In Consequence
of Culture
The Case in Favor of a
Hebrew-influenced
New Testament Translation
by David Ison
The History
At
the time of Yeshua (Jesus) there existed a different definition of the
Scriptures than what we use in our time. In that day it consisted
of the Torah (the Law of Moses), the Prophets, and the Writings:
Genesis through the book of Malachi from our current Bibles.
Collectively it was known as the Tenach, which was a synonym for
the Bible. It was without the sections now called the “New
Testament”. This was, of course, because these epistles and
eyewitness accounts had not yet been written, yet it is a point of
immense importance.
Most
people know that the original language of the Bible is Hebrew.
Readily discovered within this language and the Hebraic culture
working in concert with it are all the essential foundations of
original jurisdiction and of inherent spiritual authority that give the
form and peculiar identity to this institution known as the Bible.
These
Hebrew scriptures had sustained and nourished the people of God for all
times. The Ethiopian eunuch, as we read in Acts 8:28, recited the
writings of the scroll of Isaiah and scrutinized the prophecies that
were recorded therein. These writings and those of the other
prophets had encouraged kings and comforted military commanders.
The elders of Israel found inspiration in its psalms and heavenly
understanding in its proverbs. Blessings were conferred upon
Israel by means of its instruction, and wisdom was found in its
teachings; it became a crown of righteousness for whomever would put
its sayings into practice, and a fount of understanding for whomever
would examine its divine counsels.
After
Messiah’s resurrection and ascension, a new rubric began to form.
Messengers, bearing good tidings, went forth into all nations,
proclaiming the terms of a renewed Covenant and taught their doctrines
with fire fresh from the Spirit. Over time, the Church emerged,
consumed with relentless zeal in pursuing its vision of the Great
Commission. It now promulgated on its own authority 1 new ordinances, designed
to demarcate, and even to coronate before the world, its nascent solemn
epiphanies. So a new generation of teaching quickly ensued,
propelled into the mainstream by pastors, leaders, and teachers who had
little or no understanding or familiarity with the Hebrew Masoretic
texts. An unprecedented notion was heralded by the Church: that a
“New” covenant had been introduced and the former had
passed away (Heb 8:6).
Then,
as if to say these precious Hebrew texts which had so long served the
people of God were in exigent need of revision, the Church cast into
the annals of history its record of the various councils and
committees, which at their end conferred to all the world a kind of canon nouveaux
of sacred text. Its Greek-inspired selections were now regarded
as equal to or of even greater authority than the Masoretic Hebrew
heirloom that had been passed down for generations. It was
labeled, according to ecclesiastic authority of that time, the
“New Testament”, and the Hebrew scriptures, which had been
preached by the apostles and ennobled by the doctrines of the Messiah
himself, were transformed into what those convocations decreed the
“Old Testament”.
The Culture and Language
We
understand that the followers of Yeshua were originally known as a sect
of the Jews (Act 28:22). The individual authors of the writings
which had been compiled by the Church into the “New
Testament” were either Jewish or Jewish converts and, being such,
were immersed in Hebraic culture. Nothing in the words of Yeshua
could be construed to say that this was an incorrect understanding or
required revision. For example, Rav Shaul (the apostle Paul)
learned the Hebrew scriptures under the tutelage of Gamaliel, who
remains to this day one of the most highly respected teachers of the
Law, or Torah. Paul did not renounce his Hebraic understanding of
the scriptures, but instead he testified before even the tribunal of
the Sanhedrin that he was in fact a Pharisee, and that at no point did
he ever stop being one. He said, “I am a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee”
(Act 23:6). In claiming his identity as a Pharisee, was he
testifying that he was part of some “new” faith? Or,
was he saying that the ways Yeshua taught were the same foundational,
Hebraic paths to righteousness that had always been practiced?
(See Luke 1:6 in context.) Although he wrote to a
predominantly Greek-speaking audience (and we now have copies of his
correspondences that are in Greek), his manner of instructing, his mode
of expression, and his model of thought were distinctly Hebraic.
They were founded upon the teachings of the Torah and were
expressed in exclusively Hebraic terms.
So,
the difficulty in interpreting these writings is that, linguistically,
Greek (or any other language that we know of) is incapable of
expressing the spiritual truths and intangible relationships among
heavenly ideas that Hebrew naturally affords. This means, therefore,
that a translation of this relatively spiritually-deficient Greek text
into any language except Hebrew would, of necessity, be inadequate.
