3 John, Part 6

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“They shall not enter my rest.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Septuagint and the Masoretic text diverge here.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Numbers 23:21 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:21 (NET)

Numbers 23:21 (NETS)

Numbers 23:21 (English Elpenor)

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

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

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

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

Here, too, the Septuagint and Masoretic text diverge.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Numbers 23:23b (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:23b (NET)

Numbers 23:23b (NETS)

Numbers 23:23b (English Elpenor)

‘What hath G-d wrought (פָּעַ֖ל)!’ Look at what God has done (p̄āʿal, פעל)!’ what God shall accomplish (ἐπιτελέσει) what God shall perform (ἐπιτελέσει)

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

Balaam continued (Numbers 23:24 ESV):

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

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

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Numbers 23:24 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:24 (NET)

Numbers 23:24 (NETS)

Numbers 23:24 (English Elpenor)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ φονεύσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Exodus 20:15 (NETS)

Exodus 20:15 (English Elpenor)

Do not murder You shall not murder. Thou shalt not kill.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Exodus 20:13 (NETS)

Exodus 20:13 (English Elpenor)

do not commit adultery You shall not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ κλέψεις οὐ κλέψεις οὐ κλέψεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Exodus 20:14 (NETS)

Exodus 20:14 (English Elpenor)

do not steal You shall not steal. Thou shalt not steal.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Exodus 20:16a (NETS)

Exodus 20:16a (English Elpenor)

do not give false testimony You shall not testify falsely Thou shalt not bear false witness

Matthew 19:19a (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 19:19a (NET)

Exodus 20:12a (NETS)

Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)

honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ φονεύσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)

Do not murder You shall not murder. Thou shalt not commit murder.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις οὐ μοιχεύσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:18 (English Elpenor)

do not commit adultery You shall not commit adultery. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ κλέψεις οὐ κλέψεις οὐ κλέψεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)

do not steal You shall not steal. Thou shalt not steal.

Matthew 19:18b (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις

Matthew 19:18b (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:20a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:20a (English Elpenor)

do not give false testimony You shall not testify falsely Thou shalt not bear false witness

Matthew 19:19a (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 19:19a (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)

honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

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

Matthew 19:19b (NET Parallel Greek)

Leviticus 19:18c (Septuagint BLB) Table

Leviticus 19:18c (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν

Matthew 19:19b (NET)

Leviticus 19:18c (NETS)

Leviticus 19:18c (English Elpenor)

love your neighbor as yourself you shall love your neighbor as yourself thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself

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

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (NET)

Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not kill. “You must not murder.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ φονεύσεις οὐ φονεύσεις

Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)

You shall not murder. Thou shalt not commit murder.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (NET)

Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither shalt thou steal. “You must not steal.

Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ κλέψεις οὐ κλέψεις

Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)

You shall not steal. Thou shalt not steal.

Deuteronomy 5:17 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 5:20 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:20 (NET)

Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. “You must not offer false testimony against another.

Deuteronomy 5:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ

Deuteronomy 5:20 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:20 (English Elpenor)

You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor with a false testimony. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Numbers 23:11 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:11 (KJV)

Numbers 23:11 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:11 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ τί πεποίηκάς μοι εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· τί πεποίηκάς μοι; εἰς κατάρασιν ἐχθρῶν μου κέκληκά σε, καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλόγηκας εὐλογίαν

Numbers 23:11 (NETS)

Numbers 23:11 (English Elpenor)

And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? For cursing my enemies have I called you—and, behold, you have blessed them with a blessing.” And Balac said to Balaam, What hast thou done to me? I called thee to curse my enemies, and behold thou hast greatly blessed [them].

Numbers 23:12 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:12 (KJV)

Numbers 23:12 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:12 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οὐχὶ ὅσα ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· οὐχὶ ὅσα ἂν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου, τοῦτο φυλάξω λαλῆσαι

Numbers 23:12 (NETS)

Numbers 23:12 (English Elpenor)

And Balaam said to Balak, “No, as much as God puts into my mouth, shall I beware of speaking it?” And Balaam said to Balac, Whatsoever the Lord shall put into my mouth, shall I not take heed to speak this?

Numbers 23:13 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:13 (KJV)

Numbers 23:13 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:13 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλακ δεῦρο ἔτι μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον ἐξ ὧν οὐκ ὄψῃ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψῃ πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν Καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Βαλάκ· δεῦρο ἔτι μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἰς τόπον ἄλλον, ἐξ οὗ οὐκ ὄψει αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν, ἀλλ’ ἢ μέρος τι αὐτοῦ ὄψει, πάντας δὲ οὐ μὴ ἴδῃς, καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν

Numbers 23:13 (NETS)

Numbers 23:13 (English Elpenor)

And Balak said to him, “Come yet with me to another place, from there where you shall not see it; rather some part of it you shall see, but all you shall not see. And curse if for me from there.” And Balac said to him, Come yet with me to another place where thou shalt not see the people, but only thou shalt see a part of them, and shalt not see them all; and curse me them from thence.

Numbers 23:14 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:14 (KJV)

Numbers 23:14 (NET)

And he took him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar. And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar. So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀγροῦ σκοπιὰν ἐπὶ κορυφὴν λελαξευμένου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἀνεβίβασεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν καὶ παρέλαβεν αὐτὸν εἰς ἀγροῦ σκοπιὰν ἐπὶ κορυφὴν λελαξευμένου καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἀνεβίβασε μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν

Numbers 23:14 (NETS)

Numbers 23:14 (English Elpenor)

And he took him to a lookout place of a field, on the top of Hewn. And he built there seven altars and brought a calf and a ram on the altar. And he took him to a high place of the field to the top of the quarried [rock], and he built there seven altars, and offered a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 23:15 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:15 (KJV)

Numbers 23:15 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:15 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν θεόν καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρός Βαλάκ· παράστηθι ἐπὶ τῆς θυσίας σου, ἐγὼ δὲ πορεύσομαι ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν Θεόν

Numbers 23:15 (NETS)

Numbers 23:15 (English Elpenor)

And Balaam said to Balak, “Stand beside your sacrifice, but I will go to inquire of God.” And Balaam said to Balac, Stand by thy sacrifice, and I will go to enquire of God.

