The Children of Promise, Part 2

Posted on April 27, 2024 by admin

Paul wrote, it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God; rather, the children of promise are counted as descendants.¹ In another essay I asked, “So, if God did not allow [Abimelech] to touch Sarah, why didn’t He do the same for Pharaoh and Sarai?” I’m hoping that a thorough study of the story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah will give me a richer understanding of Paul’s contrast between the children of the flesh and the children of promise, as well as an answer to that question. The next two verses in Genesis, a literary forerunner of the cinematic montage, follow:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:8, 9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (NET)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (NETS)	Genesis 12:8, 9 (English Elpenor)
And [Abram] removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem.	Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.	And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.	And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.	Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.	And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness.	And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

This is how Abram saw the land that God promised I will show you:² he moved…and pitched his tent…he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord,³ day after week after month after year. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place⁴ he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land⁵ as though it were a foreign country, living in tents…⁶ You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.⁷

In another essay I thought the Lord’s first promise to Abram began in verse 2. Until I got to verse 8 I completely missed the little one verb promise in the first verse: אַרְאֶֽךָּ (rā’â), I will show thee (Tanakh), and σοι δείξω in Greek in the Septuagint, I will show you (NETS). The Greek verb δείξω is a form of δεικνύω: “to show, point out, make known; to explain, prove; to cause to be seen; to point to; to bring to light, display; to demonstrate.”

So what was it about verse 8 that triggered me to find God’s promise in verse 1? Abram’s faithfulness wandering in the promised land day after week after month after year. As I wrote in another essay: “The enabling grace of God, implicit in his call or command, is manifest among the children of promise as obedience to his word.”

The writer of Hebrews began his remarks about Abraham with five beautiful words: Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. It is a brilliant shorthand that has taken me a lifetime to begin to understand, mostly through trial and error. The first word Πίστει is a dative form of πίστις: “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.”⁸ By faith is an acceptable translation but it is clearly shorthand for, by being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.⁹

The Greek word translated as a passive verb phrase being sure was actually a noun, ὑπόστασις: “sustenance, support, subsistence; foundation (of a building); substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality; possessions, property; situation, condition; existence; rebellion, resistance; good chance of (something happening); realization; mutually agreed tariff; troops stationed at a military base.” I understand why the author chose it: For this reason I tell you, Jesus said, whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.¹⁰ But I can also see that if anyone understood the writer of Hebrews to be suggesting that faith is the “substantial nature, essence, actual being, reality,” then James’ faith was perfected by works¹¹ was a welcome corrective.

The NET translators’ passive verb phrase being convinced of was another noun in Greek, ἔλεγχος: “rebuttal, refutation, reproach; proof, proving; act of questioning; conviction (of a sinner); reproof, censure, correction; something that deserves open criticism.” This noun coupled with the passive verb phrase chosen by the NET translators implies a long history of divine instruction from unbelief to disbelief to faith, as does Abram’s response to the Lord’s simple promise: I will show you:¹² It makes my question seem unnecessary, but I’ll ask it anyway: was this faith, Abraham’s certainty and conviction, something which originated with Abraham, or Abram?

Consider James again: You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works.¹³ The Greek words translated his faith were ἡ πίστις; literally “the faith.” Perhaps “the faithfulness” is a better way to understand it: You see that the faithfulness was working together with his works and the faithfulness was perfected by works. In other words, Abraham’s acts of obedience to God’s word brought faithfulness to its intended conclusion. So, if the apparent faithfulness of Abraham didn’t originate with Abraham, then from what place or what source did it originate?

For from him and through him and to him are all things, Paul wrote of God. To him be glory forever! Amen.¹⁴ This is an important key to understanding the Scriptures. And so, I will understand Πίστει here as shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.” The next word in the writer of Hebrews’ shorthand was καλούμενος.

It is a passive form of καλέω: “Grammatical voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), or the subject is the recipient of the action (passive voice). If the subject of the sentence is being acted upon, then the verb is referred to as being in the passive voice.”¹⁵ The translation, when he was called, is fine and adding Paul’s key to the Scriptures, Life, the Universe and Everything is not anything I’ve ever heard debated: when he was called by God: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham (Ἀβραὰμ)…”

The fourth word is ὑπήκουσεν, a form of ὑπακούω, translated obeyed in the NET. That feels like a short circuit to me. This whole word string is an admirable description of the obedience of faith (ὑπακοὴν πίστεως) that Paul considered the hallmark of his apostleship (Romans 1:5 NET):

Through [Jesus Christ our Lord] we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name.

The word string, to bring about the, may be a lot to ask of εἰς. I would be willing to modify it: grace and…apostleship “into” or “unto” or “for” obedience of faith or “faith’s obedience.” What I’m calling a “short circuit,” leaping to obeyed as a translation of ὑπήκουσεν alone, is what adults do to children.

Adults have neither time nor patience for children to learn the fruit of the Spirit, or to walk or live by the Spirit, the obedience of faith in other words. Adults expect to be obeyed immediately in the flesh. And that’s how children learn to obey—or not. It’s quite a culture shock if they bring this kind of “obedience in the flesh” to Jesus and He calls them actors, pretending to righteousness. For my purposes in this essay I’ll translate ὑπήκουσεν as he listened. Adding Paul’s key would render it: “he listened to God.”

So, that gives me: “By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God.” The final word of this beautiful word string is ἐξελθεῖν, an infinitive form of ἐξέρχομαι, to go out. And again, adding Paul’s key would render it, “to go out in the power of God.” So, I have this word string as a beautiful description of the obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise:

The obedience of faith practiced by the children of promise

Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν

“By God’s faithfulness, when he was called by God, Abraham listened to God to go out in the power of God”

For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.¹⁶ So he journeyed to a land God promised: I will show you.¹⁷ It seems fairly obvious now that this promised land was a shadow cast by the new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.¹⁸ And that insight makes a definition of what I’ll call the obedience practiced by the children of the flesh possible.

The obedience practiced by the children of the flesh

“By my faith in my own calling, I listened to my own inner voice to go out in my own strength”

This is the life trajectory projected by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires¹⁹ to a wished-for-land of my own ambition, to make my name great for my own praise and my own glory. And this innate belief, the natural inheritance of our flesh, can taint or corrupt, distort or pervert even such beautiful words as Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν. I’ll pick up where I left off in Genesis as the plot begins to thicken.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:10, 11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (NET)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (NETS)	Genesis 12:10, 11 (English Elpenor)
And there was a famine in the land; and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was sore in the land [Table].	There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to stay for a while because the famine was severe.	And a famine occurred upon the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine prevailed upon the land [Table].	And there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, because the famine prevailed in the land.
And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife: ‘Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon [Table].	As he approached Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman.	And it came about when Abram drew near to enter into Egypt that Abram said to his wife Sara, “I do know that your are a woman beautiful in countenance [Table],	And it came to pass when Abram drew nigh to enter into Egypt, Abram said to Sara his wife, I know that thou art a fair woman.

This concern occurred to him at the border of the promised land. But that promised land, with boundaries and borders one might draw on a map, was only a shadow. I want to focus this time on that land God promised: I will show you.²⁰

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:12, 13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (NET)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (NETS)	Genesis 12:12, 13 (English Elpenor)
And it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say: This is his wife; and they will kill me, but thee they will keep alive [Table].	When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will keep you alive.	it will be, therefore, that should the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife’, and they will kill me, but you they will keep for themselves [Table].	It shall come to pass then that when the Egyptians shall see thee, they shall say, This is his wife, and they shall slay me, but they shall save thee alive.
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee’ [Table].	So tell them you are my sister so that it may go well for me because of you and my life will be spared on account of you.”	Say, therefore, ‘I am his sister’, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul will live on your account” [Table],	Say, therefore, I am his sister, that it may be well with me on account of thee, and my soul shall live because of thee.

This doesn’t sound like faith to me. That’s really the only thing I need to recognize here. But since I’m approaching things differently this time, I wonder: Why have I always been waylaid here, focused on Abram’s fear and unbelief? And I think I have an answer: I talk a good game. I can write things like:

Πίστει is shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

But when I want to do good, evil is present with me.²¹ Doubts and arguments come to mind: No, Abram’s faith is what matters. God’s faithfulness, though beyond dispute, is not the issue here. Such doubts and arguments arise even as I write this essay, but this time I can ignore them by focusing my attention on the land God promised: I will show you.²²

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 12:14-17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:14-17 (NET)	Genesis 12:14-17 (NETS)	Genesis 12:14-17 (English Elpenor)
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair [Table].	When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.	And it came about when Abram entered into Egypt—as the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful— [Table]	And it came to pass when Abram entered into Egypt– the Egyptians having seen his wife that she was very beautiful–
And the princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house [Table].	When Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. So Abram’s wife was taken into the household of Pharaoh,	that then the rulers of Pharao saw her and praised her to Pharao and brought her into Pharao’s house [Table].	that the princes of Pharao saw her, and praised her to Pharao and brought her into the house of Pharao.
And he dealt well with Abram for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he-asses, and men-servants, and maid-servants, and she-asses, and camels [Table].	and he did treat Abram well on account of her. Abram received sheep and cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.	And for her sake they dealt well with Abram, and he had sheep and calves and donkeys, male and female slaves, mules and camels [Table].	And they treated Abram well on her account, and he had sheep, and calves, and asses, and men-servants, and women-servants, and mules, and camels.
And HaShem plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife [Table].	But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.	And God tried Pharao and his house with great and grievous trials because of Sara, Abram’s wife [Table].	And God afflicted Pharao with great and severe afflictions, and his house, because of Sara, Abram’s wife.

