1:1 This is the record of the genealogy 1 of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
1:2 Abraham was the father 2 of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 1:3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 1:4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 1:5 Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse, 1:6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
David was the father of Solomon (by the wife of Uriah 3 ), 1:7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 4 1:8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah, 1:9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 1:10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, 5 Amon the father of Josiah, 1:11 and Josiah 6 the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
1:12 After 7 the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, 8 Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 1:13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 1:14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, 1:15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 1:16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom 9 Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 10
1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, 11 fourteen generations.
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, 12 she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, 13 was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her 14 privately. 1:20 When he had contemplated this, an 15 angel of the Lord 16 appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 1:21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him 17 Jesus, 18 because he will save his people from their sins.” 1:22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him 19 Emmanuel,” 20 which means 21 “God with us.” 22 1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord 23 told him. He took his wife, 1:25 but did not have marital relations 24 with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named 25 Jesus.
2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem 26 in Judea, in the time 27 of King Herod, 28 wise men 29 from the East came to Jerusalem 30 2:2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose 31 and have come to worship him.” 2:3 When King Herod 32 heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 2:4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, 33 he asked them where the Christ 34 was to be born. 2:5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:
2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 35
2:7 Then Herod 36 privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 2:8 He 37 sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 2:9 After listening to the king they left, and once again 38 the star they saw when it rose 39 led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 2:10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. 40 2:11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down 41 and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, 42 and myrrh. 43 2:12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 44 they went back by another route to their own country.
2:13 After they had gone, an 45 angel of the Lord 46 appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod 47 is going to look for the child to kill him.” 2:14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during 48 the night, and went to Egypt. 2:15 He stayed there until Herod 49 died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” 50
2:16 When Herod 51 saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men 52 to kill all the children in Bethlehem 53 and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 2:17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
2:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing, 54
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they were 55 gone.” 56
2:19 After Herod 57 had died, an 58 angel of the Lord 59 appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 2:20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 2:21 So 60 he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus 61 was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, 62 he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 2:23 He came to a town called Nazareth 63 and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus 64 would be called a Nazarene. 65
3:1 In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness 66 of Judea proclaiming, 3:2 “Repent, 67 for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3:3 For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: 68
“The voice 69 of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make 70 his paths straight.’” 71
3:4 Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. 72 3:5 Then people from Jerusalem, 73 as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him, 3:6 and he was baptizing them 74 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees 75 and Sadducees 76 coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce fruit 77 that proves your 78 repentance, 3:9 and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 3:10 Even now the ax is laid at 79 the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
3:11 “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am – I am not worthy 80 to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 81 3:12 His winnowing fork 82 is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, 83 but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” 84
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. 85 3:14 But John 86 tried to prevent 87 him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 3:15 So Jesus replied 88 to him, “Let it happen now, 89 for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John 90 yielded 91 to him. 3:16 After 92 Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the 93 heavens 94 opened 95 and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove 96 and coming on him. 3:17 And 97 a voice from heaven said, 98 “This is my one dear Son; 99 in him 100 I take great delight.” 101
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 102 to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 103 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 104 4:4 But he answered, 105 “It is written, ‘Man 106 does not live 107 by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 108 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, 109 had him stand 110 on the highest point 111 of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ 112 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 113 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 114 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. 115 4:9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship 116 me.” 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, 117 Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 118 4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels 119 came and began ministering to his needs.
4:12 Now when Jesus 120 heard that John had been imprisoned, 121 he went into Galilee. 4:13 While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth 122 to make his home in Capernaum 123 by the sea, 124 in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 4:14 so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: 125
4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –
4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” 126
4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach this message: 127 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
4:18 As 128 he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 129 4:19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 130 4:20 They 131 left their nets immediately and followed him. 132 4:21 Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat 133 with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then 134 he called them. 4:22 They 135 immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.
