Psalms 17:3

17:3 You have scrutinized my inner motives; ¹ 

you have examined me during the night. ² 

You have carefully evaluated me, but you find no sin.

I am determined I will say nothing sinful. ³ 

Psalms 26:2

26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and test me!

Evaluate my inner thoughts and motives! ⁴ 

Psalms 119:59

119:59 I consider my actions ⁵ 

and follow ⁶  your rules.

Psalms 139:23-24

139:23 Examine me, and probe my thoughts! ⁷ 

Test me, and know my concerns! ⁸ 

139:24 See if there is any idolatrous tendency ⁹  in me,

and lead me in the reliable ancient path! ¹⁰ 

Lamentations 3:40

נ (Nun)

3:40 Let us carefully examine our ways, ¹¹ 

and let us return to the Lord.

Ezekiel 18:28

18:28 Because he considered ¹²  and turned from all the sins he had done, he will surely live; he will not die.

Haggai 1:5

1:5 Here then is what the Lord who rules over all says: ‘Think carefully about what you are doing. ¹³ 

Haggai 1:7

The Instruction of the People

1:7 “Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘Pay close attention to these things also. ¹⁴ 

Haggai 1:1

Introduction

1:1 On the first day of the sixth month ¹⁵  of King Darius’ ¹⁶  second year, the Lord spoke this message through the prophet Haggai ¹⁷  to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak: ¹⁸ 

Colossians 1:28

1:28 We proclaim him by instructing ¹⁹  and teaching ²⁰  all people ²¹  with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature ²²  in Christ.

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ²³  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Galatians 6:4

6:4 Let each one examine ²⁴  his own work. Then he can take pride ²⁵  in himself and not compare himself with ²⁶  someone else.

Hebrews 4:1

God’s Promised Rest

4:1 Therefore we must be wary ²⁷  that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.

Hebrews 12:15

12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up ²⁸  and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled.

Hebrews 12:1

The Lord’s Discipline

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ²⁹  we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ³⁰  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ³¹ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ³²  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ³³ 

Revelation 2:5

2:5 Therefore, remember from what high state ³⁴  you have fallen and repent! Do ³⁵  the deeds you did at the first; ³⁶  if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – that is, if you do not repent. ³⁷ 

Revelation 3:2-3

3:2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about ³⁸  to die, because I have not found your deeds complete ³⁹  in the sight ⁴⁰  of my God. 3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, ⁴¹  and obey it, ⁴²  and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never ⁴³  know at what hour I will come against ⁴⁴  you.

[17:3]  ¹ tn Heb “you tested my heart.”

[17:3]  ² tn Heb “you visited [at] night.”

[17:3]  ³ tc Heb “you tested me, you do not find, I plan, my mouth will not cross over.” The Hebrew verbal form זַמֹּתִי (zammotiy) is a Qal perfect, first person singular from the root זָמַם (zamam, “plan, plan evil”). Some emend the form to a suffixed form of the noun, זִמָּתִי (zimmatiy, “my plan/evil plan”), and take it as the object of the preceding verb “find.” However, the suffix seems odd, since the psalmist is denying that he has any wrong thoughts. If one takes the form with what precedes, it might make better sense to read זִמּוֹת (zimmot, “evil plans”). However, this emendation leaves an unclear connection with the next line. The present translation maintains the verbal form found in the MT and understands it in a neutral sense, “I have decided” (see Jer 4:28). The words “my mouth will not cross over” (i.e., “transgress, sin”) can then be taken as a noun clause functioning as the object of the verb.

[26:2]  ⁴ tn Heb “evaluate my kidneys and my heart.” The kidneys and heart were viewed as the seat of one’s volition, conscience, and moral character.

[119:59]  ⁵ tn Heb “my ways.”

[119:59]  ⁶ tn Heb “and I turn my feet toward.”

[139:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “and know my heart.”

[139:23]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew noun שַׂרְעַפַּי (sar’apay, “concerns”) is used of “worries” in Ps 94:19.

[139:24]  ⁹ tn Many understand the Hebrew term עֹצֶב (’otsev) as a noun meaning “pain,” and translate the phrase דֶּרֶךְ עֹצֶב (derekh ’otsev) as “of pain,” but this makes little sense here. (Some interpret it to refer to actions which bring pain to others.) It is preferable to take עֹצֶב as “idol” (see HALOT 865 s.v. I עֹצֶב) and understand “way of an idol” to refer to idolatrous actions or tendency. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 253.

