Discovery BoxMatthew 9:1--28:20
Context9:1 After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town. 1 9:2 Just then 2 some people 3 brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. 4 When Jesus saw their 5 faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.” 6 9:3 Then 7 some of the experts in the law 8 said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 9 9:4 When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? 9:5 Which is easier, 10 to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 9:6 But so that you may know 11 that the Son of Man 12 has authority on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytic 13 – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 14 9:7 And he stood up and went home. 15 9:8 When 16 the crowd saw this, they were afraid 17 and honored God who had given such authority to men. 18
9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 19 “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. 9:10 As 20 Jesus 21 was having a meal 22 in Matthew’s 23 house, many tax collectors 24 and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. 9:11 When the Pharisees 25 saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 26 9:12 When 27 Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 28 9:13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ 29 For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
9:14 Then John’s 30 disciples came to Jesus 31 and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees 32 fast often, 33 but your disciples don’t fast?” 9:15 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests 34 cannot mourn while the bridegroom 35 is with them, can they? But the days 36 are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, 37 and then they will fast. 9:16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse. 9:17 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; 38 otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins 39 and both are preserved.”
9:18 As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.” 9:19 Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. 9:20 But 40 a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage 41 for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge 42 of his cloak. 43 9:21 For she kept saying to herself, 44 “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 45 9:22 But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” 46 And the woman was healed 47 from that hour. 9:23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, 9:24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him. 48 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and gently took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 9:26 And the news of this spread throughout that region. 49
9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, 50 “Have mercy 51 on us, Son of David!” 52 9:28 When 53 he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus 54 said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 9:29 Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.” 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region. 55
9:32 As 56 they were going away, 57 a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him. 9:33 After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!” 9:34 But the Pharisees 58 said, “By the ruler 59 of demons he casts out demons.” 60
9:35 Then Jesus went throughout all the towns 61 and villages, teaching in their synagogues, 62 preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. 63 9:36 When 64 he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, 65 like sheep without a shepherd. 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 9:38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest 66 to send out 67 workers into his harvest.”
10:1 Jesus 68 called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits 69 so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. 70 10:2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: 71 first, Simon 72 (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; 10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; 73 Thomas 74 and Matthew the tax collector; 75 James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 76 10:4 Simon the Zealot 77 and Judas Iscariot, 78 who betrayed him. 79
10:5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: 80 “Do not go to Gentile regions 81 and do not enter any Samaritan town. 82 10:6 Go 83 instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 10:7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, 84 cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 10:9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts, 10:10 no bag 85 for the journey, or an extra tunic, 86 or sandals or staff, 87 for the worker deserves his provisions. 10:11 Whenever 88 you enter a town or village, 89 find out who is worthy there 90 and stay with them 91 until you leave. 10:12 As you enter the house, give it greetings. 92 10:13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 93 10:14 And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off 94 your feet as you leave that house or that town. 10:15 I tell you the truth, 95 it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah 96 on the day of judgment than for that town!
10:16 “I 97 am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, 98 so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 10:17 Beware 99 of people, because they will hand you over to councils 100 and flog 101 you in their synagogues. 102 10:18 And you will be brought before governors and kings 103 because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. 10:19 Whenever 104 they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, 105 for what you should say will be given to you at that time. 106 10:20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
10:21 “Brother 107 will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against 108 parents and have them put to death. 10:22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 10:23 Whenever 109 they persecute you in one place, 110 flee to another. I tell you the truth, 111 you will not finish going through all the towns 112 of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
10:24 “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave 113 greater than his master. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!
10:26 “Do 114 not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden 115 that will not be revealed, 116 and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 10:27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, 117 proclaim from the housetops. 118 10:28 Do 119 not be afraid of those who kill the body 120 but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 121 10:29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? 122 Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 123 10:30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 10:31 So do not be afraid; 124 you are more valuable than many sparrows.
10:32 “Whoever, then, acknowledges 125 me before people, I will acknowledge 126 before my Father in heaven. 10:33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.
10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring 127 peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 10:36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 128
10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 10:38 And whoever does not take up his cross 129 and follow me is not worthy of me. 10:39 Whoever finds his life 130 will lose it, 131 and whoever loses his life because of me 132 will find it.
10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 133 10:41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever 134 receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 10:42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, 135 he will never lose his reward.”
11:1 When 136 Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their towns.
11:2 Now when John 137 heard in prison about the deeds Christ 138 had done, he sent his disciples to ask a question: 139 11:3 “Are you the one who is to come, 140 or should we look for another?” 11:4 Jesus answered them, 141 “Go tell John what you hear and see: 142 11:5 The blind see, the 143 lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 11:6 Blessed is anyone 144 who takes no offense at me.”
11:7 While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 145 to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 146 11:8 What 147 did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy clothes? 148 Look, those who wear fancy clothes are in the homes of kings! 149 11:9 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more 150 than a prophet. 11:10 This is the one about whom it is written:
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, 151
who will prepare your way before you.’ 152
11:11 “I tell you the truth, 153 among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least 154 in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is. 11:12 From 155 the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and forceful people lay hold of it. 156 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John appeared. 157 11:14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come. 11:15 The one who has ears had better listen! 158
11:16 “To 159 what should I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to one another, 160
11:17 ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; 161
we wailed in mourning, 162 yet you did not weep.’
11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 163 11:19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him, 164 a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors 165 and sinners!’ 166 But wisdom is vindicated 167 by her deeds.” 168
11:20 Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities 169 in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent. 11:21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! 170 Woe to you, Bethsaida! If 171 the miracles 172 done in you had been done in Tyre 173 and Sidon, 174 they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 11:22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you! 11:23 And you, Capernaum, 175 will you be exalted to heaven? 176 No, you will be thrown down to Hades! 177 For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. 11:24 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom 178 on the day of judgment than for you!”
11:25 At that time Jesus said, 179 “I praise 180 you, Father, Lord 181 of heaven and earth, because 182 you have hidden these things from the wise 183 and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. 11:26 Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will. 184 11:27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. 185 No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides 186 to reveal him. 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke 187 on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on a Sabbath. His 188 disciples were hungry, and they began to pick heads of wheat 189 and eat them. 12:2 But when the Pharisees 190 saw this they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is against the law to do on the Sabbath.” 12:3 He 191 said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry – 12:4 how he entered the house of God and they ate 192 the sacred bread, 193 which was against the law 194 for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests? 195 12:5 Or have you not read in the law that the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are not guilty? 12:6 I 196 tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 12:7 If 197 you had known what this means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ 198 you would not have condemned the innocent. 12:8 For the Son of Man is lord 199 of the Sabbath.”
12:9 Then 200 Jesus 201 left that place and entered their synagogue. 202 12:10 A 203 man was there who had a withered 204 hand. And they asked Jesus, 205 “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 206 so that they could accuse him. 12:11 He said to them, “Would not any one of you, if he had one sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, take hold of it and lift it out? 12:12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 12:13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and it was restored, 207 as healthy as the other. 12:14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, as to how they could assassinate 208 him.
12:15 Now when Jesus learned of this, he went away from there. Great 209 crowds 210 followed him, and he healed them all. 12:16 But he sternly warned them not to make him known. 12:17 This fulfilled what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet: 211
12:18 “Here is 212 my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight. 213
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
12:19 He will not quarrel or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
12:20 He will not break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick,
until he brings justice to victory.
12:21 And in his name the Gentiles 214 will hope.” 215
12:22 Then they brought to him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus 216 healed him so that he could speak and see. 217 12:23 All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?” 12:24 But when the Pharisees 218 heard this they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, 219 the ruler 220 of demons!” 12:25 Now when Jesus 221 realized what they were thinking, he said to them, 222 “Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed, 223 and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 12:26 So if 224 Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 12:27 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons 225 cast them 226 out? For this reason they will be your judges. 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God 227 has already overtaken 228 you. 12:29 How 229 else can someone enter a strong man’s 230 house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can thoroughly plunder the house. 231 12:30 Whoever is not with me is against me, 232 and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 233 12:31 For this reason I tell you, people will be forgiven for every sin and blasphemy, 234 but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 12:32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. 235 But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, 236 either in this age or in the age to come.
12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad 237 and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. 12:34 Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. 12:35 The good person 238 brings good things out of his 239 good treasury, 240 and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. 12:36 I 241 tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
12:38 Then some of the experts in the law 242 along with some Pharisees 243 answered him, 244 “Teacher, we want to see a sign 245 from you.” 12:39 But he answered them, 246 “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 12:40 For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish 247 for three days and three nights, 248 so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. 12:41 The people 249 of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them 250 – and now, 251 something greater than Jonah is here! 12:42 The queen of the South 252 will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon – and now, 253 something greater than Solomon is here!
12:43 “When 254 an unclean spirit 255 goes out of a person, 256 it passes through waterless places 257 looking for rest but 258 does not find it. 12:44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ 259 When it returns, 260 it finds the house 261 empty, swept clean, and put in order. 262 12:45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so 263 the last state of that person is worse than the first. It will be that way for this evil generation as well!”
12:46 While Jesus 264 was still speaking to the crowds, 265 his mother and brothers 266 came and 267 stood outside, asking 268 to speak to him. 12:47 269 Someone 270 told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting 271 to speak to you.” 12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus 272 replied, 273 “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 12:49 And pointing 274 toward his disciples he said, “Here 275 are my mother and my brothers! 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is 276 my brother and sister and mother.”
13:1 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake. 13:2 And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while 277 the whole crowd stood on the shore. 13:3 He 278 told them many things in parables, 279 saying: “Listen! 280 A sower went out to sow. 281 13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds 282 fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 13:5 Other 283 seeds fell on rocky ground 284 where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. 285 13:6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. 13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, 286 and they grew up and choked them. 287 13:8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 13:9 The one who has ears had better listen!” 288
13:10 Then 289 the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 13:11 He replied, 290 “You have been given 291 the opportunity to know 292 the secrets 293 of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 13:12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 294 13:13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. 13:14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
‘You will listen carefully 295 yet will never understand,
you will look closely 296 yet will never comprehend.
13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull;
they are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’ 297
13:16 “But your eyes are blessed 298 because they see, and your ears because they hear. 13:17 For I tell you the truth, 299 many prophets and righteous people longed to see 300 what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
13:18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: 13:19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one 301 comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; 302 this is the seed sown along the path. 13:20 The 303 seed sown on rocky ground 304 is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 13:21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure; 305 when 306 trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 13:22 The 307 seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth 308 choke the word, 309 so it produces nothing. 13:23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” 310
13:24 He presented them with another parable: 311 “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. 13:25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds 312 among the wheat and went away. 13:26 When 313 the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. 13:27 So the slaves 314 of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ 13:28 He said, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So 315 the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’ 13:29 But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At 316 harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then 317 gather 318 the wheat into my barn.”’”
13:31 He gave 319 them another parable: 320 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed 321 that a man took and sowed in his field. 13:32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, 322 so that the wild birds 323 come and nest in its branches.” 324
13:33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with 325 three measures 326 of flour until all the dough had risen.” 327
13:34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable. 13:35 This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: 328
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.” 329
13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 13:37 He 330 answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 13:38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people 331 of the kingdom. The weeds are the people 332 of the evil one, 13:39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 13:40 As 333 the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 13:41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers. 334 13:42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, 335 where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 336 The one who has ears had better listen! 337
13:44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
13:45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 13:46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.
13:47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. 13:48 When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away. 13:49 It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous 13:50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, 338 where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13:51 “Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes.” 13:52 Then he said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law 339 who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old.”
13:53 Now when 340 Jesus finished these parables, he moved on from there. 13:54 Then 341 he came to his hometown 342 and began to teach the people 343 in their synagogue. 344 They 345 were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? 13:55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary? 346 And aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 13:56 And aren’t all his sisters here with us? Where did he get all this?” 347 13:57 And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house.” 13:58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch 348 heard reports about Jesus, 14:2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 14:3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, 349 and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 14:4 because John had repeatedly told 350 him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 351 14:5 Although 352 Herod 353 wanted to kill John, 354 he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. 14:6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 14:7 so much that he promised with an oath 355 to give her whatever she asked. 14:8 Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 14:9 Although it grieved the king, 356 because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 14:10 So 357 he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 14:11 His 358 head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 14:12 Then John’s 359 disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.
14:13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, 360 they followed him on foot from the towns. 361 14:14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 14:15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place 362 and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 14:16 But he 363 replied, “They don’t need to go. You 364 give them something to eat.” 14:17 They 365 said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 14:18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 14:19 Then 366 he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples, 367 who in turn gave them to the crowds. 368 14:20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full. 14:21 Not counting women and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.
14:22 Immediately Jesus 369 made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. 14:23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 14:24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land, 370 was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. 14:25 As the night was ending, 371 Jesus came to them walking on the sea. 372 14:26 When 373 the disciples saw him walking on the water 374 they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear. 14:27 But immediately Jesus 375 spoke to them: 376 “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 14:28 Peter 377 said to him, 378 “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” 14:29 So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 14:30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out, 379 “Lord, save me!” 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 14:32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 14:33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
14:34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 380 14:35 When the people 381 there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. 14:36 They begged him if 382 they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
15:1 Then Pharisees 383 and experts in the law 384 came from Jerusalem 385 to Jesus and said, 386 15:2 “Why do your disciples disobey the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their 387 hands when they eat.” 388 15:3 He answered them, 389 “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition? 15:4 For God said, 390 ‘Honor your father and mother’ 391 and ‘Whoever insults his father or mother must be put to death.’ 392 15:5 But you say, ‘If someone tells his father or mother, “Whatever help you would have received from me is given to God,” 393 15:6 he does not need to honor his father.’ 394 You have nullified the word of God on account of your tradition. 15:7 Hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied correctly about you when he said,
15:8 ‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart 395 is far from me,
15:9 and they worship me in vain,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” 396
15:10 Then he called the crowd to him and said, 397 “Listen and understand. 15:11 What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what 398 comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” 15:12 Then the disciples came to him and said, “Do you know that when the Pharisees 399 heard this saying they were offended?” 15:13 And he replied, 400 “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 15:14 Leave them! They are blind guides. 401 If someone who is blind leads another who is blind, 402 both will fall into a pit.” 15:15 But Peter 403 said to him, “Explain this parable to us.” 15:16 Jesus 404 said, “Even after all this, are you still so foolish? 15:17 Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer? 405 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a person. 15:19 For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 15:20 These are the things that defile a person; it is not eating with unwashed hands that defiles a person.” 406
15:21 After going out from there, Jesus went to the region of Tyre 407 and Sidon. 408 15:22 A 409 Canaanite woman from that area came 410 and cried out, 411 “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is horribly demon-possessed!” 15:23 But he did not answer her a word. Then 412 his disciples came and begged him, 413 “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.” 15:24 So 414 he answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 15:25 But she came and bowed down 415 before him and said, 416 “Lord, help me!” 15:26 “It is not right 417 to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” 418 he said. 419 15:27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, 420 “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 15:28 Then 421 Jesus answered her, “Woman, 422 your faith is great! Let what you want be done for you.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
15:29 When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. 15:30 Then 423 large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They 424 laid them at his feet, and he healed them. 15:31 As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel.
15:32 Then Jesus called the 425 disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.” 15:33 The disciples said to him, “Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?” 15:34 Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven – and a few small fish.” 15:35 After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, 15:36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds. 426 15:37 They 427 all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 15:38 Not counting children and women, 428 there were four thousand men who ate. 429 15:39 After sending away the crowd, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. 430
16:1 Now when the Pharisees 431 and Sadducees 432 came to test Jesus, 433 they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. 434 16:2 He 435 said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ 16:3 and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’ 436 You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky, 437 but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then 438 he left them and went away.
16:5 When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread. 16:6 “Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees 439 and Sadducees.” 440 16:7 So 441 they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” 16:8 When Jesus learned of this, 442 he said, “You who have such little faith! 443 Why are you arguing 444 among yourselves about having no bread? 16:9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? 16:10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? 16:11 How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” 16:12 Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
16:13 When 445 Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, 446 he asked his disciples, 447 “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, 448 and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 16:15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16:16 Simon Peter answered, 449 “You are the Christ, 450 the Son of the living God.” 16:17 And Jesus answered him, 451 “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood 452 did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven! 16:18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades 453 will not overpower it. 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.” 16:20 Then he instructed his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ. 454
16:21 From that time on 455 Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem 456 and suffer 457 many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, 458 and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 16:22 So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: 459 “God forbid, 460 Lord! This must not happen to you!” 16:23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.” 461 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to become my follower, 462 he must deny 463 himself, take up his cross, 464 and follow me. 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life 465 will lose it, 466 but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 16:26 For what does it benefit a person 467 if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life? Or what can a person give in exchange for his life? 16:27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 468 16:28 I tell you the truth, 469 there are some standing here who will not 470 experience 471 death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” 472
17:1 Six days later 473 Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John the brother of James, 474 and led them privately up a high mountain. 17:2 And he was transfigured before them. 475 His 476 face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 17:3 Then Moses 477 and Elijah 478 also appeared before them, talking with him. 17:4 So 479 Peter said 480 to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, I will make 481 three shelters 482 – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 17:5 While he was still speaking, a 483 bright cloud 484 overshadowed 485 them, and a voice from the cloud said, 486 “This is my one dear Son, 487 in whom I take great delight. Listen to him!” 488 17:6 When the disciples heard this, they were overwhelmed with fear and threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. 489 17:7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Do not be afraid.” 17:8 When 490 they looked up, all they saw was Jesus alone.
