Which Date in 2016 for Easter or Passover?

On April 9, 2015 we wrote an open article directed at “Dear _____(insert the name)_____ Church” in a blogpost titled “Passover or Easter Controversy”, wherein we discussed at length the etymology of the translation of the words “Easter” in the Authorised Version (KJV 1611) and “Passover” in the modern translations pertaining to Acts 12:4. We also directed the readers to two articles dealing with the true etymology of Easter which were posted in September 2014 under the title “Correct Rendering of Easter at Acts 12:4” which can be read at these links Part 1 and Part 2. We do suggest that you read these preceding articles to gain the context from which this particular article is written.

As discussed online, and via an email to a local body of believers at LHBC where I once fellowshipped, writer pointed out the following pertaining to the celebration of “Good Friday” in 2015 in relation to the Jewish Passover, bearing in mind that the oracles of GOD were committed unto the Jew (Israel)(see Romans 3:2), yet the “Gentiles” make up their own ways as they deem fit! The quote read as follows concerning the date Easter was celebrated in 2015:

This “Good Friday” (3rd April 2015) was before the true Jewish Passover (Nisan 14) for 2015 which only took place at sunset on Saturday 4th April to sunset Sunday 5th April 2015 [the first day of the week] and therefore the resurrection would be three days and three nights later on Thursday 9th April 2015 [the fourth day of the week]! Just “celebrating ‘Good Friday’” as the day of the crucifixion would be in and of itself Roman Catholic! And this year “we” have failed to keep the Jewish feast! This is why we have a real drastic problem keeping days and feasts as we are warned in Galatians 4:9,10 ~

9  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. ~ Galatians 4:9,10 

Do you desire again to be in bondage? The real problem actually comes into true contrast when we see how the modern denominational churches – including some “professing remnants” – will celebrate Easter/Resurrection Sunday in 2016! Now which date are you going to use for your church/celebration services? The Roman Catholic and protestant churches have “Good Friday” set down for Friday March 25, 2016 and “Easter/Resurrection Sunday” set down for Sunday March 27, 2016! However, about 2,000 years ago our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified at Passover and the Jewish Passover in 2016 takes place from Nisan 14 (see Leviticus 23:5-8) in the Jewish calendar which equates to the secular calendar of the evening of Saturday April 23, 2016 and ends seven days later in the evening of Saturday April 30, 2016! There is about a month difference from the “Gentile celebration” preceding the actual celebration day and date of the Jewish Passover. So which day/date holds the more credence? Biblical truth? or man’s traditions and customs? This shows the disjointed ways of modern churchianity. However, the reason for the month’s difference which will escape many is that the Jewish calendar is also in a leap year, i.e. today, 20th of March, 2016 is 10th of Adar II, 5776. The chart hereunder reflects the first day of the Passover celebration which is the First day of unleavened bread proper (see Matthew 26:17ff; Mark 14:12ff; Luke 22:7ff):

 

YEAR	EASTER	PASSOVER*	DIFFERENCE
2013	Good Friday, March 29 – Sunday, March 31	Evening of March 26 (Nisan 15, 5773) – evening of April 1	Easter in the midst
2014	Good Friday, April 18 – Sunday, April 20	Evening of April 15 (Nisan 15, 5774) – evening of April 21	Easter in the midst
2015	Good Friday, April 3 – Sunday, April 5	Evening of April 4 (Nisan 15, 5775) – evening of April 10	Easter one day before
2016	Good Friday, March 25 – Sunday, March 27	Evening of April 23 (Nisan 15, 5776) – evening of April 29	Easter one month before
2017	Good Friday, April 14 – Sunday, April 16	Evening of April 11 (Nisan 15, 5777) – evening of April 17	Easter in the midst

* A date converter from the Gregorian calendar to the Hebrew calendar can be found at: www.hebcal.com/converter/

[The same unbiblical situation with secular feast days plays out every December 25th, too!]

Brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13) “Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter [law], but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Corinthians 3:6). Therefore, we are called to be of the same speech, of no divisions, perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, and as there were contentions back in the first century so there are contentions even today which ought not to be so, as it is written:

9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 
10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 
11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 
12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 
13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9-13

1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 
2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 
3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 
4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 
5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 
7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:1-7

11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. ~ Ephesians 4:11-16

Today’s churches appear so disjointed and divided from what we have just read from GOD’s Word, the Holy Scriptures that speak of our Lord of Glory Jesus Christ. How is it that there are so many different days kept for Christ, or teachings taught that are  diametrically opposed to the unity in Christ and His disciples are divided? Surely, the “His disciples are divided” statement would be an oxymoron? Right?

Then there are believers who proudly state that they are Calvinists or Arminianists or (fill in the blank) when we are to follow the Bible’s teachings of the apostles’ doctrine (see Acts 2:42). John Calvin and Jacobus Arminius and (fill in the blank) did not establish the foundation and authenticate the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ for you as the apostles and prophets of old did, for the “written works” of Calvin, Arminius, et al, are extra-biblical,

19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 
20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 
21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. ~ Ephesians 2:19-22

By way of another example: How can believers hold to “a pre-trib rapture”? “a mid-trib rapture”? and/or “a post-trib rapture”? and each holding to each of the respective teachings think their doctrine is correct! These are three different doctrines. Surely, if believers are abiding in Christ and have received the Holy Spirit of GOD, He, the Holy Spirit, does not divide by teaching diametrically opposed teachings?

33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. ~ 1 Corinthians 14:33 

Ekklesia of GOD, something is drastically amiss and in error! We can learn a valuable lesson from the apostle Paul. He said that if his eating meat would offend his brother he would abstain from it, as we read,

11  And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 
12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 
13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. ~ 1 Corinthians 8:11-13

If we are serious of being obedient to GOD’s commands, then we ought to keep His commandments and also lay down our lives for our brethren. It must cost us to be a true disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ! Sadly, what is playing out in modern churchianity is that there are teachings and celebrations that are done in lust and pride for one’s own gratification and teachings to make a name for oneself which is sinful and contrary to glorifying GOD. We are told by our Lord Jesus, for it is written,

24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. ~ John 4:24

If we are not in agreement, how can we be of the same Spirit and Truth? That is why our Lord protects us from sinful behaviour of having contentions amongst ourselves of observing days, and months, and times, and years and draws all of His born again disciples into unity when He gave command to remember His death through His instituted supper until He will come back, as we read, for it is written,

23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 [my emphasis]

Some will hear and sadly others will neglect the Biblical instruction and continue on as they please: But, be warned, all must give an accounting to Christ Jesus . . .

Be a Blessing to Nations

On Sunday March, 1 2015, I was down to leading our service at Living Hope with the usual welcome, bulletin announcements, a Scripture reading and an opening prayer.

We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 14:26 ~

26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

A doctrine was given pertaining to evangelism where we are called to be a blessing to nations; to every tribe and tongue and people group. The Scripture reading was done in three parts. First, Psalm 67 ~

1  To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm or Song. God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. 
2  That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations. 
3  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 
4  O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah. 
5  Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. 
6  Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. 
7  God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.

This Psalm has its roots in the covenant YEHOVAH (YHVH – God) made with Abram – later to be named Abraham, father of many nations, as secondly we read in Genesis 12:1-3 ~

1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 
2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 
3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Kindly note, God says in verse 2:

1. I will bless thee;
2. I will make thy name great; and
3. Thou shalt be a blessing.

And in verse 3, God says: “in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

The Great Commission started in Genesis 12:1-3. The Great Commission is the Abrahamic covenant and the Abrahamic covenant is God’s unchanging purpose for this world. Thirdly, in Galatians 3:8, we read ~

8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

The gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God, was already preached to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Today the Church has a misconception of what it is to be blessed. The Church tends to think that to be blessed of God is that the blessings come in possessions, material objects, lots of riches for one’s self and family. But the true blessing is that you have been blessed by being saved from God’s wrath and what you have is what God has given you to be a blessing to the nations, taking the gospel of Christ to the unreached peoples of the world. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

In the Great Commission verses in Matthew 28:18-20 the word nations is the Greek word ethnos from which we get “ethnics”, which refers to races, tribes especially foreign, pagan, Gentile, heathen, people, nation.

Whilst currently studying Missiology and evangelism I had to do a 2 Corinthians 13:5 examination of myself and it was not a pleasant experience. I do suggest that each and every person examine themselves to see whether they are being truly obedient to God’s commands. Go into your homes and see the entertainment that is there. Leonard Ravenhill said, “Entertainment is the Devil’s substitution for joy.” Entertainment robs us of what we are supposed to be undertaking for the Kingdom of God. What do you watch on Hellevision? How are you a blessing with your time and resources to the unreached people groups of the world?

Are we Jonahs? – running from our commission, that is co-mission with God. Are we asleep in the bottom of the boat while the storm rages outside, a judgment upon the earth, as we read in Romans 1:18 ~

18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Or are we as Jonah oblivious to the raging storm directed at him/us? At times the Church too sleeps right through the storm of God’s judgment passing over the world assuring herself that the winds outside has nothing to do with her.

Here is the challenge – we going to hear about the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 (sermon of the day). Are we individually and corporately going to leave a mark on this generation that people will be speaking of after we have passed on, should our Lord tarry? Leonard Ravenhill hits the nail on the head when he poses the following, not verbatim: We have 24 hours in a day – if we sleep 8 hours, work 8 hours, what are we doing with the remaining 8 hours? Now put that in years. You live 60 years, 20 years you sleep, 20 years you work, what are you doing with the remaining 20 years?

I will end off with Thomas Carlisle’s poem “You! Jonah!”, which possibly sums up the tardiness of being a blessing to the nations, with these lines:

And Jonah stalked to his shaded seat
and waited for God to come around to his way of thinking.

And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses to come around to His way of loving.

Soli Deo Gloria!

You can listen to the audio Here or by clicking the Internet Archive logo >>>

The notes above are not verbatim with the audio.

______________

Some wording from Kairos: God, the Church and the World, 4th Edition: Living Springs International.

A Balanced Message

Thank you dearly beloved Brother Marc for a message that did not deviate to the right or to the left, but was Biblically sound, balanced and aiming straight ahead. May God continue to bless your ministry of proclaiming TRUTH! Love and peace to the family of God our Father who assemble in your home. Shalom!

 

Soli Deo Gloria!

Kirk Cameron’s “Saving Christmas” Film

It is with unhappiness and much sadness that I write this article as it relates to two men I came to respect and love in the ministry and had the privilege of meeting, labouring with and being instructed in the ways of open-air preaching and sharing the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By the providence of our Great God and Saviour I was able to leave the shores of Africa and visit the United States of America in June 2008 and briefly attend the Ambassadors’ Academy 3, a ministry of Living Waters, under the leadership of the two brothers in the faith, namely Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron of The Way of the Master ministry.

Just recently I viewed Kirk Cameron’s Facebook page where he had been promoting his “Saving Christmas” film as depicted here-above. I had been made aware of this film through an article that appeared at Christian News Network where it is surprisingly quoted:

Was Santa Claus a Christian? A ‘defender of the faith’? Is this reason to sit on the lap of the bearded man at the mall who “knows if you’ve been naughty or nice”? That is what Kirk Cameron is claiming as proof why Christians should celebrate Christmas in a new documentary that opens this Friday [November 14, 2014] in theatres across the country—an assertion that is raising concerns over Cameron’s confusion of Roman Catholicism with Christianity.

Cameron, best known for his role as Mike Seaver on the 80’s TV sitcom “Growing Pains” and films such as “Fireproof” and “Left Behind,” has been promoting his new film “Saving Christmas,” in which the actor seeks to “keep Christ in Christmas,” stating that some holiday traditions aren’t so bad or pagan after all.

After recently asserting that Christians should celebrate Halloween, in a video clip released last week entitled “Do You Love Santa Claus,” Cameron stated that “maybe someone like Santa Claus is actually on our team.” He then released a second video providing the history of the figure of Santa Claus, who was actually the Roman Catholic Bishop Nicholas of Myra, Turkey under Pope Sylvester I.

“He was a devout Christian,” Cameron states, but not noting Nicholas’ Roman Catholic faith. Read more Here (Full Report)

Another Christian News Network article that should be read appears at this link: ‘Maybe the Grinch Had a Point’: Kirk Cameron’s ‘Saving Christmas’ Won’t Be Saved From Critics.

