Wonders and False Wonders, Part 3

This is a continuation of my consideration of the many wonders (τέρατα, a form of τέρας) and miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) which came about by the apostles.1 I’ll continue to use the knowledge gleaned from the translation of Exodus 4:21 and 4:8, 9 in the Septuagint to analyze the miraculous sign as “the thing itself,” and distinguish it from “the wonder, the voice of the sign, the effect it has on those who witness the sign.”2

Luke described an early practice of the Jerusalem church (Acts 4:32-37 NET):

The group of those who believed were of one heart3 and mind (ψυχὴ),4 and no one said that any of his5 possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on them all. For there was6 no one needy among them because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds were distributed7 to each, as anyone had need. So Joseph,8 a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by9 the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and placed it at10 the apostles’ feet.

Barnabas (Joseph, Joses) will play a larger role later in Luke’s narrative. It is not too difficult to imagine why a believing Levite became a “son of encouragement” (NET) or The son of consolation (KJV) to the apostles as their faith was persecuted by their rulers, elders, and experts in the lawin Jerusalem.11 Here, he demonstrated by his behavior his participation as a member in good standing in this early practice of the Jerusalem church.

To translate ψυχὴ mind, however, rather than soul or life, seems disingenuous to me. While it conveys the idea that this was a spontaneous reaction to the indwelling Holy Spirit in a particular cultural context, it completely masks the apparent, if not inherent, falseness of this specific belief. I might go so far as to translate ψυχὴ person here. I may be a rabid anti-communist or overly individualistic. Still, I don’t believe that the indwelling Holy Spirit creates God-clones, but a wondrous plethora of godly individuals.12

Luke’s narrative continued (Acts 5:1-4 NET):

Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira13 his wife, sold a piece of property. He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his14 wife’s knowledge;15 he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter16 said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie (ψεύσασθαι, a form of ψεύδομαι) to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself17 part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied (ἐψεύσω, another form of ψεύδομαι) to people but to God!”

When Ananias18 heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it.19

The miraculous sign is Ananias’ death in response to Peter’s words. The wonder is the fear it caused in all who heard, more on that later. Clearly, I would be thinking completely differently about Peter’s words if Ananias had scoffed and walked away, but given his death, it is Peter’s knowledge of, and from, the Holy Spirit that captures my attention.

He knew the secret that Ananias had kept back for himself part of the proceeds.20 With that knowledge alone I might have taken his lie more personally. Peter knew Ananias’ heart as well, that he had not lied to people but to God,21 that Satan filled [his] heart (τὴν καρδίαν σου) to lie to the Holy Spirit.22 Peter’s words conveyed Godly judgment rather than man’s judgment.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

1 Samuel 16:7 (Tanakh) [Table]

1 Samuel 16:7 (NET)

1 Reigns 16:7 (NETS) [Table]

1 Kings 16:7 (English Elpenor)

But HaShem said unto Samuel: ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but HaShem looketh on the heart (לַלֵּבָֽב).’ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (lēḇāḇ, ללבב).” And the Lord said to Samouel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the posture of his size, because I have rejected him, for God will not look as a mortal will see, for a mortal will see into a face, but God will see into a heart (εἰς καρδίαν).” But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (εἰς καρδίαν).

Luke’s narrative continued (Acts 5:6-11 NET):

So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. Peter23 said to her,24 “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said, “Yes, that much.” Peter then told25 her, “Why have you agreed together to test (πειράσαι, a form of πειράζω) the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things.

Luke described some of the results of this fear (Acts 5:12-14 NET):

Now many miraculous signs (σημεῖα, a form of σημεῖον) and wonders (τέρατα, a form of τέρας) came about among the people through the hands of the apostles. By common consent they were all meeting together in Solomon’s Portico [Table]. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high honor. More and more believers in the Lord were added to their number, crowds of both men and women.

This is a brilliant description of the fear of the Lord: Those whom Jesus drew to Himself at this particular time were added to their number. None of the rest dared to join them. Though it is a little difficult to come to a definitive meaning for ἐμεγάλυνεν αὐτοὺς (NET: held them in high honor) in this context, it’s clear that believers were not being bad-mouthed by the people who feared to join them.

I have very little to say about Ananias and Sapphira, except to compare their decision to lie to the Holy Spirit and to test the Spirit of the Lord to Judah’s son Onan’s decision:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 38:8-10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 38:8-10 (NET)

Genesis 38:8-10 (NETS)

Genesis 38:8-10 (English Elpenor)

And Judah said unto Onan: ‘Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.’ Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother.” Then Ioudas said to Aunan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and act the part of a brother-in-law, and raise up offspring for your brother.” And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to thy brother’s wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.
And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he wasted his emission on the ground so as not to give his brother a descendant. But because Aunan knew that the offspring would not be his, it would come about that he would pour out his semen upon the ground when he would go in to his brother’s wife so that he would not give offspring to his brother. And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his– it came to pass when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled [it] upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother’s wife.
And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of HaShem; and He slew him also. What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him too. Now it seemed evil in the sight of God that he did this, and he put him to death also. And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he slew him also.

Granted, apart from the story of Ananias and Sapphira, I would have judged Onan by outward appearance. I wouldn’t have attributed his death to his own decision to lie to the Holy Spirit and to test the Spirit of the Lord. But the fact that Onan isn’t remembered for that decision helps me extrapolate the false wonder; namely, any attribution of the death of Ananias and Sapphira to anything other than their own decision to lie to the Holy Spirit and to test the Spirit of the Lord that might hinder those whom Jesus is drawing to Himself or encourage those who should fear to join the group of believers at any particular time.

Luke continued (Acts 5:15, 16 NET):

Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and put them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow would fall on some of them. A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. They were all being healed [Table].

Who were they who carried the sick out into the streets? The translation they appears to be assumed from the verb ἐκφέρειν, an active infinitive form of ἐκφέρω. The nearest antecedent is πλήθη ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν (NET: crowds of both men and women).26 I admit I had associated these crowds of both men and women with the More and more believers in the Lordadded to their number.27 Their activity, however, sounds more like the vain hero-worship of those who feared to join the believers.

