Ezekiel 36:25-26

36:25 I will sprinkle you with pure water and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. 36:26 I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh.

Zechariah 13:1-2

The Refinement of Judah

13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty of David and the people of Jerusalem to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 13:2 And also on that day,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will remove the names of the idols from the land and they will never again be remembered. Moreover, I will remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,


sn The Lord here uses a metaphor from the realm of ritual purification. For the use of water in ritual cleansing, see Exod 30:19-20; Lev 14:51; Num 19:18; Heb 10:22.

sn That is, a heart which symbolizes a will that is stubborn and unresponsive (see 1 Sam 25:37). In Rabbinic literature a “stone” was associated with an evil inclination (b. Sukkah 52a).

sn That is, a heart which symbolizes a will that is responsive and obedient to God.

tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.

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

tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.

tn Heb “cut off” (so NRSV); NAB “destroy”; NIV “banish.”

tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.