This Rav Sha’ul Exposed study is about Paul Sides’ Bible translation of the book of Galatians, chapter 3.
Before we start, you need to understand what Rav Sha’ul is proclaiming with the false concept of the Yahushaic Covenant. Obviously, this is just a summary:
Paul Sides teaches that Yahusha was 100% man, because his biological father was Joseph. He teaches that Yahusha sinned and need to be baptized by John for remission of sins. He teaches that just like Elohim made covenants with men like Abraham and Moses, Yahuah made a covenant with Yahusha. He teaches that after Messiah became perfected and lived a sinless life as a priest, and died to Himself on the cross, that He was then made divine.
You can see Biblical proof that Paul Sides claims about Messiah are false in this study: Paul Sides Is A False Teacher
So given Paul Sides teachings, we need to look at how he changes the intent and context of Scripture, to remove Messiah from His rightly place; as the Father’s first-born creation, thus He is deity, as the co-Creator, and as the spotless Lamb of Elohim.
For each verse of his version I will provide the matching verse from the ISR 98, which is a literal word for word translation, and I will provide comments when needed. The main point is to help you see how many words he has added to the Greek text..
The ISR 98 matches the names of the Father and Son that Paul Sides is using, that of Yahuah the Father, and Yahusha the Son.
The Spirit of Truth is obedience to The Law combined with faith in the promises of Yahuah
1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, that you would not obey the truth of The Torah? Before your very eyes, written in the Stars as a witness to all men, Yahusha Messiah has been openly portrayed before you ‘as a lamb that was slain before the world was in The Heavenly Scroll’, to reconcile all men who enter into The Yahushaic Covenant to Yahuah.
“O senseless Galatians! Who has put you under a spell, not to obey the truth – before whose eyes יהושע Messiah was clearly portrayed among you as impaled?” ISR 98
The focus should be on Messiah’s sacrifice and resurrection, but Paul Sides adds in his Yahushaic Covenant concept. The Mazzaroth, the Heavenly Scroll as he calls it, does proclaim the redemption story, but that is not what the Apostle Paul is teaching about.
If Paul Sides added commentary after the verse, that’s one thing; but he is inserting it into the verse, making it as Scripture, and that changes the context and meaning of the verse, which is misleading.
2 I would like to know just one thing from you: Do you receive the Spirit of loving obedience to The Law by doing anything outside of the Law? Or by hearing anything outside of the faith which establishes the Law?
“This only I wish to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of Torah, or by the hearing of belief?” And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Aḇraham, and heirs according to promise.” ISR 98
Notice how he removed the latter part of the verse, as he did not mention Messiah, or that we are the seed of Abraham through Messiah, or that we are heirs to the promise through Messiah.
He has removed Scripture and violated commands to not do so. He did this because he does not believe that Messiah is deity, and he seeks to remove Him from His rightful place, as our Mediator to Yahuah.
3 Are you so foolish? Having made a beginning in the Spirit, as you were given an earnest guarantee of your future inheritance upon your Mikveh, are you now trying to attain perfection through the flesh, by disobeying the Spiritual Law (which is perfect and defines Righteousness), knowing those in the flesh cannot submit to The Law or please Yahuah?
“Are you so senseless? Having begun in the Spirit, do you now end in the flesh?” ISR 98
He is declaring that the guarantee of our future inheritance is based upon our baptism. None of that is in the Scriptural text of this verse.
4 Have you suffered so much for nothing to only now turn your back on The Law, if it really is for nothing? May it never be, return to the message you received from me.
“Have you suffered so much in vain – if indeed in vain?” ISR 98
5 Therefore, is the Spirit of Truth that teaches us to obey the Law out of love given to you, and mighty works done among you, by doing anything outside of the Law, or hearing anything outside of the faith?
