The Gospel and the Religious Mind

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 18

Back to Exploration, Part 20

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτω (KJV: himself).

³ Romans, Part 22 for a table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to Micah 7:6 to that of the Septuagint.

⁴ NET note 36 reads:

sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.
tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νυν (KJV: is now come) preceding has come. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καμὲ (NET: and I) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εμε (KJV: and…me).

⁷ The verb ἔχητε, you may have, is a form of ἔχω in the present tense and subjunctive mood. The clause begins with ἵνα, that, and is a result clause: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances…However if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.” From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁸ The words ἐμοὶ and τῷ κόσμῳ are in the dative case: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁹ John 16:32, 33 (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 22:42b (ESV) Table

¹¹ Matthew 26:56b (ESV)

¹² Matthew 10:28 (ESV) Table

¹³ Ezekiel 20:30-32 (ESV)

¹⁴ …a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25b ESV [Table]).

¹⁵ Isaiah 9:5b (The Complete Jewish Bible)

¹⁶ Isaiah 9:6b (ESV)

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και οι πρεσβυτεροι (KJV: and elders) following the chief priests. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουχ ευρον (KJV: yet found they none) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ψευδομαρτυρες (KJV: false witnesses) following two. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

²¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐράπισαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερραπισαν. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²³ From definition 2 of dogma on Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.

²⁴ Romans 11:25b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Isaiah 28:11-13 (ESV)

²⁷ Romans 3:9b (ESV)

²⁸ John 1:9a (ESV)

²⁹ John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

³⁰ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³¹ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³² Romans 11:32 (ESV)

³³ Ephesians 2:14-16 (EXP16)

³⁴ Ephesians 2:8-10 (EXP14)

3 John, Part 8

Posted on November 23, 2025 by admin

This is a continuation of my notes on 3 John for the preaching class I’m taking. John wrote (3 John 1:11 ESV):

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good (τὸ ἀγαθόν). Whoever does good¹ is from God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν); whoever does evil has not seen God.

I wondered, “How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν (good)?”² Jesus taught a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases³ (Luke 6:43-45 ESV).

For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit [Table], for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good (τὸ ἀγαθόν), and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks [Table].

The Greek is: Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν δένδρον καλὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν σαπρόν, For no good tree bears bad fruit (or “for not exists beautiful tree bearing rotten fruit”). For my purposes here I’ll use beautiful for καλὸν to distinguish it from forms of ἀγαθός, while recognizing that the words δένδρον καλὸν (ESV: good tree) have been used interchangeably apparently for δένδρον ἀγαθὸν (ESV: healthy tree) in: So, every healthy tree (δένδρον ἀγαθὸν) bears good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς).⁴ Likewise, I’ll use rotten for σαπρόν to distinguish it from forms of πονηρός, while recognizing that καρπὸν σαπρόν (ESV: bad fruit) seems essentially equivalent to καρποὺς πονηροὺς (ESV: bad fruit) in: but the diseased tree (σαπρὸν δένδρον) bears bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς).⁵

In Matthew’s Gospel narrative Jesus went on to say: A healthy tree (δένδρον ἀγαθὸν) cannot bear bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς), nor can a diseased tree (δένδρον σαπρὸν) bear good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς).⁶ In another essay, I wrote:

Is this a definitional statement? Woman—the owner of a fruit tree in this case, as the measure of all things—defines a healthy (ἀγαθὸν) fruit tree as one that cannot make bad (πονηροὺς) fruit? Or, is this actual knowledge about fruit trees from the Maker of fruit trees? The answers to these questions are yes and yes and yes.

My assumption is that “for not exists beautiful tree bearing rotten fruit” (a more fluent English rendering might be, “for no beautiful tree exists bearing rotten fruit”) follows the same pattern as A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit.⁷ My word choices are designed to keep me aware of the different words in Greek in case that assumption won’t withstand scrutiny. I’m not sure why the ESV translators didn’t translate ἐστιν (“exists”). They are not alone and most who did, translated it there is.⁸

Jesus continued: οὐδὲ πάλιν, nor again, δένδρον σαπρὸν ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλόν, does a bad tree bear good fruit (or “a diseased tree bearing beautiful fruit”). Here, I chose “diseased” for σαπρὸν because it matches nor can a diseased tree (δένδρον σαπρὸν) bear good fruit.⁹ (And frankly, καρποὺς καλοὺς, good fruit, is the plural form of the singular καρπὸν καλόν.) I’ve stuck with the gerund bearing rather than does…bear for the present participle ποιοῦν. So, that gives me: “For no beautiful tree exists bearing rotten fruit, nor again a diseased tree bearing beautiful fruit,” for each tree is known by its own fruit,¹⁰ Jesus continued.

The Greek is: ἕκαστον γὰρ δένδρον, for each tree, ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου καρποῦ, by its own fruit (or “from the distinct fruit”), γινώσκεται, is known. While ἰδίου, a form of ἴδιος, can mean, “belonging to an individual; private (not public); one’s own, pertaining to oneself, personal;” it can also mean, “peculiar, separate, distinct, strange, unaccustomed.” And while ἐκ can be translated “by means of” (the example given is: “ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται he shall live by faith, Hab. 2:4; Rom 1:17”), this particular word string describes people “knowing” an apple tree because it produces apples, or more likely, a fig tree because it produces figs. It does not dispute whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God (or “by means of God”),¹¹ a distinction which seems important since Jesus will relate it momentarily to The good person.

Jesus continued: οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἀκανθῶν, For not from thornbushes, συλλέγουσιν σῦκα, are figs gathered, οὐδὲ ἐκ βάτου, nor from a bramble bush, σταφυλὴν τρυγῶσιν, are grapes picked; ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος, The good person, ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ, out of the good treasure, τῆς καρδίας, of his heart (literally, “of the heart”), προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν, produces good (or, “brings out the good”).

The critical text and received text diverge slightly here.

Critical Text	Received Text
Luke 6:45a (NA²⁸)	Luke 6:45a (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ τῆς καρδίας προφέρει τὸ ἀγαθόν	ο αγαθος ανθρωπος εκ του αγαθου θησαυρου της καρδιας αυτου προφερει το αγαθον
Luke 6:45a (NRSV)	Luke 6:45a (KJV)
The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good	A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good

Here the critical text argues that the scribes who copied the received texts added the personal pronoun αυτου, his, to the heart. It’s a subtle argument, but consider the context: the way, and the truth, and the life¹² spoke truly very near the end of the Old Covenant, knowing full well He would inaugurate the New Covenant by his own bloodshed. Who is ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος, The good person, if No one is good except God alone?¹³ And what is τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θησαυροῦ, the good treasure?

The words of the psalmist come to mind (Psalm 119:1-11 ESV):

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord [Table]! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart [Table], who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways [Table]!¹⁴ You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently [Table]. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes [Table]! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments [Table]. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules [Table]. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me [Table]!

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

So, God’s word in one’s heart answers the good treasure question truly in terms of the Old Covenant. It would not be false in the New. But does one who hides God’s word in his heart answer The good person question, if No one is good except God alone?

Paul wrote of the New Covenant (Romans 8:3-8 ESV):

For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

If I return with this in mind, I hear concern over this weakness of the flesh baked right into the Psalm (Psalm 119:4-8, 10 ESV):

You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently [Table]. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes [Table]! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments [Table]. I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules [Table]. I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me [Table]!

With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!

This English translation of the Masoretic text retains the flavor of one pursuing a righteousness that is by faith.¹⁵ But the Septuagint diverges from the Masoretic text here at the end.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 119:10b (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 119:10b (NET)	Psalm 118:10b (NETS)	Psalm 118:10b (English Elpenor)
O let me not (אַל) wander (תַּ֜שְׁגֵּ֗נִי) from thy commandments (מִמִּצְו‍ֹתֶֽיךָ).	Do not (‘al, אל) allow me to stray (šāḡâ, תשגני) from your commands (miṣvâ, ממצותיך).	do not (μὴ) thrust me aside (ἀπώσῃ με) from (ἀπὸ) your commandments (τῶν ἐντολῶν σου).	cast me (με) not (μὴ) away (ἀπώσῃ) from (ἀπὸ) thy commandments (τῶν ἐντολῶν σου).

The English translation of the Greek translation sounds like the translators recognized God as a potential (or actual) adversary, as they pursued a law that would lead to righteousness¹⁶…as if it were based on works,¹⁷ having a righteousness of [their] own that comes from the law,¹⁸ rather than the righteousness from God that depends on faith.¹⁹ The Complete Jewish Bible on chabad.org translates the Hebrew of the Masoretic text in this way as well: With all my heart I searched for You; do not cause me to stray from Your commandments.²⁰

Jesus continued: καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς, and the evil person, ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ, out of his evil treasure (literally, “out of the evil,” though one might argue that the genitive case justifies his), προφέρει τὸ πονηρόν, produces evil (or “brings out the evil”).

The critical and received texts diverge significantly here.

Critical Text	Received Text
Luke 6:45b (NA²⁸)	Luke 6:45b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὁ πονηρὸς ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ προφέρει τὸ πονηρόν	και ο πονηρος ανθρωπος εκ του πονηρου θησαυρου της καρδιας αυτου προφερει το πονηρον
Luke 6:45b (Berean Literal Bible)	Luke 6:45b (KJV)
and the evil out of the evil brings forth that which is evil	and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil

The critical text argues that the scribes who copied the received texts added ανθρωπος (KJV: man) to ὁ πονηρὸς (Berean Literal Bible: the evil). And I hear the scribes’ rejoinder: “It’s implied, ανθρωπος is what the Lord intended.” But did He say it? Would the Lord Jesus—knowing, loving and fulfilling the Scriptures as He does—add ανθρωπος to ὁ πονηρὸς?

And God said, Let us make man (ἄνθρωπον, a form of ανθρωπος) according to our image and likeness…²¹ And God made man (τὸν ἄνθρωπον), according to the image of God he made him, male and female he made them.²² And God saw all the things that he had made, and, behold, they were very (λίαν) good (καλὰ, a form of καλός).²³

Did Jesus ask anyone, man or woman, to own the evil (ὁ πονηρὸς)? No, He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself”²⁴—your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; literally, “the old human”), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires²⁵—“and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; e.g., “his soul”) will lose it, but whoever loses his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; e.g., “his soul”) for my sake will find it” [Table].²⁶ “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above,’”²⁷ as the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; literally, “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.²⁸

The next argument of the critical text is that the scribes who copied the received texts added θησαυρου της καρδιας αυτου (KJV: treasure of his heart) to εκ του πονηρου (Berean Literal Bible: out of the evil). Again, I hear the scribes’ rejoinder: “It’s implied, θησαυρου της καρδιας αυτου is what the Lord intended.” But would the Lord Jesus say that?

In the New Covenant the treasure stored up in one’s heart is so much more than the commandments, priestcraft and Bible stories one remembers. This treasure is literally the Word who was in the beginning, the Word who was with God, the Word who was and is God, the Word through whom all things were made and without whom was not any thing made that was made, the Word in whom is life and whose life is the light of men (τῶν ἀνθρώπων).²⁹ One’s part in all this is deference to the Word, a complete abandon to the overwhelming flood of his own love, his own joy, his own peace, his own patience, his own kindness, his own goodness, his own faithfulness, his own gentleness and his own self-control,³⁰ in a word—his own righteousness—as He washes away the selfish, self-centered, sin-filled heart and soul, destroying even as He creates anew by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.³¹

Paul described this experience of God the Father, God the Son, through God the indwelling Holy Spirit with the words (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

By means of Christ I have been crucified, but I live hereafter not I but He lives within me, Christ, so who now I live within flesh, by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

This was not a special privilege Paul reserved to himself alone. To share his experience of God with all who would hear was his mission and ministry: Do you not know, he wrote to Romans, that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.³² To foolish Galatians he wrote: my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.³³ And for the Ephesians he prayed (Ephesians 3:14b-21 ESV):

I bow my knees before the Father [Table], from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being [Table], so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth [Table], and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us [Table], to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen [Table].

Jesus concluded: ἐκ γὰρ περισσεύματος καρδίας, for out of the abundance of the heart, λαλεῖ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, speaks his mouth. This gives me (Luke 6:43-45):

For no beautiful tree exists bearing rotten fruit, nor again a diseased tree bearing beautiful fruit, for each tree from the distinct fruit is known: For not from thornbushes are figs gathered, nor from a bramble bush are grapes picked. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart brings out the good, and the evil person out of the evil brings out the evil; for out of the abundance of the heart speaks his mouth.

Balak’s words have been fairly consistent at revealing the abundance of the heart. A few times I’ve wondered if he wasn’t at least close to hearing God’s word, but he consistently disappoints. Balaam’s words, since his arrival, have seemed fairly consistent at revealing God’s heart, until Balak dismissed him angrily (Numbers 24:12, 13 ESV).

And Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ‘If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak’?

Granted, I was suspicious of Balaam’s motives when he spoke to Balak’s messengers. Two tables follow comparing both instances from the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.

Numbers 22:18b (Masoretic Text) Table	Numbers 24:13 (Masoretic Text)
אם יתן לי בלק מלא ביתו כסף וזהב לא אוכל לעבר את פי יהוה אלהי לעשׁות קטנה או גדולה	אם יתן לי בלק מלא ביתו כסף וזהב לא אוכל לעבר את פי יהוה לעשׁות טובה או רעה מלבי אשר ידבר יהוה אתו אדבר
Numbers 22:18b (ESV) Table	Numbers 24:13 (ESV)
Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.	If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak

Numbers 22:18b (Septuagint Elpenor) Table	Numbers 24:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ρῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου	ἐάν μοι δῷ Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καλὸν ἢ πονηρὸν παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ· ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ Θεός, ταῦτα ἐρῶ
Numbers 22:18b (English Elpenor)	Numbers 24:13 (English Elpenor)
If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.	If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.

That my God is missing from Numbers 24:13 leaps out at me in English translation. But since it was translated τοῦ Θεοῦ, the Lord God, rather than τοῦ Θεοῦ μου, “the Lord my God,” in the Septuagint, I’ll back off some. That less or more (ESV/Masoretic Text), little or great (English Elpenor/Septuagint), became good or bad (ESV/Masoretic Text; English Elpenor/Septuagint) seems telling, whether a guilty conscience or a heart divided by resisting the Spirit of God. The phrase in my mind (English Elpenor) seems like a misunderstanding of τῇ διανοίᾳ in the dative case: “by means of my mind.” Balaam acknowledged some power the Lord had over his words. It is sufficiently similar to by myself (English Elpenor) in meaning that I am disregarding it’s difference.³⁴

Balaam’s final statement to Balak is perhaps the most revelatory of a divided heart: What the Lord speaks, that will I speak (ESV/Masoretic Text), whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak (English Elpenor/Septuagint). This statement is demonstrably false according to both the Masoretic text and the Septuagint; Balaam did not say this to Balak’s messengers. This is what the Lord said to Balaam and (perhaps was reiterating at the very moment) Balaam may have been twisting it into a (false) declaration of his own words (and works). Be that as it may, Balaam successfully telegraphed his price for betrayal to Balak’s ready-ears.

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:14-24 ESV)

“And now, behold, I am going to my people. Come, I will let you know what this people will do to your people in the latter days.”

And he took up his discourse and said,

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered:

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

Edom shall be dispossessed; Seir also, his enemies, shall be dispossessed. Israel is doing valiantly. And one from Jacob shall exercise dominion and destroy the survivors of cities!”

Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said,

“Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction” [Table]. And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his discourse and said,

“Enduring is your dwelling place, and your nest is set in the rock. Nevertheless, Kain shall be burned when Asshur takes you away captive.” And he took up his discourse and said,

“Alas, who shall live when God does this? But ships shall come from Kittim and shall afflict Asshur and Eber; and he too shall come to utter destruction.”

The prophet’s oracles simply confirmed the fear that already possessed Balak, king of Moab (Numbers 22:2, 3 ESV).

And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites (Numbers 21:21-35). And Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel.

Once Balaam telegraphed his price, there is no way Balak could hear anything—apart from the direct intervention of the Spirit of God—but the threat he already feared if he did not meet the prophet’s price for betrayal.

Then Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way.³⁵

So, two old humans, corrupt through deceitful desires, parted company. One was mightily influenced by the Spirit of God, yet struggled with deceitful desires for wealth and, perhaps, the honor of men. The other was so consumed with fear and the certainty of his own way that he could neither hear nor see God when confronted by a prophet. John’s New Covenant promise seems an appropriate response to this Old Covenant impasse (1 John 3:6 NA²⁸):

πᾶς ὁ ἐν αὐτῷ μένων οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν.

The promise begins with the adjective πᾶς, “All,” understood as a singular whole. It does not begin with εἷς, “one, any,” an indefinite pronoun. This is not a promise of achievement by certain individuals (Berean Literal Bible: Anyone; KJV: Whosoever; NKJV: Whoever); it is the promise of God through Jesus Christ to ὁ μένων, a singular article followed by a singular nominative participle in the present tense, “the abiding,” “All who abide.” So is this a promise of achievement by “All who abide”? Not exactly.

Sandwiched between the singular article ὁ and the nominative singular present participle μένων is the phrase ἐν αὐτῷ, in the dative case, “by means of Him.” “All who by means of Him abide” is the the subject of this clause as well as the recipient of this promise: οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει, a form of the verb ἁμαρτάνω in the present tense: “not sin, not act sinfully; not miss the mark; not commit (a sinful act); not fail to be available; not fail, not fault, not offend, not trespass, not transgress.”