Numbers 23:16 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:16 (KJV)

Numbers 23:16 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ συνήντησεν ὁ θεὸς τῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἐνέβαλεν ῥῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀποστράφητι πρὸς Βαλακ καὶ τάδε λαλήσεις καὶ συνήντησεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Βαλαὰμ καὶ ἐνέβαλε ρῆμα εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ἀποστράφηθι πρὸς Βαλὰκ καὶ τάδε λαλήσεις

Numbers 23:16 (NETS)

Numbers 23:16 (English Elpenor)

And God met with Balaam, and he put a word into his mouth and said, “Turn back to Balak, and this is what you shall speak.” And God met Balaam, and put a word into his mouth, and said, return to Balac, and thus shalt thou speak.

Numbers 23:17 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:17 (KJV)

Numbers 23:17 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλακ τί ἐλάλησεν κύριος καὶ ἀπεστράφη πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ ὅδε ἐφειστήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὁλοκαυτώσεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ μετ’ αὐτοῦ. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλάκ· τί ἐλάλησε Κύριος

Numbers 23:17 (NETS)

Numbers 23:17 (English Elpenor)

And he turned back to hum, and the latter stood beside his whole burnt offering, and all the rulers of Moab with him. And Balak said to him, “What did the Lord speak?” And he returned to him: and he also as standing by his whole-burnt-sacrifice, and all the princes of Moab with him; and Balac said to him, What has the Lord spoken?

Numbers 23:18 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:18 (KJV)

Numbers 23:18 (NET)

And he took up his parable, and said: Arise, Balak, and hear; give ear unto me, thou son of Zippor: And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: Balaam uttered his oracle, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; Listen to me, son of Zippor:

Numbers 23:18 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν ἀνάστηθι Βαλακ καὶ ἄκουε ἐνώτισαι μάρτυς υἱὸς Σεπφωρ καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν· ἀνάστηθι Βαλάκ, καὶ ἄκουε· ἐνώτισαι μάρτυς, υἱὸς Σεπφώρ

Numbers 23:18 (NETS)

Numbers 23:18 (English Elpenor)

And he took up this parable and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear; give ear as a witness, O son of Sepphor: And he took up his parable, and said, rise up, Balac, and hear; hearken as a witness, thou son of Sepphor.

Numbers 23:20 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:20 (KJV)

Numbers 23:20 (NET)

Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back. Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it. Indeed, I have received a command to bless; he has blessed, and I cannot reverse it.

Numbers 23:20 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι εὐλογήσω καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω ἰδοὺ εὐλογεῖν παρείλημμαι· εὐλογήσω καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστρέψω

Numbers 23:20 (NETS)

Numbers 23:20 (English Elpenor)

Behold, I have been taken hold of to bless; I will bless, and I will not turn away. Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: I will bless, and not turn back.

Numbers 23:21 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:21 (KJV)

Numbers 23:21 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:21 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐκ ἔσται μόχθος ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ ὀφθήσεται πόνος ἐν Ισραηλ κύριος ὁ θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔσται μόχθος ἐν ᾿Ιακώβ, οὐδὲ ὀφθήσεται πόνος ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτοῦ, τὰ ἔνδοξα ἀρχόντων ἐν αὐτῷ

Numbers 23:21 (NETS)

Numbers 23:21 (English Elpenor)

There shall be no trouble in Iakob, nor shall hardship be seen in Israel. The Lord his God is with him; the glories of rulers are in him. There shall not be trouble in Jacob, neither shall sorrow be seen in Israel: the Lord his God [is] with him, the glories of rulers [are] in him.

Numbers 23:23 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:23 (KJV)

Numbers 23:23 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:23 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν Ιακωβ οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν Ισραηλ κατὰ καιρὸν ῥηθήσεται Ιακωβ καὶ τῷ Ισραηλ τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ θεός οὐ γάρ ἐστιν οἰωνισμὸς ἐν ᾿Ιακώβ, οὐδὲ μαντεία ἐν ᾿Ισραήλ· κατὰ καιρὸν ρηθήσεται ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ, τί ἐπιτελέσει ὁ Θεός

Numbers 23:23 (NETS)

Numbers 23:23 (English Elpenor)

For there is no omen in Iakob nor divination in Israel; opportunely it shall be told to Iakob and to Israel what God shall accomplish. For there is no divination in Jacob, nor enchantment in Israel; in season it shall be told to Jacob and Israel what God shall perform.

Numbers 23:24 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:24 (KJV)

Numbers 23:24 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:24 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἰδοὺ λαὸς ὡς σκύμνος ἀναστήσεται καὶ ὡς λέων γαυριωθήσεται οὐ κοιμηθήσεται ἕως φάγῃ θήραν καὶ αἷμα τραυματιῶν πίεται ἰδοὺ λαὸς ὡς σκύμνος ἀναστήσεται καὶ ὡς λέων γαυρωθήσεται· οὐ κοιμηθήσεται, ἕως φάγῃ θήραν, καὶ αἷμα τραυματιῶν πίεται

Numbers 23:24 (NETS)

Numbers 23:24 (English Elpenor)

Behold, a people shall rise up like a whelp and shall bear itself proudly like a lion! It will not lie down until it eats prey and will drink blood of mortally wounded.” Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion’s whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

Numbers 23:25 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:25 (KJV)

Numbers 23:25 (NET)

And Balak said unto Balaam: ‘Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.’ And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. Balak said to Balaam, “Neither curse them at all nor bless them at all!”

Numbers 23:25 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ οὔτε κατάραις καταράσῃ μοι αὐτὸν οὔτε εὐλογῶν μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτόν καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· οὔτε κατάραις καταράσῃ μοι αὐτὸν οὔτε εὐλογῶν μὴ εὐλογήσῃς αὐτόν

Numbers 23:25 (NETS)

Numbers 23:25 (English Elpenor)

And Balak said to Balaam, “You shall neither curse them with curses for me, nor, when blessing, shall you bless them.” Behold, the people shall rise up as a lion’s whelp, and shall exalt himself as a lion; he shall not lie down till he have eaten the prey, and he shall drink the blood of the slain.

