Antichrist, Part 6

Posted on June 9, 2026 by admin

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 I discovered an unpublished addition to these essays.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

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 So, I prefer to have it in my notes and will include it here as an unpublished quotation to differentiate it from more current thoughts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

² Genesis 2:25 (NET) Table

³ Galatians 2:20 (EXP11)

⁴ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

Exploration, Part 18

Posted on March 22, 2026 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exploration, Part 19

Back to Exploration, Part 20

Back to Who is a Christian? Part 1

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

⁹ Ephesians 4:1a (ESV)

¹⁰ 1 John 4:18 (ESV)

¹¹ Acts 9:15, 16 (ESV)

¹² Ephesians 3:2 (NET)

¹³ Ephesians 3:13b (NET) Table

¹⁴ Romans 1:14, 15 (ESV)

¹⁵ Exodus 24:12b (NET) Table

¹⁶ Ephesians 2:15b, 16 (ESV)

¹⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:5, 6 (ESV)

²⁰ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

²¹ Matthew 28:20b (ESV) Table

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Posted on March 8, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of my review of the Lord’s patience with the 24,000 killed by Moses, Phineas and the judges or tribes of Israel after joining themselves to Baal of Peor. At Marah He taught them to trust Him and his word more than their own experience or assessment of a situation (Exodus 15:22-27 ESV).

Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.

A note (68) in the NET following and the Lord showed him reads:

U. Cassuto notes that here is the clue to the direction of the narrative: Israel needed God’s instruction, the Law, if they were going to enjoy his provisions (Exodus, 184).

tn The verb is וַיּוֹרֵהוּ (vayyorehu, “and he showed him”). It is the Hiphil preterite from יָרָה (yarah), which has a basic meaning of “to point, show, direct.” It then came to mean “to teach”; it is the verb behind the noun “Law” (תּוֹרָה, torah).

In another essay I mentioned that Rashi, “Rabbi Solomon ben Isaac (Shlomo Yitzhaki)…one of the most influential Jewish commentators in history,”¹ understood “the allegory of the vineyard as a reference to…Adam.”² His commentary on Isaiah 5:6 (following 5:7 in The Complete Jewish Bible) reads:

(6) And I made it a desolation. I made him dwell in desolation, for I did not give the Torah in his days.
It shall neither be pruned nor hoed. They will learn from him neither merit nor good deeds.
The shamir and desolation will come up. Temptation ruled over him and his posterity, to perform corrupt deeds.
And I commanded the clouds. I appointed guards over him to guard the way of the Tree of Life.

Steve Rodeheaver in an article titled, “Exodus 15:22-27: Bitter Water and Sweet Wood” on The Voice online, wrote:

The journey takes place externally and internally. The external journey is the obvious one…

The internal journey is less obvious, but it is the one on which the text focuses. Our English translations obscure this focus because of the difficulty in translating the verb for Yahweh “showing” or “directing” Moses to a tree/piece of wood. The verb used actually means to instruct or teach. Yahweh instructed/taught Moses a tree. That does not make much sense, but it is important to note because this verb is the root verb of the word “Torah”. Torah means instruction, and it specifically refers to the instruction/law that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai for how the Israelites were to live in covenant with this God who brought them up out of Egypt. We might say that Yahweh “torah-ed” Moses a tree.

I found Mr. Rodeheaver’s article searching for something else instead, and might have missed this because of my tendency to go deeper when the Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge. But since Israel and the 24,000 are on the way to “Mount Sinai” to hear and receive “the instruction/law that God gave Moses…for how the Israelites were to live in covenant with this God who brought them up out of Egypt,” I’ll consider the word וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ, a form of יָרָה (yārâ), in some detail.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:25 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:25 (NET)	Exodus 15:25 (NETS)	Exodus 15:25 (English Elpenor)
And he cried unto HaShem; and HaShem showed him (וַיּוֹרֵ֤הוּ) a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them;	He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him (yārâ, ויורהו) a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them.	Then Moyses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him (καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ) wood, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There he set for him statutes and judgments, and there he tested him.	And Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord shewed him (καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ) a tree, and he cast it into the water, and the water was sweetened: there he established to him ordinances and judgments, and there he proved him,

The first two occurrences of forms of יָרָה (yārâ) in Exodus are found in Moses’ final objections to doing what the Lord called him to do (Exodus 4:10-12 ESV).

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

A more detailed table of Exodus 4:12 follows.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 4:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:12 (NET)	Exodus 4:12 (NETS)	Exodus 4:12 (English Elpenor)
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee (וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ) what thou shalt speak.’	So now go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you (yārâ, והוריתיך) what you must say.”	And now go, and I will open your mouth and teach you (καὶ συμβιβάσω σε) what you are going to speak.”	And now go and I will open thy mouth, and will instruct thee (καὶ συμβιβάσω σε) in what thou shalt say.

The Greek verb συμβιβάσω is a 1^st person singular form of συμβιβάζω in the active voice and indicative mood. In other words, as far as the rabbis who translated the Hebrew into Greek in the Septuagint were concerned, the Lord promised Moses: “I will prove logically, teach, instruct, bring together, reconcile, put together, compare, examine, advise, guide, conclude, deduce, infer, figure and decide you.” It’s quite an excellent translation of וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ, a 1^st person singular Hiphil stem of יָרָה (yārâ) according to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon [scroll down the page].

According to articles on Biblical Hebrew online:

The Hiphil stem in Biblical Hebrew primarily conveys a causative action. It allows the speaker or writer to express that the subject causes someone or something else to perform an action or be in a certain state. This causative nuance makes the Hiphil one of the most dynamic and versatile verb stems in the Hebrew language.³

The Hiphil stem in Biblical Hebrew is causation carved into grammar—giving speakers the power to transform simple verbs into agents of divine action, historical change, and theological intensity. With its hallmark morphology and presence across all verbal forms, Hiphil makes subjects into instigators: from causing cherubim to dwell in Eden (Genesis 3:24) to divinely hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 10:1). More than just linguistic architecture, Hiphil is the syntax of sovereignty—where YHWH doesn’t simply act, but sets events in motion, declares deliverance, and redefines reality through causative verbs.⁴

The הִפְעִיל (Hiphil) stem in Biblical Hebrew expresses causative action, often turning a simple verb into one that makes another perform the action.⁵

Did Moses understand the Hiphil stem (Exodus 4:13-16 ESV)?

But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both (וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֣י, another 1^st person singular Hiphil form of יָרָה, yārâ; Septuagint: καὶ συμβιβάσω ὑμᾶς) what to do. He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.

This time I’m completely primed to hear, Behold my servant, whom I uphold,⁶ and all that entails regarding the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), your old self born of Adam, fathered by the devil even, and the contrast to the new human Jesus: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.⁷ The next occurrence of a form of יָרָה (yārâ) in Exodus is found in the song Moses and the people of Israel sang…to the Lord after crossing the sea on dry ground (Exodus 15:1-4 ESV).

“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war; the Lord is his name [Table].

“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea.

Excited by the Hiphil stem I wanted to use Mr. Rodeheaver’s whimsical translation here: Pharaoh’s chariots and his host Yahweh “torah-ed” into (or “in”) the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. Now he is not God of the dead, Jesus told the Sadducees, but of the living, for all live to him.⁸ And in the one brief glimpse He offered into death, none other than Abraham speaks, to the dead on both sides of a great chasm, about Moses and the prophets: They [e.g., “the living”] have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.⁹ While Israel was on the way to be “torah-ed,” Pharoah’s…host…and his chosen officers took the low road, so to speak, through death to the same end.

But יָרָ֣ה (yārâ) in the Masoretic text of Exodus 15:4 is not a Hiphil stem. It’s practically a different word.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:4 (NET)	Exodus 15:4 (NETS)	Exodus 15:4 (English Elpenor)
Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast (יָרָ֣ה) into the sea, and his chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.	The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown (yārâ, ירה) into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea.	“The chariots of Pharao and his host he threw (ἔρριψεν) into the sea; choice riders, third-ranked officers, he drowned in the Red Sea.	He has cast (ἔρριψεν) the chariots of Pharao and his host into the sea, the chosen mounted captains: they were swallowed up in the Red Sea.

This is the Qal stem:

The Qal stem is the structural heart of Biblical Hebrew, anchoring verbs in their most elemental and active form. It expresses straightforward action—whether movement, speech, emotion, or creation—without added layers of causation or intensity. From כָּתַב (“he wrote”) to בָּרָא (“he created”), Qal verbs frame the narrative and theological core of the Hebrew Bible, serving as the foundation for other stems like Piel and Hiphil. By mastering Qal, one grasps not only Hebrew syntax but the pulse of biblical storytelling itself—where simplicity carries divine power and poetic depth.¹⁰

The Qal (קַל) stem is the most foundational and frequently occurring verbal stem (or binyan) in Biblical Hebrew. The term “Qal” means “light” or “simple,” reflecting its role as the base form from which other stems are derived. It typically expresses simple, active voice with no additional nuance of causation, reflexivity, or intensity—functions that are represented in other stems such as Piel, Hiphil, or Niphal.¹¹

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἔρριψεν, a form of ῥίπτω: “to throw, throw away, throw off, throw down; to scatter abroad; to put down, lay down; to bring under notice, present; to cast away, reject.” It is the same word they chose in Exodus 5:1b.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:1b (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:1b (NET)	Exodus 15:1b (NETS)	Exodus 15:1b (English Elpenor)
the horse and his rider hath He thrown (רָמָ֥ה) into the sea.	the horse and its rider he has thrown (rāmâ, רמה) into the sea.	horse and rider he threw (ἔρριψεν) into the sea.	horse and rider he has thrown (ἔρριψεν) into the sea.

Here, however, the Hebrew word in the Masoretic text is not יָרָ֣ה (yārâ), but another Qal stem: רָמָ֥ה (rāmâ). Likewise in Exodus 15:21.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 15:21 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:21 (NET)	Exodus 15:21 (NETS)	Exodus 15:21 (English Elpenor)
And Miriam sang unto them: Sing ye to HaShem, for He is highly exalted: the horse and his rider hath He thrown (רָמָ֥ה) into the sea.	Miriam sang in response to them, “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown (rāmâ, רמה) into the sea.”	And Mariam took their lead, saying: “Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously he has glorified himself. Horse and rider he threw (ἔρριψεν) into the sea.”	And Mariam led them, saying, Let us sing to the Lord, for he has been very greatly glorified: the horse and rider has he cast (ἔρριψεν) into the sea.

It makes me wonder about the different Qal stem in Exodus 15:4. Was it a mistake, chosen simply for variety, or intentionally placed there because the Hiphil stem of יָרָ֣ה (yārâ) “is the verb behind the noun ‘Law’ (תּוֹרָה, torah)”?¹² The last occurrence of a form of יָרָה (yārâ) in Exodus that I’ll consider here is found in words the Lord spoke to Moses after they arrived at Sinai, after God spoke all these words¹³ (Exodus 20:1-23:33), and after:

Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”¹⁴

After Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel,¹⁵ the Lord said to Moses (Exodus 24:12 ESV):

“Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.”

A detailed table follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 24:12b (Tanakh)	Exodus 24:12b (NET)	Exodus 24:12b (NETS)	Exodus 24:12b (English Elpenor)
and I will give (וְאֶתְּנָ֨ה) thee (לְךָ֜) the (אֶת) tables (לֻחֹ֣ת) of stone (הָאֶ֗בֶן), and the law (וְהַתּוֹרָה֙) and the commandment (וְהַמִּצְוָ֔ה), which (אֲשֶׁ֥ר) I have written (כָּתַ֖בְתִּי), that thou mayest teach them (לְהֽוֹרֹתָֽם).’	and I will give (nāṯan, ואתנה) you (לך) the (et, את) stone (‘eḇen, האבן) tablets (lûaḥ, לחת) with the law (tôrâ, והתורה) and the commandments (miṣvâ, והמצוה) that (‘ăšer, אשר) I have written (kāṯaḇ, כתבתי), so that you may teach them (yārâ, להורתם).”	And I will give (καὶ δώσω) you (σοι) stone (τὰ λίθινα) tablets (τὰ πυξία), the law (τὸν νόμον) and the commandments (καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς) that (ἃς) I wrote (ἔγραψα) to legislate for them (νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς).”	and I will give (καὶ δώσω) thee (σοι) the (τὰ) tables (πυξία) of stone (τὰ λίθινα), the law (τὸν νόμον) and the commandments (καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς), which (ἃς) I have written (ἔγραψα) to give them laws (νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς).

The first Hebrew word in the Masoretic text וְאֶתְּנָ֨ה, a form of נָתַן (nāṯan), and I will give (Tanakh, NET), was translated καὶ δώσω, And I will give (NETS), and I will give (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then comes לְךָ֜, thee (Tanakh), you (NET), translated σοι, you (NETS), thee (English Elpenor), which is followed by אֶת (et), a definite article the (Tanakh, NET), translated τὰ, the (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then לֻחֹ֣ת, a form of לוּחַ (lûaḥ), tables (Tanakh), tablets (NET), translated πυξία, tablets (NETS), tables (English Elpenor), is followed by הָאֶ֗בֶן, a form of אֶבֶן (‘eḇen), of stone (Tanakh), stone (NET), translated τὰ λίθινα, stone (NETS), of stone (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

The next Hebrew word is וְהַתּוֹרָה֙, a form of תּוֹרָה (tôrâ), and the law (Tanakh), with the law (NET), translated τὸν νόμον, the law (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. The Hebrew word תּוֹרָה (tôrâ) is the noun derived from the verb יָרָה (yārâ). The Brown-Driver-Briggs Lexicon explains that the feminine noun תּוֹרָה (tôrâ), “direction, instruction, law” comes “possibly in first instance from casting lots.” So, יָרָ֣ה (yārâ), he cast (ESV), in Exodus 5:4 was not a word choice made only for variety in a stanza praising the Lord’s casting of the lot for Israel, against their pursuers (Exodus 15:4-7 ESV).

“Pharaoh’s chariots and his host he cast into the sea, and his chosen officers were sunk in the Red Sea. The floods covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries; you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.

It was no mistake: ἔρριψεν, a form of ῥίπτω is a very good translation of יָרָ֣ה (yārâ), he cast (ESV), in Exodus 15:4. If I were to question the originality of one or the other, I would wonder more about ἔρριψεν as a translation of רָמָ֥ה (rāmâ), he has thrown (ESV), in Exodus 15:1 and 21, where “he has beguiled into the sea” would probably be more accurate: He beguiled them with the deceitful desires of their old human, despite their fearful knowledge that they should flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.¹⁶ But I can understand some reticence to cast the Lord as deceitful, though He proved over and over to be a man of war,¹⁷ a master of battle tactics and strategy.

The next word of the Hebrew word string in Exodus 24:12 in the Masoretic text is וְהַמִּצְוָ֔ה, a form of מִצְוָה (miṣvâ), and the commandments (Tanakh, NET), translated καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς, and the commandments (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. This is followed by אֲשֶׁ֥ר (‘ăšer), which (Tanakh), that (NET), translated ἃς, that (NETS), which (Englsih Elpenor), and כָּתַ֖בְתִּי, a form of כָּתַב (kāṯaḇ), I have written (Tanakh, NET), translated ἔγραψα, I wrote (NETS), I have written (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. And finally, there is לְהֽוֹרֹתָֽם, another form of יָרָה (yārâ), that thou mayest teach them (Tanakh), so that you may teach them (NET).

Though I expected this Hiphil infinitive to be translated something like συμβιβάσαι αὐτοῖς in the Septuagint, as וְהֽוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ (another form of יָרָה, yārâ) was translated in Exodus 4:12 above (καὶ συμβιβάσω σε), it was translated νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς, to legislate for them (NETS), to give them laws (English Elpenor), instead. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint were willing to recognize the “causative action¹⁸…of divine action,”¹⁹ “the syntax of sovereignty,”²⁰ in the Hiphil stem when God was teaching Moses, or Moses and Aaron, but would not extend this power to Moses teaching the people of Israel. Why not?

From the moment all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do,”²¹ one of the more monotonous themes of the Old Testament is the repetitive tale of their failure to keep that promise. As Paul wrote and the Septuagint confirms by translating a Hiphil stem with νομοθετῆσαι, a form of νομοθετέω: Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Table]. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith [Table]²² in God who “causes someone…else to perform an action,”²³ the Hiphil stem in action, but as if it were based on works.²⁴

And that brings me to the topic I originally intended to pursue: the misunderstandings the deceitful desires of the old human engender.

When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?”²⁵

The old human is frustrated, disbelieving that God would lead it to Marah, to bitter water. Why not go directly to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees²⁶ in the first place? But no, the Lord showed [Moses] a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.²⁷ But Moses didn’t even name the log, so the old human can’t know what to do if it ever encounters bitter water again—except trust Moses, and God maybe.

“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”²⁸

The old human knows a quid pro quo when it hears one. A Hiphil stem? The old human scoffs, knowing that this is about potable water and disease, real stuff, not the causative grammar or sovereign syntax of some ancient language. Of course, Paul, who wrote about both the old human and the new human (Ephesians 4:17-24) not only understood the Hiphil stem in Hebrew, he lived it (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

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

“Jesus is our Torah,” Steve Rodeheaver concluded, “our transforming Word from Yahweh on and for life.”²⁹ As for finding hope for those Egyptians cast into the sea³⁰ because the Hebrew word translated he cast in a song celebrating it is יָרָ֣ה (yārâ) in the Masoretic text, the verb from which the noun תּוֹרָה (tôrâ) is derived? Admittedly, that hope probably has more to do with faith that The Lord…is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance,³¹ and that the judgment of the One to whom All authority in heaven and on earth has been given³² to draw all to Himself will prevail ultimately over the deceitful desires of the old human.

Tables comparing Exodus 15:22; 15:23; 15:24; 15:25; 15:26; 15:27; Isaiah 5:6; Exodus 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; 4:14; 4:15; 4:16; 15:1; 15:2; 15:4; 15:21; 24:3; 24:9; 24:10; 24:12; 15:5; 15:6 and 15:7 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 15:22; 15:23; 15:24; 15:25; 15:26; 15:27; Isaiah 5:6; Exodus 4:10; 4:11; 4:12; 4:13; 4:14; 4:15; 4:16; 15:1; 15:2; 15:4; 15:21; 24:3; 24:9; 24:10; 24:12; 15:5; 15:6 and 15:7 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Exodus 15:22 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:22 (KJV)	Exodus 15:22 (NET)
And Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.	So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.	Then Moses led Israel to journey away from the Red Sea. They went out to the wilderness of Shur, walked for three days into the wilderness, and found no water.

Exodus 15:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξῆρεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ισραηλ ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἐρυθρᾶς καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σουρ καὶ ἐπορεύοντο τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ οὐχ ηὕρισκον ὕδωρ ὥστε πιεῖν	᾿Εξῇρε δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς υἱοὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ θαλάσσης ἐρυθρᾶς καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον Σούρ· καὶ ἐπορεύοντο τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καὶ οὐχ ηὕρισκον ὕδωρ ὥστε πιεῖν
Exodus 15:22 (NETS)	Exodus 15:22 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses removed the sons of Israel from the Red Sea and led them into the wilderness of Sour. And they were journeying for three days in the wilderness and were not finding water to drink.	So Moses brought up the children of Israel from the Red Sea, and brought them into the wilderness of Sur; and they went three days in [t]he wilderness, and found no water to drink.

Exodus 15:23 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:23 (KJV)	Exodus 15:23 (NET)
And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.	And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.	Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name was Marah.)

Exodus 15:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἦλθον δὲ εἰς Μερρα καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιεῖν ἐκ Μερρας πικρὸν γὰρ ἦν διὰ τοῦτο ἐπωνομάσθη τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου πικρία	ἦλθον δὲ εἰς Μερρᾶ καὶ οὐκ ἠδύναντο πιεῖν ἐκ Μερρᾶς, πικρὸν γὰρ ἦν· διὰ τοῦτο ἐπωνόμασε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Πικρία
Exodus 15:23 (NETS)	Exodus 15:23 (English Elpenor)
And they came to Merra and could not drink water from Merra, for it was bitter. Therefore the name of that place was called Bitterness.	and they came to Merrha, and could not drink of Merrha, for it was bitter; therefore he named the name of that place, Bitterness.

Exodus 15:24 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:24 (KJV)	Exodus 15:24 (NET)
And the people murmured against Moses, saying: ‘What shall we drink?’	And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?	So the people murmured against Moses, saying, “What can we drink?”

Exodus 15:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διεγόγγυζεν ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν λέγοντες τί πιόμεθα	καὶ διεγόγγυζεν ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ Μωυσῇ λέγοντες· τί πιόμεθα
Exodus 15:24 (NETS)	Exodus 15:24 (English Elpenor)
And the people were complaining against Moyses, saying, “What shall we drink?”	And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

Exodus 15:25 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:25 (KJV)	Exodus 15:25 (NET)
And he cried unto HaShem; and HaShem showed him a tree, and he cast it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He proved them;	And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,	He cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When Moses threw it into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the Lord made for them a binding ordinance, and there he tested them.

Exodus 15:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐβόησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ κύριος ξύλον καὶ ἐνέβαλεν αὐτὸ εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐγλυκάνθη τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκεῖ ἔθετο αὐτῷ δικαιώματα καὶ κρίσεις καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐπείρασεν αὐτὸν	ἐβόησε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ Κύριος ξύλον, καὶ ἐνέβαλεν αὐτὸ εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐγλυκάνθη τὸ ὕδωρ. ἐκεῖ ἔθετο αὐτῷ δικαιώματα καὶ κρίσεις καὶ ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ἐπείρασε
Exodus 15:25 (NETS)	Exodus 15:25 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him wood, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There he set for him statutes and judgments, and there he tested him.	And Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord shewed him a tree, and he cast it into the water, and the water was sweetened: there he established to him ordinances and judgments, and there he proved him,

Exodus 15:26 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:26 (KJV)	Exodus 15:26 (NET)
and He said: ‘If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of HaShem thy G-d, and wilt do that which is right in His eyes, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon thee, which I have put upon the Egyptians; for I am HaShem that healeth thee.’	And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.	He said, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, and pay attention to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, then all the diseases that I brought on the Egyptians I will not bring on you, for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Exodus 15:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ποιήσῃς καὶ ἐνωτίσῃ ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ φυλάξῃς πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν νόσον ἣν ἐπήγαγον τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις οὐκ ἐπάξω ἐπὶ σέ ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι κύριος ὁ ἰώμενός σε	καὶ εἶπεν· ἐὰν ἀκοῇ ἀκούσῃς τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ ποιήσῃς καὶ ἐνωτίσῃ ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ φυλάξῃς πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, πᾶσαν νόσον, ἣν ἐπήγαγον τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις, οὐκ ἐπάξω ἐπὶ σέ· ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ὁ ἰώμενός σε
Exodus 15:26 (NETS)	Exodus 15:26 (English Elpenor)
And he said, “If you by paying attention listen to the voice of the Lord, your God, and do before him pleasing things, and give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, every disease which I brought upon the Egyptians, I will not bring upon you. For I am the Lord who heals you.”	and said, If thou wilt indeed hear the voice of the Lord thy God, and do things pleasing before him, and wilt hearken to his commands, and keep all his ordinances, no disease which I have brought upon the Egyptians will I bring upon thee, for I am the Lord thy God that heals thee.

Exodus 15:27 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:27 (KJV)	Exodus 15:27 (NET)
And they came to Elim, where were twelve springs of water, and three score and ten palm-trees; and they encamped there by the waters.	And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.	Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water.

Exodus 15:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤλθοσαν εἰς Αιλιμ καὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖ δώδεκα πηγαὶ ὑδάτων καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα στελέχη φοινίκων παρενέβαλον δὲ ἐκεῖ παρὰ τὰ ὕδατα	Καὶ ἤλθοσαν εἰς Αἰλείμ, καὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖ δώδεκα πηγαὶ ὑδάτων καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα στελέχη φοινίκων· παρενέβαλον δὲ ἐκεῖ παρὰ τὰ ὕδατα
Exodus 15:27 (NETS)	Exodus 15:27 (English Elpenor)
And they came to Ailim, and twelve springs of water and seventy date palm trunks were there. And they camped there by the waters.	And they came to Aelim, and there were there twelve fountains of water, and seventy stems of palm-trees; and they encamped there by the waters.

Isaiah 5:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:6 (NET)
And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.	And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.	I will make it a wasteland; no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground, and thorns and briers will grow there. I will order the clouds not to drop any rain on it.

Isaiah 5:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνήσω τὸν ἀμπελῶνά μου καὶ οὐ μὴ τμηθῇ οὐδὲ μὴ σκαφῇ καὶ ἀναβήσεται εἰς αὐτὸν ὡς εἰς χέρσον ἄκανθα καὶ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐντελοῦμαι τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι εἰς αὐτὸν ὑετόν	καὶ ἀνήσω τὸν ἀμπελωνά μου καὶ οὐ τμηθῇ οὐδὲ μὴ σκαφῇ, καὶ ἀναβήσονται εἰς αὐτὸν ὡς εἰς χέρσον ἄκανθαι· καὶ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐντελοῦμαι τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι εἰς αὐτὸν ὑετόν
Isaiah 5:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:6 (English Elpenor)
And I will abandon my vineyard, and it shall not be pruned or dug, and a thorn shall come up into it as into a wasteland, and I will command the clouds, that they send no rain to it.	And I will forsake my vineyard; and it shall not be pruned, nor dug, and thorns shall come up upon it as on barren land; and I will command the clouds to rain no rain upon it.

Exodus 4:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:10 (KJV)	Exodus 4:10 (NET)
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Oh L-rd, I am not a man of words, neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.	And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.	Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Exodus 4:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον δέομαι κύριε οὐχ ἱκανός εἰμι πρὸ τῆς ἐχθὲς οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης ἡμέρας οὐδὲ ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἤρξω λαλεῖν τῷ θεράποντί σου ἰσχνόφωνος καὶ βραδύγλωσσος ἐγώ εἰμι	εἶπε δὲ Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον· δέομαι, Κύριε, οὐχ ἱκανός εἰμι πρὸ τῆς χθές, οὐδὲ πρὸ τῆς τρίτης ἡμέρας, οὐδὲ ἀφ᾿ οὗ ἤρξω λαλεῖν τῷ θεράποντί σου· ἰσχνόφωνος καὶ βραδύγλωσσος ἐγώ εἰμι
Exodus 4:10 (NETS)	Exodus 4:10 (English Elpenor)
But Moyses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I am incompetenet—before yesterday or the third day or since you began to speak to your attendant. I am weak-voiced and slow-tongued.”	And Moses said to the Lord, I pray, Lord, I have not been sufficient in former times, neither from the time that thou hast begun to speak to thy servant: I am weak in speech, and slow-tongued.

Exodus 4:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:11 (KJV)	Exodus 4:11 (NET)
And HaShem said unto him: ‘Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I HaShem?	And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?	The Lord said to him, “Who gave a mouth to man, or who makes a person mute or deaf or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Exodus 4:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν τίς ἔδωκεν στόμα ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ τίς ἐποίησεν δύσκωφον καὶ κωφόν βλέποντα καὶ τυφλόν οὐκ ἐγὼ ὁ θεός	εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· τίς ἔδωκε στόμα ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ τίς ἐποίησε δύσκωφον καὶ κωφόν, βλέποντα καὶ τυφλόν; οὐκ ἐγὼ ὁ Θεός
Exodus 4:11 (NETS)	Exodus 4:11 (English Elpenor)
Then the Lord said to Moyses, “Who gave a mouth to a person, and who made him deaf and mute, seeing and blind? Is it not I, the Lord God?	And the Lord said to Moses, Who has given a mouth to man, and who has made the very hard of hearing, and the deaf, the seeing and the blind? have not I, God?

Exodus 4:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:12 (KJV)	Exodus 4:12 (NET)
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.’	Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.	So now go, and I will be with your mouth and will teach you what you must say.”

Exodus 4:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν πορεύου καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνοίξω τὸ στόμα σου καὶ συμβιβάσω σε ὃ μέλλεις λαλῆσαι	καὶ νῦν πορεύου, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνοίξω τὸ στόμα σου, καὶ συμβιβάσω σε, ὃ μέλλεις λαλῆσαι
Exodus 4:12 (NETS)	Exodus 4:12 (English Elpenor)
And now go, and I will open your mouth and teach you what you are going to speak.”	And now go and I will open thy mouth, and will instruct thee in what thou shalt say.

Exodus 4:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:13 (KJV)	Exodus 4:13 (NET)
And he said: ‘Oh L-rd, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send.’	And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.	But Moses said, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”

Exodus 4:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς δέομαι κύριε προχείρισαι δυνάμενον ἄλλον ὃν ἀποστελεῖς	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· δέομαι, Κύριε, προχείρισαι δυνάμενον ἄλλον, ὃν ἀποστελεῖς
Exodus 4:13 (NETS)	Exodus 4:13 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said, “Please, Lord, appoint another capable person, whom you will send.”	And Moses said, I pray thee, Lord, appoint another able [person] whom thou shalt send.

Exodus 4:14 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:14 (KJV)	Exodus 4:14 (NET)
And the anger of HaShem was kindled against Moses, and He said: ‘Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee; and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.	And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.	Then the Lord became angry with Moses, and he said, “What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak very well. Moreover, he is coming to meet you, and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart.

Exodus 4:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὀργῇ κύριος ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν εἶπεν οὐκ ἰδοὺ Ααρων ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ Λευίτης ἐπίσταμαι ὅτι λαλῶν λαλήσει αὐτός σοι καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἐξελεύσεται εἰς συνάντησίν σοι καὶ ἰδών σε χαρήσεται ἐν ἑαυτῷ	καὶ θυμωθεὶς ὀργῇ Κύριος ἐπὶ Μωυσῆν εἶπεν· οὐκ ἰδοὺ ᾿Ααρὼν ὁ ἀδελφός σου ὁ Λευΐτης; ἐπίσταμαι ὅτι λαλῶν λαλήσει αὐτός σοι· καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἐξελεύσεται εἰς συνάντησίν σοι καὶ ἰδών σε χαρήσεται ἐν ἑαυτῷ
Exodus 4:14 (NETS)	Exodus 4:14 (English Elpenor)
And enraged with anger towards Moyses the Lord said, “Look, is not Aaron your brother, the Leuite? I know that when he speaks, he will speak for you. And look, he will come out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in himself.	And the Lord was greatly angered against Moses, and said, Lo! is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he will surely speak to thee; and, behold, he will come forth to meet thee, and beholding thee he will rejoice within himself.

Exodus 4:15 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:15 (KJV)	Exodus 4:15 (NET)
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.	And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.	“So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what you must do.

Exodus 4:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δώσεις τὰ ῥήματά μου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνοίξω τὸ στόμα σου καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ συμβιβάσω ὑμᾶς ἃ ποιήσετε	καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δώσεις τὰ ρήματά μου εἰς τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐγὼ ἀνοίξω τὸ στόμα σου καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ συμβιβάσω ὑμᾶς ἃ ποιήσετε
Exodus 4:15 (NETS)	Exodus 4:15 (English Elpenor)
And you shall speak to him and put my words in his mouth. And I will open your mouth and his mouth and will teach you what you shall do.	And thou shalt speak to him; and thou shalt put my words into his mouth, and I will open thy mouth and his mouth, and I will instruct you in what ye shall do.

