Holy
Spirit – is not the third ‘person’ of a Trinity
Many English Bible
translations use the personal pronouns ‘he’ and ‘him’ when referring to the
Spirit, the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost. Are these personal pronouns also
found in the original Greek New Testament (NT) writings or are they added? If
the Holy Spirit is not a ‘person’ addressed as a ‘He’ or a ‘Him’ in the Greek
NT, then the Christian concept of a three person ‘Trinity’ in one God is false.
The word ‘spirit’ in English
NT Bibles translates the Latin meaning of, to breathe, to blow [1]
and the Greek word ‘pne-u'-ma’ (also literally
means blow effect, wind, breath, to breathe [2]. The Greek word ‘pneuma’ is where we get the English word ‘pneumatic(s)’
having to do with the movement or use of air. In the Greek NT writings, the
word translated in English Bibles as ‘spirit’ or ‘the spirit’ universally
refers to the movement of ‘air’. The English word spirit (a translated word) is
a primitive allegorical reference to what is not normally visible to the eye,
but where the effects of movement may be seen. The word ‘holy’ in English NT
Bibles often translates ‘set-apart’ in the Greek NT language.
The following are just a few
English translations that take a completely opposite position addressing the
English translated word Spirit. Such opposites are a strong indication that one
or the other is in error. In these examples use the King James Version (NKJV)
which uses the personal pronoun ‘He’ for Spirit, and the Concordant Literal
Version (CLV) which uses the neutral pronoun ‘it’ for spirit. We will use the
applicable part of the Greek NT translated sentence from each, and then check
to see Bible passage actually says in the Greek NT version.
Test passage John 14:16-17, is
a good starting place for Holy Spirit.
NKJV ‘.... that He may
abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know
Him; for He dwells with you and will be in you.
CLV[4] ‘...that it, indeed, may be with you for the eon - the
spirit of truth, which the world cannot get, for it is not beholding it,
neither is knowing it, Yet you know it, for it is remaining with you and will
be in you.’
Greek[5]
‘...that [it] may remain with you into the age, the breath of the truth, whom
the world not is able to receive, because not it beholds it, nor knows it; you
know it, because with you [it] abides, and in you will be.
Note: This study shows that
the pronoun ‘he’ and ‘him’ is absent from the Greek NT Bible. Where a pronoun
does exist, it is always relative, meaning the word is ‘which.’ In those few
cases, the Greek NT would read as follows:
Greek
alternate ‘. . . that which may remain with you into the age’.
These passages in the Greek NT
Bible do not contain the personal pronoun ‘he’ or ‘him’. The CLV is the
accurate English translation, correctly using the neutral pronoun 'it'.
Note: John 14:16-17 is an
example of faulty (to be nice) deceptive translation in the NKJV. In the passage,
the word translated ‘him’ from the Greek NT in the KJV is the Greek pronoun ‘auto.’
Air cannot be a ‘him’ or a ‘he’ and must for that reason be translated as an
‘it.’
This is proof of deceptive
translation in the KJV and many others. It is very easy to verify by anyone
having a basic knowledge of The Greek NT language. The KJV is in error, but the
CLV is correct and corresponds completely with the original language of the
Greek writings. If we took the time to analyze all the other passages using the
word ‘Spirit’ the same or similar defective translations of many English NT
Bibles will be found. In the above passages, as in most passages referring to
Holy Spirit, the pronoun is often absent in Greek, or if present, it will be a
relative pronoun like ‘who, which, or that,’ but it is always a ‘neutral’
article as is required of the Greek NT text.
There are many other deceptive
English translations where the definite article ‘the’ is also incorrectly
inserted in English translations when referring to a neutral (holy spirit) when ‘the’ does not appear in the Greek text.
In our opinion, one of the poorest Bible Translation for all sorts of liberal
abuse is the New International Version (NIV). Many have used the KJV since it
is probably the most common English translation, yet it is still full of error
even though it has been over 400 years since first translated. One would think
they would have it correct by now or at least made it a bit more accurate
(honest). Inserting the article ‘the’ in the text when it does not exist in the
Greek original can also change the entire meaning of the passage by making the
noun or pronoun ‘definite’ rather than keeping it ‘indefinite’ as it would be
in the original Greek NT text, for example:
Luke 1:35.
KJV ‘. . . . And the angel
answered and said unto her, ‘The Holy Spirit shall come upon the . . . .
