Discovery BoxEzekiel 16:2
Context16:2 “Son of man, confront Jerusalem 1 with her abominable practices
Isaiah 58:1
Context58:1 “Shout loudly! Don’t be quiet!
Yell as loud as a trumpet!
Confront my people with their rebellious deeds; 2
confront Jacob’s family with their sin! 3
Hosea 2:2
Context2:2 Plead earnestly 4 with your 5 mother
(for 6 she is not my wife, and I am not her husband),
so that 7 she might put an end to her adulterous lifestyle, 8
and turn away from her sexually immoral behavior. 9
Micah 3:8-11
Context3:8 But I 10 am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives,
and have a strong commitment to justice. 11
This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion,
and Israel with its sin. 12
3:9 Listen to this, you leaders of the family 13 of Jacob,
you rulers of the nation 14 of Israel!
You 15 hate justice
and pervert all that is right.
3:10 You 16 build Zion through bloody crimes, 17
Jerusalem 18 through unjust violence.
3:11 Her 19 leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, 20
her priests proclaim rulings for profit,
and her prophets read omens for pay.
Yet they claim to trust 21 the Lord and say,
“The Lord is among us. 22
Disaster will not overtake 23 us!”
Matthew 23:13-35
Context23:13 “But woe to you, experts in the law 24 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! 25 You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! 26 For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
23:14 [[EMPTY]] 2723:15 “Woe to you, experts in the law 28 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, 29 and when you get one, 30 you make him twice as much a child of hell 31 as yourselves!
23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. 32 But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. 33 But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law 34 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth 35 of mint, dill, and cumin, 36 yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You 37 should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! 38
23:25 “Woe to you, experts in the law 39 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, 40 so that the outside may become clean too!
23:27 “Woe to you, experts in the law 41 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 42 23:28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
23:29 “Woe to you, experts in the law 43 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You 44 build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves 45 of the righteous. 23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 46 we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 47
23:34 “For this reason I 48 am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, 49 some of whom you will kill and crucify, 50 and some you will flog 51 in your synagogues 52 and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, 53 whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
Luke 11:39-52
Context11:39 But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean 54 the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 55 11:40 You fools! 56 Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well? 57 11:41 But give from your heart to those in need, 58 and 59 then everything will be clean for you. 60
11:42 “But woe to you Pharisees! 61 You give a tenth 62 of your mint, 63 rue, 64 and every herb, yet you neglect justice 65 and love for God! But you should have done these things without neglecting the others. 66 11:43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the best seats 67 in the synagogues 68 and elaborate greetings 69 in the marketplaces! 11:44 Woe to you! 70 You are like unmarked graves, and people 71 walk over them without realizing it!” 72
11:45 One of the experts in religious law 73 answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult 74 us too.” 11:46 But Jesus 75 replied, 76 “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! 77 You load people 78 down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch 79 the burdens with even one of your fingers! 11:47 Woe to you! You build 80 the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors 81 killed. 11:48 So you testify that you approve of 82 the deeds of your ancestors, 83 because they killed the prophets 84 and you build their 85 tombs! 86 11:49 For this reason also the wisdom 87 of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 11:50 so that this generation may be held accountable 88 for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning 89 of the world, 90 11:51 from the blood of Abel 91 to the blood of Zechariah, 92 who was killed 93 between the altar and the sanctuary. 94 Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against 95 this generation. 11:52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away 96 the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered 97 those who were going in.”
Acts 7:51-53
Context7:51 “You stubborn 98 people, with uncircumcised 99 hearts and ears! 100 You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, like your ancestors 101 did! 7:52 Which of the prophets did your ancestors 102 not persecute? 103 They 104 killed those who foretold long ago the coming of the Righteous One, 105 whose betrayers and murderers you have now become! 106 7:53 You 107 received the law by decrees given by angels, 108 but you did not obey 109 it.” 110
[16:2] 1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[58:1] 2 tn Heb “declare to my people their rebellion.”
