Category Archives: Keep Yourselves From Idols

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 3

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In another essay I began to consider the genders of Greek pronouns in Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV):

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

I was taught that faith, πίστεως, was excluded from the clause this is not your own doing because this, τοῦτο, is neuter and πίστεως is feminine. If that were true, however, it would exclude grace as well: Τῇ…χάριτι is also feminine. “In other words, both grace and faith would be your own doing…”1

My reasons for including grace in the clause this is not your own doing have nothing to do with the genders of Τῇ…χάριτι and τοῦτο, but with many other passages of Scripture and a not insignificant amount of personal experience.2

I began a New Testament survey of πίστεως to see if I could find other Scriptures that persuade “me that faith is of my own doing.” I’ll begin with the first occurrence of πίστεως I skipped accidentally in the previous essay (Acts 6:1-5 ESV):

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,3 “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore,4 brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit5 and of wisdom, whom we will appoint6 to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full7 of faith (πίστεως) and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

Here, men of good repute (μαρτυρουμένους, a passive form of μαρτυρέω) were further characterized as full of the Spirit (πλήρεις πνεύματος) and of wisdom (καὶ σοφίας).8 If any of you lacks wisdom (σοφίας, a form of σοφία), James wrote, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without9 reproach, and it will be given him.10 I have no way to gain wisdom from the Lord apart from the near continuous internal dialogue with his indwelling Spirit and his word. In fact, it is easiest to distinguish his Spirit from the clutter inside me when we are directly engaged with the Bible.

Stephen was full of faith (|πλήρης| πίστεως) and of the Holy Spirit (καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου).11 Here, full of faith precedes and of the Holy Spirit. This is probably more to the point. Once the Lord’s wisdom began to penetrate the thickness of my disbelief (or my self-belief and self-reliance), once I began to see that it was kind of stupid to rely on my faith when his was available to me through his indwelling Spirit, there was no more question that faith is not [my] own doing; it is the gift of God.12

To persist in relying on my own faith once I have learned from Him (Matthew 11:28-30) would indicate a chafing at his yoke, a refusal to be led by his Spirit (Galatians 5:13-18). I would be relying still on my own love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, trying still to manufacture my own joy and peace. I would be striving still to have a righteousness of my own derived from the law, rather than relying on the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.13 It would indicate an arrogant refusal to enter his rest (Hebrews 4:7-13), once I have received his Holy Spirit and learned from Him.

But what about before? Was the faith that received his Holy Spirit initially mine in the sense that it originated with me? Or was it mine in the sense that it was given to me? Jesus described the Holy Spirit as the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4, 5 ESV):

And while staying with them [Jesus] ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father (τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ πατρὸς), which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Not only was He God’s promise but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit was a statement of fact according to Jesus. The Greek word translated you will be baptized was βαπτισθήσεσθε, a passive form of βαπτίζω in the indicative mood. The only requirements stated were not to depart from Jerusalem (ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων μὴ χωρίζεσθαι) and to wait (περιμένειν, an infinitive form of περιμένω). Granted, He spoke to the apostles whom he had chosen (Acts 1:1, 2 ESV).

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up,14 after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

Given the apostles’ obedience to Jesus’ commands, it seems reasonable to assume some kind of faith here, but whose? [H]e had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles seems like an odd construction: ἐντειλάμενος, translated he had given commands (ESV), is a participle of ἐντέλλω in the middle voice:

The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action. In overly simplistic terms, sometimes the middle form of the verb could be translated as “the performer of the action actually acting upon himself” (reflexive action).

For example: “I am washing myself.” “I” is the subject of the sentence (performing the action of the verb) and yet “I” am also receiving the action of the verb. This is said to be in the “Middle Voice”. Many instances in the Greek are not this obvious and cannot be translated this literally.

Every form of ἐντέλλω that occurs in the New Testament is in the middle voice (see table below). None are in the active voice. In other words, such commands were meant to be obeyed with the authority and power of the one making them rather than that of those receiving them: τοῖς ἀποστόλοις is the indirect object, to the apostles, and finally, διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου, through (or “by” or “in the midst of”) the Holy Spirit. It is a fairly expressive description of what it means to be in Christ.

So, I have the Holy Spirit of God acting on behalf of the apostles (dare I say, in the apostles?) to carry out Jesus’ commands even before He indwells the apostles. I want to consider another example of a form of ἐντέλλω for comparison (Acts 13:44-48 ESV).

The next Sabbath almost the whole city [of Pisidian Antioch] gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him [Table]. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles [Table]. For so the Lord has commanded us (ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν), saying,

“‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed [Table].

Paul and Barnabas quoted from Isaiah 49:6 (see table below).

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 49:6 (Tanakh/KJV)

Isaiah 49:6 (NET)

Isaiah 49:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 49:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said, It is a light thing (נָקֵ֨ל) that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. he says, “Is it too insignificant a task (qālal, נקל) for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.” And he said to me, “It is a great thing (μέγα) for you to be called my servant so that you may set up the tribes of Iakob and turn back the dispersion of Israel. See, I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.” And he said to me, [It is] a great thing (μέγα) for thee to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

The part of this quotation Paul and Barnabas excluded, which was also excluded apparently from the Masoretic text and the NETS translation of the Septuagint, is quite telling: εἰς διαθήκην γένους, for the covenant of a race (English Elpenor), is only true of Jesus. Still, they were willing to quote the rest, which is also true of Jesus, under the heading: οὕτως γὰρ ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος, For so the Lord has commanded us (ESV). In other words, Paul and Barnabas recognized that the words of an ancient prophecy granted God’s authority and power to them to bring (or, be for) salvation to the ends of the earth.

The Lord said something similar to Ananias about Saul (aka Paul) (Acts 9:10-19a ESV).

Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem [Table]. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel [Table]. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus15 who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like16 scales fell from17 his eyes, and he regained his sight.18 Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened [Table].

Ananias, unaware as yet that the Lord had already arrested Saul (Acts 9:3-9), was concerned about the authority (ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) Saul had received (Acts 9:1, 2) from the chief priests to bind all who call on [Jesus’] name.19 But the Lord informed him of the good works, which God prepared beforehand, that [Saul, aka Paul] should walk in them:20 he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.21

Now there were22 in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch,23 and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them” [Table]. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus [Table]. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them. When they had gone through the whole24 island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain25 magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.26

Now Paul27 and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia.28

Here again, the Holy Spirit was instrumental in bringing Jesus’ words to Ananias to pass. There are two more issues I want to consider before concluding this essay. 

