Hebrews 9:26 "the end of the WORLD"

[brandplucked]

Hebrews 9:26 “the end of the world” - Another alleged error bites the dust.




Hebrews 9:26 “...but now once IN THE END OF THE WORLD hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.”


Many Bible correctors, Bible agnostics, Atheists and Skeptics claim the King James Bible is in error for translating the word “aion” as “world” in this and other passages of the New Testament.


A Christian who himself does not believe that any Bible in any language is or ever has been the complete, inspired and 100% true words of God sent me this “example of error” in the King James Bible.


He writes: Hebrews 9:26 the end of the world


"Error-free? Let's look at this one paragraph from Dr. Robert Joyner's "Is the King James Version of the Bible infallible?"


"In Hebrews 9:26 the KJV says, "But now once in the end of the
world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." The end of the world has not come, yet Christ has already appeared. Therefore this is a false statement. The New American Standard Bible (NASB) says "but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested." It was at the end of the Old Testament ages that Christ appeared, not at the end of the world. The KJV mistranslates this Greek word aion as world. The word means age. The KJV does this about 40 times. Each time is a mistake and misleads the reader."


  Now, make of this what you wish. But while you're at it, can you
prove Joyner wrong?" (End of this Bible agnostic’s comments)


My Response: Yes, rather easily.


First of all, Mr. Joyner has given us his own interpretation of what the phrase  "end of the world" or "consummation of the ages" means.  He is looking at it as though it were the end of the "Old Testament ages".  This is his interpretation.  Notice that the NASB does not say "at the consummation of the Old Testament ages".  You have to read that into the text. That is Mr. Joyner's private interpretation.


Other commentators disagree with him and see it as “now in these last days, as the world nears the end” Christ has come and finished His work.


The Geneva Bible, which also reads “once in the end of the world”, notes: “therefore Christ’s sacrifice which was once done in the later days, neither could nor can be repeated.”


Matthew Poole remarks in his Commetary on the whole Bible - Hebrews 9:26 “Once in the end of the world; the days of Christ's ministry on earth , called the last time, 1 John 2:18, the ends of the world, 1 Corinthians 10:11, the fulness of the time, Galatians 4:4, God's set and best time for his appearance; and it was but once that he appeared in these days, performing this work.”


Secondly, not only does the King James Bible translate this phrase as "the end of the world" but so also do Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525 - “But now in the ende of the worlde hath he appered once to put synne to flyght by the offerynge vp of him silfe.”, Coverdale 1535, Cranmer’s Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549,  the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1557 - 1602, Whiston’s N.T. 1745,  Noyles translation 1869, Lamsa's 1936 translation of the Syriac Peshitta,  Etheridge translation of the Syriac 1849,  Murdock’s translation of the Syriac 1851, Webster's Bible 1833,  Henry Alford’s New Testament for English Readers 1861, the KJV 21st Century version 1994 and the 1998 Third Millenium bible.


Some other Modern Versions


The Contemporary English Version 1991 -  "now when ALL THE AGES OF TIME ARE NEARING THE END”


The New English Bible 1970 - “at  the climax of history”.


The 2001 Easy to Read Version says: “Christ came AT A TIME WHEN THE WORLD IS NEARNING AN END.”




Thirdly, the NASB's "the consumation of the ages" or the NKJV, NIV’s “the end of the ages” would mean that the ages have come to an end, right?  That’s what they say. However, according to Joyner's own argument, this has not yet happened.  We are still here and almost 2000 years have past.  What about the rapture, the tribulation period, the Millenium?  Aren't these also "ages"?  In fact, in Ephesians 2:7 we read: "that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."


When versions like the NASB, NIV and NKJV speak of "now at the end of the ages" and "now at the consummation of the ages" as already being present, then they contradict what we read in Ephesians 2 where the Bible tells us about “the ages to come”.  If there are more ages to come, then the time of the sacrifice of Christ cannot logically nor consistently be called “the consumation, or the end of  the ages”!  It is the new versions that are in error; not the King James Bible.




