Matthew 3:2-8

3:2 “Repent, ¹  for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3:3 For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: ² 

“The voice ³  of one shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make ⁴  his paths straight.’” ⁵ 

3:4 Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. ⁶  3:5 Then people from Jerusalem, ⁷  as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him, 3:6 and he was baptizing them ⁸  in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees ⁹  and Sadducees ¹⁰  coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce fruit ¹¹  that proves your ¹²  repentance,

Matthew 3:2

3:2 “Repent, ¹³  for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

Matthew 1:10-19

1:10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, ¹⁴  Amon the father of Josiah, 1:11 and Josiah ¹⁵  the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

1:12 After ¹⁶  the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, ¹⁷  Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 1:13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 1:14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, 1:15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 1:16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom ¹⁸  Jesus was born, who is called Christ. ¹⁹ 

1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, ²⁰  fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, ²¹  she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, ²²  was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her ²³  privately.

Isaiah 1:16-19

1:16 ²⁴ Wash! Cleanse yourselves!

Remove your sinful deeds ²⁵ 

from my sight.

Stop sinning!

1:17 Learn to do what is right!

Promote justice!

Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! ²⁶ 

Take up the cause of the orphan!

Defend the rights of the widow! ²⁷ 

1:18 ²⁸ Come, let’s consider your options,” ²⁹  says the Lord.

“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,

you can become ³⁰  white like snow;

though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,

you can become ³¹  white like wool. ³² 

1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, ³³ 

then you will again eat the good crops of the land.

Isaiah 55:6-7

55:6 Seek the Lord while he makes himself available; ³⁴ 

call to him while he is nearby!

55:7 The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle ³⁵ 

and sinful people their plans. ³⁶ 

They should return ³⁷  to the Lord, and he will show mercy to them, ³⁸ 

and to their God, for he will freely forgive them. ³⁹ 

Ezekiel 18:28-32

18:28 Because he considered ⁴⁰  and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die. 18:29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The Lord’s conduct is unjust!’ Is my conduct unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your conduct that is unjust?

18:30 “Therefore I will judge each person according to his conduct, ⁴¹  O house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord. Repent ⁴²  and turn from all your wickedness; then it will not be an obstacle leading to iniquity. ⁴³  18:31 Throw away all your sins you have committed and fashion yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! ⁴⁴  Why should you die, O house of Israel? 18:32 For I take no delight in the death of anyone, ⁴⁵  declares the sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

Daniel 4:34-37

4:34 But at the end of the appointed time ⁴⁶  I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up ⁴⁷  toward heaven, and my sanity returned to me.

I extolled the Most High,

and I praised and glorified the one who lives forever.

For his authority is an everlasting authority,

and his kingdom extends from one generation to the next.

4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. ⁴⁸ 

He does as he wishes with the army of heaven

and with those who inhabit the earth.

No one slaps ⁴⁹  his hand

and says to him, ‘What have you done?’

4:36 At that time my sanity returned to me. I was restored ⁵⁰  to the honor of my kingdom, and my splendor returned to me. My ministers and my nobles were seeking me out, and I was reinstated ⁵¹  over my kingdom. I became even greater than before. 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all his deeds are right and his ways are just. He is able to bring down those who live ⁵²  in pride.

Jonah 3:2

3:2 “Go immediately ⁵³  to Nineveh, that large city, ⁵⁴  and proclaim to ⁵⁵  it the message that I tell you.”

Jonah 3:8-10

3:8 Every person and animal must put on sackcloth and must cry earnestly ⁵⁶  to God, and everyone ⁵⁷  must turn from their ⁵⁸  evil way of living ⁵⁹  and from the violence that they do. ⁶⁰  3:9 Who knows? ⁶¹  Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent ⁶²  and turn from his fierce anger ⁶³  so that we might not die.” ⁶⁴  3:10 When God saw their actions – they turned ⁶⁵  from their evil way of living! ⁶⁶  – God relented concerning the judgment ⁶⁷  he had threatened them with ⁶⁸  and he did not destroy them. ⁶⁹ 

Luke 15:17-18

15:17 But when he came to his senses ⁷⁰  he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have food ⁷¹  enough to spare, but here I am dying from hunger! 15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned ⁷²  against heaven ⁷³  and against ⁷⁴  you.

