3 John, Part 4

Posted on September 14, 2025 by admin

This is a continuation of my notes on 3 John for the preaching class I’m taking. A Catholic friend concluded that 3 John is about the canonization of the saints. John wrote that, Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority,¹ right before his command: do not imitate evil but imitate good. And then after it he wrote, Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.² It seems natural in context to conclude that good (τὸ ἀγαθόν) refers to people: And who better than the church to decide which people are worthy of imitation (our testimony is true)?

I had already written something like this in a draft of my sermon introduction:

Beloved, John commanded the reader of his 3^rd letter, do not imitate evil but imitate good.³ But who is good in dark times when an agent of the spirit of the antichrist⁴ stops those who want to welcome the brothers and puts them out of the church?⁵

The next saying of Jesus’ I plan to consider—“How does Jesus relate to ἀγαθόν?”⁶—begins (Matthew 19:16, 17a ESV):

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher,⁷ what good (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) deed must I do to have⁸ eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good (ἀγαθοῦ, another form of ἀγαθός)?⁹ There is¹⁰ only one¹¹ who is¹² good (ἀγαθός).

The Greek is: Καὶ ἰδοὺ, And behold, εἷς, a man (literally, “one”), προσελθὼν ¹³ αὐτῷ εἶπεν, came up to him, saying, διδάσκαλε, “Teacher, τί ἀγαθὸν, what good deed, ποιήσω, must I do, ἵνα σχῶ, to have, ζωὴν αἰώνιον, life eternal?” (or, “What good might I do in order that I might have life eternal?”).¹⁴ The text continues: ὁ δὲ, And he (or “But he”), εἶπεν αὐτῷ, said to him, τί, “Why, με ἐρωτᾷς, do you ask me, περὶ, about, τοῦ, what is, ἀγαθοῦ, good? εἷς, only one, ἐστιν, There is, ὁ, who is, ἀγαθός good.¹⁵

A table contrasting translations of the critical and received texts follows:

Critical Text – Matthew 19:17a (ESV)	Received Text – Matthew 19:17a (KJV)
And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good.	And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:

There is a cleaner way to translate Jesus’ answer from the critical text, which I’ll use both to highlight the contrast between critical and received texts and to introduce the actual subject I intend to pursue for some time.

Why ask me about the good? One is the good.

I’ll return to this in more detail later. Here, I want to pursue how it is that a prophet who from God exists cannot (οὐ δύναται, a form of δύναμαι) bear bad fruit.¹⁶ Moses and the Holy Spirit wrote at some length about it (Numbers 22:1, 4b-7 ESV).

Then the people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab (Genesis 19:30-38) beyond the Jordan at Jericho.

…Balak the son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to Balaam the son of Beor at Pethor, which is near the River in the land of the people of Amaw, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are dwelling opposite me. Come now, curse this people for me, since they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian (Exodus 2:11-15) departed with the fees for divination in their hand. And they came to Balaam and gave him Balak’s message.

Balak had heard of Balaam’s fame: I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.¹⁷ He assumed Balaam’s services were for hire. But Balaam said (Numbers 22:8 ESV):

“Lodge here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

The Hebrew word translated Lord was יְהֹוָ֖ה (Yᵊhōvâ), which is corroborated by the translation Κύριος in the Septuagint. Things weren’t turning out quite the way Balak had planned (Numbers 22:12-14 ESV).

God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them. You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.” So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your own land, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.” So the princes of Moab rose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam refuses to come with us.”

The Hebrew word translated God was אֱלֹהִים֙ (‘ĕlōhîm), which was translated ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint. The Hebrew word translated Lord was יְהֹוָ֔ה (Yᵊhōvâ), also translated ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint (God in English translation). The Masoretic text and Septuagint diverge here.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 22:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:13 (NET)	Numbers 22:13 (NETS)	Numbers 22:13 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak: ‘Get you into your land (אַרְצְכֶ֑ם); for HaShem (יְהֹוָ֔ה) refuseth to give me leave to go with you.’	So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land (‘ereṣ, ארצכם), for the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) has refused to permit me to go with you.”	And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, “Run off to your master (τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν); God (ὁ θεὸς) does not permit me to go with you.”	And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord (τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν); God (ὁ Θεὸς) does not permit me to go with you.

So אַרְצְכֶ֑ם (‘ereṣ), your land in the Masoretic text, is τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν, your master (BLB) or your lord (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. But Balaam’s refusal didn’t deter Balak at all: Once again Balak sent princes, more in number and more honorable than these¹⁸ with an open-ended offer of reward.

Balak was a man of great faith, not in the Lord but in his own knowledge of men. Glenn Nicholls, a Nietzschean psychotherapist, wrote about this kind of faith:

Nietzsche’s concern was that we might forever remain tethered to the human in ourselves; that we would never become the overman. God tethers us to the human. As long as we seek gods we give away our authority and can never become who we are…

The drive or will to faith can be conscious or unconscious. We tell ourselves, ‘I found God and discovered faith’. No, faith is object seeking; if it does not find a god it will make one up.

If you are not sure if you have a god, look to see where you put your faith. You do not need to believe in a god to have one, and often those with the strongest faith are those who do not believe in one.¹⁹

In other words, their faith is part of the grammar that structures their reality, especially as it pertains to their own power (“authority”). But Balaam answered and said to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the Lord my God to do less or more.²⁰ In the Septuagint I could not was translated I shall not be able: οὐ δυνήσομαι, a 1^st person form of δύναμαι in the future tense and indicative mood. Here, a prophet acknowledged what Jesus said about good fruit trees that cannot (οὐ δύναται, a 3^rd person form of δύναμαι in the present tense and indicative mood) bear bad fruit. From Balaam’s lips, however, it sounds less definitional and more causal, actually producing the specified effect.

Still, Balaam seems all too eager to test the Lord to see if there is any possible way to acquire Balak’s house full of silver and gold (Numbers 22:19-22a ESV).

So you, too, please stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה, corroborated by Κύριος in the Septuagint) will say to me.” And God (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהִים, corroborated by ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint) came to Balaam at night and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them; but only do what I tell you.” So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

But God’s (ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהִים, corroborated by ὁ Θεός in the Septuagint) anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) took his stand in the way as his adversary.

This was not the time to “obey” the Lord’s sarcasm but to hear his word.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 22:20b (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:20b (NET)	Numbers 22:20b (NETS)	Numbers 22:20b (English Elpenor)
‘If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that (אֹת֥וֹ) shalt thou do (תַֽעֲשֶֽׂה).’	If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that (‘ēṯ, אתו) you must do (ʿāśâ, תעשׁה).”	“If these people are here to call you, rise up, and follow them, but the word that I speak to you—this (τοῦτο) you shall do (ποιήσεις).”	If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it (τοῦτο) shalt thou do (ποιήσεις).

The clause—that (אֹת֥וֹ) shalt thou do (תַֽעֲשֶֽׂה) in the Tanakh and KJV or this (τοῦτο) you shall do (ποιήσεις) in the NETS or it (τοῦτο) shalt thou do (ποιήσεις) in the English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint—is clearly in the future tense and indicative mood (the NET translation notwithstanding²¹). It is a fact, a promise, a prophetic utterance. In other words, there is no possibility that Balaam will fulfill Balak’s desire to curse Israel—You shall not curse the people, for they are blessed²²—to earn a house full of silver and gold: A healthy (ἀγαθὸν, a form of ἀγαθός) tree cannot bear bad fruit.²³ And by going with the men, Balaam demonstrated that his lust for a house full of silver and gold was driving him on rather than his trust in the absolute word of God.

Peter summarized what happened next (2 Peter 2:15, 16 ESV).

Forsaking²⁴ the²⁵ right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness (παραφρονίαν, a form of παραφρονία).

Balaam couldn’t see the angel threatening him (Numbers 22:22b-27 ESV).

Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road. Then the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ), she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he struck her again. Then the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ), she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Balaam was so consumed by lust for a house full of silver and gold, he didn’t recognize the hand of God in the unusual behavior of his donkey. The Lord (Septuagint: God) intervened on behalf of his suffering donkey (Numbers 22:28 ESV).

Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

This reminds me of the words of John the Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 3:7-10 ESV):

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping²⁶ with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good (καλὸν, a form of καλός) fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire [Table].

God demonstrated that He could have sent Balaam’s donkey to prophesy to Balak, a donkey with no desire for silver or gold whatsoever. Balaam was so consumed by lust for a house full of silver and gold, he didn’t even notice (Numbers 22:29, 30 ESV).

And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

A talking donkey was not sufficient to reach Balaam, so the Lord (Septuagint: God) intervened again, both to spare his life and to make him understand (Numbers 22:31-34 ESV).

Then the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: ὁ Θεὸς) opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה corroborated by Κυρίου in the Septuagint) standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face. And the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה corroborated by Κυρίου in the Septuagint), “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.”

This is a beautiful illustration of the Lord’s word to Israel through Ezekiel:

“And you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus have you said: ‘Surely our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we rot away because of them. How then can we live?’ [Table] Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel? [Table]²⁷

Then came an unexpected turn of events, which confirms for me that the issue was Balaam’s lust for a house full of silver and gold (Numbers 22:35 ESV).

And the angel of the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יְהוָה; Septuagint: τοῦ Θεοῦ) said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you.” So Balaam went on with the princes of Balak.

In the NETS translation of the Septuagint, the angel promised: the word that I say to you, this you shall take heed to speak. The Greek word translated you shall take heed was φυλάξῃ, a 2^nd person singular form of φυλάσσω in the future tense, middle voice and indicative mood—a statement of fact, a promise and a prophesy. When Balak met him, Balaam was not swayed by the king’s anger, abuse or intimidation (Numbers 22:38 ESV):

Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God (‘ĕlōhîm, אֱלֹהִים corroborated by ὁ Θεὸς in the Septuagint) puts in my mouth, that must I speak.”

The last clause—that must I speak—was translated differently in the past.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 22:38 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:38 (NET)	Numbers 22:38 (NETS)	Numbers 22:38 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power (אוּכַ֖ל) at all to speak any thing? the word that G-d putteth in my mouth, that (אֹת֥וֹ) shall I speak (אֲדַבֵּֽר).’	Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able (yāḵōl, אוכל) to speak just anything? I must speak (dāḇar, אדבר) only (ēṯ, אתו) the word that God puts in my mouth.”	And Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Shall I now be (ἔσομαι) able (δυνατὸς) to speak anything? The word that God puts into my mouth, this (τοῦτο) I shall speak (λαλήσω).”	And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be (ἔσομαι) able (δυνατὸς) to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that (τοῦτο) I shall speak (λαλήσω).

In the past the last clause—that (אֹת֥וֹ) shall I speak (אֲדַבֵּֽר) in the Tanakh²⁸ and KJV, or this (τοῦτο) I shall speak (λαλήσω) in the NETS, or that (τοῦτο) I shall speak (λαλήσω) in the English translation of the Elpenor Septuagint—was clearly understood in the future tense and indicative mood. It was a fact, a promise, a prophetic utterance ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν ²⁹ (“from God exists”) Balaam delivered to Balak, when Balak’s faith was not in the word of God but in his own knowledge of men.

Tables comparing Numbers 22:1; 22:4; 22:5; 22:6; 22:7; 22:8; 22:12; 22:13; 22:14, 22:15; 22:18; 22:19; 22:20; 22:21; 22:22; 22:23; 22:24; 22:25; 22:26; 22:27; 22:28; 22:29; 22:30; 22:31; 22:32; 22:33; 22:34; 22:35 and 22:38 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Numbers 22:1; 22:4; 22:5; 22:6; 22:7; 22:8; 22:12; 22:13; 22:14; 22:15; 22:18; 22:19; 22:20; 22:21; 22:22; 22:23; 22:24; 22:25; 22:26; 22:27; 22:28; 22:29; 22:30; 22:31; 22:32; 22:33; 22:34; 22:35 and 22:38 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Matthew 19:16, 17; 2 Peter 2:15 and Matthew 3:8 in the KJV and NET follow.

Numbers 22:1 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:1 (KJV)	Numbers 22:1 (NET)
And the children of Israel journeyed, and pitched in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho.	And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.	The Israelites traveled on and camped in the rift valley plains of Moab on the side of the Jordan River across from Jericho.

Numbers 22:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπάραντες οἱ υἱοὶ Ισραηλ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωαβ παρὰ τὸν Ιορδάνην κατὰ Ιεριχω	ΚΑΙ ἀπάραντες οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ παρενέβαλον ἐπὶ δυσμῶν Μωὰβ παρὰ τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην κατὰ ῾Ιεριχώ
Numbers 22:1 (NETS)	Numbers 22:1 (English Elpenor)
And the sons of Israel set out and encamped on the west of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho.	And the children of Israel departed, and encamped on the west of Moab by Jordan toward Jericho.

Numbers 22:4 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:4 (KJV)	Numbers 22:4 (NET)
And Moab said unto the elders of Midian: ‘Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.’ –And Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.–	And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.	So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field.” Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time.

Numbers 22:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωαβ τῇ γερουσίᾳ Μαδιαμ νῦν ἐκλείξει ἡ συναγωγὴ αὕτη πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐκλείξαι ὁ μόσχος τὰ χλωρὰ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου καὶ Βαλακ υἱὸς Σεπφωρ βασιλεὺς Μωαβ ἦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον	καὶ εἶπε Μωὰβ τῇ γερουσίᾳ Μαδιάμ· νῦν ἐκλείξει ἡ συναγωγὴ αὕτη πάντας τοὺς κύκλῳ ὑμῶν, ὡσεὶ ἐκλείξαι ὁ μόσχος τὰ χλωρὰ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου. καὶ Βαλὰκ υἱὸς Σεπφὼρ βασιλεὺς Μωὰβ ἦν κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἐκεῖνον
Numbers 22:4 (NETS)	Numbers 22:4 (English Elpenor)
And Moab said to the council of elders of Madiam, “Now this gathering will lick up all those around us, as the bull calf might lick up the greenery of the plain.” And Balak son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.	And Moab said to the elders of Madiam, Now shall this assembly lick up all that are round about us, as a calf would lick up the green [herbs] of the field:– and Balac son of Sepphor was king of Moab at that time.

Numbers 22:5 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:5 (KJV)	Numbers 22:5 (NET)
And he sent messengers unto Balaam the son of Beor, to Pethor, which is by the River, to the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying: ‘Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt; behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.	He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:	And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me.

Numbers 22:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν πρέσβεις πρὸς Βαλααμ υἱὸν Βεωρ Φαθουρα ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γῆς υἱῶν λαοῦ αὐτοῦ καλέσαι αὐτὸν λέγων ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἰδοὺ κατεκάλυψεν τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου	καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρέσβεις πρὸς Βαλαὰμ υἱὸν Βεὼρ Φαθουρά, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ γῆς υἱῶν λαοῦ αὐτοῦ, καλέσαι αὐτὸν λέγων· ἰδοὺ λαὸς ἐξελήλυθεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἰδοὺ κατεκάλυψε τὴν ὄψιν τῆς γῆς καὶ οὗτος ἐγκάθηται ἐχόμενός μου·
Numbers 22:5 (NETS)	Numbers 22:5 (English Elpenor)
And he sent ambassadors to Balaam son of Beor of Pathoura, which is on the river of the land of his people’s sons, to call him, saying, “Behold, a people has come out of Egypt, and behold, it has covered the sight of the earth, and it is lying in wait next to me.	And he sent ambassadors to Balaam the son of Beor, to Phathura, which is on a river of the land of the sons of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, a people is come out of Egypt, and behold it has covered the face of the earth, and it has encamped close to me.

Numbers 22:6 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:6 (KJV)	Numbers 22:6 (NET)
Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me; peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.’	Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.	So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

Numbers 22:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον ὅτι ἰσχύει οὗτος ἢ ἡμεῖς ἐὰν δυνώμεθα πατάξαι ἐξ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ὅτι οἶδα οὓς ἐὰν εὐλογήσῃς σύ εὐλόγηνται καὶ οὓς ἐὰν καταράσῃ σύ κεκατήρανται	καὶ νῦν δεῦρο ἄρασαί μοι τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον, ὅτι ἰσχύει οὗτος ἢ ὑμεῖς· ἐὰν δυνώμεθα πατάξαι ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκβαλῶ αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς· ὅτι οἶδα οὓς ἐὰν εὐλογήσῃς σύ, εὐλόγηνται, καὶ οὓς ἐὰν καταράσῃ σύ, κεκατήρανται
Numbers 22:6 (NETS)	Numbers 22:6 (English Elpenor)
And now come curse for me this people, since it is stronger than we are, if we may be able to strike some of them, and I will cast them out from the land. For I know that whomever you bless are blessed, and whomever you curse are cursed.”	And now come, curse me this people, for it is stronger than we; if we may be able to smite some of them, and I will cast them out of the land: for I know that whomsoever thou dost bless, they are blessed, and whomsoever thou dost curse, they are cursed.

Numbers 22:7 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:7 (KJV)	Numbers 22:7 (NET)
And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spoke unto him the words of Balak.	And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.	So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fee for divination in their hands. They came to Balaam and reported to him the words of Balak.

