¹ I was told that the name of this star was The Bitter Poison. So, a third of the water turned into bitter poison and many men died from the water, because it had become so bitter.

¹² When the fourth messenger blew his trumpet, a third of the sun was struck, as was a third of the moon and a third of the stars, so that a third of them become dark… upon a third [of the earth], darkness came over the days and the nights.

¹³ Then I saw an eagle flying high in the sky, and I heard it shout, 'Woe, woe, woe, to those who are living on the earth because of the remaining trumpet blasts of the three messengers, which are about to be blown!'

Chapter 9

¹ Then, when the fifth messenger blew his trumpet, I saw a star that fell to the earth from the sky. And [this star] was given the key to the bottomless pit. ² He then opened the bottomless pit and smoke poured out of it like that which would come from a huge furnace. And the smoke from the pit darkened the sun and the air.

³ Then locusts came to the earth out of the smoke, and they were given the same power as earthly scorpions. ⁴ They were told not to damage any of the earth's vegetation or trees, just those men who don't have God's seal on their foreheads. ⁵ They weren't allowed to kill them, just to sting them for five months, and the pain that they would bring was like the sting of a scorpion when it strikes a man. ⁶ And during that period, men will look for ways to die, but they won't find any… they will wish to die, but death will escape them.

⁷ These locusts looked like horses that are prepared for battle. On their heads were what appeared to be gold crowns, and their faces looked like men's faces, ⁸ but they had women's hair. They had teeth like lions, ⁹ and they wore breastplates that looked like they were made of iron. [The flapping] of their wings sounded like the attack of many chariots in a war, ¹⁰ and they had tails and stingers like scorpions. These tails were allowed to sting men for five months.

¹¹ They had a king who led them… the messenger of the bottomless [pit]. In Hebrew, his name is AbadDon, but he's called ApolLyon (the Destroyer) in Greek.

¹² Then this first woe passed away. But look! Two more woes were yet to follow!

¹³ When the sixth messenger blew his trumpet, I heard a voice come from the horns of the gold Altar that's in front of God. ¹⁴ It said to the sixth messenger with the trumpet: 'Set free the four messengers who have been tied down at the great EuPhrates River!' ¹⁵ Then these four messengers (who were prepared to kill a third of all men on [a specific] hour, day, month, and year) were untied, ¹⁶ and they led an army that I was told had twenty-million horsemen…¹⁷ and this is what the horses and their riders looked like in the vision: They wore fire-red, hyacinth-blue, and sulfur-yellow breastplates. The horses had heads like lions; and fire, smoke, and sulfur came from their mouths. ¹⁸ It was these three plagues (the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came from their mouths) that killed a third of all men. ¹⁹ The power of the horses was all in their mouths and tails, and their tails were like snakes with heads… and these are what they used to do all the damage.

²⁰ However, the rest of the men who weren't killed by these plagues refused to repent for the things they were doing and stop worshiping the demons, or their idols of gold, silver, copper, stone, and wood (which can't see, hear, or walk). ²¹ Nor did they repent for their murders, their occult practices, their sexual immorality, or their thievery.

Chapter 10

¹ Then I saw another very powerful messenger coming down from heaven wrapped in a cloud and wearing a rainbow on his head. His face was [as bright] as the sun, and his feet were like columns of fire. ² He also held a small open scroll in his hand. Then he put his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the ground, ³ and he shouted in a loud voice that sounded like the roar of a lion. And as he shouted, the seven thunders each spoke in their own voices.

⁴ Now, I was getting ready to write down the things that the seven thunders said, when I heard a voice from heaven say, 'Don't write what the seven thunders said… seal [these words] up!'

⁵ Then this messenger (who I saw standing on the sea and on the ground) raised his right hand toward heaven. ⁶ And he swore this by the One who lives for ages of ages… He who created the heavens and everything in them, and the lands and everything in them ---: 'The time has come! ⁷ For, when the seventh messenger blows his trumpet (which is about to happen), God's mystery, which was revealed in the good news He gave through His slaves the Prophets, will then be accomplished.'

⁸ Then I heard the voice out of heaven speak to me again. It said, 'Go and take the little open scroll from the hand of the messenger who is standing on the sea and on the ground!'

⁹ So I went over to the messenger and told him to give me the little scroll. And he replied, 'Now, take it and eat it! It will be as sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will be bitter in your stomach.'

¹⁰ Then I took the little scroll out of the hand of the messenger and ate it. And it was as sweet as honey, but after I ate it, my stomach became bitter. ¹¹ Then I was told, 'Now you must go on to prophesy to peoples, nations, languages, and many kings!'

Chapter 11

¹ Next, [he] handed [me] a reed that was like a walking stick. And he said, 'Now, go measure the Temple of God, its Altar, and those who are worshiping there. ² Pay no attention to the courtyard outside the Temple… don't measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they're going to trample the Holy City under their feet for forty-two months.

³ 'Then I'm going to have my two witnesses prophesy for one thousand, two hundred and sixty days wearing sackcloth. ⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that have been standing on the earth before the Lord. ⁵ And if any of their enemies wish to harm them, fire will come from their mouths and consume them. So, if anyone wants to persecute them, that's how they're going to die, ⁶ because they've been authorized to close up the sky so no rain will fall during the period of their prophesying. They're also authorized to turn water into blood and to bring every sort of plague to the earth whenever they wish.

⁷ 'And when they've finished their witnessing, the wild animal that comes out of the bottomless [pit] will fight against them, conquer them, and kill them. ⁸ Then their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city (which [God's] Breath refers to as Sodom and Egypt; for, it's where their Lord was hung on a pole). ⁹ And there the peoples, nationalities, tongues, and ethnic groups will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they won't allow them to be buried. ¹⁰ All the while, those who live on the earth will be happy and approve of what happened to them. They'll even send gifts to each other, because these two prophets will have been such a pain to those who live on the earth.'

¹¹ However, after the three and a half days, God sent His breath of life into them and they stood up on their feet… and this frightened those who saw them. ¹² Then [the two witnesses] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, 'Come on up here.' And their enemies saw them go into the sky in a cloud. ¹³ This was followed by a tremendous shaking, and a tenth of the city ([Sodom and Egypt]) toppled. This shaking destroyed the names of seven thousand people, which frightened all those who remained, and they gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ This ended the second woe. But look; The third woe was coming!

¹⁵ When the seventh messenger blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven shouting, 'The kingdom of the world has become that of our Lord and of His Anointed One; and He will rule as king for the age of the ages.'

¹⁶ Then the twenty-four older ones who were sitting on their thrones before God fell to their faces and bowed low to Him, ¹⁷ saying, 'We thank You, Jehovah God the Almighty (He who is and who was), because You've assumed Your great power and started ruling as King. ¹⁸ This made the nations angry, but [the time for] Your rage arrived, as did the time for the dead to be judged and to reward Your slaves – the Prophets, the Holy Ones, and those fearing Your Name, the small and the great – and to thoroughly corrupt those who are corrupting the earth.'

¹⁹ And at this, the heavenly Temple of God opened up and the Chest of his Sacred Agreement could be seen inside His Temple. Then there was lightning, voices, thundering, a shaking, and a great hailstorm.

Chapter 12

¹ And then a great sign appeared in the sky. There was a woman who had the sun wrapped around her; the moon was under her feet; on her head was a crown of twelve stars; ² and she was pregnant… screaming to give birth in labor and agony.

³ Then another sign appeared in the sky. {Look!} There was a huge fire-red dragon with seven heads and ten horns. On its heads there were seven royal turbans, ⁴ and it was dragging a third of the stars of heaven with its tail. Then it threw them down to the earth!

This dragon was standing in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so when she did give birth, he could eat it!

⁵ Then she gave birth to a son… a male, who is going to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away to God and to His throne. ⁶ Then the woman escaped into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her, where she would be fed for a thousand, two hundred and sixty days.

⁷ Next, war broke out in heaven. Michael and his messengers went to war with the dragon, and the dragon and his messengers fought back; ⁸ but he lost and could no longer stay in heaven. ⁹ So, the huge dragon was thrown out. He is the first snake (the one called the Slanderer and Opposer) who is misleading the whole habitation [of man]. He was thrown down to the earth along with his messengers.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, 'Now it has come to pass; the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the empowerment of His Anointed One! For, the accuser of our brothers has been thrown out… he who has been accusing them day and night before our God! ¹¹ They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb, by the things they said while they were testifying, and because they didn't value their lives even in the face of death! ¹² This is why the heavens and those who live there should be joyful! But woe to the earth and to the sea, because the Slanderer has come down to you in a rage, knowing that he has little time.'

¹³ Now, when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he started persecuting the woman who gave birth to the male (child). ¹⁴ However, the woman was given the two wings of a huge eagle so she could fly to her place in the desert where she's fed for a time, times, and half a time, and where the snake can't reach her.

¹⁵ Then this snake shot a river of water out of its mouth after the woman, in an attempt to drown her. ¹⁶ But the earth came to the woman's aid… the ground opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon shot out of its mouth. ¹⁷ This made the dragon so angry with the woman that he went off to battle against the rest of her seed… those who obey God's instructions and bear the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁸ Then [the dragon] stood still on the sands of the sea.

Chapter 13

¹ Next, I saw a wild animal coming up out of the sea, which had seven heads and ten horns. On its horns there were ten royal turbans, and on its heads were blasphemous names. ² Now, the wild animal that I saw looked like a leopard, but it had feet like a bear and a mouth like a lion. Then the dragon gave it power, a throne, and a great authority.

³ One of its heads looked like it had been slaughtered and killed; but this deathblow was healed, and the whole earth started following the wild animal admiringly. ⁴ They also bowed to the ground before the dragon, because it gave the wild animal its authority, and they bowed before the wild animal, saying, 'Who is like the wild animal, and who can stand against it?'

⁵ Then it was given a mouth to speak great things and blasphemies, and it was given the authority to act for forty-two months. ⁶ So, it opened its mouth and spoke blasphemies against those [who belong to] God… it blasphemed His Name, as well as those who tent with Him, and those who dwell in heaven.

⁷ Thereafter, he was allowed to battle with the Holy Ones and conquer them. And then he was given power over every nation, people, language, and ethnic group, ⁸ so that everyone on the earth would bow low before him… those whose names aren't written in the Scroll of Life of the Lamb… he who had been slaughtered from the founding of the arrangement.

⁹ If anyone has ears, let him listen; ¹⁰ for if anyone is a jailer, he'll be thrown in jail, and if anyone kills with the sword, he'll be killed with a sword! This is where the Holy Ones need faith and endurance.

¹¹ Then I saw another wild animal coming up out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb, but it started talking like a dragon. ¹² And it had complete authority over everything that it saw the first wild animal doing. However, it made the earth and everyone who lives on it worship the first wild animal whose deathblow had been healed. ¹³ And it performed great signs, even making fire come down from the sky onto the earth before everyone, ¹⁴ in order to mislead those who live on the earth by the signs that it is allowed to perform in front of the wild animal. And it tells those who live on the earth to make an image to the wild animal that survived the sword stroke. ¹⁵ Then it was allowed to give breath to the image of the wild animal, so that the image could speak and cause everyone who wouldn't worship the image of the wild animal to be killed.

¹⁶ It also forced everyone – the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves – to be given their mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ so that no one would be able to buy or sell except people who have the mark… which is the name of the wild animal or the number of its name. ¹⁸ This is where wisdom is required: Let those who have minds calculate the number of the wild animal… it's a man's number, six hundred and sixty-six.

Chapter 14

¹ Then I saw {Look!} the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's Name written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a noise coming from the sky that sounded like a lot of water and loud thunder.

Well, the sound that I heard was that of people who were all playing harps and singing. ³ They were singing a new song before the throne and before the four animals and the older ones, and no one was able to learn that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth. ⁴ These didn't pollute themselves with women. In fact, they are virgins who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. They were bought from among mankind as first fruitage to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ No lies are found in their mouths and they don't have any defects.

⁶ Then I saw another messenger flying high in mid-sky, and he had age-long good news to proclaim to those who live on the earth… to every ethnic group, nation, language, and people. ⁷ He was shouting aloud, 'Fear God and glorify Him, because His hour of judgment has arrived. So, worship the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water!'

⁸ Then another (a second) messenger followed him, saying, 'She has fallen! The Great Babylon has fallen! She's the one who made all the nations drink the wine of her sexually-immoral rampage!'

