Exodus 20:11

20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

Exodus 31:18

31:18 He gave Moses two tablets of testimony when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, tablets of stone written by the finger of God. ¹ 

Exodus 31:1

Willing Artisans

31:1 ² The Lord spoke to Moses: ³ 

Exodus 16:26

16:26 Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

Nehemiah 9:6

9:6 You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, ⁴  along with all their multitude of stars, ⁵  the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You impart life to them all, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Job 26:13

26:13 By his breath ⁶  the skies became fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent. ⁷ 

Job 38:4

God’s questions to Job

38:4 “Where were you

when I laid the foundation ⁸  of the earth?

Tell me, ⁹  if you possess understanding!

Psalms 8:3

8:3 When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made,

and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, ¹⁰ 

Psalms 33:6

33:6 By the Lord’s decree ¹¹  the heavens were made;

by a mere word from his mouth all the stars in the sky were created. ¹² 

Psalms 33:9

33:9 For he spoke, and it ¹³  came into existence,

he issued the decree, ¹⁴  and it stood firm.

Psalms 89:11-12

89:11 The heavens belong to you, as does the earth.

You made the world and all it contains. ¹⁵ 

89:12 You created the north and the south.

Tabor and Hermon ¹⁶  rejoice in your name.

Psalms 96:5

96:5 For all the gods of the nations are worthless, ¹⁷ 

but the Lord made the sky.

Psalms 102:25

102:25 In earlier times you established the earth;

the skies are your handiwork.

Psalms 104:24

104:24 How many living things you have made, O Lord! ¹⁸ 

You have exhibited great skill in making all of them; ¹⁹ 

the earth is full of the living things you have made.

Psalms 104:30

104:30 When you send your life-giving breath, they are created,

and you replenish the surface of the ground.

Psalms 115:15

115:15 May you be blessed by the Lord,

the creator ²⁰  of heaven and earth!

Psalms 121:2

121:2 My help comes from the Lord, ²¹ 

the Creator ²²  of heaven and earth!

Psalms 124:8

124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, ²³ 

the Creator ²⁴  of heaven and earth.

Psalms 134:3

134:3 May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth,

bless you ²⁵  from Zion! ²⁶ 

Psalms 136:5

136:5 to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,

for his loyal love endures,

Psalms 146:6

146:6 the one who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them,

who remains forever faithful, ²⁷ 

Psalms 148:4-5

148:4 Praise him, O highest heaven,

and you waters above the sky! ²⁸ 

148:5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for he gave the command and they came into existence.

Proverbs 3:19

3:19 By wisdom the Lord laid the foundation of the earth; ²⁹ 

he established the heavens by understanding. ³⁰ 

Proverbs 8:22-30

8:22 The Lord created ³¹  me as the beginning ³²  of his works, ³³ 

before his deeds of long ago.

8:23 From eternity I was appointed, ³⁴ 

from the beginning, from before the world existed. ³⁵ 

8:24 When there were no deep oceans ³⁶  I was born, ³⁷ 

when there were no springs overflowing ³⁸  with water;

8:25 before the mountains were set in place –

before the hills – I was born,

8:26 before he made the earth and its fields, ³⁹ 

or the beginning ⁴⁰  of the dust of the world.

8:27 When he established the heavens, I was there;

when he marked out the horizon ⁴¹  over the face of the deep,

8:28 when he established the clouds above,

when the fountains of the deep grew strong, ⁴² 

8:29 when he gave the sea his decree

that the waters should not pass over his command, ⁴³ 

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

8:30 then I was ⁴⁴  beside him as a master craftsman, ⁴⁵ 

and I was his delight ⁴⁶  day by day,

rejoicing before him at all times,

Ecclesiastes 12:1

Fear God Now Because Old Age and Death Come Quickly

12:1 So remember ⁴⁷  your Creator in the days of your youth –

before ⁴⁸  the difficult ⁴⁹  days come,

and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

Isaiah 37:16

37:16 “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! ⁵⁰  You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky ⁵¹  and the earth.

Isaiah 40:26

40:26 Look up at the sky! ⁵² 

Who created all these heavenly lights? ⁵³ 

He is the one who leads out their ranks; ⁵⁴ 

he calls them all by name.