Whilst I have personally not viewed the film, and will not be viewing the same in its entirety, I have watched the trailer and read some reviews on it, and have also seen the comments on Kirk Cameron’s Facebook page – for the film vs. against the film; pro-Christmas vs. anti-Christmas; man’s pagan traditions vs. Biblical Historical Truth. It all makes for interesting reading, but there can be only one Truth. Just as our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said:

31  . . . If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ~ John 8:31,32 & 36

This is the saddest part of this blog posting. I had placed a comment on Kirk’s Facebook wall, including the birth chart to the left (click on it to enlarge in another tab), and my comment was deleted. You read right – D E L E T E D. It appears that when one confronts error with the literal Biblical Historical Truth you are summarily deleted and not allowed to “play in the play-group.” I am saddened and really disappointed by how professing Christians can censure Christians if they do not agree with their world view! It goes much deeper than that as it is a matter of Truth vs. error and those in error do not want to listen! Well argue with the Word of God then. When one reads the Holy Scriptures, are you able to find “Christmas Day” mentioned in YHVH’s Holy Feast Days in Leviticus 23? Or maybe it was instituted in the New Testament and I have just missed the Chapter and Verse! No, you can’t find it, because it doesn’t exist.

Surprisingly an initial comment with the chart also appears to have mysteriously disappeared on Ray Comfort’s Facebook wall, and this before I reposted three more comments randomly! It is also very surprisingly that Kirk Cameron who is attempting to evangelise the masses has also changed his comment settings and you have to “possibly like” his page before you can comment thereon; or is the comment feature only not available to me? Well, getting back to the initial comment on Kirk’s page which went something along these lines, not verbatim as the original one was deleted:

Christian, please read your Holy Bible and you will find out that Yeshua, our Lord Jesus Christ, was born on 15 Tishri (September/October) at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) and He was born in a Sukkot (Booth) and not a stable/cave. If you know what to look for start reading: Luke 1 and 2; 1 Chronicles 24:10; Leviticus 23:33-44; Deuteronomy 16:16; and many other Scriptures.

To help with the Scriptures quoted here-above please view the afore-stated Birth of Christ Chart together with the following powerpoint presentation: The Nativity of Yeshua HaMeshiach.

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron receive literally thousands upon thousands of “hits/likes/shares/comments” on their Facebook accounts and it is mostly by idolising Christian folk. If a message is being proclaimed please make sure it is without error. In the past I too fell into the trap of “idolising” men such as Comfort and MacArthur, and I had to REPENT before God for being so caught up in men’s ministries in idolatry instead of listening to the leading Holy Spirit and walking with God. Don’t say it will never happen to you. For many of you it has already happened and you can’t see the woods for the trees!

The only conclusion I can arrive at is that the literal Biblical Historical Truth that I presented showed up the errors in Kirk Cameron’s “Saving Christmas.” My plea to ALL reading this is: Stop trying to put the Lord Jesus Christ into something He was never in to start off with! Do you think the “Christmas” practices that are undertaken every year were at His birth? Was there a Xmas tree and all the tinsel and trappings in the sukkot Yeshua, our Lord Jesus Christ was born in? Or do you think there is a Xmas tree in heaven before the throne of God Almighty every year to celebrate His Son’s birth? Obviously the first century believers never celebrated this way so why should you/we do so now? YES – certainly preach the Gospel at every opportunity including on December 25, but don’t be pagan like the rest of the heathen world. You can do so separated from the worldly system (see James 4:4). You are to be in the world, but not of the world, as it is written:

15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. ~ John 17:15-17

We are commanded to have unity in the Christian faith. Unfortunately we don’t see unity, but rather divisions. As it is written:

9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11  For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? ~ 1 Corinthians 1:9-13

3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ~ Ephesians 4:3-6

14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: ~ Ephesians 4:14,15

Christ Jesus made it abundantly clear how we are to remember Him. It is recorded what we are to do in remembrance of Him until He returns for His spotless, unified Bride:

23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; read with Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19,20. [my emphasis]

Maybe Chris Williams, movie reviewer for the Advisor and Source in Michigan has it right. At the second Christian News Network report above, quote: “Williams said that in the end, “Kirk Cameron hasn’t made a movie for Christians. He’s made a movie for Kirk Cameron.””  I would have thought Kirk would contend for the faith and would have told the literal Biblical Historical Truth and stood as a light in this dark wicked world, and “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). We read further in Romans 13:12  “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). The “Saving Christmas” film is not reproving the unfruitful works of darkness, but encouraging them. If this is so, then brother Kirk Cameron in sincere love I call you to repentance.

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

_______________

P.S. This blog posting will be placed on my Facebook wall and Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron will be tagged accordingly.

The True English Bible is the King James Bible (1611/AV)

Proverb 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

pervert v. /per-vert/ 1 alter from an original meaning or state to a distortion of what was first intended. 2 lead away from what is right, natural, or acceptable.

© South African Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 3rd Edition 2002

Following on from the recent five part series titled “Pervert Translations and Publishers” which can be found here (please do read each part first if you have not already done so) – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 – as well as The Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament Text blog posting; hereunder is a video that lines up with what has been recorded by writer under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us to test all things, as we are to be as the Bereans “… in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (see Acts 17:11).

After viewing this video (or before, depending on your preference) there is some exposing of the modern pervert bibles to be done, which impacts on what they teach, how doctrine is twisted and the blatant contradictions that ultimately will affect what you believe, your faith and your studying of the Holy Scriptures.

As you will see from what follows, I do believe what will be revealed here is under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Please understand, and do pray for discernment for our LORD God to open your eyes and do ask for wisdom and understanding. Also know this that if there is any contradictions between Bibles the Holy Spirit will not teach and guide you in all truth in both Bibles as there can only be one Truth! Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said:

John 16:13a  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: … [my emphasis]

John 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

We will first start off by saying that before the 1611 Authorized King James Bible there were other English translations that preceded the KJB. These were:

• John Wycliffe New Testament ca.1380 A.D.
• William Tyndale New Testament ca.1526 A.D.
• Myles Coverdale Bible 1535 A.D.
• Matthew Bible 1537 A.D.
• Great Bible 1539 A.D.
• Geneva Bible 1560 A.D.
• Bishops Bible 1568 A.D.

The 1611 Authorized King James Bible in English is the result of the preceding pioneers who stood against the papacy of the Roman Catholic church, and now for 403 years (1611-2014) the KJB has stood the test of time. We will be comparing the King James Bible against – “Today, the better English translations of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures” according to Dr. John MacArthur at page xxi under subheading Transmission in The MacArthur Study Bible Updated Edition, which he lists as follows:

1. New American Standard Bible (NASB);
2. English Standard Version (ESV); and
3. New King James Version (NKJV).

These translations as completed bibles have been in circulation for less than half a century from the year of their first printing: NASB 43 years (1971-2014), ESV 13 years (2001-2014) and NKJV 32 years (1982-2014).

Please also bear in mind that the three aforementioned translations that are being used, have also used modernised Greek Texts that have the influence of the two Cambridge professors Westcott and Hort – who not only hated the Textus Receptus calling it vile, but was involved with many heretic beliefs and practices including being members of spiritual clubs. You can also read “Chapter 8: Westcott and Hort” from “Gipp’s Understandable History of the Bible” © 1987 by Samuel C. Gipp). Here is also a short quote from Riplinger:

The Men Who Made Themselves Judges

Westcott and Hort were spiritualists. They sought out contact with the spiritual world (talking with the dead, etc.). Riplinger speaks much on this subject and also aligns them with the New Age movement. They started the “Ghostly Guild” in 1851 and before that the “Hermes Club” in 1845. Riplinger links the spiritualist teachings of Westcott and Hort to the occult teachings of Madame Helena P. Blavatsky who wrote the Lucifer magazine. Westcott, Hort, and Blavatsky are all forerunners of the modern day New Age movement which aims at one world religion.

The NASB uses the Greek Text, quote from page xxxi in the Foreword to The MacArthur Study Bible Updated Edition: “Consideration was given to the latest available manuscripts with a view to determining the best Greek text. In most instances the 26th edition of Eberhard Nestle’s NOVUM TESTAMENTUM GRAECE was followed.”

The ESV, as quoted from page x in the Preface under Textual Basis and Resources, reads with regards to the Greek text used: “… and on the Greek text in the 1993 editions of the Greek New Testament (4th corrected ed.), published by the United Bible Societies (UBS), and Novum Testamentum Graece (27th ed.), edited by Nestle and Aland. … Similarly, in a few difficult cases in the New Testament, the ESV has followed a Greek text different from the text given preference in the UBS/Nestle-Aland 27th Edition …”

In respect of the NKJV, besides the “much speech” in the Preface at pages v and vi explaining The New Testament Text, writer will quote the following: “There is more manuscript support for the New Testament than for any other body of ancient literature. Over five thousand Greek, eight thousand Latin, and many more manuscripts in other languages attest the integrity of the New Testament. There is only one basic New Testament used by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox, by conservatives and liberals. Minor variations in hand copying have appeared through the centuries, before mechanical printing began about A.D. 1450. … In light of these facts, and also because the New King James Version is the fifth revision of a historic document translated from specific Greek texts, the editors decided to retain the traditional text in the body of the New Testament and to indicate major Critical and Majority Text variant readings in the center-column notes of the present edition. It is most important to emphasize that fully eighty-five percent of the New Testament text is the same in the Textus Receptus, the Alexandrian Text, and the Majority Text.” [Writer: This is not a faithful record that the NKJV editors want you to believe. This is the type of marketing hype men will stoop to to sell their product.] You can read more at this link: The Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament Text blog posting.

Now let us look at a few errors (of thousands) that appear in the modern pervert bibles against the inspired and preserved, inerrant and infallible Word of God as contained in the 403 year old King James Bible.

Jehovah

In the modern translations of the Bible we see that the proper Name of God has been removed from the text. In some instances only a shortened version is recorded and most times only His titles are used. The most common name which is rendered God comes from the Hebrew word Elohiym. One of the titles for God is Lord, which is translated from the Hebrew word Adonay. While the Hebrew proper Name of God is known by the four letters YHVH, also known as the Tetragrammaton [from Greek τετραγράμματον, meaning “(consisting of) four letters”] is the Hebrew theonym יהוה (r to l Yodh Hē Vav Hē)(from classical Greek theos “god” and –onym “name”). This is one of the names of the national God of Israel used in the Hebrew Bible. While “Yahweh” is favoured by most Hebrew scholars and is widely accepted as the pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton, Jehovah is the English translation of the Hebrew Name for God, which while it starts with the letter “J”, and many scholars may say there is no “J” in Hebrew, this is where they err. The English translation of the Hebrew word Yᵉhôvâh which starts with a “Y” is translated Jehovah which starts with a “J” in English. Being an English translation you have the English spelling not the Hebrew spelling, for example, like Israel in English and Yisrael in Hebrew. Further, out of reverence the Jews would not take YHVH’s sacred and holy Name upon their lips out of fear of breaking the Third Commandment of taking His Name in vain:

Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Therefore, when Jews read the Torah they use the word Adonay (“Lord”). As a result, God’s Holy Name also is rendered in the English Bibles as LORD. Whilst the modern pervert bibles do explain in their prefaces why the word “LORD” appears, there is also the contention that “Bibles” do not have the proper Name of God in them. This is untrue. The King James Bible has God’s Name recorded as follows:

Exodus 6:3  And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

Psalm 83:18  That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

Isaiah 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 26:4  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

In The Strong’s Complete Word Study Concordance Expanded Edition, 2004, JEHOVAH is translated from the Hebrew word:

3068 יהוה , Yᵉhôvâh, yeh-ho-vaw’; from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God: – Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.

A noun meaning God. The word refers to the proper name of the God of Israel, particularly the name by which He revealed Himself to Moses (Ex 6:2,3). The divine name has traditionally not been pronounced, primarily out of respect for its sacredness (cf. Ex 20:7; Dt28:58). Until the Renaissance, it was written without vowels in the Hebrew text of the OT, being rendered as YHWH. However, since that time, the vowels of another word ‘ădônây (136), have been supplied in hopes of reconstructing the pronunciation. Although the exact derivation of the name is uncertain, most scholars agree that its primary meaning should be understood in the context of God’s existence, namely that He is the “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex 3:14), the One who was, who is, and who always will be (cf. Rev 11:17). …

Now let us look at the NASB, ESV and NKJV et al compared to the King James Bible:

KJB – Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

NASB – Exodus 6:3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, ²LORD, I did not make Myself known to them.

ESV – Exodus 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty,² but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.

NKJV – Exodus 6:3 “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD¹ I was not known to them.

Whilst each of the above translations exclude the Name of God YEHOVAH from the main body of text, the NASB has a column note “²Heb YHWH, usually rendered LORD.” So why does the NASB rather record a title, for that is what the word LORD or Lord is just that, a title? Therefore, God is named a title, and at the same time doubt is created in the readers’ minds. In the ESV the only footnote on this portion of Scripture is not for LORD, but for God Almighty which reads: “²Hebrew El Shaddai.” It is also noted in the 1982 NKJV by a footnote: “¹Hebrew YHWH, traditionally Jehovah.” So why don’t they say it in the main body of text? So therefore the King James Bible has always been correct for the past 403 years! The ESV just uses a title in this verse.

