Genesis 26:1-35

Isaac and Abimelech

26:1 There was a famine in the land, subsequent to the earlier famine that occurred ¹  in the days of Abraham. ²  Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. 26:2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; ³  settle down in the land that I will point out to you. ⁴  26:3 Stay ⁵  in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, ⁶  for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, ⁷  and I will fulfill ⁸  the solemn promise I made ⁹  to your father Abraham. 26:4 I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them ¹⁰  all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants. ¹¹  26:5 All this will come to pass ¹²  because Abraham obeyed me ¹³  and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.” ¹⁴  26:6 So Isaac settled in Gerar.

26:7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, “She is my sister.” ¹⁵  He was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” for he thought to himself, ¹⁶  “The men of this place will kill me to get ¹⁷  Rebekah because she is very beautiful.”

26:8 After Isaac ¹⁸  had been there a long time, ¹⁹  Abimelech king of the Philistines happened to look out a window and observed ²⁰  Isaac caressing ²¹  his wife Rebekah. 26:9 So Abimelech summoned Isaac and said, “She is really ²²  your wife! Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought someone might kill me to get her.” ²³ 

26:10 Then Abimelech exclaimed, “What in the world have you done to us? ²⁴  One of the men ²⁵  might easily have had sexual relations with ²⁶  your wife, and you would have brought guilt on us!” 26:11 So Abimelech commanded all the people, “Whoever touches ²⁷  this man or his wife will surely be put to death.” ²⁸ 

26:12 When Isaac planted in that land, he reaped in the same year a hundred times what he had sown, ²⁹  because the Lord blessed him. ³⁰  26:13 The man became wealthy. ³¹  His influence continued to grow ³²  until he became very prominent. 26:14 He had ³³  so many sheep ³⁴  and cattle ³⁵  and such a great household of servants that the Philistines became jealous ³⁶  of him. 26:15 So the Philistines took dirt and filled up ³⁷  all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham.

26:16 Then Abimelech said to Isaac, “Leave us and go elsewhere, ³⁸  for you have become much more powerful ³⁹  than we are.” 26:17 So Isaac left there and settled in the Gerar Valley. ⁴⁰  26:18 Isaac reopened ⁴¹  the wells that had been dug ⁴²  back in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up ⁴³  after Abraham died. Isaac ⁴⁴  gave these wells ⁴⁵  the same names his father had given them. ⁴⁶ 

26:19 When Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and discovered a well with fresh flowing ⁴⁷  water there, 26:20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled ⁴⁸  with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water belongs to us!” So Isaac ⁴⁹  named the well ⁵⁰  Esek ⁵¹  because they argued with him about it. ⁵²  26:21 His servants ⁵³  dug another well, but they quarreled over it too, so Isaac named it ⁵⁴  Sitnah. ⁵⁵  26:22 Then he moved away from there and dug another well. They did not quarrel over it, so Isaac ⁵⁶  named it ⁵⁷  Rehoboth, ⁵⁸  saying, “For now the Lord has made room for us, and we will prosper in the land.”

26:23 From there Isaac ⁵⁹  went up to Beer Sheba. 26:24 The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.” 26:25 Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped ⁶⁰  the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well. ⁶¹ 

26:26 Now Abimelech had come ⁶²  to him from Gerar along with ⁶³  Ahuzzah his friend ⁶⁴  and Phicol the commander of his army. 26:27 Isaac asked them, “Why have you come to me? You hate me ⁶⁵  and sent me away from you.” 26:28 They replied, “We could plainly see ⁶⁶  that the Lord is with you. So we decided there should be ⁶⁷  a pact between us ⁶⁸  – between us ⁶⁹  and you. Allow us to make ⁷⁰  a treaty with you 26:29 so that ⁷¹  you will not do us any harm, just as we have not harmed ⁷²  you, but have always treated you well ⁷³  before sending you away ⁷⁴  in peace. Now you are blessed by the Lord.” ⁷⁵ 

26:30 So Isaac ⁷⁶  held a feast for them and they celebrated. ⁷⁷  26:31 Early in the morning the men made a treaty with each other. ⁷⁸  Isaac sent them off; they separated on good terms. ⁷⁹ 

26:32 That day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well they had dug. “We’ve found water,” they reported. ⁸⁰  26:33 So he named it Shibah; ⁸¹  that is why the name of the city has been Beer Sheba ⁸²  to this day.

26:34 When ⁸³  Esau was forty years old, ⁸⁴  he married ⁸⁵  Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite. 26:35 They caused Isaac and Rebekah great anxiety. ⁸⁶ 

Genesis 6:2

6:2 the sons of God ⁸⁷  saw that the daughters of humankind were beautiful. Thus they took wives for themselves from any they chose.

Genesis 6:16

6:16 Make a roof for the ark and finish it, leaving 18 inches ⁸⁸  from the top. ⁸⁹  Put a door in the side of the ark, and make lower, middle, and upper decks.

Genesis 8:10

8:10 He waited seven more days and then sent out the dove again from the ark.

Genesis 10:15

10:15 Canaan was the father of ⁹⁰  Sidon his firstborn, ⁹¹  Heth, ⁹² 

Genesis 10:23

10:23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. ⁹³ 

Genesis 10:1

The Table of Nations

10:1 This is the account ⁹⁴  of Noah’s sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons ⁹⁵  were born ⁹⁶  to them after the flood.

Genesis 11:11

11:11 And after becoming the father of Arphaxad, Shem lived 500 years and had other ⁹⁷  sons and daughters.

Genesis 13:17

13:17 Get up and ⁹⁸  walk throughout ⁹⁹  the land, ¹⁰⁰  for I will give it to you.”

