The Day of the Lord, Part 6

This is a continuation of my consideration whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) is like Jesus’ disciples’ discussion about having no bread1 after He said: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”2

In another essay I began to look at John’s description of antichrist and many antichrists because Meyer’s NT Commentary stated that many of the Church Fathers had understood Paul’s description of the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, as the Antichrist.

2 Thessalonians 2:3b, 4 (NET)

The Church Fathers

For [the day of the Lord] will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction ( υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας) [Table]. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, and as a result he takes his seat in God’s temple, displaying himself as God [Table]. They correctly agree in considering that by the advent (2 Thessalonians 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:8), or the day of the Lord (2 Thessalonians 2:2), is to be understood the personal advent of Christ for the last judgment and for the completion of the Messianic kingdom. Also it is correctly regarded as proved, that the Antichrist here described is to be considered as an individual person, in whom sin will embody itself.

The last insight into antichrist I considered in another essay I titled “the antichrist…denies the Father and the Son.” John penned a contrast to this title in the final verse I quoted under that heading: The person who confesses ( ὁμολογῶν) the Son has the Father also.3 His explanation of this point is my final insight:

4. …the spirit of the antichristrefuses to confess Jesus

John wrote (1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 1:7 NET):

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that refuses to confess Jesus, that spirit is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist (ἀντιχρίστου), which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world [Table].

For many deceivers have gone out4 into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist!

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.5 Though I might otherwise have focused on test (δοκιμάζετε, a form of δοκιμάζω) the spirits, this study has focused my attention on the many antichrists who went out from us.

1 John 2:18b, 19a (NET Parallel Greek) Table

1 John 4:1b (NET Parallel Greek)

καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασινἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν ὅτι πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται ἐξεληλύθασιν εἰς τὸν κόσμον

1 John 2:18b, 19a (NET)

1 John 4:1b (NET)

so now many antichrists have appeared…They went out from us because many false prophets have gone out into the world

This is, admittedly, the first time I’ve made any strong connection between ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ (many antichrists) and πολλοὶ ψευδοπροφῆται (many false prophets). The connection is made primarily by John’s descriptions of antichrist and many antichrists, but also through the verbs ἐξῆλθαν (They went out) and ἐξεληλύθασιν (have gone out), forms of ἐξέρχομαι. I hadn’t thought of these many false prophets as those who went out from us before. Jesus warned, Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.6

Up until this moment my religious mind had limited my understanding of false prophets to “religious” things, to those who make false predictions about Jesus’ return or some other false teaching of Scripture. Combined with the many antichrists who went out from us, Jesus’ warning that whoever does not gather with me scatters (σκορπίζει, a form of σκορπίζω) and my initial insights into false wonders, however, I’m willing to modify that understanding.

Charles Darwin doesn’t appear to be one who went out from the visible church literally. “Darwin and his family had a lifetime involvement with the Church of England, and various dissenting establishments…His local activities in the village of Down paint a fascinating picture of a man who, despite his own divergent beliefs and uncertainties, was determined to support the church as a social institution.”7 This was partly explained by the existence of a state church in England: “A nominal adherence to the Anglican Church’s teachings was still essential for admittance to many of the elite cultural and political institutions of England. It was required to enter Oxford and Cambridge, for example, and an Oxbridge degree was often crucial, in turn, in securing a position in the most prestigious professions. As a young man, Charles went up to Cambridge in 1828 with the aim of completing the necessary studies to be a clergyman.”8

On the other hand, it is apparent that Aleister Crowley went out from the Plymouth Brethren. An entry in Wikipedia describing “The Confessions of Aleister Crowley: An Autohagiography” states: “In reference to his early years of being raised by fundamentalist Christians, Crowley explains how he became a rebel against conventional religion and how his behaviour and conflicts with authority figures contributed to his reputation as a dark magician. Whilst Crowley does not deny dabbling with demonic forces, his memoirs reveal that his aim was the progress and spiritual freedom of humanity.”9

E.O. Wilson, the controversial10father of sociobiology,” according to an entry11 in Wikipedia online:

…described his position as “provisional deism”[71] and explicitly denied the label of “atheist”, preferring “agnostic”.[72] He explained his faith as a trajectory away from traditional beliefs: “I drifted away from the church, not definitively agnostic or atheistic, just Baptist & Christian no more.”[45] Wilson argued that belief in God and the rituals of religion are products of evolution.[73] He argued that they should not be rejected or dismissed, but further investigated by science to better understand their significance to human nature. In his book The Creation, Wilson wrote that scientists ought to “offer the hand of friendship” to religious leaders and build an alliance with them, stating that “Science and religion are two of the most potent forces on Earth and they should come together to save the creation.”[74]

…In a New Scientist interview published on January 21, 2015, however, Wilson said that “Religion ‘is dragging us down’ and must be eliminated ‘for the sake of human progress'”, and “So I would say that for the sake of human progress, the best thing we could possibly do would be to diminish, to the point of eliminating, religious faiths.”[76]

An entry titled “Sociobiology” in The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy online states:

Human behavioral ecology (HBE), or human evolutionary ecology, is the current evolutionary social science most closely related to Wilson’s sociobiological project; it is the project that is sometimes still referred to as “sociobiology” by some philosophers of science (Griffiths, 2008; Sterelny and Griffiths, 1999)…

To understand the purposes of the HBE project, let’s consider one of its classic examples: Kaplan and Hill’s (1992) work on prey choice strategies amongst the Ache foragers of Paraguay. Just as in non-human behavioral ecology, behavioral strategies in HBE are usually described as complex behavioral dispositions. Behavioral dispositions involve behavioral responses to local stimuli; behavioral strategies then involve producing a set of different responses to a set of different stimuli (i.e. the response conditions of the strategy). According to Kaplan and Hill, the Ache prey choice strategy involves choosing a variety of different potential prey items from the environment; whether or not a prey item is taken depends on a number of circumstances acting as the response conditions: for example, the presence of prey with certain specific features, such as the caloric return of the prey given the time necessary to process it (known as the profitability); the rate at which that prey occurs in the environment; whether or not the prey is encountered on their search; and the search time available on a foraging trip…

HBEs explicitly accept that social learning of general purpose reasoning may be responsible for human behavioral strategies such as the Ache’s.

This was followed immediately by a Human Behavioral Ecology “statement of faith”:

However, this is ultimately irrelevant; one way or another, natural selection has, in effect, “seen to it” that humans behave in ways that tend to maximize their reproductive success.

The Lord used statements like this in E.O. Wilson’s comments on Sociobiology to help wean me from any consideration of evolution as a plausible alternative to his creation of life. As for “means” (e.g., God used evolution to create life as we see it now), it’s not what the Scripture says. Perhaps, the benefit I’ve derived from considering each of these men as I followed Jesus through the Scriptures has made me slow (or even loathe) to recognize them as false prophets and antichrists. And that brings me at last to Friedrich Nietzsche.

According to an entry in Wikipedia online, Friedrich Nietzsche was the son of “a Lutheran pastor[15]…Academic records from one of the schools attended by Nietzsche noted that he excelled in Christian theology.”[17] The Lord used Nietzsche’s12 writings to help me understand my own unbelief. I wrote of Nietzsche in another essay:

When I consider the justice of God’s mercy in and through Christ I am reminded of Friedrich Nietzsche. Jesus said, Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.[30] The soul cannot be killed with weaponry. But Friedrich Nietzsche came about as close to being a soul killer as I can imagine a human being becoming. Who can calculate his devastating impact on the souls of academics and the intelligentsia? But if I imagine him in torment in hell for all eternity, cursing his nonexistent god, I realize that I can imagine no greater destruction of the personality I know as Friedrich Nietzsche than to find him one day clothed and in his right mind,[31] and sitting at the feet of Jesus.

This particular blog entry posted: May 25, 2013. The confirmation of this “no greater destruction” insight posted: December 14, 2022. It was the first time I really grappled with the differences between the mind of Christ and my religious mind vis-a-vis John 12:31, 32 (NET).

Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

Before that study I could only see these as three independent projects on a to-do list. Afterward, I began to see the first two accomplished in the promise of the third. Present day scientists and philosophers would call that confirmation bias. Possibly so, but it’s the kind of confirmation bias that helps to keep me following Jesus through the Scripture.

Frankly, I would much rather tell you that I learned about the judgment of this world13 from Jesus’ words, explained in his promise, And Iwill draw all people to myself,14 and then declared “that I can imagine no greater destruction of the personality I know as Friedrich Nietzsche than to find him one day clothed and in his right mind,[31] and sitting at the feet of Jesus.” The opposite, that I had this insight before I heard Jesus’ words (which I had read many times before), makes me feel stupid and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!15 And the prophet here was none other than the Lord Himself!

Granted, some of my stupidity and slowness of heart to believe is attributable to the fact that what I am believing now is contrary to my religion and even to my own religious mind. This confirmation bias is one of many that helps me to gain the courage to stand up to my religion and my own religious mind and say: “No, I would rather be wrong trusting Jesus’ words when I stand before Him in judgment, than right trusting yours.”

