Exploration, Part 5

Posted on December 30, 2024 by admin

Paul continued to describe the freedom for which Christ has set us free¹ (Galatians 5:16 ESV).

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

But I say (Λέγω δέ) by the Spirit (πνεύματι᾿) walk (περιπατεῖτε) is nearer the actual word order. There is a choice here, too: περιπατεῖτε might be understood as an imperative form of περιπατέω, or as a statement of fact in the indicative mood, “But I say, by the Spirit you walk.” The ESV translators chose the imperative—walk by the Spirit—and so have I up to this moment.

Though the general trend of my life since I turned Paul’s definition of love into rules for me to obey has been to abandon the laws of Paul for faith in Jesus Christ, I haven’t trusted Him with this. Why not? I wonder, now that For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.² Now that I’m hearing this as his work rather than mine.

Is there any other reason to believe that Paul wrote foolish Galatians, saying, “But I say, by the Spirit you walk”? To Romans he wrote (Romans 8:3-9 ESV):

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

You, however, are not in the flesh (οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ) but in the Spirit (ἐν πνεύματι), if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong (ἔστιν, another form of εἰμί) to him³ [Table].

Paul didn’t even hint that the foolish Galatians did not belong to Christ. He called them my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!⁴ And he added, I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed (ἀποροῦμαι, a form of ἀπορέω) about you.⁵ And here to the Romans it’s quite clear he was describing truths to believe rather than works to achieve, the better promises of the new covenant.

It occurred to me that I could put this to rest, perhaps, if Paul and the Holy Spirit had another word choice that was exclusively in the indicative mood. But περιπατεῖτε is the only 2^nd person plural form of περιπατέω in the present tense and the active voice listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online. I’ll reexamine all my choices and assumptions so far.

Galatians 5:1
My first assumption is that the foolish Galatians, you, are included in For our freedom Christ has us set free⁶ as opposed to being excluded from that freedom. This assumption is confirmed later: For you to freedom were called, brothers.⁷ This eliminates the possibility that Paul was describing an elitist Pauline party to which foolish Galatians could belong by following the rules of Saint Paul as opposed to the rules of some other unnamed saint heading up some other elitist party. Such elitist parties were associated with the jealousy and strife of the flesh (1 Corinthians 3:1-8 ESV):

But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready [Table], for you are still of the flesh (σαρκικοί, a form of σαρκικός). For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh (σαρκικοί, a form of σαρκικός) and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth [Table]. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

There is one other 2^nd person plural form of στήκω listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon in the present tense and active voice: στήκητε in the subjunctive mood. None of the 2^nd person plural forms listed is exclusively in the indicative or imperative mood. Perhaps the ESV translation of στήκετε (stand firm rather than “you must stand firm”) was intended to be vague enough to let the reader choose between the indicative and imperative moods. My ear, attuned by my background, hears it as a command. My own you stand firm may still sound imperative to some, so I’ll consider the implications.

“The imperative mood is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.”⁸ Understanding στήκετε in the imperative mood casts the freedom for which Christ has set us free⁹ as aspirational: If I aspire to the freedom for which Christ has set us free, then I must “perform a certain action,” stand firm.

There was a time when I thought Christ’s death on the cross was mostly aspirational. Since Christ died for my sins I should do A, B, C, etc. and refrain from doing X, Y, Z, etc. The forgiveness of sins was a possible exception, but as Jesus asked rhetorically, which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?¹⁰ The general trend of my growing faith since that time has been that the death of the Lord Jesus Christ is more instrumental than aspirational.

Paul described the Lord’s death as one of the better promises of the new covenant in Christ (Romans 6:1-6 ESV).

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? [Table] By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that (ἵνα), just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk (περιπατήσωμεν, another form of περιπατέω)¹¹ in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος; aka our old man) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing (καταργηθῇ, a form of καταργέω), so that we would no longer be enslaved (δουλεύειν, the present infinitive of δουλεύω) to sin.

“The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”¹² Understanding στήκετε in the indicative mood casts the freedom for which Christ has set us free¹³ as instrumental: the freedom for which Christ has set us free is the means by which I stand firm through faith. For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm.¹⁴

The verb ἐνέχεσθε is a 2^nd person plural form of ἐνέχω in the present tense and imperative mood: do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.¹⁵ So again, if I aspire to the freedom for which Christ has set us free, then I must “perform a certain action,” do not submit again. Once I understand Christ’s freedom as instrumental, however, I hear the middle/passive verb ἐνέχεσθε as another outcome of that freedom: and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.¹⁶ The yoke of slavery is the flesh (the body of sin…brought to nothing) along with its consequent faith and those actions that follow from faith in the flesh (Galatians 3:1-3 ESV):

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [Table]. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

Galatians 5:13
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.¹⁷ By translating μόνον μὴ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν εἰς ἀφορμὴν τῇ σαρκί (only not the freedom unto an opportunity for the flesh [EXP4]) as Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh casts Christ’s freedom as aspirational: if I aspire to the freedom for which Christ has set us free, then I must “perform a certain action”: do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. There were no Greek verbs in the imperative mood in the phrase “only not the freedom unto an opportunity for the flesh.” There were no verbs at all.

The verb δουλεύετε, was the only 2^nd person plural form of δουλεύω in the present tense listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon: δουλεύσετε in the future tense is in the indicative mood exclusively and δουλεύσατε in the aorist tense is exclusively imperative. If the translation serve was intended to be understood as an imperative, it casts Christ’s freedom as aspirational. So, here again, if I aspire to the freedom for which Christ has set us free, then I must “perform a certain action,” through love serve one another.

Beyond that, however, Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another casts Christ’s freedom as something potentially dangerous which I must defend myself against by my works: 1) stand firm, 2) do not submit again to a yoke of slavery, 3) do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but 4) through love serve one another. Here again, understanding δουλεύετε as a statement of fact in the indicative mood—but through love you serve one another¹⁸—casts Christ’s freedom as instrumental, the source of the love through which we serve one another.

Galatians 5:16
If But I say, walk by the Spirit was designating περιπατεῖτε as the imperative form of περιπατέω, it casts Christ’s freedom as aspirational. If I aspire to the freedom for which Christ has set us free, then I must “perform a certain action,” I must walk by the Spirit. And here again, understanding περιπατεῖτε as a statement of fact in the indicative mood—“But I say, by the Spirit you walk”—casts Christ’s freedom as instrumental to—the “cause-in-fact” of—walking by the Spirit.

Why did I balk at this? It was my understanding of the conjoined clause (Galatians 5:16b ESV):

and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

The Greek was καὶ, “and,” ἐπιθυμίαν, “desire,” σαρκὸς, “of flesh,” οὐ μὴ, “never,” τελέσητε, “accomplish”: “But I say, by the Spirit you walk and desire of flesh never accomplish.” The phrase οὐ μὴ τελέσητε is called a subjunctive of emphatic negation. I was so taken with this, I turned Paul’s words into a conditional statement:

If I walk by the Spirit, I will never under any circumstance imaginable complete the desire of flesh.

Now I question whether that maneuver could be considered rightly handling the word of truth.¹⁹ The following table compares Galatians 5:16 to an actual conditional statement:

Galatians 5:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Romans 7:20 (NET Parallel Greek) Table
Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε	εἰ δὲ ὃ οὐ θέλω [ἐγὼ] τοῦτο ποιῶ, οὐκέτι ἐγὼ κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸ ἀλλὰ ἡ οἰκοῦσα ἐν ἐμοὶ ἁμαρτία
Galatians 5:16 (ESV)	Romans 7:20 (ESV)
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.	Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

The Greek conjunction εἰ, if, does not occur in Galatians 5:16. Paul and the Holy Spirit did not make this a conditional (if this, then that) statement. I did, hoping to find some barometer that would help me accomplish my work of walking by the Spirit: “You must walk by the Spirit” is the meaning of πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε when περιπατεῖτε is understood as an imperative. “Walking by the Spirit is a skill or knack that is trickier to learn by trial-and-error than sound no trumpet,²⁰ so that your giving may be in secret,”²¹ I wrote elsewhere.

Looking back now it seems clear that calling walk by the Spirit a “knack” was a tacit admission that I had no clue how “to carry out or perform” it as an “action.”²² Calling it a “knack that is trickier to learn by trial-and-error” barely masked my frustration with that ignorance. But my biggest frustration was the nagging question: “Why, knowing what I know about walking by the Spirit, do I ever walk according to the flesh?”

I had forgotten Paul’s sagacity regarding my identity vis-à-vis sin: Now if I do what I do not want (ὃ οὐ θέλω), it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.²³ Maybe I hadn’t forgotten it completely. I recalled that if sin that dwells within me was completing “the desire of flesh” that was synonymous with walking by the flesh. I was not recalling, however, how sin gained that advantage over me as I made walk by the Spirit a rule for me to obey: But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.²⁴

There is the answer to my nagging question, “Why, knowing what I know about walking by the Spirit, do I ever walk according to the flesh?” I attempted to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law²⁵—walk by the Spirit as “a certain action” I must “perform”—playing into sin’s power—the power of sin is the law²⁶—to deceive—For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me.²⁷ The solution is to hear περιπατεῖτε as a statement of fact in the indicative mood—But I say, by the Spirit you walk and the desire of flesh you never accomplish²⁸—as a truth to believe rather than a work to achieve. As Paul concluded: But thanks be to God, who gives (διδόντι, a present participle of δίδωμι) us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.²⁹

Paul continued (Galatians 5:17 ESV [Table])

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.

