David’s Forgiveness, Part 6

Posted on August 14, 2012 by admin

My first wife was a self-proclaimed feminist. I tried with everything in me to treat her as an equal, which I too often mistook for “the same” in my twenties. One night, lying in bed on our backs talking, my affection for her surged. I reached under the small of her back with my hand, used my elbow as a fulcrum, lifted her, rolled her over, and plopped her down on top of me face-to-face. She was livid.

I wasn’t sure what sin against feminism I had just committed so I tried to talk to her about it. When she calmed down enough to think, it turned out that she wasn’t really upset that I had lifted her up, rolled her over and plopped her down on top of me. She was angry that I was able to lift her up, roll her over and plop her down on top of me with one arm. “You shouldn’t be that strong!” she said. “It’s not right!” I did what I could to express my love for her, and said that whatever strength I had was for her protection, not something I would use against her.

After Amnon overpowered and raped Tamar he greatly despised her, the text continued. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Get up and leave!¹ Amnon said.

No I won’t, Tamar replied angrily, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!²

Though this sounds strange to contemporary ears, it makes perfect sense in the socially constructed reality Tamar inhabited. She already believed (or said) that her father David would have given her to Amnon as a wife if Amnon had but asked. She was not engaged to another man. The relevant legislation she had in mind was: Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and overpowers and rapes her and they are discovered. The man who has raped her must pay her father fifty shekels of silver and she must become his wife because he has violated her; he may never divorce her as long as he lives.³

Tamar did not perceive Amnon as a woman-hating sociopath but as an overly-eager potential mate. The feminist movement was not part of her socially constructed reality. Initially she looked to the law to protect her from being violated, then to restore her honor after Amnon violated her. But Amnon cared very little for the law the Lord Jesus gave to Moses. He called to his servant who threw Tamar out of the house and bolted the door behind her.

My wife came home late one night several weeks after she told me she wanted a divorce. I heard her getting ready for bed in the next bedroom. I got up and started to walk toward the door. Before I crossed the threshold of my bedroom door I heard that still small voice, “What are you doing, Dan?” I stopped in the doorway. I was calm, not angry, lucid, and I was going to kill my wife. I started to shake and sweat as I made my way back to my bed. I don’t recall how long I sat there. Finally I made my way to my wife’s bedroom and half-confessed, half-blamed her for bringing demons into our home. It had to be demons, surely I could never kill my wife. I loved her. I said I loved her.

The next morning I set out to make my word true, not unlike Jephthah. I copied Paul’s definition of love on a piece of paper: Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends [Table].⁴ I tacked it up on my bedroom wall by the door so I couldn’t leave that room without seeing it. I showed it to my wife. I promised her that this was my new law, that this is how I would love her.

Now King David heard about [Amnon’s treatment of Tamar] and was very angry.⁵ But there is no indication in the text that he did anything about it. The note in the NET is as follows: “The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): ‘But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.’ Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.” And that is, Now [David] had never corrected [Adonijah] by saying, “Why do you do such things?” [Adonijah] was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.⁶

It paints an image of David as a lenient father, favoring his sons, and an interesting image of God who found David the son of Jesse to be a man after my heart.⁷ But David was not only a father but the king. What about Tamar who trusted God’s law to protect her before she was raped, and to vindicate her after? Was there any justice for her? As a king administering the law what should David have done? Collect fifty shekels of silver from Amnon? Give them to Tamar? Give Tamar to Amnon as a wife? The law was intended to dissuade a young man from overpowering and raping a young woman. Once it was broken, the law offered no justice, only retribution and fear.

The famous phrase “an eye for an eye” is found three places in the law. If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, he will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides. But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot [Table], burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise. If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.⁸

If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him [Table]. One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death. There will be one regulation for you, whether a foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God.⁹

If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime, then both parties to the controversy must stand before the Lord, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days. The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused, you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge evil from among you. The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you. You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.¹⁰

I reflected on my own experience with my wife. I was far from perfect loving like God by attempting to keep the definition of his love as if it were law. But my wife survived it. She wasn’t raped. Even after our divorce she thought of me as one of the kindest men she knew. In fact, before we were actually divorced she acknowledged that our main problem was my religion. I regret that, but I couldn’t see through my religion then. I thought my religion was the only thing standing between me and a murder rap. But it did make it possible for me to see eventually that justice for Tamar wouldn’t come from any law, but from the love that fulfills the law, the love that is patient and kind and doesn’t rape a sister, or any woman, in the first place.

Where David left a vacuum by his inaction, Absalom his firstborn (Tamar’s full brother) stepped in. He said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom…But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.¹¹

Absalom waited two years, but after that time at a dinner he gave for all the king’s sons Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” [Table] So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed [Table].¹²

Addendum: December 23, 2020
I hesitate to call the tables below Paul’s “quotations” of scriptures so much as they are a lesson in how he utilized the Hebrew Scriptures as factual data in his address in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch.

Acts 13:22b (NET Parallel Greek) Table	Psalm 89:20a (BLB Septuagint) Table	Psalm 88:21a (Elpenor Septuagint)
εὗρον Δαυὶδ	εὗρον Δαυιδ	εὗρον Δαυΐδ
Acts 13:22b (NET)	Psalm 88:21a (NETS)	Psalm 88:21a (English Elpenor)
I have found David	I found Dauid	I have found David

The middle section not listed as a quotation in the NET—the son of Jesse—is simply factual information from 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

Acts 13:22d (NET Parallel Greek) Table	1 Samuel 13:14b (BLB Septuagint) Table	1 Kings 13:14b (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἄνδρα\| κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου	ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ	ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ
Acts 13:22d (NET)	1 Reigns 13:14b (NETS)	1 Kings 13:14b (English Elpenor)
to be a man after my heart	a person after his heart	a man after his own heart

Where the Masoretic text (Table below) had: But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life (Exodus 21:23 NET), the Septuagint (Table below) had: But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life (Exodus 21:23 English Elpenor).

The clause translated One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it (Leviticus 24:21) in the NET translation of the Masoretic text does not occur in the Septuagint (Table below).

Where the NET translation of the Masoretic text made it seem as if Tamar had an emotional problem—Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom (2 Samuel 13:20 NET)—the Septuagint (Table below) was clear that Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom (2 Kings 13:20 English Elpenor).

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 13:15; 13:16; Deuteronomy 22:28; 22:29; 2 Samuel 13:21; 1 Kings 1:6; Exodus 21:22; 21:23; 21:25; 21:26; 21:27; Leviticus 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; Deuteronomy 19:16; 19:17; 19:18; 19:19; 19:20; 19:21; 2 Samuel 13:20 and 13:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:15; 13:16; Deuteronomy 22:28; 22:29; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:21; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 1:6; Exodus 21:22; 21:23; 21:25; 21:26; 21:27; Leviticus 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; Deuteronomy 19:16; 19:17; 19:18; 19:19; 19:20; 19:21; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:20 and 13:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 13:15 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:15 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:15 (NET)
Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her: ‘Arise, be gone.’	Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.	Then Amnon greatly despised her. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

2 Samuel 13:15 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν Αμνων μῗσος μέγα σφόδρα ὅτι μέγα τὸ μῗσος ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτήν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Αμνων ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου	καὶ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν ᾿Αμνὼν μῖσος μέγα σφόδρα, ὅτι μέγα τὸ μῖσος, ὃ ἐμίσησεν αὐτὴν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἠγάπησεν αὐτήν. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ᾿Αμνών· ἀνάστηθι καὶ πορεύου
2 Reigns 13:15 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:15 (English Elpenor)
And Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, and get out!”	Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, for the last wickedness was greater than the first: and Amnon said to her, Rise, and be gone.

