IM ON UR BIBLE SHEDDING ON UR SERMON

LOL Fanny

Free e-Sword Greek and Haitian modules

Back when I was taking Greek classes, we were too poor to afford anything as nice as BibleWorks (which is great for exegesis). For my daily Bible computing needs, I used e-Sword.

e-Sword is a excellent free Bible program. The modules are based on Microsoft Access so you can build your own modules if need be. Some modules with copyrighted materials can be purchased from third parties (Rick Meyers, who wrote the program, doesn't sell anything). It is donation based and I believed enough in it that I gave even during our poor seminary days; I would encourage you to donate as well if you use it.

That said, I built several e-Sword modules. For example, I owned both the NASB and NIV in other formats and converted them to e-Sword myself. Once they became available for purchase, however, I could not use them in good conscience. However, the following modules are redistributable.

Haitian
I put together the Haitian Créole Bible for a missionary brother in Haiti. The install will locate your e-Sword folder and extract directly to it; just restart e-Sword to see the Haitian modules.

Greek
When I was studying Greek, I could not find a usable, free version of the Nestle-Aland text offline. So, I found the CCAT text (about NA26 text) and Nestle-Aland 26th edition module (original ZIP package). Later, I discovered that I did not use final sigmas for the text, but I was willing to live with it. A user by the name of Bruno Neuckermans
figured out what password I used and fixed them.

So, if you want the NA26 module, download my original ZIP and extract the contents to your e-Sword directory. You may want to (maybe even should) download Bruno's corrections to overwrite my module. The NA26-.BBL file will give you hints to help in translation, but won't do all the work for you.

This BBL module contains the text with diacritcal marks and punctuation, but not the critical apparatus. You may want to use this in conjunction with the e-Sword module GNT-V for basic textual criticism, but I recommend you buy a hard copy of the UBS4, with the dictionary.

P.S. Even if you re-upload the file to another site,
please link back to this post in case
there are any updates, like Bruno's. Thanks.

Eternal Life Starts Now

Now this is eternal life – that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. John 17:3

This is eternal life. ...It is not just unending life in the sense of prolonged duration. Rather it is a quality of life, with its quality derived from a relationship with God. Having eternal life is here defined as being in relationship with the Father, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom the Father sent. The use of "Christ" (Χριστός, Cristos) is not characteristically attached to Jesus’ name in John’s Gospel... here in 17:3 enables us to correlate the statement made in 1:18 of the prologue, that Jesus has fully revealed what God is like, with Jesus’ statement in 10:10 that he has come that people might have life, and have it abundantly. These two purposes are really one, according to 17:3, because (abundant) eternal life is defined as knowing (being in relationship with) the Father and the Son. The only way to gain this eternal life, that is, to obtain this knowledge of the Father, is through the Son (cf. 14:6). ...For John this knowledge is not intellectual, but relational. It involves being in relationship. (From the NET Bible)

S.M.A.R.T. Sunday Sermon

Cathy & I had very nice Sunday. The pastor's message was relevant and encouraged us to be "S.M.A.R.T." in our everyday Christian living. In other words, we should:

Study the Bible & Jesus
Meditate on the Bible & Jesus
Abandon the old self
Renew our minds
Transform into the new self

Cathy & I were joined by our friend Chris & Laura (the one who drew the ducks) for church. Before Cathy managed to invite them to lunch, they invited us to go to Kabuki for Japanese food. Chris & Laura were willing to share this $50 gift certificate they received, and Cathy & I are always willing to help eat sushi! Yes, the food was good, although I admit I still prefer a local sushi place that translates to "Smile-Smile". The company, however, was fantastic. They are a great couple (and they look cute together) and we share very similar interests. We'll be saving seats for them during service.

After that wonderful lunch we caught a nap before heading to the bookstore. We visited a Barnes & Noble where Cathy perused several real estate books and made a purhase. I had tea and alternated between reading homework, researching church visitors and what keeps them coming back, and also some light reading. After an easy dinner at Baja Fresh we retired for a quiet evening at home.

One of these days we'll drive to a Panera Bread, or they'll finally build one closer than 20 miles away from home.

Computer Ministry and the NET Bible

I love the NET Bible... The folks at Bible.org are behind the NET Bible translation. Someone there is much superior to me in terms of computer security, but they may have another area I can help.

I wish I could link this to the internship requirement I have this semester... too bad.

Why Is She Called "Eve", Anyway?

Curiosity question: why is Eve called "Eve"? I read Genesis 2-10 this morning, and it just kinda hit me... we're not pronouncing Eve's name right. Why not?

Yes, studying Hebrew has reinterested me in reading the Hebrew Bible. And aside from being nerdy, why do I care what we call Eve? Did you know that devout Jews will not utter the name of God out loud for fear of mispronouncing it? All those times the KJV refers to "the LORD" are actually God's Name (which is not vowel-pointed in Hebrew, either since you're not supposed to pronounce it).

