32:25 So the Gadites and the Reubenites replied to Moses, “Your servants will do as my lord commands.
13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, 2 and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 13:2 So the person who resists such authority 3 resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 13:3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 13:4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 13:5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities 4 but also because of your conscience. 5
3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and 6 authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.
3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and 7 authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.
1 tn Heb “the
2 tn Grk “by God.”
3 tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.
4 tn Grk “its wrath”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Grk “because of (the) conscience,” but the English possessive “your” helps to show whose conscience the context implies.
6 tc Most later witnesses (D2 0278 Ï lat sy) have καί (kai, “and”) after ἀρχαῖς (arcai", “rulers”), though the earliest and best witnesses (א A C D* F G Ψ 33 104 1739 1881) lack the conjunction. Although the καί is most likely not authentic, it has been added in translation due to the requirements of English style. For more discussion, see TCGNT 586.
7 tc Most later witnesses (D2 0278 Ï lat sy) have καί (kai, “and”) after ἀρχαῖς (arcai", “rulers”), though the earliest and best witnesses (א A C D* F G Ψ 33 104 1739 1881) lack the conjunction. Although the καί is most likely not authentic, it has been added in translation due to the requirements of English style. For more discussion, see TCGNT 586.
8 tn Grk “the blessed hope and glorious appearing.”
9 tn The terms “God and Savior” both refer to the same person, Jesus Christ. This is one of the clearest statements in the NT concerning the deity of Christ. The construction in Greek is known as the Granville Sharp rule, named after the English philanthropist-linguist who first clearly articulated the rule in 1798. Sharp pointed out that in the construction article-noun-καί-noun (where καί [kai] = “and”), when two nouns are singular, personal, and common (i.e., not proper names), they always had the same referent. Illustrations such as “the friend and brother,” “the God and Father,” etc. abound in the NT to prove Sharp’s point. The only issue is whether terms such as “God” and “Savior” could be considered common nouns as opposed to proper names. Sharp and others who followed (such as T. F. Middleton in his masterful The Doctrine of the Greek Article) demonstrated that a proper name in Greek was one that could not be pluralized. Since both “God” (θεός, qeos) and “savior” (σωτήρ, swthr) were occasionally found in the plural, they did not constitute proper names, and hence, do fit Sharp’s rule. Although there have been 200 years of attempts to dislodge Sharp’s rule, all attempts have been futile. Sharp’s rule stands vindicated after all the dust has settled. For more information on Sharp’s rule see ExSyn 270-78, esp. 276. See also 2 Pet 1:1 and Jude 4.
10 tn Grk “who” (as a continuation of the previous clause).
11 tn Or “a people who are his very own.”
12 tn Grk “for good works.”
13 tn Or “reproof,” “censure.” The Greek word ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
14 tn Grk “speak these things and exhort and rebuke with all authority.”
15 tn Or “let anyone despise you”; or “let anyone disregard you.”