Exploration, Part 10

Posted on April 3, 2025 by admin

I shared the previous essay with my Pastor. “Jesus didn’t call his hearers/followers actors,” he said. That’s true. He called their teachers and leaders actors. That the term also applied to his hearers/followers was my inference from Jesus’ words to the Jews who had believed him¹ (and continued to believe Him). The Greek words translated who had believed were τοὺς πεπιστευκότας, a participle of πιστεύω in the perfect tense:

The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.

“If you abide in my word,” Jesus said despite their continuing faith, “you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”²

The Greek is: ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε (if [or, “whenever”] you [plural] abide), a form of μένω in the aorist tense: “The aorist is said to be ‘simple occurrence’ or ‘summary occurrence’, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a ‘one-point-in-time’ action, although it may actually take place over a period of time.”³

It is in the active voice: “Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject [plural you] is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is executing the action, then the verb is referred to as being in the active voice.”⁴ And μείνητε is 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.”⁵ According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online μείνητε, a form of μένω means: “to remain, stay; to live, dwell, lodge; to adhere to and not contravene; to abide, continue, remain; to remain, last, persist, continue to live; to remain in force; to endure, bear with; to wait for.”

Where are you to remain, stay, to live, dwell, lodge, to abide, continue? What are you to adhere to and not contravene, to endure, bear with, to wait for? What will persist, continue to live, remain in force? The next words are ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ (“in the word of mine”): Jesus’ understanding of the Scriptures, illuminated by, but not limited to, the words which are highlighted in red in a red letter edition of the New Testament.

The very next word in this wordstring is the adverb ἀληθῶς (ESV: truly). The ESV translators assumed that ἀληθῶς modified ἐστε (ESV: you are) rather than μείνητε (ESV: abide). I want to consider the other occurrences of ἀληθῶς in John’s writing along with their translations in the ESV.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 4:42	They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world [Table].”	τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν, αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου
John 6:14	When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world [Table]!”	Οἱ οὖν ἄνθρωποι ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν σημεῖον ἔλεγον ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον

Here, in both occurrences the adverb ἀληθῶς (ESV: indeed) modifies ἔστιν (ESV: is), the verb it follows.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 7:26	And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ [Table]?	καὶ ἴδε παρρησίᾳ λαλεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσιν. μήποτε ἀληθῶς ἔγνωσαν οἱ ἄρχοντες ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός

Here, the adverb ἀληθῶς (ESV: really) precedes the verb it modifies ἔγνωσαν (ESV: know).

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 7:40	When⁶ they heard these words,⁷ some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”	Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου οὖν ἀκούσαντες τῶν λόγων τούτων ἔλεγον· οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης

Here again, the adverb ἀληθῶς (ESV: really) modifies ἔστιν (ESV: is), the verb it follows.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 17:8	For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.	ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἔδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας

Here, too, the adverb ἀληθῶς (ESV: in truth) modifies the verb it follows, ἔγνωσαν (ESV: they…have come to know).

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 1:47	Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”	Εἶδεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν

Here it is fairly clear that ἀληθῶς (ESV: indeed) modifies ἔστιν (ESV: there is; e.g., “there is truly no deceit”) rather than λέγει (ESV: said; e.g., “said truly”). But since ἀληθῶς actually occurs between ἴδε (ESV: Behold) and Ἰσραηλίτης (ESV: an Israelite), the translators treated it like a defining characteristic of a true Israelite as much as Jesus’ description of Nathanael. So, I’ll return now with these examples to John 8:31.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
John 8:31	So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,	Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους· ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μού ἐστε

The comma between ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ (ESV: in my word) and ἀληθῶς (ESV: truly) is not original to the Greek manuscripts. The placement of ἀληθῶς (ESV: truly) seems to function like a conjunction, coordinating and qualifying both clauses: If you abide in my word…truly μαθηταί μού (ESV: my disciples) ἐστε (ESV: you are). The occurrence of ἀληθῶς in 1 John 2:5 is similar.

Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
1 John 2:5	but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:	ὃς δ’ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ τετελείωται· ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν

“But whoever keeps his word truly in him the love of God is perfected.” Peter offered us a profound example of not abiding in Jesus’ word truly.

Matthew 16:21, 22 (ESV)	Mark 8:31, 32 (ESV)
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.	And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again [Table].
	And he said this plainly.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him,	And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.”

Jesus’ word to the Jews who had believed him⁸ (and continued to believe Him) continued: and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”⁹ The Greek was καὶ γνώσεσθε, a form of the verb γινώσκω in the future tense and indicative mood (ESV: and you will know). It is a statement of fact, a promise from Jesus, but it is also in the middle voice.

The Greek middle voice shows the subject acting in his own interest or on his own behalf, or participating in the results of the verbal action. In overly simplistic terms, sometimes the middle form of the verb could be translated as “the performer of the action actually acting upon himself” (reflexive action).

The 2^nd person plural you have something to do with the fulfillment of this promise; namely, abide in Jesus’ word truly, even as the work of an actor if necessary, playing a character by obeying a rule, before Jesus has made you one spirit with Him. What will you know if you abide in Jesus’ word truly? τὴν ἀλήθειαν (ESV: the truth), an accusative form of ἀλήθεια. You will know the only true (ἀληθινὸν, a form of ἀληθινός) God, and Jesus Christ whom [He has] sent.¹⁰ “I am the way, and the truth (ἀλήθεια), and the life,” Jesus said. “No one comes to the Father except through me.”¹¹ [A]nd the truth (καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια) will set you free (ἐλευθερώσει ὑμᾶς). For our freedom Christ has us set free, therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.¹²

And here is a glimpse of other truth that can be gained from abiding in Jesus’ word truly; namely, the truth about you, specifically your enslavement to sin. But here, like Peter, the Jews who had believed him¹³ did not abide in Jesus’ word truly (John 8:33-38 ESV):

They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” [Table]

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices (ὁ ποιῶν) sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what¹⁴ I have seen with my¹⁵ Father, and you do what you have heard¹⁶ from your father.”¹⁷

Here again, though Jesus offered the Jews who had believed him¹⁸ another opportunity to abide in his word truly, they did not (John 8:39-41a ESV).

They answered him,¹⁹ “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were²⁰ Abraham’s children, you would²¹ be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth (τὴν ἀλήθειαν) that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.”

Again, they did not abide in Jesus’ word truly (John 8:41b-43):

They said²² to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality (πορνείας, a form of πορνεία). We have one Father—even God.” Jesus said to them,²³ “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me [Table]. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

Jesus was less patient with Peter, with whom He had spent much more time, when Peter refused to abide in Jesus’ word truly.

Matthew 16:23 (ESV)	Mark 8:33 (ESV)
But he turned	But turning
	and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter
and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man [Table].”	and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man [Table].”

