Luke 23:34

23:34 [But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes.

Matthew 12:31-32

12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Mark 3:28-29

3:28 I tell you the truth, people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter. 3:29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin” 10 

Mark 3:1

Healing a Withered Hand

3:1 Then 11  Jesus 12  entered the synagogue 13  again, and a man was there who had a withered 14  hand.

Mark 1:13

1:13 He was in the wilderness forty days, 15  enduring temptations from Satan. He 16  was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs. 17 

Hebrews 6:4-8

6:4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 6:5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6:6 and then have committed apostasy, 18  to renew them again to repentance, since 19  they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again 20  and holding him up to contempt. 6:7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on 21  it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 6:8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; 22  its fate is to be burned.

Hebrews 10:26-31

10:26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, 23  10:27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury 24  of fire that will consume God’s enemies. 25  10:28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death 26  without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 27  10:29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for 28  the Son of God, and profanes 29  the blood of the covenant that made him holy, 30  and insults the Spirit of grace? 10:30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” 31  and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 32  10:31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:1

Concluding Exposition: Old and New Sacrifices Contrasted

10:1 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. 33 

Hebrews 5:1

5:1 For every high priest is taken from among the people 34  and appointed 35  to represent them before God, 36  to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.


tc Many important mss (Ì75 א1 B D* W Θ 070 579 1241 pc sys sa) lack v. 34a. It is included in א*,2 (A) C D2 L Ψ 0250 Ë1,(13) 33 Ï lat syc,p,h. It also fits a major Lukan theme of forgiving the enemies (6:27-36), and it has a parallel in Stephen’s response in Acts 7:60. The lack of parallels in the other Gospels argues also for inclusion here. On the other hand, the fact of the parallel in Acts 7:60 may well have prompted early scribes to insert the saying in Luke’s Gospel alone. Further, there is the great difficulty of explaining why early and diverse witnesses lack the saying. A decision is difficult, but even those who regard the verse as inauthentic literarily often consider it to be authentic historically. For this reason it has been placed in single brackets in the translation.

tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

tn Grk “cast lots” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent “threw dice” was chosen here because of its association with gambling.

sn An allusion to Ps 22:18, which identifies Jesus as the suffering innocent one.

tn Grk “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men.”

tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”

tn Grk “it will not be forgiven him.”

tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

tn Grk “all the sins and blasphemies they may speak will be forgiven the sons of men.”

10 sn Is guilty of an eternal sin. This passage has troubled many people, who have wondered whether or not they have committed this eternal sin. Three things must be kept in mind: (1) the nature of the sin is to ascribe what is the obvious work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., releasing people from Satan’s power) to Satan himself; (2) it is not simply a momentary doubt or sinful attitude, but is indeed a settled condition which opposes the Spirit’s work, as typified by the religious leaders who opposed Jesus; and (3) a person who is concerned about it has probably never committed this sin, for those who commit it here (i.e., the religious leaders) are not in the least concerned about Jesus’ warning. On this last point see W. W. Wessel, “Mark,” EBC 8:645-46.

11 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

12 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

13 sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21.

14 sn Withered means the man’s hand was shrunken and paralyzed.

15 sn The forty days may allude to the experience of Moses (Exod 34:28), Elijah (1 Kgs 19:8, 15), or David and Goliath (1 Sam 17:16).

16 tn Grk “And he.”

17 tn Grk “were serving him,” “were ministering to him.”

18 tn Or “have fallen away.”

19 tn Or “while”; Grk “crucifying…and holding.” The Greek participles here (“crucifying…and holding”) can be understood as either causal (“since”) or temporal (“while”).

20 tn Grk “recrucifying the son of God for themselves.”

21 tn Grk “comes upon.”

22 tn Grk “near to a curse.”

23 tn Grk “is left,” with “for us” implied by the first half of the verse.

24 tn Grk “zeal,” recalling God’s jealous protection of his holiness and honor (cf. Exod 20:5).

25 tn Grk “the enemies.”

26 tn Grk “dies.”

27 sn An allusion to Deut 17:6.

28 tn Grk “tramples under foot.”

29 tn Grk “regarded as common.”

30 tn Grk “by which he was made holy.”

31 sn A quotation from Deut 32:35.

32 sn A quotation from Deut 32:36.

33 tn Grk “those who approach.”

34 tn Grk “from among men,” but since the point in context is shared humanity (rather than shared maleness), the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) has been translated “people.”

35 tn Grk “who is taken from among people is appointed.”

36 tn Grk “appointed on behalf of people in reference to things relating to God.”