Exploration, Part 2

Posted on November 13, 2024 by admin

Paul continued to address the more intimate and pervasive issues of how one believes and how one obeys (Galatians 5:5, 6 ESV).

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

This was placed in direct contrast to you who would be justified by the law (Galatians 5:4 ESV).

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace [Table].

The Greek of Galatians 5:5 was: ἡμεῖς γὰρ, “For we,” πνεύματι, through the Spirit. This word string begins with we, ἡμεῖς, and for was not a translator’s choice to help describe πνεύματι, a form of πνεῦμα in the dative case, but the conjunction and logical connector γὰρ. This is a different situation from the translation For freedom in verse 1.

Next came ἐκ πίστεως, by faith: “For we through the Spirit, by faith.” Paul used both πνεύματι and πίστεως elsewhere in this same letter (Galatians 3:1-7 ESV):

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified [Table]. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit (τὸ πνεῦμα) by works of the law or by hearing with faith (πίστεως)? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit (πνεύματι), are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed¹ it was in vain? Does he who supplies the Spirit (τὸ πνεῦμα) to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith (πίστεως)—just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

Know then that it is those of faith (ἐκ πίστεως) who are the sons of Abraham.

The next words in this word string were ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης, the hope of righteousness, ἀπεκδεχόμεθα, “ourselves eagerly await”—“For we through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness ourselves eagerly await.” It’s not exactly what my religious mind expected to hear, but then, my religious mind is much more accustomed to being perfected by the flesh. It wants to be justified by the law (e.g., it’s own compliance to rules), rather than through the Spirit, by faith.

The verb ἀπεκδεχόμεθα is a middle/passive form of ἀπεκδέχομαι: “to expect fully, to look for eagerly, to wait for eagerly.” The translators added ourselves to we to highlight the middle voice. Paul chose ἀπεκδεχόμεθα on two other occasions in reference to the redemption of our bodies and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:22-25; Philippians 3:17-21 ESV).

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit (τοῦ πνεύματος, another form of πνεῦμα), groan inwardly as we wait eagerly (ἀπεκδεχόμενοι, a participle of ἀπεκδέχομαι) for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? [Table] But if we hope for what we do not see, we await for it (ἀπεκδεχόμεθα, a form of ἀπεκδέχομαι) with patience.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us [Table]. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await (ἀπεκδεχόμεθα, a form of ἀπεκδέχομαι) a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself [Table].

So what is this righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, a form of δικαιοσύνη) that is our hope as we ourselves eagerly wait?

For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, another form of δικαιοσύνη) [Table]. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, another form of δικαιοσύνη) that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness (δικαιοσύνην, another form of δικαιοσύνη) would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised [Table].²

For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, another form of δικαιοσύνη) reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.³

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness (δικαιοσύνης, another form of δικαιοσύνη) leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.⁴

Who are we who ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of [this] righteousness? We are those whom Christ has set free for freedom (Galatians 5:1 EXP1):

For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.

Now I’ve gone and done it. I’ve quoted what appears to be my own translation of Galatians 5:1. And that requires some explanation because I don’t know Greek well enough to translate the New Testament from Greek into English. I may not know English well enough to translate the New Testament from Greek into English. So, I would not attempt to translate the New Testament from Greek into English on my own. None of that seems to matter, however, when I sit down to study the Bible with God the Father, God the Son, through God the Holy Spirit. He gives me the courage and the patience to understand his word in Greek. But since I still think, and write, primarily in English, the end result is something not unlike an English translation of the Greek text.

The ESV translation of Galatians 5:1 is not like Romans 11:32 (ESV):

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

Once I understand that he may have mercy is ἐλεήσῃ, a 3^rd person singular form of ἐλεέω in the subjunctive mood, once I realize “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,”⁵ and recognize ἵνα (ESV: that) as the clue that this is a purpose or result clause, I can still read and quote the ESV. I no longer understand it in English. I understand the English words as pointers to the underlying Greek, and understand it in Greek: “…so that He has mercy on all.”

I may question the value of an English translation which is written for people who already know the underlying Greek. I may wonder why it was not fully translated into English. But I understand the conventions and can make footnotes for others who may not understand them. There is no need to eschew the ESV translation of Romans 11:32. But Galatians 5:1 is another matter altogether. The translators made deliberate and unnecessary choices to force Paul to present the English reader with two rules to obey, the old way of the written code⁶ (Galatians 5:1 ESV):

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

The laws of Paul are all too easy to dismiss—especially in this context.

Let me see if I’ve got this straight, Paul. You’re telling me, a Gentile, in effect to ignore God’s laws delivered to Moses regarding circumcision, and obey your rules instead? Get a life, man!

Once I hear two better promises of the new covenant instead—therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again—there is no going back. For [my] freedom Christ has [me] set free! Unlike the laws of Paul, all too easy to dismiss, two better promises heard with faith invade my soul with the power of God for (εἰς) salvation:⁷ for it is God who works in [me], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.⁸ His Spirit causes me to stand firm and won’t allow me to entangle myself in a yoke of slavery again. Thus, by his grace I serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code⁹ (Galatians 5:1b ESV):

…stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Compliant children are as likely to comply with bad teaching as good. These better promises—therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again—appear to have been inoperative in the foolish Galatians to whom Paul wrote because Christ was not yet formed (μορφωθῇ, a form of μορφόω) in them, rendering them susceptible to law teaching (Galatians 4:17-19 ESV).

They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of¹⁰ for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children,¹¹ for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until¹² Christ is formed in you! [Table]

So, I’ll quote Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) from now on, but I don’t expect you to trust me. The rationale for the translation, For our freedom Christ has us set free, was mostly explained elsewhere. Here, I’ll add that: For freedom Christ has set us free accounts for the accusative case of ἡμᾶς but ignores the actual placement of the word in the word string; For our freedom Christ has set free captures more of the sense of the word placement but implies the genitive case; For our freedom Christ has us set free captures both the meaning of the accusative case and the implication of the word placement but implies two pronouns rather than one in the original Greek text. I’m most willing to accept that compromise.

The translation therefore you stand firm was mostly explained elsewhere. Here I’ll add: In the critical text the conjunction οὖν (therefore) actually follows the verb στήκετε (you stand firm), but the implication is that both clauses joined by the conjunction καὶ (and) are related to (i.e., both promises are the logical and actual result of) For our freedom Christ has us set free. So, that’s where I placed therefore.

The translation and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again was mostly explained elsewhere. Here I’ll add: I swapped the position of the verb ἐνέχεσθε (entangle yourselves in) with the adverb πάλιν. An imperative verb in the middle/passive voice is a tricky concept for me to grasp. By placing the verb directly after the negative particle μὴ, I could put the weight of the imperative mood on the negative particle (cannot) while retaining the flavor of the middle/passive voice without compromise (ESV: do not submit). The adverb πάλιν (again) makes a satisfying punctuation mark at the end of these promises.

These are our current choices for Galatians 5:1, the Lord’s and mine. I say current because our choices are always limited by my current ability to understand Him. It is more customary to call them my choices, but here in this context it seems important to highlight that I would not have arrived at these particular choices without Him, and my ability to understand Him will not improve apart from Him. You are welcome to try and do better.

Paul continued: ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ |Ἰησοῦ|, For in Christ Jesus.¹³ What follows these words is a further description of that path of righteousness ἐν Χριστῷ (in Christ) that Paul distinguished from ἐν νόμῳ (by the law).¹⁴

First, οὔτε περιτομή τι ἰσχύει οὔτε ἀκροβυστία, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, though “neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision” would be closer to the actual word order. Translating ἰσχύει, a form of ἰσχύω, counts for isn’t wrong. One of the meanings of ἰσχύω listed in the Koine Greek Lexicon online is: “to have meaning, be valid,” a figurative understanding of power or strength. In this context of standing firm and not being entangled again in a yoke of slavery, however, “anyone empowers” is a more apt understanding of τι ἰσχύει: “neither circumcision anyone empowers nor uncircumcision.” The ἐν νόμῳ (by the law) option was negated: neither circumcision nor uncircumcision empowers anyone or makes anyone stronger.

Only the ἐν Χριστῷ (in Christ) option stands: ἀλλὰ πίστις δι᾿ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη, but only faith working through love. Here again, the literal word order is: “but faith through love working.” This is the deepest darkest kernel of the human soul: Are my actions actualized by laws, rules, applications, customs, traditions that I obey, or by my God-given faith in Jesus Christ through the outworking of his own love? Only the Holy Spirit knows for sure moment by moment. Only He can enlighten me and lead me away from my fleshly inclinations to justify myself by laws, rules, applications, customs and traditions, and into the freedom of full dependence on God my Savior through Jesus Christ my Lord.

Paul had already written to the foolish Galatians (Galatians 3:10-14 ESV):

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written,¹⁵ “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by¹⁶ all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” But the law is not of faith, rather “The one¹⁷ who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for¹⁸ it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

You were running well,¹⁹ Paul continued. The foolish Galatians had already been living this way! Previously, their actions were actualized by their God-given faith in Jesus Christ through the outworking of his own love. In fact, I might translate Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς as “you were running beautifully.” The Koine Greek Lexicon online lists the definitions of the adverb καλῶς as follows: “well, beautifully; fitly, appropriately, splendidly, in the right way; commendably, free from objection; beneficially, acceptably, honourably; rightly, correctly, skilfully, expertly; in a manner meeting the speaker’s approval; quite right!, well said!, true enough!; fortunately; in an aesthetically or artistically pleasing manner and conducive to pleasure.” Who hindered²⁰ you from obeying the truth?²¹

What truth? only faith working through love is the ἐν Χριστῷ (in Christ) option that empowers anyone or makes anyone stronger. The Greek word translated obeying was πείθεσθαι, an infinitive form of πείθω in the middle/passive voice: “to be persuaded, be convinced, come to believe, believe, trust; to be confident, sure; to obey, follow, rely.” I’ll let the reader decide which was most likely Paul’s meaning in this context, since he stated it explicitly in the very next verse: This persuasion is not from him who calls you.²²

The Greek word translated persuasion was πεισμονὴ: “persuasion, credulity, gullible.” One cannot simply assume that translators had time or opportunity to think deeply about every word. It’s a good practice to check as the Lord leads. As Paul wrote, A little leaven leavens the whole lump.²³ Admittedly, I’m taking this proverb in the more negative sense of teaching that is not of the Lord. But their could be another meaning here, if the teaching were the truth. At any rate, Paul’s conclusion despite all that was stacked against the foolish Galatians—the world, the flesh and the devil—was: I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.²⁴ In fact, the word order is more like: “I have confidence for you in the Lord,” ἐγὼ πέποιθα εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ. How? Why?

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.²⁵

For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.²⁶

As Paul wrote elsewhere, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure [Table].²⁷ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.²⁸ I’ll pick this up in another essay.

According to a note (13) in the NET, Paul quoted from Genesis 15:6 in Galatians 3:6. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Galatians 3:6 (NET Parallel Greek)	Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint BLB) Table	Genesis 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
Ἀβραὰμ ἐπίστευσεν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην	ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην	ἐπίστευσεν ῞Αβραμ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην
Galatians 3:6 (NET)	Genesis 15:6 (NETS)	Genesis 15:6 (English Elpenor)
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness	Abram believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.	Abram believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.

According to a note (21) in the NET, Paul quoted from Deuteronomy 27:26 in Galatians 3:10. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Galatians 3:10b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 27:26a (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 27:26a (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά	ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτούς	ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου ποιῆσαι αὐτούς
Galatians 3:10b (NET)	Deuteronomy 27:26a (NETS)	Deuteronomy 27:26a (English Elpenor)
“Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.”	“Cursed be any person who does not remain in all the words of this law to do them.”	Cursed is every man that continues not in all the words of this law to do them:

According to a note (22) in the NET, Paul quoted from Habakkuk 2:4 in Galatians 3:11. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Galatians 3:11b (NET Parallel Greek)	Habakkuk 2:4b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Habakkuk 2:4b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται	ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται	ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται
Galatians 3:11b (NET)	Habakkuk 2:4b (NETS)	Habakkuk 2:4b (English Elpenor)
the righteous one will live by faith	But the just shall live by my faith.	but the just shall live by my faith.

According to a note (25) in the NET, Paul quoted from Leviticus 18:5 in Galatians 3:12. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Galatians 3:12b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 18:5b (Septuagint BLB) Table	Leviticus 18:5b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς	ποιήσετε αὐτά ἃ ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῗς	ποιήσετε αὐτά, ἃ ποιήσας αὐτά ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς
Galatians 3:12b (NET)	Leviticus 18:5b (NETS)	Leviticus 18:5b (English Elpenor)
the one who does the works of the law will live by them.	you shall do them; as for the things a person does, he shall live by them	do them; which if a man do, he shall live in them

According to a note (27) in the NET, Paul quoted from Deuteronomy 21:23 in Galatians 3:13. A table comparing the Greek of Paul’s quotation with that of the Septuagint follows.

