Nehemiah 6:3

6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in ¹  an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?”

Nehemiah 6:1

Opposition to the Rebuilding Efforts Continues

6:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates),

Nehemiah 1:5

1:5 Then I said, “Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant ²  with those who love him and obey ³  his commandments,

Job 4:3-6

4:3 Look, ⁴  you have instructed ⁵  many;

you have strengthened ⁶  feeble hands. ⁷ 

4:4 Your words have supported ⁸  those

who stumbled, ⁹ 

and you have strengthened the knees

that gave way. ¹⁰ 

4:5 But now the same thing ¹¹  comes to you,

and you are discouraged; ¹² 

it strikes you,

and you are terrified. ¹³ 

4:6 Is not your piety ¹⁴  your confidence, ¹⁵ 

and your blameless ways your hope? ¹⁶ 

Psalms 11:1-2

Psalm 11 ¹⁷ 

For the music director; by David.

11:1 In the Lord I have taken shelter. ¹⁸ 

How can you say to me, ¹⁹ 

“Flee to a mountain like a bird! ²⁰ 

11:2 For look, the wicked ²¹  prepare ²²  their bows, ²³ 

they put their arrows on the strings,

to shoot in the darkness ²⁴  at the morally upright. ²⁵ 

Psalms 112:6

112:6 For he will never be upended;

others will always remember one who is just. ²⁶ 

Psalms 112:8

112:8 His resolve ²⁷  is firm; he will not succumb to fear

before he looks in triumph on his enemies.

Proverbs 28:1

28:1 The wicked person flees when there is no one pursuing, ²⁸ 

but the righteous person is as confident ²⁹  as a lion.

Isaiah 10:18

10:18 The splendor of his forest and his orchard

will be completely destroyed, ³⁰ 

as when a sick man’s life ebbs away. ³¹ 

Luke 13:31-33

Going to Jerusalem

13:31 At that time, ³²  some Pharisees ³³  came up and said to Jesus, ³⁴  “Get away from here, ³⁵  because Herod ³⁶  wants to kill you.” 13:32 But ³⁷  he said to them, “Go ³⁸  and tell that fox, ³⁹  ‘Look, I am casting out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day ⁴⁰  I will complete my work. ⁴¹  13:33 Nevertheless I must ⁴²  go on my way today and tomorrow and the next day, because it is impossible ⁴³  that a prophet should be killed ⁴⁴  outside Jerusalem.’ ⁴⁵ 

Acts 8:1

8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing ⁴⁶  him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great ⁴⁷  persecution began ⁴⁸  against the church in Jerusalem, ⁴⁹  and all ⁵⁰  except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions ⁵¹  of Judea and Samaria.

Acts 20:24

20:24 But I do not consider my life ⁵²  worth anything ⁵³  to myself, so that ⁵⁴  I may finish my task ⁵⁵  and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news ⁵⁶  of God’s grace.

Acts 21:13

21:13 Then Paul replied, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking ⁵⁷  my heart? For I am ready not only to be tied up, ⁵⁸  but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Hebrews 11:27

11:27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible.

[6:3]  ¹ tn Heb “[am] doing.”

[1:5]  ² tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The phrase is a hendiadys: the first noun retains its full nominal sense, while the second noun functions adjectivally (“loyal love” = loving). Alternately, the first might function adjectivally and the second noun function as the noun: “covenant and loyal love” = covenant fidelity (see Neh 9:32).

[1:5]  ³ tn Heb “keep.” The Hebrew verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to observe; to keep”) is often used as an idiom that means “to obey” the commandments of God (e.g., Exod 20:6; Deut 5:16; 23:24; 29:8; Judg 2:22; 1 Kgs 2:43; 11:11; Ps 119:8, 17, 34; Jer 35:18; Ezek 17:14; Amos 2:4). See BDB 1036 s.v. 3.c.

[4:3]  ⁴ tn The deictic particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “behold”) summons attention; it has the sense of “consider, look.”

[4:3]  ⁵ tn The verb יָסַר (yasar) in the Piel means “to correct,” whether by words with the sense of teach, or by chastening with the sense of punish, discipline. The double meaning of “teach” and “discipline” is also found with the noun מוּסָר (musar).

[4:3]  ⁶ tn The parallelism again uses a perfect verb in the first colon and an imperfect in the second; but since the sense of the line is clearly what Job has done in the past, the second verb may be treated as a preterite, or a customary imperfect – what Job repeatedly did in the past (GKC 315 §107.e). The words in this verse may have double meanings. The word יָסַר (yasar, “teach, discipline”) may have the idea of instruction and correction, but also the connotation of strength (see Y. Hoffmann, “The Use of Equivocal Words in the First Speech of Eliphaz [Job IV–V],” VT 30 [1980]: 114-19).

[4:3]  ⁷ tn The “feeble hands” are literally “hands hanging down.” This is a sign of weakness, helplessness, or despondency (see 2 Sam 4:1; Isa 13:7).

[4:4]  ⁸ tn Both verbs in this line are imperfects, and probably carry the same nuance as the last verb in v. 3, namely, either customary imperfect or preterite. The customary has the aspect of stressing that this was what Job used to do.

[4:4]  ⁹ tn The form is the singular active participle, interpreted here collectively. The verb is used of knees that give way (Isa 35:3; Ps 109:24).

[4:4]  ¹⁰ tn The expression is often translated as “feeble knees,” but it literally says “the bowing [or “tottering”] knees.” The figure is one who may be under a heavy load whose knees begin to shake and buckle (see also Heb 12:12).

[4:5]  ¹¹ tn The sentence has no subject, but the context demands that the subject be the same kind of trouble that has come upon people that Job has helped.

[4:5]  ¹² tn This is the same verb used in v. 2, meaning “to be exhausted” or “impatient.” Here with the vav (ו) consecutive the verb describes Job’s state of mind that is a consequence of the trouble coming on him. In this sentence the form is given a present tense translation (see GKC 329 §111.t).

[4:5]  ¹³ tn This final verb in the verse is vivid; it means “to terrify, dismay” (here the Niphal preterite). Job will go on to speak about all the terrors that come on him.

[4:6]  ¹⁴ tn The word יִרְאָה (yir’ah, “fear”) in this passage refers to Job’s fear of the Lord, his reverential devotion to God. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 46) says that on the lips of Eliphaz the word almost means “your religion.” He refers to Moffatt’s translation, “Let your religion reassure you.”

[4:6]  ¹⁵ tn The word כִּסְלָתֶךָ (kislatekha, “your confidence”) is rendered in the LXX by “founded in folly.” The word כֶּסֶל (kesel) is “confidence” (see 8:14) and elsewhere “folly.” Since it is parallel to “your hope” it must mean confidence here.

[4:6]  ¹⁶ tn This second half of the verse simply has “your hope and the integrity of your ways.” The expression “the perfection of your ways” is parallel to “your fear,” and “your hope” is parallel to “your confidence.” This sentence is an example of casus pendens or extraposition: “as for your hope, it is the integrity of your ways” (see GKC 458 §143.d).

[11:1]  ¹⁷ sn Psalm 11. The psalmist rejects the advice to flee from his dangerous enemies. Instead he affirms his confidence in God’s just character and calls down judgment on evildoers.

[11:1]  ¹⁸ tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form probably refers here to a completed action with continuing results.

[11:1]  ¹⁹ tn The pronominal suffix attached to נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) is equivalent to a personal pronoun. See Ps 6:3.

[11:1]  ²⁰ tc The MT is corrupt here. The Kethib (consonantal text) reads: “flee [masculine plural!] to your [masculine plural!] mountain, bird.” The Qere (marginal reading) has “flee” in a feminine singular form, agreeing grammatically with the addressee, the feminine noun “bird.” Rather than being a second masculine plural pronominal suffix, the ending כֶם- (-khem) attached to “mountain” is better interpreted as a second feminine singular pronominal suffix followed by an enclitic mem (ם). “Bird” may be taken as vocative (“O bird”) or as an adverbial accusative of manner (“like a bird”). Either way, the psalmist’s advisers compare him to a helpless bird whose only option in the face of danger is to fly away to an inaccessible place.

[11:2]  ²¹ tn In the psalms the “wicked” (רְשָׁעִים, rÿsha’im) are typically proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21). They oppose God and threaten his people (Ps 3:8).

[11:2]  ²² tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form depicts the enemies’ hostile action as underway.

[11:2]  ²³ tn Heb “a bow.”

[11:2]  ²⁴ sn In the darkness. The enemies’ attack, the precise form of which is not indicated, is compared here to a night ambush by archers; the psalmist is defenseless against this deadly attack.

[11:2]  ²⁵ tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the Lord and, as a result, experience his deliverance (see Pss 7:10; 32:11; 36:10; 64:10; 94:15; 97:11).

[112:6]  ²⁶ tn Heb “for an eternal memorial a just [one] will be.”

[112:8]  ²⁷ tn Heb “his heart,” viewed here as the seat of the volition.

[28:1]  ²⁸ sn The line portrays the insecurity of a guilty person – he flees because he has a guilty conscience, or because he is suspicious of others around him, or because he fears judgment.

[28:1]  ²⁹ tn The verb בָּטַח (batakh) means “to trust; to be secure; to be confident.” Cf. KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “bold.”

[10:18]  ³⁰ tn Heb “from breath to flesh it will destroy.” The expression “from breath to flesh” refers to the two basic components of a person, the immaterial (life’s breath) and the material (flesh). Here the phrase is used idiomatically to indicate totality.

[10:18]  ³¹ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. מָסַס (masas), which is used elsewhere of substances dissolving or melting, may here mean “waste away” or “despair.” נָסַס (nasas), which appears only here, may mean “be sick” or “stagger, despair.” See BDB 651 s.v. I נָסַס and HALOT 703 s.v. I נסס. One might translate the line literally, “like the wasting away of one who is sick” (cf. NRSV “as when an invalid wastes away”).

[13:31]  ³² tn Grk “At that very hour.”

[13:31]  ³³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[13:31]  ³⁴ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:31]  ³⁵ tn Grk “Go away and leave from here,” which is redundant in English and has been shortened to “Get away from here.”

[13:31]  ³⁶ sn Herod refers here to Herod Antipas. See the note on Herod Antipas in 3:1.

[13:32]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[13:32]  ³⁸ tn The participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.

[13:32]  ³⁹ sn That fox. This is not fundamentally a figure for cleverness as in modern western culture, but could indicate (1) an insignificant person (Neh 4:3; 2 Esd 13:35 LXX); (2) a deceiver (Song Rabbah 2.15.1 on 2:15); or someone destructive, a destroyer (Ezek 13:4; Lam 5:18; 1 En. 89:10, 42-49, 55). Luke’s emphasis seems to be on destructiveness, since Herod killed John the Baptist, whom Luke calls “the greatest born of women” (Luke 7:28) and later stands opposed to Jesus (Acts 4:26-28). In addition, “a person who is designated a fox is an insignificant or base person. He lacks real power and dignity, using cunning deceit to achieve his aims” (H. W. Hoehner, Herod Antipas [SNTSMS], 347).

[13:32]  ⁴⁰ sn The third day is a figurative reference to being further on in time, not a reference to three days from now. Jesus is not even in Jerusalem yet, and the events of the last days in Jerusalem take a good week.

[13:32]  ⁴¹ tn Or “I reach my goal.” The verb τελειόω (teleiow) is a key NT term for the completion of God’s plan: See Luke 12:50; 22:37; John 19:30; and (where it has the additional component of meaning “to perfect”) Heb 2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28.

[13:33]  ⁴² tn This is the frequent expression δεῖ (dei, “it is necessary”) that notes something that is a part of God’s plan.

[13:33]  ⁴³ tn Or “unthinkable.” See L&N 71.4 for both possible meanings.

[13:33]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “should perish away from.”

[13:33]  ⁴⁵ sn Death in Jerusalem is another key theme in Luke’s material: 7:16, 34; 24:19; Acts 3:22-23. Notice that Jesus sees himself in the role of a prophet here. Jesus’ statement, it is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem, is filled with irony; Jesus, traveling about in Galilee (most likely), has nothing to fear from Herod; it is his own people living in the very center of Jewish religion and worship who present the greatest danger to his life. The underlying idea is that Jerusalem, though she stands at the very heart of the worship of God, often kills the prophets God sends to her (v. 34). In the end, Herod will be much less a threat than Jerusalem.

[8:1]  ⁴⁶ tn The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesi") can refer to murder (BDAG 64 s.v.; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, Ant. 5.2.12 [5.165]).

[8:1]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “severe.”

[8:1]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”

[8:1]  ⁴⁹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:1]  ⁵⁰ sn All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6-8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.

[8:1]  ⁵¹ tn Or “countryside.”

[20:24]  ⁵² tn Grk “soul.”

[20:24]  ⁵³ tn Or “I do not consider my life worth a single word.” According to BDAG 599 s.v. λόγος 1.a.α, “In the textually uncertain pass. Ac 20:24 the text as it stands in N., οὐδενὸς λόγου (v.l. λόγον) ποιοῦμαι τὴν ψυχὴν τιμίαν, may well mean: I do not consider my life worth a single word (cp. λόγου ἄξιον [ἄξιος 1a] and our ‘worth mention’).”

[20:24]  ⁵⁴ tn BDAG 1106 s.v. ὡς 9 describes this use as “a final particle, expressing intention/purpose, with a view to, in order to.”

[20:24]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “course.” See L&N 42.26, “(a figurative extension of meaning of δρόμος ‘race’) a task or function involving continuity, serious, effort, and possibly obligation – ‘task, mission’…Ac 20:24.” On this Pauline theme see also Phil 1:19-26; Col 1:24; 2 Tim 4:6-7.

[20:24]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “to the gospel.”

[21:13]  ⁵⁷ tn The term translated “breaking” as used by Josephus (Ant. 10.10.4 [10.207]) means to break something into pieces, but in its only NT use (it is a hapax legomenon) it is used figuratively (BDAG 972 s.v. συνθρύπτω).

[21:13]  ⁵⁸ tn L&N 18.13 has “to tie objects together – ‘to tie, to tie together, to tie up.’” The verb δέω (dew) is sometimes figurative for imprisonment (L&N 37.114), but it is preferable to translate it literally here in light of v. 11 where Agabus tied himself up with Paul’s belt.