⁹ Then another messenger (a third one) followed him, shouting aloud, 'If anyone worships the wild animal and its image and they receive the mark on their foreheads or on their hands, ¹⁰ they will also have to drink the pure wine of God's rage that's being poured into the cup of His anger. They will also be tortured with fire and sulfur where the holy messengers and the Lamb can see it; ¹¹ and the smoke from the torture of those who bow low before the wild animal and its image and all those who receive the mark of its name, will ascend through ages of the ages, and they won't have any rest day or night… ¹² this is where the Holy Ones who obey God's commandments and have faith in Jesus will require endurance.'

¹³ Then I heard a voice from the sky that said, 'Write this: From now on, the dead who die in the Lord are blest! Yes, [God's] Breath said: Let them rest from their laboring, because their [good] deeds will follow them!'

¹⁴ Next, I saw {Look!} a white cloud, and someone was sitting on the cloud that looked like a son of man. He had a gold crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.

¹⁵ Then another messenger came out of the Temple and he shouted this at the one who was sitting on the cloud: 'Take that sickle and start bringing in the grain, because the earth is absolutely ripe and it's time for the harvest!' ¹⁶ So, the one who was sitting on the cloud lowered his sickle to the earth and harvested it.

¹⁷ And one more messenger came out of the heavenly Temple, who also carried a sharp sickle.

¹⁸ Then a messenger, whose responsibility was burning, came out of the Altar and shouted to the one who held the sharp sickle, 'Take that sharp sickle and harvest the clumps of grapes from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are now ripe!'

¹⁹ So, this messenger lowered his sickle to the earth, harvested the grapes of the earth, and threw them into the great winepress of God's rage. ²⁰ The [grapes] in this winepress were then squashed by foot outside the city, and what came out of this winepress was blood, which flowed in a stream that was as deep as a horse's bridle for two hundred miles.

Chapter 15

¹ Next, I saw another great and wonderful sign in heaven… there were seven messengers with seven plagues. They were the last ones, because they would finish the anger of God.

² Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass and fire. And standing beside the glassy sea were those who had conquered the wild animal, its image, and the number of its name. They each had harps of God ³ and they were singing the song of God's slave Moses and the song of the Lamb. It went:

'The things that You do O Jehovah, the Almighty God,
Are wonderful and great, King of ages;
For Your ways are righteous and true,
⁴ And who doesn't fear You, Jehovah?
[Who won't] glorify Your Name?
Because You are He who's trustworthy,
So, all nations will come and bow before You,
For, Your righteous rules are now known.'

⁵ And after that, I looked and saw that the heavenly Most Holy (the [inside] of the Tent of Proofs) had been opened up. ⁶ Then the seven messengers who had the seven plagues came out of the Most Holy wearing clean, bright linen, and [they had] gold braids around their chests. ⁷ And thereafter, one of the four animals gave the seven messengers seven gold bowls that were full of the wrath of The God who lives for ages of the ages.

⁸ Then the Most Holy became filled with smoke because of the glory of God and His power. So, no one could enter it until after the seven plagues brought by the seven messengers were completed.

Chapter 16

¹ Then I heard a loud voice from the Most Holy tell the seven messengers: 'Now go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God onto the earth.'

² So, the first one went and poured out his bowl on the ground. And at that, the men who had the mark of the wild animal and who were worshiping its image broke out in very bad, malignant sores.

³ Then the second one poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of dead men. So, everything in the sea – every living creature – died.

⁴ Then the third one poured his bowl into the rivers and springs, and they turned into blood. ⁵ And I heard the messenger who was over the water say, 'You, the One who is and who was – the loyal One – are righteous, because of these decisions that You've made. ⁶ Due to the fact that they've shed the blood of the Holy Ones and the Prophets, You've given them blood to drink, and they deserve it!'

⁷ Then I heard the Altar speak. It said, 'Yes, Jehovah God the Almighty; Your judgments are righteous and true.'

⁸ Next, the fourth one poured his bowl out on the sun, which caused it to sear men with fire. ⁹ And although the tremendous heat seared the men, they just blasphemed the Name of The God who has the power over these plagues, and they didn't turn around and glorify Him.

¹⁰ Then the fifth one poured his bowl out on the throne of the wild animal. So, its whole kingdom became dark and the [people] were biting their tongues in pain. ¹¹ However, they just blasphemed the God of heaven for all their pain, and they didn't repent ---.

¹² So, the sixth one poured out his bowl on the great EuPhrates River, which dried up its water. [He did this] to prepare the way for the kings from the sunrise.

¹³ And then I saw three frog-like, dirty inspirations come out of the mouths of the dragon, the wild animal, and the false prophet. ¹⁴ They were the inspirations of demons and they served as signs. These [inspirations] went to all the kings of the earth to bring them together for the war of the Great Day of the Almighty God.

¹⁵ 'Look, I'm coming as a thief! So, whoever stays awake and keeps his clothes on will be blest… he won't have to walk around naked and have people see his shame.'

¹⁶ Then they gathered them together at the place that is called in Hebrew, Har-Mageddon.

¹⁷ Finally, the seventh [messenger] poured his bowl out into the air. And at that, a loud voice from --- inside the Temple said, 'It's finished!' ¹⁸ Then there was thunder, lightning, voices, and a tremendous shaking that was so great and covered so large an area that nothing has been seen like it since men have been on the earth. ¹⁹ Why, it split the great city into three parts, and all the cities of the nations collapsed!

Then God looked at The Great Babylon and remembered to also give her the cup of wine [which is filled with] the anger of His rage.

²⁰ For, all the islands were then gone, and there weren't any mountains. ²¹ And then a great hailstorm fell on men from the sky. Why, each of its stones weighed about a hundred pounds! However, the men just blasphemed God over the plague of hail, because it was an unusually bad plague.

Chapter 17

¹ Then one of the seven messengers who had the seven bowls came over and spoke to me, saying, 'Come here! I'm going to show you the judgment on the great whore who sits over many waters. ² [She's the one] who the earth's kings have had sex with, and who made the people of the earth drunk from the wine of her sexual immorality.'

³ So, by the Breath [of God], he carried me into the desert. And there I saw a woman who was sitting on a scarlet-colored wild animal that was covered with blasphemous names, and which had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ This woman was wearing purple and scarlet clothes that were covered with gold, precious gems, and pearls. And in her hand [she held] a gold cup that was full of disgusting things and the filth of her immoral sexual acts.

⁵ She had a mysterious name written on her forehead, 'The Great Babylon; the Mother of Whores and of [all] the Disgusting Things of the Earth.' ⁶ Then I realized that the woman had gotten drunk on the blood of the Holy Ones, as well as on the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.

Well, when I saw her, I was confused and amazed. ⁷ So the messenger asked me, 'Why are you confused? I'll tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild animal with the seven heads and ten horns that she's riding. ⁸ The wild animal that you saw was, but it isn't; yet it's about to come out of the pit and go off into destruction. And when they see the return of the wild animal that was but isn't, those who live on the earth will marvel at it. However, their names haven't been written in the Scroll of Life since the founding of the arrangement.

⁹ 'Here's where intelligence and wisdom are required: The seven heads are seven mountains that the woman is sitting on. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, and the other hasn't arrived yet. But when he gets here, he will only be allowed to stay for a little while. ¹¹ However, the wild animal that was but isn't, is an eighth king that comes from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.

¹² 'Now, the ten horns that you saw represent ten kings who haven't received a kingdom yet, but they will be authorized to be kings for one hour with the wild animal. ¹³ However, they'll just have one idea in mind… to give their power and authority to the wild animal. ¹⁴ Then they will go and fight against the Lamb. But, because he's the Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb and those who are with him (the called, elected, and faithful) will conquer them.'

¹⁵ Then he told me this, 'The waters that you saw the whore sitting over, mean peoples, crowds, ethnic groups, and languages. ¹⁶ And those ten horns and that wild animal that you saw, will hate the whore. They're going to take away everything that she has and leave her naked. Then they'll eat her flesh and burn [what's left] in a fire. ¹⁷ For, God put [the idea] into their hearts to do what He thinks she deserves. And He gave them the idea to hand their kingdoms over to the wild animal, so that whatever God says will be fulfilled. ¹⁸ Now, the woman that you saw means the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.'

Chapter 18

¹ Well after all that, I saw another messenger coming down from heaven who was very powerful. Why, the earth lit up with his glory. ² And he shouted in a strong voice, saying, 'She has fallen! The Great Babylon has fallen, and she has become a place where demons live, a prison for unclean spirits, and a cage for scavenger birds! ³ All the nations have fallen [victim] to the wine of the rage of her sexual immorality, because the kings of the earth have had immoral sex with her, and the earth's businessmen have become rich through the power of her shameless luxury.'

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven say, 'Come out of her my people! Come on out, so you don't share in her sins and receive part of her plagues! ⁵ Because, her sins have piled all the way to heaven, and God has remembered all the unjust things that she has done. ⁶ So, pay her back for all the things she's done! In fact, pay her back twice as much… double the payback for the things she did! If she poured [poison] in a cup, then pour in twice as much for her! ⁷ As much as she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, pay her back that much more in pain and sorrow! Because, she keeps saying in her heart: I'm sitting as a queen. I'm nobody's widow and I'll never have to mourn. ⁸ That's why her plagues will come upon her in a single day – death, mourning, and famine – and she'll be burned up with fire, because her judge, Jehovah God, is powerful.

⁹ 'Those kings of the earth who had sex and lived in shameless luxury with her will then bawl and beat themselves in grief over her, as they stand and watch the smoke from her fire. ¹⁰ But they'll stand at a distance, because they'll be afraid of her torture. And they'll say, 'O woe, woe, you great city; O Babylon you strong city; because your judgment came in a single hour!'

¹¹ 'The earth's businessmen will also bawl and mourn over her, because there won't be anyone to buy their complete stock of goods anymore… ¹² or any of the gold and silver, the precious stones and pearls, the fine linen, the purple, the silk, the scarlet, any of the scented wood, or any of the things made of ivory, precious wood, copper, iron, or marble… ¹³ or the cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour and wheat… or the cattle, sheep, horses, coaches, slaves, or the lives of humans. ¹⁴ Yes, all of that juicy fruit that you so deeply desired has left you, as have all the fatty foods and the bright colors. They're no longer available to you, and you'll never have them again.

¹⁵ 'The men who sold these things and who became rich from her will cry and mourn at some distance from her, because they're [also] afraid of her torture. ¹⁶ They'll say, O woe, woe, you great city that wore all the fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and was so richly covered in gold, precious stones, and pearls, ¹⁷ because all these great riches have been taken away in a single hour!

'And this was also true of the ship captains, all those who sail, the seamen, and everyone who makes a living at sea. They too stood some distance away ¹⁸ and called out as they watched the smoke while she was burning, saying, What other city is like this great city? ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads, bawled, and mourned, shouting, O woe, woe, for this great city, which made so many shipping companies rich with her wealth… and now everything has been taken away from her in a single hour!'

²⁰ 'O heavens; you Holy Ones; you Apostles and Prophets; Rejoice over her, because God's judgment has brought revenge upon her for your sakes!'

²¹ Then a very strong messenger picked up a stone that looked like a huge millstone and threw it into the sea saying, 'This is how fast the city (Great Babylon) will be thrown down, and she'll never be found again. ²² Nor will the sounds of harpists, musicians, flutists, or trumpet players ever be heard in you again. No craftsman or any tradesman will ever be found in you again. --- ²³ No lamplight will ever shine in you again, and the voice of a bride and groom won't ever be heard in you again. For, your traveling merchants were once the most important men on the earth; you misled all the nations with your sorcery; ²⁴ and the blood of Prophets, Holy Ones, and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth were found within you!'

Chapter 19

¹ After all that, I heard what sounded like the voices of a huge crowd in heaven shouting, 'Praise Jah… the salvation, glory, and power belong to our God, ² because His judgments are righteous and true! He passed judgment on the great whore who made the whole earth dirty with her immoral sex, and He has avenged the blood of His slaves [who died] at her hands!' ³ Then they shouted a second time, 'Praise Jah, because the smoke from her will keep ascending through ages of the ages!'

⁴ Then the twenty-four older ones and the four animals fell down and bowed low before The God as He sat on His throne, saying, 'May it be! Praise Jah!'

⁵ And a voice came out of the throne that said, 'Praise our God, all you who are his slaves… the great and the small who fear Him!'

