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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.

Romans, Part 11

Posted on August 11, 2012 by admin

Paul continued to describe the difference between those who hear (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) and those who do (ποιηταὶ, a form of ποιητής) the law. For circumcision has its value (ὠφελεῖ, a form of ὠφελέω) if you practice (πράσσῃς, a form of πράσσω) the law (νόμον, a form of νόμος), but if you break (παραβάτης) the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), your circumcision has become uncircumcision.¹ I wasn’t going to delve into circumcision here, but I can’t resist the first occurrence in John 7. Perhaps an appreciation of Jesus’ frustration will do more to distinguish the ἀκροατής from the ποιητής of the law.

Jesus was staying in Galilee, avoiding Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him.² This stemmed from an incident when He healed a man who had been disabled³ for thirty-eight⁴ years.⁵ So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and⁶ you are not permitted to carry your⁷ mat.” But⁸ he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” They asked⁹ him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat¹⁰ and walk’?”¹¹ The healed man didn’t know who made him well.

Later Jesus found the man in the temple and said, Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.¹² Sad to say I understand this man perfectly. For thirty-eight years, fifty-two times each year, he kept the Sabbath by not standing up, picking up his mat or walking. One Sabbath Jesus came up to him and said, Stand up!¹³ Pick up your mat and walk.¹⁴ For some reason, inexplicable except for the grace of God, the man believed this stranger and tried to stand up, pick up his mat and walk. Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and started walking.¹⁵ When Jesus told him, Don’t sin any more, the healed man was conscience stricken that he had stood up, picked up his mat and walked on the Sabbath. So he trotted back and informed the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the one who had made him well.¹⁶

Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him.¹⁷

Before I get too carried away with the blindness of ancient Jewish leaders I’ll relate a fairly contemporary tale. I was standing just inside the doorway with the Pastor of a small Bible church one Sunday before the evening service. A car pulled up in the parking lot. A visiting couple got out and made their way toward the door. The Pastor opened the door and extended his hand to help the woman up the stair. She refused his hand and stopped in the doorway.

“Before I come in here, I just want to know one thing,” she said belligerently. “Did Jesus turn water into wine?”

I’d never experienced anything like this, but reasoned quickly that this was a Bible church, the woman wanted to make sure that we believed the fundamentals of the faith, including Jesus’ miracles.

“No,” the Pastor said.

I was stunned. But that was nothing compared to my confusion when the woman smiled, took the Pastor’s hand and entered the church. Later, when I got him alone, I asked, “How did you know that no was the right answer?”

Then it was his turn to be stunned that I would impugn his sincerity. “Because it is the right answer,” he said defensively. I argued fairly ineffectively for the distinction between Jesus and John the Baptist,¹⁸ but he was having none of it. “Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler,”¹⁹ he quoted the Proverb. Though he never pressed me on it, I got the message that because of this Proverb Jesus would not make, serve or encourage anyone to drink alcohol—no matter what the Bible seemed to be saying to me.

Obviously I have been blinder than this many times. It’s not fair to judge the Pastor or the woman by this one idiosyncrasy, though I do think she was looking for a Pastor who would dance to her flute. She obviously didn’t return. I wonder at times why I stayed so long. But the people there were nice to me. Some said the church would close if I left. The church closed sometime after I finally left. I don’t really think there is any cause and effect there.

Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy [Table]. For six days you may labor and do all your work [Table], but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates [Table]. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy [Table].²⁰

As far as the Jewish leaders were concerned no man of God would heal a disabled man on the Sabbath and tell him to Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk. Jesus told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”²¹ But that didn’t help at all. For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.²²

Frankly, the way I’ve presented the story so far puts the Jewish leaders on a lot firmer ground scripturally than my Pastor. But if I bring in a similar story from Luke’s Gospel, the picture gets a bit more nuanced. Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. A woman²³ was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen²⁴ years. She was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.²⁵ Jesus healed her (Luke 13:14-17 NET).

But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six²⁶ days on which work should be done! So come and be healed on those days,²⁷ and not on the Sabbath day.” Then²⁸ the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites²⁹ (ὑποκριταί, a form of ὑποκριτής)! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall, and lead it to water?” Then shouldn’t this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be released from this imprisonment on the Sabbath day?” When he said this all his adversaries were humiliated, but the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things he was doing.

Humiliated Jewish leaders were not Jesus’ only adversaries. While He was staying out of Judea because they wanted to kill him, as the beginning of the feast of Tabernacles approached, his brothers advised him, “Leave here and go to Judea so your disciples may see your miracles that you are performing. For no one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” (For not even his own brothers believed in him.)³⁰

Mark’s Gospel account gives me the impression that it was Jesus’ persistence in healing on the Sabbath even after the Pharisees began plotting³¹ with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him³² over it that alarmed his mother and his brothers. On one homecoming (probably to Peter’s house) they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”³³ While the experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the ruler of demons he casts out demons.”³⁴

This is the context for Jesus’ saying, “Who are my mother and³⁵ my brothers?” And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”³⁶ It is also probably a better context to consider—Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me³⁷—than Jephthah’s sacrifice of his daughter. Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!³⁸ The Lord told Jeremiah.

Addendum: November 19, 2020
Tables comparing Proverbs 20:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Proverbs 20:1 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 5:5; 5:10-12; 5:8; 5:16, 17; Luke 13:11; 13:14, 15; Mark 3:6 and 3:33 in the NET and KJV follow.

Proverbs 20:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 20:1 (KJV)	Proverbs 20:1 (NET)
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.	Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.	Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.

Proverbs 20:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 20:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκόλαστον οἶνος καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη πᾶς δὲ ὁ συμμειγνύμενος αὐτῇ οὐκ ἔσται σοφός	ΑΚΟΛΑΣΤΟΝ οἶνος καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη, πᾶς δὲ ἄφρων τοιούτοις συμπλέκεται
Proverbs 20:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 20:1 (English Elpenor)
Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink is something insolent, and everyone who mixes with it will not be wise.	Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them.

John 5:5 (NET)	John 5:5 (KJV)
Now a man was there who had been disabled for 38 years.	And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἦν δέ τις ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖ τριάκοντα [καὶ] ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἔχων ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ αὐτοῦ	ην δε τις ανθρωπος εκει τριακονταοκτω ετη εχων εν τη ασθενεια	ην δε τις ανθρωπος εκει τριακοντα και οκτω ετη εχων εν τη ασθενεια

John 5:10-12 (NET)	John 5:10-12 (KJV)
So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.”	The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ τεθεραπευμένῳ· σάββατον ἐστιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔξεστιν σοι ἆραι τὸν κράβαττον \|σου\|	ελεγον ουν οι ιουδαιοι τω τεθεραπευμενω σαββατον εστιν ουκ εξεστιν σοι αραι τον κραββατον	ελεγον ουν οι ιουδαιοι τω τεθεραπευμενω σαββατον εστιν ουκ εξεστιν σοι αραι τον κραββατον

But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
\|ὁ\| δὲ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς· ὁ ποιήσας με ὑγιῆ ἐκεῖνος μοι εἶπεν· ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ περιπάτει	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ποιησας με υγιη εκεινος μοι ειπεν αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει	απεκριθη αυτοις ο ποιησας με υγιη εκεινος μοι ειπεν αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει

They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?”

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· τίς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εἰπών σοι· ἆρον καὶ περιπάτει	ηρωτησαν ουν αυτον τις εστιν ο ανθρωπος ο ειπων σοι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει	ηρωτησαν ουν αυτον τις εστιν ο ανθρωπος ο ειπων σοι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει

John 5:8 (NET)	John 5:8 (KJV)
Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.”	Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ περιπάτει	λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγειραι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει	λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγειραι αρον τον κραββατον σου και περιπατει

John 5:16, 17 (NET)	John 5:16, 17 (KJV)
Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him.	And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐδίωκον οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ὅτι ταῦτα ἐποίει ἐν σαββάτῳ	και δια τουτο εδιωκον τον ιησουν οι ιουδαιοι και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι οτι ταυτα εποιει εν σαββατω	και δια τουτο εδιωκον τον ιησουν οι ιουδαιοι και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι οτι ταυτα εποιει εν σαββατω

So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο αὐτοῖς· ὁ πατήρ μου ἕως ἄρτι ἐργάζεται καγὼ ἐργάζομαι	ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις ο πατηρ μου εως αρτι εργαζεται καγω εργαζομαι	ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις ο πατηρ μου εως αρτι εργαζεται καγω εργαζομαι

Luke 13:11 (NET)	Luke 13:11 (KJV)
and a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten herself up completely.	And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ πνεῦμα ἔχουσα ἀσθενείας ἔτη δεκαοκτὼ καὶ ἦν συγκύπτουσα καὶ μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακύψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές	και ιδου γυνη ην πνευμα εχουσα ασθενειας ετη δεκα και οκτω και ην συγκυπτουσα και μη δυναμενη ανακυψαι εις το παντελες	και ιδου γυνη ην πνευμα εχουσα ασθενειας ετη δεκα και οκτω και ην συγκυπτουσα και μη δυναμενη ανακυψαι εις το παντελες

Luke 13:14, 15 (NET)	Luke 13:14, 15 (KJV)
But the president of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, “There are six days on which work should be done! So come and be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.”	And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἀρχισυνάγωγος, ἀγανακτῶν ὅτι τῷ σαββάτῳ ἐθεράπευσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, ἔλεγεν τῷ ὄχλῳ ὅτι ἓξ ἡμέραι εἰσὶν ἐν αἷς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι· ἐν αὐταῖς οὖν ἐρχόμενοι θεραπεύεσθε καὶ μὴ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου	αποκριθεις δε ο αρχισυναγωγος αγανακτων οτι τω σαββατω εθεραπευσεν ο ιησους ελεγεν τω οχλω εξ ημεραι εισιν εν αις δει εργαζεσθαι εν ταυταις ουν ερχομενοι θεραπευεσθε και μη τη ημερα του σαββατου	αποκριθεις δε ο αρχισυναγωγος αγανακτων οτι τω σαββατω εθεραπευσεν ο ιησους ελεγεν τω οχλω εξ ημεραι εισιν εν αις δει εργαζεσθαι εν ταυταις ουν ερχομενοι θεραπευεσθε και μη τη ημερα του σαββατου

Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from its stall and lead it to water?

The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ κύριος καὶ εἶπεν· ὑποκριταί, ἕκαστος ὑμῶν τῷ σαββάτῳ οὐ λύει τὸν βοῦν αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὄνον ἀπὸ τῆς φάτνης καὶ \|ἀπαγαγὼν\| ποτίζει	απεκριθη ουν αυτω ο κυριος και ειπεν υποκριτα εκαστος υμων τω σαββατω ου λυει τον βουν αυτου η τον ονον απο της φατνης και απαγαγων ποτιζει	απεκριθη ουν αυτω ο κυριος και ειπεν υποκριται εκαστος υμων τω σαββατω ου λυει τον βουν αυτου η τον ονον απο της φατνης και απαγαγων ποτιζει

Mark 3:6 (NET)	Mark 3:6 (KJV)
So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.	And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐξελθόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι εὐθὺς μετὰ τῶν Ἡρῳδιανῶν συμβούλιον ἐδίδουν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀπολέσωσιν	και εξελθοντες οι φαρισαιοι ευθεως μετα των ηρωδιανων συμβουλιον εποιουν κατ αυτου οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν	και εξελθοντες οι φαρισαιοι ευθεως μετα των ηρωδιανων συμβουλιον εποιουν κατ αυτου οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν

Mark 3:33 (NET)	Mark 3:33 (KJV)
He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”	And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτοῖς λέγει τίς ἐστιν ἡ μήτηρ μου καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοί [μου]	και απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων τις εστιν η μητηρ μου η οι αδελφοι μου	και απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων τις εστιν η μητηρ μου η οι αδελφοι μου

The Will of God – Jesus, Part 1

Romans, Part 12

Back to Romans, Part 14

Back to Romans, Part 26

Back to Paul’s OT Quotes – Romans 9:25-33

Back to Romans, Part 54

Back to Romans, Part 79

Back to Peter’s First Gospel Proclamation Revisited, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 55

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 58

Back to Romans, Part 71

Back to αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 2

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3

¹ Romans 2:25 (NET)

² John 7:1 (NET)

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ following disabled. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τριάκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τριακονταοκτω (KJV: thirty and eight).

⁵ John 5:5 (NET)

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

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article ὁ and the conjunction δὲ preceding he answered. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τον κραββατον σου here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ John 5:10-12 (NET)

¹² John 5:14 (NET)

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔγειρε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγειραι (KJV: Rise).

¹⁴ John 5:8 (NET)

¹⁵ John 5:9 (NET)

¹⁶ John 5:15 (NET)

¹⁷ John 5:16 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εζητουν αυτον αποκτειναι (KJV: and sought to slay him) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ Matthew 11:18, 19; Luke 7:33-35 (NET)

¹⁹ Proverbs 20:1 (NKJV)

²⁰ Exodus 20:8-11 (NET)

²¹ John 5:17 (NET)

²² John 5:18 (NET)

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ην (KJV: there was) following woman. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δεκαοκτὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δεκα και οκτω.

²⁵ Luke 13:11 (NET)

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι preceding six. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐταῖς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταυταις (KJV: them).

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: then).

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural ὑποκριταί here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular υποκριτα (KJV: hypocrite).

³⁰ John 7:3-5 (NET)

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had συμβούλιον ἐδίδουν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συμβούλιον εποιουν (KJV: took counsel).

³² Mark 3:6 (NET)

³³ Mark 3:21 (NET)

³⁴ Mark 3:22 (NET)

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

³⁶ Mark 3:33-35 (NET)

³⁷ Matthew 10:37 (NET)

³⁸ Jeremiah 19:5 (NET) Table

David’s Forgiveness, Part 5

Posted on August 10, 2012 by admin

Though the death of David’s first son with Bathsheba alerted me that I couldn’t categorize these events as punishments, it was another aspect of David’s personal karma from the hand of Jesus that made it apparent that something else was at play (2 Samuel 12:11, 12 NET).

I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight [Table]! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight [Table].

The fulfillment of this promise began when Amnon, one of David’s sons, fell madly in love with his half-sister Tamar. But she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.¹ In other words, it was much easier to seduce married, or shall I say sexually experienced, women in ancient Israel than virgins, especially a sister. Amnon confided in a friend, Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah…a very crafty man.² Jonadab had a plan Amnon executed flawlessly.

First, Amnon pretended to be ill. When David came to Amnon’s house to visit his son, Amnon asked, Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.³ Apparently David sensed no guile in his son’s request. Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him,⁴ he told his daughter Tamar.

Tamar did as she was told by her father. She went to Amnon’s house, kneaded the dough and baked the cakes in front of him. When she offered the pan to Amnon, he wouldn’t eat. Get everyone out of here!⁵ he said. After everyone left Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.⁶

Apparently Tamar sensed no guile in her brother’s request. She followed Amnon into the bedroom. As she brought the cakes to him, he grabbed her and said, Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!

No, my brother! Tamar replied, Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel!⁷

So far Tamar’s protest and the apparent social construct of her reality were congruent with the law: If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity.⁸ And, You must not have sexual intercourse with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual intercourse with either of them.⁹ But her protest ended with a stridently incongruent comment: Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.¹⁰

Was she a frightened girl saying whatever desperate thing popped into her head? Or did she truly believe David would break the law for Amnon’s sake? Did she have some unique insight into her father’s character? I’ve never answered these questions to my own satisfaction, but the attempt has uncovered some interesting things I want to pursue here.

Lot, Abraham’s nephew, traveled with his uncle when Abraham set out to search for the land God promised him. Eventually, Lot settled in Sodom. After the destruction of Sodom, Lot lived with his two daughters in a cave in the mountains. The girls, living at what must have seemed like the end of the world, got their father drunk on two successive nights and took turns sleeping with him to preserve their family line. The older daughter had a son named Moab who became the ancestor of the Moabites. The younger daughter had a son named Ben-Ammi, the ancestor of the Ammonites.

This story is from Genesis.¹¹ Thus far in the Bible there was nothing resembling a law of sexual regulation except the command, Be fruitful and multiply!¹² It is interesting to note, however, that despite the lack of regulation and the fact that Lot had lost his wife, his daughters did not suppose that he would fall willingly into their scheme unless he was so drunk he didn’t know or remember what he had done.

The socially constructed reality these girls lived in was also notable for a rather curious human regulation. It had not been that many days since their father offered them as rape victims to an angry mob to protect two guests who spent the night under his roof. Something similar to this “law of the guest” is still practiced by the tribes that sheltered Osama bin Laden in the mountains between Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is not proclaimed in the Bible as a command from God. It is simply reported in the context of Sodom. But apparently this man-made custom had such power over Lot that he would sooner see harm come to his own daughters than guests who had come under the protection of his roof. I think it is safe to assume that girls socialized into that reality were more earthy regarding sexual matters than the prissy misses of a more chivalrous age.

So I can understand this rather odd story in the context of that socially constructed reality. And apparently the genetic diseases and defects of evolution were not yet so predominant that incest necessarily gave them expression. Considering the history of mate selection recorded in the Bible, Adam’s and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel, married their sisters, presumably, with impunity. DNA was still fresh and pure. I can imagine the social reality for Cain’s sons, let’s say. The more traditional among them longed to grow up and marry a sister just like Dad. But for the innovator there was a brand new exotic form of female, Uncle Abel’s daughters, cousins. (Adam was rather prolific, so there were also young aunts to consider.)

