Exploration, Part 6

Posted on January 13, 2025 by admin

Paul continued to describe the freedom for which Christ has set us free¹ (Galatians 5:18-21 ESV).

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality (πορνεία), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God [Table].

The Greek was: εἰ δὲ, But if, πνεύματι᾿, by the Spirit, ἄγεσθε, you are led. I want to pause here because I’ve misunderstood this clause while I thought walking by the Spirit was my work rather than a result of the freedom for which Christ has set us free; namely, the new man led by the Spirit of God.² I thought εἰ, if, cast doubt on the new man walking by the Spirit, which is embarrassing since I have sufficient philosophical background to recognize the antecedent of a conditional statement.

When Paul wrote εἰ δὲ, “But if,” ὃ οὐ θέλω, “that not I want,” [ἐγὼ] τοῦτο ποιῶ, “I this do” (ESV: Now if I do what I do not want³), it was not to cast doubt on a previously stated fact: For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.⁴ Rather, it was to highlight the consequent of that fact: it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.⁵ Likewise, “But if by the Spirit you are led” does not cast doubt on the fact that the new man is led by the Spirit of God. Rather, it highlights the consequent of that fact: you are not under the law.⁶

The Greek was: οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον; literally, “not you are under (or, under the authority of) law.” The old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁷ ignores everything else that was written to pounce on this, saying, “O goody, now I can do whatever I want!” This is a perfect opportunity ἀποθέσθαι ὑμᾶς; literally, “to lay aside you,” κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἀναστροφὴν, “in regard to the first (or, former) behavior (or, conduct, or, way of life),” τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, “the old man (or, human).”⁸ So, “to lay aside you in regard to the former way of life, the old man.”

Paul had already characterized the behavior, conduct or way of life of the old man as how Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17-19 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.

The translation you must…walk treats the verb περιπατεῖν as a 2^nd person plural form of περιπατέω in the imperative mood. It is actually an infinitive in the present tense: “to walk.” The plural pronoun ὑμᾶς precedes περιπατεῖν but is not the subject of this clause: ὑμᾶς is in the accusative case and is most likely the direct object of the verb περιπατεῖν. In Romans 16:25a (ESV) for instance, Now to him who is able to strengthen you, the phrase to strengthen you was ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι, an infinitive form of στηρίζω in the aorist tense (Interlinear Bible: you to strengthen). Granted, to walk you wouldn’t sound right in English, though it may be closer to the actual meaning. The Interlinear Bible rendered Ephesians 4:17, This therefore I say and testify in [the] Lord No longer [are] you to walk as also the Gentiles are walking in [the] futility of the mind of them. Here the verb of being [are] was added to make the English flow better.

I resist the idea, however, that Paul used ἐν κυρίῳ (in the Lord) like an oath to bolster his testifying. It seems more likely he testified that “in the Lord no longer [are] you to walk as also the Gentiles walk in futility of their minds” (νοὸς, a genitive singular form of νοῦς; e.g., “their own intention”). Whether Paul and the Holy Spirit intended this as a rule to obey or an outcome of [being] ἐν κυρίῳ may be an open question, but I favor the latter.

In the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text) the adjective λοιπα, a plural form of λοιπός, was interposed between the (τὰ) and Gentiles (ἔθνη) (KJV: the other Gentiles) [Table]. It is absent from the critical text (NET Parallel Greek and NA²⁸). The critical text enjoys the cachet of being closer to the original text, but the editors trust their methods enough to remove words, phrases and clauses from the received text. Textus Receptus Bibles online offers several opportunities to compare the received texts to the current version of the critical text.

I wondered if Paul would have called Gentiles the other Gentiles in this context. It implies that the Ephesians were also Gentiles despite his previous address to them: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις) who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.⁹ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, he wrote the Romans, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles¹⁰ (ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν). He had previously addressed them: To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints (κλητοῖς ἁγίοις).¹¹

The plural the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη) followed by the verb περιπατεῖ (ESV: do), a 3^rd person singular form of περιπατέω, seems to render the Gentiles of Ephesians 4:17 as something more conceptual than actual (plural Gentiles engaged in singular activity). This is not to say that there were no actual Gentiles who behaved as Paul described, but that Paul, when writing about actual Gentiles, was well aware of the variety of Gentile behaviors, including doing what the law requires (Romans 2:12-16 ESV).

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous (δίκαιοι, a form of δίκαιος) before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified (δικαιωθήσονται, a form of δικαιόω) [Table]. For when Gentiles (ἔθνη, a plural form of ἔθνος), who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law [Table]. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

So what concept do Paul’s conceptual Gentiles of Ephesians 4:17 embody? It is evident by what follows that they were the old man entangled in a yoke of slavery to sin. They were in the flesh.

The Walk (doing) of the Gentiles (Ephesians 4:18, 19 ESV)	The Works of the Flesh (Galatians 5:19-21a ESV)
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.	Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality (πορνεία), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these [Table].

But Gentiles were not without hope (Galatians 3:7-9 ESV):

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify (δικαιοῖ, a form of δίκαιος) the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη) by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη) be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The phrase οἱ ἐκ πίστεως occurs twice above: (v. 7) those of faith, and (v. 9) those who are of faith. These are the new man, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God;¹² the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness;¹³ the saints who…are faithful in Christ Jesus;¹⁴ we who For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.¹⁵ As Jesus said to Nicodemus: Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’;¹⁶ literally, δεῖ, “it is necessary,” ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι, “you [plural] to be born,” ἄνωθεν, “from above” (e.g., by the Spirit of God).

The conceptual Gentiles Paul described had yet to receive¹⁷ The true light, which gives light to everyone.¹⁸ They had not yet believed in his name.¹⁹ But that is insufficient to invalidate Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself. Christ redeemed us,²⁰ Paul wrote the Galatians, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη), so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (διὰ τῆς πίστεως).²¹ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.²²

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 who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach²³ the good news!” [Table]²⁴

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.²⁵

The verb περιπατήσωμεν (ESV: we should walk), a 1^st person plural form of περιπατέω, is in the subjunctive mood and aorist tense. It follows the conjunction ἵνα (ESV: that). This is a purpose or result clause:

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.

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.²⁶

In other words, “we walk in” the good works, which God prepared beforehand, at some point in time undesignated by Paul’s statement of fact. I want to return again now to But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.²⁷

I hope it is clear that everyone born of Adam has an old man, enslaved to the flesh, pursuing its desires. That is who you are before you turn to faith in Christ. I hope it is clear how to become a new man born of the Spirit of God and led by the Spirit of God by changing your mind about Jesus (μετάνοια) and believing Him. I hope it is clear that He wants this for you and is drawing you to Himself. I’ll continue to consider what Paul meant by ὑπὸ νόμον (ESV: under the law).

He wrote elsewhere (Romans 7:1-6 ESV):

Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding (κυριεύει, a form of κυριεύω) on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members lo bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

I’ll focus first on a married woman. The Greek was: ἡ γὰρ, For a, ὕπανδρος γυνὴ, married woman. Yes, ὕπανδρος can mean married, but in this context it may be more appropriate to understand it as: “For a subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman,” or “For an under-a-man’s-authority woman.” The Greek continued: τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ, “by the life of husband (or, of man),” δέδεται νόμῳ, is bound by law. The ESV translation of δέδεται, is bound, sounds right if this were a passive form of δέω. The Koine Greek Lexicon actually lists a richer meaning for the middle/passive voice: “to lack, miss, stand in need of a person or thing; to be less, short (e.g., Quadratus says, “19½ years” as “20 years less 6 months”); to be in want or need; to be necessary; to ask for a thing from a person; to plead, pray, beseech, beg.” In other words, “For a subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman by the life of husband stands in need by law.”

Paul may have had a very specific “subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman” in mind here. Peter had held up Sarah as an example for wives (γυναῖκες): as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, he wrote.²⁸ Her story serves to illustrate Paul’s point (Genesis 12:11-13 ESV).

When [Abram] was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance [Table], and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live [Table]. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake” [Table].

Paul continued (Romans 7:3a ESV):

Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives (γένηται, a form of γίνομαι) with another man while her husband is alive.

Sarai apparently obeyed Abram without protest as events transpired according to his word (Genesis 12:14-16a ESV).

When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful [Table]. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house [Table]. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram… [Table]

Paul had already explained why Sarai wouldn’t be called an adulteress (Romans 5:12, 13 ESV):

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

My point (and Paul’s possibly) is that obeying the law of her husband Abram made it impossible for Sarai to obey the law, which came 430 years afterward:²⁹ “You shall not commit adultery.”³⁰ In other words, under the law of her husband Sarai was like Those who are in the flesh [who] cannot please God.³¹ But if her husband dies, Paul continued, she is free from that law (ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου), and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.³²

By all appearances, Abram didn’t free Sarai by dying. The story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah is about God’s faithfulness to them, growing their faith in Him (and their faithfulness to Him) by his own love and grace throughout their lives (before the law was given). The writer of Hebrews summarized the outcome of Abraham’s faith (Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV):

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

So I assume that in the end Sarah was released from Abram’s fearful and Abraham’s prejudiced commandment, and that she, too, was enabled to live faithfully, both to her husband and to God. None of this is to say that the response Sarai/Sarah had to the predicament Abram/Abraham put her in isn’t endearing, romantic and sexy to the heart of man. It is to say that what is endearing, romantic or sexy to the heart of man is not necessarily, for those reasons alone, synonymous with the righteousness of God, the gift of righteousness.