Numbers 22:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ γερουσία Μωαβ καὶ ἡ γερουσία Μαδιαμ καὶ τὰ μαντεῖα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ τὰ ῥήματα Βαλακ	καὶ ἐπορεύθη ἡ γερουσία Μωὰβ καὶ ἡ γερουσία Μαδιάμ, καὶ τὰ μαντεῖα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ τὰ ῥήματα Βαλάκ
Numbers 22:7 (NETS)	Numbers 22:7 (English Elpenor)
And the council of elders of Moab went, and the council of elders of Madiam,and the instruments of divination were in their hands, and they came to Balaam and said to him the words of Balak.	And the elders of Moab went, and the elders of Madiam, and their divining [instruments were] in their hands; and they came to Balaam, and spoke to him the words of Balac.

Numbers 22:8 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:8 (KJV)	Numbers 22:8 (NET)
And he said unto them: ‘Lodge here this night, and I will bring you back word, as HaShem may speak unto me’; and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.	And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.	He replied to them, “Stay here tonight, and I will bring back to you whatever word the Lord may speak to me.” So the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Numbers 22:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτούς καταλύσατε αὐτοῦ τὴν νύκτα καὶ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν πράγματα ἃ ἐὰν λαλήσῃ κύριος πρός με καὶ κατέμειναν οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ παρὰ Βαλααμ	καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· καταλύσατε αὐτοῦ τὴν νύκτα, καὶ ἀποκριθήσομαι ὑμῖν πράγματα, ἃ ἂν λαλήσῃ Κύριος πρός με· καὶ κατέμειναν οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ παρὰ Βαλαάμ
Numbers 22:8 (NETS)	Numbers 22:8 (English Elpenor)
And he said to them, “Lodge here tonight, and I will answer you matters the Lord may speak to me.” And the rulers of Moab stayed with Balaam.	And he said to them, Tarry here the night, and I will answer you the things which the Lord shall say to me; and the princes of Moab stayed with Balaam.

Numbers 22:12 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:12 (KJV)	Numbers 22:12 (NET)
And G-d said unto Balaam: ‘Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.’	And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.	But God said to Balaam, “You must not go with them; you must not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

Numbers 22:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Βαλααμ οὐ πορεύσῃ μετ᾽ αὐτῶν οὐδὲ καταράσῃ τὸν λαόν ἔστιν γὰρ εὐλογημένος	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαάμ· οὐ πορεύσῃ μετ’ αὐτῶν, οὐδὲ καταράσῃ τὸν λαόν· ἔστι γὰρ εὐλογημένος
Numbers 22:12 (NETS)	Numbers 22:12 (English Elpenor)
And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them, nor shall you curse the people, for it is blessed.”	And God said to Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them, neither shalt thou curse the people; for they are blessed.

Numbers 22:13 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:13 (KJV)	Numbers 22:13 (NET)
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak: ‘Get you into your land; for HaShem refuseth to give me leave to go with you.’	And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.	So Balaam got up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balak, “Go to your land, for the Lord has refused to permit me to go with you.”

Numbers 22:13 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλααμ τὸ πρωὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν Βαλακ ἀποτρέχετε πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν οὐκ ἀφίησίν με ὁ θεὸς πορεύεσθαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν	καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τὸ πρωΐ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλάκ· ἀποτρέχετε πρὸς τὸν κύριον ὑμῶν· οὐκ ἀφίησί με ὁ Θεὸς πορεύεσθαι μεθ’ ὑμῶν
Numbers 22:13 (NETS)	Numbers 22:13 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam rose up in the morning and said to the rulers of Balak, “Run off to your master; God does not permit me to go with you.”	And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said to the princes of Balac, Depart quickly to your lord; God does not permit me to go with you.

Numbers 22:14 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:14 (KJV)	Numbers 22:14 (NET)
And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said: ‘Balaam refuseth to come with us.’	And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.	So the princes of Moab departed and went back to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

Numbers 22:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωαβ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλακ καὶ εἶπαν οὐ θέλει Βαλααμ πορευθῆναι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν	καὶ ἀναστάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες Μωὰβ ἦλθον πρὸς Βαλὰκ καὶ εἶπαν· οὐ θέλει Βαλαὰμ πορευθῆναι μεθ’ ἡμῶν
Numbers 22:14 (NETS)	Numbers 22:14 (English Elpenor)
And the rulers of Moab arose and went to Balak and said, “Balaam does not want to go with us.”	And the princes of Moab rose, and came to Balac, and said, Balaam will not come with us.

Numbers 22:15 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:15 (KJV)	Numbers 22:15 (NET)
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.	And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.	Balak again sent princes, more numerous and more distinguished than the first.

Numbers 22:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσέθετο Βαλακ ἔτι ἀποστεῖλαι ἄρχοντας πλείους καὶ ἐντιμοτέρους τούτων	Καὶ προσέθετο Βαλὰκ ἔτι ἀποστεῖλαι ἄρχοντας πλείους καὶ ἐντιμοτέρους τούτων
Numbers 22:15 (NETS)	Numbers 22:15 (English Elpenor)
And Balak added again to send rulers, more numerous and more distinguished than these.	And Balac yet again sent more princes and more honourable than they.

Numbers 22:18 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:18 (KJV)	Numbers 22:18 (NET)
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak: ‘If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of HaShem my G-d, to do any thing, small or great.	And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.	Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Even if Balak would give me his palace full of silver and gold, I could not transgress the commandment of the Lord my God to do less or more.

Numbers 22:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλααμ καὶ εἶπεν τοῖς ἄρχουσιν Βαλακ ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλακ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου	καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Βαλαὰμ καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἄρχουσι Βαλάκ· ἐὰν δῷ μοι Βαλὰκ πλήρη τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ χρυσίου, οὐ δυνήσομαι παραβῆναι τὸ ρῆμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ, ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ μικρὸν ἢ μέγα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ μου
Numbers 22:18 (NETS)	Numbers 22:18 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam answered and said to the rulers of Balak, “If Balak gives me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to transgress the word of the Lord God to do it, whether small or great in my mind.	And Balaam answered and said to the princes of Balac, If Balac would give me his house full of silver and gold, I shall not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord God, to make it little or great in my mind.

Numbers 22:19 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:19 (KJV)	Numbers 22:19 (NET)
Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what HaShem will speak unto me more.’	Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.	Now therefore, please stay the night here also, that I may know what more the Lord might say to me.”

Numbers 22:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ νῦν ὑπομείνατε αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν νύκτα ταύτην καὶ γνώσομαι τί προσθήσει κύριος λαλῆσαι πρός με	καὶ νῦν ὑπομείνατε αὐτοῦ καὶ ὑμεῖς τὴν νύκτα ταύτην, καὶ γνώσομαι τί προσθήσει Κύριος λαλῆσαι πρός με
Numbers 22:19 (NETS)	Numbers 22:19 (English Elpenor)
And now remain here, you too, this night, and I will know what the Lord will add to speak to me.”	And now do ye also tarry here this night, and I shall know what the Lord will yet say to me.

Numbers 22:20 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:20 (KJV)	Numbers 22:20 (NET)
And G-d came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him: ‘If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.’	And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.	God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them, but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”

Numbers 22:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Βαλααμ νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ εἰ καλέσαι σε πάρεισιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι ἀναστὰς ἀκολούθησον αὐτοῖς ἀλλὰ τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἂν λαλήσω πρὸς σέ τοῦτο ποιήσεις	καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς Βαλαὰμ νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· εἰ καλέσαι σε πάρεισιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι, ἀναστὰς ἀκολούθησον αὐτοῖς· ἀλλὰ τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν λαλήσω πρὸς σε, τοῦτο ποιήσεις
Numbers 22:20 (NETS)	Numbers 22:20 (English Elpenor)
And God came to Balaam by night and said to him, “If these people are here to call you, rise up, and follow them, but the word that I speak to you—this you shall do.”	And God came to Balaam by night, and said to him, If these men are come to call thee, rise and follow them; nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, it shalt thou do.

Numbers 22:21 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:21 (KJV)	Numbers 22:21 (NET)
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.	And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.	So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλααμ τὸ πρωὶ ἐπέσαξεν τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Μωαβ	καὶ ἀναστὰς Βαλαὰμ τὸ πρωΐ ἐπέσαξε τὴν ὄνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Μωάβ
Numbers 22:21 (NETS)	Numbers 22:21 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the rulers of Moab.	And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Numbers 22:22 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:22 (KJV)	Numbers 22:22 (NET)
And G-d’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of HaShem placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. –Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.–	And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.	Then God’s anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐπορεύθη αὐτός καὶ ἀνέστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνδιαβάλλειν αὐτόν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιβεβήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ καὶ δύο παῖδες αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καὶ ὠργίσθη θυμῷ ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ἐπορεύθη αὐτός, καὶ ἀνέστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ διαβαλεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιβεβήκει ἐπὶ τῆς ὄνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ δύο παῖδες αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτοῦ
Numbers 22:22 (NETS)	Numbers 22:22 (English Elpenor)
And God was angry with wrath, because he went, and the angel of the Lord rose up to oppose him. And he himself was sitting on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.	And God was very angry because he went; and the angel of the Lord rose up to withstand him. Now he had mounted his ass, and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:23 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:23 (KJV)	Numbers 22:23 (NET)
And the ass saw the angel of HaShem standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.	And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.	And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.

Numbers 22:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ἡ ὄνος ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν ὄνον τῇ ῥάβδῳ τοῦ εὐθῦναι αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ	καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν ρομφαίαν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐξέκλινεν ἡ ὄνος ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύετο εἰς τὸ πεδίον· καὶ ἐπάταξε τὴν ὄνον ἐν τῇ ράβδῳ αὐτοῦ τοῦ εὐθῦναι αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ
Numbers 22:23 (NETS)	Numbers 22:23 (English Elpenor)
And when the donkey saw the angel of God standing opposed in the road and the sword drawn in his hand, then the donkey turned away from the road and kept going into the plain. And he struck the donkey with his rod to direct it in the road.	And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and [Balaam] smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.

Numbers 22:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:24 (KJV)	Numbers 22:24 (NET)
Then the angel of HaShem stood in a hollow way between the vineyards, a fence being on this side, and a fence on that side.	But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.	Then the angel of the Lord stood in a path among the vineyards, where there was a wall on either side.

Numbers 22:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἔστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν ταῖς αὔλαξιν τῶν ἀμπέλων φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν καὶ φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν	καὶ ἔστη ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ταῖς αὔλαξι τῶν ἀμπέλων, φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν καὶ φραγμὸς ἐντεῦθεν
Numbers 22:24 (NETS)	Numbers 22:24 (English Elpenor)
And the angel of God stood in the furrows of the vineyards, a fence here and a fence there.	And the angel of the Lord stood in the avenues of the vines, a fence [being] on this side and a fence on that.

Numbers 22:25 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:25 (KJV)	Numbers 22:25 (NET)
And the ass saw the angel of HaShem, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall; and he smote her again.	And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.	And when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. So he beat her again.

Numbers 22:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ προσέθλιψεν ἑαυτὴν πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ ἀπέθλιψεν τὸν πόδα Βαλααμ καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι μαστίξαι αὐτήν	καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ προσέθλιψεν ἑαυτὴν πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον καὶ ἀπέθλιψε τὸν πόδα Βαλαὰμ πρὸς τὸν τοῖχον· καὶ προσέθετο ἔτι μαστίξαι αὐτήν
Numbers 22:25 (NETS)	Numbers 22:25 (English Elpenor)
And when the donkey saw the angel of God, it pressed itself against the wall and squeezed Balaam’s foot, and he added to whip it again.	And when the ass saw the angel of God, she thrust herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall, and he smote her again.

Numbers 22:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:26 (KJV)	Numbers 22:26 (NET)
And the angel of HaShem went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.	And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.	Then the angel of the Lord went farther, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.

Numbers 22:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ προσέθετο ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἀπελθὼν ὑπέστη ἐν τόπῳ στενῷ εἰς ὃν οὐκ ἦν ἐκκλῖναι δεξιὰν οὐδὲ ἀριστεράν	καὶ προσέθετο ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀπελθὼν ὑπέστη ἐν τόπῳ στενῷ, εἰς ὃν οὐκ ἦν ἐκκλῖναι δεξιὰν ἢ ἀριστεράν
Numbers 22:26 (NETS)	Numbers 22:26 (English Elpenor)
And the angel of God proceeded and went on and stood still in a narrow place in which it was not possible to turn right or left.	And the angel of the Lord went farther, and came and stood in a narrow place where it was impossible to turn to the right or the left.

Numbers 22:27 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:27 (KJV)	Numbers 22:27 (NET)
And the ass saw the angel of HaShem, and she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.	And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.	When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. Then Balaam was angry, and he beat his donkey with a staff.

Numbers 22:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ θεοῦ συνεκάθισεν ὑποκάτω Βαλααμ καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλααμ καὶ ἔτυπτεν τὴν ὄνον τῇ ῥάβδῳ	καὶ ἰδοῦσα ἡ ὄνος τὸν ἄγγελον τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεκάθισεν ὑποκάτω Βαλαάμ· καὶ ἐθυμώθη Βαλαὰμ καὶ ἔτυπτε τὴν ὄνον τῇ ράβδῳ
Numbers 22:27 (NETS)	Numbers 22:27 (English Elpenor)
And when the donkey saw the angel of God, it settled down under Balaam, and Balaam was angered and kept beating the donkey with the rod.	And when the ass saw the angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam was angry, and struck the ass with his staff.

Numbers 22:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:28 (KJV)	Numbers 22:28 (NET)
And HaShem opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam: ‘What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?’	And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?	Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

Numbers 22:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤνοιξεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ στόμα τῆς ὄνου καὶ λέγει τῷ Βαλααμ τί ἐποίησά σοι ὅτι πέπαικάς με τοῦτο τρίτον	καὶ ἤνοιξεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ στόμα τῆς ὄνου, καὶ λέγει τῷ Βαλαάμ· τί ἐποίησά σοι ὅτι πέπαικάς με τρίτον τοῦτο
Numbers 22:28 (NETS)	Numbers 22:28 (English Elpenor)
And God opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have struck me this third time?”	And God opened the mouth of the ass, and she says to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me this third time?

Numbers 22:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:29 (KJV)	Numbers 22:29 (NET)
And Balaam said unto the ass: ‘Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee.’	And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.	And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.”

Numbers 22:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ τῇ ὄνῳ ὅτι ἐμπέπαιχάς μοι καὶ εἰ εἶχον μάχαιραν ἐν τῇ χειρί μου ἤδη ἂν ἐξεκέντησά σε	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῇ ὄνῳ· ὅτι ἐμπέπαιχάς μοι· καὶ εἰ εἶχον μάχαιραν ἐν τῇ χειρί, ἤδη ἂν ἐξεκέντησά σε
Numbers 22:29 (NETS)	Numbers 22:29 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me! And if I had a dagger in my hand, I would already have stabbed you!”	And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me; and if I [had] had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed thee.

Numbers 22:30 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:30 (KJV)	Numbers 22:30 (NET)
And the ass said unto Balaam: ‘Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee?’ And he said: ‘Nay.’	And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.	The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.”

Numbers 22:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λέγει ἡ ὄνος τῷ Βαλααμ οὐκ ἐγὼ ἡ ὄνος σου ἐφ᾽ ἧς ἐπέβαινες ἀπὸ νεότητός σου ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας μὴ ὑπεροράσει ὑπεριδοῦσα ἐποίησά σοι οὕτως ὁ δὲ εἶπεν οὐχί	καὶ λέγει ἡ ὄνος τῷ Βαλαάμ· οὐκ ἐγὼ ἡ ὄνος σου, ἐφ’ ἧς ἐπέβαινες ἀπὸ νεότητός σου ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας; μὴ ὑπεροράσει ὑπεριδοῦσα ἐποίησά σοι οὕτως; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· οὐχί
Numbers 22:30 (NETS)	Numbers 22:30 (English Elpenor)
And the donkey says to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you would ride from your youth to this very day? Disregarding with disregard—I have not done so to you, have I?” And he said, “No!”	And the ass says to Balaam, [Am] not I thine ass on which thou hast ridden since thy youth till this day? did I ever do thus to thee, utterly disregarding [thee]? and he said, No.

Numbers 22:31 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:31 (KJV)	Numbers 22:31 (NET)
Then HaShem opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of HaShem standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.	Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.	Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground.

Numbers 22:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπεκάλυψεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς Βαλααμ καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄγγελον κυρίου ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κύψας προσεκύνησεν τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ	ἀπεκάλυψε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς Βαλαάμ, καὶ ὁρᾷ τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου ἀνθεστηκότα ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ τὴν μάχαιραν ἐσπασμένην ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ κύψας προσεκύνησε τῷ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ
Numbers 22:31 (NETS)	Numbers 22:31 (English Elpenor)
Now God uncovered the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of God standing opposed in the road and the dagger drawn in his hand, and he bowed down and did obeisance to his face.	And God opened the eyes of Balaam, and he sees the angel of the Lord withstanding [him] in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, and he stooped down and worshiped on his face.