The promise is, “All who by means of Him abide sin not,” does not sin (Berean Literal Bible, NKJV), sinneth not (KJV). This promise of God through Jesus Christ by his Apostle and Prophet John is to “All who by means of Him abide,” that is, to the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.³⁶

The promise is followed by a comparable contrasting statement: πᾶς ὁ ἁμαρτάνων, a nominative present participle of ἁμαρτάνω, “all the sinning,” “all who sin” οὐχ ἑώρακεν αὐτὸν, “have not seen Him” (and continue not seeing Him³⁷), οὐδὲ ἔγνωκεν αὐτόν, “nor have known Him” (and continue not knowing Him³⁸). This is a profound description of your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the old human”), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.³⁹

All who have turned in faith to Jesus Christ for salvation are instructed (Ephesians 4:17-24 ESV):

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds [Table]. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart [Table]. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus [Table], to put off (ἀποθέσθαι, an infinitive form of ἀποτίθημι in the middle voice) your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on (ἐνδύσασθαι, an infinitive form of ἐνδύω in the middle voice) the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

As John wrote: Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.⁴⁰ I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Psalm 119:9; 119:10; 119:11; Numbers 24:12; 24:13; 24:14; 24:15; 24:16; 24:17; 24:18; 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; 24:23; 24:24; 22:2; 22:3 and 24:25 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Psalm 119:9 (118:9); 119:10 (118:10); 119:11 (118:11); Numbers 24:12; 24:13; 24:14; 24:15; 24:16; 24:17; 24:18; 24:19; 24:21; 24:22; 24:23; 24:24; 22:2; 22:3 and 24:25 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Psalm 119:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 119:9 (KJV)	Psalm 119:9 (NET)
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.	BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.	ב (Bet) How can a young person maintain a pure life? By guarding it according to your instructions.

Psalm 119:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 118:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
βʹ βηθ ἐν τίνι κατορθώσει ὁ νεώτερος τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φυλάσσεσθαι τοὺς λόγους σου	᾿Εν τίνι κατορθώσει νεώτερος τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ; ἐν τῷ φυλάξασθαι τοὺς λόγους σου
Psalm 118:9 (NETS)	Psalm 118:9 (English Elpenor)
2 beth. How shall the young keep his way straight? By observing your words!	Wherewith shall a young man direct his way? by keeping thy words.

Psalm 119:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 119:10 (KJV)	Psalm 119:10 (NET)
With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.	With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.	With all my heart I seek you. Do not allow me to stray from your commands.

Psalm 119:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 118:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου ἐξεζήτησά σε μὴ ἀπώσῃ με ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου	ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου ἐξεζήτησά σε· μὴ ἀπώσῃ με ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν σου
Psalm 118:10 (NETS)	Psalm 118:10 (English Elpenor)
With my whole heart I sought you; do not thrust me aside from your commandments.	With my whole heart have I diligently sought thee: cast me not away from thy commandments.

Psalm 119:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 119:11 (KJV)	Psalm 119:11 (NET)
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.	Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.	In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 118:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι	ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου, ὅπως ἂν μὴ ἁμάρτω σοι
Psalm 118:11 (NETS)	Psalm 118:11 (English Elpenor)
In my heart I hid your sayings so that I may not sin against you.	I have hidden thine oracles in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Numbers 24:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:12 (KJV)	Numbers 24:12 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Spoke I not also to thy messengers that thou didst send unto me, saying:	And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying,	Balaam said to Balak, “Did I not also tell your messengers whom you sent to me,

Numbers 24:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οὐχὶ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις σου οὓς ἀπέστειλας πρός με ἐλάλησα λέγων	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· οὐχὶ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις σου, οὓς ἀπέστειλας πρός με, ἐλάλησα λέγων
Numbers 24:12 (NETS)	Numbers 24:12 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “No, even to your messengers whom you sent to me I spoke, saying,	And Balaam said to Balac, Did I not speak to thy messengers also whom thou sentest to me, saying,

Numbers 24:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:13 (KJV)	Numbers 24:13 (NET)
If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of HaShem, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; what HaShem speaketh, that will I speak?	If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?	‘If Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord to do either good or evil of my own will, but whatever the Lord tells me I must speak’?

Numbers 24:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐάν μοι δῷ Βαλακ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ πονηρὸν ἢ καλὸν παρ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ θεός ταῦτα ἐρῶ	ἐάν μοι δῷ Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα Κυρίου ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καλὸν ἢ πονηρὸν παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ· ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃ ὁ Θεός, ταῦτα ἐρῶ
Numbers 24:13 (NETS)	Numbers 24:13 (English Elpenor)
‘If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I will not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to do it, bad or good, of my own accord; whatever God says, that I will speak.’	If Balac should give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord to make it good or bad by myself; whatsoever things God shall say, them will I speak.

Numbers 24:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:14 (KJV)	Numbers 24:14 (NET)
And now, behold, I go unto my people; come, and I will announce to thee what this people shall do to thy people in the end of days.’	And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.	And now, I am about to go back to my own people. Come now, and I will advise you as to what this people will do to your people in future days.”

Numbers 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἀποτρέχω εἰς τὸν τόπον μου δεῦρο συμβουλεύσω σοι τί ποιήσει ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τὸν λαόν σου ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν	καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἀποτρέχω εἰς τὸν τόπον μου· δεῦρο συμβουλεύσω σοι, τί ποιήσει ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τὸν λαόν σου ἐπ’ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν
Numbers 24:14 (NETS)	Numbers 24:14 (English Elpenor)
And now, behold, I am going off to my place; come, let me advise you what this people will do to your people at the end of days.”	And now, behold, I return to my place; come, I will advise thee of what this people shall do to thy people in the last days.

Numbers 24:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:15 (KJV)	Numbers 24:15 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;	And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:	Then he uttered this oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are open,

Numbers 24:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν φησὶν Βαλααμ υἱὸς Βεωρ φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν	καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπε· φυσὶ [possibly φησὶ] Βαλαὰμ υἱὸς Βεώρ, φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν
Numbers 24:15 (NETS)	Numbers 24:15 (English Elpenor)
And he took up his parable and said: “Says Balaam son of Beor; says the man who truly sees,	And he took up his parable and said, Balaam the son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

Numbers 24:16 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:16 (KJV)	Numbers 24:16 (NET)
The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d, and knoweth the knowledge of the Most High, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:	He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:	the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, and who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:

Numbers 24:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκούων λόγια θεοῦ ἐπιστάμενος ἐπιστήμην παρὰ ὑψίστου καὶ ὅρασιν θεοῦ ἰδὼν ἐν ὕπνῳ ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ	ἀκούων λόγια Θεοῦ, ἐπιστάμενος ἐπιστήμην παρὰ ὑψίστου καὶ ὅρασιν Θεοῦ ἰδὼν ἐν ὕπνῳ, ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ
Numbers 24:16 (NETS)	Numbers 24:16 (English Elpenor)
one who hears divine oracles, one who understands knowledge of the Most High and one who sees a divine vision, in sleep when his eyes had been uncovered:	hearing the oracles of God, receiving knowledge from the Most High, and having seen a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened.

Numbers 24:17 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:17 (KJV)	Numbers 24:17 (NET)
I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not nigh; there shall step forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of Seth.	I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.	‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab, and the heads of all the sons of Sheth.

Numbers 24:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
δείξω αὐτῷ καὶ οὐχὶ νῦν μακαρίζω καὶ οὐκ ἐγγίζει ἀνατελεῖ ἄστρον ἐξ Ιακωβ καὶ ἀναστήσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ Ισραηλ καὶ θραύσει τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς Μωαβ καὶ προνομεύσει πάντας υἱοὺς Σηθ	δείξω αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐχὶ νῦν· μακαρίζω, καὶ οὐκ ἐγγίζει· ἀνατελεῖ ἄστρον ἐξ ᾿Ιακώβ, ἀναστήσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ θραύσει τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς Μωὰβ καὶ προνομεύσει πάντας υἱοὺς Σήθ
Numbers 24:17 (NETS)	Numbers 24:17 (English Elpenor)
I will point to him, and not now; I deem him happy, but he is not at hand. A star shall dawn out of Iakob, and a person shall rise up out of Israel, and he shall crush the chiefs of Moab, and he shall plunder all Seth’s sons.	I will point to him, but not now; I bless him, but he draws not near: a star shall rise out of Jacob, a man shall spring out of Israel; and shall crush the princes of Moab, and shall spoil all the sons of Seth.

Numbers 24:18 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:18 (KJV)	Numbers 24:18 (NET)
And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also, even his enemies, shall be a possession; while Israel doeth valiantly.	And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.	Edom will be a possession, Seir, his enemy, will also be a possession; but Israel will act valiantly.

Numbers 24:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται Εδωμ κληρονομία καὶ ἔσται κληρονομία Ησαυ ὁ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ Ισραηλ ἐποίησεν ἐν ἰσχύι	καὶ ἔσται ᾿Εδὼμ κληρονομία, καὶ ἔσται κληρονομία ῾Ησαῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐποίησεν ἐν ἰσχύϊ
Numbers 24:18 (NETS)	Numbers 24:18 (English Elpenor)
And Edom will be an inheritance, and Esau, his enemy, will be an inheritance, and Israel acted with strength.	And Edom shall be an inheritance, and Esau his enemy shall be an inheritance [of Israel], and Israel wrought valiantly.

Numbers 24:19 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:19 (KJV)	Numbers 24:19 (NET)
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.	Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.	A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’”

Numbers 24:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξεγερθήσεται ἐξ Ιακωβ καὶ ἀπολεῖ σῳζόμενον ἐκ πόλεως	καὶ ἐξεγερθήσεται ἐξ ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ ἀπολεῖ σῳζόμενον ἐκ πόλεως
Numbers 24:19 (NETS)	Numbers 24:19 (English Elpenor)
And one shall arise out of Iakob, and he shall destroy one being saved from a city.”	And [one] shall arise out of Jacob, and destroy out of the city him that escapes.

Numbers 24:21 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:21 (KJV)	Numbers 24:21 (NET)
And he looked on the Kenite, and took up his parable, and said: Though firm be thy dwelling-place, and though thy nest be set in the rock;	And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.	Then he looked on the Kenites and uttered this oracle: “Your dwelling place seems strong, and your nest is set on a rocky cliff.

Numbers 24:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν Καιναῖον καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἰσχυρὰ ἡ κατοικία σου καὶ ἐὰν θῇς ἐν πέτρᾳ τὴν νοσσιάν σου	καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν Κεναῖον καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ἰσχυρὰ ἡ κατοικία σου· καὶ ἐὰν θῇς ἐν πέτρᾳ τὴν νοσσιάν σου
Numbers 24:21 (NETS)	Numbers 24:21 (English Elpenor)
And when he saw the Kenite and took up his parable, he said: “Strong is your dwelling place; even if you set your nest in a rock,	And having seen the Kenite, he took up his parable and said, thy dwelling-place [is] strong; yet though thou shouldest put thy nest in a rock,

Numbers 24:22 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:22 (KJV)	Numbers 24:22 (NET)
Nevertheless Kain shall be wasted; How long? Asshur shall carry thee away captive.	Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.	Nevertheless the Kenite will be consumed. How long will Asshur take you away captive?”

Numbers 24:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐὰν γένηται τῷ Βεωρ νεοσσιὰ πανουργίας Ἀσσύριοί σε αἰχμαλωτεύσουσιν	καὶ ἐὰν γένηται τῷ Βεὼρ νοσσιὰ πανουργίας, ᾿Ασσύριοι αἰχμαλωτεύσουσί σε
Numbers 24:22 (NETS)	Numbers 24:22 (English Elpenor)
and if a nest of cleverness accrues to Beor, Assyrians shall take you away captive.”	and though Beor should have a skillfully contrived hiding-place, the Assyrians shall carry thee away captive.

Numbers 24:23 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:23 (KJV)	Numbers 24:23 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: Alas, who shall live after G-d hath appointed him?	And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this!	Then he uttered this oracle: “O, who will survive when God does this!

Numbers 24:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν Ωγ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ὦ ὦ τίς ζήσεται ὅταν θῇ ταῦτα ὁ θεός	καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ῍Ωγ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ὦ ὦ, τίς ζήσεται, ὅταν θῇ ταῦτα ὁ Θεός
Numbers 24:23 (NETS)	Numbers 24:23 (English Elpenor)
And when he saw Og and took up his parable, he said: “Alas, alas, who shall live when God ordains these things?	And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

Numbers 24:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:24 (KJV)	Numbers 24:24 (NET)
But ships shall come from the coast of Kittim, and they shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall come to destruction.	And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.	Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, and will afflict Asshur, and will afflict Eber, and he will also perish forever.”

Numbers 24:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐκ χειρὸς Κιτιαίων καὶ κακώσουσιν Ασσουρ καὶ κακώσουσιν Εβραίους καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἀπολοῦνται	καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐκ χειρῶν Κιτιαίων καὶ κακώσουσιν ᾿Ασσοὺρ καὶ κακώσουσιν ῾Εβραίους, καὶ αὐτοὶ ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἀπολοῦνται
Numbers 24:24 (NETS)	Numbers 24:24 (English Elpenor)
And one shall go forth from the hand of Kitieans, and they shall harm Assour, and they shall harm Ebreans, and they too shall perish together.”	And he looked upon Og, and took up his parable and said, Oh, oh, who shall live, when God shall do these things?

Numbers 22:2 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:2 (KJV)	Numbers 22:2 (NET)
And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.	And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.	Balak son of Zippor saw all that the Israelites had done to the Amorites.

Numbers 22:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλακ υἱὸς Σεπφωρ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν Ισραηλ τῷ Αμορραίῳ	καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν ᾿Ισραὴλ τῷ ᾿Αμορραίῳ
Numbers 22:2 (NETS)	Numbers 22:2 (English Elpenor)
And when Balak son of Sepphor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorite,	And when Balac son of Sepphor saw all that Israel did to the Amorite,

Numbers 22:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:3 (KJV)	Numbers 22:3 (NET)
And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many; and Moab was overcome with dread because of the children of Israel.	And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.	And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

Numbers 22:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐφοβήθη Μωαβ τὸν λαὸν σφόδρα ὅτι πολλοὶ ἦσαν καὶ προσώχθισεν Μωαβ ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐφοβήθη Μωὰβ τὸν λαὸν σφόδρα ὅτι πολλοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ προσώχθισε Μωὰβ ἀπὸ προσώπου υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 22:3 (NETS)	Numbers 22:3 (English Elpenor)
also Moab feared the people very much, because they were many, and Moab was vexed because of the presence of Israel’s sons.	then Moab feared the people exceedingly because they were many; and Moab was grieved before the face of the children of Israel.

Numbers 24:25 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:25 (KJV)	Numbers 24:25 (NET)
And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place; and Balak also went his way.	And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.	Balaam got up and departed and returned to his home, and Balak also went his way.

Numbers 24:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλααμ ἀπῆλθεν ἀποστραφεὶς εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ καὶ Βαλακ ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς ἑαυτόν	καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ ἀπῆλθεν ἀποστραφεὶς εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ Βαλὰκ ἀπῆλθε πρὸς ἑαυτόν
Numbers 24:25 (NETS)	Numbers 24:25 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam got up and went away as he returned to his place; Balak too went home.	And Balaam rose up and departed and returned to his place, and Balac went to his own home.

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

Back to Exploration, Part 16

³ Luke 6:17b, 18a (ESV)

⁴ Matthew 7:17a (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 7:17b (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 7:18 (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 7:18a (ESV)

⁸ Luke 6:43 on Bible Hub

⁹ Matthew 7:18b (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 6:44a (ESV)

¹¹ John 3:21 (ESV)

¹² John 14:6 (ESV)

¹³ Mark 10:18b (ESV)

¹⁴ Septuagint: For those who practice lawlessness did not walk in his ways (Psalm 118:3 NETS). For they that work iniquity have not walked in his ways (Psalm 118:3 English Elpenor). Table

¹⁵ Romans 9:30b (ESV)

¹⁶ Romans 9:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

²⁰ Psalm 119:10 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²¹ Genesis 1:26a (English Elpenor) Table

²² Genesis 1:27 (English Elpenor) Table

²³ Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor) Table

²⁴ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁶ Matthew 16:24c, 25 (ESV)

²⁷ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁹ An allusion to John 1:1-4

³⁰ An allusion to the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23

³¹ Philippians 3:21b (ESV) Table

³² Romans 6:3, 4 (ESV)

³³ Galatians 4:19 (ESV) Table

³⁴ The inclusion of of my own will (ESV/Masoretic Text) in Numbers 24:13 and its absence from Numbers 22:18 raises the question of whether the phrase was added by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint or removed by the Masoretes, or whether they favored different Hebrew sources. I have no particular opinion except to wonder, if it was added to the Septuagint, why are there any differences in wording at all? It is difficult to utilize this difference to understand Balaam’s heart as he uttered these words.

³⁵ Numbers 24:25 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁷ This verb is in the perfect tense: “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.” From Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³⁸ Ibid.

³⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

3 John, Part 7

Posted on November 11, 2025 by admin

This is a continuation of my notes on 3 John for the preaching class I’m taking. John wrote (3 John 1:11 ESV):

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good (τὸ ἀγαθόν). Whoever does good¹ is from God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν); whoever does evil has not seen God.

I wondered, “How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν (good)?”²

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said³ to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You⁴ lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the⁵ poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”⁶

The Greek is: Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδὸν, And as he was setting out on his journey, προσδραμὼν, ran up, εἷς, a man (literally, “one”), καὶ γονυπετήσας αὐτὸν, and knelt before him, ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν, and asked him, διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, Good Teacher, τί ποιήσω, what must I do (or “what might I do”), ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω, to inherit eternal life?

I want to consider the differences in the critical and received texts of Matthew 19:16-21 as Mark 10:17-21 becomes accessible for comparison.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:17b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:16b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:16b (NA²⁸)
διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσω ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω	διδασκαλε αγαθε τι αγαθον ποιησω ινα εχω ζωην αιωνιον	διδάσκαλε, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα σχῶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον
Mark 10:17b (ESV)	Matthew 19:16b (KJV)	Matthew 19:16b (ESV)
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”	Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?	“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

In the received text of Matthew 19:16b διδασκαλε was modified by αγαθε, Good Master (KJV), as it was in Mark 10:17b, Good Teacher (ESV); αγαθε is absent from the critical text, Teacher (ESV), while ἀγαθόν is absent from Mark 10:17b though present in both the critical, good deed (ESV), and received texts, good thing (KJV), of Matthew 19:16b. In the received text εχω, I may have (KJV, understood in the subjunctive rather than the indicative mood), is complemented by σχῶ (a form of εχω), to have (ESV) or “I might have,” in the critical text, where κληρονομήσω, to inherit (ESV), occurs in Mark 10:17b.

Mark 10:18 continues: ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, And Jesus said to him, τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν, Why do you call me good? οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός, No one is good except God alone.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:18b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:17b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:17b (NA²⁸)
τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός	τι με λεγεις αγαθον ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος	τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός
Mark 10:18b (ESV)	Matthew 19:17b (KJV)	Matthew 19:17b (ESV)
Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.	Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:	Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.