17:9 As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, 491 “Do not tell anyone about the vision until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.” 17:10 The disciples asked him, 492 “Why then do the experts in the law 493 say that Elijah must come first?” 17:11 He 494 answered, “Elijah does indeed come first and will restore all things. 17:12 And I tell you that Elijah has already come. Yet they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted. In 495 the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.” 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them about John the Baptist.
17:14 When 496 they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, 17:15 and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he has seizures 497 and suffers terribly, for he often falls into the fire and into the water. 17:16 I brought him to your disciples, but 498 they were not able to heal him.” 17:17 Jesus answered, 499 “You 500 unbelieving 501 and perverse generation! How much longer 502 must I be with you? How much longer must I endure 503 you? 504 Bring him here to me.” 17:18 Then 505 Jesus rebuked 506 the demon and it came out of him, and the boy was healed from that moment. 17:19 Then the disciples came 507 to Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?” 17:20 He told them, “It was because of your little faith. I tell you the truth, 508 if you have faith the size of 509 a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; nothing 510 will be impossible for you.”
17:21 [[EMPTY]] 51117:22 When 512 they gathered together in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 513 17:23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they became greatly distressed.
17:24 After 514 they arrived in Capernaum, 515 the collectors of the temple tax 516 came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?” 17:25 He said, “Yes.” When Peter came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, 517 “What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect tolls or taxes – from their sons 518 or from foreigners?” 17:26 After he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him, “Then the sons 519 are free. 17:27 But so that we don’t offend them, go to the lake and throw out a hook. Take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a four drachma coin. 520 Take that and give it to them for me and you.”
18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:2 He called a child, had him stand among them, 18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, 521 unless you turn around and become like little children, 522 you will never 523 enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 18:5 And whoever welcomes 524 a child like this in my name welcomes me.
18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 525 it would be better for him to have a huge millstone 526 hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. 527 18:7 Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! It 528 is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come. 18:8 If 529 your hand or your foot causes you to sin, 530 cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have 531 two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 18:9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than to have 532 two eyes and be thrown into fiery hell. 533
18:10 “See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. 18:11 [[EMPTY]] 534 18:12 What do you think? If someone 535 owns a hundred 536 sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? 537 18:13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, 538 he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. 18:14 In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.
18:15 “If 539 your brother 540 sins, 541 go and show him his fault 542 when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 543 18:17 If 544 he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If 545 he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like 546 a Gentile 547 or a tax collector. 548
18:18 “I tell you the truth, 549 whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven. 18:19 Again, I tell you the truth, 550 if two of you on earth agree about whatever you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 551 18:20 For where two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.”
18:21 Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother 552 who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 18:22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times! 553
18:23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. 554 18:24 As 555 he began settling his accounts, a man who owed ten thousand talents 556 was brought to him. 18:25 Because 557 he was not able to repay it, 558 the lord ordered him to be sold, along with 559 his wife, children, and whatever he possessed, and repayment to be made. 18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground 560 before him, saying, 561 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’ 18:27 The lord had compassion on that slave and released him, and forgave him the debt. 18:28 After 562 he went out, that same slave found one of his fellow slaves who owed him one hundred silver coins. 563 So 564 he grabbed him by the throat and started to choke him, 565 saying, ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ 566 18:29 Then his fellow slave threw himself down and begged him, 567 ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ 18:30 But he refused. Instead, he went out and threw him in prison until he repaid the debt. 18:31 When 568 his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place. 18:32 Then his lord called the first slave 569 and said to him, ‘Evil slave! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me! 18:33 Should you not have shown mercy to your fellow slave, just as I showed it to you?’ 18:34 And in anger his lord turned him over to the prison guards to torture him 570 until he repaid all he owed. 18:35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your 571 brother 572 from your heart.”
19:1 Now when 573 Jesus finished these sayings, he left Galilee and went to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan River. 574 19:2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.
19:3 Then some Pharisees 575 came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful 576 to divorce a wife for any cause?” 577 19:4 He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 578 19:5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 579 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 19:7 They said to him, “Why then did Moses command us to give a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her?” 580 19:8 Jesus 581 said to them, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because of your hard hearts, 582 but from the beginning it was not this way. 19:9 Now I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another commits adultery.” 19:10 The 583 disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife, it is better not to marry!” 19:11 He 584 said to them, “Not everyone can accept this statement, except those to whom it has been given. 19:12 For there are some eunuchs who were that way from birth, 585 and some who were made eunuchs 586 by others, 587 and some who became eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who is able to accept this should accept it.”
19:13 Then little children were brought to him for him to lay his hands on them and pray. 588 But the disciples scolded those who brought them. 589 19:14 But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 590 19:15 And he placed his hands on them and went on his way. 591
19:16 Now 592 someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?” 19:17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 19:18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19:19 honor your father and mother, 593 and love your neighbor as yourself.” 594 19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed 595 all these laws. 596 What do I still lack?” 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money 597 to the poor, and you will have treasure 598 in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 19:22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. 599
19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, 600 it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven! 19:24 Again I say, 601 it is easier for a camel 602 to go through the eye of a needle 603 than for a rich person to enter into the kingdom of God.” 19:25 The 604 disciples were greatly astonished when they heard this and said, “Then who can be saved?” 605 19:26 Jesus 606 looked at them and replied, “This is impossible for mere humans, 607 but for God all things are possible.” 19:27 Then Peter said 608 to him, “Look, 609 we have left everything to follow you! 610 What then will there be for us?” 19:28 Jesus 611 said to them, “I tell you the truth: 612 In the age when all things are renewed, 613 when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging 614 the twelve tribes of Israel. 19:29 And whoever has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much 615 and will inherit eternal life. 19:30 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
20:1 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner 616 who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 20:2 And after agreeing with the workers for the standard wage, 617 he sent them into his vineyard. 20:3 When it was about nine o’clock in the morning, 618 he went out again and saw others standing around in the marketplace without work. 20:4 He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.’ 20:5 So they went. When 619 he went out again about noon and three o’clock that afternoon, 620 he did the same thing. 20:6 And about five o’clock that afternoon 621 he went out and found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why are you standing here all day without work?’ 20:7 They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go and work in the vineyard too.’ 20:8 When 622 it was evening 623 the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and give the pay 624 starting with the last hired until the first.’ 20:9 When those hired about five o’clock came, each received a full day’s pay. 625 20:10 And when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more. But each one also received the standard wage. 20:11 When 626 they received it, they began to complain 627 against the landowner, 20:12 saying, ‘These last fellows worked one hour, and you have made them equal to us who bore the hardship and burning heat of the day.’ 20:13 And the landowner 628 replied to one of them, 629 ‘Friend, I am not treating you unfairly. Didn’t you agree with me to work for the standard wage? 630 20:14 Take what is yours and go. I 631 want to give to this last man 632 the same as I gave to you. 20:15 Am I not 633 permitted to do what I want with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ 634 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last.”
20:17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, 635 he took the twelve 636 aside privately and said to them on the way, 20:18 “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the experts in the law. 637 They will condemn him to death, 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged severely 638 and crucified. 639 Yet 640 on the third day, he will be raised.”
20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to him with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. 641 20:21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, 642 “Permit 643 these two sons of mine to sit, one at your 644 right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 20:22 Jesus 645 answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! 646 Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” 647 They said to him, “We are able.” 648 20:23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, 649 but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
20:24 Now 650 when the other ten 651 heard this, 652 they were angry with the two brothers. 20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave 653 – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom 654 for many.”
20:29 As they were leaving Jericho, 655 a large crowd followed them. 20:30 Two 656 blind men were sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, 657 “Have mercy 658 on us, Lord, Son of David!” 659 20:31 The 660 crowd scolded 661 them to get them to be quiet. But they shouted even more loudly, “Lord, have mercy on us, 662 Son of David!” 20:32 Jesus stopped, called them, and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 20:33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 20:34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.
21:1 Now 663 when they approached Jerusalem 664 and came to Bethphage, 665 at the Mount of Olives, 666 Jesus sent two disciples, 21:2 telling them, “Go to the village ahead of you. 667 Right away you will find a donkey tied there, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 21:3 If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ 668 and he will send them at once.” 21:4 This 669 took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: 670
21:5 “Tell the people of Zion, 671
‘Look, your king is coming to you,
unassuming and seated on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 672
21:6 So 673 the disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 21:7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks 674 on them, and he sat on them. 21:8 A 675 very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road. Others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 21:9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those following kept shouting, 676 “Hosanna 677 to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 678 Hosanna in the highest!” 21:10 As he entered Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into an uproar, 679 saying, “Who is this?” 21:11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth 680 in Galilee.”
21:12 Then 681 Jesus entered the temple area 682 and drove out all those who were selling and buying in the temple courts, 683 and turned over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves. 21:13 And he said to them, “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ 684 but you are turning it into a den 685 of robbers!” 686
21:14 The blind and lame came to him in the temple courts, and he healed them. 21:15 But when the chief priests and the experts in the law 687 saw the wonderful things he did and heard the children crying out in the temple courts, 688 “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 21:16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” 689 21:17 And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and spent the night there.
21:18 Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry. 21:19 After noticing a fig tree 690 by the road he went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. He said to it, “Never again will there be fruit from you!” And the fig tree withered at once. 21:20 When the disciples saw it they were amazed, saying, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” 21:21 Jesus 691 answered them, “I tell you the truth, 692 if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. 21:22 And whatever you ask in prayer, if you believe, 693 you will receive.”
21:23 Now after Jesus 694 entered the temple courts, 695 the chief priests and elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority 696 are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 21:24 Jesus 697 answered them, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 21:25 Where did John’s baptism come from? From heaven or from people?” 698 They discussed this among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ 21:26 But if we say, ‘From people,’ we fear the crowd, for they all consider John to be a prophet.” 21:27 So 699 they answered Jesus, 700 “We don’t know.” 701 Then he said to them, “Neither will I tell you 702 by what authority 703 I am doing these things.
21:28 “What 704 do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 21:29 The boy answered, 705 ‘I will not.’ But later he had a change of heart 706 and went. 21:30 The father 707 went to the other son and said the same thing. This boy answered, 708 ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. 21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” 709 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, 710 tax collectors 711 and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although 712 you saw this, you did not later change your minds 713 and believe him.
21:33 “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner 714 who planted a vineyard. 715 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 716 he leased it to tenant farmers 717 and went on a journey. 21:34 When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves 718 to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. 719 21:35 But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, 720 killed another, and stoned another. 21:36 Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. 21:37 Finally he sent his son to them, 721 saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 21:38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ 21:39 So 722 they seized him, 723 threw him out of the vineyard, 724 and killed him. 21:40 Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 21:41 They said to him, “He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”
21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 725
This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 726
21:43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people 727 who will produce its fruit. 21:44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” 728 21:45 When 729 the chief priests and the Pharisees 730 heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds 731 regarded him as a prophet.
22:1 Jesus spoke 732 to them again in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves 733 to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. 734 My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 22:5 But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 22:6 The 735 rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 22:7 The 736 king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death 737 and set their city 738 on fire. 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 22:9 So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 22:10 And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 22:11 But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 22:12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. 739 22:13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
22:15 Then the Pharisees 740 went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. 741 22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, 742 saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 743 You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. 744 22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right 745 to pay taxes 746 to Caesar 747 or not?”
22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So 748 they brought him a denarius. 749 22:20 Jesus 750 said to them, “Whose image 751 is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied, 752 “Caesar’s.” He said to them, 753 “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 754 22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned, 755 and they left him and went away.
22:23 The same day Sadducees 756 (who say there is no resurrection) 757 came to him and asked him, 758 22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children 759 for his brother.’ 760 22:25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 22:26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 22:27 Last 761 of all, the woman died. 22:28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” 762 22:29 Jesus 763 answered them, “You are deceived, 764 because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels 765 in heaven. 22:31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, 766 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 767 He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” 768 22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
22:34 Now when the Pharisees 769 heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, 770 they assembled together. 771 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, 772 asked him a question to test 773 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 774 22:37 Jesus 775 said to him, “‘Love 776 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 777 22:38 This is the first and greatest 778 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 779 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend 780 on these two commandments.”
22:41 While 781 the Pharisees 782 were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: 783 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ? 784 Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.” 785 22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,
22:44 ‘The Lord said to my lord, 786
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’? 787
22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 788 22:46 No one 789 was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.
23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 23:2 “The 790 experts in the law 791 and the Pharisees 792 sit on Moses’ seat. 23:3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 793 23:4 They 794 tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 23:5 They 795 do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries 796 wide and their tassels 797 long. 23:6 They 798 love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 799 23:7 and elaborate greetings 800 in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 23:9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 23:10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 801 23:11 The 802 greatest among you will be your servant. 23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
23:13 “But woe to you, experts in the law 803 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! 804 You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! 805 For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
23:14 [[EMPTY]] 80623:15 “Woe to you, experts in the law 807 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, 808 and when you get one, 809 you make him twice as much a child of hell 810 as yourselves!
23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. 811 But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. 812 But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law 813 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth 814 of mint, dill, and cumin, 815 yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You 816 should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! 817
23:25 “Woe to you, experts in the law 818 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, 819 so that the outside may become clean too!
23:27 “Woe to you, experts in the law 820 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 821 23:28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
23:29 “Woe to you, experts in the law 822 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You 823 build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves 824 of the righteous. 23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 825 we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 826
23:34 “For this reason I 827 am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, 828 some of whom you will kill and crucify, 829 and some you will flog 830 in your synagogues 831 and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, 832 whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 23:36 I tell you the truth, 833 this generation will be held responsible for all these things! 834
23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 835 you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! 836 How often I have longed 837 to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 838 you would have none of it! 839 23:38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 840
24:1 Now 841 as Jesus was going out of the temple courts and walking away, his disciples came to show him the temple buildings. 842 24:2 And he said to them, 843 “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, 844 not one stone will be left on another. 845 All will be torn down!” 846
24:3 As 847 he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things 848 happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 24:4 Jesus answered them, 849 “Watch out 850 that no one misleads you. 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ 851 and they will mislead many. 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. 852 24:7 For nation will rise up in arms 853 against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines 854 and earthquakes 855 in various places. 24:8 All 856 these things are the beginning of birth pains.
24:9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations 857 because of my name. 858 24:10 Then many will be led into sin, 859 and they will betray one another and hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets will appear and deceive 860 many, 24:12 and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold. 24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 861 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, 862 and then the end will come.
24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation 863 – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 24:16 then those in Judea must flee 864 to the mountains. 24:17 The one on the roof 865 must not come down 866 to take anything out of his house, 24:18 and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 24:19 Woe 867 to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 24:20 Pray 868 that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 24:21 For then there will be great suffering 869 unlike anything that has happened 870 from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. 24:22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ 871 or ‘There he is!’ do not believe him. 24:24 For false messiahs 872 and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 24:25 Remember, 873 I have told you ahead of time. 24:26 So then, if someone 874 says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ 875 do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him. 24:27 For just like the lightning 876 comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures 877 will gather. 878
24:29 “Immediately 879 after the suffering 880 of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 881 24:30 Then 882 the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, 883 and 884 all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They 885 will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven 886 with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven 887 to the other.
24:32 “Learn 888 this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 24:33 So also you, when you see all these things, know 889 that he is near, right at the door. 24:34 I tell you the truth, 890 this generation 891 will not pass away until all these things take place. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 892
24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven 893 – except the Father alone. 24:37 For just like the days of Noah 894 were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:38 For in those days before the flood, people 895 were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 24:39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. 896 It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. 897 24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 898 24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; 899 one will be taken and one left.
24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day 900 your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief 901 was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 902
24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, 903 whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves 904 their food at the proper time? 24:46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work 905 when he comes. 24:47 I tell you the truth, 906 the master 907 will put him in charge of all his possessions. 24:48 But if 908 that evil slave should say to himself, 909 ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 24:49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 24:50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 24:51 and will cut him in two, 910 and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
25:1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 Five 911 of the virgins 912 were foolish, and five were wise. 25:3 When 913 the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra 914 olive oil 915 with them. 25:4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 25:5 When 916 the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 25:6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 917 25:7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 25:8 The 918 foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 25:9 ‘No,’ they replied. 919 ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 25:10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then 920 the door was shut. 25:11 Later, 921 the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ 922 25:12 But he replied, 923 ‘I tell you the truth, 924 I do not know you!’ 25:13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. 925
25:14 “For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves 926 and entrusted his property to them. 25:15 To 927 one he gave five talents, 928 to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 25:16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work 929 and gained five more. 25:17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 25:18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 25:19 After 930 a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 25:20 The 931 one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, 932 you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 25:21 His master answered, 933 ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:22 The 934 one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 25:23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 25:24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25:25 so 935 I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 25:26 But his master answered, 936 ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 25:27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, 937 and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 938 25:28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 939 25:29 For the one who has will be given more, 940 and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 941 25:30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
25:31 “When 942 the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 25:32 All 943 the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 25:33 He 944 will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 25:34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 25:36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, 945 ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 25:38 When 946 did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 25:39 When 947 did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 25:40 And the king will answer them, 948 ‘I tell you the truth, 949 just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters 950 of mine, you did it for me.’
25:41 “Then he will say 951 to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 25:44 Then they too will answer, 952 ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 25:45 Then he will answer them, 953 ‘I tell you the truth, 954 just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 25:46 And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
26:1 When 955 Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 26:2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over 956 to be crucified.” 957 26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They 958 planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 26:5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” 959
26:6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 26:7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar 960 of expensive perfumed oil, 961 and she poured it on his head as he was at the table. 962 26:8 When 963 the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 26:9 It 964 could have been sold at a high price and the money 965 given to the poor!” 26:10 When 966 Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She 967 has done a good service for me. 26:11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me! 968 26:12 When 969 she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 26:13 I tell you the truth, 970 wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 26:15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” 971 So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 26:16 From that time 972 on, Judas 973 began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
26:17 Now on the first day of the feast of 974 Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said, 975 “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 976 26:18 He 977 said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’” 26:19 So 978 the disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover. 26:20 When 979 it was evening, he took his place at the table 980 with the twelve. 981 26:21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, 982 one of you will betray me.” 983 26:22 They 984 became greatly distressed 985 and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 26:23 He 986 answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me 987 will betray me. 26:24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 26:25 Then 988 Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus 989 replied, “You have said it yourself.”
