3 John, Part 8

Posted on November 23, 2025 by admin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical text and received text diverge slightly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The critical and received texts diverge significantly here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam continued (Numbers 24:14-24 ESV)

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

And he took up his discourse and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 1

¹ 3 John, Part 3

² 3 John, Part 3

³ Luke 6:17b, 18a (ESV)

⁴ Matthew 7:17a (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 7:17b (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 7:18 (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 7:18a (ESV)

⁸ Luke 6:43 on Bible Hub

⁹ Matthew 7:18b (ESV)

¹⁰ Luke 6:44a (ESV)

¹¹ John 3:21 (ESV)

¹² John 14:6 (ESV)

¹³ Mark 10:18b (ESV)

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

¹⁵ Romans 9:30b (ESV)

¹⁶ Romans 9:31b (ESV) Table

¹⁷ Romans 9:32b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁹ Philippians 3:9c (ESV)

²⁰ Psalm 119:10 (The Complete Jewish Bible)

²¹ Genesis 1:26a (English Elpenor) Table

²² Genesis 1:27 (English Elpenor) Table

²³ Genesis 1:31a (English Elpenor) Table

²⁴ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

²⁶ Matthew 16:24c, 25 (ESV)

²⁷ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁹ An allusion to John 1:1-4

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

³¹ Philippians 3:21b (ESV) Table

³² Romans 6:3, 4 (ESV)

³³ Galatians 4:19 (ESV) Table

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

³⁵ Numbers 24:25 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

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

³⁸ Ibid.

³⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

3 John, Part 7

Posted on November 11, 2025 by admin

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

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

I wondered, “How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν (good)?”²

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are other more subtle differences as well:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Numbers 24:3 (Tanakh)	Numbers 24:3 (KJV)	Numbers 24:3 (NET)
And he took up his parable, and said: The saying of Balaam the son of Beor, and the saying of the man whose eye is opened;	And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:	Then he uttered this oracle: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eyes are open,

Numbers 24:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 24:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπεν φησὶν Βαλααμ υἱὸς Βεωρ φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν	καὶ ἀναλαβὼν τὴν παραβολὴν αὐτοῦ εἶπε· φησὶ Βαλαὰμ υἱὸς Βεώρ, φησὶν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ ἀληθινῶς ὁρῶν
Numbers 24:3 (NETS)	Numbers 24:3 (English Elpenor)
and he took up his parable and said: “Says Balaam son of Beor; says the man who truly sees.	And he took up his parable and said, Balaam son of Beor says, the man who sees truly says,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 John, Part 8

Back to 3 John, Part 6

Back to 3 John, Part 5

Back to 3 John, Part 4

Back to Exploration, Part 16

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

¹ 3 John, Part 3

² 3 John, Part 3

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

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

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

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

⁷ Deuteronomy 21:14 (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 19:18a

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

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

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

¹² Romans 9:32 (ESV)

¹³ Romans 7:25a (ESV)

¹⁴ Matthew 19:20b

¹⁵ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁶ Philippians 3:10, 11 (ESV)

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

¹⁸ Mark 10:17b (ESV)

¹⁹ Mark 10:18a (ESV)

²⁰ Matthew 19:16b (ESV) Table

²¹ John 1:4 (ESV)

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

²³ John 1:12, 13 (ESV)

²⁴ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

²⁵ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

²⁶ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

²⁷ Numbers 23:8a (ESV) Table

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

²⁹ 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 (ESV)

³⁰ 3 John 1:11b (ESV) Table

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

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

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 2

Posted on August 9, 2025 by admin

These essays are my notes. This one will serve as a record of what has been happening around me as I studied for the previous essay.

A visiting pastor preached Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV):

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet [Table].

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

It hit me extremely hard. I feel very responsible for my ex-wife’s faith (or lack thereof). Before she married me, her faith was a bruised reed…and a smoldering wick.¹ After divorcing me, her faith is broken and all but quenched. And I didn’t do it on purpose, quite the opposite.

The Greek of Matthew 5:16 is: οὕτως, In the same way, λαμψάτω, let shine (or “must shine”), τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν, your light (e.g., “your light must shine”), ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, before others, ὅπως, so that, ἴδωσιν, they may see, ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα, your good works (or “your beautiful works”), καὶ δοξάσωσιν, and give glory (or “and praise, glorify, honor”), τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν, to your Father (or “your Father”), τὸν, who is, ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, in heaven (literally, “in the heavens”).

The Lord does not heal the sick or raise the dead through me. More and more his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control [Table], the fruit of the Spirit² shines through me. My ex-wife is more than willing to praise me for his good works. (And, yes, that is gratifying to a wounded male ego.) She is willing to confess many of her own sins. But nothing that has been said or done through me has resulted in the slightest recognition that No one is good except God alone³ and You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.⁴

These truths are probably not where faith begins: the latter was spoken by Jesus to the Jews who had believed [and continued to believe⁵] him.⁶ But these truths received cultivate the soil (the pulverized rock and decaying organic material) out of which the Lord grows faith and the righteousness that is by faith. Rejecting these truths is essentially the rocky ground of which Jesus spoke (Matthew 13:1-23), artificially propping up the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁷ the lost son of perdition.⁸

As I stare at the Greek of Matthew 5:16, though I’m not completely sure that ὅπως, (ESV: so that) functions here like ἵνα would, the sentence construction sounds enough like a purpose clause that I take some courage in Jesus’ words rather than despairing at my own assessment of my own experience with her. The Greek verb ἴδωσιν (ESV: they may see), a form of εἴδω in the subjunctive mood, is definitely in the aorist tense. And the verb δοξάσωσιν (ESV: give glory), a form of δοξάζω in the subjunctive mood, might be understood in the present tense, by which I stand condemned in my own eyes, a failure to be salt or light. But δοξάσωσιν might also be understood in the aorist tense, an as yet unspecified time, indicating that there is yet hope in (e.g., by means of) the Lord. The emotional effect that sermon had on me is no reason to restrain the good (beautiful) works the Lord accomplishes through me.

That Sunday, however, hearing an English only sermon hit me like a gut punch. As I doubled over, the preacher smashed my face into his knee, and I was down for the count. I’ve known him as a very kind and gentle man. But the word of God is…sharper than any two-edged sword.⁹ The preacher’s emphasis on the church, as the salt and light through which the Lord works, dashed all my hope for the moment.

I heard, “there is no salvation outside the Church,”¹⁰ not because he quoted Cyprian. I probably heard his emphasis this way because I have a friend whose conversation is salted with that dictum as he patiently and persistently endeavors to convert me. But it did attach itself in those moments as a credible limitation (Matthew 12:30-32; Luke 11:23) to the Lord’s judgment:

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”¹¹ [by means of the church].

It is evident that the only credible limitation to the judgment of the One to whom All authority in heaven and on earth has been given¹² would be self-imposed.

The following Sunday I was careful not to hear an English only sermon. The interlinear English/Greek New Testament keyed to the Greek text of the KJV, NA²⁸ and the Koine Greek Lexicon were all open on my phone. Actually, they were available the Sunday the visiting preacher spoke, but my own Pastor is aware, and even approves, of why my face is buried in my phone rather than looking up, smiling at him.

He preached on temptation and the works done by us [or not done by us] in righteousness,¹³ with reference to being judged for what [we have] done in the body, whether good or evil,¹⁴ from 1 John 3. His interpretation was based on the translation of ποιῶν and ποιεῖ with the relative terms “makes a practice of” and “practices”: Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.¹⁵ That was interesting in a congregation where a favorite saying of one of the more prominent elders is: “I never need to practice to sin; I already do that very well all on my own.”

With access to the definitions of the Greek root ποιέω, however, I could hear: Everyone who [does sin] also [does] lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. Translated in absolute terms—Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God¹⁶—it becomes clearer that John and the Holy Spirit described factual information in the 3^rd chapter of 1 John regarding the old human (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires¹⁷ and the new human (τὸν καινὸν ἄνθρωπον) created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁸ So, I heard a sermon of encouragement to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on¹⁹ the new human by the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ, rather than puzzling whether the sin that dwells within me qualifies as practice and should be addressed by some other stratagem, being perfected by the flesh.²⁰

During this same period of time I watched some of Mark Ward’s YouTube videos titled, “Ward on Words.” This led me to the “Textual Confidence Collective,” a group of young PhDs arguing primarily against the King James Only Movement. In their introductory video Mr. Ward asked Peter Montoro to explain the working framework of the textual confidence perspective:

So, there’s basically three positions that we’ve used to put together a spectrum—of a map as it were—of positions on the text: you have textual skepticism, textual absolutism and textual confidence:

So, a textual skeptic would be someone like Bart Ehrman. Ehrman would say, well, if God really gave us the Bible, then He would have given it to us on golden tablets or written it in the sky, so we would know if He inspired it. He would give us every word exactly the way He wanted us to have it. We would not have to do textual criticism. We’d not have to compare manuscripts. And Ehrman would say, because we have to do this work, because we have to toil on the text, therefore we can’t trust the text because—if we have any uncertainty at all, then we just don’t know what God said, and so, therefore—it can’t be God who’s speaking. It has to be men who are speaking. That would be roughly a summary (it would be a lot more nuanced than that), but that’s basically his position.