Acts 26:20

26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, ⁷⁵  and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, ⁷⁶  performing deeds consistent with ⁷⁷  repentance.

Acts 26:1

Paul Offers His Defense

26:1 So Agrippa ⁷⁸  said to Paul, “You have permission ⁷⁹  to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand ⁸⁰  and began his defense: ⁸¹ 

Colossians 1:11

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ⁸²  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Ephesians 2:1-13

New Life Individually

2:1 And although you were ⁸³  dead ⁸⁴  in your transgressions and sins, 2:2 in which ⁸⁵  you formerly lived ⁸⁶  according to this world’s present path, ⁸⁷  according to the ruler of the kingdom ⁸⁸  of the air, the ruler of ⁸⁹  the spirit ⁹⁰  that is now energizing ⁹¹  the sons of disobedience, ⁹²  2:3 among whom ⁹³  all of us ⁹⁴  also ⁹⁵  formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath ⁹⁶  even as the rest… ⁹⁷ 

2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, 2:5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! ⁹⁸  – 2:6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 2:7 to demonstrate in the coming ages ⁹⁹  the surpassing wealth of his grace in kindness toward ¹⁰⁰  us in Christ Jesus. 2:8 For by grace you are saved ¹⁰¹  through faith, ¹⁰²  and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; 2:9 it is not from ¹⁰³  works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰⁴  2:10 For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them. ¹⁰⁵ 

New Life Corporately

2:11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body ¹⁰⁶  by human hands – 2:12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, ¹⁰⁷  alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, ¹⁰⁸  having no hope and without God in the world. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁰⁹ 

[3:2]  ¹ tn Grk “and saying, ‘Repent.’” The participle λέγων (legwn) at the beginning of v. 2 is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[3:3]  ² tn Grk “was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legonto") is redundant and has not been translated. The passive construction has also been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.

[3:3]  ³ tn Or “A voice.”

[3:3]  ⁴ sn This call to “make paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.

[3:3]  ⁵ sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.

[3:4]  ⁶ sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions, and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.

[3:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “Then Jerusalem.”

[3:6]  ⁸ tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.

[3:7]  ⁹ sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.

[3:7]  ¹⁰ sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.

[3:8]  ¹¹ sn Fruit worthy of repentance refers to the deeds that indicate a change of attitude (heart) on the part of John’s hearers.

[3:8]  ¹² tn Grk “fruit worthy of.”

[3:2]  ¹³ tn Grk “and saying, ‘Repent.’” The participle λέγων (legwn) at the beginning of v. 2 is redundant in English and has not been translated.

[1:10]  ¹⁴ tc ᾿Αμώς (Amws) is the reading found in the earliest and best witnesses (א B C [D^luc] γ δ θ ˹ 33 pc it sa bo), and as such is most likely original, but this is a variant spelling of the name ᾿Αμών (Amwn). The translation uses the more well-known spelling “Amon” found in the Hebrew MT and the majority of LXX mss. See also the textual discussion of “Asa” versus “Asaph” (vv. 7-8); the situation is similar.

[1:11]  ¹⁵ sn Before the mention of Jeconiah, several medieval mss add Jehoiakim, in conformity with the genealogy in 1 Chr 3:15-16. But this alters the count of fourteen generations (v. 17). It is evident that the author is selective in his genealogy for a theological purpose.

[1:12]  ¹⁶ tn Because of the difference between Greek style, which usually begins a sentence with a conjunction, and English style, which generally does not, the conjunction δέ (de) has not been translated here.

[1:12]  ¹⁷ sn The Greek text and the KJV read Salathiel. Most modern English translations use the OT form of the name (cf. Ezra 3:2).