“Is He, then, who is supplying the Spirit to you and working miracles among you, doing it by works of Torah, or by hearing of belief?” ISR 98
6 Just as Abraham followed the Law of Yahuah, it was accounted to him for righteousness!
“Even so Aḇraham “did believe Elohim, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.” ISR 98
The Apostle Paul is not declaring that Abraham was accounted as righteous for following the Law of Yahuah. He is declaring that he was saved by faith in Yahuah’s promises.
7 Therefore, then, understand that those who are of the faith that is demonstrated through works, those who follow Messiah and walk as he walked in obedience to The Law, the same are the children of Abraham.
“Know, then, that those who are of belief are sons of Aḇraham.” ISR 98
Rav Sha’ul added in that Messiah walked in obedience to the law, to reinforce his teaching that Messiah was sinful, and had to become perfect.
8 And the Scriptures, both The Heavenly and Earthly Scroll, prophesied that Yahuah would justify the the lost sheep of the House of Israel scattered among the gentile nations through the faith which establishes The Law, the message preached before to Abraham by The Stars so that: In you all the nations will be blessed as you identify yourself as Lost Sheep among the nations and witness to all nations you have been scattered.
“And the Scripture, having foreseen that Elohim would declare right the nations by belief, announced the Good News to Aḇraham beforehand, saying, “All the nations shall be blessed in you,” ISR 98
Once again Paul Sides is pushing his Heavenly and Earthly Scroll, which the Apostle Paul is not teaching about.
9 So, those of the faith of Abraham whose faith was manifested by his obedience to The Law are blessed with the same faith of Abraham which was established by his obedience to The Law of Yahuah.
“so that those who are of belief are blessed with Aḇraham, the believer.” ISR 98
Once again, Scripture is talking about Abraham’s faith in Yahuah’s promises, not in his obedience to the Law. We should strive to obey the Law our of love for Yahuah, but Paul Sides is changing the meaning of this verse.
Those outside the Law are cursed
10 But as many as are doing works of the Law, outside of the Law of faith, are under the curse of the death decrees! You must have faith in the Passover lamb to cover your transgressions, otherwise you are judged by Death Decrees in The Law. For this is the death decree that is written in Deuteronomy 27: 26: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in The Book of The Law, to do them”. This decree is covered for those in The Yahushaic Covenant who do works of the Law combined with faith.
“For as many as are of works of Torah are under the curse, for it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all that has been written in the book of the Torah, to do them.” ISR 98
Rav Sha’ul is once again promoting his supposed Yahushaic Covenant, which proclaims that Yahuah made a covenant with the sinful Messiah, that if He was baptized for His sins, and if He learned obedience and became perfect, then He would become divine, as a god.
11 That no man is justified before Yahuah by keeping The Law alone outside of faith, that is quite evident, for those justified will live The Torah by faith.
“And that no one is declared right by Torah before Elohim is clear, for “The righteous shall live by belief.” ISR 98
The Apostle Paul did not say that we are to live The Torah by faith, it says that the righteous shall live by belief… in Messiah’s atoning work as the spotless Lamb of Elohim.
12 And the Law is not contrary to the faith, on the contrary; faith establishes The Law, for the man who keeps these Laws will live by them in faith.
“And the Torah is not of belief, but “The man who does them shall live by them.” ISR 98
13 Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, not the Law, by becoming a curse for us and nailing the death decrees to the stake, for it is written in Deuteronomy 21:23: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.
“Messiah redeemed us from the curse of the Torah, having become a curse for us – for it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree.” ISR 98
14 He redeemed us by paying the dowry for his bride, and covering the death decrees, in order that the blessing and promises given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles where you, the Lost Sheep of Israel, have been scattered. It is through Yahusha Messiah that by the faith in the promises Yahuah made in The Torah, we might receive the promise of the Spirit of Truth, which teaches us to keep His Law. It is through that faith that the Law is established in your hearts, and we please and come to know Yahuah as our Father.
“in order that the blessing of Aḇraham might come upon the nations in Messiah יהושע, to receive the promise of the Spirit through belief.” ISR 98
He used 98 words while the ISR 98 used 24. That is 300% more words. The Spirit gave the Apostle Paul the words to write. But Paul Sides declares that his translation is better than the Apostle Paul’s.