Furthermore, unless the translators of the Greek texts were intimately
familiar with the Torah or were rabbinically trained (and most, of
course, are not), they would not be aware of the allusions to the Torah
and the Prophets which occur frequently in these correspondences.
Therefore, a rendering of the Greek text directly into any language
(such as English) becomes devoid of the original Hebraic nuances
intended by the author, and much is completely lost to the modern
reader in this process.
Intended to be Scripture?
Jesus
taught at all times from the Tenach, the Bible without the section
entitled the New Testament. Some have speculated this was an acceptable
quirk of history only because the “Old Covenant” had not
yet been fulfilled. But ask yourself this question, did Jesus at any
time even imply that in the future “new writings will be made
concerning me and my doctrines that I am not able to explain to you at
this time”? Or did he instruct us that “these new writings
shall speak at a higher authority than I do because their words will
become ‘New’, and the words I am speaking and teaching will
have become part of the ‘Old’ ”? Is it recorded
anywhere that he said, “these writings will give you much
additional instruction, and will illuminate many of the great mysteries
of the faith for you”? The reader should give pause and reflect
upon these questions before continuing. We see then it is a point
of immeasurable importance that the Bible nowadays is being filtered
through doctrines that were formed after Messiah ascended and which are
not mentioned anywhere in the record of his words.
After
his resurrection from the dead, Jesus instructed his disciples on
the Emmaus road, that the Tenach testified clearly of him. In
this passage we see a phrase, “all the scriptures” and it
means “the Bible without a section entitled the New
Testament”. “And
beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:27)
The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy that, “from
childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you
the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus”.
Consider that. The Tenach was completely sufficient to lead
Timothy, the son of a Greek father in a Greek household, to personal
salvation in Yeshua.
Those who are not Jewish will not understand how completely unthinkable it is to place a letter of correspondence into the same category as the scripture. To the Chasidim (devout Jews), this kind of thing is vastly irreverent. Only persons who are not Jewish would even consider it. Paul instructs in Romans 11:18, “do
not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember
that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you.”
Do you understand who the root is and who are branches in this
passage? Therefore could any group acting apart from the Jew and
the Circumcision possess the commission and anointing and calling
required to execute this function?
In Romans 3:1-2 we read, “what
benefit is there to someone that they would be Jewish, and what
advantage is there of the circumcision? Exceedingly much and in
every way, the principal benefit being that the very Words of God have
been entrusted to them.” 2 (SHMA) The reader may be surprised to learn that there are nearly 300,000 variations (!)
among the approximately 5,400 Greek manuscripts of the New
Testament known to exist today. Although most of these, scholars
explain, do not affect the sense of the passage, we find this
great a number of discrepancies to affirm the prophecy of Romans 3:1-2,
that the people who copied and maintained these texts did not have the
same calling to do so as the transmitters of Tenach. Neither did
they possess the proper authority to append these writings to the Word
of God. They are good words; they are inspirational words and we
find aid and comfort in them; but to occupy the same place of authority
and original jurisdiction as the books of Moses and of the Prophets and
of the Psalms and writings: they were never meant for this
purpose.
So,
in essence, the question is, how is it that a letter about a thing (the
Tenach) could be higher in authority than the thing itself? It is
difficult to express the degree of reverence with which all Chasidim
(devout Jews) have held the Hebrew scriptures. They are not
loosely defined as “some Old Covenant” or “some
epistles”. Yeshua, the twelve disciples, the apostle Paul
and all members of this sect of the Jews (Act 28:22) would never have
presumed to add personal correspondences to the theological crest of
the mountain that so gratuitously was done by non-Jewish speakers of
Greek who, according to this prophecy of Romans 3:1, acted without
divine authorization because the oracles, or scriptures, were not
entrusted to them.
