9:2 Six days later 1 Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John and led them alone up a high mountain privately. And he was transfigured before them, 2
1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, 3 have not ceased praying for you and asking God 4 to fill 5 you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 1:10 so that you may live 6 worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects 7 – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God,
4:2 I appeal to Euodia and to Syntyche to agree in the Lord.
1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 10
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 12 we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
1:1 After God spoke long ago 13 in various portions 14 and in various ways 15 to our ancestors 16 through the prophets,
1:1 After God spoke long ago 17 in various portions 18 and in various ways 19 to our ancestors 20 through the prophets,
1 tn Grk “And after six days.”
2 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).
3 tn Or “heard about it”; Grk “heard.” There is no direct object stated in the Greek (direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context). A direct object is expected by an English reader, however, so most translations supply one. Here, however, it is not entirely clear what the author “heard”: a number of translations supply “it” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV; NAB “this”), but this could refer back either to (1) “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8, or (2) “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints” (v. 4). In light of this uncertainty, other translations supply “about you” (TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). This is preferred by the present translation since, while it does not resolve the ambiguity entirely, it does make it less easy for the English reader to limit the reference only to “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8.
4 tn The term “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but the following reference to “the knowledge of his will” makes it clear that “God” is in view as the object of the “praying and asking,” and should therefore be included in the English translation for clarity.
5 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as substantival, indicating the content of the prayer and asking. The idea of purpose may also be present in this clause.
6 tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”
7 tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”
8 tn The Greek word translated “all things” is in emphatic position at the beginning of the Greek sentence.
9 tc Although some excellent witnesses lack explicit reference to the one strengthening Paul (so א* A B D* I 33 1739 lat co Cl), the majority of witnesses (א2 D2 [F G] Ψ 075 1881 Ï sy) add Χριστῷ (Cristw) here (thus, “through Christ who strengthens me”). But this kind of reading is patently secondary, and is a predictable variant. Further, the shorter reading is much harder, for it leaves the agent unspecified.
10 tn This could also be translated “for your every remembrance of me.” See discussion below.
11 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.
12 tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”
13 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
14 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
15 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
16 tn Grk “to the fathers.”
17 tn Or “spoke formerly.”
18 tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).
19 tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.
20 tn Grk “to the fathers.”