Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:26-38 – Gabriel’s Appearance to Mary

Luke 1:26-38 – Gabriel’s Appearance to Mary

LK1:26 Now in Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the village of Galilee called Nazareth, LK1:27 to a virgin[1] [Isaiah 7:14] promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David’s House. And the name of the virgin was Mary.[2] LK1:28 Approaching Mary, Gabriel said to her: “Greetings, favored one! The LORD is with you!” LK1:29 At this statement Mary was very puzzled and kept wondering what this greeting meant. LK1:30 Then the angel Gabriel said to Mary: “Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favor with God. LK1:31 And, behold, you will conceive in your womb and will give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.[3] LK1:32 He will become a renowned person[4] and will be called a son of the Most High.[5] [Psalm 82:6] YHWH The God[6] will give to him David’s throne,[7] [Isaiah 9:7] LK1:33 and he will reign over Jacob’s House throughout the Ages. There will never be an end to his kingdom.” [Daniel 2:44] LK1:34 But in response Mary said to the angel Gabriel: “How can this be[8] since I have never known a man?” LK1:35 So the angel answered her: “Holy Pneuma[9] will come over you and the Most High’s power will overshadow you. As a result the One to be born will be also called Holy, God’s Son.[10] [Psalm 89:26] LK1:36 Now, look, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age and this is now the sixth month of her so-called barrenness. LK1:37 For no message from God is impossible.”[11] [Genesis 18:14] LK1:38 Then Mary said: “Look, YHWH’s slave![12] May it all take place with me just as you say!” And the angel Gabriel left her.

*

[1] Virgin: Possibly borrowed from Isaiah 7:14 where a PARTHENON is foretold. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew 1:23.

[2] Mary: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[3] Jesus: The traditional form of the Greek IESOUS here. The Hebrew form is Yeshua and means “Yehowah is Salvation.” It is the same as the name Joshua. Some argue over the exact form. Accents in pronunciation of foreign languages persist no matter the tongue. It seems unreasonable to many that God would insist every word translated from the Hebrew Bible must be spoken in a Hebrew accent. Even the accents of Jews differed in the 1^st Century just as they do in English and Spanish in different places.

[4] Renowned person: Or, great.

[5] A son of the Most High: Or, [the] Most High’s Son, Son of the Highest, Son of the Most High. The Greek is HUIOS YPSISTOU with the article. Compare a similar phrase at Psalm 82:6.

[6] YHWH The God: The Greek is KYRIOS HO THEOS without the article and may indicate the Tetragram originally occurred here.

[7] David’s throne: An echo of Isaiah 9:7. Compare also 2 Samuel 7:12; Psalm 132:11; Jeremiah 23:5.

[8] How can this be: Note Mary is not rebuked for her question while Zechariah was.

[9] Holy Pneuma: Or, holy spirit. Note the Pneuma is paralleled with God’s “power.” For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Holy Pneuma; compare 1 Corinthians 2:16.

[10] God’s Son: Or, the Son of God. The Greek is HUIOS THEOU with the article. Compare Psalm 2:7; 89:26.

[11] For no message from God is impossible: Or, word, declaration. It echoes Genesis 18:14. [Psalm 115:3]

[12] YHWH’s slave: Or, handmaid. The Greek is DOULE KYRIOU.

+

Preceding

Luke – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Introduction to the Third Gospel

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:1-4 – A Factual and Logical Statement

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:5-7 – Zechariah and Elizabeth

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:8-17 – An Angel Appears to a Priest

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:18-22 – Struck Dumb For Disbelief

Luke 1 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Luke 1:23-25 – Elizabeth Pregnant

A Look of the Expositor Bible at The Ordeal of questions {Matthew 22:15-46 }

II —The Ordeal of questions. {#Mt 22:15-46 }

The open challenge has failed; but more subtle weapons may succeed. The Pharisees have found it of no avail to confront their enemy; but they may still be able to entangle Him. They will at all events try. They will spring upon Him some hard questions, of such a kind that, answering on the spur of the moment, He will be sure to compromise Himself.

1. The first shall be one of those semi-political semi-religious questions on which feeling is running high — the lawfulness or unlawfulness of paying tribute to Caesar. The old Pharisees who had challenged His authority keep in the background, that the sinister purpose of the question may not appear; but they are represented by some of their disciples who, coming fresh upon the scene and addressing Jesus m terms of respect and appreciation, may readily pass for guileless inquirers. They were accompanied by some Herodians, whose divergence of view on the point made it all the more natural that they should join with Pharisees in asking the question; for it might fairly be considered that they had been disputing with one another in regard to it, and had concluded to submit the question to His decision as to one who would be sure to know the truth and fearless to tell it. So together they come with the request:

“Master, we know that Thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest Thou for any man: for Thou regardest not the person of men. Tell us therefore, What thinkest Thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?”

But they cannot impose upon Him:

“Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?”

Having thus unmasked them, without a moment’s hesitation He answers them. They had expected a “yes” or a “no”—a “yes” which would have set the people against Him, or better still a “no” which would have put Him at the mercy of the government. But, avoiding Scylla on the one hand, and Charybdis on the other, He makes straight for His goal by asking for a piece of coin and calling attention to Caesar’s stamp upon it. Those who use Caesar’s coin should not refuse to pay Caesar’s tribute; but, while the relation which with their own acquiescence they sustain to the Roman emperor implied corresponding obligations in the sphere it covered, this did not at all interfere with what is due to the King of kings and Lord of lords, in Whose image we all are made, and Whose superscription every one of us bears:

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Thus He not only avoids the net they had spread for Him, and gives them the very best answer to their question, but, in doing so, He lays down a great principle of far-reaching application and permanent value respecting the difficult and much-to-be-vexed question as to the relations between Church and State. “O answer full of miracle!” as one had said. No wonder that

“when they had heard these words they marvelled, and left Him, and went their way.”