And then there are many people (this is the way I was brought up to believe), their position is, well, if we can—we have to know the words exactly, we have to have absolute confidence in every single word to be able to trust the text. But we believe the Bible is the word of God and so, therefore, we must not have to do any work on the manuscripts. We must have every Greek word (or every English word even in the King James) exactly right, and because we do trust the text, and because we believe this is necessary to trust the text, therefore, we’re going to say that this is actually what took place. That would be a textual absolutist perspective, which we’re going to spend a lot of time talking about.

And then, a position of textual confidence would say that toil and trust can go together, so that because of what we believe in the providence of God, and because we believe that God can use ordinary human beings to transmit his word (and I’ll be talking more about this later on). But God uses ordinary human beings to preach his word. He also has used ordinary human beings to copy and to translate and to edit it, and to do all the other things that are done with the word of God, and yet God is still at work through human beings, just as He is in the church and in all the other acts of God’s providence. And so we want to say to Bart Ehrman, no, we don’t want to be skeptical. But you don’t have to become the mirror image of Ehrman in order to trust in the text.

And really, one of the things that I think a lot about is this idea: it’s called horseshoe theory, that the more you focus on your opponents, the more you become like them. And so, the two extremes tend to bend towards each other.

(I recommend viewing Mr. Montoro’s explanation for yourself. By transcribing his words I’ve exerted a considerable editorial influence over them through punctuation and by dropping words I deemed unnecessary to intelligibility, the speech-like sounds a mind makes searching for appropriate words.)

Generally, I shy away from academic arguments. Amidst a few potentially interesting but ultimately inconclusive points, one is drawn inexorably to the inherent conclusion of two or more mutually exclusive proponents’ arguments; namely, “I am good; I am wise; trust me.” I distrust academics. The job itself forms them a certain way. They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.²¹ No, Paul wasn’t necessarily describing academics with these words, but his words seem appropriate.

The opening line of the introduction to my sermon²² on 3 John reads:

If I’d finished my education to become an historian—a secularist with a materialist bias and an agnostic, if not atheist, prejudice—I would have assumed that 3^rd John was the personal correspondence of some old man, possibly of some note in 1^st century Christian circles (at least he thought he was noteworthy) written to someone (probably another old man), lamenting their loss of influence and relevance as Christianity evolved.

Still, I found the young academics of the textural confidence collective tolerable. Describing it to my Pastor, I said, “I don’t really have a dog in this hunt.” I grew up around people who read the King James Bible. I read the King James Bible, but I don’t recall it being a “thing.” Maybe it was a matter of ego: we thought we were smart enough to understand old English. I, as it turned out, was not that smart. I became an atheist.

This is not to say that I was a card carrying member in good standing of a faith called Atheism. I thought I had figured out that God was not, and that was the end of that. I wasn’t nurturing or defending a relatively fragile (all things considered) faith. I was doing hallucinogens,²³ completely oblivious to Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself.

If I fit into Mr. Montoro’s schema in any way it would probably be as an equal opportunity textural skeptic:

Too many years of hallucinogenic drugs had made me functionally illiterate. At least I thought that term described me accurately the first time I heard it. (As it turned out functionally illiterate is just a redundancy for illiterate.) If I had read aloud one would have assumed I understood what I read. I read easily, fluently and coherently with an actor’s flair for inflection. My problem was a lack of faith. I had no confidence that strings of words meant anything beyond the beauty of their sounds, except in the most mundane cases: I’m hungry, I’m horny, I have to pee.²⁴

If my family or friends were concerned when I began to read the New American Standard Bible (NASB) instead of the KJV,²⁵ they kept it to themselves. There are advantages, it seems, to having declared oneself an atheist and indulging in hallucinogens for “enlightenment.” Reading the NASB seems decidedly “less sinful” by comparison. Truthfully, my first awareness of King James Only-ism came from Jim Searcy.

Addendum (6/19/2015): Jim Searcy has published that the Septuagint is a hoax written by Origen and Eusebius 200 hundred²⁶ years or so after Christ. “In fact, the Septuagint ‘quotes’ from the New Testament and not vice versa…” His contention is that the “King James Version is the infallible Word of God.”²⁷

And that came subsequent to the Lord leading me to the Septuagint²⁸ as an answer to a question why the Old Testament was misquoted in the New Testament so often.²⁹ Mr. Searcy quoted an article³⁰ by John Ogwyn (though Mr. Searcy disputed its conclusion slightly³¹):

Gleason Archer and G. C. Chirichigno in their comprehensive work, Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament: A Complete Survey, make the following points about New Testament quotations: 1) in 268 New Testament citations both the Septuagint and Masoretic Text are in complete harmony; 2) in 50 citations the New Testament agrees with the Septuagint, even though it differs slightly from the Masoretic Text (although not seriously enough to distort the meaning); 3) in 33 citations the New Testament adheres more closely to the Masoretic Text than to the Septuagint; 4) in 22 citations the New Testament adheres closely to the Septuagint even when it deviates somewhat from the Masoretic Text. The New Testament writers only made use of Septuagint quotations if those passages properly conveyed the inspired meaning of the Hebrew text” (Ogwyn J. How Did We Get The Bible. Tomorrow’s World, LCG Magazine. January-February 2002).

Mr. Ward seemed to imply that the Septuagint was translated by Christians (and I definitely regret now that I didn’t keep track of which video that was) without mentioning Origen, Eusebius or any specific calumny against them. An assertion that New Testament writers quoted 72 times (50 + 22) from a Greek text of the Old Testament which didn’t exist until 200 (“the third century A.D.”)³² effectively eliminates the possibility that any of those writers were the apostles of Jesus, or it confirms that those who translated the Old Testament into Greek quoted the New Testament writers all but 33 times, or it indicates that scribes (e.g., academics) were meddling with the text at a very early date.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 8:8 (Tanakh/KJV) Table	Jeremiah 8:8 (NET)	Jeremiah 8:8 (NETS) Table	Jeremiah 8:8 (English Elpenor)
How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo (הִנֵּ֣ה), certainly (אָכֵן֙) in vain (לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר) made he it (עָשָׂ֔ה); the pen (עֵ֖ט) of the scribes (סֹֽפְרִֽים) is in vain (שֶׁ֥קֶר).	How can you say, “We are wise! We have the law of the Lord”? The truth (‘āḵēn, אכן) is (hinnê, הנה), those who teach it (sāp̄ar, ספרים) have used (šeqer, לשקר) their writings (ʿēṭ, עט) to make it say (ʿāśâ, עשׁה) what it does not really mean (šeqer, שקר).	How will you say, “We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?” A false (ψευδὴς) pen (σχοῖνος) has become (ἐγενήθη) of no use (εἰς μάτην) to scribes (γραμματεῦσιν).	How will ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? In vain (εἰς μάτην) have the scribes (γραμματεῦσιν) used (ἐγενήθη) a false (ψευδὴς) pen (σχοῖνος).

The first thing I notice here are the differences in the English translations. The Lord redirects my attention to the similarities. The meaning of the first sentence is identical in Hebrew, Greek and four English translations. I didn’t even bother to present the Hebrew or Greek because the four English translations are almost word-for-word identical. Only the second sentence was problematic for translators/editors. In other words, they didn’t understand what the Hebrew text says or they didn’t like it for reasons unknown. (Another possibility is that a written language without vowels requires more interpretive skill than a language with vowels.)

Approaching the next sentence, I want to sputter and fume about the differences in English, while the Lord focuses my attention on the Hebrew and Greek. No, I can’t read either language. I can look up Hebrew words in a concordance and Greek words in a lexicon and rules for Greek grammar online. And the Lord gives me the patience and energy to do that. No matter what anyone thinks about the Septuagint, it is a translation from Hebrew rather than from English.

Our working hypothesis (the Lord’s and mine) is that the Septuagint was translated by Jews before Jesus was born, and most likely preserved by Christian scribes. Yes, of course, the Lord knows exactly what the Septuagint is; I know He has led me to it in answer to questions I’ve asked Him. I also know I’m quite capable of misunderstanding Him, so I call this knowledge a working hypothesis. I call it our working hypothesis because apart from Him I wouldn’t have the interest, patience or energy to even pursue it. I wouldn’t care.

Spending my days studying the Bible with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit feels a lot like being a child again, watching The Red Skelton Show with my Dad. I didn’t understand most of the comedy, but my Dad laughed, so I laughed, too. It was fun hanging out with my Dad when he was in a good mood.