Numbers 23:26 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:26 (KJV)

Numbers 23:26 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:26 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Βαλααμ εἶπεν τῷ Βαλακ οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι λέγων τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ ὁ θεός τοῦτο ποιήσω καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Βαλαὰμ εἶπε τῷ Βαλάκ· οὐκ ἐλάλησά σοι λέγων, τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ ὁ Θεός, τοῦτο ποιήσω

Numbers 23:26 (NETS)

Numbers 23:26 (English Elpenor)

And Balaam answered and said to Balak, “Did I not speak to you, saying, ‘The word that God speaks, this I shall do’?” And Balaam answered and said to Balac, Spoke I not to thee, saying, Whatsoever thing God shall speak to me, that will I do?

Numbers 23:27 (Tanakh)

Numbers 23:27 (KJV)

Numbers 23:27 (NET)

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

Numbers 23:27 (Septuagint BLB)

Numbers 23:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ δεῦρο παραλάβω σε εἰς τόπον ἄλλον εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ θεῷ καὶ καταρᾶσαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν Καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· δεῦρο παραλάβω σε εἰς τόπον ἄλλον, εἰ ἀρέσει τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ κατάρασαί μοι αὐτὸν ἐκεῖθεν

Numbers 23:27 (NETS)

Numbers 23:27 (English Elpenor)

And Balak said to Balaam, “Come, let me take you to another place, if it shall please God, and curse it for me from there.” And Balac said to Balaam, Come [and] I will remove thee to another place, if it shall please God, and curse me them from thence.

Matthew 19:19, 20 (NET)

Matthew 19:19, 20 (KJV)

honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 19:19 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 19:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 19:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καί ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον τιμα τον πατερα και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον
The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws. What do I still lack?” The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

Matthew 19:20 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 19:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 19:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ νεανίσκος· |πάντα ταῦτα| ἐφύλαξα· τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ λεγει αυτω ο νεανισκος παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω λεγει αυτω ο νεανισκος παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω

Romans 14:5, 6 (NET)

Romans 14:5, 6 (KJV)

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

Romans 14:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 14:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 14:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ὂς μὲν [γὰρ] κρίνει ἡμέραν παρ᾿ ἡμέραν, ὃς δὲ κρίνει πᾶσαν ἡμέραν· ἕκαστος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ νοὶ_ πληροφορείσθω ος μεν κρινει ημεραν παρ ημεραν ος δε κρινει πασαν ημεραν εκαστος εν τω ιδιω νοι πληροφορεισθω ος μεν κρινει ημεραν παρ ημεραν ος δε κρινει πασαν ημεραν εκαστος εν τω ιδιω νοι πληροφορεισθω
The one who observes the day does it for the Lord. The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

Romans 14:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 14:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 14:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ φρονῶν τὴν ἡμέραν κυρίῳ φρονεῖ· καὶ ὁ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ ἐσθίει, εὐχαριστεῖ γὰρ τῷ θεῷ· καὶ ὁ μὴ ἐσθίων κυρίῳ οὐκ ἐσθίει καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ θεῷ ο φρονων την ημεραν κυριω φρονει και ο μη φρονων την ημεραν κυριω ου φρονει ο εσθιων κυριω εσθιει ευχαριστει γαρ τω θεω και ο μη εσθιων κυριω ουκ εσθιει και ευχαριστει τω θεω ο φρονων την ημεραν κυριω φρονει και ο μη φρονων την ημεραν κυριω ου φρονει και ο εσθιων κυριω εσθιει ευχαριστει γαρ τω θεω και ο μη εσθιων κυριω ουκ εσθιει και ευχαριστει τω θεω

Romans 14:9, 10 (NET)

Romans 14:9, 10 (KJV)

For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Romans 14:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 14:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 14:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν καὶ ἔζησεν, ἵνα καὶ νεκρῶν καὶ ζώντων κυριεύσῃ εις τουτο γαρ χριστος και απεθανεν και ανεστη και ανεζησεν ινα και νεκρων και ζωντων κυριευση εις τουτο γαρ χριστος και απεθανεν και ανεστη και εζησεν ινα και νεκρων και ζωντων κυριευση
But you who eat vegetables only—why do you judge your brother or sister? And you who eat everything—why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Romans 14:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Romans 14:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Romans 14:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Σὺ δὲ τί κρίνεις τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; ἢ καὶ σὺ τί ἐξουθενεῖς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου; πάντες γὰρ παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ θεοῦ συ δε τι κρινεις τον αδελφον σου η και συ τι εξουθενεις τον αδελφον σου παντες γαρ παραστησομεθα τω βηματι του χριστου συ δε τι κρινεις τον αδελφον σου η και συ τι εξουθενεις τον αδελφον σου παντες γαρ παραστησομεθα τω βηματι του χριστου

Hebrews 3:17 (NET)

Hebrews 3:17 (KJV)

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

Hebrews 3:17 (NET Parallel Greek)

Hebrews 3:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Hebrews 3:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)

τίσιν δὲ προσώχθισεν τεσσεράκοντα ἔτη; οὐχὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήσασιν, ὧν τὰ κῶλα ἔπεσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τισιν δε προσωχθισεν τεσσαρακοντα ετη ουχι τοις αμαρτησασιν ων τα κωλα επεσεν εν τη ερημω τισιν δε προσωχθισεν τεσσαρακοντα ετη ουχι τοις αμαρτησασιν ων τα κωλα επεσεν εν τη ερημω

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

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

6 Matthew 19:22b (ESV)

7 John 1:47b (ESV)

8 Romans 11:24 (ESV)

9 Matthew 22:40 (ESV) Table

10 Matthew 22:37b, 38 (ESV) Table

11 Romans 3:19, 20 (ESV)

12 Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

13 Ibid.

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

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

16 Numbers 22:31b (ESV) Table

17 Numbers 22:34b (ESV) Table

18 Mark 2:27, 28 (ESV)

19 Matthew 12:12b (ESV)

20 Hebrews 7:12 (ESV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

31 Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

32 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

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

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

35 Numbers 23:18-21 (ESV)

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

38 Numbers 23:19, 20 (ESV)

39 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

40 John 1:18 (ESV) Table

Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 8

This is a continuation of my intent to become much more familiar with the Greek translation of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) and יֱהֹוִה֙ (yᵊhōvâ) in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:19, 20 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (NET)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (NETS)

