The Song of Songs 2:11-12

2:11 Look! The winter has passed,

the winter rains are over and gone.

2:12 The pomegranates have appeared ¹  in the land,

the time for pruning and singing ²  has come;

the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

Isaiah 9:2

9:2 (9:1) The people walking in darkness

see a bright light; ³ 

light shines

on those who live in a land of deep darkness. ⁴ 

Isaiah 60:1-3

Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!

The splendor ⁵  of the Lord shines on you!

60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth

and deep darkness covers ⁶  the nations,

but the Lord shines on you;

his splendor ⁷  appears over you.

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

Matthew 4:16

4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” ⁸ 

Luke 1:79

1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, ⁹ 

to guide our feet into the way ¹⁰  of peace.”

John 12:46

12:46 I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness.

Acts 17:30

17:30 Therefore, although God has overlooked ¹¹  such times of ignorance, ¹²  he now commands all people ¹³  everywhere to repent, ¹⁴ 

Acts 26:18

26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ¹⁵  from darkness to light and from the power ¹⁶  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ¹⁷  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Romans 13:12

13:12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light.

Romans 13:2

13:2 So the person who resists such authority ¹⁸  resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment

Colossians 4:4-6

4:4 Pray that I may make it known as I should. ¹⁹  4:5 Conduct yourselves ²⁰  with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities. 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

Ephesians 5:8

5:8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are ²¹  light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light –

Ephesians 5:1

Live in Love

5:1 Therefore, be ²²  imitators of God as dearly loved children

Ephesians 5:5-8

5:5 For you can be confident of this one thing: ²³  that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Live in the Light

5:6 Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. ²⁴  5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them, ²⁵  5:8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are ²⁶  light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light –

[2:12]  ¹ tn Heb “are seen.”

[2:12]  ² tn Alternately, “the time of singing” or “the time of pruning.” The homonymic root זָמִיר (zamir) means “song, singing” (HALOT 273 s.v. I זָמִיר; DCH 3:117 s.v. זָמִיר a), while זָמִיר II means “pruning, trimming” (HALOT 273 s.v. II; DCH 3:117 s.v. II). The intended root is debated among the ancient versions (LXX, Aquila, Symmachus, Vulgate, Targum), Hebrew lexicographers (HALOT 273; DCH 3:117), and translations: “singing” (KJV, NIV, NASB margin, NJPS margin), “pruning” (NASB, NJPS). However, rather than choosing between these two roots, it is likely that this is an example of intentional ambiguity. The preceding line draws out the meaning of זָמִיר (“trimming, pruning”): “The pomegranates are seen in the land, the time of pruning has come.” The following line draws out the meaning of זָמִיר (“singing”): “The time of singing has come, the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land.” This homonymic wordplay creates an example of “janus parallelism” between the three poetic lines which play off both root meanings of the intentionally ambiguous homonym. This elegant wordplay and the AB:BA “janus parallelism” may be represented thus: “The pomegranates are seen in the land, the time has come for pruning // singing, the voice of the turtledove is heard in the land.”

[9:2]  ³ sn The darkness symbolizes judgment and its effects (see 8:22); the light represents deliverance and its effects, brought about by the emergence of a conquering Davidic king (see vv. 3-6).

[9:2]  ⁴ tn Traditionally צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmavet) has been interpreted as a compound noun, meaning “shadow of death” (so KJV, ASV, NIV), but usage indicates that the word, though it sometimes refers to death, means “darkness.” The term should probably be repointed as an abstract noun צַלְמוּת (tsalmut). See the note at Ps 23:4.

[60:1]  ⁵ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).

[60:2]  ⁶ tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[60:2]  ⁷ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”

[4:16]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.

[1:79]  ⁹ sn On the phrases who sit in darkness…and…death see Isa 9:1-2; 42:7; 49:9-10.

[1:79]  ¹⁰ tn Or “the path.”

[17:30]  ¹¹ tn Or “has deliberately paid no attention to.”

[17:30]  ¹² tn Or “times when people did not know.”

[17:30]  ¹³ tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).

[17:30]  ¹⁴ sn He now commands all people everywhere to repent. God was now asking all mankind to turn to him. No nation or race was excluded.

[26:18]  ¹⁵ sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ¹⁶ tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ¹⁷ tn Or “and an inheritance.”

[13:2]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.

[4:4]  ¹⁹ tn The phrase begins with the ἵνα (Jina) clause and is subordinate to the imperative προσκαρτερεῖτε (proskartereite) in v. 2. The reference to the idea that Paul must make it known indicates that this clause is probably best viewed as purpose and not content, like the ἵνα of v. 3. It is the second purpose stated in the context; the first is expressed through the infinitive λαλῆσαι (lalhsai) in v. 3. The term “pray” at the beginning of the sentence is intended to pick up the imperative of v. 3.

[4:5]  ²⁰ tn Grk “walk.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is a common NT idiom for one’s lifestyle, behavior, or manner of conduct (L&N 41.11).

[5:8]  ²¹ tn The verb “you are” is implied in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to make it clear.

[5:1]  ²² tn Or “become.”

[5:5]  ²³ tn Grk “be knowing this.” See also 2 Pet 1:20 for a similar phrase: τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες (touto prwton ginwskonte").

[5:6]  ²⁴ sn The expression sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” In this context it refers to “all those who are disobedient.” Cf. Eph 2:2-3.

[5:7]  ²⁵ tn The genitive αὐτῶν (autwn) has been translated as a genitive of association because of its use with συμμέτοχοι (summetocoi) – a verb which implies association in the σύν- (sun-) prefix.

[5:8]  ²⁶ tn The verb “you are” is implied in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to make it clear.