Genesis 16:1

The Birth of Ishmael

16:1 Now Sarai, ¹⁰¹  Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, ¹⁰²  but she had an Egyptian servant ¹⁰³  named Hagar. ¹⁰⁴ 

Genesis 17:20

17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. ¹⁰⁵  I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. ¹⁰⁶  He will become the father of twelve princes; ¹⁰⁷  I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 18:3

18:3 He said, “My lord, ¹⁰⁸  if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. ¹⁰⁹ 

Genesis 18:18

18:18 After all, Abraham ¹¹⁰  will surely become ¹¹¹  a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ¹¹²  using his name.

Matthew 19:23

19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, ¹¹³  it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven!

Matthew 19:28

19:28 Jesus ¹¹⁴  said to them, “I tell you the truth: ¹¹⁵  In the age when all things are renewed, ¹¹⁶  when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging ¹¹⁷  the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 21:21

21:21 Jesus ¹¹⁸  answered them, “I tell you the truth, ¹¹⁹  if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Matthew 21:31

21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” ¹²⁰  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹²¹  tax collectors ¹²²  and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God!

Matthew 23:36

23:36 I tell you the truth, ¹²³  this generation will be held responsible for all these things! ¹²⁴ 

Matthew 24:2

24:2 And he said to them, ¹²⁵  “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, ¹²⁶  not one stone will be left on another. ¹²⁷  All will be torn down!” ¹²⁸ 

Matthew 24:34

24:34 I tell you the truth, ¹²⁹  this generation ¹³⁰  will not pass away until all these things take place.

Matthew 24:47

24:47 I tell you the truth, ¹³¹  the master ¹³²  will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Matthew 25:12

25:12 But he replied, ¹³³  ‘I tell you the truth, ¹³⁴  I do not know you!’

Matthew 25:40

25:40 And the king will answer them, ¹³⁵  ‘I tell you the truth, ¹³⁶  just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters ¹³⁷  of mine, you did it for me.’

Matthew 25:45

25:45 Then he will answer them, ¹³⁸  ‘I tell you the truth, ¹³⁹  just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’

Matthew 26:13-14

26:13 I tell you the truth, ¹⁴⁰  wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

The Plan to Betray Jesus

26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

Mark 3:28

3:28 I tell you the truth, ¹⁴¹  people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter. ¹⁴² 

Mark 6:11

6:11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off ¹⁴³  your feet as a testimony against them.”

Mark 8:12

8:12 Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, “Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, ¹⁴⁴  no sign will be given to this generation.”

Mark 9:1

9:1 And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁴⁵  there are some standing here who will not ¹⁴⁶  experience ¹⁴⁷  death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” ¹⁴⁸ 

Mark 9:41

9:41 For I tell you the truth, ¹⁴⁹  whoever gives you a cup of water because ¹⁵⁰  you bear Christ’s ¹⁵¹  name will never lose his reward.

Mark 10:15

10:15 I tell you the truth, ¹⁵²  whoever does not receive ¹⁵³  the kingdom of God like a child ¹⁵⁴  will never ¹⁵⁵  enter it.”

Mark 10:29

10:29 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁵⁶  there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

Mark 11:23

11:23 I tell you the truth, ¹⁵⁷  if someone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.

Mark 12:43

12:43 He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁵⁸  this poor widow has put more into the offering box ¹⁵⁹  than all the others. ¹⁶⁰ 

Mark 13:30

13:30 I tell you the truth, ¹⁶¹  this generation ¹⁶²  will not pass away until all these things take place.

Mark 14:9

14:9 I tell you the truth, ¹⁶³  wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Mark 14:18

14:18 While they were at the table ¹⁶⁴  eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁶⁵  one of you eating with me will betray me.” ¹⁶⁶ 

Mark 14:25

14:25 I tell you the truth, ¹⁶⁷  I will no longer drink of the fruit ¹⁶⁸  of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Mark 14:30

14:30 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁶⁹  today – this very night – before a rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

Luke 4:24

4:24 And he added, ¹⁷⁰  “I tell you the truth, ¹⁷¹  no prophet is acceptable ¹⁷²  in his hometown.

Luke 11:51

11:51 from the blood of Abel ¹⁷³  to the blood of Zechariah, ¹⁷⁴  who was killed ¹⁷⁵  between the altar and the sanctuary. ¹⁷⁶  Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against ¹⁷⁷  this generation.

Luke 12:37

12:37 Blessed are those slaves ¹⁷⁸  whom their master finds alert ¹⁷⁹  when he returns! I tell you the truth, ¹⁸⁰  he will dress himself to serve, ¹⁸¹  have them take their place at the table, ¹⁸²  and will come ¹⁸³  and wait on them! ¹⁸⁴ 

Luke 13:35

13:35 Look, your house is forsaken! ¹⁸⁵  And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” ¹⁸⁶ 

Luke 18:17

18:17 I tell you the truth, ¹⁸⁷  whoever does not receive ¹⁸⁸  the kingdom of God like a child ¹⁸⁹  will never ¹⁹⁰  enter it.”

Luke 18:29

18:29 Then ¹⁹¹  Jesus ¹⁹²  said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁹³  there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers ¹⁹⁴  or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom

Luke 21:32

21:32 I tell you the truth, ¹⁹⁵  this generation ¹⁹⁶  will not pass away until all these things take place.

