Subtitle: Since English is so inferior to the original Hebrew and Greek languages in which the Bible was originally written, we have to "amplify" the verses to restore God's original meaning. Prepare to be blessed as you realize God's deeper meanings in His Holy Word! New Testament examination only, selected passages.

If you are a long-term subscriber to Cutting Edge Ministries, you will know that we use the Parallel Bible, with the beloved King James on the left and the Amplified Bible Commentary on the right. With this manner of printing the Bible, you will get the secure doctrinal foundation provided by the KJV, while seeing a verse-by-verse modern English "amplification" that restores to the fullest God's original meaning in each verse.

While I learned the KJV growing up, and used its wonderful prose in all my verse memorization training, I was also pursuing an English Major in college. Over a period of time, I became very aware of the limitations our society was placing upon our generation in reading the KJV.

First, many of the words in the KJV have either gone completely out of use, or have had their meanings totally changed over the 400 years since 1611.

Secondly, English -- even Elizabethan English -- is inherently vastly inferior to the original Hebrew and Greek languages. Therefore, when the KJV scholars adopted a strategy of a "word for word translation", they were setting the stage whereby a tremendous amount of meaning inherent in the original languages was lost. The scholars who created the Amplified Bible Commentary set out to correct this original language problem. The result is a verse by verse commentary that uses as many words and phrases as necessary to restore God's original meaning.

I have discovered that God's full meaning is so meaty that it requires slow reading and great meditation, exactly what God intended us to do; on the other hand, the KJV is more suited to memorization.

For those of us who are sensitive to modern translations, the Parallel Bible beautifully prints the original King James Version, 1611, on the left, so you can watch very carefully to ensure that no doctrine or key meaning is affected in any manner.

Prepare to be blessed.

THE GOSPELS

Matthew 2:1-2a -- KJV -- "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?"

Amplified -- "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold wise men [astrologers] from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, Where is He who is born King of the Jews?"

Too many Christians have no idea that the three Wise Men were occult Luciferians identified in the Amplified as "astrologers". This little bit of key information represents the beginning of understanding the truth of the entire sequence of the prophecy being fulfilled, and of the way in which God confounded the understanding of the corrupt Jewish leadership of this day by revealing that the only people who knew the time was ripe for prophecy fulfillment were the pagans from the East. [Full understanding of this issue in "Secret Societies Killed Jesus Christ"]

Matthew 4:17 -- KJV -- "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Amplified -- "From that time Jesus began to preach, crying out, 'Repent (change your mind for the better, heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

As our schools have been consistently "dumbed down", people have a very poor understanding of key Biblical terms. "Repentance" is one of those terms ill understood today; therefore, it is excellent to see this key term correctly identified right in the midst of the passage. You will discover that the Amplified defines key words in the passage a great number of times, so you will not have to look in the footnote or the back to discover the meaning of the word. This is a great aid to understanding.

Matthew 5:2-3 -- KJV -- "And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Amplified -- "Then He opened His mouth and taught them saying, Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous -- with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!"

How many people understood the full original meaning of the word, "Blessed" in God's vocabulary? The original Greek expressed the fulness of the God's original meaning, but we poor English-speaking peoples have not been able to comprehend the richness of the word, "Blessed" until now. We recommend you prayerfully meditate upon this full meaning of "Blessed", and allow the Holy Spirit to fill you completely with His power and His presence.

Not enough people properly comprehend the meaning of "poor in spirit". This is one of those Biblical passages after which you should stop and meditate on this full meaning, just as the Psalmist used to do when he expressed, "Selah".

Matthew 5:4 -- KJV -- "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted."

Amplified -- "Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!

Matthew 5:5 -- KJV -- "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."

Amplified -- "Blessed (happy, blithesome, joyous, spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and satisfaction, regardless of their outward conditions) are the meek (the mild, patient, long-suffering) for they shall inherit the earth."

Matthew 5:6 -- KJV -- "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled."

Amplified -- "Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!"

The truly Biblical definition of "righteousness" is clearly spelled out, not leaving the definition of the word to remain foggy in the mind of the typical modern-day poor reader.