Having said that, I think it’s important to point out that John limited the terms antichrist, false prophets and deceivers (πλάνοι, a form of πλάνος) to those who do not confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh,16 to people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh.17 These are not terms John threw out at brothers and sisters who are slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. The resurrected Jesus described us as, You foolish people ( ἀνόητοι).18 The Greek word ἀνόητοι is a plural form of the adjective ἀνόητος: “uneducated, low intelligence, unintelligent, lacking understanding; unwise, not thought on, unheard of; foolish, senseless.”

I’ll continue with this in another essay. A table comparing 2 John 1:7 in the NET and KJV follows.

2 John 1:7 (NET)

2 John 1:7 (KJV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2 John 1:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

2 John 1:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

2 John 1:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ὅτι πολλοὶ πλάνοι ἐξῆλθον εἰς τὸν κόσμον, οἱ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐρχόμενον ἐν σαρκί· οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ πλάνος καὶ ὁ ἀντίχριστος οτι πολλοι πλανοι εισηλθον εις τον κοσμον οι μη ομολογουντες ιησουν χριστον ερχομενον εν σαρκι ουτος εστιν ο πλανος και ο αντιχριστος οτι πολλοι πλανοι εισηλθον εις τον κοσμον οι μη ομολογουντες ιησουν χριστον ερχομενον εν σαρκι ουτος εστιν ο πλανος και ο αντιχριστος

1 Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

2 Mark 8:15b (NET)

3 1 John 2:23b (NET) Table

4 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐξῆλθον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εισηλθον (KJV: are entered).

5 1 John 4:1 (NET)

6 Matthew 12:30 (NET)

8 Ibid.

10 Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, 1975, “Reception and controversy,” E. O. Wilson

11 “God and religion,” E. O. Wilson

13 John 12:31 (NET)

14 John 12:32 (NET)

15 Luke 24:25b (NET)

16 1 John 4:2, 3 (NET) Table

17 2 John 1:7 (NET)

18 Luke 24:25b (NET)

Peter’s First Gospel Proclamation Revisited, Part 1

Moses was burdened excessively, beyond [his] strength, so that [he] despaired even of living:[1]  I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, he said, because it is too heavy for me.  And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.[2]

I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, HaShem said unto Moses, and will put it upon [seventy elders of Israel]; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.[3]

Moses said, would that all HaShem’S people were prophets, that HaShem would put His spirit upon them![4]  The Hebrew word translated would was יתן (nethan), the same word translated would put later in the same verse.  It was translated δῴη and δῷ (forms of δίδωμι) in the Septuagint (Table1).  “And who might grant that all the Lord’s people be prophets, when the Lord grants his spirit upon them?”[5]

The day the Holy Spirit was granted Peter preached from the prophet Joel: And in the last days it will be, God says, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.[6]  Peter, speaking from memory presumably, reversed the clauses (Table3) οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται (your old men will dream dreams) and οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται (your young men will see visions) relative to both the contemporary Hebrew and the Greek of the Septuagint (Table4).

Even on my servants, Peter qualified the all people on whom the Holy Spirit would be poured out, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.[7]  The Elpenor version of the Septuagint also had my (μου) here.  The BLB version did not (Table5), like the Hebrew apparently (Table6).  But this might be the Holy Spirit pointing to another day when all is more inclusive, even as He indicated that the day Peter preached this sermon was not yet that day.  Today, only those who believe that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ,[8] who Repent, andbe baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sinswill receive the gift of the Holy SpiritFor the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.[9]

Peter continued his quotation: And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke.[10]  But it was by no means verbatim.  He added (Table7 and Table8) the words ἄνω (above), κάτω (below) and σημεῖα (a form of σημεῖον; translated miraculous signs).  I’ll consider some occurrences of forms of σημεῖον in the Gospel narratives in detail.  I’ve grouped these first four together not because they recall the same event but because they reveal a similar attitude toward signs.

Matthew 12:38-42 (NET)

Mark 8:11, 12 (NET) Luke 11:29-32 (NET)

John 4:46-48 (NET)

Now he[11] came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine.  In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick.
Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him,[12] “Teacher, we want to see a sign (σημεῖον) from you.” Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking for a sign (σημεῖον) from heaven to test him. When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him[13] to come down and heal his son, who was about to die.
But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign (σημεῖον), but no sign (σημεῖον) will be given to it except the sign (σημεῖον) of the prophet Jonah. Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for[14] a sign (σημεῖον)?  I tell you the truth, no sign (σημεῖον) will be given to this generation.” As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for[15] a sign (σημεῖον), but no sign (σημεῖον) will be given to it except the sign (σημεῖον) of Jonah.[16] So Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) and wonders you will never believe!”
For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. For just as Jonah became a sign (σημεῖον) to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.
The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here! The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon[17] – and now, something greater than Solomon is here!
The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon[18] – and now, something greater than Solomon is here! The people of Nineveh[19] will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here!

Despite this apparently negative attitude the royal official persisted in John’s Gospel narrative: “Sir (κύριε, a form of κύριος),” the official said to him, “come down before my child dies.”[20]  Despite his apparently negative attitude Jesus responded graciously to the royal official’s faith (John 4:50-54 NET):

“Go home; your son will live.”[21]  The man believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) the word that[22] Jesus[23] spoke to him, and set off for home.

While he was on his way down, his slaves met him and told him[24] that his son was going to live.  So he asked them the time when his condition began to improve, and[25] they told[26] him, “Yesterday[27] at one o’clock in the afternoon the fever left him.”  Then the father realized that it was the very time Jesus had said to him,[28] “Your son will live,” and he himself believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) along with his entire household.  Jesus did this[29] as his second miraculous sign (σημεῖον) when he returned from Judea to Galilee.

The first[30] of [Jesus’] miraculous signs (σημείων, another form of σημεῖον) was turning water to wine (John 2:1-10) in Cana of Galilee.  In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in him.[31]  Jesus’ negative attitude seems to have been expressed when signs were sought as a reason to disbelieve (Matthew 16:1-4 NET):

Now when the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test (πειράζοντες, a form of πειράζω) Jesus, they asked him to show them a sign (σημεῖον) from heaven.  He said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’[32]  You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, but you cannot evaluate the signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) of the times.  A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign (σημεῖον), but no sign (σημεῖον) will be given to it except the sign (σημεῖον) of Jonah.”[33]  Then he left them and went away.

Here is another example to clarify the point: Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute.  When the demon had gone out, the man who had been mute began to speak, and the crowds were amazed.  But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the[34] ruler of demons, he casts out demons.” Others, to test (πειράζοντες, a form of πειράζω) him, began asking for a sign (σημεῖον) from heaven.[35]

Though πειράζοντες (test) here was exactly the same word as the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ test, Jesus didn’t respond to it as if it signified the same disbelief.  In fact, He responded as if their πειράζοντες was the δοκιμάζετε John instructed believers to do (1 John 4:1-3 NET):

Dear friends, do not believe (πιστεύετε, another form of πιστεύω) every spirit, but test (δοκιμάζετε, a form of δοκιμάζω) the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know[36] the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus[37] is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

Recognizing the confusion the antichrists who claimed that Jesus cast out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons created, He clarified the meaning of the sign of casting out a demon rather than describing those who sought a sign from heaven as a wicked and adulterous generation (Luke 11:17-22 NET):

But Jesus, realizing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, and a divided household falls.  So if Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?  I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.  Now if I[38] cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out?  Therefore they will be your judges.  But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you.  When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe.  But when a[39] stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder.

John, who heard Jesus’ explanation as a young man and clearly understood it as an old man, continued (1 John 4:4-6 NET):

You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.  They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them.  We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but whoever is not from God does not listen to us.  By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

Though all four Gospel narratives recognized this tension with signs, John seemed to spend the most time explaining and resolving it in faith.  Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem[40] at the feast of the Passover, many people believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in his name because they saw the miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) he was doing.  But Jesus[41] would not entrust (ἐπίστευεν, another form of πιστεύω) himself[42] to them, because he knew (γινώσκειν, a form of γινώσκω) all people.  He did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew (ἐγίνωσκεν, another form of γινώσκω) what was in man.[43]

Jesus’ knowledge of humanity (ἀνθρώπου and ἀνθρώπῳ, forms of ἄνθρωπος) was evident in his response to Nicodemus: Now a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council, came to Jesus at night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God.  For no one could perform the miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) that you do unless God is with him [Table].”  Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God [Table].”[44]  Though I wouldn’t call Jesus’ response “unconscionable rudeness” any more, it is still a long way from, “Thanks a lot, I’m glad you noticed.”

A[45] large crowd was following him because they were observing[46] the[47] miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) he was performing on the sick.[48]  While free healthcare could attract a crowd, it was a free lunch that almost incited a popular coup.  Now when the people saw the miraculous sign (σημεῖον) that Jesus[49] performed (John 6:3-13), they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”  Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him[50] king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone.[51]

Undeterred they chased Him back across the lake (John 6:26-40 NET):

Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον), but because you ate all the loaves of bread you wanted.  Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you.  For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.”