Galatians 3:13b (NET Parallel Greek)	Deuteronomy 21:23b (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 21:23b (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου	κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου	κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ Θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου
Galatians 3:13b (NET)	Deuteronomy 21:23b (NETS)	Deuteronomy 21:23b (English Elpenor)
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”	anyone hanging on a tree is cursed by a god	every one that is hanged on a tree is cursed of God

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 27:26 and 21:23 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Deuteronomy 27:26 and 21:23 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Galatians 3:4; 4:18; 3:10; 3:12, 13; 5:7 and 5:10 in the KJV and NET follow.

Deuteronomy 27:26 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 27:26 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 27:26 (NET)
Cursed be he that confirmeth not the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say: Amen.’	Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.	Cursed is the one who refuses to keep the words of this law.’ Then all the people will say, ‘Amen!’

Deuteronomy 27:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 27:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτούς καὶ ἐροῦσιν πᾶς ὁ λαός γένοιτο	ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου ποιῆσαι αὐτούς· καὶ ἐροῦσι πᾶς ὁ λαός· γένοιτο
Deuteronomy 27:26 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 27:26 (English Elpenor)
“Cursed be any person who does not remain in all the words of this law to do them.” And all the people shall say, “May it be!”	Cursed is every man that continues not in all the words of this law to do them: and all the people shall say, So be it.

Deuteronomy 21:23 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 21:23 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 21:23 (NET)
his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a reproach unto G-d; that thou defile not thy land which HaShem thy G-d giveth thee for an inheritance.	His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.	his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.

Deuteronomy 21:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 21:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπικοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου καὶ οὐ μιανεῖτε τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι ἐν κλήρῳ	οὐ κοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου, ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ Θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου· καὶ οὐ μὴ μιανεῖτε τὴν γῆν, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι ἐν κλήρῳ
Deuteronomy 21:23 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 21:23 (English Elpenor)
his body shall not sleep upon the tree, but with burial you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hanging on a tree is cursed by a god. And you shall not defile the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an allotment.	his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but ye shall by all means bury it in that day; for every one that is hanged on a tree is cursed of God; and ye shall by no means defile the land which the Lord thy God gives thee for an inheritance.

Galatians 3:4 (NET)	Galatians 3:4 (KJV)
Have you suffered so many things for nothing?—if indeed it was for nothing.	Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.

Galatians 3:4 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 3:4 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 3:4 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῇ; εἴ γε καὶ εἰκῇ	τοσαυτα επαθετε εικη ειγε και εικη	τοσαυτα επαθετε εικη ειγε και εικη

Galatians 4:18 (NET)	Galatians 4:18 (KJV)
However, it is good to be sought eagerly for a good purpose at all times, and not only when I am present with you.	But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.

Galatians 4:18 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 4:18 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 4:18 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καλὸν δὲ ζηλοῦσθαι ἐν καλῷ πάντοτε καὶ μὴ μόνον ἐν τῷ παρεῖναι με πρὸς ὑμᾶς	καλον δε το ζηλουσθαι εν καλω παντοτε και μη μονον εν τω παρειναι με προς υμας	καλον δε το ζηλουσθαι εν καλω παντοτε και μη μονον εν τω παρειναι με προς υμας

Galatians 3:10 (NET)	Galatians 3:10 (KJV)
For all who rely on doing the works of the law are under a curse because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the book of the law.”	For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Galatians 3:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 3:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 3:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ὅσοι γὰρ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου εἰσίν, ὑπὸ κατάραν εἰσίν· γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά	οσοι γαρ εξ εργων νομου εισιν υπο καταραν εισιν γεγραπται γαρ επικαταρατος πας ος ουκ εμμενει εν πασιν τοις γεγραμμενοις εν τω βιβλιω του νομου του ποιησαι αυτα	οσοι γαρ εξ εργων νομου εισιν υπο καταραν εισιν γεγραπται γαρ επικαταρατος πας ος ουκ εμμενει εν πασιν τοις γεγραμμενοις εν τω βιβλιω του νομου του ποιησαι αυτα

Galatians 3:12, 13 (NET)	Galatians 3:12, 13 (KJV)
But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them.	And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Galatians 3:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 3:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 3:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ὁ δὲ νόμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ πίστεως, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς	ο δε νομος ουκ εστιν εκ πιστεως αλλ ο ποιησας αυτα ανθρωπος ζησεται εν αυτοις	ο δε νομος ουκ εστιν εκ πιστεως αλλ ο ποιησας αυτα ανθρωπος ζησεται εν αυτοις

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Galatians 3:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 3:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 3:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Χριστὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξηγόρασεν ἐκ τῆς κατάρας τοῦ νόμου γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα (ὅτι γέγραπται· ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου)	χριστος ημας εξηγορασεν εκ της καταρας του νομου γενομενος υπερ ημων καταρα γεγραπται γαρ επικαταρατος πας ο κρεμαμενος επι ξυλου	χριστος ημας εξηγορασεν εκ της καταρας του νομου γενομενος υπερ ημων καταρα γεγραπται γαρ επικαταρατος πας ο κρεμαμενος επι ξυλου

Galatians 5:7 (NET)	Galatians 5:7 (KJV)
You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth?	Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

Galatians 5:7 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 5:7 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 5:7 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς· τίς ὑμᾶς ἐνέκοψεν [τῇ] ἀληθείᾳ μὴ πείθεσθαι	ετρεχετε καλως τις υμας ανεκοψεν τη αληθεια μη πειθεσθαι	ετρεχετε καλως τις υμας ενεκοψεν τη αληθεια μη πειθεσθαι

Galatians 5:10 (NET)	Galatians 5:10 (KJV)
I am confident in the Lord that you will accept no other view. But the one who is confusing you will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.	I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

Galatians 5:10 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 5:10 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 5:10 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἐγὼ πέποιθα εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄλλο φρονήσετε· ὁ δὲ ταράσσων ὑμᾶς βαστάσει τὸ κρίμα, ὅστις ἐὰν ᾖ	εγω πεποιθα εις υμας εν κυριω οτι ουδεν αλλο φρονησετε ο δε ταρασσων υμας βαστασει το κριμα οστις αν η	εγω πεποιθα εις υμας εν κυριω οτι ουδεν αλλο φρονησετε ο δε ταρασσων υμας βαστασει το κριμα οστις αν η

¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἴ γε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειγε (KJV: if it be).

² Romans 4:9b-12 (ESV)

³ Romans 5:17 (ESV)

⁴ Romans 5:20, 21 (ESV)

⁵ From “Verbal Moods: Subjunctive Mood,” Greek Verbs (Shorter Definitions), on Resources for Learning New Testament Greek online.

⁶ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

⁷ Romans 1:16b (ESV) Table

⁸ Philippians 2:13 (ESV) Table

⁹ Romans 7:6b (ESV)

¹⁰ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article το preceding to be made much of (NET: to be sought eagerly; KJV: to be zealously affected). The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had τέκνα here, a form of τέκνον, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had τεκνια, a form of τεκνίον.

¹² The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μέχρις here, a form of μέχρι, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αχρις.

¹³ Galatians 5:6a (ESV)

¹⁴ Galatians 5:4b (ESV) Table

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι (“that”) following for it is written. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹⁶ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εν (KJV: in) preceding all things. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ανθρωπος (KJV: man) in this clause. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅτι (NET: because) here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had γαρ (KJV: for).

¹⁹ Galatians 5:7a (ESV)

²⁰ The NET parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had ἐνέκοψεν here, a form of ἐγκόπτω, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had ανεκοψεν (KJV: did hinder), a form of ἀνακόπτω.

²¹ Galatians 5:7b (ESV)

²² Galatians 5:8 (ESV)

²³ Galatians 5:9 (ESV)

²⁴ Galatians 5:10 (ESV) The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ὅστις ἐὰν ᾖ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had οστις αν η (KJV: whosoever he be).

²⁵ Hebrews 8:6 (ESV) Table

²⁶ Galatians 5:1 (EXP1) Table

²⁷ Philippians 2:12b, 13 (ESV)

²⁸ Philippians 3:17 (ESV) Table

Exploration, Part 1

Posted on November 2, 2024 by admin

Love is punishment. That’s the lesson I learned quite well from my elders. As I grew I began to recognize that they were consoling one another and exhorting one another not to compromise with the world around them, a psychological world that was preaching a different gospel. It’s difficult to believe that I never heard 1 Corinthians 13 as a child, but I don’t recall it. I know Paul’s distinction shocked me as an adult (1 Corinthians 4:21 ESV [Table]).

What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love (ἐν ἀγάπῃ) in a spirit of gentleness?

Though I realized that he probably used the phrase ἐν ράβδῳ, with a rod, hyperbolically for stern or even harsh words, I wouldn’t have distinguished those from love, because love is punishment (though I probably thought that love was a feeling that provoked one to punish the objects of one’s love).

In the introduction to these exploratory essays I simply declared “Don’t compromise with the world” a vague and open-ended application, difficult both to obey or to defend against the virtually unlimited latitude those who police such things could assume. Here, I’ll offer an example:

In my grandmother’s day, no decent Christian woman would wear lipstick. In my mother’s day, young stay-at-home housewives and mothers put on lipstick, sitting in the pew in church. In my day, young stay-at-home housewives and mothers were trained by professional make-up artists at church women’s groups how to apply their “warpaint” more effectively, because they competed deliberately and directly with their husbands’ female coworkers and secretaries.

I have no idea what goes on now. I no longer attend an upwardly mobile middle class American church. And I don’t write this to criticize three generations of women I have loved. All of us need more grace than the faith that God will punish us for our sins eventually, and more timely and pertinent direction than “Don’t compromise with the world.”

Paul wrote, what seems at first blush to be, about circumcision, a very specific compromise with the religious world of old covenant Judaism. I want to begin first with the laws of circumcision to highlight this jarring discontinuity between old and new covenants.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 17:9-14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:9-14 (NET)	Genesis 17:9-14 (NETS)	Genesis 17:9-14 (Elpenor English)
And G-d said unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.	Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, “Now as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, Thou also shalt fully keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee for their generations.
This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.	This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.	And this is the covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and between your offspring after you throughout their generations: Every male of yours shall be circumcised,	And this [is] the covenant which thou shalt fully keep between me and you, and between thy seed after thee for their generations; every male of you shall be circumcised.
And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you.	You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.	And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall exist as a covenant sign between me and you.	And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and you.
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed.	Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.	And a youngster of eight days shall be circumcised among you—every male—throughout your generations, the homebred of your household and the one bought with money from any son of a foreigner, who is not of your offspring.	And the child of eight days [old] shall be circumcised by you, every male throughout your generations, and [the servant] born in the house and he that is bought with money, of every son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed.
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.	The homebred of your household and the one bought with money shall be circumcised with circumcision, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with money shall be surely circumcised, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.’	Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement.”	And as for an uncircumcised male who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be destroyed from his kin, for he has scattered my covenant.”	And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.

Circumcision was a prerequisite for eating the Passover.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 12:43-49 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:43-49 (NET)	Exodus 12:43-49 (NETS)	Exodus 12:43-49 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem said unto Moses and Aaron: ‘This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no alien eat thereof;	The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it.	Then the Lord said to Moyses and Aaron, saying: This is the law of the pascha. No alien shall eat of it.	And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the law of the passover: no stranger shall eat of it.
but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But everyone’s servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it.	And any domestic of anyone or purchased slave you shall circumcise him, and then he shall eat of it.	And every slave or servant bought with money– him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it.	A resident alien or hired person shall not eat of it.	A sojourner or hireling shall not eat of it.
In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it.	In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not take any meat outside of the house, and you shall not break a bone of it.	In one house shall it be eaten, and ye shall not carry of the flesh out from the house; and a bone of it ye shall not break.
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	The whole community of Israel must observe it.	The entire congregation of the sons of Israel shall do this.	All the congregation of the children of Israel shall keep it.
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to HaShem, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	“When a resident foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land—but no uncircumcised person may eat of it.	But if any guest should draw near to you to keep the pascha to the Lord, you shall circumcise every male of his, and then he shall draw near to keep it, and he shall be like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person shall eat of it.	And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.’	The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the resident foreigner who lives among you.”	There shall be one law for the local inhabitant and for the guest among you who has drawn near.	There shall be one law to the native, and to the proselyte coming among you.

Even a woman’s purification ritual after childbirth was synchronized to accommodate her son’s circumcision.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 12:1-4 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (NET)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:1-4 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying:	The Lord spoke to Moses:	And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying:	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.	“Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring and bears a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation.	Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Any woman, if she is fertilized and bears a male child, shall also be unclean seven days, as at the days of the separation of her period, she shall be unclean.	Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whatsoever woman shall have conceived and born a male child shall be unclean seven days, she shall be unclean according to the days of separation for her monthly courses.
And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised [Table].	On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin must be circumcised.	And on the eighth day she shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin [Table].	And on the eighth day she shall circumcise the flesh of his foreskin.
And she shall continue in the blood of purification three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.	Then she will remain thirty-three days in blood purity. She must not touch anything holy, and she must not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.	And thirty-three days shall she remain in her unclean blood; she shall not touch anything holy or come into the holy place until the days of her purification are completed.	And for thirty-three days she shall continue in her unclean blood; she shall touch nothing holy, and shall not enter the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.

