John 8:31-32

Abraham’s Children and the Devil’s Children

8:31 Then Jesus said to those Judeans ¹  who had believed him, “If you continue to follow my teaching, ²  you are really ³  my disciples 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ⁴ 

John 14:21-24

14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys ⁵  them is the one who loves me. ⁶  The one ⁷  who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal ⁸  myself to him.”

14:22 “Lord,” Judas (not Judas Iscariot) ⁹  said, ¹⁰  “what has happened that you are going to reveal ¹¹  yourself to us and not to the world?” 14:23 Jesus replied, ¹²  “If anyone loves me, he will obey ¹³  my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. ¹⁴  14:24 The person who does not love me does not obey ¹⁵  my words. And the word ¹⁶  you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

John 15:3

15:3 You are clean already ¹⁷  because of the word that I have spoken to you.

John 15:7

15:7 If you remain ¹⁸  in me and my words remain ¹⁹  in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. ²⁰ 

Psalms 119:11

119:11 In my heart I store up ²¹  your words, ²² 

so I might not sin against you.

Proverbs 2:1-5

Benefits of Seeking Wisdom ²³ 

2:1 My child, ²⁴  if ²⁵  you receive my words,

and store up ²⁶  my commands within you,

2:2 by making ²⁷  your ear ²⁸  attentive to wisdom,

and ²⁹  by turning ³⁰  your heart ³¹  to understanding,

2:3 indeed, if ³²  you call out for ³³  discernment ³⁴  –

raise your voice ³⁵  for understanding –

2:4 if ³⁶  you seek ³⁷  it like silver, ³⁸ 

and search for it ³⁹  like hidden treasure,

2:5 then you will understand ⁴⁰  how to fear the Lord, ⁴¹ 

and you will discover ⁴²  knowledge ⁴³  about God. ⁴⁴ 

Proverbs 2:10

2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart, ⁴⁵ 

and moral knowledge ⁴⁶  will be attractive ⁴⁷  to you. ⁴⁸ 

Proverbs 3:1-4

Exhortations to Seek Wisdom and Walk with the Lord ⁴⁹ 

3:1 My child, ⁵⁰  do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep ⁵¹  my commandments,

3:2 for they will provide ⁵²  a long and full life, ⁵³ 

and they will add well-being ⁵⁴  to you.

3:3 Do not let truth and mercy ⁵⁵  leave you;

bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁵⁶ 

3:4 Then you will find ⁵⁷  favor and good understanding, ⁵⁸ 

in the sight of God and people. ⁵⁹ 

Proverbs 23:23

23:23 Acquire ⁶⁰  truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

Colossians 3:16

3:16 Let the word of Christ ⁶¹  dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace ⁶²  in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:2

3:2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth,

Colossians 1:13

1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, ⁶³ 

Hebrews 3:6

3:6 But Christ ⁶⁴  is faithful as a son over God’s ⁶⁵  house. We are of his house, ⁶⁶  if in fact we hold firmly ⁶⁷  to our confidence and the hope we take pride in. ⁶⁸ 

Revelation 2:13

2:13 ‘I know ⁶⁹  where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet ⁷⁰  you continue to cling ⁷¹  to my name and you have not denied your ⁷²  faith in me, ⁷³  even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, ⁷⁴  who was killed in your city ⁷⁵  where Satan lives.

Revelation 3:8

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ⁷⁶  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ⁷⁷  I know ⁷⁸  that you have little strength, ⁷⁹  but ⁸⁰  you have obeyed ⁸¹  my word and have not denied my name.

[8:31]  ¹ tn Grk “to the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (i.e., “Judeans”), the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9; also BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple and had believed his claim to be the Messiah, hence, “those Judeans who had believed him.” The term “Judeans” is preferred here to the more general “people” because the debate concerns descent from Abraham (v. 33).

[8:31]  ² tn Grk “If you continue in my word.”

[8:31]  ³ tn Or “truly.”

[8:32]  ⁴ tn Or “the truth will release you.” The translation “set you free” or “release you” (unlike the more traditional “make you free”) conveys more the idea that the hearers were currently in a state of slavery from which they needed to be freed. The following context supports precisely this idea.

[14:21]  ⁵ tn Or “keeps.”

[14:21]  ⁶ tn Grk “obeys them, that one is the one who loves me.”

[14:21]  ⁷ tn Grk “And the one.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated to improve the English style.