[1:16]  ¹⁸ tc There are three significant variant readings at this point in the text. Some mss and versional witnesses (Θ Ë¹³ it) read, “Joseph, to whom the virgin Mary, being betrothed, bore Jesus, who is called Christ.” This reading makes even more explicit than the feminine pronoun (see sn below) the virginal conception of Jesus and as such seems to be a motivated reading. The Sinaitic Syriac ms alone indicates that Joseph was the father of Jesus (“Joseph, to whom was betrothed Mary the virgin, fathered Jesus who is called the Christ”). Although much discussed, this reading has not been found in any Greek witnesses. B. M. Metzger suggests that it was produced by a careless scribe who simply reproduced the set formula of the preceding lines in the genealogy (TCGNT 6). In all likelihood, the two competing variants were thus produced by intentional and unintentional scribal alterations respectively. The reading adopted in the translation has overwhelming support from a variety of witnesses (̹ א B C L W [˹] 33 Ï co), and therefore should be regarded as authentic. For a detailed discussion of this textual problem, see TCGNT 2-6.

[1:16]  ¹⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[1:17]  ²⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[1:18]  ²¹ tn The connotation of the Greek is “before they came together in marital and domestic union” (so BDAG 970 s.v. συνέρχομαι 3).

[1:19]  ²² tn Grk “husband.” See following note for discussion.

[1:19]  ²³ tn Or “send her away.”

[1:16]  ²⁴ sn Having demonstrated the people’s guilt, the Lord calls them to repentance, which will involve concrete action in the socio-economic realm, not mere emotion.

[1:16]  ²⁵ sn This phrase refers to Israel’s covenant treachery (cf. Deut 28:10; Jer 4:4; 21:12; 23:2, 22; 25:5; 26:3; 44:22; Hos 9:15; Ps 28:4). In general, the noun ַמעַלְלֵיכֶם (ma’alleykhem) can simply be a reference to deeds, whether good or bad. However, Isaiah always uses it with a negative connotation (cf. 3:8, 10).

[1:17]  ²⁶ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The translation assumes an emendation of חָמוֹץ (khamots, “oppressor [?]”) to חָמוּץ (khamuts, “oppressed”), a passive participle from II חָמַץ (khamats, “oppress”; HALOT 329 s.v. II חמץ) and takes the verb II אָשַׁר (’ashar) in the sense of “make happy” (the delocutive Piel, meaning “call/pronounce happy,” is metonymic here, referring to actually effecting happiness). The parallelism favors this interpretation, for the next two lines speak of positive actions on behalf of the destitute. The other option is to retain the MT pointing and translate, “set right the oppressor,” but the nuance “set right” is not clearly attested elsewhere for the verb I אשׁר. This verb does appear as a participle in Isa 3:12 and 9:16 with the meaning “to lead or guide.” If it can mean to “lead” or “rebuke/redirect” in this verse, the prophet could be contrasting this appeal for societal reformation (v. 17c) with a command to reorder their personal lives (v. 17a-b). J. A. Motyer (The Prophecy of Isaiah, 47) suggests that these three statements (v. 17a-c) provide “the contrast between the two ends of imperfect society, the oppressor and the needy, the one inflicting and the other suffering the hurt. Isaiah looks for a transformed society wherever it needs transforming.”

[1:17]  ²⁷ tn This word refers to a woman who has lost her husband, by death or divorce. The orphan and widow are often mentioned in the OT as epitomizing the helpless and impoverished who have been left without the necessities of life due to the loss of a family provider.

[1:18]  ²⁸ sn The Lord concludes his case against Israel by offering them the opportunity to be forgiven and by setting before them the alternatives of renewed blessing (as a reward for repentance) and final judgment (as punishment for persistence in sin).

[1:18]  ²⁹ tn Traditionally, “let us reason together,” but the context suggests a judicial nuance. The Lord is giving the nation its options for the future.

[1:18]  ³⁰ tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.

[1:18]  ³¹ tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.

[1:18]  ³² tn Heb “though your sins are like red, they will become white like snow; though they are red like scarlet, they will be like wool.” The point is not that the sins will be covered up, though still retained. The metaphorical language must be allowed some flexibility and should not be pressed into a rigid literalistic mold. The people’s sins will be removed and replaced by ethical purity. The sins that are now as obvious as the color red will be washed away and the ones who are sinful will be transformed.

[1:19]  ³³ tn Heb “listen”; KJV “obedient”; NASB “If you consent and obey.”

[55:6]  ³⁴ tn Heb “while he allows himself to be found.” The Niphal form has a tolerative force here.

