Job 17:9

17:9 But the righteous man holds to his way,

and the one with clean hands grows stronger. ¹ 

Psalms 36:3

36:3 The words he speaks are sinful and deceitful;

he does not care about doing what is wise and right. ² 

Psalms 125:5

125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, ³ 

may the Lord remove them, ⁴  along with those who behave wickedly! ⁵ 

May Israel experience peace! ⁶ 

Zephaniah 1:6

1:6 and those who turn their backs on ⁷  the Lord

and do not want the Lord’s help or guidance.” ⁸ 

Luke 8:13-15

8:13 Those ⁹  on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, ¹⁰  but ¹¹  in a time of testing ¹²  fall away. ¹³  8:14 As for the seed that ¹⁴  fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but ¹⁵  as they go on their way they are choked ¹⁶  by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, ¹⁷  and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁸  8:15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing ¹⁹  the word, cling to it ²⁰  with an honest and good ²¹  heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. ²² 

Romans 2:7

2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality,

Romans 2:2

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ²³  against those who practice such things.

Romans 2:20-22

2:20 an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth – 2:21 therefore ²⁴  you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 2:22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor ²⁵  idols, do you rob temples?

[17:9]  ¹ tn The last two words are the imperfect verb יֹסִיף (yosif) which means “he adds,” and the abstract noun “energy, strength.” This noun is not found elsewhere; its Piel verb occurs in Job 4:4 and 16:5. “he increases strength.”

[36:3]  ² tn Heb “he ceases to exhibit wisdom to do good.” The Hiphil forms are exhibitive, indicating the outward expression of an inner attitude.

[125:5]  ³ tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.

[125:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the Lord will remove them” (cf. NIV, NRSV).

[125:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”

[125:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).

[1:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “turn back from [following] after.”

[1:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “who do not seek the Lord and do not inquire of him.” The present translation assumes the first verb refers to praying for divine help and the second to seeking his revealed will through an oracle. Note the usage of the two verbs in 2 Chr 20:3-4.

[8:13]  ⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:13]  ¹⁰ sn This time of temporary faith represented by the description believe for a while is presented rather tragically in the passage. The seed does not get a chance to do all it can.

[8:13]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:13]  ¹² tn Traditionally, “temptation.” Such a translation puts the emphasis on temptation to sin rather than testing of faith, which is what the context seems to indicate.

[8:13]  ¹³ sn Fall away. On the idea of falling away and the warnings against it, see 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 3:12; Jer 3:14; Dan 9:9.

[8:14]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “What”; the referent (the seed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:14]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:14]  ¹⁶ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.

[8:14]  ¹⁷ sn On warnings about the dangers of excessive material attachments, described here as the worries and riches and pleasures of life, see Luke 12:12-21; 16:19-31.

[8:14]  ¹⁸ tn The verb τελεσφορέω (telesforew) means “to produce mature or ripe fruit” (L&N 23.203). Once again the seed does not reach its goal.

[8:15]  ¹⁹ tn The aorist participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally, reflecting action antecedent (prior to) that of the main verb.

[8:15]  ²⁰ sn There is a tenacity that is a part of spiritual fruitfulness.

[8:15]  ²¹ sn In an ancient context, the qualifier good described the ethical person who possessed integrity. Here it is integrity concerning God’s revelation through Jesus.

[8:15]  ²² sn Given the pressures noted in the previous soils, bearing fruit takes time (steadfast endurance), just as it does for the farmer. See Jas 1:2-4.

[2:2]  ²³ tn Or “based on truth.”

[2:21]  ²⁴ tn The structure of vv. 21-24 is difficult. Some take these verses as the apodosis of the conditional clauses (protases) in vv. 17-20; others see vv. 17-20 as an instance of anacoluthon (a broken off or incomplete construction).

[2:22]  ²⁵ tn Or “detest.”