Who is a Christian? Part 1

Posted on June 26, 2026 by admin

In this thread I want to begin to consider the meaning of χριστιανός, Christian, forms of which occur only three times in the New Testament. The first occurrence of the plural form χριστιανούς corresponds to the first time the disciples (τοὺς μαθητὰς, a form of μαθητής) were called Christians (Acts 11:19-26 Berean Literal Bible):

Therefore, indeed, those having been scattered by the tribulation having taken place over Stephen passed through to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only. But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, having come into Antioch, were speaking also to the Hellenists, proclaiming the gospel—the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number, having believed, turned to the Lord [Table].
Now the report was heard in the ears of the church being in Jerusalem concerning them, and they sent forth Barnabas to go as far as Antioch [Table]—who, having come and having seen the grace of God, rejoiced and was exhorting all to abide in the Lord with resolute purpose of heart [Table]. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.
And he went out to Tarsus to seek Saul, and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that they also gathered together a whole year in the church and taught a great multitude. And in Antioch the disciples were first¹ called Christians [Table].

Christian is another name for a disciple (Acts 11:25, 26a Berean Literal Bible):

And [Barnabas] went out to Tarsus to seek Saul, and having found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass that they also gathered together a whole year in the church and taught a great multitude [Table].

A strictly literal reading of this passage alone leads one to the objectively true but spiritually erroneous conclusion that those first called Christians were disciples of Barnabas and Saul (also known as Paul). But Paul assured us elsewhere that what is objectively true in Acts 11:25-26a is not the truth spiritually (2 Corinthians 4:5 Berean Literal Bible):

For we do not proclaim ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants on account of Jesus.

As the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), born only of the flesh of Adam, we are taught to value what is objectively true, what we see with our eyes: “Look both ways before you step out into the street; that bus can kill you.” Those born of the Spirit, born again, born from above by the will of God pay attention to the spiritual truth as well, which often supersedes what is objectively true: For we walk by faith, not by sight.² For the things being seen are temporary, but the things not being seen are eternal.³

It seems important for knowing God and ourselves and for understanding the Scriptures to belabor this point a bit more. Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:3b-9 Berean Literal Bible):

Now I exhort you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you may speak the same thing and there may be no divisions among you, but you may be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it was revealed to me concerning you, my brothers, by those of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am indeed of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”
Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptized⁴ into my name. Now also I baptized the household of Stephanas; as to the rest, I do not know if I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but⁵ to preach the gospel, not in wisdom of word, so that the cross of the Christ should not be made void…
For where jealousy and strife are among you, are you not fleshly and walking according to man? For when one may say, “I am indeed of Paul,” and another, “I of Apollos,” are you not men?
Who then is Apollos? And who is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was giving growth [Table]. So neither the one planting nor the one watering is anything (ἐστίν τι; or “is someone” or “is anyone”), but only God, the One giving growth. Now the one planting and the one watering are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Ultimately, Christians are disciples of Christ Jesus (Matthew 28:16-20 Berean Literal Bible):

And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus assigned them. And having seen Him, they worshiped;⁶ but some doubted.
And having come near, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on the earth was given to Me [Table]. Therefore, having gone, disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit [Table], teaching them to observe all things, as much as I commanded (ἐνετειλάμην, a form of ἐντέλλω) you. And behold, I am with you all the days, until the consummation of the age” [Table].

So while it is objectively true that the disciples (τοὺς μαθητὰς) who were first called Christians at Antioch were disciples of Barnabas and Saul, we can assume that the content Barnabas and Saul taught (διδάξαι, a form of διδάσκω) a great multitude was related to Jesus’ command: teaching (διδάσκοντες, a present participle of διδάσκω) them to observe (τηρεῖν, an infinitive form of τηρέω) all things, as much as I commanded you.⁷ We can assume that their goal was to disciple (μαθητεύσατε, an imperative form of μαθητεύω) all the nations to God the Father through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, Paul wrote, as though God is appealing through us. We implore on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. He made the One not having known sin to be sin for us, so that (ἵνα) we might become (γενώμεθα or γινώμεθα; e.g., a subjunctive verb in a purpose or result clause) the righteousness of God in Him (ἐν αὐτῷ; e.g., “by means of Him”)⁸ [Table].⁹

The Greek word translated having gone in Matthew 28:19 is πορευθέντες, a passive participle of πορεύομαι in the aorist tense. The translations go (NET) and go ye (KJV) sound more like imperative forms in the present tense. But Jesus didn’t expect his disciples to go immediately to disciple all the nations (Acts 1:4b, 5 Berean Literal Bible):

He instructed (παρήγγειλεν, a form of παραγγέλλω) them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to await the promise of the Father: “That which you heard of Me; for John indeed baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days after these.”

Jesus, before his crucifixion, had described the Holy Spirit to them as the Spirit of truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not see Him, nor does it know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you.¹⁰ And many examples of the behavior of Jesus’ disciples in the four Gospel accounts and Acts provide a beautiful contrast of the difference between with you (παρ᾿ ὑμῖν) and in you (ἐν ὑμῖν).

And in the arriving of the day of Pentecost, they were all together at the same place [Table]. And suddenly a sound like a violent rushing of wind came out of heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them dividing tongues as of fire, and they sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit was giving to them to declare forth [Table].¹¹

Paul’s first question, having found certain disciples in Ephesus, was “Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?”¹² Barnabas was described as a good (ἀγαθὸς) man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις).¹³ Paul explained that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (ἀγαθωσύνη), faithfulness (πίστις), gentleness, self-control [Table].¹⁴ Though the certain disciples, Paul encountered in Ephesus proved to be disciples of John the Baptist rather than disciples of Christ, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit, having believed?” remains the relevant question.

Did you receive sounds rather passive in contemporary American English. The Greek verb ἐλάβετε is actually a 2nd person plural form of λαμβάνω in the active voice: “to take, take hold of, grasp, seize; to take away, remove; to take by violence, seize, carry off as plunder; to pick up, choose; to seize (by fever, illness); to take advantage of; to fetch; to cause to come or go; to carry; to catch (someone), overtake, come upon; to capture, conquer, take control of, overpower; to find out, detect, catch (in the act); to take (as a partner); to take (a woman) in marriage; to assume possession of, avail oneself of; to consider and assess; to initiate (an action); to pronounce, utter; to become pregnant, conceive; to receive; to seize with the mind, understand, apprehend, comprehend; to undertake (an action); to accept, collect (i.e., collect taxes, tithes, a share); to choose, select; to get, gain, win, attain, obtain, procure (through purchase); to receive (in marriage); to receive (punishment, suffering); to make one’s own.”

This was admittedly quite surprising. I can rationalize it with the question, “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Here, take would be equivalent to ἐλάβετε, or more precisely the singular ἔλαβες. I chose the question addressed to the bride as an example because I am clearly the weaker vessel¹⁵ relative to the Holy Spirit, though probably not like “fine China” as I have heard a preacher describe the weaker vessel (ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει).

I hadn’t thought of “taking” the Holy Spirit as an active voice verb. It felt more like a passive acquiescence in the face of my persistent failure to live righteously by my own efforts. And it causes me to rethink my whole life: Has He been mine since I said a sinner’s prayer at five-years-old? Have I refused to receive Him in any active way until I prayed “If you’re really out there, I really want to know you” in my early twenties? My own perception is that since that prayer He has steadily and patiently (and more and more successfully) wrestled my old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the old human”) for control of my daily life. But I’m tougher now, too. Was He gentler with a five- or ten- or fifteen-year-old than I was willing or able to perceive as real, as anything other than my own imagination?

On the other hand, if He had asserted the kind of control I perceive now when I was a five- or fifteen- or even a twenty-five-year-old, would I know Him at all? Or would I simply mistake Him for ME?

After I had copied and pasted the definition of λαμβάνω into this essay, I texted my Pastor: “I’m 72.5 years old and this is the first time I looked up ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ and discovered that the Greek verb translated ‘you receive’ is in the active voice: ‘to seize.’” Then I left to meet a friend in the city. On the drive I called my brother with the same lament. We talked about it awhile. His parting words were, “I heard that a long time ago, but I forgot.”

It helped to normalize my own experience. To receive the Holy Spirit doesn’t seem all that active a verb once He is my love, my joy, my peace, my patience, my kindness, my goodness, my faithfulness, my gentleness and my self-control. The verb ἐλάβετε is in the 2nd aorist tense:

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time. In the indicative mood the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time, often translated like the English simple past tense.¹⁶

How often does a woman consider her wedding vow when her marriage is going well?

An interesting moment in the movie “Six Days, Seven Nights” comes to mind. It’s a story about two strangers on a deserted island after a plane crash. Quinn (Harrison Ford), the pilot, and his passenger, Robin (Anne Heche), “a New York fashion magazine editor,” share little in common but their growing enmity for one another. Still, their situation and dependence on one another blossoms into sexual attraction, an attraction they resist since she is engaged to another man. Though she has slept in the damaged plane and he on the beach every other night since they crashed, as they bed down together for the night (on the run from pirates who know they have witnessed a murder), Robin nestles into Quinn’s arms, saying, “This feels good—and safe.”

I’ve wondered over the years about that line. Does Robin feel “safe” because she is absolutely convinced that Quinn is so self-controlled he won’t “take” her during the night? Or does she feel safe because the thought of Quinn taking her during the night is no longer so contrary to her own desire. In other words, she has already received him (in the active voice) in her heart and in her mind. The verb ἐλάβετε is in the indicative mood (which in “the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time”): “If you’re really out there, I really want to know you,” I had prayed, receiving Him without reservation or condition other than his own existence.

When I got back from the city, I had a text response to my lament over ἐλάβετε from my Pastor: “That’s interesting. I’m looking a lot [at] that word in Hebrew this week.” He was preparing a sermon on Genesis 34.

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land [Table]. And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her [Table]. And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her [Table].

The Hebrew word translated he seized was וַיִּקַּח, a Qal sequential imperfect form of לָקַח (lāqaḥ), which was translated λαβὼν, an active participle of λαμβάνω in the Septuagint: seizing (NETS), took (English Elpenor). Self-control is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit, unlike the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) which is being corrupted according to the desires of deceit,¹⁷ does not force Himself upon anyone: Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone should hear My voice and should open the door, then¹⁸ I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.¹⁹

So, a Christian is a disciple of Christ Jesus who has actively received the Holy Spirit at some time in the past, even if that action is simply a change of heart and mind toward Him. I’ll pick this up in another essay. There is more to glean from this occurrence of χριστιανούς.

Tables comparing 1 Corinthians 1:15; 1:17; 3:8; Matthew 28:17; 1 Peter 3:7 and Revelation 3:20 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 Corinthians 1:15 (NET)	1 Corinthians 1:15 (KJV)
so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name!	Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.

1 Corinthians 1:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 1:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 1:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐβαπτίσθητε	ινα μη τις ειπη οτι εις το εμον ονομα εβαπτισα	ινα μη τις ειπη οτι εις το εμον ονομα εβαπτισα

1 Corinthians 1:17 (NET)	1 Corinthians 1:17 (KJV)
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless.	For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1 Corinthians 1:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 1:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 1:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν ἀλλὰ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι, οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου, ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ	ου γαρ απεστειλεν με χριστος βαπτιζειν αλλ ευαγγελιζεσθαι ουκ εν σοφια λογου ινα μη κενωθη ο σταυρος του χριστου ου γαρ απεστειλεν με χρισ	τος βαπτιζειν αλλ ευαγγελιζεσθαι ουκ εν σοφια λογου ινα μη κενωθη ο σταυρος του χριστου

1 Corinthians 3:8 (NET)	1 Corinthians 3:8 (KJV)
The one who plants and the one who waters work as one, but each will receive his reward according to his work.	Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

1 Corinthians 3:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 3:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 3:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ φυτεύων δὲ καὶ ὁ ποτίζων ἕν εἰσιν, ἕκαστος δὲ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήμψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον	ο φυτευων δε και ο ποτιζων εν εισιν εκαστος δε τον ιδιον μισθον ληψεται κατα τον ιδιον κοπον	ο φυτευων δε και ο ποτιζων εν εισιν εκαστος δε τον ιδιον μισθον ληψεται κατα τον ιδιον κοπον

Matthew 28:17 (NET)	Matthew 28:17 (KJV)
When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted.	And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

Matthew 28:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 28:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 28:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν προσεκύνησαν, οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν	και ιδοντες αυτον προσεκυνησαν αυτω οι δε εδιστασαν	και ιδοντες αυτον προσεκυνησαν αυτω οι δε εδιστασαν

1 Peter 3:7 (NET)	1 Peter 3:7 (KJV)
Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers.	Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

1 Peter 3:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 3:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 3:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οἱ ἄνδρες ὁμοίως, συνοικοῦντες κατὰ γνῶσιν ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ, ἀπονέμοντες τιμὴν ὡς καὶ \|συγκληρονόμοις\| χάριτος ζωῆς εἰς τὸ μὴ ἐγκόπτεσθαι τὰς προσευχὰς ὑμῶν	οι ανδρες ομοιως συνοικουντες κατα γνωσιν ως ασθενεστερω σκευει τω γυναικειω απονεμοντες τιμην ως και συγκληρονομοι χαριτος ζωης εις το μη εκκοπτεσθαι τας προσευχας υμων	οι ανδρες ομοιως συνοικουντες κατα γνωσιν ως ασθενεστερω σκευει τω γυναικειω απονεμοντες τιμην ως και συγκληρονομοι χαριτος ζωης εις το μη εγκοπτεσθαι τας προσευχας υμων

Revelation 3:20 (NET)	Revelation 3:20 (KJV)
Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.	Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Revelation 3:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Revelation 3:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἰδοὺ ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ κρούω· ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν θύραν, [καὶ] εἰσελεύσομαι πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ	ιδου εστηκα επι την θυραν και κρουω εαν τις ακουση της φωνης μου και ανοιξη την θυραν εισελευσομαι προς αυτον και δειπνησω μετ αυτου και αυτος μετ εμου	ιδου εστηκα επι την θυραν και κρουω εαν τις ακουση της φωνης μου και ανοιξη την θυραν και εισελευσομαι προς αυτον και δειπνησω μετ αυτου και αυτος μετ εμου

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adverb πρώτως here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πρωτον.

² 2 Corinthians 5:7 (Berean Literal Bible)

³ 2 Corinthians 4:18b (Berean Literal Bible)

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐβαπτίσθητε here, a 2^nd person plural form of βαπτίζω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εβαπτισα (KJV: I had baptized), a 1^st person singular form.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ἀλλ’ here, where the NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ.

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (NET, KJV: him) here in the dative case (“by means of Him”). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Matthew 28:20a (Berean Literal Bible)

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

⁹ 2 Corinthians 5:20, 21 (Berean Literal Bible)

¹⁰ John 14:17 (Berean Literal Bible) Table

¹¹ Acts 2:1-4 (Berean Literal Bible)

¹² Acts 19:1b, 2b (Berean Literal Bible) Table

¹³ Acts 11:24 (Berean Literal Bible)

¹⁴ Galatians 5:22, 23a (Berean Literal Bible)

¹⁵ 1 Peter 3:7 (Berean Literal Bible)

¹⁶ From “Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (Berean Literal Bible)

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction καὶ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

¹⁹ Revelation 3:20 (Berean Literal Bible)

Antichrist, Part 6

Posted on June 9, 2026 by admin

I’ve been working slowly through older essays, upgrading footnotes and hyperlinks, making sure tables or links to tables are up-to-date. I discovered an unpublished addition to these essays. It wasn’t published earlier, I assume, because it doesn’t really deal with the movie Antichrist directly or John’s discussion of antichrists¹ or even the popular imagination of a future Antichrist. It simply recounts events that followed my own reaction in the previous essay in this thread to Lars von Trier’s film.

It does, however, contain an interesting musing regarding the religious mind of a serial killer which helps bridge the gap to the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον). So, I prefer to have it in my notes and will include it here as an unpublished quotation to differentiate it from more current thoughts.

After I wrote about the women who socialized me in the preceding essay I had the opportunity to work two days doing location sound for interviews slated to be part of a television show about a serial rapist and murderer. It was a new experience. Usually the sex and violence are simulated. That doesn’t mean I’m never emotionally affected by it.

I remember working on the investment teaser for a film about a serial killer: I sat on the ground on a sound blanket behind a car monitoring audio while a young woman lying on another sound blanket in front of the car begged for her life. It brought tears to my eyes. But after several takes of her demise we all stood up and walked off to the next setup on the shot list, along with the “dead” woman. It was a performance. We were happy it was a good one.

The interviews we shot with police detectives, criminologists and a prosecuting attorney didn’t attempt to simulate sex or violence. They were cold, factual descriptions of real events. The locations weren’t movie sets but the actual places where women were raped and murdered. A surviving rape victim was our last interview before wrapping the shoot. We packed our equipment silently. I got in my truck and began the three hundred mile drive home—thinking about what I’d heard.

The rapist stalked his victims in shopping center parking lots. He picked them because he “liked their look.” He followed them home. He determined that they lived alone. He came back days, or a week or two later and broke into their homes while they were out. When a woman came home he was there—waiting.

It’s not something I ever worry about personally. If I did, I would still assume that the perpetrator would be a man rather than a woman. It was easy to understand why women with the opportunity to socialize a boy would want him to be something other than a serial rapist and murderer. And maybe it was a little easier to understand why women would consider themselves morally superior to men.

This particular man was a serial killer by definition but a rapist at heart. A prison mentor counseled him never to leave a witness alive. Prior to his first incarceration he had often apologized to his victims after the fact, even paid a few of them. But after his release from prison, though he obeyed his mentor’s rule at times, it lacked the power to perfect obedience. The rapist killed his victims haphazardly.

Once he was caught and sentenced again, he acknowledged his mentor’s rule in the interviews that were part of his plea bargain to avoid the death penalty, but couldn’t explain why he had killed some women and left others alive. His mentor’s guidance was like my use and understanding of the term religious: It was a religious rule, obeyed religiously, which is to say haphazardly, unlike the rapes that flowed from deep inside his being and out into the world.

The next night I was up late in a hotel room setting up equipment to wheel out for another recording assignment the following morning. A movie was playing on TV. When it ended, a new show about sex toys began, hosted by a pretty young woman wearing only a pair of heels. Most of the women who socialized me would have preferred that I had stood up and switched off the TV in disgust. But I was busy troubleshooting a problem with the recording equipment and, frankly, a pretty young woman comfortable in her skin doesn’t disgust me. She reminds me of Eve before Adam ate the forbidden fruit: The man and his wife were both naked, but they were not ashamed.²

No one had to teach me that a naked woman was beautiful. Well, actually, I had to grow up into the “woman” part of that. As a boy I stared at a picture of a painting of a nude woman in a 3-D Viewmaster. I assume that the artist painted her because he thought she was beautiful, but I wasn’t so sure then. I decided that the most beautiful human being I could imagine was a naked girl about my age. She was smooth and sleek, without all the dangling stuff that I had between her legs, or those floppy things on her chest like the woman in the painting.

Apparently, I stared into the Viewmaster too long. My mother took it from me, looked into it, and said, “Shame on you!”

Another belief the women who socialized me attempted to cultivate was that if I saw a pretty woman naked I would want to fuck her. Men (also socialized by women, by the way) joined in on this one, too. So it was taken for granted that Bathsheba’s nudity was the “cause” of David’s sin (2 Samuel 11:2, 3 NET):

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive. So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

My mother broke ranks with the common wisdom on that one, however. She was an artist. All her figure sketches started nude. “An artist has to know what the body looks like to drape clothes on it,” she told me. Though she didn’t approve of bikinis or scantily clad women in general she would not blame Bathsheba for bathing at night.

One of the first things the Lord did to break my allegiance to the belief that I wanted to fuck every woman I saw naked was to make me understand that the world was filled with beautiful women I would never fuck. I grieved over that for a time. Eventually I began to realize that if I was free from the obligation to fuck every beautiful woman I saw (whether naked or otherwise), I was also free to enjoy women in other ways—their beauty, for instance. “Why did you make them so pretty?” I complained to Him in the midst of this transition of faith and allegiance. “Shall I make them all ugly?” He said. For a split second I believed He actually would if I asked Him. “No,” I said, “no, change me instead.”

None of this is to say that I don’t have my own innate drive toward fucking. I do, and have since I was young.

But I have the Lord Jesus Christ. Or, more to the point, He has me:

By means of Christ I have been crucified, but I live hereafter not I but He lives within me, Christ, so who now I live within flesh, by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.³

I’m no longer left to the mercilessness of my old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; the old human), which belongs to [my] former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁴ but live the Lord’s new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; the new human), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.⁵ This new human is continuously filled by the Lord’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control [Table],⁶ his own righteousness, in a word, which transforms my mind and actions:

One morning I walked to a coffee shop to study the Bible with the Lord on my laptop as I ate breakfast. After an hour or so I went to the clubhouse at my apartment complex to study some more. The most direct route back to my apartment was through the walled-in pool area, but if people were swimming there, I walked around it instead. As I left the clubhouse that afternoon, the pool area seemed empty, so I took the shortcut. Halfway through I noticed a young woman sun-bathing in the corner. She had undone her top and wore only a thong as she lay on her stomach. I thanked the Lord as I walked on to my apartment: for her beauty, for my opportunity to see her beauty, and that I lived in a place where she was comfortable to sunbathe in nothing but a thong.

