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Kaszyński of Poland
Below is a link to alternative versions and translations of the Gospel of John 1:1 showing what the ancients and other nations think of the meaning of this verse of Scripture.
The
Cross Symbol in Christianity
By Clifford
Besson
This study is to see if a
cross is a good or bad symbol for Christianity to follow and/or display in a
church or home. Is it mainly a Roman Catholic symbol or a worthy Christian
symbol? What is the main cross symbol in the Roman Catholic Church that may or
not be good?
What Does the Bible (KJV) Say About
Jesus on a Tree versus a Cross?
On a Tree
In the Four Gospels, Jesus is never mentioned as
being on a tree anywhere. In the rest of the New Testament, here are the
only incidents where Jesus is mentioned as having been on a tree: Act_5:30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Act_10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he
did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged
on a tree: Act_13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was
written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in
a sepulchre. Gal_3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the
law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one
that hangeth on a tree: 1Pe_2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body
on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by
whose stripes ye were healed.
The
word in the Aramaic is qinta for tree with a concordance #2819 while in the Greek it is xulon
with a concordance #3586. The Aramaic word is
translated as tree, piece of wood, and wood pieces while the
Greek word is translated as a staff, stocks, tree, wood, and stave
(there are more places in the Greek New Testament where the Greek word is
used).
In other words, when it comes
to Jesus being fastened to a qinta or xulon, it could really have meant a post
or pole from a tree stuck in a hole in the rock surface where Jesus and the two
thieves were crucified.
Some Verses on a Cross or the
Cross or His Cross
The word in the Aramaic for cross is pronounced something
like seliba with a concordance #2708
while in the Greek it is stauros with a concordance #4716.
Mat_27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of
Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross[piece]. Mat_27:40
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross[piece].
Mat_27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the
King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross[piece], and we will
believe him. Mar_15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who
passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to
bear his cross[piece]. Mar_15:30 Save thyself, and come down from
the cross[piece]. Mar_15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend
now from the cross[piece], that we may see and believe. And they that were
crucified with him reviled him. Luk_23:26 And as they led him
away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and
on him they laid the cross[piece], that he might bear it after Jesus. Joh_19:17
And he bearing his cross[piece] went forth into a place called the place
of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Joh_19:19 And
Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross[piece]. And the writing
was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. Joh_19:25 Now there stood
by the cross[piece] of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife
of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Joh_19:31 The Jews therefore,
because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross[piece]
on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate
that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 1Co_1:18
For the preaching of the cross[piece] is to them that perish foolishness; but
unto us which are saved it is the power of God. Gal_5:11 And I,
brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then
is the offence of the cross[piece] ceased. Gal_6:12 As many as
desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised;
only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross[piece] of Christ. Php_2:8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient
unto death, even the death of the cross[piece]
What
is the meaning in the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek for the word that got
translated as cross? George Howard, in his Hebrew Gospel of Matthew (Macon,
Georgia: Mercer University Press, rev. ed. 2002) uses the word gallows
instead of cross. But the Aramaic word is singular, so it must mean just
the crosspiece which would be dropped into a notch at the top of a pole,
stake or tree trunk. The victim of the crucifixion would be fastened on to the
crosspiece and then lifted to be hung on that post in its notch that the
crosspiece would be balanced on. This way the dead person could be brought back
down easy. This also satisfies the saying that Jesus had to carry his cross,
but it should have been written as crosspiece.
Editor
Warren Baker, in his Expanded Edition Strong’s Complete Word Study
Concordance says essentially the same thing at the section on the
definition of the Greek word for cross at #4716: “(1) Particularly, the
crosspiece which was fitted upon the upright stake, which Simon was compelled
to carry for Jesus (Mt 27:32 . . . ).”
The
Doctrine of the Cross 1. Preached, 1Co_1:17 For
Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross[piece] of Christ should be made of none effect. 2.
Gloried in, Gal_6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save
in the cross[piece] of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified
unto me, and I unto the world. 3. Reconciliation through, Eph_2:16
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross[piece],
having slain the enmity thereby. 4. Enemies of, ]. Php_3:18
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that
they are the enemies of the cross[piece] of Christ: 5. Peace Made by,
Col_1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross[piece],
by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they
be things in earth, or things in heaven. 6. Old Testament Ordinances
abolished by, Col_2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way,
nailing it to his cross[piece]; 7. Cross-Bearing enjoined
Mat
10:38 And he that taketh not his cross[piece], and followeth after me,
is not worthy of me. . Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his
disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take
up his cross[piece], and follow me. Mar
10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing
thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross[piece], and follow me.
More Verses on the Cross[piece] and the Followers
of Christ
Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto
him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross[piece], and follow me. Luk 9:23 And he
said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross[piece] daily, and follow me. Luk 14:27 And
whosoever doth not bear his cross[piece], and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and
followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Luk 14:27 And whosoever
doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Now some may be concerned
about the symbol of a cross like this † or this Т being
superstitious nonsense from Roman Catholicism and of other foreign religions
but to us, the faithful, it reminds most of us of the structure that was used
to hang and crucify our Saviour and Lord Christ Jesus. So, if that is true, what
is wrong with that. To the Roman Catholics, is it not the crucifix with Jesus
still hanging on it? But to the Protestants, it is an empty cross, symbolizing
what Jesus did for us but it is over with and he is now a risen Saviour.
History tells us that the symbol that Constantine seen in a vision was
not one of the above but this symbol: Χ, which is the Greek letter for
the CH in Christ. In other words, it was the initial letter for Christ Jesus,
that was to be put on the shields of his soldiers and they were to fight under
that symbol for Christ as their savior. It was to be their ensign, consecrated
by the NAME of Christ. This Greek letter on their ensign or banner had nothing
to do with any pagan cross but it was simply referring to the NAME of Christ
Jesus. On that standard or banner was also put the “words “Hoc signo victor
eris,” meaning in this sign [of the X] thou shalt be a conqueror,”. This X
was the “heavenly sign.”
There is also mentioned that the Greek letter P, their letter for
our R was superimposed on the X to show that the X was really referring
to an abbreviation of CHR for the word CHRIST. The above account was found in The Two Babylons, but a different
account from Eusebius’ writings of Constantine’s “own words spoken at Nicaea,” are
as follows:
The
emperor said that about the noon hour, when the day was already beginning to
wane, he saw with his own eyes in the sky above the sun a cross composed of
light, and that there was attached to it an inscription saying, “By this
conquer.” At the sight, he said, astonishment seized him and all the troops who
were accompanying him on the journey and were observers of the miracle.
He said,
moreover, that he doubted within himself what the import of this apparition
could be. And while he continued to ponder and reason on its meaning, night
suddenly came on; then in his sleep, the Christ of God appeared to him with the
same sign which he had seen in the heavens, and commanded him to make a
likeness of that sign which he had seen in the heavens, and to use it as a
safeguard In all engagements with his enemies.
At dawn
of day, he arose, and communicated the marvel to his friends; and, then,
calling together the workers in gold and precious stones, he sat in the midst
of them, and described to them the figure of the sign he had seen, bidding them
represent it in gold and precious stones. And this representation I myself have
had an opportunity of seeing.
Eusebius then goes on to describe the making of the
military standard, “the spear and transverse bar” we saw before.
. . . . . . . . . . ..
And it should be noted that, as Constantine was
elevating the cross to the realm of the sacred, he was abolishing crucifixion
as the Roman form of capital punishment. . . . Christians would recognize the
cross in the human body and in the tree, in the way light flares and in the
conjunction of planets at the sun. Eventually they would see the cross, as I do
in telephone poles and in airplanes flying overhead.
Earlier in the book though, the author quotes Eusebius saying “Now it
was made in the following manner. A long spear, overlaid with gold, formed the
figure of the cross by means of a transverse bar laid over it.”
The early versions of the Chi Rho, the X and P,
would have been in keeping with the ancient
Christian reluctance to render the cross literally, as the gibbet on which
Jesus had hung. But from Eusebius’s account, not of the vision but of
Constantine’s own description of it, the actual “figure of the cross” is
clearly what is meant. Constantine put the Roman execution device, now rendered
with a spear, at the center not only of the story of his conversion to
Christianity, but of the Christian story itself. So what does this suggest? Does it not say that we should not be ashamed
of the cross because it represents the terrible death that Jesus went through,
while shedding his blood for our redemption from our sins. We should therefore
be proud of having such a Saviour who died on such a torture set up as a
crosspiece on a stake, pole, or post. That very instrument of torture reminds us
of what Jesus did for you and me. To the pagans it may have another meaning but
to us, it refers to the crucifixion of Jesus for us.
The Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection
from Translations of Matthew 28:1 and other
Supporting Evidence
by Clifford Besson
KJV (AV) from
the Greek
Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first
day of the week, came Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
|
Gordon Howard Hebrew Matthew
On the first day of the
week, early in the morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see
the tomb
|
Victory Version from Aramaic, Greek, and Coptic
in the evening (end) now of the sabbaths. As the first (day) in the week was
lightening, Mariam Magdolitha and the other Mariam came to see the
sepulchre.
(Note, we believe
that the first part of this verse really belongs to the end of Matthew
27:66).
|
The Way Int. Version from
the Peshitta
Now in the
evening of the sabbath as it was twilight, the first of the week, Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary came that they might see the grave.
|
Dr. John Wesley Etheridge from the Peshitta
FROM the evening (end) of the sabbath, when
the first (day) in the week was lightening, Mariam Magdolitha and the other
Mariam came to see the sepulchre.
|
George M. Lamsa translation from the Peshitta
In the evening of
the sabbath, when the first day of the week began to dawn, there came Mary
of Magdala and the other Mary to see the tomb.
|
James Murdock translation from the Peshito
And in the evening of the Sabbath as it was
dusk, as the first day of the week began to dawn, came Mary of Magdala and
the other Mary, to view the sepulcher.
|
Coptic NT-ND (Eng.)
Now in the night (lit. Now evening) of the sabbaths,
being morning of (the) first (lit, to (the) one) of the sabbaths, Mary the
Magdalene came and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
|
Coptic NT-SD
(Eng.)
But
(the) evening of the sabbath, in (the) morning of (the) first day of
the sabbath, came Maria [the] Magdalene and the other Maria to see
the tomb.
|
Ferris Fenton from the Greek
After the Sabbaths,
towards the dawn of the day following the Sabbaths, Mary, the
Magdalene, and the other Mary, came to examine the tomb.
|
Comments
on Matthew 28:1
by Clifford Besson
for https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/21961/
sabbath-sabbaths-or-week-matthew-281
The
Ferris Fenton translation has
"After the Sabbaths, (1) [a note regarding
the plural Sabbaths] towards the dawn of the day following the
Sabbaths, Mary, the Magdalene, and the other Mary, came to examine the
tomb."
Note (1) The Greek . . . is in the plural,
"Sabbaths," which is retained. Readers should remember that all the
seven days of the Paschal week were "Sabbaths" in the old Hebrew
Kalendar.--F. F.
This fits in with what the Gospel of
Peter verse 14 says:
Now it was the last day of the unleavened bread, and many were
going forth, returning to their homes, as the feast was ended. But we, the
twelve disciples of the Lord, wept and were grieved . . ..
In other words, Jesus was under arrest and
in an underground prison dungeon for days and was now and then going from prison
to trial. Then finally, He went to the last one, on Friday, on the
sixth day of unleavened bread, when he was crucified. Then he or his Earthly
body rested in the tomb on the last Sabbath of that holy week of unleavened bread.
Then he arose on Sunday morning,
after having gone into Sheol during those days: Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday that his Earthly body was wrapped up in his
tomb.