Genesis 2:19, 20 (English Elpenor)

And out of the ground HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֜ים) formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them; and whatsoever the man would call every living creature, that was to be the name thereof [Table]. The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) formed out of the ground every living animal of the field and every bird of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. And out of the earth God ( θεὸς) furthermore formed all the animals of the field and all the birds of the sky and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, and anything, whatever Adam called it as living creature, this was its name [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) formed yet farther out of the earth all the wild beasts of the field, and all the birds of the sky, and he brought them to Adam, to see what he would call them, and whatever Adam called any living creature, that was the name of it.
And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet (עֵ֖זֶר) for him [Table]. So the man named all the animals, the birds of the air, and the living creatures of the field, but for Adam no companion (ēzer, עזר) who corresponded to him was found. And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky and to all the animals of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper (βοηθὸς) like him [Table]. And Adam gave names to all the cattle and to all the birds of the sky, and to all the wild beasts of the field, but for Adam there was not found a help (βοηθὸς) like to himself.

I’ll pause to highlight that יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) אֱלֹהִ֜ים (ĕlōhîm) in the Masoretic text was simply Θεὸς in the Septuagint. Also, I want to spend a few moments with עֵ֖זֶר (ēzer), translated help meet (Tanakh/KJV) and companion (NET) both here and in Genesis 2:18.

A note (57) in the NET reads:

Traditionally “helper.” The English word “helper,” because it can connote so many different ideas, does not accurately convey the connotation of the Hebrew word עֵזֶר (ʿezer). Usage of the Hebrew term does not suggest a subordinate role, a connotation which English “helper” can have. In the Bible God is frequently described as the “helper,” the one who does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, the one who meets our needs. In this context the word seems to express the idea of an “indispensable companion.” The woman would supply what the man was lacking in the design of creation and logically it would follow that the man would supply what she was lacking, although that is not stated here. See further M. L. Rosenzweig, “A Helper Equal to Him,” Jud 139 (1986): 277-80.

This is what the word meant to Moses when he named his sons:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Exodus 18:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 18:4 (NET)

Exodus 18:4 (NETS)

Exodus 18:4 (English Elpenor)

and the name of the other was Eliezer: ‘for the G-d (אֱלֹהֵ֤י) of my father was my help (בְּעֶזְרִ֔י), and delivered (וַיַּצִּלֵ֖נִי) me from the sword of Pharaoh.’ and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God [ĕlōhîm, אלהי] of my father has been my help [ēzer, בעזרי] and delivered [nāṣal, ויצלני] me from the sword of Pharaoh”). and the name of the second, Eliezer (“for the God [θεὸς] of my father was my help [βοηθός], and he delivered [ἐξείλατό] me from the hand of Pharao”). and the name of the second, Eliezer, saying, For the God (Θεὸς) of my father [is] my helper (βοηθός), and he has rescued (ἐξείλατό) me out of the hand of Pharao.

The Lord as help or helper delivered or rescued Moses’ life. How often is the woman cast as the beauty whose love and grace tames the beast who becomes her husband?

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:21, 22 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (NET)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (NETS)

Genesis 2:21, 22 (English Elpenor)

And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֧ים) caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the place with flesh instead thereof [Table]. So the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he was asleep, he took part of the man’s side and closed up the place with flesh. And God ( θεὸς) cast a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs and filled up flesh in its place [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) brought a trance upon Adam, and he slept, and he took one of his ribs, and filled up the flesh instead thereof.
And the rib, which HaShem (יְהֹוָ֨ה) G-d (אֱלֹהִ֧ים) had taken from the man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man [Table]. Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) God (‘ĕlōhîm, אלהים) made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. And the rib that he had taken from Adam the Lord (κύριος) God ( θεὸς) fashioned into a woman and brought her to Adam [Table]. And God ( Θεὸς) formed the rib which he took from Adam into a woman, and brought her to Adam.

How magical this must have seemed to people who knew nothing of anesthesia or surgery or DNA or cloning. Now, though this particular procedure may be a bit out of reach, it seems like a routine and mostly anticipated outcome of applied knowledge and power.

I really have nothing to say here about the presence of יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ; Tanakh: Hashem; NET: Lord) in the Masoretic text or the sporadic presence or absence of κύριος (NETS: Lord) in the Septuagint. It seems more or less random to me. I have no idea why editors would add יְהֹוָ֨ה (Yᵊhōvâ) or translators would refuse to translate it in these particular verses. So, I’ll take a few moments to reprise some of the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint.

Mostly I’ll point to two articles I found online, good articles in my opinion worth the time it takes to read them. I’ll quote and comment on a few things I take issue with. In “Septuagint: Why The Greek Old Testament Still MattersGreg Lanier wrote:

What Exactly Is the Septuagint?

Before discussing its relevance, we have to clarify what is meant by Septuagint. But that is part of the problem. The term itself, when paired with the (the Septuagint, or the LXX), and combined with the fact that you can purchase a copy, might give the false impression that “the Septuagint” is a singular book, produced by a single committee, and published in a single place at a single time.

Replace Septuagint with Bible and one can make exactly the same argument. I’ll continue to use the definite article with Septuagint (and Bible, for that matter) because the language feels forced and awkward without it.

Mr. Lanier then gave an interesting sketch of the origins of the Septuagint, many useful biblical examples and reasons for considering the Septuagint in one’s personal Bible study. He began, however, with one potentially misleading statement:1

Most Christians know that their personal copy of the OT is a translation from the ancient Hebrew text…

I certainly “knew” that growing up. What I didn’t know was that the “ancient” Hebrew text from which my Old Testament was translated was the Masoretic text. In his article “What Is the Masoretic Text? The Beginner’s Guide” Ryan Nelson pointed out:

Most Jews and Protestants consider the Masoretic Text the authoritative Hebrew Bible…While it was written sometime between the seventh and tenth centuries AD, it was based on the meticulously preserved oral tradition and the best available manuscripts of the original Hebrew text.

In other words, the Greek translations known as the Septuagint were mostly completed before Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah, the edited version of the Hebrew text known as the Masoretic text was completed long after.

Mr. Nelson concluded with the following words:2

A triumph of tradition

Without the Masoretes, it’s hard to say what our Bibles would look like today. Perhaps they’d all be based on the Septuagint, or they’d all be based on different versions of the Hebrew Bible. At a pivotal moment in history, when culture, popular teachings, and language itself threatened to erase centuries of tradition, the Masoretes found a way to keep that tradition in the spotlight.

Building on the work of countless rabbis before them, the Masoretes solidified the wording of the Hebrew Bible once-and-for-all.

Part of the “popular teachings” to which Mr. Nelson referred were proposed by the Karaites. In his article, “The Karaites: A Medieval Jewish Sect” on My Jewish Learning online, Eli Barnavi wrote:

The Karaites are first mentioned in written sources in the late eighth century. They themselves claim to be descendants of dissident sects of the First Temple period, and the rabbinical tradition traces them back to opposition trends of the Second Temple period…

The best part of the Karaite intellectual effort was directed at proving the errors of the Rabbanites. Their critical acuteness and thorough knowledge of rabbinical doctrines ensured the high level of their polemics…

The main hallmark of the Karaites is their rejection [sic] authority of the Oral Law and the belief in the necessity of direct, independent, and critical study of the Bible. A “Karaite” reads the Mikra (the Pentateuch) and recognizes the Scriptures as the exclusive source of religious law…

The Karaite attack was not powerful enough to demolish the rabbinical citadel but it did succeed in breaching its walls, for the sect recruited many converts. Towards the end of the eleventh century, the sect had adherents in most communities within the Muslim world and the Byzantine Empire: in the eastern parts of the caliphate, in Palestine and Egypt, in North Africa, in Spain, and in Asia Minor…

Reprinted with permission from Eli Barnavi’s A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People, published by Schocken Books.

But the “Masoretes found a way to keep that tradition [i.e., the authority of rabbinic Judaism3] in the spotlight.”4 I can’t hear this without recalling Jesus’ words to the Pharisees and experts in the law.

Matthew 15:1-9 (NET)

Mark 7:5-13 (NET)

Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from5 Jerusalem to Jesus and said, “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their6 hands when they eat.” The7 Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed8 hands?”
He said9 to them, “Isaiah prophesied10 correctly11 about you hypocrites, as it is written:12 “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’
Having13 no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.”14
He answered them, “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up15 your tradition.
For God said,16 ‘Honor your17 father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” he18 does not need to honor19 his father.’20 You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. For Moses21 said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone tells his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you would have received from me is corban’ (that is, a gift for God), then22 you no longer permit him to do anything for his23 father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.
Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied24 correctly about you when he said, “‘This people25 honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
And you do many things like this.”

This is not to say that the Masoretic text should be discarded. It just seems prudent to remember that it was edited and compiled by potentially hostile witnesses.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Genesis 2:23-25 (Tanakh)

Genesis 2:23-25 (NET)

Genesis 2:23-25 (NETS)

Genesis 2:23-25 (English Elpenor)

And the man said: ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man’ [Table]. Then the man said, “This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one will be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” And Adam said, “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of her husband she was taken” [Table]. And Adam said, This now is bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her husband.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh [Table]. That is why a man leaves his father and mother and unites with his wife, and they become one family. Therefore a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh [Table]. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed [Table]. The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed. And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed [Table]. And the two were naked, both Adam and his wife, and were not ashamed.

People experimenting with other forms of marriage and other forms of gender beyond male and female are making quite a lot of news as I write this. “In other words, God’s judgment, a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false26 came on those who are presently lost because they did not accept the love of the truth,” I wrote in another essay. Such confirmations of the truth of his word, coupled with my own experience of being drawn to Jesus and the faith He supplies through the fruit of his Spirit give me hope and encouragement to believe Jesus’ word that I don’t necessarily see: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.27

According to a note (9) in the NET Jesus quoted from Exodus 20:12 and Deuteronomy 5:16 in Matthew 15:4a. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4a (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (NET)

Exodus 20:12a (NETS)

Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 15:4a (NET Parallel Greek)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (NET)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table

Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (KJV)

Exodus 20:12a (NETS)

Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)

Honour thy father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

Matthew 15:4a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)

τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου

Matthew 15:4a (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)

Honour thy father and mother Honor your father and your mother Honour thy father and thy mother

According to a note (10) in the NET Jesus quoted from Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 in Matthew 15:4b. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follow:

Matthew 15:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ

Matthew 15:4b (NET)

Exodus 21:16 (NETS)

Exodus 21:16 (English Elpenor)

Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death. Let the one who insults his father or his mother end with death. He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die.

Matthew 15:4b (NET Parallel Greek)

Leviticus 20:9a (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 20:9a (Septuagint Elpenor)

κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω

Matthew 15:4b (NET)

Leviticus 20:9a (NETS)

Leviticus 20:9a (English Elpenor)

Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death. A person, a person who speaks severely with his father or his motherwith death let him be put to death Every man who shall speak evil of his father or of his mother, let him die the death

According to a note (14) in the NET Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13 in Matthew 15:8, 9. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου ματην δε σεβονται με διδασκοντες διδασκαλιας ενταλματα ανθρωπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Matthew 15:8, 9 (NET)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 15:8, 9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Matthew 15:8, 9 (KJV)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

According to a note (12) in the NET Jesus quoted from Isaiah 29:13 in Mark 7:6, 7. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation from the NET parallel Greek text and the Septuagint follows:

Mark 7:6b, 7 (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table

Isaiah 29:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονται με διδάσκοντες διδασκαλίας ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῗς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσίν με ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας ὁ λαὸς οὗτος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτῶν τιμῶσί με, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με διδάσκοντες ἐντάλματα ἀνθρώπων καὶ διδασκαλίας

Mark 7:6b, 7 (NET)

Isaiah 29:13 (NETS)

Isaiah 29:13 (English Elpenor)

This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men. These people draw near me; they honor me with their lips, while their heart is far from me, and in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts and teachings. And the Lord has said, This people draw nigh to me with their mouth, and they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me: but in vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.