So then they said to him, “What must we do[52] to accomplish the deeds God requires?”  Jesus[53] replied, “This is the deed God requires – to believe[54] in the one whom he sent.”  So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign (σημεῖον) will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you?  What will you do?  Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, it is not Moses[55] who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread all the time!”

Jesus[56] said to them, “I am the bread of life.  The one who comes to me[57] will never go hungry, and the one who believes (πιστεύων, another form of πιστεύω) in me will never be thirsty.[58]  But I told you that you have seen me and still do not believe (πιστεύετε, another form of πιστεύω).  Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me[59] I will never send away.  For I have come down from[60] heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.  Now this is the[61] will of the one who sent me – that I should not lose one person of every one he has given me, but raise them all up at the last day.  For[62] this is the will of my Father[63] – for everyone who looks on the Son and believes (πιστεύων, another form of πιστεύω) in him to have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Yet many of the crowd believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in him and said, “Whenever the[64] Christ comes, he won’t[65] perform more miraculous signs[66] (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) than this man did, will he?”[67]  Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God,[68] because he does not observe the Sabbath.”  But[69] others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον)?”  Thus there was a division among them.[70]

Jesus went back across the Jordan River again to the place where John had been baptizing at an earlier time, and he stayed there.  Many came to him and began to say, “John performed no miraculous sign (σημεῖον), but everything John said about this man was true!”  And many believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in Jesus there.[71]  Then many of the people, who had come with Mary[72] and had seen the things Jesus[73] did (John 11:17-44), believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in him.  But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported[74] to them what Jesus[75] had done.  So the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, “What are we doing?  For this man is performing many miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον).  If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe (πιστεύσουσιν, another form of πιστεύω) in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation.”[76]

So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it.  Because they had heard[77] that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign (σημεῖον), the crowd went out to meet him.  Thus the Pharisees said[78] to one another, “You see that you can do nothing.  Look, the world has run off after him!”[79]  Although Jesus had performed so many miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) before them, they still refused to believe (ἐπίστευον, another form of πιστεύω) in him, so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled.  He said, Lord, who has believed (ἐπίστευσεν, a form of πιστεύω) our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  For this reason they could not believe (πιστεύειν, another form of πιστεύω), because again Isaiah said,He has blinded their eyes and hardened[80] their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn[81] to me, and I would heal them.[82]

The implication is that under more normal circumstances, if they had not been hardened, they would have believed the σημεῖα.  But they were hardened for my benefit.  For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.[83]  Still, there was a remnant chosen by grace (χάριτος, a form of χάρις):[84] even among the rulers many believed (ἐπίστευσαν, another form of πιστεύω) in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess Jesus to be the Christ, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue.  For they loved praise from men more than praise from God.[85]

John concluded (John 20:30, 31 NET):

Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) in the presence of the[86] disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  But these are recorded so that you may believe (πιστεύητε, another form of πιστεύω) that Jesus[87] is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing (πιστεύοντες, another form of πιστεύω) you may have life in his name.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.  Tables comparing Numbers 11:29 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, the Greek of Acts 2:17; 2:18; 2:19 with the Septuagint and the English translations of Joel 3:1 (2:28); 3:2 (2:29); 3:3 (2:30) from Hebrew and Greek, and comparisons of the NET and KJV in Matthew 12:38; 12:42; Mark 8:12; Luke 11:29; 11:31, 32; John 4:46, 47; 4:50-54; 2:11; Matthew 16:3, 4; Luke 11:15; 1 John 4:2, 3; Luke 11:20; 11:22; John 2:23, 24; 6:2; 6:14, 15; 6:28, 29; 6:32; 6:35; 6:37-40; 7:31; 9:16; 11:45, 46; 12:18, 19; 12:40 and 20:30, 31 follow.

Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς μὴ ζηλοῖς σύ μοι καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν κυρίου προφήτας ὅταν δῷ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς αὐτῷ· μὴ ζηλοῖς ἐμέ; καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν Κυρίου προφήτας, ὅταν δῷ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτούς

From Hebrew

From Greek
Numbers 11:29 (Tanakh) Numbers 11:29 (KJV) Numbers 11:29 (NETS)

Numbers 11:29 (Elpenor English)

And Moses said unto him: ‘Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all HaShem’S people were prophets, that HaShem would put His spirit upon them!’ And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’S people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them! And Moyses said to him, “Are you really jealous for me?  And who might grant that all the Lord’s people be prophets, when the Lord grants his spirit upon them?” And Moses said to him, Art thou jealous on my account? and would that all the Lord’s people were prophets; whenever the Lord shall put his spirit upon them.

Acts 2:17 (NET parallel Greek)

Joel 2:28 (Septuagint BLB)

Joel 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, λέγει ὁ θεός, ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται ΚΑΙ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται

From Hebrew

From Greek
Joel 3:1 (Tanakh) Joel 2:28 (KJV) Joel 2:28 (NETS)

Joel 3:1 (Elpenor English)

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And it shall be after these things, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Acts 2:18 (NET parallel Greek)

Joel 2:29 (Septuagint BLB)

Joel 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καί γε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου

From Hebrew

From Greek
Joel 3:2 (Tanakh) Joel 2:29 (KJV) Joel 2:29 (NETS)

Joel 3:2 (Elpenor English)

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit. And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. Even on the male and female slaves, in those days I will pour out my spirit. And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit.

Acts 2:19 (NET parallel Greek)

Joel 2:30 (Septuagint BLB)

Joel 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ δώσω τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω καὶ σημεῖα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς κάτω, αἷμα καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἀτμίδα καπνοῦ καὶ δώσω τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς αἷμα καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἀτμίδα καπνοῦ καὶ δώσω τέρατα ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, αἷμα καὶ πῦρ καὶ ἀτμίδα καπνοῦ

From Hebrew

From Greek
Joel 3:3 (Tanakh) Joel 2:30 (KJV) Joel 2:30 (NETS)

Joel 3:3 (Elpenor English)

And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. I will give portents in the sky and on earth: blood and fire and the vapor of smoke. And I will shew wonders in heaven, and upon the earth, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
Matthew 12:38 (NET)

Matthew 12:38 (KJV)

Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τότε ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ τινες τῶν γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, θέλομεν ἀπὸ σοῦ σημεῖον ἰδεῖν τοτε απεκριθησαν τινες των γραμματεων και φαρισαιων λεγοντες διδασκαλε θελομεν απο σου σημειον ιδειν τοτε απεκριθησαν τινες των γραμματεων και φαρισαιων λεγοντες διδασκαλε θελομεν απο σου σημειον ιδειν
Matthew 12:42 (NET)

Matthew 12:42 (KJV)

The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here! The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτήν, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε βασιλισσα νοτου εγερθησεται εν τη κρισει μετα της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινει αυτην οτι ηλθεν εκ των περατων της γης ακουσαι την σοφιαν σολομωντος και ιδου πλειον σολομωντος ωδε βασιλισσα νοτου εγερθησεται εν τη κρισει μετα της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινει αυτην οτι ηλθεν εκ των περατων της γης ακουσαι την σοφιαν σολομωνος και ιδου πλειον σολομωνος ωδε

Mark 8:12 (NET)

Mark 8:12 (KJV)

Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign?  I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἀναστενάξας τῷ πνεύματι αὐτοῦ λέγει· τί ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη ζητεῖ σημεῖον; ἀμὴν λέγω |ὑμῖν|, εἰ δοθήσεται τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ σημεῖον και αναστεναξας τω πνευματι αυτου λεγει τι η γενεα αυτη σημειον επιζητει αμην λεγω υμιν ει δοθησεται τη γενεα ταυτη σημειον και αναστεναξας τω πνευματι αυτου λεγει τι η γενεα αυτη σημειον επιζητει αμην λεγω υμιν ει δοθησεται τη γενεα ταυτη σημειον

Luke 11:29 (NET)

Luke 11:29 (KJV)

As the crowds were increasing, Jesus began to say, “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τῶν δὲ ὄχλων ἐπαθροιζομένων ἤρξατο λέγειν· ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη γενεὰ πονηρά ἐστιν· σημεῖον ζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ των δε οχλων επαθροιζομενων ηρξατο λεγειν η γενεα αυτη πονηρα εστιν σημειον επιζητει και σημειον ου δοθησεται αυτη ει μη το σημειον ιωνα του προφητου των δε οχλων επαθροιζομενων ηρξατο λεγειν η γενεα αυτη πονηρα εστιν σημειον επιζητει και σημειον ου δοθησεται αυτη ει μη το σημειον ιωνα του προφητου

Luke 11:31, 32 (NET)

Luke 11:31, 32 (KJV)

The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, something greater than Solomon is here! The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

