10:16 “I 1 am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, 2 so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 10:17 Beware 3 of people, because they will hand you over to councils 4 and flog 5 you in their synagogues. 6
3:2 Beware of the dogs, 7 beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh! 8
1 tn Grk “Behold I.” 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).
2 sn This imagery of wolves is found in intertestamental Judaism; see Pss. Sol. 8:23, 30.
3 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
4 sn Councils in this context refers to local judicial bodies attached to the Jewish synagogue. This group would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
5 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
6 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
7 sn Dogs is a figurative reference to false teachers whom Paul regards as just as filthy as dogs.
8 tn Grk “beware of the mutilation.”