[55:7]  ³⁵ tn Heb “Let the wicked one abandon his way.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ³⁶ tn Heb “and the man of evil his thoughts.” The singular is collective.

[55:7]  ³⁷ tn Heb “let him return.” The singular is collective, meaning “let them.”

[55:7]  ³⁸ tn The imperfect with vav (ו) conjunctive after the jussive indicates purpose/result.

[55:7]  ³⁹ sn The appeal and promise of vv. 6-7 echoes the language of Deut 4:25-31; 30:1-10; and 1 Kgs 8:46-53, all of which anticipate the exile and speak of the prerequisites for restoration.

[18:28]  ⁴⁰ tn Heb “he saw.”

[18:30]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “ways.”

[18:30]  ⁴² tn The verbs and persons in this verse are plural whereas the individual has been the subject of the chapter.

[18:30]  ⁴³ tn Or “leading to punishment.”

[18:31]  ⁴⁴ sn In Ezek 11:19, 36:26 the new heart and new spirit are promised as future blessings.

[18:32]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “the death of the one dying.”

[4:34]  ⁴⁶ tn Aram “days.”

[4:34]  ⁴⁷ tn Aram “lifted up my eyes.”

[4:35]  ⁴⁸ tc The present translation reads כְּלָא (kÿla’), with many medieval Hebrew MSS, rather than כְּלָה (kÿlah) of BHS.

[4:35]  ⁴⁹ tn Aram “strikes against.”

[4:36]  ⁵⁰ tc The translation reads הַדְרֵת (hadret, “I returned”) rather than the MT הַדְרִי (hadri, “my honor”); cf. Theodotion.

[4:36]  ⁵¹ tc The translation reads הָתְקְנֵת (hotqÿnet, “I was established”) rather than the MT הָתְקְנַת (hotqÿnat, “it was established”). As it stands, the MT makes no sense here.

[4:37]  ⁵² tn Aram “walk.”

[3:2]  ⁵³ sn The commands of 1:2 are repeated here. See the note there on the combination of “arise” and “go.”

[3:2]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “Nineveh, the great city.”

[3:2]  ⁵⁵ tn The verb קָרָא (qara’, “proclaim”) is repeated from 1:2 but with a significant variation. The phrase in 1:2 was the adversative קְרָא עָל (qÿra’ ’al, “proclaim against”), which often designates an announcement of threatened judgment (1 Kgs 13:4, 32; Jer 49:29; Lam 1:15). However, here the phrase is the more positive קְרָא אֶל (qÿra’ ’el, “proclaim to”) which often designates an oracle of deliverance or a call to repentance, with an accompanying offer of deliverance that is either explicit or implied (Deut 20:10; Isa 40:2; Zech 1:4; HALOT 1129 s.v. קרא 8; BDB 895 s.v. קָרָא 3.a). This shift from the adversative preposition עַל (“against”) to the more positive preposition אֶל (“to”) might signal a shift in God’s intentions or perhaps it simply makes his original intention more clear. While God threatened to judge Nineveh, he was very willing to relent and forgive when the people repented from their sins (3:8-10). Jonah later complains that he knew that God was likely to relent from the threatened judgment all along (4:2).

[3:8]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “with strength”; KJV, NRSV “mightily”; NAB, NCV “loudly”; NIV “urgently.”

[3:8]  ⁵⁷ tn Heb “let them turn, a man from his evil way.” The alternation between the plural verb וְיָשֻׁבוּ (vÿyashuvu, “and let them turn”) and the singular noun אִישׁ (’ish, “a man, each one”) and the singular suffix on מִדַּרְכּוֹ (middarko, “from his way”) emphasizes that each and every person in the collective unity is called to repent.

[3:8]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “his.” See the preceding note on “one.”

[3:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “evil way.” For other examples of “way” as “way of living,” see Judg 2:17; Ps 107:17-22; Prov 4:25-27; 5:21.

[3:8]  ⁶⁰ tn Heb “that is in their hands.” By speaking of the harm they did as “in their hands,” the king recognized the Ninevites’ personal awareness and immediate responsibility. The term “hands” is either a synecdoche of instrument (e.g., “Is not the hand of Joab in all this?” 2 Sam 14:19) or a synecdoche of part for the whole. The king's descriptive figure of speech reinforces their guilt.

