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I have no special credentials to pursue this, except that I'm not on any religion's payroll. I have no formal religious training. I have no visions or dreams to speak of. I have a kind of compulsion to study the Bible. I blame it on my father. Over and over he quoted Proverbs 4:7 to me as I grew up: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding. I didn't always listen to my father when I was young. But now that I am old I am apparently incapable of not running his programing.

Son of God – 1 John, Part 1

Posted on May 6, 2013 by admin

This is what we proclaim to you, John wrote, what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen (ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω) with our eyes, what we have looked at (ἐθεασάμεθα, a form of θεάομαι) and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life – and the life was revealed, and we have seen [ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω] and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us).¹ John, by making the word of life—what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched—equivalent to—the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—has defined eternal life as something more than a future time without end.

Eternal life is the Lord Jesus, the life He lived, the righteousness that comes by way of [his] faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness,² and the love that is the fulfillment of the law,³ as well as a place with Him in heaven. As Jesus prayed, Now this is eternal life – that they know (γινώσκωσιν, a form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.⁴ If you have known (ἐγνώκατε, another form of γινώσκω) me, He said to Thomas, you will know (γνώσεσθε, another form of γινώσκω) my Father too. And from now on you do know (γινώσκετε, another form of γινώσκω) him and have seen (ἑωράκατε, another form of ὁράω) him.⁵ The person who has seen (ἑωρακὼς, another form of ὁράω) me, he replied to Philip, has seen (ἑώρακεν, another form of ὁράω) the Father!⁶

What we have seen (ἑωράκαμεν, a form of ὁράω) and heard we announce to you too, John continued, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ). Thus we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. Now this is the gospel⁷ message⁸ we have heard from him and announce to you, John continued, God is light, and in him there is no darkness (σκοτία) at all. If we say we have fellowship with him and yet keep on walking in the darkness (σκότει, a form of σκότος), we are lying and not practicing the truth.⁹

The reason the translators added gospel to the text above is quoted in a footnote below.¹⁰ Jesus said, or John wrote, light has come into the world and people loved the darkness (σκότος) rather than the light, because their deeds were evil (πονηρὰ, a form of πονηρός; or, full of labours, annoyances, hardships). For everyone who does evil (φαῦλα, a form of φαῦλος; or ordinary, or, worthless) deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.¹¹

When I read the Bible and said, “yea, verily, amen, Lord,” and didn’t believe what it said, I was walking in darkness. It was a foolish thing to do, considering the psalm, O Lord, you examine me and know [Table]…even from far away you understand my motives [Table].¹² I stepped into the light when I began to argue with Him. And I wasn’t always reverent about it. But his Spirit was patient with me. He made me honest with Him, what I believed and what I didn’t believe, and eventually with myself (which is not easy), and patient enough to wait for understanding, where I was wrong or had misunderstood his word (as opposed to running off, saying, “none of it is true,” or, “it means whatever you want”).

But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, John continued, we have fellowship with one another [e.g., with others walking in the light] and the blood of Jesus¹³ his Son cleanses us from all sin.¹⁴ This is so important, Faith 101. It is equivalent in my mind to, There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.¹⁵ Honesty is impossible apart from this knowledge. Walking in darkness I wasn’t such a bad guy. In the light I discovered how sinful the sin in my flesh actually is, and I mourned. Walking deeper into the light I discovered how corrupt my righteousness is, and I grieved.

If we say we do not bear the guilt of sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us. (My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.¹⁶ As Paul wrote, For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy to them all.¹⁷

Addendum: April 5, 2026
Tables comparing 1 John 1:5 and 1:7 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 1:5 (NET)	1 John 1:5 (KJV)
Now this is the gospel message we have heard from him and announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.	This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 1:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 1:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 1:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔστιν αὕτη ἡ ἀγγελία ἣν ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀναγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς φῶς ἐστιν καὶ σκοτία \|ἐν αὐτῷ\| οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία	και αυτη εστιν η επαγγελια ην ακηκοαμεν απ αυτου και αναγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ο θεος φως εστιν και σκοτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν ουδεμια	και εστιν αυτη η αγγελια ην ακηκοαμεν απ αυτου και αναγγελλομεν υμιν οτι ο θεος φως εστιν και σκοτια εν αυτω ουκ εστιν ουδεμια

1 John 1:7 (NET)	1 John 1:7 (KJV)
But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.	But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 1:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 1:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ περιπατῶμεν ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ φωτί, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ᾿ ἀλλήλων καὶ τὸ αἷμα Ἰησοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθαρίζει ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας	εαν δε εν τω φωτι περιπατωμεν ως αυτος εστιν εν τω φωτι κοινωνιαν εχομεν μετ αλληλων και το αιμα ιησου χριστου του υιου αυτου καθαριζει ημας απο πασης αμαρτιας	εαν δε εν τω φωτι περιπατωμεν ως αυτος εστιν εν τω φωτι κοινωνιαν εχομεν μετ αλληλων και το αιμα ιησου χριστου του υιου αυτου καθαριζει ημας απο πασης αμαρτιας

Son of God – 1 John, Part 2

Back to Antichrist, Part 5

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 1

¹ 1 John 1:1, 2 (NET)

² Philippians 3:9 (NET)

³ Romans 13:10 (NET)

⁴ John 17:3 (NET)

⁵ John 14:7 (NET) Table

⁶ John 14:9b (NET) Table

⁷ NET note 13: The word “gospel” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to clarify the meaning. See the note on the following word “message.”

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀγγελία here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had επαγγελια.

⁹ 1 John 1:3-6 (NET)

¹⁰ NET note 14 on the word “message”: The word ἀγγελία (angelia) occurs only twice in the NT, here and in 1 John 3:11. It is a cognate of ἐπαγγελία (epangelia) which occurs much more frequently (some 52 times in the NT) including 1 John 2:25. BDAG 8 s.v. ἀγγελία 1 offers the meaning “message” which suggests some overlap with the semantic range of λόγος (logos), although in the specific context of 1:5 BDAG suggests a reference to the gospel. (The precise “content” of this “good news’ is given by the ὅτι [Joti] clause which follows in 1:5b.) The word ἀγγελία here is closely equivalent to εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion): (1) it refers to the proclamation of the eyewitness testimony about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as proclaimed by the author and the rest of the apostolic witnesses (prologue, esp. 1:3-4), and (2) it relates to the salvation of the hearers/readers, since the purpose of this proclamation is to bring them into fellowship with God and with the apostolic witnesses (1:3). Because of this the adjective “gospel” is included in the English translation.

¹¹ John 3:19, 20 (NET)

¹² Psalm 139:1, 2 (NET)

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστου (KJV: Christ) following Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ 1 John 1:7 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 8:1 (NET) Table

¹⁶ 1 John 1:8-2:2 (NET)

¹⁷ Romans 11:32 (NET)

Antichrist, Part 3

Posted on May 4, 2013 by admin

Like John’s antichrists Trier’s antichrists were not necessarily tyrannical globalists, but people who had not been perfected in God’s love and did not keep his commandments. Unlike John’s antichrists there was no indication in the film that they had ever known God and then departed from that knowledge. Trier’s antichrists are not named. We are introduced to them “he-in’-and-a-she-in'” as Otis (played by William Fichtner in the movie “The Amateurs”) described fucking. But I want to try to reconstruct the story of “Antichrist” in temporal order.

This will definitely be a spoiler for those who haven’t seen the film. My take is not Lars Von Trier’s understanding, nor that of the actors. I assume that anyone remotely interested in my understanding would be offended by the pornographic nature of this movie and not watch it all the way through anyway. And I use pornographic in a technical, not an eye-of-the-beholder, sense here.

Conan O’Brien asked his guest Amanda Seyfried about her role in a biopic about Linda Lovelace of “Deep Throat” fame: “How do you portray a porn star without being incredibly explicit? Do you know what I mean?” Ms. Seyfried answered, “Well, you don’t actually have sex on film.”¹ In other words people who get paid to pretend to have sex on film are actors, ὑποκριταί in Greek. People who get paid to actually have sex on film are prostitutes; πορνοσ (pornos) is the Greek for a male prostitute. Our word pornography (writing about prostitutes) comes from the Greek compound of πορνοσ (pornos) and γραφή (graphē). The body doubles for Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg in “Antichrist” were porn actors, and a few shots in the film do qualify under this technical definition.

Before the film began she (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and their toddler son Nic went to Eden, a secluded cabin in the woods, to finish her thesis on Gynocide. It was a study of man’s inhumanity to woman, witch-hunts and the like. She couldn’t finish when she realized it was not a simple story of evil men persecuting virtuous women, but that the women were evil, too. As she absentmindedly, or vindictively, (it was never quite clear to me) forced the left shoe on her son’s right foot, and vice versa (causing a deformity that became apparent in an autopsy report) she became cognizant of her own evil as well.

The film actually begins with beautiful slow motion black and white footage of he (Willem Dafoe) and she fucking. Just because I believe that fucking does not, or the feelings associated with fucking do not, fulfill the law, does not mean that I have anything against fucking or those feelings. Fucking my wives or the feelings I had while fucking them or wanting to fuck them are beyond compare, except perhaps for the feeling I had when they wanted to fuck me. I miss it. And the opening scene of “Antichrist” spawned many a wonderful memory (as well as some that were not so wonderful).

Nic, their toddler son, awoke from his nap, climbed out of his crib, watched his mother and father a moment, turned quietly away, investigated an open window, and fell to his death. Granted, in real life the likelihood that a toddler would not demand some parental attention might be extremely low. But “Antichrist” is a horror movie, only the worst possibilities can happen. During the funeral procession she collapsed and was hospitalized. Her doctor thought she had an abnormal reaction to grief. Her husband, a psychologist, disagreed.

“I could have stopped him,” she told her husband, apparently coming into the light. “You didn’t know that he had started waking up lately. I was aware that he would sometimes wake up and crawl out of bed and walk about.” She started to sob, “He woke up and was confused and alone.”

He assumed, and we in the audience assume at this point, that she was suffering from psychological guilt. What we learn later, but he never knew, is that she saw Nic watching them and chose not to interrupt her husband to attend to her son. We also see that fucking is her narcotic and anesthetic of choice. The perfect wife?

What I realized the second time through the film was that her doctor’s “abnormal reaction to grief” and her husband’s diagnosis of psychological guilt both missed the point. She suffered from the actual guilt of maternal negligence and needed actual forgiveness. But there was no forgiveness to be found. This is “Antichrist,” not “Breaking the Waves.” Her doctor gave her mood drugs and her husband gave her psycho-babble, as she “bled out” from actual guilt. But “actual guilt” was not a category her doctor or her husband would recognize as legitimate, apart from a criminal indictment and conviction.

Why didn’t she come fully into the light? with her husband at least? Why didn’t she tell him she saw Nic, knew he was awake, and knew he was walking about unsupervised? Jesus (or John) said, everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.² He didn’t seem like the kind of man who would, or could, forgive her for a judgment mistake that claimed his son’s life. And she feared that he would leave her. In other words, theirs was not a love (ἀγάπη) affair by definition, no matter how good their fucking was.

He didn’t know (because he hadn’t experienced), In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.³ Receive the Holy Spirit, Jesus said. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.⁴ For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins [Table].⁵ And she was not perfected in love either because, There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected in love. We love because he loved us first [Table].⁶

He arranged to get her out of the hospital, brought her home and became her therapist. “You’ve always been distant from me and Nic,” she said in one of their sessions, “now that I come to think of it, very, very distant.”

“Okay,” he said, ever the patient therapist. “Can you give me some example of this?”

“Like last summer, for instance, [when she went with Nic to Eden] you were terribly distant last summer, as a father and as a husband.”

“Well, actually it was to honor your wish. You wanted peace to write.”

“Perhaps I didn’t mean it,” she said.

That sounds just like a woman, I thought. But as I imagined the scene that preceded her writing retreat at Eden, I learned something about me as a husband and father. I, too, have tried to play the patient therapist with my wife and children. If she asked me for my blessing to take Nic and go to Eden without me for the summer, I would have thought, “No way! I’ll miss you, and Nic. I’ll miss talking with you, eating with you, being with you and, yes, fucking you. Why can’t you write here!?” But then I would have thought how selfish that seemed, and I would have said, “Okay.”

In other words, I wouldn’t have come into the light with my wife. I probably haven’t done so at various times in the past. And I see now that the truth—that I would miss her terribly, that I was angry that she would ask such a thing, that I felt that my initial reaction was selfish, so, yes, I would respect her desire to go to write her thesis and agree to it as much as it was in me to do—would be a much better basis for a love (ἀγάπη) affair. But I thought that “controlling” my emotions (rather than sharing them with her) was the “right” thing to do.

She didn’t finish her thesis that summer. He hadn’t even asked about it. When she told him he wondered why she had given up. “The whole project just seemed less important up there,” she said. It had become “glib” to her, “or even worse, some kind of lie.” He learned nothing about his obvious distance from her. He kept his focus on her. He decided that she had a phobia.

“What scares you about the woods?” he asked.

“Everything.”

So he took her back to Eden.

Antichrist, Part 4

Back to Antichrist, Part 5

Back to Torture, Part 5

Back to Hypocrisy

¹ Amanda Seyfried Interview

² John 3:20 (NET)

³ 1 John 4:10 (NET) Table

⁴ John 20:22b, 23 (NET)

⁵ Matthew 6:14, 15 (NET)

⁶ 1 John 4:18, 19 (NET)

Romans, Part 43

Posted on May 2, 2013 by admin

So I ask, Paul began the eleventh chapter of Romans, God has not rejected his people, has he?¹ referring to his fellow countrymen.² In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, he concluded finally, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts (χαρίσματα, a form of χάρισμα) and the call (κλῆσις) of God are irrevocable (ἀμεταμέλητα, a form of ἀμεταμέλητος).³ Just as you were formerly disobedient (ἠπειθήσατε, a form of ἀπειθέω) to God, but have now received mercy (ἠλεήθητε, a form of ἐλεέω) due to their disobedience (ἀπειθείᾳ, a form of ἀπείθεια), so they too have now been disobedient (ἠπείθησαν, another form of ἀπειθέω) in order that, by the mercy (ἐλέει, a form of ἔλεος) shown to you, they too may now receive mercy [Table] (ἐλεηθῶσιν, another form of ἐλεέω). For God has consigned (συνέκλεισεν, a form of συγκλείω) all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, another form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy (ἐλεήσῃ, another form of ἐλεέω) to them all.⁴

A note in the NET acknowledged that them “has been supplied for stylistic reasons.” The original Greek reads simply, “to all.” I don’t want to get involved in a “universal salvation” argument. It seems to go nowhere. After throwing Scripture around and philosophical opinions about free will the argument devolves into something like, “Well, I could never believe in a god who sent (or, would not send) anyone to hell.” I know I will trust Him as long as He pours his faithfulness (πίστις) into me through his Spirit,⁵ whether He sends or does not send people to hell or not. I do want to consider some of the things about God’s mercy that Paul outlined in Romans 9-11 in a table below.

What Jesus’ obedience, death and resurrection means to his Father, according to Paul

OLD TESTAMENT

Jesus’ obedience, death and resurrection

NEW TESTAMENT

For [God] says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

Romans 9:15 (NET) Table Quotation Table

Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.

