2:1 And although you were 7 dead 8 in your transgressions and sins,
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 16 partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 17
4:1 Therefore we must be wary 18 that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.
1 tn Grk “having been built.”
2 sn Apostles and prophets. Because the prophets appear after the mention of the apostles and because they are linked together in 3:5 as recipients of revelation about the church, they are to be regarded not as Old Testament prophets, but as New Testament prophets.
3 tn Grk “while Christ Jesus himself is” or “Christ Jesus himself being.”
4 tn Or perhaps “capstone” (NAB). The meaning of ἀκρογωνιαῖος (akrogwniaio") is greatly debated. The meaning “capstone” is proposed by J. Jeremias (TDNT 1:792), but the most important text for this meaning (T. Sol. 22:7-23:4) is late and possibly not even an appropriate parallel. The only place ἀκρογωνιαῖος is used in the LXX is Isa 28:16, and there it clearly refers to a cornerstone that is part of a foundation. Furthermore, the imagery in this context has the building growing off the cornerstone upward, whereas if Christ were the capstone, he would not assume his position until the building was finished, which vv. 21-22 argue against.
5 tn Grk “in whom” (v. 21 is a relative clause, subordinate to v. 20).
6 tc Although several important witnesses (א1 A C P 6 81 326 1739c 1881) have πᾶσα ἡ οἰκοδομή (pasa Jh oikodomh), instead of πᾶσα οἰκοδομή (the reading of א* B D F G Ψ 33 1739* Ï), the article is almost surely a scribal addition intended to clarify the meaning of the text, for with the article the meaning is unambiguously “the whole building.”
7 tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.
8 sn Chapter 2 starts off with a participle, although you were dead, that is left dangling. The syntax in Greek for vv. 1-3 constitutes one incomplete sentence, though it seems to have been done intentionally. The dangling participle leaves the readers in suspense while they wait for the solution (in v. 4) to their spiritual dilemma.
9 tn Or “by.”
10 tn Or “the whole family.”
11 sn The Greek makes the contrast between v. 5 and v. 6a more emphatic and explicit than is easily done in English.
12 tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.
13 tn Grk “whose house we are,” continuing the previous sentence.
14 tc The reading adopted by the translation is found in Ì13,46 B sa, while the vast majority of
15 tn Grk “the pride of our hope.”
16 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.
17 tn Grk “of our confession.”
18 tn Grk “let us fear.”