Rewriting the text to Harmonize?

Sometimes you can find two verses that read very much the same in two different books, but then you also find the scholars think one verse was altered to read like another by a copyist in a misguided effort to present the true harmony of scripture. Translators might be tempted to engage in emendation too, and that of course would be very wrong.

One of the oft repeated phrases found in the New Testament is "from (or before) the foundation of the world." This phrase is found about 10 times. And the Greek word, transliterated Katabole (G2602) is translated as "foundation" in all 10 of these cases.

However, we can find a very similar phrase "from the foundation of the earth" also in the New Testament. One would assume that these phrases in the original Greek would be very similar, since they are translated almost in the same way. However, "katabole" also appears to mean "cast down" (see Hebrews 11:11) so why is it translated as if it means "foundation," when another Greek word, transliterated "Themelioo" (G2311) actually means foundation? See Hebrews 1:10.

So why do these very different phrases read nearly the same in many of our English translations, is this a case of actual harmony of message, or a case of hostility to God's inspired word?

It is interesting to consider Hebrews 6:1, because both our words appear, but the idea is "not again casting down the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God." "Foundation" is another translation of "themelioo" and (in verb form) "kataballomeno" is rendered "laying or casting down." (See Hebrews 6:1 and 2 Corinthians 4:9)

What if in those 10 places, God's word was intended to say, from (or before) the casting down of humanity?
Does this phrase, properly translated refer to the imposition of the Fall, the consequence of Adam's sin?

 

What is the context of the verses which include the phrase, the foundation of the world?

Matthew 13:35 refers to the time period since things were hidden from humanity.

Matthew 25:34 refers to the kingdom prepared for people since the down-casting of humanity.

Luke 11:50 refers to charging the shed blood of prophets against humanity since the down-casting of humanity.

John 17:24 refers to Christ existing before the down-casting of humanity.

Ephesians 1:4 refers to Christ being chosen before the down-casting of humanity to be God's redeemer and the corporate choice therefore of those His redeemer would redeem.

Hebrews 4:3 refers to God completing His works since the down-casting of humanity.

Hebrews 9:26 refers to the fact Christ would have needed to suffer many times since the down-casting of humanity if He was like the human High Priests, entering a temple made by human hands, but He was not, and offered Himself once for all.

1 Peter 1:20 refers to Christ being know as the Lamb of God before the down-casting of humanity.

Revelation 13:8 refers to names written in the Lamb's book of life since the down-casting of humanity.

Revelation 17:8 refers to names written in the Lamb's book of life since the down-casting of humanity.