Genesis 18:23-32

18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare ¹  the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ²  of the whole earth do what is right?” ³ 

18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord ⁴  (although I am but dust and ashes), ⁵  18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy ⁶  the whole city because five are lacking?” ⁷  He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

18:29 Abraham ⁸  spoke to him again, ⁹  “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

18:30 Then Abraham ¹⁰  said, “May the Lord not be angry ¹¹  so that I may speak! ¹²  What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

18:31 Abraham ¹³  said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

18:32 Finally Abraham ¹⁴  said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Genesis 19:29

19:29 So when God destroyed ¹⁵  the cities of the region, ¹⁶  God honored ¹⁷  Abraham’s request. He removed Lot ¹⁸  from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed ¹⁹  the cities Lot had lived in.

Genesis 20:7

20:7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed ²⁰  he is a prophet ²¹  and he will pray for you; thus you will live. ²²  But if you don’t give her back, ²³  know that you will surely die ²⁴  along with all who belong to you.”

Genesis 20:17

20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children.

Genesis 32:28

32:28 “No longer will your name be Jacob,” the man told him, ²⁵  “but Israel, ²⁶  because you have fought ²⁷  with God and with men and have prevailed.”

Exodus 9:28-29

9:28 Pray to the Lord, for the mighty ²⁸  thunderings and hail are too much! ²⁹  I will release you and you will stay no longer.” ³⁰ 

9:29 Moses said to him, “When I leave the city ³¹  I will spread my hands to the Lord, the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the Lord. ³² 

Exodus 9:33

9:33 So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and spread out his hands to the Lord, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain stopped pouring on the earth.

Exodus 17:11

17:11 Whenever Moses would raise his hands, ³³  then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest ³⁴  his hands, then Amalek prevailed.

Exodus 32:10-14

32:10 So now, leave me alone ³⁵  so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”

32:11 But Moses sought the favor ³⁶  of the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 32:12 Why ³⁷  should the Egyptians say, ³⁸  ‘For evil ³⁹  he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy ⁴⁰  them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent ⁴¹  of this evil against your people. 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself and told them, ‘I will multiply your descendants ⁴²  like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken about ⁴³  I will give to your descendants, ⁴⁴  and they will inherit it forever.’” 32:14 Then the Lord relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.

Numbers 11:2

11:2 When the people cried to Moses, he ⁴⁵  prayed to the Lord, and the fire died out. ⁴⁶ 

Numbers 14:13-20

14:13 Moses said to the Lord, “When the Egyptians hear ⁴⁷  it – for you brought up this people by your power from among them – 14:14 then they will tell it to the inhabitants ⁴⁸  of this land. They have heard that you, Lord, are among this people, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, ⁴⁹  that your cloud stands over them, and that you go before them by day in a pillar of cloud and in a pillar of fire by night. 14:15 If you kill ⁵⁰  this entire people at once, ⁵¹  then the nations that have heard of your fame will say, 14:16 ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to them, he killed them in the wilderness.’ 14:17 So now, let the power of my Lord ⁵²  be great, just as you have said, 14:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in loyal love, ⁵³  forgiving iniquity and transgression, ⁵⁴  but by no means clearing ⁵⁵  the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children until the third and fourth generations.’ ⁵⁶  14:19 Please forgive ⁵⁷  the iniquity of this people according to your great loyal love, ⁵⁸  just as you have forgiven this people from Egypt even until now.”

14:20 Then the Lord said, “I have forgiven them as you asked. ⁵⁹ 

Numbers 21:7-9

21:7 Then the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord that he would take away ⁶⁰  the snakes from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

21:8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous snake and set it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks ⁶¹  at it, he will live.” 21:9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole, so that if a snake had bitten someone, when he looked at the bronze snake he lived. ⁶² 

Deuteronomy 9:18-20

9:18 Then I again fell down before the Lord for forty days and nights; I ate and drank nothing because of all the sin you had committed, doing such evil before the Lord as to enrage him. 9:19 For I was terrified at the Lord’s intense anger ⁶³  that threatened to destroy you. But he ⁶⁴  listened to me this time as well. 9:20 The Lord was also angry enough at Aaron to kill him, but at that time I prayed for him ⁶⁵  too.

Joshua 10:12

10:12 The day the Lord delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua prayed to the Lord before Israel: ⁶⁶ 

“O sun, stand still over Gibeon!

O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon!”

Joshua 10:1

Israel Defeats an Amorite Coalition

10:1 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem, ⁶⁷  heard how Joshua captured Ai and annihilated it and its king as he did Jericho ⁶⁸  and its king. ⁶⁹  He also heard how ⁷⁰  the people of Gibeon made peace with Israel and lived among them.

Joshua 12:18

12:18 the king of Aphek (one),

the king of Lasharon (one),

Joshua 12:1

12:1 Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites defeated and drove from their land ⁷¹  on the east side of the Jordan, ⁷²  from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern Arabah:

Joshua 13:6

13:6 I will drive out before the Israelites all who live in the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, ⁷³  all the Sidonians; you be sure to parcel it out to Israel as I instructed you.” ⁷⁴ 

Joshua 17:18

17:18 The whole hill country ⁷⁵  will be yours; though it is a forest, you can clear it and it will be entirely yours. ⁷⁶  You can conquer the Canaanites, though they have chariots with iron-rimmed wheels and are strong.”

Joshua 17:2

17:2 The rest of Manasseh’s descendants were also assigned land ⁷⁷  by their clans, including the descendants of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These are the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

Joshua 4:1

Israel Commemorates the Crossing

4:1 When the entire nation was on the other side, ⁷⁸  the Lord told Joshua,

Joshua 19:15-20

19:15 Their territory included Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem; ⁷⁹  in all they had twelve cities and their towns. ⁸⁰  19:16 This was the land assigned to the tribe of Zebulun ⁸¹  by its clans, including these cities and their towns.