In the second sentence of Jeremiah 8:8 neither אָכֵן֙ (āḵēn) nor הִנֵּ֣ה (hinnê)—Lo, certainly (Tanakh, KJV), The truth is (NET)—was translated into Greek in the Septuagint. Though I tend to question the potential meanings of that fact, the Lord focuses my attention on the fact that the remainder of the Hebrew words in the Masoretic text were translated into Greek in the Septuagint, almost word-for-word and in exactly the same word order. In other words, five of the seven Hebrew words in the second sentence were translated into Greek, which gives me four English translations and two Greek translations to compare/contrast to the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

The first occurrence of לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר—in vain (Tanakh, KJV)—a form of שֶׁקֶר (šeqer), was translated εἰς μάτην in the Septuagint (two Greek words for one Hebrew word)—In vain (English Elpenor). I’m setting aside the NET and NETS translations for the moment as less literal.³³ The first step is to become confident that εἰς μάτην is the intended translation of לַשֶּׁ֣קֶר, a form ofשֶׁקֶר (šeqer). Three English translations (Tanakh, KJV, English Elpenor) witness that fact. And the word order of the Hebrew and Greek texts match; these words (one Hebrew word, two Greek words) are first in their respective word strings (after the two Hebrew words which weren’t translated into Greek).

The next word עָשָׂ֔ה (ʿāśâ)—made he it (Tanakh, KJV)—was translated ἐγενήθη in the Septuagint—have…used (English Elpenor). Here, the English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint expresses a verb, but not quite the same verb as the Hebrew: made he it (e.g., “he made it”) expresses a singular 3^rd person verb while have…used is plural. A closer look at ἐγενήθη, however, reveals that it is a 3^rd person singular form of γίνομαι. The plural form have…used rather than the singular (“has used”) reflects the English translators’ choice to specify he (the 3^rd person singular) as the plural scribes: in vain have the scribes used (English Elpenor).

Now I can consider that translation relative to the English translation of the Tanakh and KJV: in vain made he it (or, “in vain he made it”). Two questions come to mind: who is he and what is it? In ordinary English usage he would be the Lord and it would be the law: Lo, certainly in vain “the Lord made the law.” Wow! I mean, this is essentially what Paul wrote in many kinder, gentler words (Romans 8:1-9 ESV):

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death [Table]. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him [Table].

The interlinear KJV/Hebrew version of Jeremiah 8:8 on Blue Letter Bible online indicates that it was added by the translators: Lo, certainly in vain “the Lord made.” Contrast this even stronger statement to the first occurrence of this particular form—עָשָׂ֔ה (ʿāśâ)—in Genesis.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 1:31 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 1:31 (NET)	Genesis 1:31 (NETS) Table	Genesis 1:31 (English Elpenor)
And G-d saw every thing that He had made (עָשָׂ֔ה), and, behold, it was very good And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.	God saw all that he had made (ʿāśâ, עשׁה)—and it was very good! There was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.	And God saw all the things that he had made (ἐποίησεν), and see, they were exceedingly good. And it came to be evening, and it came to be morning, a sixth day.	And God saw all the things that he had made (ἐποίησε), and, behold, they were very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

While these interpretations of the second sentence in Jeremiah 8:8 seem to make some extraordinarily sorrowful sense in isolation in English, in context the Lord was speaking through Jeremiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 8:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 8:4 (NET)	Jeremiah 8:4 (NETS)	Jeremiah 8:4 (English Elpenor)
Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?	The Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘The Lord says, Do people not get back up when they fall down? Do they not turn around when they go the wrong way?	because this is what the Lord says: He that falls, does he not rise up, and he that turns away, does he not return?	For thus saith the Lord, Shall not he that falls arise? or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?

Rather than assuming that the Lord suddenly referred to Himself in the 3^rd person, or that Jeremiah dropped out of the prophetic voice to make an editorial comment in his own voice, the singular verb in Jeremiah 8:8 might refer back to the singular he mentioned in verse 4: shall he turn away, and not return? But I’ll admit I’m uncertain, then, what in vain he made or what “he made in vain.”

The next word in the Hebrew word string is עֵ֖ט (ʿēṭ)—the pen (Tanakh, KJV)—translated σχοῖνος in the Septuagint—a…pen (English Elpenor). This is followed by שֶׁ֥קֶר—is in vain (Tanakh, KJV)—another form of שֶׁקֶר (šeqer), and ψευδὴς in the Septuagint—false (English Elpenor): a false pen. The final word in the Hebrew word string is סֹֽפְרִֽים (sāp̄ar)—of the scribes (Tanakh, KJV). The final word in the Greek word string is γραμματεῦσιν—the scribes (English Elpenor).

A note (24) in the NET reads:

Heb “The lying pen of the scribes has made [it] into a lie.” The translation [The truth is, those who teach it have used their writings to make it say what it does not really mean (Jeremiah 8:8b NET)] is an attempt to make the most common interpretation of this passage understandable for the average reader. This is, however, a difficult passage whose interpretation is greatly debated and whose syntax is capable of other interpretations. The interpretation of the NJPS, “Assuredly, for naught has the pen labored, for naught the scribes,” surely deserves consideration within the context; i.e., it hasn’t done any good for the scribes to produce a reliable copy of the law, which the people have refused to follow. That interpretation has the advantage of explaining the absence of an object for the verb “make” or “labored” but creates a very unbalanced poetic couplet.

The Complete Jewish Bible on Chabad.org and Rashi’s commentary read:

How do you say, “We are wise, and the Law of the Lord is with us”? Verily, behold it is in vain, he made a false scribes’ pen.

Verily, behold it is in vain. Behold your wisdom is in vain within you to heal you lightly.
he made a false scribes’ pen. i.e., your prophet.

And finally (Jeremiah 8:8 ESV):

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.

Here, while translating the Hebrew of the Masoretic text ostensibly, the translators of the ESV have arrived (with the exception of But behold) at a better translation of the Greek of the Septuagint than the English Elpenor. The noun σχοῖνος is in the nominative case rather than the accusative, the subject of the verb rather than its object. Though I would tend to indulge my current kick of translating γραμματεῦσιν, a form of γραμματεύς in the dative case, instrumentally—the lying pen by means of the scribes has made it into a lie—I understand it here (added by the translators) as a clear reference to the claim: ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us’.

So, is it time to fight for my understanding as the only sure word of God in Jeremiah 8:8b? Or is it time to concede to the Lord, “point taken”?

Searching again for the Mark Ward video I failed to catalog, I found another titled, The KJV vs. the Masoretic Text, in which a guest, Peter Goeman, discussing Psalm 22:16 said:

…if you look at other evidences from the ancient world like the Septuagint, which some of your viewers will know, that’s the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which dates even before the time of Christ…

Mr. Ward chimed in: “before Jesus, right?” Mr. Goeman continued:

Yeah, exactly. So, it’s very, very well established, in fact, some of the Jewish Diaspora would read the Septuagint scrolls in synagogue. So, it’s not as if they were very much against that. Although it should be said that after Christianity started to really become popular, the Jewish populace turned their back on the Greek translation because they were afraid that it was becoming too Christianized, and the Christians were using it too much. And, in fact, this was a big part of the debate between like Justin Martyr [c. AD 100 – c. AD 165] and some of the Jews of that day, is that he was arguing from the Septuagint that Jesus was Lord and that we need to follow Him.

Did Mr. Ward agree with Mr. Goeman’s point about the Septuagint, or did he simply clarify that point for his viewers? I favor the latter because I sense some discomfort in his demeanor because of a comment that “seemed to imply that the Septuagint was translated by Christians” in a video I failed to catalog and can no longer find. I suggest you check it out for yourself if you have the interest or the time. Apart from the Lord there is nothing good in me; apart from the Lord there is nothing wise about me; trusting me is kind of stupid, if not evil. Trust the Lord instead.

“But, but, but,” my soul sputters and fumes, “what about all those people who don’t know You the way I DO?”

“Trust Me,” God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit calms my sputtering, fuming soul as Paul’s words echo in my ears: in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code,³⁴ not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.³⁵

“But the letter is so much fun,” my soul argues, “when we study together.” And God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit laughs at me as He draws me near. And I laugh at myself along with Him—eventually.

Tables comparing Jeremiah 8:4 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and the Greek of Jeremiah 8:4 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and a table comparing 2 Corinthians 5:10 in the KJV and NET follow.

Jeremiah 8:4 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 8:4 (KJV)	Jeremiah 8:4 (NET)
Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?	Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?	The Lord said to me, “Tell them, ‘The Lord says, Do people not get back up when they fall down? Do they not turn around when they go the wrong way?

Jeremiah 8:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 8:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι τάδε λέγει κύριος μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται ἢ ὁ ἀποστρέφων οὐκ ἐπιστρέφει	῞Οτι τάδε λέγει Κύριος· μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται; ἢ ὁ ἀποστρέφων οὐκ ἀναστρέφει
Jeremiah 8:4 (NETS)	Jeremiah 8:4 (English Elpenor)
because this is what the Lord says: He that falls, does he not rise up, and he that turns away, does he not return?	For thus saith the Lord, Shall not he that falls arise? or he that turns away, shall he not turn back again?

