3:1 In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness 1 of Judea proclaiming,
17:1 Six days later 2 Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, 3 and led them privately up a high mountain. 17:2 And he was transfigured before them. 4 His 5 face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 17:3 Then Moses 6 and Elijah 7 also appeared before them, talking with him. 17:4 So 8 Peter said 9 to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make 10 three shelters 11 – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 17:5 While he was still speaking, a 12 bright cloud 13 overshadowed 14 them, and a voice from the cloud said, 15 “This is my one dear Son, 16 in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!” 17 17:6 When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 18 17:7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Do not be afraid.” 17:8 When 19 they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.
17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, 20 “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 17:10 The disciples asked him, 21 “Why then do the experts in the law 22 say that Elijah must come first?” 17:11 He 23 answered, “Elijah does indeed come first and will restore all things. 17:12 And I tell you that Elijah has already come. Yet they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In 24 the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
17:14 When 25 they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 17:15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures 26 and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. 17:16 I brought him to your disciples, but 27 they were not able to heal him.” 17:17 Jesus answered, 28 “You 29 unbelieving 30 and perverse generation! How much longer 31 must I be with you? How much longer must I endure 32 you? 33 Bring him here to me.” 17:18 Then 34 Jesus rebuked 35 the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. 17:19 Then the disciples came 36 to Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 17:20 He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, 37 if you have faith the size of 38 a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing 39 will be impossible for you.”
17:21 [[EMPTY]] 4017:22 When 41 they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 42 17:23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they became greatly distressed.
17:24 After 43 they arrived in Capernaum, 44 the collectors of the temple tax 45 came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 17:25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, 46 “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes – from their sons 47 or from foreigners?” 17:26 After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons 48 are free. 17:27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. 49 Take that and give it to them for me and you.”
18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:2 He called a child, had him stand among them, 18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, 50 unless you turn around and become like little children, 51 you will never 52 enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 18:5 And whoever welcomes 53 a child like this in my name welcomes me.
18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 54 it would be better for him to have a huge millstone 55 hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. 56 18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It 57 is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come. 18:8 If 58 your hand or your foot causes you to sin, 59 cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have 60 two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have 61 two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell. 62
18:10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 18:11 [[EMPTY]] 63 18:12 What do you think? If someone 64 owns a hundred 65 sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? 66 18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, 67 he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 18:14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.
18:15 “If 68 your brother 69 sins, 70 go and show him his fault 71 when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 72 18:17 If 73 he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If 74 he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like 75 a Gentile 76 or a tax collector. 77
18:18 “I tell you the truth, 78 whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 18:19 Again, I tell you the truth, 79 if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 80 18:20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
18:21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother 81 who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! 82
18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 83 18:24 As 84 he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents 85 was brought to him. 18:25 Because 86 he was not able to repay it, 87 the lord ordered him to be sold, along with 88 his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground 89 before him, saying, 90 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 18:27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 After 91 he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. 92 So 93 he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, 94 saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 95 18:29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 96 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 18:31 When 97 his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. 18:32 Then his lord called the first slave 98 and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 18:33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ 18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him 99 until he repaid all he owed. 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your 100 brother 101 from your heart.”
19:1 Now when 102 Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. 103 19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
19:3 Then some Pharisees 104 came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful 105 to divorce a wife for any cause?” 106 19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 107 19:5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 108 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 19:7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” 109 19:8 Jesus 110 said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, 111 but from the beginning it was not this way. 19:9 Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 19:10 The 112 disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” 19:11 He 113 said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. 19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, 114 and some who were made eunuchs 115 by others, 116 and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”
19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. 117 But the disciples scolded those who brought them. 118 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 119 19:15 And he placed his hands on them and went on his way. 120
19:16 Now 121 someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?” 19:17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 19:18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19:19 honor your father and mother, 122 and love your neighbor as yourself.” 123 19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed 124 all these laws. 125 What do I still lack?” 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money 126 to the poor, and you will have treasure 127 in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 19:22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. 128
19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, 129 it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 19:24 Again I say, 130 it is easier for a camel 131 to go through the eye of a needle 132 than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 19:25 The 133 disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” 134 19:26 Jesus 135 looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, 136 but for God all things are possible.” 19:27 Then Peter said 137 to him, “Look, 138 we have left everything to follow you! 139 What then will there be for us?” 19:28 Jesus 140 said to them, “I tell you the truth: 141 In the age when all things are renewed, 142 when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging 143 the twelve tribes of Israel. 19:29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much 144 and will inherit eternal life. 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
1 tn Or “desert.”
2 tn Grk “And after six days.”
