Psalms 8:2

8:2 From the mouths of children and nursing babies

you have ordained praise on account of your adversaries, ¹ 

so that you might put an end to the vindictive enemy. ² 

Psalms 25:14

25:14 The Lord’s loyal followers receive his guidance, ³ 

and he reveals his covenantal demands to them. ⁴ 

Isaiah 29:18-19

29:18 At that time ⁵  the deaf will be able to hear words read from a scroll,

and the eyes of the blind will be able to see through deep darkness. ⁶ 

29:19 The downtrodden will again rejoice in the Lord;

the poor among humankind will take delight ⁷  in the Holy One of Israel. ⁸ 

Isaiah 35:8

35:8 A thoroughfare will be there –

it will be called the Way of Holiness. ⁹ 

The unclean will not travel on it;

it is reserved for those authorized to use it ¹⁰  –

fools ¹¹  will not stray into it.

Matthew 13:11-16

13:11 He replied, ¹²  “You have been given ¹³  the opportunity to know ¹⁴  the secrets ¹⁵  of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 13:12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ¹⁶  13:13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. 13:14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

‘You will listen carefully ¹⁷  yet will never understand,

you will look closely ¹⁸  yet will never comprehend.

13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull;

they are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’ ¹⁹ 

13:16 “But your eyes are blessed ²⁰  because they see, and your ears because they hear.

Matthew 16:17

16:17 And Jesus answered him, ²¹  “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood ²²  did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven!

Matthew 21:16

21:16 and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of children and nursing infants you have prepared praise for yourself’?” ²³ 

Mark 10:15

10:15 I tell you the truth, ²⁴  whoever does not receive ²⁵  the kingdom of God like a child ²⁶  will never ²⁷  enter it.”

Mark 10:1

Divorce

10:1 Then ²⁸  Jesus ²⁹  left that place and went to the region of Judea and ³⁰  beyond the Jordan River. ³¹  Again crowds gathered to him, and again, as was his custom, he taught them.

Colossians 1:27-29

1:27 God wanted to make known to them the glorious ³²  riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 1:28 We proclaim him by instructing ³³  and teaching ³⁴  all people ³⁵  with all wisdom so that we may present every person mature ³⁶  in Christ. 1:29 Toward this goal ³⁷  I also labor, struggling according to his power that powerfully ³⁸  works in me.

Colossians 2:6-7

Warnings Against the Adoption of False Philosophies

2:6 Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, ³⁹  continue to live your lives ⁴⁰  in him, 2:7 rooted ⁴¹  and built up in him and firm ⁴²  in your ⁴³  faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:1

2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, ⁴⁴  and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ⁴⁵ 

Colossians 2:1-2

2:1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, ⁴⁶  and for those in Laodicea, and for those who have not met me face to face. ⁴⁷  2:2 My goal is that ⁴⁸  their hearts, having been knit together ⁴⁹  in love, may be encouraged, and that ⁵⁰  they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ⁵¹ 

[8:2]  ¹ tn Heb “you establish strength because of your foes.” The meaning of the statement is unclear. The present translation follows the reading of the LXX which has “praise” (αἶνος, ainos) in place of “strength” (עֹז, ’oz); cf. NIV, NCV, NLT.

[8:2]  ² tn Heb “to cause to cease an enemy and an avenger.” The singular forms are collective. The Hitpael participle of נָקַם (naqam) also occurs in Ps 44:16.

[25:14]  ³ tn Heb “the advice of the Lord belongs to those who fear him.”

[25:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “and his covenant, to make them know.”

[29:18]  ⁵ tn Or “In that day” (KJV).

[29:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.”

[29:19]  ⁷ tn Or “will rejoice” (NIV, NCV, NLT).

[29:19]  ⁸ sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.

[35:8]  ⁹ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “and there will be there a road and a way, and the Way of Holiness it will be called.” וְדֶרֶךְ (vÿderekh, “and a/the way”) is accidentally duplicated; the Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a does not reflect the repetition of the phrase.

[35:8]  ¹⁰ tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The text reads literally “and it is for them, the one who walks [on the] way.” In this context those authorized to use the Way of Holiness would be morally upright people who are the recipients of God’s deliverance, in contrast to the morally impure and foolish who are excluded from the new covenant community.

[35:8]  ¹¹ tn In this context “fools” are those who are morally corrupt, not those with limited intellectual capacity.

[13:11]  ¹² tn Grk “And answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[13:11]  ¹³ tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).

[13:11]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “to you it has been given to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.

[13:11]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “the mysteries.”

[13:12]  ¹⁶ sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.

[13:14]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “with hearing,” a cognate dative that intensifies the action of the main verb “you will listen” (ExSyn 168-69).

[13:14]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “look by looking.” The participle is redundant, functioning to intensify the force of the main verb.

[13:15]  ¹⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.

[13:16]  ²⁰ sn This beatitude highlights the great honor bestowed on the disciples to share in this salvation.

[16:17]  ²¹ tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to him.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of this phrase has been modified for clarity.

[16:17]  ²² tn The expression “flesh and blood” could refer to “any human being” (so TEV, NLT; cf. NIV “man”), but it could also refer to Peter himself (i.e., his own intuition; cf. CEV “You didn’t discover this on your own”). Because of the ambiguity of the referent, the phrase “flesh and blood” has been retained in the translation.