[14:21]  ⁸ tn Or “will disclose.”

[14:22]  ⁹ tn Grk “(not Iscariot).” The proper noun (Judas) has been repeated for clarity and smoothness in English style.

[14:22]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “said to him.”

[14:22]  ¹¹ tn Or “disclose.”

[14:23]  ¹² tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

[14:23]  ¹³ tn Or “will keep.”

[14:23]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “we will come to him and will make our dwelling place with him.” The context here is individual rather than corporate indwelling, so the masculine singular pronoun has been retained throughout v. 23. It is important to note, however, that the pronoun is used generically here and refers equally to men, women, and children.

[14:24]  ¹⁵ tn Or “does not keep.”

[14:24]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the message.”

[15:3]  ¹⁷ sn The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin. This further confirms the proposed understanding of John 15:2 and 15:6 since Judas was specifically excluded from this statement (but not all of you).

[15:7]  ¹⁸ tn Or “reside.”

[15:7]  ¹⁹ tn Or “reside.”

[15:7]  ²⁰ sn Once again Jesus promises the disciples ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This recalls 14:13-14, where the disciples were promised that if they asked anything in Jesus’ name it would be done for them. The two thoughts are really quite similar, since here it is conditioned on the disciples’ remaining in Jesus and his words remaining in them. The first phrase relates to the genuineness of their relationship with Jesus. The second phrase relates to their obedience. When both of these qualifications are met, the disciples would in fact be asking in Jesus’ name and therefore according to his will.

[119:11]  ²¹ tn Or “hide.”

[119:11]  ²² tn Heb “your word.” Some medieval Hebrew mss as well as the LXX read the plural, “your words.”

[2:1]  ²³ sn The chapter begins with an admonition to receive wisdom (1-4) and then traces the benefits: the knowledge of God and his protection (5-8), moral discernment for living (9-11), protection from evil men (12-15) and immoral women (16-19), and enablement for righteous living (20-22).

[2:1]  ²⁴ tn Heb “my son.”

[2:1]  ²⁵ sn Verses 1-11 form one long conditional sentence in the Hebrew text: (1) the protasis (“if…”) encompasses vv. 1-4 and (2) the apodosis (“then…”) consists of two parallel panels in vv. 5-8 and vv. 9-11 both of which are introduced by the particle אָז (’az, “then”).

[2:1]  ²⁶ sn The verb “to store up” (צָפַן, tsafan; cf. NAB, NLT “treasure”) in the second colon qualifies the term “receive” (לָקַח, laqakh) in the first, just as “commands” intensifies “words.” This pattern of intensification through parallelism occurs throughout the next three verses. The verb “to store up; to treasure” is used in reference to things of value for future use, e.g., wealth, dowry for a bride. Since proverbs will be useful throughout life and not always immediately applicable, the idea of storing up the sayings is fitting. They will form the way people think which in turn will influence attitudes (W. G. Plaut, Proverbs, 43).

[2:2]  ²⁷ tn The Hiphil infinitive construct לְהַקְשִׁיב (lÿhaqshiv, “by making attentive”) functions as an epexegetical explanation of how one will receive the instruction.

[2:2]  ²⁸ sn The word “ear” is a metonymy of cause; the word is used as the instrument of hearing. But in parallelism with “heart” it indicates one aspect of the mental process of hearing and understanding. A “hearing ear” describes an obedient or responsive person (BDB 24 s.v. אֹזֶן 2).

[2:2]  ²⁹ tn The conjunction “and” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

[2:2]  ³⁰ tn The Hiphil imperfect (“by turning”) continues the nuance introduced by the infinitive construct in the first colon (GKC 352 §114.r). The verb נָטָה (natah) normally means “to stretch out” and only occasionally “to turn” or “to incline” one’s heart to something, as is the case here.

[2:2]  ³¹ tn Or “mind” (the center of the will, the choice).

[2:3]  ³² tn Both particles retain their individual meanings, otherwise the verse would begin with a strong adversative and be a contrast to what has been said.

[2:3]  ³³ tn Heb “summon.”

[2:3]  ³⁴ sn The noun recalls the second purpose of the book (1:2). It is also cognate to the last word of 2:2, forming a transition. The two objects of the prepositions in this verse are actually personifications, as if they could be summoned.

