Isaiah 57:15

57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says,

the one who rules ¹  forever, whose name is holy:

“I dwell in an exalted and holy place,

but also with the discouraged and humiliated, ² 

in order to cheer up the humiliated

and to encourage the discouraged. ³ 

Isaiah 66:2

66:2 My hand made them; ⁴ 

that is how they came to be,” ⁵  says the Lord.

I show special favor ⁶  to the humble and contrite,

who respect what I have to say. ⁷ 

Matthew 5:3

5:3 “Blessed ⁸  are the poor in spirit, ⁹  for the kingdom of heaven belongs ¹⁰  to them.

Philippians 3:8

3:8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! ¹¹  – that I may gain Christ,

Philippians 3:1

True and False Righteousness

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ¹²  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Philippians 1:17

1:17 The former proclaim Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, because they think they can cause trouble for me in my imprisonment. ¹³ 

[57:15]  ¹ tn Heb “the one who dwells forever.” שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) is sometimes translated “the one who lives forever,” and understood as a reference to God’s eternal existence. However, the immediately preceding and following descriptions (“high and exalted” and “holy”) emphasize his sovereign rule. In the next line, he declares, “I dwell in an exalted and holy [place],” which refers to the place from which he rules. Therefore it is more likely that שֹׁכֵן עַד (shokhen ’ad) means “I dwell [in my lofty palace] forever” and refers to God’s eternal kingship.

[57:15]  ² tn Heb “and also with the crushed and lowly of spirit.” This may refer to the repentant who have humbled themselves (see 66:2) or more generally to the exiles who have experienced discouragement and humiliation.

[57:15]  ³ tn Heb “to restore the lowly of spirit and to restore the heart of the crushed.”

[66:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “all these.” The phrase refers to the heavens and earth, mentioned in the previous verse.

[66:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “and all these were.” Some prefer to emend וַיִּהְיוּ (vayyihyu, “and they were”) to וְלִי הָיוּ (vÿli hayu, “and to me they were”), i.e., “and they belong to me.”

[66:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “and to this one I look” (KJV and NASB both similar).

[66:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “to the humble and the lowly in spirit and the one who trembles at my words.”

[5:3]  ⁸ sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.

[5:3]  ⁹ sn The poor in spirit is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Ps 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.

[5:3]  ¹⁰ sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized.

[3:8]  ¹¹ tn The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter. As such it would most likely have had a certain shock value for the readers. This may well be Paul’s meaning here, especially since the context is about what the flesh produces.

[3:1]  ¹² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:17]  ¹³ tn Grk “thinking to cause trouble to my bonds.”