In the next generation the ultra-orthodox might marry their sisters like Grandpa. The traditional might marry cousins (or aunts) like Dad. The innovator had even more varieties of exotic females to choose from. And the innovator’s options only continued to expand. Lot was more of an innovator. His daughters were engaged to men from Sodom, men who laughed at him and refused to flee with him when he warned them of the city’s impending destruction. Abraham, more of a traditionalist, sent his faithful servant back to his own country to his own relatives to acquire a wife for his son Isaac. Yes, he went to a family reunion to pick up chicks, for his son.

It’s not too hard to imagine that when the Lord Jesus delivered the law against incest to Moses, it was received as rather scandalous. It went against too many traditional and orthodox views of appropriate mate selection. It favored the innovator as righteous. I assume that ancient Israelites knew nothing of the recipe for human beings stored in DNA, the chance processes that alter that recipe to produce genetic defects and diseases, the recessive nature of those mutations, the Punnett square or any of the scientific rationale that bolsters anti-incest legislation today. So when a child with a genetic defect was born to a couple that did not heed the law, what could they believe but that the Lord was punishing them for disobeying his law?

Amnon cared more for his passion than God’s law. He overpowered [Tamar] and humiliated her by raping her.¹³

Addendum: November 11, 2020
I was surprised that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἠγάπησεν (a form of ἀγαπάω) to describe Amnon’s affection for Tamar: and Amnon the son of David loved (ἠγάπησεν) her (2 Kings 13:1b English Elpenor). Granted, they had no access to Paul’s definition of ἀγάπη (1 Corinthians 13), but since Paul hadn’t mentioned sexual attraction I had all but banished it from my understanding of ἀγαπάω/ἀγάπη.

As I looked into it briefly I was just as surprised to discover that they had chosen ἐράσθητι (a form of ἐράω) for a children’s love for their parents’ teaching: And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to thee: love (ἐράσθητι) it, and it shall keep thee (Proverbs 4:6 English Elpenor). It occurs to me that a study of ἀγαπάω/ἀγάπη and ἐράω/ἔρως in the Septuagint could be very illuminating.

If someone reading this is motivated to do the work to make the tables and analyze the occurrences in Hebrew and Greek, I’ll be happy to publish it in installments here under your name or anonymously as you wish. The article on Eros on “the Love of God project” online is good place to start for source material. The BLB Septuagint is searchable once you have the word forms down (and spelled correctly).

Such an undertaking requires a younger mind that cares more. I am old. I am single. I can’t even imagine a woman who would tolerate my Bible study routine.

I wrote that “Amnon pretended to be ill,” but the Hebrew word was a form of חָלָה (chalah) translated into Greek with a form of ἀῤῥωστέω.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 13:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:2 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:2 (Elpenor English)
And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick (לְהִתְחַלּ֗וֹת) because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do any thing unto her.	But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick (chalah, להתחלות) over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.	And Amnon was tormented so as to be ill (ἀρρωστεῗν) because of Themar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it was excessive in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her.	And Amnon was distressed even to sickness (ἀρρωστεῖν), because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her.
2 Samuel 13:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:6 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:6 (English Elpenor)
So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick (וַיִּתְחָ֑ל); and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king: ‘Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.’	So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick (chalah, ויתחל). When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”	And Amnon lay down and became ill (ἠρρώστησεν), and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Do let Themar my sister come to me and roll two rolls in my sight, and I will eat from her hand.”	So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick (ἠρρώστησε); and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.

The final occurrence of a form of חָלָה (chalah) in this story is in Jonadab’s explanation of his scheme.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Samuel 13:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:5 (NET)	2 Reigns 13:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:5 (Elpenor English)
And Jonadab said unto him: ‘Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick (וְהִתְחָ֑ל); and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.’	Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick (chalah, והתחל). When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”	And Ionadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and act weak (μαλακίσθητι), and your father will come in to see you, and you shall say to him, ‘Do let Themar my sister come and feed me some morsels, and let her prepare food in my sight so that I may see and eat from her hands.’”	And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick (μαλακίσθητι), and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.

Here the rabbis translated it μαλακίσθητι (a form of μαλακίζω) in the Septuagint. Nothing in these words or in any of the words around them implies that Amnon was pretending. It isn’t necessary to mock him or ridicule this distress—וַיֵּ֨צֶר (yatsar) in Hebrew, translated was so distressed (Tanakh) and became frustrated (NET), ἐθλίβετο (a form of θλίβω) in Greek, translated was tormented (NET) and was distressed (English Elpenor)—to disapprove of his rape of Tamar. The pain a man feels over a desirable woman he can’t have for whatever reason isn’t assuaged by pretending it isn’t real pain.

Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 1:3-6 NET):

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort those experiencing any trouble with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ¹⁴ overflows to you. But if we are afflicted (θλιβόμεθα, another form of θλίβω), it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort¹⁵ that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

I mentioned the tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan and then failed to footnote that remark. The following quote is from the The Irish Times article online, “Meet the Pashtuns, the Afghani tribe who rule Pakistan’s’wild west,’” November 10, 2001:

The moral code [e.g., Pashtunwali] also enshrines a principle of hospitality and protection of guests, and this extends even to enemies under one’s roof who surrender their arms upon entering and come under the host’s protection.

“If you look at the Afghanistan crisis, Osama bin Laden is a guest of the Taliban and the Afghan nation who are protecting their guest. People are now dying there but the Afghan people still protect him,” says Badshah [Jan Badshah, a Pashtun from the settled Charsadda district, an all-Pashtun area outside Peshawar].

“If somebody killed a person who disgraced their guest, by Pakistani law he is a criminal. As far as we are concerned we do not consider him a criminal because he is upholding our norms.”

But the very same article calls into question whether Jan Badshah’s contemporaries would surrender their daughters to protect a guest:

At its most extreme, Pashtunwali dictates that a man is duty bound to defend the honour of women in his family or clan which may be violated by as little as an unwelcome lingering glance.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:1; 13:2; 13:3; 13:6; 13:7; 13:9; 13:10; 13:11; 13:12; 13:13; Leviticus 18:9; Genesis 1:28; 2 Samuel 13:14 and 13:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:1; 13:2; 13:3; 13:6; 13:7; 13:9; 13:10; 13:11; 13:12; 13:13; Leviticus 18:9; Genesis 1:28; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:14 and 13:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. A table comparing 2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 in the NET and KJV follows those.

2 Samuel 13:1 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:1 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:1 (NET)
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.	And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.	Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.

2 Samuel 13:1 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ υἱῷ Δαυιδ ἀδελφὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ Θημαρ καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὴν Αμνων υἱὸς Δαυιδ	ΚΑΙ ἐγενήθη μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ υἱῷ Δαυὶδ ἀδελφὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῇ Θημάρ, καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὴν ᾿Αμνὼν υἱὸς Δαυίδ.
2 Reigns 13:1 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:1 (English Elpenor)
And it happened after this that Abessalom son of Dauid had a sister very beautiful in appearance, and her name was Themar, and Amnon son of Dauid loved her.	And it happened after this that Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name [was] Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Samuel 13:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:2 (NET)
And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do any thing unto her.	And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.	But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.

2 Samuel 13:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθλίβετο Αμνων ὥστε ἀρρωστεῗν διὰ Θημαρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ ὅτι παρθένος ἦν αὐτή καὶ ὑπέρογκον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς Αμνων τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι αὐτῇ	καὶ ἐθλίβετο ᾿Αμνὼν ὥστε ἀρρωστεῖν διὰ Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι παρθένος ἦν αὕτη, καὶ ὑπέρογκον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ ποιῆσαί τι αὐτῇ
2 Reigns 13:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:2 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon was tormented so as to be ill because of Themar his sister, for she was a virgin, and it was excessive in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her.	And Amnon was distressed even to sickness, because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her.

2 Samuel 13:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:3 (NET)
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.	But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.	Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man.

2 Samuel 13:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν τῷ Αμνων ἑταῗρος καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ιωναδαβ υἱὸς Σαμαα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Δαυιδ καὶ Ιωναδαβ ἀνὴρ σοφὸς σφόδρα	καὶ ἦν τῷ ᾿Αμνὼν ἑταῖρος, καὶ ὄνομα αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωναδάβ, υἱὸς Σαμαὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Δαυίδ· καὶ ᾿Ιωναδὰβ ἀνὴρ σοφὸς σφόδρα
2 Reigns 13:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:3 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon had a companion, and his name was Ionadab son of Samaa the brother of Dauid, and Ionadab was a very crafty man.	And Amnon had a friend, and his name [was] Jonadab, the son of Samaa the brother of David: and Jonadab [was] a very cunning man.

2 Samuel 13:6 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:6 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:6 (NET)
So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick; and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king: ‘Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.’	So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.	So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”

2 Samuel 13:6 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκοιμήθη Αμνων καὶ ἠρρώστησεν καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἰδεῗν αὐτόν καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημαρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου πρός με καὶ κολλυρισάτω ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς μου δύο κολλυρίδας καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς	καὶ ἐκοιμήθη ᾿Αμνὼν καὶ ἠρρώστησε, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἰδεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνὼν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημὰρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου πρός με καὶ κολλυρισάτω ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου δύο κολλυρίδας, καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:6 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:6 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon lay down and became ill, and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Do let Themar my sister come to me and roll two rolls in my sight, and I will eat from her hand.”	So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick; and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.

2 Samuel 13:7 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:7 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:7 (NET)
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying: ‘Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him food.’	Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.	So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”

2 Samuel 13:7 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Θημαρ εἰς τὸν οἶκον λέγων πορεύθητι δὴ εἰς τὸν οἶκον Αμνων τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ ποίησον αὐτῷ βρῶμα	καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ πρὸς Θημὰρ εἰς τὸν οἶκον λέγων· πορεύθητι δὴ εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ ποίησον αὐτῷ βρῶμα
2 Reigns 13:7 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:7 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid sent to Themar, to the house, saying, “Do go to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare food for him.”	And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother’s house, and dress him food.

2 Samuel 13:9 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:9 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:9 (NET)
And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said: ‘Have out all men from me.’ And they went out every man from him.	And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.	But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!” So everyone left.

2 Samuel 13:9 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸ τήγανον καὶ κατεκένωσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν φαγεῗν καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων ἐξαγάγετε πάντα ἄνδρα ἐπάνωθέν μου καὶ ἐξήγαγον πάντα ἄνδρα ἀπὸ ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ τήγανον καὶ κατεκένωσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε φαγεῖν. καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνών· ἐξαγάγετε πάντα ἄνδρα ἀπὸ ἐπάνωθέν μου· καὶ ἐξήγαγον πάντα ἄνδρα ἐπάνωθεν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 13:9 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:9 (English Elpenor)
And she took the frying-pan and emptied it out before him, but he did not want to eat. And Amnon said, “Lead out every man from upon me.” And they led out every man from upon him.	And she took the frying pan and poured them out before him, but he would not eat. And Amnon said, Send out every man from about me. And they removed every man from about him.

2 Samuel 13:10 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:10 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:10 (NET)
And Amnon said unto Tamar: ‘Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand.’ And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.	And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.	Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom.

2 Samuel 13:10 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Αμνων πρὸς Θημαρ εἰσένεγκε τὸ βρῶμα εἰς τὸ ταμίειον καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἔλαβεν Θημαρ τὰς κολλυρίδας ἃς ἐποίησεν καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν τῷ Αμνων ἀδελφῷ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αμνὼν πρὸς Θημάρ· εἰσένεγκε τὸ βρῶμα εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον, καὶ φάγομαι ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου. καὶ ἔλαβε Θημὰρ τὰς κολλυρίδας, ἃς ἐποίησε, καὶ εἰσήνεγκε τῷ ᾿Αμνὼν ἀδελφῷ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν κοιτῶνα
2 Reigns 13:10 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:10 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon said to Themar, “Bring the food into the chamber, and I will eat from your hand.” And Themar took the rolls that she had prepared and brought them to Amnon her brother, into the bedroom.	And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber.

2 Samuel 13:11 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:11 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:11 (NET)
And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her: ‘Come lie with me, my sister.’	And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.	As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!”

2 Samuel 13:11 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσήγαγεν αὐτῷ τοῦ φαγεῗν καὶ ἐπελάβετο αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ δεῦρο κοιμήθητι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἀδελφή μου	καὶ προσήγαγεν αὐτῷ τοῦ φαγεῖν, καὶ ἐπελάβετο αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· δεῦρο κοιμήθητι μετ’ ἐμοῦ, ἀδελφή μου.
2 Reigns 13:11 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:11 (English Elpenor)
And she brought them to him to eat, and he took hold of her and said to her “Come on, lie with me, my sister!”	And she brought [them] to him to eat, and he caught hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.

2 Samuel 13:12 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:12 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:12 (NET)
And she answered him: ‘Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel; do not thou this wanton deed.	And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.	But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing!

2 Samuel 13:12 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ μή ἄδελφέ μου μὴ ταπεινώσῃς με διότι οὐ ποιηθήσεται οὕτως ἐν Ισραηλ μὴ ποιήσῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην ταύτην	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· μή, ἀδελφέ μου· μὴ ταπεινώσῃς με, διότι οὐ ποιηθήσεται οὕτως ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ, μὴ ποιήσῃς τὴν ἀφροσύνην ταύτην
2 Reigns 13:12 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:12 (English Elpenor)
And she said to him, “No, my brother, do not humiliate me; for it shall not be done in this way in Israel; do not do this folly!	And she said to him, Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it ought not to be so done in Israel; do not this folly.

2 Samuel 13:13 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:13 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:13 (NET)
And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt be as one of the base men in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.’	And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.	How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

2 Samuel 13:13 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγὼ ποῦ ἀποίσω τὸ ὄνειδός μου καὶ σὺ ἔσῃ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀφρόνων ἐν Ισραηλ καὶ νῦν λάλησον δὴ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ὅτι οὐ μὴ κωλύσῃ με ἀπὸ σοῦ	καὶ ἐγὼ ποῦ ἀποίσω τὸ ὄνειδός μου; καὶ σὺ ἔσῃ ὡς εἷς τῶν ἀφρόνων ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ νῦν λάλησον δὴ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, ὅτι οὐ μὴ κωλύσῃ με ἀπὸ σοῦ
2 Reigns 13:13 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:13 (English Elpenor)
And I, where will I carry away my shame? And you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, do speak to the king; for surely he shall not withhold me from you.”	And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he will not keep me from thee.

Leviticus 18:9 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 18:9 (KJV)	Leviticus 18:9 (NET)
The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or the daughter of thy mother, whether born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.	The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.	You must not have sexual relations with your sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she is born in the same household or born outside it; you must not have sexual relations with either of them.

Leviticus 18:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 18:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ἐκ πατρός σου ἢ ἐκ μητρός σου ἐνδογενοῦς ἢ γεγεννημένης ἔξω οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς	ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου ἐκ πατρός σου ἢ ἐκ μητρός σου ἐνδογενοῦς ἢ γεγεννημένης ἔξω, οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῶν
Leviticus 18:9 (NETS)	Leviticus 18:9 (English Elpenor)
You shall not uncover her shame—the shame of your sister, from your father or from your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.	The nakedness of thy sister by thy father or by thy mother, born at home or abroad, their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Genesis 1:28 (Tanakh)	Genesis 1:28 (KJV)	Genesis 1:28 (NET)
And G-d blessed them; and G-d said unto them: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth’.	And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.	God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply! Fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that moves on the ground.”

Genesis 1:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 1:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ηὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ θεὸς λέγων αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός, λέγων· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Genesis 1:28 (NETS)	Genesis 1:28 (English Elpenor)
And God blessed them, saying, “Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and rule the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and all the cattle and all the earth and all the creeping things that creep upon the earth.”	And God blessed them, saying, Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seas and flying creatures of heaven, and all the cattle and all the earth, and all the reptiles that creep on the earth.

2 Samuel 13:14 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:14 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:14 (NET)
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.	Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.	But he refused to listen to her. He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.

2 Samuel 13:14 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν Αμνων τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ᾽ αὐτῆς	καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ’ αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:14 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:14 (English Elpenor)
But Amnon did not want to listen to her voice, and he prevailed over her and humiliated her and lay with her.	But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against her, and humbled her, and lay with her.

2 Samuel 13:5 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:5 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:5 (NET)
And Jonadab said unto him: ‘Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him: Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.’	And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.	Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

2 Samuel 13:5 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ιωναδαβ κοιμήθητι ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης σου καὶ μαλακίσθητι καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ πατήρ σου τοῦ ἰδεῗν σε καὶ ἐρεῗς πρὸς αὐτόν ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημαρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου καὶ ψωμισάτω με καὶ ποιησάτω κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμούς μου βρῶμα ὅπως ἴδω καὶ φάγω ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ᾿Ιωναδάβ· κοιμήθητι ἐπὶ τῆς κοίτης σου καὶ μαλακίσθητι, καὶ εἰσελεύσεται ὁ πατήρ σου τοῦ ἰδεῖν σε, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν· ἐλθέτω δὴ Θημὰρ ἡ ἀδελφή μου καὶ ψωμισάτω με καὶ ποιησάτω κατ’ ὀφθαλμούς μου βρῶμα, ὅπως ἴδω καὶ φάγω ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:5 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:5 (English Elpenor)
And Ionadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and act weak, and your father will come in to see you, and you shall say to him, ‘Do let Themar my sister come and feed me some morsels, and let her prepare food in my sight so that I may see and eat from her hands.’”	And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.