Here are some Bible versions that also
have the word "Sabbaths": Literal Translation of the Bible (LITV), Concordant Literal NT (CLNT), the Coptic NT-Northern Dialect, English
translation, the Victory Version from the Aramaic, Greek, and Coptic, and
Young's Literal Translation (YLT). Then The Scriptures 2009 translation (TS2009) which has
a footnote: "aGk Sabbaths" [for the first time it is mentioned and]
"bGk. One of the sabbaths." [for the second one].
The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
(TSK)
note for this verse has
the end: The Hebrew word Schabbath from which our English word
is derived, signifies rest, and is applied to all solemn festivals, equally
with that one day of every week devoted to the worship of God; Eze_20:21,
"they polluted my sabbaths." Three evangelists say, the transaction
recorded in this verse [of 28:1],
occurred upon the first day of the week, early in the morning, about sun-rising, and John says, while it was yet dark.
Οψε [G3796], σαββατων [G4521], does not signify "in the
evening of sabbath," but "sabbaths." Hence, the great feast
having been concluded, the term "end of the sabbaths" denotes the
time very clearly. Again, it may be observed that the Jews, speaking of their Passover, sometimes speak according to their civil computation,
wherein they measured their days from sun-rising to sun-rising. Sometimes
according to their sacred computation, which was from sun-set to sun-set.
This reconciles Numbers 28:18, which
seems to make the fourteenth day of the first month, the first day of
unleavened bread. Mark 16:1-2;
Luke 23:56; 24:1 & 22; John 20:1-10."
(ed. by CB).
Support for the Above View Points
Now note: about the term "High
day." According to John 7:37 it is the last day of the feast:
And on the high day, which is the last [day] of the feast, Jesus
was standing . . .. (Janet M Magiera's Aramaic Peshitta New Testament
Translation).
Her John 19:31 has
Now the Judeans, because it was the day of preparation, said,
"These bodies should not remain on their crosses, because the SABBATH is
dawning, for the day of that SABBATH was a high day. . ..
This word for high, in The
Concordance to the Peshitta Version of the Aramaic New Testament (of the
American Christian Press, The Way International, New Knoxville, Ohio, 1986) is
#2908 It is the same one in both places and it too is translated, similarly to
the Greek, e. g. great, high, and also greater, teacher, master, and Rabbi.
The Greek word translated here for High is megas (#3173 in Strong's Dictionary) which is also
translated great, exceedingly, large, loud, mighty and
strong.
They agree with the Aramaic rendering. In
other words the crucifixion is near the end of the feast of unleavened bread on its sixth day and not at the beginning. This allows time
for Jesus to be tried by the Sanhedrin, by Pilate, by Herod, and then back to
Pilate all on separate days and not being on trial all during the day and
night.
Further Information of What Happened Around the Time of the Crucifixion
Isaiah 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon
shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold,
as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of
his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound. AV
See "The Report of Pilate the
Governor" for "Now when he was crucified, there was darkness over all
the world, and the sun was obscured for half a day, and the stars appeared, but
no lustre was seen in them; and the moon lost its brightness, as though tinged
with blood; and the world of the departed was swallowed up;"
"And the terror of the earthquake
continued from the sixth hour of the preparation until the ninth hour; and when
it was evening on the first day of the week, there came a sound from heaven,
and the heaven became seven times more luminous than on all other days. And at
the third hour of the night the sun appeared more luminous than it had ever
shone, lighting up the whole hemisphere. And as lightning-flashes suddenly come
forth in a storm, so there were seen men, lofty in stature, and surpassing in
glory, a countless host, crying out, and their voice was heard as that of
exceedingly loud thunder, Jesus that was crucified is risen again: come up from
Hades ye that were enslaved in the subterraneous recesses of Hades. And the
chasm in the earth was as if it had no bottom; but it was so that the very
foundations of the earth appeared, with those that shouted in heaven, and
walked in the body among the dead that were raised. And He that raised up all
the dead and bound Hades said, Say to my disciples He goeth before you into
Galilee, there shall ye see Him.
And all that night the light ceased not
shining. And many of the Jews died in the chasm of the earth, being swallowed
up, so that on the morrow most of those who had been against Jesus were not to
be found. Others saw the apparition of men rising again whom none of us had
ever seen. One synagogue of the Jews was alone left in Jerusalem itself, for
they all disappeared in that ruin.
Therefore being astounded by that terror,
and being possessed with the most dreadful trembling, I have written what I saw
at that time and sent it to thine excellency; and I have inserted what was done
against Jesus by the Jews, and sent it to thy divinity, my lord." pages
274-5.
Then from "The Report of Pontius
Pilate" pp 276-277 of The Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden (Nashville, Tennessee: World Bible Publishers, 1927)
"Now when he was crucified darkness
came over all the world; the sun was altogether hidden, and the sky appeared
dark while it was yet day, so that the stars were seen, though still they had
their lustre obscured, wherefore, I suppose your excellency is not unaware that
in all the world they lighted their lamps from the sixth hour until evening.
And the moon, which was like blood, did not shine all night long, although it was
at the full, and the stars and Orion made lamentation over the
Ibid. p.277 .
[paragraph continues] Jews, because of the
transgression committed by them.
And on the first day of the week, about the
third hour of the night, the sun appeared as it never shone before, and the
whole heaven became bright. And as lightnings come in a storm, so certain men
of lofty stature, in beautiful array, and of indescribable glory, appeared in
the air, and a countless host of angels, crying out and saying, Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth peace, good will among men: Come up from Hades, ye
who are in bondage in the depths of Hades. And at their voice all the mountains
and hills were moved, and the rocks were rent, and great chasms were made in
the earth, so that the very places of the abyss were visible.
And amid the terror dead men were seen
rising again, so that the Jews who saw it said, We beheld Abraham and Isaac,
and Jacob, and the twelve patriarchs, who died some two thousand five hundred
years before, and we beheld Noah clearly in the body. And all the multitude
walked about and sang hymns to God with a loud voice, saying, The Lord our God,
who hath risen from the dead, hath made alive all the dead, and Hades he hath
spoiled and slain.
Therefore, my lord king, all that night the
light ceased not. But many of the Jews died, and were sunk and swallowed up in
the chasms that night, so that not even their bodies were to be seen. Now I
mean, that those of the Jews suffered who spake against Jesus. And but one
synagogue remained in Jerusalem, for all the synagogues which had been against
Jesus were overwhelmed.
Through that terror, therefore, being amazed
and being seized with great trembling, in that very hour, I ordered what had
been done by them all to be written, and I have sent it to thy
mightiness."
Then from "The Lost Gospel According to
Peter" Ibid. p.282
". And Herod said, Brother Pilate, even
if no one has asked for him, we purposed to bury him, especially as the sabbath
draweth on: for it is written in the law, that the sun set not upon one that
hath been put to death.
3 And he delivered him to the people on the
day before the unleavened bread, their feast. And they took the Lord and pushed
him as they ran, and said, Let us drag away the Son of God, having obtained
power over him.
5 And
it was noon, and darkness came over all Judæa: and they were troubled and
distressed, lest the sun had set, whilst he was yet alive: [for] it is written
for them, that the sun set not on him that hath been put to death. And one of
them said, Give him to drink gall with vinegar. And they
p. 284
mixed and gave him to drink, and fulfilled
all things, and accomplished their sins against their own head. And many went
about with lamps, supposing that it was night, and fell down. And the Lord
cried out, saying, My power, my power, thou hast forsaken me. And when he had
said it he was taken up. And in that hour the vail of the temple of Jerusalem
was rent in twain.
6 And then they drew out the nails from the
hands of the Lord, and laid him upon the earth, and the whole earth quaked, and
great fear arose. Then the sun shone, and it was found the ninth hour: and the
Jews rejoiced, and gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since he had
seen what good things he had done. And he took the Lord, and him, and rolled him in a linen cloth, and
brought him to his own tomb, which was called the Garden of Joseph.
9 And in the night in which the Lord's day
was drawing on, as the soldiers kept guard two by two in a watch, there was a
great voice in the heaven; and they saw the heavens opened, and two men descend
from thence with great light and approach the tomb. And that stone which was
put at the door rolled of itself and made way in part; and the tomb was opened,
and both the young men entered in.
10 When therefore those
p. 285
soldiers saw it, they awakened the centurion
and the elders; for they too were hard by keeping guard. And as they declared
what things they had seen, again they see three men come forth from the tomb,
and two of them supporting one, and a cross following them: and of the two the
head reached unto the heaven, but the head of him who was lead by them
overpassed the heavens. And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying, Thou
hast preached to them that sleep. And a response was heard from the cross, Yea.
11 They therefore considered one with
another whether to go away and shew these things to Pilate. And while they yet
thought thereon, the heavens again are seen to open, and a certain man to descend
and enter into the sepulchre. When the centurion and they that were with him
saw these things, they hastened in the night to Pilate, leaving the tomb which
they were watching, and declared all things which they had seen, being greatly
distressed and saying, Truly he was the Son of God. Pilate answered and said, I
am pure from the blood of the Son of God: but it was ye who determined this.
Then they all drew near and besought him and entreated him to command the
centurion and the soldiers to say nothing of the things which they had seen:
For it is better, say they, for us to be guilty of the greatest sin before God,
and not to fall into the hands of the people of the Jews and to be stoned.
Pilate therefore commanded the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.
12 And at dawn upon the Lord's day Mary
Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord, fearing because of the Jews, since they were
burning with wrath, had not done at the Lord's sepulchre the things which women
are wont to do for those that die and for those that are beloved by them—she
took her friends with her and came to the sepulchre where he was laid. And they
feared lest the Jews should see them, and they said, Although on that day on
which he was crucified we could not weep and lament, yet now let us do these
things at his sepulchre. But who shall roll away for us the stone that was laid
at the door of the sepulchre, that we may enter in and sit by him and do the
things that are due? For the stone was great, and we fear lest some one see us.
And if we cannot, yet if we but set at the door the things which we bring as a
memorial of him, we will weep and lament, until we come unto our home.
13 And they went and found the tomb opened,
and coming near they looked in there; and they see there a certain young man
sitting in the midst of the tomb, beautiful and clothed in a robe exceeding
bright; who said to them, Wherefore are ye come? Whom seek ye? Him that was
crucified? He is risen and gone. But if ye believe not, look in and see the
place
p. 286
where he lay, that he is not [here]; for he
is risen and gone thither, whence he was sent. Then the women feared and fled.
14 Now it was the last day of the unleavened
bread, and many were going forth, returning to their homes, as the feast was
ended. But we, the twelve disciples of the Lord, wept and were grieved: and
each one, being grieved for that which was come to pass, departed to his home.
But I Simon Peter and Andrew my brother took our nets and went to the sea; and
there was with us Levi the son of Alphæus, whom the Lord . . .
Please see the below mentioned pdf file by Grzegorz Kaszynski on 62 versions of Matthew 28:19 that are shorter than the Authorized Version. They do not contain the trinitarian formula for baptism.
A Short
Ending of Matthew’s Gospel
by Clifford Besson
In George Howard’s Shem
Tob passage of Matthew 28:191 he only has two Hebrew
words: םתא וכל, which he translates as simply “Go.” Actually, it should be
“Go to them.” Verse 20 carries on
with “and (teach)2 them
to carry out all the things which i have commanded you forever.” While the Authorized
(King James) Version has: Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto
the end of the world. Amen.
Why the difference? Which one is most likely the correct one?
Here are some web sites with much evidence that backs up the “Go to them”
reading rather than the longer Trinitarian or Triune reading which makes out
that each of the three members has the same name: http://www.apostolic.net/biblicalstudies/matt2819-willis.htm
which is on “A Collection of Evidence Against the Traditional Wording of
Matthew 28:19 by Clinton D. Willis (Cwillis@ipa.net)” and http://www.godglorified.com/matthew_2819.htm
which is on an “Analysis of Matthew 28:19 in A study of the Text of the New
Testament” by Randall Duane Hughes.