We
see this alone as sufficient testimony that Paul never intended his
letters to become part of the Bible, yet there are other identifiable
traits within all the apostolic writings that cast a sobering doubt
upon whether the authors actually intended their correspondence be made
into a canon of scripture. For instance, in his letters Rav Shaul
often addresses questions that have been posed by a community of
believers in a previous correspondence or examines issues pertaining
only to their particular situation (e.g. 1Co
5:1, 6:7, 7:1, 8:1, 12:1, 16:1; 2Co 2:5-7; Col 2:8, 16; 1 The 4:9, 5:1,
2Th 2:1-3). While it is clear that he is speaking in reply to a
question or situation, he makes it so inexplicably difficult to
comprehend his arguments because we are not privy to the specific
circumstances of the discussion. Furthermore, he seems to totally
disregard the need to frame his answers in a way that would make the
context clear to readers that are unfamiliar with the original
inquiries. If he indeed expected or purposed his letters to be
read and understood by persons besides the original recipients, does it
not seem reasonable that he would have taken great care to make his
communications unambiguous? How much more so if he expected that
it would be read and preached by untold generations of believers to
come? Would he not have restated the question or at least given
background or supplementary information?
There
is also evidence that much of these writings originated more as
personal correspondences or teachings rather than being at the express
initiation of the Holy Spirit. For example, it seems the
apostolic writers had misconceptions about the times in which they
lived. There were statements made which indicated they believed
the days they lived in were at the absolute end of all time (1Co 10:11,
1Pe 1:5). Study these with particular focus, and you will see that
Peter was so confident that all history had drawn to a close, that he
misquoted Joel 2:28, saying, "And it shall come to pass in the last days" rather than how it is actually written, "And it shall come to pass afterward"
in his sermon at Pentecost (Act 2:17). Therefore, arguably,
according to the criteria given in Deuteronomy 18:22, (that the thing
spoken that does not come true was not spoken by the Lord) these
writings cannot qualify as prophetic utterances in the same
classification as the Prophets.
We
also have the admission by Luke (Luke 1: 3) that the initiative to write
his historical account of the good news came from his own volition
rather than by an explicit prompting of the Holy Spirit, which was the
source of the writings of the prophets of old (2Pe 1:21). All of
this discussion is not to diminish the value of these accounts in
proclaiming the words and actions of the Messiah, but to call into
question the manner in which we place too much authority on these
words. Shall these writings be held at precisely the same esteem
as that given to Moses and the Prophets? Does the statement "it seemed fitting for me as well ... to write it out for you in consecutive order" evoke in you a sense of power and authority comparable to "Then
the LORD said to Moses, 'Write down these words, for in accordance with
these words I have made a covenant with you and with
Israel.’” (Exo 34:27) or "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.'” (Jer 30:2) or yet "Then
the LORD responded to me saying, write down the vision, making it clear
upon the tablets so that even one who is running past could read
it...'” (Hab 2:2 SHMA)?
If
a letter lacks clarity of ideas, how can it fulfill this? As we
have discussed, the epistles frequently offer no elucidation concerning
the question that was posed, nor any qualifications concerning the
scope or application of the answer. Furthermore, we have noted
certain characteristics evincing either a hasty or expeditious
composition of the letter, rather than the systematic formality
typically encountered in, for example, the book of Leviticus. How then
can a blend of instructive opinions and ideas such as this, which had
its basis in Torah, but was intended only for one-time use in a letter,
be as high as the Torah itself?
Yeshua
made an interesting comment concerning this question and in
reference to John (the immerser) as recorded in Matthew 11:13 (and Luke 16:16), “For all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John”.
In the Hebraic sense, this is saying there was a sort of closure
of the period in which holy scripture would be given. Thereafter,
many wonderful things could still be written, and were written, such as
the eyewitness accounts (Gospels) and the prophecies of Revelation, but
he is saying that after the appearance of John the Baptist, the time
period designated for the issuance of holy scripture had ceased.
If we were to say, “we took a break until 3:00 PM”, then
what happened to the break time after 3:00? It is no longer.
We could re-render the passage as, “For the Navi’im and the Torah were actively prophesying until John”
(Mat 11:13 SHMA) Now when John became that voice crying out in
the wilderness, the fulfillment of the prophecies had come. No
more sacred scripture was going to be needed. Yeshua is it.
We
find it an idiosyncrasy that most denominations teach that Jesus
fulfilled perfectly the Law and the messianic prophecies of the Old
Testament, yet quizzically accept the New Testament as equal or greater
inspiration. In effect, while saying they revere the Old
Testament they negate their veneration by adopting as sacred scripture
writings whose interpretations have often been in conflict with it and
which were never authenticated by Jesus.