After the Lord healed a man born lame (Acts 3:1-10), Peter declared (Acts 3:12-21 NET):

Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this? Why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk by our own power or piety? [Table] The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our forefathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate after he had decided to release him [Table]. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a man who was a murderer be released to you. You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this fact we are witnesses! And on the basis of faith in Jesus’ name, his very name has made this man—whom you see and know—strong. The faith that is through Jesus has given him this complete health in the presence of you all. And now, brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, as your rulers did too. But the things God foretold long ago through all the prophets—that his Christ would suffer—he has fulfilled in this way. Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and so that he may send the Messiah appointed for you—that is, Jesus [Table]. This one heaven must receive until the time all things are restored, which God declared from times long ago through his holy prophets [Table].

In the end, however, it doesn’t seem to have mattered whether it was believers are those who feared to join them who carried the sick out into the streets: They were all being healed.28 My tears flowed at this outpouring of God’s grace, knowing from history what will come upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem who ignore Jesus’ warning to flee.29

Jesus had said (John 14:10b-12 NET):

The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, but the Father residing in me performs his miraculous deeds (τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ) [Table]. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, believe because of the miraculous deeds themselves [Table]. I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these because I am going to the30 Father.

This indiscriminate multiplication of miraculous deeds of healing seems wholly designed to give every opportunity for repentance to those whose prejudice incites their rejection of Jesus’ person. Luke’s narrative continued (Acts 5:17, 18 NET):

Now the high priest rose up, and all those with him (that is, the religious party of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail [Table].

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Jesus said, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!31

Luke’s narrative continued (Acts 5:19-26 NET):

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison, led them out, and said [Table], “Go and stand in the temple courts and proclaim to the people all the words of this life” (πάντα τὰ ρήματα τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης). When they heard this, they entered the temple courts at daybreak and began teaching.

Now when the high priest and those who were with him arrived, they summoned the Sanhedrin—that is, the whole high council of the Israelites—and sent to the jail to have the apostles brought before them. But the officers who came for them did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported, “We found the jail32 locked securely and the guards standing33 at34 the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” Now when the35 commander of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were greatly puzzled concerning it, wondering what this could be. But someone came and reported to them,36 “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people!” Then the commander of the temple guard went with the officers and brought37 the apostles without the use of force (for they were afraid of being stoned38 by the people).

The officers’ fear adds some weight to the NET translation of ἐμεγάλυνεν αὐτοὺς: held them in high honor.39 This apparent tug-of-war between the apostles and the rulers in Jerusalem is the outworking of Jesus’ promise (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.

Paul explained to Gentile believers (Romans 11:25b-32 NET):

A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles has come in [Table]. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion;
he will remove ungodliness from Jacob [Table].
And this is my covenant with them,
when I take away their sins.”40

In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all.

And Jesus prophesied over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-39 NET):

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! [Table] Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’

I’ll continue with this in another essay. According to a note (21) in the NET Paul quoted from Isaiah 59:20, 21. A table comparing the Greek of Romans 11:26b, 27a with that of Isaiah 59:20, 21 in the Septuagint follows.

Romans 11:26 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 59:20 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 59:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἥξει ἐκ Σιὼν ὁ ρυόμενος, ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβ καὶ ἥξει ἕνεκεν Σιων ὁ ῥυόμενος καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ Ιακωβ καὶ ἥξει ἕνεκεν Σιὼν ὁ ῥυόμενος καὶ ἀποστρέψει ἀσεβείας ἀπὸ ᾿Ιακώβ

Romans 11:26 (NET)

Isaiah 59:20 (NETS)

Isaiah 59:20 (English Elpenor)

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And the one who delivers will come for Zion’s sake, and he will turn impiety away from Jacob. And the deliverer shall come for Sion’s sake, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

Romans 11:27a (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 59:21a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 59:21a (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη

καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῗς ἡ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη

καὶ αὕτη αὐτοῖς ἡ παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ διαθήκη

Romans 11:27a (NET)

Isaiah 59:21a (NETS)

Isaiah 59:21a (English Elpenor)

And this is my covenant with them,

And this is the covenant to them from me,

And this shall be my covenant with them,

Tables comparing Genesis 38:8; 38:9 and 38:10 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and comparing Genesis 38:8; 38:9 and 38:10 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Acts 4:32; 4:34-37; 5:1-3; 5:5; 5:8, 9; John 14:12 and Acts 5:23-26 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 38:8 (Tanakh)

Genesis 38:8 (KJV)

Genesis 38:8 (NET)

And Judah said unto Onan: ‘Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother.’ And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother. Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill the duty of a brother-in-law to her so that you may raise up a descendant for your brother.”

Genesis 38:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 38:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἶπεν δὲ Ιουδας τῷ Αυναν εἴσελθε πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ γάμβρευσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀνάστησον σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιούδας τῷ Αὐνάν· εἴσελθε πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου καὶ ἐπιγάμβρευσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀνάστησον σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου

Genesis 38:8 (NETS)

Genesis 38:8 (English Elpenor)

Then Ioudas said to Aunan, “Go in to your brother’s wife, and act the part of a brother-in-law, and raise up offspring for your brother.” And Judas said to Aunan, Go in to thy brother’s wife, and marry her as her brother-in-law, and raise up seed to thy brother.

Genesis 38:9 (Tanakh)

Genesis 38:9 (KJV)

Genesis 38:9 (NET)

And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother. But Onan knew that the child would not be considered his. So whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he wasted his emission on the ground so as not to give his brother a descendant.

Genesis 38:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 38:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

γνοὺς δὲ Αυναν ὅτι οὐκ αὐτῷ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα ἐγίνετο ὅταν εἰσήρχετο πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐξέχεεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ γνοὺς δὲ Αὐνὰν ὅτι οὐκ αὐτῷ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα, ἐγίνετο ὅταν εἰσήρχετο πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἐξέχεεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τοῦ μὴ δοῦναι σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ

Genesis 38:9 (NETS)

Genesis 38:9 (English Elpenor)

But because Aunan knew that the offspring would not be his, it would come about that he would pour out his semen upon the ground when he would go in to his brother’s wife so that he would not give offspring to his brother. And Aunan, knowing that the seed should not be his– it came to pass when he went in to his brother’s wife, that he spilled [it] upon the ground, so that he should not give seed to his brother’s wife.