[58:1] 3 tn Heb “and to the house of Jacob their sin.” The verb “declare” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
[2:2] 4 tn Heb “Plead with your mother, plead!” The imperative רִיבוּ (rivu, “plead!”) is repeated twice in this line for emphasis. This rhetorical expression is handled in a woodenly literal sense by most English translations: NASB “Contend…contend”; NAB “Protest…protest!”; NIV “Rebuke…rebuke”; NRSV “Plead…plead”; CEV “Accuse! Accuse your mother!”
[2:2] 5 sn The suffix on the noun אִמְּכֶם (’immékhem, “your mother”) is a plural form (2nd person masculine). The children of Gomer represent the “children” (i.e., people) of Israel; Gomer represents the nation as a whole.
[2:2] 6 tn The particle כִּי (ki) introduces a parenthetical explanatory clause (however, cf. NCV “because”).
[2:2] 7 tn The dependent volitive sequence of imperative followed by vav + jussive (רִיבוּ, rivu followed by וְתָסֵר, vétaser) creates a purpose clause: “so that she might turn away from” (= “put an end to”); cf. NRSV “that she put away”; KJV “let her therefore put away.” Many English translations begin a new sentence here, presumably to improve the English style (so NAB, NIV, TEV, NLT), but this obscures the connection with the preceding clause.
[2:2] 8 tn Heb “put away her adulteries from her face.” The plural noun זְנוּנֶיהָ (zénuneha, “adulteries”) is an example of the plural of repeated (or habitual) action: she has had multiple adulterous affairs.
[2:2] 9 tn Heb “[put away] her immoral behavior from between her breasts.” Cf. KJV “her adulteries”; NIV “the unfaithfulness.”
[3:8] 10 sn The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the
[3:8] 11 tn Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the
[3:8] 12 tn Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[3:9] 15 tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons (also at the beginning of v. 10).
[3:10] 17 tn Heb “bloodshed” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NLT “murder.”
[3:10] 18 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[3:11] 19 sn The pronoun Her refers to Jerusalem (note the previous line).
[3:11] 20 tn Heb “judge for a bribe.”
[3:11] 21 tn Heb “they lean upon” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NAB “rely on.”
[3:11] 22 tn Heb “Is not the
[3:11] 23 tn Or “come upon” (so many English versions); NCV “happen to us”; CEV “come to us.”
[23:13] 24 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:13] 25 tn Grk “Woe to you…because you…” The causal particle ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated here for rhetorical effect (and so throughout this chapter).
[23:13] 26 tn Grk “because you are closing the kingdom of heaven before people.”
[23:14] 27 tc The most important
[23:15] 28 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:15] 29 tn Or “one proselyte.”
[23:15] 30 tn Grk “when he becomes [one].”
[23:15] 31 tn Grk “a son of Gehenna.” Expressions constructed with υἱός (Juios) followed by a genitive of class or kind denote a person belonging to the class or kind specified by the following genitive (L&N 9.4). Thus the phrase here means “a person who belongs to hell.”
[23:16] 32 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.”
[23:18] 33 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing.”
[23:23] 34 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:23] 35 tn Or “you tithe mint.”
[23:23] 36 sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.
[23:23] 37 tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[23:24] 38 tn Grk “Blind guides who strain out a gnat yet who swallow a camel!”
[23:25] 39 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:26] 40 tc A very difficult textual problem is found here. The most important Alexandrian and Byzantine, as well as significant Western, witnesses (א B C L W 0102 0281 Ë13 33 Ï lat co) have “and the dish” (καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, kai th" paroyido") after “cup,” while few important witnesses (D Θ Ë1 700 and some versional and patristic authorities) omit the phrase. On the one hand, scribes sometimes tended to eliminate redundancy; since “and the dish” is already present in v. 25, it may have been deleted in v. 26 by well-meaning scribes. On the other hand, as B. M. Metzger notes, the singular pronoun αὐτοῦ (autou, “its”) with τὸ ἐκτός (to ekto", “the outside”) in some of the same witnesses that have the longer reading (viz., B* Ë13 al) hints that their archetype lacked the words (TCGNT 50). Further, scribes would be motivated both to add the phrase from v. 25 and to change αὐτοῦ to the plural pronoun αὐτῶν (aujtwn, “their”). Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is not compelling in itself, combined with these two prongs of internal evidence, it is to be slightly preferred.