With that as background, I’ll turn to the new covenant, one of the things our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him¹…that are hard to understand² (Galatians 5:1-5 ESV).

For freedom Christ³ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace [Table]. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

The Greek word translated freedom in the phrase For freedom was ἐλευθερίᾳ, a form of ἐλευθερία in the dative case. A translator’s note (1) in the NET reads:

Translating the dative [Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ] as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.

So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.⁴ The slave (παιδίσκης, a form of παιδίσκη) and the free woman (τῆς ἐλευθέρας, a form of ἐλεύθερος) were Hagar and Sarah, understood allegorically as the old covenant and the new respectively (Galatians 4:21-26 ESV).

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children [Table]. But the Jerusalem above is free (ἐλευθέρα, another form of ἐλεύθερος), and she is our⁵ mother.

Jesus had referred to this same allegory, except that from his lips it sounds less like an allegory and more like the truth; truth which explains why He called Hagar back (Genesis 16) to endure Sarai’s harsh treatment, only to be sent away with her son Ishmael at the appropriate time (Genesis 21), in order that the story Moses recorded in the Torah could be read by Paul in the Spirit, understood allegorically (ἀλληγορούμενα, a participle of ἀλληγορέω) and explained to the Galatians to accomplish the Lord’s intended purpose (John 8:31b-36 ESV):

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” [Table]
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free (ἐλευθερώσῃ, a form of ἐλευθερόω), you will be free (ἐλεύθεροι, another form of ἐλεύθερος) indeed.”

It’s probably a good idea to pause and reflect on what has been gained here regarding the freedom of which Paul wrote: He likened it to being born of a free woman, Sarah rather than Hagar. He interpreted these women allegorically as two covenants. Hagar represented the law, the old covenant and the present Jerusalem, which is in slavery with her children. Sarah represented the Jerusalem above (ἄνω), which is free: What is born of the flesh is flesh, Jesus said to Nicodemus, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above (ἄνωθεν).’⁶

Jesus offered more detail concerning the slavery of the present Jerusalem and her children: everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin is a slave to sin. The [free of sin] son remains forever. So if the [free of sin] Son sets you free (ἐλευθερώσῃ, a form of ἐλευθερόω) [of sin], you will be free (ἐλεύθεροι, another form of ἐλεύθερος) [of sin] indeed. And Paul wrote: For freedom Christ has set us free.⁷

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (ἐλευθερία).⁸

Christ has set us free, Paul continued in his letter to the Galatians according to the ESV translation. The word order in the critical text (NET parallel Greek and NA²⁸) is: Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν; literally, “For freedom us Christ has set free.” The placement of ἡμᾶς adds an emphasis with a flavor nearer to “For our freedom Christ has set free.” But Paul and the Holy Spirit didn’t choose ἡμῶν in the genitive case. It’s not wrong to associate the accusative pronoun ἡμᾶς with the verb ἠλευθέρωσεν, as it is found in the received text (Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text), following χριστος and preceding ἠλευθέρωσεν; literally, “Christ us has set free.”

The Greek verb translated has set…free was ἠλευθέρωσεν, another form of ἐλευθερόω. Paul described that freedom to which Christ in his Spirit has set us free elsewhere (Romans 8:2 ESV [Table]):

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free (ἠλευθέρωσεν, another form of ἐλευθερόω) in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

Paul continued in his letter to the Galatians: stand firm therefore. The ESV translators understood the verb στήκετε as a 2^nd person plural imperative form of στήκω. It is a grammatically permissible way to understand στήκετε according to the Koine Greek Lexicon. It even makes some sense, if one assumes that Paul’s purpose was to supply those who were not standing firm with a Scriptural application to obey.

My argument is that Paul’s entire discourse in Galatians 5 calls that very assumption into question. There is another grammatically permissible way to understand στήκετε according to the Koine Greek Lexicon: as a 2^nd person plural form of στήκω in the indicative mood. In other words, Paul stated a fact about those whom Christ has set free—“you stand firm”—further illustrating the nature of that freedom of which he wrote.

Paul continued: and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. The Greek verb ἐνέχεσθε is an imperative form of ἐνέχω according to the Koine Greek Lexicon. But the ESV translation do…submit sounds a bit too much like the active voice. Again, this makes some sense if one assumes that Paul’s purpose was to supply those who were submitting to a yoke of slavery with a Scriptural application to obey: do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. But ἐνέχεσθε is in the middle/passive voice: “subject yourselves to, load yourselves down with, hold yourselves in” or “entangle yourselves” or “involve yourselves in.”

I’ve begun to pay more attention to Greek word order as a way to grasp an author’s tone: καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε, “and not (or, cannot) again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” The phrase καὶ πάλιν means “again and again.” So, if I consider καὶ μὴ πάλιν as the phrase καὶ πάλιν split by the negative particle μὴ, I get, “you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” Why? Those whom Christ has set free for freedom stand firm and do not obey a yoke of slavery.

Paul chose the Greek word translated slavery—δουλείας, a form of δουλεία—elsewhere (Romans 8:15 ESV):

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery (δουλείας, a form of δουλεία) to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

And (Romans 8:20, 21 ESV):

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [Table] that the creation itself will be set free (ελευθερωθησεται, another form of ἐλευθερόω) from its bondage (δουλείας, a form of δουλεία) to corruption and obtain the freedom (ἐλευθερίαν, another form of ἐλευθερία) of the glory of the children of God.

Look: I, Paul, say to you, he continued, that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.⁹ The Greek words translated if you accept circumcision were ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε, a middle/passive form of the verb περιτέμνω. The translation you accept circumcision demonstrates how the ESV translators handled a middle/passive verb without any particular agenda. The Greek word translated advantage was ὠφελήσει, a form of ὠφελέω in the future tense.

Paul used another form of ὠφελέω elsewhere in a similar context (Romans 2:25 ESV).

For circumcision indeed is of value (ὠφελεῖ, another form of ὠφελέω in the present tense) if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

In all my years in locker rooms growing up, I only saw one uncircumcised male. And I didn’t grow up in a Jewish neighborhood. My mother explained that circumcision was performed today for cleanliness. In other words, a young mother can keep her infant son’s penis clean without fondling it overmuch, peeling back his tiny foreskin. My circumcision has become uncircumcision. And I’m glad. It would be terrible if Christ were of no advantage to me forever.

I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision, Paul continued, that he is obligated to keep the whole law.¹⁰ Here the Greek word translated who accepts circumcision was περιτεμνομένῳ, a middle/passive participle of the verb περιτέμνω. Paul and the Holy Spirit are giving us a good primer on middle/passive verbs in Koine Greek.

Then Paul’s discourse turned a corner as it were. His main concern was not circumcision as an act in itself. The apostle was actually concerned with the more intimate and pervasive issues of how one believes and how one obeys (Galatians 5:4 ESV [Table]).

You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

I shared this essay with a brother who objected to You are severed as a translation of κατηργήθητε, a passive form of καταργέω in the aorist tense. The Koine Greek Lexicon online lists three options for the passive voice: “to be released from, to be severed from, to be removed from.” But since he brought it up, I hear You are severed as present or perfect tense, yet I’m hard-pressed to come up with a better option that would be strictly aorist. And my brother softened some as he saw ἀπὸ (from) explicitly in the text.

We know that our old self was crucified with him, Paul wrote elsewhere, in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing (καταργηθῇ, another passive form of καταργέω, “might be released, might be severed, might be removed”), so that we would no longer be enslaved (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) to sin.¹¹ Do we then overthrow (καταργοῦμεν, another form of καταργέω in the active voice) the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.¹²

For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void (κατήργηται, another middle/passive form of καταργέω).¹³ For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released (κατήργηται, another middle/passive form of καταργέω) from the law of marriage.¹⁴ But now we are released (κατηργήθημεν, another passive form of καταργέω) 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.¹⁵

Who are they who are severed (“released, removed”) from Christ¹⁶ and all that union with Christ entails? The circumcised? No, you who would be justified by the law: οἵτινες ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοῦσθε. The phrase would be justified is the ESV translation of δικαιοῦσθε, a middle/passive form of the verb δικαιόω. I’m tempted to strengthen the middle voice and forego the passive voice altogether here because of my own experience: “would justify yourselves.” But I must admit that would be justified is a clever word choice for δικαιοῦσθε, honoring the passive voice even as it highlights the self-righteousness of the action. So, our education in middle/passive verbs continues.

For by works of the law no human being will be justified (δικαιωθήσεται, another passive form of δικαιόω) in his sight, Paul wrote elsewhere, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.¹⁷ We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified (δικαιοῦται, another middle/passive form of δικαιόω) by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified (δικαιωθῶμεν, another passive form of δικαιόω) by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified (δικαιωθήσεται, another passive form of δικαιόω) [Table].¹⁸

In the clause you who would be justified by the law, Paul surely referred to the law delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. But in Greek ἐν νόμῳ, translated by the law in the ESV, points clearly to more than the law. In Paul’s letters ἐν νόμῳ describes an alternative path to ἐν Χριστῷ; ἐν νόμῳ indicates a different way of doing righteousness from the righteousness of God ἐν Χριστῷ, that is, in Christ. [Y]ou have fallen away from grace, he wrote to any who would be justified by the law¹⁹ (Galatians 5:5 ESV).

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.

The assumption that Paul’s intent was to write Scriptural applications, principles—let’s be clear—rules for obedience like some new covenant Moses, informs not only expository preaching but Bible translation as well.

Galatians 5:1
Old Covenant (ESV)	New Covenant
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.	For freedom us Christ has set free; you stand firm, therefore you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.

In the first example on the left, there is the grace of God in Jesus Christ—For freedom Christ has set us free—and two rules to obey—stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. In the second example on the right, there is the grace of God in Jesus Christ—“For freedom us Christ has set free”—and two Gospel truths to believe, two better promises—“you stand firm” [e.g., in Christ (ἐν Χριστῷ)], “therefore you cannot again and again to a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” The NIV translation sounds closer to this in its translation of ἐνέχεσθε: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.²⁰ The verbatim translation on the right above, recast in better English, might read: “For our freedom Christ has us set free; therefore you stand firm and cannot entangle yourselves in a yoke of slavery again.”

Each of us must choose, I suppose, what translation sounds more like (Galatians 1:1-5 ESV):

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers who are with me,
To the churches of Galatia:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father [Table], to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Here is a question intended to help one choose wisely:

Does my obedience demonstrate my goodness for my glory, or does my obedience demonstrate God’s goodness to me, working in and through me for his glory?

Here are two bonus hints from Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 7:18 ESV; Galatians 2:19-21 NET).

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out [Table].
For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law (διὰ νόμου), then Christ died for nothing!

And finally here is one extra special bonus hint from Jesus the Christ (Mark 10:17, 18 ESV).

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Genesis 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 17:12; 17:13; 17:14; Exodus 12:43; 12:44; 12:45; 12:46; 12:47; 12:48; 12:49; Leviticus 12:1; 12:2 and 12:4 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Genesis 17:9; 17:10; 17:11; 17:12; 17:13; 17:14; Exodus 12:43; 12:44; 12:45; 12:46; 12:47; 12:48; 12:49; Leviticus 12:1; 12:2 and 12:4 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Galatians 5:1 and 4:26 in the KJV and NET follow.

Genesis 17:9 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:9 (KJV)	Genesis 17:9 (NET)
And G-d said unto Abraham: ‘And as for thee, thou shalt keep My covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.	And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.	Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Genesis 17:9 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:9 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ εἶπεν ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Αβρααμ σὺ δὲ τὴν διαθήκην μου διατηρήσεις σὺ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν	καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς ῾Αβραάμ· σὺ δὲ τὴν διαθήκην μου διατηρήσεις, σὺ καὶ τὸ σπέρμα σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν
Genesis 17:9 (NETS)	Genesis 17:9 (Elpenor English)
And God said to Abraam, “Now as for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.	And God said to Abraam, Thou also shalt fully keep my covenant, thou and thy seed after thee for their generations.

Genesis 17:10 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:10 (KJV)	Genesis 17:10 (NET)
This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised.	This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.	This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

Genesis 17:10 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:10 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διατηρήσεις ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῶν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν	καὶ αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη, ἣν διατηρήσεις, ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σπέρματός σου μετὰ σὲ εἰς τὰς γενεὰς αὐτῶν· περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῶν πᾶν ἀρσενικόν
Genesis 17:10 (NETS)	Genesis 17:10 (Elpenor English)
And this is the covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and between your offspring after you throughout their generations: Every male of yours shall be circumcised,	And this [is] the covenant which thou shalt fully keep between me and you, and between thy seed after thee for their generations; every male of you shall be circumcised.

Genesis 17:11 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:11 (KJV)	Genesis 17:11 (NET)
And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you.	And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.	You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.