4:23 Jesus 136 went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, 137 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. 4:24 So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People 138 brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, 139 paralytics, and those possessed by demons, 140 and he healed them. 4:25 And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, 141 Jerusalem, 142 Judea, and beyond the Jordan River. 143
5:1 When 144 he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. 145 After he sat down his disciples came to him. 5:2 Then 146 he began to teach 147 them by saying:
5:3 “Blessed 148 are the poor in spirit, 149 for the kingdom of heaven belongs 150 to them.
5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 151
5:5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger 152 and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children 153 of God.
5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
5:11 “Blessed are you when people 154 insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely 155 on account of me. 5:12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
5:13 “You are the salt 156 of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, 157 how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. 5:15 People 158 do not light a lamp and put it under a basket 159 but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven.
5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. 160 5:18 I 161 tell you the truth, 162 until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter 163 will pass from the law until everything takes place. 5:19 So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others 164 to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law 165 and the Pharisees, 166 you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
5:21 “You have heard that it was said to an older generation, 167 ‘Do not murder,’ 168 and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ 5:22 But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother 169 will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults 170 a brother will be brought before 171 the council, 172 and whoever says ‘Fool’ 173 will be sent 174 to fiery hell. 175 5:23 So then, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 5:24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your gift. 5:25 Reach agreement 176 quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, 177 or he 178 may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison. 5:26 I tell you the truth, 179 you will never get out of there until you have paid the last penny! 180
5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 181 5:28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 5:29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into hell. 182 5:30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into hell.
5:31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a legal document.’ 183 5:32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
5:33 “Again, you have heard that it was said to an older generation, 184 ‘Do not break an oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ 185 5:34 But I say to you, do not take oaths at all – not by heaven, because it is the throne of God, 5:35 not by earth, because it is his footstool, and not by Jerusalem, 186 because it is the city of the great King. 5:36 Do not take an oath by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black. 5:37 Let your word be ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no.’ More than this is from the evil one. 187
5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 188 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. 189 But whoever strikes you on the 190 right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, 191 give him your coat also. 5:41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, 192 go with him two. 5:42 Give to the one who asks you, 193 and do not reject 194 the one who wants to borrow from you.
5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ 195 and ‘hate your enemy.’ 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemy and 196 pray for those who persecute you, 5:45 so that you may be like 197 your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 5:46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors 198 do the same, don’t they? 5:47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 5:48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. 199
6:1 “Be 200 careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. 201 Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. 6:2 Thus whenever you do charitable giving, 202 do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues 203 and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, 204 they have their reward. 6:3 But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 6:4 so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 205
6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues 206 and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. 6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room, 207 close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. 208 6:7 When 209 you pray, do not babble repetitiously like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be heard. 6:8 Do 210 not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 6:9 So pray this way: 211
Our Father 212 in heaven, may your name be honored, 213
6:10 may your kingdom come, 214
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
6:11 Give us today our daily bread, 215
6:12 and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves 216 have forgiven our debtors.
6:13 And do not lead us into temptation, 217 but deliver us from the evil one. 218
6:14 “For if you forgive others 219 their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 6:15 But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.
6:16 “When 220 you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive 221 so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, 222 they have their reward. 6:17 When 223 you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 6:18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to your Father who is in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.
6:19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth 224 and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 6:20 But accumulate for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 6:21 For where your 225 treasure 226 is, there your heart will be also.
6:22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, 227 your whole body will be full of light. 6:23 But if your eye is diseased, 228 your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate 229 the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise 230 the other. You cannot serve God and money. 231
6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry 232 about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 6:26 Look at the birds in the sky: 233 They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds 234 them. Aren’t you more valuable 235 than they are? 6:27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? 236 6:28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers 237 of the field grow; they do not work 238 or spin. 6:29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 6:30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, 239 which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, 240 won’t he clothe you even more, 241 you people of little faith? 6:31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 6:32 For the unconverted 242 pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 6:33 But above all pursue his kingdom 243 and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 6:34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. 244
7:1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 245 7:2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 246 7:3 Why 247 do you see the speck 248 in your brother’s eye, but fail to see 249 the beam of wood 250 in your own? 7:4 Or how can you say 251 to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? 7:5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. 7:6 Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces. 252
7:7 “Ask 253 and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door 254 will be opened for you. 7:8 For everyone who asks 255 receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 7:9 Is 256 there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 257 7:11 If you then, although you are evil, 258 know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts 259 to those who ask him! 7:12 In 260 everything, treat others as you would want them 261 to treat you, 262 for this fulfills 263 the law and the prophets.
