The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Posted on March 31, 2023 by admin

In another essay I quoted Paul: For [the day of the Lord] will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας).¹ It rattled my cage more than I realized at first. I didn’t even recognize that cage until it rattled. But now I have to consider whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) is like Jesus’ disciples’ discussion about having² no bread³ after He said: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”⁴

To begin I’ll consider the day of the Lord (ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου). Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 1:4-9 NET):

I always thank my God for you because of the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge—just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord (τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν) Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

It seems important to me to simply repeat Paul’s words and let them really sink in: you were called into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord by God [who] is faithful. [Y]ou will be blameless on the day of our Lord because He will also strengthen you to the end. [Y]ou do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ because the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus…made [you] rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge—just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you.

Again he wrote (2 Corinthians 1:13, 14 NET):

For we do not write you anything other than what you can read and also understand. But I hope that⁵ you will understand completely just as also you have partly understood us, that we are your source of pride just as you also are ours in the day of the Lord (τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου) Jesus.

While taking nothing away from the fact that God is faithful, by whom you were called (ἐκλήθητε, a form of καλέω) into fellowship with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord,⁶ Paul, through his letters preserved in the New Testament, led me to Christ. I am a recipient of his ministry as much as anyone in Corinth.

Paul is my καύχημα: “a boast, object of boasting, exultation; glory, honour; pride, object of pride; rejoicing.” But I’ve assumed he wouldn’t care much for me. I am too slow, too hesitant to believe.

Even if that were so, if we were suddenly thrust together as I am now, it will not be so on the day of the Lord, when we both can smile and nod to one another, both made blameless by the same God and Father through the same Lord Jesus Christ. For I am sure of this very thing, Paul wrote, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until⁷ the day of Christ Jesus.⁸

Paul wrote (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NET):

Now on the topic of times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you know quite well that the⁹ day of the Lord (ἡμέρα κυρίου) will come in the same way as a thief in the night. Now¹⁰ when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape (or, “emerge [like a baby out of the womb];” ἐκφύγωσιν, a form of ἐκφεύγω). But you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would. For¹¹ you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness. So then we must not sleep as¹² the rest, but must stay alert and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But since we are of the day, we must stay sober by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and as a helmet our hope for salvation. For God did not destine (ἔθετο, a form of τίθημι) us for wrath but for gaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ [Table]. He died for us so that whether we are alert or asleep, we will come to life together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.

In this context it’s fairly obvious that you, brothers and sisters, are not in the darkness for the day to overtake you like a thief would¹³ doesn’t mean that you will know when the day of the Lord is any more than they or them. It is simply that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord¹⁴ because He will also strengthen you to the end.¹⁵

It seems important to pin down who exactly you and they are here. Paul wrote (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 NET):

Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters in all of Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, to aspire to lead a quiet life, to attend to your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you. In this way you will live a decent life before outsiders and not be in need.

So, you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. And indeed you are practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters.¹⁶ The outsiders (τοὺς ἔξω), presumably, are [not] taught by God to love one another and are [not] practicing it toward all the brothers and sisters.

Paul also wrote (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7, 8 NET):

For this is God’s will: that you become holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to possess his own body in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion like the Gentiles who do not know God.

For God did not call us to impurity but in holiness. Consequently the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you [Table].

They, called the Gentiles who do not know God (τὰ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ εἰδότα τὸν θεόν) here, live in lustful passion. You will become holy; you will keep away from sexual immorality; you will know how to possess [your] own body in holiness and honor because you, presumably, know God and this is God’s will for you. God gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Again, Paul wrote (1 Thessalonians 2:11-16a NET);

As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children, exhorting and encouraging you¹⁷ and insisting that you live¹⁸ in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory. And¹⁹ so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe. For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things²⁰ from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets²¹ and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.

[Y]ou live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory.²² They, called Jews (τῶν Ἰουδαίων) here, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely, are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.²³ But here it becomes quite clear that they are neither Jews nor Gentiles per se: For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea (e.g., in large part Jews), because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen (e.g., in large part Gentiles) as they in fact did from the Jews.²⁴

So, what is the salient difference between you and they? [Y]ou received God’s message that you heard from us; you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.²⁵ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.²⁶ They, presumably, had not received God’s message and had not become imitators (μιμηταὶ, a form of μιμητής) of us and of the Lord.

Paul continued (1 Thessalonians 1:9. 10 NET):

For people everywhere report how you welcomed us²⁷ and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the²⁸ dead, Jesus our deliverer from²⁹ the coming wrath.

How is Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath? The Greek word translated deliverer was ρυόμενον, a participle of the verb ῥύομαι: “properly, draw (pull) to oneself,” according to the HELPS Word-studies on Bible Hub. [Y]ou turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son from heaven. They, presumably, did not. So this is an indication of how they become you. An example of the inverse, you becoming they, follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 2:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 2:6 (NET)	Isaiah 2:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:6 (English Elpenor)
Therefore thou hast forsaken (נָטַ֗שְׁתָּה) thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.	Indeed, O Lord, you have abandoned (nāṭaš, נטשתה) your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. Plenty of foreigners are around.	For he has abandoned (ἀνῆκεν) his people, the house of Israel, because their country, like that of the allophyles, was filled with divinations as it had been at the beginning, and many allophyle children were born to them.	For he has forsaken (ἀνῆκε) his people the house of Israel, because their land is filled as at the beginning with divinations, as the [land] of the Philistines,* and many strange children were born to them.

I want to pause here to consider forsaken (Tanakh, KJV, English Elpenor) and abandoned (NET, NETS). The Hebrew word was נָטַ֗שְׁתָּה (nāṭaš). The Greek word was ἀνῆκε(ν). I’m having a difficult time recalling or articulating what I thought forsaken or abandoned meant.

I’m reasonably convinced it was not “to let loose; to run wild; to let (someone/something) run free without restraint,” the first entry for ἀνῆκε(ν) (a form of ἀνίημι) in the Koine Greek Lexicon online. Staring at that definition, I have to admit it was my experience when I became an atheist. And it is what Paul described as the wrath (ὀργὴ) of God…revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness.³⁰

Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of People	The Wrath of God Revealed from Heaven
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.³¹	Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.³²
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.³³	For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error [Table].³⁴
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God,³⁵	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.³⁶

So, the opposite of this wrath, of being forsaken or abandoned is the grace of God that was given to you in Christ Jesus. For you were made rich in every way in him, in all your speech and in every kind of knowledge—just as the testimony about Christ has been confirmed among you so that you do not lack any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.³⁷

The Lord continued to describe through Isaiah how you became they:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 2:7-9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 2:7-9 (NET)	Isaiah 2:7-9 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:7-9 (English Elpenor)
Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:	Their land is full of gold and silver; there is no end to their wealth. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots.	For their country was filled with silver and gold, and there was no number to their treasures, and the land was filled with horses, and there was no number to their chariots.	For their land is filled with silver and gold, and there was no number of their treasures; their land also is filled with horses, and there was no number of chariots.
“Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:	Their land is full of worthless idols; they worship the product of their own hands, what their own fingers have fashioned.	And the land is filled with abominations, the works of their hands, and they did obeisance to the things their own fingers had made.	And the land is filled with abominations, [even] the works of their hands; and they have worshipped [the works] which their fingers made.
And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive (תִּשָּׂ֖א) them not.	Men bow down to them in homage, they lie flat on the ground in worship. Don’t spare (nāśā’, תשׁא) them!	And so a person bowed down, and a man was humbled—and I will not forgive (ἀνήσω) them!	And the mean man bowed down, and the great man was humbled: and I will not pardon (ἀνήσω) them.

Though the English versions of the Septuagint were translated to match the Masoretic text, the actual Greek word ἀνήσω (another form of ἀνίημι) sounds more like the Lord’s promise not to allow his people “to run wild” in the future, not “to let go,” not “to leave [them] uncared for” or “unattended.” In other words, they will not be forsaken or abandoned forever, nor will God’s wrath remain upon them forever. They will not be they forever, but will be restored to you.

Moses’ promises to Israel and Joshua respectively were translated in the Septuagint with two more forms of ἀνίημι: ἀνῇ and ἀνήσει.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 (NET)	Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 (English Elpenor)
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them; for HaShem thy G-d, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail (יַרְפְּךָ֖) thee, nor forsake thee.’	Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail (rāp̄â, ירפך) you or abandon you!”	Be manly and strong; have no fear, nor be frightened, nor be terrified from before them, because the Lord your God, he who goes with you among you, will not forsake (ἀνῇ) you or abandon you.”	Be courageous and strong, fear not, neither be cowardly neither be afraid before them; for [it is] the Lord your God that advances with you in the midst of you, neither will he by any means forsake (ἀνῇ) thee, nor desert thee.
And HaShem, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail (יַרְפְּךָ֖) thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.’	The Lord is indeed going before you—he will be with you; he will not fail (rāp̄â, ירפך) you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”	And the Lord, the one who goes with you, will not forsake (ἀνήσει) you or abandon you. Do not fear, nor be frightened.	And the Lord that goes with thee shall not forsake (ἀνήσει) thee nor abandon thee; fear not, neither be afraid.

According to a note (9) in the NET 1 Thessalonians 5:8 contained an allusion to Isaiah 59:17. A comparison of the Greek of 1 Thessalonians 5:8 to Isaiah 59:17 in the Septuagint follows.

1 Thessalonians 5:8b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 59:17a (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 59:17a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐνδυσάμενοι θώρακα πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης	ἐνεδύσατο δικαιοσύνην ὡς θώρακα	ἐνεδύσατο δικαιοσύνην ὡς θώρακα
1 Thessalonians 5:8b (NET)	Isaiah 59:17a (NETS)	Isaiah 59:17a (English Elpenor)
putting on the breastplate of faith and love	he put on righteousness like a breastplate	he put on righteousness as a breast-plate

In this passage about the Lord bringing salvation, the Lord’s δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) becomes πίστεως καὶ ἀγάπης (faith and love) when applied to human beings. The allusion continued:

1 Thessalonians 5:8c (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 59:17b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 59:17b (Septuagint Elpenor)
περικεφαλαίαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας	περιέθετο περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς	περιέθετο περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς
1 Thessalonians 5:8c (NET)	Isaiah 59:17b (NETS)	Isaiah 59:17b (English Elpenor)
as a helmet our hope for salvation	places a helmet of salvation on his head	placed the helmet of salvation on his head

The Lord wears the helmet of salvation on his head (σωτηρίου ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς). Our helmet is our hope (ἐλπίδα), or “confident expectation,” for salvation (σωτηρίας), the very salvation He has acquired for us. What is absent from this allusion, as applied to human beings, is any mention of he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.³⁸

Tables comparing Isaiah 59:17; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9; Deuteronomy 31:6 and 31:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 59:17; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9; Deuteronomy 31:6 and 31:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 8:16; 2 Corinthians 1:13; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3; 5:5, 6; 2:12-15 and 1:9, 10 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 59:17 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 59:17 (KJV)	Isaiah 59:17 (NET)
For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.	For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.	He wears his desire for justice like body armor, and his desire to deliver is like a helmet on his head. He puts on the garments of vengeance and wears zeal like a robe.

Isaiah 59:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 59:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνεδύσατο δικαιοσύνην ὡς θώρακα καὶ περιέθετο περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ περιεβάλετο ἱμάτιον ἐκδικήσεως καὶ τὸ περιβόλαιον	καὶ ἐνεδύσατο δικαιοσύνην ὡς θώρακα καὶ περιέθετο περικεφαλαίαν σωτηρίου ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ περιεβάλετο ἱμάτιον ἐκδικήσεως καὶ τὸ περιβόλαιον
Isaiah 59:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 59:17 (English Elpenor)
And he put on righteousness like a breastplate and places a helmet of salvation on his head, and he clothed himself with a garment of vengeance and with his cloak,	And he put on righteousness as a breast-plate, and placed the helmet of salvation on his head; and he clothed himself with the garment of vengeance, and with his cloak,

Isaiah 2:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 2:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 2:6 (NET)
Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.	Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.	Indeed, O Lord, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. For diviners from the east are everywhere; they consult omen readers like the Philistines do. Plenty of foreigners are around.

Isaiah 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνῆκεν γὰρ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ισραηλ ὅτι ἐνεπλήσθη ὡς τὸ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν κληδονισμῶν ὡς ἡ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ τέκνα πολλὰ ἀλλόφυλα ἐγενήθη αὐτοῖς	ἀνῆκε γὰρ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι ἐνεπλήσθη ὡς τὸ ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν κληδονισμῶν, ὡς ἡ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ τέκνα πολλὰ ἀλλόφυλα ἐγενήθη αὐτοῖς
Isaiah 2:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:6 (English Elpenor)
For he has abandoned his people, the house of Israel, because their country, like that of the allophyles, was filled with divinations as it had been at the beginning, and many allophyle children were born to them.	For he has forsaken his people the house of Israel, because their land is filled as at the beginning with divinations, as the [land] of the Philistines,* and many strange children were born to them.

Isaiah 2:7 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 2:7 (KJV)	Isaiah 2:7 (NET)
Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:	Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is there any end of their chariots:	Their land is full of gold and silver; there is no end to their wealth. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots.

Isaiah 2:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 2:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐνεπλήσθη γὰρ ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς τῶν θησαυρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἵππων καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν	ἐνεπλήσθη γὰρ ἡ χώρα αὐτῶν ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς τῶν θησαυρῶν αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ γῆ ἵππων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτῶν
Isaiah 2:7 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:7 (English Elpenor)
For their country was filled with silver and gold, and there was no number to their treasures, and the land was filled with horses, and there was no number to their chariots.	For their land is filled with silver and gold, and there was no number of their treasures; their land also is filled with horses, and there was no number of chariots.

Isaiah 2:8 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 2:8 (KJV)	Isaiah 2:8 (NET)
Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:	Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:	Their land is full of worthless idols; they worship the product of their own hands, what their own fingers have fashioned.

Isaiah 2:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 2:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ γῆ βδελυγμάτων τῶν ἔργων τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησαν οἷς ἐποίησαν οἱ δάκτυλοι αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐνεπλήσθη ἡ γῆ βδελυγμάτων τῶν ἔργων τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ προσεκύνησαν, οἷς ἐποίησαν οἱ δάκτυλοι αὐτῶν
Isaiah 2:8 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:8 (English Elpenor)
And the land is filled with abominations, the works of their hands, and they did obeisance to the things their own fingers had made.	And the land is filled with abominations, [even] the works of their hands; and they have worshipped [the works] which their fingers made.

Isaiah 2:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 2:9 (KJV)	Isaiah 2:9 (NET)
And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.	And the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.	Men bow down to them in homage, they lie flat on the ground in worship. Don’t spare them!

Isaiah 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔκυψεν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἐταπεινώθη ἀνήρ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀνήσω αὐτούς	καὶ ἔκυψεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἐταπεινώθη ἀνήρ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀνήσω αὐτούς
Isaiah 2:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 2:9 (English Elpenor)
And so a person bowed down, and a man was humbled—and I will not forgive them!	And the mean man bowed down, and the great man was humbled: and I will not pardon them.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 31:6 (NET)
Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be affrighted at them; for HaShem thy G-d, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’	Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.	Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!”

Deuteronomy 31:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 31:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνδρίζου καὶ ἴσχυε μὴ φοβοῦ μηδὲ δειλία μηδὲ πτοηθῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ὁ προπορευόμενος μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν οὐ μή σε ἀνῇ οὔτε μή σε ἐγκαταλίπῃ	ἀνδρίζου καὶ ἴσχυε, μὴ φοβοῦ μηδὲ δειλιάσης μηδὲ πτοηθῇς ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν, ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ὁ προπορευόμενος μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν, οὔτε μή σε ἀνῇ, οὔτε μή σε ἐγκαταλίπῃ
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 31:6 (English Elpenor)
Be manly and strong; have no fear, nor be frightened, nor be terrified from before them, because the Lord your God, he who goes with you among you, will not forsake you or abandon you.”	Be courageous and strong, fear not, neither be cowardly neither be afraid before them; for [it is] the Lord your God that advances with you in the midst of you, neither will he by any means forsake thee, nor desert thee.

Deuteronomy 31:8 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 31:8 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 31:8 (NET)
And HaShem, He it is that doth go before thee; He will be with thee, He will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.’	And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.	The Lord is indeed going before you—he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 31:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κύριος ὁ συμπορευόμενος μετὰ σοῦ οὐκ ἀνήσει σε οὐδὲ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃ σε μὴ φοβοῦ μηδὲ δειλία	καὶ Κύριος ὁ συμπορευόμενος μετὰ σοῦ οὐκ ἀνήσει σε, οὐδὲ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπῃ· μὴ φοβοῦ μηδὲ δειλία
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 31:8 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord, the one who goes with you, will not forsake you or abandon you. Do not fear, nor be frightened.	And the Lord that goes with thee shall not forsake thee nor abandon thee; fear not, neither be afraid.

Mark 8:16 (NET)	Mark 8:16 (KJV)
So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread.	And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

Mark 8:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχουσιν	και διελογιζοντο προς αλληλους λεγοντες οτι αρτους ουκ εχομεν	και διελογιζοντο προς αλληλους λεγοντες οτι αρτους ουκ εχομεν

2 Corinthians 1:13 (NET)	2 Corinthians 1:13 (KJV)
For we do not write you anything other than what you can read and also understand. But I hope that you will understand completely	For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;

2 Corinthians 1:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 1:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 1:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα γράφομεν ὑμῖν ἀλλ᾿ ἢ ἃ ἀναγινώσκετε ἢ καὶ ἐπιγινώσκετε· ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι ἕως τέλους ἐπιγνώσεσθε	ου γαρ αλλα γραφομεν υμιν αλλ η α αναγινωσκετε η και επιγινωσκετε ελπιζω δε οτι και εως τελους επιγνωσεσθε	ου γαρ αλλα γραφομεν υμιν αλλ η α αναγινωσκετε η και επιγινωσκετε ελπιζω δε οτι και εως τελους επιγνωσεσθε

Philippians 1:6 (NET)	Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
For I am sure of this very thing, that the one who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.	Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philippians 1:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Philippians 1:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Philippians 1:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πεποιθὼς αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι ὁ ἐναρξάμενος ἐν ὑμῖν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἐπιτελέσει ἄχρι ἡμέρας Χριστοῦ \|Ἰησοῦ\|	πεποιθως αυτο τουτο οτι ο εναρξαμενος εν υμιν εργον αγαθον επιτελεσει αχρις ημερας ιησου χριστου	πεποιθως αυτο τουτο οτι ο εναρξαμενος εν υμιν εργον αγαθον επιτελεσει αχρις ημερας χριστου ιησου

1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3 (KJV)
For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.	For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

1 Thessalonians 5:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς οἴδατε ὅτι ἡμέρα κυρίου ὡς κλέπτης ἐν νυκτὶ οὕτως ἔρχεται	αυτοι γαρ ακριβως οιδατε οτι η ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης εν νυκτι ουτως ερχεται	αυτοι γαρ ακριβως οιδατε οτι η ημερα κυριου ως κλεπτης εν νυκτι ουτως ερχεται

Now when they are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction comes on them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will surely not escape.

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

1 Thessalonians 5:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅταν \|δὲ\| λέγωσιν· εἰρήνη καὶ ἀσφάλεια, τότε αἰφνίδιος αὐτοῖς \|ἐφίσταται\| ὄλεθρος ὥσπερ ἡ ὠδὶν τῇ ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσῃ, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐκφύγωσιν	οταν γαρ λεγωσιν ειρηνη και ασφαλεια τοτε αιφνιδιος αυτοις εφισταται ολεθρος ωσπερ η ωδιν τη εν γαστρι εχουση και ου μη εκφυγωσιν	οταν γαρ λεγωσιν ειρηνη και ασφαλεια τοτε αιφνιδιος αυτοις εφισταται ολεθρος ωσπερ η ωδιν τη εν γαστρι εχουση και ου μη εκφυγωσιν

1 Thessalonians 5:5, 6 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 5:5, 6 (KJV)
For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.	Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς υἱοὶ φωτός ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ ἡμέρας. Οὐκ ἐσμὲν νυκτὸς οὐδὲ σκότους	παντες υμεις υιοι φωτος εστε και υιοι ημερας ουκ εσμεν νυκτος ουδε σκοτους	παντες υμεις υιοι φωτος εστε και υιοι ημερας ουκ εσμεν νυκτος ουδε σκοτους

So then we must not sleep as the rest, but must stay alert and sober.

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 5:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 5:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄρα οὖν μὴ καθεύδωμεν ὡς οἱ λοιποί ἀλλὰ γρηγορῶμεν καὶ νήφωμεν	αρα ουν μη καθευδωμεν ως και οι λοιποι αλλα γρηγορωμεν και νηφωμεν	αρα ουν μη καθευδωμεν ως και οι λοιποι αλλα γρηγορωμεν και νηφωμεν

1 Thessalonians 2:12-15 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 2:12-15 (KJV)
exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you live in a way worthy of God who calls you to his own kingdom and his glory.	That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

1 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς καὶ παραμυθούμενοι καὶ μαρτυρόμενοι εἰς τὸ περιπατεῖν ὑμᾶς ἀξίως τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βασιλείαν καὶ δόξαν	και μαρτυρουμενοι εις το περιπατησαι υμας αξιως του θεου του καλουντος υμας εις την εαυτου βασιλειαν και δοξαν	και μαρτυρομενοι εις το περιπατησαι υμας αξιως του θεου του καλουντος υμας εις την εαυτου βασιλειαν και δοξαν

And so we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human message, but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.

For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 2:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ ἀδιαλείπτως, ὅτι παραλαβόντες λόγον ἀκοῆς παρ᾿ ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐδέξασθε οὐ λόγον ἀνθρώπων ἀλλὰ καθώς ἐστιν \|ἀληθῶς\| λόγον θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐνεργεῖται ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν	δια τουτο και ημεις ευχαριστουμεν τω θεω αδιαλειπτως οτι παραλαβοντες λογον ακοης παρ ημων του θεου εδεξασθε ου λογον ανθρωπων αλλα καθως εστιν αληθως λογον θεου ος και ενεργειται εν υμιν τοις πιστευουσιν	δια τουτο και ημεις ευχαριστουμεν τω θεω αδιαλειπτως οτι παραλαβοντες λογον ακοης παρ ημων του θεου εδεξασθε ου λογον ανθρωπων αλλα καθως εστιν αληθως λογον θεου ος και ενεργειται εν υμιν τοις πιστευουσιν

For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews,

For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:

1 Thessalonians 2:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 2:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 2:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑμεῖς γὰρ μιμηταὶ ἐγενήθητε, ἀδελφοί, τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν οὐσῶν ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι τὰ αὐτὰ ἐπάθετε καὶ ὑμεῖς ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων συμφυλετῶν καθὼς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων	υμεις γαρ μιμηται εγενηθητε αδελφοι των εκκλησιων του θεου των ουσων εν τη ιουδαια εν χριστω ιησου οτι ταυτα επαθετε και υμεις υπο των ιδιων συμφυλετων καθως και αυτοι υπο των ιουδαιων	υμεις γαρ μιμηται εγενηθητε αδελφοι των εκκλησιων του θεου των ουσων εν τη ιουδαια εν χριστω ιησου οτι τα αυτα επαθετε και υμεις υπο των ιδιων συμφυλετων καθως και αυτοι υπο των ιουδαιων

who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God and are opposed to all people

Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

1 Thessalonians 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τῶν καὶ τὸν κύριον ἀποκτεινάντων Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκδιωξάντων καὶ θεῷ μὴ ἀρεσκόντων καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐναντίων	των και τον κυριον αποκτειναντων ιησουν και τους ιδιους προφητας και υμας εκδιωξαντων και θεω μη αρεσκοντων και πασιν ανθρωποις εναντιων	των και τον κυριον αποκτειναντων ιησουν και τους ιδιους προφητας και ημας εκδιωξαντων και θεω μη αρεσκοντων και πασιν ανθρωποις εναντιων

1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10 (NET)	1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10 (KJV)
For people everywhere report how you welcomed us and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God	For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

1 Thessalonians 1:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 1:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 1:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
αὐτοὶ γὰρ περὶ ἡμῶν ἀπαγγέλλουσιν ὁποίαν εἴσοδον ἔσχομεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ πῶς ἐπεστρέψατε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων δουλεύειν θεῷ ζῶντι καὶ ἀληθινῷ	αυτοι γαρ περι ημων απαγγελλουσιν οποιαν εισοδον εχομεν προς υμας και πως επεστρεψατε προς τον θεον απο των ειδωλων δουλευειν θεω ζωντι και αληθινω	αυτοι γαρ περι ημων απαγγελλουσιν οποιαν εισοδον εσχομεν προς υμας και πως επεστρεψατε προς τον θεον απο των ειδωλων δουλευειν θεω ζωντι και αληθινω

and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the coming wrath.

And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Thessalonians 1:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Thessalonians 1:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀναμένειν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ [τῶν] νεκρῶν, Ἰησοῦν τὸν ρυόμενον ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης	και αναμενειν τον υιον αυτου εκ των ουρανων ον ηγειρεν εκ νεκρων ιησουν τον ρυομενον ημας απο της οργης της ερχομενης	και αναμενειν τον υιον αυτου εκ των ουρανων ον ηγειρεν εκ των νεκρων ιησουν τον ρυομενον ημας απο της οργης της ερχομενης

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 4

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

Back to αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 1

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔχουσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εχομεν (KJV: we have).

³ Mark 8:16b (NET)

⁴ Mark 8:15b (NET)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: even) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NET)

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

⁸ Philippians 1:6 (NET)

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η preceding day. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text had δὲ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γαρ (KJV: For). The NA²⁸ had neither.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γὰρ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ὡς και here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had simply ὡς.

¹³ 1 Thessalonians 5:4 (NET)

¹⁴ 1 Corinthians 1:8b (NET)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 1:8a (NET)

¹⁶ 1 Thessalonians 4:9b-10a (NET)

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had παρακαλοῦντες ὑμᾶς καὶ παραμυθούμενοι (NET: exhorting and encouraging you) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had it at the end of verse 11.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had περιπατεῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had περιπατησαι (KJV: would walk).

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Καὶ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had τὰ αὐτὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ταυτα (KJV: like things).

²¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιδιους (KJV: their own) preceding prophets. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²² 1 Thessalonians 2:12b (NET)

²³ 1 Thessalonians 2:15 (NET)

²⁴ 1 Thessalonians 2:14 (NET)

²⁵ 1 Thessalonians 2:13b (NET)

²⁶ 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NET)

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἔσχομεν here (NET note 19: “what sort of entrance we had to you”), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εχομεν.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τῶν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο.

³⁰ Romans 1:18 (NET)

³¹ Romans 1:22, 23 (NET)

³² Romans 1:24 (NET) Table

³³ Romans 1:25 (NET)

³⁴ Romans 1:26, 27 (NET)

³⁵ Romans 1:28a (NET)

³⁶ Romans 1:28b-32 (NET)

³⁷ 1 Corinthians 1:4b-8 (NET)

³⁸ Isaiah 59:17b (Tanakh)

Nothing True, Part 1

Posted on March 17, 2023 by admin

The book of Job continues with a visitation by three friends. Job’s friends bring provocation rather than comfort, angering the Lord (Job 42:7, 8 NET):

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has [Table]. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

The Septuagint seems more expansive in its criticism of Job’s friends’ words than the Masoretic text.

Job 42:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 42:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
Now it happened after the Lord spoke all these words to Iob, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaimanite, “You have sinned, and your two friends, for you have spoken nothing true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) in my presence, as has my attendant Iob.	And it came to pass after the Lord had spoken all these words to Job, [that] the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaemanite, Thou hast sinned, and thy two friends: for ye have not said anything true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) before me, as my servant Job [has].
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true (ἀληθὲς).”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth (ἀληθὲς) against my servant Job.

Apparently it is neither novel nor curious to translate נכונה (kûn), the thing that is right (Tanakh, KJV) or what is right (NET), ἀληθὲς in the Septuagint. The first occurrence in Genesis follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 41:32 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 41:32 (NET)	Genesis 41:32 (NETS) Table	Genesis 41:32 (English Elpenor)
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established (נָכ֤וֹן) by G-d, and G-d will shortly bring it to pass.	The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed (kûn, נכון) by God, and God will make it happen soon.	And as for Pharao’s dream being repeated twice: because the matter that is from God will be real (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to do it.	And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharao twice, [it is] because the saying which is from God shall be true (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to accomplish it.

The Hebrew word אלי (‘ēl) was translated of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) in both Job 42:7 and 8. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it as ἐνώπιόν μου, in my presence (NETS) and before me (English Elpenor), in verse 7, and κατὰ , against, in verse 8, if אלי (‘ēl) was the word they found in the Hebrew text they translated. Actually, the entire final clause is identical in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

The essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind hears of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) as a limitation of the Lord’s criticism specifically to what Job’s friends’ spoke about the Lord. Rather than assuming that the entire final clause of both verses 7 and 8 was altered by the Masoretes after the Septuagint was translated, perhaps I should understand that the rabbis foreknew the error of the essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind.

Perhaps they have explained to me that אלי (‘ēl) does not limit the Lord’s criticism. On the contrary, since from him and through him and to him are all things,¹ Job’s friends have not said anything true (English Elpenor), and since Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,² everything they said was against Job: The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.³

Despite knowing the end and the beginning of the book of Job, when I’ve read it in the past I’ve gotten bogged down. My religious mind favors the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar over those of Job. I hope this study will help me to know God better and to discern the errors of my religious mind.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:11-13 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:11-13 (NET)	Job 2:11-13 (NETS)	Job 2:11-13 (English Elpenor)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil (הָֽרָעָ֣ה) that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity (raʿ, הרעה) that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him	Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles (τὰ κακὰ) that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil (τὰ κακὰ) that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.	But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.	They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

I visited some with my mother everyday she was in hospice care, but nothing like this. Job was first to break the silence.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:1-3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:1-3 (NET)	Job 3:1-3 (NETS)	Job 3:1-3 (English Elpenor)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed (וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל) his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed (qālal, ויקלל) the day he was born.	After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,
And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:	saying:	saying,
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’	“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Moses had a similar lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 11:10-15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NET)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10-15 (English Elpenor)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.	And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?	And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?	Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’	From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”	But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job lamenting the day of his birth seems benign by comparison.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)	Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above (מִמָּ֑עַל), neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high (maʿal, ממעל) regard it, nor let light shine on it!	May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above (ἄνωθεν) not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above (ἄνωθεν), neither let light come upon it.

I’ll pause here a moment to point out that the Hebrew word מִמָּ֑עַל (maʿal), from above (Tanakh/KJV), on high (NET) was translated ἄνωθεν, above (NETS), from above (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. “I tell you the solemn truth,” Jesus said to Nicodemus, “unless a person is born from above (ἄνωθεν), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”⁴ Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’⁵

Job continued to lament the day of his birth:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:5-10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:5-10 (NET)	Job 3:5-10 (NETS)	Job 3:5-10 (English Elpenor)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.	But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!	May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!	Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning (לִוְיָתָֽן).	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan⁶ (livyāṯān, לויתן).	Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster (κῆτος).	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale (κῆτος).
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,	May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.	because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Job wasn’t finished but I want to consider a similar lament voiced by Jeremiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 20:14-18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NET)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.	Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!	Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.	Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.	because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.	Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

I’ll continue with Job’s lament in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1 (3:1, 2a); 3:2 (3:2b); 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 42:8 (Tanakh)	Job 42:8 (KJV)	Job 42:8 (NET)
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

Job 42:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 42:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου Ιωβ καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν περὶ ὑμῶν Ιωβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήμψομαι εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾽ αὐτόν ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου Ιωβ	νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου ᾿Ιώβ, καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. ᾿Ιὼβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήψομαι· εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾿ αὐτόν, ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου ᾿Ιώβ
Job 42:8 (NETS)	Job 42:8 (English Elpenor)
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true.”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth against my servant Job.

Job 2:11 (Tanakh)	Job 2:11 (KJV)	Job 2:11 (NET)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.

Job 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῗς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανων βασιλεύς Βαλδαδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος Σωφαρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδὸν τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν	ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ, παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν· ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανῶν βασιλεύς, Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος, Σωφὰρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς, καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδόν, τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν
Job 2:11 (NETS)	Job 2:11 (English Elpenor)
Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.

Job 2:12 (Tanakh)	Job 2:12 (KJV)	Job 2:12 (NET)
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.

Job 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ῥήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολὴν καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν	ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν· καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ρήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολήν. καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν
Job 2:12 (NETS)	Job 2:12 (English Elpenor)
But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],

Job 2:13 (Tanakh)	Job 2:13 (KJV)	Job 2:13 (NET)
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Job 2:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα	παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν· ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα
Job 2:13 (NETS)	Job 2:13 (English Elpenor)
They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

Job 3:1 (Tanakh)	Job 3:1 (KJV)	Job 3:1 (NET)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

Job 3:1, 2a (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν Ιωβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ (2) καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ	ΜΕΤΑ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν ᾿Ιὼβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ
Job 3:1 (NETS)	Job 3:1 (English Elpenor)
After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

Job 3:2 (Tanakh)	Job 3:2 (KJV)	Job 3:2 (NET)
And Job spake, and said,	And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:

Job 3:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λέγων	λέγων
Job 3:2 (NETS)	Job 3:2 (English Elpenor)
saying:	saying,

Job 3:3 (Tanakh)	Job 3:3 (KJV)	Job 3:3 (NET)
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’

Job 3:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην καὶ ἡ νύξ ἐν ᾗ εἶπαν ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν	ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ᾗ εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν
Job 3:3 (NETS)	3:3 (English Elpenor)
“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Numbers 11:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10 (KJV)	Numbers 11:10 (NET)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.

Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ κύριος σφόδρα καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν	καὶ ἤκουσε Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν, ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Κύριος σφόδρα, καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν
Numbers 11:10 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.

Numbers 11:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:11 (KJV)	Numbers 11:11 (NET)
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?

Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον ἵνα τί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου καὶ διὰ τί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον· ἱνατί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου, καὶ διατί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου, ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ’ ἐμέ
Numbers 11:11 (NETS)	Numbers 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?

Numbers 11:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:12 (KJV)	Numbers 11:12 (NET)
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς ὅτι λέγεις μοι λαβὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν	μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς, ὅτι λέγεις μοι, λάβε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου, ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα, εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν
Numbers 11:12 (NETS)	Numbers 11:12 (English Elpenor)
Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?

Numbers 11:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:13 (KJV)	Numbers 11:13 (NET)
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’

Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ λέγοντες δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα ἵνα φάγωμεν	πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ; ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ’ ἐμοί, λέγοντες· δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα, ἵνα φάγωμεν
Numbers 11:13 (NETS)	Numbers 11:13 (English Elpenor)
From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Numbers 11:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:14 (KJV)	Numbers 11:14 (NET)
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!

Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο	οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
Numbers 11:14 (NETS)	Numbers 11:14 (English Elpenor)
I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:15 (KJV)	Numbers 11:15 (NET)
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”

Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ δὲ οὕτως σὺ ποιεῖς μοι ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί ἵνα μὴ ἴδω μου τὴν κάκωσιν	εἰ δ’ οὕτω σὺ ποιεῖς μοι, ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει, εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί, ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὴν κάκωσίν μου
Numbers 11:15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:15 (English Elpenor)
But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job 3:4 (Tanakh)	Job 3:4 (KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!

Job 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος ἄνωθεν μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος	ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος, καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἄνωθεν, μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος
Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.

Job 3:5 (Tanakh)	Job 3:5 (KJV)	Job 3:5 (NET)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν γνόφος	ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου, ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν γνόφος. καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα
Job 3:5 (NETS)	Job 3:5 (English Elpenor)
But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;

Job 3:6 (Tanakh)	Job 3:6 (KJV)	Job 3:6 (NET)
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!

Job 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5b, 6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν	(5b) καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα (6) καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη, ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος· μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ, μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν
Job 3:6 (NETS)	Job 3:6 (English Elpenor)
May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.

Job 3:7 (Tanakh)	Job 3:7 (KJV)	Job 3:7 (NET)
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!

Job 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή	ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη, καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή
Job 3:7 (NETS)	Job 3:7 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.

Job 3:8 (Tanakh)	Job 3:8 (KJV)	Job 3:8 (NET)
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Job 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι	ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι
Job 3:8 (NETS)	Job 3:8 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster.	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale.

Job 3:9 (Tanakh)	Job 3:9 (KJV)	Job 3:9 (NET)
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

Job 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα	σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης, ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα
Job 3:9 (NETS)	Job 3:9 (English Elpenor)
May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

Job 3:10 (Tanakh)	Job 3:10 (KJV)	Job 3:10 (NET)
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

Job 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισεν πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου ἀπήλλαξεν γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου	ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισε πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου· ἀπήλλαξε γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου
Job 3:10 (NETS)	Job 3:10 (English Elpenor)
because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:14 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14 (NET)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή	᾿Επικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ· ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου, μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή
Jeremiah 20:14 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.

Jeremiah 20:15 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:15 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:15 (NET)
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!

Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσεν εὐφραινόμενος	ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων· ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσην, εὐφραινόμενος
Jeremiah 20:15 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:16 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:16 (NET)
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις ἃς κατέστρεψεν κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας	ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις, ἃς κατέστρεψε Κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη· ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τῷ πρωΐ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας
Jeremiah 20:16 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:16 (English Elpenor)
Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;

Jeremiah 20:17 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:17 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:17 (NET)
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.

Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέν με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήμψεως αἰωνίας	ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέ με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήψεως αἰωνίας
Jeremiah 20:17 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:17 (English Elpenor)
because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:18 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:18 (NET)
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου	ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους, καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου
Jeremiah 20:18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:18 (English Elpenor)
Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

Nothing True, Part 2

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Nothing True, Part 3

Back to Nothing True, Part 4

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Nothing True, Part 6

¹ Romans 11:36a (NET)

² Job 1:1b (NET) Table

³ 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET) Table

⁴ John 3:3 (NET) Table

⁵ John 3:7 (NET)

⁶ Job 41

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Posted on March 5, 2023 by admin

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,¹ Jesus said. The Greek word translated when was ἐὰν. Another possible translation was if: And I, [if] I am lifted up from the earth…

I understand why the translators chose when; if might imply to some that Jesus questioned whether his crucifixion might happen: My Father, if (εἰ) possible, let this cup pass from me!² But to the philosophical bent of my mind, if sounds like the introduction to an if-then statement.

If Jesus is crucified,
then He will draw all people to Himself.
Jesus was crucified.
Therefore, He will draw all people to Himself.

This is a valid form of deductive reasoning called modus ponens or affirming the antecedent. It is logically equivalent to:

If Jesus is crucified,
then He will draw all people to Himself.
Jesus will not draw all people to Himself.
Therefore, He was not crucified.

This is another valid form of deductive reasoning called modus tollens or denying the consequent. Though the form is valid, everything depends on the truth of the original conditional statement. Interestingly, the example of a conditional statement given in the Oxford Reference online is false.

If the burglars entered by the front door,
then they forced the lock.
The burglars entered by the front door.
Therefore, they forced the lock.

Affirming the antecedent seems at least plausible. What about denying the consequent?

If the burglars entered by the front door,
then they forced the lock.
The lock was not forced.
Therefore, the burglars did not enter by the front door.

Perhaps the burglars had a key. Perhaps they found the front door unlocked and were savvy enough to lock it as they exited, making the crime scene appear more like insurance fraud than burglary.

Those who believe Jesus assume that his conditional statements are true. That probably explains why I’m not finding a lot of rational arguments describing: “1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind.” I’m finding emotional arguments instead disputing that He said, I…will draw all people to Myself.

Those with no philosophical bent to their minds feel no compulsion in the argument that Jesus will not draw all to Himself is the logical equivalent of Jesus was not crucified. So, I’ll continue to take the long way, which I’m finding quite edifying anyway. Jesus prayed (John 17:12 NET [Table]):

When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.

The phrase except the one destined for destruction (KJV: but the son of perdition) was εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας in Greek. As I worked on this essay it was brought to my attention that Paul used this same phrase (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NET):

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας).

It has forced me to acknowledge my assumption that Jesus prayed about Judas Iscariot above. It seems like a good assumption when I focus on, When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name.³ But if I consider the preceding verse and verse 20 I must admit that Jesus may have been looking much further afield than I have previously imagined. I will proceed, however, as if my original assumption was correct.

Here is what happened when Peter questioned Jesus about the destiny of another (John 21:20-22 ESV):

Peter⁴ turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When⁵ Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

I doubt that Jesus would ever question me about Judas Iscariot. But if He asked why I believed that Judas would be redeemed, my account would be: You said you would draw all to yourself. If He asked why I believed that Judas was eternally doomed, I could answer: You prayed, Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.⁶ In other words, I would be arguing that lost (ἀπώλετο, a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) and ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) were of eternal, rather than temporal, consequence, so that the scripture could be fulfilled. Wow!

Now, I don’t intend to argue that the sin condemned in Judas Iscariot’s flesh, standing on Jesus’ left (if I have understood this moment correctly) will not be condemned into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels.⁷ It is difficult for me to argue, however, that there would be no corresponding new human born of God and the one we know as Judas Iscariot standing on Jesus’ right so that the scripture could be fulfilled. I, and anyone who loves the truth of the scripture, would owe Judas Iscariot an eternal debt of gratitude. But is it necessary for Judas Iscariot to be utterly destroyed eternally so that the scripture could be fulfilled?

I’ll continue to look at examples of ἀπώλετο and ἀπωλείας in the Septuagint and try to remember that the words ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας were applied to another as well.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 9:5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 9:5 (NET)	Psalm 9:6 (NETS)	Psalm 9:6 (English Elpenor)
Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed (אִבַּ֣דְתָּ) the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	You terrified the nations with your battle cry. You destroyed (‘āḇaḏ, אבדת) the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.	You rebuked nations, and the impious perished (ἀπώλετο); their name you blotted out forever and forever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished (ἀπώλετο); thou hast blotted out their name for ever, even for ever and ever.

Phrases like for ever and ever (Tanakh/KJV), forever and forever and ever (NETS) and for ever, even for ever and ever (English Elpenor) make this occurrence of ἀπώλετο (a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) seem about as eternal in duration as I can imagine. Only the English Elpenor translation of ὁ ἀσεβής (the ungodly one) makes it entirely clear that that which was destroyed or perished is singular. The Tanakh on chabad.org also translated רָשָׁ֑ע (‘āḇaḏ), a wicked man. I admit I have tended to hear the wicked, the impious and the ungodly as concrete plurals signifying wicked, impious or ungodly people.

A concrete example of God’s destruction of wicked men follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 16:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:26 (NET)	Numbers 16:26 (NETS)	Numbers 16:26 (English Elpenor)
And [Moses] spoke unto the congregation, saying: ‘Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked (הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙) men (הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים), and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away (תִּסָּפ֖וּ) in all their sins.’	And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked (rāšāʿ, הרשעים) men (‘îš, האנשים), and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed (sāp̄â, תספו) because of all their sins.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Be separated from the tents of these stubborn (τῶν σκληρῶν) men (τῶν ἀνθρώπων), and do not touch anything of all that is theirs, lest you too perish (συναπόλησθε) in all their sin.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn (τῶν σκληρῶν) men (τῶν ἀνθρώπων), and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed (συναπόλησθε) with them in all their sin.

When wicked and righteous are used almost euphemistically for those outside and those inside the congregation respectively, it doesn’t really surprise me that the rabbis rendered הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ (rāšāʿ) τῶν σκληρῶν, stubborn in the Septuagint.

The story continued:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 16:27-33 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:27-33 (NET)	Numbers 16:27-33 (NETS)	Numbers 16:27-33 (English Elpenor)
So they got them up from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.	So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.	And they departed from around the tent of Kore, and Dathan and Abiron came out, and they stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their chattel.	And they stood aloof from the tent of Core round about; and Dathan and Abiron went forth and stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their store.
And Moses said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that HaShem hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind.	Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.	And Moyses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, because it is not of my own accord.	And Moses said, Hereby shall ye know that the Lord has sent me to perform all these works, that [I have] not [done them] of myself.
If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after the visitation of all men, then HaShem hath not sent Me.	If these men die a natural death, or if they share the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.	If these are to die according to death of all people, if their visitation is to be according to the visitation of all people, the Lord has not sent me.	If these men shall die according to the death of all men, if also their visitation shall be according to the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.
But if HaShem make a new thing (בְּרִיאָ֞ה), and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit (שְׁאֹ֑לָה), then ye shall understand that these men have despised HaShem.’	But if the Lord does something entirely new (bᵊrî’â, בריאה), and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up along with all that they have, and they go down alive to the grave (šᵊ’ôl, שאלה), then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”	But if the Lord will show forth by an omen (φάσματι) and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them down and their households and their tents and all that belongs to them and they go down alive into Hades (ᾅδου), then you shall know that these men provoked the Lord.”	But if the Lord shall shew by a wonder (φάσματι), and the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them up, and their houses, and their tents, and all that belongs to them, and they shall go down alive into Hades (ᾅδου), then ye shall know that these men have provoked the Lord.
And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them.	When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open,	Now as he stopped speaking all these words, the earth underneath them was split apart.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder beneath them.
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods.	And the earth was opened and swallowed them down, and their households and all the men who were with Kore and their cattle.	And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Core, and their cattle.
So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive (חַיִּ֖ים) into the pit (שְׁאֹ֑לָה); and the earth closed upon them, and they perished (וַיֹּֽאבְד֖וּ) from among the assembly.	They and all that they had went down alive (ḥay, חיים) into the pit (šᵊ’ôl, שאלה), and the earth closed over them. So they perished (‘āḇaḏ, ויאבדו) from among the community.	And they went down, they and as much as was theirs, alive (ζῶντα) into Hades (ᾅδου), and the earth covered them, and they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation.	And they went down and all that they had, alive (ζῶντα) into Hades (ᾅδου); and the ground covered them, and they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation.

In this description of actual named men, their families and all they possessed, all that is required for the Scripture to be fulfilled is that they perished (וַיֹּֽאבְד֖וּ) from among the assembly (NET: community), they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation. I won’t argue whether they remained alive or how long they remained alive in Hades. From the perspective of the witnesses, they were alive when the earth closed upon them.

I have an extremely limited perspective on life. I consider Hades the place of the dead, but Jesus said: Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living (ζώντων, a form of ζάω), for all live (ζῶσιν, another form of ζάω) before him.⁸ In another essay I wrote: “I’m embarrassed how often I’ve missed what is now so clear in this context: Abraham learned everything he knew of Moses and the prophets who followed him from his own place in Hades after his death.”

I am perhaps equally embarrassed that I wondered how Abraham learned of Moses and the prophets. I couldn’t imagine that anyone had smuggled scrolls or parchments into Hades. But in Hades as Jesus described it (Luke 16:19-31), dead men do tell tales. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their wives and children, for instance, had a dramatic tale to tell Father Abraham. I’ll turn my attention now to a more abstract rendering of רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ), wicked.

When the Lord revealed his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-22), Abraham was troubled.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:23 (NET)	Genesis 18:23 (NETS)	Genesis 18:23 (English Elpenor)
And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away (תִּסְפֶּ֔ה) the righteous (צַדִּ֖יק) with the wicked (רָשָֽׁע)?	Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away (sāp̄â, תספה) the godly (ṣadîq, צדיק) along with the wicked (rāšāʿ, רשע)?	Then when Abraam had come near, he said, “Surely you will not destroy (συναπολέσῃς) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the ungodly (ἀσεβοῦς), and the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) will be as the ungodly (ὁ ἀσεβής)?	And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy (συναπολέσῃς) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the wicked (ἀσεβοῦς), and shall the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) be as the wicked (ὁ ἀσεβής)?

I’m willing to accept that the rabbis added a clause here to clarify Abraham’s argument: and the righteous will be as the ungodly? (NETS), and shall the righteous be as the wicked? (English Elpenor). Here δίκαιον, ἀσεβοῦς, ὁ δίκαιος and ὁ ἀσεβής are all singular. Abraham engaged the Lord in philosophical discussion about the Lord’s justice:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:24 (NET)	Genesis 18:24 (NETS)	Genesis 18:24 (English Elpenor)
Peradventure there are fifty righteous (צַדִּיקִ֖ם) within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away (תִּסְפֶּה֙) and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous (הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם) that are therein?	What if there are fifty godly people (ṣadîq, צדיקם) in the city? Will you really wipe it out (sāp̄â, תספה) and not spare the place for the sake of the 50 godly people (ṣadîq, הצדיקם) who are in it?	If there should be fifty righteous (δίκαιοι) in the city, will you destroy (ἀπολεῖς) them? Will you not let the whole place go free on account of the fifty righteous (δικαίων), if they should be in it?	Should there be fifty righteous (δίκαιοι) in the city, wilt thou destroy (ἀπολεῖς) them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous (δικαίων), if they be in it?

Here both δίκαιοι and δικαίων were plural but refer to fifty hypothetical people in Abraham’s mind.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:25 (NET)	Genesis 18:25 (NETS)	Genesis 18:25 (English Elpenor)
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay (לְהָמִ֤ית) the righteous (צַדִּיק֙) with the wicked (רָשָׁ֔ע), that so the righteous (כַצַּדִּ֖יק) should be as the wicked (כָּֽרָשָׁ֑ע); that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?’	Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill (mûṯ, להמית) the godly (ṣadîq, צדיק) with the wicked (rāšāʿ, רשע), treating the godly (ṣadîq, כצדיק) and the wicked (rāšāʿ, כרשע) alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”	By no means will you do anything like this thing, to slay (ἀποκτεῖναι) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the ungodly (ἀσεβοῦς), and the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) will be like the ungodly (ὁ ἀσεβής)! By no means! Shall not you, the one who judges all the earth, do what is just?”	By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy (ἀποκτεῖναι) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the wicked (ἀσεβοῦς), so the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) shall be as the wicked (ὁ ἀσεβής): by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?

The righteous proved to be more hypothetical than the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah. But in the Septuagint the Greek word translated destroy in Abraham’s question—will you destroy them?⁹—was ἀπολεῖς (a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω). And his own answer to that question was: By no means will you…slay (ἀποκτεῖναι, a form of ἀποκτείνω) the righteous with the ungodly.¹⁰ As far as eternal consequence is concerned, Jesus promised that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for¹¹ Capernaum. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Psalm 9:5; Numbers 16:26; 16:27; 16:28; 16:29; 16:30; 16:31; 16:32; 16:33; Genesis 18:23; 18:24 and 18:25 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 9:5 (9:6); Numbers 16:26; 16:27; 16:28; 16:29; 16:30; 16:31; 16:32; 16:33; Genesis 18:23; 18:24 and 18:25 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 21:20, 21 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 9:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 9:5 (KJV)	Psalm 9:5 (NET)
Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	You terrified the nations with your battle cry. You destroyed the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.

Psalm 9:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 9:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος	ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής· τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος
Psalm 9:6 (NETS)	Psalm 9:6 (English Elpenor)
You rebuked nations, and the impious perished; their name you blotted out forever and forever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished; thou hast blotted out their name for ever, even for ever and ever.

Numbers 16:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:26 (KJV)	Numbers 16:26 (NET)
And he spoke unto the congregation, saying: ‘Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away in all their sins.’	And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.	And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins.”

Numbers 16:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τὴν συναγωγὴν λέγων ἀποσχίσθητε ἀπὸ τῶν σκηνῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν σκληρῶν τούτων καὶ μὴ ἅπτεσθε ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς μὴ συναπόλησθε ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὴν συναγωγὴν λέγων· ἀποσχίσθητε ἀπὸ τῶν σκηνῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν σκληρῶν τούτων, καὶ μὴ ἅπτεσθε ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς, μὴ συναπόλησθε ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:26 (NETS)	Numbers 16:26 (English Elpenor)
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Be separated from the tents of these stubborn men, and do not touch anything of all that is theirs, lest you too perish in all their sin.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed with them in all their sin.

Numbers 16:27 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:27 (KJV)	Numbers 16:27 (NET)
So they got them up from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.	So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.	So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.

