Exploration, Part 9

Posted on March 11, 2025 by admin

For our freedom Christ has us set free.¹ Jesus promised this freedom from slavery to sin: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth²…the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.³ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.⁴ If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.⁵ [T]herefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁶

Why? The fruit (ὁ καρπὸς) or “result” of this freedom—which is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit taking up residence within us—is (Galatians 5:22b, 23 ESV):

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

One who experiences his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control like a spring of water welling up to eternal life,⁷ recognizes the source of this fruit (result). The Spirit’s result is mine only in that sense that he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.⁸ This is why Jesus could promise (Matthew 5:48 EXP8):

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

I quoted the EXP1 translation of Galatians 5:1 above because I choose to understand the verb στήκετε, a form of στήκω, in the indicative mood (EXP1: you stand firm) rather than as an imperative (ESV: stand firm).⁹ Either is permissible according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online, but the indicative mood jibes better with the freedom for which Christ has us set free. And I am working out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure [Table].¹⁰ But why was it even necessary to quote the EXP8 translation of Matthew 5:48?

According to the Koine Greek Lexicon online the verb ἔσεσθε, a form of εἰμί, is in the future tense and indicative mood (EXP8: will be) rather than the imperative mood (ESV: must be). But the ESV translation is (Matthew 5:48 ESV):

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

According to Arthur Carr in Volume 1 of the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary online, there is still a choice to make here:

ἔσεσθε τέλειοι. Lit. ‘ye shall be perfect.’ Either (1) in reference to a future state, ‘if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter’; or (2) the future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this. This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom.¹¹

With a bit of decoding I favor option (1): “if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter.” You have this love or charity—But the fruit of the Spirit is love¹²—supplied by God through his indwelling Holy Spirit to all who believe Jesus. This love—his own love (as opposed to some emotion I try to conjure out of gratitude)—is the fulfilling of the law.¹³ You (ὑμεῖς) will be (ἔσεσθε) perfect (τέλειοι, a form of the adjective τέλειος): “mature, complete, perfect, full-grown; morally perfect; impeccable, faultless in beliefs and practice; maximum, utter” (Ephesians 1-3; cf. 3:19).

When? when the Lord brings you to the place of recognizing who you are in Christ: the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.¹⁴ I have been crucified with Christ, Paul described God’s salvation, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. (But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.¹⁵) So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me,¹⁶ on the cross, yes, but beyond the cross and forever (εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα).

As Jesus prayed to his Father (John 17:20-23 ESV):

I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe¹⁷ in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me [Table]. The glory that you have given me I¹⁸ have given to them, that they may be one even as we are¹⁹ one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so²⁰ that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

The Greek word translated perfectly above was τετελειωμένοι, a middle/passive participle of the verb τελειόω: “to die; to be perfect; to be consecrated to; to be initiated into.”

In the past a statement like—“This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom”²¹—might have hypnotized me into compliance with option (2).

[T]he future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this.²²

But Jesus continues to draw me to Himself. Since I began to understand that He (as a human child) learned what He taught (as an adult) from the Holy Spirit’s instruction in the Old Testament Scriptures, and that He expected the teacher of Israel to understand the Scriptures as He did, I’ve become much more critical of this kind of nonspecific assertion. And so I ask: Is the “Hebrew idiom” that seeks to transform a Greek verb in the indicative mood (e.g., a statement of fact) into an imperative (e.g., “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”²³) simply because it is in the future tense, a “Hebrew idiom” as God the Father and Holy Spirit intended and as Jesus understood it? Or is that “Hebrew idiom” the understanding of those in Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness [but] did not succeed in reaching that law? [Table]. Why? [Why did they not succeed in reaching that law?] Paul asked rhetorically, and then answered: Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works [Table].²⁴

A few words about the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary seem to be in order. In the introduction to Matthew’s Gospel the Preface by the General Editor states: “THE General Editor of The Cambridge Bible for Schools thinks it right to say that he does not hold himself responsible either for the interpretation of particular passages which the Editors of the several Books have adopted, or for any opinion on points of doctrine that they may have expressed.” In the Editor’s Preface which follows that of the General Editor—dated December 21, 1880—Arthur Carr listed the lexicons, grammars and various “works principally consulted,” and he acknowledged “several friends who have helped me with suggestions.” The Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary appears to be a collection of the works of individual authors who were described, and described themselves, as editors.

Since the translators of the ESV seem to have gone with option (2), and in lieu of an answer to my question about that “Hebrew idiom” from the late Mr. Carr, I’ll consider the ESV translations of the other occurrences of ἔσεσθε in the New Testament.

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.²⁵

The phrase you must not be was οὐκ ἔσεσθε in the critical text (NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸) or ουκ εση in the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text). Both ἔσεσθε and εση are forms of the verb εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood: “you will not be.” The former is a 2^nd person plural verb; the latter is a 2^nd person singular verb. Mr. Carr explained:

προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε, instead of the singular προσεύχῃ οὐκ ἔσῃ, the singular introduced to harmonise with context ὅταν ποίῃς Matthew 6:2, ὅταν προσεύχῃ Matthew 6:6.

Mr. Carr revealed his preference²⁶ for the originality of the critical text by stating that “the singular [was] introduced [later] to harmonise with context.” (The factual content of this assertion is based presumably on the dating of extant manuscripts.) Likewise, the translators of the ESV reveal at least an affinity for the idea that “the future [tense] has an imperative force”²⁷ by rendering “you will not be” (οὐκ ἔσεσθε or οὐκ ἔσῃ) you must not be.

Mr. Carr did not reiterate the two options he presented for understanding ἔσεσθε in Matthew 5:48. He did, however, present further evidence of his preference for the critical text as he hinted that ἔσεσθε created a rule:

5. προσεύχησθε [e.g., προσεύχησθε in Matthew 6:5 rather than the singular προσευχή]. Plural, because here the reference is to public worship. It is a rule for the Church.

So Mr. Carr’s claim, that Καὶ ὅταν προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε ὡς οἱ ὑποκριταί “is a rule for the Church,” seems supported by the ESV translators: And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.²⁸ The Greek words translated the hypocrites were οἱ ὑποκριταί, a form of ὑποκριτής: “hypocrite, pretender, impious person.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online, however, these are all relatively late meanings of the Greek word:

A number of different things might pop to mind when we hear the word hypocrite. Maybe it’s a politician caught in a scandal; maybe it’s a religious leader doing something counter to their creed; maybe it’s a scheming and conniving character featured in soap operas. But it’s likely that the one thing that doesn’t come to mind is the theater.

The word hypocrite ultimately came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” The Greek word itself is a compound noun: it’s made up of two Greek words that literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.” That bizarre compound makes more sense when you know that the actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark which character they were playing, and so they interpreted the story from underneath their masks.

The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not. This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, ypocrite, in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others. (Hypocrite gained its initial h- by the 16th century.)

It took a surprisingly long time for hypocrite to gain its more general meaning that we use today: “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” Our first citations for this use are from the early 1700s, nearly 500 years after hypocrite first stepped onto English’s stage.

Strong’s Concordance still referenced the original meaning: “lit: a stage-player.” But even Strong’s offered meanings for this word that probably didn’t exist for a thousand or more years from the time Jesus spoke, or Matthew recorded, it. Be that as it may, translating an indicative verb ἔσεσθε as if it were an imperative has a dulling effect on Jesus’ commands (Matthew 6:6 ESV):

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you [Table].

Here, the Greek word translated go into actually is a verb in the imperative mood: εἴσελθε, a form of εἰσέρχομαι. It is completely acceptable to translate εἴσελθε go into; it still means you must go into: “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”²⁹ Contrasted to you must not be like the hypocrites, however, go into may not quite convey how dramatic a gesture Jesus commanded. “When you pray, you must go into” (not the synagogue of actors nor street corners where actors pray, but into) your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.

The Greek word translated will reward in the next clause was ἀποδώσει, a form of ἀποδίδωμι in the future tense and indicative mood, another word like ἔσεσθε, though not translated, “And your Father who sees in secret must reward you.” Neither did Mr. Carr offer “must reward” as another option to will reward. He was more preoccupied with other matters:

ταμεῖον has high authority (אBDE) for ταμιεῖον; cp. the late form ὑγεία for ὑγίεια.

6. ταμιεῖον. A private oratory or place of prayer. These were usually in the upper part of the house; in classical Greek ‘storehouse’ or ‘treasury’, the meaning of the word Luke 12:24. See Matthew 24:26.

Πρόσευξαι τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ. Christ was the first to enjoin clearly secret and silent prayer. Certainly to pray aloud and in public appears to have been the Jewish practice (see however 1 Samuel 1:13); it is still the practice with the heathen and Mahommedans. The Roman looked with suspicion on private prayer: ‘quod scire hominem nolunt deo narrant’³⁰ (Seneca). Cp. Hor. Ep. I. 16. 59–62, where see Macleane’s note. Cp. also Soph. Electra 638, where Clytemnestra apologises for offering up a secret prayer.³¹

Here, again, I favor option (1), to treat the indicative mood like the indicative mood, a statement of fact, a promise to Jesus’ hearers/followers. It is true in their near future that Jesus’ hearers/followers will not be like the actors who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others,³² because Jesus’ hearers/followers will be actors who obey his commands instead: [you must] go into your room and shut the door and [you must] pray to your Father who is in secret.³³ And Jesus’ promise will be true in their not too distant future because his hearers/followers will cease to be actors, portraying a certain character by obeying rules, to actually be those who are joined to the Lord [and become] one spirit with him.³⁴

They will be crucified with Christ. It [will] no longer [be they] who live, but Christ who lives in [them]. And the life [they will then] live in the flesh [they will] live by faith in the Son of God, who loved [them] and gave himself for [them]. [They will] not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.³⁵ They will be those who do what is true [who come] to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that [their] works have been carried out in God.³⁶ They will be those who are released from the law, having died to that which held [them] captive, so that [they] serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.³⁷

(This prompts me to wonder how a “Church” governed by “a rule”—you must not be like the hypocrites—relates to the ἐκκλησία of God in Jesus Christ. It sounds as if this “Church,” rather than being free to serve in the new way of the Spirit, is consigned instead to serve in the old way of [a new] written code.)

I’ve lumped the next four occurrences of ἔσεσθε together because of their similarities, but none was translated as an imperative in the ESV (Matthew 10:21, 22; 24:9; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:17).

Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all nations for my name’s sake.

And you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

You will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake.

The only author of the Cambridge Commentary to mention ἔσεσθε specifically in his notes on these verses was Alfred Plummer, Volume 3, in his comments to Mark 13:13.

καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι. Verbatim the same in all three. The analytical fut. marks the hatred as a process continually going on…

I might ask whether the continuity of this hatred owes more to the present participle μισούμενοι, a form of μισέω in the middle/passive voice: “to hate, despise, detest (esp. to persecute); to strongly dislike; to refuse to have any further interest in.” Surely, the breadth of meaning of μισούμενοι lends credence to the factual content of Jesus’ statement (ἔσεσθε) in the indicative mood well into any humanly foreseeable future. At any rate, Mr. Plummer asserted no “imperative force” for the future tense here: “you must be hated.”

Jesus’ promise that his hearers/followers will be sons of God follows (Luke 6:35 ESV):

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil [Table].

Though I may be tempted in isolation like this to think that Jesus held up my works—loving my enemies, doing good, lending, expecting nothing in return—as the cause which effected my becoming a son of the Most High, the rest of Scripture and my own life assure me that I am one of the ungrateful and evil people who has benefited from his kindness.

Here, again, I understand the truth of ἔσεσθε in Jesus’ hearers’/followers’ near future as a demonstration of faith. As they put on the character of God like actors obeying Jesus’ commands, He receives their act as faith in his word. And in their not too distant future—after Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and the giving of his Holy Spirit—their reward will be (ἔσται, a singular form of εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood) great: They will be born from above, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.³⁸ And they will love with his love, do good by his goodness, be kind through his kindness, for the fruit [result] of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law [Table].³⁹

F. W. Farrar, the author of Volume 4 of the Cambridge Commentary didn’t mention an imperative option for ἔσεσθε (or any other verb in the future tense and indicative mood) here (e.g., “you must be sons of the most high,” or “your reward must be great”). He simply reiterated the phrase in Greek with an instruction to compare it to Sirach.

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary	Sirach 4:10 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου. Comp. Sir 4:10.	ἔσῃ ὡς υἱὸς ῾Υψίστου
Luke 6:35 (ESV)	Sirach 4:10 (English Elpenor)
you will be sons of the Most High	shalt thou be as the son of the most High

Aside from the differences of number, the most notable difference is the word ὡς in Sirach: “Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor; and be not fainthearted when thou sittest in judgment. Be as a father unto the fatherless, and instead of an husband unto their mother: so shalt thou be as [ὡς] the son of the most High, and he shall love thee more than thy mother doth.”⁴⁰ This is the work of an actor. By doing xyz the actor becomes as or like the character he or she portrays.

But the Son of the Most High said: love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.⁴¹ Here, again, the works are those of an actor until the promise is fulfilled, but the promise—you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High—is not something an actor’s works can achieve. The actor’s works are received by the Most High as a demonstration of the actor’s faith in the Son of the Most High. The fulfillment of the promise—you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High—is the work of God. As Jesus prayed: that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.⁴²

The next occurrence is a direct reference to the freedom in Christ which is the overarching theme of these essays (John 8:36 ESV):

So if the Son sets you free, you will be (ἔσεσθε) free indeed.

Alfred Plummer, the author of Volume 5 of the Cambridge Commentary asserted no “imperative force” to the future tense in John 8:36: “you must be free indeed.” He made no direct reference to ἔσεσθε at all here:

ἐὰν οὖν ὁ υἱός. As before, any son is meant. ‘If the son emancipates you, your freedom is secured; for he is always on the spot to see that the emancipation is carried out.’ The statement is general, but with special reference to the Son of God, who frees men by granting them a share in His Sonship. If they will abide in His word (John 8:31), He will abide in them (John 6:56), and will take care that the bondage from which He has freed them is not thrust upon them again.

This insight seems particularly interesting in the light of For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴³ Mr. Plummer continued by highlighting the adverb ὄντως (ESV: indeed):

ὄντως. Here only in S. John: comp. Luke 23:47; Luke 24:34; 1 Timothy 5:3; 1 Timothy 5:5; 1 Timothy 5:16. It expresses reality as opposed to appearance; ἀληθῶς (John 8:31; John 4:42; John 6:14; John 7:40) implies that this reality is known.⁴⁴

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit’s power to perform the works of God through those who are one spirit with Him (Acts 1:8 ESV).

But you will receive⁴⁵ power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth [Table].

The Greek word translated you will receive was λήμψεσθε, a form of the verb λαμβάνω in the future tense and indicative mood, but J. R. Lumby, the author of Volume 6 of the Cambridge Commentary, didn’t offer an option (2) for interpreting either λήμψεσθε or ἔσεσθε in the imperative mood (e.g., “you must receive,” or “you must be”) because “the future has an imperative force.”⁴⁶

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Paul’s instruction about speech (1 Corinthians 14:9 ESV):

So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be (ἔσεσθε) speaking into the air.

The note addressing ἔσεσθε by J. J. Lias in Volume 8 of the Cambridge Commentary reads:

ἔσεσθε … λαλοῦντες. Not precisely equivalent to λαλήσετε. The condition of the persons rather than the nature of the action is indicated, ‘Ye shall be as men who are speaking into (or unto) the air.’

Frankly, the “condition of the persons” is a more interesting insight to consider in Matthew 5:48 and 6:5 than transforming “a statement of fact” into “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”⁴⁷ For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴⁸

The next occurrence of ἔσεσθε is in Paul’s paraphrase of some Old Testament promises (2 Corinthians 6:18 ESV).

and I will be a father to you, and you shall be (ἔσεσθε) sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.

Some tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s paraphrase to that of the Septuagint can be found in Christianity, Part 2. The Greek word translated I will be was ἔσομαι, a 1^st person singular form of the verb εἰμί. Like ἔσεσθε, ἔσομαι is in the future tense and indicative mood. Here again, Alfred Plummer, the author of Volume 9 of the Cambridge Commentary, didn’t offer an option (2) for interpreting either ἔσομαι or ἔσεσθε in the imperative mood (e.g., “I must be,” or “you must be”). Mr. Plummer did offer a plausible explanation for Paul’s addition to the Old Testament text: καὶ θυγατέρας, and daughters (ESV).

The recognition of daughters of God as well as sons of God is found in Isaiah 43:6 : but it was the Gospel which first raised woman to her true position in God’s family. At Corinth, where the degradation of women in the name of religion was so conspicuous, it might be specially necessary to point out that women are God’s daughters. Comp. Acts 2:17-18 from Joel 2:28.

The final occurrence of ἔσεσθε is found in Peter’s quotation from Leviticus (1 Peter 1:16 ESV):

since it is written, “You shall be⁴⁹ (ἔσεσθε) holy, for I am holy.”

The received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text) had γενεσθε (KJV: Be ye) here (rather than ἔσεσθε), a form of the verb γίνομαι in the 2nd aorist tense and imperative mood: “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.” G. W. Blenkin, the author of Volume 18 of the Cambridge Commentary, favoring apparently the critical text even as he retained the flavor of the received text, wrote:

Generally in the N.T. the title ἅγιος describes the Christian’s privilege, as one whom God has “set apart” for Himself, rather than the Christian’s character. But such consecration to God demands a corresponding character, and here St Peter emphasizes that demand by quoting the standard laid down in the “Law of Holiness,” “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,” Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2. In the former passage the words are connected with things which were to be regarded as clean or unclean, but in the latter they are connected with various moral laws.

I’ve quoted some English translations of these verses from Leviticus from both the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint in three tables below.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 11:44 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:44 (NET)	Leviticus 11:44 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44 (English Elpenor)
For I am HaShem your G-d; sanctify yourselves therefore (וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙), and be ye (וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם) holy (קְדשִׁ֔ים); for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moveth upon the earth.	for I am the Lord your God, and you are to sanctify yourselves (qāḏaš, והתקדשתם) and be (hāyâ, והייתם) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground,	For it is I who am the Lord your God, and you shall be sanctified (καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε), and you shall be holy (καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), for I am holy, I the Lord your God. And you shall not defile your souls with any of the creeping things that stir on the earth.	For I am the Lord your God; and ye shall be sanctified (καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε), and ye shall be holy (καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), because I the Lord your God am holy; and ye shall not defile your souls with any of the reptiles creeping upon the earth.

The Hebrew word וְהִתְקַדִּשְׁתֶּם֙ (qāḏaš) was translated sanctify yourselves therefore (Tanakh), and you are to sanctify yourselves (NET) and, Consecrate yourselves therefore (ESV) from the Masoretic text. The Tanakh on chabad.org rendered it and you shall sanctify yourselves, which is interesting since it captures some sense of promise. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε, a passive form of ἁγιάζω in the future tense and indicative mood, a promise to you from the Lord your God: and you shall be sanctified (NETS), and ye shall be sanctified (English Elpenor).

The Hebrew וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם (hāyâ) followed by קְדשִׁ֔ים (qāḏôš) was translated and be ye holy (Tanakh), and be holy (NET, ESV) from the Masoretic text, the result apparently of sanctifying oneself. In the Septuagint, however, this was clearly another promise to you from the Lord your God: καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, and you shall be holy (NETS), and ye shall be holy (English Elpenor).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 11:45 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:45 (NET)	Leviticus 11:45 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45 (English Elpenor)
For I am HaShem that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d; ye shall therefore be (וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם) holy (קְדשִׁ֔ים), for I am holy.	for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be (hāyâ, והייתם) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I am holy.	For it is I who am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; you shall be holy (καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι), for I am holy, I, the Lord.	For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; and ye shall be holy (καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι), for I the Lord am holy.

This time, the Hebrew, וִֽהְיִיתֶ֣ם (hāyâ) followed by קְדשִׁ֔ים (qāḏôš), was translated ye shall therefore be holy (Tanakh), You shall therefore be holy (ESV) from the Masoretic text, wafting a scent of promise, rather than the more consistently imperative and you are to be holy (NET). But again, in the Septuagint καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, you shall be holy (NETS) and ye shall be holy (English Elpenor), is unequivocally a promise to you from the Lord your God, the result of his own holiness.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 19:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:2 (NET)	Leviticus 19:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2 (English Elpenor)
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be (תִּֽהְי֑וּ) holy (קְדשִׁ֣ים); for I HaShem your G-d am holy.	“Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be (hāyâ, תהיו) holy (qāḏôš, קדשים) because I, the Lord your God, am holy.	Speak to the congregation of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them; You shall be holy (ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε), for I am holy, the Lord your God.	Speak to the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye shall be holy (ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε); for I the Lord your God [am] holy.

Here the Hebrew of the Masoretic text, קְדשִׁ֣ים (qāḏôš) followed by תִּֽהְי֑וּ (hāyâ), was translated as a promise, Ye shall be holy (Tanakh), You shall be holy (ESV), except for You must be holy (NET). And again, the Greek translation of the Septuagint was ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, You shall be holy (NETS), Ye shall be holy (English Elpenor), a promise to you from the Lord your God.

A note (60) in the NET on Matthew 5:48—So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect—reads:

This remark echoes OT statements in Lev 11:44-45 and Lev 19:2: “you must be holy as I am holy.”

