Psalms 96:1-3

Psalm 96 ¹ 

96:1 Sing to the Lord a new song! ² 

Sing to the Lord, all the earth!

96:2 Sing to the Lord! Praise his name!

Announce every day how he delivers! ³ 

96:3 Tell the nations about his splendor!

Tell ⁴  all the nations about his amazing deeds!

Psalms 96:10

96:10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!

The world is established, it cannot be moved.

He judges the nations fairly.”

Psalms 98:1-3

Psalm 98 ⁵ 

A psalm.

98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, ⁶ 

for he performs ⁷  amazing deeds!

His right hand and his mighty arm

accomplish deliverance. ⁸ 

98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; ⁹ 

in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.

98:3 He remains loyal and faithful to the family of Israel. ¹⁰ 

All the ends of the earth see our God deliver us. ¹¹ 

Psalms 117:1-2

Psalm 117 ¹² 

117:1 Praise the Lord, all you nations!

Applaud him, all you foreigners! ¹³ 

117:2 For his loyal love towers ¹⁴  over us,

and the Lord’s faithfulness endures.

Praise the Lord!

Isaiah 2:2-3

2:2 In the future ¹⁵ 

the mountain of the Lord’s temple will endure ¹⁶ 

as the most important of mountains,

and will be the most prominent of hills. ¹⁷ 

All the nations will stream to it,

2:3 many peoples will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain,

to the temple of the God of Jacob,

so ¹⁸  he can teach us his requirements, ¹⁹ 

and ²⁰  we can follow his standards.” ²¹ 

For Zion will be the center for moral instruction; ²² 

the Lord will issue edicts from Jerusalem. ²³ 

Isaiah 45:22

45:22 Turn to me so you can be delivered, ²⁴ 

all you who live in the earth’s remote regions!

For I am God, and I have no peer.

Isaiah 49:6

49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant,

to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,

and restore the remnant ²⁵  of Israel? ²⁶ 

I will make you a light to the nations, ²⁷ 

so you can bring ²⁸  my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”

Isaiah 52:10

52:10 The Lord reveals ²⁹  his royal power ³⁰ 

in the sight of all the nations;

the entire ³¹  earth sees

our God deliver. ³² 

Isaiah 60:1-3

Zion’s Future Splendor

60:1 “Arise! Shine! For your light arrives!

The splendor ³³  of the Lord shines on you!

60:2 For, look, darkness covers the earth

and deep darkness covers ³⁴  the nations,

but the Lord shines on you;

his splendor ³⁵  appears over you.

60:3 Nations come to your light,

kings to your bright light.

Matthew 28:19

28:19 Therefore go ³⁶  and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ³⁷ 

Mark 16:15

16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Luke 3:6

3:6 and all humanity ³⁸  will see the salvation of God.’” ³⁹ 

Luke 24:47

24:47 and repentance ⁴⁰  for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed ⁴¹  in his name to all nations, ⁴²  beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴³ 

Acts 13:47

13:47 For this ⁴⁴  is what the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have appointed ⁴⁵  you to be a light ⁴⁶  for the Gentiles, to bring salvation ⁴⁷  to the ends of the earth.’” ⁴⁸ 

John 1:9

1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, ⁴⁹  was coming into the world. ⁵⁰ 

Romans 10:18

10:18 But I ask, have they ⁵¹  not heard? ⁵²  Yes, they have: ⁵³  Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. ⁵⁴ 

Romans 15:9-19

15:9 and thus the Gentiles glorify God for his mercy. ⁵⁵  As it is written, “Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.” ⁵⁶  15:10 And again it says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” ⁵⁷  15:11 And again, “Praise the Lord all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him.” ⁵⁸  15:12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, and the one who rises to rule over the Gentiles, in him will the Gentiles hope.” ⁵⁹  15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, ⁶⁰  so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul’s Motivation for Writing the Letter

15:14 But I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, ⁶¹  that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15:15 But I have written more boldly to you on some points so as to remind you, because of the grace given to me by God 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. I serve ⁶²  the gospel of God ⁶³  like a priest, so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering, ⁶⁴  sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

15:17 So I boast ⁶⁵  in Christ Jesus about the things that pertain to God. 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in order to bring about the obedience ⁶⁶  of the Gentiles, by word and deed, 15:19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem even as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Ephesians 3:6-8

3:6 namely, that through the gospel ⁶⁷  the Gentiles are fellow heirs, fellow members ⁶⁸  of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. 3:7 I became a servant of this gospel ⁶⁹  according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by ⁷⁰  the exercise of his power. ⁷¹  3:8 To me – less than the least of all the saints ⁷²  – this grace was given, ⁷³  to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ

Colossians 1:6

1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ⁷⁴  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ⁷⁵  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth.