2 Samuel 13:16 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:16 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:16 (NET)
And she said unto him: ‘Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that thou didst unto me.’ But he would not hearken unto her.	And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.	But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!” But he refused to listen to her.

2 Samuel 13:16 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θημαρ μή ἄδελφε ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ κακία ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην ἣν ἐποίησας μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἐξαποστεῗλαί με καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν Αμνων ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θημάρ· μή, ἀδελφέ, ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ κακία ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην, ἣν ἐποίησας μετ’ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἐξαποστεῖλαί με. καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ᾿Αμνὼν ἀκοῦσαι τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:16 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:16 (English Elpenor)
And Themar said to him, “No, brother, for greater is the last wrong than the first which you did with me, to send me away.” But Amnon did not want to listen to her voice.	And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, [said she], than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would not hearken to her voice.

Deuteronomy 22:28 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (NET)
If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;	If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;	Suppose a man comes across a virgin who is not engaged and takes hold of her and sleeps with her and they are discovered.

Deuteronomy 22:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ τὴν παῗδα τὴν παρθένον ἥτις οὐ μεμνήστευται καὶ βιασάμενος κοιμηθῇ μετ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ εὑρεθῇ	Εὰν δέ τις εὕρῃ τὴν παῖδα τὴν παρθένον, ἥτις οὐ μεμνήστευται, καὶ βιασάμενος κοιμηθῇ μετ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ εὑρεθῇ
Deuteronomy 22:28 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 22:28 (English Elpenor)
But if someone finds the girl, the virgin, who is not engaged, and, after he forces her, lies with her and he is discovered,	And if any one should find a young virgin who has not been betrothed, and should force [her] and lie with her, and be found,

Deuteronomy 22:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (NET)
then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her; he may not put her away all his days.	Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.	The man who has slept with her must pay her father 50 shekels of silver and she must become his wife. Because he has humiliated her, he may never divorce her as long as he lives.

Deuteronomy 22:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δώσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κοιμηθεὶς μετ᾽ αὐτῆς τῷ πατρὶ τῆς νεάνιδος πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου καὶ αὐτοῦ ἔσται γυνή ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν οὐ δυνήσεται ἐξαποστεῗλαι αὐτὴν τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον	δώσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ κοιμηθεὶς μετ᾿ αὐτῆς τῷ πατρὶ τῆς νεάνιδος πεντήκοντα δίδραχμα ἀργυρίου, καὶ αὐτοῦ ἔσται γυνή, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐταπείνωσεν αὐτήν· οὐ δυνήσεται ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτὴν τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον
Deuteronomy 22:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 22:29 (English Elpenor)
the man who lay with her shall give fifty silver didrachmas to the young woman’s father, and she shall become his wife. Because he humbled her, he shall not be able to send her away for all time.	the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the damsel fifty silver didrachms, and she shall be his wife, because he has humbled her; he shall never be able to put her away.

2 Samuel 13:21 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:21 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:21 (NET)
But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.	But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.	Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.

2 Samuel 13:21 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυιδ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα καὶ οὐκ ἐλύπησεν τὸ πνεῦμα Αμνων τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτόν ὅτι πρωτότοκος αὐτοῦ ἦν	καὶ ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δαυὶδ πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους καὶ ἐθυμώθη σφόδρα· καὶ οὐκ ἐλύπησε τὸ πνεῦμα ᾿Αμνὼν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἠγάπα αὐτόν, ὅτι πρωτότοκος αὐτοῦ ἦν
2 Reigns 13:21 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:21 (English Elpenor)
And King Dauid heard all these words and was very angry, but he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, for he kept loving him, for he was his firstborn.	And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because be loved him, for he was his first-born.

1 Kings 1:6 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 1:6 (KJV)	1 Kings 1:6 (NET)
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.	And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.	(Now his father had never corrected him by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.)

1 Kings 1:6 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 1:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ οὐδέποτε λέγων διὰ τί σὺ ἐποίησας καί γε αὐτὸς ὡραῗος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα καὶ αὐτὸν ἔτεκεν ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ	καὶ οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσεν αὐτὸν ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ οὐδέποτε λέγων· διατὶ σὺ ἐποίησας; καί γε αὐτὸς ὡραῖος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα, καὶ αὐτὸν ἔτεκεν ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ
3 Reigns 1:6 (NETS)	3 Kings 1:6 (English Elpenor)
And his father did not ever hinder him, saying, “For what reason did you act?” And indeed he was very youthful in appearance, and he begot him after Abessalom.	And his father never at any time checked him, saying, Why hast thou done [thus]? and he was also very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Abessalom.

Exodus 21:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:22 (KJV)	Exodus 21:22 (NET)
And if men strive together, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart, and yet no harm follow, he shall be surely fined, according as the woman’s husband shall lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.	If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.	“If men fight and hit a pregnant woman and her child is born prematurely, but there is no serious injury, the one who hit her will surely be punished in accordance with what the woman’s husband demands of him, and he will pay what the court decides.

Exodus 21:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδρες καὶ πατάξωσιν γυναῗκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν καὶ ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῆς μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον ἐπιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται καθότι ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικός δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος	ἐὰν δὲ μάχωνται δύο ἄνδρες καὶ πατάξωσι γυναῖκα ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσαν καὶ ἐξέλθῃ τὸ παιδίον αὐτῆς μὴ ἐξεικονισμένον, ἐπιζήμιον ζημιωθήσεται· καθότι ἂν ἐπιβάλῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ τῆς γυναικός, δώσει μετὰ ἀξιώματος
Exodus 21:22 (NETS)	Exodus 21:22 (English Elpenor)
Now if two men fight and strike a pregnant woman and her child comes forth not fully formed, he shall be punished with a fine. According as the husband of the woman might impose, he shall pay with judicial assessment.	And if two men strive and smite a woman with child, and her child be born imperfectly formed, he shall be forced to pay a penalty: as the woman’s husband may lay upon him, he shall pay with a valuation.

Exodus 21:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:23 (KJV)	Exodus 21:23 (NET)
But if any harm follow, then thou shalt give life for life,	And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,	But if there is serious injury, then you will give a life for a life,

Exodus 21:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ἦν δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς	ἐὰν δὲ ἐξεικονισμένον ᾖ, δώσει ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς
Exodus 21:23 (NETS)	Exodus 21:23 (English Elpenor)
But if is is fully formed, he shall pay life for life,	But if it be perfectly formed, he shall give life for life,

Exodus 21:25 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:25 (KJV)	Exodus 21:25 (NET)
burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

Exodus 21:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος τραῦμα ἀντὶ τραύματος μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος	κατάκαυμα ἀντὶ κατακαύματος, τραῦμα ἀντὶ τραύματος, μώλωπα ἀντὶ μώλωπος
Exodus 21:25 (NETS)	Exodus 21:25 (English Elpenor)
burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.	burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Exodus 21:26 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:26 (KJV)	Exodus 21:26 (NET)
And if a man smite the eye of his bondman, or the eye of his bondwoman, and destroy it, he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.	And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye’s sake.	“If a man strikes the eye of his male servant or his female servant so that he destroys it, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the eye.