Matthew 5:8 -- KJV -- "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

Amplified -- "Blessed (happy, enviably fortunate, and spiritually prosperous -- possessing the happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His grace, regardless of their outward conditions) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Matthew 5:11-12 -- KJV -- "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Amplified -- "Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous - with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of your outward condition) are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil things against you falsely on My account. Be glad and supremely joyful, for your reward in heaven is great (strong and intense) for in this same way people prosecuted the prophets who were before you."

Matthew 5:16 -- "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Amplified -- "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 5:22 -- KJV -- "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."

Amplified -- "But I say to you that everyone who continues to be angry with his brother or harbors malice (enmity of heart) against him shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the court; and whoever speaks contemptuously and insultingly to his brother shall be liable to and unable to escape the punishment imposed by the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, you cursed fool [You empty-headed idiot] shall be liable to and unable to escape the hell of fire."

Once again, additional information is gained; we see that "Raca" means speaking contemptuously and insultingly and the word 'fool' really means 'empty-headed idiot'.

Matthew 6:33 -- KJV -- "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Amplified -- "But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things, taken together, will be given you besides."

The word in the KJV "seek" is dramatically straightened, as we see it is a "aiming at", and an intense "striving after" His Kingdom that is called for here.

Matthew 11:28-30 -- KJV -- "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Amplified -- "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden, and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quietness for your souls). For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good - not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne."

For those who are hurting right now, this amplification of meaning is simply refreshing water to a dry and barren soul! This verse is one that you need to carefully consider, meditating on it considerably until it is a part of your soul.

PETER'S KEYS TO HEAVEN

Matthew 16:15-18 -- KJV -- "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

This verse makes it sound like Jesus is building His Christian Church upon Peter; upon this false rendering of Scripture, the Roman Catholic Church has erected its huge false edifice, claiming that they are the descendants of Peter, that Peter is the first Pope. However, the original Greek was very specific in the words used for "Peter" and "rock"; once you understand this difference, the entire false claim of Catholicism disappears like a puff of smoke!

Amplified: "He said to them, 'But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'. Then Jesus answered him, 'Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven'. And I tell you, you are Peter [Petros -- a large piece of rock], and on this rock [petra -- a huge rock like Gibraltar] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the infernal region) shall not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]." [Italicized emphasis was in the original]

In other words, this is what Jesus told Peter in this critically important verse: "And I tell you, you are Petros, and upon petra I will build My church ..."! This ability of Greek to be really specific is the reason that God caused the Bible to be originally written in it! Peter and the rest of the disciples knew instantly that Jesus was not building His church upon infallible Peter, but upon Peter's wonderful testimony that he knew Jesus was Messiah! When you read the Amplified text carefully, you shall see that Jesus was building His church on Peter's testimony that He was Messiah, the Living God Who was prophesied to come!

CATHOLICISM'S BINDING AND LOOSING

Matthew 16:18-19 -- KJV -- "And I say also unto thee [Peter] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

This verse really does sound like the descendants of Peter do have the power to decide what shall be bound on earth and what shall be loosed; further, it sounds like the inhabitants of heaven are bound by the new rules made by the descendants of Peter! From this passage, the Roman Catholic Church takes its spurious doctrine of Papal Infallibility. But, the original language was quite different, as the Amplified declares:

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind (declare to be improper and unlawful) on earth must be what is already bound in heaven; and whatever you loose (declare lawful) on earth must be what is already loosed in heaven."

Now, this declaration makes Biblical sense! Jesus did not give to fallible Peter, nor to any of his descendants, the spiritual authority to make momentous changes from the Gospel of Jesus Christ or from the Apostolic writings. No, whatever declarations they make must be in line with the rules God has already established in Heaven!

The footnote in the Amplified explains how this correct interpretation was clearly present in the original Greek: "The perfect passive participle, here referring to a state of having been already forbidden or permitted."

What a major difference! A correct understanding of this Scripture would have prevented a major false teaching of the Roman Catholic Church.

DEEPER UNDERSTANDINGS

Mark 2:5 -- KJV -- "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Amplified -- "And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you and put away (that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God]."

Luke 21:36 -- KJV -- "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."

