4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, 1
growing brighter and brighter 2 until full day. 3
19:1 Now when 10 Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. 11
1:1 From Paul, 12 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
1:1 From Paul, 13 an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2:20 If you have died with Christ to the elemental spirits 17 of the world, why do you submit to them as though you lived in the world?
1 tn Heb “like light of brightness.” This construction is an attributive genitive: “bright light.” The word “light” (אוֹר, ’or) refers to the early morning light or the dawn (BDB 21 s.v.). The point of the simile is that the course of life that the righteous follow is like the clear, bright morning light. It is illumined, clear, easy to follow, and healthy and safe – the opposite of what darkness represents.
2 tn The construction uses the Qal active participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) in a metaphorical sense to add the idea of continuance or continually to the participle הוֹלֵךְ (holekh). Here the path was growing light, but the added participle signifies continually.
3 tn Heb “until the day is established.” This expression refers to the coming of the full day or the time of high noon.
4 sn An allusion to Dan 12:3.
5 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15, 13:9; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
8 sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).
9 sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.
10 tn Grk “it happened when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
11 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).
12 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
13 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
14 tn The Greek participle κρατῶν (kratwn) was translated as a finite verb to avoid an unusually long and pedantic sentence structure in English.
15 tn See BDAG 387 s.v. ἐπιχορηγέω 3.
16 tn The genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of source, “from God.”
17 tn See the note on the phrase “elemental spirits” in 2:8.
18 tn The words “is this” are supplied to make a complete sentence in English.
19 tn Or perhaps “the messengers.”