The Day of the Lord, Part 7

Posted on December 28, 2023 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot ὁ 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.

I highlighted two things he wrote about their insights:³

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.

Meyer’s NT Commentary continued to elaborate on the “view of the Fathers” regarding “the Antichrist…considered as an individual person” with the following caveat:

Meyer’s NT Commentary	Google Translate
Yet Augustin already remarks, that “nonnulli non ipsum principem, sed universum quodam modo corpus ejus i. e. ad eum pertinentem hominum multitudinem simul cum ipso suo principe hoc loco intelligi Antichristum volunt.”	Yet Augustin already remarks, that “some, not the prince himself, but the whole world, in a certain way, his body i. e. The multitude of men belonging to him, together with their own leader, want to be understood in this place as Antichrist.”

Mr. Meyer cataloged many evolving views: “[T]he view, first in the eleventh century, that the establishment and growing power of the Papacy is to be considered as the Antichrist predicted by Paul,”⁴ is a familiar one. “Yet even before the reference of Antichrist to Popery was maintained, Mohammed[55] was already regarded by the divines of the Greek church…as the Antichrist predicted by Paul.”⁵

The power which restrained Antichrist evolved as well.

The restraining power by which the appearance of Antichrist is delayed, is usually considered [by the Church Fathers] to be the continuance of the Roman Empire (τὸ κατέχον) and its representative the Roman emperor (ὁ κατέχων). Some, however, as Theodorus Mopsuestius and Theodoret, understand by it τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν ὅρον, i.e. more exactly, the counsel of God to keep back the appearance of Antichrist until the gospel is proclaimed throughout the earth…Chrysostom chooses a third interpretation, that by the restraining power is meant the continuance of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit…

In recent times it has often been considered as objectionable to determine exactly the individual traits of the imagery used by Paul. Accordingly the representation of the apostle has been interpreted in a general, ideal, or symbolical sense. To this class of interpreters belongs Koppe, according to whom Paul, founding on an old national Jewish oracle, supported especially by Daniel, would describe the ungodliness preceding the last day, which already worked, but whose full outbreak was only to take place after the death of the apostle; so that Paul himself was the κατέχων.[57]⁶

Meyer’s NT Commentary continued:

Meyer’s NT Commentary	Google Translate
Similarly Storr (l.c.), who understands by the ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας [man of sin] “potestas aliqua, deo omnique religioni adversaria, quae penitus incognita et futuro demum tempore se proditura sit,” and by the preventing power the “copia hominum verissimo amore inflammatorum in christianam religionem.”	Similarly Storr (l.c.), who understands by the ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας [man of sin] “some power, hostile to God and to all religion, which is completely unknown and will betray itself in the future at the last time,” and by the preventing power the “a multitude of men inflamed with true love into the Christian religion.”

Other opinions were cited: “Nitzsch (l.c.) thinks on the power of atheism first come to have public authority, or the contempt of all religion generally.”⁷ “Pelt…sums up his views in the following words”:⁸

Meyer’s NT Commentary	Google Translate
Mihi … adversarius illi principium esse videtur sive vis spiritualis evangelio contraria, quae huc usque tamen in Pontificiorum Romanorum operibus ac serie luculentissime sese prodidit, ita tamen, ut omnia etiam mala, quae in ecclesia compareant, ad eandem Antichristi ἐνέργειαν sint referenda.	To me… it seems that the opposite principle is a spiritual force contrary to the gospel, which until now has revealed itself most clearly in the works and series of the Roman Pontiffs, so that even all the evils that appear in the church are to be referred to the same Antichrist ἐνέργειαν.
Ejus vero ΠΑΡΟΥΣΊΑ i. e. summum fastigium, quod Christi reditum qui nihil aliud est, nisi regni divini victoria,[59] antecedet, futurum adhuc esse videtur, quum illud tempus procul etiamnum abesse putemus, ubi omnes terrae incolae in eo erunt, ut ad Christi sacra transeant. Κατέχον vero cum Theodoreto putarim esse dei voluntatem illud Satanae regnum cohibentem, ne erumpat, et, si mediae spectantur causae, apostolorum tempore maxime imperii Romani vis, et quovis aevo illa resistentia, quam malis artibus, quae religionem subvertere student, privati commodi et honoris augendorum cupiditas opponere solet.	But his ΠΑΡΟΥΣΊΑ i. e. the highest climax, which precedes the return of Christ, which is nothing else but the victory of the divine kingdom, [59] seems to be yet to come, since we think that time is still far off, when all the inhabitants of the earth will be there, to pass to the sacraments of Christ. Κατέχον, with Theodoretus, I think that it is the will of God restraining that kingdom of Satan, lest it break out, and, if we look at the middle causes, in the time of the apostles the power of the Roman government was especially strong, and in every age that resistance, which is usually opposed to the evil arts which seek to subvert religion, the desire to increase private advantage and honor.

According to [Pelt], the chief stress lies on ΤῸ ΜΥΣΤΉΡΙΟΝ ἬΔΗ ἘΝΕΡΓΕῖΤΑΙ Τῆς ἈΝΟΜΊΑς [literally: the mystery already working of lawlessness]. Antichrist is a union of the individuality and spiritual tendency in masses of individuals. The revolt of the Jews from the Romans, and the fearful divine punishment in the destruction of Jerusalem, Nero, Mohammed and his spiritual devastating power, the development of the Papacy in the Middle Ages, the French Revolution of 1789, with the abrogation of Christianity, and the setting up of prostitutes on altars for worship, in the external world, as well as the constantly spreading denial of the fundamentals of all religious truth and morality, of the doctrines of God, freedom, and immortality, and likewise the self-deification of the ego in the internal world,—all these phenomena are the real precursors of Antichrist; but they contain only some of his characteristics, not all; it is the union of all these characteristics which shall make the full Antichrist.⁹

Ultimately, though I found some of them illuminating, Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer rejected the views developed in recent times:

It is evident that all these explanations are arbitrary. The Pauline description is so definitely and sharply marked, and has for its whole compass so much the idea of nearness for its supposition, that it can by no means be taken generally, and in this manner explained away.

While I’m grateful to Mr. Meyer for painstakingly collecting all of these opinions in one place, I don’t intend to play guess the identity of Antichrist as an individual person. That game scatters in my opinion, rather than gathering with the Lord Jesus: and whoever does not gather (συνάγων, a form of συνέχω) with me scatters (σκορπίζει, a form of σκορπίζω),¹⁰ Jesus said. So, I want to approach it differently.

Matthew Poole’s summation from his Commentary of the difficulty of knowing “what whithholdeth” the revelation of the man of lawlessness was very accessible:

And now ye know what withholdeth: the apostle it seems had told them, as of his coming, so of what at present withheld the revealing of him. And what this was is difficult to know now, though it seems these Thessalonians knew it: there are many conjectures about it. This I shall say in general:
1. It was something that the apostle thought not safe openly to declare in writing; else he would not have written of it so obscurely.
2. It was both a thing, and a person; a thing, to katecon, in this verse, that which withholdeth; and a person, as in the next verse, o katecwn, he who letteth.
3. It was also such a thing and such a person as were to be removed out of the way, not totally, but as they were hinderances [sic] of this revelation.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible echoed Mr. Poole’s first point:

It is not known precisely what is referred to by the phrase “what withholdeth,” τὸ κατέχον to katechon. The phrase means properly, something that “holds back,” or “restrains”….Of this, the apostle says, they had had full information; but we can only conjecture what it was.

This seems to be a natural consequence of the assumption that Antichrist is an unknown individual from the future. Rather than assuming that Paul, the Holy Spirit and the New Testament are keeping something from us, I prefer to experiment with the idea that ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας or αμαρτιας (NET: the man of lawlessness; KJV: that man of sin [Table])¹¹ and ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the son of destruction; KJV: the son of perdition)¹² are other words for ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία (NET: sin that lives in me; KJV: sin that dwelleth in me),¹³ τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν φθειρόμενον κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῆς ἀπάτης (NET: the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires; KJV: the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts),¹⁴ ἐμοὶ τὸ κακὸν παράκειται (NET/KJV: evil…present with me)¹⁵ and ἡ…σὰρξ (NET/KJV: the flesh).¹⁶ I’ll work backwards through this.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh (σὰρξ) is weak,¹⁷ Jesus said of disciples who both believed and followed Him. The Greek word translated willing was πρόθυμον (a form of πρόθυμος): “ready, willing, eager, predisposed.” The Greek word translated weak was ἀσθενής: “weak, powerless; weak and easily defeated; sick, ill, unhealthy; disabled, physically weak, feeble, miserable; morally weak; weak in influence, without influence; structurally weak (e.g., weak stones unable to support).” What is born of the flesh (σαρκὸς, a form of σὰρξ) is flesh (σάρξ),¹⁸ He told Nicodemus; in other words, it is weak (ἀσθενής). And again, Jesus said to his disciples, The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature (σὰρξ) is of no help!¹⁹

Flesh (σὰρξ) and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,²⁰ Paul wrote the Corinthians. He elaborated on this point in his letter to the Romans (Romans 8:1-8 NET):

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death [Table]. For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened (ἠσθένει, a form of ἀσθενέω) through the flesh (σαρκός, a form of σὰρξ). By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (σαρκὸς, a form of σὰρξ) and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh (σαρκί, another form of σὰρξ), so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh (σάρκα, another form of σὰρξ) but according to the Spirit.

For those who live according to the flesh (σάρκα) have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh (σαρκὸς), but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit. For the outlook of the flesh (σαρκὸς) is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace, because the outlook of the flesh (σαρκὸς) is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so. Those who are in the flesh (σαρκὶ) cannot please God.

Prior to this, Paul had written, with my flesh (σαρκὶ, another form of σὰρξ) I serve the law of sin.²¹ [W]hen I want to do good, evil is present with me,²² he lamented as he characterized that evil as a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members.²³ For the flesh (σὰρξ) has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh (σαρκός, another form of σὰρξ),²⁴ he wrote to the Galatians. To the Ephesians he characterized this flesh as the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.²⁵ He also called this old man simply, sin that lives in me.²⁶ And to the Thessalonians he described all of this as the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction.²⁷

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

The Day of the Lord, Part 8

¹ Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

² Mark 8:15b (NET)

³ From Meyer’s NT Commentary 2 Thessalonians 2:12, Bible Commentaries on Bible Hub online.

⁴ Ibid.

⁵ Ibid.

⁶ Ibid.

⁷ Ibid.

⁸ Ibid.

⁹ Ibid.

¹⁰ Matthew 12:30b (NET)

¹¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Table

¹² Ibid.

¹³ Romans 7:19 Table

¹⁴ Ephesians 4:22

¹⁵ Romans 7:21

¹⁶ Galatians 5:17 Table

¹⁷ Matthew 26:41b (NET)

¹⁸ John 3:6a (NET)

¹⁹ John 6:63a (NET) Table

²⁰ 1 Corinthians 15:50b (NET) Table

²¹ Romans 7:25b (NET) Table

²² Romans 7:21b (NET)

²³ Romans 7:23b (NET) Table

²⁴ Galatians 5:17a (NET) Table

²⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁶ Romans 7:17b (NET) Table, and 7:20b (NET) Table

²⁷ 2 Thessalonians 2:3b (NET) Table

The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Posted on September 19, 2023 by admin

Paul wrote (2 Thessalonians 2:1-6 NET):

Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας) [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]. Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you. And so you know what holds him back, so that he will be revealed in his own time.

The interpretation of many of the Church Fathers was summarized in Meyer’s NT Commentary:

The apocalyptic teaching of the apostle in chap. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 has occupied Christians of all times, and has been very variously interpreted. A chief distinction in the interpretations consists in this, that this Pauline prediction may be considered either as that which will be fulfilled in the near or more distant future, or as having already received its fulfilment.

I. The Church Fathers belong to the representatives of the first view…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 restraining power by which the appearance of Antichrist is delayed, is usually considered to be the continuance of the Roman Empire (τὸ κατέχον) and its representative the Roman emperor (ὁ κατέχων).

