Daniel's Literal Translation and Commentary
The Gospel in John
"16 For in that way God loves the world, that He gives the uniquely begotten Son, so that everyone committing to Him should not perish but shall have eternal life." (John 3:16)
1. In the last 1900 years the Church has watered down the meaning of commitment so that it now is only translated "believe". But that is not what it means. Here is a little concordance of all the uses of πιστευω in the Apostolic writings. I will throw some comments in. The Lexical meanings are at the end of the post.
In these two texts, a fact is being supported:
Mat 8:13 as thou didst affirm, so be it done for thee
Mat 9:28 Affirm ye that I am able to do this? They say
In this text a person, Yeshua, is being supported.
Mat 18:6 little ones who are committed to Me, it were
......[It won't all fit in a post]
Joh 1:7 that all men through him might commit
Joh 1:12 to those committing to his name
Joh 1:50 under the fig tree, thou dost support
Joh 2:11 and his disciples committed to him
Joh 2:22 and they affirmed the Scripture, and
Joh 2:23 many committed to his name
Joh 2:24 But Yeshua did not commit himself unto
Joh 3:12a earthly things, and ye affirm not, how
Joh 3:12b heavenly things, will ye affirm?
Joh 3:15 whosoever commits them self to him,
Joh 3:16 whosoever commits to him, shall not perish
Joh 3:18a The one committing to him will not be
Joh 3:18b But the one not committing, already has been
Joh 3:18c because he has not committed to the name
Joh 3:36 The one committing to the Son has life
Joh 4:21 Woman, ye must support me, because
Joh 4:39 of that city committed to Him because of
Joh 4:41 And many more committed because of his
Joh 4:42 Now we are committing, not because of thy
Joh 4:48 ye see signs and wonders ye will not affirm
Joh 4:50 And the man affirmed the word that Yeshua
Joh 4:53 and himself committed, and his whole house
Joh 5:24 heareth my word, and commits to the one
Joh 5:38 for whom he hath sent, him ye affirm not
Joh 5:44 How can ye affirm, which receive honour
Act 13:39 giving support will have justice done
Act 13:48 were determined to have eternal life, committed
Act 14:1 the Jews and also of the Greeks committed
Act 14:23 to the Lord, to whom they firmly committed
Act 15:5 of the sect of the Pharisees which committed
Act 15:7 hear the word of the gospel, and commit.
Act 15:11 Adonai Yeshua, we commit to be saved, even
Act 16:31 Commit yourself to the Adonai Yeshua, and
Act 16:34 and rejoiced, committing to God with all his
Act 17:12 many of them committed; also of honorable
Act 17:34 certain men clung to him, and committed:
Act 18:8 many of the Corinthians hearing committed, and
The verb tense is intensive here:
Act 18:27 helped them much which had firmly committed
Act 19:2 ye received the Holy Spirit since ye committed?
Act 19:4 that they should commit to him coming after
Act 19:18 that firmly committed came, and confessed
Act 21:20 of Jews there are which firmly committed; and
Act 21:25 the firmly committed nations, we have written
Act 22:19 every synagogue them that faithfully trusted on
Act 24:14 supporting all things which are written in the
Act 26:17a King Agrippa, affirmest thou the prophets?
Act 26:17b I know that thou affirmest.
Act 27:25 for I commit to God, that is shall be even as it
Rom 1:16 unto salvation to every one committing, to the
Rom 3:2 because that unto them were committed the
Rom 3:22 all those committing: for there is no difference
Rom 4:3 Abraham committed himself to YHWH and it
The Hebrew
in Gen. 15:6 works two ways, "to support someone" and to
"be supported by YHWH" Hence, I put "committing himself" to show that one
supports by obedience, but one also commits oneself to the care of YHWH, the
basic idea of "trust".
Rom 4:5 not earning, but committing himself to one who
Rom 4:11 those committing in the way of uncircumcision
Rom 4:17 before him whom he supported, even God, who
Rom 4:18 against hope, in hope committed that he might
Rom 4:24 if we commit ourselves to him that raised
Rom 6:8 we affirm that also we will be raised by him
Rom 9:33 the one committing himself to him will not be
Rom 10:4 of the norm for justice for everyone committing
Rom 10:9 and shall commit in your heart, because God
Rom 10:10 Because in the heart one commits to justice
Rom 10:11 everyone committing himself to him will not
Rom 10:14a call on him to whom they are not committed?
Rom 10:14b And how shall they commit, who have not
Rom 10:16 YHWH, who hath affirmed our report?
Rom 13:11 salvation is nearer than when we committed
Rom 14:2 For one affirms that he may eat all, but another
Rom 15:13 in the committing, that ye may abound in hope
1Cor 1:21 of preaching to save them who are committing
1Cor 3:5 by whom ye committed, even as YHWH gave
1Cor 9:17 a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto
1Cor 11:18 be divisions among you; and I partly affirm it
1Cor 13:7 Beareth with all, supports all, hopes all, endures
1Cor 14:22a a sign, not to them who are committing, but
1Cor 14:22b for the uncommitted, but those committing
1Cor 15:2 unto you, unless ye have committed in vain
1Cor 15:11 they, so we preach, and so ye committed.