Exodus 4:16 (Tanakh)	Exodus 4:16 (KJV)	Exodus 4:16 (NET)
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him in G-d’s stead.	And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.	He will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were his God.

Exodus 4:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 4:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὐτός σοι προσλαλήσει πρὸς τὸν λαόν καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται σου στόμα σὺ δὲ αὐτῷ ἔσῃ τὰ πρὸς τὸν θεόν	καὶ αὐτός σοι λαλήσει πρὸς τὸν λαόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται σου στόμα, σὺ δὲ αὐτῷ ἔσῃ τὰ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν
Exodus 4:16 (NETS)	Exodus 4:16 (English Elpenor)
And he shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, but you shall be to him the things pertaining to God.	And he shall speak for thee to the people, and he shall be thy mouth, and thou shalt be for him in things pertaining to God.

Exodus 15:1 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:1 (KJV)	Exodus 15:1 (NET)
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto HaShem, and spoke, saying: I will sing unto HaShem, for He is highly exalted; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.	Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.	Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord. They said, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously, the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.

Exodus 15:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε ᾖσεν Μωυσῆς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ τὴν ᾠδὴν ταύτην τῷ θεῷ καὶ εἶπαν λέγοντες ᾄσωμεν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐνδόξως γὰρ δεδόξασται ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν	ΤΟΤΕ ᾖσε Μωυσῆς καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὴν ᾠδὴν ταύτην τῷ Θεῷ καὶ εἶπαν λέγοντες· ᾄσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐνδόξως γὰρ δεδόξασται· ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν
Exodus 15:1 (NETS)	Exodus 15:1 (English Elpenor)
Then Moyses and the sons of Israel sang this song to God and spoke, saying, “Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously he has glorified himself; horse and rider he threw into the sea.	Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song to God, and spoke, saying, Let us sing to the Lord, for he is very greatly glorified: horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.

Exodus 15:2 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:2 (KJV)	Exodus 15:2 (NET)
HaShem is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation; this is my G-d, and I will glorify Him; my father’s G-d, and I will exalt Him.	The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.	The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
βοηθὸς καὶ σκεπαστὴς ἐγένετό μοι εἰς σωτηρίαν οὗτός μου θεός καὶ δοξάσω αὐτόν θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ὑψώσω αὐτόν	βοηθὸς καὶ σκεπαστὴς ἐγένετό μοι εἰς σωτηρίαν· οὗτός μου Θεός, καὶ δοξάσω αὐτόν, Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ ὑψώσω αὐτόν
Exodus 15:2 (NETS)	Exodus 15:2 (English Elpenor)
Helper and defender he has become to me, for deliverance; this is my God, and I will glorify him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.	He was to me a helper and protector for salvation: this is my God and I will glorify him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

Exodus 15:4 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:4 (KJV)	Exodus 15:4 (NET)
Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath He cast into the sea, and his chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.	Pharaoh’s chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.	The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he has thrown into the sea, and his chosen officers were drowned in the Red Sea.

Exodus 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅρματα Φαραω καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν ἐπιλέκτους ἀναβάτας τριστάτας κατεπόντισεν ἐν ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάσσῃ	ἅρματα Φαραὼ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν, ἐπιλέκτους ἀναβάτας τριστάτας κατεπόντισεν ἐν ἐρυθρᾷ θαλάσσῃ
Exodus 15:4 (NETS)	Exodus 15:4 (English Elpenor)
“The chariots of Pharao and his host he threw into the sea; choice riders, third-ranked officers, he drowned in the Red Sea.	He has cast the chariots of Pharao and his host into the sea, the chosen mounted captains: they were swallowed up in the Red Sea.

Exodus 15:21 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:21 (KJV)	Exodus 15:21 (NET)
And Miriam sang unto them: Sing ye to HaShem, for He is highly exalted: the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.	And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.	Miriam sang in response to them, “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea.”

Exodus 15:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξῆρχεν δὲ αὐτῶν Μαριαμ λέγουσα ᾄσωμεν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐνδόξως γὰρ δεδόξασται ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν	ἐξῆρχε δὲ αὐτῶν Μαριὰμ λέγουσα· ᾄσωμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐνδόξως γὰρ δεδόξασται· ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην ἔρριψεν εἰς θάλασσαν
Exodus 15:21 (NETS)	Exodus 15:21 (English Elpenor)
And Mariam took their lead, saying: “Let us sing to the Lord, for gloriously he has glorified himself. Hors and rider he threw into the sea.”	And Mariam led them, saying, Let us sing to the Lord, for he has been very greatly glorified: the horse and rider has he cast into the sea.

Exodus 24:3 (Tanakh)	Exodus 24:3 (KJV)	Exodus 24:3 (NET)
And Moses came and told the people all the words of HaShem, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said: ‘All the words which the L-rd hath spoken will we do.’	And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.	Moses came and told the people all the Lord’s words and all the decisions. All the people answered together, “We are willing to do all the words that the Lord has said,”

Exodus 24:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 24:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰσῆλθεν δὲ Μωυσῆς καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς φωνῇ μιᾷ λέγοντες πάντας τοὺς λόγους οὓς ἐλάλησεν κύριος ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα	εἰσῆλθε δὲ Μωυσῆς καὶ διηγήσατο τῷ λαῷ πάντα τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα· ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς φωνῇ μιᾷ λέγοντες· πάντας τοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐλάλησε Κύριος, ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα
Exodus 24:3 (NETS)	Exodus 24:3 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses went in and recounted to the people all God’s words and statutes. And all the people answered with one voice, saying, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do and heed.”	And Moses went in and related to the people all the words of God and the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, saying, All the words which the Lord has spoken, we will do and be obedient.

Exodus 24:9 (Tanakh)	Exodus 24:9 (KJV)	Exodus 24:9 (NET)
Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel;	Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:	Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up,

Exodus 24:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 24:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνέβη Μωυσῆς καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ναδαβ καὶ Αβιουδ καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα τῆς γερουσίας Ισραηλ	Καὶ ἀνέβη Μωυσῆς καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ Ναδὰβ καὶ ᾿Αβιοὺδ καὶ ἑβδομήκοντα τῆς γερουσίας ᾿Ισραήλ
Exodus 24:9 (NETS)	Exodus 24:9 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses and Aaron and Nadab and Abioud and seventy of the elders’ council of Israel went up.	And Moses went up, and Aaron, and Nadab and Abiud, and seventy of the elders of Israel.

Exodus 24:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 24:10 (KJV)	Exodus 24:10 (NET)
and they saw the G-d of Israel; and there was under His feet the like of a paved work of sapphire stone, and the like of the very heaven for clearness.	And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.	and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself.

Exodus 24:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 24:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶδον τὸν τόπον οὗ εἱστήκει ἐκεῖ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ Ισραηλ καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἔργον πλίνθου σαπφείρου καὶ ὥσπερ εἶδος στερεώματος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῇ καθαριότητι	καὶ εἶδον τὸν τόπον, οὗ εἱστήκει ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ τά ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἔργον πλίνθου σαπφείρου καὶ ὥσπερ εἶδος στερεώματος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τῇ καθαριότητι
Exodus 24:10 (NETS)	Exodus 24:10 (English Elpenor)
And they saw the place where the God of Israel stood, and that which was beneath his feet, like something made from lapis lazuli brick and like the appearance of the firmament of heaven in purity.	And they saw the place where the God of Israel stood; and under his feet was as it were a work of sapphire slabs, and as it were the appearance of the firmament of heaven in its purity.

Exodus 24:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 24:12 (KJV)	Exodus 24:12 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Come up to Me into the mount and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.’	And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.	The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandments that I have written, so that you may teach them.”

Exodus 24:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 24:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν ἀνάβηθι πρός με εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ καὶ δώσω σοι τὰ πυξία τὰ λίθινα τὸν νόμον καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς ἃς ἔγραψα νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· ἀνάβηθι πρός με εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ· καὶ δώσω σοι τὰ πυξία τὰ λίθινα, τὸν νόμον καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς, ἃς ἔγραψα νομοθετῆσαι αὐτοῖς
Exodus 24:12 (NETS)	Exodus 24:12 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Moyses, “Come up to me into the mountain, and be there. And I will give you stone tablets, the law and the commandments that I wrote to legislate for them.”	And the Lord said to Moses, Come up to me into the mountain, and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, the law and the commandments, which I have written to give them laws.

Exodus 15:5 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:5 (KJV)	Exodus 15:5 (NET)
The deeps cover them–they went down into the depths like a stone.	The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.	The depths have covered them; they went down to the bottom like a stone.

Exodus 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πόντῳ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτούς κατέδυσαν εἰς βυθὸν ὡσεὶ λίθος	πόντῳ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτούς, κατέδυσαν εἰς βυθὸν ὡσεὶ λίθος
Exodus 15:5 (NETS)	Exodus 15:5 (English Elpenor)
With open sea he covered them; they sank down into the deep like a stone.	He covered them with the sea: they sank to the depth like a stone.

Exodus 15:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:6 (KJV)	Exodus 15:6 (NET)
Thy right hand, O HaShem, glorious in power, Thy right hand, O HaShem, dasheth in pieces the enemy.	Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.	Your right hand, O Lord, was majestic in power; your right hand, O Lord, shattered the enemy.

Exodus 15:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡ δεξιά σου κύριε δεδόξασται ἐν ἰσχύι ἡ δεξιά σου χείρ κύριε ἔθραυσεν ἐχθρούς	ἡ δεξιά σου, Κύριε, δεδόξασται ἐν ἰσχύϊ· ἡ δεξιά σου χείρ, Κύριε, ἔθραυσεν ἐχθρούς
Exodus 15:6 (NETS)	Exodus 15:6 (English Elpenor)
Your right hand, O Lord, has been glorified in power; your right hand, O Lord, crushed enemies.	Thy right hand, O God, has been glorified in strength; thy right hand, O God, has broken the enemies.

Exodus 15:7 (Tanakh)	Exodus 15:7 (KJV)	Exodus 15:7 (NET)
And in the greatness of Thine excellency Thou overthrowest them that rise up against Thee; Thou sendest forth Thy wrath, it consumeth them as stubble.	And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.	In the abundance of your majesty you have overthrown those who rise up against you. You sent forth your wrath; it consumed them like stubble.

Exodus 15:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 15:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῆς δόξης σου συνέτριψας τοὺς ὑπεναντίους ἀπέστειλας τὴν ὀργήν σου καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτοὺς ὡς καλάμην	καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῆς δόξης σου συνέτριψας τοὺς ὑπεναντίους· ἀπέστειλας τὴν ὀργήν σου καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτοὺς ὡς καλάμην
Exodus 15:7 (NETS)	Exodus 15:7 (English Elpenor)
And in the abundance of your glory you scattered the adversaries; you sent your anger, and it consumed them like stubble.	And in the abundance of thy glory thou hast broken the adversaries to pieces: thou sentest forth thy wrath, it devoured them as stubble.

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 4

Back to Exploration, Part 18

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 5

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Back to Who is a Christian? Part 1

¹ From “Who Was Rashi?,” an article on My Jewish Learning online.

² Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

³ From “Mastering the Hiphil Stem in Biblical Hebrew: Introduction to the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

⁴ From “Hiphil הִפְעִיל: The Causative Power of the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

⁵ From “Hiphil הִפְעִיל: The Causative Power of the Hiphil Stem: The Function and Identity of the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

⁶ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

⁷ Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

⁸ Luke 20:38 (ESV)

⁹ Luke 16:29b (ESV) Table

¹⁰ From “Qal קַל: The Basic Stem of the Hebrew Verbal System” on Biblical Hebrew online.

¹¹ From “Qal קַל: The Basic Stem of the Hebrew Verbal System: Defining Qal within the Hebrew Binyan System” on Biblical Hebrew online.

¹² NET note 68.

¹³ Exodus 20:1 (ESV) Table

¹⁴ Exodus 24:3 (ESV)

¹⁵ Exodus 24:9, 10a (ESV)

¹⁶ Exodus 14:25b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Exodus 15:3 (ESV)

¹⁸ From “Mastering the Hiphil Stem in Biblical Hebrew: Introduction to the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

¹⁹ From “Hiphil הִפְעִיל: The Causative Power of the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

²⁰ Ibid.

²¹ Exodus 24:3b (ESV)

²² Romans 9:31, 32a (ESV)

²³ From “Mastering the Hiphil Stem in Biblical Hebrew: Introduction to the Hiphil Stem” on Biblical Hebrew online.

²⁴ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Exodus 15:23, 24 (ESV)

²⁶ Exodus 15:27a (ESV)

²⁷ Exodus 15:25b (ESV)

²⁸ Exodus 15:26 (ESV)

²⁹ Steve Rodeheaver, “Exodus 15:22-27: Bitter Water and Sweet Wood” on The Voice online.

³⁰ Exodus 15:4 (ESV)

³¹ 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Table

³² Matthew 28:18b (ESV) Table

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Posted on February 25, 2026 by admin

This is a continuation of “a fuller consideration” of “Matthew’s and the Holy Spirit’s word choices”¹ in Matthew 12:18-21. It became apparent in another essay that Behold, my servant whom I have chosen² wasn’t a quotation from Isaiah 42:1 exclusively: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.³ While preparing this essay I watched Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut again, which helped to illustrate the difference between them.

I recalled my first viewing (with my own eyes wide shut) enjoying the visual smorgasbord of female nudes in classic poses, even as I struggled to find some point to its story beyond a celebration that the Lord God made a woman and brought her to Adam. The story begins, I suppose, when Alice Harford (Nicole Kidman)—having resisted the dubious “charms” of a cad at a Christmas party—is offended by her husband’s lack of jealousy over her, his too facile faith in her fidelity. She angrily and hurtfully recounts her own conflicting emotions over an unconsummated lust for a stranger at a hotel on a family vacation that summer.

The persistent (and explicit) mental image of his beautiful young wife’s desire for another man, a naval officer, propels Bill Harford (Tom Cruise), a successful medical doctor, on a dark parody of a Hero’s Journey, even a mockery of the concept of the hero’s journey. It seems, at first, like a cinematic foray into Baal worship as described by B. Z. Goldberg in “The Sacred Fire, the story of sex in religion,” consorting with prostitutes as religious rite and ritual. Bill’s bookend encounters with Mr. Milich (Rade Šerbedžija), a costumer he bribed to reopen his shop late that night, were a poignant reminder that a prostitute is somebody’s daughter.

Bill needed a tuxedo, a cape with a hood and a mask to gain admittance to a secret orgy he heard about after a timely phone call from Alice aborted an impromptu assignation with Domino (Vinessa Shaw), a prostitute who had propositioned him as he wandered the streets. Awakened by Bill, as he reopens his shop Milich discovers his underage daughter (Leelee Sobieski) entertaining two older men. “We were invited here by the young lady,” one of them explains as Milich rages: “The young lady? It is my daughter. And couldn’t you see she is a child? You will have to explain to police.” Then he lashes out at his child, “You little whore! I’ll kill you for this.” Milich locks the two men in the front room of his shop as his daughter flees and cowers behind Bill.

Then Milich tends again to his rental business as his half-naked daughter, clinging to Bill for protection, whispers coquettishly into Bill’s ear. The scene ends without revealing how Bill extricates himself from her grasp or leaves her to her fate, which sets up the bookend scene the next morning. As he returns the rental costume (everything but the missing mask), Milich’s daughter, still in her underwear, emerges from the front of the shop, smiling. Her father greets her warmly and introduces her properly to Dr. Harford. Then the same two men from the night before emerge through the same doorway, fully clothed and looking like satisfied customers, and they are regarded as such by Mr. Milich.

Perplexed, Bill reminds Milich of his intent to call the police last night (without mentioning his intent to kill his daughter). “Well, uh, things change,” Milich responds, “we have come to another arrangement.” Then he offers his daughter to Bill as another potential rental item of interest, since Bill is clearly of interest to her. But the story has morphed into a thriller as Bill investigates the disappearance of a musician friend, Nick Nightingale (Todd Field), who told him about the secret orgy in the first place, and the suspiciously timed death of a prostitute, Mandy Curran (Julienne Davis), who offered herself as a sacrifice to “redeem” Bill from further humiliation (and other more lethal threats) when he was unmasked as an unwelcome intruder at the secret orgy.

Only at the end did I recognize “Eyes Wide Shut” as a love story. And after another divorce and a few more years of Bible study with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit, I realize it’s a love story about the grace of God, protecting Dr. and Mrs. Harford from the deceitful desires of their old human during three nights and three days when their marriage is severely tested.

Once he confesses all to Alice, Bill is uneasy, questioning what his wife is thinking and where he stands with her. Alice Harford, beautiful deeper than even her face or form, ponders aloud:

What do I think we should do? (Their young daughter Helena [Madison Eginton] interrupts.) What do I think? I don’t know. I mean, maybe I… (She tends to Helena again.) Maybe I think we should be grateful, grateful that we’ve managed to survive through all of our (she searches for a word) adventures—whether they were real or only a dream.

Gratitude is appropriate. Neither Bill nor Alice had any occasion for pride over any works of righteousness which had been done by any righteousness of their own derived from any law: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.⁴ This isn’t exactly what one expects of Jesus—Behold, my servant whom I have chosen⁵—but is appropriate to consider for servants who are not yet born from above, not yet created by means of [Christ]…into one new human.⁶

The Hebrew word translated I uphold was אֶתְמָךְ, a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ), which was translated ἀντιλήμψομαι or ἀντιλήψομαι in the Septuagint, forms of ἀντιλαμβάνω in the middle voice. The first occurrence of a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) in the Masoretic text occurs in the story of Israel blessing Joseph and his two sons.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 48:17 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 48:17 (NET)	Genesis 48:17 (NETS) Table	Genesis 48:17 (English Elpenor)
And when Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him, and he held up (וַיִּתְמֹ֣ךְ) his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head.	When Joseph saw that his father placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, it displeased him. So he took (tāmaḵ, ויתמך) his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.	Now when Ioseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it seemed grievous to him, and Ioseph took hold (καὶ ἀντελάβετο) of his father’s hand to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasse’s head.	And Joseph having seen that his father put his right hand on the head of Ephraim– it seemed grievous to him; and Joseph took hold (καὶ ἀντελάβετο) of the hand of his father, to remove it from the head of Ephraim to the head of Manasse.

The next occurrence is found in the story of Israel’s battle with Amalek.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 17:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Exodus 17:12 (NET)	Exodus 17:12 (NETS)	Exodus 17:12 (English Elpenor)
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up (תָּֽמְכ֣וּ) his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up (tāmaḵ, תמכו) his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.	But Moyses’ hands were heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hor kept supporting (ἐστήριζον) his hands, here one and there one. And the hands of Moyses were supported until the setting of the sun.	But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported (ἐστήριζον) his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun.

In the first occurrence Joseph held up, took, took hold of his father’s hand to correct what he perceived as wrong. In the second occurrence Aaron and Hur stayed up, held up, kept supporting, supported Moses’ hands to help him do what they perceived as right (Exodus 17:10, 11, 13 ESV):

So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill [Table]. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed…And [because of a form of תָּמַךְ (tāmaḵ) done by Aaron and Hur] Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

David wrote (Psalm 16:1, 2, 5 ESV):

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold (תּוֹמִ֥יךְ, a form of תָּמַךְ, tāmaḵ) my lot.

When I returned to the church where I became an atheist, I believed wholeheartedly that Jesus would finally help me have my own righteousness derived from the law,⁷ which was a major departure from many years of experience that I was neither faithful nor good enough to receive any help from Him at all. My last hope before I disbelieved Him entirely was that He would punish me for my sins. He didn’t, not in anyway I expected or perceived.

When He brought me back I didn’t actually “know” that I wanted Him to help me have my own righteousness derived from the law, because I didn’t yet know that there was any alternative to my own righteousness derived from the law. So, though He still didn’t help me have my own righteousness derived from the law, He helped me to know and to desire his righteousness (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ), the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁸

The Greek words translated the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness were: τὴν, the righteousness that, διὰ, comes by way, πίστεως Χριστοῦ, of Christ’s faithfulness. A note (11) in the NET goes into some detail about scholarly arguments over translation here: in the ESV for instance τὴν διὰ πίστεως Χριστοῦ was translated that which comes through faith in Christ.⁹ While the arguments are interesting, the writer was Paul, who also wrote (Galatians 2:20 EXP11):

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

Paul is faithful because the indwelling Christ makes it so. And Paul didn’t retain this grace as a special privilege to himself alone (Ephesians 2:8-10 EXP14):

For by means of grace you are, were and continue to be saved through faith, and this not from within you, God’s gift, not out from works, so that no one may boast [about oneself]. For we are his workmanship, created by means of Christ Jesus to good works which God prepared beforehand, so that by means of them we may walk.

At the conclusion of another essay I wrote:

Just as the conjunction καὶ (and) in Jesus’ prayer doesn’t deny his divinity but highlights and accentuates his humanity, even as the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,¹² so God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) chose this new human: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen. Eternal life is to know the only true God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and this new human. How? by knowing Jesus Christ, through the Bible certainly, yet equally if not more importantly, through the time spent with the One who died to fulfill the Scriptures.

I chide myself for being so slow to understand. The relationship between Jesus as Christ and the new human is actually quite explicit (Romans 5:12-21 ESV).

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man (δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου), and death through sin, and so death spread to all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους) 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. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come [Table].

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass (τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι), much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man (τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου) Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin (οὐχ ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἁμαρτήσαντος). For the judgment following one trespass (ἐξ ἑνὸς) brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass (τῷ τοῦ ἑνὸς παραπτώματι), death reigned through that one man (διὰ τοῦ ἑνός), much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man (διὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς) Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass (ὡς δι᾿ ἑνὸς παραπτώματος) led to condemnation for all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους), so one act of righteousness (δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος) leads to justification and life for all men (εἰς πάντας ἀνθρώπους). For as by the one man’s disobedience (διὰ τῆς παρακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου) the many were made sinners (ἁμαρτωλοὶ κατεστάθησαν οἱ πολλοί), so by the one man’s obedience (διὰ τῆς ὑπακοῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς) the many will be made righteous (δίκαιοι κατασταθήσονται οἱ πολλοί). Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And again (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 ESV):

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”;¹⁰ the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven [Table]. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven [Table].

And here, I return to Matthew 12:18a (ESV).

“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.

I’ll continue with the idea (NET note 28) that Isaiah 42:1 is a good place to start looking for the source of the quotation my beloved (ὁ ἀγαπητός μου). The next Hebrew word in Isaiah 42:1 in the Masoretic text is בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr):

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 42:1 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS) Table	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
mine elect (בְּחִירִ֖י)	my chosen one (bāḥîr, בחירי)	Israel is my chosen (Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου)	Israel is my chosen (᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου)

In another essay I considered why the Septuagint translators may have been inclined to add Israel to these words, and won’t repeat it here. But does Matthew 12:18 help to corroborate the Masoretic text as more original this time?

Matthew 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 42:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἀγαπητός μου	Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου	᾿Ισραὴλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου
Matthew 12:18 (NET)	Isaiah 42:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 42:1 (English Elpenor)
the one I love	Israel is my chosen	Israel is my chosen

Granted, the word Ισραηλ is missing from Matthew’s quotation as it is from the apparent source in the Masoretic text of Isaiah. But is ἀγαπητός a fitting synonym for ἐκλεκτός, or a reasonable translation of בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr)? The singular adjective ἀγαπητός in the nominative case doesn’t occur in the Greek translation of Isaiah. There are, however, two occurrences of other forms.

The first is fairly straightforward (Isaiah 5:1-4 ESV):

Let me sing for my beloved
my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem
and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?

The Hebrew word translated my love in my love song concerning his vineyard above was דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ). A table with more detail follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 5:1 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 5:1 (NET)	Isaiah 5:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:1 (English Elpenor)
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved (לִֽידִידִ֔י) a song of my beloved (דּוֹדִ֖י) touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved (לִֽידִידִ֖י) hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	I will sing to my love (yāḏîḏ, לידידי)—a song to my lover (dôḏ, דודי) about his vineyard. My love (yāḏîḏ, לידידי) had a vineyard on a fertile hill.	I will now sing for the beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) a song of the loved one (τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ) concerning my vineyard: The beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) had a vineyard on a hill, on a fertile place.	Now I will sing to [my] beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) a song of my beloved (τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου) concerning my vineyard. [My] beloved (τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ) had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place.

So, one Hebrew word occurs twice in the Masoretic text: לִֽידִידִ֔י, a form of יָדִיד (yāḏîḏ), to my wellbeloved / My wellbeloved (Tanakh, KJV), to my love / My love (NET). It was translated τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ in the Septuagint, for the beloved / The beloved (NETS), to [my] beloved / [My] beloved (English Elpenor). And another occurs once: דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ), of my beloved (Tanakh, KJV), to my lover (NET). The ESV translators chose my love, abandoning any sense of personality, treating דּוֹדִ֖י, a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ), simply as an adjective describing song. It was translated τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ in the BLB Septuagint, of the loved one (NETS), and τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου in the Elpenor Septuagint, of my beloved (English Elpenor).

The Greek adjective ἀγαπητοῦ is a singular form of ἀγαπητός in the genitive case. Since Matthew and the Holy Spirit chose ἀγαπητός, referring to Jesus in Matthew 12:18, rather than ἐκλεκτός (which referred to Israel in the Septuagint), I’m primed to respond to the Lord’s questions as follows:

Question 1 (Isaiah 5:4a ESV):
What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it?

Answer 1 (John 3:14-17 ESV):
As Moses¹¹ lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him¹² may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, a form of κρίνω; literally judge) the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him [Table].

Question 2 (Isaiah 5:4b ESV):
When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?

Answer 2 (John 3:6, 7; Romans 8:3, 4 ESV):
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’ (ἄνωθεν; literally from above).
For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned (κατέκρινεν, a form of κατακρίνω) sin in the flesh (ἐν τῇ σαρκί; or “by means of the flesh”), in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

I tend to understand the allegory of the vineyard as a reference to the people of Israel, more specifically to the people of the southern kingdom of Judah, or even more specifically to the Jews of Jerusalem, at the time of Isaiah. Without denying any of that, Rashi understood the vineyard as Adam, perhaps even humanity more generally (See Rashi’s commentary to Isaiah 5:7). But despite all his insight, including his recognition that God did more for Israel than for Adam, Rashi still hoped in Torah, in law, a millennium after Christ has come, Christ has died, Christ is risen again. And another millennium after Rashi “all the little Jewish children look forward to the happy day when they will begin to learn Chumash [Torah (The Pentateuch)] with Rashi…a new milestone on their wonderful and enchanting road to scholarship and wisdom.”¹³

The only other occurrence of a form of ἀγαπητός in the Greek translation of Isaiah is more difficult because the Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge significantly (Isaiah 26:16-19 ESV).

O Lord, in distress they sought you;
they poured out a whispered prayer
when your discipline was upon them.
Like a pregnant woman
who writhes and cries out in her pangs
when she is near to giving birth,
so were we because of you, O Lord;
we were pregnant, we writhed,
but we have given birth to wind.
We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth,
and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen.
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.
You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!
For your dew is a dew of light,
and the earth will give birth to the dead [Table].

The differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint are reasonably apparent in English translation:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:16, 17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:16, 17 (NET)	Isaiah 26:16, 17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:16, 17, 18a (English Elpenor)
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.	O Lord, in affliction I remembered you; with small affliction your chastening was on us.	Lord, in affliction I remembered thee; thy chastening was to us with small affliction.
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so have we been to thy beloved. (18) We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear…

I’ll pause here to consider Isaiah 26:17 (26:17, 18a) in more detail:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:17 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:17 (NET)	Isaiah 26:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:17, 18a (English Elpenor)
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so (כֵּ֛ן) have we been (הָיִ֥ינוּ) in thy sight (מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ), O LORD (יְהֹוָֽה).	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so (kēn, כן) were we (hāyâ, היינו) because of you (pānîm, מפניך), O Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יהוה).	And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so (οὕτως) were we (ἐγενήθημεν) to your beloved (τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου) because of (διὰ) the fear of you (τὸν φόβον σου), O Lord (κύριε).	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so (οὕτως) have we been (ἐγενήθημεν) to thy beloved (τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου). (18) We have conceived, O Lord (Κύριε), because of (διὰ) thy fear (τὸν φόβον σου),

The Hebrew word כֵּ֛ן (kēn), so (Tanakh, KJV, NET), was translated οὕτως in the Septuagint, so (NETS, English Elpenor). Then הָיִ֥ינוּ a form of הָיָה (hāyâ), have we been (Tanakh, KJV), were we (NET), was translated ἐγενήθημεν, were we (NETS), have we been (English Elpenor). The next word is absent from the Masoretic text: τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου, to your beloved (NETS), to thy beloved (English Elpenor), only occurs in the Septuagint; ἀγαπητῷ is a form of the adjective ἀγαπητός in the dative case. The rabbis apparently translated a Hebrew manuscript that had a form of דּוֹד (dôḏ) at this point in the word string (based on Isaiah 5:1). The Masoretes either dropped it or favored a manuscript from which it was absent.

The next word מִפָּנֶ֖יךָ, a form of פָּנִים (pānîm), in thy sight (Tanakh, KJV), because of you (NET), was translated διὰ, because of (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then again, a word, probably a form of יָרֵא (yārē’), is absent from the Masoretic text, but was translated τὸν φόβον σου, the fear of you (NETS), thy fear (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. And finally, יְהֹוָֽה (yᵊhōvâ), O LORD (Tanakh, KJV), O Lord (NET), in the Masoretic text was translated Κύριε, O Lord (NETS, English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

In the Greek of the Septuagint there is a point and purpose of this woman in hard labor imagery, a reference to some relationship between that labor and your beloved, thy beloved: so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord (NETS), so have we been to thy beloved…O Lord, because of thy fear (English Elpenor). The point and purpose in the Tanakh and KJV translations of the Masoretic text is thy chastening: so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. The NET and ESV translations may hint at some other purpose: so were we because of you, O Lord. But I suspect that hint owes more to the translators’ consultation of the Septuagint than to any strict adherence to the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

Since Matthew and the Holy Spirit chose ὁ ἀγαπητός μου in Matthew 12:18 my beloved (ESV) to specify Jesus, who fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, rather than Israel (Ισραηλ ὁ ἐκλεκτός μου in Isaiah 42:1 in the Septuagint), I’m primed to recognize the identity of τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου, to your beloved (NETS), to thy beloved (English Elpenor) as a prophetic reference to Jesus. And Paul, in his lament, was quite specific about Jesus’ relationship to Israel imagined as a woman in hard labor (Romans 9:1-5 ESV).

I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh [Table]. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

The differences between the Masoretic text and Septuagint continue:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:18, 19 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (NET)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18, 19 (English Elpenor)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; no people are born to populate the world.	We conceived and travailed and gave birth; we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth, but those who dwell on the earth will fall.	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall.
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead [Table].	Your dead will come back to life; your corpses will rise up. Wake up and shout joyfully, you who live in the ground! For you will grow like plants drenched with the morning dew, and the earth will bring forth its dead spirits.	The dead shall rise, and those who are in the tombs shall be raised, and those who are in the earth shall rejoice; for the dew from you is healing to them, but the land of the impious shall fall [Table].	The dead shall rise, and they that are in the tombs shall be raised, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: for the dew from thee is healing to them: but the land of the ungodly shall perish.