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET)	2 Corinthians 5:10 (KJV)
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.	For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 5:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 5:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοὺς γὰρ πάντας ἡμᾶς φανερωθῆναι δεῖ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν εἴτε φαῦλον.	τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε κακον	τους γαρ παντας ημας φανερωθηναι δει εμπροσθεν του βηματος του χριστου ινα κομισηται εκαστος τα δια του σωματος προς α επραξεν ειτε αγαθον ειτε κακον

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Back to Paul’s OT Quotes – Antioch

Back to Exploration, Part 15

¹ Matthew 12:20 (ESV)

² Galatians 5:22, 23a (ESV)

³ Mark 10:18b (ESV)

⁴ John 8:44a (ESV) Table; Exploration, Part 10

⁵ The Greek word translated had believed was πεπιστευκότας, a participle of the verb πιστεύω in the perfect tense. “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect.” From Verb Tenses: Perfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁶ John 8:31a (ESV) A Monotonous Cycle Revisited, Part 2

⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁸ The Day of the Lord, Part 1; The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

⁹ Hebrews 4:12a (ESV) Table

¹⁰ Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus

¹¹ John 12:31, 32 (ESV)

¹² Matthew 28:18b (ESV) Table

¹³ Titus 3:5b (ESV) Table

¹⁴ 2 Corinthians 5:10b (ESV) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective φαῦλον here, a form of φαῦλος, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had κακον, a form of κακός.

¹⁵ 1 John 3:4 (ESV)

¹⁶ 1 John 3:9 (KJV)

¹⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁹ Ephesians 4:23, 24a (ESV)

²⁰ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²¹ Galatians 4:17 (ESV)

²² 3 John, 3 John, Part 2

²³ Who Am I? Part 1; Westworld, Part 4, especially footnote 13

²⁴ Sexual Immorality Revisited, Part 3

²⁵ My Reasons and My Reason, Part 5; Who Am I? Part 10

²⁶ The error “200 hundred” was mine, not Mr. Searcy’s. He wrote “200 years AFTER Christ” and “the third century A.D.” I can no longer reconstruct the steps involved in my own error, though no malice or deception was intended. I can’t recall how many times I missed that error in 2015, but I read it at least a dozen times in 2025 before I caught it.

²⁷ Paul’s OT Quotes – Antioch

²⁸ Paul’s OT Quotes – Antioch

²⁹ Paul’s OT Quotes – Antioch

³⁰ From The Septuagint: A Critical Analysis, “Quotes in the New Testament from the Greek.” This section is located about a third of the way down an extremely long “.htm” file.

³¹ “The Jews in Palestine were tasked with preserving the books of the Old Testament, which were almost exclusively written in Hebrew and naturally contained no Greek. This is what Jesus and the disciples would have used.” From The Septuagint: A Critical Analysis, “Conclusion.” This section is located about a third of the way down an extremely long “.htm” file.

³² “There are absolutely NO manuscripts pre-dating the third century A.D. to validate the claim that Jesus or Paul quoted a Greek Old Testament.” From Septuagint Fraud: LXX Hoax EXPOSED: From The Works of Many FAITHFUL Scholars, Assembled by Jim Searcy

³³ A note (24) in the NET acknowledges: Heb “The lying pen of the scribes has made [it] into a lie.”

³⁴ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

³⁵ 2 Corinthians 3:6b (KJV) Table

Romans, Part 83

Posted on November 22, 2016 by admin

But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please ourselves.^[1] I assume that the weak (ἀδυνάτων, a form of ἀδύνατος) referred back to the one who is weak in the faith (ἀσθενοῦντα [a form of ἀσθενέω] τῇ πίστει). The weak person (ἀσθενῶν, another form of ἀσθενέω) eats only vegetables^[2] and has a tendency to judge^[3] those who do not do likewise. And I assume this weakness is an infirmity of the flesh, since even the law…was weakened (ἠσθένει, another form of ἀσθενέω) through the flesh.^[4] Though Paul considered himself one of we who are strong, after the affliction that happened to [him] in the province of Asia^[5] he identified wholeheartedly with the weak (2 Corinthians 11:29, 30 NET):

Who is weak (ἀσθενεῖ, another form of ἀσθενέω), and I am not weak (ἀσθενῶ, another form of ἀσθενέω)? Who is led into sin, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness (ἀσθενείας, a form of ἀσθένεια).

Let each of us [who are strong] please his neighbor for his good to build him up.^[6] I’ve already written how I feel about the strong (δυνατοὶ, a form of δυνατός). But the time I’ve spent knowing the only true God (e.g., Jesus’ Father), and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent,^[7] has made me less faith-weak now than when I began. Perhaps it is time to begin to please (ἀρεσκέτω, a form of ἀρέσκω) [my] neighbor for his good to build him up, or at least to appreciate the scope of such an undertaking.

When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased (ἤρεσεν, another form of ἀρέσκω) Herod and his dinner guests.^[8] This pleasure may or may not have been sexual desire. Herodius’ daughter Herodius is portrayed as completely clueless in the Gospel narratives: 1) No king would offer half his kingdom to a woman with any grasp of power. Herod didn’t offer it to his wife Herodias, for instance. 2) The offer seems to have perplexed the girl and sent her to her mother for advice. And, 3) she followed her mother’s grisly advice without argument or any hint of rebellion. She seems to have been mentally incompetent or very young or both.

If Herodias’ daughter Herodias was also Salome mentioned by Josephus (Antiquities 18.5.4) she was possibly as young as 12, little more than 16. If not, she was Salome’s little sister. Still, pleasing my neighbor with some fancy footwork probably doesn’t qualify as for his good to build him up. When a complaint arose on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebraic Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food,^[9] the Apostles proposed a solution that may have been closer to what Paul had in mind (Acts 6:2b-4 NET):

It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to wait on tables. But carefully select from among you, brothers, seven men who are well-attested, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this necessary task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.

The proposal pleased (ἤρεσεν, another form of ἀρέσκω) the entire group…^[10]

Do not give offense to Jews or Greeks or to the church of God, Paul wrote the Corinthians, just as I also try to please (ἀρέσκω) everyone in all things.^[11] Here, he equated pleasing everyone in all things to not giving offense to very disparate groups of people. The Greek word translated offense is ἀπρόσκοποι (a form of ἀπρόσκοπος), defined quite beautifully in Thayer’s Greek Lexicon as “having nothing for one to strike against.” I do not seek my own benefit, Paul continued, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.^[12]

There are some caveats and warnings:

An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord, how to please (ἀρέσῃ, another form of ἀρέσκω) the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the things of the world, how to please (ἀρέσῃ, another form of ἀρέσκω) his wife, and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, to be holy both in body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world, how to please (ἀρέσῃ, another form of ἀρέσκω) her husband.^[13]

I assume that Paul thought a divided man might succeed at pleasing his wife, but I have not, not enough that she would stick it out with me. It makes me doubly aware that if any good is to come from me Jesus must please Himself through me by his Holy Spirit rather than rely on me to do it for Him. I will fail; He will not. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, Paul wrote Timothy, so that he may please (ἀρέσῃ, another form of ἀρέσκω) the one who enlisted him as a soldier.^[14] Those who are in the flesh cannot please (ἀρέσαι, another form of ἀρέσκω) God.^[15]

Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Paul asked rhetorically in reference to the Galatians heeding a doctrine other than the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Or am I trying to please (ἀρέσκειν, another form of ἀρέσκω) people? If I were still trying to please (ἤρεσκον, another form of ἀρέσκω) people, I would not be a slave of Christ!^[16]

Finally then, brothers and sisters, we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received instruction from us about how you must live and please (ἀρέσκειν, another form of ἀρέσκω) God (as you are in fact living) that you do so more and more.^[17]

For the appeal we make does not come from error or impurity or with deceit, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please (ἀρέσκοντες, another form of ἀρέσκω) people but God, who examines our hearts. For we never appeared with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is our witness – nor to seek glory from people, either from you or from others…^[18]

For you became imitators, brothers and sisters, of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, because you too suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they in fact did from the Jews, who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us severely. They are displeasing (μὴ ἀρεσκόντων, another form of ἀρέσκω) to God and are opposed to all people, because they hinder us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.^[19]

These are not simple rules I might obey in my own strength or wisdom. “Having nothing for one to strike against” among disparate people to please [my] neighbor for his good to build him up while pleasing God rather than people seems to describe a space, a terrain, where I need to be guided moment by moment by the Holy Spirit, with his love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness and his control. But this introduction to the scope of the terrain has prepared me to hear Romans 15:1-4 (NET):

But we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not just please (ἀρέσκειν, another form of ἀρέσκω) ourselves. Let each of us please (ἀρεσκέτω, a form of ἀρέσκω) his neighbor for his good to build him up. For even Christ did not please (ἤρεσεν, another form of ἀρέσκω) himself, but just as it is written, “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.

The Greek words translated for his good are εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν (literally, “for this good”), though εἰς might have been translated “into, unto, to” or “towards.” Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? Jesus asked rhetorically. In the same way, every good (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree bears good (καλοὺς, a form of καλός) fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good (καλοὺς, a form of καλός) fruit.^[20] And, Why do you call me good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός)? No one is good (ἀγαθὸς) except God alone.^[21]

The good for my neighbor is not for him to try to do good. Though that may please me (especially if he does that good for or to me) it is hypocrisy, the work of an actor imitating the good. “I’m not good but I play good on TV.” My neighbor’s good is to be good, every good tree bears good fruit, a good tree is not able to bear bad fruit. My neighbor’s good is to be born from above, to be led by the Holy Spirit. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.^[22] And, No one is good except God alone.

