Ecclesiastes 12:9

Concluding Epilogue: Qoheleth’s Advice is Wise

12:9 Not only was the Teacher wise, ¹ 

but he also taught knowledge to the people;

he carefully evaluated ²  and arranged ³  many proverbs.

Luke 11:35

11:35 Therefore see to it ⁴  that the light in you ⁵  is not darkness.

Luke 21:8

21:8 He ⁶  said, “Watch out ⁷  that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ ⁸  and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them!

Colossians 4:17

4:17 And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”

Colossians 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Colossians 4:16

4:16 And after ⁹  you have read this letter, have it read ¹⁰  to the church of Laodicea. In turn, read the letter from Laodicea ¹¹  as well.

James 3:1

The Power of the Tongue

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, ¹²  because you know that we will be judged more strictly. ¹³ 

James 3:1

The Power of the Tongue

3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, ¹⁴  because you know that we will be judged more strictly. ¹⁵ 

James 4:11

4:11 Do not speak against one another, brothers and sisters. ¹⁶  He who speaks against a fellow believer ¹⁷  or judges a fellow believer speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but its judge. ¹⁸ 

James 4:2

4:2 You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask;

James 2:1-3

Prejudice and the Law of Love

2:1 My brothers and sisters, ¹⁹  do not show prejudice ²⁰  if you possess faith ²¹  in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. ²²  2:2 For if someone ²³  comes into your assembly ²⁴  wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, 2:3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, ²⁵  “You sit here in a good place,” ²⁶  and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? ²⁷ 

[12:9]  ¹ sn Eccl 12:9-12 fits the pattern of a concluding colophon that draws from a conventional stock of ancient Near Eastern scribal practices and vocabulary. See M. A. Fishbane, Biblical Interpretation, 29–31.

[12:9]  ² tn Heb “he weighed and studied.” The verbs וְאִזֵּן וְחִקֵּר (vÿ’izzen vekhiqqer, “he weighed and he explored”) form a hendiadys (a figurative expression in which two separate terms used in combination to convey a single idea): “he studiously weighed” or “carefully evaluated.” The verb וְאִזֵּן (conjunction + Piel perfect 3rd person masculine singular from II אָזַן (’azan) “to weigh; to balance”) is related to the noun מֹאזֵן (mo’zen) “balances; scales” used for weighing money or commercial items (e.g., Jer 32:10; Ezek 5:1). This is the only use of the verb in the OT. In this context, it means “to weigh” = “to test; to prove” (BDB 24 s.v. מאזן) or “to balance” (HALOT 27 II אָזַן). Cohen suggests, “He made an examination of the large number of proverbial sayings which had been composed, testing their truth and worth, to select those which he considered deserving of circulation” (A. Cohen, The Five Megilloth [SoBB], 189).

[12:9]  ³ tn The verb תָּקַן (taqan, “to make straight”) connotes “to put straight” or “to arrange in order” (HALOT 1784 s.v. תקן; BDB 1075 s.v. תָּקַן).This may refer to Qoheleth’s activity in compiling a collection of wisdom sayings in an orderly manner, or writing the wisdom sayings in a straightforward, direct manner.

[11:35]  ⁴ tn This is a present imperative, calling for a constant watch (L&N 24.32; ExSyn 721).

[11:35]  ⁵ sn Here you is a singular pronoun, individualizing the application.

[21:8]  ⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:8]  ⁷ tn Or “Be on guard.”

[21:8]  ⁸ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”

[4:16]  ⁹ tn Grk “when.”

[4:16]  ¹⁰ tn The construction beginning with the imperative ποιήσατε ἵνα…ἀναγνωσθῇ (poihsate Jina…anagnwsqh) should be translated as “have it read” where the conjunction ἵνα functions to mark off its clause as the direct object of the imperative ποιήσατε. The content of the clause (“reading the letter”) is what Paul commands with the imperative ποιήσατε. Thus the translation “have it read” has been used here.

[4:16]  ¹¹ sn This letter is otherwise unknown, but some have suggested that it is the letter known today as Ephesians.

[3:1]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[3:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”

[3:1]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[3:1]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “will receive a greater judgment.”

[4:11]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[4:11]  ¹⁷ tn See note on the word “believer” in 1:9.

[4:11]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “a judge.”

[2:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.

[2:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “partiality.”

[2:1]  ²¹ tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.

[2:1]  ²² tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:2]  ²³ tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, “equivalent to τὶς someone.”

[2:2]  ²⁴ tn Grk “synagogue.” Usually συναγωγή refers to Jewish places of worship (e.g., Matt 4:23, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59). The word can be used generally to refer to a place of assembly, and here it refers specifically to a Christian assembly (BDAG 963 s.v. 2.b.).

[2:3]  ²⁵ tn Grk “and you pay attention…and say,” continuing the “if” clauses from v. 2. In the Greek text, vv. 2-4 form one long sentence.

[2:3]  ²⁶ tn Or “sit here, please.”

[2:3]  ²⁷ tn Grk “sit under my footstool.” The words “on the floor” have been supplied in the translation to clarify for the modern reader the undesirability of this seating arrangement (so also TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). Another option followed by a number of translations is to replace “under my footstool” with “at my feet” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).