32:9 You complacent 13 women,
get up and listen to me!
You carefree 14 daughters,
pay attention to what I say!
32:10 In a year’s time 15
you carefree ones will shake with fear,
for the grape 16 harvest will fail,
and the fruit harvest will not arrive.
“I did not tell you these things from the beginning because I was with you. 20
16:1 “I have told you all these things so that you will not fall away. 21
2:1 Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
“My son, do not scorn 29 the Lord’s discipline
or give up when he corrects 30 you.
1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. A new sentence was begun at this point in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.
2 tn Grk “heard them”; the referent (these things, from the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Grk “heart.” The term “heart” (καρδία, kardia) could also be translated as “mind,” or “thoughts,” and the entire phrase be rendered as “kept them in mind,” “thought about,” or the like. But the immediate context is clearly emotive, suggesting that much more is at work than merely the mental processes of thinking or reasoning about “these things.” There is a sense of joy and excitement (see the following question, “What then will this child be?”) and even fear. Further, the use of καρδία in 1:66 suggests connections with the same term in 2:19 where deep emotion is being expressed as well. Therefore, recognizing both the dramatic nature of the immediate context and the literary connections to 2:19, the translation renders the term in 1:66 as “hearts” to capture both the cognitive and emotive aspects of the people’s response.
4 tn Or “what manner of child will this one be?”
5 sn The reference to the Lord’s hand indicates that the presence, direction, and favor of God was with him (Acts 7:9b).
6 tn The term συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) suggests more than remembering. She is trying to put things together here (Josephus, Ant. 2.5.3 [2.72]). The words “what they might mean” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
12 map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
13 tn Or “was submitting.”
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
15 tn Or “all these words.”
16 sn On the phrase his mother kept all these things in her heart compare Luke 2:19.
16 tn Or “self-assured”; NASB, NRSV “who are at ease.”
17 tn Or “self-confident”; NAB “overconfident.”
21 tn Heb “days upon a year.”
22 tn Or perhaps, “olive.” See 24:13.
26 tn The first half of v. 4 resumes the statement of 16:1, ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν (tauta lelalhka Jumin), in a somewhat more positive fashion, omitting the reference to the disciples being caused to stumble.
27 tn Grk “their hour.”
28 tn The words “about them” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
29 sn This verse serves as a transition between the preceding discussion of the persecutions the disciples will face in the world after the departure of Jesus, and the following discussion concerning the departure of Jesus and the coming of the Spirit-Paraclete. Jesus had not told the disciples these things from the beginning because he was with them.
31 tn Grk “so that you will not be caused to stumble.”
36 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
37 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
38 tn The word ἄνωθεν (anwqen) has a double meaning, either “again” (in which case it is synonymous with παλίν [palin]) or “from above” (BDAG 92 s.v. ἄνωθεν). This is a favorite technique of the author of the Fourth Gospel, and it is lost in almost all translations at this point. John uses the word 5 times, in 3:3, 7; 3:31; 19:11 and 23. In the latter 3 cases the context makes clear that it means “from above.” Here (3:3, 7) it could mean either, but the primary meaning intended by Jesus is “from above.” Nicodemus apparently understood it the other way, which explains his reply, “How can a man be born when he is old? He can’t enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” The author uses the technique of the “misunderstood question” often to bring out a particularly important point: Jesus says something which is misunderstood by the disciples or (as here) someone else, which then gives Jesus the opportunity to explain more fully and in more detail what he really meant.
39 sn What does Jesus’ statement about not being able to see the kingdom of God mean within the framework of John’s Gospel? John uses the word kingdom (βασιλεία, basileia) only 5 times (3:3, 5; 18:36 [3x]). Only here is it qualified with the phrase of God. The fact that John does not stress the concept of the kingdom of God does not mean it is absent from his theology, however. Remember the messianic implications found in John 2, both the wedding and miracle at Cana and the cleansing of the temple. For Nicodemus, the term must surely have brought to mind the messianic kingdom which Messiah was supposed to bring. But Nicodemus had missed precisely this point about who Jesus was. It was the Messiah himself with whom Nicodemus was speaking. Whatever Nicodemus understood, it is clear that the point is this: He misunderstood Jesus’ words. He over-literalized them, and thought Jesus was talking about repeated physical birth, when he was in fact referring to new spiritual birth.
41 tn The grammatical structure of the question in Greek presupposes a negative reply.
46 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.
51 tn Grk “until blood.”
56 tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”
57 tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.