Because of his absolute power and awesome strength,

not one of them is missing.

Isaiah 40:28

40:28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is an eternal God,

the creator of the whole earth. ⁵⁵ 

He does not get tired or weary;

there is no limit to his wisdom. ⁵⁶ 

Isaiah 42:5

42:5 This is what the true God, ⁵⁷  the Lord, says –

the one who created the sky and stretched it out,

the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, ⁵⁸ 

the one who gives breath to the people on it,

and life to those who live on it: ⁵⁹ 

Isaiah 44:24

The Lord Empowers Cyrus

44:24 This is what the Lord, your protector, ⁶⁰  says,

the one who formed you in the womb:

“I am the Lord, who made everything,

who alone stretched out the sky,

who fashioned the earth all by myself, ⁶¹ 

Isaiah 45:18

45:18 For this is what the Lord says,

the one who created the sky –

he is the true God, ⁶² 

the one who formed the earth and made it;

he established it,

he did not create it without order, ⁶³ 

he formed it to be inhabited –

“I am the Lord, I have no peer.

Isaiah 51:13

51:13 Why do you forget ⁶⁴  the Lord, who made you,

who stretched out the sky ⁶⁵ 

and founded the earth?

Why do you constantly tremble all day long ⁶⁶ 

at the anger of the oppressor,

when he makes plans to destroy?

Where is the anger of the oppressor? ⁶⁷ 

Isaiah 51:16

Zion’s Time to Celebrate

51:16 I commission you ⁶⁸  as my spokesman; ⁶⁹ 

I cover you with the palm of my hand, ⁷⁰ 

to establish ⁷¹  the sky and to found the earth,

to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’” ⁷² 

Isaiah 65:17

65:17 For look, I am ready to create

new heavens and a new earth! ⁷³ 

The former ones ⁷⁴  will not be remembered;

no one will think about them anymore. ⁷⁵ 

Jeremiah 10:12

10:12 The Lord is the one who ⁷⁶  by his power made the earth.

He is the one who by his wisdom established the world.

And by his understanding he spread out the skies.

Jeremiah 32:17

32:17 ‘Oh, Lord God, ⁷⁷  you did indeed ⁷⁸  make heaven and earth by your mighty power and great strength. ⁷⁹  Nothing is too hard for you!

Jeremiah 51:15

51:15 He is the one who ⁸⁰  by his power made the earth.

He is the one who by his wisdom fixed the world in place,

by his understanding he spread out the heavens.

Zechariah 12:1

The Repentance of Judah

12:1 The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord – he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person ⁸¹  – says,

Matthew 11:25

Jesus’ Invitation

11:25 At that time Jesus said, ⁸²  “I praise ⁸³  you, Father, Lord ⁸⁴  of heaven and earth, because ⁸⁵  you have hidden these things from the wise ⁸⁶  and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.

Acts 4:24

4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind ⁸⁷  and said, “Master of all, ⁸⁸  you who made the heaven, the earth, ⁸⁹  the sea, and everything that is in them,

Acts 14:15

14:15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are men, with human natures ⁹⁰  just like you! We are proclaiming the good news to you, so that you should turn ⁹¹  from these worthless ⁹²  things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, ⁹³  the sea, and everything that is in them.

Acts 17:24

17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it, ⁹⁴  who is ⁹⁵  Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by human hands, ⁹⁶ 

Romans 1:19-20

1:19 because what can be known about God is plain to them, ⁹⁷  because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people ⁹⁸  are without excuse.

Romans 11:36

11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen.

Romans 11:1

Israel’s Rejection not Complete nor Final

11:1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.

Colossians 1:6

1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ⁹⁹  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ¹⁰⁰  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

Ephesians 3:9

3:9 and to enlighten ¹⁰¹  everyone about God’s secret plan ¹⁰²  – a secret that has been hidden for ages ¹⁰³  in God ¹⁰⁴  who has created all things.

Colossians 1:16-17

1:16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created by him – all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions, ¹⁰⁵  whether principalities or powers – all things were created through him and for him.

1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together ¹⁰⁶  in him.

