Aramaic Text vs KJV Text

Aramaic Text vs KJV Text

Did you know there are over 450 translations of the Bible in the English language alone?

Question: WHICH IS THE CORRECT VERSION.??

Answer: There is NO Correct Version. All the versions are different from the Original (which is Aramaic/Hebrew).

(Note: For those interested to read further, I wrote a post on the "Timeline of Written Translation History" here:

 https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2021/04/timeline-of-written-translation-history.html

WHY SO MANY VERSIONS.?

Because:

a. They have language translation errors and mistakes. This happens when it is translated from 1 language to another language.

b. They have bias translation errors. That means they purposely translate it in such a way to favour their own denomination or community, and to discredit others.

c. Translation errors occur when the translators cannot decide to translate "word for word" or "thought for thought". As a result, there is a mixture of both. Others from other cultures or learning began to interpret the bible words wrongly leading to theological errors.

d. They are translated by a "one-man-show". That means it is the work of ONLY 1 person. It has not been tested by other bible scholars or bible peers. This results in an unscholarly or unprofessional translation, creating more mistakes. E.g.s are "The Message" a paraphrase by Eugene Peterson and "The Passion Translation" by Brian Simmons.

MAJORITY VIEW THE KING JAMES VERSION (KJV) AS MORE CORRECT.

In the christian culture that I was involved, the majority viewed the KJV as the "never incorrect version" or the "authentic version" or the "sanctified version".

Actually, if you just trace the Timeline of bible translations of just the KJVs ALONE, you will find that the translators are trying to cover up their mistakes, with newer and newer editions. Their mistakes and embarrassment are made more pronounced with new archaeological discoveries of old written texts written thousands of years ago.

If you do use Google, you will also find that there have been hundred of articles written and viewed in social media like Youtube, about the hundreds if not thousands of errors in the KJV. They were highlighted according to their own understanding.

COMPARING SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES

Here below I will attempt to compare some (just some, because there are so so many) of the bible texts found in the Aramaic text and those in the KJV text.

It is my attempt to compare the text with the original Aramaic. It is useless to compare translation with translation, that will lead to quarrelsome arguments about who or which is more correct. I will just show you the original and you decide, whether your KJV or other translations have errors or not.

Job 12:6

(KJV) The tabernacles of robbers PROSPER, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

(Aramaic) The tents of robbers SHALL PERISH, and the assurance of those who incite God because there is no God in their hearts.

Job 31:10

(KJV) Then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her.

(Aramaic) Then let my wife grind (meal) for others and let her BAKE BREAD AT ANOTHER MAN'S PLACE.

Psalm 7:11

(KJV) God judgeth the righteous, and God is ANGRY WITH THE WICKED EVERY DAY.

(Aramaic) God is a just judge and He is NOT ANGRY EVERY DAY.

Psalm 23:2

(KJV) He maketh me to lie down in GREEN PASTURES; he leadeth me beside the STILL WATERS.

(Aramaic) And He makes me to dwell in PASTURES OF STRENGTH. He guides me by REFRESHING WATERS.

Psalm 23:6

(KJV) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER.

(Aramaic) Your loving kindness and compassion have pursued me all the days of my life; and I shall live in the house of the Lord for the LENGTH OF DAYS.

Psalm 46:10

(KJV) BE STILL and know that I am God!

(Aramaic) RETURN TO ME and know that I am God!

Isaiah 43:28

(KJV) Therefore I have PROFANED THE PRINCES OF THE SANCTUARY, and have given Jacob to the curse and Israel to reproaches. [meaning God Himself had defiled the princes]

(Aramaic) YOU PRINCES HAVE DEFILED THE HOLY PLACE (the sanctuary); therefore I have give Jacob to the curse and Israel to shame.

Jeremiah 4:10

(KJV) Then said I, ah Lord God; surely THOU HAST GREATLY DECEIVED this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul.

(Aramaic) Then I said, I implore you, O Lord God, truly I HAVE DECEIVED [meaning Jeremiah had deceived] this people and Jerusalem exceedingly because I have said, You will have peace, and behold, the slain sword reaches as far as the soul.