And thus the “Who is the Antichrist?” guessing game began. There isn’t anything intrinsically wrong with a guessing game, I suppose. Jesus let his disciples guess who would betray Him, during dinner the night He was betrayed.

Matthew 26:21-23 (NET)	Mark 14:18-20 (NET)	Luke 22:21-23 (NET)	John 13:21, 22 (NET)
And while they were eating he said,	While they were at the table eating, Jesus said,		When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified,
		“But look, the hand of the one who betrays (παραδιδόντος) me is with me on the table.
“I tell you the truth, one of you will betray (παραδώσει) me.”	“I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me will betray (παραδώσει) me.”		“I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray (παραδώσει) me.”
		For³ the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed (παραδίδοται)!”
They became greatly distressed	They⁴ were distressed,		The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about.
		So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.
and each one⁵ began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray (παραδώσει) me.	and one by⁶ one said to him, “Surely not I?”⁷ He said⁸ to them, “It is one of⁹ the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

The tone of μήτι ἐγώ ¹⁰ and μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι ¹¹ is more difficult to decipher than I expected. It’s not quite the open-ended Is it I? of the King James Version, something I’ve heard preached and intended to contrast here to the suspicion and accusation of the Antichrist guessing game. Surely not I? doesn’t feel quite right either. The Greek question seems to be a more hesitant denial, seeking independent confirmation or assurance from Jesus.

And I considered Luke’s account more closely this time: So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.¹² The Greek word translated to question (συζητεῖν, an infinitive form of συζητέω) means “to seek together; to discuss, carry on a discussion; to reflect, mediate, contemplate, think.” But it can also mean “to dispute, debate, argue (with someone).”

The Greek words translated one another (πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς) do very little to dissuade me of the idea that Jesus’ disciples may have suspiciously accused one another. Since ἑαυτοὺς is in the accusative case, πρὸς means: “to; toward, in the direction of; beside; against; with; at.” As Luke’s account continued, it added a little more fuel to the fire of these suspicious accusations (Luke 22:24 NET).

A dispute (φιλονεικία) also (καὶ) started among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

Here again, Jesus’ disciples seem to have blocked out his “morbid fascination” with his own death because they “knew” He was the promised Messiah who would overthrow the Roman pagans and restore “faithful” Israel to its rightful place as the head and not the tail.¹³ Each one seemed most concerned about his own place in that new order.

John recorded a conclusion to the “Who is the betrayer?” guessing game, for his readers if not yet for the other disciples at that moment (John 13:23-26 NET):

One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor [Table]. So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot (John 13:18), Simon’s son [Table].

John was also the one who described antichrist (1 John 2:18, 19 NET):

Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the¹⁴ antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour. They went out¹⁵ from us, but they did not really belong to us because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

First, John affirmed that ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται (NET: antichrist is coming). The Greek verb ἔρχεται is a singular form of the verb ἔρχομαι in the present tense. A note in the Koine Greek Lexicon explained: “The present is sometimes used with the force of the future.” Whether this is one of those times is a matter of interpretation, since John continued: καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν (NET: so now many antichrists have appeared).

The Greek verb γεγόνασιν is a 3^rd person plural form of γίνομαι in the perfect tense. “The basic thought of the perfect tense,” according to the entry in Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online:

…is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.

This sounds similar to Paul’s affirmation that the man of lawlessness…the son of destruction¹⁶…will be revealed in his own time. For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work.¹⁷ John proceeded to characterize the many antichrists.

1. They went out from us…

This was ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν or ἐξῆλθον in Greek. The difference is insignificant: ἐξῆλθαν and ἐξῆλθον are both 3^rd person plural forms of ἐξέρχομαι. (The latter might also be understood as a 1^st person singular form.) I assume that ἡμῶν (NET: us) refers to the visible church generally. But John may have meant visible church leaders or even apparent apostles more specifically.

Consider how he began this letter (1 John 1:1-3 NET):

This is what we proclaim to you:¹⁸ what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our (ἡμῶν) eyes, what we have looked at and our (ἡμῶν) hands have touched (concerning the word of life—and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you [ὑμῖν] the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us [ἡμῖν]). What we have seen and heard we announce to you (ὑμῖν) too,¹⁹ so that you (ὑμεῖς) may have fellowship with us [ἡμῶν] (and indeed our [ἡμετέρα]²⁰ fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).

Is the ἐξῆλθαν or ἐξῆλθον of the many antichrists equivalent to the rebellion²¹ (ἡ ἀποστασία) of which Paul wrote? I would assume so, unless John’s second characterization of the many antichrists precludes that possibility.

2. …but they did not really belong to us…

The Greek here is ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν (literally: “but existed not from us”). I take that to mean that at the time They went out, the many antichrists were not yet born from above, not yet born of the Spirit, not yet born…by God. John continued to explain: because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate (φανερωθῶσιν) that all of them do not belong to us.²²

Then John contrasted the many antichrists to his faithful readers (1 John 2:20, 21 NET):

Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all²³ know. I have not written to you that you do not know the truth, but that you do know it (αὐτὴν), and that no lie is of the truth.

3. …the antichrist…denies the Father and the Son

This led him to another characterization of antichrist, which I assume applies to the many antichrists as well (1 John 2:22, 23 NET).

Who is the liar but the person who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This one is the antichrist (ὁ ἀντίχριστος): 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.²⁴

The Greek word translated denies all three times above was ἀρνούμενος, a present participle of the verb ἀρνέομαι: “to say that a statement heard or presented is untrue; to deny (the value of or validity of); to contradict, disavow, reject, abnegate, refuse, disown; to refuse (to do); to repent.” If you had asked me sometime before I became an atheist if I denied that Jesus is the Christ or if I denied the Father and the Son, I would have said “no.” And as far as I understood it, that was true.

I denied his “value” and “validity” all day every day, however, not out of any particular malice but, out of ignorance. I didn’t know Him. What I “knew” of imputed righteousness (Romans 4:22-25 KJV) was that it was a figment of God’s imagination, a mind game He played on Himself. Likewise, the righteousness of God without the law (Romans 3:21-24 KJV) was the same divine play pretending. I “knew” the only way to make it real was for me to obey the rules: the laws of the Old Testament, the commands of the New, along with those of my parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, doctors, city laws, county laws, state laws, national laws and on and on and on.

Is that what I was taught? I don’t remember what I was taught. It seems almost impossible to disentangle what I was taught from what I learned, sixty years or so after the fact. Maybe I was stupid, probably I didn’t pay enough attention, perhaps I wasn’t actually born from above just because I said a sinner’s prayer to Jesus so I wouldn’t burn in hell for all eternity when I was five-years-old. I do recall that the adults over me expected me to obey them—immediately.

The fastest way to do that was in my own strength. I expected Jesus to help. But He didn’t help me have my own righteousness derived from the law. And there didn’t seem to be much time or patience afforded to me to figure out how to live by the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness,²⁵ even if I had believed that his righteousness was available to me, or such a way of life was possible through faith in Jesus Christ.

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 28:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 28:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19, 20; Luke 22:22; 1 John 2:18, 19; 1:3; 2:20 and 2:23 in the NET and KJV follow.

Deuteronomy 28:13 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (NET)
And HaShem will make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if thou shalt hearken unto the commandments of HaShem thy G-d, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them;	And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:	The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments that I am urging you today to be careful to do.

Deuteronomy 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταστήσαι σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐράν καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω καὶ οὐκ ἔσῃ ὑποκάτω ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς τῶν ἐντολῶν κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν	καταστήσαι σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου εἰς κεφαλὴν καὶ μὴ εἰς οὐράν, καὶ ἔσῃ τότε ἐπάνω καὶ οὐκ ἔσῃ ὑποκάτω, ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου, ὅσα ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον φυλάσσειν καὶ ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 28:13 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 28:13 (English Elpenor)
May the Lord your God set you up as a head and not as a tail, and you shall then be on top, and you shall not be underneath—if you hear the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, to guard and to perform.	The Lord thy God make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt then be above and thou shalt not be below, if thou wilt hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, in all things that I charge thee this day to observe.

Matthew 26:22 (NET)	Matthew 26:22 (KJV)
They became greatly distressed and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?”	And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

Matthew 26:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ λυπούμενοι σφόδρα ἤρξαντο λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς ἕκαστος· μήτι ἐγώ εἰμι, κύριε	και λυπουμενοι σφοδρα ηρξαντο λεγειν αυτω εκαστος αυτων μητι εγω ειμι κυριε	και λυπουμενοι σφοδρα ηρξαντο λεγειν αυτω εκαστος αυτων μητι εγω ειμι κυριε

Mark 14:19, 20 (NET)	Mark 14:19, 20 (KJV)
They were distressed, and one by one said to him, “Surely not I?”	And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?

Mark 14:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἤρξαντο λυπεῖσθαι καὶ λέγειν αὐτῷ εἷς κατὰ εἷς· μήτι ἐγώ	οι δε ηρξαντο λυπεισθαι και λεγειν αυτω εις καθ εις μητι εγω και αλλος μητι εγω	οι δε ηρξαντο λυπεισθαι και λεγειν αυτω εις καθ εις μητι εγω και αλλος μητι εγω

He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips his hand with me into the bowl.

And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

Mark 14:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ ἐμβαπτόμενος μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ εἰς τὸ τρύβλιον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις εις εκ των δωδεκα ο εμβαπτομενος μετ εμου εις το τρυβλιον	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις εις εκ των δωδεκα ο εμβαπτομενος μετ εμου εις το τρυβλιον

Luke 22:22 (NET)	Luke 22:22 (KJV)
For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”	And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!

Luke 22:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς μὲν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου κατὰ τὸ ὡρισμένον πορεύεται, πλὴν οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι᾿ οὗ παραδίδοται	και ο μεν υιος του ανθρωπου πορευεται κατα το ωρισμενον πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου παραδιδοται	και ο μεν υιος του ανθρωπου πορευεται κατα το ωρισμενον πλην ουαι τω ανθρωπω εκεινω δι ου παραδιδοται

1 John 2:18, 19 (NET)	1 John 2:18, 19 (KJV)
Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. We know from this that it is the last hour.	Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

1 John 2:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Παιδία, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν, καὶ καθὼς ἠκούσατε ὅτι ἀντίχριστος ἔρχεται, καὶ νῦν ἀντίχριστοι πολλοὶ γεγόνασιν, ὅθεν γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστίν	παιδια εσχατη ωρα εστιν και καθως ηκουσατε οτι ο αντιχριστος ερχεται και νυν αντιχριστοι πολλοι γεγονασιν οθεν γινωσκομεν οτι εσχατη ωρα εστιν	παιδια εσχατη ωρα εστιν και καθως ηκουσατε οτι ο αντιχριστος ερχεται και νυν αντιχριστοι πολλοι γεγονασιν οθεν γινωσκομεν οτι εσχατη ωρα εστιν

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

1 John 2:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξῆλθαν ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν· εἰ γὰρ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἦσαν, μεμενήκεισαν ἂν μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα φανερωθῶσιν ὅτι οὐκ εἰσὶν πάντες ἐξ ἡμῶν	εξ ημων εξηλθον αλλ ουκ ησαν εξ ημων ει γαρ ησαν εξ ημων μεμενηκεισαν αν μεθ ημων αλλ ινα φανερωθωσιν οτι ουκ εισιν παντες εξ ημων	εξ ημων εξηλθον αλλ ουκ ησαν εξ ημων ει γαρ ησαν εξ ημων μεμενηκεισαν αν μεθ ημων αλλ ινα φανερωθωσιν οτι ουκ εισιν παντες εξ ημων

1 John 1:3 (NET)	1 John 1:3 (KJV)
What we have seen and heard we announce to you too, so that you may have fellowship with us (and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ).	That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 1:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 1:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃ ἑωράκαμεν καὶ ἀκηκόαμεν, ἀπαγγέλλομεν καὶ ὑμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνίαν ἔχητε μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν. (καὶ ἡ κοινωνία δὲ ἡ ἡμετέρα μετὰ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.)	ο εωρακαμεν και ακηκοαμεν απαγγελλομεν υμιν ινα και υμεις κοινωνιαν εχητε μεθ ημων και η κοινωνια δε η ημετερα μετα του πατρος και μετα του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου	ο εωρακαμεν και ακηκοαμεν απαγγελλομεν υμιν ινα και υμεις κοινωνιαν εχητε μεθ ημων και η κοινωνια δε η ημετερα μετα του πατρος και μετα του υιου αυτου ιησου χριστου

1 John 2:20 (NET)	1 John 2:20 (KJV)
Nevertheless you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.	But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

1 John 2:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὑμεῖς χρῖσμα ἔχετε ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου \|καὶ\| οἴδατε πάντες	και υμεις χρισμα εχετε απο του αγιου και οιδατε παντα	και υμεις χρισμα εχετε απο του αγιου και οιδατε παντα

1 John 2:23 (NET)	1 John 2:23 (KJV)
Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either. The person who confesses the Son has the Father also.	Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1 John 2:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 2:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 2:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πᾶς ὁ ἀρνούμενος τὸν υἱὸν οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει, ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει	πας ο αρνουμενος τον υιον ουδε τον πατερα εχει	πας ο αρνουμενος τον υιον ουδε τον πατερα εχει

The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

¹ Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

² Mark 8:15b (NET)

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι δε (KJV: And) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἷς preceding each (KJV: every one), while the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: of them) following every one (NET: each).