So
what shall we then say to these things? Are the New Testament
writings inspired? Yes, in the sense that good preaching is also
inspired, that a prophetic word is inspired, that a word fitly spoken
can very well be inspired by the Holy Spirit. But we ask these
questions:
1. Who
gave the order to form this “Canon” of writings and
“add” these to the Bible?
2. Who
said this collection was now to be called “New”, and the
previous “Old”?
3. How,
whether done by decree or by convention, did they become elevated to a
position equal to or higher than the Tenach?
We
are well aware that the standard answer for #1 and #2 is “The
Church Fathers”, and that #3 was a natural consequence of #1 and
#2. Yet, did God tell them to do it? Was this order at the
guidance of the Spirit of Elohim? Until this question is
sufficiently and satisfactorily answered, we must re-examine the
commonly held doctrines concerning the relationship between Old and New
Testaments. Any doctrine advancing the sentiment that the
epistles, prophecies and eyewitness accounts (called the New Testament)
should assume a higher (even equal) status with the Tenach is wrong.
If
you remain unmoved in your devotion to the New Testament, then these
questions should give you all the more reason to want to read the New
Testament through Hebraically corrected lenses. On the other
hand, if you agree with us that in
fact God gave no such order, then join us in repenting of this entire
disordered affair and once again place all your hope, confidence and
trust in the treasured inheritance of all people of Elohim, the Tenach.
The time has come that his people stop basing their doctrines
solely on the words of personal correspondence of an apostle with
another disciple, but instead become a disciple of Yeshua themselves, and “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2Ti 2:15 KJV)
Conclusion
Now
having analyzed each of the major points into which we have sensed the
Holy Spirit's guidance to inquire, we would like to at this point put
to rest any misgivings the reader may have concerning our faith.
We are believers in Yeshua (Jesus) and accept the fundamental
Christian doctrines concerning atonement and salvation. (Of
course, it would be pointless to do this translation if we did not
believe these words.)
As
such, we do not denigrate the New Testament writings but rather see
them as being valuable. We don't deny the lofty inspiration they
afford, the utility of their instruction so bountifully bestowed, or
the preciousness of their incomparable narratives and reports which
help tell the world that Yeshua truly IS the promised Messiah. We know
the good they have afforded countless souls on their journey of faith.
We don't want to destroy your confidence in it; au contraire, we invite you to read it in the shining luster and clarity of its original Hebraic motif.
Nonetheless,
in affirming the New Testament, we trust we have shown ample reason to
begin to SEE the scriptures differently than you have before.
What we want you to see is that it can be good to read the New
Testament writings, but it will be FAR better to revere even more the portions of your Bibles, Genesis through Malachi as being the providence of God in your life and stop saying the “New Testament” has replaced the “Old”. Begin to see this not as something old or something replaced. Please understand we are are not attacking the contents of the New Testament itself; we ARE attacking false ideas and false theology.
Until you have seen the eminence of what the Tenach instructs, you will
not know what you are missing. You will never fully understand
your New Testament writings until you cherish what God ordained by the
hand of Moses and spoke through the prophets, and recorded by the many
scribes of the people out of whom our Messiah was born, the Hebrew.
A Word Concerning Faith
In this translation we have accorded special attention to the correct Hebraic interpretation of the Hebrew word אמונה (emunah), corresponding to the Greek word πιστις
(pistis) commonly translated as ‘faith’. However, the
fuller meaning of emunah, which of course would have been the intended
meaning of any inquiry into the Hebraic foundation upon which
Christianity rests, would have included not only the conventional idea
of faith, as in belief, but also trust; reliance upon God; personal
faithfulness, or fidelity; and reliability and consistency in
relationship with God. It is said that one’s confidence
rests in Him. (Heb 3 & 4)
In one Greek Lexicon 3
we see this word defined as “conviction of the truth of anything,
belief” and this is precisely how it is commonly understood.
Yet, in this we find the Hebraic idea is not fully expressed.
A secondary definition is given as, “fidelity,
faithfulness, stability, or character of one who can be relied
on.” This we see is much closer to the hebraic idea, and
thus the utilization of these terms in this translation.