βασίλισσα νότου ἐγερθήσεται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινεῖ αὐτούς, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἀκοῦσαι τὴν σοφίαν Σολομῶνος, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Σολομῶνος ὧδε βασιλισσα νοτου εγερθησεται εν τη κρισει μετα των ανδρων της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινει αυτους οτι ηλθεν εκ των περατων της γης ακουσαι την σοφιαν σολομωντος και ιδου πλειον σολομωντος ωδε βασιλισσα νοτου εγερθησεται εν τη κρισει μετα των ανδρων της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινει αυτους οτι ηλθεν εκ των περατων της γης ακουσαι την σοφιαν σολομωνος και ιδου πλειον σολομωνος ωδε
The people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them – and now, something greater than Jonah is here! The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτήν· ὅτι μετενόησαν εἰς τὸ κήρυγμα Ἰωνᾶ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πλεῖον Ἰωνᾶ ὧδε ανδρες νινευι αναστησονται εν τη κρισει μετα της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινουσιν αυτην οτι μετενοησαν εις το κηρυγμα ιωνα και ιδου πλειον ιωνα ωδε ανδρες νινευι αναστησονται εν τη κρισει μετα της γενεας ταυτης και κατακρινουσιν αυτην οτι μετενοησαν εις το κηρυγμα ιωνα και ιδου πλειον ιωνα ωδε

John 4:46, 47 (NET)

John 4:46, 47 (KJV)

Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine.  In Capernaum there was a certain royal official whose son was sick. So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

῏Ηλθεν οὖν πάλιν εἰς τὴν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας, ὅπου ἐποίησεν τὸ ὕδωρ οἶνον. Καὶ ἦν τις βασιλικὸς οὗ ὁ υἱὸς ἠσθένει ἐν Καφαρναούμ ηλθεν ουν ο ιησους παλιν εις την κανα της γαλιλαιας οπου εποιησεν το υδωρ οινον και ην τις βασιλικος ου ο υιος ησθενει εν καπερναουμ ηλθεν ουν παλιν ο ιησους εις την κανα της γαλιλαιας οπου εποιησεν το υδωρ οινον και ην τις βασιλικος ου ο υιος ησθενει εν καπερναουμ
When he heard that Jesus had come back from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and begged him to come down and heal his son, who was about to die. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

οὗτος ἀκούσας ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἥκει ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἠρώτα ἵνα καταβῇ καὶ ἰάσηται αὐτοῦ τὸν υἱόν, ἤμελλεν γὰρ ἀποθνῄσκειν ουτος ακουσας οτι ιησους ηκει εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν απηλθεν προς αυτον και ηρωτα αυτον ινα καταβη και ιασηται αυτου τον υιον ημελλεν γαρ αποθνησκειν ουτος ακουσας οτι ιησους ηκει εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν απηλθεν προς αυτον και ηρωτα αυτον ινα καταβη και ιασηται αυτου τον υιον εμελλεν γαρ αποθνησκειν

John 4:50-54 (NET)

John 4:50-54 (KJV)

