Matthew 9:28-30

9:28 When ¹  he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus ²  said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 9:29 Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.”

Matthew 19:26

19:26 Jesus ³  looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, ⁴  but for God all things are possible.”

Luke 1:37

1:37 For nothing ⁵  will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:45

1:45 And blessed ⁶  is she who believed that ⁷  what was spoken to her by ⁸  the Lord would be fulfilled.” ⁹ 

John 4:50-51

4:50 Jesus told him, “Go home; ¹⁰  your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and set off for home. ¹¹ 

4:51 While he was on his way down, ¹²  his slaves ¹³  met him and told him that his son was going to live.

¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

² tn Grk “to him, and Jesus.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.

³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

⁴ 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.

⁵ tn In Greek, the phrase πᾶν ῥῆμα (pan rJhma, “nothing”) has an emphatic position, giving it emphasis as the lesson in the entire discussion. The remark is a call for faith.

⁶ sn Again the note of being blessed makes the key point of the passage about believing God.

⁷ tn This ὅτι (Joti) clause, technically indirect discourse after πιστεύω (pisteuw), explains the content of the faith, a belief in God’s promise coming to pass.

⁸ tn That is, “what was said to her (by the angel) at the Lord’s command” (BDAG 756 s.v. παρά A.2).

⁹ tn Grk “that there would be a fulfillment of what was said to her from the Lord.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “Go”; the word “home” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

¹¹ tn Grk “and left.” The words “for home” are implied by the following verse.

¹² sn While he was on his way down. Going to Capernaum from Cana, one must go east across the Galilean hills and then descend to the Sea of Galilee. The 20 mi (33 km) journey could not be made in a single day. The use of the description on his way down shows the author was familiar with Palestinian geography.

¹³ tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.