Exploration, Part 16

Posted on December 11, 2025 by admin

I want to continue hearing with faith¹ the truth of the Gospel in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Another essay concluded with (Ephesians 2:11-13 EXP15):

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

Paul continued (Ephesians 2:14-16 ESV):

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself² one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

The Greek is: Αὐτὸς γάρ, For himself (literally, “For He”), ἐστιν, he is, ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, our peace. The 3^rd person singular verb ἐστιν translates he is as the personal pronoun αὐτός (ESV: himself) adds emphasis. I chose He to remind me that αὐτός is in the nominative case: “For He, He is our peace.”

In one sense, this is a simple practical statement, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (εἰρήνη). It is also profound. Jesus said, (Matthew 10:34-36 ESV):

Do not think that I have come to bring peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) to the earth. I have not come to bring peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη), but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies (ἐχθροὶ, a form of ἐχθρός) will be those of his own household [Table].³

This seems like an odd thing for the Prince of Peace to say.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 9:6, 7 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 9:6, 7 (NET)	Isaiah 9:6, 7 (NETS)	Isaiah 9:6, 7 (English Elpenor)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (שָׁלֽוֹם).	For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (šālôm, שלום).	because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him.	For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder, and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel, < Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Potentate, Prince of Peace (εἰρήνης), Father of the Age to come >: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.
Of the increase of his government and peace (וּלְשָׁל֣וֹם) there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.	His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity (šālôm, ולשלום). He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.	His sovereignty is great, and his peace (τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ) has no boundary upon the throne of Dauid and his kingdom, to make it prosper and to uphold it with righteousness and with judgment from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord Sabbaoth will do these things.	His government shall be great, and of his peace (τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ) there is no end: [it shall be] upon the throne of David, and [upon] his kingdom, to establish it, and to support [it] with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

A comparison of the English translations of identical Hebrew word strings found in Isaiah 9:6, 7 (9:5, 6) from the ESV and The Complete Jewish Bible follows:

Isaiah 9:6, 7 (ESV)

Isaiah 9:5, 6 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

For a child has been born to us, a son given to us, and the authority is upon his shoulder, and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, “the prince of peace.” To him who increases the authority, and for peace without end, on David’s throne and on his kingdom, to establish it and to support it with justice and with righteousness; from now and to eternity, the zeal of the Lord of Hosts shall accomplish this.

The Prince of Peace comes to bring peace without end. The difficulty seems to arise from translating two occurrences of βαλεῖν in Matthew 10:34 to bring. It is a form of βάλλω: “to throw, cast, thrust; to put, place, lay, set up (a mound); to pour; to rush (intrans.); to send forth (roots).” The same word was translated throw it in Jesus’ second response to a Canaanite woman’s request for healing of her demon-possessed daughter (Matthew 15:21-28 ESV).

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us” [Table]. He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me” [Table]. And he answered, “It is not right (καλὸν, a form of καλός; e.g., beautiful) to take the children’s bread and throw it (βαλεῖν, a form of βάλλω) to the dogs.”⁴ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire (θέλεις, a form of θέλω).” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Behold, the hour is coming, Jesus clarified the relationship of his peace and faith for his disciples, indeed it⁵ has come, when you will be scattered (σκορπισθῆτε, a form of σκορπίζω), each to his own home, and will leave me⁶ alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me (ἐν ἐμοὶ; or, “by means of me”) you may have peace (εἰρήνην ἔχητε).⁷ In the world (ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, or “by means of the world”)⁸ you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.⁹ In other words, believing Jesus’ words about them—you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone—rather than arguing that they were better—more faithful—than that, Jesus’ disciples could have shared his peace as they scattered, rather than being confronted with the proof of their lying hearts.

But perhaps they learned something from that experience, as Paul did from his (Romans 7:15, 18b, 19 ESV):

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want (θέλω), but I do the very thing I hate…I have the desire (θέλειν, another form of θέλω) to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want (θέλω), but the evil I do not want (θέλω) is what I keep on doing [Table].

In all fairness, Jesus’ peace was directly related to fervently expressing his desire, not to be tortured to death, to his Father in prayer. Yet still He prayed, not my will (τὸ θέλημα μου), but yours, be done.¹⁰ His disciples had the same opportunity to express their desires, to be bold faithful followers of the Lord Jesus, and their own willingness to submit their wills to God’s will, but they slept instead. My purpose here is to understand how He is our peace in a world of tribulation, not to criticize Jesus’ disciples. I’m nearly seventy-two-years-old and am only occasionally as present in the moment as I am suggesting they might have been, despite having the indwelling Holy Spirit of God and the whole Bible at my disposal.

And his disciples did fulfill the prophetic word of Jesus (and the prophet) after Jesus said (Matthew 26:53-56a ESV):

“Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? [Table] But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me [Table]. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples left him and fled.¹¹ As much as I might wish that Jesus’ words brought them to their senses, that they hurried away to fulfill the prophets’ words, I’m skeptical and suspect that their divided hearts feared those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul, more than him (e.g., Jesus) who can destroy both soul and body in hell (γεέννῃ, or “by means of hell”).¹²

Again, my point is not to criticize Jesus’ disciples but to use the Gospel narratives to contrast who they were before his crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and their receiving of the promised indwelling Holy Spirit, and the book of Acts to recognize who they became after. (Frankly, I prefer not to be compared to them at all, though I recognize the same indwelling Holy Spirit in me, causing me to see the transformation He worked in them and leading me on to be more like them.)

Ephesians 2:14 continued: ὁ ποιήσας, who has made, τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν, us both one (literally, “the both one”; e.g., Gentiles…those called foreskin, and those called the circumcision), καὶ, and, τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ, the dividing wall, λύσας, has broken down, τὴν ἔχθραν, of hostility (literally, “the hostility”), ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in his flesh (or “by means of his flesh”). Three different English translations of καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας follow:

Ephesians 2:14c (ESV)	Ephesians 2:14c (NET)	Ephesians 2:14c (KJV)
and has broken down…the dividing wall	and who destroyed the middle wall of partition	and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

These English translations change some with the addition of the words which follow those above: τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ.

Ephesians 2:14cd (ESV)	Ephesians 2:14cd, 15b (NET)	Ephesians 2:14c, 15b (KJV)
and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility	and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, …in his flesh	and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; …in his flesh the enmity

It slows me down and prompts me to wonder what καὶ, and (ESV, NET, KJV), means here. All three translations render τὸ μεσότοιχον, the dividing wall (ESV, though this is more likely the translation of τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ), the middle wall (NET, KJV), in the accusative case as the direct object of the nominative participle λύσας. Both τὸ and μεσότοιχον might be understood in the nominative case as well. I want to consider that possibility if for no other reason than to reject it.

So, if τὸ μεσότοιχον was intended as the subject of its own clause, it needs to do something.

…who has made the both one and the middle wall of partition has broken down the hostility.

Here, and coordinates two relatively independent clauses. The direct object of the second clause, τὴν ἔχθραν, the hostility, is in the accusative case. It fits grammatically, but whose hostility? What hostility is broken down by a middle wall of partition? “For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and good fences make good neighbors”? If I add ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, in his flesh, to this word string, things get very strange.

…who has made the both one and the middle wall of partition has broken down the hostility in his flesh.

The second independent clause sounds like the opposite of the truth. Frankly, I would feel better understanding the middle wall as the subject of its own independent clause if it were followed by a verb like λύσῃ or ἔλυσε rather than a nominative participle λύσας, like ποιήσας, has made (ESV), in the previous clause. And that’s a good clue to accepting that τὸ μεσότοιχον, the dividing wall (ESV), the middle wall (NET, KJV), should probably be understood in the accusative case.

The translators of the NET did something interesting: and who destroyed the middle wall of partition. With the addition of the pronoun who, they brought the article ὁ across the conjunction and (καὶ), yielding ὁ λύσας to mirror ὁ ποιήσας, who has made, in the clause preceding the conjunction. They may have been on to something. But why stop at ὁ?

For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and who has made the middle wall of partition.

Here, and indicates a second dependent clause. But now what do I do with the nominative participle λύσας? I could treat it like the verbal adjective that it is.

For He, He is our peace, who has made the both one and who has made the broken down (ESV, KJV), (or) the destroyed (NET), middle wall of partition.

That the Lord made this middle wall of partition is a given.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 20:26 (Tanakh) Table	Leviticus 20:26 (NET)	Leviticus 20:26 (NETS) Table	Leviticus 20:26 (English Elpenor)
And ye shall be holy unto Me; for I HaShem am holy, and have set you apart from the peoples (הָֽעַמִּ֖ים), that ye should be Mine.	You must be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the other peoples (ʿam, העמים) to be mine.	And you shall be holy to me, for I the Lord your God am holy, who has separated you from all the nations (πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν) to be mine.	And ye shall be holy to me; because I the Lord your God [am] holy, who separated you from all nations (πάντων τῶν ἐθνῶν), to be mine.

And Israel, notorious for desiring to be like all the nations, has attempted to break down this dividing wall or destroy this middle wall of partition (1 Samuel 8:4-8 ESV).

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations (gôy, הַגּוֹיִם; Septuagint: ἔθνη).” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them [Table]. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you [Table].

And the Lord spoke through the prophet Ezekiel:

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things? When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations (gôy, כַגּוֹיִם; Septuagint: τὰ ἔθνη), like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’¹³

A broken down (ESV, KJV) middle wall of partition corresponds to the nuanced relationship Paul described, though destroyed (NET) is a bit overstated (Romans 11:28-32 ESV).

As regards the gospel, they¹⁴ are enemies (ἐχθροὶ, a form of ἐχθρός) for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy [Table]. For God has consigned all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all,” rather than τὰ ἀμφότερα, “the both”) to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all,” rather than τὰ ἀμφότερα, “the both”).

I liked the ESV rendering of Ephesians 2:14bc: who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility. Then I looked at it in Greek and noticed that the translators had rendered τὴν ἔχθραν, the hostility, in the accusative case as if it were in the genitive case, of hostility. I asked, Is that what You meant? The path He led me on (as recorded above) alerted me to some aspects of the importance of “beloved enemies.”

The “beloved enemies” who translated the Hebrew—and the wondrous adviser, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, called his name, “the prince of peace”¹⁵—rather than—and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace¹⁶—could become overly persuasive apart from their status as “beloved enemies.” Even the “beloved enemies” who translated the Septuagint struggled with this Hebrew text (see table above). A son called Mighty God, Everlasting Father sounds wrong to monotheists until one meets the Lord Jesus Christ and knows Him personally.

Though they didn’t use the word who, the ESV and KJV translators have effectively brought the article ὁ across the and (καὶ) to the next clause: and [who] has broken down (ESV), and [who] hath broken down (KJV). But only the ESV translators brought τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ back across the nominative participle λύσας into the preceding clause.

Ephesians 2:14cd (NA²⁸)	Ephesians 2:14cd (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 2:14c, 15a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)
καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ	καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ	και το μεσοτοιχον του φραγμου λυσας την εχθραν εν τη σαρκι αυτου
Ephesians 2:14cd (ESV)	Ephesians 2:14cd, 15b (NET)	Ephesians 2:14c, 15b (KJV)
and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility	and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, …in his flesh	and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; …in his flesh the enmity

I favor treating the next phrase in the accusative case, τὴν ἔχθραν, as the beginning of a third dependent clause, second in the list following καὶ, another direct object of ὁ ποιήσας, who has made.

…who has made the hostility by means of his flesh…

This rendering clarifies the hostility (Matthew 26:57, 59-68).

Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered…Now the chief priests¹⁷ and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward.¹⁸ At last two¹⁹ came forward and said,²⁰ “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it²¹ in three days.’” And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” [Table]. Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death” [Table] Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped²² him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

John didn’t soft pedal the hostility engendered by Jesus’ flesh (1 John 4:1-6 ESV).

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already [Table]. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God (ἡμεῖς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐσμεν, or “We from God exist”). Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Ephesians 2:15 continued: τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν, the law of commandments, ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας, expressed in ordinances by abolishing. Clearly, the ESV word order seemed to make more sense: by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. Translating καταργήσας by abolishing sounds wrong to me, however.

The plural noun δόγμασιν which precedes καταργήσας is in the dative case and might be understood as the means by which something was accomplished, but καταργήσας is a singular participle in the nominative case. So, I’m inclined to drop by, leaving: abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. But καταργήσας is in the aorist rather than the present tense. So, I’m inclined to treat this clause as a fourth dependent clause, third in the list following καὶ, another direct object of ὁ ποιήσας, and to treat καταργήσας as a verbal adjective describing the state of the law of commandments by means of δόγμασιν.

…who has made the law of commandments abolished by means of ordinances…

A translators’ note (29) in the NET makes a fairly strong case for the word nullify as a translation of καταργήσας:

Or “rendered inoperative.” This is a difficult text to translate because it is not easy to find an English term which communicates well the essence of the author’s meaning, especially since legal terminology is involved. Many other translations use the term “abolish” (so NRSV, NASB, NIV84), but this term implies complete destruction which is not the author’s meaning here. The verb καταργέω (katargeō) can readily have the meaning “to cause someth. to lose its power or effectiveness” (BDAG 525 s.v. 2, where this passage is listed), and this meaning fits quite naturally here within the author’s legal mindset. A proper English term which communicates this well is “nullify” since this word carries the denotation of “making something legally null and void.” This is not, however, a common English word. An alternate term like “rendered inoperative [or ineffective]” is also accurate but fairly inelegant. For this reason, the translation retains the term “nullify”; it is the best choice of the available options, despite its problems.

That gives me: “who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of ordinances,” or “by means of ordinances nullified” for a word order identical to the Greek: ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας. The plural noun δόγμασιν is a neuter form of δόγμα, dogma, in the dative case, “nullified by means of dogmas”: “a doctrine or body of doctrines concerning faith or morals formally stated and authoritatively proclaimed by a church.”²³ In other words: “who has made the law of commandments (e.g., promises to be pursued by faith) nullified by means of dogmas” (which incite people to pursue a law that would lead to righteousness…as if it were based on works).

As Paul wrote (Romans 9:31, 32 ESV):

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. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone [Table].

That the Lord made the law of commandments is a given (Exodus 20). And pursuing righteousness as if it were based on works was the upshot of the partial hardening [that] has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.²⁴

For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people, to whom he has said, “This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose”; yet they would not hear. And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.²⁵

What I have, then, in relatively few words is another²⁶ of Paul’s panoramic history lessons: “For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas” ἵνα, that (or “in order that”), τοὺς δύο, the two, κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ, he might create in himself (or “He might create by means of himself”), εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, “into” one new man (or “into one new human”), ποιῶν εἰρήνην, making peace (Ephesians 2:14, 15 EXP16):

For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas in order that He might create by means of himself the two into one new human, making peace.

Laid out like this I’m more inclined to understand the both who [He] has made one (ὁ ποιήσας) differently from the two He might create (κτίσῃ, a form of κτίζω) into one new human (εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον). The former one is probably more akin to Paul’s insight that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,²⁷ while the latter one is the sum total of all who did receive him (e.g., Jesus: The true light, which gives light to everyone²⁸), who believed in his name, [who were given] the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God²⁹: the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον), created (κτισθέντα, a participle of κτίζω) after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.³⁰ And remember, the verb κτίσῃ, He might create, a form of κτίζω in the subjunctive mood is both the result and the purpose of the list of things the Lord has made:

…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.³¹

This one new human (ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) is happening, no matter what I see with my eyes or imagine in my mind: For God has consigned all to disobedience, that (ἵνα) he may have mercy (ἐλεήσῃ, a form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood) on all (τοὺς πάντας, “the all,” “them all”).³²

Ephesians 2:16 continued: καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ, and might reconcile, τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους, us both (literally “the both”), ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι, in one body (or “by means of one body”), τῷ θεῷ, to God (or “by means of God”), διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, through the cross, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ, thereby killing the hostility (or “having killed the hostility by means of Him”). The ESV translators seem to have understood ἀποκτείνας in the present tense rather than the aorist tense.