I’ll continue to quote the EXP8 translation of Matthew 5:48—You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table]—Arthur Carr’s contention that “the future has an imperative force”⁵⁰ notwithstanding. The mere possibility that περιπατεῖτε in the phrase πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε was intended to be understood as a statement of fact (“by the spirit you walk”) rather than as “a command or instruction…charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action”⁵¹ (“by the spirit you must walk”) has revolutionized my walk these past two months. Everyday since, that little faith has made it so much easier to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.⁵²

What marvelous wonders will faith in Jesus’ promise of perfection bring?

A table of the occurrences of ἔσεσθε in the ESV and the corresponding entries from the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary follows.

Examples of ἔσεσθε in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary
Matthew 5:48, Arthur Carr	You therefore must be (ἔσεσθε) perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].	ἔσεσθε τέλειοι. Lit. ‘ye shall be perfect.’ Either (1) in reference to a future state, ‘if ye have this true love or charity ye shall be perfect hereafter’; or (2) the future has an imperative force, and τέλειοι is limited by the preceding words = perfect in respect of love, i.e. ‘love your enemies as well as your neighbours,’ because your Father being perfect in respect of love does this. This use of the future is in accordance with the Hebrew idiom.
Matthew 6:5, Arthur Carr	And when you pray, you must not be (οὐκ ἔσεσθε or ουκ εση) like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward [Table].	προσεύχησθε οὐκ ἔσεσθε, instead of the singular προσεύχῃ οὐκ ἔσῃ, the singular introduced to harmonise with context ὅταν ποίῃς Matthew 6:2, ὅταν προσεύχῃ Matthew 6:6. 5. προσεύχησθε. Plural, because here the reference is to public worship. It is a rule for the Church.
Matthew 10:21, 22, Arthur Carr	Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.	ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος κ.τ.λ. The parallel expression Luke 21:19 is made clear by this verse, ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσεσθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν, ‘by your patience ye shall win for yourselves your souls,’ i.e. win your true life by enduring to the end. Comp. Romans 5:3-5, καυχῶμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν εἰδότες ὅτι η θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. σωθήσεται. ‘Shall be saved,’ shall win σωτηρία. In classical Greek σωτηρία means, ‘safety,’ ‘welfare,’ i.e. life secure from evil, cp. Luke 1:71; in the Christian sense it is a life of secured happiness, hence ‘salvation’ is the highest sense. So σώζεσθαι = ‘to live securely’ with an additional notion of rescue from surrounding danger, οἱ σωζόμενοι means those who are enjoying this life of blessed security.
Matthew 24:9, Arthur Carr	Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all nations for my name’s sake.	θλίψιν. Rare in the classics, the figurative sense is late in the noun but appears in the verb, Aristoph. Vespæ 1289 and elsewhere. In Philippians 1:17 the literal ‘pressure’ of the chain is thought of: θλίψιν ἐγείρειν, ‘to make my chain gall me’ (Bp. Lightfoot). θλίψις is preferable to θλίψις, though the latter is the Attic accentuation. The tendency of later Greek was to shorten the penultimate. See Winer, pp. 56, 57 and Dr Moulton’s note.
Mark 13:13, Alfred Plummer	And you will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.	καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι. Verbatim the same in all three. The analytical fut. marks the hatred as a process continually going on; cf. Mark 13:25. It will have its compensations, τὸ γὰρ ἕνεκεν αὐτοῦ μισεῖσθαι, ἱκανόν ἐστι πάσας ἐπικουφίσαι τὰς συμφοράς (Theoph.). On the causes of this universal hatred of Christians see Plummer, Church of the Early Fathers, pp. 150 f. ὁ δὲ ὑπομείνας εἰς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. Mt. has the same, but Lk. interprets, “In your endurance ye shall win your souls.” Not εἰς τὸ τέλος, the end spoken of in Mark 13:7, but εἰς τέλος, “finally” or “to the uttermost,” which is better here, as in 1 Thessalonians 2:16. See on John 13:1 and Ryle and James on Ps. Song of Solomon 1:1. In the Epp. and in Rev. ὑπομονή is freq. as a special virtue of Christians, and it cannot be won without affliction (Romans 5:3). It means courageous endurance without despondency. See Lightfoot on Colossians 1:11; Trench, Syn. § 53. With this use of οὗτος comp. that in Mark 13:11; Mark 6:16; Mark 12:10; that of ἐκεῖνος in Mark 7:20 is similar. For σωθήσεται in the spiritual sense see Mark 8:35; Mark 10:36.
Luke 6:35, F. W. Farrar	But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil [Table].	μηδὲν� ABD. μηδένα א. πολύς. A adds the explanatory gloss ἐν οὐρανῷ. 35. πλήν. ‘However.’ This conjunction is used by St Luke much more frequently than by the other N. T. writers. From this passage we see that ‘interest’ and ‘usury’ are not here contemplated at all. μηδὲν . Vulg[138] nihil inde sperantes. See Psalms 15:5, with the Rabbinic comment that God counts it as universal obedience if any one lends without interest. The words may also mean ‘despairing in nothing;’ or (if μηδέν’ be read) ‘driving no one to despair.’ The verb only occurs again as the varia lectio of D in Ephesians 4:19. It is a late Greek word and generally means ‘to despair.’ Hence our R. V[139] renders it “never despairing” with the marginal reading “despairing of no man” (μηδέν’). Comp. Romans 4:18, παρ’ ἐλπίδα ἐπ’ ἐλπίδι ἐπίστευσεν. [138] Vulg. Vulgate. [139] R. V. Revised Version. ἔσεσθε υἱοὶ ὑψίστου. Comp. Sir 4:10. χρηστός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοὺς . See the exquisite addition in Matthew 5:45.
Luke 21:17, F. W. Farrar	You will be (ἔσεσθε) hated by all for my name’s sake.	ἐπηρώτησαν. The questioners were Peter and James and John and Andrew, Mark 13:3. πότε … καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον; Our Lord leaves the former question unanswered (see on Luke 17:20) and only deals with the latter. This was His gentle method of discouraging irrelevant or inadmissible questions (comp. Luke 13:23-24).
John 8:36, Alfred Plummer	So if the Son sets you free, you will be (ἔσεσθε) free indeed.	ἐὰν οὖν ὁ υἱός. As before, any son is meant. ‘If the son emancipates you, your freedom is secured; for he is always on the spot to see that the emancipation is carried out.’ The statement is general, but with special reference to the Son of God, who frees men by granting them a share in His Sonship. If they will abide in His word (John 8:31), He will abide in them (John 6:56), and will take care that the bondage from which He has freed them is not thrust upon them again. ὄντως. Here only in S. John: comp. Luke 23:47; Luke 24:34; 1 Timothy 5:3; 1 Timothy 5:5; 1 Timothy 5:16. It expresses reality as opposed to appearance; ἀληθῶς (John 8:31; John 4:42; John 6:14; John 7:40) implies that this reality is known.
Acts 1:8, J. R. Lumby	But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be (ἔσεσθε) my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth [Table].	μου. The Text. recept. is the result of a conformity to the more common construction. 8. δύναμιν. The Vulgate renders ‘virtutem,’ and makes it govern the words in the genitive which immediately follow, ‘Ye shall receive the influence of the Holy Spirit which shall come upon you.’ It is better, with A.V., to render the genitive as genitive absolute, because of the participle included in the expression. The phrases δύναμις τοῦ πνεύματος and δ. πνεύματος ἁγίου do occur (Luke 4:14; Romans 15:13; Romans 15:19), but not constructed as in this verse. The effect of this gift was to be something different from the profitless speculations to which they had just desired an answer, even ‘a mouth and wisdom which their adversaries could neither gainsay nor resist’ (Luke 21:15). Ἱερουσαλὴμ κ.τ.λ. The order here appointed for the preaching of the Gospel was exactly observed. At Jerusalem (Acts 2-7), Judæa and Samaria (Acts 8:1), and after the conversion of Saul, in all parts of Asia, Greece, and last of all at Rome. ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς. The precise expression occurs several times in the LXX. of Isaiah (Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 49:6; Isaiah 62:11). See also Acts 13:47.
1 Corinthians 14:9, J. J. Lias	So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be (ἔσεσθε) speaking into the air.	εὔσημον. Related to σῆμα, σημεῖον. Literally, well marked, i.e. intelligible. ἔσεσθε … λαλοῦντες. Not precisely equivalent to λαλήσετε. The condition of the persons rather than the nature of the action is indicated, ‘Ye shall be as men who are speaking into (or unto) the air.’
2 Corinthians 6:18, Alfred Plummer	and I will be a father to you, and you shall be (ἔσεσθε) sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.	18. This again seems to be a mosaic of several passages; 2 Samuel 7:14; Isaiah 43:6; 2 Samuel 7:8 : And I will be to you a Father, and ye shall be to Me sons and daughters. For ἔσομαι εἰς = γενήσομαι comp. Ephesians 5:31; Hebrews 8:10 : but the εἰς may = ‘to serve as, for.’ This is probably a Hebraism: comp. Acts 7:21; Acts 13:22; Acts 13:47. Simcox, Language of the N.T., pp. 80, 143. The recognition of daughters of God as well as sons of God is found in Isaiah 43:6 : but it was the Gospel which first raised woman to her true position in God’s family. At Corinth, where the degradation of women in the name of religion was so conspicuous, it might be specially necessary to point out that women are God’s daughters. Comp. Acts 2:17-18 from Joel 2:28. λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ. This represents the O.T. formula, ‘saith the Lord of Hosts’ (2 Samuel 7:8; 1 Chronicles 17:7; Haggai 1:2; Haggai 1:5-7; Haggai 1:9; Haggai 1:14, &c.). In the O.T. παντοκράτωρ is frequent; but in the N.T. it is found only here and in Revelation (2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 11:17, &c.). Westcott (The Historic Faith, pp. 36, 37) points out that παντοκράτωρ is ‘All-sovereign’ rather than ‘Almighty’; the title is descriptive of exercised dominion rather than of abstract power. Scripture speaks of powers of evil as ‘world-sovereign’ (Ephesians 6:12), but it proclaims God as ‘All-sovereign.’ The All-sovereign One can, the Lord will, fulfil his promises, whatever men may do. Si vos ejecerint, si vos parentes abdicaverint infideles, Me patrem habebitis sempiternum (Primasius). See Charles on the Book of Jubilees i. 24.
1 Peter 1:16, G. W. Blenkin	since it is written, “You shall be (ἔσεσθε) holy, for I am holy.”	ατὰ τὸν καλέσαντα ὑμᾶς ἅγιον (cf. Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 4:1; Ephesians 5:1, etc.). After the model of Him that called you, Who is holy. Here we have the true model (εἰκών) to which men’s lives are to be conformed (σύμμορφοι, cf. Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10). The original purpose of God in creation was that man made in His image should grow into His likeness. “By divers portions and in divers manners” culminating in the Incarnation the divine likeness has been gradually revealed, and those who are “called” into covenanted relationship with God are bidden to be “imitators of God as beloved children,” Ephesians 5:1. ἅγιος, like the Hebrew קָדו̇שׁ, meant originally “set apart,” distinct from ordinary things. It was at first applied to persons (e.g. Exodus 22:31), places (Exodus 3:5, etc.) or things (1 Kings 7:51) which were “set apart” for religious use, regarded as being connected with the presence or service of God. It is not easy to decide how the same word came also to be applied to God Himself. Some would suggest that it was because God was regarded as “set apart,” separated from what was common or unclean. Others think that as things set apart for God were required to be without stain or blemish, the word ἅγιος applied to them acquired the meaning of “pure,” “unblemished,” and, as applied to persons, moral purity as well as physical would gradually be understood as being necessary. In this sense (the idea of “set apart” being lost sight of) the word might be applied to God. And in proportion as the conception of God became elevated and purified so the idea of (God’s Holiness would acquire a more awful purity (e.g. Isaiah 6:3). But in either case, when once the word ἅγιος had come to be applied to God, the idea of what “holiness” must mean in God would react upon all the lower applications of the word to men. Those who claimed a special relationship to God would be understood as requiring to have a moral character conformable to that of God. Generally in the N.T. the title ἅγιος describes the Christian’s privilege, as one whom God has “set apart” for Himself, rather than the Christian’s character. But such consecration to God demands a corresponding character, and here St Peter emphasizes that demand by quoting the standard laid down in the “Law of Holiness,” “Ye shall be holy, for I am holy,” Leviticus 11:44-45; Leviticus 19:2. In the former passage the words are connected with things which were to be regarded as clean or unclean, but in the latter they are connected with various moral laws. γενήθητε. Shew yourselves to be, prove yourselves worthy of the title which you claim in every detail of your dealings with other men. ἀναστροφή = your converse or intercourse with those around you.

According to the note in the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary Peter referenced Leviticus 11:44, 45 and Leviticus 19:2, and according to a note (34) in the NET, Peter quoted from Leviticus 19:2 in 1 Peter 1:16. Tables comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follow.

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 11:44b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 11:44b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 11:44b (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	you shall be holy, for I am holy	ye shall be holy, because I…am holy

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 11:45b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 11:45b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι	ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 11:45b (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	you shall be holy, for I am holy	ye shall be holy, for I…am holy

1 Peter 1:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 19:2b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 19:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος	ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιος ἐγὼ
1 Peter 1:16b (NET)	Leviticus 19:2b (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2b (English Elpenor)
“You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	You shall be holy, for I am holy	Ye shall be holy; for I…[am] holy

Tables comparing Leviticus 11:44; 11:45 and 19:2 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Leviticus 11:44; 11:45 and 19:2 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 Peter 1:16; John 17:20 and 17:22, 23 in the KJV and NET follow.

Leviticus 11:44 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:44 (KJV)	Leviticus 11:44 (NET)
For I am HaShem your G-d; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy; for I am holy; neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of swarming thing that moveth upon the earth.	For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.	for I am the Lord your God, and you are to sanctify yourselves and be holy because I am holy. You must not defile yourselves by any of the swarming things that creep on the ground,

Leviticus 11:44 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 11:44 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς τοῖς κινουμένοις ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς	ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ ἁγιασθήσεσθε καὶ ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἑρπετοῖς τοῖς κινουμένοις ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς
Leviticus 11:44 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:44 (English Elpenor)
For it is I who am the Lord your God, and you shall be sanctified, and you shall be holy, for I am holy, I the Lord your God. And you shall not defile your souls with any of the creeping things that stir on the earth.	For I am the Lord your God; and ye shall be sanctified, and ye shall be holy, because I the Lord your God am holy; and ye shall not defile your souls with any of the reptiles creeping upon the earth.

Leviticus 11:45 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 11:45 (KJV)	Leviticus 11:45 (NET)
For I am HaShem that brought you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your G-d; ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.	For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.	for I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God, and you are to be holy because I am holy.

Leviticus 11:45 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 11:45 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου εἶναι ὑμῶν θεός καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ κύριος	ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ ἀναγαγὼν ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου εἶναι ὑμῶν Θεός, καὶ ἔσεσθε ἅγιοι, ὅτι ἅγιός εἰμι ἐγὼ Κύριος
Leviticus 11:45 (NETS)	Leviticus 11:45 (English Elpenor)
For it is I who am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy, I, the Lord.	For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God; and ye shall be holy, for I the Lord am holy.

Leviticus 19:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:2 (KJV)	Leviticus 19:2 (NET)
Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them: Ye shall be holy; for I HaShem your G-d am holy.	Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.	“Speak to the whole congregation of the Israelites and tell them, ‘You must be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

Leviticus 19:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λάλησον τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	λάλησον τῇ συναγωγῇ τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἅγιος ἐγὼ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 19:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:2 (English Elpenor)
Speak to the congregation of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them; You shall be holy, for I am holy, the Lord your God.	Speak to the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Ye shall be holy; for I the Lord your God [am] holy.

1 Peter 1:16 (NET)	1 Peter 1:16 (KJV)
for it is written, “You shall be holy, because I am holy.”	Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1 Peter 1:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
διότι γέγραπται [ὅτι] ἅγιοι ἔσεσθε, ὅτι ἐγὼ ἅγιος [εἰμι]	διοτι γεγραπται αγιοι γενεσθε οτι εγω αγιος ειμι	διοτι γεγραπται αγιοι γινεσθε οτι εγω αγιος ειμι

John 17:20 (NET)	John 17:20 (KJV)
“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,	Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

John 17:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Οὐ περὶ τούτων δὲ ἐρωτῶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν πιστευόντων διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν εἰς ἐμέ	ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευσοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε	ου περι τουτων δε ερωτω μονον αλλα και περι των πιστευοντων δια του λογου αυτων εις εμε

John 17:22, 23 (NET)	John 17:22, 23 (KJV)
The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one—	And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

John 17:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καγὼ τὴν δόξαν ἣν δέδωκας μοι δέδωκα αὐτοῖς, ἵνα ὦσιν ἓν καθὼς ἡμεῖς ἕν	και εγω την δοξαν ην δεδωκας μοι δεδωκα αυτοις ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις εν εσμεν	και εγω την δοξαν ην δεδωκας μοι δεδωκα αυτοις ινα ωσιν εν καθως ημεις εν εσμεν

I in them and you in me—that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

John 17:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 17:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 17:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ σὺ ἐν ἐμοί, ἵνα ὦσιν τετελειωμένοι εἰς ἕν, ἵνα γινώσκῃ ὁ κόσμος ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας καὶ ἠγάπησας αὐτοὺς καθὼς ἐμὲ ἠγάπησας	εγω εν αυτοις και συ εν εμοι ινα ωσιν τετελειωμενοι εις εν και ινα γινωσκη ο κοσμος οτι συ με απεστειλας και ηγαπησας αυτους καθως εμε ηγαπησας	εγω εν αυτοις και συ εν εμοι ινα ωσιν τετελειωμενοι εις εν και ινα γινωσκη ο κοσμος οτι συ με απεστειλας και ηγαπησας αυτους καθως εμε ηγαπησας

¹ Galatians 5:1a (EXP1) Table

² John 14:16, 17a (ESV) Table

³ John 14:26 (ESV) Table

⁴ John 14:18 (ESV)

⁵ John 14:23b (ESV) Table

⁶ Galatians 5:1b (EXP1) Table

⁷ John 4:14b (ESV) Table

⁸ 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)

⁹ Some of my reasons are found in Exploration, Part 1, with more explanation in Exploration, Part 2.

¹⁰ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

¹¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

¹² Galatians 5:22a (ESV)

¹³ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

¹⁴ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁵ 1 Corinthians 6:17 (ESV)

¹⁶ Galatians 2:20 (NET)

¹⁷ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had πιστευόντων here, a participle of the verb πιστεύω in the present tense (NET: believe), where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had πιστευσοντων (KJV: shall believe) in the future tense.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καγὼ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και εγω.

¹⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εσμεν, a 1^st person plural form of the verb εἰμί here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the conjunction και (KJV: and) joining these clauses. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

²² Ibid.

²³ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁴ Romans 9:31b, 32a (ESV)

²⁵ Matthew 6:5 (ESV) Table

²⁶ This preference for the critical text was stated explicitly in Matthew’s Introduction – On the Greek Text: “IN undertaking an edition of the Greek text of the New Testament with English notes for the use of Schools, the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press have not thought it desirable to reprint the text in common use*[1]. To have done this would have been to set aside all the materials that have since been accumulated towards the formation of a correct text, and to disregard the results of textual criticism in its application to MSS., Versions and Fathers.”

²⁷ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

²⁸ Matthew 6:5a (ESV) Table

²⁹ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³⁰ From X. Seneca Says His Health to Lucilius [5], translated into English by Google: “But as I am wont to send a letter with some small gift, it is true what I found in Athenodorus: ‘Then know that you are free from all desires, when you have come to the point of asking nothing of the gods except what you can ask openly.’ For now, what madness is there in men! They whisper the most shameful vows to the gods; if anyone puts his ear to them, they will be silent, and what they do not wish a man to know they tell a god. See, therefore, that this cannot be prescribed healthily: live with men as if a god were to see, speak with a god as if men were to hear. Farewell.”

³¹ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 6:6 on BibliaPlus online.

³² Matthew 6:5b (ESV) Table

³³ Matthew 6:6b (ESV) Table

³⁴ 1 Corinthians 6:17b (ESV)

³⁵ Galatians 2:20, 21 (ESV)

³⁶ John 3:21 (ESV)

³⁷ Romans 7:6 (ESV)

³⁸ John 1:13b (ESV)

³⁹ Galatians 5:22, 23 (ESV)

⁴⁰ Sirach 4:9, 10 (English Elpenor)

⁴¹ Luke 6:35 (ESV) Table

⁴² John 17:22b, 23 (ESV)

⁴³ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁴ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, John 8:36 on BibliaPlus online.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λήμψεσθε here, a form of the verb λαμβάνω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ληψεσθε. These appear to be alternate spellings for the same part of speech.

⁴⁶ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

⁴⁷ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴⁸ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔσεσθε here, a form of the verb εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γενεσθε (KJV: Be ye), a form of the verb γίνομαι in the 2^nd aorist tense and imperative mood.

⁵⁰ From the Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary, Matthew 5:48 on BibliaPlus online.

⁵¹ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵² Ephesians 4:24 (ESV)

Exploration, Part 8

Posted on February 21, 2025 by admin

Describing the results of the freedom for which Christ has set us free,¹ Paul contrasted the works of the flesh² (τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός) of your former way of life to the new life in Christ: the fruit of the Spirit³ (ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματος), e.g., the Spirit’s “fruit, result, outcome, product, offspring; produce, crop, harvest; advantage, gain, profit” (Galatians 5:22, 23 ESV):

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

In the aftermath of the night I didn’t kill my wife, I turned Paul’s description of God’s love into a script that I attempted to act out. That “script” became the defining rules of conduct for my new character, the part I would play from then on forever. I didn’t recognize this as hypocrisy because I was sincerely trying to do better, and I didn’t believe the fruit of the Spirit was the Spirit’s fruit.

