Chapter 1

¹ Paul (who was appointed an Apostle not by a man nor through a man, but through Jesus the Anointed One and God the Father, who raised [Jesus] from the dead) ² and all the brothers with me, to the congregations of Galatia: ³ May you receive loving care and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus the Anointed One; ⁴ he who gave himself for our sins to save us from this wicked age, because that was the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory into the ages of ages. May it be.

⁶ I’m amazed that you’re so quickly making the change from He who called you by the loving care of the Anointed One, to a different type of good news. ⁷ It really isn’t another [good news], it’s just that certain ones among you are causing problems and trying to change the good news about the Anointed One. ⁸ However, if we or a messenger from heaven were to come preaching something to you as good news other than the good news that we’ve already preached to you; Let him be cursed! ⁹ Let me say it again; Whoever preaches good news to you other than what you’ve already believed; Let him be cursed!

¹⁰ Who do you think I’m trying to persuade, men or God? Am I trying to please men? If I were trying to please men I wouldn’t be slaving for the Anointed One. ¹¹ So, I want you to understand this, brothers; The good news that I preached as good news didn’t come from men, ¹² because I didn’t get it from men, nor did anyone teach it [to me]. [It came] through a revelation from Jesus the Anointed One.

¹³ Of course, you’ve heard about the way that I used to act [while I was involved] in Judaism. I fanatically persecuted the congregation of God and tried to destroy it. ¹⁴ Why, I was more advanced in Judaism than many others of my own age and race, and I was far more zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. ¹⁵ But when the God who took me from my mother’s womb called [me] through His loving care ¹⁶ to reveal his Son through me so I could preach the good news about him to the nations, I didn’t look for the advice of flesh and blood. ¹⁷ Nor did I go to Jerusalem, to those who became Apostles before me. Rather, I went off to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus. ¹⁸ I didn’t go up to Jerusalem until three years later, and there I visited Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days. ¹⁹ However, I didn’t see any of the rest of the Apostles, just the Lord’s brother, James.

²⁰ Look! I’m not lying to you about any of the things that I’m writing in the sight of God!

²¹ After that, I traveled to the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. ²² But the congregations (in union with the Anointed One) of Judea wouldn’t have recognized my face. ²³ All they heard about me was; ‘The man who used to persecute us is now preaching the good news about the same faith that he once tried to destroy.’ ²⁴ So, they glorified God because of me.

Chapter 2

¹ Then after fourteen years, I finally went to Jerusalem again, taking BarNabas and Titus along with me. ² But the reason why I went, was as the result of a revelation [that I received]. I told the prominent ones who were there about the good news that I’m preaching to the nations, but I did this privately for fear that somehow I was (or had been) wasting my time.

³ Now Titus, who was with me, was a Greek; yet, they didn’t force him to be circumcised! ⁴ But there were also some false brothers who were brought in that looked down on the freedom we have in the Anointed Jesus. And they wanted to make us their slaves… ⁵ but we wouldn’t give in to them even for an instant, so that the truth of the good news might reach to you!

⁶ Now, when it comes to those who seemed to be important (whatever they used to be makes no difference to me, because God doesn’t go by what a man appears to be on the outside), they didn’t show me anything new. ⁷ In fact, it was just the opposite; for, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the good news to the uncircumcised, as Peter was for those who are circumcised ⁸ (because, the one who gave Peter the powers of an Apostleship to the circumcised, also gave me such powers for those of the nations)… ⁹ yes, when they came to know the loving care that was shown to me; James, Cephas, and John (the ones who seemed to be pillars) gave BarNabas and I their approval to go to the nations, while they would go to the circumcised. ¹⁰ However, [we were told] to remember the poor, and I’ve tried hard to do that.

¹¹ Then, when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because I knew that he was wrong. ¹² [This is because], before certain men who came from James arrived, he used to eat with people of the nations. But after they arrived, he stopped associating [with them] and [started acting like a Jew] in fear of those who were circumcised. ¹³ [As the result], all the rest of the Jews also joined in this performance. Why, they influenced even BarNabas into this hypocrisy!

¹⁴ But when I saw that they weren’t following the path of the truth of the good news, I asked Cephas there in front of everyone: ‘If you’re a Jew who lives as people of the nations do, not as Jews do, then why are you forcing those of the nations to become like Jews? ¹⁵ We who are natural Jews (not sinners from the nations) ¹⁶ know that a man isn’t called righteous because of following the Law, but through faith in the Anointed Jesus. Why, even we had to put faith in the Anointed Jesus, so we could be called righteous by our faith in him, not by following the Law! So, no flesh will be called righteous due to following the Law!