For He, He is our peace: who has made the both one, and who has made the broken down middle wall of partition, who has made the hostility by means of his flesh, who has made the law of commandments nullified by means of dogmas in order that He might create by means of himself the two into one new human, making peace, and might reconcile the both by means of one body to God (by means of God) through the cross, having killed the hostility by means of Him (ἐν αὐτῷ).³³

The ESV translators chose thereby for ἐν αὐτῷ. While it encourages me that their customary translation in him means “by means of Him,” it gives me pause to wonder why they chose thereby here. Did they understand αὐτῷ as a neuter, it, referencing the cross? Though the article τοῦ, the, can be neuter, σταυροῦ, cross, is masculine. Were they concerned that in him raised too many questions to whom him might refer? Truly, ἐν αὐτῷ here refers to God the Father, God the Son, through God the indwelling Holy Spirit, and all that He, the One God, has done.

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 (e.g., the one new human) may walk.³⁴

According to a note (80) in the NET Jesus alluded to Psalm 110:1 in Matthew 26:64. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Matthew 26:64c (NET Parallel Greek)	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Psalm 110:1b (Septuagint Elpenor)
καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου	κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου
Matthew 26:64c (NET)	Psalm 110:1b (NETS)	Psalm 110:1b (English Elpenor)
sitting at the right hand	Sit on my right hand	Sit thou on my right hand

According to a note (82) in the NET Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Matthew 26:64. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Matthew 26:64d (NET Parallel Greek)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου…ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος ἦν
Matthew 26:64d (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man…coming on the clouds of heaven.	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

Tables comparing Isaiah 9:6; 9:7; 1 Samuel 8:4; 8:5; 8:6; Ezekiel 20:30; 20:31; 20:32; Isaiah 28:11; 28:12 and 28:13 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 9:6; 9:7; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 8:4; 8:5; 8:6; Ezekiel 20:30; 20:31; 20:32; Isaiah 28:11; 28:12 and 28:13 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and comparing Ephesians 2:15; John 16:32; Matthew 26:59-61 and 26:67 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 9:6 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)	Isaiah 9:6 (NET)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.	For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.	For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called Wonderful Adviser, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελος ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄξω εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγίειαν αὐτῷ	ὅτι παιδίον ἐγενήθη ἡμῖν, υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν, οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγεννήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ, καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Μεγάλης βουλῆς ἄγγελoς, < θαυμαστὸς σύμβουλος, Θεὸς ἰσχυρός, ἐξουσιαστής, ἄρχων εἰρήνης, πατὴρ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος· >: ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄξω εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας, εἰρήνην καὶ ὑγίειαν αὐτῷ
Isaiah 9:6 (NETS)	Isaiah 9:6 (English Elpenor)
because a child was born for us, a son also given to us, whose sovereignty was upon his shoulder, and he is named Messenger of Great Counsel, for I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and health to him.	For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder, and his name is called the Messenger of great counsel, < Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Potentate, Prince of Peace, Father of the Age to come >: for I will bring peace upon the princes, and health to him.

Isaiah 9:7 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 9:7 (KJV)	Isaiah 9:7 (NET)
Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.	Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.	His dominion will be vast, and he will bring immeasurable prosperity. He will rule on David’s throne and over David’s kingdom, establishing it and strengthening it by promoting justice and fairness, from this time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μεγάλη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅριον ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον Δαυιδ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ κατορθῶσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι αὐτῆς ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἐν κρίματι ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα χρόνον ὁ ζῆλος κυρίου σαβαωθ ποιήσει ταῦτα	μεγάλη ἡ ἀρχὴ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅριον ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ κατορθῶσαι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀντιλαβέσθαι αὐτῆς ἐν κρίματι καὶ ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· ὁ ζῆλος Κυρίου σαβαὼθ ποιήσει ταῦτα
Isaiah 9:7 (NETS)	Isaiah 9:7 (English Elpenor)
His sovereignty is great, and his peace has no boundary upon the throne of Dauid and his kingdom, to make it prosper and to uphold it with righteousness and with judgment from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord Sabbaoth will do these things.	His government shall be great, and of his peace there is no end: [it shall be] upon the throne of David, and [upon] his kingdom, to establish it, and to support [it] with judgment and with righteousness, from henceforth and forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this.

1 Samuel 8:4 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 8:4 (KJV)	1 Samuel 8:4 (NET)
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah.	Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,	So all the elders of Israel gathered together and approached Samuel at Ramah.

1 Samuel 8:4 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 8:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ συναθροίζονται ἄνδρες Ισραηλ καὶ παραγίνονται εἰς Αρμαθαιμ πρὸς Σαμουηλ	καὶ συναθροίζονται ἄνδρες ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ παραγίνονται εἰς ᾿Αρμαθαὶμ πρὸς Σαμουὴλ
1 Reigns 8:4 (NETS)	1 Kings 8:4 (English Elpenor)
And the men of Israel gathered together and came to Harmathaim to Samouel	And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

1 Samuel 8:5 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 8:5 (KJV)	1 Samuel 8:5 (NET)
And they said unto him: ‘Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways; now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’	And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.	They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons don’t follow your ways. So now appoint over us a king to lead us, just like all the other nations have.”

1 Samuel 8:5 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 8:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ ἰδοὺ σὺ γεγήρακας καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου οὐ πορεύονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου καὶ νῦν κατάστησον ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς καθὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη	καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἰδοὺ σὺ γεγήρακας, καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου οὐ πορεύονται ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου· καὶ νῦν κατάστησον ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς, καθὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἔθνη
1 Reigns 8:5 (NETS)	1 Kings 8:5 (English Elpenor)
and said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not go in your way, and now appoint over us a king to judge us just like all the nations.”	and they said to him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in thy way; and now set over us a king to judge us as also the other nations [have].

1 Samuel 8:6 (Tanakh)	1 Samuel 8:6 (KJV)	1 Samuel 8:6 (NET)
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said: ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ And Samuel prayed unto HaShem.	But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.	But this request displeased Samuel, for they said, “Give us a king to lead us.” So Samuel prayed to the Lord.

1 Samuel 8:6 (Septuagint BLB)	1 Kings 8:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦν πονηρὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Σαμουηλ ὡς εἶπαν δὸς ἡμῖν βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς καὶ προσηύξατο Σαμουηλ πρὸς κύριον	καὶ πονηρὸν τὸ ῥῆμα ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Σαμουήλ, ὡς εἶπαν, δὸς ἡμῖν βασιλέα δικάζειν ἡμᾶς· καὶ προσηύξατο Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Κύριον
1 Reigns 8:6 (NETS)	1 Kings 8:6 (English Elpenor)
And the message was evil in the eyes of Samouel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” and Samouel prayed to the Lord.	And the thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.

Ezekiel 20:30 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 20:30 (KJV)	Ezekiel 20:30 (NET)
Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?	Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations?	“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

Ezekiel 20:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 20:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Ισραηλ τάδε λέγει κύριος εἰ ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε	διὰ τοῦτο εἰπὸν πρὸς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· εἰ ἐν ταῖς ἀνομίαις τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν βδελυγμάτων αὐτῶν ὑμεῖς ἐκπορνεύετε
Ezekiel 20:30 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:30 (English Elpenor)
Therefore, speak to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord says: Are you defiling yourselves in the lawless acts of your fathers, and are you playing the whore after their abominations?	Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Do ye pollute yourselves with the iniquities of your fathers, and do ye go a-whoring after their abominations,

Ezekiel 20:31 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 20:31 (KJV)	Ezekiel 20:31 (NET)
For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.	For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you.	When you present your sacrifices—when you make your sons pass through the fire—you defile yourselves with all your idols to this very day. Will I allow you to seek me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will not allow you to seek me!

Ezekiel 20:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 20:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν δομάτων ὑμῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀφορισμοῖς ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν ὑμῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποκριθῶ ὑμῖν οἶκος τοῦ Ισραηλ ζῶ ἐγώ λέγει κύριος εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν καὶ εἰ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν τοῦτο	καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀπαρχαῖς τῶν δομάτων ὑμῶν, ἐν τοῖς ἀφορισμοῖς, οἷς ὑμεῖς μιαίνεσθε ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν ὑμῶν ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀποκριθῶ ὑμῖν, οἶκος τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ; ζῶ ἐγώ, λέγει Κύριος, εἰ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν, καὶ εἰ ἀναβήσεται ἐπὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν τοῦτο
Ezekiel 20:31 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:31 (English Elpenor)
And by the first fruits of your gifts, with what has been set apart, you defile yourselves in all your notions to this day. And am I to answer you, O house of Israel? I live, says the Lord, if I will answer you and if it will come upinto this spirit of yours.	and [do ye pollute yourselves] with the first-fruits of your gifts, in the offerings wherewith ye pollute yourselves in all your imaginations, until this day; and shall I answer you, O house of Israel? [As] I live, saith the Lord, I will not answer you, neither shall this thing come upon your spirit.

Ezekiel 20:32 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 20:32 (KJV)	Ezekiel 20:32 (NET)
And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.	And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.	“‘What you plan will never happen. You say, “We will be like the nations, like the clans of the lands, who serve gods of wood and stone.”

Ezekiel 20:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 20:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς λέγετε ἐσόμεθα ὡς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ὡς αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ λατρεύειν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις	καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὃν τρόπον ὑμεῖς λέγετε· ἐσόμεθα ὡς τὰ ἔθνη καὶ ὡς αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς τοῦ λατρεύειν ξύλοις καὶ λίθοις
Ezekiel 20:32 (NETS)	Ezekiel 20:32 (English Elpenor)
And it shall not be as you say: We will be like the nations and like the tribes of the earth by serving wood and stones.	And it shall not be as ye say, We will be as the nations, and as the tribes of the earth, to worship stocks and stones.

Isaiah 28:11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 28:11 (KJV)	Isaiah 28:11 (NET)
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.	For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.	For with mocking lips and a foreign tongue he will speak to these people.

Isaiah 28:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 28:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διὰ φαυλισμὸν χειλέων διὰ γλώσσης ἑτέρας ὅτι λαλήσουσιν τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ	διὰ φαυλισμὸν χειλέων διὰ γλώσσης ἑτέρας, ὅτι λαλήσουσι τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ
Isaiah 28:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 28:11a (English Elpenor)
because of contempt from lips, through a different tongue, because they will speak to this people,	by reason of the contemptuous [words] of the lips, by means of another language: for they shall speak to this people,

Isaiah 28:12 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 28:12 (KJV)	Isaiah 28:12 (NET)
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.	To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.	In the past he said to them, “This is where security can be found. Provide security for the one who is exhausted. This is where rest can be found.” But they refused to listen.

Isaiah 28:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 28:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λέγοντες αὐτῷ τοῦτο τὸ ἀνάπαυμα τῷ πεινῶντι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σύντριμμα καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἀκούειν	λέγοντες αὐτῷ· τοῦτο τὸ ἀνάπαυμα τῷ πεινῶντι καὶ τοῦτο τὸ σύντριμμα, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ἀκούειν
Isaiah 28:12 (NETS)	Isaiah 28:11b, 12 (English Elpenor)
saying to them, “This is the rest for the hungry, and this is the destruction”; yet they would not hear.	saying to them, (12) This is the rest to him that is hungry, and this is the calamity: but they would not hear.

Isaiah 28:13 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 28:13 (KJV)	Isaiah 28:13 (NET)
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.	But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.	So the Lord’s message to them will sound like meaningless gibberish, senseless babbling, a syllable here, a syllable there. As a result, they will fall on their backsides when they try to walk, and be injured, ensnared, and captured.

Isaiah 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τὸ λόγιον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ θλῖψις ἐπὶ θλῖψιν ἐλπὶς ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι ἔτι μικρὸν ἔτι μικρόν ἵνα πορευθῶσιν καὶ πέσωσιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ κινδυνεύσουσιν καὶ συντριβήσονται καὶ ἁλώσονται	καὶ ἔσται αὐτοῖς τὸ λόγιον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ θλῖψις ἐπὶ θλῖψιν, ἐλπὶς ἐπ᾿ ἐλπίδι, ἔτι μικρὸν ἔτι μικρόν, ἵνα πορευθῶσι καὶ πέσωσιν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ κινδυνεύσουσι καὶ συντριβήσονται καὶ ἁλώσονται
Isaiah 28:13 (NETS)	Isaiah 28:13 (English Elpenor)
And the oracle of the Lord God will be to them affliction upon affliction, hope upon hope, yet a little, yet a little, in order that they may go and fall backward, and they will be in danger and crushed and taken.	Therefore the oracle of God shall be to them affliction on affliction, hope on hope, yet a little, [and] yet a little, that they may go and fall backward; and they shall be crushed and shall be in danger, and shall be taken.

Ephesians 2:15 (NET)	Ephesians 2:15 (KJV)
when he nullified in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man out of two, thus making peace,	Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

Ephesians 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Ephesians 2:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Ephesians 2:15b (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην	τον νομον των εντολων εν δογμασιν καταργησας ινα τους δυο κτιση εν εαυτω εις ενα καινον ανθρωπον ποιων ειρηνην	τον νομον των εντολων εν δογμασιν καταργησας ινα τους δυο κτιση εν εαυτω εις ενα καινον ανθρωπον ποιων ειρηνην

John 16:32 (NET)	John 16:32 (KJV)
Look, a time is coming—and has come—when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, and I will be left alone. Yet I am not alone because my Father is with me.	Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

John 16:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 16:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 16:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἰδοὺ ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ ἐλήλυθεν ἵνα σκορπισθῆτε ἕκαστος εἰς τὰ ἴδια καμὲ μόνον ἀφῆτε· καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν	ιδου ερχεται ωρα και νυν εληλυθεν ινα σκορπισθητε εκαστος εις τα ιδια και εμε μονον αφητε και ουκ ειμι μονος οτι ο πατηρ μετ εμου εστιν	ιδου ερχεται ωρα και νυν εληλυθεν ινα σκορπισθητε εκαστος εις τα ιδια και εμε μονον αφητε και ουκ ειμι μονος οτι ο πατηρ μετ εμου εστιν

Matthew 26:59-61 (NET)	Matthew 26:59-61 (KJV)
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death.	Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

Matthew 26:59 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:59 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:59 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οἱ δὲ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ τὸ συνέδριον ὅλον ἐζήτουν ψευδομαρτυρίαν κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὅπως αὐτὸν θανατώσωσιν	οι δε αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι και το συνεδριον ολον εζητουν ψευδομαρτυριαν κατα του ιησου οπως αυτον θανατωσωσιν	οι δε αρχιερεις και οι πρεσβυτεροι και το συνεδριον ολον εζητουν ψευδομαρτυριαν κατα του ιησου οπως θανατωσωσιν αυτον

But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward

But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

Matthew 26:60 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:60, 61a (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:60, 61a (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ οὐχ εὗρον πολλῶν προσελθόντων ψευδομαρτύρων. ὕστερον δὲ προσελθόντες δύο	και ουχ ευρον και πολλων ψευδομαρτυρων προσελθοντων ουχ ευρον (61) υστερον δε προσελθοντες δυο ψευδομαρτυρες	και ουχ ευρον και πολλων ψευδομαρτυρων προσελθοντων ουχ ευρον (61) υστερον δε προσελθοντες δυο ψευδομαρτυρες

and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

Matthew 26:61 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:61b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:61b (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπαν· οὗτος ἔφη· δύναμαι καταλῦσαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν οἰκοδομῆσαι	ειπον ουτος εφη δυναμαι καταλυσαι τον ναον του θεου και δια τριων ημερων οικοδομησαι αυτον	ειπον ουτος εφη δυναμαι καταλυσαι τον ναον του θεου και δια τριων ημερων οικοδομησαι αυτον

Matthew 26:67 (NET)	Matthew 26:67 (KJV)
Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him,	Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Matthew 26:67 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 26:67 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 26:67 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τότε ἐνέπτυσαν εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκολάφισαν αὐτόν, οἱ δὲ ἐράπισαν	τοτε ενεπτυσαν εις το προσωπον αυτου και εκολαφισαν αυτον οι δε ερραπισαν	τοτε ενεπτυσαν εις το προσωπον αυτου και εκολαφισαν αυτον οι δε ερραπισαν

Exploration, Part 17

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

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

Back to Exploration, Part 18

Back to Exploration, Part 20

¹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτω (KJV: himself).

³ Romans, Part 22 for a table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to Micah 7:6 to that of the Septuagint.

⁴ NET note 36 reads:

sn The term dogs does not refer to wild dogs (scavenging animals roaming around the countryside) in this context, but to small dogs taken in as house pets. It is thus not a derogatory term per se, but is instead intended by Jesus to indicate the privileged position of the Jews (especially his disciples) as the initial recipients of Jesus’ ministry. The woman’s response of faith and her willingness to accept whatever Jesus would offer pleased him to such an extent that he granted her request.
tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νυν (KJV: is now come) preceding has come. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καμὲ (NET: and I) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εμε (KJV: and…me).

