Isaiah 3:10-11

3:10 Tell the innocent ¹  it will go well with them, ² 

for they will be rewarded for what they have done. ³ 

3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!

For they will get exactly what they deserve. ⁴ 

Jeremiah 17:10

17:10 I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds.

I examine people’s hearts. ⁵ 

I deal with each person according to how he has behaved.

I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Jeremiah 32:19

32:19 You plan great things and you do mighty deeds. ⁶  You see everything people do. ⁷  You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do. ⁸ 

Ezekiel 18:4

18:4 Indeed! All lives are mine – the life of the father as well as the life of the son is mine. The one ⁹  who sins will die.

Matthew 16:27

16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. ¹⁰ 

Romans 2:6-9

2:6 He ¹¹  will reward ¹²  each one according to his works: ¹³  2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, 2:8 but ¹⁴  wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition ¹⁵  and do not obey the truth but follow ¹⁶  unrighteousness. 2:9 There will be ¹⁷  affliction and distress on everyone ¹⁸  who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, ¹⁹ 

Romans 14:10-12

14:10 But you who eat vegetables only – why do you judge your brother or sister? ²⁰  And you who eat everything – why do you despise your brother or sister? ²¹  For we will all stand before the judgment seat ²²  of God. 14:11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.” ²³  14:12 Therefore, each of us will give an account of himself to God. ²⁴ 

Romans 14:1

Exhortation to Mutual Forbearance

14:1 Now receive the one who is weak in the faith, and do not have disputes over differing opinions. ²⁵ 

Colossians 3:8

3:8 But now, put off all such things ²⁶  as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

Colossians 4:5

4:5 Conduct yourselves ²⁷  with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunities.

Colossians 4:2

Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission

4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 1:10-11

1:10 so that you may live ²⁸  worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects ²⁹  – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ³⁰  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Revelation 2:23

2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers ³¹  with a deadly disease, ³²  and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay ³³  each one of you ³⁴  what your deeds deserve. ³⁵ 

Revelation 20:12-15

20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then ³⁶  books were opened, and another book was opened – the book of life. ³⁷  So ³⁸  the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds. ³⁹  20:13 The ⁴⁰  sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death ⁴¹  and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 20:14 Then ⁴²  Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire. 20:15 If ⁴³  anyone’s name ⁴⁴  was not found written in the book of life, that person ⁴⁵  was thrown into the lake of fire.

Revelation 22:12

22:12 (Look! I am coming soon,

and my reward is with me to pay ⁴⁶  each one according to what he has done!

[3:10]  ¹ tn Or “the righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, TEV); NLT “those who are godly.”

[3:10]  ² tn Heb “that it is good.”

[3:10]  ³ tn Heb “for the fruit of their deeds they will eat.”

[3:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”

[17:10]  ⁵ tn The term rendered “mind” here and in the previous verse is actually the Hebrew word for “heart.” However, in combination with the word rendered “heart” in the next line, which is the Hebrew for “kidneys,” it is best rendered “mind” because the “heart” was considered the center of intellect, conscience, and will and the “kidneys” the center of emotions.

[32:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “[you are] great in counsel and mighty in deed.”

[32:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “your eyes are open to the ways of the sons of men.”

[32:19]  ⁸ tn Heb “giving to each according to his way [= behavior/conduct] and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

[18:4]  ⁹ tn Heb “life.”

[16:27]  ¹⁰ sn An allusion to Pss 28:4; 62:12; cf. Prov 24:12.

[2:6]  ¹¹ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[2:6]  ¹² tn Or “will render,” “will recompense.” In this context Paul is setting up a hypothetical situation, not stating that salvation is by works.

[2:6]  ¹³ sn A quotation from Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; a close approximation to Matt 16:27.

[2:8]  ¹⁴ tn This contrast is clearer and stronger in Greek than can be easily expressed in English.

[2:8]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “those who [are] from selfish ambition.”

[2:8]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “are persuaded by, obey.”

[2:9]  ¹⁷ tn No verb is expressed in this verse, but the verb “to be” is implied by the Greek construction. Literally “suffering and distress on everyone…”

[2:9]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “every soul of man.”

[2:9]  ¹⁹ sn Paul uses the term Greek here and in v. 10 to refer to non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles.

[14:10]  ²⁰ tn Grk “But why do you judge your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “weak” Christian who eats only vegetables (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10]  ²¹ tn Grk “Or again, why do you despise your brother?” The introductory phrase has been supplied in the translation to clarify whom Paul is addressing, i.e., the “strong” Christian who eats everything (see vv. 2-3). The author uses the singular pronoun here to rhetorically address one person, but the plural has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[14:10]  ²² sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bhma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a familiar item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city.

[14:11]  ²³ sn A quotation from Isa 45:23.

[14:12]  ²⁴ tc ‡ The words “to God” are absent from some mss (B F G 6 630 1739 1881 pc) but are found in א A C D Ψ 0209 33 Ï lat sy co. External evidence somewhat favors their inclusion since Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine mss are well represented. From an internal standpoint, however, it is easy to see the words as a scribal gloss intended to clarify the referent, especially as a reinforcement to the quotation of Isa 45:23 in v. 11. Not only that, but the abrupt ending of the verse without “to God” is harsh, both in Greek and in English. In this instance, the internal considerations seem overwhelming on the side of the omission. At the same time, English stylistic needs require the words and they have been put into the translation, even though they are most likely not original. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubt as to their authenticity.

[14:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “over opinions.” The qualifier “differing” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.

[3:8]  ²⁶ tn The Greek article with τὰ πάντα (ta panta) is anaphoric, referring to the previous list of vices, and has been translated here as “all such things.”

[4:5]  ²⁷ tn Grk “walk.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is a common NT idiom for one’s lifestyle, behavior, or manner of conduct (L&N 41.11).

[1:10]  ²⁸ tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”

[1:10]  ²⁹ tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”

[1:11]  ³⁰ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

[2:23]  ³¹ tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.

[2:23]  ³² tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

[2:23]  ³³ tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didwmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”

[2:23]  ³⁴ sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.

[2:23]  ³⁵ tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”

[20:12]  ³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[20:12]  ³⁷ tn Grk “another book was opened, which is of life.”

[20:12]  ³⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the books being opened.

[20:12]  ³⁹ tn Grk “from the things written in the books according to their works.”

[20:13]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[20:13]  ⁴¹ sn Here Death is personified (cf. 1 Cor 15:55).

[20:14]  ⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[20:15]  ⁴³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[20:15]  ⁴⁴ tn The word “name” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[20:15]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the pronoun has been intensified by translating as “that person.”

[22:12]  ⁴⁶ tn The Greek term may be translated either “pay” or “pay back” and has something of a double meaning here. However, because of the mention of “wages” (“reward,” another wordplay with two meanings) in the previous clause, the translation “pay” for ἀποδοῦναι (apodounai) was used here.