¹⁷ ‘Now, if we are found to be sinners while we’re trying to be called righteous by means of the Anointed One, is the Anointed One a servant of sin? May that never happen! ¹⁸ However, if I build the things back up again that I once tore down, I prove that I’m a sinner!

¹⁹ ‘Now, as for me; I died to the Law so that I could become alive to God. ²⁰ I was hung on a pole along with the Anointed One, so it’s no longer me that’s alive, but the Anointed One who is living in me. As the result; the life that I’m now living in the flesh is being lived for the Son of God, who loved me and handed himself over for me. ²¹ I’m not pushing the loving care of God aside, but if righteousness comes through the Law, the Anointed One died [for nothing].’

Chapter 3

¹ O foolish Galatians; Who has cast an evil spell over you? Yes, you whose eyes have seen what was written about Jesus the Anointed One being impaled! ² I just want to ask you one thing: Did you receive the Breath because of obeying the Law, or because you had faith in the things that [you] heard?

³ Are you so foolish? Did you start out in the Breath [of God] just to end up in the flesh? ⁴ Did you go through so much suffering for no reason? If there really wasn’t any reason for it, ⁵ then, did the One who gave you His Breath and who performs powerful works through you do it because you’re obeying the Law, or because you had faith in the things you heard?

⁶ Remember that Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and that’s why he was considered righteous.⁷ So, don’t you know that those who have faith are the sons of Abraham? ⁸ Why, God gave the good news to Abraham because He saw ahead of time that He would be calling people of the nations righteous due to their faith. For He said: ‘All the nations will be blest because of you.’ ⁹ So, those who have faith are being blest along with faithful Abraham!

¹⁰ Now, all those who are under the Law are under a curse, because it’s written, ‘Everyone is cursed that doesn’t follow and do everything that is written in the scroll of the Law.’ ¹¹ So, it’s obvious that no one is called righteous before God because of obeying the Law… for, ‘the righteous one will live because of his faith.’

¹² Now, the Law doesn’t have much to do with faith, because, ‘he who obeys them must live by them.’ ¹³ However, the Anointed One bought our freedom from the Law’s curse by becoming cursed for us. As it is written: ‘Every man who is hung on a tree is cursed.’ ¹⁴ So the reason why this happened was so that the blessing of Abraham could come through Jesus the Anointed One, and the nations could receive the promised Breath… which [we received] because of our faith!

¹⁵ Brothers, allow me to explain this in human terms: Nobody can change or destroy a valid contract between men. ¹⁶ And the promises were given to ‘Abraham and his seed.’ It doesn’t say, ‘to his seeds,’ as though there were many of them, but just one, ‘to your seed,’ who is the Anointed One!

¹⁷ So, let me also say this about that Sacred Agreement which God agreed to: The Law (that came some four hundred and thirty years later) didn’t destroy [the Agreement with Abraham], so its promise hasn’t been done away with. ¹⁸ However, if the inheritance comes from the Law, then it doesn’t come from the promise anymore… yet God kindly gave it to Abraham because of the promise.

¹⁹ Then, why [do we have] the Law? It was added to show us what sin was, until the seed (about which the promise was given) arrived, and [heavenly] messengers put it into the hands of a mediator. ²⁰ Now, there’s no need for a mediator when only one person is involved, and God is just one. ²¹ So, does the Law go against God’s promise? May that never happen! For, if the Law had been provided to give [people] life, then righteousness would come by following the Law. ²² However, those scriptures make everything sinful, so [the reason for the Law] is for the promise (through faith in Jesus the Anointed One) to be given to those who believe.

²³ But before faith arrived, we were all locked up together and guarded by the Law, until the [the time when] the things of faith would be revealed. ²⁴ As the result, the Law has kept on reminding us of the Anointed One, so that we could be called righteous because of our faith. ²⁵ But now that the faith has arrived, we don’t need a reminder anymore!

²⁶ The fact is; you’re all sons of God because of your faith in the Anointed Jesus. ²⁷ And all who were baptized into the Anointed One have put on the Anointed One. ²⁸ So, there aren’t any Jews or Greeks, slaves or freemen, males or females; because you’re all one in the Anointed Jesus. ²⁹ And if you’re [part] of the Anointed One, you’re really the seed of Abraham and heirs of the promise!

Chapter 4

¹ Now, let me point out that; as long as the heir is a baby, he isn’t any different from a slave. For, although he’s the master over everything, ² he’s still under those who are in charge and [he’s] under the household manager until a day comes that is selected by his father.