2. Next come forward certain Sadducees. That the Pharisees had an understanding with them also seems likely from what is said both in ver. 15, which seems a general introduction to the series of questions, and in ver. 34, from which it would appear that they were somewhere out of sight, waiting to hear the result of this new attack. Though the alliance seems a strange one, it is not the first time that common hostility to the Christ of God has drawn together the two great rival parties. {see #Mt 16:1 } If we are right in supposing them to be in combination now, it is a remarkable illustration of the deep hostility of the Pharisees that they should not only combine with the Sadducees against Him, as they had done before, but that they should look with complacency on their using against Him a weapon which threatened one of their own doctrines. For the object of the attack was to cast ridicule on the doctrine of the resurrection, which assuredly the Pharisees did not deny.

The difficulty they raise is of the same kind as those which are painfully familiar in these days, when men of coarse minds and fleshly imaginations show by their crude objections their incapacity even to think on spiritual themes. The case they supposed was one they knew He could not find fault with so far as this world was concerned, for everything was done in accordance with the letter of the law of Moses, the inference being that whatever confusion there was in it must belong to what they would call His figment of the resurrection:

“In the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.”

It is worthy of note that our Lord’s-answer is much less stern than in the former case. These men were not hypocrites. They were scornful, perhaps flippant; but they were not intentionally dishonest. The difficulty they felt was due to the coarseness of their minds, but it was a real difficulty to them. Our Lord accordingly gives them a kindly answer, not denouncing them, but calmly showing them where they are wrong:

“Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.”

Ye know not the power of God, or ye would not suppose that the life to come, would be a mere repetition of the life that now is, with all its fleshly conditions the same as now. That there is continuity of life is of course implied in the very idea of resurrection, but true life resides not in the flesh, but in the spirit, and therefore the continuity will be a spiritual continuity; and the power of God will effect such changes on the body itself that it will rise out of its fleshly condition into a state of being like that of the angels of God. The thought is the same as that which was afterwards expanded by the apostle Paul in such passages as #Ro 8:5-11, 1Co 15:35-54.

Ye know not the Scriptures, or you would find in the writings of Moses from which you quote, and to which you attach supreme importance, evidence enough of the great doctrine you deny.

“Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?”

Here, again, Jesus not only answers the Sadducees, but puts the great and all-important doctrine of the life to come and the resurrection of the body on its deepest foundation. There are those who have expressed astonishment that He did not quote from some of the later prophets, where He could have found passages much clearer and more to the point: but not only was it desirable that, as they had based their question on Moses, He should give His answer from the same source; but in doing so He has put the great truth on a permanent and universal basis; for the argument rests not on the authority of Moses, nor, as some have supposed, upon the present tense “I am,” but on the relation between God and His people. The thought is that such a relation between mortal man and the eternal God as is implied in the declaration

“I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”

is itself a guarantee of immortality. Not for the spirit only, for it is not as spirits merely, but as men that we are taken into relation to the living God; and that relation, being of God, must share His immortality:

“God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

The thought is put in a very striking way in a well-known passage in the Epistle to the Hebrews:

“But now they the patriarchs desire a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.”

Our Lord’s answer suggests the best way of assuring ourselves of this glorious hope. Let God be real to us, and life and immortality will be real too. If we would escape the doubts of old Sadducee and new Agnostic, we must be much with God, and strengthen more and more the ties which bind us to Him.

3. The next attempt of the Pharisees is on an entirely new line. They have found that they cannot impose upon Him by sending pretended inquirers to question Him. But they have managed to lay their hands on a real inquirer now — one of themselves, a student of the law, who is exercised on a question much discussed, arid to which very different answers are given; they will suggest to him to carry his question to Jesus and see what He will say to it. That this was the real state of the case appears from the fuller account in St. Mark’s Gospel. When, then, St. Matthew speaks of him as asking Jesus a question, “tempting Him,” we are not to impute the same sinister motives as actuated those who sent him. He also was in a certain sense tempting Jesus — i.e., putting Him to the test, but with no sinister motive, with a real desire to find out the truth, and probably also to find out if this Jesus was one who could really help an inquirer after truth. In this spirit, then, he asks the question,

“Which is the great commandment in the law?”

The answer our Lord immediately gives is now so familiar that it is difficult to realise how great a thing it was to give it for the first time. True, He takes it from the Scriptures; but think what command of the Scriptures is involved in this prompt reply. The passages quoted lie far apart — the one in the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy, the other in the nineteenth of Leviticus in quite an obscure corner; and nowhere are they spoken of as the first and second commandments, nor indeed were they regarded as commandments in the usually understood sense of the word. When we consider all this we recognise what from one point of view might be called a miracle of genius, and from another a flash of inspiration, in the instantaneous selection of these two passages, and bringing them together so as to furnish a summary of the law and the prophets beyond all praise which the veriest unbeliever, if only he have a mind to appreciate that which is excellent, must recognise as worthy of being written in letters of light. That one short answer to a sudden question—asked indeed by a true man, but really sprung upon Him by His enemies who were watching for His halting—is of more value in morals than all the writings of all the ethical philosophers, from Socrates to Herbert Spencer.

It is now time to question the questioners. The opportunity is most favourable. They are gathered together to hear what He will say to their last attempt to entangle Him. Once more He has not only met the difficulty, but has done so in such a way as to make the truth on the subject in dispute shine with the very light of heaven. There could not, then, be a better opportunity of turning their thoughts in a direction which might lead them, if possible in spite of themselves, into the light of God.