First, if I intend to take the middle voice of forms of ἐντέλλω seriously, I’m compelled to understand παρήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς in Acts 1:4, he ordered them (ESV), differently. The Greek word παρήγγειλεν is a form of παραγγέλλω: “to pass on a message, transmit a message, tell, communicate; to give orders, give a command, issue an order; to charge, command; to instruct, direct, order, advise; to summon (to appear), summon (to one’s help).” That Jesus “communicated to the apostles” what He was doing in and through them by his Holy Spirit honors both the middle voice of ἐντειλάμενος in Acts 1:2, he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen (ESV), and Jesus’ saying: No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.29

Finally, I want to spend a few moments considering and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed:30 καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγμένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

Since ἐπίστευσαν is a 3rd person singular form of πιστεύω, a more accurate translation might be: and [he] believed, as many as were appointed to eternal life. In other words, an individual’s faith was credited to being among those who enjoyed the continuing effect31 of having been appointed to eternal life. The Greek word translated appointed was τεταγμένοι, a participle of the verb τάσσω in the perfect tense and middle and passive voices: “to appoint; to give orders to; to indicate by way of instruction; to ordain; to prescribe; to indicate as binding, indicate as a standard or rule” (middle meaning); “to be set in array; to be well ordered; to be appointed” (passive meaning). This corresponds quite accurately to Jesus’ saying: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.32

But what of those who were not appointed to eternal life, were not drawn by the Father and did not believe? If I believe that they are eternally condemned I might be persuaded that their unbelief was their own choice. It’s a small step from there to believing that my faith was my own choice, perhaps even my own doing: Isn’t that the reason that I am saved and they are condemned?

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes (ὁ πιστεύων) in him (εἰς αὐτὸν) should not perish but have eternal life [Table]…Whoever believes in him is not condemned,33 but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.34

If, on the other hand, I take Jesus at his word—And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself35—I begin to hear the temporal nature of the passive meaning of τεταγμένοι: “to be set in array; to be well ordered; to be appointed.” Not all appointments are scheduled for the same moment in time. God’s sequencing, God’s timing for his own purposes, may go a long way to helping me understand my question: “Why did He give me his own Holy Spirit then [as a twenty-something atheist stoner] and not when I was five?”36

I’ll pick this up in another essay. According to a note (180) in the NET, Paul and Barnabas alluded to Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6. Tables comparing the Greek of their allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Acts 13:47b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 42:6b (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 42:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τέθεικα σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν ἔδωκά σε…εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν ἔδωκά σε…εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν

Acts 13:47b (NET)

Isaiah 42:6b (NETS)

Isaiah 42:6b (English Elpenor)
I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles I have given you…as a light to nations I have given thee…for a light of the Gentiles

What follows from Isaiah 49:6 seems more like a partial quotation than an allusion:

Acts 13:47b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 49:6b (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 49:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τέθεικα σε εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναι σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς δέδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς

Acts 13:47b (NET)

Isaiah 49:6b (NETS)

Isaiah 49:6b (English Elpenor)
I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth. I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

The table mentioned above follows. I have added “[to]” before pronouns to remind myself that they are indirect objects in the dative case.

Forms of ἐντέλλω in the New Testament
Reference NET Parallel Greek ESV
Matthew 28:20 πάντα ὅσα ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν all that I have commanded [to] you
Matthew 17:9 ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς Jesus commanded [to] them
Matthew 19:7 ὑμῖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο Moses command [to] one
Mark 10:3 ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Μωϋσῆς Moses command [to] you
Mark 13:34 τῷ θυρωρῷ ἐνετείλατο he…commands [to] the doorkeeper
John 8:5 |ἡμῖν| Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο Moses commanded [to] us
John 14:31 |ἐνετείλατο| μοι ὁ πατήρ the Father has commanded [to] me
Hebrews 9:20 ἐνετείλατο πρὸς ὑμᾶς ὁ θεός God commanded for you
Hebrews 11:22 ἐνετείλατο gave directions
Acts 1:2 ἐντειλάμενος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις he had given commands…to the apostles
Matthew 4:6 τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται He will command [to] his angels
Luke 4:10 τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται He will command [to] his angels
John 15:14 ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν I command [to] you
John 15:17 ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν I command [to] you
Acts 13:47 ἐντέταλται ἡμῖν ὁ κύριος the Lord has commanded [to] us

Tables comparing Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Acts 6:2, 3; 6:5; James 1:5; Acts 1:2; 9:17, 18; 13:1 and 13:6 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 42:6 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 42:6 (KJV)

Isaiah 42:6 (NET)
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; “I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people and a light to the nations,

Isaiah 42:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 42:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐκάλεσά σε ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ κρατήσω τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἐνισχύσω σε καὶ ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκάλεσά σε ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ κρατήσω τῆς χειρός σου καὶ ἐνισχύσω σε καὶ ἔδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν

Isaiah 42:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 42:6 (English Elpenor)
I, the Lord God, have called you in righteousness, and I will take hold of your hand and strengthen you; I have given you as a covenant to a race, as a light to nations, I the Lord God have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will strengthen thee: and I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles:

Isaiah 49:6 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 49:6 (KJV)

Isaiah 49:6 (NET)
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant, to reestablish the tribes of Jacob, and restore the remnant of Israel? I will make you a light to the nations, so you can bring my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 49:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπέν μοι μέγα σοί ἐστιν τοῦ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου τοῦ στῆσαι τὰς φυλὰς Ιακωβ καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν τοῦ Ισραηλ ἐπιστρέψαι ἰδοὺ τέθεικά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς καὶ εἶπέ μοι· μέγα σοί ἐστι τοῦ κληθῆναί σε παῖδά μου τοῦ στῆσαι τὰς φυλὰς ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπιστρέψαι· ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σε εἰς διαθήκην γένους, εἰς φῶς ἐθνῶν τοῦ εἶναί σε εἰς σωτηρίαν ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς

Isaiah 49:6 (NETS)

Isaiah 49:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said to me, “It is a great thing for you to be called my servant so that you may set up the tribes of Iakob and turn back the dispersion of Israel. See, I have made you a light of nations, that you may be for salvation to the end of the earth.” And he said to me, [It is] a great thing for thee to be called my servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob, and to recover the dispersion of Israel: behold, I have given thee for the covenant of a race, for a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth.

