The Holy Bible

Last Updated: 06/11/2009 02:19 |

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

John 6:63
. . . the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Philippians 2:16
Holding forth the word of life . . . .

2 Samuel 22:31
As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him.

Proverbs 30:5
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

1 Peter 1:25
But the word of the Lord endureth forever . . . .

John 5:24
. . . He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

John 5:39
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Yeshua

2 Timothy 3:15-17
. . . the holy scriptures, which are able to make the wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Jeremiah 23:29-30
Is not My word like as a fire? Saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God . . . .

Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

I Thessalonians 1:8
Although false teachers and corrupters of the Word of God abound, we should abound much more, with His help!

2 Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I liked the insight I got from a preacher on the radio whose program I only caught part of. I liked the insight he gave into the Bible and so I would like to share it. I'm sorry I missed who it was, but the Word is still there for us to check. In Revelation, Yeshua (Jesus) is mentioned four times as having a sword proceed from His mouth.

Revelation 1:16
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

Revelation 2:16
Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 19:15
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Revelation 19:21
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

In a literal sense, this seems odd, but for the clarification elsewhere in scripture regarding what the sword represents.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I wrote a page for this website focused on the idea that our thoughts are the voice of the spirit realm. Understanding how things of the spirit are things like the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, meekness and temperance), which have no mass or dimensions, we see that the Word of God is a physical book containing thoughts, God's voice to us. All of the Bible testifies of Yeshua and He is the Word of God, His expression of who He is written by the prophets through the Holy Spirit. The Book defines Him and He is the Book and more.

John 1:1;14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. [The two edges to the sword, which is the Word of God]

The point this radio preacher was making was the answer to his question of what the two edges of the sword (Word of God) are. I'll put it in my own words because I don't remember all of his. Yeshua being the Word made flesh that walked among us, and full of Grace and Truth, these are the two edges of the sword against which the enemy cannot stand. The Truth is that which never changes and is set in stone. It can be relied upon as a sure foundation upon which to build understanding.

The thoughts and ideas put forth in the text relating God's dealing with humanity through the nation of Israel and to redeem mankind, express God's spirit of Love - for God is Love. He said in John 15, "greater love has no man than this, that he would give his life for a friend." Truly this is the most self-less act one can perform and Yeshua died for all of us, we only need to love Him by obedience to His ways of Love toward others, self-less love. Taking the Bible for what it says, we either agree and align ourselves with the ways expressed by the Word fulfilled in Christ, or we disagree and walk another path.

In the end however, only those who align themselves with God's ways of love by accepting Yeshua as the Messiah and obeying God's Word will actually get to be with God in heaven for eternity. God has prepared a place for the angels that fell away from Him where they will be kept completely separate from God for all eternity. That is the destination for all those who don't accept His way of salvation. The problem for those who don't want to obey Him is that God is Love, and the fruits of the spirit are His ways. That includes love, joy, peace and kindness among other things. To be removed from that for all eternity with no hope ever is a place of great torment, chosen by the will of each individual responsible for their own eternity based on how they accept or reject God's design for our redemption to Him again. This is the reality whether we know and believe it or not and to learn the Truth, we must search.

God promised that if we search for Him, we will find Him...we only need ask. That is where the other edge of the sword comes into play. Because by the grace of God we are saved and of no works of our own. Ephesians 2 Grace is unmerited favor and that is what we gain by aligning ourselves with God's Son, Yeshua the Christ, to came in the flesh to be nailed to a tree for your transgressions and mine. The price was paid for eternally to all those who obey His ways, so I encourage all to seek Him if you haven't and to stand against the lies of the enemy with Truth regarding the Grace you have been given. The lies of the enemy are growing stronger in these end-times. I pray you seek God's Word for the Truth and find the peace that comes with God's Grace.

There are plenty of deceivers out there. That's one of the signs of the end times! More on the study of the timing of the end here. That's why it's so important for us to know the Word of God ourselves. We need to immerse ourselves in His Word and soak it all in. As we implement His ways in our lives and search Him out, He will lead us and reveal Himself to us through His Spirit. Don't wait to start reading!

Surviving Our Present Culture Dr. Charles Stanley - Christians fall into two categories: committed followers of Jesus and those entangled by the present culture. More In Touch Ministries audio

Trusting the Source

Some may not know of the differences of the KJV and other versions based on the older Latin Vulgate. (NIV, RSV, and the rest of the alphabets) There's a history there that not many realize.

I recommend everyone listen to Dr. Kent Hovind speak about his research into the origins of the Bible. Also check out these Lee Strobel's videos on the case for Christ and trusting the Biblical source. Why does this matter at all? Did you know there are over 200 verses removed in the NIV and other Latin Vulgate versions? Yet they leave the verse numbers there with references! If that wasn't there originally, why keep the verse numbers?

In addition there are meanings that are completely reversed. Whenever I see verses meaning changed between two versions and one is 180° opposite of the other, changing the meaning, it gets my attention like these:

Hosea 11:12
KJV: Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
NIV: Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One.

Luke 4:4
KJV: And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
NIV: Jesus answered, "It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone."

1 John 4:3
KJV: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist . .
NIV: but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist . . .

1 Corinthians 9:27
KJV: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection . . .
NIV: No, I beat my body and make it my slave . . .

Galatians 5:12
KJV: I would they were even cut off which trouble you. [those who preach circumcision, verse 11]
NIV: As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

Luke 4:8
KJV: And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan: for it is written . . .
NIV: Jesus answered, It is written . .

Revelation 22:14
KJV: Blessed are they that do^G4160 His commandments^G1785, that they may have right to the tree of life . . .
NIV, RSV: Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life . . .
Do (G4160)
poieō (poy-eh'-o)
Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct): - abide, + agree, appoint, X avenge, + band together, be, bear, + bewray, bring (forth), cast out, cause, commit, + content, continue, deal, + without any delay, (would) do (-ing), execute, exercise, fulfil, gain, give, have, hold, X journeying, keep, + lay wait, + lighten the ship, make, X mean, + none of these things move me, observe, ordain, perform, provide, + have purged, purpose, put, + raising up, X secure, shew, X shoot out, spend, take, tarry, + transgress the law, work, yield. Compare G4238.
Commandments (G1785)
entolē (en-tol-ay')
From G1781; injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription: - commandment, precept.

The following verses are all omitted from the NIV:

Matthew 17:21
Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

Matthew 18:11
For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Mark 7:16
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

Mark 9:44
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Mark 9:46
Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched

Mark 11:26
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Mark 15:28
And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Luke 17:36
Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Luke 23:17
(For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)

John 5:4
For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

Acts 18:21
I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem . . .

Acts 8:37
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Acts 15:34
Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

Acts 24:7
But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands

Acts 28:29
And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.

Romans 16:24
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

1 John 5:7
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

What I read on the part of the NIV version is some anti-Semitism (the Jews did kill Yeshua, but He forgave them on the cross. They didn't understand what they were doing. Luke 23:34), dislike of God becoming flesh, that living by every Word of God isn't important, self-mutilation is a positive, addressing and confronting Satan isn't important, and that doing the commandments is washing our robes. Not only that, but one of the 200 missing verses remove witness testimony of Christ's deity! Now who's fingerprints are on these changes? I'm not trying to vilify anyone here, just pointing out the differences and from what was changed, what appears to be the spirit behind those changes?

Kent Hovind isn't the only scholar who arrived at his conclusion. Please take the time to listen to Chuck Missler's look at the Bible's history Click "Translation Controversies." Chuck goes into additions and deletions more in his study The Last 12 Verses of Mark.

3-1 Century BC LXX (Septuagint) is Greek translation from Hebrew before Christ.

1516 Desiderius Erasmus, pulls together documents (Textus Receptus)

6-14th century majority text in Greek in Byzantium, not Latin.

1526 Tyndale Bible (first English new Testament)

1534 Luther Bible (German)

1535 Coverdale Bible (The finished Tyndale)

1539 Great Bible

1560 Geneva Bible

1611 King James Version (50+ scholars and much prayer at each step. 5,556 manuscripts available to them, but they relied on Textus Receptus)

1853 Westcott & Hort were Anglican churchmen that had contempt for Textus Receptus (Their work was based on Vaticanus and Sinaiticus regarded now as corrupt manuscripts which embraced the Gnostic principles. There are over 3,000 contradictions in the gospel alone between these manuscripts.)

Even before John died, the Gnostics of the day, centered in Alexandria, would delete portions of the scripture they had issue with. The 3 Alexandrian Codices are the primary source of the translations of the NIV and other modern translations of the Bible.

Codex Sinaiticus (aleph), fourth century

Codex Vaticanus (B), fourth century

Codex Alexandrinus (A), fifth century

Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C), fifth century
Westcott and Hort gave greatest weight to aleph and B, especially B.

Hort Founded the Hermes club

April 3, 1860 Hort wrote, "The book which has engaged me most is Darwin. What may be thought of it, it is a book that one is proud to be contemporary with. My feeling is strong that the theory is unanswerable."

Hort didn't believe Eden was reality nor that heaven is real.

Hort said, "How certainly I should have been proclaimed a heretic."

Chuck Missler covers more ideas from this man who used the Alexandrian texts based on Gnostic to create the version of scripture that NIV among most other modern translations are translated from. As Kent Hovind says, "it's a good translation of a bad book."

Image from Chuck Missler's How We Got Our Bible

Now let me be clear. It is entirely possible for Christians to read the NIV and come to Christ as it is still the Word of God in almost its entirety. The message is still the same, what isn't left out, and teaches Christianity. God made it so His Word would still remain valid, even with minor changes to it.

Regardless of translation, English is vastly inferior to the original Hebrew and Greek. So even though I feel the KJV is the best English translation to go by, it should be supplemented with a Hebrew and Greek concordance or a program like E-Sword. The following is a good example of how our generalizing words can miss some points as opposed to the more precise languages.

Jesus, Peter, and the Three "Love" Questions By Michael A. H. Back
There are several words in Greek for "love," and English translations rarely distinguish between them. This is unfortunate, as the key to understanding the interplay in this discussion is in noticing that Jesus and Peter are not using the same word for love.