Likewise, my brothers, Paul continued, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.³³ By all appearances, the plural you (ὑμεῖς), to whom Paul wrote, didn’t die. He expected them to be alive to hear or to read his letter, in which was already written (Romans 6:6-11 ESV):

We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος, aka our old man) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved (δουλεύειν) to sin. For one who has died has been set free (δεδικαίωται, a form of δικαιόω) from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus [Table].

The phrase you…must consider yourselves was ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς. It is clearly a truth to believe rather than a work to achieve. The work was accomplished by Christ: all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death³⁴…the life he lives he lives to God. So you also…consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus [Table].³⁵ Translating λογίζεσθε as an imperative form of λογίζομαι rather than as a statement of fact in the indicative mood was unnecessary. And λογίζεσθε is the only 2^nd person plural form of λογίζομαι in the present tense listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

Once the old self has been crucified with Christ, you (ὑμεῖς), the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,³⁶ also have died to the law through the body of Christ³⁷ and are free to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.³⁸ For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.³⁹

For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.⁴⁰ The Greek was: ὅτε γὰρ, “For when,” ἦμεν, “we were,” ἐν τῇ σαρκί, “in the flesh,” τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, “the sufferings (or misfortunes, or passions) of sin,” τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου, “through the law,” ἐνηργεῖτο, “were continually⁴¹ active.” This is what Paul meant by the phrase under the law⁴² (ὑπὸ νόμον). For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.⁴³

This knowledge is more than an intellectual awareness of sin, specified by law as that which is unlawful (Romans 7:7-13 ESV).

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

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

But if you are led by the Spirit, Paul explained another of the better promises of the new covenant, you are not under the law.⁴⁴ Why then the law?⁴⁵ he asked. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (14) in the NET, Paul quoted from Joel 2:32 in Romans 10:13. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 10:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:32a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Joel 3:5a (Septuagint Elpenor)
πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται	καὶ ἔσται πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται	καὶ ἔσται, πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σωθήσεται
Romans 10:13 (NET)	Joel 2:32a (NETS)	Joel 3:5a (English Elpenor)
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.	And it shall be, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,	And it shall come to pass [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved:

According to a note (18) in the NET, Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15 in Romans 10:15. Tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation from the critical text and the received text with that of the Septuagint follow.

Romans 10:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά
Romans 10:15b (NET)	Isaiah 52:27a (NETS)	Isaiah 52:27a (English Elpenor)
“How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”	like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things,	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ως ωραιοι οι ποδες των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην των ευαγγελιζομενων τα αγαθα	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά
Romans 10:15b (KJV)	Isaiah 52:27a (NETS)	Isaiah 52:27a (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!	like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things,	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Nahum 1:15a (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά	ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην
Romans 10:15b (NET)	Nahum 1:15a (NETS)	Nahum 2:1a (English Elpenor)
“How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”	Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace.	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Nahum 1:15a (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ως ωραιοι οι ποδες των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην των ευαγγελιζομενων τα αγαθα	ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην
Romans 10:15b (KJV)	Nahum 1:15a (NETS)	Nahum 2:1a (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!	Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace.	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

A table comparing Nahum 1:15 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and a table comparing the Greek of Nahum 1:15 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Nahum 1:15 (Tanakh)	Nahum 1:15 (KJV)	Nahum 1:15 (NET)
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.	Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.	Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you; they have been completely destroyed.”

Nahum 1:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην ἑόρταζε Ιουδα τὰς ἑορτάς σου ἀπόδος τὰς εὐχάς σου διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσωσιν ἔτι τοῦ διελθεῖν διὰ σοῦ εἰς παλαίωσιν συντετέλεσται ἐξῆρται	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην· ἑόρταζε, ᾿Ιούδα, τὰς ἑορτάς σου, ἀπόδος τὰς εὐχάς σου, διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσωσιν ἔτι τοῦ διελθεῖν διὰ σοῦ εἰς παλαίωσιν. – Συντετέλεσται, ἐξῇρται
Nahum 1:15 (NETS)	Nahum 2:1 (English Elpenor)
Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace. Celebrate your feasts, O Ioudas; pay your vows, for they shall not add any longer to pass on to becoming old.	Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep thy feasts, pay thy vows: for they shall no more pass through thee to [thy] decay. It is all over with him, he has been removed,

Back to Romans, Part 20

¹ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

² Exploration, Part 5

³ Romans 7:20a (ESV) Table

⁴ Romans 7:15 (ESV)

⁵ Romans 7:20b (ESV) Table

⁶ Galatians 5:18b (ESV)

⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁸ Ephesians 4:22a (NA²⁸)

⁹ Ephesians 1:1 (ESV)

¹⁰ Romans 1:13 (ESV)

¹¹ Romans 1:7a (ESV)

¹² John 1:13 (ESV)

¹³ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁴ Ephesians 1:1b (ESV)

¹⁵ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

¹⁶ John 3:7 (ESV) Here, again in Greek ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι: the plural accusative you is most likely the direct object of the passive infinitive verb to be born, but “it is necessary to be born you from above” would be very awkward in English. “It is necessary [for] you to be born from above” might suffice.

¹⁷ John 1:12a (ESV)

¹⁸ John 1:9a (ESV)

¹⁹ John 1:12b (ESV)

²⁰ Galatians 3:13a (ESV) Table

²¹ Galatians 3:14 (ESV)

²² Romans 10:17 (ESV) Table

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην (KJV: the gospel of peace) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ Romans 10:12-17 (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

²⁶ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood and Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense respectively, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁷ Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

²⁸ 1 Peter 3:6a (ESV)

²⁹ Galatians 3:17a (ESV) Table I was curious how Hammurabi’s Code of Laws dealt with a wife’s adultery: “143. If she has committed adultery, then she shall be executed by being thrown into the water.” Then I was curious if there were any further developments in the dating of Hammurabi’s reign relative to the life of Abraham, and came across the following: “For many years, Abraham was believed to have lived at the same time as Hammurabi, king of Babylon. Later scholars would date Abraham to the period shortly before the reign of Hammurabi. However, the result of recent research is that the chronology of the ancient world is being redated. Hammurabi now appears to be a near contemporary of Moses instead of Abraham” (From “Abraham and the Chronology of Ancient Mesopotamia” by Matt McClellan in Answers Research Journal online.) This is a surprising enough conclusion that I remain a little skeptical, but I’ll continue to consider the evidence as I hear more about it.

³⁰ Exodus 20:14 (ESV) Table

³¹ Romans 8:8 (ESV)

³² Romans 7:3b (ESV)

³³ Romans 7:4 (ESV)

³⁴ Romans 6:3b (ESV)

³⁵ Romans 6:10b, 11 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁷ Romans 7:4a (ESV)

³⁸ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

³⁹ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁰ Romans 7:5 (ESV)

⁴¹ “The imperfect tense shows continuous or linear type of action just like the present tense. It always indicates an action continually or repeatedly happening in past time. It portrays the action as going on for some extended period of time in the past.” From Verb Tenses: Imperfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴² Galatians 5:18b (ESV)

⁴³ Romans 3:20 (ESV)

⁴⁴ Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

⁴⁵ Galatians 3:19a (ESV)

Christianity, Part 12

Posted on October 6, 2023 by admin

There are 3 occurrences of πάντας in 1 Corinthians [see Table below] the Greek word translated all people in: And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people (πάντας, a form of πᾶς) to myself.¹ This is a continuation of my consideration of the first (1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV):

I wish that all (πάντας ἀνθρώπους) were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another [Table].

I think everyone (NET) is a good translation of πάντας ἀνθρώπους above, despite “Paul’s assumptions [in 1 Corinthians 7:32-34] about the beautiful preoccupations of an unmarried man and an unmarried or betrothed woman”² limited to “those who were born…of the flesh of Adam” and born “from above…by the Spirit.”³ Here I want to explore the beauty of the story of Abraham, Sarah and Abimelech more thoroughly. It began when Abram and Sarai journeyed to Egypt.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:10-13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:10-13 (NET)	Genesis 12:10-13 (NETS)	Genesis 12:10-13 (English Elpenor)
And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.	There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.	And a famine occurred upon the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine prevailed upon the land.	And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife (אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ): ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair (יְפַת) woman (אִשָּׁ֥ה) to look upon (מַרְאֶ֖ה).	As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife (‘iššâ, אשתו) Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman [NET note 34: Heb “a woman (‘iššâ, אשה) beautiful (yāp̄ê, יפת) of appearance (mar’ê, מראה) are you”].	And it came about when Abram drew near to enter into Egypt that Abram said to his wife (τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ) Sara, “I do know that your are a woman (γυνὴ) beautiful in countenance (εὐπρόσωπος),	And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife (τῇ γυναικί), I know that thou art a fair (εὐπρόσωπος) woman (γυνὴ).
And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife (אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ); and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive.	When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife (‘iššâ, אשתו).’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.	it will be, therefore, that should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’ (γυνὴ αὐτοῦ), and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves.	It shall come to pass then that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife (γυνὴ αὐτοῦ), and they shall slay me, but they shall save thee alive.
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.’	So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.”	Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul will live on your account.”	Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me on account of thee, and my soul shall live because of thee.