Acts 6:2, 3 (NET)

Acts 6:2, 3 (KJV)
So the twelve called the whole group of the disciples together and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Acts 6:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 6:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 6:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
προσκαλεσάμενοι δὲ οἱ δώδεκα τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν εἶπαν· οὐκ ἀρεστόν ἐστιν ἡμᾶς καταλείψαντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διακονεῖν τραπέζαις προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπον ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις προσκαλεσαμενοι δε οι δωδεκα το πληθος των μαθητων ειπον ουκ αρεστον εστιν ημας καταλειψαντας τον λογον του θεου διακονειν τραπεζαις
But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Acts 6:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 6:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 6:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπισκέψασθε δέ, ἀδελφοί, ἄνδρας ἐξ ὑμῶν μαρτυρουμένους ἑπτά, πλήρεις πνεύματος καὶ σοφίας, οὓς καταστήσομεν ἐπὶ τῆς χρείας ταύτης επισκεψασθε ουν αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος αγιου και σοφιας ους καταστησομεν επι της χρειας ταυτης επισκεψασθε ουν αδελφοι ανδρας εξ υμων μαρτυρουμενους επτα πληρεις πνευματος αγιου και σοφιας ους καταστησωμεν επι της χρειας ταυτης

Acts 6:5 (NET)

Acts 6:5 (KJV)
The proposal pleased the entire group, so they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a Gentile convert to Judaism from Antioch. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

Acts 6:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 6:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 6:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους καὶ ἐξελέξαντο Στέφανον, ἄνδρα |πλήρης| πίστεως καὶ πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ Φίλιππον καὶ Πρόχορον καὶ Νικάνορα καὶ Τίμωνα καὶ Παρμενᾶν καὶ Νικόλαον προσήλυτον Ἀντιοχέα και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρη πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον παντος του πληθους και εξελεξαντο στεφανον ανδρα πληρης πιστεως και πνευματος αγιου και φιλιππον και προχορον και νικανορα και τιμωνα και παρμεναν και νικολαον προσηλυτον αντιοχεα

James 1:5 (NET)

James 1:5 (KJV)
But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

James 1:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

James 1:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

James 1:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἰ δέ τις ὑμῶν λείπεται σοφίας, αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς καὶ μὴ ὀνειδίζοντος καὶ δοθήσεται αὐτῷ ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και μη ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω ει δε τις υμων λειπεται σοφιας αιτειτω παρα του διδοντος θεου πασιν απλως και ουκ ονειδιζοντος και δοθησεται αυτω

Acts 1:2 (NET)

Acts 1:2 (KJV)
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after he had given orders by the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Acts 1:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 1:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 1:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας ἐντειλάμενος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις διὰ πνεύματος ἁγίου οὓς ἐξελέξατο ἀνελήμφθη αχρι ης ημερας εντειλαμενος τοις αποστολοις δια πνευματος αγιου ους εξελεξατο ανεληφθη αχρι ης ημερας εντειλαμενος τοις αποστολοις δια πνευματος αγιου ους εξελεξατο ανεληφθη

Acts 9:17, 18 (NET)

Acts 9:17, 18 (KJV)
So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 9:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 9:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)<

Acts 9:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀπῆλθεν δὲ Ἁνανίας καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ ἐπιθεὶς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας εἶπεν· Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ, ὁ κύριος ἀπέσταλκεν με, Ἰησοῦς ὁ ὀφθείς σοι ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ᾗ ἤρχου, ὅπως ἀναβλέψῃς καὶ πλησθῇς πνεύματος ἁγίου απηλθεν δε ανανιας και εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν και επιθεις επ αυτον τας χειρας ειπεν σαουλ αδελφε ο κυριος απεσταλκεν με ιησους ο οφθεις σοι εν τη οδω η ηρχου οπως αναβλεψης και πλησθης πνευματος αγιου απηλθεν δε ανανιας και εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν και επιθεις επ αυτον τας χειρας ειπεν σαουλ αδελφε ο κυριος απεσταλκεν με ο οφθεις σοι εν τη οδω η ηρχου οπως αναβλεψης και πλησθης πνευματος αγιου
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

Acts 9:18 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 9:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 9:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εὐθέως ἀπέπεσαν αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὡς λεπίδες, ἀνέβλεψεν τε καὶ ἀναστὰς ἐβαπτίσθη και ευθεως απεπεσον απο των οφθαλμων αυτου ωσει λεπιδες ανεβλεψεν τε παραχρημα και αναστας εβαπτισθη και ευθεως απεπεσον απο των οφθαλμων αυτου ωσει λεπιδες ανεβλεψεν τε παραχρημα και αναστας εβαπτισθη

Acts 13:1 (NET)

Acts 13:1 (KJV)
Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius the Cyrenian, Manaen (a close friend of Herod the tetrarch from childhood) and Saul. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

Acts 13:1 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 13:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 13:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
῏Ησαν δὲ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ κατὰ τὴν οὖσαν ἐκκλησίαν προφῆται καὶ διδάσκαλοι ὅ τε Βαρναβᾶς καὶ Συμεὼν ὁ καλούμενος Νίγερ καὶ Λούκιος ὁ Κυρηναῖος, Μαναήν (τε Ἡρῴδου τοῦ τετραάρχου σύντροφος) καὶ Σαῦλος ησαν δε τινες εν αντιοχεια κατα την ουσαν εκκλησιαν προφηται και διδασκαλοι ο τε βαρναβας και συμεων ο καλουμενος νιγερ και λουκιος ο κυρηναιος μαναην τε ηρωδου του τετραρχου συντροφος και σαυλος ησαν δε τινες εν αντιοχεια κατα την ουσαν εκκλησιαν προφηται και διδασκαλοι ο τε βαρναβας και συμεων ο καλουμενος νιγερ και λουκιος ο κυρηναιος μαναην τε ηρωδου του τετραρχου συντροφος και σαυλος

Acts 13:6 (NET)

Acts 13:6 (KJV)
When they had crossed over the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus, And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Acts 13:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 13:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 13:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Διελθόντες δὲ ὅλην τὴν νῆσον ἄχρι Πάφου εὗρον ἄνδρα τινὰ μάγον ψευδοπροφήτην Ἰουδαῖον ᾧ ὄνομα |Βαριησοῦ| διελθοντες δε την νησον αχρι παφου ευρον τινα μαγον ψευδοπροφητην ιουδαιον ω ονομα βαριησους διελθοντες δε την νησον αχρι παφου ευρον τινα μαγον ψευδοπροφητην ιουδαιον ω ονομα βαριησους

4 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δέ (NET: But) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Wherefore).

