Revelation 21:23

21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb.

Isaiah 60:1-3

Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!

The splendor ¹  of the Lord shines on you!

60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth

and deep darkness covers ²  the nations,

but the Lord shines on you;

his splendor ³  appears over you.

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

Ezekiel 43:2

43:2 I saw ⁴  the glory of the God of Israel ⁵  coming from the east; ⁶  the sound was like that of rushing water; ⁷  and the earth radiated ⁸  his glory.

Luke 17:24

17:24 For just like the lightning flashes ⁹  and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. ¹⁰ 

Luke 17:2

17:2 It would be better for him to have a millstone ¹¹  tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea ¹²  than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. ¹³ 

Luke 2:8

The Shepherds’ Visit

2:8 Now ¹⁴  there were shepherds ¹⁵  nearby ¹⁶  living out in the field, keeping guard ¹⁷  over their flock at night.

¹ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).

² tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

³ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”

⁴ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

⁵ sn This same title appears in 8:4; 9:3; 10:19; and 11:22.

⁶ sn Earlier Ezekiel had observed God leaving the temple to the east (11:23).

⁷ sn See Ezek 1:24; Rev 1:15; 14:2; 19:6.

⁸ tn Heb “shone from.”

⁹ sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.

¹⁰ tc Some very important mss (Ì⁷⁵ B D it sa) lack the words ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ (en th Jhmera autou, “in his day”), but the words are included in א A L W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat sy bo. On the one hand, the shorter reading is impressive because it has some of the best Alexandrian and Western witnesses in support; on the other hand, the expression ἐν τῇ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ is unusual (found nowhere else in the NT), and may be considered the harder reading. A decision is difficult, but it is probably best to retain the words. NA²⁷ rightly has the words in brackets, expressing doubt as to their authenticity.

¹¹ tn This term refers to the heavy upper stone of a grinding mill (L&N 7.70; BDAG 660 s.v. μυλικός).

¹² tn Grk “if a millstone were tied…and he were thrown.” The conditional construction in Greek has been translated by English infinitives: “to have… and be thrown.”

¹³ tn Or “to stumble.” This verb, σκανδαλίσῃ (skandalish), has the same root as the noun σκάνδαλον (skandalon) in 17:1, translated “stumbling blocks”; this wordplay is difficult to reproduce in English. It is possible that the primary cause of offense here would be leading disciples (“little ones”) astray in a similar fashion.

¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

¹⁵ sn Some argue that shepherds were among the culturally despised, but the evidence for this view of shepherds is late, coming from 5th century Jewish materials. December 25 as the celebrated date of Jesus’ birth arose around the time of Constantine (ca. a.d. 306-337), though it is mentioned in material from Hippolytus (a.d. 165-235). Some think that the reason for celebration on this date was that it coincided with the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia, and Christians could celebrate their own festival at this time without fear of persecution. On the basis of the statement that the shepherds were living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night it is often suggested that Jesus’ birth took place in early spring, since it was only at lambing time that shepherds stood guard over their flocks in the field. This is not absolutely certain, however.

¹⁶ tn Grk “in that region.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “living in the field (see BDAG 15 s.v. ἀγραυλέω) and guarding their flock.”