A more detailed table of Isaiah 26:18 follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 26:18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 26:18 (NET)	Isaiah 26:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18 (English Elpenor)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were (כְּמ֖וֹ) brought forth (יָלַ֣דְנוּ) wind (ר֑וּחַ); we have not (בַּל) wrought (נַ֣עֲשֶׂה) any deliverance (יְשׁוּעֹת֙) in the earth (אֶ֔רֶץ); neither (וּבַֽל) have the inhabitants (יֹֽשְׁבֵ֥י) of the world (תֵבֵֽל) fallen (יִפְּל֖וּ).	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth (yālaḏ, ילדנו), as it were (kᵊmô, כמו), to wind (rûaḥ, רוח). We cannot (bal, בל) produce (ʿāśâ, נעשׁה) deliverance (yᵊšûʿâ, ישועת) on the earth (‘ereṣ, ארץ); no people (bal, ובל) are born (nāp̄al, יפלו) to populate (yāšaḇ, ישבי) the world (tēḇēl, תבל).	We conceived and travailed and gave birth (ἐτέκομεν); we produced (ἐποιήσαμεν) a wind (πνεῦμα) of your salvation (σωτηρίας σου) on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς), but (ἀλλὰ) those who dwell (οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες) on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς) will fall (πεσοῦνται).	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth (ἐτέκομεν) the breath (πνεῦμα) of thy salvation (σωτηρίας σου), which we have wrought (ἐποιήσαμεν) upon the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς): we shall not (οὐ) fall (πεσούμεθα), but (ἀλλὰ) all that dwell (πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες) upon the land (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς) shall fall (πεσοῦνται).

The first word in the Masoretic text to diverge from the Septuagint is כְּמ֖וֹ (kᵊmô), as it were (Tanakh, KJV, NET). There is no counterpart in the Septuagint. But the next word יָלַ֣דְנוּ, a form of יָלַד (yālaḏ), we have…brought forth (Tanakh, KJV), we gave birth (NET), was translated ἐτέκομεν, gave birth (NETS), have brought forth (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. This was followed by ר֑וּחַ (rûaḥ), wind (Tanakh, KJV), to wind (NET), translated πνεῦμα, a wind (NETS), the breath (English Elpenor). Then came יְשׁוּעֹת֙, a form of יְשׁוּעָה (yᵊšûʿâ), any deliverance (Tanakh, KJV), deliverance (NET), translated σωτηρίας σου, of your salvation (NETS), of thy salvation (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

The next word in the Hebrew word string of the Masoretic text is בַּל (bal), not (Tanakh, KJV), cannot (NET). There is no negative particle in the BLB Septuagint; οὐ in the Elpenor Septuagint occurs later in the word string and precedes a different verb. The verb negated in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text is נַ֣עֲשֶׂה, a form of עָשָׂה (ʿāśâ), we have…wrought (Tankah, KJV), We…produce (NET), and was translated ἐποιήσαμεν without any hint of negation in the Septuagint, we produced (NETS), which we have wrought (English Elpenor). And this is followed by אֶ֔רֶץ (ereṣ), in the earth (Tanakh, KJV), on the earth (NET), translated ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, on the earth (NETS), upon the earth (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint.

In other words, prior to many in Israel rejecting Jesus as Messiah there is Greek evidence of a Hebrew manuscript which prophesied something like: we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth [e.g., your beloved] (NETS); have brought forth the breath of thy salvation [e.g., thy beloved], which we have wrought upon the earth (English Elpenor). And after their rejection the Masoretic text reads: we have as it were brought forth wind [e.g., a fart]; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth (Tanakh, KJV); we gave birth, as it were, to wind; We cannot produce deliverance on the earth (NET).

The next word in the Hebrew word string of the Masoretic text is another negative particle וּבַֽל, a form of בַּל (bal), neither (Tanakh, KJV), no people (NET). Here is where the negative particle οὐ occurs in the Elpenor Septuagint only, preceding πεσούμεθα (a form of πίπτω), we shall not fall (English Elpenor). Frankly, whether this is evidence of yet another Hebrew manuscript or simply an editorial comment identifying The dead [who] shall rise,¹⁴ is of no concern to me at present. Both the BLB and Elpenor Septuagint have the conjunction ἀλλὰ here, but (NETS, English Elpenor), rather than a negative particle when οὐ πεσούμεθα is bracketed aside.

The next word in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text is יִפְּל֖וּ, a form of נָפַל (nāp̄al), have…fallen (Tanakh, KJV), are born (NET), and was translated πεσοῦνται, will fall (NETS), shall fall (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. Then יֹֽשְׁבֵ֥י, a form of יָשַׁב (yāšaḇ), the inhabitants (Tanakh, KJV), to populate (NET), was translated οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες (BLB Septuagint), those who dwell (NETS) and πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες (Elpenor Septuagint), all that dwell (English Elpenor). Finally, תֵבֵֽל (tēḇēl), of the world (Tanakh, KJV), the world (NET), was translated ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, on the earth (NETS), upon the land (English Elpenor).

None of this persuades me that ἀγαπητός in Matthew 12:18 calls the originality of בְּחִירִ֖י, a form of בָּחִיר (bāḥîr) in Isaiah 42:1, into question. On the contrary, ἀγαπητός seems to be a deliberate choice to bind Isaiah 42 to Isaiah 5 and Isaiah 26 in Matthew 12:18, even as it distinguishes Jesus somewhat from Israel (as translated in the Septuagint). Even in the mutilated remains of Isaiah 26:18 in the Masoretic text one finds ר֑וּחַ (rûaḥ) followed by יְשׁוּעֹת֙, a form of יְשׁוּעָה (yᵊšûʿâ; pronounced yesh-oo’-aw), “spirit of salvation.” As Paul wrote: the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.¹⁵ And Matthew wrote that Jesus fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah.¹⁶ And the Holy Spirit called Him: my beloved¹⁷ (ὁ ἀγαπητός μου).

Israel…pursued a law that would lead to righteousness¹⁸…as if it were based on works,¹⁹ Paul assessed the failure of his brothers, [his] kinsmen according to the flesh.²⁰ The Masoretes confirmed his assessment: we were pregnant, we writhed, but we have given birth to wind. We have accomplished no deliverance in the earth.²¹ In other words, they did not pursue it by faith²² in the faithfulness of God: Behold my servant, whom I uphold.²³ And many still reject his “spirit of salvation,” Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved.²⁴

When Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) returned home late on the third night, he found the missing mask he had to purchase from the man who prostituted his own daughter. He found that mask, which he wore in a vain attempt to fit in at a secret orgy hoping in vain to hide his true identity, lying on his pillow in his place in his bed next to his sleeping wife—and he repented.

Tables comparing Exodus 17:12; 17:11; 17:13; Psalm 16:1; 16:2; 16:5; Isaiah 5:1; 5:2; 5:3; 5:4; 26:16; 26:17 and 26:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Exodus 17:12; 17:11; 17:13; Psalm 16:1 (15:1); 16:2 (15:2); 16:5 (15:5); Isaiah 5:1; 5:2; 5:3; 5:4; 26:16; 26:17 and 26:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing John 3:14, 15 in the KJV and NET follow.

Exodus 17:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:12 (KJV)	Exodus 17:12 (NET)
But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.	When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down.

Exodus 17:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
αἱ δὲ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ βαρεῖαι καὶ λαβόντες λίθον ὑπέθηκαν ὑπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ Ααρων καὶ Ωρ ἐστήριζον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ ἐστηριγμέναι ἕως δυσμῶν ἡλίου	αἱ δὲ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ βαρεῖαι· καὶ λαβόντες λίθον ὑπέθηκαν ὑπ᾿ αὐτόν, καὶ ἐκάθητο ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ ῍Ωρ ἐστήριζον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, ἐντεῦθεν εἷς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν εἷς· καὶ ἐγένοντο αἱ χεῖρες Μωυσῆ ἐστηριγμέναι ἕως δυσμῶν ἡλίου
Exodus 17:12 (NETS)	Exodus 17:12 (English Elpenor)
But Moyses’ hands were heavy. And they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hor kept supporting his hands, here one and there one. And the hands of Moyses were supported until the setting of the sun.	But the hands of Moses were heavy, and they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat upon it; and Aaron and Or supported his hands one on this side and the other on that, and the hands of Moses were supported till the going down of the sun.

Exodus 17:11 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:11 (KJV)	Exodus 17:11 (NET)
And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.	And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.	Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

Exodus 17:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγίνετο ὅταν ἐπῆρεν Μωυσῆς τὰς χεῖρας κατίσχυεν Ισραηλ ὅταν δὲ καθῆκεν τὰς χεῖρας κατίσχυεν Αμαληκ	καὶ ἐγίνετο ὅταν ἐπῇρε Μωυσῆς τὰς χεῖρας, κατίσχυεν ᾿Ισραήλ· ὅταν δὲ καθῆκε τὰς χεῖρας, κατίσχυεν ᾿Αμαλήκ
Exodus 17:11 (NETS)	Exodus 17:11 (English Elpenor)
And it happened whenever Moyses held up his hands, Israel was prevailing, and whenever he lowered his hands, Amalek was prevailing.	And it came to pass, when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hands, Amalec prevailed.

Exodus 17:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:13 (KJV)	Exodus 17:13 (NET)
And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.	And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.	So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.

Exodus 17:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐτρέψατο Ἰησοῦς τὸν Αμαληκ καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας	καὶ ἐτρέψατο ᾿Ιησοῦς τὸν ᾿Αμαλὴκ καὶ πάντα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας
Exodus 17:13 (NETS)	Exodus 17:13 (English Elpenor)
And Iesous routed Amalek and all his people by slaughter of dagger.	And Joshua routed Amalec and all his people with the slaughter of the sword.

Psalm 16:1 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:1 (KJV)	Psalm 16:1 (NET)
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.	Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.	A prayer of David. Protect me, O God, for I have taken shelter in you.

Psalm 16:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
στηλογραφία τῷ Δαυιδ φύλαξόν με κύριε ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα	Στηλογραφία τῷ Δαυΐδ. – ΦΥΛΑΞΟΝ με, Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα
Psalm 15:1 (NETS)	Psalm 15:1 (English Elpenor)
A stele inscription. Pertaining to Dauid. Guard me, O Lord, because in you I hoped.	[A writing of David.] Keep me, O Lord; for I have hoped in thee.

Psalm 16:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:2 (KJV)	Psalm 16:2 (NET)
O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;	O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;	I say to the Lord, “You are the Lord, my only source of well-being.”

Psalm 16:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπα τῷ κυρίῳ κύριός μου εἶ σύ ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις	εἶπα τῷ Κυρίῳ· Κύριός μου εἶ σύ, ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις
Psalm 15:2 (NETS)	Psalm 15:2 (English Elpenor)
I said to the Lord, “My Lord you are, because you have no need of my goods.”	I said to the Lord, Thou art my Lord; for thou hast no need of my goodness.

Psalm 16:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 16:5 (KJV)	Psalm 16:5 (NET)
The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.	The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.	Lord, you give me stability and prosperity; you make my future secure.

Psalm 16:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριος ἡ μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας μου καὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου μου σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀποκαθιστῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν μου ἐμοί	Κύριος μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας μου καὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου μου· σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀποκαθιστῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν μου ἐμοί
Psalm 15:5 (NETS)	Psalm 15:5 (English Elpenor)
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup; you are the one who restores to me my inheritance.	The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou art he that restores my inheritance to me.

Isaiah 5:1 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:1 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:1 (NET)
Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:	I will sing to my love—a song to my lover about his vineyard. My love had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

Isaiah 5:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ᾄσω δὴ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ᾆσμα τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι ἐν τόπῳ πίονι	ΑΣΩ δὴ τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἆσμα τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ μου τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου. ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι
Isaiah 5:1 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:1 (English Elpenor)
I will now sing for the beloved a song of the loved one concerning my vineyard: The beloved had a vineyard on a hill, on a fertile place.	Now I will sing to [my] beloved a song of my beloved concerning my vineyard. [My] beloved had a vineyard on a high hill in a fertile place.

Isaiah 5:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:2 (NET)
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.	And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.	He built a hedge around it, removed its stones, and planted a vine. He built a tower in the middle of it and constructed a winepress. He waited for it to produce edible grapes, but it produced sour ones instead.

Isaiah 5:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φραγμὸν περιέθηκα καὶ ἐχαράκωσα καὶ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον σωρηχ καὶ ᾠκοδόμησα πύργον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ προλήνιον ὤρυξα ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν ἐποίησεν δὲ ἀκάνθας	καὶ φραγμὸν περιέθηκα καὶ ἐχαράκωσα καὶ ἐφύτευσα ἄμπελον Σωρὴχ καὶ ὠκοδόμησα πύργον ἐν μέσῳ αὐτοῦ καὶ προλήνιον ὤρυξα ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας
Isaiah 5:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:2 (English Elpenor)
And I put a hedge around it and fenced it in and planted a Sorech vine, and I built a tower in the midst of it and dug out a wine vat in it, and I waited for it to produce a cluster of grapes, but it produced thorns.	And I made a hedge round it, and dug a trench, and planted a choice vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and dug a place for the wine-vat in it: and I waited [for it] to bring forth grapes, and it brought forth thorns.

Isaiah 5:3 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:3 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:3 (NET)
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.	And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.	So now, residents of Jerusalem, people of Judah, you decide between me and my vineyard!

Isaiah 5:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Ιουδα καὶ οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν Ιερουσαλημ κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου	καὶ νῦν, οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ ᾿Ιούδα, κρίνατε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ ἀναμέσον τοῦ ἀμπελῶνός μου
Isaiah 5:3 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:3 (English Elpenor)
And now, man of Ioudas and those who dwell in Ierousalem, judge between me and my vineyard.	And now, ye dwellers in Jerusalem, and [every] man of Juda, judge between me and my vineyard.

Isaiah 5:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 5:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 5:4 (NET)
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?	What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?	What more can I do for my vineyard beyond what I have already done? When I waited for it to produce edible grapes, why did it produce sour ones instead?

Isaiah 5:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 5:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τί ποιήσω ἔτι τῷ ἀμπελῶνί μου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν ἐποίησεν δὲ ἀκάνθας	τί ποιήσω ἔτι τῷ ἀμπελώνί μου καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησα αὐτῷ; διότι ἔμεινα τοῦ ποιῆσαι σταφυλήν, ἐποίησε δὲ ἀκάνθας
Isaiah 5:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 5:4 (English Elpenor)
What more might I do for my vineyard, and I have not done for it? Because I waited for it to produce a cluster of grapes, but it produced thorns,	What shall I do any more to my vineyard, that I have not done to it? Whereas I expected [it] to bring forth grapes, but it has brought forth thorns.

Isaiah 26:16 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:16 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:16 (NET)
LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.	O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.

Isaiah 26:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε ἐν θλίψει ἐμνήσθην σου ἐν θλίψει μικρᾷ ἡ παιδεία σου ἡμῖν	Κύριε, ἐν θλίψει ἐμνήσθην σου, ἐν θλίψει μικρᾷ ἡ παιδεία σου ἡμῖν
Isaiah 26:16 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:16 (English Elpenor)
O Lord, in affliction I remembered you; with small affliction your chastening was on us.	Lord, in affliction I remembered thee; thy chastening was to us with small affliction.

Isaiah 26:17 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:17 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:17 (NET)
Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD.	As when a pregnant woman gets ready to deliver and strains and cries out because of her labor pains, so were we because of you, O Lord.

Isaiah 26:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ὠδῖνι αὐτῆς ἐκέκραξεν οὕτως ἐγενήθημεν τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου διὰ τὸν φόβον σου κύριε	καὶ ὡς ἡ ὠδίνουσα ἐγγίζει τοῦ τεκεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ὠδῖνι αὐτῆς ἐκέκραξεν, οὕτως ἐγενήθημεν τῷ ἀγαπητῷ σου διὰ τὸν φόβον σου, Κύριε
Isaiah 26:17 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:17 (English Elpenor)
And as a woman in travail is about to give birth and cries out in her pangs, so were we to your beloved because of the fear of you, O Lord.	And as a woman in travail draws nigh to be delivered, [and] cries out in her pain; so have we been to thy beloved.

Isaiah 26:18 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 26:18 (KJV)	Isaiah 26:18 (NET)
We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.	We were pregnant, we strained, we gave birth, as it were, to wind. We cannot produce deliverance on the earth; no people are born to populate the world.

Isaiah 26:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 26:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν πνεῦμα σωτηρίας σου ἐποιήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀλλὰ πεσοῦνται οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ἐν γαστρὶ ἐλάβομεν καὶ ὠδινήσαμεν καὶ ἐτέκομεν· πνεῦμα σωτηρίας σου ἐποιήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, οὐ πεσούμεθα, ἀλλὰ πεσοῦνται πάντες οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Isaiah 26:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 26:18 (English Elpenor)
We conceived and travailed and gave birth; we produced a wind of your salvation on the earth, but those who dwell on the earth will fall.	We have conceived, O Lord, because of thy fear, and have been in pain, and have brought forth the breath of thy salvation, which we have wrought upon the earth: we shall not fall, but all that dwell upon the land shall fall.

John 3:14, 15 (NET)	John 3:14, 15 (KJV)
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,	And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

John 3:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	και καθως μωσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου	και καθως μωσης υψωσεν τον οφιν εν τη ερημω ουτως υψωθηναι δει τον υιον του ανθρωπου

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον	ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον	ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 4

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Justice and Mercy

² Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

³ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

⁴ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

⁵ Matthew 12:18a (ESV)

⁶ From “Eyes Wide Shut: Adaptation” on Wikipedia online: Kubrick adapted Eyes Wide Shut with co-writer Frederic Raphael from Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novella Dream Story…For the film, Kubrick transposed the events to 1990s Greenwich Village in New York City, instead featuring an American doctor, Bill, and his wife, Alice.^[19] In an introduction to a Penguin Classics edition of Dream Story, Raphael wrote that, “Fridolin is not declared to be a Jew, but his feelings of cowardice, for failing to challenge his aggressor, echo the uneasiness of Austrian Jews in the face of Gentile provocation.”^[20] Kubrick, who frequently removed references to Jewishness of characters in the novels he adapted,^[21][22] felt that the character of Bill should be a “Harrison Ford-ish goy” and created the surname of Harford as an allusion to the actor.^[23]

⁷ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁸ Philippians 3:9c (NET)

⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

¹⁰ See A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 4 for a table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to Genesis 2:7b in the Septuagint.

¹¹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσῆς, and μωσης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ (KJV: in him should not perish, but). The implicit argument of the critical text, NA²⁸, is that ἐν αὐτῷ is the older and, therefore, more original text. Currently, I would understand ἐν αὐτῷ in the dative case as by means of Him rather than as an indirect object.

¹³ From “Who Was Rashi?” on chabad.org online.

¹⁴ Isaiah 26:19a (English Elpenor) Paul used another form of πίπτω in his rhetorical question regarding Israel’s stumble: So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall [πέσωσιν]? (Romans 11:11 ESV)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 15:45b (ESV)

¹⁶ Matthew 12:17b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Matthew 12:18 (ESV)

¹⁸ Romans 9:31a (ESV) Table

¹⁹ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

²⁰ Romans 9:3b (ESV) Table

²¹ Isaiah 26:18a (ESV)

²² Romans 9:32a (ESV) Table

²³ Isaiah 42:1a (ESV) Table

²⁴ Matthew 12:18a (ESV) Table

3 John, Part 8

Posted on November 23, 2025 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical text and received text diverge slightly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical and received texts diverge significantly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:14-24 ESV)

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

And he took up his discourse and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

¹ 3 John, Part 3

² 3 John, Part 3

³ Luke 6:17b, 18a (ESV)

⁴ Matthew 7:17a (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 7:17b (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 7:18 (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 7:18a (ESV)

⁸ Luke 6:43 on Bible Hub

⁹ Matthew 7:18b (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 6:44a (ESV)

¹¹ John 3:21 (ESV)

¹² John 14:6 (ESV)

¹³ Mark 10:18b (ESV)

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

¹⁵ Romans 9:30b (ESV)

¹⁶ Romans 9:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

²⁰ Psalm 119:10 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²¹ Genesis 1:26a (English Elpenor) Table

²² Genesis 1:27 (English Elpenor) Table

²³ Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor) Table

²⁴ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁶ Matthew 16:24c, 25 (ESV)

²⁷ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁹ An allusion to John 1:1-4

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

³¹ Philippians 3:21b (ESV) Table

³² Romans 6:3, 4 (ESV)

³³ Galatians 4:19 (ESV) Table

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

³⁵ Numbers 24:25 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

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

³⁸ Ibid.

³⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

Exploration, Part 15

Posted on August 24, 2025 by admin

I want to continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, but first I need to record the new covenant sermon that is still coming to fruition within me.

The 4^th chapter of 1 John followed the 3^rd: “The interlinear English/Greek New Testament keyed to the Greek text of the KJV, NA²⁸ and the Koine Greek Lexicon were all open on my phone.” I had made it through, checking verbs mostly, and a few other parts of speech if a particular question came to mind. We had reached the end of the sermon and the last verse of the chapter (1 John 4:21 ESV).

And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

I’m not entirely sure why I bothered to look it up: commandment, must…love. Obviously the verb was in the imperative mood.

The imperative mood is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.²

I recalled “This multiplexing of truth,” particularly “the Greek verbs in Galatians 5 (στήκετε,²⁴ δουλεύετε,²⁵ βλέπετε,²⁶ περιπατεῖτε ²⁷) which might be understood in either the indicative or imperative moods.”³ But even as I searched the Greek Lexicon I was unsure what to make of it if I discovered that ἀγαπᾷ (ESV: must…love) was another one of those multiplexed verbs that might also be understood in the indicative mood.

The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective…It may be action occurring in past, present, or future time.⁴

When I found ἀγαπᾷ in the lexicon, I thought I had the wrong word. I had selected ἀγαπᾷ from the interlinear English/Greek New Testament (INT: should love), the received text. Perhaps, the critical text had a different “better” word. But, no, NA²⁸ had ἀγαπᾷ, too. I recalled that the Textus Receptus Bibles online had no accent marks. Perhaps the original Greek was αγαπα rather than ἀγαπᾷ.

And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God you (singular) must also love his brother.

That didn’t make much sense. It had to be a 3^rd person singular verb. But a verb in the present tense and indicative mood seemed so problematic that I began to suspect that the editor of the Koine Greek Lexicon had made a mistake, listing a multiplexed verb (both imperative and indicative) as if it were in the indicative mood only. I mean, commandment (τὴν ἐντολὴν) is clearly right there in the text! Then the lightning flashed.

John’s and the Holy Spirit’s meaning was clear as day: the new covenant. In the new covenant a commandment is a fact, a promise to, and a truth of the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness:⁵ it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God:⁶ for it is God who works in [the new human], both to will and to work for [God’s] good pleasure.⁷

All my religious training, however, is designed to discount, doubt or dispute those flashes of insight from the Holy Spirit. And there is that other matter of the English translation of the New Testament. As I scanned the list of translations on Bible Hub, one from Aramaic rather than from Greek stood out (1 John 4:21 Lamsa Bible).

And this commandment we have from him, That he who loves God loves his brother also.

There were two other translations near the bottom of the list translated from Greek (1 John 4:21 Godbey New Testament and Worrell New Testament):

And we have this precept from him, that the one loving God with divine love also loves his brother with divine love.

And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God loves his brother also.

Since none of these translations is likely to carry much weight in the religious circles in which I travel, I’ll take the long way round. But first, a confession: As I sit at home with my laptop (and easy access to my notes), I realize I have looked up ἀγαπᾷ before, and did not recall it.

I didn’t know yet that the Greek word translated should love was ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω in the indicative mood, another statement of fact. The commandment (τὴν ἐντολὴν) we have from him is apparently of the—And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light¹¹—variety.⁸

Though my failing memory is a continual source of embarrassment, that seemingly forgotten insight probably paved the way for the flash of understanding that came six months later, when I was so absolutely convinced that ἀγαπᾷ must be in the imperative mood. There are twelve occurrences of ἀγαπᾷ in the New Testament (see table below). Only one was translated must love in the ESV. The other eleven were translated loves, the ordinary expectation of a 3^rd person singular form of the verb to love in the indicative mood and present tense in contemporary English. But the “long way round” was not as long as I had anticipated (1 John 5:1 ESV):

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves (ἀγαπᾷ) whoever⁹ has been born of him.

The Greek is: Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων, Everyone who believes, ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, that Jesus is the Christ, ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, of God has been born (or “out of God has been born and continues to be such”¹⁰). Here is the creation of that new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created (κτισθέντα, a participle of κτίζω) after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹¹ John continued: καὶ πᾶς, and everyone, ὁ ἀγαπῶν, who loves, τὸν γεννήσαντα, the Father, ἀγαπᾷ, loves, καὶ τὸν, whoever (KJV: him also), γεγεννημένον ¹² ἐξ αὐτοῦ, has been born of him (KJV: that is begotten of him).

Now I can piece together what happened to me at the end of that sermon: God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit, knowing I had all but forgotten what He taught me in February, knowing that the sermon would end one verse before 1 John 5:1, prompted me to look up the Greek verb ἀγαπᾷ contrary to my own inclination since I already knew (erroneously) it must be in the imperative mood. As I puzzled over why it was not in the imperative mood, his insight flashed vividly in my heart, mind, soul. Though my religion inclines me to distrust his vivid flashes of insight, the next verse, which I was otherwise inclined to avoid, agrees with the content of his vivid flash of insight.

According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online, ἀγαπάτω is the 3^rd person singular form of ἀγαπάω in the active voice, present tense and imperative mood.¹³ In a footnote (55) the NET translators explained why they understood the one who loves God should love his fellow Christian too as a commandment to be obeyed by the one who loves God:

The ἵνα (hina) clause in 4:21 could be giving (1) the purpose or (2) the result of the commandment mentioned in the first half of the verse, but if it does, the author nowhere specifies what the commandment consists of [see Matthew 22:34-40]. It makes better sense to understand this ἵνα clause as (3) epexegetical to the pronoun ταύτην (tautēn) at the beginning of 4:21 and thus explaining what the commandment consists of: “that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

Microsoft copilot answered my request for “the two greatest commandments” correctly:

The two greatest commandments are:
1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
These commandments summarize the essence of the Law and the Prophets, as taught by Jesus in the New Testament (Matthew 22:37-40).

Be that as it may, a promise in Greek (ἀγαπᾷ in the indicative mood rather than ἀγαπάτω in the imperative mood) was transformed into a rule in the English translation because ἀγαπᾷ was joined by the conjunction ἵνα (translated as a colon in the ESV) to ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν (ESV: this commandment). 1 John isn’t taught in Greek philosophy courses but in churches. English translations of 1 John are shaped by this usage. Does any Pastor want to stand in front of his congregation and say, “If you do not love the one born of God, you are not born of God, because one born of God loves God and the one born of God”? A Pastor prefers to say, “You are born of God; act like it: love the one born of God.” And I can be very double-minded about this, or perhaps I should say multiplexed.

My gut instinct or the philosophical bent of my mind¹⁴ says, “Tell us the truth.” But my own experience was completely different. I wore myself out being perfected by the flesh¹⁵ as I attempted to love like God by transforming Paul’s description of love into rules I obeyed (or disobeyed) in the flesh. But it worked in the sense that after that incrementally better colossal failure, I was more than ready to hear an alternative from Paul and Jesus and John and God the Father through the indwelling Holy Spirit and the written word of God.

Ephesians isn’t taught in Greek philosophy courses either. When I discovered that ὄντας is a plural participle of εἰμί in the present tense—“you are dead”—rather than the past tense—you were dead¹⁶—I could begin to unravel two multiplexed truths. At issue was how to understand the dative case in the first verse of Ephesians 2: And you are dead in the trespasses and sins or “by means of your trespasses and sins” or “to your trespasses and sins.” These three options ultimately resolved to two: “by means of (in) your trespasses and sins” and “to your trespasses and sins.”

As I wrote regarding Colossians 1:21-23, “It’s not too difficult to see why one might prefer to understand this as a contrast between one’s past and present,” likewise it is not too difficult to grasp why pastors and Bible translators would prefer to translate ὄντας were. Hopefully, its not too difficult to understand why the philosophical bent of my mind prefers to grapple with the multiplexed truths of ὄντας translated literally.

Paul continued (Ephesians 2:11-13 ESV):

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at¹⁷ that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The Greek is: Διὸ μνημονεύετε, Therefore remember. This might be a command—Therefore you must remember—or it might be a statement of fact—Therefore (this is why) you remember—relative to all that has been written previously, specifically all that had transpired in his readers’ lives. And though I would have understood the ESV translation remember as a command previously, a deliberate choice of the imperative mood, now I wonder if it is a placeholder pointing to these dual possibilities: the Greek μνημονεύετε might be understood in the imperative mood as a command to the lawless and disobedient (the old human), or in the indicative mood as a fact of, and a promise to, the just (the new human).

The clause continued: ὅτι ποτὲ, that at one time, ὑμεῖς τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί, you Gentiles in the flesh (or, “you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh”). Here in as ESV-speak for “by means of” seems reinforced. Paul’s readers are Gentiles by means of the flesh, their descent from non-Jews, rather than their membership in a “Gentile club.” But there is some multiplexing apparent as well: by means of the flesh these Gentiles’ bodies are host (1 Corinthians 15:45-49; John 3:6-8) to the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) which belongs to [their] former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,¹⁸ as evidenced by the trespasses and sins [Table] in which [they] once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience (or “by means of the sons of disbelief”).¹⁹

Paul continued in the second half of verse 11 of Ephesians 2: οἱ λεγόμενοι, called (or “those called”), ἀκροβυστία, “the uncircumcision” (literally, “foreskin”), ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομένης by what is called (or “by those called”), περιτομῆς ἐν σαρκὶ χειροποιήτου, the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands (or, the circumcision “by means of flesh made by hand”). Circumcision is regarded here as the living symbol of the foolishness of being perfected by the flesh.²⁰ The translators do a fairly good job of conveying what is not quite disdain for his own people and heritage (Philippians 3:2-11 ESV) though it could be taken that way spoken by someone other than Paul (Romans 9:1-8 ESV): Rather, they convey Paul’s recognition of the greater value of the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ: It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life,²¹ as Jesus said.

Paul continued: ὅτι, remember that (literally, “that” or “since”), ἦτε, you were, τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, at that time (or “by means of that time”). The received texts (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text) had εν preceding the phrase τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ (KJV: at that time). The critical texts (NET Parallel Greek text and NA²⁸) did not. I use the NET Parallel Greek text as a proxy for NA²⁷. Here, the critical texts agree.

In 1 John 5:1 (footnote 9), however, they do not: NA²⁸ agrees with the received texts that καὶ (KJV: also) is original and belongs in the text. The NET Parallel Greek text (my proxy for NA²⁷) disagrees. In other words, this is documentary evidence that at one point in time the latest and greatest research of the critical text of the New Testament indicated that καὶ was an unwarranted addition to the original text and it was removed from the Greek text of 1 John 5:1 that translators use to translate the New Testament into English (or any other language).Then at another later time the latest and greatest research of the critical text of the New Testament indicated that καὶ is original and it was placed back into the Greek text again, in agreement with the received texts. But wait for it: NA²⁹ is coming soon.