’
CLV ‘. . . . And, answering,
the messenger said to her, ‘holy spirit shall be coming on you,
. . . ’
Greek ‘. . . . And answering,
the messenger said to her, ‘holy spirit shall be coming upon you,
. . . ’
In the example, the definite
article is absent from the Greek NT but added by the KJV translators. Also
added is the capitalization indicating a proper noun, (a definitive person,
place, or thing). The CLV is correct by not adding the article in their
translation, and it should not be capitalized. Such use of the ‘definite
article’ by the KJV is an attempt to make ‘holy spirit’ into a ‘ person’ when ‘holy spirit’ is indefinite in the Greek.
When the word ‘the’ is used in
English translations to designate ‘holy spirit’ it is ‘neutral’ gender in the
original Greek language. In a few cases, ‘the’ in Greek does not show the
declension of the article, but, holy spirit is most
always referenced with the ‘neutral’ article. Again - the word Spirit cannot
have gender in Greek NT Bibles because air, to breath, or wind (the
definitions of the Greek word) cannot have gender. Gender is deceptively added
by translators to give personality to holy spirit but
this is not supported by Greek NT manuscripts, therefore it is false.
Similar to the Greek word ‘pne-u’-ma,’ the Hebrew child word ‘ru’ach’
also literally means wind, and comes from the Hebrew parent root word ‘rach’ meaning a prescribed path. However, the
root word ‘rach’ is not found in the Hebrew text of
the Bible, but it is defined by several child root words that are derived from
it. The meaning of the ‘child’ root word ‘ru’ach’ is
literally a reference to a wind that follows a prescribed path each season. By
extension, the Hebrew word ru’ach also means the wind
(his allegorical direction or path) of a man. The word is usually translated as
‘Spirit’ (or ghost in old English). In Hebrew understanding however a man’s ‘ru’ach’ is his direction or path, it is not a ‘spiritual
entity’ but understood by the Ancient Hebrews as his true character.
When used with, and/or
referring to YHWH our Almighty, the word ‘spirit’ (the Greek NT word ‘pne-u’-ma,’ or Hebrew word ‘ru’ach’)
is actually a simple primitive reference to the celestial power and influence
of the Almighty as may be manifested by His invisible, intangible presence
within the lives of those who are His own. When referring to the terrestrial,
the word spirit must then be considered in strict context of its use. The word
is used in many diverse applications in the Bible, such as: spirit of truth,
spirit of error, deceptive spirit, gentle spirit, evil spirit, etc., etc. but
then it must always be understood in a ‘blow effect, wind, or breath, context.
The words ‘Holy Spirit’
(set-apart–breath, wind, or even spirit) have become simple primitive man-made
words that attempt to describe what really cannot be fully described. What man
calls the Holy Spirit is the Life-Force Essence of
YHWH’s Mighty Power and the influence Himself. YHWH however, is not wind, and
He is not breath, or air. YHWH is a pure Life-Force Essence. YHWH is without a
physical body and without any physical properties needed at all. YHWH is
eternal. His Essence has always filled His entire endless Created Universe that
has no beginning or ending.
YHWH is THE ‘Almighty
Sovereign Creator Power, the Eternal Original-Originator, the Life-Force
Essence,’ and He is what Life Is, the eternal ‘I-AM.’ He has revealed Himself
through the anointed chosen Prophets of the Hebrew Bible, and also through
Yahshua the First Century prophet to Israel as recorded in the Greek Synoptic
Gospels. What men think they have observed and labeled as ‘Holy Spirit’ with
the use of wind, breath, and blow-effect (for lack of a better description) is
the Life-Force Essence of the One Almighty Sovereign Creator Power Himself,
there is no other, and there is none equal. There is no second ‘person’ or
‘third’ person god involved. YHWH is, was, and always will exist. All that
exists is within YHWH’s entire domain, and it has always been that way.
There is no
separate ‘third personage,’ a being or entity necessary to emulate the presence
of the ONE Almighty Sovereign Creator the Life-Force Essence named Yahweh, who
is incorporeal since He is the one Original-Originator of all, and in full
control of all that is at all times; and, He says there is none beside Him,
Isa. 45:5-6. The fact is, the Bible never calls the holy
spirit (the Greek word ‘pne-u’-ma,’
or Hebrew word ‘ru’ach’) by using the pronoun ‘he’ so when the term is used in English Bibles it
is NOT referring to a third ‘person’ of a trinity god. Holy spirit
is not the third person of a Trinity God.
[1] Latin –
spiritus, from spirare,
to breathe, to blow. Webster’s Dictionary of the English
Language, 1888, pg 1272.
[2] Greek – from pneo,
to breathe, to blow, as the wind. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, 1978, pd 331.
shown
transliterated here using English letters.
[4]
Concordant Literal Translation, from the Concordant Publishing Concern, 1983.
[5]
Greek translation, by the author, based on the 25th edition of the
Nestle-Aland Greek text.