The Greek words translated to build him up are πρὸς οἰκοδομήν (a form of οἰκοδομή). I can glean a lot of Paul’s attitude concerning οἰκοδομή and pleasing one’s neighbor for his good from 1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (NET):

Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή), encouragement, and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds (οἰκοδομεῖ, a form of οἰκοδομέω) himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up (οἰκοδομεῖ, a form of οἰκοδομέω) the church. I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή).

Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, seek to abound in order to strengthen (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή) the church.^[23] When you come together, each one has a song, has a lesson, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all these things be done for the strengthening (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή) of the church.^[24] Paul wrote on this theme to believers in Ephesus as well (Ephesians 4:11-16 NIV):

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή) until we all reach unity (ἑνότητα, a form of ἑνότης) in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή) itself up in love, as each part does its work.

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up (οἰκοδομὴν, a form of οἰκοδομή) of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. You must put away every kind of bitterness, anger, wrath, quarreling, and evil, slanderous talk. Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.^[25]

Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity (φρονεῖν, a form of φρονέω; literally, “thought” or “thinking”) with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Receive one another, then, just as Christ also received you, to God’s glory.^[26]

Romans, Part 84

Back to To Make Holy, Part 4

^[1] Romans 15:1 (NET)

^[2] Romans 14:2b (NET)

^[3] Romans 14:3 κρινέτω (a form of κρίνω); Romans 14:10 κρίνεις (another form of κρίνω)

^[4] Romans 8:3b (NET)

^[5] 2 Corinthians 1:8 (NET)

^[6] Romans 15:2 (NET)

^[7] John 17:3b (NET)

^[8] Mark 6:22a (NET) Also: Matthew 14:6

^[9] Acts 6:1b (NET)

^[10] Acts 6:5a (NET)

^[11] 1 Corinthians 10:32-33a (NET)

^[12] 1 Corinthians 10:33b (NET)

^[13] 1 Corinthians 7:32b-34 (NET)

^[14] 2 Timothy 2:4 (NASB)

^[15] Romans 8:8 (NET)

^[16] Galatians 1:10 (NET)

^[17] 1 Thessalonians 4:1 (NET) Table

^[18] 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 (NET)

^[19] 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16a (NET)

^[20] Matthew 7:16b-18 (NET)

^[21] Mark 10:18 (NET)

^[22] Romans 8:14 (NET)

^[23] 1 Corinthians 14:12b (NET)

^[24] 1 Corinthians 14:26b (NET)

^[25] Ephesians 4:29-32 (NET)

^[26] Romans 15:5-7 (NET)

Romans, Part 76

Posted on June 4, 2016 by admin

Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.^[1] The words translated evil for evil are κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ in Greek. Both κακὸν and κακοῦ are forms of κακός. Love is οὐ λογίζεται τὸ κακόν (literally, “not counting” or “not reckoning the evil”) Paul wrote believers in Corinth. Love is not resentful (NET), does not take into account a wrong suffered (NASB), keeps no record of wrongs (NIV), are a few English translations. Love does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.^[2] So the love that is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (along with joy, peace, patience, etc.) fulfills μηδενὶ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ ἀποδιδόντες (literally, “no one evil against evil deliver”), part of the definition of love in Paul’s letter to the Romans, translated Do not repay anyone evil for evil in the NET.

The next clause, consider what is good before all people, while accurate mostly seems to me to have been toned down some to become a rule I might obey in my own strength. The word translated consider is προνοούμενοι (a form of προνοέω), “to perceive before, foresee” in the definition in the NET. In other words, demonstrate this foresight (apart from the Holy Spirit) at the very moment I am most offended at having been wronged (or burn in hell for all eternity). Have I belabored this point enough yet? And as I’ve said over and over, I belabor it mostly for my own benefit since I’m the one who seems most hell-bent on perceiving the Bible as a book of rules rather than as a Gospel of salvation!

The word translated good is καλὰ (a form of καλός). I’ve written elsewhere contrasting the beautiful good of Jesus to the pious good of religious people. You are the light of the world, Jesus said. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.^[3]

The Jewish leaders picked up rocks again to stone him to death. Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?” The Jewish leaders replied, “We are not going to stone you for a good (καλοῦ, another form of καλός) deed but for blasphemy, because you, a man, are claiming to be God.”^[4] It is probably worth noting that Jesus didn’t turn to Genesis 1:26 and say, “God said, ‘we will be made man.’” So the difficult (NET notes 84 and 85) answer recorded in John 10:34-36 may serve as circumstantial evidence for an early date for vowel points. But Jesus turned his listeners’ attention back toward his beautiful good deeds (John 10:37, 38 NET):

If I do not perform the deeds of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, so that you may come to know and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

Jesus’ beautiful good deeds recorded in John 1-9 are listed below:

2:1-11	Jesus turned water into wine after his host ran out of wine
2:14-22	Jesus cleansed the temple of thieves and profiteers
2:23	Other unspecified miraculous signs prompted many to believe in his Name
4:4-42	Jesus prophesied to a Samaritan woman
4:46-54	Jesus healed the son of the royal official of Capernaum
5:1-15	Jesus healed a disabled man who did not believe
6:1-15	Jesus fed more than 5,000 people, many of whom did not believe (John 6:26)
7:31	The preponderance of miraculous signs persuaded many
8:3-11	Jesus’ gracious answer to an angry mob dissuaded them from violence
9	Jesus healed a man born blind

I debated whether I considered the cleansing of the temple a beautiful or pious good, but decided that the worthiness of the goal overshadowed the violence of the act. I included John 8:3-11 because it is still in the text, it is beautiful, I believe it is true, and otherwise don’t have a dog in this fight (John 7:53 NET note 139). But this exercise put something into focus for me I hadn’t fully appreciated before. The religious minds of the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus not so much for his words but for his beautiful good deeds which gave those words such weight with the people relative to their own teachings. “No one ever spoke^[5] like this man,”^[6] the officers excused themselves for failing to arrest Jesus.

The Holy Spirit does no miraculous signs through me, whether it is my disobedience, disbelief or that the people who raised me are correct that miraculous signs are no longer necessary because we have the New Testament. (I haven’t found the latter in the Bible myself.) Paul described a non-miraculous way to consider what is good before all people as it pertained to financial matters (2 Corinthians 8:18-21 NET):

And we are sending along with [Titus] the brother who is praised by all the churches for his work in spreading the gospel. In addition, this brother has also been chosen by the churches as our traveling companion as we administer this generous gift to the glory of the Lord himself and to show our readiness to help. We did this as a precaution so that no one should blame us in regard to this generous gift we are administering. For we are concerned (προνοοῦμεν, another form of προνοέω) about what is right (καλὰ, a form of καλός) not only before the Lord but also before men.

The sins of some people are obvious, Paul wrote Timothy, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. Similarly good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) works are also obvious, and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.^[7] And he contrasted beautiful good deeds with those which are not for Titus.

Beautiful Good Deeds

Those Which Are Not

This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good (καλῶν, another form of καλός) works. These things are good (καλὰ, a form of καλός) and beneficial for all people.

Titus 3:8 (NET) Table

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.

Titus 3:9 (NET)

If possible, Paul continued in Romans, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.^[8] The Greek word translated live peaceably is εἰρηνεύοντες (a form of εἰρηνεύω). The all people part of this will be difficult for a soldier in battle. As for the rest of us: Salt is good (καλὸν, another form of καλός), but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω) with each other.^[9] Paul added, live in peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω), and the God of love and peace (εἰρήνης, a form of εἰρήνη) will be with you,^[10] and, Be at peace (εἰρηνεύετε, another form of εἰρηνεύω) among yourselves.^[11]

How do we fulfill these commands, admonitions, rules or laws? The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (εἰρήνη), patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.^[12] What I didn’t say in the previous essay because of my own phobia of turning these verses back into rules I strive to obey in my own strength, I will say now since my phobia is so out in the open: We are given permission here to live as the Holy Spirit is prompting us to live. We are free to believe that, Against such things [e.g., love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control] there is no law.^[13]

Where the NET translators chose You must put away for ἀρθήτω ἀφ᾿ ὑμῶν, Young’s Literal Translation reads: Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice, and become one to another kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, according as also God in Christ did forgive you.^[14] The verb ἀρθήτω (a form of αἴρω) means to lift. Let all of this be lifted from you by the mighty carrying capacity of that river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High,^[15] that fountain of water springing up to eternal life,^[16] the Holy Spirit who produces his fruit within me when I get out of his way and stop making sinful, theological or ecclesiastical excuses. John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away (αἴρων, another form of αἴρω) the sin of the world!”^[17]

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, Paul continued in his letter to the Romans, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.^[18] I want to pause here briefly to highlight how God’s sense of justice may differ from our own (Revelation 16:4-7 NET):

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just – the one who is and who was, the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!”