⁷ The verb ἔχητε, you may have, is a form of ἔχω in the present tense and subjunctive mood. The clause begins with ἵνα, that, and is a result clause: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances…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.” From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁸ The words ἐμοὶ and τῷ κόσμῳ 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.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁹ John 16:32, 33 (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 22:42b (ESV) Table

¹¹ Matthew 26:56b (ESV)

¹² Matthew 10:28 (ESV) Table

¹³ Ezekiel 20:30-32 (ESV)

¹⁴ …a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in (Romans 11:25b ESV [Table]).

¹⁵ Isaiah 9:5b (The Complete Jewish Bible)

¹⁶ Isaiah 9:6b (ESV)

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και οι πρεσβυτεροι (KJV: and elders) following the chief priests. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουχ ευρον (KJV: yet found they none) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ψευδομαρτυρες (KJV: false witnesses) following two. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

²¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐράπισαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερραπισαν. These appear to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²³ From definition 2 of dogma on Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.

²⁴ Romans 11:25b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Isaiah 28:11-13 (ESV)

²⁷ Romans 3:9b (ESV)

²⁸ John 1:9a (ESV)

²⁹ John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

³⁰ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³¹ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³² Romans 11:32 (ESV)

³³ Ephesians 2:14-16 (EXP16)

³⁴ Ephesians 2:8-10 (EXP14)

3 John, Part 7

Posted on November 11, 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

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said³ to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You⁴ lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the⁵ poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”⁶

The Greek is: Καὶ ἐκπορευομένου αὐτοῦ εἰς ὁδὸν, And as he was setting out on his journey, προσδραμὼν, ran up, εἷς, a man (literally, “one”), καὶ γονυπετήσας αὐτὸν, and knelt before him, ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν, and asked him, διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, Good Teacher, τί ποιήσω, what must I do (or “what might I do”), ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω, to inherit eternal life?

I want to consider the differences in the critical and received texts of Matthew 19:16-21 as Mark 10:17-21 becomes accessible for comparison.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:17b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:16b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:16b (NA²⁸)
διδάσκαλε ἀγαθέ, τί ποιήσω ἵνα ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω	διδασκαλε αγαθε τι αγαθον ποιησω ινα εχω ζωην αιωνιον	διδάσκαλε, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα σχῶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον
Mark 10:17b (ESV)	Matthew 19:16b (KJV)	Matthew 19:16b (ESV)
“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”	Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?	“Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

In the received text of Matthew 19:16b διδασκαλε was modified by αγαθε, Good Master (KJV), as it was in Mark 10:17b, Good Teacher (ESV); αγαθε is absent from the critical text, Teacher (ESV), while ἀγαθόν is absent from Mark 10:17b though present in both the critical, good deed (ESV), and received texts, good thing (KJV), of Matthew 19:16b. In the received text εχω, I may have (KJV, understood in the subjunctive rather than the indicative mood), is complemented by σχῶ (a form of εχω), to have (ESV) or “I might have,” in the critical text, where κληρονομήσω, to inherit (ESV), occurs in Mark 10:17b.

Mark 10:18 continues: ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ, And Jesus said to him, τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν, Why do you call me good? οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός, No one is good except God alone.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:18b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:17b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:17b (NA²⁸)
τί με λέγεις ἀγαθόν; οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός	τι με λεγεις αγαθον ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος	τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός
Mark 10:18b (ESV)	Matthew 19:17b (KJV)	Matthew 19:17b (ESV)
Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.	Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:	Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.

The received text of Matthew 19:17b is identical to the critical text of Mark 10:18b; the critical text of Matthew 19:17b is significantly different: ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, do you ask…about what is good (ESV), rather than λεγεις ἀγαθόν, callest thou…good (KJV); εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός, There is only one who is good (ESV), literally “one is the good,” rather than ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος, there is none good but one, that is, God (KJV). Yet, except for the placement of εἰσελθεῖν, Matthew 19:17c is identical in the critical and received texts and differs significantly from Mark 10:19a.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19a (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:17c (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:17c (NA²⁸)
τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας	ει δε θελεις εισελθειν εις την ζωην τηρησον τας εντολας	εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, τήρησον τὰς ἐντολάς
Mark 10:19a (ESV)	Matthew 19:17c (KJV)	Matthew 19:17c (ESV)
You know the commandments:	but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.	If you would enter life, keep the commandments.

Mark 10:19 continues: τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας, You know the commandments, μὴ φονεύσῃς, Do not murder, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, Do not commit adultery, μὴ κλέψῃς, Do not steal, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, Do not bear false witness, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, Do not defraud, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα, Honor your father and mother.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (NA²⁸)
μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	το ου φονευσεις ου μοιχευσεις ου κλεψεις ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα και αγαπησεις τον πλησιον σου ως σεαυτον	τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις, τίμα τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα, καὶ ἀγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν
Mark 10:19b (ESV)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (KJV)	Matthew 19:18b, 19 (ESV)
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.	Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.	You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Though Jesus cited six commandments to both men, the more general You shall love your neighbor as yourself in Matthew 19:19 is replaced by the more specific Do not defraud in Mark 10:19. A note (31) in the NET described this as “an allusion” (see table below) to Deuteronomy 24:14.

You shall not oppress (ʿāšaq, תַעֲשֹׁק; Septuagint: ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν, unjustly withhold the wages of) a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns.⁷

The Greek verb translated Do…defraud was ἀποστερήσῃς, a form of ἀποστερέω. Two occurrences of forms of ἀποστερέω are found in the Septuagint (Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10 English Elpenor):

And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my Name, and against them that keep back (ἀποστεροῦντας, another form of ἀποστερέω; Hebrew: ʿāšaq, וּבְעֹשְׁקֵי) the hireling’s wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

And if he take another [e.g., wife] to himself, he shall not deprive (ἀποστερήσει, another form of ἀποστερέω; Hebrew: gāraʿ, יִגְרָע) her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship [with him].

There are other more subtle differences as well:

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:19b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:18b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:18b (NA²⁸)
μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	το ου φονευσεις ου μοιχευσεις ου κλεψεις ου ψευδομαρτυρησεις	τὸ οὐ φονεύσεις, οὐ μοιχεύσεις, οὐ κλέψεις, οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (ESV)	Matthew 19:18b (KJV)	Matthew 19:18b (ESV)
Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness	Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness	You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness

The list of commandments in Mark 10:19 didn’t begin with the article τὸ (“this,” not translated in Matthew 19:18b) in answer to a man’s question: ποίας (a form of ποῖος), Which? (KJV), Which ones? (ESV).⁸ Also, the verbs are different parts of speech: φονεύσῃς, μοιχεύσῃς, κλέψῃς and ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς are in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, while φονεύσεις, μοιχεύσεις, κλέψεις and ψευδομαρτυρήσεις are in the future tense and indicative mood. So, φονεύσεις, for example in Matthew 19:18, means “you will murder” in the future, a statement of fact negated by the negative particle οὐ: “not you will murder,” Thou shalt do no murder (KJV), You shall not murder (ESV).

The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective. Even if the writer is lying, he may state the action as if it is a fact, and thus the verb would be in the indicative mood. It may be action occurring in past, present, or future time. This ‘statement of fact’ can even be made with a negative adverb modifying the verb…

This is in contrast to one of the other moods…in which the writer/speaker may desire or ask for the action to take place.⁹

But φονεύσῃς in Mark 10:19 means “you might murder” at some unspecified moment in time, a statement of possibility negated by the particle μὴ: “not you might murder,” Do not kill (KJV), Do not murder (ESV).

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time. In the indicative mood the aorist tense denotes action that occurred in the past time, often translated like the English simple past tense.¹⁰

So ἐφόνευσας, in the indicative mood, would have been a statement of fact in the past tense: “you have murdered.” But φονεύσῃς, in the subjunctive mood “indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.”¹¹

A comparable way to translate “not you might murder” into more fluent English would be, “You might not murder,” but it sounds much less certain than is probably intended in Greek. The negation of a possibility in the subjunctive mood is at least as strong as the negation of a statement of fact in the indicative mood. (The Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation is even stronger.)

I don’t understand why English translators added the helping verb do to these four aorist subjunctive verbs in Mark 10:19 (five including μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς, Do not defraud). There are no occurrences of any forms of ποιέω here. It seems to owe more to stumbling over the stumbling stone, pursuing righteousness as if it were based on works, rather than by faith.¹²

All five verbs (φονεύσῃς, μοιχεύσῃς, κλέψῃς, ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς and ἀποστερήσῃς) are 2^nd person singular verbs. By simply adding back the implied subject of these clauses—[You] do not murder, [You] do not commit adultery, [You] do not steal, [You] do not bear false witness, [You] do not defraud—one can hear the same promises as the verbs in the future tense and indicative mood in Matthew 19:18—You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness—even in English translation. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!¹³ These commandments are promises of grace to be received by faith, rather than works to achieve in one’s own strength.

The man responded to Jesus: ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ, And he said to him, διδάσκαλε, Teacher, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην, these all I have kept, ἐκ νεότητός μου, from my youth.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:20b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:20b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:20b (NA²⁸)
διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητός μου	παντα ταυτα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου τι ετι υστερω	πάντα ταῦτα ἐφύλαξα· τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ
Mark 10:20b (ESV)	Matthew 19:20b (KJV)	Matthew 19:20b (ESV)
Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.	All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?	All these I have kept. What do I still lack?

Here, the received text of Matthew 19:20 lacks the vocative διδάσκαλε and includes the question τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ, what lack I yet (KJV), like the critical text, What do I still lack (ESV), but adds εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου, have I kept from my youth up (KJV), like Mark 10:20, I have kept from my youth (ESV), where the critical text of Matthew 19:20 has simply ἐφύλαξα, I have kept (ESV).

Mark 10:21 continues: Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς, And Jesus, ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ, looking at him, ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν, loved him, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, and said to him, ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ, You lack one thing (literally, “one you lack”), ὕπαγε, go, ὅσα ἔχεις, all that you have, πώλησον, sell, καὶ δὸς [τοῖς ] πτωχοῖς, and give to the poor, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, and you…have treasure in heaven, καὶ δεῦρο, and come, ἀκολούθει μοι, follow me.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:21a (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:21a (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:21a (NA²⁸)
Ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ	εφη αυτω ο ιησους ει θελεις τελειος ειναι	ἔφη αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι,
Mark 10:21 (ESV)	Matthew 19:21 (KJV)	Matthew 19:21 (ESV)
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing:	Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect,	Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect,

The received text and critical text of Matthew 19:21a are in complete agreement: Jesus recognized the man’s own question about something missing—τί ἔτι ὑστερῶ, what lack I yet (KJV), What do I still lack (ESV)¹⁴—as a desire for a perfection beyond a righteousness of [his] own that comes from the law.¹⁵ In Mark 10:21a the man asked no question expressing any lack at all, but Jesus informed him: ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ, You lack one thing (ESV) or “One you lack.” He offered an opportunity to know him and the power of his resurrection, the ability to share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and the possibility to attain the resurrection from the dead¹⁶ to both men.

Critical Text	Received Text	Critical Text
Mark 10:21b (NA²⁸)	Matthew 19:21b (Stephanus Textus Receptus / Byzantine Majority Text)	Matthew 19:21b (NA²⁸)
ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι	υπαγε πωλησον σου τα υπαρχοντα και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι	ὕπαγε πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι
Mark 10:21b (ESV)	Matthew 19:21b (KJV)	Matthew 19:21b (ESV)
go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”	go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.	go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

The received text of Matthew 19:21b does not have the article τοῖς preceding poor. The critical text does, also in Mark 10:21b. Both are in brackets indicating some doubt among the editors. The only other difference in Matthew 19:21b is that the critical text has the plural οὐρανοῖς where the received text has the singular ουρανω, as in Mark 10:21b. Aside from this, Mark 10:21b has ὅσα ἔχεις, all that you have (ESV), where Matthew 19:21b has σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, that thou hast (KJV), what you possess (ESV), which might deserve more attention than I’m giving it here.¹⁷

The critical text purports to be the older (and therefore the more original) text, and is generally received as such. Most contemporary translations of the New Testament are made from it. If true, it implies that most of the differences in the received text of Matthew 19:16-21 were scribal attempts to collapse what is effectively two different accounts of two different encounters with two similar men, at about the same time in Jesus’ ministry, into one encounter with one man. Accepting this, as two separate individuals asking two different but related questions, brings some clarity to the differences and similarities in Jesus’ answers.

One man asked, “Good Teacher, what [might] I do to inherit eternal life?”¹⁸ Jesus, responding to being called Good (ἀγαθέ, a form of ἀγαθός), posed his own question for the man’s consideration: “Why do you call me good (ἀγαθόν, another form of ἀγαθός)?”¹⁹ Then He made a statement the man did not dispute: οὐδεὶς ἀγαθὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς ὁ θεός; literally, “none good except one, God.”

Another man asked, “Teacher, what good [might] I do [that I might] have eternal life?”²⁰ Jesus, responding to being asked about doing good (ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω), posed a different question for this man’s consideration: τί ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; literally, “Why ask me about the good?” Then He made another statement that this man did not dispute: εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός; literally, “one is the good.”

This latter statement doesn’t dispute that “none [is] good except one, God.” It clarifies how doing good gets done: “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light [In him was life, and the life was the light of men²¹], lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true (ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν) 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,” the One who is good).²² Who does what is true? to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.²³ In other words, Whoever does good is from God (or “from God exists”),²⁴ the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; literally, “the new human”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.²⁵ As Jesus said, “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 (ἄνωθεν).’”²⁶

Balak, king of Moab, was not from God. He continued in his own faith that, if he found the right location, Balaam would curse Israel, whom God has not cursed²⁷ (Numbers 23:28-30 ESV):

So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the desert. And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.” And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balak, the king, seems willing to comply, if not obey, when he believes there is opportunity to accomplish his purposes according to his own faith. But the prophet Balaam strayed a bit from his usual practice (Numbers 24:1, 2 ESV).

When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face toward the wilderness. And Balaam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. And the Spirit of God came upon him,

Here, the Masoretic text and Septuagint agree: and the spirit of God came upon him (KJV, NET, English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 24:2b (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:2b (NET)	Numbers 24:2b (NETS)	Numbers 24:2b (English Elpenor)
and the spirit (ר֥וּחַ) of G-d (אֱלֹהִֽים) came (וַתְּהִ֥י) upon him (עָלָ֖יו).	and the Spirit (rûaḥ, רוח) of God (‘ĕlōhîm,אלהים) came (hāyâ, ותהי) upon him (ʿal, עליו).	And (καὶ) a divine (θεοῦ) spirit (πνεῦμα) came (ἐγένετο) upon (ἐν) him (αὐτῷ),	and (καὶ) the Spirit (πνεῦμα) of God (Θεοῦ) came (ἐγένετο) upon (ἐν) him (αὐτῷ).

Balaam took up his discourse and said, (Numbers 24:3-7 ESV):

“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, who sees the vision of the Almighty, falling down with his eyes uncovered: How lovely are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel! Like palm groves that stretch afar, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) has planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters; his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

The Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 24:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:7 (NET)	Numbers 24:7 (NETS)	Numbers 24:7 (English Elpenor)
Water (מַ֨יִם֙) shall flow from his branches (מִדָּ֣לְיָ֔ו), and his seed (וְזַרְע֖וֹ) shall be in many (רַבִּ֑ים) waters (בְּמַ֣יִם); and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He will pour the water (mayim, מים) out of his buckets (dᵊlî, מדליו), and their descendants (zeraʿ, וזרעו) will be like abundant (raḇ, רבים) water (mayim, במים); their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted.	A person (ἄνθρωπος) will come forth from his offspring (τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ) and he shall rule over (καὶ κυριεύσει) many (πολλῶν) nations (ἐθνῶν), and reign of him shall be exalted beyond Gog, and his reign shall be increased.	There shall come a man (ἄνθρωπος) out of his seed (τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ), and he shall rule over (καὶ κυριεύσει) many (πολλῶν) nations (ἐθνῶν); and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

Where the first two clauses of the Masoretic text translate into English in a manner ranging from vaguely unintelligible to somewhat lewd, the English translation of the Septuagint offers a rather clear reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. I might say “surprisingly clear” or even “shockingly clear” if I hadn’t been through this emotional shredder already. This time, however, both the Masoretic text and the Septuagint agree that the spirit of God came upon Balaam. And fortunately, the English translation of The Complete Jewish Bible on chabad.org resolves these other “vaguely unintelligible to somewhat lewd” renderings of the Masoretic text quite nicely: Water will flow from his wells, and his seed shall have abundant water.²⁸

Is it that surprising that a thirsty Masorete would prefer a well of his own to dependence on the spiritual Rock that followed his ancestors in the wilderness?