Numbers 22:32 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:32 (KJV)	Numbers 22:32 (NET)
And the angel of HaShem said unto him: ‘Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is contrary unto me;	And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:	The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me.

Numbers 22:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:32, 33a (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τί ἐπάταξας τὴν ὄνον σου τοῦτο τρίτον καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξῆλθον εἰς διαβολήν σου ὅτι οὐκ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδός σου ἐναντίον μου	καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ· διατί ἐπάταξας τὴν ὄνον σου τοῦτο τρίτον; καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξῆλθον εἰς διαβολήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδός σου ἐναντίον μου (33) καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος ἐξέκλινεν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο
Numbers 22:32 (NETS)	Numbers 22:32 (English Elpenor)
And the angel of God said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey this third time? And behold, I came out to oppose you, because your way was not pretty before me.	And the angel of God said to him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand thee, for thy way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.

Numbers 22:33 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:33 (KJV)	Numbers 22:33 (NET)
and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times; unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.’	And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.	The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.”

Numbers 22:33 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος ἐξέκλινεν ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐξέκλινεν νῦν οὖν σὲ μὲν ἀπέκτεινα ἐκείνην δὲ περιεποιησάμην	καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος ἐξέκλινεν ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο· καὶ εἰ μὴ ἐξέκλινεν, νῦν οὖν σὲ μὲν ἀπέκτεινα, ἐκείνην δ’ ἂν περιεποιησάμην
Numbers 22:33 (NETS)	Numbers 22:32b, 33 (English Elpenor)
And when the donkey saw me, it turned away from me this third time. And if it had not turned away, now surely I would have killed you but kept it alive.”	and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time. (33) And if she had not turned out of the way, surely now, I should have slain thee, and should have saved her alive.

Numbers 22:34 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:34 (KJV)	Numbers 22:34 (NET)
And Balaam said unto the angel of HaShem: ‘I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me; now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back.’	And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.	Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood against me in the road. So now, if it is evil in your sight, I will go back home.”

Numbers 22:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ κυρίου ἡμάρτηκα οὐ γὰρ ἠπιστάμην ὅτι σύ μοι ἀνθέστηκας ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς συνάντησιν καὶ νῦν εἰ μή σοι ἀρέσκει ἀποστραφήσομαι	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ Κυρίου· ἡμάρτηκα, οὐ γὰρ ἠπιστάμην ὅτι σύ μοι ἀνθέστηκας ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ εἰς συνάντησιν· καὶ νῦν εἰ μή σοι ἀρκέσει, ἀποστραφήσομαι
Numbers 22:34 (NETS)	Numbers 22:34 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not understand that you stood opposed to me on the road for a meeting. And now, if it is not pleasing to you, I will turn back.”	And Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I did not know that thou wert standing opposite in the way to meet [me]; and now if it shall not be pleasing to thee [for me to go on], I will return.

Numbers 22:35 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:35 (KJV)	Numbers 22:35 (NET)
And the angel of HaShem said unto Balaam: ‘Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak.’ So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.	And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.	But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak the word that I will speak to you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Numbers 22:35 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:35 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ θεοῦ πρὸς Βαλααμ συμπορεύθητι μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πλὴν τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν εἴπω πρὸς σέ τοῦτο φυλάξῃ λαλῆσαι καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλααμ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Βαλακ	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς Βαλαάμ· συμπορεύθητι μετὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· πλὴν τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν εἴπω πρὸς σε, τοῦτο φυλάξῃ λαλῆσαι. καὶ ἐπορεύθη Βαλαὰμ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων Βαλάκ
Numbers 22:35 (NETS)	Numbers 22:35 (English Elpenor)
And the angel of God said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but the word that I say to you, this you shall take heed to speak.” And Balaam went with the rulers of Balak.	And the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, Go with the men: nevertheless the word which I shall speak to thee, that thou shalt take heed to speak. And Balaam went with the princes of Balac.

Numbers 22:38 (Tanakh)	Numbers 22:38 (KJV)	Numbers 22:38 (NET)
And Balaam said unto Balak: ‘Lo, I am come unto thee; have I now any power at all to speak any thing? the word that G-d putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.’	And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.	Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have come to you. Now, am I able to speak just anything? I must speak only the word that God puts in my mouth.”

Numbers 22:38 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 22:38 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Βαλααμ πρὸς Βαλακ ἰδοὺ ἥκω πρὸς σέ νῦν δυνατὸς ἔσομαι λαλῆσαί τι τὸ ῥῆμα ὃ ἐὰν βάλῃ ὁ θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου τοῦτο λαλήσω	καὶ εἶπε Βαλαὰμ πρὸς Βαλάκ· ἰδοὺ ἥκω πρὸς σὲ νῦν· δυνατὸς ἔσομαι λαλῆσαί τι; τὸ ρῆμα, ὃ ἐὰν ἐμβάλῃ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τὸ στόμα μου, τοῦτο λαλήσω
Numbers 22:38 (NETS)	Numbers 22:38 (English Elpenor)
And Balaam said to Balak, “Behold, I have come to you. Shall I now be able to speak anything? The word that God puts into my mouth, this I shall speak.”	And Balaam said to Balac, Behold, I am now come to thee: shall I be able to say anything? the word which God shall put into my mouth, that I shall speak.

Matthew 19:16, 17 (NET)	Matthew 19:16, 17 (KJV)
Now someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?”	And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

Matthew 19:16 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 19:16 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:16 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἰδοὺ εἷς προσελθὼν αὐτῷ εἶπεν· διδάσκαλε, τί ἀγαθὸν ποιήσω ἵνα σχῶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον	και ιδου εις προσελθων ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε αγαθε τι αγαθον ποιησω ινα εχω ζωην αιωνιον	και ιδου εις προσελθων ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε αγαθε τι αγαθον ποιησω ινα εχω ζωην αιωνιον

He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

Matthew 19:17 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 19:17 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 19:17 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· τί με ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ; εἷς ἐστιν ὁ ἀγαθός· εἰ δὲ θέλεις εἰς τὴν ζωὴν εἰσελθεῖν, \|τήρησον\| τὰς ἐντολάς	ο δε ειπεν αυτω τι με λεγεις αγαθον ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος ει δε θελεις εισελθειν εις την ζωην τηρησον τας εντολας	ο δε ειπεν αυτω τι με λεγεις αγαθον ουδεις αγαθος ει μη εις ο θεος ει δε θελεις εισελθειν εις την ζωην τηρησον τας εντολας

2 Peter 2:15 (NET)	2 Peter 2:15 (KJV)
By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness,	Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

2 Peter 2:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	2 Peter 2:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	2 Peter 2:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καταλείποντες εὐθεῖαν ὁδὸν ἐπλανήθησαν, ἐξακολουθήσαντες τῇ ὁδῷ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ τοῦ \|Βοσόρ\|, ὃς μισθὸν ἀδικίας ἠγάπησεν	καταλιποντες την ευθειαν οδον επλανηθησαν εξακολουθησαντες τη οδω του βαλααμ του βοσορ ος μισθον αδικιας ηγαπησεν	καταλιποντες ευθειαν οδον επλανηθησαν εξακολουθησαντες τη οδω του βαλααμ του βοσορ ος μισθον αδικιας ηγαπησεν

Matthew 3:8 (NET)	Matthew 3:8 (KJV)
Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance,	Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Matthew 3:8 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 3:8 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 3:8 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας	ποιησατε ουν καρπους αξιους της μετανοιας	ποιησατε ουν καρπον αξιον της μετανοιας

3 John, Part 5

Back to 3 John, Part 6

Back to 3 John, Part 7

Back to 3 John, Part 8

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

Back to Balaam, Balak and the 24,000, Part 5

¹ 3 John 1:9b (ESV) Table

² 3 John 1:12 (ESV) Table

³ 3 John 1:11a (ESV)

⁴ 1 John 4:3 (ESV) Table

⁵ 3 John 1:10 (ESV)

⁶ 3 John, Part 3

⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the vocative adjective αγαθε (KJV: Good Master) following Teacher. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had σχῶ here, a form of ἔχω in the 2^nd aorist tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εχω (KJV: may have) in the present tense.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐρωτᾷς περὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had λεγεις αγαθον (KJV: callest thou…good).

¹⁰ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐστιν here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹¹ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ει μη (KJV: but) preceding only one (KJV: one) and ο θεος (KJV: that is, God) following. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the article ὁ preceding good, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουδεις (KJV: none).

¹³ Here, the verbal adjective προσελθὼν, a participle of the verb προσέρχομαι in the 2^nd aorist tense and nominative case, modifies εἷς (“one”). This participle is singular and masculine, rendering εἷς a man.

¹⁴ The Greek word translated must I do was ποιήσω, a form of ποιέω that might be understood in the future tense and indicative mood—shall I do (KJV)—or in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. Since σχῶ (ESV: have) is a form of ἔχω in the 2^nd aorist tense and subjunctive mood, I went with the latter option to balance the clauses: “What good might I do in order that I might have life eternal?”

¹⁵ Granted, this saying is highly disputed between critical and received texts, and I’m only quoting the critical text here. I’ll consider both in more detail in another essay.

¹⁶ Matthew 7:18 (ESV)

¹⁷ Numbers 22:6b (ESV)

¹⁸ Numbers 22:15 (ESV)

¹⁹ From ‘I am afraid we are not rid of God because we still have faith in grammar…’ by Glenn Nicholls

²⁰ Numbers 22:18 (ESV)

²¹ I’m beginning to see this habit of translating the indicative mood as if it were an imperative as a symptom of, or a misguided reaction to, the people Paul prophesied about: having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5a ESV). I find myself offended this time by the pronoun its: the power of godliness is God’s power, his. But that’s not the gender in Greek: τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῆς is feminine, her power in the accusative case, the direct object of this clause. Even godliness, εὐσεβείας, is feminine. I might write it off as an anomaly of a language that assigns the wrong gender to εὐσέβεια (godliness) and δύναμις (power) or I might hear it as the word of God and understand her power: when she is inseminated by her lord, she brings forth his fruit, τόν καρπόν αὐτόν is masculine. Likewise, my brothers, Paul wrote, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit (καρποφορῆσωμεν) for God (τῷ θεῷ), in the dative case: “by means of God” (Romans 7:4 ESV). “The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done.” From Noun Cases: Dative Case, GREEK NOUNS (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²² Numbers 22:12b (ESV)

²³ Matthew 7:18a (ESV)

²⁴ The NET parallel Greek text had καταλείποντες (NET: By forsaking) here, a participle of καταλείπω in the present tense, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA²⁸ had the participle καταλιπόντες (KJV: Which have forsaken) in the 2^nd aorist tense.

²⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article την here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁶ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had καρπὸν ἄξιον, a singular form of the noun καρπός followed by a singular form of the adjective ἄξιος, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had the plural καρπους αξιους (KJV: fruits meet).

²⁷ Ezekiel 33:10, 11 (ESV)

²⁸ The Complete Jewish Bible on chabad.org renders it: that I will speak.

²⁹ 3 John 1:11b 3 John

Exploration, Part 11

Posted on May 8, 2025 by admin

Paul had asked foolish Galatians to consider: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?¹ He continued describing the fruit (result) of the Spirit (Galatians 5:25-6:5 ESV).

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ [Table]. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Since we live by the Spirit

The Greek is: Εἰ, If (or, “Since”), ζῶμεν, we live, πνεύματι, by the Spirit. The Greek word ζῶμεν, a form of ζάω, could be understood in the indicative mood, as “a statement of fact,” or in the subjunctive mood, as an action that “will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.” The translation we live, rather than we may live, acknowledges the indicative mood. Paul had written of himself (Galatians 2:19 ESV):

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.

Here the Greek was: ἐγὼ γὰρ, For I, διὰ νόμου, through the law, νόμῳ, to the law (or, “by means of the law”), ἀπέθανον, died, ἵνα, so that, θεῷ, to God (or, “by means of God”), ζήσω, I might live. Here ζήσω, another form of ζάω, was in the subjunctive mood, though the conjunction ἵνα indicates that it is part of a result clause.

…if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.²

In this instance “another stated action” was “I through the law by means of the law died” ἀπέθανον, a form of ἀποθνήσκω. Was this a unique and special achievement of Paul’s? Likewise, my brothers, you also have died (ἐθανατώθητε, a form of θανατόω; literally, “you have been put to death”) to the law (τῷ νόμῳ; or, “by means of the law”) through the body of Christ.³

He wrote elsewhere (Romans 6:3, 4 ESV).

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death (θάνατον, a form of θάνατος)? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death (εἰς τὸν θάνατον), in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead (ἐκ νεκρῶν) by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

And so, Paul wrote of himself (Galatians 2:20 NET):

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.

The Greek is: Χριστῷ, with Christ (or, “by means of Christ”), συνεσταύρωμαι, I have been crucified, ζῶ δὲ οὐκέτι ἐγώ, and it is no longer I who live (literally, “but I live no longer I” or “but I live hereafter not I”), ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός, but Christ lives in me (literally, “but He lives within me, Christ”), ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, So the life I now live in the body (literally, “so who now I live within flesh”), ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God (literally, “by faithfulness I live by means of the Son of God”), τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, who loved me and gave himself for me.

None of this has anything to do with being perfected by the flesh (σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε). It is only achieved by hearing with faith (ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως). Paul continued describing the result of the Spirit: πνεύματι, with (or, “by”) the Spirit, καὶ, also, στοιχῶμεν, let us…keep in step.

By the Spirit also we may keep in step

In Paul’s letters only one other occurrence of πνεύματι (without any modifiers) was translated with the Spirit in the ESV [see Table below].

And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit (πνεύματι) of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.⁴

This translation seems to have been an accommodation to match the adjective μέλανι (with ink) in the dative case, since by ink may have sounded awkward in English. Still, both the dative adjective and dative noun can be easily understood as “by means of ink” and “by means of the Spirit” respectively. While it may still be possible to hear let us also keep in step with the Spirit⁵ as “by means of the Spirit,” the ESV translators used the formula let us in Jesus’ command as let him (Mark 8:34b ESV).

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me [Table].

The Greek word translated let him deny was ἀπαρνησάσθω,⁶ an imperative form of ἀπαρνέομαι, he must deny (NET). And since the ESV translators chose⁷ what sounds like the imperative option for περιπατεῖτε (walk) in But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh,⁸ let us also keep in step with the Spirit⁹ sounds like “a command or instruction given to the hearer, charging the hearer to carry out or perform a certain action.”¹⁰

It is as if it were written to foolish Galatians who, while attempting to be perfected by the flesh,¹¹ had rushed ahead, were lagging behind or were in some other way out of cadence with the Spirit. This translation may well be an insightful paraphrase of the problem caused by any attempt to be perfected by the flesh, but the solution is not a work that foolish Galatians (or anyone else) must achieve: slowing down, speeding up or doing a little hop and skip step. All attempts to be perfected by the flesh are remedied by hearing with faith (ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως).¹²

A more natural translation of στοιχῶμεν in the subjunctive mood—“we may keep in step”—would sound less like we are…being perfected by the flesh, or that Paul was restating the problem of being perfected by the flesh, and more like a contingent solution to that problem: “The action of the verb will possibly happen, depending on certain objective factors or circumstances.” The “objective factors or circumstances” are “by the Spirit (or even, with the Spirit, understood instrumentally) also we may keep in step” since we live by the Spirit¹³ by hearing with faith.¹⁴

We may not become conceited

Paul continued: μὴ γινώμεθα κενόδοξοι, Let us not become conceited. Here, too, a more natural translation of the verb γινώμεθα, a form of γίνομαι in the subjunctive mood—“we may not become conceited”—renders this clause as another truth to believe “by the Spirit since” we live by the Spirit¹⁵ by hearing with faith.¹⁶ Granted, apart from any consideration of the function of subjunctive verbs in Koine Greek, “we may not become conceited” can sound like another law of Paul: he does not grant us permission to become conceited. While this is a true statement, it was not exactly his point here in Greek: “Since we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit we may keep in step; [by the Spirit] we may not become conceited.”

The adjective κενόδοξοι, a form of κενόδοξος (ESV: conceited), only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: From κενός (kenos, meaning “empty”) and δόξα (doxa, meaning “glory” or “reputation”)

Usage: The term “kenodoxos” refers to someone who is excessively proud or boastful, seeking glory or recognition for themselves without substance or merit. It conveys the idea of being self-centered and having an inflated sense of one’s own importance, often at the expense of others.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, honor and reputation were highly valued, and individuals often sought to elevate their status through public recognition and achievements. The concept of “kenodoxos” would have been understood as a negative trait, as it implies a superficial pursuit of glory without genuine worth. In the early Christian context, humility and selflessness were emphasized as virtues, contrasting with the self-aggrandizing behavior denoted by “kenodoxos.”

