First Plus Last

First and Last

After this short exercise, it then struck me to look for any other verses that contain ‘first’ and ‘last’. This could turn into a massive piece of work that my intellectual incompetence had completely missed. Oh well, more help from the Holy Spirit is required to aid this aged researcher!

However, when I looked at the Old Testament instances of this word combination, it turned out that ALL the examples used derivatives of the Hebrew word ‘רֵאשִׁית’ for ‘first’ which we expressly and correctly excluded in the original Last First and The First Last (LFFL) paper. So, suddenly, this additional task started to look rather less daunting than I had first thought.

So let us look at the New Testament instances of this word combination. It is obviously best to start with the verse that started this whole LFFL exercise so that we can ensure that we are looking at the same Greek word combination and thereby comparing like with like. I provide the Greek texts for that comparison:

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last. (Matthew 20 ASV)

16 Οὕτως ἔσονται οἱ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι. (Matthew 20 WHO)

Whoo, hang on a minute. Matthew 19 has the same phrase but with the terms reversed:

30 But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first. (Matthew 19 KJV)

30 Πολλοὶ δὲ ἔσονται πρῶτοι ἔσχατοι καὶ ἔσχατοι πρῶτοι. (Matthew 19 WHO)

After some discussion with Gordon, the LW Church President, a more exhaustive look at several of the Greek Codices was advisable before we jumped to any firm conclusions on this apparent resequencing. Also, a look at the same wording in the other Gospels would be appropriate. So here is the set of scriptures that we needed to consider:

31 Many but will be first (ones) last (ones) and the last (ones) first (ones). (Mark 10 KIT)

31 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι κ(αι) εσχατοι πρωτοι (Mark 10 Sinai)

31 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι και εσχατοι πρωτοι (Mark 10 AlexO)

31 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι και οι εσχατοι πρωτοι (Mark 10 VatB)

31 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι και οι εσχατοι πρωτοι (Mark 10 RescrO)

So, in Mark 10:31 we have complete agreement between the Greek Codices of the sequence being ‘first last and last first’.

30 But many shall be last [that are] first; and first [that are] last. (Matthew 19 ASV)

30 Many but will be first (ones) last (ones) and last (ones) first (ones). (Matthew 19 KIT)

30 πολλοι δε εσοντε εσχατοι πρωτοι και πρωτοι εσχατοι (Matthew 19 Sinai)

30 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι και εσχατοι πρωτοι (Matthew 19 VatB)

30 πολλοι δε εσονται πρωτοι εσχατοι και οι εσχατοι πρωτοι (Matthew 19 RescrO)

In the parallel account at Matthew 19:30, we have a much more confused situation where the Codex Sinaiticus and the ASV English translation differ from the rest. If I were to trust one Codex more than the others for the correct rendering of any verse, it would be the Sinaiticus. This would give ‘last first and first last’ as the correct sequencing. However, I cannot suggest that this is conclusive so I think the jury is still out on the correct sequencing of that verse.

16 Thus will be the last (ones) first and the first (ones) last. (Matthew 20 KIT)

16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. (Matthew 20 KJV)

16 ουτως εσοντε οι εσχατοι πρωτοι και οι πρωτοι εσχατοι (Matthew 20 Sinai)

16 ουτως εσονται οι εσχατοι πρωτοι και οι πρωτοι εσχατοι (Matthew 20 VatB)

16 ουτως εσονται οι εσχατοι πρωτοι και οι πρωτοι εσχατοι πολλοι γαρ εισιν κλητοι ολιγοι δε εκλεκτοι (Matthew 20 RescrO)

Matthew 20:16 therefore gives us a conclusive sequencing of ‘last first and first last’ throughout all the codices. For the record, I note that there are two different versions of the Greek text and consequently two different English translations. However, the additional text has no impact on the current thesis, so I do not intend to comment on that further in this paper.