Genesis 17:11 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:11 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ περιτμηθήσεσθε τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας ὑμῶν καὶ ἔσται ἐν σημείῳ διαθήκης ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν	καὶ περιτμηθήσεσθε τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας ὑμῶν, καὶ ἔσται εἰς σημεῖον διαθήκης ἀνὰ μέσον ἐμοῦ καὶ ὑμῶν
Genesis 17:11 (NETS)	Genesis 17:11 (Elpenor English)
And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall exist as a covenant sign between me and you.	And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between me and you.

Genesis 17:12 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:12 (KJV)	Genesis 17:12 (NET)
And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed.	And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.	Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.

Genesis 17:12 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:12 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ παιδίον ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῖν πᾶν ἀρσενικὸν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος ἀπὸ παντὸς υἱοῦ ἀλλοτρίου ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός σου	καὶ παιδίον ὀκτὼ ἡμερῶν περιτμηθήσεται ὑμῖν, πᾶν ἀρσενικὸν εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν, ὁ οἰκογενὴς καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος, ἀπὸ παντὸς υἱοῦ ἀλλοτρίου, ὃς οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός σου
Genesis 17:12 (NETS)	Genesis 17:12 (Elpenor English)
And a youngster of eight days shall be circumcised among you—every male—throughout your generations, the homebred of your household and the one bought with money from any son of a foreigner, who is not of your offspring.	And the child of eight days [old] shall be circumcised by you, every male throughout your generations, and [the servant] born in the house and he that is bought with money, of every son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed.

Genesis 17:13 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:13 (KJV)	Genesis 17:13 (NET)
He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.

Genesis 17:13 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:13 (Elpenor Septuagint)
περιτομῇ περιτμηθήσεται ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος καὶ ἔσται ἡ διαθήκη μου ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον	περιτομῇ περιτμηθήσεται ὁ οἰκογενὴς τῆς οἰκίας σου καὶ ὁ ἀργυρώνητος, καὶ ἔσται ἡ διαθήκη μου ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον
Genesis 17:13 (NETS)	Genesis 17:13 (Elpenor English)
The homebred of your household and the one bought with money shall be circumcised with circumcision, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.	He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with money shall be surely circumcised, and my covenant shall be on your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:14 (Tanakh)	Genesis 17:14 (KJV)	Genesis 17:14 (NET)
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.’	And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.	Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement.”

Genesis 17:14 (BLB Septuagint)	Genesis 17:14 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἐξολεθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς ὅτι τὴν διαθήκην μου διεσκέδασεν	καὶ ἀπερίτμητος ἄρσην, ὃς οὐ περιτμηθήσεται τὴν σάρκα τῆς ἀκροβυστίας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκείνη ἐκ τοῦ γένους αὐτῆς, ὅτι τὴν διαθήκην μου διεσκέδασε
Genesis 17:14 (NETS)	Genesis 17:14 (Elpenor English)
And as for an uncircumcised male who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be destroyed from his kin, for he has scattered my covenant.”	And the uncircumcised male, who shall not be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin on the eighth day, that soul shall be utterly destroyed from its family, for he has broken my covenant.

Exodus 12:43 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:43 (KJV)	Exodus 12:43 (NET)
And HaShem said unto Moses and Aaron: ‘This is the ordinance of the passover: there shall no alien eat thereof;	And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof:	The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may share in eating it.

Exodus 12:43 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:43 (Elpenor Septuagint)
εἶπεν δὲ κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ Ααρων λέγων οὗτος ὁ νόμος τοῦ πασχα πᾶς ἀλλογενὴς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν καὶ ᾿Ααρών· οὗτος ὁ νόμος τοῦ πάσχα· πᾶς ἀλλογενὴς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:43 (NETS)	Exodus 12:43 (Elpenor English)
Then the Lord said to Moyses and Aaron, saying: This is the law of the pascha. No alien shall eat of it.	And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, This is the law of the passover: no stranger shall eat of it.

Exodus 12:44 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:44 (KJV)	Exodus 12:44 (NET)
but every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But every man’s servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.	But everyone’s servant who is bought for money, after you have circumcised him, may eat it.

Exodus 12:44 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:44 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ πᾶν οἰκέτην τινὸς ἢ ἀργυρώνητον περιτεμεῖς αὐτόν καὶ τότε φάγεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	καὶ πάντα οἰκέτην ἢ ἀργυρώνητον περιτεμεῖς αὐτόν, καὶ τότε φάγεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:44 (NETS)	Exodus 12:44 (Elpenor English)
And any domestic of anyone or purchased slave you shall circumcise him, and then he shall eat of it.	And every slave or servant bought with money– him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.

Exodus 12:45 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:45 (KJV)	Exodus 12:45 (NET)
A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.	A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it.

Exodus 12:45 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:45 (Elpenor Septuagint)
πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	πάροικος ἢ μισθωτὸς οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:45 (NETS)	Exodus 12:45 (Elpenor English)
A resident alien or hired person shall not eat of it.	A sojourner or hireling shall not eat of it.

Exodus 12:46 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:46 (KJV)	Exodus 12:46 (NET)
In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.	It must be eaten in one house; you must not bring any of the meat outside the house, and you must not break a bone of it.

Exodus 12:46 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:46 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται καὶ οὐκ ἐξοίσετε ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῶν κρεῶν ἔξω καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ βρωθήσεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐξοίσετε ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας τῶν κρεῶν ἔξω· καὶ ὀστοῦν οὐ συντρίψετε ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:46 (NETS)	Exodus 12:46 (Elpenor English)
In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not take any meat outside of the house, and you shall not break a bone of it.	In one house shall it be eaten, and ye shall not carry of the flesh out from the house; and a bone of it ye shall not break.

Exodus 12:47 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:47 (KJV)	Exodus 12:47 (NET)
All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.	The whole community of Israel must observe it.

Exodus 12:47 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:47 (Elpenor Septuagint)
πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν Ισραηλ ποιήσει αὐτό	πᾶσα συναγωγὴ υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ποιήσει αὐτό
Exodus 12:47 (NETS)	Exodus 12:47 (Elpenor English)
The entire congregation of the sons of Israel shall do this.	All the congregation of the children of Israel shall keep it.

Exodus 12:48 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:48 (KJV)	Exodus 12:48 (NET)
And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to HaShem, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; but no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.	“When a resident foreigner lives with you and wants to observe the Passover to the Lord, all his males must be circumcised, and then he may approach and observe it, and he will be like one who is born in the land—but no uncircumcised person may eat of it.

Exodus 12:48 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:48 (Elpenor Septuagint)
ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος ποιῆσαι τὸ πασχα κυρίῳ περιτεμεῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν ἀρσενικόν καὶ τότε προσελεύσεται ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ	ἐὰν δέ τις προσέλθῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς προσήλυτος ποιῆσαι τὸ πάσχα Κυρίῳ, περιτεμεῖς αὐτοῦ πᾶν ἀρσενικόν, καὶ τότε προσελεύσεται ποιῆσαι αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσται ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ αὐτόχθων τῆς γῆς· πᾶς ἀπερίτμητος οὐκ ἔδεται ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ
Exodus 12:48 (NETS)	Exodus 12:48 (Elpenor English)
But if any guest should draw near to you to keep the pascha to the Lord, you shall circumcise every male of his, and then he shall draw near to keep it, and he shall be like a native of the land. No uncircumcised person shall eat of it.	And if any proselyte shall come to you to keep the passover to the Lord, thou shalt circumcise every male of him, and then shall he approach to sacrifice it, and he shall be even as the original inhabitant of the land; no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.

Exodus 12:49 (Tanakh)	Exodus 12:49 (KJV)	Exodus 12:49 (NET)
One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.’	One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.	The same law will apply to the person who is native-born and to the resident foreigner who lives among you.”

Exodus 12:49 (BLB Septuagint)	Exodus 12:49 (Elpenor Septuagint)
νόμος εἷς ἔσται τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ καὶ τῷ προσελθόντι προσηλύτῳ ἐν ὑμῖν	νόμος εἷς ἔσται τῷ ἐγχωρίῳ καὶ τῷ προσελθόντι προσηλύτῳ ἐν ὑμῖν
Exodus 12:49 (NETS)	Exodus 12:49 (Elpenor English)
There shall be one law for the local inhabitant and for the guest among you who has drawn near.	There shall be one law to the native, and to the proselyte coming among you.

Leviticus 12:1 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:1 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:1 (NET)
And HaShem spoke unto Moses, saying:	And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,	The Lord spoke to Moses:

Leviticus 12:1 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:1 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων	ΚΑΙ ἐλάλησε Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων
Leviticus 12:1 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:1 (Elpenor Engish)
And the Lord spoke to Moyses, saying:	And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Leviticus 12:2 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:2 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:2 (NET)
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: If a woman be delivered, and bear a man-child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of the impurity of her sickness shall she be unclean.	Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.	“Tell the Israelites, ‘When a woman produces offspring and bears a male child, she will be unclean seven days, as she is unclean during the days of her menstruation.

Leviticus 12:2 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:2 (Elpenor Septuagint)
λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς γυνή ἥτις ἐὰν σπερματισθῇ καὶ τέκῃ ἄρσεν καὶ ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τῆς ἀφέδρου αὐτῆς ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται	λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· γυνή, ἥτις ἐὰν σπερματισθῇ καὶ τέκῃ ἄρσεν, καὶ ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, κατὰ τὰς ἡμέρας τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τῆς ἀφέδρου αὐτῆς, ἀκάθαρτος ἔσται
Leviticus 12:2 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:2 (Elpenor Engish)
Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Any woman, if she is fertilized and bears a male child, shall also be unclean seven days, as at the days of the separation of her period, she shall be unclean.	Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, Whatsoever woman shall have conceived and born a male child shall be unclean seven days, she shall be unclean according to the days of separation for her monthly courses.

Leviticus 12:4 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 12:4 (KJV)	Leviticus 12:4 (NET)
And she shall continue in the blood of purification three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.	And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.	Then she will remain thirty-three days in blood purity. She must not touch anything holy, and she must not enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled.

Leviticus 12:4 (BLB Septuagint)	Leviticus 12:4 (Elpenor Septuagint)
καὶ τριάκοντα ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς καθήσεται ἐν αἵματι ἀκαθάρτῳ αὐτῆς παντὸς ἁγίου οὐχ ἅψεται καὶ εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι καθάρσεως αὐτῆς	καὶ τριάκοντα καὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καθήσεται ἐν αἵματι ἀκαθάρτῳ αὐτῆς, παντὸς ἁγίου οὐχ ἅψεται καὶ εἰς τὸ ἁγιαστήριον οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται, ἕως ἂν πληρωθῶσιν αἱ ἡμέραι καθάρσεως αὐτῆς
Leviticus 12:4 (NETS)	Leviticus 12:4 (Elpenor Engish)
And thirty-three days shall she remain in her unclean blood; she shall not touch anything holy or come into the holy place until the days of her purification are completed.	And for thirty-three days she shall continue in her unclean blood; she shall touch nothing holy, and shall not enter the sanctuary, until the days of her purification be fulfilled.

Galatians 5:1 (NET)	Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery.	Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Galatians 5:1 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 5:1 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 5:1 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν· στήκετε οὖν καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε	τη ελευθερια ουν η χριστος ημας ηλευθερωσεν στηκετε και μη παλιν ζυγω δουλειας ενεχεσθε	τη ελευθερια ουν η χριστος ημας ηλευθερωσεν στηκετε και μη παλιν ζυγω δουλειας ενεχεσθε

Galatians 4:26 (NET)	Galatians 4:26 (KJV)
But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.	But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Galatians 4:26 (NET Parallel Greek)	Galatians 4:26 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Galatians 4:26 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ δὲ ἄνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐλευθέρα ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐστὶν μήτηρ ἡμῶν	η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων	η δε ανω ιερουσαλημ ελευθερα εστιν ητις εστιν μητηρ παντων ημων

Exploration, Part 2

¹ 2 Peter 3:15b (ESV)

² 2 Peter 3:16b (ESV) Table

³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the relative pronoun η (KJV: wherewith) preceding Christ. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁴ Galatians 4:31 (ESV)

⁵ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had μητηρ παντων ημων (KJV: mother of us all) here, where the NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had μήτηρ ἡμῶν.

⁶ John 3:6, 7 (NET)

⁷ Galatians 5:1 (ESV)

⁸ 2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) Table

⁹ Galatians 5:2 (ESV)

¹⁰ Galatians 5:3 (ESV)

¹¹ Romans 6:6 (ESV)

¹² Romans 3:31 (ESV) Table

¹³ Romans 4:14 (ESV)

¹⁴ Romans 7:2 (ESV)

¹⁵ Romans 7:6 (ESV)

¹⁶ I’m thinking that You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law (Galatians 5:4a ESV) is a fairly self-conscious bookend to And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people (Genesis 17:14a Tanakh).