Textus Receptus Bibles online²² has several different older Greek texts to compare and contrast to the critical text of the moment. And as you begin to look into it, you’ll find that they mostly compare. Maurice Robinson, one of the editors of the Byzantine Majority Text, appeared as a panelist in at least two videos produced by the Textural Confidence Collective or Mark Ward. In a video titled Do Westcott & Hort Rule New Testament Textural Criticism?, responding to a request to summarize the Byzantine Priority, Mr. Robinson acknowledged:

What is the Byzantine Priority? It’s a name that Pierpont and I made up…because the name that was being used before was Majority Text. But as Gordon Fee had complained, “Majority Text means that all you’re doing is counting noses.” And, well, we weren’t doing that. The truth is that most variant units, where there is textual variation, the majority of manuscripts tends to be one way or the other. That’s why it was called the Majority Text. But in certain places the majority splits. In some places we even, actually in our edition, favor…a reading that has less than the actual numerical majority…So Byzantine Priority means the Byzantine, in our view, was the one that was considered the text from which the other text types or clusters derived over time.

Given my current kick of understanding the dative case instrumentally, “by means of” (if that seems even remotely possible), whether εν precedes τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ or not is irrelevant to me. Understanding these two phrases instrumentally—“you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh” and “by means of that time” (before Christ was revealed to them, before they received Him and were born from above)—I hear Paul echoing the truth Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,²³ You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires,²⁴ even as he lays the groundwork for the concepts he will coin later in this letter: the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) and the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον).

Therefore remember that at one time you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin by those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand) since you were by means of that time χωρὶς Χριστοῦ, separated from Christ (or “apart from Christ”), ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι, alienated (or “had become an outsider”), τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, from the commonwealth of Israel (or “of citizenship of Israel”), καὶ ξένοι, and strangers, τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, to the covenants of promise, ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες, having no hope, καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, and without God in the world (or “and godless by means of the world”).

It is worth pointing out that the words τῶν διαθηκῶν (the covenants) are plural. These Gentiles were strangers to both covenants of promise, old and new. Though Israel…pursued a law that would lead to righteousness,²⁵ the covenant in which that law was given is a covenant of promise. But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises [Table]. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.²⁶

Also, Paul did not say that the Gentiles had believed the wrong stories about God or worshiped the wrong god or gods. He said, by means of the world they were godless, without any god at all. What do I imply then? Paul wrote elsewhere. That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer²⁷ to demons and not to God [Table].²⁸

Paul continued: νυνὶ δὲ, But now, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, in Christ Jesus (or “by means of Christ Jesus”), ὑμεῖς οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν, you who once were far off (or “you, who at any time—by means of the flesh, by means of that time—are²⁹ far off,”), ἐγενήθητε ἐγγὺς, have been brought near (or “have come into existence near at hand”), ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, by the blood of Christ (or “by means of the bloodshed of Christ” or “by means of Christ’s bloodshed”).

The old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires³⁰ remains as far off as it ever was, despite being hosted in the same body (John 3:5; Romans 7:21-25) as the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.³¹ This new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) has “come into existence near at hand by means of Christ’s bloodshed,” rather than the blood of Christ. The emphasis is on Jesus’ obedience not a magical object: And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.³²

Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ³³ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is,³⁴ he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin³⁵ by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so³⁶ Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.³⁷

The truth to be hearing with faith³⁸ is: Therefore remember that at one time you, the Gentiles by means of the flesh, those called foreskin by those called the circumcision (by means of flesh made by hand) since you were by means of that time apart from Christ, had become an outsider of citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope, and godless by means of the world. But now by means of Christ Jesus you, who at any time [by means of the flesh, by means of that time] are far off, have come into existence near at hand by means of Christ’s bloodshed.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Occurrences of ἀγαπᾷ in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Luke 7:5	for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.”	ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν
Luke 7:47	Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”	οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ
John 3:35	The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.	ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ
John 10:17	For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.	Διὰ τοῦτό με ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ ὅτι ἐγὼ τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν
John 14:23	Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.	ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει, καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παρ’ αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα
1 Corinthians 8:3	But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.	εἰ δέ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν θεόν, οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ
2 Corinthians 9:7	Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.	ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός
Ephesians 5:28	In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.	οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ
Hebrews 12:6	For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”	ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται
1 John 2:15	Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.	Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
1 John 4:21	And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.	καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ
1 John 5:1	Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.	Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ

The Lexicon³⁹ my Pastor uses listed ἀγαπᾷ as a verb in the subjunctive mood. I was curious if the Literal Standard Version and Young’s Literal Translation consistently translated ἀγαπᾷ in the subjunctive mood. These versions are related apparently.

Occurrences of ἀγαπᾷ in the New Testament
Reference	Literal Standard Version	NA²⁸
Luke 7:5	for he loves our nation, and he built to us the synagogue.”	ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν
Luke 7:47	therefore I say to you, her many sins have been forgiven, because she loved much; but to whom is forgiven little, loves little.”	οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ
John 3:35	the Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand;	ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ
John 10:17	Because of this the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life, that again I may take it;	Διὰ τοῦτό με ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ ὅτι ἐγὼ τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν
John 14:23	Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone may love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and We will make [an] abode with him;	ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει, καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παρ’ αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα
1 Corinthians 8:3	and if anyone loves God, this one has been known by Him.	εἰ δέ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν θεόν, οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ
2 Corinthians 9:7	each one, according as he purposes in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver,	ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός
Ephesians 5:28	so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife—he loves himself;	οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ
Hebrews 12:6	for whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives”;	ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται
1 John 2:15	Do not love the world, nor the things in the world; if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,	Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
1 John 4:21	And this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.	καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ
1 John 5:1	Everyone who is believing that Jesus is the Christ has been begotten of God, and everyone who is loving Him who begot, also loves him who is begotten of Him.	Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ

I can begin to hear the subjunctive mood here as a technicality of Greek grammar: If anyone may love Me (John 14:23) is the antecedent of a conditional statement rather than a standalone fact. But the translators exercise quite a bit of discretion since even the conditional statements of Scripture are factual in their entirety: and if anyone loves God, this one has been known by Him (1 Corinthians 8:3). Now that I’m hearing the subjunctive mood if anyone may love God, this one has been known by Him is an even clearer statement that loving God is the effect or result of being known by Him (Romans 7:1-6) through his indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24). Anyone who is not known (Matthew 7:21-23) by God, does not love Him, modus tollens.

Occurrences of ἀγαπᾷ in the New Testament
Reference	Young’s Literal Translation	NA²⁸
Luke 7:5	for he doth love our nation, and the synagogue he did build to us.’	ἀγαπᾷ γὰρ τὸ ἔθνος ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν συναγωγὴν αὐτὸς ᾠκοδόμησεν ἡμῖν
Luke 7:47	therefore I say to thee, her many sins have been forgiven, because she did love much; but to whom little is forgiven, little he doth love.’	οὗ χάριν λέγω σοι, ἀφέωνται αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῆς αἱ πολλαί, ὅτι ἠγάπησεν πολύ· ᾧ δὲ ὀλίγον ἀφίεται, ὀλίγον ἀγαπᾷ
John 3:35	the Father doth love the Son, and all things hath given into his hand;	ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ πάντα δέδωκεν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ
John 10:17	`Because of this doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, that again I may take it;	Διὰ τοῦτό με ὁ πατὴρ ἀγαπᾷ ὅτι ἐγὼ τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν
John 14:23	Jesus answered and said to him, `If any one may love me, my word he will keep, and my Father will love him, and unto him we will come, and abode with him we will make;	ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ με τὸν λόγον μου τηρήσει, καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ἀγαπήσει αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παρ’ αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα
1 Corinthians 8:3	and if any one doth love God, this one hath been known by Him.	εἰ δέ τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν θεόν, οὗτος ἔγνωσται ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ
2 Corinthians 9:7	each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love,	ἕκαστος καθὼς προῄρηται τῇ καρδίᾳ, μὴ ἐκ λύπης ἢ ἐξ ἀνάγκης· ἱλαρὸν γὰρ δότην ἀγαπᾷ ὁ θεός
Ephesians 5:28	so ought the husbands to love their own wives as their own bodies: he who is loving his own wife — himself he doth love;	οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ
Hebrews 12:6	for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;’	ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται
1 John 2:15	Love not ye the world, nor the things in the world; if any one doth love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,	Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. ἐάν τις ἀγαπᾷ τὸν κόσμον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν αὐτῷ·
1 John 4:21	and this [is] the command we have from Him, that he who is loving God, may also love his brother.	καὶ ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔχομεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ
1 John 5:1	Every one who is believing that Jesus is the Christ, of God he hath been begotten, and every one who is loving Him who did beget, doth love also him who is begotten of Him:	Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ

I’m not sure why Mr. Young added an archaic 3^rd person singular form of to do in the present tense to ἀγαπᾷ. I thought, perhaps it was to distinguish the verb from the identical English noun, but doth chasten (Hebrews 12:6) seems to deny that possibility. Still, doth love functions like loves in the indicative mood as a statement of fact.

Tables comparing 1 John 5:1; Ephesians 2:12; Hebrews 9:24; 9:26 and 9:28 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 5:1 (NET)	1 John 5:1 (KJV)
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by him.	Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

1 John 5:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 5:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 5:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ	πας ο πιστευων οτι ιησους εστιν ο χριστος εκ του θεου γεγεννηται και πας ο αγαπων τον γεννησαντα αγαπα και τον γεγεννημενον εξ αυτου	πας ο πιστευων οτι ιησους εστιν ο χριστος εκ του θεου γεγεννηται και πας ο αγαπων τον γεννησαντα αγαπα και τον γεγεννημενον εξ αυτου

Ephesians 2:12 (NET)	Ephesians 2:12 (KJV)
that you were at that time without the Messiah, alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.	That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

Ephesians 2:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 2:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 2:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ἦτε τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ χωρὶς Χριστοῦ, ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ	οτι ητε εν τω καιρω εκεινω χωρις χριστου απηλλοτριωμενοι της πολιτειας του ισραηλ και ξενοι των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας ελπιδα μη εχοντες και αθεοι εν τω κοσμω	οτι ητε εν τω καιρω εκεινω χωρις χριστου απηλλοτριωμενοι της πολιτειας του ισραηλ και ξενοι των διαθηκων της επαγγελιας ελπιδα μη εχοντες και αθεοι εν τω κοσμω

Hebrews 9:24 (NET)	Hebrews 9:24 (KJV)
For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands—the representation of the true sanctuary—but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us.	For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Hebrews 9:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 9:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 9:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐ γὰρ εἰς χειροποίητα εἰσῆλθεν ἅγια Χριστός, ἀντίτυπα τῶν ἀληθινῶν, ἀλλ᾿ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν οὐρανόν, νῦν ἐμφανισθῆναι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν·	ου γαρ εις χειροποιητα αγια εισηλθεν ο χριστος αντιτυπα των αληθινων αλλ εις αυτον τον ουρανον νυν εμφανισθηναι τω προσωπω του θεου υπερ ημων	ου γαρ εις χειροποιητα αγια εισηλθεν ο χριστος αντιτυπα των αληθινων αλλ εις αυτον τον ουρανον νυν εμφανισθηναι τω προσωπω του θεου υπερ ημων

Hebrews 9:26 (NET)	Hebrews 9:26 (KJV)
for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the consummation of the ages to put away sin by his sacrifice.	For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Hebrews 9:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 9:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 9:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐπεὶ ἔδει αὐτὸν πολλάκις παθεῖν ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου· νυνὶ δὲ ἅπαξ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων εἰς ἀθέτησιν [τῆς] ἁμαρτίας διὰ τῆς θυσίας αὐτοῦ πεφανέρωται	επει εδει αυτον πολλακις παθειν απο καταβολης κοσμου νυν δε απαξ επι συντελεια των αιωνων εις αθετησιν αμαρτιας δια της θυσιας αυτου πεφανερωται	επει εδει αυτον πολλακις παθειν απο καταβολης κοσμου νυν δε απαξ επι συντελεια των αιωνων εις αθετησιν αμαρτιας δια της θυσιας αυτου πεφανερωται

Hebrews 9:28 (NET)	Hebrews 9:28 (KJV)
so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.	So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Hebrews 9:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 9:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 9:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὕτως καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἅπαξ προσενεχθεὶς εἰς τὸ πολλῶν ἀνενεγκεῖν ἁμαρτίας ἐκ δευτέρου χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας ὀφθήσεται τοῖς αὐτὸν ἀπεκδεχομένοις εἰς σωτηρίαν	ουτως ο χριστος απαξ προσενεχθεις εις το πολλων ανενεγκειν αμαρτιας εκ δευτερου χωρις αμαρτιας οφθησεται τοις αυτον απεκδεχομενοις εις σωτηριαν	ουτως και ο χριστος απαξ προσενεχθεις εις το πολλων ανενεγκειν αμαρτιας εκ δευτερου χωρις αμαρτιας οφθησεται τοις αυτον απεκδεχομενοις εις σωτηριαν

Exploration, Part 16

Back to 3 John, Part 7

Back to Exploration, Part 17

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³ Exploration, Part 14

⁴ From Verbal Moods: Indicative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 2:20b (NET)

⁷ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

⁸ Exploration, Part 8

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had καὶ (KJV: also) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

¹⁰ The Greek verb γεγέννηται is a form of γεννάω in the perfect tense: “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.” From Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹¹ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹² Here, too (footnote 10), the verb γεγεννημένον is a form of γεννάω in the perfect tense, implying the permanence of the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

¹³ Does anyone recall what the translators of the King James Bible, ASV, CEV, English Revised Version, Webster’s Bible Translation, Smith’s Literal Translation, Douay-Rheims Bible and Haweis New Testament meant by their translation love? It doesn’t sound like a 3^rd person singular verb in the present tense and indicative mood in any English I know. The prima facie evidence supports the contention that they meant must love or should love. Another option, may love (Literal Standard Version [see table above], Young’s Literal Translation [see table above]), sounds more like the subjunctive mood. (That is how the lexicon my Pastor uses describes ἀγαπᾷ in 1 John 4:21.)

¹⁴ Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 1; Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 5; Jesus’ Artifacts, Part 6; Who Am I? Part 1; David’s Forgiveness, Part 4; Torture, Part 4

¹⁵ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

¹⁶ Ephesians 2:1a (ESV) Table

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the preposition εν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁹ Ephesians 2:1b, 2 (ESV) Exploration, Part 14

²⁰ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²¹ John 6:63 (ESV) Table

²² The site bogs down some on the weekends, especially Sunday mornings, but is fairly responsive during the week.

²³ John 8:31a (ESV)

²⁴ John 8:44a (ESV) Table

²⁵ Romans 9:31a (ESV) Table

²⁶ Hebrews 8:6, 7 (ESV)

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the verb θύουσιν, a form of θύω, repeated here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁸ 1 Corinthians 10:19, 20a (ESV)

²⁹ The Greek word ὄντες is a participle of εἰμί in the present tense.

³⁰ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

³¹ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³² Philippians 2:8 (ESV)

³³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο preceding Christ. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adverb νυνὶ (NET: now) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νυν (KJV: now).

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article τῆς in brackets (indicating some uncertainty) preceding sin, designating ἁμαρτίας as a singular form of ἁμαρτία in the genitive case rather than a plural form in the accusative case. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction καὶ (NET: also) following so. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

³⁷ Hebrews 9:22-28 (ESV)

³⁸ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

³⁹ I found a table on another site online listing ἀγάπα as a form of ἀγαπάω in the indicative mood. That table does not deny that ἀγάπα might also be a form of ἀγαπάω in the subjunctive mood (a table I could not find on this particular site).

Exploration, Part 13

Posted on June 9, 2025 by admin

I’ll continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel (Ephesians 1:15-23 ESV):

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you² in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts³ enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what⁴ are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated⁵ him at his right hand in the heavenly places [Table], far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all [Table].

…his great might that he worked in Christ…

The Greek is: Διὰ τοῦτο, For this reason, καγὼ ἀκούσας τὴν καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς πίστιν, because I have heard of your faith, ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ, in the Lord Jesus (or “by means of the Lord Jesus”), καὶ τὴν |ἀγάπην τὴν|, and your love, εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους, toward all the saints. The Greek words translated the Lord, τῷ κυρίῳ, are in the dative case.

The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.⁶

And here I can argue that “by means of” is more than an interesting option. It is the more appropriate translation. Paul continued: οὐ παύομαι, I do not cease, εὐχαριστῶν, to give thanks (or “giving thanks” or “feeling obligated to thank [God]”) ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, for you (or “about you”), μνείαν ποιούμενος, remembering you (literally, “remembering to do”), ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου, in my prayers.

Why does Paul praise God or feel obligated to thank Him for the saints who are in Ephesus?⁷ Why not praise them instead for their faith in the Lord Jesus and [their] love toward all the saints?⁸ Did Paul know (and write quite clearly) that God was responsible for both their faith and their love toward all the saints by means of the Lord Jesus? The answer to the question whether Paul knew this is an undeniable “yes,” and translating ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ otherwise only encourages those who are unaccustomed to the leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit and unfamiliar with the power of God to wonder why we must thank God for our own works of obedience.

Granted, even that question—why must I thank and praise God for my own obedience?—led by the Holy Spirit may lead one to contemplate the difference between foolish Galatians, whose works of obedience were achieved (or not) by being perfected by the flesh through law, and the saints in Ephesus, whose works of obedience were achieved by the Spirit by hearing with faith. It prompts me to wonder how foolish Galatians would have perceived and received the saints in Ephesus. Would they have recognized their godliness and been restored in a spirit of gentleness, or would they have disdained them for their disregard of the rules by which the foolish Galatians justified themselves? And how would the saints in Ephesus have perceived and received the foolish Galatians? Would they have stood firm in the freedom for which Christ had set them free, or would they have been tempted by outward appearances to be justified by law and perfected by the flesh?

Paul’s thought continued: ἵνα, that (or “in order that” or “so that”), ὁ θεὸς τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, ὁ πατὴρ τῆς δόξης, the Father of glory, δώῃ ὑμῖν, may give you (e.g., “may give to you” rather than “may give by means of you”), πνεῦμα σοφίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως ἐν ἐπιγνώσει αὐτοῦ, the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him (or “wisdom’s and revelation’s spirit by means of his knowledge”).

The verb δώῃ, may give (ESV), is a form of δίδωμι in the subjunctive mood. The conjunction ἵνα indicates that this is a purpose or result clause.

The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility…However 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.⁹

We are meant to hear the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, will grant to you “wisdom’s and revelation’s spirit by means of his knowledge,” even though the verb is not δώσει in the future tense and indicative mood. So, what is “another stated action” that moves “He may grant to you wisdom’s and revelation’s spirit by means of his knowledge” from “a possible result” to “a definite outcome that will happen”? I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering to do [so] in my prayers.

…and coming to his hometown [Jesus] taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished,¹⁰ and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not¹¹ his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph¹² and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense (ἐσκανδαλίζοντο, a passive form of σκανδαλίζω) at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his¹³ hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief (ἀπιστίαν, a form of ἀπιστία).¹⁴

Paul supplied the faith through his persistent thanksgiving for many mighty works (δυνάμεις πολλὰς) of God: “wisdom’s and revelation’s spirit by means of [God’s] knowledge” given as gifts to individual saints in Ephesus. This is instructive to those who like foolish Galatians believe they are being perfected by the flesh.¹⁵ It is more instructive to the spiritual who are tasked with the obligation to restore [them] in a spirit of gentleness.¹⁶ Who else will supply the faith for the many mighty works of God they so desperately require as they themselves put…confidence (πεποιθότες, a form of πείθω) in the flesh?¹⁷

For I tell you, Jesus said, unless your righteousness (ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη) exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.¹⁸ This no longer means that one must do the old covenant better than the scribes and Pharisees (if it ever did). Christ has come; Christ has died; Christ is risen again…. So 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.¹⁹ No righteousness of my own derived from the law exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, but only the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.²⁰

By means of Christ I have been crucified, but I live hereafter not I but He lives within me, Christ, so who now I live within flesh, by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.²¹

In other words, I am not the hero of my own story; Jesus is the hero of my story. Paul continued: πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας [ὑμῶν], having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, εἰς τὸ εἰδέναι ὑμᾶς, that you may know (or “for you to know”), τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ, what is the hope to which he has called you (or “what is the hope of his calling”), τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις, what…the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

That this enlightenment in every heart drawn to Him constitutes many mighty works of God is borne out in experience as well as in word. There is very little in human nature or the human construction of religion to dissuade one from being perfected by the flesh—now!—even less to persuade one to be among those who eagerly wait (ἀπεκδεχόμεθα, a form of ἀπεκδέχομαι) for the hope (ἐλπίδα, a form of ἐλπὶς) of righteousness.²²

Paul’s thought continued: καὶ τί τὸ ὑπερβάλλον μέγεθος, and what…the immeasurable greatness, τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, of his power, εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πιστεύοντας, toward us who believe, κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, according to the working, τοῦ κράτους τῆς ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ, of his great might, Ην |ἐνήργησεν|, that he worked, ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ, in Christ (or “by means of Christ,” e.g., the life by hearing with faith that Jesus lived on earth), ἐγείρας αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν, “to awaken him” from “death,” καὶ καθίσας, and seated him (or “and install”), ἐν δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, at his right hand (or “by means of his right hand”), ἐν τοῖς ἐπουρανίοις, in the heavenly places, ὑπεράνω πάσης ἀρχῆς, far above all rule, καὶ ἐξουσίας, and authority, καὶ δυνάμεως, and power, καὶ κυριότητος, and dominion, καὶ παντὸς ὀνόματος ὀνομαζομένου, and…every name that is named, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, not only in this age, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, but also in the one to come.

Such is the power that works in us who through the Spirit, by faith…eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.²³ You…who would be justified by means of law are severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.²⁴ You have no hope but being perfected by the flesh,²⁵ achieving a righteousness—your own righteousness derived from the law—which never exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees.²⁶ Brothers, Paul commanded, even if anyone is caught in any transgression, you, the spiritual, must restore him in a spirit of gentleness.²⁷

Paul continued: καὶ πάντα ὑπέταξεν, And all things he put (or “And all He subjected”), ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, under his feet, καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν, and him [He] gave, κεφαλὴν ὑπὲρ πάντα τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, head over all…to the church, ἥτις ἐστὶν τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, which is his body (or “who is his body”), τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ, the fullness of him who, τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν πληρουμένου, [the] all in all fills (or “the all, by means of all, being filled full”).

The truth to be hearing with faith is: For this reason, because I have heard of your faith by means of the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease giving thanks about you, remembering to do [so] in my prayers, in order that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you wisdom’s and revelation’s spirit by means of his knowledge, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened for you to know what is the hope of his calling, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked by means of Christ to awaken him from death and install [Him] by means of his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And all He subjected under his feet and him [He] gave, head over all to the church, who is his body, the fullness of him who the all [fills], by means of all, being filled full.

To the Galatians Paul had written (Galatians 6:7-9 ESV):

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary²⁸ of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

The Greek is: Μὴ πλανᾶσθε, Do not be deceived, θεὸς οὐ μυκτηρίζεται, God is not mocked, ὃ γὰρ ἐὰν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος, for whatever one sows, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει, that also will he reap, ὅτι ὁ σπείρων, For the one who sows, εἰς τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ, to his own flesh, ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν, from the flesh will reap corruption, ὁ δὲ σπείρων, but the one who sows, εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα, to the Spirit, ἐκ τοῦ πνεύματος θερίσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον, from the Spirit will reap life eternal, τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες, And [the] good doing (or “And the beautiful doing”), μὴ ἐγκακῶμεν, “we may” not grow weary, καιρῷ γὰρ ἰδίῳ, for in due season (or “for by means of its own season”), θερίσομεν, we will reap, μὴ ἐκλυόμενοι, if we do not give up (literally, “not becoming weary”).

The immediate context is: Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.²⁹ Here the Greek is: Κοινωνείτω δὲ, He must share now, ὁ κατηχούμενος τὸν λόγον, the one who is taught the word, τῷ κατηχοῦντι, “to” the one who teaches, ἐν πᾶσιν ἀγαθοῖς, “by means of” all “goods,” not just food, shelter and clothing but the benefits the Lord has provided one through that teaching, encouragement that the Lord is working through the teacher’s teaching of his Word.

But the truth of reaping and sowing is too fundamental to be withheld from Paul’s general and more pervasive context in his letter to foolish Galatians: you who would be justified by the law³⁰ by being perfected by the flesh,³¹ having a righteousness of [your] own that comes from the law³² are sowing to your own flesh. Sowing to the Spirit seems counterintuitive if one finds herself in a home or religious situation where people bite and devour one another,³³ or one’s own anxiety over sin fosters conceit, provoking one another [by] envying one another:³⁴ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness,³⁵ the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.³⁶ This is sowing to the Spirit, “for by means of its own season” we will reap,³⁷ “not becoming weary” by hearing with faith.³⁸

For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.³⁹ I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Translating ὑμᾶς, a form of ὑμεῖς in the accusative case as if it were in the genitive case, of your faith in Ephesians 1:15, took me by surprise. Ordinarily, I would expect that to be ὑμῶν (see Table below). But I found nine other examples (See Table below) in the New Testament. Six of them occur in the phrase δι’ ὑμᾶς. Though I might translate it literally as “through you,” it is apparently translated idiomatically as for your sake or for your benefit. There are three others that follow the pattern found in Ephesians 1:15.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Acts 17:28	of your own poets	τῶν καθ’ ὑμᾶς ποιητῶν
Acts 18:15	your own law	νόμου τοῦ καθ’ ὑμᾶς
Acts 24:22	your case	τὰ καθ’ ὑμᾶς
Ephesians 1:15	of your faith	τὴν καθ’ ὑμᾶς πίστιν

Apparently an article (τῶν, τοῦ, τὰ, τὴν), followed by the preposition καθ’ and the pronoun ὑμᾶς, whether followed or preceded by a noun or not (ποιητῶν, νόμου, πίστιν), transforms the accusative ὑμᾶς into something more like a genitive, your.

Examples of ὑμῶν and faith in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Matthew 9:29	Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done to you.”	τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν λέγων· κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν γενηθήτω ὑμῖν
Matthew 17:20	He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”	ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτοῖς· διὰ τὴν ὀλιγοπιστίαν ὑμῶν· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐὰν ἔχητε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐρεῖτε τῷ ὄρει τούτῳ· μετάβα ἔνθεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ μεταβήσεται· καὶ οὐδὲν ἀδυνατήσει ὑμῖν
Luke 8:25	He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”	εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· ποῦ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν; φοβηθέντες δὲ ἐθαύμασαν λέγοντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους· τίς ἄρα οὗτός ἐστιν ὅτι καὶ τοῖς ἀνέμοις ἐπιτάσσει καὶ τῷ ὕδατι, καὶ ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ
Romans 1:8	First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.	Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν ὅτι ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καταγγέλλεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ
Romans 1:12	that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.	τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ
1 Corinthians 2:5	so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.	ἵνα ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν μὴ ᾖ ἐν σοφίᾳ ἀνθρώπων ἀλλ’ ἐν δυνάμει θεοῦ
1 Corinthians 15:14	And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.	εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, κενὸν ἄρα [καὶ] τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν, κενὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν
1 Corinthians 15:17	And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.	εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, ματαία ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν, ἔτι ἐστὲ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ὑμῶν
2 Corinthians 1:24	Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.	οὐχ ὅτι κυριεύομεν ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως ἀλλὰ συνεργοί ἐσμεν τῆς χαρᾶς ὑμῶν· τῇ γὰρ πίστει ἑστήκατε
2 Corinthians 10:15	We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others. But our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged,	οὐκ εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα καυχώμενοι ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις κόποις, ἐλπίδα δὲ ἔχοντες αὐξανομένης τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν μεγαλυνθῆναι κατὰ τὸν κανόνα ἡμῶν εἰς περισσείαν
Philippians 2:17	Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.	Ἀλλ’ εἰ καὶ σπένδομαι ἐπὶ τῇ θυσίᾳ καὶ λειτουργίᾳ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν, χαίρω καὶ συγχαίρω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν
Colossians 1:4	since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints,	ἀκούσαντες τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ἣν ἔχετε εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους
Colossians 2:5	For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.	εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν
1 Thessalonians 1:8	For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.	ἀφ’ ὑμῶν γὰρ ἐξήχηται ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ Μακεδονίᾳ καὶ [ἐν τῇ] Ἀχαΐᾳ, ἀλλ’ ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐξελήλυθεν, ὥστε μὴ χρείαν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς λαλεῖν τι
1 Thessalonians 3:2	and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,	καὶ ἐπέμψαμεν Τιμόθεον, τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν καὶ συνεργὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, εἰς τὸ στηρίξαι ὑμᾶς καὶ παρακαλέσαι ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν
1 Thessalonians 3:5	For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.	διὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ μηκέτι στέγων ἔπεμψα εἰς τὸ γνῶναι τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν, μή πως ἐπείρασεν ὑμᾶς ὁ πειράζων καὶ εἰς κενὸν γένηται ὁ κόπος ἡμῶν
1 Thessalonians 3:6	But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—	Ἄρτι δὲ ἐλθόντος Τιμοθέου πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφ’ ὑμῶν καὶ εὐαγγελισαμένου ἡμῖν τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην ὑμῶν καὶ ὅτι ἔχετε μνείαν ἡμῶν ἀγαθὴν πάντοτε, ἐπιποθοῦντες ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν καθάπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμᾶς
1 Thessalonians 3:7	for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.	διὰ τοῦτο παρεκλήθημεν, ἀδελφοί, ἐφ’ ὑμῖν ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ ἀνάγκῃ καὶ θλίψει ἡμῶν διὰ τῆς ὑμῶν πίστεως
1 Thessalonians 3:10	as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?	νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ δεόμενοι εἰς τὸ ἰδεῖν ὑμῶν τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ καταρτίσαι τὰ ὑστερήματα τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν
2 Thessalonians 1:3	We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers1 as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.	Εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῷ θεῷ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί, καθὼς ἄξιόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑπεραυξάνει ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καὶ πλεονάζει ἡ ἀγάπη ἑνὸς ἑκάστου πάντων ὑμῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους
James 1:3	for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.	γινώσκοντες ὅτι τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως κατεργάζεται ὑπομονήν
1 Peter 1:7	so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.	ἵνα τὸ δοκίμιον ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως πολυτιμότερον χρυσίου τοῦ ἀπολλυμένου, διὰ πυρὸς δὲ δοκιμαζομένου εὑρεθῇ εἰς ἔπαινον καὶ δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν ἐν ἀποκαλύψει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ
1 Peter 1:9	obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.	κομιζόμενοι τὸ τέλος τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν σωτηρίαν ψυχῶν
1 Peter 1:21	who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.	τοὺς δι’ αὐτοῦ πιστοὺς εἰς θεὸν τὸν ἐγείραντα αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν καὶ δόξαν αὐτῷ δόντα, ὥστε τὴν πίστιν ὑμῶν καὶ ἐλπίδα εἶναι εἰς θεόν
2 Peter 1:5	For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge,	καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο δὲ σπουδὴν πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντες ἐπιχορηγήσατε ἐν τῇ πίστει ὑμῶν τὴν ἀρετήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἀρετῇ τὴν γνῶσιν

Examples of ὑμᾶς translated like ὑμῶν in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Acts 17:28	for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’	ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν, ὡς καί τινες τῶν καθ’ ὑμᾶς ποιητῶν εἰρήκασιν· τοῦ γὰρ καὶ γένος ἐσμέν
Acts 18:15	But since it is a matter of questions about words and names and your own law, see to it yourselves. I refuse to be a judge of these things.”	εἰ δὲ ζητήματά ἐστιν περὶ λόγου καὶ ὀνομάτων καὶ νόμου τοῦ καθ’ ὑμᾶς, ὄψεσθε αὐτοί· κριτὴς ἐγὼ τούτων οὐ βούλομαι εἶναι
Acts 24:22	But Felix, having a rather accurate knowledge of the Way, put them off, saying, “When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.”	Ἀνεβάλετο δὲ αὐτοὺς ὁ Φῆλιξ, ἀκριβέστερον εἰδὼς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ εἴπας· ὅταν Λυσίας ὁ χιλίαρχος καταβῇ, διαγνώσομαι τὰ καθ’ ὑμᾶς
Romans 11:28	As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.	κατὰ μὲν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἐχθροὶ δι’ ὑμᾶς, κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκλογὴν ἀγαπητοὶ διὰ τοὺς πατέρας
1 Corinthians 4:6	I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.	Ταῦτα δέ, ἀδελφοί, μετεσχημάτισα εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ Ἀπολλῶν δι’ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν ἡμῖν μάθητε τὸ μὴ ὑπὲρ ἃ γέγραπται, ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου
2 Corinthians 4:15	For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.	τὰ γὰρ πάντα δι’ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἡ χάρις πλεονάσασα διὰ τῶν πλειόνων τὴν εὐχαριστίαν περισσεύσῃ εἰς τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ
2 Corinthians 8:9	For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.	γινώσκετε γὰρ τὴν χάριν τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι δι’ ὑμᾶς ἐπτώχευσεν πλούσιος ὤν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς τῇ ἐκείνου πτωχείᾳ πλουτήσητε
Ephesians 1:15	For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,	Διὰ τοῦτο κἀγὼ ἀκούσας τὴν καθ’ ὑμᾶς πίστιν ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους
1 Thessalonians 1:5	because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.	ὅτι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐγενήθη εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν λόγῳ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν δυνάμει καὶ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ [ἐν] πληροφορίᾳ πολλῇ, καθὼς οἴδατε οἷοι ἐγενήθημεν [ἐν] ὑμῖν δι’ ὑμᾶς
1 Thessalonians 3:9	For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,	τίνα γὰρ εὐχαριστίαν δυνάμεθα τῷ θεῷ ἀνταποδοῦναι περὶ ὑμῶν ἐπὶ πάσῃ τῇ χαρᾷ ᾗ χαίρομεν δι’ ὑμᾶς ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν

Tables comparing Ephesians 1:16; 1:18; Matthew 13:54, 55; 13:57 and Galatians 6:9 in the KJV and NET follow.