26:26 While 990 they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 26:27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 26:28 for this is my blood, the blood 991 of the covenant, 992 that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 26:29 I 993 tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit 994 of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 26:30 After 995 singing a hymn, 996 they went out to the Mount of Olives.
26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 997
26:32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 26:33 Peter 998 said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 26:34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, 999 on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 26:35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.
26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 26:37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 26:39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, 1000 “My Father, if possible, 1001 let this cup 1002 pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 26:40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He 1003 said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 26:41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, 1004 “My Father, if this cup 1005 cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 26:43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. 1006 26:44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 26:45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 26:46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer 1007 is approaching!”
26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, 1008 one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 26:48 (Now the betrayer 1009 had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. 1010 Arrest him!”) 1011 26:49 Immediately 1012 he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. 1013 26:50 Jesus 1014 said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold 1015 of Jesus and arrested him. 26:51 But 1016 one of those with Jesus grabbed 1017 his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, 1018 cutting off his ear. 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! 1019 For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions 1020 of angels right now? 26:54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 26:55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? 1021 Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet 1022 you did not arrest me. 26:56 But this has happened so that 1023 the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
26:57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house 1024 the experts in the law 1025 and the elders had gathered. 26:58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After 1026 going in, he sat with the guards 1027 to see the outcome. 26:59 The 1028 chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally 1029 two came forward 26:61 and declared, “This man 1030 said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 26:62 So 1031 the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 26:63 But Jesus was silent. The 1032 high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, 1033 the Son of God.” 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand 1034 of the Power 1035 and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 1036 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, 1037 “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now 1038 you have heard the blasphemy! 26:66 What is your verdict?” 1039 They 1040 answered, “He is guilty and deserves 1041 death.” 26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! 1042 Who hit you?” 1043
26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A 1044 slave girl 1045 came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 26:70 But he denied it in front of them all: 1046 “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 26:71 When 1047 he went out to the gateway, another slave girl 1048 saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 26:72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 26:73 After 1049 a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent 1050 gives you away!” 26:74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. 1051 26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. 1052
27:1 When 1053 it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him. 27:2 They 1054 tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate 1055 the governor. 1056
27:3 Now when 1057 Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus 1058 had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders, 27:4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!” 27:5 So 1059 Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself. 27:6 The 1060 chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” 27:7 After 1061 consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners. 27:8 For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day. 27:9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah 1062 the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, 1063 27:10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.” 1064
27:11 Then 1065 Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, 1066 “Are you the king 1067 of the Jews?” Jesus 1068 said, “You say so.” 1069 27:12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond. 27:13 Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?” 27:14 But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.
27:15 During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, 1070 whomever they wanted. 27:16 At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus 1071 Barabbas. 27:17 So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus 1072 Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?” 1073 27:18 (For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.) 1074 27:19 As 1075 he was sitting on the judgment seat, 1076 his wife sent a message 1077 to him: 1078 “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; 1079 I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream 1080 about him today.” 27:20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. 27:21 The 1081 governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!” 27:22 Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” 1082 They all said, “Crucify him!” 1083 27:23 He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”
27:24 When 1084 Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!” 1085 27:25 In 1086 reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” 27:26 Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, 1087 he handed him over 1088 to be crucified. 1089 27:27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence 1090 and gathered the whole cohort 1091 around him. 27:28 They 1092 stripped him and put a scarlet robe 1093 around him, 27:29 and after braiding 1094 a crown of thorns, 1095 they put it on his head. They 1096 put a staff 1097 in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: 1098 “Hail, king of the Jews!” 1099 27:30 They 1100 spat on him and took the staff 1101 and struck him repeatedly 1102 on the head. 27:31 When 1103 they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then 1104 they led him away to crucify him.
27:32 As 1105 they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced 1106 to carry his cross. 1107 27:33 They 1108 came to a place called Golgotha 1109 (which means “Place of the Skull”) 1110 27:34 and offered Jesus 1111 wine mixed with gall to drink. 1112 But after tasting it, he would not drink it. 27:35 When 1113 they had crucified 1114 him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice. 1115 27:36 Then they sat down and kept guard over him there. 27:37 Above 1116 his head they put the charge against him, 1117 which read: 1118 “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.” 27:38 Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 27:39 Those 1119 who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 27:40 and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! 1120 If you are God’s Son, come down 1121 from the cross!” 27:41 In 1122 the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law 1123 and elders 1124 – were mocking him: 1125 27:42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down 1126 now from the cross, we will believe in him! 27:43 He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now 1127 because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!” 27:44 The 1128 robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. 1129
27:45 Now from noon until three, 1130 darkness came over all the land. 1131 27:46 At 1132 about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, 1133 “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 1134 27:47 When 1135 some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 27:48 Immediately 1136 one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, 1137 put it on a stick, 1138 and gave it to him to drink. 27:49 But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.” 1139 27:50 Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 27:51 Just then 1140 the temple curtain 1141 was torn in two, from top to bottom. The 1142 earth shook and the rocks were split apart. 27:52 And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died 1143 were raised. 27:53 (They 1144 came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.) 27:54 Now when the centurion 1145 and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!” 27:55 Many 1146 women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him support 1147 were also there, watching from a distance. 27:56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
27:57 Now 1148 when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. 1149 27:58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 1150 Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 27:59 Joseph 1151 took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 1152 27:60 and placed it 1153 in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. 1154 Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance 1155 of the tomb and went away. 27:61 (Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)
27:62 The 1156 next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees 1157 assembled before Pilate 27:63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 27:64 So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body 1158 and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” 27:65 Pilate said to them, “Take 1159 a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.” 27:66 So 1160 they went with the soldiers 1161 of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
28:1 Now after the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 28:2 Suddenly there was a severe earthquake, for an angel of the Lord 1162 descending from heaven came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. 28:3 His 1163 appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 28:4 The 1164 guards were shaken and became like dead men because they were so afraid of him. 28:5 But the angel said 1165 to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know 1166 that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 1167 28:6 He is not here, for he has been raised, 1168 just as he said. Come and see the place where he 1169 was lying. 28:7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead. He 1170 is going ahead of you into Galilee. You will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you!” 28:8 So 1171 they left the tomb quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 28:9 But 1172 Jesus met them, saying, “Greetings!” They 1173 came to him, held on to his feet and worshiped him. 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. They will see me there.”
28:11 While 1174 they were going, some 1175 of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. 28:12 After 1176 they had assembled with the elders and formed a plan, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 28:13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came at night and stole his body 1177 while we were asleep.’ 28:14 If 1178 this matter is heard before the governor, 1179 we will satisfy him 1180 and keep you out of trouble.” 1181 28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story is told among the Jews to this day. 1182
28:16 So 1183 the eleven disciples went to Galilee to the mountain Jesus had designated. 28:17 When 1184 they saw him, they worshiped him, 1185 but some doubted. 1186 28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, 1187 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 28:19 Therefore go 1188 and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 1189 28:20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, 1190 I am with you 1191 always, to the end of the age.” 1192
[9:1] 1 sn His own town refers to Capernaum. It was a town of approximately 1000-1500, though of some significance.
[9:2] 2 tn Grk “And behold, they were bringing.” Here καὶ ἰδού (kai idou) has been translated as “just then” to indicate the somewhat sudden appearance of the people carrying the paralytic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1), especially in conjunction with the suddenness of the stretcher bearers’ appearance.
[9:2] 3 tn Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:2] 4 tn Traditionally, “on a bed,” but this could be confusing to the modern reader who might envision a large piece of furniture. In various contexts, κλίνη (klinh) may be translated “bed, couch, cot, stretcher, or bier” (in the case of a corpse). See L&N 6.106.
[9:2] 5 sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
[9:2] 6 sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
[9:3] 7 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.
[9:3] 8 tn Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[9:3] 9 sn Blaspheming meant to say something that dishonored God. To claim divine prerogatives or claim to speak for God when one really does not would be such an act of offense. The remark raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry.
[9:5] 10 sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.
[9:6] 11 sn Now Jesus put the two actions together. The walking of the man would be proof (so that you may know) that his sins were forgiven and that God had worked through Jesus (i.e., the Son of Man).
[9:6] 12 sn The term Son of Man, which is a title in Greek, comes from a pictorial description in Dan 7:13 of one “like a son of man” (i.e., a human being). It is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. Jesus did not reveal the background of the term here, which mixes human and divine imagery as the man in Daniel rides a cloud, something only God does. He just used it. It also could be an idiom in Aramaic meaning either “some person” or “me.” So there is a little ambiguity in its use here, since its origin is not clear at this point. However, the action makes it clear that Jesus used it to refer to himself here.
[9:6] 13 sn Jesus did not finish his sentence with words but with action, that is, healing the paralytic with an accompanying pronouncement to him directly.
[9:6] 14 tn Grk “to your house.”
[9:7] 15 tn Grk “to his house.”
[9:8] 16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:8] 17 tc Most witnesses (C L Θ 0233 Ë13 Ï) have ἐθαύμασαν (eqaumasan; “marveled, were amazed”) instead of ἐφοβήθησαν (efobhqhsan) here, effectively turning the fearful reaction into one of veneration. But the harder reading is well supported by א B D W 0281 Ë1 33 892 1424 al lat co and thus is surely authentic.
[9:8] 18 tn Grk “people.” The plural of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") usually indicates people in general, but the singular is used in the expression “Son of Man.” There is thus an ironic allusion to Jesus’ statement in v. 6: His self-designation as “Son of Man” is meant to be unique, but the crowd regards it simply as meaning “human, person.” To maintain this connection for the English reader the plural ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated here as “men” rather than as the more generic “people.”
[9:9] 19 tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.
[9:10] 20 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[9:10] 21 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 22 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
[9:10] 23 tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[9:10] 24 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[9:11] 25 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[9:11] 26 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations. Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean.
[9:12] 27 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:12] 28 sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is healthy (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
[9:13] 29 sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 12:7).
[9:14] 30 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[9:14] 31 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[9:14] 32 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[9:14] 33 sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
[9:15] 34 tn Grk “sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to wedding guests, or more specifically friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).
[9:15] 35 sn The expression while the bridegroom is with them is an allusion to messianic times (John 3:29; Isa 54:5-6; 62:4-5; 4 Ezra 2:15, 38).
[9:15] 37 sn The statement the bridegroom will be taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 16:13ff.
[9:17] 38 sn Wineskins were bags made of skin or leather, used for storing wine in NT times. As the new wine fermented and expanded, it would stretch the new wineskins. Putting new (unfermented) wine in old wineskins, which had already been stretched, would result in the bursting of the wineskins.
[9:17] 39 sn The meaning of the saying new wine into new wineskins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God.
[9:20] 40 tn Grk “And behold a woman.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[9:20] 41 sn Suffering from a hemorrhage. The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage which would make her ritually unclean.
[9:20] 42 sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.
[9:20] 43 tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.
[9:21] 44 tn The imperfect verb is here taken iteratively, for the context suggests that the woman was trying to find the courage to touch Jesus’ cloak.
[9:22] 46 tn Or “has delivered you”; Grk “has saved you.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation in the immediate context; it refers only to the woman’s healing.
[9:24] 48 tn Grk “They were laughing at him.” The imperfect verb has been taken ingressively.
[9:26] 49 tn For the translation of τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην (thn ghn ekeinhn) as “that region,” see L&N 1.79.
[9:27] 50 tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[9:27] 51 sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.
[9:27] 52 sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
[9:28] 53 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:28] 54 tn Grk “to him, and Jesus.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[9:31] 55 tn For the translation of τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην (thn ghn ekeinhn) as “that region,” see L&N 1.79.
[9:32] 56 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:32] 57 tn Grk “away, behold, they brought a man to him.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[9:34] 58 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[9:34] 60 tc Although codex Cantabrigiensis (D), along with a few other Western versional and patristic witnesses, lacks this verse, virtually all other witnesses have it. The Western text’s reputation for free alterations as well as the heightened climax if v. 33 concludes this pericope explains why these witnesses omitted the verse.
[9:35] 62 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[9:35] 63 tn Grk “and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[9:36] 64 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[9:36] 65 tn Or “because they had been bewildered and helpless.” The translational issue is whether the perfect participles are predicate (as in the text) or are pluperfect periphrastic (the alternate translation). If the latter, the implication would seem to be that the crowds had been in such a state until the Great Shepherd arrived.
[9:38] 66 sn The phrase Lord of the harvest recognizes God’s sovereignty over the harvest process.
[9:38] 67 tn Grk “to thrust out.”
[10:1] 69 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
[10:1] 70 tn Grk “and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[10:2] 71 sn The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only here, Mark 3:14, and six more times in Luke (6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
[10:2] 72 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (see also Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
[10:3] 73 sn Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic) could be another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45.
[10:3] 74 sn This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24-29.
[10:3] 75 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[10:3] 76 tc Witnesses differ on the identification of the last disciple mentioned in v. 3: He is called Λεββαῖος (Lebbaio", “Lebbaeus”) in D, Judas Zelotes in it, and not present in sys. The Byzantine text, along with a few others (C[*],2 L W Θ Ë1 33 Ï), conflates earlier readings by calling him “Lebbaeus, who was called Thaddaeus,” while codex 13 pc conflate by way of transposition (“Thaddaeus, who was called Lebbaeus”). But excellent witnesses of the earliest texttypes (א B Ë13 892 pc lat co) call him merely Θαδδαῖος (Qaddaio", “Thaddaeus”), a reading which, because of this support, is most likely correct.
[10:4] 77 tn Grk “the Cananean,” but according to both BDAG 507 s.v. Καναναῖος and L&N 11.88, this term has no relation at all to the geographical terms for Cana or Canaan, but is derived from the Aramaic term for “enthusiast, zealot” (see Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), possibly because of an earlier affiliation with the party of the Zealots. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the term would refer to his temperament.
[10:4] 78 sn There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
[10:4] 79 tn Grk “who even betrayed him.”
[10:5] 80 tn Grk “instructing them, saying.”
[10:5] 81 tn Grk “on the road of the Gentiles.” That is, a path that leads to Gentile regions.
[10:5] 82 tn Grk “town [or city] of the Samaritans.”
[10:6] 83 tn Grk “But go.” The Greek μᾶλλον (mallon, “rather, instead”) conveys the adversative nuance here so that δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:8] 84 tc The majority of Byzantine minuscules, along with a few other witnesses (C3 K L Γ Θ 700* al), lack νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε (nekrou" ejgeirete, “raise the dead”), most likely because of oversight due to a string of similar endings (-ετε in the second person imperatives, occurring five times in v. 8). The longer version of this verse is found in several diverse and ancient witnesses such as א B C* (D) N 0281vid Ë1,13 33 565 al lat; P W Δ 348 have a word-order variation, but nevertheless include νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε. Although some Byzantine-text proponents charge the Alexandrian witnesses with theologically-motivated alterations toward heterodoxy, it is interesting to find a variant such as this in which the charge could be reversed (do the Byzantine scribes have something against the miracle of resurrection?). In reality, such charges of wholesale theologically-motivated changes toward heterodoxy are immediately suspect due to lack of evidence of intentional changes (here the change is evidently due to accidental omission).
[10:10] 85 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
[10:10] 86 tn Grk “two tunics.” See the note on the word “tunic” in Matt 5:40.
[10:10] 87 sn Mark 6:8 allows one staff. It might be that Matthew’s summary (cf. Luke 9:3) means not taking an extra staff or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.
[10:11] 88 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:11] 89 tn Grk “Into whatever town or village you enter.” This acts as a distributive, meaning every town or village they enter; this is expressed more naturally in English as “whenever you enter a town or village.”
[10:11] 90 tn Grk “in it” (referring to the city or village).
[10:11] 91 tn Grk “there.” This was translated as “with them” to avoid redundancy in English and to clarify where the disciples were to stay.
[10:12] 92 tn This is a metonymy; the “house” is put for those who live in it.
[10:13] 93 sn The response to these messengers determines how God’s blessing is bestowed – if the messengers are not welcomed, their blessing will return to them. Jesus shows just how important their mission is by this remark.
[10:14] 94 sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.
[10:15] 95 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[10:15] 96 sn The allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious than the worst sins of the old era and will result in more severe punishment.
[10:16] 97 tn Grk “Behold I.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[10:16] 98 sn This imagery of wolves is found in intertestamental Judaism; see Pss. Sol. 8:23, 30.
[10:17] 99 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:17] 100 sn Councils in this context refers to local judicial bodies attached to the Jewish synagogue. This group would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
[10:17] 101 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
[10:17] 102 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[10:18] 103 sn These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of courts and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts.
[10:19] 104 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:19] 105 tn Grk “how or what you might speak.”
[10:19] 106 tn Grk “in that hour.”
[10:21] 107 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:21] 108 tn Or “will rebel against.”
[10:23] 109 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[10:23] 110 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.”
[10:23] 111 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn) I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.
[10:23] 112 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.” “Town” was chosen here to emphasize the extensive nature of the disciples’ ministry. The same word is translated earlier in the verse as “place.”
[10:24] 113 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[10:26] 114 tn Grk “Therefore do not.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
[10:26] 115 tn Or “concealed.”