[2:3]  ³⁵ tn Heb “give your voice”; the expression is idiomatic for raising or lifting the voice to make a sound that carries further (e.g., Jer 2:15). This deliberate expression indicates that something significant is being uttered. J. H. Greenstone says, “If it [understanding] does not come at your first call, raise your voice to a higher pitch, put forth greater efforts” (Proverbs, 17).

[2:4]  ³⁶ tn The conditional particle now reiterates the initial conditional clause of this introductory section (1-4); the apodosis will follow in v. 5.

[2:4]  ³⁷ tn The verb בָּקַשׁ (baqash) means “to search for; to seek; to investigate” (BDB 134 s.v.). This calls for the same diligence one would have in looking for silver.

[2:4]  ³⁸ sn The two similes affirm that the value placed on the object will influence the eagerness and diligence in the pursuit and development of wisdom (e.g., Job 28:9-11). The point is not only that the object sought is valuable, but that the effort will be demanding but rewarding.

[2:4]  ³⁹ sn The verb חָפַשׂ (khafas) means “to dig; to search” (BDB 344 s.v.; cf. NCV “hunt for it”). The Arabic cognate means “to dig for water.” It is used literally of Joseph searching his brothers’ sacks (Gen 44:12) and figuratively for searching the soul (Ps 64:7). This is a more emphatic word than the one used in the first colon and again emphasizes that acquiring wisdom will be demanding.

[2:5]  ⁴⁰ tn The verb בִּין (bin, “to perceive; to understand; to discern”) refers to ability to grasp, discern or be sensitive to what it means to fear the Lord.

[2:5]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the fear of the Lord.” The noun is an objective genitive; the Lord is to be the object of fear and reverence.

[2:5]  ⁴² tn Heb “find” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).

[2:5]  ⁴³ tn The term דַּעַת (da’at, “knowledge”) goes beyond cognition; it is often used metonymically (cause) for obedience (effect); see, e.g., Prov 3:6, “in all your ways acknowledge him,” and BDB 395 s.v. This means that the disciple will follow God’s moral code; for to know God is to react ethically and spiritually to his will (e.g., J. H. Greenstone, Proverbs, 18).

[2:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “knowledge of God.” The noun is an objective genitive.

[2:10]  ⁴⁵ tn The noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) functions as a metonymy of association for “mind” and “thoughts” (BDB 524 s.v. 3). It represents the center of the inner life where the volition and emotions join to bring about actions. It is used here in parallelism with נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “soul”), for which see note.

[2:10]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “knowledge.” For the noun דַּעַת (da’at), see the note on 1:7.

[2:10]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “pleasant.” The verb יִנְעָם (yin’am, “to be pleasant”) describes what is attractive. It is used of being physically attracted to one’s lover (Song 7:7) or to a close friendship (2 Sam 1:26). Here wisdom becomes attractive to the righteous, that is, the righteous desires to acquire it.

[2:10]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “your soul.” The term נַפְשְׁךָ (nafshÿkha, “your soul”) functions as a synecdoche of part (= soul) for the whole person (= you); see BDB 660 s.v. 4.a.2. It also might function as a metonymy of association for emotions and passions (BDB 660 s.v. 6) or mental cognition (BDB 660 s.v. 7).

[3:1]  ⁴⁹ sn The chapter begins with an introductory exhortation (1-4), followed by an admonition to be faithful to the Lord (5-12). Wisdom is commended as the most valuable possession (13-18), essential to creation (19-20), and the way to a long and safe life (21-26). There then follows a warning to avoid unneighborliness (27-30) and emulating the wicked (31-35).

[3:1]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “my son” (likewise in vv. 11, 21).

[3:1]  ⁵¹ tn The verb יִצֹּר (yitsor) is a Qal jussive and the noun לִבֶּךָ (libbekha, “your heart”) functions as the subject: “let your heart keep my commandments.”

[3:2]  ⁵² tn The phrase “they will provide” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness.

[3:2]  ⁵³ tn Heb “length of days and years of life” (so NASB, NRSV). The idiom “length of days” refers to a prolonged life and “years of life” signifies a long time full of life, a life worth living (T. T. Perowne, Proverbs, 51). The term “life” refers to earthly felicity combined with spiritual blessedness (BDB 313 s.v. חַיִּים).

[3:2]  ⁵⁴ tn The noun שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) here means “welfare, health, prosperity” (BDB 1022 s.v. 3). It can be used of physical health and personal well-being. It is the experience of positive blessing and freedom from negative harm and catastrophe.