Numbers 16:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κορε κύκλῳ καὶ Δαθαν καὶ Αβιρων ἐξῆλθον καὶ εἱστήκεισαν παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῶν σκηνῶν αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ αὐτῶν	καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κορὲ κύκλῳ· καὶ Δαθὰν καὶ ᾿Αβειρὼν ἐξῆλθον καὶ εἱστήκεισαν παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῶν σκηνῶν αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:27 (NETS)	Numbers 16:27 (English Elpenor)
And they departed from around the tent of Kore, and Dathan and Abiron came out, and they stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their chattel.	And they stood aloof from the tent of Core round about; and Dathan and Abiron went forth and stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their store.

Numbers 16:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:28 (KJV)	Numbers 16:28 (NET)
And Moses said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that HaShem hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind.	And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.	Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.

Numbers 16:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ἐν τούτῳ γνώσεσθε ὅτι κύριος ἀπέστειλέν με ποιῆσαι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· ἐν τούτῳ γνώσεσθε ὅτι Κύριος ἀπέστειλέ με ποιῆσαι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ
Numbers 16:28 (NETS)	Numbers 16:28 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, because it is not of my own accord.	And Moses said, Hereby shall ye know that the Lord has sent me to perform all these works, that [I have] not [done them] of myself.

Numbers 16:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:29 (KJV)	Numbers 16:29 (NET)
If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after the visitation of all men, then HaShem hath not sent Me.	If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.	If these men die a natural death, or if they share the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Numbers 16:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ κατὰ θάνατον πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀποθανοῦνται οὗτοι εἰ καὶ κατ᾽ ἐπίσκεψιν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται αὐτῶν οὐχὶ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με	εἰ κατὰ θάνατον πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀποθανοῦνται οὗτοι, εἰ καὶ κατ’ ἐπίσκεψιν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ Κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με
Numbers 16:29 (NETS)	Numbers 16:29 (English Elpenor)
If these are to die according to death of all people, if their visitation is to be according to the visitation of all people, the Lord has not sent me.	If these men shall die according to the death of all men, if also their visitation shall be according to the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Numbers 16:30 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:30 (KJV)	Numbers 16:30 (NET)
But if HaShem make a new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have despised HaShem.’	But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.	But if the Lord does something entirely new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up along with all that they have, and they go down alive to the grave, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”

Numbers 16:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐν φάσματι δείξει κύριος καὶ ἀνοίξασα ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς καταπίεται αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς σκηνὰς αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς καὶ καταβήσονται ζῶντες εἰς ᾅδου καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι παρώξυναν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι τὸν κύριον	ἀλλ’ ἢ ἐν φάσματι δείξει Κύριος, καὶ ἀνοίξασα ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς καταπίεται αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς σκηνὰς αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς, καὶ καταβήσονται ζῶντες εἰς ᾅδου, καὶ γνώσεσθε, ὅτι παρώξυναν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι τὸν Κύριον
Numbers 16:30 (NETS)	Numbers 16:30 (English Elpenor)
But if the Lord will show forth by an omen and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them down and their households and their tents and all that belongs to them and they go down alive into Hades, then you shall know that these men provoked the Lord.”	But if the Lord shall shew by a wonder, and the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them up, and their houses, and their tents, and all that belongs to them, and they shall go down alive into Hades, then ye shall know that these men have provoked the Lord.

Numbers 16:31 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:31 (KJV)	Numbers 16:31 (NET)
And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them.	And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:	When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open,

Numbers 16:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐρράγη ἡ γῆ ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν	ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἐρράγη ἡ γῆ ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:31 (NETS)	Numbers 16:31 (English Elpenor)
Now as he stopped speaking all these words, the earth underneath them was split apart.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder beneath them.

Numbers 16:32 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:32 (KJV)	Numbers 16:32 (NET)
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods.

Numbers 16:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας μετὰ Κορε καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν	καὶ ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας μετὰ Κορὲ καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:32 (NETS)	Numbers 16:32 (English Elpenor)
And the earth was opened and swallowed them down, and their households and all the men who were with Kore and their cattle.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Core, and their cattle.

Numbers 16:33 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:33 (KJV)	Numbers 16:33 (NET)
So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly.	They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.	They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community.

Numbers 16:33 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέβησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῶν ζῶντα εἰς ᾅδου καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς	καὶ κατέβησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῶν ζῶντα εἰς ᾅδου, καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ, καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς
Numbers 16:33 (NETS)	Numbers 16:33 (English Elpenor)
And they went down, they and as much as was theirs, alive into Hades, and the earth covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.	And they went down and all that they had, alive into Hades; and the ground covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.

Genesis 18:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:23 (KJV)	Genesis 18:23 (NET)
And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?	And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?	Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the godly along with the wicked?

Genesis 18:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγγίσας Αβρααμ εἶπεν μὴ συναπολέσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής	καὶ ἐγγίσας ῾Αβραὰμ εἶπε· μὴ συναπολέσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής
Genesis 18:23 (NETS)	Genesis 18:23 (English Elpenor)
Then when Abraam had come near, he said, “Surely you will not destroy the righteous with the ungodly, and the righteous will be as the ungodly?	And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?

Genesis 18:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:24 (KJV)	Genesis 18:24 (NET)
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?	Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?	What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the 50 godly people who are in it?

Genesis 18:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν ὦσιν πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει ἀπολεῖς αὐτούς οὐκ ἀνήσεις πάντα τὸν τόπον ἕνεκεν τῶν πεντήκοντα δικαίων ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν αὐτῇ	ἐὰν ὦσι πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἀπολεῖς αὐτούς; οὐκ ἀνήσεις πάντα τὸν τόπον ἕνεκεν τῶν πεντήκοντα δικαίων, ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν αὐτῇ
Genesis 18:24 (NETS)	Genesis 18:24 (English Elpenor)
If there should be fifty righteous in the city, will you destroy them? Will you not let the whole place go free on account of the fifty righteous, if they should be in it?	Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?

Genesis 18:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:25 (KJV)	Genesis 18:25 (NET)
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?’	That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?	Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”

Genesis 18:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μηδαμῶς σὺ ποιήσεις ὡς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής μηδαμῶς ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν οὐ ποιήσεις κρίσιν	μηδαμῶς σὺ ποιήσεις ὡς τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο, τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς, καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής. μηδαμῶς· ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, οὐ ποιήσεις κρίσιν
Genesis 18:25 (NETS)	Genesis 18:25 (English Elpenor)
By no means will you do anything like this thing, to slay the righteous with the ungodly, and the righteous will be like the ungodly! By no means! Shall not you, the one who judges all the earth, do what is just?”	By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?

John 21:20, 21 (NET)	John 21:20, 21 (KJV)
Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. (This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus’ chest at the meal and asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”)	Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

John 21:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 21:20 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 21:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτρος βλέπει τὸν μαθητὴν ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀκολουθοῦντα (ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· κύριε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδιδούς σε;)	επιστραφεις δε ο πετρος βλεπει τον μαθητην ον ηγαπα ο ιησους ακολουθουντα ος και ανεπεσεν εν τω δειπνω επι το στηθος αυτου και ειπεν κυριε τις εστιν ο παραδιδους σε	επιστραφεις δε ο πετρος βλεπει τον μαθητην ον ηγαπα ο ιησους ακολουθουντα ος και ανεπεσεν εν τω δειπνω επι το στηθος αυτου και ειπεν κυριε τις εστιν ο παραδιδους σε

So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

John 21:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 21:21 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 21:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοῦτον οὖν ἰδὼν ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· κύριε, οὗτος δὲ τί	τουτον ιδων ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου κυριε ουτος δε τι	τουτον ιδων ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου κυριε ουτος δε τι

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 4

¹ John 12:32 (NET)

² Matthew 26:39b (NET) Table

³ John 17:12a (NET) Table

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: Then) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὖν (NET: So) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ John 17:12b (NET) Table

⁷ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

⁸ Luke 20:38 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 18:24b (NETS)

¹⁰ Genesis 18:25a (NETS)

¹¹ Matthew 11:24 (NET)

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Posted on February 26, 2023 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job: the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) allowed Satan to carry out his scientific experiment on Job, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.¹ Satan had a hypothesis why Job feared God, and a test for that hypothesis. But when the experiment was over Job didn’t curse God to his face as Satan’s test had predicted (Job 1:20-22 NET).

Then Job got up and tore his robe. He shaved his head, and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground [Table]. He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!” [Table] In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety [Table].

This result effectively falsified Satan’s hypothesis.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:4, 5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:4, 5 (NET)	Job 2:4, 5 (NETS)	Job 2:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (נַפְשֽׁוֹ).	But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life (nep̄eš, נפשו).	Then the slanderer continued and said to the Lord, “Skin for skin; whatever a person has he will use to pay for his life (τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ).	And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life (τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ).
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse (יְבָֽרְכֶֽךָּ) thee to thy face	But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse (bāraḵ, יברכך) you to your face!”	However, stretch out your hand, and touch his bones and his flesh; surely he will bless (εὐλογήσει) you to your face!”	Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless (εὐλογήσει) thee to [thy] face.

In other words, Satan rejected the conclusion that his hypothesis was false. He said he would have gotten the result he desired, if not for the Lord’s arbitrary condition placed on his test. The Lord had said to Satan (Job 1:12b NET [Table]):

All right then, everything he has is in your power. Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!

The Lord (יהוה) didn’t debate the merits of the scientific method with Satan:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:6 (NET)	Job 2:6 (NETS)	Job 2:6 (English Elpenor)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life (נַפְשׁ֖וֹ).	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life (nep̄eš, נפשו).”	Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Very well, I am handing him over to you; only spare his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ).”	And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ).

The Lord’s love, kindness and patience toward Satan is, frankly, a bit perplexing to me here. Is it simply who He is because God is love?² Was He demonstrating his superiority? Was He leading Satan to repentance? Or was He goading Satan to store up wrath for [himself] in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed?³

I also admit to being confused about Satan’s hypothesis at this point: Is it for nothing that Job fears God? [Table] Have you not made a hedge around him⁴ [Table] to shield him from disease? It seems even less likely to me now that Satan was conducting a scientific experiment to ascertain why/how Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.⁵ I’m thinking that Satan just wanted Job to curse God.

I, on the other hand, am more interested in how Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil⁶ even when Satan by the Lord’s leave took everything from him. The Lord’s confidence to continue with Satan’s charade encourages me that I’m on the right track with the idea that Job believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him.⁷ The Lord’s confidence to continue with Satan’s test didn’t come from his faith in Job, but from his faith in the life-transforming power of his own credited righteousness.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:7, 8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:7, 8 (NET)	Job 2:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 2:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.	So the slanderer went out from the Lord, and he struck Iob with a grievous festering sore from his feet to his head.	So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from [his] feet to [his] head.
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.	And he took a potsherd, so that he could scrape away the pus, and sat on the rubbish heap outside the city.	And he took a potsherd to scrape away the discharge, and sat upon a dung-heap outside the city.

Job’s wife seemed to have an uncanny grasp of the situation, even more so because her advice seems more in line with Satan’s reasoning than the Lord’s.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:9 (NET)	Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”	Then after a long time had passed, his wife said to him, “How long will you persist and say, ‘Look, I will hang on a little longer, while I wait for the hope of my deliverance?’ For look, your legacy has vanished from the earth—sons and daughters, my womb’s birth pangs and labors, for whom I wearied myself with hardships in vain. And you? You sit in the refuse of worms as you spend the night in the open air. As for me, I am one that wanders about and a hired servant—from place to place and house to house, waiting for when the sun will set, so I can rest from the distresses and griefs that now beset me. Now say some word to the Lord and die!”	And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, 9α Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? 9β for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, [even thy] sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; 9γ and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, 9δ and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.

If I thought this was contemporary fiction I might go off on a feminist rant about misogyny and the patriarchy. Though I do think the literary form of Job is drama, I believe the story is true. But as drama, Job’s wife is the first everyman character one encounters. She reacts more like what Satan claimed to expect from his scientific experiment on Job, not because she is female but because she is human. I say “claimed” because Satan (Septuagint: ὁ διάβολος) is a liar.

I’m becoming more and more convinced that Satan already knew that Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil⁸ because Job believed the Lord, and the Lord credited it as righteousness to him.⁹ Satan already knew, even if he held onto some vague hope, that because of the power of the Lord’s credited righteousness there was nothing he could do to cause Job to curse God. Satan’s actual intent was to baffle us with misdirection, and to terrorize us with all he would do to us if we believed the Lord and the Lord credited it as righteousness to us.

Job’s wife sounds like Satan because everyman is from [their] father the devil, and [we] want to do what [our] father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature because he is a liar and the father of lies.¹⁰

That everyman is from [their] father the devil is a point for everyman to concede to Jesus, the shut door at the entrance to the kingdom of God, and the light that will highlight our inner devil all too clearly. God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am,¹¹ is the key to open the shut door that is Jesus, the light of the world.

Did the rabbis who translated the Septuagint add words to Job’s wife’s soliloquy to make her more sympathetic? Or did the editors of the Masoretic text delete them to make her more direct? I’m favoring the latter here because in the Masoretic text Job’s wife quotes the Lord almost verbatim even as she sounds more like Satan:

Job 2:3 (NET) The Lord	Job 2:9 (NET) Job’s Wife
he still (ʿôḏ, ועדנו) holds firmly (ḥāzaq, מחזיק) to his integrity (tummâ, בתמתו)	Are you still (ʿôḏ, עדך) holding firmly (ḥāzaq, מחזיק) to your integrity (tummâ, בתמתך)?

Here is a comparison of the Greek in the Septuagint for contrast:

Job 2:3 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Job 2:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔτι δὲ ἔχεται ἀκακίας	ἔτι δὲ ἔχετε ἀκακίας	μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων	μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων
Job 2:3 (NETS)	Job 2:3 (English Elpenor)	Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
And he still maintains his innocence	and he yet cleaves to innocence	How long will you persist and say	How long wilt thou hold out, saying

Quoting the Lord verbatim is a clever synopsis that cuts immediately to the point. But the longer version of her speech seems more like a wife’s anguish watching her husband suffer, as well as her own anguish as long as he lives and she is not free to marry again. All this demonstrates perhaps is that the rabbis wrote better fiction. But I have faith that the story is true, and the Greek of the Septuagint seems much less like Job’s wife was privy to the Lord’s words verbatim.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:10 (NET)	Job 2:10 (NETS)	Job 2:10 (English Elpenor)
But [Job] said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (הָרָ֖ע)? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil (raʿ, הרע)?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.	But Iob looked up and said to her, “You have spoken like one of the foolish women. If we received the good things from the Lord’s hand, shall we not bear the bad (τὰ κακὰ)?” In all these things that happened to him Iob did not sin at all with his lips before God.	But he looked on her, and said to her, Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things (τὰ κακὰ)? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God.

In one sense, Job’s faith sounds naive. He accepts what has happened to him as evil from the hand of God (Septuagint: of the Lord, Κυρίου). He seems oblivious to Satan’s part in any of it. I wondered briefly whether Job thought of Satan as one of the gods. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint seem to have anticipated that question and answered it in the negative by translating האלהים (‘ĕlōhîm) Κυρίου here rather than θεοῦ. But Job’s theology was absolutely correct since Satan could do nothing without the Lord’s permission.

Job’s wife, especially in the Masoretic text, seems to believe that Job’s blamelessness is a personal achievement, a righteousness derived from law: Job still holds firmly to his integrity. But Job’s acceptance of both good and evil from the hand of the Lord sounds more to me like the fruit of a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness¹² so many years before the Word became flesh and took up residence among us.¹³

The Lord boasts about Job: There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil.¹⁴ The Lord has every right to boast. Job’s righteousness is the Lord’s handiwork. Job does not boast: The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. May the name of the Lord be blessed!¹⁵ What do you have that you did not receive? Paul wrote the Corinthians. And if you received it, why do you boast as though you did not?¹⁶ He also wrote to the Romans: Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?¹⁷

Satan doesn’t appear again in the book of Job except by proxy in his influence over natural born human beings. I want to continue to study the book of Job in another essay series, but here I’ll sum up a bit. This side excursion into the book of Job began for me with a question: Who did Jesus command, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”¹⁸

The narrative is quite clear that Jesus spoke to Judas Iscariot. But right before Jesus spoke those words, John also made it clear that Satan (ὁ σατανᾶς) had entered into Judas. In the book of Job Satan needed the Lord’s permission to do anything to Job. Was, What you are about to do, do quickly, Jesus’ permission? I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again, Jesus said. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will (ἐμαυτοῦ). I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.¹⁹

“It’s difficult to say that He was speaking to both: ποίησον is singular. But was He speaking to Satan/Judas, a unitary singular, at that moment?”²⁰ Then Satan entered into him²¹ (τότε εἰσῆλθεν εἰς ἐκεῖνον ὁ σατανᾶς) seems to be something more than You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.²² And now I wonder if that “ something more” exempts Judas somehow from all people Jesus will draw to Himself if or when He was crucified.²³

Tables comparing Job 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9 and 2:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 2:4; 2:5; 2:6; 2:7; 2:8; 2:9 and 2:10 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 2:4 (Tanakh)	Job 2:4 (KJV)	Job 2:4 (NET)
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.	And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.	But Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! Indeed, a man will give up all that he has to save his life.

Job 2:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ διάβολος εἶπεν τῷ κυρίῳ δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος ὅσα ὑπάρχει ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτείσει	ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ὁ διάβολος εἶπε τῷ Κυρίῳ· δέρμα ὑπὲρ δέρματος· καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ὑπάρχει ἀνθρώπῳ, ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκτίσει
Job 2:4 (NETS)	Job 2:4 (English Elpenor)
Then the slanderer continued and said to the Lord, “Skin for skin; whatever a person has he will use to pay for his life.	And the devil answered and said to the Lord, Skin for skin, all that a man has will he give as a ransom for his life.

Job 2:5 (Tanakh)	Job 2:5 (KJV)	Job 2:5 (NET)
But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face	But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.	But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh, and he will no doubt curse you to your face!”

Job 2:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀποστείλας τὴν χεῗρά σου ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ εἰ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει	οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ ἀποστείλας τὴν χεῖρά σου ἅψαι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ· ἦ μὴν εἰς πρόσωπόν σε εὐλογήσει
Job 2:5 (NETS)	Job 2:5 (English Elpenor)
However, stretch out your hand, and touch his bones and his flesh; surely he will bless you to your face!”	Nay, but put forth thine hand, and touch his bones and his flesh: verily he will bless thee to [thy] face.

Job 2:6 (Tanakh)	Job 2:6 (KJV)	Job 2:6 (NET)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.	And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.	So the Lord said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power; only preserve his life.”

Job 2:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον	εἶπε δὲ ὁ Κύριος τῷ διαβόλῳ· ἰδοὺ παραδίδωμί σοι αὐτόν, μόνον τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ διαφύλαξον
Job 2:6 (NETS)	Job 2:6 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to the slanderer, “Very well, I am handing him over to you; only spare his life.”	And the Lord said to the devil, Behold, I deliver him up to thee; only save his life.

Job 2:7 (Tanakh)	Job 2:7 (KJV)	Job 2:7 (NET)
So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.	So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted Job with a malignant ulcer from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

Job 2:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξῆλθεν δὲ ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἔπαισεν τὸν Ιωβ ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς	᾿Εξῆλθε δὲ ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου καὶ ἔπαισε τὸν ᾿Ιὼβ ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἀπὸ ποδῶν ἕως κεφαλῆς
Job 2:7 (NETS)	Job 2:7 (English Elpenor)
So the slanderer went out from the Lord, and he struck Iob with a grievous festering sore from his feet to his head.	So the devil went out from the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from [his] feet to [his] head.

Job 2:8 (Tanakh)	Job 2:8 (KJV)	Job 2:8 (NET)
And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.	Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape himself with while he was sitting among the ashes.

Job 2:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔλαβεν ὄστρακον ἵνα τὸν ἰχῶρα ξύῃ καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως	καὶ ἔλαβεν ὄστρακον, ἵνα τὸν ἰχῶρα ξύῃ, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως
Job 2:8 (NETS)	Job 2:8 (English Elpenor)
And he took a potsherd, so that he could scrape away the pus, and sat on the rubbish heap outside the city.	And he took a potsherd to scrape away the discharge, and sat upon a dung-heap outside the city.

Job 2:9 (Tanakh)	Job 2:9 (KJV)	Job 2:9 (NET)
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.	Then his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”

Job 2:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
χρόνου δὲ πολλοῦ προβεβηκότος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων	Χρόνου δὲ πολλοῦ προβεβηκότος εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ· μέχρι τίνος καρτερήσεις λέγων· 9α ἰδοὺ ἀναμένω χρόνον ἔτι μικρὸν προσδεχόμενος τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας μου; 9β ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἠφάνισταί σου τὸ μνημόσυνον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, υἱοὶ καὶ θυγατέρες, ἐμῆς κοιλίας ὠδῖνες καὶ πόνοι, οὓς εἰς τὸ κενὸν ἐκοπίασα μετὰ μόχθων· 9γ σύ τε αὐτὸς ἐν σαπρίᾳ σκωλήκων κάθησαι διανυκτερεύων αἴθριος, 9δ κἀγὼ πλανῆτις καὶ λάτρις, τόπον ἐκ τόπου περιερχομένη καὶ οἰκίαν ἐξ οἰκίας, προσδεχομένη τὸν ἥλιον πότε δύσεται, ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι τῶν μόχθων μου καὶ τῶν ὀδυνῶν, αἵ με νῦν συνέχουσιν· ἀλλὰ εἰπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς Κύριον καὶ τελεύτα
Job 2:9 (NETS)	Job 2:9 (English Elpenor)
Then after a long time had passed, his wife said to him, “How long will you persist and say, ‘Look, I will hang on a little longer, while I wait for the hope of my deliverance?’ For look, your legacy has vanished from the earth—sons and daughters, my womb’s birth pangs and labors, for whom I wearied myself with hardships in vain. And you? You sit in the refuse of worms as you spend the night in the open air. As for me, I am one that wanders about and a hired servant—from place to place and house to house, waiting for when the sun will set, so I can rest from the distresses and griefs that now beset me. Now say some word to the Lord and die!”	And when much time had passed, his wife said to him, How long wilt thou hold out, saying, 9α Behold, I wait yet a little while, expecting the hope of my deliverance? 9β for, behold, thy memorial is abolished from the earth, [even thy] sons and daughters, the pangs and pains of my womb which I bore in vain with sorrows; 9γ and thou thyself sittest down to spend the nights in the open air among the corruption of worms, 9δ and I am a wanderer and a servant from place to place and house to house, waiting for the setting of the sun, that I may rest from my labours and my pangs which now beset me: but say some word against the Lord, and die.

Job 2:10 (Tanakh)	Job 2:10 (KJV)	Job 2:10 (NET)
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.	But he replied, “You’re talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?” In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

Job 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν ἐν πᾶσιν τούτοις τοῗς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν Ιωβ τοῗς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ	ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας εἶπεν αὐτῇ· ἵνα τί ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν ἐλάλησας οὕτως; εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς Κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν; ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν αὐτῷ οὐδὲν ἥμαρτεν ᾿Ιὼβ τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ
Job 2:10 (NETS)	Job 2:10 (English Elpenor)
But Iob looked up and said to her, “You have spoken like one of the foolish women. If we received the good things from the Lord’s hand, shall we not bear the bad?” In all these things that happened to him Iob did not sin at all with his lips before God.	But he looked on her, and said to her, Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women. If we have received good things of the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things? In all these things that happened to him, Job sinned not at all with his lips before God.

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Back to Nothing True, Part 2

¹ Job 1:8b (NET) Table

² 1 John 4:8 (NET)

³ Romans 2:5 (NET) Table

⁴ Job 1:9b, 10a (NET)

⁵ Job 1:1b (NET) Table

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Genesis 15:6 (NET) Table

⁸ Job 1:1b (NET) Table

⁹ Genesis 15:6 (NET) Table

¹⁰ John 8:44 (NET) Table

¹¹ Luke 18:13 (NET) Table

¹² Philippians 3:9b (NET)

¹³ John 1:14a (NET)

¹⁴ Job 1:8b (NET) Table

¹⁵ Job 1:21b (NET) Table

¹⁶ 1 Corinthians 4:7b (NET)

¹⁷ Romans 8:32 (NET) Table

¹⁸ John 13:27b (NET)

¹⁹ John 10:17b, 18 (NET)

²⁰ The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 5

²¹ John 13:27a (NET)

²² John 8:44a (NET) Table

²³ John 12:32 (NET)

Christianity, Part 8

Posted on February 3, 2023 by admin

There are 3 occurrences of πάντας in John’s Gospel [see Table below] including: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ The first occurrence follows (John 2:13-17 ESV):

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned² their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His³ disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume⁴ me.”

Here πάντας was limited by those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting in the temple in Jerusalem. The next occurrence follows (John 2:23-25 ESV):

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) [Table] and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

There is no limit to πάντας here. It is probably safe to infer people from what follows: He needed no one to bear witness about man (τοῦ ἀνθρώπου), for he himself knew what was in man (τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ). Both τοῦ ἀνθρώπου and τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ are singular forms of ἄνθρωπος, so humanity as a whole seems to be in view here. This is a not-so-veiled reference to the sin nature that resides in every human being.

The final occurrence of πάντας in John’s Gospel is the main reason for this essay series: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.⁵ I already considered the words concerning judgment in another essay. Here, I want to consider the words which follow (John 12:34 ESV):

So⁶ the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that⁷ the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”

Even without John’s explanation, He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die,⁸ Jesus’ audience grasped that lifted up (ὑψωθῆναι, a form of ὑψόω) was a euphemism for death (even a particular kind of death according to John). It seems to be the only thing they heard when He said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified [Table]. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.⁹ Those seeking an immortal king to overthrow the Roman superpower were clearly troubled by this talk of death.