Paul made his usage of κενόδοξοι quite explicit: ἀλλήλους προκαλούμενοι, one another provoking, ἀλλήλοις φθονοῦντες, one another (or, by one another) envying. The participle προκαλούμενοι, a form of the verb προκαλέω, only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: From πρό (pro, “before”) and καλέω (kaleó, “to call”)

Usage: The Greek verb “prokaleó” primarily means to provoke or to challenge someone. It carries the connotation of inciting or stirring up a reaction, often in a confrontational or competitive manner. In the New Testament, it is used to describe actions that lead to contention or rivalry.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, public discourse and debate were common, and the act of provoking or challenging others was often seen in the context of philosophical discussions, legal disputes, or athletic competitions. The term “prokaleó” would have been understood in this cultural milieu as an action that could lead to either positive engagement or negative conflict, depending on the context and intent.

The participle φθονοῦντες, a form of the verb φθονέω (ESV: envying), only occurs here in the New Testament. According to the Topical Lexicon:

Word Origin: Derived from φθόνος (phthonos), meaning “envy” or “jealousy.”

Usage: The verb “phthoneó” is used in the New Testament to describe the act of envying or being jealous of someone. It conveys a sense of ill will or resentment towards another person due to their advantages, success, or possessions. This term is often associated with a negative moral and spiritual connotation, as envy is considered a vice that can lead to further sin and discord among individuals.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, envy was recognized as a destructive emotion that could disrupt social harmony and personal relationships. Philosophers like Aristotle and Plutarch discussed envy as a vice that should be avoided. In Jewish and early Christian teachings, envy was similarly viewed as a sin that could lead to other transgressions, such as strife and division within the community. The New Testament writers often warned against envy, emphasizing the importance of love, contentment, and unity among believers.

The first reciprocal pronoun ἀλλήλους is in the accusative case and the second ἀλλήλοις is in the dative case: “[By the Spirit] we may not become conceited, provoking one another by one another envying (or, by envying one another).” Why? We are not attempting to be perfected by the flesh or confused into thinking we are being perfected by our own works in the flesh, but “by the Spirit since” we live by the Spirit¹⁷ by hearing with faith.¹⁸ As Paul wrote to divided Corinthians (1 Corinthians 4:6, 7 ESV):

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos¹⁹ for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not²⁰ to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast (καυχᾶσαι, a form of καυχάομαι) as if you did not receive it?

Paul continued: Ἀδελφοί, Brothers, ἐὰν καὶ, if (literally, “even if”), προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος, anyone is caught, ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, in any transgression, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ, you, “the spiritual,” “you who walk by the Spirit, you who live by the Spirit,” καταρτίζετε, should restore.

The command, καταρτίζετε, is an imperative form of καταρτίζω in the present tense and active voice: “to adjust or put in order, restore; to put (nets) to rights, mend (nets), repair; to restore to a right mind; to complete; to furnish completely; to make good, reconcile; to prepare, make ready; to provide direction; to establish, create, form.” Restore whom? τὸν τοιοῦτον, him (literally, “such as this”), the one caught (ESV), or overtaken (KJV), in any transgression: ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, in a spirit of gentleness. In context this does not mean to gently and humbly offer foolish Galatians self-help tips that they might continue being perfected by the flesh,²¹ but restoration designed to reacquaint them with their walk by the Spirit, and [they] will not gratify (οὐ μὴ τελέσητε) the desires of the flesh.²²

How do “the spiritual” obey the command to restore those attempting to be perfected by the flesh? by the grace of God, by that continuous supply of his own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—the fruit (result) of the Spirit [Table],²³ received by hearing with faith rather than by being perfected by the flesh. Self-help tips are likely to turn the heart of the tipster to the foolishness of being perfected by the flesh.

Paul continued: σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν, Keep watch on yourself, μὴ καὶ σὺ, lest you too, πειρασθῇς, be tempted. The passive verb πειρασθῇς, a form of πειράζω in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood, means: to be tempted or enticed. And in the active voice πειράζω points back to the “objective factors or circumstances” on which the “probability or objective possibility” of being tempted in the subjunctive mood in this context depends: “to try, attempt, make an attempt” (e.g., to be perfected by the flesh). This is the only imaginable circumstance²⁴ when those who are generally led by the Spirit²⁵ gratify the desires of the flesh.²⁶

Paul had already illustrated the difference between attempting to be perfected by the flesh and by hearing with faith in his recounting of a personal example (Galatians 2:11-14 ESV).

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned (κατεγνωσμένος, a participle of καταγινώσκω) [Table]. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him (συνυπεκρίθησαν, a form of συνυποκρίνομαι, αὐτῷ), so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy (αὐτῶν τῇ ὑποκρίσει).²⁷ But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” [Table]

How did the arrival of certain men…from James (τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου) exert such power over Cephas, Barnabas and the rest of the Jews in Antioch? The subtly misplaced emphasis of James’ teaching offers a clue (James 2:21-26 ESV).

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone [Table]. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works (Joshua 2:8-13) when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead [Table].

It’s worth mentioning that his works in the clause faith was active along with his works was τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ in Greek. But the translators added the personal pronoun his (e.g., αὐτοῦ) to the next clause: καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἔργων ἡ πίστις ἐτελειώθη (literally, “and by” or “because of the works the faith” or “the faithfulness was brought to a successful conclusion”). So part of the “subtly misplaced emphasis” may be a matter of translation. James’ “subtly misplaced emphasis” comes into view when considering his intended audience, the twelve tribes in the Dispersion (Romans 9:30-32a ESV):

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law [Table]. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works (ἔργων, a form of ἔργον) [Table].

James preached the virtue of singing to the choir. His “subtly misplaced emphasis” can be realigned by asking: When Abraham offered up his son Isaac on the altar was this work the result of his being perfected by the flesh²⁸ or by hearing with faith?²⁹ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.³⁰

Another well-known passage helps explain why Peter (Cephas) drew back [from the Gentiles] and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party³¹ (2 Peter 1:3-8 ESV).

Having begun by the Spirit…³²

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence [Table], by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire [Table].

…are you now being perfected by the flesh?³³

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I inserted Paul’s words as topical headings to make my point explicitly. The Greek words translated make every effort are πᾶσαν παρεισενέγκαντες, a participle of παρεισφέρω in the active voice: “to apply, bring to bear, make an effort; to bring in alongside; to add to.” Okay, so far. But to supplement is ἐπιχορηγήσατε, an imperative form of the verb ἐπιχορηγέω in the active voice: “to furnish, provide for (at one’s own expense); to provide monetary needs; to give, grant; to support; to lead a chorus.” What must I supplement (“add”) to all things that pertain to life and godliness?

I wrote elsewhere: “Peter’s writing spoke to me long before Paul’s made any sense at all.”

At the time I was ready to believe Jesus again I was more than willing to make every effort to add to [my] faith excellence.⁷ Excellence is a contemporary attempt to rekindle some Greek fire in Areté (ἀρέτη), since virtue has become an old scold. I set out, discounting the Gospel as something I’d already tried and found wanting, to obey the law, excellently, virtuously. And I saw my efforts as the only sure way of escaping the worldly⁸ corruption that is produced by evil desire (ἐπιθυμίᾳ, a form of ἐπιθυμία).⁹ After I escaped the worldly corruption produced by evil desire by making every effort to keep the law, then I may become [a partaker] of the divine nature.¹⁰

I searched the Bible for rules to obey, fully expecting to be perfected by the flesh because Jesus would help me to have a righteousness of my own that comes from the law.³⁴ In the beginning I couldn’t even imagine a righteousness of God…apart from the law.³⁵ “I believed at the very core of my being that faith was opposed to reason as reason was opposed to faith.”³⁶ And perhaps, more to the point, the core of my core beliefs was: reason, good; faith, bad. So, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe³⁷ was not merely beyond my imagination, but even beyond the pale of my moral universe. A righteousness based on law seemed, all and all, more reasonable. As Paul wrote, the law is not of faith.³⁸ But Jesus continued to draw me to Himself.

Since I was reading the Bible then, it is possible to outline some of the ways He drew me. Searching the Bible for rules to obey, it wasn’t long before I had tied up a heavy burden, hard to bear. Yes, it was very reminiscent of Jesus’ description of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:4 ESV).

They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger [Table].

And yes, I argued for a time that I was not a hypocrite like those scribes and Pharisees because I was actually trying to lift the heavy burden that “Jesus gave me to bear.” But Jesus said (Luke 17:7-10 ESV):

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? [Table] Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? [Table] So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Once my angry rant subsided and I paused to catch my breath, I could see that Jesus and I had different perspectives on my righteousness. I saw my righteousness as a high and lofty personal achievement worthy of praise. Yes, it took a while and a lot more Bible study and failure and frustration before I recognized that Jesus saw my righteousness as a baseline He gave willingly and freely if only I believe and receive Him. And yes, even knowing and believing that, I can still have moments of temporary insanity when I reject his grace!

Jesus also prophesied about works of personal achievement, works that seemed far beyond my ability to achieve (Matthew 7:22, 23 ESV):

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

Jesus did not dispute their achievements. And yes, it took some time for me to hear οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς (ESV: I never knew you) as Jesus’ intention to have spiritual intercourse with me—with all. (This intimate communion with God the Father, God the Son through God the indwelling Holy Spirit has become my favorite part of spending my days with Him studying the Bible to what ever depth of detail He will empower me to go.) Somewhat ironically perhaps and with a dazzling display of power and authority, He continued to draw me to Himself through the writings of Paul.

I, too, delighted in the law of God, in my inner being;³⁹ I had the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.⁴⁰ As I began to entertain the righteousness of God as a plausible alternative to a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, I assumed I had misunderstood Peter. Later, I assumed that “Peter was not the writer, not the literary man or learned man, that Paul was.”⁴¹ Only recently have I begun to hear Peter’s writing as an illustration of the difference between being perfected by the flesh and by hearing with faith, as well as an explanation why he in a moment in time in Antioch was so easily led astray when certain men came from James. To separate himself from Gentiles was an easy and obvious way to be perfected by the flesh according to Jewish tradition.

Paul continued: Ἀλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, one another’s burdens [you must] Bear.

One another’s burdens you must bear

The Greek verb βαστάζετε is an imperative form of βαστάζω in the present tense and active voice: “to take up (e.g., to lift up stones); to carry, bear (a physical object); to carry (anything burdensome); to bear, endure, tolerate; to bear, carry (a non-burden, e.g., scars); to carry away, remove (e.g., a corpse, one’s sandals, disease); to take surreptitiously, pilfer, steal.” But Paul didn’t issue this command on his own authority as an Apostle: καὶ οὕτως |ἀναπληρώσετε|, and so [you will] fulfill,⁴² τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, the law of Christ. A new commandment I give to you, Jesus said, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.⁴³

How? being perfected by the flesh or by hearing with faith? By trusting the grace of God, that continuous supply of his own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—the fruit (result) of the Spirit [Table]. Paul continued: εἰ γὰρ δοκεῖ τις εἶναι, For if anyone thinks he is something, τι μηδὲν ὤν, when he is nothing, φρεναπατᾷ ἑαυτόν, he deceives himself; τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἑαυτοῦ δοκιμαζέτω |ἕκαστος|, But let each one test his own work.

The verb δοκιμαζέτω (test) is an imperative form of δοκιμάζω in the present tense and active voice. It is a command. The specific test seems obvious in this context: Have my works come to fruition by hearing with faith or have I been tempted to be perfected by the flesh? Whatever the outcome to this mandatory test, Paul continued: καὶ τότε, and then, εἰς ἑαυτὸν μόνον, in himself alone. It seems much more appropriate here to translate εἰς unto, “unto himself alone.”

The Greek continues: τὸ καύχημα ἕξει, reason to boast “he will have,” καὶ οὐκ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον, and not [unto the] neighbor (literally, “the other”). The one who has worked by hearing with faith praises God: “unto himself alone he will have reason to boast and not unto the other.” By doing so he does not provoke the other to envy with grace the other may not yet be ready to receive (Ephesians 3:14-21). And even the one who is still deluded into believing that he is being perfected by the flesh: if he praises himself “unto himself alone…and not unto the other,” does not provoke the other to envy under false pretenses.

Paul concluded: ἕκαστος γὰρ, For each, τὸ ἴδιον φορτίον, his own load, βαστάσει, will have to bear. At any given moment we are stuck with who and what we are, our faith and unbelief, our reliance on Christ through his Holy Spirit and our predilections to do it ourselves or to go our own way. But Jesus continues to draw us to Himself.

And when those whose works are accomplished by hearing with faith witness the heavy burden that those laboring to be perfected by the flesh have tied up for themselves, the former can’t help but want to share what God in Christ through the Holy Spirit has done for them, not boasting or provoking but in a spirit of gentleness, sharing with others the love with which Jesus has loved them, so that all may hear: For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.⁴⁴

A table of the occurrences of Paul’s usage of πνεύματι in the ESV and NA²⁸ follows.

Examples of Paul’s usage of πνεύματι in the New Testament
Reference	ESV	NA²⁸
Romans 1:9	For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you	μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι
Romans 2:29	But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.	ἀλλ’ ὁ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ Ἰουδαῖος, καὶ περιτομὴ καρδίας ἐν πνεύματι οὐ γράμματι, οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἀλλ’ ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ
Romans 8:9	You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.	Ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ ἀλλ’ ἐν πνεύματι, εἴπερ πνεῦμα θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. εἰ δέ τις πνεῦμα Χριστοῦ οὐκ ἔχει, οὗτος οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ
Romans 8:13	For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.	εἰ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῆτε, μέλλετε ἀποθνῄσκειν· εἰ δὲ πνεύματι τὰς πράξεις τοῦ σώματος θανατοῦτε, ζήσεσθε
Romans 8:14	For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.	ὅσοι γὰρ πνεύματι θεοῦ ἄγονται, οὗτοι υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν
Romans 8:16	The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,	αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα θεοῦ
Romans 9:1	I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—	Ἀλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
Romans 12:11	Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord	τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες, τῷ κυρίῳ δουλεύοντες
Romans 14:17	For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but iof righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.	οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ χαρὰ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
Romans 15:16	to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.	εἰς τὸ εἶναί με λειτουργὸν Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ εἰς τὰ ἔθνη, ἱερουργοῦντα τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα γένηται ἡ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
1 Corinthians 4:21	What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness?	τί θέλετε; ἐν ῥάβδῳ ἔλθω πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἢ ἐν ἀγάπῃ πνεύματί τε πραΰτητος
1 Corinthians 5:3	For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing.	ἐγὼ μὲν γάρ, ἀπὼν τῷ σώματι παρὼν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι, ἤδη κέκρικα ὡς παρὼν τὸν οὕτως τοῦτο κατεργασάμενον
1 Corinthians 6:11	And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.	καὶ ταῦτά τινες ἦτε· ἀλλ’ ἀπελούσασθε, ἀλλ’ ἡγιάσθητε, ἀλλ’ ἐδικαιώθητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν
1 Corinthians 7:34	and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.	καὶ μεμέρισται. καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄγαμος καὶ ἡ παρθένος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῷ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ ἀνδρί
1 Corinthians 12:3	Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.	διὸ γνωρίζω ὑμῖν ὅτι οὐδεὶς ἐν πνεύματι θεοῦ λαλῶν λέγει· Ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται εἰπεῖν· Κύριος Ἰησοῦς, εἰ μὴ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ
1 Corinthians 12:9	to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,	ἑτέρῳ πίστις ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι, ἄλλῳ δὲ χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ πνεύματι
1 Corinthians 12:13	For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.	καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι ἡμεῖς πάντες εἰς ἓν σῶμα ἐβαπτίσθημεν, εἴτε Ἰουδαῖοι εἴτε Ἕλληνες εἴτε δοῦλοι εἴτε ἐλεύθεροι, καὶ πάντες ἓν πνεῦμα ἐποτίσθημεν
1 Corinthians 14:2	For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.	ὁ γὰρ λαλῶν γλώσσῃ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις λαλεῖ ἀλλὰ θεῷ· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀκούει, πνεύματι δὲ λαλεῖ μυστήρια
1 Corinthians 14:15	What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.	τί οὖν ἐστιν; προσεύξομαι τῷ πνεύματι, προσεύξομαι δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ· ψαλῶ τῷ πνεύματι, ψαλῶ δὲ καὶ τῷ νοΐ
1 Corinthians 14:16	Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?	ἐπεὶ ἐὰν εὐλογῇς [ἐν] πνεύματι, ὁ ἀναπληρῶν τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἰδιώτου πῶς ἐρεῖ τὸ ἀμὴν ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ εὐχαριστίᾳ; ἐπειδὴ τί λέγεις οὐκ οἶδεν
2 Corinthians 2:13	my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia.	οὐκ ἔσχηκα ἄνεσιν τῷ πνεύματί μου τῷ μὴ εὑρεῖν με Τίτον τὸν ἀδελφόν μου, ἀλλ’ ἀποταξάμενος αὐτοῖς ἐξῆλθον εἰς Μακεδονίαν
2 Corinthians 3:3	And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.	φανερούμενοι ὅτι ἐστὲ ἐπιστολὴ Χριστοῦ διακονηθεῖσα ὑφ’ ἡμῶν, ἐγγεγραμμένη οὐ μέλανι ἀλλὰ πνεύματι θεοῦ ζῶντος, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις ἀλλ’ ἐν πλαξὶν καρδίαις σαρκίναις
2 Corinthians 6:6	by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;	ἐν ἁγνότητι, ἐν γνώσει, ἐν μακροθυμίᾳ, ἐν χρηστότητι, ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ ἀνυποκρίτῳ
2 Corinthians 12:18	I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps?	παρεκάλεσα Τίτον καὶ συναπέστειλα τὸν ἀδελφόν· μήτι ἐπλεονέκτησεν ὑμᾶς Τίτος; οὐ τῷ αὐτῷ πνεύματι περιεπατήσαμεν; οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἴχνεσιν
Galatians 3:3	Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?	οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε, ἐναρξάμενοι πνεύματι νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε
Galatians 5:5	For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.	ἡμεῖς γὰρ πνεύματι ἐκ πίστεως ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἀπεκδεχόμεθα
Galatians 5:16	But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.	Λέγω δέ, πνεύματι περιπατεῖτε καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς οὐ μὴ τελέσητε
Galatians 5:18	But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.	εἰ δὲ πνεύματι ἄγεσθε, οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον
Galatians 5:25	If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.	Εἰ ζῶμεν πνεύματι, πνεύματι καὶ στοιχῶμεν
Galatians 6:1	Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.	Ἀδελφοί, ἐὰν καὶ προλημφθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἔν τινι παραπτώματι, ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ καταρτίζετε τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος, σκοπῶν σεαυτὸν μὴ καὶ σὺ πειρασθῇς
Ephesians 1:13	In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,	Ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς σωτηρίας ὑμῶν, ἐν ᾧ καὶ πιστεύσαντες ἐσφραγίσθητε τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τῷ ἁγίῳ
Ephesians 2:18	For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.	ὅτι δι’ αὐτοῦ ἔχομεν τὴν προσαγωγὴν οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα
Ephesians 2:22	In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.	ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὑμεῖς συνοικοδομεῖσθε εἰς κατοικητήριον τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 3:5	which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.	ὃ ἑτέραις γενεαῖς οὐκ ἐγνωρίσθη τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡς νῦν ἀπεκαλύφθη τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀποστόλοις αὐτοῦ καὶ προφήταις ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 4:23	and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,	ἀνανεοῦσθαι δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν
Ephesians 5:18	And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,	καὶ μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, ἀλλὰ πληροῦσθε ἐν πνεύματι
Ephesians 6:18	praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,	Διὰ πάσης προσευχῆς καὶ δεήσεως προσευχόμενοι ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ ἐν πνεύματι, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ ἀγρυπνοῦντες ἐν πάσῃ προσκαρτερήσει καὶ δεήσει περὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων
Philippians 1:27	Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,	Μόνον ἀξίως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τοῦ Χριστοῦ πολιτεύεσθε, ἵνα εἴτε ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ὑμᾶς εἴτε ἀπὼν ἀκούω τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι στήκετε ἐν ἑνὶ πνεύματι, μιᾷ ψυχῇ συναθλοῦντες τῇ πίστει τοῦ εὐαγγελίου
Philippians 3:3	For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—	ἡμεῖς γάρ ἐσμεν ἡ περιτομή, οἱ πνεύματι θεοῦ λατρεύοντες καὶ καυχώμενοι ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐν σαρκὶ πεποιθότες
Colossians 1:8	and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.	ὁ καὶ δηλώσας ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ἐν πνεύματι
Colossians 2:5	For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.	εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄπειμι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι σὺν ὑμῖν εἰμι, χαίρων καὶ βλέπων ὑμῶν τὴν τάξιν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ὑμῶν
1 Thessalonians 1:5	because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.	ὅτι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐγενήθη εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν λόγῳ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν δυνάμει καὶ ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ [ἐν] πληροφορίᾳ πολλῇ, καθὼς οἴδατε οἷοι ἐγενήθημεν [ἐν] ὑμῖν δι’ ὑμᾶς
2 Thessalonians 2:8	And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.	καὶ τότε ἀποκαλυφθήσεται ὁ ἄνομος, ὃν ὁ κύριος [Ἰησοῦς] ἀνελεῖ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ καταργήσει τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ
1 Timothy 3:16	Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.	καὶ ὁμολογουμένως μέγα ἐστὶν τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον· ὃς ἐφανερώθη ἐν σαρκί, ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, ὤφθη ἀγγέλοις, ἐκηρύχθη ἐν ἔθνεσιν, ἐπιστεύθη ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀνελήμφθη ἐν δόξῃ