Whilst not a parallel account, Luke 13 contains the same phraseology. This time again providing a consistent ‘last first and first last’ pattern:

30 And look! they are last (ones) who will be first (ones), and they are first (ones) who will be last (ones). (Luke 13 KIT)

30 και ιδου εισιν εσχατοι οι εσοται πρωτοι και εισιν πρωτοι οι εσοται εσχατοι (Luke 13 Sinai)

30 και ιδου εισιν εσχατοι οι εσονται πρωτοι και εισιν πρωτοι οι εσονται εσχατοι (Luke 13 AlexO)

30 και ιδου εισιν εσχατοι οι εσονται πρωτοι και εισιν πρωτοι οι εσονται εσχατοι (Luke 13 VatB)

What does all this mean? In Mark 10:31 we have complete agreement of the sequence being ‘first last and last first’ and in Matthew 20:16 we have the conclusive sequencing of ‘last first and first last’. Here we can therefore confirm that the Interchangeability Principle (IP) applies in the case of the scriptures.

In the case of Matthew 19:30 we have different codices with the two different sequences of the phraseology. This will be no accident by the Holy Spirit, so here we have the IP applying to the available codices.

Given the (deliberate?) uncertainty of the sequencing of Matthew 19:30, it is therefore a reasonable response to propose that both sequences are correct from this somewhat unusual case of the Ambiguity Principle of the True Bible Code. Therefore, arguably, the IP would also apply in the case of the two parallel accounts. These parallel accounts are different records of the same words of Jesus. Jesus only said this statement once, so the Holy Spirit must have switched the phraseology round in one of these cases. The meaning of these two sequences is identical so this did not change the message from Christ.

Overall, this matrix of cases gives a clear confirmation that we have the Interchangeability Principle correct. in these cases we do not need to carry out the transposition of words ourselves. The Holy Spirit has carried that out for us, no doubt showing us the way. If that is the case, the Gospels are providing us with the further confirmation that the Bible is written in the True Bible Code as the Church of the Lords’ Witnesses contend.

Introduction

After some respite from the Last First and The First Last (LFFL) project, I have tripped up over a couple of verses that I previously missed for the probable reason that these verses contain both the words ‘first’ and ‘last’ within them and so, at first sight, I did not think that they would be relevant to the objectives of the LFFL exercise. As a result, this has developed into another sizeable sub-project as you will discover a little further down this paper. Oh well, yet again, it looks like the Holy Spirit has put me right on that score.

Matthew 27:64

First off, we have Matthew 27:64 which you can see amid several of the surrounding verses below. In that verse we have the work of Christ’s disciples described as ‘deceptions’ which statement is clearly itself the grandest of deceptions. The Pharisees clearly describe the prospective claiming of the resurrection of Christ to be their last ‘deception’. So, what was the first?

62 And on the morrow, which is after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were assembled to Pilate,
63 saying, Sir, we have recalled that that deceiver while living said, After three days I will rise.
64 Therefore, command that the grave be secured until the third day, that His disciples may not come by night and steal Him away, and may say to the people, He is raised from the dead. And the last deception will be worse than the first.
65 And Pilate said to them, You have a guard, go away, make [it as] secure as you know [how].
66 And going along with the guard, they made the grave secure, sealing the stone. (Matthew 27 GLT)

I think it fair to consider that Christ’s prophesied virgin birth would have been that first ‘deception’? After all, if Christ’s resurrection from the dead was his last deception, it would seem logical that His virgin birth would be the first would it not? This particularly since Isaiah’s and Micah’s prophecies were well known to the Jews of the time:

14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7 KJV)

2 But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5 ASV)

This is demonstrated by King Herod’s concern that the prophets’ prophecies had come true with the full knowledge of those self-same Pharisees effectively witnessing the first ‘deception’:

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, (Matthew 2 KJV)

So, in what way would the last deception be worse than the first? I can only surmise that the pharisees believed that Jesus’ followers would then have the ammunition to challenge their leadership of the Jewish people by diverting their congregations to one of worshipping Christ, which, of course, did occur. Also, this would be a clearly perceived event, along with all of Jesus’ miracles that he wrought throughout His ministry. The virgin birth would not be. So, I think it evident why the last deception would be considered worse than the first; it was a clearly visible event which the first was not.