In my many translation excercises, I came across Genesis 3:20

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

This one actually threw me for a loop, because chav-vah looked like a pronominal form of "to live"... like "her life". I realized from the rest of the sentence (Adam's wife... hmm...) what the word must be, but just pronouncing it, it would sound more like 'khav-vah'.

It seems that the Hebrew would be closer to Kavah rather than Eve, so why "eve"? I emailed my Hebrew professor about it, but did a little digging myself.

Eve is only mentioned by name four times in the Bible (five times if you're Catholic). Since the Hebrew is nothing like Eve, I thought the blame must lie with Greek. Well, the Septuagint (LXX) has "Zoe" in Genesis. The Greek in the New Testment is closer to "eve" but even doesn't sound right.

So, I wondered if Latin was to blame? I looked up the Vulgate and it has "Hava" in Genesis and "Eva" in the New Testament.

Genesis 3:20
Latin - hava
Hebrew - chavvah
Greek - zωη

1 Timothy 2:13
Latin - eva
Greek - ευα

My conclusion, tentatively, is that we call Adam's wife "Eve" instead of "Khava" because of the Latin Vulgate's rendition of her name in 1 Timothy 2:13 and 2 Corinthians 11:3. Perhaps the New Testament was favored during the time English translations were written, and the tradition of the Latin name determined how we refer to the mother of all the living.

Hebrew "Vowels"

Hebrew Vowels are confusing, but I'm learning them anyway... I learned some Hebrew vowels today... our Hebrew grammar is using a five-vowel system instead of the three-vowel system my teacher prefers.

At first glance, 17 vowels sounds bad, but there's a pattern emerging for me. For example, all the "a" vowels have a horizonal line, either a Patach or a Qamet, while all the "e" vowels have two horizontal dots plus something, like the Tsere or the Seghol.

Yeah, it is about as complicated as it sounds, although it does begin to make sense after a few hours. Just chapter one had me scared with phrases like "Begadkephat". Fortunately, there are only 23 consonants and only six actual vowels with variations, from what I can tell.

Sigh... I'll have to know them all by Labor Day.

Music & Bible Studies

I like promoting good products, especially when they are free. I espeically like it when the free product furthers the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

• My favorite radio station is Air1; Cathy & I support them monthly. Commercial free, try listening online!
• My favorite Bible study program is e-Sword, written by Chris Meyers for both Windows computers and Pocket PCs. Completely free! (I contributed the Haitian Créole Bible version.)
  
• I just noted that Krystal Meyers, who is currently #13 on the Air1 Music Chart, is the daughter of Chris Meyers. A generational legacy of serving God... wow!
  

Blessed is the man...

I was thinking about what kind of things I assume everybody has or everybody knows. It's amazing what blessings I take for granted on a daily basis.

I wake up in the morning. I get in my car and it tends to start. I go to work and I get my paycheck twice a month. I go home and my cats and dog are happy to see me. I go to sleep at night and my wife is beside me.

Ah... what a blessed man I am! That reminds me of Psalm 34

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.

I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them. O taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the LORD, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones, not one of them is broken.

Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

Praise the Lord.

Comfortable, Well-Fed, Happy and Well-Liked: the Woes of Luke Chapter Six

We read Luke chapter 6 and I found it quite convicting...So... Cathy and I read the Bible to each other. I suggested we go through Luke, then Acts. We read Acts chapter six the other night, and due to my misplacing of my PDA, I had to find my leather bible, which is a New American Standard Bible. Cathy uses the New International Version as her translation of choice. So, this reading was more interesting than others.

I was reading a section to Cathy, and in the NASB it reads:

24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 25 "Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

While I was reading this, I thought to myself, "I'm rich, and I feel comfortable. That can't be good." I also thought, "I am well-fed right now, too." Finally, I thought, "Hm... I laugh often, and many people speak well of me."

It got me thinking, so I read Matthew chapter 5 the next day and found a few differences. Matthew speaks of the poor in spirit, and of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Matthew also has a few other "blessed are you" entries, and no woes. Luke chose to focus on a few blessings and included the contrasting woes.

Luke wrote to Theophilus, whom I assume was fairly well-off. I feel fairly well-off, even though money is tight. This has caused me a great deal of introspection. I am wondering, am I living according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It is not a question I like to ask myself... but I am awfully comfortable... where is the trouble the Jesus promised I would have the grace to bear?

As a curious sidenote, for comparison, the NIV reads:

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

Pretty similar to the NASB, huh? The difference between the NIV, the NASB and others comes from how they divided the sections.

• The NASB includes 6:20-44 as one section called The Beatitudes. The woes are in the first paragraph, which includes 6:20-26 and has the blessings and the woes.
• The NIV has a section entitled Blessings and Woes from 6:17-26. The woes are part of a paragraph from verse 23-26, with an apparenty relation to the blessings of the previous paragraph.
• The NLT has a separate section entitled Sorrows Foretold from 6:24-26.
• The Message includes 6:24-42 as one section called Give Away Your Life with the woes displayed poetically as one paragraph in 6:24-25.