The received text of Matthew 19:17b is identical to the critical text of Mark 10:18b; the critical text of Matthew 19:17b is significantly different: ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, do you ask…about what is good (ESV), rather than λεγεις ἀγαθόν, callest thou…good (KJV); εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός, There is only one who is good (ESV), literally “one is the good,” rather than ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος, there is none good but one, that is, God (KJV). Yet, except for the placement of εἰσελθεῖν, Matthew 19:17c is identical in the critical and received texts and differs significantly from Mark 10:19a.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19a (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:17c (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:17c (NA²⁸)
τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας	ει δε θελεις εισελθειν εις την ζωην τηρησον τας εντολας	εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς
Mark 10:19a (ESV)	Matthew 19:17c (KJV)	Matthew 19:17c (ESV)
You know the commandments:	but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.	If you would enter life, keep the commandments.

Mark 10:19 continues: τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας, You know the commandments, μὴ φονεύσῃς, Do not murder, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, Do not commit adultery, μὴ κλέψῃς, Do not steal, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, Do not bear false witness, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, Do not defraud, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα, Honor your father and mother.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (NA²⁸)
μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	το ου φονευσεις ου μοιχευσεις ου κλεψεις ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον	τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις, τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν
Mark 10:19b (ESV)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (KJV)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (ESV)
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.	Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.	You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Though Jesus cited six commandments to both men, the more general You shall love your neighbor as yourself in Matthew 19:19 is replaced by the more specific Do not defraud in Mark 10:19. A note (31) in the NET described this as “an allusion” (see table below) to Deuteronomy 24:14.

You shall not oppress (ʿāšaq, תַעֲשֹׁק; Septuagint: ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν, unjustly withhold the wages of) a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.⁷

The Greek verb translated Do…defraud was ἀποστερήσῃς, a form of ἀποστερέω. Two occurrences of forms of ἀποστερέω are found in the Septuagint (Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10 English Elpenor):

And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my Name, and against them that keep back (ἀποστεροῦντας, another form of ἀποστερέω; Hebrew: ʿāšaq, וּבְעֹשְׁקֵי) the hireling’s wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

And if he take another [e.g., wife] to himself, he shall not deprive (ἀποστερήσει, another form of ἀποστερέω; Hebrew: gāraʿ, יִגְרָע) her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship [with him].

There are other more subtle differences as well:

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:18b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:18b (NA²⁸)
μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	το ου φονευσεις ου μοιχευσεις ου κλεψεις ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις	τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (ESV)	Matthew 19:18b (KJV)	Matthew 19:18b (ESV)
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness	Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness	You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness

The list of commandments in Mark 10:19 didn’t begin with the article τὸ (“this,” not translated in Matthew 19:18b) in answer to a man’s question: ποίας (a form of ποῖος), Which? (KJV), Which ones? (ESV).⁸ Also, the verbs are different parts of speech: φονεύσῃς, μοιχεύσῃς, κλέψῃς and ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς are in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, while φονεύσεις, μοιχεύσεις, κλέψεις and ψευδομαρτυρήσεις are in the future tense and indicative mood. So, φονεύσεις, for example in Matthew 19:18, means “you will murder” in the future, a statement of fact negated by the negative particle οὐ: “not you will murder,” Thou shalt do no murder (KJV), You shall not murder (ESV).

The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective. Even if the writer is lying, he may state the action as if it is a fact, and thus the verb would be in the indicative mood. It may be action occurring in past, present, or future time. This ‘statement of fact’ can even be made with a negative adverb modifying the verb…

This is in contrast to one of the other moods…in which the writer/speaker may desire or ask for the action to take place.⁹

But φονεύσῃς in Mark 10:19 means “you might murder” at some unspecified moment in time, a statement of possibility negated by the particle μὴ: “not you might murder,” Do not kill (KJV), Do not murder (ESV).

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time. In the indicative mood the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time, often translated like the English simple past tense.¹⁰

So ἐφόνευσας, in the indicative mood, would have been a statement of fact in the past tense: “you have murdered.” But φονεύσῃς, in the subjunctive mood “indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.”¹¹

A comparable way to translate “not you might murder” into more fluent English would be, “You might not murder,” but it sounds much less certain than is probably intended in Greek. The negation of a possibility in the subjunctive mood is at least as strong as the negation of a statement of fact in the indicative mood. (The Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation is even stronger.)

I don’t understand why English translators added the helping verb do to these four aorist subjunctive verbs in Mark 10:19 (five including μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, Do not defraud). There are no occurrences of any forms of ποιέω here. It seems to owe more to stumbling over the stumbling stone, pursuing righteousness as if it were based on works, rather than by faith.¹²

All five verbs (φονεύσῃς, μοιχεύσῃς, κλέψῃς, ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς and ἀποστερήσῃς) are 2^nd person singular verbs. By simply adding back the implied subject of these clauses—[You] do not murder, [You] do not commit adultery, [You] do not steal, [You] do not bear false witness, [You] do not defraud—one can hear the same promises as the verbs in the future tense and indicative mood in Matthew 19:18—You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness—even in English translation. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!¹³ These commandments are promises of grace to be received by faith, rather than works to achieve in one’s own strength.

The man responded to Jesus: ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ, And he said to him, διδάσκαλε, Teacher, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην, these all I have kept, ἐκ νεότητός μου, from my youth.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:20b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:20b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:20b (NA²⁸)
διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου	παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω	πάντα ταῦτα ἐφύλαξα· τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ
Mark 10:20b (ESV)	Matthew 19:20b (KJV)	Matthew 19:20b (ESV)
Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.	All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?	All these I have kept. What do I still lack?

Here, the received text of Matthew 19:20 lacks the vocative διδάσκαλε and includes the question τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ, what lack I yet (KJV), like the critical text, What do I still lack (ESV), but adds εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου, have I kept from my youth up (KJV), like Mark 10:20, I have kept from my youth (ESV), where the critical text of Matthew 19:20 has simply ἐφύλαξα, I have kept (ESV).

Mark 10:21 continues: Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς, And Jesus, ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ, looking at him, ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν, loved him, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, and said to him, ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ, You lack one thing (literally, “one you lack”), ὕπαγε, go, ὅσα ἔχεις, all that you have, πώλησον, sell, καὶ δὸς [τοῖς ] πτωχοῖς, and give to the poor, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, and you…have treasure in heaven, καὶ δεῦρο, and come, ἀκολούθει μοι, follow me.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:21a (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:21a (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:21a (NA²⁸)
Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ	εφη αυτω ο ιησους ει θελεις τελειος ειναι	ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι,
Mark 10:21 (ESV)	Matthew 19:21 (KJV)	Matthew 19:21 (ESV)
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing:	Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,	Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect,

The received text and critical text of Matthew 19:21a are in complete agreement: Jesus recognized the man’s own question about something missing—τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ, what lack I yet (KJV), What do I still lack (ESV)¹⁴—as a desire for a perfection beyond a righteousness of [his] own that comes from the law.¹⁵ In Mark 10:21a the man asked no question expressing any lack at all, but Jesus informed him: ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ, You lack one thing (ESV) or “One you lack.” He offered an opportunity to know him and the power of his resurrection, the ability to share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and the possibility to attain the resurrection from the dead¹⁶ to both men.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:21b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:21b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:21b (NA²⁸)
ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι	υπαγε πωλησον σου τα υπαρχοντα και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι	ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι
Mark 10:21b (ESV)	Matthew 19:21b (KJV)	Matthew 19:21b (ESV)
go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”	go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.	go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The received text of Matthew 19:21b does not have the article τοῖς preceding poor. The critical text does, also in Mark 10:21b. Both are in brackets indicating some doubt among the editors. The only other difference in Matthew 19:21b is that the critical text has the plural οὐρανοῖς where the received text has the singular ουρανω, as in Mark 10:21b. Aside from this, Mark 10:21b has ὅσα ἔχεις, all that you have (ESV), where Matthew 19:21b has σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, that thou hast (KJV), what you possess (ESV), which might deserve more attention than I’m giving it here.¹⁷

The critical text purports to be the older (and therefore the more original) text, and is generally received as such. Most contemporary translations of the New Testament are made from it. If true, it implies that most of the differences in the received text of Matthew 19:16-21 were scribal attempts to collapse what is effectively two different accounts of two different encounters with two similar men, at about the same time in Jesus’ ministry, into one encounter with one man. Accepting this, as two separate individuals asking two different but related questions, brings some clarity to the differences and similarities in Jesus’ answers.

One man asked, “Good Teacher, what [might] I do to inherit eternal life?”¹⁸ Jesus, responding to being called Good (ἀγαθέ, a form of ἀγαθός), posed his own question for the man’s consideration: “Why do you call me good (ἀγαθόν, another form of ἀγαθός)?”¹⁹ Then He made a statement the man did not dispute: οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός; literally, “none good except one, God.”

Another man asked, “Teacher, what good [might] I do [that I might] have eternal life?”²⁰ Jesus, responding to being asked about doing good (ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω), posed a different question for this man’s consideration: τί ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; literally, “Why ask me about the good?” Then He made another statement that this man did not dispute: εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός; literally, “one is the good.”

This latter statement doesn’t dispute that “none [is] good except one, God.” It clarifies how doing good gets done: “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light [In him was life, and the life was the light of men²¹], lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true (ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν) comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God” (or “by means of God,” the One who is good).²² Who does what is true? to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.²³ In other words, Whoever does good is from God (or “from God exists”),²⁴ the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; literally, “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.²⁵ As Jesus said, “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’”²⁶

Balak, king of Moab, was not from God. He continued in his own faith that, if he found the right location, Balaam would curse Israel, whom God has not cursed²⁷ (Numbers 23:28-30 ESV):

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balak, the king, seems willing to comply, if not obey, when he believes there is opportunity to accomplish his purposes according to his own faith. But the prophet Balaam strayed a bit from his usual practice (Numbers 24:1, 2 ESV).

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,

Here, the Masoretic text and Septuagint agree: and the spirit of God came upon him (KJV, NET, English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 24:2b (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:2b (NET)	Numbers 24:2b (NETS)	Numbers 24:2b (English Elpenor)
and the spirit (ר֥וּחַ) of G-d (אֱלֹהִֽים) came (וַתְּהִ֥י) upon him (עָלָ֖יו).	and the Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) of God (‘ĕlōhîm,אלהים) came (hāyâ, ותהי) upon him (ʿal, עליו).	And (καὶ) a divine (θεοῦ) spirit (πνεῦμα) came (ἐγένετο) upon (ἐν) him (αὐτῷ),	and (καὶ) the Spirit (πνεῦμα) of God (Θεοῦ) came (ἐγένετο) upon (ἐν) him (αὐτῷ).

Balaam took up his discourse and said, (Numbers 24:3-7 ESV):

“The oracle of Balaam the son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is opened, the oracle of him who hears the words of God, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

The Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 24:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:7 (NET)	Numbers 24:7 (NETS)	Numbers 24:7 (English Elpenor)
Water (מַ֨יִם֙) shall flow from his branches (מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו), and his seed (וְזַרְע֖וֹ) shall be in many (רַבִּ֑ים) waters (בְּמַ֣יִם); and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He will pour the water (mayim, מים) out of his buckets (dᵊlî, מדליו), and their descendants (zeraʿ, וזרעו) will be like abundant (raḇ, רבים) water (mayim, במים); their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted.	A person (ἄνθρωπος) will come forth from his offspring (τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ) and he shall rule over (καὶ κυριεύσει) many (πολλῶν) nations (ἐθνῶν), and reign of him shall be exalted beyond Gog, and his reign shall be increased.	There shall come a man (ἄνθρωπος) out of his seed (τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ), and he shall rule over (καὶ κυριεύσει) many (πολλῶν) nations (ἐθνῶν); and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

Where the first two clauses of the Masoretic text translate into English in a manner ranging from vaguely unintelligible to somewhat lewd, the English translation of the Septuagint offers a rather clear reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. I might say “surprisingly clear” or even “shockingly clear” if I hadn’t been through this emotional shredder already. This time, however, both the Masoretic text and the Septuagint agree that the spirit of God came upon Balaam. And fortunately, the English translation of The Complete Jewish Bible on chabad.org resolves these other “vaguely unintelligible to somewhat lewd” renderings of the Masoretic text quite nicely: Water will flow from his wells, and his seed shall have abundant water.²⁸

Is it that surprising that a thirsty Masorete would prefer a well of his own to dependence on the spiritual Rock that followed his ancestors in the wilderness?

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud (Exodus 13:21, 22), and all passed through the sea (Exodus 14), and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [Table], and all ate the same spiritual food (Exodus 16), and all drank the same spiritual drink (Exodus 17:1-7). For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ (Numbers 20:2-13).²⁹

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:8, 9 ESV):

God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows [Table]. He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you” [Table].

Balak would not, or could not, hear the words of God, nor see the vision of the Almighty (Numbers 24:10, 11 ESV):

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) has held you back from honor.”

Here again, Balak’s faith and determination are revealed as a stubborn rebellion against God, despite his recognition that the Lord…held Balaam back: Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) God.³⁰

John wrote of Jesus (John 3:31-34 ESV):

He who comes from above (ἄνωθεν) is above (ἐπάνω) all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above (ἐπάνω) all. He³¹ bears witness to what he has seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he³² gives the Spirit without measure.

Though Balaam didn’t receive the honor Balak might have given him for cursing Israel and betraying the Lord, he did share the sufferings of Christ in this way: Balak did not receive his testimony, what he [had] seen and heard from the Lord. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (31) in the NET Mark 10:19b is a quotation from Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φονεύσῃς	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:15 (NETS)	Exodus 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not kill.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ μοιχεύσῃς	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:13 (NETS)	Exodus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ κλέψῃς	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:14 (NETS)	Exodus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:16a (NETS)	Exodus 20:16a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:12a (NETS)	Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φονεύσῃς	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not commit murder.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ μοιχεύσῃς	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ κλέψῃς	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

According to a note (31) in the NET Mark 10:19b includes an allusion to Deuteronomy 24:14. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς	οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσίν σου	Οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (English Elpenor)
do not defraud	You shall not unjustly withhold the wages of a needy and indigent person from your brothers or from guests in your cities.	Thou shalt not unjustly withhold the wages of the poor and needy of thy brethren, or of the strangers who are in thy cities.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 24:14; Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10; Numbers 23:28; 23:29; 23:30; 24:1; 24:2; 24:3; 24:4; 24:5; 24:6; 24:7; 24:10 and 24:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 24:14; Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10; Numbers 23:28; 23:29; 23:30; 24:1; 24:2; 24:3; 24:4; 24:5; 24:6; 24:7; 24:10 and 24:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 10:20, 21; John 3:32 and 3:34 in the KJV and NET follow.

Deuteronomy 24:14 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (NET)
Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates.	Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:	You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages.

Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσίν σου	Οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου
Deuteronomy 24:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (English Elpenor)
You shall not unjustly withhold the wages of a needy and indigent person from your brothers or from guests in your cities.	Thou shalt not unjustly withhold the wages of the poor and needy of thy brethren, or of the strangers who are in thy cities.

Malachi 3:5 (Tanakh)	Malachi 3:5 (KJV)	Malachi 3:5 (NET)
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.	And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.	“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination; those who commit adultery; those who break promises; and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the resident foreigner and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Malachi 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Malachi 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσάξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν κρίσει καὶ ἔσομαι μάρτυς ταχὺς ἐπὶ τὰς φαρμακοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς μοιχαλίδας καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀμνύοντας τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ καὶ τοὺς καταδυναστεύοντας χήραν καὶ τοὺς κονδυλίζοντας ὀρφανοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐκκλίνοντας κρίσιν προσηλύτου καὶ τοὺς μὴ φοβουμένους με λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ	καὶ προσάξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν κρίσει καὶ ἔσομαι μάρτυς ταχὺς ἐπὶ τὰς φαρμακοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς μοιχαλίδας καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀμνύοντας τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ καὶ τοὺς καταδυναστεύοντας χήραν καὶ τοὺς κονδυλίζοντας ὀρφανοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐκκλίνοντας κρίσιν προσηλύτου καὶ τοὺς μὴ φοβουμένους με, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ
Malachi 3:5 (NETS)	Malachi 3:5 (English Elpenor)
And I will draw near to you in judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorceresses and against the adulteresses and against those who swear by my name falsely and against those who defraud the hired worker of his wages and those who oppress the widow and those who buffet orphans and those who turn aside justice from the guest and those who do not fear me, says the Lord Almighty.	And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my Name, and against them that keep back the hireling’s wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

Exodus 21:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:10 (KJV)	Exodus 21:10 (NET)
If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish.	If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.	If he takes another wife, he must not diminish the first one’s food, her clothing, or her marital rights.

Exodus 21:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλην λάβῃ ἑαυτῷ τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποστερήσει	ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλην λάβῃ ἑαυτῷ, τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποστερήσει
Exodus 21:10 (NETS)	Exodus 21:10 (English Elpenor)
And if he takes another to him, he shall not withhold her necessities and clothing and marital rights.	And if he take another to himself, he shall not deprive her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship [with him].

Numbers 23:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:28 (KJV)	Numbers 23:28 (NET)
And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.	And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.	So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wastelands.

Numbers 23:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρέλαβεν Βαλακ τὸν Βαλααμ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογωρ τὸ παρατεῖνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	καὶ παρέλαβε Βαλὰκ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογὼρ τὸ παρατεῖνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Numbers 23:28 (NETS)	Numbers 23:28 (English Elpenor)
And Balak took Balaam to the top of Phogor, which extends into the wilderness.	And Balac took Balaam to the top of Phogor, which extends to the wilderness.

Numbers 23:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:29 (KJV)	Numbers 23:29 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.’	And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.	Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.”