Colossians 1:23

1:23 if indeed you remain in the faith, established and firm, ⁷⁶  without shifting ⁷⁷  from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has also been preached in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become its servant.

Colossians 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁷⁸  an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

Colossians 2:4

2:4 I say this so that no one will deceive you through arguments ⁷⁹  that sound reasonable. ⁸⁰ 

Colossians 2:2

2:2 My goal is that ⁸¹  their hearts, having been knit together ⁸²  in love, may be encouraged, and that ⁸³  they may have all the riches that assurance brings in their understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ⁸⁴ 

Colossians 4:17

4:17 And tell Archippus, “See to it that you complete the ministry you received in the Lord.”

[96:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 96. The psalmist summons everyone to praise the Lord, the sovereign creator of the world who preserves and promotes justice in the earth.

[96:1]  ² sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See also Pss 33:3; 40:3; 98:1.

[96:2]  ³ tn Heb “announce from day to day his deliverance.”

[96:3]  ⁴ tn The verb “tell” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[98:1]  ⁵ sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.

[98:1]  ⁶ sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.

[98:1]  ⁷ tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.

[98:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.

[98:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”

[98:3]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “he remembers his loyal love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel.”

[98:3]  ¹¹ tn Heb “the deliverance of our God,” with “God” being a subjective genitive (= God delivers).

[117:1]  ¹² sn Psalm 117. The psalmist tells the nations to praise the Lord for his loyal love and faithfulness.

[117:1]  ¹³ tn Or “peoples” (see Ps 108:3).

[117:2]  ¹⁴ tn For this sense of the Hebrew verb גָּבַר (gavar), see Ps 103:11 and L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 17, 19.

[2:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “in the end of the days.” This phrase may refer generally to the future, or more technically to the final period of history. See BDB 31 s.v. ַאחֲרִית. The verse begins with a verb that functions as a “discourse particle” and is not translated. In numerous places throughout the OT, the “to be” verb with a prefixed conjunction (וְהָיָה [vÿhayah] and וַיְהִי [vayÿhi]) occurs in this fashion to introduce a circumstantial clause and does not require translation.

[2:2]  ¹⁶ tn Or “be established” (KJV, NIV, NRSV).

[2:2]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “as the chief of the mountains, and will be lifted up above the hills.” The image of Mount Zion being elevated above other mountains and hills pictures the prominence it will attain in the future.

[2:3]  ¹⁸ tn The prefixed verb form with simple vav (ו) introduces a purpose/result clause after the preceding prefixed verb form (probably to be taken as a cohortative; see IBHS 650 §39.2.2a).

[2:3]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “his ways.” In this context God’s “ways” are the standards of moral conduct he decrees that people should live by.

[2:3]  ²⁰ tn The cohortative with vav (ו) after the prefixed verb form indicates the ultimate purpose/goal of their action.

[2:3]  ²¹ tn Heb “walk in his ways.”

[2:3]  ²² tn Heb “for out of Zion will go instruction.”

[2:3]  ²³ tn Heb “the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”

[45:22]  ²⁴ tn The Niphal imperative with prefixed vav (ו) indicates purpose after the preceding imperative. The Niphal probably has a tolerative sense, “allow yourselves to be delivered, accept help.”

[49:6]  ²⁵ tn Heb “the protected [or “preserved”] ones.”

[49:6]  ²⁶ sn The question is purely rhetorical; it does not imply that the servant was dissatisfied with his commission or that he minimized the restoration of Israel.

[49:6]  ²⁷ tn See the note at 42:6.

[49:6]  ²⁸ tn Heb “be” (so KJV, ASV); CEV “you must take.”

[52:10]  ²⁹ tn Heb “lays bare”; NLT “will demonstrate.”

[52:10]  ³⁰ tn Heb “his holy arm.” This is a metonymy for his power.

[52:10]  ³¹ tn Heb “the remote regions,” which here stand for the extremities and everything in between.

[52:10]  ³² tn Heb “the deliverance of our God.” “God” is a subjective genitive here.

[60:1]  ³³ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions).

[60:2]  ³⁴ tn The verb “covers” is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[60:2]  ³⁵ tn Or “glory” (so most English versions); TEV “the brightness of his presence.”