⁶ Then I heard what sounded like the voices of a huge crowd, along with the noise of a lot of water and heavy thunder. They were shouting, 'Praise Jah, because Jehovah our God the Almighty has started ruling as king! ⁷ Let's rejoice, shout in joy, and glorify Him, because it's time for the Lamb's wedding! His bride has prepared herself, ⁸ and she was found worthy to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen; for the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the Holy Ones.'

⁹ Then he told me, 'Write this: Those who are invited to the Lamb's wedding banquet are blest!' And he added, 'God really said this.'

¹⁰ Well at that, I fell down in front of his feet to bow low before him. But he warned me, 'Be careful… don't do that! All I am is just a fellow slave of you and your brothers, who are witnesses of Jesus. Being a witness for Jesus is the spirit behind this prophecy. So, worship God!'

¹¹ Then I saw the sky open up and {Look!} there was a white horse. The one who was sitting on it was called Faithful and True, because he judges and fights the war for righteousness! ¹² His eyes were flames of fire and he wore many royal turbans on his head. He had a name that was written, which nobody knew but him. ¹³ He was wrapped in a robe that was splattered with blood, and the name he is called is The Word of God. ¹⁴ He was followed by all the armies in heaven who were [riding] white horses, and they were wearing white, clean, fine linen. ¹⁵ He had a long, sharp sword sticking out of his mouth that he could use against the nations, and he will shepherd them with an iron staff.

He's [the one who] crushed the grapes with his feet in the winepress of the anger of the Almighty God's rage. ¹⁶ And on his robe and on his thigh he has the name written, 'King of kings and Lord of lords.'

¹⁷ I also saw a messenger standing in the sun who was shouting in a loud voice telling all the creatures that fly high in the sky, 'Come here! Gather for God's great supper, ¹⁸ where you can eat the flesh of kings, military commanders, mighty men, horses, and those who are riding them, as well as the flesh of all the freemen and slaves… the small and the great!'

¹⁹ Then I saw the wild animal, along with the kings of the earth and their armies, all gathered together to war against the one who was sitting on the [white] horse and with his army.

²⁰ Well, the wild animal was captured (as was the false prophet that performed the signs in front of it which he used to mislead those who received the mark of the wild animal, as well as those who had worshiped its image)… while they were both still alive, they were tossed into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ However, the long sword that came from the mouth of the one who was riding the [white] horse killed all the rest, and then all the birds ate their fill of flesh.

Chapter 20

¹ Then I saw a messenger come down from heaven with a long chain in his hand, and the key to the abyss; ² and he grabbed the dragon – the original snake, the Slanderer and Opposer – and chained him up for a thousand years (or thousands of years). ³ Then he threw him into the abyss… closing it and locking it up over him, so he couldn't mislead the nations anymore until the end of the thousand years. But after that, he has to be set free for a little while.

⁴ And I saw thrones… and those who sat down on them were the ones who had been executed with axes for testifying about Jesus and for telling about God, and who hadn't worshiped the wild animal or its image, and who hadn't received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands. Then they were appointed judges, and they came to life and ruled as kings with the Anointed One for a thousand years ⁵ … this is the first resurrection. ⁶ Those who have a part in the first resurrection are blest and holy, because the second death doesn't have any power over them. For they will be Priests of The God and the Anointed One, and they will rule along with him for the thousand years.

⁷ Now, when the thousand years are completed, the Slanderer will be freed from his prison. ⁸ Then he will go out and mislead people to the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, and bring them together for a battle… there will be as many as the sands of the sea! ⁹ They will march across the earth and surround the camp of the Holy Ones and the loved city, but fire will then come from the sky and consume them! ¹⁰ And the Opposer who misled them will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the wild animal and the false prophet already are, and they will be tortured day and night for ages of ages.

¹¹ Then I saw someone sitting on a huge white throne, before whom both the earth and the sky had vanished and couldn't be found. ¹² Then I saw the dead – the great and the small – standing before the throne, and several scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, which was the Scroll of Life. And the dead were then judged by the things that were written in the scrolls, according to the things that they had done.

¹³ The sea gave up its dead, death and the grave gave up those dead in them, and they were all judged by the things they had done. ¹⁴ And finally, death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire (the lake of fire symbolizes the second death). ¹⁵ And anyone whose name wasn't found written in the Scroll of Life was also thrown into the lake of fire.

Chapter 21

¹ Then I saw new skies and new lands, because the previous sky and land had disappeared, as did the sea. ² I also saw the Holy City, New JeruSalem, stepping down out of the sky from God, and she had been prepared as a bride who is adorned for her husband.

³ Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say, 'Look! The Tent of The God is with mankind! He's going to pitch His Tent among them, then they will be His people and He will be their God. ⁴ He's going to wipe all the tears from their eyes, and there won't be any more death, mourning, wailing, or pain, because what used to be will be gone!'

⁵ Then the One who was sitting on the throne said, '{Look!} I'm making everything new!' And he added, 'Write this down, because these words are faithful and true.'

⁶ Then He told me, 'It has all happened! I'm the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end – and I'm going to give anyone who is thirsty a free drink from the Spring of the Water of Life! ⁷ Whoever conquers will inherit these things… I'll be his God and he'll be my son! ⁸ But as for the cowards, the unbelievers, the nasty, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who cast spells, the idol worshipers and all the liars; their inheritance is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur… the second death.'

⁹ Then one of the seven messengers with the seven bowls that were full of the seven last plagues came and spoke to me, saying, 'Come here and I'll show you the bride… the Lamb's wife!'

¹⁰ So he carried me away by [God's] Breath to an enormously high mountain. And there he showed me JeruSalem, the Holy City, coming down out of the sky from God. ¹¹ It had all the glory of God; it sparkled like the most precious of gems and it gleamed like crystal-clear jasper stones. ¹² It had thick, high walls and twelve gates. And at the twelve gates there were twelve messengers, and [the gates] were inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side, and three gates on the west side.

¹⁴ The city wall also had twelve foundation stones, and the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb were written on them.

¹⁵ Now, the one who was talking to me was holding a ruler (a gold reed) that he used to measure the city, its gates, and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was square… as long as it was wide. So he measured the entire city with the reed, and its length, width, and height (which were equal) [measured the same as] twelve-thousand thousand stadions. ¹⁷ He also measured [the thickness of] its walls, and it was the length of a man's forearm (which is about the same as for a messenger [of God]), times one hundred and forty-four.

¹⁸ Now, the walls were made of jasper; the city was made of gold that was as pure as clear glass; ¹⁹ and the city wall's foundation stones were decorated with all sorts of precious gems. The first foundation was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was chalcedony, the fourth was emerald, ²⁰ the fifth was ruby, the sixth was sardius, the seventh was peridot, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was hyacinth, and the twelfth was amethyst. ²¹ Also, the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each of the gates was made of a single pearl; and the city's main street was of gold that was as pure as clear glass!

²² I didn't see a Divine Habitation within [the city], because Jehovah God the Almighty and the Lamb are its Holy Place (gr. naos). ²³ This city didn't need the sun or moon to shine upon it, because it was lit by the glory of The God; and the Lamb was its lamp. ²⁴ All the nations will be able to walk in its light, and the earth's kings will bring their glorious things into it. ²⁵ Its gates won't ever be closed during the day, and night won't exist there. ²⁶ They will carry the glory and honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ However, nothing that's dirty, or anyone who does disgusting things or tells lies will ever enter it… only those [whose names] are written in the Lamb's Scroll of Life.

Chapter 22

¹ Then he showed me the River of the Water of Life… it was crystal clear and flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb, ² down the middle of its street (from here to there). [And there was] the Tree of Life, which bears twelve [crops of] fruit, putting out fruit monthly; and the Trees' leaves are used for the healing of the ethnics.

³ Everything that causes people to sin will be gone then, for the Throne of God and the Lamb will be there. His slaves will worship Him, ⁴ they will see His face, and they'll wear His Name on their foreheads. ⁵ And since there won't be any more night, they won't need lamps or sunlight, because Jehovah God will shine upon them, and they'll rule as kings for ages of the ages.

⁶ Then he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true. Yes, Jehovah (The God who gave His Breath to the Prophets) sent His messenger to show His slaves the things that will happen very soon. ⁷ And Look! I'm coming quickly! Blest is he who obeys the things that are prophesied in this scroll.'

⁸ Well, I (John) was the one who saw and heard these things. And after I saw and heard it all, I fell down to bow at the feet of the messenger who had shown me these things. ⁹ But he warned me, 'Be careful… don't do that! All I am is just a fellow slave of you and your brothers, who are Prophets and who are obeying [the things that] they are told in this scroll. Bow before God!'

¹⁰ He also warned me, 'Don't seal up the things that are said in the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. ¹¹ May he who is acting unrighteously stay unrighteous, and may the filthy one stay filthy. But let those who are righteous remain righteous, and those who are holy remain holy.

¹² 'Look, I'm coming soon! And the reward that I bring is the repayment to each one for what he has done. ¹³ I'm the Alpha and the Omega; the first and the last; the beginning and the end. ¹⁴ Blest are those who wash their robes, for they'll be allowed access to the trees of life, and they can enter the city gates. ¹⁵ But the dogs, those who cast spells, those who are immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and everyone who enjoys lying, has to stay outside.'

¹⁶ 'I (Jesus) sent my messenger to [provide] you testimony about these things that are [coming] to the congregations. I am the root and the descendant of David… the bright morning star.'

¹⁷ '[God's] Breath and the bride keep saying, Come! And let everyone who hears this say, Come! Let anyone who's thirsty come! Let anyone who wishes partake of life's water free!

¹⁸ 'I'm testifying to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll, that if anyone adds anything to it, God will add the plagues to him that are written about in this scroll. ¹⁹ And if anyone removes any of the words of this scroll of prophecy, God will take away his share from the Tree of life, and from the things that are written in this scroll concerning the Holy City.

²⁰ 'He who testified to these things says, Yes, I'm coming quickly!'

May it be! Come Lord Jesus!

²¹ May the loving care of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be with the Holy Ones.

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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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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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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Living Creatures or Animals?

In Revelation, we read of four heavenly creatures that picture the major qualities of God (wisdom, justice, love, and power). The Greek word that is used to describe these creatures here is zōo (pronounced Zō-ah), as in the place where people go to see animals today (zoo). This word simply means animals, but it is translated in most Bibles as living creatures, which was likely done for 'politically-correct' reasons. However, John just wrote animals, so that's how the word is translated here.

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Spirit, Breath, or Inspirations?

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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Scroll of Life

The first place in the Bible that speaks of the Scroll of Life (in those words specifically) is found in one of the songs of King David (Psalm 69:28), where he wrote, 'From the Scroll of the Living may their names be erased, and among the righteous may their names not be written.' However, the first actual mention of such a scroll timewise, is found in Exodus 32:33, where God said to Moses, 'I'm going to erase [the names] of all those who have sinned against Me from My scroll.'

So, we must assume that as early as the early fifteenth Century B.C.E., God's faithful worshipers had some concept of a record that God keeps of people whom He counts as being 'the living.' And as God Himself pointed out, their names can also be erased from His scroll after they had been written there (so much for the concept of once-saved, always-saved).

What is this Scroll, how does a person get his or her name written in it, and what does this mean for them?

Although God surely needs no actual written record to remember His faithful ones, the phrase 'the Scroll of Life' is mentioned enough times in the Bible to assume that God does remember (or record) the names of those righteous whom He counts among 'the living,' as opposed to those whom He numbers among 'the dead.'

Who are 'the living?' They are likely the same as the ones of whom Jesus spoke at John 5:24, when he said, '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 have to be judged, for he has crossed over from death to life!'

So, we must assume that some conscious act of faith by each individual causes him or her to cross over 'from death to life,' and that is likely the time when a person's name is written in the Scroll of Life. Then, as Jesus said, 'He won't have to be judged' thereafter, when he (or she) is resurrected.

What is this act of faith? Today, it would surely be the conscious act of choosing to be baptized. However, since baptism wasn't practiced during the time of David, it appears as though all IsraEl had their names written in that Scroll when they were born into that nation which was chosen by God; and their names remained there for as long as they were faithful. Notice how this concept fits into David's words about their names being erased.