-- David Ison 8 Tevet 5767 / 29 Dec. 2006
Chapter 1
1. Paul,
an Apostle, not sent from men, and also not by or at the order of men,
but instead by the order of Yeshua the Messiah and Elohim the Father,
who was the one who raised Him from the dead,
2. And all the brethren that are with me, and to all the congregations of Galatia,
3. Grace and shalom be given to you from Elohim our Father and Yeshua the Messiah our Lord,
4. Who
gave his life to atone for our sins and who has rescued us from this
evil world, according to the will of Elohim our Father,
5. To whom is all glory for ever and ever. Amen.
6. I
was taken in amazement at how quickly you turned aside from your
calling within the goodness of our Messiah and have walked after a
false gospel.
7. And, it is really not good news 4,
seeing that there are people which contaminate you and seek to confuse
the gospel of Messiah, confounding it and turning it on its face.
8. Surely, if we, or an angel from heaven proclaim to you any false gospel that we did not preach, let him be cursed.
9. As we told you before, and I repeat once again, if anyone proclaims any gospel besides this one you received, let him be cursed.
10. Do I try to
please men now, or do I speak my words before Elohim? Do I try to
satisfy what pleases man? Because, if I tried to please men, I
would not be a servant of Messiah.
11. And
I already told you, my brethren, that the gospel revealed to you by my
mouth did not originate from man.
12. I
did not receive it from man; nor was I instructed by a man, but it was
the vision from Yeshua the Messiah.
13. You
have heard about my former ways in the religious practice of the Jewish
leaders, that I persecuted unrestrainedly the people of Elohim, so as
to destroy them.
14. And
my knowledge surpassed the talmudic understanding of the Jewish
leaders, and rose above many of the peers of my own people, and I
performed with extreme zeal all the traditions of my ancestors.
15. Yet, Elohim, who set me apart since I was in my mother’s womb and who in his kindness has placed his call upon me,
16. Has
delighted to make known to me his Son, to preach his salvation in the
nations; I did not seek counsel immediately from flesh and blood;
17. Likewise
I did not go up to Jerusalem to the apostles which preceded me.
Instead, I went to Arabia, and from there I returned back to
Damascus.
18. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Kefa and I stayed with him fifteen days.
19. I did not see anyone else of the apostles, except Ya’acov the brother of the Lord.
20. This I am writing to you, and I shall not deceive you.
21. Then after this I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22. However,
I was not personally known to the congregations of Messiah that
were in the land of Judea,
23. But
they had heard this was the man who previously had persecuted them; now
he preaches the good news of trusting in the Lord and being found
faithful,5 which before he had destroyed.
24. And they gave glory to Elohim because of me.
Chapter 2
1. At
the end of the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem
with Bar-naba; also I took Titus with me.
2. I
went up there as I was commanded in the vision, and I set before them
the words of this gospel which I declared among the nations, so that
after having delivered the message to the people, my work which I shall
have done would not be in vain.6
3. And also Titus, who was with me, being Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised,
4. Seeing
that deceitful brethren came stealthily to spy our liberty in Yeshua
the Messiah, in order to reduce us to servitude,
5. Whom we resisted at that moment so that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
6. And
these, which seemed to be something special did absolutely nothing for
me. (Whatever they were makes no difference to me; God is a
respecter of no one.)
7. But, on the contrary, they saw the charge given to me to preach among the non-Jewish 7 peoples after the same manner as it was committed to Peter to preach among the Jewish.
8. (Because the one who gave power to Peter to be sent to the Jewish people, he is also the one who gave me power to be sent to the non-Jewish.)
9. And when Ya’acov, Kefa and Yochanan, ones regarded as pillars of the community of believers saw the grace which
was upon me, they gave to me and to Bar-naba the sign of the right hand
that we are brothers, saying we shall go to the nations, and they to
the Jewish people.
10. Yet
they were minded also that we should remember the needy, which we
certainly were diligent to do.
11. Yet,
when Kefa came to Antioch I admonished him to his face, because a point
of guilt was found in him.
12. This was because before certain ones came from Ya’akov, he had always eaten with the non-Jewish persons, but after their arrival he withdrew and separated himself for fear of the Jewish ones who were there.
13. And
likewise the remainder of the Jews separated themselves away with him,
so much so that even Bar-naba was taken into their self-alienation.
14. So
when I saw that they were not of proper conduct according to the gospel
of truth, I said to Kefa in front of everyone, “If you who are
Jewish don’t keep the oral traditions 8, why do you insist the Gentiles keep them?”