The Greek was: ἡ γὰρ σὰρξ, “For the flesh,” ἐπιθυμεῖ, “desires”: “For the flesh desires.” The verb ἐπιθυμεῖ is a 3^rd person singular form of ἐπιθυμέω in the present tense, active voice and indicative mood. It is a statement of fact and a clear reference to your old self (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον; aka the old man), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.³⁰

Next came: κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, “against the Spirit’s [desires].” The genitive τοῦ πνεύματος helps unravel why the ESV translators transformed the verb ἐπιθυμεῖ into a noun with a verb of being (ESV: the desires…are) and ἡ…σὰρξ in the nominative case into a genitive prepositional phrase: of the flesh. “For the flesh desires against the Spirit’s [desires]” is awkward in English, though the point is well-taken.

In the next clause the verb ἐπιθυμεῖ is implied: τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα, “and the Spirit,” κατὰ τῆς σαρκός, “against the flesh’s [desires].” So, “For the flesh desires against the Spirit’s [desires] and the Spirit against the flesh’s [desires].”

And the next clause: ταῦτα γὰρ, for these (the Spirit and the flesh), ἀλλήλοις, each other, ἀντίκειται, “oppose,” ἵνα, “so that,” μὴ ἃ ἐὰν θέλητε ταῦτα, “not that if you may want these” (e.g., want what the flesh desires), ποιῆτε, “you may do.” So, for these each other “oppose so that not that if you may want these you may do.”

I completely misunderstood for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do in English as a standoff between the Spirit and the flesh. The Greek says that even if I want to do what the flesh desires I cannot do it: for it is God who works in you, both to will (τὸ θέλειν) and to work (καὶ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν) for his good pleasure.³¹

In other words, the freedom (Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ) for which Christ has set us free³² is nothing less than the new self (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον; aka the new man), created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness³³ led by the indwelling Holy Spirit: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ἐλευθερία).³⁴ The flesh is not even remotely comparable in power to the Spirit of God.

Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him,³⁵ Paul wrote. The Greek—εἰ δέ, “But if” or “And if,” τις, “anyone,” πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ, “Christ’s Spirit,” οὐκ ἔχει, “not have”—seems more hypothetical (Acts 19:1-7) than the ESV translation. The Greek continues: οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ; literally, “this not is of Him.”

In the NET οὗτος was translated this person. Both translations derive the verb belong from the pronoun αὐτοῦ in the genitive case but there is no form of the verb ἀνήκω in this clause. I take “But if anyone Christ’s Spirit not have, this not is of Him” more openly than belonging to an elitist party. He wants us to have his Spirit. He wants us to know Him and abide in Him. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, Peter wrote, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.³⁶

The Greek words translated not wishing were μὴ βουλόμενος, a form of βούλομαι. According to the Koine Greek Lexicon this means: “The Lord refuses” or “He is not consenting,” τινας, “some,” ἀπολέσθαι, an infinitive form of the verb ἀπόλλυμι in the middle voice, “to be destroyed, ruined; to perish, die; to be lost.” And this was contrasted with: ἀλλὰ πάντας, “but all,” εἰς μετάνοιαν, “unto repentance,” χωρῆσαι, a form of χωρέω. And here there is a choice to be made.

The ESV translation should reach (coupled with not wishing for μὴ βουλόμενος) indicates the optative mood, a 3^rd person singular form of χωρέω. “The optative is the mood of possibility, removed even further than the subjunctive mood from something conceived of as actual. Often it is used to convey a wish or hope for a certain action to occur.”³⁷ I will point out, however, that πάντας (all) is plural and χωρῆσαι is the only aorist infinitive listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon. As an infinitive verb in the aorist tense and active voice χωρῆσαι means: “to make room, give way, withdraw; to be spacious; to go, go out, go away, reach (e.g., the report reached us); to be in motion, go forward, make progress; to have room for, hold, contain; to grasp (mentally), understand, accept; to turn out (in a certain way at the end); to move far and wide.” In other words, “but all unto repentance to reach.”

Accepting χωρῆσαι as an infinitive form of the verb χωρέω agrees with the Lord’s current judgment (John 12:31, 32 ESV):

Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

How do we respond to such grace? I heard a Christmas sermon as I wrote this essay that reminded me of Mary. There was nothing she could, or even should, do to become pregnant with the Son of God—just as there is nothing we can do to form Christ in us—except believe. Her faith can be ours as well: Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.³⁸

Exploration, Part 6

Back to Exploration, Part 9

¹ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

² Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

³ The Greek is οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ; literally, “This not is of him.”

⁴ Galatians 4:19 (ESV) Table

⁵ Galatians 4:20 (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 5:1a (EXP1) Table

⁷ Galatians 5:13a (EXP4)

⁸ Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

⁹ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Matthew 9:5 (ESV) Table

¹¹ The verb περιπατήσωμεν is a form of περιπατέω in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood following the conjunction ἵνα. This a purpose or result clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.” In other words, walking in newness of life “is a definite outcome that will happen as a result of” being buried with him by baptism into death, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.

¹² Verbal Moods: Indicative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek

¹³ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

¹⁴ Galatians 5:1a (EXP1) Table

¹⁵ Galatians 5:1b (ESV) Table

¹⁶ Galatians 5:1b (EXP1) Table

¹⁷ Galatians 5:13 (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 5:13c (EXP4)

¹⁹ 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

²⁰ Matthew 6:2 (ESV)

²¹ Matthew 6:4 (ESV) Table

²² “The imperative mood is a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.” From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²³ Romans 7:20 (ESV) Table

²⁴ Romans 7:8a (ESV)

²⁵ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

²⁶ 1 Corinthians 15:56b (ESV)

²⁷ Romans 7:11a (ESV)

²⁸ Galatians 5:16 (EXP5)

²⁹ 1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)

³⁰ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

³¹ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

³² Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

³³ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁴ 2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) Table

³⁵ Romans 8:9b (ESV) Table

³⁶ 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Table

³⁷ Verbal Moods: Optative Mood, from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³⁸ Luke 1:38a (ESV)

Fear – Genesis, Part 3

Posted on December 14, 2012 by admin

When there was a famine in the land Abraham’s son Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.¹ The Lord appeared to Isaac and said (Genesis 26:2-5 NET):

Do not go down to Egypt; settle down in the land that I will point out to you. Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham. I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. All this will come to pass because Abraham obeyed me and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” He was afraid (yārē’, יָרֵא֙) to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”² The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἐφοβήθη (a form of φοβέω) here.

Peter and Jesus’ other disciples were in a boat that was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. As the night was ending, Jesus came to them walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear (φόβου, a form of φόβος). But immediately Jesus spoke to them: “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid (φοβεῖσθε, another form of φοβέω)” [Table]. Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus [Table]. But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid (ἐφοβήθη, a form of φοβέω).³

After Isaac had been in Gerar a long time Abimelech looked out a window and saw him caressing Rebekah in a way that caused him to doubt that she was Isaac’s sister. So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.”⁴ Then Abimelech rebuked Isaac, What in the world have you done to us? One of the men might easily have had sexual relations with your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!⁵

As Peter started to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”⁶

Eventually Isaac left Gerar and journeyed to Beer Sheba. The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid (yārē’, תִּירָא֙), for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”⁷ The rabbis chose φοβοῦ (a form of φοβέω) here.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy [John the Baptist’s mother], the angel Gabriel was sent by⁸ God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,⁹ to a virgin engaged¹⁰ to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David,¹¹ and the virgin’s name was Mary. The angel¹² came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!”¹³ But¹⁴ she was greatly troubled by his¹⁵ words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. So the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω), Mary, for you have found favor with God!¹⁶

Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.¹⁷ So Mary said, “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.”¹⁸ Both Isaac and Mary responded admirably to the Lord’s encouragement, Do not be afraid (φοβοῦ, a form of φοβέω).

As Isaac’s son Jacob fled (from his elder brother Esau’s threat to kill him) to his mother Rebekah’s brother Laban, he stopped for the night and had a dream (Genesis 28:12-15 NET).

He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name and that of your descendants. I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

Then Jacob woke up and thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!” He was afraid (yārē’, וַיִּירָא֙) and said, “What an awesome (yārē’, נּוֹרָ֖א) place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”¹⁹ The word translated afraid above was ἐφοβήθη in the Septuagint. The next occurrence of ἐφοβήθη (a form of φοβέω) in the New Testament was in John’s Gospel. When Pilate heard what [the Jewish leaders] said, he was more afraid (ἐφοβήθη, a form of φοβέω) than ever…²⁰

We have a law, the Jewish leaders had said, and according to our law [Jesus] ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!²¹ Pilate went back inside and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority to release you, and to crucify you?” Jesus replied, “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of greater sin” [Table].²²

Pilate’s fear did not prompt him to fall down at Jesus’ feet and plead for mercy. But, From this point on, Pilate tried to release him.²³ In a similar way Jacob’s fear prompted him to make a deal (Genesis 28:18-22 NET).