I am harder on Abram/Abraham about this fear than I should be. I’ve never lived in a world where anyone thought to kill me before having sex with my girlfriends or wives. Only God’s care makes Abram’s fear seem foolish. I’ve certainly feared matters of much less import when I should have trusted Him. And Abram’s fear—should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’, and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves⁴—sounds very much like a rationalization of the religious mind among those who have some compunction about sex with another man’s wife.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:14-16 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:14-16 (NET)	Genesis 12:14-16 (NETS)	Genesis 12:14-16 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman (הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה) that she was very (מְאֹֽד) fair (יָפָ֥ה).	When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman (‘iššâ, האשה) was very (mᵊ’ōḏ, מאד) beautiful (yāp̄ê, יפה).	And it came about when Abram entered into Egypt—as the Egyptians saw the woman (τὴν γυναῖκα), that she was very (σφόδρα) beautiful (καλὴ)—	And it came to pass when Abram entered into Egypt– the Egyptians having seen his wife (τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ) that she was very (σφόδρα) beautiful (καλὴ)–
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken (וַתֻּקַּ֥ח) into Pharaoh’s house [Table].	When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken (lāqaḥ, ותקח) into the household of Pharaoh,	that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised her to Pharao and brought (εἰσήγαγον) her into Pharao’s house [Table].	that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought (εἰσήγαγον) her into the house of Pharao.
And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels [Table].	and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.	And for her sake they dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep and calves and donkeys, male and female slaves, mules and camels [Table].	And they treated Abram well on her account, and he had sheep, and calves, and asses, and men-servants, and women-servants, and mules, and camels.

The Hebrew word יָפָ֥ה (yāp̄ê), fair (Tanakh, KJV), beautiful (NET), was translated καλὴ, a form of καλός, in the Septuagint. I want to review what happened after Abimelech took Sarah to contrast that beauty to the story of Pharaoh and Sarai.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:3 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 20:3 (NET)	Genesis 20:3 (NETS) Table	Genesis 20:3 (English Elpenor)
But G-d came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him: ‘Behold, thou shalt die, because of the woman (הָֽאִשָּׁ֣ה) whom thou hast taken (לָקַ֔חְתָּ); for she is a man’s wife’.	But God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman (‘iššâ, האשה) you have taken (lāqaḥ, לקחת), for she is someone else’s wife.”	And God came in to Abimelech in his sleep during the night and said, “Look, you are about to die by reason of the woman (τῆς γυναικός) whom you have taken (ἔλαβες), whereas she is married to a man.”	And God came to Abimelech by night in sleep, and said, Behold, thou diest for the woman (τῆς γυναικός), whom thou hast taken (ἔλαβες), whereas she has lived with a husband.

God did not warn Pharaoh in a dream:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:17 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 12:17 (NET)	Genesis 12:17 (NETS) Table	Genesis 12:17 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife (אֵ֥שֶׁת).	But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת).	And God tried Pharao and his house with great and grievous trials because of Sara, Abram’s wife (τῆς γυναικὸς).	And God afflicted Pharao with great and severe afflictions, and his house, because of Sara, Abram’s wife (τῆς γυναικὸς).

Was Abimelech somehow different from Pharoah?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:4a (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 20:4a (NET)	Genesis 20:4a (NETS) Table	Genesis 20:4a (English Elpenor)
Now Abimelech had not come near (קָרַ֖ב) her;	Now Abimelech had not gone near (qāraḇ, קרב) her.	Now Abimelech had not touched (ἥψατο) her,	But Abimelech had not touched (ἥψατο) her,

The implication is strong that Pharoah had…come near (qāraḇ, קָרַ֖ב) her (Tanakh), he had…touched (ἥψατο) her (NETS, English Elpenor). Is that why God appeared to Abimelech in a dream at night,⁵ but struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases?⁶ Well, maybe, since the law, which came [more than] 430 years afterward⁷ said, “You shall not commit adultery”⁸?

But that answer only prompts another question, for God said to Abimelech:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:6b (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 20:6b (NET)	Genesis 20:6b (NETS) Table	Genesis 20:6b (English Elpenor)
I also withheld thee from sinning against Me. Therefore suffered I thee not to touch (לִנְגֹּ֥עַ) her.	I have kept you from sinning against me and..I did not allow you to touch (nāḡaʿ, לנגע) her.	I was the one who spared you so that you did not sin in regard to me. Therefore I did not allow you to touch (ἅψασθαι) her.	I spared thee, so that thou shouldest not sin against me, therefore I suffered thee not to touch (ἅψασθαι) her.

Here the implication that Pharoah sinned against God by touching Sarai borders on certainty.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:18, 19 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:18, 19 (NET)	Genesis 12:18, 19 (NETS)	Genesis 12:18, 19 (English Elpenor)
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said: ‘What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife (אִשְׁתְּךָ֖)?	So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife (‘iššâ,אשתך)?	Now when Pharao had called Abram he said, “What is this you have done to me, that you did not tell me that she is your wife (γυνή σού)?	And Pharao having called Abram, said, What is this thou hast done to me, that thou didst not tell me that she was thy wife (γυνή σου)?
Why saidst thou: She is my sister? so that I took (וָֽאֶקַּ֥ח) her to be my wife (לְאִשָּׁ֑ה); now therefore behold thy wife (אִשְׁתְּךָ֖), take her (קַ֥ח), and go thy way.’	Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took (lāqaḥ, ואקח) her to be my wife (‘iššâ, לאשה)? Now, here is your wife (‘iššâ, אשתך). Take her (lāqaḥ, קח) and go!”	Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? And I took (ἔλαβον) her to myself for a wife (γυναῖκα). And now here is your wife (ἡ γυνή σου) before you; take her (λαβὼν); hurry off.”	Wherefore didst thou say, She is my sister? and I took (ἔλαβον) her for a wife (γυναῖκα) to myself; and now, behold, thy wife (ἡ γυνή σου) is before thee, take her (λαβὼν) and go quickly away.

So, if God did not allow [Abimelech] to touch Sarah, why didn’t He do the same for Pharaoh and Sarai? Before I go on, I should acknowledge that Rashi potentially disputed my “certainty” that Pharaoh “touched” Sarai:⁹

And the Lord plagued Pharaoh…[with] great plagues: He was stricken with the plague of “ra’athan,” making intercourse harmful to him. Gen. Rabbah (41:2)

as well as his household: lit. and his house. As the Targum states: and upon the people of his house, (and its midrashic interpretation (Tan. Lech Lecha 8) is that this includes its walls, pillars, and utensils. In an old Rashi).

on account of Sarai: [The words עַל דְבַר שָׂרַי mean literally] according to her words: she would say to the angel, “Strike,” and he would strike. [from Tan. Lech Lecha 5]

From the word דְּבַ֥ר (dāḇār), a word not translated independently into English, Rashi constructed a scene where Sarai called on an angel to strike Pharaoh and his household. The word “strike” was וַיְנַגַּ֨ע (nāḡaʿ), translated plagued (Tanakh, KJV) and struck (NET), from the same root as לִנְגֹּ֥ע (nāḡaʿ), translated to touch (Tanakh, KJV, NET) when God told Abimelech: I did not allow you to touch her.¹⁰ Rashi didn’t say explicitly whether Sarai told the angel to strike before or after Pharaoh “touched” her. But consider God’s command to Abimelech:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 20:7 (NET)	Genesis 20:7 (NETS)	Genesis 20:7 (English Elpenor)
Now therefore restore the man’s wife (אֵֽשֶׁת); for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.’	But now give back the man’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת). Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”	And now return the woman (τὴν γυναῖκα) to the man, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If, however, you do not restore her, know that you shall die, you and all that are yours.”	But now return the man his wife (τὴν γυναῖκα); for he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; but if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt die and all thine.

Then consider Rashi’s commentary:¹¹

return the man’s wife: And do not think that perhaps she will be repugnant to him, and he will not accept her, or that he will hate you and not pray for you. (Abimelech said to Him, “Who will let him know that I did not touch her?” He replied,)

because he is a prophet: And he knows that you did not touch her; therefore, “he will pray for you.” – [from Tan. Buber, Vayera 25]

The suggestion here, that Sarai would or should “be repugnant” to Abram if she told the angel to strike after Pharaoh “touched” her, implies that Rashi intended before Pharaoh “touched” her. I was a little surprised that many if not most commentators seemed to hold that the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases¹² before Pharaoh “touched” Sarai. It was also the hope or expectation of most people I found online.¹³ It would’ve been my own preference. That’s why I’m pursuing the question.

It just seems to me now that the contrast between the two stories implies that Pharaoh “touched” Sarai. I’ll back off from my “certainty.” The text doesn’t explicitly say that Pharaoh “touched” Sarai any more than it says that Sarai “would say to the angel, ‘Strike,’ and he would strike.” The same phrase עַל־דְּבַ֥ר, made up of two words עַל (ʿal) and דְּבַ֥ר (dāḇār), is found in Genesis 20:11.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:11 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 20:11 (NET)	Genesis 20:11 (NETS) Table	Genesis 20:11 (English Elpenor)
And Abraham said: ‘Because I thought: Surely the fear of G-d is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.	Abraham replied, “Because I thought, ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of my wife.	And Abraam said, “Because I said, It appears there is no piety in this place, and so they will kill me because of my wife.	And Abraam said, Why I said, Surely there is not the worship of God in this place, and they will slay me because of my wife.