5 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγιου following Spirit (KJV: Holy Ghost). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

7 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had πλήρης, a masculine or feminine singular adjective in the nominative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πληρη, a neuter plural adjective in the nominative or accusative case, or a masculine or feminine singular adjective in the accusative case. Faith (πίστεως) is feminine and Spirit (πνεύματος) is neuter.

8 Acts 6:3 (ESV)

10 James 1:5 (ESV)

11 Acts 6:5b (ESV)

12 Ephesians 2:8b (ESV) Table

13 Philippians 3:9b (NET)

14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀνελήμφθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανεληφθη. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

17 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπέπεσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεπεσον. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

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

19 Acts 9:14 (ESV)

20 Ephesians 2:10b (ESV)

21 Acts 9:15b (ESV) Table

22 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τινες (KJV: certain) near the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

23 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τετραάρχου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τετραρχου. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

25 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἄνδρα preceding a certain (NET: a magician). The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

27 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding Paul. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

28 Acts 13:13, 14a (ESV) Table

29 John 15:15 (ESV)

30 Acts 13:48b (ESV) Table

31 “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.” From “Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

32 John 6:44a (ESV) Table

34 John 3:16, 18 (ESV)

35 John 12:32 (ESV)

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 2

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I mentioned in another essay how difficult it is for me to recognize when I’m worshiping an idol. This essay will be somewhat exploratory because I suspect that there is an idol in here somewhere. I’m just not entirely sure where as I begin.

In a Bible study on the book of James my Pastor quoted from Ephesians (Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV):

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Sometime later, as we shared a meal, I said that it was nice to hear those verses without the customary caveat. He didn’t know what I was talking about. I explained that this and faith were different genders in Greek, and so faith was excluded from the phrase not your own doing. He had never heard such a thing and pulled up the verses on his phone. I admitted I didn’t really believe it any more in any practical way but that I had heard it all my life, and that it still came to mind whenever I considered Ephesians 2:8.

He said it didn’t make any sense: yes, τοῦτο, translated this (ESV), is neuter and πίστεως, translated faith (ESV), is feminine, but so is χάριτι, translated grace (ESV). I said I should probably look more deeply into it. So, here I go.

First, χάριτι in the text was actually Τῇ…χάριτι, translated by grace (ESV) because both words are in the dative case. The example cited in GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) was, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.1 Here τῇ προσευχῇ and τῇ δεήσει were translated by prayer and [by] supplication respectively because all are in the dative case.

The Greek words translated faith were πίστεως in the NET parallel Greek text and NA28, and της πιστεως in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.2 My Pastor was right: If πίστεως is excluded from this (τοῦτο) is not your own doing,3 because πίστεως is feminine and τοῦτο is neuter, then Τῇ…χάριτι should be excluded for the same reason. In other words, both grace and faith would be your own doing (ἐξ ὑμῶν); literally, “out from you.”

In another essay I wrote: “I’m not qualified to engage that argument,” thinking, I suppose, that it was too esoteric for my current knowledge of Koine Greek. But now it appears that I was just too lazy to engage the text. My reasons for including grace in the clause this is not your own doing have nothing to do with the genders of Τῇ…χάριτι and τοῦτο, but with many other passages of Scripture and a not insignificant amount of personal experience. I cannot exclude faith solely on the basis of the gender of πίστεως and της.

Are there other Scriptures that persuade me that faith is of my own doing? I’ll begin with a New Testament survey of πίστεως4 (Acts 11:19-24 ESV).

Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen (Acts 8:1-3) traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord [Table]. The report of this came to the ears of the church in5 Jerusalem,6 and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose [Table], for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.

The Greek words translated who believed in—and a great number who believed turned to the Lord7—were ὁ πιστεύσας in the NET parallel Greek text and NA28, and simply πιστευσας in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text (KJV: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord). Adding ὁ to πιστεύσας (a participle of the verb πιστεύω) leaves the possibility open that some who believed had not yet turned (ἐπέστρεψεν, a form of ἐπιστρέφω) to the Lord (Matthew 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15).

What interests me more in this context is: And the hand of the Lord was with them:8 καὶ ἦν χεὶρ κυρίου μετ᾿ αὐτῶν. The pronoun αὐτῶν is masculine, feminine and neuter, and most likely9 refers back to the Hellenists (τοὺς Ἑλληνιστὰς) and forward to a great number who believed: πολύς τε ἀριθμὸς ὁ πιστεύσας. In other words, the hand of the Lord is cited preceding the faith of a great number of the Hellenists. Was Luke simply being polite to the Lord when the actual situation was that the faith of a great number of the Hellenists was of their own doing?

When [Barnabas] came and saw the grace (τὴν χάριν) of God, he was glad.10 What was the grace of God that Barnabas saw (ἰδὼν, a form of εἴδω)? he exhorted [the great number of the Hellenists who believed] to remain faithful (προσμένειν, an infinitive form of προσμένω) to the Lord with steadfast purpose.11 It sounds as if Luke attributed their faith to the grace of God. Was he puffing God up with false praise when the actual situation was that the faith of a great number of the Hellenists was of their own doing?

The text continued: for [Barnabas] was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.12 The Greek word translated faith here was πίστεως, a form of the noun πίστις. Being full of the Holy Spirit (πλήρης πνεύματος ἁγίου) precedes being full of faith. This makes sense since πίστις, translated faithfulness (ESV), is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law13…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].14

Since I am making so much of the word order, should I assume that Barnabas was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith because he was a good man (ἦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς)? I’ve made that assumption before. It’s not false unless I’m thinking causatively: goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη) is another aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. So I assume now that Luke and the Holy Spirit used full of the Holy Spirit and of faith to clarify their intended meaning: for he was a good man.15 And a great many people were added to the Lord.16

This is not my experience. I don’t see a great many people…added to the Lord in my immediate vicinity. I won’t blame the hand of the Lord. That leaves: I am not a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. I’ll own that and continue to Do [my] best to present [myself] to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.17 But If I rejected that diagnosis, would I blame those who are dead in…trespasses and sins for their lack of faith in Christ?

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins [Table] in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind [Table].18

So, blaming them would depend, I suppose, on who I credit for making me alive together with Christ.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace (τῆς χάριτος αὐτοῦ) in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus [Table].19

Approached in this way it becomes quite telling that my faith and my works are absent here: This is about God’s mercy, God’s great love, God made us alive together with Christ (συνεζωοποίησεν τῷ Χριστῷ) by God’s grace, God raised us up with him (συνήγειρεν, a form of συνεγείρω) and seated us with him (συνεκάθισεν, a form of συγκαθίζω) in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why? For his own purpose: so that in the coming ages he might show (ἐνδείξηται, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) the immeasurable riches of his grace.