Rather, Paul continued, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.^[19] The good with which we overcome evil is ἀγαθῷ (a form of ἀγαθός) in Greek. According to Jesus, No one is good (ἀγαθὸς) except God alone.^[20] The good with which we overcome evil is God alone: for by grace ye are having been saved, through faith, and this not of you—of God the gift, not of works, that no one may boast; for of Him we are workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good (ἀγαθοῖς, another form of ἀγαθός) works, which God did before prepare, that in them we may walk (περιπατήσωμεν, a form of περιπατέω).^[21] In the Spirit walk (περιπατεῖτε, another form of περιπατέω) ye, and the desire of the flesh ye may not complete.^[22]

Romans, Part 77

Back to Romans, Part 90

^[1] Romans 12:17 (NET)

^[2] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[3] Matthew 5:14-16 (NET)

^[4] John 10:31-33 (NET)

^[5] See: Matthew 9:1-8 (NET)

^[6] John 7:46b (NET)

^[7] 1 Timothy 5:24, 25 (NET)

^[8] Romans 12:18 (NET)

^[9] Mark 9:50 (NET)

^[10] 2 Corithians 13:11b (NET)

^[11] 1 Thessalonians 5:13b (NET)

^[12] Galatians 5:22, 23a (NET)

^[13] Galatians 5:23b (NET)

^[14] Ephesians 4:31, 32 (YLT)

^[15] Psalm 46:4 (ESV)

^[16] John 4:14b (NET)

^[17] John 1:29 (NET)

^[18] Romans 12:19 (NET)

^[19] Romans 12:20, 21 (NET) Table

^[20] Mark 10:18b (NET)

^[21] Ephesians 2:8-10 (YLT)

^[22] Galatians 5:16 (YLT)

Prayer

Posted on June 26, 2014 by admin

Twice in the New Testament Jesus told us what to say when we pray: So pray this way^[1] (οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς; literally, “in this manner then pray you”) and When you pray, say^[2] (ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε). I compared them this morning thinking about the rationale for removing For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen^[3] from Matthew 6:13 in the NET and other translations.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

When you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard [Table]. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. So pray this way:

Matthew 6:7-9a (NET)

Προσευχόμενοι δὲ μὴ βατταλογήσητε ὥσπερ οἱ ἐθνικοί, δοκοῦσιν γὰρ ὅτι ἐν τῇ πολυλογίᾳ αὐτῶν εἰσακουσθήσονται. μὴ οὖν ὁμοιωθῆτε αὐτοῖς· οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε πρὸ τοῦ ὑμᾶς αἰτῆσαι αὐτόν. οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς·

Matthew 6:7-9a

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” So he said to them, “When you pray, say:

Luke 11:1, 2a (NET)

Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτὸν ἐν τόπῳ τινὶ προσευχόμενον, ὡς ἐπαύσατο, εἶπεν τις τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς αὐτόν· κύριε, δίδαξον ἡμᾶς προσεύχεσθαι, καθὼς καὶ Ἰωάννης ἐδίδαξεν τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· ὅταν προσεύχησθε λέγετε·

Luke 11:1, 2a

The wording here (especially in Greek) persuaded me that I was dealing with two different instances of instruction, not just one teaching recalled two different ways. In the sermon on the mount recorded by Matthew Jesus, unbidden, taught his listeners how to pray in distinction to how Gentiles (ἐθνικοί, a form of ἐθνικός) prayed. On another occasion recorded by Luke a disciple asked Jesus to teach them to pray just as (καθὼς) John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray. And I assume that means John the Baptist taught his disciples how to pray, not that Jesus’ disciple wanted to learn the words that John taught his disciples to pray from Jesus.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored, may your kingdom come,

Matthew 6:9b, 10a (NET)

Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομα σου· ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου·

Matthew 6:9b, 10a

Father, may your name be honored; may your kingdom come.

Luke 11:2b (NET)

Πάτερ, ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομα σου· ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου·

Luke 11:2b

May your name be honored;may your kingdom come (ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομα σου· ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου·)—is identical in both Gospel accounts in Greek. The difference is Our Father in heaven (Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς) recorded by Matthew and Father (Πάτερ) recorded by Luke. I don’t assume that Jesus told the larger congregation on the mount to pray to Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς and then turned around and informed the more intimate group of his disciples to pray each to his own biological Πάτερ. Rather, I assume that Jesus expected the intimate group of his disciples to understand Πάτερ as Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew 6:10b (NET) Table

γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημα σου,ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς·

Matthew 6:10b

Here Matthew recorded something—may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven—that Luke did not. I don’t assume that Luke was so opposed to God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven that he discarded it from the text. Nor do I assume that Matthew made it up. Rather, I assume again that Jesus expected the intimate group of his disciples to understand the coming of the kingdom of God as God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

Give us today our daily bread,

Matthew 6:11 (NET)

τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον·

Matthew 6:11

Give us each day our daily bread,

Luke 11:3 (NET)

τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον δίδου ἡμῖν τὸκαθ᾿ ἡμέραν·

Luke 11:3

Here, what is being given—τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον—is identical (“our bread sufficient for the coming” in classical Greek^[4]). I assume Jesus means the bread of life,^[5] that portion of Christ who lives in me,^[6] the fruit of the Spirit,^[7] the credited righteousness of God,^[8] sufficient as far as it depends on me to do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven to bring forth the kingdom of God to honor his name. And though I used myself as an example—“as far as it depends on me”—the prayer He taught us to pray is not for me alone, but for all who call or have called or will call on our Father in heaven.

The differences—δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον, and δίδου ἡμῖν τὸ καθ᾿ ἡμέραν—seem inconsequential. The Greek words δὸς and δίδου are different forms of δίδωμι, to give. The Greek σήμερον means today, this day; καθ᾿ (a form of κατά) is defined: “1) down from, through out 2) according to, toward, along,” and was translated each, while ἡμέραν (a form of ἡμέρα) means day. If any difference is worth mentioning it is simply that Jesus counseled the intimate group of his disciples to expect this gift of righteousness each day, every day, all day.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

and forgive us our debts,

Matthew 6:12a (NET)

καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν,

Matthew 6:12a

and forgive us our sins,

Luke 11:4a (NET)

καὶ ἄφες ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν,

Luke 11:4a

In Matthew’s Gospel account Jesus spoke euphemistically of ὀφειλήματα (a form of ὀφείλημα, debts), but with the more intimate group of his disciples He said ἁμαρτίας (a form of ἁμαρτία, sins). But after the prayer He taught in Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus said, For if you forgive others their sins (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα), your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins (παραπτώματα).^[9] I’ve written elsewhere about the interchangeability of παράπτωμα with ἁμαρτία. And I think this difference becomes clearer in the comparison of the next statement.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.

Matthew 6:12b (NET)

ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφήκαμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν·

Matthew 6:12b

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

Luke 11:4b (NET)

καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ ἀφίομεν παντὶ ὀφείλοντι ἡμῖν·

Luke 11:4b

Here, in Mathew’s Gospel account Jesus continued with the euphemistic ὀφειλέταις (a form of ὀφειλέτης) ἡμῶν (our debtors). Though the NET translators chose everyone who sins against us for παντὶ ὀφείλοντι ἡμῖν in Luke’s Gospel account, ὀφείλοντι is a form of ὀφείλω (to owe). We don’t actually stand in relation to others like God with a law that they might sin against; “for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us” is probably a better translation. And the more positive for we also forgive makes sense since Jesus did not go on to elaborate—For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins—when teaching the intimate group of his disciples.

Matthew (NET)

Greek Text

Luke (NET)

Greek Text

And do not lead us into temptation,

Matthew 6:13a (NET)

καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν,

Matthew 6:13a

And do not lead us into temptation.”

Luke 11:4c (NET)

καὶ μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν.

Luke 11:4c

but deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:13b (NET)

ἀλλὰ ρῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ.

Matthew 6:13b

Here, I don’t assume that Luke was partial to evil and rejected being delivered from it. Neither do I assume that Mathew was so prone to evil he added it to Jesus’ teaching. I assume again that Jesus expected the intimate group of his disciples to understand that the leading not into temptation (KJV) is deliverance from evil. I’ve written elsewhere how I am not fond of limiting τοῦ πονηροῦ to the evil one. In this case it is because I am so prone to evil that I long to be delivered from it in all its forms.

When I come to ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοῦς αἰῶνας ἀμήν (“because yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen”) what am I to assume? The note in the NET reads:

Most mss (L W Θ 0233 Ë¹³ 33 Ï sy sa Didache) read (though some with slight variation) ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις καὶ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας, ἀμήν (“for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, amen”) here. The reading without this sentence, though, is attested by generally better witnesses (א B D Z 0170 Ë¹ pc lat mae Or). The phrase was probably composed for the liturgy of the early church and most likely was based on 1 Chr 29:11-13; a scribe probably added the phrase at this point in the text for use in public scripture reading (see TCGNT 13-14). Both external and internal evidence argue for the shorter reading.