Here that two word phrase was translated for…sake (Tanakh) and because of (NET). A note (28) in the NET reads: “Heb ‘over the matter of.’” That seems to be the most reasonable understanding of the phrase in Genesis 12:17. The story of Sarai calling on an angel to defend her virtue would have been a good one to tell, if it actually happened. It sounds a little too much like the chivalric code:

The code of chivalry that developed in medieval Europe had its roots in earlier centuries. It arose in the Carolingian Empire from the idealisation of the cavalryman—involving military bravery, individual training, and service to others—especially in Francia, among horse soldiers in Charlemagne’s cavalry.^{[4]: 2 [5]}

It’s not too hard to imagine that a medieval French rabbi, learning and teaching at a time when these ideals of justice and virtue were percolating, thought that God would put his knight at the fair lady Sarai’s disposal. I’m a little distressed how unchivalrous Abram seems 918 years after Rashi died. This is how Abraham explained it to Abimelech:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 20:13 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 20:13 (NET)	Genesis 20:13 (NETS) Table	Genesis 20:13 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass, when G-d caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her: This is thy kindness (חַסְדֵּ֔ךְ) which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me: He is my brother.’	When God made me wander from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty (ḥeseḏ, חסדך) to me: Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”	Now it came about when God brought me forth from my father’s house, that then I said to her, ‘This righteousness (δικαιοσύνην) you shall do for me: in every place, there where we enter, say about me, He is my brother.’”	And it came to pass when God brought me forth out of the house of my father, that I said to her, This righteousness (δικαιοσύνην) thou shalt perform to me, in every place into which we may enter, say of me, He is my brother.

The Hebrew word חַסְדֵּ֔ךְ (ḥeseḏ), translated kindness (Tanakh, KJV) and loyalty (NET), was rendered δικαιοσύνην (righteousness) by the rabbis who translated the Septuagint. So, rather than cavil at Abraham’s apparent lack of medieval European moral sensibilities, I should marvel at how far Sarai/Sarah was willing to go to obey her husband, her owner, her lord.

Without speaking a word against Abraham, Peter drew a sharp contrast quietly commending Sarah as one who did good and [did] not fear anything that is frightening.¹⁴ And the Lord didn’t need to constantly critique and criticize Abraham as I am prone to do, since He had already given him a wife who demonstrated such faithful, patient obedience without fear, that he may be won¹⁵ without a word by the conduct of¹⁶ his wife.

I’ll pick this up in another essay. The table mentioned above follows.

Occurrences of πάντας in 1 Corinthians
Reference	NET Parallel Greek	ESV
1 Corinthians 7:7	θέλω δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους εἶναι ὡς καὶ ἐμαυτόν	I wish that all were as I myself am.
1 Corinthians 14:5	θέλω δὲ πάντας ὑμᾶς λαλεῖν γλώσσαις	Now I want you all to speak in tongues,
1 Corinthians 15:25	ἄχρι οὗ θῇ πάντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ	until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; 12:14; 12:18; 12:19 and 20:7 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:10; 12:11; 12:12; 12:13; 12:14; 12:18; 12:19 and 20:7 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing 1 Peter 3:1 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 12:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:10 (KJV)	Genesis 12:10 (NET)
And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land.	And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.	There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.

Genesis 12:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ κατέβη Αβραμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον παροικῆσαι ἐκεῖ ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν ὁ λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	Καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ κατέβη ῞Αβραμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον παροικῆσαι ἐκεῖ, ὅτι ἐνίσχυσεν ὁ λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Genesis 12:10 (NETS)	Genesis 12:10 (English Elpenor)
And a famine occurred upon the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine prevailed upon the land.	And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.

Genesis 12:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:11 (KJV)	Genesis 12:11 (NET)
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.	And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:	As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman.

Genesis 12:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα ἤγγισεν Αβραμ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον εἶπεν Αβραμ Σαρα τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ γινώσκω ἐγὼ ὅτι γυνὴ εὐπρόσωπος εἶ	ἐγένετο δέ, ἡνίκα ἤγγισεν ῞Αβραμ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, εἶπεν ῞Αβραμ Σάρᾳ τῇ γυναικί· γινώσκω ἐγώ, ὅτι γυνὴ εὐπρόσωπος εἶ
Genesis 12:11 (NETS)	Genesis 12:11 (English Elpenor)
And it came about when Abram drew near to enter into Egypt that Abram said to his wife Sara, “I do know that your are a woman beautiful in countenance,	And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife, I know that thou art a fair woman.

Genesis 12:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:12 (KJV)	Genesis 12:12 (NET)
And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife; and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive.	Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.	When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.

Genesis 12:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔσται οὖν ὡς ἂν ἴδωσίν σε οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἐροῦσιν ὅτι γυνὴ αὐτοῦ αὕτη καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσίν με σὲ δὲ περιποιήσονται	ἔσται οὖν, ὡς ἂν ἴδωσί σε οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι, ἐροῦσιν ὅτι γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν αὐτή, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσί με, σὲ δὲ περιποιήσονται
Genesis 12:12 (NETS)	Genesis 12:12 (English Elpenor)
it will be, therefore, that should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’, and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves.	It shall come to pass then that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife, and they shall slay me, but they shall save thee alive.

Genesis 12:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:13 (KJV)	Genesis 12:13 (NET)
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.’	Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.	So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.”

Genesis 12:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰπὸν οὖν ὅτι ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰμι ὅπως ἂν εὖ μοι γένηται διὰ σέ καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἕνεκεν σοῦ	εἰπὸν οὖν, ὅτι ἀδελφὴ αὐτοῦ εἰμι, ὅπως ἂν εὖ μοι γένηται διὰ σέ, καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἕνεκέν σου
Genesis 12:13 (NETS)	Genesis 12:13 (English Elpenor)
Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul will live on your account.”	Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me on account of thee, and my soul shall live because of thee.

Genesis 12:14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:14 (KJV)	Genesis 12:14 (NET)
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.	And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.	When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθεν Αβραμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἰδόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γυναῖκα ὅτι καλὴ ἦν σφόδρα	ἐγένετο δέ, ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθεν ῞Αβραμ εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ἰδόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, ὅτι καλὴ ἦν σφόδρα
Genesis 12:14 (NETS)	Genesis 12:14 (English Elpenor)
And it came about when Abram entered into Egypt—as the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful—	And it came to pass when Abram entered into Egypt– the Egyptians having seen his wife that she was very beautiful–

Genesis 12:18 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:18 (KJV)	Genesis 12:18 (NET)
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said: ‘What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?	And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?	So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why didn’t you tell me that she was your wife?

Genesis 12:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καλέσας δὲ Φαραω τὸν Αβραμ εἶπεν τί τοῦτο ἐποίησάς μοι ὅτι οὐκ ἀπήγγειλάς μοι ὅτι γυνή σού ἐστιν	καλέσας δὲ Φαραὼ τὸν ῞Αβραμ εἶπε· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησάς μοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπήγγειλάς μοι, ὅτι γυνή σου ἐστίν;
Genesis 12:18 (NETS)	Genesis 12:18 (English Elpenor)
Now when Pharao had called Abram he said, “What is this you have done to me, that you did not tell me that she is your wife?	And Pharao having called Abram, said, What is this thou hast done to me, that thou didst not tell me that she was thy wife?

Genesis 12:19 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:19 (KJV)	Genesis 12:19 (NET)
Why saidst thou: She is my sister? so that I took her to be my wife; now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.’	Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.	Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!”

Genesis 12:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 12:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί εἶπας ὅτι ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὴν ἐμαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἡ γυνή σου ἐναντίον σου λαβὼν ἀπότρεχε	ἱνατί εἶπας ὅτι ἀδελφή μου ἐστί; καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὴν ἐμαυτῷ γυναῖκα, καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἡ γυνή σου ἔναντί σου· λαβὼν ἀπότρεχε
Genesis 12:19 (NETS)	Genesis 12:19 (English Elpenor)
Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? And I took her to myself for a wife. And now here is your wife before you; take her; hurry off.”	Wherefore didst thou say, She is my sister? and I took her for a wife to myself; and now, behold, thy wife is before thee, take her and go quickly away.

Genesis 20:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 20:7 (KJV)	Genesis 20:7 (NET)
Now therefore restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.’	Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.	But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed he is a prophet and he will pray for you; thus you will live. But if you don’t give her back, know that you will surely die along with all who belong to you.”

Genesis 20:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 20:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ ἀπόδος τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ὅτι προφήτης ἐστὶν καὶ προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ καὶ ζήσῃ εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποδίδως γνῶθι ὅτι ἀποθανῇ σὺ καὶ πάντα τὰ σά	νῦν δὲ ἀπόδος τὴν γυναῖκα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅτι προφήτης ἐστὶ καὶ προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ καὶ ζήσῃ· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀποδίδως, γνώσῃ ὅτι ἀποθανῇ σὺ καὶ πάντα τὰ σά
Genesis 20:7 (NETS)	Genesis 20:7 (English Elpenor)
And now return the woman to the man, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If, however, you do not restore her, know that you shall die, you and all that are yours.”	But now return the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live; but if thou restore her not, know that thou shalt die and all thine.

