Mark 4:20 says, "... these are they that are sown on good ground, such as hear the word, and receive (it), and bring forth fruit..." RECEIVE There are at least 19 different Greek words translated "receive". This particular word is only used 7 times in all of scripture. [Ex.23:1; Prov.3:12; Mk.4:20; Acts.16:21; 22:18; 1Tim. 5:19; Heb.12:6] With the seeming exception of Hebrews 12:6, and Proverbs 3:12, where Hebrews is quoted from, every use of the term, in the Greek, ha

2 Timothy 3:16 says that "... all scripture breathes-God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,..." PROFITABLE In the Greek, the word "profitable" is (ophelimos), which is derived from (ophello), a root which has a very unusual word picture attached to it. The imagery is that of sweeping up, with a broom, into a pile, or, to sweep into a heap. The word meant "to heap up" or to accumulate. This imagery eventually led to

2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." INSPIRATION The word translated "inspiration" is only used here in the Greek, Old and New Testaments, and was evidently coined by Paul, through the Holy Spirit. The word cannot be accurately translated as "inspiration", because the Greek term has to do specifically, with what is "breathed", not what is "breathed-in". It's NOT there Also, the phrase, "is given by", is not in the original Greek text. A more

2 Timothy 3:16 says that "All scripture breathes God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..." THE SCRIPT OR PLAY Originally, the Greek word for "doctrine", was 'the script' or 'play' written out for a dramatic production; the drama. The Greek word for teacher, meant the one that oversaw the rehearsals and taught the actors how to perform the script, often being the author, who wrote the production. The teacher was resp

2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture breathes-God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof..." REPROOF The Greek word translated "reproof" is a legal word which has to do with the material gathered, necessary to present a winning argument in court. It is the "proof" brought forward, that gives certainty that the case presented, is factual and accurate, and that all the statements regarding guilt or innocence are true. The Greek word means "evidence". This Greek word is onl

2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture breathes-God, and is profitable for doctrine; for reproof; for correction; for instruction in righteousness..." Words are vehicles of vision, and so it is important that we try to convey the right mental picture in the minds of the reader, in whatever we are attempting to communicate. Unfortunately, sometimes our English translations of the scriptures, fail to capture the true relevance of a word, and often paint a picture somewhat distorte

2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture breathes God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,..." INSTRUCTION The Greek word for "instruction" includes two concepts, of which, the second can be seen as part of the first: 1) Training; instruction; education. 2) Chastisement, or corporal punishment. The second meaning reflects more on punishment for wrongdoing, to deter or prevent further undesirable action or behavior. The fir

"All scripture breathes God, and is profitable for scripting our life; for providing us with evidence of spiritual reality; for completely restoring us to our former position in Christ; and for training us in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16, paraphrase). This is obviously a paraphrase of 2 Timothy 3:16, but a very accurate portrayal of what the spirit of God, based on the Greek text, is trying to communicate. RIGHTEOUSNESS This word study concerns the word "righteousness", a

2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "... all scripture [announced; proclaimed] breathes God, and causes success in our lives, "scripting" us on the stage of life, while the Holy Spirit serves as "director" of the play/drama, unfolding; giving us solid evidence of spiritual reality, and producing action in us, in accordance with the revelation of truth, restoring us to dynamic awareness of our rightful position of authority in Him, and training us how to walk / live, taking advantage of a

1 Peter 2:2 says, "As new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow by it..." NEW BORN BABES Many Bible commentators have assumed that this verse meant that Peter was writing, by the Holy Spirit, to new converts, because of the reference to "new born babes". Simply stated, however, the verse encourages ALL Believers, to have the same desire, for the sincere or pure milk of the word, in the same way that new born babies do for their mothers milk. CHILD

In Malachi 3:10, the scripture says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open (for) you the windows of heaven, and pour out (for) you a blessing, that (there shall) not (be room) enough (to receive it). [KJV] [Italics represent those portions of the text not in the original scriptures, but added by the translators to give clarity]. This portion of scripture had alway

The LXX translation of Malachi 3:8 refers to, "...the tenth parts/tithes and first fruits..." NOT JUST TITHES It is supremely evident, that just giving tithes DOES NOT open the windows of heaven over our lives, to cause a superabundance of financial or material blessing, beyond what we can contain. Yet God says that if we are obedient in this area of giving, He will open the windows of heaven, and empty out a blessing that we won't even have the capacity to receive it (Mal.3:

TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY The tremendous tragedy is that over 85% of Evangelical Christians do not read the scriptures on a regular basis, and yet statistically, the average North American, including Christians, watches in excess of 40 hours of television; movies; etc., on a weekly basis. Even though the scriptures encourage us, not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed, by the renewing of our mind, [Rm.12:2], it is obvious that the overwhelming majority of those clas

Jude 20 speaks of "building up" ourselves on our most holy faith, praying in the holy Spirit. BUILDING UP The word translated "building up", is a fascinating study. It is a compound word, that uses the imagery of constructing a house or building, in a metaphorical sense, but the prefix of the word brings a force to the root, that goes beyond merely building a house. The prefix contains the meaning of 'building to the extreme', until the structure is not only complete, but is

Joshua 1:8, "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate in it both day and night, that you may observe to do all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success". SUCCESS Money is a powerful medium, and for the most part, people exchange their lives to obtain finances, in order to live; pay debt obligations; and enjoy something beyond their present standard of living. Work is not a bad

The basic necessity of tithing was established in Abraham, for the believer, in that 400 years before the law, he tithed, as did every person at that time: 1. to the God he worshipped 2. to the God that was His deliverance First Fruits goes beyond the tithe, to some extent, in that those that reject the admonition of scripture, out of religious tradition; lack of understanding; or simply rebellion to the word, definitely stumble over offering first fruits to God as well. Howe

Giving the tithe seems fairly straight forward, and there seems to be no other options than bringing the tithe to the priest, of the God you worship, whether it is the example of Abraham, giving to Melchizedek (Gen.14:17-20), 400 years before the law, or the numerous references instructing Israel to bring the tithes to the priests, under the old covenant, or the new covenant instruction to us to bring our tithe to our high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is patterned after

1 Peter 2:2 says, "...as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word. that you may grow by it." SINCERE This is the only place in the scriptures, either NT, or the OT LXX, where this Greek word translated "sincere", by the KJV, is used. It is the same word as that translated as "guile", in verse one, with the alpha prefix in front, negating the meaning, or creating the opposite meaning to "guile". The root word refers to the "bait" in a trap or snare. Not the trap itse

1 Peter 2:2 says, "...as newborn babes, desire the pure; unadulterated; milk of the word, that you may grow by it..." TRANSLATING As in translating from any language, the challenge is to try to convey from the original language, the thoughts and expressions found in that language, into the language that one is seeking to communicate in. The phrase, "of the word", translates one word in the Greek, that is only found twice in the NT. It's other location is Romans 12:1, where it

1 Peter 2:2 says, "...as new born babes, desire the pure milk..." DESIRE First of all, it should be noted, that unlike 1 Corinthians 3:2 and Hebrews 5:12-13, the emphasis of 1 Peter 2:2, is not a reference to maturity by way of contrasting consuming "meat" or "milk", as symbols of spiritual growth, but rather, the metaphorical use is focused on "desire" or our "passion" and "longing" for what is pure from God, as opposed to that which is not, by comparing our desire to that o