Amplified -- "Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES

John 3:16 -- KJV -- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Amplified: "For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world the He even gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost), but have eternal life."

I love the increased emphasis on the type of love we are to have for Jesus Christ and which the Born Again experience will produce in our hearts. In this era of "easy belief-ism", and shallow commitment, we learn that the words 'believe in' really means a fervent trust, one who "trusts in, clings to, relies on" Jesus Christ.

John 3:18 -- KJV -- "He that believeth on him is not condemned ..."

Amplified -- "He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation, -- he incurs no damnation ..."

Wow! What power! What a personal reassurance! Jesus loves His elect so much He chose words with great power so that we would know, beyond all doubt, that we are saved and need not ever, ever hold any fear of judgment. How precious! What a wonderful anchor of the soul!

MORE UNDERSTANDING

John 3:27 -- KJV -- "John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven."

Amplified -- "John answered, A man can receive nothing (he can claim nothing, he can take unto himself nothing) except as it has been granted to him from heaven. (A man must be content to receive the gift which is given him from heaven; there is no other source)."

John 4:14 -- KJV -- "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Amplified -- "But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) continually within him unto eternal life." [Emphasis added]

John 6:37 -- KJV -- "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

Amplified -- "All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out [I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me]."

This restores the very powerful assurance from Jesus to His Born Again believers.

John 12:43 -- KJV -- "For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

Amplified -- "For they loved the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men instead of, and more than, the glory that comes from God. [They valued their credit with men more than their credit with God]."

John 15:7 -- KJV -- "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

Amplified -- "If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will and it shall be done for you."

John 20:31 -- KJV -- "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

Amplified -- "But these are written (recorded) in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of God, and that through believing and cleaving to and trusting and relying on Him you may have life through His name [through Who He is]."

Once again, this restores the fervency of the type of belief that constitutes genuine Saving Faith! The true Christian finds himself "cleaving to", "trusting in", and totally "relying on" Jesus for eternal life! What fervency!

Acts 2:21 -- KJV -- "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'

Amplified -- "And it shall be that whoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [invoking, adoring, and worshipping the Lord Christ] shall be saved."

Once again, the fervency of the original language is restored; this is not "easy believe-ism" but is a genuine heart on fire for Jesus Christ.

Acts 5:41 -- KJV -- "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."

Amplified -- "So they went out from the presence of the council (Sanhedrin), rejoicing that they were being counted worthy [dignified by the indignity] to suffer shame and be exposed to disgrace for [the sake of] His name."

We see that the specific council in front of whom these Apostles were testifying was none other than the Sanhedrin which made the situation very serious. The average Christian reading this verse would not ever know that it was the Sanhedrin which was threatening the Apostles. Secondly, I find it refreshing to hear that the Apostles felt "dignified by the indignity" to which the members of the Sanhedrin were inflicting upon them. In the midst of your trial of persecution for your faith, remember that you are "dignified" by the indignities that the unsaved are inflicting upon you.

Acts 8:37 -- KJV -- "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Amplified -- "And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart [if you have a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah, and accept Him as the Author of your salvation in the Kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience], then you may. And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

Acts 17:31 -- KJV -- "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

Amplified -- "Because He has fixed a day when He will judge the world righteously (justly) by a Man Whom He has destined and appointed for that task, and He has made this credible and given conviction and assurance, and evidence to everyone by raising Him from the dead."

WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Romans 3:23 -- KJV -- "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;"

Amplified -- "Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."

I love the understanding that the present tense verb demonstrates: all men have sinned and are continuously falling short of the glory of God, every moment of their lives. This fact is why we need the presence of the Holy Spirit continuously living in our hearts.

Romans 3:24 -- KJV -- "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

Amplified -- "All are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace [His unmerited favor and mercy] through the redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus."

Jesus not only "freely" justifies us sinners by His grace, but He does so in such an overwhelming manner as to be considered "gratuitously". Jesus overwhelms our sin by His Grace. This passage also defines the key word 'grace' so no casual reader will miss exactly what the true meaning is.

Romans 4:25 -- KJV -- "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

Amplified -- "Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God."

Our spiritual account in Heaven is now balanced, and we are absolved of all guilt before God!