Luke 23:43

23:43 And Jesus ¹⁹⁷  said to him, “I tell you the truth, ¹⁹⁸  today ¹⁹⁹  you will be with me in paradise.” ²⁰⁰ 

John 1:51

1:51 He continued, ²⁰¹  “I tell all of you the solemn truth ²⁰²  – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” ²⁰³ 

John 3:3

3:3 Jesus replied, ²⁰⁴  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁰⁵  unless a person is born from above, ²⁰⁶  he cannot see the kingdom of God.” ²⁰⁷ 

John 3:5

3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁰⁸  unless a person is born of water and spirit, ²⁰⁹  he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:11

3:11 I tell you the solemn truth, ²¹⁰  we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but ²¹¹  you people ²¹²  do not accept our testimony. ²¹³ 

John 5:19

5:19 So Jesus answered them, ²¹⁴  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²¹⁵  the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, ²¹⁶  but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father ²¹⁷  does, the Son does likewise. ²¹⁸ 

John 5:24-25

5:24 “I tell you the solemn truth, ²¹⁹  the one who hears ²²⁰  my message ²²¹  and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, ²²²  but has crossed over from death to life. 5:25 I tell you the solemn truth, ²²³  a time ²²⁴  is coming – and is now here – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

John 6:26

6:26 Jesus replied, ²²⁵  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²²⁶  you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate all the loaves of bread you wanted. ²²⁷ 

John 6:32

6:32 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²²⁸  it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven.

John 6:47

6:47 I tell you the solemn truth, ²²⁹  the one who believes ²³⁰  has eternal life. ²³¹ 

John 6:53

6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²³²  unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, ²³³  you have no life ²³⁴  in yourselves.

John 8:34

8:34 Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²³⁵  everyone who practices ²³⁶  sin is a slave ²³⁷  of sin.

John 8:51

8:51 I tell you the solemn truth, ²³⁸  if anyone obeys ²³⁹  my teaching, ²⁴⁰  he will never see death.” ²⁴¹ 

John 8:58

8:58 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁴²  before Abraham came into existence, ²⁴³  I am!” ²⁴⁴ 

John 10:1

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

10:1 “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁴⁵  the one who does not enter the sheepfold ²⁴⁶  by the door, ²⁴⁷  but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

John 10:7

10:7 So Jesus said to them again, “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁴⁸  I am the door for the sheep. ²⁴⁹ 

John 12:24

12:24 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁵⁰  unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. ²⁵¹  But if it dies, it produces ²⁵²  much grain. ²⁵³ 

John 13:16

13:16 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁵⁴  the slave ²⁵⁵  is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger ²⁵⁶  greater than the one who sent him.

John 13:20-21

13:20 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁵⁷  whoever accepts ²⁵⁸  the one I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” ²⁵⁹ 

13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed ²⁶⁰  in spirit, and testified, ²⁶¹  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁶²  one of you will betray me.” ²⁶³ 

John 13:38

13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? ²⁶⁴  I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁶⁵  the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!

John 14:12

14:12 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁶⁶  the person who believes in me will perform ²⁶⁷  the miraculous deeds ²⁶⁸  that I am doing, ²⁶⁹  and will perform ²⁷⁰  greater deeds ²⁷¹  than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 16:20

16:20 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁷²  you will weep ²⁷³  and wail, ²⁷⁴  but the world will rejoice; you will be sad, ²⁷⁵  but your sadness will turn into ²⁷⁶  joy.

John 16:23

16:23 At that time ²⁷⁷  you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁷⁸  whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. ²⁷⁹ 

John 21:18

21:18 I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁸⁰  when you were young, you tied your clothes around you ²⁸¹  and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up ²⁸²  and bring you where you do not want to go.”

[26:1]  ¹ tn Heb “in addition to the first famine which was.”

[26:1]  ² sn This account is parallel to two similar stories about Abraham (see Gen 12:10-20; 20:1-18). Many scholars do not believe there were three similar incidents, only one that got borrowed and duplicated. Many regard the account about Isaac as the original, which then was attached to the more important person, Abraham, with supernatural elements being added. For a critique of such an approach, see R. Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative, 47-62. It is more likely that the story illustrates the proverb “like father, like son” (see T. W. Mann, The Book of the Torah, 53). In typical human fashion the son follows his father’s example of lying to avoid problems. The appearance of similar events reported in a similar way underscores the fact that the blessing has now passed to Isaac, even if he fails as his father did.

[26:2]  ³ sn Do not go down to Egypt. The words echo Gen 12:10, which reports that “Abram went down to Egypt,” but state the opposite.

[26:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “say to you.”

[26:3]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew verb גּוּר (gur) means “to live temporarily without ownership of land.” Abraham’s family will not actually possess the land of Canaan until the Israelite conquest hundreds of years later.

[26:3]  ⁶ tn After the imperative “stay” the two prefixed verb forms with prefixed conjunction here indicate consequence.

[26:3]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

[26:3]  ⁸ tn The Hiphil stem of the verb קוּם (qum) here means “to fulfill, to bring to realization.” For other examples of this use of this verb form, see Lev 26:9; Num 23:19; Deut 8:18; 9:5; 1 Sam 1:23; 1 Kgs 6:12; Jer 11:5.

[26:3]  ⁹ tn Heb “the oath which I swore.”

[26:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “your descendants.”

[26:4]  ¹¹ tn Traditionally the verb is taken as passive (“will be blessed”) here, as if Abraham’s descendants were going to be a channel or source of blessing to the nations. But the Hitpael is better understood here as reflexive/reciprocal, “will bless [i.e., pronounce blessings on] themselves/one another” (see also Gen 22:18). Elsewhere the Hitpael of the verb “to bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 12:2 predicts that Abram will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11. Earlier formulations of this promise (see Gen 12:2; 18:18) use the Niphal stem. (See also Gen 28:14.)

[26:5]  ¹² tn The words “All this will come to pass” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for stylistic reasons.

[26:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “listened to my voice.”