[28:19]  ³⁶ tn “Go…baptize…teach” are participles modifying the imperative verb “make disciples.” According to ExSyn 645 the first participle (πορευθέντες, poreuqentes, “Go”) fits the typical structural pattern for the attendant circumstance participle (aorist participle preceding aorist main verb, with the mood of the main verb usually imperative or indicative) and thus picks up the mood (imperative in this case) from the main verb (μαθητεύσατε, maqhteusate, “make disciples”). This means that semantically the action of “going” is commanded, just as “making disciples” is. As for the two participles that follow the main verb (βαπτίζοντες, baptizontes, “baptizing”; and διδάσκοντες, didaskontes, “teaching”), these do not fit the normal pattern for attendant circumstance participles, since they are present participles and follow the aorist main verb. However, some interpreters do see them as carrying additional imperative force in context. Others regard them as means, manner, or even result.

[28:19]  ³⁷ tc Although some scholars have denied that the trinitarian baptismal formula in the Great Commission was a part of the original text of Matthew, there is no ms support for their contention. F. C. Conybeare, “The Eusebian Form of the Text of Mt. 28:19,” ZNW 2 (1901): 275-88, based his view on a faulty reading of Eusebius’ quotations of this text. The shorter reading has also been accepted, on other grounds, by a few other scholars. For discussion (and refutation of the conjecture that removes this baptismal formula), see B. J. Hubbard, The Matthean Redaction of a Primitive Apostolic Commissioning (SBLDS 19), 163-64, 167-75; and Jane Schaberg, The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (SBLDS 61), 27-29.

[3:6]  ³⁸ tn Grk “all flesh.”

[3:6]  ³⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 40:3-5. Though all the synoptic gospels use this citation from Isaiah, only Luke cites the material of vv. 5-6. His goal may well be to get to the declaration of v. 6, where all humanity (i.e., all nations) see God’s salvation (see also Luke 24:47).

[24:47]  ⁴⁰ sn This repentance has its roots in declarations of the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew concept of a turning of direction.

[24:47]  ⁴¹ tn Or “preached,” “announced.”

[24:47]  ⁴² sn To all nations. The same Greek term (τὰ ἔθνη, ta eqnh) may be translated “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” The hope of God in Christ was for all the nations from the beginning.

[24:47]  ⁴³ sn Beginning from Jerusalem. See Acts 2, which is where it all starts.

[13:47]  ⁴⁴ tn Here οὕτως (Joutws) is taken to refer to what follows, the content of the quotation, as given for this verse by BDAG 742 s.v. οὕτω/οὕτως 2.

[13:47]  ⁴⁵ tn BDAG 1004 s.v. τίθημι 3.a has “τιθέναι τινὰ εἴς τι place/appoint someone to or for (to function as) someth….Ac 13:47.” This is a double accusative construction of object (“you”) and complement (“a light”).

[13:47]  ⁴⁶ sn Paul alludes here to the language of the Servant in Isaiah, pointing to Isa 42:6; 49:6. He and Barnabas do the work of the Servant in Isaiah.

[13:47]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “that you should be for salvation,” but more simply “to bring salvation.”

[13:47]  ⁴⁸ sn An allusion to Isa 42:6 and 49:6. The expression the ends of the earth recalls Luke 3:6 and Acts 1:8. Paul sees himself and Barnabas as carrying out the commission of Luke 24:27. (See 2 Cor 6:2, where servant imagery also appears concerning Paul’s message.)

[1:9]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “every man” (but in a generic sense, “every person,” or “every human being”).

[1:9]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “He was the true light, who gives light to everyone who comes into the world.” The participle ἐρχόμενον (ercomenon) may be either (1) neuter nominative, agreeing with τὸ φῶς (to fw"), or (2) masculine accusative, agreeing with ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon). Option (1) results in a periphrastic imperfect with ἦν (hn), ἦν τὸ φῶς… ἐρχόμενον, referring to the incarnation. Option (2) would have the participle modifying ἄνθρωπον and referring to the true light as enlightening “every man who comes into the world.” Option (2) has some rabbinic parallels: The phrase “all who come into the world” is a fairly common expression for “every man” (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 31.6). But (1) must be preferred here, because: (a) In the next verse the light is in the world; it is logical for v. 9 to speak of its entering the world; (b) in other passages Jesus is described as “coming into the world” (6:14, 9:39, 11:27, 16:28) and in 12:46 Jesus says: ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα (egw fw" ei" ton kosmon elhluqa); (c) use of a periphrastic participle with the imperfect tense is typical Johannine style: 1:28, 2:6, 3:23, 10:40, 11:1, 13:23, 18:18 and 25. In every one of these except 13:23 the finite verb is first and separated by one or more intervening words from the participle.

[10:18]  ⁵¹ tn That is, Israel (see the following verse).