I feel fairly confident paraphrasing Jesus here: And I, when I am [crucified], will draw all people to myself. The author of “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog quoted someone named Morris:

“We must take the expression accordingly to mean that all those who are to be drawn will be drawn. That is to say, Christ is not affirming that the whole world would be saved. He is affirming that all who are to be saved will be saved in this way. And he is speaking of a universal rather than a narrowly nationalistic religion. The death of Christ would mean the end of particularism. By virtue of that death ‘all men’ and not the Jews alone would be drawn. And they would be drawn only by virtue of that death” (Morris, pp. 598–99).^[2]

In other words, Morris wanted Jesus to say, And…when I am [crucified], “that death” will draw “all who are to be saved” to myself. Aside from the fact that this isn’t what Scripture records Jesus saying, ἑλκύσω (I…will draw) is in the 1^st person rather than the 3^rd person. Jesus’ death is not the subject of the verb. Jesus is the subject of ἑλκύσω. He stated clearly before his death one of the things He would do after his crucifixion with all authority in heaven and on earth.¹⁰ Morris did seem to allow that by Christ’s death “‘all men’ and not the Jews alone would be drawn.” But he would not allow Christ’s death to draw ‘all men’ to the point “that the whole world would be saved.”

When the crowd asked, Who is this Son of Man? Jesus did not direct their attention to Daniel (Daniel 7:13, 14 ESV):

I saw in the night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve (Septuagint: δουλεύσουσιν, a form of δουλεύω) him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.

Instead Jesus said (John 12:35, 36a ESV):

The light is among you¹¹ for a little while longer. Walk while¹² you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While¹³ you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.

“I am the light of the world,” Jesus had said. “Whoever follows me will not walk¹⁴ in darkness, but will have the light of life.”¹⁵ There is some question whether Jesus spoke the following assessment or if it was John’s by the Holy Spirit (John 3:19-21 ESV):

“And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

So here is another example of how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!¹⁶ Jesus, the door to the kingdom, is also the light that exposes one’s works as evil, proving Jesus’ word that we are, in fact, evil.¹⁷ It is not just that we make mistakes. The evil within us is repulsed by the only help available to us.

I’ve often thought of this passage as if it described secret sins. Actually, there are no forms of ἁμαρτία here. The Greek word translated evil was πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός), and wicked things was ὁ φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος). But if that seems a little too much like straining out a gnat, I’ll simply say that my deepest, darkest, most secret and deceitful sin is that there is something in me that desperately wants its own righteousness derived from law, from rules it obeys successfully. The light makes it obvious that even all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.¹⁸ Jesus’ disciples were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”¹⁹

Granted, I took this a bit out of context. But I’m not convinced that Jesus meant to imply that the rich cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,²⁰ and the rest of us are expected to do it on our own. The main advantage we have over the rich is that we can afford fewer diversions. We spend more time with less to distract us from the insistent drawing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The verses following Jesus’ promise, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,²¹ continued (John 12:36b-38 ESV):

When Jesus²² had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

The Greek word translated might be fulfilled (NET: would be fulfilled) was πληρωθῇ (a form of πληρόω). It is in the subjunctive mood, so it was translated might be fulfilled so as not to offend those who already know Greek apparently: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.”²³

John by the Holy Spirit chose πληρωθῇ here despite the fact that Isaiah’s prophecy was already fulfilled before he wrote his Gospel account: God had already successfully hardened a people to withstand Jesus’ miraculous signs and condemn Him to death for violating their understanding of the law. It should give those who do not already know Greek great confidence that this is a stylistic device of Koine Greek and that the caveat in the definition of the subjunctive mood is entirely accurate:

“However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then 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.”²⁴

We can all be confident that other examples of verbs in the subjunctive mood in purpose or result clauses in the New Testament will be fulfilled, absolutely. John continued (John 12:39, 40 ESV):

Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

“He has blinded their eyes

and hardened their heart,

lest they see with their eyes,

and understand with their heart, and turn,

and I would heal them” [Table].

John made it quite clear that many in Israel could not believe (οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιστεύειν) because God intended to fulfill his word through the prophet Isaiah (6:8-13). Jesus contrasted his hardened contemporaries to others who lived before them (Matthew 11:21-24 ESV):

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!²⁵ For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum,²⁶ will you be exalted²⁷ to²⁸ heaven?²⁹ You will be brought down³⁰ to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done³¹ in Sodom, it would have remained³² until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.

And John concluded (John 12:41-43 ESV):

Isaiah said these things because³³ he saw [Christ’s] glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

I don’t doubt that these authorities were drawn to faith in Jesus out of their blinded and hardened conditions by God: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him,³⁴ Jesus said. Yet even they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!³⁵

I’ve considered all the occurrences of πάντας in the four Gospel accounts. It is sufficient to persuade me that if Jesus had intended to limit πάντας here, He would have. But Christianity, as far as I know, still won’t acknowledge that He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.³⁶ So, I’ll continue to look at other occurrences of πάντας in other essays.

I’ll conclude with an observation that came as I began this essay. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: we ourselves boast³⁷ about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions (διωγμοῖς, a form of διωγμός) and in the afflictions that you are enduring.³⁸ Then he embarked on a rather detailed description of the righteous judgment of God (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10a ESV):

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus [Table]. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all (πᾶσιν, a form of πᾶς) who have believed…³⁹

We wait still for this relief (ἄνεσιν, a form of ἄνεσις). I don’t doubt that day will come. I long for the day when the sin condemned in my flesh will be condemned in the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels⁴⁰ instead. Then it struck me that Jesus’ command was a far more practical and timelier tactic for those seeking relief from persecution: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute (διωκόντων, a form of διώκω) you…⁴¹

It would be nice if everyone was like the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-38), but some like Saul oppose themselves kicking against the goads as Jesus draws them to Himself (Acts 8:1-3 ESV):

And Saul approved of [Stephen’s (Acts 6:1-7:60)] execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution (διωγμὸς) against the church in Jerusalem, and⁴² they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles [Table]. Devout men buried Stephen and made⁴³ great lamentation over him. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Jesus met Saul (Acts 9:1-9) on the road to Damascus and began to transform him into the man we know as Paul an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:19b-31 ESV):

For some days [Saul] was with the disciples at Damascus [Table]. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus⁴⁴ in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in⁴⁵ Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come⁴⁶ here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ [Table].

When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching⁴⁷ the gates day and night in order to kill him, but his⁴⁸ disciples took him⁴⁹ by night and let him⁵⁰ down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he 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 (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) and was being built up. And walking⁵¹ in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied⁵² [Table].

I don’t think Paul deliberately misled the Thessalonians regarding relief from their persecutions and afflictions. He thought everything he wrote to them would happen in his lifetime: Then we (ἡμεῖς) who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.⁵³ Granted, the relief Paul wrote about is more permanent than the short-lived peace enjoyed by the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria after Saul met Jesus on the Damascus road. There will always be those who oppose themselves kicking against the goads until the things Paul wrote to the Thessalonians come to pass.

Peter informed us why we wait so long for these things (2 Peter 3:9 ESV [Table]):

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

As we approach the 2,000^th anniversary of the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, maybe Christianity will accept that God is serious about this, and fully embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as the right man for the job: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be (e.g., will be) saved through him.⁵⁴ And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (e.g., crucified), will draw all people to myself,⁵⁵ Jesus promised. The rest of us it seems would stop short.

According to a note (38) in the NET John quoted from Psalm 69:9. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation from the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸and Byzantine Majority Text to that of the Septuagint.

John 2:17b (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 69:9a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 68:10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου καταφάγεται με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με
John 2:17b (NET)	Psalm 68:10a (NETS)	Psalm 68:10a (English Elpenor)
Zeal for your house will devour me.	the zeal for your house consumed me	the zeal of thine house has eaten me up

The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus to that of the Septuagint.

John 2:17b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Psalm 69:9a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 68:10a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ο ζηλος του οικου σου κατεφαγεν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με	ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με
John 2:17b (KJV)	Psalm 68:10a (NETS)	Psalm 68:10a (English Elpenor)
The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.	the zeal for your house consumed me	the zeal of thine house has eaten me up

According to a note (82) in the NET John quoted from Isaiah 53:1. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

John 12:38b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	ΚΥΡΙΕ, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη
John 12:38b (NET)	Isaiah 53:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:1 (English Elpenor)
Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

According to a note (87) in the NET John quoted from Isaiah 6:10. The table below compares the Greek of John’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

John 12:40 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ἐπώρωσεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ νοήσωσιν τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ στραφῶσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
John 12:40 (NET)	Isaiah 6:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:10 (English Elpenor)
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn to me, and I would heal them.”	For this people’s heart has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn–and I would heal them.”	For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

It is safe to say that John didn’t quote the Septuagint. This is more like a paraphrase of the Hebrew and a subtle corroboration of what is preserved in the Masoretic text. The idea that God caused this was apparently too much for the rabbis who translated the Septuagint too receive.

The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in John
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
John 2:15	πάντας ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ	he drove them all out of the temple
	Limited by…
	(2:14) In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.
John 2:24	τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας	he knew all people
	Explained by…
	(2:25) and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
John 12:32	πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν	I…will draw all people to myself

A table of occurrences of the Hebrew word פְּלַח (pᵊlaḥ) in Daniel follows:

Reference	Hebrew		NET	ESV	Septuagint BLB	Septuagint Elpenor
Daniel 3:12	פלחין		They…serve	they do…serve	λατρεύουσιν	λατρεύουσι
Daniel 3:14	פלחין		you…serve	you do…serve	λατρεύετε	λατρεύετε
Daniel 3:17	פלחין		we are serving	we serve	λατρεύομεν	λατρεύομεν
Daniel 3:18	פלחין		we…serve	we will…serve	λατρεύομεν	λατρεύομεν
Daniel 3:28	יפלחון		serve	serve	λατρεύσωσιν	λατρεύσωσι
Daniel 6:16	פלח		serve	serve	λατρεύεις	λατρεύεις
Daniel 6:20	פלח		serve	serve	λατρεύεις	λατρεύεις
Daniel 7:14	יפלחון	יִפְלְח֑וּן	were serving	should serve	δουλεύσουσιν	δουλεύσουσιν
Daniel 7:27	יפלחון	יִפְלְח֖וּן	will serve	shall serve	δουλεύσουσιν	δουλεύσουσι

The difference between Daniel 7:14 and 7:27 is apparently in the vowel points, a difference that wasn’t recognized by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint, where both occurrences were rendered δουλεύσουσι(ν), a form of δουλεύω in the future tense and indicative mood. The English translation of the Tanakh on chabad.org (where I found the Hebrew with vowel points) was shall serve (7:14) and will serve (7:18).

Tables comparing Psalm 69:9; Daniel 7:13; 7:14; Isaiah 64:6 and 53:1 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 69:9 (68:10); Daniel 7:13; 7:14; Isaiah 64:6 and 53:1 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of John 2:15; 2:17; 12:34; 12:35, 36; 8:12; Matthew 11:21; 11:23; John 12:41; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 1:10; Acts 8:2; 9:20, 21 and 9:24, 25 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 69:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 69:9 (KJV)	Psalm 69:9 (NET)
For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.	For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.	Certainly zeal for your house consumes me; I endure the insults of those who insult you.

Psalm 69:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 68:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέν με καὶ οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσαν ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ	ὅτι ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου κατέφαγέ με, καὶ οἱ ὀνειδισμοὶ τῶν ὀνειδιζόντων σε ἐπέπεσον ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ
Psalm 68:10 (NETS)	Psalm 68:10 (English Elpenor)
because the zeal for your house consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you fell on me.	For the zeal of thine house has eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

Daniel 7:13 (Tanakh)	Daniel 7:13 (KJV)	Daniel 7:13 (NET)
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.	I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.	I was watching in the night visions, And with the clouds of the sky, one like a son of man was approaching. He went up to the Ancient of Days and was escorted before him.

Daniel 7:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 7:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐθεώρουν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ παλαιοῦ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔφθασεν καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προσηνέχθη	ἐθεώρουν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς καὶ ἰδοὺ μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ παλαιοῦ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔφθασε καὶ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ προσηνέχθη
Daniel 7:13 (NETS)	Daniel 7:13 (English Elpenor)
I was watching in the night visions, and lo, as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came as far as the ancient of days and was presented to him.	I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, [one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man, and he came on to the Ancient of days, and was brought near to him.

Daniel 7:14 (Tanakh)	Daniel 7:14 (KJV)	Daniel 7:14 (NET)
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.	And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.	To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty. All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him. His authority is eternal and will not pass away. His kingdom will not be destroyed.

Daniel 7:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 7:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτῷ ἐδόθη ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία καὶ πάντες οἱ λαοί φυλαί γλῶσσαι αὐτῷ δουλεύσουσιν ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ ἐξουσία αἰώνιος ἥτις οὐ παρελεύσεται καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ οὐ διαφθαρήσεται	καὶ αὐτῷ ἐδόθη ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ πάντες οἱ λαοί, φυλαί, γλῶσσαι αὐτῷ δουλεύσουσιν· ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ ἐξουσία αἰώνιος, ἥτις οὐ παρελεύσεται, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ οὐ διαφθαρήσεται
Daniel 7:14 (NETS)	Daniel 7:14 (English Elpenor)
And to him was given the dominion and the honor and the kingship, and all peoples, tribes, languages shall be subject to him. His authority is an everlasting authority, which will not pass away, and his kingship will not be destroyed.	And to him was given the dominion, and the honour, and the kingdom; and all nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Isaiah 64:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 64:6 (NET)
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.	But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.	We are all like one who is unclean, all our so-called righteous acts are like a menstrual rag in your sight. We all wither like a leaf; our sins carry us away like the wind.

Isaiah 64:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 64:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθημεν ὡς ἀκάθαρτοι πάντες ἡμεῗς ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης πᾶσα ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξερρύημεν ὡς φύλλα διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν οὕτως ἄνεμος οἴσει ἡμᾶς	καὶ ἐγενήθημεν ὡς ἀκάθαρτοι πάντες ἡμεῖς, ὡς ῥάκος ἀποκαθημένης πᾶσα ἡ δικαιοσύνη ἡμῶν· καὶ ἐξερρύημεν ὡς φύλλα διὰ τὰς ἀνομίας ἡμῶν, οὕτως ἄνεμος οἴσει ἡμᾶς
Isaiah 64:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 64:6 (English Elpenor)
And we have all become like unclean people; all our righteousness is like the rag of a woman who sits apart. And we have fallen off like leaves because of our acts of lawlessness; thus the wind will take us away.	and we are all become as unclean, and all our righteousness as a filthy rag: and we have fallen as leaves because of our iniquities; thus the wind shall carry us [away].

Isaiah 53:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 53:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 53:1 (NET)
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?	Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?	Who would have believed what we just heard? When was the Lord’s power revealed through him?

Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 53:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη	ΚΥΡΙΕ, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη
Isaiah 53:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 53:1 (English Elpenor)
Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?	O Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

John 2:15 (NET)	John 2:15 (KJV)
So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.	And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

John 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ποιήσας φραγέλλιον ἐκ σχοινίων πάντας ἐξέβαλεν ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ τά τε πρόβατα καὶ τοὺς βόας, καὶ τῶν κολλυβιστῶν ἐξέχεεν \|τὸ κέρμα\| καὶ τὰς τραπέζας ἀνέτρεψεν	και ποιησας φραγελλιον εκ σχοινιων παντας εξεβαλεν εκ του ιερου τα τε προβατα και τους βοας και των κολλυβιστων εξεχεεν το κερμα και τας τραπεζας ανεστρεψεν	και ποιησας φραγελλιον εκ σχοινιων παντας εξεβαλεν εκ του ιερου τα τε προβατα και τους βοας και των κολλυβιστων εξεχεεν το κερμα και τας τραπεζας ανεστρεψεν

John 2:17 (NET)	John 2:17 (KJV)
His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.”	And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

John 2:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 2:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 2:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐμνήσθησαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι γεγραμμένον ἐστίν· ὁ ζῆλος τοῦ οἴκου σου καταφάγεται με	εμνησθησαν δε οι μαθηται αυτου οτι γεγραμμενον εστιν ο ζηλος του οικου σου κατεφαγεν με	εμνησθησαν δε οι μαθηται αυτου οτι γεγραμμενον εστιν ο ζηλος του οικου σου καταφαγεται με

John 12:34 (NET)	John 12:34 (KJV)
Then the crowd responded, “We have heard from the law that the Christ will remain forever. How can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”	The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

John 12:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀπεκρίθη οὖν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος· ἡμεῖς ἠκούσαμεν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὅτι ὁ χριστὸς μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ πῶς λέγεις σὺ ὅτι δεῖ ὑψωθῆναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου; τίς ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	απεκριθη αυτω ο οχλος ημεις ηκουσαμεν εκ του νομου οτι ο χριστος μενει εις τον αιωνα και πως συ λεγεις οτι δει υψωθηναι τον υιον του ανθρωπου τις εστιν ουτος ο υιος του ανθρωπου	απεκριθη αυτω ο οχλος ημεις ηκουσαμεν εκ του νομου οτι ο χριστος μενει εις τον αιωνα και πως συ λεγεις δει υψωθηναι τον υιον του ανθρωπου τις εστιν ουτος ο υιος του ανθρωπου

John 12:35, 36 (NET)	John 12:35, 36 (KJV)
Jesus replied, “The light is with you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.	Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

John 12:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἔτι μικρὸν χρόνον τὸ φῶς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν. περιπατεῖτε ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, ἵνα μὴ σκοτία ὑμᾶς καταλάβῃ· καὶ ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει	ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ετι μικρον χρονον το φως μεθ υμων εστιν περιπατειτε εως το φως εχετε ινα μη σκοτια υμας καταλαβη και ο περιπατων εν τη σκοτια ουκ οιδεν που υπαγει	ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ετι μικρον χρονον το φως μεθ υμων εστιν περιπατειτε εως το φως εχετε ινα μη σκοτια υμας καταλαβη και ο περιπατων εν τη σκοτια ουκ οιδεν που υπαγει

While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he went away and hid himself from them.

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

John 12:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὡς τὸ φῶς ἔχετε, πιστεύετε εἰς τὸ φῶς, ἵνα υἱοὶ φωτὸς γένησθε. ταῦτα ἐλάλησεν Ἰησοῦς, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκρύβη ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν	εως το φως εχετε πιστευετε εις το φως ινα υιοι φωτος γενησθε ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και απελθων εκρυβη απ αυτων	εως το φως εχετε πιστευετε εις το φως ινα υιοι φωτος γενησθε ταυτα ελαλησεν ο ιησους και απελθων εκρυβη απ αυτων

John 8:12 (NET)	John 8:12 (KJV)
Then Jesus spoke out again, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”	Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 8:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάλιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἐλάλησεν \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς λέγων· ἐγώ εἰμι τὸ φῶς τοῦ κόσμου· ὁ ἀκολουθῶν \|ἐ\|μοὶ οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, ἀλλ᾿ ἕξει τὸ φῶς τῆς ζωῆς	παλιν ουν ο ιησους αυτοις ελαλησεν λεγων εγω ειμι το φως του κοσμου ο ακολουθων εμοι ου μη περιπατησει εν τη σκοτια αλλ εξει το φως της ζωης	παλιν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους ελαλησεν λεγων εγω ειμι το φως του κοσμου ο ακολουθων εμοι ου μη περιπατηση εν τη σκοτια αλλ εξει το φως της ζωης

Matthew 11:21 (NET)	Matthew 11:21 (KJV)
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.	Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Matthew 11:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 11:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 11:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν, οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ μετενόησαν	ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδαν οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν	ουαι σοι χοραζιν ουαι σοι βηθσαιδα οτι ει εν τυρω και σιδωνι εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν υμιν παλαι αν εν σακκω και σποδω μετενοησαν

Matthew 11:23 (NET)	Matthew 11:23 (KJV)
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day.	And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Matthew 11:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 11:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 11:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόμοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν σοί, ἔμεινεν ἂν μέχρι τῆς σήμερον	και συ καπερναουμ η εως του ουρανου υψωθεισα εως αδου καταβιβασθηση οτι ει εν σοδομοις εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν σοι εμειναν αν μεχρι της σημερον	και συ καπερναουμ η εως του ουρανου υψωθεισα εως αδου καταβιβασθηση οτι ει εν σοδομοις εγενοντο αι δυναμεις αι γενομεναι εν σοι εμειναν αν μεχρι της σημερον

John 12:41 (NET)	John 12:41 (KJV)
Isaiah said these things because he saw Christ’s glory and spoke about him.	These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

John 12:41 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:41 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:41 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ταῦτα εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὅτι εἶδεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλάλησεν περὶ αὐτοῦ	ταυτα ειπεν ησαιας οτε ειδεν την δοξαν αυτου και ελαλησεν περι αυτου	ταυτα ειπεν ησαιας οτε ειδεν την δοξαν αυτου και ελαλησεν περι αυτου

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (KJV)
As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.	So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 1:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἡμᾶς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὑμῶν καὶ πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς διωγμοῖς ὑμῶν καὶ ταῖς θλίψεσιν αἷς ἀνέχεσθε	ωστε ημας αυτους εν υμιν καυχασθαι εν ταις εκκλησιαις του θεου υπερ της υπομονης υμων και πιστεως εν πασιν τοις διωγμοις υμων και ταις θλιψεσιν αις ανεχεσθε	ωστε ημας αυτους εν υμιν καυχασθαι εν ταις εκκλησιαις του θεου υπερ της υπομονης υμων και πιστεως εν πασιν τοις διωγμοις υμων και ταις θλιψεσιν αις ανεχεσθε

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (KJV)
when he comes to be glorified among his saints and admired on that day among all who have believed—and you did in fact believe our testimony.	When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 1:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐνδοξασθῆναι ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ καὶ θαυμασθῆναι ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς πιστεύσασιν, ὅτι ἐπιστεύθη τὸ μαρτύριον ἡμῶν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς, ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευουσιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη	οταν ελθη ενδοξασθηναι εν τοις αγιοις αυτου και θαυμασθηναι εν πασιν τοις πιστευσασιν οτι επιστευθη το μαρτυριον ημων εφ υμας εν τη ημερα εκεινη

Acts 8:2 (NET)	Acts 8:2 (KJV)
Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.	And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Acts 8:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 8:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 8:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
συνεκόμισαν δὲ τὸν Στέφανον ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς καὶ ἐποίησαν κοπετὸν μέγαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ	συνεκομισαν δε τον στεφανον ανδρες ευλαβεις και εποιησαντο κοπετον μεγαν επ αυτω	συνεκομισαν δε τον στεφανον ανδρες ευλαβεις και εποιησαντο κοπετον μεγαν επ αυτω

Acts 9:20, 21 (NET)	Acts 9:20, 21 (KJV)
and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This man is the Son of God.”	And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Acts 9:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εὐθέως ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς ἐκήρυσσεν τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ	και ευθεως εν ταις συναγωγαις εκηρυσσεν τον χριστον οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος του θεου	και ευθεως εν ταις συναγωγαις εκηρυσσεν τον χριστον οτι ουτος εστιν ο υιος του θεου

All who heard him were amazed and were saying, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem was ravaging those who call on this name, and who had come here to bring them as prisoners to the chief priests?

But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?

Acts 9:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξίσταντο δὲ πάντες οἱ ἀκούοντες καὶ ἔλεγον· οὐχ οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ πορθήσας \|εἰς\| Ἰερουσαλὴμ τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο, καὶ ὧδε εἰς τοῦτο ἐληλύθει ἵνα δεδεμένους αὐτοὺς ἀγάγῃ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς	εξισταντο δε παντες οι ακουοντες και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο πορθησας εν ιερουσαλημ τους επικαλουμενους το ονομα τουτο και ωδε εις τουτο εληλυθει ινα δεδεμενους αυτους αγαγη επι τους αρχιερεις	εξισταντο δε παντες οι ακουοντες και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο πορθησας εν ιερουσαλημ τους επικαλουμενους το ονομα τουτο και ωδε εις τουτο εληλυθεν ινα δεδεμενους αυτους αγαγη επι τους αρχιερεις

Acts 9:24, 25 (NET)	Acts 9:24, 25 (KJV)
but Saul learned of their plot against him. They were also watching the city gates day and night so that they could kill him.	But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Acts 9:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ τὰς πύλας ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὅπως αὐτὸν ἀνέλωσιν	εγνωσθη δε τω σαυλω η επιβουλη αυτων παρετηρουν τε τας πυλας ημερας τε και νυκτος οπως αυτον ανελωσιν	εγνωσθη δε τω σαυλω η επιβουλη αυτων παρετηρουν τε τας πυλας ημερας τε και νυκτος οπως αυτον ανελωσιν

But his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall by lowering him in a basket.

Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Acts 9:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 9:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 9:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λαβόντες δὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς διὰ τοῦ τείχους καθῆκαν αὐτὸν χαλάσαντες ἐν σπυρίδι	λαβοντες δε αυτον οι μαθηται νυκτος καθηκαν δια του τειχους χαλασαντες εν σπυριδι	λαβοντες δε αυτον οι μαθηται νυκτος καθηκαν δια του τειχους χαλασαντες εν σπυριδι

Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνέτρεψεν (a form of ἀνατρέπω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανεστρεψεν (a form of ἀναστρέφω; KJV: overthrew).

³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καταφάγεται in the future tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had κατεφαγεν (KJV: hath eaten) in the 2^nd Aorist tense.

⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

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

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

⁸ John 12:33 (ESV) Table

⁹ John 12:23, 24a (ESV)

¹⁰ Matthew 28:18b (ESV) Table

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν ὑμῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεθ υμων (KJV: with you).

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εως.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὡς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εως.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had περιπατήσῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had περιπατησει (KJV: shall…walk). This is a “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃ is the aorist tense in the subjunctive mood; ου μη περιπατησει is the future tense in the indicative mood.

¹⁵ John 8:12 (ESV)

¹⁶ Mark 10:24 (ESV)

¹⁷ Matthew 7:11; Matthew 12:34; Luke 11:13; John 8:44

¹⁸ Isaiah 64:6b (ESV)

¹⁹ Mark 10:26, 27 (ESV) Table

²⁰ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

²¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²³ Verbal Moods from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁴ Ibid.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had Βηθσαϊδά here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had βηθσαιδαν.

²⁶ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Capernaum was spelled Καφαρναούμ, and καπερναουμ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑψωθήσῃ in the future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υψωθεισα (KJV: art exalted) in the aorist tense.

²⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η preceding to, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the negative particle μὴ (NET: No).