[26:5]  ¹⁴ sn My charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. The language of this verse is clearly interpretive, for Abraham did not have all these laws. The terms are legal designations for sections of the Mosaic law and presuppose the existence of the law. Some Rabbinic views actually conclude that Abraham had fulfilled the whole law before it was given (see m. Qiddushin 4:14). Some scholars argue that this story could only have been written after the law was given (C. Westermann, Genesis, 2:424-25). But the simplest explanation is that the narrator (traditionally taken to be Moses the Lawgiver) elaborated on the simple report of Abraham’s obedience by using terms with which the Israelites were familiar. In this way he depicts Abraham as the model of obedience to God’s commands, whose example Israel should follow.

[26:7]  ¹⁵ sn Rebekah, unlike Sarah, was not actually her husband’s sister.

[26:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “lest.” The words “for he thought to himself” are supplied because the next clause is written with a first person pronoun, showing that Isaac was saying or thinking this.

[26:7]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “kill me on account of.”

[26:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and it happened when the days were long to him there.”

[26:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “look, Isaac.” By the use of the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), the narrator invites the audience to view the scene through Abimelech’s eyes.

[26:8]  ²¹ tn Or “fondling.”

[26:9]  ²² tn Heb “Surely, look!” See N. H. Snaith, “The meaning of Hebrew ‘ak,” VT 14 (1964): 221-25.

[26:9]  ²³ tn Heb “Because I said, ‘Lest I die on account of her.’” Since the verb “said” probably means “said to myself” (i.e., “thought”) here, the direct discourse in the Hebrew statement has been converted to indirect discourse in the translation. In addition the simple prepositional phrase “on account of her” has been clarified in the translation as “to get her” (cf. v. 7).

[26:10]  ²⁴ tn Heb “What is this you have done to us?” The Hebrew demonstrative pronoun “this” adds emphasis: “What in the world have you done to us?” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118).

[26:10]  ²⁵ tn Heb “people.”

[26:10]  ²⁶ tn The Hebrew verb means “to lie down.” Here the expression “lie with” or “sleep with” is euphemistic for “have sexual relations with.”

[26:11]  ²⁷ tn Heb “strikes.” Here the verb has the nuance “to harm in any way.” It would include assaulting the woman or killing the man.

[26:11]  ²⁸ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the imperfect makes the construction emphatic.

[26:12]  ²⁹ tn Heb “a hundredfold.”

[26:12]  ³⁰ tn This final clause explains why Isaac had such a bountiful harvest.

[26:13]  ³¹ tn Heb “great.” In this context the statement refers primarily to Isaac’s material wealth, although reputation and influence are included.

[26:13]  ³² tn Heb “and he went, going and becoming great.” The construction stresses that his growth in possessions and power continued steadily.

[26:14]  ³³ tn Heb “and there was to him.”

[26:14]  ³⁴ tn Heb “possessions of sheep.”

[26:14]  ³⁵ tn Heb “possessions of cattle.”

[26:14]  ³⁶ tn The Hebrew verb translated “became jealous” refers here to intense jealousy or envy that leads to hostile action (see v. 15).

[26:15]  ³⁷ tn Heb “and the Philistines stopped them up and filled them with dirt.”

[26:16]  ³⁸ tn Heb “Go away from us.”

[26:16]  ³⁹ sn You have become much more powerful. This explanation for the expulsion of Isaac from Philistine territory foreshadows the words used later by the Egyptians to justify their oppression of Israel (see Exod 1:9).

[26:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “and he camped in the valley of Gerar and he lived there.”

[26:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “he returned and dug,” meaning “he dug again” or “he reopened.”

[26:18]  ⁴² tn Heb “that they dug.” Since the subject is indefinite, the verb is translated as passive.

[26:18]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and the Philistines had stopped them up.” This clause explains why Isaac had to reopen them.

[26:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “them”; the referent (the wells) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:18]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “called names to them according to the names that his father called them.”

[26:19]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “living.” This expression refers to a well supplied by subterranean streams (see Song 4:15).

[26:20]  ⁴⁸ tn The Hebrew verb translated “quarreled” describes a conflict that often has legal ramifications.

[26:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:20]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and he called the name of the well.”

[26:20]  ⁵¹ sn The name Esek means “argument” in Hebrew. The following causal clause explains that Isaac gave the well this name as a reminder of the conflict its discovery had created. In the Hebrew text there is a wordplay, for the name is derived from the verb translated “argued.”

[26:20]  ⁵² tn The words “about it” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:21]  ⁵³ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Isaac’s servants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “and he called its name.” The referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:21]  ⁵⁵ sn The name Sitnah (שִׂטְנָה, sitnah) is derived from a Hebrew verbal root meaning “to oppose; to be an adversary” (cf. Job 1:6). The name was a reminder that the digging of this well caused “opposition” from the Philistines.

[26:22]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:22]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “and he called its name.”

[26:22]  ⁵⁸ sn The name Rehoboth (רְהֹבוֹת, rehovot) is derived from a verbal root meaning “to make room.” The name was a reminder that God had made room for them. The story shows Isaac’s patience with the opposition; it also shows how God’s blessing outdistanced the men of Gerar. They could not stop it or seize it any longer.

[26:23]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and he went up from there”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:25]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “called in the name of.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 21:33). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116.

[26:25]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “and they dug there, the servants of Isaac, a well.”

[26:26]  ⁶² tn The disjunctive clause supplies pertinent supplemental information. The past perfect is used because the following narrative records the treaty at Beer Sheba. Prior to this we are told that Isaac settled in Beer Sheba; presumably this treaty would have allowed him to do that. However, it may be that he settled there and then made the treaty by which he renamed the place Beer Sheba. In this case one may translate “Now Abimelech came to him.”

[26:26]  ⁶³ tn Heb “and.”

[26:26]  ⁶⁴ tn Many modern translations render the Hebrew term מֵרֵעַ (merea’) as “councillor” or “adviser,” but the term may not designate an official position but simply a close personal friend.