Early in the morning Jacob took the stone he had placed near his head and set it up as a sacred stone. Then he poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, although the former name of the town was Luz. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will become my God. Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”

The word translated awesome in Genesis 28:17 (NET) was φοβερὸς in the Septuagint. It does not occur in this form in the New Testament. It was only used three times by the writer of Hebrews (10:26, 27, 28-31; 12:18-21) :

1) For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, but only a certain fearful (φοβερὰ, a form of φοβερός) expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God’s enemies.

2) Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses [Table]. How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people” [Table]. It is a terrifying (φοβερὸν, another form of φοβερός) thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

3) For you have not come to something²⁴ that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom²⁵ and a whirlwind and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”²⁶ In fact, the scene was so²⁷ terrifying (φοβερὸν, another form of φοβερός) that Moses²⁸ said, “I shudder with fear (ἔκφοβος).”

Twenty years later, when Jacob fled from Laban with his wives, his children, his flocks, herds, and camels, he explained, “I left secretly because I was afraid (yārē’, יָרֵ֔אתִי)!” Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force.²⁹ The phrase because I was afraid was not translated in the Septuagint. (Addendum 1/13/2025: The clause ὅτι ἐφοβήθην, Because I was afraid, is found in the Elpenor Septuagint.) But later as he approached his former home and learned that his brother Esau was coming out to meet him with four hundred men, Jacob was very afraid (yārē’, וַיִּירָ֧א) and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels. “If Esau attacks one camp,” he thought, “then the other camp will be able to escape.”³⁰

After he made these rudimentary preparations he prayed: “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’”³¹ He did not yet claim God as his own, but that is the only reference I see to his former oath. Gone is the pride that made that oath. In its place was an humble acknowledgement and request, “I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps. Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid (yārē’, יָרֵ֤א) he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children.”³²

Twenty years on his own with God taught Jacob something about dealing with fear. Faithfully, he reminded God (and perhaps himself) of God’s own words, “But you said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’”³³

Jacob’s fear of Esau’s approach was ἐφοβήθη in the Septuagint. The fifth and final occurrence of ἐφοβήθη was in Luke’s account of Paul’s arrest in Jerusalem. The Roman commander probably saved Paul’s life but was about to have him interrogated with torture. Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed away from him, and the commanding officer was frightened (ἐφοβήθη, a form of φοβέω) when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had had him tied up.³⁴ The Roman commander feared retribution for his own violation of Roman law. It makes me wonder if Jacob did not sense something of the justice of Esau’s cause despite the overbearing nature of the imagined reprisal. As it turned out Esau had forgotten or forgiven his grievance against Jacob. He welcomed his brother’s homecoming (Genesis 33:4-16).

Addendum: January 18, 2025
According to a note (37) in the NET, the writer of Hebrews quoted from Deuteronomy 32:35 in Hebrews 10:30. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 10:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Deuteronomy 32:35a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω	ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω	ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ἐκδικήσεως ἀνταποδώσω
Hebrews 10:30 (NET)	Deuteronomy 32:35a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:35a (English Elpenor)
Vengeance is mine, I will repay	In a day of vengeance, I will repay	In the day of vengeance I will recompense

According to a note (38) in the NET, the writer of Hebrews quoted from Deuteronomy 32:36 in Hebrews 10:30. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 10:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 32:36a (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 32:36a (Septuagint Elpenor)
κρινεῖ κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ	κρινεῖ κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ	κρινεῖ Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ
Hebrews 10:30 (NET)	Deuteronomy 32:36a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:36a (English Elpenor)
The Lord will judge his people	the Lord will judge his people	the Lord shall judge his people

According to a note (29) in the NET, the writer of Hebrews quoted from Exodus 19:12-13 in Hebrews 12:20. Tables comparing the Greek of that quotation in the critical text and the Stephanus Textus Receptus with that of the Septuagint follow.

Hebrews 12:20b (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 19:12b-13a (Septuagint Elpenor)
κὰν θηρίον θίγῃ τοῦ ὄρους, λιθοβοληθήσεται	πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει οὐχ ἅψεται αὐτοῦ χείρ ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος	πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει οὐχ ἅψετε αὐτοῦ χείρ· ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται· ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος
Hebrews 12:20b (NET)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (NETS)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (English Elpenor)
If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned	Everyone who touches the mountain shall die by death. A hand shall not touch it. For he shall be stoned with stones or shot with an arrow. Whether animal or whether human,	every one that touches the mountain shall surely die. A hand shall not touch it, for [every one that touches] shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man,

Hebrews 12:20b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 19:12b-13a (Septuagint Elpenor)
καν θηριον θιγη του ορους λιθοβοληθησεται η βολιδι κατατοξευθησεται	πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει οὐχ ἅψεται αὐτοῦ χείρ ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος	πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει οὐχ ἅψετε αὐτοῦ χείρ· ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται· ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος
Hebrews 12:20b (KJV)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (NETS)	Exodus 19:12b-13a (English Elpenor)
And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:	Everyone who touches the mountain shall die by death. A hand shall not touch it. For he shall be stoned with stones or shot with an arrow. Whether animal or whether human,	every one that touches the mountain shall surely die. A hand shall not touch it, for [every one that touches] shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man,

According to a note (31) in the NET, the writer of Hebrews quoted from Deuteronomy 9:19 in Hebrews 12:21. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Hebrews 12:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 9:19a (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 9:19a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔκφοβος εἰμι καὶ ἔντρομος	ἔκφοβός εἰμι διὰ τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὸν θυμόν	ἔκφοβός εἰμι διὰ τὸν θυμὸν καὶ τὴν ὀργήν
Hebrews 12:21 (NET)	Deuteronomy 9:19a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 9:19a (English Elpenor)
I shudder with fear	I was terrified on account of the wrath and anger	I was greatly terrified because of the wrath and anger

Tables comparing Genesis 26:1; 26:2; 26:3; 26:4; 26:5; 26:7; 26:9; 26:10; 26:24; 26:25; 28:12; 28:13; 28:14; 28:15; 28:16; 28:17; 28:18; 28:19; 28:20; 28:21; 28:22; 31:31; 32:7 (32:8); 32:8 (32:9); 32:9 (32:10); 32:10 (32:11); 32:11 (32:12); 32:12 (32:13); Deuteronomy 32:36; Exodus 19:12; 19:13 and Deuteronomy 9:19 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Genesis 26:1; 26:2; 26:3; 26:4; 26:5; 26:7; 26:9; 26:10; 26:24; 26:25; 28:12; 28:13; 28:14; 28:15; 28:16; 28:17; 28:18; 28:19; 28:20; 28:21; 28:22; 31:31; 32:7; 32:8; 32:9; 32:10; 32:11; 32:12; Deuteronomy 32:36; Exodus 19:12; 19:13 and Deuteronomy 9:19 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Luke 1:26-29; Hebrews 12:18 and 12:20, 21 in the KJV and NET follow.

Genesis 26:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:1 (KJV)	Genesis 26:1 (NET)
And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.	And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.	There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred in the days of Abraham. Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.

Genesis 26:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγένετο δὲ λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς χωρὶς τοῦ λιμοῦ τοῦ πρότερον ὃς ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τῷ Αβρααμ ἐπορεύθη δὲ Ισαακ πρὸς Αβιμελεχ βασιλέα Φυλιστιιμ εἰς Γεραρα	ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟ δὲ λιμὸς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς χωρὶς τοῦ λιμοῦ τοῦ πρότερον, ὃς ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ ῾Αβραάμ· ἐπορεύθη δὲ ᾿Ισαὰκ πρὸς ᾿Αβιμέλεχ βασιλέα Φυλιστιεὶμ εἰς Γέραρα
Genesis 26:1 (NETS)	Genesis 26:1 (English Elpenor)
Now a famine occurred upon the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the time of Abraam. Then Isaak went to Gerara, to Abimelech, king of Phylisteim.	AND there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine, which was in the time of Abraam; and Isaac went to Abimelech the king of the Phylistines to Gerara.

Genesis 26:2 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:2 (KJV)	Genesis 26:2 (NET)
And HaShem appeared unto him, and said: ‘Go not down unto Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of.	And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:	The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; settle down in the land that I will point out to you.

Genesis 26:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ κύριος καὶ εἶπεν μὴ καταβῇς εἰς Αἴγυπτον κατοίκησον δὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾗ ἄν σοι εἴπω	ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ Κύριος καὶ εἶπε· μὴ καταβῇς εἰς Αἴγυπτον· κατοίκησον δὲ ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ ἄν σοι εἴπω
Genesis 26:2 (NETS)	Genesis 26:2 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but settle in the land about which I speak to you.	And the Lord appeared to him and said, Go not down to Egypt, but dwell in the land, which I shall tell thee of.

Genesis 26:3 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:3 (KJV)	Genesis 26:3 (NET)
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore unto Abraham thy father;	Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;	Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham.

Genesis 26:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παροίκει ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ καὶ ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ εὐλογήσω σε σοὶ γὰρ καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ στήσω τὸν ὅρκον μου ὃν ὤμοσα Αβρααμ τῷ πατρί σου	καὶ παροίκει ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ ἔσομαι μετὰ σοῦ καὶ εὐλογήσω σε· σοὶ γὰρ καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου δώσω πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ στήσω τὸν ὅρκον μου, ὃν ὤμοσα τῷ ῾Αβραὰμ τῷ πατρί σου
Genesis 26:3 (NETS)	Genesis 26:3 (English Elpenor)
And reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and to your offspring I will give all this land, and I will establish my oath that I swore to your father Abraam.	And sojourn in this land; and I will be with thee, and bless thee, for I will give to thee and to thy seed all this land; and I will establish my oath which I swore to thy father Abraam.