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article του preceding heaven. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καταβήσῃ (a form of καταβαίνω; NET: you will be thrown down) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταβιβασθηση (a form of καταβιβάζω; KJV: shalt be brought down).

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγενήθησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενοντο.

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔμεινεν (NET: would have continued) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εμειναν (KJV: would have remained).

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτε (KJV: when).

³⁴ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

³⁵ Mark 10:24b (ESV) Table

³⁶ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγκαυχᾶσθαι (a form of ἐγκαυχάομαι) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καυχασθαι (a form of καυχάομαι; KJV: glory).

³⁸ 2 Thessalonians 1:4 (ESV)

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστεύσασιν in the aorist tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πιστευουσιν (KJV: believe) in the present tense.

⁴⁰ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

⁴¹ Matthew 5:44 (ESV) Table

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had τε.

⁴³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐποίησαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εποιησαντο.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἰησοῦν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον (KJV: Christ).

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν.

⁴⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἐληλύθει here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εληλυθεν

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ (NET: They were also watching) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρετηρουν τε (KJV: And they watched).

⁴⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτὸν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πορευομένη (NET: Living) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πορευομεναι (KJV: walking).

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπληθύνετο (NET: increased in numbers) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επληθυνοντο (KJV: were multiplied).

⁵³ 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (ESV)

⁵⁴ John 3:17 (ESV) Table

⁵⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

Christianity, Part 7

Posted on January 21, 2023 by admin

There are 3 more occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel [see Table], the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ First, I’ll continue to consider the implications of the occurrence in Luke 13:22-30.

When I remember that every natural person is opposed to my entrance through the narrow door into the kingdom of God, I’m less concerned about the aggressiveness of ἀγωνίζεσθε : Strive (ἀγωνίζεσθε, a form of ἀγωνίζομαι) to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door…² To enter through the narrow door requires some backbone or, more likely, the insistent drawing of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:7-10 ESV):

So Jesus again said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door (θύρα) of the sheep. All who came before me³ are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door (θύρα). If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

In the clause Strive to enter through the narrow door,⁴ the Greek word translated through was διὰ. In the clause If anyone enters by me,⁵ the Greek word translated by (NET: through) was δι᾿. Both are followed by words in the genitive case, so I’ll ignore whatever differences I might perceive between through and by in English. My next concern is: When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door (θύραν, a form of θύρα).⁶

This is the end of Christianity as I understand it. Presumably, those inside the door still abide in Christ and his words abide in them⁷ but Christianity has no good news, nothing encouraging, to proclaim to those outside the shut door that is Jesus: Depart (πορεύεσθε, a form of πορεύομαι) from [Jesus], you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,⁸ is all it has to say. But that isn’t what Jesus actually said here: Depart (ἀπόστητε, a form of ἀφίστημι) from me, all you workers of evil!⁹

Two different words were translated depart, and Jesus specified no destination in the latter example.¹⁰ Six of the seven occurrences of πορεύεσθε in the New Testament are accompanied by specific instructions regarding destination.¹¹ There are only two occurrences of ἀπόστητε, but the other one has a stand-by-wait-and-see feel to it. I’ll contrast that to a typical example of πορεύεσθε in the table below:

Acts 5:17-20 (ESV)

Acts 5:33-39a (ESV)

But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested¹² the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the¹³ night an angel of the Lord opened¹⁴ the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go (πορεύεσθε, a form of πορεύομαι) and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.”

When they heard¹⁵ this (Acts 5:29-32), they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while [Table]. And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case I tell you, keep away (ἀπόστητε, a form of ἀφίστημι) from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!” [Table]

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us’…¹⁶ If I pay more attention to the mind of Christ this is not that bad a place to be when the door is Jesus (Luke 11:5-10 ESV):

And [Jesus] said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence (ἀναίδειαν, a form of ἀναίδεια) he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone (πᾶς) who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Here is another possible meaning of Jesus’ command to strive (ἀγωνίζεσθε); namely, the impudence (ἀναίδεια), “shamelessness, effrontery” and “persistence” to seek undeserved favor from a holy God. The hardened descendants of Jacob will demonstrate that impudence, “shamelessness, effrontery” and “persistence” according to Jesus’ parable (Luke 13:25b-27 ESV).

[T]hen [the master of the house] will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from’ [Table]. Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil’ [Table]!

It sounds ominous. But I expect this unexplained parable to resolve something like communion: By the authority of Jesus’ word bread is (ἐστιν) his body and wine is (ἐστιν) his blood when those who believe [d]o this in remembrance of [Him] to proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. This communion of faith is nothing like the cannibal/vampire fest those who abandoned Jesus imagined. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life,¹⁷ Jesus said.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.¹⁸

Focused on the fear of being cast out (ἐκβαλλομένους ἔξω), I might feel this as a bad thing. But the Lord Jesus has drawn hardened descendants of Jacob to a place where they desire the real kingdom of God rather than the imaginary kingdom they sought for themselves so many centuries earlier. (I assume here that ὄψησθε [a form of ὁράω], translated you see [ESV], is to be taken in its most concrete form [“to see (with the eyes), watch, behold, catch sight of, notice”]; and so, when you see places the resolution of this parable in some as yet future time.) Their weeping and gnashing of teeth is evidence of their desire to enter the real kingdom of God, and a hopeful sign if the door barring their entrance is Jesus: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,¹⁹ He said.

An actual example of Jesus as a shut door follows (Matthew 15:21-25 ESV):

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying,²⁰ “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David;²¹ my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged²² him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt²³ before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

Notice her impudence, shamelessness, effrontery and persistence in the face of Jesus as a door that is shut to her. But also notice that impudence, shamelessness, effrontery and persistence alone is not sufficient to open the door (Matthew 15:26 ESV):

And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

I want to pause here to contrast Jesus’ words to this Canaanite woman to what Paul wrote about hardened descendants of Jacob, his kinsmen according to the flesh,²⁴ who were not yet knocking at the door, weeping and gnashing [their] teeth, but often imprisoning, beating and seeking to kill him (Romans 9:4, 5 ESV):

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The Canaanite woman didn’t despair at Jesus’ words but grew strong in faith and persisted (Matthew 15:27, 28 ESV):

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Jesus perceived her faith by her words. By her words she demonstrated that she understood and agreed with Him.

When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know (οἶδα) where you come from.’²⁵

One of the meanings of οἶδα, the Greek word translated know, is “to be able to recall.” I suppose it will be natural for the hardened descendants of Jacob to assume that the master of the house has forgotten them after so many years.

Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’²⁶

But the master of the house will remember them perfectly:

[H]e will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!²⁷

So, the master of the house will clarify the meaning of οἶδα for them: “I am not learning by observation” where you come from. Jesus said (Matthew 12:35-37 ESV):

The good person out of his good treasure²⁸ brings forth good,²⁹ and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,³⁰ for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

He spoke these words under the heading: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.³¹ Will the hardened descendants of Jacob grow strong in faith and persist like the Canaanite woman? Will they understand and agree with the master of the house? He even gave them the words to say. Will they demonstrate by those words the new abundance of their changed hearts? “Lord, be merciful to me worker of evil that I am.”³²

I’m more sanguine about that outcome since believing Jesus’ saying, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.³³ My Christianity won’t acknowledge that He even said it. But if one has the ears to hear, I think that hope is embedded in the words that conclude this parable (Luke 13:29, 30 ESV):

And people will come from east and west, and from³⁴ north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.

Jesus said something similar to the chief priests and the elders of the people³⁵ in the temple (Matthew 21:31b, 32 ESV):

Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you [Table]. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not³⁶ afterward change your minds and believe him.

The Greek word translated before was προάγουσιν. It is a 3^rd person plural form of προάγω in the indicative mood: “to lead forward, lead (someone) out, bring out; to move forward, move onward; to go before, lead the way, precede; to move ahead of; to move on to the next phase (e.g., move troops to the next battle); to induce to do; to happen before, come before.” It is an intriguing way to address those who wanted Jesus dead, his followers scattered and his words forgotten. But I’m thinking even more of that insight which brought so much hope and comfort to Paul (Romans 11:15-23 ESV):

For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? [Table] If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.
But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree [Table], do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but³⁷ the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in” [Table]. That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud,³⁸ but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither³⁹ will he spare⁴⁰ you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off [Table]. And even they,⁴¹ if they do not continue⁴² in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again.

And so, a parable about a door that is Jesus shut in the face of hardened descendants of Jacob sounds like an example of Jesus drawing πάντας to Himself when I believe what He said. The next two occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel follow (Luke 17:24, 26-30 ESV):

For as the lightning flashes⁴³ and lights up the⁴⁴ sky⁴⁵ from one side to the other, so will the Son⁴⁶ of Man be in his day…Just as it was in the days of Noah,⁴⁷ so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage,⁴⁸ until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all⁴⁹ (πάντας, a form of πᾶς). Likewise, just as⁵⁰ it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all⁵¹ (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)—so⁵² will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

Both occurrences of πάντας above are limited by the time and the extent of destruction, flood and fire and sulfur respectively. Here is the final occurrence in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 21:25-36 ESV):

“And there will be⁵³ signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring⁵⁴ of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation⁵⁵ will not pass away⁵⁶ until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.⁵⁷

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come⁵⁸ upon all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But⁵⁹ stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength⁶⁰ to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Here πάντας was limited by who dwell on the face of the whole earth at the moment they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.⁶¹ But it is limited further still: Whether [see note 60 below] praying that you may have strength (κατισχύσητε a form of κατισχύω) to escape all these things (ESV), or that ye may be accounted worthy (καταξιωθητε a form of καταξιόω) to escape all these things that shall come to pass (KJV), there is a pattern developing: [A]sk, and it will be given to you,⁶² Jesus promised. For everyone who asks receives…⁶³

There is another potential meaning of ἐκφυγεῖν, the Greek word translated to escape above: “to emerge (like a baby out of the womb).”⁶⁴

Tables comparing the Greek of John 10:7, 8; Acts 5:18, 19; Matthew 15:22, 23; 15:25; 12:35, 36; Luke 17:24; 17:26-30; 13:29; Matthew 21:23; 21:32; Romans 11:18; 11:20, 21; 11:23; Luke 21:25; 21:33 and 21:35, 36 in the NET and KJV follow.

John 10:7, 8 (NET)	John 10:7, 8 (KJV)
So Jesus said again, “I tell you the solemn truth, I am the door for the sheep.	Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἶπεν οὖν πάλιν \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν \|ὅτι\| ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ θύρα τῶν προβάτων.	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εγω ειμι η θυρα των προβατων

All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

John 10:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 10:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 10:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντες ὅσοι ἦλθον [πρὸ ἐμοῦ] κλέπται εἰσὶν καὶ λῃσταί, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἤκουσαν αὐτῶν τὰ πρόβατα.	παντες οσοι προ εμου ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα	παντες οσοι ηλθον κλεπται εισιν και λησται αλλ ουκ ηκουσαν αυτων τα προβατα

Acts 5:18, 19 (NET)	Acts 5:18, 19 (KJV)
They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.	And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Acts 5:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 5:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 5:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτοὺς ἐν τηρήσει δημοσίᾳ	και επεβαλον τας χειρας αυτων επι τους αποστολους και εθεντο αυτους εν τηρησει δημοσια	και επεβαλον τας χειρας αυτων επι τους αποστολους και εθεντο αυτους εν τηρησει δημοσια

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said,

But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,

Acts 5:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 5:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 5:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Αγγελος δὲ κυρίου διὰ νυκτὸς \|ἀνοίξας\| τὰς θύρας τῆς φυλακῆς ἐξαγαγών τε αὐτοὺς εἶπεν	αγγελος δε κυριου δια της νυκτος ηνοιξεν τας θυρας της φυλακης εξαγαγων τε αυτους ειπεν	αγγελος δε κυριου δια της νυκτος ηνοιξεν τας θυρας της φυλακης εξαγαγων τε αυτους ειπεν

Matthew 15:22, 23 (NET)	Matthew 15:22, 23 (KJV)
A Canaanite woman from that area came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!”	And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Matthew 15:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ Χαναναία ἀπὸ τῶν ὁρίων ἐκείνων ἐξελθοῦσα ἔκραζεν λέγουσα· ἐλέησον με, κύριε υἱὸς Δαυίδ· ἡ θυγάτηρ μου κακῶς δαιμονίζεται	και ιδου γυνη χαναναια απο των οριων εκεινων εξελθουσα εκραυγασεν αυτω λεγουσα ελεησον με κυριε υιε δαβιδ η θυγατηρ μου κακως δαιμονιζεται	και ιδου γυνη χαναναια απο των οριων εκεινων εξελθουσα εκραυγασεν αυτω λεγουσα ελεησον με κυριε υιε δαυιδ η θυγατηρ μου κακως δαιμονιζεται

But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away because she keeps on crying out after us.”

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

Matthew 15:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῇ λόγον. καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἠρώτουν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· ἀπόλυσον αὐτήν, ὅτι κράζει ὄπισθεν ἡμῶν	ο δε ουκ απεκριθη αυτη λογον και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται αυτου ηρωτων αυτον λεγοντες απολυσον αυτην οτι κραζει οπισθεν ημων	ο δε ουκ απεκριθη αυτη λογον και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται αυτου ηρωτων αυτον λεγοντες απολυσον αυτην οτι κραζει οπισθεν ημων

Matthew 15:25 (NET)	Matthew 15:25 (KJV)
But she came and bowed down before him and said, “Lord, help me!”	Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

Matthew 15:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 15:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 15:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ δὲ ἐλθοῦσα προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγουσα· κύριε, βοήθει μοι	η δε ελθουσα προσεκυνει αυτω λεγουσα κυριε βοηθει μοι	η δε ελθουσα προσεκυνησεν αυτω λεγουσα κυριε βοηθει μοι

Matthew 12:35, 36 (NET)	Matthew 12:35, 36 (KJV)
The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury.	A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

Matthew 12:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει ἀγαθά, καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ θησαυροῦ ἐκβάλλει πονηρά	ο αγαθος ανθρωπος εκ του αγαθου θησαυρου της καρδιας εκβαλλει τα αγαθα και ο πονηρος ανθρωπος εκ του πονηρου θησαυρου εκβαλλει πονηρα	ο αγαθος ανθρωπος εκ του αγαθου θησαυρου εκβαλλει αγαθα και ο πονηρος ανθρωπος εκ του πονηρου θησαυρου εκβαλλει πονηρα

I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Matthew 12:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶν ρῆμα ἀργὸν ὃ λαλήσουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀποδώσουσιν περὶ αὐτοῦ λόγον ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως	λεγω δε υμιν οτι παν ρημα αργον ο εαν λαλησωσιν οι ανθρωποι αποδωσουσιν περι αυτου λογον εν ημερα κρισεως	λεγω δε υμιν οτι παν ρημα αργον ο εαν λαλησωσιν οι ανθρωποι αποδωσουσιν περι αυτου λογον εν ημερα κρισεως

Luke 17:24 (NET)	Luke 17:24 (KJV)
For just like the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.	For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

Luke 17:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀστραπὴ ἀστράπτουσα ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπ᾿ οὐρανὸν λάμπει, οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου [ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ]	ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη η αστραπτουσα εκ της υπ ουρανον εις την υπ ουρανον λαμπει ουτως εσται και ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη ημερα αυτου	ωσπερ γαρ η αστραπη η αστραπτουσα εκ της υπ ουρανον εις την υπ ουρανον λαμπει ουτως εσται ο υιος του ανθρωπου εν τη ημερα αυτου

Luke 17:26-30 (NET)	Luke 17:26-30 (KJV)
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man.	And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Luke 17:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	και καθως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις του νωε ουτως εσται και εν ταις ημεραις του υιου του ανθρωπου	και καθως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις νωε ουτως εσται και εν ταις ημεραις του υιου του ανθρωπου

People were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage—right up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἐγάμουν, ἐγαμίζοντο, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	ησθιον επινον εγαμουν εξεγαμιζοντο αχρι ης ημερας εισηλθεν νωε εις την κιβωτον και ηλθεν ο κατακλυσμος και απωλεσεν απαντας	ησθιον επινον εγαμουν εξεγαμιζοντο αχρι ης ημερας εισηλθεν νωε εις την κιβωτον και ηλθεν ο κατακλυσμος και απωλεσεν απαντας

Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Luke 17:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁμοίως καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Λώτ· ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἠγόραζον, ἐπώλουν, ἐφύτευον, ᾠκοδόμουν	ομοιως και ως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις λωτ ησθιον επινον ηγοραζον επωλουν εφυτευον ωκοδομουν	ομοιως και ως εγενετο εν ταις ημεραις λωτ ησθιον επινον ηγοραζον επωλουν εφυτευον ωκοδομουν

but on the day Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ᾗ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐξῆλθεν Λὼτ ἀπὸ Σοδόμων, ἔβρεξεν πῦρ καὶ θεῖον ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	η δε ημερα εξηλθεν λωτ απο σοδομων εβρεξεν πυρ και θειον απ ουρανου και απωλεσεν απαντας	η δε ημερα εξηλθεν λωτ απο σοδομων εβρεξεν πυρ και θειον απ ουρανου και απωλεσεν απαντας

It will be the same on the day the Son of Man is revealed.

Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

Luke 17:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 17:30 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 17:30 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔσται ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκαλύπτεται	κατα ταυτα εσται η ημερα ο υιος του ανθρωπου αποκαλυπτεται	κατα ταυτα εσται η ημερα ο υιος του ανθρωπου αποκαλυπτεται

Luke 13:29 (NET)	Luke 13:29 (KJV)
Then people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and take their places at the banquet table in the kingdom of God.	And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἥξουσιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν καὶ ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου καὶ ἀνακλιθήσονται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ	και ηξουσιν απο ανατολων και δυσμων και απο βορρα και νοτου και ανακλιθησονται εν τη βασιλεια του θεου	και ηξουσιν απο ανατολων και δυσμων και βορρα και νοτου και ανακλιθησονται εν τη βασιλεια του θεου

Matthew 21:23 (NET)	Matthew 21:23 (KJV)
Now after Jesus entered the temple courts, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?”	And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

Matthew 21:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ διδάσκοντι οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ λέγοντες· ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς; καὶ τίς σοι ἔδωκεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην	και ελθοντι αυτω εις το ιερον προσηλθον αυτω διδασκοντι οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου λεγοντες εν ποια εξουσια ταυτα ποιεις και τις σοι εδωκεν την εξουσιαν ταυτην	και ελθοντι αυτω εις το ιερον προσηλθον αυτω διδασκοντι οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι του λαου λεγοντες εν ποια εξουσια ταυτα ποιεις και τις σοι εδωκεν την εξουσιαν ταυτην

Matthew 21:32 (NET)	Matthew 21:32 (KJV)
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although you saw this, you did not later change your minds and believe him.	For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

Matthew 21:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ὁδῷ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ, οἱ δὲ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐπίστευσαν αὐτῷ· ὑμεῖς δὲ ἰδόντες οὐδὲ μετεμελήθητε ὕστερον τοῦ πιστεῦσαι αὐτῷ	ηλθεν γαρ προς υμας ιωαννης εν οδω δικαιοσυνης και ουκ επιστευσατε αυτω οι δε τελωναι και αι πορναι επιστευσαν αυτω υμεις δε ιδοντες ου μετεμεληθητε υστερον του πιστευσαι αυτω	ηλθεν γαρ προς υμας ιωαννης εν οδω δικαιοσυνης και ουκ επιστευσατε αυτω οι δε τελωναι και αι πορναι επιστευσαν αυτω υμεις δε ιδοντες ου μετεμεληθητε υστερον του πιστευσαι αυτω

Romans 11:18 (NET)	Romans 11:18 (KJV)
do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.	Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

Romans 11:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μὴ κατακαυχῶ τῶν κλάδων· εἰ δὲ κατακαυχᾶσαι οὐ σὺ τὴν ρίζαν βαστάζεις ἀλλὰ ἡ ρίζα σέ	μη κατακαυχω των κλαδων ει δε κατακαυχασαι ου συ την ριζαν βασταζεις αλλ η ριζα σε	μη κατακαυχω των κλαδων ει δε κατακαυχασαι ου συ την ριζαν βασταζεις αλλ η ριζα σε

Romans 11:20, 21 (NET)	Romans 11:20, 21 (KJV)
Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but fear!	Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Romans 11:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καλῶς· τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ ἐξεκλάσθησαν, σὺ δὲ τῇ πίστει ἕστηκας. μὴ ὑψηλὰ φρόνει ἀλλὰ φοβοῦ	καλως τη απιστια εξεκλασθησαν συ δε τη πιστει εστηκας μη υψηλοφρονει αλλα φοβου	καλως τη απιστια εξεκλασθησαν συ δε τη πιστει εστηκας μη υψηλοφρονει αλλα φοβου

For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.

For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

Romans 11:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς τῶν κατὰ φύσιν κλάδων οὐκ ἐφείσατο, [μή πως] οὐδὲ σοῦ φείσεται	ει γαρ ο θεος των κατα φυσιν κλαδων ουκ εφεισατο μηπως ουδε σου φεισηται	ει γαρ ο θεος των κατα φυσιν κλαδων ουκ εφεισατο μηπως ουδε σου φεισεται

Romans 11:23 (NET)	Romans 11:23 (KJV)
And even they—if they do not continue in their unbelief—will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.	And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

Romans 11:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 11:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 11:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κακεῖνοι δέ, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπιμένωσιν τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ, ἐγκεντρισθήσονται· δυνατὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς πάλιν ἐγκεντρίσαι αὐτούς	και εκεινοι δε εαν μη επιμεινωσιν τη απιστια εγκεντρισθησονται δυνατος γαρ εστιν ο θεος παλιν εγκεντρισαι αυτους	και εκεινοι δε εαν μη επιμεινωσιν τη απιστια εγκεντρισθησονται δυνατος γαρ ο θεος εστιν παλιν εγκεντρισαι αυτους

Luke 21:25 (NET)	Luke 21:25 (KJV)
“And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth nations will be in distress, anxious over the roaring of the sea and the surging waves.	And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Luke 21:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔσονται σημεῖα ἐν ἡλίῳ καὶ σελήνῃ καὶ ἄστροις, καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συνοχὴ ἐθνῶν ἐν ἀπορίᾳ ἤχους θαλάσσης καὶ σάλου	και εσται σημεια εν ηλιω και σεληνη και αστροις και επι της γης συνοχη εθνων εν απορια ηχουσης θαλασσης και σαλου	και εσται σημεια εν ηλιω και σεληνη και αστροις και επι της γης συνοχη εθνων εν απορια ηχουσης θαλασσης και σαλου

Luke 21:33 (NET)	Luke 21:33 (KJV)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.	Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:33 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ παρελεύσονται, οἱ δὲ λόγοι μου οὐ μὴ παρελεύσονται	ο ουρανος και η γη παρελευσονται οι δε λογοι μου ου μη παρελθωσιν	ο ουρανος και η γη παρελευσονται οι δε λογοι μου ου μη παρελθωσιν

Luke 21:35, 36 (NET)	Luke 21:35, 36 (KJV)
For it will overtake all who live on the face of the whole earth.	For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Luke 21:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὡς παγίς· ἐπεισελεύσεται γὰρ ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς	ως παγις γαρ επελευσεται επι παντας τους καθημενους επι προσωπον πασης της γης	ως παγις γαρ επελευσεται επι παντας τους καθημενους επι προσωπον πασης της γης

But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Luke 21:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 21:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 21:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀγρυπνεῖτε δὲ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ δεόμενοι ἵνα κατισχύσητε ἐκφυγεῖν ταῦτα πάντα τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι καὶ σταθῆναι ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	αγρυπνειτε ουν εν παντι καιρω δεομενοι ινα καταξιωθητε εκφυγειν ταυτα παντα τα μελλοντα γινεσθαι και σταθηναι εμπροσθεν του υιου του ανθρωπου	αγρυπνειτε ουν εν παντι καιρω δεομενοι ινα καταξιωθητε εκφυγειν παντα τα μελλοντα γινεσθαι και σταθηναι εμπροσθεν του υιου του ανθρωπου

Christianity, Part 8

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Wonders and False Wonders, Part 3

Back to Christianity, Part 15

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Luke 13:24, 25a (ESV) Table

³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had πρὸ ἐμοῦ here. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴ Luke 13:24a (ESV) Table

⁵ John 10:9b (ESV)

⁶ Luke 13:25a (ESV) Table

⁷ John 15:7

⁸ Matthew 25:41b (ESV)

⁹ Luke 13:27b (ESV) Table

¹⁰ I should revisit the Christians of Matthew 7:21-23. There was a third word ἀποχωρεῖτε translated depart. And there, too, no destination was specified. Perhaps I cursed them prematurely “as the distilled sin condemned in the flesh of Christians standing on Jesus’ left.” Could He be offering the hope for repentance even On that day?

¹¹ In the seventh (Acts 16:36), go in peace, the implied destination is wherever Paul and Silas wanted to go, and only the manner of their going was stated precisely. Paul and Silas did not comply exactly with the jailer’s request (Acts 16:37-40).

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: their) following hands. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article της here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνοίξας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηνοιξεν.

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

¹⁶ Luke 13:25a (ESV) Table

¹⁷ John 6:63c (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Luke 13:28 (ESV)

¹⁹ Matthew 5:4 (ESV)

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔκραζεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκραυγασεν αυτω (KJV: and cried unto him).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had υἱὸς Δαυίδ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υιε δαβιδ.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠρώτουν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηρωτων (KJV: and besought).

²³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had προσεκύνει here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had προσεκυνησεν.

²⁴ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Luke 13:25 (ESV) Table

²⁶ Luke 13:26 (ESV)

²⁷ Luke 13:27 (ESV) Table

²⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had της καρδιας (KJV: of the heart) following treasury (KJV: treasure). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article τα preceding good things. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαν λαλησωσιν (KJV: that…shall speak) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λαλήσουσιν.

³¹ Matthew 12:34 (ESV)

³² Religious and Righteous Prayer

³³ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἀπὸ preceding north (KJV: the north). The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁵ Matthew 21:23a (ESV)

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ου.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ἀλλ’.

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑψηλὰ φρόνει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υψηλοφρονει (KJV: be…highminded).

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μή πως here in brackets, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μηπως (KJV: lest…also). The ESV translators seem to have ignored μή πως or μηπως entirely.