Hebrews 1:2

1:2 in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, ¹⁰⁷  whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. ¹⁰⁸ 

Hebrews 3:4

3:4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Hebrews 11:3

11:3 By faith we understand that the worlds ¹⁰⁹  were set in order at God’s command, ¹¹⁰  so that the visible has its origin in the invisible. ¹¹¹ 

Hebrews 11:2

11:2 For by it the people of old ¹¹²  received God’s commendation. ¹¹³ 

Hebrews 3:5

3:5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s ¹¹⁴  house ¹¹⁵  as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken.

Revelation 3:14

To the Church in Laodicea

3:14 “To ¹¹⁶  the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following: ¹¹⁷ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹¹⁸  the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator ¹¹⁹  of God’s creation:

Revelation 4:11

4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

since you created all things,

and because of your will they existed and were created!” ¹²⁰ 

Revelation 10:6

10:6 and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! ¹²¹ 

Revelation 14:7

14:7 He declared ¹²²  in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”

Revelation 21:6

21:6 He also said to me, “It is done! ¹²³  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water ¹²⁴  free of charge ¹²⁵  from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 22:13

22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega,

the first and the last,

the beginning and the end!) ¹²⁶ 

[31:18]  ¹ sn The expression “the finger of God” has come up before in the book, in the plagues (Exod 8:15) to express that it was a demonstration of the power and authority of God. So here too the commandments given to Moses on stone tablets came from God. It too is a bold anthropomorphism; to attribute such a material action to Yahweh would have been thought provoking to say the least. But by using “God” and by stating it in an obviously figurative way, balance is maintained. Since no one writes with one finger, the expression simply says that the Law came directly from God.

[31:1]  ² sn The next unit describes the preparation of skilled workers to build all that has been listed now for several chapters. This chapter would have been the bridge to the building of the sanctuary (35-39) if it were not for the idolatrous interlude. God called individuals and prepared them by his Spirit to be skilled to do the work for the tabernacle. If this were the substance of an exposition, it would clearly be a message on gifted people doing the work – close to the spiritual lesson of Ephesians 4. There would be two levels of meaning: the physical, which looks at the skilled artisans providing for a place to worship Yahweh, and the spiritual, which would bring in the Spirit-filled servants of God participating in building up his kingdom.

[31:1]  ³ tn Heb “and Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying.”

[9:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “the heavens of the heavens.”

[9:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “all their host.”

[26:13]  ⁶ tn Or “wind”; or perhaps “Spirit.” The same Hebrew word, רוּחַ (ruakh), may be translated as “wind,” “breath,” or “spirit/Spirit” depending on the context.

[26:13]  ⁷ sn Here too is a reference to pagan views indirectly. The fleeing serpent was a designation for Leviathan, whom the book will simply describe as an animal, but the pagans thought to be a monster of the deep. God’s power over nature is associated with defeat of pagan gods (see further W. F. Albright, Yahweh and the Gods of Canaan; idem, BASOR 53 [1941]: 39).

[38:4]  ⁸ tn The construction is the infinitive construct in a temporal clause, using the preposition and the subjective genitive suffix.

[38:4]  ⁹ tn The verb is the imperative; it has no object “me” in the text.

[8:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “when I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and stars which you established.” The verb “[and] see” is understood by ellipsis in the second half of the verse.

[33:6]  ¹¹ tn Heb “word.”

[33:6]  ¹² tn Heb “and by the breath of his mouth all their host.” The words “were created” are added in the translation for stylistic reasons; they are understood by ellipsis (note “were made” in the preceding line). The description is consistent with Gen 1:16, which indicates that God spoke the heavenly luminaries into existence.

[33:9]  ¹³ tn That is, “all the earth” in the first line of v. 8. The apparent antecedent of the masculine subject of the verbs in v. 9 (note וַיֶּהִי [vayyehiy] and וַיַּעֲמֹד [vayya’amod]) is “earth” or “world,” both of which are feminine nouns. However, כָּל (kol, “all”) may be the antecedent, or the apparent lack of agreement may be explained by the collective nature of the nouns involved here (see GKC 463 §145.e).

[33:9]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “he commanded.”