What is also of great significance is that the punctuation differs greatly from one translation to another, which can alter the manner in which the verses are conveyed. What must also be borne in mind is that whilst the more recent translations have adopted the practice of capitalising the subject, the object, and the possessive pronouns, when referring to God and His Son, it does not make the text more spiritual by this application. It does not appear that there was a hard and fast rule of practice in 17th century English to capitalise subject, object, and possessive pronouns, nouns, or the like, or use quotation marks for speech. However, capital letters are used when referring to Deity of the Godhead – Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the subject, object, and possessive pronouns can be understood in the context of the verses as read with the whole chapter and specific book of the Bible. The Holy Spirit brings understanding and it is made clear by studying the Scriptures.

Let us now look at the second set of Scriptures:

KJB – Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.

NASB – Psalm 83:18 That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.

ESV – Psalm 83:18 that they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.

NKJV – Psalm 83:18 That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth.

No column or footnotes in the pervert translations to quantify or qualify the title LORD. God’s known Name is removed from the Holy Scriptures in the modern versions of this verse. In this particular verse God Almighty is emphatically stating His Name.

In the third set of Scripture:

KJB – Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

NASB – Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the LORD GOD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.”

ESV – Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD⁵ is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation.”

NKJV – Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’”

In the aforementioned translations relating to Isaiah 12:2, the following is evident. The NASB once again has titles with no column notes, but Dr MacArthur attempts to explain LORD GOD in his commentary at page 954 of The MacArthur Study Bible Updated Edition: “The doubling of the personal name of God serves to emphasize His role as the covenant-keeping One.” This is not a faithful interpretation of the verse. The verse is speaking of trust in the One who gives salvation, but more importantly it is referring to the proper Name of God the LORD JEHOVAH (YHVH). The ESV has a footnote: “⁵Hebrew for Yah, the LORD.” The NKJV includes the abbreviated proper Name of YEHOVAH as YAH, which was previously referred to under the Hebrew word 3068 יהוה , Yᵉhôvâh and is the contracted version being the Hebrew word:

3050 יה , Yah, yaw’, contraction for 3068, and meaning the same, Jah, the sacred name – Jah, the Lord, most vehement. Cp. names in “-iah,” “-jah.”

A neuter pronoun of God, a shortened form of Yahweh, often translated “LORD.” This abbreviated noun for Yahweh is used in poetry especially in the Psalms. …

In closing this section, we will look at the fourth portion of Scripture comparisons hereunder:

KJB – Isaiah 26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

NASB – Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in ¹GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.

ESV – Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

NKJV – Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is ¹everlasting strength.

Here the NASB and NKJV are attempting to quantify and qualify who the LORD is, whilst they do not appear to be sure how to record God’s proper Name. The NASB uses GOD and has a margin note: “¹Heb. YAH, usually rendered LORD.” And the NKJV uses YAH and has a footnote in reference to everlasting strength: “¹Or Rock of Ages.”

It is evident that the NASB, ESV, NKJV, et al have removed God’s proper Name from the main body of text. These versions might have column and footnote references, but ultimately they cause more dissension by creating doubt, division and mistrust as to what is in the Word of God or what is not! The root causes of this is two fold – firstly the deceptive work of Satan the devil and secondly the love of filthy lucre.

Who Killed Goliath?

According to most first graders attending Sunday School, David killed Goliath the Philistine of Gath – and that is what the Authorised King James Bible says, too (see 1 Samuel 17:49,50).

However, according to 2 Samuel 21:19 in the modern pervert translations Elhanan killed Goliath. From the comparisons of the various Scripture translations one can see that the King James Bible has it correct.

KJB – 2 Samuel 21:19  And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

NASB – 2 Samuel 21:19 There was war with the Philistines again at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, ¹killed ²Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

ESV – 2 Samuel 21:19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.²

NKJV – 2 Samuel 21:19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of ¹Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

The NASB has the following column notes: “¹Lit smote ²In 1Ch 20:5, Lahmi, the brother of Goliath”. The MacArthur Study Bible Updated Edition at page 452 also records under the commentary the following: “21:19 Elhanan . . . killed Goliath. The minor scribal omission of “the brother of” (in the Heb.) belongs in the verse, based on 1Ch 20:5 which includes them, and because clearly the Scripture says that David killed Goliath as recorded in 1Sa 17:50. There has probably been a scribal error in the text which should read, “Elhanan . . . killed the brother of Goliath.” A second possible solution is that Elhanan and David may be different names for the same person, just as Solomon had another name (cf. 12:24,25). A third solution is that there were two giants named Goliath.” I would agree with MacArthur on the first part of his commentary that the words “the brother of” in italics confirms who was being slew, i.e. Lahmi, but the “second possible solution” cannot be correct. MacArthur is misleading in his suggestion as he is attempting to explain away the incorrect rendering of 1 Samuel 21:19 that has no Biblical foundation. There were two separate events, one where the Philistines were “gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.” (See 1 Samuel 17:1) In the second account in 2 Samuel 21:19 it reads: “And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines …” (my emphasis). This “second battle” in Gob was without David as in 2 Samuel 21:17b it reads: “… Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.” The reason? Because “David waxed faint” (see 2 Samuel 21:15). This event preceded the battle at Gob. Also, Elhanan could not be David as Elhanan was the son of Jaare-oregim (Jair) whereas David was the son of Jesse (see 1 Samuel 17:12). Elhanan was one of David’s servants when you read this portion of Scripture in context. MacArthur’s “third possible solution” is also incorrect saying “that there were two giants named Goliath” because when one cross-references 1 Chronicles 20:5 it clearly states that the Philistine slew by Elhanan was named Lahmi the brother of Goliath:

1 Chronicles 20:5 And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear staff was like a weaver’s beam.

Further, the ESV has a footnote: “²Contrast 1 Chronicles 20:5, which may preserve the original reading.” If it “may preserve the original reading” then which is it? Then why does 2 Samuel 21:19 not read the same as 1 Chronicles 20:5 in the ESV for it creates doubt, for if one reads the 2 Samuel 21:9 account it says Elhanan killed Goliath. The NKJV has a footnote: “¹Jair, 1 Chr. 20:5”. Although the NKJV is the translation that is closest to the King James Bible on this particular issue, it lacks credibility in many other verses. It can be clearly seen that column and footnotes together with commentary notes can be misleading and deceptive.

>> No “New Testament” in the New Testament

Whilst we would agree that the Old Testament in the Bible primarily refers to a covenant between God and Israel and therefore referred to as an Old Covenant, our Lord Jesus Christ established a New Testament in His blood through death, as we read in Hebrews 9:15, as it is written:

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

We will compare the Scriptures in the Lord’s Supper and those found in the Book of Hebrews, hereunder. We do note that the modern versions refer to a covenant, but there is no agreement as to whether it is a “covenant” or a “new covenant.”

SCRIPTURE VERSE	KJB (1611/AV)	NASB	ESV	NKJV
Matthew 26:28	new testament	covenant	² covenant	¹new covenant
Mark 14:24	new testament	covenant	¹ covenant	¹new covenant
Luke 22:20	new testament	new covenant	new covenant	new covenant
1 Corinthians 11:25	new testament	new covenant	new covenant	new covenant
2 Corinthians 3:6	new testament	new covenant	new covenant	new covenant
Hebrews 7:22	better testament	better covenant	better covenant	better covenant
Hebrews 9:15	new testament	new covenant	new covenant	new covenant
Hebrews 9:15	first testament	first covenant	first covenant	first covenant
Hebrews 9:16	testament	¹covenant	will	testament
Hebrews 9:17	testament	¹covenant	will	testament
Hebrews 9:18	first testament	first covenant	first covenant	first covenant

References in column and footnotes –

NASB – ¹testament

ESV – ² Some manuscripts insert new; ¹ Some manuscripts insert new

NKJV – ¹NU omits new

The problem arises with the use of “covenant” when Hebrews 9:16,17 comes around for it reads as follows in the King James Bible:

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

All the pervert modern versions now correct the errors that they have translated as “covenant”. The NASB uses column notes to refer to “testament”; whilst the ESV uses the word “will”; whilst the unfaithful NKJV uses “testament.” The reason why writer has termed the NKJV “unfaithful” is as a result of the translators who had “set out to only correct the so-called archaic words, initially”, ended up performing a translation where whole words, sentence construction and even doctrines have been changed. Interchanging between “new covenant / covenant / testament” is not a faithful translation when reading the verses in context. Has our Lord Jesus Christ established a New Testament? or Covenant? The NKJV is a totally new translation piggy-backing on the name of the King James Bible, copyrighting a new and different bible for filthy lucre’s sake.

For many years, since 1985, writer was employed at the Master of the Supreme Court (now High Court) offices, at Trust Companies and Attorney Firms as an Estate Controller and Paralegal, and he has dealt extensively with deceased estates that include Last Will and Testaments. In all his years (and even to present date as he does some freelance work to support the ministry by the grace of God providing), writer has never come across a covenant that has been written up by a testator / testatrix. It has always been known as a testament. I have also never heard of lawyers reading out the covenant of the deceased to the heirs. It has always been the Will or Testament. You see a Testator is the author of his Testament. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Author of His Old and New Testaments.

Here are further documents that you should read to get the full picture:

>> Fables And Facts About The King James Bible

Over the past few decades, new Bible translations have been popping up like popcorn. Many strong Christians have stood their ground and continued to believe, read, and study only the Authorized King James Bible. Many others, however, have forsaken the Book that God has used for centuries. Such people have fallen for smooth advertising schemes and have actually started believing that the modern versions are superior to the King James Bible. It’s very sad that most Christians today have not taken time to study the subject thoroughly enough to see what is really happening. [Read more Here]

>> Why Jesus Cannot Use the New King James Version

This is chapter 8 from Which Bible Would Jesus Use? by Jack McElroy, copyright 2013, used with permission. More information about this book can be found on Jack’s website.

Why can’t the Lord choose the ©1982 New King James Version?

If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17) [Read more Here]

>> The Truth About The English SUBStandard Version

THE FRUIT OF THE ESV

The beginning of the ESV was May 1997 with a meeting headed by James Dobson. Dobson was deeply troubled with the gender-inclusive issues within the NIV and TNIV. The results of the meeting was the “proposed” creation of a new version without the new-age, homosexual, gender-inclusive agenda. Surprisingly, the “troubled” group united around the liberal and apostate Revised Standard Version (RSV) of the Bible. Thus the dubious birth of the ESV was conceived. In September 1998, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School professor Wayne Grudem and Crossway President Lane Dennis received the blessing of the ecumenical National Council of Churches to build the ESV upon their 1971 revision of the Revised Standard Version. And thus the ESV came to life. . . [Read more Here]

>> The Attack on the Bible

by Terry Watkins

God has placed a lot of importance upon His words.

Matthew 24:35 reads, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my WORDS shall not pass away.”
Psalms 138:2 says, “. . . for thou hast magnified thy WORD above all thy name.”
Psalms 119:89 says, “For ever, O LORD, thy WORD is settled in heaven.”

The spiritual life-blood of the human race is the word of God.

• It brings salvation: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God. . .” (1 Peter 1:23)
• It produces faith: “. . . faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
• It produces spiritual growth: “. . .desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (1 Peter 2:2) [Read more Here]

>> Was the KJV inspired or preserved?

Related articles: Inspiration and Translation; Two Lies, The

The following is from Sam Gipp’s The Answer Book.

QUESTION: Is the King James Bible inspired or preserved?

ANSWER: The original autographs were inspired. The King James Bible is those same autographs preserved up to today.

EXPLANATION: The best way to simply describe inspiration and preservation of the Bible is as follows:

Inspiration is when God takes a blank piece of paper (papyrus, vellum, etc.) and uses men to write His words. Preservation is when God takes those words already written and uses men to preserve them to today. Both of these actions are DIVINE and are assured by God as recorded in Psalm 12:6,7.

6 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

In Psalm 12:6 God assures us that His originals are perfect. Even though penned by fallible men with the heinous sins of: murder (Moses and David), adultery (David), idolatry (Solomon), and denial of the Lord (Peter). God’s words are untainted by the sins of the penmen.

That the originals were inspired perfect in their entirety is an undisputed belief among fundamentalists today. [Read more Here]

We conclude with the following statement –

“I must under God denounce every attachment to the New American Standard Version. I’m afraid I’m in trouble with the Lord … We laid the groundwork; I wrote the format; I helped interview some of the translators; I sat with the translator; I wrote the preface. When you see the preface to the New American Standard, those are my words … it’s wrong, it’s terribly wrong; it’s frightfully wrong … I’m in trouble; … I can no longer ignore these criticisms I am hearing and I can’t refute them. The deletions are absolutely frightening … there are so many. The finest leaders that we have today haven’t gone into it [new versions of Wescott and Hort’s corrupted Greek text] just as I hadn’t gone into it … that’s how easily one can be deceived … Are we so naive that we do not suspect Satanic deception in all of this?”