Jesus told him, “Go home; your son will live.”  The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and set off for home. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.  And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· πορεύου, ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ. ἐπίστευσεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῷ λόγῳ ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἐπορεύετο λεγει αυτω ο ιησους πορευου ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν ο ανθρωπος τω λογω ω ειπεν αυτω ιησους και επορευετο λεγει αυτω ο ιησους πορευου ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν ο ανθρωπος τω λογω ω ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους και επορευετο
While he was on his way down, his slaves met him and told him that his son was going to live. And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἤδη δὲ αὐτοῦ καταβαίνοντος οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ ὑπήντησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες ὅτι ὁ παῖς αὐτοῦ ζῇ ηδη δε αυτου καταβαινοντος οι δουλοι αυτου απηντησαν αυτω και απηγγειλαν λεγοντες οτι ο παις σου ζη ηδη δε αυτου καταβαινοντος οι δουλοι αυτου απηντησαν αυτω και απηγγειλαν λεγοντες οτι ο παις σου ζη
So he asked them the time when his condition began to improve, and they told him, “Yesterday at one o’clock in the afternoon the fever left him.” Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἐπύθετο οὖν τὴν ὥραν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐν ᾗ κομψότερον ἔσχεν· εἶπαν οὖν αὐτῷ ὅτι ἐχθὲς ὥραν ἑβδόμην ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ὁ πυρετός επυθετο ουν παρ αυτων την ωραν εν η κομψοτερον εσχεν και ειπον αυτω οτι χθες ωραν εβδομην αφηκεν αυτον ο πυρετος επυθετο ουν παρ αυτων την ωραν εν η κομψοτερον εσχεν και ειπον αυτω οτι χθες ωραν εβδομην αφηκεν αυτον ο πυρετος
Then the father realized that it was the very time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he himself believed along with his entire household. So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἔγνω οὖν ὁ πατὴρ ὅτι [ἐν] ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐν ᾗ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ, καὶ ἐπίστευσεν αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ οἰκία αὐτοῦ ὅλη εγνω ουν ο πατηρ οτι εν εκεινη τη ωρα εν η ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους οτι ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν αυτος και η οικια αυτου ολη εγνω ουν ο πατηρ οτι εν εκεινη τη ωρα εν η ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους οτι ο υιος σου ζη και επιστευσεν αυτος και η οικια αυτου ολη
Jesus did this as his second miraculous sign when he returned from Judea to Galilee. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τοῦτο [δὲ] πάλιν δεύτερον σημεῖον ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐλθὼν ἐκ τῆς Ἰουδαίας εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν τουτο παλιν δευτερον σημειον εποιησεν ο ιησους ελθων εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν τουτο παλιν δευτερον σημειον εποιησεν ο ιησους ελθων εκ της ιουδαιας εις την γαλιλαιαν
John 2:11 (NET) John 2:11 (KJV)
Jesus did this as the first of his miraculous signs, in Cana of Galilee. In this way he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Ταύτην ἐποίησεν ἀρχὴν τῶν σημείων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ ἐφανέρωσεν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ταυτην εποιησεν την αρχην των σημειων ο ιησους εν κανα της γαλιλαιας και εφανερωσεν την δοξαν αυτου και επιστευσαν εις αυτον οι μαθηται αυτου ταυτην εποιησεν την αρχην των σημειων ο ιησους εν κανα της γαλιλαιας και εφανερωσεν την δοξαν αυτου και επιστευσαν εις αυτον οι μαθηται αυτου
Matthew 16:3, 4 (NET) Matthew 16:3, 4 (KJV)
and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’  You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ πρωΐ· σήμερον χειμών, πυρράζει γὰρ στυγνάζων ὁ οὐρανός. τὸ μὲν πρόσωπον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γινώσκετε διακρίνειν, τὰ δὲ σημεῖα τῶν καιρῶν οὐ δύνασθε;] και πρωι σημερον χειμων πυρραζει γαρ στυγναζων ο ουρανος υποκριται το μεν προσωπον του ουρανου γινωσκετε διακρινειν τα δε σημεια των καιρων ου δυνασθε και πρωι σημερον χειμων πυρραζει γαρ στυγναζων ο ουρανος υποκριται το μεν προσωπον του ουρανου γινωσκετε διακρινειν τα δε σημεια των καιρων ου δυνασθε
A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”  Then he left them and went away. A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ, καὶ σημεῖον οὐ δοθήσεται αὐτῇ εἰ μὴ τὸ σημεῖον Ἰωνᾶ. καὶ καταλιπὼν αὐτοὺς ἀπῆλθεν γενεα πονηρα και μοιχαλις σημειον επιζητει και σημειον ου δοθησεται αυτη ει μη το σημειον ιωνα του προφητου και καταλιπων αυτους απηλθεν γενεα πονηρα και μοιχαλις σημειον επιζητει και σημειον ου δοθησεται αυτη ει μη το σημειον ιωνα του προφητου και καταλιπων αυτους απηλθεν
Luke 11:15 (NET) Luke 11:15 (KJV)
But some of them said, “By the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons, he casts out demons.” But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶπον· ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια τινες δε εξ αυτων ειπον εν βεελζεβουλ αρχοντι των δαιμονιων εκβαλλει τα δαιμονια τινες δε εξ αυτων ειπον εν βεελζεβουλ αρχοντι των δαιμονιων εκβαλλει τα δαιμονια
1 John 4:2, 3 (NET) 1 John 4:2, 3 (KJV)
By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκετε τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ· πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ ὁμολογεῖ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν εν τουτω γινωσκετε το πνευμα του θεου παν πνευμα ο ομολογει ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου εστιν εν τουτω γινωσκεται το πνευμα του θεου παν πνευμα ο ομολογει ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου εστιν
but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ πᾶν πνεῦμα ὃ μὴ ὁμολογεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν· καὶ τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου, ὃ ἀκηκόατε ὅτι ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἐστὶν ἤδη και παν πνευμα ο μη ομολογει τον ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου ουκ εστιν και τουτο εστιν το του αντιχριστου ο ακηκοατε οτι ερχεται και νυν εν τω κοσμω εστιν ηδη και παν πνευμα ο μη ομολογει ιησουν χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα εκ του θεου ουκ εστιν και τουτο εστιν το του αντιχριστου ο ακηκοατε οτι ερχεται και νυν εν τω κοσμω εστιν ηδη
Luke 11:20 (NET) Luke 11:20 (KJV)
But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has already overtaken you. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
εἰ δὲ ἐν δακτύλῳ θεοῦ [ἐγὼ] ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ει δε εν δακτυλω θεου εκβαλλω τα δαιμονια αρα εφθασεν εφ υμας η βασιλεια του θεου ει δε εν δακτυλω θεου εκβαλλω τα δαιμονια αρα εφθασεν εφ υμας η βασιλεια του θεου
Luke 11:22 (NET) Luke 11:22 (KJV)
But when a stronger man attacks and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied and divides up his plunder. But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἐπὰν δὲ ἰσχυρότερος αὐτοῦ ἐπελθὼν νικήσῃ αὐτόν, τὴν πανοπλίαν αὐτοῦ αἴρει ἐφ᾿ ᾗ ἐπεποίθει καὶ τὰ σκῦλα αὐτοῦ διαδίδωσιν επαν δε ο ισχυροτερος αυτου επελθων νικηση αυτον την πανοπλιαν αυτου αιρει εφ η επεποιθει και τα σκυλα αυτου διαδιδωσιν επαν δε ο ισχυροτερος αυτου επελθων νικηση αυτον την πανοπλιαν αυτου αιρει εφ η επεποιθει και τα σκυλα αυτου διαδιδωσιν
John 2:23, 24 (NET) John 2:23, 24 (KJV)
Now while Jesus was in Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover, many people believed in his name because they saw the miraculous signs he was doing. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐν τῷ πάσχα ἐν τῇ ἑορτῇ, πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ θεωροῦντες αὐτοῦ τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει ως δε ην εν ιεροσολυμοις εν τω πασχα εν τη εορτη πολλοι επιστευσαν εις το ονομα αυτου θεωρουντες αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει ως δε ην εν τοις ιεροσολυμοις εν τω πασχα εν τη εορτη πολλοι επιστευσαν εις το ονομα αυτου θεωρουντες αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει
But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
αὐτὸς δὲ Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἐπίστευεν αὐτὸν αὐτοῖς διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκειν πάντας αυτος δε ο ιησους ουκ επιστευεν εαυτον αυτοις δια το αυτον γινωσκειν παντας αυτος δε ο ιησους ουκ επιστευεν εαυτον αυτοις δια το αυτον γινωσκειν παντας
John 6:2 (NET) John 6:2 (KJV)
A large crowd was following him because they were observing the miraculous signs he was performing on the sick. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἠκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς, ὅτι ἐθεώρουν τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσθενούντων και ηκολουθει αυτω οχλος πολυς οτι εωρων αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει επι των ασθενουντων και ηκολουθει αυτω οχλος πολυς οτι εωρων αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει επι των ασθενουντων
John 6:14, 15 (NET) John 6:14, 15 (KJV)
Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Οἱ οὖν ἄνθρωποι ἰδόντες |ὃ| ἐποίησεν |σημεῖον| ἔλεγον ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον οι ουν ανθρωποι ιδοντες ο εποιησεν σημειον ο ιησους ελεγον οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης ο ερχομενος εις τον κοσμον οι ουν ανθρωποι ιδοντες ο εποιησεν σημειον ο ιησους ελεγον οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης ο ερχομενος εις τον κοσμον
Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Ἰησοῦς οὖν γνοὺς ὅτι μέλλουσιν ἔρχεσθαι καὶ ἁρπάζειν αὐτὸν ἵνα ποιήσωσιν βασιλέα, ἀνεχώρησεν πάλιν εἰς τὸ ὄρος αὐτὸς μόνος ιησους ουν γνους οτι μελλουσιν ερχεσθαι και αρπαζειν αυτον ινα ποιησωσιν αυτον βασιλεα ανεχωρησεν παλιν εις το ορος αυτος μονος ιησους ουν γνους οτι μελλουσιν ερχεσθαι και αρπαζειν αυτον ινα ποιησωσιν αυτον βασιλεα ανεχωρησεν εις το ορος αυτος μονος
John 6:28, 29 (NET) John 6:28, 29 (KJV)
So then they said to him, “What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?” Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπον οὖν πρὸς αὐτόν· τί ποιῶμεν ἵνα ἐργαζώμεθα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ ειπον ουν προς αυτον τι ποιουμεν ινα εργαζωμεθα τα εργα του θεου ειπον ουν προς αυτον τι ποιωμεν ινα εργαζωμεθα τα εργα του θεου
Jesus replied, “This is the deed God requires – to believe in the one whom he sent.” Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἀπεκρίθη [] Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα πιστεύητε εἰς ὃν ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος απεκριθη ο ιησους και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το εργον του θεου ινα πιστευσητε εις ον απεστειλεν εκεινος απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το εργον του θεου ινα πιστευσητε εις ον απεστειλεν εκεινος
John 6:32 (NET) John 6:32 (KJV)
Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven. Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ Μωϋσῆς |δέδωκεν| ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ πατήρ μου δίδωσιν ὑμῖν τὸν ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸν ἀληθινόν ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ου μωσης δεδωκεν υμιν τον αρτον εκ του ουρανου αλλ ο πατηρ μου διδωσιν υμιν τον αρτον εκ του ουρανου τον αληθινον ειπεν ουν αυτοις ο ιησους αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ου μωυσης δεδωκεν υμιν τον αρτον εκ του ουρανου αλλ ο πατηρ μου διδωσιν υμιν τον αρτον εκ του ουρανου τον αληθινον
John 6:35 (NET) John 6:35 (KJV)
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.  The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς· ὁ ἐρχόμενος πρὸς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ πεινάσῃ, καὶ ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ διψήσει πώποτε ειπεν δε αυτοις ο ιησους εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης ο ερχομενος προς με ου μη πειναση και ο πιστευων εις εμε ου μη διψηση πωποτε ειπεν δε αυτοις ο ιησους εγω ειμι ο αρτος της ζωης ο ερχομενος προς με ου μη πειναση και ο πιστευων εις εμε ου μη διψηση πωποτε
John 6:37-40 (NET) John 6:37-40 (KJV)
Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
πᾶν ὃ δίδωσιν μοι ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς ἐμὲ ἥξει, καὶ τὸν ἐρχόμενον πρὸς |ἐμὲ| οὐ μὴ ἐκβάλω ἔξω παν ο διδωσιν μοι ο πατηρ προς εμε ηξει και τον ερχομενον προς με ου μη εκβαλω εξω παν ο διδωσιν μοι ο πατηρ προς εμε ηξει και τον ερχομενον προς με ου μη εκβαλω εξω
For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ὅτι καταβέβηκα ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οὐχ ἵνα ποιῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντος με οτι καταβεβηκα εκ του ουρανου ουχ ινα ποιω το θελημα το εμον αλλα το θελημα του πεμψαντος με οτι καταβεβηκα εκ του ουρανου ουχ ινα ποιω το θελημα το εμον αλλα το θελημα του πεμψαντος με
Now this is the will of the one who sent me – that I should not lose one person of every one he has given me, but raise them all up at the last day. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντος με, ἵνα πᾶν ὃ δέδωκεν μοι μὴ ἀπολέσω ἐξ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ [ἐν] τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με πατρος ινα παν ο δεδωκεν μοι μη απολεσω εξ αυτου αλλα αναστησω αυτο εν τη εσχατη ημερα τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με πατρος ινα παν ο δεδωκεν μοι μη απολεσω εξ αυτου αλλα αναστησω αυτο εν τη εσχατη ημερα
For this is the will of my Father – for everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him to have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πατρός μου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ θεωρῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸν ἐγὼ [ἐν] τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με ινα πας ο θεωρων τον υιον και πιστευων εις αυτον εχη ζωην αιωνιον και αναστησω αυτον εγω τη εσχατη ημερα τουτο δε εστιν το θελημα του πεμψαντος με ινα πας ο θεωρων τον υιον και πιστευων εις αυτον εχη ζωην αιωνιον και αναστησω αυτον εγω τη εσχατη ημερα
John 7:31 (NET) John 7:31 (KJV)
Yet many of the crowd believed in him and said, “Whenever the Christ comes, he won’t perform more miraculous signs than this man did, will he?” And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου δὲ πολλοὶ ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλεγον· ὁ χριστὸς ὅταν ἔλθῃ μὴ πλείονα σημεῖα ποιήσει ὧν οὗτος ἐποίησεν πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν πολλοι δε εκ του οχλου επιστευσαν εις αυτον και ελεγον οτι ο χριστος οταν ελθη μητι πλειονα σημεια τουτων ποιησει ων ουτος εποιησεν
John 9:16 (NET) John 9:16 (KJV)
Then some of the Pharisees began to say, “This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath.”  But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division among them. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.  Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ἔλεγον οὖν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων τινές· οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος παρὰ θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι τὸ σάββατον οὐ τηρεῖ. ἄλλοι [δὲ] ἔλεγον· πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ποιεῖν; καὶ σχίσμα ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς ελεγον ουν εκ των φαρισαιων τινες ουτος ο ανθρωπος ουκ εστιν παρα του θεου οτι το σαββατον ου τηρει αλλοι ελεγον πως δυναται ανθρωπος αμαρτωλος τοιαυτα σημεια ποιειν και σχισμα ην εν αυτοις ελεγον ουν εκ των φαρισαιων τινες ουτος ο ανθρωπος ουκ εστιν παρα του θεου οτι το σαββατον ου τηρει αλλοι ελεγον πως δυναται ανθρωπος αμαρτωλος τοιαυτα σημεια ποιειν και σχισμα ην εν αυτοις
John 11:45, 46 (NET) John 11:45, 46 (KJV)
Then many of the people, who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in him. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Πολλοὶ οὖν ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων οἱ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὴν Μαριὰμ καὶ θεασάμενοι |ἃ| ἐποίησεν ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν πολλοι ουν εκ των ιουδαιων οι ελθοντες προς την μαριαν και θεασαμενοι α εποιησεν ο ιησους επιστευσαν εις αυτον πολλοι ουν εκ των ιουδαιων οι ελθοντες προς την μαριαν και θεασαμενοι α εποιησεν ο ιησους επιστευσαν εις αυτον
But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς ἃ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς τινες δε εξ αυτων απηλθον προς τους φαρισαιους και ειπον αυτοις α εποιησεν ο ιησους τινες δε εξ αυτων απηλθον προς τους φαρισαιους και ειπον αυτοις α εποιησεν ο ιησους
John 12:18, 19 (NET) John 12:18, 19 (KJV)
Because they had heard that Jesus had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
διὰ τοῦτο [καὶ] ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος, ὅτι ἤκουσαν τοῦτο αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι τὸ σημεῖον δια τουτο και υπηντησεν αυτω ο οχλος οτι ηκουσεν τουτο αυτον πεποιηκεναι το σημειον δια τουτο και υπηντησεν αυτω ο οχλος οτι ηκουσεν τουτο αυτον πεποιηκεναι το σημειον
Thus the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing.  Look, the world has run off after him!” The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
οἱ οὖν Φαρισαῖοι εἶπαν πρὸς ἑαυτούς· θεωρεῖτε ὅτι οὐκ ὠφελεῖτε οὐδέν· ἴδε ὁ κόσμος ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθεν οι ουν φαρισαιοι ειπον προς εαυτους θεωρειτε οτι ουκ ωφελειτε ουδεν ιδε ο κοσμος οπισω αυτου απηλθεν οι ουν φαρισαιοι ειπον προς εαυτους θεωρειτε οτι ουκ ωφελειτε ουδεν ιδε ο κοσμος οπισω αυτου απηλθεν
John 12:40 (NET) John 12:40 (KJV)
He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and turn to me, and I would heal them. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
τετύφλωκεν αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ ἐπώρωσεν αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ νοήσωσιν τῇ καρδίᾳ καὶ στραφῶσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς τετυφλωκεν αυτων τους οφθαλμους και πεπωρωκεν αυτων την καρδιαν ινα μη ιδωσιν τοις οφθαλμοις και νοησωσιν τη καρδια και επιστραφωσιν και ιασωμαι αυτους τετυφλωκεν αυτων τους οφθαλμους και πεπωρωκεν αυτων την καρδιαν ινα μη ιδωσιν τοις οφθαλμοις και νοησωσιν τη καρδια και επιστραφωσιν και ιασωμαι αυτους
John 20:30, 31 (NET) John 20:30, 31 (KJV)
Now Jesus performed many other miraculous signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not recorded in this book. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν , ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ πολλα μεν ουν και αλλα σημεια εποιησεν ο ιησους ενωπιον των μαθητων αυτου α ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενα εν τω βιβλιω τουτω πολλα μεν ουν και αλλα σημεια εποιησεν ο ιησους ενωπιον των μαθητων αυτου α ουκ εστιν γεγραμμενα εν τω βιβλιω τουτω
But these are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
NET Parallel Greek Stephanus Textus Receptus Byzantine Majority Text
ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα |πιστεύητε| ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ταυτα δε γεγραπται ινα πιστευσητε οτι ο ιησους εστιν ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και ινα πιστευοντες ζωην εχητε εν τω ονοματι αυτου ταυτα δε γεγραπται ινα πιστευσητε οτι ιησους εστιν ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και ινα πιστευοντες ζωην εχητε εν τω ονοματι αυτου

