Category Archives: Section Two

Antichrist, Part 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

1 John 2:4 (NET)

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

1 John 2:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 2:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

1 John 5:4 (NET)

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

1 John 5:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 5:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

Philemon 1:18 (NET)

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

Philemon 1:18 (NET Parallel Greek)

Philemon 1:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

2 John 1:8 (NET)

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

2 John 1:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

2 John 1:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

1 John 4:10 (NET)

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

1 John 4:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 4:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

1 John 4:15 (NET)

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

1 John 4:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 John 4:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

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

2 1 John 2:3-5a (NET)

3 1 John 5:3, 4a (NET)

4 Romans 13:10b (NET)

5 Philippians 2:13 (NET) Table

7 1 John 4:16-18a (NET)

8 Galatians 5:22 (NET)

9 1 John 2:4 (NET)

10 Galatians 2:21 (NET)

11 Romans 7:18b (NET) Table

12 Acts 22:19 (NET)

13 Acts 22:18 (NET) Table

14 Acts 22:20 (NET) Table

15 1 John 2:5b, 6 (NET)

16 John 19:7 (NET)

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

18 Philemon 1:18 (NET)

19 1 John 2:18, 19 (NET) Table

20 1 John 2:27 (NET) Table

21 John 14:15-17 (NET)

22 1 John 2:22, 23 (NET)

23 Philippians 3:9 (NET)

24 1 John 4:1-3 (NET)

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

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

27 2 John 1:5-8 (NET)

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

Romans, Part 42

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul

Blue Letter Bible (Septuagint)

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)
…he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. 

Romans 11:26b (NET)

 ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ιακωβ

Isaiah 59:20b

 ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ

Romans 11:26b

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

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

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

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

Paul

KJV

NET Bible (Greek parallel text)
…and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

Romans 11:26b (KJV)

 …and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob…

Isaiah 59:20b

 ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ

Romans 11:26b

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

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

Jeremiah 31:35 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 31:35 (KJV)

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

Jeremiah 31:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 38:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως εἶπεν κύριος ὁ δοὺς τὸν ἥλιον εἰς φῶς τῆς ἡμέρας σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας εἰς φῶς τῆς νυκτός καὶ κραυγὴν ἐν θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐβόμβησεν τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ οὕτως εἶπε Κύριος ὁ δοὺς τὸν ἥλιον εἰς φῶς τῆς ἡμέρας, σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας εἰς φῶς τῆς νυκτός, καὶ κραυγὴν ἐν θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐβόμβησε τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς, Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ

Jeremiah 38:36 (NETS)

Jeremiah 38:35 (English Elpenor)
Thus did the Lord say, who gives the sun as light by day, moon and stars as light by night, and a scream in the sea and its waves made a booming noise—the Lord Almighty is his name: Thus saith the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the moon and the stars for a light by night, and [makes] a roaring in the sea, so that the waves thereof roar; the Lord Almighty is his name:

1 Romans 11:25a (NET) Table

2 2 Corinthians 1:8, 9 (NET)

3 Philippians 3:3 (NET) Table

4 Philippians 3:4-9 (NET)

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

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

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

8 Ephesians 1:3-14 (NET)

9 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NET)

10 Romans 12:16, 17 (NET)

11 1 Corinthians 4:10 (NET)

12 2 Corinthians 11:19 (NET)

13 Romans 11:25b, 26a (NET)

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

15 Romans 9:8 (NET)

16 Romans 1:18 (NET)

17 Isaiah 59:20 (NET) Table

18 Jeremiah 31:37 (NET) Table

19 Romans 11:28 (NET)

Antichrist, Part 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Mark 4:12a (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 6:9b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε

Mark 4:12a (NET)

Isaiah 6:9b (NETS)

Isaiah 6:9b (English Elpenor)
“so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, ‘You will listen by listening, but you will not understand, and looking you will look, but you will not perceive’. Ye shall hear indeed, but ye shall not understand; and ye shall see indeed, but ye shall not perceive.

Mark 4:12b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 6:10b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 6:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς

Mark 4:12b (NET)

Isaiah 6:10b (NETS)

Isaiah 6:10b (English Elpenor)
so they may not repent and be forgiven.” and turn–and I would heal them.” and be converted, and I should heal them.

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

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET)

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

2 Corinthians 9:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

2 Corinthians 9:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

Mark 4:12 (NET)

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

Mark 4:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 4:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

Mark 4:11 (NET)

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

Mark 4:11 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 4:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

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

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

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

4 Romans 13:10 (NET)

5 1 Corinthians 12:4-10a (NET)

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

Fear – Exodus Part 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

1 Corinthians 1:19b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 29:14b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:14b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν ἀθετήσω ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν κρύψω ἀπολῶ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν συνετῶν κρύψω

1 Corinthians 1:19b (NET)

Isaiah 29:14b (NETS)

Isaiah 29:14b (English Elpenor)
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will thwart the cleverness of the intelligent. [I will] destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will hide. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the understanding of the prudent.

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

1 Corinthians 1:31b (NET Parallel Greek)

Jeremiah 9:24a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Jeremiah 9:24a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ καυχώμενος ἐν κυρίῳ καυχάσθω ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος συνίειν καὶ γινώσκειν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ἀλλ’ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνίειν καὶ γινώσκεν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος

1 Corinthians 1:31b (NET)

Jeremiah 9:24a (NETS)

Jeremiah 9:24a (English Elpenor)
Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. But let him who boasts boast in this: that he understands and knows that I am the Lord but let him that boasts boast in this, the understanding and knowing that I am the Lord

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

Exodus 1:18 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:18 (KJV)

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

Exodus 1:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάλεσεν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τὰς μαίας καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς τί ὅτι ἐποιήσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζωογονεῖτε τὰ ἄρσενα ἐκάλεσε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου τὰς μαίας καὶ εἶπεν αὐταῖς· τί ὅτι ἐποιήσατε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζωογονεῖτε τὰ ἄρσενα

Exodus 1:18 (NETS)

Exodus 1:18 (English Elpenor)
Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why is it that you have done this thing and tried to keep the males alive?” And the king of Egypt called the midwives, and said to them, Why is it that ye have done this thing, and saved the male children alive?

Exodus 1:19 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:19 (KJV)

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

Exodus 1:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τῷ Φαραω οὐχ ὡς γυναῖκες Αἰγύπτου αἱ Εβραῖαι τίκτουσιν γὰρ πρὶν ἢ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς μαίας καὶ ἔτικτον εἶπαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τῷ Φαραώ· οὐχ ὡς γυναῖκες Αἰγύπτου αἱ ῾Εβραῖαι, τίκτουσι γὰρ πρὶν ἢ εἰσελθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὰς τὰς μαίας· καὶ ἔτικτον

Exodus 1:19 (NETS)

Exodus 1:19 (English Elpenor)
The midwives then said to Pharao, “The Hebrew women are not like the women of Egypt, for they give birth before the midwives go in to them,” and they were already giving birth. And the midwives said to Pharao, The Hebrew women are not as the women of Egypt, for they are delivered before the midwives go in to them. So they bore children.

Exodus 1:22 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:22 (KJV)

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

Exodus 1:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
συνέταξεν δὲ Φαραω παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ λέγων πᾶν ἄρσεν ὃ ἐὰν τεχθῇ τοῖς Εβραίοις εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥίψατε καὶ πᾶν θῆλυ ζωογονεῖτε αὐτό συνέταξε δὲ Φαραὼ παντὶ τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ λέγων· πᾶν ἄρσεν, ὃ ἐὰν τεχθῇ τοῖς ῾Εβραίοις, εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ῥίψατε· καὶ πᾶν θῆλυ, ζωογονεῖτε αὐτό

Exodus 1:22 (NETS)

Exodus 1:22 (English Elpenor)
Then Pharao instructed all his people, saying, “Every male that might be born to the Hebrews, throw into the river, and every female, keep it alive.” And Pharao charged all his people, saying, Whatever male [child] shall be born to the Hebrews, cast into the river; and every female, save it alive.

Exodus 2:11 (Tanakh)

Exodus 2:11 (KJV)

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

Exodus 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος Μωυσῆς ἐξήλθεν πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντά τινα Εβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ᾿Εγένετο δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πολλαῖς ἐκείναις μέγας γενόμενος Μωυσῆς, ἐξῆλθε πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ. κατανοήσας δὲ τὸν πόνον αὐτῶν ὁρᾷ ἄνθρωπον Αἰγύπτιον τύπτοντά τινα ῾Εβραῖον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφῶν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ

Exodus 2:11 (NETS)

Exodus 2:11 (English Elpenor)
Now it came to pass in the course of those many days, when he had fully grown, Moyses went out to his brothers, the sons of Israel. And as he observed their toil, he saw an Egyptian man beating some Hebrew from his own brothers, the sons of Israel. And it came to pass in that length of time, that Moses having grown, went out to his brethren the sons of Israel: and having noticed their distress, he sees an Egyptian smiting a certain Hebrew of his brethren the children of Israel.

Exodus 2:12 (Tanakh)

Exodus 2:12 (KJV)

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

Exodus 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
περιβλεψάμενος δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ περιβλεψάμενος δὲ ὧδε καὶ ὧδε οὐχ ὁρᾷ οὐδένα καὶ πατάξας τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, ἔκρυψεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἄμμῳ

Exodus 2:12 (NETS)

Exodus 2:12 (English Elpenor)
Now when he looked around this way and that, he saw no one, and he struck the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And having looked round this way and that way, he sees no one; and he smote the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

Exodus 2:14 (Tanakh)

Exodus 2:14 (KJV)

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

Exodus 2:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 2:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες ἐχθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωυσῆς καὶ εἶπεν εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονεν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τίς σε κατέστησεν ἄρχοντα καὶ δικαστὴν ἐφ᾿ ἡμῶν; μὴ ἀνελεῖν με σὺ θέλεις, ὃν τρόπον ἀνεῖλες χθὲς τὸν Αἰγύπτιον; ἐφοβήθη δὲ Μωυσῆς, καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ οὕτως ἐμφανὲς γέγονε τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο

Exodus 2:14 (NETS)

Exodus 2:14 (English Elpenor)
But he said, “Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? You do not intend to kill me, do you, in the same way you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” Then Moyses was afraid and said, “Has this matter perhaps become so well known?” And he said, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? wilt thou slay me as thou yesterday slewest the Egyptian? Then Moses was alarmed, and said, If [it be] thus, this matter has become known.

Exodus 2:15 (Tanakh)

Exodus 2:15 (KJV)

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

Exodus 2:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 2:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἤκουσεν δὲ Φαραω τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζήτει ἀνελεῖν Μωυσῆν ἀνεχώρησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Μαδιαμ ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς γῆν Μαδιαμ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ φρέατος ἤκουσε δὲ Φαραὼ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο καὶ ἐζήτει ἀνελεῖν Μωυσῆν· ἀνεχώρησε δὲ Μωυσῆς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραὼ καὶ ᾤκησεν ἐν γῇ Μαδιάμ, ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς γῆν Μαδιὰμ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ φρέατος

Exodus 2:15 (NETS)

Exodus 2:15 (English Elpenor)
Now Pharao heard about this matter, and he was seeking to kill Moyses. Then Moyses withdrew from Pharao’s presence and settled in the land of Madian. Now when he came into the land of Madian, he sat upon the well. And Pharao heard this matter, and sought to slay Moses; and Moses departed from the presence of Pharao, and dwelt in the land of Madiam; and having come into the land of Madiam, he sat on the well.

Exodus 2:23 (Tanakh)

Exodus 2:23 (KJV)

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

Exodus 2:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 2:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου καὶ κατεστέναξαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων καὶ ἀνεβόησαν καὶ ἀνέβη ἡ βοὴ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων Μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου. καὶ κατεστέναξαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων καὶ ἀνεβόησαν, καὶ ἀνέβη ἡ βοὴ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων

Exodus 2:23 (NETS)

Exodus 2:23 (English Elpenor)
Now after those many days the king of Egypt died, and the sons of Israel groaned from the tasks and cried out, and their cry rose up to God form their tasks. And in those days after a length of time, the king of Egypt died; and the children of Israel groaned because of their tasks, and cried, and their cry because of their tasks went up to God.

Exodus 3:1 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:1 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:1 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Μωυσῆς ἦν ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα Ιοθορ τοῦ γαμβροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἱερέως Μαδιαμ καὶ ἤγαγεν τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος Χωρηβ ΚΑΙ Μωυσῆς ἦν ποιμαίνων τὰ πρόβατα ᾿Ιοθόρ τοῦ γαμβροῦ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἱερέως Μαδιὰμ καὶ ἤγαγε τὰ πρόβατα ὑπὸ τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος Χωρήβ

Exodus 3:1 (NETS)

Exodus 3:1 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses was tending the sheep of Iothor, his father-in-law, the priest of Madian, and he led the sheep beyond the wilderness and came to the mountain, Choreb. And Moses was feeding the flock of Jothor his father-in-law, the priest of Madiam; and he brought the sheep nigh to the wilderness, and came to the mount of Choreb.

Exodus 3:2 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:2 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐν φλογὶ πυρὸς ἐκ τοῦ βάτου καὶ ὁρᾷ ὅτι ὁ βάτος καίεται πυρί ὁ δὲ βάτος οὐ κατεκαίετο ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς ἐκ τοῦ βάτου, καὶ ὁρᾷ ὅτι ὁ βάτος καίεται πυρί, ὁ δὲ βάτος οὐ κατεκαίετο

Exodus 3:2 (NETS)

Exodus 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a fire of flame out of the bush, and he saw that the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not burning up. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flaming fire out of the bush, and he sees that the bush burns with fire,– but the bush was not consumed.

Exodus 3:3 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:3 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς παρελθὼν ὄψομαι τὸ ὅραμα τὸ μέγα τοῦτο τί ὅτι οὐ κατακαίεται ὁ βάτος εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς· παρελθὼν ὄψομαι τὸ ὅραμα τὸ μέγα τοῦτο, ὅτι οὐ κατακαίεται ὁ βάτος

Exodus 3:3 (NETS)

Exodus 3:3 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses said, “When I pass by, I will look at this great sight, why it is that the bush is not burning up.” And Moses said, I will go near and see this great sight, why the bush is not consumed.

Exodus 3:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:4 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς δὲ εἶδεν κύριος ὅτι προσάγει ἰδεῖν ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν κύριος ἐκ τοῦ βάτου λέγων Μωυσῆ Μωυσῆ ὁ δὲ εἶπεν τί ἐστιν ὡς δὲ εἶδε Κύριος ὅτι προσάγει ἰδεῖν, ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τοῦ βάτου λέγων· Μωυσῆ, Μωυσῆ. ὁ δὲ εἶπε τί ἐστι

Exodus 3:4 (NETS)

Exodus 3:4 (English Elpenor)
Now when the Lord saw that he was drawing near to see, the Lord called him from the bush, saying, “Moyses, Moyses.” And he said, “What is it?” And when the Lord saw that he drew nigh to see, the Lord called him out of the bush, saying, Moses, Moses; and he said, What is it?

Exodus 3:5 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:5 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν μὴ ἐγγίσῃς ὧδε λῦσαι τὸ ὑπόδημα ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν σου ὁ γὰρ τόπος ἐν ᾧ σὺ ἕστηκας γῆ ἁγία ἐστίν ὁ δὲ εἶπε· μή ἐγγίσῃς ὧδε. λῦσαι τὸ ὑπόδημα ἐκ τῶν ποδῶν σου· ὁ γὰρ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ σὺ ἕστηκας, γῆ ἁγία ἐστί

Exodus 3:5 (NETS)

Exodus 3:5 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “Do not come near here! Loose the sandal from your feet! For the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, Draw not nigh hither: loose thy sandals from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Exodus 3:7 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:7 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργοδιωκτῶν οἶδα γὰρ τὴν ὀδύνην αὐτῶν εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τῆς κραυγῆς αὐτῶν ἀκήκοα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐργοδιωκτῶν· οἶδα γὰρ τὴν ὀδύνην αὐτῶν

Exodus 3:7 (NETS)

Exodus 3:7 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “When I looked, I saw the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry on account of the taskmasters. For I know their pain. And the Lord said to Moses, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and I have heard their cry [caused] by their task-masters; for I know their affliction.