This last author points out that there are no Greek or any other
language manuscripts before the fourth century or for 300 years after Matthew
wrote his gospel that includes any of Matthew’s Gospel past 26:52. Why is that?
Could all the ones that had that portion have omitted the Trinitarian formula
and so they were destroyed. Could they have all been very similar to the Shem
Tob copy?
Conybeare noticed that Eusebius of Caesarea in seventeen (17)
places “in his works prior to Nicea, . . . quotes Matthew 28:19 as "Go and
make disciples of all nations in my name" without mentioning the Trinity
baptism command.”(R. D. Hughes’ above site).
This is another good site: http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/matthew2819.html,
which has comments from an A. Ploughman, who is now deceased. It is called “A
Collection of the evidence for and against the traditional wording of the
baptismal phrase in Matthew 28:19."
This next site by Clarke Wildeman (clwideman@yahoo.com) http://jesus-messiah.com/html/evr-last-gosp.htm
includes seven citations of Eusebius discussing the words of Jesus, like Shem
Tob’s copy. Another good site is http://www.focus-search.com/shc/matt2819.html
by Mark Kennicott (mrmark008@aol.com), http://www.lightbearer.org/archives/2004/04/the_authentic_m.html,
and http://jesus-messiah.com/apologetics/catholic/matthew-proof.html by
By Dr. G. Reckart, of the Apostolic Theological Bible College.
There is also the book, Miscellaneous
Coptic Texts in the Dialect of Upper Egypt edited, with English Translations by
E. A. Wallis Budge, M. A., Litt.D., which is Volume V of a set of books called Coptic Texts (reprint of a 1915
edition). In the Discourse on Mary
Theotokos by Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem (lived from about A. D. 315 to
386) he convinced a poor holy and conscientious monk by the name of Annarikhus
that he was wrong on a point of doctrine and to submit all his books to be
burnt. Before doing so though, he said, “The
Christ said, Go ye forth into all the world, and teach ye all the nations in My
Name, in every place.” (p. 637). After the books were apparently
burned, Cyril baptized the monk “in the name of Saint Mary.” (p. lxxix).
One more point that someone pointed out (perhaps G. Howard) is
that the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew was
obviously written to convince the Hebrew people to trust in what John the
Baptist said and to follow whatever Jesus said and did. There is apparently no
mention though of the need to join up with the gentiles or other nations
throughout the whole gospel, so a sudden mentioning of baptizing all the
gentiles in one name, which is the same for the Father, the son, and the holy
Spirit appears to be very out of place and not consistent at all with the rest
of the gospel. It therefore must have been added on by people like Athanasius
(A. D. 296-372), the chief defender for the Trinitarian doctrine.
This Athanasius thought he was doing the Church a favour by
promoting the teaching of the Trinity, but he was really promoting a devilish
erroneous teaching as found amongst the Babylonians, who used the equilateral
triangle to symbolize their supposed God of three persons. This symbol is used
by the Romish Church today.3 “[I]n the monastery of
the so-called Trinitarians of Madrid, [the Papacy has] an image of the Triune
God, with three heads on one body. The Babylonians had something of the same.”4 Similar things can be found in India,
Japan, Thibet, and China, but some include a mother and a child as part of the
trinity as some Roman Catholics seem to do with Mary and Jesus as a baby.5
Obviously, most theologians have not checked out the Bible thoroughly
enough to discover many inconsistencies in their theories and philosophies
about a Father God, a Son God, and a Holy Spirit God, all being one. They do
not even realize that the real meaning of El
is simply a Superior One like Jesus or Angels, while without the capital letter
the el is simply a superior one, such
as the judges, kings, the patriarchs, and the chiefs of the tribes of Israel. Of
course, though, in the original autographs of the Scriptures, there was no
difference in the size of the letters so one would have to go by context to
figure out the true meanings of El or Eloah, an alternative spelling. Elohim is
simply the plural form of the same word. Please see this web site to see the
use of this term in Joshua 22 and its obvious true meanings: http://tlm79.org/#anchor_70. Also see the book The Day of the LORD is at Hand: The Real God of the Universe at http://tlm79.org/Revelations_on_t_Real_God_y.pdf
and see chapters like #25, The Special Nature of God Most High and 45, Just One
God.
Note that God said that there is no superior one beside him
(Isa. 44:6; 45:5, 6, 21). Does this not make sense, that the Father who is
greater than Jesus, would therefore be the Superior one while Jesus, would be
the lesser one? St. Paul also said in 1Co 8:6 “But to us there is but one God,
the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom are all things, and we by him. {in: or, for}” and then there is Isa
42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another
[even to Jesus?],
neither my praise to graven images.
A Short ending of Matthew
L -c for printing in B&W.wpd
February 9, 2007 Revised 21 June 2019.
1 George Howard, Hebrew Gospel of Matthew (Macon, Georgia, U. S. A., Mercer
University Press, 2002).
2 The (teach), just means this word was
missing in one manuscript but was there in another manuscript of the nine that
he used for his book.
3
Rev.
Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (Neptune, New Jersey: Loizeaux Brothers,
1959) pp. 16, 17.
What
Language Was Used to First Write
the New Testament?
by Clifford Besson
Introduction
At this moment almost every Bible college, seminary,
and theologian in North America and Europe have been indoctrinated into the
belief that all the New Testament (NT) manuscripts were initially written
generally in Koiné or common Greek.
1) Is this true though?
Answer— According to almost every student of the Bible in this
area of the world it is but not according to almost every Believer from the
Mediterranean coastline to India, for they have always been taught that the NT documents were all written in the
native language of the disciples of Jesus, which was Hebrew or Aramaic. Of
these two groups of people, would it not be the ones closest to the area in
question that should really know the truth? On studying the Greek of the NT, it really appears to be translation
Greek, like the Greek of the Septuagint.
Is this not true?
2) Are there any documents that state that any or all the
disciples that wrote their respective manuscripts ever wrote them in Greek or
in another language?
Answer— According to all that this writer has read and studied
during the last fifty years of studying the Bible, there is no mention of any
disciple or apostle ever writing his manuscript in Greek. At the end of Romans
there is this note: “To [the] Romans [an Old Latin speaking area]
written from Corinth [a Greek speaking area], by Phoebe [the deaconess] of the
assembly in Cenchrea [of Greece].” This Phoebe may have been a Hebrew woman
though, for Paul was in the practice of first going to the synagogues of
whatever town or city to which he went. She therefore could have written the
letter in her mother tongue of Aramaic to the Judean Hebrew believers in Rome
for Paul, rather than in the Old Latin language of Rome at that time.
At the end of 1st and 2nd Corinthians
there are similar notes, but the same explanation could apply. Then at the end
of these letters to the Galations, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 2nd
Timothy, and Philemon, there are notes that they were written from Rome.[1]
Could this mean that they were therefore written in the Old
Latin language of that area or simply Paul’s native tongue of Aramaic? Most
likely the Aramaic language, as the recipients were probably mainly Aramaic
speaking Judeans living aboard. Though it says in Acts 16:1 that Timothy’s
father was a Greek in the Authorized Version (AV) from the Greek
Scriptures, it says Aramean in the
Aramaic Scriptures. It says in both versions though that his mother was Jewess,
in other words, Timothy’s mother tongue was most likely Aramaic.
Philemon is said to have lived in Colosse (Col. 4:9), which is
in western Asia Minor, an Aramaic speaking area. So far there is
nothing that indicates that even Paul wrote in Greek. There are some
significant quotes though that say that Matthew wrote his Gospel in Hebrew,
the Aramaic language of Abraham and his family:[2]
Concerning
Matthew, Papias [A. D. 70 - 155] writes as follows: “So then Matthew wrote the
oracles in the Hebrew language, and everyone interpreted them as he was able.”
. . . —Eusebius, Book III, chapter 39, par. 16.[3]
Matthew also
issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect while Peter and
Paul were preaching at Rome and laying the foundations of the Church. Irenaeus, Adv. Haer. 3.1.1[4]
3) Are there any documents that state that Jesus or any of his Galilean
followers ever spoke or wrote in Greek?
Answer— No. There is one reference though showing that the
Apostle Paul, who was from Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 21:39) was able to speak
Greek to the chief Captain of the Roman military in Jerusalem.
4) Are
there any problems that have developed through believing that Greek was the
primary language of the NT?
Answer— Yes, many problems because too much authority has been
given to the Greek manuscripts which are obviously just a translation text. A
text like this could contain many errors that often occur upon translating from
one language to another. One error was already pointed out above in the
reference to Acts 16:1 about Timothy’s father.
Another aspect of this,
is that there are many signs that several people tried translating the same or
different copies of the Hebrew or Aramaic copies of the NT. This can be seen from the many variant readings of sometimes
very critical passages of the NT.
Some of the variants are just minor, with regards to the spelling of names, but
then it causes a lot of confusion. These wrong spellings sometimes hide the
fact that there are references to that same place or person in the Old Testament or other extra-biblical
texts.
These variants, misunderstandings, and sometimes omissions in
the Greek text not only cause problems when translating into English but also
when the NT is translated into
hundreds of foreign languages by missionary societies. They have been told that
Greek was the primary language when it was not. So, we can see that any
mistakes in the Greek Scriptures get compounded or more mixed up, upon being
translated into other languages.
It is quite easy to see that mistakes can occur upon making
hand written copies of any original documents. Greater inaccuracies can occur
though, when not only someone tries translating from a copy of a copy but then
someone else, later makes copies of incorrect translations.
It is said though, that often it appears that copyists sometime
try to correct some of the words, which do not make sense. The passages may
read strangely because of poor translations or because of missing words or misarranged
texts. Some of them may have tried to correct these problems right in the text
while others have made notes about them in the margins.
The more translations between the original and a present-day
English or other language version, the more mixed up, things could get. It is
therefore best then, to figure out what the real primary languages were for the
NT manuscripts and then make
translations into English and into foreign languages from them, the real primary texts and not from copies of translations.
5) Should
not the opinion of eminent Biblical scholars be greatly considered?
Answer— Not
necessarily, for one should check out their fruits. Consider the following
comments after the following writer checked out the fruits of two or more
“eminent” Biblical scholars:
“Scholarly
consensus” is meaningless. Furthermore, most of these eminent scholars would
perhaps not even be . . . “real Christians” by the majority of those who
believe. People like Metzger are highly liberal, don’t fully accept the
inspiration of the Bible, believe that the Torah was compiled from many
secular writings – from many different times – and believe the Bible to be full
of myths. Yet these are the very people that are trusted to supply Christians
with “the most accurate Bible texts”. That is akin to the widespread acceptance
by Christians of the “Jewish” Masoretic Hebrew Old Testament version
(which “messes around” with many Messianic prophecies, attested to by the
Septuagint and Peshitta Old Testament, which is a topic for another day).
Dr. Metzger, you
have earned your place in this book. Your lies have not gone unnoticed.[5]
Primacy of Hebrew or Aramaic Texts Rather than of Koine Greek
Texts
There are many other proofs that the Gospel of Matthew was written in Hebrew rather than in Aramaic or
Greek and much also can be said to show that the rest of the New Testament must have been first
written either in Hebrew or the Aramaic languages of the first disciples and
apostles of Jesus, rather than in the Greek language of their one-time
conquerors.