Eventually Jesus told the Jews who had believed him²⁴ plainly (John 8:44, 45, 47 ESV):

You are of your father the devil, and your will (θέλετε, a form of the verb θέλω) is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies [Table]. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me…Whoever is of God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ) hears the words of God (τοῦ θεοῦ). The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ οὐκ ἐστέ; e.g., at the then present time).”

To call Peter Satan, and to say to the Jews who had believed him,²⁵ You are of your father the devil, truly, I infer that Jesus addressed the old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, aka “the old man”), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.²⁶ No new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, aka “the new man”), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,²⁷ existed yet but Jesus.

Only Jesus was free to serve in the new way of the Spirit (ἐν καινότητι πνεύματος),²⁸ while everyone else served in the old way of the written code,²⁹ whether the law, the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees or Jesus’ commands. They were actors by definition, playing a role by obeying rules, no matter how sincerely. Every act of obedience was an act, a determined effort that was contrary to their true nature and actual character until Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit.

I continued to be an actor for far too long even after I was born from above, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God,³⁰ until I learned the new covenant from the Lord. For our freedom Christ has us set free, therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.³¹ As Jesus said, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.³² The result (ὁ καρπὸς) of the Holy Spirit is a continuous infusion of God’s own (Galatians 5:22b, 23 ESV):

…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].

In other words (Matthew 5:48 EXP8):

You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

Paul relayed part of that perfection to foolish Galatians who attempted to be perfected by the flesh (Galatians 5:24 ESV):

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The Greek is οἱ δὲ, And those, τοῦ Χριστοῦ, “of Christ” (the ESV translation—who belong to Christ Jesus—accentuates the possessive aspect of the genitive τοῦ Χριστοῦ), τὴν σάρκα, the flesh, ἐσταύρωσαν, “they” have crucified, σὺν τοῖς παθήμασιν καὶ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, “along with the ‘suffering, misfortune, passion’ and the ‘desire, longing, craving (in a good or bad sense); lust, concupiscence, coveting, a longing (esp. for what is forbidden); something desired in order to possess.’”

This is not a debatable point for those “of Christ” but something to receive through faith:

We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος; NET: our old man) was crucified with him (συνεσταυρώθη, a passive form of συσταυρόω) in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.³³

After He corrected Peter’s thinking—you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man [Table]³⁴—Jesus continued (Mark 8:34-38 ESV):

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone³⁵ would come after³⁶ me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would³⁷ save his life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ) will lose it, but whoever loses³⁸ his³⁹ life (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ) for my sake and the gospel’s will save⁴⁰ it. For what does it profit⁴¹ a man to gain⁴² the whole world and forfeit⁴³ his soul (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ)? For⁴⁴ what can a man give⁴⁵ in return for his soul (τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ)? For⁴⁶ whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

The Greek words translated let him deny himself were ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν. The phrase is a little redundant but abundantly clear: ἀπαρνησάσθω, an imperative form of ἀπαρνέομαι, a command in the middle voice, means: “to deny, disown, abstain, renounce, reject, refuse” oneself. The reflexive pronoun ἑαυτὸν in the accusative case emphasizes that this denial is not a denial of things but explicitly himself (oneself), the direct object of the verb (NET: he must deny himself), rather than the indirect object (e.g., he must deny himself this, that or the other thing).

Jesus’ example, contemplating his own crucifixion, comes again to mind here (John 12:27, 28a ESV).

“Now is my soul (ἡ ψυχή μου) troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”

Then privately He prayed to his Father (Mark 14:36 NET):

“Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

This is hypocrisy according to the “more general meaning that we use today: ‘a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.’”⁴⁷ And that should tell you everything you need to know about the “more general meaning” of hypocrisy “that we use today.” Jesus did not act as an actor. He demonstrated righteousness in the flesh by denying Himself (Galatians 5:17, 18 ESV).

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do [Table]. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

When I think of the desires of the flesh, I think mostly of sex, especially kinky sex. But the desire to live (or not to be tortured to death) is a more basic desire of the flesh. Despite this most desperate desire of Jesus’ flesh the night He was arrested, He by the Spirit retained the knowledge of God: all things are possible for you. He did not lie to his all-knowing Father about the desire of his flesh: Take this cup away from me. And He denied Himself completely: Yet not what I will (θέλω), but what you will. And the Spirit strengthened Him.

Matthew 26:51-54 (ESV)	Mark 14:46-49 (ESV)	Luke 22:49-53 (ESV)	John 18:10, 11 (ESV)
And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 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?”	And they laid hands⁴⁸ on him⁴⁹ and seized him. But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.⁵⁰ And Jesus said to them, “Have you come⁵¹ out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But let the Scriptures be fulfilled.”	And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said,⁵² “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”⁵³ And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him [Table]. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out⁵⁴ as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”	Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) [Table] So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” [Table]

Without taking anything away from the 2^nd person plural μείνητε in the active voice, there is another possible way to understand Jesus’ instruction to the Jews who had believed him.⁵⁵ The Greek words translated my word (τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ) in Jesus’ conditional statement If you abide in my word 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.

It is possible to understand Jesus’ word as the means by which you abide: “If you abide by means of my word truly my disciples you are,” by oneness with his Spirit rather than as an actor obeying rules: Whoever is of God (ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ) hears the words of God (τοῦ θεοῦ).⁵⁶ This is what Paul called ὑπακοὴν πίστεως (Romans 1:5; 16:26), obedience of faith, to distinguish it from a righteousness pursued as if it were based on works.⁵⁷ I’ll pick this up in another essay.

A table of the occurrences of ἀληθῶς in the New Testament from NA²⁸ as translated in the ESV follows.