Though I hadn’t thought about it quite as formally as I had about Paul’s description of God’s love, I believed instinctively almost that the fruit of the Spirit was more rules for me to obey:

Thou shalt exhibit the fruit of the Spirit: Thou shalt love (See 1 Corinthians 13 for specific details). Thou shalt exhibit joy. Thou shalt live in peace. Thou shalt demonstrate patience. Thou shalt show kindness. Thou shalt demonstrate goodness. Thou shalt exhibit faithfulness. Thou shalt show gentleness. Thou shalt exhibit self-control. Against such things there is no law (e.g., such things are the law).

[Hypocrisy] “embodies a purposeful intent, which stems from a deep-seated core of evil” [e.g., the old man], the conclusion of the entry “Hypocrite” on bibleone.net online reads. The corruption of the old man’s deceitful desires includes the desire to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law⁴ as well as the feeling that I am actively engaged in the pursuit of righteousness when I do so, despite the actual situation being that I was severed from Christ⁵ and had turned away from the kingdom of God and his righteousness⁶ (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ; e.g., not “my own righteousness”).

There was an additional criteria to meet, however, in the conclusion of “Hypocrite” on bibleone.net online:

More than this, it suggests a determined effort to enforce a standard of conduct upon others, which conduct the enforcer knowingly and deliberately refuses to apply to himself–hence, action born of full knowledge and evil intent…It is the condition of a person who is controlled by the sin nature to the end-desire of having power over other human beings by imposing on them a set of rules, which he himself intentionally disregards.

I failed to meet that criteria (which, by the way, I don’t regard as necessary to Jesus’ intent). But it is curious. As legalistic as I was with myself, I don’t recall preaching Paul to my wife. Perhaps it is selective memory, but if I had harped on the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living,⁷ I think I would remember. My mother was bound by law (δέδεται νόμῳ) to a husband for whom she no longer felt any affection or respect, and with whom she no longer lived—my father. She was miserable. He was miserable. We all suffered to various degrees. I suppose, I didn’t actually want a wife who was bound by law to me.

It’s a shame I didn’t apply that learning to my relationship to God sooner (Matthew 7:12; John 14:15 NASB).

“Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets [Table].
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

It is possible that I followed the golden rule with my wife to some extent. It didn’t occur to me to follow it with the Lord. And I didn’t hear If you love Me, you will keep My commandments as Jesus’ promise. I heard another rule: how to love Jesus.

I didn’t yet study the New Testament in Greek. Though I had begun to use a concordance to track the word usage of select Greek and Hebrew words through the Bible, I didn’t bother to learn that you will keep was τηρήσετε, a form of the verb τηρέω in the future tense and indicative mood. I didn’t yet understand that the “indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.”⁸ I hadn’t taken a college course in formal logic yet: I didn’t understand that my attempt to keep his commandments as rules I obeyed wouldn’t necessarily prove my love for Him, but was a logical fallacy called “affirming the consequent.”

John wrote (1 John 4:19-21 NASB):

We love,⁹ because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot¹⁰ love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.

I didn’t know yet that the Greek word translated should love was ἀγαπᾷ, a form of ἀγαπάω in the indicative mood, another statement of fact. The commandment (τὴν ἐντολὴν) we have from him is apparently of the—And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light¹¹—variety. But I thought John meant that since Jesus died for my sins, I should have an emotional response that resulted in love for God and others. Or, even if I lacked that emotional response or it was too weak or inconsistent to produce that result, love was the law.

Even as I attempted to love like God by obeying rules, I continued to read the Bible in English translation. I began to wonder if, perhaps, God’s love—with which He first loved us (αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς)—was not all finished at the cross of Christ (John 14:15-26 NASB).

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold (θεωρεῖ, a form of θεωρέω) Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you [Table]. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. “After a little while the world will behold (θεωρεῖ, a form of θεωρέω) Me no more; but you will behold (θεωρεῖτε, another from of θεωρέω) Me; because I live, you shall live¹² also. “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I¹³ in you. “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him [Table]. “He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

“These things I have spoken to you, while abiding with you. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you [Table].

Jesus didn’t seem to think that God’s love was finished at the cross, but would continue—not from some distant heavenly abode—but from within us. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you, Jesus promised after promising that his Father will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever…the Spirit of truth.¹⁴ And speaking of his Father’s love for the one who loves Jesus (he will keep [τηρήσει, a form of τηρέω in the future tense and indicative mood] My word), He said, We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.¹⁵

Paul wrote (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 NASB):

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body [Table].

The words your and you are plural. While I wouldn’t suggest that the collective body is excluded somehow, these words were penned in response to the potential and prescribed actions of an individual (1 Corinthians 6:16-18 NASB):

Or do you not know that the one who joins himself (ὁ κολλώμενος) to a harlot is one body with her? For He says, “THE TWO WILL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself (ὁ δὲ κολλώμενος) to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.

Truths began to align in perspicuous form:

We love, because He first loved us.¹⁶
If you love [Jesus], you will keep [his] commandments.¹⁷
If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word.¹⁸

Even without a college course in formal logic, statements 2 and 3 sounded like conditional promises to me. Would Jesus make even a conditional promise predicated on my weak and wavering emotions of love and gratitude?

One advantage of treating Paul’s description of God’s love as rules to obey was that it kept the depth and detail of his description of love ever before me. It seemed like an awful lot to ask of the human emotions of affection and gratitude. Another advantage was that even my laws derived from Paul’s description of God’s love functioned like the law [that] was [my] “servant whose office it was to take” me “to school,” the school of hard knocks.¹⁹ My act, based on my rules derived from Paul’s description of God’s love, wasn’t working out all that well. Though doing “incrementally better” seemed positive relative to my former actions, “incrementally better” was a very long way from the righteousness described by “my new law.”

Why didn’t I just give up? Well, I did from time to time. That didn’t seem to matter all that much. Despite my best efforts to do otherwise, I was working out my own salvation with fear and trembling, for it [was] God who [worked] in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.²⁰ And it is God who continues to work in me, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. I wasn’t entirely oblivious to his working. It just seemed so on again, off again.

I wanted his working to be on again more often than off again, but I wasn’t yet recognizing that on-again-off-again phenomena as evidence of the conflict of the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth²¹ and the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.²² I thought it had more to do with the mercurial nature of god (e.g., the false god of my imagination). But He was working on that, too.

He made sure that I would be renewed in the spirit of [my] mind,²³ providing both a hunger for, and a growing satisfaction with, his Word—the Lord Jesus Christ—through the written words of the Bible. I began to suspect that the love with which He first loved us²⁴ meant something more than my emotional response to the Lord’s death on my behalf. But the fruit of the Spirit is love²⁵ and walk by the Spirit²⁶ seemed like tantalizing clues to that “something more.”

My wife had moved out. My friend John had moved in to help with expenses. I was back at the church where I had become an atheist, believing that they “were right and I was wrong.” John attended a different church. We studied the Bible individually and together.

We thought and spoke to one another in theological jargon. We knew that salvation was divided into three parts: justification, sanctification and glorification. We knew that justification and glorification were works of God in Christ, received through faith. We also “knew” that sanctification was by our own works (James 2:19-24 NASB):

You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless?²⁷ Was not Abraham our father justified (ἐδικαιώθη, a form of δικαιόω) by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,”²⁸ and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified (δικαιοῦται, another form of δικαιόω) by works, and not by faith alone [Table].

Granted, there is no mention of sanctification here, yet the principle of adding my works to faith in Jesus Christ seemed thoroughly established. And the idea that sanctification was the place where my works came into play in my salvation seemed to accord well with the teaching of two different non-Lutheran, non-Catholic churches—John’s and mine. About this time, though John remained faithful to the KJV, I switched from studying the NASB to the NIV out of deference to a mentor who was discipling me (James 2:19-24 NIV):

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone [Table].

Translating both ἐδικαιώθη and δικαιοῦται considered righteous sealed the deal for me. Who would be considered righteous but the one who did righteousness? And sanctification was the only part of salvation left to add my works of righteousness to faith. So, sanctification was by my works. Jesus seemed totally on board with that (Luke 18:18-24 NIV).

A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”²⁹

“All these I have kept³⁰ since I was a boy,”³¹ he said.

When Jesus heard this,³² he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.³³ Then come, follow me.”

When he heard this, he became³⁴ very sad, because he was very wealthy. Jesus looked at him³⁵ and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter³⁶ the kingdom of God!

This exchange was a treasure trove when I searched the Bible for rules to obey. Even if I allowed that come, follow me was an allusion to faith, the ratio of my works added to my faith seemed roughly equivalent to Peter’s admonition to make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.³⁷ Even my Dad quoted: “pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you.”³⁸

The only fly in the ointment was Paul (Galatians 5:4 NIV):

You who are trying to be justified (δικαιοῦσθε, another form of δικαιόω; “considered righteous”?) by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace [Table].

Only Paul seemed uncompromising on this point. Jesus was uncompromising in what seemed like the opposite direction (Matthew 5:48 NIV):

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

How could both statements be true? I might have given up right then and there, except that I had moments—all too brief moments—when love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control flowed into me as if from an external source. And that love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control seemed to dominate (cause?) my actions. It was on-again-off-again, more off-again than on-again at that time. But it made me wonder if the fruit of the Spirit might, perhaps, just possibly, maybe, have more to do with God than with me (but that would be cheating, wouldn’t it?).

I still thought the on-again-off-again nature of my experience of the fruit of the Spirit was due to the mercurial nature of god (e.g., the false god of my imagination), but this time I recognized that it might be in response to me. I even began to use the words—the old man and the new man—to rationalize that phenomena, though I still recognized them only as a kind of shorthand for my works before Christ and what my works should be after Christ. The almighty I decided which works were manifest. They were still my works accomplished by my will according to my obedience.

I had not yet quit my factory job to study to prepare for writing the “Tripartite Rationality Index.” I had not yet come to terms with my unexamined faith “that faith was opposed to reason as reason was opposed to faith.”³⁹ And I had not even begun to recognize my antipathy to faith.

Yet after that amazing time [e.g., studying to write the “Tripartite Rationality Index”] I was still disgruntled. Writing this has forced me to ask myself why. The answer that comes to me is that I was not actually as open-minded as I like to remember the story. I was trying to find a rational alternative to faith (i.e., that arrived at the same conclusions but required no faith). My best effort was indistinguishable from faith. In other words, I had failed. So as the Lord and I did our postmortem on those years, I said the time was better than I had expected (recalling my parents and hitting a baseball), but that I was still inclined to wish for never having been born.⁴⁰

It would be many years before I learned that, according to the Koine Greek Lexicon online, the verb of being ἔσεσθε, translated be in the phrase Be perfect, was a form of εἰμί in the future tense and indicative mood: “The indicative mood is a statement of fact or an actual occurrence from the writer’s or speaker’s perspective.” In other words, Jesus promised: “You will be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].”

The confusion that resulted from my experience—that I did “incrementally better” as an actor attempting to love like God by obeying rules of love as the “choices” made by my new character—is no longer an issue. Of course, an actor attempting to imitate God does “incrementally better” than one slavishly obeying the dictates of the old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires.⁴¹ Some actors are better than others. But a righteousness of one’s own achieved by obeying rules as an actor plays a part is not the righteousness of God…revealed [in the gospel⁴²] from faith for faith;⁴³ it is certainly not the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness [that causes one to] reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.⁴⁴ Though hypocrisy is not the unforgivable sin, it is an attempt to be justified by law and a falling away from grace.⁴⁵

But God’s love wasn’t finished at the cross. Jesus continued to draw us to Himself. His Holy Spirit energized John and me to study Paul’s writings in enough detail to begin to perceive the difference between God’s gift of righteousness and our own achievements of righteousness by our own efforts.

According to a note (14) in the NET, Paul quoted from Genesis 2:24 in 1 Corinthians 6:16. A table comparing the Greek of that quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

1 Corinthians 6:16b (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 2:24b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 2:24b (Septuagint Elpenor)
Ἔσονται…οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν	ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν	ἔσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν
1 Corinthians 6:16b (NET)	Genesis 2:24b (NETS)	Genesis 2:24b (English Elpenor)
The two will become one flesh	the two will become one flesh	they two shall be one flesh

Tables comparing 1 John 4:19, 20; John 14:19, 20; James 2:20 and Luke 18:20-24 in the KJV and NET follow.

1 John 4:19, 20 (NET)	1 John 4:19, 20 (KJV)
We love because he loved us first.	We love him, because he first loved us.

1 John 4:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 4:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 4:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡμεῖς ἀγαπῶμεν, ὅτι αὐτὸς πρῶτος ἠγάπησεν ἡμᾶς	ημεις αγαπωμεν αυτον οτι αυτος πρωτος ηγαπησεν ημας	ημεις αγαπωμεν αυτον οτι αυτος πρωτος ηγαπησεν ημας

If anyone says “I love God” and yet hates his fellow Christian, he is a liar because the one who does not love his fellow Christian whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

1 John 4:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 John 4:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 John 4:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐάν τις εἴπῃ ὅτι ἀγαπῶ τὸν θεὸν καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῇ, ψεύστης ἐστίν· ὁ γὰρ μὴ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ὃν ἑώρακεν, τὸν θεὸν ὃν οὐχ ἑώρακεν οὐ δύναται ἀγαπᾶν	εαν τις ειπη οτι αγαπω τον θεον και τον αδελφον αυτου μιση ψευστης εστιν ο γαρ μη αγαπων τον αδελφον αυτου ον εωρακεν τον θεον ον ουχ εωρακεν πως δυναται αγαπαν	εαν τις ειπη οτι αγαπω τον θεον και τον αδελφον αυτου μιση ψευστης εστιν ο γαρ μη αγαπων τον αδελφον αυτου ον εωρακεν τον θεον ον ουχ εωρακεν πως δυναται αγαπαν

John 14:19, 20 (NET)	John 14:19, 20 (KJV)
In a little while the world will not see me any longer, but you will see me; because I live, you will live too.	Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

John 14:19 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 14:19 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 14:19 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἔτι μικρὸν καὶ ὁ κόσμος με οὐκέτι θεωρεῖ, ὑμεῖς δὲ θεωρεῖτε με, ὅτι ἐγὼ ζῶ καὶ ὑμεῖς ζήσετε	ετι μικρον και ο κοσμος με ουκ ετι θεωρει υμεις δε θεωρειτε με οτι εγω ζω και υμεις ζησεσθε	ετι μικρον και ο κοσμος με ουκετι θεωρει υμεις δε θεωρειτε με οτι εγω ζω και υμεις ζησεσθε

You will know at that time that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you.

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

John 14:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 14:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 14:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ γνώσεσθε \|ὑμεῖς\| ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρί μου καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν ἐμοὶ καγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν	εν εκεινη τη ημερα γνωσεσθε υμεις οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι καγω εν υμιν	εν εκεινη τη ημερα γνωσεσθε υμεις οτι εγω εν τω πατρι μου και υμεις εν εμοι και εγω εν υμιν

James 2:20 (NET)	James 2:20 (KJV)
But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?	But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

James 2:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	James 2:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	James 2:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι, ὦ ἄνθρωπε κενέ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων ἀργή ἐστιν	θελεις δε γνωναι ω ανθρωπε κενε οτι η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν	θελεις δε γνωναι ω ανθρωπε κενε οτι η πιστις χωρις των εργων νεκρα εστιν

Luke 18:20-24 (NET)	Luke 18:20-24 (KJV)
You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”	Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Luke 18:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 18:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 18:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τὰς ἐντολὰς οἶδας· μὴ μοιχεύσῃς, μὴ φονεύσῃς, μὴ κλέψῃς, μὴ ψευδομαρτυρήσῃς, τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα	τας εντολας οιδας μη μοιχευσης μη φονευσης μη κλεψης μη ψευδομαρτυρησης τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου	τας εντολας οιδας μη μοιχευσης μη φονευσης μη κλεψης μη ψευδομαρτυρησης τιμα τον πατερα σου και την μητερα σου

The man replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.”

And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luke 18:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 18:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 18:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· ταῦτα πάντα ἐφύλαξα ἐκ νεότητος	ο δε ειπεν ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου	ο δε ειπεν ταυτα παντα εφυλαξαμην εκ νεοτητος μου

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Luke 18:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 18:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 18:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἔτι ἕν σοι λείπει· πάντα ὅσα ἔχεις πώλησον καὶ διάδος πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι	ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω ετι εν σοι λειπει παντα οσα εχεις πωλησον και διαδος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι	ακουσας δε ταυτα ο ιησους ειπεν αυτω ετι εν σοι λειπει παντα οσα εχεις πωλησον και διαδος πτωχοις και εξεις θησαυρον εν ουρανω και δευρο ακολουθει μοι

But when the man heard this, he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Luke 18:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 18:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 18:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας ταῦτα περίλυπος ἐγενήθη· ἦν γὰρ πλούσιος σφόδρα	ο δε ακουσας ταυτα περιλυπος εγενετο ην γαρ πλουσιος σφοδρα	ο δε ακουσας ταυτα περιλυπος εγενετο ην γαρ πλουσιος σφοδρα

When Jesus noticed this, he said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Luke 18:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 18:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 18:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἰδὼν δὲ αὐτὸν \|ὁ\| Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· πῶς δυσκόλως οἱ τὰ χρήματα ἔχοντες εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσπορεύονται	ιδων δε αυτον ο ιησους περιλυπον γενομενον ειπεν πως δυσκολως οι τα χρηματα εχοντες εισελευσονται εις την βασιλειαν του θεου	ιδων δε αυτον ο ιησους περιλυπον γενομενον ειπεν πως δυσκολως οι τα χρηματα εχοντες εισελευσονται εις την βασιλειαν του θεου

Exploration, Part 9

¹ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

² Galatians 5:19 (ESV) Table

³ Galatians 5:22 (ESV)

⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

⁵ Galatians 5:4a (ESV) Table

⁶ Matthew 6:33b (ESV) Table

⁷ Romans 7:2 (NASB)

⁸ From Verbal Moods: Indicative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον (KJV: him) following love. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the negative particle οὐ preceding δύναται, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the interrogative adverb πως (KJV: how can).

¹¹ Genesis 1:3 (ESV) Table

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ζήσετε here, a form of the verb ζάω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ζησεσθε in the middle voice.

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had καγὼ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had και εγω.

¹⁴ John 14:16b, 17a (NASB) Table

¹⁵ John 14:23b (NASB) Table

¹⁶ 1 John 4:19 (NASB)

¹⁷ John 14:15 (NASB)

¹⁸ John 14:23b (NASB) Table

¹⁹ Exploration, Part 7

²⁰ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV) Table

²¹ Ephesians 4:24b (NASB)

²² Ephesians 4:22b (NASB)

²³ Ephesians 4:23b (NASB)

²⁴ 1 John 4:19 (NASB)

²⁵ Galatians 5:22a (NASB)

²⁶ Galatians 5:16a (NASB)

²⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀργή here, a form of ἀργός, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had νεκρα (KJV: dead), a form of νεκρός.

²⁸ See Romans, Part 18 for a table comparing the Greek of James’ quotation with that of the Septuagint.

²⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun σου (KJV: thy) following mother. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐφύλαξα here, a 1^st person singular form of φυλάσσω in the active voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εφυλαξαμην (KJV: have I kept) in the middle voice.

³¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun μου following the noun νεοτητος (KJV: my youth). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the pronoun ταυτα (KJV: these things) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

³³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular ουρανω.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐγενήθη here, in the passive voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εγενετο (KJV: he was) in the middle voice.

³⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had περίλυπον γενόμενον (KJV: [that he] was very sorrowful) here. The NET parallel Greek text did not.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰσπορεύονται here, a form of εἰσπορεύομαι in the present tense and middle/passive voice, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εισελευσονται (KJV: shall they…enter), a form of εἰσέρχομαι in the future tense and middle voice.

³⁷ 2 Peter 1:5b-7 (NIV)

³⁸ From “Work as if Everything Depends on God” by Jim Manney on IgnatianSpirituality.com online.

³⁹ David’s Forgiveness, Part 2

⁴⁰ You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

⁴¹ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV) I consider as a case in point the differences between Boyd “Bible” Swan (Shia LaBeouf) in the movie Fury and any other character Shia LaBeouf has played. “LeBoeuf would say, ‘So the day after I got the job [in Fury], I joined the US National Guard. I was baptised – accepted Christ in my heart – tattooed my surrender and became a chaplain’s assistant to Captain Yates for the 41st Infantry. I spent a month living on a forward operating base.’” From “The Extreme Way Shia LeBeouf Prepared for ‘Fury’,” on TheThings online.

⁴² Romans 1:17a (NET)

⁴³ Romans 1:17a (ESV)

⁴⁴ Romans 5:17b (ESV)

⁴⁵ Galatians 5:4 Table

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

Posted on August 21, 2024 by admin

We got a reprieve on time, so this is the continuation of my notes from Chapter 4 in a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

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

Exercises

Indicate how explanation, illustration, and application are used in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) and Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-25).

I left off with Matthew 5:48 (ESV) [Table]):

You therefore must be perfect (τέλειοι, a form of τέλειος), as your heavenly Father is perfect (τέλειος).