Romans 11:30, 31 (NET) Table

God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.

Romans 9:18 (NET)

So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.

Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all.

Romans 11:32 (NET)

It may be arbitrary on my part to place—God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden—exclusively under the Old Covenant, if that is seen as a limit to God’s choosing. My point is simply its logical relationship to I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. Paul’s conclusion—So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy—serves then as the logical and justificatory bridge to his New Covenant argument concluding that, God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to…all.

The word translated consigned is συνέκλεισεν (a form of συγκλείω) in Greek. Paul used it again when he wrote the Galatians, the scripture imprisoned (συνέκλεισεν) everything and everyone under sin so that the promise could be given – because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ – to those who believe.⁶ Another form of the same word is found in Luke’s account of the calling of Peter, James and John: When they had done this [e.g., obeyed Jesus by lowering their nets where he instructed them to lower them], they caught (συνέκλεισαν, another form of συγκλείω) so many fish that their nets⁷ started to tear.⁸ It is an interesting image, all of us, all humanity, caught in his net. For God has consigned all people to disobedience…⁹ Like fearful fish we flail frantically to escape from the One who whispers, Stop your striving and recognize that I am God.¹⁰ For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.¹¹

I also want to consider the Old Testament precedent for Paul’s reasoning in Romans 11:30 and 31: The word of the Lord came to me, Ezekiel the prophet wrote. “Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominable practices…”¹²

Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite [Table]. Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters [Table]. Have you not copied their behavior and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were [Table]! As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved [Table].¹³

You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done [Table], the Lord continued. So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you [Table].¹⁴ I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters [Table]…¹⁵

Like Samaria or Sodom, Paul wrote Gentile believers, that senseless nation¹⁶ chosen for salvation, Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to [Israel’s] disobedience,¹⁷ because, by [Israel’s] transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.¹⁸ The fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters will be restored (along with your [Jerusalem’s] fortunes among them) [Table], so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them [Table]. As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status [Table].¹⁹

So, Paul continued, they [Israel] too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy.²⁰ I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant, the Lord said to Jerusalem through Ezekiel. Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.²¹ I will establish my covenant with you, the Lord continued, and then you will know that I am the Lord. Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the sovereign Lord.²²

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! Paul continued. How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has first given to God, that God needs to repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.²³

It causes me to wonder. I assume that all in—he may show mercy to…all²⁴—refers to human beings, those born of Adam. But if senseless Gentiles, chosen for salvation to make Israel jealous, reject the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness to pursue their own righteousness derived²⁵ from a select subset of the law and their own religious rules, will that open Christ’s salvation to demons and fallen angels? Will senseless Gentiles be resurrected to bear [their] disgrace and be ashamed of all [they] have done in consoling demons and fallen angels? Will the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ really mean all things? – the things in heaven as well as the things on earth²⁶?

Addendum: March 25, 2026
Tables comparing Ezekiel 16:1; 16:2; 16:59; 16:60; 16:62 and 16:63 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Ezekiel 16:1; 16:2; 16:59; 16:60; 16:62 and 16:63 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Luke 5:6 in the KJV and NET follow.

Ezekiel 16:1 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:1 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:1 (NET)
Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,	The Lord’s message came to me:

Ezekiel 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός με λέγων	ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρός με λέγων
Ezekiel 16:1 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:1 (English Elpenor)
And a word of the Lord came to me, saying:	Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Ezekiel 16:2 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:2 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:2 (NET)
Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,	Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations,	“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominable practices

Ezekiel 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου διαμάρτυραι τῇ Ιερουσαλημ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῆς	υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, διαμάρτυραι τῇ ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῆς
Ezekiel 16:2 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:2 (English Elpenor)
Son of man, testify to Ierousalem about her lawless acts,	Son of man, testify to Jerusalem [of] her iniquities;

Ezekiel 16:59 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:59 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:59 (NET)
For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.	For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.	“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant.

Ezekiel 16:59 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:59 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τάδε λέγει κύριος καὶ ποιήσω ἐν σοὶ καθὼς ἐποίησας ὡς ἠτίμωσας ταῦτα τοῦ παραβῆναι τὴν διαθήκην μου	τάδε λέγει Κύριος· καὶ ποιήσω ἐν σοὶ καθὼς ἐποίησας, ὡς ἠτίμωσας ταῦτα τοῦ παραβῆναι τὴν διαθήκην μου
Ezekiel 16:59 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:59 (English Elpenor)
This is what the Lord says: And I will deal with you just as you have done, as you have dishonored these things so as to transgress my covenant.	Thus saith the Lord; I will even do to thee as thou hast done, as thou hast dealt shamefully in these things to transgress my covenant.

Ezekiel 16:60 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:60 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:60 (NET)
Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.	Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.	Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.

Ezekiel 16:60 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:60 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μνησθήσομαι ἐγὼ τῆς διαθήκης μου τῆς μετὰ σοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις νηπιότητός σου καὶ ἀναστήσω σοι διαθήκην αἰώνιον	καὶ μνησθήσομαι ἐγὼ τῆς διαθήκης μου τῆς μετὰ σοῦ ἐν ἡμέραις νηπιότητός σου καὶ ἀναστήσω σοι διαθήκην αἰώνιον
Ezekiel 16:60 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:60 (English Elpenor)
And I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your childhood, and I will establish with you an everlasting covenant.	And I will remember my covenant [made] with thee in the days of thine infancy, and I will establish to thee an everlasting covenant.

Ezekiel 16:62 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:62 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:62 (NET)
And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:	And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD:	I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the Lord.

Ezekiel 16:62 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:62 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστήσω ἐγὼ τὴν διαθήκην μου μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἐπιγνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος	καὶ ἀναστήσω ἐγὼ τὴν διαθήκην μου μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ ἐπιγνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος
Ezekiel 16:62 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:62 (English Elpenor)
And I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall recognize that I am the Lord	And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord:

Ezekiel 16:63 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 16:63 (KJV)	Ezekiel 16:63 (NET)
That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.	That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord GOD.	Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent because of your disgrace when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Ezekiel 16:63 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 16:63 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅπως μνησθῇς καὶ αἰσχυνθῇς καὶ μὴ ᾖ σοι ἔτι ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα σου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀτιμίας σου ἐν τῷ ἐξιλάσκεσθαί μέ σοι κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησας λέγει κύριος	ὅπως μνησθῇς καὶ αἰσχυνθῆς, καὶ μὴ ᾖ σοι ἔτι ἀνοῖξαι τὸ στόμα σου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀτιμίας σου ἐν τῷ ἐξιλάσκεσθαί μέ σοι κατὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐποίησας, λέγει Κύριος
Ezekiel 16:63 (NETS)	Ezekiel 16:63 (English Elpenor)
in order that you shall remember and be ashamed and it be impossible for you any longer to open your mouth from before your dishonor, when I am appeased with you for everything that you have done, says the Lord.	that thou mayest remember, and be ashamed, and mayest no more be able to open thy mouth for thy shame, when I am reconciled to thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord.

Luke 5:6 (NET)	Luke 5:6 (KJV)
When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear.	And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

Luke 5:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 5:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 5:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες συνέκλεισαν πλῆθος ἰχθύων πολύ, διερρήσσετο δὲ τὰ δίκτυα αὐτῶν	και τουτο ποιησαντες συνεκλεισαν ιχθυων πληθος πολυ διερρηγνυτο δε το δικτυον αυτων	και τουτο ποιησαντες συνεκλεισαν πληθος ιχθυων πολυ διερρηγνυτο δε το δικτυον αυτων

Romans, Part 44

Saving Demons, Part 1

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 1

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 4

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 6

Saving Demons, Part 2

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 49

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 52

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 6

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 2

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

¹ Romans 11:1a (NET)

² Romans 9:3 (NET) Table

³ Romans 11:28, 29 (NET)

⁴ Romans 11:30-32 (NET)

⁵ Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

⁶ Galatians 3:22 (NET)

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural τὰ δίκτυα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular το δικτυον (KJV: net).

⁸ Luke 5:6 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had διερρήσσετο here, a form of διαρρήγνυμι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διερρηγνυτο (KJV: brake). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

⁹ Romans 11:32a (NET)

¹⁰ Psalm 46:10a (NET) Table

¹¹ Romans 11:32 (NET)

¹² Ezekiel 16:1, 2 (NET)

¹³ Ezekiel 16:45b-48 (NET)

¹⁴ Ezekiel 16:51b, 52a (NET)

¹⁵ Ezekiel 16:53a (NET)

¹⁶ Romans 10:19 (NET) Table Quotation Table

¹⁷ Romans 11:30 (NET) Table

¹⁸ Romans 11:11b (NET)

¹⁹ Ezekiel 16:53-55 (NET)

²⁰ Romans 11:31 (NET) Table

²¹ Ezekiel 16:59, 60 (NET)

²² Ezekiel 16:62, 63 (NET)

²³ Romans 11:33-36 (NET)

²⁴ Romans 11:32b (NET)

²⁵ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

²⁶ Ephesians 1:10 (NET) Table

Son of God – John, Part 5

Posted on April 30, 2013 by admin

Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s¹ Portico.² Religious leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe (πιστεύετε, a form of πιστεύω).”³ They did not think it was true; they were not persuaded.⁴ The deeds (ἔργα, a form of ἔργον) I do in my Father’s name testify (μαρτυρεῖ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about me.⁵ The ἔργα that Jesus did in his Father’s name testified that He is the Christ, as opposed to those who loved the darkness rather than the light, because their ἔργα were [full of labours, annoyances, and hardships].⁶

But⁷ you refuse to believe (πιστεύετε), Jesus continued, because⁸ you are not⁹ my sheep.¹⁰ The word translated refuse is simply οὐ, the absolute as opposed to the relative negation in Greek. You believe not, Jesus said, because you are not my sheep. They were hardened [Table], as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.”¹¹

My sheep listen (ἀκούουσιν, a form of ἀκούω) to my voice.¹² This is in contrast to those who had not been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven:¹³ For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear (ἀκούουσιν) nor do they understand.¹⁴ And Paul wrote, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.¹⁵

Still speaking of his sheep, Jesus said, I know (γινώσκω) them, and they follow me.¹⁶ These are they who are called according to [God’s] purpose, because those whom he foreknew (προέγνω, a form of προγινώσκω) he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.¹⁷

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand [Table]. The Father and I are one.¹⁸ Then by their actions the religious leaders proved Jesus’ original words, that they did not believe that his deeds testified that He was the Christ. They picked up¹⁹ rocks again to stone him to death.²⁰ I have shown you many good deeds from the Father, Jesus said. For which one of them are you going to stone me?²¹ We are not going to stone you for a good deed, the religious leaders answered, but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.²²

They lacked the knowledge that was revealed to Peter by Jesus’ Father in heaven:²³ You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.²⁴ They did not share Nathaniel’s insight that Jesus was the Son of God and the king of Israel.²⁵ Apparently the religious leaders assumed that the Christ would serve their interests as they perceived their interests not supersede them, certainly not question their leadership. “Is it not written in your law,” Jesus answered them, “‘I²⁶ said, you are gods’? If those people to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ (and the scripture cannot be broken), do you say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”²⁷

There is a lot to say about this turn in Jesus’ argument. I hope to get to it in time. For the moment I want to highlight Jesus’ heart. In the heat of debate he did not ask the religious leaders to believe that He was a new species of human being, born of the flesh of Adam through his mother Mary and born of the Spirit of his Father. He simply referred to those instances in the book of Exodus where human judges, those entrusted to judge according to God’s law, were called elohim (הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים), gods.²⁸ If God called Israel’s judges gods, He reasoned, is it right to “say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”

If I do not perform the deeds (ἔργα) of my Father, Jesus continued, do not believe (πιστεύετε) me.²⁹ And here again He revealed his heart. But if I do them, even if you do not believe (πιστεύητε, another form of πιστεύω) me, believe³⁰ (πιστεύετε) the deeds (ἔργοις, another form of ἔργον)…³¹ Though he had hardened them so that by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles,³² though we live by faith, not by sight,³³ though it is a true and trustworthy statement that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,³⁴ face-to-face with his beloved adversaries Jesus encouraged them to trust their sight, the deeds they saw Him accomplish, so that you may come to know (γνῶτε, another form of γινώσκω) and understand³⁵ (γινώσκητε, another form of γινώσκω) that I am in the Father³⁶ and the Father is in me.³⁷

This was essentially what Jesus said to the messengers from John the Baptist when they asked, “‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” At that³⁸ very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight³⁹ to many who were blind. So he⁴⁰ answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The⁴¹ blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed,⁴² the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.”⁴³

The religious leaders tried unsuccessfully to seize Him again. Jesus, however, continued performing the deeds (ἔργα) of [his] Father (John 11:1-4 NET).

Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived. (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick [Table].) So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.” When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not lead to death, but to God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

“Lazarus, come out!” Jesus said to the corpse that had laid four days in its tomb. The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth, and a cloth wrapped around his face. Jesus said to them, “Unwrap him and let him go” [Table].⁴⁴ “We have a law, the religious leaders said, and according to our law [Jesus] ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”⁴⁵

Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, John concluded, which are not recorded in this book. But these are recorded so that you may believe (πιστεύητε, another form of πιστεύω) that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing (πιστεύοντες, another form of πιστεύω) you may have life in his name.⁴⁶ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, John wrote (or Jesus said) but that the world should be saved through him.⁴⁷

Addendum: March 24, 2026
According to a note (84) in the NET Jesus quoted from Psalm 82:6 in John 10:34. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

John 10:34b (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 82:6a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 81:6a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε	ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε	ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε
John 10:34b (NET)	Psalm 81:6a (NETS)	Psalm 81:6a (English Elpenor)
I said, you are gods	I said, “Gods you are,	I have said, Ye are gods;

The following tables are examples in Exodus (e.g., the law) of forms of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm) understood as references to men according to a note (4) in the NET on Psalm 82:1.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 21:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:6 (NET)	Exodus 21:6 (NETS)	Exodus 21:6 (English Elpenor)
then his master shall bring him unto G-d (הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים), and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.	then his master must bring him to the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים), and he will bring him to the door or the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.	his master shall lead him to the tribunal of God (τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ), and then he shall lead him to the door at the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with a small awl, and he shall be subject to him forever.	his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God (τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ), and then shall he bring him to the door,– to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

Here הָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm), unto G-d (Tanakh), to the judges (NET), was translated τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ, to the tribunal of God (NETS), to the judgment-seat of God (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 22:7, 8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 22:8, 9 (NET)	Exodus 22:8, 9 (NETS)	Exodus 22:8, 9 (English Elpenor)
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto G-d (הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים), to see whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.	If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים) to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods.	But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall draw near before God (τοῦ θεοῦ) and swear that surely he himself has not acted wickedly against the entire deposit of the neighbor.	But if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall come forward before God (τοῦ Θεοῦ), and shall swear that surely he has not wrought wickedly in regard of any part of his neighbour’s deposit,
For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, whereof one saith: ‘This is it,’ the cause of both parties shall come before G-d (הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים); he whom G-d (אֱלֹהִ֔ים) shall condemn shall pay double unto his neighbour [Table].	In all cases of illegal possessions, whether for an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any kind of lost item, about which someone says ‘This belongs to me,’ the matter of the two of them will come before the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, האלהים), and the one whom the judges (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) declare guilty must repay double to his neighbor.	With regard to any specific injustice concerning calf and draft animal and sheep and garment and any loss which is alleged, whatever in fact it might be, the trial of both parties shall come before God (τοῦ θεοῦ), and the one convicted by God (τοῦ θεοῦ) shall pay double in compensation to his neighbor [Table].	according to every injury alleged, both concerning a calf, and an ass, and a sheep, and a garment, and every alleged loss, whatsoever in fact it may be,– the judgment of both shall proceed before God (τοῦ Θεοῦ), and he that is convicted by God (τοῦ Θεοῦ) shall repay to his neighbour double.