1 Peter 3:1 (NET)	1 Peter 3:1 (KJV)
In the same way, wives, be subject to your own husbands. Then, even if some are disobedient to the word, they will be won over without a word by the way you live,	Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1 Peter 3:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 3:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 3:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὁμοίως [αἱ] γυναῖκες, ὑποτασσόμεναι τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀνδράσιν, ἵνα \|καὶ\| εἴ τινες ἀπειθοῦσιν τῷ λόγῳ, διὰ τῆς τῶν γυναικῶν ἀναστροφῆς ἄνευ λόγου κερδηθήσονται	ομοιως αι γυναικες υποτασσομεναι τοις ιδιοις ανδρασιν ινα και ει τινες απειθουσιν τω λογω δια της των γυναικων αναστροφης ανευ λογου κερδηθησωνται	ομοιως αι γυναικες υποτασσομεναι τοις ιδιοις ανδρασιν ινα και ει τινες απειθουσιν τω λογω δια της των γυναικων αναστροφης ανευ λογου κερδηθησονται

Christianity, Part 13

The Children of Promise, Part 1

Back to The Children of Promise, Part 2

Back to Exploration, Part 6

¹ John 12:32 (ESV)

² Christianity, Part 11

³ Christianity, Part 11

⁴ Genesis 12:13 (NETS)

⁵ Genesis 20:3a (NET) Table

⁶ Genesis 12:17a (NET) Table

⁷ Galatians 3:17a (ESV) Table

⁸ Exodus 20:14 (ESV) Table

⁹ From Rashi’s commentary to Genesis 12:17 (Tanakh), chabad.org

¹⁰ Genesis 20:6b (NET) Table

¹¹ From Rashi’s commentary to Genesis 20:7 (Tanakh), chabad.org

¹² Genesis 12:17a (NET) Table

¹³ “Did Sarah sleep with Pharaoh when she was taken to his palace?;” “Did Pharaoh sleep with Sarah?,” on Ask the Pastors: Questions from real people answered by experienced pastors

¹⁴ 1 Peter 3:6b (ESV)

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had κερδηθήσονται (NET: they will be won over) here in the future tense and indicative mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had κερδηθησωνται (KJV: they…may…be won) in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood.

¹⁶ 1 Peter 3:1b (ESV)

Romans, Part 27

Posted on October 17, 2012 by admin

Or do you not know, brothers and sisters, Paul continued, (for I am speaking to those who know the law [νόμον, a form of νόμος]), that the law (νόμος) is lord over a person as long as he lives?¹ Thus Paul introduced another value of the death of those who were baptized into Christ Jesus’ death.² Then he used a metaphor to describe the life of those who have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so [they] too may live a new life³ (Romans 7:2-4 NET).

For a married woman is bound by law (νόμῳ, another form of νόμος) to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος) of the marriage. So then, if she is joined to another man while her husband is alive, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), and if she is joined to another man, she is not an adulteress. So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law (νόμῳ, another form of νόμος) through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit (καρποφορήσωμεν, a form of καρποφορέω to God.

I have unpacked this metaphor elsewhere and won’t do it again. In the context of this metaphor then the new man born of the Spirit is a new woman bringing forth righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit, as a wife bears her husband’s children. There is a time lag between conception, coming to term and giving birth. But that time lag is no excuse, and certainly not a valid reason, for avoiding intimate relations with the Lord Jesus. On the contrary, the time one spends waiting and hoping for righteousness to come forth is best spent trusting Him, believing things like, For when we were in the flesh, the sinful (παθήματα, a form of πάθημα) desires (ἁμαρτιῶν, a form of ἁμαρτία), aroused by the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), were active in the members of our body to bear fruit (καρποφορῆσαι, another form of καρποφορέω) for death. But now we have been released from the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.⁴

What shall we say then? Paul continued. Is the law (νόμος) sin?⁵ Paul had a bad reputation over his comments about the law. When he journeyed back to Jerusalem even the elders of the church said to him (Acts 21:20b-24 NET):

You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all ardent observers of the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος). They have been informed about you – that you teach all the Jews now living among the Gentiles to abandon Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. What then should we do? They will no doubt hear that you have come [Table]. So do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved.⁶ Then everyone will know⁷ there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law (νόμον, a form of νόμος).

Paul, who wrote my heart’s desire and prayer to God on behalf of my fellow Israelites is for their salvation,⁸ complied with their request. But it didn’t work. Jews from the province of Asia who had seen [Paul] in the temple area stirred up the whole crowd and seized him, shouting, “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people, our law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), and this sanctuary!”⁹ The mob would have killed Paul if not for the intervention of the Roman commander of a cohort, his centurions and soldiers. Paul asked permission to speak to the crowd (Acts 22:1-21 NET):

“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense that I now make to you” [Table]. (When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic [Ἑβραΐδι, a form of Ἑβραΐς], they became even quieter.) Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated with strictness under Gamaliel according to the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος) of our ancestors, and was zealous for God just as all of you are today [Table]. I persecuted this Way even to the point of death, tying up both men and women and putting them in prison, as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to make arrests there and bring the prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished. As I was en route and near Damascus, about noon a very bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. Then I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ [Table] I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me [Table]. So I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everything that you have been designated to do.’ Since I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me. A man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law (νόμον, a form of νόμος), well spoken of by all the Jews who live there [Table], came to me and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’ And at that very moment I looked up and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has already chosen you to know his will (θέλημα), to see the Righteous One, and to hear a command from his mouth, because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his¹⁰ name.’ When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me’ [Table] I replied, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagogues who believed in you. And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed,¹¹ I myself was standing nearby, approving,¹² and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ Then he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The crowd was listening to him until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed¹³ to live!”¹⁴

Despite all this calumny, Paul found no fault with the law except that it was weakened through the flesh.¹⁵ If we all were born only of the Spirit, and heard God say, You shall not commit adultery,¹⁶ we would all say, “Thank you, Lord, that’s what I didn’t want to do anyway!” In answer to the question then, Is the law (νόμος) sin? Paul said, Absolutely not! Certainly, I would not have known sin except through the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος).¹⁷

I might feel in myself that it is wrong for you to commit adultery with my wife. But I may not feel that it is wrong for me to commit adultery with your wife apart from the law. After all, I have good reasons. Your wife wants me and loves me, and I her. And she is beautiful, far more beautiful than you can possibly deserve. Look at you. Look at the way you treat her. Would she have any interest in me at all if you deserved her and treated her right? I’m doing you a favor, Pal. Face it! She’s just more woman than you can handle.

For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something belonging to someone else, Paul continued, if the law (νόμος) had not said, “Do not covet.”¹⁸ There is a darker side to the flesh born of Adam that hears of God’s law, You shall not commit adultery, and denies that there is a god to say such things, or if there is He doesn’t know his place or He wouldn’t dare say such things, or even more directly, “Oh, yeah! Watch this!” But sin, Paul wrote, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong desires.¹⁹ I have a fairly good idea of at least some of the things Paul coveted (1 Corinthians 9:4-7; 2 Corinthians 12:11, 15 NET).

Do we not have the right to financial support? Do we not have the right to the company of a believing wife, like the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not²⁰ to work? Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit?²¹ Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?

I have become a fool. You yourselves forced me to do it, for I should have been commended by you. For I lack nothing in comparison to those “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing [Table]...Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If²² I love you more, am I to be loved less?²³

For apart from the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), sin is dead,²⁴ Paul continued. Then he expounded on that theme from his own experience. And I was once alive apart from the law (νόμου, another form of νόμος), but with the coming of the commandment sin became alive and I died. So I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life brought death! For sin, seizing the opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it I died.²⁵ And again, I think this personification of sin is a reference to the old man that was crucified with Christ.²⁶ This all becomes clearer a bit later in Romans 7.

So then, the law (νόμος) is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good,²⁷ Paul concluded.

Addendum: April 23, 2024
Tables comparing Acts 21:24; 22:16; 22:20; 22:22; 1 Corinthians 9:6, 7 and 2 Corinthians 12:15 in the KJV and NET follow.

Acts 21:24 (NET)	Acts 21:24 (KJV)
take them and purify yourself along with them and pay their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know there is nothing in what they have been told about you, but that you yourself live in conformity with the law.	Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

Acts 21:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 21:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 21:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τούτους παραλαβὼν ἁγνίσθητι σὺν αὐτοῖς καὶ δαπάνησον ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς ἵνα ξυρήσονται τὴν κεφαλήν, καὶ γνώσονται πάντες ὅτι ὧν κατήχηνται περὶ σοῦ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἀλλὰ στοιχεῖς καὶ αὐτὸς φυλάσσων τὸν νόμον	τουτους παραλαβων αγνισθητι συν αυτοις και δαπανησον επ αυτοις ινα ξυρησωνται την κεφαλην και γνωσιν παντες οτι ων κατηχηνται περι σου ουδεν εστιν αλλα στοιχεις και αυτος τον νομον φυλασσων	τουτους παραλαβων αγνισθητι συν αυτοις και δαπανησον επ αυτοις ινα ξυρησωνται την κεφαλην και γνωσιν παντες οτι ων κατηχηνται περι σου ουδεν εστιν αλλα στοιχεις και αυτος τον νομον φυλασσων

Acts 22:16 (NET)	Acts 22:16 (KJV)
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’	And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Acts 22:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 22:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 22:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις; ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ	και νυν τι μελλεις αναστας βαπτισαι και απολουσαι τας αμαρτιας σου επικαλεσαμενος το ονομα του κυριου	και νυν τι μελλεις αναστας βαπτισαι και απολουσαι τας αμαρτιας σου επικαλεσαμενος το ονομα του κυριου

Acts 22:20 (NET)	Acts 22:20 (KJV)
And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing nearby, approving, and guarding the cloaks of those who were killing him.’	And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

Acts 22:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 22:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 22:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρος σου, καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν	και οτε εξεχειτο το αιμα στεφανου του μαρτυρος σου και αυτος ημην εφεστως και συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου και φυλασσων τα ιματια των αναιρουντων αυτον	και οτε εξεχειτο το αιμα στεφανου του μαρτυρος σου και αυτος ημην εφεστως και συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου και φυλασσων τα ιματια των αναιρουντων αυτον

Acts 22:22 (NET)	Acts 22:22 (KJV)
The crowd was listening to him until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!”	And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

Acts 22:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Acts 22:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Acts 22:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
῎Ηκουον δὲ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι τούτου τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν λέγοντες· αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον, οὐ γὰρ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν	ηκουον δε αυτου αχρι τουτου του λογου και επηραν την φωνην αυτων λεγοντες αιρε απο της γης τον τοιουτον ου γαρ καθηκον αυτον ζην	ηκουον δε αυτου αχρι τουτου του λογου και επηραν την φωνην αυτων λεγοντες αιρε απο της γης τον τοιουτον ου γαρ καθηκεν αυτον ζην

1 Corinthians 9:6, 7 (NET)	1 Corinthians 9:6, 7 (KJV)
Or do only Barnabas and I lack the right not to work?	Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

1 Corinthians 9:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 9:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 9:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρναβᾶς οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι	η μονος εγω και βαρναβας ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν του μη εργαζεσθαι	η μονος εγω και βαρναβας ουκ εχομεν εξουσιαν του μη εργαζεσθαι

Who ever serves in the army at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not consume its milk?

Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?

1 Corinthians 9:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 9:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 9:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τίς στρατεύεται ἰδίοις ὀψωνίοις ποτέ; τίς φυτεύει ἀμπελῶνα καὶ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐσθίει; \|ἢ\| τίς ποιμαίνει ποίμνην καὶ ἐκ τοῦ γάλακτος τῆς ποίμνης οὐκ ἐσθίει	τις στρατευεται ιδιοις οψωνιοις ποτε τις φυτευει αμπελωνα και εκ του καρπου αυτου ουκ εσθιει η τις ποιμαινει ποιμνην και εκ του γαλακτος της ποιμνης ουκ εσθιει	τις στρατευεται ιδιοις οψωνιοις ποτε τις φυτευει αμπελωνα και εκ του καρπου αυτου ουκ εσθιει η τις ποιμαινει ποιμνην και εκ του γαλακτος της ποιμνης ουκ εσθιει

2 Corinthians 12:15 (NET)	2 Corinthians 12:15 (KJV)
Now I will most gladly spend and be spent for your lives! If I love you more, am I to be loved less?	And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

2 Corinthians 12:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 12:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 12:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ δὲ ἥδιστα δαπανήσω καὶ ἐκδαπανηθήσομαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν. εἰ περισσοτέρως ὑμᾶς \|ἀγαπῶ[ν]\|, ἧσσον ἀγαπῶμαι	εγω δε ηδιστα δαπανησω και εκδαπανηθησομαι υπερ των ψυχων υμων ει και περισσοτερως υμας αγαπων ηττον αγαπωμαι	εγω δε ηδιστα δαπανησω και εκδαπανηθησομαι υπερ των ψυχων υμων ει και περισσοτερως υμας αγαπων ηττον αγαπωμαι

Romans, Part 28

Back to Romans, Part 31

Back to Romans, Part 37

Back to Son of God – 1 John, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 8

¹ Romans 7:1 (NET)

² Romans 6:3 (NET)

³ Romans 6:4 (NET)

⁴ Romans 7:5, 6 (NET)

⁵ Romans 7:7a (NET)

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ξυρήσονται here, a form of ξυράω in the future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ξυρησωνται (KJV: they may shave) in the aorist tense. Both are clearly describing an event that has not yet happened.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γνώσονται here, a form of γινώσκω in the future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γνωσιν (KJV: may know) in the aorist tense. Both are clearly describing an event that has not yet happened.

⁸ Romans 10:1 (NET) Table

⁹ Acts 21:27, 28a (NET) Table

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτοῦ following name, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had του κυριου (KJV: of the Lord).

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξεχύννετο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξεχειτο.

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τη αναιρεσει αυτου (KJV: unto his death) following approving (KJV: consenting). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καθῆκεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καθηκον (KJV: fit).

¹⁴ Acts 22:22 (NET)

¹⁵ Romans 8:3 (NET)

¹⁶ Exodus 20:14 (NET) Table

¹⁷ Romans 7:7a (NET)

¹⁸ Romans 7:7b (NET) Table comparing the Greek of Paul’s OT quote to the Septuagint.

¹⁹ Romans 7:8a (NET)

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article του preceding not (KJV: to forbear). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὸν καρπὸν in the accusative case here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκ του καρπου (KJV: of the fruit) in the genitive case.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει και (KJV: though).

²³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἧσσον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ηττον.

²⁴ Romans 7:8b (NET)

²⁵ Romans 7:9-11 (NET)

²⁶ Romans 6:6 (NET)

²⁷ Romans 7:12 (NET)

Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Posted on May 26, 2012 by admin

I first entertained the idea that πορνεία in the New Testament might be defined by Leviticus 20:11-21 because of the similarity in word order between Matthew 15:19 (NET) and the Law in Exodus 20:2-17 (NET)

Exodus 20:2-17 (NET)	Matthew 15:19 (NET)
“I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me [Table], and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain. “Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy [Table]. For six days you may labor and do all your work [Table], but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates [Table]. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy [Table]. “Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you. Exodus 20:2-12 (NET)	For out of the heart come evil (πονηροί, a form of πονηρός) ideas (διαλογισμοὶ, a form of διαλογισμός)…
“You shall not murder. Exodus 20:13 (NET) Table	murder (φόνοι, a form of φόνος)…
“You shall not commit adultery. Exodus 20:14 (NET) Table	adultery (μοιχεῖαι, a form of μοιχεία)…
	sexual immorality (πορνεῖαι, a form of πορνεῖον)…
“You shall not steal. Exodus 20:15 (NET)	theft (κλοπαί, a form of κλοπή)…
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Exodus 20:16 (NET)	false testimony (ψευδομαρτυρίαι, a form of ψευδομαρτυρία)…
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Exodus 20:17 (NET) Table
	slander (βλασφημίαι, a form of βλασφημία).

If I allowed that evil ideas covered idolatrous worship of other gods, taking the Lord’s name in vain, not keeping the Sabbath and not honoring father and mother, then only sexual immorality (πορνεία) [See Addendum below] and slander (βλασφημία) lacked a direct correspondent in the law. Leviticus 20:11-21 (NET) seemed to fill in that gap for πορνεία.

Exodus 20:14 (NET) Table

Matthew 15:19 (NET)

Leviticus 20:10-21 (NET)

“You shall not commit adultery.

…adultery (μοιχεῖαι, a form of μοιχεία)…

If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 (NET) Table

sexual immorality (πορνεῖαι, a form of πορνεία)…

If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with a male as one has sexual intercourse with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal [Table]. If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people [Table]. You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless [Table].

Leviticus 20:11-21 (NET)

The advantage of this interpretation is that Leviticus 20:11-21 is a finite list as opposed to the open-ended translation of πορνεία as immorality. It does not pander to men who want to divorce their wives, remarry, and justify themselves by law. And it is not without precedent in Bible translation. The translators of the New American Bible¹ understood πορνεία this way in Matthew 5:32, 19:9; Acts 15:20, 29, and 21:25. The disadvantages will follow.

Addendum: September 24, 2021
I thought πορνεῖαι was a form of πορνεία, but according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online it is a form of πορνεῖον: “brothel, a house of prostitution.” There is only one occurrence of πορνεῖαι in the Septuagint.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
2 Kings 9:22 (Tanakh) Table	2 Kings 9:22 (NET)	4 Reigns 9:22 (NETS)	4 Kings 9:22 (Elpenor English)
And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said: ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ And he answered: ‘What peace, so long as the harlotries (זְנוּנֵ֞י) of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’	When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry (zᵊnûnîm, זנוני) and pagan practices?”	And it happened, when Ioram saw Iou, that he said, “Is it peace, Iou?” And Iou said, “What peace? The whoredoms (πορνεῗαι) of Iezabel your mother and her sorceries are still many.”	And it came to pass when Joram saw Ju, that he said, [Is it] peace, Ju? And Ju said, How [can it be] peace? as yet [there are] the whoredoms (πορνεῖαι) of thy mother Jezabel, and her abundant witchcrafts.

Tables comparing Exodus 20:2; 20:3; 20:4; 20:6; 20:7; 20:12; 20:15 (20:13); 20:16 (20:13) and 2 Kings 9:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Exodus 20:2; 20:3; 20:4; 20:6; 20:7; 20:12; 20:15 (20:14); 20:16 and 2 Kings (4 Reigns, 4 Kings) 9:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Exodus 20:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:2 (KJV)	Exodus 20:2 (NET)
I am HaShem thy G-d , who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.	I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.	“I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

Exodus 20:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεός σου ὅστις ἐξήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας	ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὅστις ἐξήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας
Exodus 20:2 (NETS)	Exodus 20:2 (English Elpenor)
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the Land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.	I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Exodus 20:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:3 (KJV)	Exodus 20:3 (NET)
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.	Thou shalt have no other gods before me.	“You shall have no other gods before me.

Exodus 20:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ	οὐκ ἔσονταί σοι θεοὶ ἕτεροι πλὴν ἐμοῦ
Exodus 20:3 (NETS)	Exodus 20:3 (English Elpenor)
You shall have no other gods besides me.	Thou shalt have no other gods beside me.

Exodus 20:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:4 (KJV)	Exodus 20:4 (NET)
Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;	Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:	“You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below.

