Proverbs 1:5

1:5 (Let the wise also ¹  hear ²  and gain ³  instruction,

and let the discerning ⁴  acquire ⁵  guidance! ⁶ )

Proverbs 4:5

4:5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding;

do not forget and do not turn aside from the words I speak. ⁷ 

Proverbs 4:7

4:7 Wisdom is supreme ⁸  – so ⁹  acquire wisdom,

and whatever you acquire, ¹⁰  acquire understanding! ¹¹ 

Proverbs 9:9

9:9 Give instruction ¹²  to a wise person, ¹³  and he will become wiser still;

teach ¹⁴  a righteous person and he will add to his ¹⁵  learning.

Proverbs 10:14

10:14 Those who are wise ¹⁶  store up ¹⁷  knowledge,

but foolish speech ¹⁸  leads to imminent ¹⁹  destruction.

Proverbs 15:14

15:14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge,

but the mouth of fools feeds on folly. ²⁰ 

Proverbs 23:23

23:23 Acquire ²¹  truth and do not sell it –

wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.

Proverbs 23:1

23:1 When you sit down to eat with a ruler,

consider carefully ²²  what ²³  is before you,

Proverbs 3:9

3:9 Honor ²⁴  the Lord from your wealth

and from the first fruits of all your crops; ²⁵ 

Psalms 119:97-104

מ (Mem)

119:97 O how I love your law!

All day long I meditate on it.

119:98 Your commandments ²⁶  make me wiser than my enemies,

for I am always aware of them.

119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers,

for I meditate on your rules.

119:100 I am more discerning than those older than I,

for I observe your precepts.

119:101 I stay away ²⁷  from the evil path,

so that I might keep your instructions. ²⁸ 

119:102 I do not turn aside from your regulations,

for you teach me.

119:103 Your words are sweeter

in my mouth than honey! ²⁹ 

119:104 Your precepts give me discernment.

Therefore I hate all deceitful actions. ³⁰ 

Luke 8:8-10

8:8 But ³¹  other seed fell on good soil and grew, ³²  and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” ³³  As he said this, ³⁴  he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” ³⁵ 

8:9 Then ³⁶  his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ³⁷  8:10 He ³⁸  said, “You have been given ³⁹  the opportunity to know ⁴⁰  the secrets ⁴¹  of the kingdom of God, ⁴²  but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. ⁴³ 

Luke 10:39

10:39 She ⁴⁴  had a sister named Mary, who sat ⁴⁵  at the Lord’s feet ⁴⁶  and listened to what he said.

Luke 10:2

10:2 He ⁴⁷  said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest ⁴⁸  to send out ⁴⁹  workers into his harvest.

Luke 3:15-17

3:15 While the people were filled with anticipation ⁵⁰  and they all wondered ⁵¹  whether perhaps John ⁵²  could be the Christ, ⁵³  3:16 John answered them all, ⁵⁴  “I baptize you with water, ⁵⁵  but one more powerful than I am is coming – I am not worthy ⁵⁶  to untie the strap ⁵⁷  of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ⁵⁸  3:17 His winnowing fork ⁵⁹  is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, ⁶⁰  but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” ⁶¹ 

James 1:5

1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

[1:5]  ¹ tn The term “also” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity and smoothness.

[1:5]  ² tn The verb יִשְׁמַע (yishma’) functions as a jussive of advice or counsel (“Let him hear!”) rather than a customary imperfect (“he will hear”). The jussive is supported by the parallelism with the following Hiphil jussive וְיוֹסֶף (vÿyosef, “Let him add!”).

[1:5]  ³ tn Heb “add.”

[1:5]  ⁴ tn The Niphal substantival participle נָבוֹן (navon, “discerning”), rather than the noun, is used to describe a person who is habitually characterized by discernment. 1:5 forms a striking contrast to 1:4 – there was the simpleton and the youth, here the wise and discerning. Both need this book.

[1:5]  ⁵ tn The Hiphil verb וְיוֹסֶף (vÿyosef) is a jussive rather than an imperfect as the final short vowel (segol) and accent on the first syllable shows (BDB 415 s.v. יָסַף Hiph).

[1:5]  ⁶ tn The noun תַּחְבֻּלָה (takhbulah, “direction; counsel”) refers to moral guidance (BDB 287 s.v.). It is related to חֹבֵל (khovel, “sailor”), חִבֵּל (khibel, “mast”) and חֶבֶל (khevel, “rope; cord”), so BDB suggests it originally meant directing a ship by pulling ropes on the mast. It is used in a concrete sense of God directing the path of clouds (Job 37:12) and in a figurative sense of moral guidance (Prov 11:14; 20:18; 24:6). Here it refers to the ability to steer a right course through life (A. Cohen, Proverbs, 2).

[4:5]  ⁷ tn Heb “from the words of my mouth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); TEV, CEV “what I say.”

[4:7]  ⁸ tn The absolute and construct state of רֵאשִׁית (re’shit) are identical (BDB 912 s.v.). Some treat רֵאשִׁית חָכְמָה (re’shit khokhmah) as a genitive-construct phrase: “the beginning of wisdom” (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV). Others take רֵאשִׁית as an absolute functioning as predicate and חָכְמָה as the subject: “wisdom is the first/chief thing” (cf. KJV, ASV). The context here suggests the predicate.

[4:7]  ⁹ tn The term “so” does not appear in the Hebrew but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style.

[4:7]  ¹⁰ tn The noun קִנְיָן (qinyan) means “thing got or acquired; acquisition” (BDB 889 s.v.). With the preposition that denotes price, it means “with (or at the price of) all that you have acquired.” The point is that no price is too high for wisdom – give everything for it (K&D 16:108).

[4:7]  ¹¹ tc The verse is not in the LXX; some textual critics delete the verse as an impossible gloss that interrupts vv. 6 and 8 (e.g., C. H. Toy, Proverbs [ICC], 88).

[9:9]  ¹² tn The noun “instruction” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation.

[9:9]  ¹³ sn The parallelism shows what Proverbs will repeatedly stress, that the wise person is the righteous person.

[9:9]  ¹⁴ tn The Hiphil verb normally means “to cause to know, make known”; but here the context suggests “to teach” (so many English versions).

[9:9]  ¹⁵ tn The term “his” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for the sake of smoothness and clarity.

[10:14]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “wise men.”

[10:14]  ¹⁷ sn The verb צָפַן (tsafan, “to store up; to treasure”) may mean (1) the wise acquire and do not lose wisdom (cf. NAB, NIV, TEV), or (2) they do not tell all that they know (cf. NCV), that is, they treasure it up for a time when they will need it. The fool, by contrast, talks without thinking.

[10:14]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “the mouth of foolishness”; cf. NRSV, NLT “the babbling of a fool.” The term פֶּה (peh, “mouth”) functions as a metonymy of cause for speech. The genitive אֶוִיל (’evil, “foolishness”) functions as an attributive adjective: “a foolish mouth” = foolish speech.

[10:14]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “near destruction.” The words of the fool that are uttered without wise forethought may invite imminent ruin (e.g., James 3:13-18). See also Ptah-hotep and Amenemope in ANET 414 and 423.

[15:14]  ²⁰ tn The idea expressed in the second colon does not make a strong parallelism with the first with its emphasis on seeking knowledge. Its poetic image of feeding (a hypocatastasis) would signify the acquisition of folly – the fool has an appetite for it. D. W. Thomas suggests the change of one letter, ר (resh) to ד (dalet), to obtain a reading יִדְעֶה (yid’eh); this he then connects to an Arabic root da`a with the meaning “sought, demanded” to form what he thinks is a better parallel (“Textual and Philological Notes on Some Passages in the Book of Proverbs,” VTSup 3 [1955]: 285). But even though the parallelism is not as precise as some would prefer, there is insufficient warrant for such a change.

[23:23]  ²¹ tn Heb “buy” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT); CEV “Invest in truth.”

[23:1]  ²² tn The construction uses the imperfect tense of instruction with the infinitive absolute to emphasize the careful discernment required on such occasions. Cf. NIV “note well”; NLT “pay attention.”

[23:1]  ²³ tn Or “who,” referring to the ruler (so ASV, NAB, TEV).

[3:9]  ²⁴ tn The imperative כַּבֵּד (kabbed, “honor”) functions as a command, instruction, counsel or exhortation. To honor God means to give him the rightful place of authority by rendering to him gifts of tribute. One way to acknowledge God in one’s ways (v. 6) is to honor him with one’s wealth (v. 9).

[3:9]  ²⁵ tn Heb “produce.” The noun תְּבוּאָה (tÿvu’ah) has a two-fold range of meaning: (1) “product; yield” of the earth (= crops; harvest) and (2) “income; revenue” in general (BDB 100 s.v.). The imagery in vv. 9-10 is agricultural; however, all Israelites – not just farmers – were expected to give the best portion (= first fruits) of their income to Lord.

[119:98]  ²⁶ tn The plural form needs to be revocalized as a singular in order to agree with the preceding singular verb and the singular pronoun in the next line. The Lord’s “command” refers here to the law (see Ps 19:8).

[119:101]  ²⁷ tn Heb “I hold back my feet.”

[119:101]  ²⁸ tn Heb “your word.” Many medieval Hebrew mss read the plural.

[119:103]  ²⁹ tn Heb “How smooth they are to my palate, your word, more than honey to my mouth.” A few medieval Hebrew mss, as well as several other ancient witnesses, read the plural “your words,” which can then be understood as the subject of the plural verb “they are smooth.”

[119:104]  ³⁰ tn Heb “every false path.”

[8:8]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.

[8:8]  ³² tn Grk “when it grew, after it grew.”

[8:8]  ³³ sn Unlike the parallel accounts in Matt 13:8 and Mark 4:8, there is no distinction in yield in this version of the parable.

[8:8]  ³⁴ tn Grk “said these things.”

[8:8]  ³⁵ 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, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 14:35).

[8:9]  ³⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[8:9]  ³⁷ tn Grk “what this parable might be” (an optative after a secondary tense, in keeping with good Koine style).

[8:10]  ³⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:10]  ³⁹ tn This is an example of a so-called “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).

[8:10]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “it has been given to you to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.

[8:10]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the mysteries.”

[8:10]  ⁴² 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. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[8:10]  ⁴³ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.

[10:39]  ⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[10:39]  ⁴⁵ tn This reflexive makes it clear that Mary took the initiative in sitting by Jesus.

[10:39]  ⁴⁶ sn The description of Mary sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to him makes her sound like a disciple (compare Luke 8:35).

[10:2]  ⁴⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[10:2]  ⁴⁸ sn The phrase Lord of the harvest recognizes God’s sovereignty over the harvest process.

[10:2]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “to thrust out.”

[3:15]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “with expectation.” The participle προσδοκῶντος (prosdokwnto") is taken temporally.

[3:15]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “pondered in their hearts.”

[3:15]  ⁵² tn Grk “in their hearts concerning John, (whether) perhaps he might be the Christ.” The translation simplifies the style here.

[3:15]  ⁵³ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[3:16]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “answered them all, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.

[3:16]  ⁵⁵ tc A few mss (C D 892 1424 pc it ) add εἰς μετάνοιαν (ei" metanoian, “for repentance”). Although two of the mss in support are early and important, it is an obviously motivated reading to add clarification, probably representing a copyist’s attempt to harmonize Luke’s version with Matt 3:11.

[3:16]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”

[3:16]  ⁵⁷ tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.

[3:16]  ⁵⁸ sn With the Holy Spirit and fire. There are differing interpretations for this phrase regarding the number of baptisms and their nature. (1) Some see one baptism here, and this can be divided further into two options. (a) The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire could refer to the cleansing, purifying work of the Spirit in the individual believer through salvation and sanctification, or (b) it could refer to two different results of Christ’s ministry: Some accept Christ and are baptized with the Holy Spirit, but some reject him and receive judgment. (2) Other interpreters see two baptisms here: The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the salvation Jesus brings at his first advent, in which believers receive the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire refers to the judgment Jesus will bring upon the world at his second coming. One must take into account both the image of fire and whether individual or corporate baptism is in view. A decision is not easy on either issue. The image of fire is used to refer to both eternal judgment (e.g., Matt 25:41) and the power of the Lord’s presence to purge and cleanse his people (e.g., Isa 4:4-5). The pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, a fulfillment of this prophecy no matter which interpretation is taken, had both individual and corporate dimensions. It is possible that since Holy Spirit and fire are governed by a single preposition in Greek, the one-baptism view may be more likely, but this is not certain. Simply put, there is no consensus view in scholarship at this time on the best interpretation of this passage.

[3:17]  ⁵⁹ sn A winnowing fork is a pitchfork-like tool used to toss threshed grain in the air so that the wind blows away the chaff, leaving the grain to fall to the ground. The note of purging is highlighted by the use of imagery involving sifting though threshed grain for the useful kernels.

[3:17]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “granary,” “barn” (referring to a building used to store a farm’s produce rather than a building for housing livestock).

[3:17]  ⁶¹ sn The image of fire that cannot be extinguished is from the OT: Job 20:26; Isa 34:8-10; 66:24.