Bible Discussion Replies PAGE 164

(Hebrews Part 39):

Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Where it says, "let your conversation," it's literally a statement, the manner of life. The manner of life is without covetousness;

Whether you apply it to the track star, or to walking with Christ, it's all the same. The manner of life of the believer is without covetousness, which literally means without a love for money. The love for money is not even part of the Christian life.

And be content, literally, while being content, and there's actually two different directions here, staying away from covetousness, while at the same time being content with such things as you have: for he has said, a quote from Deuteronomy 31:6, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. This quote is from Genesis 28:15, Deuteronomy 31:6 and Joshua 1:5.

I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. This quote actually has 5 negatives in it. Number one, I will never leave thee. The word never represents two negatives. When a writer in Greek uses two negatives, he's talking about an impossibility. I will never, it will be impossible for me to leave you. Nor forsake you. The word forsake comes with three negatives. Now the word leave means to leave upon someone else's request. And the word forsake means to leave upon his own prompting.

So, here's what it is saying:

I will never leave you if you ask or tell me to. Nor will I ever, ever, forsake you. I will never leave you. Now that's quite a promise! Because after you're saved, and there are some who have been there, and they say Lord, why don't you just leave me alone, let me just go. But the Lord says I will never leave you, even if you tell me or ask me to. Nor will I ever, ever, leave you based on my own decision.

T-rex (Part 2):

Uh Oh! Now I have to go to the original text just to find out that the Greek word used can be translated into English as either evil, bad, wicked, malicious, or slothful. So, whether Matthew used evil in one place and wicked in the next, both are correct.

So, if you're trying to explain to someone why one English translation says one thing, and another translation says something different, the only way to come to an agreement with someone is by together going to the source, the original text. We have to keep in mind that when the bible was completed, there were no English translations.

It's not a matter of trying to prove whose translation is correct or as you put it "flawless." It is my belief that no English translation is flawless, nor should any English translation be used as the source in determining the accuracy of all other translations. We have to take whatever English translation we are using and put it to the test. We have to go to the source. What does the original text say? Does my translation line up with the original text?

Hope this helps!

Hello T-rex,

(Part 1):

Not all bibles use the same words but if a translation uses a different word than what we have in the KJB, that does not necessarily mean that the other translation is incorrect.

Taking Isaiah 45:7 as an example (as you have provided), we have to consider the original language used. We know that the OT was mostly written in Hebrew with very little Aramaic.

The Hebrew word used in Isaiah 45:7 is Ra' (pronounced rah) which can be translated into English as Evil, bad, wicked, harmful, or unpleasant. If you look up the Hebrew word Ra' in a Strongs Concordance, it lists evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity as definitions. In some English translations, you will see the word calamity used instead of evil.

So, if an English translation uses one of these words instead of the word evil, they would be correct. For instance, if someone is using the English Standard Version (ESV) Bible, and in Matthew 16:4, their translation says evil, but I'm using the KJB which says wicked, which translation would be correct? Some might say the KJB is correct because all other English translations are "evil" (pun intended).

If I say the King James is correct because I believe it is flawless, then what do I do with Matthew 12:39 (KJB) where Matthew is saying the same thing in Matthew 16:4 (KJB), except in one place he says a wicked and adulterous generation, and in another place, he says an evil an adulterous generation. Which one is correct, evil or wicked?

Yes, Mother Mac,

God did spare us in that incident and also, the driver of the semi was unharmed. He probably had a long wait for his company to send someone to help him as it was in a remote area. But he controlled his rig until he stopped and came out of it without injury. No fire, no overturning his rig, no hitting anyone else. So, God took good care of both parties.

We are looking forward to our sons, daughter in law and grandbaby to return from Kenya next Thursday. Praying for safe travel for them. They went on a safari, went to the ocean and took a boat ride. They spent time with all of Vivian's relatives from her grandparents, mother, aunts, cousins, and their boyfriends. All stayed at Grandma's home. It is a big house and very modern. So, their farming business must have been successful for them over the years to have such a nice home in a country that is generally very poor.

