Job 23:10-12

23:10 But he knows the pathway that I take; ¹ 

if he tested me, I would come forth like gold. ² 

23:11 My feet ³  have followed ⁴  his steps closely;

I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. ⁵ 

23:12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion. ⁶ 

Psalms 39:1

Psalm 39 ⁷ 

For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David.

39:1 I decided, ⁸  “I will watch what I say

and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. ⁹ 

I will put a muzzle over my mouth

while in the presence of an evil man.” ¹⁰ 

Psalms 119:3-6

119:3 who, moreover, do no wrong,

but follow in his footsteps. ¹¹ 

119:4 You demand that your precepts

be carefully kept. ¹² 

119:5 If only I were predisposed ¹³ 

to keep your statutes!

119:6 Then I would not be ashamed,

if ¹⁴  I were focused on ¹⁵  all your commands.

Psalms 119:59

119:59 I consider my actions ¹⁶ 

and follow ¹⁷  your rules.

Acts 24:16

24:16 This is the reason ¹⁸  I do my best to always ¹⁹  have a clear ²⁰  conscience toward God and toward people. ²¹ 

Acts 24:2

24:2 When Paul ²²  had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, ²³  saying, “We have experienced a lengthy time ²⁴  of peace through your rule, ²⁵  and reforms ²⁶  are being made in this nation ²⁷  through your foresight. ²⁸ 

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ²⁹  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

[23:10]  ¹ tn The expression דֶּרֶךְ עִמָּדִי (derekh ’immadi) means “the way with me,” i.e., “the way that I take.” The Syriac has “my way and my standing.” Several commentators prefer “the way of my standing,” meaning where to look for me. J. Reider offers “the way of my life” (“Some notes to the text of the scriptures,” HUCA 3 [1926]: 115). Whatever the precise wording, Job knows that God can always find him.

[23:10]  ² tn There is a perfect verb followed by an imperfect in this clause with the protasis and apodosis relationship (see GKC 493 §159.b).

[23:11]  ³ tn Heb “my foot.”

[23:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “held fast.”

[23:11]  ⁵ tn The last clause, “and I have not turned aside,” functions adverbially in the sentence. The form אָט (’at) is a pausal form of אַתֶּה (’atteh), the Hiphil of נָטָה (natah, “stretch out”).

[23:12]  ⁶ tc The form in the MT (מֵחֻקִּי, mekhuqqi) means “more than my portion” or “more than my law.” An expanded meaning results in “more than my necessary food” (see Ps 119:11; cf. KJV, NASB, ESV). HALOT 346 s.v. חֹק 1 indicates that חֹק (khoq) has the meaning of “portion” and is here a reference to “what is appointed for me.” The LXX and the Latin versions, along with many commentators, have בְּחֵקִי (bÿkheqi, “in my bosom”).

[39:1]  ⁷ sn Psalm 39. The psalmist laments his frailty and mortality as he begs the Lord to take pity on him and remove his disciplinary hand.

[39:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “I said.”

[39:1]  ⁹ tn Heb “I will watch my ways, from sinning with my tongue.”

[39:1]  ¹⁰ sn The psalmist wanted to voice a lament to the Lord (see vv. 4-6), but he hesitated to do so in the presence of evil men, for such words might be sinful if they gave the wicked an occasion to insult God. See C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 1:345.

[119:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

[119:4]  ¹² tn Heb “you, you commanded your precepts, to keep, very much.”

[119:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “if only my ways were established.”

[119:6]  ¹⁴ tn Or “when.”

[119:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “I gaze at.”

[119:59]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “my ways.”

[119:59]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and I turn my feet toward.”

[24:16]  ¹⁸ tn BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 9.a, “ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν this is the reason why we believe Jn 16:30; cp. Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ¹⁹ tn BDAG 224 s.v. διά 2.a, “διὰ παντός…always, continually, constantly…Ac 2:25 (Ps 15:8); 10:2; 24:16.” However, the positioning of the adverb “always” in the English translation is difficult; the position used is one of the least awkward.

[24:16]  ²⁰ tn BDAG 125 s.v. ἀπρόσκοπος 1 has “ἀ. συνείδησις a clear conscience Ac 24:16.”

[24:16]  ²¹ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use (Paul does not have only males in view).

[24:2]  ²² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[24:2]  ²³ tn Or “began to bring charges, saying.”

[24:2]  ²⁴ tn Grk “experienced much peace.”

[24:2]  ²⁵ tn Grk “through you” (“rule” is implied).

[24:2]  ²⁶ tn This term is used only once in the NT (a hapax legomenon). It refers to improvements in internal administration (BDAG 251 s.v. διόρθωμα).

[24:2]  ²⁷ tn Or “being made for this people.”

[24:2]  ²⁸ sn References to peaceful rule, reforms, and the governor’s foresight in the opening address by Tertullus represent an attempt to praise the governor and thus make him favorable to the case. Actual descriptions of his rule portray him as inept (Tacitus, Annals 12.54; Josephus, J. W. 2.13.2-7 [2.253-270]).

[1:1]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.