Deuteronomy 32:29

32:29 I wish that they were wise and could understand this,

and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”

Matthew 15:10-14

True Defilement

15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, ¹  “Listen and understand. 15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what ²  comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees ³  heard this saying they were offended?” 15:13 And he replied, ⁴  “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. ⁵  If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, ⁶  both will fall into a pit.”

Matthew 21:21

21:21 Jesus ⁷  answered them, “I tell you the truth, ⁸  if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.

Matthew 21:32

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 ⁹  you saw this, you did not later change your minds ¹⁰  and believe him.

Acts 2:40

2:40 With many other words he testified ¹¹  and exhorted them saying, “Save yourselves from this perverse ¹²  generation!”

Acts 13:26-38

13:26 Brothers, ¹³  descendants ¹⁴  of Abraham’s family, ¹⁵  and those Gentiles among you who fear God, ¹⁶  the message ¹⁷  of this salvation has been sent to us. 13:27 For the people who live in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize ¹⁸  him, ¹⁹  and they fulfilled the sayings ²⁰  of the prophets that are read every Sabbath by condemning ²¹  him. ²²  13:28 Though ²³  they found ²⁴  no basis ²⁵  for a death sentence, ²⁶  they asked Pilate to have him executed. 13:29 When they had accomplished ²⁷  everything that was written ²⁸  about him, they took him down ²⁹  from the cross ³⁰  and placed him ³¹  in a tomb. 13:30 But God raised ³²  him from the dead, 13:31 and ³³  for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied ³⁴  him from Galilee to Jerusalem. These ³⁵  are now his witnesses to the people. 13:32 And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors, ³⁶  13:33 that this promise ³⁷  God has fulfilled to us, their children, by raising ³⁸  Jesus, as also it is written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son; ³⁹  today I have fathered you.’ ⁴⁰  13:34 But regarding the fact that he has raised Jesus ⁴¹  from the dead, never ⁴²  again to be ⁴³  in a state of decay, God ⁴⁴  has spoken in this way: ‘I will give you ⁴⁵  the holy and trustworthy promises ⁴⁶  made to David.’ ⁴⁷  13:35 Therefore he also says in another psalm, ⁴⁸  ‘You will not permit your Holy One ⁴⁹  to experience ⁵⁰  decay.’ ⁵¹  13:36 For David, after he had served ⁵²  God’s purpose in his own generation, died, ⁵³  was buried with his ancestors, ⁵⁴  and experienced ⁵⁵  decay, 13:37 but the one ⁵⁶  whom God raised up did not experience ⁵⁷  decay. 13:38 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through this one ⁵⁸  forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,

Acts 13:1

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ⁵⁹  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ⁶⁰  Lucius the Cyrenian, ⁶¹  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ⁶²  the tetrarch ⁶³  from childhood ⁶⁴ ) and Saul.

Colossians 1:14

1:14 in whom we have redemption, ⁶⁵  the forgiveness of sins.

[15:10]  ¹ tn Grk “And calling the crowd, he said to them.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesamenos) has been translated as attendant circumstance. The emphasis here is upon Jesus’ speaking to the crowd.

[15:11]  ² tn Grk “but what.”

[15:12]  ³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[15:13]  ⁴ tn Grk “And answering, he said.”

[15:14]  ⁵ tc ‡ Most mss, some of which are significant, read “They are blind guides of the blind” (א¹ C L W Z Θ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat). The shorter reading is read by א*^,2 B D 0237 Epiph. There is a distinct possibility of omission due to homoioarcton in א*; this manuscript has a word order variation which puts the word τυφλοί (tufloi, “blind”) right before the word τυφλῶν (tuflwn, “of the blind”). This does not explain the shorter reading, however, in the other witnesses, of which B and D are quite weighty. Internal considerations suggest that the shorter reading is original: “of the blind” was likely added by scribes to balance this phrase with Jesus’ following statement about the blind leading the blind, which clearly has two groups in view. A decision is difficult, but internal considerations here along with the strength of the witnesses argue that the shorter reading is more likely original. NA²⁷ places τυφλῶν in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[15:14]  ⁶ tn Grk “If blind leads blind.”

