English verbs have three tenses oriented to time—past, present, or future. Biblical Hebrew has only two verb tenses oriented to action—imperfect or perfect—meaning the action is in process or it is complete. In Biblical Hebrew, there is no verb tense for future action.

Translators are forced to attach past, present, or future verb tenses, based on context, but those verbs also impose interpretations that may not have been intended. Consider, for example, the New International Version of Joel 2:28-29, with the English suggesting what will happen in the future. 

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit.”

A more accurate transliteration from ancient Hebrew might read:

“I do pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters do prophesy, your old men do dream dreams, your young men do see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I do pour out my Spirit.”

We would do well to honor the original intent of many ancient texts, orienting ourselves around action rather than time, and living more fully in the present.