⁴⁰ It seems important to point out that Paul used φείσεται here, a singular form of φείδομαι in the future tense and indicative mood. I take the singular to mean that Paul addressed Gentile believers as a collective rather than as individuals.

⁴¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κακεῖνοι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εκεινοι (KJV: they also).

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπιμένωσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιμεινωσιν (KJV: they abide).

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η (KJV: that) preceding flashes (KJV: lighteneth). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τὸν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τῆς ὑπὸ preceding the sky (KJV: heaven), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had της υπ (KJV: under).

⁴⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had και (KJV: also) preceding the Son. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding Noah (KJV: Noe). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγαμίζοντο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξεγαμιζοντο (KJV: they were given in marriage).

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απαντας.

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καθὼς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και ως (KJV: also as).

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απαντας.

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὰ αὐτὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταυτα (KJV: thus).

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural verb ἔσονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular verb εσται (KJV: there shall be).

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had a plural masculine/neuter noun ἤχους here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had a singular participle ηχουσης of the verb ἠχέω.

⁵⁵ I understand this generation (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη) as the generation Jesus spoke about, though it is understandable if those who heard Him thought He meant their generation. Another option is that γενεὰ should be understood as the human race, though I’m not sure why that was necessary to state. Of course, I’m not facing the traumatic events described here yet either.

⁵⁶ This is the “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ παρέλθῃ

⁵⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had παρελεύσονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρελθωσιν (KJV: shall…pass away). This, too, is the “Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation” in Greek: οὐ μὴ παρελεύσονται is the future tense in the indicative mood; οὐ μὴ παρελθωσιν is the aorist tense in the subjunctive mood.

⁵⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπεισελεύσεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επελευσεται (KJV: shall it come).

⁵⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore).

⁶⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατισχύσητε (a form of κατισχύω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταξιωθητε (a form of καταξιόω; KJV: ye may be accounted worthy).

⁶¹ Luke 21:27b (ESV)

⁶² Luke 11:9b (ESV)

⁶³ Luke 11:10a (ESV)

⁶⁴ This is from the definition of ἐκφεύγω in the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

Christianity, Part 6

Posted on January 11, 2023 by admin

There are 3 more occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel [see Table], the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ But I’ve been waylaid by the occurrence in Luke 13:22-30.

In another essay I commented on the aggressive, if not violent, language of striving against the many seeking to enter a narrow door that might close at any moment: Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door…² It sounds a lot like what the Zealots actually did to foment the events that led to the massacre of 70 AD.

This language may not have affected those seeking a Messiah to lead them to overthrow the Roman superpower quite the way it affects me. Seeking an alternative explanation, however, I latch onto Jesus’ general theme of the difficulty of entering the kingdom of God (Mark 10:24 ESV [Table]):

And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τους πεποιθοτας επι τοις χρημασιν (KJV: for them that trust in riches) following how difficult it is (πῶς δύσκολον ἐστιν). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ didn’t limit this difficulty in any way. In other words, the editors of both the NA²⁷ and NA²⁸ have consistently concluded that τους πεποιθοτας επι τοις χρημασιν was a late addition to the original text. That doesn’t say anything about NA²⁹ if other manuscripts are discovered or different strategies for organizing them chronologically are in vogue.

It seems worthwhile, however, to consider how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus spoke to descendants of Jacob, if not of Israel: “But³ woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,” Jesus said, “For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”⁴ If I can equate the kingdom of heaven here with the kingdom of God, the leaders of Israel at the time Jesus spoke these words made it difficult for people to follow Him into the kingdom: the Pharisees went out and conspired against [Jesus], how to destroy him.⁵

So how did events play out at Jesus’ arrest when Peter took the parable about entering the narrow door most literally and behaved the most like a Zealot?

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) [Table] So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given (δέδωκεν, a form of δίδωμι) me?” [Table]⁶ And [Jesus] touched [Malchus’]⁷ ear and healed him.⁸

I don’t mean to suggest that Peter was consciously striving to enter through the narrow door⁹ when he struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.¹⁰ I assume that he reacted more instinctively out of affection for Jesus. I’m only saying that Peter’s action seems to align with the parable about entering the narrow door when I take the words (especially the Greek words) at face value.

The words most likely ringing in Peter’s ears at that moment were spoken earlier that evening (Luke 22:35-38 ESV):

And [Jesus] said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag¹¹ or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said,¹² “Nothing.”¹³ He said¹⁴ to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag¹⁵ take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell¹⁶ his cloak and buy¹⁷ one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment” [Table]. And they said,¹⁸ “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

So, Jesus’ disciples had two swords and Peter carried one of them. It is not merely difficult but potentially dangerous [John 18:8, 9] to interpret Jesus’ words without the mind of Christ: The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly¹⁹ to him, Paul wrote, and he is not able (δύναται, a form of δύναμαι) to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.²⁰ And Jesus said, That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again (ἄνωθεν; NET: from above).‘²¹ In other words, You must be born of the Spirit.

Not only leaders and peers oppose one’s entrance through the narrow door into the kingdom of God, every natural born person opposes his or her own entrance therein. Strive to enter through the narrow door no longer seems so overstated, once I realize that all the world (including myself as I was born of my human parents) is opposed to me doing so.

I want to consider a completely different example of Jesus’ words (John 6:53-60 ESV):

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink [Table].

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live²² because of me. This is the bread that came down from²³ heaven, not like the bread²⁴ the²⁵ fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live²⁶ forever.”

Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.²⁷ When many of his disciples heard it, they said,²⁸ “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” [Table]

The Greek word translated hard here was σκληρός, but this reaction to these particular words is perhaps the most on-the-nose example of how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God.²⁹ The Greek word translated difficult was δύσκολον, a form of δύσκολος. The definition from “HELPS Word-studies” on Bible Hub reads:

dýskolos (an adjective, derived from 1418 /dys-, “difficult” and kolon, “food”) – properly, difficult (problematic) to digest; (figuratively) disagreeable, like when food “doesn’t go down well.” It is used only in Mk 10:24.

After this many³⁰ of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life³¹ (i.e., to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [He has] sent³²) [Table]…

If I assume that those disciples who no longer walked with Jesus were drawn to Him by the free food, free healthcare, the novelty of his teaching or the excitement of the crowd, and that those who remained were drawn by the Father to the words of eternal life, I see Jesus enforcing his saying, No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws (ἑλκύσῃ, a form of ἑλκύω) him.³³ And [Jesus] said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted (δεδομένον, a form of δίδωμι) him by the³⁴ Father.”³⁵ Jesus’ equation of ἑλκύω and δίδωμι is a powerful indicator of the Father’s role in anyone who receives Jesus as Savior.

But the main reason I chose this parable is the explanation which resolves this hard saying:

Matthew 26:26-28 (ESV)	Mark 14:22-24 (ESV)	Luke 22:19, 20 (ESV)	1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (ESV)
			For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you,
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread,³⁶ and after blessing³⁷ it broke it and gave³⁸ it to the disciples, and³⁹ said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins [Table].	And as they were eating, he⁴⁰ took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take;⁴¹ this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many [Table].	And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.	that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread [Table], and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said,⁴² “This is my body which is for you.⁴³ Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as⁴⁴ you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
			For as often as⁴⁵ you eat this bread and drink the⁴⁶ cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until⁴⁷ he comes.⁴⁸

In hindsight it seems ridiculous to have abandoned Jesus over this, even if one was drawn only by the free food, free healthcare, the novelty of his teaching or the excitement of the crowd. But it is an opportune moment to recall why Jesus spoke in parables (Matthew 13:10-15 ESV):

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” [Table]

And [Jesus] answered them, “To you it has been given (δέδοται, a form of δίδωμι) to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given (δέδοται, a form of δίδωμι). For to the one who has, more will be given (δοθήσεται, a form of δίδωμι), and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them’ [Table].

Paul addressed this hardening: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.⁴⁹ Concerned that the church in Ephesus might lose heart⁵⁰ over what [he was] suffering for [them],⁵¹ he bowed his knees before the Father⁵²…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being [Table], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith–that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth [Table], and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.⁵³

This strength (ἐξισχύσητε, a form of ἐξισχύω) or ability to comprehend both knowledge and the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge seems more like the strength or ability the many [who] will seek to enter and will not be able⁵⁴(ἰσχύσουσιν, a form of ἰσχύω) lack. Jesus said (Luke 11:9-13 ESV):

And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone (πᾶς) who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

What father among⁵⁵ you, if his son asks for⁵⁶ a fish, will instead of⁵⁷ a fish give him a serpent; or if⁵⁸ he asks for⁵⁹ an egg, will give⁶⁰ him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give (δώσει, a form of δίδωμι) the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

I’ll pick this up in another essay. According to a note (23) in the NET, Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9, 10. The table below compares the Greek of Matthew 13:14 to Isaiah 6:9 in the Septuagint.

Matthew 13:14b (NET Parallel Greek Text) Table	Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε	ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε
Matthew 13:14b (NET)	Isaiah 6:9b (NETS)	Isaiah 6:9b (English Elpenor)
You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.	‘You will listen by listening, but you will not understand, and looking you will look, but you will not perceive’.	Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.

The table below compares the Greek of Matthew 13:15 to Isaiah 6:10 in the Septuagint.

Matthew 13:15 (NET Parallel Greek Text) Table	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν, μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
Matthew 13:15 (NET)	Isaiah 6:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:10 (English Elpenor)
For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’	For this people’s heart has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn–and I would heal them.”	For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Tables comparing Isaiah 6:9 and 6:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Isaiah 6:9 and 6:10 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 23:13; Luke 22:51; 22:35, 36; 22:38; John 6:57-59; 6:66; 6:65; Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26; Ephesians 3:13 and Luke 11:11, 12 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 6:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 6:9 (KJV)	Isaiah 6:9 (NET)
And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.	And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.	He said, “Go and tell these people: “‘Listen continually, but don’t understand. Look continually, but don’t perceive.’

Isaiah 6:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 6:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πορεύθητι καὶ εἰπὸν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε	καὶ εἶπε· πορεύθητι καὶ εἰπὸν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ· ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε
Isaiah 6:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:9 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “Go, and say to this people: ‘You will listen by listening, but you will not understand, and looking you will look, but you will not perceive’.	And he said, Go, and say to this people, Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.

Isaiah 6:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 6:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 6:10 (NET)
Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.	Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.	Make the hearts of these people calloused; make their ears deaf and their eyes blind. Otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, their hearts might understand and they might repent and be healed.”

Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 6:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῗς ὀφθαλμοῗς καὶ τοῗς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς	ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν αὐτῶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν μήποτε ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς
Isaiah 6:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 6:10 (English Elpenor)
For this people’s heart has grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and they have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn–and I would heal them.”	For the heart of this people has become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Matthew 23:13 (NET)	Matthew 23:13 (KJV)
“But woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.	But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Matthew 23:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 23:14 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 23:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οὐαὶ δὲ ὑμῖν, γραμματεῖς καὶ Φαρισαῖοι ὑποκριταί, ὅτι κλείετε τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὑμεῖς γὰρ οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθε οὐδὲ τοὺς εἰσερχομένους ἀφίετε εἰσελθεῖν	ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κλειετε την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γαρ ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν	ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κλειετε την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γαρ ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν

Luke 22:51 (NET)	Luke 22:51 (KJV)
But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.	And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Luke 22:51 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:51 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:51 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· ἐᾶτε ἕως τούτου· καὶ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὠτίου ἰάσατο αὐτόν	αποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν εατε εως τουτου και αψαμενος του ωτιου αυτου ιασατο αυτον	οαποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν εατε εως τουτου και αψαμενος του ωτιου αυτου ιασατο αυτον

Luke 22:35, 36 (NET)	Luke 22:35, 36 (KJV)
Then Jesus said to them, “When I sent you out with no money bag, or traveler’s bag, or sandals, you didn’t lack anything, did you?” They replied, “Nothing.”	And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

Luke 22:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὅτε ἀπέστειλα ὑμᾶς ἄτερ βαλλαντίου καὶ πήρας καὶ ὑποδημάτων, μή τινος ὑστερήσατε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· οὐθενός	και ειπεν αυτοις οτε απεστειλα υμας ατερ βαλαντιου και πηρας και υποδηματων μη τινος υστερησατε οι δε ειπον ουδενος	και ειπεν αυτοις οτε απεστειλα υμας ατερ βαλαντιου και πηρας και υποδηματων μη τινος υστερησατε οι δε ειπον ουθενος

He said to them, “But now, the one who has a money bag must take it, and likewise a traveler’s bag too. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.

Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

Luke 22:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀλλὰ νῦν ὁ ἔχων βαλλάντιον ἀράτω, ὁμοίως καὶ πήραν, καὶ ὁ μὴ ἔχων πωλησάτω τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀγορασάτω μάχαιραν	ειπεν ουν αυτοις αλλα νυν ο εχων βαλαντιον αρατω ομοιως και πηραν και ο μη εχων πωλησατω το ιματιον αυτου και αγορασατω μαχαιραν	ειπεν ουν αυτοις αλλα νυν ο εχων βαλαντιον αρατω ομοιως και πηραν και ο μη εχων πωλησει το ιματιον αυτου και αγορασει μαχαιραν

Luke 22:38 (NET)	Luke 22:38 (KJV)
So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” Then he told them, “It is enough.”	And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

Luke 22:38 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· κύριε, ἰδοὺ μάχαιραι ὧδε δύο. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἱκανόν ἐστιν	οι δε ειπον κυριε ιδου μαχαιραι ωδε δυο ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ικανον εστιν	οι δε ειπον κυριε ιδου μαχαιραι ωδε δυο ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ικανον εστιν

John 6:57-59 (NET)	John 6:57-59 (KJV)
Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes me will live because of me.	As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

John 6:57 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 6:57 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 6:57 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καθὼς ἀπέστειλεν με ὁ ζῶν πατὴρ καγὼ ζῶ διὰ τὸν πατέρα, καὶ ὁ τρώγων με κακεῖνος ζήσει δι᾿ ἐμέ	καθως απεστειλεν με ο ζων πατηρ καγω ζω δια τον πατερα και ο τρωγων με κακεινος ζησεται δι εμε	καθως απεστειλεν με ο ζων πατηρ καγω ζω δια τον πατερα και ο τρωγων με κακεινος ζησεται δι εμε

This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors ate, but then later died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

John 6:58 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 6:58 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 6:58 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, οὐ καθὼς ἔφαγον οἱ πατέρες καὶ ἀπέθανον· ὁ τρώγων τοῦτον τὸν ἄρτον ζήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα	ουτος εστιν ο αρτος ο εκ του ουρανου καταβας ου καθως εφαγον οι πατερες υμων το μαννα και απεθανον ο τρωγων τουτον τον αρτον ζησεται εις τον αιωνα	ουτος εστιν ο αρτος ο εκ του ουρανου καταβας ου καθως εφαγον οι πατερες υμων το μαννα και απεθανον ο τρωγων τουτον τον αρτον ζησεται εις τον αιωνα

Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

John 6:59 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 6:59 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 6:59 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν συναγωγῇ διδάσκων ἐν Καφαρναούμ	ταυτα ειπεν εν συναγωγη διδασκων εν καπερναουμ	ταυτα ειπεν εν συναγωγη διδασκων εν καπερναουμ

John 6:66 (NET)	John 6:66 (KJV)
After this many of his disciples quit following him and did not accompany him any longer.	From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

John 6:66 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 6:66 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 6:66 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐκ τούτου πολλοὶ [ἐκ] τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ οὐκέτι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ περιεπάτουν	εκ τουτου πολλοι απηλθον των μαθητων αυτου εις τα οπισω και ουκετι μετ αυτου περιεπατουν	εκ τουτου πολλοι απηλθον των μαθητων αυτου εις τα οπισω και ουκετι μετ αυτου περιεπατουν

John 6:65 (NET)	John 6:65 (KJV)
So Jesus added, “Because of this I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has allowed him to come.”	And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

John 6:65 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 6:65 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 6:65 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἔλεγεν· διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηκα ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐλθεῖν πρός με ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ πατρός	και ελεγεν δια τουτο ειρηκα υμιν οτι ουδεις δυναται ελθειν προς με εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του πατρος μου	και ελεγεν δια τουτο ειρηκα υμιν οτι ουδεις δυναται ελθειν προς με εαν μη η δεδομενον αυτω εκ του πατρος μου

Matthew 26:26 (NET)	Matthew 26:26 (KJV)
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.”	And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Matthew 26:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐσθιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν λαβὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἄρτον καὶ εὐλογήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ δοὺς τοῖς μαθηταῖς εἶπεν· λάβετε φάγετε, τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ σῶμα μου	εσθιοντων δε αυτων λαβων ο ιησους τον αρτον και ευλογησας εκλασεν και εδιδου τοις μαθηταις και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου	εσθιοντων δε αυτων λαβων ο ιησους τον αρτον και ευχαριστησας εκλασεν και εδιδου τοις μαθηταις και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου

Mark 14:22 (NET)	Mark 14:22 (KJV)
While they were eating, he took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it. This is my body.”	And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

Mark 14:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐσθιόντων αὐτῶν λαβὼν ἄρτον εὐλογήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς καὶ εἶπεν· λάβετε, τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ σῶμα μου	και εσθιοντων αυτων λαβων ο ιησους αρτον ευλογησας εκλασεν και εδωκεν αυτοις και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου	και εσθιοντων αυτων λαβων ο ιησους αρτον ευλογησας εκλασεν και εδωκεν αυτοις και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο εστιν το σωμα μου

1 Corinthians 11:24-26 (NET)	1 Corinthians 11:24-26 (KJV)
and after he had given thanks he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”	And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1 Corinthians 11:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 11:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 11:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εὐχαριστήσας ἔκλασεν καὶ εἶπεν· τοῦτο μού ἐστιν τὸ σῶμα τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν	και ευχαριστησας εκλασεν και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο μου εστιν το σωμα το υπερ υμων κλωμενον τουτο ποιειτε εις την εμην αναμνησιν	και ευχαριστησας εκλασεν και ειπεν λαβετε φαγετε τουτο μου εστιν το σωμα το υπερ υμων κλωμενον τουτο ποιειτε εις την εμην αναμνησιν

In the same way, he also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, every time you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1 Corinthians 11:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 11:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 11:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὡσαύτως καὶ τὸ ποτήριον μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι λέγων· τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ἐμῷ αἵματι· τοῦτο ποιεῖτε, ὁσάκις ἐὰν πίνητε, εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν ἀνάμνησιν	ωσαυτως και το ποτηριον μετα το δειπνησαι λεγων τουτο το ποτηριον η καινη διαθηκη εστιν εν τω εμω αιματι τουτο ποιειτε οσακις αν πινητε εις την εμην αναμνησιν	ωσαυτως και το ποτηριον μετα το δειπνησαι λεγων τουτο το ποτηριον η καινη διαθηκη εστιν εν τω εμω αιματι τουτο ποιειτε οσακις αν πινητε εις την εμην αναμνησιν

For every time you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

1 Corinthians 11:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 11:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 11:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁσάκις γὰρ ἐὰν ἐσθίητε τὸν ἄρτον τοῦτον καὶ τὸ ποτήριον πίνητε, τὸν θάνατον τοῦ κυρίου καταγγέλλετε ἄχρι οὗ ἔλθῃ	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη	οσακις γαρ αν εσθιητε τον αρτον τουτον και το ποτηριον τουτο πινητε τον θανατον του κυριου καταγγελλετε αχρις ου αν ελθη

Ephesians 3:13 (NET)	Ephesians 3:13 (KJV)
For this reason I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.	Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

Ephesians 3:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 3:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 3:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
διὸ αἰτοῦμαι μὴ ἐγκακεῖν ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν δόξα ὑμῶν	διο αιτουμαι μη εκκακειν εν ταις θλιψεσιν μου υπερ υμων ητις εστιν δοξα υμων	διο αιτουμαι μη εκκακειν εν ταις θλιψεσιν μου υπερ υμων ητις εστιν δοξα υμων

Luke 11:11, 12 (NET)	Luke 11:11, 12 (KJV)
What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish?	If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Luke 11:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 11:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 11:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τίνα δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν τὸν πατέρα αἰτήσει ὁ υἱὸς ἰχθύν, \|καὶ\| ἀντὶ ἰχθύος ὄφιν αὐτῷ ἐπιδώσει	τινα δε υμων τον πατερα αιτησει ο υιος αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω ει και ιχθυν μη αντι ιχθυος οφιν επιδωσει αυτω	τινα δε υμων τον πατερα αιτησει ο υιος αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω η και ιχθυν μη αντι ιχθυος οφιν επιδωσει αυτω

Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

Luke 11:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 11:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 11:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ καὶ αἰτήσει ᾠόν, ἐπιδώσει αὐτῷ σκορπίον	η και εαν αιτηση ωον μη επιδωσει αυτω σκορπιον	η και εαν αιτηση ωον μη επιδωσει αυτω σκορπιον

Christianity, Part 7

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to Christianity, Part 15

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 5

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Luke 13:24, 25a (ESV) Table

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴ Matthew 23:13 (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 12:14 (ESV)

⁶ John 18:10, 11 (ESV)

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

⁸ Luke 22:51b (ESV)

⁹ Luke 13:24a (ESV) Table

¹⁰ John 18:10b (ESV) Table

¹¹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ moneybag (KJV: purse) was spelled βαλλαντίου, and βαλαντιου in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had οὐθενός here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ουδενος.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the conjunction δὲ (not translated in the NET) following said, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: Then).

¹⁵ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ moneybag (KJV: purse) was spelled βαλλαντίου, and βαλαντιου in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had πωλησάτω here in the aorist tense and imperative mood, where the Byzantine Majority Text had πωλησει in the future tense and indicative mood.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἀγορασάτω here in the aorist tense and imperative mood, where the Byzantine Majority Text had αγορασει in the future tense and indicative mood.

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

¹⁹ Matthew 16:21, 22; Mark 8:31, 32

²⁰ 1 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

²¹ John 3:6, 7 (ESV)

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζήσει in the active voice here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζησεται (KJV: shall live) in the middle voice.

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ.

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had το μαννα (KJV: manna) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμων (KJV: your) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζήσει in the active voice here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζησεται (KJV: shall live) in the middle voice.

²⁷ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Capernaum was spelled Καφαρναούμ, and καπερναουμ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

²⁹ Mark 10:24b (ESV) Table

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ following many. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³¹ John 6:66-68 (ESV)

³² John 17:3 (ESV)

³³ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

³⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μου (KJV: my) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁵ John 6:65 (ESV)

³⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding bread. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had εὐλογήσας here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had ευχαριστησας (KJV: blessed).

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δοὺς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εδιδου.

³⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

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

⁴¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had φαγετε (KJV: eat) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λαβετε φαγετε (KJV: Take, eat) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κλωμενον (KJV: broken) following you. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν.

⁴⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τουτο (KJV: this) following cup. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἄχρι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αχρις (KJV: till).

⁴⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν preceding comes (KJV: come). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁹ Romans 11:25b (ESV) Table

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγκακεῖν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκκακειν (KJV: that ye faint).

⁵¹ Ephesians 3:13b (ESV)

⁵² Ephesians 3:14b (ESV) Table

⁵³ Ephesians 3:16-19 (ESV)

⁵⁴ Luke 13:24b (ESV) Table

⁵⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁵⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had αρτον μη λιθον επιδωσει αυτω ει (KJV: bread…will he give him a stone…if he ask) here. The Byzantine Majority Text had all of that except for having η at the end rather than ει. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μη preceding instead of (KJV: for). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αἰτήσει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αιτηση (KJV: he shall ask).

⁶⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μη preceding will give (KJV: will he offer). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

Christianity, Part 5

Posted on January 2, 2023 by admin

There are 6 more occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel [see Table], the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ I’ll consider these in detail.

There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all (πάντες, another form of πᾶς) likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all (πάντες, another form of πᾶς) likewise perish” [Table].²

The first occurrence of πάντας was limited by the other Galileans. The next was limited by the others who lived in Jerusalem at the time that the tower in Siloam fell. Both occurrences of πάντες were limited by ἐὰν μὴ (unless) μετανοῆτε (you repent). These are four examples of how Jesus’ used two forms of πᾶς (πάντας and πάντες) when He intended to limit them.

I’ll take a few moments to consider whether the necessity of repentance raises any objection to Jesus’ promise: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.³ I have not come to call the righteous, Jesus said, but sinners to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).⁴ This is one way Jesus understood his mission to save the world. After his resurrection He reiterated this aspect of his mission (Luke 24:44-47 ESV):

“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” [Table]. Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια) for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all⁵ nations, beginning from Jerusalem” [Table].

Peter and the apostles⁶ also proclaimed this message about Jesus’ mission when questioned by the high priest (Acts 5:30, 31 ESV):

The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give (δοῦναι, a form of δίδωμι) repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια) to Israel and forgiveness of sins [Table].

When the circumcision party [in Jerusalem] criticized [Peter], saying [Table], “You went to uncircumcised men and ate with them,”⁷ Peter explained (Acts 11:15-18 ESV):

As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted (ἔδωκεν, another form of δίδωμι) repentance (μετάνοιαν. a form of μετάνοια) that leads to life” [Table].

Paul instructed Timothy (2 Timothy 2:22-26 ESV):

So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but⁸ kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.⁹ God may perhaps grant¹⁰ them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Translating τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους his opponents (ESV) or opponents (NET) misses a beautiful nuance the translators of the KJV captured better with those that oppose themselves. The Greek word ἀντιδιατιθεμένους is a participle of the verb ἀντιδιατίθημι in the middle/passive 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).¹¹

While τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους may “be opposed” to Timothy’s teaching about Jesus Christ, to be opponents or his opponents should probably be reserved for the active voice.

Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is executing the action, then the verb is referred to as being in the active voice.¹²

Here is the beautiful part: Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.¹³ When Paul recounted Saul’s encounter with the resurrected, ascended and glorified Christ, he quoted Jesus’ words: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.¹⁴ The ESV translation of σκληρόν σοι, It is hard for you, is virtually identical to the KJV, it is hard for thee. It is hard for us, good church folk, not to hear Jesus’ judge Saul for harming other good church folk. But σοι is in the dative case, so “hard to you” is probably the most literal translation.