³ And that’s how it was with us. When we were [spiritual] babies, we were slaves to the rules of this world. ⁴ But when the time arrived, God sent his Son (who came through a woman and was under the Law), ⁵ so he could buy those who were under the Law and adopt us as sons.

⁶ Now, because you’re [His] sons, God has sent the spirit of His Son into our hearts, where it calls out, ‘Papa… Father!’ ⁷ So, you’re no longer slaves, but sons. And if you are sons, you’re God’s heirs!

⁸ Back when you didn’t know God, you were slaves to those who really aren’t gods. ⁹ But now that you’ve come to know God – or rather, now that God has come to know you – why are you returning to those weak and sorry rules… why do you want to become their slave again? ¹⁰ Here you are, carefully observing monthly, seasonal, and annual holidays, ¹¹ and I’m afraid that all the work I’ve done for your sakes has been wasted!

¹² Brothers, I beg you; Become like me, because I used to be just like you! You’ve never done me any wrong. ¹³ Why, you knew that I had a severe fleshly weakness when I preached the good news to you the first time. ¹⁴ And although this problem must have created difficulties for you, you didn’t treat it with contempt or spit on it in disgust. You received me like a messenger from God… like the Anointed Jesus.

¹⁵ So, where’s that happiness you [once] had? Why, I can testify to the fact that if it had been possible, you would have taken out your eyes and given them to me! ¹⁶ But, have I now become your enemy because I’m telling you the truth?

¹⁷ [There are those who are] zealously chasing after you for bad reasons… they want to snip you off and make you their zealous followers. ¹⁸ And it’s good for you to be zealously chased after all the time, as long as it’s for a good purpose (and not just when I’m with you).

¹⁹ O my little children; I’m enduring childbirth pains again until the Anointed One becomes strong in you. ²⁰ I wish that I could be there with you right now and talk in a different tone of voice, because I just don’t know how to help you!

²¹ Those of you who want to be under Law, tell me this: Don’t you hear the Law? ²² It was written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant girl and the other by the free woman. ²³ The one who came through the servant girl was born in the flesh, but the other [who came] through the free woman, [was born] because of a promise. ²⁴ Now, this story is symbolic. The two [women] mean two Sacred Agreements. One came from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery (like Hagar); ²⁵ so this Hagar means Sinai (a mountain in Arabia), and she symbolizes Jerusalem today, who is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she’s our mother. ²⁷ For it’s written: ‘Be happy, you childless woman who hasn’t given birth. Break out [in song] and shout aloud, O you woman who has never known the pains of childbirth; because the barren woman has more children than the one who is married.’

²⁸ Brothers, we are children of the promise, as Isaac was. ²⁹ And just as the one who was born in the flesh started persecuting the one who was born through the Breath; that’s what’s happening now! ³⁰ So, what do the Scriptures say? ‘Drive out the servant girl and her son, because the son of the servant girl will never be an heir with the son of the free woman!’

³¹ So brothers, we aren’t the children of a servant girl, but of the free woman!

Chapter 5

¹ Why, the Anointed One set us free so we can be free! So, stand up and don’t allow yourselves to be put under the yoke of slavery again!

² Look! I (Paul) am telling you that if you get circumcised, the Anointed One won’t be of any use to you! ³ And I again testify to every man who gets circumcised, that he’s obligated to obey the whole Law thereafter.

⁴ Those of you who are trying to be called righteous by the Law have voided the Anointed One and have fallen from his loving care. ⁵ However, we of the Spirit are eagerly awaiting the (hoped-for) righteousness that comes from faith. ⁶ Because, circumcision doesn’t have any value, nor does uncircumcision, when [it comes to] the Anointed Jesus. The only thing that does [have value] is faith that is motivated by love!

⁷ You were running so well; so who’s trying to keep you from obeying the truth? ⁸ Such an idea isn’t coming from the One who is calling you; ⁹ but ‘a little yeast ferments the whole ball [of dough].’

¹⁰ I’m confident that you who are in the Lord wouldn’t have thought anything else; but the one who is causing all this agitation will have to face up to his judgment, no matter who he may be!

¹¹ Brothers; if I were preaching circumcision, then why would I be persecuted? If that were true, the impaling pole wouldn’t be a trap anymore! ¹² Oh, I wish that those who are stirring you up would cut on themselves!

¹³ You were called to be free, brothers! So don’t use this freedom to serve your flesh; [use it] to slave for each other in love. ¹⁴ Because, the entire Law is fulfilled in the words: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ ¹⁵ However, if you keep on snapping at each other and chewing each other up, be careful that you don’t swallow each other down!