[1] 2 Corinthians 1:8b (NET)

[2] Numbers 11:14, 15 (Tanakh)

[3] Numbers 11:17b (Tanakh)

[4] Numbers 11:29b (Tanakh)

[5] Numbers 11:29b (NETS) Table2

[6] Acts 2:17 (NET)

[7] Acts 2:18 (NET)

[8] Acts 2:36b (NET)

[9] Acts 2:38b, 39 (NET)

[10] Acts 2:19 (NET)

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

[12] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτῷ here.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[13] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον (KJV: him) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ζητεῖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιζητει.

[15] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ζητεῖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιζητει.

[16] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του προφητου (KJV: the prophet) following Jonah.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[17] In the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text Solomon was spelled Σολομῶνος, and σολομωντος in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

[18] In the NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text Solomon was spelled Σολομῶνος, and σολομωντος in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

[19] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Νινευῖται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νινευι.

[20] John 4:49 (NET)

[21] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And) following will live.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[22] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὃν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ω.

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

[24] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και απηγγειλαν (KJV: and told him, saying,) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[25] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὖν.

[26] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: they said).

[27] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐχθὲς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χθες.

[28] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτι here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[29] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δὲ following this.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[30] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[31] John 2:11 (NET)

[32] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υποκριται (KJV: O ye hypocrites) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[33] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του προφητου (KJV: of the prophet) following Jonah.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[34] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had the article τῷ preceding ruler.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[35] Luke 11:14-16 (NET)

[36] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had γινώσκετε here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had γινωσκεται.

[37] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον εν σαρκι εληλυθοτα (KJV: Christ is come in the flesh) following Jesus.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[38] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐγὼ here.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[39] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[40] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοῖς preceding Jerusalem.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

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

[42] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had αὐτὸν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτον.

[43] John 2:23-25 (NET)

[44] John 3:1-3 (NET)

[45] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had δὲ (untranslated) where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

[46] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐθεώρουν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εωρων (KJV: they saw).

[47] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου (KJV: his) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[48] John 6:2 (NET)

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

[50] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον (KJV: him) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[51] John 6:14, 15 (NET)

[52] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had ποιῶμεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ποιουμεν.

[53] The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article preceding Jesus.  The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

[54] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πιστεύητε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευσητε.

[55] In the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 Mose was spelled Μωϋσῆς, and μωσης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

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

[57] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐμὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had με.

[58] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had διψήσει here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διψηση (KJV: shall never thirst).

[59] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐμὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had με.

[60] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπὸ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ.

[61] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πατρος (KJV: Father’s) here.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[62] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had γάρ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And).

[63] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πατρός μου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πεμψαντος με (KJV: of him that sent me).

[64] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οτι preceding the Christ.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[65] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had μὴ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μητι (KJV: will he).

[66] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τουτων (KJV: than these) following signs.  The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

[67] John 7:31 (NET)

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

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

[70] John 9:16 (NET)

[71] John 10:40-42 (NET)

[72] In the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 Mary was spelled Μαριὰμ, and μαριαν in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

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

[74] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: told).

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

[76] John 11:45-48 (NET)

[77] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἤκουσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηκουσεν.

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

[79] John 12:17-19 (NET)

[80] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐπώρωσεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πεπωρωκεν.

[81] The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had στραφῶσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επιστραφωσιν (KJV: be converted).

[82] John 12:37-40 (NET)

[83] Romans 11:25 (NET) Table

[84] Romans 11:5 (NET)

[85] John 12:42, 43 (NET)

[86] The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had αυτου (KJV: his) here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

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

Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

The exercise of revisiting Paul’s Religious Mind and the meaning of Sexual Immorality has clarified a few things that were right in front of me all along.  I considered again the list of sins that described the former lives of some who were called to faith in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 6:9b, 10 (NET) Table

Parallel Greek

The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God. οὔτε πόρνοι (another form of πόρνος) οὔτε εἰδωλολάτραι οὔτε μοιχοὶ οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται οὔτε κλέπται οὔτε πλεονέκται, οὐ μέθυσοι, οὐ λοίδοροι, οὐχ ἅρπαγες βασιλείαν θεοῦ κληρονομήσουσιν

Each word preceded by οὔτε, οὐ or οὐχ (a form of οὐ) gives a strong indication that Paul did not consider πόρνοι the one word that included all of the others.  In other words the list is not to be understood as, The πόρνοι: idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers.  I’ve considered this option, by the way, given the shorter list in Ephesians.

