Is the Bible Holy?
Alan R Naas December 2020
I have been looking again at some history of religions and Bibles and the translations of Bibles and I am still amazed how and why Christianity got off on the wrong track and how this works in the purpose of God.
This title may sound sacrilegious, but it is a valid question. “Is the Bible holy?”
When it comes to the Bible, we must ask ourselves, “What is the Bible?”
Religious denominations established several colleges in America in order to train ministers. American education was initially performed in the home or church. Public education was the creation of a devout socialist and communist, Horace Mann, Secretary of Education, in 1837 arguing that “universal public education was the best way to turn the nation’s unruly children into disciplined, judicious republican citizens”. As public education progressively replaced religious schools, the real purpose of “social” education could be implemented. As Americans funneled their money and their children into the socialist re-education program, the brain-washing intensified, and the fruits of the tree have now ripened. Colleges have become the breeding ground for not only corporate worker bees but also the social elite. Notice who is now demonstrating and rioting in the streets to change our country to socialism: College students.
Schools are now being closed because they are no longer necessary. They have served their purpose in the re-education of generations of Americans. They no longer need the education system because soon we will have socialism and artificial intelligence.
I am going to draw a shocking parallel. Traditional Christianity and the Bibles they have produced have also served their purpose in the enemy’s scheme of keeping God’s people from “all truth” and “the acknowledging of the truth”. Wow Al, how can you say that; what do you mean by that? Instead of creating a strong spiritual body feeding on dispensational truth, “Biblical Christianity” has created a weak, divided and compromising body starved by the emptiness of religion. Christianity is becoming a skeleton.
1 Tim 2:3-4 “it is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved to come unto the full knowledge of the truth “. But this has not happened through traditional Christianity and the Bibles they have produced. Ephesians 4:18 says “having the understanding darkened. 2 Tim 3:7 says “ever learning and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth”. 2 Tim 3:4 “and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto myths”.
Well, I started out to just study and summarize the words in our Bible that we as a group have discovered that have been mistranslated and misleading. But when I stepped backed and looked at the history of churches and religion and the arrangement of the Bible as a whole, I marveled at how this creation of man has subtly worked to keep God’s people in the dark. Now, before you walk away, let me explain.
God has inspired men to write down what He has spoken to them. Some wrote in the Hebrew language and some wrote in the Greek language. There is a world of difference between their original scrolls of those days and the bound volume we hold in our hands today.
The original Scriptures were given the by the inspiration of God as Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16. But what do we hold in our hand today? Is there such thing as a perfect translation of the original Scriptures? Some have said that the KJV is the “best” translation available.
To get from the Hebrew and Greek languages to the English language requires the work of a linguist: a person skilled in languages. In verbal form we call this person an interpreter.
Noah Webster’s definition of TRANSLATE
is to interpret; to render into another language; to express the sense of one language in the words of another language.
So can the two terms “translate” and “interpret” be separated when it comes to the Scriptures?
It is one thing to translate the grammar of words and sentences, but is another thing to understand the meaning, idea, or teaching being conveyed.
When it comes to the Scriptures there is a human element and a spiritual element.
Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Paul prayed in Ephesians 1:17-18
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened…
E.W. Bullinger states in Appendix 107 of the Companion Bible:
If we believe that throughout the Scriptures we have the words of God, and not of man, all difficulties vanish. The difficulties are created by first assuming that we are dealing with merely human documents,…
Stewart Allen in his book The Interpretation of Scripture
…if we do not know the correct method of Biblical interpretation, we shall confuse the voice of God with the voice of man.
Having the eyes of your understanding enlightened allows you to see much more than correct Biblical doctrine.
Every English translation of the Bible that we possess is tainted by the human intervention, if not even also demonic intervention. Human intervention carries with it every contamination of the mind by all authorities of family, of religion, of society, of government, of education and of the spiritual realm. Whenever a fleshly human being attempts to translate a spiritual document, there opens an opportunity for the wiles of the devil to introduce deception. Therefore, every version of the Bible should be called “Man’s Version”.
We know what is happening. The enemy takes full advantage of every opportunity in every translation of God’s word to steer believers in the wrong direction: to make all men “not” see the dispensation of the mystery. Even though the Apostle Paul is God’s vessel and the voice of his gospel given by the risen Lord, he is reduced by traditional Christianity to a mere cheerleader status to the “real” players on the field: Peter, James, and John.
