Matthew 10:23

10:23 Whenever ¹  they persecute you in one place, ²  flee to another. I tell you the truth, ³  you will not finish going through all the towns ⁴  of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Psalms 37:12

37:12 Evil men plot against the godly ⁵ 

and viciously attack them. ⁶ 

Mark 10:30

10:30 who will not receive in this age ⁷  a hundred times as much – homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, fields, all with persecutions ⁸  – and in the age to come, eternal life. ⁹ 

Luke 6:22

6:22 “Blessed are you when people ¹⁰  hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil ¹¹  on account of the Son of Man!

Luke 21:12

21:12 But before all this, ¹²  they will seize ¹³  you and persecute you, handing you over to the synagogues ¹⁴  and prisons. You ¹⁵  will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.

John 15:20

15:20 Remember what ¹⁶  I told you, ‘A slave ¹⁷  is not greater than his master.’ ¹⁸  If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed ¹⁹  my word, they will obey ²⁰  yours too.

Acts 5:40

5:40 and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. ²¹  Then ²²  they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

Acts 8:1

8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing ²³  him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great ²⁴  persecution began ²⁵  against the church in Jerusalem, ²⁶  and all ²⁷  except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions ²⁸  of Judea and Samaria.

Romans 8:35-39

8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will trouble, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ²⁹  8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we encounter death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁰  8:37 No, in all these things we have complete victory ³¹  through him ³²  who loved us! 8:38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor heavenly rulers, ³³  nor things that are present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1

The Believer’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ³⁴ 

Colossians 4:9-13

4:9 I sent him ³⁵  with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. ³⁶  They will tell ³⁷  you about everything here.

4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him). 4:11 And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts, ³⁸  these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave ³⁹  of Christ, ⁴⁰  greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured ⁴¹  in all the will of God. 4:13 For I can testify that he has worked hard ⁴²  for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

Colossians 4:2

Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission

4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:8-12

4:8 I sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are doing ⁴³  and that he may encourage your hearts. 4:9 I sent him ⁴⁴  with Onesimus, the faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. ⁴⁵  They will tell ⁴⁶  you about everything here.

4:10 Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him). 4:11 And Jesus who is called Justus also sends greetings. In terms of Jewish converts, ⁴⁷  these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave ⁴⁸  of Christ, ⁴⁹  greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured ⁵⁰  in all the will of God.

Colossians 4:17

4:17 And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”

Philippians 1:28

1:28 and by not being intimidated in any way by your opponents. This is ⁵¹  a sign of their ⁵²  destruction, but of your salvation – a sign which ⁵³  is from God.

Philippians 1:2

1:2 Grace and peace to you ⁵⁴  from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Philippians 2:12

Lights in the World

2:12 So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, continue working out your salvation with awe and reverence, ⁵⁵ 

Philippians 2:2

2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, ⁵⁶  by having the same love, being united in spirit, ⁵⁷  and having one purpose.

Philippians 3:11

3:11 and so, somehow, ⁵⁸  to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

James 1:2-5

Joy in Trials

1:2 My brothers and sisters, ⁵⁹  consider it nothing but joy ⁶⁰  when you fall into all sorts of trials, 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

James 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From James, ⁶¹  a slave ⁶²  of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. ⁶³  Greetings!

James 3:13-14

True Wisdom

3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings. ⁶⁴  3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfishness in your hearts, do not boast and tell lies against the truth.

James 4:12-16

4:12 But there is only one who is lawgiver and judge – the one who is able to save and destroy. On the other hand, who are you to judge your neighbor? ⁶⁵ 

4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town ⁶⁶  and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” 4:14 You ⁶⁷  do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? ⁶⁸  For you are a puff of smoke ⁶⁹  that appears for a short time and then vanishes. 4:15 You ought to say instead, ⁷⁰  “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.” 4:16 But as it is, ⁷¹  you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.

James 4:1

Passions and Pride

4:1 Where do the conflicts and where ⁷²  do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, ⁷³  from your passions that battle inside you? ⁷⁴ 

James 3:12

3:12 Can a fig tree produce olives, my brothers and sisters, ⁷⁵  or a vine produce figs? Neither can a salt water spring produce fresh water.

Revelation 2:10

2:10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown ⁷⁶  into prison so you may be tested, ⁷⁷  and you will experience suffering ⁷⁸  for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself. ⁷⁹ 

[10:23]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[10:23]  ² tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.”

[10:23]  ³ tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn) I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.

[10:23]  ⁴ tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.” “Town” was chosen here to emphasize the extensive nature of the disciples’ ministry. The same word is translated earlier in the verse as “place.”

[37:12]  ⁵ tn Or “innocent.” The singular is used here in a representative sense; the typical evildoer and the typical godly individual are in view.

