Infinity and the Bible

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Infinity and the Bible concerns the many direct and indirect references to the innovative concept of infinity in the Bible. The concept of infinity was disfavored by the ancient Greek philosophers and mathematicians. Bible translation committees typically lack anyone with a STEM background.

The combination of infinity with the Bible can be helpful to overcoming worldly addictions, which afflict nearly everyone in some form.

There is a failure of English translations to use the term "infinity" or "infinite", and instead to mistranslate the text as "unsearchable", "inscrutable", God's "knowledge is beyond scrutiny,"[1] or "without limit" or another less precise term.

For example, Psalm 147:5 refers to the infinite understanding by God, and yet most English translations (37 out of 53) instead use other terms such as "boundless", "beyond measure" (ESV), or "no limit" (NIV).[2] The Geneva Bible translated this correctly as "infinite" in 1599, and it seems that modern liberals are biased against that today as they avoid using "infinite".

Miracles about Infinity

Multiple miracles reveal the existence of infinity, and its usefulness. These include:

Parables about Infinity

Many of the parables touch indirectly or directly upon the concept of infinity. Here's a list:

Epistle to the Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews -- which is written in flawless and the highest quality Greek found anywhere -- refers to infinity four times with Greek terms that lack full appreciation of this powerful concept:

  • Hebrews 1:4 τοσούτῳ (tosoutō): Strong's 5118. Translates as "so great/far/vastly", but today can be translated as "infinitely")
  • Hebrews 1:12 οὐκ ἐκλείψουσιν (ekleipsousin): Strong's 1587: Translates as "your years ... never end," but today can be translated as "your years ... are infinite."
  • Hebrews 11:12 ἀναρίθμητος (anarithmētos): Strong's 382: Translates as "countless" or "innumerable", but today can be translated as "infinite".
  • Hebrews 12:22 μυριάσιν (myriasin - root of myriad): Strong's 3461: Translates as an "an indefinitely large number,"[3] but today could be "infinitely" in this context of angels
μυριάσιν is also used by Luke at Luke 12:1, Acts 19:19 and Acts 21:20, by Jude (the brother of James and a relative of Jesus) at Jude 1:14, and by John at Revelation 5:11 (in an interesting compounded manner - and infinite of infinites) and Revelation 9:16 (again compounded).

Terms Better Translated as Infinite

"Everlasting"

The 26 times that the KJV uses the term "everlasting" in the New Testament are opportunities to use "infinite" today.

"Eternal"

The KJV uses the term "eternal" a total of 45 times in the New Testament, each of which is a candidate for using "infinite" to convey the full meaning today.

Evermore

"Evermore" is used 26 times by the KJV, including 5 times in the New Testament, all of which can be better translated as "infinite" today.

Imperishable

"Imperishable" is used 9 times by the ESV, all in the New Testament (in 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter). This, too, can be better translated today as "infinite" or perhaps "infinite existence."

Immortal

"Immortal" is used 7 times in the Bible (ESV), seven times by Paul (four to the Corinthians and three in letters to Timothy, all in the New Testament). Infinite life or a variation on that would be stronger today to convey the powerful original meaning.

Perpetual

"Perpetual" is stated 24 times in the Old Testament, and none in the New Testament (ESV). Use of "infinite" would be a stronger, clearer, and more precise translation of that term today.

Forever

"Forever" is used a remarkable 401 times in the Bible (ESV), 351 in the Old Testament and 50 in the New. Many of these instances of "forever" can be more effectively translated as "infinitely", as in:[4]

“ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever [infinitely]. ”
“ For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever [infinitely perfect]]. ”

Forever and ever

"Forever and ever" is used 41 times in the Bible, but is redundant and can be better translated as "infinitely and forever."

Beyond number

Job 9:10 :

“ [God] does great things beyond searching out, and marvelous things beyond number [infinite marvelous things]. ”

Old Testament references to infinity

Ez 17:22-24 refers to the Lord creating an essentially infinite resource for life from a branch of a tree, including making a withered tree bloom.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Isaiah 40:28 (NAB).
  2. ↑ https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Psalm%20147%3A5
  3. ↑ https://biblehub.com/greek/3461.htm
  4. ↑ Quotations here are from the ESV.
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