¹⁷ Romans 3:20 (ESV)

¹⁸ Galatians 2:15, 16 (ESV)

¹⁹ Galatians 5:4b (ESV) Table

²⁰ Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

Fear – Deuteronomy, Part 16

Posted on November 29, 2020 by admin

Moses recalled what the people of Israel had said to him as well as what יְהֹוָה֙ (Yehovah) said about what the people had said:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 5:24-27 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (NET)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:27-29 (Elpenor English)
Go thou near, and hear all that HaShem our G-d may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that HaShem our G-d may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.’	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”	Do thou draw near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and thou shalt speak to us all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak to thee, and we will hear, and do.
And HaShem heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and HaShem said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken.	When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well.	And the Lord heard the sound of your words when you were speaking to me: “I have heard the sound of the words of this people, what they have spoken to you; all that they have spoken they have spoken correctly.	And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spoke to me; and the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. [They have] well [said] all that they have spoken.
Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.	Who shall grant that their heart be in them in such a way that they fear me and keep my commandments in all their days so that it might go well with them and their sons forever!	O that there were such a heart in them, that they should fear me and keep my commands always, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever.

Here is a very accessible definition of the fear (yare’, לְיִרְאָ֥ה; Septugaint: φοβεῖσθαί, a form of φοβέω) of the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (Elpenor English)
Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which HaShem your G-d commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it–	Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed	And these are the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded to teach you to do so in the land which you are entering there to inherit	And these [are] the commands, and the ordinances, and the judgments, as many as the Lord our God gave commandment to teach you to do so in the land on which ye enter to inherit it.
that thou mightest fear HaShem thy G-d, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments that I am giving you—you, your children, and your grandchildren—all your lives, to prolong your days.	so that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments that I command you today, you and your sons and your sons’ sons, all the days of your life so that you may be long-lived.	That ye may fear the Lord your God, keep ye all his ordinances, and his commandments, which I command thee to-day, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, all the days of thy life, that ye may live many days.
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as HaShem, the G-d of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee–a land flowing with milk and honey.	Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number—as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.	Now hear, O Israel, and be watchful to perform so that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do them, that it may be well with thee, and that ye may be greatly multiplied, as the Lord God of thy fathers said that he would give thee a land flowing with milk and honey: and these [are] the ordinances, and the judgments, which the Lord commanded the children of Israel in the wilderness, when they had gone forth from the land of Egypt.

Here, too, fear was תִּירָ֜א (yare’; Septuagint: φοβῆσθε, a form of φοβέω). It seems important to hold on to this definition of fear as it relates to the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak. This is the first moment I think I have understood the psalmist: The fear^[1] of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever and ever.^[2]

Since I have read the Bible before and know that most in Israel did not have a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak, my religious mind can fall from this definition of fear of the Lord all too easily. It begins to substitute fear of the kind of things that happened to Israel in the power of darkness when they did not have the fear of the Lord: a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak. To make such a substitution is similar to the thinking of those who exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!^[3]

And as I consider Paul’s loving (Romans 9:1-5) diagnosis of Israel’s history, faith is clearly an aspect of the fear of the Lord (Romans 9:30-32a NET):

What shall we say then?—that the Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness obtained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith, but Israel even though pursuing a law of righteousness did not attain it [Table]. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but (as if it were possible) by works [Table].

Paul didn’t eliminate the concept of service from the Gospel of Jesus Christ: God, whom I serve (λατρεύω) in my spirit in the gospel of his Son,^[4] he wrote.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:13-15 (Elpenor English)
Thou shalt fear HaShem thy G-d; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt thou swear [Table].	You must revere the Lord your God, serve him, and take oaths using only his name.	The Lord your God you shall fear, and him you shall serve, and to him you shall cling, and by his name you shall swear.	Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; and thou shalt cleave to him, and by his name thou shalt swear.
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;	You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples,	Do not go after other gods from the gods of the nations around you,	Go ye not after other gods of the gods of the nations round about you;
for a jealous G-d, even HaShem thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of HaShem thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God—his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.	because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous god. Lest the Lord your God, being angered with wrath against you, destroy you utterly from the face of the earth.	for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] a jealous God, lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Here fear was תִּירָ֖א (yare’; Septuagint: φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω). The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak^[5]—is associated with and Him shalt thou serve (Tanakh), and him only shalt thou serve (English Elpenor).

The Hebrew word translated and Him shalt thou serve was תַֽעֲבֹ֑ד (`abad). It was translated καὶ αὐτῷ λατρεύσεις (NETS: and him you shall serve) or καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις (Elpenor; English: and him only shalt thou serve) in the Septuagint. Whether μόνῳ (only) was deleted from the Masoretic text or added to the Elpenor Septuagint, Jesus quoted μόνῳ to Satan. But now we have been released from the law, Paul described one result of the Gospel, because we have died to what controlled us, so that we may serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.^[6]

The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is also associated with καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν κολληθήσῃ (NETS: and to him you shall cling) in the Septuagint. This is missing from the Masoretic text.

The fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is also associated with וּבִשְׁמ֖וֹ (shem; Tanakh: and by His name) תִּשָּׁבֵֽעַ (shaba`, Tanakh: shalt thou swear). The Greek of the Septuagint was καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ (BLB) or καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὀμῇ (Elpenor). The Greek word ὀμῇ is a form of ὄμνυμι. Other forms of ὄμνυμι occur in Jesus’ revision of oath taking (Matthew 5:33-37 NET):

“Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows (ὅρκους, a form of ὅρκος) to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not take oaths (ὀμόσαι, another form of ὄμνυμι) at all—not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, not by earth because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Do not take an oath (ὀμόσῃς, another form of ὄμνυμι) by your head because you are not able to make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one.

But even Jesus’ revision of oath taking and presumably its relationship to the fear of יְהֹוָ֧ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—doesn’t justify incorporating God’s anger stirred up against going after other gods into the definition of the fear of the Lord, despite my religious mind’s struggle to revise the text: Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God…lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.^[7]

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 6:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NET)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (Elpenor English)
And HaShem commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear HaShem our G-d, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day.	And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, so that it may be well for us all our days so that we may live, as it is today.	And the Lord charged us to observe all these ordinances; to fear the Lord our God, that it may be well with us for ever, that we may live, as even today.

Here, too, fear was לְיִרְאָ֖ה (yare’) in Hebrew, and φοβεῖσθαι (a form of φοβέω) in Greek in the Septuagint. It was associated again with לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙ (`asah), to do all these statutes (Tanakh), and ποιεῖν (a form of ποιέω) in Greek, to observe all these ordinances (English Elpenor). This fear of יְהֹוָ֗ה (Yehovah)—a heart to hear and do whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak—is for our good always (Tanakh).

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (NET)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:17-19 (Elpenor English)
If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’	If you think, “These nations are more numerous than I—how can I dispossess them?”	But if you say in your mind, “This nation is more numerous than I; how will I be able to destroy them utterly?”	But if thou shouldest say in thine heart, This nation [is] greater than I, how shall I be able to destroy them utterly?
thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what HaShem thy G-d did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:	you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt,	you shall not be afraid of them. With remembrance you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians,	thou shalt not fear them; thou shalt surely remember all that the Lord thy God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians:
the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby HaShem thy G-d brought thee out; so shall HaShem thy G-d do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.	the great judgments you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power by which he brought you out—thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.	the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders, the strong hand and the high arm as the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord our God will do thus to all the nations of whose faces you are afraid.	the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, those signs and great wonders, the strong hand, and the high arm; how the Lord thy God brought thee forth: so the Lord your God will do to all the nations, whom thou fearest in their presence.

The Hebrew word translated art afraid (Tanakh) and fear (NET) in verse 19 was ירא (yare’). It was translated φοβῇ (a form of φοβέω), you are afraid (NETS) and thou fearest (English Elpenor), in the Septuagint. I’m reasonably convinced that this is a more natural use of the word fear (though even here it may be respect). I’m much less sure of the usage in verse 18.

Did Moses caution Israel, thou shalt not be afraid of them (Tanakh), because he assumed that they were afraid (yare’, תִירָ֖א) to engage an enemy that was more numerous (NET), רַבִּ֛ים (rab)? Or did he command Israel, thou shalt not fear them (English Elpenor), φοβηθήσῃ (a form of φοβέω)—that is, not have a heart to hear and do whatsoever the enemy shall speak—because the people of Israel might think this enemy nation [was] greater than Israel (English Elpenor), πολὺ (a form of πολύς)?

It’s important here to consider the command the people of Israel were to have a heart to hear and do:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Deuteronomy 7:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NET)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (Elpenor English)
And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.	You must destroy all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.	And you shall eat all the spoils of the nations that the Lord your God is giving to you; your eye shall not be sparing to them, and you shall not serve their gods, for this is a stumbling block to you.	And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.

Holy genocide with extreme prejudice sounds strange to anyone being rooted and grounded in love (Ephesians 3:14-21), but Yehovah/Jesus had not yet made peace through the blood of his cross. He had not yet revised the law (Matthew 5:38-45 NET):

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well [Table]. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you [Table].

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

As Paul wrote to Timothy, we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.^[8] I‘ll continue this in another essay.

A note (44) in the NET claimed that Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:12. Frankly, I don’t see it. A table comparing Jesus’ supposed quotation with the Septuagint follows.

Matthew 5:33b (NET Parallel Greek)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις, ἀποδώσεις δὲ τῷ κυρίῳ τοὺς ὅρκους σου	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῗσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῖσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾿ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Matthew 5:33b (NET)	Leviticus 19:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:12 (English Elpenor)
Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.	And you shall not swear by my name in an unjust matter, and you shall not profane the name of your God; it is J wha am the Lord your God.	And ye shall not swear unjustly by my name, and ye shall not profane the holy name of your God: I am the Lord your God.

A table comparing the occurrences of forms of שָׁמַע (shama`) above, translated with forms of ἀκούω in the Septuagint, follow.

Reference	Chabad.org	Tanakh	NET	BLB	Elpenor
Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24)	וְשָׁמַ֥עְנוּ	and we will hear it	then we will pay attention	καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα	καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα
Deuteronomy 6:3	וְשָֽׁמַעְתָּ֤	Hear therefore	Pay attention	καὶ ἄκουσον	καὶ ἄκουσον

A table comparing the occurrences of forms of עָשָׂה (`asah) above, translated with forms of ποιέω in the Septuagint, follow.

Reference	Chabad.org	Tanakh	NET	BLB	Elpenor
Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24)	וְעָשִֽׂינוּ	and do it	and do it	καὶ ποιήσομεν	καὶ ποιήσομεν
Deuteronomy 6:1	לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת	that ye might do them	so that you may carry them out	ποιεῗν οὕτως	ποιεῖν οὕτως
Deuteronomy 6:3	לַֽעֲשׂ֔וֹת	to do it	to do this	ποιεῗν	ποιεῖν
Deuteronomy 6:24	לַֽעֲשׂוֹת֙	to do	to obey	ποιεῗν	ποιεῖν

Tables comparing Deuteronomy 5:27 (5:24); 5:28 (5:25); 5:29 (5:26); 6:1; 6:2; 6:3; Psalm 19:9; Deuteronomy 6:14; 6:15; 6:24; 7:17; 7:18; 7:19; 7:16 and Leviticus 19:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Deuteronomy 5:27; 5:28; 5:29; 6:1; 6:2; 6:3; Psalm 19:9 (18:10); Deuteronomy 6:14; 6:15; 6:24; 7:17; 7:18; 7:19; 7:16 and Leviticus 19:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Tables comparing Colossians 1:20 and 1 Timothy 4:10 in the NET and KJV follows those.

Deuteronomy 5:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (NET)
Go thou near, and hear all that HaShem our G-d may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that HaShem our G-d may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.’	Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.	You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.”

Deuteronomy 5:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πρόσελθε σὺ καὶ ἄκουσον ὅσα ἐὰν εἴπῃ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ σὺ λαλήσεις πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα ὅσα ἂν λαλήσῃ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πρὸς σέ καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα καὶ ποιήσομεν	πρόσελθε σὺ καὶ ἄκουσον πάντα, ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, καὶ σὺ λαλήσεις πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα, ὅσα ἂν λαλήσῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πρὸς σέ, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα καὶ ποιήσομεν
Deuteronomy 5:27 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:27 (English Elpenor)
Go you near, and hear whatever the Lord our God may say. And you shall speak to us all things, whatever the Lord our God may speak to you, and we will hear it and do it.”	Do thou draw near, and hear all that the Lord our God shall say, and thou shalt speak to us all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall speak to thee, and we will hear, and do.

Deuteronomy 5:25 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (NET)
And HaShem heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and HaShem said unto me: ‘I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken.	And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.	When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well.

Deuteronomy 5:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἤκουσεν κύριος τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων ὑμῶν λαλούντων πρός με καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρός με ἤκουσα τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου ὅσα ἐλάλησαν πρὸς σέ ὀρθῶς πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησαν	καὶ ἤκουσε Κύριος τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων ὑμῶν λαλούντων πρός με, καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρός με· ἤκουσα τὴν φωνὴν τῶν λόγων τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, ὅσα ἐλάλησαν πρός σε· ὀρθῶς πάντα, ὅσα ἐλάλησαν
Deuteronomy 5:28 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:28 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord heard the sound of your words when you were speaking to me: “I have heard the sound of the words of this people, what they have spoken to you; all that they have spoken they have spoken correctly.	And the Lord heard the voice of your words as ye spoke to me; and the Lord said to me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, even all things that they have said to thee. [They have] well [said] all that they have spoken.