Dr. Frank Logsdon
Co-founder, New American Standard Version

>> Logsdon’s Pro KJV Anti NASV – Download MP3

“Frank Logsdon was a major player in the development of the New American Standard Bible (NASB). He was a friend of Dewey Lockman, and was involved in a feasibility study involving purchasing the copyright of the American Standard Version (ASV) with Lockman that lead to the eventual production of the NASB. He interviewed some of the translators for the job, and even wrote the preface to the translation.

“Slowly, he became aware that there was something wrong with the NASB. He eventually rejected it, and promoted the KJV. This was a major defection for the modern version crowd.

“Below is his speech, in it’s entirety, rejecting the NASB, and endorsing the Textus Receptus and the KJV. (The complete transcript is available here)” ~ quoted from the website www. defendproclaimthefaith.org

If you do not believe that God has inspired and preserved His Word in an English Bible then that leaves you as a bible agnostic!

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

Few Will Enter, Exposing OSAS

Thank you brother Marc Roy. A timely Word in these end days for we are told to "… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (See Philippians 2:12)

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ~ John 14:21

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. ~ John 17:16,17

The Correct Rendering of Easter in Acts 12:4 ~ Part 2

This blog posting which follows on from Part 1, will deal with two videos that reveal the correct teaching pertaining to Easter being included in Acts 12:4 as opposed to Passover. Each video will also have a link to the text of each video for your study purposes.

We are instructed in Scripture:

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

Video 1

• Why we should not Passover Easter ~ Part 1 by Nick Sayers
• Why we should not Passover Easter ~ Part 2 by Nick Sayers

Video 2

If “Easter” is not the correct word, then every international language that translates “Happy Easter” with the Greek word “πασχα (pascha)”, or the Hebrew word “פסח‬‬ (pesach)”, needs to redefine their language as far as “Easter” is concerned. Here is a list for Happy Easter:

Afrikaans – geseënde Paasfees
Albanian – gëzuar Pashkët
Arabic – فِصْح سعيد
Basque – ondo izan Bazko garaian
Breton – Pask Seder
Bulgarian – честит Великден
Chinese (Cantonese) – 復活節快樂
Chinese (Mandarin) – 復活節快樂
Catalan – bona Pasqua
Cornish – Pask Lowen
Croatian – Sretan Uskrs
Czech – Veselé Velikonoce
Danish – God Påske
Dutch – Vrolijk Pasen / Zalige paasdagen
Esperanto – Feliĉan Paskon
Estonian – Häid lihavõttepühi
Finnish – hyvää pääsiäistä
Flemish – zalig Pasen
French – joyeuses Pâques
Gaelic (Irish) – Cáisc Shona Dhuit/Dhaoibh
Beannachtaí – na Cásca
Gaelic (Manx) – Caisht sonney dhyt
Gaelic (Scottish) – a’ Chàisg sona
Galician – boas Pascuas
German – frohe Ostern
Greek – Καλό Πάσχα
Hebrew – חג פסחא שמח
Hindi – īsṭar maṅgalamay ho
Hungarian – kellemes Húsvéti Ünnepeket
Icelandic – gledilega paska
Indonesian – Selamat Paskah
Italian – buona Pasqua
Japanese イースターおめでとう
Korean – 행복한 부활절이 되시길
Latin – prospera Pascha sit
Latvian – priecīgas Lieldienas
Lithuanian – su Šventom Velykom
Maltese – L-Għid it-tajjeb
Norwegian – god påske
Persian/Farsi – عيد پاک مبارک
Polish – Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych
Portuguese – Feliz Páscoa
Punjabi – īsṭar khuśyāṅvālā hove
Romanian – Paşte fericit
Russian – с праздником Пасхи
Serbian – срећан Ускрс
Sicilian – bona Pasqua
Slovak – milostiplné prežitie Veľkonočných sviatkov
Slovenian – Vesele velikonočne praznike
Spanish – felices Pascuas
Swahili – heri kwa sikukuu ya Pasaka
Swedish – glad Påsk
Tagalog – maligayang pasko ng pagkabuhay
Thai – สุขสันต์วันอีสเตอร์
Turkish – paskalya bayramınız kutlu olsun
Ukranian – З Великодніми святами
Volapük – lesustanazäli yofik
Welsh – Pasg Hapus
Yoruba – Eku odun ajinde

It goes without saying, that the majority of the listed international languages translated here use the same root-word pascha/pasach! And that is for Easter!

Soli Deo Gloria!

The Correct Rendering of Easter in Acts 12:4 ~ Part 1

Dear Reader,

If there is one word that would confirm that the King James 1611 Authorised Version of the Holy Bible is correct in using the Textus Receptus and thus will show-up all other mistranslations in modern-day pervert bibles, it is the word “Easter.” This might sound like a bold-faced statement, some might even accuse that it is bordering on arrogance, but remember we all want the Truth – Right? As you embark on reading this article, please remember the following when studying the same:

Proverb 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

pervert v. /per-vert/ 1 alter from an original meaning or state to a distortion of what was first intended. 2 lead away from what is right, natural, or acceptable.

© South African Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 3rd Edition 2002

The Companion Bible shows in the Preface that its Text “is that of the Authorised Version of 1611 as published by the Revisers in their “Parallel Bible” in 1885.” This would appear to contradict itself as the 1881 Revised Version did not use the Textus Receptus, but the Textus Corruptus of Messrs Westcott-Hort’s eclectic Greek New Testament Text. Hereunder you will see how Acts 12:4 reads and also some footnotes in the Companion Bible that read as follows, “Easter. Gr. to pascha, the Passover. Easter is a heathen term, derived from the Saxon goddess Eastre, the same as Astarte, the Syrian Venus, called Ashtoreth in the O.T..” This latter quote will be proved later on in this blog posting to be fallible and a myth in its connection with the heathen goddesses, with due respect a figment of one’s imagination and a false teaching. It is also a false teaching that writer, Gary Stephen Crous, had to repent of. Now, let us get started with the Companion Bible:

The Tyndale Bible 1526 records it as follows:

2 congregation, to vex them. And he killed James the brother
3 of John with a* sword: and because he saw that it pleased the jews, he proceeded further, to take* Peter also. Then were the
4 days of unleavened* bread, and when he had caught him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to be kept, intending after ester to bring him forth to the
5 people.

The Geneva Bible 1599 reads as follows:

And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword. And when he sawe that it pleased the Iewes, 2, 3
he proceeded further, to take Peter also (then were the dayes of vnleauened bread.) And when he 4
had caught him, he put him in prison, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of souldiers to be kept, intending after the Passeouer to bring him foorth to the people. So Peter was kept in prison, but 5

The King James Bible 1611 reads as follows:

2 And he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Iewes, hee proceeded further, to take Peter also. (Then were the dayes of vnleauened bread.)
4 And when hee had apprehended him, hee put him in prison, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of souldiers to keepe him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
5 Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the Church vnto God for him.

So which of the preceding versions are correct? All the modern versions of the Bible have the word “Passover” which is in the pre-crucifixion Old Covenant context from a Jews’ perspective and not “Easter” which is a post-crucifixion resurrection New Testament word from a Judeo-Christian’s perspective. To get a better understanding of the Truth, here is a brilliant teaching at KJV Today titled:

“Easter” or “Passover” in Acts 12:4?

Acts 12:4 in Greek and English

Acts 12:4:

Textus Receptus: “ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω”

King James Version: “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

English Standard Version: “And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.”

The Greek word, “πασχα (pascha)”, is correctly translated as “Passover” 28 times in the New Testament in the KJV. For this reason, some critics say that the KJV’s isolated instance of translating the word as “Easter” in Acts 12:4 is an error. These critics agree with translations such as the ESV which has “Passover” in Acts 12:4. This article explains why the KJV is correct in translating “Pascha” as “Easter” in Acts 12:4. To begin with, we must set the record straight that “Easter” is not a pagan word.

Easter is not a pagan word

Myth 1: the KJV translators used “Easter” to refer to a pagan festival

The first myth to refute is the claim that the KJV uses “Easter” at Acts 12:4 to refer to a pagan holiday celebrated by king Herod. This myth is propagated by some KJV apologists who may be well-intentioned in upholding the inerrancy of the KJV. Yet such a myth defies what the KJV translators believed and practiced. Included in the 1611 edition of the KJV is a chart for finding the day of Easter in a given year. It is evident that the KJV translators viewed Easter as a Christian holiday. If the KJV translators considered Easter to be a Christian holiday, it is doubtful that they used it to mean a pagan holiday at Acts 12:4.

“To find Easter for ever.” (modern spelling)

The Holy Bible: 1611 Edition (Nashville: Thomas Nelson)

Myth 2: “Easter” comes from the goddess named “Ishtar” or “Astarte”

Those who propagate myth 1 typically identify Herod’s pagan holiday as that of the Semitic goddess, Ishtar or Astarte. This false connection between “Easter” and these names of a Semitic goddess can be traced to the work of the Scottish minister Alexander Hislop. Hislop was an outspoken critic of Roman Catholicism. His book The Two Babylons exposed many of the unbiblical doctrines and practices of Roman Catholicism. However, Hislop erred when it came to statements about the etymological relationship between Easter and the ancient idols, Ishtar or Astarte. At page 103 of his book, he writes:

What means the term Easter itself? It is not a Christian name. It bears its Chaldean origin on its very forehead. Easter is nothing else than Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven, whose name, as pronounced by the people of Nineveh, was evidently identical with that now in common use in this country. That name, as found by Layard on the Assyrian monuments, is Ishtar. (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons (1858), p. 103)

Sure enough, “Ishtar” (a form of “Astarte”) may sound similar to “Easter”, but the two words are not etymologically related. Astarte is “עשׁתּרות (ashtarot)” in Hebrew. This name is derived from the word “עשׁתּרה (‛ashterâh)” which means “increase” or “flock” (Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions). “עשׁתּרה (‛ashterâh)” is translated as “flocks” four times in the KJV. Hence, the name “Astarte” or “Ishtar” is a Semitic word related to animal fertility. This makes sense because Astarte was regarded as a goddess of fertility.

The etymology of “Easter” on the other hand has nothing to do with “flocks” or animal fertility. “Easter” (“Ostern” in German) is a Germanic word derived from the word “east” (“Ost” in German). Today, “east” refers to the direction from which the sun rises. The direction of east goes by that name because the Saxon word “east” meant “dawn”, “sunrise” or “morning”. The etymology of “east” is as follows:

• “Old English east “east, easterly, eastward,” from Proto-Germanic *aus-to-, *austra- “east, toward the sunrise” (cf. Old Frisian ast “east,” aster “eastward,” Dutch oost Old Saxon ost, Old High German ostan, German Ost, Old Norse austr “from the east”), from PIE *aus- “to shine,” especially “dawn” (cf. Sanskrit ushas “dawn;” Greek aurion “morning;” Old Irish usah, Lithuanian auszra “dawn;” Latin aurora “dawn,” auster “south”), literally “to shine.” The east is the direction in which dawn breaks.” (Online Etymological Dictionary)

There is nothing in “East” that suggests animal fertility. Hence the word has nothing to do with Astarte or Ishtar. Relating the Germanic word “Easter” to the Semitic word “Ishtar” is as fallacious as relating the English word “Baby” to the Semitic word “Babylon”.

Myth 3: “Easter” comes from the goddess named “Eostre”

“Easter” means “dawn”

The Old English word for the month of April was “Eosturmonað”. The Venerable Bede (672-735) claimed that the word “Eostre” came from the name of a Saxon spring fertility goddess who went by that name. He wrote:

“Eostur-monath, qui nunc Paschalis mensis interpretatur, quondam a Dea illorum quæ Eostre vocabatur, et cui in illo festa celebrabant nomen habuit: a cujus nomine nunc Paschale tempus cognominant, consueto antiquæ observationis vocabulo gaudia novæ solemnitatis vocantes.” (De Ratione Temporum)

“Eostur-monath, which now is translated Paschal month, was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, and whose name was celebrated in the festival at that [time]: by whose name they now designate the Paschal season, calling the joys of the new festival by the familiar ancient observance.” (Translation by KJV Today)

Thus unlike the Easter/Ishtar connection myth, there is some linguistic basis to the claim that the name “Easter” comes from the name of a Saxon goddess called “Eostre”. However, if the feast of the goddess was as ancient as Bede claimed, it is doubtful that he would have actually known which came first, the name of the month “Eostur-monath” or the goddess “Eostre”. In fact, “Eostur-monath” comes from “Ōstar-mānod”, the Old Germanic name for the month of April. Thus the origin of this name of the month of April is more ancient than the Anglo-Saxon language itself. By Bede’s time, the tradition of the goddess had already been established so it may have appeared to him that the month was named after the goddess. However, it is far more logical that the name of the month, which means, “East/Sunrise month”, came first in the ancestral language of the Saxons, which is Old Germanic, because March is the time when the days noticeably begin to start earlier (as stated under the section for myth 2, the Saxon word “east” was a descriptive word that referred to the dawn or sunrise. The -er suffix in “Easter” comes from the influence of either the Proto-Germanic austra or the Old Frisian aster). This religiously neutral origin for the name of Eosturmonað, derived from the Old Germanic Ōstar-mānod, is very likely because each of the months of the Old Germanic calendar is named after a natural phenomenon that characterizes the month:

Modern months	Old Germanic months	Meaning
January	Harti-mánód	Severe frost month
February	Hornung	Shedding of antlers
March	Lenzin-mānod	Spring month
April	Ōstar-mānod	East/Sunrise month
May	Winni-mánód	Graze month
June	Brāh-mānod	Fallow month
July	Hewi-mānod	Hay month
August	Aran-mānod	Harvest month
September	Herbist-mānod	Leaves month
October	Wīndume-mānod	Vintage month
November	Wintar-mānod	Winter month
December	N/A	N/A

Given how all the Old Germanic months are named after seasonal characteristics, it is more likely than not that “Ōstar-mānod” was originally a name given to the month based on its seasonal characteristic of the sunrise starting earlier. The Saxons borrowed the name for April from Old Germanic. It is clear that by the time of the Saxons, some of the months had been named with religious overtones (e.g. Yule, Rheda, Blood (sacrifice)). It may well be that by the time of the Saxons, a pagan meaning had become attached to the name of “Eostur-mónaþ”; but that was a later development.