Tables comparing Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 5:16; Exodus 21:17 (21:16) and Leviticus 20:9 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Matthew 15:1, 2; 15:4-8; Mark 7:5, 6; 7:8-10 and 7:12 the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 18:4 (Tanakh)

Exodus 18:4 (KJV)

Exodus 18:4 (NET)

and the name of the other was Eliezer: ‘for the G-d of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.’ And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: and the other Eliezer (for Moses had said, “The God of my father has been my help and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh”).

Exodus 18:4 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 18:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου Ελιεζερ λέγων ὁ γὰρ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου βοηθός μου καὶ ἐξείλατό με ἐκ χειρὸς Φαραω καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ δευτέρου ῾Ελιέζερ λέγων· ὁ γὰρ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου βοηθός μου καὶ ἐξείλατό με ἐκ χειρὸς Φαραώ

Exodus 18:4 (NETS)

Exodus 18:4 (English Elpenor)

and the name of the second, Eliezer (“for the God of my father was my help, and he delivered me from the hand of Pharao”). and the name of the second, Eliezer, saying, For the God of my father [is] my helper, and he has rescued me out of the hand of Pharao.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Tanakh)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (KJV)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NET)

Honour thy father and thy mother, as HaShem thy G-d commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Honor your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he is about to give you.

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Septuagint BLB)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου ὃν τρόπον ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, ὃν τρόπον ἐνετείλατό σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι

Deuteronomy 5:16 (NETS)

Deuteronomy 5:16 (English Elpenor)

Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, so that it may be well with you and that you may be long-lived in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God commanded thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long upon the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee.

Exodus 21:17 (Tanakh)

Exodus 21:17 (KJV)

Exodus 21:17 (NET)

And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death. Whoever treats his father or his mother disgracefully must surely be put to death.

Exodus 21:17 (Septuagint BLB)

Exodus 21:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ τελευτήσει θανάτῳ

Exodus 21:16 (NETS)

Exodus 21:16 (English Elpenor)

Let the one who insults his father or his mother end with death. He that reviles his father or his mother shall surely die.

Leviticus 20:9 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 20:9 (KJV)

Leviticus 20:9 (NET)

For whatsoever man there be that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him. “‘If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood guilt is on himself.

Leviticus 20:9 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 20:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ κακῶς εἶπεν ἔνοχος ἔσται ἄνθρωπος ἄνθρωπος, ὃς ἂν κακῶς εἴπῃ τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω· πατέρα αὐτοῦ ἢ μητέρα αὐτοῦ κακῶς εἶπεν; ἔνοχος ἔσται

Leviticus 20:9 (NETS)

Leviticus 20:9 (English Elpenor)

A person, a person who speaks severely with his father or his mother—with death let him be put to death; he has spoken severely with his father or his mother—he shall be liable. Every man who shall speak evil of his father or of his mother, let him die the death; has he spoken evil of his father or his mother? he shall be guilty.

Matthew 15:1, 2 (NET)

Matthew 15:1, 2 (KJV)

Then Pharisees and experts in the law came from Jerusalem to Jesus and said, Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

Matthew 15:1 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Τότε προσέρχονται τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων Φαρισαῖοι καὶ γραμματεῖς λέγοντες τοτε προσερχονται τω ιησου οι απο ιεροσολυμων γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι λεγοντες τοτε προσερχονται τω ιησου οι απο ιεροσολυμων γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι λεγοντες
Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.” Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Matthew 15:2 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)

διὰ τί οἱ μαθηταί σου παραβαίνουσιν τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων; οὐ γὰρ νίπτονται τὰς χεῖρας ὅταν ἄρτον ἐσθίωσιν δια τι οι μαθηται σου παραβαινουσιν την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων ου γαρ νιπτονται τας χειρας αυτων οταν αρτον εσθιωσιν δια τι οι μαθηται σου παραβαινουσιν την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων ου γαρ νιπτονται τας χειρας αυτων οταν αρτον εσθιωσιν

Matthew 15:4-8 (NET)

Matthew 15:4-8 (KJV)

For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

Matthew 15:4 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ γὰρ θεὸς εἶπεν· τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καί· ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω. ο γαρ θεος ενετειλατο λεγων τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω ο γαρ θεος ενετειλατο λεγων τιμα τον πατερα και την μητερα και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω
But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

Matthew 15:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὑμεῖς δὲ λέγετε· ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί· δῶρον ὃ ἐὰν ἐξ ἐμοῦ ὠφεληθῇς [see verse 6] υμεις δε λεγετε ος αν ειπη τω πατρι η τη μητρι δωρον ο εαν εξ εμου ωφεληθης [see verse 6] υμεις δε λεγετε ος αν ειπη τω πατρι η τη μητρι δωρον ο εαν εξ εμου ωφεληθης και ου μη τιμηση τον πατερα αυτου η την μητερα αυτου
he does not need to honor his father.’ You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

Matthew 15:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐ μὴ τιμήσει τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἠκυρώσατε τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν και ου μη τιμηση τον πατερα αυτου η την μητερα αυτου και ηκυρωσατε την εντολην του θεου δια την παραδοσιν υμων [see verse 5] και ηκυρωσατε την εντολην του θεου δια την παραδοσιν υμων
Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said, Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

Matthew 15:7 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὑποκριταί, καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν περὶ ὑμῶν Ἠσαΐας λέγων υποκριται καλως προεφητευσεν περι υμων ησαιας λεγων υποκριται καλως προεφητευσεν περι υμων ησαιας λεγων
“‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Matthew 15:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Matthew 15:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Matthew 15:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ εγγιζει μοι ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου εγγιζει μοι ο λαος ουτος τω στοματι αυτων και τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου

Mark 7:5, 6 (NET)

Mark 7:5, 6 (KJV)

The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed hands?” Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