[23:27] 41 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:27] 42 sn This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (for discussion of a similar metaphor, see L&N 88.234; BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). See Deut 28:22; Ezek 13:10-16; Acts 23:3.
[23:29] 43 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:29] 44 tn Grk “Because you.” Here ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated.
[23:29] 45 tn Or perhaps “the monuments” (see L&N 7.75-76).
[23:30] 46 tn Grk “fathers” (so also in v. 32).
[23:33] 47 tn Grk “the judgment of Gehenna.”
[23:34] 48 tn Grk “behold I am sending.” 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).
[23:34] 49 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:34] 50 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[23:34] 51 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
[23:34] 52 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[23:35] 53 sn Spelling of this name (Βαραχίου, Baraciou) varies among the English versions: “Barachiah” (RSV, NRSV); “Berechiah” (NASB); “Berachiah” (NIV).
[11:39] 54 sn The allusion to washing (clean the outside of the cup) shows Jesus knew what they were thinking and deliberately set up a contrast that charged them with hypocrisy and majoring on minors.
[11:40] 56 sn You fools is a rebuke which in the OT refers to someone who is blind to God (Ps 14:1, 53:1; 92:6; Prov 6:12).
[11:40] 57 tn The question includes a Greek particle, οὐ (ou), that expects a positive reply. God, the maker of both, is concerned for what is both inside and outside.
[11:41] 58 tn Grk “Give the things inside as alms.” Three different approaches have been taken to the syntax and meaning of this phrase: (1) τὰ ἐνόντα (ta enonta, “the things inside”) is an accusative of respect (“give alms with respect to the things inside”); (2) τὰ ἐνόντα is an adverbial accusative (“give alms inwardly,” i.e., from the heart); (3) the word translated “alms” represents a mistranslation of the original Aramaic term “cleanse,” so the statement urges the hearers to “cleanse the things inside.” According to D. L. Bock (Luke [BECNT], 2:1115) the latter meaning is unlikely because the present verse is independent of Matt 23:26, not parallel to it, and makes good sense as it stands.
[11:41] 59 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[11:41] 60 sn The expression everything will be clean for you refers to the agreement that should exist between the overt practice of one’s religious duties, such as almsgiving, and the inner condition of one’s heart, including true love for God and the poor; one is not only to wash the outside of the cup and plate, but the inside as well, since as Jesus said, God created the inside too. Religious duties are not to be performed hypocritically, i.e., for the applause and esteem of people, but rather they are to be done out of a deep love for God and a sensitivity to and concern for the needs of others. Then, everything will be clean, both hearts and lives.
[11:42] 61 tn Grk “Woe to you…because you…” The causal particle ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated here for rhetorical effect (and so to the end of this chapter).
[11:42] 62 tn Or “you tithe mint.”
[11:42] 63 sn These small herbs were tithed with great care (Mishnah, m. Demai 2:1).
[11:42] 64 tn Grk “and rue.” Καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[11:42] 65 sn Justice was a major theme of OT ethics (Mic 6:8; Zech 7:8-10).
[11:42] 66 tn Grk “those”; but this has been translated as “the others” to clarify which are meant.
[11:43] 67 tn Or “seats of honor.” The term here is plural and is not a reference only to the lead “seat of Moses” in the synagogue, but includes the front seats near the ark.
[11:43] 68 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[11:43] 69 tn Grk “and the greetings.”
[11:44] 70 tc Most
[11:44] 71 tn Grk “men.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
[11:44] 72 sn In Judaism to come into contact with the dead or what is associated with them, even without knowing it, makes one unclean (Num 19:11-22; Lev 21:1-3; Mishnah, m. Demai 2:3). To Pharisees, who would have been so sensitive about contracting ceremonial uncleanness, it would have been quite a stinging rebuke to be told they caused it.