Modern months	Anglo-Saxon months	Meaning
January	Æftera Jéola	After Yule
February	Sol-mónaþ	Soil month
March	Hréð-mónaþ	Rheda’s month or wilderness month
April	Eostur-mónaþ	East/Sunrise month
May	Þrimilki-mónaþ	Three milkings month
June	Ærra Líða	Before midsummer
July	Æftera Líða	After midsummer
August	Weod-mónaþ	Plant month
September	Hærfest-mónaþ	Harvest month
October	Win-mónaþ	Wine month
November	Blót-mónaþ	Blood (sacrifice) month
December	Ærra Jéola	Before Yule

(sources: Wikipedia entry on “Germanic calendar“)

The naming of the first spring month as “East/Sunrise month” is logical and it is most likely afterwards that Old Germanic and Saxon pagans personified and deified this “sunrise” or “dawn” and celebrated her feast during the month (the Saxons called her “Eostre” and the Old Germans called her “Ostara”). What is commonly seen among cultures is that some words referring to natural phenomena become personified as pagan deities. For example, the Semitic fertility goddess Ashtoreth (Joshua 9:10) is the deification of the Semitic word “עשׁתּרה (‛ashterâh)” which means “flock” (e.g. Deuteronomy 7:13). Another example is the Semitic fertility god Dagon (Judges 16:23) who is the deification of the Semitic word “דּגן(dâgân)” which means “wheat” (e.g. Jeremiah 31:12). Another example is the name of the Roman goddess Aurora, which is the Latin word for “dawn”. The Latin word “aurora” just means “dawn” if it is used in an ordinary sense. If a Christian goes on an “Aurora Borealis Tour”, he is by no means participating in a pagan activity but is rather simply enjoying a magnificent “dawn-like” natural phenomenon in the arctic regions. Likewise, the fact that a Saxon goddess went by the name “Eostre” does not mean that “Easter” is a pagan word. Those who hold this myth make it sound as if there was once a goddess with a certain name and Saxon Christian simply took that name arbitrarily without any biblical basis. If, for example, the pagans worshiped a goddess by the name of “Sally” and Christians today refer to the day of the Lord’s resurrection as “Sally”, then surely we have a problem. But that is not the case for Saxon Christians using “Easter” as the name of the day of the Lord’s resurrection. As “easter” was a descriptive word that referred to the dawn or sunrise, we can understand why both pagans and Christians wished to use the word “east” for their respective purposes. Pagans wished to worship a goddess of sunrise so they called her “Eostre”. Christians on the other hand wished to celebrate a very special dawn, so they called the day “Easter”.

The resurrection morning = “dawn” par excellence

The Bible describes Christ’s resurrection as being discovered in the “morning” at “dawn” or at “the rising of the sun” (see John 20:1 where it says the stone was already rolled aside while “it was yet dark”):

• “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.” (Matthew 28:1)

• “And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.” (Mark 16:2)

• “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.” (Luke 24:1)

As the Bible associates the resurrection with the dawn, there is biblical basis to calling the time of the resurrection the “dawn” par excellence. “Par excellence” means the reference is deserving of that noun more than any other. There have been many dawns throughout history, but that special dawn on the day of the resurrection is deserving of that noun more than any other. We often refer to notable biblical events using par excellence nouns, such as “the fall”, “the flood”, “the exodus”, “the exile”, “the advent”, “the cross”, etc. “Easter” is the Saxon word for this greatest dawn in all of history. By way of metonymical association, this term which refers to the “dawn” of the resurrection came to refer to the entire day of the resurrection.

The resurrection = spiritual “dawn”

Christ’s resurrection is a “dawn” also in a spiritual sense because that is when the light of salvation rose (resurrected) from the darkness of death. The following passages compare Christ to the sun rising from darkness:

• “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:1-3)

• “But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings;” (Malachi 4:2)

• “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:76-79)

• “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:” (2 Peter 1:19)

• “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” (Revelation 22:16)

Some Christians try to avoid anything that has to do with sunrise imagery, presuming that it is pagan. Yet God in his Holy word compares Christ to the rising sun. The word, “Easter” (austra in Proto-Germanic and aster in Old Frisian; see above), with its connotation of a sunrise, pays tribute to this biblical imagery of Christ as the “Sun of righteousness”. The word translated “dayspring” at Luke 1:78 is “ανατολη”, which means “1) a rising (of the sun and stars); 2) the east (the direction of the sun’s rising)” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). The Old West-Saxon version of the Gospel of Luke translates the word as “eastdæle”, which is the Saxon word for “east/sunrise”. Luke 1:78 in West-Saxon reads, “þurh innoþas ures godes mildheortnesse. on þam he us geneosode of eastdæle up springende;” This is another proof that the word “Easter” came from the biblical language of the Saxons.

The etymology of “Easter” is similar to that of Aνατελλω

“Easter” is etymologically related to “east” (the direction) and refers to the “rising” of our Lord. This connection between the eastern direction and the resurrection makes some Christians nervous about a possible pagan influence. However, there is no reason for such concern because this connection between the eastern direction and the verb “to rise” is even found in the language in which the New Testament was written. The Greek verb “ανατελλω (anatello)” means “to rise” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon) and it is the word translated as “arise” in the above passage in 2 Peter 1:19 about Christ rising in our hearts. It is also the word used in Hebrews 7:14 which says that our Lord “sprang out of Juda”. And “ανατελλω” is related to the word, “ανατολη (anatole)”, which means, “the east (the direction of the sun’s rising)” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). So there is a connection between the eastern direction and the verb “to rise” even in the language of the New Testament. The writers of the New Testament did not avoid using the verb “ανατελλω” (to rise) despite its derivation from the Greek word for “east”.

Myth 4: “Easter” is tainted by residual pagan etymology

Despite any explanation that “Easter” is derived from a generic Saxon word for “dawn” that is not pagan in and of itself (as with the Proto-Germanic austra and the Old Frisian aster), the mere possibility that a goddess went by the name of “Eostre” appears to scare some Christians into avoiding the word “Easter”. These Christians need to realize that pagans should not be given monopoly over valid words in the English lexicon. If today it is discovered that a pagan sect calls its goddess by the name “Dawn”, would these Christians abandon the word “dawn” from their everyday usage? No, that would be silly and it would amount to surrendering a perfectly biblical name to pagans. Anglo-Saxon and Old Germanic Christians may have been aware that a goddess went by the name “Eostre” or “Ostara”. These Christians may have deliberately taken a word that was popular among pagans in order to reclaim the proper use of the word. Thus the word “Easter” (“Ostern” in German) stands as a testimony of the Anglo-Saxon and Old Germanic Christians’ rejection of the goddess in reception of the true God, Jesus Christ. Such a victorious reclaiming of a beautiful word for the cause of Christ should be honored, not opposed.

The funny thing is that many Christians who oppose the use of the word “Easter” still celebrate Good Friday. Yet the word “Friday” is based on the name of a pagan goddess. The word “Friday” means “Day of Frige” – Frige being the name of a Norse goddess. “Good Friday” literally means “Good day of Frige (the goddess)”. Some Christians say that Christ died on Wednesday or Thursday and rose on Saturday. Yet “Wednesday”, “Thursday,” and “Saturday” are also derived from the names of the pagan gods Woden, Thor and Saturnus, respectively. If one would actually like to avoid a “pagan connection”, he would be wiser to avoid using the words “Friday”, “Thursday”, “Wednesday” and “Saturday” rather than the Christian word “Easter”. Avoiding all of these words, of course, is an impossibility if we wish to communicate with others regarding the days of the week. We just have to admit that the English language is the language of a people who were once pagan and that there are many vestiges of pagan etymology in English. Also to be noted is the irony that this word “Ishtar” which some Christians wish to avoid appears to be related to “Esther”, which is the name of an entire book of our Holy Bible. Esther lived in a pagan culture and was given a pagan name as with Mordecai (which is related to the pagan god Marduk). While it has been demonstrated that Easter has nothing to do with Ishtar, the Bible itself shows that God can redeem a name even if it is in fact related to Ishtar.

Myth 5: “Easter eggs” and “Easter bunnies” discredit Easter

Eggs and bunnies are fertility symbols and as such they can be considered pagan symbols. When Christians brought the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection to pagan nations, these symbols of spring became associated with the Christian celebration of Easter which happens in spring. Spring fertility festivals have ancient origins, and some of their practices are described in the Bible in passages such as Ezekiel 8:14-16 and Jeremiah 7:18 & 44:17-19. There are Christians today who avoid using the word “Easter” for fear that it necessarily refers to these pagan symbols and practices. However, the fact that our culture has come to associate fertility symbols with the name “Easter” does not mean that “Easter” itself is pagan. As with the word “Easter”, even the Greek word “Pascha” has become associated with pagan fertility symbols in present day Greece because “Pascha” is the Greek word for “Easter” (this will be explained in the next section of this article). Yet nobody in his right mind would advise Christians against using the word “Pascha”. Somehow the prejudice against the word “Easter” has become so strong among some Christians that logic no longer holds sway. Guilt by association is a logical fallacy. Moreover this logical fallacy is not applied consistently towards the word “Pascha”. Christians would be wise to purge Easter of its pagan symbols, but the word “Easter” itself remains a biblical word.

Myth 6: The calculation of the date of Easter is pagan

Even if the eggs and bunnies are taken out of Easter, some Christians might still oppose the celebration of Easter by virtue of its perceived roots in Roman Catholicism and paganism. What concerns these Christians is the date of Easter, which in Western countries is calculated based on a formula adopted by the Roman Catholic Church at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. According to this formula, Easter lands on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. Some Christians seem to think that this dependence on a Roman Catholic formula, which in turn is based on natural events such as the lunar cycle and the advent of spring, is in and of itself pagan.

While the scientific accuracy of the Nicaean formula for calculating the date of Easter is certainly open for debate, there is no basis to connect the formula to paganism. The formula is simply intended to make Easter land every year on a Sunday that is around the same time of the lunisolar year as when our Lord resurrected on that first Easter Sunday. Early Christians chose to celebrate the resurrection on a Sunday because the resurrection occurred on a Sunday (“the first day of the week” Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:2, Luke 24:1, John 20:1). The celebration was to be held annually because of its connection to the Passover which happens annually. The date of Easter happens around the same time in spring not because of a calculated effort to coincide the date with a pagan spring festival, but because it is a historical fact that our Lord resurrected on a Sunday at this time of the year after the Jewish Passover, which happens in the first spring month of the Jewish calendar. Unlike the date of Christmas, the date of Easter is based on biblical and historical facts.

The use of a formula to observe an annual Sunday celebration around the same time of the lunisolar year each year is not pagan, as even the date of Passover is set based on a formula using the lunisolar year. There is no biblical precept requiring the use of the Nicaean formula for calculating the date of Easter, but there is also no precept forbidding such a formula. The fact that this formula was adopted by Roman Catholicism at the Council of Nicaea does not mean that it is based on a Roman Catholic heresy. The Council of Nicaea did offer many sound points of theology. Once it was determined that the celebration of Christ’s resurrection should occur each year on a Sunday around the same time of the year, the formula for calculating that date was purely based on the science of the time and not based on pagan practices. If Christians today wish to come up with a better formula for calculating the date to celebrate the resurrection or do not wish to celebrate the resurrection on an annual basis (perhaps based on the belief that the resurrection should be celebrated weekly or daily), these Christians have the liberty to do so. But Christians who choose to celebrate Easter according to the Nicaean formula have the liberty to do so and their practices should not be called pagan.