Where might a Wretched man [such as] I am,¹ who finds it to be a law that when I want to do right (τὸ καλόν, a form of καλός; see Maximos), evil (τὸ κακὸν, a form of κακός) lies close at hand,² find my heavenly Father’s perfection?

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do [Table].³

Walking by God’s Holy Spirit is the very place Jesus promised: I will come to you (John 14:16-18 KJV):

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

But how can a Wretched man [such as] I am,⁴ who finds it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand,⁵ learn to walk by the Holy Spirit of God? There is a potent hint hidden in plain sight in the words and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh⁶ (καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε, a form of τελέω in the subjunctive mood). The phrase οὐ μὴ τελέσητε is called a subjunctive of emphatic negation. Paul meant, walk by the Spirit and you will not, “at any moment or time in the future,” gratify (or, bring to maturity) the desires of the flesh.

If I am gratifying or bringing the desires of the flesh to maturity, I know that I am not then, and probably have not been for some time in the past, walking by the Spirit. Instead, I am, and probably have been for some time, attempting in practice to be my own god, my own savior, to have my own righteousness derived from the law prompted by the evil [that] lies close at hand. Paul’s words become a powerful guardrail and warning when I am not by trial-and-error walking by the Spirit. The fruit of God’s Holy Spirit is the positive indicator that I am by trial-and-error walking by the Spirit:

If Christ’s own love overwhelms the apathy and antipathy toward others (including God) that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. If his joy burns through the despair, and his peace overcomes the fear and anger and anxiety that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When Jesus’ patience subdues the impatience with my circumstances, with others and with Him that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When his kindness and goodness trample the selfishness and self-centeredness that lies close at hand under my feet when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When the faithfulness of God propels me through the lethargy, doubt, confusion and prompting to quit that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. If Jesus’ gentleness stays the violence and aggression that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit. When the Holy Spirit’s self-control steels my heart against every prompting to evil that lies close at hand when I want to do right, I know that I am walking by the Spirit.

“Beware of practicing your righteousness⁷ before other people in order to be seen by them,”⁸ Jesus continued to draw those who would have a righteousness of their own derived from the law into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin. He explained what they would forfeit: “for then you will have no⁹ reward from your Father who is in heaven.”¹⁰ He illustrated his warning with a specific application (Matthew 6:2 ESV):

Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites (οἱ ὑποκριταὶ, a form of ὑποκριτής) do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

These hypocrites were actors, the original meaning of ὑποκριτής, rather than those who act in “contradiction to” their “stated beliefs or feelings,” the modern meaning of the word. They did the action they claimed to believe. They gave to the needy but required an audience to do so. Doing good for others’ praise was not following the application Jesus gave to those who had gained knowledge of sin through the law: let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.¹¹

Jesus demonstrated the goodness of God with the following application to actors or those who might follow the actors’ example, to draw them into the blessedness of full knowledge of sin (Matthew 6:3, 4 ESV):

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret¹² will reward you.¹³

Can an actor, ὑποκριτής, learn from Jesus’ words and give in secret? My answer is, no, not and remain an actor. That motion, from wanting other people to think that one is righteous to wanting God to know that one is seeking righteousness, is an act of faith. One may still be trying to have a righteousness of one’s own that comes from the law,¹⁴ but there is a substantial difference between an actor who plays a doctor on TV and one trying to actually become a doctor.

At first, I didn’t even know that there is a righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.¹⁵ I thought a righteousness of my own that comes from the law¹⁶ was the only game in town: justification by faith, sanctification by my own works was what I believed (and what I thought I was taught). I did believe that Jesus’ would help. It took some time for me to recognize that I was on my own, that Jesus refused to help me have my own righteousness derived from the law. He was always right there when I fell on my face. (It’s interesting that a metaphor for abject failure also describes a posture of worship.)

It took Him some time to persuade me that the righteousness of God [that] has been manifested apart from the law…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe [Table]¹⁷ is real righteousness, not just a figment of Paul’s (or God’s) imagination, a righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness rather than my faithfulness, which wrought abject failure.

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites,”¹⁸ Jesus continued to demonstrate the goodness of God to actors and others who would have a righteousness of their own derived from the law, drawing them into the blessedness of knowledge of sin gained through the law. Jesus illustrated how actors pray (Matthew 6:5b ESV [Table]):

For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Then He gave his listeners an application that could transform actors, and move any who attempted to have a righteousness of their own derived from the law one step closer to walking by the Spirit (Matthew 6:6 ESV):

But when you pray, go into your room¹⁹ and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.²⁰

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do,”²¹ Jesus continued with another application. The Greek words translated the Gentiles were οἱ ἐθνικοί, a form of ἐθνικός. In the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ this was the same kind of contrast Jesus used when He said (Matthew 5:47, 48 ESV):

And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles (οἱ ἐθνικοὶ) do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect [Table].

Here, He explained the error in the Gentiles’ thinking relative to a true knowledge of God: for they think that they will be heard for their many words [Table]. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.²² Then Jesus taught them to pray (Matthew 7:9-13 ESV; 7:13b NKJV).

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven [Table]. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors [Table]. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil [Table]. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Jesus taught them to address the only true God as Our Father ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς: literally, “the person who is in the heavens.” The Greek word translated hallowed be was ἁγιασθήτω, a passive form of the verb ἁγιάζω. In other words, his name is set apart, differentiated, consecrated, sanctified, declared holy, and perhaps most pertinent in this context in contrast to Gentiles: declared as special above all others. Gentiles worshiped stories that were at best fantastically embellished memories of long-dead tribal leaders. At worst such stories were open invitations to malevolent spirits (Deuteronomy 32:17; 1 Corinthians 10:20).

After recognizing the God to whom they prayed and their relationship to Him, Jesus’ next instruction was to pray according to God’s purposes on earth: Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.²³ God’s will (θέλημα) on earth was well understood by those who knew the law (Matthew 22:34-40 ESV):

But when the Pharisees heard that [Jesus] had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him [Table]. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment [Table]. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” [Table].

Then Jesus instructed them to place themselves through prayer in complete dependence upon their heavenly Father for their physical and spiritual needs (Matthew 6:11-13a ESV):

Give us (ἡμῖν) this day our (ἡμῶν) daily bread, and forgive us (ἡμῖν) our (ἡμῶν) debts, as we (ἡμεῖς) also have forgiven our (ἡμῶν) debtors [Table]. And lead us (ἡμᾶς) not into temptation, but deliver us (ἡμᾶς) from evil [Table].

He did not teach them to pray for me, but for us with no specified limit. This is significantly different from a magical prayer where one seeks to use God to work one’s own will. Even as He instructed them what to pray, Jesus incorporated a reason for their complete dependence upon God into the very words He taught them: For Yours (σοῦ, a singular form of σύ in the genitive case; i.e., God’s) is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.²⁴ Seeking a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law or others’ praise for such a “righteousness” is meaningless because of who God is in his holy otherness.

Then Jesus expanded one aspect of this dependence upon God: and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors²⁵ (Matthew 6:14, 15 ESV):

For if you forgive others their trespasses (τὰ παραπτώματα αὐτῶν), your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses [Table].

Such contingent forgiveness should alarm anyone seeking a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law, but again Jesus’ demonstrated, even as He described, the goodness of God, by drawing them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin through the law. The importance He placed on forgiving others’ trespasses may not have been immediately apparent from law alone, apart from Jesus’ explicit condition. But later, Paul explained (Romans 5:20, 21 ESV):

Now the law came in to increase the trespass (τὸ παράπτωμα), but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus’ instruction regarding forgiveness sounds a bit like “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy²⁶ to me. I can essentially lift what I wrote elsewhere about being merciful:

While it makes sense that I will need [God’s forgiveness] as I hunger and thirst for a righteousness I do not yet possess, mourning in meekness over my spiritual poverty, while it only seems fair that I should [forgive] those around me suffering as I suffer, to actually [forgive others] seems like that very desire to do what is right that I lack the ability to carry…out. Yet, there it sits in Jesus’ saying, a veritable impediment to my own need for [God’s forgiveness]. Do I give up in despair? Or do I see his grace all around me?

And the answer to this dilemma is the same: for it is God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.²⁷ This leads me to another potential hint whether I am walking by the Spirit or not. It’s more personal than Scriptural, so it may or may not be helpful to others.

When I’m walking by the Spirit I take what I’ve called ordinary applications pretty much in stride as fair warnings: what God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure is doing. When I’m not walking by the Spirit these very same ordinary applications, especially if presented in a preacher’s sermon, seem like heavy burdens. And my attitude toward that preacher mirrors what Jesus said about the scribes and the Pharisees²⁸ (Matthew 23:4a ESV):

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders…

There are several options to consider: (1) Was the sermon sloppy, failing to accentuate the grace of God? (2) Was I daydreaming and failed to hear the grace of God? (3) Was the evil that lies close at hand having more sway than usual when I want to do right, prompting me to return to my own vomit, tempting me to have a righteousness of my own derived from the law? Or, (4) had I already slipped back into my old ways of do-it-yourself righteousness and stepped away from walking by the Spirit? In any event, my own reaction prompts me to consider its source with the Lord, or ask Him straight out if my heart is too deep or dark or murky for me to see clearly into it.

“And when you fast,”²⁹ Jesus continued to draw both actors and those who might follow actors into the blessedness of full knowledge of sin through the law with the following application: do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.³⁰ And He expanded on this application with another (Matthew 6:17, 18 ESV):

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.³¹ And your Father who sees in secret³² will reward you.³³

Is the reward Jesus’ own joy (χαρὰ), the second aspect of the fruit of the Spirit? I’m not entirely comfortable positing any aspect of the fruit of the Spirit as an effect of obedience rather than its cause. But Jesus’ love for his Father flowing in and through one could cause the obedience while his joy flowed in superabundance as a result, like a positive feedback loop, or a snowball gaining mass and momentum as it rolls downhill. The exact dynamics, how God works in [one], both to will and to work for his good pleasure, may elude me until I see Him face-to-face. But that doesn’t inhibit me, or anyone else, from believing Him and receiving what He has promised. Faithfulness (πίστις) is another aspect of the fruit of his Spirit.

Jesus continued to draw his listeners into blessedness, but the treasure He spoke of seems to go even beyond the full knowledge of sin to Jesus Himself (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV):

“Do not lay up (θησαυρίζετε, a form of θησαυρίζω) for yourselves treasures (θησαυροὺς, a form of θησαυρός) on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up (θησαυρίζετε, a form of θησαυρίζω) for yourselves treasures (θησαυροὺς, a form of θησαυρός) in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your³⁴ treasure (θησαυρός) is, there your³⁵ heart will be also.

Paul described this treasure as the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 ESV):

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine³⁶ out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure (θησαυρὸν, another form of θησαυρός) in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Elsewhere he wrote that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ (Colossians 2:1-3 ESV):

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face [Table], that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures (θησαυροὶ, another form of θησαυρός) of wisdom and knowledge [Table].

To understand what Jesus said next one must remember the law. I’ll quote the law first.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (NET)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:7-10 (English Elpenor)
If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;	If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.	Now if there is among you anyone of your brothers in need in one of your cities within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not rid your heart of love, neither shall you close up your hand from your needy brother.	And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor [man] of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.
but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth.	Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.	By opening, you shall open your hands to him; you shall lend a loan to him whatever he may need, in accord with what he needs.	Thou shalt surely open thine hands to him, and shalt lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.
Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and thine eye (עֵֽינְךָ֗) be evil (וְרָעָ֣ה) against thy needy brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto HaShem against thee, and it be sin in thee.	Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude (ʿayin, עינך) be wrong (rāʿaʿ, ורעה) toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be regarded as having sinned.	Be careful to yourself, lest a secret word is in your heart, something lawless, saying, “The seventh year, a year of release, is near,” and your eye (ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου) be evil (πονηρεύσηται) towards your needy brother, and you will not give to him, and he will cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be for you a great sin.	Take heed to thyself that there be not a secret thing in thine heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws nigh; and thine eye (ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου) shall be evil (πονηρεύσηται) to thy brother that is in want, and thou shalt not give to him, and he shall cry against thee to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in thee.
Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing HaShem thy G-d will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.	You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.	Giving you shall give to him, and you shall lend him a loan whatever he needs, and you shall not be grieved in your heart when you give to him, because through this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you may put your hand.	Thou shalt surely give to him, and thou shalt lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and thou shalt not grudge in thine heart as thou givest to him, because on this account the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all things on which thou shalt lay thine hand.

I might paraphrase the Lord here: “Be careful, when I want you to do right, evil lies close at hand.” And Jesus observed (Matthew 6:22, 23 ESV):

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

The Greek word translated healthy was ἁπλοῦς, a form of the adjective ἁπλόος: “single, single focused; sincere, without an ulterior motive; clear.” This is what Jesus contrasted to the bad or evil eye, ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου πονηρὸς ᾖ (ESV: your eye is bad). The first definition of πονηρὸς listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is “evil.”

God’s solution to the problem of the evil that lies close at hand has always been that one walk by his Spirit. I’ve been slow to recognize this. My conceit, perhaps, over the indwelling Holy Spirit post-Pentecost (Acts 2) may help to explain my slowness. As Jesus promised the Helper, the Spirit of Truth, He would ask his Father to give to his disciples, He said to them (John 14:17b ESV [Table]):

You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

Long before God’s Holy Spirit is in (ἐν) people, He dwells with (μένει, a form of μένω) them, drawing them into fellowship with God and into his righteousness. It’s so clear now, as I became an atheist, the Holy Spirit was right there with me, trying to persuade me that my evil eye “had the whole damn thing all wrong.”³⁷ I wrote:

I remember entertaining the notion that God was trying to communicate to me through the words of this song. I even went back to the Bible to see if I could find what I had gotten “all wrong.” But the Bible said the same thing to me it always said: “God’ll getcha if you don’t watch out!”

That was my religion in a nutshell. I don’t necessarily mean my church or the things people at my church attempted to teach me: I mean the religion I believed in my heart when the light in me was darkness. I had nearly eighteen years of experience that God was unable or unwilling to do me much good. That hadn’t wrung any bells with me. I still believed in a god who could do me great harm, a god who needed to be placated but was mostly to be avoided at all costs. In other words, I worshiped an evil spirit, not because I had ever actually encountered one, but because the light in me was darkness.

In the movie Shooter Senator Charles F. Meachum (Ned Beatty) sneers, “The truth is what I say it is,” moments before another truth in the person of Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) ends the Senator’s life. I wrote:

The primary torment of Sartre’s hell in his play “No Exit” is not knowing for certain why, or if, one is there. Knowledge was the hardest thing to give up when I flirted with atheism. To accept that knowledge is either unattainable, or that the verdict of a jury of my peers (or even a cadre of knowledge elites) is the highest form of truth and justice, is a camel I can’t swallow.³⁸

The One with the absolute power and authority to say honestly, “The truth is what I say it is,” is love and demands by law that people love Him and each other.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 15:11 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NET)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (English Elpenor)
For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.’	There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open your hand to your fellow Israelites who are needy and poor in your land.	For the needy shall not fail from the earth; I therefore command you to do this thing, saying, “By opening, you shall open your hands to your brother who is poor and to the needy in your land.”	For the poor shall not fail off thy land, therefore I charge thee to do this thing, saying, Thou shalt surely open thine hands to thy poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon thy land.

And by grace God supplies the love He demands through his own Holy Spirit: But the fruit of the Spirit is love.³⁹ Jesus concluded with a couple of observations and an explanation (Matthew 6:24 ESV [Table]):

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

And his application demonstrated God’s goodness in response to this fact (Matthew 6:25 ESV).

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or⁴⁰ what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

He explained with a couple of illustrations, drawing his listeners into a richer knowledge of God (Matthew 6:26, 27 ESV):

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

And why are you anxious about clothing?⁴¹ Jesus continued. And He explained with more illustrations of God’s goodness (Matthew 6:28b-30 ESV).

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:⁴² they neither toil⁴³ nor spin,⁴⁴ yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Jesus summed up with an application and explanation that made another contrast to the practice of Gentiles versus the goodness of God (Matthew 6:31, 32 ESV):

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles (ἔθνη, a form of ἔθνος) seek after⁴⁵ all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

Jesus concluded this section of his sermon with an application, a promise of God’s provision, a final application with its explanation and an admonition to live one day at a time (Matthew 6:33, 34 ESV):

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ), and all these things will be added to you [Table].

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (κακία).

Jesus continued to demonstrate the goodness of God, drawing his listeners into the full knowledge of sin through the law, with the following application presented as a warning along with a reason as explanation: “Judge (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) not, that you be not judged (κριθῆτε, another form of κρίνω).”⁴⁶ He followed this with another explanation (Matthew 7:2 ESV).

For with the judgment (κρίματι, a form of κρίμα) you pronounce (κρίνετε, a form of κρίνω) you will be judged (κριθήσεσθε, another form of κρίνω), and with the measure you use it will be measured to you [Table].

Jesus further illustrated this with two rhetorical questions, and then summed up the problem of human judgments with an application addressed directly to actors (Matthew 7:3-5 ESV):

Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of⁴⁷ your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Here again, if an actor heeded Jesus’ admonition to take the log out of [his] own eye, to acknowledge his own sin, he would cease to be an actor playing at righteousness and become one actually seeking righteousness, even if that were still a righteousness of his own from the law. In fact, anyone seeking to have [one’s] own righteousness derived from the law⁴⁸ may have difficulty understanding Jesus’ command: Judge not. Judging others is the distinguishing feature that characterizes the religious mind.

Those who actually experience the truth of Paul’s words—it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure⁴⁹—are synonymous with those seeking the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁵⁰ It is much more apparent to them to trust Christ’s faithfulness and God’s work in their brothers as well, to forgo their own judgments regarding their brothers. John wrote of Jesus (John 3:17 ESV):

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn (κρίνῃ, another form of κρίνω) the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him [Table].

Understanding this connection to Jesus’ teaching on judgment makes it possible to paraphrase that teaching: follow me.⁵¹ It helped me overcome my penchant to hear Jesus judging, condemning, berating or belittling people almost every time He opened his mouth, particularly when I was striving to have my own righteousness derived from the law.⁵² It helps me now to understand that Jesus did not encourage his listeners to prejudice in his next application (Matthew 7:6 ESV):

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample⁵³ them underfoot and turn to attack you.

This is probably best understood in the same way that Jesus said (Matthew 10:23 ESV):

When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next,⁵⁴ for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

At my most rabid and pig-headed my mother, brother and sister didn’t debate me. They loved me and they prayed. It wasn’t a fair fight at all. When Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord,⁵⁵ the Lord didn’t send Peter, James or John to confront him. He did it Himself (Acts 9). And Saul, by the grace of God and the faithfulness of Jesus Christ became Paul the apostle to the Gentiles, who penned by the Holy Spirit (Romans 9:16 ESV [Table]):

So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.

And (Romans 11:32 ESV):

For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

The Greek word ἐλεήσῃ (ESV: he may have mercy) is a form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood. And the conjunction ἵνα (ESV: that) indicates that ἵνα τοὺς πάντας ἐλεήσῃ (ESV: that he may have mercy on all) is a purpose clause: “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”⁵⁶

Jesus continued to show the goodness of God with three applications explained by three promises, and then three illustrations of those three promises (Matthew 7:7, 8 ESV).

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Then Jesus illustrated God’s goodness by comparison and contrast to his listeners’ own care for their children (Matthew 7:9-11 ESV).

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? [Table] If you then, who are evil (πονηροὶ, a form of πονηρός), know how to give good (ἀγαθὰ, a form of ἀγαθός) gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

“So whatever⁵⁷ you wish that others would do to you,” Jesus’ summation was another application, “do also to them.”⁵⁸ And He followed this summation with a reason as explanation: for this is the Law and the Prophets.⁵⁹ Another application followed: “Enter by the narrow gate.”⁶⁰

Jesus had not yet been crucified: the way into the holy places is not yet opened.⁶¹ He had not risen from the dead. As He spoke these words there was no new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.⁶² The narrow gate (τῆς στενῆς πύλης) was the Law and the Prophets, what we know now as the Old Covenant. If one has ears to hear (not to mention a working knowledge of the letter to the Hebrews), Jesus’ explanation included a reason why the first covenant had [not] been faultless⁶³ (Matthew 7:13b, 14 ESV).

For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many [Table]. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few [Table].

And the writer of Hebrews wrote (Hebrews 8:6-13 ESV):

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises [Table]. For if that first covenant had been faultless (ἄμεμπτος), there would have been no occasion to look for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” [Table].⁶⁴

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

I would have been one of the many who failed to find the narrow gate through the Law and the Prophets when the Holy Spirit dwelt with me. I only began to understand from the Spirit-inspired writings of the apostle Paul (written after the Holy Spirit was in him) after the Holy Spirit was in me (Romans 8:3, 4 ESV).

For God has done what the law, weakened (ἠσθένει, a form of ἀσθενέω) 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.

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation, Jesus said. The spirit indeed is willing (πρόθυμον, a form of πρόθυμος), but the flesh is weak (ἀσθενής).⁶⁵ Dunderhead that I was, I heard Jesus’ observation as an admonition to strengthen the flesh, rather than an invitation to walk by the Spirit as He walked. The actual situation was that the flesh was all ready too powerful, too persistent, too dominant over my thoughts and actions, so that the Holy Spirit who dwelt with me had little to no sway in my life. No wonder Jesus turned my dunderhead to Paul’s words:

…in order that (ἵνα) the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled (πληρωθῇ, a form of πληρόω) in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The Greek word πληρωθῇ (a form of πληρόω), might be fulfilled (ESV), is in the subjunctive mood and ἵνα (ESV: in order that) makes this a result clause. In other words:

…in order that the righteous requirement of the law [is] fulfilled in us, who walk NOT according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit in me battles the flesh that weakens the law—flesh that is all ready too powerful, too persistent, too dominant over my thoughts and actions—Mano a Mano, so to speak. He will win in the end, and does so more often now than when He merely dwelt with me.

“Beware⁶⁶ of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves,”⁶⁷ Jesus warned. And He explained how to recognize them: You will recognize them by their fruits.⁶⁸ He illustrated by reference to fruits and fruit trees, and concluded with a restatement of his premise (Matthew 7:16b-20 ESV).

Are grapes⁶⁹ gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς), but the diseased tree bears bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς). A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς), nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς). Every tree that does not bear good fruit (καρπὸν καλὸν) is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus⁷⁰ you will recognize them by their fruits.

The bad fruit (καρποὺς πονηροὺς) of the false prophets was to persuade people to be actors or to attempt to have a righteousness of their own derived from the law. And the good fruit (καρποὺς καλοὺς) would have been to bring them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin: poor in spirit,⁷¹ having the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out;⁷² mourning because when [they] want to do right, evil lies close at hand;⁷³ the meek who hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, waiting for the Lord’s salvation.

Did Jesus condemn the false prophets to the lake of fire? He certainly said that fruit trees which bear no good fruit become useful as firewood. For Jesus’ attitude toward false prophets, I’ll turn to a true prophet (Ezekiel 33:11, 12 ESV).

Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? [Table]

“And you, son of man, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him when he transgresses, and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall by it when he turns from his wickedness, and the righteous shall not be able to live by his righteousness when he sins [Table].

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus warned any who thought to become worthy by their own works, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.⁷⁴ And He explained with a prophecy foretelling the future (Matthew 7:22, 23 ESV):

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

Then they said to him, John recorded at another time and place, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”⁷⁵ Did He mean that to believe in him whom he has sent was their work, their deed? This is the deed God requires—to believe (πιστεύητε, a form of πιστεύω in the subjunctive mood and present tense) in the one whom he sent (NET). But I notice that the NET translators treated πιστεύητε as an infinitive as they uncharacteristically ignored the subjunctive mood and either dropped the conjunction ἵνα or decided that it was to be understood as a hyphen here.

Or did Jesus mean to correct their premise as He answered their question? No, this is not your work. This is God’s work that (so that, in order that) you may believe in the one whom he sent. This is the work of God, that ye may believe (πιστευσητε, another form of πιστεύω in the subjunctive mood and aorist tense) in him whom He did send (YLT). Since faith as my own work led me to atheism, I clearly favor the latter understanding, where that ye may believe is the result of God’s work.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like⁷⁶ a wise man who built his house on the rock,”⁷⁷ Jesus concluded his sermon with a contrast. He explained this part of his contrast with an illustration, declared the opposite half of his contrast and explained that with the opposite of the same illustration (Matthew 7:25-27 ESV).

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on⁷⁸ that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

And when Jesus finished⁷⁹ these sayings, Matthew concluded, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their⁸⁰ scribes.⁸¹

According to a note (12) in the NET, Paul alluded to Genesis 1:3 and Isaiah 9:2 in 2 Corinthians 4:6. Tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s allusions to that of the Septuagint follow.

2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Genesis 1:3b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 1:3b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει	γενηθήτω φῶς	γενηθήτω φῶς
2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET)	Genesis 1:3b (NETS)	Genesis 1:3b (English Elpenor)
Let light shine out of darkness	Let light come into being	Let there be light

2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 9:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:2b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει	φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς (e.g., ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει)	φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (e.g., ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει)
2 Corinthians 4:6b (NET)	Isaiah 9:2b (NETS)	Isaiah 9:2b (English Elpenor)
Let light shine out of darkness	light will shine on you (e.g., O you people who walk in darkness)	a light shall shine upon you (e.g., O people walking in darkness)

Tables comparing Isaiah 9:2; Deuteronomy 15:7; 15:8; 15:9; 15:10 and 15:11 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Isaiah 9:2; Deuteronomy 15:7; 15:8; 15:9; 15:10 and 15:11 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 6:1; 6:4; 6:6; 6:18; 6:21; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Matthew 6:25; 6:28; 6:32; 7:4; 7:6; 10:23; 7:12; 7:15, 16; 7:20; 7:25 and 7:28, 29 in the KJV and NET follow.

Isaiah 9:2 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 9:2 (KJV)	Isaiah 9:2 (NET)
The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.	The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.	The people walking in darkness see a bright light; light shines on those who live in a land of deep darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 9:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει ἴδετε φῶς μέγα οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς	ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος ἐν σκότει, ἴδετε φῶς μέγα· οἱ κατοικοῦντες ἐν χώρᾳ καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, φῶς λάμψει ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς
Isaiah 9:2 (NETS)	Isaiah 9:2 (English Elpenor)
O you people who walk in darkness, see a great light! O you who live in the country and in the shadow of death, light will shine on you!	O people walking in darkness, behold a great light: ye that dwell in the region [and] shadow of death, a light shall shine upon you.

Deuteronomy 15:7 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (NET)
If there be among you a needy man, one of thy brethren, within any of thy gates, in thy land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy hand from thy needy brother;	If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:	If a fellow Israelite from one of your villages in the land that the Lord your God is giving you should be poor, you must not harden your heart or be insensitive to his impoverished condition.

Deuteronomy 15:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεων σου ἐν τῇ γῇ ᾗ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι οὐκ ἀποστέρξεις τὴν καρδίαν σου οὐδ᾽ οὐ μὴ συσφίγξῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου τοῦ ἐπιδεομένου	᾿Εὰν δὲ γένηται ἐν σοὶ ἐνδεὴς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου ἐν μιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου ἐν τῇ γῇ, ᾗ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι, οὐκ ἀποστέρξεις τὴν καρδίαν σου οὐδ᾿ οὐ μὴ συσφίγξῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου τοῦ ἐπιδεομένου
Deuteronomy 15:7 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:7 (English Elpenor)
Now if there is among you anyone of your brothers in need in one of your cities within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not rid your heart of love, neither shall you close up your hand from your needy brother.	And if there shall be in the midst of thee a poor [man] of thy brethren in one of thy cities in the land, which the Lord thy God gives thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, neither shalt thou by any means close up thine hand from thy brother who is in want.

Deuteronomy 15:8 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (NET)
but thou shalt surely open thy hand unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wanteth.	But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.	Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.

Deuteronomy 15:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου αὐτῷ δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται καθ᾽ ὅσον ἐνδεεῖται	ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανειεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται, καθότι ἐνδεεῖται
Deuteronomy 15:8 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:8 (English Elpenor)
By opening, you shall open your hands to him; you shall lend a loan to him whatever he may need, in accord with what he needs.	Thou shalt surely open thine hands to him, and shalt lend to him as much as he wants according to his need.

Deuteronomy 15:9 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (NET)
Beware that there be not a base thought in thy heart, saying: ‘The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand’; and thine eye be evil against thy needy brother, and thou give him nought; and he cry unto HaShem against thee, and it be sin in thee.	Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.	Be careful lest you entertain the wicked thought that the seventh year, the year of cancellation of debts, has almost arrived, and your attitude be wrong toward your impoverished fellow Israelite and you do not lend him anything; he will cry out to the Lord against you, and you will be regarded as having sinned.

Deuteronomy 15:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ μὴ γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀνόμημα λέγων ἐγγίζει τὸ ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον ἔτος τῆς ἀφέσεως καὶ πονηρεύσηται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ καὶ οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ βοήσεται κατὰ σοῦ πρὸς κύριον καὶ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ ἁμαρτία μεγάλη	πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, μὴ γένηται ῥῆμα κρυπτὸν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ἀνόμημα λέγων· ἐγγίζει τό ἔτος τὸ ἕβδομον, ἔτος τῆς ἀφέσεως, καὶ πονηρεύσηται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ, καὶ οὐ δώσεις αὐτῷ, καὶ καταβοήσεται κατὰ σοῦ πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ ἁμαρτία μεγάλη
Deuteronomy 15:9 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:9 (English Elpenor)
Be careful to yourself, lest a secret word is in your heart, something lawless, saying, “The seventh year, a year of release, is near,” and your eye be evil towards your needy brother, and you will not give to him, and he will cry out to the Lord against you, and it will be for you a great sin.	Take heed to thyself that there be not a secret thing in thine heart, an iniquity, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, draws nigh; and thine eye shall be evil to thy brother that is in want, and thou shalt not give to him, and he shall cry against thee to the Lord, and there shall be great sin in thee.

Deuteronomy 15:10 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (NET)
Thou shalt surely give him, and thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him; because that for this thing HaShem thy G-d will bless thee in all thy work, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto.	Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.	You must by all means lend to him and not be upset by doing it, for because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you attempt.

Deuteronomy 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
διδοὺς δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανιεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται καὶ οὐ λυπηθήσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου διδόντος σου αὐτῷ ὅτι διὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο εὐλογήσει σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου	διδοὺς δώσεις αὐτῷ καὶ δάνειον δανειεῖς αὐτῷ ὅσον ἐπιδέεται, καὶ οὐ λυπηθήσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου διδόντος σου αὐτῷ, ὅτι διά τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο εὐλογήσει σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔργοις καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν, οὗ ἂν ἐπιβάλῃς τὴν χεῖρά σου
Deuteronomy 15:10 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:10 (English Elpenor)
Giving you shall give to him, and you shall lend him a loan whatever he needs, and you shall not be grieved in your heart when you give to him, because through this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your works and in all to which you may put your hand.	Thou shalt surely give to him, and thou shalt lend him as much as he wants, according as he is in need; and thou shalt not grudge in thine heart as thou givest to him, because on this account the Lord thy God will bless thee in all thy works, and in all things on which thou shalt lay thine hand.

Deuteronomy 15:11 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (NET)
For the poor shall never cease out of the land; therefore I command thee, saying: ‘Thou shalt surely open thy hand unto thy poor and needy brother, in thy land.’	For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.	There will never cease to be some poor people in the land; therefore, I am commanding you to make sure you open your hand to your fellow Israelites who are needy and poor in your land.

Deuteronomy 15:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἐνδεὴς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι ποιεῖν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο λέγων ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ πένητι καὶ τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σου	οὐ γὰρ μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἐνδεὴς ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς σου. διὰ τοῦτο ἐγώ σοι ἐντέλλομαι ποιεῖν τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο λέγων· ἀνοίγων ἀνοίξεις τὰς χεῖράς σου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ πένητι καὶ τῷ ἐπιδεομένῳ τῷ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς σου
Deuteronomy 15:11 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 15:11 (English Elpenor)
For the needy shall not fail from the earth; I therefore command you to do this thing, saying, “By opening, you shall open your hands to your brother who is poor and to the needy in your land.”	For the poor shall not fail off thy land, therefore I charge thee to do this thing, saying, Thou shalt surely open thine hands to thy poor brother, and to him that is distressed upon thy land.

Matthew 6:1 (NET)	Matthew 6:1 (KJV)
“Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven.	Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 6:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Προσέχετε τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς	προσεχετε την ελεημοσυνην υμων μη ποιειν εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων προς το θεαθηναι αυτοις ει δε μηγε μισθον ουκ εχετε παρα τω πατρι υμων τω εν τοις ουρανοις	προσεχετε την ελεημοσυνην υμων μη ποιειν εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων προς το θεαθηναι αυτοις ει δε μηγε μισθον ουκ εχετε παρα τω πατρι υμων τω εν τοις ουρανοις

Matthew 6:4 (NET)	Matthew 6:4 (KJV)
so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπως ᾖ σου ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι	οπως η σου η ελεημοσυνη εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αυτος αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	οπως η σου η ελεημοσυνη εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αυτος αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω

Matthew 6:6 (NET)	Matthew 6:6 (KJV)
But whenever you pray, go into your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
σὺ δὲ ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸ ταμεῖον σου καὶ κλείσας τὴν θύραν σου πρόσευξαι τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἀποδώσει σοι	συ δε οταν προσευχη εισελθε εις το ταμιειον σου και κλεισας την θυραν σου προσευξαι τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	συ δε οταν προσευχη εισελθε εις το ταμιειον σου και κλεισας την θυραν σου προσευξαι τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω

Matthew 6:18 (NET)	Matthew 6:18 (KJV)
so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.	That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπως μὴ φανῇς τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νηστεύων ἀλλὰ τῷ πατρί σου τῷ ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ· καὶ ὁ πατήρ σου ὁ βλέπων ἐν τῷ κρυφαίῳ ἀποδώσει σοι	οπως μη φανης τοις ανθρωποις νηστευων αλλα τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι εν τω φανερω	οπως μη φανης τοις ανθρωποις νηστευων αλλα τω πατρι σου τω εν τω κρυπτω και ο πατηρ σου ο βλεπων εν τω κρυπτω αποδωσει σοι

Matthew 6:21 (NET)	Matthew 6:21 (KJV)
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.	For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matthew 6:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:21 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅπου γάρ ἐστιν ὁ θησαυρός σου, ἐκεῖ ἔσται \|καὶ\| ἡ καρδία σου	οπου γαρ εστιν ο θησαυρος υμων εκει εσται και η καρδια υμων	οπου γαρ εστιν ο θησαυρος υμων εκει εσται και η καρδια υμων

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NET)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ.	For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Corinthians 4:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ὁ εἰπών· ἐκ σκότους φῶς λάμψει, ὃς ἔλαμψεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῆς γνώσεως τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν προσώπῳ [Ἰησοῦ] Χριστοῦ	οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου	οτι ο θεος ο ειπων εκ σκοτους φως λαμψαι ος ελαμψεν εν ταις καρδιαις ημων προς φωτισμον της γνωσεως της δοξης του θεου εν προσωπω ιησου χριστου

Matthew 6:25 (NET)	Matthew 6:25 (KJV)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing?	Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Matthew 6:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν· μὴ μεριμνᾶτε τῇ ψυχῇ ὑμῶν τί φάγητε [ἢ τί πίητε], μηδὲ τῷ σώματι ὑμῶν τί ἐνδύσησθε. οὐχὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πλεῖον ἐστιν τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ ἐνδύματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος	δια τουτο λεγω υμιν μη μεριμνατε τη ψυχη υμων τι φαγητε και τι πιητε μηδε τω σωματι υμων τι ενδυσησθε ουχι η ψυχη πλειον εστιν της τροφης και το σωμα του ενδυματος

Matthew 6:28 (NET)	Matthew 6:28 (KJV)
Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin.	And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

Matthew 6:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ περὶ ἐνδύματος τί μεριμνᾶτε; καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνουσιν· οὐ κοπιῶσιν οὐδὲ νήθουσιν	και περι ενδυματος τι μεριμνατε καταμαθετε τα κρινα του αγρου πως αυξανει ου κοπια ουδε νηθει	και περι ενδυματος τι μεριμνατε καταμαθετε τα κρινα του αγρου πως αυξανει ου κοπια ουδε νηθει

Matthew 6:32 (NET)	Matthew 6:32 (KJV)
For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.	(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

Matthew 6:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 6:32 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 6:32 (Byzantine Majority Text)
πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ἔθνη ἐπιζητοῦσιν· οἶδεν γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος ὅτι χρῄζετε τούτων ἁπάντων	παντα γαρ ταυτα τα εθνη επιζητει οιδεν γαρ ο πατηρ υμων ο ουρανιος οτι χρηζετε τουτων απαντων	παντα γαρ ταυτα τα εθνη επιζητει οιδεν γαρ ο πατηρ υμων ο ουρανιος οτι χρηζετε τουτων απαντων

Matthew 7:4 (NET)	Matthew 7:4 (KJV)
Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own?	Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Matthew 7:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἢ πῶς ἐρεῖς τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου· ἄφες ἐκβάλω τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ δοκὸς ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ σοῦ	η πως ερεις τω αδελφω σου αφες εκβαλω το καρφος απο του οφθαλμου σου και ιδου η δοκος εν τω οφθαλμω σου	η πως ερεις τω αδελφω σου αφες εκβαλω το καρφος απο του οφθαλμου σου και ιδου η δοκος εν τω οφθαλμω σου

Matthew 7:6 (NET)	Matthew 7:6 (KJV)
Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.	Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

Matthew 7:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Μὴ δῶτε τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσὶν μηδὲ βάλητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσουσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ στραφέντες ρήξωσιν ὑμᾶς	μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησωσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας	μη δωτε το αγιον τοις κυσιν μηδε βαλητε τους μαργαριτας υμων εμπροσθεν των χοιρων μηποτε καταπατησωσιν αυτους εν τοις ποσιν αυτων και στραφεντες ρηξωσιν υμας

Matthew 10:23 (NET)	Matthew 10:23 (KJV)
Whenever they persecute you in one town, flee to another! I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.	But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

Matthew 10:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 10:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 10:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οὐ μὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις \|τοῦ\| Ἰσραὴλ ἕως \|ἂν\| ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου	οταν δε διωκωσιν υμας εν τη πολει ταυτη φευγετε εις την αλλην αμην γαρ λεγω υμιν ου μη τελεσητε τας πολεις του ισραηλ εως αν ελθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου

Matthew 7:12 (NET)	Matthew 7:12 (KJV)
In everything, treat others as you would want them to treat you, for this fulfills the law and the prophets.	Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Matthew 7:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται	παντα ουν οσα αν θελητε ινα ποιωσιν υμιν οι ανθρωποι ουτως και υμεις ποιειτε αυτοις ουτος γαρ εστιν ο νομος και οι προφηται	παντα ουν οσα αν θελητε ινα ποιωσιν υμιν οι ανθρωποι ουτως και υμεις ποιειτε αυτοις ουτος γαρ εστιν ο νομος και οι προφηται

Matthew 7:15, 16 (NET)	Matthew 7:15, 16 (KJV)
“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves.	Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Matthew 7:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν, οἵτινες ἔρχονται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐν ἐνδύμασιν προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες	προσεχετε δε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες	προσεχετε δε απο των ψευδοπροφητων οιτινες ερχονται προς υμας εν ενδυμασιν προβατων εσωθεν δε εισιν λυκοι αρπαγες

You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they?

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Matthew 7:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς. μήτι συλλέγουσιν ἀπὸ ἀκανθῶν σταφυλὰς ἢ ἀπὸ τριβόλων σῦκα	απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους μητι συλλεγουσιν απο ακανθων σταφυλην η απο τριβολων συκα	απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους μητι συλλεγουσιν απο ακανθων σταφυλην η απο τριβολων συκα

Matthew 7:20 (NET)	Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.	Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Matthew 7:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:20 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἄρα γε ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιγνώσεσθε αὐτούς	αραγε απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους	αραγε απο των καρπων αυτων επιγνωσεσθε αυτους

Matthew 7:25 (NET)	Matthew 7:25 (KJV)
The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on rock.	And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Matthew 7:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ κατέβη ἡ βροχὴ καὶ ἦλθον οἱ ποταμοὶ καὶ ἔπνευσαν οἱ ἄνεμοι καὶ προσέπεσαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἔπεσεν, τεθεμελίωτο γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν	και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσον τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν	και κατεβη η βροχη και ηλθον οι ποταμοι και επνευσαν οι ανεμοι και προσεπεσον τη οικια εκεινη και ουκ επεσεν τεθεμελιωτο γαρ επι την πετραν

Matthew 7:28, 29 (NET)	Matthew 7:28, 29 (KJV)
When Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching,	And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:

Matthew 7:28 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:28 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:28 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἐξεπλήσσοντο οἱ ὄχλοι ἐπὶ τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ	και εγενετο οτε συνετελεσεν ο ιησους τους λογους τουτους εξεπλησσοντο οι οχλοι επι τη διδαχη αυτου	και εγενετο οτε συνετελεσεν ο ιησους τους λογους τουτους εξεπλησσοντο οι οχλοι επι τη διδαχη αυτου

because he taught them like one who had authority, not like their experts in the law.

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Matthew 7:29 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 7:29 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 7:29 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἦν γὰρ διδάσκων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐξουσίαν ἔχων καὶ οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς αὐτῶν	ην γαρ διδασκων αυτους ως εξουσιαν εχων και ουχ ως οι γραμματεις	ην γαρ διδασκων αυτους ως εξουσιαν εχων και ουχ ως οι γραμματεις

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 5

Back to The Soul

Back to Luke 8:22-56

Back to Exploration, Part 5

Back to Exploration, Part 8

Back to Exploration, Part 9

¹ Romans 7:24a (ESV)

² Romans 7:21 (ESV)

³ Galatians 5:16, 17 (ESV)

⁴ Romans 7:24a (ESV)

⁵ Romans 7:21 (ESV)

⁶ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δικαιοσύνην here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελεημοσυνην (KJV: alms).

⁸ Matthew 6:1a (ESV)

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἰ δὲ μή γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει δε μηγε (KJV: otherwise).