The question Jesus asks (vv. 41-45) is undoubtedly a puzzling one for them; but it is no mere Scripture conundrum. The difficulty in which it lands them is one which, if only they would honestly face it, would be the means of removing the veil from their eyes, and leading them, ere it is too late, to welcome the Son of David come in the name of the Lord to save them. They fully accepted the psalm to which He referred as a psalm of David concerning the. Messiah. If, then, they would honestly read that psalm they would see that the Messiah when He comes must be, not a mere earthly monarch, as David was, but a heavenly monarch, one who should sit on the throne of God and bring into subjection the enemies of the kingdom of heaven. If only they would take their ideas of the Christ from the Scriptures which were their boast, they could not fail to see Him standing now before them. For we must remember that they had not only the words He spoke to guide them. They had before them the Messiah Himself, with the light of heaven in His eye, with the love of God in His face; and had they had any love for the light, they would have recognised Him then — they would have seen in Him, whom they had often heard of as David’s Son, the Lord of David, and therefore the Lord of the Temple, and the heavenly King of Israel. But they love the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds are evil: therefore their hearts remain unchanged, the eyes of their spirit unopened; they are only abashed and silenced:

“No man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.”

+

Preceding

Matthew 22:1-6 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Parable of Invitation to a Marriage

Matthew 22:7-10 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Invitations after City’s Destruction

Matthew 22:11-13 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: King’s Inspection and Marriage Garments

Matthew 22:14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Many Invited – Few Chosen

Matthew 22:15-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Caesar’s Things and God’s Things

Matthew 22:23-28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sadducees Question on the Resurrection

Matthew 22:29-33 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Resurrection Proof from Moses

Matthew 22:34-40 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Which Is the Greatest Commandment

Matthew 22:41-46 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Jesus Asks a Trump Question

Additional readings to Matthew 22:41-46

A Look of the Expositor Bible at The Marriage Feast {Matthew 22:1-14 }

The Hater of Jesus and Jesus’ followers having become a speaker for him

Concerning the forgiveness of God we have an incredible le example in the Scriptures. We find a figure who really loved God, but did not want to see that Jesus was a favourite of God. He even thought the followers of that Jesus had to be killed and those teachings of that Nazarene silenced.

In the Book of books we can find the Roman man who was monstrous and unmerciful; breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. He made havoc of the church, entering into every house and hauling away men and women, putting them in prison. Indeed, some he even put to death.

On his way to Damascus, going to do away of those followers of Christ, he got stricken by light and blinded. He came to understand he was blind though he could see and now when he was blind he came to see and understand who that sent one from God was and why that man of flesh and blood was so important.

When Paul of Tarsus was called by Jesus it was because God loved this man and wanted to use that man to proclaim the truth about the Nazarene man of flesh and blood, who gave his life for mankind. For sure God forgave Paul his horrible acts, killing so many in the name of God. Can you imagine the difficulty the followers of Christ had by having to accept this vengeful killer of fellow brothers having chosen by Jesus and by god to become a speaker for Christ?

The talmidim and other followers of Christ may have found Paul his conversion to be a bit of a stretch. But clearly they underestimated the power of the Most High. Once more in history we can see that God forgave a person and was willing to use him for his Plan. By the act of Jesus, giving his life, by doing the Will of his heavenly Father, salvation or liberation of death and whitewashing of sin came unto mankind and as such also on Paul.

“Paul was indeed a new creation in Christ, old things had passed away and all things were becoming new. He came a stayed with me for about two weeks and we talked at great length about many things. And one thing towered above all others in Paul’s mind – it was the Grace of God.”

Peter at first had at first not such a good eye on the choice of Jesus to use Paul for his work. He also had an other idea about the Grace of God.

“His understanding of grace was different than what we had been taught from our childhood. We had viewed grace as God’s favour, given in kindness to the undeserving. But this was not the message Paul brought to me.

“Grace is the power of Christ working in me and through me,”

he said with such passion and conviction, one could hardly resist him.

“I got this directly from the Lord Jesus himself,”

he would add; underscoring his resolve in making sure I understood it.

Paul was not only convincing; he was right.

The apostles remembered how Jesus had told them that there would come to them a Spirit of Truth, who was going to guide them into all the truth. (John 16:12-13) They also remembered that the Most High was going to reveal what was Christ’s. When Jesus said that the Spirit would take the things that are his and will reveal or disclose (transmit) it to them (Joh16:15) they did not understand it. But now they were confronted by some other ideas which they would never have thought of before. Peter confesses

“I myself had indeed experienced the grace of God on many occasions, but did not fully understand it at the time. I just knew that the power of the Lord was surging in me and through me in ways that left me amazed with what happened. Think about it – my shadow healed a man! I guess you could say I took the heat off of him. Yet, it wasn’t me; it was the grace of God in me.

After the conversion of Paul they came to see how his work pulled others to recognise Jesus as the Way to God. They also understood God must have forgiven Paul for what he did against followers of Jesus and even made him in a new

“Fisher of men.”

Peter had experienced the Lord’s power many times; but when he was fifteen days with Paul, it helped him to understand more fully that it was the grace of God in him – and through him. It was the power of Christ helping him to do His will. Paul and Peter became fast friends. He wrote

Our visit together also showed me that, while Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles, and I to the Jews – we both were life-long friends on one mission: Proclaiming to all the Gospel of God’s Grace!