Vivian was blessed by this, which allowed her to study and receive a college degree there and to come to the U.S. to complete another degree here. She met my son, Kevin, while studying here in Washington state. Her family is great. Wish we could have gone to meet them all but we have so much going on with our remodel that we could not be gone for three weeks. Also, since we are almost 70, we did not want to be away from our doctors , etc. Wouldn't want to have a medical emergency over there, for sure. Maybe there will be a time when some of them can come here to visit. Her two aunts from Boston did come here for their wedding 2 years ago. Maybe her Mom will be able to come sometime. She is much younger than us. Her grandparents are in their 70's, so may never come this way.

Glad for internet and cell phones so we can meet them that way.

Mother Mac, tell me about yourself, if you wish. I would love to get to know you better.

T-rex

Perhaps it is true that God ordained evil to occur after creation in order to accomplish His perfect will and according to His wise counsel and for His pleasure unto His glory. This does not mean that God actively does evil, as He cannot do so because He would mar His perfect divine nature if He did any evil. God actually doing evil is actually impossible. But ordaining does not mean that He does it or approves of it. It just means that He willed for it to occur in order to extend His mercy and grace to save the elect.

To ordain also means that nothing happens in creation and history that God does not choose to occur. He may actively bring a disaster, such as the earth opening and swallowing up the grumbling men in the wilderness, or He may use secondary causes to bring about what He has ordained before creation. He allows creatures to choose to do evil and prevents creatures from doing evil even when they wish to do so. He also takes what is meant for evil and works it our for good for His elect., such as with Joseph. By ordaining all things to happen before creation shows His absolute right to do as He pleases and His almighty power to bring to fruition all that He has ordained without anything or anyone to prevent or frustrate His purpose.

To understand this better, I would suggest that you seek biblical explanations of this under the topic: God's Eternal Decree or under God Ordained All Things Before Creation.

Hello, Almighty

Because these tribes were scattered across the world from their captivity in Assyria, having assimilated into the societies they emigrated to, it is most likely that many have lost their identity as Israelites after so many generations. It is also highly probable that there are many Christian believers who are of these lost tribes.

The tribe of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi returned to Israel from Babylonia. Many were dispersed among the Gentiles, too, and still are so. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 and 136 A.D. Jews did not control Jerusalem of Israel for that time onward. some returned to Jerusalem in those early centuries, but many remained dispersed. Over the centuries, the middle east was occupied by a wide admixture of many peoples and cultures. The conquest of this area by the Muslim caliphates int eh 6th and 7th centuries brough many Arab Muslins into this area who have remained over the years.

The Roman empire called the area of Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Negev "Syria-Palestine" after they destroyed Jerusalem. It is a description of the land, not the peoples who lived there. There were many Crusades to this area from European and Byzantine Christians up until 1200 or so. After that, the Ottoman empire took control of the land, then Britain.

In the early 1900's the League of Nations worked with Zionists to return the land to the Jews as a homeland. Eventually, the "British Mandate did just that which led to the 1948 establishment of Israel as a nation-state along with Jordan. Syria and Lebanon remained nations. Many Jews have returned to Israel since then. Partly due to the fact that many countries post-WWII and the holocast did not want the Jews to settle in their countries.

Now that this has occurred, it is possible for the conversion of these Jews and some Israelites to occur as prophesied. Time will tell if this will occur in our lifetime or not. We can endeavor to pray for their conversion whichever way history goes.

The word is sufficient as well as the other translations. G-d creates evil, disasters, calamity when He removes Himself, much like during the diluvial. The day is coming, though, in that day ...."The Lord is one, and His name one" ( Zech 14) and the whole earth will be filled with His knowledge and glory (Is 6:3, 11:9, Hab 2:14).

Hallo, Good question T-rex God know all kind of "ghost"? He make all ones. So I trust God in all His word and hold all ppl who blame God away from me. Certainty if i can pick and choose whom I want to deal with. He have reely create everything, good and bad. If not, we will may not feel temptation or mayby not love. Or anything else for that matter. I think its wrong to pamper with ppl. All of us need to stand to hear the truth, saved or not. It is a reel thing live or die. King James have the right word. Becose it tell whom God is. God is a Person, not only that, He are Savior, redeemer and much much more.

In the last days it will come those who cant stand the truth. And we are in the last hour.