Issachar’s Tribal Lands

19:17 The fourth lot belonged to the tribe of Issachar ⁸²  by its clans. 19:18 Their assigned land ⁸³  included Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 19:19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 19:20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez,

Joshua 20:2-5

20:2 “Have the Israelites select ⁸⁴  the cities of refuge ⁸⁵  that I told you about through Moses. 20:3 Anyone who accidentally kills someone can escape there; ⁸⁶  these cities will be a place of asylum from the avenger of blood. 20:4 The one who committed manslaughter ⁸⁷  should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. ⁸⁸  They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there. ⁸⁹  20:5 When the avenger of blood comes after him, they must not hand over to him the one who committed manslaughter, for he accidentally killed his fellow man without premeditation. ⁹⁰ 

Joshua 20:2

20:2 “Have the Israelites select ⁹¹  the cities of refuge ⁹²  that I told you about through Moses.

Joshua 14:11-12

14:11 Today I am still as strong as when Moses sent me out. I can fight and go about my daily activities with the same energy I had then. ⁹³  14:12 Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. ⁹⁴  But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer ⁹⁵  them, as the Lord promised.”

Joshua 14:2

14:2 The land assignments to the nine-and-a-half tribes were made by drawing lots, as the Lord had instructed Moses. ⁹⁶ 

Joshua 1:1

The Lord Commissions Joshua

1:1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant:

Job 42:8

42:8 So now take ⁹⁷  seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede ⁹⁸  for you, and I will respect him, ⁹⁹  so that I do not deal with you ¹⁰⁰  according to your folly, ¹⁰¹  because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.” ¹⁰² 

Psalms 10:17-18

10:17 Lord, you have heard ¹⁰³  the request ¹⁰⁴  of the oppressed;

you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer. ¹⁰⁵ 

10:18 You defend ¹⁰⁶  the fatherless and oppressed, ¹⁰⁷ 

so that mere mortals may no longer terrorize them. ¹⁰⁸ 

Psalms 34:15

34:15 The Lord pays attention to the godly

and hears their cry for help. ¹⁰⁹ 

Psalms 145:18-19

145:18 The Lord is near all who cry out to him,

all who cry out to him sincerely. ¹¹⁰ 

145:19 He satisfies the desire ¹¹¹  of his loyal followers; ¹¹² 

he hears their cry for help and delivers them.

Proverbs 15:8

15:8 The Lord abhors ¹¹³  the sacrifices ¹¹⁴  of the wicked, ¹¹⁵ 

but the prayer ¹¹⁶  of the upright pleases him. ¹¹⁷ 

Proverbs 15:29

15:29 The Lord is far ¹¹⁸  from the wicked,

but he hears ¹¹⁹  the prayer of the righteous. ¹²⁰ 

Proverbs 28:9

28:9 The one who turns away his ear ¹²¹  from hearing the law,

even his prayer ¹²²  is an abomination. ¹²³ 

Jeremiah 15:1

15:1 Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading for ¹²⁴  these people, I would not feel pity for them! ¹²⁵  Get them away from me! Tell them to go away! ¹²⁶ 

Jeremiah 29:12-13

29:12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, ¹²⁷  I will hear your prayers. ¹²⁸  29:13 When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, ¹²⁹ 

Jeremiah 33:3

33:3 ‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious ¹³⁰  things which you still do not know about.’

Daniel 2:18-23

2:18 He asked them to pray for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he ¹³¹  and his friends would not be destroyed along with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 2:19 Then in a night vision the mystery was revealed to Daniel. So Daniel praised ¹³²  the God of heaven, 2:20 saying, ¹³³ 

“Let the name of God ¹³⁴  be praised ¹³⁵  forever and ever,

for wisdom and power belong to him.

2:21 He changes times and seasons,

deposing some kings

and establishing others. ¹³⁶ 

He gives wisdom to the wise;

he imparts knowledge to those with understanding; ¹³⁷ 

2:22 he reveals deep and hidden things.

He knows what is in the darkness,

and light resides with him.

2:23 O God of my fathers, I acknowledge and glorify you,

for you have bestowed wisdom and power on me.

Now you have enabled me to understand what I ¹³⁸  requested from you.

For you have enabled me to understand the king’s dilemma.” ¹³⁹ 

Daniel 9:20-22

Gabriel Gives to Daniel a Prophecy of Seventy Weeks

9:20 While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the LORD my God concerning his holy mountain ¹⁴⁰  – 9:21 yes, while I was still praying, ¹⁴¹  the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously ¹⁴²  in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness, ¹⁴³  around the time of the evening offering. 9:22 He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: ¹⁴⁴  “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you.

Hosea 12:3-4

Israel Must Return to the God of Jacob

12:3 In the womb he attacked his brother;

in his manly vigor he struggled ¹⁴⁵  with God.

12:4 He struggled ¹⁴⁶  with an angel and prevailed;

he wept and begged for his favor.

He found God ¹⁴⁷  at Bethel, ¹⁴⁸ 

and there he spoke with him! ¹⁴⁹ 

Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, Seek, Knock

7:7 “Ask ¹⁵⁰  and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door ¹⁵¹  will be opened for you. 7:8 For everyone who asks ¹⁵²  receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 7:9 Is ¹⁵³  there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹⁵⁴  7:11 If you then, although you are evil, ¹⁵⁵  know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts ¹⁵⁶  to those who ask him!

Matthew 21:22

21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, ¹⁵⁷  you will receive.”

Luke 11:11-13

11:11 What father among you, if your ¹⁵⁸  son asks for ¹⁵⁹  a fish, will give him a snake ¹⁶⁰  instead of a fish? 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹⁶¹  11:13 If you then, although you are ¹⁶²  evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit ¹⁶³  to those who ask him!”

Luke 18:1-8

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 Then ¹⁶⁴  Jesus ¹⁶⁵  told them a parable to show them they should always ¹⁶⁶  pray and not lose heart. ¹⁶⁷  18:2 He said, ¹⁶⁸  “In a certain city ¹⁶⁹  there was a judge ¹⁷⁰  who neither feared God nor respected people. ¹⁷¹  18:3 There was also a widow ¹⁷²  in that city ¹⁷³  who kept coming ¹⁷⁴  to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 18:4 For ¹⁷⁵  a while he refused, but later on ¹⁷⁶  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ¹⁷⁷  18:5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out ¹⁷⁸  by her unending pleas.’” ¹⁷⁹  18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ¹⁸⁰  18:7 Won’t ¹⁸¹  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ¹⁸²  to him day and night? ¹⁸³  Will he delay ¹⁸⁴  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ¹⁸⁵  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ¹⁸⁶  on earth?”