Romans 5:1 -- KJV -- "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"

Amplified -- "Therefore, since we are justified (acquitted, declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us grasp the fact that we have the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Romans 5:2 -- KJV -- "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

Amplified -- "Through Him also we have our access (entrance, introduction) by faith into this grace (state of God's favor) in which we firmly and safely stand. And let us rejoice and exult in our hope of experiencing and enjoying the glory of God."

I find it comforting to realize that I "firmly and safely stand" in the presence of the Lord through His justification!

Romans 5:3 -- KJV -- "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience"

Amplified -- "Moreover, (let us also be full of joy now)! Let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance."

In other words, once we understand where we stand doctrinally before the Lord, as Paul has revealed in 4:25 - 5:2, we can be "full of joy now", even though we are going through exceedingly difficult circumstances! Thus, we understand the Biblical truth that understanding where we stand doctrinally before Jesus is a prerequisite for us to successfully go through tribulations and trials!

Romans 5:20b -- KJV -- "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."

Amplified -- "But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded."

Once again, we see the fulness of Jesus' triumph over sin and death; He clobbered it, He overwhelmed it! His Grace covers sin over like a Tsunami wave covers a low-lying island!

Romans 6:22 -- KJV -- "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."

Amplified -- "But now since you have been set free from sin, and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life."

This latter rendering makes the fact much clearer, that holiness living carries a present reward in this life! Plus, holiness has a glorious final end in eternal life!

Romans 6:23 -- KJV -- "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Amplified -- "For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is eternal life through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord."

Notice the emphasis on establishing and maintaining a "union" with Jesus, just as Jesus stipulated [John 15:1-5]

Romans 11:12 -- KJV -- "Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?"

Amplified -- "Now if their stumbling (their lapse, their transgression) has so enriched the world [at large], and if [Israel's] failure means such riches for the Gentiles, think what an enrichment and greater advantage will follow their full reinstatement."

"Full reinstatement"?! The KJV disguises the fact that the Holy Spirit was revealing here through Paul that Israel would not be spiritually set aside permanently, but would be fully reinstated! I wonder if the wording here in the KJV had been a little more clear, would we have been spared the odious onslaught of groups claiming that God has set aside Israel permanently and that now the Christian Church is spiritual Israel?

"Full Reinstatement" is so clear, so bold, it leaves no room for misunderstanding. Right on time, God restored Israel back to the land in May, 1948, and in an initial state of spiritual unbelief just as He prophesied [Ezekiel 37:8d].

Romans 11:25-26a -- KJV -- "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved. "

Amplified -- "Lest you be self-opinionated (wise in your own conceits), I do not want you to miss this hidden truth and mystery, brethren: a hardening (insensibility) has [temporarily] befallen a part of Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved."

Romans 11:32 -- KJV -- "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." I had always wondered what this verse meant; what does "concluded them" mean?

Amplified -- "For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all alike."

Now, I understand! God cursed all men alike for their sin, so that He may equally bestow His Mercy on them all! Therefore, God's curse for sin worked out, in the long run, for the best result! God's curse brought spiritual healing, through Jesus!

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 -- KJV -- "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

Amplified -- "The work of each [one] will become [plainly, openly] known (shown for what it is); for the day of Christ will disclose and declare it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test and critically appraise the character and worth of the work each person has done. If the work which any person has built on this Foundation [any product of his efforts whatever] survives this test, he will get his reward. But if any person's work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire."

This is the Judgment Seat of Christ. I find it comforting to realize the extra detail the Amplified provides. Jesus' fire will fall upon the deeds I have done after I became saved, not on me personally. Praise God!

1 Corinthians 3:19 -- KJV -- "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness."

Amplified -- "For this world's wisdom is foolishness (absurdity and stupidity) with God, for it is written, He lays hold of the wise in their own craftiness."

1 Corinthians 9:26-27 -- KJV -- "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway."

Amplified -- "Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. But [like a boxer], I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]."

1 Corinthians 10:13 -- KJV -- "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

Amplified -- "For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin, no matter how it comes or where it leads) has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and as such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will always also provide the way out (the means of escape, to a landing place) that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently."