A table comparing 1 Corinthians 4:6 in the KJV and NET follows.

1 Corinthians 4:6 (NET)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV)
I have applied these things to myself and Apollos because of you, brothers and sisters, so that through us you may learn “not to go beyond what is written,” so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of the one against the other.	And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

1 Corinthians 4:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	1 Corinthians 4:6 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ταῦτα δέ, ἀδελφοί, μετεσχημάτισα εἰς ἐμαυτὸν καὶ Ἀπολλῶν δι᾿ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα ἐν ἡμῖν μάθητε τὸ μὴ ὑπὲρ ἃ γέγραπται, ἵνα μὴ εἷς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑνὸς φυσιοῦσθε κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου	ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου	ταυτα δε αδελφοι μετεσχηματισα εις εμαυτον και απολλω δι υμας ινα εν ημιν μαθητε το μη υπερ ο γεγραπται φρονειν ινα μη εις υπερ του ενος φυσιουσθε κατα του ετερου

Exploration, Part 12

Back to Exploration, Part 13

Back to 3 John, Part 8

Back to Justice and Mercy Revisited, Part 3

Back to Exploration, Part 18

Back to Antichrist, Part 6

¹ Galatians 3:2b, 3 (ESV)

² From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

³ Romans 7:4a (ESV)

⁴ 2 Corinthians 3:3 (ESV) Table

⁵ Galatians 5:25b (ESV)

⁶ Exploration, Part 10

⁷ Exploration, Part 5

⁸ Galatians 5:16 (ESV)

⁹ Galatians 5:25b (ESV)

¹⁰ From Verbal Moods: Imperative Mood, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions) on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

¹¹ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

¹² Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹³ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁴ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁵ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁶ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁷ Galatians 5:25a (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had Ἀπολλῶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απολλω.

²⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had φρονειν (KJV: to think) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²¹ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²² Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²³ Galatians 5:22, 23a (ESV)

²⁴ The Greek phrase οὐ μὴ τελέσητε (ESV: you will not gratify) is a subjunctive of emphatic negation: “when these two Greek negative particles are combined in the form of οὐ µή (ou mē) with reference to a future event, what results is an intensified form of the negative…when this combination is attached to an Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is what has been termed the Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. As was pointed out above, the Subjunctive Mood indicates the probability of an event, and the Aorist Tense emphasizes an action as simply occurring, without any specific reference to time, apart from the use of an adverbial modifier (e.g., that which would describe when, where, how much, or how often). Thus, when you have οὐ µή (ou mē) in combination with the Aorist Subjunctive, what occurs is the absolute and unequivocal denial of the probability of an event EVER OCCURING at any moment or time in the future.”

²⁵ Galatians 5:18a (ESV)

²⁶ Galatians 5:16b (ESV)

²⁷ It wasn’t really necessary to transliterate συνυπεκρίθησαν hypocritically or ὑποκρίσει hypocrisy. Both could have been translated without confusion: And the rest of the Jews played a part along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their play-acting.

²⁸ Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

²⁹ Galatians 3:2b (ESV)

³⁰ Hebrews 11:17-19 (ESV)

³¹ Galatians 2:12b (ESV)

³² Galatians 3:3b (ESV)

³³ Galatians 3:3c (ESV)

³⁴ Philippians 3:9b (ESV)

³⁵ Romans 3:21a (ESV)

³⁶ David’s Forgiveness, Part 2

³⁷ Romans 3:22a (ESV) Table

³⁸ Galatians 3:12a (ESV) Table

³⁹ Romans 7:22 (ESV)

⁴⁰ Romans 7:18b (ESV) Table

⁴¹ Peter’s Way?

⁴² The critical text had ἀναπληρώσετε here, a 2^nd person plural form of ἀναπληρόω in the future tense and indicative mood, a statement of fact to believe. The received text had ἀναπληρώσατε, an imperative form in the aorist tense. The critical text is considered the more original and reliable Greek text currently.

⁴³ John 13:34 (ESV)

⁴⁴ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

Exploration, Part 6

Posted on January 13, 2025 by admin

Paul continued to describe the freedom for which Christ has set us free¹ (Galatians 5:18-21 ESV).

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality (πορνεία), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God [Table].

The Greek was: εἰ δὲ, But if, πνεύματι᾿, by the Spirit, ἄγεσθε, you are led. I want to pause here because I’ve misunderstood this clause while I thought walking by the Spirit was my work rather than a result of the freedom for which Christ has set us free; namely, the new man led by the Spirit of God.² I thought εἰ, if, cast doubt on the new man walking by the Spirit, which is embarrassing since I have sufficient philosophical background to recognize the antecedent of a conditional statement.

When Paul wrote εἰ δὲ, “But if,” ὃ οὐ θέλω, “that not I want,” [ἐγὼ] τοῦτο ποιῶ, “I this do” (ESV: Now if I do what I do not want³), it was not to cast doubt on a previously stated fact: For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.⁴ Rather, it was to highlight the consequent of that fact: it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.⁵ Likewise, “But if by the Spirit you are led” does not cast doubt on the fact that the new man is led by the Spirit of God. Rather, it highlights the consequent of that fact: you are not under the law.⁶

The Greek was: οὐκ ἐστὲ ὑπὸ νόμον; literally, “not you are under (or, under the authority of) law.” The old man (τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον), which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,⁷ ignores everything else that was written to pounce on this, saying, “O goody, now I can do whatever I want!” This is a perfect opportunity ἀποθέσθαι ὑμᾶς; literally, “to lay aside you,” κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἀναστροφὴν, “in regard to the first (or, former) behavior (or, conduct, or, way of life),” τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, “the old man (or, human).”⁸ So, “to lay aside you in regard to the former way of life, the old man.”

Paul had already characterized the behavior, conduct or way of life of the old man as how Gentiles walk (Ephesians 4:17-19 ESV):

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds [Table]. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart [Table]. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

The translation you must…walk treats the verb περιπατεῖν as a 2^nd person plural form of περιπατέω in the imperative mood. It is actually an infinitive in the present tense: “to walk.” The plural pronoun ὑμᾶς precedes περιπατεῖν but is not the subject of this clause: ὑμᾶς is in the accusative case and is most likely the direct object of the verb περιπατεῖν. In Romans 16:25a (ESV) for instance, Now to him who is able to strengthen you, the phrase to strengthen you was ὑμᾶς στηρίξαι, an infinitive form of στηρίζω in the aorist tense (Interlinear Bible: you to strengthen). Granted, to walk you wouldn’t sound right in English, though it may be closer to the actual meaning. The Interlinear Bible rendered Ephesians 4:17, This therefore I say and testify in [the] Lord No longer [are] you to walk as also the Gentiles are walking in [the] futility of the mind of them. Here the verb of being [are] was added to make the English flow better.

I resist the idea, however, that Paul used ἐν κυρίῳ (in the Lord) like an oath to bolster his testifying. It seems more likely he testified that “in the Lord no longer [are] you to walk as also the Gentiles walk in futility of their minds” (νοὸς, a genitive singular form of νοῦς; e.g., “their own intention”). Whether Paul and the Holy Spirit intended this as a rule to obey or an outcome of [being] ἐν κυρίῳ may be an open question, but I favor the latter.

In the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text) the adjective λοιπα, a plural form of λοιπός, was interposed between the (τὰ) and Gentiles (ἔθνη) (KJV: the other Gentiles) [Table]. It is absent from the critical text (NET Parallel Greek and NA²⁸). The critical text enjoys the cachet of being closer to the original text, but the editors trust their methods enough to remove words, phrases and clauses from the received text. Textus Receptus Bibles online offers several opportunities to compare the received texts to the current version of the critical text.

I wondered if Paul would have called Gentiles the other Gentiles in this context. It implies that the Ephesians were also Gentiles despite his previous address to them: Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints (τοῖς ἁγίοις) who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus.⁹ I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, he wrote the Romans, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles¹⁰ (ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν). He had previously addressed them: To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints (κλητοῖς ἁγίοις).¹¹

The plural the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη) followed by the verb περιπατεῖ (ESV: do), a 3^rd person singular form of περιπατέω, seems to render the Gentiles of Ephesians 4:17 as something more conceptual than actual (plural Gentiles engaged in singular activity). This is not to say that there were no actual Gentiles who behaved as Paul described, but that Paul, when writing about actual Gentiles, was well aware of the variety of Gentile behaviors, including doing what the law requires (Romans 2:12-16 ESV).

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous (δίκαιοι, a form of δίκαιος) before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified (δικαιωθήσονται, a form of δικαιόω) [Table]. For when Gentiles (ἔθνη, a plural form of ἔθνος), who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law [Table]. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

So what concept do Paul’s conceptual Gentiles of Ephesians 4:17 embody? It is evident by what follows that they were the old man entangled in a yoke of slavery to sin. They were in the flesh.

The Walk (doing) of the Gentiles (Ephesians 4:18, 19 ESV)	The Works of the Flesh (Galatians 5:19-21a ESV)
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart [Table]. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.	Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality (πορνεία), impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these [Table].

But Gentiles were not without hope (Galatians 3:7-9 ESV):

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify (δικαιοῖ, a form of δίκαιος) the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη) by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη) be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The phrase οἱ ἐκ πίστεως occurs twice above: (v. 7) those of faith, and (v. 9) those who are of faith. These are the new man, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God;¹² the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness;¹³ the saints who…are faithful in Christ Jesus;¹⁴ we who For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.¹⁵ As Jesus said to Nicodemus: Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’;¹⁶ literally, δεῖ, “it is necessary,” ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι, “you [plural] to be born,” ἄνωθεν, “from above” (e.g., by the Spirit of God).

The conceptual Gentiles Paul described had yet to receive¹⁷ The true light, which gives light to everyone.¹⁸ They had not yet believed in his name.¹⁹ But that is insufficient to invalidate Jesus’ promise to draw all to Himself. Christ redeemed us,²⁰ Paul wrote the Galatians, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles (τὰ ἔθνη), so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (διὰ τῆς πίστεως).²¹ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.²²

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach²³ the good news!” [Table]²⁴

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God [Table], not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.²⁵

The verb περιπατήσωμεν (ESV: we should walk), a 1^st person plural form of περιπατέω, is in the subjunctive mood and aorist tense. It follows the conjunction ἵνα (ESV: that). This is a purpose or result clause:

if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.

The aorist is said to be “simple occurrence” or “summary occurrence”, without regard for the amount of time taken to accomplish the action. This tense is also often referred to as the ‘punctiliar’ tense. ‘Punctiliar’ in this sense means ‘viewed as a single, collective whole,’ a “one-point-in-time” action, although it may actually take place over a period of time.²⁶

In other words, “we walk in” the good works, which God prepared beforehand, at some point in time undesignated by Paul’s statement of fact. I want to return again now to But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.²⁷

I hope it is clear that everyone born of Adam has an old man, enslaved to the flesh, pursuing its desires. That is who you are before you turn to faith in Christ. I hope it is clear how to become a new man born of the Spirit of God and led by the Spirit of God by changing your mind about Jesus (μετάνοια) and believing Him. I hope it is clear that He wants this for you and is drawing you to Himself. I’ll continue to consider what Paul meant by ὑπὸ νόμον (ESV: under the law).

He wrote elsewhere (Romans 7:1-6 ESV):

Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding (κυριεύει, a form of κυριεύω) on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members lo bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

I’ll focus first on a married woman. The Greek was: ἡ γὰρ, For a, ὕπανδρος γυνὴ, married woman. Yes, ὕπανδρος can mean married, but in this context it may be more appropriate to understand it as: “For a subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman,” or “For an under-a-man’s-authority woman.” The Greek continued: τῷ ζῶντι ἀνδρὶ, “by the life of husband (or, of man),” δέδεται νόμῳ, is bound by law. The ESV translation of δέδεται, is bound, sounds right if this were a passive form of δέω. The Koine Greek Lexicon actually lists a richer meaning for the middle/passive voice: “to lack, miss, stand in need of a person or thing; to be less, short (e.g., Quadratus says, “19½ years” as “20 years less 6 months”); to be in want or need; to be necessary; to ask for a thing from a person; to plead, pray, beseech, beg.” In other words, “For a subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman by the life of husband stands in need by law.”

Paul may have had a very specific “subject-to-the-authority-of-a-husband woman” in mind here. Peter had held up Sarah as an example for wives (γυναῖκες): as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, he wrote.²⁸ Her story serves to illustrate Paul’s point (Genesis 12:11-13 ESV).

When [Abram] was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance [Table], and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live [Table]. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake” [Table].

Paul continued (Romans 7:3a ESV):

Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives (γένηται, a form of γίνομαι) with another man while her husband is alive.

Sarai apparently obeyed Abram without protest as events transpired according to his word (Genesis 12:14-16a ESV).

