Plural form of some words in the Hebrew
designated by the “im” suffix:
“Seraphim” is the
plural form of Seraph. The “im” suffix makes it plural.
“Cherubim” is the
plural form of Cherub. The “im” suffix makes it plural.
“Elohim” is the plural
form of Eloh. The “im” suffix makes it plural…more than
one.
“Elohim (אֱלוֹהִים , אלהים) is a
Hebrew word which expresses concepts of divinity. It is apparently
related to the Hebrew word
ēl, though
morphologically it consists of the Hebrew word
Eloah (אלוה) with a plural suffix. Elohim is the third word in the
Hebrew text of
Genesis and occurs frequently throughout the
Hebrew Bible. Its exact significance is often disputed. Elohim
acts as an ordinary plural of the word Eloah (אלוה), and refers to the
polytheistic notion of multiple gods (for example, Exodus 20:3, "Thou
shalt have no other gods before me.").
Hebrew grammar
Elohim has plural
morphological form in Hebrew, but it is used with singular verbs
and adjectives in the Hebrew text when the particular meaning of the
God of Israel (a singular deity) is traditionally understood. Thus the
very first words of the Bible are breshit bara Elohim, where
bara ברא is a verb inflected as third person singular masculine
perfect. If Elohim were an ordinary plural word, then the plural verb
form bar'u בראו would have been used in this sentence instead.
Such plural grammatical forms are in fact found in cases where
Elohim has semantically plural reference (not referring to the God
of Israel).
In most English translations of the Bible (e.g.
the
King James Version), the letter G in "god" is capitalized in cases
where Elohim refers to the God of Israel, but there is no distinction
between upper and lower case in the Hebrew text.”
[Excerpt
from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elohim ]
A Bible Study
using parallel passages from the King James (KJV) and New World
version (NWV).
KJV Gen 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and
the earth.
NWT Gen 1:1 In [the]
beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
KJV John 1:1. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2.
He was in the beginning with God.
3. All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came
into being that has come into being.
NWT John 1:1 In [the] beginning the Word was,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. 2
This one was
in [the] beginning with God. 3
All things came into existence through him,
and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.
This quote from
John & Genesis describes God/Jesus as the creator. Both the KJV and
the New World Translation says Jesus was with God in the beginning at
the time of creation. I refer you back to the definition of “Elohim”
as being in the plural.
KJV Isaiah 41:4 Who hath wrought and done it,
calling the generations from the beginning? I
the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.
NWT Isaiah 41:4 Who has been active and has
done [this], calling out the generations from the start? “I,
Jehovah, the First One; and with the last ones I am the same.”
KJV Isaiah 44:6. Thus saith the LORD the King
of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last; and beside
me there is no God.
NWT Isaiah 44:6 “This is what Jehovah has said,
the King of Israel and the Repurchaser of him, Jehovah of armies,
‘I am the first and I am the last, and
besides me there is no God.
KJV Isaiah 48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and
Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I
also am the last.
NWT Isaiah 48:12 “Listen to me, O Jacob, and
you Israel my called one. I am the same One.
I am the first. Moreover, I am the last.
KJV Rev 1:8 I am Alpha
and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
NWT Rev 1:8 “I am the
Al´pha and the O·me´ga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and
who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”
KJV Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of
the water of life freely.
NWT Rev 21:6 And he said to me: “They have come
to pass! I am the Al´pha and the O·me´ga,
the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the
fountain of the water of life free.
KJV Rev 2:8 And unto the angel of the church in
Smyrna write; These things saith the first
and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
NWT Rev 2:8 “And to the angel of the
congregation in Smyr´na write: These are the things that he says,
‘the First and the Last,’ who became dead and
came to life [again],
KJV Rev 22:12 And,
behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end, the first and the last.
NWT Rev 22:12 “‘Look!
I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to
render to each one as his work is. 13 I am
the Al´pha and the O·me´ga, the first and the last, the beginning and
the end.
NWT Rev. 1:17 And when I saw him, I fell as
dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand upon me and said: “Do not
be fearful. I am the First and the Last,
18 and the living one; and I became dead,
but, look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of
death and of Ha´des.
In verse 18 who
died, Jehovah or Jesus? If Jehovah, when did Jehovah die and come
alive again? The Gospels say it was Jesus who died and rose again.
Do you believe this passage from the New World Translation that says
Jesus is the First and the Last, and that He died and rose again and
lives forever? At this time it would really help if you re-read all
of the above scriptures.