However, if we then contemplate the Interchangeability Principle from the True Bible Code, we then have the first deception worse than the last:

64 Therefore, command that the grave be secured until the third day, that His disciples may not come by night and steal Him away, and may say to the people, He is raised from the dead. And the first deception will be worse than the last. (Matthew 27 JLW)

What does that mean? Bearing in mind that the use of the word ’deception’ is itself effectively a substitution for the word ‘miracle’, I cannot perceive that a virgin birth is worse or better than the miracle of a resurrection. From the Pharisees point of view, however, I can only suppose that if the virgin birth of Christ had not taken place, then we would not have had a Messiah, at least in that timeframe, performing His miracles openly to the masses. If that had been the case then no last deception would have been possible. This would seem to be a case of ‘if there is no first, then there is no last’!

Revelation 2:19

At the same time, I was also struck by the similarity of the phrase ‘the last … will be worse than the first’ with the phrase ‘the last more than the first’ to be found in Revelation 2:19, this latter being tripped over while writing my earlier Idolatry paper:

18 And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like unto burnished brass:
19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first.
20 But I have [this] against thee, that thou sufferest the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. (Revelation 2 ASV)

I discussed the last/first literal meaning and a possible Interchangeability Principle meaning as it might apply to verse 19 above with the Lords' Witnesses President, Gordon. This resulted in the account’s newly decoded greater meaning for verse 19 which is to be found under the section on Thyatira at: Understanding 38 - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia & Laodicea - Today!. This section covers the Watchtower presidency of Freddie Franz and I paraphrase the relevant decoded greater meaning of that verse as derived between Gordon and myself from that webpage:

‘Literally the Watchtower’s ‘ministry and patience’, the last two items in the list of works were greater than their ‘love and faith’, the first two in the list. But we must also apply the Interchangeability Principle whereby the first becomes the last and the last first:

19 I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy first works are more than the last. (Revelation 2 JLW)

In this case, we applied this temporally to the entire list of all the deeds. Consequently, we discover that the works under Franz decreased at the end of his presidency when compared to the works at the start.

Franz’s predecessor President, Knorr, had a much larger worldwide congregation increase in percentage terms than did Franz. Knorr had some bible research in place supporting the 1975 end-times date, whereas Franz had almost none. Frank ended his presidency by mothballing Gordon’s Letter to the Society. This later act was worse than the earlier mothballing attempts of the date of the end, after the failure of 1975, which characterised the start of his presidency. So, Thyatira was more destructive to bible interpretation at the end of his presidency than it was at its beginning.’

Interim Conclusion

So, it looks like the introduction to my Idolatry paper was incorrect in that it was not my last paper in this system after all. Maybe this will be? Anyway, the above observations on these two verses are not particularly mind-blowing discoveries in themselves. However, they do help to further support the notion of the Interchangeability Principle word substitution that our research in this area has uncovered thus far. Amen.

Oh, but now read on to find out the real purpose of why I was led to write this paper…..

The Alpha and The Omega

First Plus Last

Revelation 2:8

This next scripture is clearly referring literally to Jesus who died as a man and was then resurrected:

8 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna, write: These things says the First and the Last, who became dead, and lived: (Revelation 2 GLT)

However, the description of Him as ‘the First and the Last’ needs a little thought since He is not the Father. As the ‘first’, He is the first-born son of Jehovah and then, as a God in His own right, He will always be Jehovah’s first-born. Thereby He is also the last, arguably, since there will not be another first-born son of Jehovah:

15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; (Colossians 1 ASV)

For the record, there is also a greater meaning to this scripture as described in Understanding 38 - Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia & Laodicea - Today!. In this context Rutherford, the second President of the Watchtower, is symbolically described as the ‘angel of the church of Smyrna’ and ‘the First and the Last’ in the context of his baptism into the Watchtower.

So, let us now look at the Interchangeability Principle version of this verse:

8 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna, write: These things says the Last and the First, who became dead, and lived: (Revelation 2 JLW)

I think this mirrors the previous verse in that the interchange between ‘First’ and ‘Last’ does not change the meaning but confers a temporal context to the verse. This time, however, instead of describing Jehovah’s living outside of Time, it is describing Jesus’ divinity since He now also lives outside of time as the first-born divine son of Jehovah. Amen.

