Originally posted by epiphinehas
[b]the intended meaning or your exegesis, yip, fess up a clear case of imposing your agenda on scripture.
No, the intended meaning of the word is clear by its usage; the word itself, kolasis. That word doesn't mean "to cut off." You are the one imposing your agenda on scripture. I'm trying to save it from your willful acts of linguistic ...[text shortened]... those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name."”[/b]
while i thankyou for your concern, there is not question in my mind that the verse does not refer in any sense to torment, to state that it does is to impose ones exegesis on scripture, the fact of the matter is that the wages for sin is not eternal punishment but simply death,
(Romans 6:23) . . .For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.
here again the balance of the verse is preserved, for the antithesis of life is not eternal punishment, but death
Again the idea of destruction rather than torment is evident from other scriptures, notably
(2 Thessalonians 1:9) These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of
everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength. . . (new world translation)
"These will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction" (NRSV)
added to this is the fact that in the Hebrew portion of scripture ( i know you dont really like to venture there for there is not a jot to support trinitarian and other platonic concepts) the punishment was never torture, but simply death, or cutting off.
(Genesis 9:11) . . .Yes, I do establish my covenant with you: No more will all flesh be
cut off by waters of a deluge, and no more will there occur a deluge to bring the earth to ruin.”
(Exodus 12:19) . . .because anyone tasting what is leavened, whether he is an alien resident or a native of the land, that soul must be
cut off from the assembly of Israel.
(Psalm 37:9) . . .For evildoers themselves will be
cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth.
(Psalm 37:22) . . .For those being blessed by him will themselves possess the earth, But those upon whom evil is called by him will be
cut off.
thus it is perfectly clear why a bible translator would want to preserve the balance of the verse, given that there has no hint of torment and in reflection of the mode of punishment in the past and the scriptural record which has been preserved, life and the antithesis of life , which is death, not punishment.