|
|
|
|
| Religion is always a sticky topic. One of those topics you learn early to avoid. Politcs, religion, and money always make for ruffled feathers. I don't want to ruffle any feathers. That is certainly not my goal. My goal is to share, only with those interested of course, some things that I have learned along the way. Things I didn't know until recently and would like to pass on. |
| All this begin over a discussion with my husband because when we say the Lord's Prayer we say... |
|
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trepass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. |
|
That is how we both learned to say it. But we have noticed people say it differently now. And lately more and more people leave that last part off. So my husband looked it up in his Catholic Bible and sure enough the last part is not there. I looked it up in my NIV Bible and it is not there either. There is a teeny tiny footnote that says "some late manuscripts 'for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.'" We looked it up in our King James Bible and there it is exactly as we learned to say it. The bottom part anyway. The KJV does say "in earth" instead of "on earth" and it says "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" instead of "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." I'm not sure how the prayer got changed from debts to trespasses. Probably by the next verse: "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." Matt 6:14-15 So anyway... that discussion is what started all this. |
|
A couple of days later my husband sent me a link that he had come across quite accidently that he thought that I should really take a look at. I liked my NIV Study Bible because I understood it to be a new translation by scholars working directly from "the best available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts". After all... that is what it says in its introduction. They weren't re-interpretating someone else's work. They had gone back to the original texts. They had archaeology and more ancient texts available to them now that backed up the Biblical text. So I was initially shocked when I started reading Terry's page. I thought "this can not possibly be true!" But part of me knew it had to be. I have a KJV/NIV parallel Bible and I had already started a comparision study of the two. I recently complained to my husband about just one verse I did not feel like the NIV had interpreted correctly.
Experience and divination do not even come close to meaning the same thing. I checked a third version of the Bible which agreed with experience, and not divination, so that was the meaning I went with. So I'd already found the one verse I didn't agree with myself and I'd barely begun my study. With my parallel Bible I was able to easily look up and compare the verses Terry used. There were a couple where I felt, okay, this one could maybe be interpreted on the line. But on most, he is right on the money. I couldn't believe it. But no one can deny there is a HUGE difference between:
These two verses, much more than the last ones, don't begin to come CLOSE to meaning the same thing! But you see the pattern here? The only place I really disagree with Terry's page was the part where he says ZAP-there goes another so many verses. Although the NIV does say "the earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses did not have these verses" it then goes on to include the verses anyway. So the verses are not zapped out as Terry says on his page. At least in my NIV they are not. Other than that, Terry's page is very accurate. I was rather shocked to find out (and I researched it) that Zondervan and the NIV was indeed purchased by Harper & Row, Publishers (now HarperCollins Publishers). And HarperCollins does indeed also produce the Satanic Bible. Remember...
I strongly encourage you to read Terry's page and compare the verses for yourself. And not just with the NIV either! But with all the different versions that you may have. Worship of Jesus was removed in almost every version of the New Testament we checked. Again... there is a huge difference between knelt and worshipped! This removal of the worship of Jesus is very disconcerting. Perhaps it explains some of the attitude as more and more people in today's world say they are spiritual but not religious. It bothers me that more and more people say they believe in God or the great spirit or mother earth but not in God's Son, Jesus Christ. I can somewhat understand the being spiritual and not religious part, because I have my own problems with man's man-made organized religion. But I will never say I am proud to say "I'm not a Christian." Regardless of how other so-called Christians behave, I will always be proud that Jesus Christ, is my Lord and Savior, and I will always attempt to conduct my life as I believe a true Christian should. I couldn't find the verse I was looking for that no man could get to the Father but through the Son but I found this one...
We set out to compare all the different Bible versions (we have quite a few in our home!) but found out Terry has already done the seven most popular in his Bible Version Comparison chart. Another wonderful page he has is How to Spot a Counterfeit Bible. There are many very good articles on his site too. I encourage you to hit Home at the bottom of his page to browse around his site. Make sure you have some time available when you do it! If you leave here to do it though, I hope you will come back! Please remember the King James Version of the Bible is the only Bible not owned by men! |
|
Now I would be remiss if you are a Bible believing Christian and I did not tell you about the absolute best Bible tool on the web. I have bought much Bible software over the years and I must say, the BEST Bible software I have ever found is right here on the web for FREE! Rick Meyers developed E-Sword; which is a fantastic labor of love for our Lord. Rick quotes Matthew 10:8 "Freely you received, freely give." And he has, with his wonderful software, which is totally free and even donations while appreciated are not pushed! At different times, I have had up to FORTY different Bibles loaded (From the 1568 "Bishops Bible" through the Jewish 1998 Bible "The Scriptures"). It is so easy to contrast and compare the different versions, set up Bible reading plans, and much more. I don't even know how many dictionaries I've have, and commentaries and hymns and just all kinds of stuff. Like I said, this is the BEST Bible software I have ever seen -- go visit Rick at E-sword. Do me a favor and tell him Beth at Warm Fuzzies referred you over. |
| I haven't even made it into religion yet. This has just been on the Bible up to now. But with all the hoop-la about Scientology lately, I would encourage you to read this site -- The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power . Time Magazine May 6, 1991 page 50. Special Report (cover story). Copyright © 1991 Time Magazine. |
|
|
If you have a religious experience or story you'd like to share with me or with the readers of this web page, I'd love to hear from you! Click on the icon to send me a note. :) |
