John 5:44

5:44 How can you believe, if you accept praise ¹  from one another and don’t seek the praise ²  that comes from the only God? ³ 

John 7:17

7:17 If anyone wants to do God’s will, ⁴  he will know about my teaching, whether it is from God or whether I speak from my own authority. ⁵ 

John 8:44-45

8:44 You people ⁶  are from ⁷  your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. ⁸  He ⁹  was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, ¹⁰  because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, ¹¹  he speaks according to his own nature, ¹²  because he is a liar and the father of lies. ¹³  8:45 But because I am telling you ¹⁴  the truth, you do not believe me.

John 10:26-27

10:26 But you refuse to believe because you are not my sheep. 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

John 12:43

12:43 For they loved praise ¹⁵  from men more than praise ¹⁶  from God.

Isaiah 30:9-12

30:9 For these are rebellious people –

they are lying children,

children unwilling to obey the Lord’s law. ¹⁷ 

30:10 They ¹⁸  say to the visionaries, “See no more visions!”

and to the seers, “Don’t relate messages to us about what is right! ¹⁹ 

Tell us nice things,

relate deceptive messages. ²⁰ 

30:11 Turn aside from the way,

stray off the path. ²¹ 

Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.” ²² 

30:12 For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected this message; ²³ 

you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick, ²⁴ 

and rely on that kind of behavior. ²⁵ 

Luke 16:14

More Warnings about the Pharisees

16:14 The Pharisees ²⁶  (who loved money) heard all this and ridiculed ²⁷  him.

Acts 24:21-26

24:21 other than ²⁸  this one thing ²⁹  I shouted out while I stood before ³⁰  them: ‘I am on trial before you today concerning the resurrection of the dead.’” ³¹ 

24:22 Then Felix, ³²  who understood the facts ³³  concerning the Way ³⁴  more accurately, ³⁵  adjourned their hearing, ³⁶  saying, “When Lysias the commanding officer comes down, I will decide your case.” ³⁷  24:23 He ordered the centurion ³⁸  to guard Paul, ³⁹  but to let him have some freedom, ⁴⁰  and not to prevent any of his friends ⁴¹  from meeting his needs. ⁴² 

Paul Speaks Repeatedly to Felix

24:24 Some days later, when Felix ⁴³  arrived with his wife Drusilla, ⁴⁴  who was Jewish, he sent for Paul and heard him speak ⁴⁵  about faith in Christ Jesus. ⁴⁶  24:25 While Paul ⁴⁷  was discussing ⁴⁸  righteousness, self-control, ⁴⁹  and the coming judgment, Felix ⁵⁰  became ⁵¹  frightened and said, “Go away for now, and when I have an opportunity, ⁵²  I will send for you.” 24:26 At the same time he was also hoping that Paul would give him money, ⁵³  and for this reason he sent for Paul ⁵⁴  as often as possible ⁵⁵  and talked ⁵⁶  with him.

Romans 2:8

2:8 but ⁵⁷  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ⁵⁸  and do not obey the truth but follow ⁵⁹  unrighteousness.

Romans 2:1

The Condemnation of the Moralist

2:1 ⁶⁰ Therefore ⁶¹  you are without excuse, ⁶²  whoever you are, ⁶³  when you judge someone else. ⁶⁴  For on whatever grounds ⁶⁵  you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

Romans 2:8

2:8 but ⁶⁶  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ⁶⁷  and do not obey the truth but follow ⁶⁸  unrighteousness.

Romans 2:2

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ⁶⁹  against those who practice such things.

Romans 3:3

3:3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?

[5:44]  ¹ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

[5:44]  ² tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

[5:44]  ³ tc Several early and important witnesses (Ì^66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (qeou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some important mss, has the name ({א A D L Θ Ψ 33 Ï}). Internally, it could be argued that the name of God was not used here, in keeping with the NT practice of suppressing the name of God at times for rhetorical effect, drawing the reader inexorably to the conclusion that the one being spoken of is God himself. On the other hand, never is ὁ μόνος (Jo mono") used absolutely in the NT (i.e., without a noun or substantive with it), and always the subject of the adjunct is God (cf. Matt 24:36; John 17:3; 1 Tim 6:16). What then is to explain the shorter reading? In uncial script, with θεοῦ written as a nomen sacrum, envisioning accidental omission of the name by way of homoioteleuton requires little imagination, largely because of the succession of words ending in -ου: toumonouqMuou. It is thus preferable to retain the word in the text.