[89:11]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “the world and its fullness, you established them.”

[89:12]  ¹⁶ sn Tabor and Hermon were two of the most prominent mountains in Palestine.

[96:5]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew term אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless”) sounds like אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “gods”). The sound play draws attention to the statement.

[104:24]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “How many [are] your works, O Lord.” In this case the Lord’s “works” are the creatures he has made, as the preceding and following contexts make clear.

[104:24]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “all of them with wisdom you have made.”

[115:15]  ²⁰ tn Or “maker.”

[121:2]  ²¹ tn Heb “my help [is] from with the Lord.”

[121:2]  ²² tn Or “Maker.”

[124:8]  ²³ tn Heb “our help [is] in the name of the Lord.”

[124:8]  ²⁴ tn Or “Maker.”

[134:3]  ²⁵ tn The pronominal suffix is second masculine singular, suggesting that the servants addressed in vv. 1-2 are responding to the psalmist.

[134:3]  ²⁶ tn Heb “may the Lord bless you from Zion, the maker of heaven and earth.”

[146:6]  ²⁷ tn Heb “the one who guards faithfulness forever.”

[148:4]  ²⁸ sn The “water” mentioned here corresponds to the “waters above” mentioned in Gen 1:7. See also Ps 104:3. For a discussion of the picture envisioned by the psalmist, see L. I. J. Stadelmann, The Hebrew Conception of the World, 47.

[3:19]  ²⁹ tn Heb “founded the earth.” The verb יָסַד (yasad, “to establish; to found”) describes laying the foundation of a building (1 Kgs 5:31 [HT]; 7:10; 2 Chr 3:3; Ezra 3:10-12; Zech 4:9) and God laying the foundation of the earth (Job 38:4; Pss 24:2; 89:12; 102:26; 104:5; Isa 48:13; 51:13, 16; Zech 12:1).

[3:19]  ³⁰ sn The theme of God’s use of wisdom in creation is developed in Prov 8:22-31. Because God established the world to operate according to the principle of wisdom it is impossible for anyone to live successfully in his world apart from the wisdom that only God can give.

[8:22]  ³¹ tn There are two roots קָנָה (qanah) in Hebrew, one meaning “to possess,” and the other meaning “to create.” The earlier English versions did not know of the second root, but suspected in certain places that a meaning like that was necessary (e.g., Gen 4:1; 14:19; Deut 32:6). Ugaritic confirmed that it was indeed another root. The older versions have the translation “possess” because otherwise it sounds like God lacked wisdom and therefore created it at the beginning. They wanted to avoid saying that wisdom was not eternal. Arius liked the idea of Christ as the wisdom of God and so chose the translation “create.” Athanasius translated it, “constituted me as the head of creation.” The verb occurs twelve times in Proverbs with the meaning of “to acquire”; but the Greek and the Syriac versions have the meaning “create.” Although the idea is that wisdom existed before creation, the parallel ideas in these verses (“appointed,” “given birth”) argue for the translation of “create” or “establish” (R. N. Whybray, “Proverbs 8:22-31 and Its Supposed Prototypes,” VT 15 [1965]: 504-14; and W. A. Irwin, “Where Will Wisdom Be Found?” JBL 80 [1961]: 133-42).

[8:22]  ³² tn Verbs of creation often involve double accusatives; here the double accusative involves the person (i.e., wisdom) and an abstract noun in construct (IBHS 174-75 §10.2.3c).

[8:22]  ³³ tn Heb “his way” (so KJV, NASB). The word “way” is an idiom (implied comparison) for the actions of God.

[8:23]  ³⁴ tn The first parallel verb is נִסַּכְתִּי (nissakhti), “I was appointed.” It is not a common word; it occurs here and in Ps 2:6 for the coronation of the king. It means “installed, set.”

[8:23]  ³⁵ tn The verb “existed” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation in the light of the context.

[8:24]  ³⁶ sn The summary statements just given are now developed in a lengthy treatment of wisdom as the agent of all creation. This verse singles out “watery deeps” (תְּהֹמוֹת, tÿhomot) in its allusion to creation because the word in Genesis signals the condition of the world at the very beginning, and because in the ancient world this was something no one could control. Chaos was not there first – wisdom was.