¹⁶ I tell you this: If you keep walking by the Breath, you won’t do anything that your flesh desires. ¹⁷ For, what the flesh wants is at odds with what the Breath wants, and the Breath is at odds with the flesh – they are in opposition to each other – so you don’t do the things that you may like to do. ¹⁸ And if the Breath is leading you, you aren’t under the Law.

¹⁹ Now, the things that the flesh does are known. They include sexual immorality, uncleanness, unseemly acts, ²⁰ worshiping idols, involvement in the occult, hatred, quarreling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, divisions, sects, ²¹ envying, getting drunk, wild partying, and things like that. I’m warning you now as I’ve warned you before, that those who do such things won’t inherit God’s Kingdom.

²² However, the fruitage of [God’s] Breath is love, joy, peace, patience, caring, goodness, faith, ²³ reasonableness, and self-control… and there are no laws against such things. ²⁴ But those who belong to the Anointed Jesus have hung their flesh on the pole, along with its passions and desires. ²⁵ So if we’re living by [God’s] Breath, then let’s walk in the Breath… ²⁶ don’t be conceited, and [don’t] challenge or envy one another!

Chapter 6

¹ Brothers, if anyone is ever caught up in doing bad things, those of you who have the Breath should try to restore that person in a reasonable way, as you keep an eye on yourselves so you aren’t tempted also. ² Carry each other’s loads, and you’ll fulfill the law of the Anointed One. ³ Because; if anyone thinks he’s something when he’s nothing, he’s just fooling himself. ⁴ So, let each one prove [the value] of what he’s doing to himself first, and then he can brag to himself, not to other people. ⁵ For, each one has to carry his own load.

⁶ Also; May those who teach the Word share all the good things that they have with those whom they’re teaching.

⁷ Now, don’t make any mistake when it comes to this: You can’t mock God! Because, whatever a person is planting, is what he’s going to harvest. ⁸ So, if he’s planting [the desires] of his own flesh, he will harvest decay from the flesh. And if he’s planting things that have to do with [God’s] Breath, he’ll harvest life in the age. ⁹ So, let’s not misbehave… let’s keep on doing what’s right until that time comes, because we’ll harvest what we deserve if we don’t tire out. ¹⁰ Thus, in the time that we have left, may we do good things for everyone… and especially toward those who are related to us in the Faith.

¹¹ Look at these large letters that I wrote with my own hand!

¹² All those who want to be physically praised are telling you that you must be circumcised so that they won’t be persecuted over the impaling pole of the Anointed Jesus. ¹³ But these [same ones] who want you to be circumcised not only fail to obey the Law themselves; they also want you to be circumcised so that they can have a reason to brag over your flesh!

¹⁴ May I never find myself bragging, except over the impaling pole of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One; for it’s through him that I’ve put the world on the pole, as I’ve done to myself when it comes to this world. ¹⁵ Circumcision isn’t anything, nor is uncircumcision; but a new creation [is something]!

¹⁶ May peace and mercy be on everyone who walks in line with this rule, and upon the Israel of God.

¹⁷ Finally, let no one undermine my work, because I have the brand of Jesus on my body.

¹⁸ May the loving care of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One be with you brothers.

May it be.

Notes

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 supposed to suggest ‘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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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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Age, Eternal, Perpetual, Everlasting, Immortal, or Forever?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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False Brothers

At Galatians 2:4, Paul wrote about problems that he had with ‘false brothers’ (gr. pseudo adelphoi) that he had to deal with on his first visit to Jerusalem, following his conversion to Christianity. These may have been the same ones that he mentioned at 2 Corinthians 11:26, when he was talking about the many dangers that he had faced as an Apostle… and this was apparently one of the most treacherous of obstacles.

That such men were likely considered to be in good standing by others, is substantiated by the fact that they met Paul in the presence of what appeared to be the heads of the congregation in Jerusalem, specifically James, Peter, and John.

What was so treacherous about these men that Paul would list this encounter along with being stoned, beaten, and left for dead? He wrote that they ‘looked down on the freedom we have in the Anointed Jesus. And they wanted to make us their slaves…’

In other words, they were accusing Paul and trying to override the commission that he had directly received from Jesus in a vision. So, they were in fact, resisting and opposing God’s Holy Breath.

Apparently, some in the First Century congregation in Jerusalem didn’t care much for Paul and the work he was doing, and they were giving him orders on how he should conduct himself, to whom he should preach, how he should preach, and what he should say. They would have loved to have ended Paul’s commission to preach to people of the nations. So, their obvious lack of love for Paul and their high regard for their own opinions (which were likely pro-Judaism) came close to disqualifying them as Paul’s ‘brothers,’ although there is no mention of their being corrected by anyone at the time.