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καθ.

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και αλλος μητι εγω (KJV: and another said, Is it I?) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις (KJV: answered and) preceding he said. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁰ Mark 14:19

¹¹ Matthew 26:22

¹² Luke 22:23 (NET)

¹³ Deuteronomy 28:13 (NET)

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο preceding antichrist. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

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

¹⁶ 2 Thessalonians 2:3b (NET) Table

¹⁷ 2 Thessalonians 2:6b, 7a (NET)

¹⁸ NET note 1: The phrase “This is what we proclaim to you” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the English. The main verb which governs all of these relative clauses is ἀπαγγέλλομεν (apangellomen) in v. 3. This is important for the proper understanding of the relative clauses in v. 1, because the main verb ἀπαγγέλλομεν in v. 3 makes it clear that all of the relative clauses in vv. 1 and 3 are the objects of the author’s proclamation to the readers rather than the subjects. To indicate this the phrase “This is what we proclaim to you” has been supplied at the beginning of v. 1.

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

²⁰ I assume that John used a different word here for our (ἡμετέρα, a singular form of ἡμέτερος in the 1^st person) to include his readers in the fellowship…with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, rather than to limit that fellowship to visible church leaders or apostles, actual or apparent.

²¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET) Table

²² 1 John 2:19b (NET)

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πάντες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παντα (KJV: all things).

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁ ὁμολογῶν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἔχει (NET: The person who confesses the Son has the Father also) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁵ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

The Day of the Lord, Part 4

Posted on September 15, 2023 by admin

In another essay I quoted Paul: For [the day of the Lord] will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας).¹ Now I have to consider whether my assumption that Jesus called Judas Iscariot ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) is like Jesus’ disciples’ discussion about having no bread² after He said: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”³

Here I’ll start with Paul’s description of what the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, does (2 Thessalonians 2:4 NET).

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,⁴ displaying himself as God.

According to a note (10) in the NET Paul alluded here to three different prophecies, which I’ll consider one at a time. The first was Isaiah 14:13-14.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 14:12-14 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 14:12-14 (NET)	Isaiah 14:12-14 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:12-14 (English Elpenor)
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (הֵילֵ֣ל), son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken (חוֹלֵ֖שׁ) the nations!	“Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one (hêlēl, הילל), son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror (ḥālaš, חולש) of the nations!	How is fallen from heaven the Day Star (ἑωσφόρος), which used to rise early in the morning! He has been crushed into the earth who used to send light (ἀποστέλλων) to all the nations!	How has Lucifer (ἑωσφόρος), that rose in the morning, fallen from heaven! He that sent [orders] (ἀποστέλλων) to all the nations is crushed to the earth.
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:	You said to yourself, ‘I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon.	You said in your mind, “I will ascend to heaven; I will set my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on a lofty mountain, upon the lofty mountains toward the north;	But thou saidst in thine heart, I will go up to heaven, I will set my throne above the stars of heaven: I will sit on a lofty mount, on the lofty mountains toward the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.	I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!’	I will ascend above the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”	I will go up above the clouds: I will be like the Most High.

The end of Lucifer, shining one, the Day Star (i.e., the king of Babylon) was also prophesied:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 14:15-17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 14:15-17 (NET)	Isaiah 14:15-17 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:15-17 (English Elpenor)
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell (שְׁא֛וֹל), to the sides of the pit.	But you were brought down to Sheol (šᵊ’ôl, שאול), to the remote slopes of the Pit.	But now you will descend into Hades (ᾅδου) and into the foundations of the earth.	But now thou shalt go down to hell (ᾅδην), even to the foundations of the earth.
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;	Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: ‘Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?	Those who see you will marvel at you and say: “Is this the man who troubles the earth, shaking kings?”	They that see thee shall wonder at thee, and say, This is the man that troubled the earth, that made kings to shake;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?	Is this the one who made the world like a wilderness, who ruined its cities and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?’	The one who made the whole world desolate and overthrew the cities has not released those who are in misery.	that made the whole world desolate, and destroyed its cities; he loosed not those who were in captivity.

The next allusion was to Daniel 11:36 according to the note (10) in the NET. “The identity of this king is problematic,” according to another note (81) in the NET:

If vv. 36-45 continue the description of Antiochus Epiphanes, the account must be viewed as erroneous, since the details do not match what is known of Antiochus’ latter days. Most modern scholars take this view, concluding that this section was written just shortly before the death of Antiochus and that the writer erred on several key points as he tried to predict what would follow the events of his own day. Conservative scholars, however, usually understand the reference to shift at this point to an eschatological figure, viz., the Antichrist. The chronological gap that this would presuppose to be in the narrative is not necessarily a problem, since by all accounts there are many chronological gaps throughout the chapter, as the historical figures intended by such expressions as “king of the north” and “king of the south” repeatedly shift.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Daniel 11:36 (Tanakh/KJV)	Daniel 11:36 (NET)	Daniel 11:36 (NETS)	Daniel 11:36 (English Elpenor)
And the king shall do according to his will (כִרְצֹנ֜וֹ); and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.	“Then the king will do as he pleases (rāṣôn, כרצונו). He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity, and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur.	the king will act according to his will (τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ). And he will be enraged and will be exalted over every god and will speak strange things against the God of gods. And he will succeed until the wrath is completed, for completion pertaining to him is coming.	And he shall do according to his will (τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ), and the king shall exalt and magnify himself against every god, and shall speak great swelling words, and shall prosper until the indignation shall be accomplished: for it is coming to an end.

The end of this king was also prophesied:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Daniel 11:45 (Tanakh/KJV)	Daniel 11:45 (NET)	Daniel 11:45 (NETS)	Daniel 11:45 (English Elpenor)
And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.	He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.	And he will set up his tent then between the seas and the mountain of the will of the holy one. And the hour of his consummation will come, and there will be no one who helps him.	And he shall pitch the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the holy mountain of beauty: [but] he shall come to his portion, and there is none to deliver him.

The final allusion was to Ezekiel 28:2-9 according to the note (10) in the NET. I’ll break this into two parts to match the others.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 28:1-5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 28:1-5 (NET)	Ezekiel 28:1-5 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:1-5 (English Elpenor)
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,	The Lord’s message came to me:	And a word of the Lord came to me, saying:	And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:	“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Your heart is proud and you said, “I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas”—yet you are a man and not a god, though you think you are godlike.	And you, son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, This is what the Lord says: Because your heart was exalted and you said, “I am a god; I have inhabited a habitation of a god in the heart of the sea,” yet you are human and not a god, and you rendered your heart as a god’s heart.	And thou, son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord; Because thine heart has been exalted, and thou hast said, I am God, I have inhabited the dwelling of God in the heart of the sea; yet thou art man and not God, though thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God:
Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:	Look, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you.	Surely, you are not wiser than Daniel? Or did wise ones not discipline you with their knowledge?	art thou wiser than Daniel? or have not the wise instructed thee with their knowledge?
With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:	By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself; you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.	Surely, by your knowledge and by your prudence you did not make for yourself power, both gold and silver in your treasuries?	Hast thou gained power for thyself by thine [own] knowledge or thine [own] prudence, and [gotten] gold and silver in thy treasures?
By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:	By your great skill in trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart is proud because of your wealth.	Or by your great knowledge and commerce did you multiply your power? Was your heart exalted by your power?	By thy abundant knowledge and thy traffic thou hast multiplied thy power; thy heart has been lifted up by thy power.

The end of this ruler was prophesied as well:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 28:6-10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 28:6-10 (NET)	Ezekiel 28:6-10 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:6-10 (English Elpenor)
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;	“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are godlike,	Therefore this is what the Lord says: Since you have rendered your heart as a god’s heart,	Therefore thus saith the Lord; Since thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;
Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.	I am about to bring foreigners against you, the most terrifying of nations. They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom, and they will defile your splendor.	therefore, behold, I am bringing against you foreign pests from the nations, and they shall unsheathe their daggers against you and against the beauty of your knowledge and wound your beauty unto destruction.	because of this, behold, I [will] bring on thee strange plagues from the nations; and they shall draw their swords against thee, and against the beauty of thy knowledge, (8) and they shall bring down thy beauty to destruction.
They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.	They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die violently in the heart of the seas.	And they shall bring you down, and you shall die by the death of the wounded in the heart of the sea.	And they shall bring thee down; and thou shalt die the death of the slain in the heart of the sea.
Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.	Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you—though you are a man and not a god—when you are in the power of those who wound you?	When you speak, will you actually say, “I am a god,” before those that are killing you? But you are a human and not a god.	Wilt thou indeed say, I am God, before them that slay thee? whereas thou art man, and not God.
Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.	You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”	By a multitude of the uncircumcised you shall perish, by the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord.	Thou shalt perish by the hands of strangers among the multitude of the uncircumcised: for I have spoken it, saith he Lord.

As written these texts describe three different personalities with a similar delusion. Some would reduce that number to two personalities, connecting Lucifer and the prince of Tyre through Satan. Dr. David Jeremiah described this traditional interpretation in a blog post: “Who Is Lucifer in the Bible.”⁵ The Hebrew word translated Lucifer הֵילֵ֣ל (hêlēl) occurs only once in the Masoretic text.

According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance הֵילֵ֣ל (hêlēl) is derived from a root word הָלַל (hālal), which occurs many more times and would probably make a good word study. The first occurrence, for instance, is found in Genesis when Abram, out of fear for his own life, effectively pimped (Genesis 12:10-16) his wife Sarai to Pharaoh.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:15 (NET)	Genesis 12:15 (NETS)	Genesis 12:15 (English Elpenor)
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised (וַיְהַֽלֲל֥וּ) her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.	When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised (hālal, ויהללו) her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh,	that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised (ἐπῄνεσαν) her to Pharao and brought her into Pharao’s house.	that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised (ἐπῄνεσαν) her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.