[10:26] 116 sn I.e., be revealed by God. The passive voice here and in the next verb see the revelation as coming from God. The text is both a warning about bad things being revealed and an encouragement that good things will be made known.
[10:27] 117 tn Grk “what you hear in the ear,” an idiom.
[10:27] 118 tn The expression “proclaim from the housetops” is an idiom for proclaiming something publicly (L&N 7.51). Roofs of many first century Jewish houses in Judea and Galilee were flat and had access either from outside or from within the house. Something shouted from atop a house would be heard by everyone in the street below.
[10:28] 119 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[10:28] 120 sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.
[10:28] 121 sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
[10:29] 122 sn The penny refers to an assarion, a small Roman copper coin. One of them was worth one-sixteenth of a denarius or less than a half hour’s average wage. Sparrows were the cheapest items sold in the market. God knows about even the most financially insignificant things; see Isa 49:15.
[10:29] 123 tn Or “to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father.”
[10:31] 124 sn Do not be afraid. One should respect and show reverence to God, but need not fear his tender care.
[10:32] 125 tn Or “confesses.”
[10:32] 126 tn Grk “I will acknowledge him also.”
[10:34] 127 tn Grk “cast.” For βάλλω (ballw) in the sense of causing a state or condition, see L&N 13.14.
[10:36] 128 tn Matt 10:35-36 are an allusion to Mic 7:6.
[10:38] 129 sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection.
[10:39] 130 tn Grk “his soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
[10:39] 131 sn If there is no willingness to suffer the world’s rejection at this point, then one will not respond to Jesus (which is trying to find life) and then will be subject to this judgment (which is losing it).
[10:39] 132 tn Or “for my sake.” The traditional rendering “for my sake” can be understood in the sense of “for my benefit,” but the Greek term ἕνεκα indicates the cause or reason for something (BDAG 334 s.v. 1).
[10:40] 133 sn The one who sent me refers to God.
[10:41] 134 tn Grk “And whoever.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[10:42] 135 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[11:1] 136 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[11:2] 137 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[11:2] 138 tc The Western codex D and a few other
[11:2] 139 tc Instead of “by his disciples” (see the tn below for the reading of the Greek), the majority of later
[11:3] 140 sn Aspects of Jesus’ ministry may have led John to question whether Jesus was the promised stronger and greater one who is to come that he had preached about in Matt 3:1-12.
[11:4] 141 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[11:4] 142 sn What you hear and see. The following activities all paraphrase various OT descriptions of the time of promised salvation: Isa 35:5-6; 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1. Jesus is answering not by acknowledging a title, but by pointing to the nature of his works, thus indicating the nature of the time.
[11:5] 143 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. Two other conjunctions are omitted in this series.
[11:7] 146 tn There is a debate as to whether one should read this figuratively (“to see someone who is easily blown over?”) or literally (Grk “to see the wilderness vegetation?… No, to see a prophet”). Either view makes good sense, but the following examples suggest the question should be read literally and understood to point to the fact that a prophet drew them to the desert.
[11:8] 147 tn Grk “But what.” Here ἀλλά (alla, a strong contrastive in Greek) produces a somewhat awkward sense in English, and has not been translated. The same situation occurs at the beginning of v. 9.
[11:8] 148 sn The reference to fancy clothes makes the point that John was not rich or powerful, in that he did not come from the wealthy classes.
[11:9] 150 tn John the Baptist is “more” because he introduces the one (Jesus) who brings the new era. The term is neuter, but may be understood as masculine in this context (BDAG 806 s.v. περισσότερος b).
[11:10] 151 tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).
[11:10] 152 sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[11:11] 153 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[11:11] 154 sn After John comes a shift of eras. The new era is so great that the lowest member of it (the one who is least in the kingdom of God) is greater than the greatest one of the previous era.
[11:12] 155 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[11:12] 156 tn Or “the kingdom of heaven is forcibly entered and violent people take hold of it.” For a somewhat different interpretation of this passage, see the note on the phrase “urged to enter in” in Luke 16:16.
[11:13] 157 tn The word “appeared” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[11:15] 158 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[11:16] 159 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[11:16] 160 tn Grk “who call out to one another, saying.” The participle λέγουσιν (legousin) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[11:17] 161 sn ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance…’ The children of this generation were making the complaint (see vv. 18-19) that others were not playing the game according to the way they played the music. John and Jesus did not follow “their tune.” Jesus’ complaint was that this generation wanted things their way, not God’s.
[11:17] 162 tn The verb ἐθρηνήσαμεν (eqrhnhsamen) refers to the loud wailing and lamenting used to mourn the dead in public in 1st century Jewish culture.
[11:18] 163 sn John the Baptist was too separatist and ascetic for some, and so he was accused of not being directed by God, but by a demon.
[11:19] 164 tn Grk “Behold a man.”
[11:19] 165 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[11:19] 166 sn Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint.
[11:19] 167 tn Or “shown to be right.”
[11:19] 168 tc Most witnesses (B2 C D L Θ Ë1 33 Ï lat) have “children” (τέκνων, teknwn) here instead of “deeds” (ἔργων, ergwn), but since “children” is the reading of the parallel in Luke 7:35, scribes would be motivated to convert the less colorful “deeds” into more animate offspring of wisdom. Further, ἔργων enjoys support from א B* W (Ë13) as well as early versional and patristic support.
[11:20] 169 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis) which can be translated “city” or “town.” “Cities” was chosen here to emphasize the size of the places Jesus’ mentions in the following verses.
[11:21] 170 sn Chorazin was a town of Galilee that was probably fairly small in contrast to Bethsaida and is otherwise unattested. Bethsaida was declared a polis by the tetrarch Herod Philip, sometime after
[11:21] 171 tn This introduces a second class (contrary to fact) condition in the Greek text.
[11:21] 172 tn Or “powerful deeds.”
[11:21] 173 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[11:21] 174 sn Tyre and Sidon are two other notorious OT cities (Isa 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4). The remark is a severe rebuke, in effect: “Even the sinners of the old era would have responded to the proclamation of the kingdom, unlike you!”
[11:23] 175 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
[11:23] 176 tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.
[11:23] 177 sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
[11:24] 178 sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious, and will result in more severe punishment, than the worst sins of the old era. The phrase region of Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.
[11:25] 179 tn Grk “At that time, answering, Jesus said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[11:25] 181 sn The title Lord is an important name for God, showing his sovereignty, but it is interesting that it comes next to a reference to the Father, a term indicative of God’s care. The two concepts are often related in the NT; see Eph 1:3-6.
[11:25] 183 sn See 1 Cor 1:26-31.
[11:26] 184 tn Grk “for (to do) thus was well-pleasing before you,” BDAG 325 s.v. ἔμπροσθεν 1.b.δ; speaking of something taking place “before” God is a reverential way of avoiding direct connection of the action to him.
[11:27] 185 sn This verse has been noted for its conceptual similarity to teaching in John’s Gospel (10:15; 17:2). The authority of the Son and the Father are totally intertwined.
[11:27] 186 tn Or “wishes”; or “intends”; or “plans” (cf. BDAG 182 s.v. βούλομαι 2.b). Here it is the Son who has sovereignty.
[11:29] 187 sn A yoke is a wooden bar or frame that joins two animals like oxen or horses so that they can pull a wagon, plow, etc. together. Here it is used figuratively of the restrictions that a teacher or rabbi would place on his followers.
[12:1] 188 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:1] 189 tn Or “heads of grain.” While the generic term στάχυς (stacus) can refer to the cluster of seeds at the top of grain such as barley or wheat, in the NT the term is restricted to wheat (L&N 3.40; BDAG 941 s.v. 1).
[12:2] 190 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[12:3] 191 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:4] 192 tc The Greek verb ἔφαγεν (efagen, “he ate”) is found in a majority of witnesses (Ì70 C D L W Θ Ë1,13 33 Ï latt sy co) in place of ἔφαγον (efagon, “they ate”), the wording found in א B pc. ἔφαγεν is most likely motivated by the parallels in Mark and Luke (both of which have the singular).
[12:4] 193 tn Grk “the bread of presentation.”
[12:4] 194 sn Jesus’ response to the charge that what his disciples were doing was against the law is one of analogy: “If David did it for his troops in a time of need, then so can I with my disciples.” Jesus is clear that on the surface there was a violation here. What is not as clear is whether he is arguing a “greater need” makes this permissible or that this was within the intention of the law all along.
[12:4] 195 sn See 1 Sam 21:1-6.
[12:6] 196 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:7] 197 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:7] 198 sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 9:13).
[12:8] 199 tn The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text.
[12:9] 200 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[12:9] 201 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:9] 202 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[12:10] 203 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[12:10] 204 sn Withered means the man’s hand was shrunken and paralyzed.
[12:10] 205 tn Grk “and they asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated. The referent of the pronoun (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:10] 206 sn The background for this is the view that only if life was endangered should one attempt to heal on the Sabbath (see the Mishnah, m. Shabbat 6.3; 12.1; 18.3; 19.2; m. Yoma 8.6).
[12:13] 207 sn The passive was restored points to healing by God. Now the question became: Would God exercise his power through Jesus, if what Jesus was doing were wrong? Note also Jesus’ “labor.” He simply spoke and it was so.
[12:15] 209 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[12:15] 210 tc א B pc lat read only πολλοί (polloi, “many”) here, the first hand of N reads ὄχλοι (ocloi, “crowds”), while virtually all the rest of the witnesses have ὄχλοι πολλοί (ocloi polloi, “great crowds”). In spite of the good quality of both א and B (especially in combination), and the testimony of the Latin witnesses, the longer reading is most likely correct; the shorter readings were probably due to homoioteleuton.
[12:17] 211 tn Grk “so that what was said by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled, saying.” This final clause, however, is part of one sentence in Greek (vv. 15b-17) and is thus not related only to v. 16. The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant and has not been translated.
[12:18] 212 tn Grk “Behold my servant.”
[12:18] 213 tn Grk “in whom my soul is well pleased.”
[12:21] 214 tn Or “the nations” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
[12:21] 215 sn Verses 18-21 are a quotation from Isa 42:1-4.
[12:22] 216 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:22] 217 tn Grk “demoniac, and he healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw.”
[12:24] 218 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[12:24] 219 tn Grk “except by Beelzebul.”
[12:25] 221 tc The majority of
[12:25] 222 sn Jesus here demonstrated the absurdity of the thinking of the religious leaders who maintained that he was in league with Satan and that he actually derived his power from the devil. He first teaches (vv. 25-28) that if he casts out demons by the ruler of the demons, then in reality Satan is fighting against himself, with the result that his kingdom has come to an end. He then teaches (v. 29) about tying up the strong man to prove that he does not need to align himself with the devil because he is more powerful. Jesus defeated Satan at his temptation (4:1-11) and by his exorcisms he clearly demonstrated himself to be stronger than the devil. The passage reveals the desperate condition of the religious leaders, who in their hatred for Jesus end up attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan (a position for which they will be held accountable, 12:31-32).
[12:25] 223 tn Or “is left in ruins.”
[12:26] 224 tn This first class condition, the first of three “if” clauses in the following verses, presents the example vividly as if it were so. In fact, all three conditions in these verses are first class. The examples are made totally parallel. The expected answer is that Satan’s kingdom will not stand, so the suggestion makes no sense. Satan would not seek to heal.
[12:27] 225 sn Most read your sons as a reference to Jewish exorcists (cf. “your followers,” L&N 9.4), but more likely this is a reference to the disciples of Jesus themselves, who are also Jewish and have been healing as well (R. J. Shirock, “Whose Exorcists are they? The Referents of οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν at Matthew 12:27/Luke 11:19,” JSNT 46 [1992]: 41-51). If this is a reference to the disciples, then Jesus’ point is that it is not only him, but those associated with him whose power the hearers must assess. The following reference to judging also favors this reading.
[12:27] 226 tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[12:28] 227 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong.
[12:28] 228 tn The phrase ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (efqasen ef’ Juma") is quite important. Does it mean merely “approach” (which would be reflected in a translation like “has come near to you”) or actually “come upon” (as in the translation given above, “has already overtaken you,” which has the added connotation of suddenness)? Is the arrival of the kingdom merely anticipated or already in process? Two factors favor arrival over anticipation here. First, the prepositional phrase ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (ef’ Jumas, “upon you”) in the Greek text suggests arrival (Dan 4:24, 28 Theodotion). Second, the following illustration in v. 29 looks at the healing as portraying Satan being overrun. So the presence of God’s authority has arrived. See also L&N 13.123 for the translation of φθάνω (fqanw) as “to happen to already, to come upon, to come upon already.”
[12:29] 229 tn Grk “Or how can.”
[12:29] 230 sn The strong man here pictures Satan.
[12:29] 231 sn Some see the imagery here as similar to Eph 4:7-10, although no opponents are explicitly named in that passage. Jesus has the victory over Satan. Jesus’ acts of healing mean that the war is being won and the kingdom is coming.
[12:30] 232 sn Whoever is not with me is against me. The call here is to join the victor. Failure to do so means that one is being destructive. Responding to Jesus is the issue.
[12:30] 233 sn For the image of scattering, see Pss. Sol. 17:18.
[12:31] 234 tn Grk “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men.”
[12:32] 235 tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”
[12:32] 236 tn Grk “it will not be forgiven him.”
[12:33] 237 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “tree” and “fruit,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
[12:35] 238 tn The Greek text reads here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos). The term is generic referring to any person.
[12:35] 239 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“his evil treasury”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[12:35] 240 sn The treasury here is a metaphorical reference to a person’s heart (cf. BDAG 456 s.v. θησαυρός 1.b and the parallel passage in Luke 6:45).
[12:36] 241 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:38] 242 tn Or “Then some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[12:38] 243 tn Grk “and Pharisees.” The word “some” before “Pharisees” has been supplied for clarification.
[12:38] 244 tn Grk “answered him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant, but the syntax of the sentence was changed to conform to English style.
[12:38] 245 sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.
[12:39] 246 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[12:40] 247 tn Grk “large sea creature.”
[12:40] 248 sn A quotation from Jonah 1:17.
[12:41] 249 tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anhr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1.a, 2).
[12:41] 250 tn Grk “at the preaching of Jonah.”
[12:42] 252 sn On the queen of the South see 1 Kgs 10:1-3 and 2 Chr 9:1-12, as well as Josephus, Ant. 8.6.5-6 (8.165-175). The South most likely refers to modern southwest Arabia, possibly the eastern part of modern Yemen, although there is an ancient tradition reflected in Josephus which identifies this geo-political entity as Ethiopia.
[12:43] 254 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:43] 255 sn Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
[12:43] 256 tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females. This same use occurs in v. 45.
[12:43] 257 sn The background for the reference to waterless places is not entirely clear, though some Jewish texts suggest spirits must have a place to dwell, but not with water (Luke 8:29-31; Tob 8:3). Some suggest that the image of the desert or deserted cities as the places demons dwell is where this idea started (Isa 13:21; 34:14).
[12:43] 258 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[12:44] 259 tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”
[12:44] 261 tn The words “the house” are not in Greek but are implied.
[12:44] 262 sn The image of the house empty, swept clean, and put in order refers to the life of the person from whom the demon departed. The key to the example appears to be that no one else has been invited in to dwell. If an exorcism occurs and there is no response to God, then the way is free for the demon to return. Some see the reference to exorcism as more symbolic; thus the story’s only point is about responding to Jesus. This is possible and certainly is an application of the passage.
[12:45] 263 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding point of the story.
[12:46] 264 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:46] 265 tn Grk “crowds, behold, his mother.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[12:46] 266 sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
[12:46] 267 tn “His mother and brothers came and” is a translation of “behold, his mother and brothers came.”
[12:47] 269 tc A few ancient
[12:47] 270 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[12:48] 272 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[12:48] 273 tn Grk “And answering, he said to the one who had said this.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) at the beginning of the clause has not been translated.
[12:49] 274 tn Grk “extending his hand.”
[12:49] 275 tn Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”
[12:50] 276 tn The pleonastic pronoun αὐτός (autos, “he”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.
[13:2] 277 tn Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.
[13:3] 278 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[13:3] 279 sn Though parables can contain a variety of figures of speech (cf. the remainder of chapter 13), many times they are simply stories that attempt to teach spiritual truth (which is unknown to the hearers) by using a comparison with something known to the hearers. In general, parables usually advance a single idea, though there may be many parts and characters in a single parable and subordinate ideas may expand the main idea further. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.
[13:3] 281 sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well-worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots (Isa 55:10-11). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God.
[13:4] 282 tn In Matthew’s version of this parable, plural pronouns are used to refer to the seed in v. 4 (ἅ…αὐτά [Ja…auta]), although the collective singular is used in v. 5 and following (indicated by the singular verbs like ἔπεσεν [epesen]). For the sake of consistency in English, plural pronouns referring to the seed are used in the translation throughout the Matthean account. In both Mark and Luke the collective singular is used consistently throughout (cf. Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8).
[13:5] 283 tn Here and in vv. 7 and 8 δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:5] 284 sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
[13:5] 285 tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”
[13:7] 286 sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.
[13:7] 287 sn That is, crowded out the good plants.
[13:9] 288 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15, 13:43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[13:10] 289 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[13:11] 290 tn Grk “And answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:11] 291 tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).
[13:11] 292 tn Grk “to you it has been given to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.
[13:11] 293 tn Grk “the mysteries.”
[13:12] 294 sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.
[13:14] 295 tn Grk “with hearing,” a cognate dative that intensifies the action of the main verb “you will listen” (ExSyn 168-69).
[13:14] 296 tn Grk “look by looking.” The participle is redundant, functioning to intensify the force of the main verb.
[13:15] 297 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.