This is utterly offensive to the religious mind. It believes, or wants me to believe, that all that transpired for Abram was the result, or should have been the result, of Abram’s faith or faithfulness rather than God’s (since I refuse to be thrown off the scent this time as Abram prospers pimping his beautiful wife). But the religious mind tips its hand here. I should probably say plainly that what I am calling the religious mind is a masquerade, an act, put on by the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.²³ It would prefer to persuade me to believe that nothing transpired for Abram, because Abram as revealed in the Bible never existed, because the Bible lies about everything that’s written in it, especially God, because there is no God but me—e.g., the old man.

If I pay attention instead to the land God promised: I will show you,²⁴ what does that land look like? God’s promise, and be thou a blessing,²⁵ you will exemplify divine blessing,²⁶ and you shall be one blessed,²⁷ and thou shalt be blessed,²⁸ didn’t fail because Abram was faithless. It didn’t cease in response to Sarai’s apparent adultery in obedience to her husband’s command. This becomes another confirmation that Πίστει truly is the writer of Hebrew’s shorthand for “By God’s faithfulness.”

And I see something else, too (Romans 9:22, 23 NET).

But what if God, willing to demonstrate his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory…

This story of Abram, Sarai and Pharoah, as well as my own confusion about this story, helps me see that the objects of wrath prepared for destruction which God has endured with much patience refers, not only to Pharoah but, to something within Abram and Sarai as well: the old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον) who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.²⁹

I’ll continue with this in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 12:8 and 12:9 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Hebrews 11:8, 9 in the NET and KJV follow.

Genesis 12:8 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:8 (KJV)	Genesis 12:8 (NET)
And he removed from thence unto the mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Ai on the east; and he builded there an altar unto HaShem, and called upon the name of HaShem.	And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.	Then he moved from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and worshiped the Lord.

Genesis 12:8 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 12:8 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατ᾽ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθηλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ Βαιθηλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ Αγγαι κατ᾽ ἀνατολάς καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου	καὶ ἀπέστη ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ ὄρος κατὰ ἀνατολὰς Βαιθὴλ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐκεῖ τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, Βαιθὴλ κατὰ θάλασσαν καὶ ᾿Αγγαὶ κατὰ ἀνατολάς· καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκαλέσατο ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι Κυρίου
Genesis 12:8 (NETS)	Genesis 12:8 (English Elpenor)
And from there he withdrew to the mountain to the east of Baithel and set up his tent there—Baithel towards the sea and Haggai to the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.	And he departed thence to the mountain eastward of Baethel, and there he pitched his tent in Baethel near the sea, and Aggai toward the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord, and called on the name of the Lord.

Genesis 12:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 12:9 (KJV)	Genesis 12:9 (NET)
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.	And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.	Abram continually journeyed by stages down to the Negev.

Genesis 12:9 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 12:9 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπῆρεν Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ	καὶ ἀπῇρεν ῞Αβραμ καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐστρατοπέδευσεν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ
Genesis 12:9 (NETS)	Genesis 12:9 (English Elpenor)
And Abram set out, and as he traveled he encamped in the wilderness.	And Abram departed and went and encamped in the wilderness.

Hebrews 11:8, 9 (NET)	Hebrews 11:8, 9 (KJV)
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.	By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Hebrews 11:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 11:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 11:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πίστει καλούμενος Ἀβραὰμ ὑπήκουσεν ἐξελθεῖν εἰς τόπον ὃν ἤμελλεν λαμβάνειν εἰς κληρονομίαν, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν μὴ ἐπιστάμενος ποῦ ἔρχεται	πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται	πιστει καλουμενος αβρααμ υπηκουσεν εξελθειν εις τον τοπον ον ημελλεν λαμβανειν εις κληρονομιαν και εξηλθεν μη επισταμενος που ερχεται

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Hebrews 11:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Hebrews 11:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Hebrews 11:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Πίστει παρῴκησεν εἰς γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ὡς ἀλλοτρίαν ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσας μετὰ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν συγκληρονόμων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῆς αὐτῆς	πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης	πιστει παρωκησεν εις την γην της επαγγελιας ως αλλοτριαν εν σκηναις κατοικησας μετα ισαακ και ιακωβ των συγκληρονομων της επαγγελιας της αυτης

¹ Romans 9:8 (NET)

² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

³ Genesis 12:8 (NET)

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τον preceding place. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article την preceding land. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁶ Hebrews 11:8, 9a (NET)

⁷ James 2:22 (NET)

⁸ Noun Cases: Dative Case, from GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁹ Hebrews 11:1 (NET)

¹⁰ Mark 11:24 (NET) Table

¹¹ James 2:22 (NET)

¹² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

¹³ James 2:22 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 11:36 (NET)

¹⁵ Grammatical Voice of Verbs: Passive Voice, from Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹⁶ Hebrews 11:10 (NET)

¹⁷ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

¹⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

¹⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁰ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²¹ Romans 7:21b (NET)

²² Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²³ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁴ Genesis 12:1b (NET/NETS) Table

²⁵ Genesis 12:2b (Tanakh) Table

²⁶ Genesis 12:2b (NET) Table

²⁷ Genesis 12:2b (NETS) Table

²⁸ Genesis 12:2b (English Elpenor) Table

²⁹ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

Nothing True, Part 1

Posted on March 17, 2023 by admin

The book of Job continues with a visitation by three friends. Job’s friends bring provocation rather than comfort, angering the Lord (Job 42:7, 8 NET):

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has [Table]. So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

The Septuagint seems more expansive in its criticism of Job’s friends’ words than the Masoretic text.

Job 42:7, 8 (NETS)	Job 42:7, 8 (English Elpenor)
Now it happened after the Lord spoke all these words to Iob, that the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaimanite, “You have sinned, and your two friends, for you have spoken nothing true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) in my presence, as has my attendant Iob.	And it came to pass after the Lord had spoken all these words to Job, [that] the Lord said to Eliphaz the Thaemanite, Thou hast sinned, and thy two friends: for ye have not said anything true (ἀληθὲς οὐδὲν) before me, as my servant Job [has].
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true (ἀληθὲς).”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth (ἀληθὲς) against my servant Job.

Apparently it is neither novel nor curious to translate נכונה (kûn), the thing that is right (Tanakh, KJV) or what is right (NET), ἀληθὲς in the Septuagint. The first occurrence in Genesis follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 41:32 (Tanakh) Table	Genesis 41:32 (NET)	Genesis 41:32 (NETS) Table	Genesis 41:32 (English Elpenor)
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the thing is established (נָכ֤וֹן) by G-d, and G-d will shortly bring it to pass.	The dream was repeated to Pharaoh because the matter has been decreed (kûn, נכון) by God, and God will make it happen soon.	And as for Pharao’s dream being repeated twice: because the matter that is from God will be real (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to do it.	And concerning the repetition of the dream to Pharao twice, [it is] because the saying which is from God shall be true (ἀληθὲς ἔσται), and God will hasten to accomplish it.

The Hebrew word אלי (‘ēl) was translated of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) in both Job 42:7 and 8. The rabbis who translated the Septuagint understood it as ἐνώπιόν μου, in my presence (NETS) and before me (English Elpenor), in verse 7, and κατὰ , against, in verse 8, if אלי (‘ēl) was the word they found in the Hebrew text they translated. Actually, the entire final clause is identical in the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

The essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind hears of me (Tanakh, KJV) and about me (NET) as a limitation of the Lord’s criticism specifically to what Job’s friends’ spoke about the Lord. Rather than assuming that the entire final clause of both verses 7 and 8 was altered by the Masoretes after the Septuagint was translated, perhaps I should understand that the rabbis foreknew the error of the essentially Greek nature of the philosophical bent of my mind.

Perhaps they have explained to me that אלי (‘ēl) does not limit the Lord’s criticism. On the contrary, since from him and through him and to him are all things,¹ Job’s friends have not said anything true (English Elpenor), and since Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil,² everything they said was against Job: The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.³

Despite knowing the end and the beginning of the book of Job, when I’ve read it in the past I’ve gotten bogged down. My religious mind favors the arguments of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar over those of Job. I hope this study will help me to know God better and to discern the errors of my religious mind.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 2:11-13 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 2:11-13 (NET)	Job 2:11-13 (NETS)	Job 2:11-13 (English Elpenor)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil (הָֽרָעָ֣ה) that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity (raʿ, הרעה) that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him	Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles (τὰ κακὰ) that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil (τὰ κακὰ) that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.	But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.	They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

I visited some with my mother everyday she was in hospice care, but nothing like this. Job was first to break the silence.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:1-3 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:1-3 (NET)	Job 3:1-3 (NETS)	Job 3:1-3 (English Elpenor)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed (וַיְקַלֵּ֖ל) his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed (qālal, ויקלל) the day he was born.	After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed (κατηράσατο) his day,
And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:	saying:	saying,
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’	“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Moses had a similar lament:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 11:10-15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NET)	Numbers 11:10-15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10-15 (English Elpenor)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.	And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?	And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?	Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’	From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”	But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job lamenting the day of his birth seems benign by comparison.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:4 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)	Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above (מִמָּ֑עַל), neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high (maʿal, ממעל) regard it, nor let light shine on it!	May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above (ἄνωθεν) not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above (ἄνωθεν), neither let light come upon it.

I’ll pause here a moment to point out that the Hebrew word מִמָּ֑עַל (maʿal), from above (Tanakh/KJV), on high (NET) was translated ἄνωθεν, above (NETS), from above (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. “I tell you the solemn truth,” Jesus said to Nicodemus, “unless a person is born from above (ἄνωθεν), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”⁴ Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’⁵

Job continued to lament the day of his birth:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Job 3:5-10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Job 3:5-10 (NET)	Job 3:5-10 (NETS)	Job 3:5-10 (English Elpenor)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.	But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!	May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!	Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning (לִוְיָתָֽן).	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan⁶ (livyāṯān, לויתן).	Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster (κῆτος).	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale (κῆτος).
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,	May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.	because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Job wasn’t finished but I want to consider a similar lament voiced by Jeremiah:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Jeremiah 20:14-18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NET)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14-18 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.	Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!	Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.	Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.	because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.	Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

I’ll continue with Job’s lament in another essay.