Examples of ἀληθῶς in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Matthew 14:33	And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”	οἱ δὲ ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες· ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ
Matthew 26:73	After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.”	Μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ προσελθόντες οἱ ἑστῶτες εἶπον τῷ Πέτρῳ· ἀληθῶς καὶ σὺ ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ, καὶ γὰρ ἡ λαλιά σου δῆλόν σε ποιεῖ
Matthew 27:54	When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”	Ὁ δὲ ἑκατόνταρχος καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ τηροῦντες τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἰδόντες τὸν σεισμὸν καὶ τὰ γενόμενα ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα, λέγοντες· ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς ἦν οὗτος
Mark 14:70	But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”	ὁ δὲ πάλιν ἠρνεῖτο. Καὶ μετὰ μικρὸν πάλιν οἱ παρεστῶτες ἔλεγον τῷ Πέτρῳ· ἀληθῶς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ, καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖος εἶ
Mark 15:39	And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”	Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ κεντυρίων ὁ παρεστηκὼς ἐξ ἐναντίας αὐτοῦ ὅτι οὕτως ἐξέπνευσεν εἶπεν· ἀληθῶς οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος υἱὸς θεοῦ ἦν
Luke 9:27	But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”	λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν ἀληθῶς, εἰσίν τινες τῶν αὐτοῦ ἑστηκότων οἳ οὐ μὴ γεύσωνται θανάτου ἕως ἂν ἴδωσιν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ
Luke 12:44	Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.	ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐπὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν αὐτοῦ καταστήσει αὐτόν
Luke 21:3	And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.	καὶ εἶπεν· ἀληθῶς λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἡ χήρα αὕτη ἡ πτωχὴ πλεῖον πάντων ἔβαλεν
John 1:47	Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”	Εἶδεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸν Ναθαναὴλ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει περὶ αὐτοῦ· ἴδε ἀληθῶς Ἰσραηλίτης ἐν ᾧ δόλος οὐκ ἔστιν
John 4:42	They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”	τῇ τε γυναικὶ ἔλεγον ὅτι οὐκέτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαλιὰν πιστεύομεν, αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἀκηκόαμεν καὶ οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου
John 6:14	When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”	Οἱ οὖν ἄνθρωποι ἰδόντες ὃ ἐποίησεν σημεῖον ἔλεγον ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον
John 7:26	And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?	καὶ ἴδε παρρησίᾳ λαλεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσιν. μήποτε ἀληθῶς ἔγνωσαν οἱ ἄρχοντες ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ χριστός
John 7:40	When they heard these words, some of the people said, “This really is the Prophet.”	Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου οὖν ἀκούσαντες τῶν λόγων τούτων ἔλεγον· οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης
John 8:31	So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,	Ἔλεγεν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς πεπιστευκότας αὐτῷ Ἰουδαίους· ἐὰν ὑμεῖς μείνητε ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, ἀληθῶς μαθηταί μού ἐστε
John 17:8	For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.	ὅτι τὰ ῥήματα ἃ ἔδωκάς μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔλαβον καὶ ἔγνωσαν ἀληθῶς ὅτι παρὰ σοῦ ἐξῆλθον, καὶ ἐπίστευσαν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας
Acts 12:11	When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”	Καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἐν ἑαυτῷ γενόμενος εἶπεν· νῦν οἶδα ἀληθῶς ὅτι ἐξαπέστειλεν [ὁ] κύριος τὸν ἄγγελον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξείλατό με ἐκ χειρὸς Ἡρῴδου καὶ πάσης τῆς προσδοκίας τοῦ λαοῦ τῶν Ἰουδαίων
1 Thessalonians 2:13	And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.	Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ θεῷ ἀδιαλείπτως, ὅτι παραλαβόντες λόγον ἀκοῆς παρ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐδέξασθε οὐ λόγον ἀνθρώπων ἀλλὰ καθώς ἐστιν ἀληθῶς λόγον θεοῦ, ὃς καὶ ἐνεργεῖται ἐν ὑμῖν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν
1 John 2:5	but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:	ὃς δ’ ἂν τηρῇ αὐτοῦ τὸν λόγον, ἀληθῶς ἐν τούτῳ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ τετελείωται· ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐσμεν

Tables comparing John 7:40; 8:38; 8:39; 8:41; Mark 8:34-38; 14:46-48; Luke 22:49 and 22:52 in the KJV and NET follow.

John 7:40 (NET)	John 7:40 (KJV)
When they heard these words, some of the crowd began to say, “This really is the Prophet!”	Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

John 7:40 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 7:40 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 7:40 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐκ τοῦ ὄχλου οὖν ἀκούσαντες τῶν λόγων τούτων ἔλεγον· οὗτος ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης	πολλοι ουν εκ του οχλου ακουσαντες τον λογον ελεγον ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης	πολλοι ουν εκ του οχλου ακουσαντες τον λογον ελεγον ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης

John 8:38 (NET)	John 8:38 (KJV)
I am telling you the things I have seen while with the Father; as for you, practice the things you have heard from the Father!”	I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.

John 8:38 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἃ ἐγὼ ἑώρακα παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ λαλῶ· καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν ἃ ἠκούσατε παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ποιεῖτε	εγω ο εωρακα παρα τω πατρι μου λαλω και υμεις ουν ο εωρακατε παρα τω πατρι υμων ποιειτε	εγω ο εωρακα παρα τω πατρι μου λαλω και υμεις ουν ο εωρακατε παρα τω πατρι υμων ποιειτε

John 8:39 (NET)	John 8:39 (KJV)
They answered him, “Abraham is our father!” Jesus replied, “If you are Abraham’s children, you would be doing the deeds of Abraham.	They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

John 8:39 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:39 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:39 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ὁ πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν. λέγει αὐτοῖς \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς· εἰ τέκνα τοῦ Ἀβραάμ ἐστε, τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ \|ἐ\|ποιεῖτε	απεκριθησαν και ειπον αυτω ο πατηρ ημων αβρααμ εστιν λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους ει τεκνα του αβρααμ ητε τα εργα του αβρααμ εποιειτε αν	απεκριθησαν και ειπον αυτω ο πατηρ ημων αβρααμ εστιν λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους ει τεκνα του αβρααμ ητε τα εργα του αβρααμ εποιειτε αν

John 8:41 (NET)	John 8:41 (KJV)
You people are doing the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Jesus, “We were not born as a result of immorality! We have only one Father, God himself.”	Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

John 8:41 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 8:41 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 8:41 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. εἶπαν αὐτῷ· ἡμεῖς ἐκ πορνείας \|οὐ γεγεννήμεθα\|, ἕνα πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν θεόν	υμεις ποιειτε τα εργα του πατρος υμων ειπον ουν αυτω ημεις εκ πορνειας ου γεγεννημεθα ενα πατερα εχομεν τον θεον	υμεις ποιειτε τα εργα του πατρος υμων ειπον ουν αυτω ημεις εκ πορνειας ου γεγεννημεθα ενα πατερα εχομεν τον θεον

Mark 8:34-38 (NET)	Mark 8:34-38 (KJV)
Then Jesus called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.	And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τὸν ὄχλον σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἴ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου \|ἀκολουθεῖν\|, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀράτω τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθείτω μοι	και προσκαλεσαμενος τον οχλον συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ειπεν αυτοις οστις θελει οπισω μου ελθειν απαρνησασθω εαυτον και αρατω τον σταυρον αυτου και ακολουθειτω μοι	και προσκαλεσαμενος τον οχλον συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου ειπεν αυτοις οστις θελει οπισω μου ακολουθειν απαρνησασθω εαυτον και αρατω τον σταυρον αυτου και ακολουθειτω μοι

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and because of the gospel will save it.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Mark 8:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν θέλῃ τὴν ψυχὴν \|αὐτοῦ\| σῶσαι ἀπολέσει αὐτήν· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν ἀπολέσει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν \|ἐμοῦ καὶ\| τοῦ εὐαγγελίου σώσει αὐτήν	ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την ψυχην αυτου ενεκεν εμου και του ευαγγελιου ουτος σωσει αυτην	ος γαρ αν θελη την ψυχην αυτου σωσαι απολεσει αυτην ος δ αν απολεση την εαυτου ψυχην ενεκεν εμου και του ευαγγελιου ουτος σωσει αυτην

For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life?

