Bible Versions

Reading the wrong version will keep you in the dark. I too, was kept in the dark by trying to read the most difficult version to understand, the King James Version. Why did I do it? I was made to believe it was the only right one, even though I couldn’t understand it. So how could it ever be right? It is not. Understanding the main concepts is like reading the road signs. If you turn the wrong way, you will be lost.

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a GOD of disorder but of PEACE, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people”

After being baptized with the Holy Spirit, this was the very first thing the Holy Spirit revealed to me, and immediately turned my attention to the New Living Translation. I have never heard of this version before, and have never “researched it.” I trust in God’s guidance as He opened my mind to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). The Holy Spirit is my Teacher, and it is one of “the gifts” that the Lord has blessed me with (Romans 12:6-8).

1 John 2:26-27 “I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.”

1 Peter 4:10-11 “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Shortcuts:

ADDING AND REMOVING

BAPTISM

THE BODY OF CHRIST

THE NAME OF GOD

JESUS CHRIST WAS THE SACRIFICE, NOT A SIN!

RIGHTEOUS & SINNERS

“THE MORNING STAR”

ADDING AND REMOVING

Revelation 22:18-19 New Living Translation
“18 And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described IN THIS BOOK. 19 And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described IN THIS BOOK.”

This means the ENTIRE BIBLE – ALL THE BOOKS WITHIN THE BIBLE as they all contain prophecies. The prophecy in Psalms, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Amos, and others is the same prophecy that is in the Book of Revelation but shows other details and perspectives that align with those in the Book of Revelation.

“IN THIS BOOK” refers to something within its contents (like information, a story), while “OF THIS BOOK” typically describes ownership or composition, like “a chapter of the book.” That being said, replacing IN with OF makes one think that this warning only refers to the Book of Revelation and not other Books within the entire Bible. Mixing both makes the context confusing. 

Errors:

KJV
“18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy OF THIS BOOK, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from THE WORDS OF THE BOOK OF THIS PROPHECY, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

NIV
“18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy OF THIS SCROLL: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”

ASV
“18 I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy OF THIS BOOK, If any man shall add unto them, God shall add unto him the plagues which are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.”

This is an enormous error, considering the fact that this warning is placed in other books as well:

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 “And I know that WHATEVER GOD DOES IS FINAL. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.”

Deuteronomy 4:2 “Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.”

Proverbs 30:6 “Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.”

 

BAPTISM

When I became a new believer, I was told to be baptized “for the forgiveness of sins.” At one church, I was told that my infant water baptism was enough, and I only had to declare publicly that “I returned to faith.” It makes no sense since I had no faith or memory of this event as an infant.
Then I went to another church where I received water baptism and gave my “first testimony” (not the testimony of my true repentance I describe on this website) in front of 1000+ people. The public profession of faith felt amazing. However, pastors made me believe that my sins were forgiven by doing it, instead of “now you’re prepared to be forgiven.” They gave me written certificate stating that I have received the Holy Spirit, which contradicts the Bible!

2 Corinthians 3:3 “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, BUT WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD. It is carved not on tablets of stone, BUT ON HUMAN HEARTS.”

Water baptism only prepares a person to receive the Holy Spirit and be forgiven later on, and for me years have passed between water baptism and the Holy Spirit baptism. And it happened only because I kept knocking and searching! So those pastors could not “give me” the Holy Spirit even if they wanted to. It’s God’s choice to give it!

John 3:27-28 “John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I AM ONLY HERE TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR HIM.’”

Acts 19:4 “Paul said, “JOHN’S BAPTISM CALLED FOR REPENTANCE FROM SIN. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning JESUS.”

Acts 10:45–48 New Living Translation
45 “The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God. Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them for several days.”

Errors:

ESV “Then Peter declared, “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

KJV “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”

NIV “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

ERV “How can anyone object to these people being baptized in water? They have received the Holy Spirit the same as we did!”

ASV “Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?”

NKJV “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

➡️ These suggest that getting water baptism is equivalent of receiving the Holy Spirit! FALSE. 

Please, read a separate post about BAPTISMS for more detail.

 

THE BODY OF CHRIST

This is one of most argued topics that results in people speaking of contradictions: Did Jesus come in a real body? Is He NOW in the real body? Will He return in a real body? 

YES – Jesus Christ was born in a human body; it was the only way for God to show people His power over sin and death. Death could not hold Him down! 
NO – Jesus Christ is no longer in His earthy human body in which He died. He rose from dead and is now in IMMORTAL GLORIOUS body/presence, not bound to this 3D world. 

Ephesians 4:9-10 “Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is THE ONE WHO ASCENDED HIGHER THAN ALL THE HEAVENS, SO THAT HE MIGHT FILL THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE WITH HIMSELF.”

