Books by Francois Du Toit

Leute, die aufgehört haben, die Bibel zu lesen oder sie noch nie gelesen haben, sagen über die Mirror: "Ich habe noch nie etwas gelesen, das mich so tief berührt hat. Dies ist eine vollkommen neue Bibel. Ich kann es kaum erwarten, sie allen meinen Freunden zu geben! Die Mirror Studienbibel ist eine umschreibende Übersetzung des Originaltextes. Während wir der buchstäblichen Bedeutung strikt folgen, wurden die Sätze so konstruiert, dass die umfassendere Bedeutung beständig mit Hilfe eines ausgeweiteten Textes betont wird.Einige erklärende Fußnoten sind in Kursivschrift dargestellt.Es handelt sich hier eher um ein beschreibendes Studium als umeine wörtliche Übersetzung.Während die genauen Bedeutungsnuancen intensiv studiert werden, wird trotzdem dem gesamten Kapitel Rechnung getragen, das eingebettet in den ausgeweiteten Blickwinkel des gesamten Briefes betrachtet wird.Dabei wird der volle Zusammenhang von Jesu vollbrachtem Werkimmer im Gedächtnis behalten, welches ja die Botschaft ist, um diees in der gesamten Bibel geht.Um den Leser bei seinem Studium zu unterstützen, habe ich dem griechischen Wort eine Zahl hinzugefügt und diese mit dem bedeutungsnahesten englischen Wort im kursivgedruckten Text, der danach folgt, verbunden. Dadurch können die zwei Sprachen am direktesten miteinander verglichen werden.Vor 25 Jahren habe ich mehrere paulinische Briefe übersetzt, die Ruach Übersetzung genannt wird.2007 begann ich mit der Spiegelübersetzung.Dies ist ein andauernder Prozess - und wird vielleicht das gesamte Neue Testament und auch einen ausgewählten Teil des Alten Testaments beinhalten.Ruth Ann Kielman hat große Teile der Mirror Bibel ins Deutsche übersetzt. Aug 2019

The dynamic of the gospel is the revelation of God's faith as the only valid basis of our belief (from faith to faith). Paul quotes Habakkuk who prophetically introduced a new era when he realized that righteousness would be founded in what God believes and not in mankind's clumsy ability to obey the law. From now on righteousness by God's faith defines life! (Hab 2:4, Rom 1:17, 3:27).Instead of reading the curse when disaster strikes, Habakkuk realizes that the Promise out-dates performance as the basis to mankind's acquittal! Deuteronomy 28 would no longer be the motivation or the measure of right or wrong behavior! "Though the fig trees do not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like hinds' feet, he makes me tread upon my high places." (Hab 3:17-19 RSV). For salvation to be relevant it has to offer mankind a basis and reference from which their faith is to be launched. It has to offer a conclusion of greater implication than the stalemate condition they find themselves in under the dispensation of the law. Paul is convinced that whatever happened to the human race because of Adam's fall is far superseded in every possible proportion by the revelation of mankind's inclusion in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He places the fall of Adam and every act of unrighteousness that followed against the one act of righteousness that God performed in Christ as proof of mankind's acquittal.This is the message that Paul says he owes to the entire world!"I proclaim Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was concealed in silence in the sequence of timeless ages, but now is made publicly known, mirrored in prophetic Scripture." ("Surely he was wounded by our transgressions; he was bruised by our iniquities. The chastisement that brought us peace was upon him and by his stripes we were healed." [Isa 53:4, 5]) And now the God of the ages has issued his mandate to make the mystery known in such a way that all the nations of the earth will discover the lifestyle that the hearing of faith ignites." (Rom 16:25, 26) Paul gives new definition to obedience when he calls it "the obedience of faith." Romans 1:5."The conclusion is clear: it took just one offense to condemn mankind; one act of righteousness declares the same mankind innocent. The disobedience of the one exhibits mankind as sinners, the obedience of another exhibits mankind as righteous. Romans 5:18, 19.Just as all mankind became exceedingly sinful through one person's disobedience but did not know it until the law revealed it, so all mankind became exceedingly righteous through one act of righteousness but they do not know it until the gospel reveals it. The principle of faith is to see what God sees. God calls things that seem not to be as though they were. Romans 4:17. Romans 4:17 finds its context in Romans 1:17 and Rom 10:17, "It is clear then that faith's source is found in the content of the message heard; the message is Christ. (We are God's audience; Jesus is God's language!)"