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Mark 8:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τί γὰρ ὠφελεῖ ἄνθρωπον κερδῆσαι τὸν κόσμον ὅλον καὶ ζημιωθῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ	τι γαρ ωφελησει ανθρωπον εαν κερδηση τον κοσμον ολον και ζημιωθη την ψυχην αυτου	τι γαρ ωφελησει ανθρωπον εαν κερδηση τον κοσμον ολον και ζημιωθη την ψυχην αυτου

What can a person give in exchange for his life?

Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Mark 8:37 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:37 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:37 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τί γὰρ δοῖ ἄνθρωπος ἀντάλλαγμα τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ	η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου	η τι δωσει ανθρωπος ανταλλαγμα της ψυχης αυτου

For if anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Mark 8:38 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 8:38 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 8:38 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὃς γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπαισχυνθῇ με καὶ τοὺς ἐμοὺς λόγους ἐν τῇ γενεᾷ ταύτῃ τῇ μοιχαλίδι καὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ, καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαισχυνθήσεται αὐτόν, ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων	ος γαρ αν επαισχυνθη με και τους εμους λογους εν τη γενεα ταυτη τη μοιχαλιδι και αμαρτωλω και ο υιος του ανθρωπου επαισχυνθησεται αυτον οταν ελθη εν τη δοξη του πατρος αυτου μετα των αγγελων των αγιων	ος γαρ εαν επαισχυνθη με και τους εμους λογους εν τη γενεα ταυτη τη μοιχαλιδι και αμαρτωλω και ο υιος του ανθρωπου επαισχυνθησεται αυτον οταν ελθη εν τη δοξη του πατρος αυτου μετα των αγγελων των αγιων

Mark 14:46-48 (NET)	Mark 14:46-48 (KJV)
Then they took hold of him and arrested him.	And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

Mark 14:46 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:46 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:46 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτόν	οι δε επεβαλον επ αυτον τας χειρας αυτων και εκρατησαν αυτον	οι δε επεβαλον επ αυτον τας χειρας αυτων και εκρατησαν αυτον

One of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his ear.

And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

Mark 14:47 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:47 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:47 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἷς δέ [τις] τῶν παρεστηκότων σπασάμενος τὴν μάχαιραν ἔπαισεν τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καὶ ἀφεῖλεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτάριον	εις δε τις των παρεστηκοτων σπασαμενος την μαχαιραν επαισεν τον δουλον του αρχιερεως και αφειλεν αυτου το ωτιον	εις δε τις των παρεστηκοτων σπασαμενος την μαχαιραν επαισεν τον δουλον του αρχιερεως και αφειλεν αυτου το ωτιον

Jesus said to them, “Have you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw?

And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

Mark 14:48 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:48 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 14:48 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὡς ἐπὶ λῃστὴν ἐξήλθατε μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων συλλαβεῖν με	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ως επι ληστην εξηλθετε μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων συλλαβειν με	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ως επι ληστην εξηλθετε μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων συλλαβειν με

Luke 22:49 (NET)	Luke 22:49 (KJV)
When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we use our swords?”	When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

Luke 22:49 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:49 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:49 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν τὸ ἐσόμενον εἶπαν· κύριε, εἰ πατάξομεν ἐν μαχαίρῃ	ιδοντες δε οι περι αυτον το εσομενον ειπον αυτω κυριε ει παταξομεν εν μαχαιρα	ιδοντες δε οι περι αυτον το εσομενον ειπον αυτω κυριε ει παταξομεν εν μαχαιρα

Luke 22:52 (NET)	Luke 22:52 (KJV)
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw?	Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?

Luke 22:52 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:52 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:52 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Εἶπεν δὲ Ἰησοῦς πρὸς τοὺς παραγενομένους ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ στρατηγοὺς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ πρεσβυτέρους· ὡς ἐπὶ λῃστὴν ἐξήλθατε μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων	ειπεν δε ο ιησους προς τους παραγενομενους επ αυτον αρχιερεις και στρατηγους του ιερου και πρεσβυτερους ως επι ληστην εξεληλυθατε μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων	ειπεν δε ο ιησους προς τους παραγενομενους επ αυτον αρχιερεις και στρατηγους του ιερου και πρεσβυτερους ως επι ληστην εξεληλυθατε μετα μαχαιρων και ξυλων

Back to 3 John

¹ John 8:31a (ESV)

² John 8:31b, 32 (ESV)

³ From Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴ From Grammatical Voice of Verbs: Active Voice, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πολλοι (KJV: Many) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural τῶν λόγων τούτων here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular τον λογον (KJV: this saying).

⁸ John 8:31a (ESV)

⁹ John 8:32 (ESV)

¹⁰ John 17:3b (ESV)

¹¹ John 14:6 (ESV)

¹² Galatians 5:1b (EXP1) Table

¹³ John 8:31a (ESV)

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο (KJV: that which).

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μου (KJV: my) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἃ ἠκούσατε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο εωρακατε (KJV: which ye have seen).

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τοῦ πατρὸς here in the genitive case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τω πατρι υμων (KJV: your father) in the dative case.

¹⁸ John 8:31a (ESV)

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ εἶπαν preceding him (KJV: unto him), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και ειπον (KJV: and said).

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐστε here (NET: you are), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ητε (KJV: ye were).

²¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν at the end of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον ουν (KJV: Then said they) here, where NA²⁸ had Εἶπαν [οὖν], and the NET parallel Greek text had simply εἶπαν.

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουν here (not translated in the KJV). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ John 8:31a (ESV)

²⁵ Ibid.

²⁶ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁷ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁸ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

²⁹ Romans 7:6c (ESV)

³⁰ John 1:13b (ESV)

³¹ Galatians 5:1b (EXP1) Table

³² John 14:26 (ESV) Table

³³ Romans 6:6 (ESV)

³⁴ Mark 8:33b (ESV)

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἴ τις here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οστις (KJV: Whosoever).

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀκολουθεῖν here, an infinitive form of ἀκολουθέω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελθειν, an infinitive form of ἔρχομαι.

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐὰν preceding would (NET: wants; KJV: will), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν.

³⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπολέσει, a form of ἀπόλλυμι in the future tense and indicative mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολεση (KJV: shall lose) in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood.

³⁹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had αὐτοῦ following life, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτου preceding it.