7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate, because the gate is wide and the way is spacious that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 7:14 But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
7:15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. 264 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered 265 from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? 266 7:17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad 267 tree bears bad fruit. 7:18 A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 7:20 So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.
7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ 268 will enter into the kingdom of heaven – only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 7:22 On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do 269 many powerful deeds?’ 7:23 Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’ 270
7:24 “Everyone 271 who hears these words of mine and does them is like 272 a wise man 273 who built his house on rock. 7:25 The rain fell, the flood 274 came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because it had been founded on rock. 7:26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 7:27 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed; it was utterly destroyed!” 275
7:28 When 276 Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed by his teaching, 7:29 because he taught them like one who had authority, 277 not like their experts in the law. 278
1 tn Grk “the book of the genealogy.” The noun βίβλος (biblo"), though it is without the article, is to be translated as definite due to Apollonius’ corollary and the normal use of anarthrous nouns in titles.
2 tn Grk “fathered.”
3 sn By the wife of Uriah, i.e., Bathsheba (cf. 2 Sam 11:3).
4 tc The reading ᾿Ασάφ (Asaf), a variant spelling on ᾿Ασά (Asa), is found in the earliest and most widespread witnesses (Ì1vid א B C [Dluc] Ë1,13 700 pc it co). Although Asaph was a psalmist and Asa was a king, it is doubtful that the author mistook one for the other since other ancient documents have variant spellings on the king’s name (such as “Asab,” “Asanos,” and “Asaph”). Thus the spelling ᾿Ασάφ that is almost surely found in the original of Matt 1:7-8 has been translated as “Asa” in keeping with the more common spelling of the king’s name.
5 tc ᾿Αμώς (Amws) is the reading found in the earliest and best witnesses (א B C [Dluc] γ δ θ Ë1 33 pc it sa bo), and as such is most likely original, but this is a variant spelling of the name ᾿Αμών (Amwn). The translation uses the more well-known spelling “Amon” found in the Hebrew MT and the majority of LXX
6 sn Before the mention of Jeconiah, several medieval
7 tn Because of the difference between Greek style, which usually begins a sentence with a conjunction, and English style, which generally does not, the conjunction δέ (de) has not been translated here.
8 sn The Greek text and the KJV read Salathiel. Most modern English translations use the OT form of the name (cf. Ezra 3:2).
8 tc There are three significant variant readings at this point in the text. Some
9 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
9 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
10 tn The connotation of the Greek is “before they came together in marital and domestic union” (so BDAG 970 s.v. συνέρχομαι 3).
11 tn Grk “husband.” See following note for discussion.
12 tn Or “send her away.”
12 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
13 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.
13 tn Grk “you will call his name.”
14 sn The Greek form of the name Ihsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). It was a fairly common name among Jews in 1st century Palestine, as references to a number of people by this name in the LXX and Josephus indicate.
14 tn Grk “they will call his name.”
15 sn A quotation from Isa 7:14.
16 tn Grk “is translated.”
17 sn An allusion to Isa 8:8, 10 (LXX).
15 tn See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20. Here the translation “the angel of the Lord” is used because the Greek article (ὁ, Jo) which precedes ἄγγελος (angelos) is taken as an anaphoric article (ExSyn 217-19) referring back to the angel mentioned in v. 20.
16 tn Or “did not have sexual relations”; Grk “was not knowing her.” The verb “know” (in both Hebrew and Greek) is a frequent biblical euphemism for sexual relations. However, a translation like “did not have sexual relations with her” is too graphic in light of the popularity and wide use of Matthew’s infancy narrative. Thus the somewhat more subdued but still clear “did not have marital relations” was selected.
