Ezra 6:21

6:21 The Israelites who were returning from the exile ate it, along with all those who had joined them ¹  in separating themselves from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to seek the Lord God of Israel.

Ezekiel 36:25-27

36:25 I will sprinkle you with pure water ²  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 ³  from your body and give you a heart of flesh. ⁴  36:27 I will put my Spirit within you; ⁵  I will take the initiative and you will obey my statutes ⁶  and carefully observe my regulations. ⁷ 

Ezekiel 36:2

36:2 This is what the sovereign Lord says: The enemy has spoken against you, saying “Aha!” and, “The ancient heights ⁸  have become our property!”’

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁹  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

¹ tn Heb “who had separated from the uncleanness of the nations of the land to them.”

² 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.

³ 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).

⁴ sn That is, a heart which symbolizes a will that is responsive and obedient to God.

⁵ tn Or “in the midst of you.” The word “you” is plural.

⁶ tn Heb “and I will do that which in my statutes you will walk.” The awkward syntax (verb “to do, act” + accusative sign + relative clause + prepositional phrase + second person verb) is unique, though Eccl 3:14 contains a similar construction. In the last line of that verse we read that “God acts so that (relative pronoun) they fear before him.” However, unlike Ezek 36:27, the statement has no accusative sign before the relative pronoun.

⁷ tn Heb “and my laws you will guard and you will do them.” Jer 31:31-34 is parallel to this passage.

⁸ tn Or “high places.”

⁹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.