There is nothing uncertain about so that…he might show: ἐνδείξηται is a subjunctive form of ἐνδείκνυμι in a purpose clause: “the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”20 The only uncertainty here is why English translators persist in their refusal to translate Greek verbs in the subjunctive mood in purpose or result clauses into English. But when does/did all of this happen?

The verbs συνεζωοποίησεν, συνήγειρεν, συνεκάθισεν and even ἐνδείξηται are in the aorist tense and συνεζωοποίησεν, συνήγειρεν and συνεκάθισεν are in the indicative mood:

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time. In the indicative mood the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time, often translated like the English simple past tense.

For example: “God…made us alive together with Christ.” Eph 2:5

“He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:621

When I begin to perceive any of this as true corresponds to when I received the Holy Spirit. When I as a five-year-old child prayed a sinner’s prayer to Jesus to escape from burning in hell for all eternity, nothing happened except that I believed I didn’t need to fear hell.22 When I as a twenty-something atheist stoner prayed, “If you’re really out there, I really want to know you,”23 the Holy Spirit invaded my ψυχή: “soul, life, creature, living being, physical life, life-force; corpse, dead person; an individual person.”

I didn’t think much of the Gospel then. Been there, done that, I thought. The Gospel just didn’t work out for me. This time I was going to do it right. The objective truth of the Bible was irrelevant to me. Its truth was like that of a contract. There were things for me to do and things God would do in exchange. He knew what the contract I held in my hand said, and so could I.24

In no objective sense did I as a twenty-something atheist stoner turn in faith to Jesus Christ. I was more like a bibliolater standing before the Bible as Israel stood before Mount Sinai, saying, All that the LORD has spoken [I] will do.25 I didn’t keep my promise. He certainly knew I couldn’t keep my promise. Why did He give me his own Holy Spirit then and not when I was five?

I want to pause here to compile a brief dossier on Barnabas (Acts 4:33-37; 9:26-31; 11:22, 25, 26 ESV):

And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet [Table].

And when [Paul, aka Saul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple [Table]. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him [Table]. And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied [Table].

The report of this (Acts 11:19-21) came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul [aka Paul], and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians [Table].

The people who tried to lead the five-year-old me to the Lord, led me to atheism instead. It was certainly not their intent, just a fact. The twenty-something bibliolater me went back to the same church of the very same people, believing they were right and I was wrong. The difference? I was about twenty years older, but more to the point, I had been given the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. When I heard teaching or preaching the Holy Spirit brought other Scriptures to my mind. Sometimes those Scriptures agreed with what was taught or preached. That was a good day. Sometimes they did not. But I was studying the Bible on my own with the Holy Spirit, the Father and his Son. Eventually, Paul’s writings, writings that may never have been written (Acts 13:1-3) if Barnabas had not gone to Tarsus to look for Saul and brought him to Antioch, led me to Jesus. It is impossible for me to credit all of this to my faith or my effort, though I cannot imagine it transpiring apart from both.

The solution I return to over and over is:

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed (ὑπηκούσατε , a form of ὑπακούω) so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation (τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν κατεργάζεσθε) with fear and trembling, for it is God who works (ὁ ἐνεργῶν) in you, both to will (τὸ θέλειν) and to work (τὸ ἐνεργεῖν) for his good pleasure (τῆς εὐδοκίας) [Table].26

I’ll pick this up in another essay. A table comparing Acts 11:22 in the NET and KJV follows.

Acts 11:22 (NET)

Acts 11:22 (KJV)
A report about them came to the attention of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.

Acts 11:22 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 11:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 11:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἠκούσθη δὲ ὁ λόγος εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς οὔσης ἐν Ἰερουσαλὴμ περὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐξαπέστειλαν Βαρναβᾶν ἕως Ἀντιοχείας ηκουσθη δε ο λογος εις τα ωτα της εκκλησιας της εν ιεροσολυμοις περι αυτων και εξαπεστειλαν βαρναβαν διελθειν εως αντιοχειας ηκουσθη δε ο λογος εις τα ωτα της εκκλησιας της εν ιεροσολυμοις περι αυτων και εξαπεστειλαν βαρναβαν διελθειν εως αντιοχειας

1 Philippians 4:6 (ESV)

2 For a brief discussion of these textural differences see αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 2 .

3 Ephesians 2:8b (ESV) Table

4 I’ll return to consider Acts 6:5 in another essay.

5 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τῆς οὔσης ἐν (“that was in”) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της εν.

7 Acts 11:21b (ESV) Table

8 Acts 11:21a (ESV) Table

9 Perhaps I should say, “is in closest proximity to.” I can’t eliminate the possibility that αὐτῶν also refers to some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke…preaching the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:20 ESV), but then the hand of the Lord seems more laissez faire, not opposed to them, rather than the cause of what transpired.

10 Acts 11:23a (ESV) Table

11 Acts 11:23b (ESV) Table

12 Acts 11:24 (ESV)

13 Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

14 Galatians 5:22, 23 (ESV)

15 Acts 11:24a (ESV)

16 Acts 11:24b (ESV)

17 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

18 Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

19 Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV)

25 Exodus 19:8b (ESV) Table

26 Philippians 2:12, 13 (ESV)

Keep Yourselves From Idols, Part 1

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I don’t worship statues, I thought, when I first encountered the end of John’s letter: Little children, keep yourselves1 from idols.2 It might be easier if I did, not necessarily the keeping part: Prostrating myself before some statue in some temple on a cold stone floor, naked, sounds kinky. I like it. But it would be easier to recognize when I was doing it.

I’ve been home a lot recently, able to attend church and Bible study. The Pastor’s sermon series was on Genesis and the Bible study was an in depth look and discussion. I became increasingly uncomfortable with where my mind was going, especially in the 3rd chapter of Genesis. I had stopped treating it like the word of God and had begun to treat it like a Delphic Oracle that I could or should outsmart somehow.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:16, 17 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (NETS)

Genesis 2:16, 17 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem G-d commanded the man (הָֽאָדָ֖ם), saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; [Table] Then the Lord God commanded the man (‘āḏām, האדם), “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, And the Lord God commanded Adam (τῷ Αδαμ), saying, “You shall eat for food of every tree that is in the orchard, [Table] And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam (τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ), saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die’ [Table]. but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death” [Table]. but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil– of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.

