27:24 When 9 Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” 10
27:1 When 11 it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him.
12:25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 14 we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
1:1 After God spoke long ago 15 in various portions 16 and in various ways 17 to our ancestors 18 through the prophets,
1 tn The translation of πλήν (plhn) is somewhat difficult in this context, though the overall thrust of the argument is clear. It could be an adversative idea such as “but,” “nevertheless,” or “however” (see NIV, NASB, NRSV), or it could simply be intended to round out and bring to conclusion the author’s discussion. In this latter case it could be translated with the use of “now” (so A. T. Lincoln, Ephesians [WBC], 384).
2 tn Grk “Nevertheless, you also, one by one, each his own wife so let him love as himself.” This statement is cumbersome and was cleaned up to reflect better English style.
3 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause was taken as imperatival, i.e., “let the wife respect….”
4 tn The Greek verb φοβέομαι (fobeomai) here has been translated “respect” and the noun form of the word, i.e., φόβος (fobos), has been translated as “reverence” in 5:21.
5 sn The command for silence was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 9:30, 12:16, 16:20, and 17:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
6 tn Grk “gift.”
7 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
8 tn Or “as an indictment against them.” The pronoun αὐτοῖς (autoi") may be a dative of disadvantage.
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 sn You take care of it yourselves! Compare the response of the chief priests and elders to Judas in 27:4. The expression is identical except that in 27:4 it is singular and here it is plural.
11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
12 tn Grk “Nor do they light.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
13 tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
14 tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”
15 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
16 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
17 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
18 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
19 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
20 tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
22 tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
23 tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
24 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
25 tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
26 tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”