1 Corinthians 14:22 -- KJV -- "Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe."

Amplified -- "Thus [unknown] tongues are meant for a [supernatural] sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers [on the point of believing], while prophecy (inspired teaching and preaching, interpreting the divine will and purpose) is not for unbelievers but for believers."

Speaking fluently in tongues in which a person is not trained is a supernatural sign for the unbelievers who are on the verge of believing in Jesus Christ! Further, this definition of "prophecy" is extremely valuable, for many Christians do not understand that "prophesying" in Jewish terms can mean just preaching the word, and have nothing to do with foretelling the future.

1 Corinthians 15:58 -- KJV -- "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

Amplified -- "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm [steadfast], immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord [always being superior, excelling, doing more than enough in the service of the Lord], knowing and being continually aware that your labor in the Lord is not futile [it is never wasted or to no purpose]."

2 Corinthians 1:2 -- KJV -- "Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Amplified -- "Grace (favor and spiritual blessing) to you and [heart] peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)."

2 Corinthians 4:17 -- KJV -- "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

Amplified -- "For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!]"

Once again, we see the overwhelming power and nature of God's provision for us. This verse is one on which you can meditate day and night, to your great spiritual growth!

2 Corinthians 7:1 -- KJV -- "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Amplified -- "Therefore, since these [great] promises are ours, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates and defiles body and spirit, and bring [our] consecration to completeness in the [reverential] fear of God."

2 Corinthians 7:10 -- KJV -- "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death."

Amplified -- "For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret; but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly [breeding and ending in death]."

2 Corinthians 9:10 -- KJV -- "Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness."

Amplified -- "And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]."

2 Corinthians 12:9 -- KJV -- "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.'

Amplified -- "But He said to me, My grace (My favor, lovingkindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weakness and infirmities that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me!"

Imagine that! The "strength and power" of Jesus is, in effect, a divine tent of covering designed to protect me!

Galatians 5:9 -- KJV -- "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

Amplified -- "A little leaven (a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers) leavens the whole lump [it perverts the whole conception of faith or misleads the whole church]."

Today's ill-informed and ill-trained Christian may pass right over this verse without deeply and thoroughly understanding what "leaven" is to the Jewish mindset. Leaven to the Jew is false teaching or those who teach falsely! Further, people do not comprehend that just a little "inclination to error" and/or just "a few false teachers" can ruin the whole lump of dough. Today's Christian will pass over and ignore huge amounts of false teachings without leaving the organization; in fact, most parishioners today will defend a false teacher, pointing out all the good and true things the teacher says, not realizing the Biblical warning that just a little false teachings can ruin a person and the church he is attending.

The Roman Catholic Church has imported truck loads of false teachings, and yet their parishioners excuse and defend the organization! If nothing else, this passage clearly teaches where the line should be drawn -- very close to the truth, so that if any straying occurs at all, warning lights begin to blink and warning sirens go off loudly.

Galatians 5:16 -- KJV -- "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Amplified -- "But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God)."

Galatians 6:5 -- KJV -- "For every man shall bear his own burden."

Amplified -- "For every person will have to bear (be equal to understanding and calmly receive) his own [little] load [of oppressive faults]."

This verse will keep you humble before God and in your human relationships.

Galatians 6:7-8 -- KJV -- "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Amplified -- "Do not be deceived, deluded, and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside). He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God, for whatever a man sows, that and only that is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

Ephesians 1:2 -- KJV -- "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

Amplified -- "May grace (God's unmerited favor) and spiritual peace [which means peace with God and harmony, unity and undisturbedness] be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

"Peace with God and harmony, unity and undisturbedness" is the result of God's Grace! Praise the Lord!

Ephesians 1:18-20 -- KJV -- "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places"

Amplified -- "By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones). And so [that you can know and understand] what is the immeasurable and unlimited and surpassing greatness of His power in and for us who believe, as demonstrated in the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His own right hand, in the heavenly places." [Emphasis added]

Many people go into the occult just to gain an experience as this one described, above, not realizing such an ecstasy is possible through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Ephesians 3:8 -- KJV -- "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ."