Numbers 23:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς
Numbers 23:29 (NETS)	Numbers 23:29 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven calves and seven rams.”	And Balaam said to Balac, build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

Numbers 23:30 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:30 (KJV)	Numbers 23:30 (NET)
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.	And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.	So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Βαλακ καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν	καὶ ἐποίησε Βαλὰκ καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλαάμ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκε μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Numbers 23:30 (NETS)	Numbers 23:30 (English Elpenor)
And Balak did just as Balaam told him, and he offered a calf and a ram on the altar.	And Balac did as Balaam told him, and offered a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 24:1 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:1 (KJV)	Numbers 24:1 (NET)
And when Balaam saw that it pleased HaShem to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.	And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.	When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Numbers 24:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλααμ ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν ἔναντι κυρίου εὐλογεῖν τὸν Ισραηλ οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	ΚΑΙ ἰδὼν Βαλαὰμ ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν ἐναντίον Κυρίου εὐλογεῖν τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ, οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς καὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Numbers 24:1 (NETS)	Numbers 24:1 (English Elpenor)
And when Balaam saw that it was good before the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, according to his custom, to meet the omens but turned his face toward the wilderness.	And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.

Numbers 24:2 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:2 (KJV)	Numbers 24:2 (NET)
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him.	And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.	When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 24:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξάρας Βαλααμ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καθορᾷ τὸν Ισραηλ ἐστρατοπεδευκότα κατὰ φυλάς καὶ ἐγένετο πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ	καὶ ἐξάρας Βαλαὰμ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καθορᾷ τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐστρατοπεδευκότα κατὰ φυλάς, καὶ ἐγένετο πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ
Numbers 24:2 (NETS)	Numbers 24:2 (English Elpenor)
And when Balaam raised his eyes, he looked down upon Israel encamped tribe by tribe. And a divine spirit came upon him,	And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 24:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:3 (KJV)	Numbers 24:3 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;	And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:	Then he uttered this oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are open,

Numbers 24:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν φησὶν Βαλααμ υἱὸς Βεωρ φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν	καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπε· φησὶ Βαλαὰμ υἱὸς Βεώρ, φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν
Numbers 24:3 (NETS)	Numbers 24:3 (English Elpenor)
and he took up his parable and said: “Says Balaam son of Beor; says the man who truly sees.	And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

Numbers 24:4 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:4 (KJV)	Numbers 24:4 (NET)
The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:	He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:	the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:

Numbers 24:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φησὶν ἀκούων λόγια θεοῦ ὅστις ὅρασιν θεοῦ εἶδεν ἐν ὕπνῳ ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ	φησὶν ἀκούων λόγια ἰσχυροῦ, ὅστις ὅρασιν Θεοῦ εἶδεν ἐν ὕπνῳ, ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ
Numbers 24:4 (NETS)	Numbers 24:4 (English Elpenor)
Says one who hears divine oracles, who saw a divine vision, in sleep when his eyes had been uncovered:	he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:

Numbers 24:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:5 (KJV)	Numbers 24:5 (NET)
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!	How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!	‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, and your dwelling places, O Israel!

Numbers 24:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς καλοί σου οἱ οἶκοι Ιακωβ αἱ σκηναί σου Ισραηλ	ὡς καλοὶ οἱ οἶκοί σου ᾿Ιακώβ, αἱ σκηναί σου ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 24:5 (NETS)	Numbers 24:5 (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are your dwellings, O Iakob, your tents, O Israel!	How goodly [are] thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!

Numbers 24:6 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:6 (KJV)	Numbers 24:6 (NET)
As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of HaShem, as cedars beside the waters;	As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.	They are like valleys stretched forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes that the Lord has planted, and like cedar trees beside the waters.

Numbers 24:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι καὶ ὡσεὶ παράδεισοι ἐπὶ ποταμῶν καὶ ὡσεὶ σκηναί ἃς ἔπηξεν κύριος ὡσεὶ κέδροι παρ᾽ ὕδατα	ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι καὶ ὡσεὶ παράδεισοι ἐπὶ ποταμῷ καὶ ὡσεὶ σκηναί, ἃς ἔπηξε Κύριος, καὶ ὡσεὶ κέδροι παρ’ ὕδατα
Numbers 24:6 (NETS)	Numbers 24:6 (English Elpenor)
Like wooded valleys giving shade and like orchards by rivers and like tents that the Lord pitched, like cedar trees beside waters.	as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters.

Numbers 24:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:7 (KJV)	Numbers 24:7 (NET)
Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He will pour the water out of his buckets, and their descendants will be like abundant water; their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted.

Numbers 24:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ καὶ κυριεύσει ἐθνῶν πολλῶν καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἢ Γωγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐξηθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ	ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ καὶ κυριεύσει ἐθνῶν πολλῶν, καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἢ Γὼγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐξηθήσεται βασιλεία αὐτοῦ
Numbers 24:7 (NETS)	Numbers 24:7 (English Elpenor)
A person will come forth from his offspring and he shall rule over many nations, and reign of him shall be exalted beyond Gog, and his reign shall be increased.	There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

Numbers 24:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:10 (KJV)	Numbers 24:10 (NET)
And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: ‘I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.	And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.	Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times!

Numbers 24:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλακ ἐπὶ Βαλααμ καὶ συνεκρότησεν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλογῶν εὐλόγησας τρίτον τοῦτο	καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλὰκ ἐπὶ Βαλαὰμ καὶ συνεκρότησε ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· καταρᾶσθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου κέκληκά σε, καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλογῶν εὐλόγησας τρίτον τοῦτο
Numbers 24:10 (NETS)	Numbers 24:10 (English Elpenor)
And Balak became infuriated with Balaam, and he clapped his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I have summoned you to curse my enemy, and behold, in blessing you have blessed him this third time.	And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed [him] this third time.

Numbers 24:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:11 (KJV)	Numbers 24:11 (NET)
Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, HaShem hath kept thee back from honour.’	Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.	So now, go back where you came from! I said that I would greatly honor you, but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”

Numbers 24:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν οὖν φεῦγε εἰς τὸν τόπον σου εἶπα τιμήσω σε καὶ νῦν ἐστέρησέν σε κύριος τῆς δόξης	νῦν οὖν φεῦγε εἰς τὸν τόπον σου· εἶπα, τιμήσω σε, καὶ νῦν ἐστέρησέ σε Κύριος τῆς δόξης
Numbers 24:11 (NETS)	Numbers 24:11 (English Elpenor)
Now then be off to your place! I said, ‘I will honor you,’ but now the Lord has deprived you of glory.”	Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory.

Mark 10:20, 21 (NET)	Mark 10:20, 21 (KJV)
The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”	And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mark 10:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 10:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 10:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ· διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητος μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου

As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark 10:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 10:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 10:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ· ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι	ο δε ιησους εμβλεψας αυτω ηγαπησεν αυτον και ειπεν αυτω εν σοι υστερει υπαγε οσα εχεις πωλησον και δος τοις πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι αρας τον σταυρον	ο δε ιησους εμβλεψας αυτω ηγαπησεν αυτον και ειπεν αυτω εν σοι υστερει υπαγε οσα εχεις πωλησον και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι αρας τον σταυρον

John 3:32 (NET)	John 3:32 (KJV)
He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.	And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

John 3:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃ ἑώρακεν καὶ ἤκουσεν τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει	και ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει	και ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει

John 3:34 (NET)	John 3:34 (KJV)
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.	For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

John 3:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃν γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ρήματα τοῦ θεοῦ λαλεῖ, οὐ γὰρ ἐκ μέτρου δίδωσιν τὸ πνεῦμα	ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν ο θεος το πνευμα	ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν ο θεος το πνευμα

3 John, Part 8

Back to 3 John, Part 6

Back to 3 John, Part 5

Back to 3 John, Part 4

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔφη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις ειπεν (KJV: answered and said).

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σε here in the accusative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: thou), a form of σύ in the dative case.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the plural article τοῖς here in the dative case. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ Mark 10:17-21 (ESV) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αρας τον σταυρον (KJV: take up the cross) following me (μοι). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Deuteronomy 21:14 (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 19:18a

⁹ From Verbal Moods: Indicative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁰ From Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹¹ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹² Romans 9:32 (ESV)

¹³ Romans 7:25a (ESV)

¹⁴ Matthew 19:20b

¹⁵ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁶ Philippians 3:10, 11 (ESV)

¹⁷ There is another difference between the critical and received texts of Mark 10:21b I won’t consider here: the received text adds αρας τον σταυρον, take up the cross (KJV) to καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι, and come, follow me (ESV).

¹⁸ Mark 10:17b (ESV)

¹⁹ Mark 10:18a (ESV)

²⁰ Matthew 19:16b (ESV) Table

²¹ John 1:4 (ESV)

²² John 3:20, 21 (ESV) The words translated in God were ἐν θεῷ in the dative case: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²³ John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

²⁴ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁶ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁷ Numbers 23:8a (ESV) Table

²⁸ Numbers 24:7a (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²⁹ 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (ESV)

³⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

³¹ 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.

³² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο θεος (KJV: God) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

3 John, Part 6

Posted on October 19, 2025 by admin

This is a continuation of my notes on 3 John for the preaching class I’m taking. John wrote (3 John 1:11 ESV):

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good (τὸ ἀγαθόν). Whoever does good¹ is from God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν); whoever does evil has not seen God.

I wondered, “How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν (good)?”² Someone asked Him about a good deed (ἀγαθόν) one might do to have eternal life (Matthew 19:16-21 ESV):

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed (ἀγαθὸν) must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments” [Table]. He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your³ father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept.⁴ What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” [Table].

I considered the first two verses above in some detail in another essay. I won’t repeat it here except to say that, “What good might I do in order that I might have life eternal,” treats both ποιήσω, “might I do,” and σχῶ, “I might have,” as verbs in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. I admit, however, that translating ποιήσω as an imperative, must I do, highlights the insight that this man was probably like one of those in Israel described by Paul (Romans 9:30-33 ESV):

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Table]. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith (ἐκ πίστεως), but as if it were based on works (ἐξ ἔργων). They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” [Table].⁵

I already began a consideration of Jesus’ question about the good; more to come on that in another essay.

He continued: εἰ δὲ θέλεις, If you would (or “But if you desire”), εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, enter life (or “into the life to enter”), |τήρησον| τὰς ἐντολάς, keep the commandments. The Greek word translated keep, τήρησον, is a 2^nd person singular form of τηρέω in the imperative mood: “to guard, keep watch over (someone/something); to watch (in preparation for either offense or defense); to remain alert in anticipation; to watch out for danger; to watch out for the loss of (something); to inspect closely; to act and live in conformity to; to keep and not let go; to keep, hold, reserve, preserve (someone/something); to keep (from harm); to keep (from loss); to keep and protect; to keep, observe, fulfill, pay attention to.”

The man said, ποίας, Which ones? Knowing that he had great possessions,⁶ I have wondered if he was negotiating for the best possible price on eternal life. But Jesus didn’t treat him that way. Jesus answered him like an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit,⁷ a branch of the cultivated olive tree⁸ of which Paul wrote. Jesus clarified and focused his meaning for the man, not with ceremonial laws or cleanliness laws or dietary laws which separated Israel from other peoples, not with the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees but, with five of the ten commandments (Exodus 20) and the second of the two commandments [on which] depend all the Law and the Prophets.⁹

There were some notable exceptions (Exodus 20:1-7 ESV):

And God spoke all these words, saying [Table], “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery [Table]. “You shall have no other gods before me [Table]. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth [Table]. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me [Table], but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments [Table]. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain [Table].

These resolve to, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…the great and first commandment.¹⁰ Another exception was (Exodus 20:17 ESV):

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s” [Table].

This is probably the commandment in the forefront of Paul’s mind when he wrote: Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being (σὰρξ; literally, flesh) will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.¹¹ For he acknowledged later (Romans 7:7-13 ESV):

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure [Table].

The man responded to the six commandments Jesus recited: |πάντα ταῦτα| ἐφύλαξα, All these I have kept. The verb ἐφύλαξα is an indicative form of φυλάσσω: “to watch, guard, defend; to guard (someone), prevent (from escaping); to guard, protect, watch over (someone); to stand guard; to keep (something from being broken); to observe (i.e., to acknowledge that something is significant and important to affect one’s behaviour); to follow; to keep, maintain.” Then the man, sensing apparently that something must be missing, asked: τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ, What do I still lack?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the translation What for the interrogative pronoun τί (a form of τίς). It is probably precisely what the man meant, especially if he was stumbling over the stumbling stone,¹² pursuing righteousness as if it were based on works.¹³ Still, it intrigues me that τί might have been translated Who, “Who do I still lack,” for that is the question Jesus answered: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”¹⁴

Jesus answered the man’s question about eternal life by inviting him to die the death of the upright and [have an] end…like his.¹⁵ I left the story of Balaam and Balak, asking, “Did Balak realize that he was hearing from God as Balaam prophesied to him?” Balak neither bowed down nor fell on his face.¹⁶ He did not confess, I have sinned.¹⁷ But before moving on to consider how Balak responded, there was another commandment missing from Jesus’ response to a man’s desire to enter into eternal life (Exodus 20:8-11 ESV):

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy [Table]. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work [Table], but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates [Table]. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [Table].

I can’t simply relegate this to a ceremonial law “which separated Israel from other peoples” without comment. Jesus’ attitude was clear: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath [Table]. So the Son of Man (or “son of man”) is lord even of the Sabbath.”¹⁸ And, “it is lawful (ἔξεστιν, a form of ἔξεστι; e.g., permitted) to do good (καλῶς; e.g., beautifully) on the Sabbath.”¹⁹ (As the writer of Hebrews noted: For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.²⁰)

Paul wrote (Romans 14:4-6a; 7-12 ESV):

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand [Table].

One²¹ person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord…²² For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ²³ died and lived again,²⁴ that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;²⁵ for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”²⁶ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God [Table].

The writer of Hebrews likened the Sabbath in the new covenant to the promised land in the old, a daily way of life rather than a singular day of the week (Hebrews 3:12-4:10 ESV).

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said,

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”²⁷

For who were those who heard (Exodus 19:1-20:21) and yet rebelled (Exodus 32:1-10)? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? [Table] And with whom was he provoked for forty²⁸ years (Numbers 13:1-14:12)? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest (Numbers 14:13-23), but to those who were disobedient (τοῖς ἀπειθήσασιν)? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief (ἀπιστίαν).

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened (KJV: not being mixed with faith in them that heard it) [Table]. For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest,’”²⁹

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.”³⁰ And again in this passage he said,

“They shall not enter my rest.”

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια), again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” [Table].

For if Joshua (Ἰησοῦς) had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

As Paul wrote, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure [Table].³¹ And I wrote in another essay:

My entering into God’s rest differs from his rest in a significant way. He rested from works that were very good: God saw all that he had made—and it was very good!^[14] I am eager to rest from works of evil at one extreme, hypocrisy at the other (the works of an actor playing at righteousness) or some jumbled combination of the two everywhere in between.

As John wrote: Whoever does good is from God (or “from God exists”).³² Balak did not believe that God spoke personally to him through Balaam (Numbers 23:11, 12 ESV).

And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak³³ what the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) puts in my mouth?”

To one who believes that the Lord (NETS: God) put a word in Balaam’s mouth, this sounds as if He is still speaking, asking an adroit question, inviting Balak to reconsider his ways. To one who does not believe, this sounds like Balaam trying rather ineffectively to deflect the king’s anger. Balak remained resolute (Numbers 23:13, 14 ESV):

And Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place, from which you may see them. You shall see only a fraction of them and shall not see them all. Then curse them for me from there.” And he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Children are encouraged to emulate a faith and determination like Balak’s to realize their goals and achieve their full potential. Adults are praised for this kind of faith and determination as they pursue their goals and purposes. And the successful credit their success to this kind of faith and determination. Balaam continued as he had done before (Numbers 23:15-18a ESV):

Balaam said to Balak, “Stand here beside your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord (not in the Masoretic text;³⁴ Septuagint: τὸν Θεόν) over there.” And the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) met Balaam and put a word in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus shall you speak.” And he came to him, and behold, he was standing beside his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה, corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) spoken?”

Is Balak ready now to hear from the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה, corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint)?

And Balaam took up his discourse and said, “Rise, Balak, and hear; give ear to me, O son of Zippor: God (‘ēl, אֵל; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? [Table] Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it. He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה, corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) their God (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהָיו, corroborated by ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint) is with them, and the shout of a king is among them.³⁵

The Septuagint and the Masoretic text diverge here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:21 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:21 (NET)	Numbers 23:21 (NETS)	Numbers 23:21 (English Elpenor)
None hath beheld (הִבִּ֥יט) iniquity (אָ֨וֶן֙) in Jacob, neither hath one seen (רָאָ֥ה) perverseness (עָמָ֖ל) in Israel; HaShem his G-d is with him, and the shouting for the King (מֶ֖לֶךְ) is among them.	He has not looked on (nāḇaṭ, הביט) iniquity (‘āven, און) in Jacob, nor has he seen (rā’â, ראה) trouble (ʿāmāl, עמל) in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king (meleḵ, מלך) is among them.	There shall be (ἔσται) no trouble (μόχθος) in Iakob, nor shall hardship (πόνος) be seen (ὀφθήσεται) in Israel. The Lord his God is with him; the glories of rulers (ἀρχόντων) are in him.	There shall not be (ἔσται) trouble (μόχθος) in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be (πόνος) seen (ὀφθήσεται) in Israel: the Lord his God [is] with him, the glories of rulers (ἀρχόντων) [are] in him.

In the Masoretic text הִבִּ֥יט, a form of נָבַט (nāḇaṭ) followed by אָ֨וֶן֙ (āven) was translated hath beheld iniquity (Tanakh), He hath…beheld iniquity (KJV) and He has…looked on iniquity (NET). This was understood as ἔσται μόχθος in the Septuagint, There shall be…trouble (NETS, English Elpenor). These statements were negated by לֹֽא (lō’) in the Masoretic text and οὐκ in the Septuagint. In the Masoretic text רָאָ֥ה (rā’â) followed by עָמָ֖ל (ʿāmāl) was translated hath one seen perverseness (Tanakh), hath he seen perverseness (KJV) and has he seen trouble (NET). This was understood as ὀφθήσεται πόνος in the Septuagint, shall hardship be seen (NETS) and shall sorrow be seen (English Elpenor). Again, these statements were negated by וְלֹֽא, a form of לֹא (lō’), in the Masoretic text and οὐδὲ in the Septuagint. Finally, מֶ֖לֶךְ (meleḵ), for the King (Tanakh), of a king (KJV) and as king (NET), was singular in the Masoretic text; ἀρχόντων, of rulers (NETS, English Elpenor), was plural in the Septuagint.