In Exodus 22:8 (22:7) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים, a form of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm), unto G-d (Tanakh), the judges (NET), was translated τοῦ Θεοῦ, God (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. And likewise in Exodus 22:9 (22:8) הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים and אֱלֹהִ֔ים (‘ĕlōhîm) were translated G-d in the Tanakh (the judges in the Net) and τοῦ Θεοῦ, God and by God (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

Tables comparing Psalm 82:6; Exodus 21:6 and 22:8 (22:7) in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 82:6 (81:6); Exodus 21:6 and 22:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 10:23; 10:26; 10:31-33; 10:34; 10:38 and Luke 7:20-22 in the KJV and NET follow.

Psalm 82:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 82:6 (KJV)	Psalm 82:6 (NET)
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.	I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.	I thought, ‘You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.’

Psalm 82:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 81:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ὑψίστου πάντες	ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ῾Υψίστου πάντες
Psalm 81:6 (NETS)	Psalm 81:6 (English Elpenor)
I said, “Gods you are, and sons of the Most High,	I have said, Ye are gods; and all [of you] children of the Most High.

Exodus 21:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:6 (KJV)	Exodus 21:6 (NET)
then his master shall bring him unto G-d, and shall bring him to the door, or unto the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for ever.	Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.	then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorpost, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.

Exodus 21:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν καὶ τρυπήσει αὐτοῦ ὁ κύριος τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα	προσάξει αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ κριτήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τότε προσάξει αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν ἐπὶ τὸν σταθμόν, καὶ τρυπήσει ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ τὸ οὖς τῷ ὀπητίῳ, καὶ δουλεύσει αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
Exodus 21:6 (NETS)	Exodus 21:6 (English Elpenor)
his master shall lead him to the tribunal of God, and then he shall lead him to the door at the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with a small awl, and he shall be subject to him forever.	his master shall bring him to the judgment-seat of God, and then shall he bring him to the door,– to the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.

Exodus 22:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 22:8 (KJV)	Exodus 22:8 (NET)
If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall come near unto G-d, to see whether he have not put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.	If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour’s goods.	If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges to see whether he has laid his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Exodus 22:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 22:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὁ κλέψας προσελεύσεται ὁ κύριος τῆς οἰκίας ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ὀμεῖται ἦ μὴν μὴ αὐτὸς πεπονηρεῦσθαι ἐφ᾽ ὅλης τῆς παρακαταθήκης τοῦ πλησίον	ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὑρεθῇ ὁ κλέψας, προσελεύσεται ὁ κύριος τῆς οἰκίας ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὀμεῖται ἦ μὴν μὴ αὐτὸν πεπονηρεῦσθαι ἐφ᾿ ὅλης τῆς παρακαταθήκης τοῦ πλησίον
Exodus 22:8 (NETS)	Exodus 22:8 (English Elpenor)
But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall draw near before God and swear that surely he himself has not acted wickedly against the entire deposit of the neighbor.	But if the thief be not found, the master of the house shall come forward before God, and shall swear that surely he has not wrought wickedly in regard of any part of his neighbour’s deposit,

John 10:23 (NET)	John 10:23 (KJV)
It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Portico.	And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch.

John 10:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ περιεπάτει \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τοῦ Σολομῶνος	και περιεπατει ο ιησους εν τω ιερω εν τη στοα του σολομωντος	και περιεπατει ο ιησους εν τω ιερω εν τη στοα σολομωνος

John 10:26 (NET)	John 10:26 (KJV)
But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep.	But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

John 10:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε, ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν ἐμῶν	αλλ υμεις ου πιστευετε ου γαρ εστε εκ των προβατων των εμων καθως ειπον υμιν	αλλ υμεις ου πιστευετε ου γαρ εστε εκ των προβατων των εμων καθως ειπον υμιν

John 10:31-33 (NET)	John 10:31-33 (KJV)
The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death.	Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:31 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐβάστασαν πάλιν λίθους οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἵνα λιθάσωσιν αὐτόν	εβαστασαν ουν παλιν λιθους οι ιουδαιοι ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον	εβαστασαν ουν παλιν λιθους οι ιουδαιοι ινα λιθασωσιν αυτον

Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?”

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· πολλὰ ἔργα \|καλὰ\| ἔδειξα ὑμῖν ἐκ τοῦ πατρός· διὰ ποῖον αὐτῶν ἔργον ἐμὲ λιθάζετε	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους πολλα καλα εργα εδειξα υμιν εκ του πατρος μου δια ποιον αυτων εργον λιθαζετε με	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους πολλα καλα εργα εδειξα υμιν εκ του πατρος μου δια ποιον αυτων εργον λιθαζετε με

The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good deed but for blasphemy because you, a man, are claiming to be God.”

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

John 10:33 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· περὶ καλοῦ ἔργου οὐ λιθάζομεν σε ἀλλὰ περὶ βλασφημίας, καὶ ὅτι σὺ ἄνθρωπος ὢν ποιεῖς σεαυτὸν θεόν	απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες περι καλου εργου ου λιθαζομεν σε αλλα περι βλασφημιας και οτι συ ανθρωπος ων ποιεις σεαυτον θεον	απεκριθησαν αυτω οι ιουδαιοι λεγοντες περι καλου εργου ου λιθαζομεν σε αλλα περι βλασφημιας και οτι συ ανθρωπος ων ποιεις σεαυτον θεον

John 10:34 (NET)	John 10:34 (KJV)
Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?	Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

John 10:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς· οὐκ ἔστιν γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ ὑμῶν ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον εν τω νομω υμων εγω ειπα θεοι εστε	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενον εν τω νομω υμων εγω ειπα θεοι εστε

John 10:38 (NET)	John 10:38 (KJV)
But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”	But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

John 10:38 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ ποιῶ, κὰν ἐμοὶ μὴ πιστεύητε, τοῖς ἔργοις πιστεύετε, ἵνα γνῶτε καὶ γινώσκητε ὅτι ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ πατὴρ καγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί	ει δε ποιω καν εμοι μη πιστευητε τοις εργοις πιστευσατε ινα γνωτε και πιστευσητε οτι εν εμοι ο πατηρ καγω εν αυτω	ει δε ποιω καν εμοι μη πιστευητε τοις εργοις πιστευσατε ινα γνωτε και πιστευσητε οτι εν εμοι ο πατηρ καγω εν αυτω

Luke 7:20-22 (NET)	Luke 7:20-22 (KJV)
When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”	When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

Luke 7:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 7:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 7:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
παραγενόμενοι δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες εἶπαν· Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἀπέστειλεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς σὲ λέγων· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἄλλον προσδοκῶμεν	παραγενομενοι δε προς αυτον οι ανδρες ειπον ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης απεσταλκεν ημας προς σε λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν	παραγενομενοι δε προς αυτον οι ανδρες ειπον ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης απεσταλκεν ημας προς σε λεγων συ ει ο ερχομενος η αλλον προσδοκωμεν

At that very time Jesus cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, and evil spirits, and granted sight to many who were blind.

And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.

Luke 7:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 7:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 7:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐθεράπευσεν πολλοὺς ἀπὸ νόσων καὶ μαστίγων καὶ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν καὶ τυφλοῖς πολλοῖς ἐχαρίσατο βλέπειν	εν αυτη δε τη ωρα εθεραπευσεν πολλους απο νοσων και μαστιγων και πνευματων πονηρων και τυφλοις πολλοις εχαρισατο το βλεπειν	εν αυτη δε τη ωρα εθεραπευσεν πολλους απο νοσων και μαστιγων και πνευματων πονηρων και τυφλοις πολλοις εχαρισατο το βλεπειν

So he answered them, “Go tell John what you have seen and heard: The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them.

Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.

Luke 7:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 7:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 7:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ εἴδετε καὶ ἠκούσατε· τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν, χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται, πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις πορευθεντες απαγγειλατε ιωαννη α ειδετε και ηκουσατε οτι τυφλοι αναβλεπουσιν χωλοι περιπατουσιν λεπροι καθαριζονται κωφοι ακουουσιν νεκροι εγειρονται πτωχοι ευαγγελιζονται	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις πορευθεντες απαγγειλατε ιωαννη α ειδετε και ηκουσατε οτι τυφλοι αναβλεπουσιν χωλοι περιπατουσιν λεπροι καθαριζονται κωφοι ακουουσιν νεκροι εγειρονται πτωχοι ευαγγελιζονται

Son of God – 1 John, Part 1

Back to Saving Demons, Part 1

Back to Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 3

¹ In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text Solomon’s was spelled Σολομῶνος, and σολομωντος in the Stephanus Textus Receptus. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τοῦ preceding Solomon’s. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

² John 10:23 (NET)

³ John 10:24, 25a (NET)

⁴ πιστεύετε was derived from πείθω.

⁵ John 10:25b (NET)

⁶ John 3:19 (NET)

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γαρ.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐκ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου.

¹⁰ John 10:26 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καθως ειπον υμιν (KJV: as I said unto you) at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ Romans 11:7b, 8 (NET) See Romans, Part 39 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to the Septuagint.

¹² John 10:27a (NET) Table

¹³ Matthew 13:11 (NET)

¹⁴ Matthew 13:13 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 11:11 (NET)

¹⁶ John 10:27b (NET) Table

¹⁷ Romans 8:28b-30 (NET)

¹⁸ John 10:28-30 (NET)

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then) following picked up. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ John 10:31 (NET)

²¹ John 10:32 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐμὲ (NET: me) preceding stone, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had με (KJV: me) following.

²² John 10:33 (NET)

²³ Matthew 16:17 (NET) Table

²⁴ Matthew 16:16 (NET)

²⁵ John 1:49 (NET) Table

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι preceding this clause, understood in the NET as an indication of a direct quotation. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not. This clause is ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε in Greek in the New Testament, and ἐγὼ εἶπα θεοί ἐστε in Psalm 82:6 (81:6) in the Septuagint.

²⁷ John 10:34-36 (NET)

²⁸ Exodus 21:6; 22:8, 9 (NET) A note (4) in the NET on Psalm 82:1 reads: “The present translation assumes that the Hebrew term אֱלֹהִים (ʾelohim, ‘gods’) here refers to the pagan gods who supposedly comprise El’s assembly according to Canaanite religion. Those who reject the polemical view of the psalm prefer to see the referent as human judges or rulers (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to officials appointed by God, see Exod 21:6; 22:8-9; Ps 45:6) or as angelic beings (אֱלֹהִים sometimes refers to angelic beings, see Gen 3:5; Ps 8:5).” So, I have chosen the passages in Exodus (from the first five books of the law) that are assumed to reference men for illustration here.

²⁹ John 10:37 (NET)

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευσατε here, a form of the verb πιστεύω in the imperative mood (e.g., “you must believe”), where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πιστεύετε, which can be understood in the imperative or indicative mood. I’ve come to understand this as multiplexing: The old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the old human”) reading in Greek hears a command in the imperative mood—“you must believe the deeds”—while the new man (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the new human”) hears a fact and a promise—“you believe the deeds.”

³¹ John 10:38a (NET)

³² Romans 11:11 (NET)

³³ 2 Corinthians 5:7 (NET)

³⁴ Romans 10:9 (NET)

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γινώσκητε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευσητε (KJV: believe).

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῷ πατρί here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: him).

³⁷ John 10:38b (NET)

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκείνῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτη δε (KJV: And…that same).

³⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding sight. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο ιησους (KJV: Jesus) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτι (KJV: how that) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the conjunction καὶ (not translated in the NET) joining these clauses. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴³ Luke 7:20-23 (NET)

⁴⁴ John 11:43b, 44 (NET)

⁴⁵ John 19:7 (NET) Table

⁴⁶ John 20:30, 31 (NET) Table

⁴⁷ John 3:17 (NET) Table

Fear – Exodus, Part 3

Posted on April 23, 2013 by admin

The Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: “Release my people so that they may serve me!”’”¹ This is the seventh plague on Egypt. You are still exalting yourself against my people by not releasing them [Table], the Lord continued. I am going to cause very severe hail to rain down about this time tomorrow, such hail as has never occurred in Egypt from the day it was founded until now [Table]. So now, send instructions to gather your livestock and all your possessions in the fields to a safe place. Every person or animal caught in the field and not brought into the house – the hail will come down on them, and they will die! [Table]²

Those of Pharaoh’s servants who feared (yârêʼ, הַיָּרֵא) the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses [Table], but those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle in the field [Table].³ The rabbis who translated the Septuagint used φοβούμενος (a present participle of φοβέω). Jesus told a parable about a judge who neither feared (φοβούμενος) God nor respected people.⁴ But even this judge could be persuaded by a widow’s persistence. I will give her justice, the judge said, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.⁵ But even after six other plagues happened as prophesied by Moses there were still those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously. The rabbis used προσέσχεν [Addendum 12/26/2025: a form of προσέχω] (hold to), they did not hold to the word of the Lord.

It caused me to consider that those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously were actually hardened. The judge did not fear God but could be persuaded by his own inconvenience. To lose one’s animals and slaves is a major inconvenience. Six out of six plagues would seemingly convince one that the seventh was possible if not likely. Reason alone would persuade one to take precautions at least at the time of day prophesied simply to avoid the greater inconvenience of losing everything. But only those who feared the word of the Lord acted rationally. It gave me the impression that the others believed (though did not fear) that the word was the Lord’s, and acted contrary to his word because it was his word. They were hardened.

The hail struck everything in the open fields, both people and animals, throughout all the land of Egypt. The hail struck everything that grows in the field, and it broke all the trees of the field to pieces [Table]. Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was there no hail [Table]. So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty. Pray to the Lord, for the mighty thunderings and hail are too much! I will release you and you will stay no longer.”⁶

Moses promised to pray that the hail cease. But as for you, He said to Pharaoh, and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear (yârêʼ, תִּירְאוּן) the Lord God.⁷ In the Septuagint the rabbis used πεφόβησθε, (afraid). This form was not used in the New Testament.

When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder ceased, he sinned again: both he and his servants hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses.⁸ Pharaoh certainly believed the word was the Lord’s as a fact, but he did not fear that word. Here I begin to grasp the fear of the Lord as something that is combined with factual acceptance to become New Testament faith, as opposed to dead faith or faith alone.