[13:16] 298 sn This beatitude highlights the great honor bestowed on the disciples to share in this salvation.
[13:17] 299 tn Grk “truly (ἀμήν, amhn) I say to you.”
[13:17] 300 sn This is what past prophets and righteous people had wanted very much to see, yet the fulfillment had come to the disciples. This remark is like 1 Pet 1:10-12 or Heb 1:1-2.
[13:19] 301 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Mark 4:15 has “Satan,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
[13:19] 302 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
[13:20] 303 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:20] 304 tn Grk “The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one.” The next two statements like this one have this same syntactical structure.
[13:21] 305 tn Grk “is temporary.”
[13:21] 306 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:22] 307 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:22] 308 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”
[13:22] 309 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
[13:23] 310 tn The Greek is difficult to translate because it switches from a generic “he” to three people within this generic class (thus, something like: “Who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one instance a hundred times, in another, sixty times, in another, thirty times”).
[13:24] 311 tn Grk “He set before them another parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[13:25] 312 tn Grk “sowed darnel.” The Greek term ζιζάνιον (zizanion) refers to an especially undesirable weed that looks like wheat but has poisonous seeds (L&N 3.30).
[13:26] 313 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:27] 314 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[13:28] 315 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the owner’s statement.
[13:30] 316 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[13:30] 318 tn Grk “burned, but gather.”
[13:31] 319 tn Grk “put before.”
[13:31] 320 tn Grk “He set before them another parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[13:31] 321 sn The mustard seed was noted for its tiny size.
[13:32] 322 sn This is rhetorical hyperbole, since technically a mustard plant is not a tree. This could refer to one of two types of mustard plant popular in Palestine and would be either ten or twenty-five ft (3 or 7.5 m) tall.
[13:32] 323 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
[13:32] 324 sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
[13:33] 326 sn This measure was a saton, the Greek name for the Hebrew term “seah.” Three of these was a very large quantity of flour, since a saton is a little over 16 pounds (7 kg) of dry measure (or 13.13 liters). So this was over 47 lbs (21 kg) of flour total, enough to feed over a hundred people.
[13:33] 327 tn Grk “it was all leavened.”
[13:35] 328 tc A few important
[13:35] 329 sn A quotation from Ps 78:2.
[13:37] 330 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[13:38] 331 tn Grk “the sons of the kingdom.” This idiom refers to people who should properly be, or were traditionally regarded as, a part of God’s kingdom. L&N 11.13 translates the phrase: “people of God’s kingdom, God’s people.”
[13:38] 332 tn Grk “the sons of the evil one.” See the preceding note on the phrase “people of the kingdom” earlier in this verse, which is the opposite of this phrase. See also L&N 9.4; 11.13; 11.14.
[13:40] 333 tn Grk “Therefore as.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
[13:41] 334 tn Grk “the ones who practice lawlessness.”
[13:42] 335 sn A quotation from Dan 3:6.
[13:43] 336 sn An allusion to Dan 12:3.
[13:43] 337 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15, 13:9; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35).
[13:50] 338 sn An allusion to Dan 3:6.
[13:52] 339 tn Or “every scribe.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4. It is possible that the term translated “expert in the law” (traditionally, “scribe”) here is a self-description used by the author, Matthew, to represent his role in conveying the traditions about Jesus to his intended audience. See David E. Orton, The Understanding Scribe [JSNTSup].
[13:53] 340 tn Grk “Now it happened that when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[13:54] 341 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[13:54] 342 sn Jesus’ hometown (where he spent his childhood years) was Nazareth, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Capernaum.
[13:54] 343 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[13:54] 344 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.
[13:54] 345 tn Grk “synagogue, so that they.” Here ὥστε (Jwste) has not been translated. Instead a new sentence was started in the translation.
[13:55] 346 sn The reference to Jesus as the carpenter’s son is probably derogatory, indicating that they knew Jesus only as a common laborer like themselves. The reference to his mother…Mary (even though Jesus’ father was probably dead by this point) appears to be somewhat derogatory, for a man was not regarded as his mother’s son in Jewish usage unless an insult was intended (cf. Judg 11:1-2; John 4:41; 8:41; 9:29).
[13:56] 347 tn Grk “Where did he get these things?”
[14:1] 348 sn A tetrarch, a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod, tetrarch of Galilee, is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage rather than an official title.
[14:3] 349 tc ‡ Most witnesses (א2 C D L W Z Θ 0106 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) read αὐτόν (auton, “him”) here as a way of clarifying the direct object; various important witnesses lack the word, however (א* B 700 pc ff1 h q). The original wording most likely lacked it, but it has been included here due to English style. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.
[14:4] 350 tn The imperfect tense verb is here rendered with an iterative force.
[14:4] 351 sn This marriage of Herod to his brother Philip’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left marriages to enter into this union.
[14:5] 352 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[14:5] 353 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Herod) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:5] 354 tn Grk “him” (also in the following phrase, Grk “accepted him”); in both cases the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:7] 355 tn The Greek text reads here ὁμολογέω (Jomologew); though normally translated “acknowledge, confess,” BDAG (708 s.v. 1) lists “assure, promise with an oath” for certain contexts such as here.
[14:9] 356 tn Grk “and being grieved, the king commanded.”
[14:10] 357 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
[14:11] 358 tn Grk “And his”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:12] 359 tn Grk “his”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[14:13] 360 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[14:15] 362 tn Or “a desert” (meaning a deserted or desolate area with sparse vegetation).
[14:16] 363 tc ‡ The majority of witnesses read ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsous, “Jesus”) here, perhaps to clarify the subject. Although only a few Greek
[14:16] 364 tn Here the pronoun ὑμεῖς (Jumeis) is used, making “you” in the translation emphatic.
[14:17] 365 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[14:19] 366 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[14:19] 367 tn Grk “And after instructing the crowds to recline for a meal on the grass, after taking the five loaves and the two fish, after looking up to heaven, he gave thanks, and after breaking the loaves he gave them to the disciples.” Although most of the participles are undoubtedly attendant circumstance, there are but two indicative verbs – “he gave thanks” and “he gave.” The structure of the sentence thus seems to focus on these two actions and has been translated accordingly.
[14:19] 368 tn Grk “to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowds.”
[14:22] 369 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[14:24] 370 tn Grk “The boat was already many stades from the land.” A stade (στάδιον, stadion) was a unit of distance about 607 feet (187 meters) long.
[14:25] 371 tn Grk “In the fourth watch of the night,” that is, between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m.
[14:25] 372 tn Or “on the lake.”
[14:26] 373 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[14:26] 374 tn Grk “on the sea”; or “on the lake.” The translation “water” has been used here for stylistic reasons (cf. the same phrase in v. 25).
[14:27] 375 tc Most witnesses have ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo Ihsous, “Jesus”), while a few lack the words (א* D 073 892 pc ff1 syc sa bo). Although such additions are often suspect (due to liturgical influences, piety, or for the sake of clarity), in this case it is likely that ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς dropped out accidentally. Apart from a few albeit important witnesses, as noted above, the rest of the tradition has either ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς αὐτοῖς (Jo Ihsous autois) or αὐτοῖς ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (autois Jo Ihsous). In uncial letters, with Jesus’ name as a nomen sacrum, this would have been written as autoisois_ or ois_autois. Thus homoioteleuton could explain the reason for the omission of Jesus’ name.
[14:27] 376 tn Grk “he said to them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[14:28] 377 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[14:28] 378 tn Grk “answering him, Peter said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.
[14:30] 379 tn Grk “he cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[14:34] 380 sn Gennesaret was a fertile plain south of Capernaum (see also Mark 6:53). The Sea of Galilee was also sometimes known as the Sea of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1).
[14:35] 381 tn Grk “men”; the word here (ἀνήρ, anhr) usually indicates males or husbands, but occasionally is used in a generic sense of people in general, as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 1.a, 2).
[14:36] 382 tn Grk “asked that they might touch.”
[15:1] 383 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[15:1] 384 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[15:1] 385 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[15:1] 386 tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb so that its telic (i.e., final or conclusive) force can be more easily detected: The Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus in order to speak with him.
[15:2] 387 tc ‡ Although most witnesses read the genitive plural pronoun αὐτῶν (autwn, “their”), it may have been motivated by clarification (as it is in the translation above). Several other authorities do not have the pronoun, however (א B Δ 073 Ë1 579 700 892 1424 pc f g1); the lack of an unintentional oversight as the reason for omission strengthens their combined testimony in this shorter reading. NA27 has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[15:2] 388 tn Grk “when they eat bread.”
[15:3] 389 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.”
[15:4] 390 tc Most
[15:4] 391 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12; Deut 5:16.
[15:4] 392 sn A quotation from Exod 21:17; Lev 20:9.
[15:5] 393 tn Grk “is a gift,” that is, something dedicated to God.
[15:6] 394 tc The logic of v. 5 would seem to demand that both father and mother are in view in v. 6. Indeed, the majority of
[15:8] 395 tn The term “heart” is a collective singular in the Greek text.
[15:9] 396 sn A quotation from Isa 29:13.
[15:10] 397 tn Grk “And calling the crowd, he said to them.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesamenos) has been translated as attendant circumstance. The emphasis here is upon Jesus’ speaking to the crowd.
[15:11] 398 tn Grk “but what.”
[15:12] 399 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[15:13] 400 tn Grk “And answering, he said.”
[15:14] 401 tc ‡ Most
[15:14] 402 tn Grk “If blind leads blind.”
[15:15] 403 tn Grk “And answering, Peter said to him.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[15:16] 404 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[15:17] 405 tn Or “into the latrine.”
[15:20] 406 tn Grk “but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”
[15:21] 407 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[15:21] 408 map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[15:22] 409 tn Grk “And behold a Canaanite.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[15:22] 410 tn Grk The participle ἐξελθοῦσα (exelqousa) is here translated as a finite verb. The emphasis is upon her crying out to Jesus.
[15:22] 411 tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[15:23] 412 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[15:23] 413 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[15:24] 414 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The construction in Greek is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the disciples’ request.
[15:25] 415 tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).
[15:25] 416 tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”
[15:26] 417 tn Grk “And answering, he said, ‘It is not right.’” The introductory phrase “answering, he said” has been simplified and placed at the end of the English sentence for stylistic reasons. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[15:26] 418 tn Or “lap dogs, house dogs,” as opposed to dogs on the street. The diminutive form originally referred to puppies or little dogs, then to house pets. In some Hellenistic uses κυνάριον (kunarion) simply means “dog.”
[15:26] 419 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant and has not been translated.
[15:27] 420 tn Grk “she said.”
[15:28] 421 tn Grk “Then answering, Jesus said to her.” This expression has been simplified in the translation.
[15:28] 422 sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.
[15:30] 423 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[15:30] 424 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[15:32] 425 tc ‡ Although the external evidence is not great (א W Θ 700 pc), the internal evidence for the omission of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after “disciples” is fairly strong. The pronoun may have been added by way of clarification. NA27, however, includes the pronoun, on the basis of the much stronger external evidence.
[15:36] 426 tn Grk “was giving them to the disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.”
[15:37] 427 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[15:38] 428 tc ‡ Although most witnesses (B C L W Ë13 33 Ï f sys,p,h mae) read “women and children” instead of “children and women,” it is likely that the majority’s reading is a harmonization to Matt 14:21. “Children and women” is found in early and geographically widespread witnesses (e.g., א D [Θ Ë1] 579 lat syc sa bo), and has more compelling internal arguments on its side, suggesting that this is the original reading. NA27, however, agrees with the majority of witnesses.
[15:38] 429 tn Grk “And those eating were four thousand men, apart from children and women.”
[15:39] 430 sn Magadan was a place along the Sea of Galilee, the exact location of which is uncertain.
[16:1] 431 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[16:1] 432 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[16:1] 433 tn The object of the participle πειράζοντες (peirazontes) is not given in the Greek text but has been supplied here for clarity.
[16:1] 434 sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.
[16:2] 435 tn Grk “But answering, he said to them.” The construction has been simplified in the translation and δέ (de) has not been translated.
[16:3] 436 tn Or “red and gloomy” (L&N 14.56).
[16:3] 437 tn Grk “The face of the sky you know how to discern.”
[16:4] 438 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[16:6] 439 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[16:6] 440 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[16:7] 441 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ saying about the Pharisees and Sadducees.
[16:8] 442 tn Or “becoming aware of it.”
[16:8] 443 tn Grk “Those of little faith.”
[16:8] 444 tn Or “discussing.”
[16:13] 445 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[16:13] 446 map For location see Map1 C1; Map2 F4.
[16:13] 447 tn Grk “he asked his disciples, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has been left untranslated.
[16:14] 448 sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.
[16:16] 449 tn Grk “And answering, Simon Peter said.”
[16:16] 450 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[16:17] 451 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of this phrase has been modified for clarity.
[16:17] 452 tn The expression “flesh and blood” could refer to “any human being” (so TEV, NLT; cf. NIV “man”), but it could also refer to Peter himself (i.e., his own intuition; cf. CEV “You didn’t discover this on your own”). Because of the ambiguity of the referent, the phrase “flesh and blood” has been retained in the translation.
[16:18] 453 tn Or “and the power of death” (taking the reference to the gates of Hades as a metonymy).
[16:20] 454 tc Most
[16:21] 455 tn Grk “From then.”
[16:21] 456 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[16:21] 457 sn The necessity that the Son of Man suffer is the particular point that needed emphasis since for many 1st century Jews the Messiah was a glorious and powerful figure, not a suffering one.
[16:21] 458 tn Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[16:22] 459 tn Grk “began to rebuke him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[16:22] 460 tn Grk “Merciful to you.” A highly elliptical expression: “May God be merciful to you in sparing you from having to undergo [some experience]” (L&N 88.78). A contemporary English equivalent is “God forbid!”
[16:24] 462 tn Grk “to come after me.”
[16:24] 463 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.
[16:24] 464 sn To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.
[16:25] 465 tn Or “soul” (throughout vv. 25-26).
[16:25] 466 sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.
[16:26] 467 tn Grk “a man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here to refer to both men and women.
[16:27] 468 sn An allusion to Pss 28:4; 62:12; cf. Prov 24:12.
[16:28] 469 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[16:28] 470 tn The Greek negative here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is the strongest possible.
[16:28] 471 tn Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
[16:28] 472 sn Several suggestions have been made as to the referent for the phrase the Son of Man coming in his kingdom: (1) the transfiguration itself, which immediately follows in the narrative; (2) Jesus’ resurrection and ascension; (3) the coming of the Spirit; (4) Christ’s role in the Church; (5) the destruction of Jerusalem; (6) Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of the kingdom. The reference to six days later in 17:1 seems to indicate that Matthew had the transfiguration in mind insofar as it was a substantial prefiguring of the consummation of the kingdom (although this interpretation is not without its problems). As such, the transfiguration would be a tremendous confirmation to the disciples that even though Jesus had just finished speaking of his death (in vv. 21-23), he was nonetheless the promised Messiah and things were proceeding according to God’s plan.
[17:1] 473 tn Grk “And after six days.”
[17:1] 474 tn Grk “John his brother” with “his” referring to James.
[17:2] 475 sn In 1st century Judaism and in the NT, there was the belief that the righteous get new, glorified bodies in order to enter heaven (1 Cor 15:42-49; 2 Cor 5:1-10). This transformation means the righteous will share the glory of God. One recalls the way Moses shared the Lord’s glory after his visit to the mountain in Exod 34. So the disciples saw Jesus transfigured, and they were getting a sneak preview of the great glory that Jesus would have (only his glory is more inherent to him as one who shares in the rule of the kingdom).
[17:2] 476 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[17:3] 477 tn Grk “And behold, Moses.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[17:3] 478 sn Commentators and scholars discuss why Moses and Elijah are present. The most likely explanation is that Moses represents the prophetic office (Acts 3:18-22) and Elijah pictures the presence of the last days (Mal 4:5-6), the prophet of the eschaton (the end times).
[17:4] 479 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the appearance of Moses and Elijah prompted Peter’s comment.
[17:4] 480 tn Grk “Peter answering said.” This construction is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[17:4] 481 tc Instead of the singular future indicative ποιήσω (poihsw, “I will make”), most witnesses (C3 D L W Θ [Φ] 0281 Ë[1],13 33 Ï lat sy co) have the plural aorist subjunctive ποιήσωμεν (poihswmen, “let us make”). But since ποιήσωμεν is the reading found in the parallel accounts in Mark and Luke, it is almost surely a motivated reading. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, as well as a few others (א B C* 700 pc) have ποιήσω. It is thus more likely that the singular verb is authentic.
[17:4] 482 tn Or “booths,” “dwellings” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles).
[17:5] 483 tn Grk “behold, a.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here or in the following clause because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[17:5] 484 sn This cloud is the cloud of God’s presence and the voice is his as well.
[17:5] 485 tn Or “surrounded.”
[17:5] 486 tn Grk “behold, a voice from the cloud, saying.” This is an incomplete sentence in Greek which portrays intensity and emotion. The participle λέγουσα (legousa) was translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style.
[17:5] 487 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
[17:5] 488 sn The expression listen to him comes from Deut 18:15 and makes two points: 1) Jesus is a prophet like Moses, a leader-prophet, and 2) they have much yet to learn from him.
[17:6] 489 tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
[17:8] 490 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[17:9] 491 tn Grk “Jesus commanded them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[17:10] 492 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
[17:10] 493 tn Or “do the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[17:11] 494 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This has been simplified in the translation.
[17:12] 495 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[17:14] 496 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[17:15] 497 tn Grk “he is moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB, NASB), although now the term is generally regarded as referring to some sort of seizure disorder such as epilepsy (L&N 23.169; BDAG 919 s.v. σεληνιάζομαι).