The love of God giving forgiveness to Paul opened new doors. The forgiveness of the prosecuted followers of Christ, members of the sect The Way, now forgave Paul for what he had done and gave him full credit for doing the work of God and being a righteous preacher in the name of Christ.

Today we too should always be open-minded, even to people who are against us, or who do everything against our movement. We should forgive their attacks against us and should try with friendly words to have them to come to open their eyes. We also should pray for those who do not yet see that Jesus is the way to God, the sent one from God, who is now sitting at the right hand of God, as a mediator between God and man.

Even when they keep attacking us, we should keep forgiving them, even perhaps thinking

“Please God forgive them, because they do not know what they do.”

+

Preceding posts

Matthew 18:1-6 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Children and Stumbling

Matthew 18:1-6 Reborn and pliable as a child

Matthew 18:7-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Danger of Stumbling-blocks

Matthew 18:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Searching for Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:15-17 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Three Steps to Gaining a Brother

Matthew 18:18-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Authority of Two or Three

Matthew 18:21-22 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Forgive 77 Times!

Matthew 18:23-35 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Kingdom and Forgiveness

Ableness to forgive those who wronged us

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Forgiveness a command given for our well-being

A heart full of love is a fundamental requirement

Old and newer King James Versions and other translations #2 King James Bible versions

Bijbeluitgave 1611 Bible edition of 1611 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In English speaking parts of the world we can find certain people who swear by the King James Bible also called Authorized Version or King James Version, which was published in 1611 under the auspices of King James I of England.  They say it is the only Bible we should use and they often asperse other Bible translations. Strangely enough when we look at what Bible version they use, we notice that they do not use the original King James Bible or Authorized King James Version, but have taken themselves one of the many King James bible (KJB) versions (KJV) and as such, often also could have used an other up to date English Bible translation.

Also telling people that they only should be allowed to use the King James Bible is giving the same indication as some Islamic teachers do, telling their folks they only may use the Quran in Arabic, as if God would only have given His word to the world in Arabic or in English, so that people who speak an other language would not be able to come to God or to understand God.

Verses from the Vetus Latina Gospel of John (16:23–30) as they appear on a page of the Codex Vercellensis.

After the Book of books in Hebrew we got an international translation of Gods Word with the Septuagint,(receiving the symbol LXX) the oldest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible made by Hellenistic Jews, possibly from Alexandria, c.250 BCE Legend, according to the fictional letter of Aristeas, records that it was done in 72 days by 72 translators for Ptolemy Philadelphus, which accounts for the name. Later we got Latin versions (Vetus Latina; Vulgate) whilst the Greek form was improved and altered to include the books of the Apocrypha and some of the pseudepigrapha, spurious or pseudonymous Jewish writings ascribed to various biblical patriarchs and prophets composed between c.200 BCE and c.a. 200 CE. In a way there was not really one single Latin Bible, because different versions appeared from 350 CE to 1400 CE, with a collection of biblical manuscript texts that bear witness to Latin translations of biblical passages that preceded Jerome’s.

The language of the Old Latin translations is uneven in quality, as Augustine of Hippo lamented in De Doctrina Christiana (2, 16). Grammatical solecisms abound; some reproduce literally Greek or Hebrew idioms as they appear in the Septuagint. Likewise, the various Old Latin translations reflect the various versions of the Septuagint circulating, with the African manuscripts (such as the Codex Bobiensis) preserving readings of the Western text-type, while readings in the European manuscripts are closer to the Byzantine text-type. Many grammatical idiosyncrasies come from the use of Vulgar Latin grammatical forms in the text. {The Free Encyclopedia Wikipedia on Vetus Latina, edition 2016}

In the Septuagint we can find older versions of parts of the Hebrew Scriptures, some going back long before the canon of the Hebrew Bible was settled. We also can find Egyptian writings which predate the Catholic bible translations in Latin. It were diaspora Jews who continually worked on putting the old set apart writings (holy scriptures) together. Some communities had other writings included in their yearly readings, whilst others took other standard texts often in different order or arrangement than our common contemporary bibles, though even today Catholic, Protestant, Ethiopian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox Bibles use a different order of books and may consider some as canonical, whilst other treat them as apocryphal.

In Great Britain’s 16° century the most popular English translation was the Geneva Bible (1557; first published in England in 1576), which had been made in Geneva by English Protestants living in exile during Mary I (1553–58) her persecutions. She had attempted to restore Roman Catholicism in the country. That translation was never authorized by the crown, but was particularly popular among the religious reform movement of the Puritans which surged across Europe, though not among many more-conservative clergymen.

In the seventeenth century the translators, gathered in name of the English sovereign, were very well aware that the Word of God was delivered to the world in the language of the chosen people of God, Hebrew and in the language of Jeshua, the Messiah (Jesus Christ), Aramaic as well as in the business or commercial language of the time of the master teacher, Greek. They thought it well to translate those languages so that the English people could have the Bible in their own language and did not have to go for the Latin translations.

Titlepage and dedication from a 1612-1613 King James Bible, printed by Robert Barker. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By June 30, 1604, King James I had approved a list of 54 revisers, although extant records show that 47 scholars actually participated. They were organized into six companies, two each working separately at Westminster, Oxford, and Cambridge on sections of the Bible assigned to them.
In addition to the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the 6 committees that worked on the King James Bible Version (2 in Cambridge, 2 in Oxford, and 2 at Westminster) used other translations, both those in English that had gone before them, as well as translations in other languages. Richard Bancroft (1544–1610), archbishop of Canterbury, served as overseer and established doctrinal conventions for the translators. They used translations of the Bible to consider how best to interpret and render the original languages in the English of the early 17th Century. They were fully aware of the rich value of other translations which saw the light in the earlier times and believed it was God’s Power which took care that the Word of God could reach them so far away from the Holy Land. For having the availability of this Word of God in other languages as well as in other English translations the committee expressed thanks to God for those other translations which were for them a valuable resource in their work.

