Jude 1:9-10

1:9 But even ¹  when Michael the archangel ²  was arguing with the devil and debating with him ³  concerning Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!” 1:10 But these men do not understand the things they slander, and they are being destroyed by the very things that, like irrational animals, they instinctively comprehend. ⁴ 

Exodus 22:28

22:28 “You must not blaspheme ⁵  God ⁶  or curse the ruler of your people.

Proverbs 30:11

30:11 There is a generation ⁷  who curse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers. ⁸ 

Proverbs 30:17

30:17 The eye ⁹  that mocks at a father

and despises obeying ¹⁰  a mother –

the ravens of the valley will peck it out

and the young vultures will eat it. ¹¹ 

Ecclesiastes 10:20

10:20 Do not curse a king even in your thoughts,

and do not curse the rich ¹²  while in your bedroom; ¹³ 

for a bird ¹⁴  might report what you are thinking, ¹⁵ 

or some winged creature ¹⁶  might repeat your ¹⁷  words. ¹⁸ 

Acts 23:5

23:5 Paul replied, ¹⁹  “I did not realize, ²⁰  brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You must not speak evil about a ruler of your people.’” ²¹ 

Acts 23:1

23:1 Paul looked directly ²²  at the council ²³  and said, “Brothers, I have lived my life with a clear conscience ²⁴  before God to this day.”

Acts 2:17

2:17 ‘And in the last days ²⁵  it will be,’ God says,

‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, ²⁶ 

and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,

and your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

[1:9]  ¹ tn The word “even” is not in Greek; it is implied by the height of the contrast.

[1:9]  ² sn According to Jewish intertestamental literature (such as 1 En. 20), Michael was one of seven archangels.

[1:9]  ³ tn The sentence structure is a bit different in Greek. Literally it reads: “But Michael the archangel, when arguing with the devil and disputing.”

[1:10]  ⁴ tn Or “they should naturally comprehend.” The present tense in this context may have a conative force.

[22:28]  ⁵ tn The two verbs in this verse are synonyms: קָלַל (qalal) means “to treat lightly, curse,” and אָרַר (’arar) means “to curse.”

[22:28]  ⁶ tn The word אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is “gods” or “God.” If taken as the simple plural, it could refer to the human judges, as it has in the section of laws; this would match the parallelism in the verse. If it was taken to refer to God, then the idea of cursing God would be more along the line of blasphemy. B. Jacob says that the word refers to functioning judges, and that would indirectly mean God, for they represented the religious authority, and the prince the civil authority (Exodus, 708).

[30:11]  ⁷ sn The next four verses all start with the Hebrew expression translated “There is a generation.” This is a series of denunciations of things that are dangerous in society without mentioning specific punishments or proscriptions. The word “generation” as used in this passage refers to a class or group of people.

[30:11]  ⁸ sn The first observation is that there is a segment in society that lacks respect for parents. This uses the antonyms “curse” and [not] “bless” to make the point. To “curse” a parent could include treating them lightly, defaming them, or showing disrespect in general. To “bless” would mean to honor, respect, or enrich in some way, which is what should be done (e.g., Exod 21:17; Prov 20:20).

[30:17]  ⁹ sn The “eye” as the organ that exhibits the inner feelings most clearly, here represents a look of scorn or disdain that speaks volumes (a metonymy of cause or of adjunct). It is comparable to the “evil eye” which is stinginess (28:22).

[30:17]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew word לִיקֲּהַת (liqqahat, “obeying”) occurs only here and in Gen 49:10; it seems to mean “to receive” in the sense of “receiving instruction” or “obeying.” C. H. Toy suggests emending to “to old age” (לְזִקְנַת, lÿziqnat) of the mother (Proverbs [ICC], 530). The LXX with γῆρας (ghra", “old age”) suggests that a root lhq had something to do with “white hair.” D. W. Thomas suggests a corruption from lhyqt to lyqht; it would have read, “The eye that mocks a father and despises an aged mother” (“A Note on לִיקֲּהַת in Proverbs 30:17,” JTS 42 [1941]: 154-55); this is followed by NAB “or scorns an aged mother.”

[30:17]  ¹¹ sn The sternest punishment is for the evil eye. The punishment is talionic – eye for eye. The reference to “the valley” may indicate a place where people are not be given decent burials and the birds of prey pick the corpses clean. It is an image the prophets use in judgment passages.

[10:20]  ¹² tn Perhaps the referent is people who are in authority because of their wealth.

[10:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “in chambers of your bedroom.”

[10:20]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “a bird of the air.”

[10:20]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “might carry the voice.” The article is used here with the force of a possessive pronoun.

[10:20]  ¹⁶ tn The Hebrew phrase בַּעַל הַכְּנָפַיִם (ba’al hakkÿnafayim, “possessor of wings”) is an idiom for a winged creature, that is, a bird (e.g., Prov 1:17; see HALOT 143 s.v. בַּעַל A.6; BDB 127 s.v. בַּעַל 5.a). The term בַּעַל (“master; possessor”) is the construct governing the attributive genitive הַכְּנָפַיִם (“wings”); see IBHS 149-51 §9.5.3b.

[10:20]  ¹⁷ tn The term “your” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for smoothness.

[10:20]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “tell the matter.”

[23:5]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “said.”

[23:5]  ²⁰ tn Or “know.”

[23:5]  ²¹ sn A quotation from Exod 22:28. This text defines a form of blasphemy. Paul, aware of the fact that he came close to crossing the line, backed off out of respect for the law.

[23:1]  ²² tn Grk “Paul, looking directly at the council, said.” The participle ἀτενίσας (atenisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:1]  ²³ tn Grk “the Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).

[23:1]  ²⁴ tn BDAG 846 s.v. πολιτεύομαι 3 has “W. a double dat. συνειδήσει ἀγαθῇ πεπολίτευμαι τῷ θεῷ I have lived my life with a clear conscience before God Ac 23:1.”

[2:17]  ²⁵ sn The phrase in the last days is not quoted from Joel, but represents Peter’s interpretive explanation of the current events as falling “in the last days.”

[2:17]  ²⁶ tn Grk “on all flesh.”