Luke 15:7

15:7 I tell you, in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner ¹  who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people ²  who have no need to repent. ³ 

Luke 15:10

15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels ⁴  over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:24

15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ ⁵  So ⁶  they began to celebrate.

Luke 2:13-14

2:13 Suddenly ⁷  a vast, heavenly army ⁸  appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

2:14 “Glory ⁹  to God in the highest,

and on earth peace among people ¹⁰  with whom he is pleased!” ¹¹ 

Isaiah 66:10-11

66:10 Be happy for Jerusalem

and rejoice with her, all you who love her!

Share in her great joy,

all you who have mourned over her!

66:11 For ¹²  you will nurse from her satisfying breasts and be nourished; ¹³ 

you will feed with joy from her milk-filled breasts. ¹⁴ 

John 3:29

3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly ¹⁵  when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. ¹⁶ 

John 15:14

15:14 You are my friends ¹⁷  if you do what I command you.

Acts 11:23

11:23 When ¹⁸  he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true ¹⁹  to the Lord with devoted hearts, ²⁰ 

Acts 15:3

15:3 So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia ²¹  and Samaria, they were relating at length ²²  the conversion of the Gentiles and bringing great joy ²³  to all the brothers.

Philippians 1:4

1:4 I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you

Philippians 2:17

2:17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice together with all of you.

Philippians 4:1

Christian Practices

4:1 So then, my brothers and sisters, ²⁴  dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!

Philippians 4:1

Christian Practices

4:1 So then, my brothers and sisters, ²⁵  dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!

Philippians 2:19

Models for Ministry

2:19 Now I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be encouraged by hearing news about you.

Philippians 3:7-9

3:7 But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ. 3:8 More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! ²⁶  – that I may gain Christ, 3:9 and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness ²⁷  – a righteousness from God that is in fact ²⁸  based on Christ’s ²⁹  faithfulness. ³⁰ 

[15:7]  ¹ sn There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. The pursuit of the sinner is a priority in spite of the presence of others who are doing well (see also Luke 5:32; 19:10). The theme of repentance, a major Lukan theme, is again emphasized.

[15:7]  ² tn Here δικαίοις (dikaioi") is an adjective functioning substantivally and has been translated “righteous people.”

[15:7]  ³ tn Or “who do not need to repent”; Grk “who do not have need of repentance.”

[15:10]  ⁴ sn The whole of heaven is said to rejoice. Joy in the presence of God’s angels is a way of referring to God’s joy as well without having to name him explicitly. Contemporary Judaism tended to refer to God indirectly where possible out of reverence or respect for the divine name.

[15:24]  ⁵ sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.

[15:24]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.

[2:13]  ⁷ tn Grk “And suddenly.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:13]  ⁸ tn Grk “a multitude of the armies of heaven.”

[2:14]  ⁹ sn Glory here refers to giving honor to God.

[2:14]  ¹⁰ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") referring to both males and females.

[2:14]  ¹¹ tc Most witnesses (א² B² L Θ Ξ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï sy bo) have ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία (en anqrwpoi" eudokia, “good will among people”) instead of ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας (en anqrwpoi" eudokia", “among people with whom he is pleased”), a reading attested by א* A B* D W pc (sa). Most of the Itala witnesses and some other versional witnesses reflect a Greek text which has the genitive εὐδοκίας but drops the preposition ἐν. Not only is the genitive reading better attested, but it is more difficult than the nominative. “The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Saviour God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” (TCGNT 111).

[66:11]  ¹² tn Or “in order that”; ASV, NRSV “that.”

[66:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “you will suck and be satisfied, from her comforting breast.”

[66:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “you will slurp and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”

[3:29]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).

[3:29]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”

[15:14]  ¹⁷ sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).

[11:23]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “Antioch, who when.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:23]  ¹⁹ tn BDAG 883 s.v. προσμένω 1.a.β has “remain true to the Lord” for προσμένειν (prosmenein) in this verse.

[11:23]  ²⁰ tn Grk “with purpose of heart”; BDAG 869 s.v. πρόθεσις 2.a translates this phrase “purpose of heart, i.e. devotion” here.

[15:3]  ²¹ sn Phoenicia was an area along the Mediterranean coast north of Palestine in ancient Syria.

[15:3]  ²² tn L&N 33.201 indicates that ἐκδιηγέομαι (ekdihgeomai) means to provide detailed information in a systematic manner, “to inform, to relate, to tell fully.” “Relating at length” conveys this effectively in the present context.

[15:3]  ²³ tn For ἐποίουν (epoioun) in this verse BDAG 839 s.v. ποιέω 2.c has “they brought joy to the members.”

[4:1]  ²⁴ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[4:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[3:8]  ²⁶ tn The word here translated “dung” was often used in Greek as a vulgar term for fecal matter. As such it would most likely have had a certain shock value for the readers. This may well be Paul’s meaning here, especially since the context is about what the flesh produces.

[3:9]  ²⁷ tn Or “faith in Christ.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pisti" Cristou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; 3:22; Eph 3:12) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view.

[3:9]  ²⁸ tn The words “in fact” are supplied because of English style, picking up the force of the Greek article with πίστει (pistei). See also the following note on the word “Christ’s.”

[3:9]  ²⁹ tn Grk “based on the faithfulness.” The article before πίστει (pistei) is taken as anaphoric, looking back to διὰ πίστεως Χριστοῦ (dia pistew" Cristou); hence, “Christ’s” is implied.

[3:9]  ³⁰ tn Or “based on faith.”