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud (Exodus 13:21, 22), and all passed through the sea (Exodus 14), and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [Table], and all ate the same spiritual food (Exodus 16), and all drank the same spiritual drink (Exodus 17:1-7). For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ (Numbers 20:2-13).²⁹

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:8, 9 ESV):

God brings him out of Egypt and is for him like the horns of the wild ox; he shall eat up the nations, his adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces and pierce them through with his arrows [Table]. He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you” [Table].

Balak would not, or could not, hear the words of God, nor see the vision of the Almighty (Numbers 24:10, 11 ESV):

And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have blessed them these three times. Therefore now flee to your own place. I said, ‘I will certainly honor you,’ but the Lord (yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) has held you back from honor.”

Here again, Balak’s faith and determination are revealed as a stubborn rebellion against God, despite his recognition that the Lord…held Balaam back: Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) God.³⁰

John wrote of Jesus (John 3:31-34 ESV):

He who comes from above (ἄνωθεν) is above (ἐπάνω) all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above (ἐπάνω) all. He³¹ bears witness to what he has seen (ἑώρακεν, a form of ὁράω) and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he³² gives the Spirit without measure.

Though Balaam didn’t receive the honor Balak might have given him for cursing Israel and betraying the Lord, he did share the sufferings of Christ in this way: Balak did not receive his testimony, what he [had] seen and heard from the Lord. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (31) in the NET Mark 10:19b is a quotation from Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20. The following tables compare the Greek of that quotation with the Septuagint.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φονεύσῃς	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:15 (NETS)	Exodus 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not kill.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ μοιχεύσῃς	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:13 (NETS)	Exodus 20:13 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:15 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ κλέψῃς	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:14 (NETS)	Exodus 20:14 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:16a (NETS)	Exodus 20:16a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 20:12a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Exodus 20:12a (NETS)	Exodus 20:12a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ φονεύσῃς	οὐ φονεύσεις	οὐ φονεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (English Elpenor)
Do not murder	You shall not murder.	Thou shalt not commit murder.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ μοιχεύσῃς	οὐ μοιχεύσεις	οὐ μοιχεύσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:18 (English Elpenor)
do not commit adultery	You shall not commit adultery.	Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ κλέψῃς	οὐ κλέψεις	οὐ κλέψεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:19 (English Elpenor)
do not steal	You shall not steal.	Thou shalt not steal.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:20a (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις	οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:20a (English Elpenor)
do not give false testimony	You shall not testify falsely	Thou shalt not bear false witness

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 5:16a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου	τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:16a (English Elpenor)
honor your father and mother	Honor your father and your mother	Honour thy father and thy mother

According to a note (31) in the NET Mark 10:19b includes an allusion to Deuteronomy 24:14. The following table compares the Greek of that allusion with the Septuagint.

Mark 10:19b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἀποστερήσῃς	οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσίν σου	Οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου
Mark 10:19b (NET)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (English Elpenor)
do not defraud	You shall not unjustly withhold the wages of a needy and indigent person from your brothers or from guests in your cities.	Thou shalt not unjustly withhold the wages of the poor and needy of thy brethren, or of the strangers who are in thy cities.

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 24:14; Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10; Numbers 23:28; 23:29; 23:30; 24:1; 24:2; 24:3; 24:4; 24:5; 24:6; 24:7; 24:10 and 24:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 24:14; Malachi 3:5; Exodus 21:10; Numbers 23:28; 23:29; 23:30; 24:1; 24:2; 24:3; 24:4; 24:5; 24:6; 24:7; 24:10 and 24:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Mark 10:20, 21; John 3:32 and 3:34 in the KJV and NET follow.

Deuteronomy 24:14 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (NET)
Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates.	Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates:	You must not oppress a lowly and poor servant, whether one from among your fellow Israelites or from the resident foreigners who are living in your land and villages.

Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσίν σου	Οὐκ ἀπαδικήσεις μισθὸν πένητος καὶ ἐνδεοῦς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἢ ἐκ τῶν προσηλύτων τῶν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσί σου
Deuteronomy 24:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 24:14 (English Elpenor)
You shall not unjustly withhold the wages of a needy and indigent person from your brothers or from guests in your cities.	Thou shalt not unjustly withhold the wages of the poor and needy of thy brethren, or of the strangers who are in thy cities.

Malachi 3:5 (Tanakh)	Malachi 3:5 (KJV)	Malachi 3:5 (NET)
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.	And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.	“I will come to you in judgment. I will be quick to testify against those who practice divination; those who commit adultery; those who break promises; and those who exploit workers, widows, and orphans, who refuse to help the resident foreigner and in this way show they do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Malachi 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Malachi 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσάξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν κρίσει καὶ ἔσομαι μάρτυς ταχὺς ἐπὶ τὰς φαρμακοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς μοιχαλίδας καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀμνύοντας τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ καὶ τοὺς καταδυναστεύοντας χήραν καὶ τοὺς κονδυλίζοντας ὀρφανοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐκκλίνοντας κρίσιν προσηλύτου καὶ τοὺς μὴ φοβουμένους με λέγει κύριος παντοκράτωρ	καὶ προσάξω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν κρίσει καὶ ἔσομαι μάρτυς ταχὺς ἐπὶ τὰς φαρμακοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς μοιχαλίδας καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀμνύοντας τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπὶ ψεύδει καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀποστεροῦντας μισθὸν μισθωτοῦ καὶ τοὺς καταδυναστεύοντας χήραν καὶ τοὺς κονδυλίζοντας ὀρφανοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἐκκλίνοντας κρίσιν προσηλύτου καὶ τοὺς μὴ φοβουμένους με, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ
Malachi 3:5 (NETS)	Malachi 3:5 (English Elpenor)
And I will draw near to you in judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorceresses and against the adulteresses and against those who swear by my name falsely and against those who defraud the hired worker of his wages and those who oppress the widow and those who buffet orphans and those who turn aside justice from the guest and those who do not fear me, says the Lord Almighty.	And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that swear falsely by my Name, and against them that keep back the hireling’s wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord Almighty.

Exodus 21:10 (Tanakh)	Exodus 21:10 (KJV)	Exodus 21:10 (NET)
If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, and her conjugal rights, shall he not diminish.	If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.	If he takes another wife, he must not diminish the first one’s food, her clothing, or her marital rights.

Exodus 21:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 21:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλην λάβῃ ἑαυτῷ τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποστερήσει	ἐὰν δὲ ἄλλην λάβῃ ἑαυτῷ, τὰ δέοντα καὶ τὸν ἱματισμὸν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀποστερήσει
Exodus 21:10 (NETS)	Exodus 21:10 (English Elpenor)
And if he takes another to him, he shall not withhold her necessities and clothing and marital rights.	And if he take another to himself, he shall not deprive her of necessaries and her apparel, and her companionship [with him].

Numbers 23:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:28 (KJV)	Numbers 23:28 (NET)
And Balak took Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh down upon the desert.	And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.	So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wastelands.

Numbers 23:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρέλαβεν Βαλακ τὸν Βαλααμ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογωρ τὸ παρατεῖνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	καὶ παρέλαβε Βαλὰκ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τοῦ Φογὼρ τὸ παρατεῖνον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Numbers 23:28 (NETS)	Numbers 23:28 (English Elpenor)
And Balak took Balaam to the top of Phogor, which extends into the wilderness.	And Balac took Balaam to the top of Phogor, which extends to the wilderness.

Numbers 23:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:29 (KJV)	Numbers 23:29 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.’	And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.	Then Balaam said to Balak, “Build seven altars here for me, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams.”

Numbers 23:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· οἰκοδόμησόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ βωμοὺς καὶ ἑτοίμασόν μοι ὧδε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριούς
Numbers 23:29 (NETS)	Numbers 23:29 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven calves and seven rams.”	And Balaam said to Balac, build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven calves, and seven rams.

Numbers 23:30 (Tanakh)	Numbers 23:30 (KJV)	Numbers 23:30 (NET)
And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered up a bullock and a ram on every altar.	And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.	So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Numbers 23:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 23:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐποίησεν Βαλακ καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλααμ καὶ ἀνήνεγκεν μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν	καὶ ἐποίησε Βαλὰκ καθάπερ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Βαλαάμ, καὶ ἀνήνεγκε μόσχον καὶ κριὸν ἐπὶ τὸν βωμόν
Numbers 23:30 (NETS)	Numbers 23:30 (English Elpenor)
And Balak did just as Balaam told him, and he offered a calf and a ram on the altar.	And Balac did as Balaam told him, and offered a calf and a ram on [every] altar.

Numbers 24:1 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:1 (KJV)	Numbers 24:1 (NET)
And when Balaam saw that it pleased HaShem to bless Israel, he went not, as at the other times, to meet with enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.	And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.	When Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go as at the other times to seek for omens, but he set his face toward the wilderness.

Numbers 24:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδὼν Βαλααμ ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν ἔναντι κυρίου εὐλογεῖν τὸν Ισραηλ οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	ΚΑΙ ἰδὼν Βαλαὰμ ὅτι καλόν ἐστιν ἐναντίον Κυρίου εὐλογεῖν τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ, οὐκ ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς εἰς συνάντησιν τοῖς οἰωνοῖς καὶ ἀπέστρεψε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Numbers 24:1 (NETS)	Numbers 24:1 (English Elpenor)
And when Balaam saw that it was good before the Lord to bless Israel, he did not go, according to his custom, to meet the omens but turned his face toward the wilderness.	And when Balaam saw that it pleased God to bless Israel, he did not go according to his custom to meet the omens, but turned his face toward the wilderness.

Numbers 24:2 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:2 (KJV)	Numbers 24:2 (NET)
And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel dwelling tribe by tribe; and the spirit of G-d came upon him.	And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.	When Balaam lifted up his eyes, he saw Israel camped tribe by tribe; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 24:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξάρας Βαλααμ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καθορᾷ τὸν Ισραηλ ἐστρατοπεδευκότα κατὰ φυλάς καὶ ἐγένετο πνεῦμα θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ	καὶ ἐξάρας Βαλαὰμ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καθορᾷ τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐστρατοπεδευκότα κατὰ φυλάς, καὶ ἐγένετο πνεῦμα Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ
Numbers 24:2 (NETS)	Numbers 24:2 (English Elpenor)
And when Balaam raised his eyes, he looked down upon Israel encamped tribe by tribe. And a divine spirit came upon him,	And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and sees Israel encamped by their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.

Numbers 24:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:3 (KJV)	Numbers 24:3 (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 24:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν φησὶν Βαλααμ υἱὸς Βεωρ φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν	καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπε· φησὶ Βαλαὰμ υἱὸς Βεώρ, φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν
Numbers 24:3 (NETS)	Numbers 24:3 (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 son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

Numbers 24:4 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:4 (KJV)	Numbers 24:4 (NET)
The saying of him who heareth the words of G-d, who seeth the vision of the Almighty, fallen down, yet with opened eyes:	He hath said, which heard the words of God, 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, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:

Numbers 24:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
φησὶν ἀκούων λόγια θεοῦ ὅστις ὅρασιν θεοῦ εἶδεν ἐν ὕπνῳ ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ	φησὶν ἀκούων λόγια ἰσχυροῦ, ὅστις ὅρασιν Θεοῦ εἶδεν ἐν ὕπνῳ, ἀποκεκαλυμμένοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ
Numbers 24:4 (NETS)	Numbers 24:4 (English Elpenor)
Says one who hears divine oracles, who saw a divine vision, in sleep when his eyes had been uncovered:	he says who hears the oracle of the Mighty One, who saw a vision of God in sleep; his eyes were opened:

Numbers 24:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:5 (KJV)	Numbers 24:5 (NET)
How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, thy dwellings, O Israel!	How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!	‘How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, and your dwelling places, O Israel!

Numbers 24:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς καλοί σου οἱ οἶκοι Ιακωβ αἱ σκηναί σου Ισραηλ	ὡς καλοὶ οἱ οἶκοί σου ᾿Ιακώβ, αἱ σκηναί σου ᾿Ισραήλ
Numbers 24:5 (NETS)	Numbers 24:5 (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are your dwellings, O Iakob, your tents, O Israel!	How goodly [are] thy habitations, Jacob, and thy tents, Israel!

Numbers 24:6 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:6 (KJV)	Numbers 24:6 (NET)
As valleys stretched out, as gardens by the river-side; as aloes planted of HaShem, as cedars beside the waters;	As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.	They are like valleys stretched forth, like gardens by the river’s side, like aloes that the Lord has planted, and like cedar trees beside the waters.

Numbers 24:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι καὶ ὡσεὶ παράδεισοι ἐπὶ ποταμῶν καὶ ὡσεὶ σκηναί ἃς ἔπηξεν κύριος ὡσεὶ κέδροι παρ᾽ ὕδατα	ὡσεὶ νάπαι σκιάζουσαι καὶ ὡσεὶ παράδεισοι ἐπὶ ποταμῷ καὶ ὡσεὶ σκηναί, ἃς ἔπηξε Κύριος, καὶ ὡσεὶ κέδροι παρ’ ὕδατα
Numbers 24:6 (NETS)	Numbers 24:6 (English Elpenor)
Like wooded valleys giving shade and like orchards by rivers and like tents that the Lord pitched, like cedar trees beside waters.	as shady groves, and as gardens by a river, and as tents which God pitched, and as cedars by the waters.

Numbers 24:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:7 (KJV)	Numbers 24:7 (NET)
Water shall flow from his branches, and his seed shall be in many waters; and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.	He will pour the water out of his buckets, and their descendants will be like abundant water; their king will be greater than Agag, and their kingdom will be exalted.

Numbers 24:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ καὶ κυριεύσει ἐθνῶν πολλῶν καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἢ Γωγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐξηθήσεται ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ	ἐξελεύσεται ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ καὶ κυριεύσει ἐθνῶν πολλῶν, καὶ ὑψωθήσεται ἢ Γὼγ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐξηθήσεται βασιλεία αὐτοῦ
Numbers 24:7 (NETS)	Numbers 24:7 (English Elpenor)
A person will come forth from his offspring and he shall rule over many nations, and reign of him shall be exalted beyond Gog, and his reign shall be increased.	There shall come a man out of his seed, and he shall rule over many nations; and the kingdom of Gog shall be exalted, and his kingdom shall be increased.

Numbers 24:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:10 (KJV)	Numbers 24:10 (NET)
And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together; and Balak said unto Balaam: ‘I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.	And Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.	Then Balak became very angry at Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, and look, you have done nothing but bless them these three times!

Numbers 24:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλακ ἐπὶ Βαλααμ καὶ συνεκρότησεν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν Βαλακ πρὸς Βαλααμ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου κέκληκά σε καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλογῶν εὐλόγησας τρίτον τοῦτο	καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλὰκ ἐπὶ Βαλαὰμ καὶ συνεκρότησε ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε Βαλὰκ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· καταρᾶσθαι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου κέκληκά σε, καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐλογῶν εὐλόγησας τρίτον τοῦτο
Numbers 24:10 (NETS)	Numbers 24:10 (English Elpenor)
And Balak became infuriated with Balaam, and he clapped his hands together. And Balak said to Balaam, “I have summoned you to curse my enemy, and behold, in blessing you have blessed him this third time.	And Balac was angry with Balaam, and clapped his hands together; and Balac said to Balaam, I called thee to curse my enemy, and behold thou hast decidedly blessed [him] this third time.

Numbers 24:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:11 (KJV)	Numbers 24:11 (NET)
Therefore now flee thou to thy place; I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, HaShem hath kept thee back from honour.’	Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.	So now, go back where you came from! I said that I would greatly honor you, but now the Lord has stood in the way of your honor.”