Genesis 3:6 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:6 (NET)

Genesis 3:6 (NETS)

Genesis 3:6 (English Elpenor)
And when the woman (הָֽאִשָּׁ֡ה) saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight (תַֽאֲוָה) to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired (וְנֶחְמָ֤ד) to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat [Table]. When the woman (‘iššâ, האשה) saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive (ta’ăvâ, תאוה) to the eye, and was desirable (ḥāmaḏ, ונחמד) for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. And the woman (ἡ γυνὴ) saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasing (ἀρεστὸν) for the eyes to look at and it was beautiful (ὡραῗόν) to contemplate, and when she had taken of its fruit she ate, and she also gave some to her husband with her, and they ate [Table]. And the woman (ἡ γυνή) saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant (ἀρεστὸν) to the eyes to look upon and beautiful (ὡραῖόν) to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate.

I focused on the woman because that was where the text gives the most hope for understanding why this happened. The man’s motivations were more inscrutable or inanely mundane: “This is the food my wife gave me, so I ate it.”3 There are two different words for desire in the Masoretic text leading to the moment the woman took of its fruit and ate.4 A note (18) in the NET translated the Hebrew: “that good was the tree for food, and that desirable it was to the eyes, and desirable was the tree to make one wise.”

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint didn’t choose any forms of θέλω or θέλημα for these words. Rather, they chose ἀρεστὸν (a form of ἀρεστός) for תַֽאֲוָה (ta’ăvâ), and ὡραῖόν (a form of ὡραῖος) for וְנֶחְמָ֤ד (ḥāmaḏ). But who cares about the Septuagint? Let’s just go with it. This happened because the woman exercised her free will, even if the man just followed her lead.

Let me get naked and prostrate myself before free will to see if I can recognize that I am naked and prostrate before a man-made idol: The first thing that occurs to me is that free will must be evil, since it caused the woman to disobey God’s command. Well, I don’t like being naked and prostrate before something evil, so the first thing I’ll do is add free will to God’s word.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 1:27, 28 (Tanakh)

Genesis 1:27, 28 (NET)

Genesis 1:27, 28 (NETS)

Genesis 1:27, 28 (English Elpenor)
And G-d created man (הָֽאָדָם֙) in His own image, in the image of G-d created He him; male (זָכָ֥ר) and female (וּנְקֵבָ֖ה) created He them [Table]. God created humankind (‘āḏām, האדם) in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male (zāḵār, זכר) and female (nᵊqēḇâ, ונקבה) he created them. And God made humankind (τὸν ἄνθρωπον); according to divine image he made it; male (ἄρσεν) and female (καὶ θῆλυ) he made them [Table]. And God made man (τὸν ἄνθρωπον), according to the image of God he made him, male (ἄρσεν) and female (καὶ θῆλυ) he made them.
And G-d blessed them; [and gave them free will] 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’ [Table]. God blessed them [and gave them free will] 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.” And God blessed them [and gave them free will], 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” [Table]. And God blessed them [and gave them free will], 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.

Now that free will has been given by God, it needs some power and purpose. Otherwise, why would I prostrate myself naked before it? Just kinky fun? No, it was not just that free will prompted the woman to disobey God, she might have obeyed God of her own free will. There’s no evidence for that in the text, but what good is free will if it is incapable of obedience?

So now, I can use my idol to judge God: If the woman’s God-given free will lacked the power, authority, whatever, to make it possible for her to have obeyed God, then God was unfair, vindictive, evil in a word. God is not evil. Therefore by free will human beings may choose righteousness and obedience. The woman might have rewritten the whole story if she had directed her free will toward righteousness and obedience rather than sin and disobedience.

About this time I recognized that I’d been here before.5

God promised Solomon a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you1—in the dream. But Solomon broke every law God gave the kings of Israel while wide-awake. Surely Solomon’s alleged wisdom was grossly overstated!

Okay, enough of this self-righteous snit. You notice what just happened. I’m all up in arms because the wise and discerning mind God allegedly gave Solomon was neither wise enough nor discerning enough to protect Solomon from falling afoul of the laws God gave the kings of Israel. I reasoned that God-given discernment at a minimum should have made the king wise enough to follow God’s rules for kings, or God-given discernment can’t be discernment given by God. It must have been only a dream.

There is a significant difference between the wise and discerning mind God gave to Solomon and the woman’s free will. The wise and discerning mind is stated explicitly:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

1 Kings 3:11, 12 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 3:11, 12 (NET)

3 Reigns 3:11, 12 (NETS)

3 Kings 3:11, 12 (English Elpenor)
And God said unto [Solomon], Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; [Table] God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies, And the Lord said to him, “Because you requested this thing from me and did not request for yourself many days and did not request riches and did not request lives of your enemies but requested for yourself understanding to listen to judgment, [Table] And the Lord said to him, Because thou hast asked this thing of me, and hast not asked for thyself long life, and hast not asked wealth, nor hast asked the lives of thine enemies, but hast asked for thyself understanding to hear judgment;
Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise (חָכָ֣ם) and an understanding (וְנָב֔וֹן) heart (לֵב); so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee [Table]. I grant your request and give you a wise (ḥāḵām, חכם) and discerning (bîn, ונבון) mind (lēḇ, לב) superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you. behold, I have done according to your word; behold, I have given you a prudent (φρονίμην) and wise (καὶ σοφήν) heart (καρδίαν); like you there has not been before you, and after you there shall not arise similar to you [Table]. behold, I have done according to thy word: behold, I have given thee an understanding (φρονίμην) and wise (καὶ σοφήν) heart (καρδίαν): there has not been [any one] like thee before thee, and after thee there shall not arise one like thee.

On the other hand, the woman’s free will was an inference derived from two Hebrew words that can mean desire. Eventually, I had to come to terms with Solomon’s wealth and his God-given wise and discerning mind.6

[Solomon’s wealth] which is at least possible to measure, has been coupled in a promise with a wise and discerning mind1 which is difficult to measure. Solomon’s wealth is hard to deny (whether I argue with the superlative degree of it or not)…

Is it possible that a wise and discerning mind given by God, would not be wise or discerning enough to prevent Solomon’s disobedience to God’s laws? That’s what the Bible seems to be saying here. And Solomon’s wealth is sort of the kicker to make that point.

God judged his creation very good.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 1:31a (Tanakh)

Genesis 1:31a (NET)

Genesis 1:31a (NETS)

Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor)
And G-d saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very (מְאֹ֑ד) good (ט֖וֹב) [Table]. God saw all that he had made—and it was very (mᵊ’ōḏ, מאד) good (ṭôḇ, טוב)! And God saw all the things that he had made, and see, they were exceedingly good (καλὰ λίαν) [Table]. And God saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very good (καλὰ λίαν).