Deuteronomy 5:26 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (NET)
Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!	If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.

Deuteronomy 5:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τίς δώσει οὕτως εἶναι τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῗς ὥστε φοβεῗσθαί με καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολάς μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἵνα εὖ ᾖ αὐτοῗς καὶ τοῗς υἱοῗς αὐτῶν δι᾽ αἰῶνος	τίς δώσει εἶναι οὕτω τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὥστε φοβεῖσθαί με καὶ φυλάσσεσθαι τὰς ἐντολάς μου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἵνα εὖ ᾖ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν δι᾿ αἰῶνος
Deuteronomy 5:29 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 5:29 (English Elpenor)
Who shall grant that their heart be in them in such a way that they fear me and keep my commandments in all their days so that it might go well with them and their sons forever!	O that there were such a heart in them, that they should fear me and keep my commands always, that it might be well with them and with their sons for ever.

Deuteronomy 6:1 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (NET)
Now this is the commandment, the statutes, and the ordinances, which HaShem your G-d commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it–	Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:	Now these are the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that the Lord your God instructed me to teach you so that you may carry them out in the land where you are headed

Deuteronomy 6:1 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα ὅσα ἐνετείλατο κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν διδάξαι ὑμᾶς ποιεῗν οὕτως ἐν τῇ γῇ εἰς ἣν ὑμεῗς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῗ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν	ΚΑΙ αὗται αἱ ἐντολαὶ καὶ τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν διδάξαι ὑμᾶς ποιεῖν οὕτως ἐν τῇ γῇ, εἰς ἣν ὑμεῖς εἰσπορεύεσθε ἐκεῖ κληρονομῆσαι αὐτήν
Deuteronomy 6:1 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:1 (English Elpenor)
And these are the commandments and the statutes and the ordinances that the Lord your God commanded to teach you to do so in the land which you are entering there to inherit	And these [are] the commands, and the ordinances, and the judgments, as many as the Lord our God gave commandment to teach you to do so in the land on which ye enter to inherit it.

Deuteronomy 6:2 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (NET)
that thou mightest fear HaShem thy G-d, to keep all His statutes and His commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.	and that you may so revere the Lord your God that you will keep all his statutes and commandments that I am giving you—you, your children, and your grandchildren—all your lives, to prolong your days.

Deuteronomy 6:2 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἵνα φοβῆσθε κύριον τὸν θεὸν ὑμῶν φυλάσσεσθαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν σου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου ἵνα μακροημερεύσητε	ἵνα φοβῆσθε Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ὑμῶν, φυλάσσεσθαι πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ὅσας ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαί σοι σήμερον, σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν σου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου, ἵνα μακροημερεύσητε
Deuteronomy 6:2 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:2 (English Elpenor)
so that you may fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments that I command you today, you and your sons and your sons’ sons, all the days of your life so that you may be long-lived.	That ye may fear the Lord your God, keep ye all his ordinances, and his commandments, which I command thee to-day, thou, and thy sons, and thy sons’ sons, all the days of thy life, that ye may live many days.

Deuteronomy 6:3 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (NET)
Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as HaShem, the G-d of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee–a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.	Pay attention, Israel, and be careful to do this so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in number—as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, said to you, you will have a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 6:3 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἄκουσον Ισραηλ καὶ φύλαξαι ποιεῗν ὅπως εὖ σοι ᾖ καὶ ἵνα πληθυνθῆτε σφόδρα καθάπερ ἐλάλησεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου δοῦναί σοι γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι	καὶ ἄκουσον, ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ φύλαξον ποιεῖν, ὅπως εὖ σοι ᾖ καὶ ἵνα πληθυνθῆτε σφόδρα, καθάπερ ἐλάλησε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου δοῦναί σοι γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι. καὶ ταῦτα τὰ δικαιώματα καὶ τὰ κρίματα, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο Κύριος τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ἐξελθόντων αὐτῶν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
Deuteronomy 6:3 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:3 (English Elpenor)
Now hear, O Israel, and be watchful to perform so that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.	Hear, therefore, O Israel, and observe to do them, that it may be well with thee, and that ye may be greatly multiplied, as the Lord God of thy fathers said that he would give thee a land flowing with milk and honey: and these [are] the ordinances, and the judgments, which the Lord commanded the children of Israel in the wilderness, when they had gone forth from the land of Egypt.

Psalm 19:9 (Tanakh)	Psalm 19:9 (KJV)	Psalm 19:9 (NET)
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.	The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.	The commands to fear the Lord are right and endure forever. The judgments given by the Lord are trustworthy and absolutely just.

Psalm 19:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 18:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ φόβος κυρίου ἁγνός διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος τὰ κρίματα κυρίου ἀληθινά δεδικαιωμένα ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό	ὁ φόβος Κυρίου ἁγνός, διαμένων εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος· τὰ κρίματα Κυρίου ἀληθινά, δεδικαιωμένα ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό
Psalm 18:10 (NETS)	Psalm 18:10 (English Elpenor)
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever and ever; the judgments of the Lord are valid, justified altogether,	The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, [and] justified altogether.

Deuteronomy 6:14 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (NET)
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round about you;	Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;	You must not go after other gods, those of the surrounding peoples,

Deuteronomy 6:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ πορεύσεσθε ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων ἀπὸ τῶν θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν	οὐ πορεύεσθε ὀπίσω θεῶν ἑτέρων ἀπὸ τῶν θεῶν τῶν ἐθνῶν τῶν περικύκλῳ ὑμῶν,
Deuteronomy 6:14 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:14 (English Elpenor)
Do not go after other gods from the gods of the nations around you,	Go ye not after other gods of the gods of the nations round about you;

Deuteronomy 6:15 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (NET)
for a jealous G-d, even HaShem thy G-d, is in the midst of thee; lest the anger of HaShem thy G-d be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	(For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.	for the Lord your God, who is present among you, is a jealous God—his anger will erupt against you and remove you from the land.

Deuteronomy 6:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι θεὸς ζηλωτὴς κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν σοί μὴ ὀργισθεὶς θυμωθῇ κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν σοὶ καὶ ἐξολεθρεύσῃ σε ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς	ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ζηλωτὴς Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου ἐν σοί, μὴ ὀργισθεὶς θυμῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σού σοι ἐξολοθρεύσῃ σε ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς
Deuteronomy 6:15 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:15 (English Elpenor)
because the Lord your God, who is present with you, is a jealous god. Lest the Lord your God, being angered with wrath against you, destroy you utterly from the face of the earth.	for the Lord thy God in the midst of thee [is] a jealous God, lest the Lord thy God be very angry with thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:24 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (NET)
And HaShem commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear HaShem our G-d, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.	The Lord commanded us to obey all these statutes and to revere him so that it may always go well for us and he may preserve us, as he has to this day.

Deuteronomy 6:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐνετείλατο ἡμῗν κύριος ποιεῗν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα φοβεῗσθαι κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν ἵνα εὖ ᾖ ἡμῗν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας ἵνα ζῶμεν ὥσπερ καὶ σήμερον	καὶ ἐνετείλατο ἡμῖν Κύριος ποιεῖν πάντα τὰ δικαιώματα ταῦτα φοβεῖσθαι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, ἵνα εὖ ᾖ ἡμῖν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας, ἵνα ζῶμεν ὥσπερ καὶ σήμερον
Deuteronomy 6:24 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 6:24 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, so that it may be well for us all our days so that we may live, as it is today.	And the Lord charged us to observe all these ordinances; to fear the Lord our God, that it may be well with us for ever, that we may live, as even today.

Deuteronomy 7:17 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (NET)
If thou shalt say in thy heart: ‘These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?’	If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?	If you think, “These nations are more numerous than I—how can I dispossess them?”

Deuteronomy 7:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ λέγῃς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἢ ἐγώ πῶς δυνήσομαι ἐξολεθρεῦσαι αὐτούς	ἐὰν δὲ λέγῃς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ σου, ὅτι πολὺ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἢ ἐγώ, πῶς δυνήσομαι ἐξολοθρεῦσαι αὐτούς
Deuteronomy 7:17 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:17 (English Elpenor)
But if you say in your mind, “This nation is more numerous than I; how will I be able to destroy them utterly?”	But if thou shouldest say in thine heart, This nation [is] greater than I, how shall I be able to destroy them utterly?

Deuteronomy 7:18 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (NET)
thou shalt not be afraid of them; thou shalt well remember what HaShem thy G-d did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:	Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;	you must not fear them. You must carefully recall what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and all Egypt,

Deuteronomy 7:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ φοβηθήσῃ αὐτούς μνείᾳ μνησθήσῃ ὅσα ἐποίησεν κύριος ὁ θεός σου τῷ Φαραω καὶ πᾶσι τοῗς Αἰγυπτίοις	οὐ φοβηθήσῃ αὐτούς· μνείᾳ μνησθήσῃ ὅσα ἐποίησε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου τῷ Φαραὼ καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις
Deuteronomy 7:18 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:18 (English Elpenor)
you shall not be afraid of them. With remembrance you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians,	thou shalt not fear them; thou shalt surely remember all that the Lord thy God did to Pharao and to all the Egyptians:

Deuteronomy 7:19 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (NET)
the great trials which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, whereby HaShem thy G-d brought thee out; so shall HaShem thy G-d do unto all the peoples of whom thou art afraid.	The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.	the great judgments you saw, the signs and wonders, the strength and power by which he brought you out—thus the Lord your God will do to all the people you fear.

Deuteronomy 7:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τοὺς πειρασμοὺς τοὺς μεγάλους οὓς εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου τὰ σημεῗα καὶ τὰ τέρατα τὰ μεγάλα ἐκεῗνα τὴν χεῗρα τὴν κραταιὰν καὶ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλόν ὡς ἐξήγαγέν σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου οὕτως ποιήσει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πᾶσιν τοῗς ἔθνεσιν οὓς σὺ φοβῇ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν	τοὺς πειρασμοὺς τοὺς μεγάλους, οὓς εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου, τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα τὰ μεγάλα ἐκεῖνα, τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κραταιὰν καὶ τὸν βραχίονα τὸν ὑψηλόν, ὡς ἐξήγαγέ σε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, οὕτω ποιήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, οὓς σὺ φοβῇ ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν
Deuteronomy 7:19 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:19 (English Elpenor)
the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and those great wonders, the strong hand and the high arm as the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord our God will do thus to all the nations of whose faces you are afraid.	the great temptations which thine eyes have seen, those signs and great wonders, the strong hand, and the high arm; how the Lord thy God brought thee forth: so the Lord your God will do to all the nations, whom thou fearest in their presence.

Deuteronomy 7:16 (Tanakh)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (KJV)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (NET)
And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.	And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.	You must destroy all the people whom the Lord your God is about to deliver over to you; you must not pity them or worship their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

Deuteronomy 7:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ φάγῃ πάντα τὰ σκῦλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἃ κύριος ὁ θεός σου δίδωσίν σοι οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῗς καὶ οὐ λατρεύσεις τοῗς θεοῗς αὐτῶν ὅτι σκῶλον τοῦτό ἐστίν σοι	καὶ φαγῇ πάντα τὰ σκῦλα τῶν ἐθνῶν, ἃ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι· οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς, καὶ οὐ μὴ λατρεύσῃς^[9] τοῖς θεοῖς αὐτῶν, ὅτι σκῶλον τοῦτό ἐστί σοι
Deuteronomy 7:16 (NETS)	Deuteronomy 7:16 (English Elpenor)
And you shall eat all the spoils of the nations that the Lord your God is giving to you; your eye shall not be sparing to them, and you shall not serve their gods, for this is a stumbling block to you.	And thou shalt eat all the spoils of the nations which the Lord thy God gives thee; thine eye shall not spare them, and thou shalt not serve their gods; for this is an offence to thee.

Leviticus 19:12 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 19:12 (KJV)	Leviticus 19:12 (NET)
And ye shall not swear by My name falsely, so that thou profane the name of thy G-d: I am HaShem.	And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.	You must not swear falsely in my name, so that you do not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 19:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῗσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾽ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἐγώ εἰμι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν	καὶ οὐκ ὀμεῖσθε τῷ ὀνόματί μου ἐπ᾿ ἀδίκῳ καὶ οὐ βεβηλώσετε τὸ ὄνομα τὸ ἅγιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῶν· ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῶν
Leviticus 19:12 (NETS)	Leviticus 19:12 (English Elpenor)
And you shall not swear by my name in an unjust matter, and you shall not profane the name of your God; it is J wha am the Lord your God.	And ye shall not swear unjustly by my name, and ye shall not profane the holy name of your God: I am the Lord your God.