Numbers 24:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν οὖν φεῦγε εἰς τὸν τόπον σου εἶπα τιμήσω σε καὶ νῦν ἐστέρησέν σε κύριος τῆς δόξης	νῦν οὖν φεῦγε εἰς τὸν τόπον σου· εἶπα, τιμήσω σε, καὶ νῦν ἐστέρησέ σε Κύριος τῆς δόξης
Numbers 24:11 (NETS)	Numbers 24:11 (English Elpenor)
Now then be off to your place! I said, ‘I will honor you,’ but now the Lord has deprived you of glory.”	Now therefore flee to thy place: I said, I will honour thee, but now the Lord has deprived thee of glory.

Mark 10:20, 21 (NET)	Mark 10:20, 21 (KJV)
The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”	And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

Mark 10:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 10:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 10:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ· διδάσκαλε, ταῦτα πάντα ἐφυλαξάμην ἐκ νεότητος μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου

As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

Mark 10:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 10:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 10:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἐμβλέψας αὐτῷ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἕν σε ὑστερεῖ· ὕπαγε, ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ δὸς [τοῖς] πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανῷ, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι	ο δε ιησους εμβλεψας αυτω ηγαπησεν αυτον και ειπεν αυτω εν σοι υστερει υπαγε οσα εχεις πωλησον και δος τοις πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι αρας τον σταυρον	ο δε ιησους εμβλεψας αυτω ηγαπησεν αυτον και ειπεν αυτω εν σοι υστερει υπαγε οσα εχεις πωλησον και δος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι αρας τον σταυρον

John 3:32 (NET)	John 3:32 (KJV)
He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.	And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

John 3:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃ ἑώρακεν καὶ ἤκουσεν τοῦτο μαρτυρεῖ, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν αὐτοῦ οὐδεὶς λαμβάνει	και ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει	και ο εωρακεν και ηκουσεν τουτο μαρτυρει και την μαρτυριαν αυτου ουδεις λαμβανει

John 3:34 (NET)	John 3:34 (KJV)
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.	For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

John 3:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 3:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 3:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃν γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ ρήματα τοῦ θεοῦ λαλεῖ, οὐ γὰρ ἐκ μέτρου δίδωσιν τὸ πνεῦμα	ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν ο θεος το πνευμα	ον γαρ απεστειλεν ο θεος τα ρηματα του θεου λαλει ου γαρ εκ μετρου διδωσιν ο θεος το πνευμα

3 John, Part 8

Back to 3 John, Part 6

Back to 3 John, Part 5

Back to 3 John, Part 4

Back to Exploration, Part 16

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

¹ 3 John, Part 3

² 3 John, Part 3

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔφη here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις ειπεν (KJV: answered and said).

⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σε here in the accusative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σοι (KJV: thou), a form of σύ in the dative case.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had the plural article τοῖς here in the dative case. The Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ Mark 10:17-21 (ESV) The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αρας τον σταυρον (KJV: take up the cross) following me (μοι). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ Deuteronomy 21:14 (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 19:18a

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

¹⁰ From Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

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

¹² Romans 9:32 (ESV)

¹³ Romans 7:25a (ESV)

¹⁴ Matthew 19:20b

¹⁵ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁶ Philippians 3:10, 11 (ESV)

¹⁷ There is another difference between the critical and received texts of Mark 10:21b I won’t consider here: the received text adds αρας τον σταυρον, take up the cross (KJV) to καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι, and come, follow me (ESV).

¹⁸ Mark 10:17b (ESV)

¹⁹ Mark 10:18a (ESV)

²⁰ Matthew 19:16b (ESV) Table

²¹ John 1:4 (ESV)

²² John 3:20, 21 (ESV) The words translated in God were ἐν θεῷ in the dative case: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²³ John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

²⁴ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁶ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁷ Numbers 23:8a (ESV) Table

²⁸ Numbers 24:7a (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²⁹ 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (ESV)

³⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

³¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: And) beginning this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο θεος (KJV: God) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3

Posted on July 8, 2024 by admin

These are my notes from a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

Christ-Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon, 3^rd Edition by Bryan Chapell

Before beginning I want to look in depth at Psalm 62 for a different but related assignment:

Psalm 62:1-4 (ESV)	Psalm 62:5-8 (ESV)	Psalm 62:9-12 (ESV)
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.	For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.	Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.	He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.	Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.
How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?	On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.	Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God,
They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah	Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah	and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. (Psalm 62:1 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:1 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:1 (NET)	Psalm 61:2 (NETS)	Psalm 61:2 (English Elpenor)
Truly my soul waiteth (דֽוּמִיָּ֣ה) upon God: from him cometh my salvation (יְשֽׁוּעָתִֽי).	For God alone I patiently wait (dûmîyâ, דומיה); he is the one who delivers me (yᵊšûʿâ, ישועתי).	Shall not my soul be subject (ὑποταγήσεται) to God? For from him is my deliverance (σωτήριόν μου).	Shall not my soul be subjected (ὑποταγήσεται) to God? for of him is my salvation (σωτήριόν μου).

The Hebrew word דֽוּמִיָּ֣ה (dûmîyâ), waits in silence (ESV), waiteth (Tanakh, KJV), patiently wait (NET) was translated ὑποταγήσεται, a passive form of ὑποτάσσω, in the Septuagint: be subject (NETS), be subjected (English Elpenor). I have said these things to you, Jesus told his disciples, that in me you may have¹ peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.² These two verses seem not merely to complement one another, but to expound on one another in ways that exceed the sum of their parts.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. (Psalm 62:2 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:2 (NET)	Psalm 61:3 (NETS)	Psalm 61:3 (English Elpenor)
He only is my rock (צ֖וּרִי) and my salvation (וִישֽׁוּעָתִ֑י); he is my defence (מִ֜שְׂגַּבִּ֗י); I shall not be greatly moved.	He alone is my protector (ṣûr, צורי) and deliverer (yᵊšûʿâ, וישועתי). He is my refuge (miśgāḇ, משׁגבי); I will not be upended.	Indeed, he is my God (θεός μου) and my Savior (καὶ σωτήρ μου), my supporter (ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου); I shall be shaken no more.	For he is my God (Θεός μου), and my saviour (καὶ σωτήρ μου); my helper (καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ μου), I shall not be moved very much.

Was צ֖וּרִי (ṣûr) not the word found in the Hebrew text the rabbis translated into Greek? Or did they have reasons for not wanting to translate צ֖וּרִי (ṣûr) with some form of πέτρα in this particular context?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 17:5, 6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:5, 6 (NET)	Exodus 17:5, 6 (NETS)	Exodus 17:5, 6 (English Elpenor)
And HaShem (יְהֹוָ֜ה) said unto Moses: ‘Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.	The Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go.	And the Lord (κύριος) said to Moyses, “Go on ahead of this people, but take with you some of the elders of the people and the rod with which you struck the river take in your hand, and go.	And the Lord (Κύριος) said to Moses, Go before this people, and take to thyself of the elders of the people; and the rod with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and thou shalt go.
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock (הַצּוּר֘) in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock (בַצּ֗וּר), and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.	I will be standing before you there on the rock (ṣûr, הצור) in Horeb, and you will strike the rock (ṣûr, בצור), and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.	I here have taken my stand, before you came, on the rock (τῆς πέτρας) at Choreb. And you shall strike the rock (τὴν πέτραν), and water will come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moyses did so before the sons of Israel.	Behold, I stand there before thou [come], on the rock (τῆς πέτρας) in Choreb, and thou shalt smite the rock (τὴν πέτραν), and water shall come out from it, and the people shall drink. And Moses did so before the sons of Israel.

I can imagine that Jewish rabbis wishing not to confuse their Gentile audience thought it better to lose the connection to this passage than to associate יְהֹוָ֜ה (Yᵊhōvâ) too closely with the rock at Horeb. But Paul and the Holy Spirit had no such scruples: For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.³

How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? (Psalm 62:3 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:3 (NET)	Psalm 61:4 (NETS)	Psalm 61:4 (English Elpenor)
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain (כֻ֫לְּכֶ֥ם) all of you (כְּקִ֥יר): as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.	How long will you threaten a man like me? All of you (kōl, כלכם) are murderers (rāṣaḥ, תרצחו), as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.	How long do you assail against a person? You commit murder (φονεύετε), all of you (πάντες), as by means of a wall that leans and a fence that slants.	How long will ye assault a man? ye are all (πάντες) slaughtering (φονεύετε) as with a bowed wall and a broken hedge.

The translators have different understandings of this verse. Apparently, the translators of the ESV understood כֻ֫לְּכֶ֥ם (rāṣaḥ)—ye shall be slain (Tanakh, KJV), [you] are murderers (NET), You commit murder (NETS), ye are…slaughtering (English Elpenor)—as to batter him.

They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah (Psalm 62:4 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:4 (NET)	Psalm 61:5 (NETS)	Psalm 61:5 (English Elpenor)
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency (מִשְּׂאֵת֨וֹ): they delight in lies (כָ֫זָ֥ב): they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.	They spend all their time planning how to bring their victim down (śᵊ’ēṯ, משׁאתו). They love to use deceit (kāzāḇ, כזב); they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)	But they planned to impugn my honor (τὴν τιμήν μου). They ran with a lie (ψεύδει); with their mouth they would bless and curse with their heart. Interlude on strings	They only took counsel to set at nought mine honour (τὴν τιμήν μου): I ran in thirst (δίψει): with their mouth they blessed, but with their heart they cursed. Pause.

The Greek verb ἔδραμον, They ran (NETS), I ran (English Elpenor), can be either a 3^rd person plural or a 1^st person singular form of τρέχω.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (Psalm 62:5 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:5 (NET)	Psalm 61:6 (NETS)	Psalm 61:6 (English Elpenor)
My soul, wait thou (דֹּ֣מִּי) only upon God; for my expectation (תִּקְוָתִֽי) is from him.	Patiently wait (dāmam, דומי) for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me hope (tiqvâ, תקותי).	But to God be subject (ὑποτάγηθι), O my soul, because from him is my endurance (ἡ ὑπομονή μου).	Nevertheless do thou, my soul, be subjected (ὑποτάγηθι) to God; for of him [is] my patient hope (ἡ ὑπομονή μου).

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. (Psalm 62:6 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:6 (NET)	Psalm 61:7 (NETS)	Psalm 61:7 (English Elpenor)
He only is my rock (צ֖וּרִי) and my salvation (וִישֽׁוּעָתִ֑י): he is my defence (מִ֜שְׂגַּבִּ֗י); I shall not be moved.	He alone is my protector (ṣûr, צורי) and deliverer (yᵊšûʿâ, וישועתי). He is my refuge (miśgāḇ, משׁגבי); I will not be shaken.	Because he is my God (θεός μου) and my Savior (καὶ σωτήρ μου), my supporter (ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου), I shall never be a fugitive.	For he [is] my God (Θεός μου) and my Saviour (καὶ σωτήρ μου); my helper (ἀντιλήπτωρ μου), I shall not be moved.

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. (Psalm 62:7 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:7 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:7 (NET)	Psalm 61:8 (NETS)	Psalm 61:8 (English Elpenor)
In God is my salvation (יִשְׁעִ֣י) and my glory (וּכְבוֹדִ֑י): the rock (צוּר) of my strength (עֻזִּ֥י), and my refuge (מַ֜חְסִ֗י), is in God.	God delivers me (yēšaʿ, ישעי) and exalts me (kāḇôḏ, וכבודי); God is my strong (ʿōz, עזי) protector (ṣûr, צור) and my shelter (maḥăsê, מחסי).	With God is my deliverance (τὸ σωτήριόν μου) and my glory (καὶ ἡ δόξα μου); O God (ὁ θεὸς) of my help (τῆς βοηθείας μου)—and my hope (καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς μου) is with God.	In God [is] my salvation (τὸ σωτήριόν μου) and my glory (καὶ ἡ δόξα μου): [he is] the God (ὁ Θεὸς) of my help (τῆς βοηθείας μου), and my hope (καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς μου) is in God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah (Psalm 62:8 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:8 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:8 (NET)	Psalm 61:9 (NETS)	Psalm 61:9 (English Elpenor)
Trust (בִּטְחוּ) in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge (מַֽחֲסֶה) for us. Selah.	Trust (bāṭaḥ, בטחו) in him at all times, you people! Pour out your hearts before him. God is our shelter (maḥăsê, מחסה). (Selah)	Hope (ἐλπίσατε) in him, all you congregation of people; pour out your hearts before him; God is our helper (βοηθὸς ἡμῶν). Interlude on Strings	Hope (ἐλπίσατε) in him, all ye congregation of the people; pour out your hearts before him, for God is our helper (βοηθὸς ἡμῶν). Pause.

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope (ἐλπίσατε, a form of ἐλπίζω) fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.⁴

Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. (Psalm 62:9 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:9 (NET)	Psalm 61:10 (NETS)	Psalm 61:10 (English Elpenor)
Surely men of low degree are vanity (הֶ֥בֶל), and men of high degree are a lie (כָּזָ֪ב): to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity (מֵהֶ֥בֶל).	Men are nothing but a mere breath (heḇel, הבל); human beings are unreliable (kāzāḇ, כזב). When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air (heḇel, מהבל).	But the sons of men are vain (μάταιοι); false (ψευδεῖς) are the sons of men, to do wrong with balances; they together are from vanity (ματαιότητος).	But the sons of men are vain (μάταιοι); the sons of men are false (ψευδεῖς), so as to be deceitful in the balances; they are all alike [formed] out of vanity (ματαιότητος).

Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. (Psalm 62:10 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:10 (NET)	Psalm 61:11 (NETS)	Psalm 61:11 (English Elpenor)
Trust (תִּבְטְח֣וּ) not in oppression, and become not vain (תֶּ֫הְבָּ֥לוּ) in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.	Do not trust (bāṭaḥ, תבטחו) in what you can gain by oppression. Do not put false confidence (hāḇal, תהבלו) in what you can gain by robbery. If wealth increases, do not become attached to it.	Put no hope (ἐλπίζετε) in wrong, and do not long (ἐπιποθεῖτε) for what is robbed; wealth, if it flows, do not add heart.	Trust (ἐλπίζετε) not in unrighteousness, and lust (ἐπιποθεῖτε) not after robberies: if wealth should flow in, set not your heart upon it.

Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, (Psalm 62:11 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:11 (NET)	Psalm 61:12, 13a (NETS)	Psalm 61:12 (English Elpenor)
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power (עֹ֜֗ז) belongeth unto God.	God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong (ʿōz, עז),	Once God spoke; these two things I heard: (13a) that might (τὸ κράτος) is God’s,	God has spoken once, [and] I have heard these two things, that power (τὸ κράτος) is of God;

and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work. (Psalm 62:12 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 62:12 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 62:12 (NET)	Psalm 61:13b (NETS)	Psalm 61:13 (English Elpenor)
Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy (חָ֑סֶד): for thou renderest (תְשַׁלֵּ֖ם) to every man according to his work [Table].	and you, O Lord, demonstrate loyal love (ḥeseḏ, חסד). For you repay (šālam, תשלם) men for what they do.	and to you, O Lord, belongs mercy (τὸ ἔλεος), because you will repay (ἀποδώσεις) to each according to his works [Table].	and mercy (τὸ ἔλεος) is thine, O Lord; for thou wilt recompense (ἀποδώσεις) every one according to his works.

Questions for Review and Discussion

What are the benefits and the liabilities of selecting texts for preaching that address personal or congregational concerns?

Preaching on passages that are of a particular meaning or interest to you is a great way to learn to expound texts. What excites or moves you is much more likely to elicit the passion from you that will enthuse and move others…

However, preachers who choose texts to address their personal concerns need to be cautioned in at least two ways. First, make sure you do not impose your concern on the text. Solid exposition should demonstrate that the passage really speaks to the issue you want to address and that your passion to address a particular subject has not abused the original author’s intent. Second, be aware that a ministry that too frequently addresses the preacher’s personal concerns can become too narrow in focus for the broader needs of a congregation. The pastor may end up riding hobby horses or unconsciously concentrating on personal struggles, thereby neglecting other important truths needed for a fully mature congregation.

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Concerns p. 45

Congregational concerns should also influence what pastors choose to preach. Preachers will be regarded as out of touch or insensitive if they press forward with their sermon programs while ignoring a community’s employment dilemma, the death of a pillar in the church, a national tragedy, a local disaster, a building program, a young person’s decision to enter the mission field, moral issues that the young encounter, health concerns that the elderly face, or a host of similar matters of significance in the life of the church. The world should not set the agenda for our preaching, but ministry that ignores the world that a congregation confronts is a sanctimonious sham.