My philosophy in doing the Mirror Bible is reflected in the following example:I do not read music, but have often witnessed our son, Stefan, approach a new piece on the piano. His eyes see so much more than mere marks scribbled on a page;he hears the music.His trained mind engages even the subtleties and the nuances of the original composition, and is able to repeat the authentic sound, knowing that the destiny of the music would never be reduced to the page;but is always in the next moment,where the same intended beauty is heardand repeated again!The best translation would always be the incarnation!I so value the enormity of the revelation of the incarnation.Yet, before flesh, the Word was προςface to face with God!And fragile textscribbled thru the ages in memoirs of stone, parchment and papyrus pages -carrying eternity in thoughtand continues to translate faithto faith!Now we have the same spirit of faith as he encountered when he wrote..."I believeand so I speak!"Conversation ignites!"Did not our hearts burn within our being when He spoke familiar text of ancient times, in the voices of Moses and the prophets and David and Abraham,who saw his dayand announced its dawn in our hearts!The mystery that was hidden for ages and generationsis now revealed!In dealing daily with ancient text, rediscovering thoughts buried in time, I am often overwhelmed and awed at the magnificence of eternity captured in little time capsules, opening vistas of beauty beyond our imagination- face to face with the same face to faceness of the Logos and God and us - conceived in their dream! And irresistibly intrigued by the invitation to come and drink - to taste and see - from the source - and to hear a saint reminiscing and reminding himself of the utterance of another earth dweller-brother, David, who wrote a song 1000 years ago, "Return to your rest, oh my soul! For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you! I believe and so I speak!" And with fresh wounds bleeding from the many angry blows he was dealt with, Paul echoes, "We have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, 'I believe and so I speak!' We too believe and so we speak!"Let's celebrate the "sameness" of Jesus yesterday - yes, as far as history and beyond time can go -and today! This very finite, fragile moment -plus, the infinite future! Inexhaustible, beyond boundaries and the confines of space and time!

The book of Revelation is the most abused and misunderstood book of the Bible!The language is purely symbolic. Its rich imagery celebrates the Champion of the Ages, the slain and risen Lamb of God bringing closure to every definition of judgment in his death and resurrection. Jesus is not a literal Lamb, nor a literal Lion! As the Son of God he is the Incarnate Word that has always been face to face with God. He is the Word in whom all things exist! The stars are not literal stars neither is the underworld a literal fathomless pit, or the Lake ablaze with Brimstone a literal place! Throughout the unfolding conversation, pictures come to mind that have already been part of the narrative of God's prophetic dealings with Israel for generations, symbolically pointing to a Person and a Moment recorded historically in time, where the resolve of God concludes powerfully in the glorious triumph of the Lamb over every definition of Devil. In fact, every possible idea of Sin, Judgment, Death, Hades, Satanos, Devil, Demon, Dragon, Beast and False Prophet-Prostitute is addressed and dissolved and thus rendered redundant. See Rev 17:14 These join forces in that hour to wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb defeats them since he is the Lord of lords and the King of kings. And, sharing with him in his victory, are his kindred, recognizing their origin in this conversation; they too are now of the same persuasion. The Lamb led them into freedom from their lost identity, and their doubts. As far as God is concerned, it is indeed, Mission accomplished! The salvation of humankind is no longer a possible outcome of events, it is the grandest announcement of the redeemption of the Romance of the Ages!Rev 20:15 And everything that was not written in the Book of Life was poured into the Lake of fire. (The authentic ID of human life is defined in the Book of Life - or the Tree of Life, representing the redeemed life of our design, versus the alternative Tree of the knowledge of good and evil, representing humanity's identity under scrutiny and questioned. The "I am not-Tree" heads up a system of a works and performance based philosophy, judging the masses of humanity as condemned to eternal torment. To have your name written in the Book of Life simply suggests that you discover your identity there in the Zoe-life redeemed by the Lamb. You may have only known yourself according to the flesh, as Simon, the son of Jonah, while you really are Petros; Mr Rock, a chip of the old Block! Every evidence of an inferior identity is cast into the lake of Sulphur burning away the dross to reveal the gold! Any idea of an identity outside of the Book of Life, is dissolved! The Lamb's Book of Life and not the law of personal achievement and performance, defines us!) The book of Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ as the great Rescuer of the human race. As the slain and risen Lamb of God, he fulfilled mankind's destiny with death and judgment! The significance of the implications of this cannot be exaggerated! It reaches into the entire past, present and future of human history!

It is a joy to introduce an innovative and fresh translation of the New Testament. It is not bound by overt doctrinal and denominational presuppositions. With great care and unusual boldness, this author, Francois du Toit who lives in South Africa, seeks to introduce us to the authentic Jesus Paul was seeking to make know to the Philippians

