Psalms 37:30

37:30 The godly speak wise words

and promote justice. ¹ 

Ezekiel 44:23-24

44:23 Moreover, they will teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the ceremonially unclean and the clean. ² 

44:24 “‘In a controversy they will act as judges; ³  they will judge according to my ordinances. They will keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals and will observe ⁴  my Sabbaths.

Hosea 4:6

4:6 You have destroyed ⁵  my people

by failing to acknowledge me!

Because you refuse to acknowledge me, ⁶ 

I will reject you as my priests.

Because you reject ⁷  the law of your God,

I will reject ⁸  your descendants.

Matthew 22:16

22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, ⁹  saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹⁰  You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. ¹¹ 

Mark 12:14

12:14 When they came they said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone’s favor, because you show no partiality ¹²  but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹³  Is it right ¹⁴  to pay taxes ¹⁵  to Caesar ¹⁶  or not? Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”

Luke 20:21

20:21 Thus ¹⁷  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ¹⁸  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ¹⁹ 

Luke 20:2

20:2 and said to him, ²⁰  “Tell us: By what authority ²¹  are you doing these things? ²²  Or who it is who gave you this authority?”

Luke 2:15-16

2:15 When ²³  the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem ²⁴  and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord ²⁵  has made known to us.” 2:16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. ²⁶ 

Titus 1:7-9

1:7 For the overseer ²⁷  must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, ²⁸  not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. 1:8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 1:9 He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, ²⁹  so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching ³⁰  and correct those who speak against it.

Revelation 14:5

14:5 and no lie was found on their lips; ³¹  they ³²  are blameless.

[37:30]  ¹ tn Heb “The mouth of the godly [one] utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.” The singular form is used in a representative sense; the typical godly individual is in view. The imperfect verbal forms draw attention to the characteristic behavior of the godly.

[44:23]  ² sn This task was a fundamental role of the priest (Lev 10:10).

[44:24]  ³ sn For a historical illustration of the priest carrying out this function, see 2 Chr 19:9-11.

[44:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “sanctify, set apart.”

[4:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “they have destroyed” or “my people are destroyed” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[4:6]  ⁶ tn Heb “Because you reject knowledge”; NLT “because they don’t know me.”

[4:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “have forgotten”; NAB, NIV “have ignored.”

[4:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “forget” (so KJV, NRSV); NLT “forget to bless.”

[22:16]  ⁹ sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some mss also read “Herodians” instead of “Herod” in Mark 8:15). It is generally assumed that as a group the Herodians were Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty (or of Herod Antipas in particular). In every instance they are linked with the Pharisees. This probably reflects agreement regarding political objectives (nationalism as opposed to submission to the yoke of Roman oppression) rather than philosophy or religious beliefs.

[22:16]  ¹⁰ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[22:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”

[12:14]  ¹² tn Grk “and it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”

[12:14]  ¹³ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[12:14]  ¹⁴ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

[12:14]  ¹⁵ tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.

[12:14]  ¹⁶ tn Or “the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[20:21]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ¹⁸ tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ¹⁹ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[20:2]  ²⁰ tn Grk “and said, saying to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[20:2]  ²¹ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.

[20:2]  ²² sn The leadership is looking back to acts like the temple cleansing (19:45-48). How could a Galilean preacher do these things?

[2:15]  ²³ tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:15]  ²⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

[2:15]  ²⁵ sn Note how although angels delivered the message, it was the Lord whose message is made known, coming through them.

[2:16]  ²⁶ tn Or “a feeding trough.”

[1:7]  ²⁷ 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]  ²⁸ tn Grk “as God’s steward.”

[1:9]  ²⁹ tn Grk “the faithful message in accordance with the teaching” (referring to apostolic teaching).

[1:9]  ³⁰ tn Grk “the healthy teaching” (referring to what was just mentioned).

[14:5]  ³¹ tn Grk “in their mouth was not found a lie.”

[14:5]  ³² tc Several mss (Ì⁴⁷ א 1 1006 1611 2351 Ï^K pc) have the conjunction “for” (γάρ, gar) here so that the phrase reads: “for they are blameless.” Other important mss (A C P 1854 2053 al lat) lack the word. The shorter reading is to be preferred since the scribes were more likely to make the connection explicit through the addition of “for” than they would have been to omit the conjunction. As it is, the passage without the conjunction makes good sense and evokes a very somber tone.