2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 (NET)	2 Corinthians 1:5, 6 (KJV)
For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow toward us, so also our comfort through Christ overflows to you.	For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτι καθὼς περισσεύει τὰ παθήματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὕτως διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ περισσεύει καὶ ἡ παράκλησις ἡμῶν	οτι καθως περισσευει τα παθηματα του χριστου εις ημας ουτως δια χριστου περισσευει και η παρακλησις ημων	οτι καθως περισσευει τα παθηματα του χριστου εις ημας ουτως δια του χριστου περισσευει και η παρακλησις ημων

But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort that you experience in your patient endurance of the same sufferings that we also suffer.

And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἴτε δὲ θλιβόμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως καὶ σωτηρίας· εἴτε παρακαλούμεθα, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμῶν παρακλήσεως τῆς ἐνεργουμένης ἐν ὑπομονῇ τῶν αὐτῶν παθημάτων ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πάσχομεν	ειτε δε θλιβομεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας της ενεργουμενης εν υπομονη των αυτων παθηματων ων και ημεις πασχομεν ειτε παρακαλουμεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας και η ελπις ημων βεβαια υπερ υμων	ειτε δε θλιβομεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας της ενεργουμενης εν υπομονη των αυτων παθηματων ων και ημεις πασχομεν και η ελπις ημων βεβαια υπερ υμων ειτε παρακαλουμεθα υπερ της υμων παρακλησεως και σωτηριας

David’s Forgiveness, Part 6

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 7

Back to Romans, Part 32

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 4

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 1

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 2

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 11

Back to Westworld, Part 2

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 5

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

¹ 2 Samuel 13:1, 2 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 13:3 (NET)

³ 2 Samuel 13:6 (NET)

⁴ 2 Samuel 13:7 (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 13:9 (NET)

⁶ 2 Samuel 13:10 (NET)

⁷ 2 Samuel 13:11-13a (NET)

⁸ Leviticus 20:17 (NET) Table

⁹ Leviticus 18:9 (NET)

¹⁰ 2 Samuel 13:13b (NET)

¹¹ Genesis 19:30-38 (NET)

¹² Genesis 1:28 (NET)

¹³ 2 Samuel 13:14 (NET)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοῦ preceding Christ. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και σωτηριας (KJV: and salvation) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not. Also, the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had (at different locations in the text) και η ελπις ημων βεβαια υπερ υμων (not translated in the KJV).

Romans, Part 10

Posted on August 9, 2012 by admin

Paul turned his attention specifically to the Jews among the readers of his letter to believers in Rome. But if¹ you call (ἐπονομάζῃ, a form of ἐπονομάζω) yourself a Jew (Ἰουδαῖος) and rely (ἐπαναπαύῃ, a form of ἐπαναπαύω) on the law² (νόμῳ, a form of νόμος) and boast (καυχᾶσαι, a form of καυχάομαι) of your relationship (ἐν, or boast in God) to God,³ he wrote, and know (γινώσκεις, a form of γινώσκω) his will (θέλημα) and approve (δοκιμάζεις, a form of δοκιμάζω) the superior things because you receive instruction (κατηχούμενος, a form of κατηχέω) from the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος)…⁴

This all sounds like pretty good stuff to me. Since I’ve read Paul so many times before I’m a bit suspicious of relying or resting (ἐπαναπαύῃ) on the law. I have encountered the word καυχάομαι enough to know that boast of your relationship to God was the translators’ choice. It might have been translated rejoice.⁵ All in all this sounds like a description of one who would do (ποιῶσιν, a form of ποιέω; Addendum below) the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος). Since I know the proverb—Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall⁶—and have a feel for its use in storytelling, I get more suspicious as Paul continued (Romans 2:19, 20 NET).

…and if you are convinced (πέποιθας, a form of πείθω) that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law (νόμῳ, a form of νόμος) the essential features of knowledge (γνώσεως, a form of γνῶσις) and of the truth (ἀληθείας, a form of ἀλήθεια)…

Without ever using the word ὑποκριτής (actor) Paul presented a classic definition: therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?⁷ I think Paul singled out the Jews here because he knew himself and his own people best. He hadn’t been to Rome to meet the Romans yet. Sometimes I feel like there are really only two types of people in the world, hypocrites and those who don’t even try.

When I think like that, however, I am defining hypocrite as a person who does not fully practice what he preaches or believes or aspires to. Obviously I have just described everyone who preaches, believes or aspires to anything. Paul was more specific. His definition was one who relies or rests on God’s law, perhaps more to the point, one who relies or rests on his own ability to keep God’s law and then does not fully practice the law he preaches, believes and aspires to.

You who boast (καυχᾶσαι, a form of καυχάομαι) in the law (νόμῳ, a form of νόμος), Paul continued, dishonor (ἀτιμάζεις, a form of ἀτιμάζω) God by transgressing (παραβάσεως, a form of παράβασις) the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος)! For just as it is written, “the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”⁸ Paul’s quotation here from Isaiah 52:5 [Table] is not simply a matter of piling on, of kicking the Jews who relied on, and didn’t fully live up to, the law when they were down. It’s a flashing beacon of the mind of Christ and a portent where Paul’s thoughts, and letter, were headed.

This boasting in the law, this dishonoring of God by transgressing the law, was known. It was prophesied. It is part of God’s Holy Word. It was like Jesus prophesying to Peter, I tell you the truth, on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times,⁹ but on a grander scale. Here is the promise that follows Isaiah 52:5 (Isaiah 52:6-12 NET):

For this reason my people will know my name, for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, “Here I am.” How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the Lord’s return to Zion. In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem. The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver. Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items! Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.

Addendum: November 1, 2020
In the second paragraph I had indicated that ποιῶσιν was a form of ποιητής. It is actually a form of ποιέω. I may have been thinking of Romans 2:13 where do was the NET translation of ποιηταὶ which is a form of ποιητής.

A table of Isaiah 52:6-12 translated from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 52:6-12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:6-12 (NET)	Isaiah 52:6-12 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:6-12 (Elpenor English)
Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.	For this reason my people will know my name; for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, ‘Here I am.’”	Therefore my people shall know my name in that day, because I myself am the one who speaks: I am here,	Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present,
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!	How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”	like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things, because I will make your salvation heard, saying to Sion, “Your God shall reign,”	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news: for I will publish thy salvation, saying, O Sion, thy God shall reign.
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again (בְּשׁ֥וּב) Zion.	Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the Lord’s return (shuwb, בשוב) to Zion.	because the voice of those who watch over you was lifted up, and with their voice they shall rejoice together, because eyes shall look at eyes when the Lord will have mercy (ἐλεήσῃ) on Sion.	For the voice of them that guard thee is exalted, and with the voice together they shall rejoice: for eyes shall look to eyes, when the Lord shall have mercy (ἐλεήσῃ) upon Sion.
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted (נִחַ֚ם) his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.	In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles (nacham, נחם) his people; he protects Jerusalem.	Let the desolate places of Ierousalem break forth together in joy, because the Lord has had mercy (ἠλέησεν) on her and has delivered Ierousalem.	Let the waste places of Jerusalem break forth [in] joy together, because the Lord has had mercy (ἠλέησε) upon her, and has delivered Jerusalem.
The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.	The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.	And the Lord shall reveal his holy arm before all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that comes from God.	And the Lord shall reveal his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that [comes] from our God.
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.	Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items.	Depart, depart, go out from there, and touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of it; be separated, you who carry the vessels of the Lord,	Depart ye, depart, go out from thence, and touch not the unclean thing; go ye out from the midst of her; separate yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.
For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.	Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.	because you shall not go out with confusion, nor shall you go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the Lord God of Israel is the one who gathers you together.	For ye shall not go forth with tumult, neither go by flight: for the Lord shall go first in advance of you; and the God of Israel shall be he that brings up your rear.

Tables comparing Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 52:6; 52:7; 52:8; 52:9; 52:10; 52:11 and 52:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 52:6; 52:7; 52:8; 52:9; 52:10; 52:11 and 52:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those is a table comparing Romans 2:17 in the NET and KJV.

Proverbs 16:18 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)	Proverbs 16:18 (NET)
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.	Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.	Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρὸ συντριβῆς ἡγεῗται ὕβρις πρὸ δὲ πτώματος κακοφροσύνη	πρὸ συντριβῆς ἡγεῖται ὕβρις, πρὸ δὲ πτώματος κακοφροσύνη
Proverbs 16:18 (NETS)	Proverbs 16:18 (English Elpenor)
Pride goes before ruin, and malice before a fall.	Pride goes before destruction, and folly before a fall.

Isaiah 52:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:6 (NET)
Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.	Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.	For this reason my people will know my name; for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, ‘Here I am.’”

Isaiah 52:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο γνώσεται ὁ λαός μου τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν πάρειμι	διὰ τοῦτο γνώσεται ὁ λαός μου τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι αὐτὸς ὁ λαλῶν· πάρειμι
Isaiah 52:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:6 (English Elpenor)
Therefore my people shall know my name in that day, because I myself am the one who speaks: I am here,	Therefore shall my people know my name in that day, for I am he that speaks: I am present,

Isaiah 52:7 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:7 (NET)
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!	How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!	How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains the feet of a messenger who announces peace, a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά ὅτι ἀκουστὴν ποιήσω τὴν σωτηρίαν σου λέγων Σιων βασιλεύσει σου ὁ θεός	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά, ὅτι ἀκουστὴν ποιήσω τὴν σωτηρίαν σου λέγων Σιών· βασιλεύσει σου ὁ Θεός
Isaiah 52:7 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:7 (English Elpenor)
like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things, because I will make your salvation heard, saying to Sion, “Your God shall reign,”	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news: for I will publish thy salvation, saying, O Sion, thy God shall reign.

Isaiah 52:8 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:8 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:8 (NET)
Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.	Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion.	Listen, your watchmen shout; in unison they shout for joy, for they see with their very own eyes the Lord’s return to Zion.

Isaiah 52:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι φωνὴ τῶν φυλασσόντων σε ὑψώθη καὶ τῇ φωνῇ ἅμα εὐφρανθήσονται ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ πρὸς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὄψονται ἡνίκα ἂν ἐλεήσῃ κύριος τὴν Σιων	ὅτι φωνὴ τῶν φυλασσόντων σε ὑψώθη, καὶ τῇ φωνῇ ἅμα εὐφρανθήσονται· ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ πρὸς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὄψονται, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐλεήσῃ Κύριος τὴν Σιών
Isaiah 52:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:8 (English Elpenor)
because the voice of those who watch over you was lifted up, and with their voice they shall rejoice together, because eyes shall look at eyes when the Lord will have mercy on Sion.	For the voice of them that guard thee is exalted, and with the voice together they shall rejoice: for eyes shall look to eyes, when the Lord shall have mercy upon Sion.

Isaiah 52:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:9 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:9 (NET)
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.	Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.	In unison give a joyful shout, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the Lord consoles his people; he protects Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ῥηξάτω εὐφροσύνην ἅμα τὰ ἔρημα Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι ἠλέησεν κύριος αὐτὴν καὶ ἐρρύσατο Ιερουσαλημ	ῥηξάτω εὐφροσύνην ἅμα τὰ ἔρημα ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὅτι ἠλέησε Κύριος αὐτὴν καὶ ἐρρύσατο ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
Isaiah 52:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:9 (English Elpenor)
Let the desolate places of Ierousalem break forth together in joy, because the Lord has had mercy on her and has delivered Ierousalem.	Let the waste places of Jerusalem break forth [in] joy together, because the Lord has had mercy upon her, and has delivered Jerusalem.

Isaiah 52:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:10 (NET)
The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.	The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.	The Lord reveals his royal power in the sight of all the nations; the entire earth sees our God deliver.

Isaiah 52:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀποκαλύψει κύριος τὸν βραχίονα αὐτοῦ τὸν ἅγιον ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ὄψονται πάντα τὰ ἄκρα τῆς γῆς τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ	καὶ ἀποκαλύψει Κύριος τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ἅγιον αὐτοῦ ἐνώπιον πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ ὄψονται πάντα ἄκρα τῆς γῆς τὴν σωτηρίαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν
Isaiah 52:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:10 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord shall reveal his holy arm before all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that comes from God.	And the Lord shall reveal his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation that [comes] from our God.

Isaiah 52:11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:11 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:11 (NET)
Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.	Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.	Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items.

Isaiah 52:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπόστητε ἀπόστητε ἐξέλθατε ἐκεῗθεν καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε ἐξέλθατε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς ἀφορίσθητε οἱ φέροντες τὰ σκεύη κυρίου	ἀπόστητε, ἀπόστητε, ἐξέλθατε ἐκεῖθεν καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ἅπτεσθε, ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῆς, ἀφορίσθητε, οἱ φέροντες τὰ σκεύη Κυρίου
Isaiah 52:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:11 (English Elpenor)
Depart, depart, go out from there, and touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of it; be separated, you who carry the vessels of the Lord,	Depart ye, depart, go out from thence, and touch not the unclean thing; go ye out from the midst of her; separate yourselves, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord.

Isaiah 52:12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:12 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:12 (NET)
For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.	For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.	Yet do not depart quickly or leave in a panic. For the Lord goes before you; the God of Israel is your rear guard.

Isaiah 52:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐ μετὰ ταραχῆς ἐξελεύσεσθε οὐδὲ φυγῇ πορεύσεσθε πορεύσεται γὰρ πρότερος ὑμῶν κύριος καὶ ὁ ἐπισυνάγων ὑμᾶς κύριος ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ	ὅτι οὐ μετὰ ταραχῆς ἐξελεύσεσθε, οὐδὲ φυγῇ πορεύσεσθε, προπορεύσεται γὰρ πρότερος ὑμῶν Κύριος καὶ ὁ ἐπισυνάγων ὑμᾶς Θεὸς ᾿Ισραήλ
Isaiah 52:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:12 (English Elpenor)
because you shall not go out with confusion, nor shall you go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the Lord God of Israel is the one who gathers you together.	For ye shall not go forth with tumult, neither go by flight: for the Lord shall go first in advance of you; and the God of Israel shall be he that brings up your rear.

Romans 2:17 (NET)	Romans 2:17 (KJV)
But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relationship to God	Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Εἰ δὲ σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ἐπονομάζῃ καὶ ἐπαναπαύῃ νόμῳ καὶ καυχᾶσαι ἐν θεῷ	ιδε συ ιουδαιος επονομαζη και επαναπαυη τω νομω και καυχασαι εν θεω	ιδε συ ιουδαιος επονομαζη και επαναπαυη τω νομω και καυχασαι εν θεω

Romans, Part 11

Back to Romans, Part 12

Back to To Make Holy, Part 4

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 4

Back to To Make Holy, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 2

Back to Exploration, Part 6

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Εἰ δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιδε (KJV: Behold).

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τω preceding law. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ Romans 2:17 (NET)

⁴ Romans 2:18 (NET)

⁵ Cf. Romans 5:2, 3, 11 (NET)

⁶ Proverbs 16:18 (NET)

⁷ Romans 2:21, 22 (NET)

⁸ Romans 2:23, 24 (NET)

⁹ Matthew 26:34 (NET)

Paul’s OT Quotes, Romans 2

Posted on August 9, 2012 by admin

Paul	Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)	NET Bible (Greek parallel text)
He *will reward each one according to his works*: Romans 2:6 (NET)	σὺ ἀποδώσεις ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ Psalm 62:12 Table	ος αποδωσει εκαστω κατα τα εργα αυτου Romans 2:6
	ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ Proverbs 24:12	ος αποδωσει εκαστω κατα τα εργα αυτου Romans 2:6
Jesus		NET Bible (Greek parallel text)
…he will reward each person according to what he has done. Matthew 16:27 (NET)		αποδωσει εκαστω κατα την πραξιν αυτου Matthew 16:27

The only significant differences between these two quotations is that the Septuagint began with σύ (you) in Psalm 62:12 and Paul’s quote began with ὅς, translated as he at the beginning of a new sentence. Who would have been a more accurate translation as a dependent clause. The note (14) in the NET says as much: “Grk ‘who.’ The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.”

Paul

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)

the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you

Romans 2:24 (NET)

ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν

Isaiah 52:5

ονομα του θεου δι υμας βλασφημειται εν τοις εθνεσιν

Romans 2:24

The Septuagint recorded God speaking as ὄνομά μου (my name) while Paul spoke in Romans of ονομα του θεου (the God’s name, or the name of God).

Addendum: October 26, 2020
My Greek has improved some over the last eight years, so another table comparing Paul’s quotation from Isaiah 52:5 follows.

Romans 2:24a (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 52:5b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:5b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸ γὰρ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ δι᾿ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν	δι᾽ ὑμᾶς διὰ παντὸς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῗται ἐν τοῗς ἔθνεσιν	δι᾿ ὑμᾶς διαπαντὸς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι
Romans 2:24b (NET)	Isaiah 52:5b (NETS)	Isaiah 52:5b (English Elpenor)
For…“the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”	Because of you, my name is continually blasphemed among the nations.	On account of you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles.