2Cor 4:13a as it is written, I affirm, and therefore
2Cor 4:13b spoken; we also affirm, and therefore;
Gal 2:7 of the uncircumcision was committed unto
Gal 2:16 Even we have committed, so that we might
Gal 3:6 Abraham committed himself to YHWH, and it
Gal 3:22 might be given to them who are committing
Eph 1:13 in whom also ye committed yourselves, ye
Eph 1:19 of his power to us-ward who commit, according
Phi 1:29 not only to commit to him, but also to suffer
1Th 1:7 ye were ensamples to all that commit in
1Th 2:4 allowed of God to be committed the gospel
1Th 2:10 ourselves among you who are committing
1Th 2:13 who also doth work in you who are committing
1Th 4:14 For if we commit, because Yeshua died and
2Th 1:10 our testimony among you was affirmed
2Th 2:11 delusion, that they should support a lie:
2Th 2:12 who supported not the truth, but had
1Ti 1:11 blessed God, which was committed to me
1Ti 1:16 should hereafter commit themselves to him
1Ti 3:16 among the nations, was confirmed to the world
2Ti 1:12 I know whom I have supported, and am
Tit 1:3 which is committed unto me according to the
Tit 3:8 that they which have committed to God might be
Jam 2:19a thou dost affirm that God is one; thou dost well
Jam 2:19b and the demons affirm, and they shudder!
Jam 2:23 Abraham committed himself to YHWH, and it
1Pe 1:18 now ye see him not, yet committing, ye rejoice
1Pe 2:6 and he that commits himself to him shall not be
1Pe 2:7 Unto to you, then, who are committing, he is
1Joh 2:23 That we should commit to the name of his Son
1Joh 4:1 Beloved, support not every spirit, but try the
1Joh 4:16 we have known and supported the love that God
1Joh 5:1 Whosoever is committing, because Yeshua is
1Joh 5:5 if not he that is committing, because Yeshua is
1Joh 5:10a He that is committing to the Son of God hath
1Joh 5:10b he that commits not to God, a liar hath made
1Joh 5:10c he does not firmly commit to the witness
1Joh 5:13 to you who are committing to the name of the
Jud 1:15 afterward destroyed them that committed not
B. The KJV translates the term "commitment" a number of times.
pisteu,w = !mia/h, give support, Judeo Greek, commit to, support or affirm a fact (believe), or commit to, support or affirm a person (be loyal to, be faithful to, faithfully entrust oneself to). pisteu,w+eivj = commit to. pisteu,w+ evpi. = commit oneself = pisteu,w+ b, i.e. depend on, or to commit to the care of (support oneself on).
Clearly then God's people have been robbed of the depth of true biblical meaning by the translation "believe", at the top level. No more important word could have been corrupted by tradition. Yet here it is.
A.
Πιστευω "2. to entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence, believe (in), trust, w. implication of total commitment to the one who is trusted ...(οι) πιστευσαντες (those) who made their commitment " (BDAG, 3rd, 817). (cf. Liddell & Scott, πιστ-ευω, "committed to one", pg. 1408). This is all the more so tied to Gen. 15:6, האמח ב־= make firm with, confirm with, be in support of. The Greek and Hebrew words include "firming" a promise, but are by no means limited to the idea of believe. The biblical requirement to repentance refutes the "believe only" interpretation (cf. Gal. 5:16-25). In Judeo-Greek idea is "so that everyone firming to Him". The prepositional construction with the personal object, ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον, gives not only the sense of affirming a promise [which is not the object in this text], but of direct fealty to Messiah, i.e. loyal commitment.
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uniquely begotten: μονογενη. See NET Bible footnote (bible.org).
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"Except" (αλλ=אלא) = ει μη (cf. B-D-F, §448) is an Aramaic idiom that crept into Judeo-Greek. Yeshua is not saying that the faithful will not die, but only that they will not die unless they receive the promise of eternal life at the resurrection.
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"Holding fast" is the proper force of the subjunctive verb εχη, (cf. BDAG, 3rd. ed. page. 420, "3. to take a hold on someth., have, hold (to), grip "). This sense is confirmed by Paul in 1Tim. 6:12, "take hold of eternal life", επιλαβου της αιωνιου ζωης, in his instructions to Timothy. Eternal life is something we seek (cf. Rom. 2:7), and is not generally received until the resurrection or the last trumpet.
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(DLC: torahtimes.org, John 3:16).
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Daniel's Literal Translation and Commentary: (http://www.torahtimes.org/translation/joh0316.html)
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