31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent 5 of meeting 6 so that I can commission him.” 7 So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting.
4:17 So I say this, and insist 8 in the Lord, that you no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility 9 of their thinking. 10
4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, 11 urge you to live 12 worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 13
4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, 20 urge you to live 21 worthily of the calling with which you have been called, 22
1 tn This could be translated “position him,” or “have him stand,” since it is the causative stem of the verb “to stand.”
2 tn The verb is the Piel perfect of צִוָּה (tsivvah, literally “to command”). The verb has a wide range of meanings, and so here in this context the idea of instructing gives way to a more general sense of commissioning for duty. The verb in sequence is equal to the imperfect of instruction.
3 tn Heb “in their eyes.”
4 tn Heb “command”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “charge Joshua.”
5 tc The LXX reads “by the door of the tent” in line with v. 10 but also, perhaps, as a reflection of its tendency to avoid over-familiarity with Yahweh and his transcendence.
6 tn Heb “tent of assembly” (מוֹעֵד אֹהֶל, ’ohel mo’ed); this is not always the same as the tabernacle, which is usually called מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling-place”), a reference to its being invested with God’s presence. The “tent of meeting” was erected earlier than the tabernacle and was the place where Yahweh occasionally appeared, especially to Moses (cf. Exod 18:7-16; 33:7-11; Num 11:16, 24, 26; 12:4).
7 tn Heb “I will command him.”
8 tn On the translation of μαρτύρομαι (marturomai) as “insist” see BDAG 619 s.v. 2.
9 tn On the translation of ματαιότης (mataioth") as “futility” see BDAG 621 s.v.
10 tn Or “thoughts,” “mind.”
11 tn Grk “prisoner in the Lord.”
12 tn Grk “walk.” The verb “walk” in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.
13 sn With which you have been called. The calling refers to the Holy Spirit’s prompting that caused them to believe. The author is thus urging his readers to live a life that conforms to their saved status before God.
14 tn The genitive αὐτῶν (autwn) has been translated as a genitive of association because of its use with συμμέτοχοι (summetocoi) – a verb which implies association in the σύν- (sun-) prefix.
15 sn Eph 5:19-21. In Eph 5:18 the author gives the command to be filled by means of the Holy Spirit. In 5:19-21 there follows five participles: (1) speaking; (2) singing; (3) making music; (4) giving thanks; (5) submitting. These participles have been variously interpreted, but perhaps the two most likely interpretations are (1) the participles indicate the means by which one is filled by the Spirit; (2) the participles indicate the result of being filled by the Spirit. The fact that the participles are present tense and follow the command (i.e., “be filled”) would tend to support both of these options. But it seems out of Paul’s character to reduce the filling of the Spirit to a formula of some kind. To the extent that this is true, it is unlikely then that the author is here stating the means for being filled by the Spirit. Because it is in keeping with Pauline theology and has good grammatical support, it is better to take the participles as indicating certain results of being filled by the Spirit. See ExSyn 639.
16 tn The term ἀνθίστημι (anqisthmi) carries the idea of resisting or opposing something or someone (BDAG 80 s.v.). In Eph 6:13, when used in combination with στῆναι (sthnai; cf. also στῆτε [sthte] in v. 14) and in a context of battle imagery, it seems to have the idea of resisting, standing firm, and being able to stand your ground.
17 sn An allusion to Isa 59:17.
18 sn The Greek term translated sword (μάχαιρα, macaira) refers to the Roman gladius, a short sword about 2 ft (60 cm) long, used for close hand-to-hand combat. This is the only clearly offensive weapon in the list of armor mentioned by the author (he does not, for example, mention the lance [Latin pilum]).
19 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12 and Deut 5:16.
20 tn Grk “prisoner in the Lord.”
21 tn Grk “walk.” The verb “walk” in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.
22 sn With which you have been called. The calling refers to the Holy Spirit’s prompting that caused them to believe. The author is thus urging his readers to live a life that conforms to their saved status before God.