FIRST EXAMPLE
This page shows some of the more easily recognized examples in RED, CAPITAL LETTERS, of the unacceptable, anti-Mosaic law prejudice most translators seem to have.
POPULAR TRANSLATIONS OF MARK 7:18-21,23 FAIL TO EXPLAIN THAT THE ORIGINAL GREEK DEFINITION OF PURGING, CLEANSING, OR CLEAN, STRONG’S 2511, IN MARK 7:19 REFERS, FIRST, TO AN EXTERNAL TYPE OF PURGING OR CLEANSING INSTEAD OF AN INTERNAL, LEVITICAL KIND OF PURGING ACCORDING TO:
1a) from physical stains and dirt
1a1) utensils, food ……”
Verses 18 and 19 refer only to tiny, probably mostly invisible amounts of GENERALLY HARMLESS, ORDINARY DIRT, STAINS, WEAK TOXINS, ETC. on UNWASHED hands before eating, NOT the forbidden foods. This very same discussion was also recorded in Matthew 15:1-20. Try eating a poison dart frog, and see if that food has been “cleansed.”
The terribly deceptive, salvation jeopardizing, capitalized, red, translator added words in 5 translations below are a word for word quotation from popular, “modern” Bibles:
1) Mark: 7:18-21,23: “And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Perceive ye not, that whatsoever from without goeth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 because it goeth not into his heart, but into his belly, and goeth out into the draught? THIS HE SAID, MAKING ALL MEATS CLEAN. 20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries …… 23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.” — American Standard Version
2) Mark 7:18-21,23: “And he said to them, Have even you so little wisdom? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside is not able to make him unclean, 19 Because it goes not into the heart but into the stomach, and goes out with the waste? HE SAID THIS, MAKING ALL FOOD CLEAN. 20 And he said, That which comes out of the man, that makes the man unclean. 21 Because from inside, from the heart of men, come evil thoughts and unclean pleasures, 23 All these evil things come from inside, and make the man unclean.” — Bible In Basic English
3) Mark 7:18-21,23: “Have *you* also so little understanding?” He replied; “do you not understand that anything whatever that enters a man from outside cannot make him unclean, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and passes away ejected from him?” BY THESE WORDS JESUS PRONOUNCED ALL KINDS OF FOOD CLEAN. 20 “What comes out of a man,” He added, “that it is which makes him unclean. 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, their evil purposes proceed–fornication, theft, murder, adultery …… 23 all these wicked things come out from within and make a man unclean.” — Weymouth New Testament
The above is one of my favorite misleading translations.
4) Mark 7:18-21,23:”What, do even you understand so little?” exclaimed Jesus. “Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can ‘defile’ him, 19 Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?–IN SAYING THIS JESUS PRONOUNCED ALL FOOD ‘CLEAN.’ 20 “It is what comes out from a man,” he added, “that defiles him, 21 For it is from within, out of the hearts of men, that there come evil thoughts–unchastity, theft, murder, adultery …… 23 All these wicked things come from within, and do defile a man.” — Twentieth Century New Testament
5) Mark 7:18-21, 23: “Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (THUS ALL FOODS ARE CLEAN.) 20 He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him. 21 For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery …… 23 All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.” — Berean Standard Bible
Incredibly, not in just a few, but in MOST translations of the Bible, especially in the “modern,” popular translations, Old Testament condemned, personal additions following Mark 7:19 appear. Read Mark 7:18-21,23 in the Lexham English Bible, An Understandable Version, James Moffatt New Testament, International Standard Version, Williams New Testament, Revised King James New Testament, Goodspeed New Testament, Montgomery New Testament, Riverside New Testament, the Worrell New Testament, the Revised Standard Version, The Amplified Bible, New Living Translation, God’s Word Translation, New Simplified Bible, The Message, Contemporary English Version, and the English Revised Version, for example, to see if these unacceptably far from the literal Greek, highly deceptive, inserted additions, shown in RED, CAPITALIZED, LETTERS (but rephrased using identical synonyms) appear. I think you will be, or should be stunned. Six examples of these rephrased additions follow.