What exactly is “the word of the truth” in 2 Timothy 2:15? Is it the original Divine inspiration that God gave to the men He chose to put it down in writing? What exactly is the word of the truth? Does any translated Bible contain the word of the truth?
When I first entered into a fellowship of independent Bible study and was beginning to learn right division and dispensational truth, it was hard to set aside all he traditional doctrine that I was taught for fifty years of going to church. This makes me think and wonder how the translators of our English Bibles dealt with the doctrines burned into their minds when it came to translating certain Hebrew and Greek words. Well that will be our lesson tonight.
The study of the history of the Bible can be very eye-opening and sobering. How many people gave their lives to copying manuscripts? How many dedicated their entire lives translating parts of the Bible or the entire Bible? How many lost their lives or suffered torture and persecution for translating and printing Bibles; or just possessing one. There were many in the “Church” hierarchy who not only burned Bibles but also burned the people who possessed them as well. Why?
The battle over the control and availability of the words of God continues to rage on as it has for centuries. The conflicts over the translation and the interpretation of God’s word are continuous.
I don’t think we can fully understand or appreciate the contribution that Dr. E. W. Bullinger has made to our fuller understanding of the Scriptures. He was responsible for the development of the Companion Bible which was completed and first printed in 1922. He supplemented the King James Bible with marginal study notes and 198 Appendices. His research and marginal notes that clarify the translation and interpretation of Hebrew and Greek words and concepts has allowed us to pierce the veil of traditional teaching in order to see some of the original truths of God’s inspiration. But notice that the word “Holy” is not found on the cover.
Only by the gift of the Holy Spirit’s teaching have we been blessed with our unfolding understanding of the unfolding purpose of God. Only by the God-given understanding and knowledge and wisdom as stated in Proverbs 2, have we been able to acknowledge the pinnacle of the mystery of Christ; which is the mystery of the Body of Christ with Christ as our Head in this present and glorious dispensation of the Father. Wherein, He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known to us the mystery of His will, not according to any covenant, but according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself (paraphrased Eph 1:8-9).
The use of Bullinger’s Companion Bible is an effective tool in our labour in the Word. Although it too has its flaws, it is nonetheless a valuable asset. His critical, explanatory, and suggestive notes have flagged our attention to the appropriate translation of some very key words in the Scriptures upon which some very basic, yet controversial, doctrines rest. Although the human element of translation is significantly removed, even Bullinger understood his own limitations. Most of his work and notes were done under a mid-Acts dispensational understanding long before he was enlightened late in his life by a young man of no means named Charles H. Welch.
We also owe a debt of immeasurable gratitude to Mr. Charles H. Welch, who brought to Dr. Bullinger’s attention and to our own awareness the importance of dispensational truth and the right division of Scriptures. His attention to the importance of Acts 28:28 is unparalleled. It is by these principles that we can begin to visualize the unfolding purpose of God that He purposed in Himself. These have been our trustworthy keys to enter into the Holy of Holies of the heavenly Temple with boldness and access to the throne of the Father Who has the risen Lord Jesus Christ at His right hand side.
We acknowledge that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for (correct) doctrine (2 Tim 3:16). But the English translations that we possess and use are products of man’s understanding and are not pure as are God’s words.
The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Psalm 12:6
Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. Ps119:140
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Pro 30:5
If God’s word and God’s words are pure, then it stands to reason that God’s doctrine is pure also. And 2 Timothy 3:16 instructs us to reprove any doctrine that is not pure.
Just as no servant can serve two masters (Luke 16:13}, no believer can follow two doctrines.
We have learned from the studies and teaching by those in our TFT fellowship who are faithful men, that there are some words in our English translations that seem to miss the mark. Is it just because we have been blessed with a spiritual understanding (renewed in knowledge Col 3:10) that we can pick out words that are mistranslated? This brought to my attention that Bible translations are not necessarily inspired, as were the original manuscripts. There are a couple of explanations for this.
1. It has become obvious that because of the intrusion and influence of paganism and mythology, strange ideas and practices have developed in the minds of early Biblical scholars and translators.
2. Because of the political influence of religion over the state, translations were sometimes performed in secret under the cloud of suppression, intimidation, and fear for life.
3. Because of the way post-biblical Christianity evolved, it is apparent that there was no knowledge as to the principles of right division of Scriptures considering God’s dispensational boundaries.
