Jeremiah 15:10

Jeremiah Complains about His Lot and The Lord Responds

15:10 I said, ¹ 

“Oh, mother, how I regret ²  that you ever gave birth to me!

I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land. ³ 

I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone.

Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.” ⁴ 

Luke 12:49-53

Not Peace, but Division

12:49 “I have come ⁵  to bring ⁶  fire on the earth – and how I wish it were already kindled! 12:50 I have a baptism ⁷  to undergo, ⁸  and how distressed I am until it is finished! 12:51 Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁹  12:52 For from now on ¹⁰  there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. 12:53 They will be divided, ¹¹  father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

John 7:40-52

Differing Opinions About Jesus

7:40 When they heard these words, some of the crowd ¹²  began to say, “This really ¹³  is the Prophet!” ¹⁴  7:41 Others said, “This is the Christ!” ¹⁵  But still others said, “No, ¹⁶  for the Christ doesn’t come from Galilee, does he? ¹⁷  7:42 Don’t the scriptures say that the Christ is a descendant ¹⁸  of David ¹⁹  and comes from Bethlehem, ²⁰  the village where David lived?” ²¹  7:43 So there was a division in the crowd ²²  because of Jesus. ²³  7:44 Some of them were wanting to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him. ²⁴ 

Lack of Belief

7:45 Then the officers ²⁵  returned ²⁶  to the chief priests and Pharisees, ²⁷  who said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him back with you?” ²⁸  7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered, ²⁹  “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? ³⁰  7:48 None of the rulers ³¹  or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? ³²  7:49 But this rabble ³³  who do not know the law are accursed!”

7:50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus ³⁴  before and who was one of the rulers, ³⁵  said, ³⁶  7:51 “Our law doesn’t condemn ³⁷  a man unless it first hears from him and learns ³⁸  what he is doing, does it?” ³⁹  7:52 They replied, ⁴⁰  “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? ⁴¹  Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet ⁴²  comes from Galilee!”

Acts 13:45-50

13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, ⁴³  and they began to contradict ⁴⁴  what Paul was saying ⁴⁵  by reviling him. ⁴⁶  13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas replied courageously, ⁴⁷  “It was necessary to speak the word of God ⁴⁸  to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy ⁴⁹  of eternal life, we ⁵⁰  are turning to the Gentiles. ⁵¹  13:47 For this ⁵²  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ⁵³  you to be a light ⁵⁴  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁵⁵  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁵⁶  13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began to rejoice ⁵⁷  and praise ⁵⁸  the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed for eternal life ⁵⁹  believed. 13:49 So the word of the Lord was spreading ⁶⁰  through the entire region. 13:50 But the Jews incited ⁶¹  the God-fearing women of high social standing and the prominent men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and threw them out ⁶²  of their region.

Acts 14:2

14:2 But the Jews who refused to believe ⁶³  stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds ⁶⁴  against the brothers.

Acts 14:4

14:4 But the population ⁶⁵  of the city was divided; some ⁶⁶  sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.

[15:10]  ¹ tn The words “I said” are not in the text. They are supplied in the translation for clarity to mark a shift in the speaker.

[15:10]  ² tn Heb “Woe to me, my mother.” See the comments on 4:13 and 10:19.

[15:10]  ³ tn Heb “A man of strife and a man of contention with all the land.” The “of” relationship (Hebrew and Greek genitive) can convey either subjective or objective relationships, i.e., he instigates strife and contention or he is the object of it. A study of usage elsewhere, e.g., Isa 41:11; Job 31:35; Prov 12:19; 25:24; 26:21; 27:15, is convincing that it is subjective. In his role as God’s covenant messenger charging people with wrong doing he has instigated counterarguments and stirred about strife and contention against him.

[15:10]  ⁴ tc The translation follows the almost universally agreed upon correction of the MT. Instead of reading כֻּלֹּה מְקַלְלַונִי (kulloh mÿqallavni, “all of him is cursing me”) as the Masoretes proposed (Qere) one should read קִלְלוּנִי (qilluni) with the written text (Kethib) and redivide and repoint with the suggestion in BHS כֻּלְּהֶם (qullÿhem, “all of them are cursing me”).

[12:49]  ⁵ sn This mission statement, “I have come to bring fire on the earth,” looks to the purging and division Jesus causes: See Luke 3:9, 17; 9:54; 17:29 for fire, 5:32; 7:34; 9:58; 12:51 for the topic of mission.

[12:49]  ⁶ tn Grk “cast.” For βάλλω (ballw) in the sense of causing a state or condition, see L&N 13.14.

[12:50]  ⁷ sn The figure of the baptism is variously interpreted, as some see a reference (1) to martyrdom or (2) to inundation with God’s judgment. The OT background, however, suggests the latter sense: Jesus is about to be uniquely inundated with God’s judgment as he is rejected, persecuted, and killed (Ps 18:4, 16; 42:7; 69:1-2; Isa 8:7-8; 30:27-28; Jonah 2:3-6).

[12:50]  ⁸ tn Grk “to be baptized with.”

[12:51]  ⁹ tn Or “hostility.” This term pictures dissension and hostility (BDAG 234 s.v. διαμερισμός).

[12:52]  ¹⁰ sn From now on is a popular phrase in Luke: 1:48; 5:10; 22:18, 69; see Mic 7:6.

[12:53]  ¹¹ tn There is dispute whether this phrase belongs to the end of v. 52 or begins v. 53. Given the shift of object, a connection to v. 53 is slightly preferred.

[7:40]  ¹² tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).