Colossians 1:20 (NET)	Colossians 1:20 (KJV)
and through him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through him, whether things on earth or things in heaven.	And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
καὶ δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀποκαταλλάξαι τὰ πάντα εἰς αὐτόν, εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ, [δι᾿ αὐτοῦ] εἴτε τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς	και δι αυτου αποκαταλλαξαι τα παντα εις αυτον ειρηνοποιησας δια του αιματος του σταυρου αυτου δι αυτου ειτε τα επι της γης ειτε τα εν τοις ουρανοις	και δι αυτου αποκαταλλαξαι τα παντα εις αυτον ειρηνοποιησας δια του αιματος του σταυρου αυτου δι αυτου ειτε τα επι της γης ειτε τα επι τοις ουρανοις

1 Timothy 4:10 (NET)	1 Timothy 4:10 (KJV)
In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.	For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ἀγωνιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μάλιστα πιστῶν	εις τουτο γαρ και κοπιωμεν και ονειδιζομεθα οτι ηλπικαμεν επι θεω ζωντι ος εστιν σωτηρ παντων ανθρωπων μαλιστα πιστων	εις τουτο γαρ και κοπιωμεν και ονειδιζομεθα οτι ηλπικαμεν επι θεω ζωντι ος εστιν σωτηρ παντων ανθρωπων μαλιστα πιστων

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^[1] The Hebrew word was יִרְאַ֚ת (yir’ah) rather than יָרֵא (yare’) but I think their relationship is that of a noun to its verb. It was translated with the Greek noun φόβος in the Septuagint.

^[2] Psalm 18:10a (19:9a) English Elpenor

^[3] Romans 1:25 (NET)

^[4] Romans 1:9a (NET)

^[5] Jesus was apparently willing to call fear (φοβηθήσῃ, a form of φοβέω) worship (προσκυνήσεις, a form of προσκυνέω) here.

^[6] Romans 7:6 (NET)

^[7] Deuteronomy 6:13a, 15b (English Elpenor)

^[8] 1 Timothy 4:10b (NET)

^[9] The double negative οὐ μὴ with a verb λατρεύσῃς in the subjunctive mood is a Subjunctive of Emphatic Negation. The people of Israel ultimately proved this statement—and thou shalt not serve their gods—false in the flesh. It reminds me however that it only becomes true of those led by Spirit.

My Deeds, Part 3

Posted on March 7, 2018 by admin

There is a table representing my unstudied view of the relationship of the clauses of Revelation 2:26-29. I’m considering the clause, who continues in my deeds until the end, because it tugs the hardest at me to return to my own works. I’ve begun to try to understand τὰ ἔργα μου, translated my deeds, with a study of τηρῶν (a form of τηρέω), translated who continues. The most basic understanding of τηρῶν is: Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked…^[1] It means to keep, not to lose or discard.

To review, the NET translation of John 14:21 confirms both my initial belief and practice, that obeying Jesus’ commands was the path to loving Him, knowing Him and being loved by Him and his Father. Refining the translation obeys to keeps lowers the standard a bit but doesn’t alter the order of events, that Jesus and his Father loved me because I first loved Jesus (by keeping his commandments, not losing or discarding them). But this argument was preceded by another, outlined below:

If you love Me…

John 14:15a (NASB)

…you will keep (τηρήσετε, another form of τηρέω) My commandments.

John 14:15b (NASB)

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides (μένει, a form of μένω; present tense) with you and will be (ἔσται, a form of εἰμί; future tense) in you.

John 14:16, 17 (NASB)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…

Galatians 5:22, 23a (NASB)

I have not come to abolish [the law or the prophets] but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:17b (NET)

…love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:10b (NET)

He who has My commandments and keeps (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) them…

John 14:21a (NASB)

…is the one who loves Me…

John 14:21b (NASB)

I will love Jesus and keep his commandments by the Holy Spirit who abides with me and will be in me. If I concede to the old man (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-11), fighting for its own survival by attempting to lose or discard Jesus’ commandments, though it may not alter God’s love for me, I have ceased to love Him with the love that is the fruit of his Spirit, the love that is the fulfillment of the law, no matter what I tell myself and no matter how much emotion I feel for Him.

In this essay I’ll consider John’s explanation, And the person who keeps (τηρῶν, a form of τηρέω) his commandments resides in God, and God in him,^[2] but I’ll back up first to take a run at it (1 John 2:28, 29 NET):

And now, little children, remain (μένετε, a form of μένω) in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back. If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness has been fathered by him.

The Greek word translated fathered was γεγέννηται (a form of γεννάω). John didn’t leave us wondering what he meant by it: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God…^[3] He had a unique understanding of the word μένετε as one of the twelve Jesus sent out with the following instruction (I’ve included Luke 10:7 though it was addressed to the seventy-two others Jesus appointed and sent on ahead of Him).

Mark 6:10 (NET)	Luke 9:4 (NET)	Luke 10:7 (NET)
[Jesus] said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) there until you leave the area.”	Whatever house you enter, stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) there until you leave the area.	Stay (μένετε, a form of μένω) in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

I understand what it means to stay in a house, to not move around from place to place. But what does it mean to stay in God? A few verses prior to this John wrote (1 John 2:24 NET):

As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain (μενέτω, another form of μένω) in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains (μείνῃ, another form of μένω) in you, you also will remain (μενεῖτε, another form of μένω) in the Son and in the Father.

So I remain in the Son and in the Father if Jesus’ teaching remains in me. Here is Jesus’ teaching on the subject (John 15:4, 5a NET):

Remain (μείνατε, another form of μένω) in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains (μένῃ, another form of μένω) in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain (μένητε, another form of μένω) in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains (μένων, another form of μένω) in me – and I in him – bears much fruit…

In other words, remaining in Jesus (and his Father) by remaining in the teaching I have heard from the beginning of my new life in Christ (assuming that teaching was the Gospel of Christ) brings forth the fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that is the fulfillment of the law. Jesus continued, because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.^[4] I don’t think He meant that I couldn’t become a hypocrite, an actor playing at righteousness more or less skillfully. Jesus warned, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.^[5] But I can’t do the righteousness that fulfills the law apart from remaining in Jesus by remaining in his teaching.

Jesus continued teaching his disciples (John 15:6 NET):

If anyone does not remain (μένῃ, another form of μένω) in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and are burned up.

He listed some impediments either to hearing in the beginning or to what was heard from the beginning remaining (Luke 8:11-15 NET):

Now the parable means this: The seed is the word of God (ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ). Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away (ἀφίστανται, a form of ἀφίστημι). As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked (συμπνίγονται, a form of συμπνίγω) by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling (κατέχουσιν, a form of κατέχω) to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

If you remain (μείνητε, another form of μένω) in me and my words remain (μείνῃ, another form of μένω) in you, Jesus continued, ask whatever you want, and it will be done (γενήσεται, a form of γίνομαι) for you. My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are (γένησθε, another form of γίνομαι) my disciples.^[6] The words if and whatever are the same Greek word ἐὰν. I understand this request as related to, and bracketed by, bearing fruit. I’m unsure about translating ἐὰν whatever. In my case it led to unbelief while—ask [if] you want, and it will be done (or, become) for you—has led to some faith-confirming results. Jesus continued (John 15:9, 10 NET):

Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain (μείνατε, another form of μένω) in my love. If you obey (τηρήσητε, another form of τηρέω) my commandments, you will remain (μενεῖτε, another form of μένω) in my love, just as I have obeyed (τετήρηκα, another form of τηρέω) my Father’s commandments and remain (μένω) in his love.

This is how I understood this passage even when the Bible I read translated τηρήσητε keep and τετήρηκα kept. “Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments,” reads the sermon notes for John 15:9-17 on Sermon Writer online. Here, and other places like it, I turned from being led by the Holy Spirit, especially if my behavior was too embarrassing too often to confess any longer, to take charge of my own righteousness in my own strength.

See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children,^[7] John continued. The note (1) in the NET reads:

The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best understood (1) as epexegetical (or explanatory), clarifying the love (ἀγάπην, agapen) that the Father has given to believers. Although it is possible (2) to regard the ἵνα as indicating result, the use of ποταπήν (potapen, “what sort of”) to modify ἀγάπην suggests that the idea of “love” will be qualified further in the following context, and this qualification is provided by the epexegetical ἵνα clause.

I think option (2) is the better understanding. The sort of love the Father has given to us is not the Father’s feeling for us, but a very practical gift: It is the love that is patient, the love that is kind, the love that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.^[8] This love may be shared in. It is the fruit of his Spirit, the fulfillment of the law. This love may be remained in or may be left behind. If I leave God’s love behind to run ahead in my own strength God’s love has not and does not change. If I do not remain in his love I strive way too hard to become a highly-skilled hypocrite rather than receiving the love he has given us. He gave us this sort of love in order that we should be called God’s children. Paul concurred with John (Romans 5:5b; 7:6b; 8:3, 4, 14 NET):

…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us…

…so that we may serve in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.

For God achieved what the law could not do because it was weakened through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the 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.

For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.

“To remain in Jesus’ love,” the entry in SermonWriter reads, “suggests being immersed in Jesus’ love—surrounded by Jesus’ love—comforted by Jesus’ love—empowered by Jesus’ love. Imagine a swimming pool filled, not with water, but with Jesus’ love.” All analogies have their problems but this one isn’t too bad. Ordinarily one tries not to drown in a swimming pool. A pool of Jesus’ love is really only threatening to the old man (Ephesians 4:25-5:5; Colossians 3:12-17). The believer lives and breathes in its environs, in fact, only in its environs. This pool travels with the believer, but the believer can leave the pool. A believer leaving the pool of God’s love does not change God’s love at all. Leaving only changes the believer’s access to, and appreciation of, God’s love. Jesus’ and John’s point was, don’t get out of God’s love.

Here is John again (1 John 3:1-10 NET):

(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that whenever it is revealed we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope focused on him purifies himself, just as Jesus is pure).

Everyone who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin also practices (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω) lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. And you know that Jesus was revealed to take away (ἄρῃ, a form of αἴρω) sins, and in him there is no sin. Everyone who resides (μένων, another form of μένω) in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was revealed: to destroy the works of the devil. Everyone who has been fathered (γεγεννημένος, another form of γεννάω) by God does not practice (ποιεῖ, another form of ποιέω) sin, because God’s seed resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in him, and thus he is not able to sin, because he has been fathered (γεγέννηται, a form of γεννάω) by God. By this the children of God and the children of the devil are revealed: Everyone who does not practice (ποιῶν, a form of ποιέω) righteousness – the one who does not love his fellow Christian (ἀδελφὸν, a form of ἀδελφός) – is not of God.

Now if I do what I do (ποιῶ, another form of ποιέω) not want, Paul wrote believers in Rome, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.^[9] It is better to greet John’s and Paul’s explanations with faith than with fear or mockery. But the Spirit of God relentlessly dragged me back when my default position was to “chuck this whole religion thing.” He was kind and patient when my default position became do-it-myself sanctification, when I said in so many words, “I can’t trust You with something as important as MY righteousness.” Jaco Gericke had a very different testimony. I rationalize this difference with Paul’s conclusion: So then, God has mercy on whom he chooses to have mercy, and he hardens whom he chooses to harden.^[10] Others rationalize it as individual free will.

When I was young righteousness was a matter of good habits developed through willpower because Jesus had saved me. Now I can see this as a childish misunderstanding of potentially good teaching. But at the time I saw Jesus’ salvation only as a reason, why I should do righteousness, never as a cause, how I could do righteousness. My willpower proved to be unequal to the task. I am weak-willed vis-à-vis righteousness. So I tend to minimize the effect of my will and magnify the effect of God’s mercy. Now that I understand that Jesus’ salvation causes righteousness I have replaced willpower with the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Of course, I still don’t recognize any habit in me toward the good apart from that daily infusion of his love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

On the other hand, I proved to be quite willful, stubborn, rebellious and stiff-necked regarding my sin. So I tend to see free will as more useful, or more conducive, to sinning. I don’t tend to argue the point because I can see how one who had more success than I did could regard willpower as helpful in the pursuit of righteousness. Still, I keep my mind open to the possibility that the preachers of free will may have taken more credit for that righteousness than they deserve.

Little children, John continued, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.^[11] As Jesus tried to teach me about the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe,^[12] I got tripped up here quite often. I thought, especially if my performance was less than perfect when I had attempted to trust Him, that his teaching was not his teaching but me playing word games, loving with word (λόγῳ, a form of λόγος) or with tongue (γλώσσῃ, a form of γλῶσσα). “No, you really have to do it,” I heard many times from my elders if I tried to share what I thought I had been learning. How I ever thought that obeying rules in my own strength might become loving in deed (ἔργῳ, a form of ἔργον) and truth (ἀληθείᾳ, a form of ἀλήθεια), I can’t explain apart from being willful, stubborn, rebellious and stiff-necked. Now I assume that loving with word or with tongue corresponds to my hypocrisy, while loving in deed and truth corresponds to being led by his Holy Spirit.

John continued (1 John 3:19-24 NET):

And by this we will know that we are of the truth (ἀληθείας, another form of ἀλήθεια) and will convince our conscience in his presence, that if (ἐὰν) our conscience condemns us, that God is greater than our conscience and knows all things. Dear friends, if (ἐὰν) our conscience does not condemn us, we have confidence in the presence of God, and whatever (ἐὰν; or if) we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him. Now this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he gave us the commandment. And the person who keeps his commandments resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in God, and God in him. Now by this we know that God resides (μένει, another form of μένω) in us: by the Spirit he has given us.

