This one-minute YouTube is a satirical presentation which illustrates the sad reality that many miss in one of many incorrect word substitutions made by the authors of the new versions of the Bible. (Video link is at bottom of this brief teaching. It’s vital that you STUDY the teaching before viewing the video.)These authors of most new versions of the Bible wrongfully change the English translation for the underlying Greek word for loins with their dynamic equivalency expression to the word belt.
There is very little similarity between the body parts called loins and an article of clothing called a belt.
A belt is, especially today, usually an added fashion accessory which of course can be taken off without affecting the body. The loins are an intricate part of our body which contextually, in the Bible, refers to the reproductive organs and/or the pelvic region. This is the part of the body through which so many are enticed to commit adultery, fornication, and other sexual sinful acts.
One such example where authors of the new versions wrongfully substitute an article of clothing for a vital body part, which needs protection physically and spiritually, is a Scripture in Ephesians where the spiritual armour is described:
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. Ephesians 6:14 King James Bible
It’s important that the loins (representing inner strength and vitality) are protected with God’s Truth. However, the authors of new version Bibles such as the NIV mistranslate the underlying Greek word for loins as belt. Most other versions do the same either directly in the text or in a critical footnote. What most authors substitute for the the Greek word for loins, osphus, is the word belt with no underlying manuscript authority to make this egregious substitution and/or totally eliminate the word loins.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist … NIV (New International Version)
Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth … NKJV (New King James Version)
Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist … NET (New English translation)
Importance of studying context
Words in every language have many different uses. How do we tell the correct meaning of a word with numerous potential meanings? We consider how it is used, the context. Everyone should learn to study the Bible contextually–study words surrounding the word in question and see how it is used immediately and in other Scriptures in the Bible. Those who rely on foreign and English word concordances, such as Strong’s Concordance, often get led astray as resources do not prove context.
Suppose, for example, I told you I would provide a means of transportation for you to travel from Florida to Jamaica. You might get excited and pack you bags until I told you the means of transportation I have is a high precision bike. What a minute, you would say. Everyone knows you cannot ride a bike to get to Jamaica from Florida as there is a huge body of water between the two locations–952 nautical miles between Miami and Jamaica! So the mode of transportation is very important.
The principle of contextual interpretation is even more important when studying the Bible. One of the strengths of the linguistic experts who translated the King James Bible is that the translators focused on context and their strong spiritual knowledge of the Word in determining the best word choice for each English word recorded. Additionally, they knew well God’s many warnings against changing the meaning of words in the Bible, even the warnings given at the end of the Bible in Revelation 22:18-19. These warnings are not given in imprecise, generalized ideas, but specific, clearly given warnings to not re-write God’s words.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Revelation 22:18-20
Notice from whom this warning comes: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I [Jesus] come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
You are urged to do a contextual study of the word loins in the King James Bible, especially in the Old Testament. It is used 63 times between the Old and New Testaments. This noun is most often very clearly tied to giving birth and the pelvic area, most assuredly not to represent protection of the waist or an external article of clothing.
Below are a few examples to get you started:
And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins … Matthew 3:4 King James Bible
Contrast this with the erroneous description of John’s clothing given in the NIV where the authors picture John as only having on a belt to cover his private parts.
John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist … Matthew 3:4 NIV
Shown below are two examples of the word loins from Old Testament Scriptures from the King James Bible:
… but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins …1 Kings 8:19 King James
… a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins. Genesis 35:11
A person having no idea about the biological terms of the reproductive organs could, from the context of the above Scriptures, understand where the loins are located.