Ephesians 1:16 (NET)	Ephesians 1:16 (KJV)
I do not cease to give thanks for you when I remember you in my prayers.	Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

Ephesians 1:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 1:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 1:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐ παύομαι εὐχαριστῶν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν μνείαν ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου	ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν υμων ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου	ου παυομαι ευχαριστων υπερ υμων μνειαν υμων ποιουμενος επι των προσευχων μου

Ephesians 1:18 (NET)	Ephesians 1:18 (KJV)
—since the eyes of your heart have been enlightened—so that you can know what is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in the saints,	The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 1:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 1:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 1:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πεφωτισμένους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τῆς καρδίας εἰς τὸ εἰδέναι ὑμᾶς τίς ἐστιν ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς κλήσεως αὐτοῦ, τίς ὁ πλοῦτος τῆς δόξης τῆς κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις	πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της διανοιας υμων εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου και τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις	πεφωτισμενους τους οφθαλμους της καρδιας υμων εις το ειδεναι υμας τις εστιν η ελπις της κλησεως αυτου και τις ο πλουτος της δοξης της κληρονομιας αυτου εν τοις αγιοις

Matthew 13:54, 55 (NET)	Matthew 13:54, 55 (KJV)
Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?	And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Matthew 13:54 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 13:54 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 13:54 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα αὐτοῦ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ αὐτῶν, ὥστε ἐκπλήσσεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ λέγειν· πόθεν τούτῳ ἡ σοφία αὕτη καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις	και ελθων εις την πατριδα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους εν τη συναγωγη αυτων ωστε εκπληττεσθαι αυτους και λεγειν ποθεν τουτω η σοφια αυτη και αι δυναμεις	και ελθων εις την πατριδα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους εν τη συναγωγη αυτων ωστε εκπληττεσθαι αυτους και λεγειν ποθεν τουτω η σοφια αυτη και αι δυναμεις

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? And aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Matthew 13:55 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 13:55 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 13:55 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐχ οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός; οὐχ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ λέγεται Μαριὰμ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ Ἰάκωβος καὶ Ἰωσὴφ καὶ Σίμων καὶ Ἰούδας	ουχ ουτος εστιν ο του τεκτονος υιος ουχι η μητηρ αυτου λεγεται μαριαμ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ιακωβος και ιωσης και σιμων και ιουδας	ουχ ουτος εστιν ο του τεκτονος υιος ουχι η μητηρ αυτου λεγεται μαριαμ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ιακωβος και ιωσης και σιμων και ιουδας

Matthew 13:57 (NET)	Matthew 13:57 (KJV)
And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house.”	And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

Matthew 13:57 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 13:57 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 13:57 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐσκανδαλίζοντο ἐν αὐτῷ. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐκ ἔστιν προφήτης ἄτιμος εἰ μὴ ἐν τῇ πατρίδι καὶ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ	και εσκανδαλιζοντο εν αυτω ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ουκ εστιν προφητης ατιμος ει μη εν τη πατριδι αυτου και εν τη οικια αυτου	και εσκανδαλιζοντο εν αυτω ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ουκ εστιν προφητης ατιμος ει μη εν τη πατριδι αυτου και εν τη οικια αυτου

Galatians 6:9 (NET)	Galatians 6:9 (KJV)
So we must not grow weary in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.	And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 6:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 6:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὸ δὲ καλὸν ποιοῦντες μὴ ἐγκακῶμεν, καιρῷ γὰρ ἰδίῳ θερίσομεν μὴ ἐκλυόμενοι	το δε καλον ποιουντες μη εκκακωμεν καιρω γαρ ιδιω θερισομεν μη εκλυομενοι	το δε καλον ποιουντες μη εκκακωμεν καιρω γαρ ιδιω θερισομεν μη εκλυομενοι

Exploration, Part 14

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 2

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun υμων repeated here. The Net parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ The NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καρδίας [ὑμῶν] here, where the Net parallel Greek text had simply καρδίας, and the Stephanus Textus Receptus had διανοιας υμων (KJV: your understanding).

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) joining these clauses. The Net parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καθίσας here, a participle of the verb καθίζω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb εκαθισεν (KJV: set him).

⁶ From Noun Cases: Dative Case, Greek Nouns (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁷ Ephesians 1:1b (ESV)

⁸ Ephesians 1:15 (ESV)

⁹ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁰ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ the verb translated were astonished was spelled ἐκπλήσσεσθαι, and εκπληττεσθαι in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same infinitive form of the verb ἐκπλήσσω.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the negative particle οὐχ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουχι.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἰωσὴφ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιωσης (KJV: Joses).

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun αυτου here as well as at the end of the clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ Matthew 13:54-58 (ESV)

¹⁵ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

¹⁶ Galatians 6:1a (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Philippians 3:3b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Matthew 5:20 (ESV)

¹⁹ Romans 7:6 (ESV)

²⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²¹ Galatians 2:20 (EXP11)

²² Galatians 5:5b (ESV)

²³ Galatians 5:5 (ESV)

²⁴ Galatians 5:4 (ESV) Table

²⁵ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²⁶ Matthew 5:20a (ESV)

²⁷ Galatians 6:1 (EXP11)

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγκακῶμεν here, a 1^st person plural form of ἐκκακέω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκκακωμεν (KJV: be weary). These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²⁹ Galatians 6:6 (ESV)

³⁰ Galatians 5:4b (ESV) Table

³¹ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

³² Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

³³ Galatians 5:15 (ESV) Table

³⁴ Galatians 5:26b (ESV)

³⁵ Galatians 5:5 (ESV)

³⁶ Philippians 3:9c (NET)

³⁷ Galatians 6:9b (ESV)

³⁸ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

³⁹ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1)

Exploration, Part 11

Posted on May 8, 2025 by admin

Paul had asked foolish Galatians to consider: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?¹ He continued describing the fruit (result) of the Spirit (Galatians 5:25-6:5 ESV).

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ [Table]. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Since we live by the Spirit

The Greek is: Εἰ, If (or, “Since”), ζῶμεν, we live, πνεύματι, by the Spirit. The Greek word ζῶμεν, a form of ζάω, could be understood in the indicative mood, as “a statement of fact,” or in the subjunctive mood, as an action that “will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.” The translation we live, rather than we may live, acknowledges the indicative mood. Paul had written of himself (Galatians 2:19 ESV):

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

Here the Greek was: ἐγὼ γὰρ, For I, διὰ νόμου, through the law, νόμῳ, to the law (or, “by means of the law”), ἀπέθανον, died, ἵνα, so that, θεῷ, to God (or, “by means of God”), ζήσω, I might live. Here ζήσω, another form of ζάω, was in the subjunctive mood, though the conjunction ἵνα indicates that it is part of a 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.²

In this instance “another stated action” was “I through the law by means of the law died” ἀπέθανον, a form of ἀποθνήσκω. Was this a unique and special achievement of Paul’s? Likewise, my brothers, you also have died (ἐθανατώθητε, a form of θανατόω; literally, “you have been put to death”) to the law (τῷ νόμῳ; or, “by means of the law”) through the body of Christ.³

He wrote elsewhere (Romans 6:3, 4 ESV).

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death (θάνατον, a form of θάνατος)? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death (εἰς τὸν θάνατον), in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead (ἐκ νεκρῶν) by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

And so, Paul wrote of himself (Galatians 2:20 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The Greek is: Χριστῷ, with Christ (or, “by means of Christ”), συνεσταύρωμαι, I have been crucified, ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, and it is no longer I who live (literally, “but I live no longer I” or “but I live hereafter not I”), ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός, but Christ lives in me (literally, “but He lives within me, Christ”), ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, So the life I now live in the body (literally, “so who now I live within flesh”), ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God (literally, “by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God”), τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, who loved me and gave himself for me.

None of this has anything to do with being perfected by the flesh (σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε). It is only achieved by hearing with faith (ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως). Paul continued describing the result of the Spirit: πνεύματι, with (or, “by”) the Spirit, καὶ, also, στοιχῶμεν, let us…keep in step.

By the Spirit also we may keep in step

In Paul’s letters only one other occurrence of πνεύματι (without any modifiers) was translated with the Spirit in the ESV [see Table below].

And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit (πνεύματι) of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.⁴

This translation seems to have been an accommodation to match the adjective μέλανι (with ink) in the dative case, since by ink may have sounded awkward in English. Still, both the dative adjective and dative noun can be easily understood as “by means of ink” and “by means of the Spirit” respectively. While it may still be possible to hear let us also keep in step with the Spirit⁵ as “by means of the Spirit,” the ESV translators used the formula let us in Jesus’ command as let him (Mark 8:34b ESV).

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me [Table].

The Greek word translated let him deny was ἀπαρνησάσθω,⁶ an imperative form of ἀπαρνέομαι, he must deny (NET). And since the ESV translators chose⁷ what sounds like the imperative option for περιπατεῖτε (walk) in But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,⁸ let us also keep in step with the Spirit⁹ sounds like “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.”¹⁰

It is as if it were written to foolish Galatians who, while attempting to be perfected by the flesh,¹¹ had rushed ahead, were lagging behind or were in some other way out of cadence with the Spirit. This translation may well be an insightful paraphrase of the problem caused by any attempt to be perfected by the flesh, but the solution is not a work that foolish Galatians (or anyone else) must achieve: slowing down, speeding up or doing a little hop and skip step. All attempts to be perfected by the flesh are remedied by hearing with faith (ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως).¹²

A more natural translation of στοιχῶμεν in the subjunctive mood—“we may keep in step”—would sound less like we are…being perfected by the flesh, or that Paul was restating the problem of being perfected by the flesh, and more like a contingent solution to that problem: “The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.” The “objective factors or circumstances” are “by the Spirit (or even, with the Spirit, understood instrumentally) also we may keep in step” since we live by the Spirit¹³ by hearing with faith.¹⁴

We may not become conceited

Paul continued: μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, Let us not become conceited. Here, too, a more natural translation of the verb γινώμεθα, a form of γίνομαι in the subjunctive mood—“we may not become conceited”—renders this clause as another truth to believe “by the Spirit since” we live by the Spirit¹⁵ by hearing with faith.¹⁶ Granted, apart from any consideration of the function of subjunctive verbs in Koine Greek, “we may not become conceited” can sound like another law of Paul: he does not grant us permission to become conceited. While this is a true statement, it was not exactly his point here in Greek: “Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit we may keep in step; [by the Spirit] we may not become conceited.”

The adjective κενόδοξοι, a form of κενόδοξος (ESV: conceited), only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: From κενός (kenos, meaning “empty”) and δόξα (doxa, meaning “glory” or “reputation”)

Usage: The term “kenodoxos” refers to someone who is excessively proud or boastful, seeking glory or recognition for themselves without substance or merit. It conveys the idea of being self-centered and having an inflated sense of one’s own importance, often at the expense of others.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, honor and reputation were highly valued, and individuals often sought to elevate their status through public recognition and achievements. The concept of “kenodoxos” would have been understood as a negative trait, as it implies a superficial pursuit of glory without genuine worth. In the early Christian context, humility and selflessness were emphasized as virtues, contrasting with the self-aggrandizing behavior denoted by “kenodoxos.”

Paul made his usage of κενόδοξοι quite explicit: ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, one another provoking, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες, one another (or, by one another) envying. The participle προκαλούμενοι, a form of the verb προκαλέω, only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: From πρό (pro, “before”) and καλέω (kaleó, “to call”)

Usage: The Greek verb “prokaleó” primarily means to provoke or to challenge someone. It carries the connotation of inciting or stirring up a reaction, often in a confrontational or competitive manner. In the New Testament, it is used to describe actions that lead to contention or rivalry.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, public discourse and debate were common, and the act of provoking or challenging others was often seen in the context of philosophical discussions, legal disputes, or athletic competitions. The term “prokaleó” would have been understood in this cultural milieu as an action that could lead to either positive engagement or negative conflict, depending on the context and intent.

The participle φθονοῦντες, a form of the verb φθονέω (ESV: envying), only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: Derived from φθόνος (phthonos), meaning “envy” or “jealousy.”

Usage: The verb “phthoneó” is used in the New Testament to describe the act of envying or being jealous of someone. It conveys a sense of ill will or resentment towards another person due to their advantages, success, or possessions. This term is often associated with a negative moral and spiritual connotation, as envy is considered a vice that can lead to further sin and discord among individuals.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, envy was recognized as a destructive emotion that could disrupt social harmony and personal relationships. Philosophers like Aristotle and Plutarch discussed envy as a vice that should be avoided. In Jewish and early Christian teachings, envy was similarly viewed as a sin that could lead to other transgressions, such as strife and division within the community. The New Testament writers often warned against envy, emphasizing the importance of love, contentment, and unity among believers.

The first reciprocal pronoun ἀλλήλους is in the accusative case and the second ἀλλήλοις is in the dative case: “[By the Spirit] we may not become conceited, provoking one another by one another envying (or, by envying one another).” Why? We are not attempting to be perfected by the flesh or confused into thinking we are being perfected by our own works in the flesh, but “by the Spirit since” we live by the Spirit¹⁷ by hearing with faith.¹⁸ As Paul wrote to divided Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:6, 7 ESV):

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos¹⁹ for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not²⁰ to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast (καυχᾶσαι, a form of καυχάομαι) as if you did not receive it?

Paul continued: Ἀδελφοί, Brothers, ἐὰν καὶ, if (literally, “even if”), προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος, anyone is caught, ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, in any transgression, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ, you, “the spiritual,” “you who walk by the Spirit, you who live by the Spirit,” καταρτίζετε, should restore.

The command, καταρτίζετε, is an imperative form of καταρτίζω in the present tense and active voice: “to adjust or put in order, restore; to put (nets) to rights, mend (nets), repair; to restore to a right mind; to complete; to furnish completely; to make good, reconcile; to prepare, make ready; to provide direction; to establish, create, form.” Restore whom? τὸν τοιοῦτον, him (literally, “such as this”), the one caught (ESV), or overtaken (KJV), in any transgression: ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, in a spirit of gentleness. In context this does not mean to gently and humbly offer foolish Galatians self-help tips that they might continue being perfected by the flesh,²¹ but restoration designed to reacquaint them with their walk by the Spirit, and [they] will not gratify (οὐ μὴ τελέσητε) the desires of the flesh.²²

How do “the spiritual” obey the command to restore those attempting to be perfected by the flesh? by the grace of God, by that continuous supply of his own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—the fruit (result) of the Spirit [Table],²³ received by hearing with faith rather than by being perfected by the flesh. Self-help tips are likely to turn the heart of the tipster to the foolishness of being perfected by the flesh.

Paul continued: σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν, Keep watch on yourself, μὴ καὶ σὺ, lest you too, πειρασθῇς, be tempted. The passive verb πειρασθῇς, a form of πειράζω in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, means: to be tempted or enticed. And in the active voice πειράζω points back to the “objective factors or circumstances” on which the “probability or objective possibility” of being tempted in the subjunctive mood in this context depends: “to try, attempt, make an attempt” (e.g., to be perfected by the flesh). This is the only imaginable circumstance²⁴ when those who are generally led by the Spirit²⁵ gratify the desires of the flesh.²⁶

Paul had already illustrated the difference between attempting to be perfected by the flesh and by hearing with faith in his recounting of a personal example (Galatians 2:11-14 ESV).

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned (κατεγνωσμένος, a participle of καταγινώσκω) [Table]. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him (συνυπεκρίθησαν, a form of συνυποκρίνομαι, αὐτῷ), so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy (αὐτῶν τῇ ὑποκρίσει).²⁷ But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” [Table]

How did the arrival of certain men…from James (τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου) exert such power over Cephas, Barnabas and the rest of the Jews in Antioch? The subtly misplaced emphasis of James’ teaching offers a clue (James 2:21-26 ESV).

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone [Table]. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works (Joshua 2:8-13) when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead [Table].

It’s worth mentioning that his works in the clause faith was active along with his works was τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ in Greek. But the translators added the personal pronoun his (e.g., αὐτοῦ) to the next clause: καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη (literally, “and by” or “because of the works the faith” or “the faithfulness was brought to a successful conclusion”). So part of the “subtly misplaced emphasis” may be a matter of translation. James’ “subtly misplaced emphasis” comes into view when considering his intended audience, the twelve tribes in the Dispersion (Romans 9:30-32a ESV):

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Table]. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) [Table].

James preached the virtue of singing to the choir. His “subtly misplaced emphasis” can be realigned by asking: When Abraham offered up his son Isaac on the altar was this work the result of his being perfected by the flesh²⁸ or by hearing with faith?²⁹ 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.³⁰

Another well-known passage helps explain why Peter (Cephas) drew back [from the Gentiles] and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party³¹ (2 Peter 1:3-8 ESV).

Having begun by the Spirit…³²

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence [Table], by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire [Table].

…are you now being perfected by the flesh?³³

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I inserted Paul’s words as topical headings to make my point explicitly. The Greek words translated make every effort are πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντες, a participle of παρεισφέρω in the active voice: “to apply, bring to bear, make an effort; to bring in alongside; to add to.” Okay, so far. But to supplement is ἐπιχορηγήσατε, an imperative form of the verb ἐπιχορηγέω in the active voice: “to furnish, provide for (at one’s own expense); to provide monetary needs; to give, grant; to support; to lead a chorus.” What must I supplement (“add”) to all things that pertain to life and godliness?

I wrote elsewhere: “Peter’s writing spoke to me long before Paul’s made any sense at all.”

At the time I was ready to believe Jesus again I was more than willing to make every effort to add to [my] faith excellence.⁷ Excellence is a contemporary attempt to rekindle some Greek fire in Areté (ἀρέτη), since virtue has become an old scold. I set out, discounting the Gospel as something I’d already tried and found wanting, to obey the law, excellently, virtuously. And I saw my efforts as the only sure way of escaping the worldly⁸ corruption that is produced by evil desire (ἐπιθυμίᾳ, a form of ἐπιθυμία).⁹ After I escaped the worldly corruption produced by evil desire by making every effort to keep the law, then I may become [a partaker] of the divine nature.¹⁰

I searched the Bible for rules to obey, fully expecting to be perfected by the flesh because Jesus would help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.³⁴ In the beginning I couldn’t even imagine a righteousness of God…apart from the law.³⁵ “I believed at the very core of my being that faith was opposed to reason as reason was opposed to faith.”³⁶ And perhaps, more to the point, the core of my core beliefs was: reason, good; faith, bad. So, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe³⁷ was not merely beyond my imagination, but even beyond the pale of my moral universe. A righteousness based on law seemed, all and all, more reasonable. As Paul wrote, the law is not of faith.³⁸ But Jesus continued to draw me to Himself.

Since I was reading the Bible then, it is possible to outline some of the ways He drew me. Searching the Bible for rules to obey, it wasn’t long before I had tied up a heavy burden, hard to bear. Yes, it was very reminiscent of Jesus’ description of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:4 ESV).

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger [Table].

And yes, I argued for a time that I was not a hypocrite like those scribes and Pharisees because I was actually trying to lift the heavy burden that “Jesus gave me to bear.” But Jesus said (Luke 17:7-10 ESV):

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? [Table] Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? [Table] So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Once my angry rant subsided and I paused to catch my breath, I could see that Jesus and I had different perspectives on my righteousness. I saw my righteousness as a high and lofty personal achievement worthy of praise. Yes, it took a while and a lot more Bible study and failure and frustration before I recognized that Jesus saw my righteousness as a baseline He gave willingly and freely if only I believe and receive Him. And yes, even knowing and believing that, I can still have moments of temporary insanity when I reject his grace!

Jesus also prophesied about works of personal achievement, works that seemed far beyond my ability to achieve (Matthew 7:22, 23 ESV):

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [Table] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Jesus did not dispute their achievements. And yes, it took some time for me to hear οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς (ESV: I never knew you) as Jesus’ intention to have spiritual intercourse with me—with all. (This intimate communion with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit has become my favorite part of spending my days with Him studying the Bible to what ever depth of detail He will empower me to go.) Somewhat ironically perhaps and with a dazzling display of power and authority, He continued to draw me to Himself through the writings of Paul.

I, too, delighted in the law of God, in my inner being;³⁹ I had the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.⁴⁰ As I began to entertain the righteousness of God as a plausible alternative to a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, I assumed I had misunderstood Peter. Later, I assumed that “Peter was not the writer, not the literary man or learned man, that Paul was.”⁴¹ Only recently have I begun to hear Peter’s writing as an illustration of the difference between being perfected by the flesh and by hearing with faith, as well as an explanation why he in a moment in time in Antioch was so easily led astray when certain men came from James. To separate himself from Gentiles was an easy and obvious way to be perfected by the flesh according to Jewish tradition.

Paul continued: Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, one another’s burdens [you must] Bear.

One another’s burdens you must bear

The Greek verb βαστάζετε is an imperative form of βαστάζω in the present tense and active voice: “to take up (e.g., to lift up stones); to carry, bear (a physical object); to carry (anything burdensome); to bear, endure, tolerate; to bear, carry (a non-burden, e.g., scars); to carry away, remove (e.g., a corpse, one’s sandals, disease); to take surreptitiously, pilfer, steal.” But Paul didn’t issue this command on his own authority as an Apostle: καὶ οὕτως |ἀναπληρώσετε|, and so [you will] fulfill,⁴² τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the law of Christ. A new commandment I give to you, Jesus said, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.⁴³

How? being perfected by the flesh or by hearing with faith? By trusting the grace of God, that continuous supply of his own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—the fruit (result) of the Spirit [Table]. Paul continued: εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναι, For if anyone thinks he is something, τι μηδὲν ὤν, when he is nothing, φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν, he deceives himself; τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω |ἕκαστος|, But let each one test his own work.

The verb δοκιμαζέτω (test) is an imperative form of δοκιμάζω in the present tense and active voice. It is a command. The specific test seems obvious in this context: Have my works come to fruition by hearing with faith or have I been tempted to be perfected by the flesh? Whatever the outcome to this mandatory test, Paul continued: καὶ τότε, and then, εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον, in himself alone. It seems much more appropriate here to translate εἰς unto, “unto himself alone.”

The Greek continues: τὸ καύχημα ἕξει, reason to boast “he will have,” καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον, and not [unto the] neighbor (literally, “the other”). The one who has worked by hearing with faith praises God: “unto himself alone he will have reason to boast and not unto the other.” By doing so he does not provoke the other to envy with grace the other may not yet be ready to receive (Ephesians 3:14-21). And even the one who is still deluded into believing that he is being perfected by the flesh: if he praises himself “unto himself alone…and not unto the other,” does not provoke the other to envy under false pretenses.

Paul concluded: ἕκαστος γὰρ, For each, τὸ ἴδιον φορτίον, his own load, βαστάσει, will have to bear. At any given moment we are stuck with who and what we are, our faith and unbelief, our reliance on Christ through his Holy Spirit and our predilections to do it ourselves or to go our own way. But Jesus continues to draw us to Himself.

And when those whose works are accomplished by hearing with faith witness the heavy burden that those laboring to be perfected by the flesh have tied up for themselves, the former can’t help but want to share what God in Christ through the Holy Spirit has done for them, not boasting or provoking but in a spirit of gentleness, sharing with others the love with which Jesus has loved them, so that all may hear: For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴⁴

A table of the occurrences of Paul’s usage of πνεύματι in the ESV and NA²⁸ follows.

Examples of Paul’s usage of πνεύματι in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Romans 1:9	For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you	μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι
Romans 2:29	But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.	ἀλλ’ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι οὐ γράμματι, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ
Romans 8:9	You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.	Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ἀλλ’ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ πνεῦμα θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. εἰ δέ τις πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ
Romans 8:13	For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.	εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν· εἰ δὲ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε
Romans 8:14	For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.	ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν
Romans 8:16	The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,	αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ
Romans 9:1	I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—	Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
Romans 12:11	Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord	τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες
Romans 14:17	For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but iof righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.	οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
Romans 15:16	to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.	εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
1 Corinthians 4:21	What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?	τί θέλετε; ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος
1 Corinthians 5:3	For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.	ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρὼν τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον
1 Corinthians 6:11	And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.	καὶ ταῦτά τινες ἦτε· ἀλλ’ ἀπελούσασθε, ἀλλ’ ἡγιάσθητε, ἀλλ’ ἐδικαιώθητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν
1 Corinthians 7:34	and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.	καὶ μεμέρισται. καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄγαμος καὶ ἡ παρθένος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῷ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ ἀνδρί
1 Corinthians 12:3	Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.	διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει· Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν· Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
1 Corinthians 12:9	to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,	ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ πνεύματι
1 Corinthians 12:13	For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.	καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν
1 Corinthians 14:2	For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.	ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει, πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια
1 Corinthians 14:15	What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.	τί οὖν ἐστιν; προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ· ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ
1 Corinthians 14:16	Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?	ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ; ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν
2 Corinthians 2:13	my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.	οὐκ ἔσχηκα ἄνεσιν τῷ πνεύματί μου τῷ μὴ εὑρεῖν με Τίτον τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, ἀλλ’ ἀποταξάμενος αὐτοῖς ἐξῆλθον εἰς Μακεδονίαν
2 Corinthians 3:3	And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.	φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ’ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι ἀλλὰ πνεύματι θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις ἀλλ’ ἐν πλαξὶν καρδίαις σαρκίναις
2 Corinthians 6:6	by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;	ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι, ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ
2 Corinthians 12:18	I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?	παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν
Galatians 3:3	Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?	οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε, ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματι νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε
Galatians 5:5	For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.	ἡμεῖς γὰρ πνεύματι ἐκ πίστεως ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἀπεκδεχόμεθα
Galatians 5:16	But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.	Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε
Galatians 5:18	But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.	εἰ δὲ πνεύματι ἄγεσθε, οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον
Galatians 5:25	If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.	Εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν
Galatians 6:1	Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.	Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς
Ephesians 1:13	In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,	Ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ
Ephesians 2:18	For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.	ὅτι δι’ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα
Ephesians 2:22	In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.	ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 3:5	which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.	ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 4:23	and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,	ἀνανεοῦσθαι δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν
Ephesians 5:18	And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,	καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 6:18	praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,	Διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ ἀγρυπνοῦντες ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει περὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων
Philippians 1:27	Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,	Μόνον ἀξίως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ πολιτεύεσθε, ἵνα εἴτε ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ὑμᾶς εἴτε ἀπὼν ἀκούω τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι στήκετε ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι, μιᾷ ψυχῇ συναθλοῦντες τῇ πίστει τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
Philippians 3:3	For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—	ἡμεῖς γάρ ἐσμεν ἡ περιτομή, οἱ πνεύματι θεοῦ λατρεύοντες καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν σαρκὶ πεποιθότες
Colossians 1:8	and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.	ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι
Colossians 2:5	For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.	εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν
1 Thessalonians 1:5	because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.	ὅτι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐγενήθη εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν λόγῳ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν δυνάμει καὶ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ [ἐν] πληροφορίᾳ πολλῇ, καθὼς οἴδατε οἷοι ἐγενήθημεν [ἐν] ὑμῖν δι’ ὑμᾶς
2 Thessalonians 2:8	And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.	καὶ τότε ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ κύριος [Ἰησοῦς] ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ
1 Timothy 3:16	Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.	καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ

A table comparing 1 Corinthians 4:6 in the KJV and NET follows.

1 Corinthians 4:6 (NET)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.	And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

1 Corinthians 4:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ταῦτα δέ, ἀδελφοί, μετεσχημάτισα εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ Ἀπολλῶν δι᾿ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν ἡμῖν μάθητε τὸ μὴ ὑπὲρ ἃ γέγραπται, ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου	ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου	ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου

Exploration, Part 12

Back to Exploration, Part 13

Back to 3 John, Part 8

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 18

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Galatians 3:2b, 3 (ESV)

² From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³ Romans 7:4a (ESV)

⁴ 2 Corinthians 3:3 (ESV) Table

⁵ Galatians 5:25b (ESV)

⁶ Exploration, Part 10

⁷ Exploration, Part 5

⁸ Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

⁹ Galatians 5:25b (ESV)

¹⁰ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹¹ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

¹² Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹³ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁴ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁵ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁶ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁷ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἀπολλῶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολλω.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had φρονειν (KJV: to think) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²² Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²³ Galatians 5:22, 23a (ESV)

²⁴ The Greek phrase οὐ μὴ τελέσητε (ESV: you will not gratify) is a subjunctive of emphatic negation: “when these two Greek negative particles are combined in the form of οὐ µή (ou mē) with reference to a future event, what results is an intensified form of the negative…when this combination is attached to an Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is what has been termed the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. As was pointed out above, the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring, without any specific reference to time, apart from the use of an adverbial modifier (e.g., that which would describe when, where, how much, or how often). Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future.”

