Deuteronomy 4:12

4:12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything – only a voice was heard. ¹ 

Isaiah 40:18

40:18 To whom can you compare God?

To what image can you liken him?

Isaiah 40:2

40:2 “Speak kindly to ²  Jerusalem, ³  and tell her

that her time of warfare is over, ⁴ 

that her punishment is completed. ⁵ 

For the Lord has made her pay double ⁶  for all her sins.”

Colossians 4:4-6

4:4 Pray that I may make it known as I should. ⁷  4:5 Conduct yourselves ⁸  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.

Hebrews 1:3

1:3 The Son is ⁹  the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, ¹⁰  and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. ¹¹ 

¹ tn The words “was heard” are supplied in the translation to avoid the impression that the voice was seen.

² tn Heb “speak to the heart of Jerusalem.” Jerusalem is personified as a woman.

³ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁴ tn Heb “that she is filled [with] her warfare.” Some understand צָבָא (tsavah, “warfare”) as meaning “hard service” or “compulsory labor” in this context.

⁵ tn Heb “that her punishment is accepted [as satisfactory].”

⁶ tn Heb “for she has received from the hand of the Lord double.” The principle of the double portion in punishment is also seen in Jer 16:18; 17:18 and Rev 18:6. For examples of the double portion in Israelite law, see Exod 22:4, 7, 9 (double restitution by a thief) and Deut 21:17 (double inheritance portion for the firstborn).

⁷ 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.

⁸ 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).

⁹ tn Grk “who being…and sustaining.” Heb 1:1-4 form one skillfully composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments to correspond to contemporary English usage, which does not allow for sentences of this length and complexity.

¹⁰ tn Grk “by the word of his power.”

¹¹ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews.