The only thing one should need in attempting to understand ancient, written prophecy is the spirit of prophecy, which comes with the testimony of Jesus (see Rev. 19:10; 2 Ne. 25:4). But absent this influence directly, a knowledge of languages can greatly enhance one's views respecting the fulfillment of ancient, written prophecy (see D&C 90:15). Even Joseph Smith sought diligently to understand various languages to edify his study and understanding of the scriptures (among the languages he had specifically studied was Latin, German, Greek, and Hebrew [see for example STPJS, p. 349]).
With this healthy mindset in place, let us take a brief examination of some Greek words and how our interpretation of prophecy in scripture may be affected by a deeper understanding.
Revelation 13:16 – 17
King James Version: "And [another beast] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the [first] beast, or the number of his name."
Greek Original: "αὶ [ἄλλο θηρίον] ποιεῖ πάντας, τοὺς μικροὺς καὶ τοὺς μεγάλους, καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους καὶ τοὺς πτωχούς, καὶ τοὺς ἐλευθέρους καὶ τοὺς δούλους, ἵνα δῶσιν αὐτοῖς χάραγμα ἐπὶ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῶν τῆς δεξιᾶς ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῶν: καὶ ἵνα μή τις δύνηται ἀγοράσαι ἢ πωλῆσαι εἰ μὴ ὁ ἔχων τὸ χάραγμα τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ [πρώτου] θηρίου ἢ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ."
My Version: "And [another being] causes all people—from the nobodies to the big shots, from those who have nothing to those who have it all, and from those who are enslaved to those who [think they] are free—to receive a treatment by him on either their primary arms or upon their faces: and this was done so that no one could buy or sell unless they had physical proof of the treatment, which is the directive of the [first] being, or unless they had a numerical code which is also per his directive."
Notes on my version:
The Greek word χειρὸς cheiros anciently was indistinguishable in its definition between "hand" and "arm." As the Liddell-Scott-Jones Definitions states under its second definition for the word:
"Hand and arm, arm (cf. Ruf. Onom. 11, 82, Gal. 2.347), πῆχυν χειρὸς δεξιτερῆς Il. 21.166; κατὰ χεῖρα μέσην ἀγκῶνος ἔνερθε 11.252; χεῖρες ἀπ' ὤμων ἀΐσσοντο Hes. Th. 150; χ. εἰς ὤμους γυμναί Longus 1.4; ἐν χερσὶ γυναικῶν πεσέειν into the arms, Il. 6.81, etc.: hence, words are added to denote the hand as distinct from the arm, ἄκρην οὔτασε χεῖρα 5.336; περὶ ἄκραις ταῖς χ. χειρῖδας ἔχουσι X. Cyr. 8.8.17, cf. Pl. Prt. 352a" ("Strong's #5495 - χείρ," Old & New Testament Greek Lexical Dictionary, accessed 11 Sep 2021, emphasis added).
The Greek word χάραγμα xáragma ("mark") was always related to the use of a tool or instrument that resulted in the thing being left behind as a mark:
"xáragma ('brand-mark') was originally any impress on a coin or a seal, used by an engraver on a die (stamp, branding iron). 5480 (xáragma) later became 'the identification-marker' (like with an owner's unique 'brand-mark'). [Ancient documents were validated by such stamps or seals (see Plutarch, Agesilaus, 15:6; De Lysandro 16:2, ala DNTT, 2, 574).]" ("5480. charagma," HELPS Word-studies, accessed 11 Sep 2021).
According to the 1828 Webster's Dictionary, this implication of a mark having required an instrument to create it survived into English up through the 19th century:
"A line, groove or depression made by stamping or cutting; an incision; a channel or impression; as the mark of a chisel, of a stamp, of a rod or whip; the mark of the finger or foot" ("Mark," definition 2, American Dictionary of the English Language, accessed 11 Sep 2021).
An alternate translation of χάραγμα xáragma is the English "impress," which in 1828 tied even more closely to the definition of the original Greek as used in the verse above:
"To imprint; to stamp; to make a mark or figure on any thing by pressure; as, to impress coin with the figure of a man's head, or with that of any ox or sheep; to impress a figure on wax or clay" (Ibid., "Impress," accessed 11 Sep 2021).
The Greek word μέτωπον metópōn ("forehead") is formed, according to Strong's Definitions, by bringing together μετά meta ("amid") and ὄψ ops ("the face") (see "Strong's G335," Greek Lexicon - Blue Letter Bible, accessed 11 Sep 2021); though the word has preferentially been translated to mean "between the eyes"—hence the modern "forehead" designation—other Greek words derived from ὄψ ops include meanings more general to the human face (see for example ὄμμα óppa). The fact that the eyes are universally seen as the key to a person's focus and expression does not mean that the ancient Greeks meant to preclude any other portions of a face from inclusion in incidental interpretation. This would be akin to construing "the middle of town" to mean "the most recognizable building in town" when no such specificity was being implied.
The Greek word ὄνομα ónoma can be translated literally as name, but in an ancient sense it figuratively carried a sense of essence:
"Name; (figuratively) the manifestation or revelation of someone's character, i.e. as distinguishing them from all others. Thus "praying in the name of Christ" means to pray as directed (authorized) by Him, bringing revelation that flows out of being in His presence. "Praying in Jesus' name" therefore is not a "religious formula" just to end prayers (or get what we want)! ["According to Hebrew notions, a name is inseparable from the person to whom it belongs, i.e. it is something of his essence. Therefore, in the case of the God, it is specially sacred" (Souter).]" ("3686 ónoma," HELPS Word-studies, accessed 11 Sep 2021).
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