²⁵ Galatians 5:18a (ESV)

²⁶ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²⁷ It wasn’t really necessary to transliterate συνυπεκρίθησαν hypocritically or ὑποκρίσει hypocrisy. Both could have been translated without confusion: And the rest of the Jews played a part along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their play-acting.

²⁸ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²⁹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

³⁰ Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)

³¹ Galatians 2:12b (ESV)

³² Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

³³ Galatians 3:3c (ESV)

³⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

³⁵ Romans 3:21a (ESV)

³⁶ David’s Forgiveness, Part 2

³⁷ Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

³⁸ Galatians 3:12a (ESV) Table

³⁹ Romans 7:22 (ESV)

⁴⁰ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁴¹ Peter’s Way?

⁴² The critical text had ἀναπληρώσετε here, a 2^nd person plural form of ἀναπληρόω in the future tense and indicative mood, a statement of fact to believe. The received text had ἀναπληρώσατε, an imperative form in the aorist tense. The critical text is considered the more original and reliable Greek text currently.

⁴³ John 13:34 (ESV)

⁴⁴ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

3 John

Posted on April 18, 2025 by admin

These are my notes on the book I chose for the preaching class I’m taking (3 John 1:1-4 ESV).

The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

This letter from The elder (Ὁ πρεσβύτερος) appears to be a personal letter addressed to one individual named Gaius (Γαΐῳ). According to David Guzik’s commentary on Enduring Word online:

The writer of this book identifies himself simply as the Elder. Presumably, the first readers knew who this was, and from the earliest times, Christians have understood that this was the Apostle John writing, the same John who wrote the Gospel of John, 1 and 2 John, and the Book of Revelation.

Mr. Guzik went on to speculate:

Perhaps he does not directly refer to himself for the same reason he does not directly refer to his readers in 2 John – the threat of persecution may be making direct reference unwise…

This is an interesting idea, given that the opening of 3 John seems even more cryptic than 2 John (2 John 1:1-4 ESV):

The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus¹ Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.

I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.

Any mention of God the Father (θεοῦ πατρὸς), the Father (τοῦ πατρός), Jesus Christ (Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ) or the Father’s Son (τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς) is conspicuous by its absence from 3 John. But the description of the truth in 2 John—the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever²—helps decode the opening of 3 John. The Greek is: τὴν ἀλήθειαν, the truth, τὴν μένουσαν, that abides. The Greek word μένουσαν, translated abides, is actually a participle of μένω, which functions more like a noun or an adjective, “abiding,” or “the abiding truth” in us, ἐν ἡμῖν, and…with us, καὶ μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, will be, ἔσται, forever, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.

Jesus promised (John 14:16-18, 23b ESV).

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever (μεθ᾿ ὑμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα |ᾖ|), even the Spirit of truth (τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας), whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you [Table].

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him [Table].

The truth that abides in us and will be with us forever³ is nothing less than God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit. Working backwards with this as a key: all who know the truth (πάντες οἱ ἐγνωκότες ⁴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν) are “all who know God the Father, God the Son through (διὰ; ESV: because of) God the indwelling Holy Spirit” who abides in us and will be with us forever. And whom I love in truth is likely “whom I love by means of God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit.” The phrase in truth is ἐν ἀληθείᾳ in the dative case:

The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.

It makes some sense to decode to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth⁵ (ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ) in a similar way: “whom I love by means of God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit.” So who was Gaius?

Mr. Guzik wrote in his commentary:

We don’t know if this specific Gaius is connected with the other men by this name mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 19:29, 20:4; 1 Corinthians 1:14; Romans 16:23).

In his commentary on 2 John Mr. Guzik had written or quoted the following about the elect lady (ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ) :

b. To the elect lady and her children: Perhaps this was an individual Christian woman John wanted to warn and encourage by this letter. Or, the term might be a symbolic way of addressing this particular congregation.

i. “The phrase is, however, more likely to be a personification than a person – not the church at large but some local church over which the elder’s jurisdiction was recognized, her children being the church’s individual members.” (Stott)

ii. “This appears to have been some noted person, whom both her singular piety, and rank in the world, made eminent, and capable of having great influence for the support of the Christian interest.” (Poole)

iii. John probably did not name himself, the elect lady or her children by name because this was written during a time of persecution. Perhaps John didn’t want to implicate anyone by name in a written letter. If the letter was intercepted and the authorities knew who it was written to by name, it might mean death for those persons.

The adjective ἐκλεκτῇ (ESV: the elect), a singular form of ἐκλεκτός in the dative case, has an “Adjectival Meaning”—“chosen, selective, selected, hand-picked, preferred; favoured, pure”—and a “Substantival Meaning”—“elect, choice, select; prime”—according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online. But the word would bring many things to mind in those born according to the Spirit as they were persecuted (2 John 1:9-11) by those born according to the flesh.⁶

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at [Jesus], saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One (ὁ ἐκλεκτός)!”⁷

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect (ἐκλεκτῶν, a plural form of ἐκλεκτός) and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior.⁸

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones (ἐκλεκτοὶ, another plural form of ἐκλεκτός), holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive [Table]. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him [Table].⁹

These are of one mind, and they hand over¹⁰ their¹¹ power and authority¹² to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen (ἐκλεκτοὶ, another plural form of ἐκλεκτός) and faithful.”¹³

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen (ἐκλεκτὸν, a singular form of ἐκλεκτός) and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be¹⁴ a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.¹⁵

But you are a chosen (ἐκλεκτόν, a singular form of ἐκλεκτός) race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.¹⁶

The Greek word translated lady was κυρίᾳ, a form of κυρία in the dative case, meaning: “Cyria; lady, mistress; an area under one’s control” according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online. I was unable to date (or even corroborate) the meaning “an area under one’s control,” but it seems like the most natural understanding if that meaning coincides with the time The elder wrote to any and all the elect who would hear him in that “area under [their] control.” If it was an obscure meaning at that time, all the better to protect both writer and reader from nosy or malevolent authorities. But even as I began to doubt that The elder of 3 John would “implicate” an individual named Gaius while protecting his own identity, I was not so successful decoding Γαΐῳ or Γάϊος in any similar way.

Gaius is a common Roman name mentioned several times in the New Testament. It refers to different individuals who were early Christians and associates of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John. The name Gaius means “rejoice” or “glad.”¹⁷

Amanda Williams, in her blog post “Who Is Gaius In The Bible? A Complete Overview” on Christian Website online, wrote at some length about “Gaius the Host at Corinth”:

The book of Romans mentions Gaius as Paul’s host while the apostle was in Corinth (Romans 16:23). This Gaius is described as Paul’s dear friend and fellow worker in Christ.

He graciously opened his home to Paul during his missionary travels, providing food, shelter, and Christian fellowship.

Gaius’ hospitality enabled Paul to devote himself fully to preaching the gospel and planting churches, rather than having to worry about daily provisions.

His generosity no doubt brought great encouragement to Paul during an intense season of ministry in Corinth.

This reminds us of the importance of hospitality in the early church. By welcoming traveling teachers like Paul into their homes, believers strengthened the spread of the faith.

They participated in gospel work by supporting the physical needs of those on the front lines of ministry.

Ms. Williams’ eulogy helped me realize that Gaius may have already been synonymous with faithfulness among the faithful, and helped me to conclude that 3 John was not a personal letter to a man, but a coded missive to all who remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel in a time when such faithfulness was a death sentence (for the apostles, most notably) or a cause for excommunication from the church.

Jesus had promised the twelve as He sent them out (Matthew 10:22 ESV):

…you will be hated by all (πάντων, a form of πᾶς) for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

The Elder wrote:

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.¹⁸

Mr. Guzik wrote:

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things: The word for prosper literally means “to have a good journey.” It metaphorically means to succeed or prosper. It is like saying, “I hope things go well for you.”¹⁹

It reads differently, however, as coded communication addressed to many faithful people in difficult circumstances. The Greek word, Ἀγαπητέ, Beloved, sounds less like a familiar greeting and more like a blessing of God; περὶ πάντων, that all, εὔχομαι, I pray, σε εὐοδοῦσθαι, may go well with you, sounds more like a heartfelt and sincere prayer for the grace of God than such a familiar greeting might otherwise imply.

The elder continued: καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, and that you may be in good health. Mr. Guzik commented with a quote from John Stott:

“Both verbs [for prosper and be in health] belonged to the everyday language of letter writing” (Stott). This phrase was so common that sometimes it was condensed into only initials, and everyone knew what the writer meant just from the initials.²⁰

And that’s how prying authorities would understand it, addressed to an individual named Gaius. But from the apostle to all the faithful elect suffering persecution, and possible physical harm or death, it reads differently, even humorously in an ironic sense: καθὼς εὐοδοῦται, as it goes well, σου ἡ ψυχή, with your soul. Again Mr. Guzik commented:

Just as your soul prospers: John here made an analogy between the condition of our health and the condition of our soul. Many Christians would be desperately ill if their physical health was instantly in the same state as their spiritual health.

The elder didn’t write to those who did not yet exhibit the fruit (result) of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23) to Mr. Guzik’s satisfaction, to those who tried, like foolish Galatians, to be perfected by the flesh. The elder wrote to the faithful like Gaius, and prayed that even in persecution God would prosper their physical bodies and circumstances as He had prospered their souls. And nosy authorities would be none the wiser. The elder continued: ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν, For I rejoiced greatly, ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν, when the brothers came, καὶ μαρτυρούντων, and testified, σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, to your truth. I’ve already decoded this truth in the dative case as by means of God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit. As Paul wrote (Galatians 2:20 NET):

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The elder confirmed that understanding, writing: καθὼς σὺ, as indeed you, ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, in the truth (or “by means of the truth”), περιπατεῖς, are walking. In other words, the elect, those who are faithful like Gaius, walk by the Spirit.

The elder continued: μειζοτέραν, greater, τούτων, than (literally, “these”), οὐκ ἔχω |χαράν|, I have [not] joy, ἵνα ἀκούω, “that I hear,” τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα, “the children of mine,” ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, in the truth (or, “by means of the truth”), περιπατοῦντα, are walking. Again, I’ll stress that in this coded missive the truth is nothing less than God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Mr. Guzik offered the following insight from Charles Spurgeon:

That my children walk in truth: This means more than living with correct doctrine. “What is it to ‘walk in truth’? It is not walking [merely resting] in the truth, or else some would suppose it meant that John was overjoyed because they were sound in doctrine, and cared little for anything else. His joyous survey did include their orthodoxy in creed, but it reached far beyond.” (Spurgeon)²¹

Mr. Guzik then offered more detail, loosely based on Spurgeon’s commentary:

To walk in truth means to walk consistent with the truth you believe. If you believe that you are fallen, then walk wary of your fallenness. If you believe you are a child of God, then walk like a child of heaven. If you believe you are forgiven, then walk like a forgiven person.

To walk in truth means to walk in a way that is real and genuine, without any phoniness or concealment.²²

This is too whimsical for my taste, too focused on individual preference and effort, rather than the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. A glimpse into Charles Spurgeon’s actual words follows:

It is a great thing to hear of our people that they are abiding in the Truth as they have been taught. But to walk in the Truth of God means something more it signifies action in consistency with Truth.

If you believe that you are fallen, walk in consistency with that Truth of God by watching your fallen nature and walking humbly with God. Do you believe that there is one God? Walk in the Truth of God and reverence Him and none beside. Do you believe in Election? Prove that you are elect walk in the Truth of God as the chosen, peculiar people of God, zealous for good works. Do you believe in Redemption? Is that a fundamental Truth of God with you? Walk in it, for “you are not your own, you are bought with a price.” Do you believe in Effectual Calling and Regeneration as the work of the Spirit of God? Then walk in the power of God and let your holy lives prove that you have, indeed, been renewed by the supernatural work of God’s Grace. Walk in consistency with what you believe!

But walking in Truth means yet more, it signifies “be real.” Much of the walking to be seen in the world is a vain show, the masquerade of religion, the mimicry of godliness. In too many instances the man wears two faces under one hat and possesses a duplicate manhood. He is not real in anything good he is a clever actor and no more. Alas, that one should have to say it, very much of the religiousness of this present age is nothing more than playing at religion! Why, look at the Christian year of the Ritualistic party in our national Church, look at it, and tell me, what is it? It is a kind of practical charade, of which a sort of Passion Play is one act!

The life of Christ is supposed to be acted over again, and we are asked to sing carols as if Jesus were just born, eat salt fish because He is fasting, carry palms because He is riding through Jerusalem, and actually to hear a bell toll His funeral knell as if He were dying! One day He is born and another day He is circumcised, so that the year is spent in a solemn make-believe, for none of these things are happening! The Lord Jesus sits in Heaven, indignant to be made a play of! Have nothing do [sic] with such things! Leave the shadows and pursue the Substance. Worship Christ as He is and then you will regard Him as “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

When men see you, let them see that what you believe you believe in downright earnest, and that there is no sham about you. Then they might call you a bigot for which be thankful! Take the word home, keep it as an honorable title, far too good to be flung back upon your foe. They may call you a wild enthusiast in return pray God to make them enthusiastic, too for in such a cause one cannot be too much in earnest. Do not go through the world like respectable shades, haunting the tomb of a dead Christ, but be alive with the life of God alive from head to foot to Divine realities! So will you walk in the Truth of God!

See how truly the Apostles bore themselves [e.g., in the book of Acts]. They were ready to die for the Truth of God they held, and all their lives they were making sacrifices for it. Let your truthfulness be so powerful a force that others can see that you are carried away by its force and governed by its impulses.

Jesus told the Apostles precisely how they would do what they did in Acts: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.²³ But I say, walk by the Spirit, Paul wrote foolish Galatians, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.²⁴ And I was just reminded recently how Jesus’ responded to the desire of his flesh “to live (or not to be tortured to death)”:²⁵ Take this cup away from me,²⁶ He begged earnestly and honestly. Yet not what I will, but what you will.²⁷

The elder continued (3 John 1:5-8 ESV):

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,²⁸ who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.²⁹ Therefore we ought to support³⁰ people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

The Greek is: Ἀγαπητέ, Beloved, πιστὸν, it is a faithful thing, ποιεῖς, you do, ὃ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ, in all your efforts, εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, for these brothers, presumably the same brothers who came and testified to your truth.³¹ The next phrase is different in the critical and received texts.

The critical text had καὶ τοῦτο ξένους—strangers as they are (ESV; literally, “and this strangers”)—where the received text had καὶ εἰς τοὺς ξένους—and to strangers (KJV). The former suggests that the brothers were unknown to those “who remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel” except by word or letter from The elder. The latter suggests that the faithful thing you do in all your efforts was done for brothers as well as for strangers by the elect, those “who remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel” like Gaius. The critical text is currently considered the more original and, therefore, reliable text.

A translator’s note (10) in the NET on a different topic reads:

Since the author is going to ask Gaius for additional help for these missionaries in the following verse, he begins here by commending Gaius for all that he has already done in this regard.

But the author was not commending those “who [like Gaius] remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel.” If they were commended by anyone, it was by the brothers: οἳ ἐμαρτύρησαν, who testified, σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ, to your love, ἐνώπιον ἐκκλησίας, before the church. And, presumably, the brothers’ testimony was true.

The elder’s instruction was not a ploy to manipulate those “who [like Gaius] remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel.” Rather, he gave them true instruction in faithful service to counterbalance the false instruction of the church of Diotrephes (3 John 1:9, 10). That true instruction included: οὓς, them, καλῶς, well (or, beautifully), ποιήσεις, You will do, προπέμψας, to send…on their journey, ἀξίως, in a manner worthy, τοῦ θεοῦ, of God. This is the only direct mention of God in this letter.

The elder took pains in an otherwise abbreviated communication to explain why doing so was doing well or doing beautifully: ὑπὲρ γὰρ, For…for the sake, τοῦ ὀνόματος, of the name, ἐξῆλθον, they have gone out. The elder’s use of the name, τοῦ ὀνόματος, without mention of God or Christ or Jesus is interesting both as coded communication and for its imitation of Jewish use of Hashem.

Hashem is a Hebrew term for God. Literally, it means “the name.” In the Bible the Hebrew word for God is made up of four letters, and according to tradition it was only pronounced on Yom Kippur by the High Priest. Saying God’s name was considered a very serious and powerful thing, so much so that one of the Ten Commandments prohibits us from saying God’s name in vain. As a result, people have come up with various substitutions.

When reading Torah, we generally substitute the word Adonai for the four letter un-pronounceable name of God. Outside of reading Torah and praying, God is often referred to as Hashem, a creative way of not saying God’s name.³²

The elder continued: μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. (The critical text had the adjective ἐθνικῶν here, a form of ἐθνικός, where the received text had the noun εθνων, a form of ἔθνος.) Mr. Guzik explained (with no source citation) why the brothers journeyed accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

Taking nothing from the Gentiles: The ancient world of the early church was filled with the missionaries and preachers of various religions, and they often supported themselves by taking offerings from the general public. But John said that these Christian missionaries should take nothing from the Gentiles (non-Christians). Instead of soliciting funds from the general public they were to look to the support of fellow Christians.

Paul explained his own steps (2 Corinthians 12:14-18 ESV):

Here for the³³ third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but³⁴ you. For children are not obligated (ὀφείλει, a form of ὀφείλω) to save up for their parents, but³⁵ parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? [Table] But granting that I myself did not burden you, I³⁶ was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did³⁷ Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?

The elder concluded: ἡμεῖς, we, οὖν, Therefore, ὀφείλομεν, ought, ὑπολαμβάνειν, to support, τοὺς τοιούτους, people like these (literally, “such as these”). This is something the elect owe as a debt; ὀφείλομεν is a form of ὀφείλω: “to owe (a sum of money to someone), be in debt; to owe, be indebted (to someone for something); to be obligated, ought, should; to be bound (by an oath).” And yet, The elder offered a reason: ἵνα, that, συνεργοὶ, fellow workers, γινώμεθα, we may be, τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, for the truth (or, “by means of the truth,” e.g., “God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit”).

Mr. Guzik wrote, quoting Jesus:

Jesus said, He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward [Table] (Matthew 10:40-41). This should make us consider how we receive and help those who preach the Gospel.³⁸

The elder continued with a contrast (3 John 1:9, 10 ESV):

I have written something³⁹ to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

Mr. Guzik wrote of Diotrephes:

But Diotrephes: John publicly rebuked this man, and he rebuked him by name. In rebuking him by name the apostle of love did not act outside of love. Instead, he followed the clear command of the Scriptures (Romans 16:17) and the example of other apostles (2 Timothy 4:14-15).⁴⁰

But the name Διοτρέφης has an evocative meaning.

Word Origin: From the Greek words “Διός” (Dios, meaning “of Zeus”) and “τρέφω” (trepho, meaning “to nourish” or “to bring up”)

Usage: Diotrephes is a personal name mentioned in the New Testament, specifically in the Third Epistle of John. The name means “nourished by Zeus,” reflecting a common practice in Hellenistic culture of naming individuals after deities. In the biblical context, Diotrephes is noted for his negative behavior, particularly his love for preeminence and his opposition to the Apostle John and his associates.⁴¹

It seems prudent to at least consider that Διοτρέφης, rather than an individual with outsized influence in the church, was The elders’ code name for a number of converts who still clung too much to their old self as pagans.

The Greek was: Ἔγραψα τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, I have written something to the church (that letter is lost or it is 1 John), ἀλλ᾿, but, ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων, [the person] who likes to put himself first, αὐτῶν, among them (KJV), Διοτρέφης οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς, Diotrephes…does not acknowledge our authority. The Greek word φιλοπρωτεύων only occurs here. It is a compound of the prefix φίλο- and the participle πρωτεύων, which also only occurs once in Paul’s description of Jesus (Colossians 1:15-20 ESV).

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in⁴² heaven and on⁴³ earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent (πρωτεύων, a present participle of πρωτεύω). For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in⁴⁴ heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross [Table].

In other words, those like Diotrephes who were still nourished by Zeus usurped Jesus’ preeminence in the church as well as in themselves. The elder continued: διὰ τοῦτο, So (literally: “because of this”), ἐὰν ἔλθω, if (or, when) I come (in the subjunctive mood), ὑπομνήσω, I will bring up, αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιεῖ, what he is doing (literally: “his works which he does”), λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς, talking wicked nonsense against us, καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις, And not content with that, οὔτε αὐτὸς, he refuses (literally, “neither he”), ἐπιδέχεται τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, to welcome the brothers (or, receives the brothers, or even, recognizes the authority of the brothers), καὶ τοὺς βουλομένους, and…those who want to, κωλύει, also stops, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλει, and puts them out of the church (and out of the church puts them is nearer the word order in Greek).

If I consider 1 John as the letter The elder sent that those like Diotrephes rejected, John’s discussion of many antichrists hints at what may have been happening (1 John 2:18, 19 ESV).

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us [Table].

This implies an exodus from the church, and causes me to wonder if declining membership created doubt in the minds of “those like Diotrephes who were still nourished by Zeus,” regarding both the leadership and teaching of the brothers. The elder concluded:

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever⁴⁵ does evil has not seen God.⁴⁶

The Greek was: Ἀγαπητέ, Beloved, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν, do not imitate evil, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν, but imitate good (literally, “but the good”); ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν, Whoever does good, ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ, from God, ἐστιν, is; ὁ κακοποιῶν, whoever does evil, οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν, has not seen God. It reminds me of Jesus describing the promised Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 17 ESV).

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees (θεωρεῖ, a form of θεωρέω) him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you [Table].

The elder continued with what sounds like an unsolicited personal recommendation (3 John 1:12 ESV):

Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know⁴⁷ that our testimony is true.

Mr. Guzik speculated about the identity of Demetrius: “Perhaps he was the one who carried the letter from John to Gaius, and John wanted Gaius to know that Demetrius was worthy of Christian hospitality.”⁴⁸ The entry from Strong’s Lexicon reads:

Usage: The name Demetrius appears in the New Testament as a proper noun referring to two distinct individuals. It is a common Greek name, meaning “belonging to Demeter.” In the context of the New Testament, it is used to identify specific individuals involved in early Christian history.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, names derived from deities were common, reflecting the cultural and religious milieu of the time. Demeter was a significant figure in Greek mythology, representing the earth’s fertility and the cycle of life and death. The name Demetrius would have been familiar and carried connotations of prosperity and growth.⁴⁹

The other occurrences of Demetrius are found in Acts 19:23-41. While the meaning of the name Demetrius is interesting, apart from any indication what this particular Demetrius was doing, it is difficult to understand his name as code for a third group of people to complement “those like Diotrephes who were still nourished by Zeus” and those “who [like Gaius] remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel.” It leaves me with Demetrius as a relatively unknown individual, though apparently well known to the original recipients of 3 John.

The Greek is: Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων, Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone. I assume that everyone, πάντων, means The elder, the brothers, those “who [like Gaius] remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel,” and “those like Diotrephes who were still nourished by Zeus.” So, The elder brought up a point of agreement among them. Though this is probably the most reasonable way to translate this wordstring, there is another possibility: μεμαρτύρηται, a passive form of μαρτυρέω, can mean “to be famous, be illlustrious.” It is something to bear in mind in this coded missive, if for no other reason than its potential to broaden the meaning of everyone.

The Greek continues: καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας, and from the truth itself. To translate αὐτῆς itself is novel (see Table below). It was usually translated its when her seemed overly awkward in English. I only found one other occurrence in John’s writings in the New Testament where the pronoun preceded the article and the noun: In Revelation 18:5 αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι was translated her sins in the ESV. A more natural translation of αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας would be her truth or its truth, which begs the question, Whose truth?

It turns my thoughts back to Demeter and the meaning of the name Demetrius:

Demeter was a significant figure in Greek mythology, representing the earth’s fertility and the cycle of life and death. The name Demetrius would have been familiar and carried connotations of prosperity and growth.⁵⁰

It causes me to wonder if the “two distinct individuals” named Demetrius in the New Testament were an old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁵¹ in Acts 19:23-41 and a new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,⁵² in 3 John 1:12. The grace of God would be quite encouraging to the faithful, those enduring persecution in the church from those “nourished by Zeus,” if The elder recalled a silversmith who started a riot in Ephesus against Paul’s Gospel, but was illustrious among the faithful (and the as yet less than faithful) for his current faithfulness by means of the truth: God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit.

This was the understanding of Jim Cole-Rous in his article, “Demetrius the Silversmith,” on JourneyOnline: “Demetrius, the wealthy and influential leader of the riot, had become a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.” And Mr. Guzik rightly noted in his commentary: “John did not excommunicate Diotrephes.” Did The elder continue to hope in the grace of God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit?

The elder “added”: καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, We also add our testimony. The word add was added by the translators, apparently to highlight δὲ, translated also. Still, it accentuates how redundant or presumptuous it was to “add” such testimony to the truth itself. On the other hand, if the The elder referred to the “truth” of the pagan goddess Demeter implied by the name Demetrius, the testimony of the Elder and the brothers would be welcome to the elect, to those “who [like Gaius] remained faithful to Christ and the Gospel”: καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν, and you know that our testimony is true.

It seems appropriate at this point to highlight that testimony (1 John 1:1-4 ESV).

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life (τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον), which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ [Table]. And we are writing⁵³ these things so that our joy may be complete.

The elder continued (3 John 1:13-15 ESV):

I had much to write to you,⁵⁴ but I would rather not write⁵⁵ with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.

The Greek is: Πολλὰ, much, εἶχον, I had, γράψαι σοι, to write to you, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ, but…not, θέλω, I would rather, διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου, with ink and pen, σοι γράφειν, write. The adjective μέλανος, a form of μέλας, “black colour, dark,” was translated ink three times in the New Testament. In coded communications like 2 and 3 John, where meaning is obscured, it seems prudent to also consider its original meaning.

Usage: The Greek adjective “μέλας” (melas) is used to describe the color black. In the New Testament, it is often used metaphorically to convey darkness or a lack of light, which can symbolize sin, judgment, or mourning. The term can also be used literally to describe the color of objects or appearances.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, the color black was often associated with death, mourning, and the underworld. It was a color that symbolized the absence of light and was frequently used in literature and art to depict negative or ominous themes. In the Jewish tradition, black could also symbolize mourning and was sometimes used in the context of sackcloth and ashes, which were traditional signs of repentance and grief.⁵⁶

The elder continued: ἐλπίζω, I hope,⁵⁷ δὲ εὐθέως, soon, σε ἰδεῖν, to see you, καὶ, and, στόμα πρὸς στόμα, face to face (or, “mouth to mouth”), λαλήσομεν, we will talk.

Mr. Guzik observed:

We can sympathize with John’s preference for personal, face to face communication rather than the writing of letters. Yet we are thankful that John was forced to write, so that we have the record of this letter of 3 John.⁵⁸

The clause “that John was forced to write” was as close as Mr. Guzik came to recalling his earlier speculation about “the threat of persecution” as a reason that The elder “does not directly refer to himself.”

The elder concluded his letter: εἰρήνη σοι, Peace be to you. It is a true and beautiful blessing upon the elect, those who walk by the Spirit: the fruit (or, “result”) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (εἰρήνη)…⁵⁹ The elder continued: ἀσπάζονται σε οἱ φίλοι, The friends greet you. This reminds one of Jesus’ words: You are my friends (φίλοι, a plural form of φίλος) if you do what I command you.⁶⁰ And finally: ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους, Greet the friends, κατ᾿ ὄνομα, each by name.

The ESV translators chose to translate κατ᾿ followed by ὄνομα in the accusative case distributively: each by. I wonder, in keeping with the idea of coded communication, if the phrase should be understood more relationally: “in regard to reputation” (reputation is another possible translation of ὄνομα). Thus you will recognize them by their fruits,⁶¹ Jesus said (e.g., recognize those friends because they do what Jesus’ commanded). In other words, are their fruits the fruit of the Spirit? Or are they “nourished by Zeus”?

A table of the occurrences of αὐτῆς in John’s writings in the New Testament follows.