Tables comparing Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1; 3:2; 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Job 42:8; 2:11; 2:12; 2:13; 3:1 (3:1, 2a); 3:2 (3:2b); 3:3; Numbers 11:10; 11:11; 11:12; 11:13; 11:14; 11:15; Job 3:4; 3:5; 3:6; 3:7; 3:8; 3:9; 3:10; Jeremiah 20:14; 20:15; 20:16; 20:17 and 20:18 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Job 42:8 (Tanakh)	Job 42:8 (KJV)	Job 42:8 (NET)
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.	So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.”

Job 42:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 42:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου Ιωβ καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν περὶ ὑμῶν Ιωβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήμψομαι εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾽ αὐτόν ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου Ιωβ	νῦν δὲ λάβετε ἑπτὰ μόσχους καὶ ἑπτὰ κριοὺς καὶ πορεύθητε πρὸς τὸν θεράποντά μου ᾿Ιώβ, καὶ ποιήσει κάρπωσιν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν. ᾿Ιὼβ δὲ ὁ θεράπων μου εὔξεται περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι εἰ μὴ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ λήψομαι· εἰ μὴ γὰρ δι᾿ αὐτόν, ἀπώλεσα ἂν ὑμᾶς· οὐ γὰρ ἐλαλήσατε ἀληθὲς κατὰ τοῦ θεράποντός μου ᾿Ιώβ
Job 42:8 (NETS)	Job 42:8 (English Elpenor)
Now then, take seven calves and seven rams, and go to my attendant Iob, and he will make offerings for you, and Iob, my attendant, will pray for you, [because only his face will I accept] for, if not for him, I would have destroyed you; for what you spoke against my attendant Job is not true.”	Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth against my servant Job.

Job 2:11 (Tanakh)	Job 2:11 (KJV)	Job 2:11 (NET)
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.	When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to come to show sympathy for him and to console him.

Job 2:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῗς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν Ελιφας ὁ Θαιμανων βασιλεύς Βαλδαδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος Σωφαρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδὸν τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν	ἀκούσαντες δὲ οἱ τρεῖς φίλοι αὐτοῦ τὰ κακὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπελθόντα αὐτῷ, παρεγένοντο ἕκαστος ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας χώρας πρὸς αὐτόν· ᾿Ελιφὰζ ὁ Θαιμανῶν βασιλεύς, Βαλδὰδ ὁ Σαυχαίων τύραννος, Σωφὰρ ὁ Μιναίων βασιλεύς, καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοθυμαδόν, τοῦ παρακαλέσαι καὶ ἐπισκέψασθαι αὐτόν
Job 2:11 (NETS)	Job 2:11 (English Elpenor)
Now when his three friends heard of all the troubles that had come upon him, they came to him, each one from his own country—Eliphaz, the king of the Thaimanites, Baldad, the tyrant of the Sauchites, Sophar, the king of the Minites. And they came to him of one accord, to comfort and to visit with him.	Now his three friends having heard of all the evil that was come upon him, came to him each from his own country: Eliphaz the king of the Thaemans, Baldad sovereign of the Saucheans, Sophar king of the Kinaeans: and they came to him with one accord, to comfort and to visit him.

Job 2:12 (Tanakh)	Job 2:12 (KJV)	Job 2:12 (NET)
And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.	But when they gazed intently from a distance but did not recognize him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.

Job 2:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ῥήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολὴν καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν	ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν πόρρωθεν οὐκ ἐπέγνωσαν· καὶ βοήσαντες φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἔκλαυσαν ρήξαντες ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ στολήν. καὶ καταπασάμενοι γῆν
Job 2:12 (NETS)	Job 2:12 (English Elpenor)
But when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they cried out with a loud voice and wept; each of them tore his robe, and they sprinkled themselves with dust.	And when they saw him from a distance they did not know him; and they cried with a loud voice, and wept, and rent every one his garment, and sprinkled dust upon [their heads],

Job 2:13 (Tanakh)	Job 2:13 (KJV)	Job 2:13 (NET)
So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.	Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

Job 2:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 2:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα	παρεκάθισαν αὐτῷ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας καὶ ἑπτὰ νύκτας, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν ἐλάλησεν· ἑώρων γὰρ τὴν πληγὴν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ μεγάλην σφόδρα
Job 2:13 (NETS)	Job 2:13 (English Elpenor)
They sat with him seven days, [and seven nights] and none of them spoke, for they saw that the calamity was dire and very great.	and they sat down beside him seven days and seven nights, and not one of them spoke; for they saw that his affliction was dreadful and very great.

Job 3:1 (Tanakh)	Job 3:1 (KJV)	Job 3:1 (NET)
After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.	After this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.

Job 3:1, 2a (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μετὰ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν Ιωβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ (2) καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ	ΜΕΤΑ τοῦτο ἤνοιξεν ᾿Ιὼβ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ καὶ κατηράσατο τὴν ἡμέραν αὐτοῦ
Job 3:1 (NETS)	Job 3:1 (English Elpenor)
After this Iob opened his mouth and cursed his day,	After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,

Job 3:2 (Tanakh)	Job 3:2 (KJV)	Job 3:2 (NET)
And Job spake, and said,	And Job spake, and said,	Job spoke up and said:

Job 3:2b (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
λέγων	λέγων
Job 3:2 (NETS)	Job 3:2 (English Elpenor)
saying:	saying,

Job 3:3 (Tanakh)	Job 3:3 (KJV)	Job 3:3 (NET)
Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.	“Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night that said, ‘A man has been conceived!’

Job 3:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην καὶ ἡ νύξ ἐν ᾗ εἶπαν ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν	ἀπόλοιτο ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐγεννήθην, καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ᾗ εἶπαν· ἰδοὺ ἄρσεν
Job 3:3 (NETS)	3:3 (English Elpenor)
“May the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which they said, ‘Look, a man-child!’	Let the day perish in which I was born, and that night in which they said, Behold a man-child!

Numbers 11:10 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:10 (KJV)	Numbers 11:10 (NET)
And Moses heard the people weeping, family by family, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of HaShem was kindled greatly; and Moses was displeased.	Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.	Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and when the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, Moses was also displeased.

Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ κύριος σφόδρα καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν	καὶ ἤκουσε Μωυσῆς κλαιόντων αὐτῶν κατὰ δήμους αὐτῶν, ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη ὀργῇ Κύριος σφόδρα, καὶ ἔναντι Μωυσῆ ἦν πονηρόν
Numbers 11:10 (NETS)	Numbers 11:10 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses heard them weeping in their divisions. each one at his door. And the Lord was greatly angered with wrath, and before Moyses it was evil.	And Moses heard them weeping by their families, every one in his door: and the Lord was very angry; and the thing was evil in the sight of Moses.

Numbers 11:11 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:11 (KJV)	Numbers 11:11 (NET)
And Moses said unto HaShem: ‘Wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with Thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in Thy sight, that Thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you afflicted your servant? Why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of this entire people on me?

Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς πρὸς κύριον ἵνα τί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου καὶ διὰ τί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς πρὸς Κύριον· ἱνατί ἐκάκωσας τὸν θεράποντά σου, καὶ διατί οὐχ εὕρηκα χάριν ἐναντίον σου, ἐπιθεῖναι τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ἐπ’ ἐμέ
Numbers 11:11 (NETS)	Numbers 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said to the Lord, “Why have you mistreated your attendant, and why have I not found favor before you, to lay the onslaught of this people upon me?	And Moses said to the Lord, Why hast thou afflicted thy servant, and why have I not found grace in thy sight, that thou shouldest lay the weight of this people upon me?

Numbers 11:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:12 (KJV)	Numbers 11:12 (NET)
Have I conceived all this people? have I brought them forth, that Thou shouldest say unto me: Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing-father carrieth the sucking child, unto the land which Thou didst swear unto their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?	Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to their fathers?

Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς ὅτι λέγεις μοι λαβὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν	μὴ ἐγὼ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔλαβον πάντα τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ἢ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον αὐτούς, ὅτι λέγεις μοι, λάβε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν κόλπον σου, ὡσεὶ ἄραι τιθηνὸς τὸν θηλάζοντα, εἰς τὴν γῆν ἣν ὤμοσας τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν
Numbers 11:12 (NETS)	Numbers 11:12 (English Elpenor)
Was it I who carried in the womb all this people, or was it I who gave birth to them, that you are saying to me, ‘Take them to your bosom, as a nurse might take up the sucking child,’ into the land, which you swore to their fathers?	Have I conceived all this people, or have I born them? that thou sayest to me, Take them into thy bosom, as a nurse would take her suckling, into the land which thou swarest to their fathers?

Numbers 11:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:13 (KJV)	Numbers 11:13 (NET)
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they trouble me with their weeping, saying: Give us flesh, that we may eat.	Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.	From where shall I get meat to give to this entire people, for they cry to me, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat!’

Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ λέγοντες δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα ἵνα φάγωμεν	πόθεν μοι κρέα δοῦναι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ; ὅτι κλαίουσιν ἐπ’ ἐμοί, λέγοντες· δὸς ἡμῖν κρέα, ἵνα φάγωμεν
Numbers 11:13 (NETS)	Numbers 11:13 (English Elpenor)
From where do I get meat to give to all this people? For they are weeping to me, saying, ‘Give us meat so that we may eat!’	Whence have I flesh to give to all this people? for they weep to me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

Numbers 11:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:14 (KJV)	Numbers 11:14 (NET)
I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.	I am not able to bear this entire people alone, because it is too heavy for me!

Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστιν τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο	οὐ δυνήσομαι ἐγὼ μόνος φέρειν τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι βαρύτερόν μοί ἐστι τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο
Numbers 11:14 (NETS)	Numbers 11:14 (English Elpenor)
I shall not be able to bear this people alone, because this thing is too heavy for me.	I shall not be able to bear this people alone, for this thing is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 11:15 (KJV)	Numbers 11:15 (NET)
And if Thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray Thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in Thy sight; and let me not look upon my wretchedness.’	And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.	But if you are going to deal with me like this, then kill me immediately. If I have found favor in your sight then do not let me see my trouble.”

Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 11:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ δὲ οὕτως σὺ ποιεῖς μοι ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί ἵνα μὴ ἴδω μου τὴν κάκωσιν	εἰ δ’ οὕτω σὺ ποιεῖς μοι, ἀπόκτεινόν με ἀναιρέσει, εἰ εὕρηκα ἔλεος παρὰ σοί, ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὴν κάκωσίν μου
Numbers 11:15 (NETS)	Numbers 11:15 (English Elpenor)
But if this is how you are going to treat me, kill me by slaying if I have found mercy with you so that I may not see my suffering.”	And if thou doest thus to me, slay me utterly, if I have found favour with thee, that I may not see my affliction.

Job 3:4 (Tanakh)	Job 3:4 (KJV)	Job 3:4 (NET)
Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.	That day—let it be darkness; let not God on high regard it, nor let light shine on it!

Job 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ κύριος ἄνωθεν μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος	ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη σκότος, καὶ μὴ ἀναζητήσαι αὐτὴν ὁ Κύριος ἄνωθεν, μηδὲ ἔλθοι εἰς αὐτὴν φέγγος
Job 3:4 (NETS)	Job 3:4 (English Elpenor)
May that day be darkness! And may the Lord above not seek it, or light come to it.	Let that night be darkness, and let not the Lord regard it from above, neither let light come upon it.

Job 3:5 (Tanakh)	Job 3:5 (KJV)	Job 3:5 (NET)
Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.	Let darkness and the deepest shadow claim it; let a cloud settle on it; let whatever blackens the day terrify it.

Job 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν γνόφος	ἐκλάβοι δὲ αὐτὴν σκότος καὶ σκιὰ θανάτου, ἐπέλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν γνόφος. καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα
Job 3:5 (NETS)	Job 3:5 (English Elpenor)
But may darkness and deathly shadow seize it. May gloom come upon it.	But let darkness and the shadow of death seize it; let blackness come upon it;

Job 3:6 (Tanakh)	Job 3:6 (KJV)	Job 3:6 (NET)
As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.	That night—let darkness seize it; let it not be included among the days of the year; let it not enter among the number of the months!

Job 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:5b, 6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν	(5b) καταραθείη ἡ ἡμέρα (6) καὶ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη, ἀπενέγκαιτο αὐτὴν σκότος· μὴ εἴη εἰς ἡμέρας ἐνιαυτοῦ, μηδὲ ἀριθμηθείη εἰς ἡμέρας μηνῶν
Job 3:6 (NETS)	Job 3:6 (English Elpenor)
May that day and night be cursed; may darkness carry it away! May it not exist among the days of the year or be numbered among the days of the months.	let that day and night be cursed, let darkness carry them away; let it not come into the days of the year, neither let it be numbered with the days of the months.

Job 3:7 (Tanakh)	Job 3:7 (KJV)	Job 3:7 (NET)
Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.	Indeed, let that night be barren; let no shout of joy penetrate it!

Job 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή	ἀλλὰ ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη εἴη ὀδύνη, καὶ μὴ ἔλθοι ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν εὐφροσύνη μηδὲ χαρμονή
Job 3:7 (NETS)	Job 3:7 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may the night be anguish, and may gladness and joy not come upon it.	But let that night be pain, and let not mirth come upon it, nor joy.

Job 3:8 (Tanakh)	Job 3:8 (KJV)	Job 3:8 (NET)
Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.	Let those who curse the day curse it—those who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Job 3:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι	ἀλλὰ καταράσαιτο αὐτὴν ὁ καταρώμενος τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὁ μέλλων τὸ μέγα κῆτος χειρώσασθαι
Job 3:8 (NETS)	Job 3:8 (English Elpenor)
Rather, may he who curses that day curse it—he who is about to subdue the great sea-monster.	But let him that curses that day curse it, [even] he that is ready to attack the great whale.

Job 3:9 (Tanakh)	Job 3:9 (KJV)	Job 3:9 (NET)
Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:	Let its morning stars be darkened; let it wait for daylight but find none, nor let it see the first rays of dawn,

Job 3:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα	σκοτωθείη τὰ ἄστρα τῆς νυκτὸς ἐκείνης, ὑπομείναι καὶ εἰς φωτισμὸν μὴ ἔλθοι καὶ μὴ ἴδοι ἑωσφόρον ἀνατέλλοντα
Job 3:9 (NETS)	Job 3:9 (English Elpenor)
May the stars of that night be dark; may it remain so and not be lit up, and may it not see the morning-star rising—	Let the stars of that night be darkened; let it remain [dark], and not come into light; and let it not see the morning star arise:

Job 3:10 (Tanakh)	Job 3:10 (KJV)	Job 3:10 (NET)
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.	because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.

Job 3:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Job 3:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισεν πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου ἀπήλλαξεν γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου	ὅτι οὐ συνέκλεισε πύλας γαστρὸς μητρός μου· ἀπήλλαξε γὰρ ἂν πόνον ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου
Job 3:10 (NETS)	Job 3:10 (English Elpenor)
because it did not shut the gates of my mother’s womb, for it would have put away trouble from my eyes.	because it shut not up the gates of my mother’s womb, for [so] it would have removed sorrow from my eyes.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:14 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:14 (NET)
Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.	Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.

Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέν με ἡ μήτηρ μου μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή	᾿Επικατάρατος ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἐτέχθην ἐν αὐτῇ· ἡ ἡμέρα, ἐν ᾗ ἔτεκέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου, μὴ ἔστω ἐπευκτή
Jeremiah 20:14 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:14 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the day on which I was born on it! The day on which my mother bore me—let it not be longed for!	Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.

Jeremiah 20:15 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:15 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:15 (NET)
Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.	Cursed be the man who made my father very glad when he brought him the news that a baby boy had been born to him!

Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσεν εὐφραινόμενος	ἐπικατάρατος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ εὐαγγελισάμενος τῷ πατρί μου λέγων· ἐτέχθη σοι ἄρσην, εὐφραινόμενος
Jeremiah 20:15 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:15 (English Elpenor)
Cursed be the person who brought the good news to my father, saying, “A male child was born to you,” being glad.	Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to thee.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:16 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:16 (NET)
And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;	May that man be like the cities that the Lord destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon.

Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις ἃς κατέστρεψεν κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τὸ πρωὶ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας	ἔστω ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος ὡς αἱ πόλεις, ἃς κατέστρεψε Κύριος ἐν θυμῷ καὶ οὐ μετεμελήθη· ἀκουσάτω κραυγῆς τῷ πρωΐ καὶ ἀλαλαγμοῦ μεσημβρίας
Jeremiah 20:16 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:16 (English Elpenor)
Let that person be like the cities that the Lord overthrew in anger and did not repent; let him hear a cry in the morning and a shouting at noon,	Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;

Jeremiah 20:17 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:17 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:17 (NET)
Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.	For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever.

Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέν με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήμψεως αἰωνίας	ὅτι οὐκ ἀπέκτεινέ με ἐν μήτρᾳ μητρὸς καὶ ἐγένετό μοι ἡ μήτηρ μου τάφος μου καὶ ἡ μήτρα συλλήψεως αἰωνίας
Jeremiah 20:17 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:17 (English Elpenor)
because he did not kill me in the womb, and my mother became my grave and the womb one of perpetual conception.	because he slew me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 20:18 (KJV)	Jeremiah 20:18 (NET)
Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?	Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.

Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 20:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα τί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου	ἱνατί τοῦτο ἐξῆλθον ἐκ μήτρας τοῦ βλέπειν κόπους καὶ πόνους, καὶ διετέλεσαν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ αἱ ἡμέραι μου
Jeremiah 20:18 (NETS)	Jeremiah 20:18 (English Elpenor)
Why is it that I came forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and my days continued in shame?	Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

Nothing True, Part 2

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 10

Back to Nothing True, Part 3

Back to Nothing True, Part 4

Back to Nothing True, Part 5

Back to Nothing True, Part 6

¹ Romans 11:36a (NET)

² Job 1:1b (NET) Table

³ 1 Corinthians 2:15 (NET) Table

⁴ John 3:3 (NET) Table

⁵ John 3:7 (NET)

⁶ Job 41

Who Am I? Part 13

Posted on February 8, 2021 by admin

I returned to the same church I had left, believing they were right and I was wrong. I resurrected my god of punishment, more or less, and resolved to be a do-it-yourself-Christian with renewed vigor. I began to worship my own free will again, though I would have denied it if anyone had told me. I only recognize two things different from before my prodigal years.

First, I was done with sin. I would never have said that aloud. I’m not sure I ever thought it through. It certainly wasn’t true yet in any practical sense. But I had returned with real adult sins to my credit and I was sick and tired of it. I can trace that very clearly back to my prodigal years.

Second, I wanted to study the Bible. It wasn’t like before when there were times that I wanted to study the Bible because I was a studious person. Trying to study the Bible always cured me of my “studious person” desire. After my prodigal years I caught myself reading and studying the Bible when I didn’t particularly want to read or study the Bible. I trace that back to God’s answer to a prayer:

“If you’re really out there, I really want to know you.”