And as far as I know, no one raped or harassed or punished her for doing so.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 11:2 and 11:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of 2 Samuel (2 Reigns, 2 Kings) 11:2 and 11:3 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 11:2 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 11:2 (KJV)	2 Samuel 11:2 (NET)
And it came to pass at eventide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.	And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.	One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of his palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. Now this woman was very attractive.

2 Samuel 11:2 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 11:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο πρὸς ἑσπέραν καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυιδ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ καὶ περιεπάτει ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶδεν γυναῖκα λουομένην ἀπὸ τοῦ δώματος καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα	καὶ ἐγένετο πρὸς ἑσπέραν καὶ ἀνέστη Δαυὶδ ἀπὸ τῆς κοίτης αὐτοῦ καὶ περιεπάτει ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶδε γυναῖκα λουομένην ἀπὸ τοῦ δώματος, καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καλὴ τῷ εἴδει σφόδρα
2 Reigns 11:2 (NETS)	2 Kings 11:2 (English Elpenor)
And it happened towards evening, that Dauid rose from his bed and was walking about on the roof of the house of the king, and he saw a woman bathing from the roof, and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.	And it came to pass toward evening, that David arose off his couch, and walked on the roof of the king’s house, and saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

2 Samuel 11:3 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 11:3 (KJV)	2 Samuel 11:3 (NET)
And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said: ‘Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’	And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?	So David sent someone to inquire about the woman. The messenger said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

2 Samuel 11:3 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 11:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Δαυιδ καὶ ἐζήτησεν τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ εἶπεν οὐχὶ αὕτη Βηρσαβεε θυγάτηρ Ελιαβ γυνὴ Ουριου τοῦ Χετταίου	καὶ ἀπέστειλε Δαυὶδ καὶ ἐζήτησε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ εἶπεν· οὐχὶ αὕτη Βηρσαβεὲ θυγάτηρ ᾿Ελιὰβ γυνὴ Οὐρίου τοῦ Χετταίου
2 Reigns 11:3 (NETS)	2 Kings 11:3 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid sent and inquired into the woman. And he said, “Is this not Bersabee daughter of Eliab, wife of Ourias the Chettite?”	And David sent and enquired about the woman: and [one] said, [Is] not this Bersabee the daughter of Eliab, the wife of Urias the Chettite?

¹ 1 John 2:18-27; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 1:1-11

² Genesis 2:25 (NET) Table

³ Galatians 2:20 (EXP11)

⁴ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Posted on May 20, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of my review of the Lord’s patience with the 24,000 killed by Moses, Phineas and the judges or tribes of Israel after joining themselves to Baal of Peor. The old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires¹—never learns very much from its experience with the Lord (Exodus 17:1-3a ESV).

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” [Table] But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses…

The old human wasn’t learning that The Lord is at hand² but was ruled by its own anxiety instead, unable and unwilling in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [to] let [its] requests be made known to God.³ The truth seemed harsh when Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a form of θέλω) is to do your father’s desires (ἐπιθυμίας, a form of ἐπιθυμία).⁵ But hear the words of the old human:

Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?⁶

Who but the devil wishes this for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?⁷ So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.”⁸ But again, the Lord had a different plan (Exodus 17:5-7 ESV).

And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go [Table]. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel [Table]. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Jesus, the One new human, said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?⁹ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all [Table]. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you [Table].¹⁰But, how?

How does one seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? “If anyone would come after me,” Jesus told his disciples, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”¹¹ I didn’t read the ESV in the early years. So, I’ll go back in time: If any man will (θέλει, a form of θέλω) come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.¹² I knew I couldn’t wander around after Jesus like Peter, James and John did, so I figured following Him had something to do with reading about Him in the Bible.

The stories in the Gospel narratives describing what Jesus did and said as an adult always began with the story of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12 ESV):

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by¹³ the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river¹⁴ Jordan, confessing their sins.
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance [Table]. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire [Table].
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire [Table]. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat (τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ) into the barn, but the chaff (τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον) he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

An article, “Ancient Jewish History: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes,” on Jewish Virtual Library online describes the “factions” mentioned above:

Of the various factions that emerged under Hasmonean rule, three are of particular interest: the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.

The Pharisees
The most important of the three were the Pharisees because they are the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism. Their main distinguishing characteristic was a belief in an Oral Law that God gave to Moses at Sinai along with the Torah. The Torah, or Written Law, was akin to the U.S. Constitution in the sense that it set down a series of laws that were open to interpretation. The Pharisees believed that God also gave Moses the knowledge of what these laws meant and how they should be applied. This oral tradition was codified and written down roughly three centuries later¹⁵ in what is known as the Talmud.
The Pharisees also maintained that an after-life existed, and that God punished the wicked and rewarded the righteous in the world to come. They also believed in a messiah who would herald an era of world peace.
Pharisees were in a sense blue-collar Jews who adhered to the tenets developed after the destruction of the Temple; that is, such things as individual prayer and assembly in synagogues.

The Sadducees
The Sadducees were elitists who wanted to maintain the priestly caste, but they were also liberal in their willingness to incorporate Hellenism into their lives, something the Pharisees opposed. The Sadducees rejected the idea of the Oral Law and insisted on a literal interpretation of the Written Law; consequently, they did not believe in an afterlife, since it is not mentioned in the Torah. The focus of Sadducee life was rituals associated with the Temple.
The Sadducees disappeared around 70 A.D., after the destruction of the Second Temple. None of the writings of the Sadducees has survived, so the little we know about them comes from their Pharisaic opponents.

These two “parties” served in the Great Sanhedrin, a kind of Jewish Supreme Court made up of 71 members whose responsibility was to interpret civil and religious laws.

My search on Jewish Virtual Library for “John the Baptist” found nothing of consequence. But an article, “John the Baptist – A Jewish Preacher Recast as the Herald of Jesus” on The Torah online reads:

The historical John, יוחנן, was a thoroughly Jewish religious preacher, who had little if any relation to Jesus and his movement…
Yohannan’s [John’s] use of immersion in water (“baptism”) as a symbol of purification of sins occurs in the sectarian literature found in the caves around Qumran…
John the Baptist and the Dead Sea sectarians share the use of water immersion for purification of the spirit. John may have been a member of the sect who went off on his own;^[8] alternately, John may never have been part of the Essenes community, and this idea of spiritual purification through immersion was more widely known among Judeans during the late Second Temple period.

The article, “Ancient Jewish History: Pharisees, Sadducees & Essenes,” on Jewish Virtual Library online had the following to say about the Essenes:

A third faction, the Essenes, emerged out of disgust with the other two. This sect believed the others had corrupted the city and the Temple. They moved out of Jerusalem and lived a monastic life in the desert, adopting strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.
The Essenes are particularly interesting to scholars because they are believed to be an offshoot of the group that lived in Qumran, near the Dead Sea. In 1947, a Bedouin shepherd stumbled into a cave containing various ancient artifacts and jars containing manuscripts describing the beliefs of the sect and events of the time.
The most important documents, often only parchment fragments that had to be meticulously restored, were the earliest known copies of the Old Testament. The similarity of the substance of the material found in the scrolls to that in the modern scriptures has confirmed the authenticity of the Bible used today.

I have already considered what happened next in Exodus in another context, but want to repeat it here as another example of the Lord’s patience with the old human as well as the limits of that patience (Exodus 17:8-13 ESV).

Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand” [Table]. So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill [Table]. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed [Table]. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun [Table]. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword [Table].

I am willing these days to assume that if I had the Lord’s written record of his interactions with Amalek, it would show a similar pattern of patience with the old human of Amelak to that shown to the old human of Israel. I wonder, however, if there was anyone like Moses in Amalek or if that grace was reserved for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?¹⁶ When the old human of Amalek attacked the old human of Israel that the Lord had chosen, the Lord’s patience toward the old human of Amalek was diminished. (Exodus 17:14-16 ESV):

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The Lord Is My Banner, saying, “A hand upon the throne of the Lord! The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

The story of Jesus as an adult continues (Matthew 3:13-17 ESV):

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” [Table] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him [Table]; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

So, as I attempted to follow Jesus by reading about Him, I got baptized without knowing why. Eventually, however, I came to a story about Paul in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6 ESV).

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came¹⁷ to Ephesus. There he found¹⁸ some disciples. And¹⁹ he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said,²⁰ “No, we have not even²¹ heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said,²² “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said,²³ “John²⁴ baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”²⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came²⁶ on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

This was Moses’ desire for all the Lord’s people²⁷ when he became overwhelmed, feeling alone, caring for the old human of Israel (Numbers 11:16, 17 ESV).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it yourself alone.

The Complete Jewish Bible on Chabad.org online renders this giving of the spirit, and I will increase the spirit that is upon you and bestow it upon them. Rashi explained:

and I will increase. Heb. וְאָצַלְתִּי, as the Targum renders it: וַאִרַבֵּי, and I will increase, as in “But against the nobles of (אֲצִילֵי) the children of Israel” (Exod. 24:11).
and bestow it upon them. What did Moses resemble at that time? A candle placed upon a candelabrum; everyone lights from it, yet its brightness is not diminished. — [Sifrei Beha’alothecha 1:42:17, Midrash Tanchuma Beha’alothecha 12]

And the Lord did as He promised Moses (Numbers 11:24-29 ESV):

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it²⁸ on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.
Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

According to a note (4) in the NET Matthew quoted Isaiah 40:3 in Matthew 3:3. The following table compares the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Matthew 3:3b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ	φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν	φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου. εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν
Matthew 3:3b (NET)	Isaiah 40:3 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:3 (English Elpenor)
The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’	A voice of one crying out in the wilderness; “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God.	The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.

Tables comparing Exodus 17:1; 17:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:14; 17:15; 17:16; Numbers 11:29; 11:16; 11:17; 11:24; 11:25; 11:26; 11:27; 11:28 and Isaiah 40:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 17:1; 17:3; 17:4; 17:7; 17:8; 17:14; 17:15; 17:16; Numbers 11:29; 11:16; 11:17; 11:24; 11:25; 11:26; 11:27; 11:28 and Isaiah 40:3 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 3:3; 3:6; Acts 19:1-4 and 19:6 in the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 17:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:1 (KJV)	Exodus 17:1 (NET)
And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, by their stages, according to the commandment of HaShem, and encamped in Rephidim; and there was no water for the people to drink.	And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.	The whole community of the Israelites traveled on their journey from the wilderness of Sin according to the Lord’s instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπῆρεν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου Σιν κατὰ παρεμβολὰς αὐτῶν διὰ ῥήματος κυρίου καὶ παρενεβάλοσαν ἐν Ραφιδιν οὐκ ἦν δὲ ὕδωρ τῷ λαῷ πιεῖν	ΚΑΙ ἀπῇρε πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου Σὶν κατὰ παρεμβολὰς αὐτῶν διά ῥήματος Κυρίου καὶ παρενεβάλοσαν ἐν Ῥαφιδείν· οὐκ ἦν δὲ ὕδωρ τῷ λαῷ πιεῖν
Exodus 17:1 (NETS)	Exodus 17:1 (English Elpenor)
And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel set out from the wilderness of Sin according to their encampments by the word of the Lord, and they camped at Raphidin. But there was no water for the people to drink.	And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the wilderness of Sin, according to their encampments, by the word of the Lord; and they encamped in Raphidin: and there was no water for the people to drink.

Exodus 17:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:3 (KJV)	Exodus 17:3 (NET)
And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said: ‘Wherefore hast thou brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?’	And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?	But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up from Egypt—to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

Exodus 17:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐδίψησεν δὲ ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς ὕδατι καὶ ἐγόγγυζεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἀνεβίβασας ἡμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀποκτεῖναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη τῷ δίψει	ἐδίψησε δὲ ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς ὕδατι, καὶ διεγόγγυζεν ἐκεῖ ὁ λαὸς πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγοντες· ἱνατί τοῦτο; ἀνεβίβασας ἡμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀποκτεῖναι ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ κτήνη τῷ δίψει
Exodus 17:3 (NETS)	Exodus 17:3 (English Elpenor)
But the people thirsted there for water, and the people kept complaining against Moyses, saying, “Why is it that you brought us up from Egypt to kill us and our children and animals with thirst?”	And the people thirsted there for water, and there the people murmured against Moses, saying, Why is this? hast thou brought us up out of Egypt to slay us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

Exodus 17:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:4 (KJV)	Exodus 17:4 (NET)
And Moses cried unto HaShem, saying: ‘What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.’	And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.	Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with this people?—a little more and they will stone me!”

Exodus 17:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐβόησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον λέγων τί ποιήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ καταλιθοβολήσουσίν με	ἐβόησε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον λέγων· τί ποιήσω τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ; ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ καταλιθοβολήσουσί με
Exodus 17:4 (NETS)	Exodus 17:4 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? A little while yet and they will stone me!”	And Moses cried to the Lord, saying, What shall I do to this people? yet a little while and they will stone me.

Exodus 17:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:7 (KJV)	Exodus 17:7 (NET)
And the name of the place was called Massah, and Meribah, because of the striving of the children of Israel, and because they tried HaShem, saying: ‘Is HaShem among us, or not?’	And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?	He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contending of the Israelites and because of their testing the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Exodus 17:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου πειρασμὸς καὶ λοιδόρησις διὰ τὴν λοιδορίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ διὰ τὸ πειράζειν κύριον λέγοντας εἰ ἔστιν κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν ἢ οὔ	καὶ ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Πειρασμὸς καὶ Λοιδόρησις, διὰ τὴν λοιδορίαν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ διὰ τὸ πειράζειν Κύριον λέγοντας· εἰ ἔστι Κύριος ἐν ἡμῖν ἢ οὔ
Exodus 17:7 (NETS)	Exodus 17:7 (English Elpenor)
And he called the name of that place Testing and Raillery because of the railing of the sons of Israel and because they tested the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”	And he called the name of that place, Temptation, and Reviling, because of the reviling of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us or not?

Exodus 17:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:8 (KJV)	Exodus 17:8 (NET)
Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.	Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.	Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim.

Exodus 17:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἦλθεν δὲ Αμαληκ καὶ ἐπολέμει Ισραηλ ἐν Ραφιδιν	῏Ηλθε δὲ ᾿Αμαλὴκ καὶ ἐπολέμει ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν Ῥαφιδείν
Exodus 17:8 (NETS)	Exodus 17:8 (English Elpenor)
Then Amalek came and was fighting Israel at Raphidin.	And Amalec came and fought with Israel in Raphidin.

Exodus 17:14 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:14 (KJV)	Exodus 17:14 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Write this for a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’	And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.	The Lord said to Moses, “Write this as a memorial in the book, and rehearse it in Joshua’s hearing; for I will surely wipe out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”

Exodus 17:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν κατάγραψον τοῦτο εἰς μνημόσυνον ἐν βιβλίῳ καὶ δὸς εἰς τὰ ὦτα Ἰησοῖ ὅτι ἀλοιφῇ ἐξαλείψω τὸ μνημόσυνον Αμαληκ ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν	εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· κατάγραψον τοῦτο εἰς μνημόσυνονἐν [probably μνημόσυνον ἐν] βιβλίῳ καὶ δὸς εἰς τὰ ὦτα ᾿Ιησοῦ, ὅτι ἀλοιφῇ ἐξαλείψω τὸ μνημόσυνον ᾿Αμαλὴκ ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανόν
Exodus 17:14 (NETS)	Exodus 17:14 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Write this down for a memorial in a book, and put into the ears of Iesous that with a wipe out I will wipe out the memorial of Amalek from what is beneath heaven.	And the Lord said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and speak [this] in the ears of Joshua; for I will utterly blot out the memorial of Amalec from under heaven.

Exodus 17:15 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:15 (KJV)	Exodus 17:15 (NET)
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi.	And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi:	Moses built an altar, and he called it “The Lord is my Banner,”

Exodus 17:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν Μωυσῆς θυσιαστήριον κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπωνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ κύριός μου καταφυγή	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε Μωυσῆς θυσιαστήριον Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Κύριος καταφυγή μου
Exodus 17:15 (NETS)	Exodus 17:15 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses built an altar to the Lord and called its name “The Lord is my refuge,”	And Moses built an altar to the Lord, and called the name of it, The Lord my Refuge.

Exodus 17:16 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:16 (KJV)	Exodus 17:16 (NET)
And he said: ‘The hand upon the throne of HaShem: HaShem will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’	For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.	for he said, “For a hand was lifted up to the throne of the Lord—that the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.”

Exodus 17:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐν χειρὶ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμεῖ κύριος ἐπὶ Αμαληκ ἀπὸ γενεῶν εἰς γενεάς	ὅτι ἐν χειρὶ κρυφαίᾳ πολεμεῖ Κύριος ἐπὶ ᾿Αμαλὴκ ἀπὸ γενεῶν εἰς γενεᾶς
Exodus 17:16 (NETS)	Exodus 17:16 (English Elpenor)
because by a secret hand the Lord fights against Amalek from generations to generations.	For with a secret hand the Lord wages war upon Amalec to all generations.

Numbers 11:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:29 (KJV)	Numbers 11:29 (NET)
And Moses said unto him: ‘Art thou jealous for my sake? would that all HaShem’S people were prophets, that HaShem would put His spirit upon them!’	And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!	Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for me? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μωυσῆς μὴ ζηλοῖς σύ μοι καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν κυρίου προφήτας ὅταν δῷ κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς αὐτῷ· μὴ ζηλοῖς ἐμέ; καὶ τίς δῴη πάντα τὸν λαὸν Κυρίου προφήτας, ὅταν δῷ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτούς
Numbers 11:29 (NETS)	Numbers 11:29 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to him, “Are you really jealous for me? And who might grant that all the Lord’s people be prophets, when the Lord grants his spirit upon them?”	And Moses said to him, Art thou jealous on my account? and would that all the Lord’s people were prophets; whenever the Lord shall put his spirit upon them.

Numbers 11:16 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:16 (KJV)	Numbers 11:16 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Gather unto Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with thee.	And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.	The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.

Numbers 11:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν συνάγαγέ μοι ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων Ισραηλ οὓς αὐτὸς σὺ οἶδας ὅτι οὗτοί εἰσιν πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ στήσονται ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· συνάγαγέ μοι ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ᾿Ισραήλ, οὓς αὐτὸς σὺ οἶδας, ὅτι οὗτοί εἰσι πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν. καὶ ἄξεις αὐτοὺς πρὸς τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ στήσονται ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ
Numbers 11:16 (NETS)	Numbers 11:16 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Moyses, “Gather for me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you personally know that they are elders of the people and are their scribes, and you shall lead them to the tent of witness, and they shall stand there with you.	And the Lord said to Moses, Gather me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom thou thyself knowest that they are the elders of the people, and their scribes; and thou shalt bring them to the tabernacle of witness, and they shall stand there with thee.

Numbers 11:17 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:17 (KJV)	Numbers 11:17 (NET)
And I will come down and speak with thee there; and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.	And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.	Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take part of the Spirit that is on you, and will put it on them, and they will bear some of the burden of the people with you, so that you do not bear it all by yourself.

Numbers 11:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ καταβήσομαι καὶ λαλήσω ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐπιθήσω ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ συναντιλήμψονται μετὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ οὐκ οἴσεις αὐτοὺς σὺ μόνος	καὶ καταβήσομαι καὶ λαλήσω ἐκεῖ μετὰ σοῦ καὶ ἀφελῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ ἐπιθήσω ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ συναντιλήψονται μετὰ σοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ οὐκ οἴσεις αὐτοὺς σὺ μόνος
Numbers 11:17 (NETS)	Numbers 11:17 (English Elpenor)
And I will come down and speak there with you, and I will remove some of the spirit that is upon you, and I will place it upon them, and they shall assist you with the onslaught of the people, and you will not bear them alone.	And I will go down, and speak there with thee; and I will take of the spirit that is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear together with thee the burden of the people, and thou shalt not bear them alone.

Numbers 11:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:24 (KJV)	Numbers 11:24 (NET)
And Moses went out, and told the people the words of HaShem; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the Tent.	And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.	So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. He then gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and had them stand around the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξῆλθεν Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὰ ῥήματα κυρίου καὶ συνήγαγεν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς κύκλῳ τῆς σκηνῆς	καὶ ἐξῆλθε Μωυσῆς καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τὰ ρήματα Κυρίου καὶ συνήγαγεν ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτοὺς κύκλῳ τῆς σκηνῆς
Numbers 11:24 (NETS)	Numbers 11:24 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses went out and spoke to the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered seventy men from the elders of the people, and he placed them around the tent.	And Moses went out, and spoke the words of the Lord to the people; and he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people, and he set them round about the tabernacle.