Matthew 5:3

(KJV)  BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

(Aramaic) DELIGHTED ARE THOSE WHO SURRENDER TO GOD, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 6:34

(KJV) TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the eveil thereof.

(Aramaic) Now DO NOT WORRY about tomorrow, because tomorrow will take care of itself. Enough for the day is its own trouble.

John 1:14

(KJV) And the Word WAS MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only BEGOTTEN son of the Father) full of grace and TRUTH.

(Aramaic) And the Word TOOK HUMAN FORM and dwelt (tented) among us; and we say his preciousness (glory), a preciousness like that of an only BELOVED son of the Father, who is filled with loving kindness and JUSTICE.

2 Timothy 3:16

(KJV) All scripture is GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

(Aramaic) All scripture that is WRITTEN BY THE SPIRIT is useful for teaching, correction, right action, and for instruction in justice (piety).

2 Peter 1:21

(KJV) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were MOVED by the Holy Ghost.

(Aramaic) For prophecy at no time ever came by the will of man, but hold men of God spoke when they were IMPELLED by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 7:18

(KJV) Is any man called being circumcised? Let him not BECOME UNCIRCUMCISED.

(Aramaic) If any man were circumcised when he was called, let him not TURNED TO THE PARTY OF THE UNCIRCUMCISED.

And so on, and so on.

There are thousands of different translations in comparing the KJV and the original Aramaic.

For those interested, there is a book by George M. Lamsa, called "The Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text", and he translated the ancient Aramaic manuscripts to English, beginning with Genesis till Revelation. He said that there are approximately 10,000 to 12,000 vital and major differences between the KJV and the Aramaic text.

Aramaic Idiom - A Thorn In The Flesh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Aramaic Idiom - A Thorn In The Flesh


This phrase "a thorn in the flesh" is an actual Aramaic Idiom that is often used by the Near Eastern people.

In fact, we in the English educated community also use this phrase to mean the SAME thing, as them.


This phrase appears in several bible verses.

Let us look at 2 Corinthians 12:7,


2Corinthians 12:7 (KJV)

And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.


The original Aramaic writings read like this:

 

 

 

 

 
Qn: Why did Paul wrote this verse?

Ans: Basing on evidential historical records, wherever Paul went, he constantly met with great opposition, persecution and verbal and non-verbal attacks. Some of the listeners also questioned Paul as a real apostle and went against his authority among the believers. Paul also faced many false teachers, and his many writings of the New Testament books were meant to counter such teachings.

Because of these constant accusations and attacks, they were considered to be a source of irritation, and that's why he used the phrase "a thorn in his flesh".


Other examples of such use of "thorns" or "thorns in the flesh/body" are:


Genesis 3:18 (ESV) ... THORNS and thistles it shall bring forth for you; ...


Numbers 33:55 (ESV) But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and THORNS in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.


Judges 2:3 (ESV) So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become THORNS IN YOUR SIDES, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”



This verse in 2 Corinthians 12:7 is very interesting. It was as if Paul didn't want his readers to misunderstand his Idiom, and so he explained himself by giving a further explanation on the idiom/phrase "a thorn in the flesh".


Side NOTE: Have you heard of the cult of "christian" believers in Philippines, where  they used all kinds of thorns to cut their own flesh (basing on this verse) because they believed that if Paul can be humbled by these thorns (which they believed to be "real" "physical" thorns from plants), so they too can whip their own flesh with thorns to make themselves humble and thus be acceptable by God. (God's acceptance of us has nothing to do with our futile efforts). These are people who believe in Jesus Christ and they numbered in the millions! This is an example of how a wrong interpretation of bible verse using contemporary languages (without looking accurately at the cultural, historical and linguistic relevance), can cause such massive damages and sway millions into danger and grave errors.



Qn: What was the further explanation of the idiom "a thorn in the flesh"?

Ans: Paul said that this "thorn in the flesh" is explained as "a messenger of Satan to buffet me". He meant "A TROUBLEMAKER".

