2 Corinthians 12:21

12:21 I am afraid that ¹  when I come again, my God may humiliate me before you, and I will grieve for ²  many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they have practiced.

2 Corinthians 12:2

12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago (whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows) was caught up to the third heaven.

2 Corinthians 12:13

12:13 For how ³  were you treated worse than the other churches, except that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this injustice!

2 Corinthians 12:1

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh

12:1 It is necessary to go on boasting. ⁴  Though it is not profitable, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.

2 Corinthians 8:1

Completing the Collection for the Saints

8:1 Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, ⁵  the grace of God given to the churches of Macedonia,

Job 33:27-28

33:27 That person sings ⁶  to others, ⁷  saying:

‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,

but I was not punished according to what I deserved. ⁸ 

33:28 He redeemed my life ⁹ 

from going down to the place of corruption,

and my life sees the light!’

Jeremiah 31:9

31:9 They will come back shedding tears of contrition.

I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. ¹⁰ 

I will lead them besides streams of water,

along smooth paths where they will never stumble. ¹¹ 

I will do this because I am Israel’s father;

Ephraim ¹²  is my firstborn son.’”

Ezekiel 7:16

7:16 Their survivors will escape to the mountains and become like doves of the valleys; all of them will moan – each one for his iniquity.

Ezekiel 18:27-30

18:27 When a wicked person turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will preserve his life. 18:28 Because he considered ¹³  and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, ¹⁴  O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent ¹⁵  and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. ¹⁶ 

Jonah 3:8

3:8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly ¹⁷  to God, and everyone ¹⁸  must turn from their ¹⁹  evil way of living ²⁰  and from the violence that they do. ²¹ 

Jonah 3:10

3:10 When God saw their actions – they turned ²²  from their evil way of living! ²³  – God relented concerning the judgment ²⁴  he had threatened them with ²⁵  and he did not destroy them. ²⁶ 

Matthew 21:28-32

The Parable of the Two Sons

21:28 “What ²⁷  do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 21:29 The boy answered, ²⁸  ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart ²⁹  and went. 21:30 The father ³⁰  went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, ³¹  ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” ³²  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, ³³  tax collectors ³⁴  and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although ³⁵  you saw this, you did not later change your minds ³⁶  and believe him.

Matthew 26:75

26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. ³⁷ 

Luke 15:10

15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ³⁸  over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 18:13

18:13 The tax collector, however, stood ³⁹  far off and would not even look up ⁴⁰  to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful ⁴¹  to me, sinner that I am!’ ⁴² 

Acts 3:19

3:19 Therefore repent and turn back so that your sins may be wiped out,

Acts 11:18

11:18 When they heard this, ⁴³  they ceased their objections ⁴⁴  and praised ⁴⁵  God, saying, “So then, God has granted the repentance ⁴⁶  that leads to life even to the Gentiles.” ⁴⁷ 

Acts 11:2

11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ⁴⁸  the circumcised believers ⁴⁹  took issue with ⁵⁰  him,

Acts 2:25-26

2:25 For David says about him,

‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, ⁵¹ 

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken.

2:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced;

my body ⁵²  also will live in hope,

[12:21]  ¹ tn The words “I am afraid that” are not repeated in the Greek text from v. 20, but are needed for clarity.

[12:21]  ² tn Or “I will mourn over.”

[12:13]  ³ tn Grk “For in what respect.”

[12:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “Boasting is necessary.”

[8:1]  ⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.

[33:27]  ⁶ tc The verb יָשֹׁר (yashor) is unusual. The typical view is to change it to יָשִׁיר (yashir, “he sings”), but that may seem out of harmony with a confession. Dhorme suggests a root שׁוּר (shur, “to repeat”), but this is a doubtful root. J. Reider reads it יָשֵׁיר (yasher) and links it to an Arabic word “confesses” (ZAW 24 [1953]: 275).

[33:27]  ⁷ tn Heb “to men.”

[33:27]  ⁸ tn The verb שָׁוָה (shavah) has the impersonal meaning here, “it has not been requited to me.” The meaning is that the sinner has not been treated in accordance with his deeds: “I was not punished according to what I deserved.”

[33:28]  ⁹ sn See note on “him” in v. 24.

[31:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “They will come with weeping; I will bring them with supplication.” The ideas of contrition and repentance are implicit from the context (cf. vv. 18-19) and are supplied for clarity.

[31:9]  ¹¹ sn Jer 31:8-9 are reminiscent of the “New Exodus” motif of Isa 40-66 which has already been referred to in Jer 16:14-15; 23:7-8. See especially Isa 35:3-10; 40:3-5, 11; 41:17-20; 42:14-17; 43:16-21; 49:9-13. As there, the New Exodus will so outstrip the old that the old will pale in comparison and be almost forgotten (see Jer 23:7-8).

[31:9]  ¹² sn Ephraim was the second son of Joseph who was elevated to a place of prominence in the family of Jacob by the patriarch’s special blessing. It was the strongest tribe in northern Israel and Samaria lay in its territory. It is often used as a poetic parallel for Israel as here. The poetry is not speaking of two separate entities here; it is a way of repeating an idea for emphasis. Moreover, there is no intent to show special preference for northern Israel over Judah. All Israel is metaphorically God’s son and the object of his special care and concern (Exod 4:22; Deut 32:6).

[18:28]  ¹³ tn Heb “he saw.”

[18:30]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “ways.”

[18:30]  ¹⁵ tn The verbs and persons in this verse are plural whereas the individual has been the subject of the chapter.

[18:30]  ¹⁶ tn Or “leading to punishment.”

[3:8]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “with strength”; KJV, NRSV “mightily”; NAB, NCV “loudly”; NIV “urgently.”