This fear is obviously not a flight of terror but a conviction to act in accordance with the word (Septuagint: ῥῆμα) of the Lord. In New Testament terms it would be equivalent to the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.⁹ And this is because it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.¹⁰ In a similar sense the New Testament meaning of the fear of the Lord is equivalent to the love of God: Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person [Table]. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected.¹¹

Luke used the phrase fear of the Lord in this association with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit: Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria experienced peace and thus was strengthened. Living¹² in the fear of the Lord and in the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, the church increased in numbers.¹³ At first glance Paul seemed to use fear of the Lord in a more fearful sense: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil [Table]. Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people…¹⁴

If I expand the context, however, Paul spoke first of faith: For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens.¹⁵ While the natural person clings to this earthly tent for dear life we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.¹⁶ Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose, Paul continued (including by the way appearing before the judgment seat of Christ) is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment.¹⁷ So is any of this a cause to be fearful?

Paul continued (2 Corinthians 5:6-9 NET):

Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord – for we live by faith, not by sight. Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him.

And what is this ambition to please him but the fear of the Lord? Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too.¹⁸ For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died [Table]. And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.¹⁹

And all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation [Table]. In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God [Table].²⁰

So before Christ was crucified, rose again, ascended to heaven and the Holy Spirit was given to provide this love, this desire and this effort, the Lord cultivated fear to motivate his people: The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display these signs of mine before him, and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell how I made fools of the Egyptians and about my signs that I displayed among them, so that you may know that I am the Lord.”²¹ Perhaps more to the point was Moses’ response to Israel’s fear when God spoke the law at Sinai: Do not fear (yārē’, תִּירָאוּ), for God has come to test you, that the fear of him (yir’â, יִרְאָתוֹ; KJV: his fear) may be before you so that you do not sin.²²

Addendum: March 15, 2026
Tables comparing Exodus 9:27; 9:28; 9:30; 9:34; 9:35; 10:1; 10:2 and 20:20 (20:17) in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 9:27; 9:28; 9:30; 9:34; 9:35; 10:1; 10:2 and 20:20 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Exodus 9:27 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:27 (KJV)	Exodus 9:27 (NET)
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them: ‘I have sinned this time; HaShem is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.	And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.	So Pharaoh sent and summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time! The Lord is righteous, and I and my people are guilty.

Exodus 9:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀποστείλας δὲ Φαραω ἐκάλεσεν Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡμάρτηκα τὸ νῦν ὁ κύριος δίκαιος ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ὁ λαός μου ἀσεβεῖς	ἀποστείλας δὲ Φαραώ ἐκάλεσε Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἡμάρτηκα τὸ νῦν· ὁ Κύριος δίκαιος, ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ὁ λαός μου ἀσεβεῖς
Exodus 9:27 (NETS)	Exodus 9:27 (English Elpenor)
Then Pharao sent and summoned Moyses and Aaron and said to them, “Now I have sinned. The Lord is just but I and my people are impious.	And Pharao sent and called Moses and Aaron, and said to them, I have sinned this time: the Lord [is] righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exodus 9:28 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:28 (KJV)	Exodus 9:28 (NET)
Entreat HaShem, and let there be enough of these mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.’	Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.	Pray to the Lord, for the mighty thunderings and hail are too much! I will release you and you will stay no longer.”

Exodus 9:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εὔξασθε οὖν περὶ ἐμοῦ πρὸς κύριον καὶ παυσάσθω τοῦ γενηθῆναι φωνὰς θεοῦ καὶ χάλαζαν καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐκέτι προσθήσεσθε μένειν	εὔξασθε οὖν περὶ ἐμοῦ πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ παυσάσθω τοῦ γενηθῆναι φωνὰς Θεοῦ καὶ χάλαζαν καὶ πῦρ· καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐκέτι προστεθήσεσθε μένειν
Exodus 9:28 (NETS)	Exodus 9:28 (English Elpenor)
Therefore pray for me to the Lord, and let him put a stop to God’s sounds and hail and fire, and I will send you away, and you will no longer continue to stay.”	Pray then for me to the Lord, and let him cause the thunderings of God to cease, and the hail and the fire, and I will send you forth and ye shall remain no longer.

Exodus 9:30 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:30 (KJV)	Exodus 9:30 (NET)
But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear HaShem G-d.’–	But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.	But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”

Exodus 9:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ θεράποντές σου ἐπίσταμαι ὅτι οὐδέπω πεφόβησθε τὸν κύριον	καὶ σὺ καὶ οἱ θεράποντές σου, ἐπίσταμαι ὅτι οὐδέπω πεφόβησθε τὸν Κύριον
Exodus 9:30 (NETS)	Exodus 9:30 (English Elpenor)
Both you and your attendants—I know that you have not yet come to fear the Lord.”	But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye have not yet feared the Lord.

Exodus 9:34 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:34 (KJV)	Exodus 9:34 (NET)
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.	And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.	When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder ceased, he sinned again: both he and his servants hardened their hearts.

Exodus 9:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδὼν δὲ Φαραω ὅτι πέπαυται ὁ ὑετὸς καὶ ἡ χάλαζα καὶ αἱ φωναί προσέθετο τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν καὶ ἐβάρυνεν αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ	ἰδὼν δὲ Φαραὼ ὅτι πέπαυται ὁ ὑετὸς καὶ ἡ χάλαζα καὶ αἱ φωναί, προσέθετο τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν καὶ ἐβάρυνεν αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ
Exodus 9:34 (NETS)	Exodus 9:34 (English Elpenor)
Now when Pharao saw that the rain had ceased, and the hail and the sounds, he continued to sin and made his heart and that of his attendants heavy.	And when Pharao saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders ceased, he continued to sin; and [he] hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants.

Exodus 9:35 (Tanakh)	Exodus 9:35 (KJV)	Exodus 9:35 (NET)
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the children of Israel go; as HaShem had spoken by Moses.	And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.	So Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, and he did not release the Israelites, as the Lord had predicted through Moses.

Exodus 9:35 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 9:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐσκληρύνθη ἡ καρδία Φαραω καὶ οὐκ ἐξαπέστειλεν τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ	καὶ ἐσκληρύνθη ἡ καρδία Φαραώ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαπέστειλε τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ, καθάπερ ἐλάλησε Κύριος τῷ Μωυσῇ
Exodus 9:35 (NETS)	Exodus 9:35 (English Elpenor)
And the heart of Pharao was hardened, and he did not send away the sons of Israel, according as the Lord said to Moyses.	And the heart of Pharao was hardened, and he did not send forth the children of Israel, as the Lord said to Moses.

Exodus 10:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 10:1 (KJV)	Exodus 10:1 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these My signs in the midst of them;	And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:	The Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, in order to display these signs of mine before him,

Exodus 10:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 10:1, 2a (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων εἴσελθε πρὸς Φαραω ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐσκλήρυνα αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ ἵνα ἑξῆς ἐπέλθῃ τὰ σημεῖα ταῦτα ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς	ΕΙΠΕ δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· εἴσελθε πρὸς Φαραώ· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐσκλήρυνα αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν καὶ τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἑξῆς ἐπέλθῃ τὰ σημεῖα ταῦτα ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς (2) ὅπως
Exodus 10:1 (NETS)	Exodus 10:1 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses,”Go in to Pharao. For I made his heart and that of his attendants heavy in order that one after another these signs might come upon them.	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Go in to Pharao: for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that these signs may come upon them; in order

Exodus 10:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 10:2 (KJV)	Exodus 10:2 (NET)
and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what I have wrought upon Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them; that ye may know that I am HaShem.’	And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.	and in order that in the hearing of your son and your grandson you may tell how I made fools of the Egyptians and about my signs that I displayed among them, so that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Exodus 10:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 10:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅπως διηγήσησθε εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῶν τέκνων ὑμῶν καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις τῶν τέκνων ὑμῶν ὅσα ἐμπέπαιχα τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ τὰ σημεῖά μου ἃ ἐποίησα ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος	ὅπως διηγήσησθε εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῶν τέκνων ὑμῶν καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις τῶν τέκνων ὑμῶν, ὅσα ἐμπέπαιχα τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις, καὶ τὰ σημεῖά μου, ἃ ἐποίησα ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος
Exodus 10:2 (NETS)	Exodus 10:1b, 2 (English Elpenor)
that you may account in the ears of your children and to the children of your children how I mocked the Egyptians, and my signs that I did among them, and you will know that I am the Lord.”	in order (2) that ye may relate in the ears of your children, and to your children’s children, in how many things I have mocked the Egyptians, and my wonders which I wrought among them; and ye shall know that I [am] the Lord.

Exodus 20:17 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:20 (KJV)	Exodus 20:20 (NET)
And Moses said unto the people: ‘Fear not; for G-d is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before you, that ye sin not.’	And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.	Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you so that you do not sin.”

Exodus 20:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Μωυσῆς θαρσεῖτε ἕνεκεν γὰρ τοῦ πειράσαι ὑμᾶς παρεγενήθη ὁ θεὸς πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὅπως ἂν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε	καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Μωυσῆς· θαρσεῖτε, ἕνεκεν γὰρ τοῦ πειράσαι ὑμᾶς παρεγενήθη ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὅπως ἂν γένηται ὁ φόβος αὐτοῦ ἐν ὑμῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτάνητε
Exodus 20:20 (NETS)	Exodus 20:20 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses says to them, “Take courage! For in order to test you God has come to you in order that his fear might be in you so that you do not sin.”	And Moses says to them, Be of good courage, for God is come to you to try you, that his fear may be among you, that ye sin not.

Fear – Exodus, Part 4

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 5

Back to Fear – Numbers, Part 4

Back to Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

¹ Exodus 9:13 (NET) Table

² Exodus 9:17-19 (NET)

³ Exodus 9:20, 21 (NET)

⁴ Luke 18:2 (NET)

⁵ Luke 18:5 (NET)

⁶ Exodus 9:25-28 (NET)

⁷ Exodus 9:30 (NET)

⁸ Exodus 9:34, 35 (NET)

⁹ Philippians 2:13 (NET) Table

¹⁰ Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

¹¹ 1 John 2:3-5a (NET)

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular πορευομένη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural πορευομεναι (KJV: walking).

¹³ Acts 9:31 (NET) [Table] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular ἐπληθύνετο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural επληθυνοντο (KJV: were multiplied).

¹⁴ 2 Corinthians 5:10, 11 (NET)

¹⁵ 2 Corinthians 5:1 (NET)

¹⁶ 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NET) Table

¹⁷ 2 Corinthians 5:5 (NET) Table

¹⁸ 2 Corinthians 5:11 (NET)

¹⁹ 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (NET)

²¹ Exodus 10:1, 2 (NET)

²² Exodus 20:20 (NET)

Antichrist, Part 2

Posted on April 22, 2013 by admin

Before I could write about Lars von Trier’s movie, I had to return to what John the Apostle had to say about antichrist (ἀντίχριστος). 1 John 2:3-6 served as a preface and point of departure for that study.

Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says¹ “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been perfected (τετελείωται, a form of τελειόω).²

In other words God’s ἀγάπη, when it is perfected, empowers me to keep his commandments. For this is the love (ἀγάπη) of God: that we keep his commandments, John penned later in the same letter. And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.³ Or as Paul said, ἀγάπη is the fulfillment of the law,⁴ and, the one bringing forth in you both the desire (θέλειν, a form of θέλω) and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.⁵

God’s ἀγάπη is perfected in me by faith: we have come to know and to believe the love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us. God is love (ἀγάπη), and the one who resides in love (ἀγάπη) resides in God, and God resides⁶ in him [Table]. By this love (ἀγάπη) is perfected (τετελείωται, a form of τελειόω) with us…⁷ Not only the ἀγάπη but the faith was supplied by God—But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (πίστις)⁸—if I had but gotten out of his way. My religious mind stumbled over John’s statement, The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.⁹

I thought I could avoid the stigma of being called a liar and prove myself true by obeying—first the law then Paul’s definition of love—in my own strength. I set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!¹⁰ A note in the NET on the phrase love of God (1 John 5:3 NET), reads: “Once again the genitive could be understood as (1) objective, (2) subjective, or (3) both. Here an objective sense is more likely (believers’ love for God) because in the previous verse it is clear that God is the object of believers’ love.” What is far more obvious to me now is that my love for God was not sufficient to keep his commandments, and all my efforts to do so did weigh [me] down, when compared to being buoyed up by the fruit of his Spirit.

Still, I had received the desire (θέλειν) to keep his commandments, though God’s love was not yet perfected in me. For I want (θέλειν) to do the good, Paul lamented in Romans, but I cannot do it.¹¹ My friends’ desires, on the other hand, did not suddenly change. And nothing I said mattered to them. Their ongoing sinful behavior tormented me. Why don’t they see? I wondered.

Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues who believed in you,¹² Paul replied when the Lord had said to him, Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.¹³ And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, Paul continued, I myself was standing nearby, approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.¹⁴ It seemed to me that since someone like I was had changed (repented) that everyone should change. By this we know that we are in him, John wrote. The one who says he resides in God ought (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) himself to walk just as Jesus walked.¹⁵

There is nothing wrong with translating ὀφείλει ought: “We have a law, and according to our law he ought (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”¹⁶ religious leaders said of Jesus. But with my predilection for proving myself—“what I could do for God”—I need to remember that to owe is the primary meaning of ὀφείλει: Now if [Onesimus] has defrauded you of anything, Paul wrote Philemon, or owes (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) you anything, charge¹⁷ what he owes to me.¹⁸ My religious mind has used ought to turn John’s statement on its head. I have believed that anything but absolute conformity on my part to walk just as Jesus walked is proof that I am not in him and do not reside in God, despite the fact that a sense of obligation, that I owe this to Him, has been with me since I believed. My friends did not think they owed this to God, or anyone else, simply because I began to believe.

Children, it is the last hour, John wrote, and just as you heard that the antichrist (ἀντίχριστος) is coming, so now many antichrists (ἀντίχριστοι, a form of ἀντίχριστος) have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour. They went out (ἐξῆλθαν, a form of ἐξέρχομαι) from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained (μεμενήκεισαν, a form of μένω) with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.¹⁹ And I think 1 John 2:3-6 has more to do with the antichrists’ point of departure—They went out from us—than any geographical or institutional location.

To sense the obligation to walk just as Jesus walked while being imperfect in God’s love is a state of dynamic tension. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, seeking to obey the law or Paul’s definition of love in my own strength was a way to ease that tension. After all, no one, not even Jesus, could expect me to be as perfect as He is in my own strength. I was completely aware that I was easing that tension when I deliberately abandoned my obligation to walk just as Jesus walked because “it didn’t matter what I did, because I was forgiven and because I was not under law but under grace” (as some of my new friends interpreted and preached the Apostle Paul).

Still, He always brought me back from the latter excursions: Now as for you, John wrote, the anointing that you received from him resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie. Just as it has taught you, you reside (μένετε, another form of μένω) in him.²⁰ If you love me, Jesus said, you will obey (τηρήσετε, a form of τηρέω) my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him. But you know him, because he resides (μένει) with you and will be in (ἐν) you [Table].²¹

The former excursions (though less like excursions and more like my lifestyle) were a bit more intractable. After all, wasn’t God pleased by my noble efforts to keep the law or Paul’s definition of love? Who is the liar, John wrote, but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist: the person who denies the Father and the Son. Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also [Table].²²

I didn’t deny Jesus with my mouth. I honored Him with my lips. But in my heart I rejected the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness in favor of my own righteousness derived from the law²³ or Paul’s definition of ἀγάπη. I was certainly hearing some of the things I’ve written about here. I did attempt from time to time to trust Him with MY righteousness. It wasn’t that I was better somehow at it than He was. It was that I demanded 100% compliance from Him (e.g., from me when He was in charge) but I was much more lenient with myself when I took control.