[21:21]  ⁷ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.

[21:21]  ⁸ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:32]  ⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:32]  ¹⁰ 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.

[2:40]  ¹¹ tn Or “warned.”

[2:40]  ¹² tn Or “crooked” (in a moral or ethical sense). See Luke 3:5.

[13:26]  ¹³ tn Grk “Men brothers,” but this is both awkward and unnecessary in English.

[13:26]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “sons”

[13:26]  ¹⁵ tn Or “race.”

[13:26]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “and those among you who fear God,” but this is practically a technical term for the category called God-fearers, Gentiles who worshiped the God of Israel and in many cases kept the Mosaic law, but did not take the final step of circumcision necessary to become a proselyte to Judaism. See further K. G. Kuhn, TDNT 6:732-34, 743-44. Note how Paul includes God-fearing Gentiles as recipients of this promise.

[13:26]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “word.”

[13:27]  ¹⁸ tn BDAG 12-13 s.v. ἀγνοέω 1.b gives “not to know w. acc. of pers.” as the meaning here, but “recognize” is a better translation in this context because recognition of the true identity of the one they condemned is the issue. See Acts 2:22-24; 4:26-28.

[13:27]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “this one.”

[13:27]  ²⁰ tn Usually φωνή (fwnh) means “voice,” but BDAG 1071-72 s.v. φωνή 2.c has “Also of sayings in scripture…Ac 13:27.”

[13:27]  ²¹ tn The participle κρίναντες (krinante") is instrumental here.

[13:27]  ²² tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:28]  ²³ tn Grk “And though.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[13:28]  ²⁴ tn The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a concessive adverbial participle.

[13:28]  ²⁵ sn No basis. Luke insists on Jesus’ innocence again and again in Luke 23:1-25.

[13:28]  ²⁶ tn Grk “no basis for death,” but in this context a sentence of death is clearly indicated.

[13:29]  ²⁷ tn Or “carried out.”

[13:29]  ²⁸ sn That is, everything that was written in OT scripture.

[13:29]  ²⁹ tn Grk “taking him down from the cross, they placed him.” The participle καθελόντες (kaqelonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[13:29]  ³⁰ tn Grk “tree,” but frequently figurative for a cross. The allusion is to Deut 21:23. See Acts 5:30; 10:39.

[13:29]  ³¹ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[13:30]  ³² sn See the note on the phrase “raised up” in v. 22, which is the same Greek verb used here.

[13:31]  ³³ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the conjunction “and” and the pronoun “he” at this point to improve the English style.

[13:31]  ³⁴ sn Those who had accompanied him refers to the disciples, who knew Jesus in ministry. Luke is aware of resurrection appearances in Galilee though he did not relate any of them in Luke 24.

[13:31]  ³⁵ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun (“who”) was replaced by the demonstrative pronoun “these” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek and the awkwardness of two relative clauses (“who for many days appeared” and “who are now his witnesses”) following one another.

[13:32]  ³⁶ tn Or “to our forefathers”; Grk “the fathers.”

[13:33]  ³⁷ tn Grk “that this”; the referent (the promise mentioned in the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:33]  ³⁸ tn Or “by resurrecting.” The participle ἀναστήσας (anasthsa") is taken as instrumental here.

[13:33]  ³⁹ sn You are my Son. The key to how the quotation is used is the naming of Jesus as “Son” to the Father. The language is that of kingship, as Ps 2 indicates. Here is the promise about what the ultimate Davidic heir would be.

[13:33]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “I have begotten you.” The traditional translation for γεγέννηκα (gegennhka, “begotten”) is misleading to the modern English reader because it is no longer in common use. Today one speaks of “fathering” a child in much the same way speakers of English formerly spoke of “begetting a child.”