Conclusion

Well, this was a paper I had not expected to be writing. It came about by (my) error and by (apparent) accident. However, I believe that accident was fully orchestrated by the Holy Spirt, particularly in the context of the important and highly productive discussions I had with Gordon, regarding Mathew 20:16 etc. So, is this my ‘last’ paper on the ‘last first’ principle or is this the 'last' paper that I will write in this system of things? It all seems a little too co-ordinated for this not to have some greater meaning for me and the Church of the Lords’ Witnesses. See you on the other side, I pray! Amen

The Last Word (?!)

Possibly more than any other paper on this website, this research represents the deep interpretational and thought-provoking study of the scriptures that is the hallmark of the Church of the Lords' Witnesses. This marks us apart from all other churches that we know of. So, when Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, was the Holy Spirit guiding his pen to describe the work of the Lords' Witnesses in the latter days of this system of things:

15 Earnestly [study] to present yourself approved to God, a workman unashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. (2 Timothy 2 GLT)

I am sure that there are many who will reject our work as pure fiction as well as all those that consider the Bible also to be a work of fiction rather than the Word of God written down for the benefit of mankind. The Bible itself confirms this rejection by the unbelievers, ironically in a 'First Plus Last' scripture already analysed in this paper:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3 KJV)

To take this a little further, we need to consider why the Bible is written in a code and why the Lords' Witnesses have been given the gift of understanding that and being given the ability and the task to carry out the decryption of God's Word. You will find the answers at Understanding C1 - Why would God cause the bible to be written in a code?.

Date of Publication: 4th August 2025

2 Peter 2:20

This next scripture is about faithful ones who turn away from righteousness back into the ways of the world. They should know better and, as a result, their status in God’s eyes is worse than that from before they originally gained their faith:

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first. (2 Peter 2 ASV)

Once again, let us have a look at the Interchangeability Principle (IP) and what the greater meaning here might bring to the table:

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the first state is become worse with them than the last. (2 Peter 2 JLW)

Well, it is difficult to make much sense out of that without contemplating some form of word or event symbolism substitution (The History of Event and Word Symbolism) to tease out a very different greater meaning. We need to contemplate a scenario which would be the very opposite of the original literal text.

Let us consider the plight of those sinners that did not know Christ and followed the ways of Satan, therefby 'escaping' the potential blessings of this life. These ones would find themselves in Gehenna as a result. This could, arguably, be their first and worst state in the context of the substituted verse. However, when they repent, they would have discovered those blessings and be let out of Gehenna on parole, this then being their last state. This greater meaning would further substantiate the LW view of Gehenna, that it is NOT an everlasting punishment (Introduction 14 - What the Hell is Gehenna? Why does God permit Demon Possession? Universal Salvation: God will save each and every one of us, for God is love and love is salvation).

2 Peter 3:3

In this second letter of Peter, he is reminding his followers to recall their knowledge of God’s messages to His people so that, in the last days, they will not be misled by the non-believers:

3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3 KJV)

So, as we are now becoming accustomed, let us have a look at the IP version of this verse:

3 Knowing this last, that there shall come in the first days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3 JLW)

I think this represents a temporal shift, where the faithful ones have already been saved into the greater ark (Understanding 59 - Beaming and Rapturing: The Sci-Fi Epic of Mankind's Salvation, the Greater Ark of Noah is Heavenly Jerusalem of Revelation21). In looking back at their own faithful behaviour, they can see that has saved them. Meanwhile, they can observe the fate of the non-believers in the days prior to the end of the current system of things. The original text is advising Peter’s followers on their future reaction to the latter-day non-believers. The IP text is effectively looking back at the result of their own and the non-believers’ behaviour. I think this greater meaning is providing more evidence for the LW view of the greater ark. Amen.