4. By failure of Bible scholars of the day to see and acknowledge what happened with the Apostle Paul at the end of the Acts period has resulted in other strange religious doctrines which influenced the translators’ works.
5. There were also political and religious influences forced upon the translators of the English Bibles like the fifteen rules for the King James Translation.
So how holy is the Bible? There are over a hundred different English translations or interpretations. Copyright law requires at least a ten percent difference in each version. How many versions are made for simply monetary profit? How many change the Bible to agree with their beliefs, instead of changing their beliefs to agree with the Bible? Translations are entirely a product of human effort.
The Bible is just one of many study tools available. A Concordance, for example, is a valuable Bible study tool and can be used in many different ways. It is a catalogue of words used by the translators, but don’t assume that the translation is always contextually accurate or correct. Like all Bibles, many study references reflect the beliefs or understanding of the author. The Hebrew and Greek do have a true translation as guided by the Holy Spirt. But beware of some of words chosen by others as a translation; especially when the translation says (by implication).
Many of the earliest English translators were clergy in the Roman or Anglican churches wherein the Bible was translated allegorically and not literally. That had a significant influence on the understanding of the meaning of words and sentences and thoughts.
This study is a modest attempt not only to summarize some of the things that we have learned about important mistranslated words, but also to bring awareness as to how the mistranslations may have come about.
Partial Bible translations into languages of the English people can be traced back to the late 7th century, including translations into Old and Middle English. More than 450 translations into English have been written.
In the United States, 55% of survey respondents who read the Bible reported using the King James Version in 2014, followed by 19% for the New International Version, with other versions used by fewer than 10%.
Historically the earliest English translations of the Scriptures took place in the time of the Anglo-Saxon period in what is now called England. During the sixth century, from what is now called the Roman Catholic Church, Augustine and monks were sent to this region to convert the Saxon and Angle pagans to the European version of Christianity. There are seven copies of the Wessex Gospels and the Landisfarne Gospels extant.
Can we see any evidence in the English translation of God’s word that there were outside influences and human interventions that may have hindered believers from coming to the acknowledgement of the truth?
v Whoever translated the Bible into English inserted the word “Testament” for the translation of the Greek (1242) diatheke which means “a disposition, contract, covenant”
The Bible is divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. This choice of terms came into our English translations through the Latin Vulgate.
Appendix 95 in the Companion Bible covers this topic very well and I refer you to it.
Some say that our volume of Scriptural books should be titled as “The Word of God” or “The Scripture of Truth”. But as soon as it is translated or interpreted from the Hebrew and the Greek it becomes “man’s version”.
Bullinger suggests if the collective volume is divided at all it should be divided into three sections:
1. Divine. By God the Father
2. Divine. By God the Son
3. Divine. By God the Spirit of Truth
Would it be better to rearrange the books of the Bible and improve the translation to agree with dispensational truth and right division? That work has yet to be done. Dispensationally the Bible could be divided into three sections:
1. The Old Covenant
2. The New Covenant (Acts period writings)
3. No Covenant (post-Acts period writings)
v Whoever translated the Bible into English did not arrange the books in a dispensationally correct order.
If the chronological order of the NT books can be determined, then they should be arranged accordingly under divisions as suggested above.
v Whoever first translated the Bible into English believed that there was a place of eternal torment of the condemned called “hell”.
If someone were to ask you if you believe in “Hell”, you could respond in this way. “I know one thing for sure: (above) Whoever first….
As Ronnie McCurry so thoroughly studied every occurrence of that word in the KJV translation,
In the KJV the word “Hell” appears 54 times:
31 times in the Old Testament
23 times in the New Testament
All 31 times in the OT it is translated from the Hebrew word “sheol” which is translated in other places as “the grave” or “pit”. If the word hell is replaced by the words “the grave” in each of these 31 translations, the meaning and understanding is correct and often makes more sense. “The grave” means the unseen world of the dead and is not to be confused with “a grave”.
In the NT The word “Hell” is translated from the Greek words: Gahanna 12 times (smoldering trash dump in the valley outside of Jerusalem), Hades 10 times (same as sheol, meaning “the grave”), and Tartarus 1 time (place of containment for fallen angels)
We know that the word “hell” and the concept of hell originated from the goddess of the underworld in Norse mythology whose name was “Hel”. It was adopted by Greek philosophers and picked by the Pharisees of the Jews, whose tradition Jesus rebuked in Luke 16 when He cited the satire of the rich man and Lazarus.