[3:3]  ⁵⁵ tn The two words חֶסֶד וֶאֶמֶת (khesed ve’emet, “mercy and truth”) form a nominal hendiadys, the second word becoming an adjective: “faithful covenant love” or “loyal [covenant] love and faithfulness.”

[3:3]  ⁵⁶ sn This involves two implied comparisons (hypocatastasis). One is a comparison of living out the duties and responsibilities taught with binding a chain around the neck, and the other is a comparison of the inward appropriation of the teachings with writing them on a tablet. So the teachings are not only to become the lifestyle of the disciple but his very nature.

[3:4]  ⁵⁷ tn The form וּמְצָא (umÿtsa’, “find”) is the imperative but it functions as a purpose/result statement. Following a string of imperatives (v. 3), the imperative with a prefixed vav introduces a volitive sequence expressing purpose or result (v. 4).

[3:4]  ⁵⁸ tn The noun שֵׂכֶל (sekhel, “understanding”) does not seem to parallel חֵן (khen, “favor”). The LXX attaches the first two words to v. 3 and renders v. 4: “and devise excellent things in the sight of the Lord and of men.” Tg. Prov 3:4 and Syriac Peshitta list all three words separately: “favor and good and understanding.” C. H. Toy (Proverbs [ICC], 59) suggests emending the MT’s שֵׂכֶל־טוֹב (sekhel-tov, “good understanding”) to שֵׁם־טוֹב (shem-tov, “a good name”). It is also possible to take the two words as a hendiadys: the favor of good understanding, meaning, a reputation for good understanding.

[3:4]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “man.”

[23:23]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “buy” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “Invest in truth.”

[3:16]  ⁶¹ tc Since “the word of Christ” occurs nowhere else in the NT, two predictable variants arose: “word of God” and “word of the Lord.” Even though some of the witnesses for these variants are impressive (κυρίου [kuriou, “of the Lord”] in א* I 1175 pc bo; θεοῦ [qeou, “of God”] in A C* 33 104 323 945 al), the reading Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “of Christ”) is read by an excellent cross-section of witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א² B C² D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï lat sa). On both internal and external grounds, Χριστοῦ is strongly preferred.

[3:16]  ⁶² tn Grk “with grace”; “all” is supplied as it is implicitly related to all the previous instructions in the verse.

[1:13]  ⁶³ tn Here αὐτοῦ (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).

[3:6]  ⁶⁴ sn The Greek makes the contrast between v. 5 and v. 6a more emphatic and explicit than is easily done in English.

[3:6]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “his”; in the translation the referent (God) has been specified for clarity.

[3:6]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “whose house we are,” continuing the previous sentence.

[3:6]  ⁶⁷ tc The reading adopted by the translation is found in Ì^13,46 B sa, while the vast majority of mss (א A C D Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) add μέχρι τέλους βεβαίαν (mecri telou" bebaian, “secure until the end”). The external evidence for the omission, though minimal, has excellent credentials. Considering the internal factors, B. M. Metzger (TCGNT 595) finds it surprising that the feminine adjective βεβαίαν should modify the neuter noun καύχημα (kauchma, here translated “we take pride”), a fact that suggests that even the form of the word was borrowed from another place. Since the same phrase occurs at Heb 3:14, it is likely that later scribes added it here at Heb 3:6 in anticipation of Heb 3:14. While these words belong at 3:14, they seem foreign to 3:6.

[3:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “the pride of our hope.”

[2:13]  ⁶⁹ tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.

[2:13]  ⁷⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.

[2:13]  ⁷¹ tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (kratei") has been translated as a progressive present.

[2:13]  ⁷² tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[2:13]  ⁷³ tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, thn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.

[2:13]  ⁷⁴ tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”

[2:13]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (par’ Jumin, {opou Jo satana" katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.

[3:8]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “I have given.”

[3:8]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case.

[3:8]  ⁷⁸ tn This translation is based on connecting the ὅτι (Joti) clause with the οἶδα (oida) at the beginning of the verse, giving the content of what is known (see also 3:1, 3:15 for parallels). Because of the intervening clause that is virtually parenthetical (see the note on the word “shut” earlier in this verse), the words “I know that” from the beginning of the verse had to be repeated to make this connection clear for the English reader. However, the ὅτι could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”

[3:8]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “little power.”

[3:8]  ⁸⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:8]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ἐτήρησας (ethrhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. This is the same word that is used in 3:10 (there translated “kept”) where there is a play on words.