15. Even more particularly, because we are Jewish by birth, not of the gentiles who are sinners.
16. Seeing
that no one is justified by the statutory ordinances of the Torah, but
by trusting and being found faithful in Yeshua the Messiah, 5 so we also have entered into obedient hope in Yeshua the Messiah so that we would be justified in the obedience of the Messiah himself, and not in the ordinances of Torah, because flesh itself can not be justified by any ordinance of the Torah.
17. Now,
if we intend to be justified by Messiah and then iniquity be found in
us, shall Messiah be the minister of sin? God forbid.
18. For
if I go back and build up again the thing I turned away from, I am
testifying for myself that I am a transgressor. 9
19. Because, although according to the Torah I was counted as a dead man; this was so that I could live for Elohim.
20. Behold,
I am crucified with the Messiah, and yet I live, indeed not I but the
Messiah who lives in me and the spirit of the Life that is in my flesh
today I obtained by trusting in the Son of God and by being faithful to him 5, who loved me and give his life to atone for me.
21. I
don’t bring the kindness of Elohim to no effect; because, namely,
if righteousness came by means of the Torah then the Messiah died in
vain.
Chapter 3
1. Oh foolish Galatians, who has cast a spell on your hearts that you would turn away from the truth of Yeshua the Messiah who was crucified, who was among you as if engraved upon tablets for your eyes? 10
2. But this I have wanted you to explain to me, how did you receive the Spirit; by following the rules of Torah, or by the power resulting from obedience?
3. Are
you so foolish with this, that after having undertaken to be spiritual
men, will you now arrive at perfection by an ordinance of the flesh?
4. Why do you endure such labor for nothing? It is not useful nor is it of any help.
5. Look at the one who ministers to you from the Spirit, and the one who does miracles among you; does he do all this by the rule of the Torah or by the power resulting from obedience?
6. Also as Abraham obeyed God and was found faithful, and it was accounted to him as righteousness,
7. Similarly, you must comprehend this: the children of obedience are the sons of Abraham.
8. And the declaration bore witness that it was intended from the very
beginning that the nations would be made righteous by trusting in the
Lord and being found faithful, preceding even the good tidings spoken
to Abraham, namely: In you will all the nations be blessed.
9. As a result, only those who are obedient and faithful to God will experience this blessing with Abraham, the man noted for his faithfulness.
10. However,
the ones who rely upon the commandments of the Torah will be found
cursed, as it is written, cursed is everyone who does not fully keep
all the words written in the book of the Torah to perform them.
11. So
no one is justified before Elohim by means of the Torah, this being a
clear word, namely, the righteous shall have life in obedience and
faithfulness.
12. The
Torah does not seek a trusting heart, although the man which performs
its judgments shall have life in them.
13. Messiah has redeemed our lives from the curse of not fully keeping the Torah 11, in that he was made a curse for us, as it is written, cursed is every one that hangs on a tree.
14. And
in this, by Yeshua the Messiah the nations will receive the blessing of
Abraham and the Spirit which Elohim promised he would give is obtained
by obedience and being found faithful to him.
15. Brethren, I speak in the manner of all men, that a covenant made by one man, and having been established, is not nullified or altered by some other.
16. So
consider this, that the assurances made to Abraham and his seed (and it
does not say, to his seeds in the plural, but rather singular, as one) were one in purpose, and this is Messiah. 12
17. And
this is the thing that I am saying, that the Torah, given four hundred
thirty years afterwards, could not possibly surpass the first covenant
which Elohim had already made with Abraham and established it concerning the Messiah. To do this would completely nullify or bring to no effect the first covenant.
18. Because
if the inheritance was given by means of keeping Torah, that
would no longer be any assurance. Nonetheless it was according to
kindness that the promise was made to Abraham.
19. Even so, why then was the Torah added to this covenant? To make known the abundance of transgression, it being so much that for this the seed should come: to ratify the judicial terms of the covenant, which are the Torah, as commanded by the Messenger of God, and given by the hand of Moshe the mediator.
20. Yet a mediator serves not for atonement 13, albeit Elohim is one in his design,
21. Meaning,
does the Torah conflict with the promises of God? Certainly not.
If the Torah had been given the power to give life, then
righteousness would have also been by the rule of Torah.
22. But
the Holy Scriptures have declared that all men are sinners, and because
of this, by trusting in Yeshua the Messiah shall the Promise come
to those who are faithful to him.
23. And
before we were obedient, we were maintained under the hand of Torah,
like captives of a future faith yet to be revealed.