[37:12]  ⁶ tn Heb “and gnashes at him with his teeth” (see Ps 35:16). The language may picture the evil men as wild animals. The active participles in v. 12 are used for purposes of dramatic description.

[10:30]  ⁷ tn Grk “this time” (καιρός, kairos), but for stylistic reasons this has been translated “this age” here.

[10:30]  ⁸ tn Grk “with persecutions.” The “all” has been supplied to clarify that the prepositional phrase belongs not just to the “fields.”

[10:30]  ⁹ sn Note that Mark (see also Matt 19:29; Luke 10:25, 18:30) portrays eternal life as something one receives in the age to come, unlike John, who emphasizes the possibility of receiving eternal life in the present (John 5:24).

[6:22]  ¹⁰ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[6:22]  ¹¹ tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.

[21:12]  ¹² sn But before all this. Another note of timing is present, this one especially important in understanding the sequence in the discourse. Before the things noted in vv. 8-11 are the events of vv. 12-19.

[21:12]  ¹³ tn Grk “will lay their hands on you.”

[21:12]  ¹⁴ sn Some of the persecution is of Jewish origin (the synagogues). Some fulfillment of this can be seen in Acts. See the note on synagogues in 4:15.

[21:12]  ¹⁵ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:20]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Remember the word that I said to you.”

[15:20]  ¹⁷ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[15:20]  ¹⁸ sn A slave is not greater than his master. Jesus now recalled a statement he had made to the disciples before, in John 13:16. As the master has been treated, so will the slaves be treated also. If the world had persecuted Jesus, then it would also persecute the disciples. If the world had kept Jesus’ word, it would likewise keep the word of the disciples. In this statement there is the implication that the disciples would carry on the ministry of Jesus after his departure; they would in their preaching and teaching continue to spread the message which Jesus himself had taught while he was with them. And they would meet with the same response, by and large, that he encountered.

[15:20]  ¹⁹ tn Or “if they kept.”

[15:20]  ²⁰ tn Or “they will keep.”

[5:40]  ²¹ sn Had them beaten. The punishment was the “forty lashes minus one,” see also Acts 22:19; 2 Cor 11:24; Mark 13:9. The apostles had disobeyed the religious authorities and took their punishment for their “disobedience” (Deut 25:2-3; m. Makkot 3:10-14). In Acts 4:18 they were warned. Now they are beaten. The hostility is rising as the narrative unfolds.

[5:40]  ²² tn The word “Then” is supplied as the beginning of a new sentence in the translation. The construction in Greek has so many clauses (most of them made up of participles) that a continuous English sentence would be very awkward.

[8:1]  ²³ tn The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesi") can refer to murder (BDAG 64 s.v.; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, Ant. 5.2.12 [5.165]).

[8:1]  ²⁴ tn Or “severe.”

[8:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”

[8:1]  ²⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:1]  ²⁷ sn All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6-8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.

[8:1]  ²⁸ tn Or “countryside.”

[8:35]  ²⁹ tn Here “sword” is a metonymy that includes both threats of violence and acts of violence, even including death (although death is not necessarily the only thing in view here).

[8:36]  ³⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 44:22.

[8:37]  ³¹ tn BDAG 1034 s.v. ὑπερνικάω states, “as a heightened form of νικᾶν prevail completely ὑπερνικῶμεν we are winning a most glorious victory Ro 8:37.”

[8:37]  ³² tn Here the referent could be either God or Christ, but in v. 39 it is God’s love that is mentioned.

[8:38]  ³³ tn BDAG 138 s.v. ἀρχή 6 takes this term as a reference to angelic or transcendent powers (as opposed to merely human rulers). To clarify this, the adjective “heavenly” has been supplied in the translation. Some interpreters see this as a reference to fallen angels or demonic powers, and this view is reflected in some recent translations (NIV, NLT).

[8:1]  ³⁴ tc The earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts, as well as a few others (א* B D* F G 6 1506 1739 1881 pc co), have no additional words for v. 1. Later scribes (A D¹ Ψ 81 365 629 pc vg) added the words μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν (mh kata sarka peripatousin, “who do not walk according to the flesh”), while even later ones (א² D² 33^vid Ï) added ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα (alla kata pneuma, “but [who do walk] according to the Spirit”). Both the external evidence and the internal evidence are compelling for the shortest reading. The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace. The KJV follows the longest reading found in Ï.

[4:9]  ³⁵ tn The Greek sentence continues v. 9 with the phrase “with Onesimus,” but this is awkward in English, so the verb “I sent” was inserted and a new sentence started at the beginning of v. 9 in the translation.

[4:9]  ³⁶ tn Grk “is of you.”

[4:9]  ³⁷ tn Grk “will make known to you.” This has been simplified in the translation to “will tell.”