3 tn Grk “John his brother” with “his” referring to James.
3 sn In 1st century Judaism and in the NT, there was the belief that the righteous get new, glorified bodies in order to enter heaven (1 Cor 15:42-49; 2 Cor 5:1-10). This transformation means the righteous will share the glory of God. One recalls the way Moses shared the Lord’s glory after his visit to the mountain in Exod 34. So the disciples saw Jesus transfigured, and they were getting a sneak preview of the great glory that Jesus would have (only his glory is more inherent to him as one who shares in the rule of the kingdom).
4 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
4 tn Grk “And behold, Moses.” 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).
5 sn Commentators and scholars discuss why Moses and Elijah are present. The most likely explanation is that Moses represents the prophetic office (Acts 3:18-22) and Elijah pictures the presence of the last days (Mal 4:5-6), the prophet of the eschaton (the end times).
5 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the appearance of Moses and Elijah prompted Peter’s comment.
6 tn Grk “Peter answering said.” This construction is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
7 tc Instead of the singular future indicative ποιήσω (poihsw, “I will make”), most witnesses (C3 D L W Θ [Φ] 0281 Ë[1],13 33 Ï lat sy co) have the plural aorist subjunctive ποιήσωμεν (poihswmen, “let us make”). But since ποιήσωμεν is the reading found in the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke, it is almost surely a motivated reading. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, as well as a few others (א B C* 700 pc) have ποιήσω. It is thus more likely that the singular verb is authentic.
8 tn Or “booths,” “dwellings” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles).
6 tn Grk “behold, a.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here or in the following clause because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
7 sn This cloud is the cloud of God’s presence and the voice is his as well.
8 tn Or “surrounded.”
9 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.
10 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).
11 sn The expression listen to him comes from Deut 18:15 and makes two points: 1) Jesus is a prophet like Moses, a leader-prophet, and 2) they have much yet to learn from him.
7 tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” 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.”
8 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
9 tn Grk “Jesus commanded them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
10 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
11 tn Or “do the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
11 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This has been simplified in the translation.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
14 tn Grk “he is moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB, NASB), 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).
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
16 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
17 tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (w), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”
18 tn Or “faithless.”
19 tn Grk “how long.”
20 tn Or “put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.
21 sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
18 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
18 tn Grk “coming, the disciples said.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqontes) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
19 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
20 tn Grk “faith as,” “faith like.”
21 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
20 tc Many important
21 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
22 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV “into human hands”; TEV, CEV “to people”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.
22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
23 map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.
24 tn Grk “Collectors of the double drachma.” This is a case of metonymy, where the coin formerly used to pay the tax (the double drachma coin, or δίδραχμον [didracmon]) was put for the tax itself (cf. BDAG 241 s.v.). Even though this coin was no longer in circulation in NT times and other coins were used to pay the tax, the name for the coin was still used to refer to the tax itself.
23 tn Grk “spoke first to him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
24 sn The phrase their sons may mean “their citizens,” but the term “sons” has been retained here in order to preserve the implicit comparison between the Father and his Son, Jesus.
24 sn See the note on the phrase their sons in the previous verse.
25 sn The four drachma coin was a stater (στατήρ, stathr), a silver coin worth four drachmas. One drachma was equivalent to one denarius, the standard pay for a day’s labor (L&N 6.80).
26 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
27 sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.
28 tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.
27 tn This verb, δέχομαι (decomai), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).
28 tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”
29 tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.
30 tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”
29 tn Grk “For it.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
30 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
31 sn In Greek there is a wordplay that is difficult to reproduce in English here. The verb translated “causes…to sin” (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizw) comes from the same root as the word translated “stumbling blocks” (σκάνδαλον, skandalon) in the previous verse.
32 tn Grk “than having.”
31 tn Grk “than having.”
32 tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”
32 tc The most important
33 tn Grk “a certain man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.
34 sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.
35 sn Look for the one that went astray. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.
34 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
35 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. All the “if” clauses in this paragraph are third class conditions in Greek.
36 tn The Greek term “brother” can mean “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a) whether male or female. It can also refer to siblings, though here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God. Therefore, because of the familial connotations, “brother” has been retained in the translation here in preference to the more generic “fellow believer” (“fellow Christian” would be anachronistic in this context).
37 tc ‡ The earliest and best witnesses lack “against you” after “if your brother sins.” It is quite possible that the shorter reading in these witnesses (א B, as well as 0281 Ë1 579 pc sa) occurred when scribes either intentionally changed the text (to make it more universal in application) or unintentionally changed the text (owing to the similar sound of the end of the verb ἁμαρτήσῃ [Jamarthsh] and the prepositional phrase εἰς σέ [eis se]). However, if the
38 tn Grk “go reprove him.”