⁴⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτος (KJV: the same) preceding save. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὠφελεῖ (NET: benefit is it) here, a form of ὠφελέω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωφελησει (KJV: shall it profit) in the future tense.

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κερδῆσαι here, an infinitive form of κερδαίνω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εαν κερδηση (KJV: if he shall gain) in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood.

⁴³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζημιωθῆναι here, an infinitive form of ζημιόω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζημιωθη (KJV: lose) in the subjunctive mood.

⁴⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had η (KJV: Or) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γὰρ.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δοῖ here, a form of δίδωμι in the 2^nd aorist tense and subjunctive mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δωσει (KJV: shall…give) in the future tense and indicative mood.

⁴⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐὰν (NET: if) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αν.

⁴⁷ “The Origin of ‘Hypocrite’: This common word has a dramatic origin story,” from Merriam-Webster Dictionary online.

⁴⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: their) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῷ (NET: of him) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επ αυτον (KJV: on him).

⁵⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὠτάριον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ωτιον.

⁵¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξήλθατε here, a form of ἐξέρχομαι in the aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξηλθετε (KJV: Are ye come out) in the 2^nd aorist tense.

⁵² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον αυτω (KJV: said unto him).

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μαχαίρῃ here, a form of μάχαιρα in the dative case, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μαχαιρα.

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐξήλθατε here, a form of ἐξέρχομαι in the aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εξεληλυθατε (KJV: Be ye come out) in the perfect tense.

⁵⁵ John 8:31a (ESV)

⁵⁶ John 8:47a (ESV)

⁵⁷ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

Who Am I? Part 12

Posted on January 26, 2021 by admin

Jesus said, I always do those things that please him^[1] (literally: “I the pleasing things do always”).

“How?” I ask. I couldn’t even say, “I always lie.”

The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works,^[2] Jesus replied.

But I say, Paul wrote, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh.^[3]

I’ve written that I became an atheist during my prodigal years. That is technically correct according to the definition that pops up in Google: “a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.” I stopped believing in my god of punishment for a few years, and I certainly didn’t believe in the existence of any other gods. But I was by no means a practicing atheist.

To become a practicing atheist is at least as difficult as becoming a do-it-yourself-Christian. Atheists exist in a world where God the Father is making Jesus’ enemies a footstool for [his] feet;^[4] God the Holy Spirit is proving the world wrong concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;^[5] and God the Son promised to draw all…to myself.^[6] The practicing atheist must be ever-vigilant to withstand his relentless love while striving to make this world the place where the omnipresent God is not. The atheist philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche lamented, “I am afraid we are not rid of God because we still have faith in grammar.”^[7]

It’s probably more meaningful to say that my free will became relatively unfettered from God for a time. Since I didn’t study the Bible in English, much less in Greek, I didn’t know anything about ἀπ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ. I didn’t see the connection between ἀπ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ and θέλημα. I was clueless that the noun θέλημα related to the verb θέλω: “I want.” But with my own free will relatively unfettered from God I was about to get a crash course in I want.

The following Gospel harmony provides a glimpse into Jesus’ free will as I want:

Matthew 26:36-39a (NET)	Mark 14:32-35 (NET)	Luke 22:39-41 (NET)	John 18:1 (NET)
			When he had said these things (John 13:31-17:26),
Then Jesus went with them	Then they went	Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the^[8] disciples followed him.	Jesus went out with his disciples
			across the^[9] Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there,
to a place called Gethsemane,^[10]	to a place called Gethsemane,^[11]
		When he came to the place,
			and he and his disciples went into it.
and he said to the disciples,	and Jesus said to his disciples,	he said to them,
“Sit here while I go over there and pray.”	“Sit here while I pray.”
		“Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”
He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he became anguished and distressed. Then he^[12] said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”	He took Peter, James,^[13] and John^[14] with him,^[15] and became very troubled and distressed. He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.”
Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed,	Going a little farther, he threw^[16] himself to the ground and prayed	He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed,
	that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.

Jesus’ will here, what He wanted, was not to be tortured to death. My Father, if possible, let this cup pass^[17] from me!^[18] He prayed according to Matthew’s Gospel narrative. Abba, Father, all things are possible for you, Mark’s Gospel narrative clarified. Take this cup away from me.^[19] This is perfectly intelligible to me.

I want to live, not to die. If I must die, I want that death to be as easy as possible. Viewed this way Jesus’ expressed a fundamental aspect of the human will. But viewed in the context of his own life and words, I get a very different picture. He had already stated quite publicly (John 12:27, 28a NET):

“Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.”

And then privately, alone in prayer with his Father, He did exactly that: He prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.^[20] This is so pathetically human I can hear the pre-echo of Paul’s lament: Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?^[21] Jesus’ prayer was more nuanced, however, than I’ve made it seem. His free will was more constrained by the will of his Father.

Matthew 26:39b (NET)	Mark 14:36 (NET)	Luke 22:42 (NET)
	He said,
“My Father, if possible,	“Abba, Father, all things are possible for you.
		“Father, if you are willing,
let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”	Take this cup away from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”	take this cup away^[22] from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”

Jesus’ will was subordinate to his Father’s will (letter C of the throne diagram). Father, if you are willing (εἰ βούλει), He prayed before his request in Luke’s Gospel narrative. Yet not my will (πλὴν μὴ τὸ θέλημα μου), followed his request, but yours be done (ἀλλὰ τὸ σὸν γινέσθω). Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospel narratives had the following after Jesus’ request:

Matthew 26:39c (NET)	Mark 14:36c (NET)
Yet not what I will, but what you will.	Yet not what I will, but what you will.
Matthew 26:39c (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 14:36c (NET Parallel Greek)
πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω ἀλλ᾿ ὡς σύ	ἀλλ᾿ οὐ τί ἐγὼ θέλω ἀλλὰ τί σύ

Though I didn’t study the Bible, this story was unavoidable as Easter approached. I don’t recall it being presented as a Gospel harmony. We were Protestant. Visual aids were not generally used upstairs in gownup church. I do remember flipping back and forth between Gospel accounts during sermons. That’s how I knew they “needed” harmonizing.

As a boy I found it embarrassing, even a little disconcerting, how much Jesus feared death. I’m sure preachers tried to explain how it wasn’t a fear of death, but that just seemed like a cover for their own embarrassment over Jesus’ lack of machismo. Besides, Jesus was so perfect, it was all going to work out okay in the end—for Him. What follows always seemed like the point of the story to me.