Ephesians 5:5 (NET)

Parallel Greek

For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. τοῦτο γὰρ ἴστε γινώσκοντες, ὅτι πᾶς πόρνος ἢ ἀκάθαρτος ἢ πλεονέκτης οὐκ ἔχει κληρονομίαν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ

So I began a subtractive process, trying to determine what πόρνοι did not mean.  As I studied ἀρσενοκοῖται (a form of ἀρσενοκοίτης; translated, practicing homosexuals) the obvious became more clear.  The Greek word ἀρσενοκοίτης is a compound of two words: 1) αρσην, male, and 2) κοίτη, couch, bed.

Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male (ἄρσεν, a form of αρσην) and female,[1] Jesus answered the Pharisees who asked Him about divorce.  The men (ἄρσενες, another form of αρσην) also abandoned natural relations with women, Paul wrote the Roman believers, and were inflamed in their passions for one another.  Men (ἄρσενες, another form of αρσην) committed shameless acts with men (ἄρσεσιν, another form of αρσην) and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.[2]  The Greek is a bit more graphic: ἄρσενες ἐν ἄρσεσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι (literally, “male in male this unseemliness performing”).  The writer of Hebrews penned: Marriage must be honored among all and the marriage bed (κοίτη) kept undefiled, for God will judge sexually immoral people (πόρνους, another form of πόρνος) and adulterers (μοιχοὺς, a form of μοιχός).[3]  I can’t imagine one word better than ἀρσενοκοίτης (male marriage bed) to describe You must not have sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman.[4]

I combined this with the fact that Paul’s particular usage of πορνεία in 1 Corinthians 5:1 is a fairly clear reference to You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.[5]  And I came to one inescapable conclusion irrespective of whether Paul used πορνεία because he thought it meant anything and everything that was not sex between one man and one woman or because it was the only word he had had to use when he arrived in Corinth, constrained by his reliance on James’ abbreviated version of the law:

James’ abbreviated version of the law

…to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood…

Acts 15:20 (NET) Table

ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας (a form of πορνεία) καὶ |τοῦ| πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος
…that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what has been strangled and from sexual immorality…

Acts 15:29a (NET) Table

ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτων καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτῶν καὶ πορνείας (a form of πορνεία)

The inescapable conclusion is: in the letter called 1 Corinthians Paul taught Levitical law (as knowledge of sin not as a path of salvation) to Gentiles (1 Timothy 1:8-10 NET).

But we know that the law is good if someone uses it legitimately, realizing that law is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, sexually immoral people (πόρνοις, another form of πόρνος), practicing homosexuals (ἀρσενοκοίταις, another form of ἀρσενοκοίτης), kidnappers, liars, perjurers – in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching.

Gone was any pretense to be concerned about nothing among [them] except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.[6]  More importantly, perhaps, the pretense of not placing on the neck of the [Gentile] disciples a yoke that neither [Peter’s] ancestors nor [his contemporaries had] been able to bear[7] was utterly gone from Paul’s thinking.  That yoke would not be borne by the works of the flesh.  That is true.  But it would not be shirked either.  The yoke would be borne by the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,[8] the fruit of the Spirit, the love [that] is the fulfillment of the law.[9]  Jesus said (Matthew 11:28-30; 5:17-20 NET):

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.  I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.  I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter will pass from the law until everything takes place.  So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Do we then nullify the law through faith? Paul asked rhetorically.  Absolutely not!  Instead we uphold the law.[10]  Have I just made the case for πορνεία as a violation of Leviticus 18 or 20?  But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful [πορνείας, a form of πορνεία]) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.[11]  I don’t think so.

I might have made that case.  I have a philosophical bent to my mind; I am a legalist in theory and in practice.  Why not see Matthew 5:32 as Jesus’ instruction to governor-priests and as vindication or exoneration of Ezra the priest?  Ancient Roman legislators had articulated concepts of lawful connubium.  The priests and bishops Constantine left to govern Rome when he abandoned it for Byzantium heard Jesus’ words as Roman law.  Wouldn’t Jesus follow Roman law?  It’s certainly more in line with the way my mind works.  Until, that is, I heard yehôvâh in the prophet Malachi (2:14b, 15a, 16 NET):

The Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) is testifying against you on behalf of the wife you married when you were young, to whom you have become unfaithful even though she is your companion and wife by law [Table].  No one who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him does this [Table]

“I hate divorce,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) God (ʼĕlôhı̂ym, אלהי) of Israel, “and the one who is guilty of violence,” says the Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) who rules over all. “Pay attention to your conscience, and do not be unfaithful” [Table].

This is the intellectual and spiritual equivalent of a ratchet, and I cannot go back.  Now I hear, For God has consigned (συνέκλεισεν, a form of συγκλείω) all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια; literally, disbelief) so that he may show mercy to them all.[12]  We are all like fish caught in a net of disobedience.  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under (ἐν; literally, in) the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable (ὑπόδικος; literally, under sentence, under judgment) to God.[13]

Ezra was exactly where yehôvâh wanted him to be when he said: O Lord (yehôvâh, יהוה) God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day.  Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt.  However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.[14]  Who knows what would have happened if Ezra had stayed there, waiting on yehôvâh, instead of chasing after Shecaniah’s get-righteous-quick scheme (Ezra 10:2-4 NET).

Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, from the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the local peoples.  Nonetheless, there is still hope for Israel in this regard [Table].  Therefore let us enact a covenant with our God to send away all these women and their offspring, in keeping with your counsel, my lord, and that of those who respect the commandments of our God.  And let it be done according to the law [Table].  Get up, for this matter concerns you.  We are with you, so be strong and act decisively [Table]!”

I want to make this as clear as I possibly can.  If a man has married the wrong sort of woman he cannot redeem himself in God’s eyes, he cannot make himself righteous again, by divorcing her and sending their children away.  The religious mind encourages us to change our own behavior, to conform us to some image of righteousness derived from the law (or some lesser doctrine) by that religious mind.  The mind of Christ speaks to the wriggling soul caught in a net of disbelief, saying, Stop your striving (râphâh, הרפו) and recognize (yâdaʽ, ודעו) that I am God!  I will be exalted over the nations!  I will be exalted over the earth![15]  Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’[16]

I don’t live in Rome in the first half of the fourth century.  I don’t hear Jesus speaking to Roman legislators about external controls.  I hear Him speaking to the ἐκκλησία, those called by God the Father through Jesus Christ to be led by his Holy Spirit.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.[17]  For this and other reasons I still hear Jesus’ use of πορνείας (a form of πορνεία) in Matthew 5:32 and πορνείᾳ in Matthew 19:9 as a reference to the same πορνεῦσαι (a form of πορνεύω, e.g., sexualized worship) He condemned in Revelation 2:20 (NET):

But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality (πορνεῦσαι) and to eat food sacrificed to idols (εἰδωλόθυτα, a form of εἰδωλόθυτον).

Such sexualized worship was the bane of Israel’s descendents from the beginning of their existence as a nation: So do not be idolaters (εἰδωλολάτραι, a form of εἰδωλολάτρης), as some of them were.  As it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”  And let us not be immoral (πορνεύωμεν, another form of πορνεύω), as some of them were (ἐπόρνευσαν, another form of πορνεύω), and twenty-three thousand died in a single day.[18]  Rather than thinking of it as an abbreviated version of the law it would be far more charitable to assume that sexualized worship was what James had in mind at the Jerusalem Council:

Jesus (NET)

Parallel Greek James (NET)

Parallel Greek

…to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols…

Revelation 2:20b

πορνεῦσαι καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα …to abstain from things defiled by idols and from sexual immorality and from what has been strangled and from blood…

Acts 15:20 Table

ἀπέχεσθαι τῶν ἀλισγημάτων τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ τῆς πορνείας (a form of πορνεία) καὶ |τοῦ| πνικτοῦ καὶ τοῦ αἵματος
…that you abstain from meat that has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what has been strangled and from sexual immorality…

Acts 15:29a

ἀπέχεσθαι εἰδωλοθύτων (another form of εἰδωλόθυτον) καὶ αἵματος καὶ πνικτῶν καὶ πορνείας (a form of πορνεία)

I want to substitute a more literal understanding of ὁμολογεῖ (a form of ὁμολογέω) translated confesses and confess respectively in 1 John 4:1-3 (NET):

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that [speaks the same as] Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not [speak the same as] Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.

To that extent that the religious mind encourages us to reform our own behavior rather than to rely on the fruit of the Holy Spirit, it is the spirit of antichrist no matter how well-intentioned the mouthpiece. Suspicious of the Gospel I tried to be good first to prove that I was, failing that, I tried because “God will get you if you don’t watch out.”  My fear was flight from rather than toward God.  And yet, in that dark foreboding I became most aware of His forgiveness and patience.  Paul put it this way for Timothy (1 Timothy 1:15, 16 NET):

This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” – and I am the worst of them!  But here is why I was treated with mercy: so that in me as the worst, Christ Jesus could demonstrate his utmost patience, as an example for those who are going to believe in him for eternal life [Table].