John 9:31

9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to ¹⁸⁷  sinners, but if anyone is devout ¹⁸⁸  and does his will, God ¹⁸⁹  listens to ¹⁹⁰  him. ¹⁹¹ 

Acts 4:24-31

4:24 When they heard this, they raised their voices to God with one mind ¹⁹²  and said, “Master of all, ¹⁹³  you who made the heaven, the earth, ¹⁹⁴  the sea, and everything that is in them, 4:25 who said by the Holy Spirit through ¹⁹⁵  your servant David our forefather, ¹⁹⁶ 

‘Why do the nations ¹⁹⁷  rage, ¹⁹⁸ 

and the peoples plot foolish ¹⁹⁹  things?

4:26 The kings of the earth stood together, ²⁰⁰ 

and the rulers assembled together,

against the Lord and against his ²⁰¹  Christ.’ ²⁰² 

4:27 “For indeed both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together in this city against ²⁰³  your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, ²⁰⁴  4:28 to do as much as your power ²⁰⁵  and your plan ²⁰⁶  had decided beforehand ²⁰⁷  would happen. 4:29 And now, Lord, pay attention to ²⁰⁸  their threats, and grant ²⁰⁹  to your servants ²¹⁰  to speak your message ²¹¹  with great courage, ²¹²  4:30 while you extend your hand to heal, and to bring about miraculous signs ²¹³  and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 4:31 When ²¹⁴  they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken, ²¹⁵  and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak ²¹⁶  the word of God ²¹⁷  courageously. ²¹⁸ 

Acts 12:5-11

12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly ²¹⁹  praying to God for him. ²²⁰  12:6 On that very night before Herod was going to bring him out for trial, ²²¹  Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, while ²²²  guards in front of the door were keeping watch ²²³  over the prison. 12:7 Suddenly ²²⁴  an angel of the Lord ²²⁵  appeared, and a light shone in the prison cell. He struck ²²⁶  Peter on the side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off Peter’s ²²⁷  wrists. ²²⁸  12:8 The angel said to him, “Fasten your belt ²²⁹  and put on your sandals.” Peter ²³⁰  did so. Then the angel ²³¹  said to him, “Put on your cloak ²³²  and follow me.” 12:9 Peter ²³³  went out ²³⁴  and followed him; ²³⁵  he did not realize that what was happening through the angel was real, ²³⁶  but thought he was seeing a vision. 12:10 After they had passed the first and second guards, ²³⁷  they came to the iron ²³⁸  gate leading into the city. It ²³⁹  opened for them by itself, ²⁴⁰  and they went outside and walked down one narrow street, ²⁴¹  when at once the angel left him. 12:11 When ²⁴²  Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued ²⁴³  me from the hand ²⁴⁴  of Herod ²⁴⁵  and from everything the Jewish people ²⁴⁶  were expecting to happen.”

Acts 12:1

James is Killed and Peter Imprisoned

12:1 About that time King Herod ²⁴⁷  laid hands on ²⁴⁸  some from the church to harm them. ²⁴⁹ 

Acts 3:22

3:22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey ²⁵⁰  him in everything he tells you. ²⁵¹ 

[18:24]  ¹ tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).

[18:25]  ² tn Or “ruler.”

[18:25]  ³ sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.

[18:27]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[18:27]  ⁵ tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the Lord.

[18:28]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.

[18:28]  ⁷ tn Heb “because of five.”

[18:29]  ⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29]  ⁹ tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”

[18:30]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:30]  ¹¹ tn Heb “let it not be hot to the Lord.” This is an idiom which means “may the Lord not be angry.”

[18:30]  ¹² tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.

[18:31]  ¹³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:32]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:29]  ¹⁵ tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.

[19:29]  ¹⁶ tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.

[19:29]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the Lord not destroy the righteous with the wicked. While the requisite minimum number of righteous people (ten, v. 32) needed for God to spare the cities was not found, God nevertheless rescued the righteous before destroying the wicked.

[19:29]  ¹⁸ sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.

[19:29]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”

[20:7]  ²⁰ tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.

[20:7]  ²¹ sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.

[20:7]  ²² tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.

[20:7]  ²³ tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.

[20:7]  ²⁴ tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.

[32:28]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and he said.” The referent of the pronoun “he” (the man who wrestled with Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:28]  ²⁶ sn The name Israel is a common construction, using a verb with a theophoric element (אֵל, ’el) that usually indicates the subject of the verb. Here it means “God fights.” This name will replace the name Jacob; it will be both a promise and a call for faith. In essence, the Lord was saying that Jacob would have victory and receive the promises because God would fight for him.

[32:28]  ²⁷ sn You have fought. The explanation of the name Israel includes a sound play. In Hebrew the verb translated “you have fought” (שָׂרִיתָ, sarita) sounds like the name “Israel” (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yisra’el ), meaning “God fights” (although some interpret the meaning as “he fights [with] God”). The name would evoke the memory of the fight and what it meant. A. Dillmann says that ever after this the name would tell the Israelites that, when Jacob contended successfully with God, he won the battle with man (Genesis, 2:279). To be successful with God meant that he had to be crippled in his own self-sufficiency (A. P. Ross, “Jacob at the Jabboq, Israel at Peniel,” BSac 142 [1985]: 51-62).

[9:28]  ²⁸ sn The text has Heb “the voices of God.” The divine epithet can be used to express the superlative (cf. Jonah 3:3).

[9:28]  ²⁹ tn The expression וְרַב מִהְיֹת (vÿrav mihyot, “[the mighty thunder and hail] is much from being”) means essentially “more than enough.” This indicates that the storm was too much, or, as one might say, “It is enough.”