Then at Revelation 20:11, 12, we read of several 'scrolls' being opened and of the 'dead' being judged by the things that are written in those scrolls. Who are these 'dead?' Well, remember that those whose names are written in the Scroll of Life will not be judged, so they aren't the dead. And that (following the order of the series of events described here), all the resurrections will already have taken place before these scrolls are opened (see Revelation 20:4-6); so these dead individuals aren't physically dead any longer, for they are seen to be standing. As the result, this must mean that; Although they are no longer literally dead, they are still counted as dead (or dying). And so they must be judged before their names can be written in the Scroll of Life.

So with this understanding, notice again the exact words of Revelation 20:12: 'Then I saw the dead – the great and the small – standing before the throne, and several scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, which was the Scroll of Life. And the dead were then judged by the things that were written in the scrolls, according to the things that they did.'

Therefore, we must assume that those who remain faithful worshipers of God have their names permanently sealed in God's Scroll of Life upon their deaths and are considered 'the living' by Him. Then, when they are resurrected, there is no need for them to be judged thereafter.

As for 'the dead' whom the Revelation says are 'judged by the things written in the scrolls;' this likely means that they too will be resurrected, but they will be judged by the things they do after the resurrection and during the thousand-year period that the Slanderer is bound and in the pit (See Revelation 20:2-6).

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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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Michael

The Greek word that is translated 'Highest Messenger [of God]' at Jude 9 is ArchAggelos. Arch (pronounced ark) means highest (or beginning) and aggelos (pronounced ahn-gell-ose) is the word that we get angel or messenger from.

Who was this 'highest messenger of God?' Jude gives his name as MichaEl. However, many Bible scholars think that this is the name of Jesus prior to his coming to the earth. The reasoning behind this is that Jesus is truly God's highest messenger (see the First Chapter of Hebrews), so some believe that Jesus and MichaEl are the same person.

The thought that Jesus is MichaEl is reinforced by Paul's words as found at 1 Thessalonians 4:16, where we read, 'Because the Lord himself will come down from heaven and give the command in the voice of the highest messenger (gr. archaggelou) [of God] with God's trumpet.'

So, since 'the Lord' is an obvious reference to Jesus, he does appear to be the ArchAngel MichaEl.

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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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The Woman and Her Seed

One of the marvels of John's writings is that he ties the Bible's first prophecies and words into the Bible's last written books (John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation). For example, the words that are written in Revelation the Twelfth Chapter about the 'woman' and her 'seed,' and the 'dragon' and his 'seed,' shows the thrilling conclusion to a Bible 'mystery (gr. mysterion),' which was anticipated for some 4,000 years prior to John's writing. In fact, at Romans 16:25 it is referred to as, 'the revelation of the mystery that has been kept quietly for the ages.'

The prophecy that the Revelation is explaining, is the first one found in the Bible. For, at Genesis 3:15, God said to the Snake (the Slanderer), 'I'll create hatred between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will watch for your head, and you will watch for his heel.'

Then, here in the Revelation, the four characters of Genesis 3:15 are identified. They are:

· The 'snake' (or dragon), who is the Slanderer

· The Slanderer's 'seed,' who are (in part) the Slanderer's messengers

· The 'woman' who gives birth to the seed, and appears to be God's faithful heavenly organization (the 'JeruSalem Above')

· The 'woman's seed' (which was 'born' when the Slanderer was thrown out of heaven), is God's entire Kingdom arrangement – Jesus and his 'chosen ones.'

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

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The Wild Animals

The 'wild animals' of Revelation appear to picture human governments in 'the Lord's Day.' As proof of this, notice what Revelation 17:10-12 says: 'And there are seven kings. Five have fallen (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece), one is (Rome), and the other (England and the United States?) hasn't arrived yet. But when he gets here, he will only be allowed to stay for a little while. However, the wild animal that was but isn't, is an eighth king that comes from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.'

So, there are three different government types mentioned in the Revelation. They include:

1. The seven-headed ten-horned wild animal than comes 'out of the sea' (Revelation 13:1) – The 7 heads and 10 horns (due to the complete numbers of 7 and 10) appear to represent a composite of all worldly governments that are under the control of the Slanderer and his messengers.

2. The two-horned wild animal that comes 'out of the earth' (Revelation 13:7 – also identified as 'the False Prophet' at Revelation 16:13) – appears to be the last world power, and the two horns indicate that it is a combination of two countries (Great Britain and the United States?)

3. The 'image' of the wild animal is described as, 'the wild animal that was but isn't, is an eighth king that comes from the seven' (Revelation 17:8.) – appears to be what used to be the League of Nations (when it 'was') that went out of existence during WWII (when it 'wasn't'), then it was revived as the United Nations. Notice that the Bible describes this wild animal as 'an eighth king,' and that it's end comes at Armageddon.

So, what is 'the mark of the wild animal' that condemns those who have it? It doesn't appear to be a literal mark, but rather, it seems to refer to the support that people gives to these 'animalistic' worldly governments (patriotism?).

For more information, see the linked document, The Mark of the Beast.

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The Great Babylon

The 'whore' that is identified in Revelation the Eighteenth Chapter (the Great Babylon) has been identified by some as a composite of all religions that have shared in having a 'throne over the kings of the earth.' And this could be true, for, what other group has wielded such an influence over the governments through the ages, as she is identified as doing in the Revelation?

However, although we once felt that the above conclusion was true, in the process of translating the words of the Hebrew Prophets and in reading the things that ancient Babylon did to apostate Judah and JeruSalem, we have come across enough questionable details to cause us to be less sure of this conclusion.

What are these 'questionable details?' Well, the Bible shows us that God sent the Kingdom of Babylon against the Judeans because they had been unfaithful. So, 'the Great Babylon' (as it was referred to by the king of Babylon at DaniEl 4:30) was a worldly army that was sent against something that had become an apostate religion. And we have wondered whether unfaithful JeruSalem and Judah don't in fact represent what we thought that Babylon represented.

It still could be apostate religion, for, notice that the 'whore' of Revelation was guilty of doing what James mentioned as being wrong for Christians (at James 4:4), where he wrote: 'Adulteresses, don't you know that if you're a friend of the world, you're an enemy of God? So, whoever wants to be a friend of the world is putting himself down as God's enemy.'

As you can see, the description by James labels 'worldly Christians' as immoral adulteresses. And for a fact; many Christian religions are deeply involved in supporting politics and nationalism. And this lines up with the description of 'the Great Babylon' in Revelation.

However, ancient JeruSalem (which was attacked by the Great Babylon) was also described this way. For, if you read EzekiEl Chapter twenty-three, you will see how God Himself likened JeruSalem to a woman who was promised to Him, but who became a whore through her unfaithfulness… which is what much of modern Christendom and Judaism have both done today.

In the past, some have identified The Great Babylon as being the Catholic Church (see the book The Two Babylons, by Alexander Hyslop). Yet, there is no single religion that can be pointed to as standing alone in its involvement in corruption and political entanglements, for almost all are guilty of this today.

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New Jerusalem

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

So notice first, that New JeruSalem appears to be linked to the Lamb's bride or wife. And this is the reason why we suspect that this 'woman' pictures those humans who are chosen to be a part of God's arrangement to govern the earth from this 'New JeruSalem' that comes down from heaven (or out of the sky) at the end of the thousand years.

Also notice that those who seem to be the rulers within that sacred city have 'become one' with Jesus as 'the bride of the Lamb.' These could possibly be the same ones who were described at Revelation 14:3 as, 'the hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth.' And if so, Revelation 7:4, 5 tells us that these ones are chosen from among (gr. ek) the (symbolic) 'twelve tribes of IsraEl.' Therefore, they could be said to make up a 'city,' which is to be the seat of government for the earth.

Notice how Revelation 21:2, 3 describes that city: 'I also saw the Holy City,New JeruSalem, stepping down out of the sky from God, and she had been prepared as a bride who is adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne say, Look! The Tent of The God is with mankind! He's going to pitch His Tent among them, then they will be His people and He will be their God.'

So, here we find a link between the Holy City and 'the Tent of God.' However, does this mean that the city itself is God's Tent? Well, first recognize that the original Tent of God itself wasn't located within JeruSalem's walls on Mount Zion, but on nearby Mount MoriAh… and it was there just during the later portion of David's reign and the beginning of Solomon's reign. However, after it had been replaced by the Temple (often referred to in Greek as the oikos – permanent dwelling or house), that Temple was thereafter located within the City walls. So, the city and the Tent are not the same thing.

Also recognize that the Greek word skene (translated here as Tent) refers to a temporary dwelling. So, as in ancient IsraEl, it doesn't appear as though God intends to come down and live among mankind. Rather, this seems to indicate that He will be present on occasions within His Tent, as He was in the first Tent of God.

Notice that we are told at Revelation 21:22, 'I didn't see a Divine Habitation (naos) within [the city], because Jehovah God the Almighty and the Lamb are its Holy Place.' So, it appears as though God (Jehovah) and Jesus will continue to live in the naos (heavenly dwelling of the Gods), but their glory will be the light of the earth.

This conclusion seems to be in line with the words of the Old Law concerning the High Priest (typical of Jesus), for we are told at Leviticus 21:10-12: 'And the Priest who is the chief one among his brothers … may not leave the Holy Place and he must not make the Holy Place of his God unclean, because he wears God's holy anointing oil. I am Jehovah.'

However, as in ancient JeruSalem, the under-Priests will apparently be allowed to come and go, after they leave their Priestly garments inside the Holy Place, for we read at EzekiEl 44:19, 'And when they enter the People's outer courtyard, they must remove the clothes that they served in, and leave them inside the Holy's inner chambers… for then they must wear other clothes. There's no way that they can make people holy while they're wearing their own clothes.'

Yet, it doesn't appear as though these Holy Ones will become humans once again, because we are told at EzekiEl 42:14, 'No one can enter (the Holy Place) except for the Priests, and they cannot leave the Holy Place, to go to the outer courtyard, so these who are leading will always be holy. Nor may anyone touch the garments they wear, for they are also most holy. So, when touching the people they must wear other clothes.'

But, this same prophecy does also tell us at EzekiEl 45:7, 'And a portion of [the sacred land] must be set aside as a [home for the Chief Priest]. [It runs] to the Holy Place of first-fruits, and it'll be his possession in the city, there before the Holy Place of first-fruits, and in front of the portions of the city, that run from the east to the west.' So, this does seem to indicate that there will be some sort of permanent presence of Jesus within that city.

For more information, see the linked document, JeruSalem and the IsraEl of God.

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Messengers

Most Bible translations render the Greek word aggelos (pronounced ahn-gel-ose – with a hard g) as angel wherever it is found. However, aggelos is just the Greek word for messenger. True, in most cases where the Bible speaks of angels, it is referring to spirit messengers from God. However, this may not be the meaning in every instance, and always translating it as angel may distort what was meant.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and came to the door of some faithful Christians. Here the housemaid told the people inside that Peter was outside. And according to many other Bibles, they thought that it was 'his angel' at the door. However, this rendering doesn't sound reasonable, for it would have been unusual for Christians to assume that an angel from God (who looked like Peter) was standing and knocking at their door. Rather, the rendering we have used herein makes more sense, 'So they said, It's his messenger.'

Another good example of why aggelos shouldn't always be translated as angel can be found at Genesis 32:3, which reads in Greek, 'Apasteile de Iakob aggelous emprosthen autou pros Hesau ton adelphon autou' or, 'Sent of Jacob angels(?) ahead of/him toward Esau the brother of/him.' Here Jacob was obviously sending human messengers to his brother, not heavenly ones (angels).

And consider the words at Numbers 20:14, where we read that Moses sent messengers (gr. aggelous – messengers, plural) from Cades to the king of Edom.' Then in verse 16, it says that 'Jehovah … heard our voice and sent His messenger (gr. aggelon – messenger, singular) who brought us out of Egypt.'

Obviously, the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used there to speak of two different types of messengers… those who were human and the one who was sent from heaven by God. And in this case, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, however, for the readers should be able to discern from the context which ones are human and which ones are spirit by themselves. And when there is some question, each person should keep an open mind.

Consider the words of Haggai 1:13, where we read: 'Then the Messenger (or angel) of Jehovah, Haggai, one of the messengers (or angels) of Jehovah, said to the people: Jehovah says, I am with you!'

Yet, Haggai was just a man, not a spirit. So, there may be other cases in the Bible where some translations have presumptuously written angel, when the one that God sent was a human messenger!

Also consider that; Translating aggelos as messenger when it is truly speaking of a spirit from God, helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such sons of God play in His dealings with mankind… and that the term angel isn't a type of creature or a heavenly rank (as most think), but an assignment that may even be temporary. It also helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels (because dead men, dead women, and dead babies don't become angels, since heavenly spirits are direct creations by God).