Exodus 20:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον οὐδὲ παντὸς ὁμοίωμα ὅσα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω καὶ ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω καὶ ὅσα ἐν τοῗς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς	οὐ ποιήσεις σεαυτῷ εἴδωλον, οὐδὲ παντὸς ὁμοίωμα, ὅσα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ἄνω καὶ ὅσα ἐν τῇ γῇ κάτω καὶ ὅσα ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ὑποκάτω τῆς γῆς
Exodus 20:4 (NETS)	Exodus 20:4 (English Elpenor)
You shall not make for yourself an idol or likeness of anything whatever is in heaven above and whatever is in the earth beneath and whatever is in the waters beneath the earth.	Thou shalt not make to thyself an idol, nor likeness of anything, whatever things are in the heaven above, and whatever are in the earth beneath, and whatever are in the waters under the earth.

Exodus 20:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:6 (KJV)	Exodus 20:6 (NET)
and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments.	And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.	and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας τοῗς ἀγαπῶσίν με καὶ τοῗς φυλάσσουσιν τὰ προστάγματά μου	καὶ ποιῶν ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας τοῖς ἀγαπῶσί με καὶ τοῖς φυλάσσουσι τὰ προστάγματά μου
Exodus 20:6 (NETS)	Exodus 20:6 (English Elpenor)
and doing mercy unto thousands, for those who love me and keep my ordinances.	and bestowing mercy on them that love me to thousands [of them], and on them that keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:7 (KJV)	Exodus 20:7 (NET)
Thou shalt not take the name of HaShem thy G-d in vain; for HaShem will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain .	Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.	“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold guiltless anyone who takes his name in vain.

Exodus 20:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ λήμψῃ τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου ἐπὶ ματαίῳ οὐ γὰρ μὴ καθαρίσῃ κύριος τὸν λαμβάνοντα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ματαίῳ	οὐ λήψει τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου ἐπί ματαίῳ· οὐ γὰρ μὴ καθαρίσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τὸν λαμβάνοντα τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ματαίῳ
Exodus 20:7 (NETS)	Exodus 20:7 (English Elpenor)
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will never acquit the one who takes his name in vain.	Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord thy God will not acquit him that takes his name in vain.

Exodus 20:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:12 (KJV)	Exodus 20:12 (NET)
Honour thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee.	Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.	“Honor your father and your mother, that you may live a long time in the land the Lord your God is giving to you.

Exodus 20:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἧς κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται, καὶ ἵνα μακροχρόνιος γένῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῆς ἀγαθῆς, ἧς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι
Exodus 20:12 (NETS)	Exodus 20:12 (English Elpenor)
Honor your father and your mother so that it may be well with you and so that you may be long-lived on the good land that the Lord your God is giving you.	Honour thy father and thy mother, that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest live long on the good land, which the Lord thy God gives to thee.

Exodus 20:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:15 (KJV)	Exodus 20:15 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.	Thou shalt not steal.	“You shall not steal.

Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Exodus 20:14 (NETS)	Exodus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Exodus 20:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 20:16 (KJV)	Exodus 20:16 (NET)
Thou shalt not murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.	Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.	“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

Exodus 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις κατὰ τοῦ πλησίον σου μαρτυρίαν ψευδῆ
Exodus 20:16 (NETS)	Exodus 20:16 (English Elpenor)
You shall not testify falsely against your neighbor with false witness.	Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

2 Kings 9:22 (Tanakh)	2 Kings 9:22 (KJV)	2 Kings 9:22 (NET)
And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said: ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ And he answered: ‘What peace, so long as the harlotries of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?’	And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?	When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”

2 Kings 9:22 (Septuagint BLB)	4 Kings 9:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδεν Ιωραμ τὸν Ιου καὶ εἶπεν εἰ εἰρήνη Ιου καὶ εἶπεν Ιου τί εἰρήνη ἔτι αἱ πορνεῗαι Ιεζαβελ τῆς μητρός σου καὶ τὰ φάρμακα αὐτῆς τὰ πολλά	καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδεν ᾿Ιωρὰμ τὸν ᾿Ιού, καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ εἰρήνη ᾿Ιού; καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιού· τί εἰρήνη; ἔτι αἱ πορνεῖαι ᾿Ιεζάβελ τῆς μητρός σου καὶ τὰ φάρμακα αὐτῆς τὰ πολλά
4 Reigns 9:22 (NETS)	4 Kings 9:22 (English Elpenor)
And it happened, when Ioram saw Iou, that he said, “Is it peace, Iou?” And Iou said, “What peace? The whoredoms of Iezabel your mother and her sorceries are still many.”	And it came to pass when Joram saw Ju, that he said, [Is it] peace, Ju? And Ju said, How [can it be] peace? as yet [there are] the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel, and her abundant witchcrafts.

Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 2

Back to Who Am I? Part 5

Back to The Angels Will Gather

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 3

Back to Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 12

Back to My Reasons and My Reason, Part 6

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 1

Back to Torture, Part 4

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 9

Back to Deuteronomy, Part 1

Back to Hypocrisy

Back to Fear – Leviticus

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Part 8

Adultery in the Law, Part 1

Posted on May 25, 2012 by admin

I want to study the background information in the Old Testament to see if I can understand what Jesus, Paul and the New Testament writers meant by πορνεία. Since I’m treating πορνεία like the unknown X, I’ll track the Hebrew word נָאַף (nā’ap̄), equivalent to μοιχάω in Greek, to commit adultery.

The first occurrence is Exodus 20:14 (NET) [Table]: You shall not commit adultery (nā’ap̄, תנאף). And the next is Leviticus 20:10 (NET Table) where the penalty for ינאף (nā’ap̄) is described:

If a man commits adultery (nā’ap̄, ינאף) with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer (nā’ap̄, הנאף) and the adulteress (nā’ap̄, והנאפת) must be put to death [See Addendum below].

What follows is a list of other capital offenses (Leviticus 20:11 NET Table):

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his father’s wife, he has exposed his father’s nakedness. Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

I assume that the father was already dead, otherwise the law is redundant and falls under נָאַף (nā’ap̄). Similarly in Leviticus 20:12 (NET) I assume that the son was dead:

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed (ʿāśâ, עשׁו) perversion (teḇel, תבל); their blood guilt is on themselves.

The list continues (Leviticus 20:13-16 NET):

If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with a male as one has sexual intercourse (miškāḇ, משכבי) with a woman, the two of them have committed (ʿāśâ, עשׁו) an abomination (tôʿēḇâ, תועבה). They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. If a man has sexual intercourse (lāqaḥ, יקח) with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness (zimmâ, זמה). Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness (zimmâ, זמה) in your midst [See Addendum below]. If a man has (nāṯan, יתן) sexual intercourse (šᵊḵōḇeṯ, שכבתו) with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. If a woman approaches any animal to have sexual intercourse (rāḇaʿ, לרבעה) with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

In Leviticus 20:17 (NET) offenders are to be cut off (probably executed) in the sight of the children of their people, and in verse 18 (NET), cut off from the midst of their people.

If a man has sexual intercourse (lāqaḥ, יקח) with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or his mother, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace (ḥeseḏ, חסד). They must be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has exposed his sister’s nakedness; he will bear his punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Finally, the punishment incurred in Leviticus 20:19-21 was childlessness.

You must not expose the nakedness of your mother’s sister and your father’s sister, for such a person has laid bare his own close relative. They must bear their punishment for iniquity [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse (šāḵaḇ, ישכב) with his aunt, he has exposed his uncle’s nakedness; they must bear responsibility for their sin, they will die childless [Table]. If a man has sexual intercourse with (lāqaḥ, יקח) his brother’s wife, it is indecency (nidâ, נדה). He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

I assume that the execution of this sentence was intentionally left to God (in the form of reproductive issues) rather than to men (infanticide). But it would be difficult to demonstrate except in the most oblique way. Abraham (Abram) for instance married his niece¹ Sarai more than four hundred thirty years² before the law prohibited³ such marriage. What is intriguing about this is that until God intervened, fulfilling his promise to Abram, Sarai was barren; she had no children.⁴

Whether these sentences were ever actually executed in a systematic way in Israel is a question I’ll leave for others. My interest is simply to introduce the question: Is Leviticus 20:11-21 what Jesus, Paul and the New Testament writers meant by the Greek word πορνεία?

Addendum: January 16, 2019
A table comparing Galatians 3:17 in the NET and KJV follows.

Galatians 3:17 (NET)	Galatians 3:17 (KJV)
What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to invalidate the promise.	And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο δὲ λέγω· διαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ μετὰ τετρακόσια καὶ τριάκοντα ἔτη γεγονὼς νόμος οὐκ ἀκυροῖ εἰς τὸ καταργῆσαι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν	τουτο δε λεγω διαθηκην προκεκυρωμενην υπο του θεου εις χριστον ο μετα ετη τετρακοσια και τριακοντα γεγονως νομος ουκ ακυροι εις το καταργησαι την επαγγελιαν	τουτο δε λεγω διαθηκην προκεκυρωμενην υπο του θεου εις χριστον ο μετα ετη τετρακοσια και τριακοντα γεγονως νομος ουκ ακυροι εις το καταργησαι την επαγγελιαν

Addendum: September 17, 2021
Note 21 in the NET reads:

The reading of the LXX minuscule mss has been followed here (see the BHS footnote a-a). The MT has a dittography, repeating “a man who commits adultery with the wife of” (see the explanation in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 328). The duplication found in the MT is reflected in some English versions, e.g., KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV.