Is it possible that a creation (including the woman, the man and the serpent) judged very good (Tanakh, KJV, NET, English Elpenor) or exceedingly good (NETS) by God would not be good enough to prevent the woman’s, the man’s or the serpent’s disobedience to God’s one commandment? That’s what the Bible seems to be saying here.

We imagine that the woman, the man and the serpent knew God better than we do, that they saw Him as they conversed with Him. The Hebrew word מִפְּנֵי֙ (pānîm) does occur in the text, translated ἀπὸ προσώπου (Septuagint), from the presence (Tanakh, KJV, NETS), from (NET) and from the face (English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 3:8, 10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 3:8, 10 (NET)

Genesis 3:8, 10 (NETS)

Genesis 3:8, 10 (English Elpenor)
And they heard (וַיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ) the voice (ק֨וֹל) of HaShem G-d walking (מִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ) in the garden (בַּגָּ֖ן) toward the cool (לְר֣וּחַ) of the day (הַיּ֑וֹם); and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence (מִפְּנֵי֙) of HaShem G-d amongst the trees of the garden [Table]. Then the man and his wife heard (šāmaʿ, וישמעו) the sound (qôl, קול) of the Lord God moving about (hālaḵ, מתהלך) in the orchard (gan, בגן) at the breezy time (rûaḥ, לרוח) of the day (yôm, היום), and they hid from (pānîm, מפני) the Lord God among the trees of the orchard. And they heard (καὶ ἤκουσαν) the sound (τὴν φωνὴν) of the Lord God walking about (περιπατοῦντος) in the orchard (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ) in the evening (τὸ δειλινόν), and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence (ἀπὸ προσώπου) of the Lord God in the midst of the timber of the orchard [Table]. And they heard (Καὶ ἤκουσαν) the voice (τῆς φωνῆς) of the Lord God walking (περιπατοῦντος) in the garden (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ) in the afternoon (τὸ δειλινόν); and both Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face (ἀπὸ προσώπου) of the Lord God in the midst of the trees of the garden.
And [Adam] said: ‘I heard (שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי) Thy voice (קֹֽלְךָ֥) in the garden (בַּגָּ֑ן), and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself’ [Table]. The man replied, “I heard (šāmaʿ, שמעתי) you moving about (qôl, קלך) in the orchard (gan, בגן), and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” And he said to him, “I heard (ἤκουσα) the sound of you (τὴν φωνήν σου) walking about (περιπατοῦντος) in the orchard (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ), and I was afraid, because I am naked, and I hid myself” [Table]. And he said to him, I heard (ἤκουσα) thy voice (τῆς φωνῆς σου) as thou walkedst (περιπατοῦντος) in the garden (ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ), and I feared because I was naked and I hid myself.

A quick survey of the occurrences of מפני (pānîm) in the early chapters of Genesis, which I won’t undertake here, makes it difficult to believe that it was meant to imply that the woman, the man or the serpent literally saw God’s face. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.7 So, we imagine that they saw Jesus. Nude? The woman doesn’t strike me as one who would need to eat forbidden fruit to realize she was naked if she had already seen Jesus in shiny white clothes. All the text says is that they heard his words and knew that He responded to their words.

The Lord God’s voice…walking in the garden (Tanakh/KJV/English Elpenor) is a curious turn of phrase. I suppose it could be understood as “the voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden.” But it seems to explain the alternative translations: the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard (NET) and the sound of the Lord God walking about in the orchard (NETS).

The Hebrew words לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ) הַיּ֑וֹם (yôm), which I suppose would literally translate, “in” or “toward the spirit of the day,” were translated various ways: toward the cool of the day (Tanakh), in the cool of the day (KJV), at the breezy time of the day (NET), in the evening (NETS) and in the afternoon (English Elpenor). In the Tanakh on chabad.org it was understood as the direction the Lord’s voice walked: to the direction of the sun.8 And despite the fact that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose no form of πνεῦμα for לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ) here, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words to Nicodemus (John 3:5-8 ESV):

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit (πνεύματος), he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Table]. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit (πνεύματος) is spirit (πνεῦμα). Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind (πνεῦμα) blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound (τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ), but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit (πνεύματος).”

Jesus’ comfort level with the interplay of spirit and wind calms me and encourages me to think that the woman, the man and the serpent communed with a voice in the wind or a voice in the Spirit. I assume then that the face or presence of the Lord was their perception of proximity to that voice. But the NET translation of לְר֣וּחַ (rûaḥ), at the breezy time, seems to be more of a hedge translation, taking no sides as it were whether God came to them calmly or furiously:

The expression is traditionally rendered “cool of the day,” because the Hebrew word רוּחַ (ruakh) can mean “wind.” U. Cassuto (Genesis: From Adam to Noah, 152-54) concludes after lengthy discussion that the expression refers to afternoon when it became hot and the sun was beginning to decline. J. J. Niehaus (God at Sinai [SOTBT], 155-57) offers a different interpretation of the phrase, relating יוֹם (yom, usually understood as “day”) to an Akkadian cognate umu (“storm”) and translates the phrase “in the wind of the storm.” If Niehaus is correct, then God is not pictured as taking an afternoon stroll through the orchard, but as coming in a powerful windstorm to confront the man and woman with their rebellion. In this case קוֹל יְהוָה (qol yehvah, “sound of the Lord”) may refer to God’s thunderous roar, which typically accompanies his appearance in the storm to do battle or render judgment (e.g., see Ps 29).

Though they knew Him in some sense, knowing God means more than hearing his voice and disobeying Him.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Psalm 9:10 (Tanakh/KJV)

Psalm 9:10 (NET)

Psalm 9:11 (NETS)

Psalm 9:11 (English Elpenor)
And they that know (יֽוֹדְעֵ֣י) thy name (שְׁמֶ֑ךָ) will put their trust (וְיִבְטְח֣וּ) in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Your loyal followers trust in you, [NET note 21: Heb “and the ones who know (yāḏaʿ, יודעי) your name (šēm, שמך) trust (bāṭaḥ, ויבטחו) in you”] for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help. And let those who know (γινώσκοντες) your name (τὸ ὄνομά σου) hope (ἐλπισάτωσαν) in you, because you did not forsake those who seek you, O Lord. And let them that know (γινώσκοντες) thy name (τὸ ὄνομά σου) hope (ἐλπισάτωσαν) in thee: for thou, O Lord, hast not failed them that diligently seek thee.