NWT Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out upon
the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of
favor and entreaties, and they will certainly look to
the One whom they pierced through, and
they will certainly wail over Him as in the wailing over an only
[son]; and there will be a bitter lamentation over him as when there
is bitter lamentation over the firstborn [son].
NAS John 19:37 And again another Scripture
says, "They shall look on Him whom they
pierced."
NWT John 19:37 And again, a different scripture
says: “They will look to the One whom they
pierced
Parallel
scriptures in Old and New Testament agree that Jesus would be pierced.
KJV John 10:30. I and
[my] Father are one. 31. Then the Jews took up stones again to
stone him. 32. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you
from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 33. The Jews
answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a
man, makest thyself God. 34. Jesus answered them, Is it not
written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? 35. If he called them gods,
unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
36. Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the
world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am
the Son of God? 37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe
me not. 38. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works:
that ye may know, and believe, that the
Father [is] in me, and I in him. 39. Therefore they sought
again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
NWT John 10:30 I and
the Father are one.” 31 Once more the Jews lifted up stones to
stone him. 32 Jesus replied to them: “I displayed to
YOU many fine works from the Father.
For which of those works are YOU
stoning me?” 33 The Jews answered him: “We are stoning you, not for a
fine work, but for blasphemy, even because
you, although being a man, make yourself a god.” 34 Jesus
answered them: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said: “YOU
are gods”’? 35 If he called ‘gods’ those against whom the word of God
came, and yet the Scripture cannot be nullified, 36 do
YOU say to me whom the Father
sanctified and dispatched into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because
I said, I am God’s Son? 37 If I am not
doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. 38 But if I am doing
them, even though YOU do not believe
me, believe the works, in order that YOU
may come to know and may continue knowing
that the Father is in union with me and I am in union with the Father.”
39 Therefore they tried again to seize him; but he got out of their
reach.
Philippians 2:5
says Jesus was all man and all God. He said He was God, the
Son of God, and equal to God in John 10 above and Philippians 2 below.
KJV Philippians 2:5 Keep this mental attitude
in YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, 6
who, although he was existing in God’s form,
gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that
he should be equal to God. 7 No, but
he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the
likeness of men. 8 More than that, when he
found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient as far as death,
NWT Philippians2:5 Keep this mental attitude in
YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, 6
who, although he was existing in God’s form,
gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that
he should be equal to God. 7 No, but
he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the
likeness of men. 8 More than that, when he
found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient as far as death,
These passages
from Acts say the Holy Spirit is a very personal person in the
Godhead who speaks and can be lied to. You cannot lie/play false to a
non-person.
NWT Acts 5:3 But Peter said: “An·a·ni´as, why
has Satan emboldened you to play false to the
holy spirit and to hold back secretly some of the price of the
field?
KJV Acts 5:3. But Peter said, Ananias, why hath
Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of the land? 4.
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was
it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine
heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
NWT Acts 13:2 As they were publicly ministering
to Jehovah and fasting, the holy spirit
said: “Of all persons set Bar´na·bas and Saul apart for me for the
work to which I have called them.”
NWR Eph 4:30 Also, do
not be grieving God’s holy spirit, with which
YOU have been sealed for a day of
releasing by ransom.
KJV Acts 4:30. And
grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption.
In 1 Timothy
below, if Jesus was only a man, why is He the ONLY mediator
between God and men? Why not you or your mentor?
NWT 1 Tim 2:5 For there is one God, and
one
mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus,
KJV 1 Tim 2:5. For [there is] one God, and
one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
Luke 1:35 show
the Holy Trinity present at Jesus’ birth and baptism.
KJV Luke 1:35. And the angel answered and said
unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:
therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be
called the Son of God.
NWT Luke 1:35 In answer the angel said to her:
“Holy spirit will come upon you, and
power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what
is born will be called holy, God’s Son.
KJV Mat 3:16. And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17. And lo
a voice from heaven, saying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
NWT Mat 3:16 After being baptized Jesus
immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened
up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s
spirit coming upon him. 17 Look! Also,
there was a voice from the heavens that said: “This is my Son, the
beloved, whom I have approved.”
NWT Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples
of people of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,
KJV Mat 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
These Scriptures
say God was present at resurrection of Jesus. Jesus said He would
raise Himself from the dead.
Trinity present at resurrection.