I want to conclude this essay by addressing one of the statements in the entry in Sermon Writer directly:

The emphasis is love. Love begins with the Father and flows through the Son to the disciples (v. 9). It is contingent on obedience…Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments.

The demonstrably false statement—“Jesus promises to love the disciples if they obey his commandments”—mischaracterizes God’s love and remaining in his love. First, consider Jesus’ teaching on the nature of the Father’s love (Matthew 5:43-48 NET):

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus’ love for me is not equivalent to, or contingent upon, my remaining in his love. Jesus loves me because God is love and Jesus remains in his Father’s love. If and only if I remain in his love I will bear the fruit of his Spirit, the love which is the fulfillment of the law, and obey him thereby. It is not that his love, or even remaining in his love, is contingent upon some open-ended obedience of mine but that my obedience is contingent upon his love and my remaining in his love.

Here the misdirection of translating forms of τηρέω with forms of obey becomes evident. To keep Jesus’ commandments, not to lose or discard them, has much more in common with his words remaining in us than it does with any form of obey. Even as I write this I hear the quibble in my head: “But you have obeyed: you have remained in his love by clinging to his teaching.” I write this quibble off to the religious mind.

I acknowledged the religious mind as nothing more than the carnal mind or the outlook of the flesh, but the term still serves a useful purpose for me. I expect the carnal mind or the outlook of the flesh to be focused directly on sin. The pretense of the religious mind is its focus on righteousness, albeit a righteousness of its own derived from the law with a keen desire to justify itself by law. Consider Jesus’ teaching on the subject (Luke 17:10 NET):

“So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’”

As I’ve written before, we have this attitude not because we are in some wretched social condition but because our deeds have been done in (or, by) God^[13]…for the one bringing forth (ἐνεργῶν, a form of ἐνεργέω) in you both the desire (θέλειν, a form of θέλω) and the effort (ἐνεργεῖν, another form of ἐνεργέω) – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God.^[14]

Back to Father, Forgive Them, Part 3

Back to To Make Holy, Part 5

Back to Atonement, Part 3

^[1] Revelation 16:15b (NET)

^[2] 1 John 3:24a (NET)

^[3] 1 John 5:1a (NET)

^[4] John 15:5b (NET)

^[5] Matthew 5:20 (NET)

^[6] John 15:7, 8 (NET) Table

^[7] 1 John 3:1a (NET)

^[8] 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NET)

^[9] Romans 7:20 (NET)

^[10] Romans 9:18 (NET)

^[11] 1 John 3:18 (NET)

^[12] Romans 3:22a (NET)

^[13] John 3:21b (NET)

^[14] Philippians 2:13 (NET)

Romans, Part 59

Posted on September 3, 2015 by admin

The most obvious translation of Do not lag in zeal^[1] (τῇ σπουδῇ μὴ ὀκνηροί) is something like “this haste not slothful.” Thus we urged Titus, Paul wrote the Corinthians, that, just as he had previously begun this work, so also he should complete this act of kindness for you. But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too. I am not saying this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love by comparison with the eagerness (σπουδῆς, a form of σπουδή) of others.^[2]

The translation of σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς as eagerness above is not wrong if I recognize that Paul’s concern was the timeliness of completing this act of kindness rather than an emotional affect. Certainly Paul was also interested in the Corinthians’ emotional affect, but he used a different word for that (2 Corinthians 8:10b-12 NET):

It is to your advantage, since you made a good start last year both in your giving and your desire to give, to finish what you started, so that just as you wanted to do it eagerly (προθυμία), you can also complete it according to your means. For if the eagerness (προθυμία) is present, the gift itself is acceptable according to whatever one has, not according to what he does not have.

The Greek words σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς seem to refer here to the fact that the Corinthians made a good start last year but had failed thus far to finish what [they] started. I know your eagerness (προθυμίαν, a form of προθυμία) to help,^[3] Paul assured them. The Corinthians’ προθυμία and προθυμίαν were not at issue. It was σπουδῇ and σπουδῆς they lacked or needed to address (2 Corinthians 9:2b-4 NET):

I keep boasting to the Macedonians about this eagerness of yours, that Achaia has been ready to give since last year, and your zeal (ζῆλος) to participate has stirred up most of them. But I am sending these brothers so that our boasting about you may not be empty in this case, so that you may be ready just as I kept telling them. For if any of the Macedonians should come with me and find that you are not ready to give, we would be humiliated (not to mention you) by this confidence we had in you.

As a description of love “this haste not slothful” makes a good deal of sense. A feigned or hypocritical love, the love of an actor, wearing a false face, speaking another’s lines, will tend to be too fast or too slow in action. While the Love…without hypocrisy (ἀνυπόκριτος),^[4] the fruit of the Holy Spirit, is timely, at a measured pace, this haste not slothful, full of the recognition that love unfeigned lasts a lifetime and beyond.

“This haste not slothful,” however, makes a terrible rule. Here is a listing of various English translations.

Romans 12:11a	Bible Version
Never be lacking in zeal…	New International Version
Never be lazy…	New Living Translation
Do not be slothful in zeal…	English Standard Bible
Do not become apathetic…	Berean Study Bible
not lagging in diligence…	Berean Literal Bible
not lagging behind in diligence…	New American Standard Bible, NASB 1977
Not slothful in business…	King James Bible, KJV 2000, American KJV, Webster’s Bible Translation
Do not lack diligence…	Holman Christian Standard Bible
Never be lazy in showing such devotion.	International Standard Version
Be diligent and do not be lazy…	Aramaic Bible in Plain English, GOD’S WORD Translation
not slothful in earnest care…	Jubilee Bible 2000
in diligence not slothful…	American Standard Version, English Revised Version
In carefulness not slothful.	Douay-Rheims Bible
as to diligent zealousness, not slothful…	Darby Bible Translation
Do not be indolent when zeal is required.	Weymouth New Testament
not lagging in diligence…	World English Bible
in the diligence not slothful…	Young’s Literal Translation

I won’t take issue with translating σπουδῇ (a form of σπουδή) abstractly as diligent or diligence: if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence (ὁ προϊστάμενος ἐν σπουδῇ).^[5] I do question translating it zeal or zealousness. Paul did not write ζῆλος. Matthew, Mark and John recounted two different occasions when Jesus demonstrated a godly zeal.

Matthew

Mark

John

Then Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves.

Matthew 21:12 (NET)

Then they came to Jerusalem. Jesus entered the temple area and began to drive out those who were selling and buying in the temple courts. He turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, and he would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.

Mark 11:15, 16 (NET)

Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

John 2:13-15 (NET)

And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are turning it into a den of robbers!”

Matthew 21:13 (NET)

Then he began to teach them and said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have turned it into a den of robbers!”

Mark 11:17 (NET)

To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!”

John 2:16 (NET)

The chief priests and the experts in the law heard it and they considered how they could assassinate him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed by his teaching.

Mark 11:18 (NET)

His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal (ζῆλος) for your house will devour me.”

John 2:17 (NET)

Paul actually distinguished between this kind of zeal and love: Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline or with love (ἀγάπῃ, a form of ἀγάπη) and a spirit of gentleness?^[6] And though I have no doubt that Jesus consciously fulfilled Scripture, the incidents were also remarkable because they were uncharacteristic and atypical of Him. The religious mind is all too eager to consider hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, and envying^[7] righteous indignation or zeal for God. Paul gave no law encouraging the religious mind not to lag in this kind of zeal.

The description continues, be enthusiastic in spirit (τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες [a form of ζέω]), literally “this spirit boils” or “this boiling spirit.” If I put it back together I have, this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit. These words make sense if applied to a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria.^[8] He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.^[9]

The danger of this kind of enthusiasm wasn’t actually revealed until the next chapter of Acts: Paul found some disciples in Ephesus and said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”^[10] It gives me a different impression when Apollos began to speak out fearlessly (παρρησιάζεσθαι, a form of παῤῥησιάζομαι) in the synagogue.^[11] I contrast it to Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ (literally, “speaking freely upon the Lord”). Here, I think, Paul and Barnabas relied on the Lord rather than their own “fearlessness” and He testified to the message of his grace, granting miraculous signs and wonders to be performed through their hands.^[12]

Priscilla and Aquila, who had spent time with Paul,^[13] slowed Apollos’ haste (without dampening his enthusiasm): when Priscilla and Aquila heard him [speak out fearlessly in the synagogue], they took him aside and explained the way of God to him more accurately.^[14] Apollos traveled from Ephesus to Achaia. When he arrived, he assisted greatly those who had believed by grace,^[15] the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers^[16] who had responded to Paul’s presentation of the Gospel.^[17] (No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, Jesus said, and I will raise him up at the last day.^[18]) Apollos greatly assisted them, not by browbeating them to live better lives, but by preoccupying those who might have done so: for he refuted the Jews (Ἰουδαίοις, a form of Ἰουδαῖος) vigorously in public debate, demonstrating from the scriptures that the Christ was Jesus.^[19]

This haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord,^[20] or serving the Lord,^[21] or “this Lord enslaved,” or “enslaved to this Lord.” Ordinarily I might think of being enslaved as a negative thing. But Paul compared the slavery of righteousness to the slavery of sin (admittedly, speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh), just as you once presented your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to impurity and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves (δοῦλα, a form of δοῦλος) to righteousness leading to sanctification.^[22]

For we too were once foolish, Paul wrote to Titus, disobedient, misled, enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.^[23] If I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something like the work I do to please my employer, I will think that I am obeying a rule: serve the Lord. If on the other hand I think of serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord or being enslaved to the Lord as something more like being enslaved (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) to various passions and desires, well, that’s more like what I did on the weekends after work.

And I think that is more like the δουλεύοντες Paul described here, the natural (super-natural) outpouring of this boiling spirit. In fact, I should work for my employer in this same way and not like I used to work before I was enslaved to the Lord. Slaves, obey (ὑπακούετε, a form of ὑπακούω) your human masters with fear and trembling, Paul wrote the Ephesians, in the sincerity (ἁπλότητι, a form of ἁπλότης) of your heart (καρδίας, a form of καρδία) as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ doing the will of God from the heart (ψυχῆς, a form of ψυχή). Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord and not people…^[24]

Part of the definition of ἁπλότητι in the NET is “free from pretence and hypocrisy,” “not self seeking.” This ἁπλότητι comes from the love that is not self-serving.^[25] All of this is accomplished as slaves (δοῦλοι, a form of δοῦλος) of Christ, not as someone in some wretched social condition but as one whose attitudes and actions are produced by the fruit of the Holy Spirit: For the love of Christ controls (συνέχει, a form of συνέχω) us…^[26] Doing the will of God from the heart^[27]…with enthusiasm (or, good will), as^[28]… serving (or, enslaved to) the Lord and not people. We have died to what controlled (κατειχόμεθα, a form of κατέχω) us, so that we may serve (δουλεύειν, a form of δουλεύω) in the new life of the Spirit and not under the old written code.^[29]

And so I have, “this haste not slothful, this boiling spirit, enslaved to the Lord.” Transforming a description of Love…without hypocrisy into three rules—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—may be equivalent to the παρρησιάζεσθαι of Apollos in the synagogue, but it will never rival the παρρησιαζόμενοι ἐπὶ τῷ κυρίῳ of Paul and Barnabas in Iconium. For it lacks all the power of God.

Romans, Part 60

Back to Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 11

Back to Romans, Part 87

Back to My Deeds, Part 3

^[1] Romans 12:11a (NET)

^[2] 2 Corinthians 8:6-8 (NET)

^[3] 2 Corinthians 9:2a (NET)

^[4] Romans 12:9a (NET)

^[5] Romans 12:8 (NET)

^[6] 1 Corinthians 4:21b (NET)

^[7] Galatians 5:19, 20 (NET)

^[8] Acts 18:24a (NET)

^[9] Acts 18:24b, 25 (NET) Table

^[10] Acts 19:2 (NET)

^[11] Acts 18:26a (NET)

^[12] Acts 14:3 (NET)

^[13] Acts 18:2, 3 (NET)

^[14] Acts 18:26b (NET)

^[15] Acts 18:27b (NET)

^[16] 1 Corinthians 6:9b, 10a (NET) Table

^[17] 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NET)

^[18] John 6:44 (NET)

^[19] Acts 18:28 (NET)

^[20] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

^[21] Romans 12:11 (NAS)

^[22] Romans 6:19 (NET)

^[23] Titus 3:3 (NET)

^[24] Ephesians 6:5-7 (NET)

^[25] 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)

^[26] 2 Corinthians 5:14a (NET)

^[27] The NET note on obey in verse 7: “Though the verb does not appear again at this point in the passage, it is nonetheless implied and supplied in the English translation for the sake of clarity.”

^[28] I don’t see anything to translate though in the Greek. This is not something to be faked as though, but is the real righteousness of God, the love that is the fulfillment of the law..

^[29] Romans 7:6b (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