A comparison of translations from the Masoretic text and Septuagint follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 52:5 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:5 (NET)	Isaiah 52:5 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:5 (Elpenor English)
Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually (וְתָמִ֥יד) every day (כָּל־הַיּ֖וֹם) is blasphemed.	And now, what do we have here?” says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the Lord, “and my name is constantly (tamiyd, ותמיד) slandered all (כל) day long (yowm, היום).	And now, why are you here? This is what the Lord says, Because my people were taken for nothing, you marvel and howl. This is what the Lord says, Because of you, my name is continually (διὰ παντὸς) blasphemed among the nations.	And now why are ye here? Thus saith the Lord, Because my people was taken for nothing, wonder ye and howl. Thus saith the Lord, On account of you my name is continually (διαπαντὸς) blasphemed among the Gentiles.

Since the Masoretic text had continually every day (NET: constantly…all day long) and the Septuagint had continually here, I’ll assume that Paul softened his message a bit from the original rather than that he had access to another (more original) version of the Septuagint.

Tables comparing Proverbs 24:12 and Isaiah 52:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Proverbs 24:12 and Isaiah 52:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Proverbs 24:12 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 24:12 (KJV)	Proverbs 24:12 (NET)
If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?	If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?	If you say, “But we did not know about this,” won’t the one who evaluates hearts discern it? Won’t the one who guards your life realize and repay each person according to his deeds?

Proverbs 24:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 24:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον γίνωσκε ὅτι κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει καὶ ὁ πλάσας πνοὴν πᾶσιν αὐτὸς οἶδεν πάντα ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ	ἐὰν δὲ εἴπῃς, οὐκ οἶδα τοῦτον, γίνωσκε ὅτι Κύριος καρδίας πάντων γινώσκει, καὶ ὁ πλάσας πνοὴν πᾶσιν, αὐτὸς οἶδε πάντα, ὃς ἀποδίδωσιν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ
Proverbs 24:12 (NETS)	Proverbs 24:12 (English Elpenor)
If you say: “I do not know this person,” be aware that the Lord is familiar with the heart of everyone, and he who formed breath for all, he knows everything, he who will render to each according to his deeds.	But if thou shouldest say, I know not this man; know that the Lord knows the hearts of all; and he that formed breath for all, he knows all things, who renders to every man according to his works.

Isaiah 52:5 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:5 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:5 (NET)
Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.	Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.	And now, what do we have here?” says the Lord. “Indeed my people have been carried away for nothing, those who rule over them taunt,” says the Lord, “and my name is constantly slandered all day long.

Isaiah 52:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν τί ὧδέ ἐστε τάδε λέγει κύριος ὅτι ἐλήμφθη ὁ λαός μου δωρεάν θαυμάζετε καὶ ὀλολύζετε τάδε λέγει κύριος δι᾽ ὑμᾶς διὰ παντὸς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῗται ἐν τοῗς ἔθνεσιν	καὶ νῦν τί ἐστε ὦδε; τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ὅτι ἐλήφθη ὁ λαός μου δωρεάν, θαυμάζετε καὶ ὀλολύζετε. τάδε λέγει Κύριος· δι᾿ ὑμᾶς διαπαντὸς τὸ ὄνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι
Isaiah 52:5 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:5 (English Elpenor)
And now, why are you here? This is what the Lord says, Because my people were taken for nothing, you marvel and howl. This is what the Lord says, Because of you, my name is continually blasphemed among the nations.	And now why are ye here? Thus saith the Lord, Because my people was taken for nothing, wonder ye and howl. Thus saith the Lord, On account of you my name is continually blasphemed among the Gentiles.

Back to Romans, Part 9

Romans, Part 10

Back to Romans, Part 72

Back to To Make Holy, Part 2

Romans, Part 9

Posted on August 8, 2012 by admin

The warning Paul gave those with stubborn and unrepentant hearts breaks quite naturally into two columns.

He will reward each one according to his works:

Romans 2:6 (NET)

…eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality…

Romans 2:7 (NET)

…but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.

Romans 2:8 (NET) Table

…but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans 2:10 (NET)

There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek…

Romans 2:9 (NET)

For there is no partiality with God.

Romans 2:11 (NET) Table

…and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Romans 2:12b (NET)

For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law…

Romans 2:12a (NET)

The Jews of Paul’s day may have wanted to label the left column “Jews” and the right column “Greeks” or “Gentiles.” We might want to do something similar with “Church Folk” and “Unchurched Folk” or “Religious” and “Irreligious.” But Paul was quite careful to label the columns himself: For it is not those who hear (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος) who are righteous (δίκαιοι, a form of δίκαιος) before God, but those who do (ποιηταὶ, a form of ποιητής) the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος) will be declared righteous (δικαιωθήσονται, a form of δικαιόω).¹

He will reward each one according to his works:

Romans 2:6 (NET)

those who do (ποιηταὶ, a form of ποιητής) the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος)

Romans 2:13b (NET) Table

those who hear (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος)

Romans 2:13a (NET)

…eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality…

Romans 2:7 (NET)

…but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness.

Romans 2:8 (NET)

…but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek.

Romans 2:10 (NET)

There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek…

Romans 2:9 (NET)

For there is no partiality with God.

Romans 2:11 (NET)

…and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Romans 2:12b (NET)

For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law…

Romans 2:12a (NET)

Paul continued to explain why the two columns should not be labeled “Jew” and “Gentile” rather than “Doer” and “Hearer” of the law. For whenever the Gentiles (ἔθνη, a form of ἔθνος), who do not have (ἔχοντα, a form of ἔχω) the law (νόμον, another form of νόμος), do² (ποιῶσιν, a form of ποιέω) by nature (φύσει, a form of φύσις) the things required by the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος), these who do not have (ἔχοντες, another form of ἔχω) the law (νόμον, another form of νόμος) are a law (νόμος) to themselves. They show that the work (ἔργον) of the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος) is written in their hearts, as their conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them, on the day when God will judge (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) the secrets (κρυπτὰ, a form of κρυπτός) of human hearts, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.³

The word translated do in those who do the law will be declared righteous is the Greek word for poet. For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets (ποιητῶν, another form of ποιητής) have said, “For we too are his offspring,”⁴ Paul preached in Athens. It is derived from ποιέω, to make, to do. Our word poet bears no trace of a relationship to making or doing. A poet of the law might be indistinguishable to me from a hearer of the law. I might imagine that a poet of the law, rather than doing the law, writes pretty sonnets about the law, or worse, writes his own laws to establish his own righteousness.

If I recall how often Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites⁵ (ὑποκριταὶ, a form of ὑποκριτής, actor) and assume that Paul was very sensitive to this, his choice of words becomes clearer. It relates to the Greek theater. The actor wore a mask, with a megaphone built in to artificially amplify his voice. He played a part and spoke lines written for him by a poet. But when a poet performed on stage, he wore no mask. He spoke his own lines with his own voice from his own heart.

I believe it is important, especially in the how-to portion of Romans, to keep it straight that fulfilling the law, becoming a doer or poet of the law, was Paul’s point. This focus can protect me from stumbling over the things he wrote that are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.⁶

One of the things that made it more difficult for me to fully embrace Paul’s teaching was that I never heard anyone quote Paul’s concept—you are not under law but under grace—as a means to an end of fulfilling the law or becoming a doer of the law, not even as a reason why sin will have no mastery over you.⁷ It was always quoted as justification for some sin the speaker wished to continue indulging. Whenever I asked my elders about the things I thought I was learning from Paul, they assumed I wanted to indulge some secret sin and responded with something like, “No, you really have to do it!” They had no way of knowing, I suppose, that they were encouraging me to keep on trying to have my own righteousness derived from the law.⁸

Though Paul and James may not have agreed fully on all aspects of the law and its relationship to believers in Jesus Christ, on these two things—becoming a doer rather than a hearer, and not judging—they were in complete agreement. And I quote James to demonstrate these two points and conclude this essay.

By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message (λόγῳ, a form of λόγος) of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. Understand this,⁹ my dear brothers and sisters! Let every¹⁰ person be quick to listen (ἀκοῦσαι, a form of ἀκούω), slow to speak (λαλῆσαι, a form of λαλέω), slow to anger (ὀργήν, a form of ὀργή). For human anger (ὀργή) does not accomplish¹¹ (ἐργάζεται, a form of ἐργάζομαι) God’s righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη). So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message (λόγον, another form of λόγος) implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. But be sure you live out (ποιηταὶ, a form of ποιητής) the message (λόγου, another form of λόγος) and do not merely listen (ἀκροαταὶ, a form of ἀκροατής) to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens (ἀκροατής) to the message (λόγου, a form of λόγος) and does not live it out (ποιητής), he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect (τέλειον, a form of τέλειος) law (νόμον, another form of νόμος) of liberty (ἐλευθερίας, a form of ἐλευθερία) and fixes his attention there,¹² and does not become a forgetful listener (ἀκροατής) but one who lives it (ἔργου, a form of ἔργον) out (ποιητής) – he will be blessed in what he does (ποιήσει, a form of ποίησις).¹³

Do not speak against (καταλαλεῖτε, a form of καταλαλέω) one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against (καταλαλῶν, another form of καταλαλέω) a fellow believer or¹⁴ judges (κρίνων, a form of κρίνω) a fellow believer speaks against (καταλαλεῖ, another form of καταλαλέω) the law (νόμου, a form of νόμος) and judges (κρίνει, another form of κρίνω) the law (νόμον, another form of νόμος). But if you judge (κρίνεις, another form of κρίνω) the law (νόμον, another form of νόμος), you are not a doer (ποιητής) of the law (νόμον, another form of νόμος) but its judge (κριτής).¹⁵

Addendum: October 3, 2020
Tables comparing Romans 2:14; James 1:19, 20; 1:25 and 4:11 in the NET and KJV follow.

Romans 2:14 (NET)	Romans 2:14 (KJV)
For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the things required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.	For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν γὰρ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ νόμον ἔχοντα φύσει τὰ τοῦ νόμου ποιῶσιν, οὗτοι νόμον μὴ ἔχοντες ἑαυτοῖς εἰσιν νόμος	οταν γαρ εθνη τα μη νομον εχοντα φυσει τα του νομου ποιη ουτοι νομον μη εχοντες εαυτοις εισιν νομος	οταν γαρ εθνη τα μη νομον εχοντα φυσει τα του νομου ποιη ουτοι νομον μη εχοντες εαυτοις εισιν νομος

James 1:19, 20 (NET)	James 1:19, 20 (KJV)
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.	Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
῎Ιστε, ἀδελφοί μου ἀγαπητοί· ἔστω δὲ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ταχὺς εἰς τὸ ἀκοῦσαι, βραδὺς εἰς τὸ λαλῆσαι, βραδὺς εἰς ὀργήν	ωστε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι εστω πας ανθρωπος ταχυς εις το ακουσαι βραδυς εις το λαλησαι βραδυς εις οργην	ωστε αδελφοι μου αγαπητοι εστω πας ανθρωπος ταχυς εις το ακουσαι βραδυς εις το λαλησαι βραδυς εις οργην

For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὀργὴ γὰρ ἀνδρὸς δικαιοσύνην θεοῦ οὐκ ἐργάζεται	οργη γαρ ανδρος δικαιοσυνην θεου ου κατεργαζεται	οργη γαρ ανδρος δικαιοσυνην θεου ου κατεργαζεται

James 1:25 (NET)	James 1:25 (KJV)
But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.	But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ παρακύψας εἰς νόμον τέλειον τὸν τῆς ἐλευθερίας καὶ παραμείνας, οὐκ ἀκροατὴς ἐπιλησμονῆς γενόμενος ἀλλὰ ποιητὴς ἔργου, οὗτος μακάριος ἐν τῇ ποιήσει αὐτοῦ ἔσται	ο δε παρακυψας εις νομον τελειον τον της ελευθεριας και παραμεινας ουτος ουκ ακροατης επιλησμονης γενομενος αλλα ποιητης εργου ουτος μακαριος εν τη ποιησει αυτου εσται	ο δε παρακυψας εις νομον τελειον τον της ελευθεριας και παραμεινας ουτος ουκ ακροατης επιλησμονης γενομενος αλλα ποιητης εργου ουτος μακαριος εν τη ποιησει αυτου εσται

James 4:11 (NET)	James 4:11 (KJV)
Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. He who speaks against a fellow believer or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge.	Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Μὴ καταλαλεῖτε ἀλλήλων, ἀδελφοί. ὁ καταλαλῶν ἀδελφοῦ ἢ κρίνων τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ καταλαλεῖ νόμου καὶ κρίνει νόμον· εἰ δὲ νόμον κρίνεις, οὐκ εἶ ποιητὴς νόμου ἀλλὰ κριτής	μη καταλαλειτε αλληλων αδελφοι ο καταλαλων αδελφου και κρινων τον αδελφον αυτου καταλαλει νομου και κρινει νομον ει δε νομον κρινεις ουκ ει ποιητης νομου αλλα κριτης	μη καταλαλειτε αλληλων αδελφοι ο καταλαλων αδελφου και κρινων τον αδελφον αυτου καταλαλει νομου και κρινει νομον ει δε νομον κρινεις ουκ ει ποιητης νομου αλλα κριτης

Paul’s OT Quotes – Romans 2

Romans, Part 10

Back to Romans, Part 11

Back to Romans, Part 26

Back to Romans, Part 49

Back to Torture, Part 2

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? Part 7

Back to Romans, Part 70

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12

Back to Romans, Part 79

Back to Romans, Part 83

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 3

Back to Sowing to the Flesh, Part 2

Back to My Deeds, Part 1

Back to To Make Holy, Part 4

Back to Hypocrisy

Back to My Deeds, Part 3

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 6

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind Revisited, Part 7

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 2

Back to Fear – Numbers, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 6

¹ Romans 2:13 (NET) Table

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ποιῶσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ποιη.

³ Romans 2:14-16 (NET)

⁴ Acts 17:28 (NET)

⁵ Matthew 6:2, 5, 16; 7:5; 15:7; 22:18; 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; 24:51; Mark 7:6; Luke 6:42

⁶ 2 Peter 3:16b (NET) Table

⁷ Romans 6:14 (NET)

⁸ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ῎Ιστε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωστε (KJV: Wherefore).

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ preceding every. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text had οὐκ ἐργάζεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had οὐ κατεργάζεται (KJV: worketh not).

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτος (KJV: therein) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ James 1:18-25 (NET)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: and).

¹⁵ James 4:11 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 4

Posted on August 7, 2012 by admin

I have some sympathy for Jephthah. I could be Jephthah. I have that same drive to be right, or righteous, that at times owes as much or more to my ego than my faith in the righteousness that comes from God. I have that same philosophical, or legalistic, bent of mind. David wouldn’t have killed his daughter, no matter what foolish oath he made. I could see that. But I don’t always know how to be that.

Oh, I wouldn’t kill my daughter, not today. I wasn’t socialized in the time of the Judges of ancient Israel. If I started building an altar in my backyard and making preparations to sacrifice her, the neighbors would call the police. And my daughter wasn’t socialized in the time of the Judges either. She wouldn’t go willingly to death because I shot off my mouth once too often to God. You see, we were both socialized in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries in the United States of America. All human sacrifice has been banned here except for the sacrifice of unborn children, and that not to God but to a twisted human ideal of “The Good Life.”

I began to see, or maybe feel, something of a similarity between Jephthah’s daughter who died and David’s son who died. And I gave one of my imaginary accounts. I think they are imaginary. I certainly wouldn’t say they are the word of God. It went something like this:

“What would you have me do, Dan? Should I have struck Jephthah with lightning?”

“No! He was doing the best he could, given who he was and what he understood.”

“Then why won’t you consider him righteous?”

“He should have confessed that he’d spoken foolishly out of turn and thrown himself on your mercy, like David would have done, not murder his daughter!”

“Jephthah lived a long time before David was born. Do you blame him for not knowing David?”

“No!”

“You blame me.”

“Well…yes, you should have explained all this better before Jephthah faced this situation.”

“Teach me, Dan, what law should I have written that would define the difference between David’s contrite faith and Jephthah’s egoism?”

“Well, uh, I mean, okay, obviously I don’t know how to do that.”

“Tell me, Dan, what better way could I have gotten you, of all people, to begin to distinguish between your desire to be right and your desire for my righteousness than to recount the stories of David’s and Jephthah’s lives and let you wrestle with their significance?”

And so I am struck silent. The Lord Jesus is clearly not to blame for the death of Jephthah’s daughter. I am—hopefully not completely alone. But I am to blame in the sense that had I lived Jephthah’s life in Jephthah’s time and circumstances I, of all people, would have likely made the same mistakes. And I am also to blame in the sense that I can imagine little else than the death of Jephthah’s daughter that might have gotten my attention enough to wrestle with these passages and learn that about myself.

In a letter to the Hebrews in the New Testament Jephthah is included along with David in the roll call of faith. Now faith is being sure (ὑπόστασις) of what we hope for, being convinced (ἔλεγχος) of what we do not see. For by it the people of old received God’s commendation.¹ After describing the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua and Rahab the prostitute, the author continued, And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.²

Obviously Jephthah wasn’t commended for sacrificing his daughter any more than Rahab was commended for prostitution. But both were remembered for their faith. It was a relative, not an absolute, faith, relative to the time and circumstances, the socially constructed realities they lived in. And their faith was credited as righteousness. But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who declares the ungodly (ἀσεβῆ, a form of ἀσεβής) righteous (δικαιοῦντα, a form of δικαιόω), his faith is credited (λογίζεται, a form of λογίζομαι) as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη). So even David³ himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits (λογίζεται, a form of λογίζομαι) righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, a form of δικαιοσύνη) apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom⁴ the Lord will never count (λογίσηται, another form of λογίζομαι) sin (ἁμαρτίαν, a form of ἁμαρτία).”⁵

The death of David’s first son with Bathsheba has functioned for me in a similar way. I wouldn’t have questioned my evaluation of the events that followed David’s sin and the Lord’s forgiveness as punishments if I hadn’t questioned the justice of punishing David’s son for David’s sin. And I have to wonder if anything less would have broken through the perverted thinking of my depraved mind (Romans 1:28-32 NET).

