Isaiah 64:6

From Textus Receptus

Current revision

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Like vs. As; A Different Message

The Issue

We will start off by examining the difference of stating that someone is like something, verses someone is as something.

Case Like

If I stated that you were like a pile of trash, then I would be implying that you and that pile of trash have similarities, but you and that trash are not one in the same.

Case As

On the other hand, if I stated that you were as that pile of trash, I would be implying that the trash and you are identical in every way, nothing is different; you and the trash are one in the same.

Isaiah 64:6

Isaiah 64:6 KJV But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

In the KJV translation we see that we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness, our good deeds are vile; they are completely worthless before the LORD our God. There is nothing man can do to on his own accord to cleanse himself, nothing.

Why? Because we are filthy, full of sin, we are defiled, depraved of mind, corrupt before the LORD our God. It is only through Him, through His mercy that we are cloaked in His righteousness; it is only through Christ that we are made clean; it is only through Him that our deeds are not as filthy rags.

Romans 3:23-26 KJV For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (24) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

For without Christ we are dead in our sins, and all that we do, our deeds, are as filthy rags.

Modern Translations

There is nothing we can do on our own accord to be righteousness before the LORD God, nothing; unless of course we read from a modern translation. Modern translations would lead you to believe that our deeds are not completely vile; they only have some things in common, which implies that if we work hard enough to do well, then our deeds might appear righteous. After all, they are like something filthy, not as something fitly right?

No, not right. The ESV, NIV, NASB and the NKJV are all guilty of weakening the gospel and ever so slightly pushing a work based salvation, which is downright heresy. There is nothing you can do on your own accord to earn salvation, nothing. The only way to the Father is by Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 14:5-6 KJV Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Verses

We didn’t become like anything, we are unclean, period. In addition, our deeds are not like a polluted garment, are deeds are as vile rags.

(ESV) We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

Our deeds are not LIKE anything, they are abhorrent before the LORD.

(NASB) For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

(NIV) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

(NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

By making this change, they, the modern translations, further pervert the gospel as they imply that we have some good in us, and that maybe by that goodness and the goodness of our deeds we can cleanse ourselves; after all we are only like something filthy, not as something filthy.

However, no matter how hard you wish to believe that, is not the case.

We are not good, we are not righteous; we are corrupt in the eyes of God.

Romans 3:10-12 KJV As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Only by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Romans 5:19 KJV For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

And that one is Jesus Christ our LORD.