2 Peter 3:3

3:3 Above all, understand this: ¹  In the last days blatant scoffers ²  will come, being propelled by their own evil urges ³ 

Romans 6:6

6:6 We know that ⁴  our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, ⁵  so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 13:11

Motivation to Godly Conduct

13:11 And do this ⁶  because we know ⁷  the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers.

Romans 13:1

Submission to Civil Government

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ⁸  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Romans 1:9

1:9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit by preaching the gospel ⁹  of his Son, is my witness that ¹⁰  I continually remember you

James 1:3

1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

¹ tn Grk “knowing this [to be] foremost.” Τοῦτο πρῶτον (touto prwton) constitute the object and complement of γινώσκοντες (ginwskonte"). The participle is loosely dependent on the infinitive in v. 2 (“[I want you] to recall”), perhaps in a telic sense (thus, “[I want you] to recall…[and especially] to understand this as foremost”). The following statement then would constitute the main predictions with which the author was presently concerned. An alternative is to take it imperativally: “Above all, know this.” In this instance, however, there is little semantic difference (since a telic participle and imperatival participle end up urging an action). Cf. also 2 Pet 1:20.

² tn The Greek reads “scoffers in their scoffing” for “blatant scoffers.” The use of the cognate dative is a Semitism designed to intensify the word it is related to. The idiom is foreign to English. As a Semitism, it is further incidental evidence of the authenticity of the letter (see the note on “Simeon” in 1:1 for other evidence).

³ tn Grk “going according to their own evil urges.”

⁴ tn Grk “knowing this, that.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁵ tn Grk “may be rendered ineffective, inoperative,” or possibly “may be destroyed.” The term καταργέω (katargew) has various nuances. In Rom 7:2 the wife whose husband has died is freed from the law (i.e., the law of marriage no longer has any power over her, in spite of what she may feel). A similar point seems to be made here (note v. 7).

⁶ tn Grk “and this,” probably referring to the command to love (13:8-10); hence, “do” is implied from the previous verses.

⁷ tn The participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

⁸ tn Grk “by God.”

⁹ tn Grk “whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “as.”