[3:9]  ⁶¹ sn The king expresses his uncertainty whether Jonah’s message constituted a conditional announcement or an unconditional decree. Jeremiah 18 emphasizes that God sometimes gives people an opportunity to repent when they hear an announcement of judgment. However, as Amos and Isaiah learned, if a people refused to repent over a period of time, the patience of God could be exhausted. The offer of repentance in a conditional announcement of judgment can be withdrawn and in its place an unconditional decree of judgment issued. In many cases it is difficult to determine on the front end whether or not a prophetic message of coming judgment is conditional or unconditional, thus explaining the king’s uncertainty.

[3:9]  ⁶² tn “he might turn and relent.” The two verbs יָשׁוּב וְנִחַם (yashub vÿnikham) may function independently (“turn and repent”) or form a verbal hendiadys (“be willing to turn”; see IBHS 540 §32.3b). The imperfect יָשׁוּב and the perfect with prefixed vav וְנִחַם form a future-time narrative sequence. Both verbs function in a modal sense, denoting possibility, as the introductory interrogative suggests (“Who knows…?”). When used in reference to past actions, שׁוּב (shub) can mean “to be sorry” or “to regret” that someone did something in the past, and when used in reference to future planned actions, it can mean “to change one’s mind” about doing something or “to relent” from sending judgment (BDB 997 s.v. שׁוּב 6). The verb נִחַם (nikham) can mean “to be sorry” about past actions (e.g., Gen 6:6, 7; 1 Sam 15:11, 35) and “to change one’s mind” about future actions (BDB 637 s.v. נחם 2). These two verbs are used together elsewhere in passages that consider the question of whether or not God will change his mind and relent from judgment he has threatened (e.g., Jer 4:28). The verbal root שׁוּב is used four times in vv. 8-10, twice of the Ninevites “repenting” from their moral evil and twice of God “relenting” from his threatened calamity. This repetition creates a wordplay that emphasizes the appropriateness of God’s response: if the people repent, God might relent.

[3:9]  ⁶³ tn Heb “from the burning of his nose/face.” See Exod 4:14; 22:24; 32:12; Num 25:4; 32:14; Deut 9:19.

[3:9]  ⁶⁴ tn The imperfect verb נֹאבֵד (no’ved, “we might not die”) functions in a modal sense, denoting possibility. The king’s hope parallels that of the ship’s captain in 1:6. See also Exod 32:7-14; 2 Sam 12:14-22; 1 Kgs 8:33-43; 21:17-29; Jer 18:6-8; Joel 2:11-15.

[3:10]  ⁶⁵ tn This clause is introduced by כִּי (ki, “that”) and functions as an epexegetical, explanatory clause.

[3:10]  ⁶⁶ tn Heb “from their evil way” (so KJV, ASV, NAB); NASB “wicked way.”

[3:10]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “calamity” or “disaster.” The noun רָעָה (ra’ah, “calamity, disaster”) functions as a metonymy of result – the cause being the threatened judgment (e.g., Exod 32:12, 14; 2 Sam 24:16; Jer 18:8; 26:13, 19; 42:10; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; HALOT 1263 s.v. רָעָה 6). The root רָעָה is repeated three times in vv. 8 and 10. Twice it refers to the Ninevites’ moral “evil” (vv. 8 and 10a) and here it refers to the “calamity” or “disaster” that the Lord had threatened (v. 10b). This repetition of the root forms a polysemantic wordplay that exploits this broad range of meanings of the noun. The wordplay emphasizes that God’s response was appropriate: because the Ninevites repented from their moral “evil” God relented from the “calamity” he had threatened.

[3:10]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “the disaster that he had spoken to do to them.”

[3:10]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “and he did not do it.” See notes on 3:8-9.

[15:17]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “came to himself” (an idiom).

[15:17]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “bread,” but used figuratively for food of any kind (L&N 5.1).

[15:18]  ⁷² sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”

[15:18]  ⁷³ sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.