Balaam’s prophecy continued (Numbers 23:22, 23 ESV):

God brings them out of Egypt and is for them like the horns of the wild ox [Table]. For there is no enchantment against Jacob, no divination against Israel; now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel, ‘What has God wrought!’

Here, too, the Septuagint and Masoretic text diverge.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:23b (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:23b (NET)	Numbers 23:23b (NETS)	Numbers 23:23b (English Elpenor)
‘What hath G-d wrought (פָּעַ֖ל)!’	Look at what God has done (p̄āʿal, פעל)!’	what God shall accomplish (ἐπιτελέσει)	what God shall perform (ἐπιτελέσει)

The Masoretic text looks backward to the formation of Israel, while the Septuagint looks forward in the future tense: ἐπιτελέσει, a form of ἐπιτελέω. Would those “scholars and scribes” tasked “to decipher the authentic word of God” from “many disparities of the Torah [which had] emerged as countless scribes wrote numerous scrolls,” with an “ultimate goal…to uphold the traditions of the Jewish people,”³⁶ be more likely to look back to the Passover and the Exodus from Egypt or forward to Christ?

Balaam continued (Numbers 23:24 ESV):

Behold, a people! As a lioness it rises up and as a lion it lifts itself; it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain.”

Here, too, the tense in the English translation is at issue.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:24 (NET)	Numbers 23:24 (NETS)	Numbers 23:24 (English Elpenor)
Behold a people that riseth up (יָק֔וּם) as a lioness, and as a lion doth he lift himself up (יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א); he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.	Indeed, the people will rise up (qûm, יקום) like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up (nāśā’, יתנשׁא); they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”	Behold, a people shall rise up (ἀναστήσεται) like a whelp and shall bear itself proudly (γαυριωθήσεται) like a lion! It will not lie down until it eats prey and will drink blood of mortally wounded.”	Behold, the people shall rise up (ἀναστήσεται) as a lion’s whelp, and shall exalt himself (γαυρωθήσεται) as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

The Hebrew word קוּם, a form of יָק֔וּם (qûm) in the Masoretic text, was translated in the present tense in the Tanakh, that riseth up, but in the future tense in the KJV, shall rise up, and NET, will rise up. It was translated ἀναστήσεται in the future tense in the Septuagint: shall rise up (NETS, English Elpenor). The Hebrew word יִתְנַשָּׂ֑א, a form of נָשָׂא (nāśā’) in the Masoretic text, was translated in the present tense in the Tanakh, doth he lift himself up, and NET, raises himself up, but in the future tense in the KJV if I assume that shall carries through the conjunction and, [shall] lift up himself. It was translated γαυριωθήσεται in the future tense in the BLB Septuagint, shall bear itself proudly (NETS), and γαυρωθήσεται also in the future tense in the Elpenor Septuagint, shall exalt himself (English Elpenor).

With the words—it does not lie down until it has devoured the prey and drunk the blood of the slain—the Lord confirmed Balak’s fear (Numbers 23:25, 26 ESV).

And Balak said to Balaam, “Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.” But Balaam answered Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεός) says, that I must do’?”³⁷

For the briefest moment it sounds as if Balak is catching on. Perhaps it is too much to hope that he would take advantage of his audience with God, and ask Balaam to intercede on behalf of his people (Exodus 32:9-14). But Balak continued in his faith with determination (Numbers 23:27 ESV):

And Balak said to Balaam, “Come now, I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God (‘ĕlōhîm, הָאֱלֹהִים, corroborated by τῷ Θεῷ in the Septuagint) that you may curse them for me from there.”

Here, Balak’s faith and determination became a stubborn rebellion; he completely ignored the Lord’s word: God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? [Table] Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.³⁸ John wrote, whoever does evil has not seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) God.³⁹

This sounds strange on its surface: No one has ever seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) God; God the only Son, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.⁴⁰ The key here is ἐξηγήσατο (a form of ἐξηγέομαι), translated has made him known. Forms of ὁράω mean more than “to see (with the eyes)” in the literal sense: “to consider (i.e., look at mentally); to arrive at a conclusion by observation; to experience, witness; to notice, recognize, understand; to realize, comprehend.” It is in this sense that Balak, though confronted by the word of God through a prophet, did not consider God, arrive at a conclusion in favor of God by observation, experience, witness, notice, recognize, understand, realize or comprehend God, though he had called Him by name, without understanding.

I’ll pick this up in another essay. According to a note (22) in the NET Matthew 19:18b, 19a is a quotation from Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Exodus 20:15 (NETS)	Exodus 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not kill.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Exodus 20:13 (NETS)	Exodus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Exodus 20:14 (NETS)	Exodus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Exodus 20:16a (NETS)	Exodus 20:16a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Matthew 19:19a (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Matthew 19:19a (NET)	Exodus 20:12a (NETS)	Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not commit murder.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Matthew 19:18b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Matthew 19:19a (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Matthew 19:19a (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

According to a note (23) in the NET Matthew 19:19b is a quotation from Leviticus 19:18. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Matthew 19:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 19:18c (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 19:18c (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν	ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν	ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν
Matthew 19:19b (NET)	Leviticus 19:18c (NETS)	Leviticus 19:18c (English Elpenor)
love your neighbor as yourself	you shall love your neighbor as yourself	thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 5:17; 5:19 (5:17); 5:20 (5:17); Numbers 23:11; 23:12; 23:13; 23:14; 23:15; 23:16; 23:17; 23:18; 23:20; 23:21; 23:23; 23:24; 23:25; 23:26 and 23:27 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 5:17 (5:18); 5:19; 5:20; Numbers 23:11; 23:12; 23:13; 23:14; 23:15; 23:16; 23:17; 23:18; 23:20; 23:21; 23:23; 23:24; 23:25; 23:26 and 23:27 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 9:19, 20; Romans 14:5, 6; 14:9, 10 and Hebrews 3:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder.	Thou shalt not kill.	“You must not murder.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)
You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not commit murder.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.	Neither shalt thou steal.	“You must not steal.

Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)
You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:20 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.	Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.	“You must not offer false testimony against another.

Deuteronomy 5:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ
Deuteronomy 5:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:20 (English Elpenor)
You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor with a false testimony.	Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Numbers 23:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:11 (KJV)	Numbers 23:11 (NET)
And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.’	And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.	Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!”

Numbers 23:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ τί πεποίηκάς μοι εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν	καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· τί πεποίηκάς μοι; εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε, καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν
Numbers 23:11 (NETS)	Numbers 23:11 (English Elpenor)
And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? For cursing my enemies have I called you—and, behold, you have blessed them with a blessing.”	And Balac said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast greatly blessed [them].

Numbers 23:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:12 (KJV)	Numbers 23:12 (NET)
And he answered and said: ‘Must I not take heed to speak that which HaShem putteth in my mouth?’	And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth?	Balaam replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

Numbers 23:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οὐχὶ ὅσα ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· οὐχὶ ὅσα ἂν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου, τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι
Numbers 23:12 (NETS)	Numbers 23:12 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “No, as much as God puts into my mouth, shall I beware of speaking it?”	And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

Numbers 23:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:13 (KJV)	Numbers 23:13 (NET)
And Balak said unto him: ‘Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them; thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.’	And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.	Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.”

Numbers 23:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλακ δεῦρο ἔτι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ὄψῃ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψῃ πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν	Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλάκ· δεῦρο ἔτι μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον, ἐξ οὗ οὐκ ὄψει αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν, ἀλλ’ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψει, πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς, καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν
Numbers 23:13 (NETS)	Numbers 23:13 (English Elpenor)
And Balak said to him, “Come yet with me to another place, from there where you shall not see it; rather some part of it you shall see, but all you shall not see. And curse if for me from there.”	And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where thou shalt not see the people, but only thou shalt see a part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

Numbers 23:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:14 (KJV)	Numbers 23:14 (NET)
And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.	And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.	So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀγροῦ σκοπιὰν ἐπὶ κορυφὴν λελαξευμένου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἀνεβίβασεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν	καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀγροῦ σκοπιὰν ἐπὶ κορυφὴν λελαξευμένου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἀνεβίβασε μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Numbers 23:14 (NETS)	Numbers 23:14 (English Elpenor)
And he took him to a lookout place of a field, on the top of Hewn. And he built there seven altars and brought a calf and a ram on the altar.	And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried [rock], and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 23:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:15 (KJV)	Numbers 23:15 (NET)
And he said unto Balak: ‘Stand here by thy burnt-offering, while I go toward a meeting yonder.’	And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.	And Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself here by your burnt offering, while I meet the Lord there.”

Numbers 23:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν θεόν	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρός Βαλάκ· παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου, ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν Θεόν
Numbers 23:15 (NETS)	Numbers 23:15 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your sacrifice, but I will go to inquire of God.”	And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go to enquire of God.

Numbers 23:16 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:16 (KJV)	Numbers 23:16 (NET)
And HaShem met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said: ‘Return unto Balak, and thus shalt thou speak.’	And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.	Then the Lord met Balaam and put a message in his mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.”

Numbers 23:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συνήντησεν ὁ θεὸς τῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀποστράφητι πρὸς Βαλακ καὶ τάδε λαλήσεις	καὶ συνήντησεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Βαλαὰμ καὶ ἐνέβαλε ρῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἀποστράφηθι πρὸς Βαλὰκ καὶ τάδε λαλήσεις
Numbers 23:16 (NETS)	Numbers 23:16 (English Elpenor)
And God met with Balaam, and he put a word into his mouth and said, “Turn back to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.”	And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

Numbers 23:17 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:17 (KJV)	Numbers 23:17 (NET)
And he came to him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him: ‘What hath HaShem spoken?’	And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken?	When Balaam came to him, he was still standing by his burnt offering, along with the princes of Moab. And Balak said to him, “What has the Lord spoken?”

Numbers 23:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλακ τί ἐλάλησεν κύριος	καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ μετ’ αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλάκ· τί ἐλάλησε Κύριος
Numbers 23:17 (NETS)	Numbers 23:17 (English Elpenor)
And he turned back to hum, and the latter stood beside his whole burnt offering, and all the rulers of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What did the Lord speak?”	And he returned to him: and he also as standing by his whole-burnt-sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balac said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

Numbers 23:18 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:18 (KJV)	Numbers 23:18 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor:	And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:	Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Numbers 23:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἀνάστηθι Βαλακ καὶ ἄκουε ἐνώτισαι μάρτυς υἱὸς Σεπφωρ	καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ἀνάστηθι Βαλάκ, καὶ ἄκουε· ἐνώτισαι μάρτυς, υἱὸς Σεπφώρ
Numbers 23:18 (NETS)	Numbers 23:18 (English Elpenor)
And he took up this parable and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; give ear as a witness, O son of Sepphor:	And he took up his parable, and said, rise up, Balac, and hear; hearken as a witness, thou son of Sepphor.

Numbers 23:20 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:20 (KJV)	Numbers 23:20 (NET)
Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back.	Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.	Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

Numbers 23:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι εὐλογήσω καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω	ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι· εὐλογήσω καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω
Numbers 23:20 (NETS)	Numbers 23:20 (English Elpenor)
Behold, I have been taken hold of to bless; I will bless, and I will not turn away.	Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

Numbers 23:21 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:21 (KJV)	Numbers 23:21 (NET)
None hath beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath one seen perverseness in Israel; HaShem his G-d is with him, and the shouting for the King is among them.	He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.	He has not looked on iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen trouble in Israel. The Lord their God is with them; his acclamation as king is among them.

Numbers 23:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἔσται μόχθος ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ ὀφθήσεται πόνος ἐν Ισραηλ κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ	οὐκ ἔσται μόχθος ἐν ᾿Ιακώβ, οὐδὲ ὀφθήσεται πόνος ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ
Numbers 23:21 (NETS)	Numbers 23:21 (English Elpenor)
There shall be no trouble in Iakob, nor shall hardship be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him; the glories of rulers are in him.	There shall not be trouble in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: the Lord his God [is] with him, the glories of rulers [are] in him.

Numbers 23:23 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:23 (KJV)	Numbers 23:23 (NET)
For there is no enchantment with Jacob, neither is there any divination with Israel; now is it said of Jacob and of Israel: ‘What hath G-d wrought!’	Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!	For there is no spell against Jacob, nor is there any divination against Israel. At this time it must be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘Look at what God has done!’

Numbers 23:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν Ισραηλ κατὰ καιρὸν ῥηθήσεται Ιακωβ καὶ τῷ Ισραηλ τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ θεός	οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν ᾿Ιακώβ, οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· κατὰ καιρὸν ρηθήσεται ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ, τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ Θεός
Numbers 23:23 (NETS)	Numbers 23:23 (English Elpenor)
For there is no omen in Iakob nor divination in Israel; opportunely it shall be told to Iakob and to Israel what God shall accomplish.	For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.

Numbers 23:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:24 (KJV)	Numbers 23:24 (NET)
Behold a people that riseth up as a lioness, and as a lion doth he lift himself up; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.	Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.	Indeed, the people will rise up like a lioness, and like a lion raises himself up; they will not lie down until they eat their prey, and drink the blood of the slain.”

Numbers 23:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ λαὸς ὡς σκύμνος ἀναστήσεται καὶ ὡς λέων γαυριωθήσεται οὐ κοιμηθήσεται ἕως φάγῃ θήραν καὶ αἷμα τραυματιῶν πίεται	ἰδοὺ λαὸς ὡς σκύμνος ἀναστήσεται καὶ ὡς λέων γαυρωθήσεται· οὐ κοιμηθήσεται, ἕως φάγῃ θήραν, καὶ αἷμα τραυματιῶν πίεται
Numbers 23:24 (NETS)	Numbers 23:24 (English Elpenor)
Behold, a people shall rise up like a whelp and shall bear itself proudly like a lion! It will not lie down until it eats prey and will drink blood of mortally wounded.”	Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion’s whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

Numbers 23:25 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:25 (KJV)	Numbers 23:25 (NET)
And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.’	And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.	Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

Numbers 23:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ οὔτε κατάραις καταράσῃ μοι αὐτὸν οὔτε εὐλογῶν μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτόν	καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· οὔτε κατάραις καταράσῃ μοι αὐτὸν οὔτε εὐλογῶν μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτόν
Numbers 23:25 (NETS)	Numbers 23:25 (English Elpenor)
And Balak said to Balaam, “You shall neither curse them with curses for me, nor, when blessing, shall you bless them.”	Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion’s whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

Numbers 23:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:26 (KJV)	Numbers 23:26 (NET)
But Balaam answered and said unto Balak: ‘Told not I thee, saying: All that HaShem speaketh, that I must do?’	But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?	But Balaam replied to Balak, “Did I not tell you, ‘All that the Lord speaks, I must do’?”

Numbers 23:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Βαλααμ εἶπεν τῷ Βαλακ οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι λέγων τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ ὁ θεός τοῦτο ποιήσω	καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Βαλαὰμ εἶπε τῷ Βαλάκ· οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι λέγων, τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ ὁ Θεός, τοῦτο ποιήσω
Numbers 23:26 (NETS)	Numbers 23:26 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘The word that God speaks, this I shall do’?”	And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to thee, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

Numbers 23:27 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:27 (KJV)	Numbers 23:27 (NET)
And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘Come now, I will take thee unto another place; peradventure it will please G-d that thou mayest curse me them from thence.’	And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.	Balak said to Balaam, “Come, please; I will take you to another place. Perhaps it will please God to let you curse them for me from there.”

Numbers 23:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ δεῦρο παραλάβω σε εἰς τόπον ἄλλον εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ θεῷ καὶ καταρᾶσαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν	Καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· δεῦρο παραλάβω σε εἰς τόπον ἄλλον, εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν
Numbers 23:27 (NETS)	Numbers 23:27 (English Elpenor)
And Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place, if it shall please God, and curse it for me from there.”	And Balac said to Balaam, Come [and] I will remove thee to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

Matthew 19:19, 20 (NET)	Matthew 19:19, 20 (KJV)
honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”	Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 19:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 19:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καί ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν	τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον	τιμα τον πατερα και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον

The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?”

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Matthew 19:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 19:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ νεανίσκος· \|πάντα ταῦτα\| ἐφύλαξα· τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ	λεγει αυτω ο νεανισκος παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω	λεγει αυτω ο νεανισκος παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω

Romans 14:5, 6 (NET)	Romans 14:5, 6 (KJV)
One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind.	One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Romans 14:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὂς μὲν [γὰρ] κρίνει ἡμέραν παρ᾿ ἡμέραν, ὃς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡμέραν· ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοὶ_ πληροφορείσθω	ος μεν κρινει ημεραν παρ ημεραν ος δε κρινει πασαν ημεραν εκαστος εν τω ιδιω νοι πληροφορεισθω	ος μεν κρινει ημεραν παρ ημεραν ος δε κρινει πασαν ημεραν εκαστος εν τω ιδιω νοι πληροφορεισθω

The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.

He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Romans 14:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν κυρίῳ φρονεῖ· καὶ ὁ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ ἐσθίει, εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ θεῷ· καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐσθίει καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ θεῷ	ο φρονων την ημεραν κυριω φρονει και ο μη φρονων την ημεραν κυριω ου φρονει ο εσθιων κυριω εσθιει ευχαριστει γαρ τω θεω και ο μη εσθιων κυριω ουκ εσθιει και ευχαριστει τω θεω	ο φρονων την ημεραν κυριω φρονει και ο μη φρονων την ημεραν κυριω ου φρονει και ο εσθιων κυριω εσθιει ευχαριστει γαρ τω θεω και ο μη εσθιων κυριω ουκ εσθιει και ευχαριστει τω θεω

Romans 14:9, 10 (NET)	Romans 14:9, 10 (KJV)
For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.	For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Romans 14:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἔζησεν, ἵνα καὶ νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων κυριεύσῃ	εις τουτο γαρ χριστος και απεθανεν και ανεστη και ανεζησεν ινα και νεκρων και ζωντων κυριευση	εις τουτο γαρ χριστος και απεθανεν και ανεστη και εζησεν ινα και νεκρων και ζωντων κυριευση

But you who eat vegetables only—why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything—why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Romans 14:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Σὺ δὲ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; ἢ καὶ σὺ τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; πάντες γὰρ παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ θεοῦ	συ δε τι κρινεις τον αδελφον σου η και συ τι εξουθενεις τον αδελφον σου παντες γαρ παραστησομεθα τω βηματι του χριστου	συ δε τι κρινεις τον αδελφον σου η και συ τι εξουθενεις τον αδελφον σου παντες γαρ παραστησομεθα τω βηματι του χριστου

Hebrews 3:17 (NET)	Hebrews 3:17 (KJV)
And against whom was God provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?	But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

Hebrews 3:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 3:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 3:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τίσιν δὲ προσώχθισεν τεσσεράκοντα ἔτη; οὐχὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήσασιν, ὧν τὰ κῶλα ἔπεσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ	τισιν δε προσωχθισεν τεσσαρακοντα ετη ουχι τοις αμαρτησασιν ων τα κωλα επεσεν εν τη ερημω	τισιν δε προσωχθισεν τεσσαρακοντα ετη ουχι τοις αμαρτησασιν ων τα κωλα επεσεν εν τη ερημω

3 John, Part 7

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

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐφύλαξα here, a form of φυλάσσω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εφυλαξαμην (KJV: have I kept) in the middle voice. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ νεοτητος μου (KJV: from my youth up) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ See Exploration, Part 3 for tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁶ Matthew 19:22b (ESV)

⁷ John 1:47b (ESV)

⁸ Romans 11:24 (ESV)

⁹ Matthew 22:40 (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 22:37b, 38 (ESV) Table

¹¹ Romans 3:19, 20 (ESV)

¹² Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

¹³ Ibid.

¹⁴ Matthew 19:21 (ESV) Table For those with ears to hear, this is where the commandments concerning coveting and loving the Lord your God come to bear in this discourse.

¹⁵ Numbers 23:10b (The Complete Jewish Bible)

¹⁶ Numbers 22:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Numbers 22:34b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Mark 2:27, 28 (ESV)

¹⁹ Matthew 12:12b (ESV)

²⁰ Hebrews 7:12 (ESV)

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the conjunction γὰρ (“for”) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο μη φρονων την ημεραν κυριω ου φρονει (KJV: he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: both) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔζησεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ανεστη και ανεζησεν (KJV: rose, and revived) and Byzantine Majority Text had ανεστη και ἔζησεν.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had θεοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστου (KJV: Christ).

²⁶ See Wonders and False Wonders, Part 2 for tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

²⁷ See A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4 for tables comparing the Greek of this quotation to that of the Septuagint.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τεσσεράκοντα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τεσσαρακοντα. These seem to be alternate spellings of the same word.

²⁹ See A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4 for tables comparing the Greek of this quotation to that of the Septuagint.

³⁰ See A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 4 for tables comparing the Greek of this quotation to that of the Septuagint.

³¹ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

³² 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

³³ The Septuagint had τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι, shall I beware of speaking it (NETS) and shall I not take heed to speak this (English Elpenor), in the indicative mood rather than the imperative.

³⁴ He said to Balak, “Stand here next to your burnt offering and I will be chanced on here (The Complete Jewish Bible).

³⁵ Numbers 23:18-21 (ESV)

³⁶ From “Jewish Concepts: Masoretic Text” on Jewish Virtual Library online. 3 John, Part 5

³⁷ The Septuagint has τοῦτο ποιήσω: this I shall do (NETS) and that will I do (English Elpenor), translated as a verb in the future tense and indicative mood, rather than the aorist tense and subjunctive mood.

³⁸ Numbers 23:19, 20 (ESV)

³⁹ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

⁴⁰ John 1:18 (ESV) Table

3 John, Part 5

Posted on September 29, 2025 by admin

This is a continuation of my notes on 3 John for the preaching class I’m taking. John wrote (3 John 1:11a ESV):

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good (τὸ ἀγαθόν). Whoever does good¹ is from God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν)…

I wondered, “How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν (good)?”² He pointed to fruit trees as an analogy for recognizing false prophets, and I began to look at the prophet Balaam to understand “how it is that a prophet who from God exists cannot (οὐ δύναται, a form of δύναμαι) bear bad fruit.”³

Balak, king of Moab, hoping to have a chance to defeat and expel Israel, thought he could hire Balaam to curse them (Numbers 22:1-6). God said to Balaam, “…You shall not curse the people because they are blessed.”⁴ And Balaam promised and prophesied to Balak, “The word God puts into my mouth-that I will speak.”⁵

And in the morning Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal, and from there he saw a fraction of the people.

And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” Balak did as Balaam had said. And Balak and Balaam offered on each altar a bull and a ram. And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your burnt offering, and I will go. Perhaps the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.”⁶

The text doesn’t really say how the King of Moab responded to being told what to do by the prophet Balaam beyond his basic compliance. But God (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהִים, corroborated by ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint) met Balaam (Numbers 23:4, 5 ESV).

And Balaam said to him, “I have arranged the seven altars and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.” And the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”

A table contrasting the NET translation of Numbers 23:5 with that of the Tanakh and Septuagint follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:5 (NET)	Numbers 23:5 (NETS)	Numbers 23:5 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem put (וַיָּ֧שֶׂם) a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said: ‘Return unto Balak, and thus (וְכֹ֥ה) thou shalt speak (תְדַבֵּֽר).’	Then the Lord put (śûm, וישׁם) a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak (dāḇar, תדבר) what I tell (kô, וכה) you.”	And God put (ἐνέβαλεν) a word into Balaam’s mouth and said, “When you return to Balak, thus (οὕτως) you shall speak (λαλήσεις).”	And God put (ἐνέβαλεν) a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, thou shalt return to Balac, and thus (οὕτω) shalt thou speak (λαλήσεις).

The Lord (Septuagint: God) put (śûm, וַיָּ֧שֶׂם; Septuagint: ἐνέβαλεν) a word in Balaam’s mouth (Tanakh) and promised, thus (kô, וְכֹ֥ה) thou shalt speak (dāḇar, תְדַבֵּֽר; Septuagint: λαλήσεις). A healthy (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree cannot bear bad fruit.⁷ Though תְדַבֵּֽר (dāḇar) was translated more like an imperative ⁸ in the NET—speak (dāḇar, תדבר) what I tell (kô, וכה) you—a note (9) acknowledged: Heb “and thus you shall speak.” The word put in Balaam’s mouth ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν (“from God exists”).⁹

The narrative continued (Numbers 23:6, 7a ESV).

And [Balaam] returned to [Balak], and behold, he and all the princes of Moab were standing beside his burnt offering. And Balaam took up his discourse and said…

Here the Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Numbers 23:6 (NET)	Numbers 23:6 7a (NETS)	Numbers 23:6 (English Elpenor)
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.	So he returned to him, and he was still standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.	And he returned to him, and the latter stood over his whole burnt offering, and all the rulers of Moab with him. (7) And a divine spirit was upon him.	And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole-burnt-offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

The words καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ (NETS: And a divine spirit was upon him; English Elpenor: and the Spirit of God came upon him) are such a perfect answer to, “how it is that a prophet who from God exists cannot (οὐ δύναται, a form of δύναμαι) bear bad fruit,”¹⁰ it almost overwhelms me with conflicting emotions. Is it gilding the lily? Is it just too good to be true? It sounds like Paul (Galatians 5:16 ESV).

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

I used the search feature on the BLB Septuagint online to reverse engineer a possible Hebrew source for καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ. A search of the word ἐγενήθη yielded 11 occurrences of forms of הָיָה (hāyâ) in the Masoretic text of the Torah translated καὶ ἐγενήθη in the Septuagint (see table below). A search of πνεῦμα yielded 2 occurrences of a form of רוּחַ (rûaḥ) followed by a form of אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm) in the Masoretic text of the Torah translated πνεῦμα θεοῦ in the Septuagint (see table below). And a search of αὐτῷ yielded 14 occurrences of forms of עַל (ʿal) in the Masoretic text of the Torah translated ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ in the Septuagint plus 1 occurrence translated ἐστιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ (see table below).

This exercise was little more than a demonstration of the possibility of translating the Greek word string καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ back into Hebrew in a manner consistent with other Greek translations from Hebrew in the Septuagint. The time it took, however, allowed my emotions the opportunity to cool and subside. Then I was able to hear this word string as a Greek translation of a Hebrew text predating the Masoretic text of Numbers 23:6 (English Elpenor).

And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole-burnt-offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said…

So, God promised Balaam: “If these people are here to call you, rise up, and follow them, but the word that I speak to you—this you shall do.”¹¹ The angel of the Lord reiterated that promise: Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt take heed to speak.¹² Then God began to fulfill his promise: And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said (e.g., promised), thou shalt return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.¹³ Then God empowered Balaam to obey his word—and the Spirit of God came upon him—and the promise was fulfilled (Numbers 23:7b-10 ESV).

“From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’ How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced? For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”

Before considering the content of God’s word to Balak, I want to ask some questions: How would this play out among the Masoretes (“whose name derives from the Hebrew word mesorah, meaning tradition”¹⁴)? Would those “scholars and scribes” tasked “to decipher the authentic word of God” from “many disparities of the Torah [which had] emerged as countless scribes wrote numerous scrolls,” with an “ultimate goal…to uphold the traditions of the Jewish people,” fail to recognize how similar and the Spirit of God came upon the Gentile prophet Balaam was to the teachings of that traitor to “the traditions of the Jewish people” (Acts 9:1-31)¹⁵ Saul (aka Paul, an Apostle¹⁶ of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles¹⁷)? Was there any way possible (apart from the direct intervention of the Spirit of God) that these men could recognize and the Spirit of God came upon a Gentile prophet as “the authentic word of God”?

Though these specific questions weren’t addressed, an article, titled “What Are the Different Manuscripts of the Old Testament, and How Do They Compare?” on the Updated American Standard Version (USAV) Bible website, made some compelling observations about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered near the Dead Sea in the 1940s. The Dead Sea Scrolls are considered one of the most important discoveries in biblical archaeology and have significantly contributed to the study of the Hebrew Scriptures…

One of the most significant aspects of the Dead Sea Scrolls is the preservation of the Hebrew text in its earliest form, which predates the Masoretic text [“the standard text of the Hebrew Scriptures that was codified by the Masoretes in the early Middle Ages”], the standard version of the Hebrew Bible used today, by hundreds of years. This has provided scholars with a unique opportunity to compare and analyze the differences between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic text.

The Dead Sea Scrolls also demonstrate the fluidity of the text of the Hebrew Bible in the Second Temple period [516 BC – 70 AD], showing that textual variations were not considered significant and that multiple versions of the same texts were accepted and used…

For example, the Dead Sea Scrolls often contain longer and more varied forms of biblical passages than the Masoretic Text. They also sometimes have alternative readings for certain passages, which can shed light on the development of the text over time. In some cases, the Dead Sea Scrolls have been found to have readings that are closer to the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, than to the Masoretic Text.

Despite these differences, the overall agreement between the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Masoretic Text is remarkable, especially considering the significant time gap between the two. This agreement supports the general accuracy and reliability of the transmission of the biblical text over the centuries.

The “overall agreement between” the Masoretic text and the Septuagint in the Old Testament, and the critical text and received texts in the New, also “supports the general accuracy and reliability of the transmission of the biblical text over the centuries.” For those of us who have no access to manuscripts (and would go blind trying to read them online) the Septuagint and the received texts offer the opportunity to consider (along with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit) some of those differences. We don’t know which of the “multiple versions” of the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings Jesus preferred, but He does.

The goal of Bible study is eternal life, that [we] know (γινώσκωσιν) [Him], the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [He has] sent.¹⁸ All righteousness flows from that relationship through his indwelling Spirit; γινώσκωσιν is a form of γινώσκω: “to know; to come to know, find out by observation, find out by inquiry; to arrive at a solution of (a puzzle, riddle, etc.); to have in the mind, have learned; to become closely acquainted with, have personal knowledge of; to recognize, admit to acquaintance with; to experience (e.g., to know disappointment); to be aware, become aware; to recognize as one’s own; to understand, comprehend; to perceive, notice, realize; to acknowledge, recognize (someone’s authority or relationship); to identify; to acknowledge as true, admit as important; to take note of, not neglect someone needy; to take an interest in, concern oneself with; to admit to the veracity of (a proposition); to have sexual intercourse.”

God, demonstrating his knowledge, addressed Balak with a verbal reprise of events (Numbers 23:7 ESV).

From Aram Balak has brought me, the king of Moab from the eastern mountains: ‘Come, curse Jacob for me, and come, denounce Israel!’

Balak believed that Balaam’s word was powerful; he had said, “for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed,”¹⁹ and demonstrated his faith by reaching out to Balaam for assistance. But did he believe Balaam spoke the word of God? That depends on whether he believed Balaam when he said: “Perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he shows me I will tell you.”²⁰

God’s word to Balak continued (Numbers 23:8 ESV):

How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?

Granted, this sounds as if Balaam is speaking for himself on his own behalf. Only the reader of the Masoretic text knows that the Lord put a word in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and thus you shall speak.”²¹ And only the reader of the Septuagint knows that the Spirit of God came upon him,²² ensuring that Balaam spoke the word the Lord put in his mouth. To one who knows the Lord, however, this line of questioning, inviting one to reconsider one’s own way, is very familiar.²³

Balaam continued (Numbers 23:9, 10a ESV).

For from the top of the crags I see him, from the hills I behold him; behold, a people dwelling alone, and not counting itself among the nations! Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel?

This definitely sounds like Balaam speaking, even describing what he and Balak can see with their own eyes, except for the saying: not counting itself among the nations! How did this Gentile prophet know that the Lord had promised Israel, You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine,²⁴ if not from the word the Lord put in his mouth? Likewise, one wonders how this Gentile prophet referenced the then current progress of fulfillment of the Lord’s promise to Abraham: And he brought [Abraham] outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”²⁵

But the conclusion of Balaam’s prophecy confounds the imagination (Numbers 23:10b ESV):

Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!”

The Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here as well:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 23:10b (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:10b (NET)	Numbers 23:10b (NETS)	Numbers 23:10b (English Elpenor)
Let me (נַפְשִׁי֙) die (תָּמֹ֤ת) the death (מ֣וֹת) of the righteous (יְשָׁרִ֔ים), and let mine end (אַֽחֲרִיתִ֖י) be (וּתְהִ֥י) like his (כָּמֹֽהוּ)!	Let me (nep̄eš, נפשי) die (mûṯ, תמת) the death (māveṯ, מות) of the upright (yāšār, ישרים), and let the end of my life (‘aḥărîṯ, אחריתי) be (hāyâ, ותהי) like theirs (kᵊmô, כמהו).”	May my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) die (ἀποθάνοι) among souls (ἐν ψυχαῖς) of righteous ones (δικαίων), and (καὶ) may my offspring (τὸ σπέρμα μου) be (γένοιτο) as their offspring (ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων)!”	let my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) die (ἀποθάνοι) with the souls (ἐν ψυχαῖς) of the righteous (δικαίων), and let (καὶ) my seed (τὸ σπέρμα μου) be (γένοιτο) as their seed (ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων).

The Hebrew verb תָּמֹ֤ת (mûṯ) in the Masoretic text was translated Let…die in the Tanakh, KJV and NET. It was translated ἀποθάνοι in the Septuagint: May…die (NETS), let…die (English Elpenor). Though ἀποθάνοι might be understood as an infinitive form of ἀποθνήσκω (“to die”), the optative mood seems more likely here.

The optative is the mood of possibility, removed even further than the subjunctive mood from something conceived of as actual. Often it is used to convey a wish or hope for a certain action to occur.²⁶

The next Hebrew noun in the Masoretic text—נַפְשִׁי֙ (nep̄eš), translated me (Tanakh, KJV, NET)—was arguably translated better in the Septuagint—ἡ ψυχή μου, my soul (NETS, English Elpenor). Consider Genesis 12:13:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:13 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 12:13 (NET)	Genesis 12:13 (NETS) Table	Genesis 12:13 (English Elpenor)
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me (לִ֣י) for thy sake, and that my soul (נַפְשִׁ֖י) may live (וְחָֽיְתָ֥ה) because of thee.’	So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me (‘ănî, לי) because of you and my life (nep̄eš, נפשי) will be spared [note 39: Heb “and my life will live (ḥāyâ, וחיתה).”] on account of you.”	Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me (μοι) because of you, and my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) will live (καὶ ζήσεται) on your account.”	Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me (μοι) on account of thee, and my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) shall live (καὶ ζήσεται) because of thee.

Here with me (Tanakh, KJV) or for me (NET) was an entirely different word in the Masoretic text, לִ֣י (‘ănî), and in the Septuagint with me (NETS, English Elpenor) was μοι. But the major difference in the first clause in Numbers 23:10b was translating the death (Tanakh, KJV, NET)—מ֣וֹת (māveṯ)—ἐν ψυχαῖς, among souls (NETS), with the souls (English Elpenor). I’ll return to this difference after considering the major differences in the next clause.

The next clause begins with וּתְהִ֥י (hāyâ), and let…be (Tanakh, KJV, NET) in the Masoretic text, which was translated καὶ γένοιτο, and may…be (NETS), and let…be (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint. But אַֽחֲרִיתִ֖י (‘aḥărîṯ), mine end (Tanakh), my last end (KJV), the end of my life (NET), was translated τὸ σπέρμα μου, my offspring (NETS), my seed (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint. This is not as strange as it may seem at first after considering 8 other occurrences ²⁷ of forms of אַחֲרִית (‘aḥărîṯ) in the Masoretic text of the Torah.

One:

Then Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in days to come.²⁸

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 49:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 49:1 (NET)	Genesis 49:1 (NETS)	Genesis 49:1, 2a (English Elpenor)
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: ‘Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end (בְּאַֽחֲרִ֥ית) of days (הַיָּמִֽים).	Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in future (aḥărîṯ, באחרית) days (yôm, הימים).	Then Iakob summoned his sons and said: “Gather together in order that I may tell you what will happen to you at the last (ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων) of the days (τῶν ἡμερῶν).	AND Jacob called his sons, and said to them, (2) Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in the last (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων) days (τῶν ἡμερῶν).