1) JESUS DECLARED EVERY KIND OF MEAT IS NOW ACCEPTABLE IN GOD’S OPINION
3) THAT PUT AN END TO ALL DIETARY DISPUTES. JESUS WAS SAYING THAT ALL FOODS CAN NOW BE EATEN. These terribly misleading words are my favorite ones among these prohibited additions.
4) EVERYTHING THAT CAN BE EATEN HAS BEEN CLEANSED
5) JESUS SAID THIS MAKING ALL FOOD NOW FIT FOR CONSUMPTION
6) HE SAID THIS SHOWING ALL MEATS ARE CLEAN
The following are 4 of the more accurate, more literal, untainted translations of Mark 7:18-21,23 from the original Greek. Remember, the FIRST, MAIN definition of “purging,” “clean,” “cleansing,” and “purifying” below refers to an OUTER SURFACE CLEANSING OF EXTERNAL DIRT, STAINS, AND OTHER IMPURITIES.
1) Mark 7:18-21,23: “…….. Are you, also, thus unintelligent? Not yet are you apprehending that everything from the outside, that is going into a man, can not contaminate him, 19 for it is not going into his heart, but into the bowels, and is going out into the latrine – cleansing all foods? 20 Yet He said that “That which is going out of a man, that is contaminating the man.” 21For from inside, out of the heart of men, are going out evil reasonings, prostitutions, thefts, murders …… 23 All these wicked inside things are going out; and those are contaminating the man.” — Concordant Literal Version
2) Mark 7:18-21,23: “And He says to them, ‘So you also are without understanding! You do understand that nothing from outside entering into the person is able to defile him, do you not? 19 Because it does not enter into his heart, but into the stomach, and goes out into the latrine, purifying [or, purging] all the foods. 20 But He was saying, ‘That [which] comes out from the person, that defiles the person. 21 ‘For from within, out of the heart of people, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders …… 23 All these evils come out from within and defile the person.” — Analytical Literal Translation
3) Mark 7:18-21,23: “…… Perceive ye not (Strong’s) 3539,5719 that 3754 everything 3956 which 3588 from without 1855 enters 1531,5740 into 1519 the 3588,444 man 3756 is not able 1410,5736 him 846 to defile 2840,5658? 19 Because 3754,3756 it enters not 1531,5736 of him 846 into 1519 the 3588 heart 2588, but 235 into 1519 the 3588 belly 2836, and 2532 into 1519 the 3588 draught 856 goes out 1607,5736, purifying 2511,5723 all 3956 the 3588 food 1033. 20 And He said 3004,5707,1161, that 3754 which 3588 out 1537 of the 3588 man 444 goes 1607 forth 5740, that 1565 defiles 2840,5719 the 3588 man 444. 21 For 2081,1063 from within out 1537 of the 3588,2588 heart 3588,444 of men 3588,1261 reasonings 3588 evil 2556 go 1607 forth 5736, adulteries 3430, fornications 4202, murders 5408 23 All 3956 these 3588 evils 4190 from within 2081 go forth 1607, and 2532 defile 2840 the 3588 man 444.” — Interlinear Greek New Testament
4) Mark 7:18-12,23: “He said to them, “Are you also without understanding? Don’t you perceive that whatever goes into the man from outside can’t defile him, 19 because it doesn’t go into his heart, but into his stomach, then into the latrine, making all foods clean?” 20 He said, “That which proceeds out of the man, that defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts …… 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” — World English Bible
Mark 7:18,19 CANNOT be referring to the prohibited foods for 7 ROCK SOLID REASONS:
1) Mark 7 begins, lasting through verse 5, with an introductory discussion between the kosher foods eating Pharisees and scribes, who strictly obeyed the Mosaic food laws, and Jesus. They asked Him why His disciples ate bread with “DEFILED, THAT IS, WITH UNWASHED HANDS” and did not follow the man made tradition of washing their hands in a certain way before eating food. The big, big issue here AND THE ONLY ISSUE here is eating with UNWASHED HANDS, repeat, UNWASHED HANDS, one more time, UNWASHED HANDS, not eating something forbidden. The main subject in this chapter is Jesus’ answer, which explained the harmlessness of eating with unwashed hands, not eating what can sometimes still kill you within only days and sometimes even within hours. In this chapter 7 not even the slightest reference is made to the forbidden foods or their relevant laws.