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The Seven Stars

As Revelation 1:20 says, 'The seven stars signify the messengers of the seven congregations.' See the linked document, Arrangement of the First Christian Churches.

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The Morning Star

Admittedly, our rendering of Psalm 110:3, which reads, 'For, since the time that you came from the womb, I made you to be the [bright] morning star,' could be wrong, because it differs from the Hebrew text and other translations of the Septuagint. The Greek word in question here is eosphorou, which some translate as dawn. However, others argue that the word should be translated as morning star, and we find this logical, because Jesus referred to himself as the morning star at Revelation 2:28, and again at Revelation 22:16. So, this would explain what scripture Jesus was quoting when he used that term.

Notice that this rendering is also more in harmony with the principles of Hebrew poetry, for it better reflects the thought of the previous verse, 'In that mighty day you'll be the sovereign, and in the brightness of your holy ones you will shine.' It also just makes more sense than the Hebrew words, 'in the splendors of holiness from the womb of the dawn,' which don't appear to mean very much, and which don't tie into other prophesies.

Revelation 2:28 says, 'I'll also give him the morning star.' Notice the explanation that the Bible itself provides (at Revelation 22:16) of who this morning star is: 'I (Jesus) sent my messenger to you [so you would] bring this testimony against the congregations. I'm the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.'

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The Lamp Stands

Notice what was represented by the lamp stands in the Revelation: Revelation 1:20 says, 'The seven lamp stands signify the seven congregations.' So, these lamp stands must picture callings or groups of Christians. And where a lamp stand is spoken of as being 'removed' (as at Revelation 2:5), this appears to indicate that the congregation will be removed from its position of favor.

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Stumble or Trap?

The Greek word scandalon means the trip lever of a trap. And while it is often translated as stumble, the meaning has more to do with stumbling into a trap.

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Fornication or Sexual Immorality?

The Greek word porneia means more than just copulation between individuals who aren't married to each other. The term literally means that which is sold (by prostitutes). So, it includes all types of sexual acts that might be sold by prostitutes; and it applies to such actions between those (whether male or female) who are not married to each other, even when there may be no exchange of money, because, wherever we find the word porneia in the Bible, the Hebrew Law shows that it involves any intimate relations between unmarried persons.

Therefore, because the English word fornication carries the nuance of just copulation between unmarried persons, we have used the broader term sexual immorality in this Bible to indicate the full range of meaning.

For more information, see the linked document Christian Morality.

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Spiritism, Druggery, or Involvement in the Occult?

The Greek word that we have translated as, involvement in the occult, at Galatians 5:20, is pharmakia. This word has been translated many ways over the years, to fit particular religious 'hot buttons.' Some have applied it to forbid spiritism and others have applied it to forbid the use of illicit drugs (due to the 'pharmacy' connection). However, the word refers specifically to the use of 'magic potions' that are supplied by mystics, such as witches and the like. And some connection to modern-day (prescribed and patent) medicines as sold in drug stores could be implied. However, the difference is that modern medicines aren't claimed to have 'magical' or 'occult' powers.

The particular Greek/English interlinear Bible that we used when preparing this version, translated pharmakia as druggery. However, the nuance that druggery implies in American English simply isn't correct. It suggests the misuse (abuse) of mind-altering drugs… and that isn't the primary meaning of pharmakia. While mind-altering drugs would likely have played a role in ancient potions, the corrupt act mentioned here clearly refers to any involvement in occult practices and contact with the demons.

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The Kingdom

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

A common misconception about the Kingdom of God, is that it isn't real… that it's just a state of mind. This conclusion is based on Jesus' words found at Luke 17:21, which say (in Greek), he basileia tou Theou entos hymon estin (the Kingdom of the God in you is). And we have quite literally translated this verse as, 'for God's Kingdom is within you.' However, some object to our translating his words this way, because, notice that (at Luke 17:20) Jesus said this in reply to a question which was raised by the Pharisees; and he probably didn't think that the Kingdom was in their hearts (although some Pharisees did become his followers).

So, what did Jesus really mean? Well, some religions have concluded he was saying that: He, the king of that Kingdom, was there in their midst, and that the hope of becoming kings in that Kingdom was being offered to them. But it's also true that real Christians ever since that time have believed and acted as members of that Kingdom in their hearts. So, the Kingdom of God was truly within some of them… but this doesn't necessarily mean (as some religions have concluded) that the Kingdom won't come at some actual future time and become the realm of the kingship of Jesus and his faithful followers.

Notice, for example, Jesus' own words found at Luke 22:16, where he told his disciples (concerning the fermentation-free bread), 'Because I say to you; I won't eat it again until it's fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.' So, he was clearly saying that the Kingdom was to be a future thing, and thus is was not just an existing frame of mind.

Also notice that; Since it appears as though he and his elected ones will rule from heaven, the place from which they will rule could be called 'the Kingdom of Heaven.' However, the term, the Kingdom of Heaven appears to refer to the rule from heaven, and not to the place where those who are ruled will all live. We draw this conclusion from Jesus' words as found at Matthew 8:11, where it is recorded that he said: 'Many from the sunrise and sunset will come and recline [at the table] with AbraHam, IsaAc, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.'

Although those words would seem to confirm the thought that faithful ones such as AbraHam, IsaAc, and Jacob would rule from heaven; realize that AbraHam, IsaAc, and Jacob weren't really in heaven at the time when Jesus said that. This is confirmed by what Jesus said (at John 3:13), 'No one has gone to heaven other than he who came from heaven, the Son of Man.' And while not being dogmatic on this point, we understand that the ancient patriarchs were never promised life in heaven (for more information, see the linked document The Hereafter)

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

Notice again, how Jesus showed that the Kingdom of God hadn't already arrived at the time he was speaking; for we are told at Luke 19:11, 'While they were listening to these things, he told them another illustration, because he was getting close to JeruSalem, and they all thought that the Kingdom of God was about to happen instantly.' So, although the Kingdom of God (or as Matthew describes it, 'The Kingdom of Heaven') may have been in their hearts, there was still to be an actual Kingdom rulership over IsraEl and the earth.

Then Jesus told the parable about the Kingdom (in Luke 19:12-27)) of a man who (like himself) made a long trip to a distant land to receive kingship. So, this parable shows that there was to be a long period between the time when Jesus would leave on his journey (to receive kingship in heaven), and the time when he would return to reward his faithful slaves.

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

So, when the Opposer and his messengers are expelled from heaven, God's Kingdom begins there.

Then, what IS the Kingdom? The term appears to refer to a coming rulership of the earth from the heavens by Jesus and his elected, who will rule on the earth, for John wrote at at Revelation 5:9, 10, that a heavenly group sang this song to him about Jesus:
'You bought people for God with your blood,
From every tribe, language, ethnicity, and country.
Then you made them rulers and Priests to our God,
And they'll rule as kings on (gr. epi) the earth.'

Then at Revelation 2:26 it's recorded that Jesus promised: 'I'll give he who conquers and obeys whatever I tell him to do down to the end, power over the nations.' And again (at Revelation 3:21) Jesus promised: 'Then I'll allow the one who conquers to sit down with me on my throne, just as my Father has allowed me to sit on His throne, because I have conquered.'

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

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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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Demons

2 Peter 2:4 speaks of 'messengers' or 'angels' who were put into 'Tartarus' for bad acts they committed during the time of Noah. Genesis 6:3 speaks of these as 'sons of God' (gr. uioi tou Theou) and it tells of their coming to earth to marry 'the daughters of men' (gr. thygateras ton anthropon). However, these 'sons of God' don't appear to be quite the same as the 'messengers' who are to be thrown out of heaven during 'the Lord's Day,' mentioned at Revelation 12:7-9. Since the 'sons of God' who came to earth and assumed human bodies in Noah's day couldn't be destroyed by the downpour (flood) and they had forsaken heaven, they were apparently put into a prison-like state here on the earth, where they are no longer able to roam. This group is specifically referred to as the demons in the Bible.

It is interesting that; except among modern materialistic and scientific societies, demons are recognized as real throughout the world by almost all of its religions. And such universal acknowledgement by diverse peoples with no cultural ties, is one of the strongest arguments for their existence.

Demon is a Greek word that seems to be derived from diameno, which means, fixed in one place. From other Bible accounts about demons, it appears as though this 'fixing in one place' means that they must be associated with either living or non-living things, which is referred to as 'possession.'

At Acts 17:18 the Epicureans and Stoic Philosophers of Greece asked about Paul's teaching a 'foreign demon.' And although most translations render his words as 'foreign god,' they truly said 'demon' (gr. daimonion). This is also true of Paul's reply found at Acts 17:22, 'Men of Athens; I see that you have a greater fear of the demons than do others.'

The reason why this term was used is obvious: The many pagan idols and Gods of Athens, although made of metal and stone, had the backing of demons. And the people recognized the power that was given to these lifeless objects through 'possession' by their gods.

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Called and Chosen

There seems to be quite a bit of difference between the Bible's use of the words, called, and chosen, and their implications for the people involved. For, notice what Jesus said (as recorded at Matthew 22:14): 'Many are called but few are chosen (gr. polloi eisin gar cletoi, oligoi de eclectoi).' And this verse could be possibly even be translated as 'Many are nominated but few are elected.'

These words of Jesus seem to put an end to the notion that everyone who is called by God was foreordained to a favored position before his/her specific birth. Rather, what is implied in this parable, is that there would be people in general (not specific individuals) who would be chosen from among a larger number of those who are 'called.' Because, as Jesus makes clear here, not all who are among the called (or the nominated) to this hope are thereafter counted among the chosen (elected). For, why would God call people if He already knew that there was no chance of their being chosen?

Notice how this was stated at Revelation 17:14; for there we are told: 'Then they will go and fight against the Lamb. But, because he's the Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb and those who are with him (the called, elected, and faithful) will conquer them.'

So, 'the called' also have prove faithful in order to become 'the elected' who will serve with Jesus.

Yes, that was the point of Jesus' parable at Matthew 22:1-14, which (as Jesus said) was an illustration concerning 'the Kingdom of Heaven.' In that parable, many were initially 'called' to the banquet of the King, but they didn't want to come. The obvious reference here is to the Jews who were invited first to become kings in that Kingdom, but who, for the most part, rejected the invitation.

The king then ordered his slaves to go out into the streets and 'call' anyone who wishes to come to the banquet. These words obviously refer to the calling of people of the nations, or the gentiles (gr. tas ethne – the ethnics).

So, is this parable talking about being called to heaven to rule there with Jesus… for isn't the wedding banquet for God's son to be held in heaven, and aren't those who are invited to God's banquet the bride who will be with Jesus in heaven? We have always thought so, but notice that the guests in this parable aren't referred to as virgins (as was the case of those mentioned in Revelation 14:1-4). Rather, they are called 'both the wicked and the good,' which is a strange way to refer to the 'Saints.'

Also, notice that in the Septuagint translation of Isaiah 65:23, the elected are spoken of as fathering children, for there it says: 'My elected won't labor for nothing, nor will they produce children for a curse; for their seed and all their descendants, will then be a blessing from God.'

Next, as the parable continues, the king noticed a guest who wasn't properly dressed for a wedding feast (he didn't have the required qualities). This guest was then bound and thrown back outside (but not killed). So, as you can see, he was called but not chosen. Now, if we were to assume that this banquet is held in heaven (since the man was already there at the feast), we must ask: Was he then kicked out of heaven… and if so, then we would also have to ask, Why was he taken there to begin with?

Now, we do suspect that there are those who are taken to heaven to rule with Jesus, but if so, they are likely the bride at the wedding feast, not the guests (see Revelation 19:7-9). For, notice what Paul said of himself at Philippians 3:11, '… so I can somehow be found worthy of an out-resurrection from the dead'

What was Paul talking about here? It appears as though (when speaking of 'the out resurrection') he was saying that although he had been 'called,' he may not have been 'chosen' yet for heavenly life. That this is what he was likely talking about, can be seen from what he said at Philippians 3:12, '[I'm not saying] that I've made it yet, or that I'm already perfect.' Then he continued with the words (at Philippians 3:14), 'I'm running toward the goal, the prize of the higher (gr. ano – upward or higher) calling from God, through the Anointed Jesus.'