[8:24]  ³⁷ tn The third parallel verb is חוֹלָלְתִּי (kholalti), “I was given birth.” Some (e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV) translate it “brought forth” – not in the sense of being presented, but in the sense of being “begotten, given birth to.” Here is the strongest support for the translation of קָנָה (qanah) as “created” in v. 22. The verb is not literal; it continues the perspective of the personification.

[8:24]  ³⁸ tn Heb “made heavy.”

[8:26]  ³⁹ tn Heb “open places.”

[8:26]  ⁴⁰ tn Here רֹאשׁ (ro’sh) means “beginning” with reference to time (BDB 911 s.v. 4.b).

[8:27]  ⁴¹ sn The infinitive construct בְּחוּקוֹ (bÿkhuqo, “to cut; to engrave; to mark”) and the noun חוּג (khug, “horizon; circle”) form a paronomasia in the line.

[8:28]  ⁴² tn To form a better parallel some commentators read this infinitive בַּעֲזוֹז (ba’azoz), “when [they] grew strong,” as a Piel causative, “when he made firm, fixed fast” (cf. NIV “fixed securely”; NLT “established”). But the following verse (“should not pass over”) implies the meaning “grew strong” here.

[8:29]  ⁴³ tn Heb “his mouth.”

[8:30]  ⁴⁴ tn The verb form is a preterite with vav consecutive, although it has not been apocopated. It provides the concluding statement for the temporal clauses as well as the parallel to v. 27.

[8:30]  ⁴⁵ tn Critical to the interpretation of this line is the meaning of אָמוֹן (’amon). Several suggestions have been made: “master craftsman” (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV), “nursing child” (cf. NCV), “foster father.” R. B. Y. Scott chooses “faithful” – a binding or living link (“Wisdom in Creation: The ‘Amon of Proverbs 8:30,” VT 10 [1960]: 213-23). The image of a child is consistent with the previous figure of being “given birth to” (vv. 24, 25). However, “craftsman” has the most support (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, Tg. Prov 8:30, Song 7:1; Jer 52:15; also P. W. Skehan, “Structures in Poems on Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Sirach 24,” CBQ 41 [1979]: 365-79).

[8:30]  ⁴⁶ tn The word is a plural of intensification for “delight”; it describes wisdom as the object of delight. The LXX has the suffix; the Hebrew does not.

[12:1]  ⁴⁷ tn The imperative זְכֹר (zekhor, “Remember!”) is a figurative expression (metonymy of association) for obeying God and acknowledging his lordship over one’s life (e.g., Num 15:40; Deut 8:18; Pss 42:6-7; 63:6-8; 78:42; 103:18; 106:7; 119:52, 55; Jer 51:50; Ezek 20:43; Jonah 2:7; Mal 4:4). The exhortation to fear God and obey his commands in 12:13-14 spells out what it means to “remember” God.

[12:1]  ⁴⁸ tn The temporal adjective עַד (’ad, “before”) appears three times in 12:1-7 (vv. 1b, 2a, 6a). Likewise, the temporal preposition בְּ (bet, “when”) is repeated (vv. 3a, 4b). These seven verses comprise one long sentence in Hebrew: The main clause is 12:1a (“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth”), while 12:1b-7 consists of five subordinate temporal clauses (“before…before…when…when…before…”).

[12:1]  ⁴⁹ tn The adjective רָעָה (ra’ah, “evil”) does not refer here to ethical evil, but to physical difficulty, injury, pain, deprivation and suffering (e.g., Deut 31:17, 21; 32:23; 1 Sam 10:19; Neh 1:3; 2:17; Pss 34:20; 40:13; 88:4; 107:26; Eccl 11:10; Jer 2:27; Lam 3:38); see HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 4.b; BDB 949 s.v. רָעָה 2.

[37:16]  ⁵⁰ sn Cherubim (singular “cherub”) refers to the images of winged angelic creatures that were above the ark of the covenant.

[37:16]  ⁵¹ tn Or “the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[40:26]  ⁵² tn Heb “Lift on high your eyes and see.”