2) Mark 7:7-9,13 verifies further that the context of Mark 7 involves or includes MAN CONCOCTED TRADITIONS, not the holy, God inspired laws against eating the forbidden foods.
3) The FIRST, MAIN definition of the original Greek word katharizo, Strong’s 2511, translated “purging” or “purifying” in verse 19 PRIMARILY refers to an EXTERNAL (NOT INTERNAL) TYPE OF CLEANSING OF FOOD OR EATING UTENSILS CONTAMINATED BY OR EXPOSED TO OR SMUDGED OR SOILED BY SURFACE (SURFACE) STAINS OR DIRT WHICH IS NOT THE LEVITICAL OR MEDICAL KIND OF CLEANSING. Five other usage examples include Matthew 23:25: “Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean (katharizo) the outside of the cup,” Matthew 23:26: “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse (katharizo) first that which is within the cup,” Luke 11:39: “Now do ye Pharisees make clean (katharizo) the outside of the cup,” Ephesians 5:26: “That he might sanctify and cleanse (katharizo) it with the washing of water by,” and James 4:8: “and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse (katharizo) your hands, ye sinners; and purify.”
4) Nothing in chapter 7 actually says or even implies that Jesus Himself has magically cleansed food in any way. According to these verses any “purifying” or “purging” is done BY THE STOMACH AND THE STOMACH ONLY (and not by Jesus), which obviously has substantial limitations in what it can “purify” or “purge.”
5) Jesus basically “spells out” in verses 20-23 that sinful thoughts such as murder, theft, and adultery are what really defile or degrade a person, not eating with unwashed hands. Thoughts are invisible, spiritual and not physical. Forbidden foods are visible, physical, and not spiritual. This is further proof that Jesus is talking about something other than forbidden foods, which are quite physical, in Mark 7.
6) If verses 18 and 19 refer to the forbidden foods, then they seriously conflict with verse 18’s statement quite plainly proclaiming that nothing physical entering his body can defile or harm a person. Just read what has happened to people who ate forbidden, ciguatera poisoned eels or forbidden, domoic acid contaminated clams, mussels, or oysters. Domoic acid is a naturally occurring, powerful, unforgiving nerve poison that cannot be destroyed by cooking or stomach acids. Some of them were so badly “defiled” by those foods that they died. Since we should be able to, of course, confidently assume that Jesus is not lying to us here, then what He is talking about really is harmless and won’t hurt us like those forbidden foods will. Therefore verse 18 cannot be referring to the still sometimes quite harmful forbidden foods. He is simply discussing a subject that is not about potentially lethal food that we are prohibited to eat.
7) Peter, a major apostle that taught exactly what Jesus taught, was born about the same time that Jesus was born. So he knew, by his declaration in Acts 10:14 that he had never eaten unclean meat, that Jesus did not annul any of the food laws by what He said in Mark 7:19. Peter’s statement in Acts 10:14, then provides additional proof that Jesus did not really annul the meat restrictions in Mark 7:19. The book of Acts was written many years after the death of both Jesus and Peter, who lived about 30 years longer than our Savior, Jesus. If Jesus had rescinded the meat laws in Mark 7:19, Peter certainly would have known about it and certainly would have announced it to the world in his teachings before he died, but that never happened.
These Mark 7 verses therefore DO NOT CLEARLY, BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT, prove that the divinely inspired, Biblically recorded, Mosaic dietary restrictions have been annulled.
Discussing further the obviously very limited ability of the stomach to “purge” or “clean” food, normal, not low or impaired stomach acidity which some people have, will often denature and neutralize various toxins, impurities, and even some poisonous snake venom (although the venom may harm you through contact with the mouth and throat as it travels to the stomach). However, even a normal stomach most definitely will not always medically cleanse food in the way that the book of Leviticus describes food that is unclean (for example, one of the characteristics of clean food is that it usually will not injure you through contracting trichinosis or Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning). To illustrate, human stomach acidity will dissolve the trichinosis cysts of infected, forbidden, raw or undercooked pork, but the acidity will not kill the larvae released from the cysts, which can go on to infect and sometimes seriously harm a person. Stomach acid also will not denature the sometimes VERY DEADLY nerve poison domoic acid, the cause of ASP sometimes found in forbidden shellfish. So such forbidden pork or shellfish certainly have not been cleansed. Debilitating trichinosis, ASP, or eating poison dart frogs can of course seriously defile, so all foods MOST OBVIOUSLY still are not “clean,” and the overwhelming evidence shows that Mark 7:18,19 refers to a type of uncleanness or purging that is different from the kind discussed in the book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy.