It wasn’t a prayer of great faith. “If you’re really out there,” doesn’t score very high on any faith-o-meter. It was little more than a flicker of “hope” that “God might still be there waiting for any who might perchance call upon Him.”^[1] And yet it was the prayer that was answered.

It was a prayer of my own free will in some sense. No one held a gun to my head to force me to walk to the kitchen and look out at the sky. No one beat or tortured me until I said the words. But when I consider the actual words I prayed I find it more difficult to believe that they were the result of my own free will.

My prayer was a conditional statement. It would be several years before I went back to school, took Logic 101 and understood that the only condition I placed upon God was his existence. There was no list of personal goals, plans, hopes, dreams, other conditions that God must meet to obtain my loyalty or, in this prayer, my desire (my will) to know Him.

Once I returned to the church and the people I grew up among many if not all of my conditions returned, but even that didn’t alter my new desire to read and study the Bible. Even when it wasn’t always exactly my desire, I caught myself doing it anyway. And I was several years from understanding that I had prayed for eternal life as Jesus’ defined it. Where did the words of this prayer come from?

I’m going to consider a passage from John’s first letter about knowing God. It’s not too hard to imagine that these words were somewhere in my memory from somewhere in my past. I’ll begin at his discussion of love and eternal life (1 John 3:14, 15 NET):

We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love (ἀγαπῶμεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) our fellow Christians. The one who does not love^[2] (ἀγαπῶν, another form of ἀγαπάω) remains in death. Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.^[3]

As a do-it-yourself-Christian I assumed I should love other Christians (KJV: the brethren) in my own strength to prove that I was one, too. I understood that Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer will go to heaven. John, however, was thinking here of ζωὴν αἰώνιον (eternal life) as something potentially residing (μένουσαν, a form of μένω) in one, rather than as a place one might go. This is much more like Jesus’ understanding of αἰώνιος ζωὴ (John 17:3 NET):

Now this is eternal life (αἰώνιος ζωὴ)—that they know (γινώσκωσιν, a form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.

The Greek word translated know in the phrase We know was not the same as γινώσκωσιν above. Rather, it was οἴδαμεν (a form of εἴδω), to know by seeing or experiencing. John was not describing a rule to obey in my own strength so much as a sign to recognize that I had crossed over from death to life.

The second definition of ἀγαπάω in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is “to accept the authority of (someone), display respect for (someone).” Though “believing” my fellow Christians “were right and I was wrong” would eventually become somewhat problematic, I probably should have recognized, or would have benefitted from recognizing, this insight as at least the beginning of the love of God stirring within me, an aspect of the fruit of the Holy Spirit residing in me.

I have argued alternatively that fellow Christians was too restrictive or not restrictive enough a translation of τοὺς ἀδελφούς (KJV: the brethren). Regardless, it doesn’t alter Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 5:43-45 NET):

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love (ἀγαπήσεις, another form of ἀγαπάω) your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love (ἀγαπᾶτε, another form of ἀγαπάω) your enemy and pray for those who persecute you [Table], so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous [Table].

As a rule to obey in my own strength, loving my enemies seems daunting if not even a little stupid. But to be like my Father in heaven, loving with the love that flows from his Spirit dwelling within me, is completely doable despite the how-to-do-that being a little tricky to learn. John was explicitly clear about the quality of this love (1 John 3:16 NET):

We have come to know love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down^[4] our lives for our fellow Christians.

The Greek word translated We have come to know is ἐγνώκαμεν (another form of γινώσκω), like that they know (γινώσκωσιν, a form of γινώσκω) you, the only true God… So I have everything Jesus said and did in the Gospel narratives to define this love as well as the Holy Spirit’s verbal definition given through Paul (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 NET):

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη), I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove^[5] mountains, but do not have love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη), I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη), I receive no benefit [Table].

Love (ἀγάπη) is patient, love (ἀγάπη) is kind, it is not envious. Love (ἀγάπη) does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love (ἀγάπη) never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will be set aside; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be set aside [Table]. For^[6] we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when what is perfect comes,^[7] the partial will be set aside. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. But when I became an adult, I set aside childish ways. For now we see in a mirror indirectly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love (ἀγάπη). But the greatest of these is love (ἀγάπη).

John continued (1 John 3:17 NET):

But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love (ἀγάπη) of God reside in such a person?

It was exceptionally childish of me as a do-it-yourself-Christian to think that I could love like God by turning Paul’s definition of love into rules I would obey in my own strength. John was fairly clear here, writing about the love of God that might reside (μένει, another form of μένω) in a person (much like eternal life). Here one does not manufacture the love but possibly shuts off (κλείσῃ, a form of κλείω) his compassion. I wonder if I should consider his (αὐτοῦ, a form of αὐτός) here as a reference to God.

John continued (1 John 3:18-20 NET):

Little children,^[8] let us not love (ἀγαπῶμεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) with word or with tongue but in deed and truth. And by this we will know^[9] that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience^[10] in his presence, that if our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things.

As a child I had adapted my understanding of the meaning of my elders’ words to better accommodate what they actually did. As a do-it-yourself-Christian I understood word (λόγῳ, a form of λόγος) and tongue (γλώσσῃ, a form of γλῶσσα) as faith, and deed (ἔργῳ, a form of ἔργον) and truth (ἀληθείᾳ) as my own works. So, by our own works we will know (γνωσόμεθα, a form of γινώσκω) that we are of the truth (ἀληθείας, a form of ἀλήθεια) and will convince our conscience in his presence. The only sense I could make of the next verse then was that God would forgive us for not loving like God in our own strength.

The idea that we would actually love like God in his strength by his Holy Spirit eluded me, as did what I misconstrued as the goal of Christian faith and obedience—to get God to do what we want—since I failed so miserably to love like God in my own strength (1 John 3:21, 22 NET):

Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us,^[11] we have confidence in the presence of God, and whatever we ask we receive from^[12] him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.

And the one who sent me is with me, Jesus said. He^[13] has not left me alone because I always do those things that please him.^[14] The Greek words translated those things that please here and the things that are pleasing above were τὰ ἀρεστὰ. This connection was troubling since Jesus seemed to credit his perfect obedience with the fact that the Father has not left me alone. But it became enlightening as well as I began to suspect that God had not left me alone even during my prodigal years when I had claimed to be an atheist. I searched for some reason to explain it since I was unpersuadable that I’m so much more adorable than Jesus.

John continued (1 John 3:23, 24 NET):

Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love (ἀγαπῶμεν, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides in God, and God in him. Now by this we know (γινώσκομεν, another form of γινώσκω) that God resides in us: by the Spirit he has given us.

Over time it became harder and harder to believe that my faith and obedience caused me to reside in God and He in me. Slowly, I began to suspect that the Holy Spirit He had given me was God residing in me and the cause of my residing in Him. My faith and obedience, such as they were, were the result of his presence, and signs that it was so. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.^[15]

Tables comparing 1 John 3:14, 15; 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:2; 13:9, 10; 1 John 3:18, 19; 3:21, 22 and John 8:29 in the NET and KJV follow.

1 John 3:14, 15 (NET)	1 John 3:14, 15 (KJV)
We know that we have crossed over from death to life because we love our fellow Christians. The one who does not love remains in death.	We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι μεταβεβήκαμεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἀγαπῶμεν τοὺς ἀδελφούς· ὁ μὴ ἀγαπῶν μένει ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ	ημεις οιδαμεν οτι μεταβεβηκαμεν εκ του θανατου εις την ζωην οτι αγαπωμεν τους αδελφους ο μη αγαπων τον αδελφον μενει εν τω θανατω	ημεις οιδαμεν οτι μεταβεβηκαμεν εκ του θανατου εις την ζωην οτι αγαπωμεν τους αδελφους ο μη αγαπων τον αδελφον μενει εν τω θανατω

Everyone who hates his fellow Christian is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πᾶς ὁ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἀνθρωποκτόνος ἐστίν, καὶ οἴδατε ὅτι πᾶς ἀνθρωποκτόνος οὐκ ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἐν αὐτῷ μένουσαν	πας ο μισων τον αδελφον αυτου ανθρωποκτονος εστιν και οιδατε οτι πας ανθρωποκτονος ουκ εχει ζωην αιωνιον εν αυτω μενουσαν	πας ο μισων τον αδελφον αυτου ανθρωποκτονος εστιν και οιδατε οτι πας ανθρωποκτονος ουκ εχει ζωην αιωνιον εν εαυτω μενουσαν

1 John 3:16 (NET)	1 John 3:16 (KJV)
We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.	Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐν τούτῳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν ἀγάπην, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἔθηκεν· καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀφείλομεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰς ψυχὰς θεῖναι	εν τουτω εγνωκαμεν την αγαπην οτι εκεινος υπερ ημων την ψυχην αυτου εθηκεν και ημεις οφειλομεν υπερ των αδελφων τας ψυχας τιθεναι	εν τουτω εγνωκαμεν την αγαπην οτι εκεινος υπερ ημων την ψυχην αυτου εθηκεν και ημεις οφειλομεν υπερ των αδελφων τας ψυχας τιθεναι

1 Corinthians 13:2 (NET)	1 Corinthians 13:2 (KJV)
And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.	And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
\|καὶ ἐὰν\| ἔχω προφητείαν καὶ εἰδῶ τὰ μυστήρια πάντα καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γνῶσιν \|καὶ ἐὰν\| ἔχω πᾶσαν τὴν πίστιν ὥστε ὄρη \|μεθιστάναι\|, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.	και εαν εχω προφητειαν και ειδω τα μυστηρια παντα και πασαν την γνωσιν και εαν εχω πασαν την πιστιν ωστε ορη μεθιστανειν αγαπην δε μη εχω ουθεν ειμι	και εαν εχω προφητειαν και ειδω τα μυστηρια παντα και πασαν την γνωσιν και εαν εχω πασαν την πιστιν ωστε ορη μεθιστανειν αγαπην δε μη εχω ουθεν ειμι