So, notice that the Bible speaks both of a 'calling' and of an 'upward calling,' which we assume refers to being called to heaven. And how would Paul know that he had been 'chosen' for this lofty reward? It appears as though such a person must first endure incredible suffering for his/her beliefs (as did Jesus), for notice what Paul wrote at Romans 8:17, 'We have to suffer together so we can also be glorified together.'

Such suffering must be much more than what is typical of the common suffering and death of mankind. Does this 'suffering' require a dying a martyr's death? That seems to be the gist of the prophecy at Revelation 6:9-11, which says, 'When he opened the fifth seal, I saw the lives of those who had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and because of the testimony that they gave, underneath the altar… Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to take it easy for just a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow slaves and brothers was filled (who were going to be killed, as they were).'

But in the case of Jesus' words found Matthew 22:14 ('Many are called but few are chosen'), we would have to conclude that God calls many people from among mankind to become His faithful slaves and to thereafter attend the wedding banquet of the Lamb (whether in heaven or earth is not stated), but not all who are called are found worthy.

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The Word

The Greek word logos is often rightly translated as word. However, logos implies an even greater meaning than that: The expression of a thought. So, when John called Jesus 'the Word,' he was really saying that Jesus is the complete expression of God's thoughts.

People have often wondered why John used the unusual wording in John 1:1 to start this book, which was his literary masterpiece. Yet, if you closely examine the exact wording (especially in Greek), you'll see that he was obviously explaining Genesis 1:1-3. For, notice how that scripture reads, 'In the beginning, The God created the skies and the lands. But the land was unsightly and unfinished, darkness covered its abysses, and God's Breath moved over its waters. Then God spoke (gr. eipen), saying, May there be light, and light came to be.'

As you can see; God spoke, and the things came into existence by means of some unnamed person or force.

Now, follow John's opening words (at John 1:1-4) and notice how they dovetail with and explain Genesis 1:1-3: 'In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with The God (gr. Ho Theos) and the Word was a powerful one (gr. theon). This one was with The God in the beginning, and through him it all came to be… life came to be, and this life was the light of all men.'

As you can see, the account in Genesis says that God spoke things into existence, and John is explaining what God said (what the 'Word' was). In other words, God 'spoke' and the 'Word' (Jesus in his pre-human existence) did the work.

So, if John 1:1 appears to support the idea of a trinity to some, this is unintentional. John was simply trying to impress on his readers that; Although Jesus isn't mentioned in Genesis 1:1, he was there with God and was himself a powerful god who actually did the work, when God 'spoke' the heavens and earth into existence.

Then, are we to conclude from John's writing here that Jesus' heavenly name is ton Logos (the Word or Expression of a thought)? No! Recognize that John was just employing an inspired play on words to draw attention to the phrasing of Genesis 1:1. Jesus' pre-human name could likely have been MichaEl, which means: Who is Like God (not a question but a statement). And John called him 'the Word' in order to point out Jesus' most ancient high position as a co-worker with God, who created whatever things God spoke.

Does this mean that Jesus existed before the creation of our universe? Yes, that is what is implied. For more information, see the linked document, Does the Bible Promise Everlasting Life?

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Bless or Praise?

This is a tough one, and we won't say that our position on the translation of this word can't be changed. The Greek word that we are struggling with is eulogetos. The first part of the word eu, is Greek for good. The last part of the word, logetos, means words (or expressions). So, a literal translation of eulogetos is good words. And our question is: Is this all that a blessing amounts to?

Yes, we know that eulogetos has been translated as bless, blest, and blessing in other Bibles. So why rock the boat? Because these translators have simply found too many errors in a lot of commonly-accepted renderings. And here, for example, if eulogetos is properly translated as blessing each time (which carries the English nuance, 'causing good things to happen'), then, how can humans 'bless God?' We do know that we can praise God, however.

Eulogetos is the word that we derive the English word eulogy from… that is, the kind words that are said of the deceased at a funeral. Such words are never said as a blessing (it's a bit late for that); they are said in praise of the deceased individual. However, there are definitely places where eulogetos can't be translated as praise or praising.

So, perhaps the real meaning is (or is at least is similar to) praise. And when praises come from God, this means blessings to humans.

This isn't the same word that we have rendered as blest in other portions of this translation (for an example, see Matthew 5:5). The word in question there is makarios, which is rendered as happy in certain other Bibles. However, we believe that blest is the proper way to translate that Greek word.

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Ark or Chest?

What is an ark? Why, everyone has heard of Noah's ark, haven't they? But, just what is an ark? Ark is an ancient English word, the meaning of which has mostly been lost in history. However, it is often used to translate the Greek word kiboton (kee/boat/on). And, because most people don't understand the meaning of the English word, they usually don't know what it's talking about, and any concept that they might have of what it looked like may come from pictures in children's storybooks that show a large boat with all sorts of animals looking out the windows.

An ark is simply a box or chest. If you carefully examine the description of the measurements that God gave to Noah, you will see that He told Noah to build a three-story wooden box that was about 'five-hundred feet long, eighty feet wide, and fifty feet tall.' It was rectangular (not boat shaped); it had a roof, at least one window, and a door. It didn't have to be a 'boat' that could navigate, because, all it had to do was float. Nor did the animals look out the window(s); they were kept in stalls.

We also find the word kiboton used to describe the sacred box known as 'the Ark of the Covenant' (gr. kiboton marturion – chest/of Testimony), but which we have more accurately translated as 'Chest of Proofs,' since that sacred Chest held such proofs of God's miracles as the manna, the flowering rod of Aaron, and the tablets of the Ten Commandments.

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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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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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Amen

Amen is a Hebrew word that was never really translated into English; it was just Anglicized. In Greek it is pronounced, ah-main. The reason why it was never translated is that ancient scholars were afraid to change this supposed 'magical' word that ensures God will listen to the prayer. However, there is no record in the Bible of anyone ending prayers with amen, although it was likely said. And the fact that others who were present said amen at the end of prayers to show that they agree, is indicated by Paul's words at 1 Corinthians 14:16.

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

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

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

In several places, we have left the word amen unchanged, for example, at Revelation 3:14, where Jesus was referred to symbolically as 'the Amen,' or, the 'he who causes things to be.'

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Undeserved Kindness or Caring?

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

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

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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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The Seven Congregations

After explaining that John's Revelation was a vision of 'the Lord's Day' (Revelation 1:10), the first portion of the book speaks of messages to seven congregations, which (because of the stated period) may represent all faithful congregations, lamp stands, or Christian religions in our time; for notice how all the problems of modern religions are represented by these chosen groups:

· One had fallen from the position it once had

· One was faithful but was infected by the teachings of the Nicolaitans, and some were following the teachings of BalaAm

· One was serving faithfully, but was influenced by a Jezebel

· One was spiritually dead

· One was plagued by the synagogue of the Opposer (possibly a Judaic form of Christianity)

· One was neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm.

So, it appears as though this prophecy is foretelling that the Opposer will infiltrate Christian religion to the core during the Lord's Day, while just a few among them will still be found faithful.

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Nicolaitans

The infiltration of this sect into two of the seven congregations that Jesus addressed in the Second and Third Chapters of Revelation has raised the question of what they were teaching that he found so offensive. This is important, since the description of these congregations seems to be mirrored among modern Christianity.

An Early Christian elder, Iranaeus, identified the Nicolaitans in his treatise 'Against Heresies,' in the Second Century. He said of them, that they are an 'offshoot of the knowledge which is falsely so-called,' and he explained that they 'lead lives of unrestrained indulgence.'

This description seems to mirror what Paul warned Timothy of at 1 Timothy 6:20, 21, when he wrote, 'O Timothy, guard this hope and turn away from all the unclean and opposing empty talk that is falsely called knowledge, through which some who once showed promise in the faith were turned aside.'

So, this corrupting influence appears to have taken root in congregations as early as the middle of the First Century, for, it looks like Iranaeus was quoting Paul.

What is this falsely called knowledge that was (and still is) a corrupting influence on Christians? Apparently, it is acceptance of a philosophy that people may be Christians and still do whatever they wish. However, others have looked at the name Nicolaitans, and suggested that its Greek meaning (nicao) to conquer (laos) the people, refers to the earliest form of a priestly order or clergy. For more information, see the link Nicolaism.

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Questionable Words in Revelation 20:5

In other Bibles, Revelation 20:5 reads, 'The rest of the dead don't come to life until the end of the thousand years. This is the first resurrection.'

Though the familiar description of the resurrection has been quoted for years and used as a basis for many religious doctrines, the words shown in bold above aren't found in the Bible's oldest manuscript of the Revelation, the Codex Sinaiticus. Due to this and their obvious parenthetical nature, we have decided that they were a later, spurious addition, and we have chosen not to include them.

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The Two Witnesses

Who the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3, 4 are (or will be) is open to religious debate, which we won't enter here, for that requires foolish speculation. However, we do know that these witnesses are described as, 'The two olive trees and the two lampstands that have been standing on the earth in front of the Lord.'

What testimony will be required of these two witnesses? We don't know; but in the case of ancient IsraEl, Moses and Aaron stood as witnesses of God before the PharaOh of Egypt, to tell him to release His people, as they brought great signs upon the land. And we find similar signs spoken of at Revelation 11:6, where it says of the two witnesses: 'They're also authorized to turn water into blood and to bring every sort of plague to the earth whenever they wish.'

And after the time of Moses, there were two more witnesses (Joshua and Caleb) who entered the promised land and could testify to:
· What God had done by delivering His people from Egypt and through the Red sea
· Their receiving the Law from God
· The people's agreeing to be party to His Sacred Agreement.

So, whoever the two witnesses in the prophecy will prove to be; they will be able to testify to some great act by God. Otherwise, there would be no need for witnesses.

We also read about two olive trees that stand on either side of a lampstand in Zechariah 4:2. And they are identified (in verse 14) as 'the two sons of the blessings who stand beside the Lord of the earth.' So, there appears to be some parallel significance here to the prophecy of Revelation 11.

What is the great act that these two witnesses will testify to? All we have is what the following verses tell us:
Revelation 11:3 says they will 'prophesy for one-thousand two-hundred and sixty days wearing sackcloth.'
Then verses 3-6 say, 'If any of their enemies wish to harm them, fire will come from their mouths and consume them. So, if anyone wants to persecute them, that's how they're going to die, because they've been authorized to close up the sky so no rain will fall during the period of their prophesying. They're also authorized to turn water into blood and to bring every sort of plague to the earth whenever they wish.
Verses 7 and 8 continue, 'And when they've finished their witnessing, the wild animal that comes out of the pit will fight against them, conquer them, and kill them. Then their corpses will lie in the main street of the great city, which [God's] Breath refers to as Sodom and Egypt. It's where their Lord was hung on a pole.'
And verses 11-13 tell us, 'However, after the three and a half days, God sent His breath of life into them and they stood up on their feet, and this frightened those who saw them. Then [the two witnesses] heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, Come on up here. And their enemies saw them go into the sky in a cloud. A tremendous shaking followed this and a tenth of the city [of Sodom and Egypt] toppled. This shaking killed seven-thousand people and frightened all the rest, so they gave glory to the God of heaven.'

There were also two other witnesses that the Bible speaks of, Moses and Elijah, who were with Jesus in the transfiguration. This is an interesting matchup, because, the death of neither one was witnessed by man (though both died). Does this have any significance?

In addition, there were three witnesses who came along with Jesus at the time that he appeared in glory with the two witnesses; Peter, John, and James. And what did they see? At Matthew 16:28, Jesus said: 'I tell you the truth; Some of you who are standing here won't taste death until you see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.'

Perhaps these are some clues as to who the two witnesses are, or will prove to be.

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1,260 Days; Time, Times, and Half a Time; Forty-Two Months

You'll find three similar periods mentioned in the Revelation, yet they all represent 3-1/2 years according to the Hebrew calendar.

• Revelation 11:1, 2: 'Now, go measure the Temple of God, its Altar, and those who are worshiping there. Don't pay any attention to the courtyard outside the Temple… don't measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they're going to trample the Holy City under their feet for forty-two months.'
• Revelation 11:3: 'Then I'm going to have my two witnesses prophesy for one thousand, two hundred and sixty days wearing sackcloth.'
• Revelation 12:6: 'Then the woman escaped into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her, where she would be fed for a thousand two hundred and sixty days.'
• Revelation 12:14: 'However, the woman was given the two wings of a huge eagle so she could fly to her place in the desert where she's fed for a time, times, and half a time, and where the snake can't reach her.