Exodus 3:8 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:8 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέβην ἐξελέσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καὶ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς γῆν ἀγαθὴν καὶ πολλήν εἰς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν Χαναναίων καὶ Χετταίων καὶ Αμορραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων καὶ Γεργεσαίων καὶ Ευαίων καὶ Ιεβουσαίων καὶ κατέβην ἐξελέσθαι αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ἐξαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης καὶ εἰσαγαγεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς γῆν ἀγαθὴν καὶ πολλήν, εἰς γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι, εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν Χαναναίων καὶ Χετταίων καὶ ᾿Αμορραίων καὶ Φερεζαίων καὶ Γεργεσαίων καὶ Εὐαίων καὶ ᾿Ιεβουσαίων

Exodus 3:8 (NETS)

Exodus 3:8 (English Elpenor)
And I came down to deliver them them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land and to bring them into a good and spacious land, into a land flowing with milk and honey, into the place of the Chananites and Chettites and Amorites and Pherezites and Heuites and Gergesites and Iebousites. And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them out of that land, and to bring them into a good and wide land, into a land flowing with milk and honey, into the place of the Chananites, and the Chettites, and Amorites, and Pherezites, and Gergesites, and Evites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 3:9 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:9 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ κραυγὴ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἥκει πρός με κἀγὼ ἑώρακα τὸν θλιμμόν ὃν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι θλίβουσιν αὐτούς καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ κραυγὴ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἥκει πρός με, κἀγὼ ἑώρακα τὸν θλιμμόν, ὃν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι θλίβουσιν αὐτούς

Exodus 3:9 (NETS)

Exodus 3:9 (English Elpenor)
And now, look, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to me, and I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come to me, and I have seen the affliction with which the Egyptians afflict them.

Exodus 3:10 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:10 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξάξεις τὸν λαόν μου τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἀποστείλω σε πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐξάξεις τὸν λαόν μου τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισρὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Exodus 3:10 (NETS)

Exodus 3:10 (English Elpenor)
And now come, let me send you to Pharao, king of Egypt, and you will bring my people, the sons of Israel, out of the land of Egypt. And now come, I will send thee to Pharao king of Egypt, and thou shalt bring out my people the children of Israel from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 3:11 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:11 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς τὸν θεόν τίς εἰμι ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ὅτι ἐξάξω τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· τίς εἰμι ἐγώ, ὅτι πορεύσομαι πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ὅτι ἐξάξω τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Exodus 3:11 (NETS)

Exodus 3:11 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharao, king of Egypt, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt?” And Moses said to God, Who am I, that I should go to Pharao king of Egypt, and that I should bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt?

Exodus 3:18 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:18 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσακούσονταί σου τῆς φωνῆς καὶ εἰσελεύσῃ σὺ καὶ ἡ γερουσία Ισραηλ πρὸς Φαραω βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν ὁ θεὸς τῶν Εβραίων προσκέκληται ἡμᾶς πορευσώμεθα οὖν ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἵνα θύσωμεν τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν καὶ εἰσακούσονταί σου τῆς φωνῆς· καὶ εἰσελεύσῃ σὺ καὶ ἡ γερουσία ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς Φαραὼ βασιλέα Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτόν· ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ῾Εβραίων προσκέκληται ἡμᾶς· πορευσόμεθα οὖν ὁδὸν τριῶν ἡμερῶν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ἵνα θύσωμεν τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν

Exodus 3:18 (NETS)

Exodus 3:18 (English Elpenor)
And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders’ council of Israel shall go in to Pharao, king of Egupt, and you shall say to him, “The God of the Hebrews has summoned us. Therefore, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to our God.’ And they shall hearken to thy voice, and thou and the elders of Israel shall go in to Pharao king of Egypt, and thou shalt say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us; we will go then a journey of three days into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to our God.

Genesis 46:34 (Tanakh)

Genesis 46:34 (KJV)

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

Genesis 46:34 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 46:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐρεῖτε ἄνδρες κτηνοτρόφοι ἐσμὲν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἵνα κατοικήσητε ἐν γῇ Γεσεμ Ἀραβίᾳ βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίοις πᾶς ποιμὴν προβάτων ἐρεῖτε· ἄνδρες κτηνοτρόφοι ἐσμὲν οἱ παῖδές σου ἐκ παιδὸς ἕως τοῦ νῦν, καὶ ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, ἵνα κατοικήσητε ἐν γῇ Γεσὲμ ᾿Αραβίας· βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν Αἰγυπτίοις πᾶς ποιμὴν προβάτων

Genesis 46:34 (NETS)

Genesis 46:34 (English Elpenor)
you shall say, ‘We your servants are stockmen from childhood until now, both we and our fathers’—in order that you may settle in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd of sheep is an abomination to Egyptians.” Ye shall say, We thy servants are herdsmen from our youth until now, both we and our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Gesem of Arabia, for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Exodus 3:12 (Tanakh)

Exodus 3:12 (KJV)

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

Exodus 3:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 3:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς Μωυσεῖ λέγων ὅτι ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον ὅτι ἐγώ σε ἐξαποστέλλω ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν σε τὸν λαόν μου ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ λατρεύσετε τῷ θεῷ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ εἶπε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς Μωυσῇ λέγων· ὅτι ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ τοῦτό σοι τὸ σημεῖον, ὅτι ἐγώ σε ἐξαποστέλλω ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν σε τὸν λαόν μου ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ λατρεύσετε τῷ Θεῷ ἐν τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ

Exodus 3:12 (NETS)

Exodus 3:12 (English Elpenor)
But God spoke to Moyses, saying, “I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you that I am sending you: when you have brought my people out of Egypt, you shall also serve God at this mountain.” And God spoke to Moses, saying, I will be with thee, and this shall be the sign to thee that I shall send thee forth,– when thou bringest out my people out of Egypt, then ye shall serve God in this mountain.

1 Exodus 1:18 (NET)

2 Exodus 1:19 (NET)

3 Exodus 1:22 (NET)

4 Exodus 2:11, 12 (NET)

5 Exodus 2:14 (NET)

11 Exodus 2:15 (NET)

12 Exodus 2:23 (NET)

13 Exodus 3:6 (NET) Table

14 Hebrews 11:7 (NET)

15 Exodus 3:7-10 (NET)

16 Exodus 3:11 (NET)

17 1 Corinthians 1:19 (NET)

19 Exodus 3:10 (NET)

20 Exodus 4:21b (NET) Table

21 Exodus 3:18b (NET)

22 Genesis 46:34b (NET)

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

24 Exodus 3:12 (NET)

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

26 Matthew 5:44b-45a (NET)

27 Matthew 5:12a (NET)

28 Matthew 5:11 (NET) Table

29 Luke 5:8 (NET) Table

Son of God – John, Part 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KJV

NAS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Acts 26:15 (NET)

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

Acts 26:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 26:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

Acts 26:17 (NET)

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

Acts 26:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 26:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

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

1 John 3:19 (NET)

2 John 3:17 (NET) Table

3 John 3:18 (NET)

4 John 3:19 (NET)

5 John 3:19b (NET)

6 John 3:19 (NET)

7 Acts 26:14b (NET) Table

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπα here, a form of λέγω in the 1st aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb ειπον in the 2nd aorist tense.

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

11 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had νυν (KJV: now).

12 Acts 26:15-18 (NET)

13 John 7:7 (NET)

14 John 5:31 (NET)

15 John 5:36b (NET) Table

16 John 3:19 (NET)

17 Matthew 11:28-30 (NET)

18 John 3:20, 21 (NET)

19 Matthew 21:31b (NET) Table

Romans, Part 41

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Now I am speaking to you Gentiles, Paul continued.  Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry [Table], if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy (παραζηλώσω, a form of παραζηλόω) and save some of them.1  Here Paul referred back to the Lord’s prophesy through Moses, I will make you jealous (παραζηλώσω, a form of παραζηλόω) by those who are not a nation; with a senseless nation I will provoke you to anger.2

The complete verse reads, They have made me jealous (Septuagint: παρεζήλωσάν, another form of παραζηλόω) with false gods, enraging me with their worthless gods; so I will make them jealous (Septuagint: παραζηλώσω, a form of παραζηλόω) with a people they do not recognize, with a nation slow to learn I will enrage them.3  And so I have the karmic reason: Israel made God jealous with false gods, so He made them jealous with senseless, slow to learn or foolish people.  But Paul alluded to a grace reason as well: I ask then, [Israel] did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they?  Absolutely not!  But by their transgression [e.g., making God jealous with false gods] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous (παραζηλῶσαι, another form of παραζηλόω).4  And so Paul hoped to provoke [his] people to jealousy (παραζηλώσω, a form of παραζηλόω) and save some of them.

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, Paul continued, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?5  Then he said something odd: If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy…6  The phrase the first portion of the dough offered is one word in Greek, ἀπαρχὴ, firstfruits.  At first I thought Paul was referencing the firstfruits offering from the law.

You must offer up a cake of the first (rē’šîṯ, רֵאשִׁית; Septuagint: ἀπαρχὴν) of your finely ground flour as a raised offering; as you offer the raised offering of the threshing floor, so you must offer it up.  You must give to the Lord some of the first (rē’šîṯ, מֵרֵאשִׁית; Septuagint: ἀπαρχὴν) of your finely ground flour as a raised offering in your future generations.7  But the firstfruits belonged to the priests and their immediate families:  All the best of the olive oil and all the best of the wine and of the wheat, the first fruits (rē’šîṯ, רֵאשִׁיתָם; Septuagint: ἀπαρχὴ) of these things that they give to the Lord, I have given to you.  And whatever first ripe fruit in their land they bring to the Lord will be yours; everyone who is ceremonially clean in your household may eat of it.8

So if the whole batch became holy because of the offering of the firstfruits, the people would have starved, because the whole batch would have belonged to the priests and their immediate families.  Paul used the word ἀπαρχὴ in another context in 1 Corinthians.  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits (ἀπαρχὴ) of those who have fallen asleep.9  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead also came through a man [Table].  For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ, the firstfruits (ἀπαρχὴ); then when Christ comes, those who belong to him [Table].10

So I think Christ was the fristfruits (ἀπαρχὴ) Paul wrote about, and making the whole batch… holy was not something true of, or done by, the law.  It is accomplished through Christ.  Later in Romans Paul wrote that the people of Israel are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers.11  I don’t think he meant that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were of such special merit that their merit would be extended to their descendants.  I think he referenced the promises the Lord Jesus made to them, about their descendants, as Yahweh.  As Paul wrote earlier, Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”12

And Paul continued, if the root is holy, so too are the branches.13  Here again the Lord Jesus is the root:  At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations.  Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.  At that time the sovereign master will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people…14  The Lord Jesus is holy and all who spring forth from him are holy, too.

Then Paul began to describe the attitude Gentile believers should have toward the people of Israel.  Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root [Table], do not boast over the branches [Table].15  “I am part of a senseless nation grafted in to make Israel jealous!” is not much to brag about anyway.  But if you boast, Paul continued, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you [Table].  Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in” [Table].16  Here is a good place to review why the branches were broken off (Jeremiah 11:15-17 NET).

The Lord says to the people of Judah, “What right do you have to be in my temple, my beloved people?  Many of you have done wicked things.  Can your acts of treachery be so easily canceled by sacred offerings that you take joy in doing evil even while you make them?  I, the Lord, once called you a thriving olive tree, one that produced beautiful fruit.  But I will set you on fire, fire that will blaze with a mighty roar.  Then all your branches will be good for nothing.  For though I, the Lord who rules over all, planted you in the land, I now decree that disaster will come on you because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evil and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.”

Granted! Paul continued.  They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith.  Do not be arrogant, but fear (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω)!17  This word φοβοῦ in this form occurs most often in the New Testament as the divine greeting to the fearful flesh of Adam: Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ)!18  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), Zechariah…19  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), Mary…20  Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ)…”21  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), little flock…22  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), people23 of Zion…24  The Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ)…”25  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ), Paul!26  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ) of the things you are about to suffer.27  But Paul used it twice in Romans to say, But if you do wrong, be in fear (φοβοῦ)…28  For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you.29

I must be an adulteress30 at heart.  I can’t count how many times I came to this place in Paul’s letter to the Romans, ignored everything I had heard thus far, and ran back to the law.  It was like an all-consuming lust that blinded me and made me deaf to everything Paul had said about the law:  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous.31

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.  For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.  But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (which is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed – namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe [Table].32

For we consider that a person is declared righteous by faith apart from the works of the law.33  Do we then nullify the law through faith?  Absolutely not!  Instead we uphold the law.34  For the law brings wrath…35  Now the law came in so that the transgression may increase…36  For sin will have no mastery over you, because you are not under law but under grace [Table].  What then?  Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?  Absolutely not! [Table]37

Or do you not know, brothers and sisters (for I am speaking to those who know the law), that the law is lord over a person as long as he lives?  For a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of the marriage.  So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress.  But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she is joined to another man, she is not an adulteress.  So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.  For when we were in the flesh, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.38

Despite all this when Paul said, Do not be arrogant, but fear (φοβοῦ), I fled in terror from Jesus my Savior back to the law.  A Baal worshiper may have thought that he was worshipping the true God.  I’m sure I did at the time.  A Baal worshiper may have thought that he had found a better god.  But I was worshiping myself and my own ability to keep the law, even after years of practical experience and empirical proofs that I could not keep it.  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ); just believe.39  Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ); just believe…40

Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God, Paul continued, harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off [Table].  And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief – will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again [Table].  For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?41

 

Addendum: January 15, 2026
According to a note (8) in the NET Paul quoted from Psalm 51:4 in Romans 3:4. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Romans 3:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 51:4b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Psalm 50:6b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσεις ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαι σε ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῗς λόγοις σου καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε

Romans 3:4b (NET)

Psalm 50:6b (NETS)

Psalm 50:6b (English Elpenor)
so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged so that you may be justified in your words and be victorious when you go to law. that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

According to a note (31) in the NET John quoted from Zechariah 9:9 in John 12:15. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

John 12:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Zechariah 9:9 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Zechariah 9:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φοβοῦ, θυγάτηρ Σιών· ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεται, καθήμενος ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου χαῖρε σφόδρα θύγατερ Σιων… ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί…ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιών… ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεὺς σου ἔρχεταί…ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον

John 12:15 (NET)

Zechariah 9:9 (NETS)

Zechariah 9:9 (English Elpenor)
Do not be afraid, people of Zion; look, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt! Rejoice greatly, O daughter Sion…Behold, your king comes…riding on a beast of burden and a young foal. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion…Look! Your king is coming…riding on a donkey—on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.

Tables comparing Numbers 15:20; 15:21; 18:12; 18:13; Isaiah 11:10; 11:11; Jeremiah 11:15; 11:16; 11:17 and Zechariah 9:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Numbers 15:20; 15:21; 18:12; 18:13; Isaiah 11:10; 11:11; Jeremiah 11:15; 11:16; 11:17 and Zechariah 9:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 Corinthians 15:20; Revelation 1:17; John 12:15; Revelation 2:10 and Romans 4:15 in the NET and KJV follow.

Numbers 15:20 (Tanakh)

Numbers 15:20 (KJV)

Numbers 15:20 (NET)
Of the first of your dough ye shall set apart a cake for a gift; as that which is set apart of the threshing-floor, so shall ye set it apart. Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. You must offer up a cake of the first of your finely ground flour as a raised offering; as you offer the raised offering of the threshing floor, so you must offer it up.