Genesis 38:10 (Tanakh)

Genesis 38:10 (KJV)

Genesis 38:10 (NET)

And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of HaShem; and He slew him also. And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also. What he did was evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord killed him too.

Genesis 38:10 (Septuagint BLB)

Genesis 38:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

πονηρὸν δὲ ἐφάνη ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι ἐποίησεν τοῦτο καὶ ἐθανάτωσεν καὶ τοῦτον πονηρὸν δὲ ἐφάνη ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι ἐποίησε τοῦτο, καὶ ἐθανάτωσε καὶ τοῦτον

Genesis 38:10 (NETS)

Genesis 38:10 (English Elpenor)

Now it seemed evil in the sight of God that he did this, and he put him to death also. And his doing this appeared evil before God; and he slew him also.

Acts 4:32 (NET)

Acts 4:32 (KJV)

The group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but everything was held in common. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Acts 4:32 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 4:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 4:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Τοῦ δὲ πλήθους τῶν πιστευσάντων ἦν καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία, καὶ οὐδὲ εἷς τι τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ ἔλεγεν ἴδιον εἶναι ἀλλ᾿ ἦν αὐτοῖς |ἅπαντα| κοινά του δε πληθους των πιστευσαντων ην η καρδια και η ψυχη μια και ουδε εις τι των υπαρχοντων αυτω ελεγεν ιδιον ειναι αλλ ην αυτοις απαντα κοινα του δε πληθους των πιστευσαντων ην η καρδια και η ψυχη μια και ουδε εις τι των υπαρχοντων αυτων ελεγεν ιδιον ειναι αλλ ην αυτοις απαντα κοινα

Acts 4:34-37 (NET)

Acts 4:34-37 (KJV)

For there was no one needy among them because those who were owners of land or houses were selling them and bringing the proceeds from the sales Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,

Acts 4:34 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 4:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 4:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐνδεής τις ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς· ὅσοι γὰρ κτήτορες χωρίων ἢ οἰκιῶν ὑπῆρχον, πωλοῦντες ἔφερον τὰς τιμὰς τῶν πιπρασκομένων ουδε γαρ ενδεης τις υπηρχεν εν αυτοις οσοι γαρ κτητορες χωριων η οικιων υπηρχον πωλουντες εφερον τας τιμας των πιπρασκομενων ουδε γαρ ενδεης τις υπηρχεν εν αυτοις οσοι γαρ κτητορες χωριων η οικιων υπηρχον πωλουντες εφερον τας τιμας των πιπρασκομενων
and placing them at the apostles’ feet. The proceeds were distributed to each, as anyone had need. And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4:35 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 4:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 4:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων, διεδίδετο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν και ετιθουν παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων διεδιδοτο δε εκαστω καθοτι αν τις χρειαν ειχεν και ετιθουν παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων διεδιδοτο δε εκαστω καθοτι αν τις χρειαν ειχεν
So Joseph, a Levite who was a native of Cyprus, called by the apostles Barnabas (which is translated “son of encouragement”), And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Acts 4:36 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 4:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 4:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἐπικληθεὶς Βαρναβᾶς ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων (ὅ ἐστιν μεθερμηνευόμενον υἱὸς παρακλήσεως), Λευίτης, Κύπριος τῷ γένει ιωσης δε ο επικληθεις βαρναβας υπο των αποστολων ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον υιος παρακλησεως λευιτης κυπριος τω γενει ιωσης δε ο επικληθεις βαρναβας απο των αποστολων ο εστιν μεθερμηνευομενον υιος παρακλησεως λευιτης κυπριος τω γενει
sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and placed it at the apostles’ feet. Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4:37 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 4:37 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 4:37 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὑπάρχοντος αὐτῷ ἀγροῦ πωλήσας ἤνεγκεν τὸ χρῆμα καὶ ἔθηκεν |πρὸς| τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων υπαρχοντος αυτω αγρου πωλησας ηνεγκεν το χρημα και εθηκεν παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων υπαρχοντος αυτω αγρου πωλησας ηνεγκεν το χρημα και εθηκεν παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων

Acts 5:1-3 (NET)

Acts 5:1-3 (KJV)

Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,

Acts 5:1 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ἀνὴρ δέ τις Ἁνανίας ὀνόματι σὺν σαπφίρῃ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπώλησεν κτῆμα ανηρ δε τις ανανιας ονοματι συν σαπφειρη τη γυναικι αυτου επωλησεν κτημα ανηρ δε τις ανανιας ονοματι συν σαπφειρη τη γυναικι αυτου επωλησεν κτημα
He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife’s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles’ feet. And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 5:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐνοσφίσατο ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς, συνειδυίης καὶ τῆς γυναικός, καὶ ἐνέγκας μέρος τι παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων ἔθηκεν και ενοσφισατο απο της τιμης συνειδυιας και της γυναικος αυτου και ενεγκας μερος τι παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων εθηκεν και ενοσφισατο απο της τιμης συνειδυιας και της γυναικος αυτου και ενεγκας μερος τι παρα τους ποδας των αποστολων εθηκεν
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?