In our modern English, Paul would have wrote "I AM HARASSED OR TROUBLED BY TROUBLEMAKERS."


Qn: What is the meaning "messenger of Satan" in 2 Corinthians 12:7?

Ans: It means a person who is a deceiver and a fraud who teaches wrong teachings and philosophies, to counter-attack on Paul. He is a Troublemaker. He is  a false teacher. His teachings are malicious and meant to harm Paul and to destroy his teaching and authority.

Paul’s thorn in the flesh wasn’t sickness or epilepsy or any other physical illness. It was the people who opposed and irritated him and continually caused him problems!
 

 

So now you know the meaning of "a thorn in the flesh".

HOW DID PAUL USE ARAMAIC IDIOMS IN THE BIBLE?

HOW DID PAUL USE ARAMAIC IDIOMS IN THE BIBLE?



Question: Why am I interested to know about Paul's writings?

Answer: Most of the bible scriptures in the New Testament was written by Paul, so unless you want to throw away the bible scriptures, it is worthwhile to understand what Paul wrote.


There are many many idioms that are used by Paul in his writings.

I want to look at just a passage in 2 Corinthians 6:11-12 (KJV)

2 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV) - O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

2 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV) -  Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels.



Let us compare with the original Aramaic Text with interlinear English:

 

MOUTH

Qn: What is the meaning of "our mouth is open unto you".?

Ans: This is an Aramaic idiom meaning: "We have  told you everything".

During the times of Paul, in the Near East, when someone speaks in an honest and straightforward way, just being frankly and clearly, they used the Aramaic idiom "he has a big or large mouth".

Today in our modern English, whether we are using American English or UK English, it would be an insult. A person with a "big mouth" will mean that he cannot keep any secret or someone who talks too much. This is just the opposite of the meaning in the bible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOWELS

Qn: What is the meaning of "ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own bowels".? Why "bowels".?

Ans: Here the original word for "bowels" is the Aramaic word "rahma". Literally translated, the word "rahma" has several meanings. It means "friends", "bowels", "womb", "bladder", "testicles", and the "female sexual organs".

However in this verse, the word "bowels" or "rahma" is used metaphorically to mean "love", "mercy", "kindness", "affection", "compassion", "benevolence", "friendliness", and "tenderheartedness".

Paul used the same word "bowel" or "rahma" in another scripture in Philippians 1:8


Philippians 1: 8 (KJV) - "For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels (or rahma) of Jesus Christ".

In the Interlinear English of this in Aramaic, it says "Surely God is my witness as to what manner I fiercely love you all through the tender love of Jesus the Messiah".



Isaiah said the same word as Paul in Isaiah 63:15

Isaiah 63:15 (KJV) Look down from heaven ... Where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels (rahma) and thy mercies toward me? Are they restrained?


The idiom "the sounding of thy bowels" means "tender affection and love".

What Isaiah is saying is, "turn your affections and love upon me".



Isaiah used the same word "bowel" or "rahma" in Isaiah 16:11

Isaiah 16:11 (KJV) Wherefore my bowels (rahma) shall sound like a harp for Moab.


The idiom "my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab" means "my heart shall sorrow over Moab".



It is similarly used in love expression in the Song of Solomon in Song 5:4

Song 5:4 (KJV) - My beloved put his hand by the hole in the door, and my bowels (rahma) were moved for him.


The idiom "and my bowels were moved for him" means "and my passions stirred because of him".




This is just a small example of how Paul and others used idioms in their writings, that are meant to be interpreted metaphorically and within their cultural expression.

The Important Key of Aramaic Culture to understanding the bible

 The Important Key of Aramaic Culture to understanding the bible

To understand the Culture of the Semitic (or Aramaic) people, will help you understand the bible and the spirit in which it is written.

The writers of the bible were greatly influenced by their own Culture.

Their Culture in turn dictates their Social Habits, their Customs and their Mannerism. These played an important part in the lives of the Semitic people (Jews also), and forms the Culture of the nation of Israel.

For example, when the writers were living under certain social norms of their era, they write according to what they know and practice in their lives.