Amplified -- "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints (God's consecrated people); this grace (favor, privilege) was granted and graciously entrusted: to proclaim to the Gentiles the unending (boundless, fathomless, incalculable, and exhaustless ) riches of Christ [wealth which no human being could have searched out]."

Ephesians 3:16-19 -- KJV -- "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."

Amplified -- "May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the Holy Spirit [Himself dwelling your innermost being and personality]. May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell [settle down, abide, make His permanent home] in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, that you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people], the experience of that love, what is the breadth and length, and height and depth of it. That you may really come to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body, wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!" [Emphasis added]

This passage is definitely one you will want to savor, and meditate upon, with all your heart, soul, and mind. What distress of mind, emotion, or situation would not be solved by being "filled through your being unto all the fulness of God, having the richest measure of the divine Presence" totally filling your body, mind and soul? So many people today are longing to be "wholly filled and flooded with God Himself"! What joy, what peace, what personal contentment is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Philippians 1:9-10 -- KJV -- "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ."

Amplified -- "And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent, and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble]." [Emphasis added]

People who are truly filled with the Holy Spirit and who know their Bibles well, will not be deceived by current leaders of today, nor of the coming Man of Perdition!

Philippians 3:10-14 -- KJV -- "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Amplified -- "[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope] that if possible, I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body. Not that I have now attained [this ideal], or have already been made perfect, but I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me and made me His own. I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and made it my own yet; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward."

No matter how many times you have fallen in your fleshly nature, you can "forget what lies behind" and "strain forward" to reach the goal and achieve the heavenly prize to which God in Christ Jesus is called [you] upward". What a great and grand promise! This is one of the most precious verses in the entire Bible, and one certainly worthy of great meditation.

2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 -- KJV -- "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

Amplified -- "And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own appointed time. For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, but it is restrained only until He who restrains is taken out of the way."

Now you know: "withholdeth" means "restraining", and "he who now letteth will let" means "He who restrains".

Hebrews 13:5b-6 -- KJV -- "... for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

Amplified -- "for He [God Himself] has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not, in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not! So we take comfort and are encouraged and boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not be seized with alarm; I will not fear or dread or be terrified. What can man do to me?" [Emphasis added]

Why does the Amplified repeat three times, "I will not"? A footnote tells us that, in the original Greek, "three negatives precede the verb". In English, the only way to express this wonderful Divine strengthening of this promise is to repeat "I will not" three times.

This passage is the most precious to me, for once I understood the power and emphasis which God placed upon His "triple promise" to never leave us, never forsake us, and never leave us without support, my trembling finite soul could finally rest in comfort in the Lord. Since this realization, I have faced every trouble, every perplexing and terrifying situation with absolute trust and confidence in His wonderful promises. I must repeat these verses at least once per day, especially as I face the coming tribulation in the world.

SPECIFIC END OF THE AGE UNDERSTANDINGS AND PROMISES

Revelation 2:5 -- KJV -- "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

Amplified -- "Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord] or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent."

The word in the original Greek "repent" in this passage, literally means "changing the inner man to meet God's will", a most refreshing meaning! At this End of the Age period described in Revelation, it is most important that we examine ourselves as the Apostle Paul urges, changing to meet God's standard. End of the Age people need special resources because we are facing special challenges.

Revelation 2:10 -- KJV -- "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:"

Amplified -- "Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. [Dismiss your dread and your fears!]" Notice the emphasis Jesus places on His admonitions to "dismiss dread and fears", as denoted by the placement of the exclamation point. He will never, ever leave us without support, or remove His hold on us [Hebrews 13:5b-6]; therefore, we should readily dismiss our fears.

Revelation 6:11 -- KJV -- "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled."

Amplified -- "Then they were each given a long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been."

The martyred saints of this Tribulation Period were giving "long, flowing, and festive" white robes, thus distinguishing them from the white robes normally given the saved in Paradise. Thus does Jesus recognize with special honor those people who loved Him enough that they would resist Antichrist, even to the pain of death. Also note that God has a specific number of saints in mind that will die at the hands of Antichrist.

Revelation 12:11 -- "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

Amplified -- "And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].