Acts 5:3 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἶπεν δὲ Πέτρος· Ἁνανία, διὰ τί ἐπλήρωσεν ὁ σατανᾶς τὴν καρδίαν σου, ψεύσασθαι σε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καὶ νοσφίσασθαι ἀπὸ τῆς τιμῆς τοῦ χωρίου ειπεν δε πετρος ανανια δια τι επληρωσεν ο σατανας την καρδιαν σου ψευσασθαι σε το πνευμα το αγιον και νοσφισασθαι απο της τιμης του χωριου ειπεν δε πετρος ανανια δια τι επληρωσεν ο σατανας την καρδιαν σου ψευσασθαι σε το πνευμα το αγιον και νοσφισασθαι σε απο της τιμης του χωριου

Acts 5:5 (NET)

Acts 5:5 (KJV)

When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

Acts 5:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀκούων δὲ Ἁνανίας τοὺς λόγους τούτους πεσὼν ἐξέψυξεν, καὶ ἐγένετο φόβος μέγας ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκούοντας ακουων δε ανανιας τους λογους τουτους πεσων εξεψυξεν και εγενετο φοβος μεγας επι παντας τους ακουοντας ταυτα ακουων δε ο ανανιας τους λογους τουτους πεσων εξεψυξεν και εγενετο φοβος μεγας επι παντας τους ακουοντας ταυτα

Acts 5:8, 9 (NET)

Acts 5:8, 9 (KJV)

Peter said to her, “Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land?” Sapphira said, “Yes, that much.” And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

Acts 5:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πρὸς αὐτὴν Πέτρος· εἰπέ μοι, εἰ τοσούτου τὸ χωρίον ἀπέδοσθε; ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· ναί, τοσούτου απεκριθη δε αυτη ο πετρος ειπε μοι ει τοσουτου το χωριον απεδοσθε η δε ειπεν ναι τοσουτου απεκριθη δε αυτη ο πετρος ειπε μοι ει τοσουτου το χωριον απεδοσθε η δε ειπεν ναι τοσουτου
Peter then told her, “Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!” Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

Acts 5:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ δὲ Πέτρος πρὸς αὐτήν· τί ὅτι συνεφωνήθη ὑμῖν πειράσαι τὸ πνεῦμα κυρίου; ἰδοὺ οἱ πόδες τῶν θαψάντων τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἐπὶ τῇ θύρᾳ καὶ ἐξοίσουσιν σε ο δε πετρος ειπεν προς αυτην τι οτι συνεφωνηθη υμιν πειρασαι το πνευμα κυριου ιδου οι ποδες των θαψαντων τον ανδρα σου επι τη θυρα και εξοισουσιν σε ο δε πετρος ειπεν προς αυτην τι οτι συνεφωνηθη υμιν πειρασαι το πνευμα κυριου ιδου οι ποδες των θαψαντων τον ανδρα σου επι τη θυρα και εξοισουσιν σε

John 14:12 (NET)

John 14:12 (KJV)

I tell you the solemn truth, the person who believes in me will perform the miraculous deeds that I am doing, and will perform greater deeds than these because I am going to the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

John 14:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

John 14:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

John 14:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ κακεῖνος ποιήσει καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποιήσει, ὅτι ἐγὼ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα πορεύομαι αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο πιστευων εις εμε τα εργα α εγω ποιω κακεινος ποιησει και μειζονα τουτων ποιησει οτι εγω προς τον πατερα μου πορευομαι αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο πιστευων εις εμε τα εργα α εγω ποιω κακεινος ποιησει και μειζονα τουτων ποιησει οτι εγω προς τον πατερα μου πορευομαι

Acts 5:23-26 (NET)

Acts 5:23-26 (KJV)

“We found the jail locked securely and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.

Acts 5:23 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)

λέγοντες ὅτι τὸ δεσμωτήριον εὕρομεν κεκλεισμένον ἐν πάσῃ ἀσφαλείᾳ καὶ τοὺς φύλακας ἑστῶτας ἐπὶ τῶν θυρῶν, ἀνοίξαντες δὲ ἔσω οὐδένα εὕρομεν λεγοντες οτι το μεν δεσμωτηριον ευρομεν κεκλεισμενον εν παση ασφαλεια και τους φυλακας εξω εστωτας προ των θυρων ανοιξαντες δε εσω ουδενα ευρομεν λεγοντες οτι το μεν δεσμωτηριον ευρομεν κεκλεισμενον εν παση ασφαλεια και τους φυλακας εστωτας προ των θυρων ανοιξαντες δε εσω ουδενα ευρομεν
Now when the commander of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report, they were greatly puzzled concerning it, wondering what this could be. Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.

Acts 5:24 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν τοὺς λόγους τούτους ὅ τε στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, διηπόρουν περὶ αὐτῶν τί ἂν γένοιτο τοῦτο ως δε ηκουσαν τους λογους τουτους ο τε ιερευς και ο στρατηγος του ιερου και οι αρχιερεις διηπορουν περι αυτων τι αν γενοιτο τουτο ως δε ηκουσαν τους λογους τουτους ο τε ιερευς και ο στρατηγος του ιερου και οι αρχιερεις διηπορουν περι αυτων τι αν γενοιτο τουτο
But someone came and reported to them, “Look! The men you put in prison are standing in the temple courts and teaching the people!” Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

Acts 5:25 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)

παραγενόμενος δέ τις ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἰδοὺ οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἔθεσθε ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ εἰσὶν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἑστῶτες καὶ διδάσκοντες τὸν λαόν παραγενομενος δε τις απηγγειλεν αυτοις λεγων οτι ιδου οι ανδρες ους εθεσθε εν τη φυλακη εισιν εν τω ιερω εστωτες και διδασκοντες τον λαον παραγενομενος δε τις απηγγειλεν αυτοις οτι ιδου οι ανδρες ους εθεσθε εν τη φυλακη εισιν εν τω ιερω εστωτες και διδασκοντες τον λαον
Then the commander of the temple guard went with the officers and brought the apostles without the use of force (for they were afraid of being stoned by the people). Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.

Acts 5:26 (NET Parallel Greek)

Acts 5:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Acts 5:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Τότε ἀπελθὼν ὁ στρατηγὸς σὺν τοῖς ὑπηρέταις ἦγεν αὐτοὺς οὐ μετὰ βίας (ἐφοβοῦντο γὰρ τὸν λαὸν μὴ λιθασθῶσιν) τοτε απελθων ο στρατηγος συν τοις υπηρεταις ηγαγεν αυτους ου μετα βιας εφοβουντο γαρ τον λαον ινα μη λιθασθωσιν τοτε απελθων ο στρατηγος συν τοις υπηρεταις ηγαγεν αυτους ου μετα βιας εφοβουντο γαρ τον λαον ινα μη λιθασθωσιν

1 Acts 2:43 (NET) Table

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

4 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article η preceding mind (KJV: soul). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

5 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the singular pronoun αὐτῷ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had the plural αυτων.