[9:28]  ³⁰ tn The last clause uses a verbal hendiadys: “you will not add to stand,” meaning “you will no longer stay.”

[9:29]  ³¹ tn כְּצֵאתִי (kÿtse’ti) is the Qal infinitive construct of יָצָא (yatsa’); it functions here as the temporal clause before the statement about prayer.

[9:29]  ³² sn This clause provides the purpose/result of Moses’ intention: he will pray to Yahweh and the storms will cease “that you might know….” It was not enough to pray and have the plague stop. Pharaoh must “know” that Yahweh is the sovereign Lord over the earth. Here was that purpose of knowing through experience. This clause provides the key for the exposition of this plague: God demonstrated his power over the forces of nature to show his sovereignty – the earth is Yahweh’s. He can destroy it. He can preserve it. If people sin by ignoring his word and not fearing him, he can bring judgment on them. If any fear Yahweh and obey his instructions, they will be spared. A positive way to express the expositional point of the chapter is to say that those who fear Yahweh and obey his word will escape the powerful destruction he has prepared for those who sinfully disregard his word.

[17:11]  ³³ tn The two verbs in the temporal clauses are by וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר (vÿhaya ka’asher, “as long as” or, “and it was that whenever”). This indicates that the two imperfect tenses should be given a frequentative translation, probably a customary imperfect.

[17:11]  ³⁴ tn Or “lower.”

[32:10]  ³⁵ tn The imperative, from the word “to rest” (נוּחַ, nuakh), has the sense of “leave me alone, let me be.” It is a directive for Moses not to intercede for the people. B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 567) reflects the Jewish interpretation that there is a profound paradox in God’s words. He vows the severest punishment but then suddenly conditions it on Moses’ agreement. “Let me alone that I may consume them” is the statement, but the effect is that he has left the door open for intercession. He allows himself to be persuaded – that is what a mediator is for. God could have slammed the door (as when Moses wanted to go into the promised land). Moreover, by alluding to the promise to Abraham God gave Moses the strongest reason to intercede.

[32:11]  ³⁶ tn S. R. Driver (Exodus, 351) draws on Arabic to show that the meaning of this verb (חָלָה, khalah) was properly “make sweet the face” or “stroke the face”; so here “to entreat, seek to conciliate.” In this prayer, Driver adds, Moses urges four motives for mercy: 1) Israel is Yahweh’s people, 2) Israel’s deliverance has demanded great power, 3) the Egyptians would mock if the people now perished, and 4) the oath God made to the fathers.

[32:12]  ³⁷ tn The question is rhetorical; it really forms an affirmation that is used here as a reason for the request (see GKC 474 §150.e).

[32:12]  ³⁸ tn Heb “speak, saying.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[32:12]  ³⁹ tn The word “evil” means any kind of life-threatening or fatal calamity. “Evil” is that which hinders life, interrupts life, causes pain to life, or destroys it. The Egyptians would conclude that such a God would have no good intent in taking his people to the desert if now he destroyed them.

[32:12]  ⁴⁰ tn The form is a Piel infinitive construct from כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”) but in this stem, “bring to an end, destroy.” As a purpose infinitive this expresses what the Egyptians would have thought of God’s motive.

[32:12]  ⁴¹ tn The verb “repent, relent” when used of God is certainly an anthropomorphism. It expresses the deep pain that one would have over a situation. Earlier God repented that he had made humans (Gen 6:6). Here Moses is asking God to repent/relent over the judgment he was about to bring, meaning that he should be moved by such compassion that there would be no judgment like that. J. P. Hyatt observes that the Bible uses so many anthropomorphisms because the Israelites conceived of God as a dynamic and living person in a vital relationship with people, responding to their needs and attitudes and actions (Exodus [NCBC], 307). See H. V. D. Parunak, “A Semantic Survey of NHM,” Bib 56 (1975): 512-32.

[32:13]  ⁴² tn Heb “your seed.”

[32:13]  ⁴³ tn “about” has been supplied.

[32:13]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “seed.”

[11:2]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “Moses.”

[11:2]  ⁴⁶ sn Here is the pattern that will become in the wilderness experience so common – the complaining turns to a cry to Moses, which is then interpreted as a prayer to the Lord, and there is healing. The sequence presents a symbolic lesson, an illustration of the intercession of the Holy Spirit. The NT will say that in times of suffering Christians do not know how to pray, but the Spirit intercedes for them, changing their cries into the proper prayers (Rom 8).

[14:13]  ⁴⁷ tn The construction is unusual in that we have here a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive with no verb before it to establish the time sequence. The context requires that this be taken as a vav (ו) consecutive. It actually forms the protasis for the next verse, and would best be rendered “when…then they will say.”

[14:14]  ⁴⁸ tn The singular participle is to be taken here as a collective, representing all the inhabitants of the land.

[14:14]  ⁴⁹ tn “Face to face” is literally “eye to eye.” It only occurs elsewhere in Isa 52:8. This expresses the closest communication possible.

[14:15]  ⁵⁰ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect of מוּת (mut), וְהֵמַתָּה (vÿhemattah). The vav (ו) consecutive makes this also a future time sequence verb, but again in a conditional clause.

[14:15]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “as one man.”

[14:17]  ⁵² tc The form in the text is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay), the word that is usually used in place of the tetragrammaton. It is the plural form with the pronominal suffix, and so must refer to God.

[14:18]  ⁵³ tn The expression is רַב־חֶסֶד (rav khesed) means “much of loyal love,” or “faithful love.” Some have it “totally faithful,” but that omits the aspect of his love.

[14:18]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “rebellion.”

[14:18]  ⁵⁵ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the verbal activity of the imperfect tense, which here serves as a habitual imperfect. Negated it states what God does not do; and the infinitive makes that certain.

[14:18]  ⁵⁶ sn The Decalogue adds “to those who hate me.” The point of the line is that the effects of sin, if not the sinful traits themselves, are passed on to the next generation.

[14:19]  ⁵⁷ tn The verb סְלַח־נָא (selakh-na’), the imperative form, means “forgive” (see Ps 130:4), “pardon,” “excuse.” The imperative is of course a prayer, a desire, and not a command.