KJV 1 Thes 1:9. For they themselves shew of us
what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God
from idols to serve the living and true God; 10. And to wait for
his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the
dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
NWT 1 Thes 1:9 For they themselves keep
reporting about the way we first entered in among
YOU and how YOU
turned to God from [YOUR] idols to
slave for a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from the
heavens, whom he raised up from the dead,
namely, Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath which is coming.
KJV John 2:19. Jesus answered and said unto
them, Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will raise it up. 20. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years
was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21. But he spake of the temple of his body.
NWT John 2:19 In answer Jesus said to them:
“Break down this temple, and in three days I
will raise it up.” 20 Therefore the Jews said: “This temple was
built in forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21
But he was talking about the temple of his
body.
KJV Romans 8:11. But if
the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in
you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in
you.
NWT Romans 8:11 If, now,
the spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwells
in YOU, he that raised up Christ Jesus
from the dead will also make YOUR
mortal bodies alive through his spirit that
resides in YOU.
KJV Acts 13:30. But
God raised him from the dead: 31 And
he was seen many days of them which came up with him from
Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
NWT Acts 13:30 But God
raised him up from the dead; 31 and for many days
he became visible to those who had
gone up with him from Gal´i·lee to Jerusalem, who are now his
witnesses to the people.
Luke 24:34 says
Jesus was not a ghost when He arose from the dead. They handled Him,
and He ate fish.
KJV Luke 24:37. But they were terrified and
affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a
spirit. 38. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why
do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39. Behold
my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for
a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
NWT Luke 24:37 But because they were terrified,
and had become frightened, they were
imagining they beheld a spirit. 38 So he said to them: “Why are
YOU troubled, and why is it doubts come
up in YOUR hearts? 39 See my hands and
my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because
a spirit does not have flesh and bones
just as YOU behold that I have.”
40 [[And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet.]] 41
But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and were
wondering, he said to them: “Do
YOU have something there to
eat?” 42 And they handed him a piece of broiled fish; 43 and he took
it and ate it before their eyes.
KJV John 20:27. Then saith he to Thomas,
Reach hither thy finger, and behold my
hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust
[it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28. And
Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord
and my God.
NWT John 20:27 Next he said to Thomas: “Put
your finger here, and see my hands, and
take your hand and stick it into my side,
and stop being unbelieving but become believing.” 28 In answer Thomas
said to him: “My Lord and my God!”
John 5:39 says
salvation does not come by reading and knowing the Bible, but by faith
in Jesus alone.
KJV John 5:39. Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of me. 40. And ye will not come to me,
that ye might have life. 41. I receive not honour from men. 42. But I
know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43.
I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive
me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will
receive. 44. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another,
and seek not the honour that [cometh] from God only? 45. Do not think
that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth
you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust. 46. For had ye believed Moses, ye
would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47.
But if ye believe not his writings, how shall
ye believe my words?
NWT John 5:39 “YOU
are searching the Scriptures, because
YOU
think that by means of them YOU
will have everlasting life; and these are the very ones that
bear witness about me. 40 And yet YOU
do not want to come to me that YOU may
have life. 41 I do not accept glory from men, 42 but I well know that
YOU do not have the love of God in
YOU. 43 I have
come in the name of my Father, but YOU
do not receive me; if someone else arrived in his own name,
YOU would receive that one. 44 How can
YOU believe, when
YOU are accepting glory from one
another and YOU are not seeking the
glory that is from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse
YOU to the Father; there is one that
accuses YOU, Moses, in whom
YOU have put
YOUR hope. 46 In fact, if YOU
believed Moses YOU would believe me,
for that one wrote about me. 47 But if
YOU do not believe the writings
of that one, how will YOU
believe my sayings?”
KJV John 6:28. Then said they unto him, What
shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29. Jesus answered
and said unto them, This is the work of God,
that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
NWT John 6:28 Therefore they said to him: “What
shall we do to work the works of God?” 29 In answer Jesus said to
them: “This is the work of God, that
YOU exercise faith in him whom
that One sent forth.”
KJV Eph 2:8. For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
[it is] the gift of God: 9. Not of
works, lest any man should boast. 10. For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before
ordained that we should walk in them.
NWT Eph 2:8 By this undeserved kindness,
indeed, YOU
have been saved through faith; and this not owing to
YOU, it is God’s gift. 9
No, it is not owing to works, in order that no man should have ground
for boasting.
I pray that this
Bible study using the two translations accepted by the Watch Tower
Society was profitable for you.
Kenneth
Uptegrove