7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had διεδίδετο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had διεδιδοτο (KJV: distribution was made). They appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

8 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had Ἰωσὴφ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιωσης (KJV: Joses). Both spellings describe, “A Levite from Cyprus whose name was changed by the apostles to Barnabas (Acts 4:36),” according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

11 Acts 4:5b (NET) Table

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had συνειδυίης here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνειδυιας (KJV: being privy to it). They appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

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

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

19 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταυτα (KJV: these things) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

20 Acts 5:2a (NET)

21 Acts 5:4b (NET)

22 Acts 5:3a (NET)

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

24 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πρὸς αὐτὴν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had simply αυτη (KJV: unto her).

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

26 Acts 5:14b (NET)

27 Acts 5:14a (NET)

28 Acts 5:15a, 16b (NET) Table

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

31 Matthew 23:37 (NET) Table

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

33 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εξω (KJV: without) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

34 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἐπὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προ (KJV: before).

35 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιερευς και ο (KJV: high priest and the) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

38 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ινα μη (KJV: lest they should have been stoned) preceding of being stoned, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had simply μὴ.

40 See Peter’s Second Gospel Proclamation, Part 3 for a table comparing the Greek of this quotation to that of the Septuagint.

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

This is a continuation of my consideration of God’s love for Satan revealed in the book of Job. I’ve stepped away some from the main topic to consider Satan’s power if and only if the Lord removes the hedge (śûḵ, שׁכת) He has made around Job and his household and all that he has on every side.1 And this was the experiment Satan proposed to test his hypothesis explaining Job’s fear (yārē’, ירא; Septuagint: σέβεται, a form of σέβω, worship) of God.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Job 1:17 (Tanakh/KJV)

Job 1:17 (NET)

Job 1:17 (NETS)

Job 1:17 (English Elpenor)

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!” While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Horsemen formed three columns against us, and they encircled the camels and carried them off and killed the servants with daggers, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee.

I called this kind of power “Satan 101”: persuading unscrupulous people—who may have been lusting after Job’s camels already—that this was the opportune moment to strike. Something else needs to be addressed here, however, the formula: While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and saidand I only am escaped alone to tell thee. This formula will be repeated one more time.

This side of the judgment seat of Christ it seems most prudent to me to assume that this is the way events unfolded. It’s what the text says. But if I sit down with Job someday and he says, “No, no, it happened over a week,” or a month or six months, I won’t be offended. Something about the way the book of Job is constructed tells me I’m reading a dramatic retelling of a true story.

According to “A Glossary of Terms Essential to Describing Literature in the English Major (rev. 9/26/01)” online:

time compression/expansion [is] a dramatic or narrative device by which an author manipulates characters’ and readers’ emotions through speeding up or slowing down the apparent rate of time on the stage or in time.

Though I find it difficult to imagine the culture that might enjoy a presentation of Job as entertainment and edification, it’s fairly easy to recognize that this repeated formula could create a ripple of nervous laughter in an audience, comic relief to ease the tension of the horrors portrayed on stage.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Job 1:18 (Tanakh/KJV)

Job 1:18 (NET)

Job 1:18 (NETS)

Job 1:18 (English Elpenor)

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, While he was still speaking, another messenger came, saying to Job, “As your sons and daughters were eating and drinking at their elder brother’s, While he is yet speaking, another messenger comes, saying to Job, While thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,

If I am standing before the judgment seat of Christ and He asks why I believed that all these things happened to Job in a short period of time, I can answer: While the statement at the beginning of this section—And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house2—seems out of place at first, the final messenger’s repetition of that very statement seems to indicate that you wanted me to know that all of this occurred during the course of this meal.

If on the other hand Jesus asks why I believed that these events and their revelations happened over the course of a week or a month or six months, I would be left stuttering and stammering something I learned in an English class at school about dramatic writing and time compression.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Job 1:19 (Tanakh/KJV)

Job 1:19 (NET)

Job 1:19 (NETS)

Job 1:19 (English Elpenor)

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men (הַנְּעָרִ֖ים), and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people (naʿar, הנערים), and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!” suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell on your children (τὰ παιδία σου), and they died, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.” suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children (τὰ παιδία σου), and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.

Satan had power over the wind to destroy a house and take human life if and only if God gave him leave to do so. “All right then,” the Lord said to Satan when He authorized his scientific experiment, “everything he has is in your power (literally: in your hand). Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!”3 As scientific experiments go, this one was brutal.

Admittedly, I don’t feel it fully until Job’s children were killed, but the Hebrew word in the Masoretic text for servants and young people was the same [see the table below]. God, I believe, felt everything of the cost of this scientific experiment before He authorized it and loved Satan enough to proceed anyway. But what about Job’s children and servants?

A story Jesus told comes to mind here (Luke 16:19-21 NET):

There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. But at his gate lay4 a poor man (πτωχὸς) named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores,5 who longed to eat6 what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked7 his sores.

In another essay I approached this story from the viewpoint of Jesus’ saying, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”8 I wrote that his disciples “believed that the rich were blessed by God, that their wealth was a sign of his approval and favor. And I assume they believed this because their religious teachers believed and taught it.” I am right there with them, however, if I consider the blessings and curses Moses pronounced on Israel.

Deuteronomy 28:2-6, 8 (NET)

Deuteronomy 28:15-19, 21 (NET)

All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God: But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:
You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field. You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.
Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your mixing bowl will be cursed.
Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed. Your children will be cursed, as well as the produce of your soil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you. The Lord will plague you with deadly diseases until he has completely removed you from the land you are about to possess.