Exodus 21:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ οἰκέτου αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκτυφλώσῃ ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῗ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτῶν	ἐὰν δέ τις πατάξῃ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τοῦ οἰκέτου αὐτοῦ ἢ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐκτυφλώσῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ αὐτῶν
Exodus 21:26 (NETS)	Exodus 21:26 (English Elpenor)
Now if someone strikes the eye of his male domestic or the eye of his female attendant and cause blindness, he shall send them away free in exchange for their eye.	And if one smite the eye of his man-servant, or the eye of his maid-servant, and put it out, he shall let them go free for their eye’s sake.

Exodus 21:27 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:27 (KJV)	Exodus 21:27 (NET)
And if he smite out his bondman’s tooth, or his bondwoman’s tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.	And if he smite out his manservant’s tooth, or his maidservant’s tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth’s sake.	If he knocks out the tooth of his male servant or his female servant, he will let the servant go free as compensation for the tooth.

Exodus 21:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ τὸν ὀδόντα τοῦ οἰκέτου ἢ τὸν ὀδόντα τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ ἐκκόψῃ ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῗ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀδόντος αὐτῶν	ἐὰν δὲ τὸν ὀδόντα τοῦ οἰκέτου ἢ τὸν ὀδόντα τῆς θεραπαίνης αὐτοῦ ἐκκόψῃ, ἐλευθέρους ἐξαποστελεῖ αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ὀδόντος αὐτῶν
Exodus 21:27 (NETS)	Exodus 21:27 (English Elpenor)
Now if he knocks out the tooth of a male domestic or the tooth of his female attendant, he shall send them away free in exchange for their tooth.	And if he should smite out the tooth of his man-servant, or the tooth of his maid-servant, he shall send them away free for their tooth’s sake.

Leviticus 24:19 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:19 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:19 (NET)
And if a man maim his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him:	And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him;	If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him—

Leviticus 24:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐάν τις δῷ μῶμον τῷ πλησίον ὡς ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ ὡσαύτως ἀντιποιηθήσεται αὐτῷ	καὶ ἐάν τις δῷ μῶμον τῷ πλησίον, ὡς ἐποίησεν αὐτῷ, ὡσαύτως ἀντιποιηθήσεται αὐτῷ
Leviticus 24:19 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:19 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone should a blemish to his neighbor—as he did to him, so also shall it be done to him in return:	And whosoever shall inflict a blemish on his neighbour, as he has done to him, so shall it be done to himself in return;

Leviticus 24:21 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:21 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:21 (NET)
And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; and he that killeth a man shall be put to death.	And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.	One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, but one who beats a person to death must be put to death.

Leviticus 24:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀποθάνῃ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω	ὃς ἂν πατάξῃ ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω
Leviticus 24:21 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:21 (English Elpenor)
Whoever strikes a person, and he dies, by death let him be put to death.	Whosoever shall smite a man, and he shall die, let him die the death.

Leviticus 24:22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 24:22 (KJV)	Leviticus 24:22 (NET)
Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for the home-born; for I am HaShem your G-d.’	Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.	There will be one regulation for you, whether a resident foreigner or a native citizen, for I am the Lord your God.’”

Leviticus 24:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 24:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δικαίωσις μία ἔσται τῷ προσηλύτῳ καὶ τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	δικαίωσις μία ἔσται τῷ προσηλύτῳ καὶ τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 24:22 (NETS)	Leviticus 24:22 (English Elpenor)
There shall be one judgment for the guest and for the inhabitant of the country; for it is I who am the Lord your God.	There shall be one judgment for the stranger and the native, for I [am] the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy 19:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (NET)
If an unrighteous witness rise up against any man to bear perverted witness against him;	If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong;	If a false witness testifies against another person and accuses him of a crime,

Deuteronomy 19:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ καταστῇ μάρτυς ἄδικος κατὰ ἀνθρώπου καταλέγων αὐτοῦ ἀσέβειαν	ἐὰν δὲ καταστῇ μάρτυς ἄδικος κατὰ ἀνθρώπου καταλέγων αὐτοῦ ἀσέβειαν
Deuteronomy 19:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:16 (English Elpenor)
But if an unjust witness comes forward against a person, alleging impiety against him,	And if an unjust witness rise up against a man, alleging iniquity against him;

Deuteronomy 19:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (NET)
then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before HaShem, before the priests and the judges that shall be in those days.	Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days;	then both parties to the controversy must stand before the Lord, that is, before the priests and judges who will be in office in those days.

Deuteronomy 19:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ στήσονται οἱ δύο ἄνθρωποι οἷς ἐστιν αὐτοῗς ἡ ἀντιλογία ἔναντι κυρίου καὶ ἔναντι τῶν ἱερέων καὶ ἔναντι τῶν κριτῶν οἳ ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις	καὶ στήσονται οἱ δύο ἄνθρωποι, οἷς ἐστιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀντιλογία, ἔναντι Κυρίου καὶ ἔναντι τῶν ἱερέων καὶ ἔναντι τῶν κριτῶν, οἳ ἂν ὦσιν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις
Deuteronomy 19:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:17 (English Elpenor)
then the two persons between whom is the dispute shall stand before the Lord and before the priests and before the judges, who may be in those days,	then shall the two men between whom the controversy is, stand before the Lord, and before the priests, and before the judges, who may be in those days.

Deuteronomy 19:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (NET)
And the judges shall inquire diligently; and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;	And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;	The judges will thoroughly investigate the matter, and if the witness should prove to be false and to have given false testimony against the accused,

Deuteronomy 19:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξετάσωσιν οἱ κριταὶ ἀκριβῶς καὶ ἰδοὺ μάρτυς ἄδικος ἐμαρτύρησεν ἄδικα ἀντέστη κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἐξετάσωσιν οἱ κριταὶ ἀκριβῶς, καὶ ἰδοὺ μάρτυς ἄδικος ἐμαρτύρησεν ἄδικα, ἀντέστη κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ
Deuteronomy 19:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:18 (English Elpenor)
and if the judges make a thorough inquiry and, look, an unjust witness has testified unjustly, he has stood up against his brother,	And the judges shall make diligent inquiry, and, behold, [if] an unjust witness has borne unjust testimony; [and] has stood up against his brother;

Deuteronomy 19:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (NET)
then shall ye do unto him, as he had purposed to do unto his brother; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.	Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.	you must do to him what he had intended to do to the accused. In this way you will purge the evil from among you.