This is the attitude Christians at this period are to have toward their own lives: we are to "hold our lives cheap" even as we are facing death.

Revelation 14:12-13 -- KJV -- "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."

Amplified -- "Here [comes a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God's commandments and their faith in Jesus. Then I heard further [perceiving the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, Write this: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are the dead from now on who die in the Lord! Yes, blessed (happy, to be envied indeed], says the Spirit in that they may rest from their labors, for their works [deeds] do follow (attend, accompany) them!"

Our prayer for Cutting Edge Ministries is that our deeds of love for the Savior will follow us through into the 7-Year Tribulation, resulting in untold millions coming to know Jesus as Savior! Will you thus pray this prayer with us?

Revelation 17:17 -- KJV -- "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."

Amplified -- "For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His own purpose by acting in harmony in surrendering their royal power and authority to the beast, until the prophetic words (intentions and promises) of God shall be fulfilled."

This wording just makes it extremely clear what these final 10 kings are going to do; they are going to "act in harmony" according to a plan that is designed to prepare the world for Antichrist and then deliver him their power once he arises. We explain in NEWS1548 that this kind of unprecedented cooperation is occurring right here and right now, in this contrived global crisis against terrorism! This prophecy is most important in understanding current world events.

Revelation 18:8 -- KJV -- "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."

Amplified -- "So shall her plagues (afflictions, calamities) come thick upon her in a single day, pestilence and anguish and sorrow and famine; and she shall be utterly consumed (burned up with fire), for mighty is the Lord God Who judges her."

We have long believed that this Economic Babylon is the United States of America, as we detail in CE1038. This nation is utterly, completely destroyed in one hour of one day by weapons of great power.

Revelation 20:11-15 -- KJV -- "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Amplified -- "Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. I also saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books. And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades [the state of death or disembodied existence] surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried, and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works]. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire."

This amplification makes it quite clear the exact basis upon which a person in front of the White Throne Judgment will be judged and cast into the Lake of Fire. Since he has rejected Jesus' Mercy and great Grace, and complete eradication of his sinful deeds, he will be judged by the totality of his life's experiences:

* "whole way of feeling and acting"

* "their aims and endeavors"

* "motives, aims, and works"

Since a person's best self-righteousness is only "filthy rags" in the sight of the Lord, each person judged on this basis will fail the Divine test and be cast into Hell.

Revelation 21:27 -- KJV -- "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

Amplified -- "But nothing that defiles or profanes or is unwashed shall ever enter it, nor anyone who commits abominations (unclean, detestable, morally repugnant things) or practices falsehood, but only those whose names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life."

Revelation 22:17 -- KJV -- "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

Amplified -- "The Holy Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported and straightened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate and drink the water of Life without cost." [Emphasis added]

Does this describe your soul today before Jesus Christ? Is your soul "painfully conscious" of your need for union with Him and for His spiritual succor, His milk and meat of the Word of God? If this is your spiritual need right now, the Holy Spirit has properly prepared you for this moment in eternity future, when Jesus will offer you His eternal sustenance!

CONCLUSION

While we do not deprecate the King James Version in any way, shape or form, we are aware of its two major limitations: English is inferior to the original Greek and Hebrew; and many of the English words have changed meaning significantly in the past 400 years. When you are able to discover the powerful potency of God's original meaning, your soul will be greatly blessed and you will greatly grow in your faith.

We offer this Parallel Bible in two forms: Black Leather Bond or Hardcover.

But, if you already own a Bible and do not want to purchase a parallel, we have anther option for you! You may order just the Amplified Commentary in either the soft cover or hard cover editions; this way, you can open your KJV right next to the verse-by-verse Amplified commentary and achieve the same result as reading the Parallel.

Truly, we are living in the End of the Age, and our fervent desire is for you to discover the full meaty portion of God's Word in the original language. We hope you will enjoy the amplification of meaning as much as we do! Your heart will be refreshed and fed. You will then be better prepared to meet the challenges of the upcoming time.

Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually.

If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order -- Kingdom of Antichrist -- in their daily news.

Finally, we would love to hear from you.

You can contact us by mail or email.

God bless you.

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