The Greek word "agape" means "love in action - love that serves". The Greek word "philia" means "affection, tenderness, loving friendship, a feeling of love." The first emphasizes actions. Feelings may or may not be present. Agape is only agape if it is EXPRESSED as an action. Simply put agape is when someone ministers to the physical, spiritual, or emotional needs of another. If it is not expressed as an action, it is not agape.

The second emphasizes the deep feeling of love. It is the emotion we feel that we call "love." Whether or not we express that love is irrelevant. Philia is simply the feeling. So this is how the conversation is written in the scriptures (direct Greek translation):

"Then when they breakfasted, Jesus says to Simon Peter, "Simon, Son of Jonah, do you AGAPE me more than these?"
He says to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I PHILIA you."
He says to him, "Feed my lambs."
He says to him again, a second time, "Simon, Son of Jonah, do you AGAPE me?"
He says to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I PHILIA you."
He says to him, "Shepherd my sheep."
He says to him a third time, "Simon, Son of Jonah, do you PHILIA me?"
Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, "Do you PHILIA me?"
And he says to Him, "Lord, you perceive all things; You know that I PHILIA you."
He says to him, "Feed my little sheep."
John 21:15-17

In order to understand what is going on here, you have to realize that Peter KNOWS he is NOT using the same word that Jesus is. It is not an accident. He switches to philia ON PURPOSE! Why? Peter is "one-upping" Jesus. Peter knows that Jesus is asking about love expressed as an action, but he also understands that agape does not necessarily include any FEELINGS of love.

What does Peter, a passionate man of strong emotions, probably think of agape? To him, agape is a cold, emotionless, INFERIOR expression of love. After all, you could do "agape" to someone while hating that person in your heart. What kind of wimpy love is that? To Peter, THAT is not REAL love at all! HIS love is much SUPERIOR to agape, because he FEELS it deep down in his very soul. To Peter, what is real is what you feel. To God, reality is what you do. Peter is saying, "I love you so much, I don't have the words to express it!" And Jesus is trying to say, "You don't express real love with words, you express it with actions!"

Even after denying Jesus three times just a few days before, Peter has not learned that REAL love, the kind that matters to God, is not what you feel, nor is it what you say or claim to believe, it's what you DO! That is why Jesus switches to Philia the third time; he is trying to drive home the message that, "the ultimate measure of the reality of your love, even your feelings, is in what you DO!"

Jesus is saying that loving God is about doing to others, not about feeling something for God. The ultimate expression of our love for God is when we minister to others. This is, in fact, a common message from Jesus.

This means that the average guy who works 9 to 5, has a wife and three kids, and is involved in his church ministering to others, IN ANY WAY, loves God MORE than the monk who takes a vow of silence, and spends the last 40 years of his life locked away in a monastary praying and reading the Bible! While it is absolutely true that prayer and Bible study are vital ingredients in a mature Christian's life, it is ministering to others that the Bible identifies with loving God. It is AGAPE (ministering to others) that the Bible says is the most important of all!

Frames of Reference: Which Bible Translation? - A further study from www.dyager.org.

KJV Authorized Bible - Ex-freemason, roman catholic priest, warlock, vampire, and Mormon priest. Now Bible believing Christian Bill Schnoebelen talks about the King James bible and other recent bibles which have appeared in recent years.

0:43:08

Further Examples

I would like to point out another case where the changes in translation between the KJV and NIV subtly hide details from us. The differences are bolded.
2 Peter 3:8-10 NIV
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. ??? The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:8-10 KJV
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Notice that in the KJV, we see that the destruction of the heavens and earth is within the "day of the Lord." From verse 8, we see that this time period is 1,000 years long. So according to the KJV, this destruction is within the 1,000 year period whereas with the NIV translation, the destruction of the earth seems to follow the Lord coming like a thief.
However, since the Lord rules on the earth from Jerusalem, the heavens can't pass away, elements melt with a fervent heat, and the earth can't be burned up on the day of the Lord if it isn't 1,000 years. The end of the 1,000 years of Christ's rule, Revelation 20:1-10, will be with the great white throne judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 Then the new heavens and new earth made way by the destruction of the current heavens and earth.

What about contradictions in the Bible?

Dr. Hovind has also put together some articles about supposed "contradictions" in the Bible as well. I highly recommend these faith-builders in God's literal Word too! You can also see him debate evolutionists and discuss things like perceived errors free on YouTube here. (He nails them in the debates!)

Interesting Links:

The Bible Wheel - To be true to God's Word, the proclamation of the Gospel must shine as the noontime sun in a cloudless sky. The purity of the Gospel Truth is unlike anything seen in the history of the world. Nothing compares to the Work wrought by Christ upon the Cross. Precisely the same truth applies to the Holy Bible that bears the imprint of His Divine Seal.
The Bible: Proofs of Its Supernatural Origin - Assuming this universe and it's contents are the products of a supernatural, designer, creator, we must next examine how He could demonstrate conclusively that He exists and is that Creator. I have often wondered why God doesn't pull back the veil and stick his face through the sky and introduce Himself to each generation. However practical this may seem, most of us have not seen such an event in our life time.