Luke 1:34

1:34 Mary ¹  said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with ²  a man?”

Genesis 15:8

15:8 But ³  Abram ⁴  said, “O sovereign Lord, ⁵  by what ⁶  can I know that I am to possess it?”

Genesis 17:17

17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed ⁷  as he said to himself, ⁸  “Can ⁹  a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? ¹⁰  Can Sarah ¹¹  bear a child at the age of ninety?” ¹² 

Genesis 18:12

18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ¹³  “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, ¹⁴  especially when my husband is old too?” ¹⁵ 

Jude 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Jude, ¹⁶  a slave ¹⁷  of Jesus Christ and brother of James, ¹⁸  to those who are called, wrapped in the love of ¹⁹  God the Father and kept for ²⁰  Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 38:22

38:22 Hezekiah said, “What is the confirming sign that I will go up to the Lord’s temple?”

[1:34]  ¹ tn Grk “And Mary.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[1:34]  ² tn Grk “have not known.” The expression in the Greek text is a euphemism for sexual relations. Mary seems to have sensed that the declaration had an element of immediacy to it that excluded Joseph. Many modern translations render this phrase “since I am a virgin,” but the Greek word for virgin is not used in the text, and the euphemistic expression is really more explicit, referring specifically to sexual relations.

[15:8]  ³ tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”

[15:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8]  ⁵ tn See note on the phrase “sovereign Lord” in 15:2.

[15:8]  ⁶ tn Or “how.”

[17:17]  ⁷ sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.

[17:17]  ⁸ tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”

[17:17]  ⁹ tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.

[17:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”

[17:17]  ¹¹ sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).

[17:17]  ¹² tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”

[18:12]  ¹³ tn Heb “saying.”

[18:12]  ¹⁴ tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.

[18:12]  ¹⁵ tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Judas,” traditionally “Jude” in English versions to distinguish him from the one who betrayed Jesus. The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps “servant” is apt in that the δοῦλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ¹⁸ sn Although Jude was half-brother of Jesus, he humbly associates himself with James, his full brother. By first calling himself a slave of Jesus Christ, it is evident that he wants no one to place stock in his physical connections. At the same time, he must identify himself further: Since Jude was a common name in the 1st century (two of Jesus’ disciples were so named, including his betrayer), more information was needed, that is to say, brother of James.

[1:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “loved in.” The perfect passive participle suggests that the audience’s relationship to God is not recent; the preposition ἐν (en) before πατρί (patri) could be taken as sphere or instrument (agency is unlikely, however). Another possible translation would be “dear to God.”

[1:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “by.” Datives of agency are quite rare in the NT (and other ancient Greek), almost always found with a perfect verb. Although this text qualifies, in light of the well-worn idiom of τηρέω (threw) in eschatological contexts, in which God or Christ keeps the believer safe until the parousia (cf. 1 Thess 5:23; 1 Pet 1:4; Rev 3:10; other terms meaning “to guard,” “to keep” are also found in similar eschatological contexts [cf. 2 Thess 3:3; 2 Tim 1:12; 1 Pet 1:5; Jude 24]), it is probably better to understand this verse as having such an eschatological tinge. It is at the same time possible that Jude’s language was intentionally ambiguous, implying both ideas (“kept by Jesus Christ [so that they might be] kept for Jesus Christ”). Elsewhere he displays a certain fondness for wordplays; this may be a hint of things to come.