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips [Table], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless [Table]. Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

If asked to judge the Lord Jesus for the deaths of these children, I, for one, will be compelled to declare them justifiable homicides. Against hope I believe in hope that God is not only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of David and Solomon, but of David’s son and Jephthah’s daughter. Paul wrote about this kind of faith and hope against a lifetime of evidence to the contrary. What makes it possible is faith in the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do. Against hope Abraham believed in hope…⁶

Without being weak in faith, he considered⁷ his own body as dead⁸ (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do.⁹

The result for Abraham was that he became the father of many nations according to the pronouncement, “so will your descendants be.”¹⁰ Imitating his faith I look forward to a timeless eternity when I can search out David’s son and Jephthah’s daughter, chat with them and thank them for the impact of their lives and deaths on my life, not to mention my death.¹¹

Addendum: August 14, 2020
A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Paul’s quotation of Psalm 32:1b (31:1b) from the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 32:1b (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟΙ ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι
Romans 4:7 (NET)	Psalm 31:1b (NETS)	Psalm 31:1b (English Elpenor)
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;	Happy are those whose lawless behavior was forgiven and whose sins were covered over.	Blessed [are they] whose transgressions are forgiven, and who[se]* sins are covered.

A table comparing the NET parallel Greek of Paul’s quotation of Psalm 32:2a (31:2a) from the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 32:2a (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:2a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν	μακάριος ἀνήρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν	μακάριος ἀνήρ, ᾧ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος ἁμαρτίαν
Romans 4:8 (NET)	Psalm 31:2a (NETS)	Psalm 31:2a (English Elpenor)
blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.	Happy the man whose sin the Lord will not reckon	Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin

A table comparing the Greek of the Stephanus Textus Receptus of Paul’s quotation of Psalm 32:2a (31:2a) from the Septuagint follows.

Romans 4:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Psalm 32:2a (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:2a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μακαριος ανηρ ω ου μη λογισηται κυριος αμαρτιαν	μακάριος ἀνήρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν	μακάριος ἀνήρ, ᾧ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος ἁμαρτίαν
Romans 4:8 (KJV)	Psalm 31:2a (NETS)	Psalm 31:2a (English Elpenor)
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.	Happy the man whose sin the Lord will not reckon	Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin

Tables comparing Psalm 32:1 and 32:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 32:1 (31:1) and 32:2 (31:2) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Tables comparing Romans 4:6; 4:8 and 4:19 in the NET and KJV follow those.

Psalm 32:1 (Tanakh)	Psalm 32:1 (KJV)	Psalm 32:1 (NET)
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.	A Psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.	By David; a well-written song. How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, whose sin is pardoned.

Psalm 32:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τῷ Δαυιδ συνέσεως μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	Τῷ Δαυΐδ· συνέσεως. – ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟΙ ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι
Psalm 31:1 (NETS)	Psalm 31:1 (English Elpenor)
Pertaining to Dauid. Of Understanding. Happy are those whose lawless behavior was forgiven and whose sins were covered over.	[[A Psalm] of instruction by David.] Blessed [are they] whose transgressions are forgiven, and who[se]* sins are covered.

Psalm 32:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 32:2 (KJV)	Psalm 32:2 (NET)
Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.	Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.	How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the Lord does not punish, in whose spirit there is no deceit.

Psalm 32:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 31:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μακάριος ἀνήρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν οὐδὲ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ δόλος	μακάριος ἀνήρ, ᾧ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος ἁμαρτίαν, οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ δόλος
Psalm 31:2 (NETS)	Psalm 31:2 (English Elpenor)
Happy the man whose sin the Lord will not reckon, and in his mouth there is no deceit.	Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, and [in]* whose mouth there is no guile.

Romans 4:6 (NET)	Romans 4:6 (KJV)
So even David himself speaks regarding the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:	Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καθάπερ καὶ Δαυὶδ λέγει τὸν μακαρισμὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ᾧ ὁ θεὸς λογίζεται δικαιοσύνην χωρὶς ἔργων	καθαπερ και δαβιδ λεγει τον μακαρισμον του ανθρωπου ω ο θεος λογιζεται δικαιοσυνην χωρις εργων	καθαπερ και δαυιδ λεγει τον μακαρισμον του ανθρωπου ω ο θεος λογιζεται δικαιοσυνην χωρις εργων

Romans 4:8 (NET)	Romans 4:8 (KJV)
blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.”	Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται κύριος ἁμαρτίαν	μακαριος ανηρ ω ου μη λογισηται κυριος αμαρτιαν	μακαριος ανηρ ω ου μη λογισηται κυριος αμαρτιαν

Romans 4:19 (NET)	Romans 4:19 (KJV)
Without being weak in faith, he considered his own body as dead (because he was about one hundred years old) and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.	And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ μὴ ἀσθενήσας τῇ πίστει κατενόησεν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σῶμα νενεκρωμένον (ἑκατονταετής που ὑπάρχων) καὶ τὴν νέκρωσιν τῆς μήτρας Σάρρας	και μη ασθενησας τη πιστει ου κατενοησεν το εαυτου σωμα ηδη νενεκρωμενον εκατονταετης που υπαρχων και την νεκρωσιν της μητρας σαρρας	και μη ασθενησας τη πιστει ου κατενοησεν το εαυτου σωμα ηδη νενεκρωμενον εκατονταετης που υπαρχων και την νεκρωσιν της μητρας σαρρας

David’s Forgiveness, Part 5

Back to Who Am I? Part 8

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 18

Back to Romans, Part 19

Back to Romans, Part 21

Back to Matthew 8:23-34

Back to Exploration, Part 15

¹ Hebrews 11:1, 2 (NET)

² Hebrews 11:32 (NET) Table

³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had Δαυὶδ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had δαβιδ.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὗ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ω.

⁵ Romans 4:5-8 (NET)

⁶ Romans 4:17b, 18a (NET)

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου (KJV: not) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ηδη (KJV: now) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

⁹ Romans 4:19-21 (NET)

¹⁰ Romans 4:18b (NET)

¹¹ Romans 4:22-25 (NET)

Romans, Part 8

Posted on August 6, 2012 by admin

Paul continued writing to those who do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).¹ But because of your stubbornness (σκληρότητα, a form of σκληρότης) and your unrepentant (ἀμετανόητον, a form of ἀμετανόητος) heart, you are storing up wrath (ὀργὴν, a form of ὀργή) for yourselves in the day of wrath (ὀργῆς, another form of ὀργή), when God’s righteous judgment (δικαιοκρισίας, a form of δικαιοκρισία) is revealed (ἀποκαλύψεως, a form of ἀποκάλυψις)!²

The Greek word σκληρότητα (a form of σκληρότης) is only used this once in the New Testament, but it comes from the word σκληρός (dry, hard, tough). In “The Parable of the Talents” (Matthew 25:14-30) the evil and lazy slave³ described his master as a hard (σκληρός) man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed.⁴

Jesus said, I tell you the solemn truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I⁵ will raise him up on⁶ the last day. For my flesh is true⁷ food, and my blood is true drink. The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood resides in me, and I in him.⁸ His own disciples responded, This is a difficult (σκληρός) saying! Who can understand it?⁹ Jesus’ explanation is right on target for the study of Paul’s letter to the Romans, The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.¹⁰

Paul, recounting his own experience resisting repentance, told King Agrippa what Jesus had said to him on the Damascus road: When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,¹¹ “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting (σκληρός) yourself by kicking against the goads.”¹²

James wrote about harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) winds,¹³ and Jude about harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) words (Jude 1:14, 15 NET).

Now Enoch, the seventh in descent beginning with Adam, even prophesied of them, saying, “Look! The Lord is coming with thousands and thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment (κρίσιν, a form of κρίσις) on all, and to convict (ἐλέγξαι, a form of ἐλέγχω) every person¹⁴ of all their thoroughly ungodly (ἀσεβείας, a form of ἀσέβεια) deeds (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) that they have committed (ἠσέβησαν, a form of ἀσεβέω), and of all the harsh (σκληρῶν, a form of σκληρός) words that ungodly (ἀσεβεῖς, a form of ἀσεβής) sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ, a form of ἁμαρτωλός) have spoken against him.”

This day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed¹⁵ is the reason Paul said, So then, do not judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.¹⁶

As far as an unrepentant (ἀμετανόητον, a form of ἀμετανόητος) heart is concerned, ἀμετανόητος is probably the negation of μετανοέω, to think differently, reconsider. I’ve already written about the righteous prayer that justified (δεδικαιωμένος, a form of δικαιόω) the tax collector who prayed it, God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!¹⁷ In the specific context of Paul’s letter to the Romans it is not too difficult for a repentant heart to find itself in the wide net Paul cast in chapter 1:18-32. Anyone can pray, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to a depraved mind because I did not see fit to acknowledge you.”¹⁸ Or, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to dishonorable passions because I worshiped and served the creation rather than you.”¹⁹ Or, “God be merciful to me. I have been given over to impurity because I worshiped you as if you were a created thing. I haven’t glorified you or given you thanks.”²⁰

In the context of Romans the real stubbornness (σκληρότητα, a form of σκληρότης) at this point would be to continue to assert one’s own righteousness before God, to persist in the effort to make oneself righteous (whether that be according to his law or on one’s own terms) rather than accept his mercy and grace. It is to this stubborn and unrepentant heart that Paul warns, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works (ἔργα, another form of ἔργον):²¹

eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness [Table]. There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For all who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged (κριθήσονται, another form of κρίνω) by the law.²²

Addendum: July 18, 2020
Tables comparing John 6:54, 55; 6:60; James 3:4 and Jude 1:15 in the NET and KJV follow.

John 6:54, 55 (NET)	John 6:54, 55 (KJV)
The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.	Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνων μου τὸ αἷμα ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καγὼ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ	ο τρωγων μου την σαρκα και πινων μου το αιμα εχει ζωην αιωνιον και εγω αναστησω αυτον τη εσχατη ημερα	ο τρωγων μου την σαρκα και πινων μου το αιμα εχει ζωην αιωνιον και εγω αναστησω αυτον εν τη εσχατη ημερα

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἡ γὰρ σάρξ μου ἀληθής ἐστιν βρῶσις, καὶ τὸ αἷμα μου ἀληθής ἐστιν πόσις	η γαρ σαρξ μου αληθως εστιν βρωσις και το αιμα μου αληθως εστιν ποσις	η γαρ σαρξ μου αληθως εστιν βρωσις και το αιμα μου αληθως εστιν ποσις

John 6:60 (NET)	John 6:60 (KJV)
Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, “This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?”	Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Πολλοὶ οὖν ἀκούσαντες ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ εἶπαν· σκληρός ἐστιν ὁ λόγος οὗτος· τίς δύναται αὐτοῦ ἀκούειν	πολλοι ουν ακουσαντες εκ των μαθητων αυτου ειπον σκληρος εστιν ουτος ο λογος τις δυναται αυτου ακουειν	πολλοι ουν ακουσαντες εκ των μαθητων αυτου ειπον σκληρος εστιν ουτος ο λογος τις δυναται αυτου ακουειν

James 3:4 (NET)	James 3:4 (KJV)
Look at ships too: Though they are so large and driven by harsh winds, they are steered by a tiny rudder wherever the pilot’s inclination directs.	Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ πλοῖα τηλικαῦτα ὄντα καὶ ὑπὸ ἀνέμων σκληρῶν ἐλαυνόμενα, μετάγεται ὑπὸ ἐλαχίστου πηδαλίου ὅπου ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος βούλεται	ιδου και τα πλοια τηλικαυτα οντα και υπο σκληρων ανεμων ελαυνομενα μεταγεται υπο ελαχιστου πηδαλιου οπου αν η ορμη του ευθυνοντος βουληται	ιδου και τα πλοια τηλικαυτα οντα και υπο σκληρων ανεμων ελαυνομενα μεταγεται υπο ελαχιστου πηδαλιου οπου αν η ορμη του ευθυνοντος βουληται

Jude 1:15 (NET)	Jude 1:15 (KJV)
to execute judgment on all, and to convict every person of all their thoroughly ungodly deeds that they have committed, and of all the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”	To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ποιῆσαι κρίσιν κατὰ πάντων καὶ ἐλέγξαι \|πᾶσαν ψυχὴν\| περὶ πάντων τῶν ἔργων ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν ὧν ἠσέβησαν καὶ περὶ πάντων τῶν σκληρῶν ὧν ἐλάλησαν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀσεβεῖς	ποιησαι κρισιν κατα παντων και εξελεγξαι παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων περι παντων των εργων ασεβειας αυτων ων ησεβησαν και περι παντων των σκληρων ων ελαλησαν κατ αυτου αμαρτωλοι ασεβεις	ποιησαι κρισιν κατα παντων και ελεγξαι παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων περι παντων των εργων ασεβειας αυτων ων ησεβησαν και περι παντων των σκληρων ων ελαλησαν κατ αυτου αμαρτωλοι ασεβεις

Romans, Part 9

Back to Romans, Part 58

Back to Christianity, Part 6

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 1

¹ Romans 2:4 (NET)

² Romans 2:5 (NET) Table

³ Matthew 25:26 (NET)

⁴ Matthew 25:24 (NET)

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εγω.

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

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀληθής here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αληθως (KJV: indeed).

⁸ John 6:53-56 (NET)

⁹ John 6:60 (NET)

¹⁰ John 6:63 (NET) Table

¹¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και λεγουσαν (KJV: and saying) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹² Acts 26:14 (NET) Table

¹³ James 3:4 (NET)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πᾶσαν ψυχὴν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντας τους ασεβεις αυτων (KJV: all that are ungodly among them). And I missed it completely. I assumed this was another reference to the day of wrath. Now (Addendum: July 18, 2020) I am more willing to consider this as a reference to a much longer period of time more in keeping with John 16:7-11 and 2 Peter 3:8-13.

¹⁵ Romans 2:5 (NET) Table

¹⁶ 1 Corinthians 4:5 (NET)

¹⁷ Luke 18:13b (NET) Table

¹⁸ Romans 1:28 (NET)

¹⁹ Romans 1:25, 26 (NET)

²⁰ Romans 1:21-24 (NET) Table1 Table2

²¹ Romans 2:5, 6 (NET)

²² Romans 2:7-12 (NET)

Romans, Part 7

Posted on August 4, 2012 by admin

What follows Paul’s history of sin is not the wholesale condemnation one might expect. In my opinion Paul learned something profound and difficult from his experience in Corinth, his judgment of the Corinthians in general, his specific judgment of the man who was cohabiting with his father’s wife,¹ and the affliction that happened to him in the province of Asia, that he was burdened excessively, beyond his strength, so that he despaired even of living.² Unlike God’s wrath revealed from heaven, this affliction came with comfort and restoration as its goal.

So after Paul wrote a history of sin from the time of Noah to the present he did not launch into a polemic against the worst and most blatant sinners. Instead—knowing he probably addressed Jews, God-fearers or other Gentiles who had attached themselves to a Jewish synagogue, he spoke directly to them. Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge (κρίνων, a form of κρίνω) someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge (κρίνεις, another form of κρίνω) another, you condemn (κατακρίνεις, a form of κατακρίνω) yourself, because you who judge (κρίνων, a form of κρίνω) practice (πράσσεις, a form of πράσσω) the same things.³

This statement persuades me that the correct answer to Paul’s rhetorical question in 1 Corinthians—Are you not to judge those inside [i.e., the church]?⁴—is no. I know that, for whatever reasons, Paul did not correct this impression in 2 Corinthians directly (and I do think that 2 Corinthians was written after Romans). But this rhetorical question is part of Paul’s original justification for judging the one who was cohabiting with his father’s wife, and his justification was significantly amended in 2 Corinthians 2:9-11 and 7:11, 12.

One of the points that is often forgotten in the parable of the wheat and the tares (weeds) is that the answer to the slaves’ (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) question—Do you want us to go and gather⁵ [the weeds]?⁶—was also no: No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them.⁷ The implication being that slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) like me, and slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) like Paul—a slave (δοῦλος) of Christ Jesus⁸—are not competent to make those decisions or carry out those procedures in real time. Those decisions and that task will fall to angels at the end of the age,⁹ the harvest.

The Grand Inquisitor in my opinion is part gossip, part busybody, and all a part of the religious mind of human beings. It is a nasty beast to unleash on others, and an awful terror when it turns inward and devours itself. Paul seemed to have a handle on the latter in his first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:1-5 NET):

One should think about us this way – as servants (ὑπηρέτας, a form of ὑπηρέτης) of Christ and stewards (οἰκονόμους, a form of οἰκονόμος) of the mysteries of God. Now what¹⁰ is sought in stewards (οἰκονόμοις, another form of οἰκονόμος) is that one be found faithful (πιστός). So for me, it is a minor matter that I am judged (ἀνακριθῶ, a form of ἀνακρίνω) by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge (ἀνακρίνω) myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not acquitted because of this. The one who judges (ἀνακρίνων, another form of ἀνακρίνω) me is the Lord. So then, do not judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) anything before the time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the motives of hearts. Then each will receive recognition from God.