[21:16]  ²³ sn A quotation from Ps 8:2.

[10:15]  ²⁴ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[10:15]  ²⁵ sn On receive see John 1:12.

[10:15]  ²⁶ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[10:15]  ²⁷ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

[10:1]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[10:1]  ²⁹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:1]  ³⁰ tc Alexandrian and other witnesses (א B C* L Ψ 0274 892 2427 pc co) read καὶ πέραν (kai peran, “and beyond”), while Western and Caesarean witnesses (C² D W Δ Θ Ë^1,13 28 565 579 1241 al) read πέραν (simply “beyond”). It is difficult to decide between the Alexandrian and Western readings here, but since the parallel in Matt 19:1 omits καί the weight is slightly in favor of including it here; scribes may have omitted the word here to harmonize this passage to the Matthean passage. Because of the perceived geographical difficulties found in the earlier readings (omission of the word “and” would make it seem as though Judea is beyond the Jordan), the majority of the witnesses (A Ï) read διὰ τοῦ πέραν (dia tou peran, “through the other side”), perhaps trying to indicate the direction of Jesus’ travel.

[10:1]  ³¹ tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).

[1:27]  ³² tn The genitive noun τῆς δόξης (ths doxhs) is an attributive genitive and has therefore been translated as “glorious riches.”

[1:28]  ³³ 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]  ³⁴ 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]  ³⁵ 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]  ³⁶ 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.

[1:29]  ³⁷ tn The Greek phrase εἴς ὅ (eis Jo, “toward which”) implies “movement toward a goal” and has been rendered by the English phrase “Toward this goal.”

[1:29]  ³⁸ tn The prepositional phrase ἐν δυνάμει (en dunamei) seems to be functioning adverbially, related to the participle, and has therefore been translated “powerfully.”

[2:6]  ³⁹ tn Though the verb παρελάβετε (parelabete) does not often take a double accusative, here it seems to do so. Both τὸν Χριστὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν (ton Criston Ihsoun) and τὸν κύριον (ton kurion) are equally definite insofar as they both have an article, but both the word order and the use of “Christ Jesus” as a proper name suggest that it is the object (cf. Rom 10:9, 10). Thus Paul is affirming that the tradition that was delivered to the Colossians by Epaphras was Christ-centered and focused on him as Lord.

[2:6]  ⁴⁰ tn The present imperative περιπατεῖτε (peripateite) implies, in this context, a continuation of something already begun. This is evidenced by the fact that Paul has already referred to their faith as “orderly” and “firm” (2:5), despite the struggles of some of them with this deceptive heresy (cf. 2:16-23). The verb is used literally to refer to a person “walking” and is thus used metaphorically (i.e., ethically) to refer to the way a person lives his or her life.

[2:7]  ⁴¹ tn Or “having been rooted.”

[2:7]  ⁴² sn The three participles rooted, built up, and firm belong together and reflect three different metaphors. The first participle “rooted” (perfect tense) indicates a settled condition on the part of the Colossian believers and refers to horticulture. The second participle “built up” (present passive) comes from the world of architecture. The third participle “firm [established]” (present passive) comes from the law courts. With these three metaphors (as well as the following comment on thankfulness) Paul explains what he means when he commands them to continue to live their lives in Christ. The use of the passive probably reflects God’s activity among them. It was he who had rooted them, had been building them up, and had established them in the faith (cf. 1 Cor 3:5-15 for the use of mixed metaphors).

[2:7]  ⁴³ tn The Greek text has the article τῇ (th), not the possessive pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn), but the article often functions as a possessive pronoun and was translated as such here (ExSyn 215).

[2:1]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “I want you to know how hard I am working for you…”

[2:1]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.”

[2:1]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “I want you to know how hard I am working for you…”

[2:1]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.”

[2:2]  ⁴⁸ tn Verse two begins a subordinate ἵνα (Jina) clause which was divided up into two sentences for the sake of clarity in English. Thus the phrase “My goal is that” is an attempt to reflect in the translation the purpose expressed through the ἵνα clauses.

[2:2]  ⁴⁹ tn BDAG 956 s.v. συμβιβάζω 1.b reads “unite, knit together.” Some commentators take the verb as a reference to instruction, “instructed in love.” See P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 93.

[2:2]  ⁵⁰ tn The phrase “and that” translates the first εἰς (eis) clause of v. 2 and reflects the second goal of Paul’s striving and struggle for the Colossians – the first is “encouragement” and the second is “full assurance.”

[2:2]  ⁵¹ tc There are at least a dozen variants here, almost surely generated by the unusual wording τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ (tou qeou, Cristou, “of God, Christ”; so Ì⁴⁶ B Hil). Scribes would be prone to conform this to more common Pauline expressions such as “of God, who is in Christ” (33), “of God, the Father of Christ” (א* A C 048^vid 1175 bo), and “of the God and Father of Christ” (א² Ψ 075 0278 365 1505 pc). Even though the external support for the wording τοῦ θεοῦ, Χριστοῦ is hardly overwhelming, it clearly best explains the rise of the other readings and should thus be regarded as authentic.