Genesis 26:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:4 (KJV)	Genesis 26:4 (NET)
and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and by thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves;	And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;	I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.

Genesis 26:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ δώσω τῷ σπέρματί σου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ταύτην καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς	καὶ πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ δώσω τῷ σπέρματί σου πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ταύτην, καὶ εὐλογηθήσονται ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς
Genesis 26:4 (NETS)	Genesis 26:4 (English Elpenor)
And I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give to your offspring all this land, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in your offspring,	And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven; and I will give to thy seed all this land, and all the nations of the earth shall be blest in thy seed.

Genesis 26:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:5 (KJV)	Genesis 26:5 (NET)
because that Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.’	Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.	All this will come to pass because Abraham obeyed me and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Genesis 26:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ὑπήκουσεν Αβρααμ ὁ πατήρ σου τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς καὶ ἐφύλαξεν τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου καὶ τὰ νόμιμά μου	ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ὑπήκουσεν ῾Αβραὰμ ὁ πατήρ σου τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς καὶ ἐφύλαξε τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά μου καὶ τὰ νόμιμά μου
Genesis 26:5 (NETS)	Genesis 26:5 (English Elpenor)
since your father Abraam obeyed my voice and kept my ordinances and my commandments and my statutes and my precepts.”	Because Abraam thy father hearkened to my voice, and kept my injunctions, and my commandments, and my ordinances, and my statutes.

Genesis 26:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:7 (KJV)	Genesis 26:7 (NET)
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said: ‘She is my sister’; for he feared to say: ‘My wife’; ‘lest the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah, because she is fair to look upon.’	And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.	When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”

Genesis 26:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπηρώτησαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ρεβεκκας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν ἐφοβήθη γὰρ εἰπεῖν ὅτι γυνή μού ἐστιν μήποτε ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ρεβεκκας ὅτι ὡραία τῇ ὄψει ἦν	᾿Επηρώτησαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ρεβέκκας τῆς γυναικὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπεν· ἀδελφή μου ἐστίν· ἐφοβήθη γὰρ εἰπεῖν ὅτι γυνή μου ἐστί, μήποτε ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτὸν οἱ ἄνδρες τοῦ τόπου περὶ Ρεβέκκας, ὅτι ὡραία τῇ ὄψει ἦν
Genesis 26:7 (NETS)	Genesis 26:7 (English Elpenor)
Then the men of the place asked about his wife Rebekka, and he said, “She is my sister,” for he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” lest perhaps the men of the place kill him for the sake of Rebekka, because she was attractive in appearance.	And the men of the place questioned him concerning Rebecca his wife, and he said, She is my sister, for he feared to say, She is my wife, lest at any time the men of the place should slay him because of Rebecca, because she was fair.

Genesis 26:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:9 (KJV)	Genesis 26:9 (NET)
And Abimelech called Isaac, and said: ‘Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou: She is my sister?’ And Isaac said unto him: ‘Because I said: Lest I die because of her.’	And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.	So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.”

Genesis 26:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκάλεσεν δὲ Αβιμελεχ τὸν Ισαακ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἄρα γε γυνή σού ἐστιν τί ὅτι εἶπας ἀδελφή μού ἐστιν εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Ισαακ εἶπα γάρ μήποτε ἀποθάνω δι᾽ αὐτήν	ἐκάλεσε δὲ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ τὸν ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἆρά γε γυνή σου ἐστί; τί ὅτι εἶπας, ἀδελφή μου ἐστίν; εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ᾿Ισαάκ· εἶπα γάρ, μήποτε ἀποθάνω δι᾿ αὐτήν
Genesis 26:9 (NETS)	Genesis 26:9 (English Elpenor)
Then Abimelech summoned Isaak and said to him, “So then she is your wife! Why is that you said, ‘She is my sister’?” And Isaak said to him, “Because I said, ‘Lest perhaps I die because of her’.”	And Abimelech called Isaac, and said to him, Is she then thy wife? why hast thou said, She is my sister? And Isaac said to him, [I did so], for I said, Lest at any time I die on her account.

Genesis 26:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:10 (KJV)	Genesis 26:10 (NET)
And Abimelech said: ‘What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might easily have lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.’	And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.	Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? One of the men nearly took your wife to bed, and you would have brought guilt on us!”

Genesis 26:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ Αβιμελεχ τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας ἡμῖν μικροῦ ἐκοιμήθη τις τοῦ γένους μου μετὰ τῆς γυναικός σου καὶ ἐπήγαγες ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἄγνοιαν	εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ᾿Αβιμέλεχ· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας ἡμῖν; μικροῦ ἐκοιμήθη τις ἐκ τοῦ γένους μου μετὰ τῆς γυναικός σου, καὶ ἐπήγαγες ἂν ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς ἄγνοιαν
Genesis 26:10 (NETS)	Genesis 26:10 (English Elpenor)
And Abimelech said to him, “What is this you have done to us? Very nearly did someone of my kin lie with your wife, and you had brought ignorance upon us.”	And Abimelech said to him, Why hast thou done this to us? one of my kindred within a little had lain with thy wife, and thou wouldest have brought [a sin of] ignorance upon us.

Genesis 26:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:24 (KJV)	Genesis 26:24 (NET)
And HaShem appeared unto him the same night, and said: ‘I am the G-d of Abraham thy father. Fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for My servant Abraham’s sake.’	And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.	The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

Genesis 26:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῷ κύριος ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ καὶ εἶπεν ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Αβρααμ τοῦ πατρός σου μὴ φοβοῦ μετὰ σοῦ γάρ εἰμι καὶ ηὐλόγηκά σε καὶ πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου διὰ Αβρααμ τὸν πατέρα σου	καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῷ Κύριος ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ τοῦ πατρός σου· μὴ φοβοῦ· μετὰ σοῦ γάρ εἰμι καὶ εὐλογήσω σε καὶ πληθυνῶ τὸ σπέρμα σου δι᾿ ῾Αβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα σου
Genesis 26:24 (NETS)	Genesis 26:24 (English Elpenor)
And on that night the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraam; do not be afraid, for I am with you and have blessed you and will make your offspring numerous for your father Abraam’s sake.”	And the Lord appeared to him in that night, and said, I am the God of Abraam thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and I will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for the sake of Abraam thy father.

Genesis 26:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 26:25 (KJV)	Genesis 26:25 (NET)
And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of HaShem, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.	And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.	Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.

Genesis 26:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 26:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου καὶ ἔπηξεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ ὤρυξαν δὲ ἐκεῖ οἱ παῖδες Ισαακ φρέαρ	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου καὶ ἔπηξεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ· ὤρυξαν δὲ ἐκεῖ οἱ παῖδες ᾿Ισαὰκ φρέαρ ἐν τῇ φάραγγι Γεράρων
Genesis 26:25 (NETS)	Genesis 26:25 (English Elpenor)
And he built an altar there and invoked the name of the Lord and pitched his tent there. And there Isaak’s servants dug a well.	And he built there an altar, and called on the name of the Lord, and there he pitched his tent, and there the servants of Isaac dug a well in the valley of Gerara.

Genesis 28:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:12 (KJV)	Genesis 28:12 (NET)
And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of G-d ascending and descending on it.	And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.	and had a dream. He saw a stairway erected on the earth with its top reaching to the heavens. The angels of God were going up and coming down it

Genesis 28:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνυπνιάσθη καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίμαξ ἐστηριγμένη ἐν τῇ γῇ ἧς ἡ κεφαλὴ ἀφικνεῖτο εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνέβαινον καὶ κατέβαινον ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς	καὶ ἐνυπνιάσθη, καὶ ἰδοὺ κλίμαξ ἐστηριγμένη ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἧς ἡ κεφαλὴ ἀφικνεῖτο εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνέβαινον καὶ κατέβαινον ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς
Genesis 28:12 (NETS)	Genesis 28:12 (English Elpenor)
And he dreamed, and see, a ladder set firmly in the earth, whose top was reaching into heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.	and dreamed, and behold a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it.

Genesis 28:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:13 (KJV)	Genesis 28:13 (NET)
And, behold, HaShem stood beside him, and said: ‘I am HaShem, the G-d of Abraham thy father, and the G-d of Isaac. The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.	And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;	and the Lord stood at its top. He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on.

Genesis 28:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ κύριος ἐπεστήρικτο ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς Αβρααμ τοῦ πατρός σου καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ισαακ μὴ φοβοῦ ἡ γῆ ἐφ᾽ ἧς σὺ καθεύδεις ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς σοὶ δώσω αὐτὴν καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου	ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐπεστήρικτο ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ τοῦ πατρός σου, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαάκ· μὴ φοβοῦ· ἡ γῆ, ἐφ᾿ ἧς σὺ καθεύδεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς, σοὶ δώσω αὐτήν, καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου
Genesis 28:13 (NETS)	Genesis 28:13 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord leaned on it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraam your father and the God of Isaak; do not be afraid; as for the land which you are sleeping on, I will give it to you and to your offspring.	And the Lord stood upon it, and said, I am the God of thy father Abraam, and the God of Isaac; fear not, the land on which thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed.