When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful [Table]. And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house [Table]. And for her sake he dealt well with Abram… [Table]

Paul had already explained why Sarai wouldn’t be called an adulteress (Romans 5:12, 13 ESV):

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

My point (and Paul’s possibly) is that obeying the law of her husband Abram made it impossible for Sarai to obey the law, which came 430 years afterward:²⁹ “You shall not commit adultery.”³⁰ In other words, under the law of her husband Sarai was like Those who are in the flesh [who] cannot please God.³¹ But if her husband dies, Paul continued, she is free from that law (ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου), and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.³²

By all appearances, Abram didn’t free Sarai by dying. The story of Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah is about God’s faithfulness to them, growing their faith in Him (and their faithfulness to Him) by his own love and grace throughout their lives (before the law was given). The writer of Hebrews summarized the outcome of Abraham’s faith (Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV):

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

So I assume that in the end Sarah was released from Abram’s fearful and Abraham’s prejudiced commandment, and that she, too, was enabled to live faithfully, both to her husband and to God. None of this is to say that the response Sarai/Sarah had to the predicament Abram/Abraham put her in isn’t endearing, romantic and sexy to the heart of man. It is to say that what is endearing, romantic or sexy to the heart of man is not necessarily, for those reasons alone, synonymous with the righteousness of God, the gift of righteousness.

Likewise, my brothers, Paul continued, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.³³ By all appearances, the plural you (ὑμεῖς), to whom Paul wrote, didn’t die. He expected them to be alive to hear or to read his letter, in which was already written (Romans 6:6-11 ESV):

We know that our old self (ὁ παλαιὸς ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος, aka our old man) was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved (δουλεύειν) to sin. For one who has died has been set free (δεδικαίωται, a form of δικαιόω) from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus [Table].

The phrase you…must consider yourselves was ὑμεῖς λογίζεσθε ἑαυτοὺς. It is clearly a truth to believe rather than a work to achieve. The work was accomplished by Christ: all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death³⁴…the life he lives he lives to God. So you also…consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus [Table].³⁵ Translating λογίζεσθε as an imperative form of λογίζομαι rather than as a statement of fact in the indicative mood was unnecessary. And λογίζεσθε is the only 2^nd person plural form of λογίζομαι in the present tense listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online.

Once the old self has been crucified with Christ, you (ὑμεῖς), the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,³⁶ also have died to the law through the body of Christ³⁷ and are free to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.³⁸ For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.³⁹

For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.⁴⁰ The Greek was: ὅτε γὰρ, “For when,” ἦμεν, “we were,” ἐν τῇ σαρκί, “in the flesh,” τὰ παθήματα τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, “the sufferings (or misfortunes, or passions) of sin,” τὰ διὰ τοῦ νόμου, “through the law,” ἐνηργεῖτο, “were continually⁴¹ active.” This is what Paul meant by the phrase under the law⁴² (ὑπὸ νόμον). For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.⁴³

This knowledge is more than an intellectual awareness of sin, specified by law as that which is unlawful (Romans 7:7-13 ESV).

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure [Table].

But if you are led by the Spirit, Paul explained another of the better promises of the new covenant, you are not under the law.⁴⁴ Why then the law?⁴⁵ he asked. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (14) in the NET, Paul quoted from Joel 2:32 in Romans 10:13. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Romans 10:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Joel 2:32a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Joel 3:5a (Septuagint Elpenor)
πᾶς γὰρ ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται	καὶ ἔσται πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα κυρίου σωθήσεται	καὶ ἔσται, πᾶς, ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σωθήσεται
Romans 10:13 (NET)	Joel 2:32a (NETS)	Joel 3:5a (English Elpenor)
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.	And it shall be, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved,	And it shall come to pass [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved:

According to a note (18) in the NET, Paul quoted from Isaiah 52:7 and Nahum 1:15 in Romans 10:15. Tables comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation from the critical text and the received text with that of the Septuagint follow.

Romans 10:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά
Romans 10:15b (NET)	Isaiah 52:27a (NETS)	Isaiah 52:27a (English Elpenor)
“How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”	like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things,	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Isaiah 52:27a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ως ωραιοι οι ποδες των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην των ευαγγελιζομενων τα αγαθα	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά	ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων, ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης, ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά
Romans 10:15b (KJV)	Isaiah 52:27a (NETS)	Isaiah 52:27a (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!	like season upon the mountains, like the feet of one bringing glad tidings of a report of peace, like one bringing glad tidings of good things,	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (NET Parallel Greek)	Nahum 1:15a (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ὡραῖοι οἱ πόδες τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων [τὰ] ἀγαθά	ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην
Romans 10:15b (NET)	Nahum 1:15a (NETS)	Nahum 2:1a (English Elpenor)
“How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.”	Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace.	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

Romans 10:15b (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Nahum 1:15a (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ως ωραιοι οι ποδες των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην των ευαγγελιζομενων τα αγαθα	ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην
Romans 10:15b (KJV)	Nahum 1:15a (NETS)	Nahum 2:1a (English Elpenor)
How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!	Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace.	as a season of beauty upon the mountains, as the feet of one preaching glad tidings of peace, as one preaching good news:

A table comparing Nahum 1:15 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and a table comparing the Greek of Nahum 1:15 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Nahum 1:15 (Tanakh)	Nahum 1:15 (KJV)	Nahum 1:15 (NET)
Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.	Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.	Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you; they have been completely destroyed.”

Nahum 1:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Nahum 2:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἰδοὺ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην ἑόρταζε Ιουδα τὰς ἑορτάς σου ἀπόδος τὰς εὐχάς σου διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσωσιν ἔτι τοῦ διελθεῖν διὰ σοῦ εἰς παλαίωσιν συντετέλεσται ἐξῆρται	ΙΔΟΥ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη οἱ πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντος εἰρήνην· ἑόρταζε, ᾿Ιούδα, τὰς ἑορτάς σου, ἀπόδος τὰς εὐχάς σου, διότι οὐ μὴ προσθήσωσιν ἔτι τοῦ διελθεῖν διὰ σοῦ εἰς παλαίωσιν. – Συντετέλεσται, ἐξῇρται
Nahum 1:15 (NETS)	Nahum 2:1 (English Elpenor)
Behold, on the mountains are the feet of one who brings good tidings and who announces peace. Celebrate your feasts, O Ioudas; pay your vows, for they shall not add any longer to pass on to becoming old.	Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that brings glad tidings, and publishes peace! O Juda, keep thy feasts, pay thy vows: for they shall no more pass through thee to [thy] decay. It is all over with him, he has been removed,

Exploration, Part 7

Back to Romans, Part 20

¹ Galatians 5:1a (ESV) Table

² Exploration, Part 5

³ Romans 7:20a (ESV) Table

⁴ Romans 7:15 (ESV)

⁵ Romans 7:20b (ESV) Table

⁶ Galatians 5:18b (ESV)

⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (ESV)

⁸ Ephesians 4:22a (NA²⁸)

⁹ Ephesians 1:1 (ESV)

¹⁰ Romans 1:13 (ESV)

¹¹ Romans 1:7a (ESV)

¹² John 1:13 (ESV)

¹³ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

¹⁴ Ephesians 1:1b (ESV)

¹⁵ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

¹⁶ John 3:7 (ESV) Here, again in Greek ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι: the plural accusative you is most likely the direct object of the passive infinitive verb to be born, but “it is necessary to be born you from above” would be very awkward in English. “It is necessary [for] you to be born from above” might suffice.

¹⁷ John 1:12a (ESV)

¹⁸ John 1:9a (ESV)

¹⁹ John 1:12b (ESV)

²⁰ Galatians 3:13a (ESV) Table

²¹ Galatians 3:14 (ESV)

²² Romans 10:17 (ESV) Table

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had των ευαγγελιζομενων ειρηνην (KJV: the gospel of peace) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ Romans 10:12-17 (ESV)

²⁵ Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

²⁶ From Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood and Verb Tenses: Aorist Tense respectively, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

²⁷ Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

²⁸ 1 Peter 3:6a (ESV)

²⁹ Galatians 3:17a (ESV) Table I was curious how Hammurabi’s Code of Laws dealt with a wife’s adultery: “143. If she has committed adultery, then she shall be executed by being thrown into the water.” Then I was curious if there were any further developments in the dating of Hammurabi’s reign relative to the life of Abraham, and came across the following: “For many years, Abraham was believed to have lived at the same time as Hammurabi, king of Babylon. Later scholars would date Abraham to the period shortly before the reign of Hammurabi. However, the result of recent research is that the chronology of the ancient world is being redated. Hammurabi now appears to be a near contemporary of Moses instead of Abraham” (From “Abraham and the Chronology of Ancient Mesopotamia” by Matt McClellan in Answers Research Journal online.) This is a surprising enough conclusion that I remain a little skeptical, but I’ll continue to consider the evidence as I hear more about it.

³⁰ Exodus 20:14 (ESV) Table

³¹ Romans 8:8 (ESV)

³² Romans 7:3b (ESV)

³³ Romans 7:4 (ESV)

³⁴ Romans 6:3b (ESV)

³⁵ Romans 6:10b, 11 (ESV)

³⁶ Ephesians 4:24b (ESV)

³⁷ Romans 7:4a (ESV)

³⁸ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

³⁹ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

⁴⁰ Romans 7:5 (ESV)

⁴¹ “The imperfect tense shows continuous or linear type of action just like the present tense. It always indicates an action continually or repeatedly happening in past time. It portrays the action as going on for some extended period of time in the past.” From Verb Tenses: Imperfect Tense, Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁴² Galatians 5:18b (ESV)

⁴³ Romans 3:20 (ESV)

⁴⁴ Galatians 5:18 (ESV)

⁴⁵ Galatians 3:19a (ESV)

To Make Holy, Part 5

Posted on June 26, 2018 by admin

The next form of ἁγιάζω I want to consider is found in Jesus’ prayer to his Father: Set them apart (ἁγίασον, a form of ἁγιάζω) in the truth; your word is truth.^[1] But I’m making a slow pilgrimage through his prayer because I believe I can know his holiness here. I have revealed your name, Jesus prayed, to the [people] you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed (τετήρηκαν, a form of τηρέω) your word.^[2]

Jesus came into the world to be despised and rejected by people.^[3] And though the Greek word κόσμου (a form of κόσμος), translated of the world, does not exclude the larger Gentile world necessarily, at this particular time He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel^[4] rather than Gentile sinners. You people are from your father the devil,^[5] Jesus said of Israel’s religious leaders. A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher^[6] serves as a fair assessment of those who followed Israel’s teachers. You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves^[7] is certainly more explicit. This gives me some context, how precious the people you gave me out of the world were to Jesus.

He came to what was his own (ἴδια, a form of ἴδιος), but his own people (ἴδιοι, another form of ἴδιος) did not receive him.^[8] He knew this would happen. Isaiah prophesied it: He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.^[9] And in a very real sense their rejection was part of the plan and purpose of salvation (Romans 11:11-33 NET).

I ask then, they did not stumble into an irrevocable fall, did they? Absolutely not! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles (ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος), to make Israel jealous. Now if their transgression means riches for the world and their defeat means riches for the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος), how much more will their full restoration bring?

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles (ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος). Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος), I magnify my ministry, if somehow I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first portion of the dough offered is holy (ἁγία, a form of ἅγιος), then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy (ἁγία, a form of ἅγιος), so too are the branches.

Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and participated in the richness of the olive root, do not boast over the branches. But if you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. Then you will say, “The branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted! They were broken off because of their unbelief (ἀπιστίᾳ), but you stand by faith (πίστει, a form of πίστις). Do not be arrogant, but fear! For if God did not spare the natural branches, perhaps he will not spare you. Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God – harshness toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And even they – if they do not continue in their unbelief (ἀπιστίᾳ)– will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree?

For I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: A partial hardening has happened to Israel until the full number of the Gentiles (ἐθνῶν, another form of ἔθνος) has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion; he will remove ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins.”

In regard to the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but in regard to election they are dearly loved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. Just as you were formerly disobedient (ἠπειθήσατε, a form of ἀπειθέω) to God, but have now received mercy due to their disobedience (ἀπειθείᾳ), so they too have now been disobedient (ἠπείθησαν, another form of ἀπειθέω) in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all people to disobedience (ἀπείθειαν, a form of ἀπείθεια) so that he may show mercy to them all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how fathomless his ways!

I’m ignoring for the moment the more traditional interpretation of this verse, the importance and instrumentality of the eleven apostles carrying on Jesus’ message and building the church, in favor of the comfort God the Father gave to Jesus on a mission of rejection. My current focus is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She comforted Him in a way the apostles could not.

She has kept it for the day of my burial,^[10] Jesus said of the three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from pure nard^[11] she had “wasted” on his feet. She had sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he said^[12] and apparently believed Him while the eleven (all twelve, in fact) were still full of their own understanding, hoping for (or fearing) the overthrow of the Roman government and their own domination of the world. Taking Jesus at his word is still a great comfort in a world full of rejection as He draws all to Himself.

They belonged to you (KJV: thine they were), Jesus’ prayer continued. I don’t want to speculate too much about this beyond Jesus’ own words: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.^[13] Most translators have understood the next clause καμοὶ αὐτοὺς ἔδωκας as a reiteration of people the Father gave to Jesus. But consider the following table:

King James Version	Darby Bible Translation	American King James Version
…and thou gavest them me…	…and thou gavest them me…	…and you gave them me…

Here it sounds reciprocal: the Father also gave Jesus to them. But I admit it is possible, probably likely, that this is just King James’ English for a reiteration of the Father gave them to Jesus. You gave them to Me, the NKJV reads. The Greek word καμοὶ (and me, me also) is a dative pronoun according to the Koine Greek Lexicon as is μοι (me) in the phrase you gave me out of the world:

Dative Case
The dative is the case of the indirect object, or may also indicate the means by which something is done. The dative case also has a wide variety of uses, with the root idea being that of “personal interest” or “reference”. It is used most often in one of three general categories: Indirect object, Instrument (means), or Location. Most commonly it is used as the indirect object of a sentence. It may also indicate the means by which something is done or accomplished. Used as a dative of location, it can show the “place”, “time”, or “sphere” in which something may happen.
For example: (Indirect object): “Jesus said to them“, or “he will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask” (Luke 11:13).
(Instrument or Means): “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by (by means of) prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). In this sentence, there is a single Greek word translated into the phrase “by prayer” showing the means by which to let our requests be made known to God.
(Location): “… and on the third day He will be raised up” (Matt 20:19). The phrase “the third day” is in the dative case, showing the time in which Jesus will be raised. In this sentence, there is no Greek word present that is translated into the English word “on”; it is added to show the meaning of the dative of location.

The Greek word αὐτοὺς (them) is an accusative pronoun as is οὓς the untranslated relative pronoun which precedes you gave in the prior phrase:

Accusative Case
The accusative case is the case of the direct object, receiving the action of the verb. Like the other cases, the accusative has a wide variety of uses, but its main function is as the direct object of a transitive verb. The direct object will most often be in the accusative case.
For example: “As newborn babes, long for the guiless milk of the word” (1 Peter 2:2). The word “milk” is in the accusative case and is functioning as the direct object of the transitive verb “long for” (or “desire”).

The only reason I want this giving to be reciprocal is to make it clearer that God the Father gave them Jesus and thus they have kept^[14] his word, rather than too appear as if they obeyed his word so God the Father gave them to Jesus.

Now they understand, Jesus’ continued, that everything you have given me comes from you.^[15] In other words, Jesus relied on his Father’s supply, not his own godliness. And those who had been given to Him knew (ἔγνωκαν, a form of γινώσκω; translated understand) this. The verb ἔγνωκαν is in the perfect tense: “The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence.”^[16] And though it is obvious to me here and now that everything you have given me comes from you means that Jesus relied on his Father’s supply rather than his own godliness, it just became obvious to me here and now.

“It’s axiomatic to me,” I wrote in another essay, “that Jesus didn’t utilize his own godliness, but trusted the Holy Spirit that descended like a dove from heaven, and…remained on him.^[11] Otherwise, Jesus’ invitation and command, Follow me,^[12] is little more than a cruel joke.”

“As I’ve written before it is axiomatic to me that the way Jesus loved us,” I wrote in another essay, “was through that same love He received from the Holy Spirit that descended like a dove from heaven, and…remained on him.^[43] He prayed as much to his Father if one has ears to hear: I made known your name to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love (ἀγάπη) you have loved (ἠγάπησας, a form of ἀγαπάω) me with may be in them, and I may be in them.”^[44]

“As I’ve written before,^[20] it is axiomatic to me that Jesus’ holiness was from the Holy Spirit rather than his own divine nature” I wrote elsewhere. “Otherwise, his command and invitation, Follow me, would be meaningless to sinful human beings.”

I acknowledged that my axiom in the beginning was little more than a confidence that “Jesus wasn’t commanding us to follow Him somewhere we couldn’t go…Over time,” I confessed, “my ‘axiom’ has come to mean so much more: When I am anything less than Christlike I no longer think: ‘Oh, He is God and I am not.’ Instead, I know that I am living according to the flesh (Romans 8:5-11), that I’ve fallen away from grace. One would think I would know better by now but apparently I do not. It alerts me that it is time to stop relying on myself and get back to trusting Jesus, relying on his Spirit. But that weight deserves something weightier than an axiom.”^[17] But when did it become axiomatic? It wasn’t axiomatic when I turned again to obey his rules in my own strength.