1 Corinthians 13:9, 10 (NET)	1 Corinthians 13:9, 10 (KJV)
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part,	For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐκ μέρους γὰρ γινώσκομεν καὶ ἐκ μέρους προφητεύομεν	εκ μερους γαρ γινωσκομεν και εκ μερους προφητευομεν	εκ μερους δε γινωσκομεν και εκ μερους προφητευομεν

but when what is perfect comes, the partial will be set aside.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ τὸ τέλειον, τὸ ἐκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται	οταν δε ελθη το τελειον τοτε το εκ μερους καταργηθησεται

1 John 3:18, 19 (NET)	1 John 3:18, 19 (KJV)
Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.	My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Τεκνία, μὴ ἀγαπῶμεν λόγῳ μηδὲ τῇ γλώσσῃ ἀλλὰ ἐν ἔργῳ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ	τεκνια μου μη αγαπωμεν λογω μηδε γλωσση αλλ εργω και αληθεια	τεκνια μου μη αγαπωμεν λογω μηδε τη γλωσση αλλ εν εργω και αληθεια

And by this we will know that we are of the truth and will convince our conscience in his presence,

And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
[Καὶ] ἐν τούτῳ γνωσόμεθα ὅτι ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐσμέν, καὶ ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ πείσομεν τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν	και εν τουτω γινωσκομεν οτι εκ της αληθειας εσμεν και εμπροσθεν αυτου πεισομεν τας καρδιας ημων	και εν τουτω γινωσκομεν οτι εκ της αληθειας εσμεν και εμπροσθεν αυτου πεισομεν τας καρδιας ημων

1 John 3:21, 22 (NET)	1 John 3:21, 22 (KJV)
Dear friends, if our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God,	Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἀγαπητοί, ἐὰν ἡ καρδία [ἡμῶν] μὴ καταγινώσκῃ, παρρησίαν ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν θεόν	αγαπητοι εαν η καρδια ημων μη καταγινωσκη ημων παρρησιαν εχομεν προς τον θεον	αγαπητοι εαν η καρδια ημων μη καταγινωσκη ημων παρρησιαν εχομεν προς τον θεον

and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ὃ ἐὰν αἰτῶμεν λαμβάνομεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηροῦμεν καὶ τὰ ἀρεστὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ποιοῦμεν	και ο εαν αιτωμεν λαμβανομεν παρ αυτου οτι τας εντολας αυτου τηρουμεν και τα αρεστα ενωπιον αυτου ποιουμεν	και ο εαν αιτωμεν λαμβανομεν παρ αυτου οτι τας εντολας αυτου τηρουμεν και τα αρεστα ενωπιον αυτου ποιουμεν

John 8:29 (NET)	John 8:29 (KJV)
And the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone because I always do those things that please him.	And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ὁ πέμψας με μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν· οὐκ ἀφῆκεν με μόνον, ὅτι ἐγὼ τὰ ἀρεστὰ αὐτῷ ποιῶ πάντοτε	και ο πεμψας με μετ εμου εστιν ουκ αφηκεν με μονον ο πατηρ οτι εγω τα αρεστα αυτω ποιω παντοτε	και ο πεμψας με μετ εμου εστιν ουκ αφηκεν με μονον ο πατηρ οτι εγω τα αρεστα αυτω ποιω παντοτε

Who Am I? Part 14

Back to Psalm 22, Part 7

Back to To Make Holy, Part 9

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 10

^[1] Who Am I?, Part 3^[2] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τον αδελφον (KJV: the brethren) following love (KJV: loveth). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[3] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had αὐτῷ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had εαυτω.

^[4] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had θεῖναι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τιθεναι.

^[5] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μεθιστάναι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μεθιστανειν (KJV: that I could remove).

^[6] The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had γὰρ here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had δε.

^[7] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τοτε (KJV: then) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[8] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μου (KJV: My) following Little children. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[9] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γνωσόμεθα here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γινωσκομεν (KJV: we know).

^[10] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τὴν καρδίαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τας καρδιας (KJV: our hearts).

^[11] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ημων here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[12] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀπ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρ (KJV: of).

^[13] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο πατηρ (KJV: the Father) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[14] John 8:29 (NET)

^[15] Romans 11:36 (NET)

Psalm 22, Part 6

Posted on November 15, 2020 by admin

This is a continuing look into Psalm 22 as the music in Jesus’ heart as He endured the cross.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 22:14a (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:14a (NET)	Psalm 21:15a (NETS)	Psalm 21:15a (Elpenor English)
I am poured out like water,	My strength drains away like water [Note 31: like water I am poured out];	Like water I was poured out,	I am poured out like water,

The Hebrew word translated I am poured out was נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ (shaphak). The Greek word in the Septuagint was ἐξεχύθην (a form of ἐκχέω). Jesus taught his disciples:

Matthew 26:27, 28 (NET)	Mark 14:23, 24 (NET)	Luke 22:20 (NET)
And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you,	And after taking the^[1] cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.	And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for you^[2] is the new covenant in my blood.
for this is my blood, the blood of the^[3] covenant,^[4] that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for many for the forgiveness of sins.	He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the^[5] covenant,^[6] that is poured out (ἐκχυννόμενον) for^[7] many.

Here, too, the Greek word translated poured out was ἐκχυννόμενον (another form of ἐκχέω). On the day the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who believed Jesus, Peter quoted the prophet Joel:

Acts 2:17 (NET)	Joel 2:28 (NETS)	Joel 3:1 (English Elpenor)
‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.	And it shall be after these things, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ)^[8] my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
Acts 2:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται ἐν ταῖς ἐσχάταις ἡμέραις, λέγει ὁ θεός, ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνυπνίοις ἐνυπνιασθήσονται	καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται	ΚΑΙ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται
Acts 2:18 (NET)	Joel 2:29 (NETS)	Joel 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ) my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.	Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out (ἐκχεῶ)^[9] my spirit.	And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out (ἐκχεῶ) of my Spirit.
Acts 2:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καί γε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου

Peter’s addition of γε (translated even) understood as at least, and the potential addition of μου (depending on which version of the Septuagint is closer to the original Greek and which Greek is closer to the original Hebrew), indicates to me that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was limited in Peter’s then present to believers—limited to my (e.g., God’s) servants or slaves (δούλους, a form of δοῦλος, and δούλας, a form of δούλη). Jesus told his disciples, “you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves (δοῦλοι, another form of δοῦλος) undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”^[10]

The religious mind as “a subspecies of the carnal mind” will not hear this saying. It rejects such a concept entirely as it strives to justify itself by having its own righteousness derived from the law or Church doctrine or whatever virtue system it might imagine for itself. The religious mind craves credit and praise for its own standards and achievements of righteousness. I think the phrase slaves undeserving of special praise (δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοι; KJV: unprofitable servants) was Jesus’ way of expressing the attitude of those led by the Spirit of God. Paul described it a bit differently (Galatians 2:19-21 NET):

For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. 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. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!

What you have done (ποιήσητε, a form of ποιέω) when you have done everything as a disciple of Christ led by his Holy Spirit is not your work (Hebrews 4:1-13) but Christ’s: the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness—a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.^[11] The one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God.^[12]

This Jesus God raised up, Peter continued on the day the Holy Spirit was poured out upon believers, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out (ἐξέχεεν, another form of ἐκχεῶ) what you both see and hear [Table].^[13]

The phrase what you both see and hear was a reference to what happened when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers (Acts 2:4-12 NET):

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem [Table]. When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? [Table] And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” [Table]

Peter was also first to preach the Gospel to Gentiles (Acts 10:34b-48a NET):

I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people [Table], but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is welcomed before him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, proclaiming the good news (εὐαγγελιζόμενος, a form of εὐαγγελίζω) of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)—you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced: with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,^[14] that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good (εὐεργετῶν, a form of εὐεργετέω) and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with him. We are^[15] witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed^[16] him by hanging him on a tree, but God raised him up on^[17] the third day and caused him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he^[18] is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. About him all the prophets testify, that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had accompanied^[19] Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out (ἐκκέχυται, another form of ἐκχέω) even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said [Table], “No one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” So he gave orders to have them baptized in the name of Jesus Christ [Table].

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere I have never spoken in tongues. I receive God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from his Holy Spirit. Paul wrote: And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out (ἐκκέχυται, another form of ἐκχέω) in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[20]

A note (6) in the NET acknowledged the possibility that this love of God (ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ) means: “The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” I will testify to this actuality, and add that the love that comes from God and that produces our love for God and others has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.^[21]

Paul wrote to Titus (Titus 3:3-7 NET):

For we, too, were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that^[22] we have done but on the basis of his mercy,^[23] through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out (ἐξέχεεν, another form of ἐκχέω) on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become^[24] heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”

After Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit,^[25] one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.^[26] I’ve heard the physical explanation of this flow of blood and water many times. A quote from an article on compellingTruth online—“When Jesus was pierced, why did blood and water come out of His side?”—follows:

Crucifixion typically resulted in death through one of two ways. The first way was hypovolemic shock. The prolonged rapid heartbeat resulting from hypovolemic shock can cause fluid to gather in the area around the heart….

The second way death often occurred during crucifixion was due to asphyxiation….This…can also result in the buildup of fluid around the heart.

I didn’t grasp the symbolic significance of blood and water (αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ) until I did this study of what poured out of Jesus: his blood for the forgiveness of sins and the water near to his heart, his Holy Spirit, for the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe.^[27] As He promised the Samaritan woman at the well: whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water (ὕδωρ) that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.^[28]

I am poured out like water, Jesus sang in his heart as He died on the cross.

