Within some limits, yes, one could twist the meaning of a word to suit their desires, either out of ignorance or to fulfill an agenda. That is why it is so important to attempt to understand the letters and words in the context of the time and people where it was used. It is not a perfect or easy task for a 21th century English speaking person in a modern land of abundance to fully understand the meaning of ancient writings. That is why it is critical that we study the ancient times and understand the Hebraisms that are so very different from our Western thought processes.