Help us dear Jesus Christ You Are. love you in Christ.

when will the lost tribes of Isarael accept Jesus as Savior and Lord

Isaiah 45:7 How do I explain to others why the KJV uses the word "evil" when other Bibles use different words? If you say its a bad translation then that goes against the KJV being flawless, but if you say this word is more accurate than the others then you make God out to look like a bad guy instead of loving?

The emphasis is Jesus was born in the flesh....."He who came by water and blood." Same concept is found in John 3:5 "whoever is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." In both places is the Hebrew idiom to be born in the flesh. Reference being when a child is born the mother's water breaks and the child comes forth in water and blood. This is an essential component to whom Jesus is and the Spirit that He gives which bears witness to His physical coming and lives in us. The introduction of 1 John and Gospel of John amplify this expounded concept. side note: baptism is a whole other discussion.

Dear DLHENRI!

I have been thinking of you and your sons ad praying. How is Arthur doing? Is he still with your other son? How are you fairing with him gone from your home?

"clean" in the Torah (Law) meant to be ritually clean in reference to the Tabernacle (later Temple). For example, if you are ritually unclean you could not participate in Temple services ie vow offerings. The lame, blind, considered ritually unclean, could not participate in worshiping at the Temple until Jesus' healed them, they were then declared clean by the priests. Significant for the culture of the time, and attribute to revelation of the Messiah. Since there is no Temple, there's no concern about being ritually clean. However, that said, Acts 15 makes reference to what is rabbinically known as Noahide Laws, in particular vs 20 which involves further study into the culture of the time. If you are a believer, you are already clean...you are accepted, by the same G-d who dwelt in the Tabernacle, because of Jesus' sacrifice. Hope this helps.

Just KFC. Actually, I think it means to drain the blood first and don't drink blood.

Blessings,

Acts 10:14

"But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean."

Acts 10:15

"And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common."

Matthew 15:11

"Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."

ok now I am confused . What are we allowed to eat to be clean.. Leviticus 11:1 - 11:47

shall not eat any thing with the blood;;;;;;;;; what does this mean .. does this mean we eat only chicken.. thank you,, nan

Reply to Gigi:

Good to hear from you and that the family is well. Praise the Lord you were saved from an accident.

God is awesome. Amen !

Dear BB25

I will be praying for Elijah that he will soon catch up in his development with walking and balance. I will pray that he begin eating more solid foods, develop a taste for the foods that the family eats. It helps if he is feed at the table when everyone else is eating.

Our grandbaby is at the stage that Elijah is at. She is 11 months old. She is standing on her own now and walking around furniture, but is tentative about taking any steps. It shouldn't be long before she and Elijah are walking.

For Elijah, it may help him to stand alone if someone stands him up and holds him firmly in a standing position and gradually release the pressure of holding him until he stands a bit on his own. At first he may immediately fall, so catch him before he does. We made a game of it with Rosie. Pretty soon, Elijah will hold himself up until he can do it alone. By aiding him in standing he will work his core muscles which will help him keep his balance for standing and walking.

For walking, we hold Rosie's hands and help her mover her feet saying "walking, walking" s she will associate the action with words. As she gets more steady on her feet and is lifting up her feet to step, we hold her hands at a lower level so she has to balance more than when we hold them from above (which allowed her to hang from our hands).

These may help Elijah.

I would say that if he does not walk withing a few months, He should be evaluated by a pediatrician.

Hello Mother Mac,

Thanks for checking in on me.

We are well and home from our vacation.

We saw the beauty of 7 western states. Saw the Grand Canyon and Lake Tahoe. It was so good to finally take a long vacation.

We had an amazing deliverance while driving between Kingman, AZ and Needles, AZ. We were in the left lane and a semi was in the right slightly ahead of us. The semi hit a long metal object in the roadway. The object flew across our lane and right away we began getting sprayed with gasoline from the semi. The object punctured his gas tank severely and fuel was flowing out of the bottom. The semi was swaying back and forth until he got to the shoulder and could stop. We continued on and remarked about how close we came to a disaster and thanked God for delivering us.

We drove to Needles (about 30 minutes away) and got a car wash.

We were so glad that the metal didn't cause a spark to the gas and cause the semi and our car to burn or that we did not hit the metal strip or that the semi didn't swerve into us.