Numbers 11:25 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:25 (KJV)	Numbers 11:25 (NET)
And HaShem came down in the cloud, and spoke unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy elders; and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, but they did so no more.	And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.	And the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to them, and he took some of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied, but did not do so again.

Numbers 11:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέβη κύριος ἐν νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ παρείλατο ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὡς δὲ ἐπανεπαύσατο τὸ πνεῦμα ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν καὶ οὐκέτι προσέθεντο	καὶ κατέβη Κύριος ἐν νεφέλῃ καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ παρείλατο ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ καὶ ἐπέθηκεν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἑβδομήκοντα ἄνδρας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους· ὡς δὲ ἐπανεπαύσατο πνεῦμα ἐπ’ αὐτούς, καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν καὶ οὐκ ἔτι προσέθεντο
Numbers 11:25 (NETS)	Numbers 11:25 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord came down in a cloud and spoke to him and took away some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy men who were elders. Now as the spirit rested upon them, they also prophesied, and they no longer added.	And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and put it upon the seventy men that were elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied and ceased.

Numbers 11:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:26 (KJV)	Numbers 11:26 (NET)
But there remained two men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad; and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were recorded, but had not gone out unto the Tent; and they prophesied in the camp.	But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.	But two men remained in the camp; one’s name was Eldad, and the other’s name was Medad. And the Spirit rested on them. (Now they were among those in the registration, but had not gone to the tabernacle.) So they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατελείφθησαν δύο ἄνδρες ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ Ελδαδ καὶ ὄνομα τῷ δευτέρῳ Μωδαδ καὶ ἐπανεπαύσατο ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ οὗτοι ἦσαν τῶν καταγεγραμμένων καὶ οὐκ ἦλθον πρὸς τὴν σκηνήν καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ	καὶ κατελείφθησαν δύο ἄνδρες ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ, ὄνομα τῷ ἑνὶ ῾Ελδὰδ καὶ ὄνομα τῷ δευτέρῳ Μωδάδ, καὶ ἐπανεπαύσατο ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς πνεῦμα· καὶ οὗτοι ἦσαν τῶν καταγεγραμμένων καὶ οὐκ ἦλθον πρὸς τὴν σκηνήν· καὶ ἐπροφήτευσαν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ
Numbers 11:26 (NETS)	Numbers 11:26 (English Elpenor)
And two men were left in the camp, the name of the one Eldad and the name of the second Modad, and the spirit rested upon them. And these are among the ones who had been registered, and they did not go to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp.	And there were two men left in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Modad; and the spirit rested upon them, and these were of the number of them that were enrolled, but they did not come to the tabernacle; and they prophesied in the camp.

Numbers 11:27 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:27 (KJV)	Numbers 11:27 (NET)
And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said: ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’	And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.	And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

Numbers 11:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσδραμὼν ὁ νεανίσκος ἀπήγγειλεν Μωυσῇ καὶ εἶπεν λέγων Ελδαδ καὶ Μωδαδ προφητεύουσιν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ	καὶ προσδραμὼν ὁ νεανίσκος ἀπήγγειλε Μωυσῇ καὶ εἶπε λέγων· ῾Ελδὰδ καὶ Μωδὰδ προφητεύουσιν ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ
Numbers 11:27 (NETS)	Numbers 11:27 (English Elpenor)
And the young man ran out and reported to Moyses and spoke, saying, “Eldad and Modad are prophesying in the camp.”	And a young man ran and told Moses, and spoke, saying, Eldad and Modad prophesy in the camp.

Numbers 11:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:28 (KJV)	Numbers 11:28 (NET)
And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses from his youth up, answered and said: ‘My lord Moses, shut them in.’	And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.	Joshua son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his choice young men, said, “My lord Moses, stop them!”

Numbers 11:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Ἰησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυη ὁ παρεστηκὼς Μωυσῇ ὁ ἐκελεκτὸς εἶπεν κύριε Μωυσῆ κώλυσον αὐτούς	καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ᾿Ιησοῦς ὁ τοῦ Ναυὴ ὁ παρεστηκὼς Μωυσῇ, ὁ ἐκλεκτός, εἶπε· κύριε Μωυσῆ, κώλυσον αὐτούς
Numbers 11:28 (NETS)	Numbers 11:28 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous the son of Naue, the one who stood by Moyses, the chosen one, said, “O Sir Moyses—stop them!”	And a young man ran and told Moses, and spoke, saying, Eldad and Modad prophesy in the camp.

Isaiah 40:3 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 40:3 (KJV)	Isaiah 40:3 (NET)
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.	The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.	A voice cries out, “In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord; build a level road through the rift valley for our God.

Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 40:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν	φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου. εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν
Isaiah 40:3 (NETS)	Isaiah 40:3 (English Elpenor)
A voice of one crying out in the wilderness; “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight the paths of our God.	The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.

Matthew 3:3 (NET)	Matthew 3:3 (KJV)
For he is the one about whom the prophet Isaiah had spoken: “The voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’”	For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Matthew 3:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 3:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 3:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ρηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ	ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου	ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου

Matthew 3:6 (NET)	Matthew 3:6 (KJV)
and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.	And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Matthew 3:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 3:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 3:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν	και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων	και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων

Acts 19:1-4 (NET)	Acts 19:1-4 (KJV)
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came to Ephesus.	And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

Acts 19:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ τὸν Ἀπολλῶ εἶναι ἐν Κορίνθῳ Παῦλον διελθόντα τὰ ἀνωτερικὰ μέρη [κατ]ελθεῖν εἰς Ἔφεσον καὶ εὑρεῖν τινας μαθητὰς	εγενετο δε εν τω τον απολλω ειναι εν κορινθω παυλον διελθοντα τα ανωτερικα μερη ελθειν εις εφεσον και ευρων τινας μαθητας	εγενετο δε εν τω τον απολλω ειναι εν κορινθω παυλον διελθοντα τα ανωτερικα μερη ελθειν εις εφεσον και ευρων τινας μαθητας

and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν τε πρὸς αὐτούς· εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐλάβετε πιστεύσαντες; οἱ δὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾿ εἰ πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἔστιν ἠκούσαμεν	ειπεν προς αυτους ει πνευμα αγιον ελαβετε πιστευσαντες οι δε ειπον προς αυτον αλλ ουδε ει πνευμα αγιον εστιν ηκουσαμεν	ειπεν προς αυτους ει πνευμα αγιον ελαβετε πιστευσαντες οι δε ειπον προς αυτον αλλ ουδε ει πνευμα αγιον εστιν ηκουσαμεν

So Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” “Into John’s baptism,” they replied.

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

Acts 19:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν τε· εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· εἰς τὸ Ἰωάννου βάπτισμα	ειπεν τε προς αυτους εις τι ουν εβαπτισθητε οι δε ειπον εις το ιωαννου βαπτισμα	ειπεν τε προς αυτους εις τι ουν εβαπτισθητε οι δε ειπον εις το ιωαννου βαπτισμα

Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

Acts 19:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπεν δὲ Παῦλος· Ἰωάννης ἐβάπτισεν βάπτισμα μετανοίας τῷ λαῷ λέγων εἰς τὸν ἐρχόμενον μετ᾿ αὐτὸν ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν, τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν εἰς τὸν Ἰησοῦν	ειπεν δε παυλος ιωαννης μεν εβαπτισεν βαπτισμα μετανοιας τω λαω λεγων εις τον ερχομενον μετ αυτον ινα πιστευσωσιν τουτ εστιν εις τον χριστον ιησουν	ειπεν δε παυλος ιωαννης μεν εβαπτισεν βαπτισμα μετανοιας τω λαω λεγων εις τον ερχομενον μετ αυτον ινα πιστευσωσιν τουτ εστιν εις τον χριστον ιησουν

Acts 19:6 (NET)	Acts 19:6 (KJV)
and when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy.	And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

Acts 19:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 19:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 19:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐπιθέντος αὐτοῖς τοῦ Παύλου [τὰς] χεῖρας ἦλθε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπ᾿ αὐτούς, ἐλάλουν τε γλώσσαις καὶ ἐπροφήτευον	και επιθεντος αυτοις του παυλου τας χειρας ηλθεν το πνευμα το αγιον επ αυτους ελαλουν τε γλωσσαις και προεφητευον	και επιθεντος αυτοις του παυλου τας χειρας ηλθεν το πνευμα το αγιον επ αυτους ελαλουν τε γλωσσαις και προεφητευον

Back to Exploration, Part 20

Back to Who is a Christian? Part 1

¹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

² Philippians 4:5b (ESV)

³ Philippians 4:6b (ESV)

⁴ John 8:31a (ESV)

⁵ John 8:44a (ESV) Table

⁶ Exodus 17:3b (ESV)

⁷ Genesis 28:14b (ESV) Table

⁸ Exodus 17:4 (ESV)

⁹ Matthew 6:25 (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 6:32, 33 (ESV)

¹¹ Matthew 16:24 (ESV)

¹² Matthew 16:24 (KJV)

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

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ποταμῷ here, a form of the noun ποταμός. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ “In the 3rd century CE, Rabbenu Hakadosh realized that because of growing hardships and persecutions the Jews might not be able to retain by memory all these traditional laws, so he decided to record them.” From “The Oral Law: Mishnah” on Chabad.org online.

¹⁶ Genesis 28:14b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατελθεῖν here, an infinitive form of κατέρχομαι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελθειν, an infinitive form of ἔρχομαι.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εὑρεῖν here, an infinitive form of εὑρίσκω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευρων (KJV: finding), a nominative participle.

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

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: they said) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδε (KJV: not so much as).

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προς αυτους (KJV: unto them) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεν (KJV: verily) following John. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστον (KJV: Christ) preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text had ἦλθε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had ἦλθεν.

²⁷ Numbers 11:29 (ESV)

²⁸ …and He increased some of the spirit that was on him and bestowed it… Numbers 11:25 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

Exploration, Part 19

Posted on April 26, 2026 by admin

I want to continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. A quick review follows (Ephesians 3:1-6 EXP18).

By reason of this grace I, Paul, the captive of Christ Jesus for your sake, the nations—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you (and by means of me unto you), how by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I have written briefly, (which this you can read to perceive my insight into the mystery), which to other generations was not made known to the sons of men as now has been revealed by means of his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit—to become the nations, fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise by means of Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Paul continued (Ephesians 3:7-13 ESV):

Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things [Table], so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him [Table]. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory [Table].

The Greek is: οὗ, Of this gospel (literally “Of which”), ἐγενήθην διάκονος, I was made a minister. The difference here between the critical texts (NA²⁸ / NET Parallel Greek) and received texts (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text) may be worth pausing to mention. The critical texts had ἐγενήθην, a passive form of γίνομαι, I was made (ESV), where the received texts had ἐγενόμην in the middle voice (also translated I was made in the KJV).

Passive Voice

Middle Voice

Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, then the verb is referred to as being in the passive voice.
For example: “Jesus … was baptized by John in the Jordan” (Mark 1:9). “Jesus” is the subject of the sentence, but in this case He is being acted upon (i.e. He is the recipient of the action), therefore the verb is said to be in the “Passive Voice”.²

The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action. In overly simplistic terms, sometimes the middle form of the verb could be translated as “the performer of the action actually acting upon himself” (reflexive action).
For example: “I am washing myself.” “I” is the subject of the sentence (performing the action of the verb) and yet “I” am also receiving the action of the verb. This is said to be in the “Middle Voice”. Many instances in the Greek are not this obvious and cannot be translated this literally.³

I found no English translations that went full middle voice (reflexive action)—“I made myself”—but several were translated I became, including the NET (which was supposedly a translation of ἐγενήθην rather than ἐγενόμην. Paul was quite specific about how he was made or became: κατὰ τὴν δωρεὰν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ, according to the gift of God’s grace, τῆς δοθείσης μοι, which was given me, κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, by the working, τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, of his power. In other words, this was God’s doing not Paul’s, regardless how offensive that may be to the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.⁴

Paul continued: Ἐμοὶ, To me, τῷ ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ, the very least (or “less than the least”), πάντων ἁγίων, of all saints, ἐδόθη, was given, ἡ χάρις αὕτη, this grace, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, to the Gentiles, εὐαγγελίσασθαι, to preach (or “to announce good news”), τὸ ἀνεξιχνίαστον πλοῦτος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the unsearchable riches of Christ, καὶ φωτίσαι, and to bring to light, [πάντας], for everyone… I want to pause here to review since what follows is somewhat problematic to unravel.

“Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, less than the least of all saints, was given this grace to the Gentiles to announce good news (or, to announce good news to the Gentiles): the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for everyone” τίς ἡ οἰκονομία, what is the plan. The received texts have τίς ἡ κοινωνία here, what is the fellowship (KJV). But that’s only part of the difficulty.

If κοινωνία was not original and οἰκονομία was Paul’s and the Holy Spirit’s intent, they had already used οἰκονομίαν, a form of οἰκονομία in the accusative case, translated of the stewardship in: assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you.⁵ If Paul and the Holy Spirit actually meant plan, πρόθεσις was readily available rather than a word which hearkens back to Paul’s stewardship of God’s grace.⁶ And frankly, I would prefer a translation that doesn’t force me to choose between κοινωνία (fellowship) and οἰκονομία (stewardship). Looking ahead to what follows, why, another possible translation of τίς, seems to be the question that is answered, rather than what is.

So, “to announce good news to the Gentiles: the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for everyone why the stewardship” or “why the fellowship” τοῦ μυστηρίου, of the mystery, τοῦ ἀποκεκρυμμένου ἀπὸ τῶν αἰώνων, hidden for ages (or “hidden from the ages”), ἐν τῷ θεῷ, in God (or “by means of God”), τῷ, who, τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι, created all things (or, “the whole created”), ἵνα, (e.g., this is why) so that, γνωρισθῇ νῦν, might now be made known,⁷ ταῖς ἀρχαῖς, to the rulers, καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις, and authorities, ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, in the heavenly places, διὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, through the church, ἡ πολυποίκιλος σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, the manifold wisdom of God.

The truth to be hearing with faith⁸ so far is (Ephesians 3:7-10 EXP19):

Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, less than the least of all saints, was given this grace to announce good news to the Gentiles: the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for everyone why the stewardship, or the fellowship, of the mystery hidden from the ages by means of God, who the whole created, so that now may be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places through the church the manifold wisdom of God.

Paul continued: κατὰ, This was according to (or “according to”), πρόθεσιν τῶν αἰώνων, the eternal purpose (or “the purpose of the ages”), ἣν, that, ἐποίησεν, he has realized (or “he has accomplished”), ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, in Christ Jesus (or “by means of Christ Jesus”), τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, our Lord, ἐν ᾧ, in whom (or “by means of whom”), ἔχομεν, we have, τὴν παρρησίαν, boldness, καὶ προσαγωγὴν ἐν πεποιθήσει, and access with confidence, διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ, through our faith in him.

Translating διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ through our faith in him, sounds like the Christian version of a works religion to me: “Our faith is the work we accomplish to achieve Christ’s salvation.”⁹ The plural possessive pronoun our is neither found nor implied in the phrase διὰ τῆς πίστεως αὐτοῦ: “through the faith of Him” or “through his faithfulness.”

Jesus corrected the misconceptions of those who chased him around the Sea of Galilee after they ate a free meal (John 6:25-29 ESV):

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent” [Table].

They asked: τί ποιῶμεν, What must we do (or “What might we do”). The verb ποιῶμεν is a form of ποιέω in the subjunctive mood. The verb was ποιοῦμεν in the indicative mood in the Stephanus Textus Receptus: “What do we do.” I’m not finding a 1^st person plural form of ποιέω in the present tense active voice and imperative mood—What must we do—but perhaps this was the ESV translators’ way of indicating a preference for the indicative ποιοῦμεν.

The Greek continues: ἵνα ἐργαζώμεθα, to be doing (or “so that we might do”), τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ, the works of God? Jesus answered: τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ, This is the work of God, ἵνα πιστεύητε, that you believe (or “that you may believe”), εἰς ὃν, in him, ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος, whom he has sent.

Did Jesus just redefine faith as the work we must…do to be doing the works of God? The translators of the NET seem to have thought that: “This is the deed God requires—to believe in the one whom he sent.”¹⁰ But the Greek word translated to believe was not πιστεύειν, an infinitive form of πιστεύω. It was certainly not πιστεύετε, a 2^nd person plural imperative—“you must believe”—“a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.”¹¹ It is πιστεύητε in the critical texts, and πιστευσητε in the received texts. Both are in the subjunctive mood—“so that (ἵνα) you may believe in Him whom He has sent.” Both¹² are subjunctive verbs in a purpose or result clause: “the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”¹³ The other “stated action” is: This is the work of God, τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ ἔργον τοῦ θεοῦ (or, “This is God’s work”).

Jesus addressed those who (by and large) pursued a law that would lead to righteousness¹⁴ as if it were based on works; they did not pursue it by faith.¹⁵ This “cultivated old human” may have sinned somewhat less and done somewhat more good things than the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) who made no attempt to mitigate its corruption through deceitful desires.¹⁶ But the “cultivated old human” is not the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον), the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁷ In a similar way, turning Christian into an adjective governing what people should and should not do is just pursuing another law as if it were based on works. It is the absolute antithesis of what God has accomplished by means of Christ Jesus our Lord: Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?¹⁸ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.¹⁹

And finally: διὸ, So, αἰτοῦμαι, I ask you, μὴ ἐγκακεῖν, not to lose heart, ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, over what I am suffering for you (or “by means of what I am suffering for you”), ἥτις ἐστὶν, which is, δόξα ὑμῶν, your glory. Since I’ve questioned whether Paul was incarcerated at the time he wrote this letter, I should point out some of the other sufferings to which he may have alluded.

Paul “boasted” about his sufferings to the Corinthians. It only seems fair to quote that boasting in its own context (2 Corinthians 11:16-33 ESV):

I repeat, let no one think me foolish. But even if you do,²⁰ accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little. What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast. For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. To my shame, I must say, we were too weak²¹ for that!

But whatever anyone else dares to boast of—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast of that. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one [Table]. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches [Table]. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the²² Lord Jesus,²³ he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order²⁴ to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.

The truth to be hearing with faith²⁵ is:

By reason of this grace I, Paul, the captive of Christ Jesus for your sake, the nations—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you (and by means of me unto you), how by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I have written briefly, (which this you can read to perceive my insight into the mystery), which to other generations was not made known to the sons of men as now has been revealed by means of his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit—to become the nations, fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise by means of Christ Jesus through the gospel.²⁶
Of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given me by the working of his power. To me, less than the least of all saints, was given this grace to announce good news to the Gentiles: the unsearchable riches of Christ and to bring to light for everyone why the stewardship, or the fellowship, of the mystery hidden from the ages by means of God, who the whole created, so that now may be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places through the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages that he has accomplished by means of Christ Jesus, by means of whom we have boldness and access with confidence through his faithfulness. So I ask you not to lose heart by means of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.²⁷

Tables comparing 2 Corinthians 11:16; 11:21 and 11:31, 32 in the KJV and NET follow.

2 Corinthians 11:16 (NET)	2 Corinthians 11:16 (KJV)
I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.	I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

2 Corinthians 11:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 11:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 11:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάλιν λέγω, μή τίς με δόξῃ ἄφρονα εἶναι· εἰ δὲ μή γε, κὰν ὡς ἄφρονα δέξασθε με, ἵνα καγὼ μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι	παλιν λεγω μη τις με δοξη αφρονα ειναι ει δε μηγε καν ως αφρονα δεξασθε με ινα μικρον τι καγω καυχησωμαι	παλιν λεγω μη τις με δοξη αφρονα ειναι ει δε μηγε καν ως αφρονα δεξασθε με ινα καγω μικρον τι καυχησωμαι

2 Corinthians 11:21 (NET)	2 Corinthians 11:21 (KJV)
(To my disgrace I must say that we were too weak for that!) But whatever anyone else dares to boast about (I am speaking foolishly), I also dare to boast about the same thing.	I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.