Numbers 15:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 15:19b, 20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπαρχὴν φυράματος ὑμῶν ἄρτον ἀφαίρεμα ἀφοριεῖτε αὐτό ὡς ἀφαίρεμα ἀπὸ ἅλω οὕτως ἀφελεῖτε αὐτόν ἀπαρχὴν φυράματος ὑμῶν (20) ἄρτον ἀφοριεῖτε ἀφαίρεμα αὐτό· ὡς ἀφαίρεμα ἀπὸ ἅλω, οὕτως ἀφελεῖτε αὐτόν

Numbers 15:20 (NETS)

Numbers 15:19b, 20 (English Elpenor)
as the first fruit of your dough, a loaf. As an advance deduction you shall set it apart; as an advance deduction from the threshing floor, so you shall remove it, the first-fruits of your dough. (20) Ye shall offer your bread a heave-offering: as a heave-offering from the threshing-floor, so shall ye separate it,

Numbers 15:21 (Tanakh)

Numbers 15:21 (KJV)

Numbers 15:21 (NET)
Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto HaShem a portion for a gift throughout your generations. Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations. You must give to the Lord some of the first of your finely ground flour as a raised offering in your future generations.

Numbers 15:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 15:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπαρχὴν φυράματος ὑμῶν καὶ δώσετε κυρίῳ ἀφαίρεμα εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν ἀπαρχὴν φυράματος ὑμῶν, καὶ δώσετε Κυρίῳ ἀφαίρεμα εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν

Numbers 15:21 (NETS)

Numbers 15:21 (English Elpenor)
as the first fruit of your dough, and you shall give to the Lord an advance deduction for your generations. even the first-fruits of your dough, and ye shall give the Lord a heave-offering throughout your generations.

Numbers 18:12 (Tanakh)

Numbers 18:12 (KJV)

Numbers 18:12 (NET)
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the corn, the first part of them which they give unto HaShem, to thee have I given them. All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. “All the best of the olive oil and all the best of the wine and of the wheat, the firstfruits of these things that they give to the Lord, I have given to you.

Numbers 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πᾶσα ἀπαρχὴ ἐλαίου καὶ πᾶσα ἀπαρχὴ οἴνου καὶ σίτου ἀπαρχὴ αὐτῶν ὅσα ἂν δῶσι τῷ κυρίῳ σοὶ δέδωκα αὐτά πᾶσα ἀπαρχὴ ἐλαίου καὶ πᾶσα ἀπαρχὴ οἴνου καὶ σίτου, ἀπαρχὴ αὐτῶν, ὅσα ἂν δῶσι τῷ Κυρίῳ, σοὶ δέδωκα αὐτά

Numbers 18:12 (NETS)

Numbers 18:12 (English Elpenor)
Every first fruit of oil and every first fruit of wine and of grain, their first fruit, as much as they may give to the Lord, to you I have given them. Every first-offering of oil, and every first-offering of wine, their first-fruits of corn, whatsoever they may give to the Lord, to thee have I given them.

Numbers 18:13 (Tanakh)

Numbers 18:13 (KJV)

Numbers 18:13 (NET)
The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring unto HaShem, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thy house may eat thereof. And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. And whatever first ripe fruit in their land they bring to the Lord will be yours; everyone who is ceremonially clean in your household may eat of it.

Numbers 18:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 18:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὰ πρωτογενήματα πάντα ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν ὅσα ἂν ἐνέγκωσιν κυρίῳ σοὶ ἔσται πᾶς καθαρὸς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου ἔδεται αὐτά τὰ πρωτογεννήματα πάντα, ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν, ὅσα ἂν ἐνέγκωσι Κυρίῳ, σοὶ ἔσται· πᾶς καθαρὸς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου ἔδεται αὐτά

Numbers 18:13 (NETS)

Numbers 18:13 (English Elpenor)
All the first products, as many as are in their land, as many as they may bring to the Lord, shall be yours; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat them. All the first-fruits that are in their land, whatsoever they shall offer to the Lord, shall be thine: every clean person in thy house shall eat them.

Isaiah 11:10 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 11:10 (KJV)

Isaiah 11:10 (NET)
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. At that time a root from Jesse will stand like a signal flag for the nations. Nations will look to him for guidance, and his residence will be majestic.

Isaiah 11:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 11:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἡ ῥίζα τοῦ Ιεσσαι καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσιν καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἀνάπαυσις αὐτοῦ τιμή Καὶ ἔσται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἡ ρίζα τοῦ ᾿Ιεσσαὶ καὶ ὁ ἀνιστάμενος ἄρχειν ἐθνῶν, ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἔθνη ἐλπιοῦσι, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ἀνάπαυσις αὐτοῦ τιμή

Isaiah 11:10 (NETS)

Isaiah 11:10 (English Elpenor)
And there shall be on that day the root of Iessai, even the one who stands up to rule nations; nations shall hope in him, and his rest shall be in honor. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust, and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 11:11 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 11:11 (KJV)

Isaiah 11:11 (NET)
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. At that time the Lord will again lift his hand to reclaim the remnant of his people from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the seacoasts.

Isaiah 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ προσθήσει κύριος τοῦ δεῖξαι τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζηλῶσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν ὑπόλοιπον τοῦ λαοῦ ὃ ἂν καταλειφθῇ ἀπὸ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων καὶ ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Βαβυλωνίας καὶ Αἰθιοπίας καὶ ἀπὸ Αιλαμιτῶν καὶ ἀπὸ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν καὶ ἐξ Ἀραβίας καὶ ἔσται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνη προσθήσει Κύριος τοῦ δεῖξαι τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζηλῶσαι τὸ καταλειφθὲν ὑπόλοιπον τοῦ λαοῦ, ὃ ἂν καταλειφθῇ ἀπὸ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων καὶ ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου καὶ Βαβυλωνίας καὶ Αἰθιοπίας καὶ ἀπὸ ᾿Ελαμιτῶν καὶ ἀπὸ ἡλίου ἀνατολῶν καὶ ἐξ ᾿Αραβίας

Isaiah 11:11 (NETS)

Isaiah 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be on that day that the Lord will further display his hand to show zeal for the remnant that is left of the people, whatever is left from the Assyrians, and from Egypt and Babylonia and Ethiopia and from the Ailamites and from where the sun rises and out of Arabia. And it shall be in that day, [that] the Lord shall again shew his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left of the people, which shall be left by the Assyrians, and [that] from Egypt, and from the country of Babylon, and from Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and out of Arabia.

Jeremiah 11:15 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 11:15 (KJV)

Jeremiah 11:15 (NET)
What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. The Lord says to the people of Judah, “What right do you have to be in my temple, my beloved people? Many of you have done wicked things. Can your acts of treachery be so easily canceled by sacred offerings that you take joy in doing evil even while you make them?

Jeremiah 11:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 11:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί ἡ ἠγαπημένη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου ἐποίησεν βδέλυγμα μὴ εὐχαὶ καὶ κρέα ἅγια ἀφελοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ τὰς κακίας σου ἢ τούτοις διαφεύξῃ τί ἡ ἠγαπημένη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου ἐποίησε βδέλυγμα; μὴ εὐχαὶ καὶ κρέα ἅγια ἀφελοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ τὰς κακίας σου, ἢ τούτοις διαφεύξῃ

Jeremiah 11:15 (NETS)

Jeremiah 11:15 (English Elpenor)
Why has the beloved done an abomination in my house? Surely vows and holy flesh will not remove from you your wickedness, or will you escape by means of these things? Why has [my] beloved wrought abomination in my house? will prayers and holy offerings take away thy wickedness from thee, or shalt thou escape by these things?

Jeremiah 11:16 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 11:16 (KJV)

Jeremiah 11:16 (NET)
The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. I, the Lord, once called you a thriving olive tree, one that produced beautiful fruit. But I will set you on fire, fire that will blaze with a mighty roar. Then all your branches will be good for nothing.

Jeremiah 11:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 11:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐλαίαν ὡραίαν εὔσκιον τῷ εἴδει ἐκάλεσεν κύριος τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς φωνὴν περιτομῆς αὐτῆς ἀνήφθη πῦρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτήν μεγάλη ἡ θλῖψις ἐπὶ σέ ἠχρεώθησαν οἱ κλάδοι αὐτῆς ἐλαίαν ὡραίαν, εὔσκιον τῷ εἴδει ἐκάλεσε Κύριος τὸ ὄνομά σου· εἰς φωνὴν περιτομῆς αὐτῆς ἀνήφθη πῦρ ἐπ’ αὐτήν, μεγάλη ἡ θλῖψις ἐπὶ σέ, ἠχρεώθησαν οἱ κλάδοι αὐτῆς

Jeremiah 11:16 (NETS)

Jeremiah 11:16 (English Elpenor)
The Lord called your name a beautiful olive tree, well shaded in appearance; at the sound of its pruning the affliction was great on you; its branches were rendered useless. The Lord called thy name a fair olive tree, of a goodly shade in appearance, at the noise of its being lopped, fire was kindled against it; great is the affliction [coming] upon thee: her branches are become good for nothing.

Jeremiah 11:17 (Tanakh)

Jeremiah 11:17 (KJV)

Jeremiah 11:17 (NET)
For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal. For though I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, planted you in the land, I now decree that disaster will come on you because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evil and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.”

Jeremiah 11:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Jeremiah 11:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κύριος ὁ καταφυτεύσας σε ἐλάλησεν ἐπὶ σὲ κακὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κακίας οἴκου Ισραηλ καὶ οἴκου Ιουδα ὅτι ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ παροργίσαι με ἐν τῷ θυμιᾶν αὐτοὺς τῇ Βααλ καὶ Κύριος ὁ καταφυτεύσας σε ἐλάλησεν ἐπὶ σὲ κακὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κακίας οἴκου ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οἴκου ᾿Ιούδα, ὅτι ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ παροργίσαι με ἐν τῷ θυμιᾶν αὐτοὺς τῇ Βάαλ.

Jeremiah 11:17 (NETS)

Jeremiah 11:17 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord, who planted you, pronounced evil against you, in return for the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Iouda, because they have done this to themselves to provoke me to anger by offering incense to the goddess Baal. And the Lord that planted thee has pronounced evils against thee, because of the iniquity of the house of Israel and the house of Juda, whatsoever they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

Zechariah 9:9 (Tanakh)

Zechariah 9:9 (KJV)

Zechariah 9:9 (NET)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you: He is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey—on a young donkey, the foal of a female donkey.

Zechariah 9:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Zechariah 9:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
χαῖρε σφόδρα θύγατερ Σιων κήρυσσε θύγατερ Ιερουσαλημ ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεταί σοι δίκαιος καὶ σῴζων αὐτός πραῢς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον Χαῖρε σφόδρα, θύγατερ Σιών· κήρυσσε, θύγατερ ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεὺς σου ἔρχεταί σοι, δίκαιος καὶ σῴζων αὐτός, πραΰς καὶ ἐπιβεβηκὼς ἐπὶ ὑποζύγιον καὶ πῶλον νέον

Zechariah 9:9 (NETS)

Zechariah 9:9 (English Elpenor)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter Sion! Proclaim, O daughter Ierousalem! Behold, your king comes to you, just and salvific is he, meek and riding on a beast of burden and a young foal. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; proclaim [it] aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King is coming to thee, just, and a Saviour; he is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal.

1 Corinthians 15:20 (NET)

1 Corinthians 15:20 (KJV)
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1 Corinthians 15:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Corinthians 15:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

1 Corinthians 15:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Νυνὶ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐγήγερται ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀπαρχὴ τῶν κεκοιμημένων νυνι δε χριστος εγηγερται εκ νεκρων απαρχη των κεκοιμημενων εγενετο νυνι δε χριστος εγηγερται εκ νεκρων απαρχη των κεκοιμημενων εγενετο

Revelation 1:17 (NET)

Revelation 1:17 (KJV)
When I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

Revelation 1:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Revelation 1:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Revelation 1:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ὅτε εἶδον αὐτόν, ἔπεσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡς νεκρός, καὶ ἔθηκεν τὴν δεξιὰν αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ λέγων· μὴ φοβοῦ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος και οτε ειδον αυτον επεσα προς τους ποδας αυτου ως νεκρος και επεθηκεν την δεξιαν αυτου χειρα επ εμε λεγων μοι μη φοβου εγω ειμι ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος και οτε ειδον αυτον επεσα προς τους ποδας αυτου ως νεκρος και εθηκεν την δεξιαν αυτου επ εμε λεγων μη φοβου εγω ειμι ο πρωτος και ο εσχατος

John 12:15 (NET)

John 12:15 (KJV)
Do not be afraid, people of Zion; look, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!” Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.

John 12:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 12:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 12:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
μὴ φοβοῦ, θυγάτηρ Σιών· ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεται, καθήμενος ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου μη φοβου θυγατερ σιων ιδου ο βασιλευς σου ερχεται καθημενος επι πωλον ονου μη φοβου θυγατερ σιων ιδου ο βασιλευς σου ερχεται καθημενος επι πωλον ονου

Revelation 2:10 (NET)

Revelation 2:10 (KJV)
Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 2:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Revelation 2:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Revelation 2:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
|μηδὲν| φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν. ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε καὶ |ἕξετε| θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς μηδεν φοβου α μελλεις πασχειν ιδου μελλει βαλειν εξ υμων ο διαβολος εις φυλακην ινα πειρασθητε και εξετε θλιψιν ημερων δεκα γινου πιστος αχρι θανατου και δωσω σοι τον στεφανον της ζωης μηδεν φοβου α μελλεις πασχειν ιδου δη μελλει βαλειν ο διαβολος εξ υμων εις φυλακην ινα πειρασθητε και εξετε θλιψιν ημερων δεκα γινου πιστος αχρι θανατου και δωσω σοι τον στεφανον της ζωης

Romans 4:15 (NET)

Romans 4:15 (KJV)
For the law brings wrath, because where there is no law there is no transgression either. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Romans 4:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 4:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 4:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ γὰρ νόμος ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται· οὗ δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν νόμος οὐδὲ παράβασις ο γαρ νομος οργην κατεργαζεται ου γαρ ουκ εστιν νομος ουδε παραβασις ο γαρ νομος οργην κατεργαζεται ου γαρ ουκ εστιν νομος ουδε παραβασις

1 Romans 11:13, 14 (NET)

2 Romans 10:19 (NET) Table See Saul and Barnabas, Part 3 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

3 Deuteronomy 32:21 (NET) Table

4 Romans 11:11 (NET)

5 Romans 11:15 (NET) Table

6 Romans 11:16a (NET)

7 Numbers 15:20, 21 (NET)

8 Numbers 18:12, 13 (NET)

9 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενετο (KJV: and become) at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

10 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (NET)

11 Romans 11:28b (NET)

12 Romans 3:4 (NET) Table

13 Romans 11:16b (NET)

14 Isaiah 11:10, 11a (NET)

15 Romans 11:17, 18a (NET)

16 Romans 11:18b, 19 (NET)

17 Romans 11:20 (NET) Table

18 Revelation 1:17 (NET)

19 Luke 1:13 (NET)

20 Luke 1:30 (NET)

21 Luke 5:10 (NET)

22 Luke 12:32 (NET)

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θυγατερ (KJV: daughter) here, a vocative form of θυγάτηρ, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had θυγάτηρ, which may also be understood in the vocative case.