Dear friends, John continued, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world [Table].²⁴ For me now this means more than paying lip service to Jesus. Does the spirit encourage me to trust God’s credited righteousness, to rely on the fruit of his Spirit? Or does the spirit encourage me to turn back to my own ways, striving in my own strength to keep his commandments?

Again John wrote of antichrist: But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another [Table]. (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! [Table] Watch out, so that you do not lose²⁵ the things we have worked for, but receive²⁶ a full reward.²⁷

John wrote his own ode to the love that fulfills the law (1 John 4:7-19 NET).

Dear friends, let us love (ἀγαπῶμεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another, because love (ἀγάπη) is from God, and everyone who loves (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) has been fathered by God and knows God. The person who does not love (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) does not know God, because God is love (ἀγάπη). By this the love (ἀγάπη) of God is revealed in us: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. In this is love (ἀγάπη): not that we have loved²⁸ (ἠγαπήκαμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) God, but that he loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, if God so loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us, then we also ought (ὀφείλομεν, another form of ὀφείλω) to love (ἀγαπᾶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love (ἀγαπῶμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) one another, God resides in us, and his love (ἀγάπη) is perfected (τετελειωμένη, another form of τελειόω) in us. By this we know that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.

If anyone²⁹ confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in God. And we have come to know and to believe the love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us. God is love (ἀγάπη), and the one who resides in love (ἀγάπη) resides in God, and God resides in him [Table]. By this love (ἀγάπη) is perfected (τετελείωται) with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love (ἀγάπη), but perfect (τελεία, a form of τέλειος) love (ἀγάπη) drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears punishment has not been perfected (τετελείωται) in love (ἀγάπη). We love (ἀγαπῶμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) because he loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us first [Table].

Though Paul didn’t use the word antichrist he described a similar phenomenon of a religious person in whom God’s love is not perfected (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NET).

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη), I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη), I am nothing [Table]. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη), I receive no benefit [Table].

The meaning (in words) of ἀγάπη does not come from an understanding of a word in the Greek language, but from the following (1 Corinthians 13:4-13 NET):

Love (ἀγάπη) is patient, love (ἀγάπη) is kind, it is not envious. Love (ἀγάπη) does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love (ἀγάπη) never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside [Table]. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect (τέλειον, another form of τέλειος) comes, the partial will be set aside [Table]. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways [Table]. For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love (ἀγάπη). But the greatest of these is love (ἀγάπη).

Addendum: March 12, 2026
Tables comparing 1 John 2:4; 5:4; Philemon 1:18; 2 John 1:8; 1 John 4:10 and 4:15 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 2:4 (NET)	1 John 2:4 (KJV)
The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.	He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1 John 2:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ λέγων ὅτι ἔγνωκα αὐτόν καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ μὴ τηρῶν, ψεύστης ἐστίν καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν	ο λεγων εγνωκα αυτον και τας εντολας αυτου μη τηρων ψευστης εστιν και εν τουτω η αληθεια ουκ εστιν	ο λεγων εγνωκα αυτον και τας εντολας αυτου μη τηρων ψευστης εστιν και εν τουτω η αληθεια ουκ εστιν

1 John 5:4 (NET)	1 John 5:4 (KJV)
because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world. This is the conquering power that has conquered the world: our faith.	For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 5:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 5:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον· καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον, ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν	οτι παν το γεγεννημενον εκ του θεου νικα τον κοσμον και αυτη εστιν η νικη η νικησασα τον κοσμον η πιστις ημων	οτι παν το γεγεννημενον εκ του θεου νικα τον κοσμον και αυτη εστιν η νικη η νικησασα τον κοσμον η πιστις υμων

Philemon 1:18 (NET)	Philemon 1:18 (KJV)
Now if he has defrauded you of anything or owes you anything, charge what he owes to me.	If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

Philemon 1:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Philemon 1:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Philemon 1:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δέ τι ἠδίκησεν σε ἢ ὀφείλει, τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἐλλόγα	ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει	ει δε τι ηδικησεν σε η οφειλει τουτο εμοι ελλογει

2 John 1:8 (NET)	2 John 1:8 (KJV)
Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward.	Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

2 John 1:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 John 1:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 John 1:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
βλέπετε ἑαυτούς, ἵνα μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἃ εἰργασάμεθα ἀλλὰ μισθὸν πλήρη ἀπολάβητε	βλεπετε εαυτους ινα μη απολεσωμεν α ειργασαμεθα αλλα μισθον πληρη απολαβωμεν	βλεπετε εαυτους ινα μη απολεσωμεν α ειργασαμεθα αλλα μισθον πληρη απολαβωμεν

1 John 4:10 (NET)	1 John 4:10 (KJV)
In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.	Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 4:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 4:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν τούτῳ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀγάπη, οὐχ ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἠγαπήκαμεν τὸν θεὸν ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀπέστειλεν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἱλασμὸν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν	εν τουτω εστιν η αγαπη ουχ οτι ημεις ηγαπησαμεν τον θεον αλλ οτι αυτος ηγαπησεν ημας και απεστειλεν τον υιον αυτου ιλασμον περι των αμαρτιων ημων	εν τουτω εστιν η αγαπη ουχ οτι ημεις ηγαπησαμεν τον θεον αλλ οτι αυτος ηγαπησεν ημας και απεστειλεν τον υιον αυτου ιλασμον περι των αμαρτιων ημων

1 John 4:15 (NET)	1 John 4:15 (KJV)
If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in God.	Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

1 John 4:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 4:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 4:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὂς ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃ ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ μένει καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν τῷ θεῷ	ος αν ομολογηση οτι ιησους εστιν ο υιος του θεου ο θεος εν αυτω μενει και αυτος εν τω θεω	ος αν ομολογηση οτι ιησους εστιν ο υιος του θεου ο θεος εν αυτω μενει και αυτος εν τω θεω

Antichrist, Part 3

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 44

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 2

Back to Antichrist, Part 5

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 3

Back to The Righteousness of God

Back to Romans, Part 50

Back to To Make Holy, Part 5

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 9

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 3

Back to Fear – Leviticus

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 13

Back to Romans, Part 78

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι (“that,” not translated in the NET) after says. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

² 1 John 2:3-5a (NET)

³ 1 John 5:3, 4a (NET)

⁴ Romans 13:10b (NET)

⁵ Philippians 2:13 (NET) Table

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had μένει here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

⁷ 1 John 4:16-18a (NET)

⁸ Galatians 5:22 (NET)

⁹ 1 John 2:4 (NET)

¹⁰ Galatians 2:21 (NET)

¹¹ Romans 7:18b (NET) Table

¹² Acts 22:19 (NET)

¹³ Acts 22:18 (NET) Table

¹⁴ Acts 22:20 (NET) Table

¹⁵ 1 John 2:5b, 6 (NET)

¹⁶ John 19:7 (NET)

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐλλόγα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελλογει (KJV: put…on…account). Both are 2^nd person singular forms of ἐλλογέω in the present tense, active voice, and imperative mood.

¹⁸ Philemon 1:18 (NET)

¹⁹ 1 John 2:18, 19 (NET) Table

²⁰ 1 John 2:27 (NET) Table

²¹ John 14:15-17 (NET)

²² 1 John 2:22, 23 (NET)

²³ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

²⁴ 1 John 4:1-3 (NET)

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπολέσητε here, a 2^nd person plural form of ἀπόλλυμι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολεσωμεν (KJV: we lose), a 1^st person plural form.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπολάβητε here, a 2^nd person plural form of ἀπολαμβάνω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολαβωμεν (KJV: we receive), a 1^st person plural form.

²⁷ 2 John 1:5-8 (NET)

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠγαπήκαμεν here, a form of ἀγαπάω in the perfect tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηγαπησαμεν (KJV: we loved) in the aorist tense.

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ὂς ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ος αν (KJV: Whosoever).

Romans, Part 42

Posted on April 17, 2013 by admin

For I do not want you to be ignorant (ἀγνοεῖν, a form of ἀγνοέω) of this mystery (μυστήριον), brothers and sisters, Paul continued, so that you may not be conceited (φρόνιμοι, a form of φρόνιμος; [παρ᾿] ἑαυτοῖς φρόνιμοι)…¹ The Greek word ἀγνοεῖν, translated ignorant above, was translated unaware in Paul’s revelation of that affliction which was so integral a part of, if not the impetus for, the understanding that became his letter to the Romans: For we do not want you to be unaware (ἀγνοεῖν, a form of ἀγνοέω), brothers and sisters, regarding the affliction that happened to us in the province of Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of living [Table]. Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust (πεποιθότες, a form of πείθω) in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.²

The word πεποιθότες, translated trust above, leads back to Paul’s point in Romans (as articulated in his letter to Philippi): Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, exult in Christ Jesus, and do not rely (πεποιθότες, a form of πείθω) on human credentials (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ)…³ To translate σαρκὶ as human credentials obscures more than it illuminates.

The note (6) in the NET admits that the Greek reads, “have no confidence in the flesh” as it is translated in the NKJV. Still, it seems to me that the most natural reading of καὶ οὐκ ἐν σαρκὶ πεποιθότες would be “and not by flesh persuaded” or “and not by persuasion of flesh.” Paul was not concerned with human credentials, nor even an idolatry of self-worship, a confidence in the flesh, so much as the delusion of human flesh that righteousness comes by human efforts to keep God’s laws.

If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence (πεποιθέναι, another form of πείθω) in human credentials (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ), Paul continued, I have more: I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee. In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless [Table]. But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ [Table]. More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ [Table], and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁴

For I do not want you to be ignorant (ἀγνοεῖν, a form of ἀγνοέω) of this mystery (μυστήριον), brothers and sisters, Paul wrote in Romans. Paul’s mystery (μυστήριον) was Jesus’ secret when He told his disciples, The secret (μυστήριον) of the kingdom of God has been given⁵ to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables [Table], so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven” [Table].⁶

Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, Paul had written earlier, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened [Table], as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day.”⁷

And Jesus was actively involved in fulfilling His Father’s will.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ [Table]. For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will – to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son [Table]. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace [Table] that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight. He did this when he revealed to us the secret (μυστήριον) of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, toward the administration of the fullness of the times, to head up all things in Christ – the things in heaven and the things on earth. In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory [Table]. And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ – you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory [Table].⁸

For I do not want you to be ignorant (ἀγνοεῖν, a form of ἀγνοέω) of this mystery (μυστήριον), brothers and sisters, Paul wrote, so that you may not be conceited (φρόνιμοι, a form of φρόνιμος; [παρ᾿] ἑαυτοῖς φρόνιμοι). The idiom παρ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς φρόνιμοι translated conceited is literally from or by themselves wise. It is similar to ἵνα μὴ πεποιθότες ὦμεν ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς (literally so that not be persuaded to be or to exist upon ourselves) from: Indeed we felt as if the sentence of death had been passed against us, so that we would not trust (πεποιθότες, a form of πείθω) in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.⁹ Later in Romans Paul wrote, Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Do not be conceited (φρόνιμοι παρ᾿ ἑαυτοῖς). Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.¹⁰

Paul had tended to use φρόνιμοι (a form of φρόνιμος; wise) in this form in a sarcastic or even mocking manner: We are fools for Christ, but you are wise (φρόνιμοι) in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, we are dishonored!¹¹ And, For since you are so wise (φρόνιμοι), you put up with fools gladly.¹² Paul didn’t want us to be wise from or by ourselves any more than he wanted us to be persuaded to be or to exist upon ourselves. And so what was this mystery or secret Paul didn’t want us to be ignorant or unaware of?

A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full (πλήρωμα) number of the Gentiles has come in (εἰσέλθῃ, a form of εἰσέρχομαι) [Table]. And so all Israel will be saved [Table]…¹³ Did Paul mean all Israel as in all who are descended from Israel? Or did he rename all descended from Israel who believe and all Gentiles who believe all Israel?

For not all those who are descended from Israel are truly Israel, Paul wrote earlier, nor are all the children Abraham’s true descendants; rather “through Isaac will your descendants be counted.”¹⁴ This seemed like a strong argument that all Israel cannot mean “all who are descended from Israel,” until I put the verse back in context. This means, Paul continued, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.¹⁵

So what promise did Paul have in mind when he wrote, And so all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26, 27 NET)?

And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob [Table]. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

The Deliverer will remove ungodliness (ἀσεβείας, a form of ἀσέβεια) from Jacob. This ungodliness brought God’s wrath in the first place: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (ἀσέβειαν, another form of ἀσέβεια) and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness…¹⁶ Today the quotation from Isaiah reads, A protector comes to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their rebellious deeds,¹⁷ when translated from a contemporary understanding of Hebrew. But the rabbis who translated the Septuagint into Greek about two centuries before the Lord Jesus was rejected as Messiah translated it this way:

Paul

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)

…he will remove ungodliness from Jacob.

Romans 11:26b (NET)

ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ιακωβ

Isaiah 59:20b

ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ

Romans 11:26b

The phrase when I take away their sins is not part of the quotation from Isaiah 59:20, 21. I think Paul interjected it to cue us as to which covenant he had in mind, namely, the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:33-35 NET).

“But I will make a new covenant with the whole nation of Israel after I plant them back in the land,” says the Lord. “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts and minds. I will be their God and they will be my people [Table]. People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done” [Table]. The Lord has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. He promises it as the one who is known as the Lord who rules over all.

I will not reject all the descendants of Israel because of all that they have done,¹⁸ the Lord promised. In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers,¹⁹ Paul concluded. And I think he meant all the descendants of Israel.

Addendum (7/7/2015): Jim Searcy has published that the Septuagint is a hoax written by Origen and Eusebius 200 hundred years after Christ. “In fact, the Septuagint ‘quotes’ from the New Testament and not vice versa…” His contention is that the “King James Version is the infallible Word of God.” So, I’ll re-examine the quotations above with the KJV.

Paul

KJV

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)

…and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Romans 11:26b (KJV)

…and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob…

Isaiah 59:20b

ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ

Romans 11:26b

Cleary, Paul’s quotation is not as it is written in Isaiah 59:20 if the “King James Version is the infallible Word of God.”