Two of our sons, our daughter in law and grandbaby are in Nairobi, Kenya. They have been there two weeks visiting with family. They come home in a week. They are having a very good time. We miss them but they will be home soon.

Praying for them to be returned safely to us.

As to our conflict with our neighbor, we met with an attorney on Monday and received good advice and a plan to begin negotiations. Pray that we can settle out of court because it would be over $25,000 or more to go that route in legal fees.

It is a complicated situation but I know that the Lord will help us.

Well it is interesting looking up divorce rates from 2 years ago; it is about 9 percent for Jewish couples the highest level was a ghastly 51 percent among Protestants. Now I don't know if your parents are Jewish but first off I would pray for them to be restored as well as your parents as to what God designed and their Covenant; which in a way is the same thing in regard to vows made or broken with the true God.

My family on my mom's side is Jewish; and now it is just my two cousins left that I know of in that side of the family and their husbands. I wasn't wanting to go to my Aunt's funeral the other week since I knew (as far as I can tell) she never came to the Lord and since it was out of state and we were short of a worker at my job I was able to get out of it. I am not sure if my own situation is relatable; I will just say that there is spiritual deception that has blinded these family members. There is one thing with those who read the Torah and O.T.; and another with those into the Talmud; and that second group if studying in depth sees all sorts of horrible things mentioned of Christ. Many are Jewish that I have met including some in my family in name only; having no trouble befriending Hindus and such that are basically idol worshippers (although again they may be that way in name only). There are one or two very disturbing things I found out about my grandfather on my mom's side that I won't share here; but that is also the case on my dad's side of the family.

As to my own parents I tried to communicate the Gospel and be the best witness I could before my mom passed in January; my Dad is still alive and just turned 94. It is encouraging that someone in our church gave someone a tract and he came to Christ right before death and there are one or two others that saw last minute conversions. It is interesting if you have Messianic Jewish congregations in your area to meet some people that could in turn get to talk to your family members.

Brother Spencer,

Thanks, and blessings to you also!

Romans 12:21 states Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. I'm not sure if that is KJV but close enough...

Obviously the idea of forgiveness as stated with your other response to prayer is needed; there are many scriptures in that subject such as forgiving seven times seventy in the Gospels.

My discernment leads me to stating that there appear to be several things missing in your attempt to find relief for these thoughts. First of all; it is by His love; or Agape that we overcome and that brings healing- Isaiah 53:5; with His stripes we are healed!

Secondly; you are given the tools to serve those who "despitefully use you". ( Luke 6:28). This does not mean that you should continue to surround yourself with people that are physically or mentally abusive if it can be avoided. I pray that He delivers you from that.

Third; you need to guard against whatever vices and demonic influences the other people have that in turn can affect you. Satan comes to kill steal and destroy. You are called to set free those who the Lord places in your path; if they will not accept that then eventually you will be delivered from them.

Of course we need to keep in mind that vengeance is mine; I shall repay. ( Romans 12:19). Obviously if they hated Christ first they will also hate us as Jesus warned. Those who reject Christ are enemies of God. It is wickedness that is done in the house of God that needs to be dealt with directly; as we are supposed to be the standardbearers of truth. This is one way that so much evil has come into this society because so much is tolerated; we know that judgment begins in the house of God ( 1 Peter 4:17-19). We can speak out as the Spirit leads in warning and exhortation of judgment to come.

I will keep you in prayer and ask you for deliverance from these thoughts and the control it seems to have so you can be set free.

Agape. Rich P

(Hebrews Part 38):

Hebrews 13:1 - Let brotherly love continue.

The term brotherly love is the word PHILADELPHIA, love for family, family love. And the word continue means let it remain. Let it continue on. Let the love for the family of God remain and continue on with you.

Interesting, Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:6, I have run the race, I have finished the course. And Paul ran. He didn't walk. He teaches believers how to walk, but he ran. And the writer of Hebrews is also speaking of running that race set before him.

But Jesus in John 13:35, says by this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another. You see, the love that is not only commanded, but described, is when Christians have the love of Christ for other Christians, not towards non-believers. Jesus says everybody will know you're my disciples when they see that you have love to one another.

And so, he says let brotherly love, let love for family, continue on.

(Hebrews Part 37):

Hebrews 12:14 - Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

It says follow peace with all people, and the term follow is literally continually be pursuing.