The Galilean language of the first disciples of Jesus, as well
as Syriac, are dialects of the major language of Aramaic, [a branch language
from Hebrew,] which Noah and family spoke, as shown earlier. It was the linqua franca of that whole region of
Palestine and into Asia Minor (present day Turkey). The Aramaic language is
part of the “Semitic family of languages, as does Hebrew and Arabic.”[6]
The well-known scholar, Origen (c. 185-c. 254) wrote that
Matthew composed his gospel “in the Hebrew language,” as does Epiphanius
(ca.315–403 ce) and Jerome.[7]
True, Paul was
born in Cilicia in Syria, but both the Jews and Syrians there spoke Aramaic
[and many spoke Hebrew]. Cilicians were neither Greeks nor Romans. They were
Syrians, Jews, and Armenians.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On the other
hand, Paul . . . was trained by Gamaliel [a teacher of the Hebrew law]. At that
time the Greek language and culture was so repulsive to the Jews that they
considered it better to eat swine flesh than to learn Greek. Hebrew was the
sacred tongue.[8]
Do not these comments suggest then that the disciples must have
therefore written their letters and gospels in their own languages of Hebrew or
Aramaic, otherwise their own Hebrew or Aramaic speaking people, in all the
churches throughout the Mediterranean might not even read them? If they were
first written in Greek, that would have been in the tongue of the Gentiles
or of the nations, which many Jews despised.
Is it not more likely that the apostles and other writers of
the New Testament manuscripts wrote
in their own language to their own people, who then could translate them into
whatever language of other members of the community, who also desired to read
them? Could not this be the reason for so many versions or diverse readings in
the Scriptures in the Greek language?
Mt 10:5 These twelve did Jesus send forth,
having given command to them, saying, `To the way of the nations go not away, and into a city of the
Samaritans go not in, 6 and be going rather unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mt 15:24 and he answering said, `I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' Ac 3:25 `Ye are
sons of the prophets, and of the covenant that God made unto our fathers,
saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall
be blessed all the families of the earth; 26 to you first, God, having raised up His child Jesus, did send him,
blessing you, in the turning away of each one from your evil ways.' Ac 13:26
`Men, brethren, sons of the race of Abraham, and those among you fearing God, to you was the word of this salvation sent,
:27 for those dwelling in Jerusalem, and
their chiefs, this one not having known, also the voices of the prophets,
which every sabbath are being read--having judged him --did fulfil, Ac 13:46 And speaking boldly, Paul and
Barnabas said, `To you it was necessary
that first the word of God be spoken, and seeing ye do thrust it away, and
do not judge yourselves worthy of the life age-during, lo, we do turn to the
nations; Ro 1:16 for I am not ashamed of the good news of the Christ, for it is
the power of God to salvation to every one who is believing, both to Judeans first, and to Greek. Ro 2:9
tribulation and distress, upon every soul of man that is working the evil, both
of Judeans first, and of Greek; Ro
2:10 and glory, and honour, and peace, to every one who is working the good,
both to Judeans first, and to Greek.
Ro 11:26 and so all Israel shall be
saved, according as it hath been written, `There shall come forth out of Sion
he who is delivering, and he shall turn away impiety from Jacob, . . . .
Hebrew was Still Widely Used in Palestine
Since the
discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, many of which are Hebrew compositions, and
the discovery of other Hebrew documents from the Judean Desert, it is now
confirmed that Hebrew was used as a written medium in first century Palestine.
Hebrew, and even Greek,4 were also spoken in first century
Palestine. Whether Hebrew was spoken with the same widespread proficiency as
Aramaic is debated.5 (Howard, p. 156)
Josephus (A. D. 38-97), the great Jewish writer and
contemporary of first-century Christians, states that Greek was not spoken or
read in Palestine, and that only a few native people were rewarded for their
efforts to learn Greek. . . . He says:
I have proposed
to myself, for the sake of such as live under the government of the Romans, to
translate those books into the Greek tongue, which I formerly composed in the
language of our country.— The Jewish Wars,
Preface.
I have also
taken a great deal of pains to obtain the learning of the Greeks, and
understand the elements of the Greek language; . . . . For our nation does not
encourage those that learn the language of many nations. . . . there have yet
hardly been two or three that have succeeded herein, who were immediately
rewarded for their pains.—Antiquities XX, XI 2.[9]
The Shem Tob Matthew is a Copy of a Much Earlier Hebrew Matthew
In the introduction to Professor George Howard’s book, Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, a date of 1385
- 14th Century is given for that Hebrew manuscript, but it is more than just
that. It says that Shem Tob ben-Isaac
ben-Shaprut (sometimes called Ibn Shaprut) of Tudela, Castile, Spain wrote his Eben Bohan at that time, which included
his Hebrew copy of The Gospel According
to Matthew. This Eben Bohan means
“The Touchstone.”
The author, George Howard, is a professor of Religion, emeritus
of the University of Georgia in Athens. In his above-mentioned book, he proves
convincingly that it is most unlikely that the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew in Shem Tob’s treatise Eben Bohan is his translation from any
Latin Vulgate, any Byzantine Greek text, “or any other known edition of the
Gospel of Matthew. He [must have] received it from previous generations of
Jewish scribes and tradents.” (In Howard’s “Preface to the Second Edition”) In
other words he simply must have copied it from one or more old Hebrew
manuscripts that he may have found in a synagogue library, which may have been
hundreds of years older than the above date of 1385 - 14th Century.
It may have been so old that it has now disintegrated.
It has been said though, that when a manuscript was getting
difficult to read, that it would get copied and after the copy was checked for
accuracy, then the old manuscript would be burnt, rather than allow it to be
misused. Perhaps this is what happened to the one or more old copies that he
used to write his edition of Matthew’s Gospel.
Shem Tob Made No Changes
Though George Howard calls Shem Tob’s Even Bohan a polemical treatise, Shem Tob nowhere, apparently, ever
changed the wording of the text. He
simply made some comments at places where he criticizes the spelling or wording
of some passages. He even advises others to do likewise out of respect for the
old sacred manuscript as seen in the following quote from his writing in his
book The Touchstone:
I adjure by the
life of the world that every copyist that he not copy the books of the gospel
unless he writes in every place the objections that I have written just as I
have arranged them and written them.[10]
Primarily in Biblical Hebrew with Much Agreement to Very Old
Manuscripts
Howard says, “Considerable parts of the original [, primarily
in Biblical Hebrew], however, appear to remain, including its unpolished style,
ungrammatical constructions, and Aramaized forms.”[11].
There are also nine readings which are found in the Codex Sinaiticus (IV
century book) and “one or more of them in Egyptian versions and a few minor
witnesses.”[12]
As this Sinaiticus text was not found until the middle of the nineteenth
century, the roots of similarity or agreement to these texts must therefore go
back to the early beginnings of Christianity[13].
This is also supported by numerous examples of similarity or agreements to Old
Latin (second to fourth centuries), to old Syriac (fourth to seventh centuries)
as well.[14]
There is even much agreement (twenty-two times) with the Coptic Gospel of Thomas, “which was probably
written in the second century, or even the latter part of the first”[15].
Others Before Shem Tob had Made
Some Minor Changes
Shem Tob’s Hebrew manuscript was amended a little here and
there and modernized a little with Midrash Hebrew before he ever copied it. An
example is that the word Elohim is
spelled as Eloqim with a qoph instead of with a cheth, which sounds quite similar. In
other words, someone must have read out one of the previous copies of the
original manuscript, while one or more scribes wrote the words down.
This very practice of readers of the manuscripts working with
one or more scribes appeared to happen in Old Testament times with Ezra and his
five scribes (2 Esdras 14:23-45).
Many Signs of Originality
Professor Howard also points out the numerous puns, word plays,
word connections, and alliterations of various kinds that are just not found in
the Greek texts, making the Hebrew more original and a more realistic
presentation of what Jesus and the disciples really said. “The wordplay
[regarding standing and resurrection, which is the same word דמע in the Hebrew], so clearly operative in Shem-Tob’s Hebrew
Matthew, is totally lacking in the Greek.”[16]. A
supposed translation from the Greek into the Hebrew would hardly present
anything like the saturation of these puns and word plays throughout the Shem
Tob Hebrew texts.
Three other Hebrew Manuscripts of
Matthew
Du Tillet is another Hebrew manuscript of Matthew found in 1553
amongst the Jews but has been modified much more than the above to agree more
with the newer Latin and Greek manuscripts. Then there is the Munster
manuscript which Sebastian Munster got in 1537 from some Jews. Though he filled
in many lacunae (missing parts), it is still quite valuable, for it presents a
Hebrew Matthew as to what was available to him at that time, whether he filled
in the gaps with words from other Hebrew Matthew manuscripts or with
translations from Latin or Greek. It is like the du Tillet one. There is also
the Cinquarbres Matthew in Hebrew in 1551.
Though these documents were made known to the European scholars
at the above dates they may have been hundreds of years old at those times.
A Hebrew Epistle to the Hebrews
Besides the above copies of the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew there is also the Sebastian Munster
Hebrew copy of the Epistle to the
Hebrews, which was added as an appendix to his 1557 second edition of his
Hebrew copy of Matthew’s Gospel.
All other N. T. Scriptures Besides the above can be Found Also
in Aramaic
All the other New Testament manuscripts can be found in either
the Old Syriac Aramaic texts of Sinaitic (syrs – Lewis) (III/IV
century) and of Curetonian (syrc --Burkitt) (III/IV c.) or in the
Syriac texts of the Peshitta (syrp – eastern) (1st half
of 5th c.) and the Peshitto (western) and Later Syriac texts of
Philoxeniana (syrph – A. D. 507/8), Harklensis (syrh – A.
D. 616), and Palestinian Syriac (syrpal – about the 6th
c.).
Dr. George M. Lamsa, the translator of his Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text, who was born in Assyria,
before moving to the U. S. A. as a young man, said that he was shocked to hear
that the western people of Europe and America were saying that the New Testament was originally written in
Greek. His people, who spoke almost the identical Aramaic as found in the Peshitta NT always believed that the disciples of Jesus all wrote their
manuscripts that became the NT, in
their native tongue of [Hebrew or] Aramaic. They also were never told of anyone
ever translating any part of the NT
from Greek into Aramaic.
Does this not seem absurd to speak of Hebrew or Aramaic
speaking Galileans learning to speak and write Greek, before ever writing their
gospels and letters in their native tongues for the tens of thousands of their
own Hebrew or Aramaic speaking people to read in neighbouring villages, towns,
cities, provinces, and synagogues throughout the Roman Empire and beyond?
Would it not be expected of them to write their manuscripts in
their own mother tongues and then leave the translation work to those who were
already proficient in Greek or other languages?
Lamsa and his people should know much better than our
professors of hundreds to thousands of miles away and of about fifty
generations of time since the NT was
written. Who are we to tell them how their ancestors or neighbours wrote?
Consider the Borgian manuscripts and its remarks about the “Diatessaron (a word meaning
"fourfold"), the work compiled by Titianus the Greek out of the four
. . . .The work was translated from Syriac into Arabic by the excellent and
learned priest Abu'l Faa'raa'j O^Abdulla ibn-at\-T|ayyib,54 may God grant him
his favour.”[17]
From this quote, it appears that Titianus, with great pain staking work
compiled his Diatessaron in the same
language that he found the gospels, in the Aramaic or Syriac language.
Signs of a Translation
Upon reading the NT English
translations from the Hebrew and Aramaic texts, one will find that they
generally exhibit much more sensible or logical readings than any translations
from the Greek translation texts. Why? It is that the Greek manuscripts must be
just a secondary version translation language New Testament. This is
amply indicated by the many alternative or diverse readings for numerous
passages in the NT, while there are
hardly any alternative readings in the Aramaic NT.