24 John 12:15 (NET)

25 Acts 18:9 (NET)

26 Acts 27:24 (NET)

27 Revelation 2:10 (NET)

28 Romans 13:4 (NET)

29 Romans 11:21 (NET) Table

31 Romans 2:13 (NET) Table

32 Romans 3:19-22a (NET)

33 Romans 3:28 (NET) Table

34 Romans 3:31 (NET) Table

35 Romans 4:15a (NET)

36 Romans 5:20a (NET)

37 Romans 6:14, 15 (NET)

38 Romans 7:1-6 (NET)

41 Romans 11:22-24 (NET)

You Must Be Gentle, Part 4

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I saw “The Seventh Seal” on Blu-ray: the Knight, the Squire, Mia, Jof and their baby, Lisa and the Smith, Raval the Seminarian turned thief.  But my favorite character was the nameless girl.

She was the last of her village to survive, or not to flee, the plague.  The Squire saved her when Raval would have raped and possibly murdered her.  He decided against raping her himself.  “I’ve grown tired of that kind of love,” the Crusade-weary Squire said.  “It gets a little dry in the end.”  But he wanted her as his housekeeper.  “I saved your life,” he said when she hesitated.  “You owe me a great deal.”  The nameless girl considered a moment more, then turned and followed after him.  He had persuaded her to go a mile, and the second time I watched the movie I realized she would probably go two.

She would have given cold water to Raval, dying of the plague, if the Squire hadn’t physically restrained her.  As Death entered the Knight’s castle to claim their lives, the nameless girl looked to the brightening light streaming through a portal.  She greeted death silently and reverently, believing “Death will open a door, not close it, provide some passage to a brighter world,” according to film historian Peter Cowie in his commentary.  He also pointed out that it was the nameless girl along with the Knight’s faithful wife who were absent from Jof’s vision of the dance of Death.

The nameless girl is the woman Peter described as subject to her own husband so that even if some are disobedient to the word [or, not persuaded by the word], they will be won over without a word by the way you live…1  That Bergman put her in this film surrounded by so much unbelief and fear endears him to me even more.  He knew she exists.  He knew she must be there.  Yet he didn’t presume to know her well enough to put words in her mouth.  Except for her hopeful longing, “It is finished,”2 we know her only by her deeds.

“Many years later,” Peter Cowie ended his commentary, “Bergman was asked at a press conference about his true feelings on death.  And he answered, ‘I was afraid of this enormous emptiness…My personal view is that when we die, we die, and we go from a state of something to a state of absolute nothingness.  And I don’t believe for a second that there is anything above or beyond or anything like that.  And this makes me enormously secure.’”

Among the special features on the DVD of Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries,” however, was another interview, “Ingmar Bergman on Life and Work.”  He was much older.  His wife Ingrid (Ingrid von Rosen, not the famous actress) had died.  Perhaps he remembered the same incident with the anesthesia differently, or perhaps it was a different incident.  He described it in Swedish through an interpreter as “an overdose of anesthesia.”  This time he was out for eight hours rather than six.

“The interesting thing was that for me those eight hours were no hours at all, not a minute, not a second.  I was completely gone.  I was completely switched off.  So that was eight hours that were completely gone from my life.  And that felt extraordinarily comforting when I thought that such is death.  First, you’re something, and then you’re no longer anything.  You’re nonexistent.  You just aren’t any more.  You’re like a candle that’s blown out.”

“That gave me an enormous feeling of security.  What complicated the feeling of security and total extinction is Ingrid’s death.  I have incredible difficulty in thinking, in imagining, that I won’t meet her again.  That’s an unbearable thought.  Therefore, two modes of thought have come into violent conflict with one another.  I’ve tried to write about it, but I can’t do it yet, and it may be a while.  What’s more, I often experience Ingrid’s presence…Not as a ghost.  But I know that in some way she’s quite close to me.”

 

1 1 Peter 3:1 (NET) Table

2 John 19:30 (NKJV)

Son of God – John, Part 3

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This is round two of my attempt to determine whether that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light1 is the judgment/condemnation God did not send his Son into the world to do2 and has been done already to the one who does not believe,3 or the basis for judging,4 and the rationale or justification for another unspecified judgment/condemnation.  Secondly, assuming that this unspecified judgment/condemnation is to burn in hell for all eternity, I am attempting to discover whether John 3:16-21 offers any scriptural support for the gospel I was socialized into: believe in the Lord Jesus Christ or burn in hell for all eternity.

Jesus certainly taught his disciples about hell (γέεννα).  The note (27) in the NET provides a brief historical sketch: “The word translated hell is ‘Gehenna’ (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (‘Valley of Hinnom’). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).”

Jesus said, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.5  Fear the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him!6  Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites!  You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves!7  You snakes, you offspring of vipers!  How will you escape being condemned to hell?8

He made the following comparisons:  It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell [Table].9  It is better for you10 to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire.11  It is better12 to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.13  It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell.14  It is better15 to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,16 where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.17  And finally Jesus said, whoever says “Fool” will be sent to fiery hell.18

That is some strong language.  It lends credence to the NET translation, Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light…19  After all, this section begins with the statement that God gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.20  The Greek word translated will…perish is ἀπόληται (a form of ἀπόλλυμι).  (The negation is μὴ.)  One of the metaphorical definitions of ἀπόληται according to the NET online Bible is: “1e) metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell.”  It is translated lose in Matthew 5:29, 30 (NET).

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away!  It is better to lose (ἀπόληται) one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell.  If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away!  It is better to lose (ἀπόληται) one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell [Table].

It was translated be lost in the parable of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:10, 12-14 NET).

See that you do not disdain one of these little ones [who believe in me21].  For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven…What do you think?  If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing (οὐκ ἔστιν θέλημα) that one of these little ones be lost (ἀπόληται) [Table].

It was translated will perish when Jesus foretold his disciples’ future (Luke 21:10-19 NET):

Nation will rise up in arms against22 nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, and famines and plagues in various places, and there will be terrifying sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all23 this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the24 synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought25 before kings and governors because of my name.  This26 will be a time for you to serve as witnesses.  Therefore be resolved27 not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense.  For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none28 of your adversaries will be able to withstand or29 contradict.  You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will have some of you put to death.  You will be hated by everyone because of my name.  Yet not a hair of your head will perish (ἀπόληται).  By your endurance you will gain your lives.

When they were all satisfied, after Jesus fed 5,000 or more people with five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces that are left over, so that nothing is wasted (ἀπόληται).”30  But ἀπόληται was translated to perish once again in John’s Gospel when Caiaphas prophesied (John 11:49-53 NET).

Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, “You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish (ἀπόληται).”  (Now he did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation [Table], and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered.)  So from that day they planned together to kill him [Table].

“He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  In humiliation justice (κρίσις) was taken from him.  Who can describe his posterity?  For his life was taken away from the earth.”31  This was the passage from Isaiah that the Ethiopian eunuch read (aloud presumably) when Philip was led by the Holy Spirit to accompany his chariot on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza.  Then the eunuch said to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?”  So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.32

This translation of κρίσις as justice leads me back to the translation of κρίσις as the basis for judging, for what is justice if not a basis for judging?  Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.33  Viewed this way people were not condemned to be given over to eternal misery in hell because they loved the darkness rather than the light, but because loving the darkness rather than the light demonstrated that their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed.  But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.34

One of the definitions of πονηρὰ (a form of πονηρός), the word translated evil in verse 19, is “evil wicked, bad.”  And one of the definitions of φαῦλα (a form of φαῦλος), the word translated evil deeds in verse 20, is “bad, base, wicked.”

 

Addendum: December 14, 2025
According to a note (85) in the NET Acts 8:32b, 33 was a quotation from Isaiah 53:7, 8. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Acts 8:32b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 53:7b (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 53:7b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ |κείραντος| αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα

Acts 8:32b (NET)

Isaiah 53:7b (NETS)

Isaiah 53:7b (English Elpenor)
“He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the one shearing it, so he does not open his mouth. he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

Acts 8:33 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 53:8a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 53:8a (Septuagint Elpenor)
Ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν δὲ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ

Acts 8:33 (NET)

Isaiah 53:8a (NETS)

Isaiah 53:8a (English Elpenor)
In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth.” In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will describe his generation? Because his life is being taken from the earth, In [his] humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth:

Tables comparing Isaiah 53:7 and 53:8 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 53:7 and 53:8 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and comparing Mark 9:43; 9:45; 9:47; Luke 21:10 and 21:12-15 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 53:7 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 53:7 (KJV)

Isaiah 53:7 (NET)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.

Isaiah 53:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 53:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τὸ κεκακῶσθαι οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ· ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη καὶ ὡς ἀμνὸς ἐναντίον τοῦ κείροντος αὐτὸν ἄφωνος, οὕτως οὐκ ἀνοίγει τὸ στόμα

Isaiah 53:7 (NETS)

Isaiah 53:7 (English Elpenor)
And he, because he has been ill-treated, does not open his mouth; like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before the one shearing it, so he does not open his mouth. And he, because of his affliction, opens not his mouth: he was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

Isaiah 53:8 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 53:8 (KJV)

Isaiah 53:8 (NET)
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. He was led away after an unjust trial—but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.

Isaiah 53:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 53:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡ κρίσις αὐτοῦ ἤρθη· τὴν δὲ γενεὰν αὐτοῦ τίς διηγήσεται; ὅτι αἴρεται ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον

Isaiah 53:8 (NETS)

Isaiah 53:8 (English Elpenor)
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away. Who will describe his generation? Because his life is being taken from the earth, he was led to death on account of the acts of lawlessness of my people. In [his] humiliation his judgment was taken away: who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth: because of the iniquities of my people he was led to death.

Mark 9:43 (NET)

Mark 9:43 (KJV)
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:43 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:43 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:43 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐὰν |σκανδαλίζῃ| σε ἡ χείρ σου, ἀπόκοψον αὐτήν· καλόν ἐστίν σε κυλλὸν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν ἢ τὰς δύο χεῖρας ἔχοντα ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γέενναν, εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἄσβεστον και εαν σκανδαλιζη σε η χειρ σου αποκοψον αυτην καλον σοι εστιν κυλλον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η τας δυο χειρας εχοντα απελθειν εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον και εαν σκανδαλιζη σε η χειρ σου αποκοψον αυτην καλον σοι εστιν κυλλον εις την ζωην εισελθειν η τας δυο χειρας εχοντα απελθειν εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον

Mark 9:45 (NET)

Mark 9:45 (KJV)
If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off! It is better to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Mark 9:45 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:45 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:45 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐὰν ὁ πούς σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἀπόκοψον αὐτόν· καλόν ἐστίν σε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν χωλὸν ἢ τοὺς δύο πόδας ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς τὴν γέενναν και εαν ο πους σου σκανδαλιζη σε αποκοψον αυτον καλον εστιν σοι εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η τους δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον και εαν ο πους σου σκανδαλιζη σε αποκοψον αυτον καλον εστιν σοι εισελθειν εις την ζωην χωλον η τους δυο ποδας εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν εις το πυρ το ασβεστον

Mark 9:47 (NET)

Mark 9:47 (KJV)
If your eye causes you to sin, tear it out! It is better to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:

Mark 9:47 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 9:47 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 9:47 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐὰν ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου σκανδαλίζῃ σε, ἔκβαλε αὐτόν· καλόν σέ ἐστιν μονόφθαλμον εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἢ δύο ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντα βληθῆναι εἰς |τὴν| γέενναν και εαν ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζη σε εκβαλε αυτον καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος και εαν ο οφθαλμος σου σκανδαλιζη σε εκβαλε αυτον καλον σοι εστιν μονοφθαλμον εισελθειν εις την βασιλειαν του θεου η δυο οφθαλμους εχοντα βληθηναι εις την γεενναν του πυρος

Luke 21:10 (NET)

Luke 21:10 (KJV)
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

Luke 21:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τότε ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ἐγερθήσεται ἔθνος ἐπ᾿ ἔθνος καὶ βασιλεία ἐπὶ βασιλείαν τοτε ελεγεν αυτοις εγερθησεται εθνος επι εθνος και βασιλεια επι βασιλειαν τοτε ελεγεν αυτοις εγερθησεται εθνος επι εθνος και βασιλεια επι βασιλειαν

Luke 21:12-15 (NET)

Luke 21:12-15 (KJV)
But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.

Luke 21:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ διώξουσιν, παραδιδόντες εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς καὶ φυλακάς, ἀπαγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος μου προ δε τουτων απαντων επιβαλουσιν εφ υμας τας χειρας αυτων και διωξουσιν παραδιδοντες εις συναγωγας και φυλακας αγομενους επι βασιλεις και ηγεμονας ενεκεν του ονοματος μου προ δε τουτων παντων επιβαλουσιν εφ υμας τας χειρας αυτων και διωξουσιν παραδιδοντες εις συναγωγας και φυλακας αγομενους επι βασιλεις και ηγεμονας ενεκεν του ονοματος μου
This will be a time for you to serve as witnesses. And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

Luke 21:13 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀποβήσεται ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον αποβησεται δε υμιν εις μαρτυριον αποβησεται δε υμιν εις μαρτυριον
Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:

Luke 21:14 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
θέτε οὖν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν μὴ προμελετᾶν ἀπολογηθῆναι θεσθε ουν εις τας καρδιας υμων μη προμελεταν απολογηθηναι θεσθε ουν εις τας καρδιας υμων μη προμελεταν απολογηθηναι
For I will give you the words along with the wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

Luke 21:15 (NET Parallel Greek)

Luke 21:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Luke 21:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ γὰρ δώσω ὑμῖν στόμα καὶ σοφίαν ᾗ οὐ δυνήσονται ἀντιστῆναι ἢ ἀντειπεῖν ἅπαντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ὑμῖν εγω γαρ δωσω υμιν στομα και σοφιαν η ου δυνησονται αντειπειν ουδε αντιστηναι παντες οι αντικειμενοι υμιν εγω γαρ δωσω υμιν στομα και σοφιαν η ου δυνησονται αντειπειν ουδε αντιστηναι παντες οι αντικειμενοι υμιν

1 John 3:19 (NET)

2 John 3:17 (NET) Table

3 John 3:18 (NET)

4 John 3:19 (NET)

5 Matthew 10:28 (NET) Table

6 Luke 12:5 (NET)

7 Matthew 23:15 (NET)

8 Matthew 23:33 (NET)

9 Matthew 5:29, 30 (NET)

11 Mark 9:43b (NET)

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σε in the accusative case following It is better, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: for thee) in the dative case.

13 Mark 9:45b (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις το πυρ το ασβεστον (KJV: into the fire that never shall be quenched) following hell. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 Matthew 18:9 (NET)

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had σε in the accusative case following It is better, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: for thee) in the dative case.

16 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του πυρος (KJV: fire) following hell. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

17 Mark 9:47b, 48 (NET)

18 Matthew 5:22b (NET) Table

19 John 3:19 (NET)

20 John 3:16 (NET) Table

24 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τὰς preceding synagogues. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

25 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπαγομένους here, a form of ἀπάγω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγομενους (KJV: being brought), a form of ἄγω.

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

27 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had θέτε here, a form of τίθημι in the active voice and ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις in the dative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θεσθε in the middle voice followed by εις τας καρδιας (KJV: Settle it…in your hearts) in the accusative case.

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἅπαντες here, a form of ἅπας, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντες (KJV: all) a form of πᾶς. Apparently, the NET translators applied οὐ, the negative particle preceding will be able, to ἅπαντες (NET: none…will be able). The translators of the KJV did not apply the negative particle to παντες (KJV: all…shall not be able).

29 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the conjunction ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the adverb ουδε (KJV: nor).