2 Corinthians 11:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 11:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 11:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
(κατὰ ἀτιμίαν λέγω, ὡς ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἠσθενήκαμεν.) ἐν ᾧ δ᾿ ἄν τις τολμᾷ (ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ λέγω), τολμῶ καγώ	κατα ατιμιαν λεγω ως οτι ημεις ησθενησαμεν εν ω δ αν τις τολμα εν αφροσυνη λεγω τολμω καγω	κατα ατιμιαν λεγω ως οτι ημεις ησθενησαμεν εν ω δ αν τις τολμα εν αφροσυνη λεγω τολμω καγω

2 Corinthians 11:31, 32 (NET)	2 Corinthians 11:31, 32 (KJV)
The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.	The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

2 Corinthians 11:31 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 11:31 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 11:31 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ οἶδεν, ὁ ὢν εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ὅτι οὐ ψεύδομαι	ο θεος και πατηρ του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου οιδεν ο ων ευλογητος εις τους αιωνας οτι ου ψευδομαι	ο θεος και πατηρ του κυριου ιησου χριστου οιδεν ο ων ευλογητος εις τους αιωνας οτι ου ψευδομαι

In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to arrest me,

In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

2 Corinthians 11:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 11:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 11:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὁ ἐθνάρχης Ἁρέτα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐφρούρει τὴν πόλιν Δαμασκηνῶν πιάσαι με	εν δαμασκω ο εθναρχης αρετα του βασιλεως εφρουρει την δαμασκηνων πολιν πιασαι με θελων	εν δαμασκω ο εθναρχης αρετα του βασιλεως εφρουρει την δαμασκηνων πολιν πιασαι με θελων

Exploration, Part 20

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 5

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² From “Grammatical Voice of Verbs: Passive Voice,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³ From “Grammatical Voice of Verbs: Middle Voice,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁵ Ephesians 3:2 (ESV) Table

⁶ And πρόθεσιν, an accusative form of πρόθεσις, occurs later when that is what Paul and the Holy Spirit intended.

⁷ This is not as iffy in Greek as it sounds in English. It is quite clearly a purpose or result clause following the conjunction ἵνα. The verb γνωρισθῇ is a passive form of γνωρίζω in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. It will be made known at an unspecified time in the present (νῦν): “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action” (e.g., τῷ θεῷ τῷ τὰ πάντα κτίσαντι, “by means of God who the whole created”).

⁸ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

⁹ An interesting article online, “Salvation is Reached through works, Not by Faith Alone: A Complete Path to God,” attempts to balance faith and works in a biblical way. And it begins well, though I would quibble with the statement: “but humans, created with free will, must actively cooperate through their works for this grace to bear fruit (from “The Historical Debate: From the Reformation to the Council of Trent”). Calling the corruption of deceitful desires “free will” bothers me. And “cooperation” can be misleading: for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13 ESV). One’s “cooperation” is primarily to stop kicking against the goads (Acts 26:14 ESV), if and only if one is “cooperating” by putting off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22 ESV), and putting on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24 ESV) through the renewing of the mind, by his word and by his indwelling Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:23). The rest of the article devolved into a “fake it ’til you make it” scheme, which may work for some. The Lord is patient with, and accommodating to, the old human. “From a Catholic perspective, salvation is an ongoing process of sanctification, where each step brings us closer to God…It is our daily lives, our decisions, and our works that shape our relationship with Him” (from “Salvation as a Path of Personal Transformation”). I never experienced “this relationship as a growth in charity, in the love that God offers,” but only as a persistent assurance that I was in charge and everything about my sanctification depended on me, which in retrospect sounds like the old human kicking and screaming against the goads.

¹⁰ John 6:29 (NET) Table

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

¹² The difference is that πιστεύητε is in the present tense—“so that you may believe in Him whom He has sent now”—and πιστευσητε is in the aorist tense—“so that you may believe in Him whom He has sent at some unspecified time.”

¹³ From “Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁴ Romans 9:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁵ Romans 9:32a (ESV) Table

¹⁶ Ephesians 4:22 (ESV)

¹⁷ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 3:3 (ESV)

¹⁹ Galatians 5:4 (ESV) Table

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ δὲ μή γε (NET: But if you do…at least) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει δε μηγε (KJV: if otherwise).

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἠσθενήκαμεν (NET: were too weak) here, a form of ἀσθενέω in the perfect tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ησθενησαμεν (KJV: had been weak) in the aorist tense.

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus had ημων (KJV: our) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had χριστου (KJV: Christ) following Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had θελων (KJV: desirous), a present participle of the verb θέλω, at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁵ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

²⁶ Ephesians 3:1-6 (EXP18)

²⁷ Ephesians 3:7-13 EXP19

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Posted on April 13, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of my review of the Lord’s patience with the 24,000 killed by Mosesc, Phineas and the judges or tribes of Israel after joining themselves to Baal of Peor. The old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires¹—never learns very much from its experience with the Lord (Exodus 16:1-3 ESV).

They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

The old human wasn’t learning that The Lord is at hand.² It was ruled by its own anxiety instead, unable and unwilling in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving [to] let [its] requests be made known to God.³ The truth seemed harsh when Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,⁴ You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a form of θέλω) is to do your father’s desires (ἐπιθυμίας, a form of ἐπιθυμία).⁵ But listen to the desires expressed by the words of the old human when the people’s actual desires were for meat and bread, and some sense of food security:

Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt…

Who but the devil wishes this for the nation in whom all the families of the earth [shall] be blessed?⁶ Now hear the devil’s hope for Israel:

…you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

But the Lord had different plans (Exodus 16:4-15 ESV):

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not [Table]. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily” [Table]. So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the Lord.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’” And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. And the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat [Table].

As Jesus, the One new human, grew to maturity, He learned not only from his own experience with God his Father but, like a force multiplier, from the experience of others recorded in Scripture. As an adult He shared those insights, reasoning with the old human who gathered to hear Him (Matthew 6:25-33 ESV).

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [Table] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin [Table], yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all [Table]. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you [Table].

But Jesus…knew all people [Table] and needed no one to bear witness about man (ἀνθρώπου, a form of ἄνθρωπος), for he himself knew what was in man (ἀνθρώπῳ, another form of ἄνθρωπος).⁷ He knew the old human would not be persuaded by his example of faith and his reasoning alone. “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things?”⁸ He chided Nicodemus (John 3:5-8 NET):

“I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God [Table]. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

This is Jesus’ key to understanding the Scriptures: to know what is in man as He knew what was in man, to recognize the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires⁹—in these Bible stories, and to perceive the need to be born from above, born of the Spirit, a new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον)—the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁰

Moses continued (Exodus 16:16-20 ESV):

This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer, according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them [Table].

“Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” It seems like a simple enough command to follow, but the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires¹¹—has difficulty with simple commands. It opts more often than not for its own deceitful desires. Moses was angry, but notice the Lord’s patience with the old human: He made sure that what was left over bred worms and stank (e.g., it was [not] good for food). And He made sure in some way that defies human explanation that when they measured [what they had gathered] with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack, fulfilling his command for them irrespective of their own work gathering much or little.

Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each. And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord; bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning’” [Table]. So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them, and it did not stink, and there were no worms in it [Table]. Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field [Table]. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, which is a Sabbath, there will be none” [Table].

On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none [Table].¹²

Patiently the Lord taught the old human, proving his word at every step. But his patience wasn’t limitless (Exodus 16:28-31 ESV).

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? [Table] See! The Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day” [Table]. So the people rested on the seventh day [Table].

Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

We are meant to assume here that God spoke to Moses, who spoke to Aaron, who spoke to the people of Israel (Exodus 4:10-17). The Hebrew verb translated will you refuse is מֵאַנְתֶּם, a plural form of מָאֵן (mā’ēn). Though the translation will you refuse might lead me to expect an imperfect verb—describing “incomplete, ongoing, or potential” action—מֵאַנְתֶּם, a 2^nd person form of מָאֵן (mā’ēn), is actually a perfect verb—describing “completed” action—translated refuse ye in the KJV. It is also a Piel stem: “an intensive or causative version of the” Qal stem מָאֵן (mā’ēn). So, the Lord asked a question and the people rested on the seventh day. Why?

If one is inclined to reply, “the fear of the Lord,” I think I’m inclined to agree, though not the kind of fear that prompts a “fight or flight response.” There is no threat, either explicit or implicit, in the Lord’s question: How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? So the people rested on the seventh day. The reasons were already apparent as were the facts—anything left over from the first five days of the week bred worms and stank while anything left over from the sixth day did not stink, and there were no worms in it—and yet some refused to keep the Lord’s commandments and laws: On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather.

The old human is notoriously unreasonable, even to its own harm. After all, the old human’s father, the devil—whose desires the old human wants to do—wants you dead. So again I ask, why did the old human hear the Lord’s question, fear the Lord in the sense of reverencing Him and obey his word?

The One new human taught (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV):

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [Table] If you then, who are evil (πονηροὶ, a plural form of πονηρός), know how to give good (ἀγαθὰ, a plural form of ἀγαθός) gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things (ἀγαθὰ, a plural form of ἀγαθός) to those who ask him!

This seems to be the key in Exodus as well. Most of the adults the Lord addressed through Moses through Aaron with the question—How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?—were currently, or had been, parents of young children. It is the way God created humankind to live on the earth, the desires He programmed into human hearts. Despite being the old human, parents know how to give good gifts to [their] children. They also know the frustration of children who refuse the good they intend to give them. So here, even the old human can know the heart of God because He made it so from the beginning. So the people [mostly parents] rested on the seventh day.

This is another example of the Lord’s patience with the old human, Israel and the 24,000. And here is a glimpse into what is required to get the old human to rest one day in seven if the Lord commands it. For while we were living in the flesh (e.g., controlled by the old human), our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.¹³

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh (ἐν σαρκὶ in the dative case; e.g., “by means of the flesh”) cannot please God.¹⁴

Paul called my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh¹⁵ a cultivated olive tree as distinguished from Gentiles, a wild olive tree.¹⁶ I will call them the cultivated old human for the sake of clarity in what follows. As difficult as it was to get Israel to rest one day in seven at the Lord’s command, once that command was inculcated into the cultivated old human, pursued [as] a law that would lead to righteousness¹⁷ as if it were based on works,¹⁸ even that cultivated old human still found itself at odds with Jesus, the One new human, over this very Sabbath rest (Mark 2:23-3:6 ESV).

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on¹⁹ the Sabbath?” And he said²⁰ to them, “Have you never read what David²¹ did (1 Samuel 21:1-7), when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests²² to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath [Table]. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered²³ hand, “Come²⁴ here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good²⁵ or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your²⁶ hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.²⁷ The Pharisees went out and immediately held²⁸ counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him [Table].

No achievements of religious or worldly authority defend one from the dictates of the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.²⁹

The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and the oral traditions that they believed were equally authoritative. They were influential in the synagogues and among the common people, emphasizing purity, tithing, and Sabbath observance. The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels and spirits, and the coming of the Messiah.³⁰
The Herodians were a political group associated with the Herodian dynasty, which ruled parts of Judea under Roman authority. Unlike the Pharisees, the Herodians were more aligned with the Roman government and the Herodian rulers, who were seen as collaborators with the occupying power. Their primary interest was maintaining the political status quo and the favor of Rome.³¹

The old human united these natural enemies in common cause against the Word of God come in human flesh, the One new human. What I have called the religious mind focuses primarily on the religious aspect of this phenomenon. The old human is a much better description (though I probably won’t change the name of this site at this late date).

Tables comparing Exodus 16:1; 16:2; 16:3; 16:6; 16:7; 16:8; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 16:13; 16:14; 16:16; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:21; 16:22 and 16:31 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 16:1; 16:2; 16:3; 16:6; 16:7; 16:8; 16:9; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 16:13; 16:14; 16:16; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:21; 16:22 and 16:31 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 2:24-26 and 3:3-5 in the NET and KJV follow.

Exodus 16:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:1 (KJV)	Exodus 16:1 (NET)
And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.	And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.	When they journeyed from Elim, the entire company of Israelites came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their exodus from the land of Egypt.

Exodus 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπῆραν δὲ ἐξ Αιλιμ καὶ ἤλθοσαν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σιν ὅ ἐστιν ἀνὰ μέσον Αιλιμ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Σινα τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἐξεληλυθότων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου	ΑΠῌΡΑΝ δὲ ἐξ Αἰλεὶμ καὶ ἤλθοσαν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σίν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀνὰ μέσον Αἰλεὶμ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Σινά. τῇ δὲ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ δευτέρῳ ἐξεληλυθότων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 16:1 (NETS)	Exodus 16:1 (English Elpenor)
And they set out from Ailim, and the entire congregation of the sons of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Ailim and between Sina. And on the fifteenth day, in the second month, after they had gone out from the land of Egypt,	And they departed from Aelim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Aelim and Sina; and on the fifteenth day, in the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt,

Exodus 16:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:2 (KJV)	Exodus 16:2 (NET)
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;	And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:	The entire company of Israelites murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

Exodus 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διεγόγγυζεν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων	διεγόγγυζε πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρών
Exodus 16:2 (NETS)	Exodus 16:2 (English Elpenor)
the entire congregation of the sons of Israel was complaining against Moyses and Aaron,	all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 16:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:3 (KJV)	Exodus 16:3 (NET)
and the children of Israel said unto them: ‘Would that we had died by the hand of HaShem in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’	And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.	The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat, when we ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”

Exodus 16:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ ὄφελον ἀπεθάνομεν πληγέντες ὑπὸ κυρίου ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ὅταν ἐκαθίσαμεν ἐπὶ τῶν λεβήτων τῶν κρεῶν καὶ ἠσθίομεν ἄρτους εἰς πλησμονήν ὅτι ἐξηγάγετε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ταύτην ἀποκτεῖναι πᾶσαν τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην ἐν λιμῷ	καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· ὄφελον ἀπεθάνομεν πληγέντες ὑπὸ Κυρίου ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ὅταν ἐκαθίσαμεν ἐπὶ τῶν λεβήτων τῶν κρεῶν καὶ ἠσθίομεν ἄρτους εἰς πλησμονήν· ὅτι ἐξήγαγε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ταύτην ἀποκτεῖναι πᾶσαν τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην ἐν λιμῷ
Exodus 16:3 (NETS)	Exodus 16:3 (English Elpenor)
and the sons of Israel said to them, “If only we had died, struck by the Lord, in the land, Egypt, when we sat at the cauldrons of meat and were eating bread to the full, because you led us out into this wilderness to kill all this congregation by famine.”	And the children of Israel said to them, Would we had died smitten by the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, and ate bread to satiety! for ye have brought us out into this wilderness, to slay all this congregation with hunger.

Exodus 16:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:6 (KJV)	Exodus 16:6 (NET)
And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel: ‘At even, then ye shall know that HaShem hath brought you out from the land of Egypt;	And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:	Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt,

Exodus 16:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν Ισραηλ ἑσπέρας γνώσεσθε ὅτι κύριος ἐξήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν πρὸς πᾶσαν συναγωγὴν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· ἑσπέρας γνώσεσθε ὅτι Κύριος ἐξήγαγεν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου
Exodus 16:6 (NETS)	Exodus 16:6 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses and Aaron said to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, “At evening you shall know that the Lord brought you out of the land of Egypt,	And Moses and Aaron said to all the congregation of the children of Israel, At even ye shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt;

Exodus 16:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:7 (KJV)	Exodus 16:7 (NET)
and in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of HaShem; for that He hath heard your murmurings against HaShem; and what are we, that ye murmur against us?’	And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?	and in the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings against the Lord. As for us, what are we, that you should murmur against us?”

Exodus 16:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πρωὶ ὄψεσθε τὴν δόξαν κυρίου ἐν τῷ εἰσακοῦσαι τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν ὅτι διαγογγύζετε καθ᾽ ἡμῶν	καὶ πρωΐ ὄψεσθε τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου ἐν τῷ εἰσακοῦσαι τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ· ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν ὅτι διαγογγύζετε καθ᾿ ἡμῶν
Exodus 16:7 (NETS)	Exodus 16:7 (English Elpenor)
and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, when he heard your complaining against God. But we, what are we that you complain against us?”	and in the morning ye shall see the glory of the Lord, inasmuch as he hears your murmuring against God; and who are we, that ye continue to murmur against us?

Exodus 16:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:8 (KJV)	Exodus 16:8 (NET)
And Moses said: ‘This shall be, when HaShem shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that HaShem heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against Him; and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against HaShem.’	And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.	Moses said, “You will know this when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and bread in the morning to satisfy you, because the Lord has heard your murmurings that you are murmuring against him. As for us, what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord.”

Exodus 16:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ἐν τῷ διδόναι κύριον ὑμῖν ἑσπέρας κρέα φαγεῖν καὶ ἄρτους τὸ πρωὶ εἰς πλησμονὴν διὰ τὸ εἰσακοῦσαι κύριον τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν ὃν ὑμεῖς διαγογγύζετε καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν οὐ γὰρ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ γογγυσμὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν ἀλλ᾽ ἢ κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· ἐν τῷ διδόναι Κύριον ὑμῖν ἑσπέρας κρέα φαγεῖν καὶ ἄρτους τὸ πρωΐ εἰς πλησμονὴν διὰ τὸ εἰσακοῦσαι Κύριον τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν, ὃν ὑμεῖς διαγογγύζετε καθ᾿ ἡμῶν· ἡμεῖς δὲ τί ἐσμεν; οὐ γὰρ καθ᾿ ἡμῶν ἐστιν ὁ γογγυσμὸς ὑμῶν· ἀλλ᾿ ἢ κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ
Exodus 16:8 (NETS)	Exodus 16:8 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said, “When the Lord gives you meat in the evening to eat and bread in the morning to the full, because the Lord heard your complaining which you complain against us, then we, what are we? For not against us is your complaining, but rather against God.”	And Moses said, [This shall be] when the Lord gives you in the evening flesh to eat, and bread in the morning to satiety, because the Lord has heard your murmuring, which ye murmur against us: and what are we? for your murmuring is not against us, but against God.

Exodus 16:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:9 (KJV)	Exodus 16:9 (NET)
And Moses said unto Aaron: ‘Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel: Come near before HaShem; for He hath heard your murmurings.’	And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.	Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community of the Israelites, ‘Come before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”

Exodus 16:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Ααρων εἰπὸν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν Ισραηλ προσέλθατε ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσακήκοεν γὰρ ὑμῶν τὸν γογγυσμόν	εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς ᾿Ααρών· εἰπὸν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· προσέλθετε ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ· εἰσακήκοε γὰρ τὸν γογγυσμὸν ὑμῶν
Exodus 16:9 (NETS)	Exodus 16:9 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to Aaron, “Say to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel: Draw near before God. For he heard your complaining.”	And Moses said to Aaron, Say to all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before God; for he has heard your murmuring.

Exodus 16:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:10 (KJV)	Exodus 16:10 (NET)
And it came to pass, as Aaron spoke unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of HaShem appeared in the cloud.	And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.	As Aaron spoke to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the wilderness, there the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud,

Exodus 16:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡνίκα δὲ ἐλάλει Ααρων πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐπεστράφησαν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον καὶ ἡ δόξα κυρίου ὤφθη ἐν νεφέλῃ	ἡνίκα δὲ ἐλάλει ᾿Ααρὼν πάσῃ συναγωγῇ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐπεστράφησαν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἡ δόξα Κυρίου ὤφθη ἐν νεφέλῃ
Exodus 16:10 (NETS)	Exodus 16:10 (English Elpenor)
And when Aaron was speaking to the entire congregation of the sons of Israel, they also turned about towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.	And when Aaron spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and they turned toward the wilderness, then the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud.

Exodus 16:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:11 (KJV)	Exodus 16:11 (NET)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying:	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,	and the Lord spoke to Moses,

Exodus 16:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων	καὶ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων
Exodus 16:11 (NETS)	Exodus 16:11 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying,	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Exodus 16:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:12 (KJV)	Exodus 16:12 (NET)
‘I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak unto them, saying: At dusk ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am HaShem your G-d.’	I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.	“I have heard the murmurings of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘During the evening you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread, so that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’”

Exodus 16:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰσακήκοα τὸν γογγυσμὸν τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ λάλησον πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἔδεσθε κρέα καὶ τὸ πρωὶ πλησθήσεσθε ἄρτων καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	εἰσακήκοα τὸν γογγυσμὸν τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ· λάλησον πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων· τὸ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἔδεσθε κρέα καὶ τὸ πρωΐ πλησθήσεσθε ἄρτων· καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Exodus 16:12 (NETS)	Exodus 16:12 (English Elpenor)
“I have heard the complaining of the sons of Israel. Speak to them saying: Towards evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord, your God.”	I have heard the murmuring of the children of Israel: speak to them, saying, Towards evening ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be satisfied with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

Exodus 16:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:13 (KJV)	Exodus 16:13 (NET)
And it came to pass at even, that the quails came up, and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew round about the camp.	And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.	In the evening the quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning a layer of dew was all around the camp.

Exodus 16:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἑσπέρα καὶ ἀνέβη ὀρτυγομήτρα καὶ ἐκάλυψεν τὴν παρεμβολήν τὸ πρωὶ ἐγένετο καταπαυομένης τῆς δρόσου κύκλῳ τῆς παρεμβολῆς	ἐγένετο δὲ ἑσπέρα, καὶ ἀνέβη ὀρτυγομήτρα καὶ ἐκάλυψε τὴν παρεμβολήν· τὸ πρωΐ ἐγένετο καταπαυομένης τῆς δρόσου κύκλῳ τῆς παρεμβολῆς
Exodus 16:13 (NETS)	Exodus 16:13, 14a (English Elpenor)
So evening came and quail came up and covered the camp. Then morning came when the dew was lifting around the camp,	And it was evening, and quails came up and covered the camp: (14) in the morning it came to pass as the dew ceased round about the camp,

Exodus 16:14 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:14 (KJV)	Exodus 16:14 (NET)
And when the layer of dew was gone up, behold upon the face of the wilderness a fine, scale-like thing, fine as the hoar-frost on the ground.	And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.	When the layer of dew had evaporated, there on the surface of the wilderness was a thin flaky substance, thin like frost on the earth.