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Concerns pp. 45, 46

A ministry can be as warped by lending too much of an ear to what people want to hear as it can by giving too much weight to what the preacher wants to preach (2 Tim 4:3).

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions [Table], and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. (2 Timothy 4:3, 4 ESV)

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Concerns pp. 46, 47

Different church traditions have used various means to round out the emphasis of preaching in a local setting…Reformed churches and others from “free church” traditions have typically rejected lectionary usage for a variety of reasons: (1) the principle of sola Scriptura, which some take to include the idea that Scripture alone should dictate what is preached; (2) the practice of lectio continua as opposed to lectio selecta, that is, presenting lessons from text in consecutive sequence (e.g., preaching through a book in a series, also known as “consecutive preaching”)¹² instead of choosing diverse selections week to week, since this was felt to lead to inappropriate human emphases; (3) the tradition of holding no day above another in reaction to Roman Catholic holy day observances that were seen as integral to sacramentalism; and (4) the regard given to the autonomy of the local pulpit on the assumption that the Holy Spirit will grant a local preacher unction (i.e., spiritual power) and insight for the task at hand.

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Concerns p. 47

The Holy Spirit. No catalyst for selecting a text is more important than sensitivity to the leading of God’s Spirit. Prayer with godly concern for the good of others and the glory of Christ should lead you through the choices you must make among the catalysts for selecting a sermon’s focus.²⁰ Preaching in the power of the Spirit is the culmination of a process that has been Spirit-led.

Catalysts: Contexts pp. 51, 52

What are benefits and cautions associated with preaching a series?

…significant benefits for a pastor preaching in sequence through a chapter or a book…

Matters in the text…address a greater number than…personal interest or experience.

Sensitive matters can be addressed without the appearance of pointing a finger…matters simply appear next in the text sequence…

Much mental energy [and time] can be saved…deciding what to preach…the next section of the text is the obvious choice.

Much research time can be saved…of the book’s or the passage’s author, background, context, and cause.

The congregation will learn to see the organizing themes and schemes of the Bible…

The congregation and the pastor can monitor the progress of both their journey through a book and their exposure to important biblical and doctrinal topics.

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Catalysts: Series p. 47, 48

Series preaching shows its greatest liabilities when preachers fail to make adequate or appropriate progress…

Series also cause problems if a preacher makes each sermon dependent on previous messages…

Series greatly aid a pastor’s preparation and subject scope. Still, series generally work best when their duration is reasonable, their sermons are not too dependent on one another, and their subjects or approaches differ from those of recent series.

Considerations for Selecting a Passage: Catalysts: Series p. 48, 49

What cautions does a preacher need to observe when approaching spurious texts?

Do not use spurious texts. Concern for what a congregation needs to hear should never lead a pastor to proclaim as authoritative any words or texts that the Holy Spirit did not inspire. Scribal comments and errors that have mistakenly been included in some translations should not be presented as the Word of God.²¹ Where there is the rare question about whether a particular passage is spurious, it is wise to see if that same truth can be preached from a more certain passage or to provide the congregation with your reasons for using the text (since the marginal notes in the most trustworthy translations in the laps or smartphones of listeners will question the passage’s authenticity).

Cautions p. 53

While this sounds like wise advice for pastors it plays right into the hands of those who would remove passages from the Bible. Those passages deemed “spurious” are possibly, if not probably, soon to be removed, even from the Greek text of the New Testament. Who decided they were spurious? For what reasons?

A brief video online, “Was the Original Bible Corrupted and Restored? | The Critical Text of the New Testament Explained,” offers an interesting introduction to answering these questions. The first 30 seconds or so is designed to make anyone who would question the processes of modern Bible scholarship feel like a rabid conspiracy theorist. But this kind of rhetoric only alerts and heightens my awareness to become even more critical of those processes. The Cross Bible Timeline mentioned in the video may prove to be a useful resource.

Psalm 62:9 (ESV)	Psalm 61:10 (English Elpenor)
Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.	But the sons of men are vain; the sons of men are false, so as to be deceitful in the balances; they are all alike [formed] out of vanity.

On the left is a translation from the Masoretic text, edited by those who rejected Jesus as Messiah “between the 7th and 10th centuries of the Common Era (CE).” On the right is a translation of the same verse from the Septuagint, “the earliest extant Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible from the original Hebrew…Biblical scholars agree that the first five books of the Hebrew Bible were translated from Biblical Hebrew into Koine Greek by Jews living in the Ptolemaic Kingdom, probably in the early or middle part of the third century BCE.^[8] The remaining books were presumably translated in the 2nd century BCE.”

Men edit and translate the Bible. I like to compare the Masoretic text to the Septuagint, and NA²⁷ and NA²⁸ to the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text. There are other texts and translations available to consider if necessary.

Matthew 6:13 (NET) Table	Matthew 6:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:13 (NA²⁸)
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.	καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ	καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ
Matthew 6:13 (KJV)	Matthew 6:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.	και μη εισενεγκης ημας εις πειρασμον αλλα ρυσαι ημας απο του πονηρου οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια και η δυναμις και η δοξα εις τους αιωνας αμην	και μη εισενεγκης ημας εις πειρασμον αλλα ρυσαι ημας απο του πονηρου οτι σου εστιν η βασιλεια και η δυναμις και η δοξα εις τους αιωνας αμην

Faith that the Holy Spirit knew what he was doing when he inspired the Word without the spurious texts will keep us confident of Scripture’s sufficiency. We can help the people to whom we preach remain confident of the Bible’s authority by reminding them how rare such questions are when they do arise in the ordinary course of preaching. Bible-believing scholars question the textual validity of less than one word in a thousand in our best translations.²² As a result, there is little question concerning what statements appeared in the original manuscripts. The evangelical debate with modern theologies rarely concentrates on what Scripture actually says, but rather on whether to believe and obey what it says. The Holy Spirit’s inspiration and providential preservation of Scripture are continuing miracles of God’s supernatural care for our souls.²³ A good study Bible prepared by scholars who accept the Bible’s full authority will give us ample warning of a questionable text and will grant us confidence that we are preaching in accord with the Spirit’s imprimatur.²⁴

Cautions pp. 53, 54

The note (20) from the NET on Matthew 6:13 follows:

Most mss (L W Δ Θ 0233 ƒ 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M sy sa Didache) read (though some with slight variation) ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν (“for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen”) here. The reading without this sentence, though, is attested by generally better witnesses (א B D Z 0170 ƒ lat mae Or). The phrase was probably composed for the liturgy of the early church and most likely was based on 1 Chr 29:11-13; a scribe probably added the phrase at this point in the text for use in public scripture reading (see TCGNT 13-14). Both external and internal evidence argue for the shorter reading.

In other words, “Trust us.” There is no mention of an extant manuscript with these missing words in the margin, just a lot of speculation. And I know the benefit of praying them daily. Keep a watchful eye on Bible editors. We live in the golden age of home Bible study online: “The Holy Spirit’s inspiration and providential preservation of Scripture are continuing miracles of God’s supernatural care for our souls.”

Why should a preacher be cautious about turning to a commentary as a first step in sermon preparation?

The expertise that commentaries bring to bear on a particular passage is at one moment their greatest benefit and their greatest danger. The mixed blessing is in the two types of pastors who will never make great preachers: the first will not listen to what others say; the other will say only what others say. A preacher who refuses to pay attention to what gifted scholars have discovered mistakes personal arrogance for erudition. God does not give all his insights to any one person. At the same time, a preacher who only repeats what commentators say is trying to preach by proxy.

You must think through what Scripture says in order to be able to share the significance of commentary information…

Commentaries are better used as a check than as a guide³²…

Let the Holy Spirit work in your heart and mind to develop a message a commentator would approve, not design. Concern for precision should not so overwhelm you as to deny you or your listeners the insights God will grant you in his Word.

Tools for Interpreting a Passage pp. 57, 58

How does an allegorical method of interpretation differ from an expository method?

Expository preaching solemnly binds a preacher to the task of representing the precise meaning of a text as intended by the original author or as illuminated by another inspired source within the Bible. As matter-of-fact as such a rubric may seem, homiletical history indicates how slippery such a standard is and how carefully it must be guarded.

Early church and medieval escapades into allegorical interpretations led ancient preachers to the conviction that the “literal interpretation” of a text was the least rewarding to preach.³⁵

Principles for Interpreting a Passage pp. 59

Then one⁵ of them, named⁶ Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to⁷ Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said⁸ to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this,⁹ it is now¹⁰ the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,¹¹ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself [Table]. (Luke 24:18-27 ESV)

This was as often as not an allegorical method of interpretation, for that is how we see Jesus in the Old Testament most of the time. But the reaction of those first exposed to this method of interpretation reinforces the author’s point (Luke 24:32 ESV):

They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” [Table]

I am hard-pressed to think of another verse in the Bible more frustrating than this one. I’ve yelled at them for this response: “Who cares how you felt?! Tell me what He said!” So my argument with the author here is mostly over the word “escapades” applied to the early church.

Up to this moment the Pharisees with their own grammatical-historical method had carefully exegeted the principles by which they hoped to keep the faithful in Israel from offending their God: “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”¹² That was expository preaching until Jesus came, saying: You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me [Table], yet you refuse to come to me that you may have¹³ life.¹⁴

I can be a little charitable if the early church found the Pharisees’ expository method to be more like the letter and Jesus’ more allegorical method to be more of the Spirit: For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.¹⁵

Modern resurrections of the allegorical method regularly occur when preachers assume that the Holy Spirit will enable them to discern in a text something more than was meant by the human author (or than the divine Author made evident within the canon of Scripture).³⁶ Preachers’ interpretations remain consistent with Scripture when they follow long-honored and proven interpretive procedures that expose the Bible’s original intent. That intent is not always limited to the human author’s knowledge of all that the Holy Spirit was revealing through his inspiration, but it is not broader than the Holy Spirit’s intention that is revealed within the patterns of Scripture as well as in the propositional statements of the human writers (cf. Matt. 2:15; 1 Pet. 1:10).³⁷

Principles for Interpreting a Passage pp. 59, 60

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”¹⁶ (Matthew 2:13-15 ESV)

Though you have not seen¹⁷ [Jesus], you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully [Table], inquiring¹⁸ what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look [Table]. (1 Peter 1:8-12 ESV)

But nothing other than what the patterns or propositions of Scripture make evident through the processes of logical discernment should be declared as God’s will for his people.

These interpretive principles require that preachers consider the context that frames the meaning of our expository unit. Context is part of the text, as it relates to our exposition. Context limits and imparts an author’s intended meaning. We cannot maintain the integrity of any biblical statement without considering its surroundings. The reason that “every heretic has his verse” is that he takes it out of context. Our first task as expositors is to use the best tools available to determine what a biblical author’s statements mean in their context.³⁸

Principles for Interpreting a Passage p. 60

In a recent sermon my Pastor (the facilitator of this course and a former student of the author) gave a vivid demonstration of the interplay between the allegorical and expository methods. His text was Genesis 12:1-3. As a climax to an otherwise expository sermon, he simply reread the text as God the Father speaking to God the Son: “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you [Table]. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing [Table]. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” [Table].

It was an allegorical reading of Genesis 12:1-3, and it was an electrically charged in the heavenlies moment, the spiritual equivalent of a dose of psychedelics. Who wouldn’t want more of that? Well, it is the spiritual equivalent of a dose of psychedelics.

The grounding of the expository method is absolutely essential to keep the consciousness-altering high of such an allegorical reading from spinning off into flights of fancy. It also helps to keep one’s hunger and thirst—to know…the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom [He has] sent¹⁹ through Bible study—a more balanced and healthy addiction than a junkie’s quest for ever higher highs. The expository method also provides a more solid foundation, like a launching pad for the allegorical method’s flight, as well as a navigational system guiding its trajectory. How sad it would have been if my Pastor’s allegorical reading had been a dud, a misfire, failed to lift-off and carry me aloft with it. And it’s not too hard to imagine that a steady diet of allegorical readings of the Old Testament, seeing Jesus, only Jesus, always Jesus all the time, apart from the grounding of solid exposition could have a dulling effect on the beauty and the wonder. It could become just so much “blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

In what ways can context (cultural, historical, literary, and redemptive) affect the interpretation of a text?

Our task as preachers is to discern what the original writers meant by analyzing the background and grammatical features of what they said. Using grammar and history to discern a text’s original meaning is called the “grammatical-historical” method.⁴⁰ This method allows Scripture to speak for itself instead of letting the interpreter’s context (or perspective) determine the meaning of a text. Sometimes the interpreter’s perspective does not seem like a problem if that person is committed to the historical truths of biblical faith. In such cases, we may hardly blink when told that the water from the rock Moses struck represents the water of baptism or that the worm at which Jonah railed is the sin that eats at a believer’s heart. Despite the absence of biblical evidence confirming these interpretations, they sound reasonable because they reflect biblical imagery and truths appearing elsewhere.

Use the Grammatical-Historical Method p. 61

For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized (|ἐβαπτίσαντο|, a form of βαπτίζω) into Moses in the cloud and in the sea [Table], and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4 ESV)

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit [Table], in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ [Table], who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV)

However, if anything in Scripture can mean whatever our imaginations suggest rather than what Scripture affirms, then our opinions become as authoritative as the statements of God and we can make the Bible say anything we want…

Occasionally, there may be a thin line between “it means” and “it may mean,” but biblically bound preachers must recognize the difference…

Nothing but what Scripture itself attests should ground the instruction of our preaching. Expository preachers determine the biblical truths intended for the people addressed by a text and then identify similarities in our present conditions that require the application of the same truths. This means applications may vary, but interpretations of a text’s core principles should not.

The meaning of a text may be significant in many ways, but this does not deny that the writer was teaching a definite principle for our understanding and application.

Use the Grammatical-Historical Method p. 61, 62

Accurate interpretations require us not only to determine what particular words say but also to see how they function in their broader contexts. Scripture can be twisted to say almost anything if interpreters ignore contexts. Attention to historical and cultural contexts help to explain the “offense” of the cross (Gal. 5:11) and the reason healed lepers went to the temple before they went home (Luke 17:14).

But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense (σκάνδαλον) of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! (Galatians 5:11, 12 ESV)

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified [Table]. (Galatians 2:15, 16 ESV)

When [Jesus] saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. (Luke 17:14 ESV)

And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses²⁰ commanded, for a proof to them.” (Luke 5:14 ESV)

We determine literary contexts both by analyzing the concepts that surround a biblical statement and by identifying the type of literature in which the statement occurs.

Preachers should examine what chapters and verses surrounding a passage say in order to determine what a biblical writer intended to communicate through particular words.

Observe the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Context p. 62

Study of a passage’s context also requires preachers to identify the genre, or type of literature, in which a biblical statement occurs. Many an error has been made by interpreting proverbs as promises, prophecy as history, parables as facts, and poetry as science.

For example, proverbs are truisms, statements so tending to be true that the wise take them to heart…statements tend to be true, but neither is always true. Proverbs are prescriptive, not predictive. God requires his people to heed his proverbs, not to interpret them as promises of what will always happen.

Observe the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Context pp. 62, 63

Preachers determine the meaning of a passage by seeing not only how words are used in the context of a book or its passages but also how the passage functions in the entire scope of Scripture. An accurate interpretation requires preachers to ask, How does this text help disclose the meaning or need of redemption? Failure to ask and to answer such questions leads to preaching that is highly moralistic or legalistic because it focuses on the behaviors or beliefs a particular passage teaches without disclosing how the biblical writer was relating them to God’s ongoing work of rescuing his people from their broken lives and world.⁴²

Determine the Redemptive Context p. 63

Regard for context requires preachers to consider a text in the light of its purpose in the redemptive message that unfolds throughout all of Scripture…

We want to make sure that focusing on the particulars of a specific text does not cause us to neglect the redemptive context of God’s entire Word.

Determine the Redemptive Context p. 64

Exercises

Use research tools to determine what Greek word John and James use for “believe” in John 3:16 and James 2:19. Indicate the various ways in which they use the word.