17 tn Grk “and he called his name Jesus.” The coordinate clause has been translated as a relative clause in English for stylistic reasons.
17 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
18 tn Grk “in the days.”
19 sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37
20 sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).
21 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
18 tn Or “in its rising,” referring to the astrological significance of a star in a particular portion of the sky. The term used for the “East” in v. 1 is ἀνατολαί (anatolai, a plural form that is used typically of the rising of the sun), while in vv. 2 and 9 the singular ἀνατολή (anatolh) is used. The singular is typically used of the rising of a star and as such should not normally be translated “in the east” (cf. BDAG 74 s.v. 1: “because of the sg. and the article in contrast to ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, vs. 1, [it is] prob. not a geograph. expr. like the latter, but rather astronomical…likew. vs. 9”).
19 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
20 tn Or “and scribes of the people.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
21 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
21 sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.
22 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
24 tn Grk “and behold the star.”
25 tn See the note on the word “rose” in 2:2.
25 tn Grk “they rejoiced with very great joy.”
26 tn Grk “they fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
27 sn Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).
28 sn Myrrh consisted of the aromatic resin of certain shrubs (L&N 6.208). It was used in preparing a corpse for burial.
27 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
28 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
29 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
30 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.
29 tn The feminine singular genitive noun νυκτός (nuktos, “night”) indicates the time during which the action of the main verb takes place (ExSyn 124).
30 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
31 sn A quotation from Hos 11:1.
31 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.
32 tn Or “soldiers.”
33 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
32 tc The LXX of Jer 38:15 (31:15 ET) has “lamentation, weeping, and loud wailing”; most later
33 tn Grk “are”; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.
34 sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.
33 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. When Herod the Great died in 4
34 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
35 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
34 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions.
35 sn Archelaus took after his father Herod the Great in terms of cruelty and ruthlessness, so Joseph was afraid to go there. After further direction in a dream, he went instead to Galilee.
36 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
36 sn Nazareth was a very small village in the region of Galilee (Galilee lay north of Samaria and Judea). The town was located about 15 mi (25 km) west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to Luke 1:26, Mary was living in Nazareth when the birth of Jesus was announced to her.
37 tn There is no expressed subject of the third person singular verb here; the pronoun “he” is implied. Instead of this pronoun the referent “Jesus” has been supplied in the text to clarify to whom this statement refers.
38 tn The Greek could be indirect discourse (as in the text), or direct discourse (“he will be called a Nazarene”). Judging by the difficulty of finding OT quotations (as implied in the plural “prophets”) to match the wording here, it appears that the author was using a current expression of scorn that conceptually (but not verbally) found its roots in the OT.
37 tn Or “desert.”
38 tn Grk “and saying, ‘Repent.’” The participle λέγων (legwn) at the beginning of v. 2 is redundant in English and has not been translated.
39 tn Grk “was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legonto") is redundant and has not been translated. The passive construction has also been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
40 tn Or “A voice.”
41 sn This call to “make paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
42 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
40 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions, and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
41 tn Grk “Then Jerusalem.”
42 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
43 sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
44 sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.
44 sn Fruit worthy of repentance refers to the deeds that indicate a change of attitude (heart) on the part of John’s hearers.
45 tn Grk “fruit worthy of.”
45 sn Laid at the root. That is, placed and aimed, ready to begin cutting.
46 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
47 sn With the Holy Spirit and fire. There are differing interpretations for this phrase regarding the number of baptisms and their nature. (1) Some see one baptism here, and this can be divided further into two options. (a) The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire could refer to the cleansing, purifying work of the Spirit in the individual believer through salvation and sanctification, or (b) it could refer to two different results of Christ’s ministry: Some accept Christ and are baptized with the Holy Spirit, but some reject him and receive judgment. (2) Other interpreters see two baptisms here: The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the salvation Jesus brings at his first advent, in which believers receive the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire refers to the judgment Jesus will bring upon the world at his second coming. One must take into account both the image of fire and whether individual or corporate baptism is in view. A decision is not easy on either issue. The image of fire is used to refer to both eternal judgment (e.g., Matt 25:41) and the power of the Lord’s presence to purge and cleanse his people (e.g., Isa 4:4-5). The pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, a fulfillment of this prophecy no matter which interpretation is taken, had both individual and corporate dimensions. It is possible that since Holy Spirit and fire are governed by a single preposition in Greek, the one-baptism view may be more likely, but this is not certain. Simply put, there is no consensus view in scholarship at this time on the best interpretation of this passage.