[10:18]  ⁵² tn Grk “they have not ‘not heard,’ have they?” This question is difficult to render in English. The basic question is a negative sentence (“Have they not heard?”), but it is preceded by the particle μή (mh) which expects a negative response. The end result in English is a double negative (“They have not ‘not heard,’ have they?”). This has been changed to a positive question in the translation for clarity. See BDAG 646 s.v. μή 3.a.; D. Moo, Romans (NICNT), 666, fn. 32; and C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans (ICC), 537, for discussion.

[10:18]  ⁵³ tn Here the particle μενοῦνγε (menounge) is correcting the negative response expected by the particle μή (mh) in the preceding question. Since the question has been translated positively, the translation was changed here to reflect that rendering.

[10:18]  ⁵⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 19:4.

[15:9]  ⁵⁵ tn There are two major syntactical alternatives which are both awkward: (1) One could make “glorify” dependent on “Christ has become a minister” and coordinate with “to confirm” and the result would be rendered “Christ has become a minister of circumcision to confirm the promises…and so that the Gentiles might glorify God.” (2) One could make “glorify” dependent on “I tell you” and coordinate with “Christ has become a minister” and the result would be rendered “I tell you that Christ has become a minister of circumcision…and that the Gentiles glorify God.” The second rendering is preferred.

[15:9]  ⁵⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 18:49.

[15:10]  ⁵⁷ sn A quotation from Deut 32:43.

[15:11]  ⁵⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 117:1.

[15:12]  ⁵⁹ sn A quotation from Isa 11:10.

[15:13]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “in the believing” or “as [you] believe,” with the object “him” supplied from the context. The referent could be God (15:13a) or Christ (15:12).

[15:14]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[15:16]  ⁶² tn Grk “serving.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but in keeping with contemporary English style, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:16]  ⁶³ tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself.

[15:16]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “so that the offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable.” This could be understood to refer to an offering belonging to the Gentiles (a possessive genitive) or made by the Gentiles (subjective genitive), but more likely the phrase should be understood as an appositive genitive, with the Gentiles themselves consisting of the offering (so J. D. G. Dunn, Romans [WBC 38], 2:860). The latter view is reflected in the translation “so that the Gentiles may become an acceptable offering.”

[15:17]  ⁶⁵ tc ‡ After οὖν (oun), several important Alexandrian and Western mss (B C D F G 81 365 pc) have τήν (thn). The article is lacking in א A Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï however. Ì⁴⁶ supplies a relative pronoun and has a different reading entirely (“which I have [as a] boast”). Articles were frequently introduced to clarify the meaning of the text. In this instance, since the word modified (καύχησιν, kauchsin) is third declension, a visual oversight (resulting in omission) is less likely. Hence, the shorter reading is probably original. The difference in translation between these first two options is negligible (“I have the boast” or “I have a boast”). NA²⁷ puts the article in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[15:18]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “unto obedience.”

[3:6]  ⁶⁷ sn The phrase through the gospel is placed last in the sentence in Greek for emphasis. It has been moved forward for clarity.

[3:6]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “and fellow members.”

[3:7]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “of which I was made a minister,” “of which I became a servant.”

[3:7]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “according to.”

[3:7]  ⁷¹ sn On the exercise of his power see 1:19-20.

[3:8]  ⁷² sn In Pauline writings saints means any true believer. Thus for Paul to view himself as less than the least of all the saints is to view himself as the most unworthy object of Christ’s redemption.

[3:8]  ⁷³ sn The parallel phrases to proclaim and to enlighten which follow indicate why God’s grace was manifested to Paul. Grace was not something just to be received, but to be shared with others (cf. Acts 13:47).

[1:6]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:6]  ⁷⁵ tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.

[1:23]  ⁷⁶ tn BDAG 276 s.v. ἑδραῖος suggests “firm, steadfast.”

[1:23]  ⁷⁷ tn BDAG 639 s.v. μετακινέω suggests “without shifting from the hope” here.

[1:1]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[2:4]  ⁷⁹ tn BDAG 812 s.v. πιθανολογία states, “persuasive speech, art of persuasion (so Pla., Theaet. 162e) in an unfavorable sense in its only occurrence in our lit. ἐν πιθανολογίᾳ by specious arguments Col 2:4 (cp. PLips 40 III, 7 διὰ πιθανολογίας).”

[2:4]  ⁸⁰ sn Paul’s point is that even though the arguments seem to make sense (sound reasonable), they are in the end false. Paul is not here arguing against the study of philosophy or serious thinking per se, but is arguing against the uncritical adoption of a philosophy that is at odds with a proper view of Christ and the ethics of the Christian life.

[2:2]  ⁸¹ 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]  ⁸² 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]  ⁸³ 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]  ⁸⁴ 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.