Although John and James both use the word believe, contexts indicate that they are communicating quite different concepts with that word (cf. John 3:16; James 2:19).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes (πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων, a form of πιστεύω) in him (εἰς αὐτὸν) should not perish but have eternal life [Table]. (John 3:16 ESV)

You believe (πιστεύεις, another form of πιστεύω) that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe (πιστεύουσιν, another form of πιστεύω)—and shudder! (James 2:19 ESV)

Observe the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Context p. 62

I can’t see these as “different concepts” of πιστεύω. James wrote about believing an Old Testament fact about God: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.²¹ To believe in a fact cannot be expected to have the same impact as to believe “into” or “unto” the Person of the Savior God sent. Granted, someone might think that other things James wrote could shade his use of πιστεύω. My own current belief is that he simply qualified the nature of πιστεύω into Jesus Christ. Believing in the fact of Jesus Christ may not have the same impact as believing into Him, except (John 1:12, 13 ESV):

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right (αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν, a form of ἐξουσία) to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

The phrase τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, who believed in his name (ESV), could be giving the Lord the widest possible latitude and discretion, even as it excludes James or me from judging his mercy or his grace.

Use your understanding of a proverb to explain Proverbs 15:1 and Proverbs 26:4-5.

Though the Bible says that a gentle word turns away wrath (Prov. 15:1), God does not promise that people will never get angry at us if we always speak softly. He indicates that it is usually not wise for peacefully inclined people to answer fire with fire, but he does not promise that soft answers are guaranteed to extinguish the rage of others (see Matt. 26:62-68). Great damage is done to the intent of Scripture as well as to the consciences of Christians when preachers confuse these distinctions between promises and proverbs.

Observe the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Context pp. 63

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 ESV)

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 15:1 (Tanakh/KJV)	Proverbs 15:1 (NET)	Proverbs 15:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:1 (English Elpenor)
A soft (רַ֖ךְ) answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.	A gentle (raḵ, רך) response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.	Anger destroys even the prudent; yet a submissive (ὑποπίπτουσα) answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.	Anger slays even wise men; yet a submissive (ὑποπίπτουσα) answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger.

The Septuagint adds some context to this proverb: Anger slays even wise men.²² It reminds me of David and Abigail. Perhaps, more to the point, one might consider it when facing the anger of God. The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text translated soft (Tanakh, KJV) and gentle (NET) was רַ֖ךְ (raḵ). The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it as ὑποπίπτουσα, a participle of ὑποπίπτω: “to fall; to occur, materialize, arise; to fall defeated; to fall under (a category); to fall within (a classification); to belong to; to cringe; to happen to, befall; to come to the notice of.” Abigail seems to have done all of this in her response to David’s threat (1 Samuel 25:14-38).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 26:4, 5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Proverbs 26:4, 5 (NET)	Proverbs 26:4, 5 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
Answer not a fool (כְּ֖סִיל) according to his folly (כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ), lest thou also be like unto him.	Do not answer a fool (kᵊsîl, כסיל) according to his folly (‘iûeleṯ, כאולתו), lest you yourself also be like him.	Do not answer a fool (ἄφρονι) in accordance with (πρὸς) his folly (ἀφροσύνην), lest you become like him.	Answer not a fool (ἄφρονι) according to (πρὸς) his folly (ἀφροσύνην), lest thou become like him.
Answer a fool (כְ֖סִיל) according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.	Answer a fool (kᵊsîl, כסיל) according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own opinion.	But answer a fool (ἄφρονι) according to (κατὰ) his folly, lest he appear to be wise to himself.	Yet answer a fool (ἄφρονι) according to (κατὰ) his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.

The rabbis who translated the Septuagint used a different preposition in each verse: πρὸς, in accordance with (NETS), according to (English Elpenor); κατὰ, according to (NETS, English Elpenor). It was a subtilty all but lost in English translation. Still, the second clause can give us understanding: lest thou also be like unto him (Tanakh, KJV), lest you yourself also be like him (NET), lest you become like him (NETS, English Elpenor).

The words translated folly were כְּאִוַּלְתּ֑וֹ (‘iûeleṯ) in the Masoretic text and ἀφροσύνην (a form of ἀφροσύνη) in the Septuagint. Jesus listed ἀφροσύνη as one of the things that defile a person (Mark 7:20-23 ESV):

And [Jesus] said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness (ἀφροσύνη) [Table]. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

In other words, if I answer a fool according to his folly simply to defend myself from his foolish accusations, I’m likely to become like him, defiling myself verbalizing my own foolishness. Here is another proverb about a fool and his foolishness.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 26:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Proverbs 26:11 (NET)	Proverbs 26:11 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:11 (English Elpenor)
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool (כְּ֜סִ֗יל) returneth to his folly (בְאִוַּלְתּֽוֹ).	Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool (kᵊsîl, כסיל) repeats his folly (‘iûeleṯ, באולתו).	Like a dog, when he returns to his vomit, also becomes the more hated, so is a fool (ἄφρων), when by his own wickedness, he returns to his own sin (ἁμαρτίαν).	As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool (ἄφρων) who returns in his wickedness to his own sin (ἁμαρτίαν).

If my intent were to show compassion to a fool trapped in his folly, his own sin, then I would answer him, but how?

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Proverbs 26:3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Proverbs 26:3 (NET)	Proverbs 26:3 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:3 (English Elpenor)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod (וְ֜שֵׁ֗בֶט) for the fool’s (כְּסִילִֽים) back.	A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod (šēḇeṭ, ושבט) for the backs of fools (kᵊsîl, כסילים)!	Like a whip for a horse and a goad for a donkey, so is the rod (ῥάβδος) for a lawless (παρανόμῳ) nation (ἔθνει).	As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod (ῥάβδος) for a simple (παρανόμῳ) nation (ἔθνει).

I was shocked the first time I heard Paul distinguish between a rod and love: What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod (ράβδῳ, a form of ῥάβδος), or with love (ἐν ἀγάπῃ) in a spirit of gentleness?²³ But Peter wrote about a different way to answer fools: For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish (ἀφρόνων, another form of ἄφρων) people.²⁴

Whether beaten with a rod or silenced by followers of Jesus doing good, the Elpenor version of the Septuagint held out some hope for the foolish.

Proverbs 26:11a (Septuagint Elpenor)	Proverbs 26:11a (NETS)	Proverbs 26:11a (English Elpenor)
ἔστιν αἰσχύνη ἐπάγουσα ἁμαρτίαν, καί ἐστιν αἰσχύνη δόξα καὶ χάρις	There is a sense of shame that leads to sin, and there is a sense of shame that is glory and grace.	There is a shame that brings sin: and there is a shame [that is] glory and grace.

These words are absent from the Masoretic text and the BLB Septuagint.

Use context to determine who the “weak” are in Romans 15.

Without reading Romans 14 for its conceptual context, you are likely to determine that those called “weak” in Romans 15 are precisely the opposite of what Paul intended.

Observe the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Context p. 62

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and²⁵ let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand [Table]. (Romans 14:1-4 ESV)

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself,²⁶ but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For²⁷ if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus²⁸ serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.²⁹ The faith that you have, keep between yourself³⁰ and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:13-23 ESV)

Tables comparing Psalm 62:1; 62:2; Exodus 17:5; 17:6; Psalm 62:3; 62:4; 62:5; 62:6; 62:7; 62:8; 62:9; 62:10; 62:11; Proverbs 15:1; 26:4; 26:5; 26:11 and 26:3 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 62:1 (61:2); 62:2 (61:3); Exodus 17:5; 17:6; Psalm 62:3 (61:4); 62:4 (61:5); 62:5 (61:6); 62:6 (61:7); 62:7 (61:8); 62:8 (61:9); 62:9 (61:10); 62:10 (61:11); 62:11 (61:12); Proverbs 15:1; 26:4; 26:5; 26:11 and 26:3 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 24:18, 19; 24:21, 22; 1 Peter 1:8; 1:11; Romans 14:3; 14:14, 15; 14:18 and 14:21, 22 in the KJV and NET follow.

Psalm 62:1 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:1 (KJV)	Psalm 62:1 (NET)
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.	Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.	For God alone I patiently wait; he is the one who delivers me.

Psalm 62:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐχὶ τῷ θεῷ ὑποταγήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γὰρ τὸ σωτήριόν μου	ΟΥΧΙ τῷ Θεῷ ὑποταγήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου; παρ᾿ αὐτῷ γὰρ τὸ σωτήριόν μου
Psalm 61:2 (NETS)	Psalm 61:2 (English Elpenor)
Shall not my soul be subject to God? For from him is my deliverance.	Shall not my soul be subjected to God? for of him is my salvation.

Psalm 62:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:2 (KJV)	Psalm 62:2 (NET)
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.	He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.	He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended.

Psalm 62:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς θεός μου καὶ σωτήρ μου ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον	καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸς Θεός μου καὶ σωτήρ μου, καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ μου, οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον
Psalm 61:3 (NETS)	Psalm 61:3 (English Elpenor)
Indeed, he is my God and my Savior, my supporter; I shall be shaken no more.	For he is my God, and my saviour; my helper, I shall not be moved very much.

Exodus 17:5 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:5 (KJV)	Exodus 17:5 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses: ‘Pass on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thy hand, and go.	And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.	The Lord said to Moses, “Go over before the people; take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand your staff with which you struck the Nile and go.

Exodus 17:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν προπορεύου τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου λαβὲ δὲ μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον ἐν ᾗ ἐπάταξας τὸν ποταμόν λαβὲ ἐν τῇ χειρί σου καὶ πορεύσῃ	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν· προπορεύου τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, λαβὲ δὲ σεαυτῷ ἀπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ· καὶ τὴν ράβδον, ἐν ᾗ ἐπάταξας τὸν ποταμόν, λαβὲ ἐν τῇ χειρί σου καὶ πορεύσῃ
Exodus 17:5 (NETS)	Exodus 17:5 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Moyses, “Go on ahead of this people, but take with you some of the elders of the people and the rod with which you struck the river take in your hand, and go.	And the Lord said to Moses, Go before this people, and take to thyself of the elders of the people; and the rod with which thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and thou shalt go.

Exodus 17:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 17:6 (KJV)	Exodus 17:6 (NET)
Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.	Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.	I will be standing before you there on the rock (τῆς πέτρας) in Horeb, and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.

Exodus 17:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 17:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅδε ἐγὼ ἕστηκα πρὸ τοῦ σὲ ἐκεῖ ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας ἐν Χωρηβ καὶ πατάξεις τὴν πέτραν καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐξ αὐτῆς ὕδωρ καὶ πίεται ὁ λαός μου ἐποίησεν δὲ Μωυσῆς οὕτως ἐναντίον τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ	ὅδε ἐγὼ ἕστηκα ἐκεῖ πρὸ τοῦ σε ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας ἐν Χωρήβ· καὶ πατάξεις τὴν πέτραν, καὶ ἐξελεύσεται ἐξ αὐτῆς ὕδωρ, καὶ πίεται ὁ λαός. ἐποίησε δὲ Μωυσῆς οὕτως ἐναντίον τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ
Exodus 17:6 (NETS)	Exodus 17:6 (English Elpenor)
I here have taken my stand, before you came, on the rock at Choreb. And you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moyses did so before the sons of Israel.	Behold, I stand there before thou [come], on the rock in Choreb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and water shall come out from it, and the people shall drink. And Moses did so before the sons of Israel.

Psalm 62:3 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:3 (KJV)	Psalm 62:3 (NET)
How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.	How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.	How long will you threaten a man like me? All of you are murderers, as dangerous as a leaning wall or an unstable fence.

Psalm 62:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἕως πότε ἐπιτίθεσθε ἐπ᾽ ἄνθρωπον φονεύετε πάντες ὡς τοίχῳ κεκλιμένῳ καὶ φραγμῷ ὠσμένῳ	ἕως πότε ἐπιτίθεσθε ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον; φονεύετε πάντες ὡς τοίχῳ κεκλιμένῳ καὶ φραγμῷ ὠσμένῳ
Psalm 61:4 (NETS)	Psalm 61:4 (English Elpenor)
How long do you assail against a person? You commit murder, all of you, as by means of a wall that leans and a fence that slants.	How long will ye assault a man? ye are all slaughtering as with a bowed wall and a broken hedge.

Psalm 62:4 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:4 (KJV)	Psalm 62:4 (NET)
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.	They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.	They spend all their time planning how to bring their victim down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)

Psalm 62:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν τὴν τιμήν μου ἐβουλεύσαντο ἀπώσασθαι ἔδραμον ἐν ψεύδει τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλογοῦσαν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο διάψαλμα	πλὴν τὴν τιμήν μου ἐβουλεύσαντο ἀπώσασθαι, ἔδραμον ἐν δίψει, τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν εὐλόγουν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν κατηρῶντο. (διάψαλμα).
Psalm 61:5 (NETS)	Psalm 61:5 (English Elpenor)
But they planned to impugn my honor. They ran with a lie; with their mouth they would bless and curse with their heart. Interlude on strings	They only took counsel to set at nought mine honour: I ran in thirst: with their mouth they blessed, but with their heart they cursed. Pause.

Psalm 62:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:5 (KJV)	Psalm 62:5 (NET)
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.	My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.	Patiently wait for God alone, my soul! For he is the one who gives me hope.

Psalm 62:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν τῷ θεῷ ὑποτάγηθι ἡ ψυχή μου ὅτι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἡ ὑπομονή μου	πλὴν τῷ Θεῷ ὑποτάγηθι, ἡ ψυχή μου, ὅτι παρ᾿ αὐτῷ ἡ ὑπομονή μου
Psalm 61:6 (NETS)	Psalm 61:6 (English Elpenor)
But to God be subject, O my soul, because from him is my endurance.	Nevertheless do thou, my soul, be subjected to God; for of him [is] my patient hope.

Psalm 62:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:6 (KJV)	Psalm 62:6 (NET)
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.	He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.	He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι αὐτὸς θεός μου καὶ σωτήρ μου ἀντιλήμπτωρ μου οὐ μὴ μεταναστεύσω	ὅτι αὐτὸς Θεός μου καὶ σωτήρ μου, ἀντιλήπτωρ μου, οὐ μὴ μεταναστεύσω
Psalm 61:7 (NETS)	Psalm 61:7 (English Elpenor)
Because he is my God and my Savior, my supporter, I shall never be a fugitive.	For he [is] my God and my Saviour; my helper, I shall not be moved.

Psalm 62:7 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:7 (KJV)	Psalm 62:7 (NET)
In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.	In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.	God delivers me and exalts me; God is my strong protector and my shelter.

Psalm 62:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ τὸ σωτήριόν μου καὶ ἡ δόξα μου ὁ θεὸς τῆς βοηθείας μου καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς μου ἐπὶ τῷ θεῷ	ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ σωτήριόν μου καὶ ἡ δόξα μου· ὁ Θεὸς τῆς βοηθείας μου, καὶ ἡ ἐλπίς μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ
Psalm 61:8 (NETS)	Psalm 61:8 (English Elpenor)
With God is my deliverance and my glory; O God of my help—and my hope is with God.	In God [is] my salvation and my glory: [he is] the God of my help, and my hope is in God.

Psalm 62:8 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:8 (KJV)	Psalm 62:8 (NET)
Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.	Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.	Trust in him at all times, you people! Pour out your hearts before him. God is our shelter. (Selah)

Psalm 62:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐλπίσατε ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ λαοῦ ἐκχέετε ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν ὁ θεὸς βοηθὸς ἡμῶν διάψαλμα	ἐλπίσατε ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν πᾶσα συναγωγὴ λαοῦ· ἐκχέετε ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς βοηθὸς ἡμῶν (διάψαλμα)
Psalm 61:9 (NETS)	Psalm 61:9 (English Elpenor)
Hope in him, all you congregation of people; pour out your hearts before him; God is our helper. Interlude on Strings	Hope in him, all ye congregation of the people; pour out your hearts before him, for God is our helper. Pause.

Psalm 62:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:9 (KJV)	Psalm 62:9 (NET)
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.	Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.	Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air.

Psalm 62:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψευδεῖς οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν ζυγοῖς τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι αὐτοὶ ἐκ ματαιότητος ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό	πλὴν μάταιοι οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ψευδεῖς οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐν ζυγοῖς τοῦ ἀδικῆσαι αὐτοὶ ἐκ ματαιότητος ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό
Psalm 61:10 (NETS)	Psalm 61:10 (English Elpenor)
But the sons of men are vain; false are the sons of men, to do wrong with balances; they together are from vanity.	But the sons of men are vain; the sons of men are false, so as to be deceitful in the balances; they are all alike [formed] out of vanity.