[26:27]  ⁶⁵ tn The disjunctive clause is circumstantial, expressing the reason for his question.

[26:28]  ⁶⁶ tn The infinitive absolute before the verb emphasizes the clarity of their perception.

[26:28]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “And we said, ‘Let there be.’” The direct discourse in the Hebrew text has been rendered as indirect discourse in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:28]  ⁶⁸ tn The pronoun “us” here is inclusive – it refers to the Philistine contingent on the one hand and Isaac on the other.

[26:28]  ⁶⁹ tn The pronoun “us” here is exclusive – it refers to just the Philistine contingent (the following “you” refers to Isaac).

[26:28]  ⁷⁰ tn The translation assumes that the cohortative expresses their request. Another option is to understand the cohortative as indicating resolve: “We want to make.’”

[26:29]  ⁷¹ tn The oath formula is used: “if you do us harm” means “so that you will not do.”

[26:29]  ⁷² tn Heb “touched.”

[26:29]  ⁷³ tn Heb “and just as we have done only good with you.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “and we sent you away.”

[26:29]  ⁷⁵ tn The Philistine leaders are making an observation, not pronouncing a blessing, so the translation reads “you are blessed” rather than “may you be blessed” (cf. NAB).

[26:30]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:30]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and they ate and drank.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “and they got up early and they swore an oath, a man to his brother.”

[26:31]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “and they went from him in peace.”

[26:32]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “and they said to him, ‘We have found water.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[26:33]  ⁸¹ sn The name Shibah (שִׁבְעָה, shiv’ah) means (or at least sounds like) the word meaning “oath.” The name was a reminder of the oath sworn by Isaac and the Philistines to solidify their treaty.

[26:33]  ⁸² sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, bÿ’er shava’) means “well of an oath” or “well of seven.” According to Gen 21:31 Abraham gave Beer Sheba its name when he made a treaty with the Philistines. Because of the parallels between this earlier story and the account in 26:26-33, some scholars see chaps. 21 and 26 as two versions (or doublets) of one original story. However, if one takes the text as it stands, it appears that Isaac made a later treaty agreement with the people of the land that was similar to his father’s. Abraham dug a well at the site and named the place Beer Sheba; Isaac dug another well there and named the well Shibah. Later generations then associated the name Beer Sheba with Isaac, even though Abraham gave the place its name at an earlier time.

[26:34]  ⁸³ tn The sentence begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making this clause subordinate to the next.

[26:34]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “the son of forty years.”

[26:34]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “took as a wife.”

[26:35]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “And they were [a source of ] bitterness in spirit to Isaac and to Rebekah.”

[6:2]  ⁸⁷ sn The Hebrew phrase translated “sons of God” (בְנֵי־הָאֱלֹהִים, bÿne-ha’elohim) occurs only here (Gen 6:2, 4) and in Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7. There are three major interpretations of the phrase here. (1) In the Book of Job the phrase clearly refers to angelic beings. In Gen 6 the “sons of God” are distinct from “humankind,” suggesting they were not human. This is consistent with the use of the phrase in Job. Since the passage speaks of these beings cohabiting with women, they must have taken physical form or possessed the bodies of men. An early Jewish tradition preserved in 1 En. 6-7 elaborates on this angelic revolt and even names the ringleaders. (2) Not all scholars accept the angelic interpretation of the “sons of God,” however. Some argue that the “sons of God” were members of Seth’s line, traced back to God through Adam in Gen 5, while the “daughters of humankind” were descendants of Cain. But, as noted above, the text distinguishes the “sons of God” from humankind (which would include the Sethites as well as the Cainites) and suggests that the “daughters of humankind” are human women in general, not just Cainites. (3) Others identify the “sons of God” as powerful tyrants, perhaps demon-possessed, who viewed themselves as divine and, following the example of Lamech (see Gen 4:19), practiced polygamy. But usage of the phrase “sons of God” in Job militates against this view. For literature on the subject see G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:135.

[6:16]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “a cubit.”

[6:16]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “to a cubit you shall finish it from above.” The idea is that Noah was to leave an 18-inch opening from the top for a window for light.

[10:15]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “fathered.”

[10:15]  ⁹¹ sn Sidon was the foremost city in Phoenicia; here Sidon may be the name of its founder.

[10:15]  ⁹² tn Some see a reference to “Hittites” here (cf. NIV), but this seems unlikely. See the note on the phrase “sons of Heth” in Gen 23:3.

[10:23]  ⁹³ tc The MT reads “Mash”; the LXX and 1 Chr 1:17 read “Meshech.”

[10:1]  ⁹⁴ tn The title אֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת (’elle tolÿdot, here translated as “This is the account”) here covers 10:1–11:9, which contains the so-called Table of Nations and the account of how the nations came to be dispersed.

[10:1]  ⁹⁵ sn Sons were born to them. A vertical genealogy such as this encompasses more than the names of sons. The list includes cities, tribes, and even nations. In a loose way, the names in the list have some derivation or connection to the three ancestors.

[10:1]  ⁹⁶ tn It appears that the Table of Nations is a composite of at least two ancient sources: Some sections begin with the phrase “the sons of” (בְּנֵי, bÿne) while other sections use “begot” (יָלָד, yalad). It may very well be that the “sons of” list was an old, “bare bones” list that was retained in the family records, while the “begot” sections were editorial inserts by the writer of Genesis, reflecting his special interests. See A. P. Ross, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Structure,” BSac 137 (1980): 340-53; idem, “The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 – Its Content,” BSac 138 (1981): 22-34.

[11:11]  ⁹⁷ tn The word “other” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[13:17]  ⁹⁸ tn The connective “and” is not present in the Hebrew text; it has been supplied for purposes of English style.

[13:17]  ⁹⁹ tn The Hitpael form הִתְהַלֵּךְ (hithallekh) means “to walk about”; it also can carry the ideas of moving about, traversing, going back and forth, or living in an area. It here has the connotation of traversing the land to survey it, to look it over.

[13:17]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “the land to its length and to its breadth.” This phrase has not been included in the translation because it is somewhat redundant (see the note on the word “throughout” in this verse).

[16:1]  ¹⁰¹ tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.

[16:1]  ¹⁰² sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.

[16:1]  ¹⁰³ tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.

[16:1]  ¹⁰⁴ sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)

[17:20]  ¹⁰⁵ sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20]  ¹⁰⁷ tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.

[18:3]  ¹⁰⁸ tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:18]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”

[18:18]  ¹¹¹ tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.

[18:18]  ¹¹² tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[19:23]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[19:28]  ¹¹⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[19:28]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[19:28]  ¹¹⁶ sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).

[19:28]  ¹¹⁷ sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.

[21:21]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[21:21]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:31]  ¹²⁰ tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western mss (D it). But the reading is so hard as to be nearly impossible. One can only suspect some tampering with the text, extreme carelessness on the part of the scribe, or possibly a recognition of the importance of not shaming one’s parent in public. (Any of these reasons is not improbable with this texttype, and with codex D in particular.) The other two major variants are more difficult to assess. Essentially, the responses make sense (the son who does his father’s will is the one who changes his mind after saying “no”): (2) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. But here, the first son is called the one who does his father’s will (unlike the Western reading). This is the reading found in (א) C L W (Z) 0102 0281 ˹ 33 Ï and several versional witnesses. (3) The first son says “yes” but does not go, and the second son says “no” but later has a change of heart. This is the reading found in B Θ Ë¹³ 700 and several versional witnesses. Both of these latter two readings make good sense and have significantly better textual support than the first reading. The real question, then, is this: Is the first son or the second the obedient one? If one were to argue simply from the parabolic logic, the second son would be seen as the obedient one (hence, the third reading). The first son would represent the Pharisees (or Jews) who claim to obey God, but do not (cf. Matt 23:3). This accords well with the parable of the prodigal son (in which the oldest son represents the unbelieving Jews). Further, the chronological sequence of the second son being obedient fits well with the real scene: Gentiles and tax collectors and prostitutes were not, collectively, God’s chosen people, but they did repent and come to God, while the Jewish leaders claimed to be obedient to God but did nothing. At the same time, the external evidence is weaker for this reading (though stronger than the first reading), not as widespread, and certainly suspect because of how neatly it fits. One suspects scribal manipulation at this point. Thus the second reading looks to be superior to the other two on both external and transcriptional grounds. But what about intrinsic evidence? One can surmise that Jesus didn’t always give predictable responses. In this instance, he may well have painted a picture in which the Pharisees saw themselves as the first son, only to stun them with his application (v. 32).

[21:31]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:31]  ¹²² sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.

[23:36]  ¹²³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[23:36]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “all these things will come on this generation.”

[24:2]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (ajpokriqei") is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[24:2]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[24:2]  ¹²⁷ sn With the statement not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in a.d. 70.

[24:2]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”

[24:34]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[24:34]  ¹³⁰ sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 30), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.

[24:47]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[24:47]  ¹³² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[25:12]  ¹³³ tn Grk “But answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[25:12]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[25:40]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[25:40]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[25:40]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here.

[25:45]  ¹³⁸ tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[25:45]  ¹³⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[26:13]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[3:28]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[3:28]  ¹⁴² tn Grk “all the sins and blasphemies they may speak will be forgiven the sons of men.”

[6:11]  ¹⁴³ sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.

[8:12]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[9:1]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[9:1]  ¹⁴⁶ tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.

[9:1]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).

[9:1]  ¹⁴⁸ sn Several suggestions have been made as to the referent for the phrase the kingdom of God come with power: (1) the transfiguration itself, which immediately follows in the narrative; (2) Jesus’ resurrection and ascension; (3) the coming of the Spirit; (4) Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of the kingdom. The reference to after six days in 9:2 seems to indicate that Mark had the transfiguration in mind insofar as it was a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom (although this interpretation is not without its problems). As such, the transfiguration was a tremendous confirmation to the disciples that even though Jesus had just finished speaking of his death (8:31; 9:31; 10:33), he was nonetheless the promised Messiah and things were proceeding according to God’s plan.

[9:41]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[9:41]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “in [the] name that of Christ you are.”

[9:41]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “bear the Messiah’s”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[10:15]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[10:15]  ¹⁵³ sn On receive see John 1:12.

[10:15]  ¹⁵⁴ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[10:15]  ¹⁵⁵ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

[10:29]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[11:23]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[12:43]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[12:43]  ¹⁵⁹ tn See the note on the term “offering box” in v. 41.

[12:43]  ¹⁶⁰ sn Has put more into the offering box than all the others. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.

[13:30]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[13:30]  ¹⁶² sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.

[14:9]  ¹⁶³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[14:18]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Grk “while they were reclined at the table.”

[14:18]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[14:18]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Or “will hand me over”; Grk “one of you will betray me, the one who eats with me.”

[14:25]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[14:25]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “the produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).

[14:30]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[4:24]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “said,” but since this is a continuation of previous remarks, “added” is used here.

[4:24]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[4:24]  ¹⁷² sn Jesus argues that he will get no respect in his own hometown. There is a wordplay here on the word acceptable (δεκτός, dektos), which also occurs in v. 19: Jesus has declared the “acceptable” year of the Lord (here translated year of the Lord’s favor), but he is not “accepted” by the people of his own hometown.

[11:51]  ¹⁷³ sn Gen 4:10 indicates that Abel’s blood cried out for justice.