¹⁰ Matthew 6:1b (ESV)

¹¹ Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

¹² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος (KJV: himself) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁵ Philippians 3:9c (NET)

¹⁶ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 3:21a, 22a (ESV)

¹⁸ Matthew 6:5a (ESV) Table

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ταμεῖον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ταμιειον (KJV: closet). These seem to be alternate spellings of the same part of speech.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ Matthew 6:7a (ESV) Table

²² Matthew 6:7b, 8 (ESV)

²³ Matthew 6:10 (ESV) Table

²⁴ Matthew 6:13b (NKJV)

²⁵ Matthew 6:12 (ESV) Table

²⁶ Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

²⁷ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

²⁸ Matthew 23:2 (ESV) Table

²⁹ Matthew 6:16a (ESV) Table

³⁰ Matthew 6:16b (ESV) Table

³¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective κρυφαίῳ, a form of κρυφαῖος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb κρυπτω.

³² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the adjective κρυφαίῳ, a form of κρυφαῖος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb κρυπτω.

³³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had εν τω φανερω (KJV: openly) here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμων.

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σου here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had υμων.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had λάμψει here, a form of λάμπω in the indicative mood and future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λαμψαι (KJV: to shine), an infinitive in the aorist tense.

³⁷ From “Wind-Up,” Aqualung, Jethro Tull

³⁸ You Must Be Gentle, Part 3

³⁹ Galatians 5:22a (ESV)

⁴⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἢ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και.

⁴¹ Matthew 6:28a (ESV)

⁴² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐξάνουσιν, a plural form of αὐξάνω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular αυξανει.

⁴³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κοπιῶσιν, a plural form of κοπιάω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular κοπια.

⁴⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had νήθουσιν, a plural form of νήθω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular νηθει.

⁴⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπιζητοῦσιν, a plural form of ἐπιζητέω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular επιζητει.

⁴⁶ Matthew 7:1 (ESV)

⁴⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ (NET: from) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο (KJV: out of).

⁴⁸ Philippians 3:9a (NET)

⁴⁹ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

⁵⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁵¹ Matthew 16:24b (ESV)

⁵² Philippians 3:9a (NET)

⁵³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καταπατήσουσιν (NET: they will trample) here, a form of καταπατέω in the indicative mood and future tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καταπατησωσιν (KJV: they trample), in the subjunctive mood and either the present or aorist tense.

⁵⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἑτέραν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αλλην (KJV: another).

⁵⁵ Acts 9:1 (ESV)

⁵⁶ From “Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), in Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁵⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅσα ἐὰν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οσα αν (KJV: whatsoever).

⁵⁸ Matthew 7:12a (ESV)

⁵⁹ Matthew 7:12b (ESV)

⁶⁰ Matthew 7:13a (ESV) Table

⁶¹ Hebrews 9:8b (ESV)

⁶² Hebrews 10:20b (ESV)

⁶³ Hebrews 8:7a (ESV)

⁶⁴ According to a note (24) in the NET the writer of Hebrews quoted from Jeremiah 31:31-34. Tables comparing the Greek of that quotation to the Septuagint are found in The New Covenant, Part 1.

⁶⁵ Matthew 26:41 (ESV)

⁶⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (not translated in the KJV) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶⁷ Matthew 7:15 (ESV)

⁶⁸ Matthew 7:16a (ESV)

⁶⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σταφυλὰς, a plural form of σταφυλή here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular σταφυλην.

⁷⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἄρα γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αραγε (KJV: Wherefore).

⁷¹ Matthew 5:3a (ESV)

⁷² Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁷³ Romans 7:21b (ESV)

⁷⁴ Matthew 7:21 (ESV) Table

⁷⁵ John 6:28, 29 (ESV) Table

⁷⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὁμοιωθήσεται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ομοιωσω αυτον (KJV: I will liken him).

⁷⁷ Matthew 7:24 (ESV) Table

⁷⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had προσέπεσαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had προσεπεσον (KJV: beat upon).

⁷⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐτέλεσεν here, a form of τελέω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνετελεσεν (KJV: had ended), a form of συντελέω.

⁸⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had αὐτῶν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁸¹ Matthew 7:28, 29 (ESV)

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

Posted on August 8, 2024 by admin

This is the continuation of my notes from Chapter 4 in a preaching course I’m taking. Unless otherwise indicated all quotations are from the book:

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

Exercises

Indicate how explanation, illustration, and application are used in Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7) and Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-25).

Jesus’ theme was the goodness of God. He spoke to sinners born under the law,¹ what Paul called the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone² and the ministry of condemnation.³ It is also the fallen condition focus of this sermon. At first Jesus addressed the faithful who had learned from the law: since through the law comes knowledge of sin.⁴

For Paul this knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) was not merely that law designated sin but that law coerced sin into revealing itself (Romans 7:7b-11 ESV):

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life (ἡ εἰς ζωήν) proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me.

This knowledge of sin through the law pressed deeper still within Paul (Romans 7:18, 19 ESV):

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing [Table].

To any who had gained this knowledge of sin through the law, Jesus expressed the goodness of God: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”⁵ And He explained how God had blessed them with the following promise: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”⁶

Did Jesus say that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who give up and say, I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out? Yes—and no, not exactly. He implied that those who give up and say, I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out, are those who wait for God’s salvation. This becomes clearer later.

The knowledge of sin Paul gained through the law pressed stil further (Romans 7:21-24 ESV):

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

And to those whose knowledge of sin gained through the law had wrenched out a lament like Paul’s, Jesus applied the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who mourn (οἱ πενθοῦντες, a participle of πενθέω).”⁷ And again, He explained how God will bless them with the following promise: “for they shall be comforted.”⁸ The Greek word translated they shall be comforted was παρακληθήσονται, a passive form of the verb παρακαλέω in the future tense. It is almost impossible to disregard its association to the noun παράκλητον (a form of παράκλητος). Jesus promised (John 14:16-18, 25, 26 ESV):

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

“I will not leave you as orphans (ὀρφανούς, a form of ὀρφανός); I will come to you.”

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper (παράκλητος), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” [Table].

The translators of the KJV made this relationship explicit in English.

Matthew 5:4 (KJV)	John 14:16-18 (KJV)	John 14:25, 26 (KJV)
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.	And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.	These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

To those whose pride had been humbled by the knowledge of sin gained through the law, Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are the meek.”⁹ Again, He explained how God will bless them with a promise:“for they shall inherit the earth.”¹⁰ The Greek word translated meek, πραεῖς (from the adjective πραΰς), occurred from time to time in the Psalms in the Septuagint, extolling God’s grace toward the meek.

But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.¹¹

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 37:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 37:11 (NET)	Psalm 36:11 (NETS)	Psalm 36:11 (English Elpenor)
But the meek (וַֽעֲנָוִ֥ים) shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the oppressed (ʿānāv, וענוים) will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.	But the meek (οἱ δὲ πραεῖς) shall inherit land and take delight in the abundance of peace.	But the meek (οἱ δὲ πραεῖς) shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.¹²

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 25:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 25:9 (NET)	Psalm 24:9 (NETS)	Psalm 24:9 (English Elpenor)
The meek (עֲ֖נָוִים) will he guide in judgment: and the meek (עֲנָוִ֣ים) will he teach his way.	May he show the humble (ʿānāv, ענוים) what is right. May he teach the humble (ʿānāv, ענוים) his way.	The meek (πραεῖς) he will guide in justice; the meek (πραεῖς) he will teach his ways.	The meek (πραεῖς) will he guide in judgment: the meek (πραεῖς) will he teach his ways.

My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.¹³

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 34:2 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 34:2 (NET)	Psalm 33:3 (NETS)	Psalm 33:3 (English Elpenor)
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble (עֲנָוִ֣ים) shall hear thereof, and be glad.	I will boast in the Lord; let the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים) hear and rejoice.	In the Lord my soul shall be commended; let the meek (πραεῖς) hear and be glad.	My soul shall boast herself in the Lord: let the meek (πρᾳεῖς) hear, and rejoice.

when God arose to establish judgment, to save all the humble of the earth. Selah¹⁴

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 76:9 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 76:9 (NET)	Psalm 75:10 (NETS)	Psalm 75:10 (English Elpenor)
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek (עַנְוֵי) of the earth. Selah.	when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוי) of the earth. (Selah)	when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the meek (τοὺς πραεῖς) of the earth. Interlude on strings	when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek (τοὺς πραεῖς) in heart. Pause.

The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground.¹⁵

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 147:6 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 147:6 (NET)	Psalm 146:6 (NETS)	Psalm 146:6 (English Elpenor)
The LORD lifteth up the meek (עֲנָוִ֣ים): he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים), but knocks the wicked to the ground.	when the Lord picks up the meek (πραεῖς) but humbles sinners to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the meek (πρᾳεῖς); but brings sinners down to the ground.

For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.¹⁶

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 149:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 149:4 (NET)	Psalm 149:4 (NETS)	Psalm 149:4 (English Elpenor)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek (עֲ֜נָוִ֗ים) with salvation.	For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed (ʿānāv, ענוים) by delivering them.	because the Lord takes pleasure in his people, and he exalts the meek (πραεῖς) with deliverance.	For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek (πραεῖς) with salvation.

To any who had the desire to do what is right¹⁷ according to the law, Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”¹⁸ And He explained with another promise how God will bless them: “for they shall be satisfied.”¹⁹ The Greek words translated righteousness were τὴν δικαιοσύνην (a form of δικαιοσύνη). This promised satisfaction is nothing less than that [which] comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness (δικαιοσύνην) from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.²⁰

Here, it becomes clearer, though not stated so succinctly, that Jesus described what I called a super-application: walk by the Spirit—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit²¹—and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh;²² being guided, carried along and energized by Jesus’ own love—the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law²³—his own joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control²⁴ all day, everyday, forever; against such things there is no law.²⁵

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy,”²⁶ Jesus continued. But this seemed different somehow:

Poverty of spirit seemed like a need that could arise as a natural result from the knowledge of sin gained through the law, that I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.²⁷ To mourn seemed like a natural result of that neediness, made apparent from the knowledge of sin gained through the law. Meekness, humility, seemed to be a natural result of my mourning and neediness gained from the knowledge of sin through the law. To hunger and thirst for righteousness seemed like the only sane response to my meekness, mourning my neediness gained from the knowledge of sin through the law.

While it makes sense that I will need mercy as I hunger and thirst for a righteousness I do not yet possess, mourning in meekness over my spiritual poverty, while it only seems fair that I should be merciful to those around me suffering as I suffer, to actually be merciful seems like that very desire to do what is right that I lack the ability to carry…out. Yet, there it sits in Jesus’ saying, a veritable impediment to my own need for his promise of mercy. Do I give up in despair? Or do I see his grace all around me?

It took an extraordinary amount of effort to transform my native desire to be right into a hunger and thirst for his righteousness, his effort not mine: work (κατεργάζεσθε, a form of κατεργάζομαι) out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works (ὁ ἐνεργῶν, a participle of the verb ἐνεργέω) in you, both to will (τὸ θέλειν, an infinitve form of θέλω in the present tense) and to work (τὸ ἐνεργεῖν, an infinitive form of ἐνεργέω in the present tense) for his good pleasure [Table].²⁸ The ease, I described as a “natural result,” with which meekness, mourning and spiritual poverty seemed to arise from a knowledge of sin gained through the law stands as evidence that God does all the heavy lifting in both the desires and the efforts He brings forth in me. As Paul wrote in a slightly different context: So then it depends not on human will (τοῦ θέλοντος, a participle of θέλω) or exertion (τοῦ τρέχοντος, a participle of τρέχω in the present tense), but on God, who has mercy.²⁹

So, to those learning to be merciful from God’s own mercy toward them as they suffer the knowledge of sin gained through the law, Jesus revealed the goodness of God: “Blessed are the merciful.”³⁰ Here, too, He explained God’s goodness with a promise: “for they shall receive mercy.”³¹ This means even more mercy from God, and perhaps a little from those to whom they are merciful, those who suffer the same knowledge of sin gained through the law.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,”³² came next. In my past I took this to mean that those who never thought about sex would see God. I had no clue how to stop thinking about sex, and little desire to do so. I’m not sure how literally I took see God (τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω in the future tense). There appear to be three options. First (Revelation 22:3, 4 ESV):

No longer³³ will there be anything accursed,³⁴ but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

This literal meaning of seeing God’s face as a servant of God entails learning the knowledge of sin gained through the law and receiving God’s salvation instead. The second option is (Matthew 24:29, 30; Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25-27 ESV):

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn (κόψονται, a form of κόπτω in the middle voice), and they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

“But³⁵ in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling³⁶ from³⁷ heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.”

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves [Table], people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω) the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Here, according to Matthew, all the tribes of the earth (πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς) present at a certain moment in time will see the Son of Man.³⁸ But Jesus didn’t limit the promise which explained how God blesses the pure in heart—for they shall see God³⁹—to those who are “present at a certain moment in time.” So, the third option is (Romans 15:20, 21 ESV):

and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see (ὄψονται, a form of ὁράω), and those who have never heard will understand (συνήσουσιν, a form of συνίημι).”

Here, συνήσουσιν (a form of συνίημι), will understand, was coupled with ὄψονται (a form of ὁράω), will see. It prompts me to consider some of the other meanings of ὁράω: “to consider (i.e., look at mentally); to arrive at a conclusion by observation; to experience, witness; to notice, recognize, understand; to realize, comprehend.” So, who are the pure in heart (οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ), who shall “consider, arrive at a conclusion by observation, experience, witness, notice, recognize, understand, realize, comprehend” God?

The aim of our charge is love, Paul wrote Timothy, that issues from a pure heart (καθαρᾶς καρδίας) and a good conscience and a sincere faith.⁴⁰ And, So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (καθαρᾶς καρδίας).⁴¹ These form a verbal portrait of what those with a pure heart do or are called to do.

Peter wrote (1 Peter 1:22, 23 ESV):

Having purified (ἡγνικότες, an active participle of ἁγνίζω) your souls by your obedience to the truth [through the Spirit]⁴² for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart ([καθαρᾶς] καρδίας), since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding⁴³ word of God;

I added δια πνευματος (KJV: through the Spirit) from the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text back into the ESV translation because καθαρᾶς (ESV: pure) was in brackets in the NET parallel Greek text. It is not in brackets in the NA²⁸. I take this to mean that the occurrence of καθαρᾶς here was questionable in NA²⁷ but considered more favorably in NA²⁸. I imagined what it might be like to read 1 Peter 1:22 with both δια πνευματος and καθαρᾶς removed from the text in light of the Lord’s assessment of the heart.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (NET)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:9, 10 (English Elpenor)
The heart (הַלֵּ֛ב) is deceitful (עָקֹ֥ב) above all things, and desperately wicked (וְאָנֻ֣שׁ): who can know it?	The human mind (lēḇ, הלב) is more deceitful (ʿāqōḇ, עקב) than anything else. It is incurably bad (‘ānaš, ואנש). Who can understand it?	The heart (ἡ καρδία) is deep (βαθεῖα) above all else, and so is man (καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν), and who shall understand him?	The heart (ἡ καρδία) is deep (βαθεῖα) beyond all things, and it is the man (καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι), and who can know him?
I the LORD search the heart (לֵ֖ב), I try the reins (כְּלָי֑וֹת), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds (lēḇ, לב). I examine people’s hearts (kilyâ, כליות). I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.	I, the Lord, am one who tests hearts (καρδίας) and examines kidneys (νεφροὺς), to give to each according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the Lord try the hearts (καρδίας), and prove the reins (νεφροὺς), to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his devices.

Even without the Holy Spirit or a pure heart in verse 22, 1 Peter 1:23 would still speak of a new birth—since you have been born again (ἀναγεγεννημένοι, a participle of the verb ἀναγεννάω)…through the living and abiding word of God. But I wonder if it would have been enough to dissuade me from attempting to do all that a pure heart entails—flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace⁴⁴—with my old deceitful (Masoretic Text: עָקֹ֥ב) or deep (Septuagint: βαθεῖα) heart. Jesus was clearer perhaps when He told his disciples (John 15:3, 4 ESV):

Already you are clean (καθαροί, a form of καθαρός) because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me [Table].

The Greek word translated clean was καθαροί, a form of καθαρός, the same word translated pure in Matthew 5:8—οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, the pure in heart (ESV). All of this, including the rabbis understanding of deceitful as βαθεῖα in the Septuagint, translated deep (NETS, English Elpenor), with its connotation of dark or murky, turns my attention to the primary meaning of καθαρός listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online: clear.

It stands then that the first clarity one receives regarding one’s deeply deceitful heart is the knowledge of sin gained through the law, the Word of God. And to them Jesus revealed God’s goodness: “Blessed are the pure in heart.”⁴⁵ And He explained God’s blessing with a promise: “for they shall see God.”⁴⁶ They shall see Him face-to-face one day, as they “consider” Him; “arrive at a conclusion by observation” about Him; “experience” Him, “witness” Him; “notice” Him, “recognize” Him, “understand” Him; “realize” and “comprehend” Him along the way, not fully or exhaustively but truthfully.

Jesus continued: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”⁴⁷ The Greek word translated peacemakers was εἰρηνοποιοί (a form of εἰρηνοποιός). It only occurs once in the New Testament but John was very explicit about who shall be called sons of God (υἱοὶ θεοῦ κληθήσονται):

He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (ἐξουσίαν τέκνα θεοῦ γενέσθαι), who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.⁴⁸

Come to terms quickly with your accuser (τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου) while you are going with him to court, Jesus commanded later in this sermon, lest your accuser (ὁ ἀντίδικος) hand you over to the judge, and the judge⁴⁹ to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.⁵⁰ The rabbis who translated the Septuagint chose ἀντιδίκους (another form of ἀντίδικος) to describe those on the wrong side of the Lord’s judgment. It would have been to their benefit to Come to terms quickly with their accuser ἀντιδίκῳ, another form of ἀντίδικος.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 50:34 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 50:34 (NET)	Jeremiah 27:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 27:34 (English Elpenor)
Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly (רִ֥יב) plead (יָרִ֖יב) their cause (רִיבָ֑ם), that he may give rest (הִרְגִּ֣יעַ) to the land, and disquiet (וְהִרְגִּ֖יז) the inhabitants of Babylon.	But the one who will rescue them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will strongly (rîḇ, ריב) champion (rîḇ, יריב) their cause (rîḇ, ריבם). As a result he will bring peace and rest (rāḡaʿ, הרגיע) to the earth, but trouble and turmoil (rāḡaz, והרגיז) to the people who inhabit Babylonia.	And he that redeems them is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will judge (κρινεῖ) with judgment (κρίσιν) against his adversaries (πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ), that he may destroy (ἐξάρῃ) the earth, and for those that inhabit Babylon he will incite (παροξυνεῖ)	But their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name: he will enter into (κρινεῖ) judgment (κρίσιν) with his adversaries (πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ), that he may destroy (ἐξάρῃ) the earth;⁵¹

While it remains and open question in my mind whether ἐξάρῃ (a form of ἐξαίρω) should have been translated destroy in English, it is readily apparent that those who have gained the knowledge of their own sin through the law are the more likely to make peace with God quickly (ταχύ), receiving his salvation. To them Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are the peacemakers.”⁵² And then He explained how God will bless them: “for they shall be called sons of God.”⁵³

Those who have gained the knowledge of sin through the law, so as to have become poor in spirit, to mourn their predicament in meekness, to hunger and thirst for that righteousness they do not yet possess, merciful to those who suffer the same fate, pure enough in heart to make peace with God and wait for his salvation, will be persecuted by those who deny the truth of any or all such knowledge of sin. Jesus declared the goodness of God: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.”⁵⁴ He explained how God blessed them with a promise, the same promise He made to the poor in spirit: “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”⁵⁵

Jesus followed upon this with an illustration of the form such persecution will take, expressed once again as the goodness of God: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”⁵⁶ He followed that with his first application: Rejoice and be glad.⁵⁷

Admittedly, seeing this as his first application helps to reinforce that everything else up to this point was the work of God, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,⁵⁸ through his Word, the law and the prophets. (I had to resort to David, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Joel to understand Jesus’ words. And on that note, I would have understood none of this apart from Paul’s brilliant summation of the purpose of the law. I would have continued to hear Jesus’ words in the sermon on the mount as just more rules for me to obey.)

Jesus explained why one who is persecuted should rejoice and be glad with another promise: for your reward is great in heaven.⁵⁹ Then he explained God’s blessing on those who are persecuted with an illustration from Israel’s past: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.⁶⁰

“You are the salt of the earth,”⁶¹ Jesus illustrated the goodness of God to those who had gained the knowledge of sin through the law, turned to wait on the Lord’s salvation, become poor in spirit, mourned, the meek who hungered and thirsted for God’s own righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, making peace with God, and persecuted by those who rejected the knowledge of their own sinfulness. But He followed that with an illustration as a warning: but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown⁶² out and⁶³ trampled under people’s feet.⁶⁴

“You are the light of the world,”⁶⁵ He continued his illustration of God’s goodness. And He explained this illustration with further illustrations: 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.⁶⁶ Then came his second application: In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and⁶⁷ praise you for your righteousness? No, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.⁶⁸ Here is yet another indication that all that has transpired is due to the goodness of God. It was the work of God, both to will and to work for his good pleasure,⁶⁹ through his Word, the law and the prophets.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets,”⁷⁰ Jesus commanded a third application with a gaze so farsighted as to almost seem like a non sequitur, except to make explicit what his subject matter had been all along as he extolled the goodness of God. I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them,⁷¹ He explained.