(New Agers who think to themselves “I’m the universe,” need mental help)

NO – Jesus Christ will not come back in human body. He Himself warned people not to believe it, and that He will APPEAR EVERYWHERE at the same time in GOD’S GLORY – THE LIGHT!

Matthew 24:23-27 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ DON’T BELIEVE IT. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. SEE, I HAVE WARNED YOU ABOUT THIS AHEAD OF TIME. So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ DON’T BOTHER TO GO AND LOOK. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ DON’T BELIEVE IT! FOR AS THE LIGHTNING FLASHES IN THE EAST AND SHINES TO THE WEST, SO IT WILL BE WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES.”

2 John 1:7-10 New Living Translation
“7 I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that JESUS CHRIST CAME IN A REAL BODY. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. 9 Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in THE TEACHING OF CHRIST has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement.”

NOTES:

• JESUS CHRIST CAME IN A REAL BODY = PAST TENSE; an action that happened BEFORE Present Time. 
  • 1 Peter 3:18 “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. HE SUFFERED PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT HE WAS RAISED TO LIFE IN THE SPIRIT.”
  • 1 John 3:2 “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that WE WILL BE LIKE HIM, FOR WE WILL SEE HIM AS HE REALLY IS.”
  • 1 Corinthians 15:50 “What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.”
  • Luke 9:26 “If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when HE RETURNS IN HIS GLORY AND IN THE GLORY OF THE FATHER AND THE HOLY ANGELS.”
    • Returns in God’s GLORY, not human body!
• THE TEACHING OF CHRIST (many versions say “this doctrine” excluding word Christ)
• THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST (same as above)

ERROR EXAMPLES:

KJV verse 7 “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.”

➡️ THIS IS PRESENT PERFECT TENSE; an action that started in the Past but continues to Present Time. Currently, Jesus Christ is not His human body! This is wrong.

Revelation 1:12-18 NLT “When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone LIKE THE SON OF MAN. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And HIS FACE WAS LIKE THE SUN IN ALL ITS BRILLIANCE. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I DIED, BUT LOOK—I AM ALIVE FOREVER AND EVER! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”

Humans are NOT immortal. God is NOT a human. 

ASV verse 7 “For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that JESUS CHRIST COMETH IN THE FLESH. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

➡️ THIS IS SIMPLE PRESENT; an action that is a routine, fixed and UNCHANGING. This is wrong. 

MOST versions have one of those errors. Check what’s in the version you read. 

Mark 16:9-13 NLT “After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her. Afterward HE APPEARED IN A DIFFERENT FORM to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.”

 

THE NAME OF GOD

The Bible is the Word of God, so it should go without saying that The Name of God should not be removed from it.

JHVH – Hebrew Yahweh

Some will say it’s ok that it’s not included because the pronunciation is difficult, and that it’s better not to say it, unless you say it perfectly. It’s nonsense! Which of us humans is “perfect,” anyway? Which other human is able to judge that perfection? NONE.
“DO NOT REMOVE OR ADD ANYTHING!”

God is full of loving-kindness, and He is the one who created all the languages and dialects in the world! 
God looks at the HEART, not what your speech sounds like! 

Think about it this way; if your loved one had a problem with pronouncing your name correctly because their native language is different, would you rather they don’t say it at all and avoid it altogether? That wouldn’t be loving. You’d think they’re ashamed of it. And no one can say that they cannot pronounce “JESUS CHRIST.”

Matthew 10:33 “But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”

Exodus 34:5-6 New Living Translation
“Then the Lord came down in a cloud and stood there with him; and HE CALLED OUT HIS OWN NAME, YAHWEH. The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “YAHWEH! THE LORD! THE GOD of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”

EXAMPLES: No name included

NLV “The Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him, saying, “The Lord, the Lord God, with loving-pity and loving-favor, slow to anger, filled with loving-kindness and truth,”

KJV “And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,”

CSB “The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, “the Lord.” The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,”

ESV “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”

NIV “Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,”

…of course, there’s more. 

 

JESUS CHRIST WAS A SACRIFICE, NOT A SIN!

Churches I went to taught that Jesus “became a sin.” If you try to make sense of that statement, you automatically would assume; “ok, so He deserved the cross, then?”
It’s a terrible error that creates so much confusion. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT
“For God made Christ, who never sinned, TO BE THE OFFERING FOR OUR SIN, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

WRONG VERSIONS;
ASV “Him who knew no sin he made TO BE SIN on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.”
AMPLIFIED “For our sake He made Christ [virtually] TO BE SIN Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness].”
BRG “For he hath made him TO BE SIN for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
ESV “For our sake he made him TO BE SIN who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
KJV “For he hath made him TO BE SIN for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
NIV “God made him who had no sin TO BE SIN for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

NO – Jesus Christ DID NOT “become a sin”
NO – Jesus Christ DID NOT “deserve to die on the cross” because HE NEVER SINNED. The very fact that CHRIST NEVER SINNED is the reason why He was the PERFECT/SPOTLESS SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS. We deserve to die because the wages of sin is death! Since all sinners deserve to die, no sinner is able to save themselves, or another. 