47 sn A winnowing fork was a pitchfork-like tool used to toss threshed grain in the air so that the wind blew away the chaff, leaving the grain to fall to the ground. The note of purging is highlighted by the use of imagery involving sifting though threshed grain for the useful kernels.
48 tn Or “granary,” “barn” (referring to a building used to store a farm’s produce rather than a building to house livestock).
49 sn The image of fire that cannot be extinguished is from the OT: Job 20:26; Isa 34:8-10; 66:24.
48 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
49 tc ‡ The earliest
50 tn The imperfect verb has been translated conatively.
50 tn Grk “but Jesus, answering, said.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “replied to him.”
51 tn Grk “Permit now.”
52 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
53 tn Or “permitted him.”
51 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
52 tn Grk “behold the heavens.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
53 tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ourano") may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 17.
54 tc ‡ αὐτῷ (autw, “to/before him”) is found in the majority of witnesses (א1 C Ds L W 0233 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat), perhaps added as a point of clarification or emphasis. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
55 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
52 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
53 tn Grk “behold, a voice from the cloud, saying.” This is an incomplete sentence in Greek which portrays intensity and emotion. The participle λέγουσα (legousa) was translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style.
54 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
55 tn Grk “in whom.”
56 tn Or “with whom I am well pleased.”
53 tn Or “desert.”
54 tn Grk “and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he was hungry.”
55 tn Grk “say that these stones should become bread.”
56 tn Grk “answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been changed for clarity.
57 tn Or “a person.” Greek ὁ ἄνθρωπος (Jo anqrwpo") is used generically for humanity. The translation “man” is used because the emphasis in Jesus’ response seems to be on his dependence on God as a man.
58 tn Grk “will not live.” The verb in Greek is a future tense, but it is unclear whether it is meant to be taken as a command (also known as an imperatival future) or as a statement of reality (predictive future).
59 sn A quotation from Deut 8:3.
57 sn The order of the second and third temptations differs in Luke’s account (4:5-12) from the order given in Matthew.
58 tn Grk “and he stood him.”
59 sn The highest point of the temple probably refers to the point on the temple’s southeast corner where it looms directly over a cliff some 450 ft (135 m) high. However, some have suggested the reference could be to the temple’s high gate.
58 sn A quotation from Ps 91:11. This was not so much an incorrect citation as a use in a wrong context (a misapplication of the passage).
59 sn A quotation from Ps 91:12.
59 sn A quotation from Deut 6:16.
60 tn Grk “glory.”
61 tn Grk “if, falling down, you will worship.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
62 tc The majority of later witnesses (C2 D L Z 33 Ï) have “behind me” (ὀπίσω μου; opisw mou) after “Go away.” But since this is the wording in Matt 16:23, where the text is certain, scribes most likely added the words here to conform to the later passage. Further, the shorter reading has superior support (א B C*vid K P W Δ 0233 Ë1,13 565 579* 700 al). Thus, both externally and internally, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.
63 sn A quotation from Deut 6:13. The word “only” is an interpretive expansion not found in either the Hebrew or Greek (LXX) text of the OT.
63 tn Grk “and behold, angels.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
64 tn Grk “he.”
65 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
65 map For location see Map1-D3; Map2-C2; Map3-D5; Map4-C1; Map5-G3.
66 tn Grk “and leaving Nazareth, he came and took up residence in Capernaum.”
67 tn Or “by the lake.”
66 tn The redundant participle λέγοντος (legontos) has not been translated here.
67 sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.
68 tn Grk “and to say.”
69 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
70 tn The two phrases in this verse placed in parentheses are explanatory comments by the author, parenthetical in nature.