If I were to have the Lord's permission to insert a little note here, it would be "Now concerning your relationship with your fellow teammates, continually pursue peace with your brethren, the one's you are running the race with."

Follow after peace, and then it says, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Who are you supposed to be seeing? The Lord! If you get off the track, you get out of running the race, your eyes are no longer on Jesus.

Hebrews 12:25 - See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

The word "see" means be continually watching. Be continually watching that you refuse not him that speaks.

The certainty of the condemnation or judgment:

For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from heaven:

The term "turn away" in the Greek text is a Present Tense, meaning those who are turning away. It's not a warning to you that if you're a believer and you turn away; you can lose your salvation. He's talking to people who are in the process of turning away. If you are one of those who are in the process of turning away from Him that speaks from heaven, you will not escape.

(Hebrews Part 36):

Hebrews 12:11 - Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous:

That's why I don't understand why some Christians say "I'm just so full of joy all the time!" It is very grievous to be out practicing and running the race, no matter how you put it. It is painful!

The production of chastisement: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Exercised is a Perfect Participle, those who have been exercised, who have been a part of the disciplinary process. It's where we get our word gymnasium from, exercise. It will produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in the end.

Hebrews 12:12 - Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Now it sounds like he's talking about someone that's old in age. But first of all, this is a Perfect Tense again. It's the hands which have been hanging down, and the feeble knees. The word feeble means paralyzed. I hope you understand what he's talking about? It's when the track coach says you've been dogging it all day. You can take another lap.

It is weary running this race. Life is agony. It is wearisome. And our hands begin to droop. And going back to the track, you're supposed to have your arms bent and moving opposite of your legs and get your body going in cadence.

But you know when you get tired, forget that, right? You can't even hold your arms up anymore. And the leg, they don't move anymore. They're paralyzed. You can't move another step. But he says lift up those hands, those feeble knees!

(Hebrews Part 35):

Hebrews 12:4 - Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

The word striving is ANTAGONIZOMENOI, ANTE which means against, and agony, where we get our term antagonist from. Our striving against sin, and again, that is an athletic term. In our battle against conditioning, in our battle against discipline, in out battle against all these things that we must do to participate as an athlete on the track and field, we haven't resisted unto blood.

We're whiners. We're here in America, and we think that a bad day is when you don't get to buy the expensive car that you wanted, and you have to settle for something else. It's like "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, no way!" But as I consider Jesus, He shed His blood at the hands of sinners. None of us have had to do that! I don't know of any of us who have ever been dragged out of your homes, or church, and been beaten and left for dead just because you're a Christian.

I heard several years back of a man in Yemen who was shot and killed. He was an English teacher in one of the schools, and they accused him of spreading Christianity. They just dragged him out of his classroom and killed him because they accused him of teaching Christianity.

We haven't experienced that here in America. So, lest we grow weary by fainting in our minds, look to Jesus. We haven't resisted yet to blood in our striving against sin, our struggle against sin.

Hebrews 12:5 - And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

He says and ye have forgotten the exhortation. The word forgotten is what is called the Perfect Tense, which means at this present moment, over a period of time, they forgot this exhortation and should have known about it.

Very inspiring read Brother Jesse!

and Very well put together!

God bless you Brother.

(Hebrews Part 34):

Hebrews 12:3 - For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

It says, for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself. The word consider (ANALOGISASTHE) is a Greek word where we get our English word analog or analyze from. It is an educational term for what a student does with their books and materials as they are preparing for a test.

So don't just look at Jesus, let's analyze Him, the one who endured the cross. He endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. He's introducing us to the fact that while we're running the race, we're going to become weary. If you've ever participated in a sporting event, after a while, you're going to get weary. No matter what athletic event you're doing, you're going to experience some tiredness, weary.

So, analyze Jesus, His suffering that He experienced by sinners against Himself, lest you be wearied. And it is interesting because there's really only one statement here instead of two, lest you be wearied by fainting in your minds. The last phrase is what is called a Modal Participle. It describes what wearied means. Lest you be wearied by becoming faint in your minds. It's the word PSEUCHE, which means Psyche. So, let's analyze Him. Let's look to Jesus!

This is my life verse. Because Of Him I have been able to get through a lot in my life.

Penny Medley