Fourthly, Mr. Joyner and others are  mistaken when they say the word aion cannot  mean "world".  In fact the NASB itself translates this word as "world" 7 times in the New Testament and in Hebrews 1:2 translates the plural as "world" - “through whom also He made the world”, just like the King James Bible and others do in Hebrews 9:26


The NASB has “aion” as “world” in “the worry of the world” Mt. 13:22 and Mark 4:19; “be not conformed to this world” Romans 12:2; “the god of this world has blinded the minds” 2 Cor. 4:4; “who are rich in this present world” 1 Tim. 6:17; “having loved this present world” 2 Timothy 4:10; and “through whom He made the world” in Hebrews 1:2


The NIV also has aion as “world” in “the people of this world are more shrewd” Luke 16:8; “the pattern of this world” Rom. 12:2; “this present world” 1 Tim.6:17 and “he loved this world” 2 Tim. 4:10. In Hebrews 1:2 the NIV has “through whom he made THE UNIVERSE.”


Likewise the NKJV translates this word aion as “world” 10 times - See Mt. 13:22; Mark 4:19 “cares of this world”; Luke 1:70 “prophets who have been since the world began”; Luke 16:8 “sons of this world”; John 9:32 “since the world began”; Acts 3:21 “prophets since the world began”; Rom. 12:2 “not conformed to this world”; 2 Tim. 4:10 “having loved this present world”; and Hebrews 1:2 “through whom also He made the worlds”.


I always find it amusing to see these Bible correctors stumble over themselves  (it’s difficult to walk straight when you have a foot in your mouth) when they tell us a certain word can’t possibly mean a certain thing, and then they themselves translate it that way.


Fifthly, the  whole time since the first coming of Christ into this world is referred to as "these last days", "the last days",  and "the last time".  See Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2; I Peter 1:20 and 1 John 2:18.




From God’s perspective we are already at “the end of the world”.  Hebrews 1:2 tells us that God “hath IN THESE LAST DAYS spoken unto us by his Son”.  Well, these “last days” have been going on for almost 2000 years now.  God’s timing is not the same as ours.  His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways. (Isaiah 55:8)


Peter preached on the day of Pentecost saying: “And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh...”


Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:11 - “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom THE ENDS OF THE WORLD ARE COME.”


In 1 Peter 1:20 the apostle tells us of the Lamb of God “Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest IN THESE LAST TIMES for you.”   Then in 4:7 he exhorts us saying: “THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND; be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer.”  - Two thousand years and counting in these last days and the end of all things.


The apostle John tells us in 1 John 2:18 - “Little children, IT IS THE LAST TIME: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now there are many antichrists; whereby WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE LAST TIME.”


Jude also tells us in verse 18 how during the time of his writing the prediction was being fulfilled that there should be “mockers IN THE LAST TIME.”




God's way of looking at time is not like ours.  In Revelation 1:1 God tells His servants about the  “Things which must SHORTLY COME TO PASS”, yet most of those things recorded in the Book have not happened yet.  


The Lord tells us in Revelation 22:6, 7 "the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants THE THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY BE DONE.  BEHOLD, I COME QUICKLY.”   Yet almost 2000 years have past since these inspired words were uttered.  To us this doesn't seem like "quickly", yet in God's reckoning, only about two days have gone by.  See 2 Peter 3:8  where we read: "one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."


So when the King James Bible and several other translations speak of Christ as having come "in these last days" or at "the end of the world" we understand this to mean that Christ is the final and complete revelation of God's redemptive plan and that this world is soon to pass away and God will create a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness.




The KJB correcting Bible agnostics  (i.e. everyone who is not a King James Bible believer) the  Atheists, the Skeptics and other Bible bashers are all wrong and the King James Bible is and always will be right.


Will Kinney


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[Chette]

The word we men have and was given us by God to somewhat understand God's concept of time it Eternity, Eternal, Everlasting, and forever.  Yet not one of those terms do we fully understand.  We do know a day is half dark and half light and perpetuated by the Sun, Moon and Stars.  Our Understanding of time by which we measure all things in distance and time are based on the 24/7 time cycle God gave us.

When he relates to us a day is as if a thousand years it only goes to show us that there are currently, for man, two different time systems.  ours (located within the firmament) is located within God's which is eternity.  God sees through his time but most assuredly can understands ours for he made it.  It is men who don't fully understand because we are still in this body of flesh which under the curse of sin only understands 24/7 TQ.

Good job will