[11:51]  ¹⁷⁴ sn It is not clear which Zechariah is meant here. It is probably the person mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-25.

[11:51]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Or “who perished.”

[11:51]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Or “and the temple”; Grk “and the house,” but in this context a reference to the house of God as a place of sanctuary.

[11:51]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “required from.”

[12:37]  ¹⁷⁸ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

[12:37]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Or “watching”; Grk “awake,” but in context this is not just being awake but alert and looking out.

[12:37]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[12:37]  ¹⁸¹ tn See v. 35 (same verb).

[12:37]  ¹⁸² tn Grk “have them recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

[12:37]  ¹⁸³ tn The participle παρελθών (parelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:37]  ¹⁸⁴ sn He…will come and wait on them is a reversal of expectation, but shows that what Jesus asks for he is willing to do as well; see John 13:5 and 15:18-27, although those instances merely foreshadow what is in view here.

[13:35]  ¹⁸⁵ sn Your house is forsaken. The language here is from Jer 12:7 and 22:5. It recalls exilic judgment.

[13:35]  ¹⁸⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 118:26. The judgment to come will not be lifted until the Lord returns. See Luke 19:41-44.

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁸ sn On receive see John 1:12.

[18:17]  ¹⁸⁹ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[18:17]  ¹⁹⁰ tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong.

[18:29]  ¹⁹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:29]  ¹⁹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29]  ¹⁹³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:29]  ¹⁹⁴ tn The term “brothers” could be understood as generic here, referring to either male or female siblings. However, it is noteworthy that in the parallel passages in both Matt 19:29 and Mark 10:29, “sisters” are explicitly mentioned in the Greek text.

[21:32]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:32]  ¹⁹⁶ sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (vv. 25-26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.

[23:43]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “he.”

[23:43]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[23:43]  ¹⁹⁹ sn Jesus gives more than the criminal asked for, because the blessing will come today, not in the future. He will be among the righteous. See the note on today in 2:11.

[23:43]  ²⁰⁰ sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. Here it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 and Ezek 36:35. In 2 Cor 12:4 it probably refers to the “third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2) as the place where God dwells.

[1:51]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “and he said to him.”

[1:51]  ²⁰² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[1:51]  ²⁰³ sn The title Son of Man appears 13 times in John’s Gospel. It is associated especially with the themes of crucifixion (3:14; 8:28), revelation (6:27; 6:53), and eschatological authority (5:27; 9:35). The title as used in John’s Gospel has for its background the son of man figure who appears in Dan 7:13-14 and is granted universal regal authority. Thus for the author, the emphasis in this title is not on Jesus’ humanity, but on his heavenly origin and divine authority.

[3:3]  ²⁰⁴ tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

[3:3]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[3:3]  ²⁰⁶ tn The word ἄνωθεν (anwqen) has a double meaning, either “again” (in which case it is synonymous with παλίν [palin]) or “from above” (BDAG 92 s.v. ἄνωθεν). This is a favorite technique of the author of the Fourth Gospel, and it is lost in almost all translations at this point. John uses the word 5 times, in 3:3, 7; 3:31; 19:11 and 23. In the latter 3 cases the context makes clear that it means “from above.” Here (3:3, 7) it could mean either, but the primary meaning intended by Jesus is “from above.” Nicodemus apparently understood it the other way, which explains his reply, “How can a man be born when he is old? He can’t enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” The author uses the technique of the “misunderstood question” often to bring out a particularly important point: Jesus says something which is misunderstood by the disciples or (as here) someone else, which then gives Jesus the opportunity to explain more fully and in more detail what he really meant.

[3:3]  ²⁰⁷ sn What does Jesus’ statement about not being able to see the kingdom of God mean within the framework of John’s Gospel? John uses the word kingdom (βασιλεία, basileia) only 5 times (3:3, 5; 18:36 [3x]). Only here is it qualified with the phrase of God. The fact that John does not stress the concept of the kingdom of God does not mean it is absent from his theology, however. Remember the messianic implications found in John 2, both the wedding and miracle at Cana and the cleansing of the temple. For Nicodemus, the term must surely have brought to mind the messianic kingdom which Messiah was supposed to bring. But Nicodemus had missed precisely this point about who Jesus was. It was the Messiah himself with whom Nicodemus was speaking. Whatever Nicodemus understood, it is clear that the point is this: He misunderstood Jesus’ words. He over-literalized them, and thought Jesus was talking about repeated physical birth, when he was in fact referring to new spiritual birth.

[3:5]  ²⁰⁸ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[3:5]  ²⁰⁹ tn Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [pneumatos], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”).

[3:11]  ²¹⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[3:11]  ²¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to show the contrast present in the context.

[3:11]  ²¹² tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in the translation to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than Nicodemus alone).

[3:11]  ²¹³ sn Note the remarkable similarity of Jesus’ testimony to the later testimony of the Apostle John himself in 1 John 1:2: “And we have seen and testify and report to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was revealed to us.” This is only one example of how thoroughly the author’s own thoughts were saturated with the words of Jesus (and also how difficult it is to distinguish the words of Jesus from the words of the author in the Fourth Gospel).

[5:19]  ²¹⁴ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[5:19]  ²¹⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:19]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “nothing from himself.”

[5:19]  ²¹⁷ tn Grk “that one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:19]  ²¹⁸ sn What works does the Son do likewise? The same that the Father does – and the same that the rabbis recognized as legitimate works of God on the Sabbath (see note on working in v. 17). (1) Jesus grants life (just as the Father grants life) on the Sabbath. But as the Father gives physical life on the Sabbath, so the Son grants spiritual life (John 5:21; note the “greater things” mentioned in v. 20). (2) Jesus judges (determines the destiny of people) on the Sabbath, just as the Father judges those who die on the Sabbath, because the Father has granted authority to the Son to judge (John 5:22-23). But this is not all. Not only has this power been granted to Jesus in the present; it will be his in the future as well. In v. 28 there is a reference not to spiritually dead (only) but also physically dead. At their resurrection they respond to the Son as well.

