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NASB | 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain [on the earth] will simultaneously be caught up (raptured) together with them [the resurrected ones] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord! [John 14:3; 1 Cor 15:52; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; Col 3:4] |
Subject: Searching for the truth |
Bible Note: Hi, MaTT - We can be certain from the scriptures that Enoch died (so did Elijah), as we'll see below. But first, let's see how many have erred in reading this verse... The words "so as not to see death" are not the same as "did not die." The KJV and ASV read "that he should not see death"; and the RSV reads "so that he should not see death." Enoch was translated to escape the same death you and I have been translated and shall escape: the second death. The Greek word "metatithemi" translated in this verse into the English word "translated" is also used in Colossians 1:13 to describe WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED TO THE SAINTS (that is, YOU AND ME): "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son..." (KJV) The NAS says "transferred us into the kingdom," and the NKJ uses "conveyed." The Greek can be translated as transfer, change, carry over, or remove. When we were saved, we were translated into the kingdom of the Son. So was Enoch - he was merely CONVERTED, as we have been. His not seeing death is no more a contradiction as Jesus saying of us: "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" - we might croak but we'll never PERISH (John 3:16). But how do we know that Enoch died? Because JESUS HIMSELF TOLD US! NO ONE - neither Enoch, Elijah, not even king David, a man after God's own heart - has yet gone to heaven (that is, the third heaven, where Jesus now is): "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." (John 3:13) Now, this raises a whole lot of other questions, doesn't it? Yeah, I know... |