If I judge according to external appearance,9 I can be as surprised as Jesus’ disciples were (Luke 16:22, 23 NET)

Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s10 side. The rich man also died and was buried. And in Hades (ᾅδῃ, a form of ᾅδης), as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham11 far off with Lazarus at his side.

God does not view things the way people do,” the Lord said to Samuel. “People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”12 Jesus continued (Luke 16:24, 25 NET):

So [the rich man] called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.’  But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that13 in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.

I wrote that this entire story “is not to be taken too literally” when I thought that literally meant to take it as a picture of heaven and hell (the lake of fire). I called Abraham’s response to the rich man “karmic nonsense” until I began to consider that “God’s love [for Lazarus] was revealed after Lazarus’ death.” I stumbled around his response again considering God’s goodness and patience: The Lordis being patient toward you because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.14

So here I am again, brought to this story wondering about the deaths of Job’s children and servants. Perhaps I’m ready now to take it and Abraham’s response to the rich man literally. The Lord knew the rich man’s life, choked by thorns: The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.15 After his death he is brought to an intense focus.

And I no longer feel compelled to assume that the poor man was faithful or virtuous because angels carried him to Abraham’s side if I take Abraham at his word: Lazarus [received] bad things, but now he is comforted here. Abraham continued to answer the request of the rich man (Luke 16:26 NET Table):

Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us, so that those who want to cross over from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.’

The rich man, Abraham and Lazarus were not spirits likened to wind, free to go wherever they wanted. They were imprisoned, compelled as it were to focus their attentions. The rich man said (Luke 16:27, 28 NET):

Then I beg you, father—send Lazarus to my father’s house (for I have five brothers) to warn them so that they don’t come into this place of torment.’

Both the rich man and Lazarus had no less a personage than Abraham, the father of us all, to focus their attentions precisely (Luke 16:29 NET):

But16 Abraham said,17 ‘They have18 Moses19 and the prophets; they must respond to them.’

Their deaths had not altered the fact that the Bible (as it existed at that time)—Moses and the prophets—remained the primary focus of human attention. The rich man wanted to argue but Abraham was firm (Luke 16:30, 31 NET):

Then the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses20 and the prophets, they will not21 be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

I’m embarrassed how often I’ve missed what is now so clear in this context: Abraham learned everything he knew of Moses and the prophets who followed him from his own place in Hades after his death. I can trust Job’s children and servants to the grace and mercy of God.

The table mentioned above follows:

Reference Hebrew Tanakh/KJV, NET Greek NETS, English Elpenor
Job 1:15 Table הַנְּעָרִ֖ים the servants τοὺς παῖδας the servants
Job 1:16 Table וּבַנְּעָרִ֖ים and the servants καὶ τοὺς ποιμένας the shepherds
Job 1:17 הַנְּעָרִ֖ים the servants τοὺς παῖδας the servants
Job 1:19 הַנְּעָרִ֖ים the young men, the young people τὰ παιδία σου your children, thy children

Tables comparing Job 1:17; 1:18; 1:19; Deuteronomy 28:2; 28:15; 28:3; 28:16; 28:4; 28:17; 28:5; 28:18; 28:6; 28:19; 28:8; 28:21 and 1 Samuel 16:7 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 1:17; 1:18; 1:19; Deuteronomy 28:2; 28:15; 28:3; 28:16; 28:4; 28:17; 28:5; 28:18; 28:6; 28:19; 28:8; 28:21 and 1 Samuel (1 Reigns, 1 Kings) 16:7 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 16:20, 21; 16:22, 23; 16:25; 16:29 and 16:31 in the NET and KJV follow.

Job 1:17 (Tanakh)

Job 1:17 (KJV)

Job 1:17 (NET)

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς Ιωβ οἱ ἱππεῗς ἐποίησαν ἡμῗν κεφαλὰς τρεῗς καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὰς καμήλους καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῗδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἦλθεν ἕτερος ἄγγελος καὶ εἶπε πρὸς ᾿Ιώβ· οἱ ἱππεῖς ἐποίησαν ἡμῖν κεφαλὰς τρεῖς καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν τὰς καμήλους καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν αὐτὰς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ἀπέκτειναν ἐν μαχαίραις· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι

Job 1:17 (NETS)

Job 1:17 (English Elpenor)

While he was still speaking, a further messenger came and said to Iob, “Horsemen formed three columns against us, and they encircled the camels and carried them off and killed the servants with daggers, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another messenger, and said to Job, The horsemen formed three companies against us, and surrounded the camels, and took them for a prey, and slew the servants with the sword; and I only escaped, and am come to tell thee.

Job 1:18 (Tanakh)

Job 1:18 (KJV)

Job 1:18 (NET)

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house: While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

Job 1:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἔρχεται λέγων τῷ Ιωβ τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων παρὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτῶν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ ἔτι τούτου λαλοῦντος ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἔρχεται λέγων τῷ ᾿Ιώβ· τῶν υἱῶν σου καὶ τῶν θυγατέρων σου ἐσθιόντων καὶ πινόντων παρὰ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτῶν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ

Job 1:18 (NETS)

Job 1:18 (English Elpenor)

While he was still speaking, another messenger came, saying to Job, “As your sons and daughters were eating and drinking at their elder brother’s, While he is yet speaking, another messenger comes, saying to Job, Whle thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,

Job 1:19 (Tanakh)

Job 1:19 (KJV)

Job 1:19 (NET)

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. and suddenly a great wind swept across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”

Job 1:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Job 1:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐξαίφνης πνεῦμα μέγα ἐπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἥψατο τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν τῆς οἰκίας καὶ ἔπεσεν ἡ οἰκία ἐπὶ τὰ παιδία σου καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί σοι ἐξαίφνης πνεῦμα μέγα ἐπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου καὶ ἥψατο τῶν τεσσάρων γωνιῶν τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ ἔπεσεν ἡ οἰκία ἐπὶ τὰ παιδία σου, καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν· ἐσώθην δὲ ἐγὼ μόνος καὶ ἦλθον τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί σοι

Job 1:19 (NETS)

Job 1:19 (English Elpenor)

suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and the house fell on your children, and they died, but I alone escaped, and I came to tell you.” suddenly a great wind came on from the desert, and caught the four corners of the house, and the house fell upon thy children, and they are dead; and I have escaped alone, and am come to tell thee.