The Greek word translated fulfill them was πληρῶσαι, an active form of the verb πληρόω, which might be understood as an infinitive or as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood (“he might fulfill,” “it might fulfill”). “The optative is the mood of possibility, removed even further than the subjunctive mood from something conceived of as actual. Often it is used to convey a wish or hope for a certain action to occur.” If I consider it as an infinitive form I assume that Jesus was looking ahead to his death on the cross, as a form in the optative mood I assume Jesus’ gaze reached all the way to those who came into the light, so that it may be clearly seen that [their] works have been carried out in God.⁷²

For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished,⁷³ Jesus prophesied to explain. The Greek word translated is accomplished was γένηται, a form of γίνομαι in the subjunctive mood. This could be down the actuality scale from πληρῶσαι if I take πληρῶσαι as an infinitive, or up the actuality scale if I take it as a verb in the optative mood. There is another option that ἕως |ἂν| πάντα γένηται (ESV: until all is accomplished) is the result of not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law, and is as certain as the indicative mood, though |ἂν| understood (but not translated) as may could argue against it.

I started down this path, considering πληρῶσαι as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood, because I made a mistake. I thought Jesus said πληρώσαι, leaving me no option. The verb καταλῦσαι, to abolish, a form of καταλύω, might also be understood as an infinitive or as a 3^rd person verb in the optative mood. Both occurrences, however, are better understood as infinitive forms. It is clearly easier to understood πληρῶσαι as another infinitive. I don’t see any place except following ἀλλὰ (but) that Jesus might have changed from the implied 1^st person of the infinitives to a 3^rd person form. I don’t believe He would have described his Father’s action in the optative mood. My only option then seems to be: “but [that] it (i.e., the law) might fulfill.” I cling to that possibility, I suppose, because it pays some heed to the law even as its glory faded to that of a status symbol for those in the kingdom of heaven.

Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus explained, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, Jesus pivoted, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.⁷⁴

That probably shocked the followers of the scribes and Pharisees. But it helps me, along with what follows, to understand that the one who teaches (διδάξῃ, a form of διδάσκω) the least of these commandments is one like Paul, who taught (Romans 3:19-25a ESV):

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being (σὰρξ) will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction [Table]: for fall have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

And whoever does (ποιήσῃ, a form of ποιέω) the least of these commandments is the one who receives the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to walk by the Spirit⁷⁵—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit⁷⁶—guided, carried along and energized by Jesus’ own love—the fulfilling (πλήρωμα) of the law⁷⁷—his own joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control⁷⁸ all day, everyday, forever.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment,’”⁷⁹ Jesus said to those who had gained only a superficial knowledge of sin through the law from their teachers, the scribes and Pharisees. Here his sermon became as much a demonstration of God’s goodness as explanation, as he began to draw them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of one’s sinfulness: But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.⁸⁰ Then He gave them the following applications (Matthew 5:23-26 ESV):

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there⁸¹ remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Though everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, Jesus’ applications were addressed to the one who had given his brother cause to be angry. One can almost hear Cain’s retort: am I my brother’s keeper?⁸² And I admit I’m more familiar with this aspect of God’s goodness from Paul’s more explicit statement: Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.⁸³

Jesus continued speaking to those who attempted to use the law for their own purposes, to acquire a righteousness of [their] own that comes from the law:⁸⁴ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’”⁸⁵ He demonstrated the goodness of God by drawing them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin to be gained through the law: But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.⁸⁶ And He followed this with some dramatic hyperbole (Matthew 5:29, 30 ESV):

If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go⁸⁷ into hell.

I know this is dramatic hyperbole because I spent one very long Sunday afternoon after my first divorce contemplating cutting off my penis. Almost thirty years later, after my second divorce, I worked on a film about a man who wanted so desperately to be a woman that he cut off his own penis. It was an interesting project since I had wanted to cut off my own penis, not to become a woman but to acquire a righteousness of my own derived from the law.

The writer/director/producer of the film told me how difficult it was to find a naturalistic fake penis, handled, not completely flaccid nor completely erect. Then it fell to the makeup/wardrobe lady to figure out how to attach it directly to the actor’s body, as the writer/director/producer directed her, fearing that nothing less would look realistic on camera. From the sounds we heard, I gathered that the scene which transpired on the other side of the closed bathroom door was filled with pathos, both tragic and comedic.

Still, that failed experiment to attach a fake penis directly to the actor’s body persuaded the writer/director/producer that the only way to proceed was to attach it to a dance belt, which was the makeup/wardrobe lady’s first instinct all along. The first test left most of us understanding the writer/director/producer’s original concern: It looked like a fake penis glued to a dance belt, though the general shape and position seemed anatomically correct if one squinted. But the makeup/wardrobe lady, an artist who could already visualize the finished piece in her mind, remained confident.

On the day the scene was shot, the actor walked on set with his fake penis glued to a dance belt dyed or painted to match his skin tone. The effect was amazing. The makeup/wardrobe lady graciously received our approval and applause. The shot, however, still did not go as planned.

It was so difficult for the actor to cut through the fake penis with a kitchen knife that the scene became comedy rather than tragedy or horror. This was low budget filmmaking. There was only one fake penis, glued to one dance belt, dyed or painted to match the actor’s skin tone. The writer/director/producer got down on his knees and vigorously sawed almost all the way through the actor’s fake penis. The camera rolled. The actor sliced off his penis with one quick motion. The scene was saved.

My own plan had been to use a heavy cleaver and a cutting board. Both were ready at hand. But the Lord made it quite clear to me in that moment that cutting off my penis would not be sufficient, that I would need to cut off my head. I was uncertain whether I could survive cutting off my penis but quite convinced that cutting off my head would kill me, and said so. His one word answer, Exactly, both stopped me from proceeding and encouraged me to take Paul’s discussions of death more seriously than I had been taking them.

I have said that Paul led me to Christ. That’s not untrue but probably an over-simplification. Jesus led me to Paul and helped me understand his teaching, then Paul led me to where Jesus said the same thing only differently, then Jesus led me to Paul’s words and Paul led me to Jesus’ words, back and forth. I did tend to begin to grasp the concepts through Paul’s words before I actually heard what Jesus was saying, but the process bound their words so tightly together it is difficult to think of the one apart from the other.

Jesus’ dramatic hyperbole shows the level of commitment required to have a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law, if such a thing were even possible, which it is not: For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.⁸⁸ So, ultimately Jesus’ dramatic hyperbole was designed to draw those who had not yet gained the full knowledge of sin through the law into the blessedness of that knowledge, a truth which sets one amazingly free. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out,⁸⁹ sets one free from the burden of trying to have a righteousness of one’s own derived from the law and on course to seek the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.⁹⁰

Jesus continued to demonstrate God’s goodness as He continued to draw those with a superficial knowledge of sin into the blessedness of full knowledge, contrasting the teaching of God (Matthew 19:3-8) to that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:31, 32 ESV).

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery [Table].

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all,⁹¹ Jesus continued and explained this application with illustrations another application and another explanation, and a final application with its explanation (Matthew 5:34b-37 ESV):

either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Jesus’ contrasts continued, explained by a series of applications that would be daunting to even the most dedicated seeker of a righteousness of his own derived from the law. Yet, to anyone who has spent any significant time walking by the Spirit—as Jesus walked in the power of the Spirit⁹²—these “applications” are all too familiar as the very things the Holy Spirit reminds one, prompts one and empowers one to do on a case-by-case basis as the situations arise (Matthew 5:38-45a ESV).

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also [Table]. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you [Table].

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven [Table].

Then Jesus explained how our Father in heaven demonstrates his goodness to all: For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.⁹³ He then questioned the value of the righteousness of those seeking a righteousness of their own derived from the law with illustrations, not to berate or condemn them but to draw them into the blessedness of the full knowledge of sin through the law (Matthew 5:46, 47 ESV):

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? [Table]

Jesus concluded this section of his sermon with an application that should put the fear of God and instigate a change of course in any seeking a righteousness of his own derived from the law (Matthew 5:48 ESV [Table]):

You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I’ve gone long again and have simply run out of time to continue with the author’s first exercise or even consider the second. I was intrigued by the idea of considering Jesus’ “sermon on the mount” as a sermon, testing the author’s contention that a sermon is about one thing. I’m nowhere near clever enough to read Matthew 5-7 and decipher Jesus’ theme. So I asked Him.

The goodness of God was the answer that came to me, his idea rather than mine. Clearly, I’m not clever enough even to understand Jesus’ words, much less relate them to this theme, without recourse to Scriptures outside of the prescribed passage. And though I would love to continue with this theme, I need to move on at this time if there is any possibility that I can keep up with this course in the time allotted.

According to a note (42) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 13:10, 34:4 and Joel 2:10 in Matthew 24:29. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Matthew 24:29b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Matthew 24:29b (NET)	Isaiah 13:10b (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;	and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Matthew 24:29c (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες πεσοῦνται ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν…καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται
Matthew 24:29c (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and all the stars shall fall	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt…and all the stars shall fall

Matthew 24:29b, d (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς…καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι
Matthew 24:29b, d (NET)	Joel 2:10b (NETS)	Joel 2:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light…and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark	and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened

According to a note (47) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Matthew 24:30. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 24:30b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Matthew 24:30b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (36) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 13:10, 34:4 and Joel 2:10 in Mark 13:24, 25. Tables comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follow.

Mark 13:24b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Mark 13:24b (NET)	Isaiah 13:10b (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;	and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Mark 13:25 (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες ἔσονται ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πίπτοντες, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν…καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται
Mark 13:25 (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.	and all the stars shall fall	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt…and all the stars shall fall

Mark 13:24b, 25b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς…καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν	καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι
Mark 13:24b, 25b (NET)	Joel 2:10b (NETS)	Joel 2:10b (English Elpenor)
the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light…and the powers of heaven will be shaken.	and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark	and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened

According to a note (38) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Mark 13:26. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Mark 13:26b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφέλαις	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Mark 13:26b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving in the clouds	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (66) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Isaiah 34:4 in Luke 21:26. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Luke 21:26b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 34:4b (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (Septuagint Elpenor)
αἱ γὰρ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν σαλευθήσονται	N/A	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν
Luke 21:26b (NET)	Isaiah 34:4b (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4a, c (English Elpenor)
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken	N/A	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt

According to a note (68) in the NET, Jesus alluded to Daniel 7:13 in Luke 21:27. A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ allusion to that of the Septuagint follows.

Luke 21:27b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Daniel 7:13b (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενον ἐν νεφέλῃ	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος	μετὰ τῶν νεφελῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ὡς υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου ἐρχόμενος
Luke 21:27b (NET)	Daniel 7:13b (NETS)	Daniel 7:13b (English Elpenor)
the Son of Man arriving in a cloud	as it were a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven	[one] coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of man

According to a note (18) in the NET, Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:15 in Romans 15:21. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation to that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 15:21b (NET Parallel Greek Text)	Isaiah 52:15b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:15b (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ \|ὄψονται\|, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι
Romans 15:21b (NET)	Isaiah 52:15b (NETS)	Isaiah 52:15b (English Elpenor)
“Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”	those who were not informed about him shall see and those who did not hear shall understand	they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider

Tables comparing Psalm 37:11; 25:9; 34:2; 76:9; 147:6; 149:4; Jeremiah 17:9; 17:10; Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10; Isaiah 52:15 and Jeremiah 50:34 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 37:11 (36:11); 25:9 (24:9); 34:2 (33:3); 76:9 (75:10); 147:6 (146:6); 149:4; Jeremiah 17:9; 17:10; Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10; Isaiah 52:15 and Jeremiah 50:34 (27:34) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Revelation 22:3; Mark 13:24, 25; 1 Peter 1:22, 23; Matthew 5:25; 5:13; 5:23 and 5:30 in the KJV and NET follow.

Psalm 37:11 (Tanakh)	Psalm 37:11 (KJV)	Psalm 37:11 (NET)
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.	But the oppressed will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity.

Psalm 37:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 36:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσιν γῆν καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης	οἱ δὲ πραεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης
Psalm 36:11 (NETS)	Psalm 36:11 (English Elpenor)
But the meek shall inherit land and take delight in the abundance of peace.	But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight [themselves] in the abundance of peace.

Psalm 25:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 25:9 (KJV)	Psalm 25:9 (NET)
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.	The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.	May he show the humble what is right. May he teach the humble his way.

Psalm 25:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 24:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁδηγήσει πραεῖς ἐν κρίσει διδάξει πραεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ	ὁδηγήσει πραεῖς ἐν κρίσει, διδάξει πραεῖς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ
Psalm 24:9 (NETS)	Psalm 24:9 (English Elpenor)
The meek he will guide in justice; the meek he will teach his ways.	The meek will he guide in judgment: the meek will he teach his ways.

Psalm 34:2 (Tanakh)	Psalm 34:2 (KJV)	Psalm 34:2 (NET)
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.	My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.	I will boast in the Lord; let the oppressed hear and rejoice.

Psalm 34:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 33:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ κυρίῳ ἐπαινεσθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἀκουσάτωσαν πραεῖς καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν	ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπαινεθήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου· ἀκουσάτωσαν πρᾳεῖς, καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν
Psalm 33:3 (NETS)	Psalm 33:3 (English Elpenor)
In the Lord my soul shall be commended; let the meek hear and be glad.	My soul shall boast herself in the Lord: let the meek hear, and rejoice.

Psalm 76:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 76:9 (KJV)	Psalm 76:9 (NET)
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.	When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.	when God arose to execute judgment, and to deliver all the oppressed of the earth. (Selah)

Psalm 76:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 75:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι εἰς κρίσιν τὸν θεὸν τοῦ σῶσαι πάντας τοὺς πραεῖς τῆς γῆς διάψαλμα	ἐν τῷ ἀναστῆναι εἰς κρίσιν τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ σῶσαι πάντας τοὺς πραεῖς τῆς γῆς. (διάψαλμα)
Psalm 75:10 (NETS)	Psalm 75:10 (English Elpenor)
when God rose up to establish judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Interlude on strings	when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek in heart. Pause.

Psalm 147:6 (Tanakh)	Psalm 147:6 (KJV)	Psalm 147:6 (NET)
The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the oppressed, but knocks the wicked to the ground.

Psalm 147:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 146:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀναλαμβάνων πραεῖς ὁ κύριος ταπεινῶν δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἕως τῆς γῆς	ἀναλαμβάνων πρᾳεῖς ὁ Κύριος, ταπεινῶν δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἕως τῆς γῆς
Psalm 146:6 (NETS)	Psalm 146:6 (English Elpenor)
when the Lord picks up the meek but humbles sinners to the ground.	The Lord lifts up the meek; but brings sinners down to the ground.

Psalm 149:4 (Tanakh)	Psalm 149:4 (KJV)	Psalm 149:4 (NET)
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.	For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.	For the Lord takes delight in his people; he exalts the oppressed by delivering them.

Psalm 149:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 149:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ κύριος ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσει πραεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ	ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ Κύριος ἐν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑψώσει πραεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ
Psalm 149:4 (NETS)	Psalm 149:4 (English Elpenor)
because the Lord takes pleasure in his people, and he exalts the meek with deliverance.	For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek with salvation.

Jeremiah 17:9 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV)	Jeremiah 17:9 (NET)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?	The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?	The human mind is more deceitful than anything else. It is incurably bad. Who can understand it?

Jeremiah 17:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 17:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
βαθεῖα ἡ καρδία παρὰ πάντα καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν	βαθεῖα ἡ καρδία παρά πάντα, καὶ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι· καὶ τίς γνώσεται αὐτόν
Jeremiah 17:9 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:9 (English Elpenor)
The heart is deep above all else, and so is man, and who shall understand him?	The heart is deep beyond all things, and it is the man, and who can know him?

Jeremiah 17:10 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV)	Jeremiah 17:10 (NET)
I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.	I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Jeremiah 17:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 17:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγὼ κύριος ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ δοκιμάζων νεφροὺς τοῦ δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτοῦ	ἐγὼ Κύριος ἐτάζων καρδίας καὶ δοκιμάζων νεφροὺς τοῦ δοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τοὺς καρποὺς τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων αὐτοῦ
Jeremiah 17:10 (NETS)	Jeremiah 17:10 (English Elpenor)
I, the Lord, am one who tests hearts and examines kidneys, to give to each according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.	I the Lord try the hearts, and prove the reins, to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his devices.

Isaiah 13:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 13:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 13:10 (NET)
For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.	For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.	Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine.

Isaiah 13:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 13:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οἱ γὰρ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ὁ Ὠρίων καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ φῶς οὐ δώσουσιν καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς	οἱ γὰρ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ὁ ᾿Ωρίων καὶ πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ φῶς οὐ δώσουσι, καὶ σκοτισθήσεται τοῦ ἡλίου ἀνατέλλοντος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς
Isaiah 13:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 13:10 (English Elpenor)
For the stars of heaven and Orion and all the ornament of heaven will not give light, and it will be dark when the sun rises, and the moon will not give its light.	For the stars of heaven, and Orion, and all the host of heaven, shall not give their light; and it shall be dark at sunrise, and the moon shall not give her light.

Isaiah 34:4 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 34:4 (KJV)	Isaiah 34:4 (NET)
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.	And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree.	All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree.

Isaiah 34:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 34:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἑλιγήσεται ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται ὡς φύλλα ἐξ ἀμπέλου καὶ ὡς πίπτει φύλλα ἀπὸ συκῆς	καὶ τακήσονται πᾶσαι αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ ἑλιγήσεται ὁ οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄστρα πεσεῖται ὡς φύλλα ἐξ ἀμπέλου καὶ ὡς πίπτει φύλλα ἀπὸ συκῆς
Isaiah 34:4 (NETS)	Isaiah 34:4 (English Elpenor)
Heaven shall roll up like a scroll, and all the stars shall fall like leaves from a vine and as leaves fall from a fig tree.	And all the powers of the heavens shall melt, and the sky shall be rolled up like a scroll: and all the stars shall fall like leaves from a vine, and as leaves fall from a fig-tree.

Joel 2:10 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:10 (KJV)	Joel 2:10 (NET)
Before them the earth quaketh, the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.	The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:	The earth quakes before them; the sky reverberates. The sun and the moon grow dark; the stars refuse to shine.

Joel 2:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 2:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν συγχυθήσεται ἡ γῆ καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσιν καὶ τὰ ἄστρα δύσουσιν τὸ φέγγος αὐτῶν	πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν συγχυθήσεται ἡ γῆ καὶ σεισθήσεται ὁ οὐρανός, ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη συσκοτάσουσι, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα δύσουσι τὸ φέγγος αὐτῶν
Joel 2:10 (NETS)	Joel 2:10 (English Elpenor)
The earth shall be disturbed before them, and the sky shall be shaken. The sun and the moon shall grow dark, and the stars shall shed their brightness.	Before them the earth shall be confounded, and the sky shall be shaken: the sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their light.

Isaiah 52:15 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 52:15 (KJV)	Isaiah 52:15 (NET)
So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.	So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.	so now he will startle many nations. Kings will be shocked by his exaltation, for they will witness something unannounced to them, and they will understand something they had not heard about.

Isaiah 52:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 52:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὕτως θαυμάσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ καὶ συνέξουσιν βασιλεῖς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν ὅτι οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ ὄψονται καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασιν συνήσουσιν	οὕτω θαυμάσονται ἔθνη πολλὰ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, καὶ συνέξουσι βασιλεῖς τὸ στόμα αὐτῶν· ὅτι οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὄψονται, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι, συνήσουσι
Isaiah 52:15 (NETS)	Isaiah 52:15 (English Elpenor)
so shall many nations be astonished at him, and kings shall shut their mouth, because those who were not informed about him shall see and those who did not hear shall understand.	Thus shall many nations wonder at him; and kings shall keep their mouths shut: for they to whom no report was brought concerning him, shall see; and they who have not heard, shall consider.

Jeremiah 50:34 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 50:34 (KJV)	Jeremiah 50:34 (NET)
Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.	Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.	But the one who will rescue them is strong. His name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He will strongly champion their cause. As a result he will bring peace and rest to the earth, but trouble and turmoil to the people who inhabit Babylonia.