So, in other words some scribe got hyper-religious one day and decided to make Jesus’ words more holy by adding David’s words to them. As scenarios go, it’s a possible scenario, probably worth a footnote. But is it a good enough scenario to stand before God and say, “Oh, yeah, we threw those words right out of the Bible because of this scenario we imagined”?

Here is David’s prayer (1 Chronicles 29:10-19 NET):

David praised the Lord before the entire assembly:

“O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore! O Lord, you are great, mighty, majestic, magnificent, glorious, and sovereign over all the sky and earth! You have dominion and exalt yourself as the ruler of all. You are the source of wealth and honor; you rule over all. You possess strength and might to magnify and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your majestic name!

“But who am I and who are my people, that we should be in a position to contribute this much? Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours. For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security. O Lord our God, all this wealth, which we have collected to build a temple for you to honor your holy name, comes from you; it all belongs to you. I know, my God, that you examine thoughts and are pleased with integrity. With pure motives I contribute all this; and now I look with joy as your people who have gathered here contribute to you. O Lord God of our ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, maintain the motives of your people and keep them devoted to you. Make my son Solomon willing to obey your commands, rules, and regulations, and to complete building the palace for which I have made preparations.”

No doubt at all that David’s prayer was in the same Spirit as Jesus’ teaching on prayer: For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. It is consistent with other teachings: Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.^[10] “Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may eat and drink’? He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, will he? So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”^[11]

The word translated undeserving of special praise is ἀχρεῖοι (a form of ἀχρεῖος). The note in the NET reads: “Some translations describe the slaves as ‘worthless’ (NRSV) or ‘unworthy’ (NASB, NIV) but that is not Jesus’ point. These disciples have not done anything deserving special commendation or praise (L&N 33.361), but only what would normally be expected of a slave in such a situation (thus the translation ‘we have only done what was our duty’).” But they did translate ἀχρεῖον (another form of ἀχρεῖος) worthless in “The Parable of the Talents.”

The worthless slave was given a talent, equivalent to 6,000 denarii according to a footnote. In Matthew 20:2 day laborers agreed to work a day in the field for a denarius. If I assume a six day work week there are 312 working days in a year, and so 6,000 divided by 312 equals 19.23 years, almost 19 years and three months of a day laborers pay.

The worthless slave did no business with his master’s money, nor did he invest it with others who might have done so. I was afraid, he said, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.^[12] So he was fired, as any of us might fire a worthless employee. But when we have done everything [we] were commanded to do, why should we still consider ourselves worthless slaves?

I think it is because everything we have done has been done in God,^[13] for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.^[14] As David prayed, who am I and who are my people, that we should be in a position to contribute this much? Indeed, everything comes from you, and we have simply given back to you what is yours.^[15] God has granted us our daily bread of life, because the kingdom and the power and the glory belong to Him forever. Amen.

And I will do well to be reminded of that daily, as long as it is called today.^[16]

^[1] Matthew 6:9a (NET)

^[2] Luke 11:2a (NET)

^[3] Matthew 6:13b (NET)

^[4] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=epiousion&la=greek

^[5] John 6:35, 48-51 (NET)

^[6] Galatians 2:20 (NET)

^[7] Galatians 5:16-18, 22, 23 (NET)

^[8] Romans 4 (NET)

^[9] Matthew 6:14, 15 (NET)

^[10] Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19 (NET)

^[11] Luke 17:7-10 (NET)

^[12] Matthew 25:25 (NET)

^[13] John 3:21 (NET)

^[14] Philippians 2:13 (NET)

^[15] 1 Chronicles 29:14 (NET)

^[16] Hebrews 3:13 (NET)

Cult Prostitutes

Posted on June 5, 2014 by admin

In another essay ^[1] I wrote, “This form of religious worship [idolatrous worship (including its drunken sexual practices)] was still practiced openly in Corinth.” But I failed to footnote it. Though the idea was new to my conservative upbringing,^[2] I thought I was dealing with a reputable Bible encyclopedia and that this statement was common knowledge to those in the know. I was beginning to suspect that limiting the practice to Corinth and Athens was possibly, or probably, underestimating the scope of the things they [the sons of disobedience (ἀπειθείας, a form of ἀπείθεια ^[3]] do in secret, things that are shameful even to mention.^[4] Paul encouraged the believers in Ephesus not to participate in these unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose (ἐλέγχετε, a form of ἐλέγχω) them,^[5] regardless how shameful they were to mention. But all things being exposed (ἐλεγχόμενα, another form of ἐλέγχω) by the light are made evident (φανεροῦται, a form of φανερόω).^[6]

Now I can’t find the encyclopedia I was referencing online. All my Google search finds is an argument between various factions whether or not such practices continued into the Roman period. Part of the argument is technical, whether the men and women who practiced this form of worship should be called prostitutes. In “Sacred Prostitutes” Johanna H. Stuckey ^[7] wrote:^[8]

“Tragically,” says one contemporary scholar, “scholarship suffered from scholars being unable to imagine any cultic role for women in antiquity that did not involve sexual intercourse” (Gruber 1986:138). However, recent scholars are fast setting the record straight. Even if ancient priestesses were involved in ritual sex, even if they received offerings for their temples, they were not prostitutes but devotees worshipping their deity.

Kimberly Suzann Latta in an essay, “Rough Day with Margaret leads to Ephesus and the Myth of Temple Prostitution and the Anxiety of Some Really Scary Christian Men (and Women),”^[9] began with this technical argument but quickly expanded its context: “Wide-spread, bald rumors about temple prostitution at Ephesus (for which there is no evidence!) on [a] Christian talk-show are another totally obvious example of the rewriting–Pierre Bourdieu calls [it] ‘dehistoricization’–of history by men in order to make women look bad. Worse yet, it’s another example of the way that group that got control of the early Christian movement demonized members of different religious groups by denouncing them as debauched indulgers of carnal sex for money. You’ve heard this before:

They were so evil then, and we are so evil now, brothers and sisters. We have to remember that we are sinners, that we were born in sin and dwell in sin except that Christ our Lord save us and cleanse us. And once we humbly admit to our Lord and Master that we are humbly sorry for the sorry state of our souls, and begging for His help to correct ourselves, and overcome our weaknesses, then, and only then, and only with much continual scrutiny and soul-searching, and constant vigilance, we may be, MAYBE, saved.

This is the Protestant mindset. I know it intimately. I was born into it and I love it although I have spent my entire life trying to unwind myself from it.”

Ms. Latta’s final conclusion was, “We are not evil. If there is a God, and if that God is good, and that God created us, then we must also be good, like everything that would come from an all-good God. You could say that what has happened is not the fault of God–if you believed in one, and I don’t–but rather the fault of the human beings who invented these stories, these paradigms for understanding the world, and who have gotten trapped, like the limed thrush, in their own shit.”

In other words, no knowledge of God may be found in the Bible, only human “paradigms for understanding the world.” Below I’ve contrasted Ms. Latta’s paradigm to those of Paul, David, Isaiah and Jesus.

Kimberly Suzann Latta	Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ	David the man after God’s own heart
We are not evil.	There is no one righteous, not even one, there is no one who understands, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not even one. Romans 3:10-12 (NET)	Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right. The Lord looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God. Everyone rejects God; they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one! Psalm 14:1-3 (NET)
If there is a God…	Their throats are open graves, they deceive with their tongues, the poison of asps is under their lips. Romans 3:13 (NET)	For they do not speak the truth, their stomachs are like the place of destruction, their throats like an open grave, their tongues like a steep slope leading into it [Table]. Condemn them, O God! May their own schemes be their downfall! Drive them away because of their many acts of insurrection, for they have rebelled against you. Psalm 5:9, 10 (NET)^[10]
…and if that God is good…	Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. Romans 3:14 (NET)	The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks,“God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” He is secure at all times. He has no regard for your commands; he disdains all his enemies. He says to himself, “I will never be upended, because I experience no calamity.” His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys [Table]. Psalm 10:4-7 (NET)
Kimberly Suzann Latta	Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ	Isaiah the prophet
…and that God created us… (if you believed in one, and I don’t)	Their feet are swift to shed blood, ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known. Romans 3:15-17 (NET)	Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak to deliver you; his ear is not too deaf to hear you. But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers. For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with sin; your lips speak lies, your tongue utters malicious words. No one is concerned about justice; no one sets forth his case truthfully. They depend on false words and tell lies; they conceive of oppression and give birth to sin. They hatch the eggs of a poisonous snake and spin a spider’s web. Whoever eats their eggs will die, a poisonous snake is hatched. Their webs cannot be used for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are sinful; they commit violent crimes. They are eager to do evil, quick to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful; they crush and destroy [Table]. They are unfamiliar with peace; their deeds are unjust. They use deceitful methods, and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace [Table]. Isaiah 59:1-8 (NET)
Kimberly Suzann Latta	Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ	David the man after God’s own heart
…then we must also be good…	There is no fear of God before their eyes. Romans 3:18 (NET)	An evil man is rebellious to the core; he does not fear God [Table], for he is too proud to recognize and give up his sin. The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful; he does not care about doing what is wise and right. He plans ways to sin while he lies in bed; he is committed to a sinful lifestyle; he does not reject what is evil. Psalm 36:1-4 (NET)
Kimberly Suzann Latta	Someone seeking eternal life	Jesus, the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God
…like everything that would come from an all-good God.	Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17 (NET)	Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Mark 10:18 (NET)

To bolster her argument Ms. Latta quoted “S. M. Baugh, associate professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary” (who was quoting Karel van der Toorn in the Anchor Bible Dictionary):

…the current view [of cult prostitution] rests on unwarranted assumptions, doubtful anthropological premises, and very little evidence.^[11]

In Cult Prostitution In New Testament Ephesus: A Reappraisal Mr. Baugh began technically enough: “cult prostitution…can be defined narrowly as union with a prostitute (whether with a female or a male makes no difference) for exchange of money or goods, which was sanctioned by the wardens of a deity whether in temple precincts or elsewhere as a sacred act of worship….More generally, cult prostitution could simply refer to acts of prostitution where the money or goods received went to a temple and to its administrators. In this latter case, the prostitutes would be slaves owned by the temple.”