Deuteronomy 19:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτῷ ὃν τρόπον ἐπονηρεύσατο ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαρεῗς τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν	καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτῷ ὃν τρόπον ἐπονηρεύσατο ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξαρεῖς τὸ πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 19:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:19 (English Elpenor)
then you shall do to him just as he connived to do to his brother. And you shall remove the evil one from yourselves.	then shall ye do to him as he wickedly devised to do against his brother, and thou shalt remove the evil from yourselves.

Deuteronomy 19:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (NET)
And those that remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil in the midst of thee.	And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.	The rest of the people will hear and become afraid to keep doing such evil among you.

Deuteronomy 19:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται καὶ οὐ προσθήσουσιν ἔτι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῗν	καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι ἀκούσαντες φοβηθήσονται καὶ οὐ προσθήσουσιν ἔτι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν
Deuteronomy 19:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:20 (English Elpenor)
And the rest, when they hear, shall be afraid and will not add to act again according to this evil thing among you.	And the rest shall hear and fear, and do no more according to this evil thing in the midst of you.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (NET)
And thine eye shall not pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	You must not show pity; the principle will be a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a foot for a foot.

Deuteronomy 19:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος χεῗρα ἀντὶ χειρός πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός	οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ· ψυχὴν ἀντὶ ψυχῆς, ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, χεῖρα ἀντὶ χειρός, πόδα ἀντὶ ποδός
Deuteronomy 19:21 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 19:21 (English Elpenor)
Your eye shall not be sparing against him: soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.	Thine eye shall not spare him: [thou shalt exact] life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

2 Samuel 13:20 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:20 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:20 (NET)
And Absalom her brother said unto her: ‘Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart.’ So Tamar remained desolate in her brother, Absalom’s house.	And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.	Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.

2 Samuel 13:20 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὴν Αβεσσαλωμ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῆς μὴ Αμνων ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐγένετο μετὰ σοῦ καὶ νῦν ἀδελφή μου κώφευσον ὅτι ἀδελφός σού ἐστιν μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ λαλῆσαι εἰς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐκάθισεν Θημαρ χηρεύουσα ἐν οἴκῳ Αβεσσαλωμ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῆς	καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὴν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτῆς· μὴ ᾿Αμνὼν ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐγένετο μετὰ σοῦ; καὶ νῦν, ἀδελφή μου, κώφευσον, ὅτι ἀδελφός σού ἐστι· μὴ θῇς τὴν καρδίαν σου τοῦ λαλῆσαι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο. καὶ ἐκάθισε Θημὰρ χηρεύουσα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῆς
2 Reigns 13:20 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:20 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom her brother said to her, “Amnon your brother wasn’t with you, was he? And now, my sister, be quiet, for he is your brother; do not set your heart to speak abut this thing.” And Themar stayed as a widow in her brother Abessalom’s house.	And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom.

2 Samuel 13:22 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 13:22 (KJV)	2 Samuel 13:22 (NET)
And Absalom spoke unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.	And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.	But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

2 Samuel 13:22 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 13:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἐλάλησεν Αβεσσαλωμ μετὰ Αμνων ἀπὸ πονηροῦ ἕως ἀγαθοῦ ὅτι ἐμίσει Αβεσσαλωμ τὸν Αμνων ἐπὶ λόγου οὗ ἐταπείνωσεν Θημαρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ	καὶ οὐκ ἐλάλησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ μετὰ ᾿Αμνὼν ἀπὸ πονηροῦ ἕως ἀγαθοῦ,ὅτι ἐμίσει ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὸν ᾿Αμνὼν ἐπὶ λόγου, οὗ ἐταπείνωσε Θημὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ
2 Reigns 13:22 (NETS)	2 Kings 13:22 (English Elpenor)
And Abessalom did not speak with Amnon, from evil to good, for Abessalom kept hating Amnon on account of which he had humiliated Themar his sister.	And Abessalom spoke not to Amnon, good or bad, because Abessalom hated Amnon, on account of his humbling his sister Themar.

David’s Forgiveness, Part 7

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 4

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 5

Back to Antichrist, Part 1

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 12

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 13

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 8

Back to Atonement, Part 1

Back to Cobwebs

Back to Father, Forgive Them – Part 6

Back to Torture, Part 4

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 4

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 7

Back to Apostles and Prophets, Part 3

¹ 2 Samuel 13:15 (NET)

² 2 Samuel 13:16 (NET)

³ Deuteronomy 22:28, 29 (NET) See also: Fury

⁴ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NET)

⁵ 2 Samuel 13:21 (NET)

⁶ 1 Kings 1:6 (NET)

⁷ Acts 13:22 (NET) Table

⁸ Exodus 21:22-27 (NET)

⁹ Leviticus 24:19-22 (NET)

¹⁰ Deuteronomy 19:16-21 (NET)

¹¹ 2 Samuel 13:20, 22 (NET)

¹² 2 Samuel 13:28, 29a (NET)

The Will of God – Jesus, Part 1

Posted on August 13, 2012 by admin

For whoever does (ποιήσῃ, a form of ποιέω) the will (θέλημα) of God is my brother and sister and mother,¹ Jesus said. I searched to see what else Jesus said about the θέλημα of God. So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come, may your will (θέλημα) be done (γενηθήτω, a form of γίνομαι) on earth² as it is in heaven [Table].³ Jesus associated his Father’s will being done or becoming on earth as it is in heaven with his name being honored and the coming of his kingdom. And this was in contrast to the prayer of the Gentiles (Matthew 6:7, 8 NET).

When you pray, do not babble repetitiously⁴ like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does (ποιῶν, another form of ποιέω) the will (θέλημα) of my Father in heaven,”⁵ Jesus said. “On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy⁶ in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do (ἐποιήσαμεν, another form of ποιέω) many powerful deeds (δυνάμεις, a form of δύναμις)?’ [Table] Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew (ἔγνων, a form of γινώσκω) you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers (KJV, that work [ἐργαζόμενοι, a form of ἐργάζομαι] iniquity [ἀνομίαν, a form of ἀνομία])!’”⁷

That statement has always shocked me. The only sense I have ever made of these miracle working lawbreakers who are unknown to Jesus is by contrast to those who love (ἀγαπῶσιν, a form of ἀγαπάω) God, who are called (κλητοῖς, a form of κλητός) according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew (προέγνω, a form of προγινώσκω) he also predestined (προώρισεν, a form of προορίζω) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined (προώρισεν, a form of προορίζω), he also called (ἐκάλεσεν, a form of καλέω); and those he called (ἐκάλεσεν, a form of καλέω), he also justified (ἐδικαίωσεν, a form of δικαιόω); and those he justified (ἐδικαίωσεν, a form of δικαιόω), he also glorified (ἐδόξασεν, a form of δοξάζω).⁸

After I wrote that it felt a bit lazy on my part. The least I could do is a Google search, I thought. I typed in “spiritist Jesus” and got 1,090,000 entries in 0.30 seconds. Obviously, Jesus is more aware of my world than I am. I didn’t spend enough time there to verify miracles or ascertain violations of God’s law. But since there are apparently spiritists claiming allegiance to Jesus I’ll repeat the law.

Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the Lord your God.⁹ A man or woman who has in them a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit must be put to death.¹⁰ Now I’m not advocating the death penalty for a spiritist any more than I would for an adulterer like me. I quote the law simply to get some idea of its weight in God’s mind. Its penalty is equivalent to adultery. God never said that it was impossible to gain knowledge from the spirits of the dead or familiar spirits, he simply forbade his people from gaining that knowledge that way.

After Samuel the prophet died King Saul longed for his advice when the Lord would no longer answer him (1 Samuel 28:7-14 NET).

So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.”

His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”

So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.”

But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?”

But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!”

The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?”

He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! What have you seen?”

The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen one like a god coming up from the ground!”

He said to her, “What about his appearance?”

She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!”

Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.

Thus far the essentially rationalist bias of my mind can console itself with the idea that this was all mumbo jumbo. After all, who knows what they were smoking in that ritual pit. But I am also filled by the Holy Spirit who supplies me daily with faith (πίστις). So when the Scripture continues, Samuel said to Saul, my biased, essentially rationalist, mind is compelled to sit down, shut up and pay attention (1 Samuel 28:15-19 NET).

“Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me – not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”

Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy? The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David! Since you did not obey the Lord (1 Samuel 15) and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today. The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”

Jesus told a parable about a man with two sons. He went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard¹¹ today.” The boy answered, ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart (μεταμεληθεὶς, a form of μεταμέλλομαι) and went. The father went¹² to the other¹³ son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did (ἐποίησεν, another form of ποιέω) his father’s will (θέλημα)?¹⁴ Those standing there answered, the first, and Jesus did not dispute their answer.

That servant who knew (γνοὺς, another form of γινώσκω) his¹⁵ master’s will (θέλημα) but did not get ready or¹⁶ do (ποιήσας, another form of ποιέω) what his master asked (θέλημα) will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know (γνοὺς, another form of γινώσκω) his master’s will and did (ποιήσας, another form of ποιέω) things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.¹⁷

Jesus said to his disciples, “My food is to do¹⁸ (ποιήσω, another form of ποιέω) the will (θέλημα) of the one who sent me and to complete (τελειώσω, a form of τελειόω) his work (ἔργον).”¹⁹ For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will (θέλημα) but the will (θέλημα) of the one who sent me.²⁰ And to the Jewish leaders He said, I can do (ποιεῖν, another form of ποιέω) nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear (ἀκούω), I judge (κρίνω), and my judgment (κρίσις) is just (δικαία, a form of δίκαιος), because I do not seek my own will (θέλημα), but the will (θέλημα) of the one who sent me.²¹

Addendum: December 6, 2020
Samuel described Saul’s offense as not fearing the Lord by the definition I gleaned from Deuteronomy. He said, thou didst not hearken (Tanakh), you did not obey (NET), שָׁמַ֙עְתָּ֙ (shama`) in Hebrew in the Masoretic text, or you did not hear (NETS), thou didst not hearken (English Elpenor), ἤκουσας (a form of ἀκούω) in Greek in the Septuagint. Saul didst not execute (Tanakh), and did not carry out (NET), עָשִֹ֥יתָ (asah) in Hebrew, or did not carry out (NET), thou didst not execute (English Elpenor), ἐποίησε(ν) (a form of ποιέω) in Greek.

Saul did not have the fear of the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak. Here, too, holy genocide was the whatsoever Saul refused to hear and do.

While I do think that Jesus is the fear of the Lord—the heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak, He used the words hear and do somewhat differently (John 5:30 NET):

I can do (ποιεῖν, a form of ποιέω) nothing on my own initiative. Just as I hear (ἀκούω), I judge, and my judgment is just because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.

As I hear, I judge (κρίνω) is Jesus’ unique take on “to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak” (John 5:19b-23 NET):

I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do (ποιεῖν, a form of ποιέω) nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing (ποιοῦντα, another form of ποιέω). For whatever the Father does (ποιῇ, another form of ποιέω), the Son does (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω) likewise [Table]. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω), and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. Furthermore, the Father does not judge (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω) anyone, but has assigned all judgment (κρίσιν, a form of κρίσις) to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

The standing order of the day for those who have been shown mercy (Romans 9:14-24; Matthew 18:21-35) remains (Matthew 7:1, 2 NET):

Do not judge (κρίνετε, another form of κρίνω) so that you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω). For by the standard you judge (κρίνετε) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and the measure you use will be the measure (μετρηθήσεται, another form of μετρέω) you receive [Table].

Tables comparing Leviticus 19:31; 20:27; 1 Samuel 28:7; 28:8; 28:9; 28:10; 28:11; 28:12; 28:13; 28:14; 28:15; 28:16; 28:17; 28:18 and 28:19 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Leviticus 19:31; 20:27; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 28:7; 28:8; 28:9; 28:10; 28:11; 28:12; 28:13; 28:14; 28:15; 28:16; 28:17; 28:18 and 28:19 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Tables comparing Matthew 6:7; 7:22; 21:28; 21:30, 31; Luke 12:47 and John 4:34 in the NET and KJV follows those.

Leviticus 19:31 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:31 (KJV)	Leviticus 19:31 (NET)
Turn ye not unto the ghosts, nor unto familiar spirits; seek them not out, to be defiled by them: I am HaShem your G-d.	Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.	Do not turn to the spirits of the dead and do not seek familiar spirits to become unclean by them. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπακολουθήσετε ἐγγαστριμύθοις καὶ τοῗς ἐπαοιδοῗς οὐ προσκολληθήσεσθε ἐκμιανθῆναι ἐν αὐτοῗς ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	οὐκ ἐπακολουθήσετε ἐγγαστριμύθοις καὶ τοῖς ἐπαοιδοῖς οὐ προσκολληθήσεσθε, ἐκμιανθῆναι ἐν αὐτοῖς· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 19:31 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:31 (English Elpenor)
You shall not follow after ventriloquists, and you shall not attach yourselves to enchanters, to be thoroughly polluted by them; it is I who am the Lord your God.	Ye shall not attend to those who have in them divining spirits, nor attach yourselves to enchanters, to pollute yourselves with them: I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 20:27 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:27 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:27 (NET)
A man also or a woman that divineth by a ghost or a familiar spirit, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones; their blood shall be upon them.	A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.	“‘A man or woman who has in them a spirit of the dead or a familiar spirit must be put to death. They must pelt them with stones; their blood guilt is on themselves.’”

Leviticus 20:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή ὃς ἂν γένηται αὐτῶν ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἢ ἐπαοιδός θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι λίθοις λιθοβολήσατε αὐτούς ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	Καὶ ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή, ὃς ἂν γένηται αὐτῶν ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἢ ἐπαοιδός, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι· λίθοις λιθοβολήσετε αὐτούς, ἔνοχοί εἰσι
Leviticus 20:27 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:27 (English Elpenor)
And a man or a woman—whoever among them becomes a ventriloquist or an enchanter, let both by death be put to death; with stones you shall stone them; they are liable.	And [as for] a man or woman whosoever of them shall have in them a divining spirit, or be an enchanter, let them both die the death: ye shall stone them with stones, they are guilty.

