Matthew 7:15

A Tree and Its Fruit

7:15 “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. ¹ 

Acts 20:29-30

20:29 I know that after I am gone ²  fierce wolves ³  will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 20:30 Even from among your own group ⁴  men ⁵  will arise, teaching perversions of the truth ⁶  to draw the disciples away after them.

Romans 16:18

16:18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds ⁷  of the naive.

Romans 16:2

16:2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and provide her with whatever help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many, including me.

Colossians 1:13-15

1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, ⁸  1:14 in whom we have redemption, ⁹  the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

1:15 ¹⁰ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn ¹¹  over all creation, ¹² 

Galatians 2:4

2:4 Now this matter arose ¹³  because of the false brothers with false pretenses ¹⁴  who slipped in unnoticed to spy on ¹⁵  our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves. ¹⁶ 

Galatians 2:1

Confirmation from the Jerusalem Apostles

2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem ¹⁷  again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too.

Galatians 4:1-2

4:1 Now I mean that the heir, as long as he is a minor, ¹⁸  is no different from a slave, though he is the owner ¹⁹  of everything. 4:2 But he is under guardians ²⁰  and managers until the date set by his ²¹  father.

Galatians 4:2

4:2 But he is under guardians ²²  and managers until the date set by his ²³  father.

Galatians 3:1-7

Justification by Law or by Faith?

3:1 You ²⁴  foolish Galatians! Who has cast a spell ²⁵  on you? Before your eyes Jesus Christ was vividly portrayed ²⁶  as crucified! 3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law ²⁷  or by believing what you heard? ²⁸  3:3 Are you so foolish? Although you began ²⁹  with ³⁰  the Spirit, are you now trying to finish ³¹  by human effort? ³²  3:4 Have you suffered so many things for nothing? – if indeed it was for nothing. 3:5 Does God then give ³³  you the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law ³⁴  or by your believing what you heard? ³⁵ 

3:6 Just as Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, ³⁶  3:7 so then, understand ³⁷  that those who believe are the sons of Abraham. ³⁸ 

Galatians 4:3

4:3 So also we, when we were minors, ³⁹  were enslaved under the basic forces ⁴⁰  of the world.

Titus 1:11

1:11 who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.

Titus 1:2

1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. ⁴¹ 

Titus 2:1-3

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴²  sound teaching. 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ⁴³  sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. ⁴⁴  2:3 Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴⁵  sound teaching.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴⁶  sound teaching.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴⁷  sound teaching.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴⁸  sound teaching.

Titus 2:1

Conduct Consistent with Sound Teaching

2:1 But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with ⁴⁹  sound teaching.

Titus 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁵⁰  a slave ⁵¹  of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith ⁵²  of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth that is in keeping with godliness,

Titus 1:5

Titus’ Task on Crete

1:5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set in order the remaining matters and to appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Titus 1:2

1:2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began. ⁵³ 

Titus 1:7

1:7 For the overseer ⁵⁴  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, ⁵⁵  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain.

Jude 1:4

1:4 For certain men ⁵⁶  have secretly slipped in among you ⁵⁷  – men who long ago ⁵⁸  were marked out ⁵⁹  for the condemnation I am about to describe ⁶⁰  – ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God into a license for evil ⁶¹  and who deny our only Master ⁶²  and Lord, ⁶³  Jesus Christ.

Revelation 2:20

2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that ⁶⁴  woman ⁶⁵  Jezebel, ⁶⁶  who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives ⁶⁷  my servants ⁶⁸  to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ⁶⁹ 

Revelation 13:11-14

13:11 Then ⁷⁰  I saw another beast ⁷¹  coming up from the earth. He ⁷²  had two horns like a lamb, ⁷³  but ⁷⁴  was speaking like a dragon. 13:12 He ⁷⁵  exercised all the ruling authority ⁷⁶  of the first beast on his behalf, ⁷⁷  and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed. 13:13 He ⁷⁸  performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people ⁷⁹  13:14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told ⁸⁰  those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.