Jewish Lords' Witness

Matthew 20:8

This next scripture is a prelude to Matthew 20:16 as previously discussed above. It relates to the payment of the workers in the vineyard and their pay being the same, regardless of when they started their day’s labour. In the literal meaning it clearly relates to salvation being the same payment to all, regardless of when they achieved that salvation in this life. One minute before Judgement Day will be as adequate in that context as a lifetime of faith. Let us check out the wording of the verse in question:

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them [their] hire, beginning from the last unto the first. (Matthew 20 KJV)

So, in the literal translation the workers were paid starting with those last joining the day’s labour. Why were they paid first in the parable? This was so that the early workers could question the payment and be told the point of the parable that the same salvation is available to all temporally speaking. So let us look once again at the Interchangeability Principle and what that greater meaning might be:

8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them [their] hire, beginning from the first unto the last. (Matthew 20 JLW)

For the answer on this meaning, we need to look at Understanding 59 - Beaming and Rapturing: The Sci-Fi Epic of Mankind's Salvation, the Greater Ark of Noah is Heavenly Jerusalem of Revelation21. This page gives the sequence of salvation as, and I quote:

1. Resurrection of all the dead CRCs in Christ in Hades

2. JAC rapture of the saints (archangel's voice)

3. CRC rapture of the priests (God's trumpet)

4. FRC rapture of the faithful citizens (commanding call)

So, whilst all these categories of saved souls will enjoy the same salvation, they will be raptured temporally as shown above. First off, we have the resurrection of the faithful dead from the grave. This is then followed by the rapture of the living Saints, then the living priests and finally the rapture of the living and faithful citizens of the Kingdom of God. Whilst their salvation is effectively the same, their roles and place in the Kingdom will be very different as defined by their behaviour and level of faith shown in the current system.

Mark 9:35

The meaning in the literal sense of this verse is that if any man would be a leader in this life, then he will be just a regular citizen of the Kingdom, assuming he gets saved come Judgement Day. If he does not get saved first time around, he will have to wait a little longer for his ‘get out of jail free card’:

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, [the same] shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9 KJV)

Once again let us look at the implications of applying the Interchangeability Principle (IP) to this verse:

35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be last, [the same] shall be first of all, and servant to no-one. (Mark 9 JLW)

I have always argued that all leaders of all political persuasions in this system of things will be the wrong people in that role. This is for the simple reason that they want it which, in God’s book, invalidates them for the role. This can be seen clearly in the world today as we enter the last days of this system. The incompetence, corruption and evil being wrought under today’s leadership in pretty much every corner of the globe is clear for all to see. The level of citizen dissent has never been higher in just about every nation one cares to examine.

The IP version of this scripture reverts from the subject of those that would be leader to those that would not wish to be king. In the Kingdom of God, the leaders in that system will be the 1NC Saints and 2NC Kings. These ones will have been perfectly happy living their lives in the Kingdom tending their own vineyards and who did not look for positions of power in the current system of things. The honour of leadership will be given them resulting from that quality and in the level of faith they have shown during their lives in the current system of things.

1 Corinthians 15:45

This next scripture in the ‘first and last’ series is comparing the first Adam with the last Adam:

45 So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15 ASV)

The first Adam became a living soul as a result of God’s breathing His spirit into his body of dust (check out Introduction 9 - What is a Soul? What is a Spirit?):

7 And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2 ASV)

This first Adam was created as a non-Adamic man who became father to us all after his fall thereby endowing as with the mortal coil of being Adamic (check out: Introduction 47 - The Fall and the Fix of Adam and Eve: The 2 Ransoms of the Christ). The last Adam was Jesus Christ who, as mankind’s saviour, will endow the Adamic sons of man with non-Adamic souls once we gain entry to the Kingdom of God.