[3:8]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “let them turn, a man from his evil way.” The alternation between the plural verb וְיָשֻׁבוּ (vÿyashuvu, “and let them turn”) and the singular noun אִישׁ (’ish, “a man, each one”) and the singular suffix on מִדַּרְכּוֹ (middarko, “from his way”) emphasizes that each and every person in the collective unity is called to repent.

[3:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “his.” See the preceding note on “one.”

[3:8]  ²⁰ tn Heb “evil way.” For other examples of “way” as “way of living,” see Judg 2:17; Ps 107:17-22; Prov 4:25-27; 5:21.

[3:8]  ²¹ tn Heb “that is in their hands.” By speaking of the harm they did as “in their hands,” the king recognized the Ninevites’ personal awareness and immediate responsibility. The term “hands” is either a synecdoche of instrument (e.g., “Is not the hand of Joab in all this?” 2 Sam 14:19) or a synecdoche of part for the whole. The king's descriptive figure of speech reinforces their guilt.

[3:10]  ²² tn This clause is introduced by כִּי (ki, “that”) and functions as an epexegetical, explanatory clause.

[3:10]  ²³ tn Heb “from their evil way” (so KJV, ASV, NAB); NASB “wicked way.”

[3:10]  ²⁴ tn Heb “calamity” or “disaster.” The noun רָעָה (ra’ah, “calamity, disaster”) functions as a metonymy of result – the cause being the threatened judgment (e.g., Exod 32:12, 14; 2 Sam 24:16; Jer 18:8; 26:13, 19; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 6). The root רָעָה is repeated three times in vv. 8 and 10. Twice it refers to the Ninevites’ moral “evil” (vv. 8 and 10a) and here it refers to the “calamity” or “disaster” that the Lord had threatened (v. 10b). This repetition of the root forms a polysemantic wordplay that exploits this broad range of meanings of the noun. The wordplay emphasizes that God’s response was appropriate: because the Ninevites repented from their moral “evil” God relented from the “calamity” he had threatened.

[3:10]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the disaster that he had spoken to do to them.”

[3:10]  ²⁶ tn Heb “and he did not do it.” See notes on 3:8-9.

[21:28]  ²⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:29]  ²⁸ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here the referent (“the boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:29]  ²⁹ tn The Greek text reads here μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai): “to change one’s mind about something, with the probable implication of regret” (L&N 31.59); cf. also BDAG 639 s.v. The idea in this context involves more than just a change of mind, for the son regrets his initial response. The same verb is used in v. 32.

[21:30]  ³⁰ tn “And he”; here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:30]  ³¹ tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated. Here the referent (“this boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:31]  ³² tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western mss (D it). But the reading is so hard as to be nearly impossible. One can only suspect some tampering with the text, extreme carelessness on the part of the scribe, or possibly a recognition of the importance of not shaming one’s parent in public. (Any of these reasons is not improbable with this texttype, and with codex D in particular.) The other two major variants are more difficult to assess. Essentially, the responses make sense (the son who does his father’s will is the one who changes his mind after saying “no”): (2) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. But here, the first son is called the one who does his father’s will (unlike the Western reading). This is the reading found in (א) C L W (Z) 0102 0281 ˹ 33 Ï and several versional witnesses. (3) The first son says “yes” but does not go, and the second son says “no” but later has a change of heart. This is the reading found in B Θ Ë¹³ 700 and several versional witnesses. Both of these latter two readings make good sense and have significantly better textual support than the first reading. The real question, then, is this: Is the first son or the second the obedient one? If one were to argue simply from the parabolic logic, the second son would be seen as the obedient one (hence, the third reading). The first son would represent the Pharisees (or Jews) who claim to obey God, but do not (cf. Matt 23:3). This accords well with the parable of the prodigal son (in which the oldest son represents the unbelieving Jews). Further, the chronological sequence of the second son being obedient fits well with the real scene: Gentiles and tax collectors and prostitutes were not, collectively, God’s chosen people, but they did repent and come to God, while the Jewish leaders claimed to be obedient to God but did nothing. At the same time, the external evidence is weaker for this reading (though stronger than the first reading), not as widespread, and certainly suspect because of how neatly it fits. One suspects scribal manipulation at this point. Thus the second reading looks to be superior to the other two on both external and transcriptional grounds. But what about intrinsic evidence? One can surmise that Jesus didn’t always give predictable responses. In this instance, he may well have painted a picture in which the Pharisees saw themselves as the first son, only to stun them with his application (v. 32).

[21:31]  ³³ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:31]  ³⁴ sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.

[21:32]  ³⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:32]  ³⁶ sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.

[26:75]  ³⁷ sn When Peter went out and wept bitterly it shows he really did not want to fail here and was deeply grieved that he had.

[15:10]  ³⁸ sn The whole of heaven is said to rejoice. Joy in the presence of God’s angels is a way of referring to God’s joy as well without having to name him explicitly. Contemporary Judaism tended to refer to God indirectly where possible out of reverence or respect for the divine name.

[18:13]  ³⁹ tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.

[18:13]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).

[18:13]  ⁴¹ tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, Jilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Ps 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).

[18:13]  ⁴² tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.

[11:18]  ⁴³ tn Grk “these things.”

[11:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “became silent,” but this would create an apparent contradiction with the subsequent action of praising God. The point, in context, is that they ceased objecting to what Peter had done.

[11:18]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “glorified.”

[11:18]  ⁴⁶ sn Here the summary phrase for responding to the gospel is the repentance that leads to life. Note how the presence of life is tied to the presence of the Spirit (cf. John 4:7-42; 7:37-39).

[11:18]  ⁴⁷ sn In the Greek text the phrase even to the Gentiles is in an emphatic position.

[11:2]  ⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[2:25]  ⁵¹ tn Or “always before me.”

[2:26]  ⁵² tn Grk “my flesh.”