30 John 6:12 (NET)

31 Acts 8:32, 33 (NET)

32 Acts 8:34, 35 (NET)

33 John 3:19 (NET)

34 John 3:20, 21 (NET)

Fear – Exodus, Part 1

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In Egypt the Israelites were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.  Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt.1  The new king feared that the Israelite people might join with his enemies in time of war.  So he put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor.2

When he was brought before Pharaoh to interpret his dreams Joseph acknowledged, It is not within my power, but God will speak concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.3  And it was through God’s Spirit that Joseph interpreted the dreams and warned Pharaoh of seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  But I think I’m safe to say that Joseph’s advice to Pharaoh was not of God, because its execution differed so dramatically from the economic system God ordained for Israel in the law.4

So now Pharaoh should look for a wise and discerning man and give him authority over all the land of Egypt…he should appoint officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.  They should gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming…This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt [Table].5

It seemed like a good idea to Pharaoh and his officials, so Joseph was put in charge:  I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will move his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt,6 Pharaoh said to Joseph.  When the seven years of famine came Joseph sold grain back to the people.  Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment for the grain they were buying.7  Later Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.”8  When their livestock was gone the Egyptians said, Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become Pharaoh’s slaves.9  So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh,10 and, Joseph made all the people slaves from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it.11

The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, the Lord said, for you are foreigners and residents with me.  In all your landed property you must provide for the right of redemption of the land.  If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold.  If a man has no redeemer, but he prospers and gains enough for its redemption, he is to calculate the value of the years it was sold, refund the balance to the man to whom he had sold it, and return to his property.  If he has not prospered enough to refund a balance to him, then what he sold will belong to the one who bought it until the jubilee year [every fiftieth year], but it must revert in the jubilee and the original owner may return to his property.12

If your brother becomes impoverished and is indebted to you, the Lord continued, you must support him; he must live with you like a foreign resident.  Do not take interest or profit from him, but you must fear your God and your brother must live with you.  You must not lend him your money at interest and you must not sell him food for profit.  I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan – to be your God.13

If your brother becomes impoverished with regard to you so that he sells himself to you, the Lord added, you must not subject him to slave service.  He must be with you as a hired worker, as a resident foreigner; he must serve with you until the year of jubilee, but then he may go free, he and his children with him, and may return to his family and to the property of his ancestors.  Since they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt, they must not be sold in a slave sale.  You must not rule over him harshly, but you must fear your God.14

So when a new king put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor it sounds like karma, what goes around comes around.  Karma is never mentioned by name in the Bible, but one can certainly find it there.  What I recognize as karma is codified in the law: I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me [Table], and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments [Table].15  I want to address it directly here because I’ve confused karma for justice, and have thought at times that God was beholden to, rather than the dealer of, karma, whether good or bad.

I don’t suspect Joseph of any particular malice.  I’m sure he thought he was doing a good job for Pharaoh.  It was just good business.  But I believe now that he was wrong, just like I was wrong to confuse the tit-for-tat of karma for justice.  The law according to Jesus was about justice and mercy and faithfulness16 and love for God.17  And though visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations,18 sounds like bad karma to me, Yahweh is the One who looked my idea of karma right in the eyes and declared, I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy.19

And so I’ll amend my original statement that Joseph’s advice was not of God.  The Egyptians were not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.20  Perhaps it was part of their karma from the hand of God to be enslaved by a Hebrew slave.  I don’t know.  But it came with a price for Israel, too, or an opportunity to walk a mile in the Egyptians’ shoes.  But clearly God is not beholden to karma.  To break the wheel of karma one need only look to the One who said I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.21

The new king of Egypt hoped that hard labor would kill the Israelites off and diminish their population.  But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread.22  Instant karma.23  So he made their service harder.  And, The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, “When you assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery: If it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she may live.”  But the midwives feared (yārē’, וַתִּירֶאןָ) God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.24

I was actually surprised that the rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἐφοβήθησαν (a form of φοβέω) here.  I suppose I expected something that was more clearly reverence for God.  The next occurrence of ἐφοβήθησαν in the New Testament was in response to Jesus’ telling the chief priests, elders and Pharisees that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit (καρποὺς, a form of καρπός).25

For me that is a sobering statement.  Am I allowing Him to justify his word in me?  Is the fruit (καρπὸς) of [his] Spirit which flows so graciously into me, flowing out in worthy proportion as his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness, and his self-control [Table]?26  The chief priests and Pharisees had a different reaction.  They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid (ἐφοβήθησαν, a form of φοβέω) of the crowds, because27 the crowds regarded him as28 a prophet.29

I doubt they wanted “to reverence, venerate, to treat [the crowds] with deference or reverential obedience.”  I suspect that they feared or hesitated “to do something (for fear of harm).”  That may be what the rabbis had in mind concerning the Hebrew midwives’ motives.  Perhaps they hesitated (or feared) to kill baby boys because they thought that God would, or could, visit them with worse karma than the new king of Egypt.

And because the midwives feared (yārē’, יָרְאוּ) God, he made households for them.30  Good karma followed upon their fear.  Here the rabbis chose ἐφοβοῦντο.  Jesus said, The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men.  They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.31  His disciples did not understand this statement and were afraid (ἐφοβοῦντο, another form of φοβέω) to ask him.32  It was a fear that seemed like respect, but lacked the knowledge or the faith of reverence.  And the Hebrew midwives I think also exhibited that kind of fear.

 

Addendum: November 27, 2025
The English translations of Genesis 47:21 in the Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here. It seems possible that the Septuagint explains a Hebrew idiom.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 47:21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:21 (NET)

Genesis 47:21 (NETS)

Genesis 47:21 (English Elpenor)
And as for the people, he removed (הֶֽעֱבִ֥יר) them city by city (לֶֽעָרִ֑ים), from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Joseph made (ʿāḇar, העביר) all the people slaves (ʿîr, לערים) from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it. and the people he subjugated (κατεδουλώσατο) to him as slaves (παῖδας) from the furthest boundaries of Egypt to the furthest— And he brought the people into bondage (κατεδουλώσατο) to him, for servants (παῖδας), from one extremity of Egypt to the other,

So rather than nomadic shepherds wandering freely with their herds, or even agrarian freeholders, Joseph “enslaved” the Egyptians as dependents in cities, as he “elevated” the office of Pharaoh from chieftain to god-king. Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt,33 may well be an understated critique of the unreliability of Egyptian “history.” And my own focus on history, political science and sociology probably obfuscates the meaning of the story of Joseph (and Abraham) in the Bible.

My focus is natural to me: History, political science and sociology are some of the academic pursuits that lead people astray, some of the sources of my own objections to faith in God and his word through Jesus Christ. Yes, a Pharaoh’s lust for Sarai, enriched Abram materially and made him like a king. And here a great-grandson of Abraham enriched and empowered another Pharaoh beyond anything he might ask or think. But the point is God’s care of, and provision for, his people: Abraham first and then the children of Israel. Through Joseph the Lord created a space in Egypt to incubate the relatively small population of Israel until they were more numerous and stronger than34 the Egyptians.

Tables comparing Exodus 1:7; 1:8; 1:11; Genesis 41:16; 41:33; 41:34; 41:35; 41:44; 47:14; 47:16; 47:19; 47:20; 47:21; Leviticus 25:23; 25:24; 25:25; 25:26; 25:27; 25:28; 25:35; 25:36; 25:37; 25:38; 25:39; 25:40; 25:41; 25:42; 25:43; Genesis 43:32; Exodus 1:12; 1:15; 1:16; 1:17; 1:21 and 1:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 1:7; 1:8; 1:11; Genesis 41:16; 41:33; 41:34; 41:35; 41:44; 47:14; 47:16; 47:19; 47:20; 47:21; Leviticus 25:23; 25:24; 25:25; 25:26; 25:27; 25:28; 25:35; 25:36; 25:37; 25:38; 25:39; 25:40; 25:41; 25:42; 25:43; Genesis 43:32 (43:31); Exodus 1:12; 1:15; 1:16; 1:17; 1:21 and 1:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing Matthew 21:46 in the KJV and NET follow.

Exodus 1:7 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:7 (KJV)

Exodus 1:7 (NET)
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. The Israelites, however, were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 1:7 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ηὐξήθησαν καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν καὶ χυδαῖοι ἐγένοντο καὶ κατίσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα ἐπλήθυνεν δὲ ἡ γῆ αὐτούς οἱ δὲ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ηὐξήθησαν καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν καὶ χυδαῖοι ἐγένοντο. καὶ κατίσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα, ἐπλήθυνε δὲ ἡ γῆ αὐτούς

Exodus 1:7 (NETS)

Exodus 1:7 (English Elpenor)
But the sons of Israel increased and multiplied and became common and were growing very, very strong. Now the land kept multiplying them. And the children of Israel increased and multiplied, and became numerous and grew exceedingly strong, and the land multiplied them.

Exodus 1:8 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:8 (KJV)

Exodus 1:8 (NET)
Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power over Egypt.

Exodus 1:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνέστη δὲ βασιλεὺς ἕτερος ἐπ᾽ Αἴγυπτον ὃς οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν Ιωσηφ ᾿Ανέστη δὲ βασιλεὺς ἕτερος ἐπ᾿ Αἴγυπτον, ὃς οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν ᾿Ιωσήφ

Exodus 1:8 (NETS)

Exodus 1:8 (English Elpenor)
Now another king arose over Egypt, who did not know Ioseph. And there arose up another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.

Exodus 1:11 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:11 (KJV)

Exodus 1:11 (NET)
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store-cities, Pithom and Raamses. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses. So they put foremen over the Israelites to oppress them with hard labor. As a result they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

Exodus 1:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστάτας τῶν ἔργων ἵνα κακώσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν πόλεις ὀχυρὰς τῷ Φαραω τήν τε Πιθωμ καὶ Ραμεσση καὶ Ων ἥ ἐστιν Ἡλίου πόλις καὶ ἐπέστησεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιστάτας τῶν ἔργων, ἵνα κακώσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις· καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν πόλεις ὀχυρὰς τῷ Φαραώ, τήν τε Πειθὼ καὶ Ῥαμεσσῆ καὶ ῎Ων, ἥ ἐστιν ῾Ηλιούπολις

Exodus 1:11 (NETS)

Exodus 1:11 (English Elpenor)
And he set over them overseers of tasks in order to afflict them in the tasks. And they built fortified cities for Pharao, both Pithom and Ramesses and On, which is Heliopolis. And he set over them task-masters, who should afflict them in their works; and they built strong cities for Pharao, both Pitho, and Ramesses, and On, which is Heliopolis.

Genesis 41:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 41:16 (KJV)

Genesis 41:16 (NET)
And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying: ‘It is not in me; G-d will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.’ And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace. Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “It is not within my power, but God will speak concerning the welfare of Pharaoh.”

Genesis 41:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 41:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Ιωσηφ τῷ Φαραω εἶπεν ἄνευ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ σωτήριον Φαραω ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ᾿Ιωσὴφ τῷ Φαραὼ εἶπεν· ἄνευ τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἀποκριθήσεται τὸ σωτήριον Φαραώ

Genesis 41:16 (NETS)

Genesis 41:16 (English Elpenor)
And Ioseph said to Pharao in reply, “Without God the safety of Pharao will not be answered.” And Joseph answered Pharao and said, Without God an answer of safety shall not be given to Pharao.

Genesis 41:33 (Tanakh)

Genesis 41:33 (KJV)

Genesis 41:33 (NET)
Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. “So now Pharaoh should look for a wise and discerning man and give him authority over all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 41:33 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 41:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν οὖν σκέψαι ἄνθρωπον φρόνιμον καὶ συνετὸν καὶ κατάστησον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ γῆς Αἰγύπτου νῦν οὖν σκέψαι ἄνθρωπον φρόνιμον καὶ συνετὸν καὶ κατάστησον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Genesis 41:33 (NETS)

Genesis 41:33 (English Elpenor)
Now then search out a man, sensible and intelligent, and appoint him over the land of Egypt. And Joseph answered Pharao and said, Without God an answer of safety shall not be given to Pharao.

Genesis 41:34 (Tanakh)

Genesis 41:34 (KJV)

Genesis 41:34 (NET)
Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. Pharaoh should do this—he should appoint officials throughout the land to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance.

Genesis 41:34 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 41:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ποιησάτω Φαραω καὶ καταστησάτω τοπάρχας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἀποπεμπτωσάτωσαν πάντα τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς Αἰγύπτου τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν τῆς εὐθηνίας καὶ ποιησάτω Φαραὼ καὶ καταστησάτω τοπάρχας ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀποπεμπτωσάτωσαν πάντα τὰ γεννήματα τῆς γῆς Αἰγύπτου τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν τῆς εὐθηνίας

Genesis 41:34 (NETS)

Genesis 41:34 (English Elpenor)
And let Pharao make and appoint district governors over the land, and let them take one-fifth of all the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven years of plenty, And let Pharao make and appoint local governors over the land; and let them take up a fifth part of all the produce of the land of Egypt for the seven years of the plenty.

Genesis 41:35 (Tanakh)

Genesis 41:35 (KJV)

Genesis 41:35 (NET)
And let them gather all the food of these good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities. They should gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority they should store up grain so the cities will have food, and they should preserve it.

Genesis 41:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 41:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συναγαγέτωσαν πάντα τὰ βρώματα τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν τῶν ἐρχομένων τῶν καλῶν τούτων καὶ συναχθήτω ὁ σῖτος ὑπὸ χεῖρα Φαραω βρώματα ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν φυλαχθήτω καὶ συναγαγέτωσαν πάντα τὰ βρώματα τῶν ἑπτὰ ἐτῶν τῶν ἐρχομένων τῶν καλῶν τούτων, καὶ συναχθήτω ὁ σῖτος ὑπὸ χεῖρα Φαραώ, βρώματα ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι φυλαχθήτω

Genesis 41:35 (NETS)

Genesis 41:35 (English Elpenor)
and let them gather all the provisions of these seven good years that are coming, and let the grain be gathered under the authority of Pharao; let provisions be kept in the cities. And let Pharao make and appoint local governors over the land; and let them take up a fifth part of all the produce of the land of Egypt for the seven years of the plenty.

Genesis 41:44 (Tanakh)

Genesis 41:44 (KJV)

Genesis 41:44 (NET)
And Pharaoh said unto Joseph: ‘I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.’ And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. Pharaoh also said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your permission no one will move his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.”

Genesis 41:44 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 41:44 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Φαραω τῷ Ιωσηφ ἐγὼ Φαραω ἄνευ σοῦ οὐκ ἐξαρεῖ οὐθεὶς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάσῃ γῇ Αἰγύπτου εἶπε δὲ Φαραὼ τῷ ᾿Ιωσήφ· ἐγὼ Φαραώ, ἄνευ σοῦ οὐκ ἐξαρεῖ οὐδεὶς τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ πάσης γῆς Αἰγύπτου

Genesis 41:44 (NETS)

Genesis 41:44 (English Elpenor)
And Pharao said to Ioseph, “I am Pharao; without you no one shall lift up a hand in reference to all the land of Egypt.” And Pharao said to Joseph, I am Pharao; without thee no one shall lift up his hand on all the land of Egypt.

Genesis 47:14 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:14 (KJV)

Genesis 47:14 (NET)
And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. Joseph collected all the money that could be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan as payment for the grain they were buying. Then Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s palace.

Genesis 47:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 47:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
συνήγαγεν δὲ Ιωσηφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐν γῇ Χανααν τοῦ σίτου οὗ ἠγόραζον καὶ ἐσιτομέτρει αὐτοῖς καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν Ιωσηφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φαραω συνήγαγε δὲ ᾿Ιωσὴφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ εὑρεθὲν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐν γῇ Χαναὰν τοῦ σίτου, οὗ ἠγόραζον, καὶ ἐσιτομέτρει αὐτοῖς, καὶ εἰσήνεγκεν ᾿Ιωσὴφ πᾶν τὸ ἀργύριον εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φαραώ

Genesis 47:14 (NETS)

Genesis 47:14 (English Elpenor)
Then Ioseph collected all the money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Chanaan for the grain that they would buy, and he would measure out grain to them, and Ioseph brought all the money into Pharao’s house. And Joseph gathered all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and the land of Chanaan, [in return for] the corn which they bought, and he distributed corn to them; and Joseph brought all the money into the house of Pharao.