We find the same prophetic periods mentioned in the book of DaniEl (7:25), for there we read: 'He will speak great words and mislead the Holy Ones of the Most High, and he will be allowed to change both times and laws for a time, times, and a half a time.'

What does all of this signify?

Well, 3-1/2 days is exactly half of a week, so it indicates something that is started but hasn't been completed… or it can be the rest of a period until completion (the second half of the week). Take for example, the ministry of Jesus. It lasted for exactly three-and-a-half years, and thereafter, it appears that there were three-and-a-half years between his death and the conversion of the first gentiles. So in this case, the periods seem to indicate the time of offering the kingdom to the Jews exclusively, and how long it would be thereafter before the opportunity would be offered to others.

Of course, the three-and-a-half years of Jesus' ministry were also the last appeals to the people of JeruSalem before they were rejected. And thereafter, it appears as though there was a break in the symbolic week, for the second half of that period was realized between 66-C.E. and 70-C.E., which started when the Romans first attacked JeruSalem and then left (allowing Christians to flee the city), and it ended with JeruSalem's final destruction.

Will we try to tell you what all of this means? No, we'll leave this in the hands of speculators. Just recognize that there is a 3-1/2 year beginning, followed by a later 3-1/2 year conclusion. So if we identify an ending, we must also find what 3-1/2 year period started it.

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Crowns, Turbans, and Diadems

In the Bible, we read of two different types of royal headgear that was worn by Kings… crowns (gr. stephanos) and turbans (gr. diademas). Which did the kings of IsraEl, such as David and Solomon, wear?

A study of history shows that most kings wore some sort of hat on official occasions, which varied by time and by country. The gold headpiece that was worn by the PharaOhs of Egypt, for example, was not referred to as either a crown (due to the lack of a corona) or a turban. However, in ancient IsraEl and in other middle-eastern countries, the common headgear for kings was a turban that was set with gold and jewels. And this custom remained true throughout the history of the Jews, because crowns were generally thought of by the faithful as representing the rays of the sun (an idol). However, gold crowns were used by pagan kings in many places throughout the world, as their sign of appointment by (the Sun) God.

The first mention of a crown being worn by a king of IsraEl is found at 2 Samuel 12:30, where David took the gold crown from the head of the Ammonite king of RabBath, named Malchom, and placed it on his own head. However, it doesn't appear as though this was the custom of kings of IsraEl thereafter, for the placing of Malchom's crown on his head seems to represent David's victory, not his envy of the Pagan king's headgear. And the fact that all IsraElite men wore turbans can be seen in the depictions of IsraElites in war scenes from Assyria that are currently on display at the British Museum.

At Revelation 12:3, the dragon is shown as having seven heads and ten horns, and 'on its heads were seven royal turbans.' We have translated this verse as saying that they were 'turbans,' because the Greek word used there was diadema, or through wraps, indicating that he was seen wearing turbans (although many religious depictions incorrectly show him wearing crowns).

However, there appear to be good uses in the Bible for the word crown as a symbol of athletic victory, not necessarily of kingship. Take for example, the following occurrences:

· 'A crown that rots away. However, we receive one that doesn't rot.'

· 'He will receive the crown of life that the Lord promised to all those who love him.'

· 'You will walk away with the enduring crown of glory.'

· 'But be faithful to death and I'll give you the crown of life.'

So, if it is true that the crown is more a sign of victory (a garland) in the Bible than of kingship, this gives us a better understanding of verses such as the following:

· 'A crown of twelve stars.'

· 'He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.'

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Dragon's Messengers

At Revelation 12:9 we read, 'He (the dragon) was thrown down to the earth along with his messengers. In Greek, the word that is translated as messengers is aggeloi (angels). So, God and Jesus have their 'messengers,' and the Slanderer and Opposer has his. How many? Revelation 12:4 says that 'he drags a third of the stars of heaven.' So it looks like the dragon has great (but limited) success.

Are these messengers 'demons?' No, for demon (gr. diameno) appears to mean fixed in one place, which describes the 'sons of God' who came to earth and assumed human bodies in Noah's day. Because they had forsaken heaven, they were put into a prison-like state here on the earth during the (Great) Downpour. From other Bible accounts about demons, it appears that this 'fixing in one place' means that they must be associated with either living or non-living things, which is referred to as 'possession.'

However, notice that the 'messengers' in John's vision still had access to the heavens until they lose the battle there in 'the Lord's Day.' At that time, they are thrown to the earth; but there is no indication that they become fixed to objects or people. So, this may be the reason why the Revelation refers to them as 'messengers,' not as demons.

Why would 'a third' of God's heavenly messengers choose to follow the dragon in rebellion? While the Bible deals with the extent of the earthly rebellion against God, one can only imagine the full extent of the heavenly rebellion.

A glimpse into the type of offer that the Slanderer might have made to seduce them into following him can be seen by the offer that he made Jesus after his 40-day trek in the desert. Luke 4:6 tells us, 'Then the Slanderer said, I'll give you power over all of these and the glory of them, because they have been given to me and I can give them to whomever I wish.'

So, the Slanderer has power over all the governments of the world, as the above statement shows (also see Revelation 13:7). And offering heavenly messengers their own worldly governments, empires, and religions (worshipers), must have been the enticing lure.

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The Dead

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

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

So the conclusion we must reach is that all men are considered as dead and dying 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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The Day of the Lord

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

There is no conflict between the two Days; in fact, they appear to be the same. Notice what we are told in the Revelation, when it is speaking of the beginning of that Day (at Revelation 12:10), 'Now it has come to pass; the salvation, the power, the Kingdom of our God, and the empowerment of His Anointed One!'

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

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

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

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

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The Time of Difficulty

The Greek word thlipsis (pronounced: thel/eep/sees) is used several times in the Bible, but it is difficult to find an equivalent word in common American English to translate it. It implies a painful, difficult time, and it was used to describe a woman's childbirth labor. Tribulation and travail are nice old English words that describe the meaning fairly accurately, but they aren't the types of words you would read in a newspaper today, so we have tried to use more common words to translate it, depending on the circumstances.

Notice how Jesus applied thlipsis when he was describing the events leading up to the destruction of JeruSalem (at Matthew 24:21), 'Then there will come a difficult time such hasn't happened since the world's beginning until now, nor should ever happen again.'

Actually, Jesus appears to have been quoting a prophecy in the book of DaniEl here, as he had just done in verse fifteen. But this time, he is quoting the words found at DaniEl 12:1, which read (in the common Bible of his time, LXX), 'And in that hour, the Highest Messenger MichaEl (he who watches over the sons of your people) will arise, and then a time of difficulty will begin such as has never happened before and will never happen again. [And thereafter], [God] will raise all those whose [names] were written in the scroll.'

So, both scriptures are obviously speaking of this same period.

Will there be a future and greater fulfillment of this 'time of difficulty?' Many other prophecies indicate that there will. And if so, what signs should Christians look for? Well, notice that in ancient JeruSalem, it was to happen immediately after the sign described at Matthew 24:15, 16 was seen; 'When you see the disgusting destroyer standing in the Holy Place, then those in Judea should run to the mountains.'

In the First Century, the 'disgusting destroyer' was found to be 'standing in the Holy Place' when the armies of Rome first camped around JeruSalem. For, that's what Christians understood to be 'the sign,' and history tells us that they thereafter fled JeruSalem and hid in the mountains. Then, the 'difficult time' started for JeruSalem, as the Roman armies returned and built a fence of pointed stakes around the city, which caused the people to starve; and many of the survivors were later slaughtered by the tens of thousands.

So, what parallels will there be when the 'difficult time' that many Bible students expect still to come (in a greater fulfillment) finally arrives? Well, notice that what happened to ancient JeruSalem was the (God-inspired) action of a great worldly army against an unfaithful religious people. Revelation the Eighteenth Chapter speaks of a similar event when describing a symbolic woman called 'The Great Babylon.' There she is spoken of as being destroyed by worldly armies. So, the indication is that the symbolic destruction of JeruSalem and the destruction of The Great Babylon both picture a coming war upon unfaithful 'Christian' and possibly Jewish religions by worldly governments, and that is to be preceded by an exceedingly difficult time for those who remain in them.

Is this 'difficult time' the same thing as 'the Battle of Armageddon?' No, for that battle appears to come against the armies that attack the unfaithful sometime after the great time of difficulty, and after they destroy symbolic JeruSalem.

It would, of course, be presumptuous for us to try to set out the order in which all these things will happen. However, it is later in Jesus' account (at Matthew 24:29, 30) that we read, 'Then the sun will grow dark, the moon won't put out light, the stars will fall from the skies, and the powers of the Heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with great power and glory.'

And finally, Revelation the Seventh Chapter speaks of a huge crowd of people who apparently survive this 'great time of difficulty.' Notice that it says (in verses 9, 10) 'And after all that, I saw {Look!} a crowd so large that no one could count them. They came from all countries, nationalities, ethnic groups, and languages; and they were standing within sight of the throne and within sight of the Lamb. They were all wearing white robes, they carried palm branches in their hands, and they were shouting, We owe our salvation to our God who is sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb!'

Then verse 14 goes on to tell us, 'These are the ones that have come out of the great time of difficulty (gr. thlipsis).'

So, according to these verses, this faithful group escapes the 'great time of difficulty' by cleaning up their lives and accepting the salvation of God and Jesus. Then the Battle of Armageddon against the kings of the earth and their armies begins.

For more detailed information, see the linked commentary, The Great Tribulation.

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The Large Crowd

Who are those that are described at Revelation 7:6 as, 'a crowd so large that nobody could count them,' and who come from 'all countries, nationalities, ethnic groups, and languages,' that are found 'standing in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb?'

Notice that they aren't the same as the 144,000 'slaves of our God' (as described in verses 3-8), nor do they seem to comprise the IsraEl from whom the 144,000 are taken (as mentioned in those same verses); for, the large crowd is seen by John after he saw the first two groups in the Revelation vision.

Revelation 7:2-4 tells us: 'Then I saw another messenger who was coming up from the sunrise. He had the seal of the living God, and he shouted aloud to the four messengers who were allowed to harm the earth and sea, saying, Don't harm the earth, the sea, or the trees, until after we've sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads. And I heard how many of them had been sealed; a hundred and forty-four thousand from among every tribe of the sons of IsraEl.' So, notice that (as the text tells us) the 144,000 are chosen from or out of (gr. ek) IsraEl, for verse 4 reads in Greek: 'και ηκουσα τον αριθμον των εσφραγισμενων εκατον τεσσερακοντα τεσσαρες χιλιαδες εσφραγισμενοι εκ πασης φυλης υιων ισραηλ,' or, 'and I/heard the number of/the/sealed, hundred forty four thousand, sealed out/of all tribes of/the/sons of/IsraEl.'

And that is the difference: The 144,000 are taken from 'IsraEl," while the large crowd come from 'all countries, nationalities, ethnic groups, and languages.' So, they are clearly a different group.

Then Revelation 7:14-17 goes on to tell us concerning them: 'They are the ones who have come out of the great time of difficulty and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they're before the throne of God and worshiping Him day and night in His Holy Abode. He who is sitting on the throne will then spread His tent over them, and they won't be hungry or thirsty anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them with blistering heat; because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will guide them to the springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe all the tears from their eyes.'

So, this huge group has 'washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,' which seems to imply that they will have cleaned up their lives and gotten baptized, and they specifically will have lived through the great time of difficulty, which (according to the Revelation) precedes the destruction of The Great Babylon and the Battle of Armageddon.

However, the fact that they are spoken of as coming from among the 'nations' or 'ethnics,' appears to indicate that they are not chosen from among the IsraEl of God, or, from among those who claim to have a covenant relationship with God… Judaic or 'Christian' religions. So, they could be non-religious peoples, and/or those with pagan religious backgrounds.

Revelation Chapter Seven says they are shouting, 'We owe our salvation to our God who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb.' And, because they are standing 'in front of the throne' (not sitting on it with God and Jesus), they have obviously continued to live here on the earth. For, being 'guided to the fountains of waters of life' indicates that their names have not yet been written in the Scroll of Life.

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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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The Tent of God

The statement found at Leviticus 26:11 ('I will pitch My tent among you') may sound unusual to most people. For, why would God refer to Himself as living in a tent?