So, what does the Interchangeability Principle tell us? Let’s have a look:

45 So also it is written, The last man Adam became a living soul. The first Adam [became] a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15 JLW)

This is interesting. For Jesus to achieve His objective of saving Adamic mankind, he had to give up His angelic existence as the archangel Michael and become a fleshly non-Adamic man as was the original fleshly Adam ([16] Jesus is the archangel Michael, Michaelmas is Christmas and Jesus came to earth before his ministry as Enoch. Michael possessed Enoch). Despite our thoughts on Adam’s fall he was, nonetheless, God’s first-born human son. While he lost his non-Adamic body resulting from his sin in Eden, he still is the fleshly father to all mankind. While his body became Adamic, the spirit that God breathed into him was still intact and we all benefit from having God’s spirit breathed into us prior to our birth as Adam’s progeny. So, while we suffer the curse of the frailty and mortality of our Adamic bodies, we still have the promised blessing of Christ’s saving grace for all of mankind. Amen.

It is also worth stating that Jesus became God’s first-born divine son upon His resurrection, thereby mirroring Adam as God’s first-born non-Adamic human son (check out Introduction 26 - When Jesus gave his life for us, he became the second God to be worshipped like his father Jehovah):

27 And God created the man in His own image; in the image of God He created him. He created them male and female. (Genesis 1 GLT)

13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love;
14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:
15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; (Colossians 1 ASV)

Matthew 12:45

So, from the previous example, we are looking for derivations of the Greek words ‘πρωτοι’ and ‘εσχατοι’ translated as ‘first’ and last’ respectively. The first one we come across is an earlier verse in Matthew’s Gospel:

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last [state] of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12 KJV)

45 πορεύεται καὶ παραλαμβάνει μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἑπτὰ ἕτερα πνεύματα πονηρότερα ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθόντα κατοικεῖ ἐκεῖ: καὶ γίνεται τὰ ἔσχατα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκείνου χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. Οὕτως ἔσται καὶ τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ πονηρᾷ. (Matthew 12 WHO)

The literal meaning of this verse describes a situation where a relatively less evil singleton demon ceases possessing a man but brings back seven more evil demons than himself to possess that man. This is understood by the Lords’ Witnesses to demonstrate that there are different levels of demon imprisonment in Tartarus related to the level of evil demonstrated by each demon. The less evil demon is kept in solitary confinement. While this does not sound too great from the demon’s perspective, it is to be compared to the next level up in evil, where 7 demons are to be kept in close confinement together with their fellow evil-doers. The highest security level would be that demonstrated by Legion. Check out Introduction 14 - What the Hell is Gehenna? Why does God permit Demon Possession? Universal Salvation: God will save each and every one of us, for God is love and love is salvation.

So, if we were to use the Interchangeability Principle this would give us the translation:

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the first [state] of that man is worse than the last. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12 JLW)

For this to make any sense we must be looking at some significantly different greater meaning. After an amazingly brief but productive discussion with the LW Church President, Gordon, we came up with the following equally amazing understanding of that greater meaning. Looking at the Greek text for this verse, a key word here is ‘πονηρότερα’. Whilst the English translation would generally be understood to be ‘wicked’ as per the KJV above, an alternative and more subtle meaning could be ‘labouring against wickedness’ which would be a reasonable paraphrase of the meaning we can see from the first translation in Strong’s Greek Lexicon at https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4190/kjv/tr/0-1/. In this context we would be looking at seven spirits labouring against wickedness as the man’s last state.

The greater meaning here is that the seven spirits become the seven gifts of the spirit. The Lords’ Witnesses will receive the gifts of the spirit come the Greater Passover thereby making our first state worse than our last when we shall receive those gifts. So how do we come to that conclusion?

First off, Paul lists the gifts of the spirit to the Corinthian congregation:

28 And God has set the respective ones in the congregation, first, apostles; second, prophets; 3rd, teachers; then powerful works; then gifts of healings; helpful services, abilities to direct, different tongues.
29 Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform powerful works, do they?
30 Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all are translators, are they? (1 Corinthians 12 NWT)

Let us use a numbered list for the gifts identified as lacking in us in verses 29 and 30:

Not all are apostles, are they?
Not all are prophets, are they?
Not all are teachers, are they?
Not all perform powerful works, do they?
Not all have gifts of healings, do they?
Not all speak in tongues, do they?
Not all are translators, are they?