[15:18]  ⁷⁴ tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”

[26:20]  ⁷⁵ tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”

[26:20]  ⁷⁶ sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.

[26:20]  ⁷⁷ tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.

[26:1]  ⁷⁸ sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.

[26:1]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”

[26:1]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).

[26:1]  ⁸¹ tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”

[1:11]  ⁸² tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

[2:1]  ⁸³ tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.

[2:1]  ⁸⁴ sn Chapter 2 starts off with a participle, although you were dead, that is left dangling. The syntax in Greek for vv. 1-3 constitutes one incomplete sentence, though it seems to have been done intentionally. The dangling participle leaves the readers in suspense while they wait for the solution (in v. 4) to their spiritual dilemma.

[2:2]  ⁸⁵ sn The relative pronoun which is feminine as is sins, indicating that sins is the antecedent.

[2:2]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “walked.”

[2:2]  ⁸⁷ tn Or possibly “Aeon.”

[2:2]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “domain, [place of] authority.”

[2:2]  ⁸⁹ tn Grk “of” (but see the note on the word “spirit” later in this verse).

[2:2]  ⁹⁰ sn The ruler of the kingdom of the air is also the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience. Although several translations regard the ruler to be the same as the spirit, this is unlikely since the cases in Greek are different (ruler is accusative and spirit is genitive). To get around this, some have suggested that the genitive for spirit is a genitive of apposition. However, the semantics of the genitive of apposition are against such an interpretation (cf. ExSyn 100).

[2:2]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “working in.”

[2:2]  ⁹² sn Sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” However, it also contains a subtle allusion to vv. 4-10: Some of those sons of disobedience have become sons of God.

[2:3]  ⁹³ sn Among whom. The relative pronoun phrase that begins v. 3 is identical, except for gender, to the one that begins v. 2 (ἐν αἵς [en Jais], ἐν οἵς [en Jois]). By the structure, the author is building an argument for our hopeless condition: We lived in sin and we lived among sinful people. Our doom looked to be sealed as well in v. 2: Both the external environment (kingdom of the air) and our internal motivation and attitude (the spirit that is now energizing) were under the devil’s thumb (cf. 2 Cor 4:4).

[2:3]  ⁹⁴ tn Grk “we all.”

[2:3]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “even.”

[2:3]  ⁹⁶ sn Children of wrath is a Semitic idiom which may mean either “people characterized by wrath” or “people destined for wrath.”

[2:3]  ⁹⁷ sn Eph 2:1-3. The translation of vv. 1-3 is very literal, even to the point of retaining the awkward syntax of the original. See note on the word dead in 2:1.

[2:5]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “by grace you have been saved.” The perfect tense in Greek connotes both completed action (“you have been saved”) and continuing results (“you are saved”).

[2:7]  ⁹⁹ tn Or possibly “to the Aeons who are about to come.”

[2:7]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Or “upon.”

[2:8]  ¹⁰¹ tn See note on the same expression in v. 5.

[2:8]  ¹⁰² tc The feminine article is found before πίστεως (pistews, “faith”) in the Byzantine text as well as in A Ψ 1881 pc. Perhaps for some scribes the article was intended to imply creedal fidelity as a necessary condition of salvation (“you are saved through the faith”), although elsewhere in the corpus Paulinum the phrase διὰ τῆς πίστεως (dia th" pistew") is used for the act of believing rather than the content of faith (cf. Rom 3:30, 31; Gal 3:14; Eph 3:17; Col 2:12). On the other side, strong representatives of the Alexandrian and Western texts (א B D* F G P 0278 6 33 1739 al bo) lack the article. Hence, both text-critically and exegetically, the meaning of the text here is most likely “saved through faith” as opposed to “saved through the faith.” Regarding the textual problem, the lack of the article is the preferred reading.

[2:9]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “not as a result of.”

[2:9]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Grk “lest anyone should boast.”

[2:10]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Grk “so that we might walk in them” (or “by them”).

[2:11]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “in the flesh.”

[2:12]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “without Christ.” Both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Because the context refers to ancient Israel’s messianic expectation, “Messiah” was employed in the translation at this point rather than “Christ.”

[2:12]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “covenants of the promise.”

[2:13]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”