[40:26]  ⁵³ tn The words “heavenly lights” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the following lines.

[40:26]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “the one who brings out by number their host.” The stars are here likened to a huge army that the Lord leads out. Perhaps the next line pictures God calling roll. If so, the final line may be indicating that none of them dares “go AWOL.” (“AWOL” is a military acronym for “absent without leave.”)

[40:28]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “the ends of the earth,” but this is a merism, where the earth’s extremities stand for its entirety, i.e., the extremities and everything in between them.

[40:28]  ⁵⁶ sn Exiled Israel’s complaint (v. 27) implies that God might be limited in some way. Perhaps he, like so many of the pagan gods, has died. Or perhaps his jurisdiction is limited to Judah and does not include Babylon. Maybe he is unable to devise an adequate plan to rescue his people, or is unable to execute it. But v. 28 affirms that he is not limited temporally or spatially nor is his power and wisdom restricted in any way. He can and will deliver his people, if they respond in hopeful faith (v. 31a).

[42:5]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.

[42:5]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”

[42:5]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).

[44:24]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “your redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.

[44:24]  ⁶¹ tn The consonantal text (Kethib) has “Who [was] with me?” The marginal reading (Qere) is “from with me,” i.e., “by myself.” See BDB 87 s.v. II אֵת 4.c.

[45:18]  ⁶² tn Heb “he [is] the God.” The article here indicates uniqueness.

[45:18]  ⁶³ tn Or “unformed.” Gen 1:2 describes the world as “unformed” (תֹהוּ, tohu) prior to God’s creative work, but God then formed the world and made it fit for habitation.

[51:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “and that you forget.”

[51:13]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “the heavens” (also in v. 16). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[51:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “and that you tremble constantly all the day.”

[51:13]  ⁶⁷ tn The question anticipates the answer, “Ready to disappear!” See v. 14.

[51:16]  ⁶⁸ tn The addressee (second masculine singular, as in vv. 13, 15) in this verse is unclear. The exiles are addressed in the immediately preceding verses (note the critical tone of vv. 12-13 and the reference to the exiles in v. 14). However, it seems unlikely that they are addressed in v. 16, for the addressee appears to be commissioned to tell Zion, who here represents the restored exiles, “you are my people.” The addressee is distinct from the exiles. The language of v. 16a is reminiscent of 49:2 and 50:4, where the Lord’s special servant says he is God’s spokesman and effective instrument. Perhaps the Lord, having spoken to the exiles in vv. 1-15, now responds to this servant, who spoke just prior to this in 50:4-11.

[51:16]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “I place my words in your mouth.”

[51:16]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “with the shadow of my hand.”

[51:16]  ⁷¹ tc The Hebrew text has לִנְטֹעַ (lintoa’, “to plant”). Several scholars prefer to emend this form to לִנְטֹת (lintot) from נָטָה (natah, “to stretch out”); see v. 13, as well as 40:22; 42:5; 44:24; 45:12; cf. NAB, NCV, NRSV. However, since the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a, LXX (and Aquila and Symmachus), and Vulgate support the MT reading, there is no need to emend the form. The interpretation is clear enough: Yahweh fixed the sky in its place.

[51:16]  ⁷² tn The infinitives in v. 16b are most naturally understood as indicating the purpose of the divine actions described in v. 16a. The relationship of the third infinitive to the commission is clear enough – the Lord has made the addressee (his special servant?) his spokesman so that the latter might speak encouraging words to those in Zion. But how do the first two infinitives relate? The text seems to indicate that the Lord has commissioned the addressee so that the latter might create the universe! Perhaps creation imagery is employed metaphorically here to refer to the transformation that Jerusalem will experience (see 65:17-18).

[65:17]  ⁷³ sn This hyperbolic statement likens the coming transformation of Jerusalem (see vv. 18-19) to a new creation of the cosmos.

[65:17]  ⁷⁴ tn Or perhaps, “the former things” (so ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); TEV “The events of the past.”

[65:17]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “and they will not come up on the mind.”