Besides the many alternative readings from one NT version from the Greek to the others,
like from the old Authorized Version or the New King James Version to watered
down versions like the New International Version (about 3600 words omitted[18] from
what is in the Received Text, which is equivalent of the words from Mt. 1 to Mt
8:1 and then they added about 97617 which are not in the Received
Text), there are numerous big differences from the versions from the Aramaic
or Hebrew NT. These passages in the
Lamsa Bible, which is translated mostly from the Aramaic Peshitta, are quite
different than what are in the versions from the Greek, though sometimes it may
be just
one
word but that can make a world of a difference: Mt 5:19,22,32; 6:13; 10:10,23; 18:19;
19:28; 21:5,7; 22:37; Mk 5:10; 7:26; 8:29,31; 9:44; 11:24; Lk 3:38;
13:11,32,33; 14:5; 14:26; 15:23; 19:17,19; 24:1, 4,26, 47; John 1:38,41,42;
4:11,12; 5:23; 6:1; 12:20,40; 19:25; 20:20; Acts 3:6; 8:3,33; 14:10; 17:9, 26;
18:3; 20:28; 23:8; Ro 5:7; 8:19-21; 9:13; 16:1 (deaconess/servant (AV)); 1 Co
2:3; 4:19; 7:5; 2 Co 5:21; 13:5-7; Ga 3:13; 4:9; Col 3:11; 1 Th 2:3,6,7, 14,18;
1 Tim 2:12,15; 2 Tim 4:13; Titus 3:4; Heb
2:1; 4:8; 7:3; 1 Pt 4:11; 1 John 5:6-8; Rev 11:1,2; 19:7. Examples from Lamsa’s
and other translations from the Aramaic in comparison to the AV:
Mt
18:19 Again I say to you that if two of you are worthy on earth, anything that
they would ask will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Acts 3:6 “. . . In
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of
Nazareth . . . .” (our Lord not
there in the Greek)
1
Tim 2:12 I do not think it seemly for a woman to debate
publicly or otherwise usurp the authority of men, but she should be silent. For
I do not allow a wife to teach nor to be presumptuous (footnote: Lit: teach
against) over the husband, but she should be at peace. (Another translation
from the Aramaic but by a woman:
Janet M. Magiera[19]) 15
Nevertheless, if her posterity continue in faith and have holiness and chastity,
she will live through them.
For some important technical words or phrases that some people
have complained about in the AV according to an article in the Quarterly Record of the Trinitarian Bible
Society, Jan-Mar 2007[20]
issue here are what translation from the Aramaic and Hebrew say about passages
such as Ro 5:1, such as atonement it
is reconciliation in Janet’s
translation while at 2 Th 3:5 (AV) patience,
(Janet’s) endurance.
Ro 1:3 (AV) Concerning his
Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according
to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according
to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
(Janet) concerning his Son, who was born (footnote: OS (Efr
[Old Syriac of St. Ephrem of Syria]) ‘who was seen’) in the flesh of the seed
of the house of David 4 and was made known [as] the Son of God by power
and by (footnote: Repeat by; lit: by
power and by the holiness Spirit, not normal construction for “Holy Spirit”)
the Holy Spirit, who raised Jesus Christ our Lord from the dead,
1 Peter
1:2 (AV) Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.
(Murdock from the Peshitto) to them who have been chosen, by the
foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto the
obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus the Messiah: May grace and
peace abound towards you.
(Janet–mainly from the Peshitta) those who were chosen
by the foreknowledge of God the Father by the holiness of the spirit to be to
the obedience and the purifying by sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be
multiplied to you.
Mt 27:44
(KJV) The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his
teeth.
(Murdock) In like manner the marauders also, that were
crucified with him, reproached him.
(Janet)
Likewise, also, those robbers who were crucified with him were insulting
him.
Mark
2:3 (KJV) And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which
was borne of four.
(Murdock) And
they came to him and brought to him a paralytic, borne between four
persons. (Janet) And they came to him
and brought him a paralytic, bearing him between four [men].
Ro
3:4 (KJV) God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it
is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest
overcome when thou art judged.
(Murdock)
Far be it: for God is veracious, and every man false: as it is written:
That thou mightest be upright, in thy declarations; and be found pure, when
they judge thee.
Mt 8:31 (KJV) So the devils
besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd
of swine.
(Murdock) And the demons
entreated of him, and said: If thou cast us out, suffer us to go into the herd
of swine.
Actually the Greek is in the diminutive state,
so it should be translated either demonette or small demon. Most likely the
Hebrew and Aramaic are in the diminutive state as well, for why would the Greek
be translated as such? In Luke 8:30, the man had so many demonettes that the
evil spirits in him called themselves Legion. They must have been very small,
like flies, bugs, or bacteria. This writer checked the states of those words in
the Hebrew and the Aramaic but they do not appear to be in any known diminutive
state according to the grammars of those languages. Their neighbours, the Greek
Christians though, who understood both languages should know though.
Rev 4:6 (KJV) And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and
in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and
behind.
(Murdock) And before the throne, as
it were a sea of glass like crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and around
it, and before the throne, were four Animals, full of eyes in their front and
in their rear.
Mt 3:11 (KJV) I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(Murdock)
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh
after me is more powerful than I; whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
(Bauscher[21])
has in water as does James Scott Trimm’s translation (from the Hebrew)
while George Howard’s, as well as Janet’s, and Joseph Pashka’s says with
water.
Mr 1:8 (KJV) I indeed have baptized you with
water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
(Murdock)
I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.
(Bauscher[22])
8 I have immersed you! in water but He will immerse you! in The Spirit
of holiness (The exclamation marks mean that the word is emphatic)
Mt 6:10 (KJV) Thy kingdom come. Thy will
be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(Murdock) Thy kingdom come: Thy will be
done; as in heaven, so on earth:
(Janet)
on earth as does (Howard) but Bauscher has in earth.
2 Pe 1:1 (KJV) Simon Peter, a servant and
an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with
us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
(Murdock)
Simon Peter, a servant and legate of Jesus the Messiah, to those who have
obtained equally precious faith with us, through the righteousness of
Our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus the Messiah;
Lk
9:58 (KJV) And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not
where to lay his head. (No the before foxes and birds)
(Murdock)
Jesus said to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven
have coverts; but the Son of man hath not where he may lay his head.
2
Co 5:14 (KJV) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,
that if one died for all, then were all dead:
(Murdock) For
the love of the Messiah constraineth us to reason thus: One died for all;
therefore are all dead.
Two
Hundred Key References for Evaluating Translations
Now it is having been shown that almost
every new translation of the NT Greek texts omit sixty-two (62) to 197 sections
or parts of the texts out of two hundred (200) especially noted ones from the
NT Textus Receptus [Greek Text] from which the King James Bible came.[23]
The pamphlet indicates that Lamsa’s translation from the Eastern Syriac Aramaic
manuscripts only leaves out forty-nine out of the two hundred (200). On
checking those passages though, many of the ones that are said to be omitted in
Lamsa’s are quite insignificant because in places like Mt 9:13, “to repentance”
is understood by context and so are the missing words in Mk 2:17; John 11:41;
20:29; Acts 20:32; Mt 16:20, “Jesus” not there is really what it should be and
so with the passage at 1 Jhn 5:7-8. Most other places are also minor or Lamsa
has words altogether different from what is from the Greek, which often make
more sense than what is in the AV. Most likely the other NT translations from
the Hebrew and Aramaic are very similar to what was found with Lamsa’s
translation as they are mostly from the same Aramaic texts. Though there are
the Peshitta (Eastern) and the Peshitto (Western) texts, there are only minor
differences between them.
Though Using Old English, the Authorized Version May
be
the Most
Accurate of the Versions from the Greek
What the above section shows is that the
Textus Receptus is closer to the ancient Eastern Syriac manuscripts than the
eclectic texts of Westcott and Hort, 1881, Nestle, 26th ed., and the
United Bible Societies’ 4th ed. 2005. Though the Textus Receptus is
also an eclectic text, it is mainly made from most of the manuscripts of the NT
that the Church honoured and respected as genuine. Some of the other oldest
manuscripts which are not regarded as being in the majority of the texts, were
quite defective and were rejected by the Church, because they were so
defective. Too many words and sometimes even whole verses were missing. See
good books on this subject like Counterfeit
or Genuine: Mark 16? John 8? and Which
Bible? and True or False all by
David Otis Fuller, D. D., Evaluating
Versions of the New Testament by Everett W. Fowler, Bible Version Manual by Donald T. Clarke, The Authorized King James Bible Defended by Chester A. Murray, The King James Version Defended by
Edward F. Hills, Th. D., New Age Bible
Versions by G. A. Riplinger, God
Wrote Only One Bible by J. J. Ray, Modern
Versions of the Bible by The Peoples Gospel Hour, Modern Versions and Ancient Manuscripts by Evangelistic Literature
Enterprises, The Divine Original by
the Trinitarian Bible Society, The
Foundation and Authority of the Word of God by Dr. Bruce D. Cummons,
Pastor, The Ancient Text of the New
Testament by Dr. Jakob Van Bruggen, The
Identity of the New Testament Text by Wilbur N. Pickering, and The First New Testament by David Estrada
and William White, Jr.
We do not agree with every point in the above-mentioned
books and pamphlets but overall though, they show that texts or manuscripts
most similar to the Aramaic and Hebrew manuscripts of the NT are the most
logical and authoritative.
We also believe that it is a mistake to
base the English Old Testament entirely on the Masoretic Texts, for often readings from the Aramaic and
the Greek manuscripts are more complete and make more sense than from the
Hebrew Masoretic Texts. Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls should also be used to
help determine what were most likely in the original Old Testament. Any other versions of the Old Testament should also be used. Check out our samples of the Holy Bible, Victory Version at our web
site: of http://truthandlightministries.org
or http://tlm79.org.
For some good Internet sites that agree
and support these findings that Hebrew or Aramaic were the primary language of
the New Testament, please see sites like http://aramaicnt.com/ of Pastor Glenn David
Bauscher, who just recently published the Aramaic-English
Interlinear New Testament, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Ithaca/6623/aramaic.htm
, http://www.peshitta.org/
, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaic_primacy , http://aramaicbible.us/
, http://www.geocities.com/shenlan.geo/NT-is-Hebrew-orignin-or-not.html
http://aramaicbible.us/WastheNewTestamentReallyWritteninGreek-first_edition.pdf
, http://ad2004.com/Biblecodes/Greekmatrix/Grkmatrix.html
http://www.mashiyach.com/hebrew.htm
Conclusion
It therefore appears that the AV is still
a good translation in comparison to many modern-day ones. It should also be
seen though, that what we have in translations from the Hebrew and Aramaic New
Testament texts are often different in a number of key places from the
translations from the Greek but they appear to make better sense than any that
are from the Greek, especially if the Aramaic or Peshitta manuscripts are from
the Eastern area. The Hebrew must have been the primary language then for the Gospel According to Matthew and the Epistle to the Hebrews while the common
Aramaic of Syria and of Galilee was the primary language of the rest of the New Testament manuscripts.
F:\Religion\What
Language Was Used 1.wpd revised May 27, 2018
[1]Thomas Newberry, The Interlinear Literal Translation of The
Greek New Testament with the Authorized Version, ed. George Ricker Berry,
Ph. D. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Pub. House, 1967.
[2] Note what the anonymously
translated book called, The Book of
Jasher (New York: M. M. Noah & A. S. Gould, 1840) has to say at Chapter
XVI:11 “And Adonizedek [Melchizedek in A. V.] king of Jerusalem, the same was
Shem went out with his men to meet Abram and his people, with bread and wine,
and they remained together in the valley of Melech. 12 And Adonizedek blessed
Abram, and Abram gave him [his great ancestor] a tenth from all that he had
brought from the spoil of his enemies, for Adonizedek was a priest before God.”