[139:24]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “in the path of antiquity.” This probably refers to the moral path prescribed by the Lord at the beginning of Israel’s history. See Jer 6:16; 18:15, as well as L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 253.

[3:40]  ¹¹ tn Heb “Let us test our ways and examine.” The two verbs וְנַחְקֹרָה…נַחְפְּשָׂה (nakhpÿsah…vÿnakhqorah, “Let us test and let us examine”) form a verbal hendiadys in which the first functions adverbially and the second retains its full verbal force: “Let us carefully examine our ways.”

[18:28]  ¹² tn Heb “he saw.”

[1:5]  ¹³ tn Heb “Set your heart upon your ways” (see 2:15, 18); traditionally “Consider your ways” (so KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB).

[1:7]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “Set your heart upon your ways”; see v. 5.

[1:1]  ¹⁵ sn The first day of the sixth month was Elul 1 according to the Jewish calendar; August 29, 520 b.c. according to the modern (Julian) calendar.

[1:1]  ¹⁶ sn King Darius is the Persian king Darius Hystaspes who ruled from 522-486 b.c.

[1:1]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet” (בְּיַד־חַגַּי, bÿyad-khaggay). This suggests that the prophet is only an instrument of the Lord; the Lord is to be viewed as the true author (see 1:3; 2:1; Mal 1:1).

[1:1]  ¹⁸ tn The typical translation “Joshua (the) son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV, NRSV) can be understood to mean that Jehozadak was high priest. However, Zech 3:1, 8 clearly indicates that Joshua was high priest (see also Ezra 5:1-2; cf. NAB). The same potential misunderstanding occurs in Hag 1:12, 14 and 2:2, where the same solution has been employed in the translation.

[1:28]  ¹⁹ tn Or “admonishing,” or “warning.” BDAG 679 s.v. νουθετέω states, “to counsel about avoidance or cessation of an improper course of conduct,, admonish, warn, instruct.” After the participle νουθετοῦντες (nouqetounte", “instructing”) the words πάντα ἄνθρωπον (panta anqrwpon, “all men”) occur in the Greek text, but since the same phrase appears again after διδάσκοντες (didaskontes) it was omitted in translation to avoid redundancy in English.

[1:28]  ²⁰ tn The two participles “instructing” (νουθετοῦντες, nouqetounte") and “teaching” (διδάσκοντες, didaskonte") are translated as participles of means (“by”) related to the finite verb “we proclaim” (καταγγέλλομεν, katangellomen).

[1:28]  ²¹ tn Here ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon) is twice translated as a generic (“people” and “person”) since both men and women are clearly intended in this context.

[1:28]  ²² tn Since Paul’s focus is on the present experience of the Colossians, “mature” is a better translation of τέλειον (teleion) than “perfect,” since the latter implies a future, eschatological focus.

[1:1]  ²³ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[6:4]  ²⁴ tn Or “determine the genuineness of.”

[6:4]  ²⁵ tn Grk “he will have a reason for boasting.”

[6:4]  ²⁶ tn Or “and not in regard to.” The idea of comparison is implied in the context.

[4:1]  ²⁷ tn Grk “let us fear.”

[12:15]  ²⁸ tn Grk “that there not be any root of bitterness,” but referring figuratively to a person who causes trouble (as in Deut 29:17 [LXX] from which this is quoted).

[12:1]  ²⁹ tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”

[3:1]  ³⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ³¹ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:1]  ³² tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ³³ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[2:5]  ³⁴ tn Grk “from where,” but status is in view rather than physical position. On this term BDAG 838 s.v. πόθεν 1 states, “from what place? from where?…In imagery μνημόνευε πόθεν πέπτωκες remember from what (state) you have fallen Rv 2:5.”

[2:5]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and do” (a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text). For stylistic reasons in English a new sentence was started here in the translation. The repeated mention of repenting at the end of the verse suggests that the intervening material (“do the deeds you did at first”) specifies how the repentance is to be demonstrated.

[2:5]  ³⁶ tn Or “you did formerly.”

[2:5]  ³⁷ tn Although the final clause is somewhat awkward, it is typical of the style of Revelation.

[3:2]  ³⁸ tn The verb ἔμελλον (emellon) is in the imperfect tense.

[3:2]  ³⁹ tn The perfect passive participle has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect here.

[3:2]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “in the judgment.” BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 3 states, “in the opinion/judgment of…As a rule…of θεός or κύριος; so after…πεπληρωμένος Rv 3:2.”

[3:3]  ⁴¹ tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.

[3:3]  ⁴² tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.

[3:3]  ⁴³ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).

[3:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “come on.”