Tables comparing Psalm 22:14; Joel 2:28 (3:1) and 2:29 (3:2) in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing Psalm 22:14 (21:15); Joel 2:28 (3:1) and 2:29 (3:2) in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:23, 24; Acts 2:18; 10:38-40; 10:42; 10:45; Titus 3:5; 3:7 and John 19:34 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 22:14 (Tanakh)	Psalm 22:14 (KJV)	Psalm 22:14 (NET)
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.	My strength drains away like water; all my bones are dislocated. My heart is like wax; it melts away inside me.

Psalm 22:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 21:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡσεὶ ὕδωρ ἐξεχύθην καὶ διεσκορπίσθη πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία μου ὡσεὶ κηρὸς τηκόμενος ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου	ὡσεὶ ὕδωρ ἐξεχύθην, καὶ διεσκορπίσθη πάντα τὰ ὀστᾶ μου, ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία μου ὡσεὶ κηρὸς τηκόμενος ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου
Psalm 21:15 (NETS)	Psalm 21:15 (English Elpenor)
Like water I was poured out, and all my bones were scattered; my heart became like wax melting within my belly;	I am poured out like water, and all my bones are loosened: my heart in the midst of my belly is become like melting wax.

Joel 3:1 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:28 (KJV)	Joel 2:28 (NET)
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:	“After all of this I will pour out my Spirit on all kinds of people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your elderly will have prophetic dreams; your young men will see visions.

Joel 2:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται	ΚΑΙ ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες ὑμῶν, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὑμῶν ἐνύπνια ἐνυπνιασθήσονται, καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ὑμῶν ὁράσεις ὄψονται
Joel 2:28 (NETS)	Joel 3:1 (English Elpenor)
And it shall be after these things, I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.	And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

Joel 3:2 (Tanakh)	Joel 2:29 (KJV)	Joel 2:29 (NET)
And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out My spirit.	And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.	Even on male and female servants I will pour out my Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Joel 3:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου	καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός μου
Joel 2:29 (NETS)	Joel 3:2 (English Elpenor)
Even on the male and female slaves, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.	And on my servants and on [my] handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit.

Matthew 26:28 (NET)	Matthew 26:28 (KJV)
for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.	For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυννόμενον εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν	τουτο γαρ εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων	τουτο γαρ εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων

Mark 14:23, 24 (NET)	Mark 14:23, 24 (KJV)
And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.	And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ λαβὼν ποτήριον εὐχαριστήσας ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔπιον ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες	και λαβων το ποτηριον ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις και επιον εξ αυτου παντες	και λαβων το ποτηριον ευχαριστησας εδωκεν αυτοις και επιον εξ αυτου παντες

He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο ἐστιν τὸ αἷμα μου τῆς διαθήκης τὸ ἐκχυννόμενον ὑπὲρ πολλῶν	και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον	και ειπεν αυτοις τουτο εστιν το αιμα μου το της καινης διαθηκης το περι πολλων εκχυνομενον

Acts 2:18 (NET)	Acts 2:18 (KJV)
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.	And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καί γε ἐπὶ τοὺς δούλους μου καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς δούλας μου ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν	και γε επι τους δουλους μου και επι τας δουλας μου εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις εκχεω απο του πνευματος μου και προφητευσουσιν	καιγε επι τους δουλους μου και επι τας δουλας μου εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις εκχεω απο του πνευματος μου και προφητευσουσιν

Acts 10:38-40 (NET)	Acts 10:38-40 (KJV)
with respect to Jesus from Nazareth, that God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with him.	How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἀπὸ Ναζαρέθ, ὡς ἔχρισεν αὐτὸν ὁ θεὸς πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ δυνάμει, ὃς διῆλθεν εὐεργετῶν καὶ ἰώμενος πάντας τοὺς καταδυναστευομένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου, ὅτι ὁ θεὸς ἦν μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ	ιησουν τον απο ναζαρετ ως εχρισεν αυτον ο θεος πνευματι αγιω και δυναμει ος διηλθεν ευεργετων και ιωμενος παντας τους καταδυναστευομενους υπο του διαβολου οτι ο θεος ην μετ αυτου	ιησουν τον απο ναζαρετ ως εχρισεν αυτον ο θεος πνευματι αγιω και δυναμει ος διηλθεν ευεργετων και ιωμενος παντας τους καταδυναστευομενους υπο του διαβολου οτι ο θεος ην μετ αυτου

We are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree,

And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἡμεῖς μάρτυρες πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν ἔν τε τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ [ἐν] Ἰερουσαλήμ. ὃν καὶ ἀνεῖλαν κρεμάσαντες ἐπὶ ξύλου	και ημεις εσμεν μαρτυρες παντων ων εποιησεν εν τε τη χωρα των ιουδαιων και εν ιερουσαλημ ον ανειλον κρεμασαντες επι ξυλου	και ημεις εσμεν μαρτυρες παντων ων εποιησεν εν τε τη χωρα των ιουδαιων και εν ιερουσαλημ ον και ανειλον κρεμασαντες επι ξυλου

but God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,

Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
τοῦτον ὁ θεὸς ἤγειρεν [ἐν] τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὸν ἐμφανῆ γενέσθαι	τουτον ο θεος ηγειρεν τη τριτη ημερα και εδωκεν αυτον εμφανη γενεσθαι	τουτον ο θεος ηγειρεν τη τριτη ημερα και εδωκεν αυτον εμφανη γενεσθαι

Acts 10:42 (NET)	Acts 10:42 (KJV)
He commanded us to preach to the people and to warn them that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead.	And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ παρήγγειλεν ἡμῖν κηρύξαι τῷ λαῷ καὶ διαμαρτύρασθαι ὅτι οὗτος ἐστιν ὁ ὡρισμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ κριτὴς ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν	και παρηγγειλεν ημιν κηρυξαι τω λαω και διαμαρτυρασθαι οτι αυτος εστιν ο ωρισμενος υπο του θεου κριτης ζωντων και νεκρων	και παρηγγειλεν ημιν κηρυξαι τω λαω και διαμαρτυρασθαι οτι αυτος εστιν ο ωρισμενος υπο του θεου κριτης ζωντων και νεκρων

Acts 10:45 (NET)	Acts 10:45 (KJV)
The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were greatly astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles,	And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ ἐξέστησαν οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς πιστοὶ \|ὅσοι\| συνῆλθαν τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἡ δωρεὰ τοῦ \|ἁγίου\| πνεύματος ἐκκέχυται	και εξεστησαν οι εκ περιτομης πιστοι οσοι συνηλθον τω πετρω οτι και επι τα εθνη η δωρεα του αγιου πνευματος εκκεχυται	και εξεστησαν οι εκ περιτομης πιστοι οσοι συνηλθον τω πετρω οτι και επι τα εθνη η δωρεα του αγιου πνευματος εκκεχυται

Titus 3:5 (NET)	Titus 3:5 (KJV)
he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,	Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων τῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ ἃ ἐποιήσαμεν ἡμεῖς ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ ἔλεος ἔσωσεν ἡμᾶς διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος ἁγίου	ουκ εξ εργων των εν δικαιοσυνη ων εποιησαμεν ημεις αλλα κατα τον αυτου ελεον εσωσεν ημας δια λουτρου παλιγγενεσιας και ανακαινωσεως πνευματος αγιου	ουκ εξ εργων των εν δικαιοσυνη ων εποιησαμεν ημεις αλλα κατα τον αυτου ελεον εσωσεν ημας δια λουτρου παλιγγενεσιας και ανακαινωσεως πνευματος αγιου

Titus 3:7 (NET)	Titus 3:7 (KJV)
And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”	That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἵνα δικαιωθέντες τῇ ἐκείνου χάριτι κληρονόμοι γενηθῶμεν κατ᾿ ἐλπίδα ζωῆς αἰωνίου	ινα δικαιωθεντες τη εκεινου χαριτι κληρονομοι γενωμεθα κατ ελπιδα ζωης αιωνιου	ινα δικαιωθεντες τη εκεινου χαριτι κληρονομοι γενωμεθα κατ ελπιδα ζωης αιωνιου

John 19:34 (NET)	John 19:34 (KJV)
But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.	But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀλλ᾿ εἷς τῶν στρατιωτῶν λόγχῃ αὐτοῦ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυξεν, καὶ ἐξῆλθεν εὐθὺς αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ	αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν και ευθυς εξηλθεν αιμα και υδωρ	αλλ εις των στρατιωτων λογχη αυτου την πλευραν ενυξεν και ευθεως εξηλθεν αιμα και υδωρ

Psalm 22, Part 7

Back to Forgiveness and My Religious Mind

Back to Psalm 22, Part 8

Back to Funeral, Part 2

Back to The New Covenant, Part 1

Back to Christianity, Part 6

^[1] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[2] The word order in Greek is: 1) τοῦτο τὸ ποτήριον (This cup); 2) ἡ καινὴ διαθήκη (the new covenant); 3) ἐν τῷ αἵματι μου (in my blood); 4) τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐκχυννόμενον (that is poured out for you). Neither my Greek nor my King James English is subtle enough to know if This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you (KJV) means This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood (NET). They sound substantially different to my ear. The KJV translators have mimicked the Greek word order better than the NET translators.

^[3] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding the article τῆς. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[4] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καινης (KJV: new) preceding covenant (KJV: testament). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[5] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding the article τῆς. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[6] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had καινης (KJV: new) preceding covenant (KJV: testament). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[7] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὑπὲρ here where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had περι.