John 8:46 New Living Translation
“Which of you can truthfully ACCUSE me of sin? And since I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH, why don’t you believe me?”

“THE MORNING STAR”

This one comes from a question I was asked on Quora (before they banned me):

“Satan was referred to as the “Morning Star” then why did Jesus refer to himself as the “Morning Star” when he came to Earth as God incarnate? Are Jesus & the Devil the same person?” 

This erroneous and quite nauseating presumption comes from reading versions like NIV,  ASV, AMP, AMPC, CSB, CEB, CJB, CEV, EXB, LSB, NASB, and MANY MORE.

Isaiah 14:12 NIV
“How you have fallen from heaven, MORNING STAR, SON OF THE DAWN! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” 

Other versions translated in the same way are ASV, AMP, AMPC, CSB, CEB, CJB, CEV, EXB, LSB, NASB, and MANY MORE.

AN ERROR SO BAD that it makes people think Jesus Christ and the Devil are the same person?! It’s nothing short of blasphemy!

1 John 3:8 “But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. BUT THE SON OF GOD CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.”

Revelation 20:1-4 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. HE SEIZED THE DRAGON—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and THEY REIGNED WITH CHRIST FOR A THOUSAND YEARS.”

Romans 16:20 “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

…not that I want to rub it in… I DO WANT TO RUB IT IN! 😤

CORRECTION:

Isaiah 14:12 New Living Translation
“How you are fallen from heaven, O SHINING STAR, SON OF THE MORNING! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.” 

ALL STARS in the sky are supernatural beings! Good, unless they FALL! That’s why we should not worship them (angel worship is prohibited), or seek their counsel about the future. OR make wishes when we see a “falling star!” 

Deuteronomy 17:3 “For instance, they might serve other gods or worship the sun, the moon, or any of the stars—the forces of heaven—which I have strictly forbidden.”

Satan is referred to as “Son of the morning!” = NOT “The Morning Star!” 

2 Corinthians 11:14 “But I am not surprised! Even SATAN DISGUISES HIMSELF as an angel of light.” 

Satan is doing everything to make people follow him – the FALSE “light.” He fools people that he is Jesus Christ and tries to replicate His works, with LIES and counterfeit miracles. It increasingly becomes obvious how people become twisted in thinking that good is bad and bad is good! That light is darkness, and darkness is light! This will be most evident when the antichrist is revealed. People will think satan is the Messiah! 

Isaiah 5:20-21 “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.”

Revelation 13:11 “Then I saw another BEAST come up out of the earth. He had two horns like those of a LAMB, but he spoke with the VOICE OF A DRAGON.” (the devil – FALSE Shepherd) 

John‬ 10‬:26‬-27 “But you DON’T BELIEVE ME because you are NOT MY SHEEP. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” 

Revelation 22:16 
“I, JESUS, have sent my angel to give you this message for the churches. I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne. I AM THE BRIGHT MORNING STAR.” 

The Morning Star = THE GLORY OF GOD. This is how Jesus Christ REVEALS HIMSELF to those He chooses to! 

John 17:5 “Now, Father, bring me into THE GLORY WE SHARED before the world began.” 

John 12:45 “For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.” 

2 Peter 1:16–19 
“For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. WE SAW HIS MAJESTIC SPLENDOR WITH OUR OWN EYES WHEN HE RECEIVED HONOR AND GLORY FROM GOD THE FATHER. The voice FROM the majestic GLORY OF GOD said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—UNTIL THE DAY DAWNS, and CHRIST THE MORNING STAR shines in your HEARTS.” 

Revelation 2:26–28 “To all who are VICTORIOUS, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I WILL ALSO GIVE THEM THE MORNING STAR!” 

Romans 8:29–30 “For God knew his people in advance, and HE CHOSE THEM TO BECOME LIKE HIS SON, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, HE GAVE THEM HIS GLORY.” 

The Glory of God is revealed and given – this is the Holy Spirit baptism.

Revelation 12:10-12
“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last—SALVATION AND POWER AND THE KINGDOM OF OUR GOD, AND THE AUTHORITY OF HIS CHRIST. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. And THEY HAVE DEFEATED HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND BY THEIR TESTIMONY. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.”