Psalms 35:3

35:3 Use your spear and lance ¹  against ²  those who chase me!

Assure me with these words: ³  “I am your deliverer!”

Isaiah 35:3

35:3 Strengthen the hands that have gone limp,

steady the knees that shake! ⁴ 

Isaiah 35:2

35:2 Let it richly bloom; ⁵ 

let it rejoice and shout with delight! ⁶ 

It is given the grandeur ⁷  of Lebanon,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon.

They will see the grandeur of the Lord,

the splendor of our God.

Colossians 1:11

1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ⁸  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Philippians 1:19

1:19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance ⁹  through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul ¹⁰  and Timothy, slaves ¹¹  of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, ¹²  with the overseers ¹³  and deacons.

Philippians 1:25

1:25 And since I am sure of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for the sake of your progress ¹⁴  and joy in the faith, ¹⁵ 

Hebrews 12:12

12:12 Therefore, strengthen ¹⁶  your listless hands and your weak knees, ¹⁷ 

James 1:6

1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.

[35:3]  ¹ tn Or “javelin.” On the meaning of this word, which occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, see M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:210-11.

[35:3]  ² tn Heb “draw out spear and lance to meet.”

[35:3]  ³ tn Heb “say to me,” or “say to my soul.”

[35:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “staggering knees”; KJV, ASV, NRSV “feeble knees”; NIV “knees that give way.”

[35:2]  ⁵ tn The ambiguous verb form תִּפְרַח (tifrakh) is translated as a jussive because it is parallel to the jussive form תָגֵל (tagel).

[35:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “and let it rejoice, yes [with] rejoicing and shouting.” גִּילַת (gilat) may be an archaic feminine nominal form (see GKC 421 §130.b).

[35:2]  ⁷ tn Or “glory” (KJV, NIV, NRSV); also a second time later in this verse.

[1:11]  ⁸ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

[1:19]  ⁹ tn Or “salvation.” Deliverance from prison (i.e., release) is probably what Paul has in view here, although some take this as a reference to his ultimate release from the body, i.e., dying and being with Christ (v. 23).

[1:1]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” 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]  ¹² map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[1:1]  ¹³ sn The overseers (or “church leaders,” L&N 53.71) is another term for the same official position of leadership as the “elder.” This is seen in the interchange of the two terms in Titus 1:6-7 and in Acts 20:17, 28, as well as in the parallels between Titus 1:6-7 and 1 Tim 3:1-7.

[1:25]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “for your progress.”

[1:25]  ¹⁵ sn Paul’s confidence in his release from prison (I know that I will remain and continue with all of you) implies that this Roman imprisonment did not end in his death. Hence, there is the likelihood that he experienced a second Roman imprisonment later on (since the belief of the early church was that Paul died under Nero in Rome). If so, then the pastoral letters (1-2 Tim, Titus) could well fit into a life of Paul that goes beyond any descriptions in the book of Acts (which ends with Paul’s first Roman imprisonment). Some have argued that the pastorals cannot be genuine because they cannot fit into the history of Acts. But this view presupposes that Paul’s first Roman imprisonment was also his last.

[12:12]  ¹⁶ tn Or “straighten.”

[12:12]  ¹⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers’ need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).