Here, בְּאַֽחֲרִ֥ית, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), followed by הַיָּמִֽים, a form of יוֹם (yôm), was translated in the end of days (Tanakh), in the last days (KJV) and in future days (NET) from the Masoretic text. This phrase was translated ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, at the last of the days (NETS) and in the last days (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

Two:

Then he looked on Amalek and took up his discourse and said, “Amalek was the first among the nations, but its end is utter destruction.”²⁹

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 24:20 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:20 (NET)	Numbers 24:20 (NETS)	Numbers 24:20 (English Elpenor)
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end (וְאַֽחֲרִית֖וֹ) shall come (עֲדֵ֥י) to destruction (אֹבֵֽד).	Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end (aḥărîṯ, ואחריתו) will be that (ʿaḏ, עדי) he will perish (‘ōḇēḏ, אבד).”	And when he saw Amalek and took up his parable, he said: “Rule of nations is Amalek, but their offspring (καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν) will perish (ἀπολεῖται).”	And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec [is] the first of the nations; yet his seed (καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν) shall perish (ἀπολεῖται).

Here, וְאַֽחֲרִית֖וֹ, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), followed by עֲדֵ֥י, a form of עַד (ʿaḏ), and אֹבֵֽד (‘ōḇēḏ) was translated but his end shall come to destruction (Tanakh), but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever (KJV) and but his end will be that he will perish (NET) from the Masoretic text. This phrase was translated καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται, but their offspring will perish (NETS) and yet his seed shall perish (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint. In other words, to perish for ever was understood by the translators of the Septuagint as the death of the last of one’s family line. So, וְאַֽחֲרִית֖וֹ, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ) in the Masoretic text, was translated καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν in the Septuagint: but his end (NET) understood as but their offspring (NETS).

Three:

When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.³⁰

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 4:30, 31 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 4:30, 31 (NET)	Deuteronomy 4:29b-31 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 4:29b-31 (English Elpenor)
In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end (בְּאַֽחֲרִית֙) of days (הַיָּמִ֔ים), thou wilt return to HaShem thy G-d, and hearken unto His voice;	In your distress when all these things happen to you in future (aḥărîṯ, באחרית) days (yôm, הימים), if you return to the Lord your God and obey him	in your distress. And all these words shall find you in the end (ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτῳ) of days (τῶν ἡμερῶν), and you will return to the Lord your God and listen to his voice.	in your affliction. (30) And all these things shall come upon thee in the last (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ) days (τῶν ἡμερῶν), and thou shalt turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice.
for HaShem thy G-d is a merciful G-d; He will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He swore unto them.	(for he is a merciful God), he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.	Because the Lord your God is a compassionate god, he will neither abandon you nor wipe you out; he will not forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.	Because the Lord thy God [is] a God of pity: he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee; he will not forget the covenant of thy fathers, which the Lord sware to them.

Here, בְּאַֽחֲרִית֙, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), followed by הַיָּמִ֔ים, a form of יוֹם (yôm), was translated in the end of days (Tanakh), even in the latter days (KJV) and in future days (NET) from the Masoretic text. And this phrase was translated ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ τῶν ἡμερῶν, in the end of days (NETS) and in the last days (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

Four:

who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.³¹

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 8:16 (Tanakh/KJV)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (NET)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (English Elpenor)
who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might afflict thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end (בְּאַֽחֲרִיתֶֽךָ);	fed you in the wilderness with manna (which your ancestors had never before known) so that he might by humbling you test you and eventually (aḥărîṯ, באחריתך) bring good to you.	who fed you with manna in the wilderness that your fathers did not know so that he might distress you and test you, that you might do well at your end (ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου).	who fed thee with manna in the wilderness, which thou knewest not, and thy fathers knew not; that he might afflict thee, and thoroughly try thee, and do thee good in thy latter days (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου).

Here, בְּאַֽחֲרִיתֶֽךָ, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), was not followed by any form of יוֹם (yôm). It was translated at thy latter end (Tanakh, KJV) and eventually (NET) from the Masoretic text. But in the Septuagint this one word was still translated ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου, at your end (NETS) and in thy latter days (English Elpenor).

Five:

a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.³²

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 11:12 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (NET)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (English Elpenor)
a land which HaShem thy G-d careth for; the eyes of HaShem thy G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end (אַֽחֲרִ֥ית) of the year.	a land the Lord your God looks after. He is constantly attentive to it from the beginning to the end (aḥărîṯ, אחרית) of the year.	a land that the Lord your God regards it. The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year even until the end (συντελείας) of the year.	A land which the Lord thy God surveys continually, the eyes of the Lord thy God are upon it from the beginning of the year to the end (συντελείας) of the year.

Here, אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), was translated the end (Tanakh, KJV, NET) from the Masoretic text, and συντελείας, the end (NETS, English Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

Six:

For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And in the days to come evil will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.”³³

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 31:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (NET)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (English Elpenor)
For I know that after (אַֽחֲרֵ֤י) my death (מוֹתִי֙) ye will in any wise deal corruptly, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the end (בְּאַֽחֲרִ֣ית) of days (הַיָּמִ֔ים); because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of HaShem, to provoke Him through the work of your hands.’	For I know that after (‘aḥar, אחרי) I die (māveṯ, מותי) you will totally corrupt yourselves and turn away from the path I have commanded you to walk. Disaster will confront you in future (aḥărîṯ, באחרית) days (yôm, הימים) because you will act wickedly before the Lord, inciting him to anger because of your actions.”	For I know that, after (ἔσχατον) my demise (τῆς τελευτῆς μου), with lawlessness you will act lawlessly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And the evils will come upon you at the end (ἔσχατον) of days (τῶν ἡμερῶν), because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him through the works of your hands.”	For I know that after (ἔσχατον) my death (τῆς τελευτῆς μου) ye will utterly transgress, and turn aside out of the way which I have commanded you; and evils shall come upon you in the latter (ἔσχατον) days (τῶν ἡμερῶν), because ye will do evil before the Lord, to provoke him to anger by the works of your hands.

Here, בְּאַֽחֲרִ֣ית, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), followed by הַיָּמִ֔ים, a form of יוֹם (yôm), was translated in the end of days (Tanakh), in the latter days (KJV) and in future days (NET) from the Masoretic text. The phrase was translated ἔσχατον τῶν ἡμερῶν, at the end of days (NETS) and in the latter days (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint. The adjective אַֽחֲרֵ֤י, a form of אַחַר (‘aḥar), after (Tanakh, KJV, NET) from the Masoretic text was also translated ἔσχατον, after (NETS, English Elpenor) in the Septuagint. This was followed by מוֹתִי֙, a form of מָוֶת (māveṯ), my death (Tanakh, KJV) and I die (NET) in the Masoretic text, which was translated τῆς τελευτῆς μου, my demise (NETS) and my death (English Elpenor) in the Septuagint (see table below for a listing of all the occurrences of forms of מָוֶת [māveṯ] in the Masoretic text of the Torah and their translations in the Elpenor version of the Septuagint).

Seven:

And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them; I will see what their end will be, for they are a perverse generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.³⁴

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 32:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (NET)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (English Elpenor)
And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be (אַֽחֲרִיתָ֑ם); for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.	He said, “I will reject them. I will see what will happen to them (aḥărîṯ, אחריתם); for they are a perverse generation, children who show no loyalty.	And he said: I will turn away my face from them, and I will show what will happen to them (ἔσται αὐτοῖς) at the end (ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων), for it is a perverse generation, sons who have no faithfulness in them.	and said, I will turn away my face from them, and will show what shall happen to them (ἔσται αὐτοῖς) in the last days (ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων ἡμερῶν); for it is a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faith.

Here, אַֽחֲרִיתָ֑ם, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), was translated their end shall be (Tanakh, KJV) and will happen to them (NET) from the Masoretic text. In the Septuagint this noun was translated ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων (BLB Septuagint), will happen to them at the end (NETS) and ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων ἡμερῶν (Elpenor Septuagint), shall happen to them in the last days (English Elpenor).

Eight:

If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!³⁵

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 32:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (NET)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (English Elpenor)
If they were wise, they would understand this, they would discern their latter end (לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם).	I wish that they were wise and could understand this, and that they could comprehend what will happen to them (aḥărîṯ, לאחריתם).”	They had no sense to understand these things. Let them accept them for the time to come (τὸν ἐπιόντα χρόνον).	They had not sense to understand: let them reserve these things against the time to come (τὸν ἐπιόντα χρόνον).

Here, לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם, another form of אַחֲרִית (aḥărîṯ), was translated their latter end (Tanakh, KJV) and what will happen to them (NET) from the Masoretic text. It was translated τὸν ἐπιόντα χρόνον, the time to come (NETS, English Elpenor) in the Septuagint.

Conclusion:

Though this brief survey is insufficient to give me a comprehensive understanding of the theological presuppositions and biases that prompted and governed the translators’ word choices, it does offer me a fairly high degree of confidence that they were translating the same Hebrew words found today in the Masoretic text of Numbers 23:10b. Even ἐν ψυχαῖς, among souls (NETS), with the souls (English Elpenor), as a translation of a form of מָוֶת (māveṯ) seems unremarkable and in general accordance with what can be gleaned of these theological presuppositions when coupled with אַֽחֲרִיתִ֖י (‘aḥărîṯ), mine end (Tanakh), my last end (KJV), the end of my life (NET).

Given that, however, I am much more inclined to understand the word the Lord put in Balaam’s mouth in the light of my own theological presuppositions and biases:

Let me die the death of the upright…³⁶

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For³⁷ whoever would save his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; e.g., “his soul”) will lose it, but whoever loses his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; e.g., “his soul”) for my sake will find it. For what will it profit³⁸ a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul (την δε ψυχην αυτου)? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul (της ψυχης αυτου)?³⁹

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [Table] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that (ἵνα; e.g., “indicating purpose”), just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk (περιπατήσωμεν a form of the verb περιπατέω in the subjunctive mood; e.g. a definite outcome when in a purpose clause) in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος; “our old human”) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.⁴⁰

…and let my end be like his!⁴¹

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider (λογίζεσθε, a form of λογίζομαι; another “multiplexed” verb) yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus [Table].

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions [Table]. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness [Table]. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace [Table].⁴²

Now I wonder how Let me die the death of the upright survived the Masoretes’ editorial process: May my soul die the death of the upright and let my end be like his.⁴³ But an answer is as near as the understanding revealed in the Septuagint: May my soul die among souls of righteous ones.⁴⁴ A Gentile prophet’s desire to die among the upright (e.g., those who held to Jewish tradition as the Masoretes understood it) only served to confirm the Masoretes’ faith. Even Rashi’s (1040-1105) commentary from the Middle Ages falls in line with the interpretation of those who translated the Septuagint:

May my soul die the death of the upright. Among them.⁴⁵

Did Balak realize that he was hearing from God as Balaam prophesied to him? I’ll continue with that in another essay. The tables mentioned above follow.

Forms of הָיָה (hāyâ) in the Masoretic Text of the Torah translated καὶ ἐγενήθη in the Septuagint
Reference	Hebrew – Masoretic Text	Greek – Septuagint
Genesis 39:5	וַיְהִ֞י	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Genesis 49:15	וַיְהִ֖י	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Exodus 2:10	וַֽיְהִי	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Exodus 38:27 (39:4)	וַיְהִ֗י	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Leviticus 9:1	וַֽיְהִי֙	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Numbers 4:44	וַיִּהְי֥וּ	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Numbers 22:41	וַיְהִ֣י	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Numbers 31:32	וַֽיְהִי֙	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Numbers 31:36	וַתְּהִי֙	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Deuteronomy 1:3	וַֽיְהִי֙	καὶ ἐγενήθη
Deuteronomy 2:16	וַיְהִ֨י	καὶ ἐγενήθη

Forms of רוּחַ (rûaḥ) and אֱלֹהִים (‘ĕlōhîm) in the Masoretic Text of the Torah translated πνεῦμα θεοῦ in the Septuagint
Reference	Hebrew – Masoretic Text	Greek – Septuagint
Genesis 1:2	וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֔ים	καὶ πνεῦμα θεοῦ
Genesis 41:38	ר֥וּחַ אֱלֹהִ֖ים	πνεῦμα θεοῦ

Forms of עַל (ʿal) in the Masoretic Text of the Torah translated ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ in the Septuagint
Reference	Hebrew – Masoretic Text	Greek – Septuagint
Exodus 22:3 (22:2)	עָלָ֖יו	ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ
Exodus 28:8	עָלָ֔יו	ἐστιν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ
Exodus 29:36	עָלָ֑יו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ
Leviticus 15:24	עָלָ֔יו	ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ
Leviticus 21:12	עָלָ֖יו	ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ
Leviticus 22:3	עָלָ֑יו	ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ
Numbers 6:7	עַל	ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
Numbers 6:9	עָלָיו֙	ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
Numbers 11:25	עָלָ֔יו	ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
Numbers 19:15	עליו	ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
Deuteronomy 13:8	עָלָ֔יו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ
Deuteronomy 13:8	עָלָֽיו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ
Deuteronomy 19:13	עָלָ֑יו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ
Deuteronomy 24:15	עָלָ֣יו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ
Deuteronomy 33:12	עָלָ֑יו	ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ

Forms of מָוֶת (māveṯ) in the Masoretic Text of the Torah and their translations in the Elpenor Septuagint
Reference	Hebrew / KJV	Elpenor Greek / English
Genesis 21:16	בְּמוֹת / the death	τὸν θάνατον / the death
Genesis 25:11	מוֹת / the death	τὸ ἀποθανεῖν / was dead
Genesis 26:18	מוֹת / the death	τὸ ἀποθανεῖν / the death
Genesis 27:2	מוֹתִי / of my death	τῆς τελευτῆς μου / of my death
Genesis 27:7	מוֹתִי / my death	τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν με / I die
Genesis 27:10	מוֹתוֹ / his death	τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν αὐτόν / he dies
Genesis 50:16	מוֹתוֹ / he died	τοῦ τελευτῆσαι αὐτὸν / his death
Exodus 10:17	הַמָּוֶת / death	τὸν θάνατον / death
Leviticus 11:31	בְּמֹתָם / when they be dead	τεθνηκότων / carcases
Leviticus 11:32	בְּמֹתָם / when they are dead	τεθνηκότων / dead bodies
Leviticus 16:1	מוֹת / the death	τὸ τελευτῆσαι / died
Numbers 6:7	בְּמֹתָם / when they die	ἀποθανόντων αὐτῶν / when they have died
Numbers 16:29	כְּמוֹת / common death	θάνατον / the death
Numbers 23:10	מוֹת / the death	ἐν ψυχαῖς / with the souls
Numbers 26:10	בְּמוֹת / when…died	τῷ θανάτῳ / perished
Numbers 33:39	בְּמֹתוֹ / when he died	ὅτε ἀπέθνησκεν / when he died
Numbers 35:25	מוֹת / the death	ἀποθάνῃ / the death
Numbers 35:28	מוֹת /the death	ἀποθάνῃ / died
Numbers 35:28	מוֹת / the death	τὸ ἀποθανεῖν / the death
Numbers 35:32	מוֹת / the death	ἀποθάνῃ / the death
Deuteronomy 19:6	מָוֶת / of death	θανάτου / of death
Deuteronomy 21:22	מָוֶת / of death	θανάτου / of death
Deuteronomy 22:26	מָוֶת / of death	θανάτου / of death
Deuteronomy 30:15	הַמָּוֶת / death	τὸν θάνατον / death
Deuteronomy 30:19	וְהַמָּוֶת / and death	καὶ τὸν θάνατον / and death
Deuteronomy 31:27	מוֹתִי / my death	τοῦ θανάτου μου / my death
Deuteronomy 31:29	מוֹתִי / my death	τῆς τελευτῆς μου / my death
Deuteronomy 33:1	מוֹתוֹ / his death	τῆς τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ / his death
Deuteronomy 34:7	בְּמֹתוֹ / when he died	ἐν τῷ τελευτᾶν αὐτόν / at his death

Tables comparing Numbers 22:41; 23:1; 23:2; 23:3; 23:4; 23:5; 23:6; 23:7; 23:8; 23:9; 23:10; Leviticus 20:26; Genesis 49:1; Numbers 24:20; Deuteronomy 4:30; 4:31; 8:16; 11:12; 31:29; 32:20 and 32:29 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Numbers 22:41; 23:1; 23:2; 23:3; 23:4; 23:5; 23:6; 23:7; 23:8; 23:9; 23:10; Leviticus 20:26; Genesis 49:1; Numbers 24:20; Deuteronomy 4:30; 4:31; 8:16; 11:12; 31:29; 32:20 and 32:29 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 16:25, 26 in the KJV and NET follow.

Numbers 22:41 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:41 (KJV)	Numbers 22:41 (NET)
And it came to pass in the morning that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into Bamoth-baal, and he saw from thence the utmost part of the people.	And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.	Then on the next morning Balak took Balaam, and brought him up to Bamoth Baal. From there he saw the extent of the nation.

Numbers 22:41 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:41 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη πρωὶ καὶ παραλαβὼν Βαλακ τὸν Βαλααμ ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν στήλην τοῦ Βααλ καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ ἐκεῖθεν μέρος τι τοῦ λαοῦ	καὶ ἐγενήθη πρωΐ καὶ παραλαβὼν Βαλὰκ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ἀνεβίβασεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν στήλην τοῦ Βαὰλ καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ ἐκεῖθεν μέρος τι τοῦ λαοῦ
Numbers 22:41 (NETS)	Numbers 22:41 (English Elpenor)
And it became morning, and Balak took along Balaam and brought him up to the stele of Baal, and he showed him from there a part of the people.	And it was morning; and Balac took Balaam, and brought him up to the pillar of Baal, and shewed him thence a part of the people.

Numbers 23:1 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:1 (KJV)	Numbers 23:1 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.’	And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.	Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”

Numbers 23:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ τῷ Βαλακ οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς	ΚΑΙ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῷ Βαλάκ· οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ἐνταῦθα ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς
Numbers 23:1 (NETS)	Numbers 23:1 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven calves and seven rams.”	And Balaam said to Balac, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

Numbers 23:2 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:2 (KJV)	Numbers 23:2 (NET)
And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.	And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.	So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each altar a bull and a ram.

Numbers 23:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Βαλακ ὃν τρόπον εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν	καὶ ἐποίησε Βαλὰκ ὃν τρόπον εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλαάμ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκε μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Numbers 23:2 (NETS)	Numbers 23:2 (English Elpenor)
And Balak did in the manner Balaam told him, and Balak and Balaam offered up a calf and a ram on the altar.	And Balac did as Balaam told him; and he offered up a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 23:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:3 (KJV)	Numbers 23:3 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Stand by thy burnt-offering, and I will go; peradventure HaShem will come to meet me; and whatsoever He showeth me I will tell thee.’ And he went to a bare height.	And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.	Balaam said to Balak, “Station yourself by your burnt offering, and I will go off; perhaps the Lord will come to meet me, and whatever he reveals to me I will tell you.” Then he went to a deserted height.