They themselves regarded what they were doing and how they did it as part of a world effort to get God’s Word into the language of the ordinary folks. They were humble enough to know that there were other versions in Europe which also had to offer the Truth to the world. They also knew they could make faults and that those had to be corrected in later times, which also happened. The King James Version (KJV) came later to be  corrected and improved.

In Europe there are not many people having a bible, but in the United States of America is seems that there are still 88% of Americans who own a Bible translation in their own language. When those Northern Americans reach for their Bibles, more than half of them are still reaching for the King James Version (KJV).

Since a few years next to the American Bible Translation the New International Version (NIV) saw the light and came to gain in popularity over the American Standard Version (ASV) and New American Standard Bible (NASB) and the Catholic New American Bible (NAB) and the lesser used protestant and Catholic Revised Standard Version (RSV). Although the NIV tops Bible sales each year (KJV and NKJV are number 2 & 3), only 19% of Americans own that modern translation, and other modern translations take much smaller slices of the Bible sales pie.

English Bible translations

In the United States like in Great Britain you can find churches who believe that the King James Version is the only translation that faithfully embodies the Word of God. For them all other translations are to be rejected out of hand. Such churches hold this faulty position based on a misunderstanding of the ancient manuscripts behind the Bible.

The KJV translators, speaking of other translators, write in their Preface,

“Therefore blessed be they, and most honoured be their name, that breake the ice, and glueth onset upon that which helpeth forward to the saving of soules. Now what can bee more availeable thereto, then to deliver Gods booke unto Gods people in a tongue which they understand?”

They continue later in the Preface,

“Truly (good Christian Reader) wee never thought from the beginning, that we should neede to make a new Translation, nor yet to make of a bad one a good one, . . . but to make a good one better, or out of many good ones, one principall good one, . . . .”

This indicates that they themselves had also already found some other good translations, but wanted to make such good translations even better, or more useful for the goal they had in mind, bringing unity in the diverse world of different sorts of preachers who walked around in those days.

(KJV) 1631 Holy Bible, Robert Barker/John Bill, London. King James Version (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They also considered themselves as instruments of God doing something in the time of theirs, which was in the given time of God, but knew that there would also come other times and that the world would develop and as such language also could develop. this is also what happened the language developed and we do not speak any more as in the 17° century.

As such the wording from the original King James Version would not be the ideal tool to reach people today.

According to the original King James Version

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV-1611

(16)  All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instrution in righteousnesse,  (17)  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished vnto all good workes.

which became in the 1769 version and 1769 Red Letter Version

2 Timothy 3:16-17 AV + AVRLE

“16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

which became in the 1885 version

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV 1885; English Revised Version

“16 Every scripture inspired of God [is] also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 17 that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work.”

Which today sounds already nicer or easier to read in later versions like

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV which can also be found in the Public Cambridge Edition and Oxford edition as well as the KJVCNT; the KJV 2000 version

(16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (17)  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

But see the small difference between

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV-BRG

(16)  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (17)  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

with in some KJV the “is” being omitted

Also look at a more modern version of the KJV, were even other words are used

2 Timothy 3:16-17 MKJV

(16)  All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  (17)  that the man of God may be perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work.

which was presented in the 21st Century version

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV

“16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for all good works.”

and in the Proper Name or the restored versions looks like

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJBPNV

“16 All scripture \@is\@ given by inspiration of God, and \@is\@ profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works.”

In the Twenty-eleven King James Version got printed as

2 Timothy 3:16-17 KJV_2011

“16 All scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Which is translated in the New American Standard Bible

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NAS of 1977

“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NAS of 1995

“16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

And in the contemporary translation from 1984 so many reject the New International Version presents

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

“16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

In these two verses you might not see so much difference, though many make such a fuss about them, but when we look in the Old Testament, more variation is offered by the different KJV editions throughout the years. In later versions the name of God יהוה, YHWH (Iowah, Iovhah, Iova, Yehowah/Jehowah/Jehovah) was changed to “Yahweh” or “Jahweh” and worst of all got also changed to “Lordy”, “Lord of Lords”, “Lord of lords”, “Host of hosts”, “GOD”, “God” or “LORD” or to a more confusing “Lord”, so that lots of people could not see any more if was spoken about the Divine “Host of hosts“, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, or about God His son, Jeshua, the sent one from God, Christ Jesus, which much better the trinitarian teaching of several churches in Christendom.

+

Preceding: Old and newer King James Versions and other translations #1 Pre King James Bible

Continues: Old and newer King James Versions and other translations #3 Women and versions

++

Additional reading:

1. The Bible a book of books
2. Book of books and great masterpiece
3. Authority of the Bible
4. Ketuvim, Writings, Hagiographa, Five Megillot and Messianic Scriptures
5. Are there certain books essential to come to faith
6. King James Bible Coming into being
7. Dedication and Preaching Effort 400 years after the first King James Version
8. Rare original King James Bible discovered
9. Celebrating the Bible in English
10. TheBible4Life KJV Jubileum
11. Appointed to be read
12. The NIV and the Name of God
13. Lord in place of the divine name
14. Archeological Findings the name of God YHWHUse of /Gebruik van Jehovah or/of Yahweh in Bible Translations/Bijbel vertalingen
15. יהוה , YHWH and Love: Four-letter words
16. Accuracy, Word-for-Word Translation Preferred by most Bible Readers
17. Hebrew, Aramaic and Bibletranslation
18. Bible Translating and Concordance Making
19. Comparisson Bible Books in English, Dutch and French
20. Some Restored Name Versions
21. Codex Sinaiticus available for perusal on the Web
22. What English Bible do you use?
23. The Most Reliable English Bible
24. 2001 Translation an American English Bible
25. NWT and what other scholars have to say to its critics
26. New American Bible Revised Edition
27. The NIV and the Name of God
28. Anchor Yale Bible
29. iPod & Android Bibles
30. Perspectives on the Formation of the Book of the Twelve
31. Scripture alone Sola Scriptora
32. Who Gets to Say What the Bible Says?
33. Forbidden fruit
34. Obstacles to effective evangelism