The KJV is correct in having “Easter” at Acts 12:4

“Pascha” means Easter today

Now that it has been demonstrated that “Easter” is a biblical word referring to the day to celebrate Christ’s resurrection, it will be shown why the KJV is correct in translating “Πάσχα (Pascha)” as “Easter” at Acts 12:4. For starters, here are some modern Greek-English dictionaries showing that at least in modern Greek the primary meaning of “Pascha” is “Easter”, not “Passover”:

Oxford Greek-English Learner’s Dictionary (Oxford UP, 2012)

Collins Greek-English Dictionary (HarperCollins, 2003)

Divry’s Modern English-Greek and Greek-English Desk Dictionary (D.C. Divry, 1991)

Divry’s Modern English-Greek and Greek-English Desk Dictionary (D.C. Divry, 1991)

“Pascha” is a polyseme, a word with multiple meanings. In certain contexts it refers to the Jewish Passover (celebration of the Exodus). In other contexts it refers to the Christian Easter. When used by Jews in a context prior to Christ’s resurrection, the word always refers to the Jewish Passover. However, when used by Greek Christians in a context after Christ’s resurrection (as Luke, the narrator of Acts, did in Acts 12:4), the word refers to Easter.

“Kalo Pascha”

A Greek Christian Easter Card

Many English-speaking people are deceived by the similar sounds between “Pascha” and “Passover” and therefore find it difficult to understand that “Pascha” could mean Easter. The English word, “Passover”, is a perfect translation of “Pascha” in the context of the Jewish celebration because the root Hebrew word, “פּסח (pasach)”, means “to pass over” (Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions). Yet it is only in English that the verb, “pass over”, and “Pasach/Pascha” are phonetically similar. In other languages, it is not so obvious from phonetics that “Pascha” refers to the Passover. Perhaps that is why in most other languages the primary meaning of “Pascha” is not Passover. For example, in modern Greek, “Πάσχα (Pascha)” primarily means Easter. When a non-Jewish Greek person says, “Καλό Πάσχα! (Happy Pascha!)”, he is not wishing you a happy Jewish holiday but rather a happy Christian holiday. In modern Greek, Passover is the secondary meaning of “Pascha”. “Pascha” means Passover only when the context is clearly Jewish or when the word is qualified as being the Hebrew or Jewish “Pascha” as follows:

• Easter = Πάσχα (Pascha)
• Passover = εβραϊκό Πάσχα (Hebrew Pascha), Πάσχα των ιουδαίων (Pascha of the Jew)

Although “Pascha” was originally a Hebrew word (“פּסח (pesach)”), Greek, being the language of a predominantly Christian nation, had appropriated the Jewish word and gave it the Christian meaning of “Easter”. That is why in modern Greek, the primary meaning of “Πάσχα” is Easter and Passover is actually the secondary meaning when “Πάσχα” is qualified as the “εβραϊκό Πάσχα (Hebrew Pascha)” or the “Πάσχα των ιουδαίων (Pascha of the Jews)”. Many other languages of Christendom are like modern Greek in making Easter the primary meaning of the transliteration of “Pascha”:

Language	Word for Easter	Word for Passover
Danish	Påske	Påsken
Dutch	Pasen	Joods Paasfeest
French	Pâques	Pâques de Juifs
Italian	Pasqua	Pasqua ebraica
Latin	Pascha	Pascha
Portuguese	Páscoa	Páscoa dos judeus
Romanian	Paşti	Paștele evreiesc
Spanish	Pascua	Pascua Judía
Swedish	Påsk	Judarnas Påskhögtid

As with modern Greek, the transliteration of “Pascha” in these languages could refer to either Easter or Passover depending on context or a modifier. But often the primary meaning of “Pascha” is Easter. In French, for example, Easter is “Pâques” and Passover is “Pâques de Juifs” (“Pascha of the Jews”).

“Pascha” meant Easter in the first century

There is no doubt that “Πάσχα” means Easter in modern Greek. The charge, however, is that “Πάσχα” did not mean Easter until centuries after the composition of Acts 12:4. This is not true. In the Gospel of John there is already a distinction being made between the Christian Πάσχα and the Jewish Πάσχα. One of the words for Passover in modern Greek is “Πάσχα των ιουδαίων” (Passover of the Jews). We see this same phrase already in the time of John the Apostle:

• John 2:13: “And the Jews’ passover was at hand….” (και εγγυς ην το πασχα των ιουδαιων)

• John 11:55: “And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand….” (ην δε εγγυς το πασχα των ιουδαιων)

The fact that John writes, “Jews’ Pascha (πασχα των ιουδαιων)” indicates that there was a need to qualify the word “Pascha” for the immediate audience of John’s Gospel. Such a phrase would be redundant unless there were already a distinction between a “Jew’s” Pascha and “another” Pascha. Apparently within the first century, Christians had already appropriated the word “Pascha” to refer to the Christian celebration of the resurrection.

Eusebius’ testimony is clear that the Apostles were already celebrating the “Saviour’s Pascha”, which is clearly not the “Jews’ Pascha”:

“Ζητήσεως δῆτα κατὰ τούσδε οὐ σμικρᾶς ἀνακινηθείσης, ὅτι δὴ τῆς Ἀσίας ἁπάσης αἱ παροικίαι ὡς ἐκ παραδόσεως ἀρχαιοτέρας σελήνης τὴν τεσσαρεσκαιδεκάτην ᾤοντο δεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ σωτηρίου πάσχα ἑορτῆς παραφυλάττειν, ἐν ᾗ θύειν τὸ πρόβατον Ἰουδαίοις προηγόρευτο, ὡς δέον ἐκ παντὸς κατὰ ταύτην, ὁποίᾳ δἂν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἑβδομάδος περιτυγχάνοι, τὰς τῶν ἀσιτιῶν ἐπιλύσεις ποιεῖσθαι, οὐκ ἔθους ὄντος τοῦτον ἐπιτελεῖν τὸν τρόπον ταῖς ἀνὰ τὴν λοιπὴν ἅπασαν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις, ἐξ ἀποστολικῆς παραδόσεως τὸ καὶ εἰς δεῦρο κρατῆσαν ἔθος φυλαττούσαις, ὡς μηδ’ ἑτέρᾳ προσήκειν παρὰ τὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἡμέρᾳ τὰς νηστείας ἐπιλύεσθαι” (Church History, Book V, 23:1)

“A question of no small importance arose at that time. For the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour’s passover. It was therefore necessary to end their fast on that day, whatever day of the week it should happen to be. But it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world to end it at this time, as they observed the practice which, from apostolic tradition, has prevailed to the present time, of terminating the fast on no other day than on that of the resurrection of our Saviour.” (Church History, Book V, 23:1, Translation from www.newadvent.org)

Typical English translations of Eusebius’ Church History, such as that above, translate “σωτηρίου πάσχα” as “Saviour’s passover”, but the literal translation is “Saviour’s Pascha”. Eusebius here is describing the Quartodecimanist controversy which arose when the churches in the second century could not agree on the day to celebrate the Saviour’s Pascha. While some Christians are rightly sceptical of the writings of Eusebius by virtue of his connection to the Roman Catholic church, his testimony above simply concerns a fact that Christians celebrated the Saviour’s Pascha. Eusebius gives a balanced report of the situation, even reporting that the Saviour’s Pascha originally fell on the date of the Passover instead of on a Sunday, contrary to later Roman Catholic practices. Regardless of who was right in the Quartodecimanist controversy, the fact is that Christians from early times were all celebrating the Saviour’s Pascha, which is the celebration of the resurrection of the Saviour. This was not the Jewish Passover but rather the Christian celebration of Easter.

Those who deny that “Πάσχα” came to mean “Easter” in Apostolic times are unable to explain when the shift in meaning arose. There is no record of councils or debates documenting the shift in the meaning of “Πάσχα” in Greek. There is also no logical reason for the shift in meaning to take place over hundreds of years. As far back as we can document, Greek Christians have accepted that “Πάσχα” refers to the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection, which is “Easter”. Given John’s use of the word and the uncontradicted testimonies of early church fathers, it is far more candid to accept that “Πάσχα” already meant “Easter” in the first century. In the Bible, “Πάσχα” means Passover only when used by Jews or by anyone specifically referring to the Jewish celebration. In passages prior to Christ’s resurrection, the KJV translates “Πάσχα” as “Passover” because the narrators and characters are still referring to the Jewish festival. The only times the KJV translates “Πάσχα” as “Passover” after the resurrection are in 1 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 11:28. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, the word “passover” refers to the passover lamb rather than the day of the year, so it is correctly translated “passover”. In Hebrews 11:28, the narrative refers retrospectively to Moses’ conduct, which was before the resurrection, so the word is properly translated “passover”. The following diagram explains these distinctions visually:

“Pascha” meant Easter to Luke, the narrator of Acts 12:4

Whether “Πάσχα” should be Passover or Easter at Acts 12:4 must be determined by discerning who is using the word in this instance. If the word is used by a Jew, then the word would mean Passover. If the word is used by Herod, then the word would mean Passover or perhaps a pagan festival (although the possibility of “Πάσχα” referring to a pagan festival has no basis in history or etymology). Contrary to what many believe, it is neither the Jews nor Herod who is using the word “Πάσχα”at Acts 12:4. It is actually Luke, the Christian narrator of Acts, who is using the word “Πάσχα” to describe the timeline of events for his Christian readers in the latter first century, many of whom were Gentile Christians. At the time of Luke’s writing, “Πάσχα” at Acts 12:4 was no longer the Passover but Easter. When Luke speaks in Acts 12:4 as narrator, he is using words according to the mutual Christian perspective of himself and his readers. This is evident because he uses the word “church” (εκκλησία) at Acts 12:1 to refer to Christians. This is a dignifying Christian word to refer to the congregation of those who are called out by God. Neither Herod nor the Jews would have referred to these rebels as “the called-out ones”. However, when coming from a Christian narrator for a Christian audience, the word “εκκλησία” carries a Christian meaning. The same goes for the word “πασχα”. It may well be that Herod and the Jews had no concern or knowledge about Easter. Although Herod and the Jews were waiting for the Jewish Passover, Luke uses “πασχα” according to its Christian meaning of “Easter” to explain the timeline of events to his Christian readers. That is why “πασχα” is Easter in Acts 12:4.

/ Part 2 of 2 to follow …

The Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament Text

Proverb 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

pervert v. /per-vert/ 1 alter from an original meaning or state to a distortion of what was first intended. 2 lead away from what is right, natural, or acceptable.

© South African Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 3rd Edition 2002

Following on from the recent five part series titled “Pervert Translations and Publishers” which can be found here – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5 – a stern warning that needs to be brought to elders, pastor-teachers, evangelists, laymen, scholars and theologians, which warning was hopefully picked up from the aforementioned series, is that we are to be aware of which modern-day Greek New Testament text we are using when comparing Scripture back to the “original” Greek text.

Whilst many of the person-types afore-stated in the opening paragraph say that only the original manuscripts of the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek autographs were inspired by God Almighty, the very same persons contradict themselves when they say, and attest the fact, that they go back to the “original” text in their studies’ of God’s Word or preparation of their sermons by using man-made interlinear translations that have deviated away from the Byzantine Text – which is also known as the Majority Text or the Textus Receptus (Received Text). The Byzantine Text is the text that came through the line of Antioch, whilst the more modern translations that use the Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus manuscripts, which incidentally differs greatly against the majority manuscripts as well as against each other, they came through the Alexandrian line, and from about 1881 this is commonly known as the Critical Text. A useful aid to see how these two lines are in operation can be found by clicking on the diagram hereunder.

This Critical Text was brought about by the two Cambridge professors Messrs Brooke Foss Westcott (1825-1901) and Fenton John Anthony Hort (1828-1892) who hated what they called “that vile Textus Receptus” and therefore brought about their own eclectic critical text which is the apparatus for the modern pervert bibles. In fact, to be truthful, the eclectic critical text of Westcott-Hort should be termed the Textus Corruptus! These are The Men Who Made Themselves Judges over God’s Word, and were heretics with their outrageous beliefs and practices.

To understand the History of the Nestle-Aland Edition, we will go to their very own source as it appears at the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graece Website, and quote:

History of the Nestle-Aland Edition

In 1898 Eberhard Nestle published the first edition of his Novum Testamentum Graece. Based on a simple yet ingenious idea it disseminated the insights of the textual criticism of that time through a hand edition designed for university and school studies and for church purposes. Nestle took the three leading scholarly editions of the Greek New Testament at that time by Tischendorf, Westcott/Hort and Weymouth as a basis. (After 1901 he replaced the latter with Bernhard Weiß’s 1894/1900 edition.) Where their textual decisions differed from each other Nestle chose for his own text the variant which was preferred by two of the editions included, while the variant of the third was put into the apparatus.