Mark 7:1-5: “One day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus. 2 They had noticed that some of his disciples ate their food with their hands ‘defiled,’ by which they meant unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors. 4 When they come from market, they will not eat without first sprinkling themselves; ……). 5 So the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question–“How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?” — Twentieth Century New Testament
Verses 1-5 above show that the MAIN SUBJECT of Mark 7 involves an EXTERNAL, MAN CONCOCTED, RITUALISTIC TYPE OF HAND WASHING CLEANLINESS emphasized in the Jewish Oral Law. The dietary laws in the written law are not mentioned or even implied anywhere in chapter 7.
The parallel passage in Matthew 15:16-20 is additional proof that failing to ceremonially wash your hands before eating generally will not harm or “defile” you.
Matthew 15:16-20: “What, do even you understand nothing yet?” Jesus exclaimed. 17 “Do not you see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is afterwards expelled? 18 But the things that come out from the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a man; 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts–murder, adultery, unchastity, theft, perjury, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a man; BUT EATING WITH UNWASHED HANDS DOES NOT DEFILE A MAN.” — Twentieth Century New Testament
The incorrect belief that Mark 7:19 proves that the Old Testament dietary laws have been abolished is another classic case of
1) totally ignoring the over all meaning of the first two thirds of the seventh chapter of Mark,
2) totally ignoring the main definition of the original Greek word katharizo, Strong’s number 2511, translated “purifying” in verse 19, and worst of all,
3) unquestioningly accepting the DIRECT ADDITIONS of anti-Old Testament leaning translators’ personal, MISLEADING comments in translations such as those above and in MOST other English translated Bibles!
For additional study please visit lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/biblical-laws/clean-and-unclean-animals/mark-7. Another site to visit is ucg.org/doctrinal-beliefs/did-jesus-declare-all-meats-clean/.
If the Bible was a secular document of excellent, very fair German tax laws, for example, written in German that was to be adopted and used to replace American tax laws, and a thorough Congressional investigation discovered that the translator had deliberately sneaked in his own personal opinion in the text that was contrary to a major German tax principle, that translator might be prosecuted and jailed for conspiracy, fraud, and other crimes. Concerning the Bible, though, liberal or rogue translators are never even charged with a crime.
SECOND EXAMPLE
Ephesians 2:14,15 is another example of translators inserting their own unacceptable, personal interpretation, shown in RED, CAPITAL LETTERS, which strays far from the literal definition of the original Greek word dogma in verse 15. Appearing only 4 other times in the Bible, dogma never even comes close to clearly referring to all or even most of the Mosaic laws. Read Ephesians 2:14,15 in the New Living Translation, the New International Version, God’s Word Translation, Twentieth Century New Testament, and the Contemporary English Version to see if they stray exceptionally far from the literal Greek. I think you will be stunned, or should be stunned. There are many others, too, that stray too far. Read those 5 translations, then compare them to the more literal, more accurate translations and decide if those 5 translations are more harmful or more helpful in understanding the Scriptures. Verse 14 in 4 of the following 5 translations is taken from the more literal World English Bible. Verse 15 uses almost identical words found in 4 popular translations. The paraphrased words in RED, CAPITALIZED LETTERS below are terribly deceptive and salvation jeopardizing.
1) Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,” (WEB) 15 Through His sacrificial death he ended the ALL THE MOSAIC LAWS that did not include the Gentiles. He wanted to make peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new person from those two groups.” — a paraphrased translation from a popular translation
2) Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,” (WEB) 15 by annulling the law in His flesh THE MOSAIC LAW WITH ITS MANY RULES AND REGULATIONS. HE WANTED TO CREATE IN HIMSELF ONE GROUP OUT OF THE TWO TO MAKE PEACE.” – another paraphrased translation from a popular translation
3) Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,” (WEB) 15 He brought an end to the RULES AND REGULATIONS FOUND IN THE TEACHINGS OF MOSES so that he could take Jews and gentiles to create one new humanity in himself to make peace. ” — another paraphrased translation from a popular translation
4) Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition,” (WEB) 15 to demolish the MOSAIC LAW WITH ALL ITS DO’S AND DON’TS. He united the Jews and Gentiles to make one person, when he brought us together in peace.” — one more paraphrased translation from a popular translation
5) Ephesians 2:14,15: “He it is who is our Peace. He made the two divisions of mankind one, broke down the barrier that separated them, 15 And in his human nature put an end to the cause of enmity between them–THE LAW WITH ITS INJUNCTIONS AND ORDINANCES –in order to create, through union with himself, from Jew and Gentile, one New Man and thus make peace.” — Twentieth Century New Testament
The following are MORE LITERAL, MORE SPECIFIC, MORE ACCURATE translations:
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [CONTAINED] IN ORDINANCES; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, [so] making peace;” — American Standard Version
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier 15 (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of PRECEPTS IN DECREES, that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into one new humanity, making peace;” — Concordant Literal Version
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, 15 having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [CONTAINED] IN ORDINANCES; that he might create in himself of the twain one new man, [so] making peace.” — English Revised Version
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, the enmities in his flesh: 15 Making void the law of commandments CONTAINED IN DECREES: that he might make the two in himself into one new man, making peace.” — Douay-Rheims Bible
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in his flesh the hostility, the law of commandments CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES, that he might create in himself one new man of the two, making peace,” — World English Bible
Ephesians 2:14,15: “For he is our peace, who made us both one and tore-down the middle wall of the fence, 15 having done-away-with the hostility in his flesh, which is the Law of COMMANDMENTS IN DECREES; in order that he might create in himself the two into one new man, thus making peace;” — Modern Literal Version
ANALYSIS: Whatever was abolished was “contained” in or involved “ordinances” or “decrees,” which by the Greek definition of dogma overwhelmingly refers to MAN MADE judgments, opinions, edicts, rules, or instructions. The Greek for “ordinances” or “decrees” is dogma, Strong’s 1378, a somewhat rare, special word in the Bible overwhelmingly referring to judgments, rules, and decrees concocted by human beings, not divine laws specifically recorded in the Bible. The very man made, burdensome, divisive Oral Torah is most likely the set of laws that was done away with here, not the God created civil and moral laws in the Scriptures, which include many laws of the most basic decency and common sense. Since when did the written, God inspired Mosaic laws forbidding the placement of stumbling blocks in front of blind people, forbidding the removal of property landmarks, and forbidding the prosecution of a son for a crime committed by his father, create “hostility” between the Gentiles and the Jews? Despite the personal conclusion that the authors of the New Living Translation, New International Version, and other translations jumped to in their translations, these Ephesians verses do not conclusively, beyond reasonable doubt, say that the entire written Mosaic law or even most of it, which contains a substantial number of very humane, good laws given directly by the Lord, has been annulled. Logic, reasonable logic totally devoid of all peer pressure, dictates that the probability is well over 50% that what was abolished here were the man made, non-Biblical Oral Torah laws added by the Jews. The Greek nomos is used in the Bible around 200 or more times to refer to all or the bulk of written, Biblically recorded Old Testament laws, not dogma, used only 5 times, which never even clearly refers to all or even most of the written, God inspired Biblical laws. The 1 John 3:4 definition of sin specifies that sin is breaking the law (nomos), not breaking dogma.