The threat of eternal torment is a convenient way to control human behavior or threaten human misconduct, but it is not a concept of God.
So we have concluded that the word “hell” is not an inspired word from God and should not be in the Bible.
v Whoever translated the Bible into English also believed in the concept or doctrine of the “immortal soul”.
This doctrine claims that all souls are immortal, and after death, spend eternity in either heaven or hell. This nicely supports and ties into the doctrine of “hell”. But this means that everyone who has ever lived on earth will have eternal life: some in heaven and some in hell. In order to have eternal torment, one must have eternal life.
My Catholic Bible teaches under their definition of “hell” that “when the day of the last judgment arrives, the bodies of the damned will rejoin their souls to suffer the everlasting punishment.”
However, this idea makes Jesus a liar when he said only those who believe in Him shall have eternal life. Those who do not believe in Jesus are condemned and shall perish. Perish means to simply waste away or return to the earthly elements with no resurrection. They will have no afterlife at all.
Immortality is something we seek. Romans 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Immortality is something we must put on. 1 Corinthians 15:53, 54
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Jesus brought immortality to light. 2 Timothy 1:10
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Someone once asked Oscar Baker if he believed in the immortal soul. Oscar replied, “Yes. There is one immortal soul in the Bible: Jesus Christ”.
Which in His times He shall shew, Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
v Whoever translated the English Bible believed in a “universal church” instead of separate and distinct “out-callings” (ekklesia).
Here is what Dr. Bullinger wrote in Appendix 107 which sets the table for the next course:
If we believe that throughout the Scriptures we have the words of God, and not of man, all difficulties vanish. The difficulties are created by first assuming that we are dealing with merely human documents, and then denying the Divine Speaker and Author the right that is claimed by every human writer for himself.
It thus seems that man may take any liberty he chooses in quoting, adapting, or repeating in a varied form his own previously written words; but that he denies the Divine Author of the Holy Scripture the right to deal in the same manner with His own words. This is the cause of all the so-called "discrepancies" and "difficulties" arising from man's ignorance.
The Holy Spirit, in referring to words which He has before caused to be written in connection with the special circumstances of each particular case, frequently refers to them again in relation to different circumstances and other cases. He could have employed other words had He chosen to do so; but it has pleased Him to repeat His own words, introducing them in different connections, with other applications, and in new senses.
A perfect example of this note is the Holy Spirit’s use of the Greek form “ekklesia”. The repeated use of the Greek form “ekklesia” is used
1. Acts-period writings of the past in connection with its circumstances
2. In the present post-Acts period writings of Paul with its circumstances
3. In the prophetic writings of the future Revelation period with its circumstances
Human translations in the English have combined all three of these separations by the Holy Spirit into one uniform meaning by the use of the word “church”.
We have shown in previous studies on The Etymology of the Word Church the deception that the word “church” is said to come from the Greek kuriakon meaning “house of the Lord”. However, kuriakon is not found in the Greek NT. So how does the English word “church” become the translation for the Greek ekklesia which means a calling out, or ones called out? The calling-out in each of the three periods above is under different circumstances.
We have found that the word “church” comes from Greek mythology and pagan worship. The root of the word “church” refers to a place to worship a god, whereas, the Greek ekklesia refers to a people called out for a specific and separate purpose of God (Romans 8:28 Them who are the called according to His purpose). “Church” only serves to confuse the true meaning of ekklesia.
Those who first translated the gospels into the Anglo-Saxon language used the word “church” to transliterate the meaning of “ekklesia” to the meaning of “kuriakon” because
1. they made the ekklesia came to mean an institution over the people
2. they made the use of the word ekklesia to mean the same institution under all the past, present, and future circumstances of the NT writings
3. The pagans that they were attempting to convert had an understanding of the pagan meaning of what became “church”
We have concluded that the word “church” is not an inspired word of God and does not belong in the English Bible.
The invention and use of a church building was also Satan’s way of making a mockery of the Temple of God in the Bible.
v Whoever translated the English Bible believed that there was only one gospel by translating the Greek (2097) euaggelizo and (2098) euaggelion with the Anglo-Saxon word “gospel” throughout the New Testament.