(See Gen. 14:18 and 1 Chr. 8:35; 9:41). In other words, the same language that Shem spoke with his father Noah,
was the same language that Abraham was using. According to Jasher XXVIII:24,
Shem died when he was six hundred years old, (see Gen. 11:11) which was about
thirty-five years after Abraham died at one hundred seventy-five (175) (Jasher
XXVII:29 and Gen. 25:7).
[3] George M. Lamsa, New Testament Origin (St. Petersburg Beach, Florida: Aramaic Bible Society, Inc., 1976) p.
50.
[4] Translation from The
Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. A. Roberts and J. Donaldson (repr.: Grand Rapids MI:
Eerdmans, 1985) 1:414 as found in George Howard’s Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, p. 157.
[5] Please see the rest of his
article on the lies of Dr. Bruce Metzer at the following web site of
http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/Online_Version/greek_primacy_deception.htm A
very enlightening web site by Raphael Lataster, Bpharm. We do not agree totally
with all he states though, especially as to the Peshitta always being more
accurate than George Howard’s Hebrew
Matthew and the Old Syriac texts being very inferior to the Peshitta and
the Peshitto.
[6] Joseph Pashka, The Aramaic Gospels and Acts: Text and
Translation (Longwood, Florida: Xulon Press, 2003) p. vii.
[7] George Howard, Hebrew Gospel of Matthew (Macon,
Georgia, U. S. A., Mercer University Press, 2002) pp. 157-159.
[10] James Scott Trimm, Hebraic-roots Version Scriptures
(Republic of South Africa: Institute for Scripture Research (http://www.messianic.co.za)
2005, p. xliv.
[17] Roger Pearse, The
Fathers of the Church in English Translation CD-Rom, 2004
[18] Everett W. Fowler, Evaluating Versions of the New Testament (Watertown,
Wisconsin: Maranatha Baptist Press, 1981) p. 66.
[19] Aramaic Peshitta New Testament Translation (Truth or Consequences, NM:
Light of the Word Ministry, 2006.
[20] London, England:
www.trinitarianbiblesociety.org.
[21] Rev. Glenn David Bauscher,
The Peshitta Aramaic-English Holy Gospels: An Interlinear Translation (http://aramaicnt.com/ 2006).
[23] J. J. Ray (Missionary), New Eye Opener (pamphlet)(Eugene,
Oregon: The Eye Opener Publishers.
Your Check-up
List for New Testament Versions
adapted from The
Bible Version Check-list of Al Hughes1 by Clifford Besson
A Mr. Al Hughes, in his Check-List
(mentioned above) wrote that there are over 150 various versions of the English
translations of the Bible. He believes the numerous versions are because of the
love of money.
We believe though that the
main problems for the confusion over what translations are the most correct is
due to the misunderstanding or lies from Satan that Greek was the original
language of the New Testament.
Obviously, the New
Testament would not have been originally written in a foreign language to
the disciples of Jesus, whose mother tongue was Aramaic or Hebrew.
Almost every Aramaic
manuscript of the New Testament is almost exactly the same as each
other, whereas the translated Greek manuscripts are often quite different,
especially in a number of key passages mentioned in our table below. These show
differences of opinion or lack of knowledge of the Aramaic or of the Greek by
the translators. Many errors also can easily happen through copying and copying
over hundreds of years.
Just ask members of the
Church of the East as to whether their Aramaic Peshitta New Testament manuscripts
were ordinally written in Greek. See the “Minority View” at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramaic_New_Testament,http://www.thearamaicscriptures.com/,and http://www.peshitta.org/initial/peshitta.html. They should know much better than European or American scholars
thousands of miles away and centuries of time away, from when the Apostles
wrote their original manuscripts.
The results of this
misinformation are the many mistakes in the Greek versions from the Aramaic or
Hebrew versions. They are the causes of most of the errors in doctrine and
dissatisfactions in the English translations. Please see this website of http://amatora123.wixsite.com/aramaicnt/grekiska-fel-greek-mistranslations for
much evidence or proofs of Aramaic being the original language of the New
Testament. Also see
http://www.lulu.com/shop/rev-david-bauscher/divine-contact-discovery-of-the-original-new-testament/ebook/product-20880833.html
It is said of the recently
discovered Eastern Peshitta Khabouris Codex (or book), it has a colophon on it,
a notation by a scribe as to the date or edition of the document that he had
just copied. In this case, the note said that it was originally written one
hundred years since the great persecution, meaning that of Emperor Nero in 64
C. E. This therefore appears to be the closest text of the original words of
Jesus and of the spoken words of the Apostles.
It
should be obvious that
versions that are not similar enough to the Authorized Version (KJV), to
the New King James Version (NKJV), or to
the English translations from the Aramaic should not be bought or used in our
Bible believing holiness churches of today.
Why?
Any translators that leave out the word fasting two or three times as
shown below and too many of the other key passages, probably did a
shoddy job of translating other important or key passages as well. Those kind
of translators may have been only highly educated religious workers, rather
than being truly spiritually minded servants of God. They should have been
checking things out better, to prove what they were told was true or not “for
truth is fallen in the street,” (Isa. 59:14).
Ga
6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another.
1Th
5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Please use the following table of comparisons of
some key texts to reveal the nature of your own version. The best versions
uphold the real gospel of the saints of old and the holiness and demands of
God.
Note in the table below what happens to the
words underlined in the A. V. Note too that the A. V. is more like the translations
from the Aramaic than most of the modern English
translations from
the various Greek texts.
1 1 Local
Church Publishing a ministry of Bible Baptist Church, 903 DeKalb St. Port
Orchard, WA USA (360)710-8751 FAX (360) 874-9856
2 The Holy New Covenant, Victory
Version (Ethelbert, Manitoba: Truth and Light Ministries Inc.,2018)
3 According to the Greek N. T., 4th
ed. Of the United Bible Societies (UBS), the earliest mention of the reading of
through his blood is of a manuscript of the Greek church father Gregory-Nyssa
who died in 394. It is thought that someone placed the above-mentioned phrase
from Ephesians 1:7. The only Syriac manuscript that mentions this same phrase
is that of the Harclean manuscripts by Harklensis who died about 616 AD, but it
is said that this version is from the Philoxeniana of 507/8, which is from the
Syriac and Greek. So, this phrase is left out of the Peshitta and Peshito
versions and the UBS readings. Though this may or may not have been in the
original Aramaic, it is only a small matter, because Paul knew that they were
taught this gospel already about Jesus, losing his blood through his death on
the cross for their redemption. He then mentions the blood of Jesus in
Colossians. 1:20.
|
Some Key
Passages
of
Scripture
|
Authorized
or King
James
Versions
of 1769
(AV or KJV)
|
Murdock
from
Aramaic
of 1851
|
Etheridge
from
Aramaic
of 1849
|
Victory
Version of
Aramaic,
Greek, &
Coptic
Texts2(V. V.)
|
Today's
English
Version
(Good News
Transla-=tion or
TEV)
|
New
American
Standard
Version
[...]= not
credible
(their
opinion)
|
New
Interna-tional
VersionNIV
|
Jehovah
Witness
VersionJ. V.
|
Revised
Standard
VersionRSV
|
|
Matt
18:11
|
For the Son
of man is
come to save
that which
was lost.
|
For the
Son of
man, hath
come to
give life
to that
which was
lost.
|
For the
Son of
man is
come to
save that
which had
perished.
|
For the
Son of the
mankind is
come to
save that
which had
perished.
|
Not in the
text
|
[For the
Son of Man
has come
to save
that which
was lost]
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in
the text
|
|
Mark
9:44
|
Where their
worm dieth
not, and the
fire is not
quenched
|
where
their worm
dieth not,
and their
fire is
not
extinguished
|
where
their worm
dieth not,
and their
fire is
not
quenched.
|
where
their worm
dies not,
and their
fire is
not
quenched.
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in
the Text
|
|
Luke
2:33
|
And Joseph
and his
mother
marvelled at
those things
which were
spoken of
him.
|
And Joseph
and his
mother
marvelled
at those
things
which were
spoken of
him.
|
But
Jauseph
and his
mother
wondered
at these
words
which were
spoken
concerning
him.
|
But
Jauseph
and his
mother
wondered
at these
words
which were
spoken
concerning
him.
|
The child's
father and
mother were
amazed at
the things
Simeon said
about him.
|
And His
father and
mother
were
amazed at
the things
which were
being said
about Him.
|
The child's
father and
mother
marvelled
at what was
said about
him.
|
And his
father and
mother
continued
wondering
at the
things
being
spoken
about it.
|
And his
father
and his
mother
marvelled
at what
was said
about
him.
|
|
|
KJV
|
Murdock
|
Etheridge
|
V. V.
|
TEV
|
NASV
|
NIV
|
J. W.
|
RSV
|
|
Luke 4:4
|
And Jesus
answered
him, saying,
It is
written,
That man
shall not
live by
bread alone,
but by every
word of
God.
|
Jesus
replied,
and said
to him: It
is
written,
Not by
bread
only, doth
man live;
but by
every
thing of
God.
|
Jeshu
answered
and said
to him, It
is
written,
It is not
by bread
alone that
the son of
man
liveth,
but by
every word
of Aloha.
|
Jesus answered and
said to
him, ‘It
is written: It is
not by
bread
alone that
the son of
the mankind
lives, but
by every
word of
the Superior.”
|
But Jesus
answered,
“The
scripture
says, 'Man
cannot live
on bread
alone.”
|
And Jesus
answered
him, “It
is
written,
'Man shall
not live
on bread
alone.”
|
Jesus
answered,
“It is
written,
“Man does
not live on
bread
alone.”
|
But Jesus
replied to
him: 'It is
written,
'Man must
not live by
bread
alone.”
|
And Jesus
answered,
“The
scripture
says,
'Man
cannot
live on
bread
alone.'”
|
|
John
3:13
|
And no man
hath
ascended up
to heaven,
but he that
came down
from heaven,
even the Son
of man which
is in
heaven.
|
And no one
hath
ascended
to heaven,
but he
that
descended
from
heaven,
the Son of
man who is
in heaven.
|
AND no man
hath
ascended
into
heaven,
but he who
descended
from
heaven,
the Son of
man, he
who is in
heaven.
|
AND no man
has ascended
into
!Heaven,
but he who
descended
from
!Heaven,
the Son of
the mankind,” (he
who is in
!Heaven).
|
And no one
has gone up
to heaven
except the
Son of Man,
who came
down from
heaven.
|
And no one
has
ascended
into
heaven but
He who
descended
from
heaven,
even the
Son of
Man.
|
No one has
ever gone
into heaven
except the
one who
came from
heaven–the
Son of Man.
|
Moreover,
no man has
ascended
into heaven
but he that
descended
from
heaven, the
Son of Man.
|
No one
has
ascended
into
heaven
but he
who
descended
from
heaven,
the Son
of man.
|
|
John
6:47
|
Verily,
verily, I
say unto
you, He that
believeth on
me hath
everlasting
life.
|
Verily,
verily, I
say to
you: That,
to him who
believeth
in me,
there is
life eternal.
|
AMEN,
amen, I
say to
you, "Whosoever
believes
in me has
the life
which is
eternal.
|
AMEN,
amen, I
say to
you,
“Whosoever
believes
in me has
the life
which is
eternal.
|
I am telling you the
truth: he
who believes has
eternal
life.
|
Truly,
truly, I
say to
you, he
who believes has
eternal
life.
|
I tell you
the truth,
he who believes has
everlasting
life.
|
Most truly
I say to
you, He
that
believes
has
everlasting
life.
|
Truly,
truly, I
say to
you, he
who believes
has eternal life.
|
|
Verses
|
KJV
|
Murdock
|
Etheridge
|
V. V.
|
TEV
|
NASV
|
NIV
|
J. W.
|
RSV
|
|
Col.
1:143
|
In whom we
have
redemption
through his
blood,4 even
the
forgiveness
of sins:
|
by whom we
have
redemp-
tion and
remis-
sion of
sins:
|
in whom we
have redemption
and the
forgive-
ness of
sins:
|
in whom we
have
redemp-
tion and
the
forgive-
ness of
sins:
|
By whom we
are set
free, that
is, our
sins are
forgiven.
|
In whom we
have
redemp-
tion, the
forgive-ness of
sins.
|
In whom we
have
redemp-
tion, the
forgive-
ness of
sins.
|
By means of
whom we
have our
release by
ransom, the
forgiveness
of our
sins.
|
In whom
we have
redemp-
tion, the
forgive-ness of
sins.
|
|
1 Tim.
3:16
|
And without
controversy
great is the
mystery of
godliness:
God was
manifest in
the flesh,
justified in
the Spirit,
seen of
angels,
preached
unto the
Gentiles,
believed on
in the
world,received up
into glory.
|
and truly
great, is
this
mystery of
righteous-ness,
which was
revealed
in the
flesh, and
justified
in the
spirit,
and seen
by angels,
and pro-claimed
among the
Gentiles
and be-lieved on
in the
world, and
received
up into
glory.
|
And truly
great is
this mystery of
righteousness,
[Kinutho.]
which was
revealed
in the
flesh, and
justified
by the
Spirit,
and seen
of angels,
and
preached
among the
peoples,
and believed in
the world,
and taken
up into
glory.
|
And truly
great is
this
mystery of
righteous-ness,[Kinutho.]
which was
revealed
in the
flesh, and
justified
by the
Spirit,
and seen
of angels,and
preached
among the
peoples,,
and believed in
the world,
and taken
up into
glory.
|
No one can
deny how
great is
the secret
of our
religion:
He appeared
in human
form, was
shown to be
right by
the Spirit,
and was
seen by
angels. He
was preached
among nations, was
believed in
throughout
the world,
and was
taken up to
heaven.-
|
And by
common
confession
great is
the
mystery of
godliness:
He was
revealed
in the
flesh, was
vindicated
in the
Spirit,
Beheld by
angels,
Proclaimed
among the
nations,
believed
on in the
world,
taken up
in glory.
|
Beyond all
question,
the mystery
from which
true
godliness
springs is
great:
He appeared
in the
flesh, was
vindicate-ed by the
Spirit, was
seen by
angels, waspreached
among the
nations,
was believed
on in the
world, was
taken up in
glory.
|
Indeed, the
sacred
secret of
this godly
devotion is
admittedly
great: He
was made
manifest in
flesh,+ was
declared
righteous
in spirit,
appeared toangels,+
was preached about
among to
nations,+
was
believed
upon in
[the]
world,+ was
received up
in glory.
|
Great
indeed,
we
confess,
is the
mystery
of our
religion:
He was
manifested in the
flesh,
vindica-ted in
the
Spirit,
seen by
angels,
preachedamong the
nations,
believed
on in the
world,
taken up
in glory.
|
2 Tim.
2:15
|
Study to
shew thyself
approved
unto God, a
workman that
needeth not
to be
ashamed,
rightly
dividing the
word of
truth.
|
And study
to present
thyself
before
God,
perfectly,
a laborer
who is not
ashamed,
one who
correctly
announ-
ceth the
word of
truth.
|
And be
careful to
establish
thyself
perfectly
before
Aloha, a
workman
without
shame,
preaching
rightly
the word
of truth.
|
And be
careful to
establish
yourself
perfectly
before the
Superior,
a workman
without
shame,
preaching
rightly
the
declara-tion of
truth.
|
Do your
best to win
full
approval in
God's
sight, as a
worker who
is not
ashamed of
his work,
one who
correctly
teaches the
message of
God's
truth.
|
Be diligent
to present
yourself
approved to
God as a
workman who
does not
need to be
ashamed,
accurately
handling
the word of
truth.
|
Do your
best to
present
yourself to
God as one
approved, a
workman who
does not
need to be
ashamed and
who
correctly
handles the
word of
truth.
|
Do your
utmost to
present
yourself
approved to
God, a
workman
with
nothing to
be ashamed
of,
handling
the word of
the truth
aright.
|
Do your
best to
present
yourself
to God as
one
approved,
a workman
who has
no need
to be
ashamed,
rightly
handling
the word
of truth.
|
Verses
|
KJV
|
Murdock
|
Etheridge
|
V. V.
|
TEV
|
NASV
|
NIV
|
J. W.
|
RSV
|
1 Peter
4:1
|
Forasmuch
then as
Christ hath
suffered for
us in the
flesh, arm
yourselves
likewise
with the
same mind:
for he that
hath
suffered in
the flesh
hath ceased
from sin;
|
If then
the
Messiah
hath
suffered
for you in
the flesh,
do ye also
arm your-
selves
with the
same mind:
for every
one that
is dead in
his body,
hath
ceased
from all
sins,
|
If then
the
Meshiha
hath
suffered
for you in
the flesh,
be you
also armed
in it with
the same
mind; for
every one
who dieth
in his
body hath
ceased
from all
sins,
|
If then the
Meshihathecnd
Anointed-one hath
suffered
for you in
the flesh,
be you
also armed
in it with
the same
mind; for
everyone
who dies
in his
body has
ceased
from all
sins,
|
Since
Christ
suffered
physical-ly, you too
must
strengthen
your-
selves with
the same
way of
thinking
that he
had;
because
whoever
suffers
physically
is no
longer
involved
with sin.
|
Therefore,
since
Christ has
[a]suffered
in the
flesh, arm
yourselves
also with
the same
purpose,
because he
who has
[b]suf-
fered in
the flesh
has ceased
from sin,
|
Therefore,
since
Christ
suffered in
his body,
arm your-
selves also
with the
same
attitude,
because
whoever
suffers in
the body is
done with
sin.
|
Therefore
Since
Christ
suffered
in the
flesh,+
you too
arm your-
selves
with the
same
mental
dispose-
tion;*
because
the person
who has
suffered
in the
flesh has
desisted
from sins,
|
Since
therefore
Christ
suffered
in the
flesh, arm
yourselves
with the
same
thought,
for
whoever
has
suffered
in the
flesh has
ceased
from sin,
|
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
|
[For there
are three
that testify in
heaven,
the Father, the
Word, and
the Holy
Spirit:
and these
three are
one.][*
This verse
is wanting
in most
|
and the
Spirit
testifieth, because the
Spirit
himself is
truth.
|
and the
Spirit
testi-
fies,
because
the Spirit
himself is
truth.
|
There are
three witnesses:
|
For there
are three
that testify:
|
For there
are three
that testify:
|
For there
are three
witness
bearers:
|
And the
Spirit is
the witness, because the
Spirit is
the truth.
|
|
.
|
MSS., and
is omitted
in the
edition:
London,
1826.]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Verses
|
K. J. V.
|
Murdock
|
Etheridge
|
V. V.
|
TEV (GNT)
|
NASV
|
NIV
|
J. W.
|
RSV
|
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.
|
[And
Philip
said: If
thou
believest
with all
thy heart,
it is
allowable.
And he
answered,
and said:
I believe
that
Yeshua
Mshikha is
the Son of
Alaha.]*
[* This
37th verse
is not in
any of the
earlier
editions,
and is
excluded
from the
text of
the London
editions
of 1816
and 1826.]
|
[Verse 37
is wanting
in the
Peschito.]
|
And Philip
said, “If
you
believe
with your
whole
heart, you
may.” And
answering
said, “I
believe
that
Jesus,
Anointed-one is the
son of the
Superior.”
(Probably
was left
out
accidently
by a
copyist
says Glen
David
Bauscher
in his
translation from the
Aramaic)
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in the
Text
|
Not in
the Text
|
Verses
|
K. J. V.
|
Murdock
|
Etheridge
|
V. V.
|
TEV (GNT)
|
NASV
|
NIV
|
J. W.
|
RSV
|
Matt
17:21
|
Howbeit this
kind goeth
not out but
by prayer
and fasting.
|
But this
kind goeth
not out,
except by
fasting
and prayer.
|
But this
kind goeth
not forth
but by
fasting
and by
prayer.
|
But this
kind does
not go
forth but
by fasting
and by
prayer.
|
Not in the
text
|
[[j]But
this kind
does not go
out except
by prayer
and
fasting.”](the
footnote j
says that
early mss
do not
contain
this.
|
Not in the
text
|
Not in the
text
|
Not in the
text
|
Mark
9:29
|
And he said
unto them,
This kind
can come
forth by
nothing, but
by prayer
and fasting.
|
Jeshu said
to them,
This kind
with nothing can be
cast out,
but by
fasting
and prayer.
|
Jeshu said
to them,
This kind
with nothing can be
cast out,
but by
fasting
and prayer.
|
Jesus said
to them,
“This kind
with nothing can be
cast out,
but by
fasting
and prayer.”
|
“Only prayer can
drive this
kind out,”
answered
Jesus;
“nothing
else can.”
|
And He said
to them,
“This kind
cannot come
out by anything but
prayer.”
|
He replied,
“This kind
can come
out only by
prayer.[a]”
|
He said to
them:
“This kind
can come
out only
by prayer.”
|
And he
said to
them,
"This kind
cannot be
driven out
by anything but
prayer."
|
Verses
1 Cor.
7:5
|
KJV
Defraud ye
not one the
other, except it be
with consent
for a time,
that ye may
give yourselves to
fasting and
prayer; and
come together
again, that
Satan tempt
you not for
your
incontinency.
|
Murdock
Therefore,
deprive
not one
another,
except
when ye
both consent, at
the time
ye devote
yourselves
to fasting
and prayer; and
return
again to
the same
disposition, that
Satan
tempt you
not because of
the concupiscence
of your
body.
|
Etheridge
Defraud
not then
one the
other,
unless you
both agree
for a
time, that
you may
humble
yourselves
by fasting
and by
prayer;
and return
again unto
the same
will, that
Satana may
not tempt
you on
account of
the desire
of your
bodies.
|
V. V.
Defraud
not then
one the
other,
unless you
both agree
for a
time, that
you may
humble
yourselves
by fasting
and by
prayer;
and return
again unto
the same
will, that
Satana may
not tempt
you on
account of
the desire
of your
bodies.
|
TEV (GNT)
Do not deny
yourselves
to each
other,
unless you
first agree
to do so
for a while
in order to
spend your
time in
prayer; but
then resume
normal
marital
relations.
In this way
you will be
kept from
giving in
to Satan's
temptation
because of
your lack
of self-control.
|
NASV
Stop depriving one
another,
except by
agreement
for a time,
so that you
may devote
yourselves
to prayer,
and [b]come
together
again so
that Satan
will not
tempt you
because of
your lack
of self-control.
|
NIV
Do not
deprive
each other
except
perhaps by
mutual
consent and
for a time,
so that you
may devote
yourselves
to prayer.