After 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,¹¹ and after an intense bout with coveting, sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires,¹² Paul had a handle on the issue of unleashing the Grand Inquisitor on others (Romans 2:1 NET):

Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

I may not be guilty of every sin listed in Romans 1:18-32 (and the same was probably true of the Jews, God-fearers and other Gentiles who had attached themselves to a Jewish synagogue). But I owe that to God’s mercy and grace, for I am certainly guilty of all three types of unrighteous worship that led to God’s wrath revealed from heaven; namely, God giving people over 1) in the desires of their hearts to impurity,¹³ 2) to dishonorable passions,¹⁴ and 3) to a depraved mind.¹⁵

Now we know (οἴδαμεν, a form of εἴδω) that God’s judgment (κρίμα) is in accordance with truth against those who practice (πράσσοντας, another form of πράσσω) such things, Paul continued. And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge (κρίνων, a form of κρίνω) those who practice (πράσσοντας, another form of πράσσω) such things and yet do (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment (κρίμα)?¹⁶

Seriously, apart from revelation here and other places in the Old Testament scripture, who knew that God was so concerned to be worshiped properly that He would give people over to impurity, dishonorable passions and a depraved mind? In my depraved thoughts I was more or less content to praise me any time things went “right” (my way), and blame God or anyone, or anything, else every time things went “wrong” (not my way). Until God intervened in my life I didn’t know another way to think about it. And if my old depraved thoughts come back to haunt me, asking, Doesn’t all this righteous worship talk sound a bit self-serving? I have an answer now, with new thoughts, by rote if necessary: No, Love is not self-serving¹⁷ and God is love.¹⁸

Paul continued with another question: Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know (ἀγνοῶν, a form of ἀγνοέω) that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?¹⁹ I wouldn’t choose to compete with Paul in many things. But in one thing I think I may have a shot at the title. And this in my opinion clarifies Paul’s meaning in his question above (1 Timothy 1:15-17 NET):

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst (πρῶτος) of them! But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst (πρώτῳ, a form of πρῶτος), Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost²⁰ patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life. Now to the eternal king, immortal, invisible, the only²¹ God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Addendum: June 28, 2020
Tables comparing Matthew 13:28; 1 Corinthians 4:2; 1 John 4:16 and 1 Timothy 1:16, 17 in the NET and KJV follow.

Matthew 13:28 (NET)	Matthew 13:28 (KJV)
He said, ‘An enemy has done this!’ So the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather it?’	He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτοῖς· ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. οἱ δὲ \|δοῦλοι\| λέγουσιν \|αὐτῷ\|· θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν αὐτά	ο δε εφη αυτοις εχθρος ανθρωπος τουτο εποιησεν οι δε δουλοι ειπον αυτω θελεις ουν απελθοντες συλλεξωμεν αυτα	ο δε εφη αυτοις εχθρος ανθρωπος τουτο εποιησεν οι δε δουλοι ειπον αυτω θελεις ουν απελθοντες συλλεξομεν αυτα

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NET)	1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV)
Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.	Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὧδε λοιπὸν ζητεῖται ἐν τοῖς οἰκονόμοις, ἵνα πιστός τις εὑρεθῇ	ο δε λοιπον ζητειται εν τοις οικονομοις ινα πιστος τις ευρεθη	ο δε λοιπον ζητειται εν τοις οικονομοις ινα πιστος τις ευρεθη

1 John 4:16 (NET)	1 John 4:16 (KJV)
And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us. God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him.	And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐγνώκαμεν καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχει ὁ θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν. Ὁ θεὸς ἀγάπη ἐστίν, καὶ ὁ μένων ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐν τῷ θεῷ μένει καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἐν αὐτῷ \|μένει\|	και ημεις εγνωκαμεν και πεπιστευκαμεν την αγαπην ην εχει ο θεος εν ημιν ο θεος αγαπη εστιν και ο μενων εν τη αγαπη εν τω θεω μενει και ο θεος εν αυτω	και ημεις εγνωκαμεν και πεπιστευκαμεν την αγαπην ην εχει ο θεος εν ημιν ο θεος αγαπη εστιν και ο μενων εν τη αγαπη εν τω θεω μενει και ο θεος εν αυτω μενει

1 Timothy 1:16, 17 (NET)	1 Timothy 1:16, 17 (KJV)
But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life.	Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἠλεήθην, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ πρώτῳ ἐνδείξηται Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς τὴν ἅπασαν μακροθυμίαν πρὸς ὑποτύπωσιν τῶν μελλόντων πιστεύειν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον	αλλα δια τουτο ηλεηθην ινα εν εμοι πρωτω ενδειξηται ιησους χριστος την πασαν μακροθυμιαν προς υποτυπωσιν των μελλοντων πιστευειν επ αυτω εις ζωην αιωνιον	αλλα δια τουτο ηλεηθην ινα εν εμοι πρωτω ενδειξηται ιησους χριστος την πασαν μακροθυμιαν προς υποτυπωσιν των μελλοντων πιστευειν επ αυτω εις ζωην αιωνιον

Now to the eternal king, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever! Amen.

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τῷ δὲ βασιλεῖ τῶν αἰώνων, ἀφθάρτῳ ἀοράτῳ μόνῳ θεῷ, τιμὴ καὶ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, ἀμήν	τω δε βασιλει των αιωνων αφθαρτω αορατω μονω σοφω θεω τιμη και δοξα εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων αμην	τω δε βασιλει των αιωνων αφθαρτω αορατω μονω σοφω θεω τιμη και δοξα εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων αμην

Romans, Part 8

Back to Romans, Part 48

Back to The Angels Will Gather

Back to Antichrist, Part 2

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 46

Back to The Righteousness of God

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 9

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 3

Back to Fear – Leviticus

Back to Romans, Part 50

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 6

Back to Romans, Part 53

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 13

Back to Romans, Part 78

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to To Make Holy, Part 9

Back to Christianity, Part 11

Back to Exploration, Part 4

¹ 1 Corinthians 5:1 (NET) Table The judgment is in verses 2-5.

² 2 Corinthians 1:8 (NET) Table

³ Romans 2:1 (NET)

⁴ 1 Corinthians 5:12b (NET) Table

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had συλλέξωμεν here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had συλλεξομεν.

⁶ Matthew 13:28b (NET)

⁷ Matthew 13:29 (NET) Table

⁸ Romans 1:1a (NET)

⁹ Matthew 13:38-42 (NET)

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὧδε λοιπὸν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο δε λοιπον (KJV: Moreover).

¹¹ 2 Corinthians 1:8 (NET) Table

¹² Romans 7:8 (NET)

¹³ Romans 1:24 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 1:26 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 1:28 (NET)

¹⁶ Romans 2:2, 3 (NET)

¹⁷ 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

¹⁸ 1 John 4:8, 16 (NET)

¹⁹ Romans 2:4 (NET)

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἅπασαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πασαν (KJV: all).

²¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοφω (KJV: wise) following only. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 3

Posted on August 3, 2012 by admin

The Social Construction of Reality helped me understand my own life in a new way. I didn’t take my Dad’s advice to avoid or watch out for women too much to heart. Though, now that I think about it, I’ve never had sex without the benefit of some form of birth control. I did, however, deeply internalize my uselessness and meaninglessness. And I learned even better than I knew that I was the cause of my Dad’s problems. They were my fault.

Now before I go too far with this I need to say that my Dad was not a son of his father’s youth but of his old age. My Dad’s father died when my Dad was eight, leaving the family destitute and my Dad fearful for his own welfare and survival. In other words, while I might fault my father for who or what he was, my father’s father for all practical purposes was not.

My father provided well enough for my survival and welfare that I grew up taking it and him for granted. And to be fair to him, the other legacy he bequeathed me was his constant admonition from Proverbs 4:7 (KJV; Addendum below): Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. There are times, admittedly, when I look at myself with dismay as little more than a program carrying out my father’s command. But considering the relationship with my father in this multigenerational-social-construction-of-reality way made it fairly obvious to me that there are many ways to make a son less than a blessing, ways that fall far short of taking that son’s life. So I discarded that reason for the death of David’s first son with Bathsheba.

Another thought occurred to me: maybe the Lord Jesus didn’t want the child of an adulterous affair and a murderous cover-up to become king of Israel. But Jephthah—one of the Judges—was the son of an adulterous affair between Gilead and a prostitute, and The Lord’s spirit empowered Jephthah.¹

I’ve covered Jephthah pretty thoroughly elsewhere and won’t do it again here, except to comment on the reality that was socially constructed for Jephthah’s daughter by her father and other adults around her. They apparently wholeheartedly believed the Lord’s command, If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.² Jephthah’s daughter’s response when she learned of her father’s oath, and who was to be the victim, indicated that she knew and believed this command, too. My father, she said, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.³

Nothing I believe or think or feel about Jephthah can or should taint my admiration for this girl’s childlike faith. It is as stunning today as it was to Jephthah’s contemporaries. She only asked for two months reprieve that she might mourn her virginity with her friends. Jephthah granted her request.

Perhaps he hoped she would flee. He would never see her again. She would be as good as dead to him, but she would live. But she, like her father, was true to her word and returned after two months as she promised.

Perhaps he hoped for a pardon as he prepared the sacrifice. The Lord Jesus had commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and then at the last moment provided a substitute for the boy. No angel came to stay Jephthah’s hand. No substitute was provided. Jephthah sacrificed his daughter, his only child. Even after the fact the Lord Jesus remained silent. No prophets came, no dreams, no word from the Lord. Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.⁴

Since the Lord was silent, what social reality could the Israelites of Jephthah’s day construct except that Jephthah was an honorable and righteous man, fulfilling his vow to the Lord, no matter the cost? After all, Jesus told his disciples, whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.⁵ It was many years after Jephthah’s time in the Proverbs of Solomon that I see the first glimmer of a subtle hint: It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.⁶ To declare something “Holy” was equivalent to vowing it to the Lord. This proverb may have had Jephthah in view. Even so, it said little more than to consider your vows carefully or you may end up like Jephthah, sacrificing your daughter for righteousness’ sake.

It was many years after that, when the Israelites were sacrificing their children to Baal, the Lord Jesus finally spoke to the prophet Jeremiah and said: Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!⁷ The first time I understood this passage, I thought it was the most disingenuous thing I had ever heard. Actually, I went ballistic, “What did you expect them to think?!” I shrieked with that tone in my voice that said, “what, are you stupid or something?”

If you ever hear that I was struck by lightning, you’ll know why, though subsequent years of daily infusion of spiritual fruit⁸ have tempered my temper some, especially with the Lord. And beginning to recognize the religious mind as a human phenomena as opposed to a divine one, that God is always reaching out to communicate to us through this ungodly barrier, hasn’t hurt. Let’s face it, historically speaking God was late to the game with both a law and a religion. There is no indication in Genesis that Cain’s (or Abel’s) offering was God’s idea.

At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord.⁹ It was either Cain’s idea or if the phrase And it happened at the end of days actually carries the meaning At the designated time that the translators of the NET have assigned it, it was Adam’s idea. The Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering, but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.¹⁰ His religion and his worship were unacceptable, but his younger brother’s religion and worship was? I am an older brother, believe me, I feel Cain’s anger and dejection.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast? Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”¹¹ My mom tells a story about a time when I was angry with the boy next door. She tried to soothe my anger with counsel about Jesus and turning the other cheek. Apparently, I didn’t get the message any better than Cain did. I left the house, saying, “I’ll make him turn the other cheek.” Cain subdued his brother Abel by killing him. I don’t recall what I did to the boy next door. I know he survived it.

What have you done? The Lord said to Cain. The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.¹² Cain said, My punishment is too great to endure!¹³

For a long time I believed Cain. But as I look back now this banishment from his occupation as a tiller of the field sounds more like the events that became David’s life after the Lord forgave his sin. Cain’s punishment would have been his death. Now scripture rolls and boils and tumbles in my mind: before the law was given, sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin when there is no law.¹⁴

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God. For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.¹⁵

The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.¹⁶ He was not slow to establish a law of specific commandments and punishments, or a religion of specific rites and obligations. He was positively resistant to the idea. He chose to drown all but eight human beings and start over rather than establish a law or a religion. I can only assume that He relented when it proved to be the only way to communicate to and through the ungodliness of human religious minds. Even as He gave the law and founded the Hebrew religion He resisted it, saying defiantly to Moses, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.¹⁷

But that was all in my future the first time I understood Him to say, such a thing never even entered my mind!¹⁸ “All this started when you told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac,” I continued my rant. “It culminates with God the Father sacrificing his only begotten Son, and somewhere in the middle of it all is Jephthah. It never entered your mind that desperate people might think this was a good way to get your attention?”

I calmed down eventually and felt bad. But I didn’t have some wonderful intuitive answer. For me at the time it was a matter of brute faith. I had to force myself to give the Lord Jesus the benefit of the doubt and simply believe that He is self-aware enough to determine the boundary between his thoughts and ours, to distinguish between his intent and his foreknowledge of our misunderstanding of that intent, and that He speaks sincerely and without guile.

Finally, with his feet firmly planted on earth, Jesus gave a definitive answer to Jephthah, to Israel and to me in the Sermon on the Mount: Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, “Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.” But I say to you, do not take oaths at all….Let your word be “Yes, yes” or “No, no.” More than this is from the evil one.¹⁹ The NIV translated this verse: “Simply, let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

Now if I ask, Why would Jesus consider Jephthah’s oath from the evil one? the answer seems fairly obvious. If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me, Jephthah vowed to the Lord, then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites – he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.²⁰ I’m going to give Jephthah the benefit of the doubt that he intended to offer a goat to bribe God to help him defeat the Ammonites, and he was willing to let God choose which, or any, or all, of his goats. I think the translators of the NET have deliberately made Jephthah’s oath even more from the evil one.²¹

But imagine with me for a moment that Jephthah intended to bribe God with any or all of his goats. God could have brought any goat, or as many goats as He wanted, out to meet Jephthah on his triumphant return. But God didn’t bring any goats to meet Jephthah. God wasn’t satisfied with goats as a bribe. God wanted Jephthah’s daughter, his only child. What was Jephthah to do? Certainly God deserves to be bribed with something better than goats.

Jephthah acted on a kind of faith. It would have been very difficult for him to see that the bribe, the oath, was the evil, and the thing that Jephthah should have repented. To paraphrase Paul, I can testify that Jephthah was zealous for God, but his zeal was not in line with the truth. For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking instead to establish his own righteousness, he did not submit to God’s righteousness.²² But Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and Paul’s letter to the Romans were not part of Jephthah’s socially constructed reality. Why not? I began to wonder.

Why were You silent for so long? I asked the Lord.

Addendum: June 21, 2020
When I discovered that Proverbs 4:7 wasn’t in the Septuagint my first thought was, “Well, that figures!” I talked with my brother about it. He thought it was somewhere else but couldn’t find it. I read all of Proverbs in English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint and didn’t recognize it in any other chapter. I also did a search of the Greek words I imagined might underlie the English translation and didn’t discover it in Proverbs. I haven’t searched every book in the Septuagint.

I don’t know for certain what Dad actually meant when he quoted it. He suffered a stroke and couldn’t speak or write before it ever occurred to me to ask. I had assumed that wisdom and understanding were science and engineering. He idolized electrical engineers. I had also assumed that he didn’t mean the Bible, especially my mother’s interpretation of it. At least, the Bible wasn’t where I sought wisdom or understanding as a child. Proverbs 2:1-12 is a fairly accurate description how I understand the disputable Proverbs 4:7 as I run its programming today.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 2:1-12 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:1-12 (NET)	Proverbs 2:1-12 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:1-12 (English Elpenor)
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;	My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;	My son, if, when you accept the saying of my commandment, you hide it with yourself,	[My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;	by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,	your ear will be attentive to wisdom, and you shall incline your heart to understanding; yes, you shall incline it to the admonition of your son.	thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;	indeed, if you call out for discernment—shout loudly for understanding—	For if you call upon wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, as well as seek perception with a loud voice,	For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding; (τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ was not translated into English.)
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;	if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,	and if you seek it like silver and search for it like treasures,	and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.	then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.	then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find divine knowledge.	then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.	For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.	Because the Lord gives wisdom, also from his presence come knowledge and understanding,	For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.	He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,	and he stores up salvation for those who succeed; he will shield their journey	and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.	to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones.	to guard the ways of righteous deeds, and he will protect the way of the ones who revere him.	that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.	Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every good way.	Then you will understand righteousness and judgment, and you will make all good courses straight.	Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;	For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.	For if wisdom comes into your mind and perception seems pleasing to your soul,	For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:	Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you,	good counsel will guard you, and holy insight will protect you	good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;

Tables comparing Proverbs 4:7; 2:1; 2:2; 2:3; 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9, 2:10; 2:11; 2:12; Judges 11:29; Numbers 30:2 (30:3); Judges 11:36; 11:40; Proverbs 20:25; Jeremiah 19:5; Genesis 4:3; 4:4; 4:5; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; Judges 11:30 and 11:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Proverbs 4:7; 2:1; 2:2; 2:3; 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9; 2:10; 2:11; 2:12; Judges 11:29; Numbers 30:2 (30:3); Judges 11:36; 11:40; Proverbs 20:25; Jeremiah 19:5; Genesis 4:3; 4:4; 4:5; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; Judges 11:30 and 11:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Proverbs 4:7 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 4:7 (KJV)	Proverbs 4:7 (NET)
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.	Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.	Wisdom is supreme—so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!