1 Samuel 28:7 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:7 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:7 (NET)
Then said Saul unto his servants: ‘Seek me a woman that divineth by a ghost, that I may go to her, and inquire of her.’ And his servants said to him: ‘Behold, there is a woman that divineth by a ghost at En-dor.’	Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor.	So Saul instructed his servants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.” His servants replied to him, “There is a woman who is a medium in Endor.”

1 Samuel 28:7 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ τοῗς παισὶν αὐτοῦ ζητήσατέ μοι γυναῗκα ἐγγαστρίμυθον καὶ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ζητήσω ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῗδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἐν Αενδωρ	καὶ εἶπε Σαοὺλ τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ· ζητήσατέ μοι γυναῖκα ἐγγαστρίμυθον, καὶ πορεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ζητήσω ἐν αὐτῇ· καὶ εἶπαν οἱ παῖδες αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν· ἰδοὺ γυνὴ ἐγγαστρίμυθος ἐν ᾿Αενδώρ
1 Reigns 28:7 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:7 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a ventriloquizing woman, and I will go to her and inquire by her,” and his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a ventriloquizing woman at Aendor.”	Then Saul said to his servants, Seek for me a woman who has in her a divining spirit, and I will go to her, and enquire of her: and his servants said to him, Behold, [there is] a woman who has in her a divining spirit at Aendor.

1 Samuel 28:8 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:8 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:8 (NET)
And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night; and he said: ‘Divine unto me, I pray thee, by a ghost, and bring me up whomsoever I shall name unto thee.’	And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.	So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothing and left, accompanied by two of his men. They came to the woman at night and said, “Use your ritual pit to conjure up for me the one I tell you.”

1 Samuel 28:8 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συνεκαλύψατο Σαουλ καὶ περιεβάλετο ἱμάτια ἕτερα καὶ πορεύεται αὐτὸς καὶ δύο ἄνδρες μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρχονται πρὸς τὴν γυναῗκα νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ μάντευσαι δή μοι ἐν τῷ ἐγγαστριμύθῳ καὶ ἀνάγαγέ μοι ὃν ἐὰν εἴπω σοι	καὶ συνεκαλύψατο Σαοὺλ καὶ περιεβάλετο ἱμάτια ἕτερα καὶ πορεύεται αὐτὸς καὶ δύο ἄνδρες μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρχονται πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· μάντευσαι δή μοι ἐν τῷ ἐγγαστριμύθῳ καὶ ἀνάγαγέ μοι ὃν ἐὰν εἴπω σοι
1 Reigns 28:8 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:8 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went, he and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night, and he said to her, “Do seek divinations for me by a ventriloquist, and bring up for me whomever I say to you.”	And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he goes, and two men with him, and they come to the woman by night; and he said to her, Divine to me, I pray thee, by the divining spirit within thee, and bring up to me him whom I shall name to thee.

1 Samuel 28:9 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:9 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:9 (NET)
And the woman said unto him: ‘Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that divine by a ghost or a familiar spirit out of the land; wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?’	And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my life, to cause me to die?	But the woman said to him, “Look, you are aware of what Saul has done; he has removed the mediums and magicians from the land! Why are you trapping me so you can put me to death?”

1 Samuel 28:9 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς αὐτόν ἰδοὺ δὴ σὺ οἶδας ὅσα ἐποίησεν Σαουλ ὡς ἐξωλέθρευσεν τοὺς ἐγγαστριμύθους καὶ τοὺς γνώστας ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἵνα τί σὺ παγιδεύεις τὴν ψυχήν μου θανατῶσαι αὐτήν	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· ἰδοὺ δὴ σὺ οἶδας ὅσα ἐποίησε Σαούλ, ὡς ἐξωλόθρευσε τοὺς ἐγγαστριμύθους καὶ τοὺς γνώστας ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς· καὶ ἱνατί σὺ παγιδεύεις τὴν ψυχήν μου θανατῶσαι αὐτήν
1 Reigns 28:9 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:9 (English Elpenor)
And the woman said to him, “Behold, indeed you know what Saoul did, how he cut off the ventriloquists and those in the know from the land, and why are you laying a snare for my life to put it to death?”	And the woman said to him, Behold now, thou knowest what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who had in them divining spirits, and the wizards from the land, and why dost thou spread a snare for my life to destroy it?

1 Samuel 28:10 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:10 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:10 (NET)
And Saul swore to her by HaShem, saying: ‘As HaShem liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.’	And Saul sware to her by the LORD, saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee for this thing.	But Saul swore an oath to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not incur guilt in this matter!”

1 Samuel 28:10 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτῇ Σαουλ λέγων ζῇ κύριος εἰ ἀπαντήσεταί σοι ἀδικία ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ	καὶ ὤμοσεν αὐτῇ Σαοὺλ λέγων· ζῇ Κύριος, εἰ ἀπαντήσεταί σοι ἀδικία ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ
1 Reigns 28:10 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:10 (English Elpenor)
And Saoul swore to her, saying, “The Lord lives, if injustice shall befall you in this matter.”	And Saul swore to her, and said, [As] the Lord lives, no injury shall come upon thee on this account.

1 Samuel 28:11 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:11 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:11 (NET)
Then said the woman: ‘Whom shall I bring up unto thee?’ And he said: ‘Bring me up Samuel.’	Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel.	The woman replied, “Who is it that I should bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up for me Samuel.”

1 Samuel 28:11 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή τίνα ἀναγάγω σοι καὶ εἶπεν τὸν Σαμουηλ ἀνάγαγέ μοι	καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· τίνα ἀναγάγω σοι; καὶ εἶπε· τὸν Σαμουὴλ ἀνάγαγέ μοι
1 Reigns 28:11 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:11 (English Elpenor)
And the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” And he said, “Bring up Samouel for me.”	And the woman said, Whom shall I bring up to thee? and he said, Bring up to me Samuel.

1 Samuel 28:12 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:12 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:12 (NET)
And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice; and the woman spoke to Saul, saying: ‘Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.’	And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.	When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out loudly. The woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”

1 Samuel 28:12 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν Σαμουηλ καὶ ἀνεβόησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς Σαουλ ἵνα τί παρελογίσω με καὶ σὺ εἶ Σαουλ	καὶ εἶδεν ἡ γυνὴ τὸν Σαμουὴλ καὶ ἀνεβόησε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνὴ πρὸς Σαούλ· ἱνατί παρελογίσω με; καὶ σὺ εἶ Σαούλ.
1 Reigns 28:12 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:12 (English Elpenor)
And the woman saw Samouel, and she cried out with a loud voice, and the woman said to Saoul, “Why did you deceive me? And you are Saoul!”	And the woman saw Samuel, and cried out with a loud voice: and the woman said to Saul, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.

1 Samuel 28:13 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:13 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:13 (NET)
And the king said unto her: ‘Be not afraid; for what seest thou?’ And the woman said unto Saul: ‘I see a godlike being coming up out of the earth.’	And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.	The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid! But what have you seen?” The woman replied to Saul, “I have seen a divine being coming up from the ground!”

