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Why do I say that? Simply because ...
The Words Guarantee, Certain, or Sure Do NOT Exist In the Original Greek
Something we cannot afford to forget is that it is only the original writings that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is impossible to accurately determine or understand what the author is trying to convey unless we strictly adhere to the words he used and the meaning of those words in the original language.
The preface to the Revised Edition of Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (YLT) sums it up perfectly. (All Emphasis Added)
The following Translation of the New Testament is based upon the belief that every word of the original is "God-breathed," as the Apostle Paul says in his Second Epistle to Timothy, chapter 3.16. . . . This inspiration extends only to the original text, as it came from the pens of the writers, not to any translations ever made by man, however aged, venerable, or good; and only in so far as any of these adhere to the original – neither adding to nor omitting from it one particle – are they of any real value, for, to the extent that they vary from the original, the doctrine of verbal inspiration is lost, so far as that version is concerned.
If a translation gives a present tense when the original gives a past, or a past when it has a present; a perfect for a future, or a future for a perfect; an a for a the, or a the for an a; an imperative for a subjunctive, or a subjunctive for an imperative; a verb for a noun, or a noun for a verb, it is clear that verbal inspiration is as much overlooked as if it had no existence. THE WORD OF GOD IS MADE VOID BY THE TRADITIONS OF MEN. [01]
The Greek word arrhabon rendered deposit or guarantee in the above examples comes from the Hebrew word erabon - "a pawn (given as security) - a pledge" and is so defined by Strong's Hebrew and Greek Lexicon. Pledge and 'earnest money' both mean part of the purchase money or property given in advance as security for the rest.
Although erabon only occurred three times in the Old Testament (All in the same story), note how it was used
He said, therefore, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” She then said, “Will you give a pledge until you send it?” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” And she said, “Your seal and your cord, and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and had relations with her, and she conceived by him... When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite, to receive the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her. (Genesis 38:17-18. 20 NASB) [https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6162.htm]
Not recognizing her as his daughter in law because she had covered her face, Judah turned to her thinking she was a harlot and asked if he could 'come in to her'. When she asked what he would give her in return he said he would send her a young goat from his flock. However, she then asked if he would give her a pledge (his signet, cord, and staff) until he sent the goat.
In other words she wanted a something given her in advance as security that he would send the goat.
Although the word earnest came into being much later the concept and practice have existed for centuries. Pledges were deposits of good faith NOT GUARANTEES
To Sum Up
In accordance with their preexisting belief in eternal security the translators decided that arrhabon means deposit when it actually means pledge or earnest
And to make it worse they not only translated arrhabon into deposit but added the word guarantee (See the NIV version of all three verses). This was obviously done to convey the translator's preconceived doctrinal belief that the Holy Spirit will never leave a believer and a believer can never be lost.
Unknowingly, countless people have relied on these translations, believing that Scripture actually speaks of a guarantee when, in fact, it does no such thing. There is a world of difference between guarantee and earnest.
End Note
[01] Young's Literal Translation. https://www.bible-researcher.com/young.html
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