Chapter 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 2

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 3

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁹ Nor should you allow any foul words to come out of your mouths. Rather, use good words that are upbuilding (as they are needed) to show that you care for those who listen to you. ³⁰ Don’t sadden the Holy Breath of God into which you were sealed in that Day when your ransom was paid!

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

Chapter 5

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

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

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

⁹ The fruitage of light is every sort of goodness, righteousness, and truth… ¹⁰ things that prove to be pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹ So, don’t share in the unproductive deeds of darkness, but speak out against them.

¹² It’s shameful to talk about things that are only done in private, ¹³ because everything that the light speaks against is being exposed, and all the things that are being made known are the light. ¹⁴ That’s why he says, ‘Wake up, you who are sleeping, and lift yourselves from among the dead; then the Anointed One will shine upon you.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes

Fear or Respect?

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

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

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Breath

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

However, when Jesus died (as the words recorded at John 19:30 say), ‘he hung his head and gave up the breath’ (gr. kai klinas ten kephalen paredoken to pneuma, or, and inclined his head giving/up the breath). In this case, the obvious reference is to ‘the breath of life,’ or that force which gave him life as a human.

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‘In’

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

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

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

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

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

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The Ransom

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

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

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

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

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

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New Jerusalem

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

Paul’s reference is later explained in the Revelation, where this Temple of God was spoken of as being assembled of ‘a hundred and forty-four thousand who were purchased from the earth,’ (Revelation 14:3) and they are chosen from among the (symbolic earthly) ‘twelve tribes of Israel.’ (see Revelation 7:4, 5). And there, they are said to make up a ‘city’ or seat of government for the earth. Notice how Revelation 21:2, 3 describes it,
‘I also saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem, stepping down out of heaven 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..’

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

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

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

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Forever, System of Things, or Age?

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

However, the Greek word aionos (pronounced ai-on-oss), which is used throughout the Bible and is often translated as forever and everlasting, is what the English word eon is derived from. It means an indefinite period, and there is no exact English word to translate it. The best equivalents are age(s) or era(s).

Where the plural form of the word (aionion) is used, it refers to a long time… at least multiple generations. However, where the singular form is used (aionos), this appears to mean a much shorter period, such as a lifetime, generation, or era. And where the term ages of the ages is used (such as at Ephesians 3:21), which is usually said in reference to The God, we would assume that this truly means forever.

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

Take for example, the unique way that aionos is used in the question that Jesus’ Apostles asked him, which is found at Matthew 24:3: ‘Tell us; When will these things happen… what will be the signs when you are to arrive and this age will come to its conclusion?’ You can see that the word aionos obviously doesn’t mean forever, everlasting, or eternal in this case, nor did it mean world or system of things. It simply meant the age or, the time before the end would come. And for them, that meant the age when God’s Temple at Jerusalem would be destroyed, because that’s what Jesus had just told them.

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

The ancient Hebrews viewed everything (and rightly so) as having a beginning and an end. For that reason, you will only find three places in the Bible where words are used that imply no end, and none that imply no beginning. An interesting possible insight on the reason for this can be found at Hebrews 1:10-12, which says: ‘Long ago, O Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth and your hands made the heavens. They will destroy themselves, but you will remain. They will grow old just like clothes do. Then, as [you would do to] a robe, you will wrap them up and repair them like clothes. Yes, you are the one, and your years will never expire.’

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

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

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

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

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

So, what Jesus was saying here, wasn’t that they would have everlasting life, but that they in their current lifetime would be considered among the living, not among the dead (see Revelation 20:12).

This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t live forever… it’s just that Jesus wasn’t really saying that. What we find (from consideration of the evidence found in the bulk of Jesus’ words about life) is that he never taught the hope of ‘life eternal,’ ‘everlasting life,’ or ‘immortality,’ in those specific words. However, the concept is still there. What he taught was that righteous people will receive ‘life in the age,’ or be considered worthy of (possibly everlasting) life by God during their current lifetimes… that their names would be written in ‘the scroll of life,’ and that they would not have to be judged, but will have already ‘crossed over from death to life,’ as Jesus said at John 5:24.