[4:11]  ³⁸ tn Grk “those of the circumcision.” The verse as a whole is difficult to translate because it is unclear whether Paul is saying (1) that the only people working with him are Jewish converts at the time the letter is being written or previously, or (2) that Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus Justus were the only Jewish Christians who ever worked with him. Verses 12-14 appear to indicate that Luke and Demas, who were Gentiles, were also working currently with Paul. This is the view adopted in the translation. See M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 207-8.

[4:12]  ³⁹ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[4:12]  ⁴⁰ tc ‡ Strong Alexandrian testimony, along with some other witnesses, suggests that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) follows Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “Christ”; so א A B C I L 0278 33 81 365 629 1175 2464 al lat), but the evidence for the shorter reading is diverse (Ì⁴⁶ D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï it sy Hier), cutting across all major texttypes. There can be little motivation for omitting the name of Jesus; hence, the shorter reading is judged to be original. NA²⁷ has ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[4:12]  ⁴¹ tn Or “filled.”

[4:13]  ⁴² tn Grk “pain.” This word appears only three times in the NT outside of this verse (Rev 16:10, 11; 21:4) where the translation “pain” makes sense. For the present verse it has been translated “worked hard.” See BDAG 852 s.v. πόνος 1.

[4:8]  ⁴³ tn Grk “the things concerning us.”

[4:9]  ⁴⁴ tn The Greek sentence continues v. 9 with the phrase “with Onesimus,” but this is awkward in English, so the verb “I sent” was inserted and a new sentence started at the beginning of v. 9 in the translation.

[4:9]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “is of you.”

[4:9]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “will make known to you.” This has been simplified in the translation to “will tell.”

[4:11]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “those of the circumcision.” The verse as a whole is difficult to translate because it is unclear whether Paul is saying (1) that the only people working with him are Jewish converts at the time the letter is being written or previously, or (2) that Aristarchus, Mark, and Jesus Justus were the only Jewish Christians who ever worked with him. Verses 12-14 appear to indicate that Luke and Demas, who were Gentiles, were also working currently with Paul. This is the view adopted in the translation. See M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 207-8.

[4:12]  ⁴⁸ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[4:12]  ⁴⁹ tc ‡ Strong Alexandrian testimony, along with some other witnesses, suggests that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) follows Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “Christ”; so א A B C I L 0278 33 81 365 629 1175 2464 al lat), but the evidence for the shorter reading is diverse (Ì⁴⁶ D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï it sy Hier), cutting across all major texttypes. There can be little motivation for omitting the name of Jesus; hence, the shorter reading is judged to be original. NA²⁷ has ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[4:12]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “filled.”

[1:28]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “which is,” continuing the sentence begun in v. 27.

[1:28]  ⁵² tn Grk “to them.”

[1:28]  ⁵³ tn Grk “this.” The pronoun refers back to “a sign”; thus these words have been repeated for clarity.

[1:2]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”

[2:12]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “with fear and trembling.” The Greek words φόβος and τρόμος both imply fear in a negative sense (L&N 25.251 and 16.6 respectively) while the former can also refer to respect and awe for deity (L&N 53.59). Paul’s use of the terms in other contexts refers to “awe and reverence in the presence of God” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 284; see discussion on 282-84). The translation “awe and reverence” was chosen to portray the attitude the believer should have toward God as they consider their behavior in light of God working through Jesus Christ (2:6-11) and in the believer’s life (2:13) to accomplish their salvation.

[2:2]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”

[2:2]  ⁵⁷ tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).

[3:11]  ⁵⁸ tn On εἰ πῶς (ei pws) as “so, somehow” see BDAG 279, s.v. εἰ 6.n.

[1:2]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred.

[1:2]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”

[1:1]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁶² tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ⁶³ tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.

[3:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “works in the gentleness of wisdom.”

[4:12]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “who judges your neighbor.”

[4:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “city.”

[4:14]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “who” (continuing the description of the people of v. 13). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[4:14]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”

[4:14]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “a vapor.” The Greek word ἀτμίς (atmis) denotes a swirl of smoke arising from a fire (cf. Gen 19:28; Lev 16:13; Joel 2:30 [Acts 2:19]; Ezek 8:11).

[4:15]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “instead of your saying.”

[4:16]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “but now.”

[4:1]  ⁷² tn The word “where” is repeated in Greek for emphasis.

[4:1]  ⁷³ tn Grk “from here.”

[4:1]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “in your members [i.e., parts of the body].”

[3:12]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[2:10]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “is about to throw some of you,” but the force is causative in context.

[2:10]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “tempted.”

[2:10]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “experience persecution,” “will be in distress” (see L&N 22.2).

[2:10]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “crown of life,” with the genitive “of life” (τῆς ζωῆς, th" zwh") functioning in apposition to “crown” (στέφανον, stefanon): “the crown that consists of life.”