Note that Paul even reproved one of that same august body (Peter) for seeming racism in his dealings with Gentile converts to Christianity (Galatians 2:11). And then Paul was actually accused of teaching an ‘apostasy’ by them just before his arrest and eventual deportation to Rome (see Acts 21:21). It is interesting that this is the only Bible record of a Christian ever being accused of such a thing.

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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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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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Wicked Zeal

At Psalm 37:8 we read, ‘Stop being angry and abandon your rage. Don’t allow zeal to make you act wicked’ (yes, we know, the word should be wickedly, but this is poetic license). However, those words could also be translated as, ‘Do not allow jealously to cause you to act wickedly,’ because the Greek word zelos can either be translated as zealous or as jealous, depending on the circumstances, for both words mean the same thing. Yet, the two words imply different things in English.

Zeal is usually thought of as something good… something that all Christians should have, as in zeal for God and righteousness. And jealously is thought of as something bad… as wanting something that belongs to someone else. Yet, God may be spoken of as being jealous over His Name and His position as God, so jealously isn’t always a bad thing. And we can have zeal for things that are ours and we are proud of (which is not bad), and be jealous of things that belong to others (which is bad). So, the same Greek word (zelos) may be correctly translated as zeal in one place, and as jealously in another, depending on the context.

Then, is it proper for a man to be jealous of his wife, or for a wife to be jealous of her husband? No, we should never be jealous of each other, but for each other. We shouldn’t want what the other has, but we should have a burning zeal for each other. So, if one has good reason to worry about losing the love of the other, that is zeal. However, if such concern is baseless, that is wicked suspicion, not jealously.

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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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Who Wrote the Epistles?

We find the entire flap about who wrote Paul’s letters – by scholars and critics alike – funny. For, much has been made of the fact that the writing styles of Paul’s letters vary so much, it is improbable that he wrote them all; and he obviously didn’t, as the words of Romans 16:22 testify, ‘I, Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in [the] Lord.’

Paul, as several of his letters indicate, had very poor eyesight (see Galatians 4:13-15). Why? Was this caused by the brightness of his vision of Jesus, as some say? Well, it could have been, but we doubt it. Remember that there were no eyeglasses at the time when Paul wrote, he was likely over forty years old, and many of us who are beyond that age couldn’t see to write letters today if it weren’t for our eyeglasses. And there are several other natural causes for poor eyesight – other than miraculous visions.

A further indication of Paul’s poor eyesight is found at Galatians 6:11, where he wrote, ‘Look at these large letters that I wrote with my own hand!’ This can indicate that; either Paul wrote the book of Galatians by himself, or that he had written just those few words of the letter. However, the mentioning of ‘large letters’ shows that he could barely see his own handwriting. That he could have written this letter himself is seen by the relatively short and less ‘flowery’ introductory words (Galatians 1:1-5).

Obviously, a man named Tertius wrote the letter to the Romans for Paul. Then, if you look at the headings or conclusions of other letters, you’ll find references to those who likely did the writing. For example, First Corinthians starts with the words, ‘Paul … and Sosthenes our brother.’ Then Second Corinthians starts out the same way, ‘Paul … and our brother Timothy.’

So, there are obviously different writing styles in Paul’s letters, because (as the letters themselves indicate), different people did the writing. This may be quite a revelation to critics and college professors, but they obviously haven’t actually read the letters.

For more information, see the attached link, The Bible’s Internal Proofs of Its Authentic History.

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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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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,’ which were selected from among men and who make up ‘the New Jerusalem.’

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

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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 said in certain instances.

For example, consider the words at Acts 12:15, where Peter had just been released from prison and had appeared at the door of some faithful Christians. In Greek, the latter part of this verse reads, ‘oi de elegon Ho aggelos estin autou’ and is often translated as, ‘They began to say, It is his angel.’

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, although the same word (with only conjugated variations) is used to speak of two different types of messengers here… those who are human and those who were sent from heaven by God. As the result, most Bibles translate the first instance as messengers, but the second as angel. We have not chosen to make this distinction, and we have rendered the word as messenger or messengers in each instance, because this proper translation of the word provides readers a better look at what position these heavenly sons of God held. For, angel isn’t a heavenly rank, it’s a duty.

Also, 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.

Translating aggelos as messenger (when it truly means an ‘angel’) helps to provide readers a better, deeper understanding of the actual role that such spiritual sons of God play in His dealings with mankind. And it helps us to understand why the Bible never speaks of female or baby angels.

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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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