The translators of NET caught the flavor of Paul’s recollection of Jesus’ words σκληρόν σοι better: You are hurting yourself. Jesus knows the relentless power of drawing all to Himself. He would never encourage anyone to hold out for a personal appearance. That’s not the point of the story. Rather, pay more attention to the goads as they happen. And by all means, don’t avoid the Bible or Bible teaching, especially when you know that the goads come more frequently then.

At any rate, it makes sense to me that Paul, born anew (ἄνωθεν) from Saul’s encounter with the glorified Christ, wrote τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους to Timothy, and understood these words as, those that oppose themselves. What was more difficult to wrap my head around was, God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth…¹⁵ That didn’t seem to carry any consciousness of Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself.

The Greek word translated perhaps was μήποτε. The word translated may…grant was δῴη in the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸, or δω in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. Both are forms of δίδωμι: “to give (something) to (someone); to deliver and provide; to grant, bestow, impart.” The verb δω is in the subjunctive mood, but δῴη is in the optative mood.

The optative is the mood of possibility, removed even further than the subjunctive mood from something conceived of as actual. Often it is used to convey a wish or hope for a certain action to occur.¹⁶

Either way, this is not an artifact of translating a verb in the subjunctive mood in a result clause into English. In fact, Paul seems to have gone out of his way to ensure that God granting repentance to those that oppose themselves is not the result of Timothy’s kindness to everyone (πάντας), his ability to teach, his patient enduring of evil, nor correcting his opponents with gentleness. Rather, it is God’s kindness [that] leads you to repentance.¹⁷

The Greek word translated leads above was ἄγει an active form of ἄγω in the present tense and indicative mood:

The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective…It may be action occurring in past, present, or future time.¹⁸

[D]o you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, Paul asked those who judge others, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια)?¹⁹ The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, Peter wrote, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (μετάνοιαν, a form of μετάνοια).²⁰ Repentance, too, seems to be part of Jesus drawing all to Himself rather than an objection to it.

The next occurrence of πάντας follows (Luke 13:28 ESV):

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

Here Jesus limited πάντας by the prophets (τοὺς προφήτας), but I can’t just brush this verse aside without considering the whole passage (Luke 13:22-30 ESV):

[Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem.²¹ And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door.²² For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord,²³ open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers²⁴ of evil!’²⁵ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

And someone said to Jesus, κύριε, εἰ ὀλίγοι οἱ σῳζόμενοι. The most literal understanding I can arrive at is: “Lord, if few the saved.” Since Jesus’ answer included not only πολλοί (a form of πολύς) but ἰσχύσουσιν (a form of ἰσχύω), it seems remotely possible the question was whether the saved were puny or weak. But that doesn’t mitigate the fear engendered by this answer.

The participle σῳζόμενοι used as an adjective here might alleviate some of that fear, however, since it is in the present tense. If this were a divine command, I would probably take the present tense in a now and forever sort of way. In a question from the mouth of a human being I feel fairly secure limiting the scope of the present tense to the questioner’s moment in time.

Strive to enter through the narrow door, Jesus’ answer began: ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας [or, πυλης]. The Greek word ἀγωνίζεσθε (a form of ἀγωνίζομαι) means: “to compete for a prize; to engage in battle; to struggle; to fight; to labour fervently; to strive; to exert; to accomplish.” It is an imperative from Jesus’ lips in the present tense, which I do tend to take in a now and forever sort of way. But it doesn’t have quite the same ring as, “Believe in the Lord Jesus,²⁶ and you will be saved, you and your household.”²⁷

For many…will seek to enter and will not be able, Jesus continued: ὅτι πολλοί…ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν. The Greek paints a fairly vivid word picture of a crowd of people doing whatever to one another to stampede through a narrow opening. For many…οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν (a form of ἰσχύω), will not “have power, be competent, be able; be successful; be capable, confident; be in possession of one’s powers, be in good health; be strong, be mighty; make strenuous efforts, endeavour; have meaning, be valid; be strong (physically), have power, prevail, have strength.”

To make matters worse, the clock is ticking: When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door… This reminds me of the proverb, “I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.”²⁸ I should point out that door (θύραν, a form of θύρα) here is a different word from the narrow door/strait gate (πυλης, a form of πύλη) through which people are crowding in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had θύρας (another form of θύρα) for the narrow door through which Jesus commanded these people to enter.

So, when I consider that the master of the house rises to shut this narrow door at some point in time, I should also be mindful of the possibility that Jesus had a different door in mind. The NA²⁷ is essentially equivalent²⁹ to the NET parallel Greek text. In 2 Timothy 2:24 (footnote 8), for instance, the word but was ἀλλὰ in the NET parallel Greek text (NA²⁷) and ἀλλ’ in NA²⁸, the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. That means to me that the editors of NA²⁷ agreed that ἀλλὰ was more original. Later, in NA²⁸ the editors reverted back to ἀλλ’ in agreement once again with most of the received texts.

The difference between ἀλλὰ and ἀλλ’ is insignificant. Both translate but. The difference between θύραν and πυλης might be significant and might not. Could Jesus use two different words that mean door to refer to the same door? Sure. If He used two different words could He have meant two different doors? Sure. The agreement of the texts of NA²⁷ and NA²⁸ means that two groups of editors agreed that θύρας was more original for the narrow door, and that Jesus used the same root word (θύρα) for the shut door. But that doesn’t say anything about what the editors of NA²⁹ might decide. So, I try to keep an open mind.

I’ll pick this up in another essay. Tables comparing the Greek of 2 Timothy 2:24, 25; Luke 13:22; 13:24, 25; 13:27 and Acts 16:31 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Timothy 2:24, 25 (NET)	2 Timothy 2:24, 25 (KJV)
And the Lord’s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient,	And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2 Timothy 2:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Timothy 2:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Timothy 2:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
δοῦλον δὲ κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι ἀλλὰ ἤπιον εἶναι πρὸς πάντας, διδακτικόν, ἀνεξίκακον	δουλον δε κυριου ου δει μαχεσθαι αλλ ηπιον ειναι προς παντας διδακτικον ανεξικακον	δουλον δε κυριου ου δει μαχεσθαι αλλ ηπιον ειναι προς παντας διδακτικον ανεξικακον

correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth,

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2 Timothy 2:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Timothy 2:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Timothy 2:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν πραΰτητι παιδεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, μήποτε δῴη αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς μετάνοιαν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας	εν πραοτητι παιδευοντα τους αντιδιατιθεμενους μηποτε δω αυτοις ο θεος μετανοιαν εις επιγνωσιν αληθειας	εν πραοτητι παιδευοντα τους αντιδιατιθεμενους μηποτε δω αυτοις ο θεος μετανοιαν εις επιγνωσιν αληθειας

Luke 13:22 (NET)	Luke 13:22 (KJV)
Then Jesus traveled throughout towns and villages, teaching and making his way toward Jerusalem.	And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

Luke 13:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ διεπορεύετο κατὰ πόλεις καὶ κώμας διδάσκων καὶ πορείαν ποιούμενος εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα	και διεπορευετο κατα πολεις και κωμας διδασκων και πορειαν ποιουμενος εις ιερουσαλημ	και διεπορευετο κατα πολεις και κωμας διδασκων και πορειαν ποιουμενος εις ιερουσαλημ

Luke 13:24, 25 (NET)	Luke 13:24, 25 (KJV)
“Exert every effort to enter through the narrow door because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.	Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Luke 13:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας, ὅτι πολλοί, λέγω ὑμῖν, ζητήσουσιν εἰσελθεῖν καὶ οὐκ ἰσχύσουσιν	αγωνιζεσθε εισελθειν δια της στενης πυλης οτι πολλοι λεγω υμιν ζητησουσιν εισελθειν και ουκ ισχυσουσιν	αγωνιζεσθε εισελθειν δια της στενης πυλης οτι πολλοι λεγω υμιν ζητησουσιν εισελθειν και ουκ ισχυσουσιν

Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, then you will stand outside and start to knock on the door and beg him, ‘Lord, let us in!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

Luke 13:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀφ᾿ οὗ ἂν ἐγερθῇ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης καὶ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν θύραν καὶ ἄρξησθε ἔξω ἑστάναι καὶ κρούειν τὴν θύραν λέγοντες· κύριε, ἄνοιξον ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ἐρεῖ ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς πόθεν ἐστέ	αφ ου αν εγερθη ο οικοδεσποτης και αποκλειση την θυραν και αρξησθε εξω εσταναι και κρουειν την θυραν λεγοντες κυριε κυριε ανοιξον ημιν και αποκριθεις ερει υμιν ουκ οιδα υμας ποθεν εστε	αφ ου αν εγερθη ο οικοδεσποτης και αποκλειση την θυραν και αρξησθε εξω εσταναι και κρουειν την θυραν λεγοντες κυριε κυριε ανοιξον ημιν και αποκριθεις ερει υμιν ουκ οιδα υμας ποθεν εστε

Luke 13:27 (NET)	Luke 13:27 (KJV)
But he will reply, ‘I don’t know where you come from! Go away from me, all you evildoers!’	But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

Luke 13:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 13:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 13:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐρεῖ λέγων ὑμῖν· οὐκ οἶδα [ὑμᾶς] πόθεν ἐστέ· ἀπόστητε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ πάντες ἐργάται ἀδικίας	και ερει λεγω υμιν ουκ οιδα υμας ποθεν εστε αποστητε απ εμου παντες οι εργαται της αδικιας	και ερει λεγω υμιν ουκ οιδα υμας ποθεν εστε αποστητε απ εμου παντες οι εργαται της αδικιας

Acts 16:31 (NET)	Acts 16:31 (KJV)
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household.”	And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Acts 16:31 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 16:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 16:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· πίστευσον ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν καὶ σωθήσῃ σὺ καὶ ὁ οἶκος σου	οι δε ειπον πιστευσον επι τον κυριον ιησουν χριστον και σωθηση συ και ο οικος σου	οι δε ειπον πιστευσον επι τον κυριον ιησουν χριστον και σωθηση συ και ο οικος σου

Christianity, Part 6

Back to Christianity, Part 7

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to Who Am I? Part 16

Back to Who Am I? Part 17

Back to Christianity, Part 15

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 1

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Luke 13:1-5 (ESV)

³ John 12:32 (ESV)

⁴ Luke 5:32 (ESV)

⁵ Here πάντα, (another form of πᾶς) was limited by τὰ ἔθνη (ESV: nations), if one wants to consider that a limitation.

⁶ Acts 5:29 (ESV) Table

⁷ Acts 11:2b, 3 (ESV)

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

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πραΰτητι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πραοτητι (KJV: meekness).

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δῴη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δω (KJV: will grant).

¹¹ Grammatical Voice of Verbs, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

¹² Ibid.

¹³ Acts 8:3 (ESV)

¹⁴ Acts 26:14b (ESV) Table

¹⁵ 2 Timothy 2:25b (NET)

¹⁶ Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

¹⁷ Romans 2:4b (NET)

¹⁸ Verbal Moods, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

¹⁹ Romans 2:4 (NET)

²⁰ 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Table

²¹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Jerusalem was spelled Ἱεροσόλυμα, and ιερουσαλημ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had θύρας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πυλης (KJV: gate).

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριε κυριε (KJV: Lord, Lord) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had simply κυριε.

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι preceding workers (NET: –doers). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article της preceding evil (KJV: iniquity). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον (KJV: Christ) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁷ Acts 16:31 (ESV)

²⁸ From the “Meaning Behind The Proverb ‘I Don’t Have to Outrun The Bear’” on The USC Digital Folklore Archives: “So, the story goes like this. Two men are hiking in the woods, and they see a bear. The bear is really mad, so they start running to get away. The first man says ‘how are we going to outrun this bear?’ and the other guy goes ‘I don’t have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.’”

²⁹ From the Preface to the NET Bible online: Another major change introduced with the Second Beta Edition of the NET Bible was a significant update to the text-critical notes for the New Testament. After the printing of the First Beta Edition, it was suggested to the NET Bible team by the German Bible Society (Deutsche Bibelgesellchaft) in Stuttgart, Germany, that the information in the New Testament tc notes should be standardized to the Nestle-Aland 27th edition text which they publish in conjunction with the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung in Münster, Germany. (Prior to this point, the textual evidence in the tc notes had been drawn from NA27, UBS4, and other sources.)

Christianity, Part 4

Posted on December 20, 2022 by admin

There are 13 occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel [see Table below], the Greek word translated all people in And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ Two occurrences found in narrative passages were limited by words immediately following πάντας, and three others were limited by the time and place mentioned in context. There is one more occurrence in a narrative phrase introducing Jesus’ teaching, one in a question Peter asked Jesus about his teaching and six occurrences spoken by Jesus as He taught. I’ll consider these in detail.

And [Jesus] said to all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς), “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.²

In a narrative passage I would assume that πάντας was limited to all who heard Jesus at a particular time and place: Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him.³ But the nature of his message here causes me to question that assumption. It seems to apply beyond the immediate time and place to τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἔρχεσθαι, anyone [who] would come after [Jesus].

Given my predisposition it was natural, perhaps inevitable, for me to consider that this desire (θέλει, a form of θέλω) to follow Jesus originated with, or was conjured by, the human individual. It rendered that individual worthy of Jesus’ salvation. The lack of this desire, or one’s inability to conjure it, made one worthy of damnation. Then lightning struck, metaphorically speaking, in the form of Jesus’ saying: No one (οὐδεὶς) can (δύναται, a form of δύναμαι) come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.⁴

The desire to follow Jesus on these terms, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, does not originate with any human individual. It is evidence that one is being drawn by God. And this truth, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me; For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it, is not limited to those who would follow but applies to all. So, πάντας here stands without any limitation of time or place: And he said to all.⁵

I’d like to consider the fuller version of D. A. Carson’s argument quoted in “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog:

“On the verb ‘to draw’, cf. notes on 6:44. There, the one who draws is the Father; here [John 12:32], it is the Son, but nothing much should be made of this (5:19)…

John 6:44 quotes Jesus saying: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.⁶ John 5:19 reads: So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.⁷

Mr. Carson’s quote continued:

“But the scope and efficacy of the drawing in the two places are quite different. There, the focus is on those individuals whom the Father gives to the Son, whom the Son infallibly preserves and raises up at the last day. Here, ‘all men’ reminds the reader of what triggered these statements, viz. the arrival of the Greeks…

The “arrival of the Greeks” is a reference to the following (John 12:20-23 ESV):

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip⁸ went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went⁹ and¹⁰ told Jesus. And Jesus answered¹¹ them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

I agree that “the scope…of the drawing [is] quite different” in John 6:44 and 12:32. The Father draws a select few relative to all who have lived, or will ever live, on earth prior to Jesus’ crucifixion. Jesus promises to draw all afterward. But I fail to see how the “arrival of the Greeks” as described above alters the “efficacy of the drawing.”

In the KJV πάντας was translated all men (ESV: all people), but the Greek is not πάντας ἄνθρωπον or πάντας ἀνθρώπους as if Jesus intended to limit πάντας in some way. It is simply πάντας. Yet in Mr. Carson’s argument the “arrival of the Greeks” so alters the efficacy of Jesus’ drawing that πάντας ἑλκύσω (literally: “all I will draw”)…

…means ‘all people without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike’, not all individuals without exception, since the surrounding context has just established judgment as a major theme (v. 31), a time for distinguishing between those who love their lives (and therefore lose them) and those who hate their lives (and therefore keep them for eternal life, v. 25).”

John 12:31 reads: Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.¹² This indicates to me that Mr. Carson thought the judgment of this world and the casting out of the ruler of this world were opposed somehow to Jesus drawing all to Himself. John 12:25 reads: Whoever loves his life loses¹³ it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.¹⁴

I want to consider this in context (John 12:23-26 ESV):

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If¹⁵ anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

All that follows falls under the heading: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.¹⁶ Jesus referred to Himself here as the Son of Man but whenever I hear this phrase I think also of those who follow Him. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.¹⁷ He spoke of his own death but also the death of those who would follow Him. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.¹⁸ This is true of the Son of Man as it is true of all born of Him. And if I seek more clarification, what it means to hate my life in this world, Jesus spoke directly to us: If anyone serves me, he must follow me.¹⁹

This brings me back to the beginning of this essay:

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.²⁰

To hate my life in this world is to deny myself (I do not know the man²¹) in this world, to take up [my] cross daily in this world and to follow Jesus. Here it becomes clear that our old self born of the flesh loves its life in this world, does not deny itself, take up its cross daily or follow Jesus: We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.²² It is the new self (τὸν νέον), which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator²³ who comprehends that, I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,²⁴ is not a hyperbolic expression of Paul’s personal devotion, but normative for all who believe.

Considered as a whole I can’t fit Mr. Carson’s argument into my understanding of a rational argument against And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.²⁵ It doesn’t line up in any way that persuades me that Jesus intended to limit πάντας here, nor cause me to doubt the efficacy of Jesus’ drawing relative to that of his Father. In fact, this argument resolves for me as: “Jesus didn’t say I…will draw all…to myself because that conflicts with the thoughts of my religious mind regarding the judgment of this world.” I prefer now to let my thoughts be shaped by the mind of Christ where, Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out; And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,²⁶ is one continuous thought rather than a contradiction.

The next occurrence of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel follows (Luke 12:41 ESV):

Peter said,²⁷ “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)?”

The parable to which Peter referred follows (Luke 12:35-40 ESV):

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home²⁸ from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If²⁹ he comes in the second watch,³⁰ or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!³¹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming,³² he would not have left his house to be broken into.³³ You³⁴ also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Jesus’ answer to Peter’s question is interesting (Luke 12:42-48 ESV):

And³⁵ the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating [Table]. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

I suppose my first thought would be that this parable is a warning to the ambitious: Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.³⁶ But since the ambitious are always with us, I want to stay alert, too, just for self-preservation. Even if they don’t succumb to alcohol the ambitious are very prone to error and desire to take others along with them. They’re ambitious.

Though the parable speaks of a master who is away, Jesus did not leave us orphaned (John 14:18-26). This is not about following a vague memory of a predetermined plan but being led by the Holy Spirit rather than someone else (including oneself). A light beating is insufficient cause to be ignorant of my master’s will. So, first and foremost I follow the Holy Spirit through the Bible and then in daily life.

So, how did Jesus answer Peter’s question: Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)?³⁷ He answered it at a specific time when God drew a select few to Jesus. But if I believe his promise, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself,³⁸ I can hear his answer as yes and yes. Yes, it is for you, and, yes, it is for all.

The translators of the NET rendered Peter’s question: Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone (πάντας, a form of πᾶς)?³⁹ The blog post I’ve been quoting reads: “Here we must go a bit further in our understanding of verse 32: But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men [πάντας, a form of πᾶς] to myself. Certainly, the Lord had no intention that we should read into this text the idea that everyone would be saved because we know only believers find eternal life.”⁴⁰

Does faith arise spontaneously in the hearts of the unrighteous who do not seek for God? I don’t think so. I’m also having difficulty understanding how Jesus by drawing all to Himself might impact faith adversely. The question I remember most from my unbelief is: If you’re such a big deal, where are you? How does the answer, I’m drawing you to Myself, impede faith?

I do recall the Scripture on which this argument, “we know only believers find eternal life,” is based (John 3:16 ESV [Table]):

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

The Greek word πᾶς, translated whoever here, is limited by the words immediately following it: ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν (believes in him). This was translated everyone who believes in him in the NET. The phrase should not perish was μὴ ἀπόληται in Greek. The translation should…perish was intended to signal a verb in the subjunctive mood to those who already know Greek. It was translated will not perish in the NET despite the fact that the verb was ἀπόληται rather than ἀπολεῖται, because this is a result clause.

The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances. It is oftentimes used in conditional statements (i.e. ‘If…then…’ clauses) or in purpose clauses. However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then 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.⁴¹

The author of this blog post was correct, writing, “we know only believers find eternal life.” But does it then follow that “the Lord had no intention that we should read into this text the idea that everyone would be saved”? Can we take this knowledge and use it as a rule to judge what Jesus can and cannot say? Consider the next verse (John 3:17 ESV [Table]):

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The Greek word translated might be saved was σωθῇ (a form of σώζω), another verb in the subjunctive mood. It was translated should be saved in the NET. Again, this is a result clause. The meaning in Greek is: God sent his Son into the world…in order that the world [will] be saved through him. The inference here is not: Jesus cannot draw all to Himself because “we know only believers find eternal life.” The inference of this knowledge is that all whom Jesus draws to Himself will believe.

I’ll continue with the occurrences of πάντας in Luke’s Gospel in another essay. The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in Luke
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Luke 1:65	ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πάντας φόβος τοὺς περιοικοῦντας αὐτούς	fear came on all their neighbors
Luke 4:36	ἐγένετο θάμβος ἐπὶ πάντας	they were all amazed
Luke 5:9	πάντας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ	all who were with him
Luke 6:10	περιβλεψάμενος πάντας αὐτοὺς	looking around at them all
Luke 6:19	ἰᾶτο πάντας	healed them all
Luke 9:23	Ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς πάντας	And he said to all
Luke 12:41	πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην λέγεις ἢ καὶ πρὸς πάντας	are you telling this parable for us or for all?
Luke 13:2	δοκεῖτε ὅτι οἱ Γαλιλαῖοι οὗτοι ἁμαρτωλοὶ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς Γαλιλαίους ἐγένοντο	do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans
Luke 13:4	δοκεῖτε ὅτι αὐτοὶ ὀφειλέται ἐγένοντο παρὰ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς κατοικοῦντας Ἰερουσαλήμ	do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem
Luke 13:28	πάντας τοὺς προφήτας	all the prophets
Luke 17:27	ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	the flood came and destroyed them all
Luke 17:29	ἔβρεξεν πῦρ καὶ θεῖον ἀπ᾿ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας	fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all
Luke 21:35	πάντας τοὺς καθημένους ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς	all who dwell on the face of the whole earth

Tables comparing the Greek of John 12:22, 23; 12:25; 12:26; Luke 12:41; 12:36; 12:38-40 and 12:42 in the NET and KJV follow.

John 12:22, 23 (NET)	John 12:22, 23 (KJV)
Philip went and told Andrew, and they both went and told Jesus.	Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.

John 12:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἔρχεται ὁ Φίλιππος καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἀνδρέᾳ, ἔρχεται Ἀνδρέας καὶ Φίλιππος καὶ λέγουσιν τῷ Ἰησοῦ	ερχεται φιλιππος και λεγει τω ανδρεα και παλιν ανδρεας και φιλιππος λεγουσιν τω ιησου	ερχεται φιλιππος και λεγει τω ανδρεα και παλιν ανδρεας και φιλιππος λεγουσιν τω ιησου

Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

John 12:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:23 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἀποκρίνεται αὐτοῖς λέγων· ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις λεγων εληλυθεν η ωρα ινα δοξασθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου	ο δε ιησους απεκρινατο αυτοις λεγων εληλυθεν η ωρα ινα δοξασθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου

John 12:25 (NET)	John 12:25 (KJV)
The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.	He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

John 12:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:25 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ φιλῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολλύει αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ μισῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον φυλάξει αὐτήν	ο φιλων την ψυχην αυτου απολεσει αυτην και ο μισων την ψυχην αυτου εν τω κοσμω τουτω εις ζωην αιωνιον φυλαξει αυτην	ο φιλων την ψυχην αυτου απολεσει αυτην και ο μισων την ψυχην αυτου εν τω κοσμω τουτω εις ζωην αιωνιον φυλαξει αυτην

John 12:26 (NET)	John 12:26 (KJV)
If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.	If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

John 12:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 12:26 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 12:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν ἐμοί τις διακονῇ, ἐμοὶ ἀκολουθείτω, καὶ ὅπου εἰμὶ ἐγὼ ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ διάκονος ὁ ἐμὸς ἔσται· ἐάν τις ἐμοὶ διακονῇ τιμήσει αὐτὸν ὁ πατήρ	εαν εμοι διακονη τις εμοι ακολουθειτω και οπου ειμι εγω εκει και ο διακονος ο εμος εσται και εαν τις εμοι διακονη τιμησει αυτον ο πατηρ	εαν εμοι διακονη τις εμοι ακολουθειτω και οπου ειμι εγω εκει και ο διακονος ο εμος εσται και εαν τις εμοι διακονη τιμησει αυτον ο πατηρ

Luke 12:41 (NET)	Luke 12:41 (KJV)
Then Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for everyone?”	Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

Luke 12:41 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:41 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:41 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ Πέτρος· κύριε, πρὸς ἡμᾶς τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην λέγεις ἢ καὶ πρὸς πάντας	ειπεν δε αυτω ο πετρος κυριε προς ημας την παραβολην ταυτην λεγεις η και προς παντας	ειπεν δε αυτω ο πετρος κυριε προς ημας την παραβολην ταυτην λεγεις η και προς παντας

Luke 12:36 (NET)	Luke 12:36 (KJV)
be like people waiting for their master to come back from the wedding celebration, so that when he comes and knocks, they can immediately open the door for him.	And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

Luke 12:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὑμεῖς ὅμοιοι ἀνθρώποις προσδεχομένοις τὸν κύριον ἑαυτῶν πότε ἀναλύσῃ ἐκ τῶν γάμων, ἵνα ἐλθόντος καὶ κρούσαντος εὐθέως ἀνοίξωσιν αὐτῷ	και υμεις ομοιοι ανθρωποις προσδεχομενοις τον κυριον εαυτων ποτε αναλυσει εκ των γαμων ινα ελθοντος και κρουσαντος ευθεως ανοιξωσιν αυτω	και υμεις ομοιοι ανθρωποις προσδεχομενοις τον κυριον εαυτων ποτε αναλυση εκ των γαμων ινα ελθοντος και κρουσαντος ευθεως ανοιξωσιν αυτω

Luke 12:38-40 (NET)	Luke 12:38-40 (KJV)
Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night and finds them alert, blessed are those slaves!	And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

Luke 12:38 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κὰν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ κὰν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ φυλακῇ ἔλθῃ καὶ εὕρῃ οὕτως, μακάριοι εἰσιν ἐκεῖνοι	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι	και εαν ελθη εν τη δευτερα φυλακη και εν τη τριτη φυλακη ελθη και ευρη ουτως μακαριοι εισιν οι δουλοι εκεινοι

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Luke 12:39 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:39 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:39 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοῦτο δὲ γινώσκετε ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, οὐκ \|ἂν\| ἀφῆκεν διορυχθῆναι τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ	τουτο δε γινωσκετε οτι ει ηδει ο οικοδεσποτης ποια ωρα ο κλεπτης ερχεται εγρηγορησεν αν και ουκ αν αφηκεν διορυγηναι τον οικον αυτου	τουτο δε γινωσκετε οτι ει ηδει ο οικοδεσποτης ποια ωρα ο κλεπτης ερχεται εγρηγορησεν αν και ουκ αν αφηκεν διορυγηναι τον οικον αυτου

You also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Luke 12:40 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:40 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:40 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι, ὅτι ᾗ ὥρᾳ οὐ δοκεῖτε ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται	και υμεις ουν γινεσθε ετοιμοι οτι η ωρα ου δοκειτε ο υιος του ανθρωπου ερχεται	και υμεις ουν γινεσθε ετοιμοι οτι η ωρα ου δοκειτε ο υιος του ανθρωπου ερχεται

Luke 12:42 (NET)	Luke 12:42 (KJV)
The Lord replied, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?	And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

Luke 12:42 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 12:42 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 12:42 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ κύριος· τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς οἰκονόμος ὁ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ὁ κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς θεραπείας αὐτοῦ τοῦ διδόναι ἐν καιρῷ \|τὸ\| σιτομέτριον	ειπεν δε ο κυριος τις αρα εστιν ο πιστος οικονομος και φρονιμος ον καταστησει ο κυριος επι της θεραπειας αυτου του διδοναι εν καιρω το σιτομετριον	ειπεν δε ο κυριος τις αρα εστιν ο πιστος οικονομος και φρονιμος ον καταστησει ο κυριος επι της θεραπειας αυτου του διδοναι εν καιρω το σιτομετριον

Christianity, Part 5

Back to Christianity, Part 6

Back to Christianity, Part 7

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to Christianity, Part 15

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Luke 9:23, 24 (ESV) Table

³ Luke 9:18a (ESV)

⁴ John 6:44a (ESV) Table

⁵ Luke 9:23a (ESV)

⁶ John 6:44 (ESV) Table

⁷ John 5:19 (ESV) Table

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

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔρχεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και παλιν (KJV: and again).