[13:34]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ⁴² tn Although μηκέτι (mhketi) can mean “no longer” or “no more,” the latter is more appropriate here, since to translate “no longer” in this context could give the reader the impression that Jesus did experience decay before his resurrection. Since the phrase “no more again to be” is somewhat awkward in English, the simpler phrase “never again to be” was used instead.

[13:34]  ⁴³ tn The translation “to be in again” for ὑποστρέφω (Jupostrefw) is given in L&N 13.24.

[13:34]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:34]  ⁴⁵ tn The pronoun “you” is plural here. The promises of David are offered to the people.

[13:34]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “the trustworthy decrees made by God to David.” The phrase τὰ ὅσια Δαυὶδ τὰ πιστά (ta Josia Dauid ta pista) is “compressed,” that is, in a very compact or condensed form. It could be expanded in several different ways. BDAG 728 s.v. ὅσιος 3 understands it to refer to divine decrees: “I will grant you the sure decrees of God relating to David.” BDAG then states that this quotation from Isa 55:3 is intended to show that the following quotation from Ps 16:10 could not refer to David himself, but must refer to his messianic descendant (Jesus). L&N 33.290 render the phrase “I will give to you the divine promises made to David, promises that can be trusted,” although they also note that τὰ ὅσια in Acts 13:34 can mean “divine decrees” or “decrees made by God.” In contemporary English it is less awkward to translate πιστά as an adjective (“trustworthy”). The concept of “divine decrees,” not very understandable to the modern reader, has been replaced by “promises,” and since God is the implied speaker in the context, it is clear that these promises were made by God.

[13:34]  ⁴⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 55:3. The point of this citation is to make clear that the promise of a Davidic line and blessings are made to the people as well.

[13:35]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “Therefore he also says in another”; the word “psalm” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[13:35]  ⁴⁹ tn The Greek word translated “Holy One” here (ὅσιόν, {osion) is related to the use of ὅσια (Josia) in v. 34. The link is a wordplay. The Holy One, who does not die, brings the faithful holy blessings of promise to the people.

[13:35]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “to see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “to see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “to look at decay,” while here “see decay” is really figurative for “experience decay.”

[13:35]  ⁵¹ sn A quotation from Ps 16:10.

[13:36]  ⁵² tn The participle ὑπηρετήσας (Juphrethsa") is taken temporally.

[13:36]  ⁵³ tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.

[13:36]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “was gathered to his fathers” (a Semitic idiom).

[13:36]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “saw,” but the literal translation of the phrase “saw decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “looked at decay,” while here “saw decay” is really figurative for “experienced decay.” This remark explains why David cannot fulfill the promise.

[13:37]  ⁵⁶ sn The one whom God raised up refers to Jesus.

[13:37]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “see,” but the literal translation of the phrase “did not see decay” could be misunderstood to mean simply “did not look at decay,” while here “did not see decay” is really figurative for “did not experience decay.”

[13:38]  ⁵⁸ tn That is, Jesus. This pronoun is in emphatic position in the Greek text. Following this phrase in the Greek text is the pronoun ὑμῖν (Jumin, “to you”), so that the emphasis for the audience is that “through Jesus to you” these promises have come.

[13:1]  ⁵⁹ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  ⁶⁰ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ⁶¹ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ⁶² sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, who had John the Baptist beheaded, and who is mentioned a number of times in the gospels.

[13:1]  ⁶³ tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”

[1:14]  ⁶⁵ tc διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ (dia tou {aimato" autou, “through his blood”) is read at this juncture by several minuscule mss (614 630 1505 2464 al) as well as a few, mostly secondary, versional and patristic witnesses. But the reading was prompted by the parallel in Eph 1:7 where the wording is solid. If these words had been in the original of Colossians, why would scribes omit them here but not in Eph 1:7? Further, the testimony on behalf of the shorter reading is quite overwhelming: {א A B C D F G Ψ 075 0150 6 33 1739 1881 Ï latt co as well as several other versions and fathers}. The conviction that “through his blood” is not authentic in Col 1:14 is as strong as the conviction that these words are authentic in Eph 1:7.