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EXpiration Or INspiration


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This is something I wrote quite a few years ago. I present it here as food for thought. If you are going to cast me to the lions for this, at least provide the lions with a breath mint.

EXpiration Or INspiration?

 
Breathed Out Or Breathed In?

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Most people refer to Inspiration in the manner that God "breathed OUT" the Scriptures, and therefore this only refers to the originals. Ie. in the sense that He breathed out the exact Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic words - therefore some of these same people have a problem with using the term inspiration to refer to copies or translations (though that is EXACTLY what the Apostle Paul WAS referring to in the above verse).

But the English word INspiration and the Greek word theopneustos both mean "breathed IN" (for clarity's sake - the Greek word means "God breathed" - see below definition - and the English equivalent is the phrase "given by inspiration of God"), not "breathed OUT" - that would be "EXpiration".

Strong's #2315 theopneustos
from 2316 and a presumed derivative of 4154; divinely breathed in:-- given by inspiration of God.

Practically, is there any theological difference between these two concepts? I believe there is.

When I think of God breathing into the Word of God, I think of the Holy Spirit giving life to the Words of Scripture - so they are not just some dry, dusty words penned in the original languages, but the living Word of God. Therefore if this is right, then the inspiration of Scripture is not limited solely to the words originally given - but also to all faithful copies and foreign translations (ie. into other languages) of that Word.

Some verses along this theme:

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

1 Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

For the record, I do believe that the King James Bible IS God's inspired, preserved Word for English-speaking believers today. I believe we HAVE God's Word and can hold it in our hands, read from it, study it - and yea, even live from every word that proceedeth (present tense) out of the mouth of God, as Matthew 4:4 teaches - in order to live by every word of His Word we have to have it preserved for us; and we do - just as He promised.
 
August 9th/05
Jerry Bouey
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Do you believe the KJV has errors or that it's just a "faithful copy"?

 

The word of God has to be pure, without error unless you want to say by "word" you only mean his message. In that case only the message needs to be preserved.  But did God mean every word or just his general message? If he meant every word than there has to be some kind of inspiration among the translators or you would not end up with every word being pure. There's no way without inspiration that would happen. It doesn't matter that the translators themselves did not believe this.

 

The copies of scripture that Timothy knew since he was a child were referred to as the inspired word of God. Timothy did not have the originals he had copies. Were those copies inspired? Paul called them scripture and all scripture is given by inspiration of God. 

 

Now this is where many of the brethren teach that the scripture can only be preserved in the original languages, which of course, the bible says no such thing and what good would that do anyone.

 

There is nothing anywhere in the scripture itself that says only the original autographs or the original languages can be inspired. 

 

 

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I believe that the King James Bible that I hold in my hand is the inspired and preserved Word of God, without errors of any kind. I believe the Lord God GUIDED the translators (not inspired them). The Word of God is INspired - God breathed life into His Word when He gave it and it never lost it - neither by copying it or translating it. Today it is still the inspired Word of God.

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3 hours ago, SureWord said:

Do you believe the KJV has errors or that it's just a "faithful copy"?

First, the words "faithful copy" is incorrect. It would be a TRANSLATION. Translations are fallible. This was proven in the fact that the KJV has had to have corrections for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. There isn't any doubt that it is a faithful, preserved, translation, though. It is faithful to the underlying doctrines and meanings in the original languages. 

3 hours ago, SureWord said:

 

The word of God has to be pure, without error unless you want to say by "word" you only mean his message. In that case only the message needs to be preserved.  But did God mean every word or just his general message? If he meant every word than there has to be some kind of inspiration among the translators or you would not end up with every word being pure. There's no way without inspiration that would happen. It doesn't matter that the translators themselves did not believe this.

When one is dealing with "translations" of Scripture, there will never be words that equal up to the underlying texts. In some cases one would have to use an equivalent in the language that the texts are being translated into. This is only common sense. The TRANSLATORS were not "inspired." That would be "double-inspiration," a point that Mr. Ruckman was incorrect on.

3 hours ago, SureWord said:

 

The copies of scripture that Timothy knew since he was a child were referred to as the inspired word of God. Timothy did not have the originals he had copies. Were those copies inspired? Paul called them scripture and all scripture is given by inspiration of God. 

Yes, the copies he had were the PRESERVED copies of the INSPIRED Word of God. What's so hard to understand about that concept, SureWord? All Scripture was indeed given by inspiration of God..in the ORIGINALS. Translations are not inspired, they are PRESERVED copies of the INSPIRED.

3 hours ago, SureWord said:

 

Now this is where many of the brethren teach that the scripture can only be preserved in the original languages, which of course, the bible says no such thing and what good would that do anyone.

And, the Bible doesn't say anything about TRANSLATORS being INSPIRED. You can't have it both ways, SureWord.

3 hours ago, SureWord said:

 

There is nothing anywhere in the scripture itself that says only the original autographs or the original languages can be inspired. 

There's nothing saying that copies are inspired either. 

3 hours ago, SureWord said:

 

 

 

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@SureWordI just wanted to add to my statement above. Just because the INSPIRED ORIGINALS have been translated, doesn't mean that they have lost the power that comes with that inspiration. The Holy Spirit doesn't have to breathe into the translations since his Word and his actions are eternal. That life that was breathed into the originals isn't made null and void by translation, unless it's not a faithful translation. God is faithful and won't let his word return void. It would be like trying to rescucitate a living human being when he needed no rescucitation to have the Holy Spirit breathe into a translation, essentially saying that his initial work wasn't done correctly. 

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