This goes along the same lines as the word “church”. If you want to get the ire of a traditional Christian, just mention the fact that there is more than one gospel in the Bible.
At the time the English translations were born and developing, Christianity had become a state and political institution where membership was by either by coercion or familial passage or a social requirement. In other words, there wasn’t much evangelism taking place. Membership in a church was usually not because of hearing “good news”. It was dictated: tolerated more than enjoyed. It was a fleshly requirement rather than a spiritual experience. Keep in mind that all church services were performed in Latin which was understood by only very few of the clergy. Most Christians were born into “the church” and baptized as an infant to immediately seal the deal.
In spite of the truth that are several “good messages” throughout the New Testament, and some of which are dispensational, there is an attempt to gloss over these differences by assuming one universal “gospel” that is associated with one universal “church”.
The Anglo-Saxon word “Godspell” means “a narrative of God” and was inserted into the titles of the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The title of “Saint” was also assigned to each of these persons, but was later removed in the Protestant versions. Each of these four writings could be considered “a narrative of God” concerning the four aspects of the life and ministry of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. But to (A) insert that translation “gospel” throughout the New Testament in the place of the Greek noun euaggelion and (B) to insert “gospel preached” or “to preach the gospel” in the place of the verb euagglizo precludes the separate identities of the good news being put forth.
There is the good news of the Messiah and the kingdom of heaven. There is the good news of the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. There is the good news of the grace of God. There is the good news of the dispensation of the Body of Christ. There is the age-abiding good news of latter days. These and any others are not all the same “gospel”.
The good news of our salvation in the body of Christ is not the same as the good news of salvation in the kingdom hope.
But, again, it is necessary to point out that if you look up 2097 in Strong’s Concordance it is translated “preach the gospel” as if there was only one gospel. And if you look up 2098 is it translated as “the gospel” as if there is only one gospel. So as the translation goes, so goes the Concordance. When, in fact, the word “gospel” should not even be there in either the Bible or the Concordance.
v Whoever translated the Bible into English believed in the young earth theory by translating katabole as “foundation” instead of “overthrow”.
This twist in translation may have contributed significantly to the blindness of the calling-out of the Body of Christ as a separate and distinct from those called out for the kingdom of Israel.
What is meant by “the foundation of the world”?
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
The original Greek form translated by the English word “foundation” here is katabole (2602).
There are two Greek forms in the Bible that are translated as “foundation” in the English.
Katabole (2602) 10 times foundation (connected with the world)
He 11:11 conceive (cast down seed)
Themelios (2310) foundation 15 times (never used of the world or earth)
Themelios means something put down, foundation.
Katabole means a casting down, overthrow, disruption, ruin (from the verb kataballo = to throw down, cast down, descend, fall down)
Themelios never pertains to the world or the earth but katabole does. The katabole of the kosmos can only mean the disruption, ruin, or overthrow of the (former) world.
This presents is a great dividing line between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2
Genesis 1:1 could be the only origination or “founding” of the heavens and the earth.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (a perfect ornament)
2 Peter 3:5, 6 belongs between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2
v 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Genesis 1:2 would be the “ruin, overthrow, or disruption” of the earth.
And the earth became without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
There are three more verses in Scripture that belong between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2
John 17:24 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation (overthrow) of the world.
1 Peter 1:20 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation (overthrow) of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Ephesians 1:4 4 According as he hath chosen us (the Body of Christ) in him before the foundation (overthrow) of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
There are seven other verses that use “the foundation (katabole) of the world. Instead of “pro katabole” (before), these are “apo katabole” (since or from).
Matthew 13:35 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Matthew 25:34 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Luke 11:50 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Hebrews 4:3 3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 9:26 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Rev 13:8 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Of all the early and modern English translations, none have corrected the translation of katabole to mean “overthrow” or “disruption” or “ruin” of the world..
v Whoever translated the Bible into English had some fear of retribution by either political or ecclesiastical authorities evidenced by their choice of certain translated words.
Such external human influences are evidenced by other strange translations of Greek forms: for example the translation of politeuma (4175) in Philippians 3:20 as “conversation” instead of “community” or “citizenship”.
3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
The Greek 4172 polis = city
4173 politarches = ruler of a city
4174 politeia = citizenship
4175 politeuma = a community, commonwealth
4176 politeomai = behave as a citizen
4177 polites = citizen
Politeuma can be translated as citizenship, commonwealth, colony, or community.