[17:16] 498 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[17:17] 499 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[17:17] 500 tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (w), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”
[17:17] 501 tn Or “faithless.”
[17:17] 502 tn Grk “how long.”
[17:17] 503 tn Or “put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.
[17:17] 504 sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.
[17:18] 505 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
[17:18] 506 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
[17:19] 507 tn Grk “coming, the disciples said.” The participle προσελθόντες (proselqontes) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
[17:20] 508 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[17:20] 509 tn Grk “faith as,” “faith like.”
[17:20] 510 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[17:21] 511 tc Many important
[17:22] 512 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[17:22] 513 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV “into human hands”; TEV, CEV “to people”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.
[17:24] 514 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[17:24] 515 map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[17:24] 516 tn Grk “Collectors of the double drachma.” This is a case of metonymy, where the coin formerly used to pay the tax (the double drachma coin, or δίδραχμον [didracmon]) was put for the tax itself (cf. BDAG 241 s.v.). Even though this coin was no longer in circulation in NT times and other coins were used to pay the tax, the name for the coin was still used to refer to the tax itself.
[17:25] 517 tn Grk “spoke first to him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[17:25] 518 sn The phrase their sons may mean “their citizens,” but the term “sons” has been retained here in order to preserve the implicit comparison between the Father and his Son, Jesus.
[17:26] 519 sn See the note on the phrase their sons in the previous verse.
[17:27] 520 sn The four drachma coin was a stater (στατήρ, stathr), a silver coin worth four drachmas. One drachma was equivalent to one denarius, the standard pay for a day’s labor (L&N 6.80).
[18:3] 521 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[18:3] 522 sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.
[18:3] 523 tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.
[18:5] 524 tn This verb, δέχομαι (decomai), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).
[18:6] 525 tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”
[18:6] 526 tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.
[18:6] 527 tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”
[18:7] 528 tn Grk “For it.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[18:8] 529 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:8] 530 sn In Greek there is a wordplay that is difficult to reproduce in English here. The verb translated “causes…to sin” (σκανδαλίζω, skandalizw) comes from the same root as the word translated “stumbling blocks” (σκάνδαλον, skandalon) in the previous verse.
[18:8] 531 tn Grk “than having.”
[18:9] 532 tn Grk “than having.”
[18:9] 533 tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”
[18:11] 534 tc The most important
[18:12] 535 tn Grk “a certain man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.
[18:12] 536 sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.
[18:12] 537 sn Look for the one that went astray. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.
[18:13] 538 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[18:15] 539 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. All the “if” clauses in this paragraph are third class conditions in Greek.
[18:15] 540 tn The Greek term “brother” can mean “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a) whether male or female. It can also refer to siblings, though here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God. Therefore, because of the familial connotations, “brother” has been retained in the translation here in preference to the more generic “fellow believer” (“fellow Christian” would be anachronistic in this context).
[18:15] 541 tc ‡ The earliest and best witnesses lack “against you” after “if your brother sins.” It is quite possible that the shorter reading in these witnesses (א B, as well as 0281 Ë1 579 pc sa) occurred when scribes either intentionally changed the text (to make it more universal in application) or unintentionally changed the text (owing to the similar sound of the end of the verb ἁμαρτήσῃ [Jamarthsh] and the prepositional phrase εἰς σέ [eis se]). However, if the
[18:15] 542 tn Grk “go reprove him.”
[18:16] 543 sn A quotation from Deut 19:15.
[18:17] 544 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:17] 545 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:17] 546 tn Grk “let him be to you as.”
[18:17] 548 sn To treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector means not to associate with such a person. See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[18:18] 549 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[18:19] 550 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[18:19] 551 tn Grk “if two of you…agree about whatever they ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the pronouns, which change from second person plural to third person plural in the Greek text, have been consistently translated as second person plural.
[18:21] 552 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
[18:22] 553 tn Or “seventy times seven,” i.e., an unlimited number of times. See L&N 60.74 and 60.77 for the two possible translations of the phrase.
[18:23] 554 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[18:24] 555 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:24] 556 sn A talent was a huge sum of money, equal to 6,000 denarii. One denarius was the usual day’s wage for a worker. L&N 6.82 states, “a Greek monetary unit (also a unit of weight) with a value which fluctuated, depending upon the particular monetary system which prevailed at a particular period of time (a silver talent was worth approximately six thousand denarii with gold talents worth at least thirty times that much).”
[18:25] 557 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:25] 558 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[18:25] 559 tn Grk “and his wife.”
[18:26] 560 tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.
[18:26] 561 tc The majority of
[18:28] 562 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[18:28] 563 tn Grk “one hundred denarii.” The denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be about three month’s pay.
[18:28] 564 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so.” A new sentence was started at this point in the translation in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
[18:28] 565 tn Grk “and he grabbed him and started choking him.”
[18:28] 566 tn The word “me” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[18:29] 567 tn Grk “begged him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[18:31] 568 tn Grk “Therefore when.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
[18:32] 569 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the first slave mentioned in v. 24) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[18:34] 570 tn Grk “handed him over to the torturers,” referring specifically to guards whose job was to torture prisoners who were being questioned. According to L&N 37.126, it is difficult to know for certain in this instance whether the term actually envisions torture as a part of the punishment or is simply a hyperbole. However, in light of the following verse and Jesus’ other warning statements in Matthew about “fiery hell,” “the outer darkness,” etc., it is best not to dismiss this as mere imagery.
[18:35] 571 tn Grk “his.” The pronoun has been translated to follow English idiom (the last pronoun of the verse [“from your heart”] is second person plural in the original).
[18:35] 572 tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a), whether male or female. Concerning the familial connotations, see also the note on the first occurrence of this term in v. 15.
[19:1] 573 tn Grk “it happened when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[19:1] 574 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).
[19:3] 575 tn Grk “And Pharisees.”
[19:3] 576 tc ‡ Most
[19:3] 577 sn The question of the Pharisees was anything but sincere; they were asking it to test him. Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan) and it is likely that the Pharisees were hoping he might answer the question of divorce in a way similar to John the Baptist and so suffer the same fate as John, i.e., death at the hands of Herod (cf. 14:1-12). Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deut 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God’s original design.
[19:4] 578 sn A quotation from Gen 1:27; 5:2.
[19:5] 579 sn A quotation from Gen 2:24.
[19:7] 580 tc ‡ Although the majority of witnesses (B C W 078 087 Ë13 33 Ï syp,h) have αὐτήν (authn, “her”) after the infinitive ἀπολῦσαι (apolusai, “to divorce”), a variant lacks the αὐτήν. This shorter reading may be due to assimilation to the Markan parallel, but since it is attested in early and diverse witnesses (א D L Z Θ Ë1 579 700 pc lat) and since the parallel verse (Mark 10:4) already departs at many points, the shorter reading seems more likely to be original. The pronoun has been included in the translation, however, for clarity. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations regarding its authenticity.
[19:8] 581 tc A few important
[19:8] 582 tn Grk “heart” (a collective singular).
[19:10] 583 tc ‡ Some significant witnesses, along with the majority of later
[19:11] 584 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[19:12] 585 tn Grk “from the womb of the mother” (an idiom).
[19:12] 586 tn The verb εὐνουχίζω occurs twice in this verse, translated the first time as “made eunuchs” and the second time as “became eunuchs.” The term literally refers to castration. The second occurrence of the word in this verse is most likely figurative, though, referring to those who willingly maintain a life of celibacy for the furtherance of the kingdom (see W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison, Matthew [ICC], 3:23).
[19:13] 588 tn Grk “so that he would lay his hands on them and pray.”
[19:13] 589 tn Grk “the disciples scolded them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples scolded the children rather than their parents who brought them.
[19:14] 590 sn The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.
[19:15] 591 tn Grk “went from there.”
[19:16] 592 tn Grk “And behold one came.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[19:19] 593 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.
[19:19] 594 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[19:20] 595 tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.
[19:20] 596 tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:21] 597 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[19:21] 598 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
[19:22] 599 tn Grk “he had many possessions.” This term (κτῆμα, kthma) is often used for land as a possession.
[19:23] 600 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[19:24] 601 tn Grk “I say to you.”
[19:24] 602 tc A few late witnesses (579 1424 pc) read κάμιλον (kamilon, “rope”) for κάμηλον (kamhlon, “camel”), either through accidental misreading of the text or intentionally so as to soften Jesus’ words.
[19:24] 603 sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus was saying rhetorically that it is impossible for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom, unless God (v. 26) intervenes.
[19:25] 604 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[19:25] 605 sn The assumption is that the rich are blessed, so if they risk exclusion, who is left to be saved?
[19:26] 606 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[19:26] 607 tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anqrwpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men, but for God all things are possible”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” in v. 28.
[19:27] 608 tn Grk “Then answering, Peter said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
[19:27] 609 sn Peter wants reassurance that the disciples’ response and sacrifice have been noticed.
[19:27] 610 tn Grk “We have left everything and followed you.” Koine Greek often used paratactic structure when hypotactic was implied.
[19:28] 611 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[19:28] 612 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[19:28] 613 sn The Greek term translated the age when all things are renewed (παλιγγενεσία, palingenesia) is understood as a reference to the Messianic age, the time when all things are renewed and restored (cf. Rev 21:5).
[19:28] 614 sn The statement you…will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel looks at the future authority the Twelve will have when Jesus returns. They will share in Israel’s judgment.
[19:29] 615 sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (a hundred times as much) and (2) eternal life will be given.
[20:1] 616 sn The term landowner here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
[20:2] 617 tn Grk “agreeing with the workers for a denarius a day.”
[20:3] 618 tn Grk “about the third hour.”
[20:5] 619 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:5] 620 tn Grk “he went out again about the sixth and ninth hour.”
[20:6] 621 tn Grk “about the eleventh hour.”
[20:8] 622 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:8] 623 sn That is, six o’clock in the evening, the hour to pay day laborers. See Lev 19:13b.
[20:8] 624 tc ‡ Most witnesses (including B D W Θ Ë1,13 33vid Ï latt sy) have αὐτοῖς (autois, “to them”) after ἀπόδος (apodos, “give the pay”), but this seems to be a motivated reading, clarifying the indirect object. The omission is supported by א C L Z 085 Or. Nevertheless, NA27 includes the pronoun on the basis of the greater external attestation.
[20:9] 625 tn Grk “each received a denarius.” See the note on the phrase “standard wage” in v. 2.
[20:11] 626 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:11] 627 tn The imperfect verb ἐγόγγυζον (egonguzon) has been translated ingressively.
[20:13] 628 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the landowner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[20:13] 629 tn Grk “And answering, he said to one of them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation.
[20:13] 630 tn Grk “for a denarius a day.”
[20:14] 631 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:14] 632 tn Grk “this last one,” translated as “this last man” because field laborers in 1st century Palestine were men.
[20:15] 633 tc ‡ Before οὐκ (ouk, “[am I] not”) a number of significant witnesses read ἤ (h, “or”; e.g., א C W 085 Ë1,13 33 and most others). Although in later Greek the οι in σοι (oi in soi) – the last word of v. 14 – would have been pronounced like ἤ, since ἤ is lacking in early
[20:15] 634 tn Grk “Is your eye evil because I am good?”
[20:17] 635 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[20:17] 636 tc ‡ A number of significant witnesses (e.g., B C W 085 33 lat) have μαθητάς (maqhtas, “disciples”) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”), perhaps by way of clarification, while other important witnesses lack the word (e.g., א D L Θ Ë1,13). The longer reading looks to be a scribal clarification, and hence is considered to be secondary. NA27 puts the word in brackets to show doubts about its authenticity.
[20:18] 637 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[20:19] 638 tn Traditionally, “scourged” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “The ‘verberatio’ is denoted in the passion predictions and explicitly as action by non-Israelites Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33”; the verberatio was the beating given to those condemned to death in the Roman judicial system. Here the term μαστιγόω (mastigow) has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.
[20:19] 639 sn Crucifixion was the cruelest form of punishment practiced by the Romans. Roman citizens could not normally undergo it. It was reserved for the worst crimes, like treason and evasion of due process in a capital case. The Roman historian Cicero called it “a cruel and disgusting penalty” (Against Verres 2.5.63-66 §§163-70); Josephus (J. W. 7.6.4 [7.203]) called it the worst of deaths.
[20:19] 640 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[20:20] 641 tn Grk “asked something from him.”
[20:21] 642 tn Grk “said to him.”
[20:21] 643 tn Grk “Say that.”
[20:21] 644 tc A majority of witnesses read σου (sou, “your”) here, perhaps for clarification. At the same time, it is possible that the pronoun dropped out through haplography or was excised because of perceived redundancy (there are two other such pronouns in the verse) by א B. Either way, the translation adds it due to the requirements of English style. NA27 includes σου here.
[20:22] 645 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:22] 646 tn The verbs in Greek are plural here, indicating that Jesus is not answering the mother but has turned his attention directly to the two disciples.
[20:22] 647 tc Most
[20:22] 648 sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.
[20:23] 649 tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.
[20:24] 650 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[20:24] 652 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[20:27] 653 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[20:28] 654 sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.
[20:29] 655 map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[20:30] 656 tn Grk “And behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[20:30] 657 tn Grk “shouted, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[20:30] 658 sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.
[20:30] 659 sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
[20:31] 660 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[20:31] 661 tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.
[20:31] 662 tc ‡ The majority of
[21:1] 663 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[21:1] 664 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[21:1] 665 sn The exact location of the village of Bethphage is not known. Most put it on the southeast side of the Mount of Olives and northwest of Bethany, about 1.5 miles (3 km) east of Jerusalem.
[21:1] 666 sn “Mountain” in English generally denotes a higher elevation than it often does in reference to places in Palestine. The Mount of Olives is really a ridge running north to south about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) long, east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. Its central elevation is about 30 meters (100 ft) higher than Jerusalem. It was named for the large number of olive trees which grew on it.
[21:2] 667 tn Grk “the village lying before you” (BDAG 530 s.v. κατέναντι 2.b).
[21:3] 668 sn The custom called angaria allowed the impressment of animals for service to a significant figure.
[21:4] 669 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:4] 670 tn Grk “what was spoken by the prophet, saying.” The present participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant and has not been translated.
[21:5] 671 tn Grk “Tell the daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.
[21:5] 672 tn Grk “the foal of an animal under the yoke,” i.e., a hard-working animal. This is a quotation from Zech 9:9.
[21:6] 673 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ instructions in vv. 2-3.
[21:7] 674 tn Grk “garments”; but this refers in context to their outer cloaks. The action is like 2 Kgs 9:13.
[21:8] 675 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:9] 676 tn Grk “were shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[21:9] 677 tn The expression ῾Ωσαννά (Jwsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84.
[21:9] 678 sn A quotation from Ps 118:25-26.
[21:10] 679 tn Grk “was shaken.” The translation “thrown into an uproar” is given by L&N 25.233.
[21:11] 680 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[21:12] 681 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[21:12] 682 tn Grk “the temple.”
[21:12] 683 tn Grk “the temple.”
[21:13] 684 sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.
[21:13] 685 tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).
[21:13] 686 sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.
[21:15] 687 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[21:15] 688 tn Grk “crying out in the temple [courts] and saying.” The participle λέγοντας (legontas) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[21:16] 689 sn A quotation from Ps 8:2.
[21:19] 690 tn Grk “one fig tree.”
[21:21] 691 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[21:21] 692 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[21:22] 693 tn Grk “believing”; the participle here is conditional.
[21:23] 695 tn Grk “the temple.”
[21:23] 696 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.1
[21:24] 697 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:25] 698 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used here (and in v. 26) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).
[21:27] 699 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to indicate that the clause is a result of the deliberations of the leaders.
[21:27] 700 tn Grk “answering Jesus, they said.” This construction is somewhat awkward in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[21:27] 701 sn Very few questions could have so completely revealed the wicked intentions of the religious leaders. Jesus’ question revealed the motivation of the religious leaders and exposed them for what they really were – hypocrites. They indicted themselves when they cited only two options and chose neither of them (“We do not know”). The point of Matt 21:23-27 is that no matter what Jesus said in response to their question, they were not going to believe it and would in the end use it against him.
[21:27] 702 sn Neither will I tell you. Though Jesus gave no answer, the analogy he used to their own question makes his view clear. His authority came from heaven.
[21:27] 703 tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ. This is exactly the same phrase as in v. 23.
[21:28] 704 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:29] 705 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here the referent (“the boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:29] 706 tn The Greek text reads here μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai): “to change one’s mind about something, with the probable implication of regret” (L&N 31.59); cf. also BDAG 639 s.v. The idea in this context involves more than just a change of mind, for the son regrets his initial response. The same verb is used in v. 32.
[21:30] 707 tn “And he”; here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:30] 708 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated. Here the referent (“this boy”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[21:31] 709 tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western
[21:31] 710 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[21:31] 711 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
[21:32] 712 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[21:32] 713 sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.
[21:33] 714 tn The term here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
[21:33] 715 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
[21:33] 716 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[21:33] 717 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
[21:34] 718 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[21:34] 719 tn Grk “to collect his fruits.”
[21:35] 720 sn The image of the tenants mistreating the owner’s slaves pictures the nation’s rejection of the prophets and their message.
[21:37] 721 sn The owner’s decision to send his son represents God sending Jesus.
[21:39] 722 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the tenants’ decision to kill the son in v. 38.
[21:39] 723 tn Grk “seizing him.” The participle λαβόντες (labontes) has been translated as attendant circumstance.
[21:39] 724 sn Throwing the heir out of the vineyard pictures Jesus’ death outside of Jerusalem.