Matthew 26:40, 41 (NET)	Mark 14:37, 38 (NET)
Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He said to Peter,	Then he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter,
	“Simon, are you sleeping?
“So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”	Couldn’t you stay awake for one hour? Stay awake and pray that you will not fall^[23] into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

I thought I needed to be stronger than Peter and the other disciples, stronger even than Jesus perhaps:

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;^[24]

[Jesus] did not need anyone to testify about man, for he knew what was in man.^[25] For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.^[26] But I missed completely that when Jesus said, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, He referred primarily to Himself. He wasn’t chiding his disciples so much as empathizing with them, as he continued to wrestle in prayer with the weakness of his own flesh.

Matthew 26:42 (NET)	Mark 14:39 (NET)	Luke 22:43 ,44 (NET)
He went away a second time and prayed,	He went away again and prayed the same thing.
		Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And in his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
“My Father, if this cup^[27] cannot be taken away^[28] unless I drink it, your will must be done.”

An argument could be made that the angel from heaven didn’t appear until Jesus’ third prayer session. I placed this appearance in the second because I know what comes next. We are taken from a scene of Jesus in anguish praying more earnestly with sweat…like drops of blood to a scene where Jesus is terrifyingly calm. These scenes are separated not by decades, nor years, not months, nor weeks, not even days: It was only a matter of moments before Jesus asked Peter and the other disciples: How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?^[29]

Despite my attempt to add a few moments here the angel may not have appeared before Jesus prayed: My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done. The clause your will must be done (γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημα σου) struck me as I consider free will in general and Jesus’ free will in particular. The subject, your will, is τὸ θέλημα σου. The NET translators chose must be done for the verb γενηθήτω, a passive imperative form of γίνομαι. I laughed out loud at a passive imperative.

It was clear that must was intended to convey the imperative aspect and be done the passive aspect. But I couldn’t grasp whether the imperative aspect should hold sway (your will must be done by me), or the passive aspect (your will must be done to me). Gary Gagliardi’s insight on Christ’s Words — The Mysteries of Jesus’s Greek Revealed was helpful here:

The word translated as “be” means “to become,” that is, to enter into a new state. In Greek, especially as used by Jesus, it is the opposite of “being,” which is existence in the current state. It is in a form that doesn’t exist in English, the 3rd person command in the passive. In translation a 3rd person command is usually translated with a leading “let”, so “let your.”

Mr. Gagliardi’s translation, “let your desire come into being,” seemed like a perfect solution until I tried to make it more concrete with a simpler command: one in authority says, “I want you to wash the dishes.” “Let your desire come into being,” rings true if the one under authority says it on the way to washing the dishes. But if the one under authority simply stands there, or sits there, and says, “Let your desire come into being,” I have a fairly practical demonstration of James’ maxim (James 2:17 KJV):

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

The translation alone for the Greek word ἑαυτήν (NET: itself) seems to strengthen the connection to a later statement: You see^[30] that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone (μόνον, a form of μόνος; KJV: only).^[31] Jesus presented this same issue to the chief priests and elders of the people as a question (Matthew 21:28-31a NET):

What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today’ [Table]. The boy answered, ‘I will (θέλω) not.’ But later he had a change of heart and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ‘I will, sir (ἐγώ, κύριε),’ but did not go. Which of the two did (ἐποίησεν, a form of ποιέω) his father’s will (θέλημα) [Table]?

The works are so integrated into the faith we would probably call it faithworks if we were physicists. But who does these faithworks? Do I do them as continuous acts of my own free will or do they come from God? I expressed my current bias clearly at the beginning of this essay: The Father that dwelleth in me, Jesus said, he doeth the works.^[32]

The scene of Jesus’ anguish in prayer continued:

Matthew 26:43-46 (NET)	Mark 14:40-42 (NET)	Luke 22:45, 46 (NET)
		When he got up from prayer,
He came again and found^[33] them sleeping;	When he came^[34] again he found them sleeping;	he came to the disciples and found them sleeping,
		exhausted from grief.
they could not keep their eyes open.	they could not keep their eyes open.^[35]
.	And they did not know what to tell him.
		So he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation!”
So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more.^[36]
Then he came to the^[37] disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?	He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting?
	Enough of that!
Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”	The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”

And that abruptly we are in a new scene: Jesus is back, large and in charge, and terrifyingly calm. It is probably time to call terrifyingly calm what it actually is: the peace (εἰρήνη) of God that surpasses all understanding,^[38] an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Jesus, strengthened by an angel from heaven, prayed in anguish as the human response exemplified by his disciples was to sleep. Jesus exhibited the peace of God that surpasses all understanding when the human response exemplified by his disciples was fight (Matthew 26:51-54; Mark 14:47-49; Luke 22:49-52; John 18:10, 11) or flight (Matthew 26:56; Mark 14:50-52).

It becomes more and more impossible for me to believe that Jesus subordinated his will—“I want not to be tortured to death”—to his Father’s will by an act of his own free will, which was—“I want not to be tortured to death” at that moment. The apparent choices, willpower or the indwelling Spirit of God, are listed in a tabular form:

Willpower

The Indwelling Spirit of God

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;

The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

But that’s Jesus. What about me? For it is God which worketh in you, Paul wrote to those who believe Jesus, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.^[39]

The Greek word translated worketh is ἐνεργῶν (a form of ἐνεργέω). The word translated to will is θέλειν (a form of θέλω). And the word translated to do is ἐνεργεῖν (another form of ἐνεργέω).

To conclude I’ll consider the passive imperative γενηθήτω again, not as a bad joke but as a source of real insight. I’m more confident that your will must be done by the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. But there is an aspect of your will must be done to me as well here:

Matthew 26:45b, 46 (NET)	Mark 14:41b, 42 (NET)
Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners…My betrayer is approaching!”	The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners…My betrayer is approaching!”

The Greek word translated betrayed is παραδίδοται (a form of παραδίδωμι). The same word was translated will be handed over when Jesus told his disciples, You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over (παραδίδοται) to be crucified.^[40] It was translated is delivered in the KJV when Jesus taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered (παραδίδοται) into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third^[41] day.^[42]

Though the emphasis above may be on the betrayer (παραδιδούς, another form of παραδίδωμι) Judas Iscariot, Jesus was handed over and delivered by God the Father long before Judas was born: How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?^[43] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten (μονογενῆ, a form of μονογενής) Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.^[44] Yet none of this was contrary to Jesus’ own free will (John 10:17, 18 NET).

This is why the Father loves me—because I lay down my life, so that I may take it back again. No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down of my own free will. ^[45] I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This commandment I received from my Father.