My philosophy in doing the Mirror Bible is reflected in the following example:I do not read music, but have often witnessed our son, Stefan, approach a new piece on the piano. His eyes see so much more than mere marks scribbled on a page;he hears the music.His trained mind engages even the subtleties and the nuances of the original composition, and is able to repeat the authentic sound, knowing that the destiny of the music would never be reduced to the page;but is always in the next moment,where the same intended beauty is heardand repeated again!The best translation would always be the incarnation!I so value the enormity of the revelation of the incarnation.Yet, before flesh, the Word was προςface to face with God!And fragile textscribbled thru the ages in memoirs of stone, parchment and papyrus pages -carrying eternity in thoughtand continues to translate faithto faith!Now we have the same spirit of faith as he encountered when he wrote..."I believeand so I speak!"Conversation ignites!"Did not our hearts burn within our being when He spoke familiar text of ancient times, in the voices of Moses and the prophets and David and Abraham,who saw his dayand announced its dawn in our hearts!The mystery that was hidden for ages and generationsis now revealed!In dealing daily with ancient text, rediscovering thoughts buried in time, I am often overwhelmed and awed at the magnificence of eternity captured in little time capsules, opening vistas of beauty beyond our imagination- face to face with the same face to faceness of the Logos and God and us - conceived in their dream! And irresistibly intrigued by the invitation to come and drink - to taste and see - from the source - and to hear a saint reminiscing and reminding himself of the utterance of another earth dweller-brother, David, who wrote a song 1000 years ago, "Return to your rest, oh my soul! For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you! I believe and so I speak!" And with fresh wounds bleeding from the many angry blows he was dealt with, Paul echoes, "We have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, 'I believe and so I speak!' We too believe and so we speak!"Let's celebrate the "sameness" of Jesus yesterday - yes, as far as history and beyond time can go -and today! This very finite, fragile moment -plus, the infinite future! Inexhaustible, beyond boundaries and the confines of space and time!

Gente que ha dejado de leer la Biblia o aun nunca la han leído dice acerca de The Mirror / El Espejo: "Nunca he leído algo que me impactara tan profundamente, es una nueva Biblia, tengo muchas ganas de compartirla con mis amigos!" La Biblia The Mirror / El Espejo es parafraseada del texto original Griego. Cada detalle y matices del significado de cada palabra Griega han sido tenidos en cuenta a fin de ser consistente con el contexto de cada capitulo dentro del más amplio espectro de la epístola, y teniendo en mente todo el contexto de Jesús como el revelador y redentor de la imagen y semejanza del Dios invisible en forma humana, lo cual es lo que el mensaje de la Biblia refleja. A fin de asistir al lector en su estudio, he identificado numéricamente cada palabra Griega con su significado más cercano en Español dentro del comentario en cursiva que sigue al versículo. Esto es para crear una comparación directa de las palabras entre los dos idiomas. Muchas palabras usadas en traducciones previas han adoptaos significados en el tiempo que se desvían del pensamiento original. Las palabras individuales pueden influenciar grandemente la interpretación de cualquier conversación. Por años han existido errores, inconscientes o deliberados, fueron repetidos y han reforzado a las instituciones religiosas de la época para influenciar, manipular y aun abusar a las personas. Consideren por ejemplo la palabra metanoia, que tiene dos componentes, meta, junto con y nous, mente, sugiriendo un cambio de mente radical. Esta palabra ha sido siempre traducida como "arrepentimiento o arrepentirse," la cual viene del antiguo Castellano que la recibió del Latín poenitere=penitencia. Entonces ellos le agregaron del Latín re=intensificar, a fin de conseguir una conciencia culpable por el pecado. Re-poenitere llegó a ser nuestro "arrepentimiento." Este gran engaño condujo a las pervertidas doctrinas de las indulgencias, donde gente ingenua, sencilla e ignorante creían que necesitaban comprar el favor de un Dios enfadado. La mayoría de las catedrales así como muchos ministerios fueron construidos con dinero de la "culpa." La Biblia es un libro peligroso! Ha confundido y dividido mas personas que cualquier otro escrito. Las Escrituras han sido utilizadas para justificar algunas de las más grandes atrocidades en la historia humana. Personas fueron torturadas, quemadas hasta la muerte y multitud fueron asesinadas sobre la base de lo que alguien entendió de las Escrituras! Jesús, Pablo, y creyentes a través de todos los tiempos sufrieron su más grande oposición por parte de aquellos que conocían las Escrituras. Si este es un documento es tan peligroso, como acercarnos a ese Libro? The Mirror / El Espejo revela el código de la Encarnación como la llave que abre el misterio del mensaje de las Escrituras. El romance de los tiempos es revelado aquí!

The word theology means the Logic of God. God does not expect us to respond in an unintelligent way to the greatest revelation of knowledge and understanding that man could possibly perceive; nor to remain in a haze of confusion concerning our origin, our identity, our eternal destiny and our present standing before him. He has made it possible for us to come into the same understanding, to enjoy an equal appreciation of that which he himself enjoys. True companionship only makes sense in an environment of mutual compatibility. The mission of Jesus was not to add to the mystery of Deity but to bring absolute clarity regarding the person of God as the Father of the human race! "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Any idea that we could have had of God that is unlike Jesus would not be true about God! In Jesus the forgotten Father of the human race introduces himself again as our only true Father. Eph 4:5 There is only one faith! Not what we believe about God but what God believes about us! Eph 4:6 There is only one God. He remains the ultimate Father of the universe. We are because he is. He is present in all; he is above all, through all, and in all.(He is not far from each one of us; in him we live and move and have our being. We are indeed his offspring. [Acts 17:24-28])