Addendum: February 27, 2026
Tables comparing Jeremiah 31:35 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Jeremiah 31:35 (38:36; 38:35) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Jeremiah 31:35 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 31:35 (KJV)	Jeremiah 31:35 (NET)
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:	Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:	The Lord has made a promise to Israel. He promises it as the one who fixed the sun to give light by day and the moon and stars to give light by night. He promises it as the one who stirs up the sea so that its waves roll. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Jeremiah 31:35 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 38:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως εἶπεν κύριος ὁ δοὺς τὸν ἥλιον εἰς φῶς τῆς ἡμέρας σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας εἰς φῶς τῆς νυκτός καὶ κραυγὴν ἐν θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐβόμβησεν τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ	οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος ὁ δοὺς τὸν ἥλιον εἰς φῶς τῆς ἡμέρας, σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας εἰς φῶς τῆς νυκτός, καὶ κραυγὴν ἐν θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐβόμβησε τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς, Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ
Jeremiah 38:36 (NETS)	Jeremiah 38:35 (English Elpenor)
Thus did the Lord say, who gives the sun as light by day, moon and stars as light by night, and a scream in the sea and its waves made a booming noise—the Lord Almighty is his name:	Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and [makes] a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name:

Romans, Part 43

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 8

Back to Torture, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 58

¹ Romans 11:25a (NET) Table

² 2 Corinthians 1:8, 9 (NET)

³ Philippians 3:3 (NET) Table

⁴ Philippians 3:4-9 (NET)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γνωναι (KJV: to know) following has been given. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ Mark 4:11, 12 (NET) See Antichrist, Part 1 for tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁷ Romans 11:7, 8 (NET) See Romans, Part 39 for tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁸ Ephesians 1:3-14 (NET)

⁹ 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NET)

¹⁰ Romans 12:16, 17 (NET)

¹¹ 1 Corinthians 4:10 (NET)

¹² 2 Corinthians 11:19 (NET)

¹³ Romans 11:25b, 26a (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 9:6b, 7 (NET) See The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹⁵ Romans 9:8 (NET)

¹⁶ Romans 1:18 (NET)

¹⁷ Isaiah 59:20 (NET) Table

¹⁸ Jeremiah 31:37 (NET) Table

¹⁹ Romans 11:28 (NET)

Antichrist, Part 1

Posted on April 11, 2013 by admin

I was introduced to Lars von Trier’s movies in a backhanded way. A friend wanted me to watch “Melancholia” because she thought it was a waste of two hours of her life. I suspected she was afraid I might like it and call her taste into question. I was afraid of that too as I watched the magical beginning of the film. Fortunately for our friendship I found the character Justine disagreeable enough to satisfy her. I enjoyed the film more when I skipped from the extreme slow motion photography of the opening to the chapter titled “Claire” and watched from there to the end. Less of Justine’s melancholia was definitely more for me. I was hooked however on Lars von Trier.

I cried at the end of “Breaking the Waves” when God credited Bess’s faith as righteousness: For what does the scripture say? Paul asked. “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”¹ The plot turned on the confusion in the English language between eros and agapē. It seems to me that English speaking believers who care about making the Gospel plain would lead the curve to accept fuck and fucking as legitimate words for eros. We are the ones, after all, muscling in on love (since the Aunt Pollys² and professional fundraisers of the world have made charity³ as odious to the receiver as to the giver).

Sexual intercourse is too clinical to substitute for eros. Making love is too nice-nice, too insincere, or too dishonest to suffice. The freshly fucked wife lying forlornly beside her husband, asking, “Do you love me?” knows full well that fucking doesn’t make any love. Her clueless husband turning from the television to stare incredulously at her, and saying defensively, “Didn’t I just show you how much I love you?” thinks love was the feeling he had while fucking her. Or worse, he might take offense thinking she has denigrated his performance as a fucker. If he has read any books about fucking he might take the time to cuddle and talk to her afterwards, before turning to the television. But a wife is close enough to see through that hypocrisy eventually. Only the love that flows from Christ’s Spirit is the ἀγάπη (agapē) she seeks when fucking just isn’t enough.

I was on my first movie set with nudity. We were ready to shoot. The male actor, speaking for himself and his female counterpart, asked the director, “Are we making love or fucking?” We all knew exactly what he meant. Making love is the tender prelude to the selfish self-abandon of fucking. Making love is the hope of which fucking is the substance. By comparison making love seems calculated, hypocritical, a mere going through the motions, or a practiced aloofness. “Give me a little of both,” the director replied.

Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong to a neighbor, Paul wrote. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment of the law.⁴ Few would be persuaded that, fucking does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore fucking (or the feeling I have while I am fucking, or wanting to fuck, her) is the fulfillment of the law. I wonder sometimes, however, if we don’t actually prefer the confusion. Loving enemies and praying for persecutors is decidedly unsexy and a hard sell. It isn’t natural. It only comes from the ἀγάπη of God flowing into one through his Holy Spirit and then out again as attitudes and actions that are incomprehensible to those born only of the flesh of Adam.

Having said all that, however, there was something about fucking, especially first fucking, that made me highly susceptible to the ἀγάπη of God. I have noticed a similar phenomenon in other men. It makes a sort of sense then that Satan and the religious mind would conspire to make first fucking as “immoral” as possible, to short circuit that natural progression from eros to agapē. In the past this was achieved by putting all women but prostitutes completely out of reach. In my day it was the misnomer premarital sex and the presumed punishment for premarital sex—pregnancy. In terms of God’s law it was about as difficult for a man to commit premarital sex as to commit a pre-homicidal murder, since even a man who raped a single woman had committed lifelong marriage (Deuteronomy 22:28, 29 NET):

Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered [Table]. The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives [Table].

In “Breaking the Waves” Bess (Emily Watson) knew that Jan (Stellan Skarsgård) worked on an oil rig out at sea when she married him. But after their honeymoon, when he had to go back to work, she couldn’t bear their separation. (I should probably say that I will be spoiling “Breaking the Waves” for anyone who finds a movie “spoiled” by knowing its story.) Bess prayed that God would bring Jan home. Whenever Bess prayed, by the way, she spoke for herself and then lowered the pitch of her voice and spoke for God as well. Not surprisingly perhaps, Bess’s god sounded a bit like the elders of her church.

Early in the film we get a picture of her church. When Jan asked why they had no bells in their steeple, the religious leader scolded, “We do not need bells in our church to worship God.” “I like church bells,” Bess whispered to Jan. He attended a funeral presided over by the elders and heard the words, “You are a sinner and you deserve your place in hell,” spoken as a corpse was lowered into the ground. When he told Bess about it, she agreed, “He will go to hell; everyone knows that.”

Jan got hurt on the rig and came home paralyzed, probably for life, though even his life was not guaranteed. He encouraged Bess to take a lover, but not to divorce him. Bess was offended. Later he convinced her that his life depended on her taking a lover and telling him about it. She reluctantly and unsuccessfully attempted to seduce his doctor, someone for whom she had some affection. She tried to tell Jan a sexy story, but he knew she was lying. She began to have anonymous encounters with strangers. She even dressed like a prostitute. When she did, Jan seemed to get better. When she didn’t, he seemed to get worse.

Finally she went to the “big ship” dressed as a prostitute. Other prostitutes wouldn’t go there. The men were brutal and cruel. Bess barely escaped with her life. She was excommunicated from her church, locked out of her home and pelted with rocks by neighborhood children. Then she heard from her sister-in-law (who was also Jan’s nurse) that he was dying.

When his doctor asked, “What’s your talent, Bess?” she replied, “I can believe.” At the moment where all was darkest for Bess personally her sister-in-law asked, “Is there anything I can do for you, anything at all?” “Yes,” Bess answered, “I’d like you to go to Jan and pray for him to be cured, and rise from his bed and walk.” Bess then went back to the “big ship.”

Lars von Trier was uncharacteristically shy about showing what happened to Bess there. One can only assume that she was raped and beaten (and I call it rape despite her willingness to endure it). But not showing it was the right call. There was no need by that time in the story for anger at her attackers, and no call for overwhelming sorrow for Bess. As she died in the emergency room she realized and admitted how wrong she had been.

At the medical inquest Jan’s doctor was tongue-tied to describe her condition. He declared her good, but recanted when the medical examiners disputed describing her death as due to excessive goodness. But there, sitting at the inquest, was Jan, not only risen from his deathbed but walking again. While the religious leaders of Bess’s “church” were preoccupied with excommunicating sinners, teaching love for the law, and condemning corpses to hell, the body of Christ functioned within it (her sister-in-law was a member in good standing) and without it (Bess and Jan were not).

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit, Paul wrote to the Corinthians. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone [Table]. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles…[Table]⁵

Bess received the faith. Her sister-in-law prayed and received a miracle. Jan received a gift of healing.

Jan couldn’t face the prospect of self-righteous men condemning his beloved wife to hell, so he and his friends from the oil rig stole her body. “Bess McNeill,” the church leader intoned over a casket filled with sand, “you are a sinner, and for your sins you are consigned to hell.”

“Not one of you has the right to consign Bess to hell,” her sister-in-law rebuked them with a gift of wisdom. And they, for once, fell silent.

Bess was buried at sea on the oil rig. Later a friend roused Jan from his mourning to come out on deck. They stopped at the radar screen to assure themselves that nothing was on the ocean near them. Then they went outside and heard church bells ringing. And just in case we viewers were inclined to be incredulous, the scene cut to an extreme high angle, looking down on the oil rig in the ocean through the ringing bells of heaven.

There is another interesting aspect to this film. People like the leaders of Bess’ “church” are not likely to see a movie rated “R for strong graphic sexuality, nudity, language and some violence.” They self-select as unworthy of its message, and are “hardened,” so they may not repent and be forgiven,⁶ Jesus said of those who were outside (ἔξω).⁷ But “Antichrist,” another of Trier’s movies, is what I really want to write about here.

Addendum: February 24, 2026
According to a note (16) in the NET Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9, 10 in Mark 4:12. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Mark 4:12a (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε
Mark 4:12a (NET)	Isaiah 6:9b (NETS)	Isaiah 6:9b (English Elpenor)
“so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand,	‘You will listen by listening, but you will not understand, and looking you will look, but you will not perceive’.	Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.

Mark 4:12b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 6:10b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 6:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς	καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
Mark 4:12b (NET)	Isaiah 6:10b (NETS)	Isaiah 6:10b (English Elpenor)
so they may not repent and be forgiven.”	and turn–and I would heal them.”	and be converted, and I should heal them.

Tables comparing 2 Corinthians 9:7; Mark 4:12 and 4:11 in the KJV and NET follow.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET)	2 Corinthians 9:7 (KJV)
Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.	Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 9:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 9:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός	εκαστος καθως προαιρειται τη καρδια μη εκ λυπης η εξ αναγκης ιλαρον γαρ δοτην αγαπα ο θεος	εκαστος καθως προαιρειται τη καρδια μη εκ λυπης η εξ αναγκης ιλαρον γαρ δοτην αγαπα ο θεος

Mark 4:12 (NET)	Mark 4:12 (KJV)
“so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven.”	That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Mark 4:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 4:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 4:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν, μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς	ινα βλεποντες βλεπωσιν και μη ιδωσιν και ακουοντες ακουωσιν και μη συνιωσιν μηποτε επιστρεψωσιν και αφεθη αυτοις τα αμαρτηματα	ινα βλεποντες βλεπωσιν και μη ιδωσιν και ακουοντες ακουωσιν και μη συνιωσιν μηποτε επιστρεψωσιν και αφεθη αυτοις τα αμαρτηματα

Mark 4:11 (NET)	Mark 4:11 (KJV)
He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,	And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

Mark 4:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 4:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 4:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ὑμῖν τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐκείνοις δὲ τοῖς ἔξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὰ πάντα γίνεται	και ελεγεν αυτοις υμιν δεδοται γνωναι το μυστηριον της βασιλειας του θεου εκεινοις δε τοις εξω εν παραβολαις τα παντα γινεται	και ελεγεν αυτοις υμιν δεδοται γνωναι το μυστηριον της βασιλειας του θεου εκεινοις δε τοις εξω εν παραβολαις τα παντα γινεται

Antichrist, Part 2

Back to Antichrist, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 44

Back to Antichrist, Part 4

Back to Antichrist, Part 5

Back to The Righteousness of God

Back to Torture, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 50

Back to Torture, Part 4

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12

Back to Exploration, Part 12

Back to Exploration, Part 13

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Romans 4:3 (NET) See Romans, Part 18 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

² Aunt Polly was the bitter woman from Walt Disney’s “Pollyanna” whose noblesse-oblige-charity was contrasted to Pollyanna’s cheerful giving. Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7 NET). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had προῄρηται (NET: he has decided), a form of προαιρέω in the perfect tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προαιρειται (KJV: he purposeth) in the present tense.

³ Agapē (ἀγάπη) was translated charity in the KJV in 1 Corinthians 13.

⁴ Romans 13:10 (NET)

⁵ 1 Corinthians 12:4-10a (NET)

⁶ Mark 4:12 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τα αμαρτηματα (KJV: their sins) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Mark 4:11 (NET)

Fear – Exodus Part 2

Posted on March 26, 2013 by admin

“Why have you done this and let the boys live?”¹ the king of Egypt accused the midwives. Hebrew women are vigorous, they answered, they give birth before the midwife gets to them!² Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons that are born you must throw into the river, but all daughters you may let live.”³ But Moses’ mother disobeyed the law. She hid her baby for three months. Then she set him adrift in a papyrus basket, where Pharaoh’s daughter found him and raised him as her own.

In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people. He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand.⁴ Then he saw two Hebrew men fighting. When he tried to break it up one of them said, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid (yârêʼ, וַיִּירָא), thinking, “Surely what I did has become known.”⁵

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἐφοβήθη (a form of φοβέω) here. There are no more occurrences of ἐφοβήθη in the New Testament. By choosing this word however they have made Moses’ fear equivalent to Sarah’s fear when she lied to God about laughing at him.⁶ It was like Lot’s fear to live in Zoar after witnessing the destruction of the surrounding cities,⁷ and Isaac’s fear to acknowledge Rebekah as his wife.⁸ It was like Jacob’s fear of Bethel the morning after his dream,⁹ and when he heard that Esau was coming out to meet him on his return to Canaan.¹⁰

When Pharaoh heard [what Moses did to the Egyptian], he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian…¹¹ During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God.¹² And God responded (Exodus 3:1-5 NET).

Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked – and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed! So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?” When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

God added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid (yârêʼ, יָרֵא) to look at God.¹³ In the Septuagint εὐλαβεῖτο (a form of εὐλαβέομαι) was used. It does not occur in the New Testament but is close to εὐλαβηθεὶς, translated reverent regard in Hebrews: By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard (εὐλαβηθεὶς, a participle of εὐλαβέομαι) constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.¹⁴

The Lord said [to Moses], “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them. So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”¹⁵

I think the rabbis who translated the Septuagint were wise to choose εὐλαβηθεὶς [Addendum 1/30/2026: The word in the Septuagint in Exodus 3:6 was actually εὐλαβεῖτο, a 3^rd person singular form of εὐλαβέομαι in the present tense.] (a form of εὐλαβέομαι) here rather than φοβέω, a word that connotes flight. The NET online definition of εὐλαβηθεὶς is a continuum from caution through wariness to reverence. For Moses was not afraid to stand and argue with God: “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”¹⁶ And his question prompted a couple of my own about the timing of God’s calling. Wouldn’t it have been better to call a prince of Egypt for this diplomatic mission than a shepherd from Midian? And certainly the moralist in me would prefer that God had called Moses before he became a murderer and a fugitive from justice.

To address my first question I turned to Paul: For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.”¹⁷ Paul quoted the prophetic word of God through Isaiah as a clear statement of God’s purpose and intent. This is like an overarching theme with God. Then Paul elaborated (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NET):

Think about the circumstances of your call (κλῆσιν, a form of κλῆσις), brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence [Table]. He is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Given my upbringing and temperament it probably bears saying that Paul did not invent rules for God to obey. He revealed what he heard from Christ or observed of God’s behavior in Scripture. David was the youngest of Jesse’s sons (and a shepherd, by the way), not the eldest. Jephthah was the illegitimate son of Gilead and a prostitute. Solomon was apparently not the eldest of David’s sons with Bathsheba,¹⁸ and David’s and Bathsheba’s relationship began as an adulterous affair, yet God called Solomon Jedidiah, beloved of the Lord.