[14:19]  ⁵⁸ tn The construct unit is “the greatness of your loyal love.” This is the genitive of specification, the first word being the modifier.

[14:20]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “forgiven according to your word.” The direct object, “them,” is implied.

[21:7]  ⁶⁰ tn The verb is the Hiphil jussive with a vav (ו) consecutive from the verb סוּר (sur); after the imperative this form may be subordinated to become a purpose clause.

[21:8]  ⁶¹ tn The word order is slightly different in Hebrew: “and it shall be anyone who is bitten when he looks at it he shall live.”

[21:9]  ⁶² sn The image of the snake was to be a symbol of the curse that the Israelites were experiencing; by lifting the snake up on a pole Moses was indicating that the curse would be drawn away from the people – if they looked to it, which was a sign of faith. This symbol was later stored in the temple, until it became an object of worship and had to be removed (2 Kgs 18:4). Jesus, of course, alluded to it and used it as an illustration of his own mission. He would become the curse, and be lifted up, so that people who looked by faith to him would live (John 3:14). For further material, see D. J. Wiseman, “Flying Serpents,” TynBul 23 (1972): 108-10; and K. R. Joines, “The Bronze Serpent in the Israelite Cult,” JBL 87 (1968): 245-56.

[9:19]  ⁶³ tn Heb “the anger and the wrath.” Although many English versions translate as two terms, this construction is a hendiadys which serves to intensify the emotion (cf. NAB, TEV “fierce anger”).

[9:19]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 9:3.

[9:20]  ⁶⁵ tn Heb “Aaron.” The pronoun is used in the translation to avoid redundancy.

[10:12]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day the Lord placed the Amorites before the sons of Israel and he said in the eyes of Israel.” It is uncertain whether the phrase “before the sons of Israel” modifies the verb “placed” (as in the present translation, “delivered the Amorites over to the Israelites”) or the verb “spoke” (“Joshua spoke to the Lord before the sons of Israel in the day the Lord delivered over the Amorites”).

[10:1]  ⁶⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:1]  ⁶⁸ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[10:1]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “as he had done to Jericho and to its king, so he did to Ai and to its king.”

[10:1]  ⁷⁰ tn Heb “and how.”

[12:1]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “and took possession of their land.”

[12:1]  ⁷² tn Heb “beyond the Jordan, toward the rising of the sun.”

[13:6]  ⁷³ tn The meaning of the Hebrew name “Misrephoth Maim” is perhaps “lime-kilns by the water” (see HALOT 2:641).

[13:6]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “only you, assign it by lots to Israel as an inheritance as I commanded you.”

[17:18]  ⁷⁵ tn The Hebrew text has simply “the hill country,” which must here include the hill country of Ephraim and the forest regions mentioned in v. 15.

[17:18]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and its limits will be yours.”

[17:2]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “and it belonged to the sons of Manasseh who remained.”

[4:1]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “And when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.”

[19:15]  ⁷⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[19:15]  ⁸⁰ tn Heb “Kattah, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem, twelve cities and their towns.” The words “their territory included” and “in all they had” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[19:16]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “this is the inheritance of the sons of Zebulun.”

[19:17]  ⁸² tn Heb “the fourth lot came out for the sons of Issachar.”

[19:18]  ⁸³ tn Or “their inheritance.”

[20:2]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘Set aside for yourselves.’”

[20:2]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “asylum.”

[20:3]  ⁸⁶ tn Heb “so that the one who kills, taking life accidentally without knowledge, may flee there.”

[20:4]  ⁸⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the one who accidentally kills another, cf. v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:4]  ⁸⁸ tn Heb “and speak into the ears of the elders of that city his words.”

[20:4]  ⁸⁹ tn Heb “and they should gather him into the city to themselves, give to him a place, and he will live with them.”

[20:5]  ⁹⁰ tn Heb “for without knowledge he killed his neighbor, and he was not hating him prior to that.”

[20:2]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘Set aside for yourselves.’”

[20:2]  ⁹² tn Or “asylum.”

[14:11]  ⁹³ tn Heb “like my strength then, like my strength now, for battle and for going out and coming in.”

[14:12]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “are there and large, fortified cities.”

[14:12]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “will dispossess.”

[14:2]  ⁹⁶ tn Heb “By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord had commanded by Moses, to the nine tribes and the half-tribe.”

[42:8]  ⁹⁷ tn The imperatives in this verse are plural, so all three had to do this together.

[42:8]  ⁹⁸ tn The verb “pray” is the Hitpael from the root פָּלַל (palal). That root has the main idea of arbitration; so in this stem it means “to seek arbitration [for oneself],” or “to pray,” or “to intercede.”

[42:8]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “I will lift up his face,” meaning, “I will regard him.”

[42:8]  ¹⁰⁰ tn This clause is a result clause, using the negated infinitive construct.

[42:8]  ¹⁰¹ tn The word “folly” can also be taken in the sense of “disgrace.” If the latter is chosen, the word serves as the direct object. If the former, then it is an adverbial accusative.

[42:8]  ¹⁰² sn The difference between what they said and what Job said, therefore, has to do with truth. Job was honest, spoke the truth, poured out his complaints, but never blasphemed God. For his words God said he told the truth. He did so with incomplete understanding, and with all the impatience and frustration one might expect. Now the friends, however, did not tell what was right about God. They were not honest; rather, they were self-righteous and condescending. They were saying what they thought should be said, but it was wrong.

[10:17]  ¹⁰³ sn You have heard. The psalmist is confident that God has responded positively to his earlier petitions for divine intervention. The psalmist apparently prayed the words of vv. 16-18 after the reception of an oracle of deliverance (given in response to the confident petition of vv. 12-15) or after the Lord actually delivered him from his enemies.

[10:17]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “desire.”

[10:17]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Heb “you make firm their heart, you cause your ear to listen.”

[10:18]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “to judge (on behalf of),” or “by judging (on behalf of).”

[10:18]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “crushed.” See v. 10.