Let me illustrate (from the book "Manners & Customs of the bible"):

Example 1: When Peter was praying on the housetop in Acts 10:9.
What was Peter doing on the housetop (which is flat). He could have easily prayed in his room, inside his house.

Culture tells us that the Semitic people (Jews and non-Jews) always pray on their housetops. Those who worship God, do so on the housetops. Those who worship idols in their houses, also do so on the housetops. It is their culture, not ours.

The Jews also prayed on their housetops for another additional reason, and that is so that they can have privacy and that they can more readily look in the direction of the temple  in Jerusalem.

Today, we cannot imitate this, because we will fall down, and we are not able to view Jerusalem from our roofs.


Example 2: Woman kissing the feet of Jesus in Luke 7:38

This practice of kissing the feet of someone was part of the Semitic Culture. It is a common practice among the Jews as well as the Greeks and Romans.

It shows the highest form of reverence and affection.

It is also a show of submission and obedience to the person.

If there is a particular important request from that person, the one who request will also kiss the feet before presenting the request.

Today, we can't imitate this because most of us wear socks and shoes, and the practice is not part of our present day Culture.

Example 3: Naming the baby child in Luke 1:59

On the eighth day, Elizabeth brought her son John to the temple to be circumcised according to Jews tradition. 

In this verse you read that the baby was not named before that, but only at the moment of circumcision. This was the Jewish Custom to give names to children at the time of their circumcision.

Why? 

Because the temple Rabbis tell the Jews of their time that this was because God changed the names of Abram and Sarai at the same time that God introduced circumcision.

This custom and culture was also seen in the circumcision of Jesus, and the naming at the same time in Luke 2:21.

The custom of naming the child on the 8th day is traditionally a Jewish Culture because it is tied to circumcision.

The Romans gave  names to their male children on the 9th day, and to the female on the 8th day. The Athenians gave names on the 10th. Some others on the 7th.

Today, we can name our new born babies even before they are born! And baby circumcision is not our culture.



Culture of the Kurds in Kurdistan

Today in the mountainous regions of Kurdistan, there exist a people group or an ancient race of people (part of the Kurds) who lived and practice the same Semitic Culture as in the olden biblical days of Jesus time. They were thought to be extinct until their discovery around the middle of the 19th century.

This surviving remnant was  descended from the Assyrians of Assyria, a powerful nation that once ruled the ancient Near East. These descendants have mixed with the blood of the Ten Northern tribes of Israel, and they still live, think and speak as did the people of Jesus' times.

See my write up in the Northern Tribes here:

https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2021/08/who-are-samaritans.html

Scholar Write-up

According to a British scholar who lived among these people, the late Dr. William Ainger Wigram, he wrote:

"We have now traced the history of a strange nation, from very early days to what is practically our own time - up to, in fact, the eve of the Great War ... A strange survival in an isolated corner of the world, these last representatives of the ancient Assyrian stock have hitherto 

'kept up the most primitive of Semitic Customs to an extent that can hardly be paralleled elsewhere, even in the Mesopotamian marsh districts. '

 One thing is certain, that the Assyrian boasts with justice that they alone of all Christian nations still keep as their spoken language what is acknowledged to be the language of Palestine in the First Century, and  that therefore they alone among Christian nations, if we  except a few villages that may still exist in Lebanon, use regularly the language of Christ."



For more reading:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_Kurds

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyrian_homeland

When you understand their Culture, you gain a greater understanding of the writings of the bible.

Aramaic prophecies using idioms

Aramaic prophecies using idioms

There are simply just hundreds and thousands of prophecies in the bible and if you were to examine them, you will find that they employ lots of Aramaic idioms and symbols to carry a message. This message is not meant to be understood literally word for word, but to be understood within the language and customs of the Aramaic/Hebrew people. That was the original intention of the author of these prophecies.

