Jeremiah 6:29

6:29 The fiery bellows of judgment burn fiercely.

But there is too much dross to be removed. ¹ 

The process of refining them has proved useless. ² 

The wicked have not been purged.

Jeremiah 17:10

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

I examine people’s hearts. ³ 

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. ⁴  You see everything people do. ⁵  You reward each of them for the way they live and for the things they do. ⁶ 

Proverbs 1:31

1:31 Therefore ⁷  they will eat from the fruit ⁸  of their way, ⁹ 

and they will be stuffed full ¹⁰  of their own counsel.

Isaiah 3:10-11

3:10 Tell the innocent ¹¹  it will go well with them, ¹² 

for they will be rewarded for what they have done. ¹³ 

3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!

For they will get exactly what they deserve. ¹⁴ 

Galatians 6:7-8

6:7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. ¹⁵  For a person ¹⁶  will reap what he sows, 6:8 because the person who sows to his own flesh ¹⁷  will reap corruption ¹⁸  from the flesh, ¹⁹  but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

[6:29]  ¹ tn Heb “The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed by the fire.” The translation tries to clarify a metaphor involving ancient metallurgy. In the ancient refining process lead was added as a flux to remove impurities from silver ore in the process of oxidizing the lead. Jeremiah says that the lead has been used up and the impurities have not been removed. The translation is based on the recognition of an otherwise unused verb root meaning “blow” (נָחַר [nakhar]; cf. BDB 1123 s.v. I חָרַר and HALOT 651 s.v. נָחַר) and the Masoretes’ suggestion that the consonants מאשׁתם be read מֵאֵשׁ תַּם (me’esh tam) rather than as מֵאֶשָּׁתָם (me’eshatam, “from their fire”) from an otherwise unattested noun אֶשָּׁה (’eshah).

[6:29]  ² tn Heb “The refiner refines them in vain.”

[17:10]  ³ 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]  ⁴ tn Heb “[you are] great in counsel and mighty in deed.”

[32:19]  ⁵ tn Heb “your eyes are open to the ways of the sons of men.”

[32:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “giving to each according to his way [= behavior/conduct] and according to the fruit of his deeds.”

[1:31]  ⁷ tn The vav (ו) prefixed to the verb וְיֹאכְלוּ (vÿyo’khÿlu) functions in a consecutive logical sense: “therefore.”

[1:31]  ⁸ sn The expression “eat the fruit of” is a figurative expression (hypocatastasis) that compares the consequences of sin to agricultural growth that culminates in produce. They will suffer the consequences of their sinful actions, that is, they will “reap” what they “sow.”

[1:31]  ⁹ sn The words “way” (דֶּרֶךְ, derekh) and “counsel” (מוֹעֵצָה, mo’etsah) stand in strong contrast to the instruction of wisdom which gave counsel and rebuke to encourage a better way. They will bear the consequences of the course they follow and the advice they take (for that wrong advice, e.g., Ps 1:1).

[1:31]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “to eat to one’s fill.” The verb שָׂבֵעַ (savea’) means (1) positive: “to eat one’s fill” so that one’s appetite is satisfied and (2) negative: “to eat in excess” as a glutton to the point of sickness and revulsion (BDB 959 s.v.). Fools will not only “eat” the fruit of their own way (v. 31a), they will be force-fed this revolting “menu” which will make them want to vomit (v. 31b) and eventually kill them (v. 32).

[3:10]  ¹¹ tn Or “the righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, TEV); NLT “those who are godly.”

[3:10]  ¹² tn Heb “that it is good.”

[3:10]  ¹³ tn Heb “for the fruit of their deeds they will eat.”

[3:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “for the work of his hands will be done to him.”

[6:7]  ¹⁵ tn Or “is not mocked,” “will not be ridiculed” (L&N 33.409). BDAG 660 s.v. μυκτηρίζω has “of God οὐ μ. he is not to be mocked, treated w. contempt, perh. outwitted Gal 6:7.”

[6:7]  ¹⁶ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.

[6:8]  ¹⁷ tn BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

[6:8]  ¹⁸ tn Or “destruction.”

[6:8]  ¹⁹ tn See the note on the previous occurrence of the word “flesh” in this verse.