Mark 7:5 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἐπερωτῶσιν αὐτὸν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς· διὰ τί οὐ περιπατοῦσιν οἱ μαθηταί σου κατὰ τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ἀλλὰ κοιναῖς χερσὶν ἐσθίουσιν τὸν ἄρτον επειτα επερωτωσιν αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις δια τι οι μαθηται σου ου περιπατουσιν κατα την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων αλλα ανιπτοις χερσιν εσθιουσιν τον αρτον επειτα επερωτωσιν αυτον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις δια τι οι μαθηται σου ου περιπατουσιν κατα την παραδοσιν των πρεσβυτερων αλλα ανιπτοις χερσιν εσθιουσιν τον αρτον
He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Mark 7:6 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἐπροφήτευσεν Ἠσαΐας περὶ ὑμῶν τῶν ὑποκριτῶν, ὡς γέγραπται [ὅτι] οὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσιν με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόρρω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι καλως προεφητευσεν ησαιας περι υμων των υποκριτων ως γεγραπται ουτος ο λαος τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις οτι καλως προεφητευσεν ησαιας περι υμων των υποκριτων ως γεγραπται ουτος ο λαος τοις χειλεσιν με τιμα η δε καρδια αυτων πορρω απεχει απ εμου

Mark 7:8-10 (NET)

Mark 7:8-10 (KJV)

Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.” For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mark 7:8 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)

ἀφέντες τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κρατεῖτε τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε
He also said to them, “You neatly reject the commandment of God in order to set up your tradition. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mark 7:9 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)

καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· καλῶς ἀθετεῖτε τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα τὴν παράδοσιν ὑμῶν |στήσητε| και ελεγεν αυτοις καλως αθετειτε την εντολην του θεου ινα την παραδοσιν υμων τηρησητε και ελεγεν αυτοις καλως αθετειτε την εντολην του θεου ινα την παραδοσιν υμων τηρησητε
For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

Mark 7:10 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)

Μωϋσῆς γὰρ εἶπεν· τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, καί· ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα θανάτῳ τελευτάτω μωσης γαρ ειπεν τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω μωσης γαρ ειπεν τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου και ο κακολογων πατερα η μητερα θανατω τελευτατω

Mark 7:12 (NET)

Mark 7:12 (KJV)

then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

Mark 7:12 (NET Parallel Greek)

Mark 7:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)

Mark 7:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)

οὐκέτι ἀφίετε αὐτὸν οὐδὲν ποιῆσαι τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρί και ουκετι αφιετε αυτον ουδεν ποιησαι τω πατρι αυτου η τη μητρι αυτου και ουκετι αφιετε αυτον ουδεν ποιησαι τω πατρι αυτου η τη μητρι αυτου

3 From the tag line of “The Karaites: A Medieval Jewish Sect,” by Eli Barnavi on My Jewish Learning online: “The Karaites, biblical fundamentalists, challenged the authority of rabbinic Judaism.”

4 From “A triumph of tradition,” “What Is the Masoretic Text? The Beginner’s Guide,” by Ryan Nelson on OverviewBible online

5 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οι απο (KJV: which were of), where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had simply απο.

6 The NA28, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αὐτῶν here. The NET parallel Greek text did not. See note 5 in the NET.

7 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ at the beginning of this clause, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επειτα (KJV: Then).

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

11 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ὅτι καλως (KJV: well) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had only καλῶς.

12 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had οτι (not translated in the NET) following written. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

13 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γαρ (KJV: For) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

14 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε (KJV: as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

15 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had στήσητε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τηρησητε (KJV: ye may keep).

16 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had εἶπεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ενετειλατο λεγων (KJV: commanded, saying).

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

20 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η την μητερα αυτου (KJV: or his mother) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

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

23 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου here and following mother. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had neither.

25 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγγιζει μοι τω στοματι αυτων και (KJV: draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

26 2 Thessalonians 2:11b (NET) Table

27 John 12:32 (NET)

Fear – Leviticus

Each of you must respect (yârêʼ)[1] his mother and his father, and you must keep my Sabbaths.  I am the Lord your God.[2]  The Rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose φοβείσθω, a form of φοβέω[3] (fear, put to flight).[4]  The note in the NET reads: “Heb ‘A man his mother and his father you [plural] shall fear.’ The LXX, Syriac, Vulgate, and certain Targum mss reverse the order, ‘his father and his mother.’ The term ‘fear’ is subject to misunderstanding by the modern reader, so ‘respect’ has been used in the translation. Cf. NAB, NRSV ‘revere’; NASB ‘reverence’.”

Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you,[5] the law reads in Exodus.  And in Deuteronomy it reads, Honor your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he is about to give you.[6]  Respect may be the best translation of yârêʼ in Leviticus 19:3.  Still, at the risk of being a modern reader misunderstanding the text, I would like to spend a moment to consider why someone under the law might actually fear his mother and father (Deuteronomy 21:18-21 NET).

If a person has a stubborn, rebellious son who pays no attention to his father or mother, and they discipline him to no avail, his father and mother must seize him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his city.  They must declare to the elders of his city, “Our son is stubborn and rebellious and pays no attention to what we say – he is a glutton and drunkard.”  Then all the men of his city must stone him to death.  In this way you will purge out wickedness from among you, and all Israel will hear about it and be afraid (yârêʼ).

The quip from Bill Cosby’s father—“I brought you in this world, and I can take you out”[7]—was legally true in Israel.  This is law; this is how it works.  It is about purging out wickedness by removing the evildoer from society, by stoning the lawbreaker to death in this case, so all Israel will hear about it and be afraidAfraid was translated φοβηθήσονται, a form of φοβέω[8] in the Septuagint.  The law is all about punishment and the fear of punishment.  The goal of punishment, particularly capital punishment, is to instill fear into the unrighteous in the hope that they will abide by the law.  This is the righteousness of the law.  It is the best of all possible worlds as far as law is concerned.

The other occurrences of yârêʼ in Leviticus are formulaic.  There is a law associated with fearing God (or his sanctuary):

Reference

Law

yârêʼ (fear)

Septuagint

Leviticus 19:14 (NET) You must not curse a deaf person or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person. You must fear (yârêʼ) your God; I am the Lord. φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω[9]
Leviticus 19:30 (NET) You must keep my Sabbaths… …and fear (yârê) my sanctuary.  I am the Lord. φοβηθήσεσθε, a form of φοβέω[10]
Leviticus 19:32 (NET) You must stand up in the presence of the aged, honor the presence of an elder… …and fear (yârêʼ) your God.  I am the Lord. φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω
Leviticus 25:17 (NET) No one is to oppress his fellow citizen… …but you must fear (yârêʼ) your God, because I am the Lord your God. φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω
Leviticus 25:36 (NET) Do not take interest or profit from him… …but you must fear (yârêʼ) your God and your brother must live with you. φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω
Leviticus 25:43 (NET) You must not rule over him harshly… …but you must fear (yârêʼ) your God. φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω
Leviticus 26:2 (NET) You must keep my Sabbaths… …and reverence (yârê) my sanctuary.  I am the Lord. φοβηθήσεσθε, a form of φοβέω

One should demonstrate his fear of God not by running away but by 1) not cursing a deaf person or putting a stumbling block in front of a blind person; 2) keeping the Sabbaths; 3) standing up and honoring the presence of an elder; 4) not oppressing a fellow citizen; 5) not taking interest or profiting from him; and 6) not ruling over him harshly.  Combined with the fear of punishment for noncompliance it is not too difficult to see how fearing God came to mean obeying his laws.

Jesus used this formula Himself:

Reference

Law

Fear God

Matthew 10:28 (NET) Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 12:4, 5 (NET) I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom you should fear (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω): Fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) him!

But Jesus added something to this formula, a reason not to fear; namely, our value to God our Father.

Law

Fear God

Don’t Fear God

Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Matthew 10:28a (NET)

Instead, fear (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28b (NET)

Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.  So do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω); you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31 (NET)

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.

Luke 12:4 (NET)

But I will warn you whom you should fear (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω): Fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω)   him!

Luke 12:5 (NET)

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.  In fact, even   the hairs on your head are all numbered.  Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω); you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6, 7 (NET)

God’s love, the Apostle John’s shorthand for what Paul called the fruit of the Spirit, not merely for us but in us, transforms our fear of God into reverence and worship for Him.

Law

Fear God

Don’t Fear God

Love

Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Matthew 10:28a (NET)

Instead, fear (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω) the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 10:28b (NET)

Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.  Even all the hairs on your head are numbered.  So do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω); you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Matthew 10:29-31 (NET)

And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has in us.  God is love, and the one who resides in love resides in God, and God resides in him.

1 John 4:16 (NET) Table

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω) of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more they can do.

Luke 12:4 (NET)

But I will warn you whom you should fear (φοβηθῆτε, a form of φοβέω): Fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) the one who, after the killing, has authority to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear (φοβήθητε, a form of φοβέω) him!

Luke 12:5 (NET)

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies?  Yet not one of them is forgotten before God.  In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered.  Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, a form of φοβέω); you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6, 7 (NET)

There is no fear (φόβος)[11] in love, but perfect love drives out fear (φόβον, a form of φόβος), because fear (φόβος) has to do with punishment (κόλασιν, a form of κόλασις).[12]  The one who fears (φοβούμενος, a form of φοβέω) punishment has not been perfected in love.

1 John 4:18 (NET)

He made the one who did not know (γνόντα, a form of γινώσκω)[13] sin[14]  Yahweh became flesh as Jesus and then Jesus did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew (ἐγίνωσκεν, another form of γινώσκω) what was in man.[15] God made the one who did not know (γνόντα, a form of γινώσκω)[16] sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.[17]  The Father has a different attitude toward us who have been reconciled to Him through Jesus/Yahweh: Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω), little flock, Jesus said, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom.[18]  We love, John concluded, because he loved us first.[19]  By this love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment, because just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world.[20]

It’s not wrong to look back and superimpose this kind of reverence upon fear in the law.  God was still love, even as Yahweh gave the law to Moses.  David seemed to grasp thisDo not reject me! He prayed.  Do not take your Holy Spirit away from me!  Let me again experience the joy of your deliverance!  Sustain me by giving me the desire to obey![21]

What is wrong is for me to pretend that I got here by obeying the law.  That would make me a false witness.[22]  Compared to that betrayal Judas’ kiss would seem like passion, and Peter’s denial like words of truth.  It is such a profound taking of the Lord’s name in vain[23] it makes the hapless soul who uses the name “Jesus!” as an expletive sound like a preacher of righteousness by comparison.  Are there any fires in any hell hot enough for me if I were to pretend such a thing?

Actually, yes, and I think it’s quite easy to see.  If Jesus said, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness![24] and took his Holy Spirit from me, I might last for a moment or two out of habit.  But soon enough, hurt, angry, I would revert to the sinner I am apart from God’s credited righteousness, the fruit of his Spirit.  I’ve been judged and found wanting by two wives, (three if you count my high school girlfriend) and sent on my way.  But to be rejected by Love Himself would be unendurable apart from Him.  I would become both the spark and the fuel of the fire, and wherever I am would become hell.  And if you were anywhere near me when that happened, it would not go well for you.

Let’s face it, you were hard to love and difficult to forgive when I believed that I was loved and forgiven by God.  How do you expect to fare when I no longer receive a continuous infusion of his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness, and his self-control?[25]  What will become of you when I am under no obligation and have no incentive to forgive you?  I’m likely to conclude that you are the cause of all my misery and treat you accordingly.  That sounds like Garcin’s epiphany in Sartre’s play No Exit, “Hell is other people.”[26]


[2] Leviticus 19:3 (NET)

[5] Exodus 20:12 (NET) Table

[6] Deuteronomy 5:16 (NET)

[14] 2 Corinthians 5:21a (NET)

[15] John 2:25 (NET)

[17] 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NET)

[18] Luke 12:32 (NET)

[19] 1 John 4:19 (NET)

[20] 1 John 4:17 (NET)

[21] Psalm 51:11, 12 (NET) Table1 Table2

[24] Matthew 7:23 (NKJV)

[25] Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)