[11:45] 73 sn That is, an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law. They worked closely with the Pharisees.
[11:45] 74 tn For this term, see Matt 22;6; Luke 18:32; Acts 14:5; 1 Thess 2:2.
[11:46] 75 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:46] 77 tn Here “as well” is used to translate καί (kai) at the beginning of the statement.
[11:46] 78 tn Grk “men.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
[11:46] 79 tn Grk “you yourselves do not touch.” This could mean one of two things: (1) Either they make others do what they themselves do not (through various technical exceptions) or (2) they make no effort to help the others fulfill what they are required to do. Considering the care these religious figures are said to have given to the law, the second option is more likely (see L&N 18.11).
[11:47] 80 sn The effect of what the experts in the law were doing was to deny the message of the prophets and thus honor their death by supporting those who had sought their removal. The charge that this is what previous generations did shows the problem is chronic. As T. W. Manson said, the charge here is “The only prophet you honor is a dead prophet!” (The Sayings of Jesus, 101).
[11:47] 81 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[11:48] 82 tn Grk “you are witnesses and approve of.”
[11:48] 83 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[11:48] 84 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the prophets) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:48] 85 tn “Their,” i.e., the prophets.
[11:48] 86 tc The majority of
[11:49] 87 sn The expression the wisdom of God is a personification of an attribute of God that refers to his wise will.
[11:50] 88 tn Or “that this generation may be charged with”; or “the blood of all the prophets… may be required from this generation.” This is a warning of judgment. These people are responsible for the shedding of prophetic blood.
[11:50] 89 tn Or “foundation.” However, this does not suggest a time to the modern reader.
[11:50] 90 tn The order of the clauses in this complicated sentence has been rearranged to simplify it for the modern reader.
[11:51] 91 sn Gen 4:10 indicates that Abel’s blood cried out for justice.
[11:51] 92 sn It is not clear which Zechariah is meant here. It is probably the person mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-25.
[11:51] 93 tn Or “who perished.”
[11:51] 94 tn Or “and the temple”; Grk “and the house,” but in this context a reference to the house of God as a place of sanctuary.
[11:51] 95 tn Or “required from.”
[11:52] 96 sn You have taken away the key to knowledge is another stinging rebuke. They had done the opposite of what they were trying to do.
[11:52] 97 tn Or “you tried to prevent.”
[7:51] 98 sn Traditionally, “stiff-necked people.” Now the critique begins in earnest.
[7:51] 99 tn The term ἀπερίτμητοι (aperitmhtoi, “uncircumcised”) is a NT hapax legomenon (occurs only once). See BDAG 101-2 s.v. ἀπερίτμητος and Isa 52:1.
[7:51] 100 tn Or “You stubborn and obstinate people!” (The phrase “uncircumcised hearts and ears” is another figure for stubbornness.)
[7:51] 101 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:52] 102 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[7:52] 103 sn Which…persecute. The rhetorical question suggests they persecuted them all.
[7:52] 104 tn Grk “And they.” 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.
[7:52] 105 sn The Righteous One is a reference to Jesus Christ.
[7:52] 106 sn Whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. The harsh critique has OT precedent (1 Kgs 19:10-14; Neh 9:26; 2 Chr 36:16).
[7:53] 107 tn Grk “whose betrayers and murderers you have now become, who received the law” The two consecutive relative clauses make for awkward English style, so the second was begun as a new sentence with the pronoun “You” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun to make a complete sentence in English.
[7:53] 108 tn Traditionally, “as ordained by angels,” but εἰς (eis) with the accusative here should be understood as instrumental (a substitute for ἐν [en]); so BDAG 291 s.v. εἰς 9, BDF §206. Thus the phrase literally means “received the law by the decrees [orders] of angels” with the genitive understood as a subjective genitive, that is, the angels gave the decrees.
[7:53] 109 tn The Greek word φυλάσσω (fulassw, traditionally translated “keep”) in this context connotes preservation of and devotion to an object as well as obedience.