This represents seven Binary Questions of the True Bible Code (TBC) all in the same form. So indeed, all the sealed LWs shall have all these seven powers according to the TBC. Check out Understanding 112, Point 23 - 1Corinthians 12:28-31: Not all have the gifts of the spirit do they? for the full story on this. And, just in case we need further evidence that there are indeed seven gifts of the spirit, we have that confirmation in the Book of Revelation:

6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5 KJV)

So let us rework Matthew 12:45 to tease out the greater meaning according to these principles of the TBC. I have colour-coded the substituted text for clarity:

45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other gifts of the spirit more labouring against wickedness than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the first [state] of that man is worse than the last. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. (Matthew 12 JLW)

The initial state of the Lords' Witnesses (LWs) is that they will each only have one of these gifts which we are individually applying in our current ministry. The last state, following the Greater Passover, will be that we will have all seven gifts of the spirit thereby enabling us to repel the evil intent of Satan and his demon hordes in the last days. Paul sets the standard for the sealed LWs for the period when we become all things to all people:

22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some. (1 Corinthians 9 KJV)

For the record, Luke 11:26 represents a parallel account to Matthew 12:45 for which the above argumentation will also apply:

26 Then goeth he, and taketh [to him] seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last [state] of that man is worse than the first. (Luke 11 KJV)

Revelation 1:11

For this next scripture in the current series, we find two different versions in the codices and consequently two English translations. Interestingly this includes the selective exclusion of ‘the first and the last’ phraseology. This time, and surprisingly to the JLW, it is the Sinaiticus Codex which omits this critical phrase for the current project:

11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1 KJV)

11 saying, What thou seest, write in a book and send [it] to the seven churches: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamum, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1 ASV)

11 λεγουσης εγω ειμι το α και το ω ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος και ο βλεπεις γραψον εις βιβλιον και πεμψον ταις εκκλησιαις ταις εν ασια εις εφεσον και εις σμυρναν και εις περγαμον και εις θυατειρα και εις σαρδεις και εις φιλαδελφειαν και εις λαοδικειαν (Revelation 1 STE)

11 λεγουσης γραψον εις το βιβλιον πεμψον ταις επτα εκκλησιαις εις εφεσον και εις περγαμον και εις θυατειρα και εις ζμυρναν και εις φιλαδελφια και εις λαοδικιαν (Revelation 1 SCSa)

However, if we look a little further into the current chapter of the scriptures and we find the following verse where all the codices and English translations appear to agree:

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Revelation 1 KJV)

However, we also have the following verse which appears to have two variations as follows replicated in both English translations and different Greek codices:

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Revelation 22 KJV)

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22 ASV)

13 εγω ειμι το α και το ω αρχη και τελος ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος (Revelation 22 STE)

13 εγω το αλφα και το ω ο πρωτος κ(αι) ο εσχατος η αρχη κ(αι) το τελος (Revelation 22 SCSa)

These variations have the phrases 'the beginning and the end' and 'the first and the last' transposed. I expect that has some cryptic significance but I do not intend to investigate that for the purposes of this current paper.

So, if we concentrate solely on the 'First and Last' project, it is as if the Holy Spirit (HS) knew that this phrase was going to be selectively missed out in Revelation 1:11. Consequently, the HS deliberately repeated it to make sure that it got into this Chapter and Book of Revelation. So, I think it safe to say that to apply the Interchangeability Principle (IP) to any of the above verses, that contain the phrase, is a valid exercise to determine a greater meaning.

Clearly the original texts of these verses is effectively stating that Jehovah is the Father of all creation and that He will always be our God. So, what happens if we apply the IP to Revelation 22:13, the shortest and therefore most convenient of the above verses, regardless of the other transposition in that verse since that will not change the sense of it:

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the last and the first, the beginning and the end. (Revelation 22 JLW)

Well, what is the point of that? We have reversed the two words and yet the meaning of the phrase has not changed. I think that is the point. Here we are being told that Jehovah is our timeless God. If we were to reverse time, God would still be there from the end to the beginning of time. This is further evidence, if needed, that my Time paper was correct in determining that God lives outside of time. Amen.