Exodus 16:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς ἐρήμου λεπτὸν ὡσεὶ κόριον λευκὸν ὡσεὶ πάγος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ πρόσωπον τῆς ἐρήμου λεπτὸν ὡσεὶ κόριον λευκόν, ὡσεὶ πάγος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Exodus 16:14 (NETS)	Exodus 16:14b (English Elpenor)
and look, upon the surface of the wilderness was something fine like coriander, white like frost on the ground.	that, behold, on the face of the wilderness [was] a small thing like white coriander seed, as frost upon the earth.

Exodus 16:16 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:16 (KJV)	Exodus 16:16 (NET)
This is the thing which HaShem hath commanded: Gather ye of it every man according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, shall ye take it, every man for them that are in his tent.’	This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.	“This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Each person is to gather from it what he can eat, an omer per person according to the number of your people; each one will pick it up for whoever lives in his tent.’”

Exodus 16:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ συνέταξεν κύριος συναγάγετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας γομορ κατὰ κεφαλὴν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἕκαστος σὺν τοῖς συσκηνίοις ὑμῶν συλλέξατε	τοῦτο τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ συνέταξε Κύριος· συναγάγετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας, γομὸρ κατὰ κεφαλὴν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν, ἕκαστος σὺν τοῖς συσκηνίοις ὑμῶν συλλέξατε
Exodus 16:16 (NETS)	Exodus 16:16b (English Elpenor)
This is the word that the Lord instructed, ‘Each person gather from it for those appropriate; a gomor per head, according to the number of your souls, each of you with your tent mates collect’.”	This is that which the Lord has appointed: gather of it each man for his family, a homer for each person, according to the number of your souls, gather each of you with his fellow-lodgers.

Exodus 16:17 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:17 (KJV)	Exodus 16:17 (NET)
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less.	And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.	The Israelites did so, and they gathered—some more, some less.

Exodus 16:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐποίησαν δὲ οὕτως οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ καὶ συνέλεξαν ὁ τὸ πολὺ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον	ἐποίησαν δὲ οὕτως οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ συνέλεξαν ὁ τὸ πολὺ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον
Exodus 16:17 (NETS)	Exodus 16:17 (English Elpenor)
And the sons of Israel did so, and they collected, the one much and the other less.	And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some much and some less.

Exodus 16:18 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:18 (KJV)	Exodus 16:18 (NET)
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.	And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.	When they measured with an omer, the one who gathered much had nothing left over, and the one who gathered little lacked nothing; each one had gathered what he could eat.

Exodus 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ μετρήσαντες τῷ γομορ οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ τὸ πολύ καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ συνέλεξαν	καὶ μετρήσαντες γομόρ, οὐκ ἐπλεόνασεν ὁ τὸ πολύ, καὶ ὁ τὸ ἔλαττον οὐκ ἠλαττόνησεν· ἕκαστος εἰς τοὺς καθήκοντας παρ᾿ ἑαυτῷ συνέλεξαν
Exodus 16:18 (NETS)	Exodus 16:18 (English Elpenor)
And they measured by the gomor. The one with much did not have excess, and the one with less did not have too little. Each person collected for those appropriate at his own home.	And having measured the homer [full], he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that had gathered less had no lack; each gathered according to the need of those who belonged to him.

Exodus 16:19 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:19 (KJV)	Exodus 16:19 (NET)
And Moses said unto them: ‘Let no man leave of it till the morning.’	And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.	Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”

Exodus 16:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς αὐτούς μηδεὶς καταλιπέτω ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πρωί	εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς αὐτούς· μηδεὶς καταλειπέτω ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸ πρωΐ
Exodus 16:19 (NETS)	Exodus 16:19 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it to the morning.”	And Moses said to them, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

Exodus 16:21 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:21 (KJV)	Exodus 16:21 (NET)
And they gathered it morning by morning, every man according to his eating; and as the sun waxed hot, it melted.	And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.	So they gathered it each morning, each person according to what he could eat, and when the sun got hot, it would melt.

Exodus 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συνέλεξαν αὐτὸ πρωὶ πρωί ἕκαστος τὸ καθῆκον αὐτῷ ἡνίκα δὲ διεθέρμαινεν ὁ ἥλιος ἐτήκετο	καὶ συνέλεξαν αὐτὸ πρωΐ πρωΐ, ἕκαστος τὸ καθῆκον αὐτῷ· ἡνίκα δὲ διεθέρμαινεν ὁ ἥλιος, ἐτήκετο
Exodus 16:21 (NETS)	Exodus 16:21 (English Elpenor)
And they collected it morning by morning, each person that which was appropriate for him. But when the sun grew hot, it melted.	And they gathered it every morning, each man what he needed, and when the sun waxed hot it melted.

Exodus 16:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:22 (KJV)	Exodus 16:22 (NET)
And it came to pass that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.	And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.	And on the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers per person; and all the leaders of the community came and told Moses..

Exodus 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ συνέλεξαν τὰ δέοντα διπλᾶ δύο Γομορ τῷ ἑνί εἰσήλθοσαν δὲ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν Μωυσεῖ	ἐγένετο δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ, συνέλεξαν τὰ δέοντα διπλᾶ, δύο γομὸρ τῷ ἑνί· εἰσήλθοσαν δὲ πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν Μωυσῇ
Exodus 16:22 (NETS)	Exodus 16:22 (English Elpenor)
But it happened on the sixth day, they collected double what was required, two gomors for one person. And all the leaders of the congregation went in and reported to Moyses.	And it came to pass on the sixth day, they gathered double what was needed, two homers for one [man]; and all the chiefs of the synagogue went in and reported it to Moses.

Exodus 16:31 (Tanakh)	Exodus 16:31 (KJV)	Exodus 16:31 (NET)
And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna; and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.	And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.	The house of Israel called its name “manna.” It was like coriander seed and was white, and it tasted like wafers with honey.

Exodus 16:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 16:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπωνόμασαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Μαν ἦν δὲ ὡς σπέρμα κορίου λευκόν τὸ δὲ γεῦμα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν μέλιτι	καὶ ἐπωνόμασαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, μάν· ἦν δὲ ὡσεὶ σπέρμα κορίου λευκόν, τὸ δὲ γεῦμα αὐτοῦ ὡς ἐγκρὶς ἐν μέλιτι
Exodus 16:31 (NETS)	Exodus 16:31 (English Elpenor)
And the sons of Israel called its name Man. Now it was white like coriander seed, but its taste was like cake with honey.	And the children of Israel called the name of it Man; and it was as white coriander seed, and the taste of it as a wafer with honey.

Mark 2:24-26 (NET)	Mark 2:24-26 (KJV)
So the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?”	And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

Mark 2:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· ἴδε τί ποιοῦσιν τοῖς σάββασιν ὃ οὐκ ἔξεστιν	και οι φαρισαιοι ελεγον αυτω ιδε τι ποιουσιν εν τοις σαββασιν ο ουκ εξεστιν	και οι φαρισαιοι ελεγον αυτω ιδε τι ποιουσιν εν τοις σαββασιν ο ουκ εξεστιν

He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry—

And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

Mark 2:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· οὐδέποτε ἀνέγνωτε τί ἐποίησεν Δαυὶδ ὅτε χρείαν ἔσχεν καὶ ἐπείνασεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ	και αυτος ελεγεν αυτοις ουδεποτε ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαβιδ οτε χρειαν εσχεν και επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου	και αυτος ελεγεν αυτοις ουδεποτε ανεγνωτε τι εποιησεν δαυιδ οτε χρειαν εσχεν και επεινασεν αυτος και οι μετ αυτου

how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the sacred bread, which is against the law for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?”

How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Mark 2:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 2:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 2:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
\|πῶς\| εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως καὶ τοὺς ἄρτους τῆς προθέσεως ἔφαγεν, οὓς οὐκ ἔξεστιν φαγεῖν εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς, καὶ ἔδωκεν καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ οὖσιν	πως εισηλθεν εις τον οικον του θεου επι αβιαθαρ του αρχιερεως και τους αρτους της προθεσεως εφαγεν ους ουκ εξεστιν φαγειν ει μη τοις ιερευσιν και εδωκεν και τοις συν αυτω ουσιν	πως εισηλθεν εις τον οικον του θεου επι αβιαθαρ αρχιερεως και τους αρτους της προθεσεως εφαγεν ους ουκ εξεστιν φαγειν ει μη τοις ιερευσιν και εδωκεν και τοις συν αυτω ουσιν

Mark 3:3-5 (NET)	Mark 3:3-5 (KJV)
So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.”	And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

Mark 3:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τὴν \|ξηρὰν\| χεῖρα ἔχοντι · ἔγειρε εἰς τὸ μέσον	και λεγει τω ανθρωπω τω εξηραμμενην εχοντι την χειρα εγειραι εις το μεσον	και λεγει τω ανθρωπω τω εξηραμμενην εχοντι την χειρα εγειραι εις το μεσον

Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent.

And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

Mark 3:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἔξεστιν τοῖς σάββασιν \|ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι\| ἢ κακοποιῆσαι, ψυχὴν σῶσαι ἢ ἀποκτεῖναι; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπων	και λεγει αυτοις εξεστιν τοις σαββασιν αγαθοποιησαι η κακοποιησαι ψυχην σωσαι η αποκτειναι οι δε εσιωπων	και λεγει αυτοις εξεστιν τοις σαββασιν αγαθοποιησαι η κακοποιησαι ψυχην σωσαι η αποκτειναι οι δε εσιωπων

After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

Mark 3:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 3:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 3:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ περιβλεψάμενος αὐτοὺς μετ᾿ ὀργῆς, συλλυπούμενος ἐπὶ τῇ πωρώσει τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν λέγει τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ· ἔκτεινον τὴν χεῖρα . καὶ ἐξέτεινεν καὶ ἀπεκατεστάθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ	και περιβλεψαμενος αυτους μετ οργης συλλυπουμενος επι τη πωρωσει της καρδιας αυτων λεγει τω ανθρωπω εκτεινον την χειρα σου και εξετεινεν και αποκατεσταθη η χειρ αυτου υγιης ως η αλλη	και περιβλεψαμενος αυτους μετ οργης συλλυπουμενος επι τη πωρωσει της καρδιας αυτων λεγει τω ανθρωπω εκτεινον την χειρα σου και εξετεινεν και αποκατεσταθη η χειρ αυτου υγιης ως η αλλη

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Back to Introduction

Back to Exploration, Part 19

¹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

² Philippians 4:5b (ESV)

³ Philippians 4:6b (ESV)

⁴ John 8:31a (ESV)

⁵ John 8:44a (ESV) Table

⁶ Genesis 28:14b (ESV) Table

⁷ John 2:24, 25 (ESV)

⁸ John 3:10 (NET) Table

⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁰ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹¹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹² Exodus 16:21-27 (ESV)

¹³ Romans 7:5 (ESV)

¹⁴ Romans 8:5-8 (ESV)

¹⁵ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

¹⁶ Romans 11:24 (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 9:31 (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Romans 9:32 (ESV) Table

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

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λέγει here, a 3^rd person singular form of λέγω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος ελεγεν in the imperfect tense.

²¹ In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text David was spelled Δαυὶδ, and δαβιδ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοὺς ἱερεῖς here in the accusative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τοις ιερευσιν in the dative case.

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective ξηρὰν here, an accusative form of ξηρός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξηραμμενην, a perfect participle of the verb ξηραίνω.

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔγειρε here, a 2^nd person imperative form of ἐγείρω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had an aorist infinitive εγειραι (e.g., “to stand”).

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀγαθὸν ποιῆσαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the compound verb αγαθοποιησαι.

²⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the genitive pronoun σου here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπεκατεστάθη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκατεσταθη. Both are listed as 3^rd person singular forms of ἀποκαθίστημι in the aorist tense, indicative mood and passive voice. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υγιης ως η αλλη (KJV: whole as the other) at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐδίδουν here, an imperfect form of δίδωμι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εποιουν (KJV; took), an imperfect form of ποιέω.

²⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

³⁰ From “The Pharisees and Herodians: Pharisees” in the Topical Encyclopedia on Bible Hub online.

³¹ From “The Pharisees and Herodians: Herodians” in the Topical Encyclopedia on Bible Hub online.

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 4

Posted on April 4, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of a consideration of “Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choices”¹ in Matthew 12:18-21. I’ll continue with the comparison and contrast of Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved² to Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen.³ The former refers explicitly to Jesus. The latter was made explicit to Jacob/Israel in the Septuagint. And in this comparison and contrast I gain some insight into the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον)—the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness⁴—and the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον)—your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.⁵

Jesus (Matthew 12:15 ESV)	Jacob/Israel (Isaiah 42:1 English Elpenor)
The One New Man (Luke 1:34-35; Ephesians 2:15b ESV)	The one born of the flesh (Genesis 25:24-26 ESV), chosen by God (Genesis 28:13-15 ESV)
Matthew 12:18a ESV	Isaiah 42:1a ESV
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved	Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen

Isaiah 42:1 is still the most fruitful starting point for locating the words of Isaiah that the Lord Jesus fulfilled.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 42:1a (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Isaiah 42:1a (NET)	Isaiah 42:1a (NETS) Table	Isaiah 42:1a (English Elpenor)
Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul (נַפְשִׁ֑י) delighteth (רָֽצְתָ֣ה);	“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I (nep̄eš, נפשי) take pleasure (rāṣâ, רצתה).	Iakob is my servant; I will lay hold of him; Israel is my chosen; my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) has accepted him (προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν);	Jacob is my servant, I will help him: Israel is my chosen, my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) has accepted him (προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν);

Here, רָֽצְתָ֣ה, a form of רָצָה (rāṣâ), [in whom] delighteth (Tanakh, KJV), [in whom] take pleasure (NET), was translated προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν, has accepted him (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. The Greek verb προσεδέξατο, a 3^rd person singular form of προσδέχομαι, is practically a one word synopsis of God’s patience with the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον): “to take up, receive, receive hospitably, welcome; to pardon; to accept, admit; to assent; to agree, consent; to bear with, endure, pardon; to undertake, attempt; to look forward to; to expect, wait for, await, anticipate.” It is also a very good translation of the Qal perfect 3^rd person feminine singular verb רָֽצְתָ֣ה, a form of רָצָה (rāṣâ).

Another form of רָצָה (rāṣâ) is found in the legal instructions to the Levites (Leviticus 1:1-4 ESV):

The Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying [Table], “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock [Table].

“If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord [Table]. He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him [Table].

The Hebrew verb translated and it shall be accepted is וְנִרְצָ֥ה, a Niphal form of רָצָה (rāṣâ), understood here as the passive voice: “The Niphal often functions as the passive counterpart to the Qal stem, describing actions performed on the subject.”⁶ It was translated δεκτὸν, a thing acceptable (NETS), as a thing acceptable (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. The adjective δεκτὸν is a form of δεκτός: “acceptable, favourable, convenient; appropriate, convenient; received, accepted, welcomed, approved.” It complements προσδέχομαι, as a one word synopsis of God’s patience with the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον).

A comparison of the Greek of Matthew 12:18a to that of Isaiah 42:1a in the Septuagint follows:

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
\|εἰς\| ὃν εὐδόκησεν ἡ ψυχή μου	προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου	προσεδέξατο αὐτὸν ἡ ψυχή μου
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
in whom I take great delight	my soul has accepted him	my soul has accepted him

The Greek verb εὐδόκησεν is a 3^rd person singular form of εὐδοκέω (e.g., “toward whom my soul takes great delight”) in the indicative mood (a statement of fact) and the active voice: “to be well pleased, take delight; to consider good, consent, determine, resolve; to like, delight in, approve; to be willing gladly; to be favourably disposed, pleased; to be satisfied, happy; to accept favourably, accept approvingly.” Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choice seems appropriate for Jesus, the One new human (ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον)—Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased⁷—and for the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness⁸ as well.

Though I found no forms of εὐδοκέω in the Greek translation of Isaiah in the Septuagint, one is found in the very first occurrence of another Qal stem (e.g., the active voice) form of רָצָה (rāṣâ). Jacob was returning to the promised land with his family and possessions (Genesis 32:3-5 ESV):

And Jacob sent messengers (מַלְאָכִים, a form of מַלְאָךְ, mal’āḵ; Septuagint: ἀγγέλους, a form of ἄγγελος) before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, instructing them, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, ‘I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male servants, and female servants. I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favor in your sight.’”

Jesus, the One new human prior to his death and resurrection, asked somewhat rhetorically: Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.⁹ He also said: Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison [Table]. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.¹⁰

Both allude to this story of Jacob’s encounter with Esau, which begs the question: Where did Jacob acquire such wisdom? And this even prior to the return of his messengers, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.”¹¹ The most general answer is that Jacob, an old human, spent his adult life living in the Lord’s favor as his chosen one. But the opening verses of this chapter reveal an even more specific example of the very tactic he employed with Esau (Genesis 32:1, 2 ESV):

Jacob went on his way, and the angels (מַלְאֲכֵי, another form of מַלְאָךְ, mal’āḵ; Septuagint: ἄγγελοι, another form of ἄγγελος) of God met him. And when Jacob saw them he said, “This is God’s camp!” So he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

The divergence here between the Masoretic text and Septuagint deserves the following table:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 32:2, 3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:1, 2 (NET)	Genesis 32:1, 2 (NETS)	Genesis 32:1, 2 (English Elpenor)
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of G-d met him.	So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him.	And Iakob departed on his own way. And looking up he saw a divine camp encamped, and the angels of God met him.	AND Jacob departed for his journey; and having looked up, he saw the host of God encamped; and the angels of God met him.
And Jacob said when he saw them: ‘This is G-d’s camp (מַֽחֲנֵ֥ה).’ And he called the name of that place Mahanaim (מַֽחֲנָֽיִם).	When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is the camp (maḥănê, מחנה) of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim (maḥănayim, מחנים).	Now Iakob, when he saw them, said, “This is a divine camp (Παρεμβολὴ)!” And he called the name of that place Camps (Παρεμβολαί).	And Jacob said, when he saw them, This is the Camp (παρεμβολὴ) of God; and he called the name of that place, Encampments (Παρεμβολαί).

In other words, Jacob sent messengers to Esau, much like the Camp of God sent messengers to him. Rashi’s commentary in The Complete Jewish Bible reads:

and angels of God met him. Angels of Israel came to greet him to escort him to the land.
Mahanaim. Two camps, [one of the angels] outside the land, who came with him up to here, and [one of the angels] of Israel, who came to greet him. — [from Tanchuma Vayishlach 3]
Jacob sent angels. Heb. מַלְאָכִים, literally angels (Gen. Rabbah 75:4).

After his messengers (or angels) reported that there are four hundred men with Esau (Genesis 32:7, 8 ESV):

Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps [Table], thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape” [Table].

Rashi considered this Jacob’s preparation for war with Esau, and I see no good reason to dispute him. Then, Jacob prayed (Genesis 32:9-12 ESV):

“O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good’ [Table], I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two (לִשְׁנֵי, šᵊnayim; Septuagint: δύο) camps (מַחֲנוֹת, maḥănê; Septuagint: παρεμβολάς) [Table]. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children [Table]. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude’” [Table].

And then, Jacob prepared a present (e.g., select herds of animals) for Esau. For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”¹² The Hebrew word translated I may appease is אֲכַפְּרָה, a Piel form of כָּפַר (kāp̄ar).

The Piel stem is one of the most expressive and nuanced verb forms in Biblical Hebrew. It is often associated with intensive, factitive, or causative actions, making it a critical component for understanding the depth and richness of the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh).¹³
The Piel often contrasts with the Qal, Hiphil, and other stems in how it expresses an action:

Qal: Describes a simple or basic action (e.g., “to break”).

Piel: Describes an intensive or causative version of the same action (e.g., “to shatter”).

Hiphil: Describes causation but typically in a straightforward sense (e.g., “to cause to break”).¹⁴

It was translated ἐξιλάσομαι, I shall propitiate (NETS), I will propitiate (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Jacob hoped that his brother would accept him: יִשָּׂא, an imperfect form of the Qal stem נָשָׂא (nāśā’). The rabbis translated it προσδέξεται, another form of προσδέχομαι in the future tense in the Septuagint, similar to προσεδέξατο in the aorist tense, their translation of רָֽצְתָ֣ה (a perfect form of רָצָה, rāṣâ), has accepted (NETS, English Elpenor) in Isaiah 42:1 as applied to Israel.