[10:18]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “he will not add again [i.e., “he will no longer”] to terrify, man from the earth.” The Hebrew term אֱנוֹשׁ (’enosh, “man”) refers here to the wicked nations (v. 16). By describing them as “from the earth,” the psalmist emphasizes their weakness before the sovereign, eternal king.

[34:15]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “the eyes of the Lord [are] toward the godly, and his ears [are] toward their cry for help.”

[145:18]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “in truth.”

[145:19]  ¹¹¹ tn In this context “desire” refers to the followers’ desire to be delivered from wicked enemies.

[145:19]  ¹¹² tn Heb “the desire of those who fear him, he does.”

[15:8]  ¹¹³ tn Heb “an abomination of the Lord.” The term יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the Lord”) functions as a subjective genitive: “the Lord abhors.” Cf. NIV “the Lord detests”; NCV, NLT “the Lord hates”; CEV “the Lord is disgusted.”

[15:8]  ¹¹⁴ tn Heb “sacrifice” (so many English versions).

[15:8]  ¹¹⁵ sn The sacrifices of the wicked are hated by the Lord because the worshipers are insincere and blasphemous (e.g., Prov 15:29; 21:3; 28:9; Ps 40:6-8; Isa 1:10-17). In other words, the spiritual condition of the worshiper determines whether or not the worship is acceptable to God.

[15:8]  ¹¹⁶ sn J. H. Greenstone notes that if God will accept the prayers of the upright, he will accept their sacrifices; for sacrifice is an outer ritual and easily performed even by the wicked, but prayer is a private and inward act and not usually fabricated by unbelievers (Proverbs, 162).

[15:8]  ¹¹⁷ tn Heb “[is] his pleasure.” The 3rd person masculine singular suffix functions as a subjective genitive: “he is pleased.” God is pleased with the prayers of the upright.

[15:29]  ¹¹⁸ sn To say that the Lord is “far” from the wicked is to say that he has made himself unavailable to their appeal – he does not answer them. This motif is used by David throughout Psalm 22 for the problem of unanswered prayer – “Why are you far off?”

[15:29]  ¹¹⁹ sn The verb “hear” (שָׁמַע, shama’) has more of the sense of “respond to” in this context. If one “listens to the voice of the Lord,” for example, it means that he obeys the Lord. If one wishes God to “hear his prayer,” it means he wishes God to answer it.

[15:29]  ¹²⁰ sn God’s response to prayer is determined by the righteousness of the one who prays. A prayer of repentance by the wicked is an exception, for by it they would become the righteous (C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 316).

[28:9]  ¹²¹ sn The expression “turn away the ear from hearing” uses a metonymy to mean that this individual will not listen – it indicates a deliberate refusal to follow the instruction of the law.

[28:9]  ¹²² sn It is hard to imagine how someone who willfully refuses to obey the law of God would pray according to the will of God. Such a person is more apt to pray for some physical thing or make demands on God. (Of course a prayer of repentance would be an exception and would not be an abomination to the Lord.)

[28:9]  ¹²³ sn C. H. Toy says, “If a man, on his part, is deaf to instruction, then God, on his part, is deaf to prayer” (Proverbs [ICC], 499). And W. McKane observes that one who fails to attend to God’s law is a wicked person, even if he is a man of prayer (Proverbs [OTL], 623).

[15:1]  ¹²⁴ tn The words “pleading for” have been supplied in the translation to explain the idiom (a metonymy). For parallel usage see BDB 763 s.v. עָמַד Qal.1.a and compare usage in Gen 19:27, Deut 4:10.

[15:1]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “my soul would not be toward them.” For the usage of “soul” presupposed here see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 6 in the light of the complaints and petitions in Jeremiah’s prayer in 14:19, 21.

[15:1]  ¹²⁶ tn Heb “Send them away from my presence and let them go away.”

[29:12]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “come and pray to me.” This is an example of verbal hendiadys where two verb formally joined by “and” convey a main concept with the second verb functioning as an adverbial qualifier.

[29:12]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “You will call out to me and come to me in prayer and I will hear your prayers.” The verbs are vav consecutive perfects and can be taken either as unconditional futures or as contingent futures. See GKC 337 §112.kk and 494 §159.g and compare the usage in Gen 44:22 for the use of the vav consecutive perfects in contingent futures. The conditional clause in the middle of 29:13 and the deuteronomic theology reflected in both Deut 30:1-5 and 1 Kgs 8:46-48 suggest that the verbs are continent futures here. For the same demand for wholehearted seeking in these contexts which presuppose exile see especially Deut 30:2, 1 Kgs 8:48.

[29:13]  ¹²⁹ tn Or “If you wholeheartedly seek me”; Heb “You will seek me and find [me] because you will seek me with all your heart.” The translation attempts to reflect the theological nuances of “seeking” and “finding” and the psychological significance of “heart” which refers more to intellectual and volitional concerns in the OT than to emotional ones.

[33:3]  ¹³⁰ tn This passive participle or adjective is normally used to describe cities or walls as “fortified” or “inaccessible.” All the lexicons, however, agree in seeing it used here metaphorically of “secret” or “mysterious” things, things that Jeremiah could not know apart from the Lord’s revelation. G. L. Keown, P. J. Scalise, and T. G. Smothers (Jeremiah 26-52 [WBC], 170) make the interesting observation that the word is used here in a context in which the fortifications of Jerusalem are about to fall to the Babylonians; the fortified things in God’s secret counsel fall through answer to prayer.

[2:18]  ¹³¹ tn Aram “Daniel.” The proper name is redundant here in English, and has not been included in the translation.

[2:19]  ¹³² tn Or “blessed.”

[2:20]  ¹³³ tn Aram “Daniel answered and said.”

[2:20]  ¹³⁴ sn As is often the case in the Bible, here the name represents the person.

[2:20]  ¹³⁵ tn Or “blessed.”

[2:21]  ¹³⁶ tn Aram “kings.”

[2:21]  ¹³⁷ tn Aram “the knowers of understanding.”