I asked a friend I knew from church to sing this prayer as a demo after I had set it to music. It was beyond his vocal ability. Twice in the piece Jesus strikes a dissonant pedal tone until the rest of the music resolves and conforms to that note. My friend recommended a better trained singer, a younger man nearer my age. And he did this without criticizing my living arrangements or commenting on my unworthiness to write an opera about Jesus.

As this younger more skilful singer and I rehearsed we talked. I acknowledged the trouble I was having not sinning. He said that whatever was too difficult for him became easy when he “turned it over to the Lord.” It was apparent to me that he was describing actual experience, but I failed to ask what he meant by turning it over to the Lord. I assumed he meant prayer. When I prayed for Jesus’ help to overcome my sin I got nothing. (Or I got everything one reads about in these essays.) At the time I assumed I wasn’t holy enough to merit God’s help.

So I strove with all my might to make myself holy enough to earn his blessing, by which I meant becoming a famous (and hopefully rich) composer. I clearly didn’t grasp that since Jesus is holy everyone who abides (John 15:1-8) in Him is holy (Romans 11:16-24). I saw my task as one of becoming holy rather than one of allowing Jesus’ holiness to shine through me; namely, the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fruit of his Holy Spirit.^[18] And I didn’t understand that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.

In my ignorance I attempted to use Him as my personal demon to achieve my own purposes. I was a lot like Nikolai (Adam Brody), the lead singer of the band Low Shoulder, in Jason Reitman’s and Diablo Cody’s movie Jennifer’s Body. “Do you know how hard it is to make it as an indie band these days?” he asked Jennifer (Megan Fox). “There’s so many of us, and we’re all so cute, and it’s like, if you don’t get on Letterman or some retarded soundtrack, you’re screwed, okay? Satan is our only hope. We’re in league with the beast now, and we have to make a really big impression on him. And to do that, we’re going to have to butcher you and bleed you.” And he does.

Granted, I tried to make an impression on Jesus by attempting to obey his laws in my own strength, laws that included not butchering or bleeding young women. So what would I say to myself now about overcoming sin by turning it over to the Lord?

It was a bit like being caught in Devil’s Snare from the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Hermione (Emma Watson), who “pays attention in Herbology” at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, recognizes the plant and knows how to escape it. “Stop moving, both of you,” she yells to Ron (Rupert Grint) and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe). “You have to relax. If you don’t, it will only kill you faster.”

For when we were in the flesh, (as opposed to being led by the Holy Spirit) Paul wrote believers in Rome, the sinful desires, aroused by the law, were active in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. But now we have been released from the law, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.^[19] My striving to obey rules only strengthened sin’s hold on me: the power of sin is the law.^[20] Rather than living in the flesh, striving to obey laws, I should have given more heed to Paul’s explanation: So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.^[21]

In the movie Ron doesn’t respond well to Hermione’s words: “Kill us faster?” he exclaims. “Oh, now I can relax.” But Hermione relaxes and falls through the bottom of the plant. Harry is able to follow her example and disappears as well. Poor Ron is left alone, struggling, thinking his friends have been swallowed whole by the Devil’s Snare.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen (gôy, בגוים; Septuagint: ἔθνεσιν, a form of ἔθνος), I will be exalted in the earth.^[22] In that quiet place of trust I began to find that seemingly inexhaustible supply of God’s own love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control like a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.^[23] Ironically, even my striving to obey laws was fueled by his Holy Spirit channeled through my own ignorance of Him, my ignorance of the Bible which reveals Him to all who have ears to hear.

To Make Holy, Part 6

^[1] John 17:17 (NET)

^[2] John 17:6 (NET)

^[3] Isaiah 53:3a (NET)

^[4] Matthew 15:24 (NET)

^[5] John 8:44a (NET)

^[6] Luke 6:40 (NET)

^[7] Matthew 23:15b (NET)

^[8] John 1:11 (NET)

^[9] Isaiah 53:3 (Tanakh)

^[10] John 12:7b (NET)

^[11] John 12:3 (NET)

^[12] Luke 10:39b (NET)

^[13] John 6:44 (NET)

^[14] I have written enough about forms of τηρέω (τετήρηκαν is a form of τηρέω) elsewhere: Everyone Fathered by God Does Not Sin; Antichrist, Part 2; Son of God – 1 John, Part 3; Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 3; My Deeds, Part 1; My Deeds, Part 2; My Deeds, Part 3

^[15] John 17:7 (NET)

^[16] https://www.ntgreek.org/learn_nt_greek/verbs1.htm#TENSE

^[17] Who Am I? Part 6

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

^[19] Romans 7:5, 6 (NET)

^[20] 1 Corinthians 15:56b (NET)

^[21] Romans 7:4 (NET)

^[22] Psalm 46:10 (Tanakh)

^[23] John4:14b (NET)

Romans, Part 31

Posted on November 6, 2012 by admin

So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation (ὀφειλέται, a form of ὀφειλέτης), not to the flesh (σαρκὶ, a form of σάρξ), to live according to the flesh (σάρκα, another form of σάρξ), Paul continued, (for if you live according to the flesh [σάρκα, another form of σάρξ], you will die [ἀποθνῄσκειν, a form of ἀποθνήσκω])…¹ If I consider myself the old man, the sin condemned in the flesh,² I will die along with the flesh. This truism is equivalent to Jesus’ saying to Martha, The one who believes in me will live even if he dies (ἀποθάνῃ, another form of ἀποθνήσκω),³ or to his disciples, The one who loves his life [i.e., in this world] destroys [or, loses] it.⁴ But no, I didn’t see that for a long time.

I thought Paul was threatening me with eternal damnation if I lived according to the flesh, even though the text said die. I wasn’t happy about it, especially after everything else he had said, but I couldn’t make any other sense of it at the time. And yes, it is embarrassing to keep admitting how stubbornly dull-witted I am.

Paul continued, but if by the Spirit you put to death (θανατοῦτε, a form of θανατόω) the deeds (πράξεις, a form of πρᾶξις) of the body you will live.⁵ If I identify with the new man created in the image of God, I will live. But no, I didn’t see how well this fit with Jesus saying to Martha, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die (ἀποθάνῃ, another form of ἀποθνήσκω).⁶ And I didn’t relate it to Jesus saying to his disciples, and the one who hates his life in this world guards [or, keeps] it for eternal life.⁷

I thought it was best, if I wanted to go to heaven, to keep trying to put the deeds of my body to death by striving to keep the law, or at least by striving to love by keeping the definition of the love that fulfills the law as if it were laws. The idea that I could put to death the deeds of the body by faith, by believing that my old man was crucified with [Christ] so that the body of sin would no longer dominate [me], so that [I] would no longer be enslaved to sin,⁸ because God achieved what the law could not do…By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh…so that the righteous requirement of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit,⁹ was a slow train coming.

For all who are led (ἄγονται, a form of ἄγω) by the Spirit of God are the sons of God,¹⁰ Paul continued. Surely I am a byword in heaven. Over and over I was led back to these verses, and over and over I refused to drink them in. But let me recount the word ἄγω as used in the Gospels as a contrast to my Do-It-Yourself religion.

And you will be brought (ἀχθήσεσθε, another form of ἄγω) before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles,¹¹ Jesus told his disciples. When¹² they arrest¹³ (ἄγωσιν, another form of ἄγω) you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak.¹⁴ But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.¹⁵ Go to the village ahead¹⁶ of you, Jesus said. Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring (ἀγάγετε, another form of ἄγω) them to me.¹⁷ They brought (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) the donkey and the colt and placed their¹⁸ cloaks on¹⁹ them, and he sat on them.²⁰ Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River and was led (ἤγετο, another form of ἄγω) by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he endured temptations from the devil.²¹

So here I have Jesus ἤγετο (another form of ἄγω) by the Holy Spirit, and handed over to the devil: Then²² the devil brought (῎Ηγαγεν, another form of ἄγω) him to Jerusalem, had him²³ stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the²⁴ Son of God, throw yourself down from here…”²⁵ An angry mob got up, forced [Jesus] out of the town, and brought (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.²⁶ A mob of duly authorized law enforcement types arrested Jesus, led (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) him away, and brought him²⁷ into the high priest’s house.²⁸ Then the whole group of them rose up and brought²⁹ (ἤγαγον, another form of ἄγω) Jesus before Pilate.³⁰ Two other criminals were also led away (῎Ηγοντο, another form of ἄγω) to be executed with him.³¹

Now I look back at the meaning and usage of ἄγω and ask myself incredulously, “Just exactly what part of being led (ἄγονται, a form of ἄγω) by the Spirit did you think was your doing, Dan?” But I’m not alone, though I might wish that I were. I want to take the movie “Courageous” as my point of departure here.

Actually, a big part of me doesn’t want to do that at all. As an independent filmmaker wannabe I have nothing but admiration for what the Kendrick brothers and Sherwood Baptist Church have done. I can watch their movies without being embarrassed by the quality of the filmmaking, and each film gets better on that score than the one before. I didn’t feel anything I’m about to say while watching the film (and I watched “Courageous” again last night). What I feel is comfort, familiarity and a warm nostalgia for the religion of my childhood, my youth and beyond. I like stirring music. I want to be courageous, too. That’s part of my problem, that I only see a problem in retrospect when I analyze the story in the light of the Gospel and the religious mind.

The storyline of “Courageous,” for those who haven’t seen it, is about a father Adam after his daughter Emily dies in a car crash. She was his favorite, though he was almost as detached from her as from his son, concerned about his work and his appearance to others. After her death he is concerned that he should have been a better father. His wife reminds him that he is still a father. He talks to his Pastor. He studies the Bible. He begins to make a rapprochement with his son. So far so good.

Then he drafts a resolution, a list of rules derived from his Bible study about fatherhood. He passes it out to his friends. Most of them, interestingly enough, are other policemen. He asks these policemen to hold him accountable to his list of rules. They want to sign it, too. Eventually, all the men join in a ceremony, effectively swearing an oath to abide by Adam’s rules. It is all very moving, and courageous. But Adam, a churchgoing man, was ashamed of the Gospel for exactly the same reason that Paul was not.

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes,³² because the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”³³ Anyone might become dissatisfied with the righteousness of God that is showing through him and out into the world at any given moment. It is an excellent time to return to Christ, to be joined to the one who was raised from the dead, like a wife seeking to enlarge her family comes to her husband, to bear fruit to God.³⁴ It is not a time to attempt to have one’s own righteousness derived from the law.³⁵ You who are trying to be declared righteous by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace!³⁶

Instead of rebuking and correcting them privately, Adam’s Pastor praises the men publicly for their resolution and their oath to keep it. Then Adam is allowed to speak to the entire congregation. Adam persuades other men to follow him in his defection from Christ. I feel this defection deeply when I get away from the movie and its rousing music, Adam’s tear-filled eyes, his upraised arm and his hand grasping for something elusive. But my anger is restrained for two reasons.

First, I find it extremely interesting that the character’s name is Adam. For all I know there is a “Courageous 2” in the works where Adam (or Shane, but that’s another story) learns to be led by the Spirit rather than by the flesh. And secondly, I know how much remedial help I’ve needed in the sense that the law was our tutor (παιδαγωγὸς) to bring us to Christ.³⁷ The NET has it, the law had become our guardian until Christ.³⁸ Neither word alone is quite right, governess, nanny, just don’t say it. I think of Creasy, Denzel Washington’s character in “Man on Fire,” taking Pita, Dakota Fanning’s character, to school, guarding her, protecting her, and preparing her to learn. He became much more than a bodyguard, but not her teacher. Jesus is the teacher not the law, or living by laws.

Even those born only of the flesh of Adam bind themselves to laws, rules and ethical principles to keep from becoming complete sociopaths. It doesn’t take a prophet to see that if the Kendrick brothers’ resolution fails to bring those born of the flesh and of the Spirit to Christ, Shariah is waiting in the wings. But it must be equally clear that the Kendrick brothers’ resolution derived from the Bible is no more the Gospel than Shariah law is. Both are of the old way, the old written code, and neither is the new life of the Spirit.³⁹

addendum: September 2, 2024
According to a note (38) in the NET, Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4 in Romans 1:17. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows

Romans 1:17b (NET Parallel Greek)	Habakkuk 2:4b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Habakkuk 2:4b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται	ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται	ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται
Romans 1:17b (NET)	Habakkuk 2:4b (NETS)	Habakkuk 2:4b (English Elpenor)
The righteous by faith will live	But the just shall live by my faith.	but the just shall live by my faith

Tables comparing Mark 13:11; Matthew 21:2; 21:7; Luke 4:9; 22:54 and 23:1 in the KJV and NET follow.

Mark 13:11 (NET)	Mark 13:11 (KJV)
When they arrest you and hand you over for trial, do not worry about what to speak. But say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.	But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

Mark 13:11 (NET Parallel Greek)	Mark 13:11 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Mark 13:11 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ὅταν ἄγωσιν ὑμᾶς παραδιδόντες, μὴ προμεριμνᾶτε τί λαλήσητε, ἀλλ᾿ ὃ ἐὰν δοθῇ ὑμῖν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦτο λαλεῖτε· οὐ γάρ ἐστε ὑμεῖς οἱ λαλοῦντες ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον	οταν δε αγαγωσιν υμας παραδιδοντες μη προμεριμνατε τι λαλησητε μηδε μελετατε αλλ ο εαν δοθη υμιν εν εκεινη τη ωρα τουτο λαλειτε ου γαρ εστε υμεις οι λαλουντες αλλα το πνευμα το αγιον	οταν δε αγαγωσιν υμας παραδιδοντες μη προμεριμνατε τι λαλησητε μηδε μελετατε αλλ ο εαν δοθη υμιν εν εκεινη τη ωρα τουτο λαλειτε ου γαρ εστε υμεις οι λαλουντες αλλα το πνευμα το αγιον

Matthew 21:2 (NET)	Matthew 21:2 (KJV)
telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me.	Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.

Matthew 21:2 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:2 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:2 (Byzantine Majority Text)
λέγων αὐτοῖς· πορεύεσθε εἰς τὴν κώμην τὴν κατέναντι ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐθέως εὑρήσετε ὄνον δεδεμένην καὶ πῶλον μετ᾿ αὐτῆς· λύσαντες ἀγάγετε μοι	λεγων αυτοις πορευθητε εις την κωμην την απεναντι υμων και ευθεως ευρησετε ονον δεδεμενην και πωλον μετ αυτης λυσαντες αγαγετε μοι	λεγων αυτοις πορευθητε εις την κωμην την απεναντι υμων και ευθεως ευρησετε ονον δεδεμενην και πωλον μετ αυτης λυσαντες αγαγετε μοι

Matthew 21:7 (NET)	Matthew 21:7 (KJV)
They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.	And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.

Matthew 21:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Matthew 21:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Matthew 21:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἤγαγον τὴν ὄνον καὶ τὸν πῶλον καὶ ἐπέθηκαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν τὰ ἱμάτια, καὶ ἐπεκάθισεν ἐπάνω αὐτῶν	ηγαγον την ονον και τον πωλον και επεθηκαν επανω αυτων τα ιματια αυτων και επεκαθισεν επανω αυτων	ηγαγον την ονον και τον πωλον και επεθηκαν επανω αυτων τα ιματια αυτων και επεκαθισεν επανω αυτων

Luke 4:9 (NET)	Luke 4:9 (KJV)
Then the devil brought him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,	And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

Luke 4:9 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 4:9 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 4:9 (Byzantine Majority Text)
῎Ηγαγεν δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ ἔστησεν ἐπὶ τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ καὶ εἶπεν \|αὐτῷ\|· εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν ἐντεῦθεν κάτω	και ηγαγεν αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ και εστησεν αυτον επι το πτερυγιον του ιερου και ειπεν αυτω ει ο υιος ει του θεου βαλε σεαυτον εντευθεν κατω	και ηγαγεν αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ και εστησεν αυτον επι το πτερυγιον του ιερου και ειπεν αυτω ει υιος ει του θεου βαλε σεαυτον εντευθεν κατω

Luke 22:54 (NET)	Luke 22:54 (KJV)
Then they arrested Jesus, led him away, and brought him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance.	Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

Luke 22:54 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 22:54 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 22:54 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Συλλαβόντες δὲ αὐτὸν ἤγαγον καὶ εἰσήγαγον εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως· ὁ δὲ Πέτρος ἠκολούθει μακρόθεν	συλλαβοντες δε αυτον ηγαγον και εισηγαγον αυτον εις τον οικον του αρχιερεως ο δε πετρος ηκολουθει μακροθεν	συλλαβοντες δε αυτον ηγαγον και εισηγαγον αυτον εις τον οικον του αρχιερεως ο δε πετρος ηκολουθει μακροθεν

Luke 23:1 (NET)	Luke 23:1 (KJV)
Then the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus before Pilate.	And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

Luke 23:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 23:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 23:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Καὶ ἀναστὰν ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν ἤγαγον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸν Πιλᾶτον	και ανασταν απαν το πληθος αυτων ηγαγεν αυτον επι τον πιλατον	και ανασταν απαν το πληθος αυτων ηγαγον αυτον επι τον πιλατον

Romans, Part 32

The Life

Back to The Soul

Back to Romans, Part 34

Back to Romans, Part 35

Back to Romans, Part 48

Back to Romans, Part 82

Back to Romans, Part 83

¹ Romans 8:12, 13a (NET)

² Romans 8:3 (NET)

³ John 11:25b (NET)

⁴ John 12:25a (NET) Table

⁵ Romans 8:13b (NET)

⁶ John 11:26a (NET)

⁷ John 12:25b (NET) Table

⁸ Romans 6:6 (NET)

⁹ Romans 8:3, 4 (NET)

¹⁰ Romans 8:14 (NET)

¹¹ Matthew 10:18 (NET)

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had καὶ (not translated in the NET) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: But).