It is impossible to go through all these prophecies, but below I have highlighted some of them as examples:

1. Isaiah 2:12-14

Isa 2:12  For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 

Isa 2:13  And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 

Isa 2:14  And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 

1a: Idiom: cedars of Lebanon

Meaning: those in power and have longevity

1b: Idiom: oaks of Bashan

Meaning: those noble, great, strong, proud and influential people

1c: Idiom: upon all the hills that are lifted up

        Meaning: upon those smaller powers that have exalted themselves

2. Isaiah 2:22

Isa 2:22  Cease yourself from man, whose breath is in his nostril, for in what is he to be esteemed? 

2a: Idiom: breath is in his nostril

Meaning: avoiding a man who is continually angry, explosive, and impulsive.

3. Isaiah 11: 6-8

Isa 11:6  The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 

Isa 11:7  The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 

Isa 11:8  The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

3a. Idiom: wolf, leopard, lion, bear

        Meaning: They symbolize strong, powerful, dictatorial nations that oppress and seek to devour the helpless and defenseless nations.

3b. Idiom: Lamb, young goat, calf, cow

        Meaning: They symbolize weaker and smaller nations, nations that have no great military might or fortification.

3c. Idiom: A little child shall lead them

        Meaning: Political leaders shall be simple, sincere leaders, and not crooked leaders. (It does not mean literally a small child shall be a nation’s leader).

3d. Idiom: The suckling child playing with the cobra, putting hand in the den of the snake

        Meaning: The power of sincere pure-hearted leaders who can negotiate with the enemies of their country.

3e. Idiom: The lion shall eat straw like an ox

        Meaning: Powerful nations shall be contented with their own internal resources. They shall not plunder other nation’s resources.

[Note: Isaiah 11:6-8 is a prophetic passage that speaks about the coming of the Messiah that will reveal truth, justice and contentment to all humanity so that peace and harmony will reign among the nations.]

Aramaic idioms

 

Aramaic idioms

Before I venture into some of the Aramaic idioms written in the bible, let me give some background on the meaning of idioms.

The bible is FULL of idioms. 

When the bible was translated from Aramaic => Hebrew => Greek => Latin => English => other languages of the world, many of these idioms have been wrongly translated, and misunderstood because they were not explained in its original Aramaic context and culture of the Near Eastern people. 

(That was one of the reasons why we have so many different WRONG translations and interpretations of the bible today, resulting in about 40,000 Christian denominations, each claiming to be better and more correct than the other. This is still creating mis-understanding among churches and believers.)

In one of my previous writing, I gave a personal example of how mistranslation happened:

https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2021/04/timeline-of-written-translation-history.html

Some years ago, I was under the tutelage of a Kiwi missionary in New Zealand. He told me that in one area of his mission, there was no translated version of the bible for their language, and as a result, they had to translate the New Testament for them to understand. However, these people never knew what sheep is, and how they look like or behave. So in order to make them understand, they replaced the word "sheep" with "pigs", which is their most prized possession.... hahaha..

Imagine us reading that "Jesus came for the lost pigs of Israel" in Matthew 15:24 in their bible.

Question: What are idioms?

Answer:

1. Idioms are words with a form of expression that is used specifically to a particular language, people or people groups.

2. Idioms are part of the language and dialect of those people that live in a particular culture or location of their country.

3. Idioms are not easy to understand if you do not understand the culture and the context of the language of that particular group of people.

4. Idioms cannot be translated literally into another language.

5. Idioms are expressions of speech that say one thing but actually mean something else. The meaning is totally different from the individual words forming the idiom.

6. Idioms are used commonly by the people that were living during that particular era, and can be understood easily because of their popular use. They are non-complicated normal words that have a special meaning that is known by almost everyone of their similar language culture.

7. The Near Eastern people (also the Middle Eastern people) use idioms in their  language on normal, secular and sacred usages on a daily basis.

8. The contemporary Western civilizations use less idioms in their languages, and remain quite ignorant of the Near Eastern idioms.

In view of the above, I should say that there are also idioms in all language groups in the world. Idioms have always been with us since antiquity till today. It’s a matter of more or less usage and how common these idioms are.