[5:24]  ²¹⁹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:24]  ²²⁰ tn Or “obeys.”

[5:24]  ²²¹ tn Or “word.”

[5:24]  ²²² tn Grk “and does not come into judgment.”

[5:25]  ²²³ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:25]  ²²⁴ tn Grk “an hour.”

[6:26]  ²²⁵ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[6:26]  ²²⁶ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[6:26]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “because you ate of the loaves of bread and were filled.”

[6:32]  ²²⁸ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[6:47]  ²²⁹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[6:47]  ²³⁰ tc Most witnesses (A C² D Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat and other versions) have “in me” (εἰς ἐμέ, eis eme) here, while the Sinaitic and Curetonian Syriac versions read “in God.” These clarifying readings are predictable variants, being motivated by the scribal tendency toward greater explicitness. That the earliest and best witnesses (Ì^66,75vid א B C* L T W Θ 892 pc) lack any object is solid testimony to the shorter text’s authenticity.

[6:47]  ²³¹ tn Compare John 6:40.

[6:53]  ²³² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[6:53]  ²³³ sn Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. These words are at the heart of the discourse on the Bread of Life, and have created great misunderstanding among interpreters. Anyone who is inclined toward a sacramental viewpoint will almost certainly want to take these words as a reference to the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist, because of the reference to eating and drinking. But this does not automatically follow: By anyone’s definition there must be a symbolic element to the eating which Jesus speaks of in the discourse, and once this is admitted, it is better to understand it here, as in the previous references in the passage, to a personal receiving of (or appropriation of) Christ and his work.

[6:53]  ²³⁴ tn That is, “no eternal life” (as opposed to physical life).

[8:34]  ²³⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:34]  ²³⁶ tn Or “who commits.” This could simply be translated, “everyone who sins,” but the Greek is more emphatic, using the participle ποιῶν (poiwn) in a construction with πᾶς (pas), a typical Johannine construction. Here repeated, continuous action is in view. The one whose lifestyle is characterized by repeated, continuous sin is a slave to sin. That one is not free; sin has enslaved him. To break free from this bondage requires outside (divine) intervention. Although the statement is true at the general level (the person who continually practices a lifestyle of sin is enslaved to sin) the particular sin of the Jewish authorities, repeatedly emphasized in the Fourth Gospel, is the sin of unbelief. The present tense in this instance looks at the continuing refusal on the part of the Jewish leaders to acknowledge who Jesus is, in spite of mounting evidence.

[8:34]  ²³⁷ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[8:51]  ²³⁸ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:51]  ²³⁹ tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”

[8:51]  ²⁴⁰ tn Grk “my word.”

[8:51]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “he will never see death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.

[8:58]  ²⁴² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:58]  ²⁴³ tn Grk “before Abraham was.”

[8:58]  ²⁴⁴ sn I am! is an explicit claim to deity. Although each occurrence of the phrase “I am” in the Fourth Gospel needs to be examined individually in context to see if an association with Exod 3:14 is present, it seems clear that this is the case here (as the response of the Jewish authorities in the following verse shows).

[10:1]  ²⁴⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[10:1]  ²⁴⁶ sn There was more than one type of sheepfold in use in Palestine in Jesus’ day. The one here seems to be a courtyard in front of a house (the Greek word used for the sheepfold here, αὐλή [aulh] frequently refers to a courtyard), surrounded by a stone wall (often topped with briars for protection).

[10:1]  ²⁴⁷ tn Or “entrance.”

[10:7]  ²⁴⁸ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[10:7]  ²⁴⁹ tn Or “I am the sheep’s door.”

[12:24]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[12:24]  ²⁵¹ tn Or “it remains only a single kernel.”

[12:24]  ²⁵² tn Or “bears.”

[12:24]  ²⁵³ tn Grk “much fruit.”

[13:16]  ²⁵⁴ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[13:16]  ²⁵⁵ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[13:16]  ²⁵⁶ tn Or “nor is the apostle” (“apostle” means “one who is sent” in Greek).

[13:20]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[13:20]  ²⁵⁸ tn Or “receives,” and so throughout this verse.

[13:20]  ²⁵⁹ sn The one who sent me refers to God.

[13:21]  ²⁶⁰ tn Or “greatly troubled.”

[13:21]  ²⁶¹ tn Grk “and testified and said.”

[13:21]  ²⁶² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[13:21]  ²⁶³ tn Or “will hand me over.”

[13:38]  ²⁶⁴ tn Or “Will you die willingly for me?”

[13:38]  ²⁶⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[14:12]  ²⁶⁶ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[14:12]  ²⁶⁷ tn Or “will do.”

[14:12]  ²⁶⁸ tn Grk “the works.”

[14:12]  ²⁶⁹ tn Or “that I do.”

[14:12]  ²⁷⁰ tn Or “will do.”

[14:12]  ²⁷¹ tn Grk “greater works.”

[16:20]  ²⁷² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[16:20]  ²⁷³ tn Or “wail,” “cry.”

[16:20]  ²⁷⁴ tn Or “lament.”

[16:20]  ²⁷⁵ tn Or “sorrowful.”

[16:20]  ²⁷⁶ tn Grk “will become.”

[16:23]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “And in that day.”

[16:23]  ²⁷⁸ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[16:23]  ²⁷⁹ sn This statement is also found in John 15:16.

[21:18]  ²⁸⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[21:18]  ²⁸¹ tn Or “you girded yourself.”

[21:18]  ²⁸² tn Grk “others will gird you.”