[10:12]  ⁷⁶ tn The words “The Lord is” are not in the text. They are implicit from the context. They are supplied in the translation here because of the possible confusion of who the subject is due to the parenthetical address to the people of Israel in v. 11. The first two verbs are participles and should not merely be translated as the narrative past. They are predicate nominatives of an implied copula intending to contrast the Lord as the one who made the earth with the idols which did not.

[32:17]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “Lord Yahweh.” For an explanation of the rendering here see the study note on 1:6.

[32:17]  ⁷⁸ tn This is an attempt to render the Hebrew particle normally translated “behold.” See the translator’s note on 1:6 for the usage of this particle.

[32:17]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “by your great power and your outstretched arm.” See 21:5; 27:5 and the marginal note on 27:5 for this idiom.

[51:15]  ⁸⁰ tn The participle here is intended to be connected with “Lord who rules over all” in the preceding verse. The passage is functioning to underline the Lord’s power to carry out what he has sworn in contrast to the impotence of their idols who will be put to shame and be dismayed (50:2).

[12:1]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “who forms the spirit of man within him” (so NIV).

[11:25]  ⁸² tn Grk “At that time, answering, Jesus said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[11:25]  ⁸³ tn Or “thank.”

[11:25]  ⁸⁴ sn The title Lord is an important name for God, showing his sovereignty, but it is interesting that it comes next to a reference to the Father, a term indicative of God’s care. The two concepts are often related in the NT; see Eph 1:3-6.

[11:25]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “that.”

[11:25]  ⁸⁶ sn See 1 Cor 1:26-31.

[4:24]  ⁸⁷ sn With one mind. Compare Acts 1:14.

[4:24]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “Lord of all.”

[4:24]  ⁸⁹ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[14:15]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “with the same kinds of feelings,” L&N 25.32. BDAG 706 s.v. ὁμοιοπαθής translates the phrase “with the same nature τινί as someone.” In the immediate context, the contrast is between human and divine nature, and the point is that Paul and Barnabas are mere mortals, not gods.

[14:15]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “in order that you should turn,” with ἐπιστρέφειν (epistrefein) as an infinitive of purpose, but this is somewhat awkward contemporary English. To translate the infinitive construction “proclaim the good news, that you should turn,” which is much smoother English, could give the impression that the infinitive clause is actually the content of the good news, which it is not. The somewhat less formal “to get you to turn” would work, but might convey to some readers manipulativeness on the part of the apostles. Thus “proclaim the good news, so that you should turn,” is used, to convey that the purpose of the proclamation of good news is the response by the hearers. The emphasis here is like 1 Thess 1:9-10.

[14:15]  ⁹² tn Or “useless,” “futile.” The reference is to idols and idolatry, worshiping the creation over the Creator (Rom 1:18-32). See also 1 Kgs 16:2, 13, 26; 2 Kgs 17:15; Jer 2:5; 8:19; 3 Macc 6:11.

[14:15]  ⁹³ tn Grk “and the earth, and the sea,” but καί (kai) has not been translated before “the earth” and “the sea” since contemporary English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[17:24]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “all the things that are in it.” The speech starts with God as Creator, like 14:15.

[17:24]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “because he is.” The participle ὑπάρχων (Juparcwn) could be either adjectival, modifying οὗτος (Joutos, “who is Lord…”) or adverbial of cause (“because he is Lord…”). Since the participle διδούς (didou") in v. 25 appears to be clearly causal in force, it is preferable to understand ὑπάρχων as adjectival in this context.

[17:24]  ⁹⁶ sn On the statement does not live in temples made by human hands compare Acts 7:48. This has implications for idols as well. God cannot be represented by them or, as the following clause also suggests, served by human hands.

[1:19]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “is manifest to/in them.”

[1:20]  ⁹⁸ tn Grk “they”; the referent (people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:6]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:6]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.

[3:9]  ¹⁰¹ tn There is a possible causative nuance in the Greek verb, but this is difficult to convey in the translation.

[3:9]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “what is the plan of the divine secret.” Earlier the author had used οἰκονομία (oikonomia; here “plan”) to refer to his own “stewardship” (v. 2). But now he is speaking about the content of this secret, not his own activity in relation to it.

[3:9]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “for eternity,” or perhaps “from the Aeons.” Cf. 2:2, 7.