The text-critical apparatus remained rudimentary in all the editions published by Eberhard Nestle. It was Eberhard Nestle’s son Erwin who provided the 13th edition of 1927 with a consistent critical apparatus showing evidence from manuscripts, early translations and patristic citations. However, these notes did not derive from the primary sources, but only from editions.

This changed in the nineteen-fifties, when Kurt Aland started working for the edition by checking the apparatus entries against Greek manuscripts and editions of the Church Fathers. This phase came to a close in 1963 when the 25th edition of the Novum Testamentum Graece appeared; later printings of this edition already carried the brand name “Nestle-Aland” on their covers.

The 26th edition, which appeared in 1979, featured a fundamentally new approach. Until then the guiding principle had been to adopt the text supported by a majority of the critical editions referred to. Now the text was established on the basis of source material that had been assembled and evaluated in the intervening period. It included early papyri and other manuscript discoveries, so that the 26th edition represented the situation of textual criticism in the 20th century. Its text was identical with that of the 3rd edition of the UBS Greek New Testament (GNT) published in 1975, as a consequence of the parallel work done on both editions. Already in 1955 Kurt Aland was invited to participate in an editorial committee with Matthew Black, Bruce M. Metzger, Alan Wikgren, and at first Arthur Vööbus, later Carlo Martini (and, from 1982, Barbara Aland and Johannes Karavidopoulos) to produce a reliable hand edition of the Greek New Testament.

The first edition of the GNT appeared in 1966. Its text was established along the lines of Westcott and Hort and differed considerably from Nestle’s 25th edition. This holds true for the second edition of the GNT as well. When the third edition was prepared Kurt Aland was able to contribute the textual proposals coming from his preliminary work on the 26th edition of the Nestle-Aland. Hence the process of establishing the text for both editions continued to converge, so that eventually they could share an identical text. However, their external appearance and the design of their apparatus remains different, because they serve different purposes. The GNT is primarily intended for translators, providing a reliable Greek initial text and a text-critical apparatus showing variants that are relevant for translation. In the case of the passages selected for this purpose the evidence is displayed as completely as possible. The Novum Testamentum Graece is produced primarily for research, academic education and pastoral practice. It seeks to provide an apparatus that enables the reader to make a critical assessment of the reconstruction of the Greek initial text.

The text of the 26th edition of the Nestle-Aland was adopted for the 27th edition also, while the apparatus underwent an extensive revision. The text remained the same, because the 27th edition was not “deemed an appropriate occasion for introducing textual changes”. Since then the situation has changed, because the Editio Critica Maior (ECM) of the Catholic Letters is now available. Its text was established on the basis of all the relevant material from manuscripts and other sources. The ECM text was adopted for the present edition following approval by the editorial committee of the Nestle-Aland and the GNT.

Now to distort the matter even further, there is now even a later 28th Edition that can be read online at their website! When are men going to stop with their pervert manuscripts?

To put this all in perspective, let us use a simple analogy: It stands to reason that if  we are told that we have a “better translation” (hypothetically-speaking) of a bible called the NIV, then why would another one have to be printed as a more up-to-date version if you already have the “best translation” (sarcastically-speaking) available. You see the irrational reasoning here? The same foolhardiness applies when a person says the “original” Greek Text was only inspired by God, but the same person goes back to a man inspired translation manuscript of the Greek Text in an interlinear to confirm God’s Word through criticism. This is dangerous ground to be playing on especially,

2 Corinthians 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

and

1 Corinthians 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1 Corinthians 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1 Corinthians 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1 Corinthians 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

The Nestle-Aland-UBS Greek New Testament texts are “wood, hay, stubble” and will be burned up. Be forewarned, that this is a serious situation as there is false-teachings that are coming out of using these erroneous Greek New Testament Texts criticising the words contained in God’s Holy Word which is to be taught as the plumbline and not criticized.

In closing, here is a pdf format document titled “Corruption Unveiled: A Critical Analysis of the United Bible Societies’ The Greek New Testament” by brother Jesse M. Boyd which sets the record straight.

Here is also a video that needs to be watched that brings Proof the ASV, RSV, JB, LB, TEV, NEB, NIV, NASV, GNB, NRSV, NAB, CEV, NCV, ESV, NBV, NKJV, NWT (Jehovah Witness Bible), THE MESSAGE, HOLMANS, etc, are the New Vatican Versions:

Dearly beloved brethren, I might not be a learned Greek scholar, but I do take comfort from the following Scripture,

Act 4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

I stand upon and believe every Word of God as contained in the King James Holy Bible. If we do not have a 100% accurate Bible in the English tongue, then where can we get an infallible, inerrant, inspired and preserved, full and complete Word from GOD? And if the versions are “some better, some worse” (quote from Dr John MacArthur’s “Transmission” on page xxi to his NASB Study Bible) then at which point will GOD give us His full historical account of His Word that is perfect? TRUTH is 100% – if it is 99.9% true with 0.1% error, it is not Truth! The 0.1% corrupts the 99.9% and makes it a LIE! King Jesus Christ of Nazareth said,

John 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Whilst the only begotten Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ warned about deception, today we need to follow His example. We need to preach the Truth and nothing, but the Truth and that includes being a Watchman upon the city wall warning about deceptions, for if the wall be fallen down you will be open to attack.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pervert Translations and Publishers ~ Part 5

Proverb 18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

pervert v. /per-vert/ 1 alter from an original meaning or state to a distortion of what was first intended. 2 lead away from what is right, natural, or acceptable.

© South African Pocket Oxford Dictionary, 3rd Edition 2002

by Terry Watkins

coun ter feit \’kaunt-er-fit\: to imitate or copy closely especially with intent to deceive.

The greatest method of deception is to counterfeit.
And the master of counterfeit and deception is Satan.

The Bible in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 warns of Satan’s counterfeit: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; …” Isaiah 14:14 tells of Satan’s ultimate counterfeit: “… I will BE LIKE the most High.”

And among his greatest counterfeit’s is the New King James Bible (NKJV). Christians that would never touch a New International Version (NIV), New American Standard (NASV), Revised Standard (RSV), the New Revised Standard (NRSV) or other per-versions are being “seduced” by the subtle NKJV.

And though the New King James does indeed bear a “likeness” to the 1611 King James Bible, as you’ll soon see, there’s something else coiled (see Genesis 3:1) “underneath the cover” of the NKJV.

WHAT ABOUT THAT MYSTERIOUS MARK?

Symbols are used throughout the occult. Harpers’ Encyclopaedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience (p.594) says, “Symbols are important to all esoteric teachings, for they contain secret wisdom accessible only to the initiated.”

Many people have asked about the mysterious symbol on the NKJV.

Thomas Nelson Publishers (publishers of the NKJV) claim, on the inside-cover, the symbol, “… is an ancient symbol for the Trinity.” But Acts 17:29, clearly FORBIDS such symbology: “… we ought NOT to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, GRAVEN BY ART and man’s device.”

And why does The Aquarian Conspiracy, a key New Age  “handbook”, bear a similar symbol? New Agers freely admit it represents three inter-woven “6”s or “666”.

Constance Cumbey, author of The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow and a notable authority on the New Age Movement, said, “On the cover of the Aquarian Conspiracy is a Mobius, it is really used by them as triple six (666). The emblem on the cover of the New King James Bible is said to be an ancient symbol of the Trinity. The old symbol had gnostic origins. It was more gnostic than Christian. I was rather alarmed when I noticed the emblem …“ (The New Age Movement, Southwest Radio Church, 1982 p.11)

The three esoteric “6”‘s separated.
Plainly displaying the interlocked “666”.

The Triqueta is used  as the centerpiece for the logo for The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP). The ITP is a new age school following the Jungian Psychology [occultist Carl Jung]. One of their stated goals is “… to reach the recognition of divinity within” (www.itp.edu/about/tp.html) (see Genesis 3:5, “…ye shall be as gods …”)

The same symbol (with a circle) is displayed by the rock group Led Zeppelin. Members of Led Zeppelin are deeply involved in satanism and the occult. Guitarist Jimmy Page, so consumed with satanism, actually purchased satanist Aleister Crowley’s mansion. Most believe the symbol is from the teachings of Aleister Crowley and represents 666.

The following picture is “The Hierophant” taken from the Tarot card set designed by satanist Aliester Crowley. The “Hierophant” is a priest in the occult and Eleusinian. Notice the “three circles” at the top of the wand or rod in the Hierphant’s hand. Inside the the three intertwined circles is the “NKJV symbol”.

To the left is the top of the wand enlarged. Notice the “NKJV symbol” (upside down) inside the three circles.

One of the most occultic television shows ever aired is “Charmed”. “Charmed” details the spells and occultic practices of three witches. The “NKJV symbol” is the show’s primary symbol of witchcraft and is splattered throughout the series. Notice the “NKJV symbol” displayed on “The Book of Shadows”. The Book of Shadows is commonly used in witchcraft and satanism:

Book of Shadows: Also called a grimoire, this journal kept either by individual witches or satanists or by a coven or group, records the activities of the group and the incantations used. (Jerry Johnston, The Edge of Evil: The Rise of Satanism on North America, p. 269)

THE NKJV & WITCHCRAFT?

The Craft: A Witch’s Book of Shadows
The Witch’s Book of Shadows or Grimoire is a book of spells, enchantments, and rituals. Includes Rituals, Spells, and Wicca Ethics

The Craft Companion: A Witch’s Journal

By Dorothy Morrison, a high priest of Witchcraft.

NOTE: We circled (in YELLOW and RED), and also enlarged to the side The NKJV symbol.

Here’s some examples of Satanic and Pagan Jewellery which includes the NKJV logo.

LEFT BOX: Notice the satanic pentagram ring in the top right corner. The ring with the NKJV logo is the fourth down on the left, we highlighted it with a yellow circle.

BOTTOM BOX: Notice the very satanic Baphomet Goat. We broke out and colored the NKJV symbol found in the other two satanic pieces of jewellery.

LEFT: The image on the left is from the rock group Deicide’s album “Once Upon the Cross”. It is a triquetra (the NKJV logo) with pentagrams and upside down crosses. The group Deicide members are very serious Satanists. Lead Singer Glen Benton has an upside down cross branded on his forehead. The inside cover of the album “Once Upon the Cross” has the Lord Jesus Christ, sliced up the middle, with his insides removed. The name Deicide means the death of God.

RIGHT: The triquetra (the NKJV logo) is also the logo for the Rap / Metal band P.O.D.

The book “Blood on the Doorposts” by former Satanists, Bill and Sharon Schnoebelen, also documents the “trio of sixes (666)” in the “NKJV symbol” and goes so far as claim it is “symbolic of the anti-christ”:

“A disguised interlocked trio of sixes, symbolic of the anti-christ. Also symbolizes the triple goddess of Wicca (three interlocked vesica pisces together). Commonly used in Catholic liturgical iconography, and has recently found its way into the logo of the New King James Bible.” (Bill and Sharon Schnoebelen, Blood on the Doorposts, p. 150)

Dr. Cathy Burns writes in her book, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, concerning the “NKJV symbol”:

“Marilyn Ferguson, a New Ager, used the symbol of the triquetra (another name for the triskele) on her book The Aquarian Conspiracy. This is a variation for the number 666. Other books and material have a similar design printed on them, such as books from David Spangler, the person who lauds Lucifer, and The Witch’s Grimoire. As most people know, the number 666 is the number of the beast (see Revelation 13:18) and is evil, yet the occultists and New Agers love this number and consider it to be sacred.

As stated earlier, many organizations, such as the World Future Society and the Trilateral Commission, incorporate this symbol into their logo. I think it is quite interesting to see that this same symbol appears on the cover of the New King James Bible as well!” (Dr. Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, pp. 242-243)

Would God “mark” His word with a symbol in the occult?

The Preface to the New King James Version (NKJV) reads, “A special feature of the New King James Version is ITS CONFORMITY to the thought flow of the 1611 Bible … the new edition, while much clearer ARE SO CLOSE to the traditional …”

Among the first changes that greets the reader of the NKJV is the removal of the much maligned “thee, thou and ye”. The Preface to the NKJV states, “… thee, thou, and ye are replaced by the simple you, … These pronouns are no longer part of our language.” But “thee, thou and ye” were “NO LONGER part of the language” during 1611 either. (Just read the intro to the 1611 King James, there are no “thee”, “thou” and “ye”). In fact, Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, says of ye: “used from the earliest of times to the late 13th century …” (p.2648) And yet the 1611 King James was published 400 years later in the 17th century!

So why are they there?