Genesis 28:14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:14 (KJV)	Genesis 28:14 (NET)
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.	And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.	Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. And so all the families of the earth may receive blessings through you and through your descendants.

Genesis 28:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς γῆς καὶ πλατυνθήσεται ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καὶ ἐπὶ λίβα καὶ ἐπὶ βορρᾶν καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἀνατολάς καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου	καὶ ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς ἡ ἄμμος τῆς γῆς καὶ πλατυνθήσεται ἐπὶ θάλασσαν καὶ ἐπὶ λίβα καὶ ἐπὶ βορρᾶν, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀνατολάς, καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐν τῷ σπέρματί σου
Genesis 28:14 (NETS)	Genesis 28:14 (English Elpenor)
And your offspring shall be like the sand of the earth, and it shall widen out to the sea and to the southwest and to the north and to the east, and all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.	And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 28:15 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:15 (KJV)	Genesis 28:15 (NET)
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee whithersoever thou goest, and will bring thee back into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.’	And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.	I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!”

Genesis 28:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μετὰ σοῦ διαφυλάσσων σε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ πάσῃ οὗ ἐὰν πορευθῇς καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην ὅτι οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω ἕως τοῦ ποιῆσαί με πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησά σοι	καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι μετὰ σοῦ διαφυλάσσων σε ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ πάσῃ, οὗ ἂν πορευθῇς, καὶ ἀποστρέψω σε εἰς τὴν γῆν ταύτην, ὅτι οὐ μή σε ἐγκαταλίπω, ἕως τοῦ ποιῆσαί με πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησά σοι
Genesis 28:15 (NETS)	Genesis 28:15 (English Elpenor)
And see, I am with you, carefully guarding you in every way where you might go, and I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I have done all things that I talked about to you.”	And behold I am with thee to preserve thee continually in all the way wherein thou shalt go; and I will bring thee back to this land; for I will not desert thee, until I have done all that I have said to thee.

Genesis 28:16 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:16 (KJV)	Genesis 28:16 (NET)
And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said: ‘Surely HaShem is in this place; and I knew it not.’	And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.	Then Jacob woke up and thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, but I did not realize it!”

Genesis 28:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξηγέρθη Ιακωβ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ὅτι ἔστιν κύριος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ᾔδειν	καὶ ἐξηγέρθη ᾿Ιακὼβ ἐκ τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· ὅτι ἔστι Κύριος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ᾔδειν
Genesis 28:16 (NETS)	Genesis 28:16 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob woke from his sleep and said, “The Lord is in this place—yet I did not know it!”	And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and said, The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not.

Genesis 28:17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:17 (KJV)	Genesis 28:17 (NET)
And he was afraid, and said: ‘How full of awe is this place! this is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.’	And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.	He was afraid and said, “What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!”

Genesis 28:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐφοβήθη καὶ εἶπεν ὡς φοβερὸς ὁ τόπος οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν τοῦτο ἀλλ᾽ ἢ οἶκος θεοῦ καὶ αὕτη ἡ πύλη τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	καὶ ἐφοβήθη καὶ εἶπεν· ὡς φοβερὸς ὁ τόπος οὗτος· οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἀλλ᾿ ἢ οἶκος Θεοῦ, καὶ αὕτη ἡ πύλη τοῦ οὐρανοῦ
Genesis 28:17 (NETS)	Genesis 28:17 (English Elpenor)
And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is nothing other than a divine house, and this is the gate of heaven.”	And he was afraid, and said, How fearful is this place! this is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

Genesis 28:18 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:18 (KJV)	Genesis 28:18 (NET)
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.	And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.	Early in the morning Jacob took the stone he had placed near his head and set it up as a sacred stone. Then he poured oil on top of it.

Genesis 28:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀνέστη Ιακωβ τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἔλαβεν τὸν λίθον ὃν ὑπέθηκεν ἐκεῖ πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν στήλην καὶ ἐπέχεεν ἔλαιον ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον αὐτῆς	καὶ ἀνέστη ᾿Ιακὼβ τὸ πρωΐ καὶ ἔλαβε τὸν λίθον, ὃν ὑπέθηκεν ἐκεῖ πρὸς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὸν στήλην καὶ ἐπέχεεν ἔλαιον ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον αὐτῆς
Genesis 28:18 (NETS)	Genesis 28:18 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob rose in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put down there at his head and set it up for a stele and poured oil on top of it.	And Jacob rose up in the morning, and took the stone he [had] laid there by his head, and he set it up [as] a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.

Genesis 28:19 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:19 (KJV)	Genesis 28:19 (NET)
And he called the name of that place Beth-el, but the name of the city was Luz at the first.	And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.	He called that place Bethel, although the former name of the town was Luz.

Genesis 28:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐκάλεσεν Ιακωβ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Οἶκος θεοῦ καὶ Ουλαμλους ἦν ὄνομα τῇ πόλει τὸ πρότερον	καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ τόπου ἐκείνου Οἶκος Θεοῦ· καὶ Οὐλαμλοὺζ ἦν ὄνομα τῇ πόλει τὸ πρότερον
Genesis 28:19 (NETS)	Genesis 28:19 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob called the name of that place Divine-house, and the city’s name was formerly Oulamlouz.	And he called the name of that place, the House of God; and the name of the city before was Ulam-luz.

Genesis 28:20 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:20 (KJV)	Genesis 28:20 (NET)
And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: ‘If G-d will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,	And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,	Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear,

Genesis 28:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ηὔξατο Ιακωβ εὐχὴν λέγων ἐὰν ᾖ κύριος ὁ θεὸς μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ διαφυλάξῃ με ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ ᾗ ἐγὼ πορεύομαι καὶ δῷ μοι ἄρτον φαγεῖν καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι	καὶ ηὔξατο ᾿Ιακὼβ εὐχὴν λέγων· ἐὰν ᾖ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ διαφυλάξῃ με ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ταύτῃ, ᾗ ἐγὼ πορεύομαι, καὶ δῷ μοι ἄρτον φαγεῖν καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέσθαι
Genesis 28:20 (NETS)	Genesis 28:20 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob made a vow, saying, “If the Lord God should be with me and should carefully guard me in this way that I go and should give me bread to eat and clothing to put on	And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If the Lord God will be with me, and guard me throughout on this journey, on which I am going, and give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,

Genesis 28:21 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:21 (KJV)	Genesis 28:21 (NET)
so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then shall HaShem be my G-d,	So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:	and I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will become my God.

Genesis 28:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀποστρέψῃ με μετὰ σωτηρίας εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ ἔσται μοι κύριος εἰς θεόν	καὶ ἀποστρέψῃ με μετὰ σωτηρίας εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ ἔσται Κύριός μοι εἰς Θεόν
Genesis 28:21 (NETS)	Genesis 28:21 (English Elpenor)
and should bring me back to my father’s house in safety, then the Lord shall become god to me,	and bring me back in safety to the house of my father, then shall the Lord be for a God to me.

Genesis 28:22 (Tanakh)	Genesis 28:22 (KJV)	Genesis 28:22 (NET)
and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be G-d’s house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee.’	And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God’s house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.	Then this stone that I have set up as a sacred stone will be the house of God, and I will surely give you back a tenth of everything you give me.”

Genesis 28:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 28:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὁ λίθος οὗτος ὃν ἔστησα στήλην ἔσται μοι οἶκος θεοῦ καὶ πάντων ὧν ἐάν μοι δῷς δεκάτην ἀποδεκατώσω αὐτά σοι	καὶ ὁ λίθος οὗτος, ὃν ἔστησα στήλην, ἔσται μοι οἶκος Θεοῦ, καὶ πάντων, ὧν ἐάν μοι δῷς, δεκάτην ἀποδεκατώσω αὐτά σοι
Genesis 28:22 (NETS)	Genesis 28:22 (English Elpenor)
and this stone, which I have set up for a stele, shall be a divine house to me, and of all things that you might give me, as a tithe I will tithe them to you.”	And this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be to me a house of God; and of all whatsoever thou shalt give me, I will tithe a tenth for thee.

Genesis 31:31 (Tanakh)	Genesis 31:31 (KJV)	Genesis 31:31 (NET)
And Jacob answered and said to Laban: ‘Because I was afraid; for I said: Lest thou shouldest take thy daughters from me by force.	And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.	“I left secretly because I was afraid!” Jacob replied to Laban. “I thought you might take your daughters away from me by force.

Genesis 31:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 31:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Ιακωβ εἶπεν τῷ Λαβαν εἶπα γάρ μήποτε ἀφέλῃς τὰς θυγατέρας σου ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμά	ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ εἶπε τῷ Λάβαν· ὅτι ἐφοβήθην· εἶπα γάρ· μή ποτε ἀφέλῃς τὰς θυγατέρας σου ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμά
Genesis 31:31 (NETS)	Genesis 31:31 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob said to Laban in reply, “Because I said, ‘Lest perhaps you take away your daughters from me, and all that is mine’.	And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid; for I said, Lest at any time thou shouldest take away thy daughters from me, and all my possessions.