Examples of αὐτῆς in the writings of John in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 4:27	Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”	Καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἦλθαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐλάλει· οὐδεὶς μέντοι εἶπεν· τί ζητεῖς ἢ τί λαλεῖς μετ’ αὐτῆς
John 4:28	So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people	ἀφῆκεν οὖν τὴν ὑδρίαν αὐτῆς ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ λέγει τοῖς ἀνθρώποις
John 11:1	Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.	Ἦν δέ τις ἀσθενῶν, Λάζαρος ἀπὸ Βηθανίας, ἐκ τῆς κώμης Μαρίας καὶ Μάρθας τῆς ἀδελφῆς αὐτῆς
John 11:2	It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.	ἦν δὲ Μαριὰμ ἡ ἀλείψασα τὸν κύριον μύρῳ καὶ ἐκμάξασα τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς, ἧς ὁ ἀδελφὸς Λάζαρος ἠσθένει
John 11:4	But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”	ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· αὕτη ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς θάνατον ἀλλ’ ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ δι’ αὐτῆς
John 11:5	Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.	ἠγάπα δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον
John 11:28	When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”	Καὶ τοῦτο εἰποῦσα ἀπῆλθεν καὶ ἐφώνησεν Μαριὰμ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς λάθρᾳ εἰποῦσα· ὁ διδάσκαλος πάρεστιν καὶ φωνεῖ σε
John 11:31	When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.	οἱ οὖν Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ ὄντες μετ’ αὐτῆς ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ καὶ παραμυθούμενοι αὐτήν, ἰδόντες τὴν Μαριὰμ ὅτι ταχέως ἀνέστη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν, ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῇ δόξαντες ὅτι ὑπάγει εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον ἵνα κλαύσῃ ἐκεῖ
John 12:3	Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.	Ἡ οὖν Μαριὰμ λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου ἤλειψεν τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξεν ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ· ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου
John 16:21	When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.	ἡ γυνὴ ὅταν τίκτῃ λύπην ἔχει, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα αὐτῆς· ὅταν δὲ γεννήσῃ τὸ παιδίον, οὐκέτι μνημονεύει τῆς θλίψεως διὰ τὴν χαρὰν ὅτι ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὸν κόσμον
2 John 1:1	The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,	Ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῆς, οὓς ἐγὼ ἀγαπῶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ μόνος ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες οἱ ἐγνωκότες τὴν ἀλήθειαν
3 John 1:12	Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.	Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν
Revelation 2:5	Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.	μνημόνευε οὖν πόθεν πέπτωκας καὶ μετανόησον καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς
Revelation 2:21	I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.	καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνον ἵνα μετανοήσῃ, καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς
Revelation 2:22	Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,	ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ’ αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς
Revelation 2:23	and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.	καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ. καὶ γνώσονται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐραυνῶν νεφροὺς καὶ καρδίας, καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν
Revelation 6:13	and lthe stars of the sky fell to the earth mas the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.	καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔπεσαν εἰς τὴν γῆν, ὡς συκῆ βάλλει τοὺς ὀλύνθους αὐτῆς ὑπὸ ἀνέμου μεγάλου σειομένη
Revelation 8:12	The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.	Καὶ ὁ τέταρτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν· καὶ ἐπλήγη τὸ τρίτον τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τὸ τρίτον τῆς σελήνης καὶ τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων, ἵνα σκοτισθῇ τὸ τρίτον αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα μὴ φάνῃ τὸ τρίτον αὐτῆς (KJV: and the day shone not for a third part of it) καὶ ἡ νὺξ ὁμοίως
Revelation 12:1	And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.	Καὶ σημεῖον μέγα ὤφθη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, γυνὴ περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ ἡ σελήνη ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς στέφανος ἀστέρων δώδεκα
Revelation 12:4	His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.	καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν. Καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν, ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ
Revelation 12:5	She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,	καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν ἄρσεν, ὃς μέλλει ποιμαίνειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ. καὶ ἡρπάσθη τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ πρὸς τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ
Revelation 12:14	But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.	καὶ ἐδόθησαν τῇ γυναικὶ αἱ δύο πτέρυγες τοῦ ἀετοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου, ἵνα πέτηται εἰς τὴν ἔρημον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς, (KJV: into her place) ὅπου τρέφεται ἐκεῖ καιρὸν καὶ καιροὺς καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ ὄφεως
Revelation 12:16	But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.	καὶ ἐβοήθησεν ἡ γῆ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ ἤνοιξεν ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς καὶ κατέπιεν τὸν ποταμὸν ὃν ἔβαλεν ὁ δράκων ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ
Revelation 12:17	Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.	καὶ ὠργίσθη ὁ δράκων ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ποιῆσαι πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐχόντων τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰησοῦ
Revelation 14:8	Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”	Καὶ ἄλλος ἄγγελος δεύτερος ἠκολούθησεν λέγων· ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη ἣ ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς πεπότικεν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη
Revelation 14:18	And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.”	καὶ ἄλλος ἄγγελος [ἐξῆλθεν] ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου [ὁ] ἔχων ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρός, καὶ ἐφώνησεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ τῷ ἔχοντι τὸ δρέπανον τὸ ὀξὺ λέγων· πέμψον σου τὸ δρέπανον τὸ ὀξὺ καὶ τρύγησον τοὺς βότρυας τῆς ἀμπέλου τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἤκμασαν αἱ σταφυλαὶ αὐτῆς
Revelation 16:21	And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.	καὶ χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία καταβαίνει ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, καὶ ἐβλασφήμησαν οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸν θεὸν ἐκ τῆς πληγῆς τῆς χαλάζης, ὅτι μεγάλη ἐστὶν ἡ πληγὴ αὐτῆς (KJV: for the plague thereof) σφόδρα
Revelation 17:2	with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”	μεθ’ ἧς ἐπόρνευσαν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐμεθύσθησαν οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν γῆν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς (KJV: with the wine of her fornication)
Revelation 17:4	The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.	καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἦν περιβεβλημένη πορφυροῦν καὶ κόκκινον καὶ κεχρυσωμένη χρυσίῳ καὶ λίθῳ τιμίῳ καὶ μαργαρίταις, ἔχουσα ποτήριον χρυσοῦν ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτῆς γέμον βδελυγμάτων καὶ τὰ ἀκάθαρτα τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς
Revelation 17:5	And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”	καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μέτωπον αὐτῆς ὄνομα γεγραμμένον, μυστήριον, Βαβυλὼν ἡ μεγάλη, ἡ μήτηρ τῶν πορνῶν καὶ τῶν βδελυγμάτων τῆς γῆς
Revelation 17:16	And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire,	καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα ἃ εἶδες καὶ τὸ θηρίον οὗτοι μισήσουσιν τὴν πόρνην καὶ ἠρημωμένην ποιήσουσιν αὐτὴν καὶ γυμνὴν καὶ τὰς σάρκας αὐτῆς φάγονται καὶ αὐτὴν κατακαύσουσιν ἐν πυρί
Revelation 18:3	For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”	ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς πέπωκαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς μετ’ αὐτῆς ἐπόρνευσαν καὶ οἱ ἔμποροι τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ στρήνους αὐτῆς ἐπλούτησαν
Revelation 18:4	Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues;	Καὶ ἤκουσα ἄλλην φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ λέγουσαν· ἐξέλθατε ὁ λαός μου ἐξ αὐτῆς ἵνα μὴ συγκοινωνήσητε ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν πληγῶν αὐτῆς ἵνα μὴ λάβητε
Revelation 18:5	for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.	ὅτι ἐκολλήθησαν αὐτῆς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἐμνημόνευσεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ἀδικήματα αὐτῆς
Revelation 18:6	Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.	ἀπόδοτε αὐτῇ ὡς καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπέδωκεν καὶ διπλώσατε τὰ διπλᾶ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς, ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν
Revelation 18:7	As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’	ὅσα ἐδόξασεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐστρηνίασεν, τοσοῦτον δότε αὐτῇ βασανισμὸν καὶ πένθος. ὅτι ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς λέγει ὅτι κάθημαι βασίλισσα καὶ χήρα οὐκ εἰμὶ καὶ πένθος οὐ μὴ ἴδω
Revelation 18:8	For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”	διὰ τοῦτο ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ ἥξουσιν αἱ πληγαὶ αὐτῆς, θάνατος καὶ πένθος καὶ λιμός, καὶ ἐν πυρὶ κατακαυθήσεται, ὅτι ἰσχυρὸς κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ κρίνας αὐτήν
Revelation 18:9	And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.	Καὶ κλαύσουσιν καὶ κόψονται ἐπ’ αὐτὴν οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς οἱ μετ’ αὐτῆς πορνεύσαντες καὶ στρηνιάσαντες, ὅταν βλέπωσιν τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως αὐτῆς
Revelation 18:10	They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.”	ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἑστηκότες διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ βασανισμοῦ αὐτῆς λέγοντες· οὐαὶ οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, Βαβυλὼν ἡ πόλις ἡ ἰσχυρά, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἦλθεν ἡ κρίσις σου
Revelation 18:15	The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,	Οἱ ἔμποροι τούτων οἱ πλουτήσαντες ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ἀπὸ μακρόθεν στήσονται διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ βασανισμοῦ αὐτῆς κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες
Revelation 18:18	and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, “What city was like the great city?”	καὶ ἔκραζον βλέποντες τὸν καπνὸν τῆς πυρώσεως αὐτῆς λέγοντες· τίς ὁμοία τῇ πόλει τῇ μεγάλῃ
Revelation 18:19	And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.	καὶ ἔβαλον χοῦν ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκραζον κλαίοντες καὶ πενθοῦντες λέγοντες· οὐαὶ οὐαί, ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη, ἐν ᾗ ἐπλούτησαν πάντες οἱ ἔχοντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἐκ τῆς τιμιότητος αὐτῆς, ὅτι μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη
Revelation 18:20	Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!”	Εὐφραίνου ἐπ’ αὐτῇ, οὐρανὲ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ προφῆται, ὅτι ἔκρινεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ κρίμα ὑμῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς
Revelation 19:2	for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”	ὅτι ἀληθιναὶ καὶ δίκαιαι αἱ κρίσεις αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἔκρινεν τὴν πόρνην τὴν μεγάλην ἥτις ἔφθειρεν τὴν γῆν ἐν τῇ πορνείᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ ἐξεδίκησεν τὸ αἷμα τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ ἐκ χειρὸς αὐτῆς (KJV: at her hand)
Revelation 19:3	Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”	Καὶ δεύτερον εἴρηκαν· ἁλληλουϊά· καὶ ὁ καπνὸς αὐτῆς ἀναβαίνει εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων
Revelation 21:2	And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.	καὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἁγίαν Ἰερουσαλὴμ καινὴν εἶδον καταβαίνουσαν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡτοιμασμένην ὡς νύμφην κεκοσμημένην τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς
Revelation 21:11	having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal	ἔχουσαν τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ φωστὴρ αὐτῆς ὅμοιος λίθῳ τιμιωτάτῳ ὡς λίθῳ ἰάσπιδι κρυσταλλίζοντι
Revelation 21:15	And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls.	Καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἶχεν μέτρον κάλαμον χρυσοῦν, ἵνα μετρήσῃ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τοὺς πυλῶνας αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ τεῖχος αὐτῆς (KJV: and the wall thereof)
Revelation 21:16	The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal.	καὶ ἡ πόλις τετράγωνος κεῖται καὶ τὸ μῆκος αὐτῆς ὅσον [καὶ] τὸ πλάτος. καὶ ἐμέτρησεν τὴν πόλιν τῷ καλάμῳ ἐπὶ σταδίων δώδεκα χιλιάδων, τὸ μῆκος καὶ τὸ πλάτος καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῆς ἴσα ἐστίν
Revelation 21:17	He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement.	καὶ ἐμέτρησεν τὸ τεῖχος αὐτῆς ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τεσσάρων πηχῶν μέτρον ἀνθρώπου, ὅ ἐστιν ἀγγέλου
Revelation 21:18	The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass.	καὶ ἡ ἐνδώμησις τοῦ τείχους αὐτῆς (KJV: And the building of the wall of it) ἴασπις καὶ ἡ πόλις χρυσίον καθαρὸν ὅμοιον ὑάλῳ καθαρῷ
Revelation 21:22	And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.	Καὶ ναὸν οὐκ εἶδον ἐν αὐτῇ, ὁ γὰρ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ ναὸς αὐτῆς ἐστιν καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον
Revelation 21:23	And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.	καὶ ἡ πόλις οὐ χρείαν ἔχει τοῦ ἡλίου οὐδὲ τῆς σελήνης ἵνα φαίνωσιν αὐτῇ, ἡ γὰρ δόξα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐφώτισεν αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ λύχνος αὐτῆς τὸ ἀρνίον
Revelation 21:24	By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it,	καὶ περιπατήσουσιν τὰ ἔθνη διὰ τοῦ φωτὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς φέρουσιν τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν εἰς αὐτήν
Revelation 21:25	and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there.	καὶ οἱ πυλῶνες αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ κλεισθῶσιν ἡμέρας, νὺξ γὰρ οὐκ ἔσται ἐκεῖ
Revelation 22:2	through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.	ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς (KJV: In the midst of the street of it) καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ξύλον ζωῆς ποιοῦν καρποὺς δώδεκα, κατὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον ἀποδιδοῦν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ φύλλα τοῦ ξύλου εἰς θεραπείαν τῶν ἐθνῶν

Tables comparing 2 John 1:3; Revelation 17:13; 1 Peter 2:5; 3 John 1:5; 1:7, 8; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 12:16; 12:18; 3 John 1:9; Colossians 1:16; 3 John 1:11; 1:12; 1 John 1:4 and 3 John 1:13 in the KJV and NET follow.

2 John 1:3 (NET)	2 John 1:3 (KJV)
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love.	Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

2 John 1:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 John 1:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 John 1:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἔσται μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη παρὰ θεοῦ πατρὸς καὶ παρὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐν ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ἀγάπῃ	εσται μεθ ημων χαρις ελεος ειρηνη παρα θεου πατρος και παρα κυριου ιησου χριστου του υιου του πατρος εν αληθεια και αγαπη	εσται μεθ ημων χαρις ελεος ειρηνη παρα θεου πατρος και παρα κυριου ιησου χριστου του υιου του πατρος εν αληθεια και αγαπη

Revelation 17:13 (NET)	Revelation 17:13 (KJV)
These kings have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.	These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Revelation 17:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Revelation 17:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Revelation 17:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὗτοι μίαν γνώμην ἔχουσιν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ἐξουσίαν αὐτῶν τῷ θηρίῳ διδόασιν	ουτοι μιαν γνωμην εχουσιν και την δυναμιν και την εξουσιαν εαυτων τω θηριω διαδιδωσουσιν	ουτοι μιαν εχουσιν γνωμην και την δυναμιν και την εξουσιαν αυτων τω θηριω διδοασιν

1 Peter 2:5 (NET)	1 Peter 2:5 (KJV)
you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.	Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 2:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 2:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ αὐτοὶ ὡς λίθοι ζῶντες οἰκοδομεῖσθε οἶκος πνευματικὸς εἰς ἱεράτευμα ἅγιον ἀνενέγκαι πνευματικὰς θυσίας εὐπροσδέκτους [τῷ] θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ	και αυτοι ως λιθοι ζωντες οικοδομεισθε οικος πνευματικος ιερατευμα αγιον ανενεγκαι πνευματικας θυσιας ευπροσδεκτους τω θεω δια ιησου χριστου	και αυτοι ως λιθοι ζωντες οικοδομεισθε οικος πνευματικος ιερατευμα αγιον ανενεγκαι πνευματικας θυσιας ευπροσδεκτους τω θεω δια ιησου χριστου

3 John 1:5 (NET)	3 John 1:5 (KJV)
Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers).	Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

3 John 1:5 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:5 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:5 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀγαπητέ, πιστὸν ποιεῖς ὃ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς (καὶ τοῦτο ξένους)	αγαπητε πιστον ποιεις ο εαν εργαση εις τους αδελφους και εις τους ξενους	αγαπητε πιστον ποιεις ο εαν εργαση εις τους αδελφους και εις τους ξενους

3 John 1:7, 8 (NET)	3 John 1:7, 8 (KJV)
For they have gone forth on behalf of “The Name,” accepting nothing from the pagans.	Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

3 John 1:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐξῆλθον μηδὲν λαμβάνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικῶν	υπερ γαρ του ονοματος εξηλθον μηδεν λαμβανοντες απο των εθνων	υπερ γαρ του ονοματος εξηλθον μηδεν λαμβανοντες απο των εθνων

Therefore we ought to support such people so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

3 John 1:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡμεῖς οὖν ὀφείλομεν ὑπολαμβάνειν τοὺς τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεργοὶ γινώμεθα τῇ ἀληθείᾳ	ημεις ουν οφειλομεν απολαμβανειν τους τοιουτους ινα συνεργοι γινωμεθα τη αληθεια	ημεις ουν οφειλομεν απολαμβανειν τους τοιουτους ινα συνεργοι γινωμεθα τη αληθεια

2 Corinthians 12:14 (NET)	2 Corinthians 12:14 (KJV)
Look, for the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you, because I do not want your possessions, but you. For children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.	Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

2 Corinthians 12:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 12:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 12:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἰδοὺ τρίτον τοῦτο ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐ καταναρκήσω· οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν ἀλλὰ ὑμᾶς. οὐ γὰρ ὀφείλει τὰ τέκνα τοῖς γονεῦσιν θησαυρίζειν ἀλλὰ οἱ γονεῖς τοῖς τέκνοις	ιδου τριτον ετοιμως εχω ελθειν προς υμας και ου καταναρκησω υμων ου γαρ ζητω τα υμων αλλ υμας ου γαρ οφειλει τα τεκνα τοις γονευσιν θησαυριζειν αλλ οι γονεις τοις τεκνοις	ιδου τριτον ετοιμως εχω ελθειν προς υμας και ου καταναρκησω υμων ου γαρ ζητω τα υμων αλλα υμας ου γαρ οφειλει τα τεκνα τοις γονευσιν θησαυριζειν αλλ οι γονεις τοις τεκνοις

2 Corinthians 12:16 (NET)	2 Corinthians 12:16 (KJV)
But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. Yet because I was a crafty person, I took you in by deceit!	But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.

2 Corinthians 12:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 12:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 12:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἔστω δέ, ἐγὼ οὐ κατεβάρησα ὑμᾶς· ἀλλὰ ὑπάρχων πανοῦργος δόλῳ ὑμᾶς ἔλαβον	εστω δε εγω ου κατεβαρησα υμας αλλ υπαρχων πανουργος δολω υμας ελαβον	εστω δε εγω ου κατεβαρησα υμας αλλ υπαρχων πανουργος δολω υμας ελαβον

2 Corinthians 12:18 (NET)	2 Corinthians 12:18 (KJV)
I urged Titus to visit you, and I sent our brother along with him. Titus did not take advantage of you, did he? Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit? Did we not behave in the same way?	I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?

2 Corinthians 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 12:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 12:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν	παρεκαλεσα τιτον και συναπεστειλα τον αδελφον μη τι επλεονεκτησεν υμας τιτος ου τω αυτω πνευματι περιεπατησαμεν ου τοις αυτοις ιχνεσιν	παρεκαλεσα τιτον και συναπεστειλα τον αδελφον μη τι επλεονεκτησεν υμας τιτος ου τω αυτω πνευματι περιεπατησαμεν ου τοις αυτοις ιχνεσιν

3 John 1:9 (NET)	3 John 1:9 (KJV)
I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.	I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

3 John 1:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἔγραψα τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν Διοτρέφης οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς	εγραψα τη εκκλησια αλλ ο φιλοπρωτευων αυτων διοτρεφης ουκ επιδεχεται ημας	εγραψα τη εκκλησια αλλ ο φιλοπρωτευων αυτων διοτρεφης ουκ επιδεχεται ημας

Colossians 1:16 (NET)	Colossians 1:16 (KJV)
for all things in heaven and on earth were created in him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, whether principalities or powers—all things were created through him and for him.	For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Colossians 1:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Colossians 1:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Colossians 1:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, εἴτε θρόνοι εἴτε κυριότητες εἴτε ἀρχαὶ εἴτε ἐξουσίαι· τὰ πάντα δι᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἔκτισται	οτι εν αυτω εκτισθη τα παντα τα εν τοις ουρανοις και τα επι της γης τα ορατα και τα αορατα ειτε θρονοι ειτε κυριοτητες ειτε αρχαι ειτε εξουσιαι τα παντα δι αυτου και εις αυτον εκτισται	οτι εν αυτω εκτισθη τα παντα τα εν τοις ουρανοις και τα επι της γης τα ορατα και τα αορατα ειτε θρονοι ειτε κυριοτητες ειτε αρχαι ειτε εξουσιαι τα παντα δι αυτου και εις αυτον εκτισται

3 John 1:11 (NET)	3 John 1:11 (KJV)
Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God.	Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

3 John 1:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν· ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἑώρακεν τὸν θεόν	αγαπητε μη μιμου το κακον αλλα το αγαθον ο αγαθοποιων εκ του θεου εστιν ο δε κακοποιων ουχ εωρακεν τον θεον	αγαπητε μη μιμου το κακον αλλα το αγαθον ο αγαθοποιων εκ του θεου εστιν ο κακοποιων ουχ εωρακεν τον θεον

3 John 1:12 (NET)	3 John 1:12 (KJV)
Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true.	Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

3 John 1:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὑπὸ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας· καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ οἶδας ὅτι ἡ μαρτυρία ἡμῶν ἀληθής ἐστιν	δημητριω μεμαρτυρηται υπο παντων και υπ αυτης της αληθειας και ημεις δε μαρτυρουμεν και οιδατε οτι η μαρτυρια ημων αληθης εστιν	δημητριω μεμαρτυρηται υπο παντων και υπ αυτης της αληθειας και ημεις δε μαρτυρουμεν και οιδατε οτι η μαρτυρια ημων αληθης εστιν

1 John 1:4 (NET)	1 John 1:4 (KJV)
Thus we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.	And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 1:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 1:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ταῦτα γράφομεν ἡμεῖς, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη	και ταυτα γραφομεν υμιν ινα η χαρα ημων η πεπληρωμενη	και ταυτα γραφομεν υμιν ινα η χαρα ημων η πεπληρωμενη

3 John 1:13 (NET)	3 John 1:13 (KJV)
I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink.	I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

3 John 1:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	3 John 1:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	3 John 1:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι ἀλλ᾿ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν	πολλα ειχον γραφειν αλλ ου θελω δια μελανος και καλαμου σοι γραψαι	πολλα ειχον γραφειν αλλ ου θελω δια μελανος και καλαμου σοι γραψαι

3 John, Part 2

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 2

Back to 3 John, Part 3

Back to 3 John, Part 4

Back to 3 John, Part 6

Back to 3 John, Part 7

Back to 3 John, Part 8

¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κυριου (KJV: the Lord) preceding Jesus. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

² 2 John 1:2b (ESV)

³ 2 John 1:2b (ESV)

⁴ This is a participle of γινώσκω (all the truth knowing or truth knowers).

⁵ 3 John 1:1b (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 4:29 (ESV)

⁷ Luke 23:35 (ESV) Table

⁸ Titus 1:1-3 (ESV)

⁹ Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had διδόασιν here, a form of δίδωμι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had διαδιδωσουσιν (KJV: shall give), a form of διαδίδωμι.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had αὐτῶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the reflexive pronoun εαυτων.

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την preceding authority (KJV: strength). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ Revelation 17:13, 14 (ESV)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰς (literally: “into”) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁵ 1 Peter 2:4, 5 (ESV)

¹⁶ 1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

¹⁷ From “Strong’s Lexicon/Usage:” in the entry 1050. Gaios on Bible Hub.

¹⁸ 3 John 1:2-4 (ESV)

¹⁹ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

²⁰ Ibid.

²¹ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

²² Ibid.

²³ Acts 1:8 (ESV) Table

²⁴ Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

²⁵ Exploration, Part 10

²⁶ Mark 14:36b (NET)

²⁷ Mark 14:36c (NET)

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοῦτο here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις (KJV: to) and the plural article τους preceding strangers.

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective ἐθνικῶν here, a form of ἐθνικός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the noun εθνων, a form of ἔθνος.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπολαμβάνειν here, an infinitive form of the verb ὑπολαμβάνω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολαμβανειν (KJV: to receive), an infinitive form of the verb ἀπολαμβάνω.

³¹ 3 John 1:3 (ESV)

³² From “What is Hashem? A name for God that simply means ‘the Name.’” on My Jewish Learning online.

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοῦτο (literally, “this”) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἀλλ’.

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ here, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text had ἀλλὰ at the beginning of this clause, where the NA²⁸, Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ἀλλ’.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μήτι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μη τι.

³⁸ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τι here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁰ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

⁴¹ From “Strong’s Lexicon” in the entry 1361. Diotrephés on Bible Hub.

⁴² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τα preceding in. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τα preceding on. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἐν here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had επι.

⁴⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had δε (KJV: but) near the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁴⁶ 3 John 1:11 (ESV)

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular verb οἶδας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οιδατε (KJV: ye know), a 2^nd person plural form of εἴδω.

⁴⁸ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

⁴⁹ From “Strong’s Lexicon” in the entry 1216. Démétrios on Bible Hub.

⁵⁰ From “Strong’s Lexicon” in the entry 1216. Démétrios on Bible Hub.

⁵¹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁵² Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἡμεῖς following are writing, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμιν (KJV: unto you) following write we (KJV).

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γράψαι σοι here; γράψαι is an infinitive form of γράφω in the aorist tense. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had simply γραφειν, an infinitive form of γράφω in the present tense.

⁵⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γράφειν, an infinitive form of γράφω in the present tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γραψαι in the aorist tense.

⁵⁶ From “Strong’s Lexicon” in the entry 3189. melas on Bible Hub.

⁵⁷ The Greek word ἐλπίζω: “Does not mean ‘to hope’ in the sense of ‘longing for’ or ‘wishing’; but of ‘confident assurance’.”

⁵⁸ From “3 John – Following Good Examples,” by David Guzik on Enduring Word online.

⁵⁹ Galatians 5:22a (ESV)

⁶⁰ John 15:14 (ESV) Table

⁶¹ Matthew 7:20 (ESV) Table

Exploration, Part 9

Posted on March 11, 2025 by admin

For our freedom Christ has us set free.¹ Jesus promised this freedom from slavery to sin: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth²…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.³ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.⁴ If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.⁵ [T]herefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁶

Why? The fruit (ὁ καρπὸς) or “result” of this freedom—which is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit taking up residence within us—is (Galatians 5:22b, 23 ESV):

…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].

One who experiences his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control like a spring of water welling up to eternal life,⁷ recognizes the source of this fruit (result). The Spirit’s result is mine only in that sense that he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.⁸ This is why Jesus could promise (Matthew 5:48 EXP8):

You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

I quoted the EXP1 translation of Galatians 5:1 above because I choose to understand the verb στήκετε, a form of στήκω, in the indicative mood (EXP1: you stand firm) rather than as an imperative (ESV: stand firm).⁹ Either is permissible according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online, but the indicative mood jibes better with the freedom for which Christ has us set free. And I am working out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure [Table].¹⁰ But why was it even necessary to quote the EXP8 translation of Matthew 5:48?

According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online the verb ἔσεσθε, a form of εἰμί, is in the future tense and indicative mood (EXP8: will be) rather than the imperative mood (ESV: must be). But the ESV translation is (Matthew 5:48 ESV):

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

According to Arthur Carr in Volume 1 of the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary online, there is still a choice to make here:

ἔσεσθε τέλειοι. Lit. ‘ye shall be perfect.’ Either (1) in reference to a future state, ‘if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter’; or (2) the future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this. This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom.¹¹

With a bit of decoding I favor option (1): “if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter.” You have this love or charity—But the fruit of the Spirit is love¹²—supplied by God through his indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believe Jesus. This love—his own love (as opposed to some emotion I try to conjure out of gratitude)—is the fulfilling of the law.¹³ You (ὑμεῖς) will be (ἔσεσθε) perfect (τέλειοι, a form of the adjective τέλειος): “mature, complete, perfect, full-grown; morally perfect; impeccable, faultless in beliefs and practice; maximum, utter” (Ephesians 1-3; cf. 3:19).

When? when the Lord brings you to the place of recognizing who you are in Christ: the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁴ I have been crucified with Christ, Paul described God’s salvation, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. (But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.¹⁵) So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,¹⁶ on the cross, yes, but beyond the cross and forever (εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα).

As Jesus prayed to his Father (John 17:20-23 ESV):

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe¹⁷ in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me [Table]. The glory that you have given me I¹⁸ have given to them, that they may be one even as we are¹⁹ one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so²⁰ that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

The Greek word translated perfectly above was τετελειωμένοι, a middle/passive participle of the verb τελειόω: “to die; to be perfect; to be consecrated to; to be initiated into.”

In the past a statement like—“This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom”²¹—might have hypnotized me into compliance with option (2).

[T]he future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this.²²

But Jesus continues to draw me to Himself. Since I began to understand that He (as a human child) learned what He taught (as an adult) from the Holy Spirit’s instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures, and that He expected the teacher of Israel to understand the Scriptures as He did, I’ve become much more critical of this kind of nonspecific assertion. And so I ask: Is the “Hebrew idiom” that seeks to transform a Greek verb in the indicative mood (e.g., a statement of fact) into an imperative (e.g., “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”²³) simply because it is in the future tense, a “Hebrew idiom” as God the Father and Holy Spirit intended and as Jesus understood it? Or is that “Hebrew idiom” the understanding of those in Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness [but] did not succeed in reaching that law? [Table]. Why? [Why did they not succeed in reaching that law?] Paul asked rhetorically, and then answered: Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works [Table].²⁴

A few words about the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary seem to be in order. In the introduction to Matthew’s Gospel the Preface by the General Editor states: “THE General Editor of The Cambridge Bible for Schools thinks it right to say that he does not hold himself responsible either for the interpretation of particular passages which the Editors of the several Books have adopted, or for any opinion on points of doctrine that they may have expressed.” In the Editor’s Preface which follows that of the General Editor—dated December 21, 1880—Arthur Carr listed the lexicons, grammars and various “works principally consulted,” and he acknowledged “several friends who have helped me with suggestions.” The Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary appears to be a collection of the works of individual authors who were described, and described themselves, as editors.

Since the translators of the ESV seem to have gone with option (2), and in lieu of an answer to my question about that “Hebrew idiom” from the late Mr. Carr, I’ll consider the ESV translations of the other occurrences of ἔσεσθε in the New Testament.

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.²⁵

The phrase you must not be was οὐκ ἔσεσθε in the critical text (NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸) or ουκ εση in the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text). Both ἔσεσθε and εση are forms of the verb εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood: “you will not be.” The former is a 2^nd person plural verb; the latter is a 2^nd person singular verb. Mr. Carr explained:

προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε, instead of the singular προσεύχῃ οὐκ ἔσῃ, the singular introduced to harmonise with context ὅταν ποίῃς Matthew 6:2, ὅταν προσεύχῃ Matthew 6:6.

Mr. Carr revealed his preference²⁶ for the originality of the critical text by stating that “the singular [was] introduced [later] to harmonise with context.” (The factual content of this assertion is based presumably on the dating of extant manuscripts.) Likewise, the translators of the ESV reveal at least an affinity for the idea that “the future [tense] has an imperative force”²⁷ by rendering “you will not be” (οὐκ ἔσεσθε or οὐκ ἔσῃ) you must not be.

Mr. Carr did not reiterate the two options he presented for understanding ἔσεσθε in Matthew 5:48. He did, however, present further evidence of his preference for the critical text as he hinted that ἔσεσθε created a rule:

5. προσεύχησθε [e.g., προσεύχησθε in Matthew 6:5 rather than the singular προσευχή]. Plural, because here the reference is to public worship. It is a rule for the Church.

So Mr. Carr’s claim, that Καὶ ὅταν προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί “is a rule for the Church,” seems supported by the ESV translators: And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.²⁸ The Greek words translated the hypocrites were οἱ ὑποκριταί, a form of ὑποκριτής: “hypocrite, pretender, impious person.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online, however, these are all relatively late meanings of the Greek word:

A number of different things might pop to mind when we hear the word hypocrite. Maybe it’s a politician caught in a scandal; maybe it’s a religious leader doing something counter to their creed; maybe it’s a scheming and conniving character featured in soap operas. But it’s likely that the one thing that doesn’t come to mind is the theater.

The word hypocrite ultimately came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” The Greek word itself is a compound noun: it’s made up of two Greek words that literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.” That bizarre compound makes more sense when you know that the actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark which character they were playing, and so they interpreted the story from underneath their masks.

The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not. This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, ypocrite, in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others. (Hypocrite gained its initial h- by the 16th century.)

It took a surprisingly long time for hypocrite to gain its more general meaning that we use today: “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” Our first citations for this use are from the early 1700s, nearly 500 years after hypocrite first stepped onto English’s stage.

Strong’s Concordance still referenced the original meaning: “lit: a stage-player.” But even Strong’s offered meanings for this word that probably didn’t exist for a thousand or more years from the time Jesus spoke, or Matthew recorded, it. Be that as it may, translating an indicative verb ἔσεσθε as if it were an imperative has a dulling effect on Jesus’ commands (Matthew 6:6 ESV):

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you [Table].

Here, the Greek word translated go into actually is a verb in the imperative mood: εἴσελθε, a form of εἰσέρχομαι. It is completely acceptable to translate εἴσελθε go into; it still means you must go into: “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”²⁹ Contrasted to you must not be like the hypocrites, however, go into may not quite convey how dramatic a gesture Jesus commanded. “When you pray, you must go into” (not the synagogue of actors nor street corners where actors pray, but into) your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

The Greek word translated will reward in the next clause was ἀποδώσει, a form of ἀποδίδωμι in the future tense and indicative mood, another word like ἔσεσθε, though not translated, “And your Father who sees in secret must reward you.” Neither did Mr. Carr offer “must reward” as another option to will reward. He was more preoccupied with other matters:

ταμεῖον has high authority (אBDE) for ταμιεῖον; cp. the late form ὑγεία for ὑγίεια.

6. ταμιεῖον. A private oratory or place of prayer. These were usually in the upper part of the house; in classical Greek ‘storehouse’ or ‘treasury’, the meaning of the word Luke 12:24. See Matthew 24:26.