1 Samuel 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς μὴ φοβοῦ εἰπὸν τίνα ἑόρακας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Θεοὺς ἑόρακα ἀναβαίνοντας ἐκ τῆς γῆς	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς· μὴ φοβοῦ, εἰπὸν τίνα ἑώρακας. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνή· θεοὺς ἑώρακα ἀναβαίνοντας ἐκ τῆς γῆς
1 Reigns 28:13 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:13 (English Elpenor)
And the king said to her, “Have no fear; tell whom you have seen.” And she said to him, “I have seen gods coming up out of the ground.”	And the king said to her, Fear not; tell me whom thou hast seen. And the woman said to him, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

1 Samuel 28:14 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:14 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:14 (NET)
And he said unto her: ‘What form is he of?’ And she said: ‘An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a robe.’ And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and prostrated himself.	And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself.	He said to her, “What about his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up! He is wrapped in a robe!” Then Saul realized it was Samuel, and he bowed his face toward the ground and kneeled down.

1 Samuel 28:14 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ τί ἔγνως καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἄνδρα ὄρθιον ἀναβαίνοντα ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος διπλοΐδα ἀναβεβλημένος καὶ ἔγνω Σαουλ ὅτι Σαμουηλ οὗτος καὶ ἔκυψεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· τί ἔγνως; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἄνδρα ὄρθιον ἀναβαίνοντα ἐκ τῆς γῆς, καὶ οὗτος διπλοΐδα ἀναβεβλημένος. καὶ ἔγνω Σαούλ, ὅτι οὗτος Σαμουήλ, καὶ ἔκυψεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ
1 Reigns 28:14 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:14 (English Elpenor)
And he said to her, “What did you perceive?” And she said to him, “A man, standing, coming up out of the ground, and he is wrapped in a double-cloak.” And Saoul knew that this was Samouel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and did obeisance to him.	And he said to her, What didst thou perceive? and she said to him, An upright man ascending out of the earth, and he [was] clothed with a mantle. And Saul knew that this was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the earth, and did obeisance to him.

1 Samuel 28:15 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:15 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:15 (NET)
And Samuel said to Saul: ‘Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up?’ And Saul answered: ‘I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and G-d is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams; therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.’	And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.	Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” Saul replied, “I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me anymore—not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do.”

1 Samuel 28:15 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ ἵνα τί παρηνώχλησάς μοι ἀναβῆναί με καὶ εἶπεν Σαουλ θλίβομαι σφόδρα καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πολεμοῦσιν ἐν ἐμοί καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἀφέστηκεν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐπακήκοέν μοι ἔτι καὶ ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἐν τοῗς ἐνυπνίοις καὶ νῦν κέκληκά σε γνωρίσαι μοι τί ποιήσω	καὶ εἶπε Σαμουήλ· ἱνατί παρηνώχλησάς μοι ἀναβῆναί με; καὶ εἶπε Σαούλ· θλίβομαι σφόδρα, καὶ οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πολεμοῦσιν ἐν ἐμοί, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἀφέστηκεν ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐπακήκοέ μοι ἔτι καὶ ἐν χειρὶ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐνυπνίοις· καὶ νῦν κέκληκά σε γνωρίσαι μοι τί ποιήσω
1 Reigns 28:15 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:15 (English Elpenor)
And Samouel said, “Why did you disturb me that I ascend?” And Saoul said, “I am greatly distressed, and the allophyles are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and no longer heeds me, either by the hand of prophets or by dreams, and now I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do.”	And Samuel said, Why hast thou troubled me, that I should come up? And Saul said, I am greatly distressed, and the Philistines war against me, and God has departed from me, and no longer hearkens to me either by the hand of the prophets or by dreams: and now I have called thee to tell me what I shall do.

1 Samuel 28:16 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:16 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:16 (NET)
And Samuel said: `Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing HaShem is departed from thee, and is become thine adversary?	Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?	Samuel said, “Why are you asking me, now that the Lord has turned away from you and has become your enemy?

1 Samuel 28:16 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ ἵνα τί ἐπερωτᾷς με καὶ κύριος ἀφέστηκεν ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ γέγονεν μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου	καὶ εἶπε Σαμουήλ· ἱνατί ἐπερωτᾷς με; καὶ Κύριος ἀφέστηκεν ἀπὸ σοῦ καὶ γέγονε μετὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου
1 Reigns 28:16 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:16 (English Elpenor)
And Samouel said, “Why do you inquire of me? And the Lord has turned from you and is with your neighbor,	And Samuel said, Why askest thou me, whereas the Lord has departed from thee, and taken part with thy neighbour?

1 Samuel 28:17 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:17 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:17 (NET)
And HaShem hath wrought for Himself; as He spoke by me; and HaShem hath rent the kingdom out of thy hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David.	And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David:	The Lord has done exactly as I prophesied! The Lord has torn the kingdom from your hand and has given it to your neighbor David!

1 Samuel 28:17 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πεποίηκεν κύριός σοι καθὼς ἐλάλησεν ἐν χειρί μου καὶ διαρρήξει κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσει αὐτὴν τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ Δαυιδ	καὶ πεποίηκε Κύριός σοι καθὼς ἐλάλησε Κύριος ἐν χειρί μου, καὶ διαρρήξει Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσει αὐτὴν τῷ πλησίον σου τῷ Δαυίδ
1 Reigns 28:17 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:17 (English Elpenor)
and the Lord has done to you just as he spoke by my hand, and the Lord will tear your kingdom out of your hand and give it to your neighbor Dauid.	And the Lord has done to thee, as the Lord spoke by me; and the Lord will rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and will give it to thy neighbour David.

1 Samuel 28:18 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:18 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:18 (NET)
Because thou didst not hearken to the voice of HaShem, and didst not execute His fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath HaShem done this thing unto thee this day.	Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day.	Since you did not obey the Lord and did not carry out his fierce anger against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this thing to you today.

1 Samuel 28:18 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι οὐκ ἤκουσας φωνῆς κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησας θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἐν Αμαληκ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ἐποίησεν κύριός σοι τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ	διότι οὐκ ἤκουσας φωνῆς Κυρίου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησας θυμὸν ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ ἐν ᾿Αμαλήκ, διὰ τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ἐποίησε Κύριός σοι ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ
1 Reigns 28:18 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:18 (English Elpenor)
Because you did not hear the voice of the Lord and did not carry out his fierce wrath on Amalek, therefore the Lord did this thing to you this day.	because thou didst not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and didst not execute his fierce anger upon Amalec, therefore the Lord has done this thing to thee this day.

1 Samuel 28:19 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 28:19 (KJV)	1 Samuel 28:19 (NET)
Moreover HaShem will deliver Israel also with thee into the hand of the Philistines; and to-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me; HaShem will deliver the host of Israel also into the hand of the Philistines.’	Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines.	The Lord will hand you and Israel over to the Philistines! Tomorrow both you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also hand the army of Israel over to the Philistines!”