Genesis 32:8 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:7 (KJV)	Genesis 32:7 (NET)
Then Jacob was greatly afraid and was distressed. And he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and the herds, and the camels, into two camps.	Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands;	Jacob was very afraid and upset. So he divided the people who were with him into two camps, as well as the flocks, herds, and camels.

Genesis 32:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐφοβήθη δὲ Ιακωβ σφόδρα καὶ ἠπορεῖτο καὶ διεῖλεν τὸν λαὸν τὸν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς βόας καὶ τὰ πρόβατα εἰς δύο παρεμβολάς	ἐφοβήθη δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ σφόδρα, καὶ ἠπορεῖτο. καὶ διεῖλε τὸν λαὸν τὸν μεθ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοὺς βόας καὶ τὰς καμήλους καὶ τὰ πρόβατα εἰς δύο παρεμβολάς
Genesis 32:7 (NETS)	Genesis 32:7 (English Elpenor)
Then Iakob was greatly afraid and perplexed. And he divided the people that were with him and the cattle and the sheep into two companies,	And Jacob was greatly terrified, and was perplexed; and he divided the people that was with him, and the cows, and the camels, and the sheep, into two camps.

Genesis 32:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:8 (KJV)	Genesis 32:8 (NET)
And he said: ‘If Esau come to the one camp, and smite it, then the camp which is left shall escape.’	And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.	“If Esau attacks one camp,” he thought, “then the other camp will be able to escape.”

Genesis 32:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Ιακωβ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ Ησαυ εἰς παρεμβολὴν μίαν καὶ ἐκκόψῃ αὐτήν ἔσται ἡ παρεμβολὴ ἡ δευτέρα εἰς τὸ σῴζεσθαι	καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Ιακώβ· ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ῾Ησαῦ εἰς παρεμβολὴν μίαν καὶ κόψῃ αὐτήν, ἔσται ἡ παρεμβολὴ ἡ δευτέρα εἰς τὸ σώζεσθαι
Genesis 32:8 (NETS)	Genesis 32:8 (English Elpenor)
and Iakob said, “If Esau should come to one company and eradicate it, then there will be the second company to save itself.”	And Jacob said, If Esau should come to one camp, and smite it, the other camp shall be in safety.

Genesis 32:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:9 (KJV)	Genesis 32:9 (NET)
And Jacob said: ‘O G-d of my father Abraham, and G-d of my father Isaac, O HaShem, who saidst unto me: Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will do thee good;	And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:	Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O Lord, you said to me, ‘Return to your land and to your relatives and I will make you prosper.’

Genesis 32:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἶπεν δὲ Ιακωβ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου Αβρααμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου Ισαακ κύριε ὁ εἴπας μοι ἀπότρεχε εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς γενέσεώς σου καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσω	εἶπε δὲ ᾿Ιακώβ· ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός μου ᾿Ισαάκ, Κύριε σὺ ὁ εἰπών μοι, ἀπότρεχε εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς γενέσεώς σου καὶ εὖ σε ποιήσω
Genesis 32:9 (NETS)	Genesis 32:9 (English Elpenor)
And Iakob said, “God of my father Abraam and of my father Isaak, O Lord who said to me, ‘Hurry off to the country of your origin, and I will do you good,’	And Jacob said, God of my father Abraam, and God of my father Isaac, O Lord, thou [art] he that said to me, Depart quickly to the land of thy birth, and I will do thee good.

Genesis 32:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:10 (KJV)	Genesis 32:10 (NET)
I am not worthy of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast shown unto Thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two camps.	I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.	I am not worthy of all the faithful love you have shown your servant. With only my walking stick I crossed the Jordan, but now I have become two camps.

Genesis 32:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἱκανοῦταί μοι ἀπὸ πάσης δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἀληθείας ἧς ἐποίησας τῷ παιδί σου ἐν γὰρ τῇ ῥάβδῳ μου διέβην τὸν Ιορδάνην τοῦτον νῦν δὲ γέγονα εἰς δύο παρεμβολάς	ἱκανούσθω μοι ἀπὸ πάσης δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἀληθείας, ἧς ἐποίησας τῷ παιδί σου· ἐν γὰρ τῇ ῥάβδῳ μου ταύτῃ διέβην τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην τοῦτον, νυνὶ δὲ γέγονα εἰς δύο παρεμβολάς
Genesis 32:10 (NETS)	Genesis 32:10 (English Elpenor)
it is sufficient for me because of all the righteousness and because of all the truth that you have brought about for your servant, for with my staff I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two companies.	Let there be to me a sufficiency of all the justice and all the truth which thou hast wrought with thy servant; for with this my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two camps.

Genesis 32:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:11 (KJV)	Genesis 32:11 (NET)
Deliver me, I pray Thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and smite me, the mother with the children.	Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.	Rescue me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, as well as the mothers with their children.

Genesis 32:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐξελοῦ με ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου Ησαυ ὅτι φοβοῦμαι ἐγὼ αὐτόν μήποτε ἐλθὼν πατάξῃ με καὶ μητέρα ἐπὶ τέκνοις	ἐξελοῦ με ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου, ἐκ χειρὸς ῾Ησαῦ, ὅτι φοβοῦμαι ἐγὼ αὐτόν, μή ποτε ἐλθὼν πατάξῃ με καὶ μητέρα ἐπὶ τέκνοις
Genesis 32:11 (NETS)	Genesis 32:11 (English Elpenor)
Deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau—because I am afraid of him—that he not come smite me and mother with children.	Deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him, lest haply he should come and smite me, and the mother upon the children.

Genesis 32:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 32:12 (KJV)	Genesis 32:12 (NET)
And Thou saidst: I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’	And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.	But you said, ‘I will certainly make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand on the seashore, too numerous to count.’”

Genesis 32:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 32:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σὺ δὲ εἶπας καλῶς εὖ σε ποιήσω καὶ θήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τῆς θαλάσσης ἣ οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους	σὺ δὲ εἶπας· εὖ σε ποιήσω καὶ θήσω τὸ σπέρμα σου ὡς τὴν ἄμμον τῆς θαλάσσης, ἣ οὐκ ἀριθμηθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους
Genesis 32:12 (NETS)	Genesis 32:12 (English Elpenor)
Yet you said, ‘I will do you great good and make your offspring as the sand ‘f the sea, which shall not be counted for multitude’.”	But thou saidst, I will do thee good, and will make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which shall not be numbered for multitude.

Deuteronomy 32:36 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 32:36 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 32:36 (NET)
For HaShem will judge His people, and repent Himself for His servants; when He seeth that their stay is gone, and there is none remaining, shut up or left at large.	For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.	The Lord will judge his people, and will change his plans concerning his servants; when he sees that their power has disappeared, and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.

Deuteronomy 32:36 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 32:36 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι κρινεῖ κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ παρακληθήσεται εἶδεν γὰρ παραλελυμένους αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκλελοιπότας ἐν ἐπαγωγῇ καὶ παρειμένους	ὅτι κρινεῖ Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ παρακληθήσεται· εἶδε γὰρ παραλελυμένους αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκλελοιπότας ἐν ἐπαγωγῇ καὶ παρειμένους
Deuteronomy 32:36 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 32:36 (English Elpenor)
For the Lord will judge his people and be comforted over his slaves. For he saw them paralyzed, both failed under attack and enfeebled.	For the Lord shall judge his people, and shall be comforted over his servants; for he saw that they were utterly weakened, and failed in the hostile invasion, and were become feeble:

Exodus 19:12 (Tanakh)	Exodus 19:12 (KJV)	Exodus 19:12 (NET)
And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying: Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it; whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death;	And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:	You must set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Take heed to yourselves not to go up on the mountain nor touch its edge. Whoever touches the mountain will surely be put to death!

Exodus 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀφοριεῖς τὸν λαὸν κύκλῳ λέγων προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ ἀναβῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ θιγεῖν τι αὐτοῦ πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει	καὶ ἀφοριεῖς τὸν λαὸν κύκλῳ λέγων· προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ ἀναβῆναι εἰς τὸ ὄρος καὶ θίγειν τι αὐτοῦ· πᾶς ὁ ἁψάμενος τοῦ ὄρους θανάτῳ τελευτήσει
Exodus 19:12 (NETS)	Exodus 19:12 (English Elpenor)
And you shall set limits for the people round about, saying, ‘Be on your guard against going onto the mountain and grazing it at all. Everyone who touches the mountain shall die by death.	And thou shalt separate the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves that ye go not up into the mountain, nor touch any part of it: every one that touches the mountain shall surely die.

Exodus 19:13 (Tanakh)	Exodus 19:13 (KJV)	Exodus 19:13 (NET)
no hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live; when the ram’s horn soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.’	There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.	No hand will touch him—but he will surely be stoned or shot through, whether a beast or a human being; he must not live.’ When the ram’s horn sounds a long blast they may go up on the mountain.”

