Deuteronomy 22:12

22:12 You shall make yourselves tassels ¹  for the four corners of the clothing you wear.

Matthew 9:20

9:20 But ²  a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage ³  for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge ⁴  of his cloak. ⁵ 

Matthew 23:5

23:5 They ⁶  do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries ⁷  wide and their tassels ⁸  long.

Luke 8:44

8:44 She ⁹  came up behind Jesus ¹⁰  and touched the edge ¹¹  of his cloak, ¹²  and at once the bleeding ¹³  stopped.

[22:12]  ¹ tn Heb “twisted threads” (גְּדִלִים, gÿdilim) appears to be synonymous with צִיצִת (tsitsit) which, in Num 15:38, occurs in a passage instructing Israel to remember the covenant. Perhaps that is the purpose of the tassels here as well. Cf. KJV, ASV “fringes”; NAB “twisted cords.”

[9:20]  ² tn Grk “And behold a woman.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[9:20]  ³ sn Suffering from a hemorrhage. The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage which would make her ritually unclean.

[9:20]  ⁴ sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.

[9:20]  ⁵ tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.

[23:5]  ⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:5]  ⁷ sn Phylacteries were small leather cases containing OT scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead by Jews, especially when praying. The custom was derived from such OT passages as Exod 13:9; 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18.

[23:5]  ⁸ tn The term κράσπεδον (kraspedon) in some contexts could refer to the outer fringe of the garment (possibly in Mark 6:56). This edge could have been plain or decorated. L&N 6.180 states, “In Mt 23:5 κράσπεδον denotes the tassels worn at the four corners of the outer garment (see 6.194).”

[8:44]  ⁹ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[8:44]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:44]  ¹¹ sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.

[8:44]  ¹² tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.

[8:44]  ¹³ tn Grk “the flow of her blood.”