Amanda Bynes delivers one of the funniest and most poignant lines in the movie Easy A: “Jesus tells us to love everyone.  I mean, even the whores and the homosexuals, but it’s just so hard.  It’s so hard because they keep doing it over and over again.”  An attitude of forgiveness toward others flows from the love that comes from the Holy Spirit.  Still, Jesus said, the one who is forgiven little loves little.[19] One who is forgiven much is forgiven often for the same offense, sometimes many more than seven times a day.  And that experience is far more persuasive than any threat (Matthew 18:34, 35 NET):

And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture [the unforgiving slave] until he repaid all he owed.  So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.

In that sacred space of loving forgiveness the truth began to dawn on me that not only the desire and effort were God’s but the fulfillment of his desire and his effort was his as well, the kingdom, the power and the glory.  I’ll substitute the same literal understanding I used above for ὁμολογήσῃς (another form of ὁμολογέω) translated confess, and ὁμολογεῖται (another form of ὁμολογέω) translated confesses in Romans 10:9, 10 (NET):

…if you [speak the same as Jesus] with your mouth that Jesus is Lord[20] [e.g., yehôvâh as opposed to a Lord or Sir] and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness [πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην; literally, “believes unto righteousness”] and with the mouth one [speaks the same as Jesus] and thus has salvation [ὁμολογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν; literally, “speaks the same as Jesus unto salvation”].

 


[1] Matthew 19:4 (NET) Table

[2] Romans 1:27 (NET) Table

[3] Hebrews 13:4 (NET)

[4] Leviticus 18:22a (NET) Table

[5] Leviticus 18:8 (NET) Table

[6] 1 Corinthians 2:2 (NET) Table

[7] Acts 15:10 (NET)

[8] Romans 3:22 (NET)

[9] Romans 13:10b (NET)

[10] Romans 3:31 (NET)

[11] Matthew 5:32b (NAB) Table

[12] Romans 11:32 (NET)

[13] Romans 3:19 (NET)

[14] Ezra 9:15 (NET)

[15] Psalm 46:10 (NET)

[16] John 3:7 (NET)

[17] Romans 8:14 (NET)

[18] 1 Corinthians 10:7, 8 (NET)

[19] Luke 7:47b (NET)

[20] NET note 10: Or “the Lord.” The Greek construction, along with the quotation from Joel 2:32 in v. 13 (in which the same “Lord” seems to be in view) suggests that κύριον (kurion) is to be taken as “the Lord,” that is, Yahweh. Cf. D. B. Wallace, “The Semantics and Exegetical Significance of the Object-Complement Construction in the New Testament,” GTJ 6 (1985): 91-112.

Antichrist, Part 2

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

Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments.  The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.  But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love (ἀγάπη)[2] of God has been perfected (τετελείωται, a form of τελειόω).[3]

In other words God’s ἀγάπη, when it is perfected, empowers me to keep his commandments.  For this is the love (ἀγάπη) of God: that we keep his commandments, John penned later in the same letter.  And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world.[4]  Or as Paul said, ἀγάπη is the fulfillment of the law,[5] and, the one bringing forth in you both the desire (θέλειν)[6] and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.[7]

God’s ἀγάπη is perfected in me by faith: we have come to know and to believe the love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us.  God is love (ἀγάπη), and the one who resides in love (ἀγάπη) resides in God, and God resides in him [Table].  By this love (ἀγάπη) is perfected (τετελείωται, a form of τελειόω) with us[8]  Not only the ἀγάπη but the faith was supplied by God—But the fruit of the Spirit is love (ἀγάπη), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (πίστις)[9]—if I had but gotten out of his way.  My religious mind stumbled over John’s statement, The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.[10]

I thought I could avoid the stigma of being called a liar and prove myself true by obeying—first the law then Paul’s definition of love—in my own strength.  I set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing![11]  A note in the NET on the phrase love of God (1 John 5:3 NET), reads: “Once again the genitive could be understood as (1) objective, (2) subjective, or (3) both.  Here an objective sense is more likely (believers’ love for God) because in the previous verse it is clear that God is the object of believers’ love.”  What is far more obvious to me now is that my love for God was not sufficient to keep his commandments, and all my efforts to do so did weigh [me] down, when compared to being buoyed up by the fruit of his Spirit.

Still, I had received the desire (θέλειν) to keep his commandments, though God’s love was not yet perfected in me.  For I want (θέλειν) to do the good, Paul lamented in Romans, but I cannot do it.[12]  My friends’ desires, on the other hand, did not suddenly change.  And nothing I said mattered to them.  Their ongoing sinful behavior tormented me.  Why don’t they see? I wondered.

Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues who believed in you,[13] Paul replied when the Lord had said to him, Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.[14]  And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, Paul continued, I myself was standing nearby, approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.[15]  It seemed to me that since someone like I was had changed (repented) that everyone should change.  By this we know that we are in him, John wrote.  The one who says he resides in God ought (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω)[16] himself to walk just as Jesus walked.[17]

There is nothing wrong with translating ὀφείλει ought“We have a law, and according to our law he ought (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”[18] religious leaders said of Jesus.  But with my predilection for proving myself—“what I could do for God”—I need to remember that to owe is the primary meaning of ὀφείλει:  Now if [Onesimus] has defrauded you of anything, Paul wrote Philemon, or owes (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) you anything, charge what he owes to me.[19]  My religious mind has used ought to turn John’s statement on its head.  I have believed that anything but absolute conformity on my part to walk just as Jesus walked is proof that I am not in him and do not reside in God, despite the fact that a sense of obligation, that I owe this to Him, has been with me since I believed.  My friends did not think they owed this to God, or anyone else, simply because I began to believe.

Children, it is the last hour, John wrote, and just as you heard that the antichrist (ἀντίχριστος) is coming, so now many antichrists (ἀντίχριστοι, a form of ἀντίχριστος) have appeared.  We know from this that it is the last hour.  They went out (ἐξῆλθαν, a form of ἐξέρχομαι)[20] from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained (μεμενήκεισαν, a form of μένω)[21] with us.  But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.[22]  And I think 1 John 2:3-6 has more to do with the antichrists’ point of departure—They went out from us—than any geographical or institutional location.

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

Still, He always brought me back from the latter excursions:  Now as for you, John wrote, the anointing that you received from him resides (μένει, another form of μένω)[23] in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you.  But as his anointing teaches you about all things, it is true and is not a lie.  Just as it has taught you, you reside (μένετε, another form of μένω) in him.[24]  If you love me, Jesus said, you will obey (τηρήσετε, a form of τηρέω) my commandments.  Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it does not see him or know him.  But you know him, because he resides (μένει) with you and will be in (ἐν)[25] you.[26]

The former excursions (though less like excursions and more like my lifestyle) were a bit more intractable.  After all, wasn’t God pleased by my noble efforts to keep the law or Paul’s definition of love?   Who is the liar, John wrote, but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ?  This one is the antichrist: the person who denies the Father and the Son.  Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either.  The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.[27]

I didn’t deny Jesus with my mouth.  I honored Him with my lips.  But in my heart I rejected the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness in favor of my own righteousness derived from the law[28] or Paul’s definition of ἀγάπη.  I was certainly hearing some of the things I’ve written about here.  I did attempt from time to time to trust Him with MY righteousness.  It wasn’t that I was better somehow at it than He was.  It was that I demanded 100% compliance from Him (e.g., from me when He was in charge) but I was much more lenient with myself when I took control.

Dear friends, John continued, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.[29]  For me now this means more than paying lip service to Jesus.  Does the spirit encourage me to trust God’s credited righteousness, to rely on the fruit of his Spirit?  Or does the spirit encourage me to turn back to my own ways, striving in my own strength to keep his commandments?

Again John wrote of antichrist: But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another.  (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.)  This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it.  For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh.  This person is the deceiver and the antichrist!  Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward.[30]

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

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

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

If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God resides in him and he in God.  And we have come to know and to believe the love (ἀγάπην, another form of ἀγάπη) that God has in us.  God is love (ἀγάπη), and the one who resides in love (ἀγάπη) resides in God, and God resides[31] in him [Table].  By this love (ἀγάπη) is perfected (τετελείωται) with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world.  There is no fear in love (ἀγάπη), but perfect (τελεία, a form of τέλειος)[32] love (ἀγάπη) drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears punishment has not been perfected (τετελείωται) in love (ἀγάπη).  We love (ἀγαπῶμεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) because he loved (ἠγάπησεν, another form of ἀγαπάω) us first.

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

[5] Romans 13:10b (NET)

[7] Philippians 2:13 (NET)

[8] 1 John 4:16-18a (NET)

[9] Galatians 5:22 (NET)

[10] 1 John 2:4 (NET)

[11] Galatians 2:21 (NET)

[12] Romans 7:18b (NET)

[13] Acts 22:19 (NET)

[14] Acts 22:18 (NET) Table

[15] Acts 22:20 (NET)

[17] 1 John 2:5b, 6 (NET)

[18] John 19:7 (NET)

[19] Philemon 1:18 (NET)

[22] 1 John 2:18, 19 (NET)

[24] 1 John 2:27 (NET)

[26] John 14:15-17 (NET)

[27] 1 John 2:22, 23 (NET)

[28] Philippians 3:9 (NET)

[29] 1 John 4:1-3 (NET)

[30] 2 John 1:5-8 (NET)