The Greek word that we have translated as tent is skene (pronounced skaynay). This word is used throughout the Bible and may also be translated as booth and as tabernacle. But really, none of these words (tent, booth, or tabernacle) is an accurate description of what skene means in the English language. It implies a temporary-type dwelling that can be made of cloths, skins, or sticks and branches. For example, God's Sacred Tent in the desert was made of cloth and covered with skins, while the tents that the IsraElites were to live in during what has become known as 'the Festival of Booths,' was made of sticks and branches.

The Greek word oikos (pronounce oy-koss), on the other hand, refers to a permanent dwelling, and it is usually translated as house. For example; When the IsraElites were wandering in the desert, the Sacred Tent of Jehovah was to be temporary, but Solomon later built His Temple, which was often referred to as a House, since it was a permanent structure. However, house in this case doesn't mean home, because God never really lived there. And that may be the reason why He refers to His coming to 'tent' with mankind (as at Revelation 21:3). The term likely refers to His temporary presence or representation, not to His coming to the earth to live among us.

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Lake of Fire

The Lake of fire, which is spoken of in the Revelation, is often thought to be Hell Fire. However, notice that what many Bibles call 'Hell' is actually to be thrown into this lake. For, at Revelation 20:14 we read, 'Finally, death and the grave (gr. Hades) were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire symbolizes the second death.'

This same condition is also referred to as the fire of the ages, at Matthew 18:8, and there it is described as being the same thing as the garbage dump or Gehenna.

Then, why was the term Lake of Fire used in the Bible? Because fire destroys, and those who are thrown there (the Slanderer, the wild animals that picture the worldly nations, and The Great Babylon) will be burned up and gone forever.

Then, why are those who go there spoken of as being tortured through the ages (as we read at Revelation 20:8)? To understand this nuance, you must first understand how ancient peoples used the term that we've translated as torture. In Bible times, jailers were called torturers, not necessarily because they performed physical acts of torture (which they often did), but because; by locking people up they were creating a form of mental torture. And this is the thought that's implied by being thrown into the 'lake of fire' or the 'garbage dump.' Since symbolic things such as governments, churches, the Slanderer, and even death and the grave are thrown there, the 'torture' doesn't imply experiencing literal pain, but it refers to the fact that such things will be locked away there forever. For, as Revelation 20:14 explains it, 'The lake of fire symbolizes the second (or eternal) death.'

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Mystery

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

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Tree of Life

The book of Genesis speaks of a Tree of Life that God had put in the middle of the Paradise of Delights (Garden of Eden), at Genesis 2:9. And one of the reasons why God expelled Adam and his wife from the Paradise was, according to Genesis 3:22, to keep them from eating the fruit of the tree and continuing to live. So, was this a real tree?

Well, since the account speaks of the possibility of their eating its fruit, we must assume that it was a real tree, for the Bible simply doesn't tell us any more. But if there was such a tree, this raises the question: Was Adam truly created perfect, having the ability to live forever, as some have said?

Surely Adam wasn't imperfect in the beginning; however, the fact that God had created a Tree of Life indicates that he needed to prove his faithfulness to God in order to continue living.

So, apparently man was only designed to live less than 1,000 years (as Adam did). And after proving himself faithful, Adam would have been allowed to eat from the Tree of Life.

Yet, this conclusion raises more questions. For example:

• Does this mean that man was created mortal and corruptible (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-54)?
• Does this mean that Adam had to partake of the Tree of Life continually to remain alive and to free him from the corruption of the aging process?
• Will there be Trees of Life on the earth in the future?
• And if so, must man continue to eat from these trees in order to live, or can faithful mankind truly become undying and incorruptible without being taken to heaven?

Understand that the following thoughts are just suggestions based on our continuing study of the Bible; and with more study, these conclusions may change. However, it appears as though man was created mortal (capable of death), for why else would he need the Tree of Life? But all mention of the Tree (or Trees) of Life in the Bible seems to indicate that partaking of it (or them) is just a one-time requirement (see Genesis 3:22 and Revelation 2:7). And if our conclusions about the meaning of the words at 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 are correct (see the linked document God's Promise of an Inheritance), the faithful will be raised without any need for the Tree of Life, because they will have already proven to be righteous, so they will be resurrected both undying and incorruptible.

As for the future; the Bible does speak of there being a Tree (singular) of Life, for Jesus promised (at Revelation 2:7), 'I'll allow the one who conquers to eat from the Tree of Life that is in the Paradise of God.' And at Revelation 22:1, 22, we read: 'Then he showed me the River of the Water of Life… it was crystal clear and flowing from the Throne of God and the Lamb down the middle of its street (from here to there). [And there was] the Tree of Life, which bears twelve [crops of] fruit, putting out fruit monthly; and the Trees' leaves are used for the healing of the ethnics.'

Notice that this verse reads quite differently than in most other Bibles, for it is more closely translated using the proper tenses. Whereas other Bible translators have left the impression that there are many trees being discussed here, and they are growing all along the River of the Water of Life, the text indicates that there may be just one Tree of Life. For, verse 22 reads in Greek, 'en meso tes plateias autes kai tou potamou enteuthen kai ekeithen xylon zoes poioun karpous autou kai ta phylla tou xylou eis therapeian ethnon,' or, 'in the/middle of/the street its and of river, from/here and from/there, tree of/life bearing fruit twelve by month each, yielding the fruit of/it and the leaves of/the tree for healing of/the nations.'

So, it appears as though those who have not previously been in a covenant relationship with God (the 'ethnics') will be allowed to partake of the tree's life-giving fruit, once they have proven themselves faithful.

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Divine Habitation

There are several places throughout the Bible where the Greek word naos is used, which is commonly translated as temple; and that could in fact be the correct translation. However, the Greek word for temple is ierou, so it would be presumptuous to translate both words as meaning the same thing. As the result, we have often translated naos as Divine Habitation, which is what naos actually implies, for the Greeks used that word to describe the innermost part of their temples where their gods were said to have dwelled.

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Paradise

At Luke 23:43, one of the criminals who was hung next to Jesus when he was impaled, expressed belief in Jesus and asked Jesus to remember him when he got into his Kingdom. Jesus words, 'Amen, soi ego semeron met emou ese en to paradeiso' (Amen, to/you I/say today with me you will be in the paradise), have been translated 'I tell you that, today you will be with me in paradise.'

The inference created by punctuating Jesus' words that way, is that this person would be in 'paradise' with Jesus on that same day. However, Jesus wasn't even resurrected until two days later. In addition, the word paradeiso really means a garden or park (a place on earth); because, paradeiso is the same word that was used to describe the 'Paradise of Delights in the land of Edem' (Garden of Eden) in the Greek Septuagint.

Recognize that this criminal had never been baptized and had done nothing else to that point to be found worthy of being appointed a king in heaven. So, Jesus' words should obviously have been translated as; 'I'm telling you this today; You will be with me in Paradise.' In other words, Jesus was telling him on that day that he would be resurrected in the paradise garden (here on earth), when Jesus begins his rule as king over the earth.

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Seismos

The Greek words seismos and seismoi are usually thought of as meaning earthquake and earthquakes, for the modern study of earthquakes is called seismology. Therefore, when Jesus was speaking about the signs of his being near, and he said one of the signs would be seismoi (Matthew 24:7), most have assumed that this referred just to a greater frequency of earthquakes.

However, the Greek word seismos appears to actually refer to a shaking or disturbance, which doesn't necessarily imply just earthquakes. For, Matthew used the word (at Matthew 8:24) to describe an agitated sea when Jesus was on a boat with his disciples. Then at 2 Kings 2:11, when the Prophet EliJah was taken into the sky in a flaming chariot, the word that was used to describe the storm that took him, was once again seismos. So, Jesus' use of the word at Matthew 24:7 implies more than just earthquakes. It could be speaking of any natural disasters, such as those brought by earthquakes, high winds, floods, or tsunamis.

It has also been recently brought to our attention that seismos could be translated as turmoil or unrest. So, could Jesus have implied even more than natural disasters in that single word? This is probably so.

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Gentiles or Ethnics

When the Bible speaks of 'the people of the nations' or 'the gentiles' (gr. tas ethne – or literally, the ethnics), we think of all those who aren't referred to as 'IsraElites' or 'Jews.' However, in Genesis we find another definition of the term. Notice what Genesis 10:2-5 says, 'JaPheth's sons were Gamer, Magog, Madoi [the Medes], Jovan, Elisa, Thobel [of Tubal], Mosoch [of possibly Russia], and Thiras [Islands of the Aegean Sea]. Gamer's sons were Aschanaz [Germans], Riphath [of Northwestern Asia Minor], and Thorgama [the Armenians]. Jovan's sons were EliShah [of Tyre], Tarshish [of Spain], Cetians [of Phoenicia], Rhodians [of Rhodes]. [They settled the] islands, which lands were divided by tribe and nation among the Gentiles, each according to his own language.'

From this account we can see that the term, 'the people of the nations' or 'gentiles,' originally referred to just the descendants of JaPheth (Aryans) who lived across the Mediterranean Sea from the sons of both Shem and Ham (who lived primarily in the East, Middle East, and Africa).

Also, in the battle that AbraHam fought to save his Nephew Lot, one of the kings he fought against was 'Thargal, the king of Gentiles.' However, because of the diverse scattering of the gentile nations by the time of Moses (when this portion of Genesis was likely written), Thargal was probably the king of just one gentile nation (not all).

So this raises the question of whether the Bible's references to the gentiles thereafter indicated only those who lived in Europe and the northern Middle East, or if the term was extended to include all nations other than just the Tribes of IsraEl. It is possible that those whom Moses called the Gentiles (or, the nations) were people whose languages had been changed by God in Babylon, while the rest shared a similar language.

It is interesting that the Medes and Persians settled in a land that came to be known as Iran, which the history books speculate came from the term Aryan, showing that the people in that land were once considered descendants of JaPheth, and were thus 'gentiles.' However, recognize that JaPheth's descendants were also the progenitors of the Germanic, Slavic, and Russian races.

It is important to note that the words ethnics, gentiles, and nations, which are derived from the Greek word ethnos, may in several instances carry a highly symbolic meaning, especially in prophecies; for these words refer to peoples who are not (or were not) in a covenant relationship with God. Take for example the reference at Revelation 7:9 ('And after all that, I saw {Look!} a crowd so large that no one could count them. They came from all countries, nationalities, ethnic groups, and languages; and they were standing within sight of the throne and within sight of the Lamb'). Since 'the twelve tribes of IsraEl had been mentioned previously (in verses 4-8), they stand out as a different group, and the term may refer to those who were previously non-Christians (those not claiming to be in a Covenant relationship with God). But later, references to the nations or ethnics in the Revelation appear to be speaking about those who had yet to make peace with Him.

Fountains or Springs?

You will notice that in our Bible, we have rendered the Greek words pege (pronounced pay-gay) as springs, not as fountains or mists, as other translators have done. Yes, it could be argued that the Hebrew text uses a word (in Genesis 2 for example) which many think refers to a mist. However, in the various places where we find the word pege in the Septuagint, the consistent application seems to be to springs of water.

Fortunately, the meanings of ancient Greek words can be more easily determined than those of ancient Hebrew, since Greek is still spoken, and unlike ancient Hebrew, we have many existing copies of secular ancient Greek texts where we can compare the meanings.

Pege appears to be a variation of the word pegnumi, which means to gush (and yes, we can see how that could be construed as fountain). However, natural fountains of water are rare and self destructive, while gushing springs are quite common. And while stylized depictions of fountains shooting from the ground are quite idyllic, this isn't the view that we get consistently from the word's other uses in the Bible.

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Thousand Years or Thousands of Years?

There appears to be some question as to the meaning of the Greek text at 2 Peter 3:8, as well as several verses of Revelation 20. For, while most modern Greek text sources seem to agree on the words of these verses, the wording in Tischendorf's text should be considered. For, there it uses the Greek words chilioi etos (pronounced kee-lee-o-ee etos). Chilioi etos is the plural form of chilia eta, which means, thousand years. And although the words appear in their singular forms in most modern texts, such sources as Vine's seem to acknowledge that the plural form is how it may have once appeared in those verses.

What difference does all of this make? Well, recognize that the singular form (thousand years) is the preference of almost all Bible translators, so it may be correct. However, if the plural form (thousands of years) is correct, then certain common Bible teachings may be in error. For example: Is a thousand years as one day to God, or are thousands of years as one day to Him? And, will Jesus reign for a thousand years or for thousands of years? We will leave others to debate such things; we're just bringing it to your attention.

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