Psalm 62:10 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:10 (KJV)	Psalm 62:10 (NET)
Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.	Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.	Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression. Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery. If wealth increases, do not become attached to it.

Psalm 62:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐλπίζετε ἐπὶ ἀδικίαν καὶ ἐπὶ ἅρπαγμα μὴ ἐπιποθεῖτε πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίαν	μὴ ἐλπίζετε ἐπ᾿ ἀδικίαν καὶ ἐπὶ ἁρπάγματα μὴ ἐπιποθεῖτε· πλοῦτος ἐὰν ῥέῃ, μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίαν
Psalm 61:11 (NETS)	Psalm 61:11 (English Elpenor)
Put no hope in wrong, and do not long for what is robbed; wealth, if it flows, do not add heart.	Trust not in unrighteousness, and lust not after robberies: if wealth should flow in, set not your heart upon it.

Psalm 62:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 62:11 (KJV)	Psalm 62:11 (NET)
God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.	God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.	God has declared one principle; two principles I have heard: God is strong,

Psalm 62:11, 12a (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 61:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅπαξ ἐλάλησεν ὁ θεός δύο ταῦτα ἤκουσα (12) ὅτι τὸ κράτος τοῦ θεοῦ	ἅπαξ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Θεός, δύο ταῦτα ἤκουσα, ὅτι τὸ κράτος τοῦ Θεοῦ,
Psalm 61:12, 13a (NETS)	Psalm 61:12 (English Elpenor)
Once God spoke; these two things I heard: (13) that might is God’s,	God has spoken once, [and] I have heard these two things, that power is of God;

Proverbs 15:1 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 15:1 (KJV)	Proverbs 15:1 (NET)
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.	A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.	A gentle response turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.

Proverbs 15:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὀργὴ ἀπόλλυσιν καὶ φρονίμους ἀπόκρισις δὲ ὑποπίπτουσα ἀποστρέφει θυμόν λόγος δὲ λυπηρὸς ἐγείρει ὀργάς	ΟΡΓΗ ἀπόλλυσι καὶ φρονίμους, ἀπόκρισις δὲ ὑποπίπτουσα ἀποστρέφει θυμόν, λόγος δὲ λυπηρὸς ἐγείρει ὀργάς
Proverbs 15:1 (NETS)	Proverbs 15:1 (English Elpenor)
Anger destroys even the prudent; yet a submissive answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.	Anger slays even wise men; yet a submissive answer turns away wrath: but a grievous word stirs up anger.

Proverbs 26:4 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 26:4 (KJV)	Proverbs 26:4 (NET)
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.	Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.	Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you yourself also be like him.

Proverbs 26:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 26:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου ἀφροσύνην ἵνα μὴ ὅμοιος γένῃ αὐτῷ	μὴ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου ἀφροσύνην, ἵνα μὴ ὅμοιος γένῃ αὐτῷ
Proverbs 26:4 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:4 (English Elpenor)
Do not answer a fool in accordance with his folly, lest you become like him.	Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou become like him.

Proverbs 26:5 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 26:5 (KJV)	Proverbs 26:5 (NET)
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.	Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.	Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own opinion.

Proverbs 26:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 26:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ ἵνα μὴ φαίνηται σοφὸς παρ᾽ ἑαυτῷ	ἀλλὰ ἀποκρίνου ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ φαίνηται σοφός παρ᾿ ἑαυτῷ
Proverbs 26:5 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:5 (English Elpenor)
But answer a fool according to his folly, lest he appear to be wise to himself.	Yet answer a fool according to his folly, lest he seem wise in his own conceit.

Proverbs 26:11 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 26:11 (KJV)	Proverbs 26:11 (NET)
As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.	As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.	Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Proverbs 26:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 26:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὥσπερ κύων ὅταν ἐπέλθῃ ἐπὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἔμετον καὶ μισητὸς γένηται οὕτως ἄφρων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κακίᾳ ἀναστρέψας ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίαν	ὥσπερ κύων ὅταν ἐπέλθῃ ἐπὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἔμετον καὶ μισητὸς γένηται, οὕτως ἄφρων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ κακίᾳ ἀναστρέψας ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίαν
Proverbs 26:11 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:11 (English Elpenor)
Like a dog, when he returns to his vomit, also becomes the more hated, so is a fool, when by his own wickedness, he returns to his own sin.	As when a dog goes to his own vomit, and becomes abominable, so is fool who returns in his wickedness to his own sin.

Proverbs 26:3 (Tanakh)	Proverbs 26:3 (KJV)	Proverbs 26:3 (NET)
A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.	A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool’s back.	A whip for the horse and a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the backs of fools!

Proverbs 26:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Proverbs 26:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὥσπερ μάστιξ ἵππῳ καὶ κέντρον ὄνῳ οὕτως ῥάβδος ἔθνει παρανόμῳ	ὥσπερ μάστιξ ἵππῳ καὶ κέντρον ὄνῳ, οὕτως ῥάβδος ἔθνει παρανόμῳ
Proverbs 26:3 (NETS)	Proverbs 26:3 (English Elpenor)
Like a whip for a horse and a goad for a donkey, so is the rod for a lawless nation.	As a whip for a horse, and a goad for an ass, so [is] a rod for a simple nation.

Luke 24:18, 19 (NET)	Luke 24:18, 19 (KJV)
Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in these days?”	And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

Luke 24:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 24:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 24:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἷς ὀνόματι Κλεοπᾶς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· σὺ μόνος παροικεῖς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ οὐκ ἔγνως τὰ γενόμενα ἐν αὐτῇ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις	αποκριθεις δε ο εις ω ονομα κλεοπας ειπεν προς αυτον συ μονος παροικεις εν ιερουσαλημ και ουκ εγνως τα γενομενα εν αυτη εν ταις ημεραις ταυταις	αποκριθεις δε ο εις ω ονομα κλεοπας ειπεν προς αυτον συ μονος παροικεις ιερουσαλημ και ουκ εγνως τα γενομενα εν αυτη εν ταις ημεραις ταυταις

He said to them, “What things?” “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied, “a man who, with his powerful deeds and words, proved to be a prophet before God and all the people;

And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

Luke 24:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 24:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 24:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ποῖα; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· τὰ περὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναζαρηνοῦ, ὃς ἐγένετο ἀνὴρ προφήτης δυνατὸς ἐν ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ	και ειπεν αυτοις ποια οι δε ειπον αυτω τα περι ιησου του ναζωραιου ος εγενετο ανηρ προφητης δυνατος εν εργω και λογω εναντιον του θεου και παντος του λαου	και ειπεν αυτοις ποια οι δε ειπον αυτω τα περι ιησου του ναζωραιου ος εγενετο ανηρ προφητης δυνατος εν εργω και λογω εναντιον του θεου και παντος του λαου

Luke 24:21, 22 (NET)	Luke 24:21, 22 (KJV)
But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Not only this, but it is now the third day since these things happened.	But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Luke 24:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 24:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 24:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡμεῖς δὲ ἠλπίζομεν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ μέλλων λυτροῦσθαι τὸν Ἰσραήλ· ἀλλά γε καὶ σὺν πᾶσιν τούτοις τρίτην ταύτην ἡμέραν ἄγει ἀφ᾿ οὗ ταῦτα ἐγένετο	ημεις δε ηλπιζομεν οτι αυτος εστιν ο μελλων λυτρουσθαι τον ισραηλ αλλα γε συν πασιν τουτοις τριτην ταυτην ημεραν αγει σημερον αφ ου ταυτα εγενετο	ημεις δε ηλπιζομεν οτι αυτος εστιν ο μελλων λυτρουσθαι τον ισραηλ αλλα γε συν πασιν τουτοις τριτην ταυτην ημεραν αγει σημερον αφ ου ταυτα εγενετο

Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early this morning,

Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

Luke 24:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 24:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 24:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκες τινες ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐξέστησαν ἡμᾶς, γενόμεναι ὀρθριναὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον	αλλα και γυναικες τινες εξ ημων εξεστησαν ημας γενομεναι ορθριαι επι το μνημειον	αλλα και γυναικες τινες εξ ημων εξεστησαν ημας γενομεναι ορθριαι επι το μνημειον

1 Peter 1:8 (NET)	1 Peter 1:8 (KJV)
You have not seen him, but you love him. You do not see him now but you believe in him, and so you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,	Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1 Peter 1:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃν οὐκ ἰδόντες ἀγαπᾶτε, εἰς ὃν ἄρτι μὴ ὁρῶντες πιστεύοντες δὲ \|ἀγαλλιᾶσθε\| χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ καὶ δεδοξασμένῃ	ον ουκ ειδοτες αγαπατε εις ον αρτι μη ορωντες πιστευοντες δε αγαλλιασθε χαρα ανεκλαλητω και δεδοξασμενη	ον ουκ ειδοτες αγαπατε εις ον αρτι μη ορωντες πιστευοντες δε αγαλλιασθε χαρα ανεκλαλητω και δεδοξασμενη

1 Peter 1:11 (NET)	1 Peter 1:11 (KJV)
They probed into what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating when he testified beforehand about the sufferings appointed for Christ and his subsequent glory.	Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1 Peter 1:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐραυνῶντες εἰς τίνα ἢ ποῖον καιρὸν ἐδήλου τὸ ἐν αὐτοῖς πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ προμαρτυρόμενον τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παθήματα καὶ τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα δόξας	ερευνωντες εις τινα η ποιον καιρον εδηλου το εν αυτοις πνευμα χριστου προμαρτυρομενον τα εις χριστον παθηματα και τας μετα ταυτα δοξας	ερευνωντες εις τινα η ποιον καιρον εδηλου το εν αυτοις πνευμα χριστου προμαρτυρομενον τα εις χριστον παθηματα και τας μετα ταυτα δοξας

Romans 14:3 (NET)	Romans 14:3 (KJV)
The one who eats everything must not despise the one who does not, and the one who abstains must not judge the one who eats everything, for God has accepted him.	Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Romans 14:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ ἐσθίων τὸν μὴ ἐσθίοντα μὴ ἐξουθενείτω, ὁ δὲ μὴ ἐσθίων τὸν ἐσθίοντα μὴ κρινέτω, ὁ θεὸς γὰρ αὐτὸν προσελάβετο	ο εσθιων τον μη εσθιοντα μη εξουθενειτω και ο μη εσθιων τον εσθιοντα μη κρινετω ο θεος γαρ αυτον προσελαβετο	ο εσθιων τον μη εσθιοντα μη εξουθενειτω και ο μη εσθιων τον εσθιοντα μη κρινετω ο θεος γαρ αυτον προσελαβετο

Romans 14:14, 15 (NET)	Romans 14:14, 15 (KJV)
I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself; still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean.	I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

Romans 14:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι ἐν κυρίῳ Ἰησοῦ ὅτι οὐδὲν κοινὸν δι᾿ ἑαυτοῦ, εἰ μὴ τῷ λογιζομένῳ τι κοινὸν εἶναι, ἐκείνῳ κοινόν	οιδα και πεπεισμαι εν κυριω ιησου οτι ουδεν κοινον δι εαυτου ει μη τω λογιζομενω τι κοινον ειναι εκεινω κοινον	οιδα και πεπεισμαι εν κυριω ιησου οτι ουδεν κοινον δι αυτου ει μη τω λογιζομενω τι κοινον ειναι εκεινω κοινον

For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died.

But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

Romans 14:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἰ γὰρ διὰ βρῶμα ὁ ἀδελφός σου λυπεῖται, οὐκέτι κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατεῖς· μὴ τῷ βρώματι σου ἐκεῖνον ἀπόλλυε ὑπὲρ οὗ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν	ει δε δια βρωμα ο αδελφος σου λυπειται ουκετι κατα αγαπην περιπατεις μη τω βρωματι σου εκεινον απολλυε υπερ ου χριστος απεθανεν	ει δε δια βρωμα ο αδελφος σου λυπειται ουκετι κατα αγαπην περιπατεις μη τω βρωματι σου εκεινον απολλυε υπερ ου χριστος απεθανεν

Romans 14:18 (NET)	Romans 14:18 (KJV)
For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people.	For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.

Romans 14:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ δουλεύων τῷ Χριστῷ εὐάρεστος τῷ θεῷ καὶ δόκιμος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις	ο γαρ εν τουτοις δουλευων τω χριστω ευαρεστος τω θεω και δοκιμος τοις ανθρωποις	ο γαρ εν τουτοις δουλευων τω χριστω ευαρεστος τω θεω και δοκιμος τοις ανθρωποις

Romans 14:21, 22 (NET)	Romans 14:21, 22 (KJV)
It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble.	It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Romans 14:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καλὸν τὸ μὴ φαγεῖν κρέα μηδὲ πιεῖν οἶνον μηδὲ ἐν ᾧ ὁ ἀδελφός σου προσκόπτει	καλον το μη φαγειν κρεα μηδε πιειν οινον μηδε εν ω ο αδελφος σου προσκοπτει η σκανδαλιζεται η ασθενει	καλον το μη φαγειν κρεα μηδε πιειν οινον μηδε εν ω ο αδελφος σου προσκοπτει η σκανδαλιζεται η ασθενει

The faith you have, keep to yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves.

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Romans 14:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 14:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Romans 14:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σὺ πίστιν ἔχεις κατὰ σεαυτὸν ἔχε ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ. μακάριος ὁ μὴ κρίνων ἑαυτὸν ἐν ᾧ δοκιμάζει	συ πιστιν εχεις κατα σαυτον εχε ενωπιον του θεου μακαριος ο μη κρινων εαυτον εν ω δοκιμαζει	συ πιστιν εχεις κατα σεαυτον εχε ενωπιον του θεου μακαριος ο μη κρινων εαυτον εν ω δοκιμαζει

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 1

Back to Exploration, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 15

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

¹ The Greek word translated you may have was ἔχητε, an active form of ἔχω in the present tense and subjunctive mood. The Greek word translated that was the conjunction ἵνα. In other words, ἔχητε is a subjunctive verb in a purpose or result clause here and means: “in me you have peace because of these things I have said to you.”

² John 16:33 (ESV)

³ 1 Corinthians 10:4b (ESV)

⁴ 1 Peter 1:13 (ESV)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article ο (KJV: the) preceding one here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὀνόματι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ω ονομα (KJV: whose name).

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εν (KJV: in) preceding Jerusalem. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀλλά γε καὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αλλα γε (KJV: and beside).

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σημερον (KJV: to day) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὀρθριναὶ, a form of ὀρθρινός here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ορθριαι (KJV: early), a form of ὄρθριος.

¹² Luke 13:14b (ESV) Table

¹³ The Greek word translated you may have was ἔχητε, a form of ἔχω in the subjunctive mood: “The subjunctive mood indicates probability or objective possibility. The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.” The whole clause is ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχητε (ESV: that you may have life). The conjunction ἵνα designates this as a purpose or result clause. The subjunctive mood “is oftentimes used in conditional statements (i.e. ‘If…then…’ clauses) or in purpose clauses.” In other words, the “objective factors or circumstances” that make the action of the verb ἔχητε “happen” are explicitly stated: ἐλθεῖν πρός με (ESV: to come to me). “[I]f 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.” In other words, “If you come to me, then you will have life” is implicit in this statement.

¹⁴ John 5:39, 40 (ESV)

¹⁵ 2 Corinthians 3:6b (ESV) Table

¹⁶ For a comparison of the Greek of this quotation to that of the Septuagint see: Christianity, Part 3.

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἰδόντες, a participle of εἴδω in the 2^nd aorist tense here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειδοτες (KJV: having…seen) in the perfect tense.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐραυνῶντες, a participle of ἐρευνάω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ερευνωντες (KJV: Searching). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

¹⁹ John 17:3b (ESV)

²⁰ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Moses was spelled Μωϋσῆς, and μωσης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

²¹ Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV) Table

²² Proverbs 15:1a (English Elpenor)

²³ 1 Corinthians 4:21 (ESV) Table

²⁴ 1 Peter 2:15 (ESV)

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και.

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

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γὰρ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: But).

²⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the singular pronoun τούτῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the plural τουτοις (KJV: these things).

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η σκανδαλιζεται η ασθενει (KJV: or is offended, or is made weak) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had σεαυτὸν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the contracted form σαυτον (KJV: thyself).

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: John 1:12-13

Exploration, Part 16

3 John, Part 7

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 3