70 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
71 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
72 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
72 tn Or “their boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tw ploiw) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do here); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats), while Matthew does not.
73 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
73 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
74 tn Grk “And he.”
75 sn Synagogues were places for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
75 tn Grk “And they”; “they” is probably an indefinite plural, referring to people in general rather than to the Syrians (cf. v. 25).
76 tn Grk “those who were moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB), although now the term is generally regarded as referring to some sort of seizure disorder such as epilepsy (L&N 23.169; BDAG 919 s.v. σεληνιάζομαι).
77 tn The translation has adopted a different phrase order here than that in the Greek text. The Greek text reads, “People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those possessed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics.” Even though it is obvious that four separate groups of people are in view here, following the Greek word order could lead to the misconception that certain people were possessed by epileptics and paralytics. The word order adopted in the translation avoids this problem.
76 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the places in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
77 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
78 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).
77 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
78 tn Or “up a mountain” (εἰς τὸ ὄρος, eis to oro").
78 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
79 tn Grk “And opening his mouth he taught them, saying.” The imperfect verb ἐδίδασκεν (edidasken) has been translated ingressively.
79 sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.
80 sn The poor in spirit is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Ps 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.
81 sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized.
80 sn The promise they will be comforted is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.
81 sn Those who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Ps 37:16-19; 107:9).
82 tn Grk “sons,” though traditionally English versions have taken this as a generic reference to both males and females, hence “children” (cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV, NLT).
83 tn Grk “when they insult you.” The third person pronoun (here implied in the verb ὀνειδίσωσιν [ojneidiswsin]) has no specific referent, but refers to people in general.
84 tc Although ψευδόμενοι (yeudomenoi, “bearing witness falsely”) could be a motivated reading, clarifying that the disciples are unjustly persecuted, its lack in only D it sys Tert does not help its case. Since the Western text is known for numerous free alterations, without corroborative evidence the shorter reading must be judged as secondary.
84 sn Salt was used as seasoning or fertilizer (BDAG 41 s.v. ἅλας a), or as a preservative. If salt ceased to be useful, it was thrown away. With this illustration Jesus warned about a disciple who ceased to follow him.
85 sn The difficulty of this saying is understanding how salt could lose its flavor since its chemical properties cannot change. It is thus often assumed that Jesus was referring to chemically impure salt, perhaps a natural salt which, when exposed to the elements, had all the genuine salt leached out, leaving only the sediment or impurities behind. Others have suggested that the background of the saying is the use of salt blocks by Arab bakers to line the floor of their ovens; under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo a change in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. A saying in the Talmud (b. Bekhorot 8b) attributed to R. Joshua ben Chananja (ca.
85 tn Grk “Nor do they light.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general.
86 tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
86 tn Grk “not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Direct objects (“these things,” “them”) were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but have been supplied here to conform to contemporary English style.
87 tn Grk “For I tell.” Here an explanatory γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
88 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
89 tn Grk “Not one iota or one serif.”
88 tn Grk “teaches men” ( in a generic sense, people).
89 tn Or “that of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
90 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
90 tn Grk “to the ancient ones.”
91 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13; Deut 5:17.
91 tc The majority of
92 tn Grk “whoever says to his brother ‘Raca,’” an Aramaic word of contempt or abuse meaning “fool” or “empty head.”
93 tn Grk “subjected,” “guilty,” “liable.”
94 tn Grk “the Sanhedrin.”
95 tn The meaning of the term μωρός (mwros) is somewhat disputed. Most take it to mean, following the Syriac versions, “you fool,” although some have argued that it represents a transliteration into Greek of the Hebrew term מוֹרֵה (moreh) “rebel” (Deut 21:18, 20; cf. BDAG 663 s.v. μωρός c).
96 tn Grk “subjected,” “guilty,” “liable.”
97 tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”
92 tn Grk “Make friends.”
93 tn The words “to court” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
94 tn Grk “the accuser.”
93 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
94 tn Here the English word “penny” is used as opposed to the parallel in Luke 12:59 where “cent” appears since the Greek word there is different and refers to a different but similar coin.