Jeremiah 50:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 27:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὁ λυτρούμενος αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρός κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ κρίσιν κρινεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ ὅπως ἐξάρῃ τὴν γῆν καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα	καὶ ὁ λυτρούμενος αὐτοὺς ἰσχυρός, Κύριος παντοκράτωρ ὄνομα αὐτῷ· κρίσιν κρινεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ἀντιδίκους αὐτοῦ, ὅπως ἐξάρῃ τὴν γῆν, καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα
Jeremiah 27:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 27:34 (English Elpenor)
And he that redeems them is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name. He will judge with judgment against his adversaries, that he may destroy the earth, and for those that inhabit Babylon he will incite	But their Redeemer is strong; the Lord Almighty is his name: he will enter into judgment with his adversaries, that he may destroy the earth;

Revelation 22:3 (NET)	Revelation 22:3 (KJV)
And there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him,	And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

Revelation 22:3 (NET Parallel Greek)	Revelation 22:3 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Revelation 22:3 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ πᾶν κατάθεμα οὐκ ἔσται ἔτι. καὶ ὁ θρόνος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀρνίου ἐν αὐτῇ ἔσται, καὶ οἱ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ λατρεύσουσιν αὐτῷ	και παν καταναθεμα ουκ εσται ετι και ο θρονος του θεου και του αρνιου εν αυτη εσται και οι δουλοι αυτου λατρευσουσιν αυτω	και παν καταθεμα ουκ εσται εκει και ο θρονος του θεου και του αρνιου εν αυτη εσται και οι δουλοι αυτου λατρευσουσιν αυτω

Mark 13:24, 25 (NET)	Mark 13:24, 25 (KJV)
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light;	But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

Mark 13:24 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 13:24 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 13:24 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἀλλὰ ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις μετὰ τὴν θλῖψιν ἐκείνην ὁ ἥλιος σκοτισθήσεται, καὶ ἡ σελήνη οὐ δώσει τὸ φέγγος αὐτῆς,	αλλ εν εκειναις ταις ημεραις μετα την θλιψιν εκεινην ο ηλιος σκοτισθησεται και η σεληνη ου δωσει το φεγγος αυτης	αλλ εν εκειναις ταις ημεραις μετα την θλιψιν εκεινην ο ηλιος σκοτισθησεται και η σεληνη ου δωσει το φεγγος αυτης

the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

Mark 13:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 13:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 13:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες ἔσονται ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πίπτοντες, καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς σαλευθήσονται	και οι αστερες του ουρανου εσονται εκπιπτοντες και αι δυναμεις αι εν τοις ουρανοις σαλευθησονται	και οι αστερες του ουρανου εσονται εκπιπτοντες και αι δυναμεις αι εν τοις ουρανοις σαλευθησονται

1 Peter 1:22, 23 (NET)	1 Peter 1:22, 23 (KJV)
You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.	Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

1 Peter 1:22 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:22 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:22 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν ἡγνικότες ἐν τῇ ὑπακοῇ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰς φιλαδελφίαν ἀνυπόκριτον, ἐκ [καθαρᾶς] καρδίας ἀλλήλους ἀγαπήσατε ἐκτενῶς	τας ψυχας υμων ηγνικοτες εν τη υπακοη της αληθειας δια πνευματος εις φιλαδελφιαν ανυποκριτον εκ καθαρας καρδιας αλληλους αγαπησατε εκτενως	τας ψυχας υμων ηγνικοτες εν τη υπακοη της αληθειας δια πνευματος εις φιλαδελφιαν ανυποκριτον εκ καθαρας καρδιας αλληλους αγαπησατε εκτενως

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

1 Peter 1:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Peter 1:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Peter 1:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἀναγεγεννημένοι οὐκ ἐκ σπορᾶς φθαρτῆς ἀλλὰ ἀφθάρτου διὰ λόγου ζῶντος θεοῦ καὶ μένοντος	αναγεγεννημενοι ουκ εκ σπορας φθαρτης αλλα αφθαρτου δια λογου ζωντος θεου και μενοντος εις τον αιωνα	αναγεγεννημενοι ουκ εκ σπορας φθαρτης αλλα αφθαρτου δια λογου ζωντος θεου και μενοντος εις τον αιωνα

Matthew 5:25 (NET)	Matthew 5:25 (KJV)
Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison.	Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

Matthew 5:25 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:25 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:25 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἴσθι εὐνοῶν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου ταχύ, ἕως ὅτου εἶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, μήποτε σε παραδῷ ὁ ἀντίδικος τῷ κριτῇ καὶ ὁ κριτὴς τῷ ὑπηρέτῃ καὶ εἰς φυλακὴν βληθήσῃ	ισθι ευνοων τω αντιδικω σου ταχυ εως οτου ει εν τη οδω μετ αυτου μηποτε σε παραδω ο αντιδικος τω κριτη και ο κριτης σε παραδω τω υπηρετη και εις φυλακην βληθηση	ισθι ευνοων τω αντιδικω σου ταχυ εως οτου ει εν τη οδω μετ αυτου μηποτε σε παραδω ο αντιδικος τω κριτη και ο κριτης σε παραδω τω υπηρετη και εις φυλακην βληθηση

Matthew 5:13 (NET)	Matthew 5:13 (KJV)
“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people!	Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Matthew 5:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἅλας τῆς γῆς· ἐὰν δὲ τὸ ἅλας μωρανθῇ, ἐν τίνι ἁλισθήσεται; εἰς οὐδὲν ἰσχύει ἔτι εἰ μὴ βληθὲν ἔξω καταπατεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων	υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθηναι εξω και καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων	υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθηναι εξω και καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων

Matthew 5:23 (NET)	Matthew 5:23 (KJV)
So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you,	Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Matthew 5:23 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:23 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:23 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρον σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κακεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἔχει τι κατὰ σοῦ	εαν ουν προσφερης το δωρον σου επι το θυσιαστηριον κακει μνησθης οτι ο αδελφος σου εχει τι κατα σου	εαν ουν προσφερης το δωρον σου επι το θυσιαστηριον και εκει μνησθης οτι ο αδελφος σου εχει τι κατα σου

Matthew 5:30 (NET)	Matthew 5:30 (KJV)
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.	And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 5:30 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 5:30 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 5:30 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἰ ἡ δεξιά σου χεὶρ σκανδαλίζει σε, ἔκκοψον αὐτὴν καὶ βάλε ἀπὸ σοῦ· συμφέρει γάρ σοι ἵνα ἀπόληται ἓν τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα σου εἰς γέενναν ἀπέλθῃ	και ει η δεξια σου χειρ σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτην και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν	και ει η δεξια σου χειρ σκανδαλιζει σε εκκοψον αυτην και βαλε απο σου συμφερει γαρ σοι ινα αποληται εν των μελων σου και μη ολον το σωμα σου βληθη εις γεενναν

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

¹ Galatians 4:4b (ESV)

² 2 Corinthians 3:7a (ESV) Table

³ 2 Corinthians 3:9a (ESV) Table

⁴ Romans 3:20b (ESV)

⁵ Matthew 5:3a (ESV)

⁶ Matthew 5:3b (ESV)

⁷ Matthew 5:4a (ESV)

⁸ Matthew 5:4b (ESV)

⁹ Matthew 5:5a (ESV)

¹⁰ Matthew 5:5b (ESV)

¹¹ Psalm 37:11 (ESV)

¹² Psalm 25:9 (ESV)

¹³ Psalm 34:2 (ESV)

¹⁴ Psalm 76:9 (ESV)

¹⁵ Psalm 147:6 (ESV)

¹⁶ Psalm 149:4 (ESV)

¹⁷ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

¹⁸ Matthew 5:6a (ESV)

¹⁹ Matthew 5:6b (ESV)

²⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

²¹ Luke 4:14b (ESV)

²² Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²³ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

²⁴ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

²⁵ Galatians 5:23b (ESV) Table

²⁶ Matthew 5:7 (ESV)

²⁷ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

²⁸ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

²⁹ Romans 9:16 (ESV) Table

³⁰ Matthew 5:7a (ESV)

³¹ Matthew 5:7b (ESV)

³² Matthew 5:8 (ESV)

³³ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had ἔτι here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εκει (“there, in that place, to that place”).

³⁴ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had κατάθεμα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had καταναθεμα (KJV: curse).

³⁵ The NET parallel Greek text had Ἀλλὰ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had Ἀλλ’.

³⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had πίπτοντες here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκπιπτοντες (KJV: fall).

³⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐκ here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

³⁸ Matthew 24:30b (ESV)

³⁹ Matthew 5:8b (ESV)

⁴⁰ 1 Timothy 1:5 (ESV)

⁴¹ 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)

⁴² The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δια πνευματος (KJV: through the Spirit) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εις τον αιωνα (KJV: for ever) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴⁴ 2 Timothy 2:22a (ESV)

⁴⁵ Matthew 5:8a (ESV)

⁴⁶ Matthew 5:8b (ESV)

⁴⁷ Matthew 5:9 (ESV)

⁴⁸ John 1:10-13 (ESV)

⁴⁹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had σε παραδω (KJV: deliver thee) repeated here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵⁰ Matthew 5:25, 26 (ESV)

⁵¹ The final clause in verse 34 of the Elpenor Septuagint—καὶ παροξυνεῖ τοῖς κατοικοῦσι Βαβυλῶνα—was not translated in the Elpenor parallel English.

⁵² Matthew 5:9a (ESV)

⁵³ Matthew 5:9b (ESV)

⁵⁴ Matthew 5:10a (ESV)

⁵⁵ Matthew 5:10b (ESV)

⁵⁶ Matthew 5:11 (ESV) Table

⁵⁷ Matthew 5:12a (ESV)

⁵⁸ Philippians 2:13b (ESV) Table

⁵⁹ Matthew 5:12b (ESV)

⁶⁰ Matthew 5:12c (ESV)

⁶¹ Matthew 5:13a (ESV)

⁶² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had βληθὲν, a passive participle of βάλλω here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the passive infinitive βληθηναι (KJV: to be cast).

⁶³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶⁴ Matthew 5:13b (ESV)

⁶⁵ Matthew 5:14a (ESV)

⁶⁶ Matthew 5:14b, 15 (ESV)

⁶⁷ Matthew 5:16a (ESV)

⁶⁸ Matthew 5:16b (ESV)

⁶⁹ Philippians 2:13b (ESV) Table

⁷⁰ Matthew 5:17a (ESV)

⁷¹ Matthew 5:17b (ESV)

⁷² John 3:21b (ESV)

⁷³ Matthew 5:18 (ESV)

⁷⁴ Matthew 5:19, 20 (ESV)

⁷⁵ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

⁷⁶ Luke 4:14b (ESV)

⁷⁷ Romans 13:10b (ESV)

⁷⁸ Galatians 5:22b, 23a (ESV)

⁷⁹ Matthew 5:21 (ESV)

⁸⁰ Matthew 5:22 (ESV) Table

⁸¹ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had κακεῖ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had καί εκει.

⁸² Genesis 4:9b (ESV) Table

⁸³ Romans 14:13 (ESV)

⁸⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

⁸⁵ Matthew 5:27 (ESV) Table

⁸⁶ Matthew 5:28 (ESV) Table

⁸⁷ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπέλθῃ, a form of ἀπέρχομαι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had βληθη (KJV: should be cast), a form of βάλλω.

⁸⁸ Romans 8:3a (ESV)

⁸⁹ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁹⁰ Philippians 3:9b (NET)

⁹¹ Matthew 5:33, 34a (ESV)

⁹² Luke 4:14b (ESV)

⁹³ Matthew 5:45b (ESV) Table

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 1

Posted on January 15, 2015 by admin

Revisiting an essay—David’s Forgiveness, Part 1—I realized I had put an inordinate emphasis on the word forgiven without looking into the meaning of the original Hebrew word. My suspicion of Bible translators feels at times like a paranoid schizophrenic’s fear of the CIA. Lapses like this one renew my appreciation for the maxim, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”^[1]

This essay could be very short. I could simply say that Nathan actually responded to David’s confession with the words, Yes, and the Lord has passed over^[2] (ʽâbar) your sin. You are not going to die.^[3] Such a translation would agree with Paul’s assessment of God’s past actions: God in his forbearance had passed over (πάρεσιν, a form of πάρεσις) the sins previously committed.^[4] I could simply accept the text at face value, that ʽâbar is not forgiveness and God is free to exact whatever penalty He chooses.

It seems like an ironclad argument. But five of the twelve Bibles I checked translate ʽâbar in 2 Samuel 12:13 forgiven or forgives. Of the remaining seven four have it put away, two are taken away, and one, Jehovah hath caused thy sin to pass away. How different is that from forgiven really?

ʽâbar 2 Samuel 12:13	Bible Versions
forgiven	NET, CEV, NAB
put away	ASV, DNT, KJV, NKJV
taken away	GWT, NIV
forgives	TEV, TMSG
pass away	YLT

Do the translators believe that this is all I should expect from the forgiveness God exalted Jesus to give to Israel? God exalted him to his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness (ἄφεσιν, a form of ἄφεσις) of sins.^[5] Apparently a primary verb to forgive is as absent from holy Hebrew as it is from pagan Greek. The concept to forgive is either shoehorned into, or extrapolated from, other verbs in both languages. [Addendum 2/14/2018: This is wrong regarding Hebrew: sâlach (סלח).] That gives me cause to study ʽâbar in more detail to get a feel for its capacity to carry forgiveness.

I had the opportunity to go home for a month at Christmas. Home is a relative concept. I alternated between my mother’s house visiting her, my sister and her husband, and my ex-mother-in-law’s house about a hundred miles north visiting her, my kids, my ex-wife and her husband. The day after I arrived I attended my son’s wedding.

We all sat in the front row. I offered the seat next to our ex-wife to my son’s biological father. He declined the offer and sat next to me. (Her current husband sat on her other side.) He is about two years from a painful break-up with his significant other. He leaned over and whispered to me, “I don’t know how you do it. I don’t think I could sit next to my ex, smiling, at her son’s wedding.” He gave me the opportunity to say that I couldn’t take the credit, that it is not my doing so much as my getting out of the way of the Lord’s doing: his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and firm control. He received it well and acknowledged that he was seeking a similar peace.

Later, in a phone conversation with another friend who questioned me more specifically about the fruit of the Spirit, I acknowledged that sadly the Lord’s love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness aren’t always my first impulse. Sometimes letting the fruit of his Spirit shine through me is a matter of waiting in that firm control until the second, third or fourth impulse holds sway. But as I think of it now there is something else that makes friendship with my ex-wife possible.

I forgave her for divorcing me. I forgive her every night I go to bed alone and every morning I wake up. And I will forgive her for as long as we both shall live. “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel…^[6] I don’t forgive her because I am so righteous.

Jesus taught us to pray, forgive (ἄφες, a form of ἀφίημι) us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven (ἀφήκαμεν, another form of ἀφίημι) our debtors.^[7] I, a sinful man in need of the Father’s forgiveness, pray this daily, and I believe Jesus’ saying: For if you forgive (ἀφῆτε, another form of ἀφίημι) others their sins (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα), your heavenly Father will also forgive (ἀφήσει, another form of ἀφίημι) you. But if you do not forgive (ἀφῆτε, another form of ἀφίημι) others, your Father will not forgive (ἀφήσει, another form of ἀφίημι) you your sins (παραπτώματα, a form of παράπτωμα).^[8]

And here I probably give myself too much credit for rational consistency. I forgive because I am schooled in this teaching by the Holy Spirit and filled continuously with his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and firm control. It occurs to me, however, that one who feels more righteous than I, might feel less need of the Father’s forgiveness and less compulsion to forgive others. The fault in this logic is that the most righteous man of all prayed, Father, forgive (ἄφες, a form of ἀφίημι) them, for they don’t know what they are doing^[9] as He surrendered^[10] to his Father’s will.

The Father’s answer to his beloved Son’s request is the hope of all us sinners if it does not depend on human desire or exertion, but on God who shows mercy^[11] (ἐλεῶντος, a form of ἐλεέω). For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy (ἐλεήσῃ, another form of ἐλεέω) to them all.^[12] What shall we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not! For he says to Moses: “I will have mercy (ἐλεήσω, another form of ἐλεέω) on whom I have mercy (ἐλεῶ, another form of ἐλεέω), and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[13]

The Greek word ὡς persuades me that forgiveness is, and will be perceived as, a relative as opposed to an absolute concept. So then, be perfect, as (ὡς) your heavenly Father is perfect.^[14] Whenever you pray, do not be like (ὡς) the hypocrites…^[15] …may your will be done on earth as (ὡς) it is in heaven.^[16] …and forgive us our debts, as (ὡς) we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.^[17] The absolute on/off positions are clear.^[18] But some form of continuum from none to full pardon seems to be indicated by ὡς, contingent upon that quality of forgiveness we extend to others.

Still, I would suggest that we will be inclined to extend the same forgiveness to others that we believe we receive from God. If that forgiveness seems to include punishment we are more likely to believe that some form of punishment should be meted out with our forgiveness as well. Or if the one extending such forgiveness has no authority to punish, conditions may be attached, making forgiveness something that must be earned as opposed to something graciously given and received. I take the interaction between David and Shimei as a case in point.

As David fled from Jerusalem during the events that fulfilled the Lord’s promise to bring disaster (raʽ ) on you from inside your own household,^[19] Shimei threw stones and yelled, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man! The Lord has punished (shûb) you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster (raʽ ) has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed [Table]!”^[20] Clearly, Shimei’s assessment does not agree with Nathan the prophet’s assessment.

Nathan the Prophet’s Assessment

This is what the Lord God of Israel says:

2 Samuel 12:7b (NET) Table

Why have you shown contempt for the word of the Lord by doing evil in my sight?

2 Samuel 12:9a (NET) Table

You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword…

2 Samuel 12:9b (NET)

…and you have taken his wife as your own!

2 Samuel 2:9c (NET)

You have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. So now the sword will never depart from your house.

2 Samuel 12:9d, 10a (NET)

For you have despised me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite as your own!

2 Samuel 12:10b (NET) Table

I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household! Right before your eyes I will take your wives and hand them over to your companion. He will have sexual relations with your wives in broad daylight! Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.

2 Samuel 12:11, 12 (NET) Table1 Table2

Then David exclaimed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord!” Nathan replied to David, “Yes, and the Lord has ʽâbar your sin. You are not going to die.

2 Samuel 12:13 (NET) Table

Nonetheless, because you have treated the Lord with such contempt in this matter, the son who has been born to you will certainly die.

2 Samuel 12:14 (NET) Table

The Hebrew word translated punished (shûb) is not found among the words the Lord God of Israel spoke through Nathan,^[21] though I have certainly interpreted them as if they described recompense. As a child I assumed that “forgiveness” only pertained to hell. I believed that God would still punish me for my sins some other way. He couldn’t help Himself, I thought, it’s who He is.

Abishai couldn’t tolerate hearing his king and commander spoken to as Shimei had spoken to him: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over (ʽâbar) and cut off his head!^[22] Abishai’s use of ʽâbar doesn’t sound much like forgiveness, but David said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this [Table]?’”^[23] David exercised what I have come to call an experimental faith (2 Samuel 16:11, 12 NKJV):

And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him [Table]. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay (shûb) me with good for his cursing this day [Table].”

As David returned, lamenting his Pyrrhic victory^[24] over his son Absalom, Shimei was one of the first^[25] to greet him. Don’t think badly of me, my lord, he said, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind! For I, your servant, know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.^[26] These are reminiscent of David’s words after Nathan confronted him (Psalm 51:1-3 NET):

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts! [Table] Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin! [Table] For I am aware of my rebellious acts; I am forever conscious of my sin [Table].

Abishai, who may have been hiding with David in the cave when Saul entered to relieve himself,^[27] pursued a pious good (possibly expecting David’s approval): For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed (mâshı̂yach)!^[28] But David seemed to pursue something more like a beautiful good: What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t you realize that today I am king over Israel?^[29]

David said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath concerning this.^[30] Here it sounds like he forgave Shimei. But apparently that wasn’t the case. He held onto his grudge against Shimei for the rest of his life. With his dying breath^[31] he instructed Solomon, another son by Bathsheba (1 Kings 2:8, 9 NET):

Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down with the sword.’ But now don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; make sure he has a bloody death.

The Lord however didn’t treat David that way. He didn’t recall David’s sin when He spoke to Jeroboams’s wife by Ahijah the prophet (1 Kings 14:7, 8 NET Table1 Table2):

“Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only (raq) what I approve.”’”

This is another reason I wish to look deeper into ʽâbar. Whatever it means, it altered reality for the God, who does not lie^[32] when He extended it to David.

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 2

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 3

Back to Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 5

Back to Atonement, Part 1

^[1] http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/98153-just-because-you-re-paranoid-doesn-t-mean-they-aren-t-after-you

^[2] The first occurrence in the Bible is Genesis 8:1b (NKJV), And God made a wind to pass (ʽâbar) over the earth, and the waters subsided.

^[3] 2 Samuel 12:13b (NET) Table

^[4] Romans 3:25b (NET)

^[5] Acts 5:31 (NET)

^[6] Malachi 2:16a (NET) Table

^[7] Matthew 6:12 (NET) Table

^[8] Matthew 6:14, 15 (NET) Table

^[9] Luke 23:34a (NET) Table

^[10] Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions of angels right now? How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled (πληρωθῶσιν, a form of πληρόω)? (Matthew 26:53, 54 NET) Table

^[11] Romans 9:16 (NET) Table

^[12] Romans 11:32 (NET)

^[13] Romans 9:14, 15 (NET)

^[14] Matthew 5:48 (NET)

^[15] Matthew 6:5a (NET) Table

^[16] Matthew 6:10b (NET)

^[17] Matthew 6:12 (NET)

^[18] Matthew 6:14, 15 (NET)

^[19] 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) Table

^[20] 2 Samuel 16:7, 8 (NET)

^[21] It does occur in the description of events leading up to and following those words (2 Samuel 11:4, 15; 12:23) but seems to be used in its more literal sense, to return.

^[22] 2 Samuel 16:9 (NET)

^[23] 2 Samuel 16:10 (NET)

^[24] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic_victory See: 2 Samuel 18:33 (NET)

^[25] 2 Samuel 19:16 (NET)

^[26] 2 Samuel 19:19, 20 (NET)

^[27] 1 Samuel 24:3 (NET)

^[28] 2 Samuel 19:21 (NET) See also: 1 Samuel 24:6 (NET)

^[29] 2 Samuel 19:22 (NET)

^[30] 2 Samuel 19:23 (NET)

^[31] 1 Kings 2:10 (NET)

^[32] Titus 1:2 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Matthew 5:48

Exploration, Part 9

Exploration, Part 8

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 3

Christ-Centered Preaching, Chapter 4, Part 2

Forgiven or Passed Over? Part 1