Exodus 19:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 19:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐχ ἅψεται αὐτοῦ χείρ ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος οὐ ζήσεται ὅταν αἱ φωναὶ καὶ αἱ σάλπιγγες καὶ ἡ νεφέλη ἀπέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους ἐκεῖνοι ἀναβήσονται ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος	οὐχ ἅψετε αὐτοῦ χείρ· ἐν γὰρ λίθοις λιθοβοληθήσεται ἢ βολίδι κατατοξευθήσεται· ἐάν τε κτῆνος ἐάν τε ἄνθρωπος, οὐ ζήσεται. ὅταν αἱ φωναὶ καὶ αἱ σάλπιγγες καὶ ἡ νεφέλη ἀπέλθῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄρους, ἐκεῖνοι ἀναβήσονται ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος
Exodus 19:13 (NETS)	Exodus 19:13 (English Elpenor)
A hand shall not touch it. For he shall be stoned with stones or shot with an arrow. Whether animal or whether human, it shall not live.’ Whenever the sounds and the trumpets and the cloud leave the mountain, they shall come up on the mountain.”	A hand shall not touch it, for [every one that touches] shall be stoned with stones or shot through with a dart, whether beast or whether man, it shall not live: when the voices and trumpets and cloud depart from off the mountain, they shall come up on the mountain.

Deuteronomy 9:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 9:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 9:19 (NET)
For I was in dread of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith HaShem was wroth against you to destroy you. But HaShem hearkened unto me that time also.	For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.	For I was terrified at the Lord’s intense anger that threatened to destroy you. But he listened to me this time as well.

Deuteronomy 9:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 9:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔκφοβός εἰμι διὰ τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὸν θυμόν ὅτι παρωξύνθη κύριος ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν ἐξολεθρεῦσαι ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰσήκουσεν κύριος ἐμοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ	καὶ ἔκφοβός εἰμι διὰ τὸν θυμὸν καὶ τὴν ὀργήν, ὅτι παρωξύνθη Κύριος ἐφ᾿ ὑμῖν τοῦ ἐξολοθρεῦσαι ὑμᾶς καὶ εἰσήκουσε Κύριος ἐμοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τούτῳ
Deuteronomy 9:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 9:19 (English Elpenor)
And I was terrified on account of the wrath and anger, because the Lord had been provoked against you to destroy you utterly. And the Lord listened to me this time also.	And I was greatly terrified because of the wrath and anger, because the Lord was provoked with you utterly to destroy you; yet the Lord hearkened to me at this time also.

Luke 1:26-29 (NET)	Luke 1:26-29 (KJV)
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,	And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

Luke 1:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 1:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 1:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐν δὲ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς πόλιν τῆς Γαλιλαίας ᾗ ὄνομα Ναζαρὲθ	εν δε τω μηνι τω εκτω απεσταλη ο αγγελος γαβριηλ υπο του θεου εις πολιν της γαλιλαιας η ονομα ναζαρετ	εν δε τω μηνι τω εκτω απεσταλη ο αγγελος γαβριηλ υπο του θεου εις πολιν της γαλιλαιας η ονομα ναζαρετ

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Luke 1:27 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 1:27 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 1:27 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πρὸς παρθένον ἐμνηστευμένην ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὄνομα Ἰωσὴφ ἐξ οἴκου Δαυὶδ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς παρθένου Μαριάμ	προς παρθενον μεμνηστευμενην ανδρι ω ονομα ιωσηφ εξ οικου δαβιδ και το ονομα της παρθενου μαριαμ	προς παρθενον μεμνηστευμενην ανδρι ω ονομα ιωσηφ εξ οικου δαυιδ και το ονομα της παρθενου μαριαμ

The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!”

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Luke 1:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 1:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 1:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπεν· χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ	και εισελθων ο αγγελος προς αυτην ειπεν χαιρε κεχαριτωμενη ο κυριος μετα σου ευλογημενη συ εν γυναιξιν	και εισελθων ο αγγελος προς αυτην ειπεν χαιρε κεχαριτωμενη ο κυριος μετα σου ευλογημενη συ εν γυναιξιν

But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

Luke 1:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 1:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 1:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ διεταράχθη καὶ διελογίζετο ποταπὸς εἴη ὁ ἀσπασμὸς οὗτος	η δε ιδουσα διεταραχθη επι τω λογω αυτου και διελογιζετο ποταπος ειη ο ασπασμος ουτος	η δε ιδουσα διεταραχθη επι τω λογω αυτου και διελογιζετο ποταπος ειη ο ασπασμος ουτος

Hebrews 12:18 (NET)	Hebrews 12:18 (KJV)
For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind	For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

Hebrews 12:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 12:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 12:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οὐ γὰρ προσεληλύθατε ψηλαφωμένῳ καὶ κεκαυμένῳ πυρὶ καὶ γνόφῳ καὶ ζόφῳ καὶ θυέλλῃ	ου γαρ προσεληλυθατε ψηλαφωμενω ορει και κεκαυμενω πυρι και γνοφω και σκοτω και θυελλη	ου γαρ προσεληλυθατε ψηλαφωμενω ορει και κεκαυμενω πυρι και γνοφω και σκοτω και θυελλη

Hebrews 12:20, 21 (NET)	Hebrews 12:20, 21 (KJV)
For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”	(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

Hebrews 12:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 12:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 12:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐκ ἔφερον γὰρ τὸ διαστελλόμενον· κὰν θηρίον θίγῃ τοῦ ὄρους, λιθοβοληθήσεται	ουκ εφερον γαρ το διαστελλομενον καν θηριον θιγη του ορους λιθοβοληθησεται η βολιδι κατατοξευθησεται	ουκ εφερον γαρ το διαστελλομενον καν θηριον θιγη του ορους λιθοβοληθησεται

In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

Hebrews 12:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 12:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 12:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καί, οὕτω φοβερὸν ἦν τὸ φανταζόμενον, Μωϋσῆς εἶπεν· ἔκφοβος εἰμι καὶ ἔντρομος	και ουτως φοβερον ην το φανταζομενον μωσης ειπεν εκφοβος ειμι και εντρομος	και ουτως φοβερον ην το φανταζομενον μωυσης ειπεν εκφοβος ειμι και εντρομος

Fear – Genesis, Part 4

Back to Fear – Genesis, Part 7

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 2

¹ Genesis 26:1 (NET)

² Genesis 26:7 (NET)

³ Matthew 14:24-30a (NET)

⁴ Genesis 26:9 (NET)

⁵ Genesis 26:10 (NET)

⁶ Matthew 14:30, 31 (NET)

⁷ Genesis 26:24 (NET)

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπὸ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υπο (KJV: from).

⁹ In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ Nazareth was spelled Ναζαρὲθ, and ναζαρετ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text.

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐμνηστευμένην here, a participle of μνηστεύω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεμνηστευμενην (KJV: espoused). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

¹¹ In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text David was spelled Δαυὶδ, and δαβιδ in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο αγγελος here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ευλογημενη συ εν γυναιξιν (KJV: blessed art thou among women) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ιδουσα (KJV: when she saw [him]) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτου here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁶ Luke 1:26-30 (NET)

¹⁷ Genesis 26:25 (NET)

¹⁸ Luke 1:38 (NET)

¹⁹ Genesis 28:16, 17 (NET)

²⁰ John 19:8 (NET)

²¹ John 19:7 (NET) Table

²² John 19:9-11 (NET)

²³ John 19:12 (NET) Table

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ορει (KJV: unto the mount) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζόφῳ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σκοτω (KJV: darkness).

²⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had η βολιδι κατατοξευθησεται (KJV: or thrust through with a dart) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text had οὕτω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had οὕτως.

²⁸ In the NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text Moses was spelled Μωϋσῆς, and μωσης in the Stephanus Textus Receptus.

²⁹ Genesis 31:31 (NET)

³⁰ Genesis 32:7, 8 (NET)

³¹ Genesis 32:9 (NET)

³² Genesis 32:10, 11 (NET)

³³ Genesis 32:12 (NET)

³⁴ Acts 22:29 (NET)

The Will of God – Jesus, Part 3

Posted on November 1, 2012 by admin

Jesus trusted his Father so completely that the flesh of Adam was much more subjugated in Him than in me. Still, I can think of two incidents where the flesh made an appearance and was recorded by the Gospel writers. Matthew and Mark had different opinions as to whether the first incident happened before or after Jesus cleansed the temple, but both associated it with that event.

Now early in the morning,¹ Matthew recorded, as [Jesus] returned to the city, he was hungry. After noticing a fig tree by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once.² The tree appeared as if it should have fruit on it but did not have any. Mark wrote: Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, [Jesus] was hungry. After noticing in³ the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not⁴ the⁵ season for figs. He⁶ said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.⁷

Mark added the following details: 1) The fig tree that withered at once was overnight, 2) Jesus saw and approached the tree from a distance; and 3) it was not the season for figs. This is what persuades me that I am witnessing the flesh of Adam in Jesus, a frustration that overcame his reason.