Both versions of the Septuagint I’ve been using seem to confirm the Masoretic text here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Leviticus 20:10 (NET)	Leviticus 20:10 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:10 (Elpenor English)
And the man that committeth adultery (יִנְאַף֙) with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery (יִנְאַ֖ף) with his neighbour’s wife, both the adulterer (הַנֹּאֵ֖ף) and the adulteress (וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת) shall surely be put to death.	If a man commits adultery (nā’ap̄, ינאף) with his neighbor’s wife, both the adulterer (nā’ap̄, הנאף) and the adulteress (nā’ap̄, והנאפת) must be put to death.	A person who commits adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of a man or who commits adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of his neighbor—let both the adulterer (μοιχεύων) and the adulteress (μοιχευομένη) by death be put to death.	Whatever man shall commit adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of a man, or whoever shall commit adultery (μοιχεύσηται) with the wife of his neighbour, let them die the death, the adulterer (μοιχεύων) and the (μοιχευομένη) adulteress.

The Greek translations of זִמָּ֖ה (zimmâ) in Leviticus 20:14 surprised me enough to be highlighted. I’m not grasping the general, specific, technical or emotional connotations of זִמָּ֖ה (zimmâ), ἀνόμημά or ἀνομία apparently.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:14 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:14 (NET)	Leviticus 20:14 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:14 (Elpenor English)
And if a man take (יִקַּ֧ח) with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness (זִמָּ֣ה): they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness (זִמָּ֖ה) among you.	If a man has marital relations (lāqaḥ, יקח) with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness (zimmâ, זמה). Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness (zimmâ, זמה) in your midst.	He who takes (λάβῃ) a wife and her mother—it is transgression of the law (ἀνόμημά); they shall burn both him and them with fire, and there shall be no lawlessness (ἀνομία) among you.	Whosoever shall take (λάβῃ) a woman and her mother, it is iniquity (ἀνόμημά): they shall burn him and them with fire; so there shall not be iniquity (ἀνομία) among you.

Tables comparing Leviticus 20:12; 20:13; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:18; 20:21 and Genesis 11:30 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 20:12; 20:13; 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:18; 20:21 and Genesis 11:30 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Leviticus 20:12 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:12 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:12 (NET)
And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death; they have wrought corruption; their blood shall be upon them.	And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. They have committed perversion; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ νύμφης αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι ἠσεβήκασιν γάρ ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ἐάν τις κοιμηθῇ μετὰ νύμφης αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἀμφότεροι· ἠσεβήκασι γάρ, ἔνοχοί εἰσι
Leviticus 20:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:12 (English Elpenor)
And if anyone lies with his daughter-in-law, let both of them by death be put to death, for they have behaved impiously; they are liable.	And if any one should lie with his daughter-in-law, let them both be put to death; for they have wrought impiety, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:13 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:13 (NET)
And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a man goes to bed with a male as one goes to bed with a woman, the two of them have committed an abomination. They must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ ἄρσενος κοίτην γυναικός βδέλυγμα ἐποίησαν ἀμφότεροι θανατούσθωσαν ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετά ἄρσενος κοίτην γυναικός, βδέλυγμα ἐποίησαν ἀμφότεροι· θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἔνοχοί εἰσιν
Leviticus 20:13 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
And he who lies with a male in a bed for a woman, both have committed an abomination; by death let them be put to death; they are liable.	And whoever shall lie with a male as with a woman, they have both wrought abomination; let them die the death, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:14 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:14 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:14 (NET)
And if a man take with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.	And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.	If a man has marital relations with both a woman and her mother, it is lewdness. Both he and they must be burned to death, so there is no lewdness in your midst.

Leviticus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ γυναῗκα καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς ἀνόμημά ἐστιν ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτάς καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἀνομία ἐν ὑμῗν	ὃς ἂν λάβῃ γυναῖκα καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτῆς, ἀνόμημά ἐστιν, ἐν πυρὶ κατακαύσουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτάς, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἀνομία ἐν ὑμῖν
Leviticus 20:14 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
He who takes a wife and her mother—it is transgression of the law; they shall burn both him and them with fire, and there shall be no lawlessness among you.	Whosoever shall take a woman and her mother, it is iniquity: they shall burn him and them with fire; so there shall not be iniquity among you.

Leviticus 20:15 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:15 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:15 (NET)
And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death; and ye shall slay the beast.	And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.	If a man has sexual relations with any animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

Leviticus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὃς ἂν δῷ κοιτασίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τετράποδι θανάτῳ θανατούσθω καὶ τὸ τετράπουν ἀποκτενεῗτε	καὶ ὃς ἂν δῷ κοιτασίαν αὐτοῦ ἐν τετράποδι, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω, καὶ τὸ τετράπουν ἀποκτενεῖτε
Leviticus 20:15 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:15 (English Elpenor)
And he who gives his sleeping-with to a quadruped, by death let him be put to death, and you shall kill the quadruped.	And whosoever shall lie with a beast, let him die the death; and ye shall kill the beast.

Leviticus 20:16 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:16 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:16 (NET)
And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.	If a woman approaches any animal to copulate with it, you must kill the woman, and the animal must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Leviticus 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ γυνή ἥτις προσελεύσεται πρὸς πᾶν κτῆνος βιβασθῆναι αὐτὴν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἀποκτενεῗτε τὴν γυναῗκα καὶ τὸ κτῆνος θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν ἔνοχοί εἰσιν	καὶ γυνή, ἥτις προσελεύσεται πρὸς πᾶν κτῆνος βιβασθῆναι αὐτὴν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἀποκτενεῖτε τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ τὸ κτῆνος· θανάτῳ θανατούσθωσαν, ἔνοχοί εἰσιν
Leviticus 20:16 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:16 (English Elpenor)
And a woman who shall approach any animal for her to be mounted by it—you shall kill the woman and the animal; by death the shall be put to death; they are liable.	And whatever woman shall approach any beast, so as to have connexion with it, ye shall kill the woman and the beast: let them die the death, they are guilty.

Leviticus 20:18 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:18 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:18 (NET)
And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness–he hath made naked her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood–both of them shall be cut off from among their people.	And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.	If a man goes to bed with a menstruating woman and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her fountain of blood, and she has exposed the fountain of her blood, so both of them must be cut off from the midst of their people.

Leviticus 20:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνήρ ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς ἀποκαθημένης καὶ ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς τὴν πηγὴν αὐτῆς ἀπεκάλυψεν καὶ αὕτη ἀπεκάλυψεν τὴν ῥύσιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς ἐξολεθρευθήσονται ἀμφότεροι ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῶν	καὶ ἀνήρ, ὃς ἂν κοιμηθῇ μετὰ γυναικὸς ἀποκαθημένης καὶ ἀποκαλύψῃ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς, τὴν πηγὴν αὐτῆς ἀπεκάλυψε, καὶ αὕτη ἀπεκάλυψε τὴν ῥύσιν τοῦ αἵματος αὐτῆς· ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἀμφότεροι ἐκ τῆς γενεᾶς αὐτῶν
Leviticus 20:18 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:18 (English Elpenor)
And a man who lies with a woman who sits apart and uncovers her shame—he has laid bare her spring, and she has laid bare her flow of blood; both of them shall be exterminated from their race.	And whatever man shall lie with a woman that is set apart [for a flux], and shall uncover her nakedness, he has uncovered her fountain, and she has uncovered the flux of her blood: they shall both be destroyed from among their generation.

Leviticus 20:21 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 20:21 (KJV)	Leviticus 20:21 (NET)
And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is impurity: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.	And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.	If a man has marital relations with his brother’s wife, it is indecency. He has exposed his brother’s nakedness; they will be childless.

Leviticus 20:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 20:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὃς ἂν λάβῃ τὴν γυναῗκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀκαθαρσία ἐστίν ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται	ὃς ἐὰν λάβῃ γυναῖκα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ, ἀκαθαρσία ἐστίν· ἀσχημοσύνην τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀπεκάλυψεν, ἄτεκνοι ἀποθανοῦνται
Leviticus 20:21 (NETS)	Leviticus 20:21 (English Elpenor)
He who takes the wife of his brother—it is impurity; he has uncovered his brother’s shame; they shall die childless.	Whoever shall take his brother’s wife, it is uncleanness; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall die childless.

Genesis 11:30 (Tanakh)	Genesis 11:30 (KJV)	Genesis 11:30 (NET)
And Sarai was barren; she had no child.	But Sarai was barren; she had no child.	But Sarai was barren; she had no children.

Genesis 11:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 11:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν Σαρα στεῗρα καὶ οὐκ ἐτεκνοποίει	καὶ ἦν Σάρα στεῖρα καὶ οὐκ ἐτεκνοποίει
Genesis 11:30 (NETS)	Genesis 11:30 (English Elpenor)
And Sara was barren, and she was not bearing children.	And Sara was barren, and did not bear children.

Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Back to Who Am I? Part 5

Back to Romans, Part 20

Back to Adultery in the Law, Part 3

Back to Adultery in the Prophets, Part 2

Back to Christianity, Part 12

Back to Exploration, Part 6

¹ Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran…. And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. The name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah; she was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah. (Genesis 11:27a, 29 NET) Was Sarah the Sister and Wife of Abraham?

² Galatians 3:17

³ I am assuming that, You must not expose the nakedness of your father’s brother; you must not approach his wife to have sexual intercourse with her (Leviticus 18:14 NET), includes a niece (who literally exposes the nakedness of her father’s brother). Reversibility seems to be indicated in the command against sexual intercourse with a sister (Leviticus 20:17 NET): …so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace.

⁴ Genesis 11:30 NET

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Exodus 20:14

Exploration, Part 6

Christianity, Part 12

Romans, Part 27

Adultery in the Law, Part 2

Adultery in the Law, Part 1