The Truth About Fornication
Author Vivian Gale
The word-Fornication has driven us crazy long enough. It has literally caused us to feel like we could never please God, our church and our family. I’m primarily speaking from my own experience, inwardly knowing many others are plagued by the same thing. I kept thinking to research the word. Without further ado, here are my findings.
The word fornication is widely used in the Biblical or religious circles. When I study scripture to find the meaning of a verse or word I 1), look up the original language it was given to us in before being translated into English. I also 2), read the whole chapter of the verse it is found in if more clarification is needed in order to keep the meaning in the proper context. Lastly 3), I read every related verse in the Bible, the Old and New Testament to see how the usage occurs. You know; the way we were taught in grade school by our language teacher to make sure we had the correct understanding of the word.
I have a Hebrew and Greek Study Bible so I can get the original meaning buy looking up the word in the back of my Bible. I’ll show you how, it’s easy. People, you can save yourself a lot of misunderstanding of scripture by following this method as well. We have been taught throughout the years that fornication is having sexual relations without the sanctity of marriage. Let's look a wee bit deeper to see what it really means.
Go to www.BlueletterBible.com . This is my absolute favorite online tool for studying scripture. Type in the word fornication and see what you find. Click on the number immediately on the right side of the word up ½ a space. This will take you to the origin of the word in Hebrew or Greek.
All scripture in the Old Testament of the Bible, from Genesis to Malachi were originally written in the Aramaic and Hebrew language, and the New Testament, from Greek.
The word fornication in the Old Testament comes from the Hebrew word zanah and or taznuwth reference number 563, 2181 and 8457, in the Old Testament and 4202 in the New Testament. It is used 32 times in the King James version of the Bible. In the NIV it is not used at all but is replaced with the word prostitution.
The Old Testament use of the word means the following;
1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
a) (Qal)
1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
2) to commit adultery
3) to be a cult prostitute
4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
b) (Pual) to play the harlot
c) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to commit adultery
2) to force into prostitution
3) to commit fornication
The New Testament meaning of the word means porneia
1) illicit sexual intercourse
a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,12
2) metaph. the worship of idols
a) of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols
I have found no instance in scripture where it means sex outside of marriage with someone you love. When I sought our most popular Miriam Webster’s definition it states;
“Consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other.”
The Bible strongly implies that once a man enters a woman, and they have sexual intercourse at that point, she becomes his wife. Deut. 22:29
This definition was deliberately incorporated over the years by religious institutions! Why? Power and Control~there's just something about sin and guilt that keeps people coming to church. How about love? I think that's a better reason to come and an even better reason to stay.
Now, I'm not suggesting that a person with good morals should feel free to sleep around, but, we have created entirely too many ways to guilt ourselves and others to emotional death with the Bible. It's time to cut it out!~
To know the truth is to be set free!~
For more on the subject!
http://goldenrule.name/Fornication_ENGLISH/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uryod1JQ7xo
Search Google or the Internet as well. I was surprised to find so much more on the subject. But, as I began praying about my own situation this is what I found. I divorced my husband because he committed adultery so I am free to marry again. But, until that happens I can live free of guilt and worry. I hope you will too.
Vivian Gale, aka, Freedom
11/13/2012 (c)
The word fornication is widely used in the Biblical or religious circles. When I study scripture to find the meaning of a verse or word I 1), look up the original language it was given to us in before being translated into English. I also 2), read the whole chapter of the verse it is found in if more clarification is needed in order to keep the meaning in the proper context. Lastly 3), I read every related verse in the Bible, the Old and New Testament to see how the usage occurs. You know; the way we were taught in grade school by our language teacher to make sure we had the correct understanding of the word.
I have a Hebrew and Greek Study Bible so I can get the original meaning buy looking up the word in the back of my Bible. I’ll show you how, it’s easy. People, you can save yourself a lot of misunderstanding of scripture by following this method as well. We have been taught throughout the years that fornication is having sexual relations without the sanctity of marriage. Let's look a wee bit deeper to see what it really means.
Go to www.BlueletterBible.com . This is my absolute favorite online tool for studying scripture. Type in the word fornication and see what you find. Click on the number immediately on the right side of the word up ½ a space. This will take you to the origin of the word in Hebrew or Greek.
All scripture in the Old Testament of the Bible, from Genesis to Malachi were originally written in the Aramaic and Hebrew language, and the New Testament, from Greek.
The word fornication in the Old Testament comes from the Hebrew word zanah and or taznuwth reference number 563, 2181 and 8457, in the Old Testament and 4202 in the New Testament. It is used 32 times in the King James version of the Bible. In the NIV it is not used at all but is replaced with the word prostitution.
The Old Testament use of the word means the following;
1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
a) (Qal)
1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
2) to commit adultery
3) to be a cult prostitute
4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
b) (Pual) to play the harlot
c) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to commit adultery
2) to force into prostitution
3) to commit fornication
The New Testament meaning of the word means porneia
1) illicit sexual intercourse
a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,12
2) metaph. the worship of idols
a) of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols
I have found no instance in scripture where it means sex outside of marriage with someone you love. When I sought our most popular Miriam Webster’s definition it states;
“Consensual sexual intercourse between two persons not married to each other.”
The Bible strongly implies that once a man enters a woman, and they have sexual intercourse at that point, she becomes his wife. Deut. 22:29
This definition was deliberately incorporated over the years by religious institutions! Why? Power and Control~there's just something about sin and guilt that keeps people coming to church. How about love? I think that's a better reason to come and an even better reason to stay.
Now, I'm not suggesting that a person with good morals should feel free to sleep around, but, we have created entirely too many ways to guilt ourselves and others to emotional death with the Bible. It's time to cut it out!~
To know the truth is to be set free!~
For more on the subject!
http://goldenrule.name/Fornication_ENGLISH/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uryod1JQ7xo
Search Google or the Internet as well. I was surprised to find so much more on the subject. But, as I began praying about my own situation this is what I found. I divorced my husband because he committed adultery so I am free to marry again. But, until that happens I can live free of guilt and worry. I hope you will too.
Vivian Gale, aka, Freedom
11/13/2012 (c)