As for Moses being a murderer and a fugitive from justice it is clear that God was working at (what I would call) cross-purposes. If God sent me to gain the Israelites release from Pharaoh I would hope, and even prayer, that He would grant me favor with Pharaoh. He told Moses, So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.¹⁹ But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.²⁰

It occurred to me years ago that one way God might have hardened Pharaoh’s heart was to grant him wealth, position, power and prestige without first humbling him to serve God. As I imagine the scene now I see Moses, a murderer and fugitive from Egyptian justice, standing before the king of Egypt, saying, The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.²¹ It was almost guaranteed that his heart would be hardened against such a request from such a man. And if Egyptian justice had become forgetful of Moses’ crime as a prince in Egypt, Moses had become a Midianite shepherd. Again Pharaoh’s heart was likely to be hardened, for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting (KJV, an abomination) to the Egyptians.²²

I am in the heart now of the issues that Paul considered important when discussing election: So then, it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy [Table]. For the scripture says to Pharaoh: “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may demonstrate my power in you, and that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.²³

What was God’s response to Moses’ objection? Surely I will be with you [literally, I AM with you], and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will serve God on this mountain.²⁴ God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble,²⁵ both James and Peter quoted from the Proverbs of Solomon.

Anyone called to the salvation of righteousness in Jesus Christ might feel just like Moses. Who am I to love [my] enemy and pray for those who persecute [me] [Table], so that [I] may be like [my] Father in heaven [Table]?²⁶ Who am I to Rejoice and be glad²⁷ when people insult [me] and persecute [me] and say all kinds of evil things about [me] falsely on account of [You]?²⁸ I’m not one of the prophets. Like Peter I might say, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”²⁹ But as He promised Moses, I AM with you, so He does not intend that I do righteousness on my own, but tapped into that infinite daily living stream of his Holy Spirit, relying on his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness, and his self-control. Against such things there is no law [Table].³⁰

Addendum: February 6, 2026
According to a note (22) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 29:14. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint.

1 Corinthians 1:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 29:14b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 29:14b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν ἀθετήσω	ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν κρύψω	ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν κρύψω
1 Corinthians 1:19b (NET)	Isaiah 29:14b (NETS)	Isaiah 29:14b (English Elpenor)
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent.	[I will] destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will hide.	I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the understanding of the prudent.

According to a note (33) in the NET Paul quoted from Jeremiah 9:24. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint.

1 Corinthians 1:31b (NET Parallel Greek)	Jeremiah 9:24a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Jeremiah 9:24a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν κυρίῳ καυχάσθω	ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος συνίειν καὶ γινώσκειν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος	ἀλλ’ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνίειν καὶ γινώσκεν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος
1 Corinthians 1:31b (NET)	Jeremiah 9:24a (NETS)	Jeremiah 9:24a (English Elpenor)
Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.	But let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows that I am the Lord	but let him that boasts boast in this, the understanding and knowing that I am the Lord

Tables comparing Exodus 1:18; 1:19; 1:22; 2:11; 2:12; 2:14; 2:15: 2:23; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; 3:11; 3:18; Genesis 46:34 and Exodus 3:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 1:18; 1:19; 1:22; 2:11; 2:12; 2:14; 2:15; 2:23; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; 3:11; 3:18; Genesis 46:34 and Exodus 3:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Exodus 1:18 (Tanakh)	Exodus 1:18 (KJV)	Exodus 1:18 (NET)
And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them: ‘Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men-children alive?’	And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive?	Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?”

Exodus 1:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 1:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάλεσεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τὰς μαίας καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς τί ὅτι ἐποιήσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζωογονεῖτε τὰ ἄρσενα	ἐκάλεσε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τὰς μαίας καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς· τί ὅτι ἐποιήσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζωογονεῖτε τὰ ἄρσενα
Exodus 1:18 (NETS)	Exodus 1:18 (English Elpenor)
Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why is it that you have done this thing and tried to keep the males alive?”	And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that ye have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?

Exodus 1:19 (Tanakh)	Exodus 1:19 (KJV)	Exodus 1:19 (NET)
And the midwives said unto Pharaoh: ‘Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwife come unto them.’	And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.	The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women—for the Hebrew women are vigorous; they give birth before the midwife gets to them!”

Exodus 1:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 1:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τῷ Φαραω οὐχ ὡς γυναῖκες Αἰγύπτου αἱ Εβραῖαι τίκτουσιν γὰρ πρὶν ἢ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς μαίας καὶ ἔτικτον	εἶπαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τῷ Φαραώ· οὐχ ὡς γυναῖκες Αἰγύπτου αἱ ῾Εβραῖαι, τίκτουσι γὰρ πρὶν ἢ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς μαίας· καὶ ἔτικτον
Exodus 1:19 (NETS)	Exodus 1:19 (English Elpenor)
The midwives then said to Pharao, “The Hebrew women are not like the women of Egypt, for they give birth before the midwives go in to them,” and they were already giving birth.	And the midwives said to Pharao, The Hebrew women are not as the women of Egypt, for they are delivered before the midwives go in to them. So they bore children.

Exodus 1:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 1:22 (KJV)	Exodus 1:22 (NET)
And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying: ‘Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.’	And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.	Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?”

Exodus 1:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 1:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
συνέταξεν δὲ Φαραω παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ λέγων πᾶν ἄρσεν ὃ ἐὰν τεχθῇ τοῖς Εβραίοις εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥίψατε καὶ πᾶν θῆλυ ζωογονεῖτε αὐτό	συνέταξε δὲ Φαραὼ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ λέγων· πᾶν ἄρσεν, ὃ ἐὰν τεχθῇ τοῖς ῾Εβραίοις, εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥίψατε· καὶ πᾶν θῆλυ, ζωογονεῖτε αὐτό
Exodus 1:22 (NETS)	Exodus 1:22 (English Elpenor)
Then Pharao instructed all his people, saying, “Every male that might be born to the Hebrews, throw into the river, and every female, keep it alive.”	And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male [child] shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.

Exodus 2:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 2:11 (KJV)	Exodus 2:11 (NET)
And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown up, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian smiting a Hebrew, one of his brethren.	And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.	In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and observed their hard labor, and he saw an Egyptian man attacking a Hebrew man, one of his own people.

Exodus 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος Μωυσῆς ἐξήλθεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντά τινα Εβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ	᾿Εγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος Μωυσῆς, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ. κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντά τινα ῾Εβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ
Exodus 2:11 (NETS)	Exodus 2:11 (English Elpenor)
Now it came to pass in the course of those many days, when he had fully grown, Moyses went out to his brothers, the sons of Israel. And as he observed their toil, he saw an Egyptian man beating some Hebrew from his own brothers, the sons of Israel.	And it came to pass in that length of time, that Moses having grown, went out to his brethren the sons of Israel: and having noticed their distress, he sees an Egyptian smiting a certain Hebrew of his brethren the children of Israel.

Exodus 2:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 2:12 (KJV)	Exodus 2:12 (NET)
And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.	And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.	He looked this way and that and saw that no one was there, and then he attacked the Egyptian and concealed the body in the sand.

Exodus 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
περιβλεψάμενος δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ	περιβλεψάμενος δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ
Exodus 2:12 (NETS)	Exodus 2:12 (English Elpenor)
Now when he looked around this way and that, he saw no one, and he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.	And having looked round this way and that way, he sees no one; and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Exodus 2:14 (Tanakh)	Exodus 2:14 (KJV)	Exodus 2:14 (NET)
And he said: ‘Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? thinkest thou to kill me, as thou didst kill the Egyptian?’ And Moses feared, and said: ‘Surely the thing is known.’	And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.	The man replied, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Are you planning to kill me like you killed that Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, thinking, “Surely what I did has become known.”

Exodus 2:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 2:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες ἐχθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωυσῆς καὶ εἶπεν εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονεν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο	ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ᾿ ἡμῶν; μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες χθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον; ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωυσῆς, καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
Exodus 2:14 (NETS)	Exodus 2:14 (English Elpenor)
But he said, “Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? You do not intend to kill me, do you, in the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” Then Moyses was afraid and said, “Has this matter perhaps become so well known?”	And he said, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? wilt thou slay me as thou yesterday slewest the Egyptian? Then Moses was alarmed, and said, If [it be] thus, this matter has become known.

Exodus 2:15 (Tanakh)	Exodus 2:15 (KJV)	Exodus 2:15 (NET)
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.	Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.	When Pharaoh heard about this event, he sought to kill Moses. So Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he settled by a certain well.

Exodus 2:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 2:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἤκουσεν δὲ Φαραω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζήτει ἀνελεῖν Μωυσῆν ἀνεχώρησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Μαδιαμ ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς γῆν Μαδιαμ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ φρέατος	ἤκουσε δὲ Φαραὼ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζήτει ἀνελεῖν Μωυσῆν· ἀνεχώρησε δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραὼ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Μαδιάμ, ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς γῆν Μαδιὰμ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ φρέατος
Exodus 2:15 (NETS)	Exodus 2:15 (English Elpenor)
Now Pharao heard about this matter, and he was seeking to kill Moyses. Then Moyses withdrew from Pharao’s presence and settled in the land of Madian. Now when he came into the land of Madian, he sat upon the well.	And Pharao heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses; and Moses departed from the presence of Pharao, and dwelt in the land of Madiam; and having come into the land of Madiam, he sat on the well.

Exodus 2:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 2:23 (KJV)	Exodus 2:23 (NET)
And it came to pass in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto G-d by reason of the bondage.	And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.	During that long period of time the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites groaned because of the slave labor. They cried out, and their desperate cry because of their slave labor went up to God.

Exodus 2:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 2:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου καὶ κατεστέναξαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων καὶ ἀνεβόησαν καὶ ἀνέβη ἡ βοὴ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων	Μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου. καὶ κατεστέναξαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων καὶ ἀνεβόησαν, καὶ ἀνέβη ἡ βοὴ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων
Exodus 2:23 (NETS)	Exodus 2:23 (English Elpenor)
Now after those many days the king of Egypt died, and the sons of Israel groaned from the tasks and cried out, and their cry rose up to God form their tasks.	And in those days after a length of time, the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel groaned because of their tasks, and cried, and their cry because of their tasks went up to God.

Exodus 3:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:1 (KJV)	Exodus 3:1 (NET)
Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the farthest end of the wilderness, and came to the mountain of G-d, unto Horeb.	Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.	Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to the mountain of God, to Horeb.

Exodus 3:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Μωυσῆς ἦν ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα Ιοθορ τοῦ γαμβροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἱερέως Μαδιαμ καὶ ἤγαγεν τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος Χωρηβ	ΚΑΙ Μωυσῆς ἦν ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα ᾿Ιοθόρ τοῦ γαμβροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἱερέως Μαδιὰμ καὶ ἤγαγε τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος Χωρήβ
Exodus 3:1 (NETS)	Exodus 3:1 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses was tending the sheep of Iothor, his father-in-law, the priest of Madian, and he led the sheep beyond the wilderness and came to the mountain, Choreb.	And Moses was feeding the flock of Jothor his father-in-law, the priest of Madiam; and he brought the sheep nigh to the wilderness, and came to the mount of Choreb.

Exodus 3:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:2 (KJV)	Exodus 3:2 (NET)
And the angel of HaShem appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush; and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.	And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.	The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. He looked, and the bush was ablaze with fire, but it was not being consumed!

Exodus 3:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐν φλογὶ πυρὸς ἐκ τοῦ βάτου καὶ ὁρᾷ ὅτι ὁ βάτος καίεται πυρί ὁ δὲ βάτος οὐ κατεκαίετο	ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς ἐκ τοῦ βάτου, καὶ ὁρᾷ ὅτι ὁ βάτος καίεται πυρί, ὁ δὲ βάτος οὐ κατεκαίετο
Exodus 3:2 (NETS)	Exodus 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fire of flame out of the bush, and he saw that the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not burning up.	And an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flaming fire out of the bush, and he sees that the bush burns with fire,– but the bush was not consumed.

Exodus 3:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:3 (KJV)	Exodus 3:3 (NET)
And Moses said: ‘I will turn aside now, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.’	And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.	So Moses thought, “I will turn aside to see this amazing sight. Why does the bush not burn up?”

Exodus 3:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς παρελθὼν ὄψομαι τὸ ὅραμα τὸ μέγα τοῦτο τί ὅτι οὐ κατακαίεται ὁ βάτος	εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς· παρελθὼν ὄψομαι τὸ ὅραμα τὸ μέγα τοῦτο, ὅτι οὐ κατακαίεται ὁ βάτος
Exodus 3:3 (NETS)	Exodus 3:3 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses said, “When I pass by, I will look at this great sight, why it is that the bush is not burning up.”	And Moses said, I will go near and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed.

Exodus 3:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:4 (KJV)	Exodus 3:4 (NET)
And when HaShem saw that he turned aside to see, G-d called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: ‘Moses, Moses.’ And he said: ‘Here am I.’	>And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.	When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to look, God called to him from within the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

Exodus 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς δὲ εἶδεν κύριος ὅτι προσάγει ἰδεῖν ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν κύριος ἐκ τοῦ βάτου λέγων Μωυσῆ Μωυσῆ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν τί ἐστιν	ὡς δὲ εἶδε Κύριος ὅτι προσάγει ἰδεῖν, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τοῦ βάτου λέγων· Μωυσῆ, Μωυσῆ. ὁ δὲ εἶπε τί ἐστι
Exodus 3:4 (NETS)	Exodus 3:4 (English Elpenor)
Now when the Lord saw that he was drawing near to see, the Lord called him from the bush, saying, “Moyses, Moyses.” And he said, “What is it?”	And when the Lord saw that he drew nigh to see, the Lord called him out of the bush, saying, Moses, Moses; and he said, What is it?

Exodus 3:5 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:5 (KJV)	Exodus 3:5 (NET)
And He said: ‘Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.’	And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.	God said, “Do not approach any closer! Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Exodus 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν μὴ ἐγγίσῃς ὧδε λῦσαι τὸ ὑπόδημα ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν σου ὁ γὰρ τόπος ἐν ᾧ σὺ ἕστηκας γῆ ἁγία ἐστίν	ὁ δὲ εἶπε· μή ἐγγίσῃς ὧδε. λῦσαι τὸ ὑπόδημα ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν σου· ὁ γὰρ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ σὺ ἕστηκας, γῆ ἁγία ἐστί
Exodus 3:5 (NETS)	Exodus 3:5 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “Do not come near here! Loose the sandal from your feet! For the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”	And he said, Draw not nigh hither: loose thy sandals from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Exodus 3:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:7 (KJV)	Exodus 3:7 (NET)
And HaShem said: ‘I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their pains;	And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;	The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

Exodus 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργοδιωκτῶν οἶδα γὰρ τὴν ὀδύνην αὐτῶν	εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργοδιωκτῶν· οἶδα γὰρ τὴν ὀδύνην αὐτῶν
Exodus 3:7 (NETS)	Exodus 3:7 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “When I looked, I saw the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry on account of the taskmasters. For I know their pain.	And the Lord said to Moses, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and I have heard their cry [caused] by their task-masters; for I know their affliction.