[21:42] 725 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
[21:42] 726 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
[21:43] 727 tn Or “to a nation” (so KJV, NASB, NLT).
[21:44] 728 tc A few witnesses, especially of the Western text (D 33 it sys Or Eussyr), do not contain 21:44. However, the verse is found in א B C L W Z (Θ) 0102 Ë1,13 Ï lat syc,p,h co and should be included as authentic.
[21:45] 729 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[21:45] 730 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[21:46] 731 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.
[22:1] 732 tn Grk “And answering again, Jesus spoke.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[22:3] 733 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[22:4] 734 tn Grk “Behold, I have prepared my dinner.” In some contexts, however, to translate ἄριστον (ariston) as “dinner” somewhat misses the point. L&N 23.22 here suggests, “See now, the feast I have prepared (for you is ready).”
[22:6] 735 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:7] 736 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:7] 737 tn Grk “he sent his soldiers, destroyed those murderers.” The verb ἀπώλεσεν (apwlesen) is causative, indicating that the king was the one behind the execution of the murderers. In English the causative idea is not expressed naturally here; either a purpose clause (“he sent his soldiers to put those murderers to death”) or a relative clause (“he sent his soldier who put those murderers to death”) is preferred.
[22:7] 738 tn The Greek text reads here πόλις (polis), which could be translated “town” or “city.” The prophetic reference is to the city of Jerusalem, so “city” is more appropriate here.
[22:12] 739 tn Grk “he was silent.”
[22:15] 740 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:15] 741 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[22:16] 742 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some
[22:16] 743 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[22:16] 744 tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[22:17] 745 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[22:17] 746 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[22:17] 747 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[22:19] 748 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[22:19] 749 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[22:20] 750 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[22:20] 751 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[22:21] 752 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[22:21] 753 tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.
[22:21] 754 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[22:22] 755 tn Grk “they were amazed; they marveled.”
[22:23] 756 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[22:23] 757 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
[22:23] 758 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:24] 759 tn Grk “and raise up seed,” an idiom for fathering children (L&N 23.59).
[22:24] 760 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
[22:27] 761 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:28] 762 tn Grk “For all had her.”
[22:29] 763 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[22:29] 764 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
[22:30] 765 tc Most witnesses have “of God” after “angels,” although some
[22:31] 766 tn Grk “spoken to you by God, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:32] 767 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
[22:32] 768 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
[22:34] 769 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:34] 770 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[22:34] 771 tn Grk “for the same.” That is, for the same purpose that the Sadducees had of testing Jesus.
[22:35] 772 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.
[22:35] 773 tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.
[22:36] 774 tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”
[22:37] 775 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:37] 776 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
[22:37] 777 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
[22:38] 778 tn Grk “the great and first.”
[22:39] 779 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[22:40] 780 tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).
[22:41] 781 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:41] 782 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:41] 783 tn Grk “asked them a question, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:42] 784 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[22:42] 785 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be the son of David in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
[22:44] 786 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
[22:44] 787 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[22:45] 788 tn Grk “how is he his son?”
[22:46] 789 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[23:2] 790 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[23:2] 791 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:2] 792 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[23:3] 793 tn Grk “for they say and do not do.”
[23:4] 794 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:5] 795 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:5] 796 sn Phylacteries were small leather cases containing OT scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead by Jews, especially when praying. The custom was derived from such OT passages as Exod 13:9; 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18.
[23:5] 797 tn The term κράσπεδον (kraspedon) in some contexts could refer to the outer fringe of the garment (possibly in Mark 6:56). This edge could have been plain or decorated. L&N 6.180 states, “In Mt 23:5 κράσπεδον denotes the tassels worn at the four corners of the outer garment (see 6.194).”
[23:6] 798 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:6] 799 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[23:7] 800 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
[23:10] 801 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[23:11] 802 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:13] 803 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:13] 804 tn Grk “Woe to you…because you…” The causal particle ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated here for rhetorical effect (and so throughout this chapter).
[23:13] 805 tn Grk “because you are closing the kingdom of heaven before people.”
[23:14] 806 tc The most important
[23:15] 807 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:15] 808 tn Or “one proselyte.”
[23:15] 809 tn Grk “when he becomes [one].”
[23:15] 810 tn Grk “a son of Gehenna.” Expressions constructed with υἱός (Juios) followed by a genitive of class or kind denote a person belonging to the class or kind specified by the following genitive (L&N 9.4). Thus the phrase here means “a person who belongs to hell.”
[23:16] 811 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.”
[23:18] 812 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing.”
[23:23] 813 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:23] 814 tn Or “you tithe mint.”
[23:23] 815 sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.
[23:23] 816 tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[23:24] 817 tn Grk “Blind guides who strain out a gnat yet who swallow a camel!”
[23:25] 818 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:26] 819 tc A very difficult textual problem is found here. The most important Alexandrian and Byzantine, as well as significant Western, witnesses (א B C L W 0102 0281 Ë13 33 Ï lat co) have “and the dish” (καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, kai th" paroyido") after “cup,” while few important witnesses (D Θ Ë1 700 and some versional and patristic authorities) omit the phrase. On the one hand, scribes sometimes tended to eliminate redundancy; since “and the dish” is already present in v. 25, it may have been deleted in v. 26 by well-meaning scribes. On the other hand, as B. M. Metzger notes, the singular pronoun αὐτοῦ (autou, “its”) with τὸ ἐκτός (to ekto", “the outside”) in some of the same witnesses that have the longer reading (viz., B* Ë13 al) hints that their archetype lacked the words (TCGNT 50). Further, scribes would be motivated both to add the phrase from v. 25 and to change αὐτοῦ to the plural pronoun αὐτῶν (aujtwn, “their”). Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is not compelling in itself, combined with these two prongs of internal evidence, it is to be slightly preferred.
[23:27] 820 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:27] 821 sn This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (for discussion of a similar metaphor, see L&N 88.234; BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). See Deut 28:22; Ezek 13:10-16; Acts 23:3.
[23:29] 822 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:29] 823 tn Grk “Because you.” Here ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated.
[23:29] 824 tn Or perhaps “the monuments” (see L&N 7.75-76).
[23:30] 825 tn Grk “fathers” (so also in v. 32).
[23:33] 826 tn Grk “the judgment of Gehenna.”
[23:34] 827 tn Grk “behold I am sending.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[23:34] 828 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:34] 829 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[23:34] 830 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
[23:34] 831 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[23:35] 832 sn Spelling of this name (Βαραχίου, Baraciou) varies among the English versions: “Barachiah” (RSV, NRSV); “Berechiah” (NASB); “Berachiah” (NIV).
[23:36] 833 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[23:36] 834 tn Grk “all these things will come on this generation.”
[23:37] 835 sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.
[23:37] 836 tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).
[23:37] 837 sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.
[23:37] 838 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[23:37] 839 tn Grk “you were not willing.”
[23:39] 840 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26.
[24:1] 841 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[24:1] 842 sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.
[24:2] 843 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (ajpokriqei") is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[24:2] 844 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:2] 845 sn With the statement not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in
[24:2] 846 tn Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”
[24:3] 847 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:3] 848 sn Because the phrase these things is plural, more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.
[24:4] 849 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[24:4] 850 tn Or “Be on guard.”
[24:5] 851 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:6] 852 tn Grk “it is not yet the end.”
[24:7] 853 tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
[24:7] 854 sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.
[24:7] 855 tc Most witnesses (C Θ 0102 Ë1,13 Ï) have “and plagues” (καὶ λοιμοί, kai loimoi) between “famines” (λιμοί, limoi) and “earthquakes” (σεισμοί, seismoi), while others have “plagues and famines and earthquakes” (L W 33 pc lat). The similarities between λιμοί and λοιμοί could explain how καὶ λοιμοί might have accidentally dropped out, but since the Lukan parallel has both terms (and W lat have the order λοιμοὶ καὶ λιμοί there too, as they do in Matthew), it seems more likely that scribes added the phrase here. The shorter reading does not enjoy overwhelming support ([א] B D 892 pc, as well as versional witnesses), but it is nevertheless significant; coupled with the internal evidence it should be given preference.
[24:8] 856 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:9] 857 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “nations” or “Gentiles”).
[24:9] 858 sn See Matt 5:10-12; 1 Cor 1:25-31.
[24:10] 859 tn Or “many will fall away.” This could also refer to apostasy.
[24:11] 860 tn Or “and lead many astray.”
[24:13] 861 sn But the person who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus was not claiming here that salvation is by works. He was simply arguing that genuine faith evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials.
[24:14] 862 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “nations” or “Gentiles”).
[24:15] 863 sn The reference to the abomination of desolation is an allusion to Dan 9:27. Though some have seen the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in the actions of Antiochus IV (or a representative of his) in 167
[24:16] 864 sn Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.
[24:17] 865 sn 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.
[24:17] 866 sn The swiftness and devastation of the judgment will require a swift escape. There will be no time to come down from the roof and pick up anything from inside one’s home.
[24:19] 867 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:20] 868 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:21] 869 tn Traditionally, “great tribulation.”
[24:21] 870 sn Suffering unlike anything that has happened. Some refer this event to the destruction of Jerusalem in
[24:23] 871 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:24] 872 tn Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:25] 873 tn Or “Pay attention!” Grk “Behold.”
[24:26] 874 tn Grk “they say.” The third person plural is used here as an indefinite and translated “someone” (ExSyn 402).
[24:26] 875 tn Or “in the desert.”
[24:27] 876 sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.
[24:28] 877 tn The same Greek term can refer to “eagles” or “vultures” (L&N 4.42; BDAG 22 s.v. ἀετός), but in this context it must mean vultures because the gruesome image is one of dead bodies being consumed by scavengers.
[24:28] 878 tn Grk “will be gathered.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in English.
[24:29] 879 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:29] 880 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
[24:29] 881 sn An allusion to Isa 13:10, 34:4 (LXX); Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
[24:30] 882 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[24:30] 883 tn Or “in the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[24:30] 884 tn Here τότε (tote, “then”) has not been translated to avoid redundancy in English.
[24:30] 885 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[24:30] 886 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full authority to judge.
[24:31] 887 tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[24:32] 888 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:33] 889 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginwskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
[24:34] 890 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:34] 891 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 30), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
[24:35] 892 sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself. For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.
[24:36] 893 tc ‡ Some important witnesses, including early Alexandrian and Western
[24:37] 894 sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.
[24:38] 895 tn Grk “they,” but in an indefinite sense, “people.”
[24:39] 896 sn Like the flood that came and took them all away, the coming judgment associated with the Son of Man will condemn many.
[24:39] 897 tn Grk “So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
[24:40] 898 sn There is debate among commentators and scholars over the phrase one will be taken and one left about whether one is taken for judgment or for salvation. If the imagery is patterned after the rescue of Noah from the flood, as some suggest, the ones taken are the saved (as Noah was) andthose left behind are judged. The imagery, however, is not directly tied to theidentification of the two groups. Its primary purposein context is topicture the sudden, surprisingseparation of the righteous and the judged (i.e., condemned) at the return of the Son of Man.
[24:41] 899 tn According to L&N 46.16, this refers to a hand mill normally operated by two women.
[24:42] 900 tc Most later
[24:43] 901 sn On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.
[24:44] 902 sn Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it would take some time – so long, in fact, that some will not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).
[24:45] 903 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[24:45] 904 tn Grk “give them.”
[24:46] 905 tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.
[24:47] 906 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:47] 907 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:48] 908 tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).
[24:48] 909 tn Grk “should say in his heart.”
[24:51] 910 tn The verb διχοτομέω (dicotomew) means to cut an object into two parts (L&N 19.19). This is an extremely severe punishment compared to the other two later punishments. To translate it simply as “punish” is too mild. If taken literally this servant is dismembered, although it is possible to view the stated punishment as hyperbole (L&N 38.12).
[25:2] 911 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:2] 912 tn Grk “Five of them.”
[25:3] 913 tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[25:3] 914 tn The word “extra” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The point is that the five foolish virgins had only the oil in their lamps, but took along no extra supply from which to replenish them. This is clear from v. 8, where the lamps of the foolish virgins are going out because they are running out of oil.
[25:3] 915 tn On the use of olive oil in lamps, see L&N 6.202.
[25:5] 916 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:6] 917 tc ‡ Most witnesses have αὐτοῦ (autou, “[with] him”) after ἀπάντησιν (apanthsin, “meeting”), a reading which makes explicit what is already implied in the shorter text (as found in א B 700). The translation likewise adds “him” for clarity’s sake even though the word is not considered part of the original text. NA27 has αὐτοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[25:8] 918 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:9] 919 tn Grk “The wise answered, saying, ‘No.’”
[25:10] 920 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[25:11] 921 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:11] 922 tn Grk “Open to us.”
[25:12] 923 tn Grk “But answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[25:12] 924 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[25:13] 925 tc Most later
[25:14] 926 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[25:15] 927 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:15] 928 sn A talent was equal to 6000 denarii. See the note on this term in 18:24.
[25:16] 929 tn Grk “traded with them.”
[25:19] 930 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:20] 931 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:20] 932 tn Grk Or “Lord; or “Master” (and so throughout this paragraph).
[25:21] 933 tn Grk “His master said to him.”
[25:22] 934 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:25] 935 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:26] 936 tn Grk “But answering, his master said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[25:27] 937 tn For the translation “deposited my money with the bankers,” see L&N 57.216.
[25:27] 938 sn That is, “If you really feared me you should have done a minimum to get what I asked for.”
[25:28] 939 tn Grk “the ten talents.”
[25:29] 940 tn Grk “to everyone who has, he will be given more.”
[25:29] 941 sn The one who has nothing has even what he seems to have taken from him, ending up with no reward at all (see also Luke 8:18). The exact force of this is left ambiguous, but there is no comfort here for those who are pictured by the third slave as being totally unmoved by the master. Though not an outright enemy, there is no relationship to the master either.
[25:31] 942 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:32] 943 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:33] 944 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:37] 945 tn Grk “answer him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[25:38] 946 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:39] 947 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[25:40] 948 tn Grk “answering, the king will say to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[25:40] 949 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[25:40] 950 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). In this context Jesus is ultimately speaking of his “followers” (whether men or women, adults or children), but the familial connotation of “brothers and sisters” is also important to retain here.
[25:41] 951 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[25:44] 952 tn Grk “Then they will answer, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[25:45] 953 tn Grk “answer them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[25:45] 954 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[26:1] 955 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[26:2] 956 tn Or “will be delivered up.”
[26:2] 957 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[26:4] 958 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:5] 959 sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him.
[26:7] 960 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
[26:7] 961 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205).
[26:7] 962 tn Grk “as he was reclining at table.”
[26:8] 963 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:9] 964 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[26:9] 965 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
[26:10] 966 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:10] 967 tn Grk “For she.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[26:11] 968 tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
[26:12] 969 tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
[26:13] 970 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[26:15] 971 tn Grk “What will you give to me, and I will betray him to you?”
[26:16] 972 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:16] 973 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:17] 974 tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.
[26:17] 975 tn Grk “the disciples came to Jesus, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
[26:17] 976 sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 26:20). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.
[26:18] 977 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:19] 978 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[26:20] 979 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:20] 980 tn Grk “he was reclining at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[26:20] 981 tc Many witnesses, some of them important, have μαθητῶν (maqhtwn, “disciples”; א A L W Δ Θ 33 892 1241 1424 pm lat) or μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ (maqhtwn autou, “his disciples”; 0281 pc it) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”). However, such clarifications are typical scribal expansions to the text. Further, the shorter reading (the one that ends with δώδεκα) has strong support in Ì37vid,45vid B D K Γ Ë1,13 565 579 700 pm. Thus both internally and externally the reading that ends the verse with “the twelve” is to be preferred.
[26:21] 982 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[26:21] 983 tn Or “will hand me over.”
[26:22] 984 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:22] 985 tn The participle λυπούμενοι (lupoumenoi) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
[26:23] 986 tn Grk “answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:23] 987 sn The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.
[26:25] 988 tn Grk “answering, Judas.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to reflect the sequence of events in the narrative.
[26:25] 989 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:26] 990 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:28] 991 tn Grk “for this is my blood of the covenant that is poured out for many.” In order to avoid confusion about which is poured out, the translation supplies “blood” twice so that the following phrase clearly modifies “blood,” not “covenant.”
[26:28] 992 tc Although most witnesses read καινῆς (kainhs, “new”) here, this is evidently motivated by the parallel in Luke 22:20. Apart from the possibility of homoioteleuton, there is no good reason for the shorter reading to have arisen later on. But since it is found in such good and diverse witnesses (e.g., Ì37,45vid א B L Z Θ 0298vid 33 pc mae), the likelihood of homoioteleuton becomes rather remote.
[26:29] 993 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:29] 994 tn Grk “produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
[26:30] 995 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:30] 996 sn After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.
[26:31] 997 sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.
[26:33] 998 tn Grk “answering, Peter said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:34] 999 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[26:39] 1000 tn Grk “ground, praying and saying.” Here the participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[26:39] 1001 tn Grk “if it is possible.”
[26:39] 1002 sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.
[26:40] 1003 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:42] 1004 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[26:42] 1005 tn Grk “this”; the referent (the cup) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[26:43] 1006 tn Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).
[26:46] 1007 tn Grk “the one who betrays me.”
[26:47] 1008 tn Grk “behold, Judas.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[26:48] 1009 tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”
[26:48] 1010 tn Grk “The one I kiss is he.”
[26:48] 1011 sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.
[26:49] 1012 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:49] 1013 sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.
[26:50] 1014 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:50] 1015 tn Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”
[26:51] 1016 tn Grk “And behold one.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[26:51] 1017 tn Grk “extending his hand, drew out his sword, and struck.” Because rapid motion is implied in the circumstances, the translation “grabbed” was used.
