7:28 Then Jesus, while teaching in the temple courts, 5 cried out, 6 “You both know me and know where I come from! 7 And I have not come on my own initiative, 8 but the one who sent me 9 is true. You do not know him, 10
12:6 The Lord’s words are absolutely reliable. 11
They are as untainted as silver purified in a furnace on the ground,
where it is thoroughly refined. 12
19:7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and preserves one’s life. 13
The rules set down by the Lord 14 are reliable 15
and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. 16
119:144 Your rules remain just. 17
Give me insight so that I can live. 18
119:151 You are near, O Lord,
and all your commands are reliable. 19
119:152 I learned long ago that
you ordained your rules to last. 20
2:1 And although you were 23 dead 24 in your transgressions and sins,
2:1 And although you were 25 dead 26 in your transgressions and sins,
1 tn Grk “seeking.”
2 tn Grk “has spoken to you.”
3 tn The Greek word order is emphatic: “This Abraham did not do.” The emphasis is indicated in the translation by an exclamation point.
4 tn An ingressive sense for the imperfect fits well here following the aorist participle.
5 tn Grk “the temple.”
6 tn Grk “Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying.”
7 sn You both know me and know where I come from! Jesus’ response while teaching in the temple is difficult – it appears to concede too much understanding to his opponents. It is best to take the words as irony: “So you know me and know where I am from, do you?” On the physical, literal level, they did know where he was from: Nazareth of Galilee (at least they thought they knew). But on another deeper (spiritual) level, they did not: He came from heaven, from the Father. Jesus insisted that he has not come on his own initiative (cf. 5:37), but at the bidding of the Father who sent him.
8 tn Grk “And I have not come from myself.”
9 tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.
10 tn Grk “the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.”
11 tn Heb “the words of the
12 tn Heb “[like] silver purified in a furnace of [i.e., “on”] the ground, refined seven times.” The singular participle מְזֻקָּק (mÿzuqqaq, “refined”) modifies “silver.” The number seven is used rhetorically to express the thorough nature of the action. For other rhetorical/figurative uses of שִׁבְעָתָיִם (shiv’atayim, “seven times”), see Gen 4:15, 24; Ps 79:12; Prov 6:31; Isa 30:26.
13 tn Heb “[it] restores life.” Elsewhere the Hiphil of שׁוּב (shuv, “return”) when used with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”) as object, means to “rescue or preserve one’s life” (Job 33:30; Ps 35:17) or to “revive one’s strength” (emotionally or physically; cf. Ruth 4:15; Lam 1:11, 16, 19). Here the point seems to be that the law preserves the life of the one who studies it by making known God’s will. Those who know God’s will know how to please him and can avoid offending him. See v. 11a.
14 tn Traditionally, “the testimony of the
15 tn God’s covenant contains a clear, reliable witness to his moral character and demands.
16 tn Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly.
17 tn Heb “just are your rules forever.”
18 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
19 tn Or “truth.”
20 tn Heb “long ago I knew concerning your rules, that forever you established them.” See v. 89 for the same idea. The translation assumes that the preposition מִן (min) prefixed to “your rules” introduces the object of the verb יָדַע (yada’), as in 1 Sam 23:23. Another option is that the preposition indicates source, in which case one might translate, “Long ago I realized from your rules that forever you established them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
21 tn Or “meekness.” The word is often used in Hellenistic Greek of the merciful execution of justice on behalf of those who have no voice by those who are in a position of authority (Matt 11:29; 21:5).
22 tn Or “putting up with”; or “forbearing.”
23 tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.
24 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.
25 tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.
26 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.