+++

Further reading

1. Of Gods and Languages: On “When God Spoke Greek”
2. Why Is God’s Name Missing From Many Bibles ?
3. Names of God in Judaism: EMET excerpt selected by אלוה אל
4. ΠΙΠΙ and the Use of Hebrew in Greek Manuscripts
5. The Divine Name and Greek Translation
6. I AM…………………….The name of God and endless potential.
7. How Factual is the Bible?
8. Books every Jew(-to-be) should have
9. Amazing Tanakh, Or Five Reasons I Learned to Love the Old Testament
10. Newly Discovered Egyptian Scrolls Reveal Pyramids were Built with Retarded Slaves
11. New Technology Could Reveal Secrets in 2,000 Year Old Scrolls
12. A short Popular Survey of the Old Testament
13. Wisdom or Heresy?
14. Catholic Myths about the Deuterocanon
15. Views on canonicity
16. Marginalia #6: “Apocrypha”
17. Old Testament Pseudepigrapha
18. AHOTKJBP Episode 14: The Apocrypha: A discussion with Dr. Mike Spaulding
19. Apocryphal musings: Sirach 34:1-7
20. His Accustomed Place: Inspiration from Tobit and the Walls of Nineveh
21. Common Awards Student Conference 2016. Part 3: More Jesus or Another Jesus? A New New Testament
22. First issue of Gnosis: Journal for Gnostic Studies Published
23. The Vossen Collection of Coptic Manuscripts
24. Special issue of BSOR on the Discovery of the Nag Hammadi Codices
25. Ancient and modern Christian apocrypha: The Gospels of Judas, Mary, Thomas, Peter and Phillip etc. and The Kolbrin Bible, The Gospel of The Essenes and The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus Christ etc.:
26. The Gnostic Genesis: Norea and Samael
27. The Gnostic Genesis: Eleleth’s Revelation
28. The Gnostic Genesis: Eleleth’s Prophecy
29. The Apocryphon of Ezekiel, Fragments 2-5
30. The Treatise of Shem
31. Roman Emperors – Sibylline Oracles, Book 12
32. Christian or Gnostic? – Sibylline Oracles, Book 7
33. The Breeches Bible
34. Christian Scholars Admit To Corrupting The Bible
35. Muslim Scholars Admit To Corrupting The Qu’ran
36. The Expert Idiocracy is as Dangerous as Islam ⋆ The Constitution
37. Some Notes on Bible Translations
38. August 25, 2016 Resources: Suicide of the Republic; How We Got Our Bible; Sound Preaching
39. KJV Only
40. KJV Only?
41. Wisdom from The Holy Scriptures
42. The King James Bible and the Restoration
43. The Septuagint: The KJV of the Ancient World
44. How the King James Bible absolutely disproves the perpetual virginity of Mary
45. 7 Bible Translations You Should Look At Regularly
46. Try It, Then Critique
47. Faith Exercises
48. Deuteronomy 22:5 In 20 Popular translation
49. Security Of The Believer
50. No Other Gods: Walter Kirn’s “My Mother’s Bible”
51. Julius Africanus: One Interesting Fellow!
52. KJV Lecture Published
53. New Cambridge History of the Bible
54. KJV App
55. NIV 50th Anniversary and Translation Strategy
56. The Early Church Bookshelf
57. Qumran Pt 1: What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
58. A Biblical Theology of OT Holy War, Pt 3: Seed Conflict
59. A Clash of Monotheisms: Tawhid vs. Trinity, Pt 1
60. A Clash of Monotheisms, Pt 2: Dhat and Pluralness in Person
61. Researching outside of the bible
62. Will God’s people be stumbled by the name of Jehoshua?
63. Christ never heard himself called “Jesus”

+++

Related articles

• The Conflict Over Different Bible Versions/Part 1 | John Ankerberg Show – John Ankerberg Show
• Bible Statistics
• Navigating a World of Confusion and Strife
• Supplies the spirit of Jesus Christ
• Back in print: Tyndale Bible
• Facts and History of the Bible, Know ‘yer Bible – Mormon a Go Go
• A Drop in the Bucket
• The Conflict Over Different Bible Versions/Part 4 | John Ankerberg Show – John Ankerberg Show
• Hosea 4: 6 (KJV) My people perish from a lack of knowledge.
• Do You Hunger, Thirst, or Need To Fill a Void? Turn to Jesus Christ for Eternal Life

Back from gone #1 Aim of ungodly people

Aim of terrorists has changed

The world has seen clashes or periods of terrorism, small and big wars. In the late 1980’s, terrorism appeared to be on the decline. However, a new breed of terrorist has emerged. Today’s terrorist threat comes primarily from extremists who have established their own funding networks — through traffic in drugs, private business, independent wealth, charities, and local financial support. And they continue to be as ruthless as ever.

“Terrorism has changed,”

says Brad Roberts of the Institute for Defense Analyses.