[3:9]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “by God.” It is possible that ἐν (en) plus the dative here indicates agency, that is, that God has performed the action of hiding the secret. However, this usage of the preposition ἐν is quite rare in the NT, and even though here it does follow a perfect passive verb as in the Classical idiom, it is more likely that a different nuance is intended.

[1:16]  ¹⁰⁵ tn BDAG 579 s.v. κυριότης 3 suggests “bearers of the ruling powers, dominions” here.

[1:17]  ¹⁰⁶ tn BDAG 973 s.v. συνίστημι B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The Greek puts an emphasis on the quality of God’s final revelation. As such, it is more than an indefinite notion (“a son”) though less than a definite one (“the son”), for this final revelation is not just through any son of God, nor is the emphasis specifically on the person himself. Rather, the focus here is on the nature of the vehicle of God’s revelation: He is no mere spokesman (or prophet) for God, nor is he merely a heavenly messenger (or angel); instead, this final revelation comes through one who is intimately acquainted with the heavenly Father in a way that only a family member could be. There is, however, no exact equivalent in English (“in son” is hardly good English style).

[1:2]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Grk “the ages.” The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 11:3 for the same usage.

[11:3]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “ages.” The temporal (ages) came to be used of the spatial (what exists in those time periods). See Heb 1:2 for same usage.

[11:3]  ¹¹⁰ tn Grk “by God’s word.”

[11:3]  ¹¹¹ sn The Greek phrasing emphasizes this point by negating the opposite: “so that what is seen did not come into being from things that are visible.”

[11:2]  ¹¹² tn Or “the elders,” “the ancients.”

[11:2]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “were attested,” “received commendation”; and Heb 11:4-6 shows this to be from God.

[3:5]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.

[3:5]  ¹¹⁵ sn A quotation from Num 12:7.

[3:14]  ¹¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:14]  ¹¹⁷ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:14]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:14]  ¹¹⁹ tn Or “the beginning of God’s creation”; or “the ruler of God’s creation.” From a linguistic standpoint all three meanings for ἀρχή (arch) are possible. The term is well attested in both LXX (Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13) and intertestamental Jewish literature (2 Macc 4:10, 50) as meaning “ruler, authority” (BDAG 138 s.v. 6). Some have connected this passage to Paul’s statements in Col 1:15, 18 which describe Christ as ἀρχή and πρωτότοκος (prwtotoko"; e.g., see R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 124) but the term ἀρχή has been understood as either “beginning” or “ruler” in that passage as well. The most compelling connection is to be found in the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:2-4) where the λόγος (logos) is said to be “in the beginning (ἀρχή) with God,” a temporal reference connected with creation, and then v. 3 states that “all things were made through him.” The connection with the original creation suggests the meaning “originator” for ἀρχή here. BDAG 138 s.v. 3 gives the meaning “the first cause” for the word in Rev 3:14, a term that is too philosophical for the general reader, so the translation “originator” was used instead. BDAG also notes, “but the mng. beginning = ‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the ᾿Αρχή of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77).” Such a meaning is unlikely here, however, since the connections described above are much more probable.

[4:11]  ¹²⁰ tc The past tense of “they existed” (ἦσαν, hsan) and the order of the expression “they existed and were created” seems backwards both logically and chronologically. The text as it stands is the more difficult reading and seems to have given rise to codex A omitting the final “they were created,” 2329 replacing “they existed” (ἦσαν) with “have come into being” (ἐγένοντο, egeneto), and 046 adding οὐκ (ouk, “not”) before ἦσαν (“they did not exist, [but were created]”). Several mss (1854 2050 Ï^A sa) also attempt to alleviate the problem by replacing ἦσαν with “they are” (εἰσιν, eisin).

[10:6]  ¹²¹ tn On this phrase see BDAG 1092 s.v. χρόνος.

[14:7]  ¹²² tn Grk “people, saying.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence. For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.

[21:6]  ¹²³ tn Or “It has happened.”

[21:6]  ¹²⁴ tn The word “water” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[21:6]  ¹²⁵ tn Or “as a free gift” (see L&N 57.85).

[22:13]  ¹²⁶ sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator.