Romans 15:15-16

15:15 But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve ¹  the gospel of God ²  like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, ³  sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 6:11

Final Instructions and Benediction

6:11 See what big letters I make as I write to you with my own hand!

Hebrews 13:22

13:22 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, ⁴  bear with my message of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you briefly.

Hebrews 13:1

Final Exhortations

13:1 Brotherly love must continue.

Hebrews 5:12

5:12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, ⁵  you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. ⁶  You have gone back to needing ⁷  milk, not ⁸  solid food.

Hebrews 5:2

5:2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness,

Hebrews 1:12

1:12 and like a robe you will fold them up

and like a garment ⁹  they will be changed,

but you are the same and your years will never run out.” ¹⁰ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹¹  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹² 

¹ tn Grk “serving.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but in keeping with contemporary English style, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

² tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.

³ tn Grk “so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable.” This could be understood to refer to an offering belonging to the Gentiles (a possessive genitive) or made by the Gentiles (subjective genitive), but more likely the phrase should be understood as an appositive genitive, with the Gentiles themselves consisting of the offering (so J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC 38], 2:860). The latter view is reflected in the translation “so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering.”

⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

⁵ tn Grk “because of the time.”

⁶ tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”

⁷ tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”

⁸ tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and important ones (א² A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 Ï sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B² C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁷ has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁹ tc The words “like a garment” (ὡς ἱμάτιον, Jw" Jimation) are found in excellent and early mss (Ì⁴⁶ א A B D* 1739) though absent in a majority of witnesses (D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1881 Ï lat sy bo). Although it is possible that longer reading was produced by overzealous scribes who wanted to underscore the frailty of creation, it is much more likely that the shorter reading was produced by scribes who wanted to conform the wording to that of Ps 102:26 (101:27 LXX), which here lacks the second “like a garment.” Both external and internal considerations decidedly favor the longer reading, and point to the author of Hebrews as the one underscoring the difference between the Son and creation.

¹⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 102:25-27.

¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

¹² tn Grk “of our confession.”