[7:15]  ¹ sn Sheep’s clothing…voracious wolves. Jesus uses a metaphor here to point out that these false prophets appear to be one thing, but in reality they are something quite different and dangerous.

[20:29]  ² tn Grk “after my departure.”

[20:29]  ³ tn That is, people like fierce wolves. See BDAG 167-68 s.v. βαρύς 4 on the term translated “fierce.” The battle that will follow would be a savage one.

[20:30]  ⁴ tn Grk “from among yourselves.”

[20:30]  ⁵ tn The Greek term here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which only rarely is used in a generic sense to refer to both males and females. Since Paul is speaking to the Ephesian elders at this point and there is nothing in the context to suggest women were included in that group (“from among your own group”), it is most likely Paul was not predicting that these false teachers would include women.

[20:30]  ⁶ tn Grk “speaking crooked things”; BDAG 237 s.v. διαστρέφω 2 has “λαλεῖν διεστραμμένα teach perversions (of the truth) Ac 20:30.”

[16:18]  ⁷ tn Grk “hearts.”

[1:13]  ⁸ tn Here αὐτοῦ (autou) has been translated as a subjective genitive (“he loves”).

[1:14]  ⁹ tc διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ (dia tou {aimato" autou, “through his blood”) is read at this juncture by several minuscule mss (614 630 1505 2464 al) as well as a few, mostly secondary, versional and patristic witnesses. But the reading was prompted by the parallel in Eph 1:7 where the wording is solid. If these words had been in the original of Colossians, why would scribes omit them here but not in Eph 1:7? Further, the testimony on behalf of the shorter reading is quite overwhelming: {א A B C D F G Ψ 075 0150 6 33 1739 1881 Ï latt co as well as several other versions and fathers}. The conviction that “through his blood” is not authentic in Col 1:14 is as strong as the conviction that these words are authentic in Eph 1:7.

[1:15]  ¹⁰ sn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.

[1:15]  ¹¹ tn The Greek term πρωτότοκος (prwtotokos) could refer either to first in order of time, such as a first born child, or it could refer to one who is preeminent in rank. M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 43, expresses the meaning of the word well: “The ‘firstborn’ was either the eldest child in a family or a person of preeminent rank. The use of this term to describe the Davidic king in Ps 88:28 LXX (=Ps 89:27 EVV), ‘I will also appoint him my firstborn (πρωτότοκον), the most exalted of the kings of the earth,’ indicates that it can denote supremacy in rank as well as priority in time. But whether the πρωτό- element in the word denotes time, rank, or both, the significance of the -τοκος element as indicating birth or origin (from τίκτω, give birth to) has been virtually lost except in ref. to lit. birth.” In Col 1:15 the emphasis is on the priority of Jesus’ rank as over and above creation (cf. 1:16 and the “for” clause referring to Jesus as Creator).

[1:15]  ¹² tn The genitive construction πάσης κτίσεως (pash" ktisew") is a genitive of subordination and is therefore translated as “over all creation.” See ExSyn 103-4.

[2:4]  ¹³ tn No subject and verb are expressed in vv. 4-5, but the phrase “Now this matter arose,” implied from v. 3, was supplied to make a complete English sentence.

[2:4]  ¹⁴ tn The adjective παρεισάκτους (pareisaktou"), which relates to someone joining a group with false motives or false pretenses, applies to the “false brothers.” Although the expression “false brothers with false pretenses” is somewhat redundant, it captures the emphatic force of Paul’s expression, which labels both these “brothers” as false (ψευδαδέλφους, yeudadelfou") as well as their motives. See L&N 34.29 for more information.

[2:4]  ¹⁵ tn The verb translated here as “spy on” (κατασκοπέω, kataskopew) can have a neutral nuance, but here the connotation is certainly negative (so F. F. Bruce, Galatians [NIGTC], 112-13, and E. Burton, Galatians [ICC], 83).

[2:4]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “in order that they might enslave us.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause with the subjunctive verb καταδουλώσουσιν (katadoulwsousin) has been translated as an English infinitival clause.