When the time came to meet Esau in person, Jacob himself went on before…bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.¹⁵ But God, who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,¹⁶ surprised Jacob: Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.¹⁷

After he was introduced to Jacob’s wives and children, Esau asked (Genesis 33:8 ESV):

“What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.”

The key to Esau’s question is found in Jacob’s answer; for Esau was already informed for whom the droves of animals were intended. Jacob had instructed his servants (Genesis 32:17, 18 ESV):

“When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’”

The NETS translation of the Septuagint is perhaps a bit more on point: “What are these to you, all these companies that I have met?”¹⁸ And Jacob’s answer deserves a bit more consideration.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 33:8 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:8 (NET)	Genesis 33:8 (NETS)	Genesis 33:8 (English Elpenor)
And he said: ‘What meanest thou by all this camp (הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֥ה) which I met?’ And he said: ‘To find (לִמְצֹא) favour (חֵ֖ן) in the sight of my lord.’	Esau then asked, “What did you intend by sending all these herds (maḥănê, המחנה) to meet me?” Jacob replied, “To find (māṣā‘, למצא) favor (ḥēn, חן) in your sight, my lord.”	And he said, “What are these to you, all these companies (παρεμβολαὶ) that I have met?” And he said, “That your servant may find (εὕρῃ) favor (χάριν) before you, lord.”	And he said, What are these things to thee, all these companies (παρεμβολαί) that I have met? And he said, That thy servant might find (εὕρῃ) grace (χάριν) in thy sight, my lord.

First, I thought it was interesting that even these herds of animals were called הַמַּֽחֲנֶ֥ה, a form of מַֽחֲנֶה (maḥănê), this camp (Tanakh), these herds (NET), translated παρεμβολαί, a form of παρεμβολή, these companies (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. But more interesting was Jacob’s attempt To find favor (Tanakh, NET)—לִמְצֹא, a form of מָצָא (māṣā) followed by חֵ֖ן (ḥēn), translated εὕρῃ χάριν, a form of χάρις, may find favor (NETS), might find grace (English Elpenor)—from Esau by offering him herds of animals.

Though he tried to purchase Esau’s favor (or grace) with a present, Esau assured Jacob that no present was required: “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.”¹⁹ And this was of the Lord to preserve his as yet unwritten word: since if it is by grace (χάριτι, a dative form of χάρις), it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace (χάρις) would no longer be grace (χάρις).²⁰

Chastened by the Lord, Jacob pivoted graciously (Genesis 33:10 ESV).

Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me.

A table with more detail follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 33:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:10 (NET)	Genesis 33:10 (NETS)	Genesis 33:10 (English Elpenor)
And Jacob said: ‘Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found (מָצָ֤אתִי) favour (חֵן֙) in thy sight, then receive (וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֥) my present (מִנְחָתִ֖י) at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of G-d, and thou wast pleased with me (וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי).	No, please take them,” Jacob said. “If I have found (māṣā‘, מצאתי) favor (ḥēn, חן) in your sight, accept (lāqaḥ, ולקחת) my gift (minḥâ, מנחתי) from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me (rāṣâ, ותרצני), it is as if I have seen the face of God.	But Iakob said, “If I have found (εὕρηκα) favor (χάριν) before you, accept (δέξαι) my presents (τὰ δῶρα) through my hands; with regard to this I saw your face, as someone might see a divine face, and you will be pleased with me (καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με).	And Jacob said, If I have found (εὗρον) grace (χάριν) in thy sight, receive (δέξαι) the gifts (τὰ δῶρα) through my hands; therefore have I seen thy face, as if any one should see the face of God, and thou shalt be well-pleased with me (καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με).

The Hebrew verb וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי, an imperfect form of the verb רָצָה (rāṣâ), and thou wast pleased with me (Tanakh), and you have accepted me (NET), was translated καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με, and you will be pleased with me (NETS), and thou shalt be well-pleased with me (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. The translators of the Tanakh and NET understood וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי as past tense while the translators of the Septuagint chose εὐδοκήσεις, a form of εὐδοκέω in the future tense.

According to an article on Biblical Hebrew online:

The core of Biblical Hebrew verbal syntax lies in the distinction between the perfect (קָטַל) and imperfect (יִקְטֹל) verb forms. These do not simply indicate past or future tenses, but rather represent different ways of viewing the nature of action: whether as completed (perfect) or incomplete, ongoing, or potential (imperfect). This article explores the morphology, aspectual logic, discourse function, and theological significance of these two essential verb forms within the framework of Biblical Hebrew grammar.

While the perfect/imperfect contrast may seem straightforward at first, deeper examination reveals a highly contextual and discourse-sensitive verbal system. This article analyzes their form, function, usage across genres, and includes clarifications for related forms such as participles, wayyiqtol, and weqatal.²¹

Unlike Indo-European languages that often focus on tense (past, present, future), Biblical Hebrew verbs are governed primarily by aspect. That is, Hebrew emphasizes how an action is viewed rather than when it occurs.

Perfect (qatal): Portrays an action as complete, whole, or viewed as a total unit.

Imperfect (yiqtol): Portrays an action as incomplete, ongoing, habitual, repeated, or not yet realized.²²

So far, it appears that the translators of the Septuagint have the upper hand. But I deliberately withheld a critical piece of information for dramatic effect. On Blue Letter Bible online, if you hover the cursor over “tools” to the left of Genesis 33:10 and select “interlinear” from the dropdown menu, a table appears with a wealth of information about the Hebrew verbs and nouns in this verse. To the far right of the table row labeled “and thou wast pleased with me.” is a green oblong bubble filled with cryptic letters and numerals: Hover the cursor over that bubble and words appear informing one that וַתִּרְצֵנִי, a form of רָצָה (rāṣâ) is not merely an imperfect verb but a sequential imperfect verb.

Wayyiqtol (Sequential Narrative Past)
This form, also called the “converted imperfect,” combines a prefixed וַ (waw consecutive) with an imperfect verb to create a narrative past chain. It is ubiquitous in Hebrew storytelling.
Genesis 22:3
וַיַּשְׁכֵּם אַבְרָהָם בַּבֹּקֶר
“And Avraham rose early in the morning…”
Weqatal (Modal/Future Continuation)
This construction (וְ + qatal) often follows imperatives, expressing expectation, command, or future result.
Deuteronomy 5:33
תֵּלֵכוּ לְמַעַן תִּחְיוּן
“You shall walk… so that you may live”
תֵּלֵכוּ and תִּחְיוּן are both imperfects. The second verb, with its unusual נון ending (nun paragogicum), reflects poetic or legal usage. This form expresses purpose and outcome in covenantal context.²³

So, the relatively modern English translators of the verb וַתִּרְצֵֽנִי, a sequential imperfect form of the verb רָצָה (rāṣâ), understood it as a Sequential Narrative Past verb, while the more ancient Greek translators understood it as something more like a Future Continuation verb:

Sequential Narrative Past
Tanakh: forasmuch as I have seen thy face…and thou wast pleased with me
NET: Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me
Future Continuation
NETS: with regard to this I saw your face…and you will be pleased with me
English Elpenor: therefore have I seen thy face…and thou shalt be well-pleased with me

In either case Jacob’s reason for giving this present to Esau had changed from an offering of appeasement or atonement to one of praise and thanksgiving to God. And this present was a gift that keeps on giving (Genesis 32:14, 15 ESV):

two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.

If I have found grace in thy sight, receive the gifts through my hands…and thou shalt be well-pleased with me²⁴ as these herds increase in the future. Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me [e.g., his brother Esau accepted him and did not attempt to kill him as Jacob had asked God in prayer], and because I have enough.”²⁵

The Hebrew verb translated accept in the phrase Please accept above is קַח, an imperative form of לָקַח (lāqaḥ), translated λαβὲ, an imperative form of λαμβάνω, in the Septuagint. The noun translated my blessing is בִּרְכָתִי, a form of בְּרָכָה (bᵊrāḵâ), translated τὰς εὐλογίας μου in the Septuagint.

The first occurrence of בְּרָכָה (bᵊrāḵâ) is found in the Lord’s promise to Abram (Genesis 12:2 ESV)

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing (בְּרָכָה, bᵊrāḵâ) [Table].

So here, Jacob fulfills, at least in part, God’s promise to his grandfather Abraham to be a blessing for Esau: Thus he [Jacob] urged him [Esau], and he [Esau] took it.²⁶ The Hebrew verb translated and he took it is וַיִּקָּח, a sequential imperfect form of לָקַח (lāqaḥ), which was translated ἔλαβε(ν), a form of λαμβάνω in the 2^nd aorist tense. Jacob’s gift and blessing to Esau, expressed in these Hebrew and Greek words, reminds me of another greater gift and blessing, the ultimate blessing of Abraham by means of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:15-17 ESV):

But the free gift (τὸ χάρισμα) is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace (ἡ χάρις) of God and the free gift (ἡ δωρεὰ) by the grace (ἐν χάριτι) of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift (τὸ δώρημα) is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift (τὸ δὲ χάρισμα) following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive (λαμβάνοντες, a plural present participle of λαμβάνω) the abundance of grace (τῆς χάριτος) and the free gift (τῆς δωρεᾶς) of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

May we all like Esau graciously receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness that is so graciously given to us by God through Jesus Christ. I’ll pick this up in another essay: רָצָה (rāṣâ) is a rich vein to mine.

Tables comparing Genesis 32:3 (32:4); 32:4 (32:5); 32:5 (32:6); 32:6 (32:7); 32:1 (32:2); 32:2 (32:3); 32:20 (32:21); 33:3; 33:4; 33:8; 32:17 (32:18); 32:18 (32:19); 33:9; 33:10; 32:14 (32:15); 32:15 (32:16) and 33:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 32:3; 32:4; 32:5; 32:6; 32:1; 32:2; 32:20; 33:3; 33:4; 33:8; 32:17; 32:18; 33:9; 33:10; 32:14; 32:15 and 33:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Genesis 32:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:3 (KJV)	Genesis 32:3 (NET)
And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the field of Edom.	And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.	Jacob sent messengers on ahead to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the region of Edom.

Genesis 32:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπέστειλεν δὲ Ιακωβ ἀγγέλους ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πρὸς Ησαυ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς γῆν Σηιρ εἰς χώραν Εδωμ	᾿Απέστειλε δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἀγγέλους ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ῾Ησαῦ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς γῆν Σηείρ, εἰς χώραν ᾿Εδώμ
Genesis 32:3 (NETS)	Genesis 32:3 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir in the territory of Edom,	And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother to the land of Seir, to the country of Edom.

Genesis 32:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:4 (KJV)	Genesis 32:4 (NET)
And he commanded them, saying: ‘Thus shall ye say unto my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob: I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed until now.	And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now:	He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now.

Genesis 32:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς λέγων οὕτως ἐρεῖτε τῷ κυρίῳ μου Ησαυ οὕτως λέγει ὁ παῖς σου Ιακωβ μετὰ Λαβαν παρῴκησα καὶ ἐχρόνισα ἕως τοῦ νῦν	καὶ ἐνετείλατο αὐτοῖς λέγων· οὕτως ἐρεῖτε τῷ κυρίῳ μου ῾Ησαῦ· οὕτως λέγει ὁ παῖς σου ᾿Ιακώβ· μετὰ Λάβαν παρῴκησα, καὶ ἐχρόνισα ἕως τοῦ νῦν
Genesis 32:4 (NETS)	Genesis 32:4 (English Elpenor)
and he commanded them, saying, “Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: ‘Thus says your servant Iakob, ‘I lived with Laban as an alien and stayed until now,	And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye say to my lord Esau: Thus saith thy servant Jacob; I have sojourned with Laban and tarried until now.

Genesis 32:6 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:5 (KJV)	Genesis 32:5 (NET)
And I have oxen, and asses and flocks, and men-servants and maid-servants; and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find favour in thy sight.’	And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.	I have oxen, donkeys, sheep, and male and female servants. I have sent this message to inform my lord, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”

Genesis 32:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένοντό μοι βόες καὶ ὄνοι καὶ πρόβατα καὶ παῖδες καὶ παιδίσκαι καὶ ἀπέστειλα ἀναγγεῖλαι τῷ κυρίῳ μου Ησαυ ἵνα εὕρῃ ὁ παῖς σου χάριν ἐναντίον σου	καὶ ἐγένοντό μοι βόες καὶ ὄνοι καὶ πρόβατα καὶ παῖδες καὶ παιδίσκαι, καὶ ἀπέστειλα ἀναγγεῖλαι τῷ κυρίῳ μου ῾Ησαῦ, ἵνα εὕρῃ ὁ παῖς σου χάριν ἐναντίον σου
Genesis 32:5 (NETS)	Genesis 32:5 (English Elpenor)
and cattle and donkeys and sheep and male and female slaves have come into my possession, and I have sent to tell my Lord Esau in order that your servant may find favor before you’.”	And there were born to me oxen, and asses, and sheep, and men-servants and women-servants; and I sent to tell my lord Esau, that thy servant might find grace in thy sight.

Genesis 32:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:6 (KJV)	Genesis 32:6 (NET)
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying: ‘We came to thy brother Esau, and moreover he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.’	And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.	The messengers returned to Jacob and said, “We went to your brother Esau. He is coming to meet you and has 400 men with him.”

Genesis 32:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν οἱ ἄγγελοι πρὸς Ιακωβ λέγοντες ἤλθομεν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου Ησαυ καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἔρχεται εἰς συνάντησίν σοι καὶ τετρακόσιοι ἄνδρες μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν οἱ ἄγγελοι πρὸς ᾿Ιακὼβ λέγοντες· ἤλθομεν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφόν σου ῾Ησαῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἔρχεται εἰς συνάντησίν σοι καὶ τετρακόσιοι ἄνδρες μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Genesis 32:6 (NETS)	Genesis 32:6 (English Elpenor)
And the messengers returned to Iakob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.”	And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and lo! he comes to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.

Genesis 32:2 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:1 (KJV)	Genesis 32:1 (NET)
And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of G-d met him.	And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.	So Jacob went on his way and the angels of God met him.

Genesis 32:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ Ιακωβ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ὁδόν καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἶδεν παρεμβολὴν θεοῦ παρεμβεβληκυῖαν καὶ συνήντησαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ	ΚΑΙ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ἑαυτοῦ. καὶ ἀναβλέψας εἶδε παρεμβολὴν Θεοῦ παρεμβεβληκυῖαν, καὶ συνήντησαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ
Genesis 32:1 (NETS)	Genesis 32:1 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob departed on his own way. And looking up he saw a divine camp encamped, and the angels of God met him.	AND Jacob departed for his journey; and having looked up, he saw the host of God encamped; and the angels of God met him.

Genesis 32:3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:2 (KJV)	Genesis 32:2 (NET)
And Jacob said when he saw them: ‘This is G-d’s camp.’ And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.	And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God’s host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.	When Jacob saw them, he exclaimed, “This is the camp of God!” So he named that place Mahanaim.

Genesis 32:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Ιακωβ ἡνίκα εἶδεν αὐτούς Παρεμβολὴ θεοῦ αὕτη καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Παρεμβολαί	εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιακώβ, ἡνίκα εἶδεν αὐτούς· παρεμβολὴ Θεοῦ αὕτη· καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Παρεμβολαί
Genesis 32:2 (NETS)	Genesis 32:2 (English Elpenor)
Now Iakob, when he saw them, said, “This is a divine camp!” And he called the name of that place Camps.	And Jacob said, when he saw them, This is the Camp of God; and he called the name of that place, Encampments.

Genesis 32:21 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:20 (KJV)	Genesis 32:20 (NET)
and ye shall say: Moreover, behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us.’ For he said: ‘I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept me.’	And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.	You must also say, ‘In fact your servant Jacob is behind us.’” Jacob thought, “I will first appease him by sending a gift ahead of me. After that I will meet him. Perhaps he will accept me.”

Genesis 32:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐρεῖτε ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς σου Ιακωβ παραγίνεται ὀπίσω ἡμῶν εἶπεν γάρ ἐξιλάσομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς δώροις τοῖς προπορευομένοις αὐτοῦ καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ὄψομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἴσως γὰρ προσδέξεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου	καὶ ἐρεῖτε· ἰδοὺ ὁ παῖς σου ᾿Ιακὼβ παραγίνεται ὀπίσω ἡμῶν. εἶπε γάρ· ἐξιλάσομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς δώροις τοῖς προπορευομένοις αὐτοῦ, καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ὄψομαι τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ· ἴσως γὰρ προσδέξεται τὸ πρόσωπόν μου
Genesis 32:20 (NETS)	Genesis 32:20 (English Elpenor)
And you shall say, “There is your servant Iakob coming behind us’.” For he said, “I shall propitiate his face with the presents that go on before him, and afterwards I shall see his face, for perhaps he will accept my face.”	and ye shall say, Behold thy servant Jacob comes after us. For he said, I will propitiate his countenance with the gifts going before his presence, and afterwards I will behold his face, for peradventure he will accept me.

Genesis 33:3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:3 (KJV)	Genesis 33:3 (NET)
And he himself passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.	And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.	But Jacob himself went on ahead of them, and he bowed toward the ground seven times as he approached his brother.

Genesis 33:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αὐτὸς δὲ προῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἑπτάκις ἕως τοῦ ἐγγίσαι τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ	αὐτὸς δὲ προῆλθεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἑπτάκις ἕως τοῦ ἐγγίσαι τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ
Genesis 33:3 (NETS)	Genesis 33:3 (English Elpenor)
But he himself advanced ahead of them and did obeisance upon the ground seven times until he came near his brother.	But he advanced himself before them, and did reverence to the ground seven times, until he drew near to his brother.

Genesis 33:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:4 (KJV)	Genesis 33:4 (NET)
And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they wept.	And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.	But Esau ran to meet him, embraced him, hugged his neck, and kissed him. Then they both wept.

Genesis 33:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσέδραμεν Ησαυ εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτὸν ἐφίλησεν καὶ προσέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκλαυσαν ἀμφότεροι	καὶ προσέδραμεν ῾Ησαῦ εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῷ καὶ περιλαβὼν αὐτὸν προσέπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν ἀμφότεροι
Genesis 33:4 (NETS)	Genesis 33:4 (English Elpenor)
And Esau ran forward to meet him, and embracing him he kissed him and fell upon his neck, and they both wept.	And Esau ran on to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him; and they both wept.

Genesis 33:8 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:8 (KJV)	Genesis 33:8 (NET)
And he said: ‘What meanest thou by all this camp which I met?’ And he said: ‘To find favour in the sight of my lord.’	And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.	Esau then asked, “What did you intend by sending all these herds to meet me?” Jacob replied, “To find favor in your sight, my lord.”

Genesis 33:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν τί ταῦτά σοί ἐστιν πᾶσαι αἱ παρεμβολαὶ αὗται αἷς ἀπήντηκα ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ἵνα εὕρῃ ὁ παῖς σου χάριν ἐναντίον σου κύριε	καὶ εἶπε· τί ταῦτά σοι ἐστί, πᾶσαι αἱ παρεμβολαί αὗται, αἷς ἀπήντηκα; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ἵνα εὕρῃ ὁ παῖς σου χάριν ἐναντίον σου, κύριε
Genesis 33:8 (NETS)	Genesis 33:8 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “What are these to you, all these companies that I have met?” And he said, “That your servant may find favor before you, lord.”	And he said, What are these things to thee, all these companies that I have met? And he said, That thy servant might find grace in thy sight, my lord.

Genesis 32:18 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:17 (KJV)	Genesis 32:17 (NET)
And he commanded the foremost, saying: ‘When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying: Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?	And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee?	He instructed the servant leading the first herd, “When my brother Esau meets you and asks, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? Whose herds are you driving?’

Genesis 32:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ πρώτῳ λέγων ἐάν σοι συναντήσῃ Ησαυ ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἐρωτᾷ σε λέγων τίνος εἶ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ καὶ τίνος ταῦτα τὰ προπορευόμενά σου	καὶ ἐνετείλατο τῷ πρώτῳ, λέγων· ἐάν σοι συναντήσῃ ῾Ησαῦ ὁ ἀδελφός μου καὶ ἐρωτᾷ σε, λέγων· τίνος εἶ καὶ ποῦ πορεύῃ, καὶ τίνος ταῦτα τὰ προπορευόμενά σου
Genesis 32:17 (NETS)	Genesis 32:17 (English Elpenor)
And he commanded the first saying, “If Esau my brother should meet you and ask you, saying, ‘Whose are you and where are you going, and whose are these going on ahead of you?’	And he charged the first, saying, If Esau my brother meet thee, and he ask thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither wouldest thou go, and whose are these possessions advancing before thee?

Genesis 32:19 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:18 (KJV)	Genesis 32:18 (NET)
then thou shalt say: They are thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord, even unto Esau; and, behold, he also is behind us.’	Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob’s; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.	then you must say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They have been sent as a gift to my lord Esau. In fact Jacob himself is behind us.’”