Proverbs 4:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 4:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
N/A	N/A
Proverbs 4:7 (NETS)	Proverbs 4:7 (English Elpenor)
N/A	N/A

Proverbs 2:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:1 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:1 (NET)
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;	My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;	My child, if you receive my words, and store up my commands inside yourself,

Proverbs 2:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
υἱέ ἐὰν δεξάμενος ῥῆσιν ἐμῆς ἐντολῆς κρύψῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ	ΥΙΕ, ἐὰν δεξάμενος ῥῆσιν ἐμῆς ἐντολῆς κρύψῃς παρὰ σεαυτῷ
Proverbs 2:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:1 (English Elpenor)
My son, if, when you accept the saying of my commandment, you hide it with yourself,	[My] son, if thou wilt receive the utterance of my commandment, and hide it with thee;

Proverbs 2:2 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:2 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:2 (NET)
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;	So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;	by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding,

Proverbs 2:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὑπακούσεται σοφίας τὸ οὖς σου καὶ παραβαλεῗς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν παραβαλεῗς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου	ὑπακούσεται σοφία τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ παραβαλεῖς καρδίαν σου εἰς σύνεσιν, παραβαλεῖς δὲ αὐτὴν ἐπὶ νουθέτησιν τῷ υἱῷ σου
Proverbs 2:2 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:2 (English Elpenor)
your ear will be attentive to wisdom, and you shall incline your heart to understanding; yes, you shall incline it to the admonition of your son.	thine ear shall hearken to wisdom; thou shalt also apply thine heart to understanding, and shalt apply it to the instruction of thy son.

Proverbs 2:3 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:3 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:3 (NET)
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;	Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;	indeed, if you call out for discernment—shout loudly for understanding—

Proverbs 2:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλέσῃ καὶ τῇ συνέσει δῷς φωνήν σου τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ	ἐὰν γὰρ τὴν σοφίαν ἐπικαλέσῃ καὶ τῇ συνέσει δῷς φωνήν σου, τὴν δὲ αἴσθησιν ζητήσῃς μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ
Proverbs 2:3 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:3 (English Elpenor)
For if you call upon wisdom and raise your voice for understanding, as well as seek perception with a loud voice,	For it thou shalt call to wisdom, and utter thy voice for understanding;

Proverbs 2:4 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:4 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:4 (NET)
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;	If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;	if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,

Proverbs 2:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐὰν ζητήσῃς αὐτὴν ὡς ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς θησαυροὺς ἐξερευνήσῃς αὐτήν	καὶ ἐὰν ζητήσῃς αὐτὴν ὡς ἀργύριον καὶ ὡς θησαυροὺς ἐξερευνήσῃς αὐτήν
Proverbs 2:4 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:4 (English Elpenor)
and if you seek it like silver and search for it like treasures,	and if thou shalt seek it as silver, and search diligently for it as for treasures;

Proverbs 2:5 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:5 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:5 (NET)
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.	Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.	then you will understand how to fear the Lord, and you will discover knowledge about God.

Proverbs 2:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε συνήσεις φόβον κυρίου καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ εὑρήσεις	τότε συνήσεις φόβον Κυρίου καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ εὑρήσεις
Proverbs 2:5 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:5 (English Elpenor)
then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and you will find divine knowledge.	then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:6 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:6 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:6 (NET)
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.	For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.	For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι κύριος δίδωσιν σοφίαν καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ γνῶσις καὶ σύνεσις	ὅτι Κύριος δίδωσι σοφίαν, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ γνῶσις καὶ σύνεσις
Proverbs 2:6 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:6 (English Elpenor)
Because the Lord gives wisdom, also from his presence come knowledge and understanding,	For the Lord gives wisdom; and from his presence [come] knowledge and understanding,

Proverbs 2:7 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:7 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:7 (NET)
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.	He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.	He stores up effective counsel for the upright, and is like a shield for those who live with integrity,

Proverbs 2:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ θησαυρίζει τοῗς κατορθοῦσι σωτηρίαν ὑπερασπιεῗ τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν	καὶ θησαυρίζει τοῖς κατορθοῦσι σωτηρίαν, ὑπερασπιεῖ τὴν πορείαν αὐτῶν
Proverbs 2:7 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:7 (English Elpenor)
and he stores up salvation for those who succeed; he will shield their journey	and he treasures up salvation for them that walk uprightly: he will protect their way;

Proverbs 2:8 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:8 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:8 (NET)
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.	He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.	to guard the paths of the righteous and to protect the way of his pious ones.

Proverbs 2:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦ φυλάξαι ὁδοὺς δικαιωμάτων καὶ ὁδὸν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτὸν διαφυλάξει	τοῦ φυλάξαι ὁδοὺς δικαιωμάτων καὶ ὁδὸν εὐλαβουμένων αὐτὸν διαφυλάξει
Proverbs 2:8 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:8 (English Elpenor)
to guard the ways of righteous deeds, and he will protect the way of the ones who revere him.	that he may guard the righteous ways: and he will preserve the way of them that fear him.

Proverbs 2:9 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:9 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:9 (NET)
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.	Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.	Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity—every good way.

Proverbs 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε συνήσεις δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα καὶ κατορθώσεις πάντας ἄξονας ἀγαθούς	τότε συνήσεις δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα καὶ κατορθώσεις πάντας ἄξονας ἀγαθούς
Proverbs 2:9 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:9 (English Elpenor)
Then you will understand righteousness and judgment, and you will make all good courses straight.	Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment; and shalt direct all thy course aright.

Proverbs 2:10 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:10 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:10 (NET)
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;	For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, And knowledge shall be pleasant unto thy soul;	For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.

Proverbs 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἡ σοφία εἰς σὴν διάνοιαν ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ καλὴ εἶναι δόξῃ	ἐὰν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἡ σοφία εἰς σὴν διάνοιαν, ἡ δὲ αἴσθησις τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ καλὴ εἶναι δόξῃ
Proverbs 2:10 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:10 (English Elpenor)
For if wisdom comes into your mind and perception seems pleasing to your soul,	For if wisdom shall come into thine understanding, and discernment shall seem pleasing to thy soul,

Proverbs 2:11 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:11 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:11 (NET)
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:	Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:	Discretion will protect you, understanding will guard you,

Proverbs 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε	βουλὴ καλὴ φυλάξει σε, ἔννοια δὲ ὁσία τηρήσει σε
Proverbs 2:11 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:11 (English Elpenor)
good counsel will guard you, and holy insight will protect you	good counsel shall guard thee, and holy understanding shall keep thee;

Proverbs 2:12 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 2:12 (KJV)	Proverbs 2:12 (NET)
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;	To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;	to deliver you from the way of the wicked, from those speaking perversity,

Proverbs 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα ῥύσηταί σε ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λαλοῦντος μηδὲν πιστόν	ἵνα ρύσηταί σε ἀπὸ ὁδοῦ κακῆς καὶ ἀπὸ ἀνδρὸς λαλοῦντος μηδὲν πιστόν
Proverbs 2:12 (NETS)	Proverbs 2:12 (English Elpenor)
in order that it can rescue you from an evil way and from a man who speaks nothing reliable.	to deliver thee from the evil way, and from the man that speaks nothing faithfully.

Judges 11:29 (Tanakh)	Judges 11:29 (KJV)	Judges 11:29 (NET)
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.	Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.	The Lord’s Spirit empowered Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh and went to Mizpah in Gilead. From there he approached the Ammonites.

Judges 11:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Judges 11:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ Ιεφθαε πνεῦμα κυρίου καὶ διέβη τὴν γῆν Γαλααδ καὶ τὸν Μανασση καὶ διέβη τὴν σκοπιὰν Γαλααδ καὶ ἀπὸ σκοπιᾶς Γαλααδ εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν Αμμων	Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ ᾿Ιεφθάε πνεῦμα Κυρίου, καὶ παρῆλθε τὸν Γαλαὰδ καὶ τὸν Μανασσῆ καὶ παρῆλθε τὴν σκοπιὰν Γαλαὰδ εἰς τὸ πέραν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών
Judges 11:29 (NETS)	Judges 11:29 (English Elpenor)
And a spirit of the Lord came upon Iephthae, and he passed through the land of Galaad and Manasses. And he passed through the vantage point of Galaad and from the vantage point of Galaad to the other side of the sons of Ammon.	And the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthae, and he passed over Galaad, and Manasse, and passed by the watch-tower of Galaad to the other side of the children of Ammon.

Numbers 30:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 30:2 (KJV)	Numbers 30:2 (NET)
When a man voweth a vow unto HaShem, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.	If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.	If a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath of binding obligation on himself, he must not break his word, but must do whatever he has promised.

Numbers 30:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 30:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν εὔξηται εὐχὴν κυρίῳ ἢ ὀμόσῃ ὅρκον ἢ ὁρίσηται ὁρισμῷ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ οὐ βεβηλώσει τὸ ῥῆμα αὐτοῦ πάντα ὅσα ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ποιήσει	ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν εὔξηται εὐχὴν Κυρίῳ ἢ ὀμόσῃ ὅρκον ἢ ὁρίσηται ὁρισμῷ περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ βεβηλώσει τὸ ρῆμα αὐτοῦ· πάντα ὅσα ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ, ποιήσει
Numbers 30:3 (NETS)	Numbers 30:3 (English Elpenor)
Person by person—if he vows a vow to the Lord or swears an oath or determines for himself with determination about his soul, he shall not profane his word; everything that proceeds out of his mouth he shall do.	Whatsoever man shall vow a vow to the Lord, or swear an oath, or bind himself with an obligation upon his soul, he shall not break his word; all that shall come out of his mouth he shall do.

Judges 11:36 (Tanakh)	Judges 11:36 (KJV)	Judges 11:36 (NET)
And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.	And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.	She said to him, “My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised. After all, the Lord vindicated you before your enemies, the Ammonites.”

Judges 11:36 (Septuagint BLB)	Judges 11:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν πάτερ μου εἰ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς κύριον ποίει μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ στόματός σου ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐποίησέν σοι κύριος ἐκδικήσεις ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Αμμων	ἡ δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· πάτερ, ἤνοιξας τὸ στόμα σου πρὸς Κύριον; ποίησόν μοι ὃν τρόπον ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ στόματός σου, ἐν τῷ ποιῆσαί σοι Κύριον ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐχθρῶν σου ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών
Judges 11:36 (NETS)	Judges 11:36 (English Elpenor)
And she said to him, “My father, if against me you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me as it came out of your mouth, now that the Lord has exacted vengeance for you from your enemies, from the sons of Ammon.”	And she said to him, Father, hast thou opened thy mouth to the Lord? Do to me accordingly as [the word] went out of thy mouth, in that the Lord has wrought vengeance for thee on thine enemies of the children of Ammon.

Judges 11:40 (Tanakh)	Judges 11:40 (KJV)	Judges 11:40 (NET)
That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.	That the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite four days in a year.	Every year Israelite women commemorate the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite for four days.

Judges 11:40 (Septuagint BLB)	Judges 11:40 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας συνεπορεύοντο αἱ θυγατέρες Ισραηλ θρηνεῗν τὴν θυγατέρα Ιεφθαε τοῦ Γαλααδίτου τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ	ἀπὸ ἡμερῶν εἰς ἡμέρας ἐπορεύοντο θυγατέρες ᾿Ισραὴλ θρηνεῖν τὴν θυγατέρα ᾿Ιεφθάε τοῦ Γαλααδίτου ἐπὶ τέσσαρας ἡμέρας ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ
Judges 11:40 (NETS)	Judges 11:40 (English Elpenor)
from days to days the daughters of Israel would go together to lament the daughter of Iephthae the Galaadite, four days in the year.	and it was an ordinance in Israel, [That] the daughters of Israel went from year to year to bewail the daughter of Jephtha the Galaadite for four days in a year.

Proverbs 20:25 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 20:25 (KJV)	Proverbs 20:25 (NET)
It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.	It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.	It is a snare for a person to rashly cry, “Holy!” and only afterward to consider what he has vowed.

Proverbs 20:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 20:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῗν γίνεται	παγὶς ἀνδρὶ ταχύ τι τῶν ἰδίων ἁγιάσαι, μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εὔξασθαι μετανοεῖν γίνεται
Proverbs 20:25 (NETS)	Proverbs 20:25 (English Elpenor)
Quickly to consecrate something of his own is a snare to a man, for after making a vow a change of mind can happen.	It is a snare to a man hastily to consecrate some of his own property: for [in that case] repentance comes after vowing.

Jeremiah 19:5 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 19:5 (KJV)	Jeremiah 19:5 (NET)
They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:	They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:	They have built places here for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make. They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind.

Jeremiah 19:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 19:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ὑψηλὰ τῇ Βααλ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί ἃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην οὐδὲ ἐλάλησα οὐδὲ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν ὑψηλὰ τῇ Βάαλ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί, ἃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην οὐδὲ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου
Jeremiah 19:5 (NETS)	Jeremiah 19:5 (English Elpenor)
and built high places of the goddess Baal to burn their sons with fire, which things I did not command nor intended in my heart.	and built high places for Baal, to burn their children in the fire, which things I commanded not, neither did I design [them] in my heart:

Genesis 4:3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:3 (KJV)	Genesis 4:3 (NET)
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto HaShem.	And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.	At the designated time Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground for an offering to the Lord.

Genesis 4:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ᾽ ἡμέρας ἤνεγκεν Καιν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ κυρίῳ	καὶ ἐγένετο μεθ᾿ ἡμέρας ἤνεγκε Κάϊν ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν τῆς γῆς θυσίαν τῷ Κυρίῳ,
Genesis 4:3 (NETS)	Genesis 4:3 (English Elpenor)
And it came about after some days that Kain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruits of the earth,	And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord.

Genesis 4:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:4 (KJV)	Genesis 4:4 (NET)
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And HaShem had respect unto Abel and to his offering;	And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:	But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock—even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Αβελ ἤνεγκεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπεῗδεν ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ Αβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῗς δώροις αὐτοῦ	καὶ Ἄβελ ἤνεγκε καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῶν προβάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν στεάτων αὐτῶν. καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ ῎Αβελ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δώροις αὐτοῦ,
Genesis 4:4 (NETS)	Genesis 4:4 (English Elpenor)
And Habel, he also brought of the firstlings of his sheep and of their fat portions. And God looked upon Habel and upon his gifts,	And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts,

Genesis 4:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:5 (KJV)	Genesis 4:5 (NET)
but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.	But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.	but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.

Genesis 4:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπὶ δὲ Καιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῗς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχεν καὶ ἐλύπησεν τὸν Καιν λίαν καὶ συνέπεσεν τῷ προσώπῳ	ἐπὶ δὲ Κάϊν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς θυσίαις αὐτοῦ οὐ προσέσχε. καὶ ἐλυπήθη Κάϊν λίαν, καὶ συνέπεσε τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ.
Genesis 4:5 (NETS)	Genesis 4:5 (English Elpenor)
but on Kain and on his offerings he was not intent. And it distressed Kain exceedingly, and he collapsed in countenance.	but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:6 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:6 (KJV)	Genesis 4:6 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Cain: ‘Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?	And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?	Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?

Genesis 4:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Καιν ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσεν τὸ πρόσωπόν σου	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Κάϊν· ἵνα τί περίλυπος ἐγένου, καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσε τὸ πρόσωπόν σου;
Genesis 4:6 (NETS)	Genesis 4:6 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord God said to Kain, “Why have you become deeply grieved, and why has your countenance collapsed?	And the Lord God said to Cain, Why art thou become very sorrowful and why is thy countenance fallen?

Genesis 4:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:7 (KJV)	Genesis 4:7 (NET)
If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door; and unto thee is its desire, but thou mayest rule over it.’	If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.	Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”

Genesis 4:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς ἥμαρτες ἡσύχασον πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ	οὐκ ἐὰν ὀρθῶς προσενέγκῃς, ὀρθῶς δὲ μὴ διέλῃς, ἥμαρτες; ἡσύχασον· πρὸς σὲ ἡ ἀποστροφὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ σὺ ἄρξεις αὐτοῦ
Genesis 4:7 (NETS)	Genesis 4:7 (English Elpenor)
If you offer correctly but do not divide correctly, have you not sinned? Be still; his recourse is to you, and you will rule over him.”	Hast thou not sinned if thou hast brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to thee shall be his submission, and thou shalt rule over him.

Genesis 4:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:10 (KJV)	Genesis 4:10 (NET)
And He said: ‘What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground.	And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.	But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!

Genesis 4:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός τί ἐποίησας φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με ἐκ τῆς γῆς	καί εἶπε Κύριος· τί πεποίηκας; φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με ἐκ τῆς γῆς
Genesis 4:10 (NETS)	Genesis 4:10 (English Elpenor)
And God said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the earth!	And the Lord said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood cries to me out of the ground.

Genesis 4:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:11 (KJV)	Genesis 4:11 (NET)
And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.	And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;	So now you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἣ ἔχανεν τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου	καὶ νῦν ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, ἣ ἔχανε τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου
Genesis 4:11 (NETS)	Genesis 4:11 (English Elpenor)
And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened wide its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.	And now thou [art] cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.