The Greek and Hebrew language contain a different word for the second person singular and the second person plural pronouns. Today we use the one-word “you” for both the singular and plural. But because the translators of the 1611 King James Bible desired an accurate, word-for-word translation of the Hebrew and Greek text – they could NOT use the one-word “you” throughout! If it begins with “t” (thou, thy, thine) it’s SINGULAR, but if it begins with “y” (ye) it’s PLURAL. Ads for the NKJV call it “the Accurate One”, and yet the 1611 King James, by using “thee”, “thou”, “ye”, is far more accurate!

By the way, if the “thee’s” and “thou’s” are “… no longer part of our language” – why aren’t the NKJV translators rushing to make our hymnbooks “much clearer”? “How Great Thou Art” to “How Great You Are”, or “Come Thou Fount” to “Come You Fount” Doesn’t sound right, does it? Isn’t it amazing that they wouldn’t dare “correct” our hymns – and yet, without the slightest hesitation, they’ll “correct” the word of God!

The NKJV claims to make the “old” KJV “much clearer” by “updating obsolete words” (New King James Version, 1982e. p.1235).

How about that “obsolete word” – “hell”. The NKJV removes the word “hell” 23 times! And how do they make it “much clearer”? By replacing “hell” with “Hades” and “Sheol”! Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary defines Hades: “the underground abode of the dead in Greek MYTHOLOGY“. By making it “much clearer” – they turn your Bible into MYTHOLOGY! Not only that, Hades is not always a place of torment or terror! The Assyrian Hades is an abode of blessedness with silver skies called “Happy Fields”. In the satanic New Age Movement, Hades is an intermediate state of purification!

Who in their right mind would think “Hades” or “Sheol” is “up-to-date” and “much clearer” than “hell”?

Matthew 16:18

KJV: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

NKJV: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”

Luke 16:23

KJV: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

NKJV: “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

Hell is removed in 2 Sam. 22:6, Job 11:8, 26:6, Psalm 16:10, 18:5, 86:13, 116:3, Isaiah 5:14, 14:15, 28:15,18, 57:9, Jonah 2:2, Matt. 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Acts 2:27, 31, Rev. 1:18, 6:8, 20:13,14.

Then the NKJV decides that maybe “Hades” should be “grave”! So the NKJV makes 1 Corinthians 15:55 “much clearer” by changing “grave” to “Hades”! “… O Hades, where is your victory?” Clear as mud …

Another one of those “obsolete words” is “repent”. They take it out 44 times! And how does the NKJV make it “much clearer”? In Matthew 21:32 they use “relent”. Matthew 27:3 it’s “remorseful” Or Romans 11:29 they change “repentance” to “irrevocable”.

The term “new testament” is NOT in the NKJV! (see Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 9:15,) The NKJV replaces “new testament” with “new covenant” (ditto NIV, NRSV, RSV, NASV). An obvious assault at the written word!

The word “damned”, “damnation” is NOT in the NKJV! They make it “much clearer” by replacing it with “condemn” (ditto NIV, RSV, NRSV, NASV). “Condemned” is NO WHERE NEAR AS SERIOUS as “damned”! Damned is eternal! One can be “condemned” and not “damned”. Romans 14:22 says, “… Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Webster defines “condemned”: to declare to be wrong, but the much more serious and eternal “damn”: “to condemn to hell”.

The word “devils” (the singular, person called the “devil” is) is NOT in the NKJV! Replaced with the “transliterated” Greek word “demon” (ditto NIV, RSV, NRSV, NASV). The Theosophical Dictionary describes demon as: “… it has a meaning identical with that of ‘god’, ‘angel’ or ‘genius'”. Even Vines Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (p.157) defines “demon” as: “an inferior deity, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD”. Webster defines “demon” as: “divinity, spirit, an attendant power or spirit”, but “devil” as: “the personal supreme spirit of EVIL …”

In 2 Timothy 2:15, the NKJV (like the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV) remove that “obsolete” word – “study”! The only time you’re told to “study” your Bible. AND THEY ZAP IT! Why don’t they want you to “study” your Bible? Maybe they don’t want you to look too close – you might find out what they’ve ACTUALLY done to your Bible! The “real” KJV is the only English Bible in the world that instructs you to “study” your Bible!
That “obsolete” word “virtue” is replaced with “power” in Mark 5:30, Luke 6:19, 8:46! How does anybody confuse “virtue” with “power”? Simple – by being “bosom-buddies” with the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV! That’s what they did!

One of the most absurd changes ever made is changing the word “servant” to “slave”! The NKJV in Romans 6:22, reads: “But now having been set FREE from sin, and having become SLAVES OF GOD …” The NKJV, in 1 Corinthians 7:22, calls the Christian, “Christ’s slave”. Talk about a contradiction! John 8:36 says, “If the Son therefore shall make you FREE, YE SHALL BE FREE INDEED.” But isn’t a Christian supposed to serve? Yes, in love. Not as a slave! Galatians 5:13 explains it, perfectly: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto LIBERTY;(not slavery!) only use not LIBERTY for an occasion to the flesh, but BY LOVE SERVE one another.”

In order to “harmonize” with the satanic New Age Movement (and of course the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!), the NKJV changes “end of the WORLD” to “end of the AGE“! And in it’s no longer the “WORLD to come” but “AGE to come”. The New Age Movement teaches a series of ages (hence the name: New AGE). See Matthew 12:32, 13:39, 13:40, 13:49, 24:3, 28:20, Mark 10:30, Luke 13:30, 20:34,35, 1 Cor 1:21.

The New Age Movement and the occult are longing for one called the Maitreya. The Bible calls him the Anti-Christ. New Ager’s refer to him as the “the Coming One” – AND SO DOES THE NKJV! In Luke 7:19, 20 (see also Matt 11:3) John told his disciples to ask Jesus: “Are You THE COMING ONE. . .” In the “The Great Invocation”, a “prayer” highly reverenced among New Agers and chanted to “invoke” the Maitreya, says, “Let Light and Love and Power and Death, Fulfil the purpose of the Coming One.”

And to REALLY show their sympathy with the satanic New Age Movement – BELIEVE IT OR NOT – in Acts 17:29 the New Age NKJV changes “Godhead” to “Divine Nature”! (ditto NIV, NASV)

And if you think the NKJV just “innocently” updated the “obsolete words”, removed the “thee’s and thou’s” – here’s what the translators proudly admit: “IT IS CLEAR that this revision REQUIRED more than the dropping of “-eth” endings, removing, “thee’s” and “thou’s,” and updating obsolete words.” (The New King James Version, 1982e. p.1235)

AND THEY AIN’T JUST A KIDDIN’!

Here’s a sampling of the required changes:

Genesis 2:18: The NKJV ought to make Hillary Clinton proud: “And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone; I will make a helper COMPARABLE TO HIM”

Genesis 22:8: One of the greatest verses in the Bible proclaiming that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh: “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:” The NKJV adds that little word “for”: “God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” And destroys the wonderful promise! Where’d they get their little “for”? From the NASV!

Genesis 24:47: The “old” KJV reads: “I put the earring upon her face”. But the NKJV has different plans for beautiful Rebekah: “I put the nose ring on her nose”. Where did it get the ridiculous idea to “cannibalize” Rebekah? Just take a peek at the NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!

Ezra 8:36: The KJV reads, “And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s lieutenants …” The “much clearer” NKJV reads, “And they delivered the king’s orders to the king’s satraps …” Who in the world thinks “satraps” is “much clearer” than lieutenants? The NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV – they do! They put in the same “much clearer” word!

Psalms 109:6: removes “Satan”. (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV).

Matthew 7:14: change “narrow is the way” to “difficult is the way”. There’s nothing “difficult” about the salvation of Jesus Christ! Jesus says in Matt. 11:30, “For my yoke is EASY, and my burden is light.” THE EXACT OPPOSITE! Boy, you talk about a contradiction!

Matthew 12:40: change “whale” to “fish” (ditto NIV) I don’t guess it matters (what’s the truth got to do with it?), the Greek word used in Matthew 12:40 is ketos. The scientific study of whales just happens to be – CETOLOGY – from the Greek ketos for whale and logos for study! The scientific name for whales just happens to be – CETACEANS – from the Greek ketos for whale!

Matthew 18:26 & Matthew 20:20: The NKJV removes “worshipped him” (robbing worship from Jesus) (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

Mark 13:6 & Luke 21:8: removes “Christ” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

John 1:3: change “All things were made BY him;” to “All things were made THROUGH Him” (NIV, NRSV, RSV)

John 4:24: change “God is a spirit” to the impersonal, New Age pantheistic, “God is spirit” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

John 14:2: (NKJV 1979 edition) change “mansions” to “dwelling places” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

John 14:16: change “comforter” to “helper” (refers to Holy Spirit) (NASV)

Acts 4:27, 30: change “holy child” to “holy servant” (refers to Jesus) (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Acts 12:4: change “Easter” to “Passover” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

Acts 17:22: changes “superstitious” to “religious” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Acts 24:14: change “heresy” to “sect” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Romans 1:18: change “hold the truth” to “suppress the truth” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Romans 1:25: change “changed the truth” to “exchanged the truth” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Romans 5:8: change “commendeth” to “demonstrates” (NIV, NASV)

Romans 16:18: change “good words and fair speeches” to “smooth words and flattering speech” (NIV, NASV, NRSV)

1 Cor. 1:21: change “foolishness of preaching” to “foolishness of the message preached” (ditto NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV) There’s nothing foolish about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unless you’re not saved! 1 Cor. 1:18 says: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish FOOLISHNESS …” I wonder where that leaves the translators of the NKJV, NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV?

1 Cor. 1:22: change “require” to “request” (NASV)

1 Cor. 6:9: removes “effeminate” (NIV, NRSV, RSV)

1 Cor. 9:27: change “castaway” to “disqualified” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

2 Cor. 2:10: change “person of Christ” to “presence of Christ” (NASV, NRSV, RSV)

2 Cor. 2:17: With all the “corruptions” in the NKJV, you’d expect 2 Cor. 2:17 to change. IT DOES! They change, “For we not as many which CORRUPT the word of God” to “For we are not, as so many, PEDDLING the word of God” (ditto NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

2 Cor. 5:17: change “new creature” to “new creation” (NIV, NRSV, RSV)

2 Cor. 10:5: change “imaginations” to “arguments”. Considering New Age “imaging” and “visualization” is now entering the church, this verse in the “old” KJV just won’t do. (NIV, RSV)

2 Cor. 11:6: change “rude in speech” to “untrained in speech” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

Gal. 2:20: omit “nevertheless I live” (NIV, NASV, NRSV, RSV)

Phil. 2:6: (NKJV 1979e.) change “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” to “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped”. (robs Jesus Christ of deity) (NIV, NASV, RSV)

Phil. 3:8: change “dung” to “rubbish” (NIV, NASV, NRSV)

1 Thess. 5:22 change “all appearance of evil” to “every form of evil” (NASV, RSV, NSRV)

1 Timothy 6:5: The NKJV changes “gain is godliness” to “godliness is a MEANS OF gain”. There are NO Greek texts with “means of” in them! Where, oh where, did they come from? Care to take a wild guess? YOU GOT IT! The NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV!

1 Timothy 6:10: The NKJV changes “For the love of money is the root of all evil:” to “For the love of money is a root of all KINDS OF evil”. The words “KINDS OF” are found in NO Greek text in the world! Where did they get them? Straight from the NIV, NASV, NRSV!

1 Tim. 6:20: change “science” to “knowledge” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

Titus 3:10: change “heretic” to “divisive man” (NIV)

Hebrews 4:8 & Acts 7:45: “Jesus” is changed to “Joshua”. (NIV, NASV, RSV)

2 Pet. 2:1: change “damnable heresies” to “destructive heresies” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

1 John 3:16: remove “love of God”; (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

1 John 5:13: The NKJV reads: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may CONTINUE TO believe in the name of the Son of God.” They add “CONTINUE TO” without any Greek text whatsoever! Not even the perverted NIV, NASV, NRSV and RSV go that far! A cruel, subtle (see Genesis 3:1) attack on the believer’s eternal security!

Rev. 2:13: change “Satan’s seat” to “Satan’s throne” (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

Rev. 6:14: “Heaven” is changed to “sky” in (NIV, NASV, RSV, NRSV)

AND THAT DOESN’T SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF ALL THE CHANGES!

The NKJV removes the word “Lord” 66 times!
The NKJV removes the word God 51 times!
The NKJV removes the word “heaven” 50 times!
In just the New Testament alone the NKJV removes 2,289 words from the KJV!
The NKJV makes over 100,000 word changes!
And most will match the NIV, NASV, RSV, or NRSV!

And Thomas Nelson Publishers have the audacity to claim in an ad for the NKJV (Moody Monthly, June 1982, back cover), “NOTHING HAS BEEN CHANGED except to make the original meaning clearer.”

The New King James is a COUNTERFEIT!

It’s NOT NEW! The changes are already in the NIV, NASV, NRSV, or RSV!

And it’s certainly NOT true to the 1611 King James Bible!

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THE END