“Traditional terrorists wanted political concessions. But now, some groups say their main aim is mass casualties. That makes biological weapons appealing.”

Is it difficult to obtain such weapons? The magazine Scientific American says:

“One can cultivate trillions of bacteria at relatively little risk to one’s self with gear no more sophisticated than a beer fermenter and a protein-based culture, a gas mask and a plastic overgarment.”

Once the germs are prepared, delivering them is relatively easy. Victims would not even know that a weapon had been set off until a day or two later. And by then it could be too late. therefore French president Hollande straight after the November 13 attacks in Paris demanded to enlarge the reserve of anti material for an Anthrax attack.

Skin reaction to anthrax

Anthrax is said to be a likely choice as a biological weapon. The disease gets its name from the Greek word for coal — a reference to the black scabs that typically form over sores that develop on the skin of those who come in contact with anthrax-infected livestock. Defence planners are more concerned about lung infections caused by breathing in anthrax spores. In humans, anthrax infection has a high mortality rate.

Why is anthrax such an effective biological weapon? The bacterium is easy to cultivate and is highly resistant. It would take several days before the victims would experience the first symptom, a flulike malaise and fatigue. A cough and mild chest discomfort follow. Then come severe respiratory distress, shock and, within hours, death.

The Staggering Cost

The tragic loss of human life is the most obvious result of terrorism. But there are broader implications. Terrorism can destroy or delay the peace process in trouble spots on the planet. It provokes, prolongs, or entrenches conflicts, and it accelerates the cycle of violence.

Terrorism can also have an impact on national economies. Governments have been forced to spend enormous amounts of time and resources to combat it. For example, in the United States alone, antiterrorism spending was budgeted at more than ten billion dollars for the year 2000.

Whether we notice it or not, terrorism affects us all. It influences the way we travel and the choices we make when we travel. It forces countries around the world to spend huge amounts of tax money to protect public figures, vital installations, and citizens.

So the question remains, Is there a lasting solution to the scourge of terrorism?

Why Terrorism?

Terrorism is systematic, premeditated, and calculated. The resulting toll in deaths and injuries is not the primary objective. Such carnage is a means to an end, part of the atmosphere of shock and fear that the terrorist wishes to create in order to undermine authority and gain a hearing for his specific cause. Consider some of the factors behind the violent acts of terrorists.

Hatred.

“Terrorism . . . is fueled by hatred,”

stated Louis J. Freeh, director of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“Those who harbour such hatred live in a world that is coloured by bigotry, shaded by conspiracy, and framed by ignorance.”

Oppression.

“To be sure, there are leaders of groups and countries whose irrational goals are the annihilation of other cultures,”

writes Stephen Bowman in his book When the Eagle Screams.

“But it is also clear that a great deal of terrorism is born of despair.”

Frustration.

“In many cases . . . the primary motivation for a terrorist is a genuine frustration with seemingly intractable political, social, and economic forces,”

observes the editor of the book Urban Terrorism.

Injustice.

“Terrorism is a symptom of a problem, not the actual cause,”

remarks Michael Shimoff in his paper “The Policy of Terrorism.” He continues:

“Our long-term goal should be to eliminate the underlying social and political causes of terrorism. . . . Paralleling our actions against terrorism, we must have equally vigorous efforts to enhance freedom, dignity, justice, and humanitarian values. Only when those vigorous efforts are effective, will we be able to dismantle our counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism operations.”

Long ago foretold and written down

Very long ago words were written down for in the future. Men of God had to write down signs people could come to see when the world would come in an other stadium of phase.

The causes and history of terrorism have proved the truth of the Biblical statement:

“Man has dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9)

The Bible even foretold the traits that have nurtured terrorism. It says:

“In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, . . . having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4.)

The reality is that human efforts to combat terrorism, no matter how sincerely motivated, cannot successfully deal with its causes. The Bible realistically observes:

“To earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23)

However, while the solution to the problem of terrorism is beyond human power, it certainly is not beyond God’s power.

The Solution

Those who have been wronged or oppressed and who feel frustrated can find comfort in the Bible’s sure promise:

“The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.” (Proverbs 2:21, 22.)

This promise of God will soon be fulfilled. His Ruler, the reigning King Jesus Christ, will see to that. A Bible prophecy says regarding Christ:

“He will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:3, 4.)

Yes, God’s Son, Jesus Christ, will soon eliminate all injustice as well as those responsible for it. In God’s righteous new system, terrorism and violence of every kind will be things of the past. Then everyone on earth will live in security, free from fear of any harm. (Revelation 21:3, 4.)

+

Continues with: Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people

Part of this post can also be found in a Dutch posting / Een deel van deze tekst kan terug gevonden worden in een Nederlandstalige versie: 2015 het jaar dat ISIS duidelijk maakte dat het ook in Europa is – Vervolg 2

++

Additional reading

1. The Meaning of Paris
2. Paris Attack and Ranting
3. Spike In Anti-Muslim Attacks Casts Spotlight On Government Policies
4. Before you blame All Muslims for the terrorist attack in Paris
5. Problematic Or Patriotic? Two Ways To Talk About Muslims
6. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
7. Don’t be Muslim
8. Solidarité: The Paris Attack and the Refugee Crisis
9. Father explaining Paris attack to young son
10. A husband’s heartbreaking tribute to his wife killed in the Paris attacks
11. Paris, in Retrospect
12. Are Christianity and Capitalism Compatible?
13. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
14. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 4 Blasphemy and ridiculing faith in God
15. Still Hope though Power generating long train of abuses
16. Of old and new ideas to sustain power and to feel good by loving to be connected and worship something
17. Christians at War? Christians using violence?
18. The Crusader Rifle
19. Paris Our Prayers Are With You: Victory Shall Be Yours!
20. Listening for the Language of Peace
21. What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?
22. Real progress leaves nobody behind
23. Swallowed in the Sea but belonging to earth
24. Thematically Unhinged.
25. Children of Men
26. Migration not something to fear