This leads me to a third aspect: your will must be done through me. Whether this aspect is implicit in the passive imperative γενηθήτω or not, it is revealed in this story. These three aspects are difficult for me to hold in my mind simultaneously as one whole (not unlike the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit). Those who believe have God’s promise to guide us through this and every faithwork.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 55:10, 11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 55:10, 11 (NET)	Isaiah 55:10, 11 (NETS)	Isaiah 55:10, 11 (English Elpenor)
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:	The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.	For as rain or snow comes down from heaven and will not return until it has soaked the earth and brought forth and blossomed and given seed to the sower and bread for food,	For as rain shall come down, or snow, from heaven, and shall not return until it have saturated the earth, and it bring forth, and bud, and give seed to the sower, and bread for food:
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.	In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.”	so shall my word be, whatever goes out from my mouth; it shall not return until whatever I have willed (ἠθέλησα) is fulfilled, and I will prosper your ways and my commandments.	so shall my word be, whatever shall proceed out of my mouth, it shall by no means turn back, until all the things which I willed (ἠθέλησα) shall have been accomplished; and I will make thy^[46] ways prosperous, and [will effect] my commands.

Tables comparing Isaiah 55:10 and 55:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Isaiah 55:10 and 55:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 26:36; 26:38, 39; Mark 14:32, 33; 14:35; Luke 22:39; John 18:1; Luke 22:42; Mark 14:38; Matthew 26:42; James 2:24; Matthew 26:43-45; Mark 14:40 and 9:31 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 55:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 55:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 55:10 (NET)
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:	For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:	The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.

Isaiah 55:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 55:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς γὰρ ἐὰν καταβῇ ὑετὸς ἢ χιὼν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ ἕως ἂν μεθύσῃ τὴν γῆν καὶ ἐκτέκῃ καὶ ἐκβλαστήσῃ καὶ δῷ σπέρμα τῷ σπείροντι καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν	ὡς γὰρ ἂν καταβῇ ὁ ὑετὸς ἢ χιὼν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ, ἕως ἂν μεθύσῃ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἐκτέκῃ καὶ ἐκβλαστήσῃ καὶ δῷ σπέρμα τῷ σπείραντι καὶ ἄρτον εἰς βρῶσιν
Isaiah 55:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 55:10 (English Elpenor)
For as rain or snow comes down from heaven and will not return until it has soaked the earth and brought forth and blossomed and given seed to the sower and bread for food,	For as rain shall come down, or snow, from heaven, and shall not return until it have saturated the earth, and it bring forth, and bud, and give seed to the sower, and bread for food:

Isaiah 55:11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)	Isaiah 55:11 (NET)
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.	So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.	In the same way, the promise that I make does not return to me, having accomplished nothing. No, it is realized as I desire and is fulfilled as I intend.”

Isaiah 55:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 55:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως ἔσται τὸ ῥῆμά μου ὃ ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ ἕως ἂν συντελεσθῇ ὅσα ἠθέλησα καὶ εὐοδώσω τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ τὰ ἐντάλματά μου	οὕτως ἔσται τὸ ῥῆμά μου, ὃ ἐὰν ἐξέλθῃ ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου, οὐ μὴ ἀποστραφῇ, ἕως ἂν τελεσθῇ ὅσα ἂν ἠθέλησα καὶ εὐοδώσω τὰς ὁδούς μου καὶ τὰ ἐντάλματά μου
Isaiah 55:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 55:11 (English Elpenor)
so shall my word be, whatever goes out from my mouth; it shall not return until whatever I have willed is fulfilled, and I will prosper your ways and my commandments.	so shall my word be, whatever shall proceed out of my mouth, it shall by no means turn back, until all the things which I willed shall have been accomplished; and I will make thy ways prosperous, and [will effect] my commands.

Matthew 26:36 (NET)	Matthew 26:36 (KJV)
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”	Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τότε ἔρχεται μετ᾿ αὐτῶν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς χωρίον λεγόμενον Γεθσημανὶ καὶ λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς· καθίσατε αὐτοῦ ἕως [οὗ] ἀπελθὼν ἐκεῖ προσεύξωμαι	τοτε ερχεται μετ αυτων ο ιησους εις χωριον λεγομενον γεθσημανη και λεγει τοις μαθηταις καθισατε αυτου εως ου απελθων προσευξωμαι εκει	τοτε ερχεται μετ αυτων ο ιησους εις χωριον λεγομενον γεθσημανη και λεγει τοις μαθηταις καθισατε αυτου εως ου απελθων προσευξωμαι εκει

Matthew 26:38, 39 (NET)	Matthew 26:38, 39 (KJV)
Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.”	Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τότε λέγει αὐτοῖς· περίλυπος ἐστιν ἡ ψυχή μου ἕως θανάτου· μείνατε ὧδε καὶ γρηγορεῖτε μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ	τοτε λεγει αυτοις περιλυπος εστιν η ψυχη μου εως θανατου μεινατε ωδε και γρηγορειτε μετ εμου	τοτε λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους περιλυπος εστιν η ψυχη μου εως θανατου μεινατε ωδε και γρηγορειτε μετ εμου

Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ προελθὼν μικρὸν ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ προσευχόμενος καὶ λέγων· πάτερ μου, εἰ δυνατόν ἐστιν, παρελθάτω ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο· πλὴν οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω ἀλλ᾿ ὡς σύ	και προελθων μικρον επεσεν επι προσωπον αυτου προσευχομενος και λεγων πατερ μου ει δυνατον εστιν παρελθετω απ εμου το ποτηριον τουτο πλην ουχ ως εγω θελω αλλ ως συ	και προσελθων μικρον επεσεν επι προσωπον αυτου προσευχομενος και λεγων πατερ μου ει δυνατον εστιν παρελθετω απ εμου το ποτηριον τουτο πλην ουχ ως εγω θελω αλλ ως συ

Mark 14:32, 33 (NET)	Mark 14:32, 33 (KJV)
Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”	And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς χωρίον οὗ τὸ ὄνομα Γεθσημανὶ καὶ λέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ· καθίσατε ὧδε ἕως προσεύξωμαι	και ερχονται εις χωριον ου το ονομα γεθσημανη και λεγει τοις μαθηταις αυτου καθισατε ωδε εως προσευξωμαι	και ερχονται εις χωριον ου το ονομα γεθσημανη και λεγει τοις μαθηταις αυτου καθισατε ωδε εως προσευξωμαι

He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed.