Exodus 3:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:8 (KJV)	Exodus 3:8 (NET)
and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.	And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.	I have come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a land that is both good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the region of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέβην ἐξελέσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καὶ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς γῆν ἀγαθὴν καὶ πολλήν εἰς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν Χαναναίων καὶ Χετταίων καὶ Αμορραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων καὶ Γεργεσαίων καὶ Ευαίων καὶ Ιεβουσαίων	καὶ κατέβην ἐξελέσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καὶ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς γῆν ἀγαθὴν καὶ πολλήν, εἰς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι, εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν Χαναναίων καὶ Χετταίων καὶ ᾿Αμορραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων καὶ Γεργεσαίων καὶ Εὐαίων καὶ ᾿Ιεβουσαίων
Exodus 3:8 (NETS)	Exodus 3:8 (English Elpenor)
And I came down to deliver them them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land and to bring them into a good and spacious land, into a land flowing with milk and honey, into the place of the Chananites and Chettites and Amorites and Pherezites and Heuites and Gergesites and Iebousites.	And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land, and to bring them into a good and wide land, into a land flowing with milk and honey, into the place of the Chananites, and the Chettites, and Amorites, and Pherezites, and Gergesites, and Evites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 3:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:9 (KJV)	Exodus 3:9 (NET)
And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me; moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.	Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.	And now indeed the cry of the Israelites has come to me, and I have also seen how severely the Egyptians oppress them.

Exodus 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ κραυγὴ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἥκει πρός με κἀγὼ ἑώρακα τὸν θλιμμόν ὃν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι θλίβουσιν αὐτούς	καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ κραυγὴ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἥκει πρός με, κἀγὼ ἑώρακα τὸν θλιμμόν, ὃν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι θλίβουσιν αὐτούς
Exodus 3:9 (NETS)	Exodus 3:9 (English Elpenor)
And now, look, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.	And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come to me, and I have seen the affliction with which the Egyptians afflict them.

Exodus 3:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:10 (KJV)	Exodus 3:10 (NET)
Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt.’	Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.	So now go, and I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

Exodus 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξάξεις τὸν λαόν μου τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου	καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐξάξεις τὸν λαόν μου τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισρὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 3:10 (NETS)	Exodus 3:10 (English Elpenor)
And now come, let me send you to Pharao, king of Egypt, and you will bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt.	And now come, I will send thee to Pharao king of Egypt, and thou shalt bring out my people the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 3:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:11 (KJV)	Exodus 3:11 (NET)
And Moses said unto G-d: ‘Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?’	And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?	Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, or that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Exodus 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς τὸν θεόν τίς εἰμι ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ὅτι ἐξάξω τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· τίς εἰμι ἐγώ, ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ὅτι ἐξάξω τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 3:11 (NETS)	Exodus 3:11 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharao, king of Egypt, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt?”	And Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharao king of Egypt, and that I should bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt?

Exodus 3:18 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:18 (KJV)	Exodus 3:18 (NET)
And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: HaShem, the G-d of the Hebrews, hath met with us. And now let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to HaShem our G-d.	And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.	“The elders will listen to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

Exodus 3:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσακούσονταί σου τῆς φωνῆς καὶ εἰσελεύσῃ σὺ καὶ ἡ γερουσία Ισραηλ πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν ὁ θεὸς τῶν Εβραίων προσκέκληται ἡμᾶς πορευσώμεθα οὖν ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἵνα θύσωμεν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν	καὶ εἰσακούσονταί σου τῆς φωνῆς· καὶ εἰσελεύσῃ σὺ καὶ ἡ γερουσία ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν· ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ῾Εβραίων προσκέκληται ἡμᾶς· πορευσόμεθα οὖν ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ἵνα θύσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν
Exodus 3:18 (NETS)	Exodus 3:18 (English Elpenor)
And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders’ council of Israel shall go in to Pharao, king of Egupt, and you shall say to him, “The God of the Hebrews has summoned us. Therefore, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to our God.’	And they shall hearken to thy voice, and thou and the elders of Israel shall go in to Pharao king of Egypt, and thou shalt say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us; we will go then a journey of three days into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to our God.

Genesis 46:34 (Tanakh)	Genesis 46:34 (KJV)	Genesis 46:34 (NET)
that ye shall say: Thy servants have been keepers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and our fathers; that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.’	That ye shall say, Thy servants’ trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.	Tell him, ‘Your servants have taken care of cattle from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,’ so that you may live in the land of Goshen, for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting to the Egyptians.”

Genesis 46:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 46:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐρεῖτε ἄνδρες κτηνοτρόφοι ἐσμὲν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἵνα κατοικήσητε ἐν γῇ Γεσεμ Ἀραβίᾳ βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίοις πᾶς ποιμὴν προβάτων	ἐρεῖτε· ἄνδρες κτηνοτρόφοι ἐσμὲν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν, καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, ἵνα κατοικήσητε ἐν γῇ Γεσὲμ ᾿Αραβίας· βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίοις πᾶς ποιμὴν προβάτων
Genesis 46:34 (NETS)	Genesis 46:34 (English Elpenor)
you shall say, ‘We your servants are stockmen from childhood until now, both we and our fathers’—in order that you may settle in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd of sheep is an abomination to Egyptians.”	Ye shall say, We thy servants are herdsmen from our youth until now, both we and our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Exodus 3:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:12 (KJV)	Exodus 3:12 (NET)
And He said: ‘Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be the token unto thee, that I have sent thee: when thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve G-d upon this mountain.’	And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.	He replied, “Surely I will be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you bring the people out of Egypt, you and they will serve God at this mountain.”

Exodus 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς Μωυσεῖ λέγων ὅτι ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον ὅτι ἐγώ σε ἐξαποστέλλω ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν σε τὸν λαόν μου ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ λατρεύσετε τῷ θεῷ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ	εἶπε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς Μωυσῇ λέγων· ὅτι ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον, ὅτι ἐγώ σε ἐξαποστέλλω ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν σε τὸν λαόν μου ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ λατρεύσετε τῷ Θεῷ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ
Exodus 3:12 (NETS)	Exodus 3:12 (English Elpenor)
But God spoke to Moyses, saying, “I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you that I am sending you: when you have brought my people out of Egypt, you shall also serve God at this mountain.”	And God spoke to Moses, saying, I will be with thee, and this shall be the sign to thee that I shall send thee forth,– when thou bringest out my people out of Egypt, then ye shall serve God in this mountain.

Fear – Exodus, Part 3

¹ Exodus 1:18 (NET)

² Exodus 1:19 (NET)

³ Exodus 1:22 (NET)

⁴ Exodus 2:11, 12 (NET)

⁵ Exodus 2:14 (NET)

⁶ Genesis 18:15 (NET) Table

⁷ Genesis 19:30 (NET) Table

⁸ Genesis 26:7 (NET) Table

⁹ Genesis 28:17 (NET) Table

¹⁰ Genesis 32:7 (NET) Table

¹¹ Exodus 2:15 (NET)

¹² Exodus 2:23 (NET)

¹³ Exodus 3:6 (NET) Table

¹⁴ Hebrews 11:7 (NET)

¹⁵ Exodus 3:7-10 (NET)

¹⁶ Exodus 3:11 (NET)

¹⁷ 1 Corinthians 1:19 (NET)

¹⁸ 1 Chronicles 3:5 (NET)

¹⁹ Exodus 3:10 (NET)

²⁰ Exodus 4:21b (NET) Table

²¹ Exodus 3:18b (NET)

²² Genesis 46:34b (NET)

²³ Romans 9:16-18 (NET) See The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of the quotation in Romans 9:17b to that of Exodus 9:16 in the Septuagint.

²⁴ Exodus 3:12 (NET)

²⁵ James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5 (NET) Table See Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 8 for a table comparing the Greek of the quotation in James 4:6 to that of Proverbs 3:34 in the Septuagint. See Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 8 for a table comparing the Greek of the quotation in 1 Peter 5:5 to that of Proverbs 3:34 in the Septuagint.

²⁶ Matthew 5:44b-45a (NET)

²⁷ Matthew 5:12a (NET)

²⁸ Matthew 5:11 (NET) Table

²⁹ Luke 5:8 (NET) Table

³⁰ Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

Son of God – John, Part 4

Posted on March 1, 2013 by admin

This is round three of my attempt to determine whether that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light¹ is the judgment/condemnation God did not send his Son into the world to do² and has been done already to the one who does not believe,³ or the basis for judging,⁴ and the rationale or justification for condemning one to burn in hell for all eternity. First, that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light could be a judgment. (“Oh, you lover of darkness” is admittedly a bit weak as condemnation.) But loving darkness rather than light is merely a preference, and cannot be a basis for judging apart from the reality that preference indicates: because their deeds were evil.⁵ In other words evil deeds supply the power that justifies making a preference for darkness a basis for judging, and then condemning someone to hell.

I never thought to question the translation of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός) as evil until I read the definitions in the NET online Bible: “1) full of labours, annoyances, hardships 1a) pressed and harassed by labours 1b) bringing toils, annoyances, perils; of a time full of peril to Christian faith and steadfastness; causing pain and trouble 2) bad, of a bad nature or condition 2a) in a physical sense: diseased or blind 2b) in an ethical sense: evil wicked, bad.” But was Jesus speaking ethically as a moral philosopher? It seems to me that I would have related to Him a whole lot sooner if that were the case. I loved Socrates.

But before I substitute any other definitions I should point out that the NET translation is not alone in translating πονηρὰ evil. The NAS and KJV use the word evil, too. That is getting very close to the beginning of translating the New Testament into the English language. This is a long tradition. Perhaps the translators of the NAS and KJV didn’t know all the meanings for πονηρὰ that the translators of the NET had at their disposal. So I’ll begin with the more limited definition from Strong’s Concordance: “hurtful, that is, evil (properly in effect or influence, and thus differing from G2556, which refers rather to essential character…).”

Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were [hurtful].⁶ Obviously, hurtful lacks the justificatory power of evil (e.g., the power to justify judging and condemning someone to hell), but it does sound like Jesus.

Saul, Saul, Jesus said, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself by kicking against the goads.⁷ The implication here was that Jesus had already reached out to Saul in other more subtle ways. But Saul’s faith in his religion was so strong that it took nothing less than a personal appearance in all his glory (which Saul perceived as a blinding light and a voice) to persuade Saul to hear. Jesus did not say, “Saul, Saul, you evil sinner, why are you arresting my followers and condemning them to death?” His concern was that Saul’s persistent and stubborn resistance to the insistent and stubborn call of God was hard on Saul.

So I said,⁸ Paul (Saul) continued, “Who are you, Lord?” And the Lord⁹ replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance as a servant and witness to the things you have seen and to the things in which I will appear to you. I will rescue you from your own people and from¹⁰ the Gentiles, to whom I¹¹ am sending you to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness (σκότους, a form of σκότος) to light (φῶς) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”¹²

So rather than standing back in ethical detachment as a moral philosopher, using people’s preference for darkness as a basis for judging and then condemning them to hell, this sounds as if Jesus sent Saul (Paul) to open their eyes so that they turn from darkness (σκότους, a form of σκότος) to light (φῶς) and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus]. In this light then, that the light (φῶς) has come into the world and people loved the darkness (σκότος) rather than the light (φῶς) sounds more like a judgment than a basis for judging. And this judgment prompted at least two action items on the divine to-do list. It is the reason God sent his Son into the world, that the world should be saved through him, and the reason Jesus, the Son, sent Saul to open [Gentile’s] eyes.

To be fair to the NET translators, they didn’t think Jesus was speaking in John 3:19. Perhaps John was speaking ethically as a moral philosopher. So I turned to another instance of πονηρὰ translated evil in John’s Gospel. The world cannot hate you, Jesus told his half brothers, but it hates me, because I am testifying (μαρτυρῶ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about it that its deeds are evil (πονηρά).¹³ Again evil is used in all three translations, KJV, NAS and NET.

	KJV	NAS	NET
7:7	The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.	“The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.”	“The world cannot hate you, but it hates me, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil.”

If Jesus had been traveling around Judea “testifying” that people’s deeds were evil, it would seem a little bit like what God did not send his Son into the world to do (that is, judge or condemn the world). But Jesus had also said, If I testify (μαρτυρῶ, a form of μαρτυρέω) about myself, my testimony is not true,¹⁴ and, the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds I am now doing – testify (μαρτυρεῖ, another form of μαρτυρέω) about me that the Father has sent me.¹⁵ It isn’t hard for me to imagine that Jesus’ righteousness testified to those around Him that their deeds didn’t measure up. But here I picked up the scent. It will be harder to throw me off the trail.

The word evil conjures an image of sin and sinners, violations of God’s holy law. But that doesn’t square with the Gospel narratives at all. It wasn’t an angry mob of prostitutes and tax collectors that led Jesus to Golgotha. It was a mob of religious people, indignant because his deeds of righteousness testified that their religious deeds were hurtful (as opposed to evil). Their religion kept them from coming to Him. He was ready to forgive their sin, their evil, but their faith in their religion and their own “righteous” deeds were the hurtful deeds that caused them so much harm.

I feel more confident now to substitute what the NET translators considered the first definition of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός): Now this is the [judgment]: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were [full of labours, annoyances, and hardships].¹⁶ This definitely sounds like Jesus. Come to me, He said, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls [Table]. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.¹⁷

If I continue in this vein, rejecting the ethical definition of φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος),I get, For everyone who does [ordinary or worthless] deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed [e.g., as ordinary or worthless]. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.¹⁸

While in is a perfectly acceptable translation of ἐν, the NET translators used with 145 times and by 135 times in other places in the New Testament. But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done [by] God, would have further highlighted the contrast between righteousness and ordinary or worthless religious works done in one’s own strength.

It seems to me now that the translation of πονηρά as evil in these two instances was at best the work of moral philosophers recasting Jesus in their own image. At worst it was the religious mind reasserting itself while attempting to remain in the shadows by focusing the light away from itself and on to the evil. But Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!”¹⁹

Addendum: January 30, 2026
Tables comparing Acts 26:15 and 26:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Acts 26:15 (NET)	Acts 26:15 (KJV)
So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.	And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

Acts 26:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 26:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 26:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπα· τίς εἶ, κύριε; ὁ δὲ κύριος εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὃν σὺ διώκεις	εγω δε ειπον τις ει κυριε ο δε ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις	εγω δε ειπον τις ει κυριε ο δε ειπεν εγω ειμι ιησους ον συ διωκεις

Acts 26:17 (NET)	Acts 26:17 (KJV)
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you	Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,

Acts 26:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 26:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 26:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξαιρούμενος σε ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰς οὓς ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω σε	εξαιρουμενος σε εκ του λαου και των εθνων εις ους νυν σε αποστελλω	εξαιρουμενος σε εκ του λαου και των εθνων εις ους εγω σε αποστελλω