Πρόσευξαι τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ. Christ was the first to enjoin clearly secret and silent prayer. Certainly to pray aloud and in public appears to have been the Jewish practice (see however 1 Samuel 1:13); it is still the practice with the heathen and Mahommedans. The Roman looked with suspicion on private prayer: ‘quod scire hominem nolunt deo narrant’³⁰ (Seneca). Cp. Hor. Ep. I. 16. 59–62, where see Macleane’s note. Cp. also Soph. Electra 638, where Clytemnestra apologises for offering up a secret prayer.³¹

Here, again, I favor option (1), to treat the indicative mood like the indicative mood, a statement of fact, a promise to Jesus’ hearers/followers. It is true in their near future that Jesus’ hearers/followers will not be like the actors who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others,³² because Jesus’ hearers/followers will be actors who obey his commands instead: [you must] go into your room and shut the door and [you must] pray to your Father who is in secret.³³ And Jesus’ promise will be true in their not too distant future because his hearers/followers will cease to be actors, portraying a certain character by obeying rules, to actually be those who are joined to the Lord [and become] one spirit with him.³⁴

They will be crucified with Christ. It [will] no longer [be they] who live, but Christ who lives in [them]. And the life [they will then] live in the flesh [they will] live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [them] and gave himself for [them]. [They will] not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.³⁵ They will be those who do what is true [who come] to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that [their] works have been carried out in God.³⁶ They will be those who are released from the law, having died to that which held [them] captive, so that [they] serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.³⁷

(This prompts me to wonder how a “Church” governed by “a rule”—you must not be like the hypocrites—relates to the ἐκκλησία of God in Jesus Christ. It sounds as if this “Church,” rather than being free to serve in the new way of the Spirit, is consigned instead to serve in the old way of [a new] written code.)

I’ve lumped the next four occurrences of ἔσεσθε together because of their similarities, but none was translated as an imperative in the ESV (Matthew 10:21, 22; 24:9; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:17).

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

And you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

You will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake.

The only author of the Cambridge Commentary to mention ἔσεσθε specifically in his notes on these verses was Alfred Plummer, Volume 3, in his comments to Mark 13:13.

καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι. Verbatim the same in all three. The analytical fut. marks the hatred as a process continually going on…

I might ask whether the continuity of this hatred owes more to the present participle μισούμενοι, a form of μισέω in the middle/passive voice: “to hate, despise, detest (esp. to persecute); to strongly dislike; to refuse to have any further interest in.” Surely, the breadth of meaning of μισούμενοι lends credence to the factual content of Jesus’ statement (ἔσεσθε) in the indicative mood well into any humanly foreseeable future. At any rate, Mr. Plummer asserted no “imperative force” for the future tense here: “you must be hated.”

Jesus’ promise that his hearers/followers will be sons of God follows (Luke 6:35 ESV):

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil [Table].

Though I may be tempted in isolation like this to think that Jesus held up my works—loving my enemies, doing good, lending, expecting nothing in return—as the cause which effected my becoming a son of the Most High, the rest of Scripture and my own life assure me that I am one of the ungrateful and evil people who has benefited from his kindness.

Here, again, I understand the truth of ἔσεσθε in Jesus’ hearers’/followers’ near future as a demonstration of faith. As they put on the character of God like actors obeying Jesus’ commands, He receives their act as faith in his word. And in their not too distant future—after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and the giving of his Holy Spirit—their reward will be (ἔσται, a singular form of εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood) great: They will be born from above, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.³⁸ And they will love with his love, do good by his goodness, be kind through his kindness, for the fruit [result] of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].³⁹

F. W. Farrar, the author of Volume 4 of the Cambridge Commentary didn’t mention an imperative option for ἔσεσθε (or any other verb in the future tense and indicative mood) here (e.g., “you must be sons of the most high,” or “your reward must be great”). He simply reiterated the phrase in Greek with an instruction to compare it to Sirach.

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary	Sirach 4:10 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου. Comp. Sir 4:10.	ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ῾Υψίστου
Luke 6:35 (ESV)	Sirach 4:10 (English Elpenor)
you will be sons of the Most High	shalt thou be as the son of the most High

Aside from the differences of number, the most notable difference is the word ὡς in Sirach: “Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment. Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as [ὡς] the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.”⁴⁰ This is the work of an actor. By doing xyz the actor becomes as or like the character he or she portrays.

But the Son of the Most High said: love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.⁴¹ Here, again, the works are those of an actor until the promise is fulfilled, but the promise—you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High—is not something an actor’s works can achieve. The actor’s works are received by the Most High as a demonstration of the actor’s faith in the Son of the Most High. The fulfillment of the promise—you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High—is the work of God. As Jesus prayed: that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.⁴²

The next occurrence is a direct reference to the freedom in Christ which is the overarching theme of these essays (John 8:36 ESV):

So if the Son sets you free, you will be (ἔσεσθε) free indeed.

Alfred Plummer, the author of Volume 5 of the Cambridge Commentary asserted no “imperative force” to the future tense in John 8:36: “you must be free indeed.” He made no direct reference to ἔσεσθε at all here:

ἐὰν οὖν ὁ υἱός. As before, any son is meant. ‘If the son emancipates you, your freedom is secured; for he is always on the spot to see that the emancipation is carried out.’ The statement is general, but with special reference to the Son of God, who frees men by granting them a share in His Sonship. If they will abide in His word (John 8:31), He will abide in them (John 6:56), and will take care that the bondage from which He has freed them is not thrust upon them again.

This insight seems particularly interesting in the light of For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴³ Mr. Plummer continued by highlighting the adverb ὄντως (ESV: indeed):

ὄντως. Here only in S. John: comp. Luke 23:47; Luke 24:34; 1 Timothy 5:3; 1 Timothy 5:5; 1 Timothy 5:16. It expresses reality as opposed to appearance; ἀληθῶς (John 8:31; John 4:42; John 6:14; John 7:40) implies that this reality is known.⁴⁴

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit’s power to perform the works of God through those who are one spirit with Him (Acts 1:8 ESV).

But you will receive⁴⁵ power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth [Table].

The Greek word translated you will receive was λήμψεσθε, a form of the verb λαμβάνω in the future tense and indicative mood, but J. R. Lumby, the author of Volume 6 of the Cambridge Commentary, didn’t offer an option (2) for interpreting either λήμψεσθε or ἔσεσθε in the imperative mood (e.g., “you must receive,” or “you must be”) because “the future has an imperative force.”⁴⁶

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Paul’s instruction about speech (1 Corinthians 14:9 ESV):

So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be (ἔσεσθε) speaking into the air.

The note addressing ἔσεσθε by J. J. Lias in Volume 8 of the Cambridge Commentary reads:

ἔσεσθε … λαλοῦντες. Not precisely equivalent to λαλήσετε. The condition of the persons rather than the nature of the action is indicated, ‘Ye shall be as men who are speaking into (or unto) the air.’

Frankly, the “condition of the persons” is a more interesting insight to consider in Matthew 5:48 and 6:5 than transforming “a statement of fact” into “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”⁴⁷ For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴⁸

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is in Paul’s paraphrase of some Old Testament promises (2 Corinthians 6:18 ESV).

and I will be a father to you, and you shall be (ἔσεσθε) sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

Some tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s paraphrase to that of the Septuagint can be found in Christianity, Part 2. The Greek word translated I will be was ἔσομαι, a 1^st person singular form of the verb εἰμί. Like ἔσεσθε, ἔσομαι is in the future tense and indicative mood. Here again, Alfred Plummer, the author of Volume 9 of the Cambridge Commentary, didn’t offer an option (2) for interpreting either ἔσομαι or ἔσεσθε in the imperative mood (e.g., “I must be,” or “you must be”). Mr. Plummer did offer a plausible explanation for Paul’s addition to the Old Testament text: καὶ θυγατέρας, and daughters (ESV).

The recognition of daughters of God as well as sons of God is found in Isaiah 43:6 : but it was the Gospel which first raised woman to her true position in God’s family. At Corinth, where the degradation of women in the name of religion was so conspicuous, it might be specially necessary to point out that women are God’s daughters. Comp. Acts 2:17-18 from Joel 2:28.

The final occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Peter’s quotation from Leviticus (1 Peter 1:16 ESV):

since it is written, “You shall be⁴⁹ (ἔσεσθε) holy, for I am holy.”

The received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text) had γενεσθε (KJV: Be ye) here (rather than ἔσεσθε), a form of the verb γίνομαι in the 2nd aorist tense and imperative mood: “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.” G. W. Blenkin, the author of Volume 18 of the Cambridge Commentary, favoring apparently the critical text even as he retained the flavor of the received text, wrote:

Generally in the N.T. the title ἅγιος describes the Christian’s privilege, as one whom God has “set apart” for Himself, rather than the Christian’s character. But such consecration to God demands a corresponding character, and here St Peter emphasizes that demand by quoting the standard laid down in the “Law of Holiness,” “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,” Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2. In the former passage the words are connected with things which were to be regarded as clean or unclean, but in the latter they are connected with various moral laws.

I’ve quoted some English translations of these verses from Leviticus from both the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint in three tables below.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 11:44 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:44 (NET)	Leviticus 11:44 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44 (English Elpenor)
For I am HaShem your G-d; sanctify yourselves therefore (וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙), and be ye (וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם) holy (קְדשִׁ֔ים); for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moveth upon the earth.	for I am the Lord your God, and you are to sanctify yourselves (qāḏaš, והתקדשתם) and be (hāyâ, והייתם) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground,	For it is I who am the Lord your God, and you shall be sanctified (καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε), and you shall be holy (καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), for I am holy, I the Lord your God. And you shall not defile your souls with any of the creeping things that stir on the earth.	For I am the Lord your God; and ye shall be sanctified (καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε), and ye shall be holy (καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), because I the Lord your God am holy; and ye shall not defile your souls with any of the reptiles creeping upon the earth.

The Hebrew word וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙ (qāḏaš) was translated sanctify yourselves therefore (Tanakh), and you are to sanctify yourselves (NET) and, Consecrate yourselves therefore (ESV) from the Masoretic text. The Tanakh on chabad.org rendered it and you shall sanctify yourselves, which is interesting since it captures some sense of promise. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε, a passive form of ἁγιάζω in the future tense and indicative mood, a promise to you from the Lord your God: and you shall be sanctified (NETS), and ye shall be sanctified (English Elpenor).

The Hebrew וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם (hāyâ) followed by קְדשִׁ֔ים (qāḏôš) was translated and be ye holy (Tanakh), and be holy (NET, ESV) from the Masoretic text, the result apparently of sanctifying oneself. In the Septuagint, however, this was clearly another promise to you from the Lord your God: καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, and you shall be holy (NETS), and ye shall be holy (English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 11:45 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:45 (NET)	Leviticus 11:45 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45 (English Elpenor)
For I am HaShem that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d; ye shall therefore be (וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם) holy (קְדשִׁ֔ים), for I am holy.	for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be (hāyâ, והייתם) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I am holy.	For it is I who am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; you shall be holy (καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι), for I am holy, I, the Lord.	For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; and ye shall be holy (καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι), for I the Lord am holy.

This time, the Hebrew, וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם (hāyâ) followed by קְדשִׁ֔ים (qāḏôš), was translated ye shall therefore be holy (Tanakh), You shall therefore be holy (ESV) from the Masoretic text, wafting a scent of promise, rather than the more consistently imperative and you are to be holy (NET). But again, in the Septuagint καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, you shall be holy (NETS) and ye shall be holy (English Elpenor), is unequivocally a promise to you from the Lord your God, the result of his own holiness.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 19:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:2 (NET)	Leviticus 19:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2 (English Elpenor)
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be (תִּֽהְי֑וּ) holy (קְדשִׁ֣ים); for I HaShem your G-d am holy.	“Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be (hāyâ, תהיו) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I, the Lord your God, am holy.	Speak to the congregation of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them; You shall be holy (ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), for I am holy, the Lord your God.	Speak to the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye shall be holy (ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε); for I the Lord your God [am] holy.

Here the Hebrew of the Masoretic text, קְדשִׁ֣ים (qāḏôš) followed by תִּֽהְי֑וּ (hāyâ), was translated as a promise, Ye shall be holy (Tanakh), You shall be holy (ESV), except for You must be holy (NET). And again, the Greek translation of the Septuagint was ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, You shall be holy (NETS), Ye shall be holy (English Elpenor), a promise to you from the Lord your God.

A note (60) in the NET on Matthew 5:48—So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect—reads:

This remark echoes OT statements in Lev 11:44-45 and Lev 19:2: “you must be holy as I am holy.”

I’ll continue to quote the EXP8 translation of Matthew 5:48—You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table]—Arthur Carr’s contention that “the future has an imperative force”⁵⁰ notwithstanding. The mere possibility that περιπατεῖτε in the phrase πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε was intended to be understood as a statement of fact (“by the spirit you walk”) rather than as “a command or instruction…charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”⁵¹ (“by the spirit you must walk”) has revolutionized my walk these past two months. Everyday since, that little faith has made it so much easier to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.⁵²

What marvelous wonders will faith in Jesus’ promise of perfection bring?

A table of the occurrences of ἔσεσθε in the ESV and the corresponding entries from the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary follows.

Examples of ἔσεσθε in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary
Matthew 5:48, Arthur Carr	You therefore must be (ἔσεσθε) perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].	ἔσεσθε τέλειοι. Lit. ‘ye shall be perfect.’ Either (1) in reference to a future state, ‘if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter’; or (2) the future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this. This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom.
Matthew 6:5, Arthur Carr	And when you pray, you must not be (οὐκ ἔσεσθε or ουκ εση) like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward [Table].	προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε, instead of the singular προσεύχῃ οὐκ ἔσῃ, the singular introduced to harmonise with context ὅταν ποίῃς Matthew 6:2, ὅταν προσεύχῃ Matthew 6:6. 5. προσεύχησθε. Plural, because here the reference is to public worship. It is a rule for the Church.
Matthew 10:21, 22, Arthur Carr	Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.	ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος κ.τ.λ. The parallel expression Luke 21:19 is made clear by this verse, ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσεσθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν, ‘by your patience ye shall win for yourselves your souls,’ i.e. win your true life by enduring to the end. Comp. Romans 5:3-5, καυχῶμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν εἰδότες ὅτι η θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. σωθήσεται. ‘Shall be saved,’ shall win σωτηρία. In classical Greek σωτηρία means, ‘safety,’ ‘welfare,’ i.e. life secure from evil, cp. Luke 1:71; in the Christian sense it is a life of secured happiness, hence ‘salvation’ is the highest sense. So σώζεσθαι = ‘to live securely’ with an additional notion of rescue from surrounding danger, οἱ σωζόμενοι means those who are enjoying this life of blessed security.
Matthew 24:9, Arthur Carr	Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all nations for my name’s sake.	θλίψιν. Rare in the classics, the figurative sense is late in the noun but appears in the verb, Aristoph. Vespæ 1289 and elsewhere. In Philippians 1:17 the literal ‘pressure’ of the chain is thought of: θλίψιν ἐγείρειν, ‘to make my chain gall me’ (Bp. Lightfoot). θλίψις is preferable to θλίψις, though the latter is the Attic accentuation. The tendency of later Greek was to shorten the penultimate. See Winer, pp. 56, 57 and Dr Moulton’s note.
Mark 13:13, Alfred Plummer	And you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.	καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι. Verbatim the same in all three. The analytical fut. marks the hatred as a process continually going on; cf. Mark 13:25. It will have its compensations, τὸ γὰρ ἕνεκεν αὐτοῦ μισεῖσθαι, ἱκανόν ἐστι πάσας ἐπικουφίσαι τὰς συμφοράς (Theoph.). On the causes of this universal hatred of Christians see Plummer, Church of the Early Fathers, pp. 150 f. ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. Mt. has the same, but Lk. interprets, “In your endurance ye shall win your souls.” Not εἰς τὸ τέλος, the end spoken of in Mark 13:7, but εἰς τέλος, “finally” or “to the uttermost,” which is better here, as in 1 Thessalonians 2:16. See on John 13:1 and Ryle and James on Ps. Song of Solomon 1:1. In the Epp. and in Rev. ὑπομονή is freq. as a special virtue of Christians, and it cannot be won without affliction (Romans 5:3). It means courageous endurance without despondency. See Lightfoot on Colossians 1:11; Trench, Syn. § 53. With this use of οὗτος comp. that in Mark 13:11; Mark 6:16; Mark 12:10; that of ἐκεῖνος in Mark 7:20 is similar. For σωθήσεται in the spiritual sense see Mark 8:35; Mark 10:36.
Luke 6:35, F. W. Farrar	But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil [Table].	μηδὲν� ABD. μηδένα א. πολύς. A adds the explanatory gloss ἐν οὐρανῷ. 35. πλήν. ‘However.’ This conjunction is used by St Luke much more frequently than by the other N. T. writers. From this passage we see that ‘interest’ and ‘usury’ are not here contemplated at all. μηδὲν . Vulg[138] nihil inde sperantes. See Psalms 15:5, with the Rabbinic comment that God counts it as universal obedience if any one lends without interest. The words may also mean ‘despairing in nothing;’ or (if μηδέν’ be read) ‘driving no one to despair.’ The verb only occurs again as the varia lectio of D in Ephesians 4:19. It is a late Greek word and generally means ‘to despair.’ Hence our R. V[139] renders it “never despairing” with the marginal reading “despairing of no man” (μηδέν’). Comp. Romans 4:18, παρ’ ἐλπίδα ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν. [138] Vulg. Vulgate. [139] R. V. Revised Version. ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου. Comp. Sir 4:10. χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς . See the exquisite addition in Matthew 5:45.
Luke 21:17, F. W. Farrar	You will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake.	ἐπηρώτησαν. The questioners were Peter and James and John and Andrew, Mark 13:3. πότε … καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον; Our Lord leaves the former question unanswered (see on Luke 17:20) and only deals with the latter. This was His gentle method of discouraging irrelevant or inadmissible questions (comp. Luke 13:23-24).
John 8:36, Alfred Plummer	So if the Son sets you free, you will be (ἔσεσθε) free indeed.	ἐὰν οὖν ὁ υἱός. As before, any son is meant. ‘If the son emancipates you, your freedom is secured; for he is always on the spot to see that the emancipation is carried out.’ The statement is general, but with special reference to the Son of God, who frees men by granting them a share in His Sonship. If they will abide in His word (John 8:31), He will abide in them (John 6:56), and will take care that the bondage from which He has freed them is not thrust upon them again. ὄντως. Here only in S. John: comp. Luke 23:47; Luke 24:34; 1 Timothy 5:3; 1 Timothy 5:5; 1 Timothy 5:16. It expresses reality as opposed to appearance; ἀληθῶς (John 8:31; John 4:42; John 6:14; John 7:40) implies that this reality is known.
Acts 1:8, J. R. Lumby	But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth [Table].	μου. The Text. recept. is the result of a conformity to the more common construction. 8. δύναμιν. The Vulgate renders ‘virtutem,’ and makes it govern the words in the genitive which immediately follow, ‘Ye shall receive the influence of the Holy Spirit which shall come upon you.’ It is better, with A.V., to render the genitive as genitive absolute, because of the participle included in the expression. The phrases δύναμις τοῦ πνεύματος and δ. πνεύματος ἁγίου do occur (Luke 4:14; Romans 15:13; Romans 15:19), but not constructed as in this verse. The effect of this gift was to be something different from the profitless speculations to which they had just desired an answer, even ‘a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries could neither gainsay nor resist’ (Luke 21:15). Ἱερουσαλὴμ κ.τ.λ. The order here appointed for the preaching of the Gospel was exactly observed. At Jerusalem (Acts 2-7), Judæa and Samaria (Acts 8:1), and after the conversion of Saul, in all parts of Asia, Greece, and last of all at Rome. ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. The precise expression occurs several times in the LXX. of Isaiah (Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 62:11). See also Acts 13:47.
1 Corinthians 14:9, J. J. Lias	So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be (ἔσεσθε) speaking into the air.	εὔσημον. Related to σῆμα, σημεῖον. Literally, well marked, i.e. intelligible. ἔσεσθε … λαλοῦντες. Not precisely equivalent to λαλήσετε. The condition of the persons rather than the nature of the action is indicated, ‘Ye shall be as men who are speaking into (or unto) the air.’
2 Corinthians 6:18, Alfred Plummer	and I will be a father to you, and you shall be (ἔσεσθε) sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.	18. This again seems to be a mosaic of several passages; 2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 43:6; 2 Samuel 7:8 : And I will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters. For ἔσομαι εἰς = γενήσομαι comp. Ephesians 5:31; Hebrews 8:10 : but the εἰς may = ‘to serve as, for.’ This is probably a Hebraism: comp. Acts 7:21; Acts 13:22; Acts 13:47. Simcox, Language of the N.T., pp. 80, 143. The recognition of daughters of God as well as sons of God is found in Isaiah 43:6 : but it was the Gospel which first raised woman to her true position in God’s family. At Corinth, where the degradation of women in the name of religion was so conspicuous, it might be specially necessary to point out that women are God’s daughters. Comp. Acts 2:17-18 from Joel 2:28. λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ. This represents the O.T. formula, ‘saith the Lord of Hosts’ (2 Samuel 7:8; 1 Chronicles 17:7; Haggai 1:2; Haggai 1:5-7; Haggai 1:9; Haggai 1:14, &c.). In the O.T. παντοκράτωρ is frequent; but in the N.T. it is found only here and in Revelation (2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 11:17, &c.). Westcott (The Historic Faith, pp. 36, 37) points out that παντοκράτωρ is ‘All-sovereign’ rather than ‘Almighty’; the title is descriptive of exercised dominion rather than of abstract power. Scripture speaks of powers of evil as ‘world-sovereign’ (Ephesians 6:12), but it proclaims God as ‘All-sovereign.’ The All-sovereign One can, the Lord will, fulfil his promises, whatever men may do. Si vos ejecerint, si vos parentes abdicaverint infideles, Me patrem habebitis sempiternum (Primasius). See Charles on the Book of Jubilees i. 24.
1 Peter 1:16, G. W. Blenkin	since it is written, “You shall be (ἔσεσθε) holy, for I am holy.”	ατὰ τὸν καλέσαντα ὑμᾶς ἅγιον (cf. Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 5:1, etc.). After the model of Him that called you, Who is holy. Here we have the true model (εἰκών) to which men’s lives are to be conformed (σύμμορφοι, cf. Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10). The original purpose of God in creation was that man made in His image should grow into His likeness. “By divers portions and in divers manners” culminating in the Incarnation the divine likeness has been gradually revealed, and those who are “called” into covenanted relationship with God are bidden to be “imitators of God as beloved children,” Ephesians 5:1. ἅγιος, like the Hebrew קָדו̇שׁ, meant originally “set apart,” distinct from ordinary things. It was at first applied to persons (e.g. Exodus 22:31), places (Exodus 3:5, etc.) or things (1 Kings 7:51) which were “set apart” for religious use, regarded as being connected with the presence or service of God. It is not easy to decide how the same word came also to be applied to God Himself. Some would suggest that it was because God was regarded as “set apart,” separated from what was common or unclean. Others think that as things set apart for God were required to be without stain or blemish, the word ἅγιος applied to them acquired the meaning of “pure,” “unblemished,” and, as applied to persons, moral purity as well as physical would gradually be understood as being necessary. In this sense (the idea of “set apart” being lost sight of) the word might be applied to God. And in proportion as the conception of God became elevated and purified so the idea of (God’s Holiness would acquire a more awful purity (e.g. Isaiah 6:3). But in either case, when once the word ἅγιος had come to be applied to God, the idea of what “holiness” must mean in God would react upon all the lower applications of the word to men. Those who claimed a special relationship to God would be understood as requiring to have a moral character conformable to that of God. Generally in the N.T. the title ἅγιος describes the Christian’s privilege, as one whom God has “set apart” for Himself, rather than the Christian’s character. But such consecration to God demands a corresponding character, and here St Peter emphasizes that demand by quoting the standard laid down in the “Law of Holiness,” “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,” Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2. In the former passage the words are connected with things which were to be regarded as clean or unclean, but in the latter they are connected with various moral laws. γενήθητε. Shew yourselves to be, prove yourselves worthy of the title which you claim in every detail of your dealings with other men. ἀναστροφή = your converse or intercourse with those around you.

According to the note in the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary Peter referenced Leviticus 11:44, 45 and Leviticus 19:2, and according to a note (34) in the NET, Peter quoted from Leviticus 19:2 in 1 Peter 1:16. Tables comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follow.

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 11:44b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 11:44b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 11:44b (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	you shall be holy, for I am holy	ye shall be holy, because I…am holy

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 11:45b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 11:45b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι	ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 11:45b (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	you shall be holy, for I am holy	ye shall be holy, for I…am holy

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 19:2b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 19:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιος ἐγὼ
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 19:2b (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	You shall be holy, for I am holy	Ye shall be holy; for I…[am] holy

Tables comparing Leviticus 11:44; 11:45 and 19:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 11:44; 11:45 and 19:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 Peter 1:16; John 17:20 and 17:22, 23 in the KJV and NET follow.

Leviticus 11:44 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:44 (KJV)	Leviticus 11:44 (NET)
For I am HaShem your G-d; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moveth upon the earth.	For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.	for I am the Lord your God, and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground,

Leviticus 11:44 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 11:44 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς τοῖς κινουμένοις ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς τοῖς κινουμένοις ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Leviticus 11:44 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44 (English Elpenor)
For it is I who am the Lord your God, and you shall be sanctified, and you shall be holy, for I am holy, I the Lord your God. And you shall not defile your souls with any of the creeping things that stir on the earth.	For I am the Lord your God; and ye shall be sanctified, and ye shall be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy; and ye shall not defile your souls with any of the reptiles creeping upon the earth.

Leviticus 11:45 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:45 (KJV)	Leviticus 11:45 (NET)
For I am HaShem that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d; ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.	For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.	for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be holy because I am holy.

Leviticus 11:45 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 11:45 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου εἶναι ὑμῶν θεός καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ κύριος	ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου εἶναι ὑμῶν Θεός, καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ Κύριος
Leviticus 11:45 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45 (English Elpenor)
For it is I who am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy, I, the Lord.	For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; and ye shall be holy, for I the Lord am holy.

Leviticus 19:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)	Leviticus 19:2 (NET)
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy; for I HaShem your G-d am holy.	Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.	“Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Leviticus 19:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λάλησον τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	λάλησον τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιος ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 19:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2 (English Elpenor)
Speak to the congregation of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them; You shall be holy, for I am holy, the Lord your God.	Speak to the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye shall be holy; for I the Lord your God [am] holy.

1 Peter 1:16 (NET)	1 Peter 1:16 (KJV)
for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 Peter 1:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
διότι γέγραπται [ὅτι] ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	διοτι γεγραπται αγιοι γενεσθε οτι εγω αγιος ειμι	διοτι γεγραπται αγιοι γινεσθε οτι εγω αγιος ειμι

John 17:20 (NET)	John 17:20 (KJV)
“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,	Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 17:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οὐ περὶ τούτων δὲ ἐρωτῶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν πιστευόντων διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν εἰς ἐμέ	ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευσοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε	ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε

John 17:22, 23 (NET)	John 17:22, 23 (KJV)
The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one—	And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

John 17:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καγὼ τὴν δόξαν ἣν δέδωκας μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς ἕν	και εγω την δοξαν ην δεδωκας μοι δεδωκα αυτοις ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις εν εσμεν	και εγω την δοξαν ην δεδωκας μοι δεδωκα αυτοις ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις εν εσμεν

I in them and you in me—that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

John 17:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ σὺ ἐν ἐμοί, ἵνα ὦσιν τετελειωμένοι εἰς ἕν, ἵνα γινώσκῃ ὁ κόσμος ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας καὶ ἠγάπησας αὐτοὺς καθὼς ἐμὲ ἠγάπησας	εγω εν αυτοις και συ εν εμοι ινα ωσιν τετελειωμενοι εις εν και ινα γινωσκη ο κοσμος οτι συ με απεστειλας και ηγαπησας αυτους καθως εμε ηγαπησας	εγω εν αυτοις και συ εν εμοι ινα ωσιν τετελειωμενοι εις εν και ινα γινωσκη ο κοσμος οτι συ με απεστειλας και ηγαπησας αυτους καθως εμε ηγαπησας

Exploration, Part 10

Back to 3 John

Back to Exploration, Part 11

¹ Galatians 5:1a (EXP1) Table

² John 14:16, 17a (ESV) Table

³ John 14:26 (ESV) Table

⁴ John 14:18 (ESV)

⁵ John 14:23b (ESV) Table

⁶ Galatians 5:1b (EXP1) Table

⁷ John 4:14b (ESV) Table

⁸ 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)

⁹ Some of my reasons are found in Exploration, Part 1, with more explanation in Exploration, Part 2.

¹⁰ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

¹¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

¹² Galatians 5:22a (ESV)

¹³ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

¹⁴ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)

¹⁶ Galatians 2:20 (NET)

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευόντων here, a participle of the verb πιστεύω in the present tense (NET: believe), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πιστευσοντων (KJV: shall believe) in the future tense.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εγω.

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εσμεν, a 1^st person plural form of the verb εἰμί here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) joining these clauses. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

²² Ibid.

²³ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁴ Romans 9:31b, 32a (ESV)

²⁵ Matthew 6:5 (ESV) Table

²⁶ This preference for the critical text was stated explicitly in Matthew’s Introduction – On the Greek Text: “IN undertaking an edition of the Greek text of the New Testament with English notes for the use of Schools, the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press have not thought it desirable to reprint the text in common use*[1]. To have done this would have been to set aside all the materials that have since been accumulated towards the formation of a correct text, and to disregard the results of textual criticism in its application to MSS., Versions and Fathers.”

²⁷ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

²⁸ Matthew 6:5a (ESV) Table

²⁹ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³⁰ From X. Seneca Says His Health to Lucilius [5], translated into English by Google: “But as I am wont to send a letter with some small gift, it is true what I found in Athenodorus: ‘Then know that you are free from all desires, when you have come to the point of asking nothing of the gods except what you can ask openly.’ For now, what madness is there in men! They whisper the most shameful vows to the gods; if anyone puts his ear to them, they will be silent, and what they do not wish a man to know they tell a god. See, therefore, that this cannot be prescribed healthily: live with men as if a god were to see, speak with a god as if men were to hear. Farewell.”

³¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 6:6 on BibliaPlus online.

³² Matthew 6:5b (ESV) Table

³³ Matthew 6:6b (ESV) Table

³⁴ 1 Corinthians 6:17b (ESV)

³⁵ Galatians 2:20, 21 (ESV)

³⁶ John 3:21 (ESV)

³⁷ Romans 7:6 (ESV)

³⁸ John 1:13b (ESV)

³⁹ Galatians 5:22, 23 (ESV)

⁴⁰ Sirach 4:9, 10 (English Elpenor)

⁴¹ Luke 6:35 (ESV) Table

⁴² John 17:22b, 23 (ESV)

⁴³ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁴ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, John 8:36 on BibliaPlus online.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λήμψεσθε here, a form of the verb λαμβάνω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ληψεσθε. These appear to be alternate spellings for the same part of speech.

⁴⁶ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

⁴⁷ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴⁸ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔσεσθε here, a form of the verb εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γενεσθε (KJV: Be ye), a form of the verb γίνομαι in the 2^nd aorist tense and imperative mood.

⁵⁰ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

⁵¹ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵² Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Galatians 2:20

Antichrist, Part 6

Exploration, Part 18

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 3

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

3 John, Part 8

Exploration, Part 15

Exploration, Part 13

Exploration, Part 11

3 John

Exploration, Part 9