And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ παραλαμβάνει τὸν Πέτρον καὶ [τὸν] Ἰάκωβον καὶ [τὸν] Ἰωάννην μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρξατο ἐκθαμβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδημονεῖν	και παραλαμβανει τον πετρον και τον ιακωβον και ιωαννην μεθ εαυτου και ηρξατο εκθαμβεισθαι και αδημονειν	και παραλαμβανει τον πετρον και ιακωβον και ιωαννην μεθ εαυτου και ηρξατο εκθαμβεισθαι και αδημονειν

Mark 14:35 (NET)	Mark 14:35 (KJV)
Going a little farther, he threw himself to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour would pass from him.	And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ προελθὼν μικρὸν ἔπιπτεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ προσηύχετο ἵνα εἰ δυνατόν ἐστιν παρέλθῃ ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα	και προελθων μικρον επεσεν επι της γης και προσηυχετο ινα ει δυνατον εστιν παρελθη απ αυτου η ωρα	και προσελθων μικρον επεσεν επι της γης και προσηυχετο ινα ει δυνατον εστιν παρελθη απ αυτου η ωρα

Luke 22:39 (NET)	Luke 22:39 (KJV)
Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him.	And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐπορεύθη κατὰ τὸ ἔθος εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν, ἠκολούθησαν δὲ αὐτῷ \|καὶ\| οἱ μαθηταί	και εξελθων επορευθη κατα το εθος εις το ορος των ελαιων ηκολουθησαν δε αυτω και οι μαθηται αυτου	και εξελθων επορευθη κατα το εθος εις το ορος των ελαιων ηκολουθησαν δε αυτω και οι μαθηται αυτου

John 18:1 (NET)	John 18:1 (KJV)
When he had said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley. There was an orchard there, and he and his disciples went into it.	When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ταῦτα εἰπὼν Ἰησοῦς ἐξῆλθεν σὺν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ πέραν τοῦ χειμάρρου \|τοῦ\| Κεδρὼν ὅπου ἦν κῆπος, εἰς ὃν εἰσῆλθεν αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ	ταυτα ειπων ο ιησους εξηλθεν συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου περαν του χειμαρρου των κεδρων οπου ην κηπος εις ον εισηλθεν αυτος και οι μαθηται αυτου	ταυτα ειπων ο ιησους εξηλθεν συν τοις μαθηταις αυτου περαν του χειμαρρου των κεδρων οπου ην κηπος εις ον εισηλθεν αυτος και οι μαθηται αυτου

Luke 22:42 (NET)	Luke 22:42 (KJV)
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”	Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
λέγων· πάτερ, εἰ βούλει παρένεγκε τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· πλὴν μὴ τὸ θέλημα μου ἀλλὰ τὸ σὸν γινέσθω	λεγων πατερ ει βουλει παρενεγκειν το ποτηριον τουτο απ εμου πλην μη το θελημα μου αλλα το σον γενεσθω	λεγων πατερ ει βουλει παρενεγκειν το ποτηριον τουτο απ εμου πλην μη το θελημα μου αλλα το σον γενεσθω

Mark 14:38 (NET)	Mark 14:38 (KJV)
Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”	Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ ἔλθητε εἰς πειρασμόν· τὸ μὲν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής	γρηγορειτε και προσευχεσθε ινα μη εισελθητε εις πειρασμον το μεν πνευμα προθυμον η δε σαρξ ασθενης	γρηγορειτε και προσευχεσθε ινα μη εισελθητε εις πειρασμον το μεν πνευμα προθυμον η δε σαρξ ασθενης

Matthew 26:42 (NET)	Matthew 26:42 (KJV)
He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.”	He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου ἀπελθὼν προσηύξατο \|λέγων\|· πάτερ μου, εἰ οὐ δύναται τοῦτο παρελθεῖν ἐὰν μὴ αὐτὸ πίω, γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημα σου	παλιν εκ δευτερου απελθων προσηυξατο λεγων πατερ μου ει ου δυναται τουτο το ποτηριον παρελθειν απ εμου εαν μη αυτο πιω γενηθητω το θελημα σου	παλιν εκ δευτερου απελθων προσηυξατο λεγων πατερ μου ει ου δυναται τουτο το ποτηριον παρελθειν απ εμου εαν μη αυτο πιω γενηθητω το θελημα σου

James 2:24 (NET)	James 2:24 (KJV)
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.	Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁρᾶτε ὅτι ἐξ ἔργων δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως μόνον	ορατε τοινυν οτι εξ εργων δικαιουται ανθρωπος και ουκ εκ πιστεως μονον	ορατε τοινυν οτι εξ εργων δικαιουται ανθρωπος και ουκ εκ πιστεως μονον

Matthew 26:43-45 (NET)	Matthew 26:43-45 (KJV)
He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open.	And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐλθὼν πάλιν εὗρεν αὐτοὺς καθεύδοντας, ἦσαν γὰρ αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ βεβαρημένοι	και ελθων ευρισκει αυτους παλιν καθευδοντας ησαν γαρ αυτων οι οφθαλμοι βεβαρημενοι	και ελθων ευρισκει αυτους παλιν καθευδοντας ησαν γαρ αυτων οι οφθαλμοι βεβαρημενοι

So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἀφεὶς αὐτοὺς πάλιν ἀπελθὼν προσηύξατο ἐκ τρίτου τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον εἰπὼν πάλιν	και αφεις αυτους απελθων παλιν προσηυξατο εκ τριτου τον αυτον λογον ειπων	και αφεις αυτους απελθων παλιν προσηυξατο εκ τριτου τον αυτον λογον ειπων

Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τότε ἔρχεται πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· καθεύδετε [τὸ] λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναπαύεσθε· ἰδοὺ ἤγγικεν ἡ ὥρα καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἁμαρτωλῶν	τοτε ερχεται προς τους μαθητας αυτου και λεγει αυτοις καθευδετε το λοιπον και αναπαυεσθε ιδου ηγγικεν η ωρα και ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοται εις χειρας αμαρτωλων	τοτε ερχεται προς τους μαθητας αυτου και λεγει αυτοις καθευδετε το λοιπον και αναπαυεσθε ιδου ηγγικεν η ωρα και ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοται εις χειρας αμαρτωλων

Mark 14:40 (NET)	Mark 14:40 (KJV)
When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him.	And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ πάλιν ἐλθὼν εὗρεν αὐτοὺς καθεύδοντας, ἦσαν γὰρ αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καταβαρυνόμενοι, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν τί ἀποκριθῶσιν αὐτῷ	και υποστρεψας ευρεν αυτους παλιν καθευδοντας ησαν γαρ οι οφθαλμοι αυτων βεβαρημενοι και ουκ ηδεισαν τι αυτω αποκριθωσιν	και υποστρεψας ευρεν αυτους παλιν καθευδοντας ησαν γαρ οι οφθαλμοι αυτων βεβαρημενοι και ουκ ηδεισαν τι αυτω αποκριθωσιν

Mark 9:31 (NET)	Mark 9:31 (KJV)
for he was teaching his disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”	For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐδίδασκεν γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγεν \|αὐτοῖς\| ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστήσεται	εδιδασκεν γαρ τους μαθητας αυτου και ελεγεν αυτοις οτι ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοται εις χειρας ανθρωπων και αποκτενουσιν αυτον και αποκτανθεις τη τριτη ημερα αναστησεται	εδιδασκεν γαρ τους μαθητας αυτου και ελεγεν αυτοις οτι ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοται εις χειρας ανθρωπων και αποκτενουσιν αυτον και αποκτανθεις τη τριτη ημερα αναστησεται