24. So,
the Torah to us was like a headmaster to lead us towards the Messiah so
that from there we could become righteous in believing and obeying God. 14
25. However, now that obedience is revealed in us, we are no longer under the hand 15 of the headmaster.
26. You can all become the children of Elohim if you learn and do the ways of Yeshua the Messiah,16
27. That
is, if you fully commit yourselves to live as Messiah has instructed,
you are then made presentable to God in Messiah.16
28. Therefore there is no longer any Jewish, nor Greek, nor slave, nor freeman, nor male, nor female, because all of you are one in Yeshua the Messiah.
29. And
if you do belong to Messiah, then see yourselves as being descendants
of Abraham, the inheritors of the Spiritual blessing which was set forth by the Promise.
Chapter 4
1. And I am saying this, that until he reaches adulthood, the inheritor differs nothing from a servant, though he be ruler of the entire estate.
2. But
he is entrusted to the care of the family’s chief administrator
and his attendants until the time appointed by the father.
3. So
we also were like servants to the principal, base elements of
corruption in the days of our childhood,
4. But when the days were fulfilled, Elohim sent his Son, born from the womb of a woman and who was set under the authority of the Torah,
5. To
redeem those who were set under the legal force of Torah so that they
should receive the legal decree of adoption as sons.
6. And
because you are sons, Elohim has sent forth upon you the Spirit of his
Son into the midst of your hearts that you might say: Avinu,
Avinu! 17
7. Therefore
you are no longer a servant, but indeed a son, and if a son, then one
who shall inherit all the estate of Elohim through Messiah. 18
8. Recall that in times past, before you knew God, you bowed down in worship for those which were not gods of truth.
9. And
now, after that you have known God, and also even are known by him, how
could you turn back to the wretched, miserable foundations which you
must so much enjoy serving? 19
10. You observe days, months, times and years. 19
11. And I fear that I have spent my strength on you in vain.
12. Look,
brethren, I am pleading with you. Be like me, as I am like you, because
you have not done anything wrong to me.
13. You know it wasn’t in my own strength that I announced to you the gospel at the beginning.
14. And concerning my humiliation from the trial that was in my flesh you did not despise nor reject, but you saw my face as an angel of Elohim, as if the face of Yeshua the Messiah.
15. So,
are you still blessed? I testify to you that if I should have asked it,
you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16. And now have I become as your adversary from the truth which I declare to you?
17. It
is not good, the fervor of those desiring your affection because they
want to separate you from me, so you will follow them instead.
18. But it is exemplary to be zealous for a good word and not only upon seeing my face.
19. My
little children, I am experiencing the pain of birth concerning you,
until the Messiah should be formed in you.
20. This is my desire: to be with you, and to change the tone of my voice, because at the moment I am perplexed by you.
21. Those
who want to be under the legal force of the Torah, tell me, do
you understand the words of the Torah?
22. Just
look, it is written that Abraham had two sons, the first from a servant
woman and the second from the free and honorable woman.
23. The
son of the servant woman was born after the manner of all flesh, and
the son of the free woman by the Word of Elohim.
24. And
these are the words; they are for an illustration of two covenants, the
first from Mount Sinai which bears children to servitude; this is Hagar.
25. For
Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia, corresponding to Jerusalem today, as it
is in bondage with her children.
26. But Jerusalem from above is the city of freedom, and is the mother of all of us.
27. As it is written: Rejoice,
O barren woman, who does not bear children; break forth and cry out,
you without the pains of birth, because the desolate woman has many
more children than of her which has a husband.
28. Now, brethren, we are just like Yitzchak, sons of the Promise.
29. And
then the one born in the manner of all flesh persecuted the one born of
the Spirit of Elohim; so it is even now.
30. Yet,
what does the Scripture say? Cast out this bondwoman and her son,
for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the
free.
31. Thus, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
Chapter 5
1. Therefore
stand confidently in the freedom which Messiah has given us, and
don’t take again upon you the yoke of bondage.
2. Look.
I, Paul, am telling you that if you bring yourselves into covenant by
your own abilities, then Messiah is not the one who is doing it.
3. I am warning each one of you for whom the covenant with God is based on being circumcised, that he is solemnly commanded to keep all the words of the Torah.
