The Aramaic word for '
camel' is written identically to the word for '
rope.' When the original scrolls were being transferred into Greek, an error occurred due to the translator's limitations. Matthew 19:24 is commonly translated as, 'It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.' This is an obvious 'non sequitur', whereas the Aramaic manuscripts read 'rope' instead of 'camel'. Rope, of course, is much more in keeping with the imagery of a needle, and is probably what Jesus said, and what was originally recorded.
Similarly, Matthew 7:3 says, 'Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?' And yet, in Lamsa's version the word '
splinter' appears in place of '
speck.' The organic relationship between a splinter and a plank (or beam) is obvious while speck is more nebulous. Again, Lamsa's translation remains true to the imagery being conveyed.
The ninth chapter of Daniel contains the amazing Old Testament prophecy concerning the surprisingly sudden death of the long-awaited Messiah and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem. A portion of verse 26 in other Biblical translations states,
'The end of it shall be with a flood.' The most well written and spiritually mature approach to 'The Tribulation' and the events of 'The Revelation' that I am aware of is David Haggith's, END-TIME PROPHECIES OF THE BIBLE. But even the ordinarily clear-minded Mr. Haggith had trouble correlating this passage with known history. 'Blood covered the land like a flood', he overreaches. It comes as no surprise then that the Aramaic manuscripts do not make mention of any unknown flood. Lamsa's translation accurately reads,
'And the end thereof shall be a mass exile.' ===> WW: That seesm at least historically correct because many Jews left the country befor the war (that ended when the Temple was burned down)
Finally, I'd like to elaborate on the comment of brother Ram Munjal from his good 2004, Jan. 21 review: All Bibles tell us that from the Cross, Jesus (quoting Psalm 22:1) cried out,
'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?' (See Matthew 27:46) This verse has undoubtedly disturbed people for centuries, and no wonder - it is extremely unlikely that Jesus ever felt utterly abandoned by God while He was hanging on the Cross. The Messiah had been promised His Father's abiding Presence! Nothing happened to Jesus that He was not mentally prepared for. He told His disciples in advance what to expect : He would be mocked, spat upon, beaten, and killed, but that three days later He would rise again. (Mark 10:34) He also said to them, 'you will be scattered...and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because The Father is with Me.' (John 16:32) Was Jesus mistaken? Or is the translation inaccurate?
'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' (My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?) correctly appears in the Aramaic manuscripts as, 'Eli, Eli, lemana shabakthani'
(My God, My God, for this I was spared [this was my destiny.]) Indeed! At different times mobs had attempted to kill Jesus, but He was always SPARED because it was His Will and His DESTINY to take mankind's sins to the Cross to be washed clean in His Blood. The Aramaic phrases are so similar that it is easy to understand how the mistake was made, but the meanings are worlds apart, and Lamsa's version is much more consistent with the Mission of The Christ. Trying to correlate the mistranslation, Christian theologians have been forced to create a flimsy dogma (Jesus being separated from God while descending into hell) in order to cover for this improbable utterance from our Lord while He was suffering on the Cross. Lamsa resolves this dilemma in a far more satisfactory manner. Furthermore, according to the Aramaic Scriptures, Psalm 22:1 doesn't read, 'Why have You forsaken Me?' in the first place, but rather, 'Why has thou let Me to live?'
[1] GENESIS 2:20
Lamsa's translation:
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to all fowls of the air, and to all wild beasts; but for Adam there was not found a helper who was equal to him.
NIV translation:
So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found
Note the word "EQUAL" in lamsa's translation. Woman is equal to man.
[2] 1 CHRONICLES 16:42
Lamsa's translation:
And these righteous men gave thanks not with the instruments of singing, neither with the tambourines nor with timbrels nor with the curved trumpets nor with the straight trumpets nor with the cymbals, but with a pleasant mouth and with pure and perfect prayer and with righteousness and with purity to the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel.
NIV translation:
Heman and Jeduthan were responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals and for the playing of the other instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthan were stationed at the gate.
Note that in NIV the verse has been chopped off.
[3] PSALM 22:1
Lamsa's translation:
My God, my God, why hast Thou let me to live?.....
NIV translation:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me.
It needs to be noted that the NIV translation borders on blasphemy. When Lord Eshoo was on the cross, He quoted this Psalm(Matthew 27:46). God was with Him on the cross otherwise He would not have been able to endure the torture of the cross from the hands of cruel and wicked Romans. Lord Eshoo before going to the cross had told his disciples that " For behold the hour is coming, and it has now come, when you will be dispersed, every man to his own country, and you will leave me alone; and yet I am never alone because the Father is with me (JOHN 16:32)." He would never contradict Himself little later.
[4] MALACHI 3:6
Lamsa's translation:
For I am the LORD, I change not; but you sons of Jacob have not departed from your iniquities.
NIV translation:
I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Note: Once again NIV translation is messed up. This verse 6 in Lamsa's translation links perfectly well with the previous verse 5 and the verse 7 that follows. NIV does not make any sense.
[5] MATTHEW 6:13
Lamsa's translation:
And do not let us enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen
NIV translation:
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
Note NIV chops off the verse. Furthermore NIV translation is pathetic. James writes: "God does not tempt any man. But every man is tempted by his own lust(James 1:13,14).
[6] LUKE 14:26
Lamsa's translation:
He who comes to Me and does not put aside his father and his mother and his brothers and his sisters and his wife and his children and even his own life can not be a disciple to me.
NIV translation:
If any one comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters, yes even his own life, he can not be My disciple.
Note the word "hate" in NIV translation. In the sermon on the mount LORD ESHOO MESHIHA said:"Do not suppose that I have come to weaken the law or the prophets; I have not come to weaken, but to fulfil.(Matthew 5:17)". Law says honor your mother and father. Use of the word "hate" in NIV translation is unfortunate and borders on trashing the Ten Commandments.
[7] ROMANS 9:13
Lamsa's translation:
As it is written, Jacob have I loved but Esau have I set aside.
NIV translation:
Just as it is written: " Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
Note again the improper use of the word "hate".
EPHESIANS 6:12
Lamsa's translation:
For your conflict is not only with flesh and blood, but also with the angels, and with powers, with the rulers of this world of darkness, and with the evil spirits under the heaven.
NIV translation:
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Note the word "Only" and the word "also" in Lamsa's translation is missing from NIV.
NIV translators have shown total ignorance of the spiritual warfare that I am engaged in. The book of Revelation correctly identifies the enemies of the Gospel of the Kingdom of LORD ESHOO MESHIHA. They are Satan and his three allies. The three allies are: Beast out of the sea (Ruling powers), Beast out the earth (False religion), and Babylon (Gaudy Prostitute). Lamsa's translation of the verse is right on the mark.
I can keep on reciting. But I have proved my point. NIV translation can not be trusted. King James version is no better.
Sincerely and Cordially
Dr. Ram Munjal, Ph.D.; S.S.
The Lamsa Bible is then a step forward, but still, Lamsa was apparently afraid of offending too many people with his groundbreaking version, so he relied upon the King James translation in large part for style and form, making thousands of corrections to the Bible from the Aramaic texts and applying it to the more accepted form.
http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Bible-Ancient-Translation-Pecrapta/dp/0060649232/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topFree online OT versionFree online NT versionAn free offline version si possible too. Ask...