¹³ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἄγωσιν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αγαγωσιν (KJV: they shall lead).

¹⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μηδε μελετατε (KJV: neither do ye premeditate) following speak. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁵ Mark 13:11 (NET)

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had κατέναντι here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απεναντι (KJV: over against).

¹⁷ Matthew 21:2 (NET)

¹⁸ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἐπ᾿ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had επανω.

²⁰ Matthew 21:7 (NET)

²¹ Luke 4:1 (NET) Table

²² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had δὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had και (KJV: And).

²³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus had the article ο here. The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

²⁵ Luke 4:9 (NET)

²⁶ Luke 4:29 (NET) Table

²⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτον here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

²⁸ Luke 22:54a (NET) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the feminine τὴν οἰκίαν here, a form of οἰκία, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the masculine τον οικον, a form of οἶκος.

²⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had the plural ἤγαγον here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the singular ηγαγεν (KJV: led).

³⁰ Luke 23:1 (NET)

³¹ Luke 23:32 (NET)

³² Romans 1:16 (NET) Table

³³ Romans 1:17 (NET)

³⁴ Romans 7:4 (NET)

³⁵ Philippians 3:9 (NET)

³⁶ Galatians 5:4 (NET) Table

³⁷ Galatians 3:24 (NKJV)

³⁸ Galatians 3:24 (NET)

³⁹ Romans 7:6 (NET)

Romans, Part 6

Posted on August 2, 2012 by admin

The children who came of age in a population where the worship of created things was firmly established know better than anyone that the worship of created things is a waste of time and effort. At that moment they have an opportunity to turn back to the worship of the living God, but if their ἀσέβεια (ungodliness) is not overcome by the Spirit of God, the word of God, faith in the Lord Jesus, and being born from above they are more likely to take the next logical step.

Unrighteous Worship

The Wrath of God Revealed from Heaven

And just as they did not see (ἐδοκίμασαν, a form of δοκιμάζω) fit (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) to acknowledge (ἐπιγνώσει, a form of ἐπίγνωσις) God…

Romans 1:28a NET

God gave them over (παρέδωκεν, a form of παραδίδωμι) to a depraved (ἀδόκιμον, a form of ἀδόκιμος) mind, to do what should not be done.

Romans 1:28b NET

I think the King James translation of the first part of Romans 1:28a can really help here: And even as they did not like (ἐδοκίμασαν, a form of δοκιμάζω) to retain (ἔχειν, a form of ἔχω) God in their knowledge (ἐπιγνώσει, a form of ἐπίγνωσις)… Paul used the word ἐχέτω (another form of ἔχω) in the sense of having a wife or a husband in 1 Corinthians 7:2 (KJV): let every man have (ἐχέτω) his own wife, and let every woman have (ἐχέτω) her own husband. Considering where all this is leading—you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God¹—the double entendre of ἔχω intrigues me. It is something like, even as they did not approve of having God in their knowledge.

Approve is both a possible and likely meaning for ἐδοκίμασαν (a form of δοκιμάζω) in Romans 1:28. It comes from δόκιμος. And the negation of δόκιμος, ἀδόκιμος (ἀδόκιμον), is the unapproved (NET, depraved; KJV, reprobate) mind the Lord gave those who did not approve of having Him in their minds. All of that beautiful logical symmetry is lost in both translations in favor of emotionally charged language that fails to communicate that the mind He gave them over to is unapproved, perhaps even untested, by God. If the lake of fire,² or the outer darkness,³ is the place where the omnipresent God is not, this unapproved mind is as close as a human being can come to it here and now.

Romans 1:28 is the first usage in the New Testament of ἐπιγνώσει (a form of ἐπίγνωσις). Paul used it two other times in this letter: 1) For no one is declared righteous before him by the works of the law, for through the law comes the knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις) of sin;⁴ and, 2) For I can testify that [my fellow Israelites] are zealous for God, but their zeal is not in line with the truth⁵ (ἐπίγνωσιν, another form of ἐπίγνωσις). Though Paul doesn’t say it directly I think he has used ἐπίγνωσις⁶ in Greek for the Hebrew word יָדַע (yâdaʽ).

The early history of יָדַע (yâdaʽ) must have been in Paul’s thoughts as he penned Romans.⁷ The first occurrence of יָדַע (yâdaʽ) is from the mouth of the cunning serpent: The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die, for God knows (yâdaʽ, ידע) that when you eat from it⁸ your eyes will open and you will be like divine beings who know (yâdaʽ, ידעי) good and evil.”⁹ Adam and Eve believed the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit. Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew (yâdaʽ, וידעו) they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.¹⁰ And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing (yâdaʽ, לדעת) good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.¹¹

It seems to me that Paul must have been thinking about God’s promises through Jeremiah as he wrote Romans 9-11. I will give them the desire to acknowledge (yâdaʽ, לדעת) that I am the Lord. I will be their God and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.¹² “People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know (yâdaʽ, דעו) me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know (yâdaʽ, ידעו) me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”¹³ So while the desire for the ידעי (yâdaʽ) of good and evil led to sin and death, the ידעו (yâdaʽ) of God is the way back to righteousness and life.

One more thing about יָדַע (yâdaʽ) bears mentioning and bundles everything together with Paul’s understanding—you also died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you could be joined to another, to the one who was raised from the dead, to bear fruit to God.¹⁴ Now the man had marital relations (yâdaʽ, ידע) with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.¹⁵ So יָדַע (yâdaʽ) (and ἐπίγνωσις, I think,) describes an intimate form of knowing, much more than a casual acquaintance.

God gave them over to a depraved, reprobate or unapproved (ἀδόκιμον, a form of ἀδόκιμος) mind, and this led inexorably to the social situation we all know intimately (Romans 1:29-31 NET):

They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness,¹⁶ wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless,¹⁷ ruthless.

One final thing should be noted about this unapproved mind. Left to our own devices we not only practice this worship of unrighteousness, we promote it with missionary zeal. Although they fully know (ἐπιγνόντες, a form of ἐπιγινώσκω) God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.¹⁸

Addendum: May 29, 2020
Tables comparing Genesis 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:22; 3:23; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:34; Genesis 4:1; 2:16 and 2:17 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and Genesis 3:4; 3:5; 3:7; 3:22; 3:23; Jeremiah 24:7; 31:34 (38:34); Genesis 4:1; 2:16 and 2:17 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing Romans 1:29 and 1:31 in the NET and KJV.

Genesis 3:4 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:4 (KJV)	Genesis 3:4 (NET)
And the serpent said unto the woman: ‘Ye shall not surely die;	And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:	The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die,

Genesis 3:4 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί οὐ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῗσθε	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ὄφις τῇ γυναικί· οὐ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε
Genesis 3:4 (NETS)	Genesis 3:4 (English Elpenor)
And the snake said to the woman, “You will not die by death,	And the serpent said to the woman, Ye shall not surely die.

Genesis 3:5 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:5 (KJV)	Genesis 3:5 (NET)
for G-d doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as G-d, knowing good and evil.’	For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.	for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ᾔδει γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἐν ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοὶ γινώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν	ᾔδει γὰρ ὁ Θεός, ὅτι ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, διανοιχθήσονται ὑμῶν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς θεοί, γινώσκοντες καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν
Genesis 3:5 (NETS)	Genesis 3:5 (English Elpenor)
for God knew that on the day you eat of it, your eyes would be opened, and you would be like gods knowing good and evil.”	For God knew that in whatever day ye should eat of it your eyes would be opened, and ye would be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Genesis 3:7 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:7 (KJV)	Genesis 3:7 (NET)
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves girdles.	And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.	Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Genesis 3:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο καὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν καὶ ἔρραψαν φύλλα συκῆς καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῗς περιζώματα	καὶ διηνοίχθησαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν δύο, καὶ ἔγνωσαν ὅτι γυμνοὶ ἦσαν, καὶ ἔρραψαν φύλλα συκῆς καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς περιζώματα
Genesis 3:7 (NETS)	Genesis 3:7 (English Elpenor)
And the eyes of the two were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.	And the eyes of both were opened, and they perceived that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons to go round them.

Genesis 3:22 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:22 (KJV)	Genesis 3:22 (NET)
And HaShem G-d said: ‘Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.’	And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:	And the Lord God said, “Now that the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, he must not be allowed to stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

Genesis 3:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεός ἰδοὺ Αδαμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν καὶ νῦν μήποτε ἐκτείνῃ τὴν χεῗρα καὶ λάβῃ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ἰδοὺ ᾿Αδὰμ γέγονεν ὡς εἷς ἐξ ἡμῶν, τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν· καὶ νῦν μή ποτε ἐκτείνῃ τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ λάβῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς καὶ φάγῃ καὶ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
Genesis 3:22 (NETS)	Genesis 3:22 (English Elpenor)
Then God said, “See, Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil, and now perhaps he might reach out his hand and take of the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”	And God said, Behold, Adam is become as one of us, to know good and evil, and now lest at any time he stretch forth his hand, and take of the tree of life and eat, and [so] he shall live forever–

Genesis 3:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 3:23 (KJV)	Genesis 3:23 (NET)
Therefore HaShem G-d sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.	Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.	So the Lord God expelled him from the orchard in Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken.

Genesis 3:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 3:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτὸν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν ἐξ ἧς ἐλήμφθη	καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτὸν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν, ἐξ ἧς ἐλήφθη
Genesis 3:23 (NETS)	Genesis 3:23 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord God sent him forth from the orchard of delight to till the earth from which he was taken.	So the Lord God sent him forth out of the garden of Delight to cultivate the ground out of which he was taken.

Jeremiah 24:7 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 24:7 (KJV)	Jeremiah 24:7 (NET)
And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.	And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.	I will give them the desire to acknowledge that I am the Lord. I will be their God and they will be my people. For they will wholeheartedly return to me.’

Jeremiah 24:7 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 24:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ δώσω αὐτοῗς καρδίαν τοῦ εἰδέναι αὐτοὺς ἐμὲ ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῗς εἰς θεόν ὅτι ἐπιστραφήσονται ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν	καὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν τοῦ εἰδέναι αὐτοὺς ἐμέ, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, καὶ ἔσονταί μοι εἰς λαόν, καὶ ἐγὼ ἔσομαι αὐτοῖς εἰς Θεόν, ὅτι ἐπιστραφήσονται ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν
Jeremiah 24:7 (NETS)	Jeremiah 24:7 (English Elpenor)
And I will give them a heart that they may know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall become a people to me, and I shall become a god to them, because they shall return to me with their whole heart.	And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be to me a people, and I will be to them a God: for they shall turn to me with all their heart.

Jeremiah 31:34 (Tanakh)	Jeremiah 31:34 (KJV)	Jeremiah 31:34 (NET)
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.	And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.	“People will no longer need to teach their neighbors and relatives to know me. For all of them, from the least important to the most important, will know me,” says the Lord. “For I will forgive their sin and will no longer call to mind the wrong they have done.”

Jeremiah 31:34 (Septuagint BLB)	Jeremiah 38:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων γνῶθι τὸν κύριον ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσίν με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν καὶ ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῗς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι	καὶ οὐ μὴ διδάξωσιν ἕκαστος τὸν πολίτην αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ λέγων· γνῶθι τὸν Κύριον· ὅτι πάντες εἰδήσουσί με ἀπὸ μικροῦ αὐτῶν ἕως μεγάλου αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἵλεως ἔσομαι ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθῶ ἔτι
Jeremiah 38:34 (NETS)	Jeremiah 38:34 (English Elpenor)
And they shall not teach, each his fellow citizen and each his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they shall all know me, from their small even to their great, because I will be gracious regarding their injustices, and remember their sins no more.	And they shall not at all teach every one his [fellow] citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more.

Genesis 4:1 (Tanakh)	Genesis 4:1 (KJV)	Genesis 4:1 (NET)
And the man knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bore Cain, and said: ‘I have gotten a man with the help of HaShem.’	And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.	Now the man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, “I have created a man just as the Lord did!”

Genesis 4:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 4:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
Αδαμ δὲ ἔγνω Ευαν τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκεν τὸν Καιν καὶ εἶπεν ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ θεοῦ	ΑΔΑΜ δὲ ἔγνω Εὔαν τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλαβοῦσα ἔτεκε τὸν Κάϊν καὶ εἶπεν· ἐκτησάμην ἄνθρωπον διὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ
Genesis 4:1 (NETS)	Genesis 4:1 (English Elpenor)
Now Adam knew his wife Heua, and after she had conceived she bore Kain and said, “I have acquired a man through God.”	AND Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God.

Genesis 2:16 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:16 (KJV)	Genesis 2:16 (NET)
And HaShem G-d commanded the man, saying: ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat;	And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:	Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard,

Genesis 2:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῷ Αδαμ λέγων ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φάγῃ	καὶ ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Αδὰμ λέγων· ἀπὸ παντὸς ξύλου τοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ βρώσει φαγῇ
Genesis 2:16 (NETS)	Genesis 2:16 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord God commanded Adam, saying, “You shall eat for food of every tree that is in the orchard,	And the Lord God gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat,

Genesis 2:17 (Tanakh)	Genesis 2:17 (KJV)	Genesis 2:17 (NET)
but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’	But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.	but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 2:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ ᾗ δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῗσθε	ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ γινώσκειν καλὸν καὶ πονηρόν, οὐ φάγεσθε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ· ᾗ δ᾿ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε
Genesis 2:17 (NETS)	Genesis 2:17 (English Elpenor)
but of the tree for knowing good and evil, of it you shall not eat; on the day that you eat of it, you shall die by death.”	but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil– of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.

Romans 1:29 (NET)	Romans 1:29 (KJV)
They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips,	Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
πεπληρωμένους πάσῃ ἀδικίᾳ πονηρίᾳ πλεονεξίᾳ κακίᾳ, μεστοὺς φθόνου φόνου ἔριδος δόλου κακοηθείας, ψιθυριστάς	πεπληρωμενους παση αδικια πορνεια πονηρια πλεονεξια κακια μεστους φθονου φονου εριδος δολου κακοηθειας ψιθυριστας	πεπληρωμενους παση αδικια πορνεια πονηρια πλεονεξια κακια μεστους φθονου φονου εριδος δολου κακοηθειας ψιθυριστας

Romans 1:31 (NET)	Romans 1:31 (KJV)
senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless.	Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἀσυνέτους ἀσυνθέτους ἀστόργους ἀνελεήμονας	ασυνετους ασυνθετους αστοργους ασπονδους ανελεημονας	ασυνετους ασυνθετους αστοργους ασπονδους ανελεημονας

Romans, Part 7

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Back to Keep Yourselves from Idols, Part 1

Back to Father, Son and Holy Spirit – Part 11

¹ Romans 7:4 (NET)

² Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15 (NET)

³ Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30 (NET)

⁴ Romans 3:20 (NET)

⁵ Romans 10:2 (NET)

⁶ The Septuagint used forms of εἴδω and γινώσκω for the verses quoted in Genesis (3:5 ᾔδει, γινώσκοντες; 3:7 ἔγνωσαν; 3:22 γινώσκειν) and in Jeremiah (24:7 εἰδέναι; 31:34 γνῶθι, εἰδήσουσίν). I think Paul used forms of ἐπίγνωσις to add that intimate sense of knowing, following 1 Corinthians 13:12b (NET): Now I know (γινώσκω) in part, but then I will know fully (ἐπιγνώσομαι, a form of ἐπιγινώσκω), just as I have been fully known (ἐπεγνώσθην, another form of ἐπιγινώσκω).

⁷ cf. Romans 5:12-21

⁸ Then the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat fruit from every tree of the orchard, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16, 17 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 3:4, 5 (NET)

¹⁰ Genesis 3:7 (NET)

¹¹ Genesis 3:22, 23 (NET)

¹² Jeremiah 24:7 (NET)

¹³ Jeremiah 31:34 (NET)

¹⁴ Romans 7:4 (NET)

¹⁵ Genesis 4:1 (NET)

¹⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had πορνεια (KJV: fornication) following unrighteousness. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ασπονδους (KJV: implacable) following heartless (KJV: without natural affection). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ Romans 1:32 (NET)

The Gospel and the Religious Mind

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

Tag Archives: Romans 7:4