All languages of the world, both past and present, have idioms, metaphors and mannerisms of speech. This style of speech is called colloquialism. An idiom is a saying that a stranger to that language cannot understand and therefore takes literally and is misunderstood. This is because we use an idiom to say one thing, but we mean another. For example, in Semitic language (Hebrew/Aramaic) one would say "If your hand offends you, cut it off," which means, If you have a habit of stealing , cut it out." A Western or American/English idiom, "He is in hot water", "He is in a jam" or "He has gotten himself into a real fix," really means, "He is in trouble." Idioms and colloquialisms cannot be taken literally.
A translator of the Holy Bible must know the true meanings in order to translate them accurately into another language. This is one reason why the Bible is misunderstood and has been subjected to revision throughout the years. The sixteenth century translators of the Holy Bible did not understand the idioms and proper synonyms of the language they translated, nor did the early Greek language translators, who translated portions of the New Testatment from a Semitic language, (probably Aramaic). Most Biblical scholars now agree that the language that Jesus and the Disciples spoke was Aramaic, and the scriptures of the old Testament were written in Hebrew, both Semitic languages. Semitic being of the Biblical "Shem" one of the sons of Noah. Common sense and conscience tells me that in order to get the true understanding of the original scriptures, one would want translations from the original or earliest accepted Semitic writtings, and not of the Koine Greek translations.
Source: DR. George M. Lamsa Semitic language expert and translator