94 sn A quotation from Exod 20:14; Deut 5:17.
95 sn On this word here and in the following verse, see the note on the word hell in 5:22.
96 sn A quotation from Deut 24:1.
97 tn Grk “the ancient ones.”
98 sn A quotation from Lev 19:12.
98 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
99 tn The term πονηροῦ (ponhrou) may be understood as specific and personified, referring to the devil, or possibly as a general reference to evil. It is most likely personified, however, since it is articular (τοῦ πονηροῦ, tou ponhrou). Cf. also “the evildoer” in v. 39, which is the same construction.
100 sn A quotation from Exod 21:24; Lev 24:20.
101 tn The articular πονηρός (ponhro", “the evildoer”) cannot be translated simply as “evil” for then the command would be “do not resist evil.” Every instance of this construction in Matthew is most likely personified, referring either to an evildoer (13:49) or, more often, “the evil one” (as in 5:37; 6:13; 13:19, 38).
102 tc ‡ Many
102 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a “tunic” was any more than they would be familiar with a “chiton.” On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
103 sn If anyone forces you to go one mile. In NT times Roman soldiers had the authority to press civilians into service to carry loads for them.
104 sn Jesus advocates a generosity and a desire to meet those in dire need with the command give to the one who asks you. This may allude to begging; giving alms was viewed highly in the ancient world (Matt 6:1-4; Deut 15:7-11).
105 tn Grk “do not turn away from.”
105 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
106 tc Most
107 tn Grk “be sons of your Father in heaven.” Here, however, the focus is not on attaining a relationship (becoming a child of God) but rather on being the kind of person who shares the characteristics of God himself (a frequent meaning of the Semitic idiom “son of”). See L&N 58.26.
108 sn The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked.
109 sn This remark echoes the more common OT statements like Lev 19:2 or Deut 18:13: “you must be holy as I am holy.”
110 tc ‡ Several
111 tn Grk “before people in order to be seen by them.”
111 tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today. The giving of alms was highly regarded in the ancient world (Deut 15:7-11).
112 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
113 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
112 tc L W Θ 0250 Ï it read ἐν τῷ φανερῷ (en tw fanerw, “openly”) at the end of this verse, giving a counterweight to what is done in secret. But this reading is suspect because of the obvious literary balance, because of detouring the point of the passage (the focus of vv. 1-4 is not on two kinds of public rewards but on human vs. divine approbation), and because of superior external testimony that lacks this reading (א B D Z Ë1,13 33 al).
113 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
114 sn The term translated room refers to the inner room of a house, normally without any windows opening outside, the most private location possible (BDAG 988 s.v. ταμεῖον 2).
115 tc See the tc note on “will reward you” in 6:4: The problem is the same and the ms support differs only slightly.
115 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
116 tn Grk “So do not.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
117 sn Pray this way. What follows, although traditionally known as the Lord’s prayer, is really the disciples’ prayer. It represents how they are to approach God, by acknowledging his uniqueness and their need for his provision and protection.
118 sn God is addressed in terms of intimacy (Father). The original Semitic term here was probably Abba. The term is a little unusual in a personal prayer, especially as it lacks qualification. It is not the exact equivalent of “daddy” (as is sometimes popularly suggested), but it does suggest a close, familial relationship.
119 tn Grk “hallowed be your name.”
118 sn Your kingdom come represents the hope for the full manifestation of God’s promised rule.
119 tn Or “Give us bread today for the coming day,” or “Give us today the bread we need for today.” The term ἐπιούσιος (epiousio") does not occur outside of early Christian literature (other occurrences are in Luke 11:3 and Didache 8:2), so its meaning is difficult to determine. Various suggestions include “daily,” “the coming day,” and “for existence.” See BDAG 376-77 s.v.; L&N 67:183, 206.
120 tn Or “as even we.” The phrase ὡς καὶ ἡμεῖς (Jw" kai Jhmei") makes ἡμεῖς emphatic. The translation above adds an appropriate emphasis to the passage.
121 tn Or “into a time of testing.”
