Matthew 27:45

Jesus’ Death

27:45 Now from noon until three, ¹  darkness came over all the land. ² 

Mark 15:33-34

Jesus’ Death

15:33 Now ³  when it was noon, ⁴  darkness came over the whole land ⁵  until three in the afternoon. ⁶  15:34 Around three o’clock ⁷  Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ⁸ 

Luke 23:44-46

23:44 It was now ⁹  about noon, ¹⁰  and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ¹¹  23:45 because the sun’s light failed. ¹²  The temple curtain ¹³  was torn in two. 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” ¹⁴  And after he said this he breathed his last.

John 1:39

1:39 Jesus ¹⁵  answered, ¹⁶  “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. Now it was about four o’clock in the afternoon. ¹⁷ 

John 4:6

4:6 Jacob’s well was there, so Jesus, since he was tired from the journey, sat right down beside ¹⁸  the well. It was about noon. ¹⁹ 

John 11:9

11:9 Jesus replied, ²⁰  “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, ²¹  because he sees the light of this world. ²² 

Acts 3:1

Peter and John Heal a Lame Man at the Temple

3:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time ²³  for prayer, ²⁴  at three o’clock in the afternoon. ²⁵ 

Acts 10:3

10:3 About three o’clock one afternoon ²⁶  he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God ²⁷  who came in ²⁸  and said to him, “Cornelius.”

Acts 10:9

10:9 About noon ²⁹  the next day, while they were on their way and approaching ³⁰  the city, Peter went up on the roof ³¹  to pray.

[27:45]  ¹ tn Grk “from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.”

[27:45]  ² sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.

[15:33]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[15:33]  ⁴ tn Grk “When the sixth hour had come.”

[15:33]  ⁵ sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.

[15:33]  ⁶ tn Grk “until the ninth hour.”

[15:34]  ⁷ tn The repetition of the phrase “three o’clock” preserves the author’s rougher, less elegant style (cf. Matt 27:45-46; Luke 23:44). Although such stylistic matters are frequently handled differently in the translation, because the issue of synoptic literary dependence is involved here, it was considered important to reflect some of the stylistic differences among the synoptics in the translation, so that the English reader can be aware of them.

[15:34]  ⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.

[23:44]  ⁹ tn Grk “And it was.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[23:44]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the sixth hour.”

[23:44]  ¹¹ tn Grk “until the ninth hour.”

[23:45]  ¹² tc The wording “the sun’s light failed” is a translation of τοῦ ἡλίου ἐκλιπόντος/ ἐκλείποντος (tou Jhliou eklipontos/ ekleipontos), a reading found in the earliest and best witnesses (among them Ì⁷⁵ א B C*^vid L 070 579 2542 pc) as well as several ancient versions. The majority of mss (A C³ [D] W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat sy) have the flatter, less dramatic term, “the sun was darkened” (ἐσκοτίσθη, eskotisqe), a reading that avoids the problem of implying an eclipse (see sn below). This alternative thus looks secondary because it is a more common word and less likely to be misunderstood as referring to a solar eclipse. That it appears in later witnesses rather than the earliest ones adds confirmatory testimony to its inauthentic character.

[23:45]  ¹³ tn The referent of this term, καταπέτασμα (katapetasma), is not entirely clear. It could refer to the curtain separating the holy of holies from the holy place (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.5 [5.219]), or it could refer to one at the entrance of the temple court (Josephus, J. W. 5.5.4 [5.212]). Many argue that the inner curtain is meant because another term, κάλυμμα (kalumma), is also used for the outer curtain. Others see a reference to the outer curtain as more likely because of the public nature of this sign. Either way, the symbolism means that access to God has been opened up. It also pictures a judgment that includes the sacrifices.

[23:46]  ¹⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 31:5. It is a psalm of trust. The righteous, innocent sufferer trusts in God. Luke does not have the cry of pain from Ps 22:1 (cf. Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34), but notes Jesus’ trust instead.

[1:39]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:39]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “said to them.”

[1:39]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “about the tenth hour.”

[4:6]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “on (ἐπί, epi) the well.” There may have been a low stone rim encircling the well, or the reading of Ì⁶⁶ (“on the ground”) may be correct.

[4:6]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “the sixth hour.”

[11:9]  ²⁰ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[11:9]  ²¹ tn Or “he does not trip.”

[11:9]  ²² sn What is the light of this world? On one level, of course, it refers to the sun, but the reader of John’s Gospel would recall 8:12 and understand Jesus’ symbolic reference to himself as the light of the world. There is only a limited time left (Are there not twelve hours in a day?) until the Light will be withdrawn (until Jesus returns to the Father) and the one who walks around in the dark will trip and fall (compare the departure of Judas by night in 13:30).

[3:1]  ²³ tn Grk “hour.”

[3:1]  ²⁴ sn Going up to the temple at the time for prayer. The earliest Christians, being of Jewish roots, were still participating in the institutions of Judaism at this point. Their faith in Christ did not make them non-Jewish in their practices.

[3:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “at the ninth hour.” This is calculated from sunrise (Josephus, Ant. 14.4.3 [14.65]; Dan 9:21).

[10:3]  ²⁶ tn Grk “at about the ninth hour of the day.” This would be the time for afternoon prayer.

[10:3]  ²⁷ tn Or “the angel of God.” Linguistically, “angel of God” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of God” or “the angel of God” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.

[10:3]  ²⁸ tn The participles εἰσελθόντα (eiselqonta) and εἰπόντα (eiponta) are accusative, and thus best taken as adjectival participles modifying ἄγγελον (angelon): “an angel who came in and said.”

[10:9]  ²⁹ tn Grk “about the sixth hour.”

[10:9]  ³⁰ tn The participles ὁδοιπορούντων (Jodoiporountwn, “while they were on their way”) and ἐγγιζόντων (engizontwn, “approaching”) have been translated as temporal participles.

[10:9]  ³¹ sn Went up on the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.