Genesis 47:16 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:16 (KJV)

Genesis 47:16 (NET)
And Joseph said: ‘Give your cattle, and I will give you bread for your cattle, if money fail.’ And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail. Then Joseph said, “If your money is gone, bring your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock.”

Genesis 47:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 47:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς Ιωσηφ φέρετε τὰ κτήνη ὑμῶν καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἄρτους ἀντὶ τῶν κτηνῶν ὑμῶν εἰ ἐκλέλοιπεν τὸ ἀργύριον εἶπε δὲ αὐτοῖς ᾿Ιωσήφ· φέρετε τὰ κτήνη ὑμῶν, καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἄρτους ἀντὶ τῶν κτηνῶν ὑμῶν, εἰ ἐκλέλοιπε τὸ ἀργύριον ὑμῶν

Genesis 47:16 (NETS)

Genesis 47:16 (English Elpenor)
And Ioseph said to them, “Bring your livestock, and I will give you bread loaves in exchange for your livestock, if the money has failed.” And Joseph said to them, Bring your cattle, and I will give you bread for your cattle, if your money is spent.

Genesis 47:19 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:19 (KJV)

Genesis 47:19 (NET)
Wherefore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be bondmen unto Pharaoh; and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, and that the land be not desolate.’ Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. Why should we die before your very eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we, with our land, will become Pharaoh’s slaves. Give us seed that we may live and not die. Then the land will not become desolate.”

Genesis 47:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 47:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐρημωθῇ κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἀντὶ ἄρτων καὶ ἐσόμεθα ἡμεῖς καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡμῶν παῖδες Φαραω δὸς σπέρμα ἵνα σπείρωμεν καὶ ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐκ ἐρημωθήσεται ἵνα οὖν μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν ἐναντίον σου καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐρημωθῇ, κτῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἀντὶ ἄρτων, καὶ ἐσόμεθα ἡμεῖς καὶ ἡ γῆ ἡμῶν παῖδες τῷ Φαραώ· δὸς σπέρμα, ἵνα σπείρωμεν καὶ ζῶμεν καὶ μὴ ἀποθάνωμεν καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐκ ἐρημωθήσεται

Genesis 47:19 (NETS)

Genesis 47:19 (English Elpenor)
So lest we die in your presence and the land be desolated, acquire us and our land in exchange for bread loaves, and we with our land will be Pharao’s slaves; grant seed in order that we may sow and live and not die, and the land will not be desolated.” In order, then, that we die not before thee, and the land be made desolate, buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants to Pharao: give seed that we may sow, and live and not die, so our land shall not be made desolate.

Genesis 47:20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:20 (KJV)

Genesis 47:20 (NET)
So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine was sore upon them; and the land became Pharaoh’s. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s. So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. Each of the Egyptians sold his field, for the famine was severe. So the land became Pharaoh’s.

Genesis 47:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 47:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκτήσατο Ιωσηφ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τῷ Φαραω ἀπέδοντο γὰρ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν τῷ Φαραω ἐπεκράτησεν γὰρ αὐτῶν ὁ λιμός καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ γῆ Φαραω καὶ ἐκτήσατο ᾿Ιωσὴφ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τῷ Φαραώ· ἀπέδοντο γὰρ οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν τῷ Φαραώ, ἐπεκράτησε γὰρ αὐτῶν ὁ λιμός· καὶ ἐγένετο ἡ γῇ τῷ Φαραώ

Genesis 47:20 (NETS)

Genesis 47:20 (English Elpenor)
And Ioseph acquired all the land of the Egyptians for Pharao. For the Egyptians sold their land to Pharao, because the famine gained mastery over them. And the land became Pharao’s— And Joseph bought all the land of the Egyptians, for Pharao; for the Egyptians sold their land to Pharao; for the famine prevailed against them, and the land became Pharao’s.

Genesis 47:21 (Tanakh)

Genesis 47:21 (KJV)

Genesis 47:21 (NET)
And as for the people, he removed them city by city, from one end of the border of Egypt even to the other end thereof. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. Joseph made all the people slaves from one end of Egypt’s border to the other end of it.

Genesis 47:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 47:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὸν λαὸν κατεδουλώσατο αὐτῷ εἰς παῖδας ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου ἕως τῶν ἄκρων καὶ τὸν λαὸν κατεδουλώσατο αὐτῷ εἰς παῖδας ἀπ᾿ ἄκρων ὁρίων Αἰγύπτου ἕως τῶν ἄκρων

Genesis 47:21 (NETS)

Genesis 47:21 (English Elpenor)
and the people he subjugated to him as slaves from the furthest boundaries of Egypt to the furthest— And he brought the people into bondage to him, for servants, from one extremity of Egypt to the other,

Leviticus 25:23 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:23 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:23 (NET)
And the land shall not be sold in perpetuity; for the land is Mine; for ye are strangers and settlers with Me. The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreign residents, temporary settlers, with me.

Leviticus 25:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐ πραθήσεται εἰς βεβαίωσιν ἐμὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ γῆ διότι προσήλυτοι καὶ πάροικοι ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐναντίον μου καὶ ἡ γῆ οὐ πραθήσεται εἰς βεβαίωσιν. ἐμὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ γῆ, διότι προσήλυτοι καὶ πάροικοι ὑμεῖς ἐστε ἐναντίον μου

Leviticus 25:23 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:23 (English Elpenor)
And the land shall not be sold irrevocably, for the land is mine, because before me you are guests and resident aliens. And the land shall not be sold for a permanence; for the land is mine, because ye are strangers and sojourners before me.

Leviticus 25:24 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:24 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:24 (NET)
And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. In all your landed property you must provide for the right of redemption of the land.

Leviticus 25:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν κατασχέσεως ὑμῶν λύτρα δώσετε τῆς γῆς καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν κατασχέσεως ὑμῶν λύτρα δώσετε τῆς γῆς

Leviticus 25:24 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:24 (English Elpenor)
And on the basis of all the land of your holding, you shall provide ransom for the land. And in every land of your possession, ye shall allow ransoms for the land.

Leviticus 25:25 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:25 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:25 (NET)
If thy brother be waxen poor, and sell some of his possession, then shall his kinsman that is next unto him come, and shall redeem that which his brother hath sold. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and sells some of his property, his near redeemer is to come to you and redeem what his brother sold.

Leviticus 25:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ πένηται ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀποδῶται ἀπὸ τῆς κατασχέσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλθῃ ὁ ἀγχιστεύων ἐγγίζων ἔγγιστα αὐτοῦ καὶ λυτρώσεται τὴν πρᾶσιν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δὲ πένηται ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀποδῶται ἀπὸ τῆς κατασχέσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλθῃ ὁ ἀγχιστεύων ὁ ἐγγίζων αὐτῷ, καὶ λυτρώσεται τὴν πρᾶσιν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ

Leviticus 25:25 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:25 (English Elpenor)
But if your brother who is with you should become poor and should sell some of what he holds and the next of kin who is nearest should come, then he shall redeem the sale of his brother. And if thy brother who is with thee be poor, and should have sold [part] of his possession, and his kinsman who is nigh to him come, then he shall redeem the possession which his brother has sold.

Leviticus 25:26 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:26 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:26 (NET)
And if a man have no one to redeem it, and he be waxen rich and find sufficient means to redeem it; And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; If a man has no redeemer, but he prospers and gains enough for its redemption,

Leviticus 25:26 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ τινι ὁ ἀγχιστεύων καὶ εὐπορηθῇ τῇ χειρὶ καὶ εὑρεθῇ αὐτῷ τὸ ἱκανὸν λύτρα αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ᾖ τινι ὁ ἀγχιστεύων καὶ εὐπορηθῇ τῇ χειρὶ καὶ εὑρεθῇ αὐτῷ τὸ ἱκανὸν λύτρα αὐτοῦ

Leviticus 25:26 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:26 (English Elpenor)
But if someone does not have one who is next of kin and has plenty in hand and finds for himself what is sufficient for his ransom, And if one have no near kinsman, and he prosper with his hand, and he find sufficient money, [even] his ransom;

Leviticus 25:27 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:27 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:27 (NET)
then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; and he shall return unto his possession. Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. he is to calculate the value of the years it was sold, refund the balance to the man to whom he had sold it, and return to his property.

Leviticus 25:27 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συλλογιεῖται τὰ ἔτη τῆς πράσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποδώσει ὃ ὑπερέχει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ᾧ ἀπέδοτο ἑαυτὸν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλογιεῖται τὰ ἔτη τῆς πράσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀποδώσει ὃ ὑπερέχει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ᾧ ἀπέδοτο αὐτὸ αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν αὐτοῦ

Leviticus 25:27 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:27 (English Elpenor)
then he shall compute the years of his sale and give back what he has over to the person who sold it to him, and he shall depart to his holding. then shall he calculate the years of his sale, and he shall give what is due to the man to whom he sold it, and he shall return to his possession.

Leviticus 25:28 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:28 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:28 (NET)
But if he have not sufficient means to get it back for himself, then that which he hath sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee; and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. If he has not prospered enough to refund a balance to him, then what he sold will belong to the one who bought it until the Jubilee year, but it must revert in the Jubilee and the original owner may return to his property.

Leviticus 25:28 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὐπορηθῇ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ τὸ ἱκανὸν ὥστε ἀποδοῦναι αὐτῷ καὶ ἔσται ἡ πρᾶσις τῷ κτησαμένῳ αὐτὰ ἕως τοῦ ἕκτου ἔτους τῆς ἀφέσεως καὶ ἐξελεύσεται τῇ ἀφέσει καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν αὐτοῦ ἐὰν δὲ μὴ εὐπορηθῇ αὐτοῦ ἡ χεὶρ τὸ ἱκανόν, ὥστε ἀποδοῦναι αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔσται ἡ πρᾶσις τῷ κτησαμένῳ αὐτὰ ἕως τοῦ ἕκτου ἔτους τῆς ἀφέσεως· καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐν τῇ ἀφέσει, καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν αὐτοῦ

Leviticus 25:28 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:28 (English Elpenor)
But if his hand does not find what is sufficient to give it back to him, then the sale shall belong to the one who acquired them until the year of release, and at the release it shall expire, and he shall depart to his holding. But if his hand have not prospered sufficiently, so as that he should restore the money to him, then he that bought the possessions shall have them till the sixth year of the release; and it shall go out in the release, and the owner shall return to his possession.

Leviticus 25:35 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:35 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:35 (NET)
And if thy brother be waxen poor, and his means fail with thee; then thou shalt uphold him: as a stranger and a settler shall he live with thee. And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee. “‘If your brother becomes impoverished and is indebted to you, you must support him; he must live with you like a foreign resident.

Leviticus 25:35 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ πένηται ὁ ἀδελφός σου καὶ ἀδυνατήσῃ ταῖς χερσὶν παρὰ σοί ἀντιλήμψῃ αὐτοῦ ὡς προσηλύτου καὶ παροίκου καὶ ζήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου μετὰ σοῦ ᾿Εὰν δὲ πένηται ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀδυνατήσῃ ταῖς χερσὶ παρὰ σοί, ἀντιλήψῃ αὐτοῦ ὡς προσηλύτου καὶ παροίκου καὶ ζήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου μετὰ σοῦ

Leviticus 25:35 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:35 (English Elpenor)
Now if your brother is needy and with you becomes weak in his hands, you shall help him as a guest and a resident alien, and your brother shall live with you. And if thy brother who is with thee become poor, and he fail in resources with thee, thou shalt help him as a stranger and a sojourner, and thy brother shall live with thee.

Leviticus 25:36 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:36 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:36 (NET)
Take thou no interest of him or increase; but fear thy G-d; that thy brother may live with thee. Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee. Do not take interest or profit from him, but you must fear your God, and your brother must live with you.

Leviticus 25:36 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ λήμψῃ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τόκον οὐδὲ ἐπὶ πλήθει καὶ φοβηθήσῃ τὸν θεόν σου ἐγὼ κύριος καὶ ζήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου μετὰ σοῦ οὐ λήψῃ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τόκον, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ πλήθει· καὶ φοβηθήσῃ τὸν Θεόν σου, ἐγὼ Κύριος, καὶ ζήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου μετὰ σοῦ

Leviticus 25:36 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:36 (English Elpenor)
You shall not take interest from him, not even in any amount, and you shall fear your God; I am the Lord. And your brother shall live with you. Thou shalt not receive from him interest, nor increase: and thou shalt fear thy God: I [am] the Lord: and thy brother shall live with thee.

Leviticus 25:37 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:37 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:37 (NET)
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon interest, nor give him thy victuals for increase. Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase. You must not lend him your money at interest, and you must not sell him food for profit.

Leviticus 25:37 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸ ἀργύριόν σου οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τόκῳ καὶ ἐπὶ πλεονασμὸν οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ τὰ βρώματά σου τὸ ἀργύριόν σου οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τόκῳ καὶ ἐπὶ πλεονασμῷ οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ τὰ βρώματά σου

Leviticus 25:37 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:37 (English Elpenor)
You shall not give him your money at interest; neither shall you give him your food in excess. Thou shalt not lend thy money to him at interest, and thou shalt not lend thy meat to him to be returned with increase.

Leviticus 25:38 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:38 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:38 (NET)
I am HaShem your G-d, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your G-d. I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan—to be your God.

Leviticus 25:38 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:38 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου δοῦναι ὑμῖν τὴν γῆν Χανααν ὥστε εἶναι ὑμῶν θεός ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, δοῦναι ὑμῖν τὴν γῆν Χαναάν, ὥστε εἶναι ὑμῶν Θεός

Leviticus 25:38 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:38 (English Elpenor)
I am the Lord your God, the one who brought you out from the land of Egypt, to give you the land Chanaan in order to be your God. I [am] the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Chanaan, so as to be your God.

Leviticus 25:39 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:39 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:39 (NET)
And if thy brother be waxen poor with thee, and sell himself unto thee, thou shalt not make him to serve as a bondservant. And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: “‘If your brother becomes impoverished with regard to you so that he sells himself to you, you must not subject him to slave service.

Leviticus 25:39 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:39 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ταπεινωθῇ ὁ ἀδελφός σου παρὰ σοὶ καὶ πραθῇ σοι οὐ δουλεύσει σοι δουλείαν οἰκέτου ᾿Εὰν δὲ ταπεινωθῇ ὁ ἀδελφός σου παρὰ σοί, καὶ πραθῇ σοι, οὐ δουλεύσει σοι δουλείαν οἰκέτου

Leviticus 25:39 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:39 (English Elpenor)
Now if your brother with you is humbled and is sold to you, he shall not be subject to you with the subjection of a domestic. And if thy brother by thee be lowered, and be sold to thee, he shall not serve thee with the servitude of a slave.

Leviticus 25:40 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:40 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:40 (NET)
As a hired servant, and as a settler, he shall be with thee; he shall serve with thee unto the year of jubilee. But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: He must be with you as a hired worker, as a resident foreigner; he must serve with you until the Year of Jubilee,

Leviticus 25:40 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:40 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς μισθωτὸς ἢ πάροικος ἔσται σοι ἕως τοῦ ἔτους τῆς ἀφέσεως ἐργᾶται παρὰ σοί ὡς μισθωτὸς ἢ πάροικος ἔσται σοι, ἕως τοῦ ἔτους τῆς ἀφέσεως ἐργᾶται παρὰ σοί

Leviticus 25:40 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:40 (English Elpenor)
He shall be to you as a hired laborer or a resident alien. He shall work with you until the year of release. He shall be with thee as a hireling or a sojourner, he shall work for thee till the year of release:

Leviticus 25:41 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:41 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:41 (NET)
Then shall he go out from thee, he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. but then he may go free, he and his children with him, and may return to his family and to the property of his ancestors.