[7:40]  ¹³ tn Or “truly.”

[7:40]  ¹⁴ sn The Prophet is a reference to the “prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15, by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief.

[7:41]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[7:41]  ¹⁶ tn An initial negative reply (“No”) is suggested by the causal or explanatory γάρ (gar) which begins the clause.

[7:41]  ¹⁷ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “does he?”).

[7:42]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “is from the seed” (an idiom for human descent).

[7:42]  ¹⁹ sn An allusion to Ps 89:4.

[7:42]  ²⁰ sn An allusion to Mic 5:2.

[7:42]  ²¹ tn Grk “the village where David was.”

[7:43]  ²² tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).

[7:43]  ²³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:44]  ²⁴ sn Compare John 7:30 regarding the attempt to seize Jesus.

[7:45]  ²⁵ tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin, their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing ‘police’ duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (See K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).

[7:45]  ²⁶ tn Grk “came.”

[7:45]  ²⁷ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[7:45]  ²⁸ tn Grk “Why did you not bring him?” The words “back with you” are implied.

[7:47]  ²⁹ tn Grk “answered them.”

[7:47]  ³⁰ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have you?”).

[7:48]  ³¹ sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).

[7:48]  ³² tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).

[7:49]  ³³ tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.

[7:50]  ³⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ³⁵ tn Grk “who was one of them”; the referent (the rulers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ³⁶ tn Grk “said to them.”

[7:51]  ³⁷ tn Grk “judge.”

[7:51]  ³⁸ tn Grk “knows.”

[7:51]  ³⁹ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “does it?”).

[7:52]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[7:52]  ⁴¹ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).

[7:52]  ⁴² tc At least one early and important ms (Ì^66*) places the article before “prophet” (ὁ προφήτης, Jo profhths), making this a reference to the “prophet like Moses” mentioned in Deut 18:15.

[13:45]  ⁴³ sn They were filled with jealousy. Their foolish response to the gospel is noted again (see Acts 5:17). The same verb is used in Acts 7:9; 17:5.

[13:45]  ⁴⁴ tn The imperfect verb ἀντέλεγον (antelegon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect in the logical sequence of events: After they were filled with jealousy, the Jewish opponents began to contradict what Paul said.

[13:45]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “the things being said by Paul.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:45]  ⁴⁶ tn The participle βλασφημοῦντες (blasfhmounte") has been regarded as indicating the means of the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as a finite verb (“and reviled him”) in keeping with contemporary English style. The direct object (“him”) is implied rather than expressed and could be impersonal (“it,” referring to what Paul was saying rather than Paul himself), but the verb occurs more often in contexts involving defamation or slander against personal beings (not always God). For a very similar context to this one, compare Acts 18:6. The translation “blaspheme” is not used because in contemporary English its meaning is more narrowly defined and normally refers to blasphemy against God (not what Paul’s opponents were doing here). The modern term “slandering” comes close to what was being done to Paul here.

[13:46]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out courageously and said.” The redundancy is removed in the translation and the verb “replied” is used in keeping with the logical sequence of events. The theme of boldness reappears: Acts 4:24-30; 9:27-28.

[13:46]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken.” For smoothness and simplicity of English style, the passive construction has been converted to active voice in the translation.

[13:46]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “and consider yourselves unworthy.”

[13:46]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “behold, we.” In this context ἰδού (idou) is not easily translated into English.

[13:46]  ⁵¹ sn This turning to the Gentiles would be a shocking rebuke to 1st century Jews who thought they alone were the recipients of the promise.

[13:47]  ⁵² tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

[13:47]  ⁵³ tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).

[13:47]  ⁵⁴ sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.

[13:47]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ⁵⁶ sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)

[13:48]  ⁵⁷ tn The imperfect verb ἔχαιρον (ecairon) and the following ἐδόξαζον (edoxazon) are translated as ingressive imperfects.

[13:48]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “glorify.” Although “honor” is given by BDAG 258 s.v. δοξάζω as a translation, it would be misleading here, because the meaning is “to honor in the sense of attributing worth to something,” while in contemporary English usage one speaks of “honoring” a contract in the sense of keeping its stipulations. It is not a synonym for “obey” in this context (“obey the word of the Lord”), but that is how many English readers would understand it.

[13:48]  ⁵⁹ sn Note the contrast to v. 46 in regard to eternal life.

[13:49]  ⁶⁰ tn BDAG 239 s.v. διαφέρω 1 has “spread” for διαφέρετο (diafereto) in connection with a teaching. This is the first summary since Acts 9:31.

[13:50]  ⁶¹ tn For the translation of παρώτρυναν (parwtrunan) as “incited” see BDAG 780 s.v. παροτρύνω.

[13:50]  ⁶² tn BDAG 299 s.v. ἐκβάλλω 1 has “throw out.” Once again, many Jews reacted to the message (Acts 5:17, 33; 6:11; 13:45).

[14:2]  ⁶³ tn Or “who would not believe.”

[14:2]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “embittered their minds” (Grk “their souls”). BDAG 502 s.v. κακόω 2 has “make angry, embitter τὰς ψυχάς τινων κατά τινος poison the minds of some persons against another Ac 14:2.”

[14:4]  ⁶⁵ tn BDAG 825 s.v. πλῆθος 2.b.γ has this translation for πλῆθος (plhqo").

[14:4]  ⁶⁶ tn These clauses are a good example of the contrastive μὲν…δέ (men…de) construction: Some “on the one hand” sided with the Jews, but some “on the other hand” sided with the apostles.