Mulling over George Pope to Steve Asher 25 Nov 2003

Hi George...

 SA> When Cash Is Only Skin Deep
 SA>
 SA> 02:00 AM Nov. 25, 2003 PT
 SA>
 SA> A Florida company has announced plans to develop a service that
 SA> would allow consumers to pay for merchandise using microchips
 SA> implanted under their skin.

 GP> Speaking of conspiracy. . .

 GP> Any idea why the passage in Revelations, in the Bible, about the
 GP> "mark of the beast" is always translated as locating it ON the hand
 GP> or forehead, when it USED to be translated as "IN" the hand or
 GP> forehead? (inChappter 13, verse 16)

From what I can see, "xaragma epi" (in English letters) best translates
as "mark on", where xaragma = mark, epi = on. However, xaragma implies
more than a superficial mark, i.e. tracing, engraving, incision, or cut.

 GP> Of course, at one time there was no concept of a subcutaneous
 GP> computer chip!

Or even one bonded to the surface of the skin, as some earlier Applied
Digital Solutions suggested.

 GP> I've checked with two experts in Biblical Greek, and both say that,
 GP> while ancient Greek was very word-specific for nouns & verbs, they
 GP> shared prepositions, so that either "in" OR
"on" could've been the
 GP> original INTENDED meaning -- my concern is that it's generally
 GP> considered a key heuristic in translation to go with the previously
 GP> accepted/used translation choice when there's an ambiguity (ie. it
 GP> should've continued as "in" until/unless such time as new literary
 GP> evidence suggested it should go the other way.)

To me, the "in" suggests a lasting result of a deliberate act to apply
the mark - if it was merely "on" the surface of the skin, like a biro
mark, it would eventually be shed, & the more generic "marka" (mark)
might be used to describe it.

 GP> Such has not happened -- the only new "evidence" is that there is
 GP> the ability/knowledge regarding putting a "mark" IN the hand(or
 GP> wrist, the Greek word included both)

Cheers, Steve..

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