Leviticus 25:41 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:41 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξελεύσεται τῇ ἀφέσει καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν τὴν πατρικὴν ἀποδραμεῖται καὶ ἐξελεύσεται τῇ ἀφέσει καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπελεύσεται εἰς τὴν γενεὰν αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὴν κατάσχεσιν τὴν πατρικὴν ἀποδραμεῖται

Leviticus 25:41 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:41 (English Elpenor)
And he and his children with him shall go forth at the release, and he shall go away to his kin; he shall depart to his ancestral holding. and he shall go out in the release, and his children with him; and he shall go to his family, he shall hasten back to his patrimony.

Leviticus 25:42 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:42 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:42 (NET)
For they are My servants, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as bondmen. For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. Since the Israelites are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt, they must not be sold in a slave sale.

Leviticus 25:42 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:42 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι οἰκέται μού εἰσιν οὗτοι οὓς ἐξήγαγον ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου οὐ πραθήσεται ἐν πράσει οἰκέτου διότι οἰκέται μού εἰσιν οὗτοι, οὓς ἐξήγαγον ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου· οὐ πραθήσεται ἐν πράσει οἰκέτου

Leviticus 25:42 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:42 (English Elpenor)
For they are my domestics, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; he shall not be sold in a sale of a domestic. Because these are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; such an one shall not be sold as a [common] servant.

Leviticus 25:43 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 25:43 (KJV)

Leviticus 25:43 (NET)
Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy G-d. Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God. You must not rule over them harshly, but you must fear your God.

Leviticus 25:43 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 25:43 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κατατενεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ μόχθῳ καὶ φοβηθήσῃ κύριον τὸν θεόν σου οὐ κατατενεῖς αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ μόχθῳ, καὶ φοβηθήσῃ Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου

Leviticus 25:43 (NETS)

Leviticus 25:43 (English Elpenor)
You shall not abuse him with toil, and you shall fear the Lord your God. Thou shalt not oppress him with labour, and shalt fear the Lord thy God.

Genesis 43:32 (Tanakh)

Genesis 43:32 (KJV)

Genesis 43:32 (NET)
And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by themselves; because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians. They set a place for him, a separate place for his brothers, and another for the Egyptians who were eating with him. (The Egyptians are not able to eat with Hebrews, for the Egyptians think it is disgusting to do so.)

Genesis 43:32 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 43:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσιν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καθ᾽ ἑαυτούς οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν Εβραίων ἄρτους βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστιν τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ παρέθηκαν αὐτῷ μόνῳ καὶ αὐτοῖς καθ᾿ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις τοῖς συνδειπνοῦσι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καθ᾿ ἑαυτούς· οὐ γὰρ ἐδύναντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι συνεσθίειν μετὰ τῶν ῾Εβραίων ἄρτους, βδέλυγμα γάρ ἐστι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις

Genesis 43:32 (NETS)

Genesis 43:31 (English Elpenor)
And they served him alone and them by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread loaves together with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians. And they set on [bread] for him alone, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians feasting with him by themselves, for the Egyptians could not eat bread with the Hebrews, for it is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Exodus 1:12 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:12 (KJV)

Exodus 1:12 (NET)
But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And they were adread because of the children of Israel. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,

Exodus 1:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καθότι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐταπείνουν τοσούτῳ πλείους ἐγίνοντο καὶ ἴσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα καὶ ἐβδελύσσοντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καθότι δὲ αὐτοὺς ἐταπείνουν, τοσούτῳ πλείους ἐγίγνοντο, καὶ ἴσχυον σφόδρα σφόδρα· καὶ ἐβδελύσσοντο οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ

Exodus 1:12 (NETS)

Exodus 1:12 (English Elpenor)
But as much as they were humbling them, by so much the more they kept becoming more numerous and stronger, and the Egyptians were disgusted with the sons of Israel. But as they humbled them, by so much they multiplied, and grew exceedingly strong; and the Egyptians greatly abhorred the children of Israel.

Exodus 1:15 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:15 (KJV)

Exodus 1:15 (NET)
And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah; And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah,

Exodus 1:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ταῖς μαίαις τῶν Εβραίων τῇ μιᾷ αὐτῶν ᾗ ὄνομα Σεπφωρα καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δευτέρας Φουα Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ταῖς μαίαις τῶν ῾Εβραίων· τῇ μιᾷ αὐτῶν ὄνομα Σεπφώρα, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δευτέρας Φουά

Exodus 1:15 (NETS)

Exodus 1:15 (English Elpenor)
And the king of the Egyptians spoke to the Hebrews’ midwives, to one of them whose name was sepphora, and the name of the second was Phoua, And the king of the Egyptians spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews; the name of the one was, Sepphora; and the name of the second, Phua.

Exodus 1:16 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:16 (KJV)

Exodus 1:16 (NET)
and he said: ‘When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, ye shall look upon the birthstool: if it be a son, then ye shall kill him; but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.’ And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live. “When you assist the Hebrew women in childbirth, observe at the delivery: If it is a son, kill him, but if it is a daughter, she may live.”

Exodus 1:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὅταν μαιοῦσθε τὰς Εβραίας καὶ ὦσιν πρὸς τῷ τίκτειν ἐὰν μὲν ἄρσεν ᾖ ἀποκτείνατε αὐτό ἐὰν δὲ θῆλυ περιποιεῖσθε αὐτό καὶ εἶπεν· ὅταν μαιοῦσθε τὰς ῾Εβραίας καὶ ὦσι πρὸς τῷ τίκτειν, ἐὰν μὲν ἄρσεν ᾖ, ἀποκτείνατε αὐτό, ἐὰν δὲ θῆλυ, περιποιεῖσθε αὐτό

Exodus 1:16 (NETS)

Exodus 1:16 (English Elpenor)
and he said, “Whenever you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and they should be at the birthing stage, if then it may be male, kill it, but if female, preserve it alive.” And he said, When ye do the office of midwives to the Hebrew women, and they are about to be delivered, if it be a male, kill it; but if a female, save it.

Exodus 1:17 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:17 (KJV)

Exodus 1:17 (NET)
But the midwives feared G-d, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men-children alive. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive. But the midwives feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live.

Exodus 1:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησαν καθότι συνέταξεν αὐταῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐζωογόνουν τὰ ἄρσενα ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ αἱ μαῖαι τὸν Θεὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησαν καθότι συνέταξεν αὐταῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἐζωογόνουν τὰ ἄρσενα

Exodus 1:17 (NETS)

Exodus 1:17 (English Elpenor)
But the midwives feared God, and they did not do as the king of Egypt instructed them and tried to keep the males alive. But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt appointed them; and they saved the male children alive.

Exodus 1:21 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:21 (KJV)

Exodus 1:21 (NET)
And it came to pass, because the midwives feared G-d, that He made them houses. And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses. And because the midwives feared God, he made households for them.

Exodus 1:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπειδὴ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν θεόν ἐποίησαν ἑαυταῖς οἰκίας ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐφοβοῦντο αἱ μαῖαι τὸν Θεόν, ἐποίησαν ἑαυταῖς οἰκίας

Exodus 1:21 (NETS)

Exodus 1:21 (English Elpenor)
Because the midwives were fearing God, they made families for themselves. And as the midwives feared God, they established for themselves families.

Exodus 1:9 (Tanakh)

Exodus 1:9 (KJV)

Exodus 1:9 (NET)
And he said unto his people: ‘Behold, the people of the children of Israel are too many and too mighty for us; And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: He said to his people, “Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are!

Exodus 1:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 1:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ τὸ γένος τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ μέγα πλῆθος καὶ ἰσχύει ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς εἶπε δὲ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ τὸ γένος τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ μέγα πλῆθος καὶ ἰσχύει ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς

Exodus 1:9 (NETS)

Exodus 1:9 (English Elpenor)
Now he said to his nation, “Look, the race of the sons of Israel is a great multitude and is becoming stronger than we. And he said to his nation, Behold, the race of the children of Israel is a great multitude, and is stronger than we:

Matthew 21:46 (NET)

Matthew 21:46 (KJV)
They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds because the crowds regarded him as a prophet. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

Matthew 21:46 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 21:46 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 21:46 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ζητοῦντες αὐτὸν κρατῆσαι ἐφοβήθησαν τοὺς ὄχλους, ἐπεὶ εἰς προφήτην αὐτὸν εἶχον και ζητουντες αυτον κρατησαι εφοβηθησαν τους οχλους επειδη ως προφητην αυτον ειχον και ζητουντες αυτον κρατησαι εφοβηθησαν τους οχλους επειδη ως προφητην αυτον ειχον

1 Exodus 1:7, 8 (NET)

2 Exodus 1:11 (NET)

3 Genesis 41:16 (NET)

5 Genesis 41:33-36 (NET)

6 Genesis 41:44 (NET)

7 Genesis 47:14 (NET)

8 Genesis 47:16 (NET)

9 Genesis 47:19 (NET)

10 Genesis 47:20 (NET)

11 Genesis 47:21 (NET)

12 Leviticus 25:23-28 (NET)

13 Leviticus 25:35-38 (NET)

14 Leviticus 25:39-43 (NET)

15 Exodus 20:5, 6 (NET)

18 Exodus 20:5 (NKJV) Table

19 Exodus 33:19b (NET) Table

20 Genesis 43:32b (NET)

21 Matthew 11:28 (NET)

22 Exodus 1:12 (NET)

24 Exodus 1:15-17 (NET)

25 Matthew 21:43 (NET)

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

29 Matthew 21:46 (NET)

30 Exodus 1:21 (NET)

31 Mark 9:31 (NET) Table

32 Mark 9:32 (NET)

33 Exodus 1:8 (NET)

34 Exodus 1:9b (NET)

Romans, Part 40

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So I ask, Paul continued, God has not rejected his people, has he?  Absolutely not!  For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.  God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew (προέγνω, a form of προγινώσκω)!1  The word προέγνω leads me directly back to Romans 8:28-30 (NET):

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew (προέγνω, a form of προγινώσκω) he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.  And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Do you not know (οἴδατε, a form of εἴδω; literally see) what the scripture says about Elijah, Paul continued, how he pleads (ἐντυγχάνει, a form of ἐντυγχάνω) with God against Israel?2  “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they3 have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!”4  To plead against is certainly a valid translation.  But to fully appreciate Paul’s sarcasm I think I must revisit the other two times he used ἐντυγχάνει in Romans, as well as the story when the Lord determined that Elisha would replace Elijah as prophet.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness, Paul wrote, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings [Table].  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes (ἐντυγχάνει, a form of ἐντυγχάνω) on behalf of the saints according to God’s will [Table].5  And, Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is the one who will condemn?  Christ is the one who died (and more than that, he was raised), who is at the right hand of God, and who also is interceding (ἐντυγχάνει, a form of ἐντυγχάνω) for us.6  So I begin to see the contrast that Elijah sounded more like an accuser than an intercessor, Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars; I alone am left and they are seeking my life!

The Lord strengthened and helped Elijah flee from Jezebel for forty days.  But after he had spent the night in a cave at Horeb, the Lord spoke to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”7  I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord, the sovereign God, Elijah answered, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword.  I alone am left and now they want to take my life.8

After a demonstration where Elijah saw that the Lord was not in a mighty wind, an earthquake, or a fire, but a soft whisper,9 He gave him another chance to answer the same question, Why are you here, Elijah?10  But Elijah gave exactly the same answer.  So Elijah’s prophetic ministry was close to its end, at least for the time being.  Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus, the Lord told him. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria.  You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet.11

He doesn’t seem to be angry with Elijah.  The Lord simply recognized that Elijah had reached the end of that measure of faith He had distributed to him: For by the grace given to me, Paul wrote the Romans, I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think, but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith.12

Elijah thought he had performed the ultimate empirical test before all Israel, proving once and for all, The Lord is the true God!13  He didn’t understand that, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,14 the soft whisper rather than the cacophony of wind, earthquake or fire.  But the Lord said to him, I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.15

But what was the divine response to [Elijah]? Paul continued in Romans, “I have kept for myself seven thousand people who have not bent the knee to Baal.”  So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen (ἐκλογὴν, a form of ἐκλογή) by grace.  And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace.16  Earlier Paul wrote, when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac – even before they were born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose in election [ἐκλογὴν, a form of ἐκλογή] would stand, not by works but by his calling [καλοῦντος, a form of καλέω]) – it was said to her, “The older will serve the younger [Table],” just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”17

The word translated calling above, καλοῦντος in Greek, is a form of καλέω, as is ἐκάλεσεν translated called in, And those he predestined, he also called (ἐκάλεσεν, another form of καλέω); and those he called (ἐκάλεσεν, another form of καλέω), he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.18  And Paul described God as the One who makes the dead alive and summons (καλοῦντος, a form of καλέω) the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.19

What then? Paul continued.  Israel failed to obtain what20 it was diligently seeking, but the elect (ἐκλογὴ; i.e., ἐκλογὴν χάριτος, those chosen by grace) obtained it.  The rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, to this very day” [Table comparing quote to Septuagint]  And David21 says, “Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually.”22

But why?  Why would God do this to his chosen people?  For this is what the Lord has commanded us, Paul and Barnabas said in Pisidian Antioch, “I have appointed you to be a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.”23  And to the Romans Paul wrote, I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they?  Absolutely not!  But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous.24

Even in Acts Luke made it plain, When the Gentiles [in Pisidian Antioch] heard this, they began to rejoice and praise the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed (τεταγμένοι, a form of τάσσω) for eternal life believed.25  This knowledge that God calls people to salvation “in a certain order” should fill one with hope.  Now if [Israel’s] transgression means riches for the world, Paul continued, and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full restoration (πλήρωμα) bring?26

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, Jesus said, because the patch (πλήρωμα, or filling) will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse.  And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise27 the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed.28  Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both29 are preserved.30  This was Jesus’ answer to a question asked by John the Baptist’s disciples, why Jesus’ disciples did not adhere to their religious norms, and those of the Pharisees.

 

Addendum: November 14, 2025
According to a note (1) in the NET, Paul quoted from 1 Kings 19:10, 14 in Romans 11:3. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Romans 11:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Kings 19:10b (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν, τὰ θυσιαστήρια σου κατέσκαψαν, καγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος καὶ ζητοῦσιν τὴν ψυχήν μου τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ρομφαίᾳ, καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου

Romans 11:3 (NET)

3 Reigns 19:10b (NETS)

3 Kings 19:10b (English Elpenor)
they have killed your prophets; they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life! they threw down your altars and killed your prophets with a sword, and I alone am a remnant, and they are seeking my life they have digged down thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword; and I only am left alone, and they seek my life

Romans 11:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Kings 19:14b (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:14b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν, τὰ θυσιαστήρια σου κατέσκαψαν, καγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος καὶ ζητοῦσιν τὴν ψυχήν μου τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου καθεῖλαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου καθεῖλαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ρομφαίᾳ, καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου

Romans 11:3 (NET)

3 Reigns 19:14b (NETS)

3 Kings 19:14b (English Elpenor)
they have killed your prophets; they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life! they tore down your altars and killed your prophets with a sword, and I alone am a remnant, and they are seeking my life and they have overthrown thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword! and I am left entirely alone, and they seek my life

According to a note (4) in the NET, Paul quoted from 1 Kings 19:18 in Romans 11:4. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Romans 11:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

1 Kings 19:10b (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
Κατέλιπον…ἑπτακισχιλίους ἄνδρας, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔκαμψαν γόνυ τῇ Βάαλ Καταλείψεις…ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν πάντα γόνατα ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βααλ Καταλείψεις…ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν, πάντα γόνατα, ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βάαλ

Romans 11:4b (NET)

3 Reigns 19:10b (NETS)

3 Kings 19:10b (English Elpenor)
I have kept…7,000 people who have not bent the knee to Baal you will leave seven thousand men…all the knees that did not bow a knee to Baal thou shalt leave…seven thousand men, all the knees which had not bowed themselves to Baal

According to a note (7) in the NET, Paul quoted from Psalm 69:22, 23 in Romans 11:9b, 10. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Romans 11:9b (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 69:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 68:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς θήραν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδομα αὐτοῖς γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδοσιν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδοσιν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον

Romans 11:9b (NET)

Psalm 68:23 (NETS)

Psalm 68:23 (English Elpenor)
Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; Let their table become a trap before them, and a retribution and a stumbling block. Let their table before them be for a snare, and for a recompense, and for a stumbling-block.

Romans 11:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Psalm 69:23 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Psalm 68:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς σύγκαμψον

Romans 11:10 (NET)

Psalm 68:24 (NETS)

Psalm 68:24 (English Elpenor)
let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their back permanently. Let their eyes be darkened that they should not see; and bow down their back continually.

Tables comparing 1 Kings 19:10; 19:14; 19:9; 19:12; 19:13; 19:15; 19:16; 19:18; Psalm 69:22 and 69:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 19:10; 19:14; 19:9; 19:12; 19:13; 19:15; 19:16; 19:18; Psalm 69:22 (68:23) and 69:23 (68:24) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Romans 11:2; 11:3; 11:6; 11:7; 11:9, 10 and Matthew 9:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 Kings 19:10 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:10 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:10 (NET)
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”

1 Kings 19:10 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ηλιου ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα τῷ κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπόν σε οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου λαβεῖν αὐτήν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ηλιού· ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα τῷ Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι, ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπόν σε οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου κατέσκαψαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ρομφαίᾳ, καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου λαβεῖν αὐτήν

3 Reigns 19:10 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:10 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou said, “Being zealous, I have been zealous for the Lord Almighty, for the sons of Israel forsook you; they threw down your altars and killed your prophets with a sword, and I alone am a remnant, and they are seeking my life, to take it.” And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty, because the children of Israel have forsaken thee: they have digged down thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword; and I only am left alone, and they seek my life to take it.

1 Kings 19:14 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:14 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:14 (NET)
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”

1 Kings 19:14 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ηλιου ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα τῷ κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπον τὴν διαθήκην σου οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου καθεῖλαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου λαβεῖν αὐτήν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ηλιού· ζηλῶν ἐζήλωκα τῷ Κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι, ὅτι ἐγκατέλιπον τὴν διαθήκην σου οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήριά σου καθεῖλαν καὶ τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν ἐν ρομφαίᾳ, καὶ ὑπολέλειμμαι ἐγὼ μονώτατος, καὶ ζητοῦσι τὴν ψυχήν μου λαβεῖν αὐτήν

3 Reigns 19:14 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:14 (English Elpenor)
And Eliou said, “Being zealous, I have been zealous for the Lord Almighty, for the sons of Israel forsook your covenant; they tore down your altars and killed your prophets with a sword, and I alone am a remnant, and they are seeking my life, to take it.” And Eliu said, I have been very jealous for the Lord Almighty; for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and they have overthrown thine altars, and have slain thy prophets with the sword! and I am left entirely alone, and they seek my life to take it.

1 Kings 19:9 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:9 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:9 (NET)
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? He went into a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly the Lord’s message came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:9 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον καὶ κατέλυσεν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἰδοὺ ῥῆμα κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν τί σὺ ἐνταῦθα Ηλιου καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἐκεῖ εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον καὶ κατέλυσεν ἐκεῖ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ρῆμα Κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε· τί σὺ ἐνταῦθα, ᾿Ηλιού

3 Reigns 19:9 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:9 (English Elpenor)
And he entered into a cave and lodged there. And behold, a word of the Lord came to him and said, “Why are you here, Eliou?” And he entered there into a cave, and rested there; and, behold, the word of the Lord [came] to him, and he said, What [doest] thou here, Eliu?

1 Kings 19:12 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:12 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:12 (NET)
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.

1 Kings 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μετὰ τὸν συσσεισμὸν πῦρ οὐκ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ κύριος καὶ μετὰ τὸ πῦρ φωνὴ αὔρας λεπτῆς κἀκεῖ κύριος καὶ μετὰ τὸν συσσειμὸν πῦρ, οὐκ ἐν τῷ πυρὶ Κύριος· καὶ μετὰ τὸ πῦρ φωνὴ αὔρας λεπτῆς, κἀκεῖ Κύριος

3 Reigns 19:12 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:12 (English Elpenor)
and after the seismic upheaval a fire; the Lord was not in the fire, and after the fire the sound of a light breeze, and the Lord was there. and after the earthquake a fire; [but] the Lord [was] not in the fire: and after the fire the voice of a gentle breeze.

1 Kings 19:13 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:13 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:13 (NET)
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Suddenly a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?”

1 Kings 19:13 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν Ηλιου καὶ ἐπεκάλυψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ μηλωτῇ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἔστη ὑπὸ τὸ σπήλαιον καὶ ἰδοὺ πρὸς αὐτὸν φωνὴ καὶ εἶπεν τί σὺ ἐνταῦθα Ηλιου καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ᾿Ηλιού, καὶ ἐπεκάλυψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ μηλωτῇ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἔστη ὑπὸ σπήλαιον· καὶ ἰδοὺ πρὸς αὐτὸν φωνὴ καὶ εἶπε· τί σὺ ἐνταῦθα ᾿Ηλιού

3 Reigns 19:13 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:13 (English Elpenor)
And it happened, when Eliou heard it, that he wrapped his face in his hairy mantle and went out and stood by the cave, and behold, there came a voice to him, and it said, “Why are you here, Eliou?” And it came to pass when Eliu heard, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went forth and stood in the cave: and, behold, a voice [came] to him and said, What [doest] thou here, Eliu?

1 Kings 19:15 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:15 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:15 (NET)
And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the wilderness of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria.

1 Kings 19:15 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν πορεύου ἀνάστρεφε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν σου καὶ ἥξεις εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ἐρήμου Δαμασκοῦ καὶ χρίσεις τὸν Αζαηλ εἰς βασιλέα τῆς Συρίας καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς αὐτόν· πορεύου, ἀνάστρεφε εἰς τὴν ὁδόν σου καὶ ἥξεις εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ἐρήμου Δαμασκοῦ καὶ ἥξεις καὶ χρίσεις τὸν ᾿Αζαὴλ εἰς βασιλέα τῆς Συρίας

3 Reigns 19:15 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:15 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way, and you will come to the way of the wilderness of Damascus, and you shall anoint Hazael as king of Syria, And the Lord said to him, Go, return, and thou shalt come into the way of the wilderness of Damascus: and thou shalt go and anoint Azael to be king over Syria.

1 Kings 19:16 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:16 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:16 (NET)
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet.

1 Kings 19:16 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τὸν Ιου υἱὸν Ναμεσσι χρίσεις εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ τὸν Ελισαιε υἱὸν Σαφατ ἀπὸ Αβελμαουλα χρίσεις εἰς προφήτην ἀντὶ σοῦ καὶ τὸν ᾿Ιοὺ υἱὸν Ναμεσσὶ χρίσεις εἰς βασιλέα ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ τὸν ῾Ελισαιὲ υἱὸν Σαφὰτ χρίσεις εἰς προφήτην ἀντὶ σοῦ

3 Reigns 19:16 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:16 (English Elpenor)
and you shall anoint Iou son of Namessi as king over Israel, and you shall anoint Elisaie son of Saphat from Abelmaoula as prophet in your stead. And Ju the son of Namessi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisaie the son of Saphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

1 Kings 19:18 (Tanakh)

1 Kings 19:18 (KJV)

1 Kings 19:18 (NET)
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. I still have left in Israel 7,000 followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”

1 Kings 19:18 (Septuagint BLB)

3 Kings 19:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ καταλείψεις ἐν Ισραηλ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν πάντα γόνατα ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βααλ καὶ πᾶν στόμα ὃ οὐ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ καταλείψεις ἐν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν, πάντα γόνατα, ἃ οὐκ ὤκλασαν γόνυ τῷ Βάαλ, καὶ πᾶν στόμα, ὃ οὐ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ

3 Reigns 19:18 (NETS)

3 Kings 19:18 (English Elpenor)
And you will leave seven thousand men in Israel, all the knees that did not bow a knee to Baal and every mouth that did not do obeisance to him.” And thou shalt leave in Israel seven thousand men, all the knees which had not bowed themselves to Baal, and every mouth which had not worshipped him.

Psalm 69:22 (Tanakh)

Psalm 69:22 (KJV)

Psalm 69:22 (NET)
Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. May their dining table become a trap before them. May it be a snare for that group of friends.

Psalm 69:22 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 68:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδοσιν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδοσιν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον

Psalm 68:23 (NETS)

Psalm 68:23 (English Elpenor)
Let their table become a trap before them, and a retribution and a stumbling block. Let their table before them be for a snare, and for a recompense, and for a stumbling-block.

Psalm 69:23 (Tanakh)

Psalm 69:23 (KJV)

Psalm 69:23 (NET)
Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake. May their eyes be blinded. Make them shake violently.

Psalm 69:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Psalm 68:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διαπαντὸς σύγκαμψον

Psalm 68:24 (NETS)

Psalm 68:24 (English Elpenor)
Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their back permanently. Let their eyes be darkened that they should not see; and bow down their back continually.

Romans 11:2 (NET)

Romans 11:2 (KJV)
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,

Romans 11:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐκ ἀπώσατο ὁ θεὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν προέγνω. ἢ οὐκ οἴδατε ἐν Ἠλίᾳ τί λέγει ἡ γραφή, ὡς ἐντυγχάνει τῷ θεῷ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ ουκ απωσατο ο θεος τον λαον αυτου ον προεγνω η ουκ οιδατε εν ηλια τι λεγει η γραφη ως εντυγχανει τω θεω κατα του ισραηλ λεγων ουκ απωσατο ο θεος τον λαον αυτου ον προεγνω η ουκ οιδατε εν ηλια τι λεγει η γραφη ως εντυγχανει τω θεω κατα του ισραηλ λεγων

Romans 11:3 (NET)

Romans 11:3 (KJV)
“Lord, they have killed your prophets; they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life!” Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Romans 11:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
κύριε, τοὺς προφήτας σου ἀπέκτειναν, τὰ θυσιαστήρια σου κατέσκαψαν, καγὼ ὑπελείφθην μόνος καὶ ζητοῦσιν τὴν ψυχήν μου κυριε τους προφητας σου απεκτειναν και τα θυσιαστηρια σου κατεσκαψαν καγω υπελειφθην μονος και ζητουσιν την ψυχην μου κυριε τους προφητας σου απεκτειναν και τα θυσιαστηρια σου κατεσκαψαν καγω υπελειφθην μονος και ζητουσιν την ψυχην μου

Romans 11:6 (NET)

Romans 11:6 (KJV)
And if it is by grace, it is no longer by works, otherwise grace would no longer be grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Romans 11:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ χάριτι, οὐκέτι ἐξ ἔργων, ἐπεὶ ἡ χάρις οὐκέτι γίνεται χάρις ει δε χαριτι ουκετι εξ εργων επει η χαρις ουκετι γινεται χαρις ει δε εξ εργων ουκετι εστιν χαρις επει το εργον ουκετι εστιν εργον ει δε χαριτι ουκετι εξ εργων επει η χαρις ουκετι γινεται χαρις ει δε εξ εργων ουκετι εστιν χαρις επει το εργον ουκετι εστιν εργον

Romans 11:7 (NET)

Romans 11:7 (KJV)
What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was diligently seeking, but the elect obtained it. The rest were hardened, What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded

Romans 11:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τί οὖν; ὃ ἐπιζητεῖ Ἰσραήλ, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐπέτυχεν, ἡ δὲ ἐκλογὴ ἐπέτυχεν· οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἐπωρώθησαν τι ουν ο επιζητει ισραηλ τουτου ουκ επετυχεν η δε εκλογη επετυχεν οι δε λοιποι επωρωθησαν τι ουν ο επιζητει ισραηλ τουτο ουκ επετυχεν η δε εκλογη επετυχεν οι δε λοιποι επωρωθησαν

Romans 11:9, 10 (NET)

Romans 11:9, 10 (KJV)
And David says, “Let their table become a snare and trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them; And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:

Romans 11:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ Δαυὶδ λέγει· γενηθήτω ἡ τράπεζα αὐτῶν εἰς παγίδα καὶ εἰς θήραν καὶ εἰς σκάνδαλον καὶ εἰς ἀνταπόδομα αὐτοῖς και δαβιδ λεγει γενηθητω η τραπεζα αυτων εις παγιδα και εις θηραν και εις σκανδαλον και εις ανταποδομα αυτοις και δαυιδ λεγει γενηθητω η τραπεζα αυτων εις παγιδα και εις θηραν και εις σκανδαλον και εις ανταποδομα αυτοις
let their eyes be darkened so that they may not see, and make their backs bend continually.” Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

Romans 11:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 11:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 11:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σκοτισθήτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτῶν τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτῶν διὰ παντὸς σύγκαμψον σκοτισθητωσαν οι οφθαλμοι αυτων του μη βλεπειν και τον νωτον αυτων διαπαντος συγκαμψον σκοτισθητωσαν οι οφθαλμοι αυτων του μη βλεπειν και τον νωτον αυτων διαπαντος συγκαμψον

Matthew 9:17 (NET)

Matthew 9:17 (KJV)
And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins and both are preserved.” Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

Matthew 9:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 9:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 9:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐδὲ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, ρήγνυνται οἱ ἀσκοὶ καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχεῖται καὶ οἱ ἀσκοὶ ἀπόλλυνται· ἀλλὰ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινούς, καὶ ἀμφότεροι συντηροῦνται ουδε βαλλουσιν οινον νεον εις ασκους παλαιους ει δε μηγε ρηγνυνται οι ασκοι και ο οινος εκχειται και οι ασκοι απολουνται αλλα βαλλουσιν οινον νεον εις ασκους καινους και αμφοτερα συντηρουνται ουδε βαλλουσιν οινον νεον εις ασκους παλαιους ει δε μηγε ρηγνυνται οι ασκοι και ο οινος εκχειται και οι ασκοι απολουνται αλλα βαλλουσιν οινον νεον εις ασκους καινους και αμφοτεροι συντηρουνται

1 Romans 11:1, 2a (NET)

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

3 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) beginning this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

4 Romans 11:2b, 3 (NET)

5 Romans 8:26, 27 (NET)

6 Romans 8:33, 34 (NET) Table

7 1 Kings 19:9 (NET)

8 1 Kings 19:10 (NET)

9 1 Kings 19:12 (NET)

10 1 Kings 19:13 (NET)

11 1 Kings 19:15, 16 (NET)

12 Romans 12:3 (NET)

13 1 Kings 18:39 (NET) Table

14 Romans 10:17 (NKJV) Table

15 1 Kings 19:18 (NET)

16 Romans 11:4-6 (NET) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει δε εξ εργων ουκετι εστιν χαρις επει το εργον ουκετι εστιν εργον (KJV: But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

17 Romans 9:10-13 (NET) Table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

18 Romans 8:30 (NET)

19 Romans 4:17b (NET)

22 Romans 11:7-10 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had διὰ παντὸς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διαπαντος (KJV: alway).

23 Acts 13:47 (NET)

24 Romans 11:11 (NET)

25 Acts 13:48 (NET) Table

26 Romans 11:12 (NET)

28 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπόλλυνται here, a form of the verbs ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολουνται (KJV: perish) in the future tense.

29 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀμφότεροι here, the masculine form of the adjective ἀμφότερος in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the neuter form αμφοτερα.

30 Matthew 9:16, 17 (NET)