The Hebrew word שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (šēm), translated thy name (Tanakh, KJV) and your name (NET), might have been translated your reputation, your fame or your glory. The Greek translation of שְׁמֶ֑ךָ (šēm) τὸ ὄνομά σου—your name (NETS) and thy name (English Elpenor)—might have been translated your reputation, your fame or news of you. The Hebrew word וְיִבְטְח֣וּ (bāṭaḥ), will put their trust (Tanakh, KJV) and trust (NET), was translated ἐλπισάτωσαν in the Septuagint, hope (BLB, Elpenor). But ἐλπισάτωσαν might have been translated have confident assurance, be confident or put trust.

A note on the root word ἐλπίζω in the Koine Greek Lexicon online reads:

Does not mean “to hope” in the sense of “longing for” or “wishing”; but of “confident assurance.”

The serpent trusted (Genesis 3:4, 5) his own partially true knowledge rather than God’s command. The woman trusted (Genesis 3:6) the serpent’s knowledge and her own desires rather than God’s command. The man trusted (Genesis 3:6) his wife rather than God’s command. Though I hadn’t seen it before, Paul may have written the best summation of what transpired in the garden (Romans 1:18-21 NET).

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal9 power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made (Genesis 1-2). So people are without excuse. For although they knew (γνόντες, a form of γινώσκω) God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their senseless hearts were darkened [Table].

Paul also wrote (1 Corinthians 8:2, 3 NET):

If10 someone thinks he knows11 something, he does not yet12 know13 to the degree that he needs to know (γνῶναι, another form of γινώσκω). But if someone loves (ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω) God, he is known (ἔγνωσται, another form of γινώσκω) by God.

Rather than inventing a category free will along with a lot of convoluted arguments, it seems to make more sense to stick with desire: the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit.14 The Greek word translated the desires was ἐπιθυμεῖ, an indicative form of the verb ἐπιθυμέω in the active voice and present tense. In other words, “the flesh desires against the Spirit.” Accepting the truth of this statement, even in the garden where everything was very good, cuts through a lot of unnecessary intellectual clutter.

So, the flesh desiring against the Spirit of God was the cause of sin, rather than its result, as James wrote (James 1:13-15 ESV):

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,”15 for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire (τῆς ἰδίας ἐπιθυμίας). Then desire (ἡ ἐπιθυμία) when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 

God cannot be tempted with evil. I take that to heart, for I can imagine an argument that God didn’t need to give free will to human beings in any explicit way, it was simply bequeathed as a part of his image. But if God cannot be tempted by evil, He doesn’t possess free will in any sense that is most meaningful to human beings. Apart from the ability to be tempted with evil, free will loses all its explanatory power, and most of its appeal, for human beings.

It is written in the prophets, Jesus said, ‘And they will all be taught (διδακτοὶ, a form of διδακτός) by God.’ Everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to me.16 And that’s what God continued to do for the woman and the man in their time, and continues to do for any who read his words in the Bible any time. Paradise may be lost, but the Garden of Eden was only a shadow of the good things to come.17

Tables comparing Psalm 9:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the Greek of Psalm 9:10 (9:11) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 John 5:21; Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 8:2 and James 1:13 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 9:10 (Tanakh)

Psalm 9:10 (KJV)

Psalm 9:10 (NET)
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Your loyal followers trust in you, for you, Lord, do not abandon those who seek your help.

Psalm 9:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 9:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλπισάτωσαν ἐπὶ σὲ οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε κύριε καὶ ἐλπισάτωσαν ἐπὶ σοὶ οἱ γινώσκοντες τὸ ὄνομά σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκατέλιπες τοὺς ἐκζητοῦντάς σε, Κύριε

Psalm 9:11 (NETS)

Psalm 9:11 (English Elpenor)
And let those who know your name hope in you, because you did not forsake those who seek you, O Lord. And let them that know thy name hope in thee: for thou, O Lord, hast not failed them that diligently seek thee.

1 John 5:21 (NET)

1 John 5:21 (KJV)
Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

1 John 5:21 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 John 5:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων τεκνια φυλαξατε εαυτους απο των ειδωλων αμην τεκνια φυλαξατε εαυτα απο των ειδωλων αμην

Romans 1:20 (NET)

Romans 1:20 (KJV)
For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Romans 1:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 1:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 1:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὰ γὰρ ἀόρατα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασιν νοούμενα καθορᾶται, ἥ τε αἴ_διος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θειότης, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀναπολογήτους τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους τα γαρ αορατα αυτου απο κτισεως κοσμου τοις ποιημασιν νοουμενα καθοραται η τε αιδιος αυτου δυναμις και θειοτης εις το ειναι αυτους αναπολογητους

1 Corinthians 8:2 (NET)

1 Corinthians 8:2 (KJV)
If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

1 Corinthians 8:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Corinthians 8:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 Corinthians 8:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι, οὔπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι ει δε τις δοκει ειδεναι τι ουδεπω ουδεν εγνωκεν καθως δει γνωναι ει δε τις δοκει ειδεναι τι ουδεπω ουδεν εγνωκεν καθως δει γνωναι

James 1:13 (NET)

James 1:13 (KJV)
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

James 1:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

James 1:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

James 1:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μηδεὶς πειραζόμενος λεγέτω ὅτι ἀπο θεοῦ πειράζομαι· ὁ γὰρ θεὸς ἀπείραστος ἐστιν κακῶν, πειράζει δὲ αὐτὸς οὐδένα μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο του θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα μηδεις πειραζομενος λεγετω οτι απο θεου πειραζομαι ο γαρ θεος απειραστος εστιν κακων πειραζει δε αυτος ουδενα

1 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the neuter reflexive pronoun ἑαυτὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the masculine εαυτους. A note in the Koine Greek Lexicon explained: “Although it is technically used of the 3rd person, it is also used for the 1st and 2nd person…”

2 1 John 5:21 (ESV) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αμην (KJV: Amen) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

4 Genesis 3:6b (ESV) Table

7 John 1:18 (ESV) Table

8 Rashi’s commentary reads: “to the direction of the sun: To that direction in which the sun sets, and this is the west, for toward evening, the sun is in the west, and they sinned in the tenth [hour]. — [from Gen. Rabbah 19:8, Sanh. 38B].”

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

11 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐγνωκέναι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειδεναι (KJV: that he knoweth).

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὔπω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδεπω ουδεν (KJV: nothing yet).

13 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἔγνω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγνωκεν (KJV: he knoweth).

14 Galatians 5:17a (ESV) Table

15 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding God. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

16 John 6:45 (NET) Table

17 Hebrews 10:1a (NET)