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

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀποκρίνεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεκρινατο.

¹² John 12:31 (ESV)

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπολλύει (NET: destroys) here in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολεσει (KJV: shall lose) in the future tense.

¹⁴ John 12:25 (ESV)

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και preceding If. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ John 12:23 (ESV)

¹⁷ John 12:24 (ESV)

¹⁸ John 12:25 (ESV)

¹⁹ John 12:26a (ESV)

²⁰ Luke 9:23 (ESV) Table

²¹ Matthew 26:72b (ESV) Table

²² Romans 6:6 (ESV)

²³ Colossians 3:10b (ESV)

²⁴ Galatians 2:20 (NET)

²⁵ John 12:32 (ESV)

²⁶ John 12:31, 32 (ESV)

²⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: unto him) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀναλύσῃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had αναλυσει (KJV: will return).

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κὰν here and preceding third watch (NET: or), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εαν ελθη (KJV: And if he shall come) and και (KJV: or) preceding in the third watch. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the verb ἔλθῃ only after third watch rather than both locations as the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had.

³⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had φυλακη here and again after third. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had φυλακῇ only after third.

³¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι δουλοι εκεινοι here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had simply ἐκεῖνοι.

³² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγρηγορησεν αν και (KJV: he would have watched, and) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had διορυχθῆναι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διορυγηναι (KJV: to be broken through).

³⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε.

³⁶ Luke 12:42-44 (ESV)

³⁷ Luke 12:41 (ESV)

³⁸ John 12:32 (ESV)

³⁹ Luke 12:41 (NET)

⁴⁰ “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog

⁴¹ Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

Christianity, Part 3

Posted on December 14, 2022 by admin

In another essay in this series, I wrote, “Any rational argument against [And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself¹] must explain: 1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind.” I want to consider some arguments against it to see how that observation holds up.

A blog post titled “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” on the Christian Publishing House Blog stated:

The Greek expressions rendered “all” in John 12:32 is an inflected form of the word pas. In Koine Greek “all” does not always mean “all.” Many times in the biblical Greek “all” is used in a hyperbolic sense and does not necessarily always mean “all.”

If I assume that Jesus knew this esoteric rule of Koine Greek, I can shoehorn this argument into item #2 of my understanding of a rational argument: Jesus changed his mind even before He spoke. He wasn’t wrong (item #1) because He never said that He will draw all to Himself. I misunderstand Him taking Him at his word.

I’m not convinced that this is an esoteric rule of Koine Greek. The author² cites no Greek grammar but lets it stand on his own authority. I’m not sure how I would apply such a rule if it existed. Much of what Jesus or Paul said or wrote seemed hyperbolic to me when I began to study the Bible. I suspect that forms of πᾶς (pas) much like all in English mean “every, all, the whole, always, complete, entire, utter,” unless explicitly limited in the text. “It is the context that will make clear the author’s intention.”³

According to the Greek Concordance on biblehub.com there are 90 occurrences of πάντας (the Greek word translated all people in John 12:32) in the New Testament. I’ll look at all of them eventually. I’ve surveyed the first nine in Matthew [see Table below].

All nine occur in narrative passages and are clearly limited in scope. The first occurrence follows (Matthew 2:1-4 ESV):

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all (πᾶσα, another form of πᾶς) Jerusalem with him; and assembling all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

Here πάντας was clearly limited to all the chief priests and scribes of the people. It is completely fair to further limit this to all the chief priests and scribes of the people in Jerusalem, since wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. I’d be willing to limit it further to all the chief priests and scribes of the people living in Jerusalem at this time.

Though I’m not searching occurrences of πᾶσα (another form of πᾶς) deliberately, this one came up in context: all Jerusalem was troubled with Herod. I see no problem limiting this occurrence of a form of πᾶς to all Jerusalem who heard with Herod was troubled.

Another example follows (Matthew 2:16 ESV):

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) the male children in Bethlehem and in all⁴ (πᾶσι[ν], another form of πᾶς) that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Here πάντας was limited to the male children in Bethlehem and in πᾶσι(ν) that region who were two years old or under. Since this order was carried out by men it wouldn’t surprise me if the results were less than perfect. We are told explicitly that they missed their intended target completely (Matthew 2:13-15a ESV):

Now when [the wise men] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.

One more example follows (Matthew 21:12 ESV):

And Jesus⁵ entered the temple⁶ and drove out all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

Here πάντας was limited by who sold and bought in the temple. It was further limited by the stated location of the temple: And when [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole (πᾶσα, another form of πᾶς) city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?”⁷ Here, too, πᾶσα was limited by the…city of Jerusalem.

So, do these nine examples of πάντας, along with two examples of πᾶσα and one of πᾶσι(ν), persuade me that Jesus intended to limit πάντας in some way when He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself⁸? No. Matthew was careful to alert his reader by the words which immediately followed it that πάντας was limited. Jesus, by comparison, seems far too cavalier if He intended any such limitation.

There is a book ad preceding the blog post I quoted:

Jesus told the leaders of his day that he “will draw all men [and women] to myself.” You too can experience the joy of drawing “all men” [and women] to the “good news” by Reaching Hearts with the Art of Persuasion.⁹

I never expected with a few clicks of a mouse in under two minutes to find one document that effectively explained one reason I thought Jesus spoke in the exaggerated language of a salesman was the inherent logic of my Christianity. I had a philosophical bent to my mind at a very young age.

I’ve considered the four occurrences of πάντας in Mark’s Gospel [see Table below], but first it seems necessary to address something else. For me the grammatical arguments are most compelling: What did Jesus say? The author of this blog post seems to be arguing something else. He paraphrased D. A. Carson: Jesus “means ‘all people without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike’, not all individuals without exception, since the surrounding context has just established judgment as a major theme (v. 31)…”

If Jesus draws me to Himself, does that preclude Him from judging the sin condemned in my flesh? No, of course not. I return to what I called the long name¹⁰ of God (Exodus 34:6, 7 ESV):

The Lord passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

Since I mentioned this alternative argument, I should probably address it directly. One of the things I like to do is to put alternatives into the text to see how they feel:

Alternate Explanations
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself without distinction, Jews and Gentiles alike.	And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all individuals to myself without exception.

I’m not subtle enough to hear much difference between these two statements, but I’m not thick. I understand what the author of the blog post wanted Jesus to say:

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw from all peoples to myself, from Jews and Gentiles alike without distinction. I will not draw all individuals without exception.

If I take this to the judgment seat of Christ, what is my account if He asks why I believed it? I read a blog post from a Christian bookseller paraphrasing the president of the Evangelical Theological Society? “But what did I say, Dan,” is all He has to say to bring me to my senses. He said, And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all…to myself.

Three of the four occurrences of πάντας in Mark’s Gospel are more like the occurrence in John 12:32 than any in Matthew’s Gospel, and they are clearly limited. One example follows (Mark 2:1-5a, 11, 12 ESV):

And when [Jesus] returned¹¹ to Capernaum¹² after some days,¹³ it was reported that he was at home.¹⁴ And¹⁵ many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near¹⁶ him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down¹⁷ the bed¹⁸ on which¹⁹ the paralytic lay. And²⁰ when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic…“I say to you, rise,²¹ pick up your bed,²² and go home.” And he rose and immediately²³ picked up his bed²⁴ and went out before²⁵ them all (πάντων, another form of πᾶς), so that they were all (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Here πάντας was not limited by the words immediately following it. Instead, it was flanked by two infinitives in the present tense: ἐξίστασθαι (a form of ἐξίστημι) and δοξάζειν (a form of δοξάζω), translated: they were all amazed and glorified God in the ESV. Likewise, πάντων was not limited by the words immediately preceding it: (he) went out before them all. (It seems to me that them was added by the translators.) Both are limited by their context, a house in Capernaum at a specific time: And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door.

So, should I assume that πάντας in John 12:32 was limited to all who heard Jesus at that particular moment in Jerusalem? That doesn’t feel right, and I’ve never heard anyone argue that point. My feelings and potentially poor scholarship aside, I want to look more closely at Jesus’ words (John 12:31-33 ESV):

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die [Table].

Here is the mind of Christ. I do like to put this in a little more perspicuous form.

The Mind of Christ

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth (He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die), will draw all people (πάντας) to myself.”

That Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself is either the judgment of this world or something so intimately associated with the judgment of this world that it is one of the next things that came to his mind. Now I admit, my religious mind has had many other ideas about the judgment of this world. Most, if not all, of them can be summed up with some negation of Jesus’ saying I…will draw all…to myself: I will not draw all to Myself; I will draw not all to Myself; I will draw some to Myself but not all.

I will draw all to Myself, is such a shock to my religious mind that if it followed directly after, Now is the judgment of this world, this might have been a speculative essay about how and when a negative particle was removed from the Greek of John 12:32. It is entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that Jesus will say, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁶ to my religious mind.

I will draw all to Myself, does not follow Now is the judgment of this world. [N]ow will the ruler of this world be cast out, falls between them. So again, that Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself is either the means by which the ruler of this world [will] be cast out or something so intimately associated with the means by which the ruler of this world [will] be cast out that it is the very next thought that came to his mind. And again, I admit, my religious mind has had many other ideas about how the ruler of this world [will] be cast out.

Though my religious mind never recognized any connection between now will the ruler of this world be cast out and I...will draw all…to myself, once I hear it from the mind of Christ it is difficult to conceive of any better way to cast out the ruler of this world than to plunder all of his possessions, rather than some or a few of them. And that little taste of freedom from the domination of my religious mind serves as a bridge back to Now is the judgment of this world.

Suddenly, that Jesus will draw πάντας to Himself, that He will cause all to be born again (ἄνωθεν; NET: from above) by his own indwelling Holy Spirit sounds like the most scathing judgment of this world I could ever imagine. And this thought battles mightily against my religious mind’s tendency to demand that infinite mercy and infinite judgment be two entirely different things.

The irony here is that the carnal or fleshly mind hears the judgment in Jesus’ saying, You must be born again,²⁷ and rejects it as hate speech. So, the carnal/fleshly mind rejects the mercy in Jesus’ judgment while my religious mind rejects the judgment in Jesus’ mercy, his promise to draw all to Himself.

In the Introduction to this blog I speculated that “the religious mind may be nothing more than a subspecies of the carnal mind (KJV) or the outlook of the flesh (NET).” Here they seem opposed to one another. What binds them together, however, and betrays their common origin is their design by the ruler of this world to keep us from abiding in Christ and to keep his words from abiding in us. Both are evidence of the ruler of this world’s domination over our hearts and minds.

It is perfectly just that Jesus say, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁸ to my religious mind. Only the mind of Christ endures. Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 2:6-16 ESV):

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—²⁹

these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God [Table]. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual [Table].

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things,³⁰ but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

To the extent that Christianity is a product of the religious mind, it is idolatry serving neither Christ nor those who would abide in Him.

According to a note (26) in the NET Matthew quoted from Hosea 11:1. The table below compares the relevant portions of the Greek of Matthew 2:15b to Hosea 11:1b in the Septuagint.

Matthew 2:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Hosea 11:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Hosea 11:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξ Ἀιγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου	ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ	ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ
Matthew 2:15b (NET)	Hosea 11:1b (NETS)	Hosea 11:1b (English Elpenor)
I called my Son out of Egypt.	out of Egypt I recalled his children	out of Egypt have I called his children

It appears that Matthew made his own translation from Hebrew rather than quoting the Septuagint directly.

According to a note (12) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 40:13. The table below compares the Greek of 1 Corinthians 2:16a to Isaiah 40:13 in the Septuagint.

1 Corinthians 2:16a (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς γὰρ ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου, ὃς συμβιβάσει αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν
1 Corinthians 2:16a (NET)	Isaiah 40:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:13 (English Elpenor)
For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor to instruct him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord? and who has been his counsellor, to instruct him?

The tables mentioned above follow.

Occurrences of πάντας in Matthew
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Matthew 2:4	πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ	all the chief priests and scribes of the people
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 1) παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα	(v. 1) [they] came to Jerusalem
Matthew 2:16	πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω	all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under
Matthew 4:24	πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας ποικίλαις νόσοις καὶ βασάνοις συνεχομένους [καὶ] δαιμονιζομένους καὶ σεληνιαζομένους καὶ παραλυτικούς	all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics
	This was further limited by:
	ἀπῆλθεν ἡ ἀκοὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς ὅλην τὴν Συρίαν	his fame spread throughout all Syria
Matthew 8:16	πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας	all who were sick
	This was further limited by:
	προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ (v. 14) εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Πέτρου	they brought to him (v. 14) [into] Peter’s house
Matthew 12:15	ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ [ὄχλοι] πολλοί, καὶ ἐθεράπευσεν αὐτοὺς πάντας	many followed him, and he healed them all
Matthew 14:35	προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας	they…brought to him all who were sick
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 34) ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν εἰς Γεννησαρέτ (v. 35) ἀπέστειλαν εἰς ὅλην τὴν περίχωρον	(v. 34) they came to land at Gennesaret (v. 35) they sent around to all that region
Matthew 21:12	ἐξέβαλεν πάντας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ	[he] drove out all who sold and bought in the temple
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 10) εἰσελθόντος αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα	(v. 10) he entered Jerusalem
Matthew 22:10	συνήγαγον πάντας οὓς εὗρον	[they] gathered all whom they found
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 9) πορεύεσθε οὖν ἐπὶ τὰς διεξόδους τῶν ὁδῶν	(v. 9) Go therefore to the main roads
Matthew 26:1	πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους	all these sayings
	This was further limited by (Matthew 24:3-25:46):
	(v. 24:3) Καθημένου δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους τῶν ἐλαιῶν	As he sat on the Mount of Olives

Occurrences of πάντας in Mark
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
Mark 1:32	ἔφερον πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντας τοὺς κακῶς ἔχοντας καὶ τοὺς δαιμονιζομένους	they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons
	This was further limited by:
	(v. 29) ἦλθον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν Σίμωνος καὶ Ἀνδρέου (v. 21) εἰσπορεύονται εἰς Καφαρναούμ	(v. 29) he…entered the house of Simon and Andrew (v. 21) they went into Capernaum
Mark 2:12	ἐξίστασθαι πάντας	they were all amazed
	This was limited by:
	(v. 1a) εἰσελθὼν πάλιν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ (v. 1b) ἐν οἴκῳ ἐστίν	(v. 1a) he returned to Capernaum (v. 1b) he was at home
Mark 5:40	ἐκβαλὼν πάντας παραλαμβάνει	he put them all outside
	This was limited by:
	κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ (v. 38) ἔρχονται εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ἀρχισυναγώγου	they laughed at him (v. 38) They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue
Mark 6:39	ἐπέταξεν αὐτοῖς \|ἀνακλῖναι\| πάντας συμπόσια συμπόσια ἐπὶ τῷ χλωρῷ χόρτῳ	he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass
	This was limited by:
	(v. 32) ἀπῆλθον…εἰς ἔρημον τόπον (v. 33) πεζῇ ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν πόλεων	(v. 32) they went away…to a desolate place (v. 33) they ran there on foot from all the towns

Tables comparing Hosea 11:1; Exodus 34:6; 34:7 and Isaiah 40:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Hosea 11:1; Exodus 34:6; 34:7 and Isaiah 40:13 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 2:16; 21:12; Mark 2:1, 2; 2:4, 5; 2:11, 12 and 1 Corinthians 2:15 in the NET and KJV follow.

Hosea 11:1 (Tanakh)	Hosea 11:1 (KJV)	Hosea 11:1 (NET)
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.	When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.	“When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt.

Hosea 11:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 11:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
(10:15b) ὄρθρου ἀπερρίφησαν ἀπερρίφη βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ (11:1) διότι νήπιος Ισραηλ καὶ ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ	ΟΡΘΡΟΥ ἀπερρίφησαν, ἀπερρίφη βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραήλ· ὅτι νήπιος ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα αὐτὸν καὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου μετεκάλεσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ
Hosea 11:1 (NETS)	Hosea 11:1 (English Elpenor)
At dawn they were cast out; Israel’s king was cast out. For Israel was an infant, and I loved him, and out of Egypt I recalled his children.	Early in the morning were they cast off, the king of Israel has been cast off: for Israel is a child, and I loved him, and out of Egypt have I called his children.

Exodus 34:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 34:6 (KJV)	Exodus 34:6 (NET)
And HaShem passed by before him, and proclaimed: ‘The HaShem, HaShem, G-d, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth;	And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,	The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness,

Exodus 34:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 34:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρῆλθεν κύριος πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινὸς	καὶ παρῆλθε Κύριος πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκάλεσε· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινός
Exodus 34:6 (NETS)	Exodus 34:6 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord passed by before his face, and he called, “The Lord, the Lord God is compassionate and merciful, patient and very merciful and truthful	And the Lord passed by before his face, and proclaimed, The Lord God, pitiful and merciful, longsuffering and very compassionate, and true,

Exodus 34:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 34:7 (KJV)	Exodus 34:7 (NET)
keeping mercy unto the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and unto the fourth generation.’	Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.	keeping loyal love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. But he by no means leaves the guilty unpunished, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children and children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”

Exodus 34:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 34:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δικαιοσύνην διατηρῶν καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας ἀφαιρῶν ἀνομίας καὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ οὐ καθαριεῗ τὸν ἔνοχον ἐπάγων ἀνομίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἐπὶ τέκνα τέκνων ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεάν	καὶ δικαιοσύνην διατηρῶν καὶ ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας, ἀφαιρῶν ἀνομίας καὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ οὐ καθαριεῖ τὸν ἔνοχον, ἐπάγων ἀνομίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἐπὶ τέκνα τέκνων, ἐπὶ τρίτην καὶ τετάρτην γενεάν
Exodus 34:7 (NETS)	Exodus 34:7 (English Elpenor)
and preserving righteousness and doing mercy for thousands, taking away acts of lawlessness and of injustice and sins, and he will not acquit the guilty person, bringing lawless acts of fathers upon children and upon children of children, upon the third and fourth generation.”	and keeping justice and mercy for thousands, taking away iniquity, and unrighteousness, and sins; and he will not clear the guilty; bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and to the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.

Isaiah 40:13 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 40:13 (KJV)	Isaiah 40:13 (NET)
Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?	Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him?	Who comprehends the mind of the Lord, or gives him instruction as his counselor?

Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 40:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς ἔγνω νοῦν κυρίου καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν	τίς ἔγνω νοῦν Κυρίου, καὶ τίς αὐτοῦ σύμβουλος ἐγένετο, ὃς συμβιβᾷ αὐτόν
Isaiah 40:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:13 (English Elpenor)
Who has known the mind of the Lord, and who has been his counselor to instruct him?	Who has known the mind of the Lord? and who has been his counsellor, to instruct him?

Matthew 2:16 (NET)	Matthew 2:16 (KJV)
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.	Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Matthew 2:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 2:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 2:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων	τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων	τοτε ηρωδης ιδων οτι ενεπαιχθη υπο των μαγων εθυμωθη λιαν και αποστειλας ανειλεν παντας τους παιδας τους εν βηθλεεμ και εν πασιν τοις οριοις αυτης απο διετους και κατωτερω κατα τον χρονον ον ηκριβωσεν παρα των μαγων

Matthew 21:12 (NET)	Matthew 21:12 (KJV)
Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.	And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

Matthew 21:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ἐξέβαλεν πάντας τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν κατέστρεψεν καὶ τὰς καθέδρας τῶν πωλούντων τὰς περιστεράς	και εισηλθεν ο ιησους εις το ιερον του θεου και εξεβαλεν παντας τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων κατεστρεψεν και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας	και εισηλθεν ο ιησους εις το ιερον του θεου και εξεβαλεν παντας τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων κατεστρεψεν και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας

Mark 2:1, 2 (NET)	Mark 2:1, 2 (KJV)
Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home.	And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

Mark 2:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ εἰσελθὼν πάλιν εἰς Καφαρναοὺμ δι᾿ ἡμερῶν ἠκούσθη ὅτι ἐν οἴκῳ ἐστίν	και παλιν εισηλθεν εις καπερναουμ δι ημερων και ηκουσθη οτι εις οικον εστιν	και εισηλθεν παλιν εις καπερναουμ δι ημερων και ηκουσθη οτι εις οικον εστιν

So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

Mark 2:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ συνήχθησαν πολλοὶ ὥστε μηκέτι χωρεῖν μηδὲ τὰ πρὸς τὴν θύραν, καὶ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον	και ευθεως συνηχθησαν πολλοι ωστε μηκετι χωρειν μηδε τα προς την θυραν και ελαλει αυτοις τον λογον	και ευθεως συνηχθησαν πολλοι ωστε μηκετι χωρειν μηδε τα προς την θυραν και ελαλει αυτοις τον λογον

Mark 2:4, 5 (NET)	Mark 2:4, 5 (KJV)
When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.	And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

Mark 2:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ μὴ δυνάμενοι προσενέγκαι αὐτῷ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον ἀπεστέγασαν τὴν στέγην ὅπου ἦν, καὶ ἐξορύξαντες χαλῶσι τὸν κράβαττον ὅπου ὁ παραλυτικὸς κατέκειτο	και μη δυναμενοι προσεγγισαι αυτω δια τον οχλον απεστεγασαν την στεγην οπου ην και εξορυξαντες χαλωσιν τον κραββατον εφ ω ο παραλυτικος κατεκειτο	και μη δυναμενοι προσεγγισαι αυτω δια τον οχλον απεστεγασαν την στεγην οπου ην και εξορυξαντες χαλωσιν τον κραββατον εφ ω ο παραλυτικος κατεκειτο

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

Mark 2:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ· τέκνον, ἀφίενται σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι	ιδων δε ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων λεγει τω παραλυτικω τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου	ιδων δε ο ιησους την πιστιν αυτων λεγει τω παραλυτικω τεκνον αφεωνται σοι αι αμαρτιαι σου

Mark 2:11, 12 (NET)	Mark 2:11, 12 (KJV)
“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”	I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

Mark 2:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σοὶ λέγω, ἔγειρε ἆρον τὸν κράβαττον σου καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκον σου	σοι λεγω εγειραι και αρον τον κραββατον σου και υπαγε εις τον οικον σου	σοι λεγω εγειραι και αρον τον κραββατον σου και υπαγε εις τον οικον σου

And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Mark 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἠγέρθη καὶ εὐθὺς ἄρας τὸν κράβαττον ἐξῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν πάντων, ὥστε ἐξίστασθαι πάντας καὶ δοξάζειν τὸν θεὸν \|λέγοντας\| ὅτι οὕτως οὐδέποτε εἴδομεν	και ηγερθη ευθεως και αρας τον κραββατον εξηλθεν εναντιον παντων ωστε εξιστασθαι παντας και δοξαζειν τον θεον λεγοντας οτι ουδεποτε ουτως ειδομεν	και ηγερθη ευθεως και αρας τον κραββατον εξηλθεν εναντιον παντων ωστε εξιστασθαι παντας και δοξαζειν τον θεον λεγοντας οτι ουδεποτε ουτως ειδομεν

1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (KJV)
The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.	But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ πνευματικὸς ἀνακρίνει [τὰ] πάντα, αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς ἀνακρίνεται	ο δε πνευματικος ανακρινει μεν παντα αυτος δε υπ ουδενος ανακρινεται	ο δε πνευματικος ανακρινει μεν παντα αυτος δε υπ ουδενος ανακρινεται

Christianity, Part 4

Back to Christianity, Part 8

Back to Nothing True, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

Back to Introduction-Section Seven

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Possibly: “Edward D. Andrews (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored ninety-five books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).”

³ “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” Christian Publishing House Blog

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

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του θεου (KJV: of God) following temple. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Matthew 21:10 (ESV)

⁸ John 12:32 (ESV)

⁹ “What Did Jesus Mean When He Said That he will ‘Draw All Men [and Women] to Myself’?” Christian Publishing House Blog

¹⁰ Fear -Exodus, Part 6; Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 14

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰσελθὼν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εισηλθεν (KJV: he entered).

¹² In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Capernaum was spelled Καφαρναοὺμ, and καπερναουμ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και joining these clauses. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the verb οἴκῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the noun οικον (KJV: in the house).