Genesis 4:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:12 (KJV)	Genesis 4:12 (NET)
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.’	When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.	When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

Genesis 4:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ὅτε ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν, καὶ οὐ προσθήσει τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς δοῦναί σοι· στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Genesis 4:12 (NETS)	Genesis 4:12 (English Elpenor)
For you will till the earth, and it will not continue to yield its strength to you; you will be groaning and trembling on the earth.”	When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth.

Genesis 4:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:13 (KJV)	Genesis 4:13 (NET)
And Cain said unto HaShem: ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear.	And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.	Then Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to endure!

Genesis 4:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Καιν πρὸς τὸν κύριον μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με	καὶ εἶπε Κάϊν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν· μείζων ἡ αἰτία μου τοῦ ἀφεθῆναί με
Genesis 4:13 (NETS)	Genesis 4:13 (English Elpenor)
And Kain said to the Lord, “My guilt is too great for me to be forgiven!	And Cain said to the Lord God, My crime [is] too great for me to be forgiven.

Judges 11:30 (Tanakh)	Judges 11:30 (KJV)	Judges 11:30 (NET)
And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,	And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,	Jephthah made a vow to the Lord, saying, “If you really do hand the Ammonites over to me,

Judges 11:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Judges 11:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ηὔξατο Ιεφθαε εὐχὴν τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν ἐὰν παραδώσει παραδῷς μοι τοὺς υἱοὺς Αμμων ἐν χειρί μου	καὶ ηὔξατο ᾿Ιεφθάε εὐχὴν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐὰν διδοὺς δῷς μοι τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Αμμὼν ἐν τῇ χειρί μου
Judges 11:30 (NETS)	Judges 11:30 (English Elpenor)
And Iephthae vowed a vow to the Lord and said, “If with a giving over, you will give over to me the sons of Ammon in my hand,	And Jephthae vowed a vow to the Lord, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver the children of Ammon into my hand,

Judges 11:31 (Tanakh)	Judges 11:31 (KJV)	Judges 11:31 (NET)
Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.	Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.	then whoever is the first to come through the doors of my house to meet me when I return safely from fighting the Ammonites—he will belong to the Lord and I will offer him up as a burnt sacrifice.”

Judges 11:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Judges 11:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ὃς ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τῶν θυρῶν τοῦ οἴκου μου εἰς ἀπάντησίν μου ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέψαι με ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Αμμων καὶ ἔσται τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἀνοίσω αὐτὸν ὁλοκαύτωμα	καὶ ἔσται ὁ ἐκπορευόμενος, ὃς ἂν ἐξέλθῃ ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας τοῦ οἴκου μου εἰς συνάντησίν μου ἐν τῷ ἐπιστρέφειν με ἐν εἰρήνῃ ἀπὸ υἱῶν ᾿Αμμών, καὶ ἔσται τῷ Κυρίῳ ἀνοίσω αὐτὸν ὁλοκαύτωμα
Judges 11:31 (NETS)	Judges 11:31 (English Elpenor)
it shall also be that whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, shall also be the Lord’s, and I will offer him up as a whole burnt offering.”	then it shall come to pass that whosoever shall first come out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, he shall be the Lord’s: I will offer him up for a whole-burnt-offering.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 11

Back to Romans, Part 12

Back to The Will of God – Jesus, Part 3

Back to Romans, Part 55

Back to Deuteronomy, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 63

Back to Romans, Part 64

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 4

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 13

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 2

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 3

Back to Jephthah and Moses

Back to Romans, Part 68

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 7

Back to The Will of God – Jesus, Part 3

Back to Apostles and Prophets, Part 3

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 9

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 10

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 11

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 8

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 3

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 4

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 5

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Judges 11:29a (NET)

² Numbers 30:2 (NET)

³ Judges 11:36 (NET)

⁴ Judges 11:40 (NET)

⁵ Matthew 10:37b (NET)

⁶ Proverbs 20:25 (NET)

⁷ Jeremiah 19:5bc (NET)

⁸ Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 4:3 (NET)

¹⁰ Genesis 4:4b, 5 (NET)

¹¹ Geneis 4:6, 7 (NET)

¹² Genesis 4:10-12 (NET) When thou tillest the earth, then it shall not continue to give its strength to thee: thou shalt be groaning and trembling on the earth. Genesis 4:12 (Elpenor English)

¹³ Genesis 4:13 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 5:13 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 7:4-6 (NET)

¹⁶ 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

¹⁷ Exodus 33:19b (NET) Table

¹⁸ Jeremiah 19:5 (NET)

¹⁹ Matthew 5:33, 34a, 37 (NET)

²⁰ Judges 11:30, 31 (NET)

²¹ Consider the same passage in the KJV: And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

²² Paraphrase of Romans 10:2, 3 (NET)

Romans, Part 6

Posted on August 2, 2012 by admin

The children who came of age in a population where the worship of created things was firmly established know better than anyone that the worship of created things is a waste of time and effort. At that moment they have an opportunity to turn back to the worship of the living God, but if their ἀσέβεια (ungodliness) is not overcome by the Spirit of God, the word of God, faith in the Lord Jesus, and being born from above they are more likely to take the next logical step.

Unrighteous Worship

The Wrath of God Revealed from Heaven

And just as they did not see (ἐδοκίμασαν, a form of δοκιμάζω) fit (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) to acknowledge (ἐπιγνώσει, a form of ἐπίγνωσις) God…

Romans 1:28a NET

God gave them over (παρέδωκεν, a form of παραδίδωμι) to a depraved (ἀδόκιμον, a form of ἀδόκιμος) mind, to do what should not be done.

Romans 1:28b NET

I think the King James translation of the first part of Romans 1:28a can really help here: And even as they did not like (ἐδοκίμασαν, a form of δοκιμάζω) to retain (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) God in their knowledge (ἐπιγνώσει, a form of ἐπίγνωσις)… Paul used the word ἐχέτω (another form of ἔχω) in the sense of having a wife or a husband in 1 Corinthians 7:2 (KJV): let every man have (ἐχέτω) his own wife, and let every woman have (ἐχέτω) her own husband. Considering where all this is leading—you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God¹—the double entendre of ἔχω intrigues me. It is something like, even as they did not approve of having God in their knowledge.

Approve is both a possible and likely meaning for ἐδοκίμασαν (a form of δοκιμάζω) in Romans 1:28. It comes from δόκιμος. And the negation of δόκιμος, ἀδόκιμος (ἀδόκιμον), is the unapproved (NET, depraved; KJV, reprobate) mind the Lord gave those who did not approve of having Him in their minds. All of that beautiful logical symmetry is lost in both translations in favor of emotionally charged language that fails to communicate that the mind He gave them over to is unapproved, perhaps even untested, by God. If the lake of fire,² or the outer darkness,³ is the place where the omnipresent God is not, this unapproved mind is as close as a human being can come to it here and now.

Romans 1:28 is the first usage in the New Testament of ἐπιγνώσει (a form of ἐπίγνωσις). Paul used it two other times in this letter: 1) For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) of sin;⁴ and, 2) For I can testify that [my fellow Israelites] are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth⁵ (ἐπίγνωσιν, another form of ἐπίγνωσις). Though Paul doesn’t say it directly I think he has used ἐπίγνωσις⁶ in Greek for the Hebrew word יָדַע (yâdaʽ).

The early history of יָדַע (yâdaʽ) must have been in Paul’s thoughts as he penned Romans.⁷ The first occurrence of יָדַע (yâdaʽ) is from the mouth of the cunning serpent: The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, for God knows (yâdaʽ, ידע) that when you eat from it⁸ your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know (yâdaʽ, ידעי) good and evil.”⁹ Adam and Eve believed the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit. Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew (yâdaʽ, וידעו) they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.¹⁰ And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing (yâdaʽ, לדעת) good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.¹¹

It seems to me that Paul must have been thinking about God’s promises through Jeremiah as he wrote Romans 9-11. I will give them the desire to acknowledge (yâdaʽ, לדעת) that I am the Lord. I will be their God and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.¹² “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know (yâdaʽ, דעו) me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know (yâdaʽ, ידעו) me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”¹³ So while the desire for the ידעי (yâdaʽ) of good and evil led to sin and death, the ידעו (yâdaʽ) of God is the way back to righteousness and life.

One more thing about יָדַע (yâdaʽ) bears mentioning and bundles everything together with Paul’s understanding—you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.¹⁴ Now the man had marital relations (yâdaʽ, ידע) with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.¹⁵ So יָדַע (yâdaʽ) (and ἐπίγνωσις, I think,) describes an intimate form of knowing, much more than a casual acquaintance.

God gave them over to a depraved, reprobate or unapproved (ἀδόκιμον, a form of ἀδόκιμος) mind, and this led inexorably to the social situation we all know intimately (Romans 1:29-31 NET):

They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness,¹⁶ wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless,¹⁷ ruthless.

One final thing should be noted about this unapproved mind. Left to our own devices we not only practice this worship of unrighteousness, we promote it with missionary zeal. Although they fully know (ἐπιγνόντες, a form of ἐπιγινώσκω) God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.¹⁸

Addendum: May 29, 2020
Tables comparing Genesis 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:22; 3:23; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:34; Genesis 4:1; 2:16 and 2:17 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Genesis 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:22; 3:23; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:34 (38:34); Genesis 4:1; 2:16 and 2:17 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing Romans 1:29 and 1:31 in the NET and KJV.

Genesis 3:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:4 (KJV)	Genesis 3:4 (NET)
And the serpent said unto the woman: ‘Ye shall not surely die;	And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:	The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die,

Genesis 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί οὐ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῗσθε	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί· οὐ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε
Genesis 3:4 (NETS)	Genesis 3:4 (English Elpenor)
And the snake said to the woman, “You will not die by death,	And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

Genesis 3:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:5 (KJV)	Genesis 3:5 (NET)
for G-d doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as G-d, knowing good and evil.’	For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.	for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ᾔδει γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐν ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοὶ γινώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν	ᾔδει γὰρ ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοί, γινώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν
Genesis 3:5 (NETS)	Genesis 3:5 (English Elpenor)
for God knew that on the day you eat of it, your eyes would be opened, and you would be like gods knowing good and evil.”	For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:7 (KJV)	Genesis 3:7 (NET)
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves girdles.	And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.	Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Genesis 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο καὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἔρραψαν φύλλα συκῆς καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῗς περιζώματα	καὶ διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ἔρραψαν φύλλα συκῆς καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς περιζώματα
Genesis 3:7 (NETS)	Genesis 3:7 (English Elpenor)
And the eyes of the two were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.	And the eyes of both were opened, and they perceived that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons to go round them.

Genesis 3:22 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:22 (KJV)	Genesis 3:22 (NET)
And HaShem G-d said: ‘Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.’	And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:	And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

Genesis 3:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός ἰδοὺ Αδαμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν καὶ νῦν μήποτε ἐκτείνῃ τὴν χεῗρα καὶ λάβῃ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ἰδοὺ ᾿Αδὰμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν, τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν· καὶ νῦν μή ποτε ἐκτείνῃ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ λάβῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
Genesis 3:22 (NETS)	Genesis 3:22 (English Elpenor)
Then God said, “See, Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now perhaps he might reach out his hand and take of the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”	And God said, Behold, Adam is become as one of us, to know good and evil, and now lest at any time he stretch forth his hand, and take of the tree of life and eat, and [so] he shall live forever–

Genesis 3:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:23 (KJV)	Genesis 3:23 (NET)
Therefore HaShem G-d sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.	Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.	So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.

Genesis 3:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτὸν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν ἐξ ἧς ἐλήμφθη	καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν, ἐξ ἧς ἐλήφθη
Genesis 3:23 (NETS)	Genesis 3:23 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord God sent him forth from the orchard of delight to till the earth from which he was taken.	So the Lord God sent him forth out of the garden of Delight to cultivate the ground out of which he was taken.

Jeremiah 24:7 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 24:7 (KJV)	Jeremiah 24:7 (NET)
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.	And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.	I will give them the desire to acknowledge that I am the Lord. I will be their God and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.’

Jeremiah 24:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 24:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώσω αὐτοῗς καρδίαν τοῦ εἰδέναι αὐτοὺς ἐμὲ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῗς εἰς θεόν ὅτι ἐπιστραφήσονται ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν	καὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν τοῦ εἰδέναι αὐτοὺς ἐμέ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν, καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεόν, ὅτι ἐπιστραφήσονται ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν
Jeremiah 24:7 (NETS)	Jeremiah 24:7 (English Elpenor)
And I will give them a heart that they may know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall become a people to me, and I shall become a god to them, because they shall return to me with their whole heart.	And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God: for they shall turn to me with all their heart.

Jeremiah 31:34 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 31:34 (KJV)	Jeremiah 31:34 (NET)
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.	And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.	“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.”

Jeremiah 31:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 38:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων γνῶθι τὸν κύριον ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσίν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῗς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι	καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν Κύριον· ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσί με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι
Jeremiah 38:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 38:34 (English Elpenor)
And they shall not teach, each his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they shall all know me, from their small even to their great, because I will be gracious regarding their injustices, and remember their sins no more.	And they shall not at all teach every one his [fellow] citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more.

Genesis 4:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:1 (KJV)	Genesis 4:1 (NET)
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said: ‘I have gotten a man with the help of HaShem.’	And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.	Now the man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created a man just as the Lord did!”

Genesis 4:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
Αδαμ δὲ ἔγνω Ευαν τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Καιν καὶ εἶπεν ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ	ΑΔΑΜ δὲ ἔγνω Εὔαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκε τὸν Κάϊν καὶ εἶπεν· ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ
Genesis 4:1 (NETS)	Genesis 4:1 (English Elpenor)
Now Adam knew his wife Heua, and after she had conceived she bore Kain and said, “I have acquired a man through God.”	AND Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God.

Genesis 2:16 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:16 (KJV)	Genesis 2:16 (NET)
And HaShem G-d commanded the man, saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat;	And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:	Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard,

Genesis 2:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Αδαμ λέγων ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φάγῃ	καὶ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ λέγων· ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φαγῇ
Genesis 2:16 (NETS)	Genesis 2:16 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, “You shall eat for food of every tree that is in the orchard,	And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,

Genesis 2:17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:17 (KJV)	Genesis 2:17 (NET)
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’	But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.	but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ᾗ δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῗσθε	ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ᾗ δ᾿ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε
Genesis 2:17 (NETS)	Genesis 2:17 (English Elpenor)
but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death.”	but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil– of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.

Romans 1:29 (NET)	Romans 1:29 (KJV)
They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips,	Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πεπληρωμένους πάσῃ ἀδικίᾳ πονηρίᾳ πλεονεξίᾳ κακίᾳ, μεστοὺς φθόνου φόνου ἔριδος δόλου κακοηθείας, ψιθυριστάς	πεπληρωμενους παση αδικια πορνεια πονηρια πλεονεξια κακια μεστους φθονου φονου εριδος δολου κακοηθειας ψιθυριστας	πεπληρωμενους παση αδικια πορνεια πονηρια πλεονεξια κακια μεστους φθονου φονου εριδος δολου κακοηθειας ψιθυριστας

Romans 1:31 (NET)	Romans 1:31 (KJV)
senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.	Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀσυνέτους ἀσυνθέτους ἀστόργους ἀνελεήμονας	ασυνετους ασυνθετους αστοργους ασπονδους ανελεημονας	ασυνετους ασυνθετους αστοργους ασπονδους ανελεημονας

Romans, Part 7

Back to Romans, Part 5

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 24

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 16

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 2

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 6

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 1

Back to A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 42

Back to Apostles and Prophets, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 58

Back to To Make Holy, Part 2

Back to Romans, Part 88

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Back to Westworld, Part 3

Back to Westworld, Part 4

Back to The New Covenant, Part 1

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 7

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 9

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 10

Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 11

¹ Romans 7:4 (NET)

² Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15 (NET)

³ Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30 (NET)

⁴ Romans 3:20 (NET)

⁵ Romans 10:2 (NET)

⁶ The Septuagint used forms of εἴδω and γινώσκω for the verses quoted in Genesis (3:5 ᾔδει, γινώσκοντες; 3:7 ἔγνωσαν; 3:22 γινώσκειν) and in Jeremiah (24:7 εἰδέναι; 31:34 γνῶθι, εἰδήσουσίν). I think Paul used forms of ἐπίγνωσις to add that intimate sense of knowing, following 1 Corinthians 13:12b (NET): Now I know (γινώσκω) in part, but then I will know fully (ἐπιγνώσομαι, a form of ἐπιγινώσκω), just as I have been fully known (ἐπεγνώσθην, another form of ἐπιγινώσκω).

⁷ cf. Romans 5:12-21

⁸ Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 3:4, 5 (NET)

¹⁰ Genesis 3:7 (NET)

¹¹ Genesis 3:22, 23 (NET)

¹² Jeremiah 24:7 (NET)

¹³ Jeremiah 31:34 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 7:4 (NET)

¹⁵ Genesis 4:1 (NET)

¹⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πορνεια (KJV: fornication) following unrighteousness. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ασπονδους (KJV: implacable) following heartless (KJV: without natural affection). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ Romans 1:32 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

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Romans, Part 11

David’s Forgiveness, Part 5

Romans, Part 10

Paul’s OT Quotes, Romans 2

Romans, Part 9

David’s Forgiveness, Part 4

Romans, Part 8

Romans, Part 7

David’s Forgiveness, Part 3

Romans, Part 6