[7:17]  ⁴ tn Grk “his will.”

[7:17]  ⁵ tn Grk “or whether I speak from myself.”

[8:44]  ⁶ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify that the Greek pronoun and verb are plural.

[8:44]  ⁷ tn Many translations read “You are of your father the devil” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB) or “You belong to your father, the devil” (NIV), but the Greek preposition ἐκ (ek) emphasizes the idea of source or origin. Jesus said his opponents were the devil’s very offspring (a statement which would certainly infuriate them).

[8:44]  ⁸ tn Grk “the desires of your father you want to do.”

[8:44]  ⁹ tn Grk “That one” (referring to the devil).

[8:44]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “he does not stand in the truth” (in the sense of maintaining, upholding, or accepting the validity of it).

[8:44]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Whenever he speaks the lie.”

[8:44]  ¹² tn Grk “he speaks from his own.”

[8:44]  ¹³ tn Grk “because he is a liar and the father of it.”

[8:45]  ¹⁴ tn Or “because I tell you.”

[12:43]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “the glory.”

[12:43]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the glory.”

[30:9]  ¹⁷ tn Or perhaps, “instruction” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); NCV, TEV “teachings.”

[30:10]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “who” (so NASB, NRSV). A new sentence was started here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:10]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “Do not see for us right things.”

[30:10]  ²⁰ tn Heb “Tell us smooth things, see deceptive things.”

[30:11]  ²¹ sn The imagery refers to the way or path of truth, as revealed by God to the prophet.

[30:11]  ²² sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[30:12]  ²³ tn The sentence actually begins with the word “because.” In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.

[30:12]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and you trust in oppression and cunning.”

[30:12]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and you lean on it”; NAB “and depend on it.”

[16:14]  ²⁶ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[16:14]  ²⁷ tn A figurative extension of the literal meaning “to turn one’s nose up at someone”; here “ridicule, sneer at, show contempt for” (L&N 33.409).

[24:21]  ²⁸ tn BDAG 433 s.v. ἤ 2.c has “οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἤ nothing else than…Ac 17:21. τί…ἤ what other…than…24:21.”

[24:21]  ²⁹ tn Grk “one utterance.”

[24:21]  ³⁰ tn Cf. BDAG 327 s.v. ἐν 1.e, which has “before, in the presence of, etc.”

[24:21]  ³¹ sn The resurrection of the dead. Paul’s point was, what crime was there in holding this religious belief?

[24:22]  ³² sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:22]  ³³ tn Grk “the things.”

[24:22]  ³⁴ tn That is, concerning Christianity.

[24:22]  ³⁵ tn BDAG 39 s.v. ἀκριβῶς has “Comp. ἀκριβέστερον more exactly…ἀ. ἐκτίθεσθαι explain more exactly Ac 18:26, cp. 23:15, 20; also more accurately…24:22.” Felix knew more about the Christian movement than what the Jewish leaders had told him.

[24:22]  ³⁶ tn L&N 56.18 s.v. ἀναβάλλω has “to adjourn a court proceeding until a later time – ‘to adjourn a hearing, to stop a hearing and put it off until later.’…‘then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, adjourned their hearing’ Ac 24:22.”

[24:22]  ³⁷ tn BDAG 227 s.v. διαγινώσκω 2 states, “to make a judicial decision, decide/hear (a case)…τὰ καθ᾿ ὑμᾶς decide your case Ac 24:22.”

[24:23]  ³⁸ sn See the note on the word centurion in 10:1.

[24:23]  ³⁹ tn Grk “that he was to be guarded.” The passive construction (τηρεῖσθαι, threisqai) has been converted to an active one in parallel with the following clauses, and the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:23]  ⁴⁰ tn BDAG 77 s.v. ἄνεσις 1 states, “lit. relaxation of custodial control, some liberty, ἀ. ἔχειν have some freedom Ac 24:23.”