By accepting the sacrificial death of Jesus to blot out personal sins, Jews and gentiles were put on equal footing before God. By making the forgiveness of sin available to all peoples, including the Jews and gentiles, Christ abolished all excuses to maintain hostility toward others. This is what the real message is in Ephesians 2:15. For a more detailed discussion that includes the middle wall, which helps further define what was annulled, read the page EPHESIANS 2:15: JESUS ABOLISHED ENMITY, THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES, MAKING PEACE. ONLY MAN MADE LAWS LIKE ORAL TORAH ABOLISHED, NOT ALL BIBLICAL OT LAWS. For further study of Ephesians 2:15, a good site is ucg.org/booklet/new-covenant-does-it-abolish-gods-law/peace-and-unity-christ/. Please also read the middle part of tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2001/may-june/principles-bible-study. Another excellent site to visit is rcg.org/questions/p154.a.html.
THIRD EXAMPLE
Another example involves Colossians 2:14 in which some anti-Old Testament law leaning translators, straying from the literal, have again seized the opportunity to slant and contort the translation of the rarely used Greek word dogma their way, shown in paraphrased, RED, CAPITAL LETTERS below. In this verse most translators, correctly, do not “cross the line” of calling dogma “the law” or “the written Law.” Read Colossians 2:13,14 in the very liberal, popular translations and you will eventually see how terribly deceptive verse 15 is. In the first two translations below verse 13 is from the World English Bible. Terribly deceptive, salvation jeopardizing translations follow:
1) Colossians 2:13,14: “You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,” (WEB) 14 He cancelled THOSE RULES THAT WERE AGAINST US AND ANNULLED THEM ALL, FASTENING THEM TO THE CROSS” — a paraphrased translation from a popular translation
2) Colossians 2:13,14: “You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,” (WEB) 14 He DESTROYED THE RECORDED LAW WITH ITS MANY REGULATIONS. IT WAS AGAINST AND CONTRARY TO US. HE ABOLISHED IT AND NAILED IT TO THE CROSS.” — a paraphrased translation from a popular translation
Still editing ………..Colossians 2:13-14
BSB(i) 13 When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, 14 having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross! Berean Standard Bible
Colossians 2:13-14
BBE(i) 13 And you, being dead through your sins and the evil condition of your flesh, to you, I say, he gave life together with him, and forgiveness of all our sins; 14 Having put an end to the handwriting of THE LAW which was against us, taking it out of the way by nailing it to his cross; Bible in Basic English
3) Colossians 2:13,14: “And yo u, being dead through your sins and the evil condition of your flesh, to you, I say, he gave life together with him, and forgiveness of all our sins; 14 Having put an end to the handwriting of THE LAW which was against us, taking it out of the way by nailing it to his cross.” — Bible in Basic English
Who do these translators think they are, actually, deliberately mistranslating dogma in verse 14, tampering with divine instructions for salvation? The obvious subject matter of verse 13 is the transgression itself and only the transgression of the holy, God inspired law, not the holy law itself. Transgressions are mentioned not only once, but Twice, so past recorded sins is the most logical and most likely context in these verses. These “translators” made the “quantum leap” from sin or trespasses to divine, God created laws in verse 14, which in the original Greek refers primarily to man made opinions and judgments since dogma is used, not nomos, which refers to the Mosaic laws. The much more literal World English Bible reads as follows:
Colossians 2:13,14: “You were dead through your TRESPASSES trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 wiping out the handwriting in ordinances which was against us. He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.” (WEB)
The Greek for “requirements” in verse 14 is dogma, Strong’s 1378, a very rarely appearing word in the Bible which NEVER elsewhere in the Bible refers clearly refer to divine, God inspired laws such as those recorded in the Bible. Dogma ALWAYS refers to something man made. Sins are man made or created by man. Read Strong’s definition of dogma. It refers primarily to authoritative judgments and to opinions in verse 14 (most likely to heavenly recorded personal violations [sins] of the law as discussed in verse 13), and dogma never even comes close to referring to the entire or even most of the Mosaic law elsewhere in the Bible. These biased translators have not only flagrantly ignored reasonable doubt, but have also flagrantly ignored a very large amount of reasonable doubt by referring to the holy law itself in verse 14.
