Tag: mean
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What does it mean to be “born of water”?
In John 3:5, Jesus tells Nicodemus that to enter the kingdom one must be “born of water and the Spirit”. How is this phrase understood? Is it a single construct (i.e. one birth of both water and Spirit)? Or are two births in view (one of w…
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What does Your Word דְבָרֶ֑ךָ mean in Psalm 119:105?
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (ESV) has similar wording to John 1:1,4. In the beginning was the Word… In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (ESV) Is there any connection? The traditional in…
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Matthew 17:20 little faith versus small faith, what do words mean in this context?
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (NASB, See ot…
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What Does it Mean to Stand with Israel? Part 5 :: By Paul J. Scharf
While Israel faces the increasing potential of an expanding war in the Middle East, the world is clearly careening into a new era of unreserved antisemitism. How should we as Christians respond? If we are convinced Biblically that God still has a future for the people, nation, and land of Israel—that He will fulfill every…
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What does “the gospel” mean in Mark 1:15?
Mark 1:15 "…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel". ESV. My emphasis. In Mark 1:15 Jesus was near, or at, the beginning of His ministry. In the next verse, Mark 1:16, He is…
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What Does it Mean to Stand with Israel? Part 4 :: By Paul J. Scharf
What does it mean to stand with Israel? My wife Lynnette and I were challenged to think about that question in a completely new way on Friday, June 7, when we heard a firsthand account of the terrorist massacre that Hamas unleashed last October 7. Presenting were two survivors of Kibbutz Be’eri, an avocado farming…
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What does μὴ ἐγκακεῖν mean in Luke 18:1?
What does μὴ ἐγκακεῖν mean in Luke 18:1? (Greek text from NA27) Note ἐγκακέω is the preposition ἔν combined with the verb κακέω. In BDAG “ἐγκακέω is defined as 1. become weary, tired w. ptc. foll. … 2. lose heart, despair …; be afraid, o…
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What does Trump’s Supreme Court immunity decision mean?
What does Trump’s Supreme Court immunity decision mean? The Supreme Court of the United States ruled on Monday that former President Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for actions taken within his constitutional powers as president. This landma…
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What does the expression “χριστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ” mean in Peter’s mind, used in Luke 9:20 in reference to 2 Samuel 23:1 LXX mean?
These are the final words of David: "The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised up as the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob, Israel’s beloved singer of songs: NET 2 Samuel 23:1 καὶ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι Δαυιδ οἱ ἔσχατο….
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What does “covenants of promise” mean in Ephesians 2:12?
Ephesians 2:12 "remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world". ESV. My emphasis. The…
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What Does it Mean to Stand with Israel? Part 3 :: By Paul J. Scharf
What are some specific things that we can do to stand with—that is, bless (Gen. 12:3)—the people, nation, and land of Israel? As we documented in the previous installment, we certainly have good reason to desire to do so. As Jesus told the Canaanite woman, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of…
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What does “not understand it” mean in “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it,” Matthew 13:19?
Matthew 13:19 "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path." ESV. My emphasis. What has not be…
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What Does it Mean to Stand with Israel? (Part 2) :: By Paul J. Scharf
What are we really calling for when we entreat people to stand with the people, nation, and land of Israel? We’ve been pondering that question during this period of unprecedented, frightful, and downright dangerous antisemitism—the worst that the world has witnessed since the dreadful days of the Holocaust. We began last time by considering some…
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Israeli tanks have rolled into Rafah. What does this mean for the Palestinians sheltering there?
Israeli tanks have rolled into Rafah. What does this mean for the Palestinians sheltering there? The Israeli tanks that entered the periphery of Rafah early Tuesday stoked global fears that an offensive on Gaza’s southernmost city could endanger the…
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What Does it Mean to Stand with Israel? (Part 1) :: By Paul J. Scharf
My previous column challenged Bible-believing Christians—and all Americans—to stand with the people, nation, and land of Israel during these times of unprecedented hatred aimed at Jewish people around the world. During the past week, the animosity and hostility spouted against the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have grown to a level that we might…
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Does John 7:15 mean Jesus was untaught?
John 7:15 (ESV): The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning,1 when he has never studied?” The footnote is: 7:15 Or this man knows his letters So there are two questions: Which translation g…
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What does “sinning willfully” mean in Hebrews 10:26?
Hebrews 10:26-27 NASB “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adve…
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What does “sinning willfully” mean in Hebrews 10:26?
Hebrews 10:26-27 NASB “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adve…
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What does the prohibition against women speaking in church in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 mean?
In 1st Corinthians 14:34-35 (NASB), Paul says: 34The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. 35If they desire to learn anything, let them …
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What does Gen 4:7 mean in the Septuagint?
Most of the translations of Gen 4:7 read something like (LEB): If you do well will I not accept you? But if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. And its desire is for you, but you must rule over it. I also re…
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Does the Greek word anēr mean man (adult male) or male (male of any age)?
Bible verse 14 And increasingly believers in the Lord, large numbers of men (ἀνήρ, G435) and women, were being added to their number, (Acts 5:14, NASB20) (Greek word study for anēr [ἀνήρ, G435]) The best Greek dictionaries define anēr (ἀ…
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What does “the life was the light of men” mean in John 1:4?
What does ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων mean in John 1:4? John 1:4 (KJV); In him was life; and the life was the light of men. The best I can come up with is the knowledge of Jesus’ exemplary life shows us how to live.: τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπ…
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What does it mean עָלַ֤ to be used instead of אֶל in 1 Chronicles 22:8?
1 Chronicles 22: 8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. The &…
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What does it mean to claim the US is a Christian nation, and what does the Constitution say?
What does it mean to claim the US is a Christian nation, and what does the Constitution say? Many Americans believe the United States was founded as a Christian nation, and the idea is energizing some conservative and Republican activists. But the c…