Genesis 32:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐρεῖς τοῦ παιδός σου Ιακωβ δῶρα ἀπέσταλκεν τῷ κυρίῳ μου Ησαυ καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ὀπίσω ἡμῶν	ἐρεῖς· τοῦ παιδός σου ᾿Ιακώβ· δῶρα ἀπέσταλκε τῷ κυρίῳ μου ῾Ησαῦ, καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ὀπίσω ἡμῶν
Genesis 32:18 (NETS)	Genesis 32:18 (English Elpenor)
you shall say, ‘Your servant Iakob’s; he has sent presents to my Lord Esau, and there he is behind us’.”	Thou shalt say, Thy servant Jacob’s; he hath sent gifts to my lord Esau, and lo! he is behind us.

Genesis 33:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:9 (KJV)	Genesis 33:9 (NET)
And Esau said: ‘I have enough; my brother, let that which thou hast be thine.’	And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.	But Esau said, “I have plenty, my brother. Keep what belongs to you.”

Genesis 33:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Ησαυ ἔστιν μοι πολλά ἄδελφε ἔστω σοι τὰ σά	εἶπε δὲ ῾Ησαῦ· ἔστι μοι πολλά, ἀδελφέ· ἔστω σοι τὰ σά
Genesis 33:9 (NETS)	Genesis 33:9 (English Elpenor)
But Esau said, “I have much, brother, let your property be yours.”	And Esau said, I have much, my brother; keep thine own.

Genesis 33:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:10 (KJV)	Genesis 33:10 (NET)
And Jacob said: ‘Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found favour in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand; forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as one seeth the face of G-d, and thou wast pleased with me.	And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.	“No, please take them,” Jacob said. “If I have found favor in your sight, accept my gift from my hand. Now that I have seen your face and you have accepted me, it is as if I have seen the face of God.

Genesis 33:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Ιακωβ εἰ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου δέξαι τὰ δῶρα διὰ τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν ἕνεκεν τούτου εἶδον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ὡς ἄν τις ἴδοι πρόσωπον θεοῦ καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με	εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιακώβ· εἰ εὗρον χάριν ἐναντίον σου, δέξαι τὰ δῶρα διὰ τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν· ἕνεκεν τούτου εἶδον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, ὡς ἄν τις ἴδοι πρόσωπον Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐδοκήσεις με
Genesis 33:10 (NETS)	Genesis 33:10 (English Elpenor)
But Iakob said, “If I have found favor before you, accept my presents through my hands; with regard to this I saw your face, as someone might see a divine face, and you will be pleased with me.	And Jacob said, If I have found grace in thy sight, receive the gifts through my hands; therefore have I seen thy face, as if any one should see the face of God, and thou shalt be well-pleased with me.

Genesis 32:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:14 (KJV)	Genesis 32:14 (NET)
two hundred she-goats and twenty he-goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams,	Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams,	200 female goats and 20 male goats, 200 ewes and 20 rams,

Genesis 32:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αἶγας διακοσίας τράγους εἴκοσι πρόβατα διακόσια κριοὺς εἴκοσι	αἶγας διακοσίας, τράγους εἴκοσι, πρόβατα διακόσια, κριοὺς εἴκοσι
Genesis 32:14 (NETS)	Genesis 32:14 (English Elpenor)
two hundred female goats, twenty male goats, two hundred sheep, twenty rams,	two hundred she-goats, twenty he-goats, two hundred sheep, twenty rams,

Genesis 32:16 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:15 (KJV)	Genesis 32:15 (NET)
thirty milch camels and their colts, forty kine and ten bulls, twenty she-asses and ten foals.	Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.	30 female camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, and 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys.

Genesis 32:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καμήλους θηλαζούσας καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν τριάκοντα βόας τεσσαράκοντα ταύρους δέκα ὄνους εἴκοσι καὶ πώλους δέκα	καμήλους θηλαζούσας, καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτῶν τριάκοντα, βόας τεσσαράκοντα, ταύρους δέκα, ὄνους εἴκοσι καὶ πώλους δέκα
Genesis 32:15 (NETS)	Genesis 32:15 (English Elpenor)
thirty milch camels and their young, forty cows, ten bulls, twenty donkeys and ten foals.	milch camels, and their foals, thirty, forty kine, ten bulls, twenty asses, and ten colts.

Genesis 33:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 33:11 (KJV)	Genesis 33:11 (NET)
Take, I pray thee, my gift that is brought to thee; because G-d hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.’ And he urged him, and he took it.	Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.	Please take my present that was brought to you, for God has been generous to me and I have all I need.” When Jacob urged him, he took it.

Genesis 33:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 33:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λαβὲ τὰς εὐλογίας μου ἃς ἤνεγκά σοι ὅτι ἠλέησέν με ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἔστιν μοι πάντα καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτόν καὶ ἔλαβεν	λαβὲ τὰς εὐλογίας μου, ἃς ἤνεγκά σοι, ὅτι ἠλέησέ με ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ἔστι μοι πάντα. καὶ ἐβιάσατο αὐτὸν καὶ ἔλαβε
Genesis 33:11 (NETS)	Genesis 33:11 (English Elpenor)
Receive my blessings that I have brought to you, because God has shown mercy to me and I have everything.” And he urged him, and he received them.	Receive my blessings, which I have brought thee, because God has had mercy on me, and I have all things; and he constrained him, and he took [them].

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 5

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Back to Who is a Christian? Part 1

¹ Justice and Mercy

² Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

³ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

4 Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁶ From “Characteristics of the Niphal Stem: 1. Passive Voice” in “Mastering the Niphal Stem in Biblical Hebrew” on Biblical Hebrew online.

⁷ Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁹ Luke 14:31, 32 (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 5:25, 26 (ESV)

¹¹ Genesis 32:6 (ESV)

¹² Genesis 32:20b (ESV)

¹³ From “Mastering the Piel Stem in Biblical Hebrew: What is the Piel Stem?” on Biblical Hebrew online.

¹⁴ From “Mastering the Piel Stem in Biblical Hebrew: Piel vs. Other Stems” on Biblical Hebrew online.

¹⁵ Genesis 33:3 (ESV)

¹⁶ Ephesians 3:20 (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Genesis 33:4 (ESV)

¹⁸ Genesis 33:8a (NETS)

¹⁹ Genesis 33:9 (ESV)

²⁰ Romans 11:6 (ESV) Table

²¹ From “Perfect and Imperfect Verbs in Biblical Hebrew: Understanding Completed and Ongoing Action” on Biblical Hebrew online.

²² From “Perfect and Imperfect Verbs in Biblical Hebrew: Understanding Completed and Ongoing Action: 1. Aspect vs. Tense: The Hebrew Verb System” on Biblical Hebrew online.

²³ From “Perfect and Imperfect Verbs in Biblical Hebrew: Understanding Completed and Ongoing Action: 5. Narrative and Sequential Verbs: Wayyiqtol and Weqatal” on Biblical Hebrew online.

²⁴ Genesis 33:10 (English Elpenor)

²⁵ Genesis 33:11a (ESV)

²⁶ Genesis 33:11b (ESV)

Exploration, Part 18

Posted on March 22, 2026 by admin

I want to continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:1-6 ESV).

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that² you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known³ to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in⁴ other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the⁵ promise in Christ⁶ Jesus⁷ through the gospel.

The Greek is: Τούτου χάριν, For this reason. The ESV translators (along with most others) understood χάριν as an adverb here: “in favour of; on account of.” I’m assuming that choice has to do with the genitive pronoun Τούτου (rather than the accusative τοῦτον), since χάριν as a form of the noun χάρις is in the accusative case. Had Paul intended Of this grace τήν χάριν τούτου or τῆς χάριτος τούτου would have accomplished that without confusion. Still, the translators of the Catholic Public Domain Version were quite diplomatic: By reason of this grace. Paul’s Greek readers would have recognized χάριν as both an adverb and a form of the noun χάρις in the accusative case.

Be that as it may, it’s necessary to review what precedes this to understand Paul’s reason or this grace (Ephesians 2:19-22 EXP17):

So then no longer are you strangers and aliens but you are fellow-citizens of the holy and members of the household of God [Table], having been built by means of the foundation of the apostles and prophets, being the cornerstone himself, Christ Jesus, by means of whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple by means of the Lord [Table]. By means of whom also you are being built together into God’s dwelling-place by means of the Spirit.

Paul continued: ἐγὼ Παῦλος, I, Paul, ὁ δέσμιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ [Ἰησοῦ], a prisoner of Christ Jesus (literally, “the prisoner of Jesus Christ”). He used a similar self-reference later: I…a prisoner for the Lord (ἐγὼ ὁ δέσμιος ἐν κυρίῳ; NET note 1, “prisoner in the Lord,” or “I the prisoner by means of⁸ the Lord”).⁹

Reading in English only I’ve assumed these statements meant that Paul was incarcerated somewhere at the time he wrote to the Ephesian church. The translation prisoner implies punishment: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment (κόλασιν, a form of κόλασις), and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.¹⁰ Another possible translation of δέσμιος is captive, a word much more attune with the language of love: I, Paul, the captive of Christ Jesus and I…the captive by means of the Lord. So, while Paul’s many incarcerations may have informed his word choice somewhat, and its usage here may even allude to those incarcerations in part, it seems prudent to keep an open mind that Paul may have intended to describe an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; namely, as his loving and beloved captive.

Paul continued: ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν, on behalf of you Gentiles (or “for your sake, the nations”). The Lord said of Saul (aka Paul): he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel [Table]. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of (ὑπὲρ) my name.¹¹

Ephesians 3:2 continued: εἴ γε, assuming that, ἠκούσατε, you have heard. The verb ἠκούσατε is a form of ἀκούω in the indicative mood, “a statement of fact.” I’m wondering if that prompted the note (2) in the NET:

If indeed. The author is not doubting whether his audience has heard, but is rather using provocative language (if indeed) to engage his audience in thinking about the magnificence of God’s grace. However, in English translation, the apodosis (“then”-clause) does not come until v. 13, leaving the protasis (“if”-clause) dangling. Eph 3:2-7 constitute one sentence in Greek.

One might expect the verb of the protasis (“if”-clause) to be in the subjunctive mood and the apodosis (“then”-clause) to be in the indicative mood (John 12:32 ESV):

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

Here the verb of the protasis (“if”-clause) ὑψωθῶ, I am lifted up (e.g., crucified), is a form of ὑψόω in the subjunctive mood. The conjunction ἐὰν was translated when, I assume, to keep the English reader from stumbling over whether Jesus was questioning at that moment if his crucifixion would actually take place. The verb of the apodosis (“then”-clause) ἑλκύσω, I…will draw, is a form of ἑλκύω in the future tense (e.g., something He will do after ὑψωθῶ becomes actual) and the indicative mood. This makes some sense: The apodosis (“then”-clause), consequent clause, becomes factual in a true conditional statement once the protasis (“if”-clause), antecedent, becomes actual. The logical argument goes something like this:

Jesus said: “If I am crucified, then I will draw all to Myself.” Jesus was crucified. Therefore He will draw all to Himself.

The note (2) in the NET indicated that the translators understood Paul to be saying: if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,¹² then I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.¹³ The logical argument would go something like this:

If you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, then I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you. You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you.

It sounds true enough on its surface, until I consider its inverse.

If you have [not] heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, then I [do not] ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you. You have [not] heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you. Therefore I [do not] ask you not to lose heart because of what I am suffering for you.

This argument doesn’t reflect the attitude of the one who wrote: I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.¹⁴ The principle of charity practically demands assuming that, the ESV translation of εἴ γε, or something similar to keep Paul’s discourse more self-contained and less obtuse. He had a tendency, however, to use an indicative verb in the protasis (“if”-clause), antecedent, of a conditional statement (Galatians 5:15 ESV).

But if you bite (δάκνετε, a form of δάκνω in the indicative mood) and devour (κατεσθίετε, a form of κατεσθίω in the indicative mood) one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

And here the verb ἀναλωθῆτε, you are consumed, in the apodosis (“then”-clause), consequent, is a form of ἀναλίσκω in the aorist tense and the subjunctive mood. So, the rather obvious form of the conditional statement accomplishes two things simultaneously: It affirms the truism—If you bite and devour one another, then you will be consumed by one another—even as it conveys Paul’s assessment of the Galatians’ relative position within the logical flow of that conditional statement: that they are currently biting and devouring one another though they have not yet consumed one another. And that, to the original point of the note in the NET in Ephesians, probably also indicates that Paul “assumed” most, if not all of his readers, have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you.

The Greek continues: τὴν οἰκονομίαν, of the stewardship, τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ, of God’s grace, τῆς δοθείσης, that was given, μοι, to me, εἰς ὑμᾶς, for you. While it is certainly meaningful and appropriate to translate τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς, of God’s grace that was given to me for you, I wonder, in the light of the Hiphil stem in Hebrew, especially its usage in Exodus 24:12—so that you may teach them¹⁵—whether of God’s grace that was given by means of me into (or, unto) you is also appropriate.

Paul continued: [ὅτι], how, κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν, by revelation, ἐγνωρίσθη μοι, was made known to me, τὸ μυστήριον, the mystery, καθὼς, as, προέγραψα, I have written, ἐν ὀλίγῳ, briefly. This latter clause refers back to Ephesians 2.

The Greek continues: πρὸς ὃ, which this, δύνασθε ἀναγινώσκοντες, you can read, νοῆσαι to perceive, τὴν σύνεσιν μου, my insight, ἐν τῷ μυστηρίῳ, into the mystery, τοῦ Χριστοῦ, of Christ, ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς, which in other generations (or “which to other generations”), οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη, was not made known, τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, to the sons of men, ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη, as now has been revealed, τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ, to his holy apostles (or “by means of his holy apostles”), καὶ προφήταις, and prophets, ἐν πνεύματι, by the Spirit, εἶναι, This mystery is that (literally, “to become”), τὰ ἔθνη συγκληρονόμα, the Gentiles are fellow heirs (or “the nations, fellow heirs”), καὶ σύσσωμα, members of the same body (or “and of the same body”), καὶ συμμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus (or “and partakers of the promise by means of Christ Jesus”), διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, through the gospel.

And Jesus came and said to them [the eleven disciples] after his crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew 28:18-20a ESV):

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me [Table]. Go therefore and make disciples of (μαθητεύσατε, a form of μαθητεύω) all nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit [Table], teaching (διδάσκοντες, a present participle of διδάσκω) them to observe all that I have commanded you [Table].

The direct object of the verb μαθητεύσατε, make disciples of, a 2^nd person plural form of μαθητεύω in the imperative mood (e.g., “you must make disciples of”) is πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (literally “all the nations”) in the accusative case. This is an ambitious project, sometimes called replacement theology: “the Christian Church has fully and permanently replaced Israel in God’s plan.” If one means that he might create in himself one new man (ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) in place of the two, so making peace [Table], and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility¹⁶ by the term Christian Church, the idea is not without merit, apart from being a singularly catty, if not an altogether anti-Jewish, way for a former Gentile to express the revelation of this mystery.

The only true replacement theology is that your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the old human”), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,¹⁷ is replaced by the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁸ As Paul (circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless [Table]¹⁹) wrote (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

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

The truth to be hearing with faith²⁰ is ( Ephesians 3:1-6 EXP18):

By reason of this grace I, Paul, the captive of Christ Jesus for your sake, the nations—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you (and by means of me unto you), how by revelation was made known to me the mystery, as I have written briefly, (which this you can read to perceive my insight into the mystery), which to other generations was not made known to the sons of men as now has been revealed by means of his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit—to become the nations, fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise by means of Christ Jesus through the gospel.

So, I’m understanding verse 6 as the conclusion of Paul’s introduction of his purpose as the captive of Christ Jesus: By reason of this grace I, Paul, the captive of Christ Jesus for your sake, the nations, to become the nations, fellow heirs and of the same body and partakers of the promise by means of Christ Jesus through the gospel. And behold, Jesus promised, I am with you always, to the end of the age.²¹

Tables comparing Ephesians 3:2, 3 and 3:5, 6 in the KJV and NET follow.

Ephesians 3:2, 3 (NET)	Ephesians 3:2, 3 (KJV)
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you,	If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

Ephesians 3:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 3:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 3:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἴ γε ἠκούσατε τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι εἰς ὑμᾶς	ειγε ηκουσατε την οικονομιαν της χαριτος του θεου της δοθεισης μοι εις υμας	ειγε ηκουσατε την οικονομιαν της χαριτος του θεου της δοθεισης μοι εις υμας

that by revelation the mystery was made known to me, as I wrote before briefly.

How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

Ephesians 3:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 3:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 3:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
[ὅτι] κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν ἐγνωρίσθη μοι τὸ μυστήριον, καθὼς προέγραψα ἐν ὀλίγῳ	οτι κατα αποκαλυψιν εγνωρισεν μοι το μυστηριον καθως προεγραψα εν ολιγω	οτι κατα αποκαλυψιν εγνωρισεν μοι το μυστηριον καθως προεγραψα εν ολιγω

Ephesians 3:5, 6 (NET)	Ephesians 3:5, 6 (KJV)
(which was not disclosed to people in former generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit),	Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

Ephesians 3:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 3:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 3:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι	ο εν ετεραις γενεαις ουκ εγνωρισθη τοις υιοις των ανθρωπων ως νυν απεκαλυφθη τοις αγιοις αποστολοις αυτου και προφηταις εν πνευματι	ο ετεραις γενεαις ουκ εγνωρισθη τοις υιοις των ανθρωπων ως νυν απεκαλυφθη τοις αγιοις αποστολοις αυτου και προφηταις εν πνευματι

namely, that through the gospel the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus.

That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Ephesians 3:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 3:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 3:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶναι τὰ ἔθνη συγκληρονόμα καὶ σύσσωμα καὶ συμμέτοχα τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου	ειναι τα εθνη συγκληρονομα και συσσωμα και συμμετοχα της επαγγελιας αυτου εν τω χριστω δια του ευαγγελιου	ειναι τα εθνη συγκληρονομα και συσσωμα και συμμετοχα της επαγγελιας αυτου εν τω χριστω δια του ευαγγελιου

Exploration, Part 19

Back to Exploration, Part 20

Back to Who is a Christian? Part 1

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἴ γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειγε.

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγνωρίσθη here, a 3^rd person singular form of γνωρίζω in the passive voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγνωρισεν (KJV: he made known) in the active voice.

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εν here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

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

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τω preceding Christ. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἰησοῦ following Christ. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸ “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online. The noun κυρίῳ is a form of κύριος in the dative case.

⁹ Ephesians 4:1a (ESV)

¹⁰ 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

¹¹ Acts 9:15, 16 (ESV)

¹² Ephesians 3:2 (NET)

¹³ Ephesians 3:13b (NET) Table

¹⁴ Romans 1:14, 15 (ESV)

¹⁵ Exodus 24:12b (NET) Table

¹⁶ Ephesians 2:15b, 16 (ESV)

¹⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:5, 6 (ESV)

²⁰ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

²¹ Matthew 28:20b (ESV) Table

Hebrews 10:1-4

Posted on March 10, 2026 by admin

This is a homily for communion for the preaching course I’m taking. We’ve backed away for a time from full sermon preparation to homilies.

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed,¹ would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder (ἀνάμνησις) of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.²

The rhetorical question, would the same sacrifices not have ceased to be offered, is a compelling argument that communion is not a sacrifice, but a reminder, a recollection, a memorial done by those who have turned in obedience to follow the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:19 ESV):

And [Jesus] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance (ἀνάμνησιν, a form of ἀνάμνησις) of me.”

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:25 ESV):

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance (ἀνάμνησιν, a form of ἀνάμνησις) of me” [Table].

Given who we are it may be impossible to approach the Lord’s table without being reminded of our sins. Do this in remembrance of me, Jesus said and Paul reminded us. For Christ also suffered once for sins, Peter wrote, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.³

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.⁴

But how best to proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns? Shall we weep and wail over our sins, become the loudest mourners at the funeral of our dying idol, that old self, which belongs to [our] former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires?⁵ Or shall we embrace our new Lord’s sacrifice—the only sacrifice which can truly take away sins—as our own to live the righteousness of our resurrected and indwelling Savior: loving one another with his love, rejoicing together by means of his joy, true subjects of his reign of peace, not from the outside in or the top down, but from the inside out because we are crucified with Christ and we no longer live us, but Him, enduring by means of his patience, being useful to one another by his kindness, doing good to one another by his goodness today, tomorrow and every moment of everyday forever by means of his faithfulness, ever restrained from the evil we once were, the evil we sometimes fear we might become again, by his steadfast control? Amen?

The actual goal of this assignment, however, is not the written homily above, but to become so familiar with the chosen Scripture that I can read the room and ad lib by the Holy Spirit. The only way I know to become familiar with the Scripture is to slow down and go word-for-word in Greek (or Hebrew and Greek in the Old Testament).