FOURTH EXAMPLE
Galatians 3:10: “For as many as are OF the works of the law are under the curse ……” (NKJV) This is the way MOST translators translate the Greek word ek, Strong’s number 1537, the first “of,” in verse 10 above, using the word OF in “of the works of the law.” Galatians 3:10 again reveals just how unjustifiably the vast majority of Bible translators are anti-Mosaic law leaning, and rabidly so. A correct, literal translation of Galatians 3:10, translating ek as OUT OF is as follows:
Galatians 3:10: “For as many as are OUT OF works of Law, these are under a curse. For it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things having been written in the book of the Law, to do them. Deut. 27:26.” (JP Green Literal Translation)
The literal definition of the Greek word for “of,” is a “separation, distancing, ejection, exit, and removal” from the works of the law (law keeping). In other words, a more accurate translation of the first half of Galatians 3:10 is “those who have ABANDONED the works of law (ABANDONED keeping the laws of Moses) are under a curse.” Yet, most translators insist on translating verse 10 to say just the direct opposite!! One of the best authorities in the world on Greek word definitions is Joseph H. Thayer. On pages 189-192 of his Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Hendrickson Publishers, 1896, Seventh Printing, March, 2005, he defines the Greek word for “of” as ek, Strong’s number 1537, saying
“It denotes as well exit or emission out of, as separation from, something with which there has been close connection; opp. to the prepositions ….. into and ….. in: from out of, out from, forth from, from …..” Yes, believe it or not, that’s what “of” or ek really means!! The CAPITALIZED, RED words in the following highly deceptive translations reveal the unreasonably liberal, anti-Mosaic law leaning prejudice of the translator, BUTCHERING the meaning of the first half of Galatians 3:10:
Galatians 3:10: “All who are DEPENDING UPON THEIR OWN OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW are under a curse, for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERY ONE WHO DOES NOT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO ALL THE PRECEPTS OF THE LAW, AND PRACTISE THEM.” Weymouth New Testament
Galatians 3:10: “All who RELY UPON OBEDIENCE TO LAW are under a curse, for Scripture says–‘Cursed is every one who does not abide by all that is written in the Book of the Law, and do it.’ ” Twentieth Century New Testament
Galatians 3:10: “For there is a curse upon all who RELY ON OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW, for the Scripture says, “Cursed be anyone who does not stand by everything that is written in the Book of the Law and obey it.” Goodspeed New Testament
Galatians 3:10: “For as many as RELY ON THE WORKS OF THE LAW are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law, to do them.” Noyes New Testament
Galatians 3:10: “All who RELY ON WORKS OF LAW are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” Venerably Illuminating Narrative
Galatians 3:10: “All who RELY ON WORKS OF THE LAW are under a curse. For it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ ” Berean Standard Bible
Galatians 3:10: “For all who RELY ON WORKS OF THE LAW are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to do them.’ ” Common Edition New Testament
Galatians 3:10: “For as many as are VNDER THE DEDES OF THE LAWE are vnder malediccio. For it is written: cursed is every man yt cotinueth not in all thinges which are writte in ye boke of ye lawe to fulfill the.” William Tyndale’s Translation
Galatians 3:10: “For as many as are VNDER THE DEDES OF THE LAWE, are vnder malediccyon. For it is wrytten: cursed is euery man that contynueth not in all thynges, whiche are wrytten in the boke of the law, to fulfyll them.” Matthew Bible
More recent translations since 1970 are often even more descriptively misleading as shown by the following red, capitalized words which are similar to those in the first half of Galatians 3:10 in a number of translations:
“People who RELY ON THE MOSAIC LAWS to save them ARE UNDER A CURSE FROM GOD,”
“For everyone who seeks righteousness by ATTEMPTING TO OBEY ALL THE LAWS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ARE UNDER A CURSE from the Lord,”
“Everybody who DEPENDS UPON THEMSELVES TO KEEP THE LAWS OF MOSES ARE CURSED,”
“EVERYONE WHO LIVES BY OBEDIENCE TO THE TORAH ARE ALWAYS UNDER A CURSE,”
“All WHO TRY TO KEEP THE LAW ARE UNDER A CURSE.“
To better understand Galatians 3:10 read the page GALATIANS 3:10: “FOR AS MANY AS ARE OF THE WORKS OF THE LAW ARE UNDER THE CURSE ….” THE GREEK REVEALS THAT ABANDONMENT OF LAW KEEPING INCURS THIS CURSE