4. You
are separated from the Messiah, those who are justified by the Torah,
and you have withdrawn yourselves from the free gift of God,
5. But we have placed our hope and expectation on the Spirit and on trusting in him and being faithful,
6. Because
before Yeshua the Messiah there is no other, so then it is not for
being circumcised, nor for being uncircumcised, but through obedience
comes the ownership of works of love.
7. You had proceeded so well; who has imposed upon you from accomplishing the truth?
8. These words of a seducer have not come from the one who called you.
9. Just a little yeast makes the whole thing leavened.
10. I
trust you before our Lord, that such foreign thoughts should not enter
into your hearts; but he who is doing this, whoever he is, shall bear
his own iniquity.
11. Brethren,
if I still preached being circumcised, why then am I persecuted?
In that case then the offense of the cross 20 would be nil.
12. What of this? It would not bother me to see these distorters to be cut off, as in circumcision.
13. You
are called to liberty my brethren, not some freedom by which to sin
with the flesh, but that every one ought to serve his neighbor in love.
14. Because all the Torah is predicated upon this one principal commandment, “and you shall love your neighbor as yourself”.
15. Yet if one exploits and oppresses his neighbor, let him take heed lest he be destroyed by another.
16. So
look, I am saying, maintain a walk like spiritual men, and then you
will not satisfy the desires of the flesh.
17. Because the flesh lusts for that which
is not by the Spirit, and the Spirit yearns for that which is not of
the flesh, for the two are contrary to each other. This is why
you are unable to live as you would desire to do.
18. But
if you would walk as ones having chosen to be guided by the Spirit,
then you are no longer under the legal force of the Torah. 21
19. The evil workings of the flesh are well known, adultery, fornication, lust, amorous advances,
20. Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, boastful arguing, jealousies, wrath, strife,
dissensions, divisiveness,
21. Envy,
murder, drunkenness, gluttony and other things of this sort. I am
telling you as I have told you before: ones who do these shall
not inherit the kingdom of Elohim.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, charitableness, goodness and faithfulness,
23. Humility and temperance. Torah is not the same thing as walking in and possessing these characteristics.
24. And those who belong to Messiah have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts.
25. If the life of the Spirit is within us, then let us walk at the direction of the Spirit.
26. Not pursuing our own vanity which irritates others and causes jealousy among the brethren.
Chapter 6
1. Brethren, if anyone of you is ensnared in doing things
which should not be done, you who are spiritual restore him in humility
of spirit, keeping in mind that you also could be ensnared by a similar
thing.
2. Let
each one bear his neighbor’s hardships, because in so doing you
observe the Torah of Messiah.
3. He that would think highly of himself, being nothing actually, has led astray his own soul.
4. Indeed every one is known by his actions, and will find happiness in his own works, and not through comparing himself against others.
5. But everyone should take seriously his own calling.
6. The one who is taught ought to give back a portion to his teacher of the good which he has received.
7. Do not deceive yourselves; the Lord is not mocked; because as a man sows, thus shall he also reap.
8. For
he that sows to the flesh shall in his flesh reap complete destruction,
and the one who sows to the Spirit shall reap the spiritual harvest of
eternal life.
9. We should not withdraw our hands from doing others good, for we shall reap our harvest in due time if we don’t give up and quit.
10. Therefore,
as you have the capacity, do good to all persons, and to everyone among
the community of believers.
11. Look at what lengthy correspondence that I have written to you by my own hand!
12. These
people who are forcing the ritual of circumcision upon you are only
trying to make themselves look good so they won’t be persecuted
over this atonement that comes by the cross of Messiah.
13. So these supposedly ‘circumcised’ ones have actually not followed Torah, but instead have followed their own passions, being ritually circumcised just to receive the praises of men.
14.
But concerning myself, heaven forbid that I should find any praise
except in the atonement by the cross of Messiah our Lord by whom the
world is become a curse to me and I am as a curse to the world.
15. Because in Yeshua the Messiah there is nothing else, meaning, it is not that the covenant people are circumcised, and the non-covenant people are uncircumcised, but rather all are become a new creation. 22
16. All the upright shall walk according to this accepted rule, “Shalom veh chesed alehem veh al chol Israel am ha Elohim” (Shalom and grace upon them and all Israel, the one people of God.) 23
17. From this time forward I shall not allow man to affect me anymore, because I carry in my body the mark and signature of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. 24
18. Brethren, the grace of Yeshua the Messiah our Lord be with your spirit. Amen.