[26:51] 1018 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[26:52] 1019 tn The translation “put your sword back in its place” for this phrase is given in L&N 85.52.
[26:53] 1020 sn A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be 72,000.
[26:55] 1021 tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).
[26:55] 1022 tn Grk “and” (καί, kai), a conjunction that is elastic enough to be used to indicate a contrast, as here.
[26:56] 1023 tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.
[26:57] 1025 tn Or “where the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[26:58] 1026 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:58] 1027 sn The guards would have been the guards of the chief priests who had accompanied Judas to arrest Jesus.
[26:59] 1028 tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:60] 1029 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:61] 1030 tn Grk “This one.”
[26:62] 1031 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the false testimony.
[26:63] 1032 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:63] 1033 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[26:64] 1034 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
[26:64] 1035 sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
[26:64] 1036 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
[26:65] 1037 tn Grk “the high priest tore his clothes, saying.”
[26:65] 1038 tn Grk “Behold now.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[26:66] 1039 tn Grk “What do you think?”
[26:66] 1040 tn Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:66] 1041 tn Grk “he is guilty of death.” L&N 88.313 states, “pertaining to being guilty and thus deserving some particular penalty – ‘guilty and deserving, guilty and punishable by.’ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν, ᾿Ενοχος θανάτου ἐστίν ‘they answered, He is guilty and deserves death’ Mt 26:66.”
[26:68] 1042 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[26:68] 1043 tn Grk “Who is the one who hit you?”
[26:69] 1044 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[26:69] 1045 tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.
[26:70] 1046 tn Grk “he denied it…saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[26:71] 1047 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:71] 1048 tn The words “slave girl” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the feminine singular form ἄλλη (allh).
[26:73] 1049 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[26:73] 1050 tn Grk “your speech.”
[26:74] 1051 tn It seems most likely that this refers to a real rooster crowing, although a number of scholars have suggested that “cockcrow” is a technical term referring to the trumpet call which ended the third watch of the night (from midnight to 3 a.m.). This would then be a reference to the Roman gallicinium (ἀλεκτοροφωνία, alektorofwnia; the term is used in Mark 13:35 and is found in some
[26:75] 1052 sn When Peter went out and wept bitterly it shows he really did not want to fail here and was deeply grieved that he had.
[27:1] 1053 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:2] 1054 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:2] 1055 tc Most
[27:2] 1056 sn The Jews most assuredly wanted to put Jesus to death, but they lacked the authority to do so. For this reason they handed him over to Pilate in hopes of securing a death sentence. The Romans kept close control of the death penalty in conquered territories to prevent it from being used to execute Roman sympathizers.
[27:3] 1057 tn Grk “Then when.” Here τότε (tote) has been translated as “now” to indicate a somewhat parenthetical interlude in the sequence of events.
[27:3] 1058 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:5] 1059 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the leaders’ response to Judas.
[27:6] 1060 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:7] 1061 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:9] 1062 tc The problematic citing of Jeremiah for a text which appears to come from Zechariah has prompted certain scribes to alter it. Codex 22 has Ζαχαρίου (Zacariou, “Zechariah”) while Φ 33 omit the prophet’s name altogether. And codex 21 and the Latin ms l change the prophet’s name to “Isaiah,” in accordance with natural scribal proclivities to alter the text toward the most prominent OT prophet. But unquestionably the name Jeremiah is the wording of the original here, because it is supported by virtually all witnesses and because it is the harder reading. See D. A. Carson, “Matthew,” EBC 8:562-63, for a discussion of the textual and especially hermeneutical problem.
[27:9] 1063 tn Grk “the sons of Israel,” an idiom referring to the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (L&N 11.58).
[27:10] 1064 sn The source of this citation is debated (see the tc note on Jeremiah in v. 9 above for a related discussion). The quotation is most closely related to Zech 11:12-13, but the reference to Jeremiah in v. 9 as the source leads one to look there as well. There is no exact match for this text in Jeremiah, but there are some conceptual parallels: In Jer 18:2-6 the prophet visits a potter, and in Jer 32:6-15 he buys a field. D. A. Carson argues that Jer 19:1-13 is the source of the quotation augmented with various phrases drawn from Zech 11:12-13 (“Matthew,” EBC 8:563). W. D. Davies and D. C. Allison argue that the reference to Jeremiah is not meant to refer to one specific text from that prophet, but instead to signal that his writings as a whole are a source from which the quotation is drawn (Matthew [ICC], 3:568-69). Although the exact source of the citation is uncertain, it is reasonable to see texts from the books of Jeremiah and Zechariah both coming into play here.
[27:11] 1065 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[27:11] 1066 tn Grk “asked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[27:11] 1067 sn “Are you the king of the Jews?” Pilate was interested in this charge because of its political implications of sedition against Rome.
[27:11] 1068 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:11] 1069 sn The reply “You say so” is somewhat enigmatic, like Jesus’ earlier reply to the Jewish leadership in 26:64.
[27:15] 1070 sn The custom of Pilate to release one prisoner is unknown outside the gospels in Jewish writings, but it was a Roman custom at the time and thus probably used in Palestine as well (cf. Matt 27:15; John 18:39).
[27:16] 1071 tc Although the external evidence for the inclusion of “Jesus” before “Barabbas” (in vv. 16 and 17) is rather sparse, being restricted virtually to the Caesarean text (Θ Ë1 700* pc sys), the omission of the Lord’s name in apposition to “Barabbas” is such a strongly motivated reading that it can hardly be original. There is no good explanation for a scribe unintentionally adding ᾿Ιησοῦν (Ihsoun) before Βαραββᾶν (Barabban), especially since Barabbas is mentioned first in each verse (thus dittography is ruled out). Further, the addition of τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν (ton legomenon Criston, “who is called Christ”) to ᾿Ιησοῦν in v. 17 makes better sense if Barabbas is also called “Jesus” (otherwise, a mere “Jesus” would have been a sufficient appellation to distinguish the two).
[27:17] 1072 tc Again, as in v. 16, the name “Jesus” is supplied before “Barabbas” in Θ Ë1 700* pc sys Ormss (Θ 700* lack the article τόν [ton] before Βαραββᾶν [Barabban]). The same argument for accepting the inclusion of “Jesus” as original in the previous verse applies here as well.
[27:17] 1073 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[27:18] 1074 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
[27:19] 1075 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:19] 1076 tn Or “the judge’s seat.”
[27:19] 1077 tn The word “message” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[27:19] 1078 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[27:19] 1079 tn The Greek particle γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated here.
[27:19] 1080 tn Or “suffered greatly in a dream.” See the discussion on the construction κατ᾿ ὄναρ (kat’ onar) in BDAG 710 s.v. ὄναρ.
[27:21] 1081 tn Grk “answering, the governor said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:22] 1082 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[27:22] 1083 tn Grk “Him – be crucified!” The third person imperative is difficult to translate because English has no corresponding third person form for the imperative. The traditional translation “Let him be crucified” sounds as if the crowd is giving consent or permission. “He must be crucified” is closer, but it is more natural in English to convert the passive to active and simply say “Crucify him.”
[27:24] 1084 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:24] 1085 sn You take care of it yourselves! Compare the response of the chief priests and elders to Judas in 27:4. The expression is identical except that in 27:4 it is singular and here it is plural.
[27:25] 1086 tn Grk “answering, all the people said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[27:26] 1087 tn The Greek term φραγελλόω (fragellow) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion…Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.”
[27:26] 1088 tn Or “delivered him up.”
[27:26] 1089 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[27:27] 1090 tn Or “into their headquarters”; Grk “into the praetorium.”
[27:27] 1091 sn A Roman cohort was a tenth of a legion, about 500-600 soldiers.
[27:28] 1092 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:28] 1093 sn The scarlet robe probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king.
[27:29] 1095 sn The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century.
[27:29] 1096 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:29] 1097 tn Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2.
[27:29] 1098 tn Grk “they mocked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.
[27:29] 1099 tn Or “Long live the King of the Jews!”
[27:30] 1100 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:30] 1101 tn Or “the reed.”
[27:30] 1102 tn The verb here has been translated as an iterative imperfect.
[27:31] 1103 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:31] 1104 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[27:32] 1105 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:32] 1106 tn Or “conscripted”; or “pressed into service.”
[27:32] 1107 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help (in all probability this was only the crossbeam, called in Latin the patibulum, since the upright beam usually remained in the ground at the place of execution). Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon. Mark 15:21 names him as father of two people apparently known to Mark’s audience.
[27:33] 1108 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:33] 1109 tn This is an Aramaic name; see John 19:17.
[27:33] 1110 sn A place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). This location is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for the Greek term κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” is derived (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
[27:34] 1111 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[27:34] 1112 sn It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with gall (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it.
[27:35] 1113 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:35] 1114 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[27:35] 1115 tn Grk “by throwing the lot” (probably by using marked pebbles or broken pieces of pottery). A modern equivalent, “throwing dice,” was chosen here because of its association with gambling. According to L&N 6.219 a term for “dice” is particularly appropriate.
[27:37] 1116 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:37] 1117 sn Mention of the inscription is an important detail, because the inscription would normally give the reason for the execution. It shows that Jesus was executed for claiming to be a king. It was also probably written with irony from the executioners’ point of view.
[27:37] 1118 tn Grk “was written.”
[27:39] 1119 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:40] 1120 sn There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life.
[27:40] 1121 tc ‡ Many important witnesses (א* A D pc it sy[s],p) read καί (kai, here with the force of “then”) before κατάβηθι (katabhqi, “come down”). The shorter reading may well be due to homoioarcton, but judging by the diverse external evidence (א2 B L W Θ 0250 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) it is equally possible that the shorter reading is original (and is so considered for this translation). NA27 puts the καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[27:41] 1122 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:41] 1123 tn Or “with the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[27:41] 1124 tn Only “chief priests” is in the nominative case; this sentence structure attempts to capture this emphasis.
[27:41] 1125 tn Grk “Mocking him, the chief priests…said.”
[27:42] 1126 tn Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatw) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489.
[27:43] 1127 sn An allusion to Ps 22:8.
[27:44] 1128 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:44] 1129 sn Matthew’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see Luke 23:40-43).
[27:45] 1130 tn Grk “from the sixth hour to the ninth hour.”
[27:45] 1131 sn This imagery has parallels to the Day of the Lord: Joel 2:10; Amos 8:9; Zeph 1:15.
[27:46] 1132 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:46] 1133 tn Grk “with a loud voice, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[27:46] 1134 sn A quotation from Ps 22:1.
[27:47] 1135 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:48] 1136 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:48] 1137 sn Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion.
[27:49] 1139 tc Early and important
[27:51] 1140 tn Grk “And behold.”
[27:51] 1141 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.
[27:51] 1142 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:52] 1143 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaw) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for the death of a believer.
[27:53] 1144 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:54] 1145 sn See the note on the word centurion in Matt 8:5.
[27:55] 1146 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:55] 1147 tn Grk “and ministered to him.”
[27:57] 1148 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[27:57] 1149 sn Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise.
[27:58] 1150 sn Asking for the body of Jesus was indeed a bold move on the part of Joseph of Arimathea, for it clearly and openly identified him with a man who had just been condemned and executed, namely, Jesus. His faith is exemplary, especially for someone who was a member of the council that handed Jesus over for crucifixion (cf. Mark 15:43, Luke 23:51). He did this because he sought to give Jesus an honorable burial.
[27:59] 1151 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[27:59] 1152 tn The term σινδών (sindwn) can refer to a linen cloth used either for clothing or for burial.
[27:60] 1153 tc ‡ αὐτό (auto, “it”) is found after ἔθηκεν (eqhken, “placed”) in the majority of witnesses, including many important ones, though it seems to be motivated by a need for clarification and cannot therefore easily explain the rise of the shorter reading (which is read by א L Θ Ë13 33 892 pc). Regardless of which reading is original (though with a slight preference for the shorter reading), English style requires the pronoun. NA27 includes αὐτό here, no doubt due to the overwhelming external attestation.
[27:60] 1154 tn That is, cut or carved into an outcropping of natural rock, resulting in a cave-like structure (see L&N 19.25).
[27:60] 1155 tn Or “to the door,” “against the door.”
[27:62] 1156 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[27:62] 1157 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[27:65] 1159 tn Grk “You have a guard.”
[27:66] 1160 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Pilate’s order.
[27:66] 1161 tn Grk “with the guard.” The words “soldiers of the” have been supplied in the translation to prevent “guard” from being misunderstood as a single individual.
[28:2] 1162 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
[28:3] 1163 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[28:4] 1164 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[28:5] 1165 tn Grk “But answering, the angel said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[28:5] 1166 tn Grk “for I know.”
[28:5] 1167 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[28:6] 1168 tn The verb here is passive (ἠγέρθη, hgerqh). This “divine passive” (see ExSyn 437-38) points to the fact that Jesus was raised by God.
[28:6] 1169 tc Expansions on the text, especially when the Lord is the subject, are a common scribal activity. In this instance, since the subject is embedded in the verb, three major variants have emerged to make the subject explicit: ὁ κύριος (Jo kurio", “the Lord”; A C D L W 0148 Ë1,13 Ï lat), τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου (to swma tou kuriou, “the body of the Lord”; 1424 pc), and ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (Jo Ihsou", “Jesus”; Φ). The reading with no explicit subject, however, is superior on both internal and external grounds, being supported by א B Θ 33 892* pc co.
[28:7] 1170 tn Grk “And behold he.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[28:8] 1171 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions to tell the disciples.
[28:9] 1172 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate that the return of the women from the tomb was interrupted by this appearance of Jesus. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[28:9] 1173 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[28:11] 1174 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[28:11] 1175 tn Grk “behold, some of the guard.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[28:12] 1176 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[28:14] 1178 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[28:14] 1179 tn Here ἐπί (epi) followed by the genitive = “before,” especially in the language of lawsuits (BDAG 363 s.v. 3).
[28:14] 1180 tc ‡ αὐτόν (auton, “him”) is found after πείσομεν (peisomen, “we will satisfy”) in the majority of witnesses, though it seems to be motivated by a need for clarification and cannot therefore easily explain the rise of the shorter reading (which is found in א B Θ 33 pc). Nevertheless, English style requires the pronoun. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[28:14] 1181 tn Grk “and you will not have to be worried” = “we will keep you out of trouble.”
[28:15] 1182 tc ‡ The word ἡμέρας (Jhmeras, “day”) is found after σήμερον (shmeron, “today, this [day]”) in some early and important witnesses (B D L Θ lat), but may be a clarifying (or perhaps redundant) note. The shorter reading (found in א A W 0148vid Ë1,13 33 Ï) is thus preferred. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating reservations about its authenticity.
[28:16] 1183 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ instructions in v. 10.
[28:17] 1184 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[28:17] 1185 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[28:17] 1186 tn The Greek text reads here οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν (Joi de edistasan). Some scholars argue that the article is functioning like a personal pronoun, thus “they doubted” (e.g., D. A. Hagner, Matthew [WBC], 2:884). If so, then all the disciples would be in view. The translation of the text takes οἱ as an alternative pronoun which has a partitive notion (i.e., some of the disciples doubted, but not all). The difficulty with the personal pronoun view is that there are no examples of it in Matthew in which the same subject immediately precedes with its own verb (as would be the case in “they worshiped…they doubted”). Such, in fact, would be quite awkward, for the article would be unnecessary since the pronominal referent is already embedded in the verb. The only reason for the article here would be to distinguish the subject in some way; but if the same subject is in view, no distinction is being made.
[28:18] 1187 tn Grk “coming, Jesus spoke to them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn, “saying”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[28:19] 1188 tn “Go…baptize…teach” are participles modifying the imperative verb “make disciples.” According to ExSyn 645 the first participle (πορευθέντες, poreuqentes, “Go”) fits the typical structural pattern for the attendant circumstance participle (aorist participle preceding aorist main verb, with the mood of the main verb usually imperative or indicative) and thus picks up the mood (imperative in this case) from the main verb (μαθητεύσατε, maqhteusate, “make disciples”). This means that semantically the action of “going” is commanded, just as “making disciples” is. As for the two participles that follow the main verb (βαπτίζοντες, baptizontes, “baptizing”; and διδάσκοντες, didaskontes, “teaching”), these do not fit the normal pattern for attendant circumstance participles, since they are present participles and follow the aorist main verb. However, some interpreters do see them as carrying additional imperative force in context. Others regard them as means, manner, or even result.
[28:19] 1189 tc Although some scholars have denied that the trinitarian baptismal formula in the Great Commission was a part of the original text of Matthew, there is no ms support for their contention. F. C. Conybeare, “The Eusebian Form of the Text of Mt. 28:19,” ZNW 2 (1901): 275-88, based his view on a faulty reading of Eusebius’ quotations of this text. The shorter reading has also been accepted, on other grounds, by a few other scholars. For discussion (and refutation of the conjecture that removes this baptismal formula), see B. J. Hubbard, The Matthean Redaction of a Primitive Apostolic Commissioning (SBLDS 19), 163-64, 167-75; and Jane Schaberg, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (SBLDS 61), 27-29.
[28:20] 1190 tn The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has been translated here as “remember” (BDAG 468 s.v. 1.c).
[28:20] 1191 sn I am with you. Matthew’s Gospel begins with the prophecy that the Savior’s name would be “Emmanuel, that is, ‘God with us,’” (1:23, in which the author has linked Isa 7:14 and 8:8, 10 together) and it ends with Jesus’ promise to be with his disciples forever. The Gospel of Matthew thus forms an inclusio about Jesus in his relationship to his people that suggests his deity.
[28:20] 1192 tc Most