^[8] The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text was אֶשְׁפּ֚וֹךְ (shaphak, שָׁפַךְ) another form of the word נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ translated I am poured out in Psalm 22:14.

^[9] The Hebrew word in the Masoretic text was אֶשְׁפּ֖וֹךְ (shaphak, שָׁפַךְ) another form of the word נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֘ translated I am poured out in Psalm 22:14.

^[10] Luke 17:10 (NET) The Greek word translated duty was ὠφείλομεν (a form of ὀφείλω): we have only done what what was owed to God in Christ. Owe (ὀφείλετε, another form of ὀφείλω) no one anything, Paul wrote, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law (Romans 13:8 NET).

^[11] Philippians 3:9b (NET)

^[12] John 3:21 (NET)

^[13] Acts 2:32, 33 (NET)

^[14] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ναζαρέθ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ναζαρετ.

^[15] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the verb εσμεν here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[16] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἀνεῖλαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανειλον (KJV: they slew).

^[17] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

^[18] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὗτος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτος.

^[19] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had συνῆλθαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had συνηλθον (KJV: came with).

^[20] Romans 5:5 (NET)

^[21] Romans 11:36 (NET)

^[22] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἃ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ων (KJV: which).

^[23] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἔλεος here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ελεον.

^[24] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γενηθῶμεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γενωμεθα (KJV: we should be made).

^[25] John 19:30b (NET)

^[26] John 19:34 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Stephanus Textus Receptus had εὐθὺς here, where the Byzantine Majority Text had ευθεως.

^[27] Romans 3:22a (NET) Table

^[28] John 4:14 (NET)

Romans, Part 46

Posted on August 25, 2013 by admin

If it is service (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία),^[1] Paul wrote, to continue considering the different gifts (χαρίσματα, a form of χάρισμα)^[2] that comprise the diversity of oneness,, he must serve (διακονίᾳ).^[3] Paul wrote to the Corinthians about different gifts (χαρισμάτων, another form of χάρισμα) and different ministries (διακονιῶν, another form of διακονία): the message of wisdom…the message of knowledge…faith…gifts (χαρίσματα) of healing…performance of miracles…prophecy…discernment of spirits…different kinds of tongues, and…the interpretation of tongues.^[4] Yet in the previous chapter of Romans Paul wrote, Seeing that I am an apostle (ἀπόστολος)^[5] to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία)…^[6] As I consider this and the historical fact that most of the different ministries (διακονιῶν, another form of διακονία) listed in 1 Corinthians above were associated with Jesus’ apostles, I assume that the ministry (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) of an apostle was the service (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) Paul had primarily in mind in Romans 12.

Still, the service (διακονίαν, a form of διακονία) most associated with the apostles is the ministry (διακονία) of reconciliation: God…reconciled us to himself through Christ, and…has given us the ministry (διακονία) of reconciliation.^[7] And the ministry (διακονία) of reconciliation is nothing less than the ministry (διακονία) of the Spirit, the ministry (διακονία) that produces righteousness (2 Corinthians 3:7-9 NET).

But if the ministry (διακονία) that produced death – carved in letters on stone tablets – came with glory, so that the Israelites could not keep their eyes fixed on the face of Moses because of the glory of his face (a glory which was made ineffective), how much more glorious will the ministry (διακονία) of the Spirit be? For if there was glory in the ministry (διακονίᾳ) that produced condemnation, how much more does the ministry (διακονία) that produces righteousness excel in glory!

It was [Jesus], Paul wrote the Ephesians, who gave some as apostles (ἀποστόλους, another form of ἀπόστολος)…^[8] And God has placed in the church first apostles^[9] (ἀποστόλους, another form of ἀπόστολος), he wrote the Corinthians. Not all are apostles (ἀπόστολοι, another form of ἀπόστολος), are they?^[10] Paul asked rhetorically.

If [the gift] is teaching (διδάσκων, a form of διδάσκω),^[11] Paul continued in Romans, he must teach (διδασκαλίᾳ).^[12] In Corinth the Lord said to Paul by a vision in the night, “Do not be afraid,but speak and do not be silent, because I am with you, and no one will assault you to harm you, because I have many people in this city” [Table]. So he stayed there a year and six months, teaching (διδάσκων, a form of διδάσκω) the word of God among them.^[13] Paul^[14] lived^[15] [in Rome] two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching (διδάσκων, a form of διδάσκω) about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction.^[16]

I was appointed, Paul wrote Timothy, a preacher and apostle (ἀπόστολος) and teacher (διδάσκαλος)^[17] of the fact that our Savior Christ Jesus…has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.^[18] Apparently Timothy was also appointed as a teacher. Until I come, Paul wrote to him, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching (διδασκαλίᾳ).^[19] And he continued (1 Timothy 4:14-16 NET):

Do not neglect the spiritual gift (χαρίσματος, another form of χάρισμα) you have, given to you and confirmed by prophetic words (προφητείας, another form of προφητεία) when the elders laid hands on you. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress. Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach (διδασκαλίᾳ). Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

It was [Jesus], Paul wrote the Ephesians, who gave some…as pastors and teachers (διδασκάλους, another form of διδάσκαλος), to equip the saints for the work of ministry (διακονίας, another form of διακονία), that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature.^[20] And God has placed in the church…third teachers^[21] (διδασκάλους, another form of διδάσκαλος), he wrote the Corinthians. Not all are teachers (διδάσκαλοι, another form of διδάσκαλος), are they? He asked rhetorically. He also gave Timothy the following prophetic warning (2 Timothy 4:3 NET):

For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound (ὑγιαινούσης, a form of ὑγιαίνω) teaching (διδασκαλίας, another form of διδασκαλία). Instead, following their own desires, they will accumulate teachers (διδασκάλους, another form of διδάσκαλος) for themselves, because they have an insatiable curiosity to hear new things.

In other words, the teachers most honored by people and the teachers spiritually gifted to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God – a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature, may not be one and the same. But the next gift to consider may provide a method for distinguishing between the two.

If [the gift] is exhortation (παρακαλῶν, a form of παρακαλέω), Paul continued in Romans, he must exhort (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις)…^[23] Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul began his second letter to the Corinthians, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (παρακλήσεως, another form of παράκλησις), who comforts (παρακαλῶν, a form of παρακαλέω) us in all our troubles so that we may be able to comfort (παρακαλεῖν, another form of παρακαλέω) those experiencing any trouble with the comfort (παρακλήσεως, another form of παράκλησις) with which we ourselves are comforted (παρακαλούμεθα, another form of παρακαλέω) by God.^[24]

Paul wrote again about receiving God’s exhortation through the message brought by Titus: But God, who encourages (παρακαλῶν, a form of παρακαλέω) the downhearted, encouraged (παρεκάλεσεν, another form of παρακαλέω) us by the arrival of Titus. We were encouraged not only by his arrival, but also by the encouragement (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις) you gave (παρεκλήθη, another form of παρακαλέω) him, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your deep concern for me, so that I rejoiced more than ever.^[25]

The Corinthians’ longing, mourning and deep concern for Paul also exhorted him: I have great confidence in you; I take great pride on your behalf. I am filled with encouragement (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις); I am overflowing with joy in the midst of all our suffering.^[26] Therefore we have been encouraged (παρακεκλήμεθα, another form of παρακαλέω). And in addition to our own encouragement (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις), we rejoiced even more at the joy of Titus, because all of you have refreshed his spirit.^[27] And Paul told Timothy not only to teach but to comfort and encourage his people in a similar manner: Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation (παρακλήσει, a form of παράκλησις), to teaching (διδασκαλία).^[28]

A teacher’s exhortation reveals that teacher’s knowledge and faith. It may even be another valid way to test the spirits to determine if they are from God.^[29] Surely the Spirit from God knows the depth (βάθος)^[30] of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,^[31] that from him and through him and to him are all things.^[32] For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep (βάθη, another form of βάθος) things of God.^[33] Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God,^[34] John wrote. Does a given teacher comfort me with the knowledge of the love that God has in us, or encourage me to believe the love that God has in us^[35] in Jesus, the Christ who has come in the flesh, the Son of God, through his Holy Spirit? Or does that teacher rob me of such comfort, and encourage me to know or to believe or to do something else instead?

Romans, Part 47

Back to Saving Demon, Part 2

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 7

Back to Fear – Exodus, Part 8

Back to Romans, Part 87

^[3] Romans 12:7a (NET)

^[4] 1 Corinthians 12:4, 5, 8-10 (NET)

^[6] Romans 11:13b (NET)

^[7] 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NET)

^[8] Ephesians 4:11a (NET)

^[9] 1 Corinthians 12:28a (NET)

^[10] 1 Corinthians 12:29a (NET)

^[12] Romans 12:7b (NET)

^[13] Acts 18:9-11 (NET)

^[14] The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ο παυλος (Paul) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

^[15] The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἐνέμεινεν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εμεινεν (KJV: dwelt).

^[16] Acts 28:30, 31 (NET) Table

^[17] 2 Timothy 1:11 (NET)

^[18] 2 Timothy 1:10 (NET)

^[19] 1 Timothy 4:13 (NET)

^[20] Ephesians 4:11-13 (NET)

^[21] 1 Corinthians 12:28 (NET)

^[23] Romans 12:8 (NET)

^[24] 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 (NET)

^[25] 2 Corinthians 7:6, 7 (NET)

^[26] 2 Corinthians 7:4 (NET)

^[27] 2 Corinthians 7:13 (NET)

^[28] 1 Timothy 4:13 (NET)

^[29] 1 John 4:1 (NET)

^[31] Romans 11:33a (NET)

^[32] Romans 11:36a (NET)

^[33] 1 Corinthians 2:10b (NET)

^[34] 1 John 4:2 (NET)

^[35] 1 John 4:16a (NET) Table

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

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