[2:1]  ¹⁷ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:1]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “a small child.” The Greek term νήπιος (nhpios) refers to a young child, no longer a helpless infant but probably not more than three or four years old (L&N 9.43). The point in context, though, is that this child is too young to take any responsibility for the management of his assets.

[4:1]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “master” or “lord” (κύριος, kurios).

[4:2]  ²⁰ tn The Greek term translated “guardians” here is ἐπίτροπος (epitropo"), whose semantic domain overlaps with that of παιδαγωγός (paidagwgo") according to L&N 36.5.

[4:2]  ²¹ tn Grk “the,” but the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[4:2]  ²² tn The Greek term translated “guardians” here is ἐπίτροπος (epitropo"), whose semantic domain overlaps with that of παιδαγωγός (paidagwgo") according to L&N 36.5.

[4:2]  ²³ tn Grk “the,” but the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[3:1]  ²⁴ tn Grk “O” (an interjection used both in address and emotion). In context the following section is highly charged emotionally.

[3:1]  ²⁵ tn Or “deceived”; the verb βασκαίνω (baskainw) can be understood literally here in the sense of bewitching by black magic, but could also be understood figuratively to refer to an act of deception (see L&N 53.98 and 88.159).

[3:1]  ²⁶ tn Or “publicly placarded,” “set forth in a public proclamation” (BDAG 867 s.v. προγράφω 2).

[3:2]  ²⁷ tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law,” a reference to observing the Mosaic law.

[3:2]  ²⁸ tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.”

[3:3]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.

[3:3]  ³⁰ tn Or “by the Spirit.”

[3:3]  ³¹ tn The verb ἐπιτελεῖσθε (epiteleisqe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534). This is something the Galatians were attempting to do, but could not accomplish successfully.

[3:3]  ³² tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”

[3:5]  ³³ tn Or “provide.”

[3:5]  ³⁴ tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law” (the same phrase as in v. 2).

[3:5]  ³⁵ tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith” (the same phrase as in v. 2).

[3:6]  ³⁶ sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.

[3:7]  ³⁷ tn Grk “know.”

[3:7]  ³⁸ tn The phrase “sons of Abraham” is used here in a figurative sense to describe people who are connected to a personality, Abraham, by close nonmaterial ties. It is this personality that has defined the relationship and its characteristics (BDAG 1024-25 s.v. υἱός 2.c.α).

[4:3]  ³⁹ tn See the note on the word “minor” in 4:1.

[4:3]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “basic principles,” “elemental things,” or “elemental spirits.” Some interpreters take this as a reference to supernatural powers who controlled nature and/or human fate.

[1:2]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “before eternal ages.”

[2:1]  ⁴² tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:2]  ⁴³ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁴ sn Temperate…in endurance. See the same cluster of virtues in 1 Thess 1:3 and 1 Cor 13:13.

[2:1]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:1]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:1]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:1]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[2:1]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “say what is fitting for sound teaching” (introducing the behavior called for in this chapter.).

[1:1]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁵¹ tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ⁵² tn Grk “for the faith,” possibly, “in accordance with the faith.”

[1:2]  ⁵³ tn Grk “before eternal ages.”

[1:7]  ⁵⁴ sn The overseer is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in this passage and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between these verses and 1 Tim 3:1-7.

[1:7]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “as God’s steward.”

[1:4]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “people.” However, if Jude is indeed arguing that Peter’s prophecy about false teachers has come true, these are most likely men in the original historical and cultural setting. See discussion of this point in the note on the phrase “these men” in 2 Pet 2:12.

[1:4]  ⁵⁷ tn “Among you” is not in the Greek text, but is obviously implied.

[1:4]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “in the past.” The adverb πάλαι (palai) can refer to either, though the meaning “long ago” is more common.

[1:4]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “written about.”

[1:4]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “for this condemnation.” τοῦτο (touto) is almost surely a kataphoric demonstrative pronoun, pointing to what follows in vv. 5-18. Otherwise, the condemnation is only implied (in v. 3b) or is merely a statement of their sinfulness (“ungodly” in v. 4b), not a judgment of it.

[1:4]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “debauchery.” This is the same word Peter uses to predict what the false teachers will be like (2 Pet 2:2, 7, 18).

[1:4]  ⁶² tc Most later witnesses (P Ψ Ï sy) have θεόν (qeon, “God”) after δεσπότην (despothn, “master”), which appears to be a motivated reading in that it explicitly links “Master” to “God” in keeping with the normal NT pattern (see Luke 2:29; Acts 4:24; 2 Tim 2:21; Rev 6:10). In patristic Greek, δεσπότης (despoth") was used especially of God (cf. BDAG 220 s.v. 1.b.). The earlier and better witnesses (Ì^72,78 א A B C 0251 33 81 323 1241 1739 al co) lack θεόν; the shorter reading is thus preferred on both internal and external grounds.

[1:4]  ⁶³ tn The terms “Master and Lord” both refer to the same person. The construction in Greek is known as the Granville Sharp rule, named after the English philanthropist-linguist who first clearly articulated the rule in 1798. Sharp pointed out that in the construction article-noun-καί-noun (where καί [kai] = “and”), when two nouns are singular, personal, and common (i.e., not proper names), they always had the same referent. Illustrations such as “the friend and brother,” “the God and Father,” etc. abound in the NT to prove Sharp’s point. For more discussion see ExSyn 270-78. See also Titus 2:13 and 2 Pet 1:1

[2:20]  ⁶⁴ tn The Greek article has been translated here with demonstrative force.

[2:20]  ⁶⁵ tc The ms evidence for γυναῖκα (gunaika, “woman”) alone includes {א C P 1611 2053 pc lat}. The ms evidence for the addition of “your” (σου, sou) includes A 1006 2351 Ï^K pc sy. With the pronoun, the text reads “your wife, Jezebel” instead of “that woman, Jezebel.” In Revelation, A C are the most important mss, along with א Ì⁴⁷ (which only reads in portions of chapters 9-17) 1006 1611 2053; in this instance, the external evidence slightly favors the shorter reading. But internally, it gains strength. The longer reading implies the idea that the angel in 2:18 is the bishop or leader of the church in Thyatira. The pronoun “your” (σου) is used four times in vv. 19-20 and may have been the cause for the scribe copying it again. Further, once the monarchical episcopate was in vogue (beginning in the 2nd century) scribes might have been prone to add “your” here.

[2:20]  ⁶⁶ sn Jezebel was the name of King Ahab’s idolatrous and wicked queen in 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:1-5; 19:1-3; 21:5-24. It is probable that the individual named here was analogous to her prototype in idolatry and immoral behavior, since those are the items singled out for mention.

[2:20]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “teaches and deceives” (διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ, didaskei kai plana), a construction in which the first verb appears to specify the means by which the second is accomplished: “by her teaching, deceives…”

[2:20]  ⁶⁸ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[2:20]  ⁶⁹ sn To commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Note the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:29, which specifically prohibits Gentile Christians from engaging in these activities.

[13:11]  ⁷⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[13:11]  ⁷¹ sn This second beast is identified in Rev 16:13 as “the false prophet.”

[13:11]  ⁷² tn Grk “and it had,” a continuation of the preceding sentence. On the use of the pronoun “he” to refer to the second beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.

[13:11]  ⁷³ tn Or perhaps, “like a ram.” Here L&N 4.25 states, “In the one context in the NT, namely, Re 13:11, in which ἀρνίον refers literally to a sheep, it is used in a phrase referring to the horns of an ἀρνίον. In such a context the reference is undoubtedly to a ‘ram,’ that is to say, the adult male of sheep.” In spite of this most translations render the word “lamb” here to maintain the connection between this false lamb and the true Lamb of the Book of Revelation, Jesus Christ.

[13:11]  ⁷⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[13:12]  ⁷⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:12]  ⁷⁶ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[13:12]  ⁷⁷ tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”

[13:13]  ⁷⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:13]  ⁷⁹ tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both men and women.

[13:14]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “earth, telling.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek.