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

Chapter 1

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

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

⁵ ‘These things [will happen] for the irreverence of Jacob, and the sins of the house of Israel. Isn’t Samaria the irreverence of Jacob; isn’t Jerusalem the house of Judah’s sin?

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

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

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

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

¹⁰ ‘O you in Gath; don’t feel important! And O you in BaceIm; don’t laugh and then rebuild your homes, for the earth will be strewn with your laughter! ¹¹ Why, good didn’t come from the cities she lived in. And when [laughter] lived in ZaAnan, she beat her chest for the houses next door. So, by your calamity she’ll be grieved.

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

¹³ ‘Then came the sounds of chariots and riders, upon those dwelling in LachIsh, for they were the [chief leaders], of the sins of the daughter of Zion… Israel’s godless acts were found there among them. ¹⁴ Because of this, He’ll allow them to be sent, as the inheritance of Gath. [They’ll be sent] to houses that are worthless; for, to the kings of Israel they are worthless. ¹⁵ Yes, their inheritance they’ll become… the inhabitants of LachIsh will be theirs. Then to AdulLam will come all the glory, of the [virgin] daughters of Israel.

¹⁶ ‘Shave and shear your loved children; make them as bald as an eagle; for from you they’ll be taken as [slaves].

Chapter 2

¹ ‘Why, when they came they were looking for trouble, and doing what was evil in their beds. They did it all in the daytime, and to God they never lifted their hands. ² They desired fields and plundered orphans, and they tyrannized households… they plundered both men and their houses… both men and their inherited things.’

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

⁴ ‘In that day they will say these words about you… they’ll raise a lament and [sing] these strains:

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

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

⁷ ‘It will then be said about them:

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

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

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

¹¹ ‘You’ll run [for your lives] when no one is chasing, because of your lying spirit, which trickles upon you like wine and strong drink, that comes from the sweat of these people.

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

Chapter 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 6

¹ Hear indeed what Jehovah has said! Rise up and plead with the mountains, and let all the hills hear your voice! ² Hear, O mountains, the judgment of God… you ravines and foundations of earth! For, there’s a case between Jehovah and His people… yes with Israel He will contend.

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

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

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

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

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

⁹ ‘The voice of Jehovah will call in the city,
And He’ll save all those who are fearing His Name.

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 7

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

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

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

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

O woe, for your [day] of punishment came,
And now there will be [much] weeping.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In Bashan and Gilead they’ll feed,
According to the days of the age,
¹⁵ And the days of their departure from Egypt.

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

¹⁷ Yes! They’ll lick the dust as though they were snakes,
Dragging along on the ground.
And in their confinement they’ll be confused…
Yes, by our God they’ll be amazed,
And then they will learn to fear You.

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

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

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

Notes

Soul

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Heavens or Sky, the Earth or the Land?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hades: Hell or the Grave?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Age

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Breath

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Why the Name Changes?

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

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

In the case of names that end with an iah, as in Isaiah, the last part of the name often includes the name of God. Isaiah, for example, means Salvation [of] Jehovah, and it was originally pronounced Ee-sai-Yah. So, why have we substituted a capital ‘J’ for the letters ‘ie’ in both of the above cases? Well, we recognize that there is an inconsistency here, because there was no letter ‘J’ in Hebrew or Greek alphabets. However, we have the choice of changing all names that start with ‘J’ (such as Jesus, John, Jonah, Joshua, Jeremiah, etc.) to start with the letters ‘Ie’, or for consistency, we can change all the ‘Ies’ into ‘Js’, which is what we have done. Realize that several other Hebrew consonants are commonly mispronounced in English, which no one objects to, so this minor deviation should not be objectionable to the thinking.

Does this mean then that we are setting out a new rule for name spelling? Absolutely not, for centuries ago, a Bible translator first established this rule when he spelled the name Eliou (Greek spelling, pronounced ay-lee-ou) and wrote it as EliJah, because this name is regarded as meaning ‘My God is Jehovah.’

Also notice that where a name ends with an iah, as in Jeremiah (Jehovah exalts), we have often spelled it as iJah, because the I would typically be pronounced as a long E, followed by a Y in Hebrew, and writing it without the I (as in JeremJah) misses this nuance. So, we have rendered it as JeremiJah, which is similar to the way it is often pronounced by modern-day Hebrew-speaking Jews, YeremiYah.

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

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

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

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Dragon

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

· They didn’t believe in fire-breathing dragons

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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