I am a Chinese living in Malaysia, and my father and ancestors come from China. So you can say that we are an Eastern people group. Even within our Chinese language, we have myriads of idioms that a Western English-educated person will never understand unless it is explained to him/her.

(Just a note: that among the various dialects of the Chinese people, such as the Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien, Hainanese, etc. there are also unique idioms that are found particularly within that dialect only.)

Examples of English Idioms

(These English idioms are commonly used, and we take it for granted that when we use them, everyone should understand what we mean. But when I translated it literally word for word and used it in another language like Indonesian or French, it may be disastrous, causing major misunderstand.)

1. Idiom: “See eye to eye”

1. This means “to agree with somebody”.

2. Example: The two friends can finally see eye to eye on their new venture.

2. Idiom: “speaking of the devil”

1. This means “the person you were referring to suddenly appears at that moment.”

2. Example: Sam, speaking of the devil, I was just telling him about the direction to your house.

3. Idiom: “Once in a blue moon”

1. This means “an event that doesn’t happen frequently.”

2. Example: Once in a blue moon, we can give ourselves an expensive treat.

4. Idiom: “cost an arm and a leg”

1. This means “something that is very expensive.”

2. Example: That car cost me an arm and a leg.

5. Idiom: “let the cat out of the bag”

1. This means “to accidentally let out a secret to others.”

2. Example: He let the cat out of the bag to his competitor about his financial plans.

6. Idiom: “to kill two birds with one stone”

1. This means “to resolve two problems at one go.”

2. Example: By eating healthily to reduce weight, he killed two birds with one stone, when his skin condition also disappeared.

7. Idiom: “beat around the bush”

1. This means: “not speaking directly about the issue or main topic.”

2. Example: He told his employee to stop beating around the bush and quickly say what is on his mind.

Examples of Cantonese (dialect of Chinese language) idioms

1. Idiom: “pulling a cow up a tree” or “laai ngau soeng syu”

1. This means: “having a vain attempt at a difficult task”

2. Example: Getting his son to fold his blanket in the morning is like “laai ngau soeng syu”.

2. Idiom: “pretend to be a ghost and pretend to be a horse” or “baan gwai baan maa”

1. This means: “to deliberately trick or deceive somebody”

2. Example: He dressed up as a girl to deliberately “baan gwai baan maa” to the headmistress.

3. Idiom: “eat a dead cat” or “sik sei maau”

1. This means: “becoming a scapegoat or tricked into taking the blame for something not their fault”

2. Example: His mother was very angry at him for dirtying the floor but actually he was “sik sei maau” for his sister.

4. Idiom: “greedy devil” or “waai sik gwai”

1. This means: “being a glutton”

2. Example: He rushed for the food like a “waai sik gwai”.

5. Idiom: “to throw a paper aeroplane” or “fong fei gei”

1. This means: “to break a promise, a commitment, or fail to turn up for an appointment”

2. Example: He really “fong fei gei” and didn’t even call when he missed our date.

6. Idiom: “a two headed snake” or “leuhng tauh seh”

1. This means: “a person who betrays and works for both sides in a deal”

2. Example: Don’t believe everything he said because he is a “leuhng tauh seh”.

7. Idiom: ” to eat slippers rice” or “sihk to haai faahn”

1. This means: “a man who is dependent on a woman for support”

2. Example: He lazes around the house everyday since he is good at “sihk to haai faahn”.

I believe that you can understand more about idioms now, and as we proceed to understand Aramaic idioms in the bible, you may do one or more of the following:

1. Label me as teaching false doctrine,

2. Refuse to accept the truth because of your personal opaque excuses,

3. Appreciate that the bible was written in an Aramaic context, within their language and culture, and the use of Aramaic idioms was very common within their common period.

There are literally more than a thousand Aramaic idioms in the bible and readers have mistakenly understood these idioms “literally”. Some translators have done a great job translating them accurately word for word but by taking them literally, the actual meanings have been interpreted wrongly.

I will address some of these idioms in future writings.

Extra:

1. How to interpret the bible by Charles Meek

https://advancingtruth.blogspot.com/2020/05/how-to-interpret-bible.html