He was careful at first to limit his discussion to this technical definition:

Let it be underlined that we are not here discussing erotic symbolism or even possible sexual acts connected to mystery religions or fertility cults. “There is no doubt,” says Walter Burkert, “that sexuality was prominent in mysteries.” Burkert goes on to explain, however, that the rituals were probably only symbolic rather than actual sexual acts. And either way, this is not cult prostitution in either of the two senses defined above.

But after presenting his “more humble goal,” source evidence for one goddess in one city, he concluded more expansively: “Despite the received opinion to the contrary, I do not believe that cult prostitution was practiced in Greek (and Roman) regions of the NT era…. A priestess of Artemis compares better with a Rose Bowl queen or with Miss Teen America than with a cult prostitute. Indeed, there are some hints in the literature (e.g. Xenophon of Ephesus) that the girl-priestesses may have been chosen because they best resembled the chaste maiden-goddess.”

I will suggest that the most likely place to find the documentary evidence Mr. Baugh requires would have been in the books of magic burned in Ephesus (Acts 19:18-20 NET):

Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing and making their deeds known. Large numbers of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them up in the presence of everyone. When the value of the books was added up, it was found to total fifty thousand silver coins. In this way the word of the Lord continued to grow in power and to prevail.

I don’t think I’m on shaky historical ground to suggest that when the Spirit of God did not move people to burn their own books of magic others stepped in to do it for them. But Mr. Baugh made the point of his argument crystal clear in his final paragraph:

Hopefully Ephesian cult prostitutes will soon disappear from our literature and from our pulpits, for these chimera exist only in the minds of people today, not in the past. This is particularly desirable, since the issue has moved beyond the realm of purely historical accuracy into that of ecclesiastical controversies over women’s ordination; indeed, the false notion of Ephesian cult prostitutes is a central prop for a radical reinterpretation of 1 Tim 2:9–15…

Mr. Baugh dismissed the idea that cult prostitutes practiced in Greek and Roman regions of the New Testament era in opposition to those who used that idea to promote women’s ordination. And now as I search the internet the primary supporters of “received opinion,” “widely held that cult prostitution in connection with fertility rites was commonly practiced throughout the NT world,”^[12] are antinomians ^[13] or homosexuals.^[14] This is why I don’t like arguments. I’m not interested in circling the wagons with the conservative straight men any more than I am interested in assaulting them with antinomians, gays and women. I have this naïve belief that Jesus intends for us who believe to be one as He and his Father are one (John 17:11 NET [Table]):

I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.

I’m assuming this is not yet that oneness. But I don’t know any way to proceed apart from the path the Holy Spirit leads me. Perhaps I am an oversexed sinner ^[15] who sees sex in everything I read, and create chimera in my mind. But I’ll continue as if these chimera have some actual existence in the past as recorded in the Bible, possibly even in the New Testament era, while I am mindful of the possibility that I might just be a sinner attempting to justify myself with chimera.

Back to What is Sexual Immorality?

Back to Exploration, Part 9

^[1] What is Sexual Immorality?

^[2] Antichrist, Part 5

^[3] Ephesians 5:6 (NET)

^[4] Ephesians 5:12 (NET)

^[5] Ephesians 5:11 (NET)

^[6] Ephesians 5:13 (NET)

^[7] http://www.matrifocus.com/Bios/bio-johanna.htm

^[8] http://www.matrifocus.com/SAM05/spotlight.htm

^[9] http://lefthandofeminism.wordpress.com/category/ephesustemple-prostitution/

^[10] See also Psalm 140

^[11] http://lefthandofeminism.wordpress.com/category/ephesustemple-prostitution/

^[12] http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_ephesus_baugh.html

^[13] http://www.libchrist.com/bible/fornication.html Though I was familiar with “The Sacred Fire, the story of sex in religion” by B.Z. Goldberg since college, I hadn’t thought of it in terms of the New Testament until challenged by this website.

^[14] http://www.gaychristian101.com/Shrine-Prostitutes.html

^[15] Antichrist, Part 5

Twilight Revisited

Posted on November 25, 2012 by admin

My daughter and I saw “Breaking Dawn, Part 2” the other day, the final movie of the Twilight saga. The heroine Bella (Kristen Stewart) died at the end of Part 1 and was reborn in Part 2 as a beautiful, powerful vampire. Bella was warned that her lust for human blood would be insatiable. As Edward (Robert Pattinson) helped her to hunt her first deer, Bella caught the scent of a lone rock climber who had slipped and cut himself. She streaked off after him with Edward in hot pursuit. But just as suddenly some mysterious control possessed her and reminded her who she was and aspired to be. She left the rock climber and returned to stalk the deer. Then in mid-leap she altered her course and brought down the mountain lion preying on her deer instead.

Breaking Dawn, Part 2 is a story of the magical gifts possessed by vampires and how they used them to help and protect their friends and loved ones. It was impossible for me not to recall the writings of Paul (1 Corinthians 12:1, 4-11 NET):

With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed…Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but¹ the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another² faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one³ Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another⁴ different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.

Eventually the three main protagonists—Bella, Edward and Jacob (Taylor Lautner)—were saved by Edward’s sister Alice (Ashley Greene) who used her gift not only to benefit her friends and family but their enemies as well. It was a more satisfying ending to the tale than I had expected. My daughter and I had no heavy spiritual conversation after the movie. We simply enjoyed our brief time together. She could see as well as I that it was about love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (ἐγκράτεια) [Table].⁵ I have gone on and on about the fruit of the Spirit since she was six, even if I haven’t always lived up to it in front of her.

I hope she understands that those times I was led by the flesh rather than God’s Spirit were proof that the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control that flows from his Spirit are not magical powers I possess in and of myself. As Paul wrote, we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.⁶ In the real world goodness requires a real source. Why do you call me good? Jesus asked. No one is good except God alone.⁷ Goodness doesn’t arise spontaneously out of evil, except in fantasy tales like the Twilight movies.

Addendum: October 28, 2024
Tables comparing 1 Corinthians 12:6 and 12:9, 10 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 Corinthians 12:6 (NET)	1 Corinthians 12:6 (KJV)
And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.	And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 12:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 12:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ διαιρέσεις ἐνεργημάτων εἰσίν, ὁ \|δὲ\| αὐτὸς θεὸς ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν	και διαιρεσεις ενεργηματων εισιν ο δε αυτος εστιν θεος ο ενεργων τα παντα εν πασιν	και διαιρεσεις ενεργηματων εισιν ο δε αυτος εστιν θεος ο ενεργων τα παντα εν πασιν

1 Corinthians 12:9, 10 (NET)	1 Corinthians 12:9, 10 (KJV)
to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,	To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

1 Corinthians 12:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 12:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 12:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ πνεύματι	ετερω δε πιστις εν τω αυτω πνευματι αλλω δε χαρισματα ιαματων εν τω αυτω πνευματι	ετερω δε πιστις εν τω αυτω πνευματι αλλω δε χαρισματα ιαματων εν τω αυτω πνευματι

to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

1 Corinthians 12:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 12:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 12:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄλλῳ δὲ ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων, ἄλλῳ [δὲ] προφητεία, ἄλλῳ [δὲ] διακρίσεις πνευμάτων, ἑτέρῳ γένη γλωσσῶν, ἄλλῳ δὲ ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν	αλλω δε ενεργηματα δυναμεων αλλω δε προφητεια αλλω δε διακρισεις πνευματων ετερω δε γενη γλωσσων αλλω δε ερμηνεια γλωσσων	αλλω δε ενεργηματα δυναμεων αλλω δε προφητεια αλλω δε διακρισεις πνευματων ετερω δε γενη γλωσσων αλλω δε ερμηνεια γλωσσων

Fear – Genesis, Part 1

¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εστιν (KJV: it is) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (not translated in the KJV) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἑνὶ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτω (KJV: same).

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (not translated in the KJV) at the beginning of this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)

⁶ 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NET)

⁷ Mark 10:18 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Mark 10:18

3 John, Part 8

3 John, Part 7

Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 2

Romans, Part 83

Romans, Part 76

Prayer

Cult Prostitutes

Twilight Revisited