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Dictionary Not Inspired |
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| All Scripture is
inspired of God, but the dictionary is not Scripture. In most cases we can
determine the meaning of a word by consulting a reliable dictionary. It
will provide for us the use of the word in English. But the Scriptures
were not originally composed in English. We have English translations. But
the Scripture was produced in Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New
Testament) and small portions of Aramaic found in both testaments. A
translation is supposed to present the original in current terms. But the
current terms are not the bottom line. What did it mean when written?
For example, the word "baptize" is defined in various ways in the dictionary but the Greek word from which it comes means immerse. Pouring and sprinkling cannot be baptism even if some claim it is for them. We must determine the truth from the words God gave us; not current usage because that changes from time to time. God's Word does not change. |
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