[2:23]  ¹³⁸ tn Aram “we.” Various explanations have been offered for the plural, but it is probably best understood as the editorial plural; so also with “me” later in this verse.

[2:23]  ¹³⁹ tn Aram “the word of the king.”

[9:20]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “the holy mountain of my God.”

[9:21]  ¹⁴¹ tn Heb “speaking in prayer.”

[9:21]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “in the beginning.”

[9:21]  ¹⁴³ tn The Hebrew expression בִּיעָף מֻעָף (mu’af bi’af) is very difficult. The issue is whether the verb derives from עוּף (’uf, “to fly”) or from יָעַף (ya’af, “to be weary”). Many ancient versions and modern commentators take the first of these possibilities and understand the reference to be to the swift flight of the angel Gabriel in his coming to Daniel. The words more likely refer to the extreme weariness, not of the angel, but of Daniel. Cf. 7:28; 8:27; 10:8-9, 16-17; also NASB.

[9:22]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Heb “he instructed and spoke with me.” The expression is a verbal hendiadys.

[12:3]  ¹⁴⁵ tn The verb שָׂרָה (sarah) means “to strive, contend” (HALOT 1354 s.v. שׂרה) or “persevere, persist” (BDB 975 s.v. שָׂרָה; see Gen 32:29). Almost all English versions render the verb here in terms of the former: NAB, NASB “contended”; NRSV “strove”; TEV, CEV “fought against.”

[12:4]  ¹⁴⁶ tc The MT vocalizes the consonantal text וָיָּשַׂר (vayyasar, vav consecutive + Qal preterite 3rd person masculine singular from שׂוּר, sur, “to see”); however, parallelism with שָׂרַה (sarah, “he contended”) in 12:3 suggested that it be vocalized as ויּשׂר (vav consecutive + Qal preterite 3rd person masculine singular from שׂרה [“to strive, contend”]). The latter is followed by almost all English versions here.

[12:4]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Heb “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ¹⁴⁸ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

[12:4]  ¹⁴⁹ tc The Leningrad Codex and the Allepo Codex both read 1st person common plural עִמָּנוּ (’immanu, “with us”). The LXX and Peshitta both reflect an alternate Hebrew Vorlage of 3rd person masculine singular עִמוֹ (’imo, “with him”). The BHS editors suggest emending the MT in favor of the Greek and Syriac. The internal evidence of 12:4-5 favors the 3rd person masculine singular reading. It is likely that the 1st person common plural ־נוּ reading on עִמָּנוּ arose due to a misunderstanding of the 3rd person masculine singular ־נוּ suffix on יִמְצָאֶנּוּ (yimtsa’ennu, “he found him”; Qal imperfect 3rd person masculine singular + 3rd person masculine singular suffix) which was probably misunderstood as the 1st person common plural suffix: “he found us.” Several English versions follow the LXX and Syriac: “there he spoke with him” (RSV, NAB, NEB, NIV, NJPS, TEV). Others follow the MT: “there he spoke with us” (KJV, NASB, CEV). The Hebrew University Old Testament Project, which tends to preserve the MT whenever possible, adopts the MT reading but gives it only a “C” rating. See D. Barthélemy, ed., Preliminary and Interim Report on the Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, 5:262-63.

[7:7]  ¹⁵⁰ sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.

[7:7]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation here and in v. 8 for clarity.

[7:8]  ¹⁵² sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 7 with the encouragement that God does respond.

[7:9]  ¹⁵³ tn Grk “Or is there.”

[7:10]  ¹⁵⁴ sn The two questions of vv. 9-10 expect the answer, “No parent would do this!”

[7:11]  ¹⁵⁵ tn The participle ὄντες (ontes) has been translated concessively.

[7:11]  ¹⁵⁶ sn The provision of the good gifts is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. The teaching as a whole stresses not that we get everything we want, but that God gives the good that we need.

[21:22]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “believing”; the participle here is conditional.

[11:11]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[11:11]  ¹⁵⁹ tc Most mss (א A C D L W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat sy^c,p,h bo) have “bread, does not give him a stone instead, or” before “a fish”; the longer reading, however, looks like a harmonization to Matt 7:9. The shorter reading is thus preferred, attested by Ì^45,75 B 1241 pc sy^s sa.

[11:11]  ¹⁶⁰ sn The snake probably refers to a water snake.

[11:12]  ¹⁶¹ sn The two questions of vv. 11-12 expect the answer, “No father would do this!”

[11:13]  ¹⁶² tn The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a concessive participle.

[11:13]  ¹⁶³ sn The provision of the Holy Spirit is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. Some apply it to the general provision of the Spirit, but this would seem to look only at one request in a context that speaks of repeated asking. The teaching as a whole stresses not that God gives everything his children want, but that God gives the good that they need. The parallel account in Matthew (7:11) refers to good things where Luke mentions the Holy Spirit.

[18:1]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:1]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).

[18:1]  ¹⁶⁷ sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start: …they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).

[18:2]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

[18:2]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Or “town.”

[18:2]  ¹⁷⁰ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

[18:2]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:3]  ¹⁷² sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.

[18:3]  ¹⁷³ tn Or “town.”

[18:3]  ¹⁷⁴ tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.

[18:4]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:4]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “after these things.”

[18:4]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:5]  ¹⁷⁸ tn The term ὑπωπιάζω (Jupwpiazw) in this context means “to wear someone out by continual annoying” (L&N 25.245).

[18:5]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Grk “by her continual coming,” but the point of annoyance to the judge is her constant pleas for justice (v. 3).

[18:6]  ¹⁸⁰ sn Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! The point of the parable is that the judge’s lack of compassion was overcome by the widow’s persistence.

[18:7]  ¹⁸¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:7]  ¹⁸² sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

[18:7]  ¹⁸³ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

[18:7]  ¹⁸⁴ sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

[18:8]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

[18:8]  ¹⁸⁶ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.

[9:31]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Grk “God does not hear.”

[9:31]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “godly.”

[9:31]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:31]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Or “hears.”

[9:31]  ¹⁹¹ tn Grk “this one.”

[4:24]  ¹⁹² sn With one mind. Compare Acts 1:14.

