Hi all, Great site here and some brilliant posts.

I have been looking myself at the text on Eko's stick and Foxyschic's question about why John 3:5 is written John 3:05. That particular text seems to follow on from the phrase "Lift up your eyes and look north". Could this be a clue thrown in by the producers as to where John has to look to find where Sawyer, Kate & Jack are being held. Further more it might indicate that John will head North in Episode 5 of season 3, hence 3:05.

Sven, I proofread religious texts for a living: "Hab" is a very common abbreviation for Habakkuk.

As for the 05 versus 5 ... trust me, there are all sorts of nonstandard ways of writing Bible verses. This is just a carving on a stick by someone who wasn't ever really officially trained in anything. He's bound to do things that aren't entirely letter-perfect, esp. when carving them on a stick. ;D

Maybe I'm reading to much into this but I think that since John 3:05 is inscribed right under the passage, that maybe this is a clue to something that Locke will be doing in the fifth episode of this season. But then again I could be totally off base.

Obvious 4 8 15 16 just above the rope on the handle too.

Yeah the quotation comes from Gen 13-14 and it is incomplete.

The others are as follows in the NASB which is said to be the most literal, word-for-word, translation from the ancient manuscripts.

Gen 13:14
The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward;
Rom 6:12
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
Acts 4:12
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Hab 1:3
Why do You make me see iniquity,
And cause me to look on wickedness?
Yes, destruction and violence are before me;
Strife exists and contention arises.
John 3:05
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Darn, too slow

Upper left: Hab, Hag, or Heb 1:3

Habakkuk 1:3
Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord

Haggao 1:3
(Then this word of the Lord came through Haggai, the prophet)

Hebrews 1:3
who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs

So my money is on Habakkuk, except that the abbreviation would actually be Hb, not Hab, just as Haggai is Hg. That's in New American Bible (Catholic) anyway, so it might be different in NIV or KJ

oops... jinx, I guess
They're all really related to things happening on the island

Hab 1:3 Why do You show me iniquity,
And cause me to see trouble?
For plundering and violence are before me;
There is strife, and contention arises.

Habakkuk 1:3 (NIV)
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Not sure why it is written John 3:05 rather than John 3:5. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Did I misread the numbers?

John 3: 5 (NIV)
Jesus Answered, " I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."

Acts 4:12 (NIV)
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

He has the numbers carved right above the rope as well

Romans 6:12 (NIV)
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

Genesis 13:14 (NIV)
The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, "Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west."