Deuteronomy 28:2 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:2 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:2 (NET)

And all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of HaShem thy G-d. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. All these blessings will come to you in abundance if you obey the Lord your God:

Deuteronomy 28:2 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐλογίαι αὗται καὶ εὑρήσουσίν σε ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ ἥξουσιν ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ εὐλογίαι αὗται καὶ εὑρήσουσί σε, ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου

Deuteronomy 28:2 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:2 (English Elpenor)

and all these blessing shall come upon you and find you, if you hear the voice of the Lord your God: and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and shall find thee. If thou wilt indeed hear the voice of the Lord thy God,

Deuteronomy 28:15 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:15 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:15 (NET)

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of HaShem thy G-d, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: But if you ignore the Lord your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:

Deuteronomy 28:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῗν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταλήμψονταί σε Καὶ ἔσται ἐὰν μὴ εἰσακούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν πάσας τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, καὶ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ σὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κατάραι αὗται καὶ καταλήψονταί σε

Deuteronomy 28:15 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:15 (English Elpenor)

And it shall be, if you do not listen to the voice of the Lord your God to keep and to do all his commandments, which I command you today, that all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you: But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe all his commandments, as many as I charge thee this day, then all these curses shall come on thee, and overtake thee.

Deuteronomy 28:3 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:3 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:3 (NET)

Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:3 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ

Deuteronomy 28:3 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:3 (English Elpenor)

Blessed be you in the city, and blessed be you in the field. blessed [shalt] thou [be] in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:16 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:16 (NET)

Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν πόλει καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν πόλει, καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν ἀγρῷ

Deuteronomy 28:16 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:16 (English Elpenor)

Cursed be you in the city, and cursed be you in the field. Cursed [shalt] thou [be] in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:4 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:4 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:4 (NET)

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Your children will be blessed, as well as the produce of your soil, the offspring of your livestock, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου εὐλογημένα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου καὶ τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου

Deuteronomy 28:4 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:4 (English Elpenor)

Blessed be the progeny of your belly and the produce of your land, the herds of your cows and the flocks of your sheep. Blessed shall be the offspring of thy body, and the fruits of thy land, and the herds of thy oxen, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deuteronomy 28:17 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:17 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:17 (NET)

Cursed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Your basket and your mixing bowl will be cursed.

Deuteronomy 28:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπικατάρατοι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου ἐπικατάρατοι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου

Deuteronomy 28:17 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:17 (English Elpenor)

Cursed be your storehouses and your reserves. Cursed shall be thy barns and thy stores.

Deuteronomy 28:5 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:5 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:5 (NET)

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy kneading-trough. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Your basket and your mixing bowl will be blessed.

Deuteronomy 28:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου εὐλογημέναι αἱ ἀποθῆκαί σου καὶ τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματά σου

Deuteronomy 28:5 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:5 (English Elpenor)

Blessed be your storehouses and your reserves. Blessed shall be thy barns, and thy stores.

Deuteronomy 28:18 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:18 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:18 (NET)

Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the young of thy flock. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Your children will be cursed, as well as the produce of your soil, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπικατάρατα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου ἐπικατάρατα τὰ ἔκγονα τῆς κοιλίας σου καὶ τὰ γενήματα τῆς γῆς σου, τὰ βουκόλια τῶν βοῶν σου καὶ τὰ ποίμνια τῶν προβάτων σου

Deuteronomy 28:18 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:18 (English Elpenor)

Cursed be the progeny of your belly and the produce of your land, the herds of your cows and the flocks of your sheep. Cursed shall be the offspring of thy body, and the fruits of thy land, the herds of thine oxen, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:6 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:6 (NET)

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε, καὶ εὐλογημένος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε

Deuteronomy 28:6 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:6 (English Elpenor)

Blessed be you when you come in, and blessed be you when you go out. Blessed shalt thou be in thy coming in, and blessed shalt thou be in thy going out.

Deuteronomy 28:19 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:19 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:19 (NET)

Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

Deuteronomy 28:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ εἰσπορεύεσθαί σε καὶ ἐπικατάρατος σὺ ἐν τῷ ἐκπορεύεσθαί σε

Deuteronomy 28:19 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:19 (English Elpenor)

Cursed be you when you come in, and cursed be you when you go out. And all the people fell upon their faces, and said, Truly the Lord [is] God; he [is] God.

Deuteronomy 28:8 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:8 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:8 (NET)

HaShem will command the blessing with thee in thy barns, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto; and He will bless thee in the land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The Lord will decree blessing for you with respect to your barns and in everything you do—yes, he will bless you in the land he is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀποστείλαι κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐν τοῗς ταμιείοις σου καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῗρά σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι ἀποστείλαι Κύριος ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν εὐλογίαν ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις σου καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα, οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου, ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι

Deuteronomy 28:8 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:8 (English Elpenor)

May the Lord send the blessing upon you in your storerooms and in all things to which you put your hand in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord send upon thee his blessing in thy barns, and on all on which thou shalt put thine hand, in the land which the Lord thy God gives thee.

Deuteronomy 28:21 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 28:21 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 28:21 (NET)

HaShem will make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until He have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest in to possess it. The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The Lord will plague you with deadly diseases until he has completely removed you from the land you are about to possess.

Deuteronomy 28:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 28:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

προσκολλήσαι κύριος εἰς σὲ τὸν θάνατον ἕως ἂν ἐξαναλώσῃ σε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς εἰς ἣν σὺ εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῗ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν προσκολλήσαι Κύριος εἰς σὲ τὸν θάνατον, ἕως ἂν ἐξαναλώσῃ σε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, εἰς ἣν εἰσπορεύῃ ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν

Deuteronomy 28:21 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 28:21 (English Elpenor)

May the Lord make death cling to you until it consumes you off the land that you are entering there to inherit it. The Lord cause the pestilence to cleave to thee, until he shall have consumed thee off the land into which thou goest to inherit it.

1 Samuel 16:7 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 16:7 (KJV)

1 Samuel 16:7 (NET)

But HaShem said unto Samuel: ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but HaShem looketh on the heart.’ But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 16:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαμουηλ μὴ ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ μηδὲ εἰς τὴν ἕξιν μεγέθους αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐξουδένωκα αὐτόν ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἐμβλέψεται ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται ὁ θεός ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται εἰς πρόσωπον ὁ δὲ θεὸς ὄψεται εἰς καρδίαν καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαμουήλ· μὴ ἐπιβλέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν ὄψιν αὐτοῦ μηδὲ εἰς τὴν ἕξιν μεγέθους αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐξουδένωκα αὐτόν· ὅτι οὐχ ὡς ἐμβλέψεται ἄνθρωπος, ὄψεται ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἄνθρωπος ὄψεται εἰς πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ὄψεται εἰς καρδίαν

1 Reigns 16:7 (NETS)

1 Kings 16:7 (English Elpenor)

And the Lord said to Samouel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the posture of his size, because I have rejected him, for God will not look as a mortal will see, for a mortal will see into a face, but God will see into a heart.” But the Lord said to Samuel, Look not on his appearance, nor on his stature, for I have rejected him; for God sees not as man looks; for man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Luke 16:20, 21 (NET)

Luke 16:20, 21 (KJV)

But at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus whose body was covered with sores, And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

πτωχὸς δέ τις ὀνόματι Λάζαρος ἐβέβλητο πρὸς τὸν πυλῶνα αὐτοῦ εἱλκωμένος πτωχος δε τις ην ονοματι λαζαρος ος εβεβλητο προς τον πυλωνα αυτου ηλκωμενος πτωχος δε τις ην ονοματι λαζαρος ος εβεβλητο προς τον πυλωνα αυτου ηλκωμενος
who longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. In addition, the dogs came and licked his sores And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἐπιθυμῶν χορτασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ πλουσίου· ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ κύνες ἐρχόμενοι ἐπέλειχον τὰ ἕλκη αὐτοῦ και επιθυμων χορτασθηναι απο των ψιχιων των πιπτοντων απο της τραπεζης του πλουσιου αλλα και οι κυνες ερχομενοι απελειχον τα ελκη αυτου και επιθυμων χορτασθηναι απο των ψιχιων των πιπτοντων απο της τραπεζης του πλουσιου αλλα και οι κυνες ερχομενοι απελειχον τα ελκη αυτου

Luke 16:22, 23 (NET)

Luke 16:22,23 (KJV)

Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ· ἀπέθανεν δὲ καὶ ὁ πλούσιος καὶ ἐτάφη εγενετο δε αποθανειν τον πτωχον και απενεχθηναι αυτον υπο των αγγελων εις τον κολπον του αβρααμ απεθανεν δε και ο πλουσιος και εταφη εγενετο δε αποθανειν τον πτωχον και απενεχθηναι αυτον υπο των αγγελων εις τον κολπον αβρααμ απεθανεν δε και ο πλουσιος και εταφη
And in Hades, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side. And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἐπάρας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὑπάρχων ἐν βασάνοις, ὁρᾷ Ἀβραὰμ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν καὶ Λάζαρον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὐτοῦ και εν τω αδη επαρας τους οφθαλμους αυτου υπαρχων εν βασανοις ορα τον αβρααμ απο μακροθεν και λαζαρον εν τοις κολποις αυτου και εν τω αδη επαρας τους οφθαλμους αυτου υπαρχων εν βασανοις ορα τον αβρααμ απο μακροθεν και λαζαρον εν τοις κολποις αυτου

Luke 16:25 (NET)

Luke 16:25 (KJV)

But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things and Lazarus likewise bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

εἶπεν δὲ Ἀβραάμ· τέκνον, μνήσθητι ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, καὶ Λάζαρος ὁμοίως τὰ κακά· νῦν δὲ ὧδε παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε οδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι ειπεν δε αβρααμ τεκνον μνησθητι οτι απελαβες συ τα αγαθα σου εν τη ζωη σου και λαζαρος ομοιως τα κακα νυν δε ωδε παρακαλειται συ δε οδυνασαι

Luke 16:29 (NET)

Luke 16:29 (KJV)

But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to them.’ Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει δὲ Ἀβραάμ· ἔχουσι Μωϋσέα καὶ τοὺς προφήτας· ἀκουσάτωσαν αὐτῶν λεγει αυτω αβρααμ εχουσιν μωσεα και τους προφητας ακουσατωσαν αυτων λεγει αυτω αβρααμ εχουσιν μωσεα και τους προφητας ακουσατωσαν αυτων

Luke 16:31 (NET)

Luke 16:31 (KJV)

He replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ· εἰ Μωϋσέως καὶ τῶν προφητῶν οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδ᾿ ἐάν τις ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῇ πεισθήσονται ειπεν δε αυτω ει μωσεως και των προφητων ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε εαν τις εκ νεκρων αναστη πεισθησονται ειπεν δε αυτω ει μωσεως και των προφητων ουκ ακουουσιν ουδε εαν τις εκ νεκρων αναστη πεισθησονται

1 Job 1:10a (NET) Table

2 Job 1:13 (Tanakh, KJV) Table

3 Job 1:12 (NET) Table

4 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ος (KJV: which) preceding lay (KJV: was laid). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

6 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had των ψιχιων (KJV: the crumbs) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

8 Mark 10:23b (NET)

9 John 7:24a (NET)

10 The Stephanus Textus Receptus had του preceding Abraham’s here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

11 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τον preceding Abraham. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

12 1 Samuel 16:7b (NET)

13 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συ (KJV: thou) following that. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

15 Matthew 13:22 (NET) Table

17 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: unto him) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

21The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οὐδ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδε (KJV: neither).