+++

Further related articles

1. Our world
2. The Mighty River Racism
3. Discrimination is learned; a child’s perspective
4. Of Terrorists and Mass Shooters
5. 2015 deadly mass shootings in the U.S. and abroad
6. Paris Attacks
7. Some thoughts on the Paris attacks
8. Paris Attackers – Who?
9. Fifty-Seven Paris Airport Employees Were on Terror Watch List
10. An Interview on the Paris Attacks
11. AP Interview: Iraqi envoy: Paris attack marks new global war
12. The Daily Toast: Weaken The Nation State, Breed More Extremism
13. The Pestilence of Rabid Nationalism
14. Paris terrorist attacks: Strange behavior of 2 women at Café Nostra
15. Paris Attacks shared through Periscope app updates
16. The Paris Attacks: A Response from Nabeel Qureshi
17. France Makes Major Shift Toward Fascism in Wake of Paris Terror Attacks
18. The Paris Attacks: Should France Rain Flowers?
19. How International Students Feel about the Paris Attacks
20. Study Abroad: Affected by November Paris Attacks?
21. New arrest in Paris attacks linked to apartment raid
22. New arrest in Paris attacks linked to apartment raid that killed suspected planner
23. A Culture Comes Together From Paris Attacks
24. U.S Marine Ken O’Keefe Exposes Paris Attacks Hoax – YouTube
25. Operation Gladio Reborn: The Paris Attacks Have Unleashed A New Wave Of Emergency Laws
26. Authorities Are Using Paris Attacks To Rush New Mass Surveillance Laws – The Vigilant Citizen
27. BBC Radio Appearance: Do Western tragedies receive uneven attention?
28. Ten thousand troops to flood Britain’s streets in fight against terrorism | Ben Glaze and Jack Blanchard – Mirror Online
29. Fear is a weapon of mass destruction
30. Catholic priest removed for comparing Paris victims to terrorists
31. Australia Passes New Law to Strip Jihadists of Citizenship
32. Paris cafe where 5 people died reopens 3 weeks after attacks
33. Lt Col Bill Maginnis: Paris is just the beginning if the West doesn’t take Mahdism seriously
34. New York sheriff urges gun owners to carry weapons in light of mass shootings
35. The Shooting At The Regional Center Touches Too Close To Home
36. Rhetoric Of Hate
37. Why we should try to understand violence
38. Should I love or should I hate
39. Head on a swivel with JP Sadek: Everything you are hearing is wrong
40. German Cabinet Approves Military Mission Against ISIS in Syria
41. Parliament votes to bomb ISIS in Syria
42. Peace Starts With You
43. The Courage it Takes to Feel
44. Words for November
45. Prayers for Peace
46. Airstrikes in Syria? Please don’t.
47. Why Christians should stand up for freedom of speech
48. Hypocritical Bias: More on the Syrian Refugees
49. Indywheels Covers EODM “I Love You All the Time”
50. Let Them In
51. Aftermath of the Paris attacks
52. The Karma of Terror
53.  Extremism in England — part 2
54. As a Muslim woman I was never fearful in Britain. But today I’m afraid | Masuma Rahim | Comment is free |
55. The Guardian
56. We Must Understand Why Some Muslims Turn Radical
57. The story of a radicalisation: ‘I was not thinking my thoughts. I was not myself’
58. CSIS Q/A: Where is LATAM in the fight against ISIL?
59. Several Killed in Mass Shooting Attack in California
60. 2 Mass Shootings in 1 Day Leave At Least 15 Dead, Dozens Injured
61. San Bernardino latest in series of U.S. mass shootings since 2012
62. The “Mass Shootings Map” Propaganda Should Convince You to Carry At All Times
63. Egalité and Fraternité are great, but we need to ask ourselves some very difficult questions about Liberté
64. Are All Lives Equal?
65. frustration
66. Calling the “embassy”
67. Enough is Enough- The cause of Suffering is not a Mystery
68. The Black on Black Crime and Police Brutality Connection
69. Alabama Police Framed Innocent African Americans For Decades
70. Je suis terrorist sympathiser
71. Republican Jesus: The Rise of Radical Christianity
72. When You Feel Like Giving Up
73. Profit in Peace
74. Thoughts about saints and suffering in the Last Days (Letter to Lighthouse Trails)
75. 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes remote region of Peruvian jungle
76. Turkey pokes the Russian Bear The grand coalition against ISIS is growing to include Germany along with France, while
77. Turkey pokes the Russian Bear

+++

Related articles

• Poll: Vast Majority of Americans Reject Calls To Bring Syrian Refugees To U.S.
• Some Americans are a lot more worried about China than others
• 8 Offensive Images Used by the U.S. Government to Disparage the Black Ingenious People of the Philippines
• Pope tells Congress U.S. should reject hostility to immigrants
• Pope Francis leads his first mass in the U.S.
• Pope canonizes California 18th-century missionary Junipero Serra; no saint to Native Americans
• US Has 10 Million More Foreign-Born Residents Than Entire European Union
• Bill to Extend US Spending Authority Blocked in Senate
• By This Measure, The U.S. Has The 2nd Highest National Debt [INFOGRAPHIC]
• How to Become a U.S. Citizen