1 Samuel 28:19 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 28:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παραδώσει κύριος τὸν Ισραηλ μετὰ σοῦ εἰς χεῗρας ἀλλοφύλων καὶ αὔριον σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου μετὰ σοῦ πεσοῦνται καὶ τὴν παρεμβολὴν Ισραηλ δώσει κύριος εἰς χεῗρας ἀλλοφύλων	καὶ παραδώσει Κύριος τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ μετὰ σοῦ εἰς χεῖρας ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ αὔριον σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου μετὰ σοῦ πεσοῦνται, καὶ τὴν παρεμβολὴν ᾿Ισραὴλ δώσει Κύριος εἰς χεῖρας ἀλλοφύλων
1 Reigns 28:19 (NETS)	1 Kings 28:19 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord will hand over Israel along with you into the hands of allophyles, and tomorrow you and your sons with you shall fall, and the Lord will give the camp of Israel into the hands of allophyles.”	And the Lord shall deliver Israel with thee into the hands of the Philistines, and to-morrow thou and thy sons with thee shall fall, and the Lord shall deliver the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.

Matthew 6:7 (NET)	Matthew 6:7 (KJV)
When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles because they think that by their many words they will be heard.	But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Προσευχόμενοι δὲ μὴ βατταλογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί, δοκοῦσιν γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται	προσευχομενοι δε μη βαττολογησητε ωσπερ οι εθνικοι δοκουσιν γαρ οτι εν τη πολυλογια αυτων εισακουσθησονται	προσευχομενοι δε μη βαττολογησητε ωσπερ οι εθνικοι δοκουσιν γαρ οτι εν τη πολυλογια αυτων εισακουσθησονται

Matthew 7:22 (NET)	Matthew 7:22 (KJV)
On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many powerful deeds in your name?’	Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πολλοὶ ἐροῦσιν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ· κύριε κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ἐπροφητεύσαμεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δαιμόνια ἐξεβάλομεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν	πολλοι ερουσιν μοι εν εκεινη τη ημερα κυριε κυριε ου τω σω ονοματι προεφητευσαμεν και τω σω ονοματι δαιμονια εξεβαλομεν και τω σω ονοματι δυναμεις πολλας εποιησαμεν	πολλοι ερουσιν μοι εν εκεινη τη ημερα κυριε κυριε ου τω σω ονοματι προεφητευσαμεν και τω σω ονοματι δαιμονια εξεβαλομεν και τω σω ονοματι δυναμεις πολλας εποιησαμεν

Matthew 21:28 (NET)	Matthew 21:28 (KJV)
“What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’	But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τί δὲ ὑμῖν δοκεῖ; ἄνθρωπος εἶχεν τέκνα δύο. \|καὶ\| προσελθὼν τῷ πρώτῳ εἶπεν· τέκνον, ὕπαγε σήμερον ἐργάζου ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι	τι δε υμιν δοκει ανθρωπος ειχεν τεκνα δυο και προσελθων τω πρωτω ειπεν τεκνον υπαγε σημερον εργαζου εν τω αμπελωνι μου	τι δε υμιν δοκει ανθρωπος ειχεν τεκνα δυο και προσελθων τω πρωτω ειπεν τεκνον υπαγε σημερον εργαζου εν τω αμπελωνι μου

Matthew 21:30, 31 (NET)	Matthew 21:30, 31 (KJV)
The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go.	And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
προσελθὼν δὲ τῷ \|ἑτέρῳ\| εἶπεν ὡσαύτως. ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· \|ἐγώ, κύριε, καὶ οὐκ\| ἀπῆλθεν	και προσελθων τω δευτερω ειπεν ωσαυτως ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν εγω κυριε και ουκ απηλθεν	και προσελθων τω δευτερω ειπεν ωσαυτως ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν εγω κυριε και ουκ απηλθεν

Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, tax collectors and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!

Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τίς ἐκ τῶν δύο ἐποίησεν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός; λέγουσιν· ὁ \|πρῶτος\|. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι οἱ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι προάγουσιν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ	τις εκ των δυο εποιησεν το θελημα του πατρος λεγουσιν αυτω ο πρωτος λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους αμην λεγω υμιν οτι οι τελωναι και αι πορναι προαγουσιν υμας εις την βασιλειαν του θεου	τις εκ των δυο εποιησεν το θελημα του πατρος λεγουσιν αυτω ο πρωτος λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους αμην λεγω υμιν οτι οι τελωναι και αι πορναι προαγουσιν υμας εις την βασιλειαν του θεου

Luke 12:47 (NET)	Luke 12:47 (KJV)
That servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked will receive a severe beating.	And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ὁ δοῦλος ὁ γνοὺς τὸ θέλημα τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ καὶ μὴ ἑτοιμάσας ἢ ποιήσας πρὸς τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ δαρήσεται πολλάς	εκεινος δε ο δουλος ο γνους το θελημα του κυριου εαυτου και μη ετοιμασας μηδε ποιησας προς το θελημα αυτου δαρησεται πολλας	εκεινος δε ο δουλος ο γνους το θελημα του κυριου εαυτου και μη ετοιμασας μηδε ποιησας προς το θελημα αυτου δαρησεται πολλας

John 4:34 (NET)	John 4:34 (KJV)
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work.	Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐμὸν βρῶμα ἐστιν ἵνα ποιήσω τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντος με καὶ τελειώσω αὐτοῦ τὸ ἔργον	λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους εμον βρωμα εστιν ινα ποιω το θελημα του πεμψαντος με και τελειωσω αυτου το εργον	λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους εμον βρωμα εστιν ινα ποιω το θελημα του πεμψαντος με και τελειωσω αυτου το εργον

The Will of God – Jesus, Part 2

Back to Son of God – John, Part 5

Back to David’s Forgiveness, Part 12

Back to Prayer

Back to Romans, Part 60

Back to To Make Holy, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 23

Back to Son of God – John, Part 4

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 1

Back to Romans, Part 55

Back to Who Am I? Part 12

Back to Funeral, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 4

Back to Christianity, Part 7

Back to Who Am I? Part 17

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 3

¹ Mark 3:35 (NET); also Matthew 12:50 (NET)

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

³ Matthew 6:9, 10 (NET); also Luke 11:2 (KJV) but not (NET) Note in NET: “Most mss (א A C D W Θ Ψ 070 Ë¹³ 33^vid Ï it) read at the end of the verse ‘may your will be done on earth as [it is] in heaven,’ making this version parallel to Matt 6:10. The shorter reading is found, however, in weighty mss (Ì⁷⁵ B L pc), and cannot be easily explained as arising from the longer reading.”

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βατταλογήσητε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βαττολογησητε (KJV: use…vain repetitions).

⁵ Matthew 7:21 (NET) Table

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπροφητεύσαμεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προεφητευσαμεν (KJV: have we…prophesied).

⁷ Matthew 7:22, 23 (NET)

⁸ Romans 8:28b-30 (NET)

⁹ Leviticus 19:31 (NET)

¹⁰ Leviticus 20:27a (NET)

¹¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μου (KJV: my) following vineyard. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ following went, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) following it (KJV: came).

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

¹⁴ Matthew 21:28-31a (NET)

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτου.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μηδε (KJV: neither).

¹⁷ Luke 12:47, 48 (NET)

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ποιήσω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ποιω.

¹⁹ John 4:34 (NET)

²⁰ John 6:38 (NET) Table

²¹ John 5:30 (NET) Table

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

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

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

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