[24:23]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “any of his own” (this could also refer to relatives).

[24:23]  ⁴² tn Grk “from serving him.”

[24:24]  ⁴³ sn See the note on Antonius Felix in 23:24.

[24:24]  ⁴⁴ sn It is possible that Drusilla, being Jewish, was the source of Felix’s knowledge about the new movement called Christianity. The youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I and sister of Agrippa II, she would have been close to 20 years old at the time. She had married the king of a small region in Syria but divorced him at the age of 16 to marry Felix. This was her second marriage and Felix’s third (Josephus, Ant. 19.9.1 [19.354], 20.7.2 [20.141-144]). As a member of Herod’s family, she probably knew about the Way.

[24:24]  ⁴⁵ tn The word “speak” is implied; BDAG 32 s.v. ἀκούω 1.c has “ἤκουσεν αὐτοῦ περὶ τῆς…πίστεως he heard him speak about faith Ac 24:24.”

[24:24]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “Messiah Jesus”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:25]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:25]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “speaking about.”

[24:25]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “and self-control.” This καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[24:25]  ⁵⁰ sn See the note on Felix in 23:26.

[24:25]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “becoming.” The participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[24:25]  ⁵² tn Or “when I find time.” BDAG 639 s.v. μεταλαμβάνω 2 has “καιρὸν μ. have an opportunity = find time…Ac 24:25.”

[24:26]  ⁵³ tn Grk “he was hoping that money would be given to him by Paul.” To simplify the translation, the passive construction has been converted to an active one.

[24:26]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[24:26]  ⁵⁵ tn “As often as possible” reflects the comparative form of the adjective πυκνός (puknos); see BDAG 897 s.v. πυκνός, which has “Neut. of the comp. πυκνότερον as adv. more often, more frequently and in an elative sense very often, quite frequently…also as often as possible…Ac 24:26.”

[24:26]  ⁵⁶ tn On this term, which could mean “conferred with him,” see BDAG 705 s.v. ὁμιλέω.

[2:8]  ⁵⁷ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:8]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

[2:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

[2:1]  ⁶⁰ sn Rom 2:1-29 presents unusual difficulties for the interpreter. There have been several major approaches to the chapter and the group(s) it refers to: (1) Rom 2:14 refers to Gentile Christians, not Gentiles who obey the Jewish law. (2) Paul in Rom 2 is presenting a hypothetical viewpoint: If anyone could obey the law, that person would be justified, but no one can. (3) The reference to “the ones who do the law” in 2:13 are those who “do” the law in the right way, on the basis of faith, not according to Jewish legalism. (4) Rom 2:13 only speaks about Christians being judged in the future, along with such texts as Rom 14:10 and 2 Cor 5:10. (5) Paul’s material in Rom 2 is drawn heavily from Diaspora Judaism, so that the treatment of the law presented here cannot be harmonized with other things Paul says about the law elsewhere (E. P. Sanders, Paul, the Law, and the Jewish People, 123); another who sees Rom 2 as an example of Paul’s inconsistency in his treatment of the law is H. Räisänen, Paul and the Law [WUNT], 101-9. (6) The list of blessings and curses in Deut 27–30 provide the background for Rom 2; the Gentiles of 2:14 are Gentile Christians, but the condemnation of Jews in 2:17-24 addresses the failure of Jews as a nation to keep the law as a whole (A. Ito, “Romans 2: A Deuteronomistic Reading,” JSNT 59 [1995]: 21-37).

[2:1]  ⁶¹ tn Some interpreters (e.g., C. K. Barrett, Romans [HNTC], 43) connect the inferential Διό (dio, “therefore”) with 1:32a, treating 1:32b as a parenthetical comment by Paul.

[2:1]  ⁶² tn That is, “you have nothing to say in your own defense” (so translated by TCNT).

[2:1]  ⁶³ tn Grk “O man.”

[2:1]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “Therefore, you are without excuse, O man, everyone [of you] who judges.”

[2:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “in/by (that) which.”

[2:8]  ⁶⁶ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:8]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

[2:8]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

[2:2]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “based on truth.”