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

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

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Cross or Pole?

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

Does this mean that Jesus didn’t die on a cross? Not necessarily, for there is a lot of historical evidence, which indicates that he did. Yet, whether the Romans used just an upright pole or one with a cross beam as a means of torture and execution is really unimportant. However, if one views such a thing as an object of worship (which many do), then this is condemned in the Bible as idolatry… and they are also missing the point. For, what should be held as sacred to us is the one who gave his life on our behalf, not the disgusting object of his execution.

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Fornication or Sexual Immorality?

The Greek word porneia means much more than copulation between individuals who aren’t married to each other. The term literally means that which is sold (by prostitutes). So, it includes all the types of services that might be sold by a prostitute, not just copulation. However, this includes such actions between unmarried ‘consenting adults,’ although there may be no exchange of money, because, where porneia is found in the Greek Septuagint, the Hebrew Law shows that it involves intimate relations between unmarried persons.

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

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The Kingdom

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

A common misconception about this Kingdom is that it isn’t real… that it’s just a state of mind. This conclusion is based on Jesus’ words found at Luke 17:21, which say (in Greek), he basileia tou Theou entos hymon estin (the Kingdom of the God in you is). 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 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 other 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 yet a future thing, and 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 is appropriately 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 the earth.’

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

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

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Satan, Devil, Lucifer, Beelzebub

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

· Satan: This is a Hebrew word meaning, opposer, resistor, and a smart person who does things 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 it as a name, it is translated as ‘the Opposer’ (not Satan), 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 slanderer in Greek, so that’s the way it’s translated herein.

· Lucifer: The name Lucifer is commonly tied to the Biblical Opposer; however, the name doesn’t appear in most versions of the Bible. It does appear once in the King James 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 – Day Star, Son of the Dawn. So, there is no direct link in the Bible between the entity known in Hebrew as Satan and the person who was referred to as Lucifer. This mistranslation was created 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 messengers with the ability to choose whether to serve Him or not, so none are automatons. And as a man failed in the Paradise of Pleasure, we can assume (and as the Scriptures support) that there were failures (and rebels) in the heavens also. This is the reason why it became necessary to have a law that clearly outlined what rebellion against God constituted, and what the consequences for violating that law would be. It was obviously for the sake of the millions of millions of heavenly spirit (breath) creatures that the issue of rebellion here on the earth had to be resolved by legal means, and in a way that demonstrated the love and loyalty of God’s first-born son, which resulted in the painful need for a ‘ransom’ (Jesus’ death).

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

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

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

However, there is some question as to the use of the Greek word Diabolos found at 1 Chronicles 21:1 (in the Greek Septuagint). First, since Diabolos is a Greek word and First Chronicles was written in Hebrew, we would assume that Diabolos (Slanderer) was substituted for the Hebrew word Satan (Opposer). But the text seems to imply that a slanderer (or resistor), not the Slanderer, had come to David. 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 him; or if someone bad had urged David to defy God and take a census of Israel.

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Amen

Amen is a Hebrew word that was never really translated into English; it was just Anglicized. In Greek it is pronounced, ah-main. The reason why it was never translated is that ancient scholars were afraid to change this supposed ‘magical’ word that ensures God will listen to the prayer. 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 14:6.

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

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

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

In several places, we have left the word amen unchanged, for example, at Revelation 3:14, where Jesus was referred to symbolically as ‘the Amen,’ or, 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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The Anointed

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

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

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

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

So, the word means anointed. But if you prefer the word Christ, then 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.

Another example of the poor use of the title Christ (implying Jesus) by Bible translators can be found at First 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 Jesus was 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.’ Are both of these references to the same time, and if so, how do we know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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God’s Adopted Sons

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

Well, notice Paul’s words at Romans 8:15, ‘You didn’t receive His Breath to make you slaves to fear again, for when you received it, it adopted you as His sons… so by this Breath we can call out, Papa! Father!’ From this, we can see that such individuals first receive God’s Breath, and then it ‘adopts’ them as God’s sons. And, as was true in the days of the Apostles, receiving God’s Breath appears to have manifested itself in some visible way.