36 sn A quotation from Deut 19:15.
37 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
38 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
39 tn Grk “let him be to you as.”
40 tn Or “a pagan.”
41 sn To treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector means not to associate with such a person. See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
38 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
39 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
40 tn Grk “if two of you…agree about whatever they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the pronouns, which change from second person plural to third person plural in the Greek text, have been consistently translated as second person plural.
40 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
41 tn Or “seventy times seven,” i.e., an unlimited number of times. See L&N 60.74 and 60.77 for the two possible translations of the phrase.
42 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
43 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
44 sn A talent was a huge sum of money, equal to 6,000 denarii. One denarius was the usual day’s wage for a worker. L&N 6.82 states, “a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a value which fluctuated, depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time (a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times that much).”
44 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
45 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
46 tn Grk “and his wife.”
45 tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.
46 tc The majority of
46 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
47 tn Grk “one hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be about three month’s pay.
48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so.” A new sentence was started at this point in the translation in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
49 tn Grk “and he grabbed him and started choking him.”
50 tn The word “me” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
47 tn Grk “begged him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
48 tn Grk “Therefore when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
49 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the first slave mentioned in v. 24) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50 tn Grk “handed him over to the torturers,” referring specifically to guards whose job was to torture prisoners who were being questioned. According to L&N 37.126, it is difficult to know for certain in this instance whether the term actually envisions torture as a part of the punishment or is simply a hyperbole. However, in light of the following verse and Jesus’ other warning statements in Matthew about “fiery hell,” “the outer darkness,” etc., it is best not to dismiss this as mere imagery.
51 tn Grk “his.” The pronoun has been translated to follow English idiom (the last pronoun of the verse [“from your heart”] is second person plural in the original).
52 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
52 tn Grk “it happened when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
53 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”).
53 tn Grk “And Pharisees.”
54 tc ‡ Most
55 sn The question of the Pharisees was anything but sincere; they were asking it to test him. Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan) and it is likely that the Pharisees were hoping he might answer the question of divorce in a way similar to John the Baptist and so suffer the same fate as John, i.e., death at the hands of Herod (cf. 14:1-12). Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deut 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God’s original design.
54 sn A quotation from Gen 1:27; 5:2.
55 sn A quotation from Gen 2:24.
56 tc ‡ Although the majority of witnesses (B C W 078 087 Ë13 33 Ï syp,h) have αὐτήν (authn, “her”) after the infinitive ἀπολῦσαι (apolusai, “to divorce”), a variant lacks the αὐτήν. This shorter reading may be due to assimilation to the Markan parallel, but since it is attested in early and diverse witnesses (א D L Z Θ Ë1 579 700 pc lat) and since the parallel verse (Mark 10:4) already departs at many points, the shorter reading seems more likely to be original. The pronoun has been included in the translation, however, for clarity. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations regarding its authenticity.
57 tc A few important
58 tn Grk “heart” (a collective singular).
58 tc ‡ Some significant witnesses, along with the majority of later
59 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
60 tn Grk “from the womb of the mother” (an idiom).
61 tn The verb εὐνουχίζω occurs twice in this verse, translated the first time as “made eunuchs” and the second time as “became eunuchs.” The term literally refers to castration. The second occurrence of the word in this verse is most likely figurative, though, referring to those who willingly maintain a life of celibacy for the furtherance of the kingdom (see W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison, Matthew [ICC], 3:23).
62 tn Grk “people.”
61 tn Grk “so that he would lay his hands on them and pray.”
62 tn Grk “the disciples scolded them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples scolded the children rather than their parents who brought them.
62 sn The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.
63 tn Grk “went from there.”
64 tn Grk “And behold one came.” 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). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
65 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.
66 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
66 tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.
67 tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
67 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
68 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
68 tn Grk “he had many possessions.” This term (κτῆμα, kthma) is often used for land as a possession.
69 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
70 tn Grk “I say to you.”
71 tc A few late witnesses (579 1424 pc) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamhlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.
72 sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.
71 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
72 sn The assumption is that the rich are blessed, so if they risk exclusion, who is left to be saved?
72 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
73 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anqrwpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men, but for God all things are possible”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” in v. 28.
73 tn Grk “Then answering, Peter said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
74 sn Peter wants reassurance that the disciples’ response and sacrifice have been noticed.
75 tn Grk “We have left everything and followed you.” Koine Greek often used paratactic structure when hypotactic was implied.
74 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
75 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
76 sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).
77 sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.
75 sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (a hundred times as much) and (2) eternal life will be given.