122 tc Most
122 tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense: “people, others.”
123 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
124 tn Here the term “disfigure” used in a number of translations was not used because it could convey to the modern reader the notion of mutilation. L&N 79.17 states, “‘to make unsightly, to disfigure, to make ugly.’ ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ‘for they make their faces unsightly’ Mt 6:16.”
125 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
124 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
125 tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.
126 tn The pronouns in this verse are singular while the pronouns in vv. 19-20 are plural. The change to singular emphasizes personal responsibility as opposed to corporate responsibility; even if others do not listen, the one who hears Jesus’ commands should obey.
127 sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so.
127 tn Or “sound” (so L&N 23.132 and most scholars). A few scholars take this word to mean something like “generous” here (L&N 57.107). partly due to the immediate context concerning money, in which case the “eye” is a metonymy for the entire person (“if you are generous”).
128 tn Or “if your eye is sick” (L&N 23.149).
129 sn The contrast between hate and love here is rhetorical. The point is that one will choose the favorite if a choice has to be made.
130 tn Or “and treat [the other] with contempt.”
131 tn Grk “God and mammon.”
130 tn Or “do not be anxious,” and so throughout the rest of this paragraph.
131 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
132 tn Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”
133 tn Grk “of more value.”
132 tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, phcu") can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (Jhlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς (phcus). Most scholars take the term to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 436 s.v. 3 for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.
133 tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.
134 tn Or, traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaw) here, the line in English reads better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.
134 tn Grk “grass of the field.”
135 tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.
136 sn The phrase even more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.
135 tn Or “unbelievers”; Grk “Gentiles.”
136 tc ‡ Most
137 tn Grk “Sufficient for the day is its evil.”
138 sn The point of the statement do not judge so that you will not be judged is that the standards we apply to others God applies to us. The passive verbs in this verse look to God’s action.
139 tn Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured to you.”
140 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
141 sn The term translated speck refers to a small piece of wood, chaff, or straw; see L&N 3.66.
142 tn Or “do not notice.”
143 sn The term beam of wood refers to a very big piece of wood, the main beam of a building, in contrast to the speck in the other’s eye (L&N 7.78).
141 tn Grk “how will you say?”
142 tn Or “otherwise the latter will trample them under their feet and the former will turn around and tear you to pieces.” This verse is sometimes understood as a chiasm of the pattern a-b-b-a, in which the first and last clauses belong together (“dogs…turn around and tear you to pieces”) and the second and third clauses belong together (“pigs…trample them under their feet”).
143 sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.
144 tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation here and in v. 8 for clarity.
144 sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 7 with the encouragement that God does respond.
145 tn Grk “Or is there.”
146 sn The two questions of vv. 9-10 expect the answer, “No parent would do this!”
147 tn The participle ὄντες (ontes) has been translated concessively.
148 sn The provision of the good gifts is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. The teaching as a whole stresses not that we get everything we want, but that God gives the good that we need.
148 tn Grk “Therefore in.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
149 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
150 sn Jesus’ teaching as reflected in the phrase treat others as you would want them to treat you, known generally as the Golden Rule, is not completely unique in the ancient world, but here it is stated in its most emphatic, selfless form.
151 tn Grk “is.”
149 sn Sheep’s clothing…voracious wolves. Jesus uses a metaphor here to point out that these false prophets appear to be one thing, but in reality they are something quite different and dangerous.
150 tn Grk “They do not gather.” This has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
151 sn The statement illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit does not produce fruit.
151 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying “tree” in both v. 17 and 18, can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
152 sn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.
153 tn Grk “and in your name do.” This phrase was not repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
154 tn Grk “workers of lawlessness.”
155 tn Grk “Therefore everyone.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
156 tn Grk “will be like.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.
157 tn Here and in v. 26 the Greek text reads ἀνήρ (anhr), while the parallel account in Luke 6:47-49 uses ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") in vv. 48 and 49.
156 tn Grk “the rivers.”
157 tn Grk “and great was its fall.”
158 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
159 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
160 tn Or “their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.