The Greek of Hebrews 10:1 begins: Σκιὰν γὰρ, For a shadow, ἔχων ὁ νόμος, has the law. Following the Greek word order⁶ here can be confusing in English: “a shadow has the law” might sound as if “a shadow” is the subject and “the law” is the direct object of this clause. In Greek it’s clear that Σκιὰν is a form of σκιά in the accusative case, while ὁ νόμος is in the nominative case. Still, Σκιὰν, shadow, begins this clause, which I’m no longer inclined to perceive as irrelevant. The participle ἔχων is not the verb ἔχει, but a singular active participle in the present tense, nominative case and masculine gender (ὁ νόμος is masculine and Σκιὰν is feminine).

At the moment I only note the fact, without understanding why a participle was chosen rather than a verb. While I’m inclined to translate this present participle “having,” it is mostly to remind myself that it is a participle. Perhaps the combination of the conjunction γὰρ and the present participle ἔχων accounts for the ESV translation For since.

Hebrews 10:1 continues: τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, of the good things to come. Translating the plural genitive article τῶν of the covers the genitive case, but not necessarily the plural quality of the article apart from the word things. I’ll go with “of these” for reasons which should become clearer momentarily. Translating μελλόντων, another present active participle to come, while interesting, implies the infinitive verb μέλλειν. I’ll opt for my standby “coming.” That sense of the future is a feature of the root verb μέλλω in the present tense: “to be about to, be on the point of; to be destined, inevitable; to intend, propose, have in mind; to come after that, (something) to come; to exist in the future.”

Translating ἀγαθῶν good things covers its plural quality but seems to imply either the “Substantival Meaning” of the adjective ἀγαθός (“goods, possessions, treasures, prosperity”) or limit its “Adjectival Meaning” to what is attributable to things (good action, good deed; performing well, functioning capably; fit, capable, useful, beneficial, desirable; good, well, serviceable; fine [metal]) as opposed to persons: “good, gentle, noble; good, brave; morally good and acceptable (resulting from a kind and generous character); joyful, inclined to joy.”

I prefer not to limit the meaning of ἀγαθός at this point, but am hard-pressed to find an alternative: “goods” has the same issues as good things, and “goodnesses,” while accurate, seems very awkward. “For a shadow having the law of these coming goodnesses” isn’t necessarily a better translation than For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come, but consider the reality behind these words.

Paul explained: law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient.⁷ In other words, law (Torah) was intended to put “the old human” (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), born of Adam, fathered by the devil, your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁸ on a path toward righteousness. The end of that path, however, is not a reformed or rehabilitated “old human,” a shadow…of these coming goodnesses: We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος) was crucified with [Christ] in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.⁹

Hebrews 10:1 continues: οὐκ αὐτὴν, instead of (literally “not she,” remember the feminine shadow Σκιὰν; e.g., “she is not”), τὴν εἰκόνα, the true form, τῶν πραγμάτων, of these realities. I prefer not to dispute the true form as a translation of τὴν εἰκόνα, but feel obliged to acknowledge that εἰκόνα, a singular feminine form of εἰκών can mean: “a likeness, image, portrait; form, appearance; phantom, apparition; something made to resemble something else.” The latter option seems the most pertinent here. These “coming goodnesses” are made to resemble the last Adam…a life-giving spirit,¹⁰ our Lord Jesus Christ as the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; e.g., the new human) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹¹ In other words, the one born from above is τὴν εἰκόνα, while the highest achieving old human’s right actions are merely a Σκιὰν, an accusative form of σκιά (“shadow, shade, darkness”), however daunting and perplexing that may seem.

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.¹²

Hebrews 10:1 continues: κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν, by every year, ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις, the same sacrifices, ἃς προσφέρουσιν, that are offered, εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς, continually, οὐδέποτε |δύναται|, never can, τοὺς προσερχομένους τελειῶσαι, those who draw near make perfect.

The Greek of Hebrews 10:2 is: ἐπεὶ, Otherwise, οὐκ ἂν ἐπαύσαντο, would they not have ceased, προσφερόμεναι, to be offered (or “being offered”), διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν, since no longer would have, ἔτι συνείδησιν ἁμαρτιῶν, any consciousness of sins, τοὺς λατρεύοντας, the worshipers (literally, “those worshiping”), ἅπαξ κεκαθαρισμένους (or κεκαθαρμενους), once having been cleansed?

The Greek of Hebrews 10:3 is: ἀλλ᾿ ἐν αὐταῖς, But in these sacrifices (or “But by means of these”), ἀνάμνησις ἁμαρτιῶν, a reminder of sins, κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτόν, there is every year (or “by every year”).

And finally, the Greek of Hebrews 10:4 is: ἀδύνατον γὰρ αἷμα, For it is impossible for the blood (or “For impossible for blood,” or “For impossible for bloodshed”), ταύρων καὶ τράγων, of bulls and [of] goats, ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας, to take away sins. The active infinitive verb ἀφαιρεῖν is a form of ἀφαιρέω in the present tense: “to separate, deduct, subtract; to remove, cut off, smite off; to strip off; to shift positions of; to deduct in advance and set apart (from the rest).”

A table comparing Hebrews 10:2 in the KJV and NET follows.

Hebrews 10:2 (NET)	Hebrews 10:2 (KJV)
For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have no further consciousness of sin?	For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Hebrews 10:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 10:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 10:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐπαύσαντο προσφερόμεναι διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν ἔτι συνείδησιν ἁμαρτιῶν τοὺς λατρεύοντας ἅπαξ κεκαθαρισμένους	επει ουκ αν επαυσαντο προσφερομεναι δια το μηδεμιαν εχειν ετι συνειδησιν αμαρτιων τους λατρευοντας απαξ κεκαθαρμενους	επει ουκ αν επαυσαντο προσφερομεναι δια το μηδεμιαν εχειν ετι συνειδησιν αμαρτιων τους λατρευοντας απαξ κεκαθαρμενους

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κεκαθαρισμένους here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κεκαθαρμενους (KJV: purged). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same participle of καθαρίζω.

² Hebrews 10:1-4 (ESV)

³ 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) Table

⁴ 1 Corinthians 11:26 (ESV) Table

⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁶ I didn’t strictly follow the Greek word order in the case of Σκιὰν γὰρ, which would be “shadow for.” But I’ve grown accustomed to this formality of Greek syntax: the conjunction γὰρ does not begin a clause.

⁷ 1 Timothy 1:9b (ESV) Table

⁸ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁹ Romans 6:6 (ESV)

¹⁰ 1 Corinthians 15:45b (ESV)

¹¹ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹² Matthew 11:11 (ESV)

Exploration, Part 17

Posted on January 29, 2026 by admin

I want to continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:17-22 ESV).

And he² came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near [Table]. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God [Table], built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord [Table]. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

The Greek is: καὶ ἐλθὼν, And he came, εὐηγγελίσατο εἰρήνην, and preached peace, ὑμῖν τοῖς μακρὰν, to you who were far off, καὶ εἰρήνην τοῖς ἐγγύς, and peace to those who were near. The second instance of εἰρήνην is absent from the Byzantine Majority Text. If I adopt Maurice Robinson’s “view,” that the “Byzantine Priority…was the one that was considered the text from which the other text types or clusters derived over time,” I get: “And He came and preached peace to you, those far off (τοῖς μακρὰν) and those near (καὶ τοῖς ἐγγύς).”

And one of the scribes came up and heard Jesus and the Sadducees disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him (Mark 12:28-34 ESV):

“Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one [Table]. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’³ [Table]. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’⁴ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher (καλῶς, διδάσκαλε). You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices” [Table]. And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far (οὐ μακρὰν) from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Earlier in the 2^nd chapter of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul applied the concept far off to the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin, and the concept near to those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand).

Therefore remember that at one time you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin by those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand) since you were by means of that time apart from Christ, had become an outsider of citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and godless by means of the world [Table]. But now by means of Christ Jesus you, who at any time are far off (μακρὰν), have come into existence near at hand (ἐγγὺς) by means of Christ’s bloodshed.⁵

He recognized, however, that the more significant measure of far off and near was one’s affinity for the Word (Romans 10:5-13 ESV).

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them⁶ [Table]. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart,⁷ ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”⁸ (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”⁹ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near (ἐγγύς) you, in your mouth and in your heart”¹⁰ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone (πᾶς) who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”¹¹

One’s starting position as Gentile or Jew has little direct impact upon one’s affinity for the Word: So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,¹² John wrote. These were those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand). Not only that, they were those who had believed Jesus. The Greek words translated who had believed are τοὺς πεπιστευκότας, a participle of πιστεύω in the perfect tense.

The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect…Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.¹³

In other words, their faith was in full operation as Jesus’ spoke with them. Their status seems as near as anyone could imagine. Now consider their affinity for the Word as Jesus questions the value of their own estimations of their status (John 8:31-33 ESV):

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” [Table]

Jesus described how one is born from above: abide in my word. He looked forward to the cross, and beyond the cross to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit would reside in them, after He had created the one new man. No, I don’t imagine that the Jews who had believed him (and continued in that faith) understood all of this at that particular moment. But the duplicity of their answer demonstrates that they realized He wasn’t talking about political freedom: We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. The Roman occupation of Israel was not quite the same expression of the Lord’s anger as the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Judah (2 Kings 24:20-25:26), but were they not Jews? Did they not chafe under Roman rule? Did they not hope for a Messiah to liberate them from it?

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”¹⁴ He was blunt and direct, and translating ὁ ποιῶν, the nominative present participle of ποιέω in the active voice, who practices corrupts and dilutes his meaning: “that everyone (πᾶς) who does (ὁ ποιῶν) sin the sin slave (τὴν ἁμαρτίαν δοῦλος) is.” What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit, Jesus said to Nicodemus. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’¹⁵ The “sin slave” is synonymous with your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, e.g., the old human), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.¹⁶ And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away (περιελεῖν, a form of περιαιρέω) sins.¹⁷

The slave does not remain in the house forever,¹⁸ Jesus continued. In other words, “the sin slave,” your old self, the old human does not have eternal life, not now, not ever, never. But, the son remains forever.¹⁹ The Son has eternal life: So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.²⁰ How? “If you abide in my word…you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”²¹

Then the Truth began to address the difference between being offspring of Abraham (σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ) in the flesh and having Abraham as a father by means of the Spirit (John 8:37, 38 ESV).

I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father” [Table].

The Jews who had believed him²² caught the drift of Jesus’ words, even as they rejected their truth: They answered him, “Abraham is our father.”²³ So Jesus put a very fine point on the meaning of having Abraham as a father (John 8:39b-41a ESV).

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did [Table], but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did” [Table].

This is an opportune moment to reconsider the words Jesus spoke that the Jews who had believed him heard with faith (John 8:21b-30 ESV).

“I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said²⁴ to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him” [Table]. They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me [Table]. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him” [Table]. As he was saying these things (Ταῦτα), many believed in him.

You are from below; I am from above; You are of this world; I am not of this world, were some of the words the Jews who had believed him heard when they believed. Their defensive response to Jesus indicates that they grasped his meaning, at least in part (John 8:41b ESV).

They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God” [Table].

So Jesus explained what it means to be born of God (John 8:42 ESV).

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me [Table].

Then He explained what it means to be from below, of this world (John 8:43-47 ESV).

Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do (θέλετε ποιεῖν; literally “you want to do”) your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies [Table]. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? [Table] Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

In other words, though they might be considered near as Jews, their lack of affinity for the Word of God demonstrates how far off they actually were. This is the unbridgeable distance that makes the nearness of the circumcised relative to Gentiles relatively insignificant: For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one²⁵ (Romans 3:9-12 ESV):

What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one”²⁶ [Table].

The “sin slave,” your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, e.g., the old human), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires²⁷ is persistent in its defense of itself, hell-bent to kick against the goads.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.²⁸

“Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ astonished disciples exclaimed after He described the difficulty of entering the kingdom of heaven. But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”²⁹ “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”³⁰ And they have conquered [the great dragon…that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world³¹] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν) even unto death.³²

Translating τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν their lives focuses too much attention on the flesh. Let’s not use the devil’s abuse of God’s children as the key to interpreting Jesus’ words. Only αὐτῶν is plural: they loved not their soul—“the sin slave,” your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, e.g., the old human), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires³³—even unto death. As Jesus said (John 12:25 ESV):

Whoever loves his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; literally “his soul from below, of this world”) loses it, and whoever hates his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ; literally “his soul from below”) in this world will keep it for eternal life [Table].

Ephesians 2:18 and 2:19 continued: ὅτι δι᾿ αὐτοῦ, For through him, ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι, we both have access (or “we have access, the both,”), ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι, in one Spirit (or “by means of one Spirit”), πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, to the Father. Αρα οὖν, So then, οὐκέτι, no longer, ἐστὲ ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, you are strangers and aliens (or “are you strangers and aliens”), ἀλλὰ ἐστὲ, but you are, συμπολῖται τῶν ἁγίων, fellow citizens with the saints (or “fellow-citizens of the holy”), καὶ οἰκεῖοι, and members of the household, τοῦ θεοῦ, of God. In other words you are: the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.³⁴

Thus far the truth to be hearing with faith³⁵ is: And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we have access, the both, by means of one Spirit to the Father. So then no longer are you strangers and aliens but you are fellow-citizens of the holy and members of the household of God, Ἐποικοδομηθέντες, built (or “having been built”), ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ, on the foundation (or “by means of the foundation”), τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, of the apostles and prophets, ὄντος, being, ἀκρογωνιαίου, the cornerstone, αὐτοῦ, himself, Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, Christ Jesus, ἐν ᾧ, in whom (or “by means of whom”), πᾶσα οἰκοδομὴ, the whole structure, συναρμολογουμένη, being joined together, αὔξει εἰς ναὸν ἅγιον, grows into a holy temple, ἐν κυρίῳ, in the Lord (or “by means of the Lord”); ἐν ᾧ καὶ, In him also (or “By means of whom also”), ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε, you are being built together, εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ, into a dwelling place for God (or “into a dwelling-place of God,” or “into God’s dwelling-place”), ἐν πνεύματι, by the Spirit (or “by means of the Spirit”).

To review Ephesians 2, consider first the multiplexed truths of the dative case (Ephesians 2:1-3 EXP14):

By means of (in)…

To…

And you (as bodies hosting both an old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,³⁶ and a new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness³⁷) are dead (ὄντας νεκροὺς; or “being dead”) by means of your trespasses and sins [Table] by means of which once you walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit now at work by means of the sons of disbelief—among whom also we all lived once by means of the passions of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and the understanding, and were children by means of nature of wrath like also the rest [Table].

And you (a new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness³⁸) are dead (ὄντας νεκροὺς; or “being dead”) to your trespasses and sins [Table] by means of which once you walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit now at work by means of the sons of disbelief—among whom also we all lived once by means of the passions of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and the understanding, and were children by means of nature of wrath like also the rest [Table].

But God being rich by means of mercy because of his great love who loved us in spite of being us, dead in our trespasses (by means of grace you are, were and continue to be saved and raised up and seated by means of the heavenly by means of Christ Jesus), so that he might show by means of the ages to come the immeasurable riches of his grace by means of kindness toward us by means of Christ Jesus [Table]. For by means of grace you are, were and continue to be saved through faith, and this not from within you, God’s gift [Table], not out from works, so that no one may boast [about oneself]. For we are his workmanship, created by means of Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand, so that by means of them we may walk.³⁹

Therefore remember that at one time you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin by those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand) since you were by means of that time apart from Christ, had become an outsider of citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and godless by means of the world [Table]. But now by means of Christ Jesus you, who at any time [by means of the flesh, by means of that time] are far off, have come into existence near at hand by means of Christ’s bloodshed.⁴⁰

For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas in order that He might create by means of himself the two into one new human, making peace [Table], and might reconcile the both by means of one body to God (by means of God) through the cross, having killed the hostility by means of Him.⁴¹

The truth to be hearing with faith⁴² is (Ephesians 2:17-22 EXP17):

And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near [Table]. For through him we have access, the both, by means of one Spirit to the Father. So then no longer are you strangers and aliens but you are fellow-citizens of the holy and members of the household of God [Table], having been built by means of the foundation of the apostles and prophets, being the cornerstone himself, Christ Jesus, by means of whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple by means of the Lord [Table]. By means of whom also you are being built together into God’s dwelling-place by means of the Spirit.

Tables comparing John 8:21 and 8:23 in the KJV and NET follow.

John 8:21 (NET)	John 8:21 (KJV)
Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will look for me but will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.”	Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

John 8:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἶπεν οὖν πάλιν αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ ὑπάγω καὶ ζητήσετε με, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑμῶν ἀποθανεῖσθε· ὅπου ἐγὼ ὑπάγω ὑμεῖς οὐ δύνασθε ἐλθεῖν	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους εγω υπαγω και ζητησετε με και εν τη αμαρτια υμων αποθανεισθε οπου εγω υπαγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν	ειπεν ουν παλιν αυτοις ο ιησους εγω υπαγω και ζητησετε με και εν τη αμαρτια υμων αποθανεισθε οπου εγω υπαγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν

John 8:23 (NET)	John 8:23 (KJV)
Jesus replied, “You people are from below; I am from above. You people are from this world; I am not from this world.	And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 8:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· ὑμεῖς ἐκ τῶν κάτω ἐστέ, ἐγὼ ἐκ τῶν ἄνω εἰμί· ὑμεῖς ἐκ τούτου τοῦ κόσμου ἐστέ, ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου	και ειπεν αυτοις υμεις εκ των κατω εστε εγω εκ των ανω ειμι υμεις εκ του κοσμου τουτου εστε εγω ουκ ειμι εκ του κοσμου τουτου	και ειπεν αυτοις υμεις εκ των κατω εστε εγω εκ των ανω ειμι υμεις εκ του κοσμου τουτου εστε εγω ουκ ειμι εκ του κοσμου τουτου

Exploration, Part 18

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² But now by means of Christ Jesus you, who at any time are far off, have come into existence near at hand by means of Christ’s bloodshed (Ephesians 2:13 EXP15).

³ See Atonement, Part 5 and The Day of the Lord, Part 8 for tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁴ See The Day of the Lord, Part 8 for a table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁵ Ephesians 2:11-13 EXP15

⁶ See Romans, Part 13 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁷ See Romans, Part 13 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁸ See Romans, Part 13 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

⁹ See Romans, Part 13 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹⁰ See Romans, Part 13 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹¹ See Romans, Part 38 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint.

¹² John 8:31a (ESV)

¹³ From Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁴ John 8:34 (ESV)

¹⁵ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

¹⁶ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁷ Hebrews 10:11 (ESV)

¹⁸ John 8:35a (ESV)

¹⁹ John 8:35b (ESV)

²⁰ John 8:36 (ESV)

²¹ John 8:31b, 32 (ESV)

²² John 8:31a (ESV)

²³ John 8:39a (ESV) Table

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔλεγεν here, a form of λέγω in the imperfect tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπεν in the 2^nd aorist tense.

²⁵ Ephesians 2:14a (EXP16) Detail 1, Detail 2

²⁶ See Hannah’s Prayer, Part 1 for a detailed consideration of Paul’s quotation/allusion.

²⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁸ Invictus, by William Ernest Henley

²⁹ Matthew 19:25b, 26 (ESV) Table

³⁰ John 12:32 (ESV)

³¹ Revelation 12:9 (ESV) Table

³² Revelation 12:11 (ESV)

³³ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

³⁴ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁵ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

³⁷ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁹ Ephesians 2:4-10 (EXP14)

⁴⁰ Ephesians 2:11-13 (EXP15)

⁴¹ Ephesians 2:14-16 (EXP16)

⁴² Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

3 John, Part 8

Posted on November 23, 2025 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical text and received text diverge slightly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical and received texts diverge significantly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:14-24 ESV)

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

And he took up his discourse and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

¹ 3 John, Part 3

² 3 John, Part 3

³ Luke 6:17b, 18a (ESV)

⁴ Matthew 7:17a (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 7:17b (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 7:18 (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 7:18a (ESV)

⁸ Luke 6:43 on Bible Hub

⁹ Matthew 7:18b (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 6:44a (ESV)

¹¹ John 3:21 (ESV)

¹² John 14:6 (ESV)

¹³ Mark 10:18b (ESV)

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

¹⁵ Romans 9:30b (ESV)

¹⁶ Romans 9:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

²⁰ Psalm 119:10 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²¹ Genesis 1:26a (English Elpenor) Table

²² Genesis 1:27 (English Elpenor) Table

²³ Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor) Table

²⁴ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁶ Matthew 16:24c, 25 (ESV)

²⁷ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁹ An allusion to John 1:1-4

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

³¹ Philippians 3:21b (ESV) Table

³² Romans 6:3, 4 (ESV)

³³ Galatians 4:19 (ESV) Table

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

³⁵ Numbers 24:25 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

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

³⁸ Ibid.

³⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Ephesians 4:22

Who is a Christian? Part 1

Antichrist, Part 6

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Exploration, Part 19

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 4

Exploration, Part 18

Hebrews 10:1-4

Exploration, Part 17

3 John, Part 8