The transposition of The Law from oral to written in stone does not abolish The Promise
15 Brothers, let me give you an example: Even in ordinary life, no one can do away with, nor can they add to a human covenant once it has been duly ratified; so it is in this case as Yahusha ratified with his blood, the covenant of Law.
“Brothers, as a man I say it: a covenant, even though it is man’s, yet if it is confirmed, no one sets it aside, or adds to it.” ISR 98
Messiah ratified the Everlasting Covenant. He is the spotless Lamb of Elohim, who was promised to Abraham when he went to sacrifice Isaac. Scripture clearly declares that Messiah is the mediator of the everlasting covenant, and that He ratified the covenant with His blood,
And because of this He is the Mediator of a renewed covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance. For where a covenant is, it is necessary for the death of the covenanted one to be established. For a covenant over those dead is firm, since it is never valid while the covenanted one is living. Hebrews 9:15-17
16 Now the promises were made to Abraham concerning. Yahuah does not say: And to seeds, as if to the others, but: And to your Seed, meaning the Messiah and by extension those who are in The Yahushaic Covenant.
“But the promises were spoken to Aḇraham, and to his Seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Messiah.” ISR 98
We are saved by the Everlasting Covenant, which was made to Abraham; which proclaims that we are saved by faith in the atoning work of the spotless Lamb of Yahuah.
There is no such thing as the Yahushaic Covenant. It is heresy which removes the deity of Yahusha.
17 Now I say this; The Law, which came into written existence 430 years after the verbal covenant was already ratified by Yahuah with Abraham who was given the Law orally –does not do away with, nor abolish the promise. The promise exists in both legal states of the Law, orally and written in stone.
“Now this I say, Torah, that came four hundred and thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously confirmed by Elohim in Messiah, so as to do away with the promise.” ISR 98
Rav Sha’ul removed the part of the verse which declares that the everlasting covenant was confirmed by Elohim in Messiah. Once again he is showing his bias against Messiah.
18 For if the inheritance is outside the Law, then it is no longer from the promise, because the promise of Eternal Life and inheritance in The Kingdom is in The Torah for obedience to The Law, you cannot abolish The Law without abolishing the promise along with it; but Yahuah has given the Law verbally to Abraham through the verbal promise that he would be a blessing to all nations. The Law is part of that blessing to the nations.
“For if the inheritance is by Torah, it is no longer by promise, but Elohim gave it to Aḇraham through a promise.” ISR 98
He is teaching the opposite of Scripture. The verse is clearly saying that if your inheritance is by the Law, then it is no longer by promise. Paul Sides is declaring that your inheritance is based on your being obedient to the Torah.
19 What, then, was the purpose of the written Law? It was added in stone 430 years after the verbal covenant which contained the oral Law… for forgiveness of transgressions as we see sin forgiven in the Law in Leviticus 19: 20-22. The Law ruled until the Seed would come to Whom it had been promised, ordained by malakim through the hand of a mediating Eternal High Priest.
“Why, then, the Torah? It was added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made. And it was ordained through messengers in the hand of a mediator.” ISR 98
He is declaring that the Abrahamic Covenant was the oral law, but that is false. It was the promise that Abraham, and all of his seed, would be saved by faith in the atoning work of the spotless Lamb of Yahuah, which Messiah fulfilled.
20 However, a mediator implies more than one party because you must have two parties have a covenant, but Yahuah is only ONE, so Yahusha is the other one; and serves as a mediator between Yahuah and mankind.
“The Mediator, however, is not of one, but Elohim is one.” ISR 98
Notice how he doesn’t capitalize Mediator, as it declares that Yahusha is deity. Hebrews 9:15-17 declares that Yahusha is the Mediator of the renewed covenant.
21 Therefore, is the Law against the promises of Yahuah? By no means! For if there were any Law which could have given true life, then justification would have come through that Law. The Law is a set of instructions, that come with a promise. Eternal Life is based on the promise… so they go together. You can’t have one without the other, they are not against each other… they are a function of one another.