Then come
together
again so
that Satan
will not
tempt you
because of
your lack
of self-control.
|
J. W.
Do not
deprive
each other
except by
mutual
consent
for an
appointed
time, so
that you
may devote
time to
prayer and
may come
together
again, in
order that
Satan may
not keep
tempting
you for
your lack
of self-control.
|
RSV
Do not
refuse one
another
except
perhaps by
agreement
for a season, that
you may
devote
yourselves
to prayer;
but then
come together
again,
lest Satan
tempt you
through
lack of
self-control.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Trinity Phrase in Matthew
28:19
Note that whereas all the above, except for the V. V., have “in the name of the [Trinity phrase]” at
Matt. 28:19 and 20 and that the word name is in the singular, which does not appear to make any sense, we
will now just consider versions that are quite different than what is in the KJV and in almost every other
translation. See http://amatora123.wixsite.com/aramaicnt/grekiska-fel-greek-mistranslations
KJV Matt
28:19,20
|
G. Howard
Hebrew Mt
tr.
|
V. V.
|
Clayton
Raymond
Bowen,
1916 5
|
Yirmeyahu
Ben-David6
|
Albert J.
Edmunds,
19177
|
Elijah M.
Brady
(Ed.),
19998
|
MM Arnold
Clinton
Willis,
W. Conner, 2000
9
|
Jim
Wheeler
(Chief
Ed.),
200110
|
Jorge
Cardenas
(Ed.)11
2001
|
Go ye
therefore,
and teach
all nations,
baptizing
them in
the name
of the
Father,
and of the
Son, and
of the
Holy
Ghost: 20
Teaching
them to
observe
all things
whatsoever
I have
commanded
you: and,
lo, I am
with you
alway,
even unto
the end of
the
world.
Amen.
|
Go 20 and
teach
them to
carry out
all the
things
which I
have commanded
you forever.
|
Go to 20
them and
teach
them to
carry out
all the
things
which I
have commanded
you forever.
|
\Go ye
therefore, and
make disciples of
all the
nations,
baptizing
them in
my name,
20 teaching them
to observe all
things
whatsoever I
commanded
you; and
lo, I am
with you
alway,
even unto
the end
of the
world..
|
Go
(28.19.1)
and
watchguard
over the
authority,
prestige
and
Realm, to
notify
all of
these.
things.
(28.20.1)
20 which
I tzwah,
to the
tgeitz
(28.20.1)
of the
age.
(28.20.2)
|
Go ye
therefore
and make
disciples
of all
the nations IN
MY NAME,
20 teaching them
to observe all
things
whatsoever I
com-manded you;
and lo! I
am with
you always,
even unto
the end
of the
age.*
|
Go ye
therefore, and
make disciples of
all the
nations,
in my
name:
20:
teaching
them to
observe
all
things
whatsoever I
commanded
you; and
lo, I am
with you
alway,
even unto
the end
of the
world.
Amen.
|
“Go ye
and make
disciples
of all
nations
in My
Name, 20
teaching
them to
observe
all
things
whatsoever I
have commanded
you.”
|
°So go
make disciples in
all nations in
my name,
20 and
teach
them to
obey all
the
things
that I
commanded
you.
(Look!)
I.ll be
with you
each day
until the
end of
the age.
|
Go therefore and
make disciples of
all the
nations,
immersing
them in
my name:‡
28:20
Teaching
them to
observe
all
things
whatsoever I
have commanded
you: and,
lo, I am
with you
alway,
even unto
the end
of the
world.
Amen.
(cursive
in orig-inal)
|
Note that besides the above nine versions of a shorter Matthew 28:19-20, there are about another forty or more,
thanks to the research of Grzegorz Kaszynski of Poland. You can see his research at
http://tlm79.org/Mt28with62versionswiththeshorter-ending.pdf
Truth and Light
Ministries Inc. (Raised by the Superior One to earnestly contend for the faith
that was once delivered to the Saints) [Jude 3b]. http://truthandlightministries.org or http://tlm79.org and P. O. Box 79, Ethelbert, Manitoba, Canada
R0L 0T0. Phone 204-742-3770 or truthandlight@mts.net.
For the Endnotes see the pdf copy link below:
The
Corruption of 2 Timothy 3:16
Most
Christians now-a-days, think the new translations are a great
improvement from the classic King James or Authorized version of
the Bible but do not realize that even the so-called experts on
translations of the Scriptures (note that when this word is
capitalized it means not any scriptures or writings but the Holy
Scriptures, the Holy Bible) are not all experts and do not even
realize that the original New
Testament
manuscripts were not in Greek but in the very language of the
writers, which was Hebrew for the Gospel
of Matthew
and for the Letter
to the Hebrews
by the Apostle Paul and in Aramaic for the rest of the New
Testament
writings. See our other articles on this at our website of
http://tlm79.org or the Internet for
writings by others on this topic.
Where
do we ever read in the New Testament that the apostles studied
Greek in order to write their letters to fellow Judeans who spoke
Aramaic or Hebrew throughout the Mediterranean area? That is
nonsense. Once the Judeans or the Hebrews in the new Christian
assemblies throughout that same area as a rule, got their letters in
their mother tongues, they could then translate them into the
languages of their Gentile neighbours. This is exactly what we
believe happened. Common sense tells us this. Does it not?
This
essay is also to encourage you to question all the doctrines in your
respective churches that may be questionable or do not appear to be
completely supported by the Holy Bible.
We
are therefore showing in this study or essay, a sample of ways in
which we have been deceived, with a sample regarding a very
well known verse of 2 Timothy 3:16.
Note
that from
following the two sets of Scripture, the
common word for any
writing by hand in Bible times, which was in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew,
or Latin was their respective word for writings
or scripture.
In translations those same words could be all translated by our
English word script, scripture, or writing. In
other words there were scriptures or writings which were not
inspired. The writer Paul knew this obviously and that is why he
specified what kind of writing he meant..
The
Greek words
for writings and their adjectives in these passages are
in the
nominative or subject case. That is, the following word after
scripture
in Greek is simply an adjective describing the subject, saying that
“Every scripture, [meaning
obviusly, only writings or scriptures
which are] God
inspired. Then note that the following word translated here as
and
could be also translated as therefore:
2532. kai kai, kahee . . .
apparently,
a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a
cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in
connection (or composition) with other particles or small
words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then,
therefore, when, yet. (Stong's
Dictionary)
2Ti
3:16
EveryG3956
scriptureG1124
is
God inspired,G2315
andG2532
beneficialG5624
forG4314
teaching,G1319
forG4314
reproof,G1650
forG4314
correction,G1882
forG4314
instruction--G3809
the oneG3588
inG1722
righteousness;G1343
(Apostolic
Bible Polyglot with Strong's Numbers)
2
Timothy 3:16 πασαG3956
γραφηG1124
θεοπνευστοςG2315
καιG2532
ωφελιμοςG5624
προςG4314
διδασκαλιανG1319
προςG4314
ελεγχονG1650
προςG4314
επανορθωσινG1882
προςG4314
παιδειανG3809
τηνG3588
ενG1722
δικαιοσυνηG1343
(Apostolic
Bible Polyglot Greek with Strong's Numbers)
The Aramaic
versions in English translations show this obvious true meaning:
2Ti
3:16
FOR all scripture which from the Spirit is written, is profitable
for doctrine, and for rebuke, and for correction, and for
instruction [Or, discipline.] which is in
righteousness:(Etheridge)
16
All scripture, written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for
instruction in righteousness: (Lamsa)
2Ti
3:16
All scripture that was written by the Spirit, is profitable for
instruction, and for confutation, and for correction, and for
erudition in righteousness; (Murdock)
2Ti
3:16
Every writing which is written by The Spirit*
is profitable for teaching, for correction, for direction and for a
course in righteousness, (Original
Aramaic NT in Plain English)
The
Greek versions in some English translations also show this same
meaning:
2Ti
3:16
Every scripture inspired of God is
also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction which is in righteousness. (American Standard
Version)
2Ti
3:16
Every holy Writing which comes from God is of profit for teaching,
for training, for guiding, for education in righteousness: (1965
Bible in Basic English)
2Ti
3:16
All scripture, given by divine inspiration, is indeed profitable
for doctrine, for conviction, for reformation, for instruction in
righteousness, (Charles Thomson NT)
2Ti
3:16
All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove,
to correct, to instruct in justice: (1899 Douay-Rheims Bible)
2Ti
3:16
Every scripture inspired of God is
also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction which is in righteousness: (Revised Version)
2Ti
3:16
For all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable to
teach, to improve, to amend, and to instruct in righteousness (Modern
Spelling Tyndale/ Coverdale Bible).
2Ti
3:16
For all scripture given by inspiration of God, is profitable to
teach, to improve, to inform, and to instruct in righteousness,
(William
Tyndale New Testament)
The Coptic Versions in English
translations are as such:
2Ti
3:16 All
scriptures
of inspiration of God are profitable unto [a] doctrine, unto [a]
reproof, unto [a] correction, unto [an] instruction which is in [the]
righteousness:
(Coptic NT, Northern Dialect in English)
2Ti
3:16 For
every scripture
[part missing]
God [ part
missing] unto
the teaching [ part
missing] unto
the doctrine, unto the righteousness:
(Coptic NT, Southern Dialect inEnglish)
Tricks Being
Played in Translations
Note
that almost every other version from the Greek is distorted and
untrue except where they capitalize the word Scripture but in the
Greek there was no differentiation of that. This capitalization
should be noted as a footnote in order to be less deceitful to the
readers. Another added word which distorts the meaning of the Greek
version is this word:
is
as
shown below:
2Ti
3:16
All scripture is
given by inspiration of God and
is
profitable for
doctrine,
for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
(Jubilee Bible [probably from the Greek])
Note
that in the above, the word scripture
has
a first letter which is in the small case and the word is,
is
in italics. In
the Authorized Version this practice of using italics was to show not
emphasis but to indicate that this word was added by the translators
and has no backing in the manuscripts from which they have
translated.
The
above therefore shows that the best translations are from the Aramaic
and almost every one from the Greek, other than the ones we listed is
distorted and not true.
There
are many other distortions of the truth in Bible versions today so
please check out for the truth on doctrine from our website of
http://truthandlightministries.org
or http://tlm79.org.
We may make mistakes at times from misunderstanding God's leading, so
if you find something that may be wrong. Please let us know.
Another
reason for this above essay is to indicate that other ancient
writings may have also been initially inspired of God and should
also be read and studied to help get a better background
understanding of the languages of the Bible Scriptures and of the
people of the Bible. Over the years though, many may have suffered
some errors through copying, as what has happened with the Hebrew and
other Bible manuscripts or from poor translations.
Note
that other ancient manuscripts, just mentioned, existed during the
Bible times when the Old Testament writings were being written and
were in circulation while Paul and other writers were writing their
Gospels, essays, or letters. Examples of these writings are the Book
of Enoch,
Secrets of
Enoch, Book of Jubilees, Book of Jasher,
Books of Adam
and Eve,The
Letter of
Aristeas (on
the origins of the Septuagint
Version of the Old Testament), the Testaments
of the Twelve Patriarchs
(some of which make it clear that Jesus was the Messiah), and some
other ancient writings which were in the Synagogues through out the
ancient world. For example, in 1840, there were thirteen or more
copies of the Book
of Jasher
in the libraries of the Hebrews or Judeans throughout the world.
In
other words, if any of these manuscripts or books support the Bible
teachings, then they too may have been also inspired by God's Holy
Spirit, for consider these verses that you and I should speak with
God's inspiration as the people of old did.
Ro 3:2 Much every
way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of
God. Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers,
ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles
of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of
milk, and not of strong meat. 1Pe 4:11 If any man speak, let him
speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do
it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be
glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for
ever and ever. Amen.
(KJV)
So in other words we
should study other ancient Godly literature to understand God
and His words in the Holy Bible better.
Truth and Light
Ministries Inc.
(Raised by God [the Supreme One] to earnestly contend for the faith
that was once delivered to the Saints [Jude 3b]) P. O. Box 79,
Ethelbert, Manitoba, Canada R0L 0T0 Phone 204-742-3770 or
crbesson@mts.net
Http://TruthandLightMinistries.org
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