It’s not too hard to see that the actual frustration Jesus vented on the fig tree was the hypocrisy of his own people. He might have cursed those who were selling and buying in the temple courts⁸ with chilling effect. Instead, as a man like Adam He began to drive out those who were selling and buying⁹ in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. Then he began to teach them…¹⁰

The second incident occurred in the garden of Gethsemane the night he was betrayed. Jesus, born of the Spirit of God, knew that the death of the flesh of Adam was part of his Father’s purpose for his life and ministry. Now my soul is greatly distressed, He said. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me from this hour’? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour.¹¹ But Jesus, also born of the flesh of Adam, prayed, My Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me!¹²

It is important to me to believe that Jesus’ willingness to suffer was of utmost concern to his Father. I believe Jesus could have said, Father, deliver me from this hour, with complete impunity. He still would have sat at his Father’s right hand, and his Father would have said something equivalent to, “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get’em next time, Tiger.” But Jesus did not pray Father, deliver me from this hour. He never put his Father in that position.

Jesus prayed, Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me! Yet not what I will (θέλω), but what you will.¹³ He was strengthened by the Holy Spirit, then prayed a second time, My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will (θέλημα) must be done.”¹⁴ Luke wrote, Father, if you are willing (βούλει, a form of βούλομαι), take this cup away from me. Yet not my will (θέλημα) but yours be done.¹⁵ As subjugated as the flesh was in Jesus He did not rely on his desires (θέλω or θέλημα) to direct his path, but relied on the will of God.

While I am completely convinced by my own experience (for the Scripture doesn’t say it) that the living Holy Spirit of God interceded with Jesus in real time and space, and strengthened Him at that precise moment, I can’t escape how the same Holy Spirit interceded for Jesus in other ways as well. The flesh of Adam transmitted to Jesus came through his mother. When I see Jesus praying My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done, I can’t help but see Mary answering Gabriel, Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word.¹⁶ This is the spirit of the woman who raised Jesus as a boy.

I am becoming more and more convinced that the idea of human sacrifice (including the death of the Lord Jesus) did not originate in the mind of God. They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!¹⁷ They have built places here for worship of the god Baal so that they could sacrifice their children as burnt offerings to him in the fire. Such sacrifices are something I never commanded them to make! They are something I never told them to do! Indeed, such a thing never even entered my mind!¹⁸ They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom [that is, Gehenna] so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech. Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do! It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing!¹⁹

Though I don’t believe that Jesus’ sacrifice originated in the mind of God, I do believe it is evidence of how far God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—will go to communicate to the religious minds of those born of the flesh of Adam, who thought that such sacrifice should have some merit. So as I see Jesus praying, your will must be done, accepting the death that will put an end to sacrifice—I want (θέλω) mercy and not sacrifice²⁰—and an end to oaths of righteousness—I say to you, do not take oaths at all²¹—and I see his mother praying, let this happen to me according to your word, I also see an unnamed girl who was commemorated for her words, My father, since you made an oath to the Lord, do to me as you promised,²² after she returned from mourning her virginity and was sacrificed to God to fulfill Jephthah’s reckless oath. Here I find my understanding of one of Jesus’ more enigmatic sayings, enigmatic to those of us who must follow Him by faith rather than by sight.

If anyone wants to become my follower, Jesus said, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.²³ Peter and Paul helped me see what it meant to deny myself, to believe that I have died to sin,²⁴ to say, I do not know the man²⁵ to the old man that was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin would no longer dominate²⁶ me. To take up [my] cross is to join Jesus distrusting my own desires and saying to God, not my will but yours be done.²⁷ And finally, to follow Jesus is to love and forgive others as He did, which is the fulfillment of the law.²⁸ Freely you received, Jesus told his disciples, freely give.²⁹

Addendum August 22, 2024:
Tables comparing Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Jeremiah 7:31 and 32:35 (39:35) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 21:18; Mark 11:13, 14; 11:15 and 11:17 in the KJV and NET follow.

Jeremiah 7:31 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 7:31 (KJV)	Jeremiah 7:31 (NET)
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.	And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.	They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!

Jeremiah 7:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 7:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸν βωμὸν τοῦ Ταφεθ ὅς ἐστιν ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ Εννομ τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί ὃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τὸν βωμὸν τοῦ Ταφέθ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ ᾿Εννόμ, τοῦ κατακαίειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν ἐν πυρί, ὃ οὐκ ἐνετειλάμην αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐ διενοήθην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου
Jeremiah 7:31 (NETS)	Jeremiah 7:31 (English Elpenor)
And they built the altar of Tapheth, which is in the valley of Hennom’s son, to burn their sons and their daughters with fire—which I did not command them, and I did not intend it in my heart.	And they have built the altar of Tapheth, which is in the valley of the son of Ennom, to burn their sons and their daughters with fire; which I did not command them [to do], neither did I design it in my heart.

Jeremiah 32:35 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 32:35 (KJV)	Jeremiah 32:35 (NET)
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.	And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.	They built places of worship for the god Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they could sacrifice their sons and daughters to the god Molech. Such a disgusting practice was not something I commanded them to do. It never even entered my mind to command them to do such a thing! So Judah is certainly liable for punishment.’

Jeremiah 32:35 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 39:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τοὺς βωμοὺς τῇ Βααλ τοὺς ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ Εννομ τοῦ ἀναφέρειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τῷ Μολοχ βασιλεῖ ἃ οὐ συνέταξα αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ καρδίαν μου τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ βδέλυγμα τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ἐφαμαρτεῖν τὸν Ιουδαν	καὶ ᾠκοδόμησαν τοὺς βωμοὺς τῇ Βάαλ τοὺς ἐν φάραγγι υἱοῦ ᾿Εννὸμ τοῦ ἀναφέρειν τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτῶν τῷ Μολὸχ βασιλεῖ, ἃ οὐ συνέταξα αὐτοῖς καὶ οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ καρδίαν μου, τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ βδέλυγμα τοῦτο πρὸς τὸ ἐφαμαρτεῖν τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν
Jeremiah 39:35 (NETS)	Jeremiah 39:35 (English Elpenor)
And they built the altars to the goddess Baal, which are in the valley of Hennom’s son, to offer up their sons and their daughters to the king, things which I did not intend them to do, and it did not arise in my heart that they do this abomination so as to cause Iouda to sin.	And they built to Baal the altars that are in the valley of the son of Ennom, to offer their sons and their daughters to king Moloch; which things I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Juda to sin.

Matthew 21:18 (NET)	Matthew 21:18 (KJV)
Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.	Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

Matthew 21:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πρωὶ_ δὲ \|ἐπανάγων\| εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπείνασεν	πρωιας δε επαναγων εις την πολιν επεινασεν	πρωιας δε επαναγων εις την πολιν επεινασεν

Mark 11:13, 14 (NET)	Mark 11:13, 14 (KJV)
After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.	And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

Mark 11:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 11:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 11:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔχουσαν φύλλα ἦλθεν, εἰ ἄρα τι εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν οὐδὲν εὗρεν εἰ μὴ φύλλα· ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς οὐκ ἦν σύκων	και ιδων συκην μακροθεν εχουσαν φυλλα ηλθεν ει αρα ευρησει τι εν αυτη και ελθων επ αυτην ουδεν ευρεν ει μη φυλλα ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων	και ιδων συκην μακροθεν εχουσαν φυλλα ηλθεν ει αρα ευρησει τι εν αυτη και ελθων επ αυτην ουδεν ευρεν ει μη φυλλα ου γαρ ην καιρος συκων

He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

Mark 11:14 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 11:14 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 11:14 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτῇ· μηκέτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐκ σοῦ μηδεὶς καρπὸν φάγοι. καὶ ἤκουον οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη μηκετι εκ σου εις τον αιωνα μηδεις καρπον φαγοι και ηκουον οι μαθηται αυτου	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτη μηκετι εκ σου εις τον αιωνα μηδεις καρπον φαγοι και ηκουον οι μαθηται αυτου

Mark 11:15 (NET)	Mark 11:15 (KJV)
Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves,	And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

Mark 11:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 11:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 11:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν ἤρξατο ἐκβάλλειν τοὺς πωλοῦντας καὶ τοὺς ἀγοράζοντας ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, καὶ τὰς τραπέζας τῶν κολλυβιστῶν καὶ τὰς καθέδρας τῶν πωλούντων τὰς περιστερὰς κατέστρεψεν	και ερχονται εις ιεροσολυμα και εισελθων ο ιησους εις το ιερον ηρξατο εκβαλλειν τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας κατεστρεψεν	και ερχονται εις ιεροσολυμα και εισελθων ο ιησους εις το ιερον ηρξατο εκβαλλειν τους πωλουντας και αγοραζοντας εν τω ιερω και τας τραπεζας των κολλυβιστων και τας καθεδρας των πωλουντων τας περιστερας κατεστρεψεν

Mark 11:17 (NET)	Mark 11:17 (KJV)
Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”	And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Mark 11:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 11:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 11:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἐδίδασκεν καὶ ἔλεγεν \|αὐτοῖς\|· οὐ γέγραπται ὅτι ὁ οἶκος μου οἶκος προσευχῆς κληθήσεται πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; ὑμεῖς δὲ πεποιήκατε αὐτὸν σπήλαιον λῃστῶν	και εδιδασκεν λεγων αυτοις ου γεγραπται οτι ο οικος μου οικος προσευχης κληθησεται πασιν τοις εθνεσιν υμεις δε εποιησατε αυτον σπηλαιον ληστων	και εδιδασκεν λεγων αυτοις ου γεγραπται οτι ο οικος μου οικος προσευχης κληθησεται πασιν τοις εθνεσιν υμεις δε εποιησατε αυτον σπηλαιον ληστων