The Hebrew word הֵילֵ֣ל (hêlēl), translated Lucifer (Tanakh, KJV) and shining one (NET), was translated ἑωσφόρος in the Septuagint. There are no occurrences of ἑωσφόρος in the New Testament. There are two other occurrences in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 11:17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 11:17 (NET)	Job 11:17 (NETS)	Job 11:17 (English Elpenor)
And thine age shall be clearer (יָק֣וּם) than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning (כַּבֹּ֥קֶר).	And life will be brighter (qûm, יקום) than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning (bōqer, כבקר).	And your prayer will be as the morning star (ἑωσφόρος), and at midday life will dawn for you.	And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star (ἑωσφόρος), and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 38:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 38:12 (NET)	Job 38:12 (NETS)	Job 38:12 (English Elpenor)
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring (הַשַּׁ֣חַר) to know his place;	Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or made the dawn (šaḥar, השחר) know its place,	“Was it in your time that I instructed the morning light and that the morning star (ἑωσφόρος) saw its post,	Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and [did] the morning star (ἑωσφόρος) [then first] see his appointed place;

“Lucifer is the Latin name for the morning appearances of the planet Venus,” according to the Wikipedia article titled “Lucifer”:

It corresponds to the Greek names Phosphorus Φωσφόρος, “light-bringer”, and Eosphorus Ἑωσφόρος, “dawn-bringer”. The entity’s Latin name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil.

The Greek word φωσφόρος does occur once in the New Testament, probably not referring to the planet Venus or the devil (2 Peter 1:19 NET):

Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star (φωσφόρος) rises in your hearts.

I appreciate this study as a relatively concise course with several useful examples of the differences between the words used in Scripture and the interpretations of those words in translation and commentary. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Isaiah 14:12; 14:13; 14:14; 14:15; 14:16; 14:17; Daniel 11:36; 11:45; Ezekiel 28:1; 28:2; 28:3; 28:4; 28:5; 28:6; 28:7; 28:8; 28:9; 28:10; Genesis 12:15; Job 11:17 and 38:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 14:12; 14:13; 14:14; 14:15; 14:16; 14:17; Daniel 11:36; 11:45; Ezekiel 28:1; 28:2; 28:3; 28:4; 28:5; 28:6; 28:7; 28:8; 28:9; 28:10; Genesis 12:15; Job 11:17 and 38:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing 2 Thessalonians 2:4 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 14:12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:12 (NET)
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!	How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!	“Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!

Isaiah 14:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πῶς ἐξέπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ ἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων συνετρίβη εἰς τὴν γῆν ὁ ἀποστέλλων πρὸς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη	πῶς ἐξέπεσεν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὁ ἑωσφόρος ὁ πρωΐ ἀνατέλλων; συνετρίβη εἰς τὴν γῆν ὁ ἀποστέλλων πρὸς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
Isaiah 14:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:12 (English Elpenor)
How is fallen from heaven the Day Star, which used to rise early in the morning! He has been crushed into the earth who used to send light to all the nations!	How has Lucifer, that rose in the morning, fallen from heaven! He that sent [orders] to all the nations is crushed to the earth.

Isaiah 14:13 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:13 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:13 (NET)
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:	For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:	You said to yourself, ‘I will climb up to the sky. Above the stars of El I will set up my throne. I will rule on the mountain of assembly on the remote slopes of Zaphon.

Isaiah 14:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σὺ δὲ εἶπας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβήσομαι ἐπάνω τῶν ἄστρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ θήσω τὸν θρόνον μου καθιῶ ἐν ὄρει ὑψηλῷ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ τὰ πρὸς βορρᾶν	σὺ δὲ εἶπας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου· εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβήσομαι, ἐπάνω τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ θήσω τὸν θρόνον μου, καθιῶ ἐν ὄρει ὑψηλῷ, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη τὰ ὑψηλὰ τὰ πρὸς Βορρᾶν,
Isaiah 14:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:13 (English Elpenor)
You said in your mind, “I will ascend to heaven; I will set my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on a lofty mountain, upon the lofty mountains toward the north;	But thou saidst in thine heart, I will go up to heaven, I will set my throne above the stars of heaven: I will sit on a lofty mount, on the lofty mountains toward the north:

Isaiah 14:14 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:14 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:14 (NET)
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.	I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.	I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!’

Isaiah 14:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀναβήσομαι ἐπάνω τῶν νεφελῶν ἔσομαι ὅμοιος τῷ ὑψίστῳ	ἀναβήσομαι ἐπάνω τῶν νεφῶν, ἔσομαι ὅμοιος τῷ ῾Υψίστῳ
Isaiah 14:14 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:14 (English Elpenor)
I will ascend above the clouds; I will be like the Most High.”	I will go up above the clouds: I will be like the Most High.

Isaiah 14:15 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:15 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:15 (NET)
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.	Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.	But you were brought down to Sheol, to the remote slopes of the Pit.

Isaiah 14:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ εἰς ᾅδου καταβήσῃ καὶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς	νῦν δὲ εἰς ᾅδην καταβήσῃ καὶ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια τῆς γῆς
Isaiah 14:15 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:15 (English Elpenor)
But now you will descend into Hades and into the foundations of the earth.	But now thou shalt go down to hell, even to the foundations of the earth.

Isaiah 14:16 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:16 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:16 (NET)
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;	They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;	Those who see you stare at you, they look at you carefully, thinking: ‘Is this the man who shook the earth, the one who made kingdoms tremble?

Isaiah 14:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ ἰδόντες σε θαυμάσουσιν ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐροῦσιν οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ παροξύνων τὴν γῆν σείων βασιλεῖς	οἱ ἰδόντες σε θαυμάσονται ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐροῦσιν· οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ παροξύνων τὴν γῆν, ὁ σείων βασιλεῖς
Isaiah 14:16 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:16 (English Elpenor)
Those who see you will marvel at you and say: “Is this the man who troubles the earth, shaking kings?”	They that see thee shall wonder at thee, and say, This is the man that troubled the earth, that made kings to shake;

Isaiah 14:17 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:17 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:17 (NET)
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?	That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?	Is this the one who made the world like a wilderness, who ruined its cities and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?’

Isaiah 14:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ θεὶς τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην ἔρημον καὶ τὰς πόλεις καθεῖλεν τοὺς ἐν ἐπαγωγῇ οὐκ ἔλυσεν	ὁ θεὶς τὴν οἰκουμένην ὅλην ἔρημον καὶ τὰς πόλεις αὐτοῦ καθεῖλε, τοὺς ἐν ἐπαγωγῇ οὐκ ἔλυσε
Isaiah 14:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:17 (English Elpenor)
The one who made the whole world desolate and overthrew the cities has not released those who are in misery.	that made the whole world desolate, and destroyed its cities; he loosed not those who were in captivity.

Daniel 11:36 (Tanakh)	Daniel 11:36 (KJV)	Daniel 11:36 (NET)
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.	And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.	“Then the king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every deity, and he will utter presumptuous things against the God of gods. He will succeed until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been decreed must occur.

Daniel 11:36 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 11:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ποιήσει κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ μεγαλυνθήσεται ἐπὶ πάντα θεὸν καὶ λαλήσει ὑπέρογκα καὶ κατευθυνεῖ μέχρις οὗ συντελεσθῇ ἡ ὀργή εἰς γὰρ συντέλειαν γίνεται	καὶ ποιήσει κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑψωθήσεται καὶ μεγαλυνθήσεται ἐπὶ πάντα θεὸν καὶ λαλήσει ὑπέρογκα καὶ κατευθυνεῖ, μέχρις οὗ συντελεσθῇ ἡ ὀργή, εἰς γὰρ συντέλειαν γίνεται
Daniel 11:36 (NETS)	Daniel 11:36 (English Elpenor)
the king will act according to his will. And he will be enraged and will be exalted over every god and will speak strange things against the God of gods. And he will succeed until the wrath is completed, for completion pertaining to him is coming.	And he shall do according to his will, and the king shall exalt and magnify himself against every god, and shall speak great swelling words, and shall prosper until the indignation shall be accomplished: for it is coming to an end.

Daniel 11:45 (Tanakh)	Daniel 11:45 (KJV)	Daniel 11:45 (NET)
And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.	And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.	He will pitch his royal tents between the seas toward the beautiful holy mountain. But he will come to his end, with no one to help him.

Daniel 11:45 (Septuagint BLB)	Daniel 11:45 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πήξει τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ εφαδανω ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν θαλασσῶν εἰς ὄρος σαβι ἅγιον καὶ ἥξει ἕως μέρους αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ῥυόμενος αὐτόν	καὶ πήξει τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ ἐφαδανῶ ἀναμέσον τῶν θαλασσῶν, εἰς ὄρος σαβεὶ ἅγιον· καὶ ἥξει ἕως μέρους αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ρυόμενος αὐτόν
Daniel 11:45 (NETS)	Daniel 11:45 (English Elpenor)
And he will set up his tent then between the seas and the mountain of the will of the holy one. And the hour of his consummation will come, and there will be no one who helps him.	And he shall pitch the tabernacle of his palace between the seas in the holy mountain of beauty: [but] he shall come to his portion, and there is none to deliver him.

Ezekiel 28:1 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:1 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:1 (NET)
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,	The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,	The Lord’s message came to me:

Ezekiel 28:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο λόγος κυρίου πρός με λέγων	ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο λόγος Κυρίου πρός με λέγων·
Ezekiel 28:1 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:1 (English Elpenor)
And a word of the Lord came to me, saying:	And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Ezekiel 28:2 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:2 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:2 (NET)
Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:	Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:	“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Your heart is proud and you said, “I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas”—yet you are a man and not a god, though you think you are godlike.

Ezekiel 28:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ σύ υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου εἰπὸν τῷ ἄρχοντι Τύρου τάδε λέγει κύριος ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ὑψώθη σου ἡ καρδία καὶ εἶπας θεός εἰμι ἐγώ κατοικίαν θεοῦ κατῴκηκα ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης σὺ δὲ εἶ ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ θεὸς καὶ ἔδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν θεοῦ	καὶ σὺ υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, εἰπὸν τῷ ἄρχοντι Τύρου· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἀνθ’ ὧν ὑψώθη σου ἡ καρδία, καὶ εἶπας· θεός εἰμι ἐγώ, κατοικίαν θεοῦ κατῴκησα ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης, σὺ δὲ εἶ ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ Θεός, καὶ ἔδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν Θεοῦ
Ezekiel 28:2 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:2 (English Elpenor)
And you, son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, This is what the Lord says: Because your heart was exalted and you said, “I am a god; I have inhabited a habitation of a god in the heart of the sea,” yet you are human and not a god, and you rendered your heart as a god’s heart.	And thou, son of man, say to the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord; Because thine heart has been exalted, and thou hast said, I am God, I have inhabited the dwelling of God in the heart of the sea; yet thou art man and not God, though thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God:

Ezekiel 28:3 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:3 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:3 (NET)
Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:	Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:	Look, you are wiser than Daniel; no secret is hidden from you.

Ezekiel 28:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ σοφώτερος εἶ σὺ τοῦ Δανιηλ σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσάν σε τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ αὐτῶν	μὴ σοφώτερος εἶ σὺ τοῦ Δανιήλ; ἢ σοφοὶ οὐκ ἐπαίδευσάν σε τῇ ἐπιστήμη αὐτῶν
Ezekiel 28:3 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:3 (English Elpenor)
Surely, you are not wiser than Daniel? Or did wise ones not discipline you with their knowledge?	art thou wiser than Daniel? or have not the wise instructed thee with their knowledge?

Ezekiel 28:4 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:4 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:4 (NET)
With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:	With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:	By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself; you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.

Ezekiel 28:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐν τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου ἢ ἐν τῇ φρονήσει σου ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ δύναμιν καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς σου	μὴ ἐν τῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου ἢ τῇ φρονήσει σου ἐποίησας σεαυτῷ δύναμιν καὶ χρυσίον καὶ ἀργύριον ἐν τοῖς θησαυροῖς σου
Ezekiel 28:4 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:4 (English Elpenor)
Surely, by your knowledge and by your prudence you did not make for yourself power, both gold and silver in your treasuries?	Hast thou gained power for thyself by thine [own] knowledge or thine [own] prudence, and [gotten] gold and silver in thy treasures?

Ezekiel 28:5 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:5 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:5 (NET)
By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:	By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:	By your great skill in trade you have increased your wealth, and your heart is proud because of your wealth.