“Is the Torah then against the promises of Elohim? Let it not be! For if a law had been given that was able to make alive, truly righteousness would have been by Torah.” ISR 98
22 However, that which is written; the Law, Prophets, and Writings, has shut all up in the power of sin, as all have sinned, creating a need for a mediating High Priest/Messiah, in order that the promise through the faith in Yahusha might be given to the ones who believe and enter into The Yahushaic Covenant. Therefore, is the Law against the promise of Yahuah? By no means! For since the Law was given to define Righteousness and identify sin, it was never designed to be able to deliver from the penalty of sin, deliverance from sin is through the promise within The Law of the coming Passover Lamb, who would cover the death decrees, making the Law whole, as The Law was made weak by OUR flesh requiring a sacrifice/mediator.
“But the Scripture has shut up all mankind under sin, that the promise by belief in יהושע Messiah might be given to those who believe.” ISR 98
He used a lot of words to distract you from the fact that he removed the intent of the verse, that people are saved by belief in יהושע Messiah.
23 But before the faith in Yahusha came to us, we were guarded in the power of the Law, which created in us a need for and hope in the coming Messiah, being shut up together and protected by a tutor to point us to the Messiah until the faith in Messiah would be revealed; unveiled and uncovered.
“But before belief came, we were being guarded under Torah, having been shut up for the belief being about to be revealed.” ISR 98
24 So in that the Law reveals our sin and creates a need for a mediator, the Law is our teacher, leading us into covenant with the Messiah, so that we might be justified through the faith in the Passover Lamb promise, which, faith, is demonstrated through works of The Law.
“Therefore the Torah became our trainer unto Messiah, in order to be declared right by belief.” ISR 98
25 But now that the faith in the Passover Lamb has been fulfilled, are we no longer under the training of that teacher? May it never be!
“And after belief has come, we are no longer under a trainer.” ISR 98
The verse is declaring that because Messiah has come to ratify the Everlasting Covenant, we are not longer under the trainer of the Law. It is declaring that we are to be trained by Yahusha, who took the Law to the next level.
Paul Sides added the ‘may it never be‘ part to imply that we are still under the Sinai Covenant.
26 For you all are adopted sons of Yahuah, through the faith in Yahuah’s promises found in The Law for obedience in covenant with Yahusha the Messiah to cover your transgressions.
“For you are all sons of Elohim through belief in Messiah יהושע.” ISR 98
Once again he removed the need for belief in Messiah יהושע. and seeks only to point to Yahuah, as he teaches that only Yahuah is deity.
27 For as many of you as have been Mikveh’d into The Yahushaic Covenant, like the Messiah you must become conformed to his Righteous example of obedience to Torah.
“For as many of you as were immersed into Messiah have put on Messiah.” ISR 98
We are immersed into Messiah, not into Paul Side’s false Yahushaic Covenant concept, which is based on a sinful, 100% human Messiah.
28 Is there not the Yahdai as well as the Greek; Gentile? Is there not the slave as well as the freeman? Is there not the male and the female? For all of you must be one with Yahuah in covenant with Yahusha the Messiah; as he is one with our Father in covenant.
“There is not Yehuḏite nor Greek, there is not slave nor free, there is not male and female, for you are all one in Messiah יהושע.” ISR 98
His version removes that we are all one in Messiah יהושע, which again steals reverence from Messiah and applies it only to Yahuah.
29 And if you are one with Yahuah, as the Messiah is one in covenant, then you are a seed of Abraham, heirs according to the promise through loving obedience to His Commandments.
“And if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Aḇraham, and heirs according to promise.” ISR 98
Here he does it again. The text says if you are of Messiah, then you are seed of Abraham. It does not say if you are one with Yahuah! Paul Sides continually manipulates the Greek text to steal glory from our Messiah.
Read Paul Sides, Rav Sha’ul, Translation Of Galatians Chapter 4