In our day, when the members of a cult live on the same property, it is referred to as a “compound”. If we are considered a cult by some, then our “compound” is in the heavens.
For the community of us exists even now in the huperano epouranios (greatly higher heavens)…
Philippi was a Roman military colony. Therefore one could live in Philippi and be called a citizen of Rome. So we who live on earth can be called citizens of the heavens.
But under a monarchy such as the King of England or under the papal dictator of the Roman “universal” church, such a heavenly citizenship could be deemed as a disregard or usurpation of all earthly authority. Therefore the translators may have thought it best not to use the correct translation and find a more subtle substitute that would also sound fitting (politically correct).
1395 Wycliffe living
1525 Tyndale conversation
1535 Coverdale conversation
1568 Bishop’s conversation
1587 Geneva conversation
1611 AKJV conversation
1729 Mace NT denizens
1755 Wesley conversation
1881 RSV commonwealth
NKJV citizenship
The English word “conversation” used 15 other times in the NT is Strong’s 391 anastrophe = behavior; and in all cases the translation is “conversation” whereas “behavior” would make more sense in today’s vernacular.
So why is “conversation” used in place of “citizenship” or “behavior”?
Perhaps one could say of the Papal religion that they do follow the admonition, “Do as I say, and not as I do”. In other words, what they teach is far from what they practice. Their conversation does not match their behavior.
Matt 23 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
v Whoever translated the Bible into English had to insert a word to justify the pagan observance of Easter as did the papal religion of the time.
The Greek 3957 pascha which means “the Passover” is translated in Acts 12:4 as “Easter”. In all 28 other uses of pscha in the NT it is translated “Passover”. Easter is not a correct translation of pascha in Acts 12:4.
Easter is a pagan term derived from the Saxon goddess Eastre. This is similar to the words “hell” and “church” derived from pagan goddesses. These earliest Anlgo-Saxon translations were used to convert Saxon pagans to the Roman religion (Catholicism).
As you can see in the following list, the history of this translation of pascha in various versions, most modern translations since these have the correct translation “Passover” in Acts 12:4.
405 Vulgate pascha
1395 Wycliffe pask
1525 Tyndale ester
1535 Coverdale pask
1568 Bishop’s Easter
1587 Geneva Passover
1611 AKJV Easter
1729 Mace Passover
1755 Wesley Easter
1881 RSV Passover
v Whoever translated the Bible into English adopted the pagan symbol of life, the cross, and inserted that English word for the Greek (4716) stauros.
There is no evidence in historical artifacts that the cross became a symbol of Christianity until at least the sixth century A.D. Again, its roots of the symbol of the cross are found in pagan symbols for the Babylonian sun-god. The English word “cross” comes from the Latin crux which comes from the Greek letter chi, X. Chi is the first letter in the Greek spelling for the name of Christ and rho (p) is the second letter. Thus the symbol chi-rho was adopted as a capital P with an X superimposed on the P. The X became a T which better resembles the Greek letter Tau (T) which became the pagan symbol of a god. The Greek cross has equal arms, while he Latin cross has a longer stem.
If we look up the word “cross” in our concordance, 28 times it is the translation for 4716 stauros which means a pole or upright pale. In those days a pole (stauros) or stake was made from tree or from a dead tree (xulon). In 5 other verses the Greek 3586 xulon is translated as “tree” referring to Christ’s manner of death (and 4 times as the “tree of life”.)
Again, by the time the English translation of the Bible was begun, this pagan concept of cross was well embedded in the minds of the Christians through the pagan influence and the Latin word crux. This did not come from the original text but was inserted perhaps for the better understanding by the pagans who were familiar with the symbol of the cross. Therefore the translation for stauros replaced “pole” or “stake” with “cross”, which is the pagan symbol of a god.
So we who have been so graciously blessed with the understanding of the mystery of His will can see that our English Bible is not arranged according to dispensational truth and that the translation of certain words are patterned after a false understanding of the purposes of God for the ages. Thereby, the enemy has used man’s translation of the word of God in such a way as to subtly make all men blind to the dispensation of the mystery of the Body of Christ. Since this has been allowed by God, we pray for understanding in His purpose. Even though God has persevered His word, the enemy has done his best to disguise and disfigure it. So I conclude with a question: even though our English Bible is “wholly”, is it holy?