[4:24]  ¹⁹³ tn Or “Lord of all.”

[4:24]  ¹⁹⁴ 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.

[4:25]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “by the mouth of” (an idiom).

[4:25]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “ancestor”; Grk “father.”

[4:25]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Or “Gentiles.”

[4:25]  ¹⁹⁸ sn The Greek word translated rage includes not only anger but opposition, both verbal and nonverbal. See L&N 88.185.

[4:25]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Or “futile”; traditionally, “vain.”

[4:26]  ²⁰⁰ tn Traditionally, “The kings of the earth took their stand.”

[4:26]  ²⁰¹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[4:26]  ²⁰² sn A quotation from Ps 2:1-2.

[4:27]  ²⁰³ sn The application of Ps 2:1-2 is that Jews and Gentiles are opposing Jesus. The surprise of the application is that Jews are now found among the enemies of God’s plan.

[4:27]  ²⁰⁴ sn A wordplay on “Christ,” v. 26, which means “one who has been anointed.”

[4:28]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “hand,” here a metaphor for God’s strength or power or authority.

[4:28]  ²⁰⁶ tn Or “purpose,” “will.”

[4:28]  ²⁰⁷ tn Or “had predestined.” Since the term “predestine” is something of a technical theological term, not in wide usage in contemporary English, the translation “decide beforehand” was used instead (see L&N 30.84). God’s direction remains as the major theme.

[4:29]  ²⁰⁸ tn Or “Lord, take notice of.”

[4:29]  ²⁰⁹ sn Grant to your servants to speak your message with great courage. The request is not for a stop to persecution or revenge on the opponents, but for boldness (great courage) to carry out the mission of proclaiming the message of what God is doing through Jesus.

[4:29]  ²¹⁰ tn Grk “slaves.” See the note on the word “servants” in 2:18.

[4:29]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “word.”

[4:29]  ²¹² tn Or “with all boldness.”

[4:30]  ²¹³ tn The miraculous nature of these signs is implied in the context.

[4:31]  ²¹⁴ tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[4:31]  ²¹⁵ sn The place where they were assembled…was shaken. This signifies that God is in their midst. See Acts 16:26; Exod 19:18; Ps 114:7; Isa 6:4.

[4:31]  ²¹⁶ tn The imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to speak”). Logical sequencing suggests that their speaking began after they were filled with the Spirit. The prayer was answered immediately.

[4:31]  ²¹⁷ tn Or “speak God’s message.”

[4:31]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “with boldness.”

[12:5]  ²¹⁹ tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  ²²⁰ tn Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.

[12:6]  ²²¹ tn Grk “was going to bring him out,” but the upcoming trial is implied. See Acts 12:4.

[12:6]  ²²² tn Grk “two chains, and.” Logically it makes better sense to translate this as a temporal clause, although technically it is a coordinate clause in Greek.

[12:6]  ²²³ tn Or “were guarding.”

[12:7]  ²²⁴ tn Grk “And behold.” 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. The interjection ἰδού (idou), often difficult to translate into English, expresses the suddenness of the angel’s appearance.

[12:7]  ²²⁵ tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 5:19.

[12:7]  ²²⁶ tn Grk “striking the side of Peter, he awoke him saying.” The term refers to a push or a light tap (BDAG 786 s.v. πατάσσω 1.a). The participle πατάξας (pataxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:7]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:7]  ²²⁸ tn Grk “the hands,” but the wrist was considered a part of the hand.

[12:8]  ²²⁹ tn While ζώννυμι (zwnnumi) sometimes means “to dress,” referring to the fastening of the belt or sash as the final act of getting dressed, in this context it probably does mean “put on your belt” since in the conditions of a prison Peter had probably not changed into a different set of clothes to sleep. More likely he had merely removed his belt or sash, which the angel now told him to replace. The translation “put on your belt” is given by L&N 49.14 for this verse. The archaic English “girdle” for the sash or belt has an entirely different meaning today.

[12:8]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²³¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:8]  ²³² tn Or “outer garment.”

[12:9]  ²³³ tn Grk “And going out he followed.”

[12:9]  ²³⁴ tn Grk “Peter going out followed him.” The participle ἐξελθών (exelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[12:9]  ²³⁵ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[12:9]  ²³⁶ tn Grk “what was done through the angel was a reality” (see BDAG 43 s.v. ἀληθής 3).

[12:10]  ²³⁷ tn Or perhaps, “guard posts.”

[12:10]  ²³⁸ sn The iron gate shows how important security was here. This door was more secure than one made of wood (which would be usual).

[12:10]  ²³⁹ tn Grk “which.” The relative pronoun (“which”) was replaced by the pronoun “it,” 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.

[12:10]  ²⁴⁰ tn The Greek term here, αὐτομάτη (automath), indicates something that happens without visible cause (BDAG 152 s.v. αὐτόματος).

[12:10]  ²⁴¹ tn Or “lane,” “alley” (BDAG 907 s.v. ῥύμη).

[12:11]  ²⁴² tn Grk “And when.” 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.

[12:11]  ²⁴³ tn Or “delivered.”

[12:11]  ²⁴⁴ sn Here the hand of Herod is a metaphor for Herod’s power or control.

[12:11]  ²⁴⁵ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great).

[12:11]  ²⁴⁶ sn Luke characterizes the opposition here as the Jewish people, including their leadership (see 12:3).

[12:1]  ²⁴⁷ sn King Herod was Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod I (Herod the Great). His mediocre career is summarized in Josephus, Ant. 18-19. This event took place in a.d. 42 or 43.

[12:1]  ²⁴⁸ tn Or “King Herod had some from the church arrested.”

[12:1]  ²⁴⁹ tn Or “to cause them injury.”

[3:22]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14) and the following context (v. 23) makes it clear that failure to “obey” the words of this “prophet like Moses” will result in complete destruction.

[3:22]  ²⁵¹ sn A quotation from Deut 18:15. By quoting Deut 18:15 Peter declared that Jesus was the eschatological “prophet like [Moses]” mentioned in that passage, who reveals the plan of God and the way of God.