Numbers 23:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου καὶ πορεύσομαι εἴ μοι φανεῖται ὁ θεὸς ἐν συναντήσει καὶ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐάν μοι δείξῃ ἀναγγελῶ σοι καὶ παρέστη Βαλακ ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας αὐτοῦ καὶ Βαλααμ ἐπορεύθη ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐπορεύθη εὐθεῖαν	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου, καὶ πορεύσομαι εἴ μοι φανεῖται ὁ Θεὸς ἐν συναντήσει, καὶ ῥῆμα, ὃ ἐάν μοι δείξῃ, ἀναγγελῶ σοι. καὶ παρέστη Βαλὰκ ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ Βαλαὰμ ἐπορεύθη ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἐπορεύθη εὐθεῖαν
Numbers 23:3 (NETS)	Numbers 23:3, 4a (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your sacrifice, but as for me I will go, If God will appear to me in a meeting. And whatever word he shows me I will report to you.” And Balak stood beside his sacrifice, and Balaam went to inquire of God, and he went straight ahead.	And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go and see if God will appear to me and meet me, and the word which he shall shew me, I will report to thee. And Balac stood by his sacrifice. (4) And Balaam went to enquire of God; and he went straight forward,

Numbers 23:4 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:4 (KJV)	Numbers 23:4 (NET)
And G-d met Balaam; and he said unto Him: ‘I have prepared the seven altars, and I have offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.’	And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.	Then God met Balaam, who said to him, “I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered on each altar a bull and a ram.”

Numbers 23:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐφάνη ὁ θεὸς τῷ Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλααμ τοὺς ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς ἡτοίμασα καὶ ἀνεβίβασα μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν	καὶ ἐφάνη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Βαλαάμ, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλαάμ· τοὺς ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς ἡτοίμασα καὶ ἀνεβίβασα μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Numbers 23:4 (NETS)	Numbers 23:4b (English Elpenor)
And God appeared to Balaam, and Balaam said to him, “I prepared the seven altars, and I brought up a calf and a ram on the altar.”	and God appeared to Balaam; and Balaam said to him, I have prepared the seven altars, and have offered a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 23:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:5 (KJV)	Numbers 23:5 (NET)
And HaShem put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said: ‘Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.’	And the LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.	Then the Lord put a message in Balaam’s mouth and said, “Return to Balak, and speak what I tell you.”

Numbers 23:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ὁ θεὸς ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν ἐπιστραφεὶς πρὸς Βαλακ οὕτως λαλήσεις	καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ὁ Θεὸς ρῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐπιστραφεὶς πρὸς Βαλὰκ οὕτω λαλήσεις
Numbers 23:5 (NETS)	Numbers 23:5 (English Elpenor)
And God put a word into Balaam’s mouth and said, “When you return to Balak, thus you shall speak.”	And God put a word into the mouth of Balaam, and said, thou shalt return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

Numbers 23:6 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:6 (KJV)	Numbers 23:6 (NET)
And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt-offering, he, and all the princes of Moab.	And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.	So he returned to him, and he was still standing by his burnt offering, he and all the princes of Moab.

Numbers 23:6, 7a (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ (7) καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ	καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῶν ὁλοκαυτωμάτων αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ μετ’ αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ
Numbers 23:6 7a (NETS)	Numbers 23:6 (English Elpenor)
And he returned to him, and the latter stood over his whole burnt offering, and all the rulers of Moab with him. (7) And a divine spirit was upon him.	And he returned to him, and moreover he stood over his whole-burnt-offerings, and all the princes of Moab with him; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 23:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:7 (KJV)	Numbers 23:7 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: From Aram Balak bringeth me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: ‘Come, curse me Jacob, and come, execrate Israel.’	And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.	Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying, “Balak, the king of Moab, brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, ‘Come, pronounce a curse on Jacob for me; come, denounce Israel.’

Numbers 23:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:6b, 7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας μετεπέμψατό με Βαλακ βασιλεὺς Μωαβ ἐξ ὀρέων ἀπ᾽ ἀνατολῶν λέγων δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν Ιακωβ καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν Ισραηλ	καὶ ἐγενήθη πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ (7) καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ἐκ Μεσοποταμίας μετεπέμψατό με Βαλάκ, βασιλεὺς Μωάβ, ἐξ ὀρέων ἀπ’ ἀνατολῶν λέγων· δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ δεῦρο ἐπικατάρασαί μοι τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 23:7 (NETS)	Numbers 23:6b, 7 (English Elpenor)
And a divine spirit was upon him. And he took up his parable and said: “Out of Mesopotamia Balak sent for me, Moab’s king from mountains on the east, saying: ‘Come, curse Iakob for me, and come, call down curses upon Israel for me!’	and the Spirit of God came upon him. (7) And he took up his parable, and said, Balac king of Moab sent for me out of Mesopotamia, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and Come, call for a curse for me upon Israel.

Numbers 23:8 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:8 (KJV)	Numbers 23:8 (NET)
How shall I curse, whom G-d hath not cursed? And how shall I execrate, whom HaShem hath not execrated?	How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?	How can I curse one whom God has not cursed, or how can I denounce one whom the Lord has not denounced?

Numbers 23:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί ἀράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται κύριος ἢ τί καταράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται ὁ θεός	τί ἀράσωμαι ὃν μὴ ἀρᾶται Κύριος, ἢ τί καταράσωμαι ὃν μὴ καταρᾶται ὁ Θεός
Numbers 23:8 (NETS)	Numbers 23:8 (English Elpenor)
How shall I curse whom the Lord does not curse? Or how shall I call down curses on whom God does not call down curses?	How can I curse whom the Lord curses not? or how can I devote whom God devotes not?

Numbers 23:9 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:9 (KJV)	Numbers 23:9 (NET)
For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, it is a people that shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.	For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.	For from the top of the rocks I see them; from the hills I watch them. Indeed, a nation that lives alone, and it will not be reckoned among the nations.

Numbers 23:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ὀρέων ὄψομαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπὸ βουνῶν προσνοήσω αὐτόν ἰδοὺ λαὸς μόνος κατοικήσει καὶ ἐν ἔθνεσιν οὐ συλλογισθήσεται	ὅτι ἀπὸ κορυφῆς ὀρέων ὄψομαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπὸ βουνῶν προσνοήσω αὐτόν. ἰδοὺ λαὸς μόνος κατοικήσει καὶ ἐν ἔθνεσιν οὐ συλλογισθήσεται
Numbers 23:9 (NETS)	Numbers 23:9 (English Elpenor)
For from a top of mountains I shall see him, and from hills I shall observe him. Behold, a people shall dwell alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations!	For from the top of the mountains I shall see him, and from the hills I shall observe him: behold, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

Numbers 23:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:10 (KJV)	Numbers 23:10 (NET)
Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, or numbered the stock of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his!	Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!	Who can count the dust of Jacob, or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let the end of my life be like theirs.”

Numbers 23:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς ἐξηκριβάσατο τὸ σπέρμα Ιακωβ καὶ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται δήμους Ισραηλ ἀποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων καὶ γένοιτο τὸ σπέρμα μου ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων	τίς ἐξηκριβάσατο τὸ σπέρμα ᾿Ιακώβ, καὶ τίς ἐξαριθμήσεται δήμους ᾿Ισραήλ; ἀποθάνοι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐν ψυχαῖς δικαίων, καὶ γένοιτο τὸ σπέρμα μου ὡς τὸ σπέρμα τούτων
Numbers 23:10 (NETS)	Numbers 23:10 (English Elpenor)
Who has accurately counted the offspring of Iakob, and who shall number Israel’s divisions? May my soul die among souls of righteous ones, and may my offspring be as their offspring!”	Who has exactly calculated the seed of Jacob, and who shall number the families of Israel? let my soul die with the souls of the righteous, and let my seed be as their seed.

Leviticus 20:26 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:26 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:26 (NET)
And ye shall be holy unto Me; for I HaShem am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples, that ye should be Mine.	And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.	You must be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the other peoples to be mine.

Leviticus 20:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσεσθέ μοι ἅγιοι ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὁ ἀφορίσας ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν εἶναι ἐμοί	καὶ ἔσεσθέ μοι ἅγιοι, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιός εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, ὁ ἀφορίσας ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν, εἶναι ἐμοί
Leviticus 20:26 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:26 (English Elpenor)
And you shall be holy to me, for I the Lord your God am holy, who has separated you from all the nations to be mine.	And ye shall be holy to me; because I the Lord your God [am] holy, who separated you from all nations, to be mine.

Genesis 49:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 49:1 (KJV)	Genesis 49:1 (NET)
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: ‘Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the end of days.	And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.	Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in future days.

Genesis 49:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 49:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάλεσεν δὲ Ιακωβ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν συνάχθητε ἵνα ἀναγγείλω ὑμῖν τί ἀπαντήσει ὑμῖν ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν	ΕΚΑΛΕΣΕ δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· συνάχθητε, ἵνα ἀναγγείλω ὑμῖν, τί ἀπαντήσει ὑμῖν ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν
Genesis 49:1 (NETS)	Genesis 49:1, 2a (English Elpenor)
Then Iakob summoned his sons and said: “Gather together in order that I may tell you what will happen to you at the last of the days.	AND Jacob called his sons, and said to them, (2) Assemble yourselves, that I may tell you what shall happen to you in the last days.

Numbers 24:20 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:20 (KJV)	Numbers 24:20 (NET)
And he looked on Amalek, and took up his parable, and said: Amalek was the first of the nations; but his end shall come to destruction.	And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.	Then Balaam looked on Amalek and delivered this oracle: “Amalek was the first of the nations, but his end will be that he will perish.”

Numbers 24:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἀρχὴ ἐθνῶν Αμαληκ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται	καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ᾿Αμαλὴκ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ἀρχὴ ἐθνῶν ᾿Αμαλήκ, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν ἀπολεῖται
Numbers 24:20 (NETS)	Numbers 24:20 (English Elpenor)
And when he saw Amalek and took up his parable, he said: “Rule of nations is Amalek, but their offspring will perish.”	And having seen Amalec, he took up his parable and said, Amalec [is] the first of the nations; yet his seed shall perish.

Deuteronomy 4:30 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 4:30 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 4:30 (NET)
In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end of days, thou wilt return to HaShem thy G-d, and hearken unto His voice;	When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;	In your distress when all these things happen to you in future days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him

Deuteronomy 4:29b, 30 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 4:29b, 30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου (30) καὶ εὑρήσουσίν σε πάντες οἱ λόγοι οὗτοι ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτῳ τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ ἐπιστραφήσῃ πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεόν σου καὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ	ἐν τῇ θλίψει σου· (30) καὶ εὑρήσουσί σε πάντες οἱ λόγοι οὗτοι ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτῳ τῶν ἡμερῶν, καὶ ἐπιστραφήσῃ πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου καὶ εἰσακούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ
Deuteronomy 4:30 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 4:29b, 30 (English Elpenor)
in your distress. And all these words shall find you in the end of days, and you will return to the Lord your God and listen to his voice.	in your affliction. (30) And all these things shall come upon thee in the last days, and thou shalt turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice.

Deuteronomy 4:31 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 4:31 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 4:31 (NET)
for HaShem thy G-d is a merciful G-d; He will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He swore unto them.	(For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.	(for he is a merciful God), he will not let you down or destroy you, for he cannot forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.

Deuteronomy 4:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 4:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι θεὸς οἰκτίρμων κύριος ὁ θεός σου οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει σε οὐδὲ μὴ ἐκτρίψει σε οὐκ ἐπιλήσεται τὴν διαθήκην τῶν πατέρων σου ἣν ὤμοσεν αὐτοῖς	ὅτι Θεὸς οἰκτίρμων Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει σε οὐδὲ μὴ ἐκτρίψῃ σε, οὐκ ἐπιλήσεται τὴν διαθήκην τῶν πατέρων σου, ἣν ὤμοσεν αὐτοῖς Κύριος
Deuteronomy 4:31 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 4:31 (English Elpenor)
Because the Lord your God is a compassionate god, he will neither abandon you nor wipe you out; he will not forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.	Because the Lord thy God [is] a God of pity: he will not forsake thee, nor destroy thee; he will not forget the covenant of thy fathers, which the Lord sware to them.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (NET)
who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might afflict thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;	who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might afflict thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;	fed you in the wilderness with manna (which your ancestors had never before known) so that he might by humbling you test you and eventually bring good to you.

Deuteronomy 8:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦ ψωμίσαντός σε τὸ μαννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν οἱ πατέρες σου ἵνα κακώσῃ σε καὶ ἐκπειράσῃ σε καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου	τοῦ ψωμίσαντός σε τὸ μάννα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὃ οὐκ ᾔδεις σὺ καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν οἱ πατέρες σου, ἵνα κακώσῃ σε καὶ ἐκπειράσῃ σε καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσῃ ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν σου
Deuteronomy 8:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 8:16 (English Elpenor)
who fed you with manna in the wilderness that your fathers did not know so that he might distress you and test you, that you might do well at your end.	who fed thee with manna in the wilderness, which thou knewest not, and thy fathers knew not; that he might afflict thee, and thoroughly try thee, and do thee good in thy latter days.

Deuteronomy 11:12 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (NET)
a land which HaShem thy G-d careth for; the eyes of HaShem thy G-d are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.	A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.	a land the Lord your God looks after. He is constantly attentive to it from the beginning to the end of the year.

Deuteronomy 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
γῆ ἣν κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐπισκοπεῖται αὐτήν διὰ παντὸς οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ ἕως συντελείας τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ	γῆ, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐπισκοπεῖται αὐτὴν διαπαντός, οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ ἕως συντελείας τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ
Deuteronomy 11:12 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 11:12 (English Elpenor)
a land that the Lord your God regards it. The eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year even until the end of the year.	A land which the Lord thy God surveys continually, the eyes of the Lord thy God are upon it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

Deuteronomy 31:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (NET)
For I know that after my death ye will in any wise deal corruptly, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the end of days; because ye will do that which is evil in the sight of HaShem, to provoke Him through the work of your hands.’	For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.	For I know that after I die you will totally corrupt yourselves and turn away from the path I have commanded you to walk. Disaster will confront you in future days because you will act wickedly before the Lord, inciting him to anger because of your actions.”

Deuteronomy 31:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἔσχατον τῆς τελευτῆς μου ἀνομίᾳ ἀνομήσετε καὶ ἐκκλινεῖτε ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ ἧς ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν καὶ συναντήσεται ὑμῖν τὰ κακὰ ἔσχατον τῶν ἡμερῶν ὅτι ποιήσετε τὸ πονηρὸν ἐναντίον κυρίου παροργίσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν	οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι ἔσχατον τῆς τελευτῆς μου ἀνομίᾳ ἀνομήσετε καὶ ἐκκλινεῖτε ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἧς ἐνετειλάμην ὑμῖν, καὶ συναντήσεται ὑμῖν τὰ κακὰ ἔσχατον τῶν ἡμερῶν, ὅτι ποιήσετε τὰ πονηρὰ ἐναντίον Κυρίου παροργίσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν
Deuteronomy 31:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 31:29 (English Elpenor)
For I know that, after my demise, with lawlessness you will act lawlessly and turn aside from the way that I have commanded you. And the evils will come upon you at the end of days, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him through the works of your hands.”	For I know that after my death ye will utterly transgress, and turn aside out of the way which I have commanded you; and evils shall come upon you in the latter days, because ye will do evil before the Lord, to provoke him to anger by the works of your hands.

Deuteronomy 32:20 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (NET)
And He said: ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faithfulness.	And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.	He said, “I will reject them. I will see what will happen to them; for they are a perverse generation, children who show no loyalty.

Deuteronomy 32:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἀποστρέψω τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ δείξω τί ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων ὅτι γενεὰ ἐξεστραμμένη ἐστίν υἱοί οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν πίστις ἐν αὐτοῖς	καὶ εἶπεν· ἀποστρέψω τὸ πρόσωπόν μου ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ δείξω τί ἔσται αὐτοῖς ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων ἡμερῶν· ὅτι γενεὰ ἐξεστραμμένη ἐστίν, υἱοί, οἷς οὐκ ἔστι πίστις ἐν αὐτοῖς
Deuteronomy 32:20 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:20 (English Elpenor)
And he said: I will turn away my face from them, and I will show what will happen to them at the end, for it is a perverse generation, sons who have no faithfulness in them.	and said, I will turn away my face from them, and will show what shall happen to them in the last days; for it is a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faith.

Deuteronomy 32:29 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (NET)
If they were wise, they would understand this, they would discern their latter end.	O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!	I wish that they were wise and could understand this, and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”

Deuteronomy 32:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐφρόνησαν συνιέναι ταῦτα καταδεξάσθωσαν εἰς τὸν ἐπιόντα χρόνον	οὐκ ἐφρόνησαν συνιέναι ταῦτα· καταδεξάσθωσαν εἰς τὸν ἐπιόντα χρόνον
Deuteronomy 32:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:29 (English Elpenor)
They had no sense to understand these things. Let them accept them for the time to come.	They had not sense to understand: let them reserve these things against the time to come.

Matthew 16:25, 26 (NET)	Matthew 16:25, 26 (KJV)
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it.	For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 16:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 16:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ σῶσαι ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ εὑρήσει αὐτήν	ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου ευρησει αυτην	ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου ευρησει αυτην

For what does it benefit a person if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life?

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 16:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 16:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τί γὰρ ὠφεληθήσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐὰν τὸν κόσμον ὅλον κερδήσῃ τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ; ἢ τί δώσει ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ	τι γαρ ωφελειται ανθρωπος εαν τον κοσμον ολον κερδηση την δε ψυχην αυτου ζημιωθη η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου	τι γαρ ωφελειται ανθρωπος εαν τον κοσμον ολον κερδηση την δε ψυχην αυτου ζημιωθη η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου

3 John, Part 6

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