Also, this adoption appears to impart the value of a spiritual life to the individual. For, notice that Paul also referred to such individuals as a ‘new creation’ at Galatians 6:15, ‘However, a new creation [is something].’

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

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

Are there any special requirements for receiving spiritual adoption? Notice that Paul adds at Romans 8:17, ‘However, we have to suffer together so we can also be glorified together.’

Now, history tells us that suffering a violent death or being greatly persecuted for their faith was true of all the Apostles, and many (if not all) the rest of the adopted sons from the First Century through the middle ages. So, is such violent physical suffering required for all who have this hope? Well, consider what Revelation 6:11 says, ‘Then they were each given a white robe and they were told to take it easy just a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow slaves and brothers was filled (who were going to be killed, as they were).’

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

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

However, Galatians 3:26, 27, says, ‘The fact is; you’re all sons of God because of your faith in the Anointed Jesus.’

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

And although the sons of God receive the value of spiritual life when God selects them, their actual adoption comes upon the death of their fleshly bodies. Paul points this out at Romans 8:23, 24, ‘And it isn’t alone, since even we who have received the first fruitage of [God’s] Breath groan within ourselves as we anticipate being accepted as [His] sons… awaiting the ransom release of our bodies. Yes, this is the hope that’s saving us!’

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Mystery

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

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The Dead

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

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

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

However, from the promises of Jesus, it does appear that people can be considered no longer dead even before the resurrection. For, notice what is recorded that he said at John 5:24, ‘I tell you the truth; He who hears what I say and believes in the One that sent me, will have ages of 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 considered no longer considered to be ‘dead’ 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.’

And then consider Jesus’ words to the unrighteous Judeans, as found at John 8:23, 24, where he told them, ‘You come from the things below and I come out of things from above. You are from this world, but I’m not from this world. So, as I told you before; You will die in your sins… if you don’t believe that I’m [the One], you will die in your sins.’

So from those words, we must assume that the unrighteous Judeans would be considered the dead, while those who accepted him were counted among the living.

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Soul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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 world.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 all life on earth a new arrangement or set of circumstances (which was something other than what God had planned). We have come to this conclusion based on the many scriptures that refer to the world in a negative context, and the fact that it (the current set of negative circumstances) will soon be done away with.

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

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

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

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

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Seating in the Heavens

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

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

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

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

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

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One Hope?

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

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

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

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

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Captives and Gifts

At Ephesians 4:8, Paul (quoting the words of Psalm 68:18), wrote: ‘He stepped up into the highest place, and carried off captivity as a captive; then he gave gifts to the men.’

This has been a very difficult verse to translate in both places (Ephesians and Psalms), for neither the OT nor the NT texts agree with each other, and neither appears to make any sense in the original language. The Greek text of Ephesians 4:8 literally reads: ‘anabas eis hypsos echmaloteusen aichmalosian kai edokendomata tois anthropois,’ or, ‘through/which he/is/saying Having/stepped/up into height he/led/captive captivity and gave gifts to/the men.’

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

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

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

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

Notice the context of Ephesians 4:8 from the preceding verse (7). There is says: ‘Now, the amount of caring that was shown to each of us depends on how much of the Gift the Anointed One measured out to us.’ So, the scripture Paul quotes in the following verse was used to show that the Gifts were being measured out to men in the congregation. Therefore, from the context, we must assume that the words of Paul are correct, and that Jesus gives Gifts (of the Spirit) to righteous men.

But, what about the words of verse eleven where Paul said, ‘kai autos edoken tous men apostolous tous de prophetas,’ or, ‘and to/them he/gave those indeed apostles, those but prophets,’ or as we rendered it, ‘Then he gave them those who are Apostles, those who are Prophets (etc.)?’ Whereas some Bible translators have assumed that men with special gifts were being given as gifts to the congregations, the rest of the context shows that all in the congregation were given (at least one) of these Gifts, and together they make up one body. Therefore, it appears as though the reference at Ephesians 4:8 is to the Gifts of the Spirit that Jesus gave to the men, which made them Apostles, Prophets, etc. So we have translated the verses as shown above.

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