Ecclesiastes 1:17

1:17 So I decided ¹  to discern the benefit of ²  wisdom and knowledge over ³  foolish behavior and ideas; ⁴ 

however, I concluded ⁵  that even ⁶  this endeavor ⁷  is like ⁸  trying to chase the wind! ⁹ 

Ecclesiastes 7:25

True Righteousness and Wisdom are Virtually Nonexistent

7:25 I tried ¹⁰  to understand, examine, and comprehend ¹¹ 

the role of ¹²  wisdom in the scheme of things, ¹³ 

and to understand the stupidity of wickedness ¹⁴  and the insanity of folly. ¹⁵ 

Luke 6:11

6:11 But they were filled with mindless rage ¹⁶  and began debating with one another what they would do ¹⁷  to Jesus.

Luke 15:17

15:17 But when he came to his senses ¹⁸  he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food ¹⁹  enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger!

Acts 26:11

26:11 I punished ²⁰  them often in all the synagogues ²¹  and tried to force ²²  them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged ²³  at them, I went to persecute ²⁴  them even in foreign cities.

Acts 26:24

26:24 As Paul ²⁵  was saying these things in his defense, Festus ²⁶  exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, ²⁷  Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!”

Acts 26:2

26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, ²⁸  I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today,

Acts 2:16

2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ²⁹ 

[1:17]  ¹ tn Heb “gave my heart,” or “set my mind.” See v. 13.

[1:17]  ² tn The phrase “the benefit of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ³ tn The word “over” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁴ tn The terms שִׂכְלוּת (sikhlut, “folly”) and הוֹלֵלוֹת (holelot, “foolishness”) are synonyms. The term שִׂכְלוּת (alternate spelling of סִכְלוּת, sikhlut) refers to foolish behavior (HALOT 755 s.v. סִכְלוּת), while הוֹלֵלוֹת refers to foolish ideas and mental blindness (HALOT 242 s.v. הוֹלֵלוֹת). Qoheleth uses these terms to refer to foolish ideas and self-indulgent pleasures (e.g., Eccl 2:2-3, 12-14; 7:25; 9:3; 10:1, 6, 13).

[1:17]  ⁵ tn Heb “I know.”

[1:17]  ⁶ tn The term גַּם (gam, “even”) is a particle of association and emphasis (HALOT 195 s.v. גַּם).

[1:17]  ⁷ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁸ tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁹ tn Heb “striving of wind.”

[7:25]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “I turned, I, even my heart.”

[7:25]  ¹¹ tn Heb “to seek.”

[7:25]  ¹² tn The phrase “the role of” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness.

[7:25]  ¹³ tn The phrase חָכְמָה וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן (khokhmah vÿkheshbon, “wisdom and the scheme of things”) is a hendiadys (a figure of speech in which two nouns connote one idea): “wisdom in the scheme of things.” This is similar to the hendiadys עִצְּבוֹנֵךְ וְהֵרֹנֵךְ (’itsÿvonekh vÿheronekh, “pain and childbearing”) which connotes “pain in childbearing” (Gen 3:16).

[7:25]  ¹⁴ tn Or “the evil of folly” The genitive construct phrase רֶשַׁע כֶּסֶל (resha’ kesel) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the wickedness of folly”) or as a genitive of attribute (“the folly of wickedness”). The English versions treat it in various ways: “wickedness of folly” (KJV); “wrong of folly” (YLT); “evil of folly” (NASB); “stupidity of wickedness” (NIV); “wickedness, stupidity” (NJPS); “wickedness is folly [or foolish]” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt), and “it is folly to be wicked” (NEB).

[7:25]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the folly of madness” The genitive construct phrase וְהַסִּכְלוּת הוֹלֵלוֹת (vÿhassikhlut holelot) may be taken as a genitive of attribution (“the stupidity of wickedness”) or a genitive of attribute (“the evil of folly”). The phrase is rendered variously: “foolishness and madness” (KJV); “foolishness of madness” (NASB); “madness of folly” (NIV); “madness and folly” (NJPS); “the foolishness which is madness” (NEB); and “foolishness [or folly] is madness” (ASV, NAB, NRSV, MLB, Moffatt).

[6:11]  ¹⁶ tn The term ἄνοια (anoia) denotes a kind of insane or mindless fury; the opponents were beside themselves with rage. They could not rejoice in the healing, but could only react against Jesus.

[6:11]  ¹⁷ tn The use of the optative (ποιήσαιεν, poihsaien, “might do”) in an indirect question indicates that the formal opposition and planning of Jesus’ enemies started here (BDF §§385.1; 386.1).

[15:17]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “came to himself” (an idiom).

[15:17]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “bread,” but used figuratively for food of any kind (L&N 5.1).

[26:11]  ²⁰ tn Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timwrwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. 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.

[26:11]  ²¹ sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.

[26:11]  ²² tn The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (hnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).

[26:11]  ²³ tn Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind – ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”

[26:11]  ²⁴ tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”

[26:24]  ²⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[26:24]  ²⁶ sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.

[26:24]  ²⁷ tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”

[26:2]  ²⁸ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[2:16]  ²⁹ sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.