Ezekiel 28:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῇ πολλῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου καὶ ἐμπορίᾳ σου ἐπλήθυνας δύναμίν σου ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία σου ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου	ἐν τῇ πολλῇ ἐπιστήμῃ σου καὶ ἐμπορίᾳ σου ἐπλήθυνας δύναμίν σου, ὑψώθη ἡ καρδία σου ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου
Ezekiel 28:5 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:5 (English Elpenor)
Or by your great knowledge and commerce did you multiply your power? Was your heart exalted by your power?	By thy abundant knowledge and thy traffic thou hast multiplied thy power; thy heart has been lifted up by thy power.

Ezekiel 28:6 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:6 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:6 (NET)
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;	Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;	“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you think you are godlike,

Ezekiel 28:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει κύριος ἐπειδὴ δέδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν θεοῦ	διὰ τοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἐπειδὴ δέδωκας τὴν καρδίαν σου ὡς καρδίαν Θεοῦ
Ezekiel 28:6 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:6 (English Elpenor)
Therefore this is what the Lord says: Since you have rendered your heart as a god’s heart,	Therefore thus saith the Lord; Since thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;

Ezekiel 28:7 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:7 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:7 (NET)
Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.	Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.	I am about to bring foreigners against you, the most terrifying of nations. They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom, and they will defile your splendor.

Ezekiel 28:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀντὶ τούτου ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ἐπὶ σὲ ἀλλοτρίους λοιμοὺς ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐκκενώσουσιν τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς ἐπιστήμης σου καὶ στρώσουσιν τὸ κάλλος σου εἰς ἀπώλειαν	ἀντὶ τούτου ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐπάγω ἐπὶ σὲ ἀλλοτρίους λοιμοὺς ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν, καὶ ἐκκενώσουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ σὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς ἐπιστήμης σου καὶ στρώσουσι τὸ κάλλος σου εἰς ἀπώλειαν
Ezekiel 28:7 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:7, 8a (English Elpenor)
therefore, behold, I am bringing against you foreign pests from the nations, and they shall unsheathe their daggers against you and against the beauty of your knowledge and wound your beauty unto destruction.	because of this, behold, I [will] bring on thee strange plagues from the nations; and they shall draw their swords against thee, and against the beauty of thy knowledge, (8) and they shall bring down thy beauty to destruction.

Ezekiel 28:8 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:8 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:8 (NET)
They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.	They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.	They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die violently in the heart of the seas.

Ezekiel 28:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ καταβιβάσουσίν σε καὶ ἀποθανῇ θανάτῳ τραυματιῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης	καὶ καταβιβάσουσί σε, καὶ ἀποθανῇ θανάτῳ τραυματιῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ θαλάσσης
Ezekiel 28:8 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:8b (English Elpenor)
And they shall bring you down, and you shall die by the death of the wounded in the heart of the sea.	And they shall bring thee down; and thou shalt die the death of the slain in the heart of the sea.

Ezekiel 28:9 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:9 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:9 (NET)
Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.	Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.	Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you—though you are a man and not a god—when you are in the power of those who wound you?

Ezekiel 28:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ λέγων ἐρεῖς θεός εἰμι ἐγώ ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀναιρούντων σε σὺ δὲ εἶ ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ θεός ἐν πλήθει [28:10a in the NETS and Elpenor]	μὴ λέγων ἐρεῖς· Θεός εἰμι ἐγώ, ἐνώπιον τῶν ἀναιρούντων σε; σὺ δὲ εἶ ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ Θεός
Ezekiel 28:9 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:9 (English Elpenor)
When you speak, will you actually say, “I am a god,” before those that are killing you? But you are a human and not a god.	Wilt thou indeed say, I am God, before them that slay thee? whereas thou art man, and not God.

Ezekiel 28:10 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 28:10 (KJV)	Ezekiel 28:10 (NET)
Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.	Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.	You will die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners; for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”

Ezekiel 28:9b, 10 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 28:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
(9b) ἐν πλήθει (10) ἀπεριτμήτων ἀπολῇ ἐν χερσὶν ἀλλοτρίων ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐλάλησα λέγει κύριος	ἐν πλήθει ἀπεριτμήτων ἀπολῇ ἐν χερσὶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐλάλησα, λέγει Κύριος
Ezekiel 28:10 (NETS)	Ezekiel 28:10 (English Elpenor)
By a multitude of the uncircumcised you shall perish, by the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord.	Thou shalt perish by the hands of strangers among the multitude of the uncircumcised: for I have spoken it, saith he Lord.

Genesis 12:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:15 (KJV)	Genesis 12:15 (NET)
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.	The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.	When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh,

Genesis 12:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδον αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες Φαραω καὶ ἐπῄνεσαν αὐτὴν πρὸς Φαραω καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φαραω	καὶ εἶδον αὐτὴν οἱ ἄρχοντες Φαραὼ καὶ ἐπῄνεσαν αὐτὴν πρὸς Φαραὼ καὶ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Φαραώ·
Genesis 12:15 (NETS)	Genesis 12:15 (English Elpenor)
that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised her to Pharao and brought her into Pharao’s house.	that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.

Job 11:17 (Tanakh)	Job 11:17 (KJV)	Job 11:17 (NET)
And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.	And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.	And life will be brighter than the noonday; though there be darkness, it will be like the morning.

Job 11:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 11:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡ δὲ εὐχή σου ὥσπερ ἑωσφόρος ἐκ δὲ μεσημβρίας ἀνατελεῖ σοι ζωή	ἡ δὲ εὐχή σου ὥσπερ ἑωσφόρος, ἐκ δὲ μεσημβρίας ἀνατελεῖ σοι ζωή·
Job 11:17 (NETS)	Job 11:17 (English Elpenor)
And your prayer will be as the morning star, and at midday life will dawn for you.	And thy prayer [shall be] as the morning star, and life shall arise to thee [as] from the noonday.

Job 38:12 (Tanakh)	Job 38:12 (KJV)	Job 38:12 (NET)
Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;	Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;	Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, or made the dawn know its place,

Job 38:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 38:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἦ ἐπὶ σοῦ συντέταχα φέγγος πρωινόν ἑωσφόρος δὲ εἶδεν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τάξιν	ἦ ἐπὶ σοῦ συντέταχα φέγγος πρωϊνόν; ἑωσφόρος δὲ εἶδε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τάξιν
Job 38:12 (NETS)	Job 38:12 (English Elpenor)
“Was it in your time that I instructed the morning light and that the morning star saw its post,	Or did I order the morning light in thy time; and [did] the morning star [then first] see his appointed place;

2 Thessalonians 2:4 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV)
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.	Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2 Thessalonians 2:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καθίσαι ἀποδεικνύντα ἑαυτὸν ὅτι ἔστιν θεός	ο αντικειμενος και υπεραιρομενος επι παντα λεγομενον θεον η σεβασμα ωστε αυτον εις τον ναον του θεου ως θεον καθισαι αποδεικνυντα εαυτον οτι εστιν θεος	ο αντικειμενος και υπεραιρομενος επι παντα λεγομενον θεον η σεβασμα ωστε αυτον εις τον ναον του θεου ως θεον καθισαι αποδεικνυντα εαυτον οτι εστιν θεος

The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to Christianity, Part 12

Back to The Children of Promise, Part 2

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

² Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

³ Mark 8:15b (NET)

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ως θεον (KJV: as God) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ Rachel Schmoyer provided some personal insight into the connection between the King of Tyre and Satan in her blog post, “Who is the King of Tyre? Ezekiel 28.”

The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Posted on July 22, 2023 by admin

I’ve been working backwards from 2 Thessalonians 2:12. Here I’ll start with 2 Thessalonians 2:9 (NET).

The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,

The Greek words translated The arrival of the lawless one will be were οὗ ἐστιν ἡ παρουσία. I notice first that will be was not ἔσται in the future tense in Greek but ἐστιν in the present tense. The more problematic however is the translation of οὗ: of the lawless one. A note (18) in the NET acknowledged that οὗ…ἡ παρουσία is “whose coming,” but then simply asserted that whose was “referring to the lawless one.”

Paul’s introduction of the subject effectively designates the topics of his discussion (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NET):

Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be easily shaken from your composure or⁴ disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord⁵ is already here (ἐνέστηκεν, a form of ἐνίστημι). Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive (ἔλθῃ, a form of ἔρχομαι) until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness⁶ is revealed, the son of destruction.

Paul used the noun παρουσίας (a form of παρουσία) to refer to the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the verbs ἀποκαλυφθῇ, ἀποκαλυφθῆναι and ἀποκαλυφθήσεται (all forms of ἀποκαλύπτω) to refer to a time when the man of lawlessness is revealed. Here is the detail in a table.

…our Lord Jesus Christ		…the man of lawlessness
τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου \|ἡμῶν\| Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ	the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Thessalonians 2:1a (NET)	ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας	the man of lawlessness is revealed 2 Thessalonians 2:3b (NET)
		τὸ ἀποκαλυφθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ \|ἑαυτοῦ\| καιρῷ	he will be revealed in his own time 2 Thessalonians 2:6b (NET)
ὃν ὁ κύριος…καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ	whom the Lord will…wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival 2 Thessalonians 2:8b (NET)	ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος	the lawless one will be revealed 2 Thessalonians 2:8a (NET)

After three occurrences of forms of ἀποκαλύπτω clearly referring to the lawless one to be revealed, and two occurrences of παρουσίας (a form of παρουσία) clearly referring to the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is difficult to see how the very next occurrence of παρουσία could be “referring to the lawless one.”⁷ But “the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ is by Satan’s working” is not a particularly easy reading of the text. Still, I can grasp from it that Paul and the Holy Spirit posited some relationship between the “arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ” and ἐνέργειαν τοῦ σατανᾶ, Satan’s working (NET).

The preposition linking them is κατ᾿, by (NET). The root κατά⁸ can mean against: “The arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ is against Satan’s working.” The translation against occurs most often when κατ᾿ is followed by a pronoun in the genitive case (see Table below). Here κατ᾿ was followed by ἐνέργειαν, a noun in the accusative case (see Table below).

I found only one example of κατ᾿ translated against when followed by a word in the accusative case, and that was also a pronoun (Acts 27:14 KJV):

But not long after there arose against it (κατ αυτης) a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

Still, the Koine Greek Lexicon is fairly clear:

With Acc:
Relational:
in regard to
matching something to something else, a relationship between one thing and another, a correspondence between two things, compatibility, congruity, symmetry, harmony
facing, across from, over against
under the surface of
throughout (a space or surface)
along (of extension in space)
according to

“The arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ is facing, across from, over against Satan’s working” with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders, and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.⁹ With this understanding of κατ᾿ I hear the echo of Paul’s insight into the Gospel: where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, so that just as sin reigned in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.¹⁰

As the passage continues it becomes clear that God exploits Satan’s working for his own purpose (2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12 NET).

Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false [Table]. And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned [Table].

As I pointed out in another essay the Greek word translated will be condemned was not καταδικάσονται (a form of καταδικάζω) but κριθῶσιν (a form of κρίνω), “be judged.” And the judgment was clearly stated: God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

I’ll back up again (2 Thessalonians 2:8 NET):

and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy¹¹ by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival.

The Greek words translated the lawless one (KJV: that Wicked) were ὁ ἄνομος, a singular adjective preceded by an article. This distinguishes ὁ ἄνομος from those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.¹²

Here is an example of the plural form of ἄνομος for contrast. Paul wrote about a group of people (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 (ἀνόμοις, a form of ἄνομος) and rebellious people, for the ungodly¹³ and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers¹⁴ or mothers,¹⁵ for murderers, sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals, kidnappers, liars, perjurers—in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching.

There were different outcomes stated for the lawless one and those who are perishing…

the lawless one

those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved

will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth

Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET)

and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival.

2 Thessalonians 2:8 (NET)

And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned (e.g., judged).

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET)

[T]he lawless one will be revealed (ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, a form of ἀποκαλύπτω). [T]he Lord will destroy [the lawless one] by the breath (KJV: spirit) of his mouth, which I assume means the words He speaks. The Greek word translated will destroy was ἀνελεῖ, a form of ἀναιρέω (NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸).¹⁶ And the Lord will wipe out (καταργήσει, a form of καταργέω) the lawless one by the manifestation of his arrival. It seems worth noting that the first definition given for καταργέω is “to make ineffective, make powerless, make idle.”

That has a hopeful sound for those who have believed what is false, those who are judged because they have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil. And here I may have the beginnings of an understanding why the translators felt obliged to make God’s purpose identical to Satan’s working and condemned them. I think it’s a limitation of the human mind.

We tend to bifurcate God in our minds into two distinct streams of activity. One stream is love and mercy. The other is vengeance and judgment. But God is One. Whether his activity is mercy or judgment, He is love and the course of these streams is set because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.¹⁷

Jesus said (John 12:31-33 NET):

Now is the judgment (κρίσις) 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.” (Now he said this to indicate clearly what kind of death he was going to die [Table].)

Here, I see the two streams of God’s activity converge into one in Christ. If I think that Jesus drawing all to Himself is too good, too merciful, to be true, I am immediately confronted by the fact that drawing all to Himself is the most thorough repudiation of the world He was sent to save, and save, not as it is but, as it will be through (δι᾿) Him.

I’ll back up again to learn when the lawless one will be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:7 NET).

For the hidden power of lawlessness is already at work. However, the one who holds him back will do so until he is taken out of the way,

The Greek word translated hidden power was μυστήριον. A note (15) in the NET explained the translators’ word choice.

Grk “the mystery of lawlessness.” In Paul “mystery” often means “revealed truth, something formerly hidden but now made widely known,” but that does not make sense with the verb of this clause (“to be at work, to be active”).

The Greek verb ἐνεργεῖται (a form of ἐνεργέω), translated at work, troubled them. The first definition of ἐνεργέω in the Koine Greek Lexicon is “to work, be at work, operate, be effective.” It seems an appropriate bookend to καταργήσει (a form of καταργέω) when the Lord returns “to make ineffective, make powerless, make idle” the lawless one (and, presumably, this mystery of lawlessness, this hidden power) by the manifestation of his arrival.

[T]he one who holds him back was ὁ κατέχων, a participle of the verb κατέχω. I’ll back up two verses this time (2 Thessalonians 2:5, 6 NET).

Surely you recall that I used to tell you these things while I was still with you. And so you know what holds him back (τὸ κατέχον, another participle of κατέχω), so that he will be revealed in his own time.

I’m really not seeing the issue the NET translators had with a mystery of lawlessness and a man of lawlessness that are partially revealed to those who heed Paul and still yet to be fully revealed at another later date. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

The two tables mentioned above follow:

Κατ᾿ + Gen
Reference	Greek	Part of Speech	KJV	NET
Matthew 12:14	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him
Matthew 12:30	κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ	Possessive Pronoun: 1st Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against me	against me
Mark 3:6	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	N/A
Mark 14:56	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him
Mark 14:57	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him
Luke 11:23	κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ	Possessive Pronoun: 1st Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against me	against me
Luke 23:14	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	whereof…him	him
John 19:11	κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ	Possessive Pronoun: 1st Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against me	over me
Acts 16:22	κατ᾿ αὐτῶν	Personal Pronoun: Gen Plur MFN	against them	against them
Acts 19:16	κατ᾿ αὐτῶν	Personal Pronoun: Gen Plur MFN	against them	against them
Acts 25:3	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against Paul
Acts 25:15	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him
Acts 25:27	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him
Hebrews 6:13	κατ᾿ οὐδενὸς	Adj: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	by no	by no one
James 5:9	κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων	Reciprocal Pronoun Gen Plur MFN	one against another	against one another
2 Peter 2:11	κατ᾿ αὐτῶν	Personal Pronoun: Gen Plur MFN	against them	against them
Jude 1:15	κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ	Personal Pronoun: Gen Sing Masc/Neut	against him	against him

Κατ᾿ + Acc
Reference	Greek	Part of Speech	KJV	NET
Matthew 14:13	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	privately
Matthew 14:23	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	by himself
Matthew 17:1	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	privately
Matthew 17:19	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	privately
Matthew 20:17	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	aside privately
Matthew 24:3	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Mark 1:27	κατ᾿ ἐξουσίαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	with authority	with authority
Mark 4:34	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	when they were alone	privately
Mark 6:31	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	privately
Mark 6:32	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	by themselves
Mark 7:33	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	aside	aside privately
Mark 9:2	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	apart	privately
Mark 9:28	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Mark 13:3	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Luke 9:10	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Luke 10:23	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Luke 10:33	κατ᾿ αὐτὸν	Personal Pronoun: Acc Sing Masc	when he saw him	where the injured man
John 7:24	κατ᾿ ὄψιν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the appearance	according to external appearance
Acts 2:46	κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	from house to house	from house to house
Acts 5:42	κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	in every house	from house to house
Acts 12:1	Κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον	Demonstrative Pronoun: Acc Sing Masc	about that	about that
Acts 13:23	κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to his promise	just as he promised
Acts 14:23	κατ᾿ ἐκκλησίαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	in every church	in the various churches
Acts 20:20	κατ᾿ οἴκους	Noun: Acc Plur Masc	from house to house	from house to house
Acts 23:19	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	privately
Acts 25:23	κατ᾿ ἐξοχὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	principal	the prominent
Acts 27:14	κατ᾿ αὐτῆς	Personal Pronoun: Acc Sing Fem	against it	from the island
Romans 1:15	τὸ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ	Personal Pronoun: 1st Acc Sing	as much as in me is	N/A
Romans 9:11	κατ᾿ ἐκλογὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to election	in election
Romans 10:2	κατ᾿ ἐπίγνωσιν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to knowledge	in line with the truth
Romans 11:5	κατ᾿ ἐκλογὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the election	chosen
Romans 16:5	κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	is in…house	in…house
Romans 16:26	κατ᾿ ἐπιταγὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the commandment	according to the command
1 Corinthians 7:6	κατ᾿ ἐπιταγήν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	of commandment	as a command
1 Corinthians 16:19	κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	that is in…house	in…house
2 Corinthians 8:8	κατ᾿ ἐπιταγὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	by commandment	as a command
Galatians 2:2	κατ᾿ ἰδίαν	Adj: Acc Sing Fem	privately	in a private meeting
Galatians 3:29	κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the promise	according to the promise
Ephesians 4:16	κατ᾿ ἐνέργειαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the effectual working	N/A
Ephesians 6:6	κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοδουλίαν	Acc Sing Fem	with eyeservice	like those who do their work only when someone is watching
Ephesians 6:21	τὰ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ	Personal Pronoun: 1st Acc Sing	my affairs	about my circumstances
Philippians 1:12	τὰ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ	Personal Pronoun: 1st Acc Sing	the things which happened unto me	my situation
Colossians 3:10	κατ᾿ εἰκόνα	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	after the image of him	according to the image
Colossians 4:7	τὰ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ	Personal Pronoun: 1st Acc Sing	my state	the news about me
Colossians 4:15	τὴν κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	which is in…house	that meets in…house
2 Thessalonians 2:9	κατ᾿ ἐνέργειαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	after the working	by…working
1 Timothy 1:1	κατ᾿ ἐπιταγὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	by the commandment	by the command
1 Timothy 6:3	τῇ κατ᾿ εὐσέβειαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	which is according to godliness	that accords with godliness
2 Timothy 1:1	κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the promise	to further the promise
Titus 1:1	τῆς κατ᾿ εὐσέβειαν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	which is after godliness	that is in keeping with godliness
Titus 1:3	κατ᾿ ἐπιταγὴν	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the commandment	according to the command
Titus 3:7	κατ᾿ ἐλπίδα	Noun: Acc Sing Fem	according to the hope	with the confident expectation
Philemon 1:2	τῇ κατ᾿ οἶκον	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	in…house	that meets in…house
Hebrews 1:10	κατ᾿ ἀρχάς	Noun: Acc Plur Fem	in the beginning	in the beginning
Hebrews 9:25	κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	every year	year after year
Hebrews 10:1	κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	year by year	year after year
Hebrews 10:3	κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν	Noun: Acc Sing Masc	every year	year after year

For completeness here are the rest of the tables I made in preparation for this essay.

Κατ᾿ + Nom / Acc
Reference	Greek	Part of Speech	KJV	NET
Matthew 1:20	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	in a dream
Matthew 2:12	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	in a dream
Matthew 2:13	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	in a dream
Matthew 2:19	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	in a dream
Matthew 2:22	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	in a dream
Matthew 27:19	κατ᾿ ὄναρ	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	in a dream	of a dream
Luke 2:41	κατ᾿ ἔτος	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	every year	every year
John 10:3	κατ᾿ ὄνομα	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	by name	by name
3 John 1:14	κατ᾿ ὄνομα	Noun: Nom/Acc Sing Neut	by name	by name

Κατ᾿ + Dat
Reference	Greek	Part of Speech	KJV	NET
Galatians 3:1	κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοὺς	Noun: Dat Plur Masc	before…eyes	Before…eyes

Κατ᾿ + Verb Infin
Reference	Greek	Part of Speech	KJV	NET
Philippians 2:3	κατ᾿¹⁸ ἐριθείαν	Verb: 2Aor Act Infin	be done through strife	of being motivated by selfish ambition

Tables comparing 2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3; 2:8 and 1 Timothy 1:9 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:2, 3 (KJV)
not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here.	That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2 Thessalonians 2:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:2 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰς τὸ μὴ ταχέως σαλευθῆναι ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ νοὸς μηδὲ θροεῖσθαι, μήτε διὰ πνεύματος μήτε διὰ λόγου μήτε δι᾿ ἐπιστολῆς ὡς δι᾿ ἡμῶν, ὡς ὅτι ἐνέστηκεν ἡ ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου	εις το μη ταχεως σαλευθηναι υμας απο του νοος μητε θροεισθαι μητε δια πνευματος μητε δια λογου μητε δι επιστολης ως δι ημων ως οτι ενεστηκεν η ημερα του χριστου	εις το μη ταχεως σαλευθηναι υμας απο του νοος μητε θροεισθαι μητε δια πνευματος μητε δια λογου μητε δι επιστολης ως δι ημων ως οτι ενεστηκεν η ημερα του χριστου

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

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μή τις ὑμᾶς ἐξαπατήσῃ κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον. ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ἡ ἀποστασία πρῶτον καὶ ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας	μη τις υμας εξαπατηση κατα μηδενα τροπον οτι εαν μη ελθη η αποστασια πρωτον και αποκαλυφθη ο ανθρωπος της αμαρτιας ο υιος της απωλειας	μη τις υμας εξαπατηση κατα μηδενα τροπον οτι εαν μη ελθη η αποστασια πρωτον και αποκαλυφθη ο ανθρωπος της αμαρτιας ο υιος της απωλειας

2 Thessalonians 2:8 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV)
and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will destroy by the breath of his mouth and wipe out by the manifestation of his arrival.	And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

2 Thessalonians 2:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ τότε ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ κύριος ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ,	και τοτε αποκαλυφθησεται ο ανομος ον ο κυριος αναλωσει τω πνευματι του στοματος αυτου και καταργησει τη επιφανεια της παρουσιας αυτου	και τοτε αποκαλυφθησεται ο ανομος ον ο κυριος αναλωσει τω πνευματι του στοματος αυτου και καταργησει τη επιφανεια της παρουσιας αυτου

1 Timothy 1:9 (NET)	1 Timothy 1:9 (KJV)
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,	Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

1 Timothy 1:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Timothy 1:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Timothy 1:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰδὼς τοῦτο, ὅτι δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται, ἀνόμοις δὲ καὶ ἀνυποτάκτοις, ἀσεβέσι καὶ ἁμαρτωλοῖς, ἀνοσίοις καὶ βεβήλοις, πατρολῴαις καὶ μητρολῴαις, ἀνδροφόνοις	ειδως τουτο οτι δικαιω νομος ου κειται ανομοις δε και ανυποτακτοις ασεβεσιν και αμαρτωλοις ανοσιοις και βεβηλοις πατραλωαις και μητραλωαις ανδροφονοις	ειδως τουτο οτι δικαιω νομος ου κειται ανομοις δε και ανυποτακτοις ασεβεσιν και αμαρτωλοις ανοσιοις και βεβηλοις πατρολωαις και μητρολωαις ανδροφονοις

The Day of the Lord, Part 4

Back to Romans, Part 61

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

² Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

³ Mark 8:15b (NET)

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μηδὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μητε.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κυρίου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστου (KJV: Christ).

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνομίας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αμαρτιας (KJV: sin).

⁷ NET note 18

⁸ Based on the examples I’ve considered, I would say that κατ᾿ is used when the word following it begins with a vowel.

⁹ 2 Thessalonians 2:9b, 10 (NET)

¹⁰ Romans 5:20b, 21 (NET)

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνελεῖ (a form of ἀναιρέω) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αναλωσει (KJV: shall consume), a form of ἀναλίσκω.

¹² 2 Thessalonians 2:10b (NET) Table

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

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πατρολῴαις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πατραλωαις (KJV: murderers of fathers).

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had μητρολῴαις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had μητραλωαις (KJV: murderers of mothers).

¹⁶ In the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text the word was αναλωσει (KJV: shall consume), a form of ἀναλίσκω.

¹⁷ 2 Peter 3:9b (NET) Table

¹⁸ KJV: κατὰ

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Posted on May 25, 2023 by admin

Here I’ll begin with Paul’s conclusion to his discussion of ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἀνομίας, the revelation of the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:12 NET):

And so all of them who have not believed the truth but⁴ have delighted in⁵ evil will be condemned.

This would be a very straightforward statement if the Greek word translated will be condemned (KJV: might be damned) was καταδικάσονται (a form of καταδικάζω). You have condemned (κατεδικάσατε, another form of καταδικάζω) and murdered the righteous person,⁶ James wrote of the rich. [T]he chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about [Paul], Festus explained to King Agrippa, asking for a sentence of condemnation⁷ (καταδίκην, a form of καταδίκη) against him.⁸

The Greek word καταδίκη is the noun form of the verb καταδικάζω. Paul had clearly understood this καταδίκη as a sentence of death if convicted: If then I am in the wrong and have done anything that deserves death, I am not trying to escape dying, but if not one of their charges against me is true, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!⁹

Jesus used a form of the verb καταδικάζω in quite another way (Matthew 12:1-3a, 7 NET):

At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat and eat them. But when the Pharisees saw this they said¹⁰ to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them…

“If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy¹¹ and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”

Here the Pharisees’ stated their opinion that Jesus’ disciples’ behavior in Jesus’ presence was contrary to the law, and they implied that they or Jesus or someone ought to do something about it against Jesus’ disciples. Jesus characterized this as κατεδικάσατε (another form of καταδικάζω) τοὺς ἀναιτίους (NET: you…have condemned the innocent). I tell you that on the day of judgment, He said later, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak [Table]. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned (καταδικασθήσῃ, another form of καταδικάζω).¹²

And finally, Jesus taught (Luke 6:35-37 NET):

…love your enemies, and do good, and lend,¹³ expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the¹⁴ Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. Be merciful,¹⁵ just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn (καταδικάζετε, another form of καταδικάζω), and you will not be condemned (καταδικασθῆτε, another form of καταδικάζω); forgive, and you will be forgiven [Table].

In 2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET) the Greek word translated will be condemned was not καταδικάσονται or any other form of καταδικάζω. It was κριθῶσιν, a form of κρίνω. A note (25) in the NET acknowledged that the Greek is “be judged,” but added “in this context the term clearly refers to a judgment of condemnation.”

An entry in Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers on Bible Hub online reads:

That they all.—This is God’s purpose in making them believe the lie—“in order that, one and all, they might be judged.” He who desireth not the death of a sinner, now is said actually to lay plans with the intention of judging him: such are the bold self-contradictions of the Bible!

And Meyer’s NT Commentary on the same page reads:

ἵνα κριθῶσι] in order that they may be judged, i.e. according to the context, condemned.

It seems that context here refers to: the day of the Lord. Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer cited “The Church Fathers” approvingly: Irenaeus, Tertullian, Chrysostom, Cyril, Augustine, Theodoret, Theodorus Mopsuestius “and others.”¹⁶

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.

Given that Jesus said, do not condemn (καταδικάζετε, another form of καταδικάζω), and you will not be condemned (καταδικασθῆτε, another form of καταδικάζω),¹⁷ it seems more circumspect to understand the text as written: in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.¹⁸ I realize that Jesus also said, Do not judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω), and you will not be judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω),¹⁹ but κριθῶσιν (another form of κρίνω) is actually in the text.

Paul wrote of God’s judgment (not mine) on all…who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.²⁰ If I hold to the text as written I believe I will know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.²¹ Now (δέ) this is eternal life,²² according to Jesus. If, on the other hand, I change κριθῶσιν to καταδικάσονται or understand κριθῶσιν as if it were καταδικάσονται, that’s on me: Then I have condemned those whom God judged.

Though I called 2 Thessalonians 2:12 “Paul’s conclusion,” And so (NET) and in order that (NASB) were translations of the Greek word ἵνα. This is a result clause. And κριθῶσιν, will be condemned (NET) or may be judged (NASB), is a verb in the subjunctive mood “in a purpose or result clause, [so] the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.” What is that other stated action?

God sends²³ on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.²⁴ Once my mind is swept clean of the notion that κριθῶσιν was a euphemism for Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels,²⁵ it becomes much clearer that God’s judgment on all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil²⁶ is to send on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false. Here again this is a judgment, not necessarily THE judgment.

This judgment doesn’t preclude Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself. On the contrary it could be instrumental to that drawing. When people believe what is false, they create a social situation like the one in which we currently live. Are there many among us not seeking some different way to live? The Greek words translated deluding influence were ἐνέργειαν πλάνης (a form of πλάνη). One of the meanings of πλάνη in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is “a wandering, roaming.” One might say that God’s judgment is a God-given energy to wander.

The Greek word translated so that was εἰς. And they will believe was πιστεῦσαι, an infinitive (to trust) of πιστεύω in the aorist tense, rather than πιστεύσουσι(ν) in the future tense. The entire clause began with καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, translated Consequently (NET), or And for this reason (NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible).

So, the them on whom God sends a deluding influence (a God-given energy to wander) are those who are perishing,²⁷ because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.²⁸ A note (21) in the NET acknowledged that they found no place in their hearts for the truth was “they did not accept (ἐδέξαντο, a form of δέχομαι) the love of the truth” in Greek. This is already at least round two of Jesus’ drawing: the love of the truth was offered but not “receive[d] approvingly.”

Apart from the God-given energy to wander I might have spent my entire life here, hanging around a church, not quite believing Jesus or the Bible, conning myself that I did. The God-given energy to wander, and then to trust what was false was at least a faith. Part of what is false that I believed was that faith was bad, only knowledge was good.

It took some time and experimentation to realize that disbelieving Jesus and the Bible wasn’t the result of some superior knowledge. It wasn’t even unbelief in any absolute sense of not faith. It was simply faith in something less than Jesus and the Bible. When the Lord brought me back from that particular foray into what is false, I returned almost unwittingly with a new theme song but certainly with a new and lifelong motivation to not be fooled again.

The Greek word translated are perishing was ἀπολλυμένοις, a middle/passive participle of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω in the present tense. This might have been translated “to be lost,” one of the possible meanings of the middle voice. In other words, God’s judgment, a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false²⁹ came on “those who are presently lost because they did not accept the love of the truth.” But even if our gospel is veiled, Paul wrote the Corinthians, it is veiled only to those who are perishing (ἀπολλυμένοις, a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω; KJV: are lost, presently), among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see³⁰ the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.³¹

The interchangeability of are perishing and are lost is apparent in Jesus’ parable (Luke 15:4 NET):

Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses (ἀπολέσας, another form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine³² in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost (ἀπολωλὸς, another form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) until he finds it?

Here is none of the false counsel given to Little Bo Peep in the nursery rhyme. Jesus (and his listeners apparently) knew that a lost sheep was a sheep in danger of perishing. It isn’t necessary to believe in “bold self-contradictions of the Bible.”³³ The language as written allows one to believe that Christ, who is the image of God, came to seek and to save the lost (ἀπολωλός)³⁴ or perishing.

These lost are them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth (ἀληθείας, a form of ἀλήθεια), that they might be saved.³⁵ Set them apart in the truth (ἀληθείᾳ), Jesus prayed to his Father, your word is truth (ἀλήθεια).³⁶ The Greek words translated your word were ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς. This is the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, yet in the context of John’s Gospel account ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς is also Jesus Himself (Hebrews 1:1-3 NET):

After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last³⁷ days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world (τοὺς αἰῶνας; literally: the ages³⁸). The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word (ρήματι, a form of ῥῆμα), and so when he had³⁹ accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Meyer’s NT Commentary reads:

The truth is the Christian truth, and the unbelief, shown against it, is the consequence of the love for the truth in general being wanting (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

I’m unsure what the author meant by Christian, so I’ll highlight what I am sure Paul did not mean by truth; namely, the squabbling of those who profess Christ. Here is Meyer’s NT Commentary again:

The view of the Fathers remained in the following ages the prevalent one in the Christian church. It was necessary, however, partially to change and transform it, the relation of Christianity to the Roman state having altered, as the Christian church, instead of being exposed to renewed hostilities from the secular power, had obtained the sovereignty of the state, and, penetrating larger portions of the world, represented itself as the kingdom of God on earth, and an imposing hierarchy was placed at its head. Whilst, accordingly, the idea of the advent stepped more and more into the background in the church generally, and especially with the hierarchy, on the other hand, those who had placed themselves in opposition to the hierarchy believed themselves obliged to apply to it the description of the apostle, as well as the figures in the Apocalypse of St. John. Thus arose—whilst the early view concerning the παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου was held with only the modification that its entrance was to be expected in the distant future—the view, first in the eleventh century, that the establishment and growing power of the Papacy is to be considered as the Antichrist predicted by Paul…

In the presence of such polemics used against them, the Catholics are certainly not to be blamed that in retaliation they interpreted ἀποστασία as the defection from the Roman church and from the pope, and Antichrist as the heretics, especially Luther and the evangelical church.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (11) in the NET Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 in Matthew 12:7. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 12:7b (NET Parallel Greek)	Hosea 6:6a (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 6:6a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν	ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν	ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν
Matthew 12:7b (NET)	Hosea 6:6a (NETS)	Hosea 6:6a (English Elpenor)
I want mercy and not sacrifice	I want mercy and not sacrifice	I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice

According to a note (9) in the NET Hebrews 1:3b was an allusion to Psalm 110:1. A table comparing the Greek of Hebrews 1:3b with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 1:3b (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου
Hebrews 1:3b (NET)	Psalm 110:1b (NETS)	Psalm 110:1b (English Elpenor)
he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high	Sit on my right hand	Sit thou on my right hand

Tables comparing Hosea 6:6 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the Greek of Hosea 6:6 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 2 Thessalonians 2:12; Acts 25:15; Matthew 12:2, 3; 12:7; Luke 6:35, 36; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; 2:10; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Luke 15:4 and Hebrews 1:1-3 in the NET and KJV follow.

Hosea 6:6 (Tanakh)	Hosea 6:6 (KJV)	Hosea 6:6 (NET)
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.	For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.	For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.

Hosea 6:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Hosea 6:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διότι ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν θεοῦ ἢ ὁλοκαυτώματα	διότι ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν καὶ ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ ἢ ὁλοκαυτώματα
Hosea 6:6 (NETS)	Hosea 6:6 (English Elpenor)
For I want mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than whole burnt offerings.	For I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (KJV)
And so all of them who have not believed the truth but have delighted in evil will be condemned.	That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα κριθῶσιν πάντες οἱ μὴ πιστεύσαντες τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀλλὰ εὐδοκήσαντες τῇ ἀδικίᾳ	ινα κριθωσιν παντες οι μη πιστευσαντες τη αληθεια αλλ ευδοκησαντες εν τη αδικια	ινα κριθωσιν παντες οι μη πιστευσαντες τη αληθεια αλλ ευδοκησαντες εν τη αδικια

Acts 25:15 (NET)	Acts 25:15 (KJV)
When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him, asking for a sentence of condemnation against him.	About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

Acts 25:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 25:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 25:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
περὶ οὗ γενομένου μου εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐνεφάνισαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰτούμενοι κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ καταδίκην	περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην	περι ου γενομενου μου εις ιεροσολυμα ενεφανισαν οι αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι των ιουδαιων αιτουμενοι κατ αυτου δικην

Matthew 12:2, 3 (NET)	Matthew 12:2, 3 (KJV)
But when the Pharisees saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.”	But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Matthew 12:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἰδόντες εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ οἱ μαθηταί σου ποιοῦσιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν ποιεῖν ἐν σαββάτῳ	οι δε φαρισαιοι ιδοντες ειπον αυτω ιδου οι μαθηται σου ποιουσιν ο ουκ εξεστιν ποιειν εν σαββατω	οι δε φαρισαιοι ιδοντες ειπον αυτω ιδου οι μαθηται σου ποιουσιν ο ουκ εξεστιν ποιειν εν σαββατω

He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry—

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

Matthew 12:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐκ ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ὅτε ἐπείνασεν καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ,	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ουκ ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαβιδ οτε επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις ουκ ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαυιδ οτε επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου

Matthew 12:7 (NET)	Matthew 12:7 (KJV)
If you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.	But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

Matthew 12:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 12:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 12:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ δὲ ἐγνώκειτε τί ἐστιν· ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν, οὐκ ἂν κατεδικάσατε τοὺς ἀναιτίους	ει δε εγνωκειτε τι εστιν ελεον θελω και ου θυσιαν ουκ αν κατεδικασατε τους αναιτιους	ει δε εγνωκειτε τι εστιν ελεον θελω και ου θυσιαν ουκ αν κατεδικασατε τους αναιτιους

Luke 6:35, 36 (NET)	Luke 6:35, 36 (KJV)
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.	But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Luke 6:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 6:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 6:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πλὴν ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀγαθοποιεῖτε καὶ δανίζετε μηδὲν ἀπελπίζοντες· καὶ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολύς, καὶ ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου, ὅτι αὐτὸς χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους καὶ πονηρούς	πλην αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων και αγαθοποιειτε και δανειζετε μηδεν απελπιζοντες και εσται ο μισθος υμων πολυς και εσεσθε υιοι του υψιστου οτι αυτος χρηστος εστιν επι τους αχαριστους και πονηρους	πλην αγαπατε τους εχθρους υμων και αγαθοποιειτε και δανειζετε μηδεν απελπιζοντες και εσται ο μισθος υμων πολυς και εσεσθε υιοι υψιστου οτι αυτος χρηστος εστιν επι τους αχαριστους και πονηρους

Luke 6:36 (NET)	Luke 6:36 (KJV)
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.	Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Luke 6:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 6:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 6:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Γίνεσθε οἰκτίρμονες καθὼς [καὶ] ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν οἰκτίρμων ἐστίν	γινεσθε ουν οικτιρμονες καθως και ο πατηρ υμων οικτιρμων εστιν	γινεσθε ουν οικτιρμονες καθως και ο πατηρ υμων οικτιρμων εστιν

2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (KJV)
Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πέμπει αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς ἐνέργειαν πλάνης εἰς τὸ πιστεῦσαι αὐτοὺς τῷ ψεύδει	και δια τουτο πεμψει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει	και δια τουτο πεμψει αυτοις ο θεος ενεργειαν πλανης εις το πιστευσαι αυτους τω ψευδει

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NET)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (KJV)
and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Thessalonians 2:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀπάτῃ ἀδικίας τοῖς ἀπολλυμένοις, ἀνθ᾿ ὧν τὴν ἀγάπην τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐδέξαντο εἰς τὸ σωθῆναι αὐτούς	και εν παση απατη της αδικιας εν τοις απολλυμενοις ανθ ων την αγαπην της αληθειας ουκ εδεξαντο εις το σωθηναι αυτους	και εν παση απατη της αδικιας εν τοις απολλυμενοις ανθ ων την αγαπην της αληθειας ουκ εδεξαντο εις το σωθηναι αυτους

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NET)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (KJV)
among whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe so they would not see the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God.	In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 4:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ἐτύφλωσεν τὰ νοήματα τῶν ἀπίστων εἰς τὸ μὴ αὐγάσαι τὸν φωτισμὸν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ	εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι αυτοις τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου	εν οις ο θεος του αιωνος τουτου ετυφλωσεν τα νοηματα των απιστων εις το μη αυγασαι αυτοις τον φωτισμον του ευαγγελιου της δοξης του χριστου ος εστιν εικων του θεου

Luke 15:4 (NET)	Luke 15:4 (KJV)
“Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it?	What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

Luke 15:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 15:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 15:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τίς ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὑμῶν ἔχων ἑκατὸν πρόβατα καὶ ἀπολέσας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἓν οὐ καταλείπει τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ πορεύεται ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἕως εὕρῃ αὐτό	τις ανθρωπος εξ υμων εχων εκατον προβατα και απολεσας εν εξ αυτων ου καταλειπει τα εννενηκονταεννεα εν τη ερημω και πορευεται επι το απολωλος εως ευρη αυτο	τις ανθρωπος εξ υμων εχων εκατον προβατα και απολεσας εν εξ αυτων ου καταλειπει τα ενενηκοντα εννεα εν τη ερημω και πορευεται επι το απολωλος εως ευρη αυτο

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NET)	Hebrews 1:1-3 (KJV)
After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets,	God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

Hebrews 1:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὁ θεὸς λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις [see verse 2]	πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις [see verse 2]	πολυμερως και πολυτροπως παλαι ο θεος λαλησας τοις πατρασιν εν τοις προφηταις επ εσχατου των ημερων τουτων ελαλησεν ημιν εν υιω

in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.

Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Hebrews 1:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν τούτων ἐλάλησεν ἡμῖν ἐν υἱῷ, ὃν ἔθηκεν κληρονόμον πάντων, δι᾿ οὗ καὶ ἐποίησεν τοὺς αἰῶνας	επ εσχατων των ημερων τουτων ελαλησεν ημιν εν υιω ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν	[see verse 1] ον εθηκεν κληρονομον παντων δι ου και τους αιωνας εποιησεν

The Son is the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 1:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 1:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 1:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃς ὢν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως αὐτοῦ, φέρων τε τὰ πάντα τῷ ρήματι τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καθαρισμὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ποιησάμενος ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τῆς μεγαλωσύνης ἐν ὑψηλοῖς	ος ων απαυγασμα της δοξης και χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου φερων τε τα παντα τω ρηματι της δυναμεως αυτου δι εαυτου καθαρισμον ποιησαμενος των αμαρτιων ημων εκαθισεν εν δεξια της μεγαλωσυνης εν υψηλοις	ος ων απαυγασμα της δοξης και χαρακτηρ της υποστασεως αυτου φερων τε τα παντα τω ρηματι της δυναμεως αυτου δι εαυτου καθαρισμον ποιησαμενος των αμαρτιων ημων εκαθισεν εν δεξια της μεγαλωσυνης εν υψηλοις

The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 8

Back to Romans, Part 61

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to Who Am I? Part 15

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

Back to Paul’s Religious Mind

Back to Who Am I? Part 17

Back to Luke 8:22-56

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

² Mark 8:16b (NET) Table

³ Mark 8:15b (NET)

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ James 5:6a (NET)

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καταδίκην here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δικην (KJV: judgment).

⁸ Acts 25:15b (NET)

⁹ Acts 25:11 (NET)

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the neuter noun ἔλεος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the masculine noun ελεον.

¹² Matthew 12:36, 37 (NET)

¹³ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ lend was spelled δανίζετε, and δανειζετε in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article του preceding Most High (KJV: Highest). The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν (KJV: therefore) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ From Meyer’s NT Commentary on Bible Hub

¹⁷ Luke 6:37b (NET) Table

¹⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:12 (NASB 1995, NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible)

¹⁹ Luke 6:37a (NET) Table

²⁰ 2 Thessalonians 2:12b (NASB 1995, NASB 1977, Legacy Standard Bible)

²¹ John 17:3b (NET)

²² John 17:3a (NET)

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πέμπει here in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πεμψει (KJV: shall send) in the future tense.

²⁴ 2 Thessalonians 2:11 (NET)

²⁵ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

²⁶ 2 Thessalonians 2:12a (NET)

²⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν (KJV: in) preceding perishing (KJV: them that perish). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ 2 Thessalonians 2:10b (NET)

²⁹ 2 Thessalonians 2:11b (NET)

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

³¹ 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 (NET)

³² The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εννενηκονταεννεα.

³³ From Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, Bible Hub

³⁴ Luke 19:10b (NET)

³⁵ 2 Thessalonians 2:10b (KJV)

³⁶ John 17:17 (NET) Table

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐσχάτου here, a singular form of ἔσχατος, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εσχατων, a plural form.

³⁸ According to a note (6) in the NET: “Grk ‘the ages.’ The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 11:3 for the same usage.”

³⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δι εαυτου (KJV: by himself) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Posted on March 31, 2023 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of People	The Wrath of God Revealed from Heaven
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.³¹	Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves.³²
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.³³	For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error [Table].³⁴
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God,³⁵	God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips [Table], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless [Table]. Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.³⁶

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 9

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 4

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 5

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 6

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 7

Back to αὐτοῦ and ἑαυτοῦ, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

Back to Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 1

¹ 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (NET)

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

³ Mark 8:16b (NET)

⁴ Mark 8:15b (NET)

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

⁶ 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NET)

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

⁸ Philippians 1:6 (NET)

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

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

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

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

¹³ 1 Thessalonians 5:4 (NET)

¹⁴ 1 Corinthians 1:8b (NET)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 1:8a (NET)

¹⁶ 1 Thessalonians 4:9b-10a (NET)

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

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

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

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

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

²² 1 Thessalonians 2:12b (NET)

²³ 1 Thessalonians 2:15 (NET)

²⁴ 1 Thessalonians 2:14 (NET)

²⁵ 1 Thessalonians 2:13b (NET)

²⁶ 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NET)

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

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

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

³⁰ Romans 1:18 (NET)

³¹ Romans 1:22, 23 (NET)

³² Romans 1:24 (NET) Table

³³ Romans 1:25 (NET)

³⁴ Romans 1:26, 27 (NET)

³⁵ Romans 1:28a (NET)

³⁶ Romans 1:28b-32 (NET)

³⁷ 1 Corinthians 1:4b-8 (NET)

³⁸ Isaiah 59:17b (Tanakh)

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Posted on March 5, 2023 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The story continued:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 4

¹ John 12:32 (NET)

² Matthew 26:39b (NET) Table

³ John 17:12a (NET) Table

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

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

⁶ John 17:12b (NET) Table

⁷ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

⁸ Luke 20:38 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 18:24b (NETS)

¹⁰ Genesis 18:25a (NETS)

¹¹ Matthew 11:24 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

An attempt to distinguish the mind of Christ from the ordinary religious mind.

Tag Archives: 2 Thessalonians 2:3

The Day of the Lord, Part 7

The Day of the Lord, Part 5

The Day of the Lord, Part 4

The Day of the Lord, Part 3

The Day of the Lord, Part 2

The Day of the Lord, Part 1

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11