2:1 And although you were 4 dead 5 in your transgressions and sins,
2:1 And although you were 7 dead 8 in your transgressions and sins,
5:6 Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. 9
3:1 “To 10 the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: 11
“This is the solemn pronouncement of 12 the one who holds 13 the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation 14 that you are alive, but 15 in reality 16 you are dead.
1 tn Or “necessary.”
2 sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.
3 sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.
4 tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.
5 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.
6 tn Or “by grace you have been saved.” The perfect tense in Greek connotes both completed action (“you have been saved”) and continuing results (“you are saved”).
7 tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.
8 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.